Gratitude

[kaberett]

Yesterday I woke up at around 6; by 6.15 had started to worry that I was this awake without my alarm having gone off and checked the time; and at 6.20 decided I wasn't getting back to sleep and might as well go into work. So I did, and I got a lot done, and oh but it is light at six, and the air was crisp and lovely as I made my (grouchy, limping) way up Exhibition Road; I was in lab by 7.30, whereupon I started the process of drying beakers, weighing out rock powder, and faffing about with HF. That I was quite so underslept and quite so ill goes a long way towards explaining why I had a Minor Incident (but no exposure; deets in a locked post). But! I got more Science Progress done than I'd even been hoping to manage, which puts me in a really good position for next week; and then I printed off and posted some documents for alexseanchai; and then in sunshine and relief I made my way home and ate apple cake my housemate had Produced (as if by magic!) while packing.

And then I got myself onto a train - in, still, the sunshine; you might be spotting a theme here - towards the dwelling of Those Two People; and upon arrival I took the gentle wander up the hill and smiled with delight about all the cherry blossom, and also about the fact that everything is getting ready for Holy Week: the forsythia and catkins are all exactly as they should be.

Upon arrival I was greeted by That Fucking Cat. I was, in fact, accosted at the top of the stairs, and required to scritch her. Including her belly. (She does this utterly bizarre thing of rolling over onto her back, looking appealingly at you until you scritch her belly, and then closing her eyes in bliss and not attacking your hand at all. The closest she comes is very gently bracing a back paw against your forearm, claws carefully and delicately sheathed. It is bizarre.) That One Lady ended up glancing over from the sofa to see why I was taking so long to actually make it into the house proper and say a proper hello, and then burst out laughing.

Spotted Bengal cat curled up on a beanbag, eyes slitted. Somehow in this exact frame she contrives to look almost pensive; I assure you she was actually glaring grimly at me.

We had food! We watched Joss Whedon's Much Ado and pulled faces at it (and simultaneously collapsed into helpless laughter at one particular scene); on the whole TOL is pleased that I provided impetus to watch it, and I'm glad I didn't pay for it, and I doubt it is an adaptation I will watch again. And then we had An Discussion about it; and then we talked some more and I Had Some Concerns About Being A Terrible Activist and she pointed out very astutely that that was not, in fact, my concern; and via dinner we watched Ever After which I was utterly charmed by (content note: terrible stereotypes of "gypsies"; elsewise it is socialism and Bechdel-test-passing and a princess who is not only self-rescuing but rescues everyone else too, and has a beautifully complex portrayal of the people and relationships involved with the stepmother & stepsisters). And then we went outside and looked at Mars ("well, that one's pretty bright and fairly red, also it is cold out here I am regretting suggesting this can we go inside again now oooooh but the Plough and the Moon") 'coz tumblr told me to, which turned out to be a good idea.


Whereas today I got a bit more writing-work done, some unexpected but pleasant friendly interaction with That One Gent, and upon arriving home I repotted all the aloe vera (I started with three pots and after division had seven). Since then I have: put away washing-up and emptied dishwasher; moved things that needed it back to the pantry and rearranged the spice drawer; cooked and eaten dinner; put bread on; done a perfunctory clean of the kitchen surfaces (I didn't want to make dinner on hobs I'd just wiped down, heh); done misc rubbish & recycling; triaged Paperwork That Needs Filing; got a bunch of photos off my camera (e.g. above); e-mailed my phone manufacturer AGAIN about a warranty replacement; sent an e-mail for Alex also; and a small pile of VP work.

It's amazing how productive I can be when I'm avoiding sewing and hoovering.

Comments

[umadoshi]

I'll certainly take your word for the cat being in the process of glaring at you, but goodness, she's a lovely little beastie. (I have a huge soft spot for adorable spots on kitties, it turns out. I like knowing that our girl has them, even though her fur's too long to show them off.)

And that is tremendous productivity!

[kaberett]

"Hmm," I said, contemplatively, in bed, "I think that's the first time I've ever declared my intentions by wishing early death on someone's pet."

[we actually get on well these days, but... our both being spiky and stand-offish in general, and particularly with one another, has become A Running Joke at this point, heh. Also, she is terrible.]

[alexseanchai]

So what's the problem with Whedon's Much Ado? Because I haven't gotten around to seeing it yet but I did pay for it. Also, yay Ever After! I need to buy my own copy instead of stealing my mom's every so often.

Also, in case I have not thanked you enough yet, thank you.

[kaberett]

The main problem with Whedon's Much Ado is that we were both pretty much entirely unsold on Benedick, and on Beatrice as a couple. I was unimpressed by their opening with Worst One-Night Stand Ever; we were agreed that it... kind of undermines the entire of the rest of the point of the plot, even if it's consistent with other modern interpretations? Also, they had somehow (I think by cutting a lot of Hero-Beatrice interactions?) managed to render Hero staggeringly insipid, even by the standards of Hero.

We liked Borachio as the kind of spotty useless teenager who gets very drunk at parties and then plays the piano beautifully, and is a bit YEAAAAAAAAAAAAH SEX AND MONEY :D :D :D but... reacts beautifully when he hears about Hero's death. TOL was super fond of Dogberry; I was gently pleased but a bit less delighted.

... but... yeah. If the Beatrice-Benedick interactions leave you cold, I kinda feel like the production's missed the point? (And, to be clear, that was almost all on Benedick, apart from the one glorious moment mentioned above; there were overblown pratfalls and sort of... not much personality, otherwise, though we were at least supposed to consider the ill-advised beard ill-advised...)

YW <3

[alexseanchai]

Nodnod, thanks.

[catyak]

I think it is perfectly reasonable to have to pay significant Cat Tax on entry to the domain of a cat.

[kaberett]

She used to look disdainfully at me and stalk off to be Anywhere I Wasn't. Only the greatly honoured are permitted to pay Cat Tax in these here parts ;)

[surpassingly]

/all the hearts for you