Grad school for Literature... 

Expectation: 

Sitting in a cafe reading a novel

Reality (most of the time):

Reading tons of essays by people like Adorno & other critics. 

But sometimes, I get lucky. Right now... I'm sitting in a cafe reading a novel. 

In particular, I'm starting into James Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, where his character Stephan Dedalus originated. It's known for being a bit challenging as Dedalus narrates in stream-of-consciousness. But, funny enough, I can kind of follow it for one reason: Andrew Scott. 

Now Scott did a BBC radio drama of Ulysses a few years back (which I've tried getting into twice, but someday I'll prevail!) and he played Dedalus. But it's not his role from Joyce's more famous novel that's helping me. It's actually his performance from the short Seawall. It's a one man film that Scott narrates on his own. But all of this adds up to one thing: reading Portrait, I can't help but hear Scott's voice. :)

#SherlockS3 #cubicleparty

****Nerdy Fangirl Warning****

It's been 1 year, 2 months, and 3 days since The Fall.

And today it finally happened:

Yes.  It'll probably be another year before we get Season 3, Episode 1 "The Empty Hearse."  But, as of today, it is officially on it's way.

And that meant today was a cause for celebrating!

So today was my first ever "Cubicle Party" - and I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to do it again. 

There were already about 5 other "fans" in the office (I told one friend that on a scale of 0 to clinical, they counted as positively infected).  So today was both a celebration with those fans, and a marketing push to infect introduce Sherlock to more people.  And I think it was successful because several people said they'd be checking it out :)

Alright, a run-down on the cubicle-party-components:

[I started building the "shrine" last Friday with printed pictures on the left (gift from co-worker),  Last April's Radio Times with you-know-who on the cover (gift from Lois in London), pictures I took last spring of Sherlockian chalk-art at UW, and Volumes I and II of the The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes.]

[A few details - including a parody of the telegram / text Sherlock sends John: "Baker Stree. Come at once if convenient... if inconvenient come anyway."]

[Deerstalker (aka - death frisbee), eye-glass, pipe, Sherlock Holmes V. I + II, and books published circa Sherlock's era]

[Benedict Cumberbatch & Martin Freeman
Sherlock Holmes & John Watson
Smaug & Bilbo
...can these two just please keep making art together?]

[Sherlockian Donuts (via Top Pot):
A 3 patch problem: maple bar
The Riding Crop: chocolate bar
Invisible Ink: lemon filled
A Scandal in Belgravia: bavarian creme filled
Irene: raspberry filled
Molly - raspberry glazed
M (for Moriarty): old fashioned chocolate glazed
1895 - old fashioned
On the side of the Angels: powdered
A Study in Pink: pink frosted cake
The Fall: double trouble chocolate cake]

More symbolic donut shots:

Each of the donuts have significance to one degree or another... so ask if you're wondering :)

[Houndstooth Dress]

[popped collar]

And finally, some fandom fun:

[From one of the guys I've recently got hooked on this show]

[Ok... maybe I'm not that bad.  Maybe.]

Happy filming, Sherlock!!

We've become "the Fandom that Waited" - and wait we shall... but not without unbridled excitement, intermittent squealing, and occasional cubicle parties :)

B+W Love

There is just something about black and white.

I think it automatically appears to us as art because, while we see in color, someone or thing has been cast in a black and white re-presentation of themselves.  It's mimetic while remaining boldly artistic.  Or in the words of our beloved, bow-tied Nerd-man: "the obviously constructed nature of the scene would by its own artificiality, create it’s own sense of... verisimilitude."  It is real, but at the same time it is unafraid to be art.

But I may be reading into this too much :)

I've been watching a lot of B + W films lately and have been impressed with shots from them - especially behind-the-scenes - but also of more recent shots in B + W.  Here are a few faves:



[Marlon Brando in his Academy Award winning performance of Terry Malloy - On the Waterfront]



[Because just wow!]



[Oh and he had a kitty]

  

[Walt Disney and Shirley Temple presenting at the 1939 Oscars]



[Adorable Audrey]



[Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard filming Breakfast at Tiffany's]





[These three!!  PS - I love Harrison's hipster glasses! Via]



And in honor of the new season they're about to start shooting, in B + W, the gents of Sherlock:



[Thanks to the dear friend who forwarded this along to me ;) ]





Today is St. Patrick's Day and in honor of the British-Saint-who-moved-to-Ireland and for whom we celebrate Ireland every year, I thought I'd share just a few of my favorite Irish artists.

There are so many that I love (Kenneth Branaugh, George Bernard Shaw, Liam Neeson, Enya, and Peter O'Toole) even more whom I respect (Seamus Heaney, James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, Richard Harris, Michael Gambon, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, etc.) But there are just a few that I admire I thought worth it to share. So, in no particular order, here they are:

Andrew Scott

Oscar Wilde

Clive Staples "Jack" Lewis

Maureen O'hara

Paul Hewson, a.k.a Bono