Archery Excursion

In America this Monday was the Labor Day holiday. It is the unofficial end of summer and a day where the American people celebrate how hard they work all year by not working that day and usually barbecuing something. Though I had the day off from classes, I had to go work on putting the paper together Monday evening. However, my morning was free.
What better way to spend my last day of summer than by shooting arrows into a heavily padded target? Exactly, there is no better way. Last time I went to the range I received a bit of bow-burn on my left arm from the string snapping forward to release the arrow, this time I wore long sleeves along with my leather bracer and finger sleeves and I was relatively unscathed.
Another archer was leaving when I arrived, he was using a compound bow with lots of fancy features. He seemed moderately impressed that my starter bow was such a serious one- that made me nervous. Whenever people say their impressed or proud in regards to something I'm doing, I'm afraid I'll screw it up like an idiot and disappoint them or invoke their scorn. (It's a bad habit, I didn't even know this person which makes it all the more ridiculous.)
When I was preparing to take my first shot, I was anxious that he would be watching (sometime I over-shoot and find it buried in the ground behind the target later). So, full of self-conscious anxiety and all too aware of the wind ruffling my hair and the trees, I drew back and shot. Somehow, in spite of myself, I hit almost a dead bulls eye.
Of course, I'm lacking in consistency. I still over shot a couple times, but nearly all my arrows ended up in the target and several were bulls eyes or near enough for me. I'm getting better, so next time I'll try some more distant targets. I'm an over-thinker and in archery you can't think too much, you just have to feel it and trust yourself. This is good for me to force myself to stop thinking once in a while.
Arrows are so strange to watch in flight. When I saw an interview with Russell Crowe during the filming of Robin Hood he kept saying that arrows are alive, that they swim, which seems strange, but I understand now. They move through the air like they are searching for the target, skimming on a current and moving with a strange fluidity. It's crazy to think of yourself setting that in motion.

Call Me Robin Hood

Sorry I've been away, but I've finally picked up an amazing new hobby I've been longing for: archery. My father collects antique weaponry, so he went to a show looking for pieces for a 19th century restoration he's working. While he was there he met a vendor selling off several bows and a few quivers full of arrows for a ridiculously low price.
It's proof that he actually listens to my nonsensical chatterings and I am now the proud owner of a 28 inch, 50 pound recurve hunting bow. The poundage is how much force the bow provides when you pull it back the correct amount of inches, in this case 28. I went to the archery range yesterday and actually hit the target a few times, but also discovered that I have weak, girly wrists. I ended up wearing leather arm bracers from my Renaissance Faire days to support my wrists and protect me from the bowstring as it snapped forward. I had some leather scraps from other historical pursuits, so I made myself little finger covers to keep me from cutting up my right hand when I pull the string back.
When I consider the fact that the yeomen of the middle ages used bows with 100 pounds of force it amazes me. The more force the tighter the bow string and the harder it is to string. My 50 pounder took three people to string all variously holding the end, curving the top and pulling up the string. My brother, enlisted to the task, told me I have to be careful not to break the string because he is never doing that again. Ever.
With my ridiculous schedule I'm not sure if I can get a regular practice schedule but my dad said, "Sometimes you'll need to get away." Proof of how well that man knows me, I can think of no better way to unwind.

A Small Rant About Doctor Who

With the weather being increasingly unpleasant, outdoor activity has been out of the question this weekend. Even driving around has been advised against. I've started drafting my new story, currently called "Matchless"- I'm very enthusiastic about it and the way my ideas are progressing. Mostly though, I've been watching Doctor Who.
I came onto this phenomenon late, Tennant is the only Dr. I have a realm of experience with, I have seen a bit of Eccleston and some clips of some of the earlier Drs, but for me Tennant is and always will be the Dr. Some friends assert that he's too angry for the part, but honestly, with all he's seen and lost, wouldn't you expect a little angst? I think he's one of the elements that keep the show from getting campy.
That and the fantastic writing. I love Robin Hood, of course, but it can not compare to Doctor Who in terms of continuity and story arching. They plan out the sereis so well and tie in little things that seem incidental early on, they all play out later on.
Next Saturday "The Waters of Mars" the second of the four specials is airing and then I believe on Boxing Day "The End of Time: Part One" will air. From the previews it looks like there might be a return of The Master. How? I have know idea, but I look forward to finding out. Of course, the 'infection' in "The Waters of Mars" looks a bit like a zombie problem from those previews. I still have hope.
And yes... I have been reading Middlemarch as well. Do you even need to ask?

Love/Hate Relationship

With the weather. The snow has gotten as close to pouring as snow possibly can. I'm watching it swirl outside the window (along with my cat who is a bit agitated by it) and I admire it's beauty. Yet, at the same time I resent its presence today. I was supposed to go hear my friend's blues band tonight, but I suspect by the time I'll be heading out this evening my town and the two towns over will resemble an arctic tundra.
The real shame is that this friend's band may be on hiatus for quite sometime because she may need surgery on her vocal chords.
*Sigh*
I will instead content myself to reading Middlemarch and watching the series finale of Robin Hood tonight. My impatience led me to watch it this summer, but on a tv instead of my computer screen and with time to process the nuances, philosophy and tragedy of the show, the second viewing of the season has been a very different experience.
Most of the country is enjoying/bemoaning the snow as well right now according to the weather map, I wish you all the best with flannel pajamas, hot cocoa, and period dramas of your own.

So maybe I should be working on NaNoWriMo

But I've been playing around on Robin Hood boards instead. The first couple times I took their Hero or Villain quiz I got Much. I don't think I'm like him at all. So I'll be honest, I been trying to get Marian, I realized that a key question that set Marian apart was one of the last ones. It asked about working with others, and I had been misreading it. The way you take the quiz is a bit annoying, rating one way or the other and it was very easy to vote the exact opposite of the way I actually meant. I'm pretty sure that question is what did it, I didn't really change my other answers very much when I retook it. I did take it just for fun once and purposely skewed it to get Sir Guy.
It's true though, like Marian I can be a little bit stubborn, impatient, indecisive, but my heart's always there.
Feel free to comparably waste your time.

Entertainment of the Weekend

Oh Robin Hood, how you consume a pathetic and socially unacceptable percentage of my thoughts. This week's episode was a major moment with Robin and Guy; it gave fantastic insights on the boys that became the men and how the "bad blood" between them goes back to their fathers. Who cares if it doesn't completely mesh with the backstory that has been implied for the past two seasons? Well... some people care, but besides throwing off the timeline and amount of history between characters a bit, it actually makes alot of things make even more sense in my opinion. I still, stubbornly insist that they should not have killed off Marian and that S3 could have been much more interesting with her. Maybe once the American premiere of S3 concludes in a few weeks I'll post my rewrite of the S2 finale and new outline of S3. Although I must give credit where it is due, the writers did very much redeem themselves in the end of this season. But not 100%
Tonight is the premiere of Collision which has Lucy Griffiths- Lady Marian herself appearing in it. Many BBCA viewers will find familiar actors in this series. I'm excited, Place of Execution has me feeling positive about Mas Contemporary. I'll post my notes later this week.
For books: I have been reading Girl, Interrupted. It's amazing, I'm obsessed. I've never seen the movie, but need to read the book for a class I'm taking. Though I'm not sure what this says about me, I find it fascinating to read about experiences with mental illness. I read The Bell Jar in high school- changed my life. The book is not a cohesive A-B-C plotline, but a collection of memories of the author's experience in the mental hospital. It's as if she wrote each chapter, each episode in the book as it came to mind, not in any order but the one her mind drew up. I can't wait to watch the movie and see how they arrange the plot.
One other bit of exciting, geeky news: BBCA has announced they are showing the final three Dr. Who specials starring David Tennant in December! Can't wait.

This Week

So after last night's Robin Hood the main story arch is finally speeding toward the inevitable climax. It's a relief, there were a few episodes that didn't do much to push the season forward, but now we are moving. Looking forward to some fantastic performances, an unexpected twist, and a heartbreaking finale. Saturday the 31st the eighth episode premiers in America.
Also on the 31st TCM is doing a special tribute to Mad Scientists. Their showing Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde starring Spencer Tracy from 1941. It's based off the short novel by Robert Louis Stevenson and also stars Ingrid Bergman and Lana Turner. Not a bad film, but it bears little resemblance to original story.
I've decided to do a little series of reviews comparing various film adaptations to their original texts.
Any suggestions?
Update: I'm a few chapters into The Blood of Flowers now, it's very engaging. One custom/superstition mentioned in the book that I found very interesting was the idea of "stealing" something from a loved one going on a journey to ensure that they'll come back to you. Without even realizing it I think we've all done it. Photographs, letters, trinkets, little things we give an take. When one of my friends and I had to seperate to go off to college we swapped books so that we would be sure to meet up again. We had to swap them back.

Masterpiece Contemporary

photo credit: nerdfighters.ning.com

Guess who the new host of Masterpiece Contemporary is? Okay, I sort of spoiled it with the photo, but yes, it is the incomparable David Tennant.
Their season starting this Sunday is as follows (courtesy of pbs.org):
Endgame- October 25th Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Johnny Lee Miller (also in the new Emma coming to Masterpiece Classic this season!)
Place of Execution- November 1-8 Starring Juliet Stevenson and Greg Wise
Collision-November 15-22 With Lucy Griffiths from BBC's Robin Hood

Speaking of David Tennant... did anyone hear that the RSC is making a film of their recent production of Hamlet starring DT? I wept with joy personally.
Oh, and Collision stars the eighth Doctor, Paul McGann. Isn't that cute? Getting the Whos together. Warm fuzzy feelings.
Oh- and Philip Davis who was in "The Fires of Pompeii" with Doctor eleven, DT. It' like a class reunion.

Awkward First Blog

I keep seeing more and more authors nowadays that have gotten their start online through blogging. It struck me that perhaps there really is something useful and educational about it, that I should move with the times.
I don't want to talk about my personal life or the exploits of celebrities, mainly I want to create an intelligent forum for literary based discussions in relation to life, pop culture, and more literature. At the forefront I should state I am not just an English geek, I have many geeky interest or at least interests that I have been told are geeky.
Mostly I have been inspired by the fantastic girls on the BBCA Robin Hood forum that provide stimulating discussion every week and have given me confidence in my own ability to give commentary.
Now that this awkward first blog is out of the way, hopefully enthralling discussions are to come.