...to be well-read?

I've been thinking about this recently, and wondering if the whole idea has the potential to be at all objective? What is well-read, when it comes to the world of books? I'd like to think of myself as someone who is - someone who has read a range of different books covering various authors, genres, political and religious ideologies and so on, but whittling it down to one specific definition, one pinpoint, seems impossible.

For example, as a middle-class white European woman, I might consider someone who has never read any Shakespeare to not be well-read. So does that mean someone who (admittedly, this is very unlikely) has read, say, the complete works of Homer, Joyce, Austen, Wilde and Chaucer, but no play of Shakespeare to be poorly-read? It seems silly to me to answer that with a definite yes.

Being well-read also doesn't mean that you've simply read a lot of books. Reading a hundred bodice-rippers and no other genre only perhaps makes you well-read in that one particular subject.

So what is it? Is there a book, a play, a poem, or a graphic novel that for you would count as the basic standard of good reading, or do you think there is another way to define it? Just how many books does one have to read before they're Officially Well-Read? I want your thoughts!

Well, a pet peeve masquerading as a PSA:

Certain snakes and scorpions are not poisonous. They are venomous. They may possibly be poisonous if you attempt to ingest them, but if they bite/sting/spit at you, they're venomous.
You don't find venomous mushrooms (although, that does sound kinda cool. Maybe they could join up in a nature trail axis of evil, alongside man-eating squirrels and radioactive wood pigeons?), so why speak of poisonous snakes?

Hugh Laurie is The Chosen of the flist. Congrats, Mr. Laurie!

Possibly aided by being House, and Stephen being 'that guy who was in Bones a couple of times' for some of the non-Brits in the flist. The reason, for anyone not in the know, for the two of them being put against each other, so to speak, is because they are very dear friends who had their own television shows over here in the UK.

My own vote is however, Stephen Fry. Always. I love both of them to tiny jolly pieces, but Fry wins every time - I have a thing for brilliant, witty, actor-director-writer-skeptic gay presenter types. ;)

Just in case you were curious.

Next up, a PSA.

Because I must know the lay of the land. Or something.

Pick!

Poll #1482522
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 19

Fry or Laurie?

Happy Halloween to all, may the true spirit of sugary candy and small children dressed as zombies be with you always. ;)

I think I've seen the last of the local kids for tonight - they are filled with chocolatey goodness, and I have the leftovers and the memory of another round of terrible jokes, as per local tradition. Not a bad night at all.

[01] -- Go to IMDB.com and look up 10 of your TV shows.
[02] -- Post three official IMDB "Plot Keywords" for these picks.
[03] -- Have your friends guess the show names.

1) Sarcasm - History Error Corrected For Comic Effect - Flying Head
2) Douche - Disaster - Sitcom
3) Sex Slave - Rise and Fall - Incest
4) Lawyer - Homosexual Demon - Neo Noir
5) Spacecraft - Futuristic - Wobbly Sets
6) Lost - Female Warrior - Living Ship
7) Surrealism - Buddy Cop - Ford Cortina
8) Russian - Interspecies Romance - CGI
9) Title Spoken By Character - Based on Film - Decapitation
10) Prophet - Galactic War - Tailor

Have at it!

Work was gentle on me today, thank goodness. My first day back was actually quite quick and pleasant, no doubt helped by my co-worker and friend who I spend most of the day with in the stacks. She's a sweetheart - clever, funny, geeky, and just a little bit daft. My favourite kind of person. :)

I think the only grumbles I have are 1) continued pain (but there's only such much I can do, and so much I can whinge about that), and 2) it's bloody dark out there, isn't it? I'm sure I'm not the only one getting up or going into work when it's still mostly night out there.

Which neatly leads me into my question (and poor sentence structure, I know):

Does anyone on my flist suffer from S.A.D, or have issues with darkness in the morning, and use a daylight-mimicking lamp? Has it worked for you? I realise it's probably a subjective individual experience, but I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts.

Tomorrow is going to be a long day, I know it. I do and I don't want to go back to work - I enjoy the work, but I hate scraping myself out of bed at 6am, and I don't really want to talk much or eat there. However, I feel that I'm able to do my job, and I feel guilty for being away for so long, so I'll take my painkillers and my cuppa-soup, put on my big girl pants, and deal with it.

I just wish I felt tired enough to have a proper early night. Stupid nocturnal brain.

I had my follow-up hospital appointment today, and it turns out that there actually is a reason why this little procedure might've felt somewhat painful. ( cut for the slightly squeamish )

Instead, I bring you fic:

...'Til the Rat Lady Sings is my silly painkiller aided/addled? contribution to the fabulous hl_flashfic community, a small Fitz-ian farce, and just a tad last-minute.

And in real life news, I have stronger painkillers, and a follow-up at the dental hospital tomorrow. Hoorah.

Because I couldn't let today pass without saying a massive massive Happy Birthday to two of my most favourite people - mallyns, my girl, my partner in crime ♥ , and the kind, talanted, smart, beautiful and strong ardisia (cheque's in the post, right? :P).
I wish you both nothing but love and joy all day.
And again, idontlikegravy, a belated but heartfelt Happy Birthday to you too. You are quite simply awesome.

Ow.

A big thank you to all who left such kind comments about Cola. I always used to wonder when I left a 'hugs' comment to someone having a crappy day whether it would really have an effect, but I know that at least from my POV, it really does. So thank you - it's genuinely appreciated.

My own two bundles of fur however work on a slightly different level when it comes to offering comfort. Right now their idea of love is bringing me dead spiders. And one frickin' giant live one in the bathtub. Nyrghh! Thanks girls. Well at least it wasn't mice.

Now all I have to worry about is the operation to remove my wisdom teeth on Thursday morning. Impacted wisdom teeth in an overcrowded small mouth = general anesthetic & no fun. Some people will do anything to get time off work, huh? ;)

On Tuesday morning my mother awoke to find that our twenty year old family cat Cola had died in her sleep. It was peaceful, she lived a very long and good life, we all loved her dearly and honestly, we expected this to happen sooner rather than later.
We've buried her in the back garden of my parent's house. There are flowers around and the sun can still spill through to keep the earth warm.
She was a good cat.

Deep Space Nine/Highlander crossover. Gen. Garak, Methos. A simple tailor and a Federation historian cross paths not for the first time on the station. Multi-layered converation and subtle innuendo ensues. Methos has an odd fondness for Kanar.

Well according to Last.fm, it's The Killers' 'All These Things That I've Done', with a play count of 227.

I never realised that I was such a Killers fan untill I checked my stats, as they're also my most played artist too. Huh.

I'm actually writing fic again!

And enjoying it!

Thank you hl_flashfic for re-igniting the old spark. Hopefully it's the kind of spark that produces a unwavering inspiring flame that looks pretty on your windowsill, and not the kind that causes a massive house fire, ruining your designer drapery.

... I like my metaphors a bit mixy.

jekesta asked about my top five Discworld books, a very hard question indeed. These aren't set in stone, but right now I'd say they included:

i) Night Watch
ii) Carpe Jugulum
iii) Small Gods
iv) Hogfather
v) Going Postal

.. and Mort, Guards! Guards!, Jingo, Wyrd Sisters and Feet of Clay.

And all the rest. Hem hem.