Thanksgiving report

[calimac]

I'm thankful for the feast and for members of B's large, boisterous family to enjoy it with.

I'm thankful that we avoided any political discussion, even though some of them have the most appalling political views this side of the Rockies.

I'm thankful that my own microscopically-sized family was able to join us.

I'm thankful for all the leftovers forced on us to take home.

I'm thankful that the Redskins shook sportsmanlike hands with the Cowboys after beating them in the football game we were desultorily watching.

I'm thankful that my niece-in-law, whom I'd never had a really serious conversation with before, turned out to be a Tolkien reader and sat down to ask me about the upcoming Hobbit movie. (Perhaps her husband, on whom I'd tried to push the book back when he was 12 years old, had told her this was an interest of mine.) I was polite about the subject, as I usually am to outside inquirers, even if certain online idiots don't appreciate it, and promised to send her my review.

I'm thankful that her mother-in-law specifically invited me to their customary family Christmas dinner, even though B. has to work that day and can't go and I'm not even a Christian.

I'm thankful for the friends I saw in LA last week (about which more later, I promise), and for B. - for letting me go off for a week and for so much else.

I'm thankful for the memories of my late great friend Vanessa, more of which have been flooding back in mind (with a supplementary post soon, I expect).

I'm thankful to you for reading my meanderings.

Comments

[whswhs.livejournal.com]

Verlyn Flieger's new book, Green Suns and Faërie, has a really good essay on Peter Jackson's LotR films.

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

There are lots of good critical essays on the subject. I wrote one of them myself.

[whswhs.livejournal.com]

I don't disparage your critical contributions to the subject. I simply assume that someone who himself holds critical opinions is likely to be interested in intelligent and informed critical opinions from other people. I was hoping to point you at something you might take pleasure in.

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

Sorry. Yes, I am generally aware of the work of Verlyn Flieger. She is my close professional colleague.

And she also loathes the movies a lot more than I do, despite the claims by some that Tolkien scholars who dislike the films do not exist.

[whswhs.livejournal.com]

I would not say I loathe them—I actually thought parts of them were very good—but I don't disparage your reaction; I can understand why you would react that way. Or why Flieger would, though she managed a creditable tone of detached analysis in her essay.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

It sounds like a lovely day!

[eddyerrol.livejournal.com]

I would like to say that I'm thankful to have your "meanderings" to read!