* Revolution Science Fiction previously gave the heroes their props in my shameless Sci-Fi and Fantasy Hunks Countdown. Now that I think about it, I believe a few entries on this list might be slightly different if I were to write this again today. The top honors, however, would remain the same.
* While I'm mentioning Revolution Science Fiction, huge congratulations to
sneezythesquid for being newly named RevSF Staff Writer! Read his latest review (on Mission: Impossible III) here. * I finally carved out a moment to take a break, and I wasted it utterly on An American Haunting, thinking that with such a stellar cast and interesting subject (the historical event is both a local phenomenon here in Tennessee and the most documented "haunting" in U.S. history), it would be good. I was badly, badly wrong. If you want to know more about the Bell Witch story, go to www.bellwitch.org, www.prairieghosts.com/b-cave.html, or www.bellwitchcave. (Thanks to
marthawells for these links.) Don't make my mistake and lose two hours of your life you can never regain to this movie. No matter how good Donald Sutherland looks in long, white hair, it's not worth enduring the film. * Tagged by
Explain your LiveJournal name and its meaning.
I chose "eldritchhobbit" as a tribute to two of my favorite authors, whose works I read and reread, write about, and teach. "Eldritch," which essentially means "weird, strange, or unearthly," is probably a good description of eccentric old me (ha!), but it also happens to be one of H.P. Lovecraft's favorite terms, a word that, due to his frequent use of it, has come to be associated with his works of cosmic terror. (For example, an excellent documentary on Lovecraft is entitled The Eldritch Influence: The Life, Vision, and Phenomenon of H.P. Lovecraft.)
"Hobbit" comes, of course, from the Halflings described in J.R.R. Tolkien's writings of Middle-Earth. It probably describes me well also, as I am quite short, fond of mushrooms, and predisposed towards being a homebody. I also share Thorin Oakenshield's assessment of Bilbo Baggins in particular and Hobbits in general, as he explains in The Hobbit: "There is more of good in you than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and good blended in measure. If more of us valued your ways - food and cheer, above hoarded gold - it would be a merrier world." So, I figure that there are far worse things to wish to become than a weird Halfling! I named my LiveJournal "Redecorating Middle-Earth in Early Lovecraft" to complement my LJ name.
I won't tag anyone, but I'd love to hear others' explanations of their names!
* And, last but not least, after the rain comes the rainbow. (This picture was taken from our back porch on Thursday afternoon. Click for a bigger image.)
Quote for the day:
Science explains the world, but only Art can reconcile us to it.
-Stanislaw Lem, "King Globares and the Sages"
