Thursday, May 29, 2008

Feeling Rather Amazonian

Greetings, Gentle Reader, from the newly minted Dr. Reads.

Graduation forthcoming, of course, but the hard work, the Dissertation, has been Successfully Defended.

I have already begun my slow and much-anticipated return to comics (including a discussion of Iron Man with my committee today!) and will resume comics blogging very soon.

Until, then, may I yell a Very Happy and Very Proud Huzzah?

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Amy Reads the Week (of May 25th, 2008)

The count is on, Gentle Reader, as I defend My Dissertation on Thursday, yes, this Thursday. Several years of my academic life come down to this week, a mere four days into the future, and I must confess, I am Rather Nervous.

That is to say, not Nervous about the Dissertation, because who knows the material better than its author, the Humble One before you? Instead, I am Nervous about Being Nervous: Amy Reads does not crack under pressure, but she does ripple and bend on occasion.

So to distract myself from such nervousness, and as a complement to the days spent rereading my dissertation and preparing for my defense, Mr. Reads and I have watched the entire first and second seasons of David Mamet's The Unit. I adore Mamet as a playright--Oleanna is quite the heavy hitter--and as a screenwriter he is Rather Extraordinary. The Unit, particularly in those episodes written by Mamet Himself (marked, of course, by repeating dialogue: "This is what we're going to do--*this* is what we're going to do," for example), is nothing short of genius. And there is, of course, the genius of Dennis Haysbert to consider.

But unfortunately, The Unit is now just another show in a long list of stressful and nerve-wracking television shows on the Reads Family Watch List. Lost, The Office, Battlestar Galactica, Mr. Reads and I cannot seem to find a fun and happy television show. Or perhaps, the more likely scenario, we cannot find one we like. One could argue for 30 Rock or even The Office as fun and happy, but I would argue with Said Arguing. There is nothing, nothing, Gentle Reader, relaxing and fun about The Office or 30 Rock. Funny, yes, hilarious, certainly, but never relaxing or fun.

So to relieve the tension of the tension-relief The Unit was, originally, planned to be, Mr. Reads and I took a break to watch Air Guitar Nation. That, Friends, definitely accomplished the job.

By this time next week, Gentle Reader, I will, hopefully, be able to ask you In All Seriousness to address me as Dr. Reads rather than Ms. Reads. While I would never be so presumptuous with you, Friends (never!), I would be presumptuous enough to ask that if you be so inclined, please wish This Humble Author Luck, particularly of the beneficial kind.

Until then, adieu.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Amy Reads the Week (of May 18th, 2008)

Surprisingly, Gentle Reader, I have not actually *read* All That Much in this week following the completion of my Dissertation. That is to say, I have purchased a few weeks' backlog of comics, but have not read them. I have received several books from the library in anticipation of my forthcoming Very Interesting Classes this summer and fall, but have not looked at them. And I have received a joyous gift from Mr. Reads to celebrate Said Completion of Said Dissertation--a shiny purple Nintendo DS complete with Justice League Heroes--and I have not had much time to play. I have been, Quite Frankly, decompressing.

Because the Dissertation is not *over* per se. There is that pesky conclusion to write, the Quite Daunting Defense looming in the future, never mind the rewrites and preparations. But this week has been rather relaxing, in that I have just let myself be, without any real obligations. Mr. Reads and I even took a mini-vacation to see A Dear Friend get married! And, let us all Be Honest, it has been Season Finale Week. Where reading has suffered, let no one say television suffers the same.

But, and there is a "but," Gentle Reader, I will resume it all again soon. Wonder Woman to read, Justice League to play, and my Dissertation to frame for it. I'm swamped!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Resuming Blogging Shortly

Let the lamp affix its beam, Gentle Reader. I've just finished the final draft of my dissertation, which goes out to my committee tomorrow.

I will resume regularly scheduled blogging shortly. But for now, I am going to go rest My Weary Head (o, the mushy brains!) and watch the DVRed Battlestar Galactica.

Saturday, May 03, 2008

Amy Reads the Week (Early! on May 3rd, 2008)

And that, Gentle Reader, is how you make a Superhero Movie.

That is, I turned in the draft of my introduction yesterday, and took a (very!) brief break from revision to celebrate the completion of the entirety of my dissertation--in bad draft or no--by going with Mr. Reads to pick up our free comics, and to go see Iron Man.

Friends, what can I say about the movie experience? I adored it. Absolutely, utterly, and completely. But I can only say so much before I just need to tell you all to Go See It For Yourselves. Instead, I offer you this anecdote:

About halfway through the movie, right when The Suit shows up for the first time, I glanced around the theater. Over half the people were smiling. Just smiling, at the screen, for no particular reason. Nothing overtly funny had happened, no quips, no jokes, no crashes. Just big grins for a fun and lovely movie.

When I glanced at Mr. Reads, I saw that he was smiling, too.

Then I realized that *I* was smiling, as well, and there we were, the all of us in a theater, near-packed, smiling with utter joy over the Iron Man movie.

Last week, Gentle Reader, of visions and revisions before the taking of toast and tea (gratitude, Mr. Eliot). Then, the Dissertation, in its Final Completed Draft, will go to The Committee before my Defense at the end of the month. I promise reviews of Gail Simone's Wonder Woman #19 and Jon Favreau's Iron Man once it is all complete.

Until then, Friends, adieu!