What did I do today? Hmm...

1. Read Hymiskvitha, Lokasenna, Thrymskvitha, Alvissmol, Helgakvitha Hjorvarthssonar, Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I&II, Fra Dautha Sinfjotla, Gripisspo, and Reginsmol of the Poetic Edda (my favorites being the Alvissmol, Lokasenna, and Alvissmol, in that order)
2. Dallied around on Wikipedia's entries on Armenia
3. Scanned in a ton of slides
4. Had barbecue for lunch, delicious, delicious

What do I plan to do with the rest of my day?

1. Read another book in Boethius
2. Translate either Deor or Widsið
3. Maybe read some of my Middle English assignment for Monday. (I'm leaving translation and commentary for Sunday)
4. Have a delicious pasta dinner cooked by my loving wife
5. Have coffee throughout.

Well, I finished Samuel Johnson's Rasselas again. Before I started reading it I falsely remembered that it was tedious and boring. My second time through was slow until I suddenly realized late last night that I really, really loved it. I was reading--the best way to read something good, with a pencil for underlining and marginalia--and I just realized how much I was enjoying the thought processes that kept cropping up. I realized that Rasselas was in the great chain that includes Job and Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy. The annoyance of all the didactic philosophizing slid off me and I learned to relax and love the book. I'm thinking about writing my paper on the Job/Boethius/Rasselas thing, and I felt like reading the chapter about marriage to Leah (because I'm marrying her and it interest me, not because I actually think she won't find it boring). I also find it an incredible proof of why plot is central to the concept of the novel, because Rasselas has story but no plot: things happen, in a series, then stop happening; there's no build-up, no climax, no resolution. The last chapter is friggin' titled "The Conclusion, In Which Nothing Is Concluded".

Tim, I hope you read it instead of leaving it on your shelf for a year. Will, you should read it. Trog, if you haven't read it already, add it to the list. Anybody else, give it at least a try. And the fact that he constantly italicizes choice of life can be overlooked. Mostly.