I was watching an X-files episode from season three last night while exercising. It was one that gave us the youthful background of the Smoking Man. He was in the army with our hero Fox Mulder’s dad and there is a scene with the Smoking Man on his bunk reading a book (unfortunately couldn’t see what book it was). Mulder the elder comes up and says to him, “You’re always reading books. Why don’t you put that book down and go see a movie?”
The Smoking Man looks up and replies, “I’d rather read the worst book ever written than see the best movie ever made.” He then closes his book and gets up and walks away with it, presumably to find somewhere else to continue reading without being interrupted. A man after my own heart, except for all the evil parts.
The Barnes and Noble date Friday evening was lovely. We had a buy one get one drink coupon from the cafe so we each got our own small peppermint soy mocha (we usually share a large one). I had planned on browsing the magazines especially the book review papers, but when I got to the store I suddenly felt in the mood to turn the pages of a few glossy home decoration books. These kinds of books are a guilty pleasure of mine though you wouldn’t be able to tell if you visited my house since the decor doesn’t extend past books and comfortable reading furniture. We also browsed the bargain books and meandered through fiction and the new books tables but nothing took our fancy so our book coupon remains unused. We have until the end of the month to redeem it.
The fall quarter of library school starts tomorrow. The professor emailed the class a tentative week-by-week reading list Saturday in case we wanted to get a head start. I immediately wanted to start the reading but my Bookman wisely said, “don’t be crazy you’re still on break!” He was right. So I enjoyed my final free weekend by staying up a little past my usual bedtime to finish Dracula last night. And this afternoon lounged on the chaise with a cup of coffee and the cats and finished reading Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Hopefully soon I will be able to put together posts on each of them.
This has been a wonderful few weeks free from school and if it weren’t for the fact that I am coming into the final turn just before the homestretch, I would be going a bit nutso at the moment. The class this quarter, in case anyone is wondering, is digital preservation, and from the readings it looks like it will be interesting. I will, of course, be sure to let you know.
Sounds like you had a great wekend. it is always nice to read a great book when you have time. Good luck with your library schooling.
Sounds like a lovely way to spend a free weekend
) Good luck with school!
Ah, the Cigarette Smoking Man. Gotta love him. That’s one of my all-time favorite X-Files episodes. (It’s a long list, though, about 20 eps. tied for favorite, depending on my mood.)
And good for Bookman for making you enjoy your break to the end! Hope the semester goes well.
Why does vacation time always go so quickly. But now you are so close it’s got to be all down hill from here? It sounds like you’ve finished two really good books–I loved Dracula and still want to read Les Liaisons. Good luck on the new quarter–Digital Preservation sounds really interesting actually!
Sounds like such a nice weekend. What did you think of Dracula?
I’m very glad you had a last full weekend of pleasure. And now you can keep your eyes on the finishing post – you are so near! I watched a whole bunch of X-files episodes with my son last summer, although I don’t recall that one (I wish I’d seen it – great line!). My favourite is the one with deja vue when the bank raid keeps happening over and over. Just between you and me, I have a little crush on David Duchovny, and would be happy to recommend some reading to him at any time.
Dracula and les liaisons dangereuses is possibly the most decadent combination of novels I’ve ever heard of!
Priscilla, thanks! And it’s nice to read a great book you don’t have time either
Bookworm, thanks! I don’t think it could have been much better than it was.
Teresa, it’s a good episode, isn’t it? I love that he wants to be a writer so badly and keeps getting rejection letters. And thanks!
Danielle, if we can figure out why vacations go so fast we’d be rich and then could be on vacation all the time. Finishing two books in a weekend means it will be a few weeks before I finish a new one, sigh. And thank you, it looks like we will be talking about digital preservation for libraries but also personal. Should be interesting!
Litlove, I am glad too, my Bookman really helped otherwise I would have been working on school already. I’ve not gotten to the bank one yet but I will eventually as long as Netflix keeps all the seasons as streaming I’ll eventually make it through all of them. And I agree, Duchovny is rather hunky.
Maggie, the two books did turn out to be rather a good combination. Decadent is a good description
I’ve never seen an X-File. I wonder if I can get it On Demand? So happy your date night went well and that you read for fun over the weekend!! Time enough for school reading (although that can be fun as well).
My high school peer group was obsessively fond of the X-Files; your post was a little walk down memory lane!
I relate to your impulse to jump right into the required reading for a course about to start, but your fella was probably onto something with the chilling-out advice. Looking forward to your posts!
Your date night sounds like my absolute DREAM date night…I’ve never dated a guy who reads! So I have this ongoing fantasy about meeting a guy and hanging out in Chapters/Borders/random-book-store on Friday and Saturday nights. Now if only I knew where all the book-loving nerdy guys hung out…
Lol.. I enjoy your comments… Now.. Most guys these days don’t read…. My mom used to own a book store so I grew up reading…. after many years and the crazy technolochy, I almost forgot aboout those long afternoons-evenings enjoying a good book……. But Hey…keep looking, maybe the guys that you see at Barns at Nobles are also looking for a girl that likes to read!
I’m glad you enjoyed the last weekend before classes started! I imagine you’re getting starting on the reading for the new class right now (Monday night). I hope it goes well and the reading is interesting!
I believe strongly that in some respects a really fine film is every bit the equal of a fine book and vastly superior to a poor book. There are even some films that are better or at least the equal of the book upon which it based. I think of the English Patient, for example, which clarified a good many obscurities of the novel. And Out of Africa certainly gave life and color to that excellent novel. Other films based on a book encourage me to read a book I might not have without seeing the film. What is the purpose of art, anyway? To give pleasure, stimulation, ideas, beauty and truth. Long live both films and books. One must be pragmatic these days, don’t you think?
http://www.marksinthemargin.com
Grad, you’ve never seen the X-files? Some of them scared the pants off me when they were first on TV in the 90s. Rewatching them they are sometimes kind of campy but that just makes them more endearing.
Emily, I haven’t seen the X-files since they were originally on TV so watching them on Netflix is a hoot. And my fella, he’s pretty good at keeping me from turning into a type A perfectionist.
PriarieJournals, I got lucky with my guy. I tell him sometimes that I really married for his book collection. I hope you have the good fortune of finding your own bookish gent!
Dorothy, oh, yes, I was indeed starting in on the reading last night. There were lots of files but none of them thus far have turned out to be really long. Hopefully the files I didn’t get to won’t provide me with any 50 page surprises!
Richard, I agree that there are definitely some great films made from books out there. I loved Out of Africa. But if I had to choose between reading for 2 hours and watching the best film from a book ever for 2 hours, I go with reading every time.
That is one of my favorite X Files episodes. Actually, it does show the title. Ironically, the mastermind behind the show’s conspiracies is reading THE CLASSIC about conspiracy thories: it’s The Manchurian Candidate by Richard Condon.
Tim, oh good catch on the book title! I couldn’t see it, but oh, how appropriate it is!
Good luck in the last bend! You will have shiny new qualifications so soon