Journal: Entry for Tim

I got an MPhil in Linguistics from Cambridge University and am currently living and working in Edinburgh with my lovely wife Rebekah (Aloysius). I plan to return to university in September to study law with a view to becoming a solicitor.

The following are books that I have but haven't read yet. Please pick one by name and pester me to read it:

Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny
No Logo by Naomi Klein
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
Kvinnen som kledte seg naken for sin elskede by Jan Wiese (in Norwegian)
Bytt Beite! by Roald Dahl (short story collection in Norwegian translation)
The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke
Iron Council by China Miéville
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
Dune by Frank Herbert
Les Mille et Une Nuits, Tome I (in French)
Pierre et Jean by Guy de Maupassant (in French)
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
The Collector by John Fowles

Unfortunately I can't put two favourite scenes in, but my equal favourite to the Cleansing of saidin would have to be Lews Therin destroys himself. The very beginning and the very end (so far)! As for a favourite book, they're all one big book, all complementing each other. None of it is complete without the rest.

Although CoT was a piece of sh!t.

************************

I am Warder to five extremely sweet Aes Sedai.

The first lovely lady who got to me, the adorable Fluxia Sedai, is Green, so you'd better watch out or she'll nab you too!

I'm also Warder to Alexia – also very sweet, but given to
tacklehugging, so you'd better watch out for her too! She also grins and laughs a lot, for some reason, is obsessed with watermelons. I haven't yet asked why...

Queen_of_Borg is Fluxia's elder sister. She's very cool and I like her loads . I should probably tell you to watch out for her as well in case she assimilates you into the collective, just to be commensurate with what I said about my other two Aes Sedai, but I'm sure she's far
too nice to do something like that anyway. Although you never know...

Sprite Sedai defies explanation, inspires adulation, and demands adoration.

Aloysius is delicious!

I have MSN – if you want my address, noteboard me.

I have met the following 121 wotmaniacs, in the following locations (meetings subsequent to the first are in square brackets []):

In London, May 2003:
Ben (Nebhead)
Rana (RanaSedai)
Silje (Rinoa)
Kat (Kathryn Sedai)
Carol (carolidge)
Doria (icyrain)
Stefan (netweaver)
Katja (Katja)

In Minnesota, July 2003:
Guthrie (Raserei)

In Amsterdam, with Nebhead, August 2003:
Emma (Queen_of_Borg)
Katinka (Fluxia Sedai)
Jennifer (morgawse_sedai)
Sjoerd (an hava inn)
Durk (Shreever)
Tom (Thomas Gaidin)
Yvonne (Chibiyali)
Helene (Lilitoe)

In Oslo, with Nebhead and Rinoa, August 2003:
Michael (cross)
In the bar of Queens' College Cambridge, October 31st 2003:
Andy a.k.a. Mosh (Eswolfe)
In Canada, August 2004 (The Hunt):
Nate (ngallagher)
Will (CNRedDragon)
Josh (Obsidian Ashaman)

In Michigan, August 2004 (list stolen from "The Michigan Gathering" profile, whence the different format):
Amyrlin - Amy
Kitara - Sheila
Gokuu - Nicholas (Sheila's #1)
GummyGun - Sarah (Sheila's #2)
Laura09 - Laura
Master Qui_John - John
Starbolt - Josh
Mystery Gaidin - Jason
Lady Mystery - Misty
Midnight Mystery - Pamela
Peanut - Charlie (Baby Mystery)
Palatine - Kelly
Birdeye - Willem
Zaphod - Cory
anonymous_sedai - {anonymous}
Craig - Craig
mary jane - Beki
M & M Maddy - Maddy
Missa Sedai - Missa
boo - Gabe
Dorinde Sedai - Dori
Rhapsody - Cheryl
Marl - Joe
wooly - John
Mother of Pearl - Stephanie
DaveTheCripple - Dave
Kurrurrin - Doug
eolair - Steffi
Edgecutioner - Ryan
SynEve - SK
Taardad Maiden - Erica
TaskmasterJack - Jack
Sassy463 - Susan
B.Alicia - Betty
LauranaSedai - Adrian
WolfWind - Chris
Dart_board - Rod
wotmania - Mike
[Nebhead – Ben]
[morgawse_sedai – Jennifer]
[Rana Sedai – Rana]

In Birmingham on the way to Wales to visit Jennifer (morgawse_sedai), September 2004:
Aimee (Elayne Trakand)

In Bangor while visiting Jennifer (morgawse_sedai),

September 2004:
Dave (monkey with stick)

In London, January 2005:
John (P hart)
Rachel (TheMonkeyThatCried)
Gareth (Jarlaxle)
Steph's Geoff (Geoff)
Geoff's Steph (elfin_princess)
Nick (Durandir)
Priya (Messy)
John (snoopster)
Quentin (Cupid)
[Beki (mary jane)]
[Tom (Thomas Gaidin)]
[Erica (Taardad Maiden)]
[Ben (Nebhead)]

In Cambridge, August 2005:
Mnemosyne (who I don't think wants me to give away her real name. She's so cute when she's paranoid!)

In London, January 2006:
Tom (The Voice of Lews Therin)
In Amsterdam, February 2006:
Liam(TM)
[Silje (Rinoa)]
[Katinka (Fluxia Sedai)]
[Helene (lilitoe)]

In Trondheim, Norway, 1 April 2006:
Camilla (mierin sedai)
Camilla (Sansa)
Tor (Kikkoman)
[Silje (Rinoa)]
[John (snoopster)]

In Stockholm, Sweden, 9 April 2006:
Jens (ironclad)
Gloria (globug0822)
Olof (Floffe)
Linda (matfriend)
Maria ([SWE] Siuan)
[Silje (Rinoa)]

In London, 31 July 2006:
Mary (Sprite Sedai)
[Rachel (TheMonkeyThatCried)]

In Norway, 1-3 September 2006:
Nick (Shen an Calhar)
Jonte (jh)
Lena (Hethien Zajc)
[Ben (Nebhead)]
[Silje (Rinoa)]
[Jennifer (morgawse_sedai)]
[Olof (floffe)]
[Jens (ironclad)]

In Heathrow airport, 26 September 2006:
Rohini (Danae alThor)

In London, 7, October 2006:
Tom (Kucumber Joe)
Rebekah (Aloysius)
Rosie (Zeeb Sedai)
Richard (Dodge)
Amy (Ella)
Simon (Jiggy)
Lucy (Gleegirl)
[Ben (Nebhead)]
[Rachel (TheMonkeyThatCried)]
[John (snoopster)]
[Lena (Hethien Zajc)]

In Las Vegas, Halloween 2006:
Brian (AncientSage)
Geritt (Wenrick)
Eric (MrFarstrider)
Rebecca (StarBecca)
Sylvia (Danu)
Anastasia (Anastasia, formerly Nephtis)
Klynt (Mordred)
Stephen (millsforester)
Josh (Heartbreak)
[Ben (Nebhead)]
[Silje (Rinoa)]
[Nick (Shen_an_Calhar)]
[John (wooly)]
[Sheila (Kitara)]
[Missa (Missa Sedai)]
[Maddy (M & M Maddy)]
[Betty (B.Alicia)]
[Claire (anonymous_sedai)]

In London, January 2007:
Monique (patternweaver)
Frank (ponder stibbons)
Patrick (Yoduff)
Steph (Alexia) – Finally! Now I've met all five of my Aes Sedai .
[a ton of other people I've met before]

In London, April 2007:
Mery (Lady Thanlkai the Brave)
Christian (or is it Anders?) (Belz)
[Monique (patternweaver)]
[Rachel (TheMonkeyThatCried)]
[John (snoopster)]

In New Zealand, September 2007:
Helena (Eliath Carlomin), Rebekah's sister.
Seth (Boris Aes Sedai), Rebekah's brother.

I got married in Canterbury on the 7th of June 2008, and several wotmaniacs came. Normally I wouldn't list them here because I'd met them all before (yes, even among wotmaniacs this can be a prerequisite for coming to someone's wedding), but I figured it would be good to have a record of who they were.

[Rebekah (Aloysius) – she was the important one]
[Mary (Sprite Sedai – she was almost as important, being the bridesmaid and all]
[Ben (Nebhead) – he was important too as he took the photos and made a speech]
[Camilla (Copyrightamilla)]
[Rohini (Danae alThor)]
[Silje (Rinoa)]
[John (snoopster)]
[Monique (patternweaver)]
[Rachel (TheMonkeyThatCried)]

In Edinburgh, 4-7 July 2008 (celebrating our independence from the USA)
Paul (Legolas)
Angie (Clover)
Tom (DragonTam)
[Amy (Ella)]
[Rachel (TheMonkeyThatCried)]
[Frank (ponder stibbons)]
[Ben (Nebhead)]
[Camilla (Copyrightamilla)]
[Rebekah (Aloysius)]

In Edinburgh, 2-4 January 2009.

Jen (nossredna)
Elaine (Elaine)
Dan (DannyBoy31)
Mark {Hochopepa}
Marc (saidin7)
Ann-Sofie (Sophy)
[Rebekah (Aloysius)]
[Mary (Sprite Sedai)]
[Ben (Nebhead)]
[Camilla (Copyrightamilla)]
[Tor (Kikkoman)]
[John (snoopster)]
[Monique (patternweaver)]
[Rachel (TheMonkeyThatCried)]
[Tom (DragonTam)]
[Amy (Ella)]
[Rachel (TheMonkeyThatCried)]
[Frank (ponder stibbons)]
[Jens (ironclad)]
[Olof (floffe)]

In Edinburgh, 31 May 2009:

Oskar (Lews_TherinThelamon)

--------------------------------

"Do not put faith in traditions, even though they have been accepted for long generations and in many countries. Do not believe a thing because many repeat it. Do not accept a thing on the authority of one or another of the sages of old, nor on the ground of statements as found in the books. Never believe anything because probability is in its favour. Do not believe in that which you yourselves have imagined,
thinking that a god has inspired it. Believe nothing merely on the authority of the teachers or the priests. After examination, believe that which you have tested for yourself and found reasonable, which is in conformity with your well being and that of others."
–Buddha, Kalamas Sutra

--------------------------------

Hab Sonne im Herzen,
ob's st�rmt oder schneit,
ob der Himmel voll Wolken,
die Erde voll Streit -
hab Sonne im Herzen,
dann komme was mag,
das leuchtet voll Licht dir
den dunkelsten Tag!
Hab ein Lied auf den Lippen
mit fr�hlichem Klang,
und macht auch des Alltags
Gedr�nge dich bang -
hab ein Lied auf den Lippen,
dann komme, was mag,
das hilft dir verwinden
den einsamsten Tag!
Hab ein Wort auch f�r andre
in Sorg und in Pein
und sag, was dich selber
so frohgemut l��t sein:
Hab ein Lied auf den Lippen,
verlier nie den Mut,
hab Sonne im Herzen,
und alles wird gut!

--------------------------------

Miser Catulle, desinas ineptire,
et quod vides perisse perditum ducas.
fulsere quondam candidi tibi soles,
cum ventitabas quo puella ducebat
amata nobis quantum amabitur nulla.
ibi illa multa tum iocosa fiebant,
quae tu volebas nec puella nolebat.
fulsere vere candidi tibi soles.
nunc iam illa non vult: tu quoque, impotens, noli,
nec quae fugit sectare, nec miser vive,
sed obstinata mente perfer, obdura.
vale, puella! iam Catullus obdurat,
nec te requiret nec rogabit invitam:
at tu dolebis, cum rogaberis nulla.
scelesta, vae te! quae tibi manet vita!
quis nunc te adibit? cui videberis bella?
quem nunc amabis? cuius esse diceris?
quem basiabis? cui labella mordebis?
at tu, Catulle, destinatus obdura.

Translation (by me):
God's sake, Catullus, stop being such a fool!
Accept that what you know is gone, is gone.
Once each day's sun shone brightly down on you,
When you would go wherever she would lead,
She, loved by me as none will ever be.
Back then we used to fool around a lot;
You wanted it, and she did not resist.
Yes, each day's sun shone brightly down on you.
But now she doesn't want you: don't want her!
Don't chase her as she flees, don't live a wreck,
But steel your mind: be hard and strong. Get lost!
Good riddance, girl! Now I am being hard,
And will not ask what you don't want to give.
But you'll be sad, when none ask after you.
F*ck you, you bitch! What life is left for you?
Now who'll approach you? Who will think you're fit?
Who will you love? Whose girlfriend will you be?
Who will you kiss? Or whose lips will you bite?
But you, Catullus, you be hard and firm!