There's things out there that'll bend your bones.

[constance]

I’ve been stuck inside, today, with the rain converging from all directions and pouring down like we haven't seen for months, and the sun shining in spite of it all. I need to do yard work, but I'm not really sorry to have to put it off; instead of doing yard work in the rain, I’ve been cleaning out my desk, which is beautifully tidy now, like someone else’s desk, and I'm also listening to A Game of Thrones, which I haven’t been able to find any information saying that the fifth book is coming out this autumn, but I’ve been assured that it is, and ever the optimist, I am readying myself for that moment by rereading. Or relistening, whatever.

And I’m also thinking about a conversation I had this weekend with my father, at dinner Friday in a cheesy faux-Mexican restaurant. You wouldn’t think a place like that, the requisite salsa and chips on the table, fake graffiti on the walls, you wouldn’t think that sort of place would be the sort of place where epiphanies occur, would you? But apparently it is that sort of place, because my father talked about his relationship with one of his brothers, the one he despises without apology or sugar-coating, and for the first time in forty years I understood. As much as you can understand, when it’s not you and not your story.

I guess there’s always space in any relationship, no matter how close, no matter how long-standing, to slip into something surprising, something that changes everything, something that makes perfect sense although it’s never something you’d have guessed for yourself. Something that clicks other things into place, and suddenly everything made soft and comfortable for years of wear is sharper, fresh again. Suddenly you’re thinking over past episodes in your own life, past fights and misunderstandings, and thinking, ohhh, so that’s why.

There’s always space for it to happen. But it’s always shocking when it does, and so I’m spending today cleaning out my desk, and listening to winter coming and troops forming, and thinking of my father, familiar and strange to me today.

Comments

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Ahahaha, well, I feel it's my fault for mixing stuff up like this, so no worries.

I've got a couple of audiobooks from audible, love them, but I also have the whole series, including the short stories, dl'ed from different places. I can't vouch for the quality of the entire series, because I'm only 2/3 of the way through Book 1 right now, but if you want I can either upload it for you or send you a DVD with the files burned on? It's about 1.5 GB, if that helps you to decide which you prefer.

[kickthebeat.livejournal.com]

oh man, that's a generous offer i cannot refuse! could you -- okay, this is wretch, feel free to tell me to shut my gob -- could you upload the first book for me, and send me the rest (and -- any other interesting books you might have? oh god) via dvd? i mostly listen to audiobooks on my overnight shift, on tuesday nights, so it'd take me a little while to get through it. i love audiobooks but i'm having such problems finding non-torrented ones online! i mean, i just found TWILIGHT, but that's nothing awesome.


... actually, i might pull twilight anyway, for hilarity's sake. :))

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Sure thing, baby! I'll start uploading the first book now, and keep my fingers crossed that my connection cooperates, because it's been temperamental today. If not, I'll upload it from work first thing tomorrow and send you the link.

Do you still live at the same address? If not, email me!

[kickthebeat.livejournal.com]

oh man, that is so so so SO awesome of you. thank you, seriously, from the bottom of my little heart. my current mailing address is the carrboro one, i believe you sent me a holiday card + drink recipe this last winter? if that's not the one you have, it's in the very first post on my lj, the 1999 entry.


also, LOLOLOL, SADLY I HAVE ALREADY READ ALL FOUR BOOKS. thank you, public library! truly, they were horrible, but in a fantastically wretched, enjoyable way? for real, they were bad. :)) *WAS DAZZLED*

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Also: TWILIGHT PLEASE RESIST DO NOT GO INTO THE LIGHT

[lindyhoppr.livejournal.com]

Oh dear... I do wish you had posted this four nights ago, before I did. Now I've finished New Moon, and am anxiously awaiting the library to open so I can scrounge for the other two.

[tofty.livejournal.com]

*mourns you*

I downloaded the pdfs ages ago, but I haven't gotten around to reading them. And now I'm kinda scared to.

[lindyhoppr.livejournal.com]

Wait... where can you download PDFs? Cause I would SO download it immediately.

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Hey, this is apparently the post where I get to hook people up with various data! :O I wasn't expecting that.

hxxp://www.sendspace.com/file/9w1ole

Paste that link into your browser and change the hxxp to http before clicking 'go' and you'll have it. It's just the first three, mind -- I don't know if Breaking Dawn is available yet on pdf, because I haven't checked.

*posts comment after comment to you*

[tofty.livejournal.com]

You already have A Series of Unfortunate Events, right? I think I got some of them from you in the first place, and I don't want to waste DVD space if you already have them. Otherwise, I'll send you all the non-audible stuff I've got.

Re: *posts comment after comment to you*

[kickthebeat.livejournal.com]

i do not! !!!!

Re: *posts comment after comment to you*

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Okay, and what about the HP books? British ed? American ed? Not interested? Got all you want?

Re: *posts comment after comment to you*

[kickthebeat.livejournal.com]

if you have the british editions of books 6 and 7, i'd like them; both my copies have little, audible glitches and it's superannoying.

Re: *posts comment after comment to you*

[tofty.livejournal.com]

did you get the link to A Game of Thrones?

Re: *posts comment after comment to you*

[kickthebeat.livejournal.com]

i did, ma'am, thank you very much! it finished dling while i was sleeping; i would've emailed you this morning before work, but i only had time to quickly throw it on my ipod. i listened to track one at work, and oh, really, thank you. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥