What do you assign to Orthanc?

[Hakon]

Most schools in America don't get off until one day before Christmas. Lau, I know what that is like only for me sometimes it can be till 6 am which is bad because on a school day I have to wake up at 6:30 am. What book was it?

[Loslote]

Originally Posted by Hakon

Most schools in America don't get off until one day before Christmas. Lau, I know what that is like only for me sometimes it can be till 6 am which is bad because on a school day I have to wake up at 6:30 am. What book was it?

I have to get up at 6 am, even though I am homeschooled, but Alaskan schools (at least in my district) start and end much earlier than most schools. We started sometime in the middle of September, and we'll end in the middle of May sometime. Our last day of school before break was last Thursday.

[Eönwë]

Originally Posted by Loslote

I have to get up at 6 am, even though I am homeschooled, but Alaskan schools (at least in my district) start and end much earlier than most schools. We started sometime in the middle of September, and we'll end in the middle of May sometime. Our last day of school before break was last Thursday.

We start in early September and end in mid-July. Well not this year because I have exams, but that's how long the school year is in general.

[Loslote]

Originally Posted by Eönwë

We start in early September and end in mid-July. Well not this year because I have exams, but that's how long the school year is in general.

Wow. Okay, I don't think any of the rest of us are allowed to complain anymore...

[Hakon]

I would rather have the school year that Eonwe has. I hate mine, it leaves me with too much time to spend with my family.

[Laurinquë]

Originally Posted by Hakon

Most schools in America don't get off until one day before Christmas. Lau, I know what that is like only for me sometimes it can be till 6 am which is bad because on a school day I have to wake up at 6:30 am. What book was it?

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. And 6 am bedtimes are not unheard of for me either.

Originally Posted by Loslote

I have to get up at 6 am, even though I am homeschooled, but Alaskan schools (at least in my district) start and end much earlier than most schools. We started sometime in the middle of September, and we'll end in the middle of May sometime. Our last day of school before break was last Thursday.

That's the same as the Anchorage School District, I just have an after school Algebra II class that continues though the holiday break. I'm trying to finish it up ahead of time by doing all my work at once though. Not working so well, books are addictive.

[Pitchwife]

Originally Posted by Laurinquë

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. And 6 am bedtimes are not unheard of for me either.

In this case, it's a wonder you got any sleep at all that night. I've just finished it, and it was the most gripping and satisfying read I've had for a long time. Now I can't wait for my wife to finish Vol. 2 so I get to read on. Lisbeth rocks!

[Laurinquë]

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

In this case, it's a wonder you got any sleep at all that night. I've just finished it, and it was the most gripping and satisfying read I've had for a long time. Now I can't wait for my wife to finish Vol. 2 so I get to read on. Lisbeth rocks!

She does, she does! Funny how books are supposed to be educational yet are the worst for preventing you from graduating from high school because you choose to read them instead of doing your maths homework. Not that that has happened to me yet, but it could.

[Mithalwen]

I have noticed that this thread has wandered from its original concept of being guilty pleasures to recording the clouds with silverlinings or other bittersweet sting in the tail things of life.

Just to go back to the original for a moment I assign:

shopping channels - I never buy anything but I find it fascinating about how people (who no doubt started of hoping for fame and fortune in more glamorous or prestigious areas of the entertainment industry) can whitter on for an hour about the most mundane and sometimes slightly outdated products using the budget airline principle that features you would think were basic requirements were actually luxuries that demand a premium: "this DVD player has a drawer that opens - AND CLOSES!" . Excellent insomnia treatment...

giving god-children slightly dubious presents. I got this letter from my 9 yearold godson this morning

"Dear Auntie Mith, I love my flying monkey which SRCREEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMS. But it annoys Mum when I fly it around her head.... " Mwahahahaha

[Lindale]

I assign going back to school! I don't want to in the slightest, but I'm not the kind who'd cut class.

[The Saucepan Man]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

I have noticed that this thread has wandered from its original concept of being guilty pleasures to recording the clouds with silverlinings or other bittersweet sting in the tail things of life.

True indeed, although I have no objection to the thread covering any and all of these concepts, since it is still distinct from the Shire and Mordor threads, which are for those things which are either one thing or the other.

And speaking of the bittersweet, I assign giving up smoking (which lends the thread a certain symmetry, as cigarettes were one of the things I mentioned in my original post). It's good for me, it's saving me money and it means that I am no longer an outcast in public places, but I really really miss my cigarettes, even after 9 months, and especially when sitting at the computer and wandering the Downs.

I also assign the snow piling up outside at this very moment, the heaviest that I have seen in this country since my childhood, and quite possibly ever. It's going to cause complete chaos on the roads, railways and airports tomorrow and no doubt will cause many problems for a great many people. But newly fallen, and in the quiet darkness of the night, it is just so damn beautiful.

[Eönwë]

Originally Posted by The Saucepan Man

I also assign the snow piling up outside at this very moment, the heaviest that I have seen in this country since my childhood, and quite possibly ever. It's going to cause complete chaos on the roads, railways and airports tomorrow and no doubt will cause many problems for a great many people. But newly fallen, and in the quiet darkness of the night, it is just so damn beautiful.

I would assign the snow to the Shire, but then the wolves might come out of the North again like in the Fell Winter... But it's amazing! I don't think there's even been that much here, in my lifetime at least.

Also that my school was one of the only ones to stay open, though I only had to come in for one test. At least when I left there was reasonable traffic.

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by The Saucepan Man

It's good for me, .... but I really really miss my cigarettes, even after 9 months, and especially when sitting at the computer and wandering the Downs.

I also assign the snow piling up outside at this very moment, the heaviest that I have seen in this country since my childhood, and quite possibly ever. But newly fallen, and in the quiet darkness of the night, it is just so damn beautiful.

Tobacco never got a hold on me but while I give up alcohol for lent each year for the sake of my liver without too many problems I like wine too much to give it up forever - the first glass tastes like heaven so ... but you must be saving so much that you could treat yourself to another indulgence?

As for the snow... well we have just got a light covering and I felt young again yesterday ...apart from the falling over is a bit more significant these days... but I know we are the least affected.. I did feel a bit sorry for my cousin who joined the Navy on Monday and has been doing PE in the snow at 6am...... toughen him up a bit

[skip spence]

Originally Posted by The Saucepan Man

And speaking of the bittersweet, I assign giving up smoking (which lends the thread a certain symmetry, as cigarettes were one of the things I mentioned in my original post). It's good for me, it's saving me money and it means that I am no longer an outcast in public places, but I really really miss my cigarettes, even after 9 months, and especially when sitting at the computer and wandering the Downs.

That's good man, giving up smoking really belongs to the Shire but it takes a long time before you realise it. 9 month isn't quite enough I'm afraid, but you'll get there eventually. The witch-hunt for smokers is worthy of Mordor.

Originally Posted by Laurinquë

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.

I'm staring to think I'm the only man alive who's yet to read a Stieg Larsson book - and I'm Swedish too. That dead man's success is unbelievable, but I just can't shake the instinctive feeling that if everyone loves him so much he can't be any good. It's silly I know, and eventually I'll probably read him, but the whole thing reminds me too much of the mass hysteria another book I haven't read brought on, namely The DaVinci Code.

[Lindale]

Originally Posted by Hakon

Most schools in America don't get off until one day before Christmas.

Really? Christmas break for us started on the 18th.

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

Ah, for the halcyon days of youth, when such a thing as "Christmas Break" existed, now long, long in the past....

I think I would like to assign snow. Pretty to watch coming down, nice touch for the "white Christmas" effect -- but a pain in the behind to shovel, especially when your hubby gets the garage for his car (must start reliably and be free of snow at the crack of dawn or before every day), and yours is stuck outside, no matter the precip or the temps.

I think I would also assign, in a similar vein, Christmas shopping. I really don't mind the bustle at the stores, it can be entertaining and a little exhilarating -- but at this time of year, rudeness runs at a ridiculously high pitch. Can't tell you how many bruises I have from people hitting me with their shopping carts, or being run over by packs of unruly and unsupervised kids.

And I would also like to assign cable TV. It gives us decent reception, which we can't get even with an antenna where we live, and though much of it is junk, some is quite nice -- until the system decides to freak out and cut out all the really interesting channels because of a stupid "switched digital" system they insist on using. Last month, it did this two days before Thanksgiving. It did it again today, and I think I'm beginning to detect an obnoxious pattern....

It's all life, though, ain't it?