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Originally Posted by Helga

hey Virgil, yes I did, I have a BA and MA in literature and a diploma in translation studies. Finished last spring.

That's fantastic!

hey Virgil, yes I did, I have a BA and MA in literature and a diploma in translation studies. Finished last spring.

Helga! It's been ages. I hope you and your son are doing well. Did you ever finish your University degree?

"Skammdegisþunglyndi" is nasty! I some times feel a bit so, on rainy days, when the sky is very dark.
I think the best thing you can do, is surround with everything you like. Ones children and pets are very
anti-skammdegisþunglyndi. Hot chocolate helps too and if you don´t feel like reading, maybe you have other hobbies.
Best wishes

hey all

it is good to know that I am not the only one who has gone through this and it is true when I was in school I would make a list of all the books I wanted to read when I could read for myself! not for a class, even though I loved all my classes and most of the books I read for them.

I am lazy, I know that and admit it freely and it is true that it is easier to just read articles online or simply turn on the tv.

Here on the ice it is very common that people get low during those dark winter months, we have a word for it "skammdegisþunglyndi" it just means being depressed when it's dark, we call the darkness during the day skammdegi and that means short day. I have never seen myself as one of those but it might affect me in a different way.

I tried reading some poetry last night. When I was in school I always had poetry on my night stand cause it was the only reading for me I had time for.

and thanks kiz paws, my new cat is a delight. We decided to get a kitten for my dog when my older dog passed this summer, Spock was almost 16 years old and he was my best friend. Sisko has never been alone so he started barking and crying when he was left alone but the cat has almost fixed that problem.

Hope that the slump in reading will pick up soon for you.
Congratulations on the new kitty!

Sorry to read that. I have been an intense reader for the most part of my life. Curiously my interest in reading, diminished a lot after I started to study literature.
Several factors also contributed to made me much less addicted to books: eyesight problems, books are expensive and difficult to find in this country, where nobody reads, a certain mental laziness, TV watching and internet activity.

I hope the book flood will help you to get over your hard spell. If not, maybe you should just forget a bit about books and turn to other hobbies until the interest comes back.

I certainly will if I can. But I'll have to wait for just now the Euro is worth about 5 times our currency.
But as you say it´s a pleasura just browsing through.
We have some very good libraries here too. The most interesting of them managed to introduce the love of books in a country where few people are interested in them. It expanded into a national chain, added a film and music CD section and a café all this during a time of financial crisis.
But now I think its talented owner retired and his children took over.
There is a distinct difference in managment: they are turning my favorite library into a stationery.

yeah, it is great just to browse too. I do recommend you use it at least once just to get the package. Also the gift boxes, amazing...

Thanks for this post, Helga! I went to the site of Shakespeare and Company and was delighted. I think I never saw a bookstore so after my taste: no modern bestsellers, a lot of classics instead. They succeeded in transfering the atmosphere and the charm of an old international bookstore to an internet site. I don´t know if I am ever going to use it, but I stored it under my favorites.

Hope you're feeling better soon, Helga. I like babies, and love to look at them, but I don't necessarily want to hold them. I had a friend years ago who loved babies and small children. She's been a kindergarten teacher for years, but never married or had kids. My point, I guess, is that for some odd reason, we (the universal "we") do seem to I'm put some character trait in one's purported interested in children. Which simply isn't valid.

Dogs are much more fun to pet, anyway.

Hi, Helga,
I am not so sure if you expect visitors today.
I just looking round to wish you a quick recovery from your cold. Also I want to wish you luck on your thesis. I finished mine, also on literature some years ago.You feel relieved and happy when you have acomplished it. What else is bound up with it, profissional openings, publishing, etc., comes afterwards.
I see you are very fond of your son, but on the same time you don,t seem to be a child doting person.
In my case. I always found it easier to show affection to animals than to humans unless they were very young babies.

Originally Posted by Helga

yes, I am writing about honour and the female body in two Shakespeare plays and the poem the Rape of Lucrece. How sex, or rape, dishonours the father or husband more than the women. I decided to take very different plays so it's Much ado about nothing and Titus Andronicus.

Sounds like a great thesis. Good luck!

yes, I am writing about honour and the female body in two Shakespeare plays and the poem the Rape of Lucrece. How sex, or rape, dishonours the father or husband more than the women. I decided to take very different plays so it's Much ado about nothing and Titus Andronicus.

You sound happy Helga. I hope things are working out for you. They sound like they are. Good luck with your thesis. Have you decided what you're doing it on?

Amen to that! When are you completely done with school? It feels like you have been in school for over 10 years.

The thing with children... It is always hard to let them go. I feel exactly the same. I can talk about my son all day and once he is not with me - I miss him. But I appreciate that one day he will grow up and leave this house, maybe this city, maybe this country completely. He will look for his way. Is what we wish for our kids, don't we? So look on his absence as if it is a training for future you. Looking on the date of your post - he is probably back now:-) Regarding OCD - I do not take it as an illness. Just another label. Are you dangerous for yourself or anybody else? Are you struggling with adaptation in society? You are what you are. Who cares? I believe all of us have some kind of autism (for example, I like schedules and following the plans;-)), so if some kind of doctor will decide to label me - he can feel free as long it will not influence my employability. Basically, what I want to say - I would not care if I am OCD or not.

Hi Helga. Nice to see you again. I think the physical work will do you good. I'm not surprised on your good grades. I've seen your interest in literature and that is worth a lot. Good luck with your last year.

It is amazing how resilient human beings can be, even despite all these labels we have to stamp on ourselves. I say that you should only get therapy if you feel like you need help. Who should decide what you need except yourself? Therapists are emotional junkies and they love to have people dependent, so they can help cure them. Be the master of your own mind!

It seems the ones that need the comfort of friends and loved ones are often unable to receive it in its appropriate measure. I'm sure your friend meant well and -perhaps-wished for more but in fairness I think you were wise to give only what you were comfortable giving-without guilt or regret so I wish for you to have peace with that.

Death is a loss of which it is best to grieve well-if that means expressing regret, anger, tears, sorrow-so be it--there is no wrong way except the unnatural prolonging of outrage against the times and providences of God as David was advised when he lost his child and he looked forward to the eventual reunion--oddly enough that child was probably the one to give him most comfort in life as even Solomon had his failings later in life. Just speculating.

As to relationship Helga-I would encourage you to step out--one foot at a time an see what people might have to offer or take from a friendship with you. Even here after so many years I still count at least three or four members as dear friends--two of them very special indeed. My advice is never to except it as due but a privilege to be taken as a gift and never an obligation though there is responsibility when interacting with people. Even the ones that love me and after all these years it tends to be a surprise that there ARE some disagreements can happen but the respect and affection remains. All the best and welcome back--if even for a brief time. I come and go myself when the mood strikes. I have disliked the new Litnet formats and the attitudes in the Religious forums are the usual petty and name calling nonsense that is a bit of an embarrassment for otherwise sensible intelligent people. Sigh.