Introduce Yourself here and say Hi.

Just joined.
B.Sc in Economics and Statistics, Ph.D. in Economics, professor of Economics, retired Citibanker, married with two children, anf three grandsons, living in Istanbul, Turkey.

Great to see so many newcomers here. Welcome all! I love some of your creative avatars. The sink/face one stands out to me - that is really clever and made me laugh. Also love the 'Starry Starry Night' one. Have fun, everyone, exploring and discovering the site - it has so much to offer.

Wow, really, that is a large group of newbies. Welcome. :)

Hello
My name is Samantha!

:D 'ola to all newbies! :D

Hello,

Kate, here. I'm a middle-aged woman with teenage children. I stumbled across the Lit Network Forums while looking for info on a new translation of [U]Les Miserable[U]. This looks like a good forum, so I signed up, though I won't have much time to devote for a couple of months.

I love reading; it's the single greatest path for personal growth that I know of. I wish I'd had the opportunity to study literature in college, so I now supplement my reading of literature with web articles -- a do-it-yourself course of study.

I'm delighted to see so many young people on this forum -- the rumors of the death of books are greatly exaggerated!

I'm envious of those with skills in multiple languages. I didn't have the chance to learn a second language while growing up, and though I've spent some time trying to learn a couple of Romance languages, my at-home efforts haven't amounted to much. Sooner or later I run out of the time to keep learning and practicing.

Virgil, good to see you're still part of the community. I read your first posting to this thread and enjoyed it, then looked at the posting date and thought, gee, nobody's posted in years. You see, I'm used to forums that post most recent items first. But I caught on, and skipped over [I]many[I] pages to find the most recent, and as I said, was delighted to find you're still here.

Well, I'll pop in from time to time, and hope to contribute more when my currently hectic life slows down a bit. I'll look forward to having a chance to chat with you all.

Hello all :)

I discovered this forum this afternoon while taking a break (aka procastinating) from a paper I should be writing. I'm glad to see that there are actually people out there that enjoy literature as much as I do: I've been getting used to others giving me a pitying look when I tell them I'm studying literature.
Looking forward to getting involved and meeting you!

well...hi! :p

I am fondly called "The Last saint" yes, the very last of the living saints.I am a prolific individual with dynamic skills in the writing domain.I have a double degree in Geography and Environmental Management and in Management - Marketing.Still single and living in Cameroon.

Hello...I'm Allison...as my name suggests, I'm a angsty poet! I also like to write fictional stories...I'm currently obsessed with the Twilight series and my favorite writer would have to be Emily Dickinson! She's the reason I stumbled into this place, looking up views on her unique poetry! I'm 17 years old and I am a Junior in High School. Despite my angst, I'm cheerful (for the most part) and enjoy friends! I've probably talked too much (I do that often ._.') so I will just leave it as this!

Hello to you literature fans!
Do I really have to tell you what one of my hobbies is? It's English-speaking literature! As a German, I've always found it amazing and interesting how short and simple you can express matters in English whereas you need long sentences to express the same in German (don't get me wrong, I'm very fond of my mother tongue). Moreover, I simply love the stories I read by Anglo-American writers! To share this love with others, I decided to join this literature discussion forum.
So I'm happy to have found this place!

Welcome everyone!

Hello!

I'm not new, really. I lurk for the most part. I haven't been here in a while though so I thought I'd say 'hello'.

Having accomplished what I set out to do in saying hello, I'd also like to say that I'm quite proud of myself for making it ALL the way through "Fun with Dick and Jane". That one was a literary labrynth of complicated thought and dark corners, but yes, I persevered over the course of several years and have finally made it through.

:D

Hello to all you bibliophiles!

I'm a normal-kinda person--sorry, no fascinating life stories here! ;) College student, books-and-music lover, future librarians of America member...:D
I started reading when I was three and never looked back! :)

For the most part, I am addicted to Chesterton, Lewis, Sayers, Tolkien, and British authors in general. I love poetry as well. There's no way I could name all my favorites, but the ones that come to mind are Eliot, Dickinson, and Edward Taylor.

I'm looking forward to meeting you all! Come by sometime--I'd love to talk!

Hey, my name is Margot, A.K.A : M.A.P (Map), I'm half Chinese and Italian and I enjoy reading novels, also I have recently acquainted myself with more classic books such as 'The Great Gatsby' and 'The Castle'.

Hi everyone. As of the moment, I'm the newest member in this community. :D

I'm an English teacher and have traveled almost all of Asia teaching English. I love what I'm doing for it makes me happy and I have the opportunity to experience other culture as well.

Hello!

And Hi Kate - I'm also a middle aged woman who has discovered literature. I like the look, the feel, and the smell of books, and I am mesmerized by the beauty of the language of the classics.

I am working my way through Alexandre Dumas' work at the moment.

But one thing aside - I am researching (for a surprise Christmas gift) the rest of an old English children's nursery rhyme/game that starts something like this:

Here come I, stiff as a stump,
Selling my blacking for a penny a lump.

It goes on to hush the children, and warn them to behave, or do as their told.

Anyone know this?

Thanks for being available everybody - this is a wonderfule site.

Christine

Hello everyone. Glad that I actually found a site like this. I am keen in literature, which is apparently quite detested in my area, Singapore. I have read 1984 by Orwell, Simulacra And Simulation by Baudrillard, Brave New World by Huxley, and currently reading The Brothers Karamazov by Doetoevsky. Took me half a month plus to reach the 300 page milestone. Man my concentration span is really short. Many of my friends do not read books like this, stuck with their game books and normal novels, which I quote Orwell "prolefeed" hehe. Oh yeah, and I'm 14 this year. Its hard to find peers that are close to me to talk about literature you know. Anyways, I am really glad and excited that I've found such an online community which will benefit my knowledge for years to come O_O (again, I shall state, I AM 14, nothing to brag though, just feel that I'm a little young hehehehe)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Christine1152

But one thing aside - I am researching (for a surprise Christmas gift) the rest of an old English children's nursery rhyme/game that starts something like this:

Here come I, stiff as a stump,
Selling my blacking for a penny a lump.

It goes on to hush the children, and warn them to behave, or do as their told.

Anyone know this?

Thanks for being available everybody - this is a wonderfule site.

Christine

---

I googled 'til my fingers bled and only found the three lines you refer to.

I wonder how you came across it in the first place, and what the signifigance is, but that would be the part of the conversation where my wife would kick me under the table (which I know is a sign to shut up though I'm often unclear as to why) and later tell me to mind my own business. :D

Hi, I am thrilled to have just found this site and registered on it!

Christine,

Here come I, stiff as a stump, selling my blacking a penny a lump.
I don't know this rhyme, but I can reference its meaning for you.

There's piece called 'Humorous Fancy' by Deering or Dering from 1610, which is made up of the street cries of those hawking their goods and trades. I have a collection of some songs from Shakespeare's plays and from him his time. 'Cryes of London' is a song a I know that derives from the text above.

'Buy any black, buy any black...will you buy any blacking, maids?'

Blacking was a substance used like shoe polish, for boots to keep them black.

I don't know the exact source of your poem, but at least I could shed some light on its meaning. Hope it helps. Really interesting.

lrtress

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SkullFarmer

I googled 'til my fingers bled and only found the three lines you refer to.

I wonder how you came across it in the first place, and what the signifigance is, but that would be the part of the conversation where my wife would kick me under the table (which I know is a sign to shut up though I'm often unclear as to why) and later tell me to mind my own business. :D

---

Hello Skull Farmer,

(Don't know the reference, if there is one).

Thanks for trying! I'm trying to find it because I work with a woman whose grandmother immigrated here to the States as a young woman, and taught it to her when she was a young girl, and she would dearly like to hold on to some pieces of her heritage. The rest of her family that would know or remember have passed. So, I was going to find it and surprise her and make a miniature script of the poem/rhyme as a Christmas ornament for her, but the only reference I find on line that has it, requires membership:

Google search:
links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0015-587X(19320930)43%3A3%3C249%3ASNOTFO%3E2.0.CO...
Website:
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1256121

I am neither an educator nor a member of any university group that has a membership to the above, so I'm not allowed in to search the database.

But, I do really thank you so very much for trying, and please let your wife know you certainly don't deserve a kick (not this time, anyway!).

Hi Irtress!

Great site, isn't it?

Thanks so much for your help. I'm not sure where to go with this now, if anywhere. But perhaps someone else will read this and have something to add.

Very interesting research you quoted. Your collection sounds fascinating.

I'll keep an eye out, and thanks again for your help.

A warm welcome to all of you new members, it is great to have you here! :)

Thanks, kizpaws,

Christine, You're welcome. I am, like you, intrigued by nursery rhymes. I hope you can find out more about this one.

Yes, it's a great site!

lrtress:)

Hello!

My real name is Nicole. I'm not entirely sure how I found this site...I think I started googling sites about literature and stumbled onto this site not long ago. I just decided to take some time and register on the boards because I absolutely love talking about literature. I try to read a variety of books, and joined an online book club last year through my local university to get more exposure to recently released books I might not otherwise read.

I graduated with a master's in public policy a little over 2 years ago and in tandem with building a career I've probably spent just as much time immersing myself into literature. That first year after being out of college was a tough transition and I started reading books left and right and as much as I wanted to discuss some of the works I was reading, my friends and co-workers could only take so much ;). I'm also very interested in writing and had the opportunity to participate in a literature project with a California university earlier this year. Since then I've started taking a few writing workshops and courses, and I hope to further cultivate my writing.

Aside from reading and writing, I have a lot of other interests... music, art, comedy, podcasts, tv, watching football, travel, walking aimlessly during my lunch hour at work ;p, etc...I just try to enjoy each day as best I can.

Well, this introduction is long enough. Look forward to being a part of this community.

I made my way here, bounding through space, much as Nicole my predecessor did, linked by rogue key-typings to this position. To make a short matter long, I followed Yeats here to the stand where he left his mask and then was intrigued by this meeting-ground of minds.

A minute ago I was writing erotica, and a few minutes before that typing words into Endnote for a PhD.

Lots of literature exists in digital spaces, but I love to cuddle a book before bedtime. If its good enough, I need not sleep. Books I have liked in the recent past have been : Kurt Vonnegut 'Slaughterhouse Five', Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Treasure Island' and 'Kidnapped'. I also like fantasy, thrillers (like Hannibal- which is so much more fun than the movei based on it) , and Chinese 'roving errant' fiction (by Jin Yong). I used to like Anne Rice a great deal, but her writing ceased to be addictive for me after 'Lestat'.

Pleased it be to meet you all and may your halls be finely decked with folly!

hello to all members
hope this will be a good begining.
thanks

hi guys im Farx =) I am currently a senior at high school and literature is my favourite subject.I'm simply fasinated by it.I love poetry,reading poems,writing em,studying em.I love also love writing stories and articles.
I write for local magazines,newspapers,and blogsites.I work for my school newspaper.I want to pursue journalism and literature in college.

I love music (coldplay especially).I'm an animal freak and I want to someday take part in the WWF campaigns to save polar bears from global warming.
I have three cats,Nics,Ron and Danny.

I live with my older brother and sister and they're everything to me.They have raised me and taken care of me and they're putting me through school.

I'm generally a very happy person who likes to read,write and hang out with her siblings and friends =)

Thats all =)

hello, everyone.nice to share u this wonderful site.i'm lucky to find here alot of people who share me love of literature. I'm really fond of it .let's begin sharing ideas.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Christine1152

Here come I, stiff as a stump,
Selling my blacking for a penny a lump.

It goes on to hush the children, and warn them to behave, or do as their told.

---

I found the next two lines! Nice quest, by the way.

Here I come as stiff as a stump,
Selling my blacking a penny a lump,
You must neither laugh nor smile,
But say right down "I will"

The same player then proceeds to ask a number of nonsensical questions with the object of making the other players laugh. As soon as one of them does so, the game is over.

Im a teacher of Lit and drama;used to act a lot; like Yeats and french fries and most things irish--like Joyce and the Pogues. and poems by hardy and...Ani Difranco... and I really like PAti Smith's stuff.

its late. way late. and i need to get back to my paper.

but i wanted to say how very awesome i think the LNF are! :thumbs_up

Hello all,

I'm a guy on break from the university for a year or so more while I sort through what I want to do with the rest of my life. Found this site while looking for a short story that I had read a handful of years ago but can't find anywhere and thought it looked like a great community.

I was a runner and idealist in my younger years. Now I'm just me and playfully exploring all the wonderful ups and downs of that understanding :)

Love to be active; running, swimming, fencing, parkour, and every sport I've ever been so lucky as to have played. Which reminds me that I'm still looking for some people that would be up for a game of rarajupari ('foot throwing'), haha.

I like to read but have been limited in how much I can do of that lately with time constraints from work. Plan to make up some time over the holidays.

Anyways, figure this isn't nearly as long as some but it will suffice as my introduction. Any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Amos :D

Hello everyone I am new to this site and I hope that I can meet new people like me that like to read.
Has anyone read the book Lamb by christopher Moore if yes what is the meaning of the story.:idea:

Hi. My name is Greg Bauder and I have had 5 books published. I have a BA in English from The University Of British Columbia and I am fascinated by Milton, particularly his
supreme epic PARADISE LOST.

Hello...i am Pratima Dang...My friends call me Pratz..i am very new here...hope i will get good friends over here...

:) I have always loved to read. It's my window to the world. I am currently reading "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry. I met her a couple of weeks ago when she gave a book talk at our town. Our community college presented a musical of her book. It was great! Following the performance the audience was able to ask questions of the author, the playwright, and the song writers. That was fantastic!

Hey people. New here. Looking forward to discussing some great literature with you guys. :)

I i i i...

Hello everyone,

I'm shunkahato, a simple college student majoring in English (literature). My favorite works are skattered throughout realms of consiousness and history. They range from Madam Bovary to Crime and Punishment to The Go-Between. I like T.S. Elliot, a little bit of e.e. cumminnings, and odd short stories (like "A Rose for Emily" and "Flowering Judas".

It's nice to meet all of you, and I hope that we have many thought provoking conversations in the future. =)

Off to finals,

--shunkahato