Book Twenty-One

Book #21: The Wild Wood by Charles de Lint

Enjoyed this one quite a lot. Somewhat of a fable, with a moral and all. This work made itself felt, and the story often carried on each night as I set it aside and went to sleep.

Cross-posted to 50bookchallenge and me own journal

Goblins in the House

Last night, I was thinking about the Goblin drama in Tamson House - flavored by completion of The Wild Wood, which tangled and writhed through my thoughts in conjunction with the Goblins and all on its own as well - and it came to me that the Goblins were fairly typical de Lint characters.

This adds credence to some of the theories that they are not, in fact real; a fabrication of a de Lintian character on a list spiraling (sometimes out of control) around de Lint would not be surprising in the least. I'm starting not to see it that way, though. I haven't spoken with the Goblins directly, but several others have, and some things are starting to click.

Mr. G is a common supporting archetype - not all that bright, and not one to carry a DSM-IV around in his backpocket with which to diagnose mental illness, but with his heart in the right place. He'd fit in on the streets of Newford, trying his best to help folks out, but critically flawed, and perhaps saying "manic" and "committed to a psych ward" when he really means "diagnosis pending, possibly bipolar, with a side order of diabetes" and "emergency room." Although not a mistake one *should* make, it is in keeping with the character.

Mrs. G probably wouldn't fit the leading-waif archetype, but she would also be fairly common on the streets of Newford. An artist, a writer, with eccentricity that is both quaint, cloying, and moving into the realm that requires medical treatment. In Newford, she would quite possibly be living on the street, or close enough to it - certainly from the "wrong side of the tracks." She would charm some, scare others, and annoy the rest. She shows smatterings of understanding and education, but also completely misses the ball on some subjects, showing a naivety that seems bewildering.

Any thoughts, especially from those who talked with one or both?

(no subject)

Another school year is officially complete!

The kids had their evaluations today. We had to use a new evaluator this year, because the one who did the last two years stopped at the sixth grade level, and Justin was in seventh this year. Last night was chaos as Deb rushed to get the portfolios and the house in order.

Justin's was over and done with fairly quickly - I don't have any more details than that. The evaluator was very impressed with Rachel, and how she expressed herself (this is, after all, the seven year old who lectured her nine-month old brother "never to pull a woman's bangs" when he was yanking on her hair.) She was also impressed with Brandon, who apparently is just planning ahead for when he starts schooling and is trying to make a good impression a few years in advance... he didn't fuss or cry at all, and actually even cuddled up to the evaluator once.

Next year we're trying something different. Justin will actually be part of the public school system, albeit an online charter school. Still some indecision as to whether or not Rachel will be home schooled or sent to public school.