Feels like a Friday. But this is really about books.

There is a student where I work who pads by my cube every day, in flip flops. He is extremely large and blond - he looks like Thor with earbuds. (No Mjölnir, sorry.)

Anyway. He caught my eye because I've been overdosing on Norse mythology like I've time-traveled back to sixth grade and Edith Hamilton, not to mention an extremely fast-paced elementary school reader my dad picked up at an auction. The last one is responsible for my love of Loki; the second story I read was The Apples of Idunn. Idunn and her golden apples are abducted by a sorcerer/giant/bad guy, and it isn't long before the gods notice her absence - they start to age, which prevents them from seeking Idunn. For some reason Loki still has his wits about him, and in a rare turn of loyalty (coerced or pure, I don't remember. Probably coerced) he goes to save Idunn and retrieve the apples. He finds her, turns himself into a hawk and Idunn (and her apples, too? Hrm) into an acorn, and carries her back to Asgard with the sorcerer/giant/bad guy, who has transformed into an eagle, hot on his ... wingtips.

It wasn't the greatest adaptation, and the illustrations were kind of silly, but it was very memorable. So I saw Thor with some friends, and that wonderful cheesefest got me all remystified with the Norse stuff, and I picked up the Poetic Edda, Eight Days of Luke, a handful of Thor and some Journey into Mystery comics, and...well. It's great. Especially the Diana Wynne Jones. Did you ever read a book that made you wish you'd read it as a kid? I used to feel this way a lot about kids books I read as an adult. Eight Days of Luke made me wish it again, a little. But I'm also glad I got to read it ever, period. It's my first DWJ book, and I plan on trampling through all the rest now. See you later, social life! (Eh, relax, you didn't really exist anyway.)

So. Anyway. Hurray for Norse mythology and Loki and, as usual, reading.

Speaking of reading, this really pissed me off:
Oh for God's Sake: Penguin Disallows Digital Library Lending from the Smart Bitches.


Finally:
Anne McCaffrey died yesterday.

I'm sad and in shock. I loved the Pern books, the ones that I could find at my local libraries. I loved her short stories. I remember getting really excited when I found The Girl Who Heard Dragons in a drugstore bargain bin. She made me want to read and write. (And also to live in Ireland and ride horses, but as I get older, I think two out of four is a spectacular achievement.)

R.I.P., Ms. McCaffrey.