Frankie reads 2015

[frankie]

I hope you enjoy this one .

 

I did, I already finished it. A very short review to follow...

[Athena]

I did, I already finished it. A very short review to follow...

That was quick !

 

I'm glad you enjoyed The Other Woman.

[frankie]

#31. The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit 

 

From Amazon: When Father goes away with two strangers one evening, the lives of Roberta, Peter and Phyllis are shattered. They and their mother have to move from their comfortable London home to go and live in a simple country cottage, where Mother writes books to make ends meet. However, they soon come to love the railway that runs near their cottage, and they make a habit of waving to the Old Gentleman who rides on it. They befriend the porter, Perks, and through him learn railway lore and much else. They have many adventures, and when they save a train from disaster, they are helped by the Old Gentleman to solve the mystery of their father's disappearance.

 

 

Thoughts: I learned of the book on this forum, and it was also mentioned in The Secret of Happy Ever After which was about a book shop, and therefore a lot of titles made their way into it. I think I knew the premise of the novel but I'd quite forgotten about it... My mind is a sieve these days.  

 

I admit, I didn't like the first half of the book as much as I liked the second, but I'm willing to put that down to my fickle mojo. I really warmed to the characters and the happenings during the second half of the novel, and I'm sorely annoyed at myself for having picked it up when I wasn't in the exact mood for it. 

 

I want to say that it's a darling little book but that sounds condescending, and that's definitely not what I'm after. It was a darling little book in the most positive of ways. 

 

4/5

[frankie]

That was quick !

 

 

Well it was a very short read  

[Athena]

Great review, it sounds like a good read, I shall add it to my list .

[frankie]

A bit of a vent coming up. 

 

The reason why my mojo is off is that I have to go in and write a four page paper on my Bachelor's thesis next week. I actually have to travel to Joensuu to do it at the uni It's supposed to be a rather harmless thing, in that it's only to test that I know my material and I've written the thesis myself, and they are also wanting to see I can write grammatical correct, academic desk TEXT (see?? how can I go and do that when I fail in my bloody recreational posts on the forum!!) on the spot. From what I've heard, it's rare not to pass. They don't even grade the papers, they only give it a pass or a fail. But I'm dreading it, I'm dreading it very much indeed. I haven't even been to an exam in I don't know how many years, and I hate those general exams... The exam's held in the big auditorium and there might be a hundred other students there, and I fear that I might have a panic attack. I fear that once I sit down and am allowed to read the question(s), my mind will completely black out. Blank. Tabula freaking rasa. 

 

And I can't even remember if I'm to write it in English or Finnish. What if I answer in English when I'm supposed to answer in Finnish It's a small wonder I haven't had a single nightmare about it so far! 

 

So yes, this is affecting my mojo... There's another thing, though. I'm leaving for my home hometown on Sunday and I'm staying there till Friday when I leave for Joensuu to do the exam. I'm thinking there's no use in me starting any library reads before that, because I don't want to have to haul a library book all over Finland. I should choose books that I would be willing to give away once I'm finished... But how am I going to determine which books I can let go of without having read them

 

One way would be to take no books with me and read books that I have storaged in my room in Nurmes... That would be clever... 

 

I'm just such a worry wart at the moment and I'm driving myself crazy

Edited May 19, 2015 by frankie

[Kylie]

#31. The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit 

 

I want to say that it's a darling little book but that sounds condescending, and that's definitely not what I'm after. It was a darling little book in the most positive of ways. 

 

I don't think it sounds condescending. Actually I think it's a helpful phrase because I know exactly what you mean by it. It's kind of like how THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH is a darling little book.

 

I keep meaning to tell you that I visited a library recently. My friend had a job interview in a lovely country town a couple of hours away, so I went along for support. While she was being interviewed I went for a walk and found the local library. I went in and spent some time working (until I dozed off... ). It was quite a small library, but it was nice, and there were quite a few people there, which was good to see. Because I was there to work, I didn't look at any books, but when I strolled into an aisle just being leaving I immediately noticed a book that has been on my wish list for a while. So now I regret that I didn't spend the time just browsing through the books.

[Kylie]

Aw, you poor thing.   Are you able to check with the university whether it needs to be written in English in Finnish?

 

I wish I could give you helpful advice, but it all sounds lame in my head, and it's all stuff that you already know. But I'll say it anyway. You definitely don't have to worry about grammar etc., because you're an excellent writer. And we both know that you know your material. If you combine those two things with the fact that it's apparently easy to pass, then you really have nothing to worry about. I know that exams are worrying anyway and that it's easy for us to say 'don't worry', because exams are things that everyone worries about. I really don't think there's any danger of you going blank. I wonder if it would help to take a few deep breaths when you get in there and read the question? Don't rush into it; just take a couple of minutes to read the question a couple of times and think about how you're going to answer. I'm sure that once you see the question you'll breathe a sigh of relief and realise that you can do it. Then your nerves will go away and you'll just get stuck into it. Perhaps you could prepare by thinking about the possible question/s that might be asked and maybe even writing one or two practice essays.

 

Re the reading material. I think you should just read the book at your parents' place, and maybe take one from your TBR pile for the trip there.

[frankie]

Aw, you poor thing.   Are you able to check with the university whether it needs to be written in English in Finnish?

 

I've already checked it, maybe twice, but by now I've forgotten. I just can't keep things in my head at the moment. I have to have everything written down, and even that won't help because I have written notes and stuff everywhere and I don't know where anything's at.

 

 

I wish I could give you helpful advice, but it all sounds lame in my head, and it's all stuff that you already know. But I'll say it anyway. You definitely don't have to worry about grammar etc., because you're an excellent writer. And we both know that you know your material. If you combine those two things with the fact that it's apparently easy to pass, then you really have nothing to worry about. I know that exams are worrying anyway and that it's easy for us to say 'don't worry', because exams are things that everyone worries about. I really don't think there's any danger of you going blank. I wonder if it would help to take a few deep breaths when you get in there and read the question? Don't rush into it; just take a couple of minutes to read the question a couple of times and think about how you're going to answer. I'm sure that once you see the question you'll breathe a sigh of relief and realise that you can do it. Then your nerves will go away and you'll just get stuck into it. Perhaps you could prepare by thinking about the possible question/s that might be asked and maybe even writing one or two practice essays.

 

But what if it's in Finnish and I need to know my Finnish grammar?! I don't remember where the stupid commas go Oh god oh god... And as I've written the thesis in English, it's so hard to come up with the words in Finnish. It's like your mind goes blank. Fudge!

 

Rationally thinking, I know I'm probably worried for no real reason. Everybody keeps telling me that it's not a big deal and I will pass. Even the professor who graded my thesis said that I'll undoubtedly pass. And yet I worry.

 

Thanks for your advice, they were good, solid ones and I'll have to try and keep them in mind!

 

 

Re the reading material. I think you should just read the book at your parents' place, and maybe take one from your TBR pile for the trip there.

That's a good idea. A bit of both. I might not have to take any books with me for the trip, though, because I'm getting a lift from my cousin and her husband and I'll be babysitting their 5yo daughter at the back She'll keep me merrily occupied, no chance of reading....

[frankie]

One thing that I just remembered, as general advice: you always answer exam questions in the language they're posed in. So if the questions are in English, I'll answer in English. Right?

 

Doesn't help though, because I think it would be easier to go into the exam knowing which language to answer in. 

[Athena]

Awww Frankie, I'm so sorry you feel so stressed . I would be nervous too for such an exam (and have been when I had them). You are correct, I think that would be the case . If the question is in English, you need to answer in English, and the same for Finnish. Unless it says on the exam sheet that you need to answer in the other language. That's my experience, anyway.

 

One thing that has helped me in the past (aside from the nice things Kylie said), is that if I am not sure what to answer to the first question, I skip it and go to the next one and answer that one instead. I've had it happen with multiple exams, I read the first question and go into a panic state for a few minutes. Then I think to myself, okay, let's just go to the later questions and see if they are easier. Then usually I can fill some of those in and I go back to the earlier questions later on and in the end usually managed to come up with something.

 

This is only helpful of course once you're actually at the exam. The nerves beforehand.. I'm not sure I have any tips for that. Kylie is right when she says you will do well, I agree with that. That doesn't mean though, that you're not stressed about it.

 

I wish you the best of luck with your test. One thing my mum used to say, when I had an exam, was that during it she said I could 'pull all her energy to me', so I will say that on your test day you may pull all my energy and use it during your test.

Edited May 19, 2015 by Athena

[frankie]

Quick note to self: it's to be done in Finnish. All the rest is to be done in Finnish!! I'm not sure if this is a good thing. 

 

(Must be off now soon, going to the doctor. Routine check up stuff, no worries.)

[frankie]

I don't think it sounds condescending. Actually I think it's a helpful phrase because I know exactly what you mean by it. It's kind of like how THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH is a darling little book.

 

I don't know, the 'little' sounds condescending to me when I write it I felt like I had to stress that I don't mean it to sound like that. I just can't be too bothered about reviews at the moment. Just whipping something up to get them over and done with  

 

I keep meaning to tell you that I visited a library recently. My friend had a job interview in a lovely country town a couple of hours away, so I went along for support. While she was being interviewed I went for a walk and found the local library. I went in and spent some time working (until I dozed off... ). It was quite a small library, but it was nice, and there were quite a few people there, which was good to see. Because I was there to work, I didn't look at any books, but when I strolled into an aisle just being leaving I immediately noticed a book that has been on my wish list for a while. So now I regret that I didn't spend the time just browsing through the books. 

 

Small libraries can sometimes be the nicest, and coziest You should visit libraries more often, it's so much fun to browse the books and see what other people are reading and just soak in the vibe!  

 

And we both know that you know your material.

 

 The thing is, I personally think (and no one will be able to convince me otherwise, ever) my paper was such crap that I've been trying to forget all about it, and have been quite successful at it. I've become blind to it because I've been mulling over it so much and on the other hand I've been actively trying to forget about it. So that doesn't really help Maybe I ought to spend some 'fun time' going over it and going over the equivalent Finnish words of the terms and such. Bleh. 

 

Awww Frankie, I'm so sorry you feel so stressed. I would be nervous too for such an exam (and have been when I had them). You are correct, I think that would be the case. If the question is in English, you need to answer in English, and the same for Finnish. Unless it says on the exam sheet that you need to answer in the other language. That's my experience, anyway.

 

I now know that it's to be in English. My professor's going to go over the paper first, and then she's giving it to a Finnish language expert. So to me that suggests that it's to be in Finnish, unless she knows some Finnish language expert who loves to read the stuff just for kicks  

 

It's good to know, so I can be prepared. 

 

One thing that has helped me in the past (aside from the nice things Kylie said), is that if I am not sure what to answer to the first question, I skip it and go to the next one and answer that one instead. I've had it happen with multiple exams, I read the first question and go into a panic state for a few minutes. Then I think to myself, okay, let's just go to the later questions and see if they are easier. Then usually I can fill some of those in and I go back to the earlier questions later on and in the end usually managed to come up with something.

 

The thing is, I think there are going to be three questions and I'm to answer one of them. That gives me choice so that's good. 

  

I wish you the best of luck with your test. One thing my mum used to say, when I had an exam, was that during it she said I could 'pull all her energy to me', so I will say that on your test day you may pull all my energy and use it during your test.

 

Thanks Athena, that's so kind of you! I hope you don't pass out that day, from running out of all energy!!  

[frankie]

One thing led to another yesterday, and I started thinking about MA thesis ideas. Some might say that I shouldn't, as I seem to stress over the BA thesis at the moment, but I swear, I thought of different thesis ideas just for fun. It was that or watching TV So no harm done  

 

After the doctor's appointment, I went to the library to see what kind of books they had on English literature. Not much! But it's only one library, I bet I could get my hands on a lot of interesting stuff in the other libraries. 

 

I borrowed a book on misery lit, which isn't a topic I've ever even considered, and I'm not seriously considering it now, either. But it seems like an interesting read! I also got 1000 Books to Change Your Life, just to see what's in it. Instead of the book containing a list of books that will change one's life according to the people involved in the process of making the book, there seem to be different lists of books based on a certain theme or some author's personal list. Seems like a rather random thing, which is what might get me ticking. 

 

One essay is titled De Profundis and the sub title says 'Depression has ever been a source of artistic inspiration, says Brian Dillon.' It mentioned Albrecht Dürer's Melancolia I, Robert Burton's The Anatomy of Melancholy, Shakespeare's Hamlet, Baudelaire's The Flowers of Evil, JD Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, Sylvia Plath's Bell Jar, Elizabeth Wurtzel's Prozac Nation: Young and Depressed in America, William Styron's Darkness Visible, EM Cioran's A Short History of Decay, Samuel  Beckett's The Trouble with Being Born and David Foster Wallace's Brief Interviews with Hideous Men. On the same page there's a Critic's Choice list of books about Unrequited Love, and I find it ironic. 

[Chrissy]

Good luck with the visit, and all it entails. 

[frankie]

Thanks Chrissy! 

 

I know that I'm probably worrying for nothing, and I know that with these things, it's always the anticipation that's the worst, and not knowing what it's going to be like. If I think about it rationally, I think that when I'm actually sitting in the auditorium, looking at the questions, there's a fair chance I'll smile and wonder why I worried so much about it beforehand. Of course that doesn't help now, it'll only help when it's time... But it's only a week and two days now. After that I'll feel so liberated that I might go doolally!  

[Kylie]

You should go book shopping afterwards to reward yourself.  Keep your eyes on the prize, Frankie!

 

That reminds me, when I had to do an editing exam a few years ago, I took along a book voucher I had received from a friend and rewarded myself by buying a beautiful copy of Jane Austen's Letters. Actually, I think I bought it before I went in to the exam, so I guess I pre-rewarded myself. 

[Janet]

Yay - I'm glad you enjoyed The Railway Children.    I'm not sure our relationship could have survived you hating that one too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just kidding - I'm pretty sure I can forgive you anything!  

[chesilbeach]

Good luck!  

 

Oh, and don't worry, "darling little book" doesn't sound at all condescending, and I think it's actually an incredibly good description of a book … it evokes a specific kind of book in my head, and I think it's rather charming.

[frankie]

Just when I was moaning about the maturity exam... I had a real scare yesterday, it was a rather horrible day! I got an e-mail from a uni staffer saying that I only need to do the BA thesis and the maturity exam and this 'English as a global language' course and I'm good to graduate. 

 

What English as a global language course?! Never heard of it! And more to the point, I've been told by two other staffers that I only need the BA thesis and maturity exam. And this staffer who e-mailed me yesterday, she herself told me in January that that's all I need and didn't mention anything about any global language courses. 

 

In yesterday's e-mail she told me that the course is a lecture course and I cannot do it as a book exam. And that the next time they'd be teaching the course is in the spring 2016. 

 

...... At this point I was just petrified and furious that they'd all overlooked it in the past, the course. I can't sign up as an unemployed person at the unemployment agency if I've yet to graduate, and thus I can't get any unemployment benefits while I'm looking for work. I'd be skint and I'm already stressed as it is, and the idea of having no money and having no job and my studies being wrecked was just too much. I thought, what's the use anymore, with the maturity exam, if I have to take some stupid course next January, in Joensuu... The idea of it was just too much for me at this point. 

 

I had a related nightmare last night. It was the first day of uni in the fall and I was late, and I'd had to move to Lahti which I didn't want at all, and I hurried to the uni and then couldn't remember where the class room was, and ended up running around in circles, and then I missed the class, and then I thought, why bother, I don't even want to study this BS. 

 

I wrote to two different staffers yesterday about the course and if I really need to do it because this was the first time they mentioned it. I wrote them after 3 PM so I knew they wouldn't probably get back to me before today... One of them did in the morning, and thank lordy, she said that the global language course has been added to the curriculum in 2011 and because I started my intermediate studies before that, I can go with the curriculum of that time, and not the new one. So I don't need to do it.  

 

It's just been too much for me. Too much stress. But hey, at least I stopped being anxious about the maturity exam for a moment That was refreshing! 

[Chrissy]

You are definitely being tested at the moment Frankie - by the Gods of Stress & Frustration I think! 

 

What a horrible shock to have this English As A Global Language thing thrown at you. I would have completely freaked out at that too! I'm glad it has been sorted out for you. 

[Athena]

Wow Frankie, I can totally image you feel stressed out about that! I am so glad for you that you don't have to do the course. You are going through a rough time. How stupid of those staffers to make you feel so stressed and not sorting it out properly at first. I'm glad it's sorted now and that you will just be able to graduate. I know it would really annoy me too, what happened, and stress me out.

 

Actually, a similar though less bad thing happened to me as well, when I was going to graduate. I don't know if it makes you feel any better, but I thought I'd tell you about it because maybe it helps you to know I can relate. If however you think it will make you feel worse, then feel free to skip the following paragraph for now .

 

I was told that I needed to do a couple of things before I could graduate, but they only told me this when the deadline to do these things had already passed and had not bothered to tell me before. They said I would then have to wait for the next deadline for the exams, which would mean I would have had to pay another few months worth of university money for just waiting for them to get their stuff in order (the money is quite a bit). I was also worried that if I didn't graduate in August, that I would then have to pay back all my student debt (which was a LOT of money). I did these things asap, and I talked to my study advisor and explained to him my situation. He decided to try his best to make it happen for me, he is part of the exam committee. I was gladly able to graduate in August at the end, though not before they messed things up. They send me an invitation for the graduation, and I was there with my family, but my name was not mentioned and my professor wasn't there. So we phoned her and asked and phoned my study advisor and it turned out they had sent me the wrong invitation. So we waited a few more hours and then attended the right graduation (the graduation was in Utrecht so we couldn't all just go home or anything). I was happy to get my diploma in the end. I kind of had a panic attack while in the ceremony and they didn't mention me. I'm so glad it worked out in the end though.

 

Anyway... you are going through some tough times now and I wish you strength to make it through them .

[frankie]

You are definitely being tested at the moment Frankie - by the Gods of Stress & Frustration I think! 

Would it be too bold an idea to try and assassinate those two Gods? I could do without them!!

 

 

What a horrible shock to have this English As A Global Language thing thrown at you. I would have completely freaked out at that too! I'm glad it has been sorted out for you. 

Wednesday was just terrible, and even though I got the relieving news early on Thursday morning, I was still kind of off my 'game' the whole of yesterday. I mean, who's to say that this staffer who gave me the green light is more right than the one who told me I needed to do the course? I couldn't really count on the one staffer being 100% right... So I'm very very happy that today I got another e-mail from her, apologizing for the whole mess and putting me through unnecessary stress at such a time. She also said that they've now talked to some professor or another and have gotten official confirmation on the subject and I do have all the stuff I need and only need to do the things we've already talked about and that I've known about all along. That was a huge relief!! I now feel like I can get back to preparing for the maturity exam and stuff. *is there an emoticon where one's letting out a huge sigh of relief....*

 

 

Wow Frankie, I can totally image you feel stressed out about that! I am so glad for you that you don't have to do the course. You are going through a rough time. How stupid of those staffers to make you feel so stressed and not sorting it out properly at first. I'm glad it's sorted now and that you will just be able to graduate. I know it would really annoy me too, what happened, and stress me out.

I do wonder how that one staffer suddenly got it into her head that I needed this extra course. As she's already sorted me out early this year. Who knows. Gotta say, I'm not a fan of hers at the moment

 

 

I was told that I needed to do a couple of things before I could graduate, but they only told me this when the deadline to do these things had already passed and had not bothered to tell me before. They said I would then have to wait for the next deadline for the exams, which would mean I would have had to pay another few months worth of university money for just waiting for them to get their stuff in order (the money is quite a bit). I was also worried that if I didn't graduate in August, that I would then have to pay back all my student debt (which was a LOT of money). I did these things asap, and I talked to my study advisor and explained to him my situation. He decided to try his best to make it happen for me, he is part of the exam committee. I was gladly able to graduate in August at the end, though not before they messed things up. They send me an invitation for the graduation, and I was there with my family, but my name was not mentioned and my professor wasn't there. So we phoned her and asked and phoned my study advisor and it turned out they had sent me the wrong invitation. So we waited a few more hours and then attended the right graduation (the graduation was in Utrecht so we couldn't all just go home or anything). I was happy to get my diploma in the end. I kind of had a panic attack while in the ceremony and they didn't mention me. I'm so glad it worked out in the end though.

 

I can't believe what that was all like   I would've completely lost it if I were you! Your dilemmas were more serious than mine, too, because you actually did have to do some extra work whereas mine was just a false alarm, and you had such incompetent staffers who didn't think to tell you in time about the extra work!! Did they even apologize??

 

And the money worries on top of everything else... Over here we have free university education so I can't even begin to imagine what it's like to have to pay for uni. I'm so grateful for that and I've had it so easy compared to other people. I'm so glad you talked to your study advisor about it and he was so understanding and professional about it.    Well, of course it was his job to make it all easier for you... But I've realized that professors and other staffers are only people, too, and you can really talk to them if you're worried about things, and they'll try and make things easier for you. They are not just academic robot monsters! (Well not all of them ) 

 

I cannot believe that they sent you the wrong invitation, too! They managed to fudge up everything, didn't they!   I bet you were really relieved when you finally got your diploma. It's awful that the last memories of your uni years are ones where so many things went wrong. I hope you have nice memories of your uni, too! 

[frankie]

You should go book shopping afterwards to reward yourself.  Keep your eyes on the prize, Frankie!

 

I don't have the money to go and do something like that I'm meeting a Joensuu friend though, we'll be going for a coffee in this lovely riverside place where we used to always go during the summer I think the relief of having it all behind me, the uni stuff, is rewarding enough!  

 

 

Yay - I'm glad you enjoyed The Railway Children.    I'm not sure our relationship could have survived you hating that one too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just kidding - I'm pretty sure I can forgive you anything!  

 

That was scary! I'm glad I scrolled down!        

 

 

Good luck!  

 

Oh, and don't worry, "darling little book" doesn't sound at all condescending, and I think it's actually an incredibly good description of a book … it evokes a specific kind of book in my head, and I think it's rather charming. 

 

I'm glad that you don't think is sounds condescending, either. Maybe I'll get that idea out of my head and won't worry about using the term in the future. The world needs darling little books, the readers need darling little books! 

[frankie]

#32. Whispers and Lies by Joy Fielding 

 

 

From Amazon: Terry Painter enjoys her quiet life in tranquil Delray, Florida, where the single, forty-year-old nurse lives alone in the house she inherited from her mother. When young, vibrant Alison Simms rents the cottage on her property, the two women strike up a fast friendship -- and Terry is swept into a fantastic new life: dinners out, shopping, makeovers, even flirting with the handsome son of one of her elderly patients. But nothing about her newfound companion is as it appears, as Terry discovers when Alison's closely guarded past comes to light. Now Terry is locked into a race to reclaim her own life -- before she opens the door any further to the stranger she thought she knew...

 

 

Thoughts: I went for another Joy Fielding after enjoying the first one I just read and discovering that with my current tempestuous mojo, Fielding is the sort of author I can get on with. 

 

This was a bit different from the other book, but in a good way. It was a bit more serious in some aspects and I liked it. The writing's not, again, that spectacular, but I was really pleased by the twists in the novel. I thought I'd sussed things out and I knew how everything would turn out and I didn't mind it at all, I was in it for the ride, but bless me, was I shocked when I found out I'd been wrong. Well done! 

 

I don't know if I would recommend Fielding as an author, though, but I'm definitely going to remember her for the days when my mojo needs a bit of a kick in the arse. 

 

3/5

Edited May 22, 2015 by frankie