Jeff's language log

[jeff_lindqvist]

2023 - Summary of week 46

Reading. Three books finished:

• Stormvarning från Kina (by journalist Gunnar Lindstedt) - the author's experience of years in China.
• Manipulatören (by Anders Gustafson och Johan Kant) - Swedish crime, vol 7 in Singöserien.
• Jag kommer att hitta nyckeln (by famous duo under the pseudonym Alex Ahndoril) - a Swedish whodunnit.

DE: More reading.

ES: More Librivox. And reading.

[jeff_lindqvist]

2023 - Summary of week 47

This was a hectic week in many ways. I barely read anything until the work week was over. By then, I finished Peter Bergting - magi, mutanter och mardrömmar by Peter Bergting himself. He is an author and artist. I also finished Kan vi prata om ensamhet by Sandra Torbjörnsdotter and Suzanne Pärlhamn - a book about loneliness and how to overcome it.

My reading material in English, Silmarillion, and the weather (snow!) inspires me to study some Quenya and Sindarin for the nth time. (The snow has only a nostalgic connection to Tolkien's works - many years ago, I devoured a lot of RPG material during Christmas time.)

During the weekend I watched two German silent movies: Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens and Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari.

ES: More Librivox.

[jeff_lindqvist]

2023 - Summary of week 48

Another hectic week. Two books finished though - Statsministermordet (by Hans-Gunnar Axberger) - a detailed description of what is said to be the biggest murder investigation in the world; and (once again) The Power of Internal Martial Arts (by Bruce Frantzis).

Four work days left of this year. Then December vacation.

ES: More Librivox.

[jeff_lindqvist]

2023 - Summary of week 49

This was the last hectic week before my vacation. Three books finished:
Mörkrets makter (by Bram Stoker - or "edited by" A-e, whoever that was.) Published as a feuilleton in 1899-1900 (and much longer than "Dracula" as we know it). On a side note, there also was an Icelandic "Powers of Darkness" - Makt myrkranna published one year later (but half the length of Dracula). More info here.
Förbrytaren – en sann historia by Friedrich Schiller. (original: Der Verbrecher aus verlorener Ehre, 1786.) Just the story you need on a cold Saturday in December. Who knows, I might read it in German one day. Yeah, right.
All Music Guide to Rock (editor: Vladimir Bogdanov) - this of course an A-Z encyclopedia of rock. I was happy to see good examples of folk rock and some (heavier) heavy metal bands in there.

Now I'm officially on December vacation.

ES: More Librivox.

[DaveAgain]

and (once again) The Power of Internal Martial Arts (by Bruce Frantzis).

Cory Sandhagen (MMA fighter) published a video recommending 5 books for martial artists, which I thought might interest you:

1. 33 strategies of War, Robert Greene
2. Dune, Frank Herbert
3. Mastery, Robert Greene
4. Taming your Gremlin, Rick Carson
5. The Inner game of Tennis, W T Gallwey

[jeff_lindqvist]

Thanks for the list, DaveAgain!

The library has Dune and The Inner Game of Tennis. I've already planned to read Dune (and the sequels) some day.

[jeff_lindqvist]

2023 - Summary of week 50

OK, I am on vacation, but last week ended in stress. Three hours after my post, one of my cats passed away. One of my best friends.

A number of books finished, including:

• The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Själakrossaren by Sebastian Fitzek.
• Oh, Sister by Jodie Chapman.
• Hajen (original: Jaws) by Peter Benchley.
• The Buried by Sharon Bolton - the second book in the Craftsman series.
• Översättarens anmärkningar by translator Erik Andersson. It's a collection of notes from his work with The Lord of the Rings.

I watched the Estonian TV series Vem sköt Otto Müller? (original: Kes tappis Otto Mülleri?). No games. Some music (guitar, fiddle and flute).

DE: More reading.
ES: More Librivox and reading.

[Sonjaconjota]

OK, I am on vacation, but last week ended in stress. Three hours after my post, one of my cats passed away. One of my best friends.

I'm so sorry, Jeff. To those of us who consider their pets as a part of the family, having to say goodbye is always hard.

[jeff_lindqvist]

2023 - Summary of week 51

So this is Christmas. Or something. We've had the worst storm in a long time. And it's freezing cold.

A few books finished. A lot of movies. A game night! We played Mountains of Madness which is a cooperative game where our expedition has to explore a mountain range - and get out of there alive. Not as thrilling as a we expected a Lovecraft-inspired game to be, but still an enjoyable session.

ES: More Librivox.

Off to Midnight Mass now.

[jeff_lindqvist]

2023 - Summary of week 52

Last week of the year. Still freezing cold. Here in town, there is a recurring tradition of concerts under the heading Excelsis. They take place between Christmas and New Year's Day. I attended most of them.

A few books finished. A lot of movies.

ES: More Librivox. I have now ended my year of listening to Spanish.

Next language up: German.