LOTR Reread Highlights: The Fellowship of the Ring

Note: SPOILERS ahead for those who haven't read the book and/or seen the movie.

Apparently I CAN read a 500+ pages book in under two weeks time. It just has to be the right book, I suppose. Well, I can't miss with LOTR, and despite the fact that I've reread it for I-don'-know-which time, it kept me motivated to keep reading, which has been hard for me this year. So, yay for that.

A few things I take away from this reread:

• Recalling back some of my original vision of the characters, especially Frodo. I last reread LOTR two years ago, but I've watched the movies a few times since, and the film presentation basically took over my own.
• Remembering that Frodo wasn't in fact chased to the Buckleberry Ferry by the Nazgûl. That was a stupid film thing.
• Also, in the books Boromir doesn't make his stupid plea to Aragorn to give the company time to grieve right on the doorstep of Moria. Everyone in the book knows they have to get out of there ASAP, in spite of grieving.

Oh, look, this post has turned into the-book-is-better-than-the-movies rant.

But then, I think I've said it before, I love the movies, they are generally very well-made, considering the extent of Tolkien's world, but I have geeky problems with details.

Anyway, I enjoyed rereading The Fellowship of the Ring again, for the story and the characters, remembering the little details I'd forgotten, and of course beautiful language. I read it in Slovene translation this time and in LOTR's case, it is a great translation, save some typos.

So, I can't wait to move on to The Two Towers. I'll post a similar recap/reaction post after I'm done with that.

And yay, I'm reading again, and not so slow, and enjoying it!

Changing My Profile Name

It's a huge step, I know. But I've been thinking about it for a long, long time, and I finally decided to go through with it.

Why am I'm doing this?

When I ventured into blogging, I didn't give it much thought because I just wanted to try it out. I chose Pepca as it is my nickname, an old-fashioned version of my name, and I started a blog in my mother tongue, so I wanted something familiar without using my real name. I later carried that profile over to book blogging in English.

However, I soon became aware that might not have been the best decision.

I do not want to use my real name, for two reasons: a) it's a mouthful for non-native-speakers of Slavic languages, and b) I come from a small country where everyone knows everyone and I'd rather keep some things private from certain people. (And yes, I know if one makes some effort anything can be found online anyway, but at least I'm trying to make it less easy).

However, Pepca is a tricky name, as well, as far as pronunciation is concerned and probably also its meaning.

Next, I'm lately trying to consolidate my online presence, using as few different profile names as I can.

My main goal behind changing my blogger and related profile names (Twitter, Goodreads) to something closer to my real name is to appear more serious and professional, while English-friendly.

I've given it a lot of thought and made plenty of research on should-I and how-to, wavered whether to do it or not, weighed pros and cons of such a big step and I've finally come to a decision to go with it.

I think now is a good time for it, too, as my blog is basically hibernating, I think, hopeful those who are still sticking with despite my lack of posting me won't run away. And I am going to do some other minor things, such as update pages and clean up the sidebar a little. So that when I get back into reading and posting more frequently, I can have everything neat and ready the way I want and I'll be able to focus on the content.

Now, the not-so-big reveal (but still, drumroll, please):

as my name is a Slovene version of Josephine, I'll be, from now on,

Jo K.

I know it's a very common name, but this is good as it gives me privacy, and it fulfils my aim at simplicity.

I'll be doing the changes over the next few days.

So, you see, I made quite a mess back when I started engaging in blogging and being active online elsewhere. If any future bloggers/online participants in anything are reading this, take my advice: think well before you create any profiles, etc, google your ideas, check their availability everywhere you think you might use them. It's nothing new, but I could have used such an advice at my blogging start.

What I've Been up to

Hi, everyone!

I think it's time to let you know I'm still alive and apologize for my lack of posting.

My non-blogging is closely related to my non-reading. Yes, I STILL seem to be in a reading rut. I think this is my longest reading rut since uni (I only read required material for about two years then).

I AM reading, though, just very slowly. And it's not that I don't enjoy reading, I just enjoy it very slowly and in small amounts. So I have nothing to review.

However, I started rereading LOTR last weekend and it's actually going well, so maybe that will help me pull out of this ridiculous reading slump.

Nevertheless, while not being able to read, I had time for other things:

• I've been self-teaching myself a lot about making/editing graphics (I'm far from an expert still, of course, but seriously dabbling into it made me appreciate graphic designers much more than I used to – I used to think it's easy for them as they have the right software etc., but now I see how much hard work and time it takes. So hats off to them/you if any of you is reading this).
• I've been reading more about writing to expand my skills there. (I don't count this as 'the reading', as it's mostly online articles.)
• I've been writing a little, trying to get myself into writing very day (I have to work on that still) because practice makes perfect. Right?
• I've been doing some freelance copy-editing, although I'm still looking for a full-time job.

I've also been thinking about some changes to my blog – but more about it in a few days, hopefully.

I've been lately checking my favourite blogs and easing myself back into book blogging sphere because I miss it and I hope to gradually get back. (But life has been messing with me for quite some time, so I can't really say when and to what extent that will happen).

Anyway, I just wanted to give some sign of life and thank you for still bearing with me.

Oh, and Her Majesty the Cat is as majestic as ever, ruling the household to her satisfaction, and is right now overseeing my typing from the windowsill.