Sorry for lack of posts.

Sorry about a lack of posts; I've been writing my dissertation, which has filled up my life quota with a whole headache of jumbled writing.

I remember having to decide on my dissertation topic at about 4am the day before deadline, over a year ago now. That was not the first I had given it consideration, of course, but having almost all of my mind working on my second year project, due that same day, an unmarked dissertation proposal was a distant second priority.

I ended up going with my gut choice, but it was a vague and undefined question covering the Pacific in WW2. That was about as well defined as it was a year ago. 'Something something Japan something 1930-1945.'

For this essay I'm finishing writing now, that 'something' has become the history of the Singapore base, the great folly of the British Empire in the 1920s & 30s. It didn't become that until nearer christmas. Partly, it took so long to define the thing because while it was undefined it was in a state of limbo where I could push it from my mind. I had time, so it wasn't a real problem. It's probably my biggest mistake in the whole dissertation, putting defining the question off because that would make the problem too real. It was make it too hard. While it was not a question, but only a topic, I could feel progress through vague research, instead of getting on with real work.

Truth be told, that was not too big a flaw. I dealt with it now, or so I hope. But given how I've handled the whole thing, it's been going pretty well. I don't want to speak more about it while i'm still writing the thing, but I'm sure I'll tell it some time.

Game Of Thrones

So, Game of Thrones started this week, and I'm loving this show. The look and feel of the show is amazing, building a world I really cannot wait to see more of. The cast is more of less perfect, especially the children, which I was afraid they would have trouble with, especially given the tough things coming later in the series for them.

With the mindset of having read the books, it stuck me how well they managed to strike an incredible balance between remaining faithful and integrating new material. The new scenes felt like they fitted perfectly into the narrative, instead of clearly being inserted artificially. There was a fair amount of world building and exposition, but that is always necessary for a story with a scope as grand as this.

But, really, the thing I hope they keep to, for it is the thing I love most about the books, is that everything every character does is because of who they are. Ned and his honour, Cercei and her family, Sanha and her fairytale prince, Jon and his bitterness. Their story is driven by actions, but not defined by them, and the characters adapt to their lives, as is so often forgotten in genre televisions. In GoT, the characters have a reason for what they do, they have a motive, and trying to work out what that is, that's why this show is so exciting for someone who already knows where actual the narrative is going.

I love this series so much, and I cannot wait to love this show.

Dissertation Problems

Affect/Effect

Seriously, english language, why bother with two words?

*headdesk*

It ironic or something.

There is no better way to be great at something than to be busy working hard at something else.

I'm sitting there, writing my dissertation, and *bang!*, I have a great idea for something hilarious to write.

But as soon as I log in, it's gone. You have no idea the number of amazing anecedotal observations that posterity is missing out on.

Game Of Thrones Tomorrow!

Game of Thrones starts tonight, I literally cannot wait.

Exam revision

Revising for final exams is an amazing buzz kill. Everything fun in the world becomes less fun, thanks to the pressure of knowing that any second that you aren't preparing, you are getting dumber.

It is actually worse than writing my dissertation, because there I can feel a small sense of achievement and put that pressure from my mind.

I think I'm gonna spend this month focusing more on that small sense of achievement.