Studying Provincial Life

When I run and listen to books, it is a slightly different experience than trad-reading, or "stationary reading" as us moving readers call it. I vividly remember moments, while other bits wash over, based on the circumstance of the run. So I miss things, that I'd otherwise focus on perhaps more acutely, I remember a lot about Ishmael's first night in the bed with Queepheg, but little about Ahab's final moments, including his nice little monomaniac speeches, and that perhaps ruined it a bit. I remember vividly Dorothea's honeymoon in Spain, I was running on a golf course and at one point had to almost dive into bushes to avoid a driven ball, but only caught the end of Brooke's failed Parliamentary campaign as a lot happened in the middle of town where stupid cars made stupid noise. Stupid cars.

Still, even the slightly artificially abridged version could detract from its brilliance, a lot of very intelligent writers call it the greatest work of English language, and while Elliot will never hold a candle to Terry Pratchett, I liked Middlemarch a lot. Its odd little vision of English provincial life, the intrigues, boredoms, and jealousies that make up any life are delivered in a fairly tight little web of interrelationships that engage and never bore. Interesting, flawed characters interact in fairly predictable but interesting ways, a reflection of the meaning to be had in the little things in life - mainly blackmail to achieve a pleasant life as an alcoholic. And reinforcing that eternal message of all literature, that bankers are evil.

I suppose Parks and Recreation attempts a similar thing, a picture of life in a small town, but its done by Americans, and is television, and is shit in comparison, still enjoyable, but never really achieved the warm buzz of the American Office, or the biting self deprecation of the English Office.

Is there a point, I don't even know. Its miserable outside today in the wonderful city of wellington. Miserable, and I feel getting outside will not happen. I should practise my ukulele, that is what I will do, one day I will be able to strum reasonably.