Methodology seminar

So I signed up for a non-credited (but darn useful, I think) little course in how to write a term paper, which I believe is the English term most comparable to the Swedish B- and C-uppsats.

We had the first seminar today, three more are planned plus two hours of individual guidance if we feel we need that once we have started with out papers. And it was a really good seminar. The seminar leader, a rethorics teacher at the school, briefly went through the different principles if the sciences and humanities and then focused on the different methods and aspects one can choose and which fit best etc.

The seminar series are open to 20 people, but only 14 turned up. Still, this meant that there was plenty of time to talk with each student about their particular paper and what method we would chose/should chose. I also think it was really quite useful that we came from so different areas - economy, pedagogy, economy, linguistics, tourism/marketing, some kind of crosscultural-something-studies* and me from literature.

Next week is a library tour and database search class. Which isn't that valuable to me, as we have that planned in my course too, but I hope they focus on different aspects, and after that we have a seminar on the formal shape and how to plan a paper realistically. If they're as good as this, it might end up the most informative class hours of this term.

* My college has lots of inter-field courses and some of them end up with a bit unyieldy names.

I am going to keep up with my book blog darnit

So I finished another Torchwood book. That took only, what, eight months?

This one, Trace Memory by David Llewellyn was better in terms of characerization and mood moments than actual plot. The Torchwood team have an encounter with an involuntary time-traveler during multiple points of their lives.

It's actually quite a sweet and sad story, much like the fairy episode tried to be (and credit where credit is due, managed pretty well until the ugly CGI fairies turned up)

( Slight spoiler )

The monstruous aliens are pretty blaha, but on the cover of the book they look suitably creepy. What drags this book down a bit is that it rehashes a lot of Whoniverse tropes (exactly how many "one of the most ancient races of the universe!" species are there, exactly?) and the plot isn't very tight. Lots of timey-wimey, which is normally one of those things I love, but not structured to it's best way. Also, the resolution and all falls a bit flat, plotwise, though it has a nice emotional payoff.

Worth a read, though, especially if one likes Jack Harkness and wants to see him act a bit decent.

Also, have started to use Spotify a bit more. If anyone has recs for not immediately obvious music to be found there that sounds good, do let me know! My most recent find was a nice version of Puttin' On the Ritz which didn't come with the super long end part. Done by Alex Swings Oscar Sings and yeees, they're the ones responsible for the Dita von Teese visit during the Eurovision contest. And the sparkly silver pants, I know, I know. I still liked their song.