no redeeming value what so ever

I swore next time I posted, I would say something that at least came close to being intellectual.

So much for THAT. Maybe tomorrow. I do plan on boring you with some babbling on my final paper (we should swap, and bore each other!) so...prepare yourself.

In the mean time, I personally feel that more people should make comics with Chaucer in it. I don't know why anyone hasn't yet. Or why no one has turned the entirety of The Canterbury Tales, or parts of it, into a comic. It would be fascin

ating. So many editions are illustrated, as I discussed earlier in the semester, and even though I personally think the illustrations are distracting when trying to read the tales, a comic book could just be...fun? I have no legitimate reason for wanting someone to make one, really, beyond that 'it would be cool.'

Anyway, since it's the beginning of finals week and we all deserve a laugh, have this Chaucer comic courtesy of Hark! A Vagrant

Ah, just kidding, comic is too big for Blogger to handle, click here to see it!

I think it's hilarious the cartoonist drew Chaucer the way he is depicted in that portrait we've all now seen a hundred times. Is that the only existing documentation of what Chaucer looked like? It's everywhere, seriously. Obviously I prefer to think of Chaucer the pilgrim looking different than Chaucer the author, I don't quite know why, for some reason when I read the tales I imagine them as separate entities that look differently. Let's now dwell in my psychosis, though.

(I honestly can't think of anything worse then a millionth day trip to Canterbury with beat poets. I don't know. There could be something worse. But I can't think of any right now...)

Holy Anachronism, Batman

I stumbled upon this a while ago, and meant to post it, and forgot. Because I have the memory of a goldfish. Anyway.

In this gadget filled era, what is one to do when one stumbles upon a word in Middle English in the works of Chaucer and one is without access to a decent Middle English dictionary? Fear not, because there is now a Chaucer Dictionary app for your iPod/iPhone.

I wish I were kidding. I'm not, here's the link to the app in the AppStore. And here is a handy screencap I made of it, if you don't want to actually scope out the link:

I wonder, is anyone out there willing to fork over the .99 cents to see if this app is worth it? I wonder how accurate it is, too, its translations. How useful it would actually be, as a dictionary.

This would have probably been more useful if I'd posted it earlier in the semester, as I intended. Sorry about that! But hey, just in case you have any last minute, er, Chaucer dictionary needs...right, here we are.

Part of me is thrilled Chaucer is being recognized, in even a tiny way, like this. Most of me is perplexed by the paradox of having a Middle English dictionary on my futuristic super phone. It's like whenever they act out classic novels on the holodeck on Star Trek.

I'm in serious danger of nerding myself into oblivion, so, time to move on.

Continuing my theme of Chaucer and technology, I've gotten addicted to the few audio recordings available at the VMI website. It was especially helpful in the beginning of the semester when I was adjusting to the Middle English. I had been hoping there'd be an audio book of all the tales in Middle English, but so far, no luck. I'm usually against audio books, too, I think they're for old people or people who fall asleep when they read (like my Mother, don't ask, long, long story). But I've been using the VMI website a lot lately as I prepare to recite, badly, Middle English for class.

I had high hopes for this post when I started, but it's rapidly losing all coherency. Better end now, then, while I still have a shred of self respect.