PREHISTORIC, adj. Belonging to an early period and a museum.*

[bending_sickle]

I spent the day at the Naturalis museum of natural history. I got to feel all speshul because, being a Biology student at the university, I got a free entrance. Take that!

Have I ever said how much I love taxidermy and life-size animal models? They're so. bloody. awesome. I mean, how else could I stand nose-to-nose with a gnu, or be thisclose to a gorilla, or know exactly how much larger a Great White or Devil Fish is compared to me. Seriously, those things are just frelling awesome. And there were two that the public could touch. One was a dog and one was a pony. I got all choked up petting the pony. Gods I miss riding. (I really ought to check out the stables near Leiden and see if I can do any mucking out in return for lessons or something of the sort. Ah hell, I'd actually be delighted to much out a stall. How sad is that?)

And just so's you don't think I'm a bad little scientist, I thought the mineral section of the museum was likewise fantastic. The shapes these things sort themselves into, just based on their little atomical composition, how some form into triangular planes while others form long cylinders and others yet form as big fluffy moss-like balls, or perfectly chisseled multi-faceted spheres... It really is brilliant the order that results from such simple things.

And the paleontology section was neat too - rather small, but hey, being face-to-face with a cave bear skeleton is nothing to scoff at. And Irish elk is, in a word, huge. It'd seen a skull before, in the Redpth Museum (♥) - here, between the Alo's legs - but seeing the elongated neck vertebrae used to support the massive neck muscles for the utterly massive horns puts things into more perspective.

Speaking of, this photograph should not make me tear up this much. Nor should this.. Also, this used to be my street.

Ah, he's still mangling Vivaldi...

Links of the Day:
xanya's Doctor Who: Journey's End Review - A study of timelines, with illustration.
seriousfic's Doctor Who: Journey's End Review
Darknote's Doctor Who Analysis: The Doctor&Companion Dynamic in New Who
__kali__'s Doctor Who: Journey's End Picspam Review
momacress's Doctor Who: Journey's End Picspam Review
vanillabiscuit's DoctorDonna Thoughout the Series Picspam
versaphile's eloquent review on the Finale!Doctor, and some fic recs

People to check out: zauberer_sirin (aka 42number), omphalos, and versaphile, in case my previous pimping has missed you.
zauberer_sirin's Fanfic: See How Deep the Bullet Lies - Five moments, one of which will eventually be part of a series.
calapine's Fanfic: Children of Time - A fix-it for Journey's End
versaphile's Fanfic: Indulgence - Doctor/Martha/Jack
jessikast's Fanfic Outline: Personal Canon Regarding Donna
deseason5's AU Series 5x01: The Twenty-Four Hour Minister
omphalos's Fanfic: No Proper Time of Day - The beginning of a series.
lifeonmartha's Compilation of Martha Fanfic Set After Journey's End
ghost2's Undated Rare-Pairings List
entangled_now's Fanfic: Footsteps in the Sand
aisalynn's Fanfic: Not Ricky
amproof's Fanfic: What It Means to Care for Him
pellnell's The First Five Times
rockthetardis's Fanfic: On and On, Across the Universe
dallowayward's Stills Mood Theme: Doctor and Donna
Doctor Who Season 4 "Campfire Trailer"
slybrunette's Lost Fanfic: I Thought You Said Forever (Over And Over Again) - Alex/Richard
i_love_donna
iconzicons
Serenity wins Hugo Award, accepted by Moreena Baccarin
Neverwhere, episode 1, part 1 - Contrary to most - including Gaiman - I actually liked this series, particularly Croup&Vandemar. de Carabas is ♥. And Richard's Scottish and adorable, which is lovely :) (Gaiman puts on a scottish accent in the audiobook, which is just so much ♥) Also, this is where I first fell in love with Gaiman as himself, rather than just his writing, when I listened to is audio commentary. "Stunt feather" indeed :D


* Ambrose Bierce

Comments

[blizzardcake.livejournal.com]

Montrealllll.... that first video made me cry! I so wanted that car to turn right onto University (my apartment was right across from the Strathcona Anatomy and Dentistry building). The first photo was also an emotional moment. I don't think we'll ever really get over that city~

[bending-sickle.livejournal.com]

Stupid city stole my heart. I never even thought that was possible, but here I am, all heartbroken and missing it like blazes.

[qthewetsprocket.livejournal.com]

neverwhere the miniseries was my introduction to neil gaiman. and i only got to listen to a bit of the audiobook before i had to send it back to the library, but i've heard him do mister croup in a live reading, and he's hilariously spot-on...sounds very much like the actor who actually played him. :)

[bending-sickle.livejournal.com]

I absolutely adore Gaiman's Reading Aloud skills.

My introduction to him was Good Omens (with TPRatchett) and then I dove right into the massiveness that is American Gods because that was all my library had.