By JERRY GRIT
To take a break from the unrelenting tour of death and loss in “Hades,” we will (Bloom-like) distract ourselves with an administrative matter.
Simply, we need heroes. We need heroes to take on the remaining 7 chapters that have yet to be claimed in our history-making social media-enhanced reading of Ulysses. You could put it on your resume!
The hero that I am, I will step up and take a few. But I can’t be the only one. (And it would be plain wrong for a dude to run “Penelope”…but I’ll do it. I’ll impose my phallocentric bias on Molly Bloom’s chapter-long streaming conscious. I don’t care. I don’t want to hear any bitching.)
Here’s where we’re at*…
I changed the color scheme, so that should help.
Ben Vore and I have already been inducted into the Hall of Fame for having done 2 chapters already. Don’t you want this honor?
If you’re unsure which one to take, let me touch on the interests/skills/dispositions that might be appropriate for the remaining chapters:
- Aeolus: Marketing, Journalism, Advertising
- Laestrygonians: Food, Feelings of Inadequacy
- Scylla and Charybdis: Shakespeare, Socrates
- Wandering Rocks: Associative Logic, Pornography
- Nausicaä: Sentimental/Romantic Art & Literature, Masturbation
- Ithaca: Homemaking/Entertaining, Disappointment
- Penelope: Crazy Ladies
If any of these aspects correspond with anything in your disposition, anything that will enable you to speak to these issues, then let’s do this thing!
If you’re still unsure, consider the testimonials from those heroes who have already conquered a chapter:
I am a much better person now. Thank you for saving my life. –Ben Vore
It was the final missing piece in the incomplete puzzle of my life. –Erin Vore
When I finished Calypso, like Leeroy at the end of “The Last Dragon”, I achieved The Glow! I’m still glowing and catching bullets with my teeth! Thank you, James Joyce! —Lizaanne
Be a master, take a chapter!
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*Please note: I have since rescinded breaking up the longer chapters. That strategy was, apparently, DOA.
Filed under: Process | Tagged: cowgirls, leeroy, the glow, the last dragon |
Wandering Rocks: The ULYSSES Online Reading Collective/Social Media Experience 
I’ll take Scylla and Charybdis. A chance to brush up on my Shakespeare beckons.
A suggestion on Penelope– why don’t we ladies tag-team on it?
Excellent, Lizaanne. You’re on for S&C. We wouldn’t want you to lose The Glow.
A ladies tag-team? It would be like the PROWW of Joycean studies. Very exciting.
You just need a summary of the chapters? I’ll try Wandering Rocks and Nausicaa.
It’s a little bit more involved than a summary of the chapter.
1. A hero starts by with one tweet summaries of each page as you go through the chapter (using the Wandering Rocks Twitter account).
2. Then, whenever the hero determines, he/she will write a post on whatever reading he/she has completed (for the day or week), summarizing the events and also talking about whatever occurs to him/her in the reading.
3. Finally, once the hero has completed the chapter, he/she will write a funmary (“fun summary”) of the entire chapter, taking more of a long view of the chapter, how it functions in the book and its larger themes.
It will be up to the hero the pace of the reading and the length of the posts. (Though, if you do take too long, expect some passive aggressive nagging.) You’re encouraged to make it you’re own.
Not a lot of academic rigor is demanded here. We just want to keep it light and interesting and marginally understand what’s going on.
If you’re still game, I’ll put you down for “Wandering Rocks.” You can think about doing another, once you have an idea what it’s like.
It would be great to have an Irishman aboard.
Still game. I usually get online via cellphone but accessing twitter shouldn’t be a problem & I can do longer posts from the library, don’t anticipate taking longer than two weeks. Do I wait until after Scylla and Charybdis?
Yes, if that can work for you. Most of us are reading it for the first time, following along with the tweets and the posts.
Thanks, new hero!
2 down, 5 to go!
Who will rise in our time of need?
I’d like to claim Lestrygonians too please
You’re taking on quite a load. You can start with Lestrygonians, and if that proves too much, please let me know. Feel free to email me at jerrygrit1@gmail.com if you have questions. Otherwise, we’ll start you with Lestrygonians.
Okay, since no one else has jumped at this opportunity, I’d like to do Aolus too. So chalk me down for three episodes please – Aolus, Lestrygonians & Wandering Rocks – and I shall let you know if at any point it seems too much. I’ve been listening to these episodes and it’s a pleasure to be inside Bloom’s head again – I look forward to sharing. Btw, I tried to access the site from a motel PC but it was banned because someone mentioned “naked ladies.” Joyce would be proud.
Holy moly, Brendan. I was planning on taking the Aeolus. I have to move this week, so it was going to be a bit of hell.
But you, the hero (you’re nearing angel status) are making a generous offer I have to take you up on. Perhaps I’ll trade you Lestrygonians?
In any case, yes, please, take on Aeolus. I’ll set you up as a contributor ASAP and you can start immediately.
I’m disappointed the perversions of our less refined contributors has banned from such highbrow outlets as motel PCs.