As you have probably all heard, the R(eaders) I(mbibing) P(eril) Challenge has returned! September and October are the months for the blogosphere to be reading books that are spooky and mythic. I have made up a tentative list of books for myself, and I shall pick the best ones to read this month and next month.
On Jellicoe Road, Melina Marchetta
Tooth and Claw, Jo Walton
The Magicians and Mrs. Quent, Galen Beckett
Here Lies Arthur, Philip Reeve (does this count? I can’t decide)
Affinity, Sarah Waters
Blue is for Nightmares, Laurie Faria Stolarz
The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafon
…and others as they occur to me
My personal challenge for the month of September is to be spoiler-free all month. I will be reading books in the right order. I will not be looking up what happens in films and TV shows on Wikipedia while I am watching them. So far this is going okay. It is much like reading in the wrong order, except that it sucks slightly more. But I’m hoping that as the month progresses, I will find virtues in this style of reading.
And now, a request for advice. I have unpierced ears, and I have always been perfectly happy with this state of affairs. My main reason for leaving my ears unpierced is that earrings would just be one more thing to worry about in the morning, one more thing to store on my dresser, one more thing to box up and transfer from place to place when I move. I am grossed out when I behold people taking out and putting in earrings. I have heard many horror stories about ear-piercings and do not want them to happen to me.
BUT.
I was at an arts event the other day and I saw the most beautiful earrings I have ever seen in all my life. They were made out of old watch parts, and they dangled in a fetching, steampunk-aesthetic sort of way. I covet them.
Please advise. Those of you without pierced ears, how come? Those of you with, did you have similar fears to mine and find them unfounded? Or find them very founded indeed? Is it worth it to have one pair of earrings that I love, when I am mainly unmoved by earrings? Would I, once pierced, find myself in love with other earrings although I have never felt this way before? Help help help.