Reading

Entry tags:

angel,
buffy

Plot Contrivance Issues with the Buffy Episode Crush...

Haven't done much today - groceries, stayed off the knee, did exercises, and watched things on television. It was a pretty day, if a little cool - although define cool? It was in the low forties, upper thirties, which is relatively balmy in comparison to what it has been of late.

The All Birds slippers arrived at Mother's, finally, she tried them on - and they fit. She likes them. Yay! (Allbirds doesn't wrap it's items, so..).

Finished watching Angel S2 episodes Reunion (9) thru Blood Money (12) (all heavy on the noir themes, we even prior to Reunion have the heist episode, where everyone turns on each other. Each episode has a twist). It's made clear in these episodes that Angel is neither good nor evil, more in the grey area. He doesn't care about his friends, or that much about anyone really - outside of destroying WRH and Darla/Dru. This is kind of important - in regards to Buffy (after watching episodes 8-13) because while Angel is swinging more and more towards that dark grey area, Spike is swinging more and more towards that lighter grey area. The two characters are going in opposite directions, and the one going towards the dark side - has a soul.

Then along comes Episode 14 of Buffy S5, Crush by David Fury and guest starring Juliet Landau (as Dru) and Mercedes McNab (as Harmony). This is a confusing and a mixed bag of an episode, and doesn't quite play the way the writer intended. (It's so far off in places, that I wonder if David Fury has seen the previous five episodes? Or watched Angel? It's also very heavy handed in spots, to the point in which I was laughing at the writing and not with it. David Fury is a lot of things, but subtle isn't among them. His dialogue can be heavy handed at times?)
( glaring plot contrivances in Crush - why does Buffy not know Spike is into her, and more importantly why didn't she stake him at the end of Crush? )

Not sure anyone read through that ramble. I'm rewatching these because they don't require much focus, are entertaining, and I don't remember them well enough to be bored.

ETA: in rewatching Angel S2 - halfway through there's something goofy going on with Cordelia's hair. ( WTF is going with Cordy's hair or the hazards of working on a television serial )

Entry tags:

memage

Saturday is just hanging about, and doing a meme

Feeling a little accomplished? I got my new LEVOIT Humidifier set up in the living room. It covers about 600-700 sq feet of space. I was also able to set it far enough away from appliances, walls, and put a plastic foam yoga mat beneath it. It looks nice actually. Better than the fan I'd set up there previously - and is currently taking up space in the pantry closet. (I keep meaning to clean out that closet, but I can only do sections of it, and most of it - will just have to wait until the damn knee heals.)

Currently robot vacuuming, while my light Xmas lights twinkle. One may need a battery replacement soon. It's getting dark earlier now - although it feels like the same time? Around 4:50pm.

It's cold today, I guess? I've not been outside the apartment? But the sky was blue, and barely a cloud creased the horizon.

The shoes I bought mother - finally arrived on her doorstep, just in time for Xmas. But the paperback book that I bought her - has no delivery date and has yet to appear, and seems to be perpetually stuck somewhere in the USPS postal system. Annoying, but hardly worth fretting over - it was only $20. If it is never delivered, I'll get a refund. It's kind of amusing, that Amazon which started out as a book distribution organization - has managed to misplace a book.

Dreadfully behind on the Question a Day Mememage - so below:

December Question a Day Mememage

12. Do you have a range of different glasses for different types of drinks or just one type?

Not really. I tend to grab whatever is available for the most part. I have a couple of metal glasses, and a tall green glass, that I use a lot. But mainly I drink out of a variety of water bottles.

13. When you open your front door to a guest, what is the first item (apart from you!) that they see when they come inside?

The rug on the floor before the pantry door. I have a long foyer hall, with no real views of the rooms within, which I adore. Provide much more privacy than my old apartments did.

14. What’s your favourite type of biscuit/cookie? Ever made biscuits/cookies at home from scratch (for example at Christmas)?

Chocolate chip. Sometimes double chocolate chip. Yes. As a child, we made and decorated sugar cookies (don't any longer). Also about twenty different kinds of cookies.

Made chocolate chip all the time when I was growing up and well into my forties. I have some wonderful childhood memories revolving around cookie making. In recent years? I've made gluten free - which are harder to do well. Actually if you can pull off gluten free cookies that are low in sugar, and vegan - you are ahead of the game.

(Biscuits in the US - look like THIS.)

15. Do you have any maple syrup? What’s your favourite way to use it?

Yes. Pancakes

16. Do you still use post-it notes to remind you of things?

At work, yes, but not as often as before.

17. Do you use a tablecloth on your dinner table?

Don't own a dinner table [no room], so no.

18. Have you ever been ice skating?

Yes, many many times. But not recently. Not really a fan?

19. What’s the last thing that made you laugh out loud?

Buffy, I think? I've been rewatching. Actually something mother said on the phone.

20. Have you ever had to wear a neck tie?

Not that I recall - maybe once as a costume?

Entry tags:

buffy

Friday took the day off for physical therapy and watched Buffy to comfort itself

Took the day off, had physical therapy ("PT") at 2 pm. Slept until 8 am, took a shower, made breakfast (fried eggs - sunny side up, fresh raw spinach, and grits), iced leg, did knee exercises, and watched several Buffy S5 episodes. (I'd forgotten a lot of it - so it was bingeable.)
( Me rambling on about Buffy S5 episodes Fool for Love through Into the Woods )

Someone on Twitter asked - if you could only pick one vampire series from these four vampire series to keep - "Buffy, Angel, Vampire Diaries, and Interview with a Vampire" - which would it be? ( Read more... )

Listened to a bit more of the Juliet Landau Revamped podcast - and what works for me are her interviews with fellow castmates, producers, directors, writers, etc. She's an excellent interviewer. Also her insight on backstage tricks of the trade, and the process of filming. What does not work are the "Dru" commentary (which is annoying - a little Dru, goes a long ways), and the navel-gazing regarding her dysfunctional parents. ( Read more... ) But other folks are loving it, subscribe to it, and pay for it, so what do I know?

Latest on the reboot - is no, no one else in the original cast has been contacted. They have to get the pilot off the ground first. They do it differently now? They shoot and air the pilot, as a movie, if it takes off, then they order more episodes, and air those, usually just six to ten episodes, if they work, then so on. Right now - they just asked for the pilot.

I don't know. What they may not realize - is the fandom loves the original cast and has their own ideas what they want to see? And it may be diametrically opposed to what the fans writing and producing the pilot and continuation want to see? The Buffy fandom like all fandoms is kind of fractious?
***

Finished the Paul Newman Memoir and onto the Larry Silverstein one about the fight to rebuild the world trade center. Larry is 93 years of age. I didn't realize that, until I started listening to the book and realized he met his wife Klara in the 1954. He was 70 when the Twin Towers fell. He's writing about the struggle he had to rebuild them - in his 70s. So far, my main take away, is there has to be a specific spot in hell just for all the real estate developers on the planet. Although it is interesting - learning all about real estate development in the 1950s and 1990s, also the pitfalls of working with big government agencies like the NY State Port Authority.

***

PT was frustrating. ( Read more... )

Did manage to make it to Union Grocery on Court St. ( Read more... )

And it rained heavily this morning between 6am and 10 am. Then stopped. Sun came out. Then got gloomy and rained briefly after 3pm. It's windy now. I'm staying in and off the knee the rest of the weekend, except for knee exercises.

Off to bed.

Neurodivergent Rights...

Found on Face Book of all places:

Apparently, I'm neurodivergent - since I have a grab bag of a lot of these:

For those who can't see it? It breaks down visual and audio coordination issues into categories:

1. Dyscalculia - Difficulty with visual/spatial coordination, counting, doing numbers in sequence or sequencing (example? Unable to count by sevens), difficulty working word problems...

2. Dyslexia - difficulty reading aloud, mis-pronouncing words (often substituting words or finding another word), difficulty reading aloud, problems retrieving words, difficulty with writing or spelling, slow and labor intensive reading

3. Dysgraphia - symptoms include cramped/sore hand, poor spatial planning of sentences and margins, frequent erasing, inconsistent letter and word spacing, poor spelling and missing words and letters

4. Dyspraxia
Symptoms include: difference in speech, perception problems, poor hand-eye coordination, poor balance and posture, clumsiness, fatigue.

Better late than never, I guess? But I wish this information was more accessible and prevalent in the 20th Century and early 00s? Along with the advocacy.

Monday is just getting by and that may be enough considering

On the subway this morning - it was hard to find a seat - not because seats weren't available - but that they were occupied by the homeless, who are mentally unstable and can be violent. They also smell. And may carry illness. So everyone attempts to give them a wide berth.

I did sit near one man, who was putting on a ratty old pair of old boots. ( Read more... )

On the way home, after disembarking from the subway at Church Avenue, and climbing the steps to exit near Denny's Pub, I stumbled upon a street filled with pigeons. Their heads tucked under their wings, all sleeping on the sidewalk beneath the overhang. There must have been at least thirty or forty of them sitting there.

**
Whoa. A lot of folks died this weekend, and rather tragically. The news was...depressing this morning, more so than usual? On social media and on ABC.

( What the actor who played Luke Spencer, Rob Reiner and his wife, Brown University students, and Bondi Beach celebrants...all have in common..they died this weekend. )
Damn. No wonder I'm depressed.

***

I don't know if anyone else feels this way? But sometimes, I feel as if I have no control over anything? My art, my writing, my life.

I bought two gifts for my mother, slippers and the Paul Newman memoir - neither have been delivered and both are stuck in transit. I looked up the Paul Newman gift - it tells me that weather delays are responsible. I looked up the slippers - it's stuck with FedEX in Georgia. So frustrated, and worried that Momma wouldn't have anything under her tree - I bought her a Suduko Calendar and a 2026 book of Sudoku puzzles.

I also spent a portion of the day - fighting to get Crazy Org to provide payment for two Union perks owed to me. I succeeded with one (which was admittedly the more important and greater of the two), and am making some headway on the other (which granted is just $100 (post taxes - $50), but that $100 could pay for this month's PT).

Iced my knee. Did exercises. Tried not to overdo.

And at home, worked on a drawing of a homeless man that I saw on the subway, and surrounded him with pigeons.

Me: I feel I've accomplished little in my life. I'm second guessing all of it.
Mother: You've survived

And I suppose that's something? There but for the grace of God go I?

I'm grateful for what I have, every single day, my City reminds me of that. It thrusts those who have far less under my nostrils.

Charisma Carpenter (played Cordy on Buffy and Angel) stated recently on a podcast that she loved New York City, because no matter how down or depressed you felt, you could always see somebody who was worse off - not only that but you could watch them find a way to keep on trucking. Thinking to yourself, if they can do that...then well, so can I.

Entry tags:

Mainly reviews and nattering on about television shows...

1. Still doing the Buffy/Angel rewatch. Watched Episodes 4, 5, and 6 of Angel S2, and episodes 5, 6, and 7 of Buffy S5.

Takeaways?

Whomever designed Joyce's bedroom has no sense of design. Also it appears to be stuck in the 1970s? It's the worst set in the show, which is saying something, since we have Tara's entirely black bedroom. Joyce's entirely red bedroom vs. Tara's black one, decisions decisions.

Angel/Darla sequence in the Convent Basement in Dear Boy (Episode 5) is similar to Buffy/Spike sequence in the alley behind the Bronze in Fool for Love (Episode 7). ( Read more... )

Another thing I didn't previously pick up on? In Fool For Love - Spike's interaction with each slayer he is trying to kill - involves mothers, not sure the extent to which he's aware of it, though. ( Read more... )

Spike does actually provide some insightful information to Buffy and the audience, not necessarily intentionally - and from his perspective, it's relatively obvious. He doesn't appear to understand why Buffy and her friends don't get it. ( Read more... )

What doesn't quite work in the episode is Riley and her friends. It's also clear from the episode why the writers intend to write out Riley and how. ( Read more... )

2. Watched the 1968 film Rachel, Rachel yesterday on Apple + for $2.99. I rented it. It starred Joanne Woodward, Estelle Parsons, and Jim Olsen and was directed by Paul Newman. ( Read more... )

3. Finished Down Cemetery Road - the series by Mike Heron based on his book of the same name, on Apple +. Apple + has an annoying interface, that is similar to HBO's, in that it is hard to select episodes to watch on it. It automatically kicks you to the next one or makes you rewatch the one you just saw. Also, I can't always tell how many episodes there are, or if I've seen the last one. I looked it up - it only has eight episodes, the last one aired this week, on December 10.

( Read more... )

4. Re-started S2 of The Morning Show on Apple + - it's okay. Doesn't really start to take off until Episode 3, ( Read more... )

***

Other than that, and doing knee exercises, and icing my knee, and figuring out how to use my new cooking appliance (the NOSH steam/air fryer/bake/toaster oven) - I've not done much. I have tried out a few more video puzzle games - Royal Match (which starts simple then gets hard and feels rigged for money), various attempts at Mahjong games that don't have ads (they seem to acquire them after a certain point) and I have to delete the game entirely because the pop up ads freeze the phone. There's a nasty AI cleaner ad that really froze the phone and had me worried, but once I deleted the game - it went away.

Did manage to cook a biscuit (American version not the British - think small scone), and crisp some gluten free french bread in the oven.

It's easier to use than expected and meets my needs. Also smaller than expected and doesn't take up as much space as I feared. This may work. I'd been holding off getting one due to the spacing issue. But it doesn't appear to be a problem.

***

A little lonely this Xmas. Be happy when it's over. Mother is a little lonely too. Crazy Org is the reason I'm not spending it with Mother, which is annoying me to no end. (I'll save you the gory details.)

Oh, well, I have nice lights up, the lobby is well decorated, there's some snow on the ground, and presents wrapped in Amazon gift bags under the tree. I'd say I miss the other wrapping, but this is actually easier to recycle.

Entry tags:

angel,
buffy

Buffy S5 and Angel S2 Rewatch Family & Untouched

It's cold, and gray, and gloomy outside. The Oak Tree outside my window is finally shrugging off it's leaves.

Me: the tree outside my window is holding onto its leaves and stubbornly not letting go of them.
Mother: Is it an oak?
Me: An oak?
Mother: Oaks tend to hold onto their leaves for a long time.

Re-watched Buffy S5, Episode 6 "Family" written and directed by Whedon, and Angel S2, "Untouched", written by Mere Smith and directed by Whedon - and I thought whoa, both these episodes feature characters who have abusive and controlling fathers. And some of the same dialogue? Whedon literally took dialogue from Smith and inserted it in Family. The dialogue exchange between Bethany (the victim of the week in Angel) is the same as the exchange between Tara and her father in Family.

Whedon definitely has a thing for "abusive fathers" in his stories.

Family is a better episode than I remembered - if you ignore Tara and her abusive family. ( Read more... )

I'd forgotten Untouched completely, and hadn't realized Whedon directed it, while Mere Smith wrote it. Or how various themes in it were similar to Family. Of course I hadn't watched them closely together either.
( Read more... )

I'm just glad it's Friday...

Should go to bed. But my IBS is acting up, and going to see if it settles?

On Threads, at least I think it was threads, it might have been Twitter - someone asked, how do you respond if someone states "I don't like you."
( Read more... )
***

Speaking of liking things? Tried to read a negative review on Good Reads about a new Illona Andrews novel coming out. But half-way in, I realized the reviewer a) had only read 35% of the book, b) didn't really like Illona Andrews writing style all that much, c) wasn't much of a fan of the high fantasy or portal fantasy genre, d) hated a series of novels that I had enjoyed in that specific genre, and after checking their previous reviews/likes, discovered they loved Peter Watts' Blindsight - which I can't seem to read or listen to more than five percent of without going to sleep. (They also adore Martha Wells books and Miss Marple Mysteries (which I read when I was a kid and liked well enough.) In short, the reviewer is a hard speculative sci-fi fan, parlor room mystery reader, and Illona Andrews novels are NOT hard speculative science fiction or parlor room mysteries. That's not their genre. And outside of the Murderbot series and possibly Miss Marple, we do not like the same novels.

In short, I couldn't tell from their review whether I'd like the novel or not. Just that I don't tend to share their taste, and we'd most likely clash if we ever interacted online or off. ( Read more... )

That said? I admittedly read a lot of reviews - because I'm curious to see what folks thought about xyz, and have often seen or read the work prior to reading their review of it.

I'm a curious soul, and it often gets me into trouble - as being curious tends to do.

**

Off to bed, now that the IBS has quieted down.

Entry tags:

memage

Thursday is tired and wishes it was Friday

I don't know what it is like elsewhere? But this is turning out to be a bitterly cold December in the Northeastern US, specifically New York. It felt like 18 degrees F or -7 C with windchill today, in actuality 34 degrees F or 1 degrees C. Bitter, bitter wind. But sunny and pretty outside with a blue sky and scattered white puffy clouds.

Mememage - Question a Day (because I'm slightly behind, too busy writing about Buffy for the upteenth time. You'd think I'd get bored of it eventually, but apparently not? I can't remember where I left off? I had to go back and check - can't have any repetition, can we? I might contradict myself.)

8. Today is Green Monday: the most lucrative shopping day of the year. This is usually the last day that people can shop online so that the purchases can still arrive in time for the holidays. What’s the last thing you bought from an online retailer?

Sudoko Book and Calendar for my mother, and I did on Thursday (as in today), but it can still arrive in time for the holidays.

9. If you have a battery smoke alarm in your home, do you check the batteries regularly?

No, it's one of those newfangled ones that has batteries which last ten years. Combo smoke/carbon dioxide detector. Although, now that I no longer have a gas stove/oven, less chance of carbon dioxide poisoning.

10. Do you have a blanket you can snuggle under on your couch/sofa?

Yes, but I don't own a couch or sofa. I own armchairs. And an ottoman/coffee table.
( Read more... )

11. How often do you chew gum (or bubble gum)?

I no longer do. I can't - high in sugar. Also it sticks to my teeth, and loses it's taste too quickly.

***

Knee was hurting last night, but it's better today. I've also been off of it more, giving it a rest. Did some exercises, but once it began to ache, pulled back a bit. Iced it as well.

***

Making headway through the Paul Newman Memoir - which is a lot better than the Ethan Hawk documentary, also a lot kinder to Newman. Making me think Hawk is a bit of a judgemental prick? ( Read more... )

Also making headway through "Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem" which is more romance than mystery, and there's no mischief or mayhem. It's okay. I'll most likely finish it? But I wouldn't rec it to anyone?

***

Me: So where did you get that strap that we're using for the exercises?
PT: Amazon.
Me: What do you call it?
PT: Stretch Strap for exercises or stretching strap.

Sure enough that's what it is. Stretching Yoga Straps for Physical Therapy

I've noticed a pattern of late? I see something I want, I ask people where they got it, and they state: From Amazon.

Damn. Amazon is doing well.

I also bought humidifiers. My skin is drying out, I have a dry cough, and my lips are chapped. Time for humidifiers.

***

Saw a stray cat (at least I think it is - might not be) on the way home. It's fairly healthy for a stray, so may be just out and about. But thought, it's awfully cold for a cat. Granted they have fur but still.

Entry tags:

Wednesday is tired, and nursing a bum knee

Per the PT, I've an irritated or nappy meniscus:
( Read more... )
***

Watched Buffy S5 episode 5, "No Place Like Home", which oddly, I liked better than Episode 4. (Hmm,as an aside, television writers seem to like annoying characters, and somewhat whiny characters, don't they?)
( Read more... )

Off to bed. I hope.

Entry tags:

Tuesday is cold but hanging in there...

Had another PT appointment on Monday, which...went okay, I guess? ( Read more... )

Work party and work in general made me want to walk out the door and retire today. But alas, I can't. I'm not positive, but I have a feeling Breaking Bad felt much the same way.
( Read more... )
Today was my father's birthday - which FB decided to alert me to. Annoying considering my father was never on FB and disliked it. My father, had he lived, would have turned 90. He died in 2022 at the age of 86 just short of his 87th birthday.

So feeling a bit down and out today. Not helped by the bitter cold snap plaguing New York and the East Coast at the moment. It was 18 F degrees this morning, I think that is -6 C. Tomorrow it is supposed to get up to 45 and possibly rain, practically balmy.
****

Buffy S5 Rewatch

Episode S5.4 Out of My Mind

Definitely enjoying Angel more this go-around, probably because I've watched this season one too many times? That said, the dialogue in this episode for the most part is rather good. And there are some good bits here and there.

The episode is mainly about Riley and Spike.
( Read more... )

Off to bed and other things.