What I watched: I mainlined the last season of Bosch, all in one evening (staying up way too late). It was just that good. They wrapped up the show and the characters in a satisfactory fashion, leaving room for a spin off which is in the works by iMDB, featuring Bosch, his daughter, and attorney “Money” Chandler. I am guessing that everyone is familiar with this show, and I hesitate to share this season’s plots because I do not want to spoil it for you. Based on the twenty-book-series by Michael Connelly (written from 1992 to this year), featuring police detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch, the show is well-written with fully explored characters and excellent cinematography. Here is a clip from this final season:
What I read: It was another good book week; however, all the books are far into their series, and one really should start at the beginning. The Untamed Moon (Wilde Justice Book 7) (by Jenn Stark, who bills herself as a “Woo Sherpa”) advances the drama of the Tarot-based “connected” magic users vs. the evil magic users. The books have clever uses of Tarot, as a basis for plot lines, as a tool for divination, and as a structure for ruling entities. The Wilde Justice series follows Stark’s Immortal Vegas Series, featuring the same characters; the lead is a female treasure and antiquities hunter of occult artifacts. Sort of a female Indiana Jones, but with more magic and mysticism, better looking characters, and cooler clothing.
I also read book five in Jennifer Ashley’s Below the Stairs series, Death at the Crystal Palace. The series is evolving into more mystery with fewer Victorian food descriptions. For me, that is not a plus, but it is still a good read from a working-class viewpoint.
What I listened to this week: FRogers – Terrifically Amusing but Lacking Vocal Horsepower (I really like this song and artist); Cinemagraph – Smiling Face; and The Notwist – Where You Find Me (which ever so vaguely reminded me of Modest Mouse and/or the oughts in music, so here is a bonus song).
So, darling DeadSplinterites, how was your week? We are back to hibernation, after two weekends of being out and about. And what of you? Is there fun in your future? What have you watched, read, or listened to? Please tell us how you are and what you are up to these days!
It’s all about the Tour De France this weekend for us – in between me mowing the lawn of course.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHFQP6Exvkc
I’m still amazed at how fast you read @Elliecoo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHFQP6Exvkc
Link failing is also on the agenda this weekend apparently.
@Lymond, how ’bout the Tour de France fan-caused wreck? As for reading quickly, some is because I am not reading dense books (no Tolstoy for me); some is because I get in 2+ hours a night, usually 10PM to midnight; some us because I am old enough that there were 3 TV channels and no video, computers, et al; and some is that I just read fast 😜.
What I watched: The Judge, a 2014 film with Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall. It has only one really predictable bit which is the big city attorney going back to small town roots, but I guess you have to start somewhere. At any rate, the film is quite excellent and very well acted. It’s not a comedy, although there are some pretty funny bits in there.
What I read: finishing up my latest Clarke novel.
What I listened to: I’ve been going back and checking out some classic Clarence Carter. Haven’t listened to his stuff in a long time, which is a damned shame because his early soul was incredible.
Oh, also, I just added Bosch to my watch list.
@butcherbakertoiletrymaker did you just see that Robert Downey Sr passed away? I had no idea that he was so very avant garde.
Mrs. Butcher told me about it when we started watching the movie. Honestly, I don’t know anything about him.
Watched The Tomorrow War. I guess we’re stuck with Chris Pratt as the next generation blockbuster action hero guy. He’s a cross between Tom Cruise but less believably cerebral and Mark Wahlberg but missing the street smarts. The movie was ok action wise but didn’t make any sense.
Poor Chris! Well, at least he is pretty?
Lol, he’s not my type. I need them more badboi less all-american.
My type is smart and kind. It is all in the brain for me, looks are of little importance. Also, I do like a bad boy with a heart if gold. But I can appreciate the clueless but conventionally pretty.
To me he was much more attractive as Andy on Parks & Rec.
ooo ive been waiting for that one
cant member if it was a cinema release or netflix
anyways
*grabs popcorn*
doesnt make sense is not a dealbreaker for me
@Hammerzeitgeist watched it!
weeeeee! that was exactly the popcorn flick i hoped it would be
its on par with spectral at least
good dumb entertainment 😀
So what you’re saying is he’s the least useful bits of both? Solid.
I don’t buy Jon Krasinski as an action hero either, but at least he’s a better meh stand in than Pratt.
I exclusively watch Corncob TV at this point.
Unfortunately, I have Spectrum and they won’t carry Corncob TV. Where am I going to see all of that flimsy wood anymore?
Is that even a thing? Or is it a joke I do not get?
It’s a skit from the new season of I Think You Should Leave.
Season 2 isn’t as good as 1 in my opinion, but still has some good bits.
I’m reading The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred the Vampire Accountant at @Elliecoo‘s suggestion. The title lies, this is a fun book, just what I needed.
I watched Halston on Netflix. It was disappointing. I don’t feel like I know any more about him now than before I watched. I wanted to learn more about his decades long friendship with Liza Minelli. But the show never went below the surface. It was mostly him saying something snarky then designing her a beautiful dress. And Liza responding, “Oh Halston!”
I’m listening to the JT lp from Steve Earle. He’s going to be in town next weekend and I’m trying to decide if I’m comfortable going to a busy, popular club. On the one hand – LIVE MUSIC! On the other – A CROWD OF UNMASKED COLLEGE KIDS!
A lot of colleges are pretty transparent about vax rates, so a quick search may help sort things out.
For that matter, I am guessing Earle’s fan base skips most of the right wing idiot vax deniers and the performative pseudo lefty Whole Foods shopping vax denier types.
One would hope
Steve Earle is kind of a dick though, I was in the front row at one of his shows and he looked at us like he hated us. It was weird and soured me to his music. Same with Warren Haynes, fuck that guy, thousands of people standing in the rain at mountain jam and that asshole won’t even wave to the crowd.
I love Steve Earle’s music, which is probably common knowledge around the DUAN, but one time we saw him at the Birchmere in Alexandria, VA and can confirm, kind of a dcik.
He was in a new wife phase, and was trying to showcase her musical talents so he mostly played new stuff which kinda sucked.
@MegMegMcGee Both you and @Sedevilc thought he was a dick. Sounds like he is. Gonna think about whether or not it’s worth stepping out of my comfort zone.
I would not be surprised if he falls into the moody artist category. I have to say if I had any musical talent, I would go sour on life in the road pretty fast.
@blue dogcollar right you are, I agree. Being on the road must be exhausting. And playing on demand, arvq high level of happy, seems unsustainable…and explains the rather common drug use among artists.
Oh that sucks. I will take that into consideration.
And I really wonder how he’s doing since losing his son. It hasn’t been that long.
That’s what I gather as well. It seemed like he was not in his son’s life and, having seen Justin Townes Earle play live a few times, it pained me to learn of his death.
@Hannibal, some of the underwhelming Halston feeling may be that we were alive during his time, and had the real scoop from the gossip rags? And I am super, super, absolutely thrilled that you are enjoying Fred. He is a dear, and well worth the effort you went through to get ahold of him 💖.
@Elliecoo Good point, the whole show felt very tabloid to me. Because I probably saw most of the headlines about him at the grocery store, lol.
I ended up having to download a free PFD online. I don’t normally like to do that but it’s so weird that my library only has the books starting at #3. I am enjoying it. 🧛🏻♂️
Watched: Season 1 and Season 2, Ep 1 of No Offence on Acorn. Meh. Aside from a pretty spectacular murder in self defense at the end of Season 1, it’s got too many unlike-able characters for me. I missed about 1/3 of the dialogue because of fast talkers/weird accents so maybe it is better than I think? Nah, the inexplicable decision making by main characters took their toll. Pass.
Read: interesting essay comparing current US events with the french revolution that is already kind of dated.
https://ageofrevolutions.com/2021/01/22/4-cautionary-tales-from-the-french-revolution-for-today/
Also read: Dostoevsky, Notes from the Underground. I like his short novels.
Also read: Ranking of Shakespeare’s plays on Defector that makes me want to read Shakespeare but I think I’m going to read them aloud to the poor cat because reading plays just isn’t the same. You have to hear the words out loud.
Today I’m going to go down cellar and build something, a hanging shelf based on an old window and I’m going to paint it red, I need colors, bright colors today.
@Sedevilc, love the hanging shelf idea. I have two beautiful 1927 interior beveled glass cabinet doors which I saved from the kitchen rehab. I have them squirreled away for a winter project, with a plan to do reverse glass painting to look like a blooming garden. After sealing, it will go on the old brick garage at then end of the garden. I would appreciate seeing photos of your finished effort if you are willing?
Oh, the cabinet doors sound awesome!
I will definitely share pics if someone can help me figure out how!
I love old window projects, my carpenter made a really cool hanging dish storage thing out of an old window for the kitchen.
@Sedevilc, @Myopicprophet, please Myo, help Sedevilc out?
The easiest way *i’ve* found, to share pics (I’m on an android phone), if you have the Google photos app, is to check which account you’re in, then choose all the pics you want to share in Google photo.
After that, you choose the “share” option & “create a link” to the album
Then, you just copy/paste the link in your comment;
https://photos.app.goo.gl/XGM2cRBTcp8UzVEv9
Hit the return/enter button, annnd *usually* it works.
If it doesn’t, you can always link the album, up in the “toolbar-thingy” that’s above the box we type in😉
I still can’t ever get pics to load right, when I try to do them *in* a comment, but Rip, Farscy, and someone else (sorry, I can’t remember who–but THANK YOU, to whichever of y’all it was!) explained ^that^ method, and it’s REALLY easy!😉😁💖
@EmmerdoesNOTrepresentme that’s easy for you to say! 😜
It IS easy, I promise, @Elliecoo 😉
For me, much easier, than trying to share them by computer, or by email!
Just open the app, tap the pictures, choose the little “link” option & DONE–no fussing, and no toggling everywhere😉
@EmmerdoesNOTrepresentme Thanks, but I don’t have an app, or any kind of smart phone, just my pc.
We mainlined Bosch last weekend as well. I yell at Maddie a lot. She’s kinda dumb.
Whenever her grizzled cop dad tells her not to do something, she immediately goes and does it.
Right? @MegMegMcGee, and I keep waiting for her boyfriend to dump her, die a horrible death, or be maimed, thus giving her angst and maturity. We shall see what happens on the iMBD sequel (sadly with commercials, unsure if there is a paid commercial-free version).
I’m in the market for Amazon Prime Video suggestions if anyone has any… I recently finished Hunters and Undone, and liked both of them. Watched the first two episodes of Tales From the Loop, and it’s pretty meh. Not sure if I’ll watch many more…
Thinking of getting up out of bed and trying to catch a showing of Black Widow…
currently reading Seanan McGuire’s Angel of the Overpass, I like it so far. But, to be fair, I like pretty much everything she writes…
Not listening to much anything new, but I did get a pair of hearing protection ear muff things with a built-in headset, so have been listening to music at work, which is kinda nice.
On Amazon Prime I just watched Vanity Fair and now I’m rewatching Catastrophe.
thanks, I’ll give Catastrophe a try, I’m especially looking for more shows in the 20-30 minute range for when I don’t have the energy/time for a full hour.
I second Catastrophe
We watched, for the umpteenth time, Hitchcock’s “The Man Wo Knew Too Much” last night after dinner. When Doris Day/Jo is putting little Hank to bed she busts out with “Que será será.” I joined in.
“When I was just a little girl”
“Mattie, stop.”
“I asked me mother, what shall I be?”
“Stop, I’ve had a long day.”
“Will I be pretty–“
“Have you regained enough arm strength that you could stop me from smothering you with this pillow?”
Er, my mother. Though “Jo” has performed on the London stage she was not from London’s East End.
@MatthewCrawley dying…you two are a scream, in a very good way.
I cannot say enough about “The Man Who Knew Too Much.” We find the family in Marrakesh, in “French Morocco.” There is a TON of what the late Edward Said termed “Orientalism.” The costumes are by Edith Head, of course, and toward the beginning Doris Day and her husband James Stewart are in a restaurant and when they swap places he sits on part of her skirt. He would; there was enough fabric in that skirt to create a Bedouin tent that would fit 12 comfortably. It only gets better and more intrigue-filled from there.
Toward the end “Jo” has cause to reprise “Que será será”, much more loudly, Hitchcock loved humiliating his blonde heroines, but I kept my mouth shut. I’m pretty sure only I know how to use all those knives I have but I didn’t want to test my theory.
@MatthewCrawley the first biography I read as a child was about Edith Head. She was talented and defied the societal norms of her time.
wait….i thought it was a legal requirement to sing along with that…
it is in my religion
im a que sera sera illist
far as im concerned thats the best way to view life….what will be will be
For the first time I noticed that in the opening credits the song is listed as “Whatever Will Be.” None of this foreign “que será será” stuff for a mid-1950s American audience.
The menace in the later version of Que Sera in that movie is really well done.
@Lochabar, Seanan has a style that rarely deviates. I like her stuff, but the underlying casual cruelties that she puts in a spotlight require me to be in a tough-enough mood to not become overly empathetic, and then depressed.
Sigh, @Lochaber, please see above, sigh.
I just saw this response in my email, and I thought I was in trouble about asking for recs after you just recommended Bosch…
(I should have specified, I don’t generally enjoy police/detective type shows)
But, yeah, I think I could see that about McGuire’s stuff. I’m not personally bothered, but she can be pretty hard on her protagonists…
@Lochaber, never, ever in trouble with me, my friend. And I will keep an eye out for not-police for you. Tonight we are going to main-line season 3 of Virgin River on Netflix; I have read all of the gazillion books, and can recommend both. Even the carnivore likes this show.
I’ll keep that in mind when I move back to Netflix. I think I’m going to finish up on Amazon Prime Video this month or the next, depending on what I find this week, and then cancel and try either Disney+ (for the Marvel stuff), or Netflix
watching : diecast racing
its just a good time…lol
and listening toooooooo : dj blyatman
*bounces*
still not reading…coz fucking mothra
oh fuck….fell down a blyatman rabbit hole
@Farscythe, I am starting on goodies for my son’s partner’s little boy’s birthday, and just acquired a bunch of die cast monster trucks and sports cars ( Hot Wheels, the universal small boy catnip).
ooo yeah those should be a hit 🙂
now get him a ramp and make sure you are out of there before a window dies 😀
If they ever end up with a little girl, I can DEFINITELY attest to those cars & trucks (AND Tractors!😉) *also* being small girl catnip!
And a sparkly purse works VERY well to carry said catnip in!!😉😂🤣
(I loved cars & trucks *and* my baby dolls, and knew one cousin’s daughter was of a similar sort, when she was 3-ish, at a wedding shower/baby shower for one of the other cousins. My cousin’s daughter sat down at the table next to her mom, opened up her sparkly-sequined purse, and pulled out her tractor, trailer, some fence pieces, a few farm animals, and commenced to setting up “My FARM!”–she played with them all through the party, until food was served!🤣🤣🤣)
I haven’t watched either, and I don’t know if anyone already mentioned them, but I heard this, as I was driving back home from up north yesterday, and they BOTH sound pretty neat!
I plan on watching them later on this month, once we’re done with Summer School with the kiddos, and I have some free time;
https://www.npr.org/2021/07/09/1014213353/documentaries-summer-of-soul-and-mccartney-3-2-1-celebrate-the-sound-of-the-60s
And this was something interesting I read this morning;
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/05/14/college-graduation-uber-passenger/
If any of y’all know any Women in the US who’re older than 35,low income, and working on a college degree, the scholarship Ms. Young got is here.
It’s linked in the article, too, and it’s a GOOD one–set up in honor of Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin, and it’s renewable for up to five years, for women who apply & get it!!!
The application process is involved!!! (The FAQ’s mention it taking about 10 hours!), but a five year scholarship, that *doesn’t* have to be used just on school expenses (it can be used for housing, food, etc!) is pretty damn AWESOME, if any of y’all know any women who’d qualify!!
I TOTALLY would’ve applied for this, were I not in my senior year!😉, and I’m hoping that *someone* around here will perhaps know a woman who it can help!💖
(As it is, I’m looking at one more semester–i’m withdrawing from the summer session, because I simply can’t keep up with a 5-week pace, between both jobs, AND my summer Communication class… i fell WAY too far behind by week 2, and am just NOT catching up quick enough, between tiredness & “brain fry” lately! I’m aisle bummed, but not terribly, because this way I can perhaps retake the other class I had to withdraw from, too, and just do a part-time load this fall.)
*a little,* not aisle!😖🙃
@Emmerdoesnotrepresentme that sounds sensible, and might give you more time to hang out at DeadSplinter. In the very old days summer and term-break courses were easy credits, sort of cliff notes classes. Apparently not anymore, eh?
At my previous schools, they were either 6-week (if short!), or 11/12 week classes…
So fast, but not, “Miss three days, and you’ll fall iimpossibly behind!” things.
YES, I totally managed to fail my practicum the first time around, because I needed MUCH more than a week and a half, to plan out my process & projects for the semester!!
But that *next* summer?
I totally managed to PASS the class!
now listening to nofx
they are still telling the truth…. fat mikes voice got gritty with age tho…..im okay with that
Watched Blinded By the Light on Netflix (based on the true life story of how the Boss inspired a Pakistani immigrant to England to find his voice) with my friend.
It was a very nicely done movie that got surreal at times, but it got to me because despite the change in local and different culture, I related to the experience of the son of an immigrant who didn’t quite want what his dad wanted for him and fought him. My experience was messier, but the pain and love (?) was there.
Was claimed to be too similar to the movie Yesterday. One was a flight of fantasy and the other is based on a real life story.