As I’m getting packed to go off for a couple of weeks (and who knows whether I’ll have leisure time, let alone internet access), I find myself wondering how to deal with the whole “24 hours of travel” bookending these two weeks in the middle of June.
So I looked down at the bottom level of the magazine rack at the grocery store.
I’m sure that you’ve seen them: the little puzzle books made with rough low-quality paper that make you feel like you could get a splinter from the chunks of wood that weren’t properly pulped. Some of them with crosswords, some with logic puzzles, some with Sudoku. (If you’ve never paid attention to the magazine rack at the grocery store, you should check it out the next time you’re there… flip through one of these.)
The difficulty of the crossword books usually strikes me as being appropriate for people who like crosswords but feel intimidated by the NYT’s but the Sudoku books that I picked up run the gamut from “appropriate teaching aids for grownups teaching kids to play” to “downright devilish” which makes them seem like they’d be perfectly appropriate for a ride where you’ve already taken five naps but you STILL have to travel for another 8 hours.
Now that Games Magazine isn’t being published hardcopy anymore, anyway.
So… what are you reading and/or watching?
(Photo is “Movie Night“, taken by Ginny, used under a creative commons license.)
Caught up on iZombie; which, if it hasn’t quite yet reached the heights of VM or BtVS, remains a lot of fun (actually, it occurred to me this last week that they even get to do a bit of Dollhouse, what with Liv taking on the personality traits of her ‘meals’.)
I’ve been somewhat meh on GoT this season (it’s not *terrible*, and will probably be just fine on a binge – but week to week it has been a step down for me, particularly dialogue-wise, from prior seasons); but the last 15 minutes of last week’s was pretty excellent.
OH MY GOD YOU GUYS HANNIBAL IS BACK. And it was totally, beautifully messed-up.Report
GoT has been much better on screen than on print IMHO: action is better, less of Sam and Sansa moping about, cutting to the chase of the Danerys-Tyrion storyline.Report
That may be true, plot-wise. But straight plot isn’t the only pleasure the show used to be able to offer. There’s been a lyricism (mostly) missing, IMO, and the Dorne bit has been laughably bad.Report
Yeah, I feel like this has been a pretty weak season–And in a way that can’t entirely be blamed on the fact that it’s adapting some pretty weak books.
The Dorne plot was slow and convoluted, but the changes they’ve made have managed to remove everything that made it worth going to Dorne in the first place.
Sam at the Wall is no better than Sam at sea, and to make it worse, his crowning “Sam gets to be a hero in his element” moment from the end of Storm of Swords got turned into “Sam makes a boring speech”.
In the past several seasons, the show has done a really good job of “Adaptation distillation”, and they’ve just not managed to live up to it this season. The only plotline that really shines is the King’s landing one, and that’s the one plotline that would have been fine even without the adaptation.Report
Watching Marco Polo on Netflix. If you can forgive the fact that the only historically accurate details are the names, it’s not bad.Report
So, its verbatim Marco Polo then?Report
Hehe… I am going to read it again. And Invisible Cities too.
In fact, Invisible Cities may be the perfect book to read as a blog reading group: the whole thing’s short, the chapters are short, the chapters are independent enough to make gaps of a week or two unproblematic, and it’s Calvino, so anyone who don’t like it is evil.
OK, the last bit may be editorializing.Report
Be a little bit cruel, have a group read of If On A Winters Night… The chapters are short, and not particularly related.Report
I love that book, but it might be a bit much of a reading adventure.
Invisible Cities, on the other hand, is pure wonderfulness.Report
Mmm, give me Baron In the Trees’s or Cosmicomics. Though I do love me some Castle of Crossed Destinies. I think he wrote a memoir of his time in WWII, that would be interesting too.Report
Baron in the Trees is my favorite, and in fact one of my favorites by any author, but unlike Invisible Cities requires sustained attention. Also love The Nonexistent Knight.Report
Autocorrect caused me to initially write “Bacon in the Trees,” which is a concept I suspect more people would appreciate.Report
I heard Bacon in the Trees was going to play the second night at Bonnaroo this year.Report
I never developed a taste for sudoku, but I have been know to loose work over a good crossword puzzle.
As for books, I am reading Keith Roberts Pavane which is quite good, and a nice breather before I start to fill in the next hole in my world of lit, Moby Dick.Report
Went to the Bay Area Book Festival yesterday. I did not buy any books but did see two interesting panels.Report
I have a crazy question for ya’ll.
Some time ago, I began using the trademark symbol (™) after words to indicate ideology. I saw other folk here doing it occasionally, too; but it didn’t seem a widespread thing.
So I was doing my daily self-flagellation and reading the writings of people I have profound ideological difference with, In this case, Rod Dreher, and this sentence forced me out of the orthodox trance he was weaving and into a question of usage and just how broadly the influence of this blog might be:
So my weird question is have any of you noticed ™ used to suggest ideology commonly elsewhere? I haven’t, but I’m sure we all have different reading habits. Or Dreher was reading here back in the days of the Sharia farm store postings and it rubbed off.Report
I was using it long before I started reading blogs.Report
For business or satire?
Wait, it’s @mike-schilling so I should not have to ask that question, should I?Report
It was for sarcasm™. And I’m pretty sure I didn’t invent that usage.Report
Sweet; thank you.
Interesting that my googling its use as a sarcasm tag drew a blank; and I’m now guessing that I picked it up from you.
Apparently, it’s infectious.Report
I use it for things that I am (perhaps sarcastically) claiming as my own, eg, Cain’s Laws™. As in, “One of Cain’s Laws™ says that to the extent allowed by the project budget, put the tricky bits in software, not special-purpose hardware.” It’s an indication that I intend the phrase to be trademarked, but haven’t been through the formal process. Absent formal registration, using the alternate form (Cain’s Laws®) is, I believe, a violation of federal law. Do you know how much it disturbs me that I know even that much about the difference?Report
Trademarks don’t necessarily have registered, according to the USPTO; and the restriction is on ®:
Report
I remember seeing feminists using the Nice Guy™ slur at least as far back as 2007-8. Google gives results going back at least ten years.Report
And one of the last things I packed (everything is packed except for my 3DS, which is charging, and my new phone, which is charging) is a 1960’s paperback copy of The Worm Ouroboros by Eric Eddison.
I normally don’t like reading stuff that recent, but what can you do.Report
I’ve never read that one. Let me know what you think.Report
It just goes in circles.Report
Was it a sequel to Möbius Dick?Report
Prequel, I think.
Well, same thing.Report
Not sure, I could never seem to…finish it, somehow.Report
Whatever it was, it disproved the saying that there are two sides to every story.Report
(last night’s GoT episode)
svfuva Fgnaavf. Naq svfuva fubjehaaref sbe frkhnyvmvat gur qnatre gb Neln. Jr xabj jungfuvfanzr sebz gur Xvatfthneq vf n jbeyq pynff shyy cevil ohpxrg, ohg jr qvqa’g arrq gb znxr uvz n crqbcuvyr gb ungr uvz naq jnag gb frr uvz hfrq nf avawn nffnffva cenpgvpr gnetrg.Report
@kolohe
Fb, ab JNL Qnibf fgvpxf ol Fgnaavf nsgre guvf, evtug? Qnibf ybirq Fuverra yvxr uvf bja qnhtugre, naq fnj uvf bayl fba pbafhzrq ol eryvtvbhf snangvpvfz (naq gura, synzrf). Vs lbh xabj sebz gur obbxf qba’g fcbvy zr, ohg VZB Qnibf vf tbvat gb nabgure grnz, cebagb, bapr ur svaqf bhg jung unccrarq urer.
V nyfb gubhtug gung juvyr Fgnaavf’ qrpvfvba jnf (hygvzngryl) va-punenpgre naq ybat-sberfunqbjrq, gur cnpvat bs guvf frnfba unf orra bqq rabhtu gung vg fbeg bs fgvyy frrzf gb pbzr bhg bs abjurer. Fubjehaaref fubhyq unir qebccrq Qbear ragveryl, naq hfrq gung gvzr gb fubj Fgnaavf’ cbfvgvba trggvat rire zber qrfcrengr – nyfb, uvz trggvat fbzr jbeq bs gur fynhtugre ng Unequbzr zvtug’ir urycrq qevir ubzr (ntnva) uvf pbaivpgvba (ivn Zryvfnaqer) gung uvf orpbzvat Xvat (ng nal pbfg) vf gur bayl guvat gung pna fnir gur jubyr jbeyq sebz Juvgr Jnyxref.
V frr jung lbh ner fnlvat nobhg Neln, ohg gb zr vg frrzrq yrff yvxr “frkhnyvmvat ure qnatre” naq zber nobhg “tvivat ure na rnfl va gb trg ng Genag”.
Bgurejvfr, jung ner gurl tbvat gb qb – erirny n cerivbhfyl-hafrra frnsbbq nqqvpgvba ba uvf cneg?
V nyfb jbaqrerq jul gur Fbaf bs gur Unecl jrer oenir naq pbzzvggrq rabhtu gb gurve pnhfr gb unat nebhaq naq guebj fcrnef ng n SERNXVAT QENTBA, ohg abar bs gurz jrer vagrerfgrq va gnxvat qbja nal bs Qnal’f pvepyr bs nqivfbef bapr fur syrq gur fprar. Frrzf yvxr bapr gur qentba jnf tbar, lbh’q ng yrnfg gnxr n srj bs Qnal’f yvrhgranagf bhg.Report
Gurl ner va hapunegrq greevgbel sebz gur obbxf, V guvax. VVEP, gur obbxf raq rffragvnyyl ng gur rcvfbqr orsber guvf, jvgu obgu fvqrf orvat fghpx va gur fabj va n onggyr bs nggevgvba. Gur fhowrpgf bs gur oynpx (erq?) zntvp gung Zrfyvnaqer jrer n ybg zber pbaibyhgrq.
Lrnu, vg trgf ure na va jvgu Genag, ohg vg’f boivbhf gur nez ba gur fubhyqre zbzrag jnf fhccbfrq gb or na Bu, Fuvg zbzrag sbe gur nhqvrapr nsgre Genag jnf orvat n yvivat Crqborne zrzr. Naq, rira fb, tvivat ure na natyr yvxr gung vf cbffvoyl gur jbefg cbffvoyr guvat gur fubj ehaaref pbhyq unir qbar nsgre nyy gur xreshssyr gurl unir pnhfrq fb sne jvgu Fnafn – rira gubhtu gubfr cybg pubvprf ner ragveryl qrsrafvoyr.
Qbear unf orra onqyl rkrphgrq ohg ragveryl arprffnel gb frcnengr Wnzvr sebz Prefv. (vzb, ba cncre ng yrnfg vg’f n orggre pubvpr guna gur obbxf znqr juvpu unf Wnzvr jnaqrevat gur jne enintrq ynaqf ng gur sbezre Ynaavfgre-Fgnex sebag yvarf)
V’z guvaxvat Qebtb oheavangrq rabhtu FbU’f gb yrnir gur Eblny Pbheg ba gur fgnqvhz sybbe rffragvnyyl ol gurzfryirf. Vs nalguvat, gur fprar fubjf zber npphengryl sbe zr gur vafhetragf nf bccbeghavfgvp svtugref, urfvgnag va zber qverpg pbzong, gura gur cebjrff gurl qrzbafgengrq jura Fre Byq Thl jnf xvyyrq naq Terl Jbez jnf jbhaqrq.Report
@kolohe “nsgre nyy gur xreshssyr gurl unir pnhfrq fb sne jvgu Fnafn”
V xabj vg’f abg nyy gur fnzr, ohg ynfg avtug nf V jnf jngpuvat n SNGURE OHEA UVF YVGGYR TVEY NYVIR V pbhyqa’g uryc ohg jbaqre ng gur cebonoyr qvssrerapr va nhqvrapr ernpgvba.
Jung unccrarq gb Fnafn vf njshy, fher; ohg vg vf nyfb ragveryl rkcrpgrq jura lbh unir n cflpub sbe n uhfonaq.
Rira va gur erny jbeyq.Report
Lrf, ohg gung jnf gur fnzr nethzrag jvgu Fnafn. ‘Crbcyr unir orra xvyyrq va nyy fbegf bs ubeevoyr jnlf, jul ner jr fb jbeevrq nobhg Fnafn?”. Naq gung nethzrag vf pbeerpg. Gur ceboyrz vf tbvat gb gung jryy *lrg ntnva* znxrf zr guvax gur Fnafn cnegvfnaf unir n cbvag.
Nyfb, gung’f jul V yrq bss jvgu zna jub’f abg tbvat gb trg n Sngure’f qnl gvr arkg jrrx. Urpx, rira gur Byq Grfgnzrag, jurer T-q vf xvaqn bs qvpx zber bsgra guna abg, ur fgbcf ‘gur fnpevsvpr lbhe bja puvyq’ guvat pbyq.Report
Jryy gur Fnafn bowrpgvbaf, orlbaq gur encrencrencr cbvagf, vf gung gur fubj jnf svanyyl ohvyqvat cbbe Fnafn hc gb unir fbzr fbeg bs ntrapl va ure yvsr naq vafgrnq eryrtngrq ure gb orvat Enzfnl’f cynlguvat naq, vg frrzf, fvzcyl na bowrpg sbe Gurba gb erfphr. Gung’f n cerggl ubeevoyr fgrc qbja. Juvyr gur obbxf unir qvgurerq naq qvgurerq nebhaq jvgu Fnafn fur vf ng yrnfg rqtvat gbjneqf orvat ure bja crefba naq gnxvat ntrapl. Va gur fubj fur’f whfg ercevfvat gur qnzfry va qvfgerff ebyr jvgu rkgen encr fcevaxyrf. Nf n Fnafn cnegvfna V’z zvtugvyl qvfnccbvagrq.Report
@north
Frr, V’ir frra bguref fnl guvf naq V whfg qba’g haqrefgnaq guvf (gung vg vf n fgrc onpxjneqf sbe Fnafn nf n punenpgre).
Jung unf Fnafn RIRE qbar va-fubj, lrg, gb fubj NAL ntrapl jungfbrire, bgure guna oevrsyl qlr ure unve naq chg ba fbzr tbgu fglyr?
V zrna, fur unf yrg urefrys snyy haqre gur guenyy bs *Yvggyrsvatre* – lbh xabj, gur thl jub fnvq ur jbhyq orgenl ure qnq, gura qvq; gura perrcrq ba Fnafn fvapr ur pbhyq ab ybatre perrc ba ure zbz; gura fgenvtug-hc zheqrerq ure penml Nhag Ylfn; naq abj nccrnef gb or hfvat ure nf n cnja va jungrire ur vf hc gb, j/e/g gur Obygbaf/Ynaavfgref.
Yrg zr ercrng – fur vf gnxvat qverpgvba sebz YVGGYRSVATRE.
Yvggyrsvatre vf arire lbhe nyyl, Fnafn, naq vf ab bar gb or rzhyngrq rvgure.
Rira Fnafn’f ovt “fgnaqvat hc” zbzrag bs gryyvat bss Enzfrl’f zvfgerff, juvpu fbzr crbcyr fnj nf oenir, jnf vafgrnq vaperqvoyl fghcvq – fvapr Fnafn nffhzrq nyy gung gnyx bs “uhagvat” naq “ubhaqf” jnf gur rzcgl gnyx bs n wrnybhf ebznagvp eviny, engure guna irel irel erny. Vs nalbar fubhyq unir ab vyyhfvbaf ng guvf cbvag nf gb jurgure cflpubcnguf rkvfg, lbh’q guvax vg’q or Fnafn, sbezre orgebgurq bs Wbsserl, ohg ab.Report
Jryy zbfg Fnafn snaf ner nyfb pbzcnevat vg gb ure cebterff va gur obbxf. Va gur obbxf fur’f zbirq irel vaperzragnyyl shegure sbejneq guna fur qvq va gur fubj naq Yvggyrsvatre unf na bqq, ohg abg fb xarr fynccvat vafnar cyna sbe ure.
V zrna Fnafn’f unq n enj qrny nyy nebhaq. Vg’f orpbzr na bcra dhrfgvba jurgure Znegva ernyyl rire unq n cyna sbe ure ng nyy be vs ur fvzcyl arrqrq n CBI punenpgre gb or va Xvatf’ Ynaqvat juvyr Glevba jnf shegure nsvryq be vzcevfbarq naq n ivpgvz sbe na nffbegzrag bs punenpgref gb qrzbafgengr gurve znyribyrapr ba be va gur cerfrapr bs. Sbe gur fubj gb onfvpnyyl fuhag gur ynff vagb gur ebyr bs uncyrff erfphr onvg gung jnf cynlrq ol n gehzcrq hc znvq va gur obbxf srryf xvaq bs yvxr na vzcyvpvg nqzvffvba gung, lrnu, Fnafn arire ernyyl unq n ebyr.Report
Jung unf Fnafn RIRE qbar va-fubj, lrg, gb fubj NAL ntrapl jungfbrire, bgure guna oevrsyl qlr ure unve naq chg ba fbzr tbgu fglyr?Jung unf Fnafn RIRE qbar va-fubj, lrg, gb fubj NAL ntrapl jungfbrire, bgure guna oevrsyl qlr ure unve naq chg ba fbzr tbgu fglyr?
There’s Jung sneaking into even your coded message about your archetype-driven new myths.Report
People that feel the need to speak in code speak in code because they obviously don’t lift.
Broscience tip of the day.Report
Oh, fperj you guys. 😉Report
I don’t know if you’ll look at this or not but Maribou asked me to find a Youtube of this for you. Suffice to say this is probably the reason for the Elimination Chamber being hated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRJB4HzqprgReport
Okay, if this one goes private or the WWE takes it down, you’re on your own. Not as good quality but still….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLGBgsCFuQw
Also, this is probably the best promo that John Cena has cut since the confrontation with Paul Heyman.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1-kqPCjRDoReport