My cats can outnap me. I know that shouldn't be surprising, but I've been sick. I didn't get out of bed until 2 pm. Then, I watched television for almost the rest of the day/napped. Because I did this on a sofa, my neck hurts. Most of the TV/naptime was spent with one or both of the cats sleeping on or near me. I really thought I was going to outnap them. It didn't happen.
TV shows that I have been watching:
Parks and Rec
New Girl
Mindy
Community
Suburgatory
Raising Hope
"Suburgatory" and "Raising Hope" are new, surprise favorites. They initially seemed very cartoony, but I have come to love them. They have overarching storylines (sometimes buried beneath wacky one-off type episodes) and the casting for both shows is amazing. I'd encourage anyone looking for a new sitcom to give both of these a try, with the caution that you have to give both shows a few episodes to grow on you. Unless you start with the "Raising Hope" episode with Christopher Lloyd. If you aren't immediately won over, then I don't know what's wrong with you, but I feel sorry for you.
I have spent the last two days watching marathons of all of the aforementioned shows on Hulu Plus, which I sometimes, in the past, haven't thought was worth however much a month it is. I take it back. It's great, and I'm so glad I got it. It's the difference between hooking my television up to my computer, and just watching things via my blu-ray player. It's a tiny, tiny thing, but it makes binge-watching television so, so much easier.
Another thing I have learned this weekend is that I am loathe to get into hourlong shows, even when I am interested in them. "Once Upon A Time" and "Revenge" used to be my hourlong go-tos, but I haven't watched either of them in ages. I am very interested in "Nashville" and "Heart of Dixie" (in no small part because of recaps from The Fug Girls) but I just can't bring myself to start watching them. I have no idea why this is. I watched HOURS of television today...but it was presented in half-hour chunks. That, for some reason, is totally fine.
Enough rambling! Back to television! Or napping! Depending on when this Sleepy Time Extra tea kicks in.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Saturday, March 16, 2013
"Robot and Frank" review
It's not JUST a review. It's also an outline of how to still have a lovely Saturday night when you and one of your friends are very sick! Sick date!
Ingredients:
two or more similarly ill people
pho
tea
movie
supplemental materials:
SNL "Pirate Convention" sketch with Peter Sarsgaard
SNL "Old Glory Insurance" sketch with Sam Waterson
Tonight's movie: "Robot and Frank" starring Frank Langella and a Robot voiced by Peter Sarsgaard. Also other people (Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, Liv Tyler, Jeremy Sisto, some other jerky dude). Main plot points (these are in the trailer, so I don't consider these to be spoilers): Frank Langella has something elderly dementia-y. The robot is supposed to help take care of him. Frank Langella is also a former cat burglar. In many ways, the movie plays out the way you would expect it to. However, the performances by everyone, especially Frank Langella and Susan Sarandon, turn the movie into something that is somehow more poignant and depressing than you could have guessed. It was excellent.
This review would be longer, but I am still sick.
Ingredients:
two or more similarly ill people
pho
tea
movie
supplemental materials:
SNL "Pirate Convention" sketch with Peter Sarsgaard
SNL "Old Glory Insurance" sketch with Sam Waterson
Tonight's movie: "Robot and Frank" starring Frank Langella and a Robot voiced by Peter Sarsgaard. Also other people (Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, Liv Tyler, Jeremy Sisto, some other jerky dude). Main plot points (these are in the trailer, so I don't consider these to be spoilers): Frank Langella has something elderly dementia-y. The robot is supposed to help take care of him. Frank Langella is also a former cat burglar. In many ways, the movie plays out the way you would expect it to. However, the performances by everyone, especially Frank Langella and Susan Sarandon, turn the movie into something that is somehow more poignant and depressing than you could have guessed. It was excellent.
This review would be longer, but I am still sick.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
SXSWi
I went to South By Southwest Interactive. It was awesome. I attended 14 or 15 panels. Some of them were good (Survey Monkey CEO talk! Behavior Change As Value Proposition talk!) some were terrible (WEATHER COMPANY CEO I AM LOOKING AT YOU. No umbrella could make up for making us watch not one but TWO actual commercials FOR THE WEATHER COMPANY. Terrible!). Austin as a city is lovely, and I saw the bats at twilight, and I walked around City Lake (which is really the Colorado River). Ate at a lot of food trucks. Got a lot of interesting receipts (sorry, accounting department).
The meet-ups were all really helpful, and I met a lot of really interesting people. I learned that people who work at Campbell's Soup have amazing business cards. I also learned that the American habit of not dancing to bands is very weird to Europeans. "You all just stand there and kind of nod your heads. It's very weird." - Swiss dude I kept running into in panels. We both agreed the Weather Company panel was terrible. Also I lost the umbrella they gave me (wellll...I left it in the Comixology panel because I didn't feel like carrying it anymore).
On the last day, I got a sinus infection. I had to travel sick! It was terrible. I'm still sick. It's still terrible.
SXSWi: pretty awesome. Would go again. It has a very steep learning curve, and I didn't feel like I knew what I was doing until the second day. It's very spread out, and there are way too many fascinating presentations going on all the time, so it's impossible to see all the things you want to see. I eventually settled on a strategy of focusing on a certain geographical area, and only trying to get into panels that I found personally interesting. The descriptions are often incredibly inaccurate, so things that you might think would be useful for your job often end up being long commercials for services you won't use. It's a much better idea to just go see things that are interesting. Dynamic speakers will have things to say that apply to whatever it is that you're doing. I definitely learned a lot. I also ate a lot of food.
This would be a better-written blog post, but I've got a killer sinus infection. Blargh.
The meet-ups were all really helpful, and I met a lot of really interesting people. I learned that people who work at Campbell's Soup have amazing business cards. I also learned that the American habit of not dancing to bands is very weird to Europeans. "You all just stand there and kind of nod your heads. It's very weird." - Swiss dude I kept running into in panels. We both agreed the Weather Company panel was terrible. Also I lost the umbrella they gave me (wellll...I left it in the Comixology panel because I didn't feel like carrying it anymore).
On the last day, I got a sinus infection. I had to travel sick! It was terrible. I'm still sick. It's still terrible.
SXSWi: pretty awesome. Would go again. It has a very steep learning curve, and I didn't feel like I knew what I was doing until the second day. It's very spread out, and there are way too many fascinating presentations going on all the time, so it's impossible to see all the things you want to see. I eventually settled on a strategy of focusing on a certain geographical area, and only trying to get into panels that I found personally interesting. The descriptions are often incredibly inaccurate, so things that you might think would be useful for your job often end up being long commercials for services you won't use. It's a much better idea to just go see things that are interesting. Dynamic speakers will have things to say that apply to whatever it is that you're doing. I definitely learned a lot. I also ate a lot of food.
This would be a better-written blog post, but I've got a killer sinus infection. Blargh.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
"The Flying Dutchman" (subtitle suggestion: "Not the best, but technically an opera!")
Kansas City is fortunate enough to have a wonderful arts center and an opera company, as I have discussed in the past. I have enjoyed almost every production they have put on. UNTIL NOW.
The opera playing currently is Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman." I have many thoughts about this production. The nicest things I can say are: It was very German. Everyone sounded very good. It certainly was an opera.
This is similar to my mother's review of the remake of "The Day the Earth Stood Still," which went "Well, the background music wasn't too loud, there wasn't any bad language, and Keanu Reeves looked nice in his suit."
All of these things are true.
This is not a criticism of the performers. Everyone was in good voice, and the acting was fine. This was a failure of direction and staging. It's also, frankly, a failure inherent in the opera. The story is weak, and at times laughable. It's a flimsy foundation.
If you're not familiar with the story, a dude declared that he'd sail around a cape if it took forever, the devil heard him and cursed him to sail the seas forever, every seven years he goes on land to try to find a faithful wife who will love him unto death, he meets a sea captain with a daughter who has been obsessed with his legend and his portrait, he marries her, he thinks she's been unfaithful but she hasn't, she vows to be faithful unto death, and then...it ends! It just ends. It should be so dramatic and interesting, but it's just not. It reminded me of nothing so much as this "Cul de Sac."
None of the performers seemed to connect to any of the other performers, and this disconnect seemed deliberate. There were moments that were clearly meant to be mysterious or moving, but instead were unintentionally hilarious. If the Dutchman is going to appear and disappear from dark doorways, it doesn't add to the drama when I can see him running from one doorway to another like someone in "Hee Haw." When a ghost chorus appears, and living sailors drop to the floor and raise their hands dramatically, it shouldn't bring to mind a badly done Lady Gaga video. When Senta declares her faithfulness at the end, the Dutchman, who has JUST SAILED AWAY suddenly appears next to her, takes her hand, and then a giant picture frame is lowered so that they are now in a "portrait," and all the actresses portraying Senta at various ages appear in front of the "picture" and turn creepily toward the audience. AND THAT IS IT. That is the end of the opera. I still have no idea what happened. I guess it worked out for them? The people behind me were pretty sure that Senta should have stuck with her non-cursed hunter boyfriend. I agree with them.
It was entertaining, but certainly not in any of the ways it was supposed to be. This was a rare misstep for the Lyric Opera, and I look forward to seeing their production of "The Mikado" in the spring.
The opera playing currently is Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman." I have many thoughts about this production. The nicest things I can say are: It was very German. Everyone sounded very good. It certainly was an opera.
This is similar to my mother's review of the remake of "The Day the Earth Stood Still," which went "Well, the background music wasn't too loud, there wasn't any bad language, and Keanu Reeves looked nice in his suit."
All of these things are true.
This is not a criticism of the performers. Everyone was in good voice, and the acting was fine. This was a failure of direction and staging. It's also, frankly, a failure inherent in the opera. The story is weak, and at times laughable. It's a flimsy foundation.
If you're not familiar with the story, a dude declared that he'd sail around a cape if it took forever, the devil heard him and cursed him to sail the seas forever, every seven years he goes on land to try to find a faithful wife who will love him unto death, he meets a sea captain with a daughter who has been obsessed with his legend and his portrait, he marries her, he thinks she's been unfaithful but she hasn't, she vows to be faithful unto death, and then...it ends! It just ends. It should be so dramatic and interesting, but it's just not. It reminded me of nothing so much as this "Cul de Sac."
None of the performers seemed to connect to any of the other performers, and this disconnect seemed deliberate. There were moments that were clearly meant to be mysterious or moving, but instead were unintentionally hilarious. If the Dutchman is going to appear and disappear from dark doorways, it doesn't add to the drama when I can see him running from one doorway to another like someone in "Hee Haw." When a ghost chorus appears, and living sailors drop to the floor and raise their hands dramatically, it shouldn't bring to mind a badly done Lady Gaga video. When Senta declares her faithfulness at the end, the Dutchman, who has JUST SAILED AWAY suddenly appears next to her, takes her hand, and then a giant picture frame is lowered so that they are now in a "portrait," and all the actresses portraying Senta at various ages appear in front of the "picture" and turn creepily toward the audience. AND THAT IS IT. That is the end of the opera. I still have no idea what happened. I guess it worked out for them? The people behind me were pretty sure that Senta should have stuck with her non-cursed hunter boyfriend. I agree with them.
It was entertaining, but certainly not in any of the ways it was supposed to be. This was a rare misstep for the Lyric Opera, and I look forward to seeing their production of "The Mikado" in the spring.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Twas the night before Spectrum judging and I got to go to the dinner
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="576" caption="I get to do neat things."]
[/caption]
My favorite thing about working with the Spectrum Fantastic Art Live show is getting to know people in the industry. Well, my favorite thing might be the art. But it's tied for first with getting to know people in the industry. Everyone has amazing stories, and in many cases, I'm getting to talk to people whose work I've been impressed by for a very long time. This is a neat thing. (My job is like this too, but as per usual, I won't be talking about that. Suffice to say, my job is awesome. My work with Spectrum Live is awesome. My cats are awesome. Caffeine is awesome. Why is it so late? I have to get up early tomorrow! Look at my life! Look at my choices!)
Tonight, I got to have dinner with Tim Bruckner, Irene Gallo, Tim Kirk, Mark Nelson, Michael Whelan, John Flesk, and Arnie and Cathy Fenner. I can't even get into the stories because there were too many of them, and they were all hilarious and amazing. I've been a science fiction and fantasy (and comics) fan for as long as I've been able to read, and to get to listen and participate in these conversations is very, very cool.
Also, I got a shout-out in a ridiculous holiday video that I somehow managed to miss when it was posted! Clearly, I should set up a google alert for my name (I'm not going to do that, that sounds terrible).
Seriously, though, art is clearly #1
[/caption]My favorite thing about working with the Spectrum Fantastic Art Live show is getting to know people in the industry. Well, my favorite thing might be the art. But it's tied for first with getting to know people in the industry. Everyone has amazing stories, and in many cases, I'm getting to talk to people whose work I've been impressed by for a very long time. This is a neat thing. (My job is like this too, but as per usual, I won't be talking about that. Suffice to say, my job is awesome. My work with Spectrum Live is awesome. My cats are awesome. Caffeine is awesome. Why is it so late? I have to get up early tomorrow! Look at my life! Look at my choices!)
Tonight, I got to have dinner with Tim Bruckner, Irene Gallo, Tim Kirk, Mark Nelson, Michael Whelan, John Flesk, and Arnie and Cathy Fenner. I can't even get into the stories because there were too many of them, and they were all hilarious and amazing. I've been a science fiction and fantasy (and comics) fan for as long as I've been able to read, and to get to listen and participate in these conversations is very, very cool.
Also, I got a shout-out in a ridiculous holiday video that I somehow managed to miss when it was posted! Clearly, I should set up a google alert for my name (I'm not going to do that, that sounds terrible).
Seriously, though, art is clearly #1
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Lentil stuff
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="403" caption="The best part is getting ambitious with the hot sauce and then drinking a lot of water because it buuuurns. The other best part is taking GREAT PHOTOS."]
[/caption]
This recipe is from The Hairpin, but with some modifications.
Mostly, measure NOTHING. Just use whatever onions and carrots you have in the fridge. Then forget what kind of tomato stuff you're supposed to use, and use whatever you have in your pantry. It will be fine. I'm serious.
Ingredients:
onions
carrots
lentils
garlic if you have it
tomato stuff (I've used tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and probably tomato paste, too, at various times, and it was always fine in the end. Different, but delicious. OK, maybe not tomato paste)
other stuff that you want to use up, like, maybe, meatless "ground beef" from Trader Joe's
Slice the onions and cook until soft in a pot of appropriate size for the random amounts of stuff you're going to be cooking (olive oil or butter...do you want to be vegan? or not-vegan?)
Slice the carrots and add them to the pot
Add whatever weird other things you've got sitting around but aren't sure what to do with. Stir.
(wash the lentils) Add the lentils to the pot, along with an appropriate amount of water for the amount of lentils
Cook for a while.
Add some hot sauce (sriracha, random very hot hot sauce in your fridge that your mom made, both, whatever)
Cook longer until the lentils are soft.
Did you put too much hot sauce in? Maybe you should have made some rice! You can make rice later and have it with leftover.
This stuff keeps for a really, really long time. And I think it gets better as it ages, like chili.
I don't have a good way to work pictures of cats into this.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="323" caption="...but I won't let that stop me!"]
[/caption]
[/caption]This recipe is from The Hairpin, but with some modifications.
Mostly, measure NOTHING. Just use whatever onions and carrots you have in the fridge. Then forget what kind of tomato stuff you're supposed to use, and use whatever you have in your pantry. It will be fine. I'm serious.
Ingredients:
onions
carrots
lentils
garlic if you have it
tomato stuff (I've used tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and probably tomato paste, too, at various times, and it was always fine in the end. Different, but delicious. OK, maybe not tomato paste)
other stuff that you want to use up, like, maybe, meatless "ground beef" from Trader Joe's
Slice the onions and cook until soft in a pot of appropriate size for the random amounts of stuff you're going to be cooking (olive oil or butter...do you want to be vegan? or not-vegan?)
Slice the carrots and add them to the pot
Add whatever weird other things you've got sitting around but aren't sure what to do with. Stir.
(wash the lentils) Add the lentils to the pot, along with an appropriate amount of water for the amount of lentils
Cook for a while.
Add some hot sauce (sriracha, random very hot hot sauce in your fridge that your mom made, both, whatever)
Cook longer until the lentils are soft.
Did you put too much hot sauce in? Maybe you should have made some rice! You can make rice later and have it with leftover.
This stuff keeps for a really, really long time. And I think it gets better as it ages, like chili.
I don't have a good way to work pictures of cats into this.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="323" caption="...but I won't let that stop me!"]
[/caption]Monday, February 25, 2013
Snow snow snow
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="430" caption="I love shoveling snow!"]
[/caption]
We got about 10 inches of snow last week, which was exciting and pretty and all of the things that go with snow. It also caused a number of businesses to shut down (mine included, but we all just worked from home anyway) and many, many buses to slide off the road. 10 inches of snow on a north-facing driveway means lots of snow-shoveling. Which worked out fine, because I have excellent snow-shoveling clothes (they include a Columbia ski bib from the one time I went skiing in 1999, excellent snow boots, ski gloves - also used only once for skiing, but many times for shoveling - and a very heavy hoodie. Plus heavy wool socks, because I am obsessed with SmartWool socks and have many, many, many pairs. Pairs I never thought I would use, they are so warm!
I have a couple of neighbors who do things like shovel other people's driveways and mow the lawns of the elderly (I live on a block with many retirees, which is something I'd highly recommend, as they keep an eye out on EVERYTHING, but they're not great at shoveling because it is cold and difficult!), and one of them has a snowblower. I was offered the use of this snowblower, but refused because I am stubborn and young enough to shovel my entire double-wide driveway ON MY OWN! I am also young enough to SLEEP ON A FUTON for no good reason! What I am saying is that I am young enough to make terrible choices, and also my back hurts a great deal now.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="576" caption="Go KU! (my neighbor made this!)"]
[/caption]
[/caption]We got about 10 inches of snow last week, which was exciting and pretty and all of the things that go with snow. It also caused a number of businesses to shut down (mine included, but we all just worked from home anyway) and many, many buses to slide off the road. 10 inches of snow on a north-facing driveway means lots of snow-shoveling. Which worked out fine, because I have excellent snow-shoveling clothes (they include a Columbia ski bib from the one time I went skiing in 1999, excellent snow boots, ski gloves - also used only once for skiing, but many times for shoveling - and a very heavy hoodie. Plus heavy wool socks, because I am obsessed with SmartWool socks and have many, many, many pairs. Pairs I never thought I would use, they are so warm!
I have a couple of neighbors who do things like shovel other people's driveways and mow the lawns of the elderly (I live on a block with many retirees, which is something I'd highly recommend, as they keep an eye out on EVERYTHING, but they're not great at shoveling because it is cold and difficult!), and one of them has a snowblower. I was offered the use of this snowblower, but refused because I am stubborn and young enough to shovel my entire double-wide driveway ON MY OWN! I am also young enough to SLEEP ON A FUTON for no good reason! What I am saying is that I am young enough to make terrible choices, and also my back hurts a great deal now.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="576" caption="Go KU! (my neighbor made this!)"]
[/caption]
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