this, that, and the other
(don't know why LJ is being so difficult. DW post.
I'm on vacation all week,
which is....well it's better than not being on vacation all week. It's definitely weird times. I was getting close to the "use it or lose it" threshold of vacation time and just picked a random week. Turns out, it's the week that started with 112 temperatures and fire fire everywhere.
Last week I suddenly realized my vacation was right around the corner and I hadn't made any plans. I ended up booking an outrageously expensive (all outside) spa day package for the parental unit and myself on the least hot day of the heatwave, and then booked 3 extra horseback riding lessons for Wed, Thurs, and Friday, and I already ride on Saturdays. For the rest of my week off, I am sleeping, eating, writing, and continuing my TV diet of Star Wars and scary films. Oh and scrolling tumblr of course. Could be worse.
Normally I run 2 to 3 times a week but the air quality is so gross right now that i'm gonna just rely on the horseback riding for exercise for the time being. So, that's vacation sorted.
Though, taking "staycation" when you already work from home is kind of annoying. I mean, like I said, it's better than working, but it's weird when my work calls are ringing on my cell phone. Someone called my work line at 8am this morning. 8AM. AND SHE CALLED TWICE. AND THIS WAS AFTER GETTING AN OUT OF OFFICE EMAIL FROM ME IN RESPONSE TO HER EMAIL. WTF LADY IT IS NOT THAT IMPORTANT.
Hm. Luckily I was awake already, so was only slightly less than murderously annoyed. Also why do I feel compelled to answer the phone anyway even though I don't have to? Why, brain, why??? I'm already checking work email way too often. Sigh.
~~~
Anyway, and now for some actual fannish content. Say what.
This: Star Wars
I am thoroughly enjoying my chronological journey through Star Wars. It's an odd fandom though, narratively speaking. Kind of patch work and all over the place. They've taken retconning to a new art form. IMO the animated TV shows (with the exception of SW Resistance which is aimed at an even younger audience) surpass the live action big budget theatrical releases, in terms of story quality, writing, and general cohesiveness and common sense. Both The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels were excellent. Like occasionally mind bogglingly, jaw droppingly good. The animation style took a little getting used, ngl, but by the end of viewing both shows I hardly even noticed it and it felt very much like I was watching live action between the excellent voice acting, edge of my seat action, and some magic animation skills with facial expressions. Way way better than the films imo.
For the final 4 episodes of The Clone Wars, I found this awesome Revenge of the Sith/Clone Wars Finale timeline viewing guide, complete with time codes, to see how they weave together. It's honestly the best way to watch Revenge of the Sith! I mean, one of the deeply annoying things about the Star Wars canon being constantly retconned to an inch of its life is that an important character like Ahsoka Tano has to be imagined into the action of the live action films. But this viewing guide splices the two together and that was a lot of fun to watch.
Anyway, I have a longer Star Wars post in me, though lord knows if I'll ever get around to it. But it will basically boil down to: Ahsoka, Hera, and Sabine are the best <3. I can't believe how much I loved Kanan Jarrus by the end of Rebels. His story was....the kind of struggle that makes you love the Jedi. Kanan is everything I wish Anakin could be. Kanan and Hera just broke my heart. (I liked Ezra too) Obi-Wan is my Jedi boyfriend FOREVER despite the fact that I'm not much of a Ewan fan (I do like his Obi-Wan portrayal though, quite a lot, and it didn't jar with the Obi-Wan in the animated series. they're at least more similar portrayals than film!Anakin and TCW!Anakin). Anakin is gross -- I don't hate the character exactly but he force choked his pregnant wife and I can't really get over that -- which is annoying since it's near impossible to avoid him in most fic searches. Everything about Anakin is the opposite of attractive, imo. But then hypocritically I find Darth Vader like super amazingly hot. Like I call him Darth Daddy for a reason. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I find the Inquisitorious brothers and sisters weirdly sexy. And if I had to chose between Chopper and R2D2, I'd pick Chopper.
Hondo is the best pirate and smuggler. Don't tell Han.
Before watching Rebels, I didn't really understand the appeal of Mandalorians. But after Sabine Wren and seeing her story in Rebels, I totally changed my mind . And it helped me like the live action tv show The Mandalorian a little more -- though I don't get the helmet thing on that show. Why can't he take it off? Makes no sense. See? Animation better than live action. Having watched The Mandalorian twice now, my favorite character is the Armourer.
Also, how many times have I watched Star Wars and am only now truly understanding that at heart it's more a political and economic horror series than it is a space sci-fi opera.
Okay that's enough Star Wars talk. Don't let this fool you into thinking I've moved on from the MCU, because I assure you I have not.
That: The Old Guard
I watched The Old Guard ages ago but am only now getting around to talking about it. I did enjoy it very much. Immortals! Gotta love 'em. To be honest, I spent most of the film distracted as I tried to figure out in what ways it was similar to and different from Highlander, and then figuring out which parts i liked more than Highlander and which parts I preferred the Highlander mythology. In the end, Highlander has a richer historical tapestry. It has so much more content. But The Old Guard really tapped into that found family trope, which is nice, and something I don't think Highlander could ever truly pull off, what with all the beheadings. There can be only one. (Or two :D)
I also liked how you have no idea when you're just going to stop coming back. Adds a nice layer of horror. But it's interesting to me that they never ever addressed what happens if you get your head chopped off. Do you still come back from that? Like, if you just press the head and the body back together, do you return to life? Honestly if I were Nile, that would have been one of the first things I'd ask!
I am also amused that Methos is STILL the oldest. :D They're purposely vague about Andromache, but I'm guessing she's more Rebecca's age.
I do sort of like having a Highlander-like mythology *without* The Game and without beheadings. I don't think it's official yet but I'm assuming there will be more films following The Old Guard.
And the Other: Hamilton
So, for whatever reason and without my prompting, my mom came up to me and was like "I tried to watch Hamilton and I didn't like it." And I was like...??? all right, well you're not required to like it? and no one's forcing you to watch? Why are you telling me this??? Crazy lady. I mean, I liked Hamilton just fine but had not previously ever even mentioned it to her at all.
But she continued and was like, "but I feel l should watch it." And she had some story about a friend of hers that pronounced they had Hamilton tickets and was real snooty about it to mom. This was the reason my mom felt she needed to watch Hamilton. And I was like, I'm just not going to engage with you on this. Do whatever you like.
Anyway, she proceeded to watch Hamilton later that night, this time all the way through to the end. And the next day I asked her, so, how did you like Hamilton? And she said OH I CRIED IT'S GREAT THEY'RE ALL AMAZING I LOVE IT. I lol'ed. Since then, the woman has watched Hamilton countless times, over and over again. She's bought a Hamilton biography, and listens to the music in her car.
I'll be at my desk in the living room "at work" typing away at some report or email and all of a sudden I'll hear King George, "Da da dada DA, Dada da Da da dada Da! Daya da da da DAAAAAAAAAAA"
The whole thing is highly amusing.