[words and visuals and sounds]
using the framework of that weekly reading meme thing (with bonus stuff I'm watching) (also, yes, wrong day of the week, whatever, it's a start) to try to kickstart writing here a little more regularly, so--
just finished reading.
I've been stressed out and out of sorts lately, so I went on a bit of a romance spree to counteract reality (and because I like romance! I have such fond memories of raiding the paperback section of the public library when I was a teen, thinking I was getting away with something elicit). I focused on two of my absolute favorite romance authors: Courtney Milan--Unraveled, Proof by Seduction, Talk Sweetly to Me this time--and Rose Lerner--In For a Penny. Also the Two Gentlemen of Altona series, which was fun talky action gay romance about a con artist and an FBI agent--it wasn't perfect by any means, but I tore through those books and had a grand time doing so.
Oh, and Ragtime! Which was technically a re-read, but as I didn't remember much it felt completely new and wonderful.
currently reading.
Inspired by Hamilton (so good. so so good.), I am both listening to the audiobook of Ron Chernow's autobiography of Alexander Hamilton during my commute and reading Alexander Hamilton's correspondence with Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens.
Also Busman's Honeymoon. And The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, which is about General Alex Dumas and pretty compelling thus far.
reading next.
Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which a coworker thrust at me as he said "This was supposed to be good, but I hated this so much I can't keep it. I can't just throw it out though." Before walking away rather quickly. tangleofthorns and I have plans to read out loud, with drinks, at some point next weekend.
I'm also trying out one of Attica Locke's books--The Cutting Season and Black Water Rising are both on scribd, and I've wanted to read both for a while now. Or maybe I'll read something else altogether.
just finished watching.
In which I was one of the last people ever to see Mad Max: Fury Road last night, and it was everything I want ever out of a summer movie. (Except it is pretty white. I'd dig more people of color, but we decided they'd mostly all gone to colonize Mars because "fuck these people all fucking up the planet." The action blockbuster about most of the people of color moving to Mars and the aliens they must defeat in order to survive will be next summer, and it will kick ass.) Furiosa is just. I love that this movie was all about her journey, her redemption arc, her everything. So. Good. So. Fucking. Good. (Also we saw this at the fancy theatre with reserved seats and alcoholic beverages, and the bartender totally didn't under-pour our James and gingers so go movie theatre bartender.)
Oh, and it was a few weeks ago, but Hamilton was amazing (yes, I'm just going to keep bringing it up because I just loved it so much). I cried. I watched every youtube clip available about seventeen million times because I just wanted to go back in and watch again (only it was closing weekend at the Public, so). I've had songs stuck in my head at various times and I can't wait until the cast album comes out (September, allegedly) and then I get to see it again in November (and I get to find out what changes they're making in the move to Broadway, eee!).
currently watching.
Not hockey (I dislike basically everyone left in this thing, so I'm rooting for less-hated rather than teams I like, plus with all the bullshit about head injuries not being serious and Gary Bettman doesn't care about women and my team being a clusterfuck, well). Which is strange and weird and whatever, I'm making it work. I'm definitely rooting for the Lightning in the Final, and I'll try to at least watch a Lightning home game or two (aka the ones without the giant fucking racist logo on the ice). That said, we have to figure out our Tampa Bay inspired baked good as tradition dictates.
I am, however, all over Miss Fisher season three, aka the "JUST BANG ALREADY" show of my 1920s fashion dreams. Yes, it's flawed. Yes, there are problematic bits sprinkled all over. But it makes me happy, and sometimes it's nice when television can just be a happy place. I like thinky shows and hard shows and all of that--I count The Americans as one of my absolute favorites, for example--but sometimes I just want joy and emotions and the knowledge that everything's going to be okay.
Another id-tastic show I'm watching is Black Sails, in which I am in no way assured that everything is going to be okay but that, somehow, makes it all the more fun. I don't know, you guys. Pirates, lots of gay, water, period clothing, did I mention pirates?: it just works for me.
watching next.
I don't know. I mean, other than Jurassic World, which will probably be terrible and yet I'm totally going to be there with popcorn opening weekend. But feel free to rec me something that's streaming (preferably in the US) because I'm always looking for something new to try and the Red Sox are TERRIBLE this season and often just not at all fun to watch.
So that is that. Let's see if I can manage to post again sometime in the next month, the next year, sometime before the annual Yuletide letter--maybe I'll even do this meme again on Wednesday. Maybe I'll finish the Miss Fisher story I keep start-stop-starting. Maybe I'll post before
everywoman (which I optimistically signed up for in a fit of missing fandom) goes live. Maybe I'll finally give in and interact with fandom on tumblr (I have one, but my sister and mother have both found it, so it's non-fannish). We shall see.
This entry also lives at Dreamwidth. Comment here, comment there, comment anywhere. I'm partial to Pony Express.
just finished reading.
I've been stressed out and out of sorts lately, so I went on a bit of a romance spree to counteract reality (and because I like romance! I have such fond memories of raiding the paperback section of the public library when I was a teen, thinking I was getting away with something elicit). I focused on two of my absolute favorite romance authors: Courtney Milan--Unraveled, Proof by Seduction, Talk Sweetly to Me this time--and Rose Lerner--In For a Penny. Also the Two Gentlemen of Altona series, which was fun talky action gay romance about a con artist and an FBI agent--it wasn't perfect by any means, but I tore through those books and had a grand time doing so.
Oh, and Ragtime! Which was technically a re-read, but as I didn't remember much it felt completely new and wonderful.
currently reading.
Inspired by Hamilton (so good. so so good.), I am both listening to the audiobook of Ron Chernow's autobiography of Alexander Hamilton during my commute and reading Alexander Hamilton's correspondence with Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens.
Also Busman's Honeymoon. And The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, which is about General Alex Dumas and pretty compelling thus far.
reading next.
Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which a coworker thrust at me as he said "This was supposed to be good, but I hated this so much I can't keep it. I can't just throw it out though." Before walking away rather quickly. tangleofthorns and I have plans to read out loud, with drinks, at some point next weekend.
I'm also trying out one of Attica Locke's books--The Cutting Season and Black Water Rising are both on scribd, and I've wanted to read both for a while now. Or maybe I'll read something else altogether.
just finished watching.
In which I was one of the last people ever to see Mad Max: Fury Road last night, and it was everything I want ever out of a summer movie. (Except it is pretty white. I'd dig more people of color, but we decided they'd mostly all gone to colonize Mars because "fuck these people all fucking up the planet." The action blockbuster about most of the people of color moving to Mars and the aliens they must defeat in order to survive will be next summer, and it will kick ass.) Furiosa is just. I love that this movie was all about her journey, her redemption arc, her everything. So. Good. So. Fucking. Good. (Also we saw this at the fancy theatre with reserved seats and alcoholic beverages, and the bartender totally didn't under-pour our James and gingers so go movie theatre bartender.)
Oh, and it was a few weeks ago, but Hamilton was amazing (yes, I'm just going to keep bringing it up because I just loved it so much). I cried. I watched every youtube clip available about seventeen million times because I just wanted to go back in and watch again (only it was closing weekend at the Public, so). I've had songs stuck in my head at various times and I can't wait until the cast album comes out (September, allegedly) and then I get to see it again in November (and I get to find out what changes they're making in the move to Broadway, eee!).
currently watching.
Not hockey (I dislike basically everyone left in this thing, so I'm rooting for less-hated rather than teams I like, plus with all the bullshit about head injuries not being serious and Gary Bettman doesn't care about women and my team being a clusterfuck, well). Which is strange and weird and whatever, I'm making it work. I'm definitely rooting for the Lightning in the Final, and I'll try to at least watch a Lightning home game or two (aka the ones without the giant fucking racist logo on the ice). That said, we have to figure out our Tampa Bay inspired baked good as tradition dictates.
I am, however, all over Miss Fisher season three, aka the "JUST BANG ALREADY" show of my 1920s fashion dreams. Yes, it's flawed. Yes, there are problematic bits sprinkled all over. But it makes me happy, and sometimes it's nice when television can just be a happy place. I like thinky shows and hard shows and all of that--I count The Americans as one of my absolute favorites, for example--but sometimes I just want joy and emotions and the knowledge that everything's going to be okay.
Another id-tastic show I'm watching is Black Sails, in which I am in no way assured that everything is going to be okay but that, somehow, makes it all the more fun. I don't know, you guys. Pirates, lots of gay, water, period clothing, did I mention pirates?: it just works for me.
watching next.
I don't know. I mean, other than Jurassic World, which will probably be terrible and yet I'm totally going to be there with popcorn opening weekend. But feel free to rec me something that's streaming (preferably in the US) because I'm always looking for something new to try and the Red Sox are TERRIBLE this season and often just not at all fun to watch.
So that is that. Let's see if I can manage to post again sometime in the next month, the next year, sometime before the annual Yuletide letter--maybe I'll even do this meme again on Wednesday. Maybe I'll finish the Miss Fisher story I keep start-stop-starting. Maybe I'll post before
everywoman (which I optimistically signed up for in a fit of missing fandom) goes live. Maybe I'll finally give in and interact with fandom on tumblr (I have one, but my sister and mother have both found it, so it's non-fannish). We shall see.
This entry also lives at Dreamwidth. Comment here, comment there, comment anywhere. I'm partial to Pony Express.