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Jan. 5th, 2020 12:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkat1. So, I made "gluten-free" corn muffins from Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Corn Muffin Mix. They tasted okay, better with butter and jam. I had about five of them. So obviously better than just okay on some level.
Wish I had stuck with just one, because my digestive system or rather my entire body decided to reject the whole kit and caboodle somewhere around 3 Am last night. Very painful IBS episode. (Will save you the gory details.) Also my immune system went nuts, I was sneezing, blowing my nose, coughing, along with the whole IBS thing, and a red face, itchy skin.
Clearly my body HATES corn muffins? Message received. (My brain may be dense, but it's not that dense.)
Also, just to be on the safe side Thai Curry Soup and Chunky Vegetable Soup. And possibly want to lower the sugar intake dramatically. (I threw out the corn muffins, thai curry soup/chunky vegetable soup remains, along with the granulated maple sugar and coconut sugar. (I miss the days in which I lived in a building where I could just give the sugar to people.)
Sigh. Dietary issues are a bitch to deal with, just saying. You really have no idea until you have to do it yourself. It has however taught me empathy for everyone on the planet with dietary restrictions.
Good news? It happened on the weekend. Bad news? It screwed up my Sunday. I don't want to do anything but veg on television shows and write. I did however finish reading a comic book in the bathroom last night. Digital comics make decent bathroom reading material.
2. Been entertaining myself by reading reviews of CATS and Rise of Skywalker. (I already knew both were going to be...shall we say controversial? I'm thoroughly spoiled. It doesn't matter -- the plots make no sense, and neither do the spoilers. Also I'm not emotionally invested in either -- and was on the fence about seeing both. After reading the reviews? I've chosen to wait until they come out on demand or something. Considering they are constantly showing Last Jedi everywhere, I figure it won't be that hard to catch Rise at some point in the near future. Maybe a Disney + trail?)
Anyhow -- there seems to be a split somewhere in the Star Wars fandom between the folks who like movies with lots of theme/world-building little to no character or plot, but lots of cool sardonic easter eggs hidden like a puzzle throughout, and the folks who like jam-packed action movies that don't say all that much but hey are great rides?
I did see a review on twitter by Jingle Bell Rob (aka Rob from the ATPOBTVS board) who loved Rise, and loved Last Jedi, and felt both worked. So, make of that what you will.
Since I fall in neither group and don't tend to agree with Rob's taste for the most part -- I suspect I won't much like Rise for pretty much the same reasons I didn't like Last Jedi. I care about character first, plot and world building second, theme last. If you are any good -- the theme should be embedded flawlessly within the character development and plot, and the plot should come organically from the characters (not the other way around), and the world-building should expand on and inform all of the above. If you can't do that? You are wasting my time and money. I thought the first group of films did that pretty well, as did Rogue One.(The first group of films were sort of Anti-Vietnam War thematic, with the Empire being the US, and the rebels being well the Viet Cong...I read an interview with Lucas and various folks that pointed that out. I didn't see it back then, but now if I squint, I kind of do, but I'm guessing if it were obvious -- it would never have gotten made.) Everything else that I've seen to date (which admittedly has been limited to the prequels, first two films in the last triology, and Solo) - not so much. I did however like the animated "Clone Wars" that premiered prior to the second pre-quel -- it was actually better then the prequels were.
Meanwhile on FB someone posted a review of CATS by someone who saw it on shrooms -- because honestly it just begs to be seen while on drugs. Kind of like Rise begs to be seen in 4D X. When people complain about Rise, I have to restrain myself from posting - folks they wanted to create an amusement park ride -- it wasn't created with you or me for that matter, in mind.
One person on "scans daily" wanted to know who it was made to satisfy or appeal to? Who would be made happy by Rise?
ME: Well, the people wanting to see it and experience it as amusement park ride were made very happy by it.
3. The internet and the news media seem to be worried that we are about to enter WWIII. So this begs the question - "what did you think the last nineteen years fighting an endless war in Afghanistan and Iraq were?" Did you think that only the US got involved in that? Because I think some of the Europeans may get annoyed with you. Certainly the British would.
Also why would a War with Iran be any different than a War with Iraq and Afghanistan?
We've basically been at War since roughly...WWI. Possibly before.
1914-1918 - WWI
1942-1945 - WWII (although it was going on as early as the 1930s...)
1950s - Korean Conflict
1960s-70s - Vietnam
1950s-1990 - Cold War with Russia
1980s - Gulf War
1990s - ? (I'm sure there was something?)
2001 - 2019 - War on Terrorism with Afghanistan and Iraq (this seems to be endless and there's no way out.)
Oh and they are worried about the draft. Uhm, I wouldn't worry about the draft. We now hire private firms to fight our wars -- war has become big business. Why do you think we keep having them? Honestly, if more people had policy-wonky parents they'd know these things. And the internet lies to you -- you know that right? Right?
Me: You've been watching the news again, that's how you know all this.
Mother: No, I know all this because I go to World Affairs and listen to guest speakers who are experts on this stuff, read up on it, and then watch the news outlets. And I've been doing it for years. (She proceeds to give me an extensive history lesson on Iran, Afghanistan, etc, and how the US basically caused the whole problem there to begin with -- by putting in the Shah, who was an asshole. This erupted in the 1970s, and we've been playing footsie with them ever since.)
ME: Yeah, yeah, I know, I read Persepolis.
Men like War. They get off on it. What we should just do is give them a sport in which they can get aggressive and stragetize new and effective ways to kill each other. Oh, wait, we have. It's called Football. (American and other versions).
4. Really enjoying The Witcher - about four to five episodes in and it's much better than expected. Some interesting themes and metaphors, also not quite as dated as I'd feared. I'll give it a much deeper review when I finish. But, the folks who rec'd it did a good job -- you were right. I am enjoying it. Thanks for the recs.
[Generally speaking my flist is rather good at reccing sci-fi/fantasy things. Comedy not so much, but I admittedly have a very dry and odd sense of humor. Also not great with animation recs -- but again I'm admittedly VERY picky when it comes to animation. ]
Wish I had stuck with just one, because my digestive system or rather my entire body decided to reject the whole kit and caboodle somewhere around 3 Am last night. Very painful IBS episode. (Will save you the gory details.) Also my immune system went nuts, I was sneezing, blowing my nose, coughing, along with the whole IBS thing, and a red face, itchy skin.
Clearly my body HATES corn muffins? Message received. (My brain may be dense, but it's not that dense.)
Also, just to be on the safe side Thai Curry Soup and Chunky Vegetable Soup. And possibly want to lower the sugar intake dramatically. (I threw out the corn muffins, thai curry soup/chunky vegetable soup remains, along with the granulated maple sugar and coconut sugar. (I miss the days in which I lived in a building where I could just give the sugar to people.)
Sigh. Dietary issues are a bitch to deal with, just saying. You really have no idea until you have to do it yourself. It has however taught me empathy for everyone on the planet with dietary restrictions.
Good news? It happened on the weekend. Bad news? It screwed up my Sunday. I don't want to do anything but veg on television shows and write. I did however finish reading a comic book in the bathroom last night. Digital comics make decent bathroom reading material.
2. Been entertaining myself by reading reviews of CATS and Rise of Skywalker. (I already knew both were going to be...shall we say controversial? I'm thoroughly spoiled. It doesn't matter -- the plots make no sense, and neither do the spoilers. Also I'm not emotionally invested in either -- and was on the fence about seeing both. After reading the reviews? I've chosen to wait until they come out on demand or something. Considering they are constantly showing Last Jedi everywhere, I figure it won't be that hard to catch Rise at some point in the near future. Maybe a Disney + trail?)
Anyhow -- there seems to be a split somewhere in the Star Wars fandom between the folks who like movies with lots of theme/world-building little to no character or plot, but lots of cool sardonic easter eggs hidden like a puzzle throughout, and the folks who like jam-packed action movies that don't say all that much but hey are great rides?
I did see a review on twitter by Jingle Bell Rob (aka Rob from the ATPOBTVS board) who loved Rise, and loved Last Jedi, and felt both worked. So, make of that what you will.
Since I fall in neither group and don't tend to agree with Rob's taste for the most part -- I suspect I won't much like Rise for pretty much the same reasons I didn't like Last Jedi. I care about character first, plot and world building second, theme last. If you are any good -- the theme should be embedded flawlessly within the character development and plot, and the plot should come organically from the characters (not the other way around), and the world-building should expand on and inform all of the above. If you can't do that? You are wasting my time and money. I thought the first group of films did that pretty well, as did Rogue One.(The first group of films were sort of Anti-Vietnam War thematic, with the Empire being the US, and the rebels being well the Viet Cong...I read an interview with Lucas and various folks that pointed that out. I didn't see it back then, but now if I squint, I kind of do, but I'm guessing if it were obvious -- it would never have gotten made.) Everything else that I've seen to date (which admittedly has been limited to the prequels, first two films in the last triology, and Solo) - not so much. I did however like the animated "Clone Wars" that premiered prior to the second pre-quel -- it was actually better then the prequels were.
Meanwhile on FB someone posted a review of CATS by someone who saw it on shrooms -- because honestly it just begs to be seen while on drugs. Kind of like Rise begs to be seen in 4D X. When people complain about Rise, I have to restrain myself from posting - folks they wanted to create an amusement park ride -- it wasn't created with you or me for that matter, in mind.
One person on "scans daily" wanted to know who it was made to satisfy or appeal to? Who would be made happy by Rise?
ME: Well, the people wanting to see it and experience it as amusement park ride were made very happy by it.
3. The internet and the news media seem to be worried that we are about to enter WWIII. So this begs the question - "what did you think the last nineteen years fighting an endless war in Afghanistan and Iraq were?" Did you think that only the US got involved in that? Because I think some of the Europeans may get annoyed with you. Certainly the British would.
Also why would a War with Iran be any different than a War with Iraq and Afghanistan?
We've basically been at War since roughly...WWI. Possibly before.
1914-1918 - WWI
1942-1945 - WWII (although it was going on as early as the 1930s...)
1950s - Korean Conflict
1960s-70s - Vietnam
1950s-1990 - Cold War with Russia
1980s - Gulf War
1990s - ? (I'm sure there was something?)
2001 - 2019 - War on Terrorism with Afghanistan and Iraq (this seems to be endless and there's no way out.)
Oh and they are worried about the draft. Uhm, I wouldn't worry about the draft. We now hire private firms to fight our wars -- war has become big business. Why do you think we keep having them? Honestly, if more people had policy-wonky parents they'd know these things. And the internet lies to you -- you know that right? Right?
Me: You've been watching the news again, that's how you know all this.
Mother: No, I know all this because I go to World Affairs and listen to guest speakers who are experts on this stuff, read up on it, and then watch the news outlets. And I've been doing it for years. (She proceeds to give me an extensive history lesson on Iran, Afghanistan, etc, and how the US basically caused the whole problem there to begin with -- by putting in the Shah, who was an asshole. This erupted in the 1970s, and we've been playing footsie with them ever since.)
ME: Yeah, yeah, I know, I read Persepolis.
Men like War. They get off on it. What we should just do is give them a sport in which they can get aggressive and stragetize new and effective ways to kill each other. Oh, wait, we have. It's called Football. (American and other versions).
4. Really enjoying The Witcher - about four to five episodes in and it's much better than expected. Some interesting themes and metaphors, also not quite as dated as I'd feared. I'll give it a much deeper review when I finish. But, the folks who rec'd it did a good job -- you were right. I am enjoying it. Thanks for the recs.
[Generally speaking my flist is rather good at reccing sci-fi/fantasy things. Comedy not so much, but I admittedly have a very dry and odd sense of humor. Also not great with animation recs -- but again I'm admittedly VERY picky when it comes to animation. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-01-06 02:58 am (UTC)Yeah, I should have just eaten one. To be fair, I'd had them before a year or so ago, so thought I'd be fine. But alas no. Also it could have the combination of the muffins and the soup. I'd had the muffins early in the day, then again later.
I don't know. At any rate, I need to stay away from baked goods.
Having seen the theaterical version of Cats when I was in college, and owning the album as a kid...it's not a good musical to adapt to film. There is no plot. It's kind of like adapting Hair, except Hair had more of a plot. It's rather boring actually -- if you aren't interacting with the cats -- which you are in the musical version.
The reviews make me wonder if it is appropriate to show this to anyone under the age of 15. It might give them nightmares or something? I mean, apparently the Cats look like nude humans with fur? And then they strip out of their cat suits to dance about? And one of them eats cockroach showgirls? That would freak me out as ...a kid. Actually it would freak me out as an adult.
Some folks are perfectly happy with just spectacle and others want things to make sense. The former group seems to be enough to keep J. J. Abrams employed, but I'd rather see reviews before I see anything of his again. As I said I did like The Force Awakens. The reviews for that said what I wanted to hear. It's too bad the reviews for the last two movies of this trilogy are telling me to pretend they never existed. ;o)
Yeah, that's pretty much my read on the reviews as well. And I agree with you on JJ. I read the reviews first. Force Awakens I enjoyed for the most part, had a few quibbles, but okay. (Weirdly I preferred Rogue One as did my parents, who I saw Force Awakens with.) The reviews for Rise are worse than reviews for Jedi. And the plot I've seen spoiled -- makes me want to avoid it like the plague.
no subject
Date: 2020-01-06 02:55 pm (UTC)In one review I saw someone defended the cats' writhing movements in the movie as what most acting students are required to practice as a part of loosening them up for playing unfamiliar parts. As a cat owner, I would mention that those movements are nothing like the those of a real cat!
no subject
Date: 2020-01-06 05:47 pm (UTC)Oh dear. Agreed. Also improvisational dance may very well on stage -- it does NOT necessarily work well on the big screen. It's the problem with stage to screen musical adaptations. It's jarring and slightly creepy on screen for some reason.
Also, it would be fine if they'd gone with the CATS costumes on the stage -- the cats are in clothing, not just CGI fur. Skin tight CGI fur that makes them look well nude. The problem with humans frolicking in CJI cat fur, looking like nude humans with well CJI cat fur over their skin -- is well.....you'd think it would be obvious but apparently not? And to make matters worse -- there's apparently numbers where they strip out of the fur to skimpy outfits and prance about? I wouldn't show that to anyone under 16. But that's just me. LOL!