(no subject)
Nov. 2nd, 2020 07:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatBeen taking a kind of break from the media. The media is kind of at a frenzy at the moment. I've noticed a trend with the media - regardless of the event - it goes insane. Determined to scare everyone to death.
Me: I'm avoiding the media online and offline, because it's at a frenzy. And for my own mental health it's best to avoid completely.
Mother: You're right. It's frenzied over the election. It's non-stop. And at a fever pitch. It's frightening really.
ME: So, I'm ignoring it completely. I have faith this will turn out well and be the opposite of 2016. The pattern shows that will be the case.
Mother: I hope you are right. Of course I thought in 2016, there was no way Trump would win, and you predicted it. So maybe...
My entire family was convinced Clinton would win in 2016. I went to bed early, I knew Trump was going to win and decided to deal with it in the morning.
People online predicted Warren/Saunders - I thought, no way in hell. Although Biden surprised me - he shouldn't have. It's there - pattern wise. It was there in 2016. Also the name Bydon = Biden. And I had a feeling about Harris from the beginning. I voted for Warren in the primaries, my immediate family did. But I knew she'd never get the nomination.
I read patterns. Or can see patterns. Always have. I'm not alone. Lando did too.
2016 and 2020 are interesting in comparison.
And this election reminds me a lot of 2008.
I know people disagree. I'm ignoring them. I am ridiculously good at predicting things and reading patterns. It's my superpower.
Please vote if you haven't already. This is hard-earned right for many people in this country. People of Color and Women did not have the right to vote - they had to fight for it. Shed blood, sweat and tears - also lives.
Not voting is akin to spitting on their graves.
Today was a good day. I did laundry without any problems or anxiety. I just did it. And I found out my ballot was validated - so I don't have to worry about voting tomorrow.
Television:
Watched the following this weekend -
1. Rocky Horror Picture Show on Hulu
Uhm, the movie works better without all the cuts and commercial interruptions. Also this may well be the only uncut version I've seen. It made sense for once. I thought I'd seen an uncut version in college - as part of a fundraiser, but maybe I was too distracted and not paying attention to it? I was in the balcony. I'd blatantly refused to be in the main portion of the theater - the balcony had six people, the main area had over 1000. I wasn't going to be in that group. I remember the people hosting it - thinking I'd left.
"She probably left, we're stuck cleaning up by ourselves. I bet the balcony's a mess."
ME: Uh, actually no. I'm still here. I'm just up on the balcony. And it's fine up here. No mess.
"You goddess you! Thank god."
Anyhow that version didn't have the sex scenes. This version had the sex scenes. Without the sex scenes - the movie makes no sense. Just saying.
Although a lot of the songs make no sense - to be honest. Meatloaf's song just kind of sits there. It's fun, but it doesn't fit with the story at all.
It's a really badly written musical, but I get the cult status. Also there's two really fun numbers in it. Plus a couple of ear-worm songs - I can't get Time Warp and Wise up Janet Wise out of my head.
2. Addams Family - animated version voiced by Charlize Theron, Oscar Issacs, and various others. Honestly, I couldn't tell. I have zero voice recognition skills.
Is film watchable? Yes. The animation copies or mostly copies Charles Addams New Yorker cartoons. The satire unfortunately is kind of tame and nowhere near as biting as Addams. Addams was similiar to the Far Side in his sense of humor. But it's fun. And there are appreciable moments. It's more of an origin tale than the previous adaptations.
I actually did watch the television series in reruns. Let's face it there wasn't much to watch in the 1970s and early 80s, except for reruns. I watched a lot of reruns.
I don't think this is as good as the Barry Sonnefield film adaptation with Angelica Huston and Raul Julio in the leads. The film adaptation was admittedly perfectly cast - it's hard to beat Angelica Huston as Morticia, Raul Julio as Gomez, Christopher Lloyd as Fester, and Christina Ricci as Wednesday.
3. Bewitched - the film adaptation with Nicole Kidman, Will Farrel, Michael Caine, Shirley McCain, Stephen Colbert and Kristen Chenworth...it's unwatchable. Why? Will Farrell. Or the writing. Possibly both. I tried. I gave up. I can't watch Will Farrell movies. I made it through exactly one Will Farrell film - and that was because I fast-forwarded and only watched the musical numbers. I keep wanting to smack him. I think it's because I have a serious embarrassment squick. Or if you have an aversion to the word squick (some people do - I got in trouble for using that word once), phobia.
I can't handle watching other people or myself be embarrassed or humiliated in certain ways - which is why I dislike 90% of American Comedies. And have never been a huge fan of parody or sketch comedy.
So great cast. Can't watch. Also I found Nicole Kidman and Kristen Chenoworth's characters to be incredibly offensive. I loved Elizabeth Montgomery in the original series. Nicole Kidman's ditzy blond, I want to smack.
4. The Haunting of Hill House - much better upon re-watch, although not quite as scary - mainly because you know the twists. The story is mostly about grief, and being haunted by regret, mistakes, and loss. It also shows in later episodes how mold and rot affected how the characters perceived the house and what was inside it. The house is infected by black mold - which the father discovers in the seventh episode in flashbacks, the reveal of the black mold - kind of explains a lot of things. I didn't really pick up on it the first go around, not sure why, but the second - I did.
It's an intricately woven piece of writing and directing. Each episode builds on the next. There are a few flaws though in later episodes - where things don't quite track - because the writer is busy trying to fool the audience. As a result, I'd say the last episode is the weakest of the limited series and doesn't quite work - mainly because it doesn't quite track, and it's over-sentimentalized. I'd have gone with a different and spookier or more unsettling ending. In that I'd have ended it with the father's death, and stopped there. Or made what Steven is telling us in the final scenes - be a dream, and show he's dead inside the house.
Jackson's novel works because it doesn't tell us what happened to Eleanor. And leaves it open ended. I think this version wraps up things a bit too well.
But this is also personal taste - I admittedly prefer open-ended narratives, where the story is on-going.
Books
I'm doing just about everything via audible at the moment. I don't know why.
I have a few that I'm reading, but not getting all that far.
Finished via Audible, the book that I'd begun readin in February of this year, The Widow of Rose Hill - it's okay. The ghost story wasn't as fun as I thought. There's a heavy theme regarding domestic violence and feminism, which kind of overtake the story. That said - I rather adored the characters, and the hero is by far the most crush-worthy. He's an absent minded paranormal scientist/inventor, who appreciates the heroine's needs and desires, listens to her, and puts her first. I want him. Can I have him, please?
So the romance worked, the plot however needed some work, as did the ghost story and historical period. Although, I admittedly handwave historical detail for romance novels. I don't expect much. It's enough that I have a clue what decade the romance novel takes place in - in a lot of them, you really can't tell.
Working on Sapphire Flames by Illona Andrews - it's an odd urban fantasy series about super-powered folks and classicism. The super-powered are the elite. Andrews is kind of intriguing in how they (husband and wife team) deal with class and power dynamics. It's not great, but it is mildly entertaining and I like the writers for the most part - mainly because they are different.
Also working on re-reading via audible Blood Rites by Jim Butcher - prior to reading Battlefield. I'm currently reading urban fantasy novels - they don't require much attention, the bad guys die horribly, and the good guys win. Kind of cathartic really.
And off audio - making my way through Touch of Snow and something or other, and another book I can't remember the name of.
Daylight Savings Time
It's only 8:48, and I feel like it's past 9. The time change always confuses me. I'm not used to it suddenly being dark at 5 pm, and light again at 6:30 am. This is weird.
Oh, well, at least I don't have to come home at night or go to work at night via commute until next year. My gut tells me I'll be working from home until at least March. I could be wrong. Who knows?
New York Vs. the Corona Virus
1. The positivity rate in the "micro-cluster" focus areas was 3.5 percent yesterday. The statewide positivity rate excluding these areas was 1.48 percent. Of the 96,101 tests reported yesterday, 1,633, or 1.7 percent, were positive. Total hospitalizations were at 1,151. Sadly we lost 14 New Yorkers. - we've been fluctuating between 3-4% for well over a month now. Also tests seem to vary between 150,000-80,000 per day. And cases? Between 1000 -2000 daily, with deaths hovering between 10-20 a day. Not bad. But not good either. I want 0% infection, 0 deaths, 0 hospitalizations, and 0 cases. But that won't happen, unless everyone wears masks and follows the rules. People aren't. On Halloween - the cops broke up several parties with over 1000 attendees. Why? I really don't understand why people have to hold huge parties and gatherings. I mean - there was an uptick in cases in Long Island, because a couple of narcissistic assholes decided to hold a wedding and invited over 100 people during a pandemic. There's no justifiable reason for this. All you really need for a wedding is five people that's it. Groom, Bride, Minister/Chaplain/Justice of the Peace, and two witnesses. You do not need 100-10,000 folks. That's just being a selfish exhibitionist. I've no sympathy for you.
Of course, I'm admittedly my parent's child. My parents had a small wedding. My brother had an impromptu wedding during his baby shower - which was a surprise to everyone there but the bride, groom and minister. The minister apologized to me. I told her no worries - I totally got it. The bride's mother was insane. I'd have done the same thing they did. Also I'm like my brother - I don't care that much one way or the other. From my perspective - the surprise wedding made the baby shower easier to endure. It was a pleasant surprise, plus a cool wedding - they got married in a swimming pool. Big weddings - I think are stupid. I don't see the point. It's a lot of money for a huge party. Why bother? I've been to a lot of them, most of them did not result in happy marriages. While my parents and brother's marriages have been happy and stable in comparison. My father, once embarrassed my mother, by voicing this opinion to a woman who spent millions on her daughter's wedding. Sigh. Note to self- don't have a big wedding, don't voice your opinion regarding it at a dinner party, and avoid like the plague folks who insist on it, particularly during a pandemic.
2. New York announced a new protocol allowing out-of-state travelers to "test out" of the State's mandatory 14-day quarantine. Starting Wednesday, November 4th, travelers must be tested within three days prior to landing in New York, quarantine for at least three days upon arrival, and get tested on the fourth day of arrival. If travelers receive a negative test on the fourth day of their quarantine, they can exit quarantine. Read more about the State's new guidelines. Sounds complicated. I think this is going to be difficult to enforce. Apparently they've abandoned the previous plan of just putting people on a quarantine list. Watching governments and scientists figure out how to deal with a pandemic is admittedly entertaining.
3. An additional $10 million is being dedicated to the Nourish NY program. So far, this program has successfully bridged the gap between our families, our food banks, and our farmers, directing 32.8 million pounds of produce, dairy and meat to families in need. I'm thrilled that with this new funding, this critical program will continue, allowing New York's emergency food providers to purchase surplus products from New York farmers and dairy manufacturers through the end of the year, including during the holiday season. Especially now, during this global pandemic, no New Yorker should go to bed hungry. - at least they are trying to feed everyone, still.
4. Tomorrow, November 3rd, is the deadline for vehicle inspections and registrations. Any New Yorker who must renew registrations, non-driver IDS and inspections that lapsed during the pandemic must do so by tomorrow at the New York Department of Motor Vehicles. Some of these services can be done online. Thank god, I don't own a car or drive. Some days, I'm very grateful for that.
Nanowrimore
Decided to try nanowrimore, again. As predicted, I have writers block now. And can't figure out how to get it to work - and all I'm getting is request for financial donations. Honestly, people, stop asking me for money. I'm not giving any more right now.
That's the problem with giving to charitable organizations, suddenly it's as if everyone thinks you have money and they want some.
I just want to write a story and meet folks. I don't want to donate money to people who are trying to write stories. That seems kind of silly.
Me: I'm avoiding the media online and offline, because it's at a frenzy. And for my own mental health it's best to avoid completely.
Mother: You're right. It's frenzied over the election. It's non-stop. And at a fever pitch. It's frightening really.
ME: So, I'm ignoring it completely. I have faith this will turn out well and be the opposite of 2016. The pattern shows that will be the case.
Mother: I hope you are right. Of course I thought in 2016, there was no way Trump would win, and you predicted it. So maybe...
My entire family was convinced Clinton would win in 2016. I went to bed early, I knew Trump was going to win and decided to deal with it in the morning.
People online predicted Warren/Saunders - I thought, no way in hell. Although Biden surprised me - he shouldn't have. It's there - pattern wise. It was there in 2016. Also the name Bydon = Biden. And I had a feeling about Harris from the beginning. I voted for Warren in the primaries, my immediate family did. But I knew she'd never get the nomination.
I read patterns. Or can see patterns. Always have. I'm not alone. Lando did too.
2016 and 2020 are interesting in comparison.
And this election reminds me a lot of 2008.
I know people disagree. I'm ignoring them. I am ridiculously good at predicting things and reading patterns. It's my superpower.
Please vote if you haven't already. This is hard-earned right for many people in this country. People of Color and Women did not have the right to vote - they had to fight for it. Shed blood, sweat and tears - also lives.
Not voting is akin to spitting on their graves.
Today was a good day. I did laundry without any problems or anxiety. I just did it. And I found out my ballot was validated - so I don't have to worry about voting tomorrow.
Television:
Watched the following this weekend -
1. Rocky Horror Picture Show on Hulu
Uhm, the movie works better without all the cuts and commercial interruptions. Also this may well be the only uncut version I've seen. It made sense for once. I thought I'd seen an uncut version in college - as part of a fundraiser, but maybe I was too distracted and not paying attention to it? I was in the balcony. I'd blatantly refused to be in the main portion of the theater - the balcony had six people, the main area had over 1000. I wasn't going to be in that group. I remember the people hosting it - thinking I'd left.
"She probably left, we're stuck cleaning up by ourselves. I bet the balcony's a mess."
ME: Uh, actually no. I'm still here. I'm just up on the balcony. And it's fine up here. No mess.
"You goddess you! Thank god."
Anyhow that version didn't have the sex scenes. This version had the sex scenes. Without the sex scenes - the movie makes no sense. Just saying.
Although a lot of the songs make no sense - to be honest. Meatloaf's song just kind of sits there. It's fun, but it doesn't fit with the story at all.
It's a really badly written musical, but I get the cult status. Also there's two really fun numbers in it. Plus a couple of ear-worm songs - I can't get Time Warp and Wise up Janet Wise out of my head.
2. Addams Family - animated version voiced by Charlize Theron, Oscar Issacs, and various others. Honestly, I couldn't tell. I have zero voice recognition skills.
Is film watchable? Yes. The animation copies or mostly copies Charles Addams New Yorker cartoons. The satire unfortunately is kind of tame and nowhere near as biting as Addams. Addams was similiar to the Far Side in his sense of humor. But it's fun. And there are appreciable moments. It's more of an origin tale than the previous adaptations.
I actually did watch the television series in reruns. Let's face it there wasn't much to watch in the 1970s and early 80s, except for reruns. I watched a lot of reruns.
I don't think this is as good as the Barry Sonnefield film adaptation with Angelica Huston and Raul Julio in the leads. The film adaptation was admittedly perfectly cast - it's hard to beat Angelica Huston as Morticia, Raul Julio as Gomez, Christopher Lloyd as Fester, and Christina Ricci as Wednesday.
3. Bewitched - the film adaptation with Nicole Kidman, Will Farrel, Michael Caine, Shirley McCain, Stephen Colbert and Kristen Chenworth...it's unwatchable. Why? Will Farrell. Or the writing. Possibly both. I tried. I gave up. I can't watch Will Farrell movies. I made it through exactly one Will Farrell film - and that was because I fast-forwarded and only watched the musical numbers. I keep wanting to smack him. I think it's because I have a serious embarrassment squick. Or if you have an aversion to the word squick (some people do - I got in trouble for using that word once), phobia.
I can't handle watching other people or myself be embarrassed or humiliated in certain ways - which is why I dislike 90% of American Comedies. And have never been a huge fan of parody or sketch comedy.
So great cast. Can't watch. Also I found Nicole Kidman and Kristen Chenoworth's characters to be incredibly offensive. I loved Elizabeth Montgomery in the original series. Nicole Kidman's ditzy blond, I want to smack.
4. The Haunting of Hill House - much better upon re-watch, although not quite as scary - mainly because you know the twists. The story is mostly about grief, and being haunted by regret, mistakes, and loss. It also shows in later episodes how mold and rot affected how the characters perceived the house and what was inside it. The house is infected by black mold - which the father discovers in the seventh episode in flashbacks, the reveal of the black mold - kind of explains a lot of things. I didn't really pick up on it the first go around, not sure why, but the second - I did.
It's an intricately woven piece of writing and directing. Each episode builds on the next. There are a few flaws though in later episodes - where things don't quite track - because the writer is busy trying to fool the audience. As a result, I'd say the last episode is the weakest of the limited series and doesn't quite work - mainly because it doesn't quite track, and it's over-sentimentalized. I'd have gone with a different and spookier or more unsettling ending. In that I'd have ended it with the father's death, and stopped there. Or made what Steven is telling us in the final scenes - be a dream, and show he's dead inside the house.
Jackson's novel works because it doesn't tell us what happened to Eleanor. And leaves it open ended. I think this version wraps up things a bit too well.
But this is also personal taste - I admittedly prefer open-ended narratives, where the story is on-going.
Books
I'm doing just about everything via audible at the moment. I don't know why.
I have a few that I'm reading, but not getting all that far.
Finished via Audible, the book that I'd begun readin in February of this year, The Widow of Rose Hill - it's okay. The ghost story wasn't as fun as I thought. There's a heavy theme regarding domestic violence and feminism, which kind of overtake the story. That said - I rather adored the characters, and the hero is by far the most crush-worthy. He's an absent minded paranormal scientist/inventor, who appreciates the heroine's needs and desires, listens to her, and puts her first. I want him. Can I have him, please?
So the romance worked, the plot however needed some work, as did the ghost story and historical period. Although, I admittedly handwave historical detail for romance novels. I don't expect much. It's enough that I have a clue what decade the romance novel takes place in - in a lot of them, you really can't tell.
Working on Sapphire Flames by Illona Andrews - it's an odd urban fantasy series about super-powered folks and classicism. The super-powered are the elite. Andrews is kind of intriguing in how they (husband and wife team) deal with class and power dynamics. It's not great, but it is mildly entertaining and I like the writers for the most part - mainly because they are different.
Also working on re-reading via audible Blood Rites by Jim Butcher - prior to reading Battlefield. I'm currently reading urban fantasy novels - they don't require much attention, the bad guys die horribly, and the good guys win. Kind of cathartic really.
And off audio - making my way through Touch of Snow and something or other, and another book I can't remember the name of.
Daylight Savings Time
It's only 8:48, and I feel like it's past 9. The time change always confuses me. I'm not used to it suddenly being dark at 5 pm, and light again at 6:30 am. This is weird.
Oh, well, at least I don't have to come home at night or go to work at night via commute until next year. My gut tells me I'll be working from home until at least March. I could be wrong. Who knows?
New York Vs. the Corona Virus
1. The positivity rate in the "micro-cluster" focus areas was 3.5 percent yesterday. The statewide positivity rate excluding these areas was 1.48 percent. Of the 96,101 tests reported yesterday, 1,633, or 1.7 percent, were positive. Total hospitalizations were at 1,151. Sadly we lost 14 New Yorkers. - we've been fluctuating between 3-4% for well over a month now. Also tests seem to vary between 150,000-80,000 per day. And cases? Between 1000 -2000 daily, with deaths hovering between 10-20 a day. Not bad. But not good either. I want 0% infection, 0 deaths, 0 hospitalizations, and 0 cases. But that won't happen, unless everyone wears masks and follows the rules. People aren't. On Halloween - the cops broke up several parties with over 1000 attendees. Why? I really don't understand why people have to hold huge parties and gatherings. I mean - there was an uptick in cases in Long Island, because a couple of narcissistic assholes decided to hold a wedding and invited over 100 people during a pandemic. There's no justifiable reason for this. All you really need for a wedding is five people that's it. Groom, Bride, Minister/Chaplain/Justice of the Peace, and two witnesses. You do not need 100-10,000 folks. That's just being a selfish exhibitionist. I've no sympathy for you.
Of course, I'm admittedly my parent's child. My parents had a small wedding. My brother had an impromptu wedding during his baby shower - which was a surprise to everyone there but the bride, groom and minister. The minister apologized to me. I told her no worries - I totally got it. The bride's mother was insane. I'd have done the same thing they did. Also I'm like my brother - I don't care that much one way or the other. From my perspective - the surprise wedding made the baby shower easier to endure. It was a pleasant surprise, plus a cool wedding - they got married in a swimming pool. Big weddings - I think are stupid. I don't see the point. It's a lot of money for a huge party. Why bother? I've been to a lot of them, most of them did not result in happy marriages. While my parents and brother's marriages have been happy and stable in comparison. My father, once embarrassed my mother, by voicing this opinion to a woman who spent millions on her daughter's wedding. Sigh. Note to self- don't have a big wedding, don't voice your opinion regarding it at a dinner party, and avoid like the plague folks who insist on it, particularly during a pandemic.
2. New York announced a new protocol allowing out-of-state travelers to "test out" of the State's mandatory 14-day quarantine. Starting Wednesday, November 4th, travelers must be tested within three days prior to landing in New York, quarantine for at least three days upon arrival, and get tested on the fourth day of arrival. If travelers receive a negative test on the fourth day of their quarantine, they can exit quarantine. Read more about the State's new guidelines. Sounds complicated. I think this is going to be difficult to enforce. Apparently they've abandoned the previous plan of just putting people on a quarantine list. Watching governments and scientists figure out how to deal with a pandemic is admittedly entertaining.
3. An additional $10 million is being dedicated to the Nourish NY program. So far, this program has successfully bridged the gap between our families, our food banks, and our farmers, directing 32.8 million pounds of produce, dairy and meat to families in need. I'm thrilled that with this new funding, this critical program will continue, allowing New York's emergency food providers to purchase surplus products from New York farmers and dairy manufacturers through the end of the year, including during the holiday season. Especially now, during this global pandemic, no New Yorker should go to bed hungry. - at least they are trying to feed everyone, still.
4. Tomorrow, November 3rd, is the deadline for vehicle inspections and registrations. Any New Yorker who must renew registrations, non-driver IDS and inspections that lapsed during the pandemic must do so by tomorrow at the New York Department of Motor Vehicles. Some of these services can be done online. Thank god, I don't own a car or drive. Some days, I'm very grateful for that.
Nanowrimore
Decided to try nanowrimore, again. As predicted, I have writers block now. And can't figure out how to get it to work - and all I'm getting is request for financial donations. Honestly, people, stop asking me for money. I'm not giving any more right now.
That's the problem with giving to charitable organizations, suddenly it's as if everyone thinks you have money and they want some.
I just want to write a story and meet folks. I don't want to donate money to people who are trying to write stories. That seems kind of silly.
no subject
Date: 2020-11-03 03:21 am (UTC)Rocky Horror has a sense of fun throughout and a good range of decent songs but the plotting is thin at best!
no subject
Date: 2020-11-03 01:32 pm (UTC)