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shadowkatMother: So your niece went to buy a pair of scissors and a pairing knife - and got carded. Apparently you have to be 20-21 years of age to buy scissors and a pairing knife.
Me: What? They actually carded her?
Mother: Yep. Apparently in Britain you are not permitted to buy a pair of scissors that cuts paper or a pairing knife (which she wanted to chop up vegetables) if you aren't at least 20 or 21, and without an adult accompanying you. But you can however buy a pair of scissors that cuts hair.
Me: Scissors?? I did not know this. Granted I went over in my twenties and didn't need those things, but still. [ A pairing knife - I can kind of understand? Not really, but kind of.] I'm guessing they are terrified of kids running into each other with scissors? [Edward Scissorhands must not have gone over well in Britain?]
Mother: she ended up buying scissors to cut hair - because apparently that is allowed.
ME: So what do they think kids are going to do? Accidentally cut themselves or run into another kid and stab them? Use them as dangerous weapons? My god, the Brits are crazy.
Mother: You might want to ask the Brits you know online about this? Because I'm curious.
ME: Oh trust me, I will. Tonight in fact.
So..anyone want to explain why the British consider scissors and pairing knifes dangerous items for people under the age of 21 to buy? I could google it of course, but I'm lazy.
Note - anyone can buy them here. It's forbidden contraband. I find this exceedingly odd, considering 18 and older can drink and go clubbing in Britain, but dear god, you can't buy Scissors???
In the US, we only get carded for tobacco and alcohol. I've never been carded for anything else. I'm not even sure the US cards for guns - although it would be nice if they did.
Mother and I discussed the subtle yet annoying cultural differences between countries that make one homesick.
Me: I remember being overseas in London, and after about two months, I got homesick for the weirdest things. Things that were readily available here and not so much over there.
Mother: You don't have to explain this to me, I lived in Australia.
ME: Oh, yeah. Although the differences over there aren't that pronounced, they are actually more like the US and the Canadians than Britain. Except for some things...like putting Beets on Burgers, which blew uncle D away.
Mother: Oh yeah, they put beets on all sandwiches over there - kind of like we do with onions, except for them its beets.
Question on FB: What is the one item you will always take off a burger or ask to be removed?
ME: Beets.
Uncle D: Eww. Where does that happen? I'd throw it in the garbage.
ME: Australia. They put it on burgers everywhere - doesn't matter where you go. Unless you specifically request they don't do it or remove it yourself.
I don't understand why. So, any Australians want to explain the beet fetish?
***
On my walk today - it was a lovely day for a walk, blue sky, no clouds, low seventies (although I still sweated like a pig) - ran into a veritable tribe of rather petite beautifully garbed young, Bangladesh Muslims. The men and boys wore the little white caps and white or colorful gowns, and the women the full scarves and habibs. They were very colorful and also very little. Keep in mind that I am six foot and not skinny. Anyhow, they came up to my waist and were tiny in bone density, and weight. Beautiful actually - very attractive. Kids and adults - although since they were about the same size, it wasn't easy to tell the difference.
The mosque - was actually a small multi-family home, with a sign in front stating "Brooklyn Islamic Center" - it was small, had a huge parking lot next door to it, and lots of COVID signs - regarding testing, vaccine, and masks. Everyone was wearing masks for the most part on the sidewalk. But I remember thinking - that house doesn't look big enough for all of them? Also, there was a men's entrance and woman's entrance. (Actually that's the problem I have with Islam - it's kind of sexist. So too is Judaism. Christianity isn't much better - but it's ever so slightly evolved in the sexist department. Maybe because it got away from the Middle Eastern Cultures and was able to evolve? Or maybe because it consumed a lot of the pagan religions which were less sexist? Wiccan is less sexist for example.
As is many of the Celtic and Druidic traditions.
That's not to say, all of Islam is sexist. I don't think it is misogynistic, and I'm well aware that a lot of this depends a great deal on one's perspective.
Meanwhile in the backyard - the orthodox jews are praticing Sukkor with little huts on their back porches that are lit up.
**
On said walk - which was mainly around the other section of my neighborhood, the more wealthier section - although I had to go through the poor section first - I didn't run into quite as many people as I did last year when I wandered about. Mainly because people can do other things now, besides hang out in their front yards conversing with neighbors they'd never met. Also, I didn't wear a mask most of the time - no people. Just a few here and there.
Brooklyn is kind of fun - in that no matter what direction you walk in - sooner or later you find yourself in a different reality or cultural situation. New York City as a whole is like this. I mean on one block is a million dollar house out of Greenwhich, CT, and the next block is a run down house doubling as a mosque, oh and on the next one - is a black hair salon, and the next a Indian Restaurant with the menu in two languages and so is the signs.
Bought some food at the local coop - which is a lame coop. It's more of a health food store/grocery store - with local members who get discounts. Also, it's a really lame health food store - it has stuff I'd not put in a health food store.
***
Pop culture
1. Doctor Who News...apparently they got tired of Chinball, or Chinball got tired, one or the other - and a new show-runner has been announced. Guess Who? Russel T. Davies. (Who rebooted the series to begin with - about fifteen years ago? I lost track. I personally thought he moved on. Also I'd rather he reprise Torchwood, which I liked better in some respects.)
This brings up a few questions. 1) Is there a shortage of writers who want to helm Doctor Who in Britain? You'd think it would be popular. 2) Who will he pick as Doctor Who? Another white guy? A black woman? A woman? A black man? (I still want Idris Elba).3)Who will he pick as a companion? How about no one? Or better yet? Bring back River Song? I miss River. 4) Will Stephen Moffat write episodes? 5) Can we not have Mark Gatiss and Chinball write any, please?
2. I responded to an ASH tweet about Ted Lasso - that I found it hilarious that the show had named his character Rupert. And it had that wonderful subtle sense of humor. (I doubt he got it - or he's ignoring me. Most people do on twitter (thank god), with the exception of Maurice Bernard who plays Sonny on GH, who has actually responded much to my surprise and embarrassment. And Cat Sebastain (who I was charmed by) and Jay Eldin - who surprised me. And of course Barb Cummings and Shipperx.)
3. Fandom - sigh soap fandoms put other fandoms to shame when it comes to "shipper wars". Fans flooded a soap opera studio with emails and voice mails complaining about how their ships were being treated and the conclusion of a storyline in a specific manner. This upset the other fans. And they are fighting over it and wondering why anyone would do such a thing. Hello? Fandom. Also shippers.
We had a discussion about what would make you stop watching a show. Also some people's views that you should never ever stop and to do so, was a betrayal, and not worthy of being a devoted fan.
ME: It's a television show not a sports team. Although to be fair - I'm not exactly fannish about sports teams in that way either. I get bored, I'm gone. Also, I'm not that masochistic - I don't watch shows that I hate or get annoyed by. I don't hate watch television or rant about it online forever. If something bores, annoys or irritates me for a specific period of time? I will give up on it and leave.
Also no matter what fandom I'm in - there's always I character I love, that other people hate with a vengeance. And they always think that character is on all the time and stealing from their favs. And I always feel this overwhelming urge to point out that they are hypocritical assholes who need to be virtually spanked for their selfish whinging - or better yet? Canceled on the internet. These folks are one of the reasons, I get irritated by fandoms. (Buffy? Spike, GH? Carly, Angel? Fred/Spike, X-Men? Cyclops, MCU? Iron-Man/Tony Stark, Doctor Who? River Song and Martha Jones. BSG? Apollo, also Starbuck, but mainly Apollo (people hated Apollo for reasons...sigh.), Game of Thrones? Jamie Lannister. It got tiring.)
I like fandom - because I like to discuss characters and storylines. But not everyone is into that sort of thing. I have found quite a few who are on this fanboard that I'm currently on - thankfully. The rest? I ignore. Because, what can one do? Outside of avoid online fandoms.
4. Television shows...so far I've seen three new shows that are on broadcast cable not streaming. The difference is - I have to remember to tape the broadcast ones or lose the chance to see the show. While I do not have to remember to tape the streaming ones - you can watch those whenever.
(I prefer the streaming for that reason, also the lack of commercials. Streaming has made me rather impatient in regards to broadcast cable television - and as a result, I'm considering cutting the cable cord daily.)
I already told you about Ordinary Joe, which I'll give one more chance to, but it's unlikely I'll stick with - the narrative structure is not conducive to my current state of mind.
Big Leap - this is actually better than expected. It's a satiric relationship/work place drama about a reality show. It is not a reality show. It is a satiric drama about a reality dance show. Basically the set up is that a bunch of amateur dancers decide to audition for, and perform in a reality show dance competition to appear as the lead couple in a live performance of Swan Lake. It follows a young heavy set, pretty, single mom, her gay best friend, a black football star (who is down on his luck and needs to spruce up his image), a middle aged former ballerina whose husband is spending most of his time wacking off to porn on the internet, a factory restructuring consultant who was former Broadway Dancer, a laid-off factory foreman who lost his job and his wife, twin brother and sister dance team, and the people running the show. Scott Foley plays the manipulative and exploitative director/producer of the Dance Competition, and he has an overworked personal assistant (who does everything wrong), a snobby dance choreographer/judge, and a chirpy judge/choreographer. The satire is kind of light - like Glee, it's not biting like Unreal. I found it enjoyable and fun in places. I also like dance - so that helps.
It takes place in Detroit, which is a nice change of place. I don't know about anyone else? But I'm tired of everything taking place in NYC, Boston, Seattle and LA.
Our Kind of People - it's a Black American "Dynasty" by way of Martha's Vineyard - specifically Oak Bluffs. Based on a book of the same name, with the writer as a consultant. Morris Chestnut, Joe Morton and Debbie Morgan were the only stars I recognized. The lead or protagonist, a single mom, who is a hairstylist, is very charismatic and I liked a great deal. Also, it's female centric. The leads are all female, and the power is female.
The set-up, a young single mom moves to Martha's Vineyard to set up a pop-up boutique in her mother's old boarding house, which she inherited. She moves there with her teen daughter, and mother's best friend/Aunt. Her mother is dead. And apparently has a dark history on the island. Also, she has a father - who she never met or knew, who turns out to be the devilish owner of a major business on the island. His legitmate daughter just pushed him out and took it over. The entire cast is Black American. There are no white people in the cast. I didn't care, but it is part of the trend that started with Empire and continued with Power.
I found it compelling if a tad on the soapy side. While I'm not crazy about prime time soaps, I don't mind them. And I like the local and set-up. Very female oriented. Nice to have something in Martha's Vineyard as opposed to NYC or LA for a change.
Haven't seen Foundation yet, might try it tomorrow. I also watched Million Little Things which I'm still considering renaming Million Whiny Things, although it is better than it was the first season. They are writing out the annoying Deliah, finally, along with her son - who they have no idea what to do with. My favorite characters are the psychologist (Maggie), Darcy (the war vet/PT therapist suffering from PTSD, single mom), and Rome the sensitive screen writer. The others get on my nerves at various points.
Although I do like Eddie (the former rock star, addict, who is currently paralyzed and in a wheel chair). My attention kept wandering during it.
Also the Connors - which I'm losing interest in, kind of par for the course with me and sitcoms. I last about a season or two, then get bored and forget its on.
***
Someone is playing loud music above me. I think they are trying to create it, not just listen - because it starts and ends, and is repetitive. All I hear is the vibrations. Sounds like synthesizers. I hate synthesizers. Synthesizers - I'm certain have a valid purpose and enhance music for some - personally, I think they destroy it, but to each their own.
***
Period started. PMS stopped. Cramps began. Nice swap that. So, still in perimenopause. I suppose this is good thing? It doesn't feel like a good thing, but I'm sure it is on some level. If anything it reduces my chances of stroke and heart disease, also osteoporosis, apparently.
Got a scale - I'm not sure it's working. It can't seem to make up its mind.
**
Had the weirdest dream last night. I was told I had to drive someone to the airport because they were going to Oregon. A friend was with me, and they drove us. They drove back, and somehow drove us into my parents old house in Kansas. The car was stuck in the middle of the house. The friend got out and said they were going to get a drink at nearby bar with friends. I wanted to go too - but I was told I had to get my car out of the house first. But I couldn't figure out how to fit it through the doorways to get it into the garage. Then all of a sudden it turned into a rug soaked in gasoline, I started moving it but was told don't you want to get the gas out of it first, I tried but couldn't and I wanted to get a drink too. But I couldn't figure out how to turn the rug back into my car.
Picture from my walk to the grocery store today..
Me: What? They actually carded her?
Mother: Yep. Apparently in Britain you are not permitted to buy a pair of scissors that cuts paper or a pairing knife (which she wanted to chop up vegetables) if you aren't at least 20 or 21, and without an adult accompanying you. But you can however buy a pair of scissors that cuts hair.
Me: Scissors?? I did not know this. Granted I went over in my twenties and didn't need those things, but still. [ A pairing knife - I can kind of understand? Not really, but kind of.] I'm guessing they are terrified of kids running into each other with scissors? [Edward Scissorhands must not have gone over well in Britain?]
Mother: she ended up buying scissors to cut hair - because apparently that is allowed.
ME: So what do they think kids are going to do? Accidentally cut themselves or run into another kid and stab them? Use them as dangerous weapons? My god, the Brits are crazy.
Mother: You might want to ask the Brits you know online about this? Because I'm curious.
ME: Oh trust me, I will. Tonight in fact.
So..anyone want to explain why the British consider scissors and pairing knifes dangerous items for people under the age of 21 to buy? I could google it of course, but I'm lazy.
Note - anyone can buy them here. It's forbidden contraband. I find this exceedingly odd, considering 18 and older can drink and go clubbing in Britain, but dear god, you can't buy Scissors???
In the US, we only get carded for tobacco and alcohol. I've never been carded for anything else. I'm not even sure the US cards for guns - although it would be nice if they did.
Mother and I discussed the subtle yet annoying cultural differences between countries that make one homesick.
Me: I remember being overseas in London, and after about two months, I got homesick for the weirdest things. Things that were readily available here and not so much over there.
Mother: You don't have to explain this to me, I lived in Australia.
ME: Oh, yeah. Although the differences over there aren't that pronounced, they are actually more like the US and the Canadians than Britain. Except for some things...like putting Beets on Burgers, which blew uncle D away.
Mother: Oh yeah, they put beets on all sandwiches over there - kind of like we do with onions, except for them its beets.
Question on FB: What is the one item you will always take off a burger or ask to be removed?
ME: Beets.
Uncle D: Eww. Where does that happen? I'd throw it in the garbage.
ME: Australia. They put it on burgers everywhere - doesn't matter where you go. Unless you specifically request they don't do it or remove it yourself.
I don't understand why. So, any Australians want to explain the beet fetish?
***
On my walk today - it was a lovely day for a walk, blue sky, no clouds, low seventies (although I still sweated like a pig) - ran into a veritable tribe of rather petite beautifully garbed young, Bangladesh Muslims. The men and boys wore the little white caps and white or colorful gowns, and the women the full scarves and habibs. They were very colorful and also very little. Keep in mind that I am six foot and not skinny. Anyhow, they came up to my waist and were tiny in bone density, and weight. Beautiful actually - very attractive. Kids and adults - although since they were about the same size, it wasn't easy to tell the difference.
The mosque - was actually a small multi-family home, with a sign in front stating "Brooklyn Islamic Center" - it was small, had a huge parking lot next door to it, and lots of COVID signs - regarding testing, vaccine, and masks. Everyone was wearing masks for the most part on the sidewalk. But I remember thinking - that house doesn't look big enough for all of them? Also, there was a men's entrance and woman's entrance. (Actually that's the problem I have with Islam - it's kind of sexist. So too is Judaism. Christianity isn't much better - but it's ever so slightly evolved in the sexist department. Maybe because it got away from the Middle Eastern Cultures and was able to evolve? Or maybe because it consumed a lot of the pagan religions which were less sexist? Wiccan is less sexist for example.
As is many of the Celtic and Druidic traditions.
That's not to say, all of Islam is sexist. I don't think it is misogynistic, and I'm well aware that a lot of this depends a great deal on one's perspective.
Meanwhile in the backyard - the orthodox jews are praticing Sukkor with little huts on their back porches that are lit up.
**
On said walk - which was mainly around the other section of my neighborhood, the more wealthier section - although I had to go through the poor section first - I didn't run into quite as many people as I did last year when I wandered about. Mainly because people can do other things now, besides hang out in their front yards conversing with neighbors they'd never met. Also, I didn't wear a mask most of the time - no people. Just a few here and there.
Brooklyn is kind of fun - in that no matter what direction you walk in - sooner or later you find yourself in a different reality or cultural situation. New York City as a whole is like this. I mean on one block is a million dollar house out of Greenwhich, CT, and the next block is a run down house doubling as a mosque, oh and on the next one - is a black hair salon, and the next a Indian Restaurant with the menu in two languages and so is the signs.
Bought some food at the local coop - which is a lame coop. It's more of a health food store/grocery store - with local members who get discounts. Also, it's a really lame health food store - it has stuff I'd not put in a health food store.
***
Pop culture
1. Doctor Who News...apparently they got tired of Chinball, or Chinball got tired, one or the other - and a new show-runner has been announced. Guess Who? Russel T. Davies. (Who rebooted the series to begin with - about fifteen years ago? I lost track. I personally thought he moved on. Also I'd rather he reprise Torchwood, which I liked better in some respects.)
This brings up a few questions. 1) Is there a shortage of writers who want to helm Doctor Who in Britain? You'd think it would be popular. 2) Who will he pick as Doctor Who? Another white guy? A black woman? A woman? A black man? (I still want Idris Elba).3)Who will he pick as a companion? How about no one? Or better yet? Bring back River Song? I miss River. 4) Will Stephen Moffat write episodes? 5) Can we not have Mark Gatiss and Chinball write any, please?
2. I responded to an ASH tweet about Ted Lasso - that I found it hilarious that the show had named his character Rupert. And it had that wonderful subtle sense of humor. (I doubt he got it - or he's ignoring me. Most people do on twitter (thank god), with the exception of Maurice Bernard who plays Sonny on GH, who has actually responded much to my surprise and embarrassment. And Cat Sebastain (who I was charmed by) and Jay Eldin - who surprised me. And of course Barb Cummings and Shipperx.)
3. Fandom - sigh soap fandoms put other fandoms to shame when it comes to "shipper wars". Fans flooded a soap opera studio with emails and voice mails complaining about how their ships were being treated and the conclusion of a storyline in a specific manner. This upset the other fans. And they are fighting over it and wondering why anyone would do such a thing. Hello? Fandom. Also shippers.
We had a discussion about what would make you stop watching a show. Also some people's views that you should never ever stop and to do so, was a betrayal, and not worthy of being a devoted fan.
ME: It's a television show not a sports team. Although to be fair - I'm not exactly fannish about sports teams in that way either. I get bored, I'm gone. Also, I'm not that masochistic - I don't watch shows that I hate or get annoyed by. I don't hate watch television or rant about it online forever. If something bores, annoys or irritates me for a specific period of time? I will give up on it and leave.
Also no matter what fandom I'm in - there's always I character I love, that other people hate with a vengeance. And they always think that character is on all the time and stealing from their favs. And I always feel this overwhelming urge to point out that they are hypocritical assholes who need to be virtually spanked for their selfish whinging - or better yet? Canceled on the internet. These folks are one of the reasons, I get irritated by fandoms. (Buffy? Spike, GH? Carly, Angel? Fred/Spike, X-Men? Cyclops, MCU? Iron-Man/Tony Stark, Doctor Who? River Song and Martha Jones. BSG? Apollo, also Starbuck, but mainly Apollo (people hated Apollo for reasons...sigh.), Game of Thrones? Jamie Lannister. It got tiring.)
I like fandom - because I like to discuss characters and storylines. But not everyone is into that sort of thing. I have found quite a few who are on this fanboard that I'm currently on - thankfully. The rest? I ignore. Because, what can one do? Outside of avoid online fandoms.
4. Television shows...so far I've seen three new shows that are on broadcast cable not streaming. The difference is - I have to remember to tape the broadcast ones or lose the chance to see the show. While I do not have to remember to tape the streaming ones - you can watch those whenever.
(I prefer the streaming for that reason, also the lack of commercials. Streaming has made me rather impatient in regards to broadcast cable television - and as a result, I'm considering cutting the cable cord daily.)
I already told you about Ordinary Joe, which I'll give one more chance to, but it's unlikely I'll stick with - the narrative structure is not conducive to my current state of mind.
Big Leap - this is actually better than expected. It's a satiric relationship/work place drama about a reality show. It is not a reality show. It is a satiric drama about a reality dance show. Basically the set up is that a bunch of amateur dancers decide to audition for, and perform in a reality show dance competition to appear as the lead couple in a live performance of Swan Lake. It follows a young heavy set, pretty, single mom, her gay best friend, a black football star (who is down on his luck and needs to spruce up his image), a middle aged former ballerina whose husband is spending most of his time wacking off to porn on the internet, a factory restructuring consultant who was former Broadway Dancer, a laid-off factory foreman who lost his job and his wife, twin brother and sister dance team, and the people running the show. Scott Foley plays the manipulative and exploitative director/producer of the Dance Competition, and he has an overworked personal assistant (who does everything wrong), a snobby dance choreographer/judge, and a chirpy judge/choreographer. The satire is kind of light - like Glee, it's not biting like Unreal. I found it enjoyable and fun in places. I also like dance - so that helps.
It takes place in Detroit, which is a nice change of place. I don't know about anyone else? But I'm tired of everything taking place in NYC, Boston, Seattle and LA.
Our Kind of People - it's a Black American "Dynasty" by way of Martha's Vineyard - specifically Oak Bluffs. Based on a book of the same name, with the writer as a consultant. Morris Chestnut, Joe Morton and Debbie Morgan were the only stars I recognized. The lead or protagonist, a single mom, who is a hairstylist, is very charismatic and I liked a great deal. Also, it's female centric. The leads are all female, and the power is female.
The set-up, a young single mom moves to Martha's Vineyard to set up a pop-up boutique in her mother's old boarding house, which she inherited. She moves there with her teen daughter, and mother's best friend/Aunt. Her mother is dead. And apparently has a dark history on the island. Also, she has a father - who she never met or knew, who turns out to be the devilish owner of a major business on the island. His legitmate daughter just pushed him out and took it over. The entire cast is Black American. There are no white people in the cast. I didn't care, but it is part of the trend that started with Empire and continued with Power.
I found it compelling if a tad on the soapy side. While I'm not crazy about prime time soaps, I don't mind them. And I like the local and set-up. Very female oriented. Nice to have something in Martha's Vineyard as opposed to NYC or LA for a change.
Haven't seen Foundation yet, might try it tomorrow. I also watched Million Little Things which I'm still considering renaming Million Whiny Things, although it is better than it was the first season. They are writing out the annoying Deliah, finally, along with her son - who they have no idea what to do with. My favorite characters are the psychologist (Maggie), Darcy (the war vet/PT therapist suffering from PTSD, single mom), and Rome the sensitive screen writer. The others get on my nerves at various points.
Although I do like Eddie (the former rock star, addict, who is currently paralyzed and in a wheel chair). My attention kept wandering during it.
Also the Connors - which I'm losing interest in, kind of par for the course with me and sitcoms. I last about a season or two, then get bored and forget its on.
***
Someone is playing loud music above me. I think they are trying to create it, not just listen - because it starts and ends, and is repetitive. All I hear is the vibrations. Sounds like synthesizers. I hate synthesizers. Synthesizers - I'm certain have a valid purpose and enhance music for some - personally, I think they destroy it, but to each their own.
***
Period started. PMS stopped. Cramps began. Nice swap that. So, still in perimenopause. I suppose this is good thing? It doesn't feel like a good thing, but I'm sure it is on some level. If anything it reduces my chances of stroke and heart disease, also osteoporosis, apparently.
Got a scale - I'm not sure it's working. It can't seem to make up its mind.
**
Had the weirdest dream last night. I was told I had to drive someone to the airport because they were going to Oregon. A friend was with me, and they drove us. They drove back, and somehow drove us into my parents old house in Kansas. The car was stuck in the middle of the house. The friend got out and said they were going to get a drink at nearby bar with friends. I wanted to go too - but I was told I had to get my car out of the house first. But I couldn't figure out how to fit it through the doorways to get it into the garage. Then all of a sudden it turned into a rug soaked in gasoline, I started moving it but was told don't you want to get the gas out of it first, I tried but couldn't and I wanted to get a drink too. But I couldn't figure out how to turn the rug back into my car.
Picture from my walk to the grocery store today..
no subject
Date: 2021-09-26 05:49 am (UTC)I have a cool vintage clock shot from many years ago that I took one evening down at the beach in Ocean City, MD. Don't have it on this computer, but I'll look it up and post it here sometime later on.
Synthesizers - I'm certain have a valid purpose and enhance music for some - personally, I think they destroy it, but to each their own.
Like any instrument, it depends on how they are used. Synths can indeed be annoying, even obnoxious, but can be very effective when used properly / creatively, like in this classic Who tune:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c1hYO_BYHY
Heh... it warms this ol' geezer's heart to see these other geezers still rockin' out!
One of my favorite uses for synths, though, is in ambient / space music. One way to see if this would appeal to you at all would be to check out one of the oldest shows on the radio specializing in this...
http://www.starsend.org/
... which broadcasts (and streams) locally for me on WXPN-FM Sunday from 1 AM to 6 AM. Yeah, I usually fall asleep to it, which as the website states, is one of its intentions.
https://xpn.org/
They archive some of the popular programs, not sure if Stars End is one of them, have to check.
Speaking of this show, it's 1:48 AM, time to sleep. I shall return!
( You have been warned! )
:-)
no subject
Date: 2021-09-26 09:57 am (UTC)And a higher resolution of same:
no subject
Date: 2021-09-26 02:27 pm (UTC)The cover of the book I published has a manipulated image of a clock tower in Midtown Manhattan - where a lot of the story takes place. (I didn't take that photo, but I took a similar one years later - it was however in 2016 - and I don't know if I can find it. NY has clocks like this all over the place - it's kind of why I don't really need a watch in the city. There are all sorts of clocks everywhere.)
no subject
Date: 2021-09-27 07:13 am (UTC)That's right, I remember that cover now! Cool!
The higher rez image is twice the pixels-- 1000 x 1500, vs. 500 x 750 for the first one. Depending on how you enlarge the thumbnail on your computer, there will be more detail. For example, you can read the words on that sign there to the left, which says Town of Ocean City / Caroline St. Public Restrooms that are barely discernible on the smaller version.
On my Windows PC, I click on the thumbnail, and the image appears in its own window as big as my screen resolution allows. But if I click on the (+) object superimposed on the image, it goes to full size with scroll bars.
You have a Mac, right? I'd be curious to how this works on one of their machines, for future reference.
Glad you liked 'em!
no subject
Date: 2021-09-28 01:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-09-26 11:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-09-26 12:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-09-26 02:22 pm (UTC)The US doesn't have that problem here - here it is gun violence. Now you'd think that would restrict the buying and ownership of guns? It depends on which state you live in and as a result doesn't matter, much to the annoyance of the states restricting it. I mean - if you can jump to Pennsylvania or better yet, New Jersey and buy a gun then drive back to NY, NY's laws against it are kind of futile.
Our second amendment which grants individuals the right to bear arms and raise a militia was not such a great idea in hindsight. It wasn't a great idea then either.
Honestly, because of that dumb second amendment, its so easy to buy weapons over here - that people don't really need to use scissors or paring knives. Why bother - when you can get a switch-blade or one of those boy scout knives with the scissors, cork screw, etc combined? Or better yet a hand gun or a machine gun? Although most teen gangs use guns - which they keep trying to crack down on. You can avoid it - just don't live or go in certain areas of the city. One of my friends lived in one of those areas - and every night they were shooting guns off the roof of her building. Another guy I knew - had knife fights and shootings outside where he lived. And down the street a ways from where I work in Jamaica - they've had shootings on buses, and in the local McDonalds.
I've never seen or heard any of it - just through other people or the news.
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Date: 2021-09-26 04:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-09-26 04:18 pm (UTC)I'm very pleased with my weighing scale. It's remarkably consistent about what it thinks my weight is even if I move it to a different part of the floor before retrying.
I definitely like shows to be set in places other than LA and NYC, e.g., did actually do some shooting in Scranton, and part of the appeal of the first season of for me was simply in getting to see rural Louisiana. I enjoy shows like in Germany or in Israel for similar reasons. While I enjoyed the BBC I'd have loved to also see the Russian remake. Though, I remember my surprise when a movie set in late-70's Tehran had a family with the vacuum cleaner my mother had when I was small - some things stay the same!
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Date: 2021-09-26 06:35 pm (UTC)I am not a good judge, since I've not really seen any of the old Who, and only a few seasons here and there of RT Davies' run. I also hope that RTD's now capable of giving us some episodes which are on a smaller scale than the fate of the whole universe with the Doctor at the center of it, yet again. - yeah that was my issue with RT Davies as well. I find that trope kind of dull. I was also annoyed with Moffat for doing it. While the love story elements with the companion or Song worked for me, for the most part - what didn't was the Doctor being some sort of God. (I've never been fond of the personification of God in sci-fi or other texts.)
I may need to get a new weighing scale. And I don't want to. Just got this one.
I think it is easier to set shows in NYC and LA - since both are very easy and fairly cheap cities to film in, with accessible studios. (NY gives huge tax abatements to film shoots and television shoots, so we have them all the time. I walked through two areas this week that had the signs up regarding a film shoot. They put up signs about two-three days in advance to warn people that a film shoot is going to be on their block and they can't park there.] They even have shows that are allegedly taking place in Chicago or elsewhere - shoot in NYC.
Vancouver is another local that is cheap to shoot in - and doubles for Maine, and various other spots.
I like 911 Lonestar - because it's Texas, and so was Friday Night Lights. Miami Vice - Miami. Burn Notice - Miami.
It gets boring seeing a romanticized NYC all the time.
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Date: 2021-09-26 09:32 pm (UTC)Yeah, funny how many alien planets in more recent decades look like woodland around British Columbia. (-:
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Date: 2021-09-27 01:47 am (UTC)Let's face it there's only so many stories to tell and so many ways to tell them.
I honestly think - the smart thing to do is to shake up the format a little, and either go straight stand-a-lone or straight serial. Stand-a-lone might work best, because during the RT Davies era - I actually preferred his stand-a-lones. And as a show-runner, hire an innovative team of up and coming sci-fi writers to do stand-a-lone scripts, along with some recognized or well-known talents. Use the Doctor and maybe a companion as the through line. And go straight anthology.
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Date: 2021-09-27 02:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-09-27 12:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-09-27 10:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-09-28 02:25 am (UTC)So when they try it feels shoe-horned, contrived, or implausible.
There's of course shows that have the opposite problem. Farscape, Buffy, Angel, and Firefly - worked better as arc series - or letting themselves be serials. The writers were better at emotional character arcs - and struggled with stand-a-lones.
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Date: 2021-09-28 11:56 pm (UTC)X-Files, I think the general government/alien conspiracy thing worked fine, about which we slowly learned more, less so some of the sub-stuff though, Scully's illness and whatnot.
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Date: 2021-09-29 02:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-09-26 11:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-09-27 12:54 am (UTC)Just saw an ad for Dr. Who (still with Jodie as the Doctor) tonight. I'd love to see Torchwood make a comeback too. I wasn't thrilled with the last season - I thought they went a little nuts - but I'd still like to see more of it.
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Date: 2021-09-27 01:40 am (UTC)Agreed on Foundation - my brother and I agreed that there was far too much confusing exposition and world-building - which made it drag and difficult to follow. I got lost, and kind of bored. But I did like how the first episode ended - so will try another episode. Sci-fi is hard to do well - because the writer can get caught up in all the world-building and forget the characters.
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Date: 2021-09-27 09:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-09-28 01:52 am (UTC)I think it's a new ruling?
I didn't know it existed either until the other night. Told mother the responses - and she kind of got it.