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Nov. 5th, 2022 09:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatMother, as expected, ferreted out how my cousin died. (Mother would have made a good investigative journalist.)
Mother: He died doing something he did a lot - take a hike the woods near where he lived. It wasn't a car accident. It was a hiking accident. Apparently he stepped wrong or something, stumbled and hit his head on a rock. They don't know for certain but they think it killed him instantly.
Me: You talked to Aunt C?
Mother: No, Aunt M called me back, and she got it apparently from your cousin M's wife. Aunt K refused to discuss it - and refused to call it anything but an accident, so cousin M's wife (S) - told her.
Me: Uhm okay. I can see why Aunt K didn't want to discuss it. She took hikes with him a lot up there.
Mother: They got the funeral director up there (in Portland, Oregon), to send the ashes to California. And the landlord agreed to clear out his apartment and ship his brother all of his belongings.
Me: That's very nice of the landlord. They must have been friendly.
Mother: They'll have a small memorial service on the beach in California - with just immediate family and friends, then ship his remaining ashes to his father to have a mass in Pennsylvania.
Me: Yeah, I'm guessing they don't want to deal with the father (Aunt K's ex was emotionally abusive and a card carrying narcissist - Aunt K avoids him like the plague.)
Mother: According to Aunt M, Aunt K was a mess for the first three days, then eventually pulled herself together. Also your cousin, his wife, and two kids are going to rent a condo near her - in Florida for Thanksgiving.
So, that will help.
God, it's so awful. I kind of figured it was probably a hiking accident. If it had been a car accident - they'd have told us earlier - I think.
***
Life is unfair. At times, from my limited perspective of it, it seems incredibly random and whatever I do...meaningless. Like I'm some little being, a spec really, batted about by the elements.
I've been thinking about that a lot lately. How some people seem to live ...easy lives, and others don't. Without much rhyme or reason involved. And the bombardment of information we get on a daily basis on how strangers live.
I realized this today - while watching part of a Netflix documentary on the Great National Parks, narrated and produced by Barack Obama and his media company. He got an Emmy for it. At one point in the documentary, he mentions how this beautiful bay in Hawaii used to be his backyard growing up. As he states this, this very attractive and healthy man in his early 60s, it hits me why so many people resent him. (Don't get me wrong, I am charmed by the man and adore him to pieces, as does my family.) But, we've all been bombarded with how great his life is, and how great he is for a fifteen years. My father even mentioned it off-hand once, that Barack seemed a little too slick and polished. His wife states it in Becoming - how Barack was rather privileged and had a far easier more comfortable up-bringing from her own.
The bombardment of other's lives via social media, commercials, documentaries, ads, billboards, on all electronic devices - can feel overwhelming at times. And this feeling that I can never get ahead, I'll never be able to afford to buy a one-bedroom apartment with a terrace, and a laundry unit, and a dishwasher, with a doorman and a nice view - within walking distance to a park and public transportation. That's a pipe dream.
And I'll never be able to retire. And it would be lovely to afford a vacation to Hawaii or the Maldives or Thailand or New Zealand...to one of those lovely beaches shown in the countless ads on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter - or even to Italy.
I go on the subway - and I'm bombarded with luxury hotel ads, movie ads, luxury linens...theater ads. I go on the train, the same (although not quite as bad). The sidewalks - although my area and Jamaica aren't that bad, nor is Fort Green thankfully.
It's exhausting. And it wasn't that bad in the 20th Century - because we didn't have Twitter, Facebook, or ad based/marketing based social media back then, nor did we have cell phones. I think cell phones are weirdly the reason we're so divisive now. We know too much about each other's habits for our own good.
***
Audio books are lovely things. See, I can change my mind about stuff. This is a huge 180 for me. Because five-six years ago, the appeal was completely lost on me. I didn't like them at all. Then the pandemic happened, I hit a huge reading slump - where I just couldn't get myself to focus on reading for pleasure any longer - which was annoying, because I like reading for pleasure. And voila - I discovered audio books. Listening to someone read to me, was a lovely and comforting thing.
So I'm almost three quarters through Project Hail Mary now - due to, you guessed it, audiobooks. I got it on both the kindle and an audio book (for dirt cheap), and of the two - I'm adoring the audio book. Rocky is hilarious - they even have a musical sound effect for him. [Note not all audio books are created equal. Will Wheaton's read of the John Scalzi latest, was abysmal. He can't do voices at all. Hmmm, I wonder if Seth McFarland has done any audio books? At any rate whomever is reading Project Hail Mary is awesome! Barack Obama is good at it, Michelle isn't. Hillary sucks - and hired someone to help her. Alec Baldwin isn't bad. Maurice Bernard isn't bad. Michael Caine is quite good. Kathleen Turner is good.
The cast novels are also awesome. It's best to get a good voice actor - and voice acting is really hard to do well. I wonder if Mark Hamil has done any? Mark Hamil and Seth McFarland are two of the best vocal actors out there. They are better vocal actors than physical actors.
I'm loving the science in Project Hail Mary, also the character development is spot on. We have a very reluctant hero in the narrator/lead protagonist. (He just discovered he was a reluctant hero, he wasn't sure for a bit due to retrograde amnesia. The book has a rather dark and dry wit to it, that I appreciate.) And I'm loving his wacky alien roommate, Rocky. It kind of feels like Red Dwarf meets The Martian to be honest.
Anyhow, it's a comforting book to be reading when...life is throwing black clouds your way.
***
House of Dragon
I watched episode 7 now. The infamous episode that they filmed mostly at night for reasons. (Honestly I think the Game of Throne directors/writers just like doing night scenes. I watched it with all the lights out, and was able to make out what was happening, including the sex scene between the uncle and niece.)
This is a hard show to watch. Outside of the darkly lit scenes (not just dark, but darkly lit), the characters, for the most part, aren't exactly likable. The ones I like have a tendency to get killed off. While the ones I can't stand, seem to be untouchable? This is far too much like our current political situation - I need my television shows to be far more cathartic than that.
For example? I loved Daemon's wife - badass character - I actually I liked both wives, but alas, barely on screen before they are killed off. They were my favorite female characters - and they were barely there before the writers killed them off in gruesome ways.
Then, there's Daemon and Rhynaers who are oddly enough written as far more likable and moral than Alicient, her father, and Rhynaers father. Which is odd. Considering. They are also written as touch more clever, and far less sanctimonious. I have no tolerance for sanctimonious fictional characters any longer - they pop up, and I think, can we just kill them now? Do I really have to listen to all this sermonizing. Kill them already. Frigging writers like to write sermons.
Honestly, Alicent, you and your husband forced Rhyaners to marry to a guy that you knew was gay. How was she supposed to have kids? By osmosis? Who cares if she's sleeping with the guard, her husband's gay and in love with someone else. He can't get it up with her. A little empathy here - you sanctimonious bimbo. Alicent is not the brightest bulb on the planet. Her father is even worse.
Ugh. I really can't abide Alicent. I want a dragon to eat her. I was annoyed the dragon, Rhaegar, didn't eat her son Aemon, and let him ride him. That kid is irritating. See? That's a problem. I have a feeling I wasn't supposed to be rooting for that kid to fall for his death, get burned alive, or eaten. Or stabbed to death by his cousins.
I think I'm rooting for the wrong team. And I'm going to be disappointed.
People were talking about how twisty and dark Episode 7 was? Did they watch Game of Thrones? Because this was kind of lame in comparison.
So why am I continuing? Curiosity? It's the same reason I watch horror movies that I'd be far better off avoiding. I'm a curious soul. My co-workers have made me curious about it. (I am admittedly beginning to wonder about my co-workers cultural tastes...I mean they loved Squid Game, Severance, got into Dahlmer, and now House of Dragon...)
***
On a final note? Netflix has a gadawful amount of content that I'm skeptical or wary of watching. (Is this worth my time - I'm no so sure.)
I tried "The Bad Guys" and went to sleep during it. I think I'm the wrong demographic anyhow.
Because I tried the Bad Guys, and tried various horror flicks last weekend, I'm getting recs for well animation directed at kids, and horror films/television series. Also, because I tried Great British Bake-Off S10, I'm getting a lot of bad reality show contests. School of Good and Evil - lots of bad teen paranormal and romantic movies.
Anyone have good rec's for Netflix? Because Netflix is doing an abysmal job of it.
Mother: He died doing something he did a lot - take a hike the woods near where he lived. It wasn't a car accident. It was a hiking accident. Apparently he stepped wrong or something, stumbled and hit his head on a rock. They don't know for certain but they think it killed him instantly.
Me: You talked to Aunt C?
Mother: No, Aunt M called me back, and she got it apparently from your cousin M's wife. Aunt K refused to discuss it - and refused to call it anything but an accident, so cousin M's wife (S) - told her.
Me: Uhm okay. I can see why Aunt K didn't want to discuss it. She took hikes with him a lot up there.
Mother: They got the funeral director up there (in Portland, Oregon), to send the ashes to California. And the landlord agreed to clear out his apartment and ship his brother all of his belongings.
Me: That's very nice of the landlord. They must have been friendly.
Mother: They'll have a small memorial service on the beach in California - with just immediate family and friends, then ship his remaining ashes to his father to have a mass in Pennsylvania.
Me: Yeah, I'm guessing they don't want to deal with the father (Aunt K's ex was emotionally abusive and a card carrying narcissist - Aunt K avoids him like the plague.)
Mother: According to Aunt M, Aunt K was a mess for the first three days, then eventually pulled herself together. Also your cousin, his wife, and two kids are going to rent a condo near her - in Florida for Thanksgiving.
So, that will help.
God, it's so awful. I kind of figured it was probably a hiking accident. If it had been a car accident - they'd have told us earlier - I think.
***
Life is unfair. At times, from my limited perspective of it, it seems incredibly random and whatever I do...meaningless. Like I'm some little being, a spec really, batted about by the elements.
I've been thinking about that a lot lately. How some people seem to live ...easy lives, and others don't. Without much rhyme or reason involved. And the bombardment of information we get on a daily basis on how strangers live.
I realized this today - while watching part of a Netflix documentary on the Great National Parks, narrated and produced by Barack Obama and his media company. He got an Emmy for it. At one point in the documentary, he mentions how this beautiful bay in Hawaii used to be his backyard growing up. As he states this, this very attractive and healthy man in his early 60s, it hits me why so many people resent him. (Don't get me wrong, I am charmed by the man and adore him to pieces, as does my family.) But, we've all been bombarded with how great his life is, and how great he is for a fifteen years. My father even mentioned it off-hand once, that Barack seemed a little too slick and polished. His wife states it in Becoming - how Barack was rather privileged and had a far easier more comfortable up-bringing from her own.
The bombardment of other's lives via social media, commercials, documentaries, ads, billboards, on all electronic devices - can feel overwhelming at times. And this feeling that I can never get ahead, I'll never be able to afford to buy a one-bedroom apartment with a terrace, and a laundry unit, and a dishwasher, with a doorman and a nice view - within walking distance to a park and public transportation. That's a pipe dream.
And I'll never be able to retire. And it would be lovely to afford a vacation to Hawaii or the Maldives or Thailand or New Zealand...to one of those lovely beaches shown in the countless ads on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter - or even to Italy.
I go on the subway - and I'm bombarded with luxury hotel ads, movie ads, luxury linens...theater ads. I go on the train, the same (although not quite as bad). The sidewalks - although my area and Jamaica aren't that bad, nor is Fort Green thankfully.
It's exhausting. And it wasn't that bad in the 20th Century - because we didn't have Twitter, Facebook, or ad based/marketing based social media back then, nor did we have cell phones. I think cell phones are weirdly the reason we're so divisive now. We know too much about each other's habits for our own good.
***
Audio books are lovely things. See, I can change my mind about stuff. This is a huge 180 for me. Because five-six years ago, the appeal was completely lost on me. I didn't like them at all. Then the pandemic happened, I hit a huge reading slump - where I just couldn't get myself to focus on reading for pleasure any longer - which was annoying, because I like reading for pleasure. And voila - I discovered audio books. Listening to someone read to me, was a lovely and comforting thing.
So I'm almost three quarters through Project Hail Mary now - due to, you guessed it, audiobooks. I got it on both the kindle and an audio book (for dirt cheap), and of the two - I'm adoring the audio book. Rocky is hilarious - they even have a musical sound effect for him. [Note not all audio books are created equal. Will Wheaton's read of the John Scalzi latest, was abysmal. He can't do voices at all. Hmmm, I wonder if Seth McFarland has done any audio books? At any rate whomever is reading Project Hail Mary is awesome! Barack Obama is good at it, Michelle isn't. Hillary sucks - and hired someone to help her. Alec Baldwin isn't bad. Maurice Bernard isn't bad. Michael Caine is quite good. Kathleen Turner is good.
The cast novels are also awesome. It's best to get a good voice actor - and voice acting is really hard to do well. I wonder if Mark Hamil has done any? Mark Hamil and Seth McFarland are two of the best vocal actors out there. They are better vocal actors than physical actors.
I'm loving the science in Project Hail Mary, also the character development is spot on. We have a very reluctant hero in the narrator/lead protagonist. (He just discovered he was a reluctant hero, he wasn't sure for a bit due to retrograde amnesia. The book has a rather dark and dry wit to it, that I appreciate.) And I'm loving his wacky alien roommate, Rocky. It kind of feels like Red Dwarf meets The Martian to be honest.
Anyhow, it's a comforting book to be reading when...life is throwing black clouds your way.
***
House of Dragon
I watched episode 7 now. The infamous episode that they filmed mostly at night for reasons. (Honestly I think the Game of Throne directors/writers just like doing night scenes. I watched it with all the lights out, and was able to make out what was happening, including the sex scene between the uncle and niece.)
This is a hard show to watch. Outside of the darkly lit scenes (not just dark, but darkly lit), the characters, for the most part, aren't exactly likable. The ones I like have a tendency to get killed off. While the ones I can't stand, seem to be untouchable? This is far too much like our current political situation - I need my television shows to be far more cathartic than that.
For example? I loved Daemon's wife - badass character - I actually I liked both wives, but alas, barely on screen before they are killed off. They were my favorite female characters - and they were barely there before the writers killed them off in gruesome ways.
Then, there's Daemon and Rhynaers who are oddly enough written as far more likable and moral than Alicient, her father, and Rhynaers father. Which is odd. Considering. They are also written as touch more clever, and far less sanctimonious. I have no tolerance for sanctimonious fictional characters any longer - they pop up, and I think, can we just kill them now? Do I really have to listen to all this sermonizing. Kill them already. Frigging writers like to write sermons.
Honestly, Alicent, you and your husband forced Rhyaners to marry to a guy that you knew was gay. How was she supposed to have kids? By osmosis? Who cares if she's sleeping with the guard, her husband's gay and in love with someone else. He can't get it up with her. A little empathy here - you sanctimonious bimbo. Alicent is not the brightest bulb on the planet. Her father is even worse.
Ugh. I really can't abide Alicent. I want a dragon to eat her. I was annoyed the dragon, Rhaegar, didn't eat her son Aemon, and let him ride him. That kid is irritating. See? That's a problem. I have a feeling I wasn't supposed to be rooting for that kid to fall for his death, get burned alive, or eaten. Or stabbed to death by his cousins.
I think I'm rooting for the wrong team. And I'm going to be disappointed.
People were talking about how twisty and dark Episode 7 was? Did they watch Game of Thrones? Because this was kind of lame in comparison.
So why am I continuing? Curiosity? It's the same reason I watch horror movies that I'd be far better off avoiding. I'm a curious soul. My co-workers have made me curious about it. (I am admittedly beginning to wonder about my co-workers cultural tastes...I mean they loved Squid Game, Severance, got into Dahlmer, and now House of Dragon...)
***
On a final note? Netflix has a gadawful amount of content that I'm skeptical or wary of watching. (Is this worth my time - I'm no so sure.)
I tried "The Bad Guys" and went to sleep during it. I think I'm the wrong demographic anyhow.
Because I tried the Bad Guys, and tried various horror flicks last weekend, I'm getting recs for well animation directed at kids, and horror films/television series. Also, because I tried Great British Bake-Off S10, I'm getting a lot of bad reality show contests. School of Good and Evil - lots of bad teen paranormal and romantic movies.
Anyone have good rec's for Netflix? Because Netflix is doing an abysmal job of it.