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1. Okay did the mad programmers behind LJ decide to tinker with the format again for their amusement?
Stop updating. Note - things only need to be updated and tinkered with when people complain about them. (Maybe people are complaining about it -- and I'm just oblivious? If so, stop complaining silly people. I liked LJ the way it was. Although, I will state that the font is a lot bigger now making my Friends page easier to read, so on the other hand, never mind.)
In other news there was a serious G Train Subway Derailment which interfered with my commute. But didn't affect work that much, since I don't work for Transit. (Thank God.)
2. Talking about being oblivious to things, according to a co-worker there's apparently a mad sniper shooting at people on the highways and interstate outside of Phoenix, Arizona? He or she is firing at cars and trucks. Hasn't hurt anyone yet, just put a few bullets through windows of trucks and cars flying down it. What is interesting is -- no one on either LJ or FB has mentioned it. And I know at least three-four people, two on FB, and three-four on LJ, who have not mentioned it. So either it's not common knowledge or it's not true?
No, it's true - I googled it:
Phoenix Sniper Strikes Again
So, ahem, Phoenix, Arizona residents???
Also, found out this week via Time Magazine on Twitter, that there are approximately 4 million refugees and displaced people out of war torn Syria. The map shows where they are going. Many are heading towards Germany, who has opened their arms to them. (Can we have a round of applause for Germany?)
Here's the Tweet: No Words. https://twitter.com/time/status/642027267816861696
3. The trick to reading superhero comic books is to focus on one story thread and collect the books related directly to it, and ignore everything else. Or you will go crazy and possibly dead broke attempting to get to the stories. Also helps if you focus on a theme and a specific character arc within it. Preferably not just a romantic relationship or romantic arc -- because comic books tend to be repetitive tragedies. (ie. Boy meets Girl, They banter, They save the world, they fall in love, Boy or Girl gets possessed by a powerful evil spirit and almost destroys the world, but the love of boy or girl gets them to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, they allegedly die, Boy or Girl mourns and moves on, Girl or Boy returns from the dead as if it never happened. Only to have something similar happen all over again. Sometimes they just trade places. There's a reason people sneer at comic books.)
This arc is NOT a romantic relationship arc. Oh there's romance in it. But it's not the main focus of the arc, more a subplot. Which in my opinion works better in stories of this nature. But there's a limited amount that you can do with romance in a serial...without getting repetitive.
I have no idea why the Universe has guided me to this particular story. I sort of stumbled upon it.
Can't quite remember how I stumbled on it. The good news, the writers have changed, so the story arc doesn't keep going. It actually has a beginning middle and end. Will most likely write or review each book in the arc, when I complete them, in this journal. Because I do that when I get insanely fannish about cultural things.
4. There's a weird book list going around on Facebook. Books You'd Never Brag About Reading - How Many Would You Admit to Reading? (Thirteen, may have been more, may have been less, I honestly can't remember if I read some of them. What can I say, I've read a lot of books. The ones I've read on this list tend to be the trashy novels, because I have a weakness for trashy novels. I honestly can't remember if I read Capital by Karl Marx, I think I may have. I do remember slogging through Marx and Engels in a class called Perspectives on the Western Tradition. Also, it's possible I thumbed through the Celestine Prophecy...)
Generally speaking I don't like to brag about reading books. (I think it is a bit silly, actually. Books are subjective and we all read for different reasons.) As you already probably know by now, I'm widely read, and eclectic, or diversified in my reading choices. I'll basically read anything as long as it has a story or information that quirks my interest or appeals to me on some level. I try not to shame folks or judge them for what they read. Because, I know first hand what it is like to be shamed for what you love -- it's painful. And stupid. But, as a general rule? I live in a free society and take full advantage of the freedom that provides me to read or watch whatever I please. No one dictates to me what I read. IF you hate it - fine don't read it. (My Granny used to state, 'I don't care what the other guy does as long as they don't make me do it or tell me what to do.')
Although, there are admittedly a few books out there that make me crazy that they were ever published let alone read or cough, became best sellers. Does this happen to you? I have been known to go into ranty mode over them. And have written blistering reviews. Okay so far just one. Books that make you want to rant, now that would be an interesting list. Name ten books that made you rant and foam at the mouth with rage. That you wanted to stomp on. And strangle either the characters or the author for putting this horrible thing out there? What can I say, books occasionally spark a strong emotional response in me. I am also know to go insanely fannish over a book or series, and love it to death. So how about 10 books that you love to death? That you can't stop thinking about. That you just love, love, love? OR just Twenty Books that sparked a strong and somewhat insane emotional response? Negative or Positive? And make people guess which did what?? Hmmm, I like that meme. That's just evil.
So, I've made up my own Book Meme - Books that Sparked a Major Emotional Response in Me - Either Negative or Postive - You Figure Out Which
Anywho, here's a list of books off the top of my head (includes graphic novels and comics, because hello, books) that sparked a strong emotional response in me. Guess which response the books, novels or comics sparked? Was it love? Rage? Fannish devotion? If you respond with a guess, I'll respond with the answer and why it garnered that response. Also, bonus - ask me a question, any question about something you think I'm fannish about.
1. The Sparrow by Maria Doria Russell
2. Night Train to Memphis by Elizabeth Peters
3. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
4. Dune by Frank Herbert
5. American Psycho by Bret Easten Ellis
6. The Kate Daniels Magic Series by Illona Andrews
7. Atonement by Ian McEwan
8. The X-men comic books by various writers
9. The Buffy comic books by various writers
10. Me Before You by Jo Jo Moyes
11. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
12. Ulysses by James Joyce
13. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
14. The Chronicles of Lymond by Dorothy Dunnett
15. The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester
And then provide me with your own list, and I can make my own guesses. Just pick one book or two to make a guess about.
Stop updating. Note - things only need to be updated and tinkered with when people complain about them. (Maybe people are complaining about it -- and I'm just oblivious? If so, stop complaining silly people. I liked LJ the way it was. Although, I will state that the font is a lot bigger now making my Friends page easier to read, so on the other hand, never mind.)
In other news there was a serious G Train Subway Derailment which interfered with my commute. But didn't affect work that much, since I don't work for Transit. (Thank God.)
2. Talking about being oblivious to things, according to a co-worker there's apparently a mad sniper shooting at people on the highways and interstate outside of Phoenix, Arizona? He or she is firing at cars and trucks. Hasn't hurt anyone yet, just put a few bullets through windows of trucks and cars flying down it. What is interesting is -- no one on either LJ or FB has mentioned it. And I know at least three-four people, two on FB, and three-four on LJ, who have not mentioned it. So either it's not common knowledge or it's not true?
No, it's true - I googled it:
Phoenix Sniper Strikes Again
So, ahem, Phoenix, Arizona residents???
Also, found out this week via Time Magazine on Twitter, that there are approximately 4 million refugees and displaced people out of war torn Syria. The map shows where they are going. Many are heading towards Germany, who has opened their arms to them. (Can we have a round of applause for Germany?)
Here's the Tweet: No Words. https://twitter.com/time/status/642027267816861696
3. The trick to reading superhero comic books is to focus on one story thread and collect the books related directly to it, and ignore everything else. Or you will go crazy and possibly dead broke attempting to get to the stories. Also helps if you focus on a theme and a specific character arc within it. Preferably not just a romantic relationship or romantic arc -- because comic books tend to be repetitive tragedies. (ie. Boy meets Girl, They banter, They save the world, they fall in love, Boy or Girl gets possessed by a powerful evil spirit and almost destroys the world, but the love of boy or girl gets them to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, they allegedly die, Boy or Girl mourns and moves on, Girl or Boy returns from the dead as if it never happened. Only to have something similar happen all over again. Sometimes they just trade places. There's a reason people sneer at comic books.)
This arc is NOT a romantic relationship arc. Oh there's romance in it. But it's not the main focus of the arc, more a subplot. Which in my opinion works better in stories of this nature. But there's a limited amount that you can do with romance in a serial...without getting repetitive.
I have no idea why the Universe has guided me to this particular story. I sort of stumbled upon it.
Can't quite remember how I stumbled on it. The good news, the writers have changed, so the story arc doesn't keep going. It actually has a beginning middle and end. Will most likely write or review each book in the arc, when I complete them, in this journal. Because I do that when I get insanely fannish about cultural things.
4. There's a weird book list going around on Facebook. Books You'd Never Brag About Reading - How Many Would You Admit to Reading? (Thirteen, may have been more, may have been less, I honestly can't remember if I read some of them. What can I say, I've read a lot of books. The ones I've read on this list tend to be the trashy novels, because I have a weakness for trashy novels. I honestly can't remember if I read Capital by Karl Marx, I think I may have. I do remember slogging through Marx and Engels in a class called Perspectives on the Western Tradition. Also, it's possible I thumbed through the Celestine Prophecy...)
Generally speaking I don't like to brag about reading books. (I think it is a bit silly, actually. Books are subjective and we all read for different reasons.) As you already probably know by now, I'm widely read, and eclectic, or diversified in my reading choices. I'll basically read anything as long as it has a story or information that quirks my interest or appeals to me on some level. I try not to shame folks or judge them for what they read. Because, I know first hand what it is like to be shamed for what you love -- it's painful. And stupid. But, as a general rule? I live in a free society and take full advantage of the freedom that provides me to read or watch whatever I please. No one dictates to me what I read. IF you hate it - fine don't read it. (My Granny used to state, 'I don't care what the other guy does as long as they don't make me do it or tell me what to do.')
Although, there are admittedly a few books out there that make me crazy that they were ever published let alone read or cough, became best sellers. Does this happen to you? I have been known to go into ranty mode over them. And have written blistering reviews. Okay so far just one. Books that make you want to rant, now that would be an interesting list. Name ten books that made you rant and foam at the mouth with rage. That you wanted to stomp on. And strangle either the characters or the author for putting this horrible thing out there? What can I say, books occasionally spark a strong emotional response in me. I am also know to go insanely fannish over a book or series, and love it to death. So how about 10 books that you love to death? That you can't stop thinking about. That you just love, love, love? OR just Twenty Books that sparked a strong and somewhat insane emotional response? Negative or Positive? And make people guess which did what?? Hmmm, I like that meme. That's just evil.
So, I've made up my own Book Meme - Books that Sparked a Major Emotional Response in Me - Either Negative or Postive - You Figure Out Which
Anywho, here's a list of books off the top of my head (includes graphic novels and comics, because hello, books) that sparked a strong emotional response in me. Guess which response the books, novels or comics sparked? Was it love? Rage? Fannish devotion? If you respond with a guess, I'll respond with the answer and why it garnered that response. Also, bonus - ask me a question, any question about something you think I'm fannish about.
1. The Sparrow by Maria Doria Russell
2. Night Train to Memphis by Elizabeth Peters
3. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
4. Dune by Frank Herbert
5. American Psycho by Bret Easten Ellis
6. The Kate Daniels Magic Series by Illona Andrews
7. Atonement by Ian McEwan
8. The X-men comic books by various writers
9. The Buffy comic books by various writers
10. Me Before You by Jo Jo Moyes
11. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
12. Ulysses by James Joyce
13. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
14. The Chronicles of Lymond by Dorothy Dunnett
15. The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester
And then provide me with your own list, and I can make my own guesses. Just pick one book or two to make a guess about.