(no subject)

1. Picard S3 - I'm enjoying this season better than the last two, partly because they are using more interesting past characters (one's who've not been done to death), and referencing both Voyager and DS9. Also, it's suspenseful.

It is however more of a character piece than a speculative sci-fi or plot piece, which may or may not turn off a few folks? I'm more interested in character than theme or plot, which is why serial drama works better for me than episodic or anthology. I also like things that are a bit different.

Picard is different than the other Star Trek series - in that it really is focused on Jean Luc Picard - and resolving his characters issues. The other characters are explored as well, but mainly in parallel to him. It also, unlike the others, has characters who have changed and evolved and have definite emotional character arcs. Often in speculative sci-fi, theme and plot are put before character, and the characters seem to run in place. (Although Discovery did evolve, so there's that.)

The plot? I'm not sure what to make of it. But, it is interesting, and it's about solving a mystery.( Spoilers from hereon out )

2. In other news, I'm making progress with my series of watercolors. Partially finished my guy with the sunglasses and the colorful jacket - which I'd previously posted a drawing of. So that's four watercolors done to date.

I'm enjoying this. Also hanging them in my window is making me happy. I finally have a little artist studio in the corner of my living room. I'd been dreaming of creating one for the last six or seven years now. Prior to the pandemic, I'd bought a table for it, along with a chair. But then the pandemic hit - and I had to use it for a remote work station instead. (I'd not gotten around to setting up my art studio.) But I promised myself that once the pandemic was over or rather I was brought back into the office full time, I'd set it up as an art studio.

I'll see if I can take a picture.

( art studio )

I'm quite proud of it, if I do say so myself. It's making me very happy. I come home and look at it - and no matter what work is like or the weather, it puts a smile on my face. Right now - it's making me happy. I may frame a few and hang on my walls. Thinking of hanging up my photos as well.

Small things make me happy. Today's church service - was all about how to live in the moment. Not to worry about yesterday or tomorrow, to focus on now. Not to be weighed down by regret. Life is happening now. And this is all we get.

And there's all this emphasis on doing big things? Sometimes it's the small ones that bring the most joy.

3. On Twitter - one of my Writer Twitter posters, who is also on Music Twitter, stated that in all this back and forth with people who are doing their "hobbies" for a living, and talking about loving what they do and never retiring - there are professions that don't work like that. Nurses, Doctors, Cops, Dentists, Sanitation Workers, Janitors...Radio hosts, they kind of have to retire and find aspects of their jobs that they enjoy.

I agreed. If everyone did their hobbies for a living, we'd be dead. Hello.
There'd be no doctors, psychologists, sanitation workers, plumbers, grocery stores, retail, etc.

I was talking to Mother about it today.
( Read more... )

Off the Ted Talk now. At least it was short.

4. Still reading Bryan Cranston's Life in Pieces - he's a good memoir writer. I'd say far better than Prince Harry in some respects. He's at least not whiny, Harry was very whiny. Cranston tricked me - I honestly believed he killed his girlfriend when I went to church this morning. It wasn't until I got back and finished listening to the chapter that I realized he'd imagined it, and the police showed up and carted her away.
( Read more... )

5. Overall a good day. ( Read more... )