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shadowkat28. When was the last time you wore flip-flops (Zories/thongs)?
I don't tend to like them? They hurt my feet. I have high arches (kind of like Barbie), and I live in NYC which just....isn't conducive for thongs. Folks wear them. But city living and thongs don't quite go hand in hand. This is for folks who drive everywhere or live near the beach.
That said, I have a pair. And I last wore it? At the beach in Martha's Vineyard over seven years ago.
29. Do you like mustard? What type, and what do you put it on?
Yes. Grey Poupon or hot mustard. Although depends. I prefer fries with mustard. And mustard on a hamburger, hot dog, or in potato salad. I am not a mayo fan.
30. It’s the International Day of the Potato! What is your favourite way to eat potatoes?
My mother's potato salad, which had some mayo, mustard, and sweet pickles along with onion.
Also fried - either french fries or hash browns
31. It’s Clint Eastwood’s birthday – have you seen any of his films? Do you have a favourite?
Way too many. Hmm...The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, or maybe Two Mules for Sister Sara with Shirley McLaine.
JUNE:
1. June is named after the Roman Goddess Juno. Do you know the names of any other Roman Gods or Goddesses?
Aphrodite, Athena, Diana, Persephone, Demeter, [ETA: those are Greek. Uhm Roman? Mars, Mercury, Pluto, Apollo (is that Greek or Roman?), and as stated in comments below Venus. I'm better with the Greek gods, I forget the Roman ones...who kind of paled in comparison to the Greek ones anyhow.]
2. Do you have a favourite alcoholic beverage?
Margarita - Lime, and close second, Vodka Martini or Vodka Tonic with a twist of lime.
I no longer drink alcohol for health related reasons. (It wrecks havoc on the digestive system, among other things.)
3. It’s World Bicycle Day! Have you ever ridden a tandem bicycle or a tricycle?
No idea what a tandem bicycle is. Looked it up - no. Looked up tricycle? Not the adult version. Toddler? Yes. Adult? No. But I looked it up and if I had the space or the money to store one, yes, I'd get that.
4. Have you ever made cheese (if you’d like to give it a try there’s a really easy recipe here)?
No. I'm not a DIY (Do it Yourself) or Domestic sort of person. That gene to the degree it existed in our family, leaped over me and landed on my brother. He does all of that on his 11 acre property, with his large kitchen up in the Hudson River Valley. I live in Brooklyn. I have neither the space, the appliances, the kitchen, the time, or the desire. Also I'm one person - so it's not exactly helpful - I'd eat all of it. And I need to limit my cheese intake.
5. When you visit somewhere new, do you research anything about the area?
Yes. I got that tendency from my father. I thoroughly check it out ahead of time. And usually bring more than one map and a guidebook. I even bought a guide book for NYC, and I live here.
6. Do you have a membership to any local organisations (e.g. gym, museum, art gallery, local group, etc)? How often do you use your membership (and what’s the advantage of having it?)
Sigh. I join. Leave. Join. Leave. I am what is known as a dilettante. Plus it is expensive.
I used to belong to a gym in my old neighborhood for years - I left it. Moved to a new neighborhood. Then over the pandemic - the gym collapsed in on itself. I kid you not. It just collapsed. Bye bye gym. I've flirted with joining a new one - but I have requirements. No mirrors. And no insane aerobics classes. I also would like a pool and within walking distance.
There are no gyms with pools, no mirrors, and within walking distance.
I do belong to the library, I just never use it. I don't have to. I have books everywhere. And I did belong to the Brooklyn Museum of Art for a bit, I let it lapse. Debating joining BAM, Lincoln Center, and the Brooklyn Botantical Garden and the Met. I did join Theater League - for theater deals, and to support theater. And I'm a member of my Unitarian Church (I pay member dues) and a member of my union (pay dues), and ACLU.
Now, I'm ahead. Yay.
**
While listening to Schmactors this morning (they were discussing Madonna's music for some reason or other...) and one of the actors loved Madonna's music and the other didn't. And it reminded me of how I'd gotten into fights years ago with people over Madonna. I'm not involve with either individual any longer. One moved away and I barely see them on Facebook, the other, alas is dead (may they rest in peace). We didn't break up over Madonna. So no worries on that front.
Guess which side of the fight I was on?
The fight was over whether Lady Gaga was better than Madonna or a copying her.
Hint? It wasn't on Madonna's
Have you ever binged on Madonna music? A good way to determine whether you like or love or merely enjoy or like just a few songs of an artist or band, is to binge their albums and songs for a day or two. For a worrisome large number of musicians? It's just a song or two that I like, and the rest, ugh! This is also true of Amanda Palmer - she has a lot of songs that make me cringe and think, okay, what did I just listen to? And what is she doing? And did she really just sing that and write that?
I did this with Madonna. After about a day, I couldn't listen to her any longer - for a very long time. All of her music sounded the same. I had the same difficulty with Taylor Swift. All of their songs sound the same.
That's not to say there isn't some fascinating songs in there, there are. They are decent and talented artists - but I'm not a fan. And yes, Lady Gaga is better than both - more range, and much more interesting songs.
I did this with Elvis too - one summer, now I can barely listen to him. I keep deleting his albums, but they won't go away. It's cringe. It's not his singing - it's the material. Elvis had the worst material. He didn't write any of his own music. That's the difficulty with the singers who aren't song-writers? Their material is often not the best.
What caused the break up between me and the friend who sadly passed away, and still resides within my memories as some people generally do, was not Madonna, it was Joss Whedon. We got into more than one on-line fight over Joss Whedon, whom she adored, was a huge fan of, and had met multiple times in person and had selfies taken with. Whedon in her perspective could do no wrong. She worshipped Whedon and Terry Prachett - those were her two favs. I was criticizing his works and Whedon in my journal (I don't worship my fellow human beings - I get crushes on them from time to time, but I don't get fannish enough to worship), and I tend to be critical of things I love. She got offended, and we go into a fight. It was silly. And I regret it. Because we became estranged. Then a year latter she died. Whedon simply wasn't worth it. I should have just backed off. (It doesn't matter that I turned out to be right, and I'm kind of glad she never found out that I was.)
I don't tend to like them? They hurt my feet. I have high arches (kind of like Barbie), and I live in NYC which just....isn't conducive for thongs. Folks wear them. But city living and thongs don't quite go hand in hand. This is for folks who drive everywhere or live near the beach.
That said, I have a pair. And I last wore it? At the beach in Martha's Vineyard over seven years ago.
29. Do you like mustard? What type, and what do you put it on?
Yes. Grey Poupon or hot mustard. Although depends. I prefer fries with mustard. And mustard on a hamburger, hot dog, or in potato salad. I am not a mayo fan.
30. It’s the International Day of the Potato! What is your favourite way to eat potatoes?
My mother's potato salad, which had some mayo, mustard, and sweet pickles along with onion.
Also fried - either french fries or hash browns
31. It’s Clint Eastwood’s birthday – have you seen any of his films? Do you have a favourite?
Way too many. Hmm...The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, or maybe Two Mules for Sister Sara with Shirley McLaine.
JUNE:
1. June is named after the Roman Goddess Juno. Do you know the names of any other Roman Gods or Goddesses?
Aphrodite, Athena, Diana, Persephone, Demeter, [ETA: those are Greek. Uhm Roman? Mars, Mercury, Pluto, Apollo (is that Greek or Roman?), and as stated in comments below Venus. I'm better with the Greek gods, I forget the Roman ones...who kind of paled in comparison to the Greek ones anyhow.]
2. Do you have a favourite alcoholic beverage?
Margarita - Lime, and close second, Vodka Martini or Vodka Tonic with a twist of lime.
I no longer drink alcohol for health related reasons. (It wrecks havoc on the digestive system, among other things.)
3. It’s World Bicycle Day! Have you ever ridden a tandem bicycle or a tricycle?
No idea what a tandem bicycle is. Looked it up - no. Looked up tricycle? Not the adult version. Toddler? Yes. Adult? No. But I looked it up and if I had the space or the money to store one, yes, I'd get that.
4. Have you ever made cheese (if you’d like to give it a try there’s a really easy recipe here)?
No. I'm not a DIY (Do it Yourself) or Domestic sort of person. That gene to the degree it existed in our family, leaped over me and landed on my brother. He does all of that on his 11 acre property, with his large kitchen up in the Hudson River Valley. I live in Brooklyn. I have neither the space, the appliances, the kitchen, the time, or the desire. Also I'm one person - so it's not exactly helpful - I'd eat all of it. And I need to limit my cheese intake.
5. When you visit somewhere new, do you research anything about the area?
Yes. I got that tendency from my father. I thoroughly check it out ahead of time. And usually bring more than one map and a guidebook. I even bought a guide book for NYC, and I live here.
6. Do you have a membership to any local organisations (e.g. gym, museum, art gallery, local group, etc)? How often do you use your membership (and what’s the advantage of having it?)
Sigh. I join. Leave. Join. Leave. I am what is known as a dilettante. Plus it is expensive.
I used to belong to a gym in my old neighborhood for years - I left it. Moved to a new neighborhood. Then over the pandemic - the gym collapsed in on itself. I kid you not. It just collapsed. Bye bye gym. I've flirted with joining a new one - but I have requirements. No mirrors. And no insane aerobics classes. I also would like a pool and within walking distance.
There are no gyms with pools, no mirrors, and within walking distance.
I do belong to the library, I just never use it. I don't have to. I have books everywhere. And I did belong to the Brooklyn Museum of Art for a bit, I let it lapse. Debating joining BAM, Lincoln Center, and the Brooklyn Botantical Garden and the Met. I did join Theater League - for theater deals, and to support theater. And I'm a member of my Unitarian Church (I pay member dues) and a member of my union (pay dues), and ACLU.
Now, I'm ahead. Yay.
**
While listening to Schmactors this morning (they were discussing Madonna's music for some reason or other...) and one of the actors loved Madonna's music and the other didn't. And it reminded me of how I'd gotten into fights years ago with people over Madonna. I'm not involve with either individual any longer. One moved away and I barely see them on Facebook, the other, alas is dead (may they rest in peace). We didn't break up over Madonna. So no worries on that front.
Guess which side of the fight I was on?
The fight was over whether Lady Gaga was better than Madonna or a copying her.
Hint? It wasn't on Madonna's
Have you ever binged on Madonna music? A good way to determine whether you like or love or merely enjoy or like just a few songs of an artist or band, is to binge their albums and songs for a day or two. For a worrisome large number of musicians? It's just a song or two that I like, and the rest, ugh! This is also true of Amanda Palmer - she has a lot of songs that make me cringe and think, okay, what did I just listen to? And what is she doing? And did she really just sing that and write that?
I did this with Madonna. After about a day, I couldn't listen to her any longer - for a very long time. All of her music sounded the same. I had the same difficulty with Taylor Swift. All of their songs sound the same.
That's not to say there isn't some fascinating songs in there, there are. They are decent and talented artists - but I'm not a fan. And yes, Lady Gaga is better than both - more range, and much more interesting songs.
I did this with Elvis too - one summer, now I can barely listen to him. I keep deleting his albums, but they won't go away. It's cringe. It's not his singing - it's the material. Elvis had the worst material. He didn't write any of his own music. That's the difficulty with the singers who aren't song-writers? Their material is often not the best.
What caused the break up between me and the friend who sadly passed away, and still resides within my memories as some people generally do, was not Madonna, it was Joss Whedon. We got into more than one on-line fight over Joss Whedon, whom she adored, was a huge fan of, and had met multiple times in person and had selfies taken with. Whedon in her perspective could do no wrong. She worshipped Whedon and Terry Prachett - those were her two favs. I was criticizing his works and Whedon in my journal (I don't worship my fellow human beings - I get crushes on them from time to time, but I don't get fannish enough to worship), and I tend to be critical of things I love. She got offended, and we go into a fight. It was silly. And I regret it. Because we became estranged. Then a year latter she died. Whedon simply wasn't worth it. I should have just backed off. (It doesn't matter that I turned out to be right, and I'm kind of glad she never found out that I was.)
no subject
Date: 2025-05-31 06:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-06-01 02:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-05-31 06:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-06-01 02:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-05-31 11:20 pm (UTC)Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby are two I number under 'so good and so painful I do not believe I'll ever be able to watch them again.
Those first three are the ones I rewatch the most.
I get unreasonably riled up over the Sergio Leone films; even wikipedia seems to imply he's playing the same character in all three films when that was a marketing strategy. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly has virtually no connection to the other two films that I see and is a tour de force and definitely the best of the three, though For a Few Dollars is the one of those I like the most and A Fistful of Dollars; in places, almost frame-for-frame copies the all-time cinematic master Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo.
I actually believe that in the future he will be seen as one of US cinema's top three greatest directors. He's made at least six films as an actor/director that were worthy of Best Picture and Best Director or one of them besides the two he won.
If not already clear I'm also very biased about his career ;-)
kerk
no subject
Date: 2025-06-01 02:37 am (UTC)I'll agree on The Outlaw Josey Wales - I actually studied that film in class, and wrote a paper on it. I took Cinema: The Western in undergrad and studied various western films. Also my parents and grandmother loved Westerns, as did I, so I've seen almost all of them. Eastwood was well known for the Spaghetti Westerns, most of which were done by Sergio Leone, and several by Eastwood himself.
I think he's best were probably Unforgiven, Outlaw Josey Wales, Fistful of Dollars, and Good the Bad and the Ugly - in the Western canon. In the modern day canon? Million Dollar Baby, Dirty Harry, and
Every Which Way But Loose.
He also did a Jazz Documentary.
He's known as a one take director, and most actors adore him because of his simplistic style and ability to convey clearly what he wants to actors.
Many directors don't understand how actors think or how to convey what they want to an actor, they think in film shots, but not from the actor's perspective. Eastwood having been on both sides of the camera - does and did.
no subject
Date: 2025-06-01 03:52 am (UTC)I make fun of the singing in Paint Your Wagon myself; just love that movie musical to bits :-) Like Mamma Mia! it's not the singing that charms me, but the fun and smiles it elicits; even when it just comes to mind.
I have this personal saying, of musicals, that goes, "West Side Story is the best; Paint Your Wagon is my favourite and Oklahoma has the song that describes me best of all, ''I'm just a girl who cain't say no"
( I was a bit of a slut when I was younger :-) )
I'd be interested that paper I must confess. The Outlaw Josie Wales was the movie that made me begin to realise just how good Clint Eastwood could be; even more so when I saw the 'making of' special feature on the DVD. I loved especially the way he worked with Chief Dan George and Geraldine Kearns. That same ability to get the best out of 'non-Professional' actors was evident still in Gran Torino.
Confess to not being a huge fan of the Dirty Hary films, though I developed a, kinda, fondness for The enforcer because of the presence of Tyne Daly; revisited that film after seeing her in Cagney and Lacey.
I've lost a couple of friends because of different perceptions of characters & 'ships, and one because of a certain transphobic writer; they've changed their mind, but our friendship has never been repaired.
It hurts.
On the other hand, I actually am in the early stages of a potential new friendship because of differing opinions over a Korean lesbian movie; she's from the Congo and a huge fan of the movie. I love it too, but not as much; our discussion was interesting and, rarely for me, I accepted her friend request. It does feel good that it's still possible to make friends because you disagree about things.
I used to love the 'arguments' I use to have back in the old fan-run trek con days. I thought those days were over; perhaps they are, but that it is still possible gives me a little hope.
kerk
no subject
Date: 2025-06-01 06:24 pm (UTC)Musicals? I swing more towards rock operas for the most part? But Paint Your Wagon is fun, it's one of those films that is just fun to mock, and there are bits that aren't bad, and Mariah is a lovely song.
I agree with you about Dirty Harry - it's not to my taste. I watched it once ages ago, and that's enough. It's pure noir, and a bit on the dark side.
I've lost a couple of friends because of different perceptions of characters & 'ships, and one because of a certain transphobic writer; they've changed their mind, but our friendship has never been repaired.
Yup. Same. The difficulty is that people often judge each other based on how they feel about the characters or writer. It's possible to love a writers work and despise their actions, just as it is possible to adore a character but despise its actions. Also in the age of too much information or misinformation - be uncertain about the information that you are being bombarded with and its source. I ran into that with Gaiman, I honestly wasn't sure until I read the New York Magazine article and listened to Amanda Palmer's New Zealand albums, then I knew, and struggled with both Gaiman and Palmer, along with my feelings towards their work and the degree to which it could be appreciated separate from them. Mixed. It's actually harder with solo acts, such as musicians and novelists - because there's no collaboration. And you don't know where they are sending the proceeds from sales of their work.
It gets very complicated.
We forget that just because someone loves such and such or so and so, it doesn't necessarily mean they are transphobic, homophobic, racist,misogynistic, a rape apologist, etc... It just means they can separate the actions from the work or the character from the one action. And we all love problematic things. I mean Clint Eastwood's politics would probably make you squirm, for example. Humans are flawed creatures, and I think we all forget that sometimes?
no subject
Date: 2025-06-01 02:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-06-01 06:07 pm (UTC)