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shadowkatI don't know why I'm tired all the time. I actually did sleep eight hours last night, or so my watch informs me. But I also woke up periodically, and the leg did bother me, and IBS had its issues, but nothing major.
I had today off due to the doctor's appointment, but I was dragging. It may be the fact that it is getting darker earlier - not sure. Felt a little off at the doctor's appointment and a touch on the dizzy side, but nothing drastic and they found nothing wrong. We agreed not to give me steroids - that tends to destroy the gut and cause other issues - which I don't need. So we're sticking with the Meczalatine which is working. And the nasal spray. If things get worse - vestibular therapy, and maybe a test for Muenir's.
Coming home, I accidentally ended up on the M train, without realizing it, and had to switch at Marcy Avenue (it's somewhere in Queens and I've never heard of it), which meant going down six flights of steps, across a street, and up six flights of steps, taking the M back across the bridge into Manhattan, down more steps, and taking the F back. I'd planned on hopping off at Bergen to see if I could find a gluten free pie at Union Market or Trader Joes, but the F train decided to go express skipping those streets, and my arthritis had flared, so the leg was really bothering me, also I felt off, and tired - so I went home instead. Oh well, I got a nice view of the river and Manhattan and Queens from the bridge.
It was also a nice day if a bit on the cool side.
I'll try to get a pie tomorrow at work. I'm near Whole Foods, and the farmers market, which has a gluten free bakery vendor on Tuesdays.
Dinner was hearts of palm spaghetti, asperagus, and broccoli with pesto, grated parmesan, and pepper. Blood sugar was high, so went with a vegetarian dinner that was low in carbs.
***
Television
I finished S3 of Dark Winds on Netflix. AMC is dumping seasons of shows that previously aired on AMC onto Netflix. They've also dumped Interview with a Vampire S1-2, Mayfair Witches, Breaking Bad, and This is Going to Hurt - to name a few.
Dark Winds was hard to follow in places, but overall entertaining. The problem it had - was four different mysteries, none of which were connected, two of which had happened some time ago, and in different locals. Also the mysticism, and a mystery solved during a dream sequence. (I am not a fan of dream sequences in television shows, films or books. I don't particularly like reading about my own dreams. It's also hard to do it well - I honestly think only David Lynch succeeded because he thinks that way.)
I liked the first two seasons better. Not sure if it is continuing or not?
It's based on the Tony Hillerman, Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee mysteries which were written in the 1970s, and this takes place in the 1970s. (I read them in the 90s). What's unique about the series is it is filmed on Navajo reservations, and the cast is mostly Navajo, Native American, and it's written by Navajo and Native Americans. The executive producers are Robert Redford and George RR Martin, who both had a cameo, playing chess, during it.
Also started This is Going to Hurt - a fictionalized account of Adam Kay's non-fiction memoir on his experiences working as a Junior Doctor on an NHS maternity ward in London. I'd categorize it as hyper-realism, and it is a dramedy. Although I don't find it funny - it's a bit too dark for my sensibilities. There is however a somewhat funny bit about the doctor attempting to get a pregnant woman in and out of a lift that won't stop moving. I thought NYC's inner city hospitals were bad - they've nothing on London's NHS, as shown here.
It's gritty, grim, black humor. Ben Whinslaw is brilliant in it. I don't know if I'll make it through all the episodes? There are only seven in all.
It's written by Adam Kay, who wrote it as a 7 episode limited series, focused on himself and another doctor working in the maternity ward. Reminds me a little bit of The Pitt, but far more raw and a little bit more bloody, also we slant into the personal lives of the doctors. Adam Kay appears to be a gay doctor, who is still firmly in the closet at home and at work - causing issues with his significant other.
Made through two episodes so far.
Finally, rewatching Angel S2 and Buffy S5. Of the two, I've watched Buffy S5 quite a few times, but not since 2010.
I'd forgotten how abrupt the introduction of Dawn truly is. She's not there, then it's as if she's always been, and her room and bed is the room and bed Buffy and Faith were making up in their dreams in Graduation Day Part II (S3), This Year's Girl (S4) and referenced again in Restless. Restless is referenced a lot in the first episode of the Season. Dracula basically quotes what Tara stated in Restless - "you think you know what you are, where you are going, you've not even begun", and when she drinks his blood, she sees the first slayer. Also the first picture of the credits this season is The First Slayer. Also Dawn's room is exactly as Buffy dreamed it, just with a bit more in it. And she pops up after Dracula leaves.
What's also interesting is Dracula kind of set the stage for it? His Castle appears out. of nowhere, as does he. They go from being carefree on the beach, to suddenly engulfed in a storm clouds - and it doesn't let up.
It's a shift in tone and story.
Post Dracula and post Dawn, everyone's relationships shift. It becomes gradually clearer that Riley/Buffy aren't working. He makes statements on the beach in Dracula that she throws like a girl. (Someone made a statement to me like that, and I pointed out that a few female co-workers threw better than the male ones. ) What is it about men that they feel this need to put women down constantly to build themselves up? Runs like a girl? Throws like a girl? Really? It's a dated comment, and makes Riley kind of sexist. The writers write Riley as a bit of chauvinistic prick at times.
He also doesn't seem to understand Buffy all that much, and I get the very strong feeling that she doesn't quite trust him, and he doesn't quite trust her. Her attraction to vampires, annoys him, he's still jealous of Angel,
and he doesn't get her drive to patrol. And clearly misses the Initiative.
The two episodes are kind of odd - in that a lot shifts during them. Giles shifts his focus from leaving to staying, for Buffy. And takes over the music shop - so we're no longer using Giles' apartment as the main set. Gives them more space. Harmony is brought back into the show. Dawn is inserted. Spike is the local informant, who everyone beats up to get information from - specifically Riley and Buffy. (This was clearly meant to be amusing from the writer's perspective, but doesn't quite play out that way on screen. I think the writers misread their audience - who is not quite as sadistic as they are? (well some were, most weren't, you know who are.) Because all it does is build up sympathy in the audience for Spike. Yes, I get why they are beating him up - Spike's opportunistic, and if they punch him, he'll talk - but it's sending the message that violence or torture gets you information, and puts the heroes in a bad light? I mean how are they any better than Spike or Angelus for that matter? If Buffy tortures people for information or beats them up for information, vampires or demons, is she any better than the demons she fights? That's why it didn't quite work the way they meant for it to work? Add to that, it makes Spike more sympathetic to the audience and an outsider, so people are identifying more with Spike than the Scooby Gamg. And that did happen by the way. So, in short, it was a bad writing choice, they should have come up with something else. Also doing it every episode - is not a good idea, one or two, maybe, but they do it in almost every one - which explains why I was kind of rooting for Spike to punch Buffy through the wall in Smashed. (She was punching him in the nose constantly, whether he did anything or not.)
The other odd thing that I notice now, and didn't way back then is the only person who doesn't make the credits is Tara. Anya, Riley, Spike, and Dawn all do. Even OZ had made it after S2 and was there up until he left in S4.
But Tara isn't in the "credits" at all. Which is odd, since she is in S4? Usually they include the character in the credits after the first season they appear. The only other main supporting character not to appear in the credits after they appeared in their first season is Jenny Calendar. It's becoming glaringly obvious on rewatch that they were planning to kill off Tara, partly because Whedon liked to repeat certain story threads and to shock his audience.
Tara much like OZ is more idealized than developed, the other characters are far more developed. And Tara has a special relationship with Dawn. Dawn gets along best with Willow, Tara and Xander, and has the most friction with Anya, Giles, Riley, and to a degree Buffy. (That's the other reason they are intending to kill Tara - her connection to Dawn.)
On Buffy vs. Dracula? We get this episode mainly because Fox wants to market it's Vampire limited series with the actor playing Dracula. I think the series was either on Fox or the WB. It was forgettable. I remember watching it and forgetting it. The actor who played Dracula, had previously been paired in a romantic relationship with Gellar in AMC. It's not a great episode, and kind of makes fun of the Dracula trope. It's not the first time, Angel makes fun of it repeatedly in S1-2, and in Angel S1,
Over on Angel, we establish that Angel doesn't sing (or dance). And likes Barry Manilow. Specifically Mandy. (An aside, Boreanze doesn't sing either, although slightly better than Angel. And informed Whedon that if he attempted to turn an episode of Angel into a musical - he would hire someone to take out Whedon - Charisma seconded it. They made it clear he was not to do that on Angel or he was a dead man. ) Also, and this bit, I completely forgot, and is kind of important to both series - Angel visits Faith in prison. We actually get a scene of Angel visiting Faith at the prison and asking how things are going. To my knowledge he's the only one who visits her during her two and a half years of incarceration. And I don't think anyone knows about it. So, Angel rehabilitates Faith, while Buffy oddly rehabilitates Spike.
The Angel S2 first episode - is important for introducing Andy Hallett as Lorne, the nightclub singer, Lounge Lizard, who has the ability to read people's thoughts, wants, desires and futures when they sing to him. It's notable that neither Wes nor Cordelia sing to Lorne, just Angel.
Also, that the gang is attempting to achieve the Shanshu, only to have Angel cross that off - and say lets just proceed as we used to, this isn't getting us anywhere. It's also the first time - the Cordelia's visions start to be questioned. She sees a demon, Angel kills it to save a pregnant woman, only to discover it was protecting the woman. And Angel champions her at a demon tribunal, if he wins - they protect her and her child, if he loses, the demon who defeated him can take her and her child as spoils or kill her or whatever. (It's also the first time the word "champion" is used, and Angel begins to slowly adopt it, along with his friends as the seasons progress.) What we aren't told is who she is or what the baby is.
Meanwhile Darla remembers that Angel killed her. And we discover that she can feel him, and always could, wherever he is.
Okay done for tonight, I think. Off to work tomorrow.
I had today off due to the doctor's appointment, but I was dragging. It may be the fact that it is getting darker earlier - not sure. Felt a little off at the doctor's appointment and a touch on the dizzy side, but nothing drastic and they found nothing wrong. We agreed not to give me steroids - that tends to destroy the gut and cause other issues - which I don't need. So we're sticking with the Meczalatine which is working. And the nasal spray. If things get worse - vestibular therapy, and maybe a test for Muenir's.
Coming home, I accidentally ended up on the M train, without realizing it, and had to switch at Marcy Avenue (it's somewhere in Queens and I've never heard of it), which meant going down six flights of steps, across a street, and up six flights of steps, taking the M back across the bridge into Manhattan, down more steps, and taking the F back. I'd planned on hopping off at Bergen to see if I could find a gluten free pie at Union Market or Trader Joes, but the F train decided to go express skipping those streets, and my arthritis had flared, so the leg was really bothering me, also I felt off, and tired - so I went home instead. Oh well, I got a nice view of the river and Manhattan and Queens from the bridge.
It was also a nice day if a bit on the cool side.
I'll try to get a pie tomorrow at work. I'm near Whole Foods, and the farmers market, which has a gluten free bakery vendor on Tuesdays.
Dinner was hearts of palm spaghetti, asperagus, and broccoli with pesto, grated parmesan, and pepper. Blood sugar was high, so went with a vegetarian dinner that was low in carbs.
***
Television
I finished S3 of Dark Winds on Netflix. AMC is dumping seasons of shows that previously aired on AMC onto Netflix. They've also dumped Interview with a Vampire S1-2, Mayfair Witches, Breaking Bad, and This is Going to Hurt - to name a few.
Dark Winds was hard to follow in places, but overall entertaining. The problem it had - was four different mysteries, none of which were connected, two of which had happened some time ago, and in different locals. Also the mysticism, and a mystery solved during a dream sequence. (I am not a fan of dream sequences in television shows, films or books. I don't particularly like reading about my own dreams. It's also hard to do it well - I honestly think only David Lynch succeeded because he thinks that way.)
I liked the first two seasons better. Not sure if it is continuing or not?
It's based on the Tony Hillerman, Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee mysteries which were written in the 1970s, and this takes place in the 1970s. (I read them in the 90s). What's unique about the series is it is filmed on Navajo reservations, and the cast is mostly Navajo, Native American, and it's written by Navajo and Native Americans. The executive producers are Robert Redford and George RR Martin, who both had a cameo, playing chess, during it.
Also started This is Going to Hurt - a fictionalized account of Adam Kay's non-fiction memoir on his experiences working as a Junior Doctor on an NHS maternity ward in London. I'd categorize it as hyper-realism, and it is a dramedy. Although I don't find it funny - it's a bit too dark for my sensibilities. There is however a somewhat funny bit about the doctor attempting to get a pregnant woman in and out of a lift that won't stop moving. I thought NYC's inner city hospitals were bad - they've nothing on London's NHS, as shown here.
It's gritty, grim, black humor. Ben Whinslaw is brilliant in it. I don't know if I'll make it through all the episodes? There are only seven in all.
It's written by Adam Kay, who wrote it as a 7 episode limited series, focused on himself and another doctor working in the maternity ward. Reminds me a little bit of The Pitt, but far more raw and a little bit more bloody, also we slant into the personal lives of the doctors. Adam Kay appears to be a gay doctor, who is still firmly in the closet at home and at work - causing issues with his significant other.
Made through two episodes so far.
Finally, rewatching Angel S2 and Buffy S5. Of the two, I've watched Buffy S5 quite a few times, but not since 2010.
I'd forgotten how abrupt the introduction of Dawn truly is. She's not there, then it's as if she's always been, and her room and bed is the room and bed Buffy and Faith were making up in their dreams in Graduation Day Part II (S3), This Year's Girl (S4) and referenced again in Restless. Restless is referenced a lot in the first episode of the Season. Dracula basically quotes what Tara stated in Restless - "you think you know what you are, where you are going, you've not even begun", and when she drinks his blood, she sees the first slayer. Also the first picture of the credits this season is The First Slayer. Also Dawn's room is exactly as Buffy dreamed it, just with a bit more in it. And she pops up after Dracula leaves.
What's also interesting is Dracula kind of set the stage for it? His Castle appears out. of nowhere, as does he. They go from being carefree on the beach, to suddenly engulfed in a storm clouds - and it doesn't let up.
It's a shift in tone and story.
Post Dracula and post Dawn, everyone's relationships shift. It becomes gradually clearer that Riley/Buffy aren't working. He makes statements on the beach in Dracula that she throws like a girl. (Someone made a statement to me like that, and I pointed out that a few female co-workers threw better than the male ones. ) What is it about men that they feel this need to put women down constantly to build themselves up? Runs like a girl? Throws like a girl? Really? It's a dated comment, and makes Riley kind of sexist. The writers write Riley as a bit of chauvinistic prick at times.
He also doesn't seem to understand Buffy all that much, and I get the very strong feeling that she doesn't quite trust him, and he doesn't quite trust her. Her attraction to vampires, annoys him, he's still jealous of Angel,
and he doesn't get her drive to patrol. And clearly misses the Initiative.
The two episodes are kind of odd - in that a lot shifts during them. Giles shifts his focus from leaving to staying, for Buffy. And takes over the music shop - so we're no longer using Giles' apartment as the main set. Gives them more space. Harmony is brought back into the show. Dawn is inserted. Spike is the local informant, who everyone beats up to get information from - specifically Riley and Buffy. (This was clearly meant to be amusing from the writer's perspective, but doesn't quite play out that way on screen. I think the writers misread their audience - who is not quite as sadistic as they are? (well some were, most weren't, you know who are.) Because all it does is build up sympathy in the audience for Spike. Yes, I get why they are beating him up - Spike's opportunistic, and if they punch him, he'll talk - but it's sending the message that violence or torture gets you information, and puts the heroes in a bad light? I mean how are they any better than Spike or Angelus for that matter? If Buffy tortures people for information or beats them up for information, vampires or demons, is she any better than the demons she fights? That's why it didn't quite work the way they meant for it to work? Add to that, it makes Spike more sympathetic to the audience and an outsider, so people are identifying more with Spike than the Scooby Gamg. And that did happen by the way. So, in short, it was a bad writing choice, they should have come up with something else. Also doing it every episode - is not a good idea, one or two, maybe, but they do it in almost every one - which explains why I was kind of rooting for Spike to punch Buffy through the wall in Smashed. (She was punching him in the nose constantly, whether he did anything or not.)
The other odd thing that I notice now, and didn't way back then is the only person who doesn't make the credits is Tara. Anya, Riley, Spike, and Dawn all do. Even OZ had made it after S2 and was there up until he left in S4.
But Tara isn't in the "credits" at all. Which is odd, since she is in S4? Usually they include the character in the credits after the first season they appear. The only other main supporting character not to appear in the credits after they appeared in their first season is Jenny Calendar. It's becoming glaringly obvious on rewatch that they were planning to kill off Tara, partly because Whedon liked to repeat certain story threads and to shock his audience.
Tara much like OZ is more idealized than developed, the other characters are far more developed. And Tara has a special relationship with Dawn. Dawn gets along best with Willow, Tara and Xander, and has the most friction with Anya, Giles, Riley, and to a degree Buffy. (That's the other reason they are intending to kill Tara - her connection to Dawn.)
On Buffy vs. Dracula? We get this episode mainly because Fox wants to market it's Vampire limited series with the actor playing Dracula. I think the series was either on Fox or the WB. It was forgettable. I remember watching it and forgetting it. The actor who played Dracula, had previously been paired in a romantic relationship with Gellar in AMC. It's not a great episode, and kind of makes fun of the Dracula trope. It's not the first time, Angel makes fun of it repeatedly in S1-2, and in Angel S1,
Over on Angel, we establish that Angel doesn't sing (or dance). And likes Barry Manilow. Specifically Mandy. (An aside, Boreanze doesn't sing either, although slightly better than Angel. And informed Whedon that if he attempted to turn an episode of Angel into a musical - he would hire someone to take out Whedon - Charisma seconded it. They made it clear he was not to do that on Angel or he was a dead man. ) Also, and this bit, I completely forgot, and is kind of important to both series - Angel visits Faith in prison. We actually get a scene of Angel visiting Faith at the prison and asking how things are going. To my knowledge he's the only one who visits her during her two and a half years of incarceration. And I don't think anyone knows about it. So, Angel rehabilitates Faith, while Buffy oddly rehabilitates Spike.
The Angel S2 first episode - is important for introducing Andy Hallett as Lorne, the nightclub singer, Lounge Lizard, who has the ability to read people's thoughts, wants, desires and futures when they sing to him. It's notable that neither Wes nor Cordelia sing to Lorne, just Angel.
Also, that the gang is attempting to achieve the Shanshu, only to have Angel cross that off - and say lets just proceed as we used to, this isn't getting us anywhere. It's also the first time - the Cordelia's visions start to be questioned. She sees a demon, Angel kills it to save a pregnant woman, only to discover it was protecting the woman. And Angel champions her at a demon tribunal, if he wins - they protect her and her child, if he loses, the demon who defeated him can take her and her child as spoils or kill her or whatever. (It's also the first time the word "champion" is used, and Angel begins to slowly adopt it, along with his friends as the seasons progress.) What we aren't told is who she is or what the baby is.
Meanwhile Darla remembers that Angel killed her. And we discover that she can feel him, and always could, wherever he is.
Okay done for tonight, I think. Off to work tomorrow.
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Date: 2025-11-26 03:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-11-26 05:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-11-27 02:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-11-28 12:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-11-28 04:46 pm (UTC)Springfield had to deal with the soap stigma, and the pop star one hit wonder stigma, I think?
Which Meryl Streep film?
I've only seen him in General Hospital and Nick at Night, which I can't say are the best things to judge him by?
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Date: 2025-11-28 06:36 pm (UTC)