Can't think of a bloody title...
Dec. 22nd, 2025 09:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatResting my knee tonight, so didn't do the exercises - did ice it, also did exercises at work. Also took a longer walk than I should have? I wanted to see if Trinity Church, Printemps, and NYSE had been dressed up at all for Xmas. It had, but minimalist in style. The over-blown festive decorations are apparently saved for Dyker Heights, my apartment complex lobby, and Midtown Shopping District. The Financial District is well...not exactly spendthrift when it comes to Christmas decor - and errs on the tasteful and minimalist side of the fence?
After the walk - which included an ill advised journey to Insomiac Cookies, which was alas closed - my right knee/leg was killing me. It was my own fault - if I'd ended it five to ten minutes sooner, I'd have been fine. Plus it was cold outside. ( Would have been nice if Insomina Cookies had warned me that they were closed this week.) And I didn't even get any chocolate chip cookies. I wanted my cookies. Instead I bought a chocolate bar - which resulted in high blood sugar, the cookies were the better bet.
On the plus side (knee wise, at least) - I managed to schedule an MRI for January 4 at the Brooklyn location, and on a Sunday morning, no less. Go me. So not quite as far as the Manhattan one, and less steps. Also a followup appointment with the orthopedist at 2:30pm on January 9 (Friday). I'll probably have to take the day off. Unfortunately. Either that or take two hours of comp time. I only have 10 hours of comp time remaining. Currently have a PT appointment scheduled at 4:30pm after it, which I might cancel or try to reschedule. So got it a lot faster than expected.
2. Gave up on the Larry Silverstein book - the narrator was speaking in a monotone, and I was having troubles following it. Jumped over to Tim Curry's autobiography entitled "Vagabound" - which Curry was reading himself, only one small problem? He'd just suffered a stroke. After about an hour and a half, I gave up. I can't do 10 hours of that - it was painful listening to him. So, I jumped over to Angelica Huston's autobiography/memoir, The Story of Me - which is a two party, and read by Huston, to high acclaim. She has a lovely voice, and it's beautifully written. Also very interesting - since she talks about her parents, the acclaimed actor, film director and writer, John Huston, his wife a prima ballerina, his father, an acclaimed actor, and their friends. It talks a lot about old Hollywood - during the 1950s. I just finished a chapter, where she talks about how her father, along with Edward G. Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, etc - formed an organization supporting the First Amendment - to speak out against the McCarthy Hearings and the infamous Hollywood Blacklist. This also resulted in Huston leaving the US, and filming outside of it, and living outside of it for the remainder of his life. Huston married Angelica Huston's mother when he was 40 years of age, and her mother was 18 years of age, and a prima ballerina at the premier ballet company in the US which later became the NY Ballet.
Angelica Huston doesn't tell so much as show? She relates the facts, and lets the reader figure it out. Reminds me of Paul Newman's memoir in that respect. It's well written.
3. Progressing along in my rewatch of Buffy S5. Some takeaways, after seeing I was Made to Love You and Crush.
Buffy's clothes change from bright and cherry to rather somber as the season progress, and she wears a lot of blood red.
I think the writers had a difficult task in S5? It reminds me of their issues with Faith, actually, in S3. Although it's weirdly worse here. At least with Faith - I felt as if the gang was trying to include her and gave her a chance, Faith rejected them for the most part. Here? It's hard not to feel sorry for Spike? He's kind of painted as an outsider? Who is just trying to find a gang or a place to belong. What's odd - is he doesn't form a gang of demons, or just leave town with Dru? And what's odder still is that no one in the Scooby Gang is asking that question? Instead they are treating him like a human male creep that they want to go away, and just make fun of?
There's a lot of red flags here. I get what the writers are attempting to do plot wise. And it is admittedly fascinating. But, Spike shouldn't come across as more sympathetic than Buffy and her friends do? And he kind of does? I mean it is hard to take Spike as a malicious threat seriously - when the writers show everyone and their mother either taking advantage of him, punching him, or insulting him, with no fear of reprisal? They don't even appear to be worried that he might tell Glory that Dawn is the key for kick and giggles. The characters treat Spike as less of a threat than Warren and the Robot in I Was Made to Love You. They treat him as a kind of tolerable and required nuisance that they ask to help them on occasion, he's treated a lot like Cordelia was in S1-3, Wes in S3, and Faith in S3.
And...well, Spike may not be able to bite or hurt them physically? But as Yoko Factor demonstrated - that doesn't prevent him from getting someone else to do it for him, or manipulating them. It makes the characters look kind of dense?
Also, Giles threatening Spike is amusing and annoying, in that Spike could probably take out Giles with a moment's notice? Also, Giles must know that Spike knows Dawn is the key??
It's as if they all forgot about it?
It's also kind of fun to watch - knowing what happens in S6 and S7.
I think, and I could be wrong about this, but there appears to be an unreliable narrative device at use here? In Checkpoint, the writers remind Buffy and the viewer - how unreliable and ineffectual the Watcher Council is, and their main means of power is manipulating through information. This is echoed in Angel, via WRH, which also manipulates through information or rather misinformation. What Buffy knows about vampires comes from the Watcher Council and Giles. And it is shown repeatedly through the season, in just about every episode, that Giles doesn't know what he's talking about half the time and gets it wrong. Spike tells them who the demons are in Family, Anya tells Giles never to sell two items together and it's Willow, Tara and Anya who explain why - after Giles sells them to Glory.
Giles is the one who tells Buffy that vampires can't love, and they just wear the human as a mask. All evidence to the contrary. Riley sees them as subterrestials, not demons, so the military doesn't necessarily view them the same - just as a threat that can either be co-opted or destroyed.
In S4, Giles asks Spike if there might be a reason for the chip, maybe the powers have something in store for him. But dismisses it - when Spike doesn't agree. Giles almost gives up too easily.
And in Fool For Love - it looks like Spike is taunting Buffy, and says Death is her gift, or what she wants. But in reality he's saying I could beat the other slayers, but I couldn't beat you - because of what ties you to this world - what connects you to others. It's not your superpowers or being the slayer that saves you, it's your friends, your Mom, Giles, Dawn, that does. Buffy just doesn't hear him, nor does the audience. Mainly because it's an off-the-cuff remark, stated with more than a little annoyance.
Crush - he has an identity crisis. And Buffy is so distracted by the fact that he has a crush on her, that she's not picking up on a few things? He could have easily let Drusilla kill her. He had her outnumbered, also when Harmony shows up...it could have been three to one. The fact he knocks Dru away, and fights off Harmony, to free Buffy, even after Buffy rejects him, and stands by Buffy's side - letting the other two know where he stands - is interesting. It goes over Buffy's head. And everyone else's. What's interesting isn't that he captures her, or chains her, or threatens her - that is to be expected, what is interesting is that he lets her go and chooses her over the two vampire woman (both arguably more attractive to him than Buffy is, and better for his overall wellbeing and survival). Neither Buffy nor Spike understand why he does this. And Buffy kind of glosses over it.
His actions in Crush are contradictions. And he's confused. He's also confused and frustrated in I Was Made to Love You. And Buffy's friends reactions to him - don't help, nor do hers. She runs hot and cold, as do they. And I don't think they realize it? In a way they are treating Spike much the same way Warren is treating his Robot.
It's such an odd writing decision on the part of the writers. It's also what makes the series so rewatchable. Because it can be looked at in more than one way.
After the walk - which included an ill advised journey to Insomiac Cookies, which was alas closed - my right knee/leg was killing me. It was my own fault - if I'd ended it five to ten minutes sooner, I'd have been fine. Plus it was cold outside. ( Would have been nice if Insomina Cookies had warned me that they were closed this week.) And I didn't even get any chocolate chip cookies. I wanted my cookies. Instead I bought a chocolate bar - which resulted in high blood sugar, the cookies were the better bet.
On the plus side (knee wise, at least) - I managed to schedule an MRI for January 4 at the Brooklyn location, and on a Sunday morning, no less. Go me. So not quite as far as the Manhattan one, and less steps. Also a followup appointment with the orthopedist at 2:30pm on January 9 (Friday). I'll probably have to take the day off. Unfortunately. Either that or take two hours of comp time. I only have 10 hours of comp time remaining. Currently have a PT appointment scheduled at 4:30pm after it, which I might cancel or try to reschedule. So got it a lot faster than expected.
2. Gave up on the Larry Silverstein book - the narrator was speaking in a monotone, and I was having troubles following it. Jumped over to Tim Curry's autobiography entitled "Vagabound" - which Curry was reading himself, only one small problem? He'd just suffered a stroke. After about an hour and a half, I gave up. I can't do 10 hours of that - it was painful listening to him. So, I jumped over to Angelica Huston's autobiography/memoir, The Story of Me - which is a two party, and read by Huston, to high acclaim. She has a lovely voice, and it's beautifully written. Also very interesting - since she talks about her parents, the acclaimed actor, film director and writer, John Huston, his wife a prima ballerina, his father, an acclaimed actor, and their friends. It talks a lot about old Hollywood - during the 1950s. I just finished a chapter, where she talks about how her father, along with Edward G. Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, etc - formed an organization supporting the First Amendment - to speak out against the McCarthy Hearings and the infamous Hollywood Blacklist. This also resulted in Huston leaving the US, and filming outside of it, and living outside of it for the remainder of his life. Huston married Angelica Huston's mother when he was 40 years of age, and her mother was 18 years of age, and a prima ballerina at the premier ballet company in the US which later became the NY Ballet.
Angelica Huston doesn't tell so much as show? She relates the facts, and lets the reader figure it out. Reminds me of Paul Newman's memoir in that respect. It's well written.
3. Progressing along in my rewatch of Buffy S5. Some takeaways, after seeing I was Made to Love You and Crush.
Buffy's clothes change from bright and cherry to rather somber as the season progress, and she wears a lot of blood red.
I think the writers had a difficult task in S5? It reminds me of their issues with Faith, actually, in S3. Although it's weirdly worse here. At least with Faith - I felt as if the gang was trying to include her and gave her a chance, Faith rejected them for the most part. Here? It's hard not to feel sorry for Spike? He's kind of painted as an outsider? Who is just trying to find a gang or a place to belong. What's odd - is he doesn't form a gang of demons, or just leave town with Dru? And what's odder still is that no one in the Scooby Gang is asking that question? Instead they are treating him like a human male creep that they want to go away, and just make fun of?
There's a lot of red flags here. I get what the writers are attempting to do plot wise. And it is admittedly fascinating. But, Spike shouldn't come across as more sympathetic than Buffy and her friends do? And he kind of does? I mean it is hard to take Spike as a malicious threat seriously - when the writers show everyone and their mother either taking advantage of him, punching him, or insulting him, with no fear of reprisal? They don't even appear to be worried that he might tell Glory that Dawn is the key for kick and giggles. The characters treat Spike as less of a threat than Warren and the Robot in I Was Made to Love You. They treat him as a kind of tolerable and required nuisance that they ask to help them on occasion, he's treated a lot like Cordelia was in S1-3, Wes in S3, and Faith in S3.
And...well, Spike may not be able to bite or hurt them physically? But as Yoko Factor demonstrated - that doesn't prevent him from getting someone else to do it for him, or manipulating them. It makes the characters look kind of dense?
Also, Giles threatening Spike is amusing and annoying, in that Spike could probably take out Giles with a moment's notice? Also, Giles must know that Spike knows Dawn is the key??
It's as if they all forgot about it?
It's also kind of fun to watch - knowing what happens in S6 and S7.
I think, and I could be wrong about this, but there appears to be an unreliable narrative device at use here? In Checkpoint, the writers remind Buffy and the viewer - how unreliable and ineffectual the Watcher Council is, and their main means of power is manipulating through information. This is echoed in Angel, via WRH, which also manipulates through information or rather misinformation. What Buffy knows about vampires comes from the Watcher Council and Giles. And it is shown repeatedly through the season, in just about every episode, that Giles doesn't know what he's talking about half the time and gets it wrong. Spike tells them who the demons are in Family, Anya tells Giles never to sell two items together and it's Willow, Tara and Anya who explain why - after Giles sells them to Glory.
Giles is the one who tells Buffy that vampires can't love, and they just wear the human as a mask. All evidence to the contrary. Riley sees them as subterrestials, not demons, so the military doesn't necessarily view them the same - just as a threat that can either be co-opted or destroyed.
In S4, Giles asks Spike if there might be a reason for the chip, maybe the powers have something in store for him. But dismisses it - when Spike doesn't agree. Giles almost gives up too easily.
And in Fool For Love - it looks like Spike is taunting Buffy, and says Death is her gift, or what she wants. But in reality he's saying I could beat the other slayers, but I couldn't beat you - because of what ties you to this world - what connects you to others. It's not your superpowers or being the slayer that saves you, it's your friends, your Mom, Giles, Dawn, that does. Buffy just doesn't hear him, nor does the audience. Mainly because it's an off-the-cuff remark, stated with more than a little annoyance.
Crush - he has an identity crisis. And Buffy is so distracted by the fact that he has a crush on her, that she's not picking up on a few things? He could have easily let Drusilla kill her. He had her outnumbered, also when Harmony shows up...it could have been three to one. The fact he knocks Dru away, and fights off Harmony, to free Buffy, even after Buffy rejects him, and stands by Buffy's side - letting the other two know where he stands - is interesting. It goes over Buffy's head. And everyone else's. What's interesting isn't that he captures her, or chains her, or threatens her - that is to be expected, what is interesting is that he lets her go and chooses her over the two vampire woman (both arguably more attractive to him than Buffy is, and better for his overall wellbeing and survival). Neither Buffy nor Spike understand why he does this. And Buffy kind of glosses over it.
His actions in Crush are contradictions. And he's confused. He's also confused and frustrated in I Was Made to Love You. And Buffy's friends reactions to him - don't help, nor do hers. She runs hot and cold, as do they. And I don't think they realize it? In a way they are treating Spike much the same way Warren is treating his Robot.
It's such an odd writing decision on the part of the writers. It's also what makes the series so rewatchable. Because it can be looked at in more than one way.
no subject
Date: 2025-12-23 11:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-12-24 02:27 am (UTC)"In 2012, at 67, he had a severe stroke, leaving his left side paralysed. He is grateful that he didn’t lose his speech. Making other people laugh is clearly a thrill for him – his conversation is full of cutting remarks, punchlines and exemplary voice work. How did his stroke change his outlook on life? “The day before I had the stroke, I smoked three packs of Marlboro Reds,” he says. “I won’t be doing that again!”
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/ng-interactive/2025/oct/14/risky-is-the-best-way-to-be-tim-curry-sexuality-surviving-stroke-50-years-stardom