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shadowkatDoes anyone out there know what to do about a persistent dry cough? It's not a cold. It's just a chest cough that seems to be connected to dry air associated with heaters? Not sure. But I can't seem to shake it. And that's the only symptom this chest cough.
Vampire Diaries rocked big time, again. This has turned out to be a surprisingly entertaining tv show. Also amongst the few gothic horror shows that has gone into detail about how painful it is turn into a werewolf. It's not called a curse for nothing. The trick with horror or any genre, is to make the make-believe world real - or provide a sense of grounding. Also to write believable and interesting characters, with snappy dialogue. But making the make-believe feel real or resonate with the viewer on a deeper level is hard to do. Gothic horror often gets campy. And the "werewolf" genre is an incredibly campy one. Here...they do a good job of making it interesting. Actually everything about tonight's episode was interesting. Kick-ass episode. In some respects, Vampire Diaries is far more entertaining than True Blood. It also makes more sense plot and mythology wise - but that's partly because it's not expending a lot of energy trying to be satirical or making a point. It's just out there to entertain. Hate to say it - but getting overly obsessed with theme and message - can ruin many a good yarn. First goal - entertainment, second goal - message. People don't watch gothic horror shows to learn deep meaningful things about life (well not unless they are being paid to write and publish scholarly analysis on it or if they are me, just get off on it, weird I know, but there you go), they watch them to escape from life a bit.
Grey's Anatomy also rocked. Really loving the Cristina Yang arc this season. Actually I'm enjoying all the characters and their arcs. Rare to find a show you feel that way about. Usually there's at least two or three characters I really could do without ...but this season, that's not the case. I adore them all.
Almost done with Storm of Swords - thinking of reviewing it when I finish. It's quite brilliant actually. All the character arcs work. There's a lot of death, and quite a bit of it is not for the weak of stomach, but it works. As far as epic fantasies go...this may be amongst the best I've read...it has magic, but the magic doesn't rule the world, it's referenced, and comes into play, but it's not used as a deux ex machina nor is it overdone, if anything it's quite believable and mysterious - making this fantasy world seem real. A lot of fantasy novels make the mistake of over-doing it on the magic. They get carried away, to the point that you sort of shrug and laugh at it. Here, it's subtle. And not everyone believes in it - it's actually a lot like how we view it - where some people believe and see the magic and others are highly skeptical. Also the world is dirty, grungy, and tough - a true medieval landscape - not the glamorized one that we often see in these sorts of books. The characters are twisted and human, dark and light. And multi-faceated. Amongst my favorites are the anti-heroes - the noseless dwarf Tyrion Lannister, his beautiful yet morally twisted brother Jaime, who has perhaps the best character arc I've seen in a fantasy novel, Ayra - the fierce and violent girl warrior of 12, Jon Snow - the honorable bastard son of Ned Stark who yearns for more yet is wracked with guilt for feeling it, Sansa - the pretty and somewhat vain, yet terribly kind and not so smart sister of Arya. It's an intricate world, woven meticulously by the teller. And having read recently several things that shall we say were told far less meticulously and with far less attention to detail - I'm rather impressed by this achievement. What George RR Martin achieves with this novel is a feat of magic, and a lot of hard work. Writing well requires hard work and not everyone can do it.
Damn, this cough, I don't know what to do about it. Thinking of seeing a doctor, but have no time.
Maybe next week. I'll call tomorrow and try to set up an appointment. Don't want this turn into bronchitis like it did last time. It feels like a reaction to dry air. So maybe a humidifier??
Goals this weekend, assuming I survive the work week - which I most likely will, are : 1) run errands, 2) church, 3)apt hunt, and 4) look at novel and attempt to figure out how to write a synopsis and a query letter. Don't suppose anyone out there has any tips on that? Guessing not.
But worth asking anyhow.
Vampire Diaries rocked big time, again. This has turned out to be a surprisingly entertaining tv show. Also amongst the few gothic horror shows that has gone into detail about how painful it is turn into a werewolf. It's not called a curse for nothing. The trick with horror or any genre, is to make the make-believe world real - or provide a sense of grounding. Also to write believable and interesting characters, with snappy dialogue. But making the make-believe feel real or resonate with the viewer on a deeper level is hard to do. Gothic horror often gets campy. And the "werewolf" genre is an incredibly campy one. Here...they do a good job of making it interesting. Actually everything about tonight's episode was interesting. Kick-ass episode. In some respects, Vampire Diaries is far more entertaining than True Blood. It also makes more sense plot and mythology wise - but that's partly because it's not expending a lot of energy trying to be satirical or making a point. It's just out there to entertain. Hate to say it - but getting overly obsessed with theme and message - can ruin many a good yarn. First goal - entertainment, second goal - message. People don't watch gothic horror shows to learn deep meaningful things about life (well not unless they are being paid to write and publish scholarly analysis on it or if they are me, just get off on it, weird I know, but there you go), they watch them to escape from life a bit.
Grey's Anatomy also rocked. Really loving the Cristina Yang arc this season. Actually I'm enjoying all the characters and their arcs. Rare to find a show you feel that way about. Usually there's at least two or three characters I really could do without ...but this season, that's not the case. I adore them all.
Almost done with Storm of Swords - thinking of reviewing it when I finish. It's quite brilliant actually. All the character arcs work. There's a lot of death, and quite a bit of it is not for the weak of stomach, but it works. As far as epic fantasies go...this may be amongst the best I've read...it has magic, but the magic doesn't rule the world, it's referenced, and comes into play, but it's not used as a deux ex machina nor is it overdone, if anything it's quite believable and mysterious - making this fantasy world seem real. A lot of fantasy novels make the mistake of over-doing it on the magic. They get carried away, to the point that you sort of shrug and laugh at it. Here, it's subtle. And not everyone believes in it - it's actually a lot like how we view it - where some people believe and see the magic and others are highly skeptical. Also the world is dirty, grungy, and tough - a true medieval landscape - not the glamorized one that we often see in these sorts of books. The characters are twisted and human, dark and light. And multi-faceated. Amongst my favorites are the anti-heroes - the noseless dwarf Tyrion Lannister, his beautiful yet morally twisted brother Jaime, who has perhaps the best character arc I've seen in a fantasy novel, Ayra - the fierce and violent girl warrior of 12, Jon Snow - the honorable bastard son of Ned Stark who yearns for more yet is wracked with guilt for feeling it, Sansa - the pretty and somewhat vain, yet terribly kind and not so smart sister of Arya. It's an intricate world, woven meticulously by the teller. And having read recently several things that shall we say were told far less meticulously and with far less attention to detail - I'm rather impressed by this achievement. What George RR Martin achieves with this novel is a feat of magic, and a lot of hard work. Writing well requires hard work and not everyone can do it.
Damn, this cough, I don't know what to do about it. Thinking of seeing a doctor, but have no time.
Maybe next week. I'll call tomorrow and try to set up an appointment. Don't want this turn into bronchitis like it did last time. It feels like a reaction to dry air. So maybe a humidifier??
Goals this weekend, assuming I survive the work week - which I most likely will, are : 1) run errands, 2) church, 3)apt hunt, and 4) look at novel and attempt to figure out how to write a synopsis and a query letter. Don't suppose anyone out there has any tips on that? Guessing not.
But worth asking anyhow.