Spontaneous Musings

Finding myself redefining patience of late. I've managed to sink into a routine of not thinking, and just ambling through to the tune of Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb.

Right now, half watching the pilot episode of The Rockford Files - Backlash of the Hunter (it's available on Amazon Prime, Roku and Friendly TV), which aired on March 24, 1974, and co-starred a very young Lindsey Wagner - before Bionic Woman. James Garner has an effortless charm, chiseled good looks, and is the best thing in it. It was created by Stephen J Cannel, who did a lot of these sort of action/mystery series. It's kind of a Sam Spade/Raymond Chandler light PI series. My father loved it.( Read more... ) This was one of the better 1970s television series, but it has bland dialogue, which Garner does his best with - better than the supporting actors. (The series gets better ones as it goes). But alas, I've been watching Angel which has better dialogue and is a lot more compelling - this is kind of boring and I don't really care? It reminds me a lot of the writing/direction and acting in Poker Face actually. I remember watching a lot of these shows in the 20th Century and early 21st. It doesn't date well in regards to sexual orientation - uses words like queer in a derogatory manner. (Welcome to 1970s network television!) Also not very diverse in its casting, although more so than other shows on at the time.

Cold is getting better, I think? But I cancelled the second PT appointment - Friday's. Mainly because I don't want to hurt anyone who may be sensitive to germs - and they frown on you coming to their offices with a cough or runny nose. Work isn't an issue - I'm not near anybody at the moment, and only have to mask in public areas (break room, halls, lobby, restroom, and the trains/platforms). And I'm not coughing enough for it to be an actual problem. Although I think this is probably just allergies or a cold. Since switching off the bedroom radiator helped tremendously. I'm taking plenty of Mucinex, cough drops, antihistamines, etc. Runny nose, eyes, and a persistent cough. Also, a sense of being out of breath, tired, and lack of appetite. But other than that, fine. Doesn't prevent me from eating chocolate, unfortunately.

Bee aka cubical mate was discussing a new television show that she'd binged over the weekend and couldn't stop watching - with someone. I kept trying to figure out what it was? She mentioned people starting a company, the FBI hunting them down, insane things happening, and it being kind of twisted in places, and fast paced. Also way off her radar.

I sat there for fifteen minutes trying to figure it out. Gave up. Tried to convince myself not to ask. Gave up. Curiosity killed the cat and all that?

Me: What's the television show that you are discussing?
Bee: I'm about to go on another call, but, it's Start-up.

Start Up??? I look it up. Or rather google "Start Up Television Show". (Weirdly Bing or my work browser has it only on Apple TV and Prime, while Google and Firefox show it is on Netflix. Work browser is not accurate and often brings up different things than home browser. I work on a PC, and at home on a Mac. I'm computer versatile.)

When she gets off the phone - I ask her if it's the one with Martin Freeman playing the FBI agent Rask, and about crypto. She pauses to think and says yes. And she's watching it on Netflix.

I tell her - that I'll try it - but does it require a lot of focus? She says yup. So, I may have to wait - I'm watching old television shows for a reason? Also, my ability to focus on a television series right now is about at the level of Bridgerton. I need characters I love, good dialogue, and plots that aren't too convoluted.

Has anyone else seen "Start Up"? Is it any good? It's an older series - 2016-2018.

I am having the same issues with reading at the moment. I'll read a page and have to re-read it more than once sometimes. So, I'm listening to "Twelve Months" the latest in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, narrated by James Marsters. And still reading The Botanist's Assistant on the train, and various digital comic books.

All I want to do is stare into space and think about nothing. I think it's a combination of the cold, NYC in February, the weather, work, and my knees. And not having much to look forward to at the moment? The knees are slowly getting better or stronger. The exercises appear to be working - and I am doing them every day. At least once a day. So there's that.

Off to do something else.

1. Snagged from colls - "You can help NASA classify telescope images of
galaxies, helping researchers identify very distant
galaxies and black holes and distinguish real signals
from noise. Each classification takes about a minute,
and tutorials guide you every step of the way."

Here's How

I don't know about anyone else? But I'm certainly tempted.

2. RIP James Van Der Beek aka Dawson from Dawson's Creek. He died of cancer at the age of 48. It was announced multiple times on the news this morning. He apparently had six kids - which, well, virile?
( Read more... )
3. Work and public transportation and this week (starting with Sunday)...have made me want to avoid people for the next four days (and since I'm taking Friday off and have Monday off as a paid Federal Bank Holiday - I can do that). To further this? I rescheduled my hair appointment for May. (Well that, and I can't handle going up and down four flights of steps on Monday, with this knee. I need more time. I'm hoping by May, I can do it without too much pain.)
( Read more... )

4. Question a Day Memage February:

12. Do you have any siblings?

Yes. One. A younger brother. Who has gifted me with a beautiful niece.
Siblings are a double-edged thing - both gift and curse, those who have them probably know whereof I speak?

5. People are using AI...to help with commenting on various sites - with ahem amusing results? ( Or it's bots, can't decide.)
( Where I'm complimented for my excellent story-telling abilities in...writing film reviews?? )

Sigh, people continue to bewilder me?

Hibernating in my apartment (because it is -16 degrees F outside with windchill, that translates to - 26 C (correction - it's now dropped to 6 degrees and is between -12 and -14, so I guess the wind is leveling off at least?), it's 68 degrees inside with radiators). I'm wearing a turtle neck, sweats, and fluffy socks. So I'm warm. Had hot coco earlier.

( Read more... )

I did finish "Buffy S7: Storyteller" - and the ending isn't bad? ( Read more... )

Then watched two episodes of The Pitt S2 - which were excellent. I love this series. (It's a hyper-realistic medical procedural that focuses on one 16 hour shift in an American inner city ER. It's less personal than This is Gonna Hurt or ER, in that we don't see the home lives of any of the characters. The only set is the ER and the immediate area into and out of it. We see Dr. Robi riding his motorcycle to the ER to start his last night shift before leaving on sabbatical, but after that? It's indoors. Medical health care workers - have stated that when people ask them to describe what they do? They point to the Pitt.)

I can relate - I have troubles explaining my profession too - although it's not that, and no one in their right mind would do a television show off of it. The viewers would go to sleep, god knows, I do.

Mother called after the figure skating (partly to apologize for the American's short program being a disappointment - it isn't usually) and to tell me about a comedy sketch she's working on for her retirement center's variety program. The center's self-appointed theater director has grown weary of writing sketches and has asked people to write or develop their own acts to be edited together into one program. They just have to write it about the center and issues involving it. Mother's decided to do a "Who's on First, What's on Second" sketch - except using maintenance workers.
( Mother's skit - well so far )
I wished her luck with it. She's presenting it to her friend (the self-appointed theater director) tomorrow. (Mother is 83 turning 84 this year, and her friend is about four-five years older, I think.)

**

The self-appointed Buddhist expert on FB posted a list of things to do to change your life and become...I don't know? Calmer? More empathetic? A better person? One never knows with self-appointed internet Buddhist experts.

Their list?
( 6 month plan to become unrecognizable.. )

Anywho - the first three aren't bad: Get sun regularly, practice gratitude, practice detachment (unless of course it means becoming a sociopath - in which case? Bad Buddhist, and I do not think that's what Buddhism is about). But the fourth one kind of lost me and I fluttered away after that, arguing with the person who posted in my head (assuming of course it is an actual person? It could be Generative AI or a Digitial auto pilot account, one never knows these days. (And also not very Buddhist. Techie, yes, Buddhist, no.)
( Read more... )
**

Against my better judgement, I caved and made brownies. ( Read more... )

**

I've managed to do my knee exercises or most of them - the important ones at any rate. Not necessarily three times today, but the knee was hurting still from yesterday. I'd stood on it too long - so it wanted to rest. It finally stopped hurting sometime around noon.

***

Memage

4. How old is the oldest book you own?

God knows. It appears to be On the Road with Jack Keroack - 1955. I was going to say my copy of the Hobbit or the Last Hurrah, but On the Road wins. (I don't tend to keep old books - since I'm allergic to the dust and book mold - and I don't have the space, and I can barely read the small print any longer.)

5. It’s the 60th anniversary of the game ‘Twister’ – have you ever played it?

Yes. Although not since the 1980s. I vaguely remember enjoying it a lot in the 1970s as a kid.

6. In 1869, Harper's Weekly published the first picture of Uncle Sam with chin whiskers. Do you know anyone with a beard or a moustache?

Most of my neighbors and male co-workers. My boss has a beard and moustache, his boss does. Most of the young men in the neighborhood do. Most of my male neighbors - next door, across the hall, downstairs, the guy in the basement. It's incredibly trendy at the moment?

7. Is there a subject at school which you disliked, but you would consider learning now?

No. The ones I disliked, I ended up learning in spite of myself, and unfortunately doing for a living and figuring out on my own. So I don't think it matters? There's no avoiding math. It's a fact of life. As is business law, contracts, and property law. Whether you go to law school or not. Same with computers. Can't avoid it.

Science? No. I hated biology then, I hate it now. Dissection really wasn't my thing. And chemistry - too many annoying formulas and you kind of need to know calculus.

The weekend has flown by, yet again. Mother is more worried about the hematoma that I acquired beneath my upper arm than I am. It's a long red bruise. I have ice on it. Read up on hematomas - and apparently they are only an issue if you feel dizzy, faint, run a fever, have tingling in the digits, have one near the brain or abdomen. Arms, shoulders and legs, not so much. And it takes 1-4 weeks for them to heal. If somewhat lumpy, sore, and colorful - normal.

It's fine. I have ice on it at the moment - finally figured out how to do it. Also been told via mother's cousin - that heat helps.

I've been using a CALM APP to calm my nerves and help with the negative emotions. It helps. Best app that I've found to date, and cheaper than Headspace.

Television

* The Pitt S2 is up on HBO, and it's still good. It's one shift, hour by hour for July 4th, Doctor Robie's last shift before he goes on sabbatical, and the first shift for two doctor's who were away on sabbatical. The series is a hyper-realistic medical procedure that takes place entirely in the ER of an American inner city hospital in Pittsburgh, otherwise known as The Pitt. It's by far the most realistic medical drama that I've seen. The only other one that comes close is the UK series This is Gonna Hurt - starring Ben Whinslaw, and I found difficult to watch. The Pitt isn't quite as raw, nor as bloody as This is Gonna Hurt (which is about an London NHS obstetrics unit). If you want to watch the latter series - it's on Netflix, and was done by AMC and I think ITV. Netflix by the way - has the worst interface on streaming. It's close to impossible to rewind or fast forward, stop or pause on Netflix. I really hate Netflix's interface - it's always crashing my wifi on my television set. If it didn't have great programming, I'd ditch it.

I'm stretching this one out. It stars Noah Wyle, and the daughters of Brad Douriff (horror king), and Bryan Cranston, in supporting roles. Basically ER for grownups.

* Bridgerton S4 Part I - this is Benedict Bridgerton's book, and it has issues. The set up is pretty much the Cinderella trope - a popular and (ahem) overdone (IMO) trope. I am admittedly biased against it. I didn't like the original Cinderella. And the only version that kind of works for me is the one with Drew Barrymore or Sondheim's Into the Woods. (My favorite fairy tale trope is the original Snow Queen - I like it when the woman saves the guy, not the other way around). This is also a highly controversial book among romance readers - ( Read more... )

But Bridgerton is a bit of a satire, as are Julie Quinn's novels - they are making fun of the snobby British Class System.

I've got more to say, but alas time has jumped away from me and I must mosey on to bed.

Tomorrow will be a long and cold day - with work and PT afterwards.

The high today was 18°F (degree Fahrenheit)/ -7.778°C (degree Celsius), most of the day it was 10 F/-12.2222 C, so I spent most it napping, snacking, and watching television, also did knee exercises. [Next week will be fun - since I'll have to venture out at 8-10 F/ -15-12 C, and get home at 22 F. But maybe it will be warmer? At least most of the time is spent inside the trains and stations. No outdoor stations any longer.]

Train Dreams - available exclusively on Netflix at the moment, and nominated for Best Picture, Cinematography, and song (by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) for the Oscars. Nothing against Nick Cave (who I actually love) but I don't remember the song. I think they rolled it over the end credits - and being on Netflix, I didn't watch the end credits.

Train Dreams by Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner (the video is a nice trailer for the film).

It's a beautiful film - kind of dreamy, and weirdly comforting. Felt a bit like a hug on a cold winter night, which I sort of needed today as the radiators hiss to life in the background. The cinematography and the score by Nick Cave is dreamy and lovely all on its own.

The film is about the life and experiences of a logger in the Pacific Northwest, around the turn of the last century (19th to the 20th). It has strong themes about being interconnected, and the ebb and flow of life. Also grief.

Watching it felt a bit like curling up with a good book in front of a fire place, drinking hot coco on a cold winter's day.

Prior to that, I fell asleep watching Grey's Anatomy, which yes, has been on too long. It is on it's 23rd season, it is the longest running prime time medical serial on television. It beat both ER and MASH.

***

"I caught the [60s Batman] TV show in reruns after school every weekday. There’d be a great block of shows that I’d run home for: Star Trek, The Monkees, Twilight Zone, etc. There was a lot of cool stuff that hit stores from Batman-mania that Dad and Mom would get for us, so it was always I source of excitement and great joy. When I was asked to do an issue of DC Solo I immediately got together with my big brother, Lee to do our Batman love letter, BATMAN A Go-Go." - Mike Allred"

Apparently I had the same childhood viewing habits as comic book writer Mike Allred in the 1970s? Just add The Brady Bunch to the docket, and a lot of Godzilla movies. Also, quite a few Elvis Presley films - he died in the 70s, so the Afternoon Movie decided to show every single film he'd ever done. And Presley did a lot of films. None of which were any good.

We used to have The After-School Special (basically a made for television flick with a moral message or lesson), the Afternoon Movie (an afternoon film - usually from the 1950s or 60s that was rated G, they tended to steer clear of the 1970s films which kind of sneered at G ratings, unless they were done by Disney), the Western Film on Saturdays, and Wonderful World of Disney, Masterpiece Theater or Masterpiece Mystery on Sundays. We also watched Star Trek and Space:1999 and Battlestar Galatica, and any other sci-fi show that my parents could find. They liked science fiction, mysteries, noir, and Westerns.

[This was in the 1970s and early 80s. Everything changed somewhere in the 1990s.]

***

Apparently She-Rah is leaving Netflix in a month. Which means if you are like me and probably still need to finish watching the series or watching it at all - you might want to get on that nowhish? I'm guessing they are getting rid of it to make room for the new Star Search? I don't know if anyone else remembers Star Search? It was basically American Idol or Everybody's Got Talent for the kiddie set (or anyone under the age of 18). Brittany Spears and Beyonce were discovered on it. Sarah Michelle Gellar auditioned for it - but didn't make the cut. (I can see why - Gellar can't dance or sing to save her life (note it was Spike who saved Buffy's life singing not Buffy). And juggling ...unless it's death defying, isn't that interesting. This isn't really geared towards actors, it's a talent show for everyone else.) I watched it off and on when I was a kid in the 1970s-80s, but not often.

Tried it today - and lasted all of five minutes before I jumped away to something else. ( Read more... )

Another difficult commute - I swear, me and Transit are going to have words one of these days. (Considering I currently inhabit the same building that they inhabit - it could actually happen. Possibly in an elevator or in a hallway.) The R train was running with delays and on other tracks, skipping Whitehall Street again this evening. I wish I knew before I hobbled down the eight flights of steps. Someone pulled the Emergency Break again. So, ended up taking the 4 to Borough Hall Brooklyn and walked 10 blocks to Bergen, took the G home. The 4/5 also had delays due to a passenger being hit by a train but seemed to be fine by the time I got there. And the G was running with delays due to a incident with a train being taken out of service somewhere on 21st Street in North Brooklyn. Plus they had a police officer patrolling the G train. Knee was bothering by the time I got there - so icing. Hopefully can do exercises after dinner. Did exercises at work at least.

It's hard to find the time to fit them in, with work. Also hard to do the cardiac activity necessary to lose weight. Stupid knees.

My 83 year old mother is doing fine. I'm the invalid. Turns out a sedentary desk job is tough on the knees.

Oh, digestive issues woke me last night - but, have discovered a concoction that helps a sour stomach. (Gas pains, gastric reflex, and cramping or anything stuck in the esophagus).

1 teaspoon baking soda
Lemon juice
Mixed in a glass of water

It's basically home-brewed alka seltzer, but more effective. Works like a charm - takes about five to ten minutes to work.

Had two decent and reassuring conversations with higher ups today - so I feel a little less sidelined and more valuable than I did previously. They do see me as a valuable resource. (Actually I think Breaking Bad is the one in trouble - and has been for a while now. But I'm not.) I just need to be patient, and keep doing what I've been doing. Being helpful. And keeping my charts up to date.

****

More on Angel/Buffy Rewatch

David Greenwalt in the chat with Holtz, Lindsey, and Lilah actors - stated that Whedon had asked him if he wanted to do work on an Angel spin-off and show-run it for him. It was supposed to be dark and noir - similar in tone to what Greenwalt had previously done with Profit. The actor who played Holtz - came from Profit. Greenwalt asked for Charisma Carpenter - who played Cordelia - because he felt they needed humor and some lightness to the show, which was rather dark in concept. Also apparently they went too dark for the network in the second episode's original/initial script by David Fury - which initially had Angel killing the girl and licking blood off the floor of the bathroom. The network understandably went nuts - and said no, you can't do that.

The actor who played Holtz - brought up how he didn't view his character as a villain. And Greenwalt stated that they tried not to write characters as villains. That's kind of boring. And the other actors chimed in - that you never see your character as a villain, the character doesn't. But it is more fun to play them. Christian Kane (Lindsey) said he looked at it as - you're the company you keep. Lindsey was tainted by WRH. He said having his character be a villain but not quite - made him more fun to play, than to have him be a hero. It's better to have an edge. Romanov (Lilah) agreed.

I'm beginning to understand why I still love these shows - the cast, crew, writers, and fandom are so enjoyable.

**

The characters of Dawn, Riley and Xander with a few exceptions, have the worst episodes in Buffy for some reason. I think the writers either didn't identify with them, over-identified, or didn't know what to do with them? ( Read more... )

***

Angelica Huston memoir - Watch Me, which I'm listening to via audible.
It's well written. She really disliked Ryan O'Neal, who was violent and Huston describes as a bully with no conscience. She'd been in love with him for a bit - and in a very toxic relationship. He beat her and abused her, and it took her a while to break off the relationship and go back to Jack Nicholson.

She also writes about Roman Polanski - whom she lived next door to for a bit, and was friends with. Apparently they tried to get her to testify against Polanski in the "statutory rape" case - by offering her a deal to drop cocaine charges. ( Read more... )

Off to make dinner.

Television

Started watching Pluribus on Apple + finally. This is the latest television series written and created by Vince Gillian (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Terriers, and writer on the X-Files). And it is a satirical and subversively funny take on a viral zombie apocalypse. Imagine if an alien virus were to wipe out a third of the global population and turn the rest into a happy peace-loving hive mind that's sole purpose is to make everybody and everything happy? No pollution, no violence, no crime, no fighting, no killing, etc. Except for about eleven to twelve people who were immune around the globe - that the rest are trying to figure out how to save and incorporate into the happy and connected hive mind that shares everything. It's hilarious in places. Say what you will about Vince Gillian - but he's great at dialogue.

Example?

Carol (who is immune to the virus): Why would you give me a frigging grenade? (Frigging is my word not Carol's.)
Guy at hospital and part of the Hive Mind: Because you wanted one.
Carol: Why not make it fake grenade?
Guy: Did you want a fake grenade?
Carol: Would you give me a bazooka and the rocket it fires if I asked for it?
Guy: Yes.
Carol: Would you give me a ...tank?
Guy: Yes, if you wanted a tank...

I have seen every iteration on the zombie and alien invasion theme - but I gotta to say this is innovative and a new one. It's not clear that the hive mind is bad or good idea? We're in Carol's point of view - and Carol was unhappy to begin with.

Also? As an aside? Vince Gillian apparently has issues with Rick Stevens, the vacation/travel guru. Carol keeps making fun of him.

Will give Gillian credit - I like his satire. Satire is hard to do well. And Gillian pulls it off without hammering me too hard over the head with it.

***

Angel S3 Rewatch. Yup, I prefer Buffy S6. Angel S3 is unfortunately weighed down by the irritating love triangles and the Grooslaug. ( Read more... )

********

Question a Day Mememage - January

8. Do you look back on your school days with fondness? What was your favourite subject to learn?

Not really? Most of it has blurred together and I can't say I liked school that much? Favorite subject was Social Studies or History. I was usually in Honors Social Studies. I found it to be the most challenging, and least disruptive. Also the most interesting. I was fascinated by world history, politics, and culture.

In college? Favorites were Folklore/Myth courses, Ancient Religions, trip to Britain to study theater, Creative Writing Course, and a Poetry Course, also I rather liked extracurricular pottery courses.

9. What time do you usually get up and go to bed each day?

Get up at 6 AM during the weekdays and between 9:45-10PM at night, if possible. To average between 6-8 hours a sleep. Weekends or days off, between 10-11:30pm, and get up between 8-8:30 AM. I usually can't sleep past 8-8:30 no matter what I do. I am a night owl - and tend to get a burst of energy at night. But alas, my work hours are 8-4pm. With a 30-45 minute commute.

10. Are you impulsive, or do you take time to make decisions?

It depends? I'm impulsive about some things. Not others. Trips - no. Anything logistic related - definitely not. When it comes to buying books, television shows, movies, theater, music, writing posts in my journal or what to have for dinner - I'm impulsive. Also clothing and shoes apparently - due to online shopping. So, it depends? I do a lot of things innately or with my gut - or intuitively.

***

Oh and below is my finished water color - cartoon of the nasty woman yelling at me when I was stumbling across a street on Christmas Eve. (While I don't own a purple coat or a cane, the woman did look EXACTLY like that.)

I like how the car and the woman calling me "bitch" came out - but not myself. It was harder to draw and paint a woman walking across the street, carrying bags, than it was a woman driving a black van for some reasons.
But I was going for a cartoon - so I think that worked.

( Woman flipping me off for stumbling across the street on Christmas Eve )

I'd say Hasta La Vista - but that actually means goodbye and see you later, and I really have no interest in revisiting this nasty tediously painful extraordinarily long seemingly endless year. I plan on forgetting most of it. People wondered in person and online where the year had gone to, and how fast it sped by...not me, folks. I was aware of every stinking hour of it. It drug. And if felt mean.

Bye Bye 2025. Don't let the door smack you on the way out. With any luck 2026 will be more memorable and at the very least? Less painful.

Hopefully your mileage varied in far more positive ways.

***

In 2026, I turn 59, an inch closer to 60, and a couple inches closer to retirement. With any luck it will bring peace and prosperity in its wake.

***

End of the Year Memage:

1. Memorable Television Series of 2025 (I'd say favorite - but it's kind of a moving target at the moment, I'm going with memorable).

( memorable television series )

2. Memorable Films of 2025 (see above)

( memorable films of 2025 )

3. Fandom that you miss

The Buffy/Angel fandom, I'll always miss it.

4. Memorable Books of 2025 (well that I read or listened to in 2025 at any rate, they weren't necessarily published in 2025).

( memorable books of 2025 )

5. Memorable Music of 2025 (not necessarily written in 2025)

* Huddled Masses

* What is the Reason for it by David Byrne from his album Who is the Sky?.

* Just Like That by Bonnie Raitt

* Something Wicked (this way comes) by Siouxie and the Banshees

* Say a Little Word by Ellen McIlwaine


Question a Day Memeage - End of December

28. How much exercise have you had over the last few days?

Bad knee. Been doing knee exercises. Walking a lot - because it's my main mode of transportation outside of subways. I go up and down a lot of subway steps. Averaging 4,000-8,000 steps a day. Today just did knee exercises and a little walking.

29. In 1886, the dishwasher was patented. It was invented by Josephine Cochran, who lived in Shelbyville, Illinois. She constructed the first one and won a prize at the Chicago World Fair (and was used by the restaurant industry). Do you own a dishwasher or wash your dishes by hand?

No. Wash dishes by hand. I rent an apartment and it's not cleared for a dishwasher. Also I'm single - so not an issue.

30. It’s National Bacon Day! What’s your favourite way to eat bacon? Have you ever tried vegan ‘bacon’?

With eggs or with pancakes or waffles. I don't eat it now - it doesn't digest well and it tends to go bad before I eat all of it.

No, never had vegan bacon. Artificial yes - bacon bits. Won't do it again.

31. It’s New Year’s Eve – how would you sum up 2025 on a scale of one to ten? Let’s stay positive - what was the best thing that happened to you this year?

1, maybe 2. No definitely 1. Assuming of course 10 (is best) on this scale.

Moved my work place from Jamaica, Queens to Lower Manhattan, Battery Park, Tribeca/Financial District. Shorter Commute, and nicer area all around. Also have a window. And peace and quiet for the most part.


Happy New Year, hopefully regardless of how you ranked 2025 - 2026 will be a better or more positive year for us all around the globe.

Aggravating day. A day I'd describe as a lot of little aggravating drips, culminating in leaving my headphones on my desk at work (I realized it when they weren't with me on the train and it was alas too late to go back and retrieve them - if it had been my cell phone, yes - I'd have had no choice but to do so, but I don't really need the head phones at home - I only use them at work and on the commute. Unfortunately they need to be charged, which means I won't be able to use them immediately on Monday.) I also can't find my air buds. But I could find the plug-in earphones. So not all is lost, I suppose?

Less said about the rest of the day, the better. It was just a series of minor aggravations. We shall speak of it no more.

**

I already whined about the day to my poor mother, who decided to distract me by regaling me with news about my niece's trip to Montauk to see her grandfather...who apparently lives in a chicken coop on his ex-partner's property. The ex-partner (a novelist, writer, and former lecturer/teacher) lives with their adopted 31 year old daughter in the house.

( Read more... )

***

I think the reason I enjoy Buffy S6 so much - is I find it relatable? It is about an unemployed/depressed young woman jumping from one bad job to another, juggling bills, a sister, social life or lack thereof, and a boyfriend who lives in crypt and cheats at kitten poker. It's hyper-realism in a supernatural setting. The villains are nerdy guys from high school, who bullied girls. (Any woman who has ever entered a comic book store, a fan convention, attempted to play D&D during the 1980s or been in a co-ed fandom online - can relate.)
( Read more... )

1. Still doing the Buffy/Angel rewatch. Watched Episodes 4, 5, and 6 of Angel S2, and episodes 5, 6, and 7 of Buffy S5.

Takeaways?

Whomever designed Joyce's bedroom has no sense of design. Also it appears to be stuck in the 1970s? It's the worst set in the show, which is saying something, since we have Tara's entirely black bedroom. Joyce's entirely red bedroom vs. Tara's black one, decisions decisions.

Angel/Darla sequence in the Convent Basement in Dear Boy (Episode 5) is similar to Buffy/Spike sequence in the alley behind the Bronze in Fool for Love (Episode 7). ( Read more... )

Another thing I didn't previously pick up on? In Fool For Love - Spike's interaction with each slayer he is trying to kill - involves mothers, not sure the extent to which he's aware of it, though. ( Read more... )

Spike does actually provide some insightful information to Buffy and the audience, not necessarily intentionally - and from his perspective, it's relatively obvious. He doesn't appear to understand why Buffy and her friends don't get it. ( Read more... )

What doesn't quite work in the episode is Riley and her friends. It's also clear from the episode why the writers intend to write out Riley and how. ( Read more... )

2. Watched the 1968 film Rachel, Rachel yesterday on Apple + for $2.99. I rented it. It starred Joanne Woodward, Estelle Parsons, and Jim Olsen and was directed by Paul Newman. ( Read more... )

3. Finished Down Cemetery Road - the series by Mike Heron based on his book of the same name, on Apple +. Apple + has an annoying interface, that is similar to HBO's, in that it is hard to select episodes to watch on it. It automatically kicks you to the next one or makes you rewatch the one you just saw. Also, I can't always tell how many episodes there are, or if I've seen the last one. I looked it up - it only has eight episodes, the last one aired this week, on December 10.

( Read more... )

4. Re-started S2 of The Morning Show on Apple + - it's okay. Doesn't really start to take off until Episode 3, ( Read more... )

***

Other than that, and doing knee exercises, and icing my knee, and figuring out how to use my new cooking appliance (the NOSH steam/air fryer/bake/toaster oven) - I've not done much. I have tried out a few more video puzzle games - Royal Match (which starts simple then gets hard and feels rigged for money), various attempts at Mahjong games that don't have ads (they seem to acquire them after a certain point) and I have to delete the game entirely because the pop up ads freeze the phone. There's a nasty AI cleaner ad that really froze the phone and had me worried, but once I deleted the game - it went away.

Did manage to cook a biscuit (American version not the British - think small scone), and crisp some gluten free french bread in the oven.

It's easier to use than expected and meets my needs. Also smaller than expected and doesn't take up as much space as I feared. This may work. I'd been holding off getting one due to the spacing issue. But it doesn't appear to be a problem.

***

A little lonely this Xmas. Be happy when it's over. Mother is a little lonely too. Crazy Org is the reason I'm not spending it with Mother, which is annoying me to no end. (I'll save you the gory details.)

Oh, well, I have nice lights up, the lobby is well decorated, there's some snow on the ground, and presents wrapped in Amazon gift bags under the tree. I'd say I miss the other wrapping, but this is actually easier to recycle.