Last night Jennifer and I were looking for something to watch. We were flipping through videos available on Amazon streaming, and came across "Leap of Faith".
We're not sure why we are drawn to this movie. We had both seen it separately prior to even dating each other, and have watched it at least three times together.
The thing is that the movie makes us so angry. The manipulation of the townsfolk. The credulity of the general public for the "miracle" of the opening eyes. But Steve Martin is amazing in it. no one else could have played that part. There were points where you think, maybe Robin Williams, but he couldn't have stayed focused on the character.
And it's just one of those films we tend to come back to. Whether it's to refresh our skepticism, or just to watch a great performance.
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Friday, May 22, 2015
Discworld - Death After Life
As you can see below, there are a large number of crossover mentions in this book. This is probably the first of the really three dimensional stories of Ankh-Morpork. Wyrd Sisters tells a little about the Fools' Guild and Pyramids tells some about the Assassin's Guild, but Reaper Man brings all of the city together in the Oblong Office of the Patrician. There is even an allusion made to werewolves coming from somewhere int he mountains, and we're many books away from The Fifth Elephant and a visit to Uberwald.
And really, you could make the case that everything that happens with Windle Poons and the city of Ankh-Morpork are all background and subplot to the real story of Death and Bill Door instead of them being parallel stories.
And from listing everything, I can see why this used to be my favorite of the books. It seems like almost everything is in it. There are new major players introduced, and only a few who aren't.
And it reads like an action movie. There are two pivotal fights going on very from away from each other, but at nearly the same time. And Pratchett cuts back and forth between the two like you would see in a movie. Many of the Discworld books seem at a reading to be easy to make into a movie, but I think that is the strength of his imagery rather than any easy transition to a script.
------
Appearing in this book
And really, you could make the case that everything that happens with Windle Poons and the city of Ankh-Morpork are all background and subplot to the real story of Death and Bill Door instead of them being parallel stories.
And from listing everything, I can see why this used to be my favorite of the books. It seems like almost everything is in it. There are new major players introduced, and only a few who aren't.
And it reads like an action movie. There are two pivotal fights going on very from away from each other, but at nearly the same time. And Pratchett cuts back and forth between the two like you would see in a movie. Many of the Discworld books seem at a reading to be easy to make into a movie, but I think that is the strength of his imagery rather than any easy transition to a script.
------
Appearing in this book
“Sixpence is sixpence.”
!!!!! - the sign of an insane mind
!!!!! - the sign of an insane mind
Ankh-Morpork
Arthur and Doreen Winkins, The Count and Countess
Notfaroutoe
Auditors of Reality
Binky
Blind Io
Brother Ridcully, Priest of Blind Io
Casanunder the Dwarf
Chalky the Troll
Continent of XXXX and the Lost Wizard Colony
Cripple Mr. Onion
Cut-me-Own-Throat Dibbler
Death
Death's Daughter
Elm Street
Gimlet the Dwarf and his Delicatessen on Cable
Street
Golems
Hoki the Jokester
Hygiene
Ixiolite, the stuttering banshee
Lancre
Ludmilla Cake
Ludmilla Cake
Modo the Dwarf, Gardener at UU
Morris Dancing
Mr. Arthur Winkins
Mr. Ixiolite the Banshee
Mrs. Drull, the Ghoul
Mrs. Evadne Cake
Mr. Ixiolite the Banshee
Mrs. Drull, the Ghoul
Mrs. Evadne Cake
Mrs. Whitlow
Mustrum Ridcully, Archchancellor
Ned Simnel
Octarine Grass
Offler, the Crocodile-Headed God
Ole - "with milk"
Reg Shoe
Sargent Colon
Talking raven
Thaumometer
The Alchemists' Guild
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
The Auditors of Reality
The Brass Bridge
The Bursar
The Counterweight Continent
The Dean
The Fools' Guild
The Guild of Merchants
The High Energy Magic Building and the Squash COurt
The Lecturer on Recent Runes
The Librarian
The Librarian
The Mended Drum
The Patrician, Havelock Vetinari
The Ramtops
The Rite of Ashk-Ente
The Senior Wrangler
The Shades
The Thieves' Guild
Things from the Dungeon Dimensions
Unseen University
Windle Poons
Yen Buddhism
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
FHWA Protected Bike Lanes
I came across this article on Facebook shared by my buds at Citizen Chain.
This is so amazing. These protected lanes are what it's like riding on Alameda along the beach.
Now if we can just get Solar (Freakin') Roadways...
This is so amazing. These protected lanes are what it's like riding on Alameda along the beach.
Now if we can just get Solar (Freakin') Roadways...
Monday, May 18, 2015
Discworld - Uncle Osric
Moving Pictures is probably more full of puns and mentions of things from our world than any other book of the Discworld except for maybe Soul Music. During my time reading this, I walked by the television as Jennifer was watching TCM and felt a wave of connection between the reading and the movie on the screen.
Again there is magic making animals intelligent. This is the introduction of Gaspode who has another of my favorite lines in the books: "A door like that bodes." When asked what it bodes, he responds, "Just general bodingness."
It is certainly another book that the more you know, the funnier it is. Knowing how the real Academy of Motion Pictures award got its nickname. Knowing that a silvery metal that requires lots of ore and is heavier than lead most certainly can go bang under the right circumstances. it's full of little tidbits.
The next book, Reaper Man, was my number one favorite for a long time. It's a Death book, so no real surprise there. It held the title until I read Thief of Time.
------
Appearing in this book:
Again there is magic making animals intelligent. This is the introduction of Gaspode who has another of my favorite lines in the books: "A door like that bodes." When asked what it bodes, he responds, "Just general bodingness."
It is certainly another book that the more you know, the funnier it is. Knowing how the real Academy of Motion Pictures award got its nickname. Knowing that a silvery metal that requires lots of ore and is heavier than lead most certainly can go bang under the right circumstances. it's full of little tidbits.
The next book, Reaper Man, was my number one favorite for a long time. It's a Death book, so no real surprise there. It held the title until I read Thief of Time.
------
Appearing in this book:
Ankh-Morpork
Cabbages
Corporal Nobbs
Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler
Death (and Binky)
"Do Deformed Rabbit..."
Gaspode, the Wonder Dog
Greyhald "Tudgy" Spold
Miss Marietta Cosmopilite
Miss Marietta Cosmopilite
Harga's House of Ribs
Morraine the Troll
Mustrum Ridcully, Archchancellor
The Bursar
Chair of Indefinite Studies
Window Poons
Lecturer on Recent Runes
Ponder Stibbons
Dean of Pentacles
The Librarian
The Bursar
Chair of Indefinite Studies
Window Poons
Lecturer on Recent Runes
Ponder Stibbons
Dean of Pentacles
The Librarian
Rock (ne Galena) the Troll
Sargent Fred Colon
Sendivoge, Alchemists’ Guild
Sham Harga
Silverfish the Alchemist
The Head Priest of Blind Io
The Hi Ho Song
The Mended Drum
The Mended Drum
Things from the Dungeon Dimensions
Unseen University
Vetinari, The Patrician
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Loving Lunch
Today, I went to a new pizza place in Walnut Creek. It's new to WC, but not a completely new shop.
It's called Project Pie. The best way to describe it is to imagine a pizzeria run like a Chipotle.
You come up, and order, they use a cool machine to flatten your dough into a personal pizza size, and then you either choose a pre-made selection, or direct them how to build it.
It's a thin crust pizza that is cooked in a fire oven, and ready amazingly quick. And it tasted amazing.
The shop I was at just opened this week, so they're waiting on their liquor license, so there will be a bar to look forward to on non-work days.
If you're in the area, or near one of the other locations, I encourage you to check them out.
It's called Project Pie. The best way to describe it is to imagine a pizzeria run like a Chipotle.
You come up, and order, they use a cool machine to flatten your dough into a personal pizza size, and then you either choose a pre-made selection, or direct them how to build it.
It's a thin crust pizza that is cooked in a fire oven, and ready amazingly quick. And it tasted amazing.
The shop I was at just opened this week, so they're waiting on their liquor license, so there will be a bar to look forward to on non-work days.
If you're in the area, or near one of the other locations, I encourage you to check them out.
Now, Where's my Wine?
Okay, so I'm guessing there won't be crossovers with the Arrowverse, but I'm glad to see bright colors in this.
Plus I'm really into cheesy, which is probably why I like "The Flash" TV show so much.
I'm into this.
Plus I'm really into cheesy, which is probably why I like "The Flash" TV show so much.
I'm into this.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Discworld - Not So Faust
Eric is Terry Pratchett's direct take on the story of Faust.
Of course he twists it, and adds the common Discworld stubbornness and need for clarification that applies to people and demons.
It was a good way for him to get Rincewind out of the Dungeon Dimensions, and the end is vague enough that we will never know how the poor wizzard ends up stranded on the desert island at the beginning of Interesting Times.
And so with this book, Pratchett truly shines with the way he makes things his. He also again challenges the reader to go and find the source material. Go and read it, and see how much funnier the work is for it. Having seen "MacBeth" (both Gibson and Brannaugh's versions) makes Wyrd Sisters that much better. And having seen Richard Burton's "Faust" and having read it way back in high school makes this book even better.
Pratchett challenges his reader. Not having read the classics or mythology is like not knowing mythology and studying astronomy. Sure, you can remember the names of everything, but the stories in the background make it all come alive.
------
Recurring themes and character mentioned in this book:
Of course he twists it, and adds the common Discworld stubbornness and need for clarification that applies to people and demons.
It was a good way for him to get Rincewind out of the Dungeon Dimensions, and the end is vague enough that we will never know how the poor wizzard ends up stranded on the desert island at the beginning of Interesting Times.
And so with this book, Pratchett truly shines with the way he makes things his. He also again challenges the reader to go and find the source material. Go and read it, and see how much funnier the work is for it. Having seen "MacBeth" (both Gibson and Brannaugh's versions) makes Wyrd Sisters that much better. And having seen Richard Burton's "Faust" and having read it way back in high school makes this book even better.
Pratchett challenges his reader. Not having read the classics or mythology is like not knowing mythology and studying astronomy. Sure, you can remember the names of everything, but the stories in the background make it all come alive.
------
Recurring themes and character mentioned in this book:
Ankh-Morpork
Death
Events from Sourcery
Events from Sourcery
Herrena, the Henna Haired Harridan
Rincewind
The Bursar
The Librarian
The Luggage
The Mended Drum
The Octavo
The Rite of Ashk-Ente
The Tezumen
The Tsortean War
Unseen University
Unseen University
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Discworld - A Little Death
"Death and What Comes Next" can probably only be considered a Discworld book because the setting is so vague, and yet takes place between a philosopher and Death.
This story is very short, and seems a thought experiment or idea that Pratchett had, but didn't think he could drop in anywhere in a book.
------
Appearing in this book:
Death
Quantum
This story is very short, and seems a thought experiment or idea that Pratchett had, but didn't think he could drop in anywhere in a book.
------
Appearing in this book:
Death
Quantum
Discworld - Mummy!
Pyramids is often a stumbling book in the Discworld series. While it has some fun parts to it, the setting is so different that it takes time getting used to it.
But once things get moving, there is actually quite a lot in this book.
It has one of my favorite lines "Fish and chips for men." with regards to eating blowfish and a certain poisonous root, two things that unless properly prepared will kill the consumer.
It also puts forth for the first time that belief shapes the gods of the Discworld.
But this is probably the book I like the least in the series.
-------
Appearing in this book:
But once things get moving, there is actually quite a lot in this book.
It has one of my favorite lines "Fish and chips for men." with regards to eating blowfish and a certain poisonous root, two things that unless properly prepared will kill the consumer.
It also puts forth for the first time that belief shapes the gods of the Discworld.
But this is probably the book I like the least in the series.
-------
Appearing in this book:
"Pull the other one..."
"The World is your mollusk..."
"The World is your mollusk..."
Ankh-Morpork
Belief Shapes Gods
Bells of the Hours at Ankh-Morpork
Cabbage
Death
Djelibeybi
Dr. Cruces
Ephebe
Guild of Assassins
Mericet
Quantum
Quantum
The Brass Bridge
The Tsortean War
TsortMonday, May 11, 2015
Pun Time
I'm hoping this translates well written down...
So, Saturday morning, Jennifer and I were talking about breakfast, and I looked at the time.
It was 8:50.
I said, "Did you know you can get sick from the time? Twice a day, you could get ten-to-nine-tis."
Thank you.
So, Saturday morning, Jennifer and I were talking about breakfast, and I looked at the time.
It was 8:50.
I said, "Did you know you can get sick from the time? Twice a day, you could get ten-to-nine-tis."
Thank you.
Wednesday, May 06, 2015
75 Years of Shazam!
I don't know if I missed the DC celebration for Shazam (the character formerly known as Captain Marvel). I never saw it, but since his first appearance was in February of 1940, I'm thinking there should have been something.
My first Shazam comic was "Shazam!" #16. This was not long after DC bought up the property, but still had 12 years before they would integrate the Marvel family into regular continuity. The Marvels were still stuck on Earth-5.
My first Shazam comic was "Shazam!" #16. This was not long after DC bought up the property, but still had 12 years before they would integrate the Marvel family into regular continuity. The Marvels were still stuck on Earth-5.
The statues coming to life was a cool story, and I was already familiar with Shazam from the Saturday morning live action television show.
But of course there was my first introduction to parallel worlds with "Superman" #276 with the confusing (to me) Captain Thunder with a sun emblem on his chest.
This one was DC's way of having Superman fight Shazam without actually doing it. There were lots of similarities, and it was very strange to my 6 year-old self.
Discworld - Tiny Tales
After finishing Guards! Guards!, I discovered that not only had I skipped a book, I had skipped a short story as well.
While "Troll Bridge" is not Pratchett's first short story, it was the first of them set in Discworld.
It was a story that got me to buy a book that was a collection of short stories called After the King. And at the time it was like methadone getting me to the next Pratchett book.
Pratchett uses a little bit of magic in having the horse talk (it having formerly belonged to a wizard), and acts as Cohen's... not conscience, but more like the voice of least resistance. It would certainly have been a great horse for Rincewind to have.
Pratchett also continues the naming convention of the trolls to be rocks. I was laughing a bit at a troll named Mica though.
------
Appearing in this story:
Cohen the Barbarian
Trolls
While "Troll Bridge" is not Pratchett's first short story, it was the first of them set in Discworld.
It was a story that got me to buy a book that was a collection of short stories called After the King. And at the time it was like methadone getting me to the next Pratchett book.
Pratchett uses a little bit of magic in having the horse talk (it having formerly belonged to a wizard), and acts as Cohen's... not conscience, but more like the voice of least resistance. It would certainly have been a great horse for Rincewind to have.
Pratchett also continues the naming convention of the trolls to be rocks. I was laughing a bit at a troll named Mica though.
------
Appearing in this story:
Cohen the Barbarian
Trolls
Discworld - They're Watching You
Now we are finally at the beginning of the tales of the Watch with Guards! Guards!. Vimes is mostly a diminutive Clint Eastwood, but had bits of Humphrey Bogart thrown in. Again there are beginning hints of the power of narrative. Once again, Pratchett weaves a story that wanders around the city and comes tightly together at the end.
Jennifer said that as Pratchett writes a book, his "chapters" start long and by the end sometimes they're little more than a few paragraphs long. To be fair he rarely uses chapters until he gets to the tales of Moist von Lipwig, but instead separates scenes by a white space break, but what she says holds true. It reminds me of a prose poem we read my junior year of high school. It used varying spacing in it to indicate different speeds of events. It was about a cowboy doing trick shooting, and the rapidity of shooting a series of cans had the words of the numbers almost merged into a single word.
When Pratchett is in his stride, his writing is reminiscent of that.
[Also, I seem to have jumped ahead in my eagerness to get to the Watch. I'll be backtracking for "Troll Bridge" and Pyramids.]
------
Appearing in this book:
Vetinari's Aunt
Jennifer said that as Pratchett writes a book, his "chapters" start long and by the end sometimes they're little more than a few paragraphs long. To be fair he rarely uses chapters until he gets to the tales of Moist von Lipwig, but instead separates scenes by a white space break, but what she says holds true. It reminds me of a prose poem we read my junior year of high school. It used varying spacing in it to indicate different speeds of events. It was about a cowboy doing trick shooting, and the rapidity of shooting a series of cans had the words of the numbers almost merged into a single word.
When Pratchett is in his stride, his writing is reminiscent of that.
[Also, I seem to have jumped ahead in my eagerness to get to the Watch. I'll be backtracking for "Troll Bridge" and Pyramids.]
------
Appearing in this book:
A Dwarf Bar
Ankh-Morpork
Blind Io
Boggis
Cabbage
Carrot Ironfounderson (Lance Constable/Constable)
Copperhead
Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler
Death
Detritus the Troll
Dwarf Bread
Dwarven Kings
Errol
Fred Colon (Sergeant)
Fred Colon (Sergeant)
Harga
Havelock Vetinari (Lord Patrician)
Igneous the Troll
Intelligent Rats
Ironfounderson the Dwarf
Jimkin Bearhugger's Whiskey
L-Space
Nobby Nobbs (Corporal)
Samuel Vimes (Captain)
Sybil Ramkin (Lady)
The Librarian
The Mended Drum
The Million to One Chance
The Pork Futures Warehouse
The Trousers of Time
Unseen UniversityVetinari's Aunt
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Discworld - More Witches!
One of the things I like most about Wyrd Sisters is the blend of Shakespeare in it. Yes the main story is a blend of "Macbeth" and "Hamlet", and of course there are mentions and nods to other Shakespeare plays, but the play that is performed also has nods to "Richard III".
Wyrd Sisters is one of those books that I look back on and wonder how much Pratchett had planned out beforehand. It's so intricate and interwoven. The slips of non-prophecy prophecy are just great.
We also start to get hints about the power of stories on the Disc. This will come back in Witches Abroad.
------
Mentioned in this book:
Headology
The Vampire Queen of Lancre
Wyrd Sisters is one of those books that I look back on and wonder how much Pratchett had planned out beforehand. It's so intricate and interwoven. The slips of non-prophecy prophecy are just great.
We also start to get hints about the power of stories on the Disc. This will come back in Witches Abroad.
------
Mentioned in this book:
"A Wizard's Staff Has a Knob on the End"
"The Hedgehog Song"
Ankh-Morpork
Black Aliss
Blind Io
Boggis
Cabbage
Chrysoprase the Troll
Death
Dwarf bars
Dwarven song "Gold, Gold, Gold"
Eldritch means Oblong
Grabpot Thundergust the Dwarf
Grabpot Thundergust the Dwarf
Granny Weatherwax
Greebo
Headology
Herne the Hunted
Hoki
Hwel, Tomjon, and Vittoler's men - The Dysk
Lancre
Leonard of Quirm
Magrat Garlick
Nanny Ogg
Old Poorchick and his cow
Standing Stone(s)
The Assassin's Guild
The Fool/Verence II
The Fool's Guild
The Forest of Skund
The Librarian
The Mended Drum
The Ramptops
The Thieves' GuildThe Vampire Queen of Lancre
Monday, April 27, 2015
Thank You
So, this weekend, was a mixed bag of emotions and friends. Jennifer was traveling, so I was on my own.
Friday night, I spent with two of my best friends. We had a great time together being geeks and watching "Game of Thrones". John and I... strode to BART in the rain, and I rode home in the dark and the rain. As always, I'm glad that I keep Ziploc bags in my vest for electronics protection.
Saturday was too windy to ride, so I lingered at home and did little electronic and computer projects. And lots of free time spent thinking about missing Jennifer and other people. I'm no longer in contact with. But I had cats to keep me company.
Sunday was a day for an amazing ride along the water to Richmond and back. Winds were low and the sun was high. And after the ride, more time with the cats.
Today, I came across the below graphic. It appears to have been captioned by someone other than the artist. However the sentiment is great. Thank you to all of my friends.
The original is here.
YouTube of Ice and Fire
There are times in the world when you know you're screwed.
I remember a story of a couple in a car racing away from the Mt. St. Helen's eruption. They barely made it to safety ahead of the pyroclastic flow. The driver said he passed a car while he was going over 100 mph. The other car didn't make it out.
I think I've written before about my most viewed episode of Nova about the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. The giggle we all let out when volcano is going off, and the scientists are racing for the car. One of them (the passenger) runs around and yells, "Open the door... open the fucking door!"
Then there's the mountain climbers in Japan who hid in a temple while a volcano turned the land around them into an ash covered wasteland.
Then there are two just from this weekend.
The first is a guy who must have felt he was screwed, but apparently made it out okay. He captured the initial eruption of Mt. Calbuco.
Adn then there's the climbers at the Mt. Everest base camp. I'm sure they must have felt something from the Nepal earthquake. But I don't see how they could have had any idea what was coming.
Once again, one of the simple, but powerful, bit of wisdom from Will Durant comes to mind:
"Civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice."
I remember a story of a couple in a car racing away from the Mt. St. Helen's eruption. They barely made it to safety ahead of the pyroclastic flow. The driver said he passed a car while he was going over 100 mph. The other car didn't make it out.
I think I've written before about my most viewed episode of Nova about the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. The giggle we all let out when volcano is going off, and the scientists are racing for the car. One of them (the passenger) runs around and yells, "Open the door... open the fucking door!"
Then there's the mountain climbers in Japan who hid in a temple while a volcano turned the land around them into an ash covered wasteland.
Then there are two just from this weekend.
The first is a guy who must have felt he was screwed, but apparently made it out okay. He captured the initial eruption of Mt. Calbuco.
Adn then there's the climbers at the Mt. Everest base camp. I'm sure they must have felt something from the Nepal earthquake. But I don't see how they could have had any idea what was coming.
Once again, one of the simple, but powerful, bit of wisdom from Will Durant comes to mind:
"Civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice."
75 Years of the Joker
So, I know that there used to be a Joker comic book back from before I was collecting. I never had any of those. The first Joker story I remember is the first Batman story I remember.
But the biggest Joker story I remember was in a tabloid sized coloring book that I had.
But the biggest Joker story I remember was in a tabloid sized coloring book that I had.
The Joker had decided that he was going to commit crimes that were related to sadness instead of laughter. I vaguely remember that he even had a Joker-mobile.
The attraction of the book was supposed to be the back cover which was a Batman action shot.
Al I know is that I cut it off, and then carried the comic around without a back cover.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Who's Watching?
So, I've got great friends.
I've got friends that work in tech who give great advice. I've got friends that are crafty and make things for me. I've got my best friend who is a writer, so we go out drinking together. And while most of them are geeky, some are more geeky than others.
I have a former coworker (Holly) who goes to lots of conventions. This past Saturday she went to Big Wow Comicfest in San Jose. We were having lunch on the Friday prior, and she excitedly told me that Dave Gibbons was going to be there. Now, I had a wedding I was going to on Saturday, and if I'd known earlier I would have handed something off to my friend for her to take to get signed.
Then Monday were chatting over Yahoo Messenger, and she said that Gibbons was going to be at Flying Colors Comics Wednesday afternoon. Again, I'm committed that afternoon to help out at mom's with laundry and cleaning. Holly offered to come by Tuesday, and pick up something I wanted signed, and then bring it back to me on Thursday (today).
Now, I have the original 12 issue comic set (I may actually have two) somewhere in a long-box in storage. I could have gone to get them Monday afternoon, but it was cold and windy, and I thought I be okay. I'd be okay, because I have one DC Absolute edition on my bookshelf: The Absolute Watchmen. Now this is like a special edition DVD for comic books. It's oversized, and comes in a slipcase. It's great to read and see all the artwork enlarged.
Holly asked if I wanted my name in the signing, and I said sure. She does know how to spell my name, which some people still have trouble with, and so Tuesday I handed it off to her. Last night she sent me a picture via text, and today she dropped it off to me.
It is so much more impressive in person, but here is the picture she sent me:
I've got friends that work in tech who give great advice. I've got friends that are crafty and make things for me. I've got my best friend who is a writer, so we go out drinking together. And while most of them are geeky, some are more geeky than others.
I have a former coworker (Holly) who goes to lots of conventions. This past Saturday she went to Big Wow Comicfest in San Jose. We were having lunch on the Friday prior, and she excitedly told me that Dave Gibbons was going to be there. Now, I had a wedding I was going to on Saturday, and if I'd known earlier I would have handed something off to my friend for her to take to get signed.
Then Monday were chatting over Yahoo Messenger, and she said that Gibbons was going to be at Flying Colors Comics Wednesday afternoon. Again, I'm committed that afternoon to help out at mom's with laundry and cleaning. Holly offered to come by Tuesday, and pick up something I wanted signed, and then bring it back to me on Thursday (today).
Now, I have the original 12 issue comic set (I may actually have two) somewhere in a long-box in storage. I could have gone to get them Monday afternoon, but it was cold and windy, and I thought I be okay. I'd be okay, because I have one DC Absolute edition on my bookshelf: The Absolute Watchmen. Now this is like a special edition DVD for comic books. It's oversized, and comes in a slipcase. It's great to read and see all the artwork enlarged.
Holly asked if I wanted my name in the signing, and I said sure. She does know how to spell my name, which some people still have trouble with, and so Tuesday I handed it off to her. Last night she sent me a picture via text, and today she dropped it off to me.
It is so much more impressive in person, but here is the picture she sent me:
Now, I know I owe her lunch. So we're getting pizza next Friday.
Discworld - Wizzard's Return
And so we come to the end of the first five books that I read back to back (to back...) when I first was introduced to Terry Pratchett: Sourcery. And so I had to wait like everyone else from that point to read the next book. I didn't yet realize the depths that Pratchett would take his books. Aside from Mort, they still seemed to be more poking fun at the fantasy genre and not so much being general satire set in a fantasy world. The next book is a return to (introduction to) the kingdom of Lancre and Pratchett's mash-up of Shakespeare.
Sourcery has many parts, but it hints at a prophecy without ever stating it. And it also brings up that it is an end of the Disc prophecy that may or may not be true. And of course the Disc doesn't end. Pratchett also makes this the last book for a while that involves a Disc-spanning disaster. He will go on from here to do mostly localized events. Of course that doesn't mean that city destroying dragons, pocket universe/kingdoms, and wars won't be coming in the future.
------
Appearing in this book:
Sourcery has many parts, but it hints at a prophecy without ever stating it. And it also brings up that it is an end of the Disc prophecy that may or may not be true. And of course the Disc doesn't end. Pratchett also makes this the last book for a while that involves a Disc-spanning disaster. He will go on from here to do mostly localized events. Of course that doesn't mean that city destroying dragons, pocket universe/kingdoms, and wars won't be coming in the future.
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Appearing in this book:
Ankh-Morpork
Binky
Blind Io
Death
Herrena, the Henna Haired Harridan
Intelligent Rats
Klatch
Offler, the Crocodile-Headed God
Rincewind
The Archchancellor's Hat
The Dungeon Dimensions
The Dungeon Dimensions
The Four Horsemen
The Librarian
The Luggage
The Mended Drum
The Ramtops
Unseen University
WufflesTuesday, April 21, 2015
Stories
So, I've been going through my hard drive lately, and I've come across some of my old writings from college.
I've put up one of my favorites in a page on the blog.
I remember becoming enamored with the poem "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll when a girl in college who I had a crush on had an amazingly illustrated book of the poem. Then it started showing up in places, so I worked to memorize it.
Then of course, I had to write something about it.
You can check it out on the following linked page. It's called "Beamish Boy".
I've put up one of my favorites in a page on the blog.
I remember becoming enamored with the poem "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll when a girl in college who I had a crush on had an amazingly illustrated book of the poem. Then it started showing up in places, so I worked to memorize it.
Then of course, I had to write something about it.
You can check it out on the following linked page. It's called "Beamish Boy".
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