More Lymond Babble

January 5th, 2009 5:07pm by rusty-halo | 8 Comments »

Wow. Apparently lots of stuff happens in the world when you spend two weeks devouring the Lymond Chronicles and ignoring everything else.

My boss told me that they’d announced the new Doctor as I walked into work today. My immediate thought was “I can’t wait to read Fandom Wank.” It’s not disappointing.

(I’m surprised, actually. I expected to have to grudgingly give Moffat his due for choosing Patterson Joseph. Instead I’m LOLing at him for choosing some random kid who looks like the mutated offspring of David Tennant and Robert Pattinson.)

I owe email and comment responses to people. I’m sorry. I really haven’t been at my computer for two weeks–I updated the last two times from Indiana via my magical phone.

Oh! And I have to say–THANK YOU kita0610 FOR THE LOVELY CARD AND DAVID TENNANT CALENDAR! And thank you netweight for the incredibly sweet card! My internet friends are the best. :)

Now I’m going to ramble more about the Lymond Chronicles, because that’s all I spent my winter vacation thinking about. I finished Pawn in Frankincense and The Ringed Castle and am now partway into Checkmate.

( spoilers for the Lymond Chronicles )

Current Mood: thoughtful

The Next Doctor

December 27th, 2008 5:51am by rusty-halo | 13 Comments »

( Spoilers )

One more day and then I’m back to civilization! *can’t wait to get home*

Indiana

December 25th, 2008 12:31am by rusty-halo | 7 Comments »

Football.

Why does it have to be football?

*claws out eyes*

Also, it’s Merry Christmas, not Happy Holidays, and New York City is scary.

I don’t understand how I came from these people.

Happy Holidays!

December 24th, 2008 3:04am by rusty-halo | 3 Comments »

I’ve had the craziest week and have barely been online at all. I miss you guys! I’m getting on a plane to Indiana first thing in the morning (where I won’t have internet access), so I just wanted to wish you all a great holiday. :)

Halfway Through Pawn in Frankincence…

December 17th, 2008 8:12pm by rusty-halo | 4 Comments »

I’m halfway through Pawn in Frankincense and thinking….

( spoilers for Dorothy Dunnett’s Pawn in Frankincense and a spoilery reference to the Doctor Who episode Journey’s End )

Current Mood: thoughtful

the weekend, Simm movies, and random thoughts

December 16th, 2008 3:39pm by rusty-halo | 7 Comments »

* Um. There’s an Edward Cullen bedsheet set. This might be the most disturbing thing I have ever seen.

* I watched the two John Simm Netflix DVDs that have been lying around my house for the past six months. The first was a TV show called Cracker, in which adorable young Simm plays a deeply fucked up young killer who just wants to be loved. Awww. You kind of want to snuggle the poor darling… and then lock him up for life. It was fun to watch, but nothing new; pretty much the same thing he did in Chiller (which was more fun because of the gay subtext with his evil imaginary friend).

Then I watched Wonderland… or, I should say, the first half hour of Wonderland, before I couldn’t take it any more and had to fast forward to only the Simm parts. It’s apparently a movie about a bunch of incredibly boring, miserable people, who go about their boring lives being miserable. I guess it’s supposed to be “realistic,” but it was just pathetic. Admittedly I only got part way through… maybe it got better? Simm didn’t have much to do anyway; he played one of the many boring pathetic losers, basically Danny Kavanagh without the spark. I don’t understand why people make movies like this. Even if some peoples’ lives are this dull, who would want to watch a film about it?

Between Wonderland and The Devil’s Whore, I am beginning to doubt the conventional wisdom that John Simm has great taste in projects. At least we’ll always have Life on Mars and Doctor Who. And I still haven’t seen anything as bad as the crap I endured during my Sean Bean phase.

* I had a peculiar weekend.

( Saturday I got way too drunk at my friend Livi’s holiday party )

Sunday I had to drag myself out of bed to go to the Museum of Modern Art, because I’d bought a ticket in advance. I got there at 3pm and it closes at 5:30pm; the world is just not made for night people. Or hungover people. >:( But thanks to coffee and tylenol, I managed to enjoy the Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night exhibit. I know it’s a cliche, but it really is so much more incredible to see an actual painting in person. They had both of my favorites, Starry Night Over the Rhone and The Starry Night. Which I also know is also a cliche, but… they’re really popular because they’re really amazing! It’s stunning how beautiful they are, and how vivid the colors are when you see them in person. The exhibit was actually pretty small–something like 40 paintings–with a focus on how Van Gogh captured the light and the “spiritual qualities” of night. It was definitely worth seeing; I’m glad I finally made it there. (If you’re going, buy your museum ticket online in advance and you’re guaranteed entrance to the Van Gogh exhibit; otherwise you have to get a timed entry ticket, which they might sell out of before you arrive.)

Then I went to the Looking at Music exhibit, which honestly just seemed to be a bunch of stuff from the 60s and 70s randomly thrown together based on what had been donated to MOMA. However, they did have Bowie’s “Space Oddity” video running on constant repeat, and I watched it through a couple times because I couldn’t get over the novelty of watching a music video I like at a big fancy art museum. I wish I had thought to the use the “It’s ART!” justification when trying to convince my parents to let me watch MTV as a kid. :P Oh, and I rather optimistically bought two tickets for the Bowie music video screening on Friday night. I don’t know what I was thinking; now I have to find someone to take the second ticket. But I’m really glad I got one for me. Even though it’s just music videos, it’s music videos on a big screen! At a museum! Sorry, I just find it really amusing, in a good way. :)

* I’m trying not to panic about the holidays. Trying being the operative word. There is nowhere in the world I’d less rather go than Southern Indiana, but I owe my parents for helping me move, so I’m going. Wasting time and money I really can’t spare to go be miserable out in the middle of nowhere, while my cats are left alone with a catsitter I can’t afford and I have nothing to do and no one to talk to and nothing to eat and… just… oh my god I don’t want to go. *sigh*

Current Mood: blah

Have a type?

December 11th, 2008 7:51pm by rusty-halo | 4 Comments »

Have a type?

( Who, me? )

Bowie’s hotter.

Current Mood: silly

yet another post of random disconnected babble

December 11th, 2008 4:14pm by rusty-halo | 33 Comments »

* This just made me choke on my coffee. I think I enjoy The Meathead Perspective far more than I enjoy the actual band Nine Inch Nails.

* I’m not an Avatar fan, but I’m still upset by the blatantly racist movie casting. Just… what the hell? I’m glad to see that the fandom has already launched a letter writing campaign.

* This xkcd comic is awesome and totally nails the “nice guy” phenomenon. The wank it’s generated is severely depressing, though. “Women have nearly exclusive control over the nation’s sex supply, and that will never, ever change“???? *headdesk*

* jaydk and kalichan came over to my place on Saturday night for a very fun evening of wine and television. We watched the first episode of The Devil’s Whore, after which jaydk declared that she couldn’t stand to continue watching history be raped in such a blatant manner, so we switched to the first episode of Life on Mars (which kalichan had never seen!) to get the bad taste out of our mouths.

To be honest, I didn’t mind The Devil’s Whore–probably because I’m woefully ignorant about that period of English history, and because I was only watching for John Simm. He had his shirt off for a whole scene, so I got what I wanted out of the deal. :P

* This panel description has me dreading Gallifrey One. I think it might be best if I spend this convention drinking and chatting and avoiding most of the actual programming. >:( Still looking forward to seeing Phil Collinson, though. And hopefully to hearing interesting insights from the various new series writers who are attending.

* I’ve kind of reluctantly gotten into Spooks–I actually went out of my way to watch the season finale as soon as possible. I don’t love the show by any means. It’s pure genre, which makes it incredibly predictable; it never does anything that a spy drama wouldn’t do. But it’s quite a good example of a spy show, which makes it entertaining for what it is. Well, okay, mainly the entertaining thing is the lovely contrasts between Richard Armitage’s pale skin, black hair, and blue eyes. But occasionally he even gets to do some actual acting! And I kind of love the character of Ros–her competence and snark make her one of the more appealing female characters I’ve seen in quite a while.

* I’m re-reading Pawn in Frankincense despite myself. I forgot how funny this one is as it starts off! In fact, I think I forgot almost everything that happens except for the ending, which kind of blew the rest of it out of the water. It’s a totally different experience to read this series for a second time; everything makes so much more sense when you already know what’s going to happen. Dunnett’s style of keeping the reader completely in the dark for 90% of each book (and the series as a whole) is incredibly frustrating, but definitely rewarding if you’re able to put up with it. It also makes re-reading a whole new experience–you can actually appreciate the subtleties instead of just wondering what the hell is going on. It also helps that I’ve got a book of translations with me this time around, so I can figure out what the hell they’re saying when the characters suddenly switch to French or Latin.

* I’m resisting the urge to write a long song-by-song analysis of “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.” I know that no one cares about my interpretation of a 35-year-old classic album that I’ve only been listening to for two weeks. Still. It’s all I’ve been thinking about. I haven’t even turned it off at night, because it’ll play in my head if I don’t have it actually playing from my speakers.

* 5years.com is an incredibly helpful website if you suddenly decide to get obsessed with “Ziggy Stardust” 35 years too late. Plus I’m learning all this stuff about glam rock–now I totally get that scene in Life on Mars where Sam meets Marc Bolan!

* I bought this Best of Bowie DVD. It’s all so totally totally awesome for about the first 50 minutes, and then… 1974 happens. Good god. I think maybe I’m a fan of Ziggy Stardust, not of David Bowie?

* I wish I’d gone to the Bowie Ball last weekend. I totally want to go see this all-female Ziggy Stardust cover band in January. And I want to go see this thing at MOMA even though I doubt 1) I can get tickets, 2) that it’s anything I haven’t already seen on the Best of Bowie DVD.

* I finally figured out how to connect my computer to my TV wirelessly. It’s a combination of this and this and it totally works! My TV is a second monitor and I can just drag video files over to it and play them. Now I should probably cancel my cable TV, but I’ve gotten addicted to The Rachel Maddow Show and now I kind of don’t want to give it up. I suppose I could just watch that online too. And I might actually continue catching up on more of those old Doctor/Master episodes now that I don’t have to waste CDs on burning them.

Although I might just watch lots of YouTube clips of young David Bowie instead.

Current Mood: bored

If you can think it, someone’s already written porn about it.

December 7th, 2008 11:47pm by rusty-halo | 10 Comments »

Oh, god. I love the internet.

Current Mood: shocked & amused

Why I Want a TARDIS

December 5th, 2008 12:24pm by rusty-halo | 5 Comments »

Oh my god, you guys, I am in love:

I want a TARDIS so badly. Right now I want nothing more than to go see David Bowie live in the early 1970s.

I think this must be the true reason I adore the Doctor and Rose. They did exactly what I would’ve done if I could travel through time and space: get dressed up and go to awesome concerts throughout history.

Current Mood: envious

random babble/linkspam

December 3rd, 2008 7:51pm by rusty-halo | 7 Comments »

* Neil Gaiman continues to be awesome. See Why Defend Freedom of Icky Speech?

* I’m lurking at theemptywriter and quite enjoying it. Nice to see that not everyone is caught up in the Moffat hype! And, man, he just continues to annoy the hell out of me. Here he is in 1996 calling the Doctor’s female companions “bimbos”; what, did I need another reason to loathe him?

* This list of top movie characters is currently making the news rounds. Only one woman in the top 25? Are you fucking kidding me? I mean, what about that “huge lack of respect for anything male” that tragically inflicts our society? (Could it be that Steven Moffat is … full of shit? :P) And… and… Yoda is a better character than Princess Leia???

* Scott Weiland has a new album. How come nobody told me this? His last solo album was actually really good! Hopefully this’ll make up for the entertaining-but-soulless artificiality of his work with Velvet Revolver.

I’m still getting used to this whole thing of enjoying someone’s music but not having any particular interest or respect for them as a person. I think I’m too old and cynical to worship all-perfect musical idols, and this way it’s less disappointing when they inevitably fall. I’ll just try to enjoy them when they’re good and move on to something else when they start to suck. No need to feel all heartbroken and/or betrayed by the whole thing. (I’m even starting to get over Courtney Love’s Hollywood sell-out; none of her later bullshit can take away from the pure awesome of Live Through This.)

* I’m still listening nonstop to David Bowie. The song “Velvet Goldmine” is really, really good. (Now I’m extra disappointed that the movie was so bad.) Wikipedia says the song is about Bowie making out with another man, but I’m listening to the lyrics, and… that sounds like a lot more than making out…?

Also, if you’re ever looking for motivation to weep for the state of humanity, just go to songmeanings.net and look up your favorite song. If the inanity of the interpretations doesn’t make you want to kill yourself, I don’t know what will.

* This ad is currently plastered all over the NYC subway system. Every time I walk by I kind of have to resist the urge to stop and, I don’t know, lick it maybe? Which, eww, NYC subway. But, damn. David Bowie was reeeeeally pretty once.

( pretty pretty subway ad )

Current Mood: weird

Random Media Stuff

December 1st, 2008 8:13pm by rusty-halo | 15 Comments »

I’ve been hibernating. Or, avoiding the internet, anyway. Moving servers turned out to be a huge pain in the ass and it still seems like a total crapshoot as to whether my websites will actually work on any given day. Kind of pointless to post an entry when I’m not sure if anyone will be able to see it or respond. I’m pissed at the server company, but sick of wasting time dealing with it.

So, here’s a post, which may or may not work. :P

A summary of my life in media over the past two weeks:

* I saw Twilight. My god. That’s two hours of my life I’ll never get back.

( spoilers for Twilight )

* I’m thinking about seeing Milk. It looks really good and historically interesting, but Sean Penn’s gigantic hulking ego makes me cringe. I’m not sure I can take it.

* I’m thinking about seeing Valkyrie. It looks historically interesting and I’m very fond of Bryan Singer (X2 is still my favorite superhero movie ever, with Iron Man a close second), but Tom Cruise’s ego and presumptuousness offend me even more than Sean Penn’s.

* I went to see the Cruxshadows on Thanksgiving Eve. I got there at 11:45pm and they didn’t go on for another hour. Damn Pyramid Club. Luckily my new phone has internet so I read marzipan until they came on.

The Cruxshadows may be ridiculously cheesy and overly sincere, but they sure put on a hell of a show. I was crying at the end. How often do you see a band playing to a packed crowd who invites their fans onstage at the end and stays up there afterward hugging every single person who wants a hug?

* I started listening to a bunch of old David Bowie albums while I was cooking for Thanksgiving, and, oh my god, you guys, why didn’t anyone tell me that David Bowie used to be this awesome??? I’ve had The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars on repeat all weekend. I mean, I was vaguely aware that Bowie had once been good, but all I knew was the guy with the bulge from Labyrinth and the skinny old guy who toured with NIN in the 90s. I didn’t realize he’d done something this passionate and creative and amazing. I can’t even articulate my response; I just want to listen to it again and again.

Although, one of the really interesting things is to pick out all the Bowie influences on the bands I grew up listening to. I can see Nirvana, and Alice in Chains, and, dude, Marilyn Manson should be paying this guy royalties. And it’s fascinating how it seems to straddle this boundary between 60s and 70s music and culture, idealism and disillusionment…

Anyway. Must listen more.

* I re-read The Disorderly Knights, the third book in Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles. I think it’s my second favorite, after the first, A Game of Kings.

( spoilers for The Lymond Chronicles )

Testing 1 2 3

November 22nd, 2008 11:34pm by rusty-halo | 1 Comment »

I’m posting this from my new mobile phone. I feel like I’ve finally entered THE FUTURE.

Movie Babble & Reaction to Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow

November 19th, 2008 5:18pm by rusty-halo | 10 Comments »

* x_los wrote Eighth Doctor/goosnake!Master. And it’s… actually kind of awesome? If you enjoy crackfic, I highly recommend it.

* I. Um. I think I want to see Twilight. I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW. But… it’s just… you know… Robert Pattinson is really really cute!

Apparently somewhere inside me there still lurks a twelve year old girl, whose Pretty!Boy!Vampire! alert has just been triggered. I will have to hide my face in shame and sneak into the theater hoping that no one I know will recognize me. Or at least claim that I’m there only to snark. :P

* I saw the new James Bond this weekend and was disappointed. I’m all for emotional continuity, but it didn’t feel like the movie really went anywhere. Nothing made a big impression, and I was mostly bored. Apparently I’m one of the three human beings on the planet who do not find Daniel Craig attractive, so without a compelling story there just wasn’t much to hold my interest. Casino Royale was so much better. :(

* I just read this book called The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, about a Jesuit expedition to Alpha Centauri (seriously). It was brilliantly written, but I didn’t love it.

( spoilers for The Sparrow and for the Lymond Chronicles (possibly offensive to religious types) )

Current Mood: tired

*crosses fingers*

November 19th, 2008 1:56pm by rusty-halo | 23 Comments »

Those of you who read my journal regularly are probably aware that, every night before I go to bed, I get down on my knees and pray that John Simm will return as the Master for one of the 2009 Doctor Who specials.*

Nothing has been announced yet, BUT…

( spoilery speculation )

* I don’t actually do this.

Current Mood: hopeful & nervous