Elizabeth Parmeter's Blog, page 3
March 1, 2018
Painter's Guild with Will Friedle; enjoying hobbies I will probably never pick up
Project Alpha has a show called Painter's Guild that's now in its second season. It's hosted by Will Friedle who is best known for his role as Eric on Boy Meets World, but who has also done a ton of VO work for DC in addition to be well known to the critter community as Kashaw on Critical Role.
On Painter's Guild, Will and a guest dive into the world of miniature painting. Will, with no previous skill in the hobby, and his guest(s) who have been in the hobby for some time. The first few episodes of season one he started with Matthew Mercer (beloved DM of Critical Role) who showed him the basics of getting started. From there he had on other guests who are both advanced hobbyists or professional painters (which is such a cool job).
In Season Two the show has recieved an upgrade both to the format and the studio setting. Now instead of a simple table, Will and his guest sit surrounding by a variety of paints and tools to use on their projects. In addition, mid-episode there are advanced tips from professional painter Bryan Merlonghi or a interview by Will with different miniature companies about their process.
Fans of Will's appearances on Critical Role will find Will's humor comes through strong on Painter's Guild which makes the show more than a simple project show. He engages his guests about personal and professional topics while they teach him about the hobby. But most of all what's enjoyable is the process of the show. In almost two seasons we get to watch Will's knowledge and technique grow as he works with these guests. Now we can see the work he's doing look (at least from a distance) pretty similar to the works of the talented guests he's hosting.
I'm not a painter, I've barely dabbled in miniature painting. And I doubt I'll ever seriously pick up the hobby, it requires far more patience than I have or am willing to learn. But I really enjoying watching Will's process and I think he's such an entertaining host that I don't need to be watching the show to pick up technique to find it interesting. I also find it a little bit relaxing, kind of comforting to watch a show and see he and his guest start and finish a project in one or two episodes. It reminds me of being a little kid and watching This Old House with my dad. And I think that's kind of the niche this show fills. Haven't we all been stuck inside on the weekend watching HGTV for longer than we ever intended? I find Painter's Guild far more interesting. I hope when this season is over, G&S picks it up for a third.
Below is the trailer for the first season. However if you find yourself on the Geek & Sundry YouTube channel you'll also find Will's mid-episode interviews from season two.
On Painter's Guild, Will and a guest dive into the world of miniature painting. Will, with no previous skill in the hobby, and his guest(s) who have been in the hobby for some time. The first few episodes of season one he started with Matthew Mercer (beloved DM of Critical Role) who showed him the basics of getting started. From there he had on other guests who are both advanced hobbyists or professional painters (which is such a cool job).
In Season Two the show has recieved an upgrade both to the format and the studio setting. Now instead of a simple table, Will and his guest sit surrounding by a variety of paints and tools to use on their projects. In addition, mid-episode there are advanced tips from professional painter Bryan Merlonghi or a interview by Will with different miniature companies about their process.
Fans of Will's appearances on Critical Role will find Will's humor comes through strong on Painter's Guild which makes the show more than a simple project show. He engages his guests about personal and professional topics while they teach him about the hobby. But most of all what's enjoyable is the process of the show. In almost two seasons we get to watch Will's knowledge and technique grow as he works with these guests. Now we can see the work he's doing look (at least from a distance) pretty similar to the works of the talented guests he's hosting.
I'm not a painter, I've barely dabbled in miniature painting. And I doubt I'll ever seriously pick up the hobby, it requires far more patience than I have or am willing to learn. But I really enjoying watching Will's process and I think he's such an entertaining host that I don't need to be watching the show to pick up technique to find it interesting. I also find it a little bit relaxing, kind of comforting to watch a show and see he and his guest start and finish a project in one or two episodes. It reminds me of being a little kid and watching This Old House with my dad. And I think that's kind of the niche this show fills. Haven't we all been stuck inside on the weekend watching HGTV for longer than we ever intended? I find Painter's Guild far more interesting. I hope when this season is over, G&S picks it up for a third.
Below is the trailer for the first season. However if you find yourself on the Geek & Sundry YouTube channel you'll also find Will's mid-episode interviews from season two.
February 27, 2018
Orchestra Book Tag
Eve at Twist in the Taile has created the Orchestra book tag that looks really fun, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Basically the idea is to assign books or characters to each instrument in an orchestra. Being both a book and music nerd, this seemed like fun.
Conductora character likely to mastermind an evil plan
I think I have to agree with Kaz Brekker from the Six of Crows/Crooked Kingdom duology. However, he IS a criminal mastermind, so I feel like he's a little bit too easy of an answer for my liking.
I think given time and purpose, Atticus O'Sullivan from the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne is a good choice. He's good-ish but with the morals of someone that's always playing the long game. If he had to, he could plan one hell of an evil plan.
Violina popular book you enjoyed
The Martian, man. Hands down one of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to. It's amazingly fun and funny and boy does it play with your emotions at times. I was STOKED that this book got the following it did. And the movie I feel was just as awesome. Probably one of the movies that most closely follows the book I've seen in a really long time. Excellently done.
Celloa rich, nuanced character
Eleanor from Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. I think she's a heartbreaking, heartwrenching character. Both she and Park are just wonderful characters because of the richness of their stories.
Violaan overlooked book
So I don't keep up with booktube much anymore, or a lot of YA book talk. But I tell you what from what I have seen, people fucking slept on Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld. The concept and the execution were so well done. It's a book within a book and it's a BIG book but when I finished it, I immediately wanted more.
Oboea book with an unusual premise
Oh this is so easy. This is my favorite book like... ever. Seriously. And boy it's a strange one, but hands-down, my favorite story. Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente.
Now, people are generally either a BIG fan of how Valente writes, or they hate it with a passion. So if you're not a fan of lyrical poetry type writing, this isn't for you. But I urge you to try the audiobook instead anyway because I feel like the narrator does such a good job of making all of the prose just fade behind the characters enough to help you understand everything that's happening.
The tl;dr of Palimpsest is that certain people have these tattoos of specific parts of a city. If you have this tattoo you can travel to this city in your dreams. Some people hate it, some people chase the ability to get there. The book follows four characters in and out of the city of Palimpsest and the reasons they do or don't want to be there. AGH so good.
Clarineta versatile book you’d recommend to anyone
I'm now realizing how many books I love that have complicated story points, or time travel or confusing themes. Hm.
Okay how about this. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. (I knew I'd end up with more than one of her books on here.) It's a book about two friends who work together in a normal corporate type work environment and send messages and emails back and forth to each other throughout the day. You only get bits of their lives through these messages because you're reading them as someone else in the office. It's really good.
Flutea character who stands out from the rest
Miriam Black. From the series by Chuck Wendig. I've never loved an anti-hero as much as I've loved this drinking, smoking, swearing asshole of a woman. But I do.
Trumpetsa talked-about book on your TBR
I've seen a lot of people talking about Angel of the Blockade by Alex Wells. So that's on my list of things to grab real soon like. Also Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi because if you're on tumblr AT ALL, you've seen the post about her and her books go by at least once.
Horna historical book
Susannah Morrow by Megan Chance. It's an older book now, but boy if you like stories about the Salem Witch Trials, this is a really great story. Second runner up is also an older book but The Burning Times by Jeanne Kalogridis is also another story about a woman during a really anti-witch time period. Thanks, Inquisition.
Tubaa book which strongly informs how you are as a person
ooooh. Reverse order maybe from newest (to me) to oldest.
If I hadn't already used Palimpsest, I'd put it here.
But instead this: As a teenager The Midnight Club by Christopher Pike really meant a lot to me. I still go back and read it often because it packs a really good emotional punch that is somehow comforting to me as an adult. Sati (also by Christopher Pike) is one of his adult books, but it holds a similar place in my heart.
However if you want to go way, way, way back. Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik and illustrated by Maurice Sendak has a really solid place in my heart.
Timpania book which finished with a bang
The end of Feed by Mira Grant fucked me right up.
Pianoa very long book
Here's a non-fiction book for you. The Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson is a really funny and informative book about well... everything. I highly recommend the audiobook (read by Bill Bryson himself) if you want to tear into this. But I've shared this with everyone I think, as it was once shared with me, because it's just so, so good.
Conductora character likely to mastermind an evil plan
I think I have to agree with Kaz Brekker from the Six of Crows/Crooked Kingdom duology. However, he IS a criminal mastermind, so I feel like he's a little bit too easy of an answer for my liking.
I think given time and purpose, Atticus O'Sullivan from the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne is a good choice. He's good-ish but with the morals of someone that's always playing the long game. If he had to, he could plan one hell of an evil plan.
Violina popular book you enjoyed
The Martian, man. Hands down one of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to. It's amazingly fun and funny and boy does it play with your emotions at times. I was STOKED that this book got the following it did. And the movie I feel was just as awesome. Probably one of the movies that most closely follows the book I've seen in a really long time. Excellently done.
Celloa rich, nuanced character
Eleanor from Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. I think she's a heartbreaking, heartwrenching character. Both she and Park are just wonderful characters because of the richness of their stories.
Violaan overlooked book
So I don't keep up with booktube much anymore, or a lot of YA book talk. But I tell you what from what I have seen, people fucking slept on Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld. The concept and the execution were so well done. It's a book within a book and it's a BIG book but when I finished it, I immediately wanted more.
Oboea book with an unusual premise
Oh this is so easy. This is my favorite book like... ever. Seriously. And boy it's a strange one, but hands-down, my favorite story. Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente.
Now, people are generally either a BIG fan of how Valente writes, or they hate it with a passion. So if you're not a fan of lyrical poetry type writing, this isn't for you. But I urge you to try the audiobook instead anyway because I feel like the narrator does such a good job of making all of the prose just fade behind the characters enough to help you understand everything that's happening.
The tl;dr of Palimpsest is that certain people have these tattoos of specific parts of a city. If you have this tattoo you can travel to this city in your dreams. Some people hate it, some people chase the ability to get there. The book follows four characters in and out of the city of Palimpsest and the reasons they do or don't want to be there. AGH so good.
Clarineta versatile book you’d recommend to anyone
I'm now realizing how many books I love that have complicated story points, or time travel or confusing themes. Hm.
Okay how about this. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. (I knew I'd end up with more than one of her books on here.) It's a book about two friends who work together in a normal corporate type work environment and send messages and emails back and forth to each other throughout the day. You only get bits of their lives through these messages because you're reading them as someone else in the office. It's really good.
Flutea character who stands out from the rest
Miriam Black. From the series by Chuck Wendig. I've never loved an anti-hero as much as I've loved this drinking, smoking, swearing asshole of a woman. But I do.
Trumpetsa talked-about book on your TBR
I've seen a lot of people talking about Angel of the Blockade by Alex Wells. So that's on my list of things to grab real soon like. Also Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi because if you're on tumblr AT ALL, you've seen the post about her and her books go by at least once.
Horna historical book
Susannah Morrow by Megan Chance. It's an older book now, but boy if you like stories about the Salem Witch Trials, this is a really great story. Second runner up is also an older book but The Burning Times by Jeanne Kalogridis is also another story about a woman during a really anti-witch time period. Thanks, Inquisition.
Tubaa book which strongly informs how you are as a person
ooooh. Reverse order maybe from newest (to me) to oldest.
If I hadn't already used Palimpsest, I'd put it here.
But instead this: As a teenager The Midnight Club by Christopher Pike really meant a lot to me. I still go back and read it often because it packs a really good emotional punch that is somehow comforting to me as an adult. Sati (also by Christopher Pike) is one of his adult books, but it holds a similar place in my heart.
However if you want to go way, way, way back. Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik and illustrated by Maurice Sendak has a really solid place in my heart.
Timpania book which finished with a bang
The end of Feed by Mira Grant fucked me right up.
Pianoa very long book
Here's a non-fiction book for you. The Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson is a really funny and informative book about well... everything. I highly recommend the audiobook (read by Bill Bryson himself) if you want to tear into this. But I've shared this with everyone I think, as it was once shared with me, because it's just so, so good.
February 26, 2018
Music: Tired as Fuck by The Staves
This video is about a year old now but boy is it pretty much a great description for having a chronic illness. I've been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia for about fifteen years now and while I have daily meds that (thankfully) haven't changed much since I first started with my rheumatologist like a decade ago. The only think that really ebbs and flows regardless of pain is my energy levels. People tend to take a lot out of me, because I tend towards extrovert when I'm around people. Recovering can take a day or two and that depends on how many spoons I have on any given day. When you couple that with your just garden variety insomnia (which I've battled since I was a kid -- I get it from my father and his father, we're just night owls, period), getting restful, recuperative rest is pretty much not a thing that happens.
I feel like this song is pretty much my go to anthem for those days. Like, long Mondays with a lot of work on the table and not enough hours of sleep after a long weekend full of people. I also really enjoy the video (as seen below) because it's obviously not trying to be more than it is. A bunch of badass ladies who are just... tired. A thing I can seriously relate to.
Ps. If you're not familiar with The Staves and you like that kind of indie, folk-rock vibe, I highly recommend them. They don't post often on YouTube, but their videos are usually pretty bare bones (which I like) and while they don't have an extensive discography, it's really, really good.
I feel like this song is pretty much my go to anthem for those days. Like, long Mondays with a lot of work on the table and not enough hours of sleep after a long weekend full of people. I also really enjoy the video (as seen below) because it's obviously not trying to be more than it is. A bunch of badass ladies who are just... tired. A thing I can seriously relate to.
Ps. If you're not familiar with The Staves and you like that kind of indie, folk-rock vibe, I highly recommend them. They don't post often on YouTube, but their videos are usually pretty bare bones (which I like) and while they don't have an extensive discography, it's really, really good.
February 25, 2018
Working Though It; making a list of small gratitudes
At work I tend to listen to a lot of podcasts, it's a good way to get through the day and really helpful for a few good laughs. Lately though, I've had a lot of trouble focusing both at work and at home with all the writing projects I want to be working on. I've switched back over to favoring music both in the car (instead of audiobooks like normal). Even then choosing something I want to listen to has been difficult also, mostly because I want stuff that's going to pump me up or at least make me feel good.
Putting together the two schwarmerei playlists [one, two] earlier this month was actually really helpful, I had to think about the sort of music that was honestly going to be a good way to alter my mood for something good. Currently I've got all these projects I want to work on but can't seem to get myself to pick them up.
Most of the things in my life are pretty good at the moment. I finally got the promotion I've been waiting for and a nice bonus along with it. But, we also just found out our oldest dog, Piper, has metastasized cancer in her lungs. We've had her almost exactly ten years, making her fifteen (maybe a year or two older, they weren't sure of her age when we rescued her). But two years ago we lost one of the greatest doggie loves of my life, Jazz, and I'm missing him a lot as I look at the way Piper is declining. They were pretty good puppy friends and I feel like I can see him next to her some days, sitting or laying nearby one another like they used to.
We've been expecting for so long that we'd eventually have to watch Piper pass, but now that we're watching her last few weeks, maybe month, I'm not ready for it.
I don't want to make this a completely sad post about Piper's decline, no one really wants to read that anyway. But it's definitely a weight I'm carrying around and even if I'm not actively thinking about it, it's there in the back of my mind taking up space I'm usually using on something else.
So, like a lot of times in my life, I'm turning to music to help shift my mood. For a week or two I found myself just binging all those episodes of Supergirl. It's easy to hide in long television binges. I had to tear myself away from it this week (made a little easier by the fact that I was definitely losing interest in the second season's plots -- more on that another day). Instead, I've been playing some Overwatch, which I find kickstarts my brain a little, and this weekend I actually sat down with something more than this blog to write on.
TBH writing blog posts every day is helpful, even when they're small. I feel like they're little bits of gratitude, little reminders for myself of things I am honestly enjoying.
So let me mention a few things that are really helping me at the moment. The first IS a podcast: Good Christian Fun -- I've mentioned this one before and it's still great. I laugh at every episode and the 2nd service episodes have been both fun and informational, getting me thinking about stuff. (Kevin's love for the Paddington movies also made me watch Paddington for the first time, and I can confirm it's an earnestly adorable and light-hearted good time.)The song "Good as Hell" by Lizzo (which I put on my first playlist up there)The song "Two Fux" by Adam Lambert (which is on my second playlist linked up there)Old and new episodes of Critical Role -- I just finished episode 75 of the first campaign and I laughed through the whole thing. Those nerds really make me happy. The new show by Polygon on YouTube -- Overboard, where members of the staff of Polygon.com play board games.The new song by Janelle Monae "Make Me Feel", because hell yes & the video for this is a bisexual's happy place. It's amazing. This isn't a thing, but it's important to me: with my work bonus I was able to pay down my student loan quite a bit. By the end of the year I might have that paid off and that's such a weight off. If you're struggling right now, I highly recommend finding some songs or some shows that'll make you laugh or dance, at least draw your focus for a little bit. Getting your brain a little kickstart with something that triggers a happy thought gives it something to focus on whatever you don't have the energy for right now. Plus, if you're like me, making a list of 5+ things is always a good time.
Putting together the two schwarmerei playlists [one, two] earlier this month was actually really helpful, I had to think about the sort of music that was honestly going to be a good way to alter my mood for something good. Currently I've got all these projects I want to work on but can't seem to get myself to pick them up.
Most of the things in my life are pretty good at the moment. I finally got the promotion I've been waiting for and a nice bonus along with it. But, we also just found out our oldest dog, Piper, has metastasized cancer in her lungs. We've had her almost exactly ten years, making her fifteen (maybe a year or two older, they weren't sure of her age when we rescued her). But two years ago we lost one of the greatest doggie loves of my life, Jazz, and I'm missing him a lot as I look at the way Piper is declining. They were pretty good puppy friends and I feel like I can see him next to her some days, sitting or laying nearby one another like they used to.
We've been expecting for so long that we'd eventually have to watch Piper pass, but now that we're watching her last few weeks, maybe month, I'm not ready for it.
I don't want to make this a completely sad post about Piper's decline, no one really wants to read that anyway. But it's definitely a weight I'm carrying around and even if I'm not actively thinking about it, it's there in the back of my mind taking up space I'm usually using on something else.
So, like a lot of times in my life, I'm turning to music to help shift my mood. For a week or two I found myself just binging all those episodes of Supergirl. It's easy to hide in long television binges. I had to tear myself away from it this week (made a little easier by the fact that I was definitely losing interest in the second season's plots -- more on that another day). Instead, I've been playing some Overwatch, which I find kickstarts my brain a little, and this weekend I actually sat down with something more than this blog to write on.
TBH writing blog posts every day is helpful, even when they're small. I feel like they're little bits of gratitude, little reminders for myself of things I am honestly enjoying.
So let me mention a few things that are really helping me at the moment. The first IS a podcast: Good Christian Fun -- I've mentioned this one before and it's still great. I laugh at every episode and the 2nd service episodes have been both fun and informational, getting me thinking about stuff. (Kevin's love for the Paddington movies also made me watch Paddington for the first time, and I can confirm it's an earnestly adorable and light-hearted good time.)The song "Good as Hell" by Lizzo (which I put on my first playlist up there)The song "Two Fux" by Adam Lambert (which is on my second playlist linked up there)Old and new episodes of Critical Role -- I just finished episode 75 of the first campaign and I laughed through the whole thing. Those nerds really make me happy. The new show by Polygon on YouTube -- Overboard, where members of the staff of Polygon.com play board games.The new song by Janelle Monae "Make Me Feel", because hell yes & the video for this is a bisexual's happy place. It's amazing. This isn't a thing, but it's important to me: with my work bonus I was able to pay down my student loan quite a bit. By the end of the year I might have that paid off and that's such a weight off. If you're struggling right now, I highly recommend finding some songs or some shows that'll make you laugh or dance, at least draw your focus for a little bit. Getting your brain a little kickstart with something that triggers a happy thought gives it something to focus on whatever you don't have the energy for right now. Plus, if you're like me, making a list of 5+ things is always a good time.
Working Though It; making list of small gratitudes
At work I tend to listen to a lot of podcasts, it's a good way to get through the day and really helpful for a few good laughs. Lately though, I've had a lot of trouble focusing both at work and at home with all the writing projects I want to be working on. I've switched back over to favoring music both in the car (instead of audiobooks like normal). Even then choosing something I want to listen to has been difficult also, mostly because I want stuff that's going to pump me up or at least make me feel good.
Putting together the two schwarmerei playlists [one, two] earlier this month was actually really helpful, I had to think about the sort of music that was honestly going to be a good way to alter my mood for something good. Currently I've got all these projects I want to work on but can't seem to get myself to pick them up.
Most of the things in my life are pretty good at the moment. I finally got the promotion I've been waiting for and a nice bonus along with it. But, we also just found out our oldest dog, Piper, has metastasized cancer in her lungs. We've had her almost exactly ten years, making her fifteen (maybe a year or two older, they weren't sure of her age when we rescued her). But two years ago we lost one of the greatest doggie loves of my life, Jazz, and I'm missing him a lot as I look at the way Piper is declining. They were pretty good puppy friends and I feel like I can see him next to her some days, sitting or laying nearby one another like they used to.
We've been expecting for so long that we'd eventually have to watch Piper pass, but now that we're watching her last few weeks, maybe month, I'm not ready for it.
I don't want to make this a completely sad post about Piper's decline, no one really wants to read that anyway. But it's definitely a weight I'm carrying around and even if I'm not actively thinking about it, it's there in the back of my mind taking up space I'm usually using on something else.
So, like a lot of times in my life, I'm turning to music to help shift my mood. For a week or two I found myself just binging all those episodes of Supergirl. It's easy to hide in long television binges. I had to tear myself away from it this week (made a little easier by the fact that I was definitely losing interest in the second season's plots -- more on that another day). Instead, I've been playing some Overwatch, which I find kickstarts my brain a little, and this weekend I actually sat down with something more than this blog to write on.
TBH writing blog posts every day is helpful, even when they're small. I feel like they're little bits of gratitude, little reminders for myself of things I am honestly enjoying.
So let me mention a few things that are really helping me at the moment. The first IS a podcast: Good Christian Fun -- I've mentioned this one before and it's still great. I laugh at every episode and the 2nd service episodes have been both fun and informational, getting me thinking about stuff. (Kevin's love for the Paddington movies also made me watch Paddington for the first time, and I can confirm it's an earnestly adorable and light-hearted good time.)The song "Good as Hell" by Lizzo (which I put on my first playlist up there)The song "Two Fux" by Adam Lambert (which is on my second playlist linked up there)Old and new episodes of Critical Role -- I just finished episode 75 of the first campaign and I laughed through the whole thing. Those nerds really make me happy. The new show by Polygon on YouTube -- Overboard, where members of the staff of Polygon.com play board games.The new song by Janelle Monae "Make Me Feel", because hell yes & the video for this is a bisexual's happy place. It's amazing. This isn't a thing, but it's important to me: with my work bonus I was able to pay down my student loan quite a bit. By the end of the year I might have that paid off and that's such a weight off. If you're struggling right now, I highly recommend finding some songs or some shows that'll make you laugh or dance, at least draw your focus for a little bit. Getting your brain a little kickstart with something that triggers a happy thought gives it something to focus on whatever you don't have the energy for right now. Plus, if you're like me, making a list of 5+ things is always a good time.
Putting together the two schwarmerei playlists [one, two] earlier this month was actually really helpful, I had to think about the sort of music that was honestly going to be a good way to alter my mood for something good. Currently I've got all these projects I want to work on but can't seem to get myself to pick them up.
Most of the things in my life are pretty good at the moment. I finally got the promotion I've been waiting for and a nice bonus along with it. But, we also just found out our oldest dog, Piper, has metastasized cancer in her lungs. We've had her almost exactly ten years, making her fifteen (maybe a year or two older, they weren't sure of her age when we rescued her). But two years ago we lost one of the greatest doggie loves of my life, Jazz, and I'm missing him a lot as I look at the way Piper is declining. They were pretty good puppy friends and I feel like I can see him next to her some days, sitting or laying nearby one another like they used to.
We've been expecting for so long that we'd eventually have to watch Piper pass, but now that we're watching her last few weeks, maybe month, I'm not ready for it.
I don't want to make this a completely sad post about Piper's decline, no one really wants to read that anyway. But it's definitely a weight I'm carrying around and even if I'm not actively thinking about it, it's there in the back of my mind taking up space I'm usually using on something else.
So, like a lot of times in my life, I'm turning to music to help shift my mood. For a week or two I found myself just binging all those episodes of Supergirl. It's easy to hide in long television binges. I had to tear myself away from it this week (made a little easier by the fact that I was definitely losing interest in the second season's plots -- more on that another day). Instead, I've been playing some Overwatch, which I find kickstarts my brain a little, and this weekend I actually sat down with something more than this blog to write on.
TBH writing blog posts every day is helpful, even when they're small. I feel like they're little bits of gratitude, little reminders for myself of things I am honestly enjoying.
So let me mention a few things that are really helping me at the moment. The first IS a podcast: Good Christian Fun -- I've mentioned this one before and it's still great. I laugh at every episode and the 2nd service episodes have been both fun and informational, getting me thinking about stuff. (Kevin's love for the Paddington movies also made me watch Paddington for the first time, and I can confirm it's an earnestly adorable and light-hearted good time.)The song "Good as Hell" by Lizzo (which I put on my first playlist up there)The song "Two Fux" by Adam Lambert (which is on my second playlist linked up there)Old and new episodes of Critical Role -- I just finished episode 75 of the first campaign and I laughed through the whole thing. Those nerds really make me happy. The new show by Polygon on YouTube -- Overboard, where members of the staff of Polygon.com play board games.The new song by Janelle Monae "Make Me Feel", because hell yes & the video for this is a bisexual's happy place. It's amazing. This isn't a thing, but it's important to me: with my work bonus I was able to pay down my student loan quite a bit. By the end of the year I might have that paid off and that's such a weight off. If you're struggling right now, I highly recommend finding some songs or some shows that'll make you laugh or dance, at least draw your focus for a little bit. Getting your brain a little kickstart with something that triggers a happy thought gives it something to focus on whatever you don't have the energy for right now. Plus, if you're like me, making a list of 5+ things is always a good time.
February 24, 2018
Comic: Fangirl by Tom Stillwell
My house has a bad Kickstarter habit that sort of have under control. Although sometimes we still go a little crazy on smaller projects, especially from repeat creators. This isn't that, this is a graphic novel I backed a WHILE ago. I'm not even sure how long ago, but I received all the fun stuff in the mail a few weeks ago and finally finished reading the comic this week.I'm bad about keeping up on comics, both physical and digital versions. These days I tend to prefer a graphic novel (in either physical or digital variety) because I like having a lot of story in my hands. And as much as I like superheroes, I'm not much for following the never-ending parade of storylines with recons and new beginnings and all the sort of things that come with it. I know some people do, but I prefer a nice tight story arc that's more reminiscent of novellas than a television series.
Fangirl written by Tom Stillwell [Pencils & Ink by Jessica Lynn, Colors by Zac Atkinson, Letters by Crank!] is just that. Fangirl is the story of a young woman who has a close group of friends from an online game that is finally meeting in person at a big fan convention. When two of them witness a murder you see them using the convention to their advantage to escape the murderer.
One of the great things about the story in Fangirl is that this group of online friends come together and there's not much awkwardness about being new to each other. They pick up conversations they were having online, they reference the game they play together and the other media they like just as you'd expect friends to do. It evident of the progression people have made since the early days of online gaming where you might not know what someone looked like, or what their real name was...
They're just friends. And they're doing their best to get through the weekend.
As someone that's met friends through video games and online fan communities, of course I resonated with the group that meets up in this story. But I also just really appreciated the portrayal of enthusiastic fandom culture in a positive way. There's maybe a few holes in the plot but given that this isn't a novel, it's a graphic novel, I'm not mad about it. I think it's worth the read if you've got a few minutes -- the art is cute and there's plenty of fun stuff to enjoy in the convention backgrounds.
If you'd like to check it out you can find the digital version on comixology here.
The Cantata Pansophical: An Exandrian Musical
I know I posted about this on tumblr yesterday, but I had to write a little more about it as a way to express my awe over this whole project.
I've been following the updates on this project since the idea was first floated to the community. Tumblr fans had been mashing up Hamilton and Critical Role in art and gifs and photosets since Hamilton came out. But a project of this scope is just beyond everything else, and it could've worked out so differently.
The work that it took to write these songs and make them fit both the story of Season 1 in addition to hitting the plot themes of Hamilton is mind boggling. Somehow they made it work and they made it work so incredibly well. I cried multiple times today listening to this whole thing. Seriously, if you're a fan of both Hamilton and Critical Role and you haven't listened to this yet, get on it. It's amazing.
The Critter community is pretty fantastic as far as fandoms go. I feel like it's worth mentioning how generous this community is. There's a call for charitable donations on the website if you like the work they've done, some of the cast gives suggestions on places you might give. To put something like this together for free and further -- to encourage charitable gifts as a way to appreciate the work, is such a wonderful thing.
The story in The Cantata Pansophical is centrally focused on the events of the Chroma Conclave with a little set up before hand. The cast is huge and extremely talented. Also, please take in the really fantastic and matched themes of the artwork on each song, it's impressive.
Be prepared... the emotional gut punches hit pretty hard.
This should take you to the playlist on YouTube. You can also check out the website with the download link in addition to additional materials like the lyrics.
I've been following the updates on this project since the idea was first floated to the community. Tumblr fans had been mashing up Hamilton and Critical Role in art and gifs and photosets since Hamilton came out. But a project of this scope is just beyond everything else, and it could've worked out so differently.
The work that it took to write these songs and make them fit both the story of Season 1 in addition to hitting the plot themes of Hamilton is mind boggling. Somehow they made it work and they made it work so incredibly well. I cried multiple times today listening to this whole thing. Seriously, if you're a fan of both Hamilton and Critical Role and you haven't listened to this yet, get on it. It's amazing.
The Critter community is pretty fantastic as far as fandoms go. I feel like it's worth mentioning how generous this community is. There's a call for charitable donations on the website if you like the work they've done, some of the cast gives suggestions on places you might give. To put something like this together for free and further -- to encourage charitable gifts as a way to appreciate the work, is such a wonderful thing.
The story in The Cantata Pansophical is centrally focused on the events of the Chroma Conclave with a little set up before hand. The cast is huge and extremely talented. Also, please take in the really fantastic and matched themes of the artwork on each song, it's impressive.
Be prepared... the emotional gut punches hit pretty hard.
This should take you to the playlist on YouTube. You can also check out the website with the download link in addition to additional materials like the lyrics.
February 22, 2018
Fables, Wednesday Club and the Five Minute One-Shot
The Wednesday Club is Geek & Sundry's comic book show on Alpha, hosted by Queen of Comic Knowledge Amy Dallen, Goth Dad Taliesin Jaffe & Dr. Strange mega-fan Matt Key. Each week (on Wednesday) they meet for about two hours to talk about some comic book related topic. I'm not enough of a comic fan that this was an immediate watch for me, despite my love for Amy's old G&S Vlog series about comics. However, last night's topic was the epic Bill Willingham series, Fables.
Fables is a series I've loved for years. I started collecting the deluxe hardbacks when they came out because I love getting all the extra art and behind the scenes bits in them. So for the first time last night I tuned in to catch a live episode of The Wednesday Club in order to listen to their talk on Fables. I really, really enjoyed the chat although I knew going in that there was so little they could talk about without giving things away. And the three of them did a really good job keeping things spoiler-free and still communicating a lot about the series.
Part of the amazing work of Fables is it's ability to surprise you constantly with the characters, even when you've seen them before. Which was something talked about a few times, in addition to the fun topic Taliesin brought up about the stories of Fables being public domain. They briefly delve into Once Upon a Time and what it meant for Fables fans when that show got picked up. Amy has a really great idea for the opening sequence for a Fables tv show, which I LOVED.
At the end of the show, they take a topic question from chat and spend five minutes in discussion on that specific question. Those segments are related to the show's topic, but then are also fielded to YouTube so if you don't have Alpha, or watch on Twitch, you can check those out.
If you're a comics fan -- or if you want to get into comics, I highly recommend The Wednesday Club. It's just a casual chat about comics between friends (and sometimes with guests). It's a good time.
[Ps. I really love that they do a letters column at the start of the show. The one in last night's episode from a fan that had been encouraged by the show to try and get through their bad brain days and maybe make some new friends was incredibly sweet.]
Fables is a series I've loved for years. I started collecting the deluxe hardbacks when they came out because I love getting all the extra art and behind the scenes bits in them. So for the first time last night I tuned in to catch a live episode of The Wednesday Club in order to listen to their talk on Fables. I really, really enjoyed the chat although I knew going in that there was so little they could talk about without giving things away. And the three of them did a really good job keeping things spoiler-free and still communicating a lot about the series.Part of the amazing work of Fables is it's ability to surprise you constantly with the characters, even when you've seen them before. Which was something talked about a few times, in addition to the fun topic Taliesin brought up about the stories of Fables being public domain. They briefly delve into Once Upon a Time and what it meant for Fables fans when that show got picked up. Amy has a really great idea for the opening sequence for a Fables tv show, which I LOVED.
At the end of the show, they take a topic question from chat and spend five minutes in discussion on that specific question. Those segments are related to the show's topic, but then are also fielded to YouTube so if you don't have Alpha, or watch on Twitch, you can check those out.
If you're a comics fan -- or if you want to get into comics, I highly recommend The Wednesday Club. It's just a casual chat about comics between friends (and sometimes with guests). It's a good time.
[Ps. I really love that they do a letters column at the start of the show. The one in last night's episode from a fan that had been encouraged by the show to try and get through their bad brain days and maybe make some new friends was incredibly sweet.]
February 21, 2018
Drunk History -- Nichelle Nichols Lives Boldly
Drunk History is almost always a good time, but this video of Nichelle Nichols (as played by Raven Simone) time on Star Trek and her work with NASA is short, but awesome.
It also includes the line from drunk narrator, Ashley Nicole Black, speaking as Martin Luther King Jr. (as played by Jaleel White), "No I'm Martin Luther King, I have no chill." Seriously everything about this is wonderful and funny.
And because it's Drunk History, this exchange also happens:
Ashley: So you know, they're filming Star Wars and it's great.
Derek: Is that true?
Ashley: Oh, my God. Also very good.
Ashley: So they're doing Star Trek. It's great. People love it.
It also includes the line from drunk narrator, Ashley Nicole Black, speaking as Martin Luther King Jr. (as played by Jaleel White), "No I'm Martin Luther King, I have no chill." Seriously everything about this is wonderful and funny.
And because it's Drunk History, this exchange also happens:
Ashley: So you know, they're filming Star Wars and it's great.
Derek: Is that true?
Ashley: Oh, my God. Also very good.
Ashley: So they're doing Star Trek. It's great. People love it.
February 20, 2018
Supergirl -- For the Girl Who Has Everything
I know I'm behind on this, but I just finished binging the first season of Supergirl. I've been a Superman fan since I was a little kid watching old black and white George Reeves' Superman reruns with my dad. I grew up with reruns of Helen Slater's Supergirl. I had a poster for Superman IX on my wall; I pretty much loved everything about Christopher Reeves' Superman -- still do. I loved Lois & Clark, but didn't like Smallville. Really, I've seen all the Superman stuff because I love him as a character so much. Sure, in the comics he was often a dick but he was also kind and friendly and humorous.
Supergirl, specifically the way Melissa Benoist plays her, reminds me a great deal of the Christopher Reeves movies. Reminds me of why I like Superman so much. They're not perfect people. They sure aren't perfect humans. Not perfect heroes.
But they take joy in saving people and not as some god-complexed savior of mankind (although I'll admit Superman has been written that way more than once), but because they WANT to use the abilities they have on Earth for good. They want to keep people safe, to be useful, and ultimately, to belong. Kara, more than Clark, is a great example of this because of her story. Because she was older when Krypton died, and she was sent with the purpose of watching Kal-El (who was only a baby), she not only remembers home but she remembers her purpose.
Kara left Krypton expecting to be a protector.
She came to Earth to find that Kal-El already was one.
Watching the first few episodes -- which are not about her coming into her power as Superman's stories so often begin, but fully embracing her powers and her purpose.
There's a joy that comes from finding something you're good at and leaning into it completely. And I love that about Supergirl.
It also really helps that she, like Clark, find a lot of joy in the ingenuity and earnestness of humans. It's not condescension, it's pride.
And I love that.
I'm starting season two, and I've seen a lot of what tumblr likes about the second season but I'm looking forward to watching it for myself.
Supergirl, specifically the way Melissa Benoist plays her, reminds me a great deal of the Christopher Reeves movies. Reminds me of why I like Superman so much. They're not perfect people. They sure aren't perfect humans. Not perfect heroes.
But they take joy in saving people and not as some god-complexed savior of mankind (although I'll admit Superman has been written that way more than once), but because they WANT to use the abilities they have on Earth for good. They want to keep people safe, to be useful, and ultimately, to belong. Kara, more than Clark, is a great example of this because of her story. Because she was older when Krypton died, and she was sent with the purpose of watching Kal-El (who was only a baby), she not only remembers home but she remembers her purpose.
Kara left Krypton expecting to be a protector.
She came to Earth to find that Kal-El already was one.
Watching the first few episodes -- which are not about her coming into her power as Superman's stories so often begin, but fully embracing her powers and her purpose.
There's a joy that comes from finding something you're good at and leaning into it completely. And I love that about Supergirl.
It also really helps that she, like Clark, find a lot of joy in the ingenuity and earnestness of humans. It's not condescension, it's pride.
And I love that.
I'm starting season two, and I've seen a lot of what tumblr likes about the second season but I'm looking forward to watching it for myself.
