Keris Stainton's Blog, page 75

Watching (and obsessing over)… Friday Night Lights

Okay, so I really just want to say WATCH THIS! YOU SHOULD WATCH THIS! IT'S SO GOOD! WATCH IT! But I'll try to expand just a leetle…

So Christmas before last – i.e. Christmas 2009 – I was looking on David's Amazon wishlist for inspiration (yes, we've been together for 15 years, but he's still pretty much of a mystery to me. You know, I know he likes cheese, but you can't really buy someone cheese for Christmas, can you?) and saw that he wanted the book Friday Night Lights by H G Bissinger. I'd heard good things about the TV series too, so I ordered both, figuring we could watch the series together.

He read and loved the book, but when we sat and watched the pilot episode we were underwhelmed. And a bit depressed. Talk about a total downer (I won't say why cos I don't want to be spoilery), but we got to the end and said, "Well. That was a barrel of laughs." It was not. We didn't actually discuss never watching it again, we just… never put it on again.

But then I kept seeing it recommended by women – Meg Cabot, Sarra Manning, Abby McDonald, Cat Clarke - I like and know have good taste, and I decided I really must give it another go. David was less keen, but we sat through the pilot again (still depressing, still incredibly mumbly*) and then the next night we watched the next episode. And the next night we watched the next. And I think by the fourth or fifth episode we were getting caught up in the show.

Tim Riggins: another good reason to watch...

Before much longer, I noticed I was thinking about it (by which I mean Friday Night Lights, but also that fella above, obv.) during the day and looking forward to that night's episode. And then I was yelling at the characters as I watched (always a good sign). About halfway through Season 1 I suggested we watch two episodes, but David said one was plenty. I think we watched the last eight episodes two at a time and often had to rewind bits we'd missed because me and D were debating something that had just happened.

I don't know if I can explain what's so good about it, apart from saying that the acting is amazing and the characters are utterly convincing (particularly Tami Taylor who is a goddess and already one of my all-time favourite TV characters). The various "issues" – again, being vague to avoid spoilers – aren't simple or straightforward, in almost every case I can see both sides. (In fact, more than once I've shouted "That's exactly it!" at one character before then saying, "But, you know, I can totally see his/her point" about another.)

Goddess. (I almost never look at David like this...)

And don't be put off by the football aspect. There's really very little time dedicated to actual games, but while I started off going, "Aw crap, football!" every time we saw them play, by the end of the season I was actually starting to get involved. I still don't care as much about the football aspect as I probably should (partly because the obsession with high school football is way over the top anyway and I highly doubt I would ever care that much), but I do now watch and enjoy it rather than picking up the paper like I did in the beginning."

Matt Saracen: worth watching the football for

So what I'm trying to say is that for the past few weeks, I've basically just been wishing each day away in order to get to the next episode. And now we can start Season 2. Bliss.

* Is it my age or are TV shows in general much quieter and/or more mumbly? We seem to have to have the subtitles on A LOT. And there are no subtitles for FNL. We still occasionally say, "I have no idea what he/she just said" but certainly not as often as we did at the beginning.

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."

You've probably already seen this, but just in case…

To promote the Read Across America program, the New York Public Library created a 26-ft tall by 40-ft wide display that spelled out the word "Read" using 25,000 Dr. Seuss books.

How cool?!

{via Bookshelf Porn}

To infinity and beyond

I just saw this photo (click to embiggen) and my jaw dropped. I tend to find any space shuttle photographs pretty awe-inspiring anyway, but when I read the description of this one, I just sat here, staring at the screen, mouth hanging open…

Shining through the early morning twilight four planets were also poised above the eastern horizon, a moving scene captured here from across the Banana River at the center's Saturn V VIP viewing site … Jupiter is highest, near the top of the frame, but even the solar sytem's ruling gas giant is outshone by brilliant Venus near picture center. Innermost planet Mercury is below Venus, to the right. Below and left, Mars almost fades into the twilight glow.

You can see FOUR PLANETS on this photograph – FIVE if we count the one we live on (which we probably should). The Universe really is wondrous, isn't it?

{Image Credit: Daniel Herron (Atlanta Astronomy Club) via Nasa's Astronomy Picture of the Day}

Harry's fb 5

Old-timey Harry pic...

Since every time I tweet or facebook something Harry's said, someone says, "I hope you're writing these down!" I went back through my facebook status updates and copied all the Harry quotes. Yes, I am supposed to be writing a new book, why d'you ask?

Anyway, there are loads, but here's five to begin with. And, yes, I'll be posting these until I've done 'em all.

*

This morning I was telling Harry that they're building a Premier Inn in Wallasey, so we'll be able to stay there when we visit Aunty Lea. He got all dreamy-eyed and said, "I'd like to go to bed now and dream about the Premier Inn… the comfy bed… the cafe… the sun shining through the window… beautiful."

*

Where we're going on holiday, there's no internet or mobile reception. "So!" Harry said, "that means NO FACEBOOK OR TWITTER! You'll just have to do colouring!"

*

Me to Harry: "Why are you poking me with a train track?" Harry: "Because I want another child in your tummy."

Me: "So you're poking me with train track?"

Harry: "Yes! Get another kid out."

*

I confiscated Harry's Pingu house cos he kept throwing it around. And then we had this conversation:

Harry: "Where is the Pingu house?"

Me: "Antarctica."

Harry: "First of all, it's a toy – it doesn't have real penguins in it. And second of all, you are a doofus, toy penguins don't live there! And third of all, it's a Pingu house!"

*

I bought some Jellyatrics - old people jelly babies – for my dad*. Harry asked what they were yesterday. This morning, he (Harry) rubbed his tummy and said, "Hmmm. Feels like I need some old people to chew with…"

* This status was before Dad died, obv. Buying jelly sweets for him now would just be weird.

Harry's facebook 5

Old-timey Harry pic...

Since every time I tweet or facebook something Harry's said, someone says, "I hope you're writing these down!" I went back through my facebook status updates and copied all the Harry quotes. Yes, I am supposed to be writing a new book, why d'you ask?

Anyway, there are loads, but here's five to begin with. And, yes, I'll be posting these until I've done 'em all.

*

This morning I was telling Harry that they're building a Premier Inn in Wallasey, so we'll be able to stay there when we visit Aunty Lea. He got all dreamy-eyed and said, "I'd like to go to bed now and dream about the Premier Inn… the comfy bed… the cafe… the sun shining through the window… beautiful."

*

Where we're going on holiday, there's no internet or mobile reception. "So!" Harry said, "that means NO FACEBOOK OR TWITTER! You'll just have to do colouring!"

*

Me to Harry: "Why are you poking me with a train track?" Harry: "Because I want another child in your tummy."

Me: "So you're poking me with train track?"

Harry: "Yes! Get another kid out."

*

I confiscated Harry's Pingu house cos he kept throwing it around. And then we had this conversation:

Harry: "Where is the Pingu house?"

Me: "Antarctica."

Harry: "First of all, it's a toy – it doesn't have real penguins in it. And second of all, you are a doofus, toy penguins don't live there! And third of all, it's a Pingu house!"

*

I bought some Jellyatrics - old people jelly babies – for my dad*. Harry asked what they were yesterday. This morning, he (Harry) rubbed his tummy and said, "Hmmm. Feels like I need some old people to chew with…"

* This status was before Dad died, obv. Buying jelly sweets for him now would just be weird.

Use your Kindle to promote your book

I was just footling around on Twitter, as is my habit, when I saw the lovely author Stephanie Burgis had tweeted a link to some gorgeous Kindle skins. Now I love my Kindle, but looks-wise it is a bit on the dull side, no? So I hopped over to have a look at the skins and while there were some lovely ones, I thought, "You know? I'd like one with my book cover on. Also that would turn my Kindle into an excellent advert if I ever, you know, left the house." I tweeted this concept to Stephanie and Iffath of fab book blog Love ReadingX sent us a link showing a Kindle skin featuring Josephine Angelini's book Starcrossed. I immediately Googled "bespoke Kindle skins" and found Wrappz.com. I uploaded the Jessie ♥ NYC cover and then…

… I'm not going to tell a lie, I squee'd, wiped a tear from my eye and hopped up and down in my seat like a chimp. Then I made one for Stephanie:

And then did one for Della Says: OMG:

Fabulous, right? Obviously I haven't ordered one yet so don't know what they're like in reality, but they cost just £14.99 (plus £2.95 postage) so it's definitely worth a try. I'll order one asap and report back.

Authors, Kindle fans: Behold the Awesome!

I was just footling around on Twitter, as is my habit, when I saw the lovely author Stephanie Burgis had tweeted a link to some gorgeous Kindle skins. Now I love my Kindle, but looks-wise it is a bit on the dull side, no? So I hopped over to have a look at the skins and while there were some lovely ones, I thought, "You know? I'd like one with my book cover on. Also that would turn my Kindle into an excellent advert if I ever, you know, left the house." I tweeted this concept to Stephanie and Iffath of fab book blog Love ReadingX sent us a link showing a Kindle skin featuring Josephine Angelini's book Starcrossed. I immediately Googled "bespoke Kindle skins" and found Wrappz.com. I uploaded the Jessie ♥ NYC cover and then…

… I'm not going to tell a lie, I squee'd, wiped a tear from my eye and hopped up and down in my seat like a chimp. Then I made one for Stephanie:

And then did one for Della Says: OMG:

Fabulous, right? Obviously I haven't ordered one yet so don't know what they're like in reality, but they cost just £14.99 (plus £2.95 postage) so it's definitely worth a try. I'll order one asap and report back.

Writing Wednesday: Do you ever switch off?

One of the things I love about writing as a job is that you can use everything. As Nora Ephron's parents told her, "Everything's copy." But for me this also means that life and work get mixed up and I can find I'm working all the time. Let's take a day last week (when I, um, drafted this post) as an example.

When I got back from the school run, I sat down with Joe and, while he "brummed" his cars all round the lounge (Harry never did this, it's highly entertaining) I read an old novel, the structure of which I'm nicking using as inspiration for the book I'm writing at the moment, and made notes.

Once I finished that book (I only had two chapters left), I started reading a book a friend sent me to review. That done, Joe went up to bed and, once I'd got some paid work out of the way, I started work on the new book I'm writing for Spring Into Summer.

With half an hour left to go, I thought I'd put something on to listen to/watch in the background while I did some more writing / internet footling and remembered there was an episode of The Big Bang Theory I wanted to watch. Why did I want to watch it? Research for another book I'll be writing soon. (A Top Sekrit book! Oh, I love having a Top Sekrit project!)

Don't get me wrong, I love it. I wanted to turn my hobby (reading/writing) into my job and I feel really lucky that I've been able to, but sometimes I would just like to switch off. Do you know what I mean?

Still drawing…

But it's a bit tricky because the all-in-one printer will no longer scan because it's out of ink. Even though it doesn't need ink to scan. Grr.

And then, because I'm a berk, I shoved the SD card that I use in my phone *and* my camera into the DVD slot on the computer and now I can't get it out.

So I'm drawing. It's just getting the drawings onto the computer that's a problem.

I ♥ New York (I don't know if I've mentioned it…)