Hanging Out around the Motor City

I didn't mention this particular out-of-town trip online because it was a bit of a secret, but you see, Yanni K. brought me up to Detroit in order to surprise a certain publisher for his birthday. Semi-birthday. Demi-birthday. Quasi-birthday, I don't know - whatever you call a surprise natal celebration six months off the actual date.

(Long story.)

I'm not going to lie to you, Marge - it's been a blast. I had a hell of a time kicking around the warehouse, hanging out, gossiping, dodging Nerf bullets, drinking weasel-shit coffee, and doing lunch shenanigans with Bill and the crew. I'm terribly glad I came, and majorly grateful to Yanni and the local peeps for setting it up!

And also for putting me up. I'm hanging at Yanni's place right now, intermittently stealing her internet and bouncing around with her kids. This morning we went to the zoo, and it ruled. Click the link. There are otters.

I'm pretty sure everyone loves otters.

In other news, last night we trooped out to see Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. It was...hm. Well. Let's be honest: It wasn't otters.

DISCLAIMER: No, I haven't read the book. Therefore, I can't make any comparisons, contrasts, or complaints about the adaptation.

AL:VH had pacing problems out the wazoo, never mind a serious difficulty with physics and a heavy over-reliance on slow-mo bullet-vision. And really, its Evil Vampire Master Plan didn't make much sense.

(Actually, come to think about it, very little about the vampires made any sense. Hand-wavey anti-violence supernatural force field applicable only to members of the same species, anyone? At the risk of getting porny and intimating spoilers here, does this mean rough consensual vampire sex was out of the question? Inquiring minds want to know. And they have their dirty-minded doubts.)

Still - I liked the spirit of the flick, the action sequences were tense and wild, and I loved the clothes. OH HOW I LOVED THE CLOTHES. Likewise I appreciated the earnest, slightly awkward, then grimly determined portrayal of Abe, though at times I thought he was a moron - which was jarring.* I dug the expanded role of Will Johnson (played by Anthony Mackie, who was born to wear those tailored Victorian cuts); I liked the twist re: Joshua Speed (honestly didn't see it coming); and I absolutely developed a fangirl crush on Henry, who I may be quietly plotting to mug for his wardrobe. And his swagger.

So I guess it all comes down to this: (1). my next band name will be "Confederate Vampire," and (2). FOR THE LOVE OF GOD somebody stop me from running out and writing fanfic about Henry because all this self-restraint IS KILLING ME.

In short, it was kind of dumb but I really enjoyed it.


* He had NO IDEA about Henry? None? Really? Are you kidding me? I knew it in the INTRODUCTORY BAR SCENE. And using SILVER against vampires doesn't dawn on him until fucking GETTYSBURG? When it's something he learned about in THE FIRST TRAINING SEQUENCE? OMGWTF?! GTFO.