When an author sets up the Wall of Books on the panel table, hangs a poster for their books over the front of the table and turns every part of the discussion into an infomercial, I figure I'm going to be bored by their books. Doing the equivalent online is also annoying. #pretendpanel
Like a lot of people, I get turned off by all promo, all the time, whether on social media or in person. I've seen a few convention panels where I decided I never wanted to read that author because they tried to turn the panel into promo for their books/self. #pretendpanel
I guess I went for lazy in my Saturday plans because it's almost one and I'm still in my pajamas. I cooked something semi-complicated for breakfast, so it was closer to brunch. Then time spent on the Saturday crossword and Sudoku. Now to get myself off the sofa to do something with the day.
Fortunately, they also gave a link, but then you need to know the model number. It's so annoying, the book that came with it tells you how to take the doors off but not how to operate it.
The dreaded QR code strikes again. My refrigerator gave me the "change air filter" signal, so I got out the user manual (which the house seller kindly left me) to see what I need to do, and the manual is just how to set it up and safety info. For use and care info, scan this QR code. GRRRR.
That could be it. "This is MY water dish. Be warned." It's been patrolling the yard all morning. Or else I'm being punished for (gasp!) washing and scrubbing out the water dish earlier this week and removing all the good scents.
I just caught the white cat in the process of using the ground in front of my deck steps as a litterbox. At least it was meticulous about covering it up. It was right next to where I put the water dish on the steps. Is there something I could do to discourage this use of this area?
It's like all those movies where the plot is to publicly reveal the recordings of the leader saying something controversial or trick him with an unexpectedly hot mic, and once his real beliefs come out, that's the end. The truth changes everything. How sweet and quaint.
Quick and easy and pretty nutritious and tasty. I had it as a main dish, but it might work as a party dip with pita chips. This one will go into the regular rotation, since it was ready in about 20 minutes. I'm trying to create a collection of good lazy meals.
Today's recipe experiment, Spanakopita Beans (recipe from the WaPo). Saute green onions, add frozen chopped spinach and garlic, then some chopped parsley, veggie broth and drained, rinsed cannellini beans. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper and feta cheese. Serve with warm pita.
I've gone very retro/analog when it comes to recipes and have started writing them out on cards that I keep in a recipe card file box, mostly because it's a pain cooking from a screen or printing. Plus, I'm usually cutting the recipe in half, so I adjust amounts on the card.
I've started trying to plot this book I'm developing, and this is when I see that although a lot of it feels really fleshed out, what I really have is a few scenes, mostly toward the beginning, and a lot of handwaving. I have ideas for very few events. I guess I need to think more.
Though I think a far bigger worldbuilding fail would be a society formed by the combo of the US and China, loaded with Asian cultural references, with people sprinkling Chinese into their speech, but no actual Asian people to be seen.
Now that I think about it, the Companion thing is a perfect reflection of his faux feminism: "Sex workers are highly esteemed/everyone sneers at them" matches "Girl power!/sexual harasser."
Maybe the whole "respect" thing was just a marketing/recruiting veneer, something they paid lip service to so both Companions and customers would feel better about it but that few really believed. And I suspect I've just put more thought into it than Joss did.
Then on into the war, we've got Wil as a mechanic for the fighters, trying to keep a fleet together with a bit of wire and some paper clips, Vel handling recruitment and having to filter out possible Imperial infiltrators. Would Kleya continue her role as spymaster?
There's material for something interesting just covering the time from the battle of Scarif to the battle of Yavin. What was going on at Yavin in the aftermath of Scarif, especially when Leia didn't turn up and they couldn't contact Alderaan? What happened to the plans?
So there are a lot of stories to be told about the war and even about the creation of a new government at the end of the war. Follow what Mon Mothma, Vel, Kleya, Wilmon, etc., did during the war. Did Bix ever get back into the fight, or did she stay out of it?
If we're going to get a new science fiction streaming series, I want a series that continues the Andor story into the war years (though obviously with a different title because Rogue One). The movies of the original trilogy each covered only a few days and focused on a small group of people.
I was a huge Firefly fan back in the day. I met a lot of friends I'm still in touch with through the fandom. I went to Browncoat Balls. I was one of the lucky fans who got to go to the LA premiere party for Serenity, and I'm not super keen on a reboot (though I suspect that's not what's happening).
There was potentially something interesting they could have done to show class differences, because it seemed like it was the upper-crust who could afford a Companion who respected them and the poorer people who couldn't afford them (Mal) who sneered. But they never explored that.
So I guess it'll be a day to work in the yard or go hiking, maybe a little of both. Or just be incredibly lazy and do a rest day and read and knit and maybe do some baking.
There's another thing I was thinking of doing, but it's an all-day event, 9-4, and I think that would drain me or make me fidgety, especially because Sunday is going to be busy. I thought it was a come-and-go thing, but turns out it's programmed all day.
My planned Saturday activity turns out not to be what I expected. It's a team-type event, and I didn't want to participate but wanted to watch to see how it worked, but it turns out that it's only open for participants with no access for spectators. So now I have to re-plan.
I suspect their real targets are the hobbyists who want to be famous authors but aren't dependent on writing income, the same ones targeted by a lot of the "book coaches" and vanity publishing schemes. I look at the book coaching rates and wonder what writer can afford that.
I suspect most states claim this. Just about every place in the US has some kind of "Don't like the weather? Stick around a few minutes" joke.
Sun is now out and snow is rapidly melting. The rain/snow should help revive the parts of the yard that got messed up during the tree removal and should soak in or wash away all that sawdust.
Aside from Charade, where he was the pro, Cary Grant seemed to specialize in the gender-flip version, playing ordinary guy swept up by wacky dame or in over his head. Bringing Up Baby might be the gender flipped screwball comedy version of the trope, then it was serious in North by Northwest.
And now the snow seems to have stopped falling, apart from clumps falling out of trees, and it's gone back above freezing. It may be gone by the end of the day.
A snowy landscape including snow-frosted trees.
Yesterday it was 84 degrees. It was 71 at midnight. I had to turn on the ceiling fans. Today ...
