Enemy of Entropy

I figure it’s past time I check in again. Obviously, I’ve given up on the Blog365 thing. I did make it 9 months or so, at least.

Katie turned 18 at the end of October, so she voted in the election for the first time. I’m really tickled that her first time was so historic! We’ll all be voting in the Senate run-off too, of course. I really hope Jim Martin makes it.

I turned 42 this week. I never do understand people moaning about getting older, reaching a particular age. It’s certainly better than the alternative, right?

I haven’t been reading near as much lately, because my eyes don’t want to focus and I have trouble concentrating. I’m re-reading C.J. Cherryh’s Foreigner series, since it’s easier to follow something familiar.

I fell into watching NCIS somehow, probably because I got all caught up on all three CSIs. I’ve watched True Blood, but I don’t like it nearly as much as the original novels by Charlaine Harris. It’s much darker, and nobody is nearly as nice/sympathetic. I don’t even like Sookie much, Sam Merlotte is an ass, and Jason–goddess, why give that waste of flesh so much screen time? Why all the added emphasis on sex and substance use? As usual, the Southern accents are abominable.

I started watching season 3 of Dexter, but I’m just not enjoying it as much as the first season, for some reason.

So then I was lured into watching Criminal Minds, largely due to Elizabeth Bear’s regular episode reviews (posted to her LJ).

At this very moment, Sam and Katie and I are watching the first DVD of Carnivàle. That is one weird, but beautiful, show. The preacher character looks a lot like our friend James Jowers.

Sam and I watched Iron Man Friday night, I think it was. It was fun, but loud. Good thing I didn’t try to see it in the theater!

In lieu of a real post, which would require actual thought…

New Elizabeth Bear short story: The Girl Who Sang Rose Madder

Ruminations on science fiction, fantasy, etc.: Asking the Wrong Questions

Dr. Horrible recast with My Little Ponies

Sam took Katie up to Republican land to pick up her new glasses lenses today–she went to the eye doctor while she was with my parents, because they were out driving and realized that she was squinting to read the road signs. Her eyes hadn’t changed much at her last few yearly check-ups, but they did this time. She says everything is very nice and clear. I need to go get my own checked, but glasses are so danged expensive!

We had a nice date and a delicious steak dinner. Sam’s been promising that he’ll make chicken fettucine alfredo since last weekend, but the girl was gone, then he had a pretty tiring week. That’s quite a meal to cook after a day at work. So I’m hoping he’ll feel up to it tomorrow. The steak was really good, though!

Katie got a long letter from her friend Josh, who left for Air Force basic training recently. Then she even got a phone call from him! Apparently his group¹ is doing really well, so they got access to a sort of recreation area with vending machines and pay phones after just two weeks of training. Another friend of theirs who just got out of training said they didn’t get that until after five weeks, which is apparently pretty standard.

I worry about Josh–this just isn’t a good time to be going into any branch of the military, as far as I’m concerned. But I’m sure he’ll be a good airman, and it’s what he wanted to do.

Thanks to Elizabeth Bear (matociquala), I now know that, Ohs noes! Franz Kafka read pron! I can’t quite figure out why it’s such a big deal to anyone, but I’m certainly not a Kafka scholar. Is there any healthy adult in the world who, given the opportunity, has not read/viewed porn at some point in his or her life?

The girl saw Mamma Mia with my mother, and said she thinks we’ll enjoy watching it together. I don’t pay much attention to what’s in the theaters, so other than thinking it might have some connection to Abba I was clueless. Bear also posted a link to an interesting review that finally gave me a clue as to why Katie liked it so much.

Elizabeth Bear succeeds where David Brin failed in Glory Season. What would a woman-dominated human society look like? How would it come about? Why? What, if any, role would males play? How would that society interact with more “traditional,” male-dominated human societies?

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So, um, I tried to read this. I really did. I don’t know if it’s “paranormal romance overload” or the fact that I’d just finished reading material from two incredibly good writers (Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear), but I had no patience for the fluff. Overall, I gave the book a 2/10.

i did get through “The Exterminator’s Daughter” Meg Cabot. I don’t intend to read anything else by her. Yes, it was better than oral surgery, but I wish I’d spent the time cleaning the sink or something. To her credit, I did have a “laugh out loud” moment early on, when she used the phrase “tramp stamp.” I hadn’t heard that before, and I love it (although “arse antlers” is probably still my favorite).

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