Thursday, June 1, 2017

Monthly Update - June

Hello All, right good to talk at you.  Here is a summary of what's been going on this past month.

I just finished up American Gods, by Neil Gaiman.  I really enjoyed it.  Neil Gaiman has a remarkable sense of faerie tales, and this is well demonstrated in American Gods.  The book also has a great sense of Americana, of appreciation for the country and the people and towns across the land.  There are some things that don't quite make sense, and I'm not really sure I even like the lead character, but the book as a whole was a fantastic read, and I can't recommend it highly enough.  

I have always meant to read this book, and it was the release of the TV series on the Starz network that finally gave me the push to read American Gods.  I am very excited for the show, and thrilled that they cast Ian McShane as Wednesday*.  Great actor, his role in Deadwood was a role of a lifetime, and made me a fan forever.  I think he'll be fantastic in the role.  However, I don't have Starz network, and Jane and I have a lot of shows to watch, so I don't know when I'll finally get to see the show.  I hope it's good.  The buzz has been that it is pretty strange, which is just perfect.

Speaking of TV, it is going nuts this year!  In addition to American Gods, the revival of Twin Peaks is in full swing!  I have stayed away from all spoilers from this show, and I really don't know how I'll watch it eventually, but I will watch it.  Also:  New Star Trek, holy shiiiiiit!   I'm so glad they're making a new Star Trek, and I can only hope that it keeps to the roots of the show, ie:  exploration, new life, new civilizations and all that.  While I'm not particularly interested in the time period (pre-Kirk) if the writing is good, then then the show will be good.  I am very hopeful.  I heard a rumor that netflix or hulu will be showing Star Trek: Beyond, I sure hope so.  

Okay, I'd also like to mention Podcasts.  I have gotten really into a podcast called 'Writing Excuses' which is hosted by several writers, including Brandon Sanderson, known mostly for being the writer who finished off the Wheel of Time series.  And also Mary Robinette Kowal, whom I have become a fan- fun fact:  in addition to be a novelist, she is a professional puppeteer, trained by the Jim Henson company.   

In further podcast news, I have a new favorite episode of Hello from the Magic Tavern:  ep 32, "Offices and Bosses,"  wherein the characters play a 'role playing game' in which they take upon roles like 'director of marketing' or 'temporary worker' and play games to avoid their gabby coworkers and navigate an interaction with their boss.  It's hilarious.  At one point a character dies or is fired, and the others ask 'can we loot his desk?' - which is hilarious because of its reference, and because people absolutely loot the desks for former workers.  I loved this episode so much, I saved a copy to listen to again later.

On the gaming front, I spent most of May sunken in another round of Magic: The Gathering Online addiction.  I dumped a lot of time and money into this game.  It tends to happen when new sets are released.  I found the new set, Amonkhet, to be interesting and fun, so I kept coming back to it.  Because Magic is a competitive game, I feel like I should have something to show for it.  Unfortunately, I lost a lot and don't have much to show for myself.  Oh well. 

Finally, on a personal note, my brother Samz graduated from Law School.  We are all very proud.  In attendance at the graduation and the lunch afterward, were my Dad, Mom, Stepmom, Grandmother and three of my aunts.  And it was surprisingly pleasant!  For reference, some of these people had not seen each other for at least a decade, if not longer.  Everything went well, and I count that as a big win.   

Alright, that's all I've got for the moment being.  I'll be back with more as it develops.

-D

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