Well, I've been up to this and that, life, etc, you know. My daughter is in grade two now and you'd think that now she's great and independent and out of my hair, BUT, she's coming home with homework and reading books and spelling lists that I need to help her with. So really, between that, supper, lunches for the next day and bedtime, that's kind of my early evening all full up! Luckily I'm still a crazy night owl and I make up all the time by staying up till the wee hours of the morning.

There's snow out now! And I'm happy! Why? Because over the summer I bought an awesome thrift-store ankle-length wool coat, and I knitted a new hat and long scarf, and some neat fingerless mitts, and now I get to wear it all! yay!

Work goes slowly now that I'm not doing animation, but I kind of like it like that. It gives me time to properly look after my family and not go nuts, and get my own stuff done in the meantime. ...because I really have to be honest, it's not a lot of fun doing boring crap to other people's specifications. That's okay... work doesn't always need to be *FUN*, but having time to do my own doodles is nice.


Anyways, here's another post of some recommendations for interesting stuff I've come across, in case anyone's ever sitting in the movie store/library/shady bittorrent tracker and wondering what would be good to look up next. (shout out something to me too, if you like)


Movies:

Well guys, are you up for a challenge? I mean YES you can just go rent some random new release thingie and pop it on and turn off your brain for two hours.
But if you're a hardcore film fan and looking for something besides mere *entertainment*....
if you're up for a challenge...

Then rent Eraserhead.

It's not an easy movie. It's not a *movie*. It's a very strange, very disturbing, and sometimes bizarrely comedic art film. It is shot beautifully and the sound design is beautiful as well. Rent it to challenge yourself. Or, rent it for the sake of being able to sound snotty and pretentious.

TV:

I don't have cable, so I watch a huge mix of old stuff, new stuff, and international stuff. (no commercials either) If you don't mind watching something a bit old and rough around the edges, and if you are insane and think random violence is funny, then check out The Young Ones. It's a weird experimental show about four useless college losers hanging out in a squalid house and getting into all kinds of completely nonsensical trouble, with random segues and bizarre puppets thrown in for fun. A pile of big british comedy names have cameos here and there, including Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry in season 2.

(and if you like that, check out the show Bottom afterwards)

I recently also started watching Penn & Teller's Bullshit. Each episode they pick some stupid hype, scam, or fondly-held-but-sadly-unfounded belief, and expose it for its bullshit. The show is not for everyone. When they're doing psychics and vampires and ouija boards it's funny, but some of the more political episodes can get annoyingly pedantic. I dunno though, I like Penn & Teller, and if you find an episode that deals with an issue you agree with and feel strongly about, it can be satisfying to hear a great big aggressive man swear about it. Heehee.

Cartoons: Shame on me, I haven't been watching any really interesting new animation lately. How about this: somebody out there freaking watch Aeon Flux and like it! (the CARTOON, the cartoon, *NOT* the AWFUL Charlise Theron movie) This show is so damned weird and interesting and mind-bending and I have no one to fricking talk about it with! (no seriously, if you liked it, let's chat)

Books:

Read House of Leaves. I can't even begin to describe this book, go read its wiki. And then go read the book. I read it in the course of about three days I think, and it actually gave me nightmares. It's probably the most unique fiction book that I've ever read.

I also read one of the Jeeves & Wooster books by P G Wodehouse recently. If you enjoy clever british humor like Blackadder and Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, you should check out some Wodehouse. This is humor that's not so much about jokes as it is... a pure mastery of the english language. I mean, it's beautiful, it really is. Plus that's good for more snob points then.

Snob points... you know, I tried reading the Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde recently. ... I couldn't get past the first three pages. I was so utterly disgusted by the ridiculously vain and stupid characters lounging on their couches smoking opium cigarettes and whining about being beautiful and rich. If anyone's read this, is it worth the effort?

Richard Richard on Oscar Wilde: [link] (2:57 - 4:04)

Yep.