sarea: (Default)
Apparently, the Arnold voice on Waze was only for a limited time. :( Now it's back to the boring voice selections from before. I wish you could install your own voices. I'm sure someone somewhere would find a way to bring the Terminator back.

*****

I've been working every evening on the outline for my book, but I'm starting to get nervous because I don't see an end in sight. I don't know how to bring it all to a conclusion! So I just keep having stuff happen, that the characters then need to react to... but what's the payoff moment? Or the ultimate conclusion? I DON'T KNOW.

*****

[profile] jade_okelani and I watched -- well, partially watched -- the leaked pilot episode of Lucifer, which stars an actor we both love, Tom Ellis. I am sad to report that the show is TERRIBLE. Or rather, that the pilot is terrible. It's loosely based on a comic book character from Neil Gaiman's The Sandman? No way. If by "loosely" they mean "to the point of no resemblance at all" then sure. It's seriously awful. You know those "paint by numbers" books for kids and adults with no artistic talent whatsoever (me)? It was the TV show version of that. It's like every single detective show ever -- Castle, Dexter, Psych, Forever, etc. -- only with Lucifer in the detective role. Except unlike those other shows, there is absolutely nothing charming or unique about it. Well, okay, Tom Ellis is charming, but even he can't make this dreck work. Every character is predictable, the lines are cheesy, the situations retreads... ugh. Of course the tough lady cop is immune to his Satanic charms (which are murkily established, so they can change course and make other shit up later, I'm sure). And of course she's a tough lady cop. And of course, even though he's the effing DEVIL, within the first episode we already see him care about someone (who of course gets killed, which sparks his desire to detect stuff), a total random character, which means the devil caring about someone isn't even a special thing -- which you'd think it would be. And given his powers, why the hell (pardon the pun) would he need the help of any human beings at all? And yet he's all excited that the cop will let him tag along on her investigation? UGH.

I sort of want the show to succeed, if only to spite right-wing Christian groups who are criticizing it for "glorifying Satan." They're actually doing the show a favor by creating all this publicity about it and making people like me want it to succeed. If they'd just shut their traps, the show would go away on its own because it is legit terrible. Maybe if it gets really good later I can give it another shot, but it's starting from such a low place I don't know if it can improve that much. There are certain shows that are right on the cusp of being decent/watchable, and just need the right push, but this isn't one of them.

*****

[profile] jade_okelani has never seen Psych, and I haven't seen the last season or two, but to wash the taste of Lucifer from our mouths we started watching it. I remember being "meh" on the show initially, but the beginning is better than I remember... maybe because in comparison to Lucifer it's completely brilliant, but more likely because I already know and like the characters this time around. :))

*****

Due to [personal profile] adelagia's bad influence, and YouTube vids, I've been experimenting with a lot of hair products recently (it's fun!). I'm a new fan of using a flat iron to curl one's hair. It's quick and easy, and burning myself isn't a high probability.

I've also now used a curling wand, which is basically a curling iron without the clamp. The good and bad. )

Some products I've used recently! )
sarea: (because natasha is a badass)
I've just found out something crazy. Lady Gaga is 5'1". :O I freaking love her "Bad Romance" video and I watched it again recently and was just noticing randomly to myself that she's super thin but not in a "I work out all the time" way, and it got me wondering if she was actually just a small person. And SHE IS. But I had no idea she was THAT small, she's even shorter than me! Weird. Talk about someone with a big personality.

The Avengers and Green Day's newest album are coming out on the same day. I feel like I should be taking a personal holiday or something. I already have the new album ("Oh Love" is still the best song from it), and I know my Avengers Blu-ray is on its way. With any luck I might even get it early (today)!

I. am. exhausted. 90% of that has to do with work, because of reasons. The other 10% is because I have recently read THREE awesome Avengers stories and must rec the snot out of them. Which isn't the best mental image but you should read them anyway. They're all so meaty and satisfying.

- White Blank Page by [personal profile] allisnow. For the last month or so I've been really hankering to read a long, satisfying, plotty fic with in-character Avengers and gorgeous Clint/Natasha, and that need has finally been met. You don't need the summary (it's not going to tell you much anyway), just go read it. To tell you the premise would be to give something away that I think is better to learn by reading. Just trust me, OK? I'm really glad I waited until it was fully done posting, though, because I'm a wallower, and boy did I enjoy being able to gorge myself on it in one long sitting, wallowing happily.

- Two for the Show by mousie tongue. Fuck. This story. Ohmygod. My heart was in my throat the ENTIRE TIME. I was like, "If this doesn't end well, I am going to destroy everything in my house." Clint. CLINT. He makes me want to stuff him in a little backpack and carry him around with me everywhere. I really enjoy stories where he's being abused and tortured, apparently. I don't know how other writers do it; I can't bear to do it myself, but I'll read the heck out of it. Anyway, this is a high school AU wherein Natasha ends up in the same group home that Clint's in. It's complete, but I'd give up my first-born child for one more chapter. This story blows my mind because Clint and Natasha are completely chaste. It's like an Asian drama, practically, because they don't fucking hold hands or kiss or outright state what they mean to each other... And yet. AND YET. YOU JUST KNOW. This could be like an instructional example of how to show and not tell, in storytelling.

- A Widow's Tale (series) by Mhalachai. OK, I reaaaallllly liked this series, but I don't rec it as qualm-lessly as I do the above two, because a) there's Clint/Natasha, but it's a very small part of the overall story (and you see/hear of Natasha with /Others, though not while she's with Clint); and b) it's a Stargate Atlantis crossover, which might not appeal to everyone, though it didn't make a single difference to me that I'd never seen a single Stargate show/movie/whatever. Also, I'm not sure that the series is actually done, though "Widow's Letters" totally has a satisfactory ending and could totally be seen as "the end" whether or not there are more stories forthcoming. The premise of this story is unique in that it keeps to Natasha's original comic book background -- she's a child in the 1940s and doesn't age due to the experiments that were performed on her (the vast majority of stories I've read simply bump her timeline up, so that she's the same age as Scarlett Johansson), a la Wolverine. Anyway, one of her deep cover assignments early on involved being married to Patrick Sheppard, with whom she had a son, John Sheppard (of Stargate Atlantis). The series is primarily about re-establishing their relationship after 30 years. The Clint/Natasha happens very, very gradually, and it's pretty fun to read a story where the tables are turned on the age difference between them, because even though Natasha LOOKS young, she literally has a son who is ONE YEAR OLDER than Clint. Sheppard actually refers to Clint as Natasha's 'boytoy' at one point. TEE.HEE. The best/meatiest story (and when C/N shows up) is the fourth story in the series, "Widow's Letters." I don't think you have to read the first three to understand it (as long as you know the premise), but it's nice to have the backstory, too.

All three stories above have very liberal doses of delicious angst. On the opposite end of that spectrum, I'm two scenes away from finishing a story, but it's a very silly AU that's going to need some significant pre-beta work. >.>

I'm rereading Wuthering Heights, because I absolutely loved it as a teenager and haven't read it since then. I don't know why, maybe I've been afraid that it wouldn't hold up or something. Anyway, of the Bronte sisters' works, it's my favorite, and it's always annoyed me that it doesn't get the same kind of accolades that Jane Eyre, which I've never cared for, has. I also find myself wondering about a chicken/egg situation -- do I love literary assholes because of Heathcliff, or did I love Heathcliff because I've always been attracted to literary assholes? *ponders deep thoughts*

And... I've also been watching a lot of TV. A lot. Don't be frightened. )

I've also been doing some minor exercise, which for me, is huge. I haaaaaaaaaate exercising. I used to go to the gym, and I dreaded it. DREADED IT. Renner apparently feels the same, which just makes him even more perfect. And obviously has way more discipline than I do, given his freaking body. -.-

GIFs. May not be safe for work, depending on how prudish your coworkers are. )

Went to a Seattle Sounders game this weekend. Unlike baseball, I enjoy watching soccer even when I'm not really following the team. I mean, you have agile guys in nylon shorts running up and down a field, what's not to like? I really didn't want to go (as [personal profile] adelagia can attest to, as I kept bitching about it), because it was with work people and I felt like it was cutting into MY weekend, but I ended up having fun. People have to fight tooth and nail to make me overcome my hermit tendencies. >.>
sarea: (clint does what I say)
Omggggg you guys, yesterday was SO HOT. Mostly a recap of me being really hot and sweaty. And not in a sexy way. )

On Saturday, I met up with [personal profile] adelagia and we did our usual thing. It's so usual, in fact, that I got an email from my mom asking me what I was doing over the weekend and she guessed that T. and I were going to have hotpot and play games. >.> I LIKE ROUTINE OK. Why do people feel they can talk to us just because we are in public. )

I've gotten caught up in the Olympics. Every time the Olympics happen I have zero interest in it, but then the headlines and highlights and what not get me into it. I basically like swimming, gymnastics, and anything that creates a controversy. :)) I was/am so sick of hearing about Michael Phelps (I really hope he sticks to his word about retiring), but at least he seems like a decent human being. Unlike that douchebag Ryan Lochte. More rumination on a select part of the Olympics and my newfound crush on Nathan Adrian. )

Okay, as if this post weren't long enough -- seriously, if you actually clicked into the cuts and read all that, I commend you -- I'm going to talk about TV now.

I'm nearly done with Psych S2. )

Breaking Baaaaaaaaad 5x04 'Fifty-One' )

In writing news... there is very little writing news. I'm working on two promptathon stories, but there's no way on earth either of them will be done by whenever the promptathon is supposed to end (though I just checked and it looks like the deadline's been extended, so we'll see if I can make the new cutoff date or not).

I think I'll try to catch The Bourne Legacy (eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee) this weekend, and pair it with Total Recall, which isn't doing well at the box office or in reviews, but which is GP enough that I'll see it.
sarea: (Default)
Jeremy Renner is reportedly in negotiations to replace Christian Bale in some David O. Russell movie. He's replaced Christian in my affections, so why not this movie too, I say. :)) Basic premise of movie: Based on the true story of a notorious financial con artist (Mel Weinberg) and his mistress, who were forced to work with an intense and ambitious FBI agent (Jimmy Boyle) to turn the tables on other con artists, mobsters and politicians.

What doesn't make sense, if what Variety is reporting is correct, is that Bradley Cooper will take over the role CB was to play (con artist Weinberg), while JR would take over BC's original role (FBI agent Boyle). Not that I don't like Bradley, but Weinberg sounds like a meatier role and more apropos for a two-time Oscar nominee like Jeremy. Plus, as much as I like seeing Jeremy star in big-budget action films, I really want to see him win an Oscar and that's not going to happen with him playing bland good-guy roles. Jeremy plays bad guys with such believable intensity. I mean, I like seeing him as the good guy, too, but his bad guys have depth and a gray quality that not everyone can bring (sorry Bradley, you definitely can't). Boyle sounds like it might be a more interesting good guy role than most, but considering CB was originally going to play Weinberg, I have to think that's the more interesting role (the only time CB bizarrely chose a less-interesting role was in Terminator: Salvation, when he insisted on playing John Connor instead of the terminator, which went to Sam Worthington). It just makes no sense to me that Bradley would step into Christian's shoes, when on an acting level Jeremy and Christian are more comparable.

You know, it's really strange. Friday always seems to take forever to get here. And yet, when it comes to my weekly writing assignment (which is due on Fridays), it seems to always. be. Friday. Argh.

I've now watched S1 of Leverage and I think, sadly, that's as far as I can go. Spoilery commentary. Also I touch on Psych, The Unusuals, Lie to Me, Monk, Community, and Fringe. >.> )

Breaking Bad has aired two eps of S5 and so far I'm keeping up with it. I really don't want to be spoiled, I guess is my main motivator. I just have one thing to say about the new season so far, which is pretty much the same thing that could be said about every season: Walt's such an asshole.

I'm also going to start S5 of Mad Men soon. I think I got spoiled for something, but I'm not sure. I'm just glad it wasn't more. I had to scroll by all of the stuff they'd post about it on Slate. Freaking news orgs shouldn't report on the content of TV shows! And certainly not on the front page! Grrrrrr.

Another fun vid: Two artists playing Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor" on a floor keyboard... possibly at FAO Schwarz?

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