Weekend Update

Good Evening. I'm Chevy Chase, and you're not.

Anyway, had a nice, mostly relaxing weekend. I discovered that for Friday evening, both my social calendar and my wallet were empty. vampirejew had the same situation, and since he and I haven't really hung out together since 1998, we thought it might be fun to catch up. So, I grabbed him after work and brought him back to the Townhouse of Doom (still trying out names for the place), threw together a $5 dinner for two (garlic & sundried tomato pasta, salad, rosemary bread dipped in balsamic and oil) without setting the kitchen on fire. Afterward, I showed him Denise Delaney's wedding pictures online while we both chatted with Kevin for a bit, then we made our way back downstairs for more conversation. The topic got onto bad movie musicals (which is fitting since he and I became friends because of Rocky Horror) and so I felt the need to expose him to the infamous Rockula before taking him home. (I think he enjoyed it.)

Saturday morning started with a bike ride. We made it all the way out to Goethe Park before turning back, which made for a nice 28 mile ride. It's nice to find that even though I haven't been riding regularly for a long time, I haven't really lost the strength I had built up. After the ride, I decided to color the hair. It's red again. People keep finding the need to point this out to me, as if I don't know. Why is that? After the hair color, and a bit more IMing, I crashed. I curled up on the couch to watch old movies on TCM, and promptly fell asleep.

Sunday morning, I cleaned the kitchen and caught one of my favorite old movies, Yours, Mine and Ours before going to the parents' place for a combination Mother's Day/May Birthdays Barbecue. Eek. Huge event with people from both Linda's and Dad's family. I was once again reminded why I don't care for my Dad's family, as my grandmother was forcibly ushered away from her seat next to me (where we were enjoying a pleasant, quiet meal together) to a seat at a table because Aunt Brijida decided it was too difficult for Grandma to have a plate on her lap. For fuck's sake, let the old lady sit where she wants to sit. I actually had a good conversation with my dad. The best he's managed in months. He was awake and attentive, and he was able to communicate clearly enough for me to understand him. This is good. He's also holding onto thoughts and ideas really well. Apparently, since I gave him a CD for Christmas of an album that had been recorded by some friends from our church back in the 70's, he's been bugging Linda to find the family and contact them. He asked me about it, too. Linda's not sure how to do that, but I have a couple of leads through Google that I'll follow for her.

Sunday, of course, ended with my monitor exploding. Grumble, blergh, pleh.

Then to bed, because I had to work an early shift today due to my ophthalmologist appointment this afternoon. Much sleepiness today.

10,000 monkeys could do better

I just finished reading a book. It's a modern romance, one of the many that have flooded the shelves in the wake of Bridget Jones's Diary. It leaves me with one question though. How horrid of a writer do you have to be in order to actually get a book rejected? Oh My God! I mean, the storyline itself was okay, nothing terribly unique, lacking a bit in the drama side. The leading character is completely unlikeable. I'm not sure if I was supposed to feel sympathetic to her or not.

Worst of all, is the POV problem. The book seemed to alternate between 3rd person limited and 3rd person omniscient. Now, while I'm not going to say you should never, ever do that, I'm going to at least say that you should never do that in the same paragraph! To make matters worse, the omniscient view was an active narrarator, talking directly to the reader. So, in one paragraph, it takes the reader from the position of the unknown voyeur, watching quietly while Amy frets about whether or not Orlando is interested in her, to suddenly turning to the reader and asking something like, "Ah, but what will our Amy do next? Come along, let's see."

I don't mind stories that are told as though someone is actually talking to me as reader, but the constant switching was confusing, and jarring, and just downright annoying.

It's just sloppy writing.

And, it makes me even more determined to finish the rewrites on In Dreams.

Tonight!

8:00 on ABC - A Wrinkle in Time!!!


I remember hearing they were doing this years ago, then I don't know if I missed the original airing, or if it never aired until now.

I know there was someone on my list also watching for it (sylvan, maybe?) so if you haven't seen it already, tonight would be a good night to do so.


EDIT: I just did some checking, and yes, this is the premiere showing, only 2 1/2 years later than it was originally planned.

Elementary, my dear Watson!

Four cats staring intently at me.

Must be out of food.

Damn.