Posted on December 14, 2007 in Books
My experience with cyberpunk has not been large. I have read Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash and The Diamond Age, and liked them well enough. This Canadian novel is the archetypal cyberpunk novel and won the triple crown of sci-fi literary awards: the Nebula Award, the Philip K. Dick Award, and the Hugo Award. For most of the novel, I was not too enticed. I kept waiting for myself to care, and to feel really invested into the plot. It did not happen, at least not the extent that I wanted it to. As a a result, I have feeling I’ll forget the plot of this book fairly soon. I think the blunt and straightforward prose are an advantage, but I was not wholly interested in the story. There are interesting concepts about AI, genetic engineering, cyberspace, and the concepts of the power of the free market to over rule the current world structure. Gibson wrote about all these before it was popular in the mainstream. If only I did not feel I have already read it all before because this fifteen years on. This would probably be a good introduction to cyberpunk as it has all the elements.
Posted on December 14, 2007 in Books
A chance to read all the books I own/borrowed, but have not read. 12 books in 12 months. I own most of these books, but a few are borrowed from friends.
- The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
- Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Doysovesky
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
- Plays by Anton Chekhov
- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
- Tess of the D’Ubervilles by Thomas Hardy
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
- Little, Big by John Crowley
- The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
- Anil’s Ghost by Michael Ondaatje
- The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien
- William – an Englishman by Cicely Hamilton
Alternates
The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien
Summer by Edith Wharton
Year of Wonders by Gerladine Brooks
The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
The Warden and Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
The Known World by Thomas P. Jones
Bleakhouse by Charles Dickens
Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Posted on December 13, 2007 in Food
I made this gingerbread loaf last Christmas. It’s a great alternative to gingerbread cookies, but I did grow up with ginger, hard for me to hate. This recipe was given to me by a friend, and she’s been using it for years. I do not know where I got it, but it is delicious. The texture is a cross between bread and cake. It was soft, but not too moist. Nice firm and delicious exterior. We used the square pan instead of a loaf pan, and we had to take it earlier than described. Easy and good.
Posted on December 13, 2007 in Books
Do you use any of the online book-cataloguing sites, like Library Thing or Shelfari? Why or why not? (Or . . . do you have absolutely no idea what I’m talking to?? (grin)If not an online catalog, do you use any other method to catalog your book collection? Excel spreadsheets, index cards, a notebook, anything? – BTT
Yes, I have an accounts at All Consuming, Bibliophil, Library Thing, Shelfari, and Good Reads. That is also more or less the order of use. I’ve been on AllConsuming and Bibliophil for about three years. AC is more for keeping all the books, movies, etc I consume. Bibliophil has all the books I own, but let’s me add books I’ve read as well. I do not own a lot of books which is why I don’t use LibraryThing or Shelfari very much. I update them only when I have bought notable new books.
Posted on December 11, 2007 in Movies
Oh, how I’ve missed watching foreign films. I am seemingly fond of German films what with Goodbye, Lenin, Run Lola Run, and Wings of Desire to name a few films. I can admit that I am an Anglophile, a Francophile, but I often forget how much German art I love. Not only films, but I listen to classic and baroque music; Rainer Maria Rilke is one of my favourite poets. Brecht is referenced in this film which reminds me I should check him out more too.
Art and beauty is an important characteristic in this drama and political thriller. A little goes a long way in this film. It is subtle, intricate, and layered. I was left speechless when the movie ended and wondered how I was going to write a review. That is usually an indicator of how much the film affected me. The script is incredibly well written. The music plays a character and is superbly scored by Gabriel Yared. The movie features stylized colours, very GDR, and shot with soft focus.
The acting is crazy good in this film. I don’t want to go on and on about how amazing some of the performances were. Listening to the director’s commentary, it’s clear he is an “actor’s director”. He appreciates actors. He cast non-speaking parts to well known German actors just to make every detail worthwhile. There was such meticulousness imbued into this film. Without a doubt, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck is a promising director/screenwriter. Will he be be able to follow up with this debut? No idea, but even if it isn’t half as good as this film, it would be still be a very fine movie.
Posted on December 10, 2007 in Books, Food, Travel
This was suppose to be read for the In Their Shoes memoirs/bio challenges, but I got it from the library early and couldn’t put if off til 2008. Besides, it’s more coffee table book than memoirs as it is full of pictures. I love Tony Bourdain since I read A Cook’s Tour years ago. This is a sortof companion book to his cable travel-cum-food show just as ACT was, but more on the photos though he does write some insightful things. He has a dream job of mine. He gets paid to write, cook, and travel. Bourdain writes in the book that the show and the photos give a taste and a view of the places. They never claim to show “the best of”, “the real” or “the comprehensive guide to” any destinations. I like that, and travelling and travel photography is often just that. The photos were taken by the crew of NR, and many are documentary style as a result. Quite a few photos seemed to have been taken by a camera phone. It isn’t just photos of course. Bourdain’s writing is genuine, sometimes crass, blunt, and as always, funny. There is commentary on the places he and the show have visited including the well documented time the crew were stuck in Beirut during the July 2006 Lebanon and Israel conflict. There are aso small sections on drinking, washrooms, chefs, places to eat (not a big resource, but solid nonetheless), hazards, tips, and equipment for the adventurous traveler. Enjoyable, quick read with some good travel insights and tips.
Posted on December 9, 2007 in Books, Movies
When I read this book the first time, I was a little older than the protagonist’s age. I’ve reread the books twice since, in audiobook form last year, and yesterday before I saw the movie. I love the HDM trilogy because is an extremely well done fantasy series that is complex and layered. It’s definitely not just for kids and is rereadable for a variety of reasons including the questions and ideas it elicits.
The idea of a movie has been around for a long time, and I remember there had been some issues with the script and switching of directors. I am really glad it has been done. I enjoyed myself. It was great to see all the concepts in the books such as the daemons, and Iorek visualized. The special effects were some of the best things about the book. The casting is fantastic. I think everyone, including newcomer Dakota Blue Richards, did a fine job. I really want to the film to do well; this is actually the first time I’ve been in a movie theatre since May 2006. The success of this movie will determine whether New Line green lights the other two films. The ending is abrupt as a result which brings me to more in depth comments below.
Continue reading →
Posted on December 3, 2007 in Movies
I haven’t done this feature since March. I use to watch a lot of movies, and now, not so much. Tis sad. This feature may continue to be sporadic.
Movies seen in November 2007. Does not include any rewatches, and I don’t think there were any. Links to Amazon when available.
Little Children (01 11 07) – REVIEWED.
The Bourne Ultimatum (09 11 07) – I have seen all three of these movies and liked them. I am my dad’s daughter in the sense that I really can enjoy action movies. I think this series and Matt Damon has held up really well. It’s consistently entertaining, not stupid, and holds its appeal. I don’t know if making a fourth would do anything for it, but I’ll definitely watch it if they do. I should really read the books, but never find the time. I will one day.
The Simpsons: Movie (10 11 07) – Nice and easy. It wasn’t as good as classic Simpsons (but what is?), but I haven’t watched any of the recent episodes. The film had a few good jokes and balanced it with that Simpsons heart that I’ve always been fond of. I’m a sap, but it was pleasant viewing.
Father of the Bride (10 11 07) – Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor as his daughter. I’ve seen all the Steve Martin movies that came out of this original. They’re funny in different ways. It’s been awhile since I’ve watched an old movie (pathetic since I use to watch those in marathons), and this movie is such a straightforward comedy of yore. It’s not Tracy at his best or Taylor at her most beautiful, but the film holds up well for the father-daughter relationship it displays.
Learners (13 11 07) – This is a BBC TV movie starring Jessica Hynes (who also wrote it) and David Tennant. I watched it for the DT of course, and it wasn’t that funny. I also suck supremely at driving so a film about a woman who fails to pass her test reflects on my own ineptitude on the road.
I also have a lot (more than a dozen) movies in the To Be Watched pile, and I am going to make a dent into that list. December will be a busy month for a lot of things.
Posted on December 1, 2007 in Knitting & Crafting
Fake Isle Hat, started November 13, 2007, finished November 30, 2007
Pattern: Fake Isle Hat by Amy King from MagKnits November 2006.
Yarn: Less than 1 skein of each Patons SWS in Natural White and Natural Earth (70% wool 30% soy 80g 110yards)
Needles: #6/4.0mm 16″ metal circs and DPNs
Modifications: CO for small size, but I added a few rows it at the rim and in the middle, and then realized it was too long so I skipped a few of the decrease rows.
Lessons Learned: Two handed stranding.
Cost of Project: $10 for yarn
Would I knit it again? Yes, but I’d probably just do the Small size as written, maybe add a couple of rows for extra length.
Pattern Notes and Comments: First colour work project. Started this project on 13/11/07, but had to CO three times. The first time I did it with the big size and it seemed too loose for me (I have a slightly bigger than normal cranium), so I recasted on 18/11/07. That somehow twisted. This actually was actually finished between 19/11/07 and 30/11/07. It’s a bit big because I did knit the large size row wise for a bit, but realised that it was going to be huge so I skipped a lot of decrease rows. It’s not that bad, but this hat knits up larger than most. The good thing is: it covers my ears!
This is my first time using the Patons SWS. I bought a lot of it for this hat and a scarf that I will be making to match. It’s really fuzzy, but not itchy as I’ve heard some people say. My tickle factor is low. I used less than skein of each of the SWS colours so more for the stash.
I love stranding.
Posted on December 1, 2007 in Books
I’m a reading challenges addict! Here is Dewey’s second challenge, six books from the Man Booker Prize to be read between January to December 2008.
- The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
- Life & Times of Michael K
- Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie
- The Gathering by Anne Enright
- Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre
- The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Alternates:
The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields
Schindler’s Ark by Thomas Keneally
The Sea by John Banville
Posession: A Romance by A. S. Byatt
The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
Atonement by Ian McEwan (shortlisted)
…and the rest
Bookers I have read:
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Posted on November 30, 2007 in Books
By Vladmir Nabokov. 315p. I read this for the Second Chances challenge as I have already read Lolita. The books are different, this one being far more postmodernist than the latter. Though, Nabokov’s distinct style is present in both of these book. This work is very interesting, unique, and layered. I’m not going to say it was enjoyable at all times because I was confused at parts, amused at others, and bored intermittently. It has a lot of references and allusions, and there is more than one story to be read. It’s the type of book I would like to analyze in a classroom setting, but I’d probably be sick of it pretty quickly too as a result. It is funny in parts and full of twisted black humor and ironic, strange narration. The plot is told in a nonlinear way, and as a reader, it can be daunting going in to all this. The characters (or character really) are hard to grasp because of the narrative style, and pathos is not the point. There are many interpretations of the book itself. The prose is quite good, and it is interesting albeit perplexing. It is clearly not a book for everyone, and in my humble opinion, I don’t think the book should be taken too seriously. The book was interesting enough for me to continue and look forward to reading more Nabokov.
Posted on November 30, 2007 in Misc & Site
Appetizer
What is your favorite carnival/amusement park ride?
I haven’t been to either in years. I’m not big on them. I’ve never been on a roller coaster either. I use to like the merry go round as a kid.
Soup
How do you react in uncomfortable social situations?
I usually try and excuse myself and run away to be alone or find a friend/ally.
Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy discussing deep, philosophical topics?
It depends on with which people because “deep, philosphical topics” varies between people. In general, I’ll say an 8.5.
Main Course
Did you get a flu shot this year? If not, do you plan to?
No, I have not gotten a flu shot for a few years. I’ll get it if the opportunity to go to a flu clinic or whatever, but generally no.
Dessert
Approximately how many hours per week do you spend watching television?
Since the WGA strike, I watch a couple hours less. At present, I will say about 5.