tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53100682024-03-07T17:31:08.895-06:00Odd Obsessionash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.comBlogger293125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-31627953022655379752024-01-19T19:54:00.003-06:002024-01-22T17:54:38.072-06:00JFRO'S 2023<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiUAsDIXddf-f9dZ8v3TuS0UXqPXgdNu459-PwZgTSR2QglNptxxiYrJhYJX1FjakefcLCx3yRgcA3bpoaNqKBpEU8blXWkmEJzBynVHVxyJ25GVjXq-DkmMSs8c0getl38twIfhnZ1I0F-w6WcUEGLeX7QjOr1PFrtvp3DUAAau_eOnna_-b1Q/s679/0fd059b62c18245857315af7b07331ab1f4c74f3e29afe06adc0b639ae5a9d67_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="563" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiUAsDIXddf-f9dZ8v3TuS0UXqPXgdNu459-PwZgTSR2QglNptxxiYrJhYJX1FjakefcLCx3yRgcA3bpoaNqKBpEU8blXWkmEJzBynVHVxyJ25GVjXq-DkmMSs8c0getl38twIfhnZ1I0F-w6WcUEGLeX7QjOr1PFrtvp3DUAAau_eOnna_-b1Q/w331-h400/0fd059b62c18245857315af7b07331ab1f4c74f3e29afe06adc0b639ae5a9d67_1.jpg" width="331" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Format once again ripped off shamelessly from the Librarian in </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Black:</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="line-height: 12px;">Books -- <i>The Fraud, Systems Collapse, The Persian Boy, No Gods for </i></p><p style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Drowing, Wool, Exhalation, The Man Who Invented the Computer, </i></p><p style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Empire of Pain, And The Category Is..., Heart of Stone, A Deadly </i></p><p style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Education</i></p><p style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Comics -- <i>Monica, Kill 6 Billion Demons, Webcomic Name, Daughter </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>of the Lillies, Achewood</i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Movies -- <i>Godzilla Minus One, The Jade Raksha, Polite Society, John </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Wick 4, Guardians of the Galaxy 3, Shiva Baby, Spider-man: Across </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>the Spiderverse, Vesper, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Thieves, Center Stage </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">TV Shows -- <i>Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Warrior, Star Trek: </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Strange New Worlds, RuPaul's Drag Race, Loki, Slow </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Horses, Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities, Perry Mason, </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>The </i><i>Sandbaggers, The Only Murders In The Building, The Peripheral, </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Ted Lasso, The Mandalorian, Better Call Saul, Dungeons & Drag </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Queens, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners</i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i><br /></i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Albums --<i>Pillows And Prayers: Cherry Red Records 1981-1984 (40th </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Anniversary Edition), C85, </i>Bloodywood: <i>Rakshak, Gotta Get A Good </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Thing Goin': Black Music In Britain In The Sixties, </i>Colour Haze: </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Sacred, </i>Foam Giant and Flavor Crystals:<i> Under The Trees, </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Green/Blue:<i> </i><i>Paper Thin, </i>Guided By Voices: <i>Scalping the Guru, </i>The </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Hu:<i> Rumble of Thunder, </i>Magic Shoppe: <i>Mono Lake, </i>Nebula: </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Transmission from Mother Earth, </i>Nini Music:<i> Legends EP, </i>Ruby The </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Hatchet: <i>Fate Is A Cruel Master, </i>Savage Republic: <i>Tragic Figures </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i> (40th Anniversary Expanded Edition), </i>Valley of the Sun:<i> The Chariot,</i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Cherry Stars Collide: Dream Pop, Shoegaze, Ethereal Rock 1986-</i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>1995, </i>Acid King:<i> Beyond Vision, </i>Baroness: <i>STONE, Deerhoof: </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Miracle Level, </i>dissociate:<i> Opt Out EP, </i>Isaak: <i>Hey, </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Protomarytr:<i> Formal Growth In The Desert, </i>Royal Thunder: </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Rebuilding the Mountain,</i> She's Green:<i> Wisteria EP, </i>Slowdive: </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Everything Is Alive,</i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Songs --She's Green: "Smile Again", Chatham Rise:"Splinter", Pabllo </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Vittar, POCAH: "Bandida", Zookëper and Future Class: "Close My </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Eyes", Dorian Elektra: "Freak Mode", We Are Scientists: "Less From </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">You"</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Apps --Tumblr, Reddit, Bluesky, iNaturalist, Librarything, Pocket, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">CorelDraw 2021, Tinkercad, Cuttle.xyz, Audacity</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Devices --paper cutter, awl, laser engraver, 3D printer, iPad mini 6, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">iPhone 15, Kobo Libra 2</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Events --Caterwaul Fest, 1000mods/Valley of the Sun, Elder/Ruby the </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Hatchet, Slowdive, Convergence, Murakami: Monsterized @Asian </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Art Museum, Brunch @Roxy's Cabaret, trip to Duluth, ToshoCon, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Chinese Ritual Bronzes @MIA, Llamas @Arvonne Fraser Library, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Museum of Russian Art</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Items of clothing -- velveteen romper, Chelsea boots, orca pilot hat</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Reddits--AITA, DiWHY, Old Hag Fashion, Party Parrot, What Is This </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Thing, Weeviltime, Stupid Dove Nests, Animal ID</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Bluesky Buds -Popehat, Cats of Yore, John Scalzi, Monterey Bay </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Aquarium, B-Boy Bouiebaisse, Jude Doyle, Imani Gandy, Riker </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Googling, s.e. smith, wint, Bodega Cats, A.R. Moxon, Sardonicus, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Chris Kluwe, The Midnight Society</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><div>YouTubers -- Robert E. Fuller, Beakerbeak, Casaul Geographic, Contrapoints, Curious Archive, Dr. Polaris, TierZoo, Jenny Nicholson, Hbomberguy, Epimethius, Folding Ideas, Haus of GOREgeus, Kaz Rowe, Kat Blaque, Legal Eagle, Maddy Morpheus, Mera Mangle, IMHO, MovieBitches, Moviebob, Philosophy Tube, Roscoe's Tavern, TREY The Explainer, Kings and Generals</div><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Materials --<a href="https://www.jpplus.com/saddle-collection-sheet?sku=SC079-EA" target="_blank">Laser leatherette,</a> book board, dried flowers, Mod Podge, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><a href="https://plaidonline.com/products/mod-podge-dimensional-magic-2-oz-cs11215" target="_blank">Dimensional Magic</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_paper" target="_blank">hanji</a></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Animal --<a href="https://cheezburger.com/21059333/orca-gangs-are-attacking-yachts-and-the-memes-are-killer" target="_blank">Orcas,</a> of course!</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Boyfriend --JSeux in an amazing winning streak!</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br /></p>ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-30179265736316475802023-08-19T22:57:00.002-05:002023-08-20T12:45:56.692-05:00MOVE OVER GONCHAROV, PASOLINI IS YOUR NEW FAVORITE IMAGINARY MOVIE<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEDSSEmHfloGnjisK6i3nY0eVZ4A6AHGNg6_tczia9ED4rRvYIfrR2WKcJlmjor04maCGV1mGHzbqIz99l9ECGQVqyRzXLD8p41kAJc89eH04_ar_6TF1u94TsxSsqiKRnaAP8VAqUt6Mo1iJ6jO8r5cB-mAHhJftikgAFkXaGUpm1V4Y_NtwUhA/s1080/PASOLINI.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEDSSEmHfloGnjisK6i3nY0eVZ4A6AHGNg6_tczia9ED4rRvYIfrR2WKcJlmjor04maCGV1mGHzbqIz99l9ECGQVqyRzXLD8p41kAJc89eH04_ar_6TF1u94TsxSsqiKRnaAP8VAqUt6Mo1iJ6jO8r5cB-mAHhJftikgAFkXaGUpm1V4Y_NtwUhA/w400-h400/PASOLINI.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Recently, my dreams have been particularly vivid and lengthy. The other day, I dreamt a whole movie, including going to see it and researching it later.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-80015c90-7fff-4207-8bcb-ebfcc8eee1c1"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was at a </span><a href="https://www.convergence-con.org/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Convergence</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> movie showing among a raucous, late-night crowd, excited to see this cult movie from 1982 I’d never seen before, recently released in a restored Criterion edition.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pasolini</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (no relation to the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001596/">director</a> of </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Decameron</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Salo</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">) is the name of an ancient family that hunts demons from another dimension. They are trained from birth in martial arts by hand and sword (guns, bombs, grenades, etc. being useless against supernatural creatures), as well as espionage and tradecraft in order to discover shape-shifting demons in positions of power. Demon hunters also have limited ESP (like the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shadow" target="_blank">Shadow</a> or low-level Jedi), which they use to make mundanes forget they saw anything weird.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Our protagonist is Eduardo Pasolini, the handsome and charming scion of the family. He has a slight air of melancholy due to a secret fear of not being good enough to lead. </span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The film is filled with scenes of action and infiltration, with the centerpiece being a battle royale during a fashion show. Each scene has a super-cool look to it in a very late-70s, early 80s way à la<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082269/" target="_blank"> </a></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082269/" target="_blank">Diva</a></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> or </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077530/" target="_blank">The Eyes of Laura Mars</a></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, but also somehow timeless, set to a memorable synth-based score.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In the climax, Eduardo is told by his blind, soothsaying grandmother Aurelia that only by allying with another demon-hunting family, the Viscontis, will they be able to defeat the latest demon incursion. Unfortunately, they all hate him after he broke up with their scion, Vanessa. He must disguise himself and fight his way through the fortress-like Castle Visconti in the midst of a wild, decadent party to get to her. </span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Aurelia told him that, due to the dire situation, he will have to violate the ancient laws against using ESP on another demon hunter by manipulating Vanessa with his psychic powers. In a twist, however, he breaks down and cries when he finally sees her, confessing that he still loves her. She takes him back in a breathtakingly romantic scene.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The final scene is controversial, as it ends with Eduardo and Vanessa gathering all their weapons to fight the demons side by side, but doesn’t show the final battle. However, most fans feel that it doesn’t damage the movie as a whole.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pasolini “facts”:</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The only famous member of the cast is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giorgio_Armani" target="_blank">Giorgio Armani</a>, who has a cameo as himself and allowed the filmmakers to shoot scenes in his atelier in exchange for publicity. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The fan-favorite dark-horse character is Valentino, Eduardo’s snarky-but-loyal, queer-coded second in command who does all the actual fashion design for the house.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">It was originally released in a heavily-cut version in the US as </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Demon Hunters. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The tagline was, “We kill demons. And look good doing it.”</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Hideyuki Kikuchi named the film as an influence on his </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked_City_(novel_series)">Wicked City</a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> novels.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The end credits song, “Discopacalypse”, reached #85 on the Billboard dance charts.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The ending of the movie was abrupt because the filmmakers hoped to make it a series, as it was based on a long-running series of Italian comic books. However, it didn’t make enough money and was left as a solo film. Fan-translated bootleg copies of the comic circulated on the Internet amongst </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Pasolini</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> fans until<a href="https://www.fantagraphics.com/" target="_blank"> Fantagraphics </a>finally released official English translations of the series a few years back.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The comics also ended abruptly due to the writer’s untimely death. A few fans advocate making a sequel based on the author’s notes for the ending, but most feel that </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Pasolini</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> should stand alone. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Guillermo Del Toro was briefly attached to a sequel, but he disliked the finished script.</span></p></li></ul><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I’m hoping to make an old-fashioned, hand-drawn poster for it, we’ll see how it goes. In the meantime, add your </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pasolini</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> scenes and facts in the comments.</span></span></p><br /></span>ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-6849668623738780332022-08-29T14:51:00.002-05:002022-08-29T14:51:47.086-05:00JFRO'S FAVORITE LYRICS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjC89a28M0nAglWYnM6qmHDU7sfmlWF35Gp7Vmn-L1ARcow_bYXwzZjm4X50eT4vLHZUz2BQxdcWDdF6384C9vuQhrkDTPVzHujdjPyHFxeH_Ym7rC5QE12-JF2djXAaNIs6KtrulTsYK38Gz0qHyu8m8lz2_8c2HzzOZYzPhBP_3iVq0eUk/s1312/greatest%20one%20line%20lyrics.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="1312" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjC89a28M0nAglWYnM6qmHDU7sfmlWF35Gp7Vmn-L1ARcow_bYXwzZjm4X50eT4vLHZUz2BQxdcWDdF6384C9vuQhrkDTPVzHujdjPyHFxeH_Ym7rC5QE12-JF2djXAaNIs6KtrulTsYK38Gz0qHyu8m8lz2_8c2HzzOZYzPhBP_3iVq0eUk/s320/greatest%20one%20line%20lyrics.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This was from a Facebook post by <a href="http://www.outlawrenegadenation.com/">Outlaw Renegade Radio</a> that I saw on K. R.W.'s Facebook feed. Not sure what constitutes "one line", but I don't really care. Can you name all the songs? Answers are linked at the end. </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"But there's no danger, it's a professional career, though it could be arranged, with just a word in Mister Churchill's ear."</li><li>"Now up jumped the U.S. representative, he's the one with the tired eyes, 747 put him in that condition, flyin' back from a peacekeepin' mission."</li><li>"If I could stand to be on my own, then I would probably just leave you alone."</li><li>"Why is the bedroom so cold, you've turned away on your side."</li><li>"I drank a jar of coffee, And then I took some of these."</li><li>"He lies on his side, is he trying to hide, in fact it's the earth, which he's known since birth."</li><li>"I'm all lost in the supermarket, I can no longer shop happily, I came in here for the special offer, guaranteed personality."</li><li>"A hot summer's day and sticky black tarmac, feeding ducks in the park and wishing you were far away."</li><li>"She ain't nothin nice, undercover vice done picked her up twice."</li><li>"I’m a collector of things that most folks ignore, one man’s ceiling is another man’s floor."</li><li>"I remember, ooh, how the darkness doubled, I recall, lightning struck itself."</li><li>"You ask what is this? Mind your business."</li><li>"Some people go to bed with Lucifer, then they cry, cry, cry when they don't greet the day with God."</li><li>"See, I remember you when you were the young new face but you do like to slumber, don’t you?"</li><li>"Well, the moonlight ain't so great (since you're gone)"</li><li>"The halls smell like piss, the rooms are underlit, still it must be nice, you're such a perfect fit"</li><li>"Let's drive to the factory that thrived when plastic was a fad, we'll throw rocks at the seagulls and sit along the blackened riverside."</li><li>"I knew that you loved me, guess I was mistaken, twilight is the only love I know."</li><li>"I loved you, well never mind."</li><li>"I can't still be drunk at five, oh, I guess I surely can."</li><li>"You're a flame that never fades, jungle red's a deadly shade."</li><li>"This wheel spins, let me off, It's not the lack of trying, can't put my finger on it.""</li><li>What's this ol' world comin' to, things just ain't the same, anytime the hunter gets captured by the game.</li><li>"I am a patient boy, I wait, I wait, I wait, I wait, my time is like water down a drain."</li><li>"Why do good things never wanna stay, some things you lose, some things you give away."</li><li>"And if I only could, I'd make a deal with God, and I'd get him to swap our places."</li><li>"Knock down the old grey wall, be a part of it all, nothing to say, nothing to see, nothing to do."</li><li>"Last week my life had meaning, it was beautiful and so sweet."</li><li>"Someone tell me why I do the things that I don't wanna do, when you're around me, I'm somebody else"</li></ul><p>The answer key is <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qi58K3SpjXkCjS5EezDd5MCkK4mw09VdSUtZmMGGGpQ/edit?usp=sharing">here</a>.</p>ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-20586556568986932792020-12-30T20:18:00.000-06:002020-12-30T22:28:23.353-06:00JFRO'S 2020<p><iframe height="400" src="https://8tracks.com/mixes/8991805/player_v3_universal" style="border: 0px none;" width="400" id="id_b5dd_5363_e38c_c33"></iframe></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;"><a href="https://8tracks.com/ash966/jfro-s-2020?utm_medium=referral&utm_content=mix-page&utm_campaign=embed_button">Jfro's 2020</a> from <a href="http://8tracks.com/ash966?utm_medium=referral&utm_content=mix-page&utm_campaign=embed_button">ash966</a> on <a href="https://8tracks.com?utm_medium=referral&utm_content=mix-page&utm_campaign=embed_button">8tracks Radio</a>.</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Format once again ripped off shamelessly from the Librarian in </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Black:</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p style="line-height: 12px;">Books -- Circe, 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed, </p><p style="line-height: 12px;">Network Effect, Spinning Silver, The City We Became, The </p><p style="line-height: 12px;">Mirror & The Light, Ancillary Justice, The Last Emperox, Into </p><p style="line-height: 12px;">the Drowning Deep, Every Heart A Doorway, Jade War, Jane </p><p style="line-height: 12px;">Doe, Agency, Gideon The Ninth, The Traitor Beru Cormorant, </p><p style="line-height: 12px;">The Tombs Of Atuan</p><p style="line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Comics -- Solutions & Other Problems, <a href="https://www.godslavecomic.com/">Godslave</a>, <a href="https://www.backcomic.com/">Back</a></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Movies -- We Have Always Lived In The Castle, Industrial </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Accident: The Story of Wax Trax! Records, What She Said, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Hotel Artemis, The Old Guard, Greyhound, The Disaster Artist, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Ready Or Not, John Wick: Chapter 3, 1917</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">TV Shows -- The Mandalorian, The Queen's Gambit, The </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Expanse, Drag Race (US, All Stars, Canada, Holland), The </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Boys, The Umbrella Academy, Legendary, We're Here, Divorce, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Insecure, Letterkenny, Archer, Better Call Saul, The </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Magicians, Hunters, Altered Carbon, The Chilling </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Adventures of Sabrina, Counterpart, Picard, The Good </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Place, The Bodyguard, Bojack Horseman, Billions, The </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Witcher, Mr. Robot, His Dark Materials, Motherland: Fort </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Salem</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Albums --Valkyrie: <i>Fear, </i>Lucifer<i>: Lucifer III</i>, Guided By </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Voices: <i>Mirrored Aztec</i>, Monolord: <i>No Comfort, </i>Kadavar:<i> For The </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i>Dead Travel Fast, </i>Various Artists: <i>Not From Where I'm Standing, </i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Dayglow:<i> Fuzzybrain, </i>Devil To Pay:<i> Forever, Never or Whenever</i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><i><br></i></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Songs --Yvie Oddly: "Hype", Shea Couleé and GESS: </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">"Collide", BLACKPINK: "How You Like That", Cinerama/The </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Wedding Present: "The Name Of The Game/White Riot" (Split 7"), </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Orville Peck: "Dead Of Night", Kim Petras: "In The Next Life", </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Saweetie: "Tap In", DJ S.K.T & Jem Cooke: "Boomerang (Round & </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Round)", Bonnie X Clyde: "Atypical", Moguai: "Commander For </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">The Night", Not-So-Ebb: "Stay Inside Your Home"</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Apps --Inkscape, Tinkercad, Google Meet, <a href="https://soundiiz.com/">Soundiiz</a>, iMovie, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Camtasia, Twitch, Instagram </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Devices --Snowball USB Microphone, Lulzbot 3D </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Printer, Wolverine Digitizer</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Events --Condemic, Black Girl Magic, Guided By Voices, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">The Wedding Present, Windhand, Soul Asylum, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">ToshoCon online, First Avenue 50th Anniversary, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Creative Night @GPS, virtual get-togethers with friends </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">and family, <a href="https://www.p2pu.org/en/">virtual learning</a> <a href="https://www.p2pu.org/en/">circles</a>, Werq The World </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Online</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Items of clothing --sweater vests, anything houndstooth, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">pimped-out masks, <a href="https://www.lightinthebox.com/en/p/cute-gray-totoro-adult-coral-fleece-kigurumi-pajamas-animal-sleepwear_p1558087.html?currency=USD&litb_from=paid_adwords_shopping&sku=1_386%7C2_288&country_code=us&utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=cpc&adword_mt=&adword_ct=405489731968&adword_kw=&adword_pos=&adword_pl=&adword_net=u&adword_tar=&adw_src_id=2907233386_8527643972_86185295653_pla-682486569558&gclid=CjwKCAiA57D_BRAZEiwAZcfCxVUXl7f2KjLnFKlan5C_AMv01lsVEyHKQqNcXQQMOOKawACmE5iPHRoCQIwQAvD_BwE">My Neighbor Totoro kigurumi</a></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Games --Rummikub, Candy Crush Jelly Vs.,Hearts, <a href="https://wrongbrothersgaming.com/">Axon </a></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><a href="https://wrongbrothersgaming.com/">Punk</a></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Web sites --<a href="https://www.signschool.com/">Signschool</a>, <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/">AITA</a>, <a href="https://boardgamearena.com/" target="_blank">Board Game Arena</a></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Twitter Twerps -</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">@Artists_Ali, @PulpLibrarian, @SketchesbyBoze, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">@AngryBlackLady, @Lexialex, @VaguelyFunnyDan, @</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">ChuckTingle, @jonrog1, @RepKatiePorter, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">@Catshouldnt, @Garrett_Archer, @XiranJayZhao, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">@AntisemitismCow, @Nymphomachy, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">@midnight_pals, @RikerGoogling</p><div><br></div><div>YouTubers -- IMHO, Ben G. Thomas, Hbomberguy, </div><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">History With Cy, Jenny Nicholson, Jessica Kellgren-</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Fozard, Kat Blaque, Lindsay Ellis, Sarah Z, Study of </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Antiquity and the Middle Ages, Wilma Fingerdoo, Trey </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">The Explainer, Extra Credits</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Materials - handmade paper, ink-jet Shrinky Dinks, </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">jewelry wire, Mod Podge</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Boyfriend --JSeux cannot be defeated!</p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;"><br></p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Special shout-out to the United States Postal Service, for Click 'N' </p><p class="_8t_embed_p" style="line-height: 12px;">Ship, bringing me stuff, and saving democracy.</p>
ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-66607585671458524772020-11-28T23:13:00.004-06:002020-11-28T23:13:54.224-06:00Things I Learned in 2020<div><img alt="" id="id_2e4f_5aec_df06_eec" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/hjAA3ig531aDLH8KIBHzi4eznoiXQKBWT26PiSo1JUcl41ZCQn-hvx02ofetFp4" style="height: auto; width: 746px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /></div><div>Well, this has been quite a year, yessiree bob. But I’m being thankful right now of what I have and how my powers of Super-Introversion were activated by the current crisis as a laser-focus on learning stuff. Not that there weren’t many long hours of being too tired and paralyzed to move from the couch to the bed and vice-versa. And dusting and many other cleaning activities that didn’t aid in bodily sanitation were left by the wayside. Anyway, I hope that you too can make a list of things that you learned other than the details of the Electoral College. </div><div><ul><li><a href="https://asouthernfairytale.com/2010/08/20/diced-tomato-sauce-and-pasta/">How to make quick pasta sauce with canned tomatoes</a></li><li><a href="https://inquiringchef.com/homemade-instant-oatmeal-2/">How to make instant oatmeal</a></li><li><a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/234938/fast-and-easy-creamed-spinach/">How to make creamed spinach</a></li><li><a href="https://www.signschool.com/">Basic ASL</a></li><li><a href="https://inkscape.org/">Basic Inkscape</a></li><li>Video conferencing with Zoom/Teams/Webex/Meet/Jitsi</li><li><a href="https://www.instructables.com/The-Ultimate-Shrinky-Dink-Guide-InkJet-Version/">How to make ink-jet Shrinky Dinks</a></li><li>Basic screencasting with <a href="https://screencast-o-matic.com/">Screen-Cast-O-Matic</a> and <a href="https://www.techsmith.com/video-editor.html">Camtasia</a></li><li>Online training creation with <a href="https://my.nicheacademy.com/sppl">Niche Academy</a></li><li>Online playlist transfer with <a href="https://soundiiz.com/">Soundiiz</a></li><li><a href="https://www.instructables.com/DIY-Face-Mask-With-Filter-Pocket/">Mask making</a></li><li><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ash966/albums/72157713180668357https://www.flickr.com/photos/ash966/albums/72157713180668357">Cuttlebone casting</a></li><li><a href="https://www.tinkercad.com/learn">Intermediate Tinkercad</a></li><li><a href="https://sppl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/2324248138">Slide digitization</a></li><li>Basic video editing with iMovie</li><li>Basic video editing with Windows 10 Video Editor</li><li><a href="https://www.p2pu.org/en/">Learning Circle</a> facilitation</li><li><a href="https://mailchimp.com/">Mailchimp</a> newsletter creation</li><li>Windows 10 basics</li><li>Sharepoint basics</li><li><a href="https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/watermelon-salad/">How to make a cucumber/watermelon salad</a></li><li><a href="https://www.howtogeek.com/449742/the-ultimate-guide-to-enabling-dark-mode-everywhere/">Everything in Dark Mode</a></li><li>Basic DSLR video shooting</li><li><a href="https://www.redtedart.com/friendship-bracelets-with-cardboard/">Adding a button clasp to a Kumihimo bracelet</a></li><li><a href="https://howtolaser.com/blog/using-coreldraw-to-laser-cut-and-engrave-an-image/">the best way to make laser engraver cut lines in CorelDraw x7</a></li><li><a href="https://wrongbrothersgaming.com/axon-punk/">How to play the Axon Punk RPG</a></li><li><a href="http://www.inversegenius.com/condemic">Using Discord to attend a virtual convention</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkMP328eU5Q">The Bronze Age Collapse was a thing that happened</a></li><li><a href="https://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction/online-board-gaming-and-libraries.html">How to play tabletop board/card/roleplaying games online</a></li><li><a href="https://www.helpguide.org/meditations/progressive-muscle-relaxation-meditation.htm#:~:text=Progressive%20muscle%20relaxation%20is%20a,the%20contrasting%20feeling%20of%20relaxation.">Progressive muscle relaxation</a></li><li><a href="https://www.rareteadiy.com/">How to make boba tea at home</a></li><li>Icebreaker question creation (sooo many icebreakers)</li></ul></div>ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-31980438284768147952020-08-01T22:10:00.000-05:002020-08-01T22:10:14.615-05:00TOP MUSIC GENRES FOR YOUR CYBERPUNK GAME<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hHC_xD8RNgj0B6nELO7rJZ2OZ3GaRZ73DH29pW1RlyzePHzMrjBTDMShbPzpGSLI1RqCDpNvjuIQUxqS_C0pyeszCJNqAY6GP83i0QZNsoS2ZJaAmmEaJoHNAU6CEuBbY0g4rw/s1600/cyberpunk-chongqing-night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="910" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hHC_xD8RNgj0B6nELO7rJZ2OZ3GaRZ73DH29pW1RlyzePHzMrjBTDMShbPzpGSLI1RqCDpNvjuIQUxqS_C0pyeszCJNqAY6GP83i0QZNsoS2ZJaAmmEaJoHNAU6CEuBbY0g4rw/s400/cyberpunk-chongqing-night.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
So I guess <a href="https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/cyberpunk-2077-ps5-ps4-xbox-one-series-x-pc-details/">cyberpunk</a> is hot again. I don't play those newfangled video games, but all this fanfare made me remember my old <a href="https://talsorianstore.com/products/cyberpunk-2020"><i>Cyberpunk 2020</i></a> days, when I was Jael Furoshiki, Japanese/Jewish survivor of of a destroyed South China Sea pirate pack trying to make a living in the Minneapolis Red Zone as a bodyguard/food delivery technician (yes, both a pirate and an ninja). Later she got ported to <i><a href="https://gunmetalgames.net/interface-zero/">Interface Zero</a></i>, which got rid of some of the anachronisms and C2020's crazy-high fatality rate (there used to be a page dedicated to players' favorite deceased characters, sadly now lost to even the Wayback Machine).<br />
<br />
Anyway, one time I made up musical genres my character would listen to--can't find my old character sheets, but this gives you the idea...<br />
<br />
TOP MUSIC GENRES FOR YOUR CYBERPUNK GAME:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Cambo-Punk</li>
<li>Robo-Funk</li>
<li>Post-post-post-post-post Punk</li>
<li>Really New Wave</li>
<li>Black Klezmetal</li>
<li>Danish RaiZulu Techno-Jive</li>
<li>Country & Western & Gabber</li>
<li>Lo-NRG</li>
<li>Goan Garage Garage</li>
<li>Wasteland Industrial</li>
<li>Just the sound of a dial-up modem over & over</li>
</ul>
<br />
If you also like to ride the waves of cyber, you may enjoy these:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0G6Ubm7HwuCRcZkYyQTOfd">Cyberpunk playlist</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.worldcat.org/profiles/ash966/lists/1975457">Cyberpunk books</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-40344600836107963642020-05-10T15:47:00.000-05:002020-05-10T15:47:56.162-05:00PERFECT PORTABLE BREAKFAST PART 3: ENTER THE OATMEAL<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WQixUJ3Xq7SYl7asjvurYjG9E7M5G-1RiuBwL2-Z6qEh6wWKK9lvQcN5d5SMzOV3nx_-11PsZCDENUIGmyMIttButd6olYjg1N9DKDUzx2td92X53hMZ_EAQMZde3hE8rwVlkA/s1600/IMG_2711.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1122" data-original-width="1600" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WQixUJ3Xq7SYl7asjvurYjG9E7M5G-1RiuBwL2-Z6qEh6wWKK9lvQcN5d5SMzOV3nx_-11PsZCDENUIGmyMIttButd6olYjg1N9DKDUzx2td92X53hMZ_EAQMZde3hE8rwVlkA/s400/IMG_2711.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
When I was a kid, oatmeal was boring. I only started to appreciate it as an adult because instant oatmeal is fast and filling to eat before work when you're not a morning person. Then Quaker came out with the "Real Medleys", which are better, but still have that chalky instant aftertaste, and are a bit pricy for what they offer.<br />
<br />
Then my friend SR posted <a href="https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/quick-banana-berry-breakfast-to-go-50169237">this recipe</a> on Facebook, and I saw how much better homemade oatmeal mixes could be. It's so much more flavorful, but has to be refrigerated and tastes best when eaten right away. So, not the way to make a big batch of fruit, nuts and fiber that can be stored in my cubicle and eaten before work. Back to the Internets for more research!<br />
<br />
I lucked out and found <a href="https://inquiringchef.com/homemade-instant-oatmeal-2/">this recipe</a> right away. Now, I have to confess that I can't really care about quick oats vs steel-cut oats, so I just used whole quick oats instead of grinding the oats in a food processor. I tried toasting the oats and not toasting them, but didn't see much of a difference. Your milage may vary. The amount of brown sugar wasn't sufficient for my tastes, so you might want to experiment with that.<br />
<br />
I started out with coconut flakes, walnuts, craisins, freeze-dried blueberries, and banana chips. The banana chips didn't get soft enough even after soaking first, so I took them off my list. Luckily, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and even Target have lots of options for freeze-dried fruit.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3XUXZShXEHqfGuZlb2B9lAtMzwSasMfLaXLeEkjABZb8lrvpMiDJ8v2bMZXFWlXlekNIGVPRj9fNtddvbOPY7EApEfl6Y8uj3a3jcxU8_KBg3dZpn3pjBCqzJDsOpCEREtZitw/s1600/IMG_2821.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3XUXZShXEHqfGuZlb2B9lAtMzwSasMfLaXLeEkjABZb8lrvpMiDJ8v2bMZXFWlXlekNIGVPRj9fNtddvbOPY7EApEfl6Y8uj3a3jcxU8_KBg3dZpn3pjBCqzJDsOpCEREtZitw/s320/IMG_2821.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
<h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small; font-weight: normal;">DIY instant oatmeal. Clockwise from top: blueberry, strawberry, mango and raspberry.</span></i></h2>
<div>
<br />
After some trial and error, I found the easiest way to make a batch is to mix the oatmeal, flaxseed, chia seed and brown sugar in a big bowl, add 1/2 cup to each serving container, then sprinkle a handful of toppings into each and mix. That saves a lot of measuring. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When cooking, I add just enough water to go a tiny bit above the oatmeal, then cook in the microwave 90 seconds. Finally, I top it off with a splash of <a href="https://www.coffeemate.com/products/natural-bliss/natural-bliss-vanilla-almond-milk/">vanilla almond milk creamer</a>. This came to me by accident when a coworker had some in the break-room fridge with a note offering to share it. Half and half is great, but non-dairy creamer lasts for months and doesn't smell up the fridge. If it's close to going bad, you can offer some to the office coffee drinkers.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Give it a try, and let me know what you think!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-83424273653202083652020-04-21T15:59:00.001-05:002020-04-21T20:05:45.960-05:00ANIME DETOUR: STAY-AT-HOME EDITION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogobMDIS-VtYEr2YQLJmFzetAPMyWtcBNKx6xl5KDuuM4gk8Yy36OLqZh-OI5JtnaCajajjJ2PNzsuBZIMTTK-EwuSBHkjSYY_13w58xM7HrYgTz4ud5lmwADVZzsQjl77wX13w/s1600/kigurumi+friday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" id="id_d565_d422_cde0_1723" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogobMDIS-VtYEr2YQLJmFzetAPMyWtcBNKx6xl5KDuuM4gk8Yy36OLqZh-OI5JtnaCajajjJ2PNzsuBZIMTTK-EwuSBHkjSYY_13w58xM7HrYgTz4ud5lmwADVZzsQjl77wX13w/s320/kigurumi+friday.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 320px;" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A couple of weeks ago, it would have been <a href="https://www.animedetour.com/">Anime Detour</a> 2020. I've only missed 3 Anime Detours ever, and 2 of those were because I didn't know it existed. I've also been planning for and working at the <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ash966/albums/72157706303545361">Manga Reading Lounge</a> since 2010, so it was weird not to be doing that. Also, my sweetie was out of town, so I had the entertain myself as best I could.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So I did my best to get my geek on. I had ordered a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92a7Hj0ijLs">Totoro</a> <a href="https://www.4kigurumi.com/">kigurumi</a> to wear at con and wore it all weekend, including working at my home office on Friday and taking a walk around the river (hope it cheered somebody up to see a little ridiculousness). </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="1075" height="320" id="id_6028_6520_34_117e" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDdZcaHNZM6BtzzD7m2cCYYHcUrXNduswc7j0KaAqzPfHrjEQSaK-88-3ZrTziZWt5MwaVF8QLy3iaoh_SIGQlW-hrHtsf7JXYxqLigjsmbWu9NNim-7qQX9lQEl8LQRuzr8TwzA/s320/6characters.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 271px;" width="271" /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Click <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ash966/albums/72157713986667128">here</a> for large pics.</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A <a href="https://www.instagram.com/twoshadesproductions/">colleague of mine</a> who is an amazing cartoonist was doing the six character fanart challenge, so I suggested he do <a href="https://ghostintheshell.fandom.com/wiki/Motoko_Kusanagi">Makoto Kusanagi</a>, and asked friends to suggest some characters for me to do. It took me a week or so, but it was a fun challenge. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Anime Detour decided to have their <a href="https://geekandsundry.com/the-3-greatest-anime-music-videos-ever/">anime music video</a> contest, virtually, so I watched the livestream on Twitch. Luckily, there is a Twitch app on Apple TV, because I don't watch videos that are more than a minute on my phone. The streamer didn't save the stream for copyright reasons, but you can watch most of them <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbXzOtphgH5oHGqThO3DXT02rpwVrFZ0T&fbclid=IwAR02GkDXK6YVYGr3p6d493WiANsCGxyuamDqYCq-4iAevhxJ4IHxGe0qk54">here</a>. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of course, I had to watch some anime too, so I fired up the old <a href="https://www.crunchyroll.com/">Crunchyroll</a>. The lineup:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i><a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Manga/GoldenKamuy">The Golden Kamuy</a></i> (Crunchyroll)</b>- Historical adventure about a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Japanese_War">Russo-Japanese War</a> veteran looking for treasure in Northern Japan with assistance from an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ainu_people">Ainu</a> girl. Lots of intrigue, some lesser-known history and a rare depiction of Ainu culture. Check it out.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/LightNovel/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero?from=Anime.TheRisingOfTheShieldHero"><i>Rising of the Shield Hero</i></a> (Crunchyroll)</b>-loserish teen falls into a medieval-RPG-video-game world, has to form a party and win battles to get out. Kind of a serious <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1322095/">Legend of Neil</a> </i>meets WoW reskin of <a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Manga/Gantz"><i>Gantz</i></a>, and definitely no<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><a href="https://www.giantitp.com/comics/ootscast.html" id="id_6599_1b08_799e_8053">Order of the Stick</a></span>. I found the hero insufferable, so I couldn't feel any angst about his problems. When he bought a slave to assist him, it was time to nope right out of there.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Anime/DeathParade"><i><b>Death Parade</b></i></a> (Hulu)-After death, 2 souls find themselves alone in a creepy bar, forced to play a game that determines their fate in the afterlife. Kind of a Twilight Zone-type anthology series, except we learn more about the bar's "employees" than you might expect, as a new hire learns the ropes. Intriguing, will definitely keep watching. </span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Also, because my fandom is nothing if not diverse, I also watched the <a href="http://first-avenue.com/">First Avenue</a> 50th Anniversary livestream, the <a href="https://vossevents.com/werq-the-world-live-stream/">Werq the World</a> livestream of contestants from <a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/RuPaulsDragRace"><i>RuPaul's Drag Rac</i>e</a>, and the series finale of <i><a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/TheMagicians2016">The Magicians</a></i> (sob!). The first two were web-only, but <a href="https://www.apple.com/airplay/">AirPlay</a> from my phone to the Apple TV worked smoothly. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you guys have any other streaming suggestions, let me know. My friend K. turned me on to<a href="https://letterkenny.fandom.com/wiki/Letterkenny_Wikia"> <i>Letterkenny</i></a>, that should keep me busy for a while. For pure relaxation, check out the <a href="https://m.twitch.tv/thecafemeow">livestream</a> from <a href="https://thecafemeow.com/">Cafe Meow</a>.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-81487158936033807342019-07-02T12:48:00.000-05:002019-07-02T22:35:32.693-05:00JFRO AIRWAVES TAKEOVER: 30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCj77FgDZLx7JyqTAwCsU6K4CpIEm80YQeg1teCQNMluu5yl-LUVLa3tTR7aWoHc2Ife0Yw4A4b3_1gq9IEIGCGS3uXQFOpC4J7vbu7CwPpTztQZXtPnthtKbOB96xlKU_BrGuow/s1600/IMG_1466.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCj77FgDZLx7JyqTAwCsU6K4CpIEm80YQeg1teCQNMluu5yl-LUVLa3tTR7aWoHc2Ife0Yw4A4b3_1gq9IEIGCGS3uXQFOpC4J7vbu7CwPpTztQZXtPnthtKbOB96xlKU_BrGuow/s320/IMG_1466.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Trouser Press Guide to New Wave Records, </span></i><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Page 378.</span></i><br />
<br />
So, a few weeks back it was time to get back on the wheels of steel for my reunion radio show. I got two hours and a prime Friday night slot.<br />
<br />
This year, my theme was 80s compilations, meaning compilations <i>from the 80s</i>, not newer ones focusing on the 80s. It was a tribute to the old days of no Internet and two hours of cool music on a college radio station with bad reception per day, when compilations were one of a few sources for new music. I pored over the list of compilations in <i><a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/trouser-press-guide-to-new-wave-records/oclc/872303786">The Trouser Press Guide to New Wave Records,</a> </i>then cross-checked the Burning Airlines mail-order catalog, or scoured record stories whenever I got to a city.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwVvmf0fh0eNn1mWlx047Uq_zz0RK4IH3yMh77tk_ypjfsM7JESYXvB2MnqILu1eaBfiMZ7dbhnzUs' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">A view from the studio. </span></i><br />
<br />
Last year, one of the other DJs recommended the <a href="https://www.algoriddim.com/djay-ios">DJay</a> app for my iPhone as a way to get nice transitions between songs instead of the iTunes sudden-stop-and-start. I should have practiced more beforehand, but it went OK.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MGCpeuY7zrfTCuq3MPZe_fUDby_Jy2cp/view?usp=sharing">Andrea's Radio Show</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Playlist:</b><br />
<br />
Driving The Dynamite Truck--Breaking Circus, <i>Big Hits Of Mid-America, Vol. 4</i><br />
The Light Pours Out Of Me--Peter Murphy, <i>One Pound Ninety Nine</i><br />
Haunted When The Minutes Drag--Love And Rockets, <i>One Pound Ninety Nine</i><br />
Wichita Lineman--Glenn Gregory, <i>B.E.F, Presents</i> <i>Music Of Quality & Distinction, Vol. 1</i><br />
It's Over--Billy MacKenzie, <i>B.E.F. Presents</i> <i>Music Of Quality & Distinction, Vol. 1</i><br />
Product Patrol<span style="white-space: pre;">--C</span>abaret Voltaire<span style="white-space: pre;">, </span><i>If You Can't Please Yourself, You Can't Please Your Soul</i><br />
Waiting to Fall<span style="white-space: pre;"> --</span>Virginia Astley<span style="white-space: pre;">, </span><i>If You Can't Please Yourself, You Can't Please Your Soul</i><br />
Pink Frost<span style="white-space: pre;"> --</span>The Chills<span style="white-space: pre;">, <i>Tuatara</i></span><br />
Fish<span style="white-space: pre;">--</span>The Clean, <i style="white-space: pre;">Tuatara</i><br />
Death And The Maiden<span style="white-space: pre;">--</span>The Verlaines,<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i style="white-space: pre;">Tuatara</i><br />
The Protagonist <span style="white-space: pre;">--</span>Dead Can Dance<span style="white-space: pre;">, </span><i>Lonely Is An Eyesore</i><br />
Fish<span style="white-space: pre;">-</span>Throwing Muses, <i>Lonely Is An Eyesore</i><br />
Cut the Tree<span style="white-space: pre;">--</span>The Wolfgang Press, <i>Lonely Is An Eyesore</i> <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
Dub<span style="white-space: pre;"> --</span>Pylon,<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>The Best Of America Underground</i><br />
Like I Told You<span style="white-space: pre;">--</span>Shoe,<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>The Best Of America Underground</i><br />
World War III<span style="white-space: pre;">--</span>Suburbs,<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>The Best Of America Underground</i><br />
(I Belong to the) Blank Generation<span style="white-space: pre;">--</span>Richard Hell & The Voidoids,<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>The Great New York Singles</i><br />
Little Johnny Jewel<span style="white-space: pre;">--</span>Television,<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>The Great New York Singles</i><br />
Smash It Up<span style="white-space: pre;">--</span>The Damned<span style="white-space: pre;">, </span><i>The Last Stiff Compilation</i><br />
Blue Boy<span style="white-space: pre;"> --</span>Orange Juice<span style="white-space: pre;">, </span><i>C81</i><br />
I Look Alone<span style="white-space: pre;">--</span>Buzzcocks<span style="white-space: pre;">, </span><i>C81</i><br />
The "Sweetest Girl"<span style="white-space: pre;"> --</span>Scritti Politti<span style="white-space: pre;">, </span><i>C81</i><br />
Therese<span style="white-space: pre;"> --</span>The Bodines<span style="white-space: pre;">, </span><i>NME C86</i><br />
It's Up To You--<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Shop Assistants,<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>NME C86</i><br />
Happy Head<span style="white-space: pre;"> --</span>The Mighty Lemon Drops<span style="white-space: pre;">, </span><i>NME C86</i><br />
Pleasantly Surprised<span style="white-space: pre;">--</span>The Soup Dragons<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>NME C86<br />
We Could Send Letters<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Aztec Camera<span style="white-space: pre;">, </span><i>The Indie Scene 1981</i><br />
<br />
<div>
PS. This <a href="https://8tracks.com/ash966/the-great-80s-compilations-1">8tracks playlist</a> includes some tracks I didn't have time to play on my show.<br />
<br /></div>
ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-55505462429606660162019-06-02T15:20:00.000-05:002019-06-02T15:20:09.541-05:00PERFECT PORTABLE BREAKFAST UPDATE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJqTGBHEmTbSrF35iwvmb3VUazz2cF9HUzhQowBqNw5XBDRR6upg_8c78lQ_O1Uq-PxQY9OPaOwIbUBXSA2fZTib94KOaF8tGQMdCHpqaoPuzgsKV5tYPOw0_t-oe4U7YLp_DncA/s1600/IMG_1099.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1175" data-original-width="1600" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJqTGBHEmTbSrF35iwvmb3VUazz2cF9HUzhQowBqNw5XBDRR6upg_8c78lQ_O1Uq-PxQY9OPaOwIbUBXSA2fZTib94KOaF8tGQMdCHpqaoPuzgsKV5tYPOw0_t-oe4U7YLp_DncA/s400/IMG_1099.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Remember <a href="https://www.badassjfro.net/2017/12/i-made-you-some-breakfast.html#.XMzJEJNKgS4">this post</a> on portable breakfast recipes? As someone who loves breakfast foods but doesn't like getting up before work to cook and doesn't want to spend too much of my money at fast-food joints, I have been working off and on to make my breakfast experience the best it can be.<br />
<br />
The <a href="https://skillet.lifehacker.com/make-two-weeks-worth-of-breakfasts-with-one-sheet-pan-1819690171">breakfast sandwich recipe</a> from Lifehacker was missing two things: biscuits (so much better than muffins or croissants) and potatoes. For the biscuits, it turns out Cub sells <a href="https://thetakeout.com/cheddar-bay-biscuit-mix-lets-you-take-the-best-part-of-1822196176">Red Lobster Cheddar Bay biscuits</a>, which I'd never heard of since I'm not a big seafood person, but turn out to be great. Biscuits take a little more work to cook than store-bought muffins, but the taste is so worth it. You do need a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Pre-seasoned-Biscuits-Desserts-Cupcakes/dp/B00063RX7O">pan</a> like this to make sure the biscuits have the structural integrity for the sandwich ingredients. For cheese, why use cheap shredded cheddar when you can get something good like <a href="http://www.foodireland.com/p/spi403.html">Kerrygold Dubliner.</a><br />
<br />
After some experimentation, for the eggs I went with canned mushrooms, Italian seasoning, parmesan and a splash of milk. Different people can use different seasonings/veggies, but you might as well maximize your taste experience with flavors you won't get at McDonalds. I decided on Provolone for the cheese and Canadian bacon for the meat because I'm lazy and don't want to cut them to fit the biscuit. I do have a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002A8QOUU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1">round cutter</a> for the eggs, so I could change the fillings in the future.<br />
<br />
But breakfast just didn't seem complete without potatoes. The only memorable food from the Hardee's in my home town was the little hash brown patties, and Ore-Ida has <a href="https://www.oreida.com/product/00013120046865">something similar</a>.<br />
<br />
Tips for making breakfast sandwiches:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>PAM cooking spray is your friend when it comes to getting biscuits out of the pan.</li>
<li>Cook the potato patties in the oven as directed before freezing, then wrap them in tinfoil and put them in a Ziploc baggie in the freezer.</li>
<li>Wrap each sandwich in tinfoil and put as many as you can fit in a Ziploc baggie in the freezer. If you make the biscuits and sandwiches on different days, you can freeze the biscuits and use them later, they will still taste fine.</li>
<li>Heating the sandwich and patties in the microwave for 90 seconds on 30% power, then 50 seconds on 100% power works for me, your microwave may vary. If you heat in a toaster oven, take off the top of the sandwich and put it face-up next to the rest of the sandwich. Cook for 10 minutes at 250 degrees. Test the center to make sure it is heated through.</li>
</ul>
<div>
You could make the recipe more low-calorie with egg whites, turkey Canadian bacon, light cheese, etc. I don't know that fresh veggies like tomatoes or spinach would work frozen, you might have to add them at the last minute. The Cheddar Bay biscuits also taste just fine without cheese. Try different things and let me know how it turned out!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-12937947548255977282019-05-24T16:36:00.001-05:002019-05-24T19:11:42.792-05:00SONGS I HAVE MORE THAN ONE COVER OF<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVlyCeFPdxREL2b0K2Zc_wo8KNrZjruq9vYUN21ows41RTkXSeCPmSJVw2hCnkKd_8LAmBfNxa1CacYbQpeTXBGGcPQV94SZ-9dPj2WNXJURoh1-nvFeHejwBNOQ8qVO2gt1BFA/s1600/marcelinefrancis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVlyCeFPdxREL2b0K2Zc_wo8KNrZjruq9vYUN21ows41RTkXSeCPmSJVw2hCnkKd_8LAmBfNxa1CacYbQpeTXBGGcPQV94SZ-9dPj2WNXJURoh1-nvFeHejwBNOQ8qVO2gt1BFA/s400/marcelinefrancis.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>All Tomorrow's Parties (Velvet Underground) - Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Japan, Apoptygma Berzerk</li>
<li>Black Betty (Traditional)- John Spencer Blues Explosion*, The Melvins*, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds</li>
<li>Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath) - Flower Travelin' Band, Type O Negative</li>
<li>Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft (Klaatu) - Babes In Toyland, Langley Schools Music Project</li>
<li>Cold Turkey (Plastic Ono Band) - The Godfathers, The Soft Boys</li>
<li>Dancing Queen (ABBA) - Carol Douglas, Milo Binder</li>
<li>Don't Slander Me (The Roky Anderson Band) - Lords of Altamont, Lou Ann Barton</li>
<li>Fever (Little Willie John) - The Cramps, Eno & the Winkies, Adam Freeland & Sarah Vaughn, The Jam, Peggy Lee, Suzi Quatro</li>
<li>House of the Rising Sun (Traditional) - Flower Travelin' Band, Camodian Space Project</li>
<li>I Got You Babe (Sonny & Cher) - The Dictators, UB40</li>
<li>I Have Always Been Here Before (Roky Anderson)-Julian Cope, The Nomads</li>
<li>I Heard It Through the Grapevine (Gladys Knight & the Pips)-Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Slits</li>
<li>I Think We're Alone Now (Tommy James & the Shondells)- Lene Lovich, The Rubinoos</li>
<li>Mexican Radio (Wall Of Voodoo)- Celtic Frost, Polvo</li>
<li>Night Time (The Strangeloves)- Bauhaus, The Nomads</li>
<li>Paint It Black (The Rolling Stones)--The Avengers, The Feelies</li>
<li>Pink Moon (Nick Drake)- Sebadoh, Walt Mink</li>
<li>Reverberation (13th Floor Elevators)- The Jesus & Mary Chain, ZZ Top</li>
<li>Tainted Love (Gloria Jones)- Soft Cell, Marilyn Manson</li>
<li>Take Me to the River (Al Green)- Bryan Ferry, Talking Heads</li>
<li>Who Do You Love? (Bo Diddley)-Jesus & Mary Chain, The Woolies</li>
<li>You're Gonna Miss Me (13th Floor Elevators)-The Nomads, Doug Sahm & Sons</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
*From the same 7"<br />
<br />ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-41118898609678266442018-10-22T02:24:00.003-05:002018-10-22T02:24:44.191-05:00BIG SOUND : THE RECEIVERING<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVvlNCMJ03sKJLfx0Opflpmwfaop-oKaUKRvGyu41ExPnr_uNwU3OZ0vQdR8hqs5hKJXcRJOYp8PyNvWrFHxBjklGRSBOvZ0i7Cl4dBS58AN3l0E502UsO3VyGeL3ZYCfKmTzrw/s1600/bigsound.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVvlNCMJ03sKJLfx0Opflpmwfaop-oKaUKRvGyu41ExPnr_uNwU3OZ0vQdR8hqs5hKJXcRJOYp8PyNvWrFHxBjklGRSBOvZ0i7Cl4dBS58AN3l0E502UsO3VyGeL3ZYCfKmTzrw/s640/bigsound.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<ol>
<li><i>Blu-ray player</i></li>
<li><i>Apple TV/Television</i></li>
<li><i>Record player</i></li>
<li><i>Cassette player</i></li>
<li><i>VCR</i></li>
<li><i>Subwoofer</i></li>
<li><i>Computer</i></li>
</ol>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
Another year, more tech stuff breaking down. My receiver was only 11 years old, but I guess it was its time. Back when I got my first receiver in high school, it was assumed that it would basically last forever, but nowadays the technical changes come fast and furious, so at least it came with some updates. My parents decided to go with bluetooth speakers and forgo the receiver when they moved to a smaller space, but I have a lot of analog media still. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
At least the new speaker plugs are just kind of annoying, instead of utterly maddening like the old ones you had to hold down while simultaneously trying to push in the speaker wire. </div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUvyLAaFprjow8a0pqdpthy2eflYgy4bOtFyLFroKI90vT04lVQ2L85_VbrEYmBmRolFAqjEu5ptzvYMBK6T3sqI1GpTe-pGOCcGt8qGvYD0-_zHy7l2suotHGlhgWHgUhdB18Q/s1600/IMG_0438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUvyLAaFprjow8a0pqdpthy2eflYgy4bOtFyLFroKI90vT04lVQ2L85_VbrEYmBmRolFAqjEu5ptzvYMBK6T3sqI1GpTe-pGOCcGt8qGvYD0-_zHy7l2suotHGlhgWHgUhdB18Q/s640/IMG_0438.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The main new feature is receiving Bluetooth signals. I can send music from my phone or iPad (or even my iMac, but there's Airplay for that) to the receiver. It even knows the names of the songs somehow. This works for iTunes or apps like TuneIn, Spotify, Bandcamp, Amazon Music, etc., which is nice because the Apple TV is a little light on music apps and it's easier to control with a mobile device than my computer via Airplay.<br />
<br />
Current list of Bluetooth devices:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Onkyo receiver</li>
<li>Mpow headphones</li>
<li>Logitech computer speakers</li>
<li>Magicbox II portable speaker (for travel and kitchen/bathroom)</li>
<li>iPhone </li>
<li>iPad</li>
<li>iMac</li>
<li>Apple Bluetooth keyboard</li>
<li>Logitech K810 portable keyboard</li>
<li>Apple TV</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jcnnyNtwS8Gh5vqF6GzJwmGdjmFWisfVMpW_U1CwmH8OoThtHQg9aTeBlFpMLM8vv3HPf87-XDYe_jlCm_OZ8vq3XaY3JDxmqzzqVSgsK1uzuwInJFpeBBRKCRILVMhowfg8XA/s1600/IMG_0440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jcnnyNtwS8Gh5vqF6GzJwmGdjmFWisfVMpW_U1CwmH8OoThtHQg9aTeBlFpMLM8vv3HPf87-XDYe_jlCm_OZ8vq3XaY3JDxmqzzqVSgsK1uzuwInJFpeBBRKCRILVMhowfg8XA/s640/IMG_0440.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
After I put it together, I remembered that the computer in wasn't connected to anything since my iMac doesn't have audio in like my old cheese grater Mac, so I ordered one of <a href="https://www.rakuten.com/shop/beach-camera/product/BHRUCA222/?sku=BHRUCA222">these</a>. That way, I don't have to move my record player/cassette player to the bedroom when digitizing (I have the world's longest headphone cord for that).<br />
<br />
<br />ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-50500852841634719482018-09-14T21:01:00.003-05:002018-09-14T21:01:46.017-05:00ALT-RIGHT PLOT SUMMARIES<div data-option="1" id="tttt_1021968644077694976">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQoyxQegxMrkp_KPle6bxHifZbCcf2iDyXJ3HKnaaezm1LZDa0qbARNlzZw4nrD5D-6oChzvaNb7sLreggPrLWrejNVVX5_26HzNbZ8rh_-o6HssgKRMTzLSxmeIhvcxKrL6i0Q/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-09-14+at+8.42.33+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="796" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQoyxQegxMrkp_KPle6bxHifZbCcf2iDyXJ3HKnaaezm1LZDa0qbARNlzZw4nrD5D-6oChzvaNb7sLreggPrLWrejNVVX5_26HzNbZ8rh_-o6HssgKRMTzLSxmeIhvcxKrL6i0Q/s400/Screen+Shot+2018-09-14+at+8.42.33+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<strong><a href="https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1021968644077694976.html">Thread by @ash966: "@SecretGamerGrrl What kind of terrifying plot summaries do these guys have in their heads? @SecretGamerGrrl Alt-right Star Trek: WHITE GUY D […]"</a></strong><br />
<br />
<br />
I unrolled this thread for you, because it's hard to find old Twitter threads, especially replies.<br />
<br /></div>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://threadreaderapp.com/embed/1021968644077694976.js"></script>
ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-12316294652334528522018-04-25T17:37:00.000-05:002018-04-25T17:37:08.548-05:00On Universal FanCon <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82AoJEKGqhxvnjrLqxzrDhw-aIt-LIWkGswtq2OxzmF-aA5Q9ukbyazSDpXD3VroJRK_pbpoJC5A08LduC6VJAKHo6Xb9rG398_kTE4B0KALOUhRDVkr7RO0puCOH4V2Y05YsjA/s1600/6898138126_ac03edf83b_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82AoJEKGqhxvnjrLqxzrDhw-aIt-LIWkGswtq2OxzmF-aA5Q9ukbyazSDpXD3VroJRK_pbpoJC5A08LduC6VJAKHo6Xb9rG398_kTE4B0KALOUhRDVkr7RO0puCOH4V2Y05YsjA/s400/6898138126_ac03edf83b_k.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Guys, I am really sad and mad right now about <a href="https://www.theroot.com/it-be-your-own-people-on-universal-fancon-and-the-perv-1825481924">Universal FanCon.</a> I hadn't heard of it before it was postposed/cancelled <i>one week</i> before it was to occur, but seeing <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=fancon&src=typd">tweets</a> from so many people who were planning to go was heartbreaking. So many artists and vendors losing their first shot at sales/networking and cosplayers and other attendees who never felt accepted at other cons losing a safe space for geeking out. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm proud to be an exhibitor and co-creator of the <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ash966/albums/72157695439958035">Manga Reading Lounge</a> at <a href="https://www.animedetour.com/">Anime Detour</a> and my <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ash966/albums/72157683259890094">July staycation</a> at <a href="http://www.convergence-con.org/">Convergence</a> is a highlight of my year. I can't imagine having an experience like that taken away so suddenly. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The other sad thing is, it might not have failed if the founders hadn't 1) tried to make their first con some huge, money-making endeavor when most <a href="https://twitter.com/alexandraerin/status/987555957579354114">cons barely break even</a>, 2) failed to vet one <a href="https://www.dailydot.com/parsec/universal-fan-con-what-happened/">co-founder</a> who had been involved in failed cons before, and 3) they had asked for help from experienced con people. The Twitter conversation made it clear that there was a deep bench of experienced con administrators who would have been happy to help. I'm not one myself, but my limited experience creating a <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ash966/albums/72157688103221833">miniature library con</a> tells me that it's a very complex endeavor with a lot of moving parts that requires constant back-and-forth communication, not just asking Starbucks to donate stuff at the last minute. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THINGS BETTER:</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Support your local, volunteer-staffed con. Unless you are super into getting celebrities to sign stuff, skip those traveling things Alexandra Erin calls "<a href="https://twitter.com/alexandraerin/status/989177417909592064">autograph mills</a>". Local cons are way more fun, you have more input in their content & policies, plus it gives volunteers/staff more experience to start more cons to fit your interests. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If your local con sucks, start your own, but start small. <a href="https://www.comic-con.org/">Comic-Con</a> wasn't <a href="https://twitter.com/jurijuri/status/988772793729847302">built in one day</a>. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Make your con safe for diverse attendees. Ask them what policies would help them enjoy the con. Have diverse panels and panelists. Ban harassers. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Attract and mentor diverse con volunteers and employees. Then, they can learn and start their own cons. Geek culture is big, we can have cons for everybody. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Don't be a dick. Don't tell a marginalized person they "aren't allowed" to cosplay as someone.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Give <a href="https://universalartistalley.tumblr.com/">these artists</a> some money. They lost a major source of income, so support them if you can. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Attend this <a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/baltimore-insider-blog/bs-fe-wicomicon-event-hosted-in-place-of-postponed-universal-fan-con-20180423-story.html">pop-up convention</a>. if you can afford it and are near Baltimore, attend this mini-convention for people who were coming to FanCon.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Make your Con transit-accessible. Not everyone can drive or has a car, and some people may fly or bus in. I'm looking at you, <a href="http://www.conofthenorth.org/">Con of the North</a>!</span></li>
</ul>
ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-78167015886788356872018-02-19T22:14:00.001-06:002018-02-19T22:14:20.642-06:00JFRO's 2017<iframe src="http://8tracks.com/mixes/8742865/player_v3_universal" width="400" height="400" style="border: 0px none;"></iframe>
<p class="_8t_embed_p" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;"><a href="http://8tracks.com/ash966/jfro-s-2017?utm_medium=referral&utm_content=mix-page&utm_campaign=embed_button">Jfro's 2017</a> from <a href="http://8tracks.com/ash966?utm_medium=referral&utm_content=mix-page&utm_campaign=embed_button">ash966</a> on <a href="http://8tracks.com?utm_medium=referral&utm_content=mix-page&utm_campaign=embed_button">8tracks Radio</a>.</p><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6;">Sorry this is so late, guys. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><i><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></i></i></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><i><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Format once again ripped off shamelessly from the </span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://librarianinblack.net/librarianinblack/">Librarian in Black</a></span></span></i><a href="http://librarianinblack.net/librarianinblack/">:</a> </i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Books --<i> Who Fears Death?, Universal Harvester, Fingersmith, The Collapsing Empire, City of LIght, City of Poison</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Comics</span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> -- Ooku, Over Easy, Genshiken Second Season, Order of the Stick</i><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Movies --<i> The Shape of Water, Free Fire, Thor: Ragnarok, The Big Sick, Willow Creek, The Boy & the Beast, Atomic Blonde, Mifune: The Last Samurai, Get Out, The Nice Guys, Okja, My Cousin Rachel, The Love Witch, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Gimme Danger, Logan, Moonlight</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">TV Shows -- <i>Stranger Things, Taboo, Black Sails, Orphan Black, Halt & Catch Fire, The Walking Dead, Insecure, GLOW, Billions, The Expanse, Bojack Horseman, Orange Is the New Black, The Path, Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce, Veep, Train to Busan, Travelers, Silicon Valley, Sense8, RuPaul's Drag Race, Transparent, Powers, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Americans, Legion, The Magicians, Archer, Mr. Robot, Fear the Walking Dead, unREAL, 12 Monkeys, Versailles, Crazyhead, The Strain, Better Call Saul</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Albums --Woven Hand: <i>Star Treatment</i>, Troubled Horse: <i>Revolution on Repeat</i>, Telekinetic Yet: <i>Abominable</i>, Summoner: <i>Beyond the Realm of Light</i>, Ruby the Hatchet: <i>Planetary Space Child,</i> Royal Thunder: <i>Wick</i>, Moonbow: <i>War Bear</i>, Kadavar: <i>Rough Times</i>, Fireball Ministry: <i>Remember the Story</i>, Ecstatic Vision: <i>Raw Rock Fury</i>, Crystal Fairy: <i>Crystal Fairy</i>, Colour Haze: <i>In Her Garden</i>, Greenleaf: <i>Rise Above The Meadow</i>, Blues Pills: <i>Lady in Gold, </i>WhiteNails:<i> First Trip, </i>Tad<i>: 8-Way Santa (Remastered)</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Songs --Willam: "Ho Ho Ho Ho", Red Velvet: "Talk To Me", Girl's Day Everyday: "I'll Be Yours", BTS:"Not Today", Tiffany: "Talk", RVG: "IBM", MGT: "Knowing Me Knowing You", 2NE1: "I Am The Best", Crystal Fairy: "Drugs On The Bus", Sofi Tucker: "Drinkee", </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Skrillex & Damian "Jr Gong" Marley: "Make It Bun Dem", Jackie Shane: "Any Other Way", Cari Cari: "No War" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apps<i> --Reelgood, Reddit, TuneIn, Flickr, Artstudio, Tumblr, 8Tracks</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i></i></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i></i>Devices --iPad, iMac, Apple TV 4, Nook GlowLight Plus, Universal Laser Systems laser engraver, Lulzbot 3-D printer, soldering iron</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Events --Convergence, Anime Detour, ToshoCon, Steampunk photoshoot in Irvine Park, WMCN Reunion show, Chris Isaak, Minneapolis-St. Paul Mini Maker Faire, presenting at the Library Technology Conference, Bakken Museum, <i><a href="https://new.artsmia.org/del-toro/">At Home With Monsters</a></i> @MIA, World War I @Minnesota History Center, Como Obon Festival</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Items of clothing --Gray motorcycle boots, gear earrings, resin pendant, Steven Madden hooded coat</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Games --<i>Plants Vs Zombies 2, Candy Crush: Soda, Tetris Blitz, Agents of Oblivion, Delta Green</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Web sites --Lifehacker, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">r/rupaulsdragrace, r/relationships, Captain Awkward, Fast 'n' Bulbous</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Twitter Twerps --@AnaMardoll, @arthur_affect, @FakeLibStats, @HalpernAlex, @loather</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">YouTubers -- Jimmi Pynk, Kevin Logan, Feminist Frequency, The Boulet Brothers, </span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">MovieBob, </span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Screen Junkies, Afterbuzz TV, Diamanda Hagan, Vaginal Fantasy, Hey Qween, Willam Belli</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6;">Materials - metallic acrylic paint, EasyCast resin, laser rubber</span></span><br />
<br style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, verdana, sans-serif;" />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Boyfriend --JSeux continues his winning streak!</span>ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-84029156065071224732017-12-08T20:35:00.000-06:002017-12-08T20:35:07.499-06:00I MADE YOU SOME BREAKFAST<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv945lbqXAsxaZkGrHhFhCpHobg-s0RTJO1RvJ7eGEU9A2htZcTcXWeT5GXPTQP_2WvEgtzqfLLSeU8_4VQcOmy1DWZibAFj3orbNy8Qw38zSEa3tCvX9ISJMKxeNOvkGR3JPVjQ/s1600/breakfast+sandwiches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1214" data-original-width="1600" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv945lbqXAsxaZkGrHhFhCpHobg-s0RTJO1RvJ7eGEU9A2htZcTcXWeT5GXPTQP_2WvEgtzqfLLSeU8_4VQcOmy1DWZibAFj3orbNy8Qw38zSEa3tCvX9ISJMKxeNOvkGR3JPVjQ/s320/breakfast+sandwiches.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Z4__VS-Qn9cflgisqIc9o649gyBH7amMr-bT37zkmr9uIfMbV6dScHwc56qa2gCipGh1rx83tBQXoumxgFYy0yKwyuN5uXW6Edg8DZ9iOmTcv91HGB-Bf901dpA2Hf9PMH5ZRw/s1600/banana+berry+breakfast+to+go.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Z4__VS-Qn9cflgisqIc9o649gyBH7amMr-bT37zkmr9uIfMbV6dScHwc56qa2gCipGh1rx83tBQXoumxgFYy0yKwyuN5uXW6Edg8DZ9iOmTcv91HGB-Bf901dpA2Hf9PMH5ZRw/s320/banana+berry+breakfast+to+go.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Everyone who knows me, knows I love me some breakfast. Even if I wake up at 4 PM, I like to start with some breakfast-type food.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, this conflicts with my desire to stay in bed as long as possible on workdays. My solution is to bring portable breakfast items that I can eat between the time the bus drops me at work until the time I have to be on a desk.<br />
<br />
My go-tos are Quaker Real-Medley oatmeal cups and Jimmy Dean Delites breakfast sandwiches. The only problems with them are that they are 1) full of preservatives and stuff, 2) OK, but make you dream of better food, and 3) kind of rubbery from the microwave in the case of the sandwiches.<br />
<br />
I'd been trying to find a breakfast sandwich recipe for a long time, but trying to make good eggs for a bunch of sandwiches just seemed really intimidating. I've just mastered making scrambled eggs a few years ago, and they require careful watching to come out right.<br />
<br />
Then, <a href="https://skillet.lifehacker.com/make-two-weeks-worth-of-breakfasts-with-one-sheet-pan-1819690171">this article</a> appeared in Lifehacker. The sheer genius of baking the eggs in a cookie pan! No watching to make sure the eggs are OK the whole time. No cooking them in some kind of egg ring (I use small round Ziploc container lids to cut the egg into circles). No finding storage for a <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=breakfast+sandwich+maker">very specific device</a> that might not cook everything equally well. Yay!<br />
<br />
I made the breakfast sandwiches with ham and provolone. I added canned mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning to the eggs. For the muffins, I just used whatever Target had. They weren't the best, but the sandwiches still tasted good. I'd recommend getting the best English muffins you can afford.<br />
<br />
For cooking from frozen sandwiches, I'd recommend defrosting them at 30% in the microwave for 90 seconds, then cooking them in a toaster oven for 5 minutes at 300 degrees (take the top muffin off and put it next to the rest of the sandwich), but you can cook them for 65 seconds in the microwave after defrosting if you are in a hurry.<br />
<br />
After posting this recipe on Facebook, my friend SR shared one of her <a href="https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/quick-banana-berry-breakfast-to-go-50169237">breakfast favorites,</a> which just happened to resemble Quaker Real-Medleys, at least it did when I doubled the amount of oats. I put in craisins instead of currants because Target didn't have currents, plus craisins are awesome, and left out the sunflower seeds because yuck. After cooking, I put them into the above-mentioned small round Ziploc containers for work. I like to heat them up and add a splash of milk. At work, you could use those little creamer cups if you have some around. Just a warning: after a day, the mix looks a little grey, but it still tastes great.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-13244992073332708842017-10-27T19:30:00.000-05:002017-10-27T19:30:05.364-05:00I MADE YOU AN INSTRUCTABLE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByvgRGQdOQaLK_PWtyjV7iIMXqmYNFwi-Qp6LNlS5lsAAd0pwl-2aJmQ5kFxsJrjAax8WBbs1eiPCNw3HBrC5Luv2ylSyAvQyLR_X3i5Kkedc-OEVrBYXInsMwkp_lRabzDREWw/s1600/FCEQBD7J8F62YOJ.MEDIUM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="620" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByvgRGQdOQaLK_PWtyjV7iIMXqmYNFwi-Qp6LNlS5lsAAd0pwl-2aJmQ5kFxsJrjAax8WBbs1eiPCNw3HBrC5Luv2ylSyAvQyLR_X3i5Kkedc-OEVrBYXInsMwkp_lRabzDREWw/s400/FCEQBD7J8F62YOJ.MEDIUM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.instructables.com/id/Steampunk-Gear-Earrings/">Steampunk Gear Earrings</a></b><br />
<br />
So, since my work got a makerspace a year and a half ago, I've been <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ash966/albums/72157630275258386">making more things</a> than ever. One of my favorite sites for making ideas is <a href="https://www.instructables.com/">Instructables</a>. I've made <a href="https://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Cuff-Bracelet/">LED bracelets</a>, <a href="https://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-etched-and-Cut-Rubber-Stamps-Made-at-TechS/">laser-engraved rubber stamps</a>, and <a href="https://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-Drawstring-Pouch-for-Beginners/">drawstring pouches</a>. My <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ash966/37585301980/">felt cameos</a> are a little different, but <a href="https://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-Cut-Felt-Cameos/">this</a> is where the idea came from.<br />
<br />
I even became a Pro member to support the site and because I like being able to download .pdfs to consult while making stuff. Youtube videos can be great for showing techniques, but nothing can compare to a step-by-step guide (although Instructables can have video, so best of both worlds, really). As a librarian, I make a lot of those, so I know of what I speak.<br />
<br />
Since I now have the fancy camera for taking good macro pictures, I wanted to try my hand at making an Instructable. The editing interface is pretty intuitive for anyone who's blogged or added content to a web site. If you make stuff, definitely give it a try. If you want to get your content to people, Instructables' large, active community is going to get more views than a blog post.<br />
<br />
I had hoped to make a video showing my technique for attaching beads with wire, but it was hard to get close enough to see things while filming it myself. Maybe next time.<br />
<br />
<br />ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-37789154396255853722017-09-22T02:28:00.001-05:002017-09-22T02:28:39.430-05:00I GOT A NEW CAMERA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CkwgvZck-6YQPioznUwDj8Oiacz4m_IdkJ9eH9qx8x20027pcs3bIe2Q2XeU3BiE7rv1J0GuSW12_MTV3uVA4kjxtWFrwQQIb7uciYJBbydFWXPqILKWeMPDrncBN1aS9fhLxw/s1600/Photo+on+9-15-17+at+1.03+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CkwgvZck-6YQPioznUwDj8Oiacz4m_IdkJ9eH9qx8x20027pcs3bIe2Q2XeU3BiE7rv1J0GuSW12_MTV3uVA4kjxtWFrwQQIb7uciYJBbydFWXPqILKWeMPDrncBN1aS9fhLxw/s640/Photo+on+9-15-17+at+1.03+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
So, I decided it was finally time to get me one of those fancy cameras. My point & shoot had finally died from being dropped one too many times, and I went to see Chris Isaak only to have him appear as nothing but a big white blob on my phone. Since I take a lot of pictures already, it seemed a good use of my annual fun spending. We have a DSLR camera at work, and I liked the pictures it took, plus it has that good old-fashioned "clickity-click" sound when you shoot.<br />
<br />
My main worry was actually the size of the camera. I went to a photowalk once and people seemed to be competing in a who-can-lug-around-the-biggest-Cyclops-beast-around contest. My tiny hands and achy shoulders can't handle that sort of thing.<br />
<br />
When I did a Google search on "small DSLR cameras" I learned about <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/photography-video-capture/cameras/mirrorless-vs-dslr-1304910">mirrorless cameras</a>. My photography class teacher said that the lens is actually more important than the body of the camera for taking good pictures, so why not get a small camera that can still change lenses? Some of the big-name photography sites liked the Olympus <a href="http://www.getolympus.com/us/en/e-m10-mark-ii.html">OM-D E-M10 Mark II</a>, which I developed a gadget crush on right away.<br />
<br />
OK, let's face it, some objects are just more esthetically appealing than others, and it's not terrible for that to be a factor in your purchase decisions. As long as it does what it is supposed to do and doesn't clean out your bank account, why not? I have to admit I love the retro look of the OM-D and sometimes I take it out just to look at it. That's why that <i><a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_eye/2014/12/19/the_life_changing_magic_of_tidying_up_by_marie_kondo_is_a_best_selling_guide.html">The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up</a> </i>stuff doesn't work on me, I have a TON of things in my place that give me joy when I look at them. My motto is "Everything I do got to be funky", not "Everything I do got to be boring but utilitarian", after all.<br />
<br />
Also, the controls have a good hand feel for me and seem like they'll last a long time.<br />
<br />
The main drawbacks of having a camera that is both fancy and schmancy are 1) worrying about something happening to it and 2) spending money on endless accessories. For 1) my vow is that OM-D will never be removed from either a case or a very-sturdy camera strap and for 2) I just have to parcel it out slowly and put things on my Amazon wishlist. Like did you know that the straps that come with fancy cameras are no good and have to be replaced with something better if you don't want it to slip off your shoulders? And that there are separate bags for cameras, lenses, and your whole kit? But that makes no nevermind now that I can take <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ash966/35901905304/">night shots</a> that don't look like those weird light shows you sometimes see when your eyes are closed.<br />
<br />ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-28722089896513832482017-06-06T00:34:00.001-05:002017-06-07T18:18:59.946-05:00JFRO AIRWAVES TAKEOVER 2017!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJ22KhEnFBmerJb_D0vtRCQ241I4DsHBE6QtrudR20aJlyfM6_cIMVGvfJqykl3p9RWlQjQWxUOOAT-p3bdgp_Bftx2diMSkxuKXfJcAVRw-l2CnHOET1b0jsaGezJOMGH8SWPA/s1600/IMG_1668.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJ22KhEnFBmerJb_D0vtRCQ241I4DsHBE6QtrudR20aJlyfM6_cIMVGvfJqykl3p9RWlQjQWxUOOAT-p3bdgp_Bftx2diMSkxuKXfJcAVRw-l2CnHOET1b0jsaGezJOMGH8SWPA/s640/IMG_1668.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's Reunion time again, and I was back on the wheels of steel. The theme for my radio show this year was Cyberpunk, a musical soundtrack from the 80s to today for movies like </span><em style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Blade Runner</em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and </span><em style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Ghost in the Shell</em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, or books like </span><em style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://stpaul.on.worldcat.org/oclc/44893512">Neuromancer</a></em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and </span><em style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://stpaul.on.worldcat.org/oclc/47023480">Synners</a></em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B05FrZqFY3g" width="560"></iframe></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here's my archived radio show:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_77220954"></a></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/fl9era6cgmnpg56/Andrea%20Herman%20-%20Nicecast%20Archived%20Audio%2020170602%201304.mp3?dl=0">https://www.dropbox.com/s/fl9era6cgmnpg56/Andrea%20Herman%20-%20Nicecast%20Archived%20Audio%2020170602%201304.mp3?dl=0</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">T</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">racklist:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Making Of Cyborg" - Kenji Kawai</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Ghosts" - Japan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Vienna" - Ultravox</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Morningstar In A Black Car" - Ashbury Heights</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Crash" - Mesh</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kingdom" - VNV Nation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Neon Lights" -Kraftwerk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Big Electric Cat" - Adrian Belew</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"I Want You" - Cabaret Voltaire</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Driving The Dynamite Truck" - Breaking Circus</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Burning Inside" - Ministry</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Headhunter" - Front 242</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Self Control" -Raf</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Guardian Angel" - Juno Reactor</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Nothing At All" -Lights Of Euphoria</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Love Via Revolver" - Valkilly</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Prayer Praise & Profit" -Pig</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Underbelly Of The Beast" - Danzig</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Underpass" -John Foxx</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Just For A Moment" - Ultravox</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Go" - Tones On Tail</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Musika Atomica" - Syrian</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Timekiller" - Project Pitchfork</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Destroy Everything You Touch" - Ladytron</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div id="blogsy_footer" style="clear: both; font-size: small; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-33989674357159000312017-05-12T14:11:00.001-05:002017-06-06T00:56:40.919-05:00HOW TO MAKE A MIX/PLAYLIST<iframe align="center" frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" src="http://flickrslidr.com/slideshow/view.php?g=khueek" width="500"></iframe><br />
<small><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Some of my old mixes from back in the day.</i></span></small><br />
<small><br /></small>
<small>Created with <a href="http://www.admarket.se/" title="Admarket.se">Admarket's</a> <a href="http://flickrslidr.com/" title="flickrSLiDR">flickrSLiDR</a>.</small>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've been making mix tapes since high school in the early 80s when my best friend spent a year in New Zealand. It kept going in college for high school friends, then it kept up when college buddies went their separate ways. As friends got older and had families, it became my go-to New Year present, as it is a way to show you value your friends while spending minimal cash & not obligating them to buy you anything after spending all their money on presents for family members.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've gone from tape to CD to online playlists, although I still do CDs for presents so people have something tangible. In the old days, when my only computer was a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80_Model_100">TRS-80 model 100</a>, I went to Kinko's with some art to copy and cut up and the song list hand-written in large type to reduce to fit a cassette case. Now I have <a href="https://smilesoftware.com/disclabel">DiscLabel</a> software for that, or I can just upload songs and screenshots to <a href="https://8tracks.com/">8tracks</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One thing hasn't changed, though, are certain rules I have more making a good mix, based on years of experience and trial and error.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">RULES FOR MAKING A GOOD MIX:</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Pick your mix type first</b>. Mixes can be personal (geared to one person) or public. Other main organizational principals are - time period, genre, mood, subject of song, season, region, and mixes inspired by other media (usually a book or movie). To have a good mix, start with an appealing organizational principle.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Variety is key</b>. Back in my college DJ days, I learned the rule of three. DJs typically play 3 or 4 songs and then tell you what songs they play. Of course, with mixes you don't have to take breaks, but it's still a good principle to group similar songs and then change it up a bit every 3-4 songs. Ideally, I try to have some connection from every song to the next from the beginning to the end, whether it's type of vocals, genre, time period, mood, both are cover versions, etc., but if it's a case of connections vs variety, variety always wins. Even if you are doing a mix that is all punk or metal, you have to mix it up with subgenres, types of vocals, eras, a bit harder or softer, more or less poppy, etc. More than one song by the same person or group should be avoided in most cases. Basically, a mix that is all the same is a boring one. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Know your audience</b>. If you are making a private mix for one person, you need to keep their preferences in mind. For example, one person told me they hate female vocalists who sound like little kids, so no MIA. Conversely, if you feel pretty sure someone already has the song, no need to add it to their mix, unless it's a case of a song that reminds you of a certain special time or event. For a public mix online, swearing in a song will limit when people can listen. I sometimes have swearing in my public 8tracks mixes, but label them "NSFW" in case people I know would be offended. Also, good to avoid too much audible swearing for a party mix or anything that might be listened to by children. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Don't be too obvious</b>. If you are doing a Minnesota mix, you may want to consider that everyone who wants to own the music of Bob Dylan or Prince probably already has it. If you are including a famous artist, at least find a more obscure track. For me, a mix has two purposes - to entertain by creating a mood, and to inform the listener of music they don't already know about. That doesn't mean you have to be a expert. For example, I have a "Bollywood & Bhangra" mix, but I'm not an expert on the genres by any means. However, it's my most listened-to mix on <a href="https://8tracks.com/ash966">8tracks</a>, possibly because the genre is not well-represented on the service, so it fills a niche. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With the rise of services like Spotify & YouTube Red, the barriers to creating a playlist are pretty small. No more lying on the floor waiting to stop the cassette player and start it again. You don't even have to own the music. That special feeling of having someone "like" your mix can be yours with these tips. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div id="blogsy_footer" style="clear: both; font-size: small; text-align: right;">
<a href="http://blogsyapp.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img alt="Posted with Blogsy" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" height="20" style="margin-right: 5px; vertical-align: middle;" width="20" />Posted with Blogsy</span></a></div>
ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-2949936620310204512017-02-21T00:44:00.001-06:002017-02-21T00:44:17.693-06:00PLEASE CONSIDER WATCHING THE 100<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KXIZ1_ls1TRgsdatyh2XHTXl_iwdrH13WIvJshMjgqFKwf_rlNb9yl-Cz30l2Seb5RSjw6S7iVuy-11O6OxNn6xJ8B4aXWIg2Comh8m4UbAVueVEzvLubgRIxdF9nD9tGdrNWg/s1600/from+the+sky.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KXIZ1_ls1TRgsdatyh2XHTXl_iwdrH13WIvJshMjgqFKwf_rlNb9yl-Cz30l2Seb5RSjw6S7iVuy-11O6OxNn6xJ8B4aXWIg2Comh8m4UbAVueVEzvLubgRIxdF9nD9tGdrNWg/s640/from+the+sky.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I meant to do this before the 4th season started, but oh well...</i></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Post-apocalyptic media has had a field day lately, which I couldn't be happier about. Where else can you depict issues such as resource allocation, the nature of leadership, environmental devastation, the consequences of war, etc, AND have people in face paint fighting each other with kung fu and bizarre weapons?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I found out we finally would have a straight, non-zombie post-apoc show (I tried <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tribe_(TV_series)"><i>The Tribe</i>,</a> but it was just too low-budget for me), I was was a little excited, but my expectations were low, since it was on the CW, the network to watch white teens get mopey about their crushes on (even their superheroes spend way to much time mooning). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Parenthetical rant time:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When will TV creators of action/detective/fantasy/science fiction shows realize that less is more with romance? Especially when stakes are high - it just makes the characters seem to have really bad priorities. There's a reason why <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RomanticPlotTumor">"Romantic Plot Tumor"</a> is a trope. Just give us a little and we can use our own imaginations - look at the fans of<i> X-Files</i> and <i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer.</i> Tumblr is full of people shipping the hell out of <i>The 100</i> characters based on a handful of small scenes, which is the way it should be - not the creators boring us with what starts to seem like fanfic of their own characters. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, there is love and sex on</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The 100</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, but these teens are spending too much time making hard decisions with no easy answers and trying to survive to do much mooning. Just give it a few episodes, as some of the younger actors aren't so good in the beginning and it just seems like a </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lord of the Flies</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> update. It gets interesting when the teens find out earth isn't as uninhabited as it might seem and what the consequences of that are. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The 100</i> is also pretty non-stereotypical as far as depiction of race, gender and GLB characters. No show has more young women in leadership roles. And it's nice for us older people that, although mature characters are ultimately supporting the younger ones, they have their own complexities and are not just there to support or thwart the youth. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, you can check out the first 3 seasons on Netflix.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-19130895049433706552017-01-31T13:21:00.000-06:002017-01-31T13:21:05.615-06:00JFRO'S 2016<iframe height="250" src="http://8tracks.com/mixes/8494042/player_v3_universal" style="border: 0px none;" width="300"></iframe>
<br />
<div class="_8t_embed_p" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;">
<a href="http://8tracks.com/ash966/jfro-s-2016?utm_medium=referral&utm_content=mix-page&utm_campaign=embed_button">Jfro's 2016</a> from <a href="http://8tracks.com/ash966?utm_medium=referral&utm_content=mix-page&utm_campaign=embed_button">ash966</a> on <a href="http://8tracks.com/?utm_medium=referral&utm_content=mix-page&utm_campaign=embed_button">8tracks Radio</a>.</div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although a lot of sucky things happened in 2016, I'm going to focus on the good stuff.</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><i><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Format once again ripped off shamelessly from the </span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://librarianinblack.net/librarianinblack/2012/12/year-in-review.html" style="color: #de7008;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Librarian in Black</span></a></span></i>: </i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Books --<i> Swing Time, You, The Secret History of Wonder Woman, </i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Women Crime Writers: Four Suspense Novels of the 1940s, Frog Music</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Comics</span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> -- Patience, The Flowers of Evil, Ooku</i><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i>
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Movies --<i> Arrival, Dr. Strange, Green Room, </i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened, </i></span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Captain America: Civil War, Zootopia, The Big Short, Crimson Peak, Deadpool, Amy, The Man From Nowhere</i><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">TV Shows -- <i>Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Better Call Saul, Bojack Horseman, Mr. Robot, True Detective, Archer, The Americans, The 100, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Brooklyn 9-9, Broad City, The Expanse, RuPaul's Drag Race, Powers, Orange Is the New Black, unREAL, Billions, Penny Dreadful, The Walking Dead, Person of Interest, Orphan Black, The Path, The Knick, Veep, High Maintenance, The Magicians, Portlandia, Divorce, Insecure, Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Albums --Conan Neutron & The Secret Friends: <i>The Art of Murder, </i>Various<i>: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, </i>Flavor Crystals:<i> The Shiver of the Flavor Crystals, </i>Wo Fat:<i> Midnight Cometh, </i>Truckfighters:<i> V, </i>Scorpion Child:<i> Acid Roulette, </i>M83: <i>Junk, </i>Isaak: <i>Sermonize, </i>Droids Attack: <i>Sci-Fi or Die, </i>The Vaccines: <i>English Graffiti, All Them Witches: Dying Surfer Meets His Maker, </i>Beastmaker: <i>Lusus Naturae, </i>Windhand:<i> Grief's Infernal Flower, </i>The Sword:<i> High Country, </i>Ruby the Hatchet:<i> Valley of the Snake, </i>Royal Headache: <i>High,</i> Moonbow: <i>Volto Del Demone,</i> Hills<i>: Frid, </i>Fuzz:<i> II, </i>Baroness:<i> Purple</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Songs --Duo RAW: "Beat My Face", White Lies: "Death", RuPaul: "The Realness", Jidenna: "Long Live the Chief", Agnez Mo: "Boy Magnet", Bonnie McKee: "Bombastic", Charles Bradley: "Changes", The Oh Sees: "Poor Queen" </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apps<i> --Flickr, Artstudio, Tumblr, 8Tracks, Instant Buttons, Instacart, Door Dash, </i></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Yahoo! Video Guide, myTuner Pro, Lyrically, Amazon Prime Music, IFTTT</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i></i></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i></i>Devices --iMac, Apple TV 4, Freedompop iPhone, Universal Laser Systems laser engraver, Afinia 3-D printer, Cameo Silhouette, Brother Project Runway sewing machine</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Events --Convergence, trip to San Francisco/Ukiah, Anime Detour, ToshoCon, Conan Neutron & The Secret Friends/Buildings at the Hexagon, Irvine Park photowalk, Ramsey After Dark: <i>Victorian Secrets</i>, William Kentridge: <i>The Refusal of Time</i> at SFMOMA, Musée Mécanique.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Items of clothing --Flower wrap dress, faux leather bomber jacket, gray hooded shirt, spats</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Games --<i>Plants Vs Zombies 2, Candy Crush: Soda, Tetris Blitz, Interface Zero, TimeZero, Sushi Go!, Tsuro, Feng Shui 2, Misspent Youth</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Web sites --<i>Great Cosplay, AV Club, TV Tropes, Paging Dr. Nerdlove, The Obelisk, Good Show Sir</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Twitter Twerps ---@HeerJeet, @JosephScrimshaw, @SwiftOnSecurity, @loather, @LeVostreGC, @KyloR3n</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">YouTubers -- Screen Junkies, Afterbuzz TV, Diamanda Hagan, Vaginal Fantasy, Hey Qween, Kevin Smith, Adult Wednesday Addams, Willam Belli, MovieBob</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6;">Materials - Adhesive felt, LED strips</span></span><br />
<br style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;" />
<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Boyfriend --In a surprise upset, JSeux wins!</span>ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-75718169188161903292016-12-31T22:11:00.000-06:002016-12-31T22:11:18.315-06:00THE "AT LEAST HE'S HONEST" FALLACY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/ht_wasco_clown_1_kb_141014_4x3_992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/ht_wasco_clown_1_kb_141014_4x3_992.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Whenever someone says about a person, "at least he's honest", that's very handy, because then you know right away that they're talking about a terrible person. Terrible people love to use "honesty" as an excuse to say horrible, nasty things right to your face. They imply thereby that everyone else would say it, but they're all just pretending not to be terrible (they don't explain why, if everyone is so terrible, why we all pretend not to be). Abusers love to make you feel that everyone is really horrible, when actually it's just them.<br />
<br />
This is the mirror of the whole "hypocrisy is worse than anything else, even genocide" thing I discussed in a <a href="http://www.badassjfro.net/2015/03/go-home-holden-caulfield-youre-drunk.html">previous post</a>. It's all so adolescent. You catch your parents doing something less than great, and all of a sudden they are EVIL INCARNATE. It's time to grow up and differentiate between failing to live up to your ideals and outright evil actions. Let's try to do that in 2017, shall we?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-27334567774550408932016-09-16T00:33:00.002-05:002016-09-16T00:38:02.909-05:00I MADE YOU A POEM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXIDFcraM9n-XYSdO-VyeNjYcxTv-Lhlxt7U4bRMp9kZVVTA9OnJWve9LfrU5LkcXRDZz5ByF3b7zpn_EKpEPB3aK3Px3BFMmv98MzJi4A5vo5dX1rJvCbwTBBdnajFrika7lsw/s1600/3627722011_dcf22c720b_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXIDFcraM9n-XYSdO-VyeNjYcxTv-Lhlxt7U4bRMp9kZVVTA9OnJWve9LfrU5LkcXRDZz5ByF3b7zpn_EKpEPB3aK3Px3BFMmv98MzJi4A5vo5dX1rJvCbwTBBdnajFrika7lsw/s400/3627722011_dcf22c720b_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photograph by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mitko/3627722011">Dimitar Denev</a>. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<i><br /></i>
<i>I've been trying to write an essay about Generation X and popular culture since I saw School of Rock in 2003, but it always eluded me. Then in a fit of insomnia, it came to me as a poem for some strange reason (I'm an English major, but I'm very picky about poetry and don't like most of it). So here it is, enjoy. </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<h2>
<i>Song of the Aging Gen X-er</i></h2>
<br />
I'm old and I'm tired <br />
Of defending what I like.<br />
Once it was too odd <br />
Now it's too popular, <br />
Yet still weird somehow. <br />
But why wouldn't I like it? <br />
We put weird on the map. <br />
We gave you the "graphic novel",<br />
I'm not gonna see the movie version? <br />
Once it was "Psychotronic" --<br />
King Fu, Horror, Post-Apocalyptic. <br />
Now they get awards. <br />
And why ever not? <br />
<br />
Some of us are mad.<sup>1</sup><br />
We had to work so hard to find it. <br />
Scour second-hand stores, send away by mail.<br />
Self-addressed envelopes. <br />
Ask for a ride to the city. <br />
"Is the new L & R in yet?"<br />
They say, "Death to the Internet!"<br />
But I don't want it that way. <br />
Let the kid in the boonies <br />
Find what makes her happy. <br />
Let the boy on library Internet<br />
Find his club of weirdos. <br />
<br />
Some of us were sad <sup>2</sup><br />
We only got a few years of pandering<br />
Instead of two decades.<br />
Then came the millennium. <br />
Clean-cut teen pop, clean-cut teen soaps,<br />
Clean-cut teen comedies. <br />
We thought that the wholesome<br />
Would last forever. <br />
<br />
But guess what? <br />
Twelve turns to thirteen<br />
And cool big sis comes in,<br />
Or that fun young uncle <br />
Sends you a mix. <br />
We fill the credits, live behind the scenes, make the taste.<br />
We have the keys, baby,<br />
To the shadow factory. <br />
<br />
Maybe we didn't invent it,<br />
But who does really?<br />
As Mr. Sturgeon says, <sup>3</sup><br />
Most of anything is crap. <br />
It's all about keeping it going <br />
(The good stuff). <br />
We are a small cohort, but<br />
What we lack in size,<br />
We make up for in tenacity.<br />
Just like those in the past who<br />
Bought <i>The Velvet Underground & Nico,</i><br />
then started a band.<br />
Just like those "90s kids" who<br />
Will build on our bones.<br />
<br />
Maybe you don't want anything<br />
After your "golden age". <br />
That's so sad. <br />
Maybe you missed it the first time,<br />
That's too bad. <br />
Maybe you were born too late.<br />
Oh well. <br />
But's it still all there for you.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
You're welcome. <br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Notes:</i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><b>1.<a href="https://www.wired.com/2010/12/ff_angrynerd_geekculture/"> </a></b><a href="https://www.wired.com/2010/12/ff_angrynerd_geekculture/">Wake Up, Geek Culture. Time to Die" -Patton Oswalt</a>.<br />
<br /><b>2.</b> "<a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SturgeonsLaw">Sturgeon's Law" - TV Tropes</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>3.</b> <a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/news/generation-ex-6421266">"Generation Ex" - Eric Weisbard.</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div id="blogsy_footer" style="clear: both; font-size: small; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310068.post-71411538600262820072016-07-29T02:58:00.003-05:002016-08-01T00:53:19.486-05:00CONVERGENCE 2016 REPORT & CON TIPS<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/ash966/7FP9B8" title="Convergence 2016"><img alt="Convergence 2016" height="480" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7383/27992678032_470e6e62aa_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Once again, I had a great Convergence with J, as well as friends T, L, M, & B, even though I had to wear my unfashionable cam boot for tendinitis (J was great about bringing me food, and I commiserated with other Booted-Americans). It actually went pretty well with my Post-Apoc look (I added black mask makeup in tribute to both <a href="http://madmax.wikia.com/wiki/Imperator_Furiosa">Furiosa </a>and <a href="http://the100.wikia.com/wiki/Lexa">Lexa</a> from <i>The 100</i>).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This year, J and I swore to avoid eating out too much, especially the overdone, overpriced horror that is TGIFriday's. We ate all our meals in the <a href="http://fanlore.org/wiki/Con_Suite">Con Suite</a>, except for one trip to Burger King. I also avoided all news except for that trip, a lovely break from the agony of 2016 current events (RIP Prince). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thursday:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3:30 <a href="http://www.meetup.com/craftygeek/"><i>Crafty Geek Meetup</i></a>. We hung out a bit and worked on geeky coloring pages. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7:00 <i>Sci Fi TV Year in Review. </i>I'm always wanting to learn about good shows to watch. This was OK, they mostly talked about shows I already knew about, except one guy was weirdly obsessed with <i>Galavant</i>.<i> </i>I don't know, the idea of a medieval fantasy musical doesn't make my heart beat faster. I was interested in hearing about <i><a href="http://www.syfy.com/themagicians">The Magicians</a></i>, it sounds like "Harry Potter goes to an open-minded small-liberal-arts college", which is more up my alley. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">8:30 <i>Fancy Bastard Pie Competition. </i>A Guest of Honor demanded home-made pie in exchange for attending, so there was pie, and it was good. The banana pie that actually tasted like banana for once was my favorite. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">10:00 <i>You Will Behave Yourself at My Table. </i>Since we play RPGs, it seemed like a good idea to get tips on dealing with difficult players. It was a little dry, they could have had more <a href="http://io9.gizmodo.com/your-most-heinous-stories-of-role-playing-games-gone-wr-1728049438">juicy stories </a>. J and I have some, oh yes we do...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Friday:</b></span><br />
<b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></b>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">12:30 <i>What's with the Airships? </i>This was a panel on why people are fascinated by airships and why they appear in so much media. The people on the panel were mostly experts on the topic who knew their stuff, which isn't always the case. The conclusion was: people like them because they are cool, but they aren't really practical. However, many people, artists and scientists alike, read about them when young and fall in love with their look and the idea of gracefully floating in the air with windows wide open. <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/02/29/a-new-generation-of-airships-is-born">This article </a>has profiles of some of these people, including Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson, who invested half a millions dollars in them and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbAhn7iKLPc">sings about them</a> on their latest album. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2:00 <i>Historical Fiction in RPGs. </i>A good overview on sources creating an historical world in a role-playing game. As a librarian, I already knew about primary sources and "daily life" books, but there were some things I hadn't thought of, like legal cases, digitized maps, archaeological dig web sites, war gaming books, and historical-reenactment web sites. Also, creating a mood with facsimile coins or other props, or with <a href="http://tabletopaudio.com/">audio,</a> can give players the feeling of being in the past. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3:30 <i>Wonder Woman: The Golden Age. </i>An old-time</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-radio-show-style staged reading based on the first Wonder Woman comic. They didn't have to change anything to make it funny, because that shit was <i>weird, </i>which won't surprise anyone who read <i><a href="http://www.worldcat.org/title/secret-history-of-wonder-woman/oclc/874835576">The Secret History of Wonder Woman</a></i>. Check it out, it's a tale of bondage, female supremacy, polyamorous living arrangements, and lie detectors. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7:00 <i>Joseph Scrimshaw vs. Reality.</i> Not much to say, the dude's really funny, follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/JosephScrimshaw">Twitter</a> or buy his <a href="https://josephscrimshaw.bandcamp.com/">comedy albums</a> if you are a comedy-album buyer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">8:30 <i><a href="http://www.atlas-games.com/fengshui/">Feng Shui 2.</a> </i>A fun, Hong-Kong-cinema-style roleplaying game. I was a dangerous gambling lady out for revenge. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Saturday:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 PM <i>Pillar of Fire. </i>A playtest of a new RPG from local company <a href="http://blog.atlas-games.com/">Atlas Games</a>. I enjoyed the adventure - it was a standard sci fi-horror trope of something going wrong and a party investigating an abandoned base, but it's a trope for a reason - it works. The setting was a bit too complicated, though. Players play characters who are sort-of superheroes/angels that guide humanity. Everyone belongs to a guild based on their job and has one of 3 kinds of "souls" (which have been discovered by science to exist). Also, there are animal-human hybrids. I'd say, trim it down a little, and it could be like when Marvel & DC get spacey (<i>Green Lantern, Guardians of the Galaxy</i>). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7 PM <i><a href="http://misspentyouth.robertbohl.com/">Misspent Youth</a>. </i>This game was different and fun. It's really good for one-shots or short campaigns. There are some cooperative parts where players create game elements, although not as much as <i><a href="http://bullypulpitgames.com/games/fiasco/">Fiasco</a>.</i> You play one of a bunch of disaffected youth who are rebelling against something. The game ends when one of the party sells out completely to The Man. We played youth who protested when our squat was going to be torn down for a corporate headquarters. I sold out by becoming a YouTube star after making a viral video of the corporation's misdeeds. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cosplay trends: <i>Mad Max, Steven Universe</i>, opposite-sex versions of characters. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wish I hadn't missed: the Afrofuturism panel, since I love Octavia Butler and want to learn more about it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><b>Tips for having a good con:</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've been going to Convergence for 3 years and Anime Detour about 10, not the world's record, but I've picked up a few things you might be able to use when you attend the fandom-interest event of your choice. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>1. Eat all the free food you can. </b>Some cons may offer snacks only, but every little bit helps. Convergence has chips, rice, raw veggies with dip, and some nice soups. Some of the party rooms also have food for just $1 and/or tips. I finally visited the famous <a href="http://www.houseoftoast.org/House_of_Toast/About_HoT.html">House of Toast</a> (Nutella, grape jelly, and whipped cream). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>2. Do something that makes you a little uncomfortable. </b>What happens at Con doesn't necessarily stay at Con, but everyone else is geeking out, so why be embarrassed? Wear a costume or ask someone about theirs, make a craft, ask the panel a question, play a game. Just remember - no touchy without permission, 'cause that's creepy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>3. Stay in a hotel near the con, but not at the main hotel. </b>This way you won't have to deal with as much noise, or wait 20 minutes for the elevator when you need to go to your room.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>4. Keep your bodily fluids to yourself. </b>According to the Convergence Facebook page, 2015 had a rash of drive-by vomitings. It's really not nice to make staff clean that up, and it can damage relations with the hosting facility. If your life is not complete without drinking to excess, at least stick to the toilet. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
ash966http://www.blogger.com/profile/02679473993507545052noreply@blogger.com0