Metatalktail Hour: Meaning to... December 5, 2020 6:45 PM Subscribe
It's the weekend, Mefites! This weekend I'm wondering what's in your "I've been meaning to read..." pile -- or on your I've been meaning to watch, meaning to listen, meaning to cook (etc) list?
As always this is a conversation starter not limiter. Feel free to tell us what's just generally up with you this weekend. Just no politics please.
As always this is a conversation starter not limiter. Feel free to tell us what's just generally up with you this weekend. Just no politics please.
Basically just look at my favorited questions on AskMeFi
posted by J.K. Seazer at 7:06 PM on December 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by J.K. Seazer at 7:06 PM on December 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
OK I have access to a low tree full of meyer lemons. I love making meyer lemon butter, kind of like lemon curd, but vegan, and a great thing for toasts, or making lemon pies. I also want to make meyer lemon marmalade, and a combo of meyer lemon and quince with pecans and coconut marmalade. I also make preserved meyer lemons, my daughters are getting into Moroccan cooking and preserved lemon is used in that. Meyer lemons completely cook down, and the skins are not bitter. Cleaning out the seeds is time consuming, but you can cook them with sugar and I like putting ground ginger and sugar in with this, they will blend into a completely smooth butter. Yum!
posted by Oyéah at 7:10 PM on December 5, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by Oyéah at 7:10 PM on December 5, 2020 [6 favorites]
I have been saving The Mandalorian until some time when not_on_display and I are back to watching a lot of synchronous tv again. We just finished What We Do in the Shadows, highly recommended, but we're in more of a Scrabble phase now. I've just been plowing through reading material so not much is on my "to read" pile that isn't getting read decently quickly but the book I'm reading right now, The Once and Future Witches, is delightful as was the book I read before it, The Psychology of Time Travel.
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 7:20 PM on December 5, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 7:20 PM on December 5, 2020 [4 favorites]
Tamales. We did the math and justified getting the steamer! Now we just have to figure out what we're filling them with.
posted by aniola at 7:23 PM on December 5, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by aniola at 7:23 PM on December 5, 2020 [5 favorites]
My "meaning to read" list is extremely long. The latest addition is Semiosis by Sue Burke, which I picked up at a used book store yesterday, based on seeing it recommended here and thinking it sounded interesting.
My kids and I watched part of the first episode of The Queen's Gambit recently and I want to watch more of it. Someone I know also just recommended a documentary called My Octopus Teacher.
I've been promising my son for a while now that I would make homemade cinnamon swirl bread. Maybe I'll finally do it one day soon. He and I have also been talking about making homemade pasta and I bought some semolina flour the other day for that experiment. The to-cook list also includes a recipe the NY Times calls Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies and Blackberry Cheesecake Galette.
posted by Redstart at 7:34 PM on December 5, 2020 [2 favorites]
My kids and I watched part of the first episode of The Queen's Gambit recently and I want to watch more of it. Someone I know also just recommended a documentary called My Octopus Teacher.
I've been promising my son for a while now that I would make homemade cinnamon swirl bread. Maybe I'll finally do it one day soon. He and I have also been talking about making homemade pasta and I bought some semolina flour the other day for that experiment. The to-cook list also includes a recipe the NY Times calls Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies and Blackberry Cheesecake Galette.
posted by Redstart at 7:34 PM on December 5, 2020 [2 favorites]
I've really fallen off from reading, but there are a lot I would like to get to, like Between the World and Me, The New Jim Crow, The Five (the stories of the women killed by Jack the Ripper), and the rest of the Broken Earth trilogy (only read the first so far) and How Long til Black Future Month. I'd also like to get to Gibson's Agency, but I need to read the first book still.
So, uh, lots to read. But here I am, on MetaFilter instead.
posted by Ghidorah at 8:04 PM on December 5, 2020 [3 favorites]
So, uh, lots to read. But here I am, on MetaFilter instead.
posted by Ghidorah at 8:04 PM on December 5, 2020 [3 favorites]
Clacking out a rough draft, on pg.17 of a Gamma World™ novelette.
It's flat, it's got archivist Flit car escaping a heist from scene one and it's flat, little back story but that comes in 2 chapters and the only guide I have for reader to know what FLIT car is is footnotes which sounds reclucet.
So I wrote ahead to the Bubble car, orbiting earth for 87 years. Sheilds, bots and lots of stem-bolts. But the prize is a stage V.1 card that's locates a prototype E-car and the final clue to the andoid-bot/moon base.
posted by clavdivs at 8:06 PM on December 5, 2020 [4 favorites]
It's flat, it's got archivist Flit car escaping a heist from scene one and it's flat, little back story but that comes in 2 chapters and the only guide I have for reader to know what FLIT car is is footnotes which sounds reclucet.
So I wrote ahead to the Bubble car, orbiting earth for 87 years. Sheilds, bots and lots of stem-bolts. But the prize is a stage V.1 card that's locates a prototype E-car and the final clue to the andoid-bot/moon base.
posted by clavdivs at 8:06 PM on December 5, 2020 [4 favorites]
I am working on reading the internet cover to cover. I am hoping to get to this point soon.
posted by AugustWest at 11:18 PM on December 5, 2020 [12 favorites]
posted by AugustWest at 11:18 PM on December 5, 2020 [12 favorites]
I’ve been meaning since earlier this year to do an epic (re)read of Kurt Vonnegut’s novels; this past week I finally turned it into a vanity project with a website (the idea being that keeping public notes as I go might be additionally motivating) and made it my sanity endeavor for 2021.
I'd been meaning to go watch all of the Stargate television franchise, and finally have been doing so; I've been more than a little disconcerted at how much of the main show I've in fact somehow already seen.
I’ve been meaning to get back to finding weird or interesting Netflix movies to watch, but I keep getting distracted. I think what’s up next for me are Vampires vs. the Bronx and Rim of the World?
I don't really cook, per se, but I'd recently pondered trying to make all three daily meals into different kinds of (brown) rice bowls and have started in on doing that just this past week.
posted by bixfrankonis at 11:31 PM on December 5, 2020 [2 favorites]
I'd been meaning to go watch all of the Stargate television franchise, and finally have been doing so; I've been more than a little disconcerted at how much of the main show I've in fact somehow already seen.
I’ve been meaning to get back to finding weird or interesting Netflix movies to watch, but I keep getting distracted. I think what’s up next for me are Vampires vs. the Bronx and Rim of the World?
I don't really cook, per se, but I'd recently pondered trying to make all three daily meals into different kinds of (brown) rice bowls and have started in on doing that just this past week.
posted by bixfrankonis at 11:31 PM on December 5, 2020 [2 favorites]
I watched (and enjoyed!) Tenet recently so want to rewatch Inception. It would make more sense to watch one of the hundreds of unwatched movies on my list but here we are. Top of that list is Ammonite.
posted by ellieBOA at 11:55 PM on December 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by ellieBOA at 11:55 PM on December 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
During quarantine, I've been plowing through a book every two days or so.
Lately, its been what you might call strange/surreal japanese fiction. This includes a lot of stuff by Kobo Abe, with Woman in the Dunes being my creepy favorite of his.
I loved Inhabitation as well by Teru Miyamoto and trying to get my hands on more of this.
Finally, The Factory by Hiroko Oyamada. I loved this book and even though I also read The Hole by her, it was good but not The Factory level good. The biggest drawback to her novels is that they are too short.
posted by vacapinta at 1:26 AM on December 6, 2020 [6 favorites]
Lately, its been what you might call strange/surreal japanese fiction. This includes a lot of stuff by Kobo Abe, with Woman in the Dunes being my creepy favorite of his.
I loved Inhabitation as well by Teru Miyamoto and trying to get my hands on more of this.
Finally, The Factory by Hiroko Oyamada. I loved this book and even though I also read The Hole by her, it was good but not The Factory level good. The biggest drawback to her novels is that they are too short.
posted by vacapinta at 1:26 AM on December 6, 2020 [6 favorites]
After a recent thread, cinnamon rolls/scrolls. Christmas breakfast.
!! Lemon butter. I just have literally got back from my parent's place (first time since March) and I didn't get any lemons from their tree. Why did you spark that idea, Oyéah.
I have episodes of The Crown to get through, and Star Trek Discovery. Our littlefeet is 5 months today so is well past the newborn phase. I can't really watch TV with her anymore.
posted by freethefeet at 2:11 AM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
!! Lemon butter. I just have literally got back from my parent's place (first time since March) and I didn't get any lemons from their tree. Why did you spark that idea, Oyéah.
I have episodes of The Crown to get through, and Star Trek Discovery. Our littlefeet is 5 months today so is well past the newborn phase. I can't really watch TV with her anymore.
posted by freethefeet at 2:11 AM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
Almost everything in my life can be categorized as "I've been meaning to..."
I've considered taking an old laptop screen, hanging it over my desk and having it constantly scroll projects and ideas that I'm in the middle of.
My therapist thinks it's a bad idea, but I really feel that it would free up some brain-space because I wouldn't have to keep this huge list of ideas spinning around in my brain. I could just watch the scroll for something I felt capable of completing then.
I guess that would be an analog to the to-do lists I write down on paper where I can cross items off once I've done them, but I do really enjoy over-complicating every damn thing.
posted by bendy at 2:17 AM on December 6, 2020 [6 favorites]
I've considered taking an old laptop screen, hanging it over my desk and having it constantly scroll projects and ideas that I'm in the middle of.
My therapist thinks it's a bad idea, but I really feel that it would free up some brain-space because I wouldn't have to keep this huge list of ideas spinning around in my brain. I could just watch the scroll for something I felt capable of completing then.
I guess that would be an analog to the to-do lists I write down on paper where I can cross items off once I've done them, but I do really enjoy over-complicating every damn thing.
posted by bendy at 2:17 AM on December 6, 2020 [6 favorites]
Other than a four-hour nap, I've been awake since 10:30 Friday morning. I've been meaning to go to bed...
posted by bendy at 2:19 AM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by bendy at 2:19 AM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
vacapinta, I love Kōbō Abe. I'm now looking forward to trying the others you've mentioned that I've never read. (In case you haven't come across it and enjoy dark and often violent stuff, I've also really enjoyed Ryū Murakami, which I think of as similar to Abe if he had lived 30 years later and took an unreasonable amount of cocaine.)
I received a book I've been meaning to read for the last twenty years in the mefi gift exchange today: Debord's Society of the Spectacle. I've read bits and pieces of it online, but never actually had a physical copy to read in its entirety until now. I'm now very curious if it was a random choice of if my gifter did extensive research/stalking to choose it. As targeting goes, it's about as precise as possible. I'd not expect better from any family member.
In unrelated news, tonight my spouse and I rediscovered the existence of one star Google Maps reviews for lakes, rocks, research institutions, and universities. It seems that Lake Michigan has bad parking, Lake Baikal has unclear policies with regard to ownership of fish caught while on boat tours, and there's a cafeteria worker at CERN who is mean. Also, the Griffith Park Observatory is conspiring to ignore astrology, the importance of Ptolemaic cosmology, and several stars of specific significance. It's a surprisingly fun time-waster after a long day.
posted by eotvos at 2:42 AM on December 6, 2020 [8 favorites]
I received a book I've been meaning to read for the last twenty years in the mefi gift exchange today: Debord's Society of the Spectacle. I've read bits and pieces of it online, but never actually had a physical copy to read in its entirety until now. I'm now very curious if it was a random choice of if my gifter did extensive research/stalking to choose it. As targeting goes, it's about as precise as possible. I'd not expect better from any family member.
In unrelated news, tonight my spouse and I rediscovered the existence of one star Google Maps reviews for lakes, rocks, research institutions, and universities. It seems that Lake Michigan has bad parking, Lake Baikal has unclear policies with regard to ownership of fish caught while on boat tours, and there's a cafeteria worker at CERN who is mean. Also, the Griffith Park Observatory is conspiring to ignore astrology, the importance of Ptolemaic cosmology, and several stars of specific significance. It's a surprisingly fun time-waster after a long day.
posted by eotvos at 2:42 AM on December 6, 2020 [8 favorites]
Ghidorah, The Five is a really good book - I read it this time last year and have been thinking about it on and off since.
I was diagnosed with ADD a week ago following a suggestion on Ask a couple of years ago. It's a really weird feeling. Keep going into questioning of "is that me or is that this Thing". Hoping the thoughts about it will settle down after a bit.
Also this week I received a copy of a book I wrote the introduction to - republished girls' novel of the 1940s. Which is a good thing to have completed, and I am doing another for a book coming out next year. I don't really know many people IRL who read that sort of thing, so my family and friends have been "yay" but in a slightly bemused way.
LobsterMitten, I think my favourite Dickens is probably Our Mutual Friend, but Dombey and Son is good too. I recently saw a television adaptation of Edwin Drood which I would recommend - BBC version from 2012. Not sure how easy to find it is though. There's an article here by the adaptor, Gwyneth Hughes, about her thoughts around "solving" the book.
posted by paduasoy at 2:44 AM on December 6, 2020 [6 favorites]
I was diagnosed with ADD a week ago following a suggestion on Ask a couple of years ago. It's a really weird feeling. Keep going into questioning of "is that me or is that this Thing". Hoping the thoughts about it will settle down after a bit.
Also this week I received a copy of a book I wrote the introduction to - republished girls' novel of the 1940s. Which is a good thing to have completed, and I am doing another for a book coming out next year. I don't really know many people IRL who read that sort of thing, so my family and friends have been "yay" but in a slightly bemused way.
LobsterMitten, I think my favourite Dickens is probably Our Mutual Friend, but Dombey and Son is good too. I recently saw a television adaptation of Edwin Drood which I would recommend - BBC version from 2012. Not sure how easy to find it is though. There's an article here by the adaptor, Gwyneth Hughes, about her thoughts around "solving" the book.
posted by paduasoy at 2:44 AM on December 6, 2020 [6 favorites]
For background reading related to ongoing and potential future work, I'm ploughing through various academic papers on the intersection of digital games and climate/environmental education. That's interesting (and useful) material for me, and a project for the next year or so is to keep absorbing this.
But two of my December things are 1) to listen to the back catalogue of Boards of Canada, and The National, and 2) to watch series three of True Detective. Both are pleasurable downtimes and progressing splendidly.
I am working on reading the internet cover to cover. I am hoping to get to this point soon.
A few of us (finally) stumbled onto the end of the Internet recently. It's this short video. Goodnight.
posted by Wordshore at 4:21 AM on December 6, 2020 [2 favorites]
But two of my December things are 1) to listen to the back catalogue of Boards of Canada, and The National, and 2) to watch series three of True Detective. Both are pleasurable downtimes and progressing splendidly.
I am working on reading the internet cover to cover. I am hoping to get to this point soon.
A few of us (finally) stumbled onto the end of the Internet recently. It's this short video. Goodnight.
posted by Wordshore at 4:21 AM on December 6, 2020 [2 favorites]
I had to go into my office building every day this past week, and will have to again for the next two weeks. It feels okay safetywise, but wow, I think my ability to be in an office for 8+ hours 5 days in a row has just completely atrophied -- when I get home I am absolutely EXHAUSTED. And this is just an office desk job, so what the hell is up with that. I'm cooking lots of dinners this weekend because forget about cooking during the week.
I just got my first seed catalog for 2021, so that's the most important reading at the moment.
posted by JanetLand at 6:54 AM on December 6, 2020 [4 favorites]
I just got my first seed catalog for 2021, so that's the most important reading at the moment.
posted by JanetLand at 6:54 AM on December 6, 2020 [4 favorites]
Wordshore, I'm interested in what you find. My current book project is about the impact of climate change on higher education.
posted by doctornemo at 8:40 AM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by doctornemo at 8:40 AM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
My "meaning to" list is embarrassingly long and mostly unchanged over a period of years, woe. I did make several strides toward moving some items from "meaning to" to the "am doing now" column, though! A year ago I bought Mandarin study workbooks that have mostly collected dust this year, so I started Duolingo this week to coax myself into setting aside a little time every day for practice. Duolingo's weekly recap email says I learned 80 words! Hooray for progress! I also dug out my box of paper crafting supplies and made a birthday card for my sister, which has me wanting to spread out all my yarn and start a knitting project - making things feels good, and getting back to it after months upon months of Pandemic Anxiety Creative Block is pretty exciting.
I've also been meaning to organize all of our printed photos (that have been sitting in a box for years upon years); I'm hoping to start that today.
posted by sencha at 8:58 AM on December 6, 2020 [2 favorites]
I've also been meaning to organize all of our printed photos (that have been sitting in a box for years upon years); I'm hoping to start that today.
posted by sencha at 8:58 AM on December 6, 2020 [2 favorites]
Starting in October I decided now was the time to watch all the classic horror movies I never watched but wouldn't admit I hadn't seen. That's now expanded into 'other movies' a bit, with the limits being what I can pull from Kanopy/Hulu/Netflix for now.
The meaning to read list is never-ending, but I splurged on holiday gifts...including for me...from a local women-owned, half POC, bookshop. I get to go pick up a parcel of books on Wednesday!
posted by cobaltnine at 9:31 AM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
The meaning to read list is never-ending, but I splurged on holiday gifts...including for me...from a local women-owned, half POC, bookshop. I get to go pick up a parcel of books on Wednesday!
posted by cobaltnine at 9:31 AM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
I haven't done art or writing for way too long, and just in the past week-ish it's gone from a dull "sure is a shame I'm not doing that stuff" to "hey I should, like, do that stuff." So today, after I do a bunch of chores that can't be put off, I am gonna try to sit myself down and at least begin an art project. For me that means cutting out a bunch of images for collage. I'm hoping that getting back to this will charge up my self-worth a little bit, as it's pretty damn low at the moment.
posted by showbiz_liz at 10:09 AM on December 6, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by showbiz_liz at 10:09 AM on December 6, 2020 [3 favorites]
Redstart, My Octopus Teacher is really good!
I have been putting off a bunch of games because of Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley: Persona 5, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Ni No Kuni (I and II), the FFVII remake. I keep buying things and not starting them. I also need to see if NieR: Automata is definitely not for me or if it just wasn't for me when I started it before.
Oh, but I did start Rockfish with the bass I got recently! I am terrible, but learning.
posted by minsies at 10:21 AM on December 6, 2020 [2 favorites]
I have been putting off a bunch of games because of Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley: Persona 5, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Ni No Kuni (I and II), the FFVII remake. I keep buying things and not starting them. I also need to see if NieR: Automata is definitely not for me or if it just wasn't for me when I started it before.
Oh, but I did start Rockfish with the bass I got recently! I am terrible, but learning.
posted by minsies at 10:21 AM on December 6, 2020 [2 favorites]
Well, the Duke Press sale got me, so I have 11 books that I am very eager to dig into after the semester closes out here in a few weeks. I'm most excited to finally own Michelle Murphy's Sick Building Syndrome, but I've already read that. To start, I will probably have to flip a coin to choose between When Biometrics Fail and Divided Bodies.
posted by k8lin at 10:35 AM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by k8lin at 10:35 AM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
I recently stumbled across a comment of mine from almost exactly a year ago, about how I'd decided to work harder at getting out of the house and doing more things. Guess how that went this year...
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:00 AM on December 6, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:00 AM on December 6, 2020 [5 favorites]
Organizing my office, finding some kind of storage / cart / printer stand. It was 'delivered' Friday, meaning a few minutes ago, so now putting together for the glorious Getting My Shit Together phase of home office life.
Does this mean I will actually sort out the filing cabinet and do something about all the shredding?
It means I'll go bake a Sicilian orange cake on a dreary day, and think about making cards and illustrations.
posted by winesong at 11:08 AM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
Does this mean I will actually sort out the filing cabinet and do something about all the shredding?
It means I'll go bake a Sicilian orange cake on a dreary day, and think about making cards and illustrations.
posted by winesong at 11:08 AM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
I don't read books much anymore. It was a habit I fell out of when our daughter was born, and now here it is almost 20 years later. I read so much online every day, I feel like all I do is read, so it evens out.
We joined a meat share in August, so once a month we get a big sack o' meat to use, and consequently I have several cooking projects on my list - this week I plan to make sausage rolls (a common thing in the UK, but not so much here), I'll be making osso buco probably next weekend, and I might do a porchetta with the pork belly I got in last month's bag.
I'm re-watching Star Trek TOS (I realized it had been a VERY long time since the last time I watched it), and am thinking about trying Discovery again (watched the first few episodes of S1 when it came out, and didn't like it, but want to come up to speed prior to Strange New Worlds).
posted by briank at 11:29 AM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
We joined a meat share in August, so once a month we get a big sack o' meat to use, and consequently I have several cooking projects on my list - this week I plan to make sausage rolls (a common thing in the UK, but not so much here), I'll be making osso buco probably next weekend, and I might do a porchetta with the pork belly I got in last month's bag.
I'm re-watching Star Trek TOS (I realized it had been a VERY long time since the last time I watched it), and am thinking about trying Discovery again (watched the first few episodes of S1 when it came out, and didn't like it, but want to come up to speed prior to Strange New Worlds).
posted by briank at 11:29 AM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
Once the students are safely out of the way I want to have a good go at Malm's Fossil Capital. Fascinating based on the two chapters I've read so far. I'm wondering whether it will have some serious lessons for the present. Much less teaching in the new year and hoping to get some writing done.
posted by biffa at 12:33 PM on December 6, 2020
posted by biffa at 12:33 PM on December 6, 2020
I have a long list of pork to-dos. One is pate de campagne, which will take care of some of the pork liver and shoulder, and another is rendering back fat into lard. Probably the one that will get done next, though, is a tourtiere with the ground pork.
Today I brushed out my long-haired dog, trimmed his hairy feet, Dremeled his nails, then gave my partner a haircut and trimmed his beard. Then I used my brand-new Black Friday Merry-Christmas-to-Me Dyson V10 cordless stick vac to adios the clippings. EXCITING.
posted by HotToddy at 2:20 PM on December 6, 2020 [3 favorites]
Today I brushed out my long-haired dog, trimmed his hairy feet, Dremeled his nails, then gave my partner a haircut and trimmed his beard. Then I used my brand-new Black Friday Merry-Christmas-to-Me Dyson V10 cordless stick vac to adios the clippings. EXCITING.
posted by HotToddy at 2:20 PM on December 6, 2020 [3 favorites]
I've been meaning to develop a bunch of black and white films I've got sitting on my shelf. Then scan them. Might do them this evening actually.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 3:43 PM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 3:43 PM on December 6, 2020 [1 favorite]
Anybody read that one or have Dickens opinions?
A Victorianist arrives in the thread and has Dickens Opinions. I do like Dombey, but the bestest, awesomest Dickens is Bleak House and I will die on that hill. For Somewhat Shorter Dickens, Great Expectations; for Dickens of the Usual Length, David Copperfield and Little Dorrit. But really, all Dickens, although I don't think Pickwick has aged all that well and Hard Times tends to give a lot of people...well, a hard time (that one tends to work better in the company of other "condition of England"/industrial novels).
Anyway, for entertainment reading I've started and, annoyingly, temporarily had to stop the new Best American Mysteries entry and The Conviction of Cora Burns. I'm working on an article, so there's a lot of research reading--mostly articles, but once I hit enter I have to start this book on children's hymns.
posted by thomas j wise at 4:59 PM on December 6, 2020 [5 favorites]
A Victorianist arrives in the thread and has Dickens Opinions. I do like Dombey, but the bestest, awesomest Dickens is Bleak House and I will die on that hill. For Somewhat Shorter Dickens, Great Expectations; for Dickens of the Usual Length, David Copperfield and Little Dorrit. But really, all Dickens, although I don't think Pickwick has aged all that well and Hard Times tends to give a lot of people...well, a hard time (that one tends to work better in the company of other "condition of England"/industrial novels).
Anyway, for entertainment reading I've started and, annoyingly, temporarily had to stop the new Best American Mysteries entry and The Conviction of Cora Burns. I'm working on an article, so there's a lot of research reading--mostly articles, but once I hit enter I have to start this book on children's hymns.
posted by thomas j wise at 4:59 PM on December 6, 2020 [5 favorites]
Been meaning to read Kruso, a book that's gotten all around good reviews here (in Germany) - I started it, got a chapter in and just... I'm a 'guy' and find 'guy' centric thinking and life less and less interesting... I wanted to read the book because it's also about the DDR, East Germany, and East Germany - a country, society and culture that kind of disappeared - I find interesting. Honestly, a little bit The City and the City come to life. certainly the two cultures living alongside one another without any real barrier but adapted ones.
But, at least from the first chapter, it's a guy book and... so I've read a couple in between, Borne in particular, that was fucking wacky and great.
Also I've been meaning to win the lottery, for a couple years now, embarrassingly, but I haven't quite figured out how. I'll let you know if I work it out...
posted by From Bklyn at 12:56 AM on December 7, 2020 [2 favorites]
But, at least from the first chapter, it's a guy book and... so I've read a couple in between, Borne in particular, that was fucking wacky and great.
Also I've been meaning to win the lottery, for a couple years now, embarrassingly, but I haven't quite figured out how. I'll let you know if I work it out...
posted by From Bklyn at 12:56 AM on December 7, 2020 [2 favorites]
Reading Lacan was planned for this year (I even bought the books and supplemental literature) but it probably won‘t happen next year, either.
Getting into recording some music might be more achievable. Well, complicated by the fact that what used to be my room is now my husband‘s home office and I work in the living/dining room with two kids around. My recordings probably would have a lot of ‚MAMAAAAA!‘-s in them.
posted by The Toad at 7:00 AM on December 7, 2020 [1 favorite]
Getting into recording some music might be more achievable. Well, complicated by the fact that what used to be my room is now my husband‘s home office and I work in the living/dining room with two kids around. My recordings probably would have a lot of ‚MAMAAAAA!‘-s in them.
posted by The Toad at 7:00 AM on December 7, 2020 [1 favorite]
Ooh. paduasoy, I would be interested in adding republished girls' novels from the 1940s to my list of books I'm meaning to read... would you mind pointing me in the right direction?
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 8:49 AM on December 7, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 8:49 AM on December 7, 2020 [3 favorites]
I've been meaning to read so many new books and instead here I am on my second read of At Home by Bill Bryson. Oh well, what more appropriate reading material can you get for a year spent mostly at home?
the bestest, awesomest Dickens is Bleak House and I will die on that hill.
I will join you on that hill thomas j wise!
posted by unicorn chaser at 10:02 AM on December 7, 2020 [2 favorites]
the bestest, awesomest Dickens is Bleak House and I will die on that hill.
I will join you on that hill thomas j wise!
posted by unicorn chaser at 10:02 AM on December 7, 2020 [2 favorites]
I've had trouble picking up anything since HP ended, but I think I would like to start with some YA and try A Court of Thorns and Roses. A few years ago I read most of the Wheel of Time series which was good but confusing.
posted by Kitchen Witch at 10:18 AM on December 7, 2020
posted by Kitchen Witch at 10:18 AM on December 7, 2020
Unghhh. I've been meaning to finish fencing in my 3/4-acre backyard. I dropped in all the t-posts needed and bought enough welded wire to cover the job. I tried to get it done before it got cold, but welp! It's cold now. I might still need to do it over the winter anyway, because...
Our farm has 3 critters who are approaching, ahem, retirement (two elderly rams and a perfect Tamworth sow—all of whom LOVE people). And I convinced the farm owner to let me stick them in my backyard, where they can live out their days as a sorta-kinda petting zoo for our many farm-visit guests. Everyone wants to pet the animals, but a lot of the animals do not want to be petted, so no.
The exceptions are Smuckers, Tammy, and the-other-ram-who-isn't-named-yet. There's also a friendly-as-hell black ewe who may end up in my yard sometime in the future, if I can figure out a companion for her and how to keep the gals away from the rams. Ugh, even more fencing.
So yeah. I guess over the winter/early spring I'm gonna have to bite the bullet, get out there, finish the yard, and build a couple of ugly-but-functional run-in sheds. Unnnngggghhh.
(If anyone wants to name a ram, let me know. Ha.)
posted by functionequalsform at 11:06 AM on December 7, 2020
Our farm has 3 critters who are approaching, ahem, retirement (two elderly rams and a perfect Tamworth sow—all of whom LOVE people). And I convinced the farm owner to let me stick them in my backyard, where they can live out their days as a sorta-kinda petting zoo for our many farm-visit guests. Everyone wants to pet the animals, but a lot of the animals do not want to be petted, so no.
The exceptions are Smuckers, Tammy, and the-other-ram-who-isn't-named-yet. There's also a friendly-as-hell black ewe who may end up in my yard sometime in the future, if I can figure out a companion for her and how to keep the gals away from the rams. Ugh, even more fencing.
So yeah. I guess over the winter/early spring I'm gonna have to bite the bullet, get out there, finish the yard, and build a couple of ugly-but-functional run-in sheds. Unnnngggghhh.
(If anyone wants to name a ram, let me know. Ha.)
posted by functionequalsform at 11:06 AM on December 7, 2020
Call the ram, Dodge.
posted by AugustWest at 12:22 PM on December 7, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by AugustWest at 12:22 PM on December 7, 2020 [5 favorites]
I've been re-watching The Expanse in advance of the new season coming out on Dec 16. But that's meant that I haven't been able to watch any of the Small Axe films just yet, which are now on the top of my meaning to pile.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 2:36 PM on December 7, 2020
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 2:36 PM on December 7, 2020
Name him Derby (pronounced Darby) for the Derby Ram.
Noting the good/great points (excellent research by someone who absolutely immersed himself in period sources; that unique pacing that jettisons the obvious so the story can rocket forwards) and the bad points (racefail. So much racefail. I vaguely remember the later books being better about this. They'd better be.)
But the epistolary novel that that email conversation has become is worth the world to me.
posted by Pallas Athena at 2:58 PM on December 7, 2020 [4 favorites]
As I was going to Derby, Sir,I've been rereading the Aubrey-Maturin novels with a distant friend, and emailing back and forth about them.
All on a market day,
I met the finest Ram, Sir,
That ever was fed on hay.
This Ram was fat behind, Sir,
This Ram was fat before,
This Ram was ten yards high, Sir,
Indeed he was no more.
The Wool upon his back, Sir,
Reached up unto the sky,
The Eagles made their nests there, Sir,
For I heard the young ones cry.
Noting the good/great points (excellent research by someone who absolutely immersed himself in period sources; that unique pacing that jettisons the obvious so the story can rocket forwards) and the bad points (racefail. So much racefail. I vaguely remember the later books being better about this. They'd better be.)
But the epistolary novel that that email conversation has become is worth the world to me.
posted by Pallas Athena at 2:58 PM on December 7, 2020 [4 favorites]
I kinda really like the name “Ha” for the ram ...
posted by From Bklyn at 3:09 PM on December 7, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by From Bklyn at 3:09 PM on December 7, 2020 [1 favorite]
Pallas Athena, I love that. 🐏❤️
posted by functionequalsform at 3:49 PM on December 7, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by functionequalsform at 3:49 PM on December 7, 2020 [1 favorite]
I vote for Gigabyte. He’d be one Gigabyte of ram.
posted by mochapickle at 4:08 PM on December 7, 2020 [14 favorites]
posted by mochapickle at 4:08 PM on December 7, 2020 [14 favorites]
Rambo, obvs
posted by Huffy Puffy at 4:26 PM on December 7, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Huffy Puffy at 4:26 PM on December 7, 2020 [2 favorites]
Once my favorite public network when it was European news broadcasts by day in English from the likes of Deutsche Welle and France 24 and European crime series by night in original languages with subtitles English, Mhz the network has become Mhz Choice, the streaming service and, boy, does it deliver:
Among my favorites are Nicolas Le Floch, an 18th Century Parisian police procedural; from Sicily comes Il Commissario, excuse me, Detective Montablano; then from the former East Germany, there is Bukow and König; and Look of a Killer, about a Karelian -- "A Finn in Russia, a Russian in Finland" -- former KBG agent now fixer in Helsinki and the Polish border guard drama Wataha are my so far top two favorites.
All of these have art movie production values with mis-en-scene up the wazoo in regards to lighting, cinematography, set design and casting. One thing I like about European cop and crime shows is the actors look like real gritty people and they are set in real gritty places. And the historical and political realities tacitly alluded to ripple underneath to the informed eye. These are so far and beyond Hollywooden American crime shows.
There are so many more things I could link but my fingers are wearing out. A French Village set in Nazi occupied France comes to mind for example. Mhz Choice is definitely worth a look, methinks.
posted by y2karl at 8:04 PM on December 7, 2020 [4 favorites]
Among my favorites are Nicolas Le Floch, an 18th Century Parisian police procedural; from Sicily comes Il Commissario, excuse me, Detective Montablano; then from the former East Germany, there is Bukow and König; and Look of a Killer, about a Karelian -- "A Finn in Russia, a Russian in Finland" -- former KBG agent now fixer in Helsinki and the Polish border guard drama Wataha are my so far top two favorites.
All of these have art movie production values with mis-en-scene up the wazoo in regards to lighting, cinematography, set design and casting. One thing I like about European cop and crime shows is the actors look like real gritty people and they are set in real gritty places. And the historical and political realities tacitly alluded to ripple underneath to the informed eye. These are so far and beyond Hollywooden American crime shows.
There are so many more things I could link but my fingers are wearing out. A French Village set in Nazi occupied France comes to mind for example. Mhz Choice is definitely worth a look, methinks.
posted by y2karl at 8:04 PM on December 7, 2020 [4 favorites]
Metafilter: mis-en-scene up the wazoo
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:20 PM on December 7, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:20 PM on December 7, 2020 [1 favorite]
Oh, and the pre-postGunvald Larsson Beck is another favorite. Love that Mikail Persbrandt character.
I must admit that to my untraveled monoglot American eyes how the received cultural stereotypes abound: the French smoke like chimneys and swear like sailors, Italians gesticulate like semaphores when not all about the pasta and the Scandinavians are all narrowed eyes and clenched jawed reaction shots -- apart from Gunvald, that is -- and so on. But then behind every stereotype hides an archetype, I guess.
posted by y2karl at 9:55 PM on December 7, 2020
I must admit that to my untraveled monoglot American eyes how the received cultural stereotypes abound: the French smoke like chimneys and swear like sailors, Italians gesticulate like semaphores when not all about the pasta and the Scandinavians are all narrowed eyes and clenched jawed reaction shots -- apart from Gunvald, that is -- and so on. But then behind every stereotype hides an archetype, I guess.
posted by y2karl at 9:55 PM on December 7, 2020
A French Village set in Nazi occupied France comes to mind for example.
Heartily recommend! We just finished watching this. It's like a really great novel that's also really BIG.
posted by HotToddy at 6:39 AM on December 8, 2020
Heartily recommend! We just finished watching this. It's like a really great novel that's also really BIG.
posted by HotToddy at 6:39 AM on December 8, 2020
Today I peeked into a tote bag and discovered The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V. E. Schwab, which I had completely forgotten that I'd borrowed from the library. I have moved it to the stairs in hopes that it eventually makes it up to the bedroom where I can continue to ignore it.
posted by Biblio at 4:44 PM on December 8, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Biblio at 4:44 PM on December 8, 2020 [2 favorites]
I've been meaning to make the webcomic people are paying me on Patreon to make.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 6:43 PM on December 8, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 6:43 PM on December 8, 2020 [2 favorites]
I will join you on that hill thomas j wise!
I lived on that hill for many years, but migrated to OMF, possibly because of Georgiana Podsnap. David Copperfield is also a good hill to be on. But really, any Dickens, though I'm not sure about Barnaby Rudge - years since I read it and I didn't much enjoy it at the time.
ManyLeggedCreature, the publisher is Girls Gone By, but I will MeMail you.
posted by paduasoy at 1:00 AM on December 9, 2020 [1 favorite]
I lived on that hill for many years, but migrated to OMF, possibly because of Georgiana Podsnap. David Copperfield is also a good hill to be on. But really, any Dickens, though I'm not sure about Barnaby Rudge - years since I read it and I didn't much enjoy it at the time.
ManyLeggedCreature, the publisher is Girls Gone By, but I will MeMail you.
posted by paduasoy at 1:00 AM on December 9, 2020 [1 favorite]
the bestest, awesomest Dickens is Bleak House and I will die on that hill
Same, except I’m always confused at the end when Esther and Ada don’t end up together. Cousins like Sailor Moon cousins is all I’m saying. Speaking of endings, when I was 10 I would read A Tale of Two Cities and cry buckets over the ending, then I would go back and start reading again as if it would somehow be different.
posted by betweenthebars at 9:00 AM on December 9, 2020 [2 favorites]
Same, except I’m always confused at the end when Esther and Ada don’t end up together. Cousins like Sailor Moon cousins is all I’m saying. Speaking of endings, when I was 10 I would read A Tale of Two Cities and cry buckets over the ending, then I would go back and start reading again as if it would somehow be different.
posted by betweenthebars at 9:00 AM on December 9, 2020 [2 favorites]
Did an Anti-Santa drive at work for the local food pantry. We're all working remote, so this was a fun no-contact way to give back and feel a bit more... team-y than usual.
"Real" Santa: shows up, leaves gifts [under tree], takes cookies.
Anti-Santa: shows up, takes donations [from porch], leaves cookies.
I may have been a bit more vocal about requesting tampons/pads than yon average Claus, but hey. People have needs, and we want to help. HO HO HO! MERRY MENSTRUATION! AND TO ALL A GOOD MAXI PAD.
posted by snerson at 4:07 PM on December 9, 2020 [6 favorites]
"Real" Santa: shows up, leaves gifts [under tree], takes cookies.
Anti-Santa: shows up, takes donations [from porch], leaves cookies.
I may have been a bit more vocal about requesting tampons/pads than yon average Claus, but hey. People have needs, and we want to help. HO HO HO! MERRY MENSTRUATION! AND TO ALL A GOOD MAXI PAD.
posted by snerson at 4:07 PM on December 9, 2020 [6 favorites]
Hey, vacapinta, the film version of Woman In The Dunes is extraordinary — check it out if you decide to take a break from reading.
posted by newmoistness at 8:51 AM on December 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by newmoistness at 8:51 AM on December 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
I need to get a haircut and get rid of my beard. I look like a cross between Jesus and Santa Claus.
posted by Splunge at 11:59 AM on December 11, 2020
posted by Splunge at 11:59 AM on December 11, 2020
Not as much as mwhybark does. I wish he were still here.
posted by y2karl at 11:22 PM on December 12, 2020
posted by y2karl at 11:22 PM on December 12, 2020
By the way, speaking of mise-en-scène -- which I should cut and paste anytime I use it (stupid autocorrect, grr, grr...) -- the best example of that on TV is ITV's wonderful Maigret starring Rowan Atkinson fka Mr. Bean which is currently being rebroadcast on PBS. Which was shot in Budapest to capture the 1955 Paris vibe. Now that has mise-en-scène on steroids. It is easily the most sumptuous example of the concept I have ever seen.
posted by y2karl at 11:36 AM on December 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by y2karl at 11:36 AM on December 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
Inspired by a recent post, I got a copy of The Recognitions, so I’m finally taking a crack at it. It’s laugh-out-loud funny so far...
posted by hototogisu at 2:58 PM on December 13, 2020
posted by hototogisu at 2:58 PM on December 13, 2020
I have a rather complex retro-computer build that I've been meaning to build for over a year. It's an RCA 1802-based Retro Elf complete with front panel, so lots of switches and LEDs to line up
posted by scruss at 3:06 PM on December 13, 2020
posted by scruss at 3:06 PM on December 13, 2020
I've been meaning to (and promising myself that I would) refurbish the flat for a very long time. Things would fail, and we'd sort of work around them, because I didn't know where to start. Until a few weeks ago, when the electrical circuit failed: we had already had only half the electricity in the kitchen for a long time, but now there was nothing in any of the sockets. I called the local electrician with the best Which rating and he came and identified a fault between the last of the living room sockets and the kitchen area (the circuit was shared between the two, which is probably not a good idea), and I was able to run the kitchen off an extension cable from the living room (which was not only electrically suboptimal, but also seemed slightly unnatural). So we hatched a plan to rewire the kitchen.
This necessitated me taking everything on one side of the flat and piling it up on the other side. While I was doing this I realised that a lot of the things in the flat were either unnecessary or actual rubbish, so I spent a week throwing things away, or putting them in boxes and sending them off to either charity shops or Ziffit (from which I raised enough to pay for someone to come at some point with a van and cart the larger rubbish away).
Then the electrician came with his team, took up a row of floorboards and put new sockets in the kitchen. And managed to fix the light in the kitchen. This has never worked in thirty years - as I say, when you can't see any way of fixing things, you just work around them and eventually no longer notice that they've stopped working. It's amazing to have light in the kitchen, we just stare at it. I also took the opportunity to reorganise the kitchen, so it works better.
As I say, I've been meaning to do this since about 2005, and never quite got around to it, partly because in 2005 I wouldn't have been able to afford it at all, partly because I knew how exhausting it would be and I was slightly afraid. What startles me is that I must have got rid of hundreds of books, and I'd be hard-pressed to remember one of them.
Next step will be a new kitchen hopefully, though that would be in the new year, as long as the country isn't reduced to barbarism and martial law.
posted by Grangousier at 12:19 PM on December 16, 2020 [4 favorites]
This necessitated me taking everything on one side of the flat and piling it up on the other side. While I was doing this I realised that a lot of the things in the flat were either unnecessary or actual rubbish, so I spent a week throwing things away, or putting them in boxes and sending them off to either charity shops or Ziffit (from which I raised enough to pay for someone to come at some point with a van and cart the larger rubbish away).
Then the electrician came with his team, took up a row of floorboards and put new sockets in the kitchen. And managed to fix the light in the kitchen. This has never worked in thirty years - as I say, when you can't see any way of fixing things, you just work around them and eventually no longer notice that they've stopped working. It's amazing to have light in the kitchen, we just stare at it. I also took the opportunity to reorganise the kitchen, so it works better.
As I say, I've been meaning to do this since about 2005, and never quite got around to it, partly because in 2005 I wouldn't have been able to afford it at all, partly because I knew how exhausting it would be and I was slightly afraid. What startles me is that I must have got rid of hundreds of books, and I'd be hard-pressed to remember one of them.
Next step will be a new kitchen hopefully, though that would be in the new year, as long as the country isn't reduced to barbarism and martial law.
posted by Grangousier at 12:19 PM on December 16, 2020 [4 favorites]
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
But yeah - peoplewatching. Lately (after seeing the Dev Patel David Copperfield) I've been thinking about Charles Dickens, and top of my list for him is Dombey and Son. Anybody read that one or have Dickens opinions?
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 6:50 PM on December 5, 2020 [3 favorites]