Vampire is the New Horse
Jul. 9th, 2008 12:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
greygirlbeastIt's hard to think of a worse way to begin a day than to begin a day angry. For me, personally, I mean. I suppose it works for some. For me, Anger is like that especially potent stimulant you reserve for special occasions when absolutely nothing else will do. It's the next to the last resort, the last resort being Rage. Regardless, I am beginning this day angry. I won't go into why, because it's about stupidity, and nothing good ever comes of me telling people how stupid they're being. And this headache isn't helping. Or the heat. Or two fits in two days.
Yesterday, as predicted, was a library day. But instead of Brown or the Athenaeum, we decided to have a go at the University of Rhode Island's College of Continuing Education and the central branch of the Providence Public Library, both on Washington Street. Most of the Useful Books (research for The Red Tree) were gathered at the former, though the latter was a far more interesting library. Most of it occupies a building constructed in 1872, with an ugly "functionalist" add-on from 1952. We only know the dates because Spooky just called the library to find out, and the librarian herself referred to the 1952 addition as "ugly," so I feel safe calling it that here. Presently, the Washington Street entrance is closed, and so you have to enter via the ugly bit on Empire Street. But, we were at least able to explore some of the old portions of the library, what hasn't been buried beneath hideous dropped ceilings and carpet and drywall. Gorgeous architecture, and I can only hope that, at some point, the library system (which is surely too strapped for funds to worry about renovation) can restore the structure to its original glory. Anyway, books were found.
Also, the ARCs for A is for Alien arrived yesterday. We came home and found the package waiting on the steps. The ARC looks nice, like a little Dover paperback. Of course, the hardcover will look far nicer, and will include artwork by Vince Locke for each story. I expect Subterranean Press to begin taking preorders very soon.
I have decided that my donations to the KGB Online Raffle will be a complete run of Sirenia Digest, plus a one-year subscription to the digest, and also a signed copy of the 3rd edition of Tales of Pain and Wonder. The back issues of the digest (all 32 of them) will be delivered on CD. The book will be raffled separately.
What else yesterday? After all the librarying, we drove down to visit with Spooky's mom in Saunderstown (where it was much cooler). Her dad's in Ft. Lauderdale right now. We stopped by Newbury Comics on the way down, and Spooky finally finished off her birthday thing by getting two Sigur Rós CDs and one by cellist Julia Kent (one of the original members of Rasputina). Oh, and she got me a Sid Haig button, which as very kind of her. When Rob Zombie finally decides to make Daughter of Hounds, Sid Haig will play the Bailiff. Who else could? Oh, that reminds me, Amazon is now taking preorders for the mass-market paperback of Daughter of Hounds, which will be released September 2, so if you want the trade paperback 1st edition, you should probably order soon, as it will soon be remaindered. You can reach the preorder page for the new mass-market paperback here; the text is the same as the text in the original, but more compact. The cover will be the same as well (alas). And, of course, it will be cheaper that the tpb ($7.99 vs. $14, $11.90 after the Amazon discount). But I'm rambling. What was I saying? Oh, Newbury Comics, yeah. Fortunately, they'd sold the set of Bram Stoker's Dracula action figures, so I could not be tempted a second time.
Last night, we were feeling like a double feature, and two movies had just come in from Netflix —— Perfect Creature (2006) and Revolver (2005). Not a bad double bill. Glenn Standring's Perfect Creature surprised me by not only being both sexy and pretty (which is the minimum I ask of a vampire film), but also a little smarter than average. No, it's not a brilliant film, but it's great eye candy (steampunk alternate history with zeppelins and a Church run by vampires, come on). As for Guy Ritchie's Revolver, I liked it a great deal, and it was good to see Jason Statham in a role where he does more than kick people in the face. And that was last night, pretty much.
Three photos from yesterday, behind the cut:
The URI-CCE library on Washington. Gorgeous façade.
The Providence Public Library, central branch on Washington, just west of the CCE.
We saw this on the way to Saunderstown, and I had to get a photo. Superb (though, I should note that my feelings on the problem of illegal immigrants are not necessarily those of this motorist, and they're much too complicated to get into now). I especially love the bit about deer, "terrorist of the woods."
Oh, and if you need any further proof that, yes, humans are still stupid, just read this story about some guy supposedly holding a bit of Eucharist hostage. The Catholic Church is calling it kidnapping. And a hate crime. And the worst sin imaginable. Yes, kiddos, the Old Man in the Sky will send you to hell forever, and ever, and ever, where you will suffer eternal torment...for stealing a cracker.
Yesterday, as predicted, was a library day. But instead of Brown or the Athenaeum, we decided to have a go at the University of Rhode Island's College of Continuing Education and the central branch of the Providence Public Library, both on Washington Street. Most of the Useful Books (research for The Red Tree) were gathered at the former, though the latter was a far more interesting library. Most of it occupies a building constructed in 1872, with an ugly "functionalist" add-on from 1952. We only know the dates because Spooky just called the library to find out, and the librarian herself referred to the 1952 addition as "ugly," so I feel safe calling it that here. Presently, the Washington Street entrance is closed, and so you have to enter via the ugly bit on Empire Street. But, we were at least able to explore some of the old portions of the library, what hasn't been buried beneath hideous dropped ceilings and carpet and drywall. Gorgeous architecture, and I can only hope that, at some point, the library system (which is surely too strapped for funds to worry about renovation) can restore the structure to its original glory. Anyway, books were found.
Also, the ARCs for A is for Alien arrived yesterday. We came home and found the package waiting on the steps. The ARC looks nice, like a little Dover paperback. Of course, the hardcover will look far nicer, and will include artwork by Vince Locke for each story. I expect Subterranean Press to begin taking preorders very soon.
I have decided that my donations to the KGB Online Raffle will be a complete run of Sirenia Digest, plus a one-year subscription to the digest, and also a signed copy of the 3rd edition of Tales of Pain and Wonder. The back issues of the digest (all 32 of them) will be delivered on CD. The book will be raffled separately.
What else yesterday? After all the librarying, we drove down to visit with Spooky's mom in Saunderstown (where it was much cooler). Her dad's in Ft. Lauderdale right now. We stopped by Newbury Comics on the way down, and Spooky finally finished off her birthday thing by getting two Sigur Rós CDs and one by cellist Julia Kent (one of the original members of Rasputina). Oh, and she got me a Sid Haig button, which as very kind of her. When Rob Zombie finally decides to make Daughter of Hounds, Sid Haig will play the Bailiff. Who else could? Oh, that reminds me, Amazon is now taking preorders for the mass-market paperback of Daughter of Hounds, which will be released September 2, so if you want the trade paperback 1st edition, you should probably order soon, as it will soon be remaindered. You can reach the preorder page for the new mass-market paperback here; the text is the same as the text in the original, but more compact. The cover will be the same as well (alas). And, of course, it will be cheaper that the tpb ($7.99 vs. $14, $11.90 after the Amazon discount). But I'm rambling. What was I saying? Oh, Newbury Comics, yeah. Fortunately, they'd sold the set of Bram Stoker's Dracula action figures, so I could not be tempted a second time.
Last night, we were feeling like a double feature, and two movies had just come in from Netflix —— Perfect Creature (2006) and Revolver (2005). Not a bad double bill. Glenn Standring's Perfect Creature surprised me by not only being both sexy and pretty (which is the minimum I ask of a vampire film), but also a little smarter than average. No, it's not a brilliant film, but it's great eye candy (steampunk alternate history with zeppelins and a Church run by vampires, come on). As for Guy Ritchie's Revolver, I liked it a great deal, and it was good to see Jason Statham in a role where he does more than kick people in the face. And that was last night, pretty much.
Three photos from yesterday, behind the cut:
The URI-CCE library on Washington. Gorgeous façade.
The Providence Public Library, central branch on Washington, just west of the CCE.
We saw this on the way to Saunderstown, and I had to get a photo. Superb (though, I should note that my feelings on the problem of illegal immigrants are not necessarily those of this motorist, and they're much too complicated to get into now). I especially love the bit about deer, "terrorist of the woods."
Oh, and if you need any further proof that, yes, humans are still stupid, just read this story about some guy supposedly holding a bit of Eucharist hostage. The Catholic Church is calling it kidnapping. And a hate crime. And the worst sin imaginable. Yes, kiddos, the Old Man in the Sky will send you to hell forever, and ever, and ever, where you will suffer eternal torment...for stealing a cracker.
