Caitlín R. Kiernan (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
greygirlbeast) wrote2011-07-21 12:27 pm
greygirlbeast) wrote2011-07-21 12:27 pm
Entry tags:
"It's a hollow play, but they'll clap anyway."
Oh my fucking dogs. We didn't get to sleep until 4:30 ayem, then woke at 10 ayem. I woke from a hellish dream (thank you, both of you, you who know who you are, you and that fucking day in October 2005) into the mouth of an overheated water buffalo. More on that shortly. The overheated water buffalo, not the hellish dream or heat-induced sleep deprivation. Our heat index is already 97˚F.
Where was I? No, where am I? Oh, here. Great comments yesterday, kittens. Let's keep it up, through another scalding day.
Just sold "The Prayer of Ninety Cats" to Subterranean Press for Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy 3. Nope, don't know the book's release date yet, but I'm very happy with the sale.
As for yesterday, well...other than a LOT of email, the less said the better. Work that should have been done was not done. However, I have devised a way to recover. It calls for me finishing Blood Oranges at the end of the third week of August, instead of at the end of July. Fortunately, there was wiggle room. Now, I just gotta get back on that goddamn horse by Monday.
If you're reading this, Merrilee, I've not yet acquired a second coolerator. The one we needed was out of stock. AC units are crazy out of stock up here, which is hardly surprising. Our windows really aren't conducive to window units, so we need another (and smaller than Dr. Muñoz) portable unit. So, no longer broke, but still broiling.
---
One thing that has occurred to me is how little the "triggery" people actually know about human psychology. Sure, if you've been attacked by a dog and maimed, you're going to have issues with dogs. Obviously. Well, no. Many, but not all, people will react that way. Let us avoid oversimplification. Anyway, point is, there are going to be hundreds or thousands of other "triggers," most of them working on a subconscious level, that you'll never be able to guard against. Which leads to all the "unexplained" anxiety and panic attacks experienced by people with PTSD. Which brings us back to the problem of oversimplified pop psych. Mostly, I think the "triggery" folk are desperately trying to control their lives, when all our lives are, genuinely, all but completely beyond our control.
---
Last night, we watched Colin and Greg Strause's Skyline (2010). When I saw the trailer in the theatre, I was impressed and hopeful. But bad and lukewarm reviews kept me away. In truth, it's a perfectly enjoyable big bug sort of sci-fi invasion flick. Sure, it needs a script in the worst sort of way, and the acting's pretty off key. And talk about "unsympathetic characters," what a lot of sleazeballs. However, this is irrelevant, as the real stars are the SFX, which is how it works with the Bros. Strause. And the SFX and creature design, that part's exquisite. It's just a shame no one hired screenwriters who could, you know...write. Or directors that could direct people, and not just CGI programmes. But, like I said, it was fun to watch – quite a bit more than Battle Los Angeles. And unlike Battle Los Angeles, it had a pleasantly and more realistically bleak ending.
After the movie, we watched the first three episodes of Steven Speilberg's Falling Skies. Well, the two-part pilot and the first regular episode. Not bad, in that TV non-space opera sf sort of way. Watchable. Some good moments here and there. But it does feel like television. Which is to say that it feels constrained, and I don't believe for a minute all those people would be so clean six months after becoming nomadic refugees from an extraterrestrial invasion. Creature design is so-so. I find this sudden bloom of alien menace films interesting. True, it's a nice break from zombies. But I wonder at the cause. Probably just the usual Hollywood clusterfuck, especially given that both Skyline and Battle Los Angeles flopped at the box office. The only truly good film to emerge from this, of course, is Abrams' superb Super 8 (a joy, all round).
---
Two films I'm very excited about just now – excited about their potential – are Andrew Stanton's John Carter (US release date 9 March 2012) and Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.'s prequel to John Carpenter's The Thing (US release date 14 October 2011). I do worry the latter could go horribly awry, but the trailer looks very promising. As for the former, I think I have faith in Stanton to do it right, and I love the trailer. I was a huge fan of Burroughs, and especially the Mars books, when I was a kid. Anyway, here are both trailers:
John Carter:
The Thing:
---
I'm living in an age
That calls darkness light.
Though my language is dead,
Still the shapes fill my head. -- Arcade Fire
I have no tribe.
Okay...gotta try to be productive.
Hotter Than Hot,
Aunt Beast
Where was I? No, where am I? Oh, here. Great comments yesterday, kittens. Let's keep it up, through another scalding day.
Just sold "The Prayer of Ninety Cats" to Subterranean Press for Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy 3. Nope, don't know the book's release date yet, but I'm very happy with the sale.
As for yesterday, well...other than a LOT of email, the less said the better. Work that should have been done was not done. However, I have devised a way to recover. It calls for me finishing Blood Oranges at the end of the third week of August, instead of at the end of July. Fortunately, there was wiggle room. Now, I just gotta get back on that goddamn horse by Monday.
If you're reading this, Merrilee, I've not yet acquired a second coolerator. The one we needed was out of stock. AC units are crazy out of stock up here, which is hardly surprising. Our windows really aren't conducive to window units, so we need another (and smaller than Dr. Muñoz) portable unit. So, no longer broke, but still broiling.
---
One thing that has occurred to me is how little the "triggery" people actually know about human psychology. Sure, if you've been attacked by a dog and maimed, you're going to have issues with dogs. Obviously. Well, no. Many, but not all, people will react that way. Let us avoid oversimplification. Anyway, point is, there are going to be hundreds or thousands of other "triggers," most of them working on a subconscious level, that you'll never be able to guard against. Which leads to all the "unexplained" anxiety and panic attacks experienced by people with PTSD. Which brings us back to the problem of oversimplified pop psych. Mostly, I think the "triggery" folk are desperately trying to control their lives, when all our lives are, genuinely, all but completely beyond our control.
---
Last night, we watched Colin and Greg Strause's Skyline (2010). When I saw the trailer in the theatre, I was impressed and hopeful. But bad and lukewarm reviews kept me away. In truth, it's a perfectly enjoyable big bug sort of sci-fi invasion flick. Sure, it needs a script in the worst sort of way, and the acting's pretty off key. And talk about "unsympathetic characters," what a lot of sleazeballs. However, this is irrelevant, as the real stars are the SFX, which is how it works with the Bros. Strause. And the SFX and creature design, that part's exquisite. It's just a shame no one hired screenwriters who could, you know...write. Or directors that could direct people, and not just CGI programmes. But, like I said, it was fun to watch – quite a bit more than Battle Los Angeles. And unlike Battle Los Angeles, it had a pleasantly and more realistically bleak ending.
After the movie, we watched the first three episodes of Steven Speilberg's Falling Skies. Well, the two-part pilot and the first regular episode. Not bad, in that TV non-space opera sf sort of way. Watchable. Some good moments here and there. But it does feel like television. Which is to say that it feels constrained, and I don't believe for a minute all those people would be so clean six months after becoming nomadic refugees from an extraterrestrial invasion. Creature design is so-so. I find this sudden bloom of alien menace films interesting. True, it's a nice break from zombies. But I wonder at the cause. Probably just the usual Hollywood clusterfuck, especially given that both Skyline and Battle Los Angeles flopped at the box office. The only truly good film to emerge from this, of course, is Abrams' superb Super 8 (a joy, all round).
---
Two films I'm very excited about just now – excited about their potential – are Andrew Stanton's John Carter (US release date 9 March 2012) and Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.'s prequel to John Carpenter's The Thing (US release date 14 October 2011). I do worry the latter could go horribly awry, but the trailer looks very promising. As for the former, I think I have faith in Stanton to do it right, and I love the trailer. I was a huge fan of Burroughs, and especially the Mars books, when I was a kid. Anyway, here are both trailers:
John Carter:
The Thing:
---
I'm living in an age
That calls darkness light.
Though my language is dead,
Still the shapes fill my head. -- Arcade Fire
I have no tribe.
Okay...gotta try to be productive.
Hotter Than Hot,
Aunt Beast
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Yerp.
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Try Amazon? (One winter, there were no snowblowers to be had. I got a snowblower from them, ordered it on Friday, one-day delivery, for the storm that was coming late Saturday. It came in time.)
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We are, indeed, turning to the interwebs.
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True. Comforting, aggravating, and more than a little terrifying, but true.
I'm enjoying Falling Skies more than I thought I would. It gets a little over-done at least a couple times each episode, but it's still entertaining me.
Another one we're watching that I like more than I thought I would is Outcasts on BBCA. It's kind of slow at times, but they're very good at doling out the mysteries in tiny, teasing clues rather than the usual tv way of explaining all of the plot and story background in awkward dialog. I'm not entirely sure where they're going with this bit of sci-fi, but they definitely have my attention.
I'm both nervous and very interested in the remake of The Thing too. John Carpenter's version is one of my favorite movies.
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First aid for heat.
N.B. NOT ice water, just fridge temperature, and pour SLOWLY, or you will get ice cream type "hits" in your forehead. Also, be wary of the water running straight down your back into your crack.
Re: First aid for heat.
In summer I keep a couple of two to four liter plastic bottles filled with tap water in the fridge, and when I need it, pour one slowly over my head, arms, and the back of my neck. Makes a huge difference.
I just use tap water. Truly cold water I find too jolting.
Re: First aid for heat.
Re: First aid for heat.
Re: First aid for heat.
Re: First aid for heat.
Re: First aid for heat.
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In summer I keep a couple of two to four liter plastic bottles filled with tap water in the fridge, and when I need it, pour one slowly over my head, arms, and the back of my neck. Makes a huge difference.
Agreed. I wanted a redder Mars, but it might have confined the filmmakers to soundstages. After Avatar, anything seems possible, but possibility is tied to budget, and I doubt this film had that sort of budget.
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Why "Dr Munoz"? I've been meaning to ask for ages. (Sorry, damn phone won't let me do accents.)
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I'm still bummed out about Mountains of Madness, though.
Same here.
Why "Dr Munoz"? I've been meaning to ask for ages. (Sorry, damn phone won't let me do accents.)
Which is why we should not post or email from phones. Anyway, for an explanation, see Lovecraft's "Cool Air."
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Oh, hope. I'll not go there.
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It's bizarre seeing Burroughs look like Burroughs.
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Wasnt aware of the remake of The Thing... still a big fan of the original B&W.
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I keep hoping that the Martians have the right number of arms ...
I'm pretty sure they will.
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Creative...
The Summer of much discontent
The movie trailers look great. John Carter had me at flying ships.
Always glad to see a 'The Thing' remake, but there is the nagging question. How freakin hard can it be to keep a frozen specimen frozen in that environment?
Re: The Summer of much discontent
Funny how two words seem stricken from the media's vocabulary: Global Warming.
Well...it's complicated. But, yeah.
The movie trailers look great. John Carter had me at flying ships.
It had me at the rainy street scene.
How freakin hard can it be to keep a frozen specimen frozen in that environment?
The problem is, I think, that it's intentionally thawed from the original block.
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Maybe it's just me. My water buffalo was tepid at best. Anyway, I didn't hear all of what you were saying over my air conditioner. I was getting a sweater.
If you've been traumatized by people talking about triggering events, is that a triggering event?
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If you've been traumatized by people talking about triggering events, is that a triggering event?
Well, I am traumatized by what I perceive to be pig-headed stupidity.
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It appears The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities is available now. I've got my copy coming from Amazon, and along with Naked Cities, and Supernatural Noir, I look forward to swimming in some wonderful CRK stories the coming weekend, a nice way to beat the crazy heat
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There's a "red band" trailer out for the Conan movie that looks pretty good too, full of blood and gore, and Ron Perlman as Conan's father. However I have my fears, with the rest of the movie.
I haven't seen that one yet.
It appears The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities is available now. I've got my copy coming from Amazon, and along with Naked Cities, and Supernatural Noir, I look forward to swimming in some wonderful CRK stories the coming weekend, a nice way to beat the crazy heat
Thank you for ordering them all!
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As far as John Carter, I've never been much of a ERB fan but I am really looking forward to the Giacchino score.
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I'm incredibly excited about the Thing, particularly since it's a prequel rather than a remake.
Agreed.
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We broil here too in NC as does most of the nation. Is it our turn again so soon?
As for John Carter. The Disney connection scares me. What might they squash or hide in fear of offending someone? I will still see it in 2D; 3D be damned.
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As for John Carter. The Disney connection scares me.
As much fear and loathing as I admittedly habour for The Mouse, sometimes the Disney connection produces good films.
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Still no hot weather in the Pacific Northwest, but that only means that later, while the rest of the country is basking in sweet relief, we will be in the 100s. That's always how it seems to work.
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Tars Tarkas looks like he should eat more pie.
He did look thin.
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Am I the only one who finds this comforting?
and JOHN CARTER OMFG!
That is all. :)
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Am I the only one who finds this comforting?
Well, I'm not sure I find it comforting. But it doesn't scare me, either. It would be like being afraid of...air.
and JOHN CARTER OMFG!
Glad you were pleased.
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Mostly, I think the "triggery" folk are desperately trying to control their lives, when all our lives are, genuinely, all but completely beyond our control.
OMFG, yes. This. And where I have a genuine problem is when that attempt to control gets all over everyone else's rights of expression. Don't tell me what I can and cannot post because *you* have a reaction to it. That's their issue, not mine.
And you're absolutely right, that if it was a true "trigger", it would be unpredictable and not even necessarily related to the original incident. But try explaining that to the sort of drama queens that would use a word such as "triggery"...there are far better ways to spend an entire evening.
*backs away slowly before the internet explodes*
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And where I have a genuine problem is when that attempt to control gets all over everyone else's rights of expression. Don't tell me what I can and cannot post because *you* have a reaction to it. That's their issue, not mine.
Yes!
It's like these people (among their various other irrational beliefs) believe that they have no choice but to read this thing that will upset them, and as if they believe they have some right for it to coddle them.
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In Bali I'm told much use is made of wet sarongs to deal with the heat. Personally I've found a damp (not sopping, for obvious reasons) cloth draped over a desk fan can be merciful, as can pointing a spray bottle at the fan and letting the mist fly back at you.
Last summer was too wet for water to be particularly cooling, so I was saved by nudity and vodka. When you're naked and drunk, the heat doesn't seem to matter. Getting things done also doesn't seem to matter though, so it's not the most productive solution. Fortunately my house has a breeze channel, so when the heat got too dire for vodka I slept in the hallway.
Perhaps a moist scarf around your head & hair with a fan positioned behind you might make working a little easier. Or taking a laptop and whatever can be done on it to a nice air-conditioned shopping centre and holing up in whatever cafe or teashoppe doesn't mind you lingering all day over one iced tea.
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That said, I've decided fuck this for a game of soldiers, I'm moving to Ireland.
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I kept thinking of the overused word "beautiful" when looking at the John Carter trailer. Reminded me that I find much Mars-inspired art beautiful. Like the Bob Clampett tests for a 1930s animated John Carter of Mars (http://slyoyster.hypervocal.com/movies/2008/john-carter-of-mars-or-what-could-have-been-for-animation/):
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We used them when it got really hot at Pennsic, and our group camped on a swampy island between two streams (back when I could do those sorts of things). I seem to remember they wouldn't work so well if humidity was really high (like 95%), but otherwise they did.
Heatwave
Want me to ship you a AC overnight?
It is 110 here too but freezing AC everywhere you go.
How was Harry Potter, the final? We're going on Sunday.