May 31, 2009 at 5:24 pm (Uncategorized)
Yep. I did it again. I’ve moved my blog. Again. Did I mention, again? But this time I gave you fair warning. I just didn’t know when I was going to set it up, or even how I was going to set it up. But with the June NaBloPoMo coming up, I decided now is as good a time as any. See you there!
Oh, and just in case you want the URL up front, it’s http://streamoc.net/.
May 22, 2009 at 11:30 am (Supernatural, Write words)
The Supernatural season 4 finale has aired. How am I going to pass the time until my favorite television show returns with new episodes in the fall? Last year, traumatized by Dean being tortured in hell and all, I went back to the very beginning of the series and rewatched all the episodes. I wanted to see if looking at them with fresh eyes opened up any new insights. The answer was yes. I saw nuances in the characters I’d not seen before, found several especially good performances. Best of all, some of the episodes I’d thought were mediocre turned out to be quite excellent.
[Fellow Sci Fi Chick Suzanne also rewatched. But she didn't use the same tag for all reviews, so I can't link to all her "Episode Reviews of Nostalgia."]
This year, I want to do something different. Awhile back, I’d noticed the lack of an Official Supernatural Season 3 Companion, so I thought I’d write an Unofficial Season 3 Companion. However, shortly after making the announcement, the Official S3 Companion came out. (I haven’t bought it yet. Not sure I will.)
Now, the Official Season 4 Companion won’t be out for quite some time. So my question is, do I go ahead with season 3, or should I move on to season 4? Due to the Writers’ Strike, season 3 had only 16 episodes, so it’d be easier to tackle. But it wasn’t a particularly good season. (And the DVD set sucks.) Season 4 was pretty damned awesome, but that’s not what I signed up for. Oh the dilemma! Which should I do?
You know what? I think I’ve answered my own question. Season 3 it is. That way, I’ll see how good I am much I enjoy doing this without having to cover 22 episodes. Besides, there might be some golden nuggets in season 3 that haven’t yet been discovered.
May 22, 2009 at 8:43 am (Couch critic, Musings)
So my review of Glee wasn’t all that great. And yet I keep watching it. I realize the show is somewhat tongue-in-cheek and it’s supposed to be slightly-over-the-top.
I finally downloaded Journey’s Greatest Hits album from iTunes. It wasn’t just because of Glee. I’d been planning to for a long time, but hadn’t gotten around to it (being the world’s greatest procrastinator). The show just gave me that added push.
And also, may I say, this show is probably going to drive me nuts. Even before I downloaded the album, I couldn’t get “Don’t Stop Now” out of my head. And when I finally did, what popped in? “You’re the One that I Want.” “Rehab” probably would have, too, except I’d never heard it before. (You know, being an old fogie and all.)
The best news? I’d been thinking about joining a Sweet Adelines’ chorus for about 2 years. I was all set to last year when I broke my foot. But I checked the schedule and now seems to be a good time. Lots of rehearsals before their next performance.
It’s interesting; if you’d asked me what I’d be if I could do anything I wanted, most of my life I’d have said an actor. (Not for the fame. I just love the craft.) But you know what gives me the greatest joy? Singing. Go figure.
May 20, 2009 at 3:24 pm (Couch critic)
Tags: glee, television, tv
I’m not sure how I feel about Glee, which premiered on Fox last night. Having sung in choruses for several years, maybe I know too much about glee clubs and vocal music.
I realize the show’s supposed to be about so much more than music. And that its music needs to be over-the-top. But knowing that doesn’t stop me from cringing at the ridiculousness of it all.
For instance, the Carmel “glee club” performers were all dancers, not singers. It’d be one thing to have dancers with the some singing experience. At least then the lip-synching would likely have been more convincing. But what aired was just awful. Perhaps it was meant to be.
As for “Don’t Stop Believing,” it was a terrific rendition. (And a song I absolutely love.) But so enhanced. Three backup singers able to imitate an entire instrument section, complete with reverberation? Five kids sounding like an entire chorus? And worse, a group that’s supposed to be rated on vocal music being backed up by a “swing” band? My head hurts.
I’m afraid the two young leads will always be the group’s soloists. Yes, they’re very talented. And they’re the show’s teenage leads. But is it possible to ask for some of the other kids to be recognized? Maybe if the show runs long enough I’ll get my wish. Or maybe I’ll get my wish in the next few episodes (which won’t air until this fall).
Just one last gripe: I don’t find Rachel to be terribly sympathetic, what with her self-proclaimed “star” quality and her tendency to over-perform. Perhaps she’s supposed to be exaggerated what with her stomping around the stage and making googly eyes when singing with Finn. After all, this is her fantasy, to be working so closely with one of the “cool” kids. And since she’s so caught up in her own wonderfulness, I’d really like to see her knocked down a peg or two, be a backup singer while someone else gets to shine. Because life is like that.
Eh. I’m probably over-thinking the whole thing.
May 9, 2009 at 12:33 pm (Life)
Tags: Aging
I got a pedicure this morning. Now my toes are bright & shiny. While at the salon (same as where I get my hair done), I was reading a People magazine (either this week’s or last’s) and it had a review of Jim Beaver’s Life’s That Way. They gave it 4 (out of 4) stars. (I don’t trust ratings at Amazon because they’re written by Supernatural fans, and we’ve learned they’re not always the most objective bunch of people. (But I still love ‘em because I am one of them.)
Afterwards, I headed to the shopping center to buy an ink cartridge for my printer. Picked up a few other things and then went to Target for some housewares. After that, I popped into the the Dunkin Donuts/Baskin-Robin/Dunkin Deli place to get some lunch. What a traumatic experience! As I was stepping up to the counter (looking at the menu board), I tripped. I looked down to see if I’d hit the counter. Nope. The little boy next to me had stepped in front of me. His mom was sweet, apologizing and telling him that’s why he’s supposed to look where he’s going. I didn’t say anything. (I was kind of annoyed, even though it was partly my fault). While waiting for my sandwich I realized I should have been as gracious as the mother was. On the way out the door, the sandwich bag slipped and as I tried to get a better hold on it, the door bumped the arm that held the soda, knocking the lid off and spilling about 1/3 of it. (And of course there was someone right there to watch the whole thing.)
But that’s not all! After I placed my order and gave the—what do you call them? Clerk? Attendent? Counter girl?—$20, she asked me if I was a senior. I said no, but then thought, seniors are defined differently at different places, so I asked what the age limit was. She was so young, she didn’t know! The manager came by and said it was 60. And this just one day after a couple guys at work told me I looked better than the guys in charge, who are about 10 years younger than me.
May 8, 2009 at 8:25 pm (Supernatural)
Somewhere in the last few months I seem to have lost my Supernatural fangirlish squee. I don’t know if it’s because I became annoyed with fans at conventions. (What is the purpose of all the damn screaming? All it does is interfere with what’s trying to be said.) Or perhaps it’s because I’ve begun to steel my heart against the upcoming season finale. Because I just know Eric Kripke is going to screw with us fans. Again.
Yes, Supernatural’s season is coming to an end. You know what that means—big-ass stinkin’ cliffhanger. And the way this season’s been going, with Sam getting darker and darker, and angels coming around and screwing with everything, you know the summer hiatus will be brutal. C’mon, Kripke! You gave us hell (literally) last summer. Don’t you think we deserve to be treated nicely for a change? No, of course you don’t. Because you are a mean, sadistic bastard who eats babies. (If you’re not familiar with Supernatural or its fandom or its evil, twisted creator, then you have no idea what I’m talking about.)
Season 4’s next to last episode aired last night. This season’s over-arching theme has been the coming of the apocalypse. (If you aim for destruction, aim high.) And now, with one episode to go, the apocalypse is nearly upon us and the Winchester brothers are at war with each other. If Kripke brings on the apocalypse for this season’s finale, where will the show go next year? I have no doubt Kripke will make fans endure yet another agonizing summer, this time with the fate of the world in the balance and Dean and Sam at each others’ throats. But what happens next year? I certainly don’t want to spend an(other) entire season building towards the apolypse. And I really don’t want a season with the dysfuntionally co-dependent (but very pretty) Wincester brothers separated.
VPW (Very Pretty Winchesters): Dean (Jensen Ackles, left) and Sam (Jared Padalecki)
I guess I should just take a deep breath and chant my mantra: “In Kripke we trust. Even if he is an evil, sadistic bastard who eats babies.”
[In the meantime, go visit Sci Fi Chicks and grade "When the Levee Breaks."]
May 6, 2009 at 12:26 pm (Couch critic, Movie Madness, WordPress)
I was thinking of a title for this post and couldn’t come up with anything good, so you get a bunch of numbers.
New month (sort of), new theme/design/layout. I can’t change the header of this theme, so you won’t be seeing my stream and flowers photo. But this almost-’50s-mod is kind of cute.
Speaking of themes, I’ll be moving my blog again back to a stand-along blog. Not for a little while, though. The reason? I want more control of how I can shape the blog, design-wise. And the blog will even have its own URL—streamoc (.com and .net). Also, it’s pronounced “stream-oh-see,” not “streamock.” Got it? Good. 
I finally got around to watching Love in the Time of Cholera. The movie followed the book very closely. I wasn’t all that enthralled with the book; and I wasn’t all that enthralled with the movie. When you come right down to it, it’s about a man who can’t have the “love of his life” (whom he falls in love with at first sight), so he ends up having 634 meaningless affairs. Well, maybe only 633; he did care for one woman, but his actions caused her murder. And I’ve had enough naked Javier Bardem to last a lifetime.
I do like the idea that love is timeless, but the way it’s portrayed in this story is just cheap.
And to think Barney Stinson was celebrating his 200th conquest Monday’s How I Met Your Mother.
And finally, my heading says this is the 100th post here. Actually, I have more than 100 posts, but I used an old draft to write this post, and it retained its old number. Heh. Sort of like Barney Stinson and his snafu with #200. Confused? Good. My evil plan is working. 
May 4, 2009 at 2:31 pm (Sci Fi Chicks, Technology for dummies)
And it’s like 55 degrees and raining outside. Don’t it always happen that way? Well, at least I’m sleeping well.
I survived Fashion Day on QVC. The few times I tuned in, there was nothing of interest. However, I did end up buying a netbook computer from HSN. It was on sale, so the kitties decided to get it for me for Mother’s Day with my tax refund. It’s tiny. And pink. I also picked up a wireless router.
Just think, I’ll be able to watch Supernatural and write about it at the same time. Maybe I can Twitter about it. Ha! Actually, I’ll need to get used to the keyboard first. Plus, I really don’t like anything interfering with my Supernatural watching (except maybe a glass of wine & my Supernatural drinking game). Especially since we’re on the last 2 episodes of the season and I’m sure they’ll be intense. Kripke is evil that way. I have a feeling it’s going to be another long summer. Perhaps I can while away the months by working on the Unofficial Season 3 Companion. It’s just too bad that season 3 wasn’t all that great.
I set up a Facebook account for Sci Fi Chicks. When I entered my high school’s name, it popped up in 3 letters, “Gli.” That’s Glidden-Ralston Community School. And I immediately found 3 classmates. That’s ⅓ of the class. That may not seem like a lot, but remember, we’re all over 50. Now I have to go about setting the darned thing up.
Which be at a later time. The netbook would come in handy right now. I could be sitting on the sofa with an ice pack on my back, healing. (Which reminds me, time for more Motrin.) Instead, I’m monkeying around on the internet, sitting on the world’s worst “computer chair.”
April 27, 2009 at 5:18 pm (Bitching, Life)
To paraphrase Cole Porter (which always surprised me because his lyrics were pretty darned racy for his time).
It was near 90 degrees on Saturday and over 90 yesterday. I even had to turn my computer off mid-day because it over-heated! It was definitely 90 today, and supposed to be tomorrow, too. And what does our condo management say? “The city of Alexandria requires that we keep the heat on until May 15.” That is fucking bull shit! Last year they turned the air conditioning on on May 2nd. I know because I was getting my a/c serviced that day. And it wasn’t nearly as hot last year as it is now. (And in the last several years, the a/c has always been turned on prior to May 15th.)
My neighbor is on the condo’s board of directors, and she’s going to get an ear full tonight. She probably doesn’t really need my earful because she also lives on the top floor. She knows how freakin’ hot it gets up here.
I say we fire the God damn condo management asshats.
Until Wednesday (when it’s supposed to rain and be more seasonable), I’ll be grumpy. Very grumpy.
Fucking condo management assholes who can’t use God damn common sense. (And no, I don’t believe the problem lies with the city of Alexandria.) Fucking condo management shitheads.
