Working from home makes me forget the days, sometimes. But going into the office requires, like, driving. And leaving the house. And prepping things like lunch--I'd forgotten how much work was involved in leaving the house. Not that I'm managing it all that often, even now.

A) I have revised my opinion on Mystery Case Files: The 13th Skull somewhat. I still find the acting atrocious, and some of the bits frustrating (seriously, after everything the detective has encountered, the constant hammer of "ghosts aren't real, lol" was annoying. Like. Ravenhearst wasn't some fluke, ok). And there's still... I don't know, not enough mystery? However, I did actually enjoy working through it, this time. And I was surprised to beat the dude at checkers, so, go me?

I've been replaying the whole series, since I quite enjoy it. I have no plans to replay Dire Grove, though. (and I stand by my inability to find Charles threatening because the actor is atrocious; and his son is like Santa chasing you with jazz hands)

The first Ravenhearst game is still incredibly effective, even KNOWING where it was going. It also remains gothic as fuck.
( Read more... )

I am fairly certain half of my day was spent listing to Dirty Computer, flist. IT IS SO GOOD. I just. Basically, I love EVERYTHING from 'Crazy, Classic, Life' to 'I Got the Juice', and 'Americans'. And then I only like the rest (it's all right! The other stuff just manages to make me adore it and 'So Afraid' is growing on me).

Have all of you watched the movie they did? Go. Watch. It's short, it's amazing, and it's basically everything about why I love Janelle Monae. And I desperately want her to do more.
belated and elated link to the movie

(also, fandom, if you are not producing a ton of fic for this, I wash my hands of you)

The other half was spent listening to large portions of River Song's Diaries 2 and 3. They are also so very very good (like, if you buy ANYTHING BF over the next year, and you like River? BUY THEM). Here's the thing: I didn't like the first series as much as I'd hoped. It was all right.

BUT HOLY SHIT THESE TWO. They're just good, they put River through an emotional ringer, and there's flirting and ridiculousness and time travel shenanigans and other spoilery things.

At some point, I will do a huge spoilery write-up.

But basically, I want ALL THE FIC from The Furies.

1. Really loving the new Garbage album, 'Strange Little Birds'. Favorite tracks so far: "So We Can Stay Alive", "Amends", and "Teaching Little Fingers to Play". (so, yeah, basically, the last three songs on the album) Additionally, "Sometimes", and "Even Though Our Love is Doomed" are good. And I like the album as a whole, so, kudos to them for being amazing still.

2. I replaced my laptop keyboard, so I have a working 'c' key again, and I'm loving being able to type without going "shit, did I hit the C hard enough?" Also proud of having done it myself.

3. My dad's phone drunk-dialed me (well, he was trying to text and called instead) while I was standing on the Loudest Bus Stop Ever. So I ended up calling him back and then calling my mother. And my mother was talking about work and whilst doing so, had such a southern Missorah accent, I was half-tempted to tell her so (I assume it's because she's subconsciously producing it since she probably picks it up while at the office).

4. I finally have met Mrs. Clarke in the Big Finish audios, and quite like her (although, how many times HAS the Doctor been in WW2? At this point, the answer is "Far too many to have not crossed his own path"). I'm also eagerly anticipating the upcoming Ace-Mel-Seven trilogy (after Ace-Benny-Seven, my Team TARDIS. I blame Virgin's NAs) I do miss Flip, though. I quite liked her.

5. John Rogers has been a tweetdemon all day, which was good, since I had nothing else to read on break/lunch.

I cannot lie, I'm gonna be deeply disappointed if there aren't at least three Doctor/Master fanvids to the new Thirty Seconds To Mars single. Because yes.

(also, if I could get live action Domino/Cable, I would demand a vid for them, and actually not be sarcastic about it)

So, we went to Rock the Green today--an all-day, open-air, environmentally 'friendly' music festival--and it was pretty awesome. I've not been to a festival like it in... a long time. Summerfest, yes, but Summerfest is all on blacktop and concrete. I'm used to sitting on the lawn at Riverport. (I think the last Pointfest I went to was 8, the bill that had Echo and the Bunnymen on it)

We left a little later than we needed to, but except for missing most of the first act (and possibly lines?), it wasn't too late.

I really hope they do something like it again, as I really liked being outdoors, listening to music.

It was a gorgeous, gorgeous day, if a bit cold towards the end. Now I'm tired, a bit sunburned, and still a bit cold. Possibly, I should sleep.
( band list, minor commentary )

1. I have gotten into a ridiculous amount of music, thanks to tv shows. off the top of my head?
Lost Girl - Hundred in the Hands, Johnny Hollow and something else I can't remember.
Revenge - Agnes Obel
Pretty Little Liars - White Hinterland (and about a third of the season one music was stuff I already had, like Company of Thieves)
Nikita - Warpaint
Covert Affairs - One Republic
Missing - Laura Doyle

Hrm. Lost Girl is winning (though I though Covert Affairs was, but I can't remember what other music I've gotten from it), though this shouldn't surprise me (it was awesome to be watching the last episode and hear 'Dressed in Dresden' and recognize it).

2. Surprise!Tony Curran was an excellent addition to Covert Affairs (no Van Gogh jokes, though. FOR SHAME) last night. Jai continues to look highly attractive. all the spooks crossovers now, fandom

3. idek what this was going to be. I got distracted. (we have a laminator, it is fun)

I ended up missing Berlin (errands and also wanting to eat and stuff), but I still managed to get down to the grounds early in the evening.

Vanity Theft were up first, and I really liked them. Definitely half-nervous, half-gleeful, and all-fun as they played, mugged and launched a thousand rpfs fics entertained. (I was expecting to enjoy them, at least a bit, as I'd heard their album prior to the show, having bought it on a whim) They're apparently coming back in September, and I'll probably go see them again.

Ume (pronounced ooooo - may) were after. They were... ok. I think they're either very new, or nervous about crowds? idk. The only interaction with the crowd was the female singer/guitarist saying "thank you" after people clapped. It was very... disassociated, and there wasn't any sort of... cohesiveness. Like, she could have been up there all alone for the amount of interest she displayed in the bassist and drummer (who didn't sing and didn't do anything but play). They were there, they just couldn't be bothered to care.

Then I wandered up and down the grounds, poking at the various stalls. Ate dinner, wandered more. Ended up down at the bottom of the grounds watching U2 Zoo.

Either people are really hard up for U2 music, or these guys have some weird ult following, as the crowd for them was huge. They were all right, but not that great--and didn't really sound like U2, even though they came close a few times.

(they did play 'Electrial Storm', though, which engendered a grumbled STUPIDSEXYANGELS)

But I was sort of bored, so I walked back up the grounds, looking for a good place to watch the fireworks (I like things that explode). Ended up sitting at the US Cellular stage again, until they started and then I walked over and stood in the crowd for a while... At least, until I got tired of standing.

The fireworks went on for an hour, and about ten, the band Taking Back Sunday started playing behind me. Apparently, people like them? Idk. I found them sort of awful and annoying.

But Fuel were playing a stage further up, so I went and watched their set (and the fireworks). They were nice and somewhat mellow, despite it being the ROCK stage. Nothing new, but entertaining enough to keep me there. I had a nice spot on the little embankment behind the bleachers, and a tree to sit under.

Then it was time to go home, and I headed out with the crowd to stand at the bus stop, waiting for one of two buses that were supposed to run after Summerfest.

Countless buses emblazoned Summerfest passed us, but never did EITHER 30 bus. After waiting an hour, I called and asked nique to come rescue me. Which was excellent timing, as after she'd picked me up, timjr called, having been in the same predicament, just at a different bus stop.

Got home around 1 am. *happysigh* There is something about seeing live music that just gives me a happy.

Mrrr. ( Some of these could be considered spoilery for season three. sorry )

Bush - '40 Miles From the Sun' - Angsty, slow, thoughtful, this song is the cause of at least three fics. X-Men, Farscape--iirc, and now (in part), BSG. there is nowhere left to hide. there is nothing left to do, no people to be saved... (I also kind of find this song a little hot. Hence, it causing PORN. TWICE.).

Stabbing Westward - Everything I Touch Everything I touch, I break... (er, does this one need more of an explanation?)

First, I've been to a lot of concerts over the years (most of them more like six-ten years ago), and I've never seen an opening act that was so fucking awful. Ever. Even DRILL was better, and Drill were nothing but obnoxious noise.

Josh R-something spent his entire set playing the same song over and over (apparently, he did a song for Grey's Anatomy. This is not surprising, he does the correct kind of music for that show) and over and over--the only thing that made the music even vaguely interesting was the back-up singer, Priscilla Ahn (who has her own lp coming out, apparently). Now, HER voice was quite lovely and interesting.

I missed the last two songs to go put more money on the car meter. And, thank god. I think I might have killed someone if I'd been forced to listen to that crap any longer.

And this guy has fans. I weep for my generation, which seems to want nothing but mindless pap when it comes to music.

I came back to find that half the crowd had dispersed (seriously, that's sad, people. Because Vienna is actually a talented musician).

Vienna's set was lovely. She played stuff I'm not fond of (Shasta, Harbor, Momentum...), but I cold ignore the irritation and focus on things like the violinist who was superb (dude, I know how hard it is to do some of the stuff she was doing). She played new stuff (Blue Caravan, City Hall, Recessional, and others).

Sidenote: violinist and cello player were lovely.

Lots of good music, a small amount of chatter (she seemed a little tired, which, given that she did a set earlier, and it was late...).

Also, she played some stuff other people had written, which kind of bored me. I don't wanted to hear other peoples' music, I wanted to hear HERS.

Sadly, there was no My Medea or Gravity or Between. sigh.

But still, had fun, she was a blast, even if my feet and legs were killing me by the end of the show.

And now, it is off to run around Chicagooooo.....