A Wandering WeyrCat...

I caught up to the rest of the world and finished Game of Thrones Season 6. (I try to keep spoilers out of the entry, but things that are obvious are mentioned). Though I presumed Snow would be coming back to life, I misjudged how they'd do it. My husband (who doesn't follow GoT at all) thinks it's basically fan service. Season 6 isn't a book yet, so Martin would be free to consider fan service (though really he and the show's writers could anyway, and clearly have made departures from the books before). I'd hoped for Jon to come back in a Lady Stoneheart fashion (since I'll always be upset that's been scrapped). It was kind of annoying to have Hodor's episode sort of spoiled by an Internet full of people screaming "HOLD THE DOOR!" but the story around it was still nicely stunning. I like where Sansa's story has gone. I was worried with the diversion from the books, but it did make the story more manageable. I like finally comi...

About the Blog : I know I don't post very much, really, at all, anymore. But I finished all the classes I need for my bachelors and that took a lot of time. I'll make a WooHoo post about that too when the grades are finalized. Until then, I'll be posting the writings for Anthropology of Nature, and as always, my short book reviews cross-posted from GoodReads. Finished Torchwood (sans Miracle Day ). FEELS. I was so busy watching it, and the omigod-long TBC-set that was the last season, that I didn't even realize it was the last season. I really loved the first two seasons, even when they were over the top, but the season 3 mini-season "Children of the Earth" really didn't do it for me. I was already upset over some events in the end of season 2 that didn't jive with my vision of the show, particularly that a couple episodes felt like the writers were asleep, not fact-checking, or didn't have a female on staff to tell them that something was not p...

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy My rating: 3 of 5 stars It took me a long time to get through this book, because at times I found myself actively avoiding reading it. I like the characters but disliked that I felt like I was reading three books at the same time. I didn't have a problem switching tracks between the stories, but it seemed like I got bored with the length and detail of a story for a while, then it would become interesting again but the track would switch into the other story. I thought the characters had great depth and were made interesting, though in Levin there seemed some parts written just to be "throw away" scenes. I really liked his connection to the workers and the land, and I could understand that putting put aside as it was, but just (poof) in one sentence was jarring. Still, I think Levin's story was my favorite. I liked it. I did. But it was difficult to get through and there were more than a couple places where I had to reread because I ...

Movie Poster/Cover. Courtesy MemoryAlpha Finally sitting down to see Star Trek (2009). I'd honestly avoided it, but now I want to see Into Darkness so I have to see it. This is more bits and things that I thought while being re- introduced to characters I know and love. You can also scroll to the bottom for a summary :P First, they definitely emotionally invested the watcher in the movie right off the bat. A very good move I might add, it absolutely worked. And I LOVE who they got to play Kirk's parents. I totally dug McCoy's entrance. LOVE Bones! It was always hard to pick a favorite character, (can't I have Sulu, Spock, AND Bones?) but McCoy never failed to entertain me. Some chicks loved Kirk, I loved Bones! That might be a lot of my mom's influence too though. I can't stop laughing at Bones in the beginning of the movie... "I can fix that" "OW!" The actor doesn't seem to sit in the roll well though, like he's trying ...

SO BUSY! Ok, this year might be a "once a month" year! I'm taking 18 credits (that's six classes) so I'm REALLY busy. My life is consumed with that shelf of books in the photo (and the two I added in because they're digital or weren't present). One of the books I had to read for school was Longitude by Dava Sobel. Absolutely loved it. Story of John Harrison, the man who solved "the longitude problem" by designing a non-spring wound pocketwatch immune to the elements at sea, all while being hounded and harassed by astronomers. It's a riveting book and I really recommend it. I plan on stealing time to read a book by the same author on Galileo . If you get really curious what I've been up to, I have a "teaching blog" now that I update for school every Sunday. Currently the articles are works I did for my Intro to Ed class last semester, but I think next week might be when this semesters posts start going up. Mainly informa...

Finals are coming! Finals are coming! School: I've been pretty busy. It's that time of year when studying for exams and writing final papers takes up almost all my time. For example, I attended an exam review yesterday that took four hours. Image from "Reflections  on becoming a teacher" I finished my first set of Observation hours for my Intro to Ed class. It was very... illuminating. I happened to be reading Setting Limits in the Classroom by Robert J. MacKenzie Ed.D. at the time so I actually got to see the control methods in action (or inaction...). I did enjoy the experience and look forward to next semester. I hope I get another high school biology course (the grade and subject is not guaranteed). I got a 79% on my second Genetics exam. It kind of makes me twitch to be SO CLOSE to the B and just unable to grasp it. I know it's because I'm STILL not spending enough time on it, even though it feels like some days I do nothing BUT genetics. ...

Saw the pilot for Arrow. SQUEEEEEEEE! They drop few nods to the comic... "Judge Grell " teehee, *Interesting red dragon tat on back left shoulderblade ( Shado , anyone?) I love these the most since Longbow Hunters (by Grell) was my first GA. *The Buddhist hozen (though they have yet to explain why he would have a link to Buddhism, since it wouldn't be for the comic's reason of accidentally killing a man.  *OH the tribal mask at the veeeery beginning, Deathstroke !   * Diggle , wrote Green Arrow Year One [ 1 ]. I didn't jaw drop over his sister's nickname Speedy, since I'd seen it in a preview (sister, heh). "Thea" is kinda close to "Mia". I did dropjaw at "Tommy Merlyn " though. Bangarang.  Seriously though, what are the carvings on the stones on the island? I can find them, and see them, but not cap them to show YOU. Oh, and I dig the green greasepaint in lieu of the rubber eye mask. I'm trying not to dissect...

I'm not dead, just busy! Summer's Chem2 is moving right along and even my weekends are full of study. We took Exam 1 and the class average was 52%. I'm rather ashamed of my grade; it's above the average but no where near acceptable to me. Most of the students are in an uproar because we have 30 questions, mostly computational, and one hour to do them. Most of us ended up bubbling in 3-4 in the end. I bubbled four. Mathematically I'd need to get an average of 90 on the next two and final to earn the A-. Honestly I could do as poorly as a 66 average on them to get the C+ required for graduation, but I'll be lobotomized before that becomes acceptable to me. So, looking at the B. Bleh. Little dance: I was able to get into Fall's Orgo class. Now I just need to pass THIS chem with a reasonable grade. Also for fall: Genetics, Intro to Teaching, and Physical Science. Thirteen credits. Dropping German 2 for now since it's a lot of work and not technically ...

I wanted to wait a couple days before I reviewed it, because I became unbelievably fangirly after seeing Sherlock. Here it is, 2 days later, and no sign of it subsiding. I'm twitterpated. Therefore this is less of a review of the series and more of a squee. I watched the first season in a run, all back to back. I couldn't connect how it became so late in the day, when I was done, and wanted to know why there were only three episodes! It was so riveting that I didn't even NOTICE that the episodes where 90 minutes long. I was posting Twitter like updates on my FB, for no other reason other than I can (and I like to take notes). Pretty sure I was hooked when the cop told John that Holmes was a psychopath. I rolled my eyes and told the screen that he ISN'T a psychopath, just a sociopath. About ten minutes later, when John related it to Holmes, Holmes said the same thing. A high-functioning sociopath. I squeed. And I think they've implied that he's gay. Which m...

It wasn't a comedy but it was hilarious. The dialogue was fantastic! I was also edge of my seat the whole time. And almost teared up at the end. Fantastic movie. Awesome suit reveal. I love the suit by the way. Seeing the tights was great, but this is so cool. A little fact-checking on Rogers' Class-A ribbons ... I hate when movies get them wrong, because they're so damned easy to look up! If you don't care about ribbons, skip to the next photo. I mainly became curious because he's wearing a US Army Basic Parachutist badge, but I wouldn't think he'd had time to complete airborne training between not completing actual basic training and becoming a chorus girl... It was designed and approved for use in 1941, so it barely makes the movie's time period to begin with! However, the training course did exist in 1940, so I presume he would have had to complete it. I doubt he did, but putting that badge on someone's chest is pretty sure to get a nod....

By adding this photo of Thor aka Hemsworth's cut body, I doubled the traffic on this post. :P Watching it was like a series of revelations... DUDE! Prince Charming (from once Upon a Time) is the cavalier. Rawr. Aaaaaand of course. They red shirt him. Scratch that, healed. Turns out he's "Fandral". Also turns out he's based on Errol Flynn. I like him already ;) OMG HAWKEYE (I knew it. As soon as the hands didn't choose the sniper rifle.) Lawl. "Is that one of Stark's?" :D Oh, please tell me chucking Volstagg was an homage to LotR's dwarf tossing... Aaaaaad that's why you stay for the goodies after the credits :D Thor was another comic I had zero contact with growing up. I assigned red-shirt status to the gorgeous cavalier because I didn't hear him have a name when Thor was remembering glories in the Hall. Turns out I just missed it. His wiki (because even superheros have wiki's!) says that Stan Lee based his personalit...

Finally saw Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (HP6). Note: there's a tiny spoiler in the review, but it's not really a review, mainly a canon-snob rant. I really enjoyed the movie, though I don't like what they left out slash added.  I ignore little changes here and there (they make the story shallower, but sometimes it's the only way to make it all fit into a movie script) AND I can understand tossing in small sensational items if you think the theatre crowd hasn't been shocked in a while, BUT THE BURROW???? ARE YOU MAD?? Couldn't toss in Fenrir and Bellatrix and call it a scare tactic, you had to BURN THE BURROW???? ON WHAT PLANET do you think that's ok???? Note: It's not a terrible spoiler as I hear that the burrow doesn't burn down and is shown in the 7th movies, which is a darn good thing since, to the readers, it's kind of important in the last book. I talked about this with a friend of mine and she commented " google said it...

Trying to catch up on some Avengers movies before I go see the coup de grâce next week. I already wrote my response to Iron Man , as well as I could without leaving drool marks on the screen. I had to decide which Hulk to watch since there have been a few in the last decade or so. I tried to base it off the upcoming Avengers flick. Though there's a new actor playing Hulk the decision came down to the writer: the 2003 screenplay was written by Stan Lee, the 2008 one was not. Bam, easy. Then there was FINDING it. Do you know how hard it is to find the 2003 Hulk on DVD somewhere I could travel to rent it? Strangely enough, very difficult. Anyway, I persevered. I think I'd seen parts of this one before. Bana makes a very cool Hulk, even if they did mangle his origins. Not sure why, maybe what we know now about gamma rays makes the original origin (boy that feels redundant) too easy to point out as flawed and impossible. It's a good flick but feels weirdly incomplete? How ...

O_O Finally got to see Iron Man . I know, I know... I think I held my breath through most of it. Fantastic. Absolutely loved it. Maybe a little too much. It wasn't one of the comics I got to read growing up so I have no canon to contend with, and got to simply enjoy: A. Robert Downey Jr (who makes a fantastic Sherlock) portray one hot-diggity-damn Tony Stark. B: JARVIS! I'm sorry, but that's Paul Bettany in there, and I love that guy. Have since he was Dr. Stephen Maturin, Surgeon, Naturalist, in "Master and Commander: Far Side of the World". C: Stan Lee as Hugh Heffner (rock on). D: I have to admit that the original mask Stark fabricates makes me want to watch Rocketeer. :P E: Pepper Potts. She's pretty much a superhero on her own. What do you have to do to be the "administrative assistant" to a guy that brilliant? I want to see her resume and transcripts. I love her character! One problem: Each time Iron Man gets chucked to the ground...

So... StarTrek.Com has released a Starfleet Academy Diploma.  I wanted to see if the design was supported by canon (because I'm a huge fact-check nerd) and in my quest collected what I think to be all the diploma designs officially used on the show. I'm still looking though, so if you find one I don't have here, please leave a comment! Confirmed authentic : Voyager epi "Non Sequitur". It appears to be the first time a diploma had been shown, if rabid Trekkers diligently duplicating it is any indication. If you register at the LCARSc site, you can download a free template to make your own! (ref: http://www.lcarsc.com/entry.php/34-Freebie-Friday-Starfleet-Diploma ) Confirmed authentic:  Enterprise : "Storm Front, Part II" Earlier in storyline, later in established canon. Found via http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Starfleet_Academy_majors Official StarTrek.Com diploma (Released 2012):  I can't find any epi screenshot t...

Welcome to Sunday, when I avoid studying at work by collecting what's been on my brain this week and shoving it into the internet in one cohesive bloggy time-capsule! The highlight is a woodpecker. THE woodpecker. The one I kept getting awful blurry photos of last year because he wouldn't sit still. Then, magic of all magics, THERE WERE TWO. Two woodpeckers.  I'm so excited... and I just can't hide it... dan dan daaaaan.....No really. I'm pretty gleeful about this. :) There've been scrub jays all over today too, but they don't sit still very long and I've an older camera. The kind that still has a 1GB XD card. For casual uses it's a darn trooper. In actually life updates there is little: I register for classes tomorrow and will hopefully get what I'm planning on. We're coming to the end of the semester and it's getting busy again, but it's nothing that some ice cream can't fix. And NO. I didn't see Hunger Games . ...

Little behind, but a few blurbs. Watched Much Ado About Nothing (Beckinsale). So far, the amount of people I have recognized in this Shakespeare adaption has been astounding. Kate B, whom I knew would be in it. Riding up I see OMG is that WILSON?? Then Keanu? Denzel? and I recognize a few more I cannot name... Omg... Michael Keaton??? Wilson, from House and portrayed by Robert Sean Leonard, makes quite a good looking Shakespearean. I'm amused to see this play for the first time here (I know, I know, ME? Unfarmiliar with a Shakespeare?) It is a bit Cyrano, a bit Romeo and Juliet (why always with the Pretending to be Dead!), and all wonderful. Loved it! 5/5 Watched The Madness of King George . Terrifying to see how bleak medicine was, and yet funny to see that the dismissed evacuate was seemingly such a telling key the whole time! Very good flick. 4/5. Also, in the past few days, -HYACINTH MACAW! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! -Got my three other Nest raptor hatchlings (plus a few ...

The Duchess (Based on a true story)? The 18thC not being my specialty I will leave off my opinions of what's period or not for the flick. Overall seems well done. I do think it pretty in its opulence. So funny to see the Duke moaning over the birth of a girl, now with modern science telling it's HIS fault (raspberry). However, her movie-self wishing to breast feed her daughter herself was JUST not done for a lady of her rank, so, I wonder if there is basis for that. That would make her quite rebellious indeed, almost scandelous. They would have called her unfit for her standing: having risen too high over her worth. ah yes, and there is why in the SCA we play at chivalry. Lawful rape All in all very good flick :)

Done in play by play. Summary: Could have been good if it wasn't for the soft-soft-core, and Hayden Christiansen needing acting lessons. Dude, the badguy (DelRatta) in Virgin Territory is the SAME bad guy from The Musketeer! Dude get's around I guess. Ahh another late 14c flick with a modern-inspired soundtrack. And I could tell, right around the spot where the hot young (and clean shaven) nuns jump into the bath with the stranger to bang him... thaaaat this wasn't going to be very good. Oh yea.. awful. Almost soft-core porn. Long rifle? Freaking did NOT exist yet. Best Europe had in the late 14thC were large cannon type weapon that lay on a table. I think I'm going on about the weaponry because it helps me detract from YET ANOTHER make-out-almost-softcore scene. OMG is that Hayden Christianson (or who the hell ever) played Young Vader? I think it is. No wonder this movie is bad. God he's an awful actor. Right.. the slave trader has a stripper pole? Seriou...

Got to see Prince of Persia tonight with Hubby for MovieNight. I really liked it. Yar, I understand it isn't quite what the gamers wanted, but Hubby played the game and said that they did right by the special effects and acrobatics. Also watched The Musketeer. I'm not sure why they diverted from the popular (and novel appropriate) telling of how D'Artagnon meets the Three, but other bits pleased me. The rappelling sword fight though? Why not just cut his rope?? The LADDER fight.. omg.. felt so ridiculous. All in all, they seemed to just want to remake the movie for more Muske-Money. The fights were good, the intrigue poor, I'll stick with Disney's version (which is truer to the book, AND has Oliver Platt. Rawr.