BBC – Late to the Theater

I Got An Acceptance!

I am very excited to announce that a story of mine was accepted to The Creative Truth, a poetry/flash fiction publication. “A History of My Life in Six Glasses” is now available!

You can download the whole Volume as a PDF for free here, or give them money for the print copy here.

Actually, it’s been available since August and I am just dumb. I submitted the story in July, received my acceptance then, and was told that publication would take place when the volume had enough pieces, so the publisher would let me know. Apparently the email got buried under my Mom’s Facebook Like notifications, because I never realized it was available. Earlier this week I thought ‘Hey, I ought to check on that,’ and was delighted to find I’d been accepted! YAY!

**** In Other News****

The big news is that the Army Corps of Engineers blocked the lease on the Dakota Access Pipeline. Although that’s great news, it’s also only the tip of the shitty iceberg (shitberg? GROSS) as apparently the DAPL intended to keep on drilling. It doesn’t seem that they are, but everyone, including the company, expects them to. Whether they still do seems to be up in the air.

Here’s some good news about the viewing habits of young people: More people in the 16-35 age bracket are watching Planet Earth 2 than any reality television. That is wonderful – I FUCKING LOVE Planet Earth and am super looking forward to season 2. I rewatched the whole series (it’s on Instant Watch!) — even the dreaded Polar Bear episode. You know, the one I swore I’d NEVER WATCH AGAIN. I had to return to the well, and I did. I’m not sorry. Although I did cry again.

polarbear — [weeping sounds] GODSPEED SWEET DESPERATE BEAR! YOU SLEEP AMONG THE ANGELS NOW!

This isn’t a new story, but I thought it was neat: a former CNN sales executive quit her job to help teach Malawi farmers about tech-sharing, so they can share their information with other people in the region.

And just for fun, here is The Rock singing “You’re Welcome,” from Moana.

I still haven’t seen it, but I’m going tonight (FINALLY) because I need a dose of cheerfulness, fun, and chicken wings at my favorite cinema grill.

Saturday night I have a holiday party, and Sunday I’m going to a wedding. So, full weekend ahead!

Have you got any weekend plans? Have you received any good news lately? Share it! I’d love to hear it!

More of the Britishiest Brits: The BBC’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

Skip today’s entry if you find any of the following boring: British period pieces full of tricorn hats, pantaloons, masked balls, comedies of manners, compelling characters, dry British humor, magical imagery, and battles. If you are down with any or all of those things, please, read on!

strangeandnorrell — Awkward stances and moody lighting!

The phrase “modern classic” gets tossed around a lot, and isn’t always accurate. In the case of the BBC’s adaptation of Jonathan Strange and Mister Norrell, it is possibly the only description that fits. I’ve already watched it twice, once with one eye on my knitting, and a second time just so I could soak up all the magnificent production and performances. There’s not a wasted moment of the show, and one season really just wasn’t enough, even though it perfectly captured the entire 600-page book.

Today’s post is all about the glorious adaptation, with some light, inconsequential spoilers.

If you aren’t already familiar with the story from reading the book, here is a quick summary:

Continue reading “More of the Britishiest Brits: The BBC’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell”

Thursday – A Fine Day to Trip Balls!

Good morning!

Currently I am working on an entry on the BBC’s magnificent adaptation of Susanna Clark’s Jonathan Strange and Mister Norrell. Seriously, it was so good. Minor quibbles? Of course I have them, because it’s me, but overall it was gorgeous and I can’t wait to dive in. And I’m doing a lot of brainstorming for Horror Movie Month – so stay tuned!

In the meantime, please enjoy this weirdo music video that features the 6’3 Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth from Game of Thrones and also my heart) in all her glory. The imagery is trippy and enchanting, the music is very Sigur Ros, and I will never get enough Gwendoline even if I lived in her backpack like one of those ridiculous purse-dogs.

I want her to be a bond villain. I NEED her to be a Bond villain. Not the boss who sits around telling people to do stuff, I need her to take up the mantle of Miss Grace Jones and Famke Janssen and throw around a British man like a bag of chips that you just can’t open. Can’t you see her in a slinky dress and slingback heels, on top of a train or a surfaced submarine or a space station, whaling on some guy in a tux? I can. Yes I can.

BBCTV’S Copper

In all, Copper was a good show. The production design was great, and if anything the show suffered from an overabundance of story rather than too little.

Flipping through the Netflix Instant Watch feeds, I kept coming upon the show Copper. I added it to my queue and if my mind worked like Windows Explorer the file name was \\hotpeople_periodcostumes_possiblydepressing_watchwhiledrunk.mov. Having watched the show, I feel validated about my naming convention, although it is certainly worth discussing in detail.

Copper is an ensemble piece following several interrelated stories in 1860s New York. One group, the Irish, is made up of cops headed by the titular Detective Kevin “Corky” Corcoran, a scrappy looker of a gent (Tom Weston-Jones) and veteran of the still-occurring Civil War. He immigrated as a boy, and spent a difficult childhood in the streets of Five Points. After seeing the way the Irish were treated, he joined the Army to provide for his wife and daughter, who begin the show missing. In the army, he served with Matthew Freeman (Ato Essandoh) under Major Robert Morehouse (Kyle Schmidt), who each serve as contact points for the other groups in the show.

Continue reading “BBCTV’S Copper”

Another Big Preacher Post!

I read another review of the first episode somewhere (can’t remember where and searching my history is proving fruitless) that describes it as VERY good. I am cautiously optimistic!

I’ve been devouring all the recent Preacher news like it’s made out of candied bacon.

From I09:

The Preacher Pilot Has An Absurd Cameo

Reactions To The First Episode

I am a HUGE Preacher fan! I first read them some years ago, and have been patiently waiting for some kind of moving picture adaptation ever since.

Here are some of my previous Preacher posts. Be warned that some of them have spoilers, if you are saving yourself for the show:

The Big Preacher Post – Includes my star wish list, but it’s outdated now.

OOOOOOOOOOO – The Dominic Cooper Casting announcement

Joseph Gilgun as Cassidy – Jesse’s compatriot and an Irish punk-rock vampire Cassidy casting announcement

I read another review of the first episode somewhere (can’t remember where and searching my history is proving fruitless) that describes it as VERY good. I am cautiously optimistic!

I won’t go into a big description of the story in today’s post, and I might try to do another one that introduces people unfamiliar with the comic in a spoiler-free way.

Fitting for today (St. Patrick’s Day!), Preacher is written by one of my favorite comics writers, Garth Ennis, who is Irish. He also wrote some of the best storylines (in my opinion) of Constantine – that show turned out to be somewhat disappointing, but I’m HOPING that Preacher delivers.

Fingers crossed!

My Mom had the DNA test thingy done – I am 38% Irish. I don’t hold much with the test results (since Ireland is a country, not an ethnicity – I guess I would be Celtic or Gaelic? Does that even make sense?) but she was excited about it and I am trying to encourage her to get out and do things. She’s been rather down lately.

But I’m not going out in a green paper hat to drink green beer or whiskey until I’m sick, either. I’ll stay in and spend time with my imaginary boyfriend for the holiday, Kevin ‘Corky’ Corcoran from BBCTV’s Copper. An Irishman just trying to make good as a cop in 1860s New York, he fights for truth and justice but also because he just likes getting in fights.

Have a great day!