Saturday 9: Ballad of Gilligan's Island (1964)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This is about the fateful cruise of the S.S. Minnow. If you had a boat, what would you christen it?
A. The Melpomene. (That's the Greek Muse of Tragedy.)
2) "No phone! No lights! No motorcar! Not a single luxury!" To Sam, those sound more like everyday essentials than luxuries. If you were shipwrecked with the gang, what standard amenity would you miss the most?
A. Electricity.
3) The uncharted isle was in the Pacific, near Hawaii. Have you ever been to our 50th state?
A. No, I have not.
4) Natalie Schafer, who played Mrs. Howell, refused to divulge her age. Are you honest about how old you are? Or do you fudge it?
A. I have earned every day of my 53 years. Why would I lie about it?
5) Gilligan's Island featured many dream sequences. (Like the one where Gilligan dozes off and dreams that he's Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk.) Have you had any vivid dreams lately?
A. My dreams generally are vivid, but are more night terror than dream. I wake myself (and my unfortunate husband) up frequently with screams, cries, and an occasional bout of sleepwalking. Looking back at my journal, the last dream I recorded, which was on 10/1/16 even though I know I've dreamed since then, just not written about it, said this:
"I dreamed that all of the states in the US were fighting one another, and we (Virginia) were at war with West Virginia, and I was on the pacifist side, trying to stop the war with philosophy teachers and other professors and educated people who didn't believe in fighting or what was going on. Very strange."
6) The pilot was filmed in November, 1963, in Honolulu. The cast and crew were actually onset when they learned of President Kennedy's assassination.* Because on location filming was so expensive, they couldn't afford to take any time off. Tell us about a time when you had to work, even though your heart and head weren't in it.
A. Nationally that would have been Wednesday, only I don't have a job anymore so I took the time to pull the covers over my head and eat too much chocolate. Prior to that, my answer would have been during my mother's illness and death.
7) During the show's run, Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) was the clear fan favorite, receiving twice as many love letters as Ginger (Tina Louise). Have you ever written a fan letter (or posted a fan tweet or Facebook post)?
A. I have autographed pictures of Charlie Sheen (when he was young and before he went crazy) and Bonnie Raitt. I follow a lot of famous people on Facebook - writers, singers - and sometimes I may respond to something, but not often. I also have an entire shelf of autographed books.
8) Sam chose this week's song because it was going through her head, over and over again! Tell us a song that burrows into your head and stays there.
A. That varies, and at the moment nothing is stuck there. It is very dark and depressing in the interior. (I think Sam has been watching too much METV.)
9) Random question: You went to a discount store and got an amazing bargain -- a pair of dress shoes for just $4.99. You go to a formal event and someone compliments you on those great shoes and asks where you got them. Do you tell the truth?
A. I don't know. It would depend on the person offering the compliment, I think. If it were my best friend, sure. If it were someone I hardly knew, I would offer something vague, like, "I bought them at a shop in Roanoke."
*That's why, in the credits for the black and white seasons, the flags are at half-staff when The Minnow leaves the harbor.
_____________
I encourage you to visit
other participants in Saturday
9 posts and leave a
comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate
rules. We love memes,
however.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Friday, November 11, 2016
Quote of the Day
It has always seemed strange to me . . . The things we admire in men - kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling - are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest - sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest - are the traits of success. ~ John Steinbeck, Cannery Row
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Thursday Thirteen
Songs for the times . . . in my mind anyway . . .
1. I'll Stand By You, The Pretenders (even if you are not my friend or family, I will defend you. Can you say the same? I don't feel it.)
2. The Winner Takes It All, Abba (guess you know where this one belongs. Phhtttt.)
3. 99 Luft Balloons (99 Red Balloons), Nena (nuclear holocaust)
4. 1999, Prince (don't we wish - what would we have done differently?)
5. Bad Moon Rising, Credence Clearwater Revival (I see earthquakes and lightning. I know the end is coming soon.)
6. One of the Living, Tina Turner
7. We Don't Need Another Hero, Tina Turner (The last generation, the ones they left behind.)
8. Another Brick in the Wall, Pink Floyd ('cause "we don't need no education," now do we? We need it more than ever.)
9. Where Have All the Flowers Gone? Peter, Paul & Mary (When will we ever learn?)
10. Strange Fruit, Billie Holiday (shouldn't even be an issue . . . but it obviously is)
11. War!, Edwin Starr (what is it good for?)
12. American Woman, The Guess Who (Pull together, ladies. Let's kick some A$$ in the next few years.)
13. I Am Woman, Helen Reddy (Still here, we ain't stayin' down, damn it.)
____________
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 473rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
1. I'll Stand By You, The Pretenders (even if you are not my friend or family, I will defend you. Can you say the same? I don't feel it.)
2. The Winner Takes It All, Abba (guess you know where this one belongs. Phhtttt.)
3. 99 Luft Balloons (99 Red Balloons), Nena (nuclear holocaust)
4. 1999, Prince (don't we wish - what would we have done differently?)
5. Bad Moon Rising, Credence Clearwater Revival (I see earthquakes and lightning. I know the end is coming soon.)
6. One of the Living, Tina Turner
7. We Don't Need Another Hero, Tina Turner (The last generation, the ones they left behind.)
8. Another Brick in the Wall, Pink Floyd ('cause "we don't need no education," now do we? We need it more than ever.)
9. Where Have All the Flowers Gone? Peter, Paul & Mary (When will we ever learn?)
10. Strange Fruit, Billie Holiday (shouldn't even be an issue . . . but it obviously is)
11. War!, Edwin Starr (what is it good for?)
12. American Woman, The Guess Who (Pull together, ladies. Let's kick some A$$ in the next few years.)
13. I Am Woman, Helen Reddy (Still here, we ain't stayin' down, damn it.)
____________
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 473rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, November 09, 2016
Post-Election
And now we are truly under the rule of lesser men.
HILLARY CLINTON WON THE POPULAR VOTE. But she did not win the election.
HILLARY CLINTON WON THE POPULAR VOTE. But she did not win the election.
Tuesday, November 08, 2016
This One's For You, Mary Johnston
The hallowed halls of the Virginia General Assembly never heard such a speech as the one Mary Johnston gave before the learned politicos on January 19, 1912.
An advocate for a woman’s right to vote, Johnston, a Botetourt County native and by then a much-accomplished and well-respected author (she wrote To Have and To Hold, The Long Roll, Hagar, and 25 other books, a play or two, poetry, and short stories), told the legislatures that she paid $1,000 annually in taxes to the state, yet had no voice in how the revenue was spent.
Her family settled western Virginia and had fought in all of the country’s wars up to that time. Yet recent male immigrants, who knew nothing of democracy, she said, were treated as if they knew better than she what the interests of the state might be.
“We are asking that those who live under the laws of a state . . . may have something to do with the making of those laws,” Johnston said in another speech, this time before a meeting of governors. “We are asking that we who pay a very considerable portion of the taxes of the State and of the country may have a voice in the apportionment of those taxes. We are asking that we who work may have a say as to the conditions under which we work.”
For six years, Johnston gave up much of her life so that women could obtain the right to vote. She suffered from vicious personal attacks from anti-suffrage groups. She did not give up.
In 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution gave women the right to vote. Now, 104 years after Johnston spoke before the Virginia General Assembly, and 96 years after women received the right to vote, a woman is on the ballot, running for president in one of the two major parties.
At this very moment, there are folks working to undermine a linchpin of democracy that 50 percent of you, male and female, black or white, apparently take for granted. Or did that hashtag #repealthe19th not catch your attention?
I voted for Secretary Clinton because she cannot be the crooked thief that she has been accused of being. If so, she must be the smartest crook alive, given that for 25 years she has withstood a constant barrage of hatred, vilification, smears, mudslinging, and investigations. Surely if there was something to the charges, somebody would have figured it out by now.
She is resilient. I admire that. She is intelligent. She is informed on the details of domestic and foreign policy. She is, in my opinion, the most highly-informed and best-trained person to ever run for the office of president. She may be hawkish on foreign policy, but I know from my work as a news reporter that people often change their minds when they take office. The view is different from the Oval Office.
Is she lily-white perfect? No. How could she be? Snow White doesn't stand a chance in this world - and you're never going to get a perfect person in the White House. Her character flaws are miniscule compared to those of her opponent. If a man were running with her flaws, he would be considered a saint.
I like Hillary Clinton because I have followed her career for many years. I've read autobiographies about her. I've also read the Democratic Party Platform, and I applaud it's goals. I read through the Republican Party Platform and not once did I see the word "art" in there. Maybe I missed it. But it is in the Democratic Party Platform, right in the table of contents, and art is important to me. Art makes for a better world. The lack of it makes misery.
DNC Platform:
"Promoting Arts and Culture
Democrats are proud of our support for arts funding and education. We are committed to continuing the policies and programs that have already done so much for our creative arts industry and economy. Investment in the arts strengthens our communities and contributes to our nation’s rich cultural heritage. We will continue to support public funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, for the National Endowment for the Humanities, and for programs providing art and music education in primary and secondary schools. The entire nation prospers when we protect and promote the unique artistic and cultural contributions of the women and men who create and preserve our nation’s heritage." (page 21)
Mary Johnston, I think, would approve of my vote.
Monday, November 07, 2016
The Eight-Point Buck
This lovely and magnificent-looking creature had the misfortune of passing in sight of my husband's muzzleloader on Saturday. He is now hanging in the butcher's freezer.
Fortunately I was able to grab a few shots of him through the window before my husband saw him.
I would much rather shoot deer with a camera than with a gun, though I know hunting is necessary to keep the population down. We are overrun with deer here on the farm and they do a number on the crop fields every year.
But still, the vision of him bounding along the woodland path is more dear to me than his antlers on the garage wall.
Sunday, November 06, 2016
Sunday Stealing: Ask, Ask, Ask
From Sunday Stealing
Ask, Ask, Ask
1 - Who was the last person you texted?
A. I last emailed the phone of a friend who had a birthday on Saturday. (That is my version of texting.)
2 - When is your birthday?
A. It is in June. I'm a pesky little Gemini.
3 - Who do you want to be with right now?
A. Nobody except my husband, although if someone wanted to drop by and give me a hug I gladly would accept it.
4 - What sports do you play?
A. None.
5 - Who is the first person in your blogroll?
A. Around Roanoke, by Tanya. It's a local blog and I have met the blogger in person. She ain't from these here parts and it is always interesting to me to see how someone else views the area.
6 - What is your favorite song at the moment?
A. I am Woman, by Helen Reddy (because I am a Nasty Woman.)
7 - If you were stranded on an island, who do you wish to be with?
A. My husband, along with a chest full of books and another chest full of vegetable seeds, and the island should have fresh water and food. Otherwise I don't particularly want to be there.
8 - What do you feel right now?
A. Anxious, fretful, terrified, and a little bit crazy
9 - What chocolate is your favorite?
A. Any chocolate is my favorite. Dark chocolate, however, has started to bother my ulcers so I am eating less of it than I once did.
10 - How many boyfriends/girlfriends did you have?
A. I have no idea. I dated in my teens but I met my husband when I was 19 and we were married when I was 20.
11 - Why did you create a blog account?
A. To blog. Initially, I blogged in 2003 about the Iraq War, which I greatly opposed, under a different pseudonym, and then I used AOL Journals for a while as a creative outlet and for something different from news writing. When the company did away with that, I moved to Blogger. It has become a place for me to think, to meet people (hopefully making more friends than enemies), and to stretch in my writing if I choose.
12 - Who is your favorite blogger?
A. I like all the Saturday 9 and Sunday Stealing folks, even the ones who don't come visit me back. Or maybe they visit but don't respond, I don't know.
13 - Where do you want to be right now?
A. I'm fine where I am.
14 - What do you want to be in the future?
A. Healthy. Able to work. Less anxious and depressed. Still living in a democracy and not the dictatorship that I fear we're headed for if D.T. wins the election on Tuesday.
15 - When was the last time you cried? Why?
A. Earlier in the week because I was in a lot of pain. Sometimes it is very tiring.
16 - Are you happy?
A. I am not unhappy. But I am terribly anxious.
17 - Who do you miss?
A. I miss my grandmother sometimes. She died in 2007.
18 - If you were given a chance, would you like to have a different life?
A. I would not mind having the opportunity to make a few retroactive changes. For one thing, I would have taken better care of my health, and started things like yoga and acupuncture when I was in my 20s instead of my 40s.
19 - What was the best thing you were given?
A. My wedding ring.
20 - Who was the last person who called you?
A. My mother-in-law.
21 - What is your favorite dish?
A. I don't really have one, but I do not eat much red meat or things with tomato sauce on them.
22 - Who is your best friend?
A. My husband. I have several women friends whom I might call "bestie" but I wouldn't want to single anyone out.
23 - What is your biggest regret?
A. Not being able to have children.
24 - Have you ever avoided your partner?
A. I've been married for 33 years. Of course I have avoided him.
25 - Who do you spend crazy moments with?
A. Myself. Why would I want to impose that on anyone else?
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
Ask, Ask, Ask
1 - Who was the last person you texted?
A. I last emailed the phone of a friend who had a birthday on Saturday. (That is my version of texting.)
2 - When is your birthday?
A. It is in June. I'm a pesky little Gemini.
3 - Who do you want to be with right now?
A. Nobody except my husband, although if someone wanted to drop by and give me a hug I gladly would accept it.
4 - What sports do you play?
A. None.
5 - Who is the first person in your blogroll?
A. Around Roanoke, by Tanya. It's a local blog and I have met the blogger in person. She ain't from these here parts and it is always interesting to me to see how someone else views the area.
6 - What is your favorite song at the moment?
A. I am Woman, by Helen Reddy (because I am a Nasty Woman.)
I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an' pretend
'Cause I've heard it all before
And I've been down there on the floor
No one's ever gonna keep me down again
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an' pretend
'Cause I've heard it all before
And I've been down there on the floor
No one's ever gonna keep me down again
[Chorus:]
Oh yes I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman
Oh yes I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman
You can bend but never break me
'Cause it only serves to make me
More determined to achieve my final goal
And I come back even stronger
Not a novice any longer
'Cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul
'Cause it only serves to make me
More determined to achieve my final goal
And I come back even stronger
Not a novice any longer
'Cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul
[Chorus]
I am woman watch me grow
See me standing toe to toe
As I spread my lovin' arms across the land
But I'm still an embryo
With a long long way to go
Until I make my brother understand
See me standing toe to toe
As I spread my lovin' arms across the land
But I'm still an embryo
With a long long way to go
Until I make my brother understand
Oh yes I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to I can face anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman
Oh, I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to I can face anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman
Oh, I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman
7 - If you were stranded on an island, who do you wish to be with?
A. My husband, along with a chest full of books and another chest full of vegetable seeds, and the island should have fresh water and food. Otherwise I don't particularly want to be there.
8 - What do you feel right now?
A. Anxious, fretful, terrified, and a little bit crazy
9 - What chocolate is your favorite?
A. Any chocolate is my favorite. Dark chocolate, however, has started to bother my ulcers so I am eating less of it than I once did.
10 - How many boyfriends/girlfriends did you have?
A. I have no idea. I dated in my teens but I met my husband when I was 19 and we were married when I was 20.
11 - Why did you create a blog account?
A. To blog. Initially, I blogged in 2003 about the Iraq War, which I greatly opposed, under a different pseudonym, and then I used AOL Journals for a while as a creative outlet and for something different from news writing. When the company did away with that, I moved to Blogger. It has become a place for me to think, to meet people (hopefully making more friends than enemies), and to stretch in my writing if I choose.
12 - Who is your favorite blogger?
A. I like all the Saturday 9 and Sunday Stealing folks, even the ones who don't come visit me back. Or maybe they visit but don't respond, I don't know.
13 - Where do you want to be right now?
A. I'm fine where I am.
14 - What do you want to be in the future?
A. Healthy. Able to work. Less anxious and depressed. Still living in a democracy and not the dictatorship that I fear we're headed for if D.T. wins the election on Tuesday.
15 - When was the last time you cried? Why?
A. Earlier in the week because I was in a lot of pain. Sometimes it is very tiring.
16 - Are you happy?
A. I am not unhappy. But I am terribly anxious.
17 - Who do you miss?
A. I miss my grandmother sometimes. She died in 2007.
18 - If you were given a chance, would you like to have a different life?
A. I would not mind having the opportunity to make a few retroactive changes. For one thing, I would have taken better care of my health, and started things like yoga and acupuncture when I was in my 20s instead of my 40s.
19 - What was the best thing you were given?
A. My wedding ring.
20 - Who was the last person who called you?
A. My mother-in-law.
21 - What is your favorite dish?
A. I don't really have one, but I do not eat much red meat or things with tomato sauce on them.
22 - Who is your best friend?
A. My husband. I have several women friends whom I might call "bestie" but I wouldn't want to single anyone out.
23 - What is your biggest regret?
A. Not being able to have children.
24 - Have you ever avoided your partner?
A. I've been married for 33 years. Of course I have avoided him.
25 - Who do you spend crazy moments with?
A. Myself. Why would I want to impose that on anyone else?
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
Saturday, November 05, 2016
Saturday 9: Hold It Against Me
Saturday 9: Hold It Against Me (2011)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
(I knew there was a reason I don't listen to Britney Spears.)
1) Britney Spears addresses this song to a dance partner when she hears her favorite song. What song always makes you want to get up and dance?
A. Pretty much anything disco. Yes, I like disco. Sue me.
2) She sings that she needs a vacation. How about you? If you could escape anywhere for an affordable three-day weekend, where would you go?
A. Washington, D.C. to the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institute.
3) Britney shows off her dance moves in this video. Her coordination shouldn't be surprising, since she was already an accomplished gymnast in grade school. If we asked you to turn a somersault right now, could you do it?
A. Heck no. I can barely walk to the car.
4) Britney's first and only feature film was Crossroads, written by Shonda Rhimes. Ms. Rhimes is famous for writing popular TV series including Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, The Catch and How to Get Away with Murder. Have you watched any Shonda Rhimes shows?
A. No.
5) Britney admits to smoking and biting her nails. Do you share either of these bad habits?
A. I bite my nails. I have done so since I was a small child and have yet to find a way to stop. At this point, I think it's too late to worry about it.
6) Britney prefers Margherita pizza to thin slice or deep dish pizza. What's your pizza preference?
A. Deep dish, but I haven't had pizza in probably 6 months or longer. Ulcers, you know.
7) In 2011, when this song was popular, Prince William's wedding to Kate Middleton was big news. Are you a royal watcher?
A. No.
8) Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died in 2011. Do you have a Mac, and iPad or an iPhone?
A. I have an iPod around here somewhere, but that's about it for Apple products.
9) Random question: Which friend annoys you more, the one who interrupts you all the time, or the one who is never on time?
A. I think they are both frustrating, but the one who interrupts is probably the most problematic. Actually, I am not sure *I* am not the friend who interrupts, at least with one of my friends. I try not to do that, though. And I am always either a little early or on time. I hate being late. I think it is disrespectful.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
(I knew there was a reason I don't listen to Britney Spears.)
1) Britney Spears addresses this song to a dance partner when she hears her favorite song. What song always makes you want to get up and dance?
A. Pretty much anything disco. Yes, I like disco. Sue me.
2) She sings that she needs a vacation. How about you? If you could escape anywhere for an affordable three-day weekend, where would you go?
A. Washington, D.C. to the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institute.
3) Britney shows off her dance moves in this video. Her coordination shouldn't be surprising, since she was already an accomplished gymnast in grade school. If we asked you to turn a somersault right now, could you do it?
A. Heck no. I can barely walk to the car.
4) Britney's first and only feature film was Crossroads, written by Shonda Rhimes. Ms. Rhimes is famous for writing popular TV series including Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, The Catch and How to Get Away with Murder. Have you watched any Shonda Rhimes shows?
A. No.
5) Britney admits to smoking and biting her nails. Do you share either of these bad habits?
A. I bite my nails. I have done so since I was a small child and have yet to find a way to stop. At this point, I think it's too late to worry about it.
6) Britney prefers Margherita pizza to thin slice or deep dish pizza. What's your pizza preference?
A. Deep dish, but I haven't had pizza in probably 6 months or longer. Ulcers, you know.
7) In 2011, when this song was popular, Prince William's wedding to Kate Middleton was big news. Are you a royal watcher?
A. No.
8) Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died in 2011. Do you have a Mac, and iPad or an iPhone?
A. I have an iPod around here somewhere, but that's about it for Apple products.
9) Random question: Which friend annoys you more, the one who interrupts you all the time, or the one who is never on time?
A. I think they are both frustrating, but the one who interrupts is probably the most problematic. Actually, I am not sure *I* am not the friend who interrupts, at least with one of my friends. I try not to do that, though. And I am always either a little early or on time. I hate being late. I think it is disrespectful.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Friday, November 04, 2016
Review: Skyrim ReMastered
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition also called Skyrim: Remastered
Bethesda last week rolled out an improved version of Skyrim, its most popular role playing game. It is the fifth in the Elder Scrolls series. I have played Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim, but not the first two.
Skyrim is set in a world where there be dragons, and you are, should you choose to be, the Dragonborn, and thus the dragon slayer.
The thing about Skyrim, as well as other video games, is there is a story line. Most non-players do not understand that. It's not just shoot and kill, shoot and kill. There is a plot. There are morals (or not, your choice). The Elder Scrolls games in particular are immersive and non-linear, meaning you can roam about a detailed countryside, sit down in a bar and have a beer, and create your own story line if you want by simply ignoring the quests and storyline offered. (Some of the storylines need to be ignored - they are obviously written by 20-year-old boys who have spent too much time in their mother's basement.)
I have over 1,000 hours in the original Skyrim, which was released five years ago. Of course, some of that has been recovery time from my health issues, so it's time I may have spent at work or elsewhere had I been well. But I digress.
Skyrim: Remastered is a better graphic version of Skyrim released five years ago. However, for PC users, it isn't much of an improvement. Fortunately, Bethesda released it for free to PC users - but other platforms have to purchase it.
Is it better? Sure. I suspect on a console, it is fantastic. I do not have a huge gaming computer, so I have to play on low-level graphics anyway, and even with that limitation, the graphics are better. There is no change in game play, though. The easter eggs remain, the ways to get things that are kind of cheats (but not) remain - and the dialogue is still screwed up in places. (I know this because I'm up to a level 19 character with 14 hours in the last week.)
Seriously, guys, if you were going to all of that trouble to re-release the game and call it "remastered," couldn't you have fixed the dialogue in Riften so that Bolli and the guy in the Pawned Prawn aren't married to the same woman? And couldn't that the quest in the Riften Hall of the Dead send you to the right place initially, not to Windhelm instead of Whiterun, where you are supposed to go? How could you re-release this game and not make those simple fixes? You're a big gaming company. Do you not have a proof reader or copy editor or something?
So far I have only played the vanilla version of Skyrim: Remastered. In the initial version, I generally played vanilla first and then attached a few mods, mostly multiple followers and a bat file that kept all of my NPCs from being killed by master vampires early in the game. I like having more than one follower - they are good for hauling loot and watching my back. And I hate it when my NPCs die. There aren't that many of them to begin with.
I have a tendency to create my own story line and immerse myself in the game world, looking at every shelf, reading all the books, building the houses - and it is good to have someone tackle the bandit who slips up on you from time to time.
That's the thing about Skyrim. It is a great interactive world. The AI is a bit long in the tooth as far as the NPCs go, but overall, it's very easy to say, "I'm going to play for 30 minutes" and two hours later you're wondering what happened and why you're still hunting for that darned dragon priest.
Bethesda now needs to put out Elder Scrolls VI, and move forward. Skyrim is having its second go-round - according to Facebook there are 180,000 people talking about it right now - but I am ready for a new story. I don't want to play online with other people. I want another game like this one, but with a new plot and a new land. Nirn (the world of the Elder Scrolls) is a big place. Let's explore more of it.
To answer an oft-asked question, yes, I am a female who plays video games. I have played video games since there were video games. I started out with Pong and moved on. I have a huge box full of 3.5 disks with most of the ID Software games, and I have all of the Age of Empire games, all of The Sims games, and I loved Might & Magic in all of its incarnations. And let's not forget Commander Keen, Wolfenstein, Myst, King's Quest (all of them), Fable, Dungeon Quest, and even NASCAR.
I do not play games that require me to interact with other people, because in my experience, it is hard to find other female players, and many guys are jerks. I know they're not all jerks, but the majority are, and I choose not to subject myself to that.
How many women play video games these days? And by that, I mean role playing games or online character games. Not just Words with Friends or Angry Birds. I play things like that, too, but those are different from an immersive RPG.
Bethesda last week rolled out an improved version of Skyrim, its most popular role playing game. It is the fifth in the Elder Scrolls series. I have played Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim, but not the first two.
Skyrim is set in a world where there be dragons, and you are, should you choose to be, the Dragonborn, and thus the dragon slayer.
The thing about Skyrim, as well as other video games, is there is a story line. Most non-players do not understand that. It's not just shoot and kill, shoot and kill. There is a plot. There are morals (or not, your choice). The Elder Scrolls games in particular are immersive and non-linear, meaning you can roam about a detailed countryside, sit down in a bar and have a beer, and create your own story line if you want by simply ignoring the quests and storyline offered. (Some of the storylines need to be ignored - they are obviously written by 20-year-old boys who have spent too much time in their mother's basement.)
I have over 1,000 hours in the original Skyrim, which was released five years ago. Of course, some of that has been recovery time from my health issues, so it's time I may have spent at work or elsewhere had I been well. But I digress.
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| Skyrim 2015 |
Skyrim: Remastered is a better graphic version of Skyrim released five years ago. However, for PC users, it isn't much of an improvement. Fortunately, Bethesda released it for free to PC users - but other platforms have to purchase it.
Is it better? Sure. I suspect on a console, it is fantastic. I do not have a huge gaming computer, so I have to play on low-level graphics anyway, and even with that limitation, the graphics are better. There is no change in game play, though. The easter eggs remain, the ways to get things that are kind of cheats (but not) remain - and the dialogue is still screwed up in places. (I know this because I'm up to a level 19 character with 14 hours in the last week.)
Seriously, guys, if you were going to all of that trouble to re-release the game and call it "remastered," couldn't you have fixed the dialogue in Riften so that Bolli and the guy in the Pawned Prawn aren't married to the same woman? And couldn't that the quest in the Riften Hall of the Dead send you to the right place initially, not to Windhelm instead of Whiterun, where you are supposed to go? How could you re-release this game and not make those simple fixes? You're a big gaming company. Do you not have a proof reader or copy editor or something?
So far I have only played the vanilla version of Skyrim: Remastered. In the initial version, I generally played vanilla first and then attached a few mods, mostly multiple followers and a bat file that kept all of my NPCs from being killed by master vampires early in the game. I like having more than one follower - they are good for hauling loot and watching my back. And I hate it when my NPCs die. There aren't that many of them to begin with.
I have a tendency to create my own story line and immerse myself in the game world, looking at every shelf, reading all the books, building the houses - and it is good to have someone tackle the bandit who slips up on you from time to time.
That's the thing about Skyrim. It is a great interactive world. The AI is a bit long in the tooth as far as the NPCs go, but overall, it's very easy to say, "I'm going to play for 30 minutes" and two hours later you're wondering what happened and why you're still hunting for that darned dragon priest.
Bethesda now needs to put out Elder Scrolls VI, and move forward. Skyrim is having its second go-round - according to Facebook there are 180,000 people talking about it right now - but I am ready for a new story. I don't want to play online with other people. I want another game like this one, but with a new plot and a new land. Nirn (the world of the Elder Scrolls) is a big place. Let's explore more of it.
****
To answer an oft-asked question, yes, I am a female who plays video games. I have played video games since there were video games. I started out with Pong and moved on. I have a huge box full of 3.5 disks with most of the ID Software games, and I have all of the Age of Empire games, all of The Sims games, and I loved Might & Magic in all of its incarnations. And let's not forget Commander Keen, Wolfenstein, Myst, King's Quest (all of them), Fable, Dungeon Quest, and even NASCAR.
I do not play games that require me to interact with other people, because in my experience, it is hard to find other female players, and many guys are jerks. I know they're not all jerks, but the majority are, and I choose not to subject myself to that.
How many women play video games these days? And by that, I mean role playing games or online character games. Not just Words with Friends or Angry Birds. I play things like that, too, but those are different from an immersive RPG.
Thursday, November 03, 2016
Thursday Thirteen
These are the results of a study that compared women’s and men’s beliefs in paranormal phenomenon like witchcraft, aliens, ghosts and folklore. Do you think these statistics are true? (The test is online here; the results are from more than 11,000 people who have taken the test.)
1. 78% of women (compared to 51% of men) believe that we are meant to cross paths with certain people. Women were also more likely to believe in soul-mates (63% vs. 43%) and destiny (61% vs. 42%).
2. 39% of men believe that the Bermuda triangle poses a danger to ships and airplanes (compared to 26% of women).
3. 65% of women (compared to 49% of men) think that certain people are destined for greatness.
4. 43% of men consider it entirely possible that aliens have either already landed on Earth or will do so in the future (compared to 36% of women)
5. 71% of women (compared to 56% of men) trust that there is life after death.
6. 70% of men have no doubt that there is life on other planets (compared to 58% of women).
7. 72% of women (compared to 52% of men) believe in ghosts.
8. 26% of men believe in Big Foot (compared to 22% of women)
9. 66% of women (compared to 47% of men) feel that the future can be predicted and that prophecies can come true.
10. 18% of men believe in alien abductions (compared to 14% of women)
11. 48% of women (compared to 30% of men) believe that they have had several past lives.
12. 40% of men believe in the conspiracy theory that governments are hiding proof of alien existence (compared to 36% of women).
13. 67% of women (compared to 52% of men) believe what goes around comes around, and that people will get back what they give to the world (e.g. angry, hostile people are more likely to live in an angry, hostile world).
An equal amount of men and women believe in the Loch Ness monster (36%), and that the world will end in an apocalypse of Biblical proportions (21%).
(These results were sent to me in a press release from Queendom.com and Psychtests.com.)
____________
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 472nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
1. 78% of women (compared to 51% of men) believe that we are meant to cross paths with certain people. Women were also more likely to believe in soul-mates (63% vs. 43%) and destiny (61% vs. 42%).
3. 65% of women (compared to 49% of men) think that certain people are destined for greatness.
4. 43% of men consider it entirely possible that aliens have either already landed on Earth or will do so in the future (compared to 36% of women)5. 71% of women (compared to 56% of men) trust that there is life after death.
6. 70% of men have no doubt that there is life on other planets (compared to 58% of women).
8. 26% of men believe in Big Foot (compared to 22% of women)
9. 66% of women (compared to 47% of men) feel that the future can be predicted and that prophecies can come true.
10. 18% of men believe in alien abductions (compared to 14% of women)
11. 48% of women (compared to 30% of men) believe that they have had several past lives.
12. 40% of men believe in the conspiracy theory that governments are hiding proof of alien existence (compared to 36% of women).13. 67% of women (compared to 52% of men) believe what goes around comes around, and that people will get back what they give to the world (e.g. angry, hostile people are more likely to live in an angry, hostile world).
An equal amount of men and women believe in the Loch Ness monster (36%), and that the world will end in an apocalypse of Biblical proportions (21%).
(These results were sent to me in a press release from Queendom.com and Psychtests.com.)
____________
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 472nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, November 02, 2016
Books: X
X
By Sue Grafton
Copyright 2016
Read by Judy Kaye
Unabridged Audio
13 1/2 hours
I have read or listened to all of Sue Grafton's novels. The last couple have left me wondering what she was doing. Stretching her wings as a writer, I suppose. Unfortunately, all of this flapping has left Kinsey Milhone, the much-loved female detective of the alphabet series, a bit lost.
In X, Grafton has three subplots going, but no main plot. Even my husband, who listened to the first part of this book with me on our drive to Pennsylvania and back in September, noted the lack of a plot. Trust me, he is no book connoisseur, and if he noticed, then there was no plot.
Apparently as the series winds down, Grafton wants to bring back old characters - I know she brought up the name of several minor characters throughout this book - and I felt like she was trying to wrap up not only the books but her story world, too.
Maybe Kinsey will find some other way to fill her time by the time we hit the final two books.
In this story, a betrayed spouse outwits Kinsey by pretending she's someone she's not in order to steal a valuable painting from the former husband. The new folks who have moved in next door to Kinsey and Henry do not seem to be who they say they are. Kinsey has a banker's box with an envelope in it that seems to mean something, but she's not sure.
The latter subplot was probably meant to be the real mystery, but there wasn't enough meat on that story to make a book. It also ended with a thud. I will say no more in case you want to read the story.
The reviews on Amazon are all over the place on this one - some people give it a four, some give it a two. I don't think it was one of Grafton's best novels, by any stretch of the imagination, and I think she is searching for a way to wrap up this series. She started writing it in 1982 and with the last books staring her in the face, she has to be wondering what's next. This book felt like a writer wandering, trying to figure out what's next.
I also thought Kinsey did a few things in this book that a good, ethical detective would not have done, and that bothered me.
Of course I will read the next books, just like I plodded through Janet Evanovich's bad books in the teens of the Stephanie Plum series (though I admit I am a few books behind on that now).
If you've never read Grafton's books, go back and start at the beginning. If you pick up with X, you will be lost and left wondering what all the fuss is about.
By Sue Grafton
Copyright 2016
Read by Judy Kaye
Unabridged Audio
13 1/2 hours
I have read or listened to all of Sue Grafton's novels. The last couple have left me wondering what she was doing. Stretching her wings as a writer, I suppose. Unfortunately, all of this flapping has left Kinsey Milhone, the much-loved female detective of the alphabet series, a bit lost.
In X, Grafton has three subplots going, but no main plot. Even my husband, who listened to the first part of this book with me on our drive to Pennsylvania and back in September, noted the lack of a plot. Trust me, he is no book connoisseur, and if he noticed, then there was no plot.
Apparently as the series winds down, Grafton wants to bring back old characters - I know she brought up the name of several minor characters throughout this book - and I felt like she was trying to wrap up not only the books but her story world, too.
Maybe Kinsey will find some other way to fill her time by the time we hit the final two books.
In this story, a betrayed spouse outwits Kinsey by pretending she's someone she's not in order to steal a valuable painting from the former husband. The new folks who have moved in next door to Kinsey and Henry do not seem to be who they say they are. Kinsey has a banker's box with an envelope in it that seems to mean something, but she's not sure.
The latter subplot was probably meant to be the real mystery, but there wasn't enough meat on that story to make a book. It also ended with a thud. I will say no more in case you want to read the story.
The reviews on Amazon are all over the place on this one - some people give it a four, some give it a two. I don't think it was one of Grafton's best novels, by any stretch of the imagination, and I think she is searching for a way to wrap up this series. She started writing it in 1982 and with the last books staring her in the face, she has to be wondering what's next. This book felt like a writer wandering, trying to figure out what's next.
I also thought Kinsey did a few things in this book that a good, ethical detective would not have done, and that bothered me.
Of course I will read the next books, just like I plodded through Janet Evanovich's bad books in the teens of the Stephanie Plum series (though I admit I am a few books behind on that now).
If you've never read Grafton's books, go back and start at the beginning. If you pick up with X, you will be lost and left wondering what all the fuss is about.
The Music Used to Make Me Smile
But that was before everyone became so damn sensitive and apparently everything offends somebody.
For example, the non-existent "war on Christmas" is already occurring in my FB feed, so please note that Bing Crosby was singing "Happy Holidays" over 50 years ago, and the word "holiday" has been around since Chaucer and it means "holy day." It isn't "politically correct" or anything else to say it.
Just say what you want and stop buying into the news-media-manufactured B.S. surrounding Christmas and don't take offense when someone is being nice.
They could tell you to "F&ck off" instead of happy holidays, or just push you down in the store aisle to get that last TV or whatever.
Be kind, and accept the kindness. When did we all become so sensitive? Geez. Get over yourselves.
Today's Roanoke Times lead story on the election started out "Clinton" and when it mentioned Donald Trump it simply said "Trump." No first names, no context, nothing. If space is so short that the story could not read "Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee for President" and "Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for President," then chop from the bottom or rewrite. I realize 9/10 of the population probably knows who these people are, but there are still some folks out there who seldom read or are just catching up. Bad journalism - bad writing - all the way around.
****************************************************************
Today's Roanoke Times lead story on the election started out "Clinton" and when it mentioned Donald Trump it simply said "Trump." No first names, no context, nothing. If space is so short that the story could not read "Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee for President" and "Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for President," then chop from the bottom or rewrite. I realize 9/10 of the population probably knows who these people are, but there are still some folks out there who seldom read or are just catching up. Bad journalism - bad writing - all the way around.
Monday, October 31, 2016
The Year Without An Autumn
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| The gap on 10/29/2016. I enhanced the photo to get a little color. |
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| Unit 2, as my neighbor calls this field, with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background. |
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| A closer look at the mountains. The house you can see belongs to my father. Computer enhanced. |
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| Had to use a little computer magic to make it look like there was any color at all on those mountains. |
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| My father's house, pulled in with a long lens and messed with in the computer. His house is directly opposite my house. I took this picture standing on the highest point of the hay field that is in between us. |
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| Turning around, you see my driveway. But my house is hidden behind the trees. |
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| Look! Some orange. |
We are still not having an Autumn, and here it is Halloween. Seems to me that by now the colors should be brilliant and starting to fade, but I think this year the leaves are simply going to fall from the trees. We are having unseasonably warm weather and I think the plants are confused. I never realized how much I looked forward to the colors of Fall until now, when they are not there.
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