Any reality shows you still watch? I still like Top Chef. I’m not exactly sure why as I never eat this kind of fancy food and I haven’t even heard of half of it.
Out of the blue, I got a Whatsapp message yesterday from a guy I used to know in Singapore. Mutual friends, so we ended up hanging out together. A lot. He is a prick, so I avoided talking to him when I could. So it's been a good 5 years since I talked to him. I've gotten calls before and all of them are asking me about repatriating back to the US.
We set up a meeting and he tells me that he's thinking of moving permanently back to the US, specifically close to where I live. I give him the pros and cons, especially that the area doesn't have any securities industry. He's slurring and its late in Singapore, so he's probably drunk.
He says that he is actually thinking of retiring here, so the jobs is less important. Then he lets me know that, even though he's calling from a Singapore phone number, he's actually in town. He's by himself at his parents house. And he's just had surgery on his shoulder after he shattered it.
I was like "how'd you do that?"
He says he broke it when he fell full force on it when he had a gran mal seizure on account of his brain tumor. I was like "oh shit". He was then "yeah, they did surgery on it and cut as much of it out when they thought it was still benign. I realize that he's slurring because of the brain cancer.
I stop talking as my brain processes what he said. "Glioblastoma?", I ask.
"Yeah", he says.
It then hits me with a horror that I've never experienced before in my life. He's not retiring. He's coming back to die near his family. I already about glioblastomas. Median survival time is 13 months and odds are not good.
I talk with him for a bit more, but my stomach is churning as I'm putting it all together. He said he was alone, but he had a wife and kids - so he must have gotten divorced. And him reaching out to me info gathering is not the real reason - he's already made the decision. He's reaching out to me because he wants to talk and doesn't want to die alone. But I don't like him and I beg off the call as I am freaking out because I'm talking to a dead man.
I have been in scary situations, but that is the one and only time I experienced horror. I was shook up yesterday and it's been on my mind all night and today.
What a bizarre experience and feeling to have, and I hope you're able to have some peace of mind now. This is a weird time to say this, but you're a masterful storyteller.
One of my customers was on the phone with me at 5pm on Friday and was all “oh we haven’t had a chat to chat in a while!” And I was trying to not be too obvious about hanging up because it was quitting time.
How about non-socially distanced get-together? Shanghai is basically re-opened (movie theaters and large concerts being the last things that aren't allowed)
Mrs Slug and I had a socially distanced gathering on Mother's Day weekend at the family cabin in Sonoma County with CJ and his gf, Elle. It's very weird to be in the same space and not hug on greeting.
Double D would have been there except he's quite worried about inadvertently exposing Mrs Slug to the novel coronavirus; she's immuno-suppressed.
We do SD hiking weekly, masks on and everything. Just need an excuse to get out and talk to people. Usually, it's pretty safe with everyone staying away and staying covered. You still see the groups just running around without a care, though.
Yes, we’ve had a few “sit spaces around a fire pit” get togethers with neighbors. Our daughters left one because they thought the old people were doing a shitty job of staying spaced.
I've seen families setup chairs in a large circle in a couple of the courts when I go out for a run. I imagine I'll see more of these as it warms up. I've also seen groups of cars/SUVs backed up in a circle with their hatches up and people sitting in the back in the shopping center.
yes. neighbors are starting to "loosen up" a bit so we had a drink w/ some neighbors Sat night in the backyard. donuts and coffee Sun morning w/ some others.
the good thing is that w/ the weather getting nicer, people seem willing to do the 6 ft apart thing in each others backyards.
not sure if you have Duck Donuts where you are. but our local micro-brewery will deliver 2 x 32-oz crowlers of beer and 2 donuts for no extra charge. makes for a delicious Sunday brunch.
Duck Donuts is great. We have 3 within a 15 minute drive. They deliver. Also, the original in Duck NC is not too far away. Great donuts. Fancy with lots of choices without going over-the-top stunt donuts like Fruity Pebbles 'n shit.
Yes, we had a rooftop happy hour on Friday, which was nice. On Saturday I visited a friend at his house and we ate burritos six feet away from each other on his porch steps.
Just finished last night "If You Tell: A True Story of Murder and Family Secrets." The story is completely WTF, but I did not feel it was told in a compelling way.
Probably starting American Spy tonight.
"It’s 1986, the heart of the Cold War, and Marie Mitchell is an intelligence officer with the FBI. She’s brilliant, but she’s also a young black woman working in an old boys’ club. Her career has stalled out, she’s overlooked for every high-profile squad, and her days are filled with monotonous paperwork. So when she’s given the opportunity to join a shadowy task force aimed at undermining Thomas Sankara, the charismatic revolutionary president of Burkina Faso whose Communist ideology has made him a target for American intervention, she says yes. Yes, even though she secretly admires the work Sankara is doing for his country. Yes, even though she is still grieving the mysterious death of her sister, whose example led Marie to this career path in the first place. Yes, even though a furious part of her suspects she’s being offered the job because of her appearance and not her talent.
In the year that follows, Marie will observe Sankara, seduce him, and ultimately have a hand in the coup that will bring him down. But doing so will change everything she believes about what it means to be a spy, a lover, a sister, and a good American.
Inspired by true events—Thomas Sankara is known as “Africa’s Che Guevara”—American Spy knits together a gripping spy thriller, a heartbreaking family drama, and a passionate romance. This is a face of the Cold War you’ve never seen before, and it introduces a powerful new literary voice."
I've been using Goodreads to keep track of what I've read, and always kept it private because I'm not really interested in the social media aspect of the platform. After I read a book, I do check out some of the reviews to see if other people enjoyed/disliked the same bits I did and to see if there are insights and dimensions that I missed. Still, I've always viewed Goodreads reviews the way I view Yelp reviews--unless I actually know a particular user's track record, I don't know that their tastes align with my tastes.
checking out LibraryThing. i dont really use the review features that much.
the one thing i sort of like about Goodreads is that since my other friends are on it, i can see what they are reading to get a pulse of the world around me even if they are not necessarily books i would read. there are some occasions that someone else's reading list inspires me to put it on my list.
Just finished Art of Happiness and and close to the end of Molokai, which is an interesting read during quarantine since it's all about people being isolated in Kalaupapa on Molokai due to Hansen's disease circa ~1895-1950
I enjoyed Moloka'i, but decided to hold off on reading Daughter of Moloka'i because I didn't want to cry anymore, and I knew there would be more trauma coming! Do you think you'll be reading it?
I didn't know there was a sequel, I'm guessing it's about Ruth and her life in California? I've really enjoyed the book, but like you said, I don't know if I need to read through more trauma.
"Leadership in Turbulent Times" D. K. Goodwin - I've liked quite a few of her books, but this seems a bit of a re-tread and somewhat disappointing. Prior to that, re-read "The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" - Hornfischer, a blood and guts recounting of part of the Battle of the Philippine Sea - overall excellent book. Prior to that "Tales of the South Pacific", which was quite good.
Finished Wind-Up Bird Chronicles, trying to start Gravity's Rainbow. It's very dense and wordy though, Pynchon's writing is not nearly the kind of page-turning stuff as Murakami (who is turning into one of my favorites).
I watched Inherent Vice back when it came out. Didn't understand it at all. Then I read Inherent Vice in Bangkok during the first part of Covid-19. Didn't understand it all.
Then I re-watched Inherent Vice a few weeks ago - and I understood both the book and movie a lot better on my third pass through the material.
The ending was a little unsettled (felt like it could have kept on going tbh), but the world of the story was an interesting place to be. Murakami seems to have a thing for these unmoored, brooding, slackery male protagonists and mysterious, almost magical women.
Baseball cap. Hiking shoes or boots in the city. Wicking hiking clothes (including pants that have lower legs that zip off.) multi-pocket vests. Large daypack. College sports team wear.
College sports team wear is a good one. I try to wear Cal gear when I have a day to explore a city. I was wearing a script Cal shirt and I think I got a Go Bears in Paris but I had my headphones in and didn't really realize it until after the person had walked past.
I presume the technically advanced hiking clothes & gear are only an issue in a setting where they are excessive or superfluous, not if actually in a hiking/trails/outdoor situation?
They can wear what they want. I’m just saying that if you’re geared up for Alpine hiking in the Uffizi gallery, odds are you’re a middle aged or retired American tourist.
Son is interested in fashion. I bought a good sewing machine off Craigslist today. I want him to know that fashion is 100% sitting at a sewing machine and 0% the runway shows he watches on reality TV. This will be a $300 investment in career education. If he likes it, great - then he's following his passion. If it goes unused, at least I have a way of creating the WFC banner for TCU & Notre Dame.
My wife wanted to make a birthday dinner for me since she knows that I'm a foodie. Then she started stressing out and ended up throwing money at the problem. She hired a James Beard-award winning chef to make us dinner on a take-out basis (3 meals x 4 people). Ordered and picked them up this weekend. We unbox them and one can see that there's a label on the boxes that isn't her restaurant. It's her catering arm. Food was mostly inedible. Wife was so disappointed.
In general, I like and watch Top Chef, though I have all the episodes of this current season on my DVR and have yet to watch any. I also enjoy most HGTV renovation shows, excepting the fucking Property Brothers.
Someone in the house watches Real Housewives of Atlanta and New York, but I don’t. Diner, Drive Ins and Dives has a recent cvd19 twist that is interesting. Also like Check Please.
I did see one of Guy Fieri's shows, not sure which one, where he had chefs send ingredients and he would make each dish and try them out and declare a winner. It was an interesting concept. The one dish I caught was an Alaskan Asian restaurant (Chinese maybe) and the chef sent over the ingredients.
Pretty much none in any regular fashion. It occurs to me that watching reality shows for me used to be based on the old "channel flipping" model of watching things, rather than the current streaming/DVR model where you actively plan what you want to watch. Reality shows just don't make the cut if I'm doing that.
Zero, and I kind of hate the general concept - but that said, watched the original Iron Chef, and occasionally the Amazing Race (which we all agreed me & my son would make an entertaining team for that show)
I watch the various Gold mining shows and various home renovation shows as backup noise while I work. The Missus watches shitty stuff like 90 day fiance
I don't normally watch reality shows, but if it's on I don't mind watching most of the cooking ones. I saw an episode of Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman's craft show "Making It" once during the lockdown, it was cute.
There was this one reality show I really liked several years ago about an airline flying old WWI and WWII-era aircraft up in the Northwest Territories of Canada, but that went off the air several year ago.
I don't think I watch any of them anymore. I do remember watching the first few years of Real World, the original Iron Chef (in Japan starting without the English subtitles and dubbing) on Channel 26 or maybe it was 66, Trading Spaces.
recently, i have only really ever watched w/ my kids as a way to spend time w/ them. things like Chopped, Shark Tank, Great British Baking Invasion or whatever it was called.
I was exposed to the British baking outside in a tent deal, but when you can't taste the finished product or try to make it from the recipe, I don't see the point. Plus, its British, and one can only take so much British.
It's funny, I generally like Brit sensibility, but they can also be a bit insufferable, so at times it's a bit much. I really do enjoy British shows and films in the right doses though.
Also the guy that played Chairman Kaga, the host, was also the Japanese Jean Valjean. He showed up in the 10th anniversary concert when they had Jean Valjeans from all over the world show up. I saw that and recognized him.
I don't think I've watched any of the new cooking reality shows. Quite a few of those types of show were ones that the ex watched and I watched with her. Some I got into, others I just watched because she wanted to watch, like America's Next Top Model and the Heidi Klum clothing designer show.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom later said sports could resume without fans in his state as soon as the "first week or so of June."
Speaking at his daily news conference, Newsom said sports could return "without spectators and with modification and very prescriptive conditions" if the number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the state continue to decrease.
"A South Korean soccer club’s attempt to fill empty stands at its stadium with mannequins backfired when fans watching online reported that the dummies were in fact sex dolls.
FC Seoul officials installed the dolls in a bid to make the stadium look less empty during its first match of the K League season against Gwangju FC on Sunday. Because of coronavirus restrictions, fans were not allowed to attend the game but were able to watch on television.
The dolls, sporting face masks, were displayed in a variety of positions, some seated and some standing. Many of them posed with their hands in their air and wore the club’s official uniform. In total, there were 30 mannequins — 25 of them female and five of them male, according to the BBC.
But while social media erupted over sex-doll allegations, officials said they believed the dummies to be “premium mannequins” — despite being produced by Dalkom, a company known for producing adult products and sex toys."
"FC Seoul official Lee Ji-hoon admitted that while the dolls had a “very human” resemblance, it did not occur to him that they could be sex dolls.
Taking to Instagram, the club said it was “sorry” for the mix-up, adding that its intention had been to “create some fun” for those unable to attend the match during such a difficult period. “The problem was that we failed to check the details properly, which is our fault,” the club said."
It was very well-done for what it is. I know some people (like Ken Burns) have criticized it for having its subject on as a producer and thus not being able to tell the whole story, but that's what it took to get the thing made. It's not going to be the kind of thorough journalistic doc that Burns does.
Man in the High Castle - started watching w/ 16 yr old. she is just finishing up a year of AP History which she kind of hates. but hopefully something that weaves in a little history will help.
I'm not sure how many know about it but it's John Krazinski's youtube show he started 8 weeks ago to bring good news to the people. Each week he has a heartwarming story and has guests on the show. I need to stop chopping onions when I'm watching.
I also did see Patriot Act is back. I haven't watched the episodes yet so I'm not sure if they were episodes he filmed before quarantine or if he did some sort of quarantine audience.
FET
Out of the blue, I got a Whatsapp message yesterday from a guy I used to know in Singapore. Mutual friends, so we ended up hanging out together. A lot. He is a prick, so I avoided talking to him when I could. So it's been a good 5 years since I talked to him. I've gotten calls before and all of them are asking me about repatriating back to the US.
We set up a meeting and he tells me that he's thinking of moving permanently back to the US, specifically close to where I live. I give him the pros and cons, especially that the area doesn't have any securities industry. He's slurring and its late in Singapore, so he's probably drunk.
He says that he is actually thinking of retiring here, so the jobs is less important. Then he lets me know that, even though he's calling from a Singapore phone number, he's actually in town. He's by himself at his parents house. And he's just had surgery on his shoulder after he shattered it.
I was like "how'd you do that?"
He says he broke it when he fell full force on it when he had a gran mal seizure on account of his brain tumor. I was like "oh shit". He was then "yeah, they did surgery on it and cut as much of it out when they thought it was still benign. I realize that he's slurring because of the brain cancer.
I stop talking as my brain processes what he said. "Glioblastoma?", I ask.
"Yeah", he says.
It then hits me with a horror that I've never experienced before in my life. He's not retiring. He's coming back to die near his family. I already about glioblastomas. Median survival time is 13 months and odds are not good.
I talk with him for a bit more, but my stomach is churning as I'm putting it all together. He said he was alone, but he had a wife and kids - so he must have gotten divorced. And him reaching out to me info gathering is not the real reason - he's already made the decision. He's reaching out to me because he wants to talk and doesn't want to die alone. But I don't like him and I beg off the call as I am freaking out because I'm talking to a dead man.
I have been in scary situations, but that is the one and only time I experienced horror. I was shook up yesterday and it's been on my mind all night and today.
What a bizarre experience and feeling to have, and I hope you're able to have some peace of mind now. This is a weird time to say this, but you're a masterful storyteller.
you've had a rough ride the past 3 months, my man
That's certainly shocking, I guess the only upside is that he wasn't a good friend.
Damn...that's brutal. I assume his wife and kids are still in Singapore?
That would shake anyone I think.
Yikes, that's certainly a depressing phone call to get. Isn't glioblastoma the thing that both John McCain and Beau Biden had? :-/
Have you had a socially-distanced get-together with friends?
I call it 'going to work'
One of my customers was on the phone with me at 5pm on Friday and was all “oh we haven’t had a chat to chat in a while!” And I was trying to not be too obvious about hanging up because it was quitting time.
How about non-socially distanced get-together? Shanghai is basically re-opened (movie theaters and large concerts being the last things that aren't allowed)
Mrs Slug and I had a socially distanced gathering on Mother's Day weekend at the family cabin in Sonoma County with CJ and his gf, Elle. It's very weird to be in the same space and not hug on greeting.
Double D would have been there except he's quite worried about inadvertently exposing Mrs Slug to the novel coronavirus; she's immuno-suppressed.
We do SD hiking weekly, masks on and everything. Just need an excuse to get out and talk to people. Usually, it's pretty safe with everyone staying away and staying covered. You still see the groups just running around without a care, though.
We've seen my in-laws in their backyards and have gone a couple of walks with friends where we stay distanced and masked.
Yes, we’ve had a few “sit spaces around a fire pit” get togethers with neighbors. Our daughters left one because they thought the old people were doing a shitty job of staying spaced.
I've seen families setup chairs in a large circle in a couple of the courts when I go out for a run. I imagine I'll see more of these as it warms up. I've also seen groups of cars/SUVs backed up in a circle with their hatches up and people sitting in the back in the shopping center.
The local teens are doing the “cars in the parking lot” move at the local high school
This was our move in high school - before social distancing. Cars in the In-N-Out parking lot
there is a game for that where you "setup chairs in a large circle".
called duck-duck-goose.
so should I run around the circle patting them on the head and yelling duck-duck?
if you are already on a run they are unlikely to catch you.
Unfortunately my out of shape legs disagree with you.
yes. neighbors are starting to "loosen up" a bit so we had a drink w/ some neighbors Sat night in the backyard. donuts and coffee Sun morning w/ some others.
the good thing is that w/ the weather getting nicer, people seem willing to do the 6 ft apart thing in each others backyards.
not sure if you have Duck Donuts where you are. but our local micro-brewery will deliver 2 x 32-oz crowlers of beer and 2 donuts for no extra charge. makes for a delicious Sunday brunch.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_-OJYgpD4K/
Duck Donuts is great. We have 3 within a 15 minute drive. They deliver. Also, the original in Duck NC is not too far away. Great donuts. Fancy with lots of choices without going over-the-top stunt donuts like Fruity Pebbles 'n shit.
Yes, we had a rooftop happy hour on Friday, which was nice. On Saturday I visited a friend at his house and we ate burritos six feet away from each other on his porch steps.
That was fun, I think people needed that.
oh now I want a burrito...
me too
Just the DBD zoom calls.
Whaddya reading now?
I'm partway through 3 books:
1. Football Scouting Methods by Steve Belichick (Bill's dad)
2. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
3. Cúrate. A cookbook by Katie Button of her recipes for her main restaurant
I have a stack of books that remains as undisturbed as before the shelter in place orders were issued.
Just finished: Beastie Boys Book. Patriot Number One.
In the middle of: Trick Mirror, Briarpatch
Just starting: The Three Body Problem.
Loved the Three Body Problem. Such a different take from American sci-fi. I read all three in the series.
Just finished last night "If You Tell: A True Story of Murder and Family Secrets." The story is completely WTF, but I did not feel it was told in a compelling way.
Probably starting American Spy tonight.
"It’s 1986, the heart of the Cold War, and Marie Mitchell is an intelligence officer with the FBI. She’s brilliant, but she’s also a young black woman working in an old boys’ club. Her career has stalled out, she’s overlooked for every high-profile squad, and her days are filled with monotonous paperwork. So when she’s given the opportunity to join a shadowy task force aimed at undermining Thomas Sankara, the charismatic revolutionary president of Burkina Faso whose Communist ideology has made him a target for American intervention, she says yes. Yes, even though she secretly admires the work Sankara is doing for his country. Yes, even though she is still grieving the mysterious death of her sister, whose example led Marie to this career path in the first place. Yes, even though a furious part of her suspects she’s being offered the job because of her appearance and not her talent.
In the year that follows, Marie will observe Sankara, seduce him, and ultimately have a hand in the coup that will bring him down. But doing so will change everything she believes about what it means to be a spy, a lover, a sister, and a good American.
Inspired by true events—Thomas Sankara is known as “Africa’s Che Guevara”—American Spy knits together a gripping spy thriller, a heartbreaking family drama, and a passionate romance. This is a face of the Cold War you’ve never seen before, and it introduces a powerful new literary voice."
"Miles" The Miles Davis autobiography
Just finished Storm Front. Debating how deep I want to get in the series.
To Mars with Love by Pat Straat
I've been using Goodreads to keep track of what I've read, and always kept it private because I'm not really interested in the social media aspect of the platform. After I read a book, I do check out some of the reviews to see if other people enjoyed/disliked the same bits I did and to see if there are insights and dimensions that I missed. Still, I've always viewed Goodreads reviews the way I view Yelp reviews--unless I actually know a particular user's track record, I don't know that their tastes align with my tastes.
I came across this thread about the problematic aspects of Goodreads, and someone in the replies suggested LibraryThing, so I ported over my list and am slowly adding the dates that I read the books: https://twitter.com/Claribel_Ortega/status/1261853649015373824?s=20
Yelp is the worst. it is worse than no reviews and random guessing
Except when yelp says nice things about me, then it's the best.
checking out LibraryThing. i dont really use the review features that much.
the one thing i sort of like about Goodreads is that since my other friends are on it, i can see what they are reading to get a pulse of the world around me even if they are not necessarily books i would read. there are some occasions that someone else's reading list inspires me to put it on my list.
Just finished Art of Happiness and and close to the end of Molokai, which is an interesting read during quarantine since it's all about people being isolated in Kalaupapa on Molokai due to Hansen's disease circa ~1895-1950
I enjoyed Moloka'i, but decided to hold off on reading Daughter of Moloka'i because I didn't want to cry anymore, and I knew there would be more trauma coming! Do you think you'll be reading it?
I didn't know there was a sequel, I'm guessing it's about Ruth and her life in California? I've really enjoyed the book, but like you said, I don't know if I need to read through more trauma.
YUP
"Leadership in Turbulent Times" D. K. Goodwin - I've liked quite a few of her books, but this seems a bit of a re-tread and somewhat disappointing. Prior to that, re-read "The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" - Hornfischer, a blood and guts recounting of part of the Battle of the Philippine Sea - overall excellent book. Prior to that "Tales of the South Pacific", which was quite good.
just finished
- Trick Mirrior (highly recommended)
a couple things currently
Tolstoy - the Cossacks
Joseph Campbell - Mythic Imagination
about 5 things lined up behind it ...
Finished Wind-Up Bird Chronicles, trying to start Gravity's Rainbow. It's very dense and wordy though, Pynchon's writing is not nearly the kind of page-turning stuff as Murakami (who is turning into one of my favorites).
I watched Inherent Vice back when it came out. Didn't understand it at all. Then I read Inherent Vice in Bangkok during the first part of Covid-19. Didn't understand it all.
Then I re-watched Inherent Vice a few weeks ago - and I understood both the book and movie a lot better on my third pass through the material.
Wind-Up Bird Chronicles is on my list
The ending was a little unsettled (felt like it could have kept on going tbh), but the world of the story was an interesting place to be. Murakami seems to have a thing for these unmoored, brooding, slackery male protagonists and mysterious, almost magical women.
re-reading a Small Death in Lisbon by Robert Wilson. Brilliant novel
Apart from loud, fat, obnoxious. What are other minor signals that a tourist is American?
dad's that dress like they're about to go golfing.
Baseball cap. Hiking shoes or boots in the city. Wicking hiking clothes (including pants that have lower legs that zip off.) multi-pocket vests. Large daypack. College sports team wear.
"Wicking hiking clothes (including pants that have lower legs that zip off.) multi-pocket vests."
I guess that's like the American version of the Euro matching sweatsuits.
College sports team wear is a good one. I try to wear Cal gear when I have a day to explore a city. I was wearing a script Cal shirt and I think I got a Go Bears in Paris but I had my headphones in and didn't really realize it until after the person had walked past.
I feel like baseball caps have become common enough worldwide that it's no longer an obvious marker.
The rest, though, yeah.
Depends on the cap I’d say, but I take your broader point
I presume the technically advanced hiking clothes & gear are only an issue in a setting where they are excessive or superfluous, not if actually in a hiking/trails/outdoor situation?
They can wear what they want. I’m just saying that if you’re geared up for Alpine hiking in the Uffizi gallery, odds are you’re a middle aged or retired American tourist.
US Sports Jersey or Hat. Otherwise, loud, fat, obnoxious can also be a number of other nationalities.
Sewing
Son is interested in fashion. I bought a good sewing machine off Craigslist today. I want him to know that fashion is 100% sitting at a sewing machine and 0% the runway shows he watches on reality TV. This will be a $300 investment in career education. If he likes it, great - then he's following his passion. If it goes unused, at least I have a way of creating the WFC banner for TCU & Notre Dame.
But the runway shows he watches on reality TV are 90% at a sewing machine! (make it work!)
Always good to have multiple options.
I learned to sew in Home Ec in middle school. Have used it recently doing various things like hemming No 3's baseball pants that were open ended.
we made a chefs hat in the class. that was pretty fun i thought.
aside from learning how to make Baked Alaska
I think I did an apron. In wood shop I did the cutting board. I remember one person made an electric guitar.
Fancy food
My wife wanted to make a birthday dinner for me since she knows that I'm a foodie. Then she started stressing out and ended up throwing money at the problem. She hired a James Beard-award winning chef to make us dinner on a take-out basis (3 meals x 4 people). Ordered and picked them up this weekend. We unbox them and one can see that there's a label on the boxes that isn't her restaurant. It's her catering arm. Food was mostly inedible. Wife was so disappointed.
That sucks
Reality shows you still watch
Only 1 on my current rotation: Great British Bake-Off
do youtube shows count? i watch a lot of Worth It.
In general, I like and watch Top Chef, though I have all the episodes of this current season on my DVR and have yet to watch any. I also enjoy most HGTV renovation shows, excepting the fucking Property Brothers.
Someone in the house watches Real Housewives of Atlanta and New York, but I don’t. Diner, Drive Ins and Dives has a recent cvd19 twist that is interesting. Also like Check Please.
I did see one of Guy Fieri's shows, not sure which one, where he had chefs send ingredients and he would make each dish and try them out and declare a winner. It was an interesting concept. The one dish I caught was an Alaskan Asian restaurant (Chinese maybe) and the chef sent over the ingredients.
That’s the one! The modified triple D.
I would put Check Please and the like in a different category than "Reality Show"
You’re right, but I’d like to let the discussion expand in that direction.
Below Deck (any iteration) on Bravo.
Pretty much none in any regular fashion. It occurs to me that watching reality shows for me used to be based on the old "channel flipping" model of watching things, rather than the current streaming/DVR model where you actively plan what you want to watch. Reality shows just don't make the cut if I'm doing that.
Zero, and I kind of hate the general concept - but that said, watched the original Iron Chef, and occasionally the Amazing Race (which we all agreed me & my son would make an entertaining team for that show)
I watch the various Gold mining shows and various home renovation shows as backup noise while I work. The Missus watches shitty stuff like 90 day fiance
Oh I do like This Old House and Ask This old House but I guess those really aren't reality shows as I think of them.
Nah, much different.
I don't normally watch reality shows, but if it's on I don't mind watching most of the cooking ones. I saw an episode of Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman's craft show "Making It" once during the lockdown, it was cute.
There was this one reality show I really liked several years ago about an airline flying old WWI and WWII-era aircraft up in the Northwest Territories of Canada, but that went off the air several year ago.
I don't think I watch any of them anymore. I do remember watching the first few years of Real World, the original Iron Chef (in Japan starting without the English subtitles and dubbing) on Channel 26 or maybe it was 66, Trading Spaces.
the original Iron Chef was great, but alas ...
recently, i have only really ever watched w/ my kids as a way to spend time w/ them. things like Chopped, Shark Tank, Great British Baking Invasion or whatever it was called.
I was exposed to the British baking outside in a tent deal, but when you can't taste the finished product or try to make it from the recipe, I don't see the point. Plus, its British, and one can only take so much British.
you are a horrible person
My wife feels the same way
I’m frankly surprised that nobody took a swing at the slow pitch over the plate
Sorry just now logging on for the first time today.
sometimes it's just not worth the effort
I'm glad she is a similarly horrible person as I am, at least with regards to British tolerance levels (since a swing was taken at me!).
I'm similarly sure she is a better person on numerous other qualities.
It's funny, I generally like Brit sensibility, but they can also be a bit insufferable, so at times it's a bit much. I really do enjoy British shows and films in the right doses though.
Also the guy that played Chairman Kaga, the host, was also the Japanese Jean Valjean. He showed up in the 10th anniversary concert when they had Jean Valjeans from all over the world show up. I saw that and recognized him.
I don't think I've watched any of the new cooking reality shows. Quite a few of those types of show were ones that the ex watched and I watched with her. Some I got into, others I just watched because she wanted to watch, like America's Next Top Model and the Heidi Klum clothing designer show.
OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY
This aged well...
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1220818115354923009?s=21
Just being sarcastic.
It doesn’t matter, post fact and truth world we live.
PRO
CAL
GO BEARS!
Mike Pawlawski gives his opinion on Garbers and breaks down some film. Very good stuff. Jealous that he has so much access to good video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YGm1cC9LZ0
The only reality show that I still watch from time to time is that of our current President and administration.
YES, this....
New York, California, Texas move toward pro sports' return
https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/29190501/gov-andrew-cuomo-encourages-ny-teams-reopen
California Gov. Gavin Newsom later said sports could resume without fans in his state as soon as the "first week or so of June."
Speaking at his daily news conference, Newsom said sports could return "without spectators and with modification and very prescriptive conditions" if the number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the state continue to decrease.
"A South Korean soccer club’s attempt to fill empty stands at its stadium with mannequins backfired when fans watching online reported that the dummies were in fact sex dolls.
FC Seoul officials installed the dolls in a bid to make the stadium look less empty during its first match of the K League season against Gwangju FC on Sunday. Because of coronavirus restrictions, fans were not allowed to attend the game but were able to watch on television.
The dolls, sporting face masks, were displayed in a variety of positions, some seated and some standing. Many of them posed with their hands in their air and wore the club’s official uniform. In total, there were 30 mannequins — 25 of them female and five of them male, according to the BBC.
But while social media erupted over sex-doll allegations, officials said they believed the dummies to be “premium mannequins” — despite being produced by Dalkom, a company known for producing adult products and sex toys."
Okay, but how did it backfire?
"FC Seoul official Lee Ji-hoon admitted that while the dolls had a “very human” resemblance, it did not occur to him that they could be sex dolls.
Taking to Instagram, the club said it was “sorry” for the mix-up, adding that its intention had been to “create some fun” for those unable to attend the match during such a difficult period. “The problem was that we failed to check the details properly, which is our fault,” the club said."
Apparently, fans were upset.
Well I for one think they successfully created some fun 😄
https://twitter.com/BLUESTAR__23/status/1261968494460985344
A/V club
Super sad The Last Dance is over. Enjoyed it so much it had eliminated the Sunday Scaries for me for the last five weeks.
It was very well-done for what it is. I know some people (like Ken Burns) have criticized it for having its subject on as a producer and thus not being able to tell the whole story, but that's what it took to get the thing made. It's not going to be the kind of thorough journalistic doc that Burns does.
Is really good, watched the 3rd one last night.
I watched episode 8 this morning and still have the last two. @NO SPOILERS!@
Man in the High Castle - started watching w/ 16 yr old. she is just finishing up a year of AP History which she kind of hates. but hopefully something that weaves in a little history will help.
anyone watch new show on TNT Snowpiercer?
i recorded it
Directors commentary of Survivor man episodes on Youtube.
Some Good News
I'm not sure how many know about it but it's John Krazinski's youtube show he started 8 weeks ago to bring good news to the people. Each week he has a heartwarming story and has guests on the show. I need to stop chopping onions when I'm watching.
I also did see Patriot Act is back. I haven't watched the episodes yet so I'm not sure if they were episodes he filmed before quarantine or if he did some sort of quarantine audience.
Binged through Upload on Amazon. Really enjoyed it. Kind of like The Good Place, but based on a human created afterlife. 17/19.
Also watched all of Hollywood on Netflix and I was pretty meh on it. It was predictable and a little cheesy, but well acted. 13/19.
Mark Normand's new stand up special on YouTube is fantastic, definitely top 3 of the year so far.
Need to catch up on the last two episodes of The Last Dance later
Watched "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" this weekend, and quite enjoyed it WB - 17/19. It has a bit of a Wes Anderson feel, but just a bit.
Did anyone else watch the 3rd season of Babylon Berlin? Enjoying "Reply 1988" but only on the 4th episode so far.
Yeah, Taika Waititi can often feel like a knockoff Wes Anderson. That doesn't mean his movies are bad, just that they carry a similar vibe.
I suppose I do watch one once in awhile - Check Please Bay Area on PBS. Gives some good ideas on restaurants to try (well at least before Covid-19).
Nope. Don't watch that stuff.