big backlog

[kate_nepveu]

I was busy! But now I get to wander around mentally singing "I'm freeeee!" a la Elsa. And also, err, start our household taxes and do a lot of laundry. Minor details!

A kid anecdote I told elsewhere on social media when it happened:

Me: time to get up!
The Pip: tell me something I don't know.
Me: The square root of 81 is 9.
The Pip: I knew THAT.
Me: New York does not impose franchise tax on certain 501(c)(3) corporations.
The Pip: I have no idea what you just said.
Me: Something you didn't know! So get up!

And here's a video of a marble run the kids and I improvised last night out of a pretty lousy kit. Design mostly by SteelyKid, because she has spatial abilities and engineering instincts and I do not.

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Have a bunch of links:

• I saw this cover and I suddenly had a burning ambition to learn to write fiction, sell a novel, and have my publisher get Kevin Wada to do a cover. Since that will literally never happen, enjoy his Steve/Peggy/Bucky art.

• Look at this dog's face!

• Also look at this couple's faces. I would like a million stories about them, please, and also to be the one on the left.

• I don't understand some of eShakti's design choices, I really don't.

• This is old but timely again: imagine what we could have had for the Good Omens adaptation.

• Commentary track by the Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse animators!

• Stashing this Ken Liu post on trying to learn about China by reading translated Chinese SF for future reference.

• Slate provides Everything You Wanted to Know About the Two-Wombed Woman Who Gave Birth Twice in 26 Days.

• I really like this picture of Charlie leading two puppies.

• Congratulations to all the Hugo nominees I know! File 770 has links to the works.

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Two Avengers: Endgame thoughts based on teasers

There's a new TV spot in which Steve tells Tony he trusts him and they shake hands and it made me disproportionately angry because it's so unearned. Bleh. (I mean, it's theoretically possible that we could spend an hour or two with the characters actually coming to grips with all the past movies! But given the MCU's track record to date, I think it less likely than Squirrel Girl showing up.)

Also bleh: this extremely-accurate observation about the difference in Carol's physical appearance.

I can't believe I'm going to watch this fucker.

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Finally, io9 has a big piece on Farscape which reminds me that I watched a few episodes several years ago and just never kept going. That was long ago enough that I'd probably have to start over; so is there a spot in S1 that people would recommend I start at, or episodes in S1 that I should skip? (Admittedly I may just need to not watch in the middle of the night while up with a very small child, which I'd forgotten was my previous mode until I checked the tag, but still.)

Poll #21731

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 15

View Respondents

+1 (thumbs-up, I see you, etc.)?

View Answers

+1
15 (100.0%)

Comments

[clevermanka]

As a longtime lover of Farscape, I feel like there's not really much in season 1 that can be skipped if you want the full impact of the whole show. There are some major plot points that happen in the first episode, but you don't realize they're important until season 3. That sort of thing. I mean, you could understand what was going on, but it wouldn't have the same emotional impact.

I also feel like not everybody can like everything, even when it's great, though, and that's fine! Life's Rich Tapestry, etc. etc.

[kate_nepveu]

Anything that could be come back to later if/when I get hooked, then, a la Steven Universe's Flood Order?

[clevermanka]

Oh, definitely, that's entirely do-able. I really couldn't tell you where to jump in, though...it's been so long since I (re)watched it bc I don't have the emotional spoons (and Farscape requires a lot of emotional spoons for me).

[kate_nepveu]

Ok, thanks!

[minoanmiss]

I believe Mr. Wada does accept commissions... and oh his art is awesome.

[kate_nepveu]

oh sure, but I don't know what I would commission other than "the theoretical novel that I would write in a universe where I could write fiction!"

[minoanmiss]

Maybe if you see him at a con and buy him a drink you can tell him about it? She said hopefully.

Also, after some deliberation, I read the Endgame spoiler and sighed in relief at finding at least one other person in the universe who had the reaction I did (and a sensible person, no less). SO #%$%&#$# UNEARNED TONY PUT THEM THROUGH HELL AND SHOT SAM IN THE FACE BUT NOW STEVE TRUSTS HIM AGAIN LA LA LA UGH. And I can't talk about it anywhere else because I don't want to harsh my Stony shipping friends' squee.

[kate_nepveu]

Oh yeah, I hear you.

(I also think that Steve/Tony in the MCU is itself pretty unearned, mostly running off comics--where absolutely it is a thing!--and the hatesex vibe people got off, like, the _Avengers_ trailer? But there's so little connection between them in the MCU, especially in comparison to the other members of the Barbershop Quartet.)

edit: also heh, if I win the lottery I will commission a Kevin Wada Sam/Steve piece.

[minoanmiss]

Yeah, that's how I feel about MCU Steve/Tony as well, after excitedly hoping to see it due to the comics, no less. (But then they gave me beautiful Steve/Sam that might even be more glorious than the comics.)

also heh, if I win the lottery I will commission a Kevin Wada Sam/Steve piece.

I'm going to add to my bedtime prayers that you win the lottery.

[kate_nepveu]

Saaaaaaam! Who deserved so much better than being dusted with no one to witness, damn it.

[kore]

Many, many things about that movie pissed me off, but that made me furious.

[kore]

SO #%$%&#$# UNEARNED TONY PUT THEM THROUGH HELL AND SHOT SAM IN THE FACE BUT NOW STEVE TRUSTS HIM AGAIN LA LA LA UGH

FREAKING PREACH IT

[minoanmiss]

blushes I am small and full of opinion! and the Skinny Steve inside my head called bullshit!

[kore]

Aww, always listen to Inner Skinny Steve.

[rmc28]

He shot Sam in the face, who is a PARAMEDIC who was THE MOST QUALIFIED PERSON PRESENT to help his injured friend, FFS.

[kate_nepveu]

Honestly I admit that most of the time I personally pretend _CA:CW_ didn't happen because it was so nonsensical, but at least commit to your nonsense, you know? Otherwise it's as infuriating as the snap we all know you're going to completely undo.

[minoanmiss]

And then 3/4 of the fandom told me Sam deserved it.

I'm still so mad.

[kore]

WHAT

HOW

oh fandom.

[kore]

....it was sort of a horribly realistic depiction of how a lot of fandom treated Sam!

[mikeda]

On the other hand, if the assorted Avengers etc. don't trust each other, they're all pretty much doomed so...

[minoanmiss]

This is true Watsonially but Doylistically I find it unconvincing and unsatisfying.

[sovay]

This is old but timely again: imagine what we could have had for the Good Omens adaptation.

I hadn't seen it; thank you.

P.S. And for the swing dancers.

[kate_nepveu]

welcome!

[kore]

There's a new TV spot in which Steve tells Tony he trusts him and they shake hands and it made me disproportionately angry because it's so unearned. Bleh. (I mean, it's theoretically possible that we could spend an hour or two with the characters actually coming to grips with all the past movies! But given the MCU's track record to date, I think it less likely than Squirrel Girl showing up.)

For me it was right up there with "So was I" in CW. All art is manipulation in some sense, but feeling manipulated with no corresponding emotion is just annoying.

T didn't recognize Carol in the Endgame trailer at first! Someone else I know thought she was Sharon Carter.

[kate_nepveu]

There is a definitely a resemblance there, but yeah, I just want them to treat my Captains reasonably well, please? And so many doubts.

[thawrecka]

That eshakti dress is both bizarre and ugly! Truly, the design process that went into that is a confusing thing to ponder.

[kate_nepveu]

I do think that their model allows them to throw a lot of things at the wall, and Fashion often results in things that I find baffling for a while until, possibly, they trickle down in more wearable form... But all that said, I still really don't get it.

[sgac]

Without the collar and sleeves, it's a perfectly reasonable strappy sundress, if a bit overdesigned. The tie at the bust, which I think is what's making you choke, is on trend for a sundress but wildly out of place on a shirtdress. Crossing the two is just not working.

[kate_nepveu]

The tie caught my eye first, but then I really boggled at the way the top opened up...

[sgac]

I am not a Farscape fan (watched most of the first season, was never motivated to finish it), but I'm sure I've seen various schemata of which episodes you can skip. I know there's one notorious episode in the first season which everyone agrees is terrible and should be skipped.

[kate_nepveu]

If you remember any trustworthy sources I'd be glad of a link!

[sgac]

A quick google produces these three pages 1 2 3 so maybe take the average of them?

[coffeeandink]

Pretty sure it's "Jeremiah Crichton". Or at least that's the one I'd recommend you'd skip.

There's very little overall that's skippable, though, because even the apparently standalone stuff in S1 gets brought back later when the show is more serialized.

S4 is a bizarre downgrade in quality, with some exceptions, apparently due to behind-the-scenes stuff, although I have my doubts about some of the specific tropes even with better writing.

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks!