Jaye's Musings

Day 05. A show you hate

My answers haven't changed a whole bunch from my previous answer.

I still hate reality competition shows like, well now, The Voice, and other talent shows of similar ilk just annoy me for a whole host reasons, and also the so-called "scripted" reality shows with wannabe celebrities. I always make a point of avoiding the various reality shows that you can find on Discovery or History Channels of people living, hunting, building stuff in Alaska or swamps, or pretty much anywhere I wouldn't want to live anyway. I'm thankful that I lived overseas while Duck Dynasty was at its zenith and missed the most of those horrible people. I live with enough rednecks around me, I don't need to watch them on TV either. Another reason for staying away from a lot of reality shows, is that I know I can get sucked into them so easily, and they do tend to be good background noise when I'm doing something else -- HGTV was a favourite channel when I still had satellite TV.

Then there is a show I used to love, and while I wouldn't say I don't hate Arrow quite yet it has becoming increasingly annoying over the past couple of seasons, to the point that I really don't care to watch it at all (especially given what I've heard about some things that are happening this season). With Oliver in prison and the most lackluster big bad they've had returning from last season, and they don't even have the flashbacks -- not that they were perfect all the time, but I definitely missed them last season where they replaced them by focusing on characters I didn't care about.

Day 04. Your favorite show ever

I'll refer you back to my original answer as nothing really has changed. Blakes 7 and Highlander: The Series will probably always be my favourite TV shows. B7 because it was the first show I got really fannish over, long before I knew what fandom was. And Highlander has influenced so much of my writing and roleplaying that I think it will always be central to what ever I write, whether it be about Immortals or inspired by them.

However, I will add another show to these. A new one to add to the list. Now I could have added a few different shows from recent years that have really captured my imagination (Once Upon a Time, Lucifer, Vikings to name three), but for one reason or another, while I still enjoy them, by the box sets, once they're off the air I don't get that thrill of deep love.

But a short-lived show that ended in 2016, still makes me smile and laugh, and I always want to go back and rewatch episodes, or the entire series, or play the soundtrack. I've already mentioned it in these 30 Days of TV Meme entries, and no doubt I will again. And I will try and sell it to who ever is willing to listen (and yet, strangely, I don't write or RP any of the characters).


( Attend the Tale of Ga-la-vant! )

Day 02. A show that you wish more people were watching


There are two shows right now that I will always recommend to someone if given the chance, one is Lucifer. I came late to this show, towards the end of the first season, and I admit the premise can be a hard sell, it certainly put me off for a while. Then I heard that Tom Ellis was playing the Devil himself, and then it was "please and thank you, very much!" (to quote the wonderful Miranda, where he first caught my attention). From the first episode, I was then hooked. I didn't see how celestial beings helping out the LAPD could possibly work...but it does! Yes, the procedural, murder of the week stories really aren't my cup of tea, but the cast and characters are brilliant, the writing is great, and well, it can be so funny! I did love Season 2 where the focus landed more on Lucifer and his family as they dealt with Mum. Season 3 did admittedly drag where the Cain story didn't really work (and it could have!) because of the attempt at setting up a love triangle for Chloe. But the Season Finale....one of the best! And I'm so looking forward to it on Netflix for Season 4, and have great hopes that many of the problems will be fixed with a shorter season.

The other show is iZombie. Again, who would think a Zombie working with the Seattle PD and later a full on Zombie outbreak would ever work? It does! Again it's the characters that make it, including the pun on names (Liv Moore, Major Lilywhite, Filmore Graves). It's fun, and Rose McIver who plays Liv gets to be lots of different characters (some that work better than others) due to the fact that a zombie takes on the personality of whoever's brain they've eaten. The perennial bad guys, led by the always great David Anders (as Blaine) are so very good at doing bad stuff (basically brain dealers to the zombie world) and that the same time being very relatable. It's fun, it's suspenseful, and it's a shame that the upcoming season will be its last.

Now, there is one show, above even these, that was cancelled a couple of years ago, that I wish so hard that more people had seen, because it was FAN-bloody-TASTIC! I got both my sons to watch it, even though they don't like "musical extravaganzas" and I tried my best to get gmnoonie to watch it before she became too ill..because I KNOW she would have LOVED it. (And yes, this show deserves RANDOM caplitalization!). It was GALAVANT. A medieval, musical, parody, self-aware, all-around-fun show).

It was about Sir Galavant whose "true love" Madalena is kidnapped by the evil King Richard and forced to marry him. Galavant storms the castle to prevent the wedding (a la "Princess Bride") only to discover that Madalena prefers the wealth and privilege of becoming queen to being Gal's wife. To impress his new wife, Richard invades the Kingdom of Valencia and forces Princess Isabella (by holding her parents hostage) to trick Galavant to try to save Madalena so he can kill him (as Madalena keeps reminding him how much better Galavant is than him). Meanwhile Madalena is banging most of the castle, including the Jester, except for Richard. From there ensues several adventures for everyone...including landlocked pirates, the Monks of Perpetual Refrain, a magician called Xanax...to name a few. And that's just the first season! Again an excellent cast, especially Timothy Omundson as King Richard, Vinnie Jones as Gareth, and Karen David as Isabella and a host of guest stars like Hugh Bonneville, Ricky Gervais, and Rutger Hauer. There's even more in Season 2, including a real, live dragon!

You can find it on Netflix! You're welcome *g*

I've been doing quite well at getting through books this year. I'll review some of the others at some point, but I just finished a reread of Michael Crichton's "Timeline" last night and wanted to jot down some thoughts while it's still fresh.

I first read this around 2000, about three years before the movie starring, yes, Gerard Butler was released. I really liked the novel, a blend of two of my favourite genres, historical fiction and sci-fi. And I admit, I was so happy when I first heard that Gerry had been cast as my favourite character Andre Marek. But this is not a review on the movie or a comparison between the two as it's been a long time since I've watched it.

Generally speaking, I still really enjoyed the story with its blend of science and history, and well I am a sucker for a good time-travel yarn. Still, while it is still very enjoyable, and a book I will probably reread again at some point in the future, this time round I couldn't help but notice some of its problems. Of course, Crichton was one of the most popular authors and many of his books were blockbuster films ("Timeline" ironically was not one of these, and he apparently hated the film).

( The Bad )
( The Good )

Overall, like I said it is still a very enjoyable story with lots of excitement, tension, and set-action pieces, but I did realize a lot more of its faults this time around.


I give it 7/10

I thought I'd posted this somewhere, but if I did, I can't find it here or on IJ. So I apologize if you've seen this before, but at least I know I have it now!

After the destruction of Hsu's Ranch in Switzerland (story to come), he shifts his main residence to his chateau in the south of France.

( The Chateau de Revel )


( Danika's farmhouse at DH Eventing & Stud )

It has been a while since I posted here at DW at my previous journal, and since I imported all my journals over from LJ. And it's been even longer since I posted there. But things have changed, and I'm posting here again. Whether there's anyone to read it, we'll I'll have to see! I'm going to act as if there is. *g*

Over at LJ I was simplyjaye, so if you remember me there, you're more than welcome to say hi! :)

If you're interested in RP...take a look at my profile, and you'll find a list of all my pups.

While I am still RPing, I've cut back a lot to focus on my fic writing. At the moment you can find that over on IJ, but I will be mirroring it at my immortalstories comm.

I've also dipped my toe over at Quora, and still figuring that out!

Other than that, I'm not sure what I'm going put here in my personal journal. Musings, I guess and some general blogging, but I do intend to update regularly now.

So, a little update on what I've been doing. Not much actually. I'm living in Pennsylvania and not working at the moment. I'm still working on my novel, and after recently leaving behind some unsatisfactory RP play, beginning to enjoy writing again. Other than that life is just life, with no great changes. I still love history, especially Roman. I'm still a fantasy and sci-fi geek who loves TV, books, movies (not necessarily in that order). One thing I have challenged myself to do is read all of Charles Dickens' stories...I've never been a fan, but I wanted to get out of my comfort zone as reader.

So please, if you remember me from the old days and are still around...drop a comment!

Since my last (non-review) post quite a lot as gone on in the past few months. I can't believe that it was February, so yeah, been quite busy since then. If you follow me on Facebook then you've probably seen the photos, etc.

( Read more... )

I've just got back from a wonderful week at my sister-in-law's, house sitting for her. It was even better than I imagined it to be, especially the last four days. #2 son and I, were on our own while hubby stayed up at the house to work on it, and we only had to go up one day. It was yesterday that I realized that I haven't felt that relaxed or comfortable since gmnoonie and I spent our week in Williamsburg last October, and other than that...almost a year. Not that I did much, and it was almost like being on my own since #2 son spent most of the time in the bedroom playing computer games. It was a much needed break in which I indulged in plenty of crap TV...or just surfing through channels and 8 times out of 10 ending up on HGTV anyway...but I haven't been able to enjoy even just having TV as my background for nearly a year. As my internet was fast and unlimited, I did get to catch up on so plenty of my favourite shows that I've missed as well. I've also been binge viewing "Once Upon a Time" Season 2 DVD set that I bought with a Amazon gift card...it's research as I'm writing Hook in a couple of RPs. And my Season 3 "Game of Thrones" arrived, so I'll be watching that as soon as I've finished with OUAT as I haven't seen it yet, at all (yes, I know about the Red Wedding...looking forward to it as I loved being shocked by it in the book!).

But today, son and I headed back to the inlaws, our mini-vacation over (fortunately, end of March...I'm having a week away at the same place I stayed with gmnoonie in Williamsburg...but this time all by myself!

Hubby has returned from the house and is making maple syrup from the sap that he's collected from the trees on his dad's property. There's a lot of it, but once you boil it down, you're lucky to end up with a cup full, however, it is really good!


( MOVIE REVIEW )

...but I'm back and trying to stick with it. So, an update...

The truth is that it's been busy. Just about every other day I'm up at the house redecorating. Most of the wallpaper is off and we are now painting and should be done by the time our furniture is delivered, hopefully by the end of the month. Hence why we are still living with hubby's parents right now. So, other than that, I haven't really been doing much as I'm absolutely shattered the next day.

The best news is that hubby now has a date when he starts work! March 10th! I love him, but I'll finally have him out of my hair on a daily basis and get back to my life as we should also be actually living in our own house by then!

In other news, I...like most in the northern tier of the US...am done with winter. Last week we had a massive ice storm that knocked out power to most of the area here. We were lucky in that it only took them just over a day to get it back on, but others, even neighbours were out for 4 or 5 days. And today is another snow day and we've had well over a foot of the stuff, on top of the several inches that were already on the ground, and more to come later. Spring really can't come quick enough.

At least next week, we (hubby, #2 son, and I) will have a break from the in laws. Hubby's sister and her husband 'won' a trip to Rome for a week. Their son is a Marine on embassy duty and the USO held a competition for two sets of parents to go out...except that only two sets of parents could take time off/had passports/wanted to go. So while they are enjoying Rome (of which I'm exceedingly envious), we are going to house and cat sit for them...and enjoy a place to ourselves, with TV!!! for a week.

So that's what's going on...not exactly thrilling, but that's life, right.

Next up, book reviews.

One of the things I want to do this year is keep a log of the books I read and movies I see, along with a brief review of them. I'm a little late starting, but I'll do what I remember.

( Book Review: 'A Rogues' Proposal' )



( Movie Reviews )