June 3, 2009

telly and books

Posted by dogpossum on June 3, 2009 8:34 PM in the category research and television | Comments (0)

I thought I'd been on this researching kick for longer than I have. But it's only been about a month and a half. I've read quite a bit, written quite a bit, but I have a pile of books I've had out for at least one renewal and won't get through before they're due. There are five I need to read. Thing is, I'm reading very, very slowly because I'm stopping to take notes all the time. And make blog posts. At some point I need to stop and take stock, write up some sort of conclusions or overall ideas from what I've read. Synthesise my reading and thinking so far. But it's all a bit of a jumble right now - a big mash of ideas. Which is really where I'd expect to be at this point. But I like order. And the girl who pulled her phd out in three years didn't get to that point with a disorganised research process. I call on: POWERS OF OB-CON TIDINESS!

Having spent the last couple of weeks wading through a massive pile of paperwork for a job application (don't ask), I'm feeling a bit behind. Or, rather, as though I've dropped a few stitches and need to go back and check. Which brings me to my first segue.
I've been crocheting like a crazed fool. The weather is cool enough to bear a lapful of yarn, and I've made one afghan and one oversized afghan in the past few months. The oversized afghan isn't all that pleasing, but the afghan is wonderful. I'm very happy with the tension, with the combination of stitches, and almost with the colours. I'm working on one right now that's just perfect - a development of the pattern and colours of the afghan. It's going to be bed-sized, though, as while afghans are nice, they're not all that useful, size-wise. I have also done a few little 'sampler' type crocheting projects using nicely textured yarn to get my hand back in with the fancier stitches. I do like crocheting. It's perfect for ob-conners like myself, and also practical. Plus, it gives me something to do while I watch TV.

And watch TV I do:
Veronica Mars, season 1 (season 2 begun)

Primeval (British dinosaur adventure show) - abandoned

Crambridge (or something - a BBC bonnets drama) - mid-process

Roswell - teen alien kissing fest. YES!

Moonlight - terrible vampire detective rubbish. Yet, also, wonderful.

Blood Price- adaptation of Tanya Huff novels. Terrible and C-grade, but also an accurate adaptation of the books. Finally, a decent female protagonist!

True Blood - rewatched in preparation for season 2!

Sanctuary - Bgrade again, but at least a decent female protagonist and gender politics. Also, good for watching before bed, as lots of long, slow shots with swirly dark backgrounds and very few short sharp cuts.

Dollhouse - infuriating, maddening, horrible. Not sure I can cope with season 2. Whedon - you suck arse, on all fronts.

BSG- returned to it, trying to get past the end of season 1. Not sure it'll happen, as it makes me angry.

Dark Angel - surprisingly good gender/race politics. Not sure there's a second season, but haven't rushed to get it from the video shop.

Rescue Me. Has Denis Leary in it. I'm not interested in it, much, but The Squeeze likes it. I get a bit tired of all that blokes-in-groups 'emoting' with bum humour stuff. Same old, same old. Bit too much gratuitous sex and fails gender/race/sexuality. As you'd expect. This is kind of the point with this show, but I really can't be arsed.

Homicide, Life on the Streets. Years after Galaxy told me to watch it (literally years - as in more than ten), I finally watch it. It's so great. If you like The Wire, you'll like this earlier work by the same dood(s).

Lost In Austen. Fully freakin' sick.

Party Animals - BBC drama about young people in political parties. Like 'This Life' (by same doods), but ultimately dull. But has new Dr Who guy in it.

Dr Who rebooted - yeah!

Farscape - lost me midway through season 2. Will get back to it. I guess.

There's more, but I can't remember it.

Why so much television? Well, we don't have a telly aerial, so this is _all_ the television I watch. On DVD. Our local video shop is really quite good.
I also go through quite a bit of music, when I can fit it in. I can't listen to music when I'm working, so I don't listen to as much music as I'd like. My DJing is suffering.

Posted by dogpossum on June 3, 2009 8:34 PM in the category research and television