Sci Fi Jungle

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

 I just finished Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman.  What a great book!  It was funny, suspenseful, clever, and well paced.  Just perfect.

I had previously read "American Gods" which I liked, but was too dark for me.  Anansi Boys is a lighter book, with a touch of Terry Pratchett to it.  It is the story of Fat Charlie Nancy, who has been trying to live a quiet life and get beyond the embarrasment of his father.

Well, it turns out his father is not just any guy, but the trickster god of West Africa and the Carribean. Of course it's pretty embarrassing having a Dad who loves to paly practical jokes of everyone, including you!  What could be worse, well, I don't want to spoil the story but suffice to say we have a Romance or two, a crime story, and some really really strange old ladies.

I am not sure how Neil conjures the inflections of his characters, but it's fantastic.  I totally recommend this book.  And, the Kindle version is on sale right now for $3.99. Cheaper than oil free lotions, and lots better entertainment.

 

5 Pieces of Sci Fi Music

Let's talk Sci Fi Music and share some tasty YouTube videos.  So get out your 1975 telecaster and get jamming.

 

Surfin' With the Alien by Joe Satriani - cause he plays the devil out of the guitar.

 

 

Katy Perry - ET  A great song - catchy as heck.  This version features Kanye West and a cool video.

 

The theme from Star Trek (The Original Series) A bit kitschy but fun.

 

 

David Bowie - Rocket Man

 

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part 1 by The Flaming Lips.  Because it is AWESOME.

 

 

Mini Review - Brave

I wanted to like Brave, and I did.  I am not sure it's really for kids, however.  My 7 year old was pretty terrified by the movie and my 8 year old cried.  It was definately a modern AND traditional fairy tale.  In the tradition of Grimm's tales, it has a dark side to it and the journet the heroine has to take is not all blue birds and happy thumping rabbits.

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I don't want to spoil the story but I will say that I really enjoyed Merida's tomboy personaility, unwillingness to marry, and the poignant portrayal of her relationship with her mom.  I even got a little teary as it mirrored my own sometimes tumoltuous relationship with my mom.

 

 

Paranoia

Between all the little rfid chips, gps, cell phone trangulation, credit and debit card tracking going on there is really no privacy left to us.  The only real privacy remains in being so boring that nobody will pay attention to you.  I blog, twitter, Facebook, post pictures and I don't generally worry about my privacy because I am in fact quite boring and don't have much to hide.  (And no, I am not telling you what I actiually may have to hide - I have some privacy left.)

I hear that there is such a thing as rfid blocking.  I wonder what the heck that does?  Maybe people think they are being bugged?

I do think there is something to be said for THE IDEA of going off the grid, if not the reality.  I would like to have some chickens, a cow, and a garden and be able to fend for myself.  Well, except for the part where you have to get up early to milk the cow.  Chickens maybe better - I don't think they are a lot of work if you have them out in the open.  I do want air conditioning and internet though.  Not much of an off the grid person am I?

Centauri Dawn - a Sci-Fi Romance

I should have known right from the subtitle "a sci-fi romance" that this one would end up being a stinker.  But I was intrigued enough to send a sample to my Kindly.  Then I got hooked into the story and bought it.  Now I have a bit of buyers remorse as the plot is going really SLOWLY, the set up really contrived, the ending already predictable, and the passion between the hero and heroine is just lame.  I hate the whole - I know just by touching her that she is my soulmate.  What ever happened to having a personality and getting to know it.

Well, I shouldn't complain - I did buy this and noone is making me read it.  I hope it gets better.

Did I mention that she has a two person bathtub on the ship?  Makes no sense.  What next - wall fountains? Ridiculous waste of water!

How Old is Old Enough for your Own TV?

I have a 7 year old and very soon to be 9 year old.  My husband wanted to get the older one a TV for his room.  I've been fighting it for a while but I finally relented.  His grandma Lee got him the TV for his birthday.  We bought a Roku for it so he can watch Netflix and Amazon streaming.  (We have Prime)

The understanding is that he will now KEEP HIS ROOM CLEAN.  I am not sure how long that's going to last, but in fact his room is nice and clean at the moment.  And I suppose this will give him some pride of ownership and his own place to be.  (Although he knows he must share with pesky younger brother.)

I was looking for a tv stand - probably a cart or something.  But we ended up putting the TV on top of his dresser and it seems fine there.  The kid now has a better TV than I do - an LED Samsung.  It's small but quite nice.