Category: weeb

2020.07.10 No Blogs Please. It’s a Waste of Good Suffering

It’s been a minute!

That was unintentional. I am cross with myself as I had until recently been very good about maintaining a daily schedule on this here blog. Well, what’s done is done. Time to shake off the complacency and get back to (work)daily blogging. Give these ol’ fingers a stretch. I’m sure lots of good stuff has been happening.

I started watching Attack on Titan. I’m nearly finished the first season and I absolutely love it. I haven’t been this thrilled and entertained by a series since maybe the miniseries pilot of Battlestar Galaactica or the first season or two of Homeland? It’s not that it’s necessarily the greatest show I’ve ever seen, but the action is exciting and relentless, the characters are engaging and the ending of each episode always leaves me desperate to watch the next one. “Just one more episode” led me to binge the first 19 episodes in 2 days. I hope the series sustains that level of hype.

I’ve been watching a YouTube channel that produced extremely detailed and lengthy (and tremendously well produced) videos about the DUNE novels. Each video basically retells and summarizes each of the novels in the original Frank Herbert series (I see there are also some videos on the extended universe by his son, but I’m a lot less interested in those). I’m reminded how much I liked those novels and perhaps am due to reread the whole series? Just as soon as I finish the 3 or 4 epic fantasy series I just loaded onto my phone… (so 2026).

Speaking of fantasy novels, I finished BLOODY ROSE by Nicholas Eames in a day and a half. I just devoured it. It’s an absolute delight. The second in THE BAND series it follows the band FABLE on their adventures through the arena circuit, on a quest to kill a giant monster and ultimately into a battle for the fate of the entire world. I loved the way it built on the first novel KINGS OF THE WYLD while being a very stand good stand-alone novel itself. The characters and situations were equally exciting and hilarious. I’m amazed how well Eames balances the tones and the mixture of epic sword & sorcery drama and very funny (and reference/easter egg laden) comedy. I highly recommend both books.

That’ll do for today I reckon. See you on the far side of the weekend.

Currently Playing: Phish Jams Compilation 2011-2015
Currently Reading: THE LADY OF THE LAKE, Andrezj Sapkowski

2020.06.10 Laid Back Blog

Running low on instant ramen again… this is a problem

Greetings from my hovel on the shores of the Bow.

During the extra time I’ve spent in bed resting and recovering from surgery I started watching an anime called “Yuru Club” (anglicized as Laid Back Camp). This is the most relaxing, cozy thing I’ve ever seen. It’s about a group of high school girls and their love of camping. They go camping. They talk about camping. They buy camping stuff and test it out. Sometimes on the way to camping they go onsens and they cook and eat food while camping. There is no tension. There is no conflict. There is just cute, wholesome girls camping.

This might sound boring? But, I assure you it is not. Despite there being no conflict, interpersonal or otherwise, the characters all continue to develop throughout the season, the animation (particularly the background scenery) is gorgeous, the music is beautiful (I’ve been listening to the OST to fall asleep at night) and the fact that I only have 2 episodes left bums me out. If you want something funny, cute, calm and relaxing I give my highest recommendation to YURU CAMP. I’m watching it on Crunchyroll, but I’m not your dad, you watch it however you want.

Currently Playing: Various Artists – “YURUCAMP Original Soundtrack”
Currently Reading: FLOWERS OF EVIL COMPLETE EDITION VOL. 1, Shuzo Oshimi