Super Smash Bros Brawl
I have loved video games since the day my mom bought my little brother a Nintendo. I fell in love with RPGs after playing Final Fantasy III on Sega. I watched my brother play countless hours of fighting games. Among my favorites were the Street Fighter series and Mortal Kombat. After my brother moved out when he got married, the video gaming kind of stopped.
Now my husband and I have a Wii we purchased a year ago. We finally started buying games for it recently like Mario Kart and Raving Rabbids. Brawl was delivered a couple days ago, and we played it for the first time last night. I have to say, I’m a little intimidated! I did not think I would have as much difficulty with this fighting game as I did when I played against my little bro when we were younger. I was wrong! My strategy of continuously pressing A works as well as it did back then, i.e. not at all! It matters not. There is an adventure or story mode that is at least exciting to watch and dramatic even during the cut scenes. I would love to see a movie of this!
I will report further if I find I actually like playing the game as opposed to just watching.
Value of critique
Well, after showing my co-worker my progress in order to get more of an explanation about the different stitches, I am still no closer to discovering what they are. However, I did finally understand why you need to notch the curves in the fabric! She saw that I had a pucker at the seams that run over the breast on the bodice. This is not a place you want puckered fabric! I forgot about that fact last night, otherwise I could have at least ripped out the seam while my DH played Smash Bros. Well, tonight, unless I get caught up doing house chores or buy a new TV, I will at least rip out the seam and maybe even re-stitch it!
I will post a photo here once the bodice is a little closer to completion.
Indy and the Crystal Skull
I saw 
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull this weekend along with thousands of other movie goers. I have to say that the one only review I let myself be exposed to makes no sense now after seeing the movie. This reviewer, whose name I do not recall but I do remember I was listening to KOMO 1000 at the time, claimed that the first half of the film was everything one could ever wish or hope for in an Indian Jones movie. The latter half however, was to him, a huge disappointment. I’m not sure I know what he was talking about. The latter half was awesome! The entire film was a thrill ride filled with classic Indy moments. Harrison Ford stepped seamlessly into the Indiana Jones role. He even channeled some Henry Jones, Sr wonderfully. The inclusion of Marion Ravenwood was priceless! Shia LaBeouf was actually a nice addition filling the role of the side kick beautifully.
The reviewer also had another complaint that I had trouble identifying once I saw the movie, no wow moments. I’m not sure what he was referring to at all. There were plenty of wow moments for me. Perhaps he is remembering the earlier films’ wow moments through the eyes of a much younger person and now as an adult do not compare? Frankly, I don’t remember too much about the movies from when I was a kid. I never saw any of them in the theater. I saw them again as an adult and was plenty wowed by them as I am with Crystal Skull.
There is only one scene that took me out of the moment, but only for a few brief seconds, the scene in which Mutt is swinging through the trees with the monkeys a la Tarzan. However, I was able to let that ride. Some classic Indy moments: Indiana’s fear of snakes, the creepy crawlies, i.e. scorpions and giant ants, the bad/good guy he tries to save but fails to in the end, all of his near escapes and near misses, and of course his ever present hat and whip.
I could go on and on about all the great scenes, but I don’t wish to spoil any of it for those who have not seen it. So go, tonight if not sooner and enjoy. Do not listen to the naysayers (they want to hate it!) and form your own opinion.
5 out 5 stars!
Bodice, stage 2 complete
Finally managed to sew together the pieces for the outer bodice. As I was getting ready to start sewing the lining and outer bodice together, I read the next set of instructions and my brain stopped. Slipstitch, Understitch, what?! I decided it was time to pack up my toys and take my project back to my (sort of) mentor. My friend at work has been very helpful and patient with my questions, thankfully! I probably would not have bought the sewing machine at all if it hadn’t been for her! In any case, I welcome any comments or advice. I read the definition of these stitches and well, it didn’t help. We’re getting there though! Once I’ve got this bodice thing figured out, it’s on to the sleeves and the skirt! I am so dreading the zipper! Wish me luck!
Final Thoughts on Staying Dead
My final recommendation on Staying Dead? Read it, love it, get the next installment fairly quickly. This was one hard book to put down. I loved it, Wren, Sergei, the world which Ms. Gilman created, even the bad guy is so despicable you are willing to let him be ripped apart by a ghost. I love that this is an urban fantasy novel that does require vampires to make it scary or tense. The plot takes you on a ride that you do not want to stop. The main character is someone the reader can respect. The world is set up in such a way that a sequel is not only inevitable but necessary. There is so much intrigue, political and racial, and so many more factions than was apparent from the beginning that the reader is left asking for more.
Read more about the author and praise for her Retrievers Series here.
Strong Female Leads
Can I just say how much I love reading believably kick butt female leads in urban fantasy? Or any genre for that matter. Wren Valere is just about the best I’ve come across. Better than Vicki Nelson from the Victoria Nelson series, way better then Sookie Stackhouse from Southern Vamp, and better than Anita Blake. Most seem to have a chip on their shoulders, like Vicki and Anita, or a little too compliant like Sookie. I think the only whose chip on the shoulder doesn’t seem to bother me as much is Mercy Thompson from Patricia Brigg’s werewolf books.
Wren is just a badass, someone you don’t want to mess with, but with a total acceptance of who and what you are be it wizzart, fatae, or demon. Not too big on the Council, but then not many are. She is also not nearly as obstinate when it comes to her romantic relationship, and that is just so refreshing. She has the same vague morality compass as most of the female characters I enjoy. Even Vicki eventually loses some of her straight black and white outlook.
(Full review of Staying Dead once I finish it.)
Blog reading = New discoveries
I knew very little about blogs and blogging (I still only have a rudimentary understanding, I’m sure) when my husband started talking about maybe starting his own blog. Because I love to help him pursue his passions, I went immediately on a search for what blogs were. I came across WordPress and their comprehensive tutorial for newbie. I came home super excited to tell my husband all about it. I read some blogs here, one link leading to another. Now I keep an eye on six blogs for updates (most if not all should be on my links list on the right). Well, following links is what led to the discovery of Laura Anne Gilman and her Retrievers series.
At first from the cover images and descriptions in the book reviews listed on Ms. Gilman’s web page, I thought they were Science Fiction novels. They are in fact Urban Fantasy which is a genre I much enjoy now that I am no longer reading Laurell K. Hamilton. Genevieve “Wren” Valere is Talent able to use current (i.e. magic) whose special talent lies in finding things and bring them back, in essence a Retriever. I am just a quarter of the way into the book and there are so many plot threads that it leaves the reader hopeless that any of it will be tied up by the end of novel. I tend to make predictions as to how the novel will end and who the bad guy is and just how do all seemingly unrelated plot threads meet up to explain it all. I am usually right, if only because I’ve read so many stories in this genre.
Staying Dead doesn’t seem to allow me the opportunity even though the author presents you with information from the perpetrator’s, the crazy collector’s, and the client’s point of view and even from Wren’s partner and future love interest Sergei. You only seem to get enough information to make you ask more questions. These are not complaints because it just makes the story all the more interesting.
The Fabric
I finally remembered to take a picture of the fabric I will be using to make my dress. This is taken right before I started cutting the pattern pieces yesterday. It was way too hot in my “sewing room” to work too much on it.
Here is the shot:
The Host – all done
Well I am quite happy with The Host. It was a terrific read, well written and gripping. I really enjoyed it. I have to say that there are a lot of moments that are reminiscent of my novel. There is no accusation here. There are only 2 people who have read my book so far, and neither of those were Stephenie Meyer. Nor am I saying that I ripped anything from Ms. Meyer. I finished my novel’s first draft long before I knew anything about Host. I just find it interesting that we thought of the same things. One of them being how we provide sunlight to crops in caves/underground. The other is in the ending. I don’t want to ruin it for you, so I will just say they both end on a hopeful note.
To recap my review, Ms. Meyer is a lovely writer. The Host is a character driven sci-fi novel which in my experience is quite rare. Melanie and Wanderer are complex and vastly interesting, their motives just as complicated. The view of humanity is quite grim when seen through the eyes of the “souls” the alien invaders. They see the violence and cruelty that humanity is capable of and decide they could do better. It takes a body who is too strong to be completely subjugated when the “soul” is inserted. The two share the same body but Melanie is more of a prisoner very rarely unable to take control of her own body.
I would give The Host a 4 out 5. I would recommend to just about anyone even those who profess not to like science fiction.
Bodice Lining complete
I live most of my life in fear of failure and because of that fear, I had stopped working on my dress for a few days. Last night I decided I needed to stop wallowing in cowardice and get on with it. After all, if I do screw up, what’s the worst that could happen? I’d be out about $3 and would have to purchase another yard of the lining material and start all over again. Well, I am happy to say that last night despite my many excuses, I finished sewing the bodice pieces together for the lining. I actually did something rather silly and probably something newbies do quite a bit. I sewed the pieces inside out on one side. I was ready to give up right there and tackle it in the morning, but I wasn’t ready to give up just yet. I took out my handy seam ripper and went to town. I want to thank Erin’s post at a Dress A Day for making think about my own cowardice and help me get over myself.
I realized I’d done it with 2 pieces on that side so out came the seam one more time. I finished it up, tried it on and hopefully when the zipper’s put in it will actually fit. I have to say I am quite proud of myself!
Oh and obviously my thread has not snapped or curled back up into the machine again. I think I was just making a series of mistakes every time I pulled sewn pieces out from under the foot.
