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Pleasantly Surprised

Last night I watched Episode 1 of HBO’s new series His Dark Materials, based on the much-loved Philip Pullman novels.

His Dark Materials, a trilogy of books (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass) were my constant late night companions sixteen years ago while undergoing cancer treatment and unable to sleep. I was immediately drawn into the alternate universe and the adventures of Lyra and the rest of the characters she encountered on her journey.

I thought the feature film, which was supposed to be one of three (encompassing the entire trilogy), done 12 years ago, was good. Not great, but good. I felt the casting was spot-on, not only with Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel but also Nicole Kidman as Mrs. Coulter. I was sorely disappointed at the ending, however, as it was at that point that the movie veered off from the original source material in an unforgivable fashion, and the remaining two books were never filmed.

This time, however, it appears HBO will not shy away from the controversial content of those two books that ultimately killed that first attempt to bring the story to the screen. His Dark Materials was marketed as a Young Adult series of books, but the themes addressed therein are decidedly adult in nature and have pissed off a lot of the sanctimonious religious types because they dare to question life, death, and religious dogma and control itself.

HBO is marketing this as another Game of Thrones or Westworld, already renewing it for Season Two, indicating they have zero fucks to give in regard to said sanctimonious religious types.

Last night got it all off to a good start, and I’m eagerly looking forward to the journey HBO is providing.

If you haven’t read the books (and frankly, I need to read them again as it’s been years), I highly recommend them.

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One Year From Today

Assuming the Orange Shit Show currently illegally occupying the White House has not been Impeached and removed from office, dragged off in a straightjacket, or has ended all life on Earth by starting World War III, this country will finally have the opportunity to correct what is unarguably the worst mistake made in its 200-plus year history.

While I’m sure I’m preaching to the choir here, I cannot stress enough how important that every Democrat and Independent GET OUT AND VOTE. And vote for whoever the fuck has that (D) after their name on the ballot.

While apparently 20% of our neighbors have no problem whatsoever with Nazis and Fascists occupying the upper echelon of government, 80% of us DO NOT, and as a majority, we need to put aside our petty philosophical differences, and send an unmistakable message to the world that as a country we do not condone the events of the last three years. They are NOT acceptable. They are NOT who we are.

While we may have had the luxury in years past of not voting for our candidate because he or she doesn’t have the ideological purity we seek, we DO NOT have that option in the next election.

I loathe Bernie. I’m no fan of Biden. (I’m sick to death of old white men running this country.) But if either of those gentlemen secure the Democratic nomination I will pull the lever for them next November. If your desired candidate does not secure the nomination, buck up, hold your hose, and vote BLUE, because—and I don’t think I’m being hyperbolic here—if the Orange Russian Wig Stand somehow survives Impeachment and goes on to win another term, you can kiss the United States goodbye.

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Zaddy!

As I’ve said before (or maybe I haven’t; I could’ve sworn I posted this hunk before but can’t find any record of it), Tom Welling did nothing for me during his Smallville days (although I did watch now and again). But after his season-long appearance in Lucifer, now…”I’m not sure I can get in that position SIR, but if that’s what you desire I will certainly try!”








Maybe it’s the scruff and the bit of weight he’s put on?

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Quote of the Day

It’s much better to age disgracefully! Take it on the chin, and roll with it. You die young, or you get older. There is nothing in between! You may as well enjoy it. My mother once said, ‘Never worry about getting older. I know the thought of you being 45 when you’re 25 is, Oh, my god! Who wants to be 45? But it’s amazing because when you get to be 45, you’ll realize it’s actually very cool and you don’t want to be 25 again.’ And I have to say, she was absolutely right. With every age comes advantages and disadvantages. And you tend to find that you don’t want to go back. You want to be exactly where you are with everything you’ve experienced.” ~ Helen Mirren

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Armageddon

Ben and I were both exhausted last night, so—very strange for us—we were both in bed and asleep shortly after 8 pm. I don’t know about Ben, but I was immediately dead to the world, and actually slept well all night.

That was, at least until around 4 am or so. With everything in that’s happening in the world, I’m not at all surprised that my subconscious chose to generate a 2012-inspired nightmare last night.

I was sitting in a Starbucks (natch) right on the beach in what felt like San Diego. (I’ve only been to San Diego a couple times, but this didn’t feel like Los Angeles or San Francisco, although I suppose it might’ve been Santa Barbara.) Anyhow I glanced out the window at the parking lot and watched incredulously as a small light blue coupe parked there started hovering. It rose about ten feet in the air and then began drifting and slowly made its way back to the ground, hitting a silver sedan parked several feet away as it did so. Needless to say this caught the attention of everyone in the store and we were soon watching as more cars started exhibiting the same behavior. I started gathering my things and advised people to get out of the store because this—whatever it was—was not normal and we should all get as far away as possible. But no, instead of fleeing the store, people started gathering outside filming the phenomenon on their cell phones…

When other, small bits of broken metal objects began falling from the sky, however, I knew it was time to take my chances (although it probably would’ve been safer staying inside), grabbed my stuff and headed out. It was then I noticed that the ocean was rapidly receding. Remembering the Indonesian earthquake from a few years ago, I knew what was coming and everyone had to GET THE FUCK inland, and started yelling.

I ran away from the coast. I got lost in a maze of office buildings and glanced back to see the ocean surge begin in the distance. I pressed onward, and then found myself lost in a residential neighborhood and trapped in someone’s back yard. I turned around and saw the wave; it was easily a thousand feet high  and now only a few miles offshore. I realized that no matter what I did, I was done for. There was no escape, and surprisingly I calmly accepted my fate.

I woke after that.

While I still ponder the deeper psychological meaning behind this, the practical aspects certainly fascinate me. It was obviously an asteroid strike in the pacific, something big that would affect gravity (or at least attract metals and not organic objects). In any case, the visual effects were stunning.

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