{"id":11983,"date":"2017-03-07T18:17:36","date_gmt":"2017-03-07T23:17:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/?p=11983"},"modified":"2017-03-07T18:19:34","modified_gmt":"2017-03-07T23:19:34","slug":"february-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/?p=11983","title":{"rendered":"February 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/32054859523_e8ddf41b96_k.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-11984\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/32054859523_e8ddf41b96_k-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/32054859523_e8ddf41b96_k-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/32054859523_e8ddf41b96_k-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/32054859523_e8ddf41b96_k.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As I said in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/?p=11959\">my last post<\/a>, I spent the first couple of days of February down in Florida. I was there with my family for a week, visiting relatives, biking, walking along the beach, basically just hanging out. It was fun. And if the weather back in New York wasn&#8217;t the rudest of rude awakenings, it was still a lot colder when my plane home landed than when it took off.<\/p>\n<p>Anyway, otherwise it was a pretty uneventful month for me personally. A holiday, a snow day, and the usual assortment of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/?p=11983#stories\">stories<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/?p=11983#books\">books<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/?p=11983#movies\">movies<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/?p=11983#music\">music<\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><a name=\"stories\">The stories<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I read some I liked, some not so much. I&#8217;m also busy reading submissions for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kaleidotrope.net\">Kaleidotrope<\/a>. Anyway, the 2017 originals I particularly liked:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>&#8220;Later, Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Tear Up The Inner Sanctum&#8221; by A. Merc Rustad (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lightspeedmagazine.com\/fiction\/later-lets-tear-inner-sanctum\/\">Lightspeed<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Probably Still the Chosen One&#8221; by Kelly Barnhill (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lightspeedmagazine.com\/fiction\/probably-still-chosen-one\/\">Lightspeed<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Run&#8221; by C.R. Hodges (<a href=\"http:\/\/escapepod.org\/2017\/01\/26\/ep560-run\/\">Escape Pod<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Some Cupids Kill With Arrows&#8221; by Tansy Rayner Roberts (<a href=\"http:\/\/uncannymagazine.com\/article\/cupids-kill-arrows\/\">Uncanny<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;To Budapest With Love&#8221; by Theodora Goss (<a href=\"http:\/\/uncannymagazine.com\/article\/to-budapest-with-love\/\">Uncanny<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Milla&#8221; by Lorenzo Crescentini and Emanuela Valentini (trans. Rich Larson) (<a href=\"http:\/\/clarkesworldmagazine.com\/crescentini-valentini_01_17\/\">Clarkesworld<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;The Dark Birds&#8221; by Ursula Vernon (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.apex-magazine.com\/the-dark-birds\/\">Apex<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;The Lily Rose&#8221; by Emily B. Cataneo (<a href=\"http:\/\/thedarkmagazine.com\/the-lily-rose\/\">The Dark<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And the reprints:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>&#8220;We Are Not These Bodies, Strung Between The Stars&#8221; by A.C. Wise (<a href=\"http:\/\/pseudopod.org\/2017\/01\/28\/pseudopod-527-we-are-not-these-bodies-strung-between-the-stars\/\">Pseudopod<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Nilda&#8221; by Junot Diaz (<i>This Is How You Lose Her<\/i>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr>\n<p><a name=\"books\">The books<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m including three books here, even though one of them I read most of in January, and another I finished reading on March 1.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/25583484._UY200_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"126\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-12026\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I think my favorite was easily Ken Liu&#8217;s <i>The Grace of Kings<\/i>, which I read for my monthly book club meetup. The easy tagline for the book is &#8220;a Chinese-inspired <i>Game of Thrones<\/i>,&#8221; but I think it does a lot of other really interesting things with its characters and the way it develops them. It&#8217;s also full of a lot of really nice moments&#8211;including, but not limited to:<\/p>\n<p><font color=\"blue\">&#8220;Read a lot of books and try a lot of recipes,&#8221; Jia said. &#8220;When you learn enough about the world, even a blade of grass can be a weapon.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I refuse to believe in the futility of change, because I have seen how the lowly dandelion, with time and patience, can crack the strongest paving stone.&#8221;<\/font><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/42145-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"126\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-12028\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The second of the three was <i>Sleeping in Flame<\/i> by Jonathan Carroll, which was interesting but not exactly my favorite Carroll novel. It includes this nice line, however:<\/p>\n<p><font color=\"blue\">The keys that unlock the heart are made of funny materials: a disarming phrase that comes out of the blue, nowhere, a certain sexy walk that sends you reeling, the way someone hums when she is alone.<\/font><\/p>\n<p>I like Carroll&#8217;s work, and one of the things I like is that I don&#8217;t always know what to make of it. But one problem there is that I don&#8217;t always know what to make of it.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/22544764-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"126\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-12033\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The third and final book I read (mostly) in February was <i>Uprooted<\/i> Naomi Novik, which I also read for my monthly book group. Like most of the group, I found a lot to really like about the book, and a lot that was worthy of discussion, but I didn&#8217;t necessarily <i>love<\/i> the book, or expect to find myself re-visiting it ever again.<\/p>\n<p>There weren&#8217;t any particular quotes that spring to mind here, but I did like this little exchange:<\/p>\n<p><font color=\"blue\">&#8220;He lived for forty years in a monastery illuminating manuscripts before anyone noticed he wasn&#8217;t growing older. He was always a little surprised to find himself a wizard, I think.&#8221;<\/font><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><a name=\"movies\">The movies<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I watched 11 of &#8217;em. Too many of them were <i>Resident Evil<\/i> movies. <i>Moonlight<\/i> and <i>The Edge of Seventeen<\/i> were my favorites, and the ones my thoughts keep returning to, but <i>John Wick 2<\/i> was also a lot of fun.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Interview With the Vampire:<br \/>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Interview With the Vampire isn&#8217;t perfect, but it&#8217;s actually quite good.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u201d Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/unrealfred\/status\/828080967269113856\">February 5, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/li>\n<li>Underworld: Rise of the Lycans:<br \/>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-conversation=\"none\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Someone wrote this dialogue down and then convinced other people to say it in full view of recording equipment. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Underworld3?src=hash\">#Underworld3<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u201d Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/unrealfred\/status\/828099495225352192\">February 5, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/li>\n<li>Resident Evil: Afterlife:<br \/>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-conversation=\"none\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Guys, Resident Evil: Afterthought was really very bad.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u201d Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/unrealfred\/status\/828432413864902656\">February 6, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/li>\n<li>Resident Evil: Retribution:<br \/>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Am I using my unexpected snow day wisely? Well, I am now watching Resident Evil: Retribution, so the answer to that is clearly no.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u201d Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/unrealfred\/status\/829719287644508160\">February 9, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/li>\n<li>Underworld: Awakening:<br \/>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-conversation=\"none\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/UnderworldAwakening?src=hash\">#UnderworldAwakening<\/a> isn&#8217;t what I&#8217;d call a good movie, but I like it about as much as the first one. Which was dumb as a post but fun.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u201d Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/unrealfred\/status\/829890869151068161\">February 10, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/li>\n<li>Finding Dory:<br \/>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-conversation=\"none\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Finding Dory is very cute and sweet and amusing and I don&#8217;t think Donald Trump could even tell you what the movie is about.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u201d Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/unrealfred\/status\/830610170979954688\">February 12, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/li>\n<li>The Texas Chainsaw Massacre:<br \/>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The Texas Chainsaw Massacre isn&#8217;t a fun movie. I&#8217;m not even sure if it&#8217;s a good movie. What it is, is a very disturbing movie.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u201d Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/unrealfred\/status\/833154082500132865\">February 19, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/li>\n<li>The Edge of Seventeen:<br \/>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The Edge of Seventeen maybe isn&#8217;t amazing, but it&#8217;s very endearing, with some really nice performances, particularly by Hailee Steinfeld.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u201d Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/unrealfred\/status\/833516372772716545\">February 20, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/li>\n<li>Moonlight:<br \/>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Moonlight was maybe a little quieter and sadder than I expected, but it was a lovely movie, with some great performances.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u201d Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/unrealfred\/status\/835685878248914945\">February 26, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/li>\n<li>Self\/less:<br \/>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-conversation=\"none\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">This really is a desperately bland movie.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u201d Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/unrealfred\/status\/835702045080449024\">February 26, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/li>\n<li>John Wick: Chapter 2:<br \/>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">John Wick 2 maybe lacks some of the simple efficiency of the first movie &#8212; too much world-building? &#8212; but it&#8217;s still well made and fun.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u201d Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/unrealfred\/status\/835993475384557576\">February 26, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr>\n<p><a name=\"music\">The music<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I listened to some of it.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/videoseries?list=PL62qRURJS1HA7moODECLVKm9qHTW1q8jS\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As I said in my last post, I spent the first couple of days of February down in Florida. I was there with my family for a week, visiting relatives, biking, walking along the beach, basically just hanging out. It was fun. And if the weather back in New York wasn&#8217;t the rudest of rude &#8230; <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/?p=11983\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[16,241,14,15,28,222,75],"class_list":["post-11983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-books","tag-monthly-music-mix","tag-movies","tag-music","tag-personal","tag-stories","tag-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11983"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11983"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11983\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12043,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11983\/revisions\/12043"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}