A do-nothing weekend
I have a few too many of those, but oh well. My laundry pile is huge, but I still have clean things left to wear to the office. (This is why I own a lot of underwear and socks.)
Apparently it was very cold out, so it's just as well that I stayed inside. I watched way too much TV--I really do need to cancel cable and just get internet, because the few shows I actually do watch actively are all available for free at their respective networks' websites.
I will note that watching Richard Chamberlain taze Wil Wheaton was unexpectedly hilarious. Leverage may have ridiculous plots and obvious writer-manipulation, but they do humor well and they know their (geek) audience. (c.f. the references to Die Hard in this week's episode.)
Castle is rather better plotted. Even when proposing something as unlikely (to me) as "person tells phone sex girl Very Big Secret," they make it plausible. The palaver of "yes, people call for sex talk but many also just need a sympathetic ear," made sense in context when it was discussed, and it set up the later revelations. A writer could do worse than to study Castle for tips on how to foreshadow and embed plot threads.
Also saw Salt, starring Angelina Jolie and Liev Schreiber (who is far more attractive than his face would make him, if you get what I mean. This is what "charisma" means, kids). This makes a third* movie where someone uses a pen as a weapon. And yet we are still allowed to bring them onto airplanes with impunity!**
Speaking of Die Hard, that was also on TV this weekend and I watched it beginning to end for the zillionth time. (I have it memorized.) It remains a fantastic example of pacing and plot structure, how to have well-rounded characters in an action movie, how to give a female character (admittedly with limited screen time) agency, and how to build a sympathetic villain. It really does transcend its genre, without stepping outside the genre for even a second.
*The Bourne Identity and Grosse Point Blank are the other two. swimtech is convinced that there's another one, but neither of us can remember it. Can anyone help us out?
**This is sarcasm, BTW. I'm not a fan of security theater.