Living, Loving, Party-going
I decided that I hated listening to the radio on my commute because I got terrible music stuck in my head. Instead I started listening to a bunch of "song of the day" podcasts.
Now I just get not-terrible music stuck in my head.
Also, what is the appeal of Laura Marling? Her songs have been featured on two different song-of-the-day podcasts in the last week, and I just don't see it. Hm, breathy vocals with lyrics I can barely hear or understand? No, thank you.
Apropos, I need some new music. I am basically tone-deaf and amusical, so I appreciate good, storytelling lyrics more than anything else. Indigo Girls, Dar Williams, Rasputina, Steeleye Span... that's a wide range of artists, but they are good examples of "stuff Lise likes."
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My dad has been visiting the last few days--he left this morning. For a good chunk of time he was content to watch season two of Alias while I puttered on my computer, working on conquering Europe. I had actually never seen Alias when it was on TV (or otherwise), so it was interesting to jump into the middle of a season and see it to its conclusion.
I came to a conclusion: Alias is really "The Jennifer Garner Dress-up Show."
Also: real, actual conversation I had with my dad, who is a first-generation Italian-American:
"Tuscany? Is that in France?"
"It's in Italy, Dad."
"Tuscany doesn't sound like an Italian word."
After which I had to explain that that is not in fact the Italian world for Tuscany. (I think it's Toscano?) I would have explained that Florence, Venice, Sicily, etc are not the Italian words for their respective cities, but that might have BLOWN HIS MIND.
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Speaking of my new favorite game, I continue to play it. I continue to try, mostly unsuccessfully, to conquer France.
I also started a new game on my laptop, in Sweden, as the Duke of Ostergotland. I quickly expanded to also become the Duke of Smaland. But Sweden, it turned it, is a pretty contentious place in the 11th century. Between the Gotlanders to the east, the Danes to the south, and the constant civil war for the kingdom, I at one point found myself unwittingly in a war on three fronts. Then the Danes decided that they wanted Smaland, and marched an army of 10,000 into Varend when I couldn't field more than an army of 2,000 and I couldn't afford any sizeable mercenary group.
At which point I was all, "I hear Dublin is nice this time of the Middle Ages," and started another Irish game.
So consider this an anti-recommendation: don't start in Sweden if you're just learning the game.
Now I just get not-terrible music stuck in my head.
Also, what is the appeal of Laura Marling? Her songs have been featured on two different song-of-the-day podcasts in the last week, and I just don't see it. Hm, breathy vocals with lyrics I can barely hear or understand? No, thank you.
Apropos, I need some new music. I am basically tone-deaf and amusical, so I appreciate good, storytelling lyrics more than anything else. Indigo Girls, Dar Williams, Rasputina, Steeleye Span... that's a wide range of artists, but they are good examples of "stuff Lise likes."
--
My dad has been visiting the last few days--he left this morning. For a good chunk of time he was content to watch season two of Alias while I puttered on my computer, working on conquering Europe. I had actually never seen Alias when it was on TV (or otherwise), so it was interesting to jump into the middle of a season and see it to its conclusion.
I came to a conclusion: Alias is really "The Jennifer Garner Dress-up Show."
Also: real, actual conversation I had with my dad, who is a first-generation Italian-American:
"Tuscany? Is that in France?"
"It's in Italy, Dad."
"Tuscany doesn't sound like an Italian word."
After which I had to explain that that is not in fact the Italian world for Tuscany. (I think it's Toscano?) I would have explained that Florence, Venice, Sicily, etc are not the Italian words for their respective cities, but that might have BLOWN HIS MIND.
--
Speaking of my new favorite game, I continue to play it. I continue to try, mostly unsuccessfully, to conquer France.
I also started a new game on my laptop, in Sweden, as the Duke of Ostergotland. I quickly expanded to also become the Duke of Smaland. But Sweden, it turned it, is a pretty contentious place in the 11th century. Between the Gotlanders to the east, the Danes to the south, and the constant civil war for the kingdom, I at one point found myself unwittingly in a war on three fronts. Then the Danes decided that they wanted Smaland, and marched an army of 10,000 into Varend when I couldn't field more than an army of 2,000 and I couldn't afford any sizeable mercenary group.
At which point I was all, "I hear Dublin is nice this time of the Middle Ages," and started another Irish game.
So consider this an anti-recommendation: don't start in Sweden if you're just learning the game.