Bits and Pieces of assorted stuff.
Of course there was the big Earthquake in Japan. All of the people that I know that I know in Japan are all right, thankfully, and I hope if there's anybody reading this who is there or who has friends and family there, that they are likewise lucky.
In my own life, not a whole lot is going on, as usual. Still kind of in my post-X-mas-blahs. The usual 'having very little motivation to do anything other than routine', and 'not taking as much pleasure in the usual things I enjoy' (although, to be fair, television, one of those things, has also been a little sucky and uninspiring lately compared to previous years, and I think that's objective rather than subjective... or, at least, objective to my own tastes, which are subjective on their own, rather this judgment being a subjective view of how it lives up to my subjective tastes, solely inspired by mood... if that makes any sense). I am trying to arrange a couple of 'baby steps' to improve my status in minor, perhaps imperceptible ways. One of them was the previously mentioned 'paying off my student loans in advance', which I haven't gotten to yet, but it's still on the plan. Others I'll perhaps talk about once I get them done so as not to jinx them.
However, at least in the field of entertainment, there are some encouraging bits of news for the future:
1) Doctor Who is probably starting on April 23rd. At least, that's the date BBC America is advertising, although the regular BBC hasn't made an announcement yet. Also two mini-eps (4 minutes each) air this week for the Red Nose Day telethon. So, some New Who at last.
2) Apparently Brian Michael Bendis' Powers has been picked up for a Pilot on FX. Katie Sackoff really wants the role of Deena Pilgrim... and you know, I could realyl see it. I kinda hope it gets to a series, I quite liked that series, even if I eventually stopped picking up the trades.
3) The sequel cartoon series to Avatar: The Last Airbender, called either Avatar: The Legend of Korra, or "The Last Airbender: The Legend of Korra" (I really HOPE it's still the former and the latter was just an accident on the site reporting it, because what the series has in common is that it's about Avatars, not Last Airbenders. DAMN YOU JAMES CAMERON, AND M.NIGHT TOO.) is due out in 2012.. and, YAY. The order's been increased from 12 episodes to 24. I'd imagine they'd probably get more if it's popular, like any series. 12 seemed way too short to me. Anyway, if you haven't read it, here's an interview with the creators, and the first face-on preview art of the main character.
4) I knew it was coming, but I had no idea it was this soon. October is still a long way away, but for books, it's not that far at all. What is it? The sequel to one of my favorite novels, "A Fire Upon the Deep", by Vernor Vinge. "Children of the Sky" comes out in October 2011. One of the few books I will buy in Hardcover.
Also in books, Stephen King has written another Dark Tower book, set between books 4 and 5, called "The Wind Through the Keyhole", that should be out next year. As disappointed as I was in the ending, I'll probably pick it up... but in softcover. (Though not paperback, at least if there are illustrations).
Coming out a little earlier is Robert Charles Wilson's Vortex, the third book in the series that started with the excellent Spin, and the... okay Axis. Because Axis disappointed me, I'll probably wait till Paperback, or if I can find it used.
In my own life, not a whole lot is going on, as usual. Still kind of in my post-X-mas-blahs. The usual 'having very little motivation to do anything other than routine', and 'not taking as much pleasure in the usual things I enjoy' (although, to be fair, television, one of those things, has also been a little sucky and uninspiring lately compared to previous years, and I think that's objective rather than subjective... or, at least, objective to my own tastes, which are subjective on their own, rather this judgment being a subjective view of how it lives up to my subjective tastes, solely inspired by mood... if that makes any sense). I am trying to arrange a couple of 'baby steps' to improve my status in minor, perhaps imperceptible ways. One of them was the previously mentioned 'paying off my student loans in advance', which I haven't gotten to yet, but it's still on the plan. Others I'll perhaps talk about once I get them done so as not to jinx them.
However, at least in the field of entertainment, there are some encouraging bits of news for the future:
1) Doctor Who is probably starting on April 23rd. At least, that's the date BBC America is advertising, although the regular BBC hasn't made an announcement yet. Also two mini-eps (4 minutes each) air this week for the Red Nose Day telethon. So, some New Who at last.
2) Apparently Brian Michael Bendis' Powers has been picked up for a Pilot on FX. Katie Sackoff really wants the role of Deena Pilgrim... and you know, I could realyl see it. I kinda hope it gets to a series, I quite liked that series, even if I eventually stopped picking up the trades.
3) The sequel cartoon series to Avatar: The Last Airbender, called either Avatar: The Legend of Korra, or "The Last Airbender: The Legend of Korra" (I really HOPE it's still the former and the latter was just an accident on the site reporting it, because what the series has in common is that it's about Avatars, not Last Airbenders. DAMN YOU JAMES CAMERON, AND M.NIGHT TOO.) is due out in 2012.. and, YAY. The order's been increased from 12 episodes to 24. I'd imagine they'd probably get more if it's popular, like any series. 12 seemed way too short to me. Anyway, if you haven't read it, here's an interview with the creators, and the first face-on preview art of the main character.
4) I knew it was coming, but I had no idea it was this soon. October is still a long way away, but for books, it's not that far at all. What is it? The sequel to one of my favorite novels, "A Fire Upon the Deep", by Vernor Vinge. "Children of the Sky" comes out in October 2011. One of the few books I will buy in Hardcover.
Also in books, Stephen King has written another Dark Tower book, set between books 4 and 5, called "The Wind Through the Keyhole", that should be out next year. As disappointed as I was in the ending, I'll probably pick it up... but in softcover. (Though not paperback, at least if there are illustrations).
Coming out a little earlier is Robert Charles Wilson's Vortex, the third book in the series that started with the excellent Spin, and the... okay Axis. Because Axis disappointed me, I'll probably wait till Paperback, or if I can find it used.