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An update!
Not sure how this'll go due to a strange stuffiness in my head that's been making it hard to concentrate for the past week, but I'll deign to write a few sentences. (c: (Odd, isn't it, how I always feel most inclined to write when I'm least capable of coherent writing. Maybe it's because I'm even less able to focus enough to play video games. Anyway, whatever)
Books
So, since my last post about books, I've read
- A Deepness In The Sky by Vernor Vinge
- Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card
- Brasyl by Ian McDonald
- Last of the Wilds by Trudi Canavan
- Voice of the Gods by Trudi Canavan
- Shadow of the Hegemon by Orson Scott Card
- Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge
I may (or may not) write a little more on them in the future, but suffice to say, I enjoyed reading all of those books, and recommend them. I hear that Orson Scott Card's books apparently go downhill a bit, but I figure I might as well keep on reading.
I'm also running out of space on my book shelf, but I can't stop myself buying new books (c:
Music(als)
So, recently I purchased DVDs for The Guild from Amazon, the ordering system of which craftily suggested that I also purchase Dr Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog. How could I not?
I did enjoy Dr Horrible when I watched it the first time on the net, but I do have to say I was a little put-out by the third act. However, time apart from it and now I enjoy it thoroughly. But! Even more awesome was the special features on the DVD (which you no doubt could find fairly easily on Youtube or whatever) including: Commentary! The Musical. It was nearly 40 minutes of more music, songs performed by the writers/actors playing exaggerated versions of themselves. Amusing lyrics and a fair variety of musical styles. Particular favourites included Nobody's Asian in the Movies performed by Maurissa Tancharoen, Heart, Broken, in which Joss Whedon sings of how stories get picked apart for the sake of DVD extras and tie-ins. Also, Neil's Turn has Neil Patrick Harris just being awesome.
Anyway, listening to it put me into this mood for musicals, and in particular I sought an old musical that my sister and I used to watch religiously until the VHS tape our grandmother had recorded it on broke. That musical is Into the Woods. And it's just as funny and awesome as I (vaguely, after 15, 20 years) remembered it to be.
It is a musical which combines several fairy-tales together, specifically Cinderella, Jack and Beanstalk, Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood. It also links them with a story of a baker and his wife who have been cursed by a witch to never have children (because the baker's father once stole magic beans from her garden). However, she will lift the curse if they prepare a potion for her, which requires various ingredients ("the cow as white as milk, the cape as red as blood, the hair as yellow as corn, and the slipper as pure as gold").
It's just such a funny, wonderful musical. If you haven't watched it before and have even any remote interest in musicals, I recommend you find the DVD of the original Broadway cast. Or you can borrow it. (c: (Once I receive my DVD sometime next week, anyway. I have to admit that I was impatient and watched it via.. other means first)
Anyway, time for sleeeeeeeep.