Tag Archives: house of cards

Pop Culture Update – March 2016

There’s a lot of good stuff going on and here it is – this is absolutely an irrelevant post but I feel like posting and don’t want a week to go by without posting.

Zootopia-poster-2Zootopia (2016)

Zootopia has been getting great reviews and that’s alright as it definitely deserves the raves.  We went to see this on Saturday after a run in Griffith Park (5.5 miles for me, 8+ miles for Larry) as it had been a little while since going to the movies.  We’re in that weird lull before the spring/summer movie season but I think things are starting to pick up finally.  Anyway, Zootopia was a very good movie with a great story about not letting personal biases cloud the way you live your life and refuse to let fear drive your decisions.  It’s very applicable to today’s world, amirite?  Also great is how cute everything has been rendered.  Anyway, go see this.. You’ll love it.

2890063-trailer_theflameintheflood_announcement_20160516The Flame in the Flood

I had to write about this fantastic video game that I first became aware of when reading a preview about the game a year or so ago.  Former developers from the teams that made Bioshock were part of this and devoted all their money and time to making this.  I gotta say, it was worth the effort.  The Flame in the Flood is a roguelike type game, in which the world is randomly generated in a procedural manner, so the game may not play the same between different players.  That’s always neat, but the execution of how that all happens is key in whether it’s actually fun to play.  You basically have to survive while navigating your thrown-together raft down an endless river along with your faithful dog, Aesop.  You come across various islands you can dock at and scavenge for items to help you survive.  Of course, you also run into obstacles, whether it’s scary wolves and snakes or the elements themselves.  If you’re not paying attention, you could quickly find yourself overrun by the elements and having to start over.  I did start over quite frequently but each time you learn a bit more, and finally I ended up finishing the “campaign” mode – big hint:  Catch & skin rabbits and make pouches.  Maximize that inventory!!!  And run, a lot.

house-of-cards-season-4House of Cards, Season 4

It’s kind of depressing how quick time passes as you realize the a year has gone by since the last season was released all at once by Netflix.  But here we are again, and that means it’s been a year since I started at PwC, as Season 3 came out the weekend I was flipping out over having to fly to Atlanta and start orientation.  So we didn’t actually watch Season 3 for a few weeks. It seemed like we were on track to maybe yet again not watch this latest season for a few weeks, but nope, we started watching the first episode last night and of course that turned into 3 episodes.  IT’S SO GOOD.  Basically we pick up about a few hours after the stunning turn of events that transpired at the end of Season 3, and it doesn’t let up.  I love the new characters, and those characters that we know and love and that we hope have a sexual connection yet again….anyway, it’s as compelling and soap opera-y as it has ever been, and I can’t wait to see what transpires!

61zAZwTTkOLThe Passage – Justin Cronin

Nah, I don’t have the new book out in the Passage trilogy – I wish!  But I have started a re-read of the first two books, starting with The Passage.  It’s a long and twisty tale, and I’ve forgotten many of the details, but damn if I’m not already hooked again.  If you haven’t read these books, I’d highly recommend you give them a shot.  A lot of fun and quite epic – and I must admit I’m intrigued by the cover of The City of Mirrors and how it looks to be NYC-based.  New York didn’t seem to have much of anything to do with anything so I’m curious how it all ties together….plus the fact that this is the last one.  Here’s hoping this series goes out strong!

In other news, Larry & I have managed to knock out the table centerpieces, I think.  Some assembly is required still, but I think what we chose will look nice and not intrude in guests being able to see each other across the table!  Still can’t believe we’re so close to April 30!!!

Settled In, It Seems

We’ve finally made it – all the big boxes are unpacked and disposed of.  It’s a thrilling sensation to be done and to be kind of almost all moved in at our new and smaller apartment.  All the work of getting shelving installed has been so satisfying too, as items are finding their real home and our home becomes livable too for us, as that is actually a thing we’ve been making ourselves deal with.  It’s interesting how much you choose to deal with when it’s something you can’t ignore, like boxes all stacked in your dining room area or piles of clothes and linens in your bedroom or an office overrun with crap…you make it all work regardless and get used to it.  But when you get things organized and reclaim that space, it is like, woah, that’s nice.

Yesterday was a productive day too, but I think I felt a little emotional about it as well.  There was the realization I had that Phase 1 of Moving is done and now it’s time to get settled in and make the place ours, and then start actually enjoying the apartment and amenities.  But then it was also realizing that we’re not done yet – just that the boxes are gone.  I actually just got my TV mount for the wall today, we have more shelving coming in for the wine glasses and bar area, and then there will be picture hangings and such.  It’s fun and great to have all this happen, but soooo exhausting.

In random tangents, both Larry & I are so glad to have some of our favorite Spring TV back:  Mad Men and Game of Thrones.  Mad Men‘s final season is airing and it’s been good but also sad because this is the LAST SEASON.  NOOOOO……!!!  It’s not clear where it’s headed, but one thing that does seem kind of apparent is that Don Draper is and will continue to be the same broken and flawed man he was from Season 1.  Game of Thrones is exciting this year as we’re finally at that expected divide when the TV show caught up to the books…and now the show is able to write its own interpretation of what happens next.  George R. R. Martin has given the showrunners an outline of what he has intended the overall story to encompass for the ending, but the details are likely changing regardless.  There are promises that characters will die even book readers will find surprising.   So, those shows are ongoing while Larry & I also are enjoying the third season of House of Cards on Netflix, although that has been slow-going for a few reasons, including my initial PwC travels and then moving.  But we didn’t let all that stop us from binge-watching Netflix’s other new series, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which is fucking awesome and funny as hell.

Alright, this was just a word-vomit post for today, but I need to keep trying to get back in the swing of posting and so here we are.  I have some more pics to share too, including a bigger batch from yesterday when Mom and Helen came over to visit.

April 9, 2015 – PwC All Hands in Santa Monica!

Last week there was an All Hands meeting for the group here in SoCal and it was held out on the Westside, kinda near my old stomping grounds.  The traffic was ridiculous, as expected, but not nearly as bad as it could have been.  Even though it felt like a longer ride, it was only an hour or so back to my home in Glendale…although that was with me leaving at 7pm.  I had looked earlier at 5pm and the trip was easily 1.5 hours.  Eff that.  I did enjoy being back on the beach though, but that’s just not enough for me to say I miss the Santa Monica area, as I don’t.

09-Apr-2015 17:34, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32
09-Apr-2015 18:13, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, ISO 32
09-Apr-2015 18:13, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32
 
09-Apr-2015 18:13, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32
09-Apr-2015 18:14, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, ISO 32
 

April 11, 2015 – Final Stretch….

I have to say this is kind of misleading titling, as while it was a final stretch of boxes and installations, like I rambled about above, there’s still a lot of work.  But at least we’ve gotten so much crap off the floors!

More boxes on their way out
More boxes on their way out11-Apr-2015 12:40, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 250
Not just a pic of a bathroom, but a bathroom without boxes!
Not just a pic of a bathroom, but a bathroom without boxes!11-Apr-2015 12:40, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 250
Goodwill stuff
Goodwill stuff11-Apr-2015 12:40, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 200
 
11-Apr-2015 19:57, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 320
11-Apr-2015 20:18, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 400
 

April 12, 2015 – Mom and Helen, Some Grilling, and More Home Improvement!

Helen came up to visit mom so they came over to see how we were doing in the getting settled effort.  Mom wasn’t impressed but I reminded her, gently, that it actually was MUCH better than when she saw it and it was a goddamn warzone.  We took them on a tour of the amenities as we hadn’t shown my mom that her last time here as there was work to be done then!  These pics are from the roof deck of the building we live in, not of our own private area.  Our grilling adventures for dinner later that evening were a bit educational – the grills provided around the complex are very nice, but they’re huge.  So we’ve realized that a large grill takes much more to heat up.  The El Pollo Loco chicken recipe requires indirect heat, so to do that in a big grill, you need to use more burners.  Lesson learned, hopefully.

12-Apr-2015 10:52, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 125
12-Apr-2015 10:52, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 100
12-Apr-2015 10:53, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.059 sec, ISO 250
 
12-Apr-2015 11:08, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 160
12-Apr-2015 11:08, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 200
12-Apr-2015 11:16, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 160
 
12-Apr-2015 12:31, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32
12-Apr-2015 12:31, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, ISO 32
12-Apr-2015 12:31, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32
 
12-Apr-2015 12:31, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, ISO 32
12-Apr-2015 12:31, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, ISO 32
12-Apr-2015 12:32, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, ISO 32
 
12-Apr-2015 12:32, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, ISO 32
12-Apr-2015 12:32, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32
12-Apr-2015 12:32, Apple iPhone 6, 2.2, 4.15mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32
 

Jimmy Fallon’s “House of Cue Cards”

I didn’t know what to expect from this, but then I read the recap from EW which purposefully kept things vague about “surprise guests” and I had to watch.

It’s brilliant.  Especially if you’ve watched any of the real House of Cards on Netflix with Kevin Spacey.  Jimmy Fallon does an eerily accurate impression of Frank, along with lots of the show’s visual cues and choices for scenes.  You have to watch!  Plus, the “opening credits” sequence with the highly-stylized Midtown Manhattan replacing DC is gorgeous.  Gotta love the inverted NBC logo too!

Part 1:

Part 2:

Winter Olympics, continued

Not that I have anything interesting to contribute towards the athletic side of things.  Although we did watch the snowboard cross events and that was awesome with it being a race against others and you’re flying super high in the air. Never something I’d ever do, but I enjoy watching others risk their lives!

Back to my point:  the hotness of these Olympics!   I briefly mentioned two figure skaters that were attractive and I am finally able to confirm that indeed Javier on the ice was pretty cute.  But then I saw some others, notably 2 of the men from the USA bobsled team….wow.  My interest was definitely triggered when NBC ran a story about these two who are roommates (Steve Langton and John Daly) and constantly go around shirtless.  It was such a homoerotic display I was sure they were about to go to town on each other.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/daly-and-langton-olympic-roommates

There are PLENTY others to feast your eyes on but I don’t watch nearly enough Olympics, especially with House of Cards on.  And holy hell, the 11th episode of the 2nd season was quite unexpected.  HELLO, Meacham!