May 03 2009

Sunday Somethings, 03May09

Category: Uncategorized — podrey @ 8:10 pm

Others writing the Sunday Somethings: Kerry

Some things that made me smile this week: The birds and the bees.  Literally.

Something i struggled with this week: Zits.  On my chin.  My best guess is they are happening because of the sweat that drips down my face while exercising, straight to my chin.

Something tasty i ate this week: A simple taco salad from “the Mexican place” right next to the conference center where the bridge tournament is being held.

Some things i learned this week: Cincinnati is associated with the Flying Pig because it has at various times been the lead pork producer in the US, and was for awhile referred to as Porkopolis.  At some point someone kidnapped a pig and took it on a joy ride in a biplane.  I don’t even think this happened in Ohio, but it’s amusing nonetheless.

Something from the bridge table: A kind old man became a victim of my feminine wiles when he got distracted and passed his partner’s opening bid.

Some thing i am doing towards my goals: I haven’t done anything.

Something i am reading: A History of God by Karen Armstrong.  I have had this book for quite a few years, and started it a few different times.  She used to be a nun.  The book is about the evolution of the human perception of god, particularly focusing on the Christian, Jewish and Islamic faiths, as they are the monotheistic religions.  Or perhaps it’s about the evolution of god himself, as she makes a pretty decent case that the god of the old testament is not the same god people believe in today.

Something happening around the house: Hopefully nothing, since we are not there.

Something i am thinking: No matter how good my relationship with my mother becomes, i’m not going to blast music when she’s in the car that is downright vulgar.  I don’t quite know how the Shull kids get away with it.

Something i am hoping: That i don’t get sick.  I’m not particularly worried about the swine flu, despite the somewhat exponential growth in the number of cases over the past few days, although you can be sure i’m washing my hands plenty.  Traveling in general is just a fairly common way people get sick.

Something i am looking forward to next week: Getting home.  I love bridge, and love Lance’s family.  But bridge tournaments and airports always take a lot out of me.

Something random: I secretly enjoy it when i’m running during my lunch hour and i see people that i know.

Something captured:

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May 02 2009

Flying Pig Regional, Saturday

Category: Uncategorized — podrey @ 11:59 pm

We took the morning off from playing cards and decided to do something around Cincinnati.  Our choices were the Cincinnati Zoo or the Creation Science Museum.

I had no idea the Creation Science Museum was here!  It is something i have heard about – a “museum” where they put things on display that show the “facts” of creationism.  Such as people and dinosaurs living together!  No, i’m not kidding.

I would have loved to see it, but it was twice as far away, so we went to the zoo instead.  It was neat – i always learn something.  And the animals were cute.

One thing that amuses me about people at the zoo.  If they can’t immediately see the animal, they often assume “oh he’s not in there.”  People, the animals are shy!  And often camouflaged!  The Dead Leaf Mantid certainly was in there – in fact, there were many!  All the things that looked like dead leaves were the mantids!

After that, it was back to the bridge tournament, where we proceeded to get our asses stomped all day long.  But hey, i got to see a rhino today!

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May 02 2009

Flying Pig Regional, Friday

Category: Uncategorized — podrey @ 5:09 pm

Our flight to Columbus Thursday night was easy.  Security wasn’t an issue, and there were no problems with the plane.  Boy, it’s nice having a direct flight.

Lance’s brother, Kevin, picked us up immediately, and we went back to his place for a relaxing evening of goofing off on the computer and watching 30 Rock.  Kev was gracious enough to let us sleep on his new memory foam bed.  I might have to get me one of those!  It was like sleeping in clouds.  He was a great host.

Got up early and headed to Cincinnati to the tournament site.  I have to say, it’s kind of a sad little tournament.  The Raleigh sectional tournament might be bigger than this regional tournament.  (Tournament sizes are thus: club, sectional, regional, national.)

We entered as a team-of-four into the morning knockout event, and lost twice.  I blame one of those losses squarely on myself.  But in our afternoon knockout we advanced.  Yay!  At least we’ve won something.

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May 01 2009

The Sundering, by Jacqueline Carey

Category: Uncategorized — podrey @ 8:30 am

Jacqueline Carey is the author of some of my favorite books, the Kushiel’s Legacy series.  The Sundering is another series from her, consisting of two books, Banewreaker and Godslayer.

The Sundering was a little hard to get into.  The names were odd, and there is a lot of history that you have to absorb in order to understand what is going on.  But don’t worry, if you don’t get it during the first explanation, things are restated for you in various ways.  It gets a little repetitive in places.

The Sundering is basically an alternate telling of Lord of the Rings.  The characters and the world are completely different, but much of it is obviously meant to be compared to Lord of the Rings or other fantasy.  The key difference is that good and evil are not black and white.  In a few ways, i like this version better, because there are so many shades of gray.  In The Sundering, you hear both sides of the story, and the “darker” side is actually given more stage time.  Imagine if Sauron didn’t really want war, but was being forced to defend himself because the forces for good were giving him no choice.  Except that their propaganda says he’s the bad guy.  That’s what is happening in The Sundering.

The number of similarities in the two series borders on ridiculous, which means it must be completely intentional.  Here’s a list of the major likenesses.

  • Lord Satoris = Lord Sauron.  The big evil meanie who is orchestrating everything.
  • Malthius = Gandalf.  He is a wise old guy with special powers.  He even disappears into the bowels of the earth and resurfaces.  When he resurfaces, he is changed and he is dressed all in white.
  • Aracus Altoris = Aragorn son of Arathorn.  Aracus is often referred to as a “son of Altoris.”  Even the alliteration is the same.
  • Aracus is betrothed to Cerelinde (aka Arwen).  It is the first known union between a man and an Ellylon.
  • Ellylon = Elves.  They have the exact same features such as beauty and immortality.
  • Rivenlost = Rivendell.  Rivenlost isn’t actually a place, but rather refers to a collection of the Ellylon.
  • The Three = The Nine.  Satoris has only 3 “mini-bosses”, while Sauron had 9.  They aren’t nearly as scary in The Sundering.
  • Malthius’ Company = the Fellowship of the Ring.  This is a band of 7 people representing different races.  In their company is one Dani, who is The Bearer.
  • The Bearer = The Ring Bearer.  In The Sunderer, the Bearer is bearing the Water of Life, not a ring.  He and only he can carry it, and the others are helping him on his quest.
  • The Bearer gets separated from the rest of his company.  He has one remaining sturdy companion, who is one of the folk from his homeland.
  • The goal of the Bearer is to go deep into enemy territory (Darhaven=Mordor) and use the Water of Life to quench the marrow-fire.  (Basically, going to the middle of a big volcano in the hardest possible place to reach.)

I liked it, but i found myself hoping for a different outcome.  The dark side perspective is told very well, and i was rooting for them, even though i knew how it would have to end.  (I have the same problem whenever i watch Titanic – i hope the boat won’t sink this time.)

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