me3dia

[me3dia]

Start Discworld Wherever

The first Discworld book I read was Small Gods. It was long enough ago that I've forgotten when, but I'm pretty sure I picked it up at an airport bookshop. I'm also a big Neil Gaiman fan, and American Gods is a novel that fits closely with my personal theism, so the idea that there could be many, many gods whose existence relies on believers spoke to me. And the clever writing, the quick pacing, the colorful characters! Loved it. But it's also a bit of a standalone in the series, so for whatever reason, I didn't pick any others up, and I even gave the book away.

The second Discworld book I read was Raising Steam. It was another airport purchase, soon after it was released. Again, the characters and fast-charging plot drew me in. This time, I understood it was part of a much larger series — but it was still a couple years before I read any others.

Next I ended up finding Wee Free Men in a used bookstore; first edition hardcover. A whole different cast of characters, but a wondrous world and story. And from there I began reading the whole series in chronological order, starting from The Color of Magic and working forward from there. At this point, I think I just have the Science of Discworld books and a couple of others left. I've also read some of Terry's work outside of Discworld — Nation is an amazing YA coming of age story, and the Long Earth series takes one of his short stories and builds a galaxy out of it.

It really doesn't matter where you start. Even if you don't know who the main characters are, you'll have a feel for them by the end of the book, and you'll learn more every time you visit Discworld.

#terry pratchett #terry pratchett day #discworld #gnu terry pratchett

[me3dia]

There's always change in the banana couch.

#arrested development #bluth upholstery #bananas

[me3dia]

20x2 Chicago: How Does It Feel? 4/28/24

20x2 Chicago, the show I host and produce, returns on Sunday, April 28 at GMan Tavern in Lakeview!

20x2 Chicago is a live event where 20 creative people from all different walks of life — writers, musicians, filmmakers, web geeks and other bon vivants — are asked the same question and given two minutes each to answer in any way they choose. The results may take any form, from spoken word to music to film, and can be as varied as the emotions and reactions they evoke. This edition's question is How Does It Feel?

The speakers for this edition are, in alphabetical order: • Jim Allenspach • Gaylon Alcaraz • Martin Atkins • Keidra Chaney • Clay Condon • Searah Deysach • Nora Flanagan • Elizabeth Gomez • John Greenfield • Archy Jamjun • Britt Julious • Maria Kostas • Lindsey Lorenzana • Juan Martinez • Shelley Miller • Edward Moses • Ty Riggs • Eden Robins • Pete Valavanis • Kirk Williamson

See their answers on Sunday, April 28 at GMan Tavern, 3740 N. Clark St., at 7pm (doors at 6:30pm). Tickets are $20 in advance online or at the door, and the show is 21 and over. More information is available at https://20x2.org/chicago/

#chicago #chicago events #20x2 chicago #20x2 #do cool stuff

[me3dia]

I fully endorse this. It's canon now.

Interestingly enough, the Royal Mail released a stamp series in 2023 honoring a lesser known member of the family: The Associate. Oddly while he does take on a different personality with every regeneration, his face never seems to change much.

He's even been spotted working with the Bachelor on occasion.

The Doctor and The Master implies a third, less prestigious renegade timelord named The Bachelor

#Doctor Who #James Bond #Blackadder #he's proven shockingly difficult to kill #time lords #mr bean

[me3dia]

Oh shit, Dr. Evil is up to something.

#fembot #gynoid #oh behave

[me3dia]

What a lovely series.

ANNIE HSIAO-CHING WANG

ARTIST

#photography #time goes by

[me3dia]

This is great. Disability does not mean inability.

in recognition of World Down Syndrome Day on March 21

#disability does not mean inability #disability #disability awareness #down syndrome

[me3dia]

I must live out my days appraising the random tchotchkes and occasional priceless works of art owned by denizens of various towns throughout the United Kingdom.

#antiques roadshow is my background tv #wouldn't be a bad life really

[me3dia]

Everyone assumes that "The Heart of Rock & Roll" by Huey Lewis and the News is a celebration of a musical genre. But I believe it's a warning.

They say the heart of rock and roll is still beating And from what I've seen I believe 'em Now the old boy may be barely breathing But the heart of rock and roll, heart of rock and roll is still beating

Deep under the city, a beast of stone and lythe sinew slumbers. In a temple in Cleveland, acolytes gather annually to worship and deliver up new souls to appease their horrible god. Within the glass pyramid, in the stillness, one may yet feel the slow rhythm of the monster's pulse.

Everywhere there's music, real live music, bands with a million styles But it's still that some old rock and roll music That really, really drives 'em wild

The beast sleeps, and dreams of the day when it will awaken and rise to once again push man into madness. In Cleveland....

Detroit! Harken, for the heart of rock and roll is still beating.

#fantasy #flash fiction #the heart of rock and roll #music #huey lewis and the news were but messengers #the old gods

[me3dia]

Falcons automatically make you look cool.

Shoulder pads go on the outside.

#fashion #menswear #falcons are cool #jantzen

[me3dia]

Imaginary Friends and Foes

There are two movies coming out this Spring about imaginary friends.

IF takes place in a world where imaginary friends are real. It's a comedy.

IMAGINARY takes place in a world where imaginary friends are real. It's a horror film.

In both, the imaginary friends rely on a connection with humans to exist. The difference is in the telling... maybe they're not so different underneath, really.

Anyway, I look forward to that double feature.

#imaginary friend #movies #my imaginary friend was a teddy bear named Billy #movie twins #Youtube

[me3dia]

The Cola Wars of the 1980s get all the press, but folks forgot the Fake Scandinavian Ice Cream wars between Frusen Glådjé and Häagen-Dazs.

#neither one was actually from Scandinavia #Haagen-Dazs is from New York City #Frusen Gladje was from California #the eighties were weird man #ice cream

[me3dia]

I know Daniel Kraus a little bit (he's read a couple of times at the live lit show that I cohost), and this feels like a pretty accurate portrayal.

Midnight Pals: Whale tale

Daniel Kraus: Submitted for the approval of the midnight society, i call this the tale of the whale Stephen King: sounds like a whale of a tale! Kraus: Kraus: yeah actually that's accurate Kraus: it IS a whale of a tale if you think about it Kraus: i'm gonna start using that

Kraus: its about a diver in seach of his dead father Kraus: who gets swallowed by a whale Kraus: which allows him to come to terms with things Kraus: men would literally get eaten by a whale to avoid going to therapy

Kraus: so he gets eaten by a whale while he's looking for his father King: looking for his father in a whale? haha who's his father, gepetto? King: haha get it? cuz Barker: steve shut up Barker: you got lucky with that "whale of a tale" line, lightning's not gonna strike twice

King: hey clive that's not fair, you tell jokes all the time Barker: yeah but mine are good King: well gee King: i guess i'm no good at whale jokes King: more like a whaleFAIL King: oh!!! and I'm back in the saddle! Barker: no you're not steve

Kraus: so this guy gets eaten by a whale Kraus: now he only has an hour to both resolve his childhood trauma and escape digestion King: you know if i was swallowed by a whale, i think i could escape King: i don't think it would be too hard

Kraus: oh you think you could escape from a whale? oh do you? how would you do that steve King: i'd climb out the blowhole King: i'm pretty sure that's how its done Kraus: this isn't a cartoon steve!! King: no no i'm pretty sure i saw it in a King: uhh King: documentary

Kraus: the inside of a whale is not just some big open space where the stomach connects to the blowhole! Barker: no i'm pretty sure steve's right Kraus: oh NOW you're on his side? Barker: i'm always on the side of truth Poe: clive don't be an instigator

Frank Belknap Long: hey i have a question Long: is this vore? Kraus: Kraus: Kraus: what? Long: cuz i only like soft vore Barker: fuckin coward

Dean Koontz: i don't like this story Koontz: it makes me think about what if I got eaten by a whale! Poe: daniel do you have anything more appropriate for dean Kraus: i have this story about teddy bears Poe: well that sounds lovely Kraus: no Kraus: it's not

#midnight pals #the midnight society #daniel kraus #he's got a sardonic wit #great sense of humor though

[me3dia]

This is an amazing fridge, I agree. However, $497 in 1963 is equivalent to $4,800-$5,000 today. So this was the 1963 version of the luxury Blue Star or Thermador refrigerators of today — not exactly the crisper of the common people. In comparison, a Sears model was under $200.

The average cost of a new house in 1963 was $16,500, by the way — about $164,000 in 2023 money. Meanwhile, the average cost of a new home in 2023 was around $265,000.

1963 Refrigerator 🤔

#1963 fridge #luxury appliances #the swing-out shelves is really neat though

[me3dia]

I see no faults.

ok so hear me out

#fantasy and science fiction #accurate chart #I'd put Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy at center-right

[me3dia]

RIP.

RIP, Terry Bisson

Here’s his obit at Locus. A sad day for science fiction. — JS

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[me3dia]

"nothing is wrong. there is no problem. but you can’t help but think that man outside the trolley window appears to have a lot on his mind."

Source: @illumi.me on Bluesky.

#the trolley problem #a different perspective #nothing is wrong