[Dendra]

A non-book aside:

I've just finished watching Phantom of the Paradise for the first time in a couple of decades or more and it's just as corny, but fun, as it was when I saw it in a local theatre in Brisbane 50 years ago in 1974. Does it make me feel old and nostalgic? Not in the slightest. You can't relive the past so why not accept aging and still keep the sense of wonder. Once you get caught in the nostalgia loop it can slowly take over and regret slides in and then you're lost.

My local movie theater shows older movies twice a week, and I like going to catch them. Some I'm watching again on the big screen (Spaceballs) and some I'm finally getting to see on the big screen for the first time (The Blues Brothers). A few have not aged well, but I've enjoyed the heck out of the rest. Especially the Mel Brooks movies and The Princess Bride.

A non-book aside:

I've just finished watching Phantom of the Paradise for the first time in a couple of decades or more and it's just as corny, but fun, as it was when I saw it in a local theatre in Brisbane 50 years ago in 1974. Does it make me feel old and nostalgic? Not in the slightest. You can't relive the past so why not accept aging and still keep the sense of wonder. Once you get caught in the nostalgia loop it can slowly take over and regret slides in and then you're lost.

My local movie theater shows older movies twice a week, and I like going to catch them. Some I'm watching again on the big screen (Spaceballs) and some I'm finally getting to see on the big screen for the first time (The Blues Brothers). A few have not aged well, but I've enjoyed the heck out of the rest. Especially the Mel Brooks movies and The Princess Bride.

We have two theatres in Launceston and all they show is the new stuff. Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein never grow old because good comedy and slapstick is timeless.

Personal movie review (sort of and very short): Dune, Part 2 is a bigger steaming pile of certain brown substances than the first part.

Swastika Night by Katharine Burdekin (writing as Murray Constantine).

[Dendra]

Chalice, by Robin McKinley

Chalice, by Robin McKinley

Is it the chalice from the palace?

An aside: About four weeks I started hearing a really annoying whining sound whenever the computer was turned on. Did some quick searching online and found the most likely culprit, coil whine from the monitor. The monitor was four plus years old so why not replace it? Which I did. Got it all set up, fired up the pc, and the blasted whining was still there. Checked the manufacturers site and followed a couple of the suggested methods. No success. I was getting very cranky by this time, so I decided then next time I start the computer I wouldn't turn the monitor on. Aagghh... the whining was back. Then purely by accident I found out what was causing the problem (I'd dropped my note pad on the floor and bent down to retrieve it), it was the blasted keyboard. Turned out that certain styles of backlighting can cause coil whine. I fiddled with the keyboard settings and changed it one colour and the whining ceased. No coconut reward for me.

Anyway, the new monitor has double the resolution and a higher refresh rate which is very useful for gaming so it all worked out in the end.

[Dendra]

Chalice, by Robin McKinley

Is it the chalice from the palace?

Yes, because it has the brew that is true!

Movie aside: If you want to see absurdist slapstick humour at it's craziest and finest have a look Hundreds of Beavers. When I first looked at the trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m39iu2YW-oM) I thought it was just same gag reel. I haven't seen a movie so bizarre and hilarious in years. It's right up there with the classic comedies of the golden age of slapstick. This, I hope, is going to become a classic.