Margaret Atwood on Writing
This one’s from 4 years ago, but pretty evergreen: persistent writer Margaret Atwood talks with a new generation of writers about her process and some key writing tips… and don’t forget to sit up straight.
Writing
Author: Bjorn Munson
Various and Sundry
Ghosts Aren’t Real, but They Are Legal
I’d seen this as a suggested video last month and, while it’s arguably more of a Halloween kind of thing, “Christmas Carol” guarantees that ghosts are still seasonal. It might be time to re-watch Rashomon as well…
Various and Sundry
A Day that will Live in Honest Trailers
There are many ways to remember the “Day that Will Live in Infamy.“ Watching the 2001 film, Pearl Harbor, is arguably not one of them. Honest Trailers has my back on this. I mean, it does inexplicably find a way to cram Spitfires in there, but come on!
Various and Sundry
Tolkien Support
In trying to figure out what all those rings of power in Middle Earth actually do, I came across some videos by the self-described “Tolkien Professor,” Corey Olsen, where he fields a number of questions. This was evidently well received enough that they did another one, which I kinda like more: There’s also an explanation about all the different peoples and creatures of Middle Earth. So there you have it. A lot more Tolkien information…
Various and Sundry
Prep for Cookie-Making (and Eating) Season!
A holiday tradition for many people is cookie making, which is all well and good, but what to do about all those cookies once they’re made? Here, we learn from the undisputed master of cookie eating.
Various and Sundry
GIFs Out of Balance
Earlier this week, I mentioned doing the sort of my biennial favorite films list. My favorite film for a few years back in the pre-Internet era (well, pre-Netscape Navigator for sticklers) was the experimental, non-narrative film Koyaanisqatsi. Technically a documentary, I suppose, but really more of a visual essay. It uses a variety of slow-motion, time-lapse, and regular speed, but breathtaking, cinematography resulting in a film unlike anything I had seen before. It may also…
Various and Sundry
My 50 Favorite Films: Prep for the 2022 Edition
Another Thanksgiving weekend has past, which for our family meant seeing how many meals the Thanksgiving leftovers would last, how many board games could be played, and who wanted to put what ornament on the Christmas tree. But it was also Thanksgiving weekend on an even year, which means it was time to start prepping for my biennial Favorite Films sort. I’m a lifelong movie buff and have watched literally thousands of movies. Not all of them…
Various and Sundry
Getting the Gift of Gab During Holiday Gobbling
For a lot of folks, this holiday season is the first one in a while where there are more gatherings, both in family homes and in offices. So to prepare for that, writer Olga Khazan over at The Atlantic consulted an effort to help us all get through the small talk — and even if you don’t want to be a raconteur, it never hurts to be a better conversationalist.
Various and Sundry
Travel the World… via Sandwich
Thanksgiving feasts will be on the tables of millions of Americans in less than a week, but for this Friday before said feast is completely on everyone’s mind, let’s talk about sandwiches. Social media exercises frequently make the rounds regarding where people have traveled, so I read this article by Terry Ward for CNN about some of the world’s best sandwiches, and I thought this was just as interesting a score to tally… and far…
Various and Sundry
Spaaace Regulation!
In case you didn’t think I’d be interested in how the federal government may or may not be getting into regulating outer space, you might not have realized I already have a tag on this website for space law. Of course I’m interested! And that’s where Rebecca Heilweil’s article about the FCC getting into space regulation comes in. I mean, I get the FCC being interested in regulation of communications satellites and the like. But…