LadyCrimson

Last night I saw a lot of lightning for several hours, but heard no thunder. (no local rain) Tonight it's a lot of thunder with no visible lightning. (no local rain)

Was wondering if Sandman/2 was worth watching. I might try it soon. Kdrama - Castaway Diva ---image and description made me think light silly rom-com. the first extra-long episode was a melodrama tearjerker re: the setting up the young teen (14-16?) past of two characters. The rest followed predictable melodrama+comedy but was overall decent for the kdrama genre, even with the typical last few episode fall off kdramas tend to have. But that first episode was a showcase for the two young actors playing the adults-as-children roles. Lee Re and especially Moon Woo-jin - gonna have to see where they are/what they're doing in 5+ years. I've become slightly "annoyed" (since it further fractures access to k-content and I don't want to sub to disney+, heh) that Disney seems to be trying to attract kdrama audiences now (I guess the sub service started in S. Korea a few years ago?). A couple of their Disney+ exclusive series I might be interested in. Moon Woo-jin plays a villain in one of them (Unmasked, maybe he's in one episode, dunno) and I'm super curious to see if he does as well with another role - reviews indicate he does. Plus it has a couple other main cast people that I like a lot. *grits teeth* Maybe I will finally do the sub for one month thing just to watch them.

^ We are fuddy duddies who think it's reasonable to just want "more TNG" or whatever is one's thing, but studios don't see any profit in folks like us. Although they are willing to use nostalgia-bait to lure some of us in briefly. I'm "wise" to that now - not falling for it again. ======== After reading a bit about the making of Kpop Demon Hunters, interviews with the creators and some of their goals etc, I gave it another watching, paying more attention to some things and I enjoyed it a little more the 2nd time. To be honest, in some ways I did like it better than the few Pixar offerings I've seen the past decade (didn't see TS-4 tho). So I will upgrade my ranking from 6.5 to 7.2. It's still not fully for my old cranky brain, but they don't make films like that for people like me. Apparently that Your Idol song was #1 on Spotify for a while, with another song from the film being #2 as well as being a big views hit for netflix. I'm becoming steadily more convinced that Netflix is going to become K-flix before long.

The cpanel has been updated/altered several times. That's about all I know. 3-4 years ago I did email him with a quick question, and got the usual almost instant reply. But to be fair I haven't done anything with webhosting besides the email addy's (which is re: sign-ins, I don't "social email" at all now) and game screenshots so really haven't kept up/cared to investigate closely. Recently deleted a lot of extraneous software installs too. I've considered eradicating all of it and moving to another webhost just for email access because I like having control over that (never going to use gmail or similar), but honestly, while I'm sure I'll be surfing the net in some lurker form or another until I die, I care less and less about having any actual presence. I'm going to keep paying for my actual domain names until death tho - if I let them lapse for even one second, someone would take them. crimsonkeep-2104826-1278 doesn't have the same ring. Crazy how easy it was for me to get certain randomish names back then vs. now, in anything. There was a time when I could even get "CatLady" at most every registration page I signed up for. Try that now.

I still use my own webhost re: email addresses. I sometimes wonder what will happen if the owner of the severs dies - will I even know outside of it all suddenly not working one day. I have no idea how old he is and it was years and years ago I found him, back when personal webhosting wasn't everywhere/EZ-fied and super cheap. I have this feeling, outside of his 'real job' clients, if he still has those (public webhosting was a small side for him), that I and maybe a few others might be the only ones using/remaining on his no-longer advertised webhost servers at this point.

KPop Demon Hunters (netflix) -- Netflix kept tossing this into my face, but it looked like an Americanized culture musical aimed at young teens, which didn't appeal to me on paper. I was bored tonight and went "eh, why not." First 15 minutes or so was kind of a snooze/didn't like the first song, but once the story got going I found a lot of humor in it, re: kpop band and fangroup tropes. The "big inspiring" finale song was rather typical teen musical fare - eg, most of such films have similar sounding songs - but I did really like the finale demon song. Mostly because it seemed to be taking stabs at the super-fan culture. Plus, Grim Reaper costume animation - good stuff. Anyway, it's a cute film, not super my thing but it made me chuckle and was well made, so I give it a 6.5/10. Oh, also, it wasn't on-screen much, but this Korean painting art influenced tiger/magpie duo was great/hilarious.

Doctor told hubby he can either go for (quite invasive/long recovery) spine disk fusion/rods and metal, that is like a random crapshoot re: actual patient satisfaction/results, or try this less invasive thing where they remove/deaden nerves around the affected vertebrae, to at least reduce/eliminate the pain. The latter is only being done by a single Kaiser (insurance) doc in California, apparently - in San Fran. Which, while we're farther from SF than we used to be, at least it's not in, say, Los Angeles. So now gotta wait for him to call re: referral. Hopefully it won't be a year.

Maybe the plug connector is dirty/oxidized/loose or something akin to that, so if you plug into the PC case itself, say, replacing that piece is all you'd have to hopefully do. Assuming it's not welded on. I get something similar but opposite re: phone/tablet charger cables where they work great for a while but eventually the plug part of the cable gets too "loose" and stops connecting well enough re: "fast charging" ability, so I have to keep jiggling/plugging it in and out. And any motion of the tablet may make the plug lose solid connection again (so charging would take days). Sometimes I crimp the cable plug a little with pliers and it works better for a bit. Or I buy a new charger wire and repeat. >.>

Guys, I might've find my new ideal sim game!* * Kidding. I just often wonder these days how the thought process works re: "hey this would make a good game" some ppl seem to have. I mean, this feels like a joke. That said, if it's a decent game in the end (maybe it's supposed to be funny?) more power to them.

Yesterday, while leaving CostCo and putting our stuff in our car: ---A woman nearly as tall as hubby and about our age approaches, says "don't worry I don't want money" then looks mostly at hubby and proceeds to say she has a bad back plus still recovering from recent surgery or something - could we help her get a giant watermelon/other heavy items out of her cart and into her car. ---I said "Sure, I'll do it" -- and pointed at hubby -- "He has a bad back too." and walked over to her car. --Watermelon was maybe 15+ pounds but easy. Stuff like that is hard on hubby/others because bending/pulling up out of an extra tall/deep cart is stressful - she kept asking if I was sure/was I ok etc - remember I'm super short and not 20 anymore either etc - I made the usual "I'm the strong one now" jokes. ---She and hubby then had a long convo re: backs, surgery/options/doctors as I unloaded our own full cart into our car. It was all rather amusing, from my point of view. Plus hubby was pleased to find someone else in near the same position as him to bounce off of.

Not that anyone here cares but it's what I'm listening to (too much) lately, so I'm gonna yap about it for a minute. Hadn't listened to Stray Kids in quite a while so I caught up. I guess they've become fairly popular - especially internationally perhaps - the past few years. Three of them write most of their lyrics/music. Two are actually Australian/fully bi-lingual, which probably adds to their international appeal. They lost one member so they are now 8 instead of 9. They call this members lines the "Felix Effect" Catches a lot of ppl's attention initially. Which I can relate to since that's what I noticed in their early Victory Song video. The several hits I like best (most of their music is too "noisy" for me, outside of these) I've listened to on repeat so often now that I can now mostly distinguish the member's voices apart, which I usually have no ability to do re: these bands. Their dance choreo videos are great re: hard energy dances - although sometimes with near seizure inducing zoom camera editing >.> - but I pick this one because it's less studio-polished, they aren't doing a mega dance, and seem like they're just having low-pressure fun on stage. (song starts at 1:40)

Got around to finishing Squid Game/3. The first few episodes were the best ones, impactful, but after that, for me it was meh. After the 4th episode it was completely obvious where they were going and it kind of killed my motivation to finish, which is why I took a while to do so. Anyway, spoiler section: Should have only had one side-plot - either the brother or the female guard's. Just felt like padding for splitting up what should've been a single-run 2nd season. I didn't mind the very last scene, not surprising they'd leave a weird opening for future tie-ins. I kind of doubt the actual writer/director is interested in doing more, from what I've read - well, unless they toss him truly absurd amounts of money perhaps. But Netflix could still do a prequel, if mostly new team and actors (which is where I think they'd most likely go). I would not be interested myself. ======== Also been watching more of Potato Lab, but FWD'ing through side plots. The two leads still have these S-Korean romance and group social series slapstick type moments that make me laugh - like this cooking competition bit that almost felt anime jokey. The usual "drama conflict padding" side chrs are a snooze tho. But those funny moments are great.

Was watching some videos re: Trump/stripping naturalized US citizenship etc. I am a naturalized US citizen, since I was adopted in early 1971. I think they altered some laws 20-30 years ago where adoptees can be US citizens without actual naturalization process, but only applies to those adopted post-early 1980's, with certain requirements etc, or something. I don't know details on that. Anyway, while watching it occurred to me I should go doublecheck all my adoption/citizen paperwork/records, because moving a few years ago is chaotic + my memory/organization gets worse every year. Looked in file cabinet, closets, looked in some boxes (still packed re: moving homes), couldn't find them, started to panic. Then remember the "mom" box. I had put them in there. Phew. New safer place for those again. Hopefully, since I'm almost invisible to everyone but the DMV/taxman (haha), as long as I don't try to become a drug kingpin or accrue 1000 parking tickets in a few months, Trump won't notice me.* *Not really worried about my personal status/self, mind. Not what he's (currently) chasing after. But it's Trump - and things are crazy. I think I won't leave the US for vacation/anything for a while. Trump might not let me back in.

4+ episodes of Squid Game. Episode 2 and 3 were pretty great. But my brain went: "Ohhhhh yeah, the evil rich people, I didn't miss them." ... "Oh yeah, the people on the boat going nowhere." And my finger hit the FFWD trigger faster and faster. I'll see it through, I may like some more scenes. I can tell tho they created too many threads and it probably won't come together in a satisfying actual conclusion fashion.

I would be, if it was on PC now. Always fun trying to avoid major spoilers for 6-9 months (I don't mind smaller side spoilers/some info, but....) I'm not doing the buy-a-console-for-one-game, then a few games, then a streaming-TV paperweight, thing again.

Man, why couldn't Netflix have been so k-drama content focused when I was just getting into/really into k-drama content and not totally jaded, years ago? --Trigger - silly sounding but social-commentary what-if premise but Kim Nam Gil has yet to disappoint me re: projects he's selected/been prominent in. I've liked every single one of his series (10 years). I will watch. --Wall to Wall - Kang Ha- Neul as an actor has yet to disappoint me - some of his series I wasn't into. But mystery/thriller/horror is a genre I often like (10 years). I will watch. --And for now - SQUID GAME is on. Please be a good conclusion! Pretty please!

Started watching some k-drama/rom-com, via Netflix, called The Potato Lab. The first episode was meh to ok, but then around 45 minutes there was this total camp scene of the stoic male lead running from a bird and falling/rolling down a field - yes it was stupid but I laughed. After that, typical kdrama romcom tropes/plot. Although, sometimes purposely self-aware tropes, which is a bit amusing. I'll likely lose interest rapidly but at least that scene gave me a giggle. And I can get it off my watch list. Heh.

Hubby's doc appointment may have been canceled/shifted, but his away-trip wasn't, so it's still ....meaning I'll probably deep clean the house to really loud kpop music. Cause I know how to have a good time! ...I'll also be cooking a kimchi/super red-peppered vegie and marinated chicken stir fry. Hubby wouldn't like it anyway.

Hubby's back surgeon appoint. was canceled, because the surgeon apparently had some emergency surgery-ing to do. Rescheduled 3 weeks. I wonder if at that time, they'll do it again. A method to keep patients slightly less aggravated and on the hook vs. "first appointment available is 6 months from now" and risking the patient trying to go elsewhere.

Speaking for myself .... because outside of game forums, I am extremely asocial?

I'd rather they just let PvE people be able to turn PvP off entirely, like WoW did, or NMS does etc. Thus they could run around and people couldn't target them re: PvP but everyone could still mingle or observe that massive guild fight over yonder if they feel like it. Or perhaps ... where one has to be in a Guild or something of that nature, to be able to participate in PvP, and only other guilds are targetable. Thus people with no affiliation of any kind would be left alone. The dev's original objective however seems to be for trying/hoping more/most people would band together in guild/groups as the endgame. Which is fine. I'm simply not interested. EDIT: to be fair, if one goes in knowing all of this, 50-100hrs for the PvE focused beginning is a decent thing, even if one stops/considers that as "finished the game.", just like with any actual SP game.

Hubby's been watching a series (I think via paramount+) called Tracker. I don't know much about it - one of those "guy with skills helps ppl in bad trouble, with a background team" type of shows. But I like that it's procedural, episodes largely self-contained, so sometimes I can randomly plop down next to him to watch an episode and not be lost. Seems fairly decent for that genre. Mostly I'm waiting for the final Squid Game episodes.

Also - pretty much what I hear in my head every time I try to watch/read any news lately. Just saying.

I don't think this is going to become a part of any "big comeback/revival" for him. But if you play it at 1.25 speed, the beat becomes a bit more fun to dance to. I guess.