My record is 36-16-2. Not bad. Not bad at all. When I first decided to join a scifi book of the month club, I thought it would motivate me to read at least one novel a month. And it certainly has. It has also motivated me to pick up every past book the club has discussed and read them as well in a bid to play catch-up with my fellow SF literati. So – 36-12-2. 36 books read, 16 to read, and 2 I tried to get through but eventually abandoned. Since embracing my spanking new obsession in early October of 2006, that makes roughly six books a month. Of course the number is a little higher since I’m only keeping track of the official scifi reads. Still, I’m buying them faster than I can read them (and I can read pretty damn quickly). That said, I’m looking forward to the five hour flight to Montreal and back for the Easter long weekend during which I will attempt to up my record to 38-16-2 by immersing myself in David Brin’s Startide Rising (loved Kiln People), and Karen Travis’s City of Pearl. The Android’s Dream is out of my hands – literally out of my hands and home with either Brad or David – but I’m thinking of bringing along Joe Abercrombie’s The Blade Itself for a change of pace.
Things have been so busy lately I’ve actually fallen behind on my food blogging. I would therefore be remiss if I didn’t mention Carl (who paid) and Alex’s (who picked up) tag-team take-out for the underwhelming Florida-Ohio State final the other night. The game may have been disappointing, but the sushi was not.
And speaking of sushi, we hit my favorite Japanese tapas spot, Yuji’s, for dinner last night. As is often the case when we go to Yuji’s, we over-ordered…yet managed to finish everything nevertheless. The plates were coming so fast and furious that we were barely able to eat quickly enough to clear the table and make room for more. But we managed. The menu on this night: 1. Monkfish liver pate, 2. Smoked squid with miso paste and nori, 3. Smoked oysters and oyster mushrooms, 4. Sea snails, 5. Meguro avocado crepe, 6. Deep-fried spicy tuna roll, 7. Big eye tuna carpaccio with white truffle oil, 8. Curry calamari, 9. Flame-grilled kobe beef, 10. Seared albacore tuna with sesame seeds on a ponzu mustard sauce, 11. Tanaka-san’s roll of the day (tuna, cucumber, and avocado inside, prawn tempura outside, topped with his special sauce), 12. Beef short rib and garlic stalk lettuce wraps, 13. Meguro mille-feuille, 14. Grilled beef tongue, 15. Sea eel tempura, and 16. Monk fish poele with teriyaki butter and basil sauce. Believe it or not, we skipped dessert.
Moving on to the mailbag –
Anonymous #1 writes: “When you are writing do you tend to be the still and silent type, the pacing mutterer, or somewhere in between?”
Answer: I’m a pacer. I’ll print up a copy of what I’ve written and then walk up and down the halls, endlessly running the dialogue and rewriting.
Valerie writes: “Will there be a some nice lighter episodes (like Irresistible or Duet) as well?”
Answer: There will be “light” moments in all of the episodes but, to be perfectly honest, the show’s fourth season will be darker than its predecessors.
Misty writes: “Do you keep every book you buy or do you resell some of them after you are finished reading them?”
Answer: I keep them. They’re all on display in my office.
Anonymous #2 writes: “I’m sorry I already told my two professors yesterday at their office hours for the invite, but you and your wife were on top of my list.”
Answer: Much appreciated nevertheless.
Shipperahoy writes: “Have you ever read the Magic Kingdom series by Terry Brooks?”
Answer: I haven’t.
Hannah writes: “What’s your favorite Korean food? Do you like kimchi?”
Answer: I’m a big kalbi fan. And, yes, I do like kimchi.
Anonymous #3 writes: “How often do you sit down and watch episodes of Stargate?”
Answer: Outside the office? Never.
Katharina writes: “It’d be great if you could just tell anybody from wardrobe (or whoever looks out for stuff like that) that some German fans are really tired of seeing their flag patch upside down.”
Answer: Already done.
Anonymous #4 writes: “Just finished Steven Erikson’s “The Bonehunters”. I’ve read the whole 7 books one after the other and I really got into the characters .. Now I’m going to have to wait until the next book comes out and I’m missing my friends.. Ever feel like that about a book or series? “
Answer: I have felt that way with several book series and television shows. Looking forward to that Sopranos premiere this weekend.
Allison writes: “What do you usually eat for breakfast since you’re at home?”
Answer: The same thing every morning – three tablespoons of low-fat natural yogurt, a scoop of whey protein powder, All-Bran cereal, and some sliced fruit. Sounds yummy, no?
Anonymous #5 writes: “When you take pictures of the food in the restaurant, do you ask the owner or waiter/waitress if you could take some snapshots of it? Has anyone been bothered by it yet?”
Answer: I don’t ask permission and no one is ever bothered by my pic snapping (except for the guy sitting beside us at dinner last night who kept frowning over at me). Quite the opposite in fact. Many times, I’m taken on kitchen tours and invited back to meet the chef.
Ssknh writes: “I was wondering if there were any such thing as a set or location tour that you guys provide?”
Answer: Nope, sorry.
Anonymous #6 writes: “So you have a copy of the mythology thingie they are showing on Scifi when Stargate finally returns. Have you watched it yet? And as TV Guide has stated do Christopher Judge and Michael Shanks host it? And how do they do?”
Answer: They both do a terrific job and look quite dashing in their dark suits. Set your tivo’s, ladies.
Anonymous #7 writes: “Yesterday, you said : “Everything about the script was a gag. Except the part about killing off McKay in Adrift.” But, on March 31st, to the question : “Can you tell us the name of the episode that the pictures are from?” you answered : “Lifeline.” However, in these pictures, we can see McKay in the jumper.
How do you explain that?”
Answer: Two words – “Row” and “Bot”.
Anonymous #8 writes: “”Anonymous #2 writes: “ I was wondering about the ship that you said carter will come with in season 4.””
Joseph Mallozzi writes: Did I say that?
Answer:Yup.”
Answer: Really?
Anonymous #9 writes: “The Save Beckett fans have now begun garnering bad publicity in major trade magazines.”
Answer: I have no problem with the campaign. In fact, I think they’ve been quite inventive.
Peggy writes: “Do you celebrate Easter, Joe?”
Answer: I do. Fondy and I will be heading back to Montreal to celebrate (eat our faces off) with our families.
Apryl writes: “A friend directed me toward your blog (which I’m loving btw!). Anyway, she said you were wanting to try some real southern BBQ – here you go – strait from central Appalachia!”
Answer: Thanks, Apryl. Now all I need is a barbecue.
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