Hey, check out the – well, not exactly highlights but not exactly lowlights either, so let’s call them midlights – of my trip to Montreal. I’m posting these to prove I didn’t spend all of my time there eating. Occasionally, I took pictures of other people eating or snapped shots of places where I’ve eaten. I also drank a beer. Enjoy.
I went into the office today for a couple of hours and spun Episode #20 with Paul. When all was said and done and we had our five acts, we sat back and studied the beats we put up on the board. No one said anything for almost a full minute and then, finally, Paul summed it up: “It’s jam-packed.” Indeed it is. FREAKING HUGE would be another neat turn of phrase that would apply. Perhaps a big too freaking huge? Well, we’ll run it by the rest of the gang when we get in on Monday. Our VFX supervisor Mark Savela is either going to be thrilled, or he’ll suffer an aneurism. It could go either way.
Oh, and we also talked a little about Project Twilight. Paul had a terrific idea, more of a backstory element that gives it a surprising little twist. He wants to run it by Brad and Robert next week as well.
Hey, to any of you voracious readers looking for a great SF read, Eos has made one of my favorite scifi books, City of Pearl by Karen Traviss, available as a free download until August 31st. Check it out. Thanks to the gang at SF Signal for the heads up: http://www.harpercollinsebooks.com/31F6DD15-7767-4590-BBFA-6FF3968B62D9/10/125/en/eos10?WT.mc_id=REFL_SFBLOG2_COP_062508
Speaking of favorite scifi books – whenever someone swings by my office and asks me to recommend an SF novel, I’ll hand them one of the following: John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War, Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, Iain M. Banks’s Consider Phlebas, or Thomas M. Disch’s Camp Concentration. The latter is a scifi classic that I didn’t get around to reading until last year, but it made quite an impression. Back in July of ’07, I wrote: ” a scifi classic (I’m embarrassed to admit it took me so long to get around to) focusing on a conscientious objector, Louis, imprisoned for protesting an ongoing war. He is sent to Camp Archimedes, a prison whose inmates are part of a state-run experiment. Through Louis’s journal entries, we discover that his fellow inmates, once ordinary individuals, have been transformed into geniuses by a compound called Palladine. Ultimately, it turns out that Palladine’s source is a horrifying as its side effects. A wholly engaging and brilliant, brilliant read.” The other day, I heard that author Thomas M. Disch took his own life. According to an article in Friday’s Telegraph, Disch ” became increasingly depressed both by his failure to gain recognition for his work and his material circumstances” ( http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/2271007/Thomas-M-Disch.html ). This I found both surprising and incredibly sad given that he was considered by many a truly great writer. In addition to Camp concentration, his novels 334 and On Wings of Song are considered some of the very best in the SF literary field. It’s a shame he died feeling underappreciated because I’m sure he had many, many fans out there who loved his work but may not have taken the time to go see him at book signings and convention appearances, or taken the time to drop him a note to tell him how much they’d enjoyed his books. Just a little something to consider if you happened to have recently read something you really liked or been reminded of a much-loved classic. Maybe take the time to contact the authors and tell them how much you enjoyed their work. I know they would appreciate hearing from you. Wikipedia offers links to various author sites, home pages, and publishers. And the gang at SF Signal offer this very handy, continually updated list of writers who blog: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/002815.html. Thomas M. Disch blogged here: http://tomsdisch.livejournal.com/
Hey joe, interesting exploits were had by all while you were in montreal weren’t they?
I’m sitting here wondering where i found some of my friends at the moment one of them had the gall to ask if I had plans tomorrow evening at 10pm or if I’d like to come over and go to some lame late night dinner party.
Also doing a celebratory dance as I reserved my room for the Burbank SG con, in November!
That guy on stilts looks kinda like Patrick Stewart (at least, the visible half of his face does).
That’s a good idea about writing to authors of books we like. I’m sure a lot of people don’t even consider doing that, even if they loved the book. I’ll have to remember that for the future. Everyone likes to know their work is appreciated.
I love jam!
I’m eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia and can’t stop! Help me!
It’s good to see your vist back east went well. Upon seeing the fourth picture, the first thing that came to mind is “Mallozzi HAS to do a story based on that….thing.” Ok, well you don’t HAVE to. But that is almost as creepy as some of your Whispers pics. I’m sorry to hear about Thomas Disch; while I’ve never read his works, the fact you’ve mentioned him would have sent me looking for his works. Which I still will, though it will feel a bit ghoulish to do so. Sort of like those people who push up the prices on dead artists’ works. There are too few good folks out there as it is; the loss of each one hurts the more for it.
I’ve already said a bit about “The Etched City” but wanted to share a few more thoughts. I find that I enjoyed the story more in retrospect, as I pondered the characters the events, the writing style, etc., than I did while I was reading it. It had a decidedly schizophrenic feel that has been commented on by Mr. Mallozzi and several other readers. The pace of the story seemed to reflect the personality of the main character featured in the chapter. The beginning chapters were sharp, clean and decisive – like Raule; then the narration took on a languid pace that suited Gwynn. Raule was focused and goal-oriented, while Gwynn for the most part just drifted on life’s currents. I liked all four of the main characters. Gwynn was my favorite, but then I have a soft spot for elegant, charming rogues of ambiguous morals. I felt certain empathy for Raule (as a fellow female physician) as she struggled to find her place in the world of medicine, but felt that her character was underutilized and underdeveloped for the last two thirds of the book. The mention of her ultimate return to Copper Country seemed an afterthought. The Reverend and his theological arguments with Gwynn put me in mind of my college days – I went to a Jesuit University 😉 and so had a nostalgic charm. Beth remains an enigma, which is probably appropriate. I’m hoping that the author will give me some insight into that character when she visits. Beth tells Gwynn that she always felt she was an outsider, even from childhood. It made me wonder whether, in Bishop’s fantastic world, perhaps Beth is a goddess who took on a human body and eventually, after experiencing all she could in this world, ultimately shed her mortal form. Maybe Gwynn, her demon and muse, both inspired her art and enabled her to complete that transformation. Her evolution through various forms of artistic expression was fascinating. I was glad that she and Gwynn were ultimately re-united. It was an interesting read that will continue to haunt me for a long time.
Sparrow hawk
Hey Joe!
That deep dish cookie looks absolutely mouth-watering. What was exactly in the cookie dish? I may have to try and manipulate/create one some day. 😛
I’m especially glad that you enjoyed your trip in Montreal. It definitely looked fun-filled and delicious. 😉
Less than 24 hours to the airing of season 5! Excited?
Thanks as always!
– Enzo Aquarius
What’s there to help? Keep eating! Let’s see if you can break your own record!
Eat! Eat! Eat! Swallow! Swallow! Swallow! Antacid! Antacid! Antacid!
That black WTF thing reminds me of the Landstriders from that movie The Dark Crystal. So many memories. Mostly scary, but she could fly!
The statue looks like a man who fell on a heap of bread that had earlier fallen butter side up.
I live in a Hippy town full of muso’s with hairy armpits. We have a jazz festival that people flock to from a fair distance. We sit on the grass out the front of our house and admire it from afar. The best type of jazz music for us.
There was a quiz on the radio in relation to a suburb.
The answer was our Suburb.
After someone had guessed it, the presenter said “also more widely known for women who wear a lot of cheesecloth”.
“Hey! That’s not fair.” I exclaimed to myself in the car.
Looked down at my top, noted the material, “Do’h!”
Recognition. It is so important.
We are all so quick to criticise these days, but very rarely do we compliment.
My Dad has made me promise to play “In the Living Years” at his funeral. Not as a song representing him, but he said to remind everyone that shows up to appreciate what they have now and to acknowledge those around you while you still can.
It is so sad that Thomas M. Disch took his own life.
@das – I really hope things settle down for you soon. You always need one part of your life settled so you can manage the craziness in other parts. When it is both family and work you do start to go slightly nucking futs. At least Atlantis is coming back.
Joe, for das’ sake, you may need to interrupt her cable signal and perform a sock puppet show of Wraithy happiness to protect her from any scenes that may send her over the edge. It’s the little things that can be the final straw.
And Joe, step away from the ice cream now. I want to see both hands up, walk slowly this way, wipe away that ice cream smudge on your nose. Put the pug down. Taking a hostage at this point is only going to make things worse.
Thanks for the pix Joe. You’ve managed to give someone over 7000 miles away a mighty cookie craving..
Hey Joe!
Being a sadly as yet unpublished author myself, I often dream of having people all around the world know and love my work, and at the same time, dread that people all around the world will scorn and hate it…sigh, I guess its the curse of all artists that your art brings you joy, but the hope of recognition is complete torture. I look on the bright side, at least my cat Anubis likes my stories (or so I believe, as he sits regally like an Egyptian cat statue in all his silky blackness). Or at least, he doesn’t run away hissing. That is, not until my dog shows up. I see this getting away from me here…
I’m also one of the fortunate/unfortunate (depends on your point of view) people who has a family that doesn’t believe in supporting each other in everything they do. So if they don’t like something, they won’t hesitate to dissect it and lay it out on the table. And they say they do it in my best interests…HAH!
But enough of that, I’m beginning to ramble, and now have no idea where I was going with all this, or whether I was going anywhere. I think that’s proof enough to cut this short (or rather, long).
By the way, always loved street theater! Mimes are the best, though!
Oh, and just in case someone calls me on this…Being an amateur egyptologist, I do know that Anubis was the jackal-headed god of the dead, but since my cat was a boy, I didn’t think it fair to name him Bast or Bastet. Too feminine. Bast being the cat goddess, most oftenly shown as a black cat. I did ponder a bit getting a female black cat to match, and naming her Bast/Bastet, but a) my parents didn’t want any more pets, and b) I wasn’t sure if on first glance I’d even be able to tell them apart!
Sorry about that little history lesson, I do love my mythology (hence why Stargate has always been a big hit with me, since it first started when I was a kid). I’ll just leave it at that…
Wow…Montreal looks fabbo! I’m spewing that when I did my supposed ‘unlimited stopovers’ round the world trip in 2000, those dingbats I booked through said I could only have 5 STOPS in North America… like HELLO???
I said to my travel agent, “Don’t the Canadians get pissed at being lumped together with the USA?” He agreed they probably would, but it didn’t change the fact that I had to limit my first visit to Canada to TWO cities – Toronto and Vancouver. Was not a happy little vegemite, I can tell you…
Anyway, enough rambling…just popping in to wish you BIG numbers in the season 5 premiere tomorrow night (it’s already the 11th here in Oz…alas, I have NO way of seeing it tonight, tomorrow or ANY night as our Skiffy channel will not be broadcasting it… 🙁
no doubt GateWorld will be abuzz when I sign back on after the weekend…yay. Second hand info is better than NO info to a spoiler-ho like myself…
cheery-bye!
– Dana
“And Joe, step away from the ice cream now.”
Too late.
josephmallozzi said:
I’m eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia and can’t stop! Help me!
Go for it Joe… HMMMMM Good… (a la Homer Simpson) Love Cherry Garcia!
Cheers
Patricia
“Too late”
I don’t want to have to call your Mum.
Disch really is a loss. I’m deeply frustrated and saddened by my inability to write when others seem to find it so easy, but I’ve never thought of ending my life over it. I don’t know what would have to happen to get me to that point. Book-wise, how do you feel about Neal Stephenson?
~k
It seems you have yet to finish shooting season 5.
I guess we can exspect and long gap between the airing of episode 10 and 11?
Hi Joe,
Nice pic’s! I reckon that guy in that pic is trying to look like Edward Scissorhands!
Montreal looks like it would be a cool place to visit!
Have you read any of Tad Williams Books?
I have just bought The war of the flowers! My friends said he is a good author.
Take care & happiness always!
Cathie
Coucou Joseph! Sa va ?
=)Moi un peu fatiguer, je me suis réveiller tôt car un long lweek end m’attend, je ne pourrais pas passer sur votre blog avant Lundi snif….
Merci de nous faire partager toute ces photos!
>Waou! vous avez répondu avec des commentaire..ouhh , c’est coool!
humm dés que mon pére commence à abuser de quélque chose ( une bonne glace par éxemple) je lui faut tout de suis rapeller tout les ennuis qu”encourt un homme de sont à manger tout sa…croyer moi, sa le calme lol. En général je lui dit “attention il ne suffit que d”une chose pour que la limite soit dépasser ” . Mais c’est pour faire peur, je ne souhaite pas que sa arrive un jour XO
Bon ba je vous dit bon week end mon petit Joseph adoré, je pense fort a vous. BISOU BISOU!♥
hey, thank you for the lin to download the e-book. But it says “legal residents of the United States only” – so I would have to pay for it. But i’m looking forward reading the novel.
I am really sorry for Mr. Disch that he felt unrecognized. It must be hard to put one’s heart and soul in something special and noone seems to appreciate it.
Talking of books. Do you also read historic or fantasy novels? I love stories that take place in the Middle Ages. The Sevenwaters-Triology and Wolfskin by Juliet Marillier are really good.
I kind of want that cookie…
Anyway, looks like it was a fun trip. And I’ve seen street performers like that in Italy. I thought they were rather odd and pointless there, too.
And I take it you’re not a jazz fan? Or were they just not any good?
What a sad conclusion for the day. I will certainly have to check that book out, now. It’s always a shame when something like that happens.
Hope you have a good day, Joe!!
If #20 is FREAKING HUGE can i suggest a somewhat extended episode to develop all the FREAKING HUGENESS?
Just a quick question on something I was wondering:
In the run up to the premiere of season 4, many people involved in Atlantis indicated that this season would have a darker atmosphere (visually and also in terms of themes) than previous ones (and this is certainly true if you look at episodes such as ‘Adrift’, ‘Tabula Rasa’, etc.). I was wondering if you think that there is any particular atmosphere/motif which is similarly prominent in season 5.
And thanks for so many consistently entertaining blog posts!
J
Did you lose your watch? Or are you just playing ‘tendies’ and looking at an imaginary watch?
The chipmunks aint got nothing on your cheeks though…
First off, you can eat a whole pint of Ben and Jerry’s?!?!?!?! I don’t know whether to say kudos or feel nauseous.
I quite like the pictures; going to have to start making a list of places I want to visit in the future. Isn’t there something similar to WTF Man walking round Central Park sometimes (I saw it in Enchanted =D)?
Sorry to hear about Thomas M. Disch. A lot of authors don’t receive enough appreciation. I might see if I can find a couple of author’s websites, because I found their writing addictive to read.
“I went into the office today for a couple of hours and spun Episode #20 with Paul…Paul summed it up: “It’s jam-packed.”…FREAKING HUGE would be another neat turn of phrase that would apply.” Excited, me? Yes!
Hi, Joe.
TV Guide Online has ‘Search and Rescue’ on the TV Hot List for July 11 ’08:
http://www.tvguide.com/tv-hotlist#StargateAtlantis
🙂
Morjana
Hi, Joe!
Also, we’re on the front page of Zap2It:
http://www.zap2it.com/
Season Premiere
“Stargate Atlantis” opens for another season tonight.
(However, they STILL don’t have a synopsis of Search and Rescue available as yet.)
Well, other than this:
Lt. Major John Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) and his team return for a new season of adventures.
Lt. Major?
Hi, Joe.
Me again. Stargate Atlantis is one of Yahoo! TV’s Top Picks of the Day:
http://tv.yahoo.com/collections/4086
AND it’s also a Yahoo! TV Weekly Top 10 Pick
http://tv.yahoo.com/collections/4650
🙂
Please don’t kill your VFX supervisor. He’s doing a wonderful job. 🙂
I think I’m one of the few people who didn’t go watch “Search and Rescue” online. I’m so excited for tonight!!
“The Brave Little Toaster” almost made me cry when I first saw it.
I’m terrified that I will let getting recognition and being popular in writing rule my perception of myself. If it’s my lot in life to be popular and recognized then so be it. If it’s my lot in life to be ignored and under appreciated so be it. All I know is that it’s my lot in life to be a writer.
It’s a thing easier thought than acted upon. If only I could fold up my ego and put it under the bed when it flares up in the most inappropriate places.
Re: Icecream
Please. Ben and Jerry’s? Child’s play. Talk to me when you finish a container of Edy’s by yourself. Then we’ll discuss rehab options.
Was it Half-Baked? I love Half-Baked.
Regarding the 100th episode… Does it end on a cliffhanger? Please say yes, so you guys don’t have to worry about resolving the plot in the episode, and you’re able to do more in it.
Testing. Puff…puff…puff…the magic dragon. Lo?
Just got this blog so I could have a picture in the little square.
pfff. pfff. pffft!
Yep. Sounds good. A little feedback, but I hear bloggers like that.
-green
Hi Joe,
Is Project Twilight a code name for the 3rd SG1 movie?
Ann
So, it is the big day here where I come from. JULY 11. Even though I have (oops), perhaps have seen it, I am very excited (is that wierd, don’t answer that). All I did to myself is make me anxious for episode 2.
I wonder if it is threatening when you tell the people that work for you to watch the show tonight. I only gave them a little eye contact and told them I would quiz them Monday. I had my daughter put me on the calendar for tonight at 10pm because this is her monthly episode I am making her watch with me.
Is it also wierd (yes it is I know) that my friends asked me to go out next Friday for drinks/dancing and I had to think real hard cause, hello, STARGATE ATLANTIS IS ON. Lucky for me, the Sci fi channel plays it at midnight as well. So, I made a deal with myself and will make an excuse next week when the time is right to be home before midnight. All is well now, everyone is happy.
TODAY is the DAY!! We’re having a Stargate party tonite, with BLOOPERS and DELETED SCENES (LOVE THEM!!!!!) and airing of The Last Man to begin promptly at 9:10pm ET. Season 4 is the BEST SGA DVD box set yet!!! hope the trend continues. The DVR is also set to record the whole season, so hope that continues to get counted for the ratings… in fact, I’ve set every DVR in every house I know has one to record SGA whether the occupants like the show or not. These numbers *really really* need to count, especially for the summer, there are a few Fridays coming that I will not be home to watch live.
Hope its ok, I plan to continue my trend of posting what I thought of each episode here. Obviously, I’m especially keen on seeing yours.
DD
1)Will any of the team discover that their full destiny is greater than they ever imagined?
2)Does Teyla’s newfound motherhood begin to effect her while in the battlefield?
3)Does Sheppard continue to show more emotion this coming year?
It’s 7/11 @ 8:57 AM EST I could hardly sleep last knowing SGA was premeiring it’s 5th season. Does the cast and crew doing anything to celebrate such an event? I don’t know how I’ll make it through the work day. I am excited and looking forward to it and seeing scenes that you have wrote about and worked hard writting and rewritting.
I hope season 5 leads to season 6!
Cookie!!!! I shall have to indulge in one of those the next time I visit Montreal. Could I trouble you for the name of the restaurant? Thank you!
Big smile on my face…
We have seen two more episodes of the season 4 yesterday.
The seer
On franchit une étape; la qualité des dialogues, du scénario, de la réalisation augmentent d’un cran et ainsi notre plaisir. Whoolsey de retour, toujours agréable de voir son personnage évoluer à Atlantis surtout quand on sait ce qui s’en vient. Vraiment un des meilleurs épisode jusqu’à maintenant.
Miller’s crossing
encore meilleur que The seer. Très très bon scénario, avec des questions éthiques profondes à résoudre, excellente réalisation ( quand Shep surgit dans le lab, on fait le saut, vraiment on ne le voyait pas venir ! ) Voir le doute de Sheppard un peu plus ébranlé par les décisioins qu’il a prises nous montre un héros plus fragile donc plus proche de notre quotidien ce qui rend le personnage, dans ces circonstances, plus attachant, plus crédible. On s’amuse quand Sheppard, un américain, qui nous fait comprendre combien la CIA lui semble supérieure au SCRS canadien, très réaliste : d’abord il n’en a jamais entendu parler et ensuite il considère le SCRS très inférieur à la CIA. Aussi on aime savoir que l’action se passe à Vancouver ce qui est peu commun dans une série américaine à succès.
Merci pour tout ce travail cher ami
Joe Mallozzi wrote: “Just a little something to consider if you happened to have recently read something you really liked or been reminded of a much-loved classic. Maybe take the time to contact the authors and tell them how much you enjoyed their work. I know they would appreciate hearing from you. Wikipedia offers links to various author sites, home pages, and publishers. And the gang at SF Signal offer this very handy, continually updated list of writers who blog: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/002815.html.
I guess I always assumed that writers know that they are loved by their readers and would be bothered by “fanmail.” But that is a pretty stupid assumption. What artist wouldn’t want to know that they are appreciated? Thanks for the link. I’ll check it out. And I will be sure to stop by and chat with the authors in “Authors Alley” at GenCon, our midwest gaming convention when I am there next month.
Joe, you are certainly doing your bit to boost author morale through your Book of the Month Club author Q&A and guest blogs. I hope the authors enjoy their visits here as much as we enjoy reading them.
Keep those recommendations coming! I tend to get into a reading rut and the BOTM list has been a huge help to me in expanding my reading horizons.
Thanks for sharing your vacation pictures. It looks like you had a great time! By the way I really enjoyed your mother’s Friendship Cake recipe and step by step instructions – I’ll have to give it a try next time I have leftover apple cake. Or maybe I’ll try it with pound cake instead.
Eileen aka Sparrow_Hawk
I recently read the biography “James Tiptree Jr. : the double life of Alice B. Sheldon.” It seems like the correspondence that she had with other writers and with her readers was very important to her. I’m going to take Joe’s advice & let some of my favorite writers know that their work has made me think/enriched my life/tickled me pink/caused me to laugh out loud in the quiet car on the train. Thanks Joe!
Hey Joe, you’ve brought up a very good point about showing appreciation to writers. I’m very big on letting people know I enjoy their work, and I try to let people know as much as possible. I think that’s one of the reasons I appreciate how you get authors on board of BOTM Club selections. It gives them a chance to see what some readers think, and us readers a chance to say thanks and share what we like.
Another way of letting people know is the internet I guess. I mean, it’s so common these days, but there is a lot of good information online – websites, mailing addresses, blogs – and it isn’t too hard to show your appreciation to someone if they’re online. Thanks for bringing it up though, I hope there aren’t many writers who feel so unappreciated.
Are we going to find out how Ronon acquired his Travelers’ gun?
Like the Post-it man statue.
Yay, so the rest of us will now finally get to see S5.
No sign of those silver or gold statue people in Montreal, I thought every big city had them.
Liverpool is in its Capital of Culture year and I’ve seen my first statue person….scared the s**t out of me when it moved even though I knew what it was.
Do you think if any gold or silver aliens ever landed on Earth and saw all the statue people that they would think ‘oh we’ve been here already lets go on to the next planet’.
These statue people could be the saviours of our planet; I think that’s worth tossing a few extra coins into their boxes so we can avoid being enslaved.
My favourite Ben and Jerry’s ice cream was Rainforest Crunch now sadly departed.
My uncle is an Egyptologist working on the lineage of Nefertiti when ever we discuss the Egyptian gods and I mention Stargate he just shakes his head and mutters under his breath.
It’s so funny to watch but as I point out he should ask his students how many of them are there because they watched Stargate and developed an interest.
Pauline
Ah reminds me of that old soup or sex joke,,,ahh sorry never mind. That deep dish cookie looks awww-some.. thanks for the pix, no calories for looking, right!?! I think the guy with the long arms looks like he needs one to keep his balance, so maybe he can’t do much more than point,,funny. wonder how many people it would take to put him upright if he were to tip over?
I agree with writing to people/authors to say you care or what you are thinking, positive thoughts mostly I hope., blogging is a gigantic way to do that now adays. thanks. I hope your friends didn’t eat all your chocolate..
You don’t see too many brick streets any more, Slows down the traffic for sure, bumpity,bump,bump.. thanks for sharing pictures. Never know when I might travel to these towns and always good to have an idea of what it looks like.
I hate people who can eat an entire pint of B&J’s ice cream and not gain weight. 😡 (not really, but I won’t feel bad if you find yourself hovering over the toilet at 2 am some morning. 😉 )
On a side note, I visited B&J’s factory before they sold out, and was pleased to learn that one of them (Jerry, I think) didn’t have good taste buds, and that’s why the flavors were so strong. My favorite was Coffee, Coffee, Buzz, Buzz…but only two teaspoons of that and my ass grew 5 inches.
Which brings me to an interesting concept. What if the Wraith could somehow – someway – modify their feeding process so that they could selectively feed off of a particular body part, reducing its size without harming the human. Wraith-o-suction. They can start with my butt. 😀
@ Narelle from Aus – you don’t know the half of it – I keep most of the ‘drama’ off the net. My sister moved to Florida just to get away from them…lol. They are…needy…and on top of it, they’re now getting old and can’t do what they once were able to. They are also very good to us, but they EXPECT our servitude in return. LOL…no wonder I’m prime Wraith Worshipper material…
As you can see, I have learned to laugh most of it off. I will go mad someday, I just know it, but not today.
“At least Atlantis is coming back.”
Yeah, THAT’S what I’m afraid of…
Narelle wrote: “Joe, for das’ sake, you may need to interrupt her cable signal and perform a sock puppet show of Wraithy happiness to protect her from any scenes that may send her over the edge. It’s the little things that can be the final straw.”
Listen to her, Joe. She is indeed truly insightful and wise. I have seen the evils done to a particular pale one in a particular episode I don’t particularly want to see…it is not nice at all. As someone who loves to eat, I am amazed at your utter brutality towards a species who simply wants to do the same.
“Have you ever known starvation, Mallozzi?” 😉
Okay – I was being a tad facetious there, but a thought just popped into my head. What the SGA writers do to the Wraith reminds me of what is happening to sharks in real life. Because sharks have been known to nibble on humans, and because of movies like Jaws, a great slaughter of sharks has occurred over the last few decades. On top of it, the demand for shark fin soup has only added to the problem (I hope you have never eaten that, Joe – the horrible death the animal is left to just sickens me. Don’t tell me if you have – just, please, reconsider next time you see it on the menu). The decimation of shark populations is now just beginning to cause alarm, but because they are not mammals (like whales), and are – on very rare occasions – ‘man-eaters’, the majority of people just don’t care…just like the majority of people don’t care what happens to the Wraith.
Except me. 😛
And yeah – I’m thinking there’s at least one new episode I better skip this season just so I don’t get depressed out of my skull…or worse, eat an entire pint of B&J’s ice cream afterwards to soothe my soul…only to grow a 5-foot arse in return.
Wraith-o-suction. Think about it, Joe…just think about it. I’ll be FIRST in line (and NOT just to get Todd to pat me on the bottom 😉 ).
das
QUOTE
I’m eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia and can’t stop! Help me!
END QUOTE
Did you have supper, or is the Cherry Garcia your evening meal? If the latter, you’re in good company.
*considers the Blue Bell Banana Split pint in freezer, decides to have it for dinner tonight*
Heading out for Husband’s retirement luncheon (at a BBQ place, natch) in half hour.
Hey Joe.
About the Shep Whump in season five. I know people are getting prepared for an almighty blow-out and hoping to be able to write fanfics for months after the episode. So, I have two questions for you.
1. Shep Whump. Does he like, trip on a stone and hurt his arm, or is it going to be all-out serious whump that is followed by a fight for life in the infirmary?
2. As you know, a LOT of people write fan fiction. Do you ever read it? And if so does it ever inspire you in any way?
Thanks!
Larissa.
Sad news about Thomas Disch. I shall try harder in the future to send appreciative comments to authors of books I particularly enjoyed reading.
I’m stressing because my digital cable guide still has “To Be Announced” in the timeslots for SGA. Eeeeek!
Doesn’t Montreal have a circus college? My friend Claire the bellydance instructor was just there last week and she made mention of it. Lots of hoopers and jugglers and acrobatic types practicing in the park.
I’ll see you one pint of Cherry Garcia and raise you two pints of Haagen-Dazs Caramel Waffle Cone.
Good to know where all my “missing” post-it notes ended up; and here I was accusing my kids of taking them…
Hi Joe,
All cool, all great!! But…
the SciFi Channel’s Atlantis site has only one new feature – a Robert Picardo interview. No new wallpapers, nothing. Only stuff from previous seasons. On the other side, the Atlantis site at MGM has season 5 cast photo and even nice “Search and Rescue” stills. So, why the heck is Sci Fi not promoting the premiere, they’ve placed a ultra short video and that’s it. At least they have set up a Continuum intro page. In the last few days I’ve seen banners of SGA S4 on DVD, but not even one about July 11 premiere. So, don’t you think this is a bad thing? You’ve always said that SciFi has been great to the show, but with this kind of promotion? And later they scream about the ratings?!?!?!
I too was very sad to hear about Disch’s death. Camp Concentration and On Wings of Song were among my favorite books in the mid-70s & early 80s when I started reading serious SF. The Brave Little Toaster was a jem of a story.
Per Locus, he was also depressed after the death of his long time partner in 2004, and fears of a potential eviction from his rent-controlled apartment.
Locus, which is a semi-pro SF magazine has a nice obit here: http://www.locusmag.com/2008/Disch_Obit.html
Finally on high-speed and can see the pics…
A few comments…
1. I really like your friend with the dessert-sized head. He makes me smile.
2. You wear that shirt… a LOT. NTTAWWT. 😉
3. I heard about Mr. Disch a few days ago on Jinxworld. I didn’t know who he was, but then again – not a reader. Still, it is truly sad when someone leaves this word, regardless of the route they take. Creative people seem more prone to this than others – perhaps because their creativity often springs from a well of struggles and depression. I really don’t know…but my heart still goes out to anyone who feels they just can’t go on.
das
Ya know, I wonder if I can persuade my computer to give me a cookie like that!
I regret that I wasn’t able to participate in Kage Baker’s Q & A session, but enjoyed reading it after the fact. I am definitely enjoying her Company series. (I’m on the seventh book.) That was a great BOTM selection Mr.M!
Thanks for sharing the pics of Montreal Joe, very nice.
So epsiode 20 is “jam-packed” huh? Sounds exciting! 😀
To everyone in the US : Enjoy the premiere of “Search and Rescue” tonight, you lucky, lucky people! 🙂
I’ve just seen this picture on the Sci-fi website.
http://stargate.mgm.com/images/stills/still1215648148.jpg
Lol, Can you remember what created that amount of mirth?
Also as I understand it Sci-fi are supposed to be promoting Atlantis, well we’ve heard nothing of it over here in the UK.
I’ve had a hard enough time finding any flashing headlines or trailers on the website etc…
If it weren’t for your constant news, videos, pictures and general input Joe, I might actually begin to question if there really was a 5th season o.O lol
mmmm, Cherry Garcia. My favorite flavor of ice cream.
I played catch up on your blog today (a few weeks worth). It was an excellent way to pass some down time!
maggiemayday said
Doesn’t Montreal have a circus college?
@maggiemayday
It’s called national circus school or École nationale de cirque in French.
link to their official website:
http://www.enc.qc.ca/
It looks like Montreal was a great trip. My family has a cabin near Manitoulin Island that we’ve been visiting since my Mom was a little girl, but I’ve never had the opportunity to visit any other places in Canada.
I can’t wait to see Friday’s premiere!