Another a month of living at work. I pretty much have to pick up the slack of so many people who don't want to work. And then there are the many things happening on the side. The pandemic still at the forefront of things, the storming of the US Capitol building, a new US President. And the end result? We don’t have reporters anymore; we have activists who are trying to mold an agenda. The idea of journalism telling you what to think, what to feel and above all, believe! It’s ludicrous. This is the stuff of scary 1940s novels. And now major corporations censuring free speech? This doesn’t set a good precedent. And it’s not one I want to be a part of. I talk to so many people who are just simply, well, stressed. Life is supposed to be better than this. I’ve pulled the plug. I just don’t subscribe anymore. None of it. And I’ve never felt better.
1. Euro Truck Sim 2 on PC: You’ve heard me affectionately call this my garden of Zen before. There is nothing more chill than cutting the lights, hopping into a virtual 18-wheeler and cranking the radio to Amsterdam House music. When the rain starts falling, the windshield wipers do their thing, swishing across the glass and it’s easy to become hypnotized. SCS Software hosts special events in the game and awards interesting prizes to participants. Their latest gig is “Hauling Hope,” which consists of hauling loads of Covid-19 vaccine to various cities. It’s amazing how a virtual experience can produce an almost dopamine ebullience that feels like a real experience. Even though it’s all surrealistic, I actually feel like I’m doing good in the world taking these loads. And not only do I own a single tractor trailer, I now manage/operate numerous garages, trucks and drivers in several cities throughout Europe. And my enterprise is growing. Ka-ching!
2. Hunter Killer on 4K Blu Ray: Continuing on with my current obsession with submarine stuff (thank you for that Nemo’s War) I decided to revisit this movie. I had watched it a few years back when it first came out. It’s a good action/suspense film starring Gerard Butler. IMDB put the plot in a perfect nutshell: An untested American submarine captain teams with U.S. Navy Seals to rescue the Russian president, who has been kidnapped by a rogue general. The movie plays out a little faster than its venerable counterparts, Crimson Tide and The Hunt for Red October. As a matter of fact, this movie is reminiscent of a cold war early ‘80s thriller. The 4K resolution is good, almost too good. Some CGI effects take on cartoonish-like characteristics, but the plot and the casting save the day.
3. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne (translated to English from French) This is a handsome hardbound Reader’s Digest version, a part of their “World’s Best Reading” series. The text is easily digestible. I’m not a fan of the illustrations which look modern compared to Victorian age illustrations I would have enjoyed more. This is an excellent adventure tale, much better than the classic Walt Disney movie which certainly isn’t bad at all. This isn’t the first Verne book I’ve read, but it’s the book that made me a lifelong fan.
4. Nemo’s War Board Game: I was introduced to this wonderful board game last month, and it’s become an addiction. I have yet to win a game, though I’ve come close a few times. I discovered a facet I was scoring incorrectly which should make it a little easier to score a victory. I’ve managed to complete two games in an hour and fifty-five minutes, so at least I’m getting more skilled at playing it. I don’t think a board game has inspired me so much before. Last month I was inspired to watch Disney’s classic Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and this month I’m reading the age-old novel again.
5. INXS Shabooh Shabah on CD: This thing plays like a greatest hits album. I’d never heard it before and was only familiar with a few of the songs, The One Thing and Don’t Change. Coming out in 1982 I can see a lot of similarities to fellow Aussie band, Icehouse and the UK’s Duran Duran’s early stuff. (I even hear similarities to The Police.) Michael Hutchence was a bit more ostentatious as a frontman compared to Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon. Dave Simpson of The Guardian wrote, "Watching Hutchence, hair flailing, crotch thrusting, a mischievous smile forever creeping across his leathery face, I realized that here was a man born to be onstage, living and loving every minute, an explosion of sexual energy.” I think this is also manifested in Hutchence vocals on this album, a sort of sad longing in his voice that made the album a standout amongst its peers. I regret I took so long to discover it.
6. Dior Homme Eau de Toilette 50 ml Natural Spray: Me, being the amateur man of the world that I am, have long since abandoned the idea of wearing one scent the year round. I always strive to break free from my simpleton ways. So, as always, I wear musk in the winter and spicy, tangy fruit stuff in the summer. I was in a local cologne/perfume store and obtained a sample of a few smell good pleasantries and settled on this one. It was just that perfect blend that reminded me of a cabin spewing woodsmoke on a white day, a bearskin rug laying on hardwood floors, a redolence of more manliness than I had any right to be. These colognes are expensive, but the old adage holds true; you get what you pay for.
7. Count Zero by William Gibson: The way my Steam feed is being littered with Cyberpunk 2077 screenshots (literally) I’m honestly surprised nobody is reading or making allusions to this incredible book, of which the game is obviously a rip off of. (I mean that in a good way!) This, the second book in a trilogy is deep going, I have to get acclimated every time I fire up the Kindle, but it isn’t hard to come into the contact point where the tires meet the pavement. The story is interweaved with numerous plots at the same time, a Gibson staple, but for the most part involves corporate espionage through the use of VR and hacking. It’s amazing seeing these terms and mechanics we take for granted today (the book was written in 1986.) So, not only was William Gibson a science fiction writer who coined the term “cyberspace,” he was also a visionary. I’ve not even played Cyberpunk 2077 yet, but I’m glad I’m reading this book beforehand.
8. Mission Impossible: The Third Season on DVD: I wasn’t interested in watching this as a kid because I thought it was too “adult” for me, but boy was I missing out! If you’re a fan of the Tom Cruise movies you should definitely revisit this great series. Out of its context it would almost seem campy, but it was stylishly done, and took itself very seriously. It had a perfect cast of characters; the plot pacing was always on point. I find myself on the edge of my seat even with five minutes left of an episode. The remastering done on the DVD edition is beautiful. I could see spending the money to pick up the Blu Ray edition which I’m sure is even visually better. Debuting in 1966, this series was around for seven series. I can see why it was so popular in its day.
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