We choose to go to the moon...

My welcome back to work was a 13 hour day to be followed, tomorrow, by THIRTEEN meetings back to back between 9am and 5:30pm. I'd say "thirteen" is an unlucky number but, quite frankly, 14 would be worse. And, yes, my response is a mini pity party. *throws confetti*

I want to talk about the last two episodes of House. ( Cut for spoilers )

Hmmmm. What else before I climb into bed with Eiger Dreams? I saw "Planet of the Dead" and love both David Tennant and Michelle Ryan SO MUCH.

Back in February, on the recommendation of two friends, I took Dan Simmon's sci-fi novel, Hyperion, with me on my cruise. I read the book, a story told well in the future in the model of The Canterbury Tales, and enjoyed it but I didn't love it. My friends encouraged me to keep on reading - at least giving the 2nd book in the series, The Fall of Hyperion, a chance. Six months after reading Hyperion, I finally picked up The Fall of Hyperion in August and devoured it. At the end of September I made my way through the third book, Endymion, which is set 274 years after the end of the 2nd, and, today, I finally finished the fourth book in this series, The Rise of Endymion.

All of that is a round about way of saying: I LOVED THIS SERIES.

It's an investment - probably 2200 pages in all - but totally worth it. The Hyperion Cantos is about science, technology, morality, religion, and love. It's about the danger of unchecked power, ambition, and greed and the destructive force of blind faith in pursuit of those aims. It's about living in a universe more expansive than we can imagine and, at it's core, it's a love story. About 3/4 of the way through the final book I was sure I knew what was coming (and I mostly did) and that I wouldn't cry (of course I did).

There's also kick ass time travel in the story. Having just finished the fourth book, I'm overwhelmed at the unexpected threads that carried their way through all four books.

I actually didn't start this post as a book review/rec but there you have it.

Has anyone else read the series? Come talk to me!

This weekend was so productive. Even reading 400+ pages of The Rise of Endymion, I still took care of everything on my list. \o/ That leaves time to watch some CSI tonight. Next up...Pirates of the Third Reich (which I just watched on my iPhone two weeks ago but could watch endlessly).

A few more things:

Dean/Castiel is my new, shiny pairing of choice. I'm pretty picky in the fic I read but if I see it's Dean/Castiel I'll give anything a shot. Kripke makes it so easy to want more.

The Viggo movie promo train continues: Viggo Mortensen's history lessons: The actor, who stars in 'Good,' a film adaptation of a play he saw more than 25 years ago about 1930s Germany, sees parallels between the movie plot, the real world in 1982 and the world now.

I rarely, if ever, see comedies but "Role Models" looks HYSTERICAL. Not as good as Quantum of Solace, though. I wasn't a Bond fan until Daniel Craig came along.

It seems that lilysaid and I are the only people I know who watched last week's House. Anyone??? ( Cut for spoilers and video of the final scene )

What the heck is General Hospital: Nightshift? And is that Robin Scorpio back in Port Charles?

My Michigan voter registration card arrived in the mail yesterday! I'm ready!!

I caught up on TV last night and watched Bones, House, and SPN. I don't know if this means the shows are doing something right or wrong but I realized I only watch Bones for the dynamic love between Booth & Brennan and I only watch House for the love dynamic between Wilson & House. Everything else is a bonus. Except Hodgins and Foreman. They should stick around.

( House first )

( Bones )

I was going to go to bed early last night but the lure of Supernatural was too great. ( Supernatural )

Today my team and I are off for store visits and tonight Anne and I are cooking dinner. I suspect there will be much food. I really need to get off my ass and run. I didn't run last week because I was getting ready to leave and then I was too busy eating fish & chips. This week I was recovering from last week. No excuses! Tomorrow I hit the road again. I have a 5k in a week and it's absurd to undo my training right beforehand. Besides, I feel a hint of winter and I need to get in my outdoor running before Michigan pushes me back inside for 5 months.

( SGA... )

( A bit on SPN )

( And a question about House that includes spoilers for last week's episode )

PS. I direct you here to copracat's short little review in pictures.

He's back!

( House (03x01)... )

( House (02x24)... )

And this: When you see this, quote CSI.

"High altitude enhances the entire sexual experience. It increases the euphoria."
- Gil Grissom - Unfriendly Skies

I like to believe he knows from personal experience.

First? ( I finally watched the season finale of BSG... )

5 1/2 months until more may kill me but at least I can go back and read the most recent BSG Magazine. Oh! And, if you posted about the season finale, please link me. I want to read and comment and ponder and squee!

After the gym and brunch I went to the pool and read Blood and Fire by cluegirl which I printed out earlier in the week. It's so relaxing to read fic outside in the sun with a cool breeze and a cold drink and no distractions. The story was, as expected, excellent. It's just what I'm looking for in post-War, HBP compliant fic. It's raw and gritty and nothing is simple for either Harry or Snape.

I also read Like a Hurricane by karaokegal - a sequel to Wrap Party. It's Hugh/Robert RPS and it's fabulous. If you're interested, you should definitely read Wrap Party first.

And I'm now the proud owner of Thundercats season 1! It was a birthday present from the friends I had brunch with. They knew I'd been eying it for ages but reluctant to spend money on DVD's featuring my super secret cartoon boyfriend. *g*

(Randomly, I just realized I've been using 37 cent stamps instead of the new 39 cent stamps but my mail's been reaching its destination. Is there some sort of [very long] postal service grace period?)

7 minutes to new West Wing!