U. S. Open of Surfing: The Day Before

I went today to see how setup for the U.S. Open of Surfing is going. They've been putting the village up for quite a while, but there is still a lot left to do before tomorrow at 7AM.

Of course, I also spent quite a while on the pier watching the surfers. Some may have been competitors, I don't know.

Festival Village

OC Fair (belatedly)

I'm not really sure how giant bugs fit the fair theme ("The Beat Goes On"), but they were very good. Kind of creepy and beautiful both.l

You *know* you want to win one!

After reading about the fried butter, I had to find it--to see, not to eat. Chocolate covered bacon, unlike fried butter, was everywhere (and sounds slightly more edible).

The ice sculptures are truly beautiful.

Of course I had to visit the carousel.

More Bolsa Chica Photos

Egrets find the fence a  convenient resting place. The wall there helpfully funnels the fish right to them.

If you look carefully, you'll see a heron resting in those bushes.

A green heron getting ready to fish.

Doctor Who: The rest of the Fifth Season, reviews, kind of

"You do have a plan, don't you?" "No... It's a thing; it's like a plan, but with more greatness." Vincent and the Doctor

Spoilers abound.

Victory of the Daleks: M & M Daleks. Crunchy.

I have to say, this episode wasn't as bad as I feared. Sure, the Daleks "surprised" everyone by coming back from the dead again, and they threatened to destroy earth again, and the Doctor had to hesitate and look agonized again, but at least they served everyone tea first. Really, the metal beasts were beautiful running around with the tea things. Almost justified their existence.

Amy was good this episode--loved her asking the Doctor how waiting for him in the middle of the London Blitz was "safe." Churchill had some reason (from his perspective) for wanting to use them, no matter how terrible the Doctor claimed they were. Some good character moments, and I was agreeably entertained throughout the episode--not one of my favorites, but not going on my black list, either.

And, thank goodness, the Daleks have not been "obliterated." Not that I particularly want to see them show up again, but at least the next time won't be a "surprise." I might not mind them so much if they get downgraded to the status of ordinary monster.

Vincent and the Doctor I really loved this one. There's a real focus on the historical figure, a sense that he is a real person (unlike in, say Unicorn and the Wasp which was more about a caricature of Christie rather than about the woman herself (yes, I loved it, but that's not the point)).
Amy's much more in focus here, feels like a real person herself. And the invisible monster rampaging through the countryside was classic Doctor Who, though crying about its death is a bit much (It was randomly killing people for no particular reason, remember?). And the Doctor being both sympathetic with Vincent Van Gogh while simultaneously being impatient with the normal, boring passage of time and the unpunctual alien attack was fantastic.

Is it "Van Goff"?

The Lodger Very funny. I can believe the Doctor has never had to cope with being an "ordinary" person on earth. He does it so charmingly, though!

Pity the menace then had to threaten to blow up the planet. The danger was convincing enough before that. Who built this machine, anyway?

This ties with Vincent for my favorite "ordinary" episode this season.

The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang Wow!

These two really tie the season together. All of the sudden, all sorts of odd things, including Amy's never-quite-in-focus character make sense. Really an amazing finale. Oh, and Amy and Rory are married now? Great!

Rory's return is beautifully managed and his two thousand year wait which, by some jiggery-pokery he remembers, has done wonders for his character. Can't really cite a favorite moment from this, I too busy being sucked into the story and admiring the way all of the season had led up to this, often in ways that were obvious only in retrospect.

And I am glad that not everything got tied up this season. There's still the matter of the silence, and the question of who is behind all of this to deal with next season.

Wrap up thoughts: Matt Smith may well become my favorite Doctor. He's got the same alien quality Eccleston had, and that I've missed.

Still not sure yet what I think of Amy and Rory; Amy's character wasn't very firmly established, for reasons that are now clear--she was, after all, living in a strange sort of overlap between two realities. Now that that's fixed, hopefully she'll be more definite. Rory, I like, but he's not been on enough to firmly be established.

I still miss Donna. She may well remain my favorite companion.

I'm looking forward to next season.

"Makes you wonder what could be so bad that it doesn't mind you thinking it's a vampire." Vampires of Venice

The Environmental Nature Center

I just recently found out about and visited the Environmental Nature Center.

It's a gem; a lovely two and a half acre stretch of native plants. I plan to go again, as my friends and I barely scratched the surface, and I'm quite sure we didn't visit all the ecosystems they have. Also, of course, these places change.

I wonder: How many other interesting places around here have I not heard of? 

A monarch butterfly in the butterfly house.

Diana Wynne Jones Audio!

Hurray! The library has her books on downloadable audio as well as in physical format.

I am so going to OD on her! :)

Birds: Swallow Puzzle

These are darting around in the parking lot paying much less attention than usual to cars and people. There must be something attracting them, but I can't see it.

Just Because

 

Someone is having fun. Several someones, actually. Every time I visit the park I find a new elaboration.

Star Wars Subway Car

Can't believe I haven't shared this one here yet. It's one of Improv Everywhere's funniest.

The Broken Hourglass: Filler Post

It's been a busy couple of weeks. This hasn't kept me from working on the game, but it has kept me from writing about it.

So a quick little filler post to say, yeah, I'm still working. Also to ask what would you like to hear about in The Broken Hourglass? I'm thinking of another short "who's who" post and maybe another quick code sample in future posts. Anything else? No guarantees, but I am curious.

Would You Let Your Child Ride This Frog?

This frog will be happy to carry your child.

A little too happy.

Wait... what does it eat?

Another Sign

The incongruity of this appeals.

Bug Guide.Net

May I just say how fond I am becoming of bugguide.net? I saw a strange, shriveled, dead-looking cricket-like thing yesterday afternoon, posted a picture yesterday evening, and by night had two people telling me it was not a cricket but a dragonfly exuviae, which means I have to go read up on dragonflies (Yes, the not-cricket was in a dragon-fly-ish sort of area).  It is so much better than wondering and not even knowing where to look in those strange, illustrated guides.

The Broken Hourglass: A Brief , Unnofficial Look at the NPCs (Part Three)

And the third part of the three-part overview of the joinable-NPC's in The Broken Hourglass, this time looking at Tuhan, Ruvanet, and Sanelon.  Again, a quick search over at  the the Planewalker Games main site will turn up more for some. All NPC portraits are by Jelina Jovovic.

And so, on to part three:

Ruvanet  Angennosis an ex-soldier with a run of bad luck. He joined the army as soon as he could, only to find himself mustered out a few years later when he was injured too severely for the army healers to fix. Now, with one withered arm, he works as a general-purpose mage in Mal Nassrin's suburbs. He's also the neighborhood peace-maker, helping smooth over the quarrels too small to take to the judicial system.

Sanelon Batsakis is a healer accessible to even the poorest of the poor--provided they are willing to pay his price, usually in the form of some one-time service. He is an expert at knowing just how far people can be pushed, and was doing quite well in Mal Nassrin's criminal world up to the time things fell apart. Now, he's lost most of his power base and must fight to get it back.

Like Carind, he loves Mal Nassrin, and he is furious that someone has come in and damaged his city.

When most people say they will try anything, they mean things like sushi or sky-diving. Tuhan really means he will try anything, anything at all. An Illuminated who has chosen to reject stabilization, he is first seen allied with the PC's enemies. Asked about this, he is unapologetic, pointing out that that was then, and this is now, and isn't it time to try doing something heroic?

And that concludes this writer's look at the nine joinable NPCs. And, no, there is no party limit.

Aloe Vera in the Garden

The aloe vera had to be trimmed back quite a bit--hacked back with a shovel, truth be told--because it was forming a huge, thorny mound (aloe is good for treating the cuts gotten from caring for aloe). Now, it's back in shape and blooming. 

The miniature roses aren't doing so badly, either. Wish the big ones were doing as well.

Just Because

This sign always makes me laugh.

The Broken Hourglass: A Brief , Unnofficial Look at the NPCs (Part Two)

And the second of the three-part overview of the joinable-NPC's in The Broken Hourglass, this time at Makarios, Nekos, and Redethe.. Again, a quick search over at  the the Planewalker Games main site will turn up more for some. All NPC portraits are by Jelina Jovovic.

And so, on to part two:

Makarios is fey. Brought up on the rougher side of the city, he's enjoyed life as a low-level troublemaker, not planning for tomorrow--there is little point, after all, if you're fey. The Mal Nassrin troubles make him realize that there may be more to life than hassling the authorities, and for once, he's willing to work at something other than annoying the authorities (Though Carind is still a fair target).

Nekos has been fighting in the Arena since his early teens. His tenure has seen the rise of the star system. When the PC meets him, he is staging extra fights at the Arena, encouraging people to stay calm and avoid rioting. As far as he's concerned, that is the best way he can serve the city.

Nekos is warm and outgoing, always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. Whether he always chooses wisely is another matter entirely.

Redethe Hektor came to the city to investigate possible economic contributions to the Empire as a whole. As she is only too happy to tell her audience, she's reached her position due solely to her own talent, coming from an unknown family and impressing her superiors enough that, ultimately, the Empress created the post of Imperial Economist for her.

In the course of this rise, she's done a bit of everything: She started as a soldier, managed a mine, took over the oversight of the Eastern Fleet, battled pirates, and balanced ledgers. It's anyone's guess whether or not she would be working to save the city if she were not trapped there too, but she was, and she is.

Pictures of the 106th Fourth of July Parade in Huntington Beach

Since it's the biggest parade this side of the Mississippi, it's a bit hard to pick representative pictures. So, here are a handful of my favorites, gained from walking down the parade route.

Dancing horses! I was finally at a point to get to see them dance, too.

I love the fact that there is always someone from Anjo, our sister city in Japan, in the parade. I wonder if Huntington Beach sends representatives to any festival in Anjo?

A time-honored tradition. At least it's in good cause!

Seating is at a premium for the parade. Many people stake out their sites ahead of time, often very thoroughly (lots of CAUTION tape, plus signs). Others make use of their lawns and any other available space they may have.

Decorated bikes are a must.

Does this really need a caption?

Before the Parade: Houses

I  didn't get to spend my usual few days leisurely examining the houses before the parade. This time, it was all right before the parade started and seen around hoards of people similarly watching the crowds and the houses.

I love the pale-skinned doll sunbathing on this roof. There was another one off to the side, but since it wasn't in a chair, it really looked rather like a corpse.

 

And these people planted for the occasion. How cool is that? They won one of the decorating awards, but I wasn't close enough to see which one.

And this one: Clever use of materials. Those are old blue-jeans being the blue, and I think, old sheets for the red and white. Love it!

This garden is a long-time favorite of mine, and the Fourth of July decorations did not disappoint.

Diana Wynne Jones Week--Dogsbody

The list of books you should read that week? Add Dogsbody to the list. I forgot that when I was making my initial set of recommendations. I'm not sure why. It has gods, dogs, a love story, some fairy tales, and a mystery story.

Short summary: The ruler of the star Sirius is tried as a murderer and sentenced to live his life on earth in the body of a dog; there he will die the death of a dog, unless he can find something called a "zoi." The problem is, as a dog, he barely remembers that there is such a thing as a zoi, much less where it is or how to find it. He also really needs to figure out who framed him for murder and what he is going to do about it. Earth is helping him, but she has secrets of her own.

You know, the only problem with this whole Diana Wynne Jones week is that I am starting to want to read her books now rather than waiting til the week properly starts.

Doctor Who, Fifth Season, Reviews, Kind of

""I'm the Doctor, and I'm worse than anybody's aunt!" from The Eleventh Hour

I finally saw some of the fifth season of Doctor Who. It's late in broadcasting, so I'll do some quick, sort of stream-of-consciousness, reviews before going to try to catch up to the end. I'm also pretty much assuming that readers of the blog have seen the shows, too.

I've skipped The End of Time for now. Having been thoroughly spoilered, I'm going to wait til I stop sulking about the Doctor holding to the Obi-Wan Kenobi school of truth-telling.

Right. Onward:

The Eleventh Hour: Matt Smith is the Doctor. I think he could be better at this than Tennant; like Eccleston, he does alien very well. The whole fish-custard sequence really works. I wouldn't have expected it to, but it does. I love the interaction between the Doctor and kid Amy. Am I wrong for liking Kid Amy more than Adult Amy?


The Beast Below: Not a bad episode, not the best. Why and how does Amy know the Doctor is very old and very kind? Sexy Doctor could get almost as annoying as Lonely God Doctor. "So much for the Virgin Queen" could also get very old.

I don't really believe in Amy's rebellious streak when she sits down to pick that lock. It feels very script-driven, not character-driven. Why does she get so hysterical about the ship's story when she's first shown it? It's not her history. I could, just, see the inhabitants of the ship being guilt-and-survival driven enough to keep hitting "forget," but why does she? She gets to save the day, using fairly plausible reasoning. You know, now that I think of it, I could see Rose in this episode. Not sure who Amy is, yet.

I liked Liz X, overall, but did she really think that a mask perfectly molded to her face constituted a disguise? Really? Still, she can come back, any time. She and Sally Sparrow. And the Doctor's Daughter. Will we see her again?

It has a space whale. I like space whales.

Victory of the Daleks: Skipped this one. I'm tired of Daleks. Probably will have to see it before the end, though, to find out why it matters that Amy doesn't remember Daleks.

The Time of the Angels and Flesh and Stone: Love River Song, love Amy's banter with River. River's method of escape at the beginning was very impractical, but thoroughly awesome.

I spent most of these episodes wishing the monsters were anything but the Weeping Angels, since I also spent most of them grumbling that these were not at all like the angels in Blink and somehow not nearly as scary. Suddenly, these are beings that don't eat people's stolen time, they munch radiation; they snap necks; they can stare at each other without turning to stone; and, they, yawn, want to devour the universe, just like every other monster out there. The funny thing is, Moffat knows that smaller scale scares work: Blink and Silence in the Library were seriously creepy, and not even a city was at risk. That said, I'll admit that the slowly emerging faces on the statues were pretty creepy, as was the moment when they realized "Those aren't statues."

Since when has closing your eyes turned off the vision center of the brain? I'd ask whether the Doctor had ever heard of dreaming, but I've seen Amy's Choice. "It would take all those angels to equal one Doctor" (paraphrasing). How convenient that... they did!

A borg forest? Beautiful. The Doctor's gravity solution at the end of The Time of the Angels? Very nice. Watching him work with River? Also good. I had my doubts about her return, now I'm glad it looks like she'll be a semi-regular.

Is the crack in the universe following Amy? Or is she following it?

Overall, held up better than previous two parters; there wasn't the feeling of sag or letdown they sometimes have, and the tension ratcheted up nicely.

The Vampires of Venice: Oooh, alien-fish-vampire people. Proper Doctor Who at last! And running down corridors and along alley ways--excellent.

Signora Rosanna Calvierri is one of those awesome evil queen types. Pity she gives up at the end ("One city to save an entire race?" Yeah, did she have to go pose as a victim? Oh well. She was magnificent until then). Why didn't the Doctor offer her & her babies a ride in the Tardis? He's always offering races trips to new planets. Why not this lot?

Hmm... she refers to "cracks in the universe," plural, but we've only seen the one. I wonder why?

Amy's Choice. Why are the two men in Amy's life fighting over her? Are they really?

I wouldn't mind seeing more of the Dream Lord.

Hm... who contributed what to the nightmare? I vote Amy contributed the "nothing happens" element, Rory the monsters, and the Doctor an immobilized Tardis.

Does Amy think the Doctor tells her everything? Why? Does she think she's the only one? She took River Song in stride, and surely the Doctor has learned to tell others about previous companions? OTOH, the Tardis has completely reconfigured itself. Who knows where the knickknacks and mementos from past lives are now?

Still not really sure about Amy's character. I like her well enough, but there is something missing. Smith's got the Doctor character down.

The Hungry Earth and Cold Blood. I'm not that up on my old Doctor Who, but--they already did this story, didn't they? The one where the Silurians oversleep and wake up to find the earth overrun by apes? And where the nice guy who wants to share is killed by the evil military types who don't?

Ok, so Moffat split the nice-guy role this time around. Our friendly vivisectionist gets shot, but the benign leader is spared.

Why does the female Silurian soldier look so very human? Do all old English churches have chains in the walls? Really?

Does Amy have to keep wearing really short, tight clothing?

Amy, honey, those places you're offering the Silurians as uninhabitable... are inhabited. The current residents just might object to you giving away their property.

Why isn't the Doctor offering the Silurians a trip to another planet? Granted, they have a bit more reason than most for wanting to stay on this one, but he could try.

The fixed point/not fixed point in time thing... I don't get it. I don't think the creators get it, either. Fixed points seem to be a dramatic convenience rather than anything believable in-story.

Rory and the Doctor using the Meals on Wheels van to capture a Silurian--fantastic. Liked Nasreen quite a bit; she's (wisely) scared, but also curious and determined not to miss a thing. She also has the sense to see that future human/Silurian relations might be helped by having a human or two on the inside the next time the alarm goes off.

Rory... Um. Didn't know him well enough to be all that shocked, unfortunately. Pity. Creepy bit at the end there, with the Doctor and the Tardis.

Verdict so far: Uneven, but, then Doctor Who always has been a bit uneven. Also definitely enjoyable, and I'm going to settle down now for Vincent and the Doctor, which I've been looking forward to.

"I am about to tell you something very important. Listen carefully, because your life may depend on it someday: I am definitely a madman with a box.” from The Eleventh Hour