.: so comes snow after fire :.

The picture of the day is my dad's old guitar, back from the music store. It had been in storage for fifteen years, but surprisingly it was all right, except obviously for the strings. I had them put new ones on, and it only cost me fifteen euros. They told me the little bone thing at the top (always at hand with the mot juste, aren't I?) will probably need replacing in the near future though. Me, I'm still shocked it wasn't eaten by termites or something like that.



I'll try and play a few chords on it later. Seeing as I've been learning the ukulele for more than a year now, I'll have to re-learn all chords and where my fingers are supposed to go. It's going to be fun. My therapist told me I need to learn to accept and let my anger free, so this is probably going to help with that. :D

In fandom news, we've had some great season finales: both Person of Interest and Once Upon A Time blew my mind, and I'm very excited to see where they're going next. I finally dropped The Vampire Diaries: it's not that I didn't like it anymore, but it was getting really boring, and I hadn't been looking forward to it for quite some time anyway. And with me having a Netflix subscription now there's a lot of shows I want to see and a very limited amount of time to do it, I have to cut my losses. That's why I decided to drop Sleepy Hollow as well: I loved the first season, but never got around to see the second one. I noticed how most reviewers didn't like this new season at all, and then I read an article that they're going to change the show even further next season, and give it a more procedural feel, with the monster of the week and all. That was the end of it for me.

Yesterday's Supernatural episode was kind of meh. Mostly just a bridge to the finale next week. I'm still cautiously trusting them to do the right thing and fix that horrible mess they wrote themselves into with the last episode, but if they don't, and they're actually planning on reversing to the same tired tropes from the first two seasons, well that's it for me, I won't be back for the next season. Again, lots of great shows, too little time to stick to the ones that've disappointed me. But still, there's one episode left, I would be very happy to be proven wrong.

And while I was typing this entry the mailman rang with this little package from Singapore:



It's Eggsy's necklace from Kingsman The Secret Service, and it's amazing. Way better than I dared hope. It's a perfect replica, sturdy, and it looks incredible. Plus it arrived just in time for the release of the movie in digital hd tomorrow. I only watched it once in the cinema two months ago, and ever since I've been dying to experience it in the original language. And now I have my necklace to wear while watching it too! Tomorrow can't come soon enough! ♥

I literally just finished watching the latest Supernatural episode, The Book of the Damned, and now it's official, this season just reached season 8 levels of greatness. I had this feeling for quite some time, but holy shit, with this episode, these storylines, where they're taking them, they sealed the deal. Amazing.

I also would like to point out that the new music supervisor is insanely good. I've always liked the original soundtrack, but this season I love it. It has more personality, it's different and bold. I love it.

Also, this morning I had my last dental surgery for the year, and I'm very, very happy. I asked him to use less anesthesia than usual, considering that last time my face kept sleeping for 12 hours, and it was definitely too much. Now it's only two hours later and my lips are already feeling normal. Perfect timing too, because I'm getting hungry. I'll get some ice cream from the fridge and watch the episode again. ^^

So, news from the last few days!

First, I had another attack of migraine which compromised my sight a bit. So with that and the other problems I've been having recently with my eyes, using a keyboard is a bit harder and very annoying, and that's the reason for the hiatus this week. Sorry for that. I'm getting used to it and powering through it, though, so cheers for me!

I've finished my first playthrough of Dragon Age Inquisition, playing as a female elf warrior romancing Solas. Obviously I won't post any spoilers here, so here's the quick review: at the end of the day, I loved this game. But it has its problems. Mainly two: choices do not affect the story at all, and the ending is very rushed and disappointing. The after-credits scene blew my mind and I loved it to pieces, but it did make me feel like I'd just been playing a long prequel to the real story. Other than that, I loved everything. The open world was amazing, and the characters were so well-done and realistic I wish I could have spent the entire game just talking with them and playing Wicked Grace. They managed to merge the political storyline with the fantasy story in a way that felt natural and realistic. I love DA2 to pieces, I do, but the political story always felt little and claustrophobic to me, especially after the Blight. This time, they managed to do both storylines perfectly, in a way that made it feel like they belonged to the same world.

Next, I'll be playing as a male Inquisitor just to romance Dorian. I want to shower him with love. But I also want to romance Bull at the same time. I wish there was a happy polyamory option. *wishful sigh*

Yesterday I had another anxiety attack, but I recovered from that one quite quickly. In fact, today I was feeling so much better that I went downtown and did all my xmas shopping! The weather was sunny and crisp, a wonderful winter day, and I found myself humming along to the xmas carols in the shops. I'm so proud of my stupid brain today. ^^

I also finished a Bob's Burgers marathon I started on Netflix a while back. I loved it. It's got a weird sort of humor that's never mean or offensive, and all the characters love each other and take care of each other. It's a very positive show while being really funny, and the social commentary is very sharp without it being depressive. Definitely recommended!

And I just finished watching the Supernatural midseason finale, which I loved to pieces. Really amazing, every single scene. And so many beautiful dialogues! Plus, it is now official, every Supernatural episode this season has passed the Bechdel's Test. I'm so proud of them! I hope they'll keep doing it next year too! \o/

New Supernatural entry!

Good god, that episode was such an adrenaline rush, I need way more time to digest it. So much stuff happening, so many important lines, so much pain, and oh boy was that a The Shining reference?

Spoilers in the comments, as usual. I probably won't do an entry for every single episode this season, at least not for the fillers. But these plot-heavy episodes are so awesome they need their own entries!

(The mood refers to the fact that I have that important check-up in a few hours. I'll write an entry about it when I get back!)

And here's your entry to discuss the new Supernatural episode!

Which was absolutely awesome. And it had everything I wanted and more. And it broke my heart so many times and I still loved it. And it also had new and old wonderful female characters that were the icing on a mindblowing cake of everything that I wanted.

Spoilers in the comments, obviously. ;)

Feels like I haven't written a Supernatural entry in ages. The funny thing is that I'm actually really enjoying this season (it's no season 8, but I love the main storyline and the character development is great), I'm just lazy. :D That being said, I thought yesterday's episode deserved an entry, since it was the pilot of a possible spin-off.

To be fair, I came in with low expectations. I couldn't see how a spin-off with new characters could work, and I was pissed they wouldn't use characters we already know and love (like Jody Mills, or Charlie), instead of two random dudes. And yet surprisingly I liked it, to the point that I might actually watch Bloodlines if they make it. I liked the fact that it was really different from a SPN episode, especially the direction. I liked the plot, and surprisingly I really liked the two main characters, and Violet. They went for two of the most overused tropes in the genre, but they're kind of the stepping stone in SPN, and they did a good work with them. Plus the main actors were really good, and added a lot of depth to their characters. Couldn't really care for Margo, although every time she was on screen I had to throw Godfather quotes at her, and it made me giggle a lot. *heavy italian accent* "You don't understand, David, we are going to the mattresses! Leave the gun, take the cannoli!"

I amuse myself. :D

And what really surprised me was how they referenced a certain Dean/Castiel scene in a very romantic way. Boy, was I not expecting that at all. It's not the first time they've done that, but I always love it when they do!

Also, whoa, Nathaniel Buzolic looks a lot like Andrew Garfield. How come I never noticed it when he was playing Kol? And the fact that he wasn't doing his usual British accent was very confusing. Loved to see him in a different role, he's really good.

And next week, we're finally back to the main plot! Only three episodes left! Nooooooooo!

Time to update the Reading Bingo again. I put the book I was going to read next on the back burner (small font=evil), and continued with a little marathon I started a couple of months ago after watching "Slumber Party", the Supernatural episode that got me into a Wizard of Oz mood again. After re-watching the 1939 movie, I realized I hadn't read any of the books but the first one, which was one of my favourites as a kid. I downloaded the whole lot from Project Gutenberg into my Kindle, and started on learning everything there was to know about Oz. I hit a bump with the second book, that reminded me too much of Return to Oz, a movie I saw when I was a kid and that still gives me nightmares, but after that it's been a nice experience.



For the "A Book that is More Than 10 Years Old" square I chose L. Frank Baum's The Road To Oz, first published in 1909 and the fifth book in the series. The title also reads "In Which Is Related How Dorothy Gale of Kansas, The Shaggy Man, Button Bright, and Polychrome the Rainbow's Daughter Met on an Enchanted Road and Followed it All the Way to the Marvelous Land of Oz" which covers most of what it is all about. After the first one, all the Oz books tend to follow the same structure, and are quite predictable. The new characters are fun, although have mostly just one distinguishable characteristic (Button Bright being dumb, for example), and nothing else really worth saying. In the preface the author says he's writing the books as a secretary to children who ask for beloved characters to have new adventures, and while it's supposed to be a cute joke, it is exactly what it feels like. It's getting harder to tell the individual books apart, as they're so similar in everything except the names of the new characters.

That being said, it is nice to keep meeting beloved childhood characters again and again, and while the whole thing is getting repetitive, it is a lovely reading to do in waiting rooms or other places where one doesn't have to concentrate too hard. I'm not sure I'll manage to read all of them, though, considering I'm already bored by number five.

Supernatural is back! With a brilliant episode indeed. I'm really loving this year's main storyline, in terms of both Heaven and Hell. And the awesome rock music is back, double yay! We were just complaining with Tati the other day about how it feels there's been less music than usual in this first half of the season, so those first five minutes were very much welcome. And I loved all the character development, it all flowed perfectly. Had to close my eyes during a certain scene (it's quite easy to guess which one), but I get it was necessary, so no hard feelings. ;) And if Jared doesn't win some awards for this season I'm going to be pissed. He's jaw-dropping amazing.

So now I have to do some clean-up, shopping, and then it's therapy time, yes!

Health update! I'm taking some cortisone-based meds and the coughing fits are slowly going away. When it happens, I still sound like a chain smoker since the age of 12, to the point that even my cat gives me the side eye, but it's getting better. I haven't had an infection like this since before high school, it's really weird. And my sense of smell is coming back at random, abrupt times, like I can suddenly smell ORANGES for a couple of seconds, then nothing for hours, then SHOWER GEL, then nothing again. Super weird.

Yesterday's episode of Supernatural was another little masterpiece. And one of those times when, as great art always does, it told a good story while telling me, the viewer, a lot about myself, and choices I made when I was younger. It came into my life exactly at the right moment. And it also made me want to sing Bryan Adams' Summer of 69 at the top of my lungs all morning, but since my bronchi still won't allow that, I settled for putting it on the stereo on loop.

Standin' on your mama's porch
You told me it would last forever
Oh the way you held my hand
I knew that it was now or never
Those were the best days of my life
Back in the summer of '69!!!

*rocking air guitar solo*

So yep, I'm doing better. Not out of the woods yet, but I'm being a good kid, resting and taking all my meds, so I'm going to give myself a good pat on the head and go back to my chores. ^^

Okay, Supernatural, you have to stop being so awesome. First The Hobbit, now this? My favourite movie AND book as a child? My childhood heroine? I don't think my heart can handle all this. Plus fantastic character development, Bechdel Test passed with flying colors, another brilliant use of CGI, a new awesome ship jfldsfjsdghklfdjgklj, this is too much. ♥