Sometimes I write here for you, whomever you might be. I want to relate my experience playing a game or listening to music or reading a book, and maybe you’re experienced those things too, and so we can compare and contrast our separate experiences and sort of virtually pretend we did them together.
Sometimes I write here because I’m bored and have nothing else to do and so typing away at my desk makes me look busy. This happens more often than not.
And sometimes – like now – I write here for me. I have too many thoughts in my head and I need to get them out, and this is one of the only places I have, and whether or not you read this is immaterial. Which is not to say that you reading this is irrelevant – I’m correcting typos and trying to make sure this is readable – but, well, look. I’ve got stuff I’ve gotta figure out.
I’m stressed, man. Depressed. Mood swings all over the goddamned place. My mom is back in the hospital less than 24 hours after getting released from the hospital, where she’d been for 3 weeks recovering from a broken pelvis – this would also be her 4th hospital stay this year, after a broken femur and a frightening bout of sepsis. My dad and his family are in a somewhat hurricane-proof area of Jacksonville, Florida, preparing to receive whatever Irma has to dish out by the time it gets there. I appear to have developed plantar fasciitis, which is a delightful perk of getting older and which makes walking around rather painful. I’m stressed about money, which is a whole other thing that I’m not gonna get into right now.
Basically, what’s happening to the US right now – 2 major hurricanes, the west coast being on fire, and a steaming gold-plated turd in the White House hell-bent on making the worst possible decisions for no other reason than hating Obama – is a rather good approximation of what’s happening in my brain.
There’s some really good music out, at least. Today sees the release of The National’s long-awaited new album, and Deerhoof have also released yet another brilliant collection. The new LCD Soundsystem is hit-or-miss for me but it does contain the best lyrical couplet of the year (“You’ve got numbers on your phone of the dead that you can’t delete / and you got life-affirming moments in your past that you can’t repeat”). I haven’t even had time to process the new Iron & Wine or King Gizzard or The War on Drugs or Grizzly Bear or Everything Everything or Rainer Maria, because I’ve been too busy listening to my Discovery playlist.
I’m not sure if I’m going to see the new It movie. I’ve only seen bits and pieces of the Tim Curry TV series, as well. Here’s the deal – It is, for me, the definitive Stephen King novel. It’s the book I’ve probably read and re-read the most. Other people prefer The Stand, or The Dark Tower, or whatever; It has always been the book for me. It’s the reason why I’m attracted to big books. One of the reasons why the book is so successful in instilling dread is specifically because of its heft; it literally weighs you down as you read it. (Well, maybe not the Kindle version, but you get my meaning.)
I don’t need a movie version. I don’t want a movie version. The scene between Henry Bowers (the bully) and Patrick Hockstetter (the psychopath and arguably the single most creepy character in SK’s entire output) will always be more horrifying in my mind than it would be on screen – and considering what happens in that scene, I can’t possibly imagine it ever being filmed.
I suppose I’m glad to hear that the new movie is getting good reviews, but that doesn’t necessarily make me want to see it. I’d rather just re-read it again.
Speaking of books, it’s been a while since I ran down what I’ve read. I read Leigh Bardugo’s two Six of Crows books, which were great fun; I just finished the final installment in N.J. Jemisin’s Stone Sky series, which was astonishing. I’ve started reading Bryant & May and the Burning Man, and I’m enjoying it even if I’m not 100% sure where it’s going.
I did complete my (admittedly low) Goodreads reading challenge, so I’m feeling a bit more relaxed in terms of what to take on next. I think I need a break from trilogies and such; I could use just a one-off every now and then.
I wasn’t going to play Destiny 2, and yet, well, I bought it. Of course I did. I’m barely into it – indeed, I got stuck in a too-hard section and gave up last night – but it’s Destiny, all right. Still arguably the best-feeling shooter I’ve played in a while, though I’m not necessarily the best authority on that front.
Do you ever have games stuck in the back of your mind? I do. For the longest time I had Max Payne 3 lodged in there, for reasons I can’t possibly begin to fathom; right now it’s a cross between Bioshock Infinite and 2016’s DOOM. I don’t know what makes me think of them; they’re just there, like bits of a song that get looped in my brain.
OK, that’s enough yakkin’. I gotta close up shop. Have a good weekend. Thanks for reading. I think I feel better? I think I feel better.
Shouts From The Couch 