Bookstore Haul: Volume 1: {05.20.2016}

broderic on May 21, 2016

The blogs been bleak lately. I haven’t written anything good. It’s nothing but movie reviews and links of the day with not much to say and terrible writing. The movie reviews are quickly jotted notes making no sense. The links of the day only interest me. Then there are the idols. Nobody but me knows about idols. I doubt my readers do. What little I have of them. I need to mix things up and get back to some writing. Good writing would be helpful. But any writing at the moment would be great.

Let’s try something different…

I go to the bookstore just about every week. I usually buy something which I end up not reading. I buy it and put it on the nightstand. It stays there for years before I decide to read it. Maybe I can write reviews of what I read.

But first, let me write about what I bought and the motivation to buy it. Maybe writing why will help me read the book.

Yotsuba&! Volume 13. The best manga out there. I love how it makes me feel so happy to see the fun adventures of Yotsuba, the 4 year old, kawaii kid. She’ll worm her way into your heart. You should be reading this.

The Complete Peanuts: 1999-2000. I have several of the early volumes but haven’t bought any of the latest. This is the last book of the run. It’s got the final chapters of the Peanuts strip. I adore the Peanuts strip. If I could draw, I would love to do a comic strip. Maybe it should be my next profession.

Silver Screen Fiend by Patton Oswalt. I have a need to read some stories about movies. Hopefully, Patton Oswalt’s diary of the movies he’s seen as he gained fame will help me with my movie viewing writing. Like I said, this blog is just bad movie writing. But in it contains the movies that I have seen in the theaters these past 12+ years. Maybe, like Oswalt, this is my Silver Screen Fiend.

Link of the Day [5.08.16]

broderic on May 8, 2016

It took two weeks, but finally finished up the compilation anthology of Road & Kingdoms travel/food guide for Japan: Fish, Noodles, Rice — Deep Travels Through Japan’s Food Culture. Reading through it made me really want to go and travel Japan from tip to tip. From Fukuoka on the south island, Kyushu, to Hokkaido in the north, I want to travel and experience the food of Japan.

Maybe. Maybe. Maybe someday…

https://docs.com/roads-and-kingdoms-japan

The Huntsman: Winter’s War

broderic on May 1, 2016

Back in the 80s whenever a movie concept hit it big, they made a dozen or more copycat B movies and and straight to video movies. It was knock-off city. The plots were similar to the inspiration movie and feature C grade actors and double D actresses. The Huntsman: Winter’s War seems to revive that tradition. If you ever wanted to see a live action Frozen then here’s something similar. But they actors are not D grade. There’s a few Oscar winners and nominees in the cast. And also Chris Hemsworth. This film is also a double dipper — it’s a prequel and a sequel to the first Huntsman movie. It was also a very terrible movie.

Like those B movies of yore, it had a derivative plot, one which doesn’t make any sense. It starts with the Frozen rip off. Hey, we need an Ice Queen because FROZEN! Emily Blunt plays the Ice Queen Freya; she uses here power to take over other lands and taking the children from them because she believes that they will be her army of Huntsman. Imagine if Elsa from Frozen took a decidedly dark turn instead of the sunny Disney treatment. Freya keeps the children and nurtures an army but for what? Who knows? Does she challenge her sister with her army? Nope. She just mopes because she does not love.

Like those B movies of yore, it had funny sidekicks. There was the dwarves both male and female. The males hated the females and the females hated the males. These dwarves answered the question from the Lord of the Rings movies: what do girl dwarves look like? They had to answer. Who cares?

Like those B movies of yore, it had quests. Get the mirror back, because why would the mirror not have been destroyed at the end of last movie. For sequels! And what happened to Snow White from the last movie? Why did she not want to cash in like everyone else on this sequel?

This movie is just made for cashing in. I wish I never decided to watch it. Movies such as these are why its the golden age of storytelling on television.

2 of 5 stars.

Barley Mushrooms Miso

broderic on April 21, 2016

I like making soups. I want to make them all the time for dinner. It’s just like how my mom does for almost any and every dinner.

Tonight was miso, mushroom, barley soup – a very comforting combination of flavors.

I got the idea from Mark Bittman’s book, The Kitchen Matrix. There’s a section in the front for quick and easy broths. I followed the one for the mushroom broth. Then threw in the one for miso as well. Two for the price of one.

It’s one pound of mushrooms in six cups of water. Bring it to a boil then simmer. He recommends that these easy broths be done in about 5 to 10 minutes. I let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

The mushrooms I used were white buttosn, brown criminis, and shiitakes. I could’ve done without the shiitakes as they don’t boil very well. But I chopped about 1 1/4 lbs of mushrooms and threw them in the pot.

I seasoned with 2 pinches of salt. Maybe I shouldn’t have as the miso would take care of the sodium content later, but I figured that would make the mushrooms at least a bit tasty.

In a separate and smaller pot, I threw in 1/4 cup of barley. Then when the broth was done, I added 2-3 cups of the mushroom broth. I didn’t add mushrooms at that time, although if some had gotten into the broth when I scooped it, I let them go into the soup.

I boiled and simmered this mixture again for 10 minutes. I assume that, like rice, barley takes about that long to cook. Of course, YMMV but I was also going for a slightly al dente feel to the barley.

Finally, I added 2 tablespoons of white miso and chopped scallions into the simmer, stirred it around, then let it sit for another couple of minutes.

When I put it into a bowl, I added mushrooms and some black pepper. Mmm.

It made about 3 servings.

I was full on the 2nd.

Don’t have coke with this combo. Have tea instead.

The miso was purchased from South River Miso, a Vermont farm making organic miso. I bought the sampler. Their white miso is sublime.

Link of the Day [4.17.16]

broderic on April 17, 2016

Macross. That word warms my little otaku heart. I remember like it was yesterday. It came as the Robotech in the United States. Yet, there was more to it once you become an anime otaku. It’s got mecha. It’s got space. It’s got idols. It’s got music. It’s got a love triangle. You couldn’t beat it. And every other iteration features the same. Why can’t we get it in the States in its pure unadulterated form?

Macross.

I remember love…

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/the-mike-toole-show/2016-04-17/.101177

No Boh’

broderic on April 8, 2016

Contrary to what some say, for all intents and purposes, there is no Natty Boh’ at Camden Yards.

I was at the game last night, the start of my season tickets, and I had a few drinks. Three to be precise. The first was a Blue Moon for $8.75. Not the greatest, but that was the best choice I thought from the Lites that were in this vendors box. Around the sixth inning, I felt like more beer and wanted to get my choice, Natty Boh’. I went looking…

And looking…

And looking…

It’s out behind left field. The one lonely stall selling Natty Boh’. The lady was closing up shop but I had her pour me a draft.

Now there was supposedly cans being sold at certain vendors, but I didn’t find them. It was nothing but beer ‘ritas. Not sure why anyone would drink such a thing. I can’t even imagine how they brew that up.

Anyhow, there is no Boh’ there. Like it was when Camden Yards first opened.