Out Of Sorts

"Out of sorts", a strange phrase but pretty accurate to how I've been feeling lately.
I am not sure which of the various aspects of my life is making me feel this way. It would be so easy to blame it on the horrific Oklahoma weather of late 100 degrees and tornadoes. Thanks Oklahoma
But I think it is more then the heat that is leaving me drained. I'm restless and listless, angry and sad, basically a general melancholy that I just can't shake.
I have to find a way out of this funk.
Since some aspects of my life cannot be changed at present I will focus on the things that I can control and change.
Thus I have decided to really focus on my physical well being and work towards getting fit and healthy.I am going to add new exercises and make better choices with my diet. (This shouldn't affect Faux Foodie since everyone needs to treat themselves occasionally)
I have tried before to get fit and failed because I tried to change everything at once.

 This time I am not going to turn my diet upside down, I am just going to make a conscience effort to choose better foods and portions, that doesn't mean I will cut out the foods I love. Instead of chips or candy I can grab some fruit. Instead of fried chicken and gravy, baked chicken and a side salad. This is what I have taken from various health blogs and articles.
I am hoping this will jump start me out of this "blah" haze I'm in. To have goals to work towards may just be what I need.
I really don't know why I am writing this. Maybe I just need this out there.
I try to stay away from posts that are not fun and upbeat but even in this I am trying to find the positive.


  

Literary Fixation- Poldark

After watching Poldark on PBS I wanted to read the books and I an delighted I did. The books do not take away from the TV series or vice versa. In many ways the books have given me more insight into the characters as well as a few interesting surprises.

Ross Poldark

The first book in the Poldark series. One of the things that surprised me in this book versus the TV show is the age of Delmelza when she is first introduced. The timeline in the show seems shorter then in the books. It actually took three or four years for Demelza to grow up and be noticed by Ross. In the series it seems like maybe a year. In fact the book Ross Poldark takes place over the course of a few years.

Also Demelza's appearance in the TV series is far different from the books. In the book she has dark hair and eyes, whereas in the TV series she has red hair and green eyes.

Not that this takes anything away from the character. Her portrayal in the TV series is pretty spot on for the book character.

The first books, Ross Poldark, focuses on Ross' transition back to England after the Revolutionary war, his recovery from the heartbreak of Elizabeth marrying his cousin Francis and his growing dislike of his own social class.

As the book progresses he finds himself falling in love with his servant, Demelza after they are married. 

The book is an easy read. There isn't much flowery language or too much scenic descriptions that you sometimes find in in these types of novels. It flows well and even if this had been the only book instead of the first book in a series it ends rather neatly without forcing a cliffhanger on the reader.

Demelza

The second novel in the Poldark series is Demelza and it focuses on both Demelza and Ross. Their lives during the happiest times and their lowest moments.

Compared to the TV series Francis and Elizabeth are mentioned but hardly appear in the novel except here and there. Even though they contribute to some important events for Demelza and Ross.

A large part of this book centers on Ross' attempts at a smelting company to help the mines in general and to take away some of the power from people like the Warleggans. Another story line that weaves its way through the book is the secret romance between Verity Poldark and Capt Blamey and the fallout of their elopement. Unlike the first book, Demelza ends on a more melancholy note, yet there is still a glimmer of hope.

If you enjoyed the TV series you will probably like these books and the other way around if you have read these already and have been thinking about watching the TV series.

The books give greater details about minor characters seen in the show as well as giving extra insight into main characters like Ross and Demelza.

After reading these I feel that the TV series had done a great job at translating the books. The casting is perfect, Ross could have easily been portrayed as too brooding but Aiden Turner balances brooding with a touch of charm. Eleanor Tomlinson is just perfect as Demelza. She manages to be both tomboyish and elegant in turn.

Have you seen or read Poldark? What do you think?

Faux Foodie: Bananas Foster

This month for Faux Foodie we made something we have always wanted to try, Bananas Foster.

After finding a pretty simple recipe my mom and I dived in.

Just to let you know, since we were not sure if the rum would flame up or the ingredients would scorched we used an old, beat up looking pan. I don't want anyone thinking I usually use this unflattering pan in the pictures below : P 

I also found this mini bottle of rum at the liquor store. Release The Kraken!!

The All Recipes version seemed pretty straight forward. Melt the butter. 

Add the Brown sugar.

Then stir in vanilla, rum and cinnamon. 

(To be honest I was kinda hoping for a bit of a flame..nope)

Cut the bananas so that they look odd before putting them in the bubbling mixture. 

Cook until the bananas are warmed through. 

And scoop onto ice cream.

Pretty simple.

My mom liked this but I didn't. It turned out okay but it just wasn't to my taste. In truth I have never been a spiced rum fan and the only dark rum we could find was spiced. That added to the cinnamon just didn't appeal to me. 

Still this is something we have both wanted to try and I'm glad we did. 

Come With Us Now- The Mighty Boosh (or Why I'm mad at BBCAmerica)

The Mighty Boosh is a TV series I almost never knew about and that would have been a tragedy. Like many things my love of Placebo brought this to my attention in a roundabout way.

There was a British quiz show called Nevermind The Buzzcocks that featured musicians and comedians. Brian Molko, of Placebo, was a guest panelist a few times. He was perfection as usual. Unfortunately this show is no longer on Youtube and cannot be seen in the US that I know of.

Back to The Mighty Boosh. In the later seasons of the Buzzcocks, Noel Fielding was a team captain. Fielding is Vince Noir ( among others) in The Mighty Boosh.   

Like the Buzzcocks, The Mighty Boosh is pretty difficult to watch in the States unless you buy the DVD (or are techie enough to find other ways). I bought the DVD...and it came with stickers! 

This show is absurd, weird and completely wonderful. Just look at Noel Fielding's hair and tell me it doesn't make you happy. This show reminds me a little of Monty Python's Flying Circus at times, yet it is its own entity. 

The show focuses on Noel Fielding's Vince Noir and Julian Barratt's Howard Moon. Both Fielding and Barratt play many different characters through the show. My favs are Fielding as The Moon and Old Gregg. I have quoted, in character, Old Gregg to people and received some strange looks.

"Do you love me? I drank Bailey's from a shoe...creamy"

One of my favorite things about this show is the random songs. The song from Call of the Yeti is so freaking fantastic.

Other characters include Bollo- the gorilla, disgusting Bob Fossil, evil Dixon Bainbridge and darling Naboo.

If you have never seen this show and by some chance get an opportunity, WATCH IT! It is delightfully odd.

And this brings to one of the reasons I am writing this post. There are so many brilliant British shows that are nearly impossible to see in the US. BBCAmerica doesn't show series like this anymore. In fact, most of BBCAmerica is blocks of Star Trek Next Generation, Top Gear and Kitchen Nightmares. WHY?

There are so many amazing series that BBCAmerica could be showing. Even some of the older series too, like Ab Fab, My Family, Are You Being Served...I really could go on here. The only way to watch some of this kind of programming is if your local PBS stations puts them on or if you buy really expensive DVD sets, most of which are not region friendly for the US. 

Come on BBCAmerica, you can do better.

Netflix Picks- July 2016

A couple of really great things have been added to Netflix this month.

My usual disclaimer- As of the time I am writing this these films and television shows are available on Netflix is the USA. They can at anytime be taken off...because it's Netflix.

Batman-The Movie

I grew up watching the 1960's Batman and now the movie is on Netflix. Fingers crossed that the TV series will show up soon. This is campy and wonderful.

*Drinking game opportunities

Penny Dreadful

This TV series takes well known characters from 19th century literature and interweaves them into a dark and stunning series. Dorian Gray, Victor Frankenstein and Dracula to name a few.

The Shannara Chronicles

I had no idea what this was when I first watched it on MTV. I am still shocked that MTV made such an interesting and visually capturing series. If you like Lord of the Rings or anything in that fantasy vein this is something to check out. I was surprised how much I liked it. The tree that keeps the demons trapped in an alternate reality is dying and it is up the the Eleven princess, Amberle, and a few unlikely allies to save their world. 

Adult World

Even though I find Emma Roberts on the screeching side, this was actually an interesting film. It is saved by Evan Peters being in it. Not for everyone. 

A recent college grad and wannabe poet takes a job at a sex shop. This begins her exposure to the real world and growing up.

A Day In Pictures

I thought I would try something different. 

I took random pictures throughout one of my normal weekdays.
I almost just dumped these picture without explanations but twitter friends suggested otherwise.

-Who wakes up at this ungodly hour?-  -Cat must be fed-

-Rocking my Link shirt to work- -Leaving the house in the Oklahoma heat, I'm melting-

-Summer semester at the campus I work at...empty parking lots- -You can almost see Tulsa, in the distance, far away.-

-The random things behind the desk I work at include bones people can check out and a bouncy ball chair- -Break time, hanging out with Dory and friends-

-After work errands, dropping off some Iggle mail- -I know these are not really healthy but I like to delude myself-

-Quick stop at the Library- -The happiness of a new book-

-Wine and Zelda to finish off a long hot day-

June Wrap Up

Let me start with the greatest thing to happen this month.

#TonyAwards cookies on the blog https://t.co/NXkGaTQrvm pic.twitter.com/kzjtFVWC0B

— Melissa Storm (@eris_discord42) June 8, 2016

My Tony Awards cookies pic got liked and retweeted by the OFFICIAL TONY AWARDS TWITTER. Did I proceed and call people about this? You bet I did!

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Iggle News

This month over at The International Geek Girls Pen Pal Club it has been craft-a-magedon. One of the challenges was to make a postcard to represent our house. My house is House Organa. I totally used fake tattoos to make this and I love it. My handwritting aside.

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Heatwave

I have mentioned here before that Oklahoma Weather is evil. Now that Tornado Season has abated Summer comes in like a heartless cow.

The humidity is so bad that even walking to the mailbox makes me wilt. I miss Fall. It seems like we haven't had a real Fall in years.

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Back to Bad Gamer

I have a new goal for the next month. Finish The Legends of Zelda Twilight Princess.

Maybe about two years ago I gave up Twilight Princess. Why? Let me tell you.

I had been playing this game for awhile. I had finally completed the Temple of Time. Then the Wii glitched and it took me back to the beginning of that Temple, incomplete. I then put the game up and never spoke of it again.

But I feel like now with the heat keeping me indoors, now is the time to get back on this.