After some debate with myself, I’ve decided to do three more of these blogs, and do two featuring three characters(though for the other one two of them will be the Koenigs). I feel these three really should be done together, as now the stories of all three are heavily dependent on what happens with the other two.
Month: December 2014
Okay, this was a weird weekend
Most of the weekend was just normal level of wacky, surprising top threes at Japanese Nationals, Sinitsina & Katsalapov not even making the top three at Russian Nationals, and such. Then came this morning. The Russian Europeans team seemed momentarily confusing, until they clarified Sotnikova and Bobrova & Soloviev will get test skates to get themselves on(although no mention of Volosozhar & Trankov; are they still not ready?). The Japanese team, on the other hand, was actually making sense when it was named half an hour ago(except that they probably should name the Reeds even if they don’t have the tech minimums yet; they’re pretty close and there are opportunities to get them). And then minutes later Tatsuki Machida has sends the events of the week off into the deep end by announcing he’s retiring. Immediately. Apparently didn’t tell the Japanese federation, since they’d just named him to the World team despite his having come in fourth (sensible enough a thing to do, at least if you don’t know he’s about to retire!). Though hearing just now about them forcing him to go to the GPF and it interfering with his academic career already, maybe it’s a hard decision that he feels he has to make.
Still, it’s sad to see him go just as he was really breaking through. But we’ll always have this year’s Skate America:
Since there were no big new Pas de Deuxs this year
And it’s Russian Nationals today, Gordeeva & Grinkov:
Off to search for a stream. Happy holidays everyone!
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Mid-Season Thoughts: Grant Ward & Agent 33
The writers of this show really do love throwing us curveballs. After Ward kidnapped Skye I was about ready to think he probably was beyond real redemption, though conceding he might stick around as a begrudged potential asset, the way he was continually insisting on helping out. Through most of the finale, I continued to think this, even though I also conceded he was actually getting pretty entertaining. I wasn’t one of those who actually applauded with Skye shot him, but I was hardly upset about it either. And then came that last scene with Agent 33, and especially the comments the producers made about the bond between the two character.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Mid-Season Thoughts: Skye & Calvin Zabo(but mostly Skye)
As I said in my Coulson/May entry, Coulson’s been the series’ primary protagonist, with Skye as secondary protagonist, but I think that might be about to change, at least for the rest of this season. Which will make more people call her a Mary Sue, except I’m starting to agree with those that think she wouldn’t be getting that fan reaction were she male. At the very least, after a rough start her story’s been very well done, and there’s no reason to think that will change in the upcoming episodes.
Been Watching a Bunch of Strictly Come Dancing Videos
So far I’d say is my favorite:
Have watched a couple of Judy Murray’s, of course, but the problem is she simply isn’t that good a dancer, and my patience for watching bad dancers is limited.
And meanwhile, love seeing the Meryl & Maks reunion:
Can’t wait to see it properly on the air.
Met Opera Broadcasts: Il Nozze di Figaro & Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg
I fear the Met may not be broadcasting its best this year. Granted, I’ve only seen two of their broadcasts so far this year(although this was partly because we had severe doubts about at least two more), but both were of pretty mediocre productions that displayed the Met’s reoccurring difficulty with going outside the box. The results were actually somewhat different, but this was largely because of the quality of the two operas themselves.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. mid-season thoughts: Phil Coulson & Melinda May
Once again I have Lots of Thoughts, though not quite as many about everybody as I did last summer, so I’m doing everyone in pairs this time.
Watcha Thinkin’? Barcelona…
I have had this obscure Sondheim song stuck in my head for weeks. So now I’m posting it to get it stuck in a few other people’s heads too!
And for some last-minute scrambling before the Grand Prix Finale begins, a single prediction for each competition:
Senior Men: With Gracie Gold out, Maxim Kovtun will instead be the one to send my timeline lamenting by medaling. I don’t *think* he’ll win though…
Senior Ladies: Russian sweep. Face it, any chance of that not happening went out the door with Gracie. Ashley might beat one Russian if she’s lucky, but she won’t beat two until she starts rotating more jumps again, and Hongo has probably filled her Russian-beating quota for her first season on the senior level already.
Senior Pairs: Sui & Han will have another stunning competition, and lose to Stolbova & Klimov, causing much angry ranting about the Russians being favored, although I actually wouldn’t assume S&K will be undeserving, if only because if they’re perfect there’s no way they won’t be.
Senior Dance: I *really* want to say Weaver & Pojé will win, but I’m terrified of Chock & Bates. I definitely think they could win a segment again at least, though maybe not overall?
Junior Men: Roman Sadovsky will medal. Just because.
Junior Ladies: There will unexpectedly *not* be a Russian sweep. I’m not sure which Japanese girl will disrupt it, though I suppose if that does happen if may be by only a fraction of a point.
Junior Pairs: So I should probably predict the Russian sweep will happen here instead, though I’ve got the feeling Seguin & Bilodeau could come heartbreaking close to disrupting it.
Junior Dance: On the other hand, I’m willing to bet the Canadians go 2-3 here; I think if they got their levels the only team they wouldn’t outskate would be Yanovskaia & Mozgov.
Antoine Triplett, ?-2014
(Seriously, I couldn’t even find BJ Britt’s age, let alone his character’s. How little we knew ye.)
I may or may not blog some other thoughts on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. at the mid-season break at some point. But today, like everyone else, I’m still too busy mourning for a character I wish so badly they hadn’t killed off.
http://abc.go.com/embed/VDKA0_9ujr633e
I also read today that they’re claiming they actually originally planned to kill him in the first season, and if that’s true, perhaps we need not be so angry. After all, not only did they in that case keep him longer than they intended to, but they certainly gave him a heroic end. But still, you wish they could’ve kept him longer still.
(I am also still clinging to the faint hope that the Age of Ultron thing wasn’t a false report and that the plot somehow involves him getting resurrected. The TV show characters don’t even necessarily have to know…)
ETA: Can’t figure out how to embed the video. Dammit.
We Need More Fruit 