CastlevaniaNut18

3 hours ago, best3444 said:

 

That's all I'm saying. Even if surgeries are a low percentage it shouldn't be allowed to be done to minors. They can't think logically on their own. I've heard cases where a female had surgery then almost committed suicide after realizing she couldn't have kids after making such a life altering decision. I understand this is extremely rare but it should be up to the person alone not by doctors and parents. 

You just said they're not old enough to make a decision like this.

This is literally a decision between the patient and their doctor. Politicians should have no say. And that goes for ALL medical care.

Having finished up Sons of Anarchy the other day, I've had some time to reflect on it. I give the series as a whole 8/10. Really strong the first 5 seasons, the last couple were something of a roller coaster, but it ended on a damn near perfect note. I don't watch a ton of TV, but I think I can safely put this one in my Top Ten.

Currently reading And There was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle by Jon Meacham for nonfiction.

I read The Killing Hills by Chris Offutt over a couple days and my next fiction is The Raven and the Nine by Peter Gibbons. Also still working on Trinity by Leon Uris.

And yeah, I'm excited for King's SS collection this year, @EternallDarkness.

Cut out my husband's biological dad and half-sister from that side and pretty much every else on his dad's side. Though his sister did it for us, at least initially. Neither of us have had any real qualms about it. They're shit people. His dad is an alcoholic and all around asshole who left his mom when he was a toddler and never made much of an effort at being a dad and just kept making less of an effort over time. His mom remarried when he was young and that's who I call my father-in-law and who was an actual dad to my husband.

His sister is my age and they had a pretty good relationship up until 2018, which was when we last spoke to her. I didn't care for her much, because she loves to stir up drama and she's a pathological liar who multiple times tried to instigate shit with me over the pettiest lies. But my husband got along with her and enjoyed seeing his nephews, so he'd visit her when I'd be working weekends a few times a year(they all live in Oklahoma a few hours away). Last visit seemed perfectly normal, I'd seen the texts she sent him saying she's glad he made it home safe and bring me out sometime, yada yada. Then she just stopped responding to him. Radio silence. A couple months later, I get a message from her husband on FB saying my husband isn't allowed at their house anymore due to some "sick things he said to my wife" on his last visit. First, I don't know her husband, I was not friends with him on FB and I'd met him once for all of 30 minutes before. He declines to say what this "sick thing" supposedly is, just telling me that I need to be careful and he's a bad person then blocks me. I message his sister asking wtf is going on and she basically does the same, saying I'm apparently depraved and need psychological help for being his wife. Again, neither of them even says wtf they're talking about. Then she blocks me. Neither of us have spoken to her since. Don't know anything about any of them out there and don't really care to. The oldest brother(who still lives by their mom in Arkansas) had cut off contact with her even before that and her older brother(from her mom) apparently had quit talking to her too, sometime before all this. So she jettisoned her relationship with the only brother who would have anything to do with her at that point.

I think it's sad he can't see his nephews and they're probably gonna grow up thinking bad about their uncle, who they loved, but what can you do? She clearly has issues and we're better off without the drama.

His stepmom is the only person to reach out and that was just once, during the tornadoes last year here. He responded we were fine and that was it. She's similar to her daughter with the drama stirring and has stayed with his dad, though he was abusive, so don't have much use for her either.

WTF are the Braves thinking, doing a new contract with Sale, @Biggie? My buddy, who is a Braves fan is pissed, lol.

Husband put Mario Galaxy 2 on his Steam Deck and it looks gorgeous. He was in a mood to play it since he only played it for a handful of stars back when it released. Had it on WiiU VC but apparently there’s issues with Wii games on the U, something about dark spots popping up. Weird. 
 

I got further along in the game, but still never beat it, so I think I’m gonna have him put it on my Deck, too. 
 

Really pissed me off when Nintendo didn’t put Galaxy 2 on that Mario collection on Switch. 

On 1/1/2024 at 7:16 AM, SoberChef said:

 

What's wild is that whole scene was shot in a single take. That however, was the SECOND of such takes, as the first was essentially PERFECT from all who've spoken about it, just that the camera wasn't on!

Well, it was still damn good by both actors!

10 minutes ago, Nokra said:

That's a great way to get some reading done! Makes me miss my student days in Germany when I could set my own schedule, so it almost always included sitting by the river and reading for an hour every day. Now my 8-5 (plus 1.5 hour total commute) M-F doesn't  leave me much free time during the week and I've been prioritizing gaming. Then, at least in good weather I try to get out and do some hiking and such on the weekends. But it's the rainy season, so maybe it's the reading season.

 

Anyway... Probably a hard question, but: What would be your top picks for 1)nonfiction and 2) fiction books you read this year? 

That's always a tough one, but for nonfiction, I'd probably say Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe and fiction Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane or All the Sinners Bleed by SA Cosby.

And yeah, those dark and dreary winter months after the holidays are a great time for reading. My gaming also really picked back up this year and I'm happy for that.

Not optimistic regarding politics and the direction of the country. 
 

Personally, should be a good year. I have plans I’m looking forward to. 

I am so confused on this new gen stuff saying sex is bad. This is literally the first time I’ve heard of it. 
 

wtf 

1 hour ago, Nokra said:

Damn, 118 in a year is still impressive, IMO. My personal best was something like 60 and you blew that completely out of the water! 

 

This year I'm at something like 10 books or less. Working life sucks, man. 

Funny enough, it’s my work these days that allows even more time for reading. Most nights the patients go to bed early and if they’re quiet, I just sit down with a book once I’m done charting and just do my hourly rounds until time for them to get up. 

Done. Phew, what a ride. 
 

Honestly, that was about as perfect an ending as you could get. There was really no other option for Jax and it was poetic how he finally understood his father. I’d like to think his sons avoided that life. Nero and Wendy were great and I’m glad they got their happy(ish) ending. 
 

Last couple of seasons did get convoluted, but I think it wrapped up nicely(albeit tragically). Like Jax promised Patterson, “the bad guys lose.”

Wonder if SAMCRO continues down a more legit path under Chibs or if that’s addressed in Mayans at all. 

Unser 😭

I even felt for Gemma in the end. Pretty poignant scene. 
 

Poor Juice, but his troubles are at an end. At least he got to finish his pie. Fitting that Marilyn Manson plays an evil Nazi in this show. 
 

Fuck it, work is dead tonight, I’m gonna wrap this up. 

Two episodes to go. Jax found out. Some phenomenal acting by Charlie Hunnam there. I felt that emotion. Juice’s confession, the blank look in his face, but the tears falling. 
 

Great stuff. 

Small Mercies was fantastic. Definitely gonna read more of Lehane. With that completed, I'll end the year with 118 books read. A new record. I was on paces for a lot more, but starting with vacation in October, I slowed down a lot the last few months.

Started  The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon last night. A promising historical fiction.

Also, Dolezal is basically the only case I’ve ever really heard of “transracial” identity, but it just seems pretty cringey with a white woman claiming to be Black and acting like she’s had the “Black experience.” Seems a bit too much like extreme cultural appropriation to me. 

1 hour ago, SuperSpreader said:

 

I don't think you have to be into hotwife culture or something to be a liberal. It's ok to be personally conservative but accepting and not judgemental of others. I basically live like a conservative white man, I am even trying to retire by ~55 and have plans for it financially.

2 minutes ago, GeneticBlueprint said:

I resonate with this and similar sentiments expressed in this thread. I’m pretty conservative personally in my way of being. Probably a byproduct of the religion I grew up in. Wouldn’t dream of imposing my lifestyle on others though.

Basically same for me. 

Holy shit, Boston trades Sale to Atlanta for a promising young 2B. 
 

I love Sale but he can’t stay healthy anymore. Now watch him win a Cy Young in atl lol. 
 

I sure hope this is a precursor to a big rotation signing in the coming days. 

Beat Dredge on my Steam Deck. This one came out of nowhere to really capture my attention. Fantastic little indie. Mainly about fishing, but with a sinister undercurrent. 9/10.
 

2023 games:

Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster - PC

Fire Emblem Engage - Switch

Resident Evil 4 Remake - PC

Resident Evil VIIlage: Shadows of Rose - PC

Pentiment - PC

The Last of Us Part I + Left Behind - PC

Metroid Prime Remastered - Switch

The Last of Us Part II - PS4(on PS5)

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Switch

Dead Space 2023 - PC

Separate Ways: Resident Evil 4 Remake - PC

Kirby’s Dreamland 2 - Gameboy

Super Mario Land(DX) - Gameboy

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins(DX) - Gameboy

Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe - Switch

Alan Wake II - PC

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 - GBA

Dredge - PC 

I don't even think I saw 5 films from 2023.

Oppenheimer was the best. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 was fun. Barbie was well done, but one viewing was plenty for me.

I think that's all?

Wait, we're supposed to accept Rachel Dolezal's self-identification as Black? Ehhh, that's too far for me.

I dunno, I've definitely evolved over the years, but sometimes I do feel a bit alienated from the Left. I just don't know how far out of mainstream progressivism I'd fall.

8 hours ago, stepee said:

@CastlevaniaNut18 have you seen Lil Gator game? It’s wonderful on deck (switch version has perf issues) and seems like something you might like. 

Well, I just bought it, lol

Seriously thought the Celtics were gonna drop that game in miserable fashion last night. Nice comeback win, though I'm sorry for the Pistons.

4 minutes ago, eventide11 said:

The money I got for Christmas is having a tough time not being spent on a Steam Deck. Havent heard anything about Dredge but I'll be sure to check it out whenever I end up losing to self control lol

It's an indie game, focus is on fishing from a boat, making upgrades and solving the mystery of this weird place you wrecked at. It's pretty compelling.

I bought Dredge on a sale and I've played it the most since I got it. Was great playing it on my Steam Deck while visiting my family for Christmas. I wasn't even aware of the game and it came out of nowhere to be one of my favorite titles in an already stacked year. Who'd have thought?