My Media Scrapbook: 2017

On 11/18/2020 at 06:17 PM by KnightDriver

Left my job early in the year, took some time off, then started community college that summer. It was a rough summer but I got into a routine at least, if not into gainful employment. That fall I started part-time at a local library while schooling. It's my favorite place on earth. Here are some of my favorite media from that year.

TV: Blue Planet II:

The first Blue Planet was in 2001, which I saw, and loved. We stand on this earth with an alien planet just under the waves. It's a marvel to see what's down there.

Film: Double Feature! Wonder Woman/Thor Ragnarok:

I loved both of these movies this year. I've become a big fan of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. She's just too perfect for the role. I haven't been thrilled with the Thor movies up until this one, which injects a lot of humor and crazy visuals to make me love it almost as much as Guardians of the Galaxy.

Game: Bulletstorm Full Clip Edition:

The added bonuses were challenge maps and John St. John doing Duke Nukem in place of the main character throughout the whole game. Half the fun of this was the snarky dialog. I'm also a fan of developer People Can Fly. I loved their Painkiller series back a decade or so ago. FPS games can get so serious and obsessed with photo-realistic graphics. I like to have a good time and leashing enemies into spikes while making swear laden one-liners, is my sort of action game.

Music: Sparks Hypopotamus:

Then, 1974, and 4 months ago, they are still cranking their artsy pop stylings. I was largely unaware of this band (although, now that I hear that '74 number, I do remember it) until a friend mentioned them. I hear some opera and prog-rock influences that pique my interest. Make any kind of music artsy enough and I'll listen. I hope to get deep into their oeuvre in the coming months.

Book: Christopher Kimball's Milk Street: The New Home Cooking:

I've really gotten into cooking. I went through a bunch of "quick and easy" books and then found this one by Christopher Kimball. He does the Milk Street TV show now and was originally the founder of America's Test Kitchen, and was on that show for 15 years. So I've been slowly acquiring Milk Street and America's Test Kitchen books. I love their nearly scientific accuracy and detailed instructions..They also give you a little history of the dish and give helpful advice. I'm sold and have made almost every dish in this book.

What up with y'all in 2017?

Matt Snee Staff Writer

11/19/2020 at 10:48 PM

I've worked at three libraries - Temple University's art school library, a private library in Manhattan (patrons paid a subscription to use it, and it is really old - Herman Melville and Alexander Hamilton used it), and a local library where I lived in Maryland. The first two were paid jobs, but I volunteered at the local library. I really love libraries, and these were great experiences.

KnightDriver

11/20/2020 at 10:25 AM

Wow! Cool. What was your job in those libraries?

11/22/2020 at 08:32 AM

just basic stuff, mostly. At Temple, I was the research librarian, but it was during the summer when most of the kids were off. At the private library I mostly put books back on the shelves. That was an amazing place though, and I miss it.

11/24/2020 at 07:13 PM

Yeah, I can't think of working anyplace else right now, but I've got to find a better paying job eventually.

Cary Woodham

11/20/2020 at 07:42 PM

I liked the Wonder Woman movie because it was set during WW1, which isn't as popular of a setting. I was hoping for more biplanes, though. I liked it when Wonder Woman picked up a tank. For some reason, that seemed cooler than when Captain Marvel blew up a whole space fleet with a sneeze.

2017 was when the Switch was released, so a lot of people were clamouring over Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey. Both were great games, but that year I actually named my GOTY the SNES Mini. I just really liked it. The SNES is my favorite game console and every time I play a SNES game, I feel like I could really sink my teeth into it. I don't know why that is. Sometimes I wonder if I'd be perfectly happy the rest of my life just playing SNES games. I have to forcefully limit myself with the Switch Online service that lets you play some SNES games, because I would get totally addicted to that if I didn't keep it under control.

11/21/2020 at 12:18 AM

Yeah, I love biplanes. Can't get enough of them in films. I haven't seen the Captain Marvel movie yet.

I was thinking today if there was a single console generation I would favor over all the others, but I really don't think I have a strong attachment to any one of them. But I need to think about it some more. It would be nice to be tied to one console. That would simplify my life considerably. Maybe original Xbox? Genesis?

mothman

11/23/2020 at 11:45 AM

I got into Sparks back in 74. Kimono My House and Propaganda were both released that year and I bought both of them.

They released their 24th album A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip earlier this year. It's quite good.

11/24/2020 at 07:17 PM

Holy sh..., it's Mothman!

Yeah, I'm glad they have so many albums. I'm about to hit my local used LP shop and see if they have any of their stuff. Can't wait to get caught up with them.

SanAndreas

11/23/2020 at 02:03 PM

2017 was the year I finally gave up on living in Baltimore and moved back west. Watched The Greatest Showman and Coco. I also got a Switch, and Breath of the Wild was the most awesome game I'd played in over ten years, I also got Xenoblade Chronicles 2. But I also liked that the Switch was the system that finally got the arcade versions of Nintendo arcade classics like Mario Bros.

11/24/2020 at 07:18 PM

I saw Switch at $299 this week. Soooo want one. Not sure how I'll play everything though. Already crammed to the gills with Xbox and PS4.

PixlBit