My last book club selection (that I read anyway – yeah, I’ve been a bad member lately) was Doctor Sleep, by my favorite author of all time, Stephen King. I had had NOS4A2 on my to-read list for a while, so when it ended up on our book club future list, I skipped ahead and read it. Why? Well, firstly, Joe Hill happens to be Stephen’s son, and I’ve really enjoyed his last two novels, Heart Shaped Box and Horns. Secondly, there were connections to Doctor Sleep. I was intrigued.
Victoria McQueen is special. She can create a psychic path, or inscape, in her head to help her find lost things. She hops on her bike and will always find a covered bridge that takes her where she needs to go. She’s not the only one with this talent that shows up in different ways. There’s Maggie, who can discover stuff with her bag of Scrabble tiles. And then there’s the monster known as Charlie Manx. He can stay young by kidnapping kids and transporting them to the terrifying Christmasland in his spooky Rolls Royce Wraith. These three come together in an intensely creepy journey. Holy crap, Christmasland is creepy. Oh, look, there’s a cute snowman! Why does it have an axe? AAAAGGGHHHH!!!! Thanks, Joe, for creating this wild saga. Vic was such a wonderfully flawed hero, as was her dude Lou. And Manx? Ewwwwwww.
Tag Archives: meri
Meri’s World Podcast Episode 01 – Classic Rock And Cats
It’s the first episode of Meri’s World, the podcast about pop culture, geeky things, and cats – With a little help from my friends. I’m joined by my pal and fellow Mouthy Broad Jen, my dad Steve, and Rozley, the coolest producer ever. We geek out over Fleetwood Mac & Pink Floyd and talk about the creatures that meow.
Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Inductees
8 Benefits Of Being A Cat Owner
Check out the wonderfully insane Roley Show and of course my sisters in bitchassness, Mouthy Broadcast!
Please subscribe to my podcast on iTunes & spread the word. We’ll get better, have all kinds of topics, improve the website, and if you have an idea/suggestion/complaint, email merisworldpodcast@gmail.com!
Meet Me At Meri’s Place
Last weekend it was all about The Boss. It was kind of prophetic that I ended up seeing him in concert, because if you look at a couple of entries ago, I posted a video of him performing My Hometown. Also, a couple of weeks ago, I attempted Dancing In The Dark at karaoke. We had no plans to attend his concert, because we’re broke, but the boyfriend got free tickets thanks to his amazing company the day before the show. These weren’t ordinary tickets, either. They were in the company’s private box, complete with food and drink service. HOOOOOOO BOY! The box was right in the middle too, so we had a fantastic view.
But let me back up a bit. The day before the show, once I found out we were going, I had to dive into Bruce Springsteen’s massive catalog on Spotify. I needed a refresher course, because as much as I admire and respect the guy, I don’t listen to his albums all that much. It felt good. The man is incredible. And that band? Yeah. By the end of the work day, I felt I was ready to experience the Bruce….. well, EXPERIENCE. The guy & The E Street Band don’t just come on stage and sing a few tunes and leave. Nuh uh. I knew what I was getting into.
Ok, so it’s the day of the show. I also attended our area’s first comic book convention, Tidewater Comic Con. Us ladies from the Mouthy Broadcast podcast shared a table with the Playing Doctor duo, so I went to hang out, see some fellow nerds, and get our podcast out to the masses. The con was PACKED to the gills. A very good thing of course, but it was weird for me, for some reason. I haven’t done the con thing in a while, and I guess my lack of food and water, natural tendency to get claustrophobic, and distracted mind didn’t help me get super into it. I couldn’t wait to leave. That being said, it was awesome seeing some friends, chatting with the geeks, watching the great cosplay, and passing out cards.
Once I got home, my dumb ass quickly sucked down a smoothie and stuffed a sandwich in my mouth hole. That may not have been a wise idea. One or the other would have been wiser. But oh no. Meri needed immediate satisfaction. Well, guess who became extremely pukey feeling in the car, on the way to meeting our fellow concert goers? Yeah, this chick. Fortunately for me, our rendezvous point was my parents’ house. And we had some time to kill. Mothers know best, so mine quickly plop plopped some fizz fizz into a cup of water (oh, Alka-Seltzer you rock) and I sipped. Then, the best thing happened: Boongie, my folks’ 15 year old Maine Coon cat, decided to take a dump. The smell wafted to my nose, and that was it. TAKE ME DOWN TO THE OL BARF CITY WHERE THE SMOOTHIE PUKES OUT AND THE SMELLS ARE STINKY. Glorious relief. I was starting to worry, I mean, who wants to see The Boss in a state of nausea? Gross! So that was taken care of, and we were ready to rock.
It was a beautiful night. The weather was perfect; cool and breezy. We hung out with two other couples, one we’ve known for ages, and two of their friends. The husband ended up being my world history teacher from 9th grade, which was hilarious. We drink tons of wine, ate chips & hummus, and were completely blown away by the energy and awesomeness that was Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Hey look – there’s Conan O’Brien’s former band leader on the drums! And check out the Rage Against The Machine dude playing guitar! Good times. Bruce is 64, but you wouldn’t know it. He was running, jumping, crowd surfing, dancing, and being badass like any young rock star. It was magical. Bonus cute factor of this little girl getting picked to sing Waitin’ On A Sunny Day……
So that’s a pretty interesting day. Hang out the with comic book folk, vomit, then rock out with a legend.
Your Options
Batman: Strange Days 75th Anniversary Short
Bruce Timm’s Batman. *sigh*
My Funny Hometown
I have two things to say, and they’re related, so pay attention.
Thing one: I am a fan of comedy. Always have been. SNL. Monty Python. Ricky Gervais. Tina Fey. Curb Your Enthusiasm. Blah blah blah. These are a few of my favorite things. How do these human beings make such funny stuff? I want to know. Maybe I could do it too, some way, some how. But could I be funny in a place that isn’t Hollywood or NYC or Chicago? Being the ignorant slut that I am (IT’S AN SNL REFERENCE GARSH), I had no idea, until recently. The answer is most definitely YES. I decided to get out of my comfort zone and try an improv class at a place called The Muse. Who the hell would be teaching this stuff? Well, a great group called The Pushers. I was amazed at their talent, kindness, and patience. Faith in local humanity was restored. I had a blast learning from them. I can’t wait to learn more. Hopefully that will happen soon. Which brings me to……
Thing two: I like where I live. Hampton Roads, VA is a diverse, expansive group of cities. There’s lots of history, geography, military presence (I mean that in the employment/people sort of way, not the armies waiting to shoot shit sort of way), and things to do. You know what, though? It could be even better for the funny, creative, and artistic geniuses that inhabit this locale. Norfolk is in the process of creating its own Arts District. How cool is that? And how amazing would it be to have our own comedy theater? Take classes, see shows, and be a part of a comedy community? I love it. I’m broke as a joke, but I made a point to contribute to The Pushers’ Kickstarter – Help The Push Comedy Theater! I am asking you to do the same. If you also live in the 757, that’s great. Give them some buckaroos and be a part of the awesome insanity. Don’t live here? Well, contribute anyway. Perhaps your donation will inspire you to be a part of your own local comedy scene. See who’s performing at your local comedy club when a headlining act isn’t in town. Look into taking a class – improv, sketch writing, acting, whatever. You’ll meet some great people. Like all of these folks who are making a difference in my home town….
And since I just uttered the words “home town”, I’m now forcing you to listen to this….
A Failed Wedding Song?
I have and always will be a Beatles fan. They shaped the way I listened to music. Those four dudes from Liverpool and all the people they worked for (and worked for them), were managed by, were married to, and gave birth to feel like family. Naturally when I got married back in 1998, I danced with my husband to a Beatles song. In My Life, one of the most beautiful love songs ever written.
So what happens when that marriage ends? Does this ruin the song? The nostalgic meaning behind it? I can’t help but remember dancing & singing, looking at my then hubby, while my guests blew bubbles at us. It was romantic! But now I almost feel guilty when In My Life starts playing. Part of me wants to look at my partner of almost twelve years, because obviously, the lyrics are more appropriate in his case. But I don’t want to diminish the memory. Sure, me and the ex-husband didn’t work out, but at the time, that song was REAL. But….. who wants a sloppy seconds love song?
Look, we can’t control our feelings when we hear certain tunes. I’ll just be happy that I had a chance to use In My Life in that way. But what about you people? Did you have a special song with your former love that you still enjoy even after that relationship has gone kaputsy? Do share!
Quick Book Review – Heart Shaped Box By Joe Hill
I’ll spare you the comparisons between Joe Hill & his pops, Stephen King. Sure, they’re there, but let’s not discuss it. Genetics. Moving on.
I read Horns before this one, his first novel. I LOVED it. So I wondered what this story would be like; maybe it wouldn’t be as layered. I was pleasantly wrong. Long story short, this is a great rock and roll ghost story with excellent character development, legit fright, and even some laughs. A satisfying ending too, I might add. I will say that all the infected hand wounds throughout Jude & Georgia’s journey bothered me a bit. Whenever something intense was going on, like a crash or scuffle, I kept imagining the blood and pus flying everywhere, since they had to be using their hands during the action. I’m sure this was intended by Joe, but for some reason, that was giving me more heebie jeebies than murderous ghosts at times. I mean, EW.
Meri Listens To Podcasts
Podcasts are a fun, great, super duper platform to express yourself on the internet. Like something? Are you funny? Want to share your interests with the masses? Make a podcast. Or, if you don’t want to make one, listen to one or 40. I happen to do both. Me and my wonderfully talented lady friends do the MouthyBroadcast podcast, which is part comedy, group therapy, geekdom, and rant space. It’s great. Feel free to subscribe to our insanity. I also listen to bunch of podcasts, mainly when I’m in my car going to and from work. I’m happy to suggest my favorites, and feel free to tell me yours in the comments! I’m always looking for new ones.
First up, I Seem Fun – The Diary of Jen Kirkman Podcast. I first heard Jen on another favorite podcast (which I’ll discuss in a second). I loved her voice and desire to revive the old 80s show, Puttin’ On The Hits. Remember that show? Here’s a taste:
Anyway, so I decided to check out Jen’s podcast – LOVE IT. You’d think that one person sitting in their bed or couch and talking into a mike would not be engaging or interesting, but not JK. She sings along to songs adorably, dishes about her LA life, reads listener emails, and has the coolest family.
Second podcast on my current fave list: The Fogelnest Files. Here’s the deal: Listen to Jake Fogelnest play random You Tube clips, usually with a cool guest, then watch the clips on his very own You Tube channel (it’s on the provided link). Jake never fails to find some AMAZING stuff. Like a clip from Fernwood Tonight.
Third up, U Talkin’ U2 To Me?. One of my favorite actors, Adam Scott, teams up with fellow Scott, Scott Aukerman, to comprehensively (and hilariously) discuss the career of the best band in the world, U2. They’re only on episode two as of this typing, but if the first one’s an indication of the fun I’m going to have listening, I’ve found what I’m Looking For. Har har har.
Two Golden Oscar Moments
I take my fandom seriously, yo. Sometimes I’ll watch a preview of a film and get immediate goose pimples. The inner fangirl in me will call out in ecstasy, knowing THIS SHIT IS SPECIAL. Three times this has happened big enough to keep certain fandoms alive, but only two of them were Oscar predicted by me. The one that didn’t was Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Well, it won a costume design Oscar, and maybe something else, but the heart and soul (and HOTNESS) of that film was denied. I’m talking about Gary Oldman, obviously. I saw him in the trailer to that film and my heart jumped a few extra beats. Behold..
That movie changed my life. And my hormones. I became obsessed with Gary. I watched almost all of his previous movies, and have always given a movie of his a chance. It was great to see him join mainstream franchises like Harry Potter and Batman, and to finally get that Oscar nod for Tinker Tailer Solider Spy – WAY OVERDUE.
Back to the actual Oscar nominated movies that gave me forever fandom. First up, Kevin Spacey. I first saw him in The Ref. He played a kidnapped, constantly arguing husband, and yeah, the movie wasn’t that memorable (it was the first film I saw in a theater high as hell), but Kevin’s face was unforgettable. I sensed brilliance. Of course The Usual Suspects happened, and he won an Oscar. Fantastic. I knew he was capable. But my fervor didn’t hit fever pitch until American Beauty. God, what a spectacular film. Lester Burnham’s malaise, eye rolling, contempt, and longing for something better was made for the artist formerly known as Kevin Fowler. I knew he would win an Oscar the minute I walked out of the theater.
Kevin’s been one of my favorites ever since. I wrote him a fan letter, before American Beauty came out, and I was rewarded with an autographed photo. It’s a treasure in this house. And now he’s Frank Fucking Underwood. If you haven’t watched both seasons of House of Cards on Netflix, I feel bad for you, son.
Next is Russell Ira Crowe. I don’t even remember what film initially drew me to his brawny, vulnerable, Aussie hotness, but I’m guessing it was LA Confidential. I went for the Spacey, and got a bonus Crowe. The guy doesn’t give two shits about what he says/does, will throw phones at people (and look good doing it, I’m sure), and will do the rock star thing occasionally (I almost saw TOFOG live, people), but when you see him ACT, look the hell out. He won the Oscar for Gladiator, yes, and he was GREAT in that one. Don’t get me started on that movie. I love it. I actually made a “I ❤ Russell Crowe” tshirt and wore it with pride at that Oscar party. The same year, I took a public speaking class in college, and for my informative speech, yes, I talked about Mr. Crowe. My visual aid was a clip from the film he should have won an Oscar for, The Insider. Again, behold:
He will always be one of my guys. And one time he tweeted me. After I gave him shit for promoting his album.
I really felt bad after that. I didn’t want him to think I was just trolling him. That love is real, yo.
So those are my glorious Oscar men. With a bonus Oldman. I could go into how watching the Oscars the year The Return of the King swept everything, but that’s another post. This was all about the special actor dudes.
Oscar Post (First Of A Few This Weekend)
Source for the above cool info graphic
Fashion isn’t my favorite part of the Academy Awards, but it certainly is awesome. Glitz. Glamour. Vintage Dior. And stuff. I never care about frocks and designers and Harry Winston jewels unless it’s awards season. The only drawback nowadays is you have to sit through all the awful red carpet coverage to appreciate the gowns and tuxedos. I mean, mani-cams? Really? Kelly Osborne telling me about the nominees’ fashion choices? Blech. The pre-shows are not as fun as they used to be. Alas, I’ll be guzzling Pinot Grigio & suffering through Giuliana Rancic’s “sweeties” and all that bullshit just to catch a glimpse of how gorgeous Jennifer Lawrence is before the ceremony. I mean, look at her last year:
That’s my girl.
Meri's World 