All it takes is a few minutes on the phone with someone from Eastern Canada to make me feel nostalgic for that part of the world. I had to call a company in Halifax today–the accent of the person on the other end of the line took me by surprise, for some reason. It was refreshing and familiar. I haven’t lived in Canada for over two decades, but I miss it. Someone I spoke to recently (an American) was surprised when I referred to Canada as a foreign country (compared to USA) but there’s no doubt in my mind that they are, in certain ways, very different.
I decided not to go to NECON this year. Sent my letter of regrets in to the organizers, cancelling my hold on a spot because the convention is sold out and there’s a waiting list so I wanted to free up the spot.
I bought a used iPod Touch on eBay last week. It’s basically an iPhone without the phone. Works on wireless when available. As much as I’d like an iPhone, and I’d probably get great use out of it, I can’t justify the expense of adding a data line. We already pay way too much for land line and cell phone service, it seems. I’d probably be tempted to use the iPhone a lot. With this gizmo, if I can’t get free wireless, it’s basically a glorified PDA. I’m okay with that, for now.
I finished the first draft of the short story in progress this morning. It came in about 200 words over the limit, so some pruning is required. After I finished and headed to the shower, I came up with a few things I want to weave in, if possible, so I’ll have to make room for them as well.
I had a strong suspicion about who the culprit was on Castle last night from the very beginning, but then I changed my mind and suspected the actress. Should have stuck with my guns.
Hugh Laurie directed last night’s episode, which should have been called “Truth or Dare” instead of “Lockdown.” The lockdown was just the excuse to force pairs of characters to come up with something to do to pass the time. The funniest pairing was Foreman and Taub, who did something of a Barney Miller by getting stoned together in the archives. Foreman’s “I can’t feel my feet” was a shout-out to Yamana’s “Anyone seen my legs,” I swear. Then they went all Fight Club and started biffing each other in the face. Remy and Wilson were pretty amusing, too. Wilson is such an easy mark–he really does need to take spine supplements, the way he lets people force him to do things. Taub got the benefit of their truth or dare at the last moment, though, when Remy paid off her dare. David Strathairn was powerful as the dying patient trapped with House.
I’m about 85% of the way through P.D. James’s book. A fast read. Some interesting trivia and details about specific British crime novelists, but not a lot of depth. We’re also working our way through Corduroy Mansions, which is basically a 44 Scotland Street novel with new characters in a new location.
