shadowhive

The rest of Sunday ended up being kinda fuzzy, mostly due to the warm and having cider during Rogue One so my focus was a lil off. (And then my laptop was all ‘update! There’s an update!’ During dungeons and dodongos which was an annoyance)

In the night I started Code Of Silence which was pretty good. Then I watched the Quatermass Experiment cause I saw it on Amazon prime and I’d seen it mentioned a lot of the last Who boxset. It did start pretty promising (and had someone I recognised from the Marple films) though damn it did lose something as it went on.

I found it funny that the wife of the surviving astronaut complained he was being tested on in the lab, wanted him in the hospital to get treated instead and the almost immediately plotted to get him out of there to take him home. Like girl what are you even doing??

Monday was uneventful for the most part (other than fic reading woo!)ut I did unlock General Grievous on Fortnite, yay! He looks so cool! I also won a code for Shovel Knight dig, which I had a go on last night and I can tell it’s one of those games that’s gonna be tricky as hell to get through but it should be fun to do some runs.

Tuesday I was at the library to cover Joy, but I mostly just read the Seven Dials Mystery some more (and there’s already been another body!). I love that Lord Catterham is back from Chimneys, there’s something so funny about him and how he’s despairing about everything. I might read more after this post

There was an announcement that James Marriott was gonna be doing a signing tour for his album, which made me glad I’d held off getting it. After a scare (the site said tickets were unavailable😭) I did manage to get it so I’ll be off to the Birmingham date, yay! I got the cd, though I might get the vinyl on the day too.

Last night after A LOT of delays, I was finally able to get back to Stranger Things, yippe! Annoyingly I misclicked and so skipped the previously (which would’ve been a helpful reminder but I couldn’t seem to get it back) again it was essentially four plot lines (until two of them came together right at the end).

First the simplest, the boys in the van trying to find Eleven, which felt like it would be more comic relief until Will and Mike’s talk which was so obviously Will saying how he really felt to Mike only substituting Eleven’s name. I just wanted to give him a hug.

Then there was Hopper, Murray and Joyce escaping the Russian prison which had a creepy moment of them in a lab with Demogorgon’s in tubes which gave me vibes of Alien Resurrection (which also had Winona in so surely it was intentional). I did half expect the glasses to smash though.

Then there was Eleven dealing with her past memories and the doctors messing her up and trying to stop her from going. Like her ‘Papa’ (I’ve forgot his name) is such an ass trying to control her, threatening Owen’s, drugging her and then trying to get her to forgive him as he’s dying. I’m glad she didn’t.

Then there’s everyone else back in Hawkins. Damn that sportsball captain is such a dick intimidating Nancy like that. I think she should have hit him with hammers (or shot him since she had a gun).I feel their whole plane is gonna go so wrong though, like they just think they can walk up to Vecna in a trance and kill him. Nah that ain’t happening at all is it?

But also! EDDIE WHY DID YOU CALL STEVE BIG BOY? Like he is so absolutely blatant about wanting him damn. I love that for him though.

I do wanna see what happens (though how everyone is gonna get back to Hawkins to be of any use feels doubtful!) so I hope I’ll get to see it the next few days. The only issue is the length of the finale is over 2 hours so my focus has to be good for it. (So it might be Thursday or a Friday)

Today we went down the road to pick mum’s meds up. I had just hoped to go slow to make it quick but no, mum wanted to go to cause Sainsburys clothes had a sale on which… ugh ended up being so annoying. At least I got some cheap things and the Lego Star Wars magazine I was hoping to get and mum’s friend was there and offered us a ride home.

When we got back the new Doctor Who magazine was here, which came with a free book of Ghe Wheel In Soace which I might have to read cause the ep hasn’t been released cause it’s missing. I just read the preview of the finale eps which didn’t reveal much (there’s not even a cast list!) but the synopsis is what I’ve seen people theorising).

After lunch a storm rolled in with heavy rain and thunder, but sadly it didn’t last too long which is a shame.

Tonight’s plan is the new series of The Chelsea Detective, an Agatha Christie thing (with David Suchet!) and then it depends how tired I am.

So since the gig I’ve been pretty low energy, a mix of usual gig tiredness but the addition of the stressful return from it didn’t help.

Mum did let me order the next read Christie book, The Thirteen Problems, andit came as part of a boxset of other Marple stories. Well I say came it got delivered to the other house with the same number and I had to chase it up. This one is a collection of short stories and I read the first one which was pretty good. I love that Miss Marple’s kinda so unassuming people seem to forget about her (even though they’re in her own house!) and how she got the solution that was so obvious but also so easy to overlook at the same time.

Yesterday was the Pokémon presents thing and it was mostly lil announcements in celebration, along with a new set for Pokémon pocket which was a highlight (it released today and I got some good pulls already). And there’s some more info on the next game which looks cool. Also it reminded me of Pokémon Conceige which is another thing I need to watch.

Also yesterday the new Doctor Who magazine came and while I’ve not had chance to properly look I did flick through and holy fuck. It’s been 20 years since the new series came out that’s totally crazy. It really doesn’t feel that long how has that happened?? (Also a hasbro thing reminded me it’s 29 years since Revenge Of The Sith too what is time??)

Mum wanted to get a few bits and I suggested heading to town cause Morrisons sent a voucher, not expecting her to want to and then bam! Off we went today to town which ended up being tiring cause mum insisted on getting beans and soup (totally 12 cans) along with three boxes of cat food which was heavy. By the end we were loaded up on bags so either of us had hands free.

However I did luck out. The Works had the Guardians Of The Galaxy book I regretted not getting when I saw Sonic 3 (which is still playing in cinemas this weekend??) along with two puzzle books (a Christie one and Stranger Things one). Smiths had the new SFX, Lego Minecraft magazine and the new Doctor Who chronicles, which is about season 7 which is the next boxset. And B and M had both of the Stranger Things sets yay!(Yeah I have a Stranger Things problem now how could you tell)

Speaking of I finally watched the next ep tonight (which I just finished before starting this post). I had hoped to watch earlier in the week but between depression wave, tiredness and the Twitch Rivals geoguesser last night I’ve just not had chance.

Tonight’s ep was The Dive and damn. It was like a major mood shift every time the scene changed. Susie’s house with feral children, Joyce and Murray surviving the plane crashing (and that threat to Yuri), Hopper’s prison time, the investigations in Hawkins, Eleven’s memories it was wild whenever it switched to someone else.

Honestly I hate sportsball captain so many, he’s such a dick and has such a hate boner for Eddie it’s embarrassing. I groan whenever he shows up on screen and I’m praying for his downfall. I’m not an Eleven guy but I kept looking forward to her memories for the ‘friendly orderly’. Why does he look so good in that outfit being all… like that. (Though was he electrocuted at the end??)

I am glad that we got some more Eddie in this one cause it’s felt like he was pushed to the background a bit. Honestly though not a fan of how he’s being demonised and in hiding/on the run the whole time. I ,I’ve he’s such a nerd and talks in Lord Of the Rings metaphors. I do love he decides to go to Steve’s make out spot (which to me suggests they made out there).

And speaking of Steve I’m a huge fan of him stripping off (though not that it’s in the dark) and then him being dragged under by a tentacle into the upside down. If there’s not tentacle fics of him out there I’m gonna be upset but I’m not gonna even look until I’ve finished the season cause I’m sure I’ll be hit with spoilers.

Honestly I do wanna watch the next ep but at same time I worry about my focus so I might watch tomorrow night instead cause I wanna know what the deal is with the title? The massacre of Hawkins Lab?? I feel it’s gonna reveal something and something big.

But I also wanna do other things tomorrow, namely read more The Thirteen Problems, get back to song Saturday and, of course, the Tubbathon is starting so there should be a schedule of the planned events (I hope anyway).

So slightly more upbeat post time.

So between the last post and now I have watched the next Stranger Things ep so I’m gonna mention that first.

I was right that Nancy and Robin went to see Creel (Robin coming in clutch again both to get them access and figure things out). But damn, they got Robert Englund in as Creel, like I knew I recognised him from somewhere but the eyes being sewn up threw me off until I saw his name in the credits.

But damn the sudden gunfight was so unexpected. Those military guys (assuming they’re military) really didn’t care to find out if Eleven was even there they just started blasting (typical Americans). And I felt so bad for Joyce and Hopper cause they got screwed over big time, but at the same time? I had a feeling something might go wrong.

But of course it was Max’s episode and now I get why Running Up That Hill was a huge thing when it came out. Like damn that was impress (and it even got enough play because of it to give Kate Bush a number 1??) but damn Vecna was really screwing Max over first pretending to be her mum then Billy (damn he looked good though) and just… damn I felt so bad for her and she needs hugs.

Next ep might be tonight, if not it might not be till Monday. (After all I was meant to watch weekly and I’ve just… doubled up sometimes.)

Other than that I started a game pass game called Have A Nice Death which is one of those games (in a vein like Hades and Cult Of The Lamb), where you do runs beating up enemies until you get to a boss. Unlike them this is a sidescroller though. It’s pretty fun and the character dialogue and text is very funny, but that first boss seems to be really hard. I’ve done at least 8 runs now and had no luck beating him which is annoying.

I’ve also been doing Elder Scrolls Online cause there’s another event already and I’ve ended up getting absorbed in the Necrom questline. Why are Daedric Princes working together to get into Apocrypha! What hidden knowledge are they after so badly they’d co-operate? I’m so curious.

Another good thing some doozer pins I ordered came! They were blind bags which is a shame but I did get one of the ones I really liked the look of! I might put them on my bag.

Also been reading ABC Murders some more and it was so funny seeing Sevenoaks and Llandudno get name dropped. I’m now about halfway through with it so I might finish it the next few days

I’ve had no luck finding the Henry funko as yet (I’m sure it’s been moved with my Xenk one but I’ve no idea where they are) and now I have to find the phone cause it’s awol too. Ugh. Trouble is the only time I can really search is night and I get sidetracked and I’ve had no luck so far. But I did find I Want That Twink Obliterated and the Sleep Token magazines I took to the library so that’s something.

Also I just got back from walking the pup and picking some things up and came up with a half baked idea but I need wisdom. Does anyone if the dice that appear around valentines have a name? They’re two D6’s (the ‘regular’ dice) only instead of having numbers they have words. One has actions (ie lick) while one has body parts (ie mouth). Does anyone know if they have a name? Or, if you happen to have one, what’s on each of the 6 sides of each.

Now though I’m gonna bundle up, finish noms then watch Father Brown, do some reading, make a call for mum (ugh), do some Fortnite and watch tonight’s tv. And hopefully fic and maybe work on the prompt table.

The past few days have just been…. so unbearably draining.

The sickness I mentioned in the last post got worse, then better, then worse, then better.

At the moment it is in a ‘better’ stage, I feel much better than I was bar a cough and scratchy voice but then that’s how I felt Thursday and it got worse Friday.

It’s been really annoying cause I’ve not been able to read, fic or game all of which I’d hoped to do but just haven’t had the focus..

Plus side I did win a copy of a game, Kingdom Come Deliverance II but I’ve no idea what it’s about really. I entered it when I was waiting for the call and unfocussed and so was completely checked out of the stream that showed gameplay. So maybe it’ll be good or maybe it’ll be not my thing but it was it was free so….

I did have two nights where I was able to focus enough to start Stranger Things season 4 and, to the surprise of no one, I love Eddie. I love his first scene and then him as dm and then how his first encounter with Steve was Eddie slamming him against the way with a knife to his throat. Like how am I expected not to fall in love with this guy?

By contrast I got real bad vibes from the sportsball captain. Like mentioning the dead to rally people? Red flag. And it’s clear he fits the whole jocks are dicks trope. (It makes me glad we don’t have sportsball teams at my high school)

Eleven’s bullies are dicks and I’m glad she got her face bashed in. I feel no sympathy for her, she should just be glad her powers aren’t back.

Other thoughts
*poor Will playing third wheel, I felt so bad for him
*and I felt bad for Christy too (damn that death scene for her….)
*it feels wild that Jonathan is now a stoner
*poor Max she needs hugs, or at least someone to talk to
*Love that Dustin tried to recruit Steve to dnd but he was too jealous
*and that Erica was so sassy and kicked ass with that Nat 20
*Mike’s California outfit is ridiculous
*Whats the deal with Vecna and clocks?

I’m sure there’s other thoughts I had that I missed (watching two so close together does that) but I’m curious how this is gonna go.

Also both the Eddie and Steve’s funkos I ordered came so that’s a yay.

I’m gonna watch Quackity’s gameshow thing now then rest a few more days and hopefully get back to things but it depends if I am over the worst of it.

Me at the start of this week: I’ll just watch one episode of Stranger Things this week.
Me now: *has only two eps left of season 3 left and will likely watch them tonight*

I have so many thoughts. Like I’m so glad for Steve’s outfit, what the fuck is Cary Elwes doing here??l flayed Billy is hot (why are there no scenes of him with Steve yet😭), Steve all beat up is hot, Dustin is adorable, Mike needs to stop being dickish, Erica is so funny, STEVE.

I have a mighty need for a Steve funko in his scoops outfit, but all there is a new strange colour one 😒. Does anyone know where I can find one? (I also found a flayed Billy funko was a thing and ended up getting one cause it was but it now and not crazy).

…I think I have a problem.

But anyway today was a trip to Birmingham, going to see Murder On The Orient Express. It wa at the same venue we saw And Then There Were None at last year.

On the train I decided to start the ABC Murders, which isn’t the next one on the readchristie list but it’s another from the boxset I’ve got. I read three chapters on the train and it’s so funny how it fits into the shows mood. There’s Poirot and Hastings, and Japp! I know roughly how it goes but I’m still curious.

Birmingham is the first proper trip since the biopsy and, to be honest, it has been tiring, but at least the scar hasn’t played up. (Or my head, which has lately been so annoying.)

We wandered around the usual places mostly (though didn’t go in the entertainer or game outlet alas) but I did get a few things. I got three funko from the first Forbidden Planet, my boy Yord, Jonathon from Stranger Things (I didn’t know he had one?) and Marrok from Ahsoka. I was only gonna get the first two but the cashier said there was a 3 for 2 offer on those (which were already half off!) and Marrok was the only one I was interested in.

We went in tk and there was a cheap black series figure (a disguised Mandalorian) and they also had a Shaun the sheep tote bag for Red Nose Day! It was the only one so we had to nab it and it looks pretty fun. I didn’t get but also seen fancy hardbacks of the odyssey and Dracula but didn’t fancy carrying either around all day.

In the other forbidden planet I got a comic I thought I’d missed (a high republic wedding one shot), three cheap graphic novels (a high republic one, evil within and assassins creed) and two figures. I would’ve only got the one in the sale but mum said she’d get me another so I got Neel from Skeleton Crew cause he’s so adorable. Also got some Star Wars Unlimited card which I’m pleased with cause the first pack alone had Dooku and Mister Bones (!) while the other had Maul.

We went in Smiths and I got some magazines and dnd stickers, then Waterstones and I got two more Christie books (Midwinter Mysteries and The Last Seance) which both have fancy hardcovers and are short story collections.

But before then I went into Pandora hoping to see the stranger things stuff (alas there wasn’t) but damn the guy there was so… he looked a bit like Billy but in a pretty way. (Like in a way that set my gaydar off and it never goes off) and he was just so sweet and soft spoken and 💜

In Lego I got the shadow keyring (yay!) and the Celeste Lego set, then hmv had the Sleep Token album I was missing (yay!) and Ghostbusters Frozen Empire which I’ll watch soon. (Along with the other blu rays oop).we didn’t go anywhere else causa the time so we just had noms and then went to the theater.

We had pretty good seats which gasped a nice view of the stage which was nice. I wasn’t sure what to expect, especially when the lights went up and the stage was empty save for a few tables that were bought on. But then once they got to the train!

It was honestly an impressive set piece. There was a central carriage in the middle of the stage on a turntable so you could have one view as a corridor and another as the rooms inside. Then the carriage could also be split to expand the rooms. It’s really quite impressive set design and stage work. (Huge kudos to whoever came up with that!)

There seemed to be only one major change from other adaptions: the countess was travellling alone without her husband. This was a good change I think, as it made her much more proactive. Indeed her actress, along with the princess and Mrs Hubbard, all stole the show. They all put on such a great performances and were funny too, there were far more laughs then I would have expected.

But yeah ai thought it was a great show! I did see some of the actors outside after the show but was too uncertain (and shy and unsure) to say anything to them and I wish I had now.

When we got back there was mail, mostly junk but also doctor who magazine (which I’ll read tomorrow) but there was also the dreaded ‘missed package card’. Only it said it had been left in a safe space. The space? Through a window. Trouble is no windows were open so where the fuck they mean I do not know.

Now though I’m just gonna flop then see what I have the energy for later. I predict my energy will be low for awhile now.

(I was gonna watch Stranger Things but already I feel I could doze off any minute😭)