MORE 2s

I finished the Dec. Asimov's today by reading two more stories. First up was "The Golden Record" by Ian Creasey, about a future where space travel is only done to find relics of the current space age...Voyager 2 in this case. There's a world government but the remnants of the U.S. want to start exploring the galaxy again; others want to hear the "golden record" that was placed on V2 because Carl Sagan supposedly hid a message about a revolutionary new technology he didn't think the world was ready for. I liked it quite a bit.

Then it was Swanwick time. Michael Swanwick is one of my favorite writers and he has been publishing few and far between lately. "Lord Weary's Empire" continues a sequence that started a while back; in fact, the last story was 2 years ago and I don't remember it so well (he has published a couple stories in a different setting since that one). Still, that didn't diminish my enjoyment of this one at all - half-fairy creatures, action, mystery, and subterranean mysteries - how can you go wrong? I believe this is from his upcoming novel, King Dragon, or at least related. Hope that comes out this year.

I'm going to read the Dec. F&SF before I get to my first book of the year. That will still leave me with two months worth of each magazine but closer to catching up to the current arrivals in my mailbox each month. That also gives me time to decide what that first book will be.

I watched 2 new comedies tonight on ABC, both titled "Pilot Episode" (original, I know). "The Knights of Prosperity" lived up to its billing, with Donal Logue as the down-on-his-luck lead who comes up with the idea of robbing Mick Jagger. He assembles a less-than-crack crew, the "Knights" of the title. My favorite bit had the group gaining an intern. This is going on my regular viewing schedule.

The other was the lesser "In Case of Emergency." It wasn't particularly funny, though it wasn't as bad as say, "The Class." I may give it another chance, if only for the hotness that is Kelly Hu.

I also caught 2 episodes of dramas. There was a new episode of "Friday Night Lights" tonight, "Nevermind." I really like the show. The acting works for me and the series is about so much more than football. I liked the focus on Matt Saracen, whose father came home from Iraq on leave...things didn't go quite how he hoped. Paralyzed former QB Jason Street continued to work through his feelings towards Lyla as well (isn't Minka Kelly a cutie?). And all praise to Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton as the coach and his wife.

I also watched the first episode of 24 Season 2 on DVD. Every time Jack Bauer thinks he's out, the threat of a nuclear bomb in Los Angeles pulls him back in! Can't wait to watch more...

Did the usual sports talk hour of "ATH" and "PTI" with "NFL Live" thrown in as well. Listened to the latest podcast from The Interface with The Slip; they sounded pretty good - anyone heard the album?

Got 2 new pop culture goodies today - the new Fables trade (which I may start before bed) and 24 Season 3 (Best Buy was selling all the seasons for $19.99 each!).

I started on the latest Johnny Cash in the car this morning and am currently listening to The Whigs' Give 'Em All a Big Fat Lip. That is all.