jmc_bks

To borrow Inigo Montoya's line to the Great Vizzini, I do not think that word means what you think it means.

Cult classic: A work of fiction that is extremely popular with a select audience but may or may not be successful at the time of the work's original publication;a film or other media production that has acquired a highly devoted and small but specific fanbase, usually outside the mainstream and without significant commercial success.

Today in my inbox, I found an Amazon ad for "Cult Classics on Kindle". Curious to see what books Amazon defines as cult classics, I opened it and found blurbs for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Android Karenina, and Sense and Sensibility and Seamonsters, among others.

In what way are any of the literature masterpieces and monster mashups cult classics? They've generally been commercial successes and are extremely well-known (and often derided), which would seem to preclude cult classic status. Unless the "classic" label is derived from the original work's classic designation?

Yes, yes, I get that Amazon was going for the alliterative effect with the K sound. But cult classics? I don't think so.

 Lately, xkcd has been my favorite comic.  And I love today's :)



And, courtesy of Meljean Brook, there really is a book titled Porn for Women that is full of mostly dressed (I think) men doing housework.  (Uh, really? Did that book actually sell?)

So, the holidays have come and are nearly gone.  Just a couple days more until the New Year, then the dreariness of January and New Year's Resolutions.  And since I'm sure you're dying of curiosity about how my holiday went...

On the 22nd of December I finally felt a little holiday spirit.  Maybe it was giving away all the goody bags of sweets and treats I made at the office.  Or maybe it was getting my passenger mirror repaired?  Or maybe it was the knowledge that The Biochemist and The Chemist would be arriving soon.  In any case, my goodwill toward men finally arrived.

I baked Nana's Chocolate Cake Thursday morning -- belated birthday cake.  Then I made another batch of cracker candy to take to Christmas dinner and a batch of Cooks Illustrated's soft & chewy chocolate chip cookies.  The dough made only 18 cookies but they were AMAZING.  Best recipe ever, and now the only one I will use to make chocolate chip cookies.

TB&TC arrived *very* late on the 24th -- about 4 hours late due to mechanical difficulties and luggage issues.  His bag didn't make their flight but was put on the next flight.  Since their flight was so delayed, they did not have to wait long for the next flight to arrive and the luggage to be disgorged.  Typically, we go to Petit Louis when they are in town; the food is very good and the wine list is excellent.  The only reservation I could get was a little late (8:30) but ended up being canceled because they were so delayed.  Instead I cooked something light (chicken, broccoli and rice).  We watched The Empire Strikes Back and laughed hysterically at the 7 part review of The Phantom Menace. (Thanks to Carrie Lofty and Kate Rothwell for the link.)  There was much clinging (sis & me) and laughing (all of us, but bro in law at us for our clinging, too).

We headed up to Mom's the next morning, where we opened presents and were gluttons. (Coolest gift ever: WTF stamp.) Then to the nursing home to visit Mommom, who was frail and tired but in good spirits:  she'd been up too long without a nap and with too many visitors, so we didn't stay long.  She loved all of her presents, though, and the attention.  On to Boy Uncle's for the family party, which included a lot of food and noise and socializing.  TB&TC stayed, but I headed back to Baltimore; it was a stressful drive between the traffic on I-95, the rain, and the dropping temperature. The multiple lane lines, painted and painted over, didn't help in the rain.

TB&TC returned to Baltimore on Monday.  We went over to Max's in Fells Point so TC could try some of their 100 beers on tap and the 1,000 bottles.  Me, I stuck with the Woodchuck Amber on tap.  Then we walked over to the movie theater to see Sherlock Holmes; I went to be social, not being a huge Robert Downey Jr or Jude Law fan.  Was pleasantly surprised by the movie, and expect an explosion of Holmes/Watson slash.  (Also, WTF!?!, Brad Pitt as Dr. Moriarty is just wrong.)  Afterward, TC took a nap while TB and I clung again.  We went to Rub for Monday Night Football.  (Enjoyed the second half, was bored during the first half.)  

They were off, back to Texas, at a beastly early hour (they left my house at 4am this morning).  The security line for the D Pier stretched to the E/International Pier, I'm told.  And the airline was permitting only 1 carry on per person.  And I was off to work in the bitter, bitter cold.  

Got home to find the CD import that was part of TB's gift had finally arrived!  Only a few days late!  It was sitting on the doorstep.  Carrie Lofty's Scoundrel's Kiss was inside, which is kind of freaking me out. Did I leave the house unlocked all day?  Did my neighbor pop in?  Did TB or TC pick it up after delivery yesterday and forget to mention it?  I don't know, and I had to check all the rooms of the house while holding a large MagLite in my hand.

Also in today's mail: the contract for my beach rental this coming summer.  Timely and cheering, considering how cold and windy today's weather has been.

Am currently reading Astrid Amara's Carol of the Bellski's...while I appreciate the Hanukkah theme, the basic set up isn't working for me.  And I'm both entertained and horrified by the disclaimer at the beginning of the book: Please do not try any new sexual practice, especially those that might be found in our BDSM/fetish titles without the guidance of an experienced practitioner.  Neither Loose ID LLC nor its authors will be responsible for any loss, harm or injury or death resulting from the use of the information contained in any of its titles.

Okay, it just strikes me as strange.  Do any other publishers of erotic fiction that includes BDSM or fetish activities include disclaimers like that?   

Uh, that's about all I have to say.  Must go drink tea and eat Nana's Chocolate Cake, then find the liner to my coat and another hat, since I've misplaced my fuzzy purple hat.

Edited for typos.

 

As I walked through the harbor last night, I noticed a sign outside of La Tasca, a tapas place. The sign read, "Because you asked, we now serve FAJITAS."

Okay, what? Why would anyone go to a tapas place and ask for fajitas? That's like going to a sushi bar and asking for pad thai. Different cuisines entirely. Spanish and Tex-Mex are not interchangeable, thanks.