Skyland

Review.

Skyland was showing on Dutch television. I downloaded a few episodes in the past, and noticed that the broadcasted version was post-processed to look more 'dirty'. Which made it look a lot better, to be honest. 

Storywise it's okay.

Galactik Football

Review.

I'm not into soccer much, but the anime series Galactic Football wasn't too bad. Though it wasn't too good either, to be honest 😅 Most interesting was perhaps the drawing style, CGI 'cell shaded' characters on more detailed backgrounds.

The writing process

Column. Writing.

Writing is hard. It's very hard. People have no clue how hard it actually is. Even writers themselves are clueless.

So, I set out to document the writing process. Read on (besides, it was about time I created another mindmap)...

Converting and formatting manuscripts

Writing.

Every writer has their own preference. For example, I prefer to write with empty lines instead of indents. (There are some disadvantages to that method, but I just find it easier that way.)

Still, you might want to go for the 'official' format when submitting.

Netflix - The Queen's Gambit

Review.

I’m in love. Not necessarily with Anna Taylor-Joy (who, frankly, does have a bit of a weird face, though that might be a deliberate make-up choice) but with the sixties. I’m a bit surprised that nobody is mentioning Beth Harmon’s… eh… predecessor / inspiration misses Emma Peel 😅

Windows 10 shortcuts to batch files and Store Apps

Windows 10 is pretty inconsistent when it comes to creating and pinning shortcuts.

Here's some information if you need to pin a batch file shortcut to the taskbar, if you want to create a desktop shortcut to a Microsoft Store App, or if you want to automate stuff...

Rename a Bluetooth device on Windows 10

You can rename your Bluetooth devices under Windows 10 (1909 and 2004). But it's not obvious how to do it, and in some cases it simply doesn't work at all.

Follow these steps...

Will Wight - Cradle 1 - Unsouled

Review.

A typical (?) LitRPG, no tables, but it’s all about leveling and power, and boring as hell. It’s book 1 of the Cradle series, and I got the first eight books for free, but I doubt I will enjoy any of them.

Anything even vaguely resembling LitRPG or GameLit is a definite no-go for me.

Ready or not

Review.

I’m typically not into the horror genre, but this one a. was a gift from some online service, and b. is more action than horror. Call it a light horror movie, I’d say a B+. The best scene is the one in which the bride watches herself in the mirror, holding an elephant rifle. I think just that single image would make the movie deserve a sequel.

I want to write but I have no idea / the best idea ever

Writing.

Writing is a lot of hard work, but can be a lot of fun and very rewarding. If you want to write, go ahead!

But if you ended up here you need help. Definitely. And the person to help is the one that looks back at you in the mirror... Read on!

Review.

Just started this YA (?) series, about an alternative reality in which a gun-slinging daughter tries to take down the demon that killed her grandpa. I never heard of it before, but a reader told me Kind’s Kiss made him think of that series, so I had to try. (I think it's very different, but that's okay.)

Disney - The Mandalorian

Review.

Finally. Redemption.  After the promising The Force Awakens came The Last Jedi which was so bad I completely gave up on the Star Wars universe. I still don’t know why they did not base the latest trilogy on Zahn’s three books (some seriously good reads)… still, TFA was promising. Then came TLJ and I thought I would never enjoy anything Star Wars again. (Except perhaps for the cartoons.)

Netflix - The Order

Review.

Better than I expected. I didn’t watch it when the first season was released, especially because season one had a cliffhanger. When season two came along I gave it a chance. Light fare, teen demography, werewolves versus magicians.

Critique Swaps

Writing.

Welcome in 2021! It's time to wrap up Kind's Kiss, but I could use a little more feedback, so... how about some critique swaps?

Interested? Then read on...

Idiotic DRM

Buy a CD in Germany on Amazon.de, and you can immediately download the DRM free MP3 rip of it. You can even buy it digital only. Buy that same CD in the Netherlands on Amazon.de, and you only get the physical carrier, so you have to rip it yourself.

Of course, the music company will add copy protection. Seriously? How will that stop anyone?

Non-native speakers writing in English

Writing.

A non-native English speaker runs into problems that may not be that obvious to a native speaker. To a native speaker, some of these mistakes may look funny, or stupid, but then I would like to invite the English speaker to try his or her hand at Dutch or Chinese.

Wattpad no more

Column. Writing.

How useful is online publishing? More specifically, will online platforms help you to become a (published) writer, help you to improve your writing, or simply help you find readers?

I have my doubts...

Writer's block

Writing.

Is there such a thing as 'writer's block'?

I, honestly, have no idea. But sometimes I'm just stuck, and I found a few tricks that work for me. Perhaps they work for you...

Alexandra Quick Audiobooks

Review.

Not only did Inverarity finish the fifth book of the Alexandra Quick series, there is now an audio book as well! Sam Gabriel is narrating them, find the podcasts here.

(If you don't know what Alexandra Quick is all about go here.)

Wow...

A Certain Magical Index / A Certain Scientific Railgun

Review.

Combine 'slice of life' with superpowers, heroic fights, add a dip of magic, and give it a little girl x girl x boy twist (though very, very minor). Fairly regular stuff, although not too bad. What made it stand out and interesting is the 'sisters' arc, especially in the spin-off, which is a lot darker than the rest.

SP-200-48 oud versus nieuw, Conrad versus Reichelt, Taiwan versus China

DIY. Dutch.

(Naar aanleiding van de defecte modules uit de WHR950.)

Ik heb twee SP-200-48's gekocht, eentje van Conrad, en eentje van Reichelt.

Bloodshot (2020)

Review.

Is Vin Diesel salty because he's just a voice in the biggest Marvel / Superhero series? Perhaps. Let's hope he keeps voicing Groot because this superhero movie Bloodshot certainly isn't worth your while, unless you like a. Vin Diesel, b. a perfect Vin Diesel, c. an unstoppable Vin Diesel, and d. Vin Diesel for president.

Hoogbouw en schaduw

Column. Dutch,

Triest. Dat is het enige passende woord.

De gemeente Capelle aan den IJssel houdt geen enkele rekening met bestaande bewoners van hun 'modelwijk' Fascinatio.

Ventilator in Mean Well SP-200-48 geschakelde voeding (uit WHR950) defect

DIY. Dutch.

Wat te doen met een Mean Well geschakelde voeding van 15 jaar oud, waar de ventilator van stuk is?

WHR950 (oud model) badkamer schakelaar en slim ventileren

DIY. Dutch.

In de handleiding van de nieuwere versies van de WHR950 staat een aansluiting voor een badkamer schakelaar beschreven. In de oudere versie zit deze functie ook, zij het iets minder duidelijk aangegeven. Zoek op de print naar de aansluiting DI2L. Dat is 'm!

Hierbij mijn 'mini' projectje om de WTW installatie automatisch in de hoge stand te zetten wanneer nodig. De principes werken natuurlijk ook met andere merken / producten.

Update Squeezebox Touch - Firmware to 7.8.x

I recently picked up another SqueezeBox touch, to replace my older, misbehaving unit. This stuff is getting old, with the last SB Touch units being manufactured in 2012. When I tried to connect my new second-hand unit to my server, it kept asking me to update the server.

A link to a webpage doesn't work from inside Excel, but works fine from a browser

Symptoms: funny error messages, such as 'Cannot locate the Internet server or proxy server'.

Cause: Excel (office) doesn't simply launch a browser, but does a test first. That test may fail (for example lack of login cookies) and return the wrong error message.

The solution below I found here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/troubleshoot/office-suite-issues/cannot-locate-server-when-click-hyperlink

The reader's first impression, or 'what comes before the plot'

Writing.

You're an aspiring author. And your work just... sucks. Potential readers run away with polite excuses, and it seems they can't understand your great vision. Fear not! You can get better, or at least better than me 😁

It's not that hard. But before you craft wonderful plots, believable characters, and encompassing worlds, you might want to have a quick peek at the basics, and what kind of first impression your work will leave behind.

Printer stuck in landscape mode - Windows 10 / Brother J5620DW J5720DW

When you use Add printers & scanners then Windows scans your network for printers. Sometimes, if I install my networked Brother printers this way, they only allow me to print in Landscape, no matter what I try. There is a workaround, fortunately.

Parentkillers... is alive

Column. Writing.

I know the series' name will cause some dispute and raised eyebrows, but I still decided to use the 'concept' name I used for my story.

Don't worry. Nothing on https://www.parentkillers.com has anything to do with the actual killing of people. 

Netflix – Ghost in the Shell SAC2045

Review.

Painful, skip these.

The live move with Scarlett Johansson was better, the two older anime movies and the original Stand Alone Complex TV series were yet another step (or two) above that. I cannot comment on the comics as I’ve never read those, but this 'new' series was inconsistent and contained more plot holes than Gouda cheese.

Chrome - home button, pin to taskbar, default page on new tab, custom homepage

Chrome is my favorite browser. It has an important place in my daily workflow, but by organizing things a little I save a couple of clicks on every startup, adding up to quite a few clicks per day.

Ouch!

Column.

Lacking motivation? Watch this.

Never give up. Never fear to fail. And if you fall, fall forward.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUDCzbmLV-0

Edmund Hughes - Arcane Dropout

Review.

A download, noticed too late it contained ‘adult scenes’. Would be a reasonable book, except for the sex scenes, and the epilogue. 

I probably won’t read any of the sequels after that epilogue. Such a pity.

Alastair Reynolds - Revenger 3 - Bone Silence

Review.

Third book in the Revenger series. In the same vein as the previous two, yet explaining a lot more, but I thought the first two books to be a little better. This one seems a bit rushed near the end. I have a feeling he will return to this universe with a different cast of characters.

Netflix - Warrior Nun

Review.

Okay, a guilty pleasure. But anything Buffy-like easily piques my interest. Haven’t read the comics but I liked the show. Dead teen gets another lease on life when a relic gets implanted in her back. Don’t ask, just watch.

Veronica Roth - Divergent

Review.

There's a movie, and there's a book. I've seen and read both. The movie wasn't too bad, although the main character in the movie seems a bit 'soft' compared with the book.

Both movie and book are okay, but aimed at the angsty teen crowd hungering for some apocalyptical romance.

Practical network (and Wifi) speeds

There are many complex and perfect ways to test your network speeds, but here are a few practical examples, that do not require a degree in Science or Math...

This is a simplified explanation, but it seems to work fine for me 😏

Rachel Aaron - Part-Time Gods / Night Shift Dragons

Review.

Part-Time Gods and Night Shift Dragons are both nice, 'uppety' 'peppy reads'. Some action, some magic, some romance. These are parts 2 and 3 of the DFZ series, which started with Minimum Wage Magic, and take place in the same universe as the Heartstriker series.

PS4 and PC do not recognize a Dualshock controller (connected via USB)

Sometimes you cannot pair a PS4 Dualshock controller with your PS4 using a cable. Sometimes the Remote Play application on Windows does not recognize a connected PS4 controller.

Fortunately, the fix is relatively easy: use another cable.

Bufferbloat on TPLink Archer C7 v3

This is an interesting (and very technical) subject, so skip it if you don't care 😇. Simply put, your router / Wifi access point is a little dumb, and is so busy with downloads that it can't do concurrent uploads fast enough.

It's fixable (somewhat) by using QoS, as I tried on my Archer C7 v3.

Put your favorites in a box, Mister Geek

Column.

No matter how you categorize series, movies, books, you will always find examples that do not fit in. That refuse to respect certain borders. That are... different.

Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 (1998)

Review.

Remember the old Bubblegum Crisis? Well, here's the remake (which itself is also twenty years old), brought into a slightly newer era (we want rock, we want roll).

2012 (2010)

Review.

Another typical disaster flick. The first half is actually fun, with airplanes flying between, under, and even through crumbling buildings. However, once it gets past the visual extravaganza nothing can hide the flimsiness of the story. Fast forward to the next CGI / SFX scene... Dumb popcorn stuff, yes, but sometimes that's what the doctor prescribes...

Update. 2012 is now available on Netflix.

Fanfiction

Column.

What is your opinion on fanfiction / fanfiction authors? I don't mind, but I've never written a fan fiction, I once tried (to write) a little Farscape but it just wasn't my thing. (Farscape is, but fanfiction is not.) I prefer to work on original stuff. Does that mean fanfiction is bad?

Suspense cheat sheet

Writing.

For (the yet unfinished and currently on hiatus) Have Hat Will Travel story I needed a single 'suspense' chapter because, well, I was going to do bad things to my main character.

To make sure I pushed all the buttons I created this little 'cheat sheet'.

Daniel Arenson - Earth Alone / Earth Lost / ...

Review.

Scum. That's what the aliens are called. Horrible. That's what these books are.

Sorry.

Dialogue

Writing.

I'm absolutely NOT a good writer, but I'm trying to improve. Which is hard... And one of the hardest things to learn is dialogue.

Then again: George Lucas become famous, so why would you care about dialogue? 😁

The Spirit Within

Review.

Re-watched this one after a long time, and realized perhaps it's not as bad as most people (critics) said it was. Perhaps a little flat, but so are most K-pop girl bands after you take away foam and silicone 😊.

Harry Harrison - The Jupiter Plague

Review.

Old fashioned hard SF. Not too bad though severely outdated, and sometimes loses the pace.

Still an enjoyable read (if you can handle old fashioned stuff written in the golden age of SF) about programmed biological stuff that the Jovians release upon us.