Nar Nar Goon, Victoria, Australia Superthread

[Alisaura]

Is it wrong that I'm reading and enjoying one of his books of late?

It's not wrong at all... I've read a few of his books, and regardless of my opinions about his stories or the use of italics and exclamation points therein, he knows how to keep the story moving and the pages turning. I've read much worse books!

Plus you're in exactly the right demographic to enjoy them, so go nuts.

I think even if he was intending to write for adults, he's the sort of adult himself who never stopped being a teenager, and there's nothing wrong with that, either.

 

[Axver]

Oh Dear U2.com,

Fail!

Is it wrong that I'm reading and enjoying one of his books of late?

True fact: I think his first three books are rather good stories and recommend Ice Station to anybody who just wants no-holds-barred, turn-your-brain-off entertainment from a book. Emphasis on "good STORIES", though; certainly not good WRITING. The early books are told so well that it overcomes Reilly's deficiencies as an actual writer.

The next couple of books are OK, but oh sweet jesus what's happened to him now.

 

[Alisaura]

True fact: I think his first three books are rather good stories and recommend Ice Station to anybody who just wants no-holds-barred, turn-your-brain-off entertainment from a book. Emphasis on "good STORIES", though; certainly not good WRITING. The early books are told so well that it overcomes Reilly's deficiencies as an actual writer.

The next couple of books are OK, but oh sweet jesus what's happened to him now.

Has he contracted Robert Jordan syndrome? Or worse, Anne Rice*...

Where is the line between a good story and good writing? Should a good story not have plot holes that you could drive a hovercraft backwards through, or is that a good-writing thing? Should a character in a good story behave in an internally consistent way? It all kinda blurs together for me.



*I have not actually read any of Anne Rice's books all the way through. I have, however, heard that upon achieving large amounts of success, she decided she was too good for an editor and stopped using one. This can only be a bad thing.

 

[bono_212]

Mr Bobert did a collaboration with some artist whose name I can't remember, but Triple J's been playing the song a lot. Something like "I'm not in love"...

*Googles*

It was the Crystal Castles, "Not In Love". There you go.

I also found an article from 2007 (not even 1997 or 1998) in which Mr Smith denies a collaboration was planned with Ashlee Simpson. *L*

Fat Bob's been doing a lot of collabs lately. The Crystal Castles one is quite good, imo.

 

[Alisaura]

Fat Bob's been doing a lot of collabs lately. The Crystal Castles one is quite good, imo.

Yeah, it's not bad at all.

 

[Alisaura]

Wait wait... did Gold Coast actually beat Port??



</slow>

 

[Alisaura]

Is Cyril okay??

And wow, no draw this week.

I'm done catching up on AFL now... *L*

 

[bono_212]

I miss the Cure .

 

[Reggo]

Kitty is asleep on my chest. makes it very hard to see what i'm typing.

Reggo, I thought you deleted his phone number and stuff? And what's this "we're considering"...?

We've worked past all the awkward and high-school-ish crap in our relationship and things are the best they've ever been. I mean, I caught the guy looking at engagement rings and now he wants to go on holiday with me. Yes, he drives me nuts, but it'd be boring if he didn't. I love him anyway. And I've forgiven him; every time he's hurt me, it's been unintentional. So I've given him a clean slate and for the past several weeks, he's kept it clean. i don't care if he proposes. I'll be pleasantly surprised if he does. I just want to enjoy the time I spend with one of my best friends, someone I care very deeply for and who cares about me in return.

Also, Axver, I owe you an apology for every time I teased you about being a setlist nerd. I found a relic from 1998(?) when I was cleaning my room of a postcard from a boy-band concert I attended where I actually stopped watching to write down the songs that came up. And I have held onto this for over ten years. And I found another setlist I jotted down of Green Day's from a music video where it's only onscreen for a few seconds, also that I've held onto for several years. I am just as much of a setlist nerd as you are. I take back every time I teased you, and I'm sorry for (obviously) being a hypocrite.

 

[Alisaura]

I'm happy that you're happy, Reggo, and I hope he doesn't screw up again. I don't want to see you get hurt again, although if you were serious about that cricket bat thing, we may have no choice.

 

[Axver]

Has he contracted Robert Jordan syndrome? Or worse, Anne Rice*...

Where is the line between a good story and good writing? Should a good story not have plot holes that you could drive a hovercraft backwards through, or is that a good-writing thing? Should a character in a good story behave in an internally consistent way? It all kinda blurs together for me.

Well, I don't think he does any of those to any way, at least not in such a way that I feel it impacts on the telling of the story. I guess I see his first three books as fast-paced, exciting, and utterly mindless action, but then the subsequent books show a deterioration in style (hard to believe, but true) and become fast-paced, ludicrous action ... you can only suspend disbelief so far, and even when I was 15 I was unwilling to buy the end of Area 7, let alone now.

Wait wait... did Gold Coast actually beat Port??



</slow>

YES!

 

[Axver]

I'm sorry, really, but an "oh Reggo!" is all I can muster.

 

[Alisaura]

Well, I don't think he does any of those to any way, at least not in such a way that I feel it impacts on the telling of the story. I guess I see his first three books as fast-paced, exciting, and utterly mindless action, but then the subsequent books show a deterioration in style (hard to believe, but true) and become fast-paced, ludicrous action ... you can only suspend disbelief so far, and even when I was 15 I was unwilling to buy the end of Area 7, let alone now.

Fair enough... Keeping a reader turning the pages is an achievement in itself.

I'm kinda curious about Area 7 now...

 

[Reggo]

I'm sorry, really, but an "oh Reggo!" is all I can muster.

And that's your opinion and you're entitled to it.

 

[bono_man2002]

 

[Alisaura]

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/opinion/51671931-82

my mom's lawyer wrote this. not that it'll do much, but i was pleased.

I tried to click on it (and succeeded), but then it tried to download an unknown file type to my comp, and since I'm at work I figured I'd better not risk it.

Sounds like the lawyer deserves a good-on-him/her in any case.

 

[Alisaura]

How's Shepp (and yourself) today?

 

[Alisaura]

Someone in this building has popcorn. The bastards.

 

[bono_man2002]

How's Shepp (and yourself) today?

I'm okay. Shepp's weather is lovely, how are you?

 

[Alisaura]

Yeah, not bad. Weather's pretty nice here too, I might actually venture out of the building at lunch time. *L*

Maybe I should put Upcoming Expenses in my sig... I've got rego due in a week, along with Mother's Day and my brother's birthday, plus I have to pay off the card after paying for the shoebox hotel room in Syd.

I have this funny feeling I'm supposed to be doing something on the weekend of the 7th/8th of May, but I can't for the life of me remember what. I should go up and see my parents then, if I don't go this weekend (which I don't think I will be, since I've been drafted to help assemble my housemates' new television cabinet, which is arriving on Sat., plus I will be doing thangs of some sort tomorrow night).

Just saw that Gary Numan's playing in the Forum at some point... I might be tempted if they weren't charging $90!

That Walking With Dinosaurs thing seems a bit steep too.

 

[Axver]

And that's your opinion and you're entitled to it.

It's just that after all the drama so far, it's hard to see this going too well for you, y'know? Just don't want to see you cop even MORE shit.

I have this funny feeling I'm supposed to be doing something on the weekend of the 7th/8th of May, but I can't for the life of me remember what. I should go up and see my parents then, if I don't go this weekend (which I don't think I will be, since I've been drafted to help assemble my housemates' new television cabinet, which is arriving on Sat., plus I will be doing thangs of some sort tomorrow night).

Just saw that Gary Numan's playing in the Forum at some point... I might be tempted if they weren't charging $90!

I think Geamala have an album launch at the East on 7 May ... there are gigs I want to go to for every day Charlotte and I are in Queensland, yet very little for the rest of the month.

And it seems to me almost any Forum gig is a bit overpriced. Guess you get what you pay for, what with it being a lovely venue and all.

 

[Alisaura]

I think Geamala have an album launch at the East on 7 May ... there are gigs I want to go to for every day Charlotte and I are in Queensland, yet very little for the rest of the month.

And it seems to me almost any Forum gig is a bit overpriced. Guess you get what you pay for, what with it being a lovely venue and all.

Oooh. I am so there. Hrm... it's listed as an EP launch but then it says "Geamala are set to release their much anticipated first full length album ‘Forking Paths’." *shrug* Mushroom Giant too! Maybe I'll just have to pop home on the Sunday then... Thanks for the tip.

Yeah, it's a lovely venue... I suppose if they gave it the lick of paint it needs, they'd charge even more (them and the Palais).

 

[Reggo]

I'll wash, but I'll never be clean. And I think I've now developed an aversion to underpants. Friends, it's not everyday you learn your father was a paedophile and his pederasty drove a young man to suicide. That sound you heard was my last thread of sanity breaking...

 

[Reggo]

Sweet sexy thread death

Those two stories are totally true, by the way.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

 

[Reggo]

I have a fucked up family.

 

[Alisaura]

Wow, you really do. (on your dad's side at least) There's not much to say I guess... I'm here if you need to vent.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Jeez Reggo, that's terrible. Hope you're going okay, pal.

 

[Reggo]

putting it out here on the interwebs makes me feel better, cause I know that Google is an amazing thing. And if I really wanted to, I could easily ruin his life.

 

[Reggo]

Also, I'm sort of depressed this never happened.

Axver revealed his desire to open concerts for U2 when they visit New Zealand, though instead of performing with the Quiet Minority, he will recite Pi to 353 decimal places as his girlfriend strums a guitar. It is not known how Bono feels about this proposal.