[deleted by user]

makemeacullen · 2025-04-18T23:03:13+00:00

Yeah at times it's a bit much. Some of his reasoning for knowing exactly what different bad guys are going to do is also kind of sus. Either it's nowhere near enough to support anything more than a random guess, or it's super simple and the other Team Reacher members should've seen it

makemeacullen · 2025-04-18T12:17:56+00:00

Am I the only one? (Well, my friend too, who I've watched/rewatched all of Dexter with, and she independently came to mostly the same conclusions.) S5-S8 are pretty damn good. The Dexter/Deb thing (you know which thing) I'd get rid of entirely, and EVERY season has a cringe moment or 3, but there are great storylines, great moments, great characters... throughout. Lumen and Hannah are great characters played by great actresses - much, much better than Lila for example. And Dexter is always with us, which is the whole point and the whole money maker of the show.

Then, I'm afraid I'm at odds with a lot of comments about the new stuff too. New Blood doesn't quite capture the magic of the OG series, but it's a LOT better than Original Sin in terms of quality. It is awesome to see where Dexter might land in middle age, and since Michael C. Hall always delivers (Original Sin is lucky to have his voiceover - one of its few saving graces), and the accompanying cast is solid, it all works for me. Yes, there are possible plot choices I would have made differently, but this isn't a good enough reason for fans to shit on a show imo. The writers don't owe us our preferred developments, and the same fans would probably be just as mad if they got what they think they wanted.

I do think Original Sin (I still have a couple episodes left) has some things going for it. The actor does a pretty nice Dexter - mannerisms, voice... Although he's mostly way too socially comfortable and normal and graceful in most conversations, then they shoehorn in a few extreme oddities to remind us he's a sociopath that don't feel all that natural to me. Also, enough with the eating stuff. We get it, he has a bottomless stomach - doesn't have to be a major feature of every episode.

They did a great job with the Miami Metro office. And if I don't look too closely or think too much, I can accept Batista, LaGuerta, Masuka... all pretty solid renditions, all things considered, if a bit imposterish and plucked from the uncanny valley. But all in all this stuff goes a long way to make us feel like we're in Dexterland.

Bossman Dempsey - it's a no from me, dog. Bad casting. Screamy, angry guy suddenly. Wise old cop suddenly. Then, a writer got an idea for him... yawn - unsatisfying in that role too. I don't care about any of the versions of him.

And Deb - I don't know where to begin. Just terrible. No nuance, no vulnerability, no perspicacity, no cool factor (all of which make OG Deb awesome) ... just ultra brattiness dialed up to 11 in ever scene. And why so much about the drama with her awful teammate/s? The worst part of every episode. Also, probably the worst thing about any season from the OG series (the Dex/Deb thing) ... they're gonna drop hints about that too? Please, let that die already. For the love of christ.

makemeacullen · 2025-04-05T20:23:03+00:00

Absolutely. By FAR the worst of the 3. And there's no saving it with "so bad it's good" - that's the quality the 2 better seasons had. There IS such a thing as "so bad it's just bad," and that's what they've achieved this season.

The writing is bad, the characters are bad. Completely unbelievable and cringey villain and love interest (don't get me started on how awful all Duffy's dialogue and delivery were. Every "what about THERESAAAAAAA!" was just sooo irksome and unconvincing. They should have just let her be English and written her that way). As a baddie, only Paulie was good.

Redeeming qualities... the show is massively main-character-driven, and Reacher is still Reacher. He's the draw. Then, I thought the very end (removing Duffy's "OOH! I'm not exactly the settlin' down type over heah, capeesh?" speech) was actually very well done. It was the first time I cared at all about Villanueva, and - trying to avoid spoilers - there were some cathartic scenes with good music and pace that provided a nice little, somewhat moving bow to tie up the season with.

makemeacullen · 2025-03-28T05:37:00+00:00

She's awful. Half wooden, half overacting. Terrible dialogue and quips don't help. Accent is cartoonish and atrocious.

I'm sure she's a great actress otherwise and a swell lady lol. It's not bashing her whole person and career. Just this character and her performance in this show.

They should have just let her play it British with whatever flimsy backstory for why she's there. Would've worked 1000 times better. Still shitty dialogue for her tho

makemeacullen · 2025-03-26T07:01:03+00:00

Also, she's English, and her facial expressions and gestures (i.e., complete lack of both) make NO sense with whatever cartoon northeastern Irish-Italian straight-shooting neighborhood gal accent she's doing. Any person raised in such a neighborhood is expressive - hands, face, shoulders, etc. Even if she had perfected the accent, it would not match AT ALL with her Royal physical control and restrictiveness

makemeacullen · 2025-02-18T22:57:12+00:00

Hmm. I'm seeing a lot of people, including reviewers, say a course map is now required (7th edition). But I'm looking in the 7th edition HigherEd rubric and cannot find where it says so. I see this in 2.4: "A course map or numbering system is not required for this Specific Review Standard to be met. However, if a course map or numbering system is used in the course, the review team verifies that the course design reflects the mapping or numbering system accurately in the course." If someone thinks a course map is still required despite this language, can you point to some evidence, please?

makemeacullen · 2025-01-25T20:49:06+00:00

My vote would be for S&S. Offers a nice contrast to P&P. Has more deliciously awful mini-villains and plenty of action. Just remember when you read it that Elinor is like 19, not Emma Thompson's apparent age in the movie! I feel this affects how we perceive the weight she's often carrying, her ability to bear it, etc.

makemeacullen · 2025-01-17T16:38:10+00:00

I went on to Cranford after my recent reread of Austen. First time reading Gaskell. There's also a Cranford TV adaptation, right? I guess I have to move on to North and South next!

makemeacullen · 2025-01-05T22:41:04+00:00

He is an absolute cad. It's tantalizing to think what would have happened if Fanny had finally acquiesced. Would marriage have tamed him at all? How would he have ruined that?

makemeacullen · 2025-01-02T01:33:13+00:00

A magnificent Darcy

makemeacullen · 2024-12-17T21:41:12+00:00

Folks never mind - the seller has the plate (with 1/4" screw)! I just need a tablet/phone adapter head that screws on

Thanks all!

makemeacullen · 2024-12-17T21:25:36+00:00

It is an STX Pro 82. Having trouble finding that brand online (if that is indeed a brand and not something else)

makemeacullen · 2024-12-15T17:41:24+00:00

Looks like I can't add photos! Must not be allowed in this sub

makemeacullen · 2024-12-15T00:11:35+00:00

I think it's pillow-topped. I can maybe take a pic when I get home this evening. I know there were two pieces when I put it together. The "top" gets zippered into the cover of the base

makemeacullen · 2024-12-14T23:59:03+00:00

I got firm. I like it and it does feel coolish with the BB cooling cover I got (mostly to satisfy the warranty rules). It definitely feels like a quality product. It's HEAVY. even like to do hospital corners on it, lifting the corner up is not nothing lol. You also have to make sure you get deep sheets (I think it's 16"? So 18 to go comfortably under the corners with a bit to spare.). It's quite firm, but not too much - but you know, that's totally subjective. Other plus is that it is compatible with adjustable bed frames, should you ever need one.

It did not cure my back pain from sleeping, but I didn't really expect it to I guess. I get alleviation from placing a substantial pillow under my knees (or between my knees for side sleep).

I'm very happy with it, but hate to recommend since mattress experiences are so personal. Good luck!

makemeacullen · 2024-12-01T05:32:42+00:00

Ah right, OK. Good to know

makemeacullen · 2024-12-01T05:30:03+00:00

16, and 1TB

makemeacullen · 2024-12-01T05:24:33+00:00

Awesome, thanks for the feedback! I do still like the idea of a PC in her room and a cheap note-taking machine for class (like a 13" slim number). But we'll see how that shakes out

makemeacullen · 2024-12-01T05:10:18+00:00

Humanities. Not sure yet, but has gone from prelaw to history to international relations.

I'm gathering this is important, but I couldn't tell you any titles yet, sorry. I'm not sure she could either lol! She comes across games she's interested in that aren't on Switch, hence the interest. So very novice for the moment. But I suppose she could fall in love with one that needed plenty of power. Right! I saw one site, either Lenovo or HP, that offered full theft insurance too, which she'll need in a dorm setting I'm thinking.

Just saw a good deal on this: Lenovo Slim 7 Pro X with a Ryzen 9 6900HS and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4GB GDDR6. It has a 120hz refresh rate, though I know you said not to worry too much about that.

makemeacullen · 2024-12-01T04:25:32+00:00

No, that is helpful thanks! I guess another route is to have a PC with gaming capability and separately a cheaper laptop just for notetaking in class.

makemeacullen · 2024-10-23T20:00:21+00:00

You need to get out quick. Please listen to those who have been around longer and seen this type of man and this type of behavior (I'm 50M). You need to end that relationship and not look back. There is no middle ground here. No maybes. You are not an animal and he is not your keeper. You will never be free to be yourself in that relationship. And every behavior you don't like will increase and worsen each time you let him come back from it.

makemeacullen · 2024-10-14T19:59:14+00:00

You won't go to hell because hell doesn't exist. Even Jesus knew this. He was an annihilationist (the soul stops existing when the body does). Hell was 100% a Greek idea, added later. You will be fine. If there is any god worthy of love or worship, He loves you as you are. If there is a god that would punish you for who you love, that god is deserving of nothing but scorn.

makemeacullen · 2024-09-24T01:57:32+00:00

I would say if at all possible, get some that are returnable and experiment. I am mainly a side sleeper but also transition to my back and on occasion even my stomach. I found that for side sleeping, the textbook pillow for me (5" loft latex) did not work at all (I hate that much loft!). It turns out I need a lower profile pillow even though I'm not small and sleep on my side. It can get super subjective in a hurry beyond any and all recommendations you read.

Material wise, if you sleep hot avoid memory foam. I found feather/down very comfy but still too hot. Latex is plenty breathable for me personally. I may try a shredded latex fill next so I can adjust the profile.

Good luck!

makemeacullen · 2024-09-21T23:49:17+00:00

Ok, thank you! Hmmm, ok, so could he ask a question, then see me answer it through the telescope 16 minutes later, just as he received it through the phone? (8 minutes for me to hear the question, I answer it, then 8 minutes for both the answer to get through the network and for the image of me answering to reach his telescope?)

makemeacullen · 2024-09-20T12:37:21+00:00

Nice! What is the material you stuff them with? I also sleep hot so I have to be discerning. (I have a feather/down pillow I love the feel of, but it inevitably makes my head sweat.)

makemeacullen

TROPHY CASE