Read, Play, Listen, Watch

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kenc1971
kenc1971 Posts: 107 Member
OK, so, as the title sort of says... what are you reading/playing/listening to/watching lately (last couple of months to current)?

Reading:
Nothing currently, but I've finished quite a few Vonnegut books (God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, Bluebeard, Jailbird, Galapagos, Sirens of Titan, Cat's Cradle, Player Piano, Breakfast of Champions), and before that it was catching up on the last couple of books of A Song of Ice and Fire. I still have to read William Shakespeare's Star Wars, which looked too funny to miss, so maybe that will be next.

Playing:
Minecraft (using the Direwolf20 Feed the Beast modpack, FTB is awesome in general)
Starbound (Terraria in space, kind of. Still a work in progress)
Guild Wars 2 (not so much now, MMOs just aren't fun for me when PvP is just Zergstomp after Zergstomp. I still log in to see what's cool on the trading post, and run around a bit)
2048, on my phone
Age of Empires 2 HD Edition. This used to be my game back in the day!
I've also dabbled in a few others, thanks to the GOG.com and Steam sales. I've picked up Torchlight, Torchlight II, the GTA series, Endless Space, Far Cry 3, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (it's hilarious), Terraria, Roller Coaster Tycoon III, Dungeon Siege 2... I'm a PC Gamer, though we have a few older consoles boxed up here still (PS1, Genesis, Super Nintendo, N64, Atari 2600).

Listening to:
At the moment, nothing in my ears.
I picked up some used CDs between flea markets and online from Alibris. My musical taste varies quite a bit from Classic Rock, to Classical, to Old School Rap, to 80s New Wave, to Punk, to Alternative, to cheesy stuff.

One album I was listening to this week, and can recommend, is "...and I'll Scratch Yours", which is a 2nd part of the Peter Gabriel "Scratch My Back" album, and came out last year. The original had him covering various artists, and is VERY hit or miss (to the point that Radiohead apparently refused to work on the 2nd part after hearing his cover of Street Spirit). The payback album is great, with Arcade Fire, David Byrne, Elbow, Regina Spektor, Paul Simon, and Bon Iver providing excellent covers of Gabriel's works.

Watching:
Not much right now. Occasionally, I was tuning in to Real Time, or John Oliver, but my shows are on hiatus (Game of Thrones, and Boardwalk Empire) for now, and I haven't found myself watching baseball this season as much (because the Red Sox are painful to watch this year, and I'm out and about a lot. I do pay attention to the team quite a bit, though). Football season is coming soon, as are the Hockey and Basketball seasons, so I'll probably catch up more on my sports watching then. I'm not a huge TV person anyway.

I watch some stuff on YouTube, like Key and Peele clips, Epic Rap Battles of History, as well as a few gamer channels. Sometimes I'll just bounce around watching clips and end up on that part of the internet where some lady is talking about a water conspiracy because she sees rainbows in her sprinkler mist.

I don't go to the movies much, the experience isn't worth it, especially with how fast a movie is out on DVD if I want to see it. Over the past 10 years, I'd say there were maybe 4 movies I felt like I had to see in the theater.


...OK. That's me. What about you?

Replies

  • JoJoVan96
    JoJoVan96 Posts: 26 Member
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    Reading:
    I just introduced my son to Stephen King's Dark Tower series, so I'm indulging myself in a re-reading of the entire thing. Currently halfway through book three. Also, since I'm between semesters at school, trying to play catch-up on Steve Berry's books.

    Playing:
    Nothing right now...I go through fits and spurts on games. Sometimes Minecraft, most often Pharaoh, Left 4 Dead or Age of Empires.

    Listening To:
    A lot of Jack White/Raconteurs. Always have Foo Fighters on my playlist, recently added a lot of Deadmau5. I don't discriminate, I'll listen to pretty much anything.

    Watching:
    Nothing at the moment. I usually try and keep up with Orange is the New Black, but school leaves me very little time for TV. Will have to catch up on Game of Thrones and Walking Dead at some point.
  • davetheperson
    davetheperson Posts: 124 Member
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    Reading

    I don't know if any of you remember the pen and paper RPG Shadowrun or the SNES or Genesis games, but I've been reading some novels set in that universe. I finished the Secrets of Power Series by Robert N. Charrette (Shadowrun #1, #2, and #3), and I am currently reading Never Trust an Elf (Shadowrun #6) by the same author.

    Watching

    Right now the only shows I have been following are Game of Thrones and the Walking Dead. I also want to go back and watch the episodes of Cosmos I missed.

    Listening

    Not much lately. I need to find some new music.v
  • MadDogManor
    MadDogManor Posts: 1,452 Member
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    Reading
    You Are Your Own Gym, via Kindle, on the night shift - whenever there are slow periods, I do this to stay awake


    Playing
    Not much of a gamer, but I know all about LOTRO from watching the family play


    Listening
    Sirius xm in the car


    Watching
    currently watching The Avengers on Netflix, but only at the gym, on the treadmill or elliptical. My reward for actually going to the gym and getting on the equipment :-)


    Pretty boring, I guess
  • cHaRlIe0411
    cHaRlIe0411 Posts: 137 Member
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    Reading:

    A Feast for Crows by George R R Martin, although so very slowly... don't have much time to read!
    -If it counts, I am also writing the second novel of a trilogy I'm working on.


    Playing:

    Super Mario 3, Mario Kart 8 and Pokemon Y


    Listening:

    Nothing right now, but loving "Fashionably Late" album from Falling in Reverse :)


    Watching:

    Pokemon, season 1. Yes. My whole family, including my mom, is watching it on Netflix in the evenings. We are a grown family (youngest child is now 16), so it takes us back several years ago!
  • MeepleMuppet
    MeepleMuppet Posts: 226 Member
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    Reading "S." by JJ Abrams and and Doug Dorst. Totally obsessed with it.
  • constellation709
    constellation709 Posts: 28 Member
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    * Reading Grave Witch (well, I bought it, haven't started), and Kushiel's Dart (it's long, so I'll be reading it for awhile).
    * I don't really play video games, but I'm playing the last dnd game with my friends before I go back to school this week. I think it will be one of the last games with these characters so that's sad :(
    * I'm not listening to anything at the moment, but I was thinking about starting to listen to the Night Vale podcast.
    * I am currently watching Star Trek TOS, and Doctor Who. I am getting ready to watch Voyager all the way through for the first time. (I also want to go see Guardians of the Galaxy before I go back to school)
  • mruntidy
    mruntidy Posts: 1,015 Member
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    Reading; The Horus Heresy series of books - it's probably the biggest arc of books I have ever read and although I am a slow reader I've been reading them since I moved to Manchester so it's been almost a companion

    Playing; Lego Hobbit when I get chance - but playing some tabletop games for the most part like Munchkin, zombies, or warhammer 40k which I am slowly trying to learn

    Listening; For some reason I have been tuning into the radio stations from back home, I must be getting homesick

    Watching; Dexter, Orange Is The New Black, Extant and my wife has recently rewatched most of the Doctor Who episodes in preparation for teh new series
  • Glaziazisaur
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    Read
    Nothing :( Rereading Through the Looking Glass if that counts!

    Play
    Pokemon X, HabitRPG (does that even count?)

    Listen
    Anything!

    Watch
    Lego Movie, Lego Batman Movie!
    So cute
    Trying to find more movies to watch because the recent movies haven't been much fun for me :(
  • CherylMatthews66
    CherylMatthews66 Posts: 44 Member
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    Heyy

    *Reading*
    Temple of the Winds by Terry Goodkind which is a good fantasy book. Terry Goodkind is one of my favourite authors :)

    *Playing*
    Pokemon Leaf Green, I've defeated the Elite Four, just caught Mewtwo and now I am looking for Suicune :) I'm not sure what I'm doing after that, I'll probably try and complete the pokedex and may play Ruby Or Sapphire. I'm super excited for the new Pokemon games :)

    *Listening*
    Been listening to a lot of Blutengel and Nightwish. They're my favourite bands and they're great to listen to when you're workjing out :)

    *Watching*
    I've finished watching Fruit Basket so now I've re-started to watch Chobits which is my all time favourite anime :) I have no idea what to watch after that, I think I need to buy some more anime box sets :)
  • mruntidy
    mruntidy Posts: 1,015 Member
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    *Listening*
    Been listening to a lot of Blutengel and Nightwish. They're my favourite bands and they're great to listen to when you're workjing out :)

    Oooo Nightwish, we used to listen to this when we were playing Eve online as a clan - very atmospheric for a futuristic space game :)
  • cosmiqrust
    cosmiqrust Posts: 214 Member
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    > reading: the theoretical minimum by leonard susskind, self-teaching myself physics to prep myself for getting my engineering degree. transformers: exodus in snippets but it's too painful to read all at once.
    > playing: pokemon x, the sims 2 ultimate edition.
    > listening: above and beyond's group therapy podcast.
    > watching: rewatching the x-files and dragging my dad into it. he hadn't watched it since the nineties and never really got into it. :glasses:
  • Spatialized
    Spatialized Posts: 623 Member
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    Reading: the windup girl (just finished re-reading the Sprawl Trilogy by Bill Gibson, far more surrealistic than I remembered!)

    Playing: Battlefront 2...the X360 won't play the new games but I can play this. It's a nice, rare diversion.

    Listening: Songza and Spotify, lots of classic rock chased by early 80's hardcore.

    Watching: Finished Band of Brothers, now going back to working on Classic Dr. Who and X-Files.
  • Rlavigne93
    Rlavigne93 Posts: 119 Member
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    Reading:
    I just introduced my son to Stephen King's Dark Tower series, so I'm indulging myself in a re-reading of the entire thing. Currently halfway through book three.

    I love Dark Tower. So much. Past few times I've reread them, though, I stop halfway through the last book. Everything that happens, I just can't handle it. :/

    Reading: Currently working through the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz. I just finished The Maze Runner trilogy, pretty great.

    Playing: Mass Effect 2 currently. I'm replaying the series, and then hopefuly both Dragon Ages before Inquisition comes out.

    Listening: Bottom of the River by Delta Rae at this second. Been listening to a lot of showtunes generally lately though. Especially Mamma Mia and The Book of Mormon.

    Watching: Catching up on Pretty Little Liars on Netflix. Also Teen Wolf, and just watched the Dr. Who premier today!
  • stormbornkraken
    stormbornkraken Posts: 303 Member
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    Ok, so I have just started Android: Free Fall by William Keith. It is fantastic, I am hooked!

    We tried out the Android board game but just couldn't seem to really get into it. Maybe it was the group of players wasn't right.

    Anyhow, this weekend we broke into the Netrunner card game and I loved it! The lingo for the Runners and the Corps were great and each side is unique in its approach on winning. I felt as far as theme goes they did a great job! Had Tron Legacy soundtrack going in the back and I was completely transported.
    I only was able to play the base and played Haas-Biroid and Weyland when I did the mega corps. I think Jinteki I will try next since they were such a big part of the original story that I learned.
    When I played the runner (hacker) I played the Anarch, Noise, who seemed Virus heavy.

    Personally I loved working as the Corp but the Runners are fun too. And No, I did not like the game just because I won 3-0 against the husband thereby increasing my winning percentage for the year.... :wink:
  • kenc1971
    kenc1971 Posts: 107 Member
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    @stormbornkraken - Try the TRON Legacy: R3CONF1GUR3D Soundtrack, it's got a few good remixes on there.
  • stormbornkraken
    stormbornkraken Posts: 303 Member
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    @stormbornkraken - Try the TRON Legacy: R3CONF1GUR3D Soundtrack, it's got a few good remixes on there.

    I just found it on Spotify - this is great! :drinker:

    Thank you good sir!