Oh the thing I rediscover since I am the father of a young boy. I am kind of late in the news, but Netflix made a TV series called Carmen Sandiego, based on the character at the core of the old educational video game series. I played the game in the 90s, when I was a teenager, mostly at a friend's place, on his computer, but also at school, when it was used so we would learn English. It hadn't really made a big impression on me. Maybe because I was not keen on games with blatant educational purposes? I remember the gameshow as well, which I thought was kind of nice, but a bit young for me. It was more something my little brothers watched. But anyway, out of curiosity, I checked the animated series on Netflix last Saturday, with Wolfie, and we got hooked right away. Now Carmen Sandiego switched from antagonist to protagonist and even hero, but she still operates outside the law and it's a neat little caper with a nice old fashioned aesthetic and a few surprisingly dark moments. The villains are true villains, not mere pantomimes. The educational aspect is still there, but it's been integrated to the plot and characters seamlessly. So Wolfie and I are enjoying it a lot. I'm also glad I can make him discover crime fiction.
Wednesday, 26 February 2025
Don Giovanni (plogue)
Tuesday, 25 February 2025
AB's B'day
Today is the birthday of Anthony Burgess, my favourite writer. I try to commemorate every year. The big anniversary was in 2017, when he would have turned a hundred. be that as it may, I will try to do something special about him, like read passages of some of his best novels. One day, I hope to do another pilgrimage in Manchester, where he was born, and visit the Anthony Burgess Foundation there. It's been long overdue. Otherwise, it's also Vraie Fiction's blogging anniversary, which is entireyl accidental, yet very fitting.
"Un deux, test": un anniversaire
C'est un anniversaire d'une certaine importance aujourd'hui: le tapais "Un deux, test" le 25 février 2008, commençant ainsi Vraie Fiction. Il était 21:41 quand mon tout premier billet a été publié. Je sais que bloguer est un art assez oublié de nos jours, c'est un peu perdu dans tous les réseaux sociaux, mais je ne m'en lasse pas, même quand je manque un peu d'inspiration.
Monday, 24 February 2025
A Gothic Castle Library
Le long-di
Bon, calembour atroce qui m'est venu en tête récemment. Le lundi, c'est vraiment un long-di. Il faudrait l'écrire comme ça. C'est long au travail, c'est long partout j'imagine, mais c'est vraiment long au travail. En tout cas, c'était long aujourd'hui.
New weapon for the artillery drawer?
Les orchidées
Sunday, 23 February 2025
Camel Trophy Jeep
Les sucres s'en viennent
Saturday, 22 February 2025
CATAN: anyone knows it?
Le chemin de fer
Friday, 21 February 2025
Dr Strangelove on stage
You may know that I'm a fan of Stanley Kubrick. He is my favourite director. I recently found out, to my delight, that the National Theatre has made a stage adaptation of the Cold War dark comedy Dr. Strangelove. Maybe my favourite film comedy. generally, I am not keen on these kinds of remakes and re-adaptations and re-imagining, or whatever the name they give them. But I have seen the trailers and some videos and it looks promising. I also think that Kubrick's direction was often very theatric and stagy, in all his movies and this one in particular, so it makes sense to have the story adapted for the stage. So yeah, I will try to go and watch it.
Bordée de neige (d'antan)
Thursday, 20 February 2025
The Student ("How it works")
Tempête de neige (2)
Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Oat Milk in Tea?
For a few months now, my wife has switched from milk to, well, oat milk and various vegan alternatives. But it is mostly oat milk. Not so much for ethical reasons as because it's meant to be healthier. Now, she does not drink milk by itself anyway, but she pours oat milk in her coffee and in her cereals. You know how I feel about milk substitutes. Read this post for more details. Well anyway, I noticed something on one of the oat milk bottles sh bought. The brand is Oatly, if you are curious. Something that shocked me and left me speechless. On one of its sides, it says: "It works in tea". And no. Just no. Hell no. This is a lie. Oat milk does NOT work in tea. Real, proper milk does not work in tea. Tea and milk don't work together. Tea stands on its own. Milk, or any milk substitute, poured in tea, is barbaric.