Friends, after several conversations with David I.S. this past weekend, I came up with the following lists (in no particular order) of things we like and don't like:
We like:
-Healthy food that tastes good, and routine meals (i.e., "second breakfast").
-Ethnic restaurants that are nearby, varied, and most of all, cheap! (See Harvard Square's "Border Café.")
-Space opera, even if the subgenre ("Star Trek," "Star Wars") is not especially popular right now, in comparison with horror, comic book superheroes, or angst-ridden drama.
-Terry Gilliam's fantasy/comedy movies, such as "Time Bandits," "Brazil," and "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen."
-Television shows with speculative fiction elements, a strong story arc, and sympathetic characters (see "Stargate SG1," "Heroes," and "Doctor Who").
-The second movie in a superhero series (see the "Superman," "Spider-Man," and "X-Men" franchises for examples).
-Video/gaming/music stores for browsing, even in the age of Amazon.com.
-Women who like/tolerate games of all kinds, as well as varied subcultures (SF fanboy, neoGoth, techie, etc.).
-In-character role-playing conversations.
-Old friends who stay in touch but respect one's time.
We dislike:
-Unhealthy but ubiquitous food (like holiday snacks at the office).
-Unmarked roads, especially at night or during bad weather and heavy traffic.
-Employers that refuse to commit to long-term career development.
-Ripoffs by insurance companies, money managers, and utility providers.
-The fallacy that everyone can balance family, career, and hobbies equally well, and the assumption of shared lifestyle goals.
-People who hide behind religion to perpetuate hatred and violence.
-Cranky computers.
-Impatient gamers (in videogames and face-to-face role-playing).
-Disappointing third movies in superhero franchises (see "Batman," "Blade," "Superman," and "X-Men").
-Television networks and other media outlets that often try to get ratings at the expense of their identities (see wrestling on the SciFi Channel, live action on the Cartoon Network, reality show competitions on the History or Discovery channels).
-The premature cancellation of programs that we like (such as "Space: Above and Beyond").
What do you think? Do you have any likes/dislikes to add?
Gene's Worlds 