Posted in Entertainment, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, Andy Weir, movies, music, reading on October 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Today I’m sharing my new favorite background music, great for everything from working to reading. It’s delightfully calming (and even has a little bonus at the end:)
(If you have Amazon Prime, it’s also available there.)
And while we’re on the topic, here’s an interesting video from Adam Savage of Mythbusters fame showing How Rocky’s Models Were Made for Project Hail Mary.
You know, this weekend would be a great time for a re-watch of the movie. It was good!
* * *
Posted in Entertainment, Science!, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, accuracy in fiction, Andy Weir, books, movies, ryan-gosling, science, science fiction, space, Thoughts, Writers, writing on April 7, 2026| 1 Comment »
Since my recent posts have spent a lot of time in space, let’s take a slight break from the nonfiction drama of NASA’s Artemis II mission and shift over to the fictional world of space adventure.
In his books, Andy Weir (The Martian) works hard to bring scientific accuracy to his fiction. The challenge is balancing the demands of a thrilling story with the science that grounds it in reality.
How did he do? Experts weigh in.
How plausible is ‘Project Hail Mary’? Experts have thoughts
While “Project Hail Mary” has its share of explosions and catastrophes, it’s the thinking that’s thrilling. Grace and Rocky must come together, with tools and whiteboards, craft and ingenuity, to solve a seemingly insoluble problem. They make mistakes, but they learn from those mistakes and from each other.
And an astrophysicist also has thoughts:
Project Hail Mary is packed with hard science. An astrophysicist breaks it down
… when I walked out of a recent preview screening of the film adaptation of Andy Weir’s 2021 science fiction novel Project Hail Mary, I had tears of joy in my eyes. The filmmakers had done justice not just to the original story, but also to the science at the heart of it.
From NASA, with lots of interesting subsidiary links:
The Science Behind ‘Project Hail Mary’ – NASA Science
Let NASA shed some light: Explore the resources below to learn the science facts fueling the science fiction.
(Wait, Tau Ceti was also featured in fiction by Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Frank Herbert, Robert Heinlein, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Kim Stanley Robinson? And was the setting for Barbarella? This planet gets around!)
The final assessment of the science? Not perfect, but good. And precisely accurate or not, this promises to be another very entertaining movie. (I’ve read the book but haven’t seen the film yet. Yes, I am a little behind the curve!)
Since we’re here, how about an article on the movie as a climate parable? (warning, spoilers!)
AMAZE AMAZE AMAZE! Yes, this is an article about Project Hail Mary as climate parable
And what the heck, here’s the movie trailer just for fun.
* * *
Posted in Entertainment, Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, Artemis, full-moon, inspiration, movies, NASA, science on February 4, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Sadly, NASA’s Artemis mission launch has run into some issues (hydrogen leaks bad!) and will be delayed until at least March.
NASA Conducts Artemis II Fuel Test, Eyes March for Launch Opportunity
That said, safer is better, so you do what you need to do, NASA. (Maybe rehiring some of the folks who were let go last year might help? Just saying.)
What do we hope to see when the mission does launch? This site has a nice explainer.
The flight path of Artemis 2, step by step
And for more on the long-term goals, see this in-depth article: How Artemis will land humans on the Moon.
As we wait to hear more from the launchpad, here’s something fun I ran across the other day that may help keep you entertained:
We asked former astronauts about their favorite space movies, and this is what they said
I mean, I’m more The Martian and Galaxy Quest than 2001, but that’s me. So many good movies!
* * *
Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, fandom, history, movies, star wars on December 12, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Here’s something fun for my fellow sci-fi nerds:
How the Written Word Evolved in ‘Star Wars’
The original Star Wars is covered with English signage and written words on displays, something that would change in the wake of the film’s blockbuster success. Both Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi would, with the confidence that audiences had accepted the galaxy far, far away, move away from putting English text on-screen, instead creating unique writing systems—reams of text that were not just left untranslated, but were never given meaning behind the symbology beyond the graphic design.
How that changed, and why, is actually a pretty fun read if you’re into that sort of thing. It’s also one of the many reasons why my first re-watch of the Star Wars re-release was repeatedly punctuated by me exclaiming, “Hang on just a minute!”
* * *
Posted in Entertainment, Holidays, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, creativity, george-lucas, inspiration, meaning, movies, myths, realities, science fiction, star wars, Star Wars Day, Thoughts, Writers on May 4, 2025| Leave a Comment »
It’s May 4th and you know what that means! It’s Star Wars Day!
Why is Star Wars Day celebrated on May the 4th?
Star Wars Day was created by fans as a sly nod to one of the films’ most popular catchphrases, “May the force be with you.”
And when does science fiction become science fact? A few examples:
Some ‘Star Wars’ stories have already become reality
…at least four important aspects of the “Star Wars” saga are much closer – both in time and space – than Lucas was letting on.
And while it’s true that we’re making progress on the scientific and technological aspects of the Star Wars universe, that’s not the reason we care so much about it.
Star Wars came to me at a difficult time, and has served as an anchor ever since. Why does the story resonate so strongly with so many people?
A force awakened: why so many find meaning in Star Wars
According to Lucas: “I became fascinated with how culture is transmitted through fairy tales and myth. Fairy tales are about how people learn about good and evil…it’s the most intimate struggle that we cope with – trying to do the right thing and what’s expected of us by society, by our peers, and in our hearts.”
These stories typically appear during times of doubt and can help viewers reclaim the goodness and innocence in themselves, reminding them they can overcome the evil they see in the world.
And while I normally ignore Episodes I, II and III (IV forever!), this quote from the script of III seems appropriate.
“In a dark place we find ourselves, and a little more knowledge lights our way.”
—Yoda
* * *
Posted in Entertainment, Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2024, #sadsadsad, Darth Vader, James Earl Jones, movies, star wars, the-lion-king, Thoughts on September 10, 2024| Leave a Comment »
James Earl Jones (1931-2024)
His career spanned three-quarters of a century and included work from stage to voice to movies, but for me he will always be Darth Vader. I’ve written about my love of Star Wars before, and that’s my anchor when thinking about James Earl Jones.
Who else could have captured Vader’s complex and contradictory traits? Who made us both hate and finally feel for the tortured soul that was Anakin Skywalker?
‘Star Wars’ colleagues lead tributes to James Earl Jones
“James was an incredible actor, a most unique voice both in art and spirit. For nearly half a century he was Darth Vader, but the secret to it all is he was a beautiful human being. He gave depth, sincerity and meaning to all his roles, amongst the most important being devoted husband to the late Ceci and dad to Flynn. James will be missed by so many of us…friends and fans alike.”
— “Star Wars” creator George Lucas
A lot of tributes are being published, and if you’re interested in learning more about his impressive and wide-ranging career, I recommend reading them. Here’s just one, from NPR: Actor James Earl Jones, a beloved baritone, dies at 93.
But if you just want to take a quiet moment to appreciate the loss of this generational talent, may I recommend this:
Thankfully, as Luke says, no one is ever really gone.
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2024, #Fridea, ideas, movies, Thoughts on June 7, 2024| Leave a Comment »
I sometimes come up with low-level problem solutions that are absolutely, 100% super duper excellently awesome… or at least maybe not terrible ideas?
Here’s one for movie theaters without assigned seating:
Add glow-in-the-dark dots to the headrests of movie theatre seats. Because finding empty spots in the dark sucks.
* * *
Posted in Science!, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2024, books, free fiction, genre fiction, Mars, movies, Writers on February 17, 2024| Leave a Comment »
In a recent chat with my mother, I mentioned that I thought she would enjoy the movie version of The Martian. I don’t know if she was convinced by my sales pitch: “An astronaut is stranded alone on Mars and has to find a way home before he dies a horrible death. It’s hilarious!” but I hope she’ll watch it.
Andy Weir’s book is also a lot of fun. It was published ten years ago this month, and to celebrate he wrote a new chapter and shared it with us all.
Enjoy!
* * *
Posted in Entertainment, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, genre fiction, inspiration, movies, RyanReynoldsForTheWin, tech tools on July 16, 2022| Leave a Comment »
It’s Saturday, hooray. Thinking about streaming a movie tonight? If so, this site may be for you:
Let’s check out my options. Hmm, lots of maybes, some no thanks, but wait, what’s this? Deadpool?
Yes, please!
* * *
Posted in Entertainment, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2021, creativity, Fiction, genre fiction, inspiration, movies, sff, storytelling, writing on August 17, 2021| 1 Comment »
Does everything have to be perfect in order for a story to work? Nope.
Here’s the script and breakdown for Star Wars:
Star Wars: A New Hope Script — Screenplay Analysis and PDF Download
par·sec| ˈpärsek | (abbreviation pc) noun
a unit of distance used in astronomy, equal to about 3.26 light years (3.086 × 1013 kilometers). One parsec corresponds to the distance at which the mean radius of the earth’s orbit subtends an angle of one second of arc.
A parsec is a measurement of distance, not time. Twelve of those do not a winning Kessel Run make, but, as millions of fans (and yes, dollars) attest, no one cares. The story works.
These are the things I think about when I’m stuck on a plot point, or deep in historical or technical weeds.
Just keep going.
* * *
You must be logged in to post a comment.