On the Coffee Table: The Way of the House Husband

Title: The Way of the House Husband, Vol. 1

Writer and Artist: Kosuke Oono

via Amazon

Tatsu was a notorious Yakuza boss, nicknamed The Immortal Dragon.  But he fell in love a career woman, Miku, and got married.  He's left the gangster life behind in order to run the household while his wife pursues her graphic designer ambitions.  Tatsu still occasionally runs into the old thugs, leading to street fights and the like.  But the deep humor comes from his trying to make humdrum, everyday chores seem more badass.  One chapter about the cat and the Roomba had me laughing out loud.

The comic series began in 2018 and is ongoing.  Volume 1 is one of twelve collections so far, the first ten of which have been published in English.  As is so often the case with popular manga, there are multiple screen adaptations: both live-action and animated television series as well as one live-action film.  Volume 2 awaits me on my shelves.

Squid Mixes: Sloe Gin and Tonic

Sloe gin is a gin-based liqueur made with sloes, typically produced in England.  A sloe is a plum-like fruit from the blackthorn plant.  Vermont liquor stores don't generally carry sloe gin so I picked up a bottle on our most recent trip to Massachusetts.

I went simple on my maiden voyage: a sloe gin and tonic.  Not surprisingly, sloe gin is a bit on the sweeter side which pairs nicely with tonic water, taking the edge off of the quinine.  I expect we'll be trying sloe gin fizzes soon.

Star Trek: Journey's End

Episode: "Journey's End"

Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Season 7, Episode 20

Original Air Date: March 28, 1994

via Memory Alpha

The Enterprise is ordered to relocate the settlers of Dorvan V, now on the wrong side of the border according to a new treaty with the Cardassians.  The settlers are Native Americans who have been on the planet for twenty years after a 200-year-long search for a new home.  The parallels with earlier North American history are lost on no one, yet the order stands.  Meanwhile, Wesley is home from the Academy and he's being a royal jerk to everyone.

The series is limping to the finish line.  There are only five more episodes to go now.  "Journey's End" is pretty awful.  The well-intended attempt at Native American representation falls into all the usual white liberal pitfalls: noble savages, enlightenment attained through ceremonial hallucination, the need to assuage white guilt for the sins of the past, etc.  The Wesley story... they painted themselves into a corner with the character early on.  By setting him up as a chosen one/wunderkind, there was no way a simple Starfleet career was ever going to cut it as his ultimate destiny.  In this last TNG appearance, Wes runs off with the Time Lord... er... Traveler to join in trans-dimensional, universe-saving adventures, a story line without much payoff over the long term.  It mostly serves to get rid of Wesley, then allow him to weave in and out of future stories whenever the producers are in the mood for a cameo.

This re-watch of "Journey's End" comes to me at an interesting time.  I'm in the midst of a deep dive with North American Indigenous music at the moment, searching way beyond the Smithsonian Folkways-style recordings of traditional musicians.  There are, in fact, numerous Indigenous musicians in various genres trying to make it in the biz right now.  That's the part stories like "Journey's End" miss.  Indigenous cultures are neither dead nor lost.  Nor are they stuck in 19th-century period costume.  While certainly marginalized by the dominant white culture, Indigenous nations live and breathe right now.  An interesting discovery I've made in my exploration: most of the artists who've attained a certain level of success are Canadian, speaking to the greater visibility of such cultures north of the border.

I think Halluci Nation is my favorite find.  See their song "Electric Pow Wow Drum" here.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Tom Jackson played the role of Lakanta, a Dorvan colonist who turns out to be the Traveler in disguise.  Jackson was born October 27, 1948 in One Arrow Reserve, Saskatchewan, Canada.  He dropped out of high school at 15 and lived on the streets of Winnipeg for a few years.  Eventually, he found his way into acting.

Most of Jackson's work has been in Canada (like I was just saying...).  Television credits include Shining Time Station, North of 60 and Sullivan's Crossing.  Films include Grizzly Falls, Skinwalkers and Cold Pursuit.  In Canada, he's probably best-known as the creator and host of the long-running, touring charity holiday concert series, Huron Carole.  He holds numerous national honors, including the Order of Canada.

Squid Mixes: Cider Battle VII

Wit's Up (WU), a Citizen Cider offering, was the newcomer in this battle.  It's definitely drier than its opponent, Unified Press (UP), Citizen Cider's flagship product.  Here we go...

Citizen Cider Unified Press vs. Citizen Cider Wit's Up

First, the Swizzle comparison.  Here, the sweeter UP has a clear advantage.  The WU simply doesn't bring enough flavor to the party.

Winner, Swizzle Category: Citizen Cider Unified Press

Sipping is another matter, at least for me.  I appreciate the drier flavor.  The WU goes down easy (too easy?).  It advertises as more ale-like.  I'm not sure I agree with that but it might explain my preference as a beer drinker.  My wife, however, still prefers the UP.  She wants a more apple-y flavor from her cider, understandably, and in this, the UP is superior.

Winner and Still Champion, Sipping Category, Her Preference: Citizen Cider Unified Press

Winner, Sipping Category, His Preference: Citizen Cider Wit's Up

On the Coffee Table: Wine

Title: Wine: A Graphic History

Writer: Benoist Simmat

Artist: Daniel Casanave

via Amazon

As advertised, Wine presents a micro-history of one of the world's favorite beverages.  Simmat and Casanave take us from the early Neolithic era to 21st century visions for the future of the industry, covering all six inhabited continents.  Every technological advance along the way is thoughtfully explained.  The book is thorough, informative and highly readable.  I'm grateful for the glimpses of countries I wouldn't have thought of as having long wine histories: Uzbekistan, for instance.  

A thought about micro-histories in general and each makes a case for its subject "changing the world."  It occurred to me with Wine that it's not so much the product that has changed things.  The broader enterprise of trade is what drives change.  English merchants invented the sealed bottle, allowing the aging for which wine is now prized.  But they didn't do it to improve the product, rather to make it easier to ship.  Similarly, they added sugar syrup to the wines of the Champagne region as a preservative.  The resulting bubbles were a highly marketable side benefit.

I have gripes with the artwork.  While technically proficient, the images include both gratuitous female nudity and questionable depictions of non-white cultures, particularly the Japanese.  It's a shame, detracting from the sophisticated text.  I'd definitely be interested in similar books but let's work on being a little more respectful, gentlemen.

Star Trek: Blood Oath

Episode: "Blood Oath"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 2, Episode 19

Original Air Date: March 27, 1994

via Memory Alpha

Three Klingon warriors arrive at the station in search of their old friend, Curzon Dax.  Rather surprised to find Jadzia instead, they reluctantly include her in fulfilling a blood oath made by her predecessor.  Together, they seek revenge upon "The Albino," a criminal who had killed each of the warriors' firstborn sons.

At first glance, "Blood Oath" is a Dax story, raising interesting questions about a Trill host's obligations to previous hosts, not to mention the broader moral questions of vengeful murder.  But these aren't just any old Klingon warriors.  Each is a character from Star Trek's original series - indeed, each reprised by the original actor.  Kor (John Colicos) was the first-named Klingon of the franchise, introduced in "Errand of Mercy."  Koloth (William Campbell) first appeared in "The Trouble with Tribbles."  Kang (Michael Ansara) debuted in "Day of the Dove."  In hindsight, focusing on Jadzia development might have been the wiser move.  She works hard to prove herself worthy to each of the Klingons in turn (and ultimately, the audience?).  Her exchanges with Commander Sisko and Kira are also revealing, especially Kira's chilling confessions about the psychological impact of taking a life.  Actress Terry Farrell loves the episode and from the perspective of her character, that's understandable.

Unfortunately, the Klingon reunion narrative falls flat, though it's difficult to pinpoint why.  In the original series, each of the warriors was introduced as an adversary.  Perhaps we're not given enough time to be reacquainted with them as friends in order to feel sympathy in their quest for revenge.  Maybe we resent them for bringing out an ugly side of Jadzia.  Alternatively, the success of the story could be too dependent on the in-joke of bringing them all back.  To be honest, I didn't get the gimmick the first time we watched.  Or maybe the writing, beyond the Dax elements, simply isn't strong.  

It's a shame that two of the three warriors, Koloth and Kang, are killed off.  Star Trek had changed so much in 30 years - over 100 years in-universe - that it would have been fun to see more of them in an updated context.  Kor will be back and that's as it should be.  Of the three, he is the most intriguing character (and the strongest actor) in the episode.

Acting Notes

via Avatar Wiki

Bill Bolender (The Albino) was born November 14, 1940 in Chicago.  He had a recurring role on JAG as well as guest appearances on NYPD Blue, Alias and Deadwood.  Films include JFK, Reality Bites and Nixon.  Bolender's long-term legacy is secure thanks to his portrayal of the unforgettable Elmo Blatch in The Shawshank Redemption.

Squid Mixes: Gotham Cocktail

A Gotham Cocktail combines cognac, dry vermouth, creme de cassis and lemon juice with a lemon twist for garnish.  I got the recipe from Gary Regan's The Joy of Mixology when my wife asked for something with lemon juice.  Regan got it from David Wondrich who invented it for the debut of Gotham magazine, thus the name.  Any Batman associations are coincidental.

The drink is definitely on the sweeter side.  I would describe the flavor as dark raisiny, probably thanks mostly to the cassis.  There's a slight smokiness, too, perhaps from the vermouth.  There actually isn't much of the lemon juice - only two dashes.  Not sure that's enough to supply much.  It might be interesting to try the same mixture without the lemon side by side with Wondrich's original.