Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar Day 21: Slavish Devotion.

It's day 20 of our trudging slog through the brown plains of the Lego Star War Advent calendar where confused parents and their crying children carefully examine each bewildering gift with a growing sense of dread. Too dramatic? I don't even care any more!

I guess we have to open Door Number 21...

Jurassic Park Playmobil Advent Calendar Day 21: Reflecting.

It's day 21 of our insane descent into the heady world of the Playmobil Jurassic Park advent calendar, where our lustsick hero, Dr. Ian Goldblum has been trying to patch things up with obsessive neat freak Laura Derp. She was about to leave but today's gift might just be the intervention that Goldblum needs!

Let's open Door Number 21 and answer all these stupid questions!

The Unheard 13 of 2013: Day 11: St. Lucia - "Call Me Up"

I wasn't a big fan of Haim's album at all. I got the retro style thing they were doing, but it didn't appeal to me. St. Lucia's album, though, really spoke to me. I wasn't really much of a Peter Gabriel/Paul Simon fan, but this album is right in that wheelhouse, offering a really unique-sounding album unlike anything else I'd heard this year. I nearly put the album in my top 10 this year, but I couldn't justify putting other things below, so here's one of my favorite offerings from the album instead, "Call Me Up."

St. Lucia has a website here.

Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2013 Day 20: Benmobile.

It's day 20 of our vaguely disappointing trek through the Lego Star Wars advent calendar. You know what's difficult? Writing 20 introductions for what usually turns out to be a blocky obscure vehicle or a weapon rack. What the hell do you people want from me? What am I going to say? OH MAYBE IT WILL BE AN EXCITING EWOK ELF TODAY WIELDING A LIGHTSABER CANDY CANE! We all know that's a lie! How much longer are we going to keep kidding ourselves? GODDAMMIT LET'S JUST OPEN THE FRIGGING DOOR!

Door Number 20. I'm coming for you.

Jurassic Park Playmobil Advent Calendar Day 20: Michelangelo.

It's day 20 of our overwrought adventure within the Jurassic Park Playmobil adventure calendar and yesterday - despite an obviously crappy gift - things started to explode. Our hornbag hero, Dr. Ian Goldblum confronted estranged love interest, Laura Derp, about her obsessive compulsive habit of tidying the island by putting its smallest critters in Tupperware containers. Derp naturally took offense, and immediately packed her suitcase and was about to leave (somehow). Did she go through with her threat?

Let's open Door Number 20 and see...

The Unheard 13 of 2013: Day 10: Caitlin Rose - "Only a Clown"

Caitlin Rose is an alt-country artist I picked up an album from very cheaply a few years ago and really enjoyed it. She put out a new album, The Stand-In, and it was even better than her first. There are a few songs I considered picking from this album, but I decided to go along with the poppiest of them all, "Only a Clown," that sounds a lot like a classic Kathleen Edwards track in many regards.

Interesting tidbit: a song from the new album was apparently performed on Nashville this past season, which is just...weird.

Caitlin Rose's website is here.

Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar Day 19: Been There, Done That.

It's day 19 of our bumpy ride through the Star Wars Lego advent calendar - which actually gave us a very cool biker scout yesterday, causing my old heart to grow three sizes in my chest. But Lego loves following up something great with something truly dreadful...

So let's carefully pry open Door Number 19 and see what we've got...

Jurassic Park Playmobil Advent Calendar Day 19: Pack it Up.

It's day 19 of our emotional tryst in the Jurassic Park Playmobil advent calendar where our horny protagonist, Dr. Ian Goldblum (harbinger of chaos) has been reunited with obsessive complusive neat-freak love interest, Laura Derp (enforcer of order). They've been avoiding an awkward conversation for days now, but it's time to finally have it out!

Let's open Door Number 19 and see what goes down...

Book Review: S by JJ Abrams and Doug Dorst

I remember reading some column earlier this year about being older and not having your mind blown as often when it comes to music or books or general experiences because you've gotten so much experience and so much time with your surroundings that it becomes more difficult to be fully impressed. I found that pretty compelling, in part because it's true - my own personal mental exhaustion on a lot of things I used to have all sorts of energy for back in the day has certainly made it harder for me to truly be wowed by something the way, say, Kid A or High Fidelity or Sideways resonated with me years earlier.

I've read well over 300 books this year. A few, most notably Night Film and 2012's The Mirage, really impressed me beyond being simply enjoyable reads, but nothing I've read for quite some time has really stuck with me in a while.

Then came S. The product of a collaboration between media mastermind JJ Abrams and author Doug Dorst, it's a love letter to research, to conspiracy theories, to actual physical books. It's pretty brilliant.

Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2013 Day 18: Great Minds Ride a Bike.

It's Day 18 of the roller coaster ride that is the Lego Star Wars advent calendar. Sometimes we're sneaking a kiss from Princess Leia but more often than not we're being strangled by a dianoga in a pit of shit. Will today gives us New Hope? Or will it be another Attack of the blocky brown Clones? 

Let's tear open Door Number 18 to see what we got...

The Unheard 13 of 2013: Day 9: T. Hardy Morris - "Disaster Proof"

The band Dead Confederate had a modest hit a few years ago with "The Rat," and I can't say I remember much else that they did past that. The lead singer, however, put out a solo album this year and I decided to give it a whirl. It's got a nice indie rock attitude about it, it was a surprisingly excellent experience. The best song on the album, for sure, is "Disaster Proof," a rocking number that doesn't waste any time getting going.

His website is available here.

Jurassic Park Playmobil Advent Calendar Day 18: Order.

It's Day 18 of our tumultuous trek into the tension-filled Jurassic Park Playmobil advent calendar where a grand soap opera is unfolding before our incredulous eyes. The sex-crazed, anarchic Dr. Ian Goldblum - an agent of chaos - has been reunited with estranged love interest, Laura Derp - an angel of order - and things haven't gone according to plan. He's been unsuccessfully trying to get some alone time with her to patch up the past, but she's more interested in tidying up the island, placing its tiny inhabitants neatly in Tupperware containers. Oh... and a horny raptor is stalking Ian.

Let's open Door Number 18 to see what happens next!

The Unheard 13 of 2013: Day 8: Laura Veirs - "That Alice"

I have been a fan of Laura Veirs for some time. She does a lot of interesting indie folk music, and she put out a new album this year that...I didn't love. I don't know what it was that didn't grab me, but it didn't hit me the same way a lot of her music does. It did, however, have one significant standout track, a biographical tale of Alice Coltrane, wife of John Coltrane, entitled "That Alice." The song is a pretty straightforward narrative, and it's a rocking, rollicking adventure as opposed to the atmospheric folky sounds that Veirs typically does.

Laura Veirs's website is here.

The Book Was Better Episode 72: Santa With Muscles Novelization Challenge! (with Jessica, Lizzy and Courtney!)

This week, after 70 plus episodes of making fun of movie novelizations, we are actually attempting to write our own in the first ever Book Was Better Novelization Challenge! I'm joined by BWB favourites Lizzy Unpronounceable, Courtney Coulson and original host Jessica McLeod! And to celebrate the holidays we're taking Hulk Hogan's Christmas classic Santa With Muscles (which, to our knowledge, has never had a tie-in book!) and we are writing our own original chapters! Do we have what it takes to write a crappy book-of-the-film? Find out as we read and hear each other's work for the very first time!

This is the final episode of BWB for the year, until we return in mid to late January - and it's also our biggest episode yet! Have a safe and fun break and thank you for all your support!

You can download it right now from the official site!

Or why not subscribe to us on iTunes and join the conversation in our friendly Facebook group!

Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar Day 17: Cruisin'.

It's day 17 of our sometimes exciting, often sleep-inducing trek into the Lego Star Wars advent calendar which continues its inexplicable love affair with sand-hating, stalker love story: Attack of the Clones. So if you're one of the three AOTC fans then brace yourself for fun! Otherwise... I'm so sorry.

Let's blast open Door Number 17 and see what we got!

Jurassic Park Playmobil Advent Calendar Day 17: Tupperware.

It's day 17 of our drama-drenched jaunt into the Jurassic Park Playmobil Advent Calendar, where a very unlikely love triangle has begun to form. Our swarthy protagonist, Dr. Ian Goldblum was being stalked by an infatuated and lusty raptor when his estranged love interest and research assistant, Laura Derp, made a surprise appearance in Serpent Satan's forbidden garden. What will happen now?

Let's peek into Door Number 17 and find out...

The Unheard 13 of 2013: Day 7: Tristen - "No One's Gonna Know"

My friend and co-blogger over at my music blog If It's Too Loud got me absolutely addicted to Tristen a few years ago. She did a sort of indie alt-country thing and it worked so well. She Kickstarted a new album late last year, and the new album is a strong departure from what we're used to. Lots of synthesizers and keyboards, and more poppy melodies to go along with them. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is different, and sometimes different can be good.

Tristen's website can be found here.

FPcast! The Fruitless Pursuits Podcast for December 16th 2013! Go Go Zilla!

This week we pull apart the new Godzilla, Terminator 5, The Legend of Hercules, Edge of Tomorrow, Disney's Descendants and a weird book where you get to colour in Channing Tatum. Plus bonus Storytime where Courtney tells us all about the multi-eyed hierarchy of angels! Shove it in your face!

Download here! (Click to save, right-click to stream).

Or subscribe to us on iTunes!

Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2013 Day 16: Racked With Guilt.

It's day 16 of our frustrating love affair with the Lego Star Wars advent calendar which keeps mixing welcome snuggles with punches to the gut. Yesterday was a highlight, as we were graced with the hideous horse-like maw of a Geonosian warrior. But it is rare that we ever receive two great things in a row, so if I were you, I'd brace for the worst...

Let's pry open Door Number 16 and see if I'm right....

Jurassic Park Playmobil Advent Calendar Day 16: Hear Me Roar.

It's day 16 of our sexual-tension-filled romp into the steamy jungles of the Jurassic Park Playmobil advent calendar, where our protagonist, Dr. Ian Goldblum, has been staring a raptor in the face for months now, wondering whether he should murder or make love to it. Well today all that nonsense is coming to an end!

Let's open Door Number 16 to find out why!

Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2013 Day 15: Geodude.

It's Day 15 of our descent into the inconsistent madness of the Lego Star Wars advent calendar whose quality swings wilder than a blind man playing baseball. Sometimes it's smiles. Sometimes it's frowns. Mostly in baffling blocky renditions of obscure vehicles from Attack of the Clones. Although today my ADVENTure sense is tingling. Yesterday we received the Geonosian Starfighter (which looked like a chocolate crocodile) and I think that was a big clue to what we might be getting today.

Let's open Door Number 15 and see if I am right...

Jurassic Park Playmobil Advent Calendar Day 15: Waiting.

It's day 15 of our sexy romp into the teeming Playmobil Jurassic Park advent calendar, which took a tense break yesterday as our indecisive hero, Dr. Ian Goldblum, stood staring into the eyes of a lusty raptor for many months, trying to figure out whether to kill it or kiss it. Will he finally reach a decision today or is our adventure already over?

Let's crack open Door Number 15 and see for ourselves!