I finally got on the bandwagon and watched Stranger Things. Yes, all of it. And now I’m watching it again. It’s even better the second time and, unless you stop reading RIGHT NOW, I’m going to tell you why.
The acting is just plain super, from the littlest kid to the Chief of Police (If I ever got married again, it would be to Hopper. Not the guy who plays Hopper; the character.) The people who are terrified look like they’re fucking terrified, not like they’re playing people who look terrified. The next best acting of terror I’ve ever seen was Faye Wray in the original King Kong — You know, when she’s tethered between those poles and she hears Kong coming?
Me, I’m enchanted by actors who can show a play of emotion without moving a muscle, not even in their faces. But you can SEE what they’re thinking, even so. That’s this cast.
I love the writing. Yes, it’s peril peril peril peril peril, but all the characters interact and grow and come to realize and value their own strengths. That isn’t easy writing, especially with a cast this large, ranging from 10 to however old that curly-headed doctor is.
The dialog is great. It doesn’t try to be too cute, and it includes body language. You can see Dustin in the background, out of focus, gesticulating, and you know exactly what he’s saying.
I love how people you think are douchebags turn out to be reliable and courageous. I like how everybody becomes part of The Party, even though the original Party were the members of a D&D team.
And the DETAILS! A lot of them I didn’t notice, the first time around. One example: When you first glimpse Hopper’s telephone (this takes place back in the rotary phone days), it’s held together with duct tape. When you see his anger issues, you understand. Another example: When people pack things into cardboard boxes, the boxes are beat-up, with the flaps already bent, how you do, and straggles of packing tape on them — USED.
And Season 4 is coming….
So here are my nails this week. I don’t have a Stranger Things nail stamping plate, so I had to make do with plates I have. If you’ve seen the show, you can probably figure out what each nail represents. I’m sorry if my nail pictures are blurry lately: I need my glasses changed and I can’t tell if they’re really blurry or just look blurry to me.


Polishes:
- Gold: Born Pretty’s In Fire
- White: Maniology’s Bam! White
- Black: Maniology’s Straight Up Black
- Red: Maniology’s Fireside
- Silver: Maniology’s So Metal
I also use Sharpies to do the fireworks, Christmas lights, and the design on the left thumb. Working quickly, you color the design in the plate with Sharpie(s), put metallic polish on the plate, scrape it, pick it up, and transfer it. You have to work quickly, or the color dries up. A base coat of black works best, and I’ve had best luck with silver as the metallic.
Plates:
- Elvish script and electric plugs: MoYou London’s Geek Collection – 05
- 011: Beauty Big Bang’s BBB-011 — Beautiful plate, but I only used the number.
- Russian domes: Beauty Big Bang’s BeautyBigBang XL-070
- Christmas lights: Maniology’s M081
- Letters: Maniology M071
- White stuff drifting in black: Maniology’s Classic Beauty BM-XL355
- Fireworks: Maniology’s M042
- Compass: Maniology’s MXM057 (that one may be for Maxi X Me members only)
- Sailboat: Maniology’s BM-S401 (an old plate from when Maniology was Bundle Monster)
- Design on left thumb: Maniology’s (Bundle Monster’s) BM-XL474
And remember:

A WRITING PROMPT FROM ME TO YOU: Write about unlikely friends.
MA
RAAckerman@Cerebrations.biz
July 26, 2021 at 4:43pmI am Netflix deprived, so I am unfamiliar with this item. Do love the nails.
Dan Antion
July 26, 2021 at 7:56amThose are pretty fancy nails!
Marian Allen
July 26, 2021 at 8:31amEach one is a Stranger Things reference. Love that show so much!
Dan Antion
July 26, 2021 at 8:36amI’m not familiar, but they are cool.