Scott Pilgrim 5 is good. And frustrating. But mostly good. The penultimate volume sets things for the final stage and certainly leaves you wishing you had book 6 right now. It's nice to see Scott growing up some. Looks like it's Ramona's turn. Or possibly not.
We finally got around to seeing The Dark Knight. Heath Ledger did indeed do an amazing job as the Joker. The movie's good as well. Too long, but that seems to be the trend these days. They had a great cast and the plot was fun. I can certainly see the inspiration they took from The Killing Joke. On a Batman related note, the Neil Gaiman Batman story is out and it's awesome so far. Alfred's story is truly a thing of beauty. I liked Selena's as well, but Alfred's was brilliant.
We're winding up Psych season 1 as season 3 just came to a close. Still a great show. Most of the TV we're watching is winding down. Leverage just wrapped up season 1, Burn Notice should be pretty close, I think House is either over or just about over as well. We'll still give Dollhouse a try (in spite of missing episode 2, stupid Fox affiliate) and I think Eureka is about due back as well.
Other than that, things are pretty quiet. Girl Scout cookies are about to take over the house in anticipation of being delivered. And I managed to snag a couple advance reader copies of random things. Sorry littlest sis, still no sign of Hale.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Greater Somalia
Really, I'm not a meme freak. But the ones that let me be creative or sarcastic. Well, ok, I'm a sucker for them. So, dude, we're getting the band back together.
Go start your own band:
1 - Go to Wikipedia. Hit "random" or click this. The first random Wikipedia article that comes up is the name of your band.
2 - Go to Quotations Page and select "random quotations" or click that. The last four or five words of the very LAST quote on the page is the title of your first album.
3 - Go to Flickr and click on "explore the last seven days" or click here. The third picture in the top row, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
4 - Use PhotoShop or whatever to put it all together.
So yeah, photo from some person over at flickr. And so on. This was (I think) the second album I threw together, but whatever. It was fun and I'll do it again. Mwa ha ha ha.
As you were.
Go start your own band:
1 - Go to Wikipedia. Hit "random" or click this. The first random Wikipedia article that comes up is the name of your band.
2 - Go to Quotations Page and select "random quotations" or click that. The last four or five words of the very LAST quote on the page is the title of your first album.
3 - Go to Flickr and click on "explore the last seven days" or click here. The third picture in the top row, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
4 - Use PhotoShop or whatever to put it all together.
So yeah, photo from some person over at flickr. And so on. This was (I think) the second album I threw together, but whatever. It was fun and I'll do it again. Mwa ha ha ha.
As you were.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Recently consumed
Been a bit and we've managed to go through a few new things. So on with that show.
Peeps was great. It's a fun twist on the vampire mythology that bothers to pay its dues (there is no sparkling here people) while offering something new. Every other chapter gives you a lovely look at the parasites that make our world so interesting. Little sis would probably find the discussion of Crohn's interesting. Although I think we talked about it already. At any rate, if you've liked any of Westerfeld's other books, you'll like this one. So far he's batting 1000 for me. I've liked everything of his I've read. He's got a really easy-going style that tends to drag me in.
The Fall is a rather pretty movie that hides a pretty serious story through some really nice visuals. It's the story of a story told by one of the first stuntmen to a little girl. I won't go into more detail than that. But if you run across it, give it a go. You could certainly do worse.
Coloretto is the card game that Zooloretto was loosely based on. Ran across a reasonably priced copy and picked it up. And am very glad I did. We passed a pretty fun weekend playing this and Jungle Speed (which I'll talk about next). It's basically a collection game in which you want to collect more cards of certain colors. There are 7 colors in the game (normally, depending on number of players) and you will get to add points to your score for collecting 3 of them. But you have to deduct points for cards collected in any of the other colors. On your turn you'll either draw a card and place it in a row, or take one of the rows of cards on the table (it's this draw/place or take mechanic that was used in Zooloretto). You get to mess with the other players by placing colors they won't want in rows that they will. Pretty fun. Given the choice between the two Coloretto might come out a little ahead as it's simpler and certainly easier to set up. They're both good though.
The aforementioned Jungle Speed is much like spoons. You place a little wooden idol in the middle of the table, divvy up the cards and then take turns turning them over one by one. When a match is turned over or a special action card shows up you're most likely going to be grabbing for the idol. The trick is the symbols on the cards are very similar in a lot of instances and if you grab at the wrong time you'll be collecting lots of cards. This is bad. You don't want cards. Cards no good. No cards good. This is a great game for a group of friends that will most likely end in bloodshed and tears. And possibly lumps from the wooden idol that you're either throwing at someone or hitting yourself in the head with as you realize you've once again picked it up at the wrong time. Highly recommended. Supposedly there will be an expansion with all new symbols in case you get too good at recognizing the deck it comes with.
Samba de Amigo for the Wii is a port of the old Dreamcast game. You use the remotes as maracas and shake your way through some 40 latin tinged tunes. Shake shake shake... Also highly recommended. This game is great. And will be forever referred to as the "shake shake" game as it is dubbed by G.
And honestly I'm probably forgetting some things. We had a pretty good holiday weekend. Went and visited our friends up in Garland for our annual trip. Much gaming and visiting was had. And the kids managed to get along. I think there were only a few air hockey inspired arguments/accidents. We played some Rock Band along with the other games. As well as some Mario Kart Wii I may need to pick that game up if I can find it cheap. It's growing on me.
In other news, little sis will be having a girl (as mentioned on her blog linked over yonder). She was sorely disappointed, but now she can name her Krystal Pepsi and seek an endorsement. I'm sure Pepsi will go for it.
And, yeah, I think that's about enough for now.
Peeps was great. It's a fun twist on the vampire mythology that bothers to pay its dues (there is no sparkling here people) while offering something new. Every other chapter gives you a lovely look at the parasites that make our world so interesting. Little sis would probably find the discussion of Crohn's interesting. Although I think we talked about it already. At any rate, if you've liked any of Westerfeld's other books, you'll like this one. So far he's batting 1000 for me. I've liked everything of his I've read. He's got a really easy-going style that tends to drag me in.
The Fall is a rather pretty movie that hides a pretty serious story through some really nice visuals. It's the story of a story told by one of the first stuntmen to a little girl. I won't go into more detail than that. But if you run across it, give it a go. You could certainly do worse.
Coloretto is the card game that Zooloretto was loosely based on. Ran across a reasonably priced copy and picked it up. And am very glad I did. We passed a pretty fun weekend playing this and Jungle Speed (which I'll talk about next). It's basically a collection game in which you want to collect more cards of certain colors. There are 7 colors in the game (normally, depending on number of players) and you will get to add points to your score for collecting 3 of them. But you have to deduct points for cards collected in any of the other colors. On your turn you'll either draw a card and place it in a row, or take one of the rows of cards on the table (it's this draw/place or take mechanic that was used in Zooloretto). You get to mess with the other players by placing colors they won't want in rows that they will. Pretty fun. Given the choice between the two Coloretto might come out a little ahead as it's simpler and certainly easier to set up. They're both good though.
The aforementioned Jungle Speed is much like spoons. You place a little wooden idol in the middle of the table, divvy up the cards and then take turns turning them over one by one. When a match is turned over or a special action card shows up you're most likely going to be grabbing for the idol. The trick is the symbols on the cards are very similar in a lot of instances and if you grab at the wrong time you'll be collecting lots of cards. This is bad. You don't want cards. Cards no good. No cards good. This is a great game for a group of friends that will most likely end in bloodshed and tears. And possibly lumps from the wooden idol that you're either throwing at someone or hitting yourself in the head with as you realize you've once again picked it up at the wrong time. Highly recommended. Supposedly there will be an expansion with all new symbols in case you get too good at recognizing the deck it comes with.
Samba de Amigo for the Wii is a port of the old Dreamcast game. You use the remotes as maracas and shake your way through some 40 latin tinged tunes. Shake shake shake... Also highly recommended. This game is great. And will be forever referred to as the "shake shake" game as it is dubbed by G.
And honestly I'm probably forgetting some things. We had a pretty good holiday weekend. Went and visited our friends up in Garland for our annual trip. Much gaming and visiting was had. And the kids managed to get along. I think there were only a few air hockey inspired arguments/accidents. We played some Rock Band along with the other games. As well as some Mario Kart Wii I may need to pick that game up if I can find it cheap. It's growing on me.
In other news, little sis will be having a girl (as mentioned on her blog linked over yonder). She was sorely disappointed, but now she can name her Krystal Pepsi and seek an endorsement. I'm sure Pepsi will go for it.
And, yeah, I think that's about enough for now.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Chrono Leaping
Watched The Girl Who Leapt through Time last night. Aside from having one of the best DVD menus around, the film itself is also quite good. It's an animated film (from Japan, anime yadda yadda) but don't let that get in the way. It's a pretty fun look at that time in your life when you realize that the friend you hang out with might be dating material. And what do you do about it? Do they like me too?! Wait, maybe I don't like them that way! Aaaaaa! That and some great uses of time travel. Including pudding. That's right! Time travel for pudding - there is no greater cause. Admittedly the end is a little lacking in closure, but don't let that spoil it. PUDDING! I cannot stress this enough people.
I'm very close to finishing Peeps. It is great. That is all. For now.
G has acquired a white toy alligator. Or crocodile. I forget which. But it is apparently his new obsession. I guess as long as it's a reptile, it's worth being interested in.
I'm very close to finishing Peeps. It is great. That is all. For now.
G has acquired a white toy alligator. Or crocodile. I forget which. But it is apparently his new obsession. I guess as long as it's a reptile, it's worth being interested in.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Eagles, Pandas, Race Car Drivers
Took the kids to see the eagles at Farmington Bay (the birds, not the band). Apparently around this time every year the carp die off and the eagles come to feed. Got to see quite a few of them hanging out. Also saw some kestrels hunting. That was pretty neat. They do this hovering thing right before they dive or move to a slightly different spot. It was pretty impressive. Kids had fun and the weather actually co-operated.
Watched Kung Fu Panda and Speed Racer. Both were excellent. Kung Fu Panda was fairly typical, but pretty funny nonetheless. Good cast, nice animation. Definitely worth watching. Speed Racer had some pretty distinct visuals. The first half was up and down, but the last half was pretty great. A little busy, but certainly fun. Much like Tokyo Drift the quality is directly proportional to the amount of time spent in a car. And the ninja fight was great.
Long weekend coming up. That's nice. Long weekends are good.
Ran through The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya again. Love that show.
Been reading some Lovecraft. Makes me want to play Arkham Horror or maybe Call of Cthulhu. I'd really like to try some of those Lovevraft inspired RPG's.
Helped favorite niece come up with a limerick. Used to write those pretty frequently. They're still fun. She had to write far too many poems though. And this from someone that likes poetry. I should really get back into haiku...
Watched Kung Fu Panda and Speed Racer. Both were excellent. Kung Fu Panda was fairly typical, but pretty funny nonetheless. Good cast, nice animation. Definitely worth watching. Speed Racer had some pretty distinct visuals. The first half was up and down, but the last half was pretty great. A little busy, but certainly fun. Much like Tokyo Drift the quality is directly proportional to the amount of time spent in a car. And the ninja fight was great.
Long weekend coming up. That's nice. Long weekends are good.
Ran through The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya again. Love that show.
Been reading some Lovecraft. Makes me want to play Arkham Horror or maybe Call of Cthulhu. I'd really like to try some of those Lovevraft inspired RPG's.
Helped favorite niece come up with a limerick. Used to write those pretty frequently. They're still fun. She had to write far too many poems though. And this from someone that likes poetry. I should really get back into haiku...
Thursday, February 05, 2009
25 Flights of Fancy
So there's another dreaded meme running around, spawned from the lower depths of Facebook. A place I refuse to tread. It's one of those "Hey, tell us 25 random facts about yourself" type memes. Boring. As if the internet cares about 25 random facts about you. It's probably far too easy to find that many just using Google. (All apologies to little sis who bothered to succumb to said meme. ^_^)
Anyway, John Scalzi of Whatever and book type fame altered the meme over at his AMC column so that it covered 25 Sci Fi movie facts. This is a good idea. Although I probably can't come up with 25 just using Sci Fi as a medium, so I will probably include some Fantasy, some Horror, eh whatever strikes my fancy.
1. I can't recall the first Sci Fi movie I ever saw. Brain cells don't track that stuff. Same goes for books. And the other mentioned genres.
2. The first Horror movie I ever saw (well the first one that was rated R and was viewed without any sort of parental consent) was most likely My Bloody Valentine. The original. Gave me nightmares.
3. I was afraid to walk to the bathroom at the end of the hall after seeing that movie. I had to go past the stairs. And it was dark. And there were, you know, homicidal maniacs out there ready to get me. And I was maybe 10.
4. There is no number 4. Which is a real answer. I've said too much.
5. Star Wars A New Hope (epsiode 4 if you must) isn't really that good. Loved it when I was a kid. Grew out of it. It's hard to watch now. Sorry my generation.
6. I am secretly afraid to watch The Empire Strikes Back for fear that it isn't as good as I remember either. It was my favorite. It's got to still be good...
7. I suspect I like Alien 3 more than Aliens. I'm not sure where to rank Alien. They're all such different movies.
8. Alien is probably technically better, Aliens is a little more fun to watch. Alien 3 still better than that.
9. Which is very similar to my feelings about 2001 and 2010. The first is an absolutely brilliant piece of film. That's not great to watch. The second is more fun to watch, but not nearly as brilliant.
10. I like The Hobbit far more than The Lord of the Rings.
11. I'm not really alone in that opinion.
12. Dark Star is secretly awesome.
13. The Fantasy Lit class I took in college taught me to love Legend.
14. And mushrooms.
15. I'm becomingnot so slowly convinced that Americans have forgotten how to make a good horror film.
16. Zombies > Werewolves > Vampires
17. I'm not convinced CGI has made Sci Fi movies better. Prettier certainly, but not necessarily better.
18. I'm waiting for American animation to realize that we're not all kids any more. Pixar is a good start. Still miles behind Japan though.
19. I'm ... pretty indifferent on the book vs. movie thing. They both have their place. It will probably boil down to how much time I have and which I encountered first. Probably.
20. Eh, who am I kidding, the book is always better.
21. Except when it's not.
22. I spent a weekend at a D&D convention when I was a teenager. I'm not really sure what my parents were thinking. I'm glad they let me go though, it was fun. Throw the Gnome in.
23. Where is my car that drives itself?!
24. I'm pretty good at ignoring plot holes and gaps in scientific reasoning and just enjoying the ride. My suspension of disbelief goes up to 11 baby.
25. Except for Terminator 2. How the hell did the T1000 travel back in time? Should not have happened.
So, yeah, there you go, a walk through my genre memories. Where is Scott Pilgrim 5?!
Anyway, John Scalzi of Whatever and book type fame altered the meme over at his AMC column so that it covered 25 Sci Fi movie facts. This is a good idea. Although I probably can't come up with 25 just using Sci Fi as a medium, so I will probably include some Fantasy, some Horror, eh whatever strikes my fancy.
1. I can't recall the first Sci Fi movie I ever saw. Brain cells don't track that stuff. Same goes for books. And the other mentioned genres.
2. The first Horror movie I ever saw (well the first one that was rated R and was viewed without any sort of parental consent) was most likely My Bloody Valentine. The original. Gave me nightmares.
3. I was afraid to walk to the bathroom at the end of the hall after seeing that movie. I had to go past the stairs. And it was dark. And there were, you know, homicidal maniacs out there ready to get me. And I was maybe 10.
4. There is no number 4. Which is a real answer. I've said too much.
5. Star Wars A New Hope (epsiode 4 if you must) isn't really that good. Loved it when I was a kid. Grew out of it. It's hard to watch now. Sorry my generation.
6. I am secretly afraid to watch The Empire Strikes Back for fear that it isn't as good as I remember either. It was my favorite. It's got to still be good...
7. I suspect I like Alien 3 more than Aliens. I'm not sure where to rank Alien. They're all such different movies.
8. Alien is probably technically better, Aliens is a little more fun to watch. Alien 3 still better than that.
9. Which is very similar to my feelings about 2001 and 2010. The first is an absolutely brilliant piece of film. That's not great to watch. The second is more fun to watch, but not nearly as brilliant.
10. I like The Hobbit far more than The Lord of the Rings.
11. I'm not really alone in that opinion.
12. Dark Star is secretly awesome.
13. The Fantasy Lit class I took in college taught me to love Legend.
14. And mushrooms.
15. I'm becoming
16. Zombies > Werewolves > Vampires
17. I'm not convinced CGI has made Sci Fi movies better. Prettier certainly, but not necessarily better.
18. I'm waiting for American animation to realize that we're not all kids any more. Pixar is a good start. Still miles behind Japan though.
19. I'm ... pretty indifferent on the book vs. movie thing. They both have their place. It will probably boil down to how much time I have and which I encountered first. Probably.
20. Eh, who am I kidding, the book is always better.
21. Except when it's not.
22. I spent a weekend at a D&D convention when I was a teenager. I'm not really sure what my parents were thinking. I'm glad they let me go though, it was fun. Throw the Gnome in.
23. Where is my car that drives itself?!
24. I'm pretty good at ignoring plot holes and gaps in scientific reasoning and just enjoying the ride. My suspension of disbelief goes up to 11 baby.
25. Except for Terminator 2. How the hell did the T1000 travel back in time? Should not have happened.
So, yeah, there you go, a walk through my genre memories. Where is Scott Pilgrim 5?!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Fairy Tales
I just finished reading The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling, her little collection of fairy tales that play a role in Deathly Hollows. It started off a little slow and pedestrian, but by the end there were some fun pieces. I think she tried a little too hard with a couple of the stories to hit the notes that traditional fairy tales hit and point out how fairy tales morph over time and according to audience (through Dumbledore's running commentary), but there were a few that were pretty fun and might have been right at home with the Brothers Grimm.
Fairy tales are interesting little creatures. Mostly because they did morph and change over time. Back when I was in college one of the group papers I had to write dealt with the variations of Cinderella and how it changed. If you've never tracked down the original versions of some of the fairy tales you think you know, you really should. Sex and violence aren't new to prime time TV. It's often interesting to see what Disney did to those old tales (among other storytellers).
I believe there's a new annotated version of The Brothers Grimm running around that's supposed to be pretty good and it tracks some of those changes. Also worth a look.
Fairy tales are interesting little creatures. Mostly because they did morph and change over time. Back when I was in college one of the group papers I had to write dealt with the variations of Cinderella and how it changed. If you've never tracked down the original versions of some of the fairy tales you think you know, you really should. Sex and violence aren't new to prime time TV. It's often interesting to see what Disney did to those old tales (among other storytellers).
I believe there's a new annotated version of The Brothers Grimm running around that's supposed to be pretty good and it tracks some of those changes. Also worth a look.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Mythologies Monsters and possibly other things that start with "M"
I've read the next couple books in the Fall of Cthulhu series recently. Either they're not quite as trippy as the first one was or I've managed to complete the descent into madness required to be comfortable with good ol' Lovecraft's playground. I'll not comment on which scenario is more likely. At any rate, I enjoyed both The Gathering and The Gray Man. It's fun to see people playing in the sandbox Lovecraft started all those years ago. The Cthulhu Mythos is probably one of my favorites second only to some of the Norse myths. I really need to track down a good collection of Lovecraft Cthulhu stories. At any rate, I don't know that I'd recommend this series as a place to start with The Elder Gods and their dealings with us mere mortals, but if you've walked the Dreamlands before, you'll probably get a kick out of another trip.
We've been watching the second season of Psych on DVD over the last couple weeks. I really like that show. And season three is just as fun. I caught one episode of The Mentalist the other week but tend to forget it's on. Fortunately it's not really just a serious version of Psych so it has it's own little charm. And hey, Burn Notice is back as well. All our old friends are back telling new tales.
I've run across a couple websites that deal with world building lately. I suspect that would be a fun, if difficult, pastime. Some of them are D&D based and offer wiki type services and some of them are just guidelines and suggestions. I think it would be interesting to start small with a little town and then look at the world it's a part of. I'm not sure if it's easier to start on the macro or micro level.
G is completely obsessed with Super Smash Brothers Brawl on the Wii. We recently unlocked the Wind Waker version of link and he insists on fighting as little Link. Against me, not against bad guys, because he can't be little Link when we fight bad guys. (He refers to the adventure mode as fighting bad guys) It's amusing if constant.
We have recently gotten a few different items from the local bakery. They are all far too delicious and far too bad for us. But tasty, very tasty. Mousse like icing and cream cheese frosting and, well, you get the idea.
Yeah, I think that about sums it up.
We've been watching the second season of Psych on DVD over the last couple weeks. I really like that show. And season three is just as fun. I caught one episode of The Mentalist the other week but tend to forget it's on. Fortunately it's not really just a serious version of Psych so it has it's own little charm. And hey, Burn Notice is back as well. All our old friends are back telling new tales.
I've run across a couple websites that deal with world building lately. I suspect that would be a fun, if difficult, pastime. Some of them are D&D based and offer wiki type services and some of them are just guidelines and suggestions. I think it would be interesting to start small with a little town and then look at the world it's a part of. I'm not sure if it's easier to start on the macro or micro level.
G is completely obsessed with Super Smash Brothers Brawl on the Wii. We recently unlocked the Wind Waker version of link and he insists on fighting as little Link. Against me, not against bad guys, because he can't be little Link when we fight bad guys. (He refers to the adventure mode as fighting bad guys) It's amusing if constant.
We have recently gotten a few different items from the local bakery. They are all far too delicious and far too bad for us. But tasty, very tasty. Mousse like icing and cream cheese frosting and, well, you get the idea.
Yeah, I think that about sums it up.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Lost my mind (at Sea)
I forgot to mention I also read Lost at Sea by Bryan Lee O'Malley (of Scott Pilgrim fame). It too is a coming of age story dealing with that transition from High School to the world beyond and the strange creatures we are at the time. It's also an interesting read. Blankets probably comes out ahead, but Lost at Sea isn't really that far behind. This one focuses on a quiet girl whose soul was stolen by a cat and the road trip she suddenly finds herself a part of. So, you know, it's exactly like real life.
So, yeah, reading list lately has dealt with growing up and thehorrors joys that that entails. Maybe I should pass some of this along to varying relatives and see if it helps... Unlikely.
So, yeah, reading list lately has dealt with growing up and the
And the Merry Go Round Goes Round
I first heard about Blankets by Craig Thompson a few years back. I didn't know too much about it other than it was a graphic novel and dealt with love and issues of faith. Snagged a copy from the Library last night and finally got around to reading it. I can see why it's held in high regard. The art is wonderful and the story is compelling. Your first love is certainly something that leaves its mark on you and Thompson has managed to capture just about everything that goes into that experience. All while dealing with issues about family and growing up and faith and their places in life as you struggle to come to grips with who you are. This is a pretty powerful story that isn't always easy to read. If you wander across a copy give it a go.
Get Smart is a nice little spy comedy that isn't really a Get Smart movie. Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway are perfectly cast and could have made that movie, but the writers didn't quite latch on to what made the old TV show so much fun. Again, there's humor here and it's a fun little story, it's just not Maxwell Smart and Agent 99. Although they got it right once or twice. I'd say missed it by that much, but well, would you believe it was a little more than that? And I really like Dwayne Johnson for some reason (The Rock for those of you so inclined).
Rock Band 2 is fun. That is all.
I did re-read Scott Pilgrim 1-4 in anticipation of 5 and I'm a little giddy about the movie they're making. They certainly have a pretty decent cast lined up and the director seems to get it. So that's nice.
Well, that's a nice little catch up in the world of random books and movies. I've managed to actually get some exercise for the last couple weeks, so that's a plus. Wii Fit is growing on me some, although it's still a pretty mild workout. I've thrown some DDR in for variety. We'll see how long I can keep it up.
Get Smart is a nice little spy comedy that isn't really a Get Smart movie. Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway are perfectly cast and could have made that movie, but the writers didn't quite latch on to what made the old TV show so much fun. Again, there's humor here and it's a fun little story, it's just not Maxwell Smart and Agent 99. Although they got it right once or twice. I'd say missed it by that much, but well, would you believe it was a little more than that? And I really like Dwayne Johnson for some reason (The Rock for those of you so inclined).
Rock Band 2 is fun. That is all.
I did re-read Scott Pilgrim 1-4 in anticipation of 5 and I'm a little giddy about the movie they're making. They certainly have a pretty decent cast lined up and the director seems to get it. So that's nice.
Well, that's a nice little catch up in the world of random books and movies. I've managed to actually get some exercise for the last couple weeks, so that's a plus. Wii Fit is growing on me some, although it's still a pretty mild workout. I've thrown some DDR in for variety. We'll see how long I can keep it up.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Brief Elegy
Siblings have already posted their thoughts. I'm not sure I have a lot to add other than Mom is missed. I can credit her for my love of reading, my hatred of losing and lots of other little things. Few days go by where I don't think of her in some respect.
So here she is playing in the pool with Miranda. They were spinning around when this was taken and Miranda loved every minute of it. Even if the kids didn't like the water, it seemed like they had a good time when Mom was around to help them splash and play. From the little fish toy that swam around the pool to the noodles and just being piggy backed around.
Love you Mom. Go talk to Ricardo Montalban and learn some history from those that were there.
So here she is playing in the pool with Miranda. They were spinning around when this was taken and Miranda loved every minute of it. Even if the kids didn't like the water, it seemed like they had a good time when Mom was around to help them splash and play. From the little fish toy that swam around the pool to the noodles and just being piggy backed around.
Love you Mom. Go talk to Ricardo Montalban and learn some history from those that were there.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Quick follow up
I meant to include a pithy joke about Shakespeare and roses and sea kittens in yesterday's post. Feel free to make up your own joke and attribute it to me. Thank you.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Save the sea kittens
I'm too tired to link you to Twilight School Musical. And it wasn't really that good anyway. Google is your friend internet. This is mostly inspired by the news that Vanessa Hudgens tried out for Twilight 2:
The Music Store officially opened for Rock Band 2 on the Wii. So I downloaded a bunch of the free songs and bought one by Muse. I now know why people curse the space situation on the Wii. Fridge is definitely full. Fortunately RB2 lets you store songs on an SD card and will even play them right off the card. This is a Good Thing™. And you ought to check out World of Goo for it is awesome.
That's pretty much it.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Tiny bit of catching up
Had to make a card for recent favorite comedy. I'll mention again that this is an excellent film. If your heart does not sing with joy by the end, chances are you are destined to become our cruel robot overlord. Which I for one welcome.
Picture came from here.
Picture came from here.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Who can it be?
Recently watched The Strangers. Also recently read a forum thread where brief movie summaries were captured in Trading Card form. I am stealing this concept because it is awesome. Quite possibly most of my movie reviews will now take this form. So, as for my thoughts on the movie, see accompanying card. (Hint: it was great in that horror movie way) Oh and the picture came from here. Just to keep the internet honest.
You may have heard tale of a tome of eldritch knowledge. A tome thought to cause madness in those incapable of deciphering its strange texts and references to dice made of angles normal mortals cannot comprehend. The Elfish Gene: Dungeons, Dragons and Growing Up Strange is thistome book. I was never as into D&D as the author was, but I could certainly relate to several of the situations he found himself in. As I believe I mentioned before, if you want a look into 80s nerd culture, this is a pretty good start. Chances are you either knew this person or were this person. Liberal doses of humor and good storytelling make this a memoir worth reading. And if you fail to make your save vs reminiscing you may well find yourself picking up a copy of 4th Edition. It really is pretty good...
I can't really be bothered to recap 2008. I'd rather just purge it from system memory and start over. There were certainly some high points (the current job comes to mind) but overall it was a real downer of a year. So we'll simply look forward to 2009 and hope the current weather isn't a forecast for the rest of the year.
You may have heard tale of a tome of eldritch knowledge. A tome thought to cause madness in those incapable of deciphering its strange texts and references to dice made of angles normal mortals cannot comprehend. The Elfish Gene: Dungeons, Dragons and Growing Up Strange is this
I can't really be bothered to recap 2008. I'd rather just purge it from system memory and start over. There were certainly some high points (the current job comes to mind) but overall it was a real downer of a year. So we'll simply look forward to 2009 and hope the current weather isn't a forecast for the rest of the year.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Late to the party - Christmas Edition
So the siblings have pretty much recounted the Christmas happenings. They got the good bits version of the holiday. We got stuck with the travel. I will not speak of it, for doing so will only summon the vile beast that is Airline Travel itself. Suffice it to say I will most likely never fly again, and shall never fly American Airlines again specifically.
As for the good bits version, there was some bowling, some games played (Qwirkle is quite good as is the Catan Dice game), far too much food consumed, and much ribbing of the favorite niece. (That means giving a hard time oh favored relative. See? It continues.)
Santa managed to find the wee bairns (whose photographically stolen souls are displayed for the world to see here) a touch early delivering gifts on Christmas Eve. They were a bit too worn out to fully enjoy such providence, but that's ok, they still had a good time.
At any rate, a good time was had by all. I especially enjoyed the nifty photo book sister "J" put together for us featuring pictures of Mom. That and she makes a good cup of cocoa! Home made whip cream. Yum.
Books have been consumed, notably the fourth Percy Jackson story Battle of the Labyrinth and Uglies. Both were quite good. (And still in the YA vein, hmm...) Also read through The Fall of Cthulhu Book One: The Fugue. That's one trippy story. Even by Cthulhu standards.
Lovely wife almost escaped having to suffer through Twilight, but cruel siblings forced it on her the night before we left. Poor soul.
Thanks to Dad and family for a nice time. Hopefully it will be a touch longer next time. And not bookended by the eye gouge inspiring torment known as air travel.
As for the good bits version, there was some bowling, some games played (Qwirkle is quite good as is the Catan Dice game), far too much food consumed, and much ribbing of the favorite niece. (That means giving a hard time oh favored relative. See? It continues.)
Santa managed to find the wee bairns (whose photographically stolen souls are displayed for the world to see here) a touch early delivering gifts on Christmas Eve. They were a bit too worn out to fully enjoy such providence, but that's ok, they still had a good time.
At any rate, a good time was had by all. I especially enjoyed the nifty photo book sister "J" put together for us featuring pictures of Mom. That and she makes a good cup of cocoa! Home made whip cream. Yum.
Books have been consumed, notably the fourth Percy Jackson story Battle of the Labyrinth and Uglies. Both were quite good. (And still in the YA vein, hmm...) Also read through The Fall of Cthulhu Book One: The Fugue. That's one trippy story. Even by Cthulhu standards.
Lovely wife almost escaped having to suffer through Twilight, but cruel siblings forced it on her the night before we left. Poor soul.
Thanks to Dad and family for a nice time. Hopefully it will be a touch longer next time. And not bookended by the eye gouge inspiring torment known as air travel.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Both Sides the Tweed
I'm not a big fan of memes. This one piqued my curiosity though. So you have to suffer through it. Mwa ha ha ha. Oh and in the interests of full disclosure, I did skip one track as it was an untitled Japanese track from Serial Experiments Lain. Sorry about that internet.
Da Rules:
1. Put your iPod (or MP3 player, or iTunes) on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4.Tag others, if so desired.
Da Meme:
IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Tomorrow Never Knows, The Beatles
Magic 8 ball confused, ask again later. Alternately, this is very zen, go listen to the sound of one hand clapping and contemplate the futility of knowing if something is indeed, "OKAY"
WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Sprite - Melonball Bounce, Raymond Scott
Apparently dropped on my head a touch too much...
WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
See the Sun, Dido
Well. Really. This is not that sort of blog. Normally.
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Washington, D.C., The Magnetic Fields
Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ahem. Sorry 'bout that.
WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
I'll Find My Way Home, Vangelis
Strangely, I'll take this one. I'm pretty sure it was in my last fortune cookie.
WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Into a Dream III, His and Her Circumstances - Act 1.0
Oh letter 'd', you're so dreamy. You're straight out of Twilight.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Dirt Bike, TMBG
Curse you iTunes for illuminating my secret passions! it's so true... I think I'd like to be alone for a moment. Leave the dirt bike.
WHAT IS 2+2?
Love is, Kenny Loggins
Apparently iTunes thinks I'm a swinger now.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Starting Up, Final Fantasy VIII soundtrack
I... I don't know what to make of this. Although he does change places of employment quite often.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Sympathy for the Devil, the Rolling Stones
I always knew the Devil was a woman. And from the D.C. area...
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Alien Mind Bender, Pliant
I'm not sure anyone would argue with this. Least of all me.
WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Katamaritaino, Hideki Tobeta, Yui Asaka
Sou desu ne.
WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
State of Independence, Vangelis
Hee hee. <snicker> Bwa ha ha ha ha. This is spot on. (Sorry slacker siblings)
WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Armogohma (First Storm), Zelda Reorchestrated (Twilight Princess)
And now is the time when we dance the ceremonial, ah heck forget it.
WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, The Rolling Stones
Oh I'll be satisfied. Actually, this is strangely appropriate as well.
WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Cut Flowers, Smithereens
Oh iTunes, must you continue to shine light on my secrets? Oh ikebana how I adore you.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Dialogue 2-8, Cowboy Bebop CD Box Set
That's what she said.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Cherry Blossom Color Season, Yu Miyake, Katamari Company Jr.
So pretty. So lively. So what the heck is going on here?
WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Jenova Returns (J-E-N-O-V-A ~ Jenova Complete), Steffan Andrews
This is true. This is the worst possible thing that could happen. Damn you Jenova!
HOW WILL YOU DIE?
End Credits, John Murphy (28 Days Later Soundtrack)
Couldn't have said it better myself. And I knew it would be zombies.
WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Runners High, The Pillows
Also strangely true. Exercise, my deepest regret...
WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Caribbean Blue, Enya
When they installed that Genius feature in iTunes they weren't kidding around were they?
WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Re: Your Brains, Jonathan Coulton
Hee hee hee. Oh and zombies again.
WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
99 Red Balloons, Goldfinger
Apparently when I'm the last man on earth. Go Apocalypse. Sorry honey.
WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Kansas City / Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!, The Beatles
iTunes has been to Kansas. So true.
DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Papa Was a Rodeo, The Magnetic Fields
I... I have nothing to say here. Move along.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Treasure Every Meeting, His and Her Circumstances - Act 1.0
Apparently I was my own Grandfather. This explains a lot.
WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Hyrule Castle Soundscape, Zelda Reorchestrated: Soundscapes Vol. 1
... Your Princess is in another castle Mario. And another game for that matter.
WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Both Sides The Tweed, Mary Black
Done and Done.
Da Rules:
1. Put your iPod (or MP3 player, or iTunes) on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4.
Da Meme:
IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Tomorrow Never Knows, The Beatles
Magic 8 ball confused, ask again later. Alternately, this is very zen, go listen to the sound of one hand clapping and contemplate the futility of knowing if something is indeed, "OKAY"
WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Sprite - Melonball Bounce, Raymond Scott
Apparently dropped on my head a touch too much...
WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
See the Sun, Dido
Well. Really. This is not that sort of blog. Normally.
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Washington, D.C., The Magnetic Fields
Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ahem. Sorry 'bout that.
WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
I'll Find My Way Home, Vangelis
Strangely, I'll take this one. I'm pretty sure it was in my last fortune cookie.
WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Into a Dream III, His and Her Circumstances - Act 1.0
Oh letter 'd', you're so dreamy. You're straight out of Twilight.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Dirt Bike, TMBG
Curse you iTunes for illuminating my secret passions!
WHAT IS 2+2?
Love is, Kenny Loggins
Apparently iTunes thinks I'm a swinger now.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Starting Up, Final Fantasy VIII soundtrack
I... I don't know what to make of this. Although he does change places of employment quite often.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Sympathy for the Devil, the Rolling Stones
I always knew the Devil was a woman. And from the D.C. area...
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Alien Mind Bender, Pliant
I'm not sure anyone would argue with this. Least of all me.
WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Katamaritaino, Hideki Tobeta, Yui Asaka
Sou desu ne.
WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
State of Independence, Vangelis
Hee hee. <snicker> Bwa ha ha ha ha. This is spot on. (Sorry slacker siblings)
WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Armogohma (First Storm), Zelda Reorchestrated (Twilight Princess)
And now is the time when we dance the ceremonial, ah heck forget it.
WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, The Rolling Stones
Oh I'll be satisfied. Actually, this is strangely appropriate as well.
WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Cut Flowers, Smithereens
Oh iTunes, must you continue to shine light on my secrets? Oh ikebana how I adore you.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Dialogue 2-8, Cowboy Bebop CD Box Set
That's what she said.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Cherry Blossom Color Season, Yu Miyake, Katamari Company Jr.
So pretty. So lively. So what the heck is going on here?
WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Jenova Returns (J-E-N-O-V-A ~ Jenova Complete), Steffan Andrews
This is true. This is the worst possible thing that could happen. Damn you Jenova!
HOW WILL YOU DIE?
End Credits, John Murphy (28 Days Later Soundtrack)
Couldn't have said it better myself. And I knew it would be zombies.
WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Runners High, The Pillows
Also strangely true. Exercise, my deepest regret...
WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Caribbean Blue, Enya
When they installed that Genius feature in iTunes they weren't kidding around were they?
WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Re: Your Brains, Jonathan Coulton
Hee hee hee. Oh and zombies again.
WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
99 Red Balloons, Goldfinger
Apparently when I'm the last man on earth. Go Apocalypse. Sorry honey.
WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Kansas City / Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!, The Beatles
iTunes has been to Kansas. So true.
DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Papa Was a Rodeo, The Magnetic Fields
I... I have nothing to say here. Move along.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Treasure Every Meeting, His and Her Circumstances - Act 1.0
Apparently I was my own Grandfather. This explains a lot.
WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Hyrule Castle Soundscape, Zelda Reorchestrated: Soundscapes Vol. 1
... Your Princess is in another castle Mario. And another game for that matter.
WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Both Sides The Tweed, Mary Black
Done and Done.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Before I Forget
This is probably as much Twilight as I can take.
And they totally fired Jacob. And the director. And the new director is the guy that helped direct American Pie. And The Golden Compass. You guys are screwed. Bwa ha ha ha ha.
And they totally fired Jacob. And the director. And the new director is the guy that helped direct American Pie. And The Golden Compass. You guys are screwed. Bwa ha ha ha ha.
Melancholy is Fun
I've been looking forward to seeing The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya for quite some time. I requested it at the Library and it showed up last week. So we spent part of the weekend watching the series. It was brilliant. If you have any tolerance for/interest in anime this is one worth checking out. It follows Kyon (see Sis there's a K name - that you shouldn't use) a normal High School student whose life gets turned upside down by one Haruhi Suzumiya. She's on the lookout for aliens, time travelers and espers (psychics for you non Japanese folks). And poor Kyon gets dragged along for the ride. What follows is a tongue in cheek look at anime cliches served with lots of humor and some seriously snarky inner dialogue. I could watch this over and over. And I just might. It's a little FLCL a little Excel Saga and a lot awesome. And the opening and ending themes are great. Hit youtube and check out some of the dance numbers put together for Hare Hare Yukai.
In other news Hikaru no Go volume 13 was fun to flip through.
And the weekend draws nigh. As does Christmas and the end of the year. Where has this year gone? Although in a lot of ways I'm pretty glad to see it go.
In other news Hikaru no Go volume 13 was fun to flip through.
And the weekend draws nigh. As does Christmas and the end of the year. Where has this year gone? Although in a lot of ways I'm pretty glad to see it go.
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