OK, here's my second pick for song of the year - "I want to be buried in your backyard" by Nightmare of You. You can here the song here, on their myspace page.
I first heard the song when I saw the video on JBTV, a local Chicago cable access video show that has been on forever and plays some good alt stuff. I recently purchased the cd and it's all quite good. Thanks JBTV.
In other myspace news, I recently found the page for Driver 23's own Dan Cleveland, and was finally able to get a copy of the CD featured in the documentary. Yay for me! As for Driver 23, I originally gave the movie a low rating for the lack of a conclusion. The DVD release however contained both movies (Driver 23 and Atlas Moth), and as such come highly recommended (and looks out of print). Guess myspace is good for something after all.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Song of the Year (so far)
I'm undecided on the rest of the album, but the 3rd song on the Flaming Lips new record "At War With The Mystics" is just great. You can hear it here: flaminglips.com, click on the Music link in the New album out now! section. The song is called "The Sound Of Failure / It's Dark...Is It Always This Dark?"
Best song of the year, so far.
injoy.
Best song of the year, so far.
injoy.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Summer Project
I’ve finally taken the plunge and started on one of my goals in life – to have a garden. I actually intended on starting a garden last year, but managed to procrastinate well into October. Last year, the main problem I had was trying to decide what type/size of garden to have – one big square? A couple of rows separated by grass? Raised beds? It was all too much. This year, I decided to check out the offerings from online gardening stores and found this . Now, granted, it’s probably more expensive than I could have made myself, but I’m not much of a craftsman (no patience) so this is perfect for me. Plus, it’s always back-ordered so it can’t be half bad. So garden style problem – solved. I even found a free shipping deal to sweeten the pot.
Next step – what to grow? I took a look at my book shelf for gardening books (I mentioned this was a goal in life, which means I have collected a few books over the years) and found The 20-minute Gardener. This book, it turns out, was written just for me – it explains how to have a garden that requires a minimal amount of work – a lazy man's garden if you will. And I, being a lazy man, am all onboard.
I also read parts of Gardening in Illinois, which will give me specifics on when to plant, harvest, etc. based on the seasons in Illinois specifically. Nice. The book also covers growing trees, grass, flowers, bushes, etc.
So with this arsenal I sat down to determine what to grow in my new garden. After consulting the list of easy to grow veggies in the 20-minute Gardener, and avoiding the hard to grows, and the things I don’t like, I ended up with the following list:
Lettuce
Arugula
Spinach
Tomatoes
Radishes
Cherry Tomatoes
Asparagus
Sounded good, so I head off to several seed sites to see what was available. I ended up getting the following seeds from Heirloom Seeds due to their Tomato selection, and decent prices:
BRANDYWINE TOMATO, RED, Price: 1.50
GIANT BEEFSTEAK TOMATO - CERTIFIED ORGANIC, Price: 2.50
GOURMET BLEND RADISH, Price: 1.15
BLENDS- MESCLUN MIX BLEND - CERTIFIED ORGANIC, Price: 1.85
BLENDS - PREMIUM LETTUCE BLEND, Price: 1.85
As you can see, I opted for Lettuce and Mesclun blends rather than the above, since I figured that would be more interesting. I also went with two tomatoes, because I love me some tomatoes.
I reviewed the list with my wife, who pointed out the absence of:
BLUE LAKE BUSH BEAN - CERTIFIED ORGANIC, Price: 2.50
And Cucumbers.
For the Cucumber, I wanted a Bush variety, rather than a Vine, but couldn’t find any a heirloomseeds, so I picked up a pack locally.
Now I just have to wait for the seeds, and figure out what I have room for in the garden. I figure a small amount of each, give or take.
As for the Asparagus, I’m going to order that just before planting time (mid-May I believe), and plant it outside of the garden – probably against the back fence, but I’m not sure yet. Asparagus apparently grows for 20 years, so that will be interesting. Plus garden fresh asparagus is super delicious.
So that’s the plan. I wanted to build the garden itself last weekend, but the weather didn’t cooperate. I also have to figure out some sort of fence to protect the garden from rabbits. The book has some suggestions, although I’m not clear on how to fence in a raised bed…
Next step – what to grow? I took a look at my book shelf for gardening books (I mentioned this was a goal in life, which means I have collected a few books over the years) and found The 20-minute Gardener. This book, it turns out, was written just for me – it explains how to have a garden that requires a minimal amount of work – a lazy man's garden if you will. And I, being a lazy man, am all onboard.
I also read parts of Gardening in Illinois, which will give me specifics on when to plant, harvest, etc. based on the seasons in Illinois specifically. Nice. The book also covers growing trees, grass, flowers, bushes, etc.
So with this arsenal I sat down to determine what to grow in my new garden. After consulting the list of easy to grow veggies in the 20-minute Gardener, and avoiding the hard to grows, and the things I don’t like, I ended up with the following list:
Lettuce
Arugula
Spinach
Tomatoes
Radishes
Cherry Tomatoes
Asparagus
Sounded good, so I head off to several seed sites to see what was available. I ended up getting the following seeds from Heirloom Seeds due to their Tomato selection, and decent prices:
BRANDYWINE TOMATO, RED, Price: 1.50
GIANT BEEFSTEAK TOMATO - CERTIFIED ORGANIC, Price: 2.50
GOURMET BLEND RADISH, Price: 1.15
BLENDS- MESCLUN MIX BLEND - CERTIFIED ORGANIC, Price: 1.85
BLENDS - PREMIUM LETTUCE BLEND, Price: 1.85
As you can see, I opted for Lettuce and Mesclun blends rather than the above, since I figured that would be more interesting. I also went with two tomatoes, because I love me some tomatoes.
I reviewed the list with my wife, who pointed out the absence of:
BLUE LAKE BUSH BEAN - CERTIFIED ORGANIC, Price: 2.50
And Cucumbers.
For the Cucumber, I wanted a Bush variety, rather than a Vine, but couldn’t find any a heirloomseeds, so I picked up a pack locally.
Now I just have to wait for the seeds, and figure out what I have room for in the garden. I figure a small amount of each, give or take.
As for the Asparagus, I’m going to order that just before planting time (mid-May I believe), and plant it outside of the garden – probably against the back fence, but I’m not sure yet. Asparagus apparently grows for 20 years, so that will be interesting. Plus garden fresh asparagus is super delicious.
So that’s the plan. I wanted to build the garden itself last weekend, but the weather didn’t cooperate. I also have to figure out some sort of fence to protect the garden from rabbits. The book has some suggestions, although I’m not clear on how to fence in a raised bed…
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Bloglines love
Have to give a quick plug to a web app that has proven to be one of my favorite, and one of the most productivity enhancing (oof – can you smell the corporate on me?) tools I use. The app is called Bloglines, and is a new feed reader, which means it allows you to subscribe to sites, and it will collect any new data from those sites for you. This means you can subscribe to all of your favorite blogs and only have to go to one page to read them all. I’ve tried a couple of news readers in the past and have been less than impressed. Bloglines was suggested as an option by Andrew and as soon as I started using it I knew it was a keeper. I think it’s the layout that won me over – very simple – the sites you subscribe to are displayed in a tree on the left side of the page. When new stories are posted to the sites they are bolded in the tree and the number of new posts is displayed. To see the stories click on the site in the tree, and the new posts for that site are displayed on the right side of the page. Simple, easy, definitely a winner. Thanks Andrew.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Pepsi Smells
Am I the only one out there who loves the way Pepsi smells? That great aroma that hits your olfactory nerve when you pour a fresh one in a nice big glass and stick your face in the fizz and inhale deeply? I love dat.
May 2006 Previews Picks
Another round of Previews picks. This looks to be a good month for comics. Much better than last month in my op. Last month it was relatively easy to keep within my monthly budget (after dropping the Ant statue, and forgetting to order the new Jeffery Brown book, oops (the later of which I’ll pick up from Mr. Brown at the Chicago Comicon this year – which in retrospect is the preferred route since then I can get a sketch in it.)) this month, however, is going to be a challenge. To wit:
Apocalypse Nerd #3: Latest of the new Peter Bagge series. It has been pretty good so far. It’s about 2 guys who go camping and return to find out that the end of the world has apparently arrived. I’m an old school Hate fan and loved Sweatshop, so this is a no brainer.
Hate Annual #6: The latest incarnation of Buddy and friends. See above.
Power Girl TPB: I liked #1 and loved the art, so I’m in.
Wolverine #42: Loved, loved, loved Humbertous art on Revelations, so yeah!
Spider-Man Unlimited #15: Book of the month!!!!!!!!!! 2 stories, one with art and story by KLAUS JANSON! Klaus has been my FAVORITE artist since Punisher #1, so I’m as giddy as a schoolgirl over this one. Big smiles.
Nana #3: I still have to read #1 and 2, but hate the backwards Japanese format.
Last Christmas #1 (p. 140): Co-written by Brian Posehn, enough said! Ok, maybe not… Brian is a stand-up comic you may have seen on Mr. Show, Just Shoot Me, or more recently in the completely brilliant ‘Comedians of Comedy’, which really needs to come out on DVD loaded to the max with extrees. Brian is also a huge comic nerd so this should be good.
Walking Dead vol 5 (p. 149) Latest trade in the top zombie series out now. Started a huge zombie trend in comics. Good story, not great, and so-so to lousy art, but I love end of the world stories, especially on-going ones.
Wonderland (p. 218): Sonny Liew art! Sonny Liew!
X Isle #1 (p.243): Something about people stranded on an island inhabited by weird creatures. I dunno, the preview art looked interesting.
GI Joe Elite Hunt for Cobra Commander: 25 cents. I liked the last 25 cent’er, so I’m sure I’ll like this one too. And if not, what’s a quarter?
Love as a Foreign Language (p. 314): The write-up on this one is good, and the previews on onipress.com are interesting. Manga about a North American in Korea.
Eddy Current vol 1-3 (p. 226): Another favorite artist of mine, Ted McKeever’s, classic story from the 80’s, reprinted here. Probably my second favorite creator, after Janson. Checkout his art in Eclipso #7 and 8. One of them is better, I think someone else did the breakdowns on #7, so I would imagine #8 blows it away. Compare for yourselves at home!
Borrowed Time #1 (p. 311) Checked out a preview somewhere out there and this looked interesting… aren’t I helpful?
Mm, good enuff. ckc
Oh yeah, I also pre-ordered the Castle Waiting HC at Amazon for super cheap.
Apocalypse Nerd #3: Latest of the new Peter Bagge series. It has been pretty good so far. It’s about 2 guys who go camping and return to find out that the end of the world has apparently arrived. I’m an old school Hate fan and loved Sweatshop, so this is a no brainer.
Hate Annual #6: The latest incarnation of Buddy and friends. See above.
Power Girl TPB: I liked #1 and loved the art, so I’m in.
Wolverine #42: Loved, loved, loved Humbertous art on Revelations, so yeah!
Spider-Man Unlimited #15: Book of the month!!!!!!!!!! 2 stories, one with art and story by KLAUS JANSON! Klaus has been my FAVORITE artist since Punisher #1, so I’m as giddy as a schoolgirl over this one. Big smiles.
Nana #3: I still have to read #1 and 2, but hate the backwards Japanese format.
Last Christmas #1 (p. 140): Co-written by Brian Posehn, enough said! Ok, maybe not… Brian is a stand-up comic you may have seen on Mr. Show, Just Shoot Me, or more recently in the completely brilliant ‘Comedians of Comedy’, which really needs to come out on DVD loaded to the max with extrees. Brian is also a huge comic nerd so this should be good.
Walking Dead vol 5 (p. 149) Latest trade in the top zombie series out now. Started a huge zombie trend in comics. Good story, not great, and so-so to lousy art, but I love end of the world stories, especially on-going ones.
Wonderland (p. 218): Sonny Liew art! Sonny Liew!
X Isle #1 (p.243): Something about people stranded on an island inhabited by weird creatures. I dunno, the preview art looked interesting.
GI Joe Elite Hunt for Cobra Commander: 25 cents. I liked the last 25 cent’er, so I’m sure I’ll like this one too. And if not, what’s a quarter?
Love as a Foreign Language (p. 314): The write-up on this one is good, and the previews on onipress.com are interesting. Manga about a North American in Korea.
Eddy Current vol 1-3 (p. 226): Another favorite artist of mine, Ted McKeever’s, classic story from the 80’s, reprinted here. Probably my second favorite creator, after Janson. Checkout his art in Eclipso #7 and 8. One of them is better, I think someone else did the breakdowns on #7, so I would imagine #8 blows it away. Compare for yourselves at home!
Borrowed Time #1 (p. 311) Checked out a preview somewhere out there and this looked interesting… aren’t I helpful?
Mm, good enuff. ckc
Oh yeah, I also pre-ordered the Castle Waiting HC at Amazon for super cheap.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Egg salad
Just ate some mac n cheese from the cafe at work today and was good, but that not point. Point is that mac n cheese came with a make-it-yourself side salad from the salad bar that was delish x2. I really need to start putting hard boiled eggs on my salads at home cuz dern they's good. Second only to raisins, dig.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
INXS
So I just watched the finale of Rockstar INXS, the reality show to find the new singer of INXS. The show was great, but the winner, JD Fortune, stinks. Too bad. No INXS for me. Not that I am a crazy wild INXS fan or anything, but I do like them. They were actually one of my favourite bands when I was a teen. I used to listed to "Listen Like Theives" over and over again while moving our massive "lawn", singing at the top of my lungs as I rode the mower, confident that my cooning would be enveloped by the roar of the engine. I used to imagine that I was at an INXS concert and that Michael Hutchence was so enraptured with my singing that he pulled me up to join him on stage. Ahh, the memories. Memories I can relive by watching my INXS live DVD.
So when this new show came along I gave it a chance, despite its unfortunate choice of hosts (note to producers - next time think credibility and see your ratings rise!) And I liked it. One of the best aspects of the show was the 'behind the scenes' episode that aired every Sunday night -- a show that got moved from ABC to VH1 from some unannounced reason. I got to like some of the singers, and hate others.
The last 4 singers were all ok, with 2 standouts, Suzie McNeil, and Marty Casey. Of course, neither of these singers won, the prize instead going to a generic rocker who emulated Michael more than the rest. Makes sense I suppose for the band, but not my bag. Too bad -- guess I have to find something else to find to mow the lawn to.
(Like the new Tegan and Sara, hint, hint.) (And by hint, hint, I don't mean I want it, I mean I have it, and so should you.) (And JD was the singer I hated most, by the way.)
So when this new show came along I gave it a chance, despite its unfortunate choice of hosts (note to producers - next time think credibility and see your ratings rise!) And I liked it. One of the best aspects of the show was the 'behind the scenes' episode that aired every Sunday night -- a show that got moved from ABC to VH1 from some unannounced reason. I got to like some of the singers, and hate others.
The last 4 singers were all ok, with 2 standouts, Suzie McNeil, and Marty Casey. Of course, neither of these singers won, the prize instead going to a generic rocker who emulated Michael more than the rest. Makes sense I suppose for the band, but not my bag. Too bad -- guess I have to find something else to find to mow the lawn to.
(Like the new Tegan and Sara, hint, hint.) (And by hint, hint, I don't mean I want it, I mean I have it, and so should you.) (And JD was the singer I hated most, by the way.)
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Project Greenlight
So I was flipping around the TV dial a month an a half ago or so, and came across a show that caught my interest, specifically because it seemed to be a direct rip-off of another show I like. Actually, that's not entirely true. In fact, I lied not once, but twice my intro sentance. Nice! First, I wasn't flipping through the TV dial. Besides the fact that my TV doesn't have a dial, since I have Tivo, I never "flip" anymore. 90% of the time I just watch something off of TiVo; the other 10% I look through Tivo's guide to see what is on. So, I wasn't flipping -- I believe what happened was I turned on the TV, and this show was on. That happens (random stations on) because TiVo is constantly changing the channel to record different things. Rarely is the TV on the last station you were watching. In this case the station was Bravo.
The second lie is the fact that the show caught my interest. I guess that's not completely a lie, but I actually said "What's this? A rip off of antoher show that I like and will name soon? This new show sucks!" So my "interest" was more "disgust" than interest.
In any case, this show appeared to be a documentary on the making of a movie ala project Greenlight on HBO, a show I watched the first two seasons of and loved immensely. I watch a couple of minutes then turned it off in my previously mentioined, and well established, disgust.
Then, a week or so later, I turn on the TV to find that TiVo had once again turned to Bravo, and was once again prompting me to watch this new show. This time however TiVo had wisened and decided that rather than intice me with the show itself it would instead lure me in with a promo. And what did my eyes and ears behold but words that startled and warmed my heart at the same time: "Project Greenlight, now on Bravo"! Holy Batman, Robin! This copycat show was infact the original! One of my favorite shows jumping ship and leaving me behind! My poor TiVo all ready to record the right show on the wrong channel! (Note to TiVo -- send people a message when their shows have changed stations!)
Needless to say, I updated TiVo and have now watched the entire new season of Project Greenlight thus far.... and loved it! I actually think the people on the show are better this year, although the show itself seems to be going faster than usual (shorter season?). The premise of the show is that there is a contest where they pick a screenplay to make into a movie, and a director to direct said movie, from all of the people who submitted their work to the contest. The screenplay this year is a horror flick, and the writers are pretty interesting; one goofy and annoying, the other seems pretty cool. The director, however, is the real star of the show. In a suprising move they selected the more timid of all the finalists, who also happened to be the most talented. He is a super nice guy who has trouble verbalizing his ideas in certain situations, namely, when uncomfortable. Which makes for interesting TV when his crew can't figure out what he wants them to do. I think one of the reasons I am drawn to the director is because I am a lot like him in the sense that I too have trouble getting the words out when I am in a strange or new situation, or dealing with new people. It always takes me a bit of time to read a person and to become familiar enough with them to be able to interact comfortably. Pain in the ass really, but what you gonna do? The director seems to be the same way, and has become more comfortable as the series has progressed.
So that's it. If you have Bravo start watching. If you have TiVo get programming. Go find out how movies are made, and how people work together in stressful circumstances.
The second lie is the fact that the show caught my interest. I guess that's not completely a lie, but I actually said "What's this? A rip off of antoher show that I like and will name soon? This new show sucks!" So my "interest" was more "disgust" than interest.
In any case, this show appeared to be a documentary on the making of a movie ala project Greenlight on HBO, a show I watched the first two seasons of and loved immensely. I watch a couple of minutes then turned it off in my previously mentioined, and well established, disgust.
Then, a week or so later, I turn on the TV to find that TiVo had once again turned to Bravo, and was once again prompting me to watch this new show. This time however TiVo had wisened and decided that rather than intice me with the show itself it would instead lure me in with a promo. And what did my eyes and ears behold but words that startled and warmed my heart at the same time: "Project Greenlight, now on Bravo"! Holy Batman, Robin! This copycat show was infact the original! One of my favorite shows jumping ship and leaving me behind! My poor TiVo all ready to record the right show on the wrong channel! (Note to TiVo -- send people a message when their shows have changed stations!)
Needless to say, I updated TiVo and have now watched the entire new season of Project Greenlight thus far.... and loved it! I actually think the people on the show are better this year, although the show itself seems to be going faster than usual (shorter season?). The premise of the show is that there is a contest where they pick a screenplay to make into a movie, and a director to direct said movie, from all of the people who submitted their work to the contest. The screenplay this year is a horror flick, and the writers are pretty interesting; one goofy and annoying, the other seems pretty cool. The director, however, is the real star of the show. In a suprising move they selected the more timid of all the finalists, who also happened to be the most talented. He is a super nice guy who has trouble verbalizing his ideas in certain situations, namely, when uncomfortable. Which makes for interesting TV when his crew can't figure out what he wants them to do. I think one of the reasons I am drawn to the director is because I am a lot like him in the sense that I too have trouble getting the words out when I am in a strange or new situation, or dealing with new people. It always takes me a bit of time to read a person and to become familiar enough with them to be able to interact comfortably. Pain in the ass really, but what you gonna do? The director seems to be the same way, and has become more comfortable as the series has progressed.
So that's it. If you have Bravo start watching. If you have TiVo get programming. Go find out how movies are made, and how people work together in stressful circumstances.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
April Previews Picks
Howza 'bout a new feature? Howza 'bout something other than TV for a change? Howza 'bout comics? Howza 'bout you bet?
Yes, this is the first in what I hope to be a long line of entries regarding the latest and greatest in the world o' comics.
First the history.
I've been reading comics since... hm, must have been around freshman year of high school, but I could be mistaken. I started collecting comics along with my brother Scott. Whenever possible we would head off to Gnu Books in Ajax Ontario, or to the Book Between in Oshawa to check out the latest in the world of superheroes. Fast forward to college. Around this time my interest became more focused on music and such, and my comic collecting waned. Post college, and after getting a job and some loot, I started picking up books here and there. Mostly filling in gaps in my collection from quarter bins and various Graphic Novels. Along the way my brother and I always made it to the annual Chicago Comicon, but neither of us really kept up to date on the current trends.
Fast forward to... I dunno, more recently. More recently the industry has seemed to have hopped on the Graphic Novel bandwagon, so there's tons of great stuff I've been picking up. So much so in fact (and fueled by the discount deals available on the internet) I've begun to peruse the latest comics listed in Previews each month.
So without any further ado, here are my April Picks:
NEIL GAIMANS NEVERWHERE #1 - I have the book, I have the DVD set, I might as well get the comic (plus it's only $0.75 at DCBS).
WE 3 TP - Heard good things about this... we'll see. Cyborg animals or something. Written by Grant Morrison who did Animal Man, so there you go.
CONCRETE VOL 1 DEPTHS TP - A cheap collection of early Concrete comics. A no brainer. Did I mention that my Concrete watercolor I got for ridiculously cheap online is one of my prized possessions? Cuz it is.
HOUSE OF M #1 - again, $0.75. Marvel's next big thing I gather. I think by Brian Bendis who I don't really like as a writer (yes, I prefer his art, even though he's made his fortune off of the writing.)
LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK TP - Oh, yeah... a new collection of Don Rosa Scrooge McDuck comics. I haven't ever read these but can't wait.
AEIOU GN - Pick of the month! The third of the Jeffery Brown
"girlfriend" trilogy. Genius! The first two volumes are Clumsy and Unlikely. Jeffery's work is scribbly and honest, and sometimes I like him and sometimes I want to punch him in the face. Mostly the former. My only complaint is that sometimes he comes off like a braggart, even if he is bragging about self-deprecating things. Kind of like being show-offy about how lazy you are. Not that Jeff's lazy. And not that I won't get this. I will. I love this stuff. It's my pick of the month, remember?
STREET ANGEL VOL 1 TP - Heard good things and liked the preview I read online. Getting it due to the hype. Sucka.
MARGES LITTLE LULU TP #2 - I used to like Richie Rich, Little Lulu and Little Dot comics so I figure I'll enjoy this collection of original comics put out by Dark Horse Comics (following in Fantagraphics Peanuts steps?). There are 4 of these out now, I'm starting with #2 cuz it was cheaper than #1 and I'm a #1 cheapskate. Now where are the Richie Rich tpb's? Seriously! Let's get with it people - it's Richie Rich, he's very popular! They made a couple of movies for pete's sake! Get with the program! Cummon Fantagraphics! Cummon Dark Horse! Cummon Image! Get it on!
That's it. See you next month.
Yes, this is the first in what I hope to be a long line of entries regarding the latest and greatest in the world o' comics.
First the history.
I've been reading comics since... hm, must have been around freshman year of high school, but I could be mistaken. I started collecting comics along with my brother Scott. Whenever possible we would head off to Gnu Books in Ajax Ontario, or to the Book Between in Oshawa to check out the latest in the world of superheroes. Fast forward to college. Around this time my interest became more focused on music and such, and my comic collecting waned. Post college, and after getting a job and some loot, I started picking up books here and there. Mostly filling in gaps in my collection from quarter bins and various Graphic Novels. Along the way my brother and I always made it to the annual Chicago Comicon, but neither of us really kept up to date on the current trends.
Fast forward to... I dunno, more recently. More recently the industry has seemed to have hopped on the Graphic Novel bandwagon, so there's tons of great stuff I've been picking up. So much so in fact (and fueled by the discount deals available on the internet) I've begun to peruse the latest comics listed in Previews each month.
So without any further ado, here are my April Picks:
NEIL GAIMANS NEVERWHERE #1 - I have the book, I have the DVD set, I might as well get the comic (plus it's only $0.75 at DCBS).
WE 3 TP - Heard good things about this... we'll see. Cyborg animals or something. Written by Grant Morrison who did Animal Man, so there you go.
CONCRETE VOL 1 DEPTHS TP - A cheap collection of early Concrete comics. A no brainer. Did I mention that my Concrete watercolor I got for ridiculously cheap online is one of my prized possessions? Cuz it is.
HOUSE OF M #1 - again, $0.75. Marvel's next big thing I gather. I think by Brian Bendis who I don't really like as a writer (yes, I prefer his art, even though he's made his fortune off of the writing.)
LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK TP - Oh, yeah... a new collection of Don Rosa Scrooge McDuck comics. I haven't ever read these but can't wait.
AEIOU GN - Pick of the month! The third of the Jeffery Brown
"girlfriend" trilogy. Genius! The first two volumes are Clumsy and Unlikely. Jeffery's work is scribbly and honest, and sometimes I like him and sometimes I want to punch him in the face. Mostly the former. My only complaint is that sometimes he comes off like a braggart, even if he is bragging about self-deprecating things. Kind of like being show-offy about how lazy you are. Not that Jeff's lazy. And not that I won't get this. I will. I love this stuff. It's my pick of the month, remember?
STREET ANGEL VOL 1 TP - Heard good things and liked the preview I read online. Getting it due to the hype. Sucka.
MARGES LITTLE LULU TP #2 - I used to like Richie Rich, Little Lulu and Little Dot comics so I figure I'll enjoy this collection of original comics put out by Dark Horse Comics (following in Fantagraphics Peanuts steps?). There are 4 of these out now, I'm starting with #2 cuz it was cheaper than #1 and I'm a #1 cheapskate. Now where are the Richie Rich tpb's? Seriously! Let's get with it people - it's Richie Rich, he's very popular! They made a couple of movies for pete's sake! Get with the program! Cummon Fantagraphics! Cummon Dark Horse! Cummon Image! Get it on!
That's it. See you next month.
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Fight Reality TV
I've been meaning to write about this for a while, but have been preoccupied with the birth of my Daughter (something else I have been meaning to write about)...
There are two television shows on currently, that I watch, that, while different, are very much alike.
The shows are the Contender, on NBC, and The Ultimate Fighter, on Spike TV.
Both are similar in that they are both "reality" shows about fighting, Boxing, in the case of the Contender, and Mixed Martial Arts, in the case of the Ultimate Fighter. On both, a group of fighters are competing against one another to attain money and fight contracts, or somthing to that effect. They are different in that one is a huge prodution starring a huge movie celebrity, and the other is a low(er) budget production, with no celebrities other that those in the world of Ultimate Fighting.
I've watched both programs religiously since they began. The Ulitmate Fighter (UF) beat the Contender to the air waves by two months, so by the time the Contender premeire I was already fully ensconced in UF.
A bit of history first -- I've never really been a huge fan of Ultimate fighting, or Mixed Martial Arts, as it is know. I watched a few UFC videos years back, but never thought it more than a exercise in violence for the sake of violence. Then I watched the documentary "The Smashing Machine," which is the story of a MMA fighter named Mark Kerr. That documentary, which I consider to be one of the top 5 of all time, let me see that while the sport may be violent, at its heart it is just regular people just trying to get by. It also showed me that the sport had advanced to the point of "sport" reather than just violence. There were more rules now to protect the fighters, ala boxing. Actually, the documentary made me miss some of the old violence that was allowed, but that was just the power of the movie.
Fast forward a couple of years. When I saw that there was going to be an Ultimate Fighting reality show I immediately thought of the Smashing Machine, and knew I had to watch it. I went in with huge expectations, and am happy to say I was not let down. The show is a great mix of stories of the fighters and their thoughts and lives, and of straight on fighting. Top notch all the way.
Then the Contender appeared. My expectations, being set by the Ultimate Fighter were high, and... I was unfortunately let down. Not that the Contender is a bad show, Ultimate Fighter just does it all much better. I should also point out that there was another boxing show on eariler in the year, which I assume died an early death. I should also point out that I find it humorous that everyone was comparing these two shows, to determine which would come out on top, when in reality the unknown black horse would trump them both.
First the similarities:
On both shows there are two teams that compete. The winning team gets to chose a person on their team who will fight the opponent of their choice from the opposing team. At the end of the show they show the fight. The loser goes home. On both shows fighters have had to leave due to medical reasons, and elliminated players were chosen to return.
The differences:
On Ultimate Fighter each team is led by one of the top 2 light heavyweights in the UFC. Awesome. On the Contender, i'm not sure who the team leads are, I don't think there are any. On UF the lead coaches give advice and provide opinions on the fighters and the developing story.
On Ultimate Fighter they show the entire fight at the end of the show. The fight is in the facility where the fighters train and the audience consists of people involved with the show, and three judges. On the Contender, the fight is in a huge venue with packed house and the whole package. Unlike the UF, they only show a "highlights" version of the fight, with added sound effects!
This pretty much illustrates the main difference between the two shows -- the Contender is like a movie, the UF is more concentrated on the fighters and the fighting.
Interestingly, while the Contender does focus more on the 'movie' factor to drive stories, the story lines in UF are actually much more compelling. The likeable fighters are more likeable, the hateable fighters are more hateable, and I overall care more about the Ultimate fighters than I do the Contenders. After an episode of the UF I feel like I know the fighters who have fought. After the Contender I feel I have been given a few minor glimpses into their lives.
Not that the Contender approach doesn't have its merits -- some of the fights have been great, and some of the stories very inspirational. But the UF is just more real.
One other major difference that puts UF ahead once again is the fact that on the UF all of the fighters live in the same house, so that we are able to see the evolving relastionships between the fighters. On the Contender I feel like we see the fighters in their natural environment occasionally, but I don't have a real feel for any of the fighters, or feel that there is any story developing.
So hurrah for UF, for beating goliath. Kudos to all.
Actually, extra Kudos to the UFC president Dana White, who appears on the show, for (I assume) comming up with the show. Not only is it exposing UFC to a wider audience, but the main fight on the next UFC PPV is none other than a fight between the two coaches on the show - Chuck Lidell and Randy Couture, both awesome fighters! Talk about hugh publicity! Nice!
In the end, I'm still going to watch both shows, but I'll only be buying The Ultimate Fighter on DVD (if the extras make it worth seeing again.)
There are two television shows on currently, that I watch, that, while different, are very much alike.
The shows are the Contender, on NBC, and The Ultimate Fighter, on Spike TV.
Both are similar in that they are both "reality" shows about fighting, Boxing, in the case of the Contender, and Mixed Martial Arts, in the case of the Ultimate Fighter. On both, a group of fighters are competing against one another to attain money and fight contracts, or somthing to that effect. They are different in that one is a huge prodution starring a huge movie celebrity, and the other is a low(er) budget production, with no celebrities other that those in the world of Ultimate Fighting.
I've watched both programs religiously since they began. The Ulitmate Fighter (UF) beat the Contender to the air waves by two months, so by the time the Contender premeire I was already fully ensconced in UF.
A bit of history first -- I've never really been a huge fan of Ultimate fighting, or Mixed Martial Arts, as it is know. I watched a few UFC videos years back, but never thought it more than a exercise in violence for the sake of violence. Then I watched the documentary "The Smashing Machine," which is the story of a MMA fighter named Mark Kerr. That documentary, which I consider to be one of the top 5 of all time, let me see that while the sport may be violent, at its heart it is just regular people just trying to get by. It also showed me that the sport had advanced to the point of "sport" reather than just violence. There were more rules now to protect the fighters, ala boxing. Actually, the documentary made me miss some of the old violence that was allowed, but that was just the power of the movie.
Fast forward a couple of years. When I saw that there was going to be an Ultimate Fighting reality show I immediately thought of the Smashing Machine, and knew I had to watch it. I went in with huge expectations, and am happy to say I was not let down. The show is a great mix of stories of the fighters and their thoughts and lives, and of straight on fighting. Top notch all the way.
Then the Contender appeared. My expectations, being set by the Ultimate Fighter were high, and... I was unfortunately let down. Not that the Contender is a bad show, Ultimate Fighter just does it all much better. I should also point out that there was another boxing show on eariler in the year, which I assume died an early death. I should also point out that I find it humorous that everyone was comparing these two shows, to determine which would come out on top, when in reality the unknown black horse would trump them both.
First the similarities:
On both shows there are two teams that compete. The winning team gets to chose a person on their team who will fight the opponent of their choice from the opposing team. At the end of the show they show the fight. The loser goes home. On both shows fighters have had to leave due to medical reasons, and elliminated players were chosen to return.
The differences:
On Ultimate Fighter each team is led by one of the top 2 light heavyweights in the UFC. Awesome. On the Contender, i'm not sure who the team leads are, I don't think there are any. On UF the lead coaches give advice and provide opinions on the fighters and the developing story.
On Ultimate Fighter they show the entire fight at the end of the show. The fight is in the facility where the fighters train and the audience consists of people involved with the show, and three judges. On the Contender, the fight is in a huge venue with packed house and the whole package. Unlike the UF, they only show a "highlights" version of the fight, with added sound effects!
This pretty much illustrates the main difference between the two shows -- the Contender is like a movie, the UF is more concentrated on the fighters and the fighting.
Interestingly, while the Contender does focus more on the 'movie' factor to drive stories, the story lines in UF are actually much more compelling. The likeable fighters are more likeable, the hateable fighters are more hateable, and I overall care more about the Ultimate fighters than I do the Contenders. After an episode of the UF I feel like I know the fighters who have fought. After the Contender I feel I have been given a few minor glimpses into their lives.
Not that the Contender approach doesn't have its merits -- some of the fights have been great, and some of the stories very inspirational. But the UF is just more real.
One other major difference that puts UF ahead once again is the fact that on the UF all of the fighters live in the same house, so that we are able to see the evolving relastionships between the fighters. On the Contender I feel like we see the fighters in their natural environment occasionally, but I don't have a real feel for any of the fighters, or feel that there is any story developing.
So hurrah for UF, for beating goliath. Kudos to all.
Actually, extra Kudos to the UFC president Dana White, who appears on the show, for (I assume) comming up with the show. Not only is it exposing UFC to a wider audience, but the main fight on the next UFC PPV is none other than a fight between the two coaches on the show - Chuck Lidell and Randy Couture, both awesome fighters! Talk about hugh publicity! Nice!
In the end, I'm still going to watch both shows, but I'll only be buying The Ultimate Fighter on DVD (if the extras make it worth seeing again.)
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Juggling con't
Well, they bumped 4 of the Juggling shows to Feb 2 because of tennis... what's wrong with people? And when are the new shows going to show up on Tivo? Grr...
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Juggling
Woo-hoo! Juggling competition on ESPN2 Jan 27-28! Woo-hoo! Now I become depressed at my pitifully amateur juggling abilities...
World Juggling Federation
World Juggling Federation
Carson and Love, Actually
First off, I don't know why people are so confused, or off put by the fact that the Johnny Carson dvd's are selling like hotcakes now that he's passed. Make perfect sense to me - Johnny dies, it's in the news, people go "oh, poor Johnny (how old was he?) I loved his show, I wonder if it's out on DVD? Oh, look, it is!"... and hotcakes are born.
I actually wouldn't mind seeing them DVD's myself come to think of it. I never really watched his show (don't watch any of the current batch either,) but I'm sure I'd enjoy a best of. Time to hit the library I guess, well, after the death rush that is...
Second, just thought I'd recommend a movie I watched last night called "Love Actually". It was probably pretty popular when it came out... lets see... $60 million, not bad. I Tivo'd it in Nov and finally got around to watching it last night. Actually, love, I began watching it on Sunday, then decided to watch another installment last night (no, not the best method of watching a movie, I admit, in fact probably the worst, but I've been short for time lately and poor Tivo is jammed to the gills...) So I begin watching the movie, with plans to turn it off and head to bed in half an hour. An hour and fifteen minutes later I think to look at the clock and notice the time. Yikes! Way past my bedtime. Apparently I had gotten so engrossed in the movie that I did not realize the passage of time, nor did I have the inclination to glance at the clock. Now that's an endorsement if I ever heard one! At this point there was only 20 minutes or so left in the film so of course I watched it all. And loved it.
No, it wasn't perfect, but it was quite lovely. And chock-full of stars! Hugh Grant, Rowan Atkinson, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Tim from The Office (Martin Freeman), etc. That's a lot of star power.
Um, good stories, and written, apparently by the guy who did Four Weddings and a Funeral, a bunch of Rowan Atkinson stuff (Bean, Blackadder), and some other brit goodies. All the stories are about love and relationships, both sad and heartwarming. Quite a bit of swearing and some mild nudity for those who care; nothing shocking or obscene, just adult. I recommend. And that 11 year old kid was super. Go kids!
I actually wouldn't mind seeing them DVD's myself come to think of it. I never really watched his show (don't watch any of the current batch either,) but I'm sure I'd enjoy a best of. Time to hit the library I guess, well, after the death rush that is...
Second, just thought I'd recommend a movie I watched last night called "Love Actually". It was probably pretty popular when it came out... lets see... $60 million, not bad. I Tivo'd it in Nov and finally got around to watching it last night. Actually, love, I began watching it on Sunday, then decided to watch another installment last night (no, not the best method of watching a movie, I admit, in fact probably the worst, but I've been short for time lately and poor Tivo is jammed to the gills...) So I begin watching the movie, with plans to turn it off and head to bed in half an hour. An hour and fifteen minutes later I think to look at the clock and notice the time. Yikes! Way past my bedtime. Apparently I had gotten so engrossed in the movie that I did not realize the passage of time, nor did I have the inclination to glance at the clock. Now that's an endorsement if I ever heard one! At this point there was only 20 minutes or so left in the film so of course I watched it all. And loved it.
No, it wasn't perfect, but it was quite lovely. And chock-full of stars! Hugh Grant, Rowan Atkinson, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Tim from The Office (Martin Freeman), etc. That's a lot of star power.
Um, good stories, and written, apparently by the guy who did Four Weddings and a Funeral, a bunch of Rowan Atkinson stuff (Bean, Blackadder), and some other brit goodies. All the stories are about love and relationships, both sad and heartwarming. Quite a bit of swearing and some mild nudity for those who care; nothing shocking or obscene, just adult. I recommend. And that 11 year old kid was super. Go kids!
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
More TV
I've started watching the TV show "House" recently (since in re-runs it doesn't conflict with other shows) and must say it's quite good. Hugh Laurie's character is great. Now on with the Alias, man.
Monday, November 08, 2004
Canadian Idol
OK, more TV stuff. I know I watch too much TV, too bad.
Recently I downloaded, and watched, the entire second season of Canadian Idol. Yup, all 34 episodes. And I loved it.
Here's the thing:
Even though the Idol franchise represents much of what I hate about the music industry, it also represents much of what I love about life.
You see, while the whole point of the show is to deliver some big name pop album and superstar, the stars of the show themselves are just some kids with dreams, and that's what makes it great. Seeing these kids go from no-name nobodies with stars in their eyes during tryouts, to bona fide celebs is an exciting experience to watch. And, unlike some other reality type shows, at least these kids are getting famous off of at least some modicum of talent; in some cases a lot of modicums!
Case in point -- the top 3 singers on this seasons Canadian Idol's were all quite talented. And quite varied -- one, a teen crooner kid, one, a goofy pop-punk rock kid, and one, a jazzy folk singer. Actually, the top 6 all had more musical talent than is typically seen on these shows, as was evident in one episode where the top 6 all performed a Gordon Lightfoot medley (Canadian Idol, dig) for which the Idols not only contributed the singing, but also the music! Yes, the Idols themselves played the instruments for the performance. Quite amazing, really.
But most of all, watching Canadian Idol brought back al of my memories of growing up in Canada, and seeing all of the wonderful people there made me jealous of what a wonderful nation it really is.
In comparison to American Idol -- production wise the US version is slicker, but the Canadian version has way more heart, and better judges to boot. On the Canadian version there are 4 judges, one a Simon type (who does not come off as a clone), one a female pop/rock singer (who actually has an opinion and who actually criticizes), and two music producer types, both opinionated (and neither of which say "dawg" every two seconds). The host is better, too, and the son of a former Prime Minister even. The Canadian version also has a comic relief guy, for variety. Very nice.
Eh.
And in terms of watching a copy off the internet, all I can say is if they released it on DVD I'd buy it, but until then I'll takes what I can get. Personally I'd rather watch it live (more anticipation), but video does have the advantage of being able to fast forward past all of the stinky singers (and there were a few... actually most besides the top 3 were pretty lousy). Plus, I'll definitely buy 2 of the top 3's CD's if they ever come out... and I'll give the winner's a listen too -- especially if there's a Gordon Lightfoot song on it.
Recently I downloaded, and watched, the entire second season of Canadian Idol. Yup, all 34 episodes. And I loved it.
Here's the thing:
Even though the Idol franchise represents much of what I hate about the music industry, it also represents much of what I love about life.
You see, while the whole point of the show is to deliver some big name pop album and superstar, the stars of the show themselves are just some kids with dreams, and that's what makes it great. Seeing these kids go from no-name nobodies with stars in their eyes during tryouts, to bona fide celebs is an exciting experience to watch. And, unlike some other reality type shows, at least these kids are getting famous off of at least some modicum of talent; in some cases a lot of modicums!
Case in point -- the top 3 singers on this seasons Canadian Idol's were all quite talented. And quite varied -- one, a teen crooner kid, one, a goofy pop-punk rock kid, and one, a jazzy folk singer. Actually, the top 6 all had more musical talent than is typically seen on these shows, as was evident in one episode where the top 6 all performed a Gordon Lightfoot medley (Canadian Idol, dig) for which the Idols not only contributed the singing, but also the music! Yes, the Idols themselves played the instruments for the performance. Quite amazing, really.
But most of all, watching Canadian Idol brought back al of my memories of growing up in Canada, and seeing all of the wonderful people there made me jealous of what a wonderful nation it really is.
In comparison to American Idol -- production wise the US version is slicker, but the Canadian version has way more heart, and better judges to boot. On the Canadian version there are 4 judges, one a Simon type (who does not come off as a clone), one a female pop/rock singer (who actually has an opinion and who actually criticizes), and two music producer types, both opinionated (and neither of which say "dawg" every two seconds). The host is better, too, and the son of a former Prime Minister even. The Canadian version also has a comic relief guy, for variety. Very nice.
Eh.
And in terms of watching a copy off the internet, all I can say is if they released it on DVD I'd buy it, but until then I'll takes what I can get. Personally I'd rather watch it live (more anticipation), but video does have the advantage of being able to fast forward past all of the stinky singers (and there were a few... actually most besides the top 3 were pretty lousy). Plus, I'll definitely buy 2 of the top 3's CD's if they ever come out... and I'll give the winner's a listen too -- especially if there's a Gordon Lightfoot song on it.
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Weiner schnitzel
I don't know if it's old age or what, but certain things seem to be slipping my mind recently. Actually, things have been slipping my mind for the past couple of years. My theory is that life expectancy used to be only 35 give or take, so that in reality I have reached old age. Much like the "wall" long distance runners must break through to continue their run, I think 35 is like the "wall" you have to break through in order to obtain your "second wind" in life, which will take you till 50 or 60 or something, I have no idea when the next wall hits, as I am but I mere child.
But, yes, a child at his first round of old age. And as one of the elderly, me mind ain't what it used to be. One thing I have specifically noticed, something that seems to be increasing in frequency, is my habit of not zipping up my fly after using the bathroom. I dunno what it is -- I go to the bathroom, I wash up, I leave the bathroom, and I enter the world... totally exposed. Well, not totally, I do wear boxers, but still. Luckily, because of this, I have also gotten into the habit of verifying my state of zipp'ed ness, so my reign of indecency typically doesn't make it more than a few steps passed the bathroom door, where I question aloud my sanity: "what the hell?" And ponder my mental deterioration.
Either that or I'm just an exhibitionist at heart and never realized it.
But, yes, a child at his first round of old age. And as one of the elderly, me mind ain't what it used to be. One thing I have specifically noticed, something that seems to be increasing in frequency, is my habit of not zipping up my fly after using the bathroom. I dunno what it is -- I go to the bathroom, I wash up, I leave the bathroom, and I enter the world... totally exposed. Well, not totally, I do wear boxers, but still. Luckily, because of this, I have also gotten into the habit of verifying my state of zipp'ed ness, so my reign of indecency typically doesn't make it more than a few steps passed the bathroom door, where I question aloud my sanity: "what the hell?" And ponder my mental deterioration.
Either that or I'm just an exhibitionist at heart and never realized it.
Friday, August 27, 2004
TV
I tend to be a bit of a TV freak... always have been. Not being the most social person in the world, I guess it makes sense. Fact is I like to be entertained. Sure I like being entertained by real life humans, but real life humans require feedback from me, which I often find difficult. Plus, if the TV starts to bore me I can just change the channel, which is awkward to do in real life. But enough of that; before I delve too deeply into my neuroses let me get to the crux of this post... I love TV, and as such will now share with you some of my favorite hidden gems.
These are the shows that have kept me entertained all summer, when network TV takes a breather. And by damn, some of these shows rank much higher than their more mainstream ilk:
1) Trailer Park Boys, BBC America. A current Canadian cable show (think the Canadian version of HBO or Showtime) being broadcast in the States by BBCA, TPB is currently my favourite show on the tube. Trailer Park Boys is about two 30 something guys living in a trailer park (surprise. surprise), and trying to survive the daily grind of life. Of course their daily life is hep full of drinking, and drug dealing, and robbery, but daily life nonetheless. The whole show is seen through the camera of a team of filmmakers documenting the lives of these individuals in the park, so we often see the characters talking directly to the camera in mock-documentary style. The trailer park boys and their co-horts are for the most part bumbling idiots, but are also quite indearing in a odd sort of way. In the end this show is really about the interactions between people, and is terribly funny. It's also completely full of profanity, and as such isn't for those who don't like the swears.
BBCA is currently airing the 2nd season. The first 3 seasons are available on DVD from Canada censor free. I own them, but have yet to watch them all. The commentaries I've seen thus far are really good (1).
Oh yeah, Bubbles rules!
2) Da Ali G show, HBO. Ali G is a white homeboy style character done by Sasha Baron Cohen, who also does 2 other characters on the show, the hilarious Borat, and the other guy whose name evades me. This show has seemed to have popped, so I'm not going to talk it up much. Respekt. I've also watched the Ali G movie that came out in the UK -- is was OK, but not up to par with the HBO show.
3) Chef!, BBC America. BBC America rules this year -- there are 4-5 shows on it that I watch regularly. Chef is one of them. Chef is a show about a Chef at a French restaurant, played by comedian Lenny Henry (who is married to Dawn French apparently). Pretty much the Chef character yells at and berates his staff every episode quite hilariously. Lenny Bruce is great. For some unknown reason this show isn't out on DVD, but there are 2 videotapes available. The show itself is from 95 or so. Highly recommended.
4) Monk, USA. I think Monk is pretty big so I won't go into it. For those who haven't watched it, it's a comedy/mystery show about an obsessive-compulsive detective. The only down side is that the seasons are too short and a couple stories were a bit implausible. Other than that, ace. Bitty Schram and Tony Shaloob rock.
That's it for now. Next time - My Hero!
These are the shows that have kept me entertained all summer, when network TV takes a breather. And by damn, some of these shows rank much higher than their more mainstream ilk:
1) Trailer Park Boys, BBC America. A current Canadian cable show (think the Canadian version of HBO or Showtime) being broadcast in the States by BBCA, TPB is currently my favourite show on the tube. Trailer Park Boys is about two 30 something guys living in a trailer park (surprise. surprise), and trying to survive the daily grind of life. Of course their daily life is hep full of drinking, and drug dealing, and robbery, but daily life nonetheless. The whole show is seen through the camera of a team of filmmakers documenting the lives of these individuals in the park, so we often see the characters talking directly to the camera in mock-documentary style. The trailer park boys and their co-horts are for the most part bumbling idiots, but are also quite indearing in a odd sort of way. In the end this show is really about the interactions between people, and is terribly funny. It's also completely full of profanity, and as such isn't for those who don't like the swears.
BBCA is currently airing the 2nd season. The first 3 seasons are available on DVD from Canada censor free. I own them, but have yet to watch them all. The commentaries I've seen thus far are really good (1).
Oh yeah, Bubbles rules!
2) Da Ali G show, HBO. Ali G is a white homeboy style character done by Sasha Baron Cohen, who also does 2 other characters on the show, the hilarious Borat, and the other guy whose name evades me. This show has seemed to have popped, so I'm not going to talk it up much. Respekt. I've also watched the Ali G movie that came out in the UK -- is was OK, but not up to par with the HBO show.
3) Chef!, BBC America. BBC America rules this year -- there are 4-5 shows on it that I watch regularly. Chef is one of them. Chef is a show about a Chef at a French restaurant, played by comedian Lenny Henry (who is married to Dawn French apparently). Pretty much the Chef character yells at and berates his staff every episode quite hilariously. Lenny Bruce is great. For some unknown reason this show isn't out on DVD, but there are 2 videotapes available. The show itself is from 95 or so. Highly recommended.
4) Monk, USA. I think Monk is pretty big so I won't go into it. For those who haven't watched it, it's a comedy/mystery show about an obsessive-compulsive detective. The only down side is that the seasons are too short and a couple stories were a bit implausible. Other than that, ace. Bitty Schram and Tony Shaloob rock.
That's it for now. Next time - My Hero!
Friday, August 20, 2004
HDTV
Recently I took the plunge into the brave new world of HDTV. Despite the cable guy arriving 2.5 hours late (thanks much,) and being relativly incompentant, everything is great. The picture is sensational, and I cannot wait until everything is HD. The only bummer part is the Olympics -- I was looking forward to watching the games in HD, but unfortunately NBC-HD only shows the previous days events in HD (in seemingly random order) and does not do a simulcast with regular NBC... what's up with that? Thanks for nothing NBC, or close to nothing anyway.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Lo and behold, I suck
Cuz I never write you see... was the same when I had a fanzine - "when are you gonna put out a new issue?" was all I ever heard. Which, I suppose, is better than "why the hell are you putting out another issue?"...
Speaking of fanzines, I do one day hope to put some of my old stuff up on my page, I just haven't gotten around to it yet (lo these many years). Someday I swear.
But for now it's this journal, which I never update.
The past month or so has been very hectic, you see, as my wife and I have been supro busy moving out of our old house and into our new. We moved a week and a half ago and are still being intimidated by the mounds of boxes surrounding us; don't know where I'm going to put a lot of this stuff to be honest with you. And this place is larger than my last! Just gotta start loading up shelves I guess.
And most of the stuff is mine, so I can't blame my wife. DVD's, CD's, video tapes, books, comics, toys, action figures... man I gots some stuff! And it's all mine!
I'm into possessions you see -- I know most think it best to be minimalistic and not into earthly possessions, but they haven't seen my STUFF! My stuff is the heart of me; it represents all that I stand for, all that I admire, all that makes me happy to be alive. And that, my friend, takes up space.
Like my Jimmy Osmond doll, that takes up space.
Or my NEW Leaping Lanny Poffo book, that takes up space.
Or my 100 some odd graphic novels, they take up space.
Or my Flaming Carrot statue, that takes up space.
And on, and on.
So yes, I suck, and I need to be less lazy, and stop making up so many excuses about everything, but not until I finish unpacking, which at this rate will take approximately 15.87 years.
Speaking of fanzines, I do one day hope to put some of my old stuff up on my page, I just haven't gotten around to it yet (lo these many years). Someday I swear.
But for now it's this journal, which I never update.
The past month or so has been very hectic, you see, as my wife and I have been supro busy moving out of our old house and into our new. We moved a week and a half ago and are still being intimidated by the mounds of boxes surrounding us; don't know where I'm going to put a lot of this stuff to be honest with you. And this place is larger than my last! Just gotta start loading up shelves I guess.
And most of the stuff is mine, so I can't blame my wife. DVD's, CD's, video tapes, books, comics, toys, action figures... man I gots some stuff! And it's all mine!
I'm into possessions you see -- I know most think it best to be minimalistic and not into earthly possessions, but they haven't seen my STUFF! My stuff is the heart of me; it represents all that I stand for, all that I admire, all that makes me happy to be alive. And that, my friend, takes up space.
Like my Jimmy Osmond doll, that takes up space.
Or my NEW Leaping Lanny Poffo book, that takes up space.
Or my 100 some odd graphic novels, they take up space.
Or my Flaming Carrot statue, that takes up space.
And on, and on.
So yes, I suck, and I need to be less lazy, and stop making up so many excuses about everything, but not until I finish unpacking, which at this rate will take approximately 15.87 years.
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