A Few Thoughts on Comics from this (?) week

Having missed getting my books last week due to my illness and then not getting my entire two week stack, I've no clue what came out when and that's likely to continue for another week or so. We'll talk about what I read and worry about the details of release, well, never I guess.

Amazing Spider-Man #590 starts dealing with a question some fans asked after the 'event' that, amongst other things, returned Spider-Man's secret identity to being a secret: won't some of his old pals notice that they've forgotten something? Spidey and the Fantastic Four meet up to follow up on a previous adventure to another dimension. Once they meet, it's clear to the FF that they knew who Spidey was but can't remember. This bothers Johnny Storm more than the rest and he becomes obsessed with remembering. The story flashes back to the previous adventure, mostly because it was never told before this story, so we can reference the change between before and after the 'event'. One of the main variations is that Spidey spends most of the previous adventure walking around with his mask off.

Huh? Really? Even in another dimension? That doesn't sound like the uptight Parker I know.

It may be my memory failing me but I don't remember that the FF knew Spider-Man was Peter Parker. I seem to remember Reed going 'of course I knew, I am so s-m-r-t' at one point, but that feels like a reasonably recent occurrence. Even with Pete's trust of the FF, I remember him being masked when going to Reed for help with the alien suit that would become Venom. Maybe I'm misremembering.

For sake of argument, let's say I'm misremembering and the FF have known about this for ages. It still seems weird to see Pete walking around in his Spidey suit but with the mask off. That's different. One of the plot points upon their return to the other dimension is that the grateful people they helped made statues of their heroes and, oh look, the Spidey one is unmasked but eroded so you can't make out the features. It feels like they did this just to give Johnny Storm another reason to freak-out about being unable to remember the secret identity.

From a reader's perspective, Pete's reluctance to let the FF in on his secret is a bit odd as he unmasked for the Avengers two weeks ago. He trusts them but not the FF? Really?

Now, the story is to be continued so it may make sense in the end. Maybe he admits he's being silly to friends he trusts and all is well in the end. Perhaps this story takes place before the one in New Avengers #51 and is the motivation behind him deciding to trust the Avengers with his secret as well.

At this moment it just doesn't read very well.

I'll be willing to take that back if #591 explains all but right now it feels like an awkward, rare 'swing and a miss' from writer Dan Slott.

Temptation

It's part of human nature to want what we can't have. That which is forbidden, for any reason, holds more interest than what is available. It may not be that we have no interest in the available, the available may also draw us in, but that what we can't have is that much more interesting.

This makes a lot of sense, perhaps moreso depending on your beliefs regarding the origin of man. Most of the creation stories have a 'fall from grace' moment associated with them. Pandora's curiosity regarding the closed box (what couldn't she have that was inside?) caused her to open the box, loosing evils upon the world. Eve is tempted to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree, not just because it's forbidden, but because she's told something's being kept from her, something that she'll receive once she eats of the fruit.

Perhaps it's a secret. One of your co-workers has something hidden. It's probably nothing of import but does the knowledge that there's something being kept from you gnaw at you? Distract you? Cause you to snoop where you otherwise may not snoop? Do a little detective work until that part of your brain can be satisfied?

Perhaps it's media of some kind: a movie that remains unreleased, an album that is long out of print and unavailable, or something never made available commercially. Do you hunt the internet for a copy?

Perhaps it's a tidbit from a production yet to be released. You're a fan of a TV show and the new season is approaching. Can you prevent yourself from reading the spoilers that leak online? Do you want to know that detail that you know your friends won't so you can be that ahead of them? Worse yet, a workprint of the first episode escapes to the online community. Can you not watch it?

I've got no smooth answer to this point as I'm horrible at this sort of thing. In fact, I've done most of the above, and recently as well! I'm a bad man...

This is driving me nuts now

I read today that the 'magnifier' prop from 'Adventures in Inner-Space' from Disneyland puts in an appearance in the 'Star Tours' ride. This was meant as a cute nod to the fact that 'Star Tours' would be taking over the building that housed 'Inner-Space'. The information regarding it's location in the ride movie appears to be a little incomplete. So, I ask, is the structure in the lower right corner meant to be the prop?

All rights to the picture above are no doubt owned by Disney and/or Lucasfilm and in no way am I trying to pretend otherwise. Just looking for some help with this 'math'.

'The Ten Doctors' webcomic

I don't normally point out links as I add them to the sidebar but felt a need to do so this time. No offense to everyone else I've added and NOT mentioned. It's not like that, really. Oh fine, come back when you're done pouting.

I added a link to 'The Ten Doctors' webcomic today. In theory the story is nearly done so, if you haven't read it yet, you should be able to get through the bulk of it and not have to wait around for the wrap-up too long. It is over 200 pages so it might take you a little reading.

Why have I added it and why talk about adding it?

It's a Doctor Who fan fiction. I'm familiar with those from all aspects. It's rare to have a story go on for this long, with this many characters, and yet remain so good. It's funny. It's scary. It has cliffhangers. It's just good reading.

It's not perfect. Some of the companions are a little hard to distinguish from one another, which I think is often due to the author's art style. Typos sneak in from time to time. Occasionally the action in a panel is difficult to decipher. On the whole, these are quibbles. They are occasional. They do not damage the overall enjoyment of the piece.

The overall enjoyment of the piece is the grand joining of old and new Who. Together again for the first time, everybody and then some join together to fight a ripple in Time that's monkeying with the events of the Time War. If you've been a long-time fan (such as myself), there's a lot of references to make you giggle. Today's strip had one such reference, with a piece of machinery not seen since 'The Chase'. For the newer Who fans, don't worry, all gets explained. References are noted in the text summary or the comments, so you'll be filled into what's going on if it isn't clear.

If I could draw, I wish this is a story I was doing. That's the main reason I'm linking to it. I've written and read a sizable amount of fan fiction and most of it belongs as fan fiction. Sometimes they have good ideas but poor execution of them. Sometimes it's a good story idea told well, but not developed as well as it could be. Sometimes they go in directions you don't enjoy. Sometimes they're just not very good, more enthusiasm than anything else. Occasionally you get a story that steps beyond it's boundaries a bit and is just good. This is one such story.

Am Feeling Better

Got some typing done yesterday and a bit today. Starting getting ideas and had to scribble a storyline into my notebook. Things are getting back to normal.

Had an idea for something for here, something I've considered a good idea before and just hadn't figured out how to accomplish until nowish. It involves some research and is something I don't think has been done before. I may find out there's a good reason why it's not been done before.

We shall see.

All I'm saying is that I'm getting somewhere again. About time too.

If I posted this already I apologize

Cantiflas was not pleased. “What is wrong with you?” Did it not occur to you what might happen?”

This delivery brought a hurried reaction from Doctor Davis, working to quiet the aggravated owner. “Hey, hey now. Can we have that a wee bit quieter now? This is a hospital you know.” As soon as I realized our Doctor was Scottish, I decided he was awesome. Luckily he’d done nothing since then to disrupt that declaration.

Cantiflas visibly attempts to calm himself. “Yes, of course. I’m sorry. My frustration got the better of me.”

“No problems there. Better out than in, right? Tell you what, I can discharge these two fellows and you can take them outside to yell at them all you want.” Doctor Davis paused after this statement, considering it as he looked upward. “Well obviously not right outside. You know, get a bit away from the hospital and then yell at them. Okay?”

Cantiflas nodded but encouraged him to stay a moment yet. “I know of the condition of my wrestlers bar Robbie V. Do you have any word on his status?”

Doctor Davis’ brow furrowed as he flipped through the papers on his clipboard. “Robbie V, Robbie V,” he muttered. “Ah, Robert Snakowski! I believe he’s in surgery at the moment; broke his leg you see. Not sure on the severity of the injury but if he’s in surgery it must be awkward.”

This information did not please Cantiflas. “Thank you Doctor. I’ll check in on him again later. I can verify the insurance information is accurate at that time as well.”

“Glad to be of help. Now remember, no yelling at those two until you’re well away. Have a good rest of the night.” His eye caught the clock, causing him to append his statement. “Well, good morning anyway.”

The sad ‘little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar’ expression remained on the Smasher’s face until the door clicked closed behind the medical man. “Yeah, quit with the yelling Cantiflas,” he teased.

Cantiflas looked concerned. “Was it too much?” he questioned.

“I thought it was just right,” El Hombre noted from his prone position on the bed. “That said, the gentleman was probably correct in noting that you were a little loud.”

“Nevermind that now,” Cantiflas has his question answered and realigned his thoughts, “I heard you jumped from the balcony of the bar.”

I nod. “I saw him do it.”

“You’re the one I heard it from,” Cantiflas commented. “I was looking to hear this from the ‘horse’s mouth’ as it were.”

El Hombre sat up slowly, favoring the soreness of his lower personage. “I did indeed do a plancha from the balcony of ‘Breakers down to the battle on the floor.”

This excited Cantiflas. “Madness! I wonder if anyone recorded the action with their phone. I’ll have to get Young Miguel to make a search for the website. If footage exists, we must have a copy of it or, at the very least, a link to it.”

“I didn’t do it with an audience in mind,” El Hombre noted. “I did it because I felt it was the best way to end the battle.”

Smasher interjected. “I’m just glad you didn’t land on me; my neck is bad enough.”

Cantiflas politely ignored this comment to continue the conversation. “I know you didn’t do it with an audience in mind but we need the positive attention from our fanbase. We are under attack. We need them to see the lengths we will go to in order to protect our turf. We need them to see that we will do what it takes to fight back!”

“I hope you are not hoping they will think that they will see further daredevil jumps on my part.” Carefully El Hombre stood up. “I think I’m done with those for the time being.” Slowly, tenderly, he started walking. He grunted and fussed as he moved. “I need some whiskey.” I waved his prescription at him and reminded him of its existence. He waved back at it. “Pills make me nervous; the chance of getting addicted is so high.”

This drew a chuckle from Smasher. “And you’re not addicted to alcohol?”

As he neared the door, El Hombre’s gait continued to loosen up and relax. “I understand the side effects of alcohol upon me and its cheaper than pills. Now, let’s stop worrying about my medication habits and just get me to it.”

Smasher stood up to follow. “Seems ta me that’s what we were working on when this mess started.”

This may be cheating but it's also a test

Most online quizzes are a bit silly really. The title is 'which so and so are you?', the questions and responses are pretty clear that if I pick response A, I'm leaning towards Character A, and the results are no surprise. I took a 'Which Doctor Who are you?' today and the questions and responses were nicely mixed, perhaps because there were ten Doctors to pick from, they had to work harder. I actually had no clue Who I was getting and was quite pleased to see my result.

Your Result: 2nd Doctor

"Oh my giddy aunt!" You are fun-loving, and excitable but that doesn't hinder your ability to plan ahead. Although when things get tough you may have trouble at first, you'll always find a way through. You may overact to entertain or take cover, but you're a solid person underneath, something only true friends understand.

Ugh

Yesterday my left ear felt a little clogged, closed, or stuffed up. Eventually it relaxed.

Now it's my right ear's turn. It feels like there's a crayon loose in my head and someone's slowly pushing it out my right ear. My hearing is a little wonky as a result.

It's very distracting.

Beyond that I'm feeling better. Hopefully my ear will relax tonight and I'll feel active enough to do something, anything, tomorrow.

That would be nice.

Grumble

I am sick and because of that illness I am missing this year's 'behind the scenes' night at the Milwaukee Public Museum. I'm hating that. I've only been to the 'behind the scenes' night once and was looking forward to going back and taking some pictures.

Last night I took a big, slightly more than recommended dose of Nyquil with the idea that it would knock me out for the night. That's the sort of thing that the commercials suggest will happen anyway. That did not happen for me. I slept for a couple hours, was far too awake for a period of time, and napped fitfully for the rest of the evening. I woke up tired. My throat felt less rough but I'm not sure if the Nyquil or the vaporub did that. I ended up sleeping most of the afternoon away.

I've never been much for cough syrup upon becoming an adult. The primary ingredient in most cough syrup (the Nyquil included as I looked) is alcohol. Why not just drink brandy or whiskey? Bound to accomplish the same things by in large. Get some blackberry brandy, that'll coat your throat and off you go.

Don't mind me. I'm just tired and bitter for missing my photo-op with a polar bear.

Radio on the TV

Thought I blogged yesterday. Woke up this morning, had a look, and realized I hadn't. Bother. The days are blurring together a bit as I'm sick again. Unpleasant that. Let's not dwell on that.

The topic I wished to discuss yesterday and managed to remember into today was that I'm not using my television very well. I'm using my television but not much as a television, more like a radio. I switched to a different media provider a few weeks ago and this new monolithic company provides me with a comedy radio channel. I get clips of comedy albums, radio programmes, stand-up, all sorts of good stuff, much of which I don't have. Which is nice.

Why isn't there a video channel like this? There's a load of performers from the 60s and 70s for which I'd love to see more video. Not that there aren't performers after that I wouldn't mind seeing as well but more of their work is available in one form or another. Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Bill Cosby, etc on a television talk show in the 60s is something I have seen so little of over the years.

There are some down sides. Some of the tracks are mislabeled. Like any radio, some of the tracks, pleasant as they may be, are repeated too often. I've heard Bill Cosby's 'Chicken Heart' routine a lot these past few weeks. I like it but it's long and stops being as funny when you hear it three times in the course of three hours.

All these channels and I spend most of my time listening to the 'radio'. Silly, isn't it?

I just don't get it

At the risk of sounding like the crazy old man who ain't what he used to be, I don't understand the point of Twitter.

I understand some of the points of Twitter. It's like sending a text to a mailing list. I can see how it could be handy when reporting from an event. "Hey I'm at the Brewer game and almost caught a foul ball." That sort of thing. Just walking around on a daily basis though? How many people are interesting enough or witty enough to use 240 characters on a regular basis and have it be of interest. "Hey, I'm eating a hot dog!" is not the sort of thing that really grabs the interest.

I'm afraid that the next step is a mobile device with a GPS that would automatically update a site with your location. Then you can read 'Steve is in bed.' 'Steve is in the kitchen.' 'Steve is in the bathroom.' 'Steve is still in the bathroom.'

Won't that be fun?

Pondering heroes and villains

Not every villain needs to be horrible. Not every hero is a boy scout. Both can have codes of honor that they follow.

As an example, let's pick on El Hombre de Silla.

El Hombre tries to act as a hero while in the wrestling ring and out. Yet he carries a folding chair to the ring to use as a weapon. This could be the sort of thing associated with a cheater as he has an item that could be used to cheat. However, so long as he uses it only when it's legal, makes it clear that he's bringing the chair with him (it's not a secret that he has it) and has chair in his name (Silla being Spanish for chair), this suits his code of honor. He considers himself something of a warrior with the chair acting as both sword and shield. Having the chair could be a villainous act, but, under the circumstances, it isn't.

What can be the only difference between the way hero and villain acts is their goal. El Hombre tries to fight for the downtrodden. He fights crime. Therefore, he's a hero to those who are victims or possible victims. To criminals, he is a villain, preventing them from their goals.

A villain can become a hero if the villain fights against characters deemed to be greater villains than himself/herself. The character may change nothing apart from his opponent to facilitate this transformation. You use a hacker to catch a hacker, a thief to catch a thief, Rowdy Roddy Piper to defeat Bad News Brown or whatever.

It's the overall goal that generally determines the character's alignment in a 'ends justify the means' society.

I am the Wall

Last night I went to a concert for a band I'm familiar with, but not that familiar with, in a building I haven't been inside in years, and got to do something I'd never done before. It was a good time.

Sevendust is one of my buddy Moppy's favorite bands. He's got everything they've done, probably twice. I do have some of their music from various soundtracks and such but I mostly know them through Moppy, from car rides or tailgating or whatever. I enjoy them and their heavy metal/hard rock style music. Like I mentioned, I'm not that familiar with their work. I don't remember song titles or lyrics or anything, I just know I like the sounds they make. Normally that would not be enough to get me to go to a concert but I figured it would be a good time and, more importantly, Moppy had some free tickets so I went along.

I haven't been to the building known as the Rave in about a decade. It has been fixed up a bit in that time. It's an old, old building that's probably falling down more than it shows. The ballroom is where the concert was held and, oddly enough, was also the scene of the last concert I went to in the Rave. It has two or three areas to host concerts. It's old and a big place. I'd been using my memories of it to invent a place for my stories. It looks nicer than I've been describing it.

Moppy and I were in the midst of the crowd. When the first chords of music began, he turned sideways, became paper thin, and dove deeper into the crowd, into the center where a mosh pit was guaranteed. As I'm unable to become that thin anymore and the seam closed after he passed through it, I stayed where I was, happy to headbang by myself. We had a place to meet if we got separated so I wasn't concerned about finding him again. I just rocked and enjoyed myself.

About halfway through the concert, another mosh pit formed next to me. Now, if you've never been in a mosh pit before, they look very violent. There's a reason for that; they are very violent. It's not an angry violent, it's a very good natured sort of violent, like football. Guys slam into each other repeatedly during the music, then shake hands, hug and go on their ways. If someone gets knocked down, he gets picked back up again. If someone gets hurt, he gets helped out.

When I was younger, moshing wasn't quite such a contact sport. I still didn't do it too much due to concerns over my eyewear. Now, it's a little too rough for me. Considering where the pit formed, I became part of the pit wall. Now, the thing about these concerts is that not everyone wants to be in the pit. Some people just want to listen to the music. A wall forms around the pit to absorb the energy of the moshers and try to disperse it before it can affect the rest of the audience. Basically you're trying to block them from knocking everyone else down. Most of the time, the moshers aren't hitting the pit wall that hard. You're just helping them keep their feet. Occasionally they bump into someone wrong, lose control and you're trying to keep everyone from falling, especially yourself. I stumbled a few times but never fell. The moshers were doing their best to keep the bumps to themselves. As it should be. I would rock out during the break between songs and then return to watching the pit. When it's on you cannot take your eyes off of it. If you do, you will get knocked down.

Sevendust finished their set. Moppy, tired, rematerialized by my side. I shook hands with one of the guys from the pit before leaving. Good times.

A Few Thoughts on Comics from This Week

Or just one comic from this week.

The Muppet Show Comic Book #1.

The art took some getting used to, but I like it. It's short 'skits' with a story arc, just like the show. I can hear the characters' voices in my head as I read the book. It's funny. I got misty eyed at the end, just like I do for some of the shows when Kermit says something sad but sweet.

It is outstanding.

Ouch

Spent all day, well, almost all day at a job fair. Too much thinking. Head hurts. Simpsons, beer, chips and nacho cheese to relax. Actual text later.

Midwest Gaming Classic

Last year I went to the Midwest Gaming Classic because I could. I had an interest in going, I had no expectations of having company and just went for the sake of wanting to be there. I ended up bumping into friends and had a fine time in general.

This year I had plans to attend with friends I don't get to see very often as they live out of town. These plans worked. In addition to having access to more classic arcade games than last year, more museum systems to look at and play, more vendors to buy from, I had my buddies to mess around with while there. It all ended up working out, which was nice. Hung out, had fun, had a nice dinner with most of them, got to tell stories, got to hear stories. Nothing explosive or overwhelming to report, unless beating Mark in Gorf counts. Or me losing my Kermit in Mickey ears pin. Drat it.

Bought a Xbox 360. It's broken. Maybe I can fix it. For $10 I decided to take the dare. I'm decent at tinkering which means I can follow directions and troubleshoot well but I can also break things that are already broken. We shall see.

'Strongman' Review

When I was twelve, I was introduced to comic books as Comic Books. I'd read them before that age and knew many of the characters from television, but suddenly there was a history there, more depth than I expected. I fell hard, as I often do when finding a new obsession.

A couple years later, I bumped into wrestling and hesitated rather than turning away. At it's core was a story similar to the comics I had gotten comfortable with reading. It was good vs evil on a stage. I got hooked.

In the 1990's my interest in wrestling revived once I started seeing luchadores, high flying styled wrestlers mostly from Mexico, as part of the shows. Comics and wrestling had more truly connected with masks designed to hide the identity of the wrestler and fighting moves that would make Spider-Man proud. Discovering that Mexican cinema had a history of taking these men and having them fight crime just cemented that connection together. My character El Hombre de Silla is born out of that fascination, in tribute to that style of entertainment.

The 'Strongman' graphic novel also follows in that tradition. It tells the story of Tigre, a formerly Santo-esqe character insomuch that he wrestled, fought crime, and made movies. Tragedy hit over thirty years ago and he is but a shadow of himself, spending much of his time drunk and wasting his life. A young woman encourages him to investigate a problem and, eventually, he gets talked into it, reviving the Tigre of old.

Over the course of the story we find out what happened that fateful day in 1973 and how it affects Tigre to this day. The story is logically laid out, well told in words and art. It is more realistic than the movies would have been in the past and yet reads like a storyboard for a movie waiting to happen. It's not that realistic. It's real enough when it needs to be and yet a story when the time is right.

I loved it. More please.

GLCW - 'Two Words ... Too Sweet' - March 21, 2009

I've been to a few cards promoted by Great Lakes Championship Wrestling and they've all been a good time. This show was no exception. We arrived at the Waukesha Expo Center with plenty of time before the show started. We got the same seats that we had for last December's Blizzard Brawl. The only variation on our side was that my buddy Mark was in the area over the weekend from Stevens Point and he attended in place of Moppy.

Match 1: ICW Title Match, Justin Dredd defending the title against Mickey McCoy

Mickey was from Ireland and Justin from Milwaukee which, oddly enough, was cause for 'USA' chants to break out. Just days after St. Patrick's day and suddenly we're anti-Irish? Weird. Justin was the face and took a good beating from Mickey. We started renaming Mickey's moves to fit his Irish background, from simple things like renaming the Russian Leg Sweep to the Irish Leg Sweep to more complex things like calling chest chops potato slices. Or something. I'm forgetting our best jokes. Justin won with a move off the top rope that was similar to a Russian Leg Sweep if both guys involved were on the top turnbuckle and did a backflip to land face down in the ring. There's a name for the move and I'm ashamed to say I can't remember what it is. Nice hot opener that got the crowd going. Justin is a little on the skinny side and would benefit from putting on some weight.

Match 2: Electric Eric Freedom vs Lenny Lane - 10 minute Time Limit

The Lenny Lane Army was ready for the appearance of their hero this time. There were signs, there was yelling, there were smiles all around. His Lenniness played the face this time. He and the 'hardcore hippie' worked a solid back-and-forth match that was ended by the Time Limit. Of course more time was asked for, Freedom tried a sneak attack as the match restarted, and Lenny got the win. After posing around the ring, slapping hands with the cheering crowd, Lenny started back towards the dressing room. With an exaggerated 'oh wait a minute' expression, he tore over to the location of the Lenny Lane Army in order to pose with us. Outstanding! Excellent fun. As predicted, my voice was already destroyed after this match.

Match 3: Three Way Dance - Matt 'Love Machine' Longtime vs Dysfunction vs Ryan Rogue

After a few moments, the characters sorted themselves out after the general positive reactions to the guys during the introductions. I've seen Dysfunction play face and heel so there was a certain 'what's he been lately' confusion. Matt Longtime is generally a heel so that wasn't complicated. Ryan Rogue was unfamiliar. Apparently Ryan's middle name is 'punching bag' as Dysfunction played heel and helped Longtime beat the snot out of him. Heel miscommunication led to Longtime hitting Dysfunction and then pinning him for the elimination. Ryan managed to rally to quickly defeat Longtime for the win. Post match, Dysfunction expressed his 'that's not how we planned it' frustration to Longtime. Dissatisfied with the response, Dysfunction superkicked Longtime, leaving Longtime in the middle of the ring, his legs raised in the air stiffly. He remained in that position until the Intermission was announced. Unsteadily, he climbed to his feet, fell, rolled from the ring, staggered, fell again, and stumbled to the back, selling the entire way. Well done sir!

Intermission - Lenny Lane set up shop on the ring apron. Once the children had a chance to say hi, the Army moved in. We said hi, bought t-shirts, laughed with him, chit-chatted about his recent brief appearance 'up north', he discussed a character idea he brought up there and expressed his annoyance with how it got shot down. He also signed the Lenny Lane Army sign I'd held up. Good times.

Match 4: Bobcat vs 'Connie Armoni' with Sunny as Guest Ref

'Connie Armoni' would be local legend Angel Armoni in a dress and wig. GLCW womens matches tend to be fun comedy matches and this one was no different. Relatively short, sweet, and to the point. When the comedy faded, a few individuals in the audience expressed their boredom but the match really wasn't long enough to lag for any real length of time. Bobcat won to become the new GLCW Ladies Champion. Fun.

Match 5: GLCW Heavyweight Title Match - Mr. A.E. vs Champion Al Snow

Mr. A.E. is also the current commissioner of GLCW so the storyline of the match revolved around his changing of the rules during the match to prevent his losing and stacking the deck against Al. It became 'no countouts', then 'no dq'. Once Al tried to bring his mascot 'Head' (a manniquin head) into the match, Mr. A.E. noted that he never agreed to a 'handicap' match so Matt Longtime came out to 'balance' things out. Al continued to survive the pummeling until the referee decided he'd had enough and refused to count a fall for Mr. A.E. The ref was dismissed and a new ref was chosen, someone already wearing black and white... Matt Longtime. Even Matt's quick counts weren't enough to count Al out after he'd had a chance to rest and Al managed a comeback. Once both Longtime and Mr. A.E. were down for the count, the original ref returned and gladly counted the fall for Al. Good work, fun storyline that was well performed. This and the Lenny Lane match were my two favorites for the night.

Match 6: 'The Match They Didn't Want You To See' - BG James and Kip James vs Kevin Nash and Scott Hall

Both teams (the former New Age Outlaws of DX and Outsiders of the NWO respectively) came out and did their traditional schtick to the delight of the crowd. A lawyer from 'Connecticut' then tried to stop the match but was told where he could go in humorous fashion. The match itself was standard, nothing special, what you'd expect from these guys and their ages but all performed well. As I predicted, Hall wrestled about 90% of the match for his team. Not only was this standard operating procedure for the Outsiders, but Nash is having elbow issues and may have been limited in what he could do. Late in the match, Hall went to tag his long-time partner but was met with a middle finger instead. Confused, he was easy prey for a Fameasser and a 3 count. Hall and Nash exchanged some words and a match between them was set up for the next card on June 12th. Very enjoyable.

Already announced for the June 12th show at the Italian Community Center:

Scott Hall vs Kevin Nash

Bobcast vs Traci Brooks for the Ladies Championship

Mr. A.E. vs the Boogieman

On the whole, an enjoyable show as I expected. Good times.

Long Weekend

Everything played out as it should. Tired. Will most likely review the wrestling card tomorrow. Maybe more to make up for this limited entry.

I still smell marker. Bother.

Invest in Yourself

"Where do you see yourself in five years?"

Normally that sort of question makes what's left of my hair curl. In a job interview, it's a difficult question for me to answer. I'm good at seeing possibilities but possible, best possible, and realistic can muddle all together. As I was talking to a buddy of mine, I answered it realistically from a creative point-of-view: two books done and released with a few short movies also to my credit. As I said, realistic based on how I tend to work. It gives me room to overachieve.

Our discussion made me realize that how I've been approaching my writing of late has been an investment in myself. Other jobs may come and go but my love for writing should always stay, always progress, and the more I have to show for using that skill, even in limited ways, is for the best. He started showing me some of his investments in himself. He's even drawing again. I think it's been years.

How are you investing in yourself?

Active for a Change

It's been a busy week. I've got a little more power on this end and I'm still trying to find ways to use it properly. I want to play a bit. All that fiddling takes time.

First I've got one of those weekends where I've got stuff planned for every day. There's hockey tonight, a wrestling show for tomorrow and the Midwest Gaming Classic on Sunday. I should get a story or two out of all that, hmm?

A Few Thoughts on Comics from This Week

Dark Avengers #3 gets first billing this week. Much of the issue is Norman Osborn talking to the Sentry. "You know what," Norman more-or-less says, "you might be crazy, but you're not the only one in this room that is. Me am too." The scene goes on for pages, makes sense, finally makes the Sentry make sense to me, and accomplishes a lot. The rest of the book is good as well. Bendis' dialogue sounds real here for a change as opposed to the clipped, snappy 'real' he sometimes uses. The book may not have a long-term future but it's existence is worth it just for this issue.

Amazing Spider-Girl #30 is sadly the last issue of the regular series. It goes out with a bang, wrapping up the big storyline and setting the characters up for their briefer appearances to come in Spider-Man Family. It was a good book. I shall miss it.

Ultimatum #3 is a bit of a breather of sorts. This big, blockbuster, changing everything event is indeed changing things, in ways that would be less likely to occur in the 'mainstream' Marvel universe. This specific issue has a lot going on in it and yet feels like a breather at the same time. The characters involved are starting to get a moment, to regroup, and the issue ends with a 'let's go get him' moment. We get some confirmations of deaths, some craziness, some heroics, and some more deaths. Oddly enough, I don't mind Jeph Loeb here like I do on some other books. We're not getting the identity of Red Hulk until next year? Boo. Here, Jeph can do what he wants. It's working for me.

Night of the Living Dead - New York has the best art for one of these NotLD spin-offs yet. Story is suitably dark. What's it like being in a major city at the beginning of a major ghoul outbreak? The answer is 'not good'.

Tales of the TMNT #56 also had some really good art in it. The story brings the Han character from the most recent cartoon series into the Mirage universe, explaining his history with Casey Jones. Good stuff.

Issues #5 and #6 of Vincent Price Presents both came out this week. This is the only book I get from Bluewater Comics and, despite Vinnie 'hosting' it, it's been very lackluster so far. These two issues have redeemed the book a bit in my eyes. The story in #5 was calm but very interesting. I didn't care much for the weirdly painted style of the art at first but it grew on me and suited the story. The story is #6 was okay but the art was less so. A brief back-up story held my interest with the best art I've seen from Bluewater to date. The story was more of a prologue than anything else so I shan't judge it.

Amazing Spider-Man #588 and Amazing Spider-Man Extra #3 were both good as well, wrapping up a number of different storylines while prepping some new ones. I still don't like the story that got us here, but I do really enjoy the stories I'm getting.

There were a couple other books, but these triggered me to write.

Puzzlement

Of late, I've been dreaming a lot about almost being out of work, being in the last few days of a job. This is odd. I experienced that and those days were... uncomfortable. You'd think if I wanted to flash back to something positive, I'd flash back to the early days of my unemployment when the days were warm, the severance fattening my wallet, and baseball was there to be attended.

If I missed my job, why wouldn't I just dream about being at work? Seems odd to me.

Oy

The only thing more tiring than doing your own work is helping someone else do their work. I'm beat and my back hurts.

On the plus side, I'm writing this on my laptop via the wireless running in the house now.

Which is nice.

Fiddling and Thinking and Looking and Cleaning

I moved some equipment around and got my old iMac set up in a new area. It still runs. I started looking for a picture file and it turned out that it wasn't on the hard drive. Bother. I started going through old floppy disks to find it.

There's a thankless task.

Most of them will read but can't see all the files on the disk. I've been tossing whatever reads onto the hard drive for movement onto my newer computer systems for backup. I've gotten all too used to hearing the whirring click that indicates the disk won't read. Annoying.

I did find the file I was looking for so it wasn't completely worthless.

I do have better things to be doing. I think I'm writing something in the back of my head as I do this. This happens a lot; subconsciously working on something while I tinker with something else.

I wonder if my even older Performa will still boot up?

DRUMS! DRUMS!

If we could go back and ask seven year old Me what he wants to be when he grows up, the answer would be either 'baseball player' or 'drummer'. The reasons aren't complicated to understand. Playing baseball is fun. Animal on the Muppet Show is awesome. Done.

Apart from occasionally whistling, I have no discernible musical skills. I've had the opportunity to fiddle around with instruments in the past but I had no real clue what I was doing at the time. It always looks so easy so I never understood why I couldn't at least get some sort of rhythm from my head to the bass guitar or drum or what have you. I didn't expect to pick it up and rattle off a song, just two sounds together that seemed like they went together.

When I first started playing Guitar Hero my respect for people that play guitar for real increased. I know that playing the game and playing guitar are really nothing alike but I figure that if medium on the game kicks my butt, then real guitar playing is probably even more complicated. I huzzahed the true guitar heroes with all due respect.

I got to play drums on Guitar Hero World Tour last night. The same huzzah goes to the true drum heroes. My buddy has some real drum playing experience and the game frustrated him a bit. I got the hang of it a little. Considering it was my first day, I felt good about what I managed to do.

Maybe I can be a fake drum god, in the living room anyway.

Working Confused

One problem that I've had over the years is looking too far ahead into a project. The one story I'm working on gets multiple sequels and then story-arcs occur to me and this and that and pretty soon my energy to write the first story fades because the third story seems more interesting. Soon nothing gets done.

I'm fighting that urge right now, in a much more limited way than previously. A story idea has occurred to me for the character I've been focused on of late: El Hombre de Silla. For the past couple months, I've been working on collecting a few shorter stories together in order to have enough text to generate a book. I want to mark that off my list as a thing that's done.

I'm not sure this story will fit in this book. It might be best served in the next collection, or possibly on it's own, I'm not sure yet. It will involve research to do properly. I found a book that will likely assist me with that yesterday.

I'm concerned all this will distract me from the goal of finishing the current work. So far, I've still been making progress on the current story, both in my head and on 'paper'. It just seems... weird to be using my creative powers and trying to fight them down at the same time.

It makes my head hurt a bit. Nothing new there I suppose.

A Few Thoughts on Comics from This Week

Very few thoughts this week as I got very few comics. Very light week.

Transformers - All Hail Megatron #8 (of 12) continues to keep my attention as have the earlier issues in the story. The art is clear, clean, and crisp. Characters are easy to identify by their appearance and their actions are well defined. The story progresses nicely here, apparently resolving a mystery or two and sets up more things to be concerned about. I've really been enjoying this as it's not just the standard Autobot/Decepticon battle that's been portrayed over the years. New York is in ruins and is in Decepticon control. It's a heady political thriller with action and robots. Mmm, robots.

Punisher (MAX) #68 - part three of the 'Six Hours to Kill' storyline. Frank has been poisoned and is expected to die in 6 hours. Rather than take on the mission and get the 'antidote' that he doesn't believe exists at the end, he's just decided to take out as many bad guys before he drops. The criminal element in the city, including corrupt politicians, try to stop him before he can do too much further damage. Action and gangster intrigue. So far, so good.

Invincible Iron Man #11 - part four of 'World's Most Wanted' storyline. Tony Stark (Iron Man) is on the run, a wanted criminal after failing to foresee the recent Skrull Invasion and protect his technology from this invasion. The story is making clear that Tony foresaw possible failure, perhaps not this specific failure but a failure, and took steps to prepare for what to do next. This is good business. A lot of little things happen in this issue. I'm still not sure if this is going to be a short-term storyline or if this is setting up the new setting for the book's foreseeable future. A few minus points to the artist, who's normally quite good, for making Norman Osborn look nothing like how the character is normally drawn. I didn't recognize him until the dialogue identifed him. Not good.

Besides that, I got an Index and two magazines. Very light week.

If there's a Third World, where's the Second World?

I don't like to complain about the physical comforts around me as I know that, relatively speaking, I have it very nice in America. Grousing about the availability of hot water at any given moment seems petty when compared to people in countries just looking for some clean water with which to help stay alive.

That said, you get used to things being a certain way. Certain cities are a bit different from others and certain states are vastly different from others. At the same time, living in a prosperous nation like America is, even at this specific economic point, you begin to expect certain things.

Like power. Energy.

I've lived in this neighborhood on the Northwest side of Milwaukee for almost fifteen years now and it's odd how frequently the power goes out. In the past five years, this has been especially the case. I imagine some of it is due to the new construction in the area. Not long after I updated the blog last night, the power dropped for four hours. I know when it came back on because I forgot to turn off the light switches (the lights were off, my brain didn't connect that the switches were still on because I had no light) and was woken up when the power, and lights, came back on. I think the last outage was in last December. It was morning so at least there was light to read by. Luckily it wasn't too cold a day but it was chilly by the time the power kicked back in.

It just seems odd that this is becoming more frequent. It was a minor outage and could have happened at worse times and at least my computer doesn't appear to be damaged but still.

And don't get me started on the pothole riddled roads!

Stinker from U.N.C.L.E.

I hate to criticize something that was quite possibly done as a last second thing but the last book I have in the Man from U.N.C.L.E. series, book #21, sure was a stinker. It could have been repurposed from the juvenile line of books and meant for a simpler audience. It may have been written in a weekend to fulfill a deadline for a book that didn't come through. It could have been heavily edited at the last second. Forty years later, who am I to say?

I just know it didn't read very well.

Awkward dialogue on a regular basis. The bulk of an early chapter is the standard U.N.C.L.E. organizational details that may have been slightly written from the series bible. No real transition from scene to scene or location to location. Loads of characters that get titles but no names.

Perhaps the author was young? If I had written that at 18 or 19, I would have been quite proud of myself. At my age, all I could do was edit it in my head. It lacked a lot of the wit of the other books, the well described locations, the clearly delineated characters.

I suppose, I paid my dollar years ago and took my chances. Only one didn't pan out. That's still not bad.

Brief Encounter

There had been enough walking for the moment. There was a bench around the corner, just past the escalator, in at the tail end of the 'Rocky Mountains' exhibits that would be a nice place to sit. As the bench was unoccupied, this would make my sitting easier. The whole area was quiet apart from the tape playing the sound of bears yelling and water crashing. I sat, leaned against the nearby replica tree, and started fiddling with my phone, responding to text messages. It was relaxing.

"Mind if I sit here too?"

It wasn't a squeaking voice but it had a squeaky quality to it. Sort of. It was hard to describe really, certainly unique. Momentarily annoyed that my peace had been broken, I looked up to observe the individual that had joined me.

There was no one there.

Before I could become too confused, there was a gentle cough. Looking down slightly, I could see the ... creature that had approached me. He was only a couple feet tall, green, and slightly fuzzy. He smiled. "Hi ho!"

I nodded towards the open end of the bench. "Sure. Go ahead."

He hopped up, literally, onto the bench and worked to make himself comfortable. "Thanks. Walking takes a lot out of the old flippers."

He raised a flipper attached to a skinny leg. "I can see that." This was an opportunity that couldn't be passed up. My phone could wait. "You're not from around here are you?"

"Nope. Just passing through. What gave me away? The accent?"

"Not really," I noted. "Just a passing familiarity with the Felt-Americans living in the area."

This got his attention. "You're a Friend of the Felt?"

I tried not to overstate my position. "In passing. I've met Albert at a few parties and we're friends on Facebook. It's not like I'm that close to the scene."

He grinned. "I've met the Alleycat before. Nice guy. Good deal."

"Do you want a tour? I've been coming here for years. I'm pretty familiar with some of the subtle details of the place."

"That would be swell."

I got up and gestured towards the main area, towards the Bison Hunt diorama. "C'mon, I'll show you where the rattlesnake button is hidden."

The green fella cheered, a "Yaaaaaaayyyy!" of pure enthusiasm.

Good times.

'Yellowbeard' Review

Synopsis:
Captain Yellowbeard may well be the most feared pirate of all time, on his way to a career unmatched by any when he is captured by the British and convicted of tax evasion. He survives his 20 year sentence but escapes immediately upon being told that his sentence is being extended, all part of the plan to get Yellowbeard to reveal the location of the treasure he hid before his capture. The British government, former crew mates, the Spanish from which he pillaged the treasure, all chase after Yellowbeard and his team. Who will end up with the treasure in the end? Just remember, a Yellowbeard's never so dangerous as when he's dead!

Thoughts:
Over the years, I've read many opinions of this film, most of which express disappointment. This is understandable. The cast is a 'who's who' of comedy geniuses from the 60's and 70's: Graham Chapman, Cheech and Chong, Peter Cook, Eric Idle, Peter Boyle, Spike Milligan, John Cleese, Nigel Planer, Madeline Kahn, and Marty Feldman, who died just after finishing filming his role. It should be a laugh riot from beginning to end. It's not really. A lot of the humour expressed is subtle, leaving stretches of time for giggling rather than guffawing. I think people over the years have expected this to be a pirate version of 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' and it's not.

I do feel it's funnier than people have reported it to be over the years. Yesterday was the second or third time I've seen the movie but it's been years since I watched my ropey, edited, pan and scan, taped from TV copy of the movie. Since that last viewing, I've gotten and read a book about the film. Last night I watched a crisp, colorful, letterboxed, DVD copy of the movie. I knew more what to expect going in to the film this time than I did before. It's better than I expected and not at the same time.

Graham Chapman's Yellowbeard character needs to motivate this film, to take charge of it, and he does. He's a crazed man of action that can be barely reasoned with when necessary. Everything revolves around Yellowbeard. The problem is that, when Yellowbeard is not on the screen, the energy immediately flags. This is necessary, to give us a break, but also makes things feel boring when it shouldn't. It's not unlike the boredom some feel when Captain Jack Sparrow isn't on screen in the 'Pirates of the Carribean' movies, if Jack was nigh-invulnerable and was threating to rape Keira Knightley every five minutes.

I have to compare pirate movies as they are all the same in a lot of ways, aren't they? There's a treasure, there's a trip by ship, there's a sword fight or three, ship fight, and a primary pirate. Everything else is bonus.

The story plays out like a parody of 'Treasure Island'. You get the pirate, a young man, a scientist/doctor type, and an older man as the main crew. The pirate's on the side of the 'goody guys' but isn't to be trusted. They go looking for a treasure. Others chase them. Lather, rinse, repeat. If Disney had made a Pirates movie in the 60s, this would be a parody of that as well.

Like 'The Holy Grail' certain historical details are more accurate than the average period film of the time. The jail that Yellowbeard is imprisoned in is an example of this as is the expectation that no one would survive 20 years in one.

The failing of the film is that there are so many comics in it. Not everyone gets to be funny, to build a strange comic character, as the film doesn't break the pirate movie format enough. It's too much parody and not enough original. Peter Cook stands out as the primary example of this problem. He plays the drunken Lord in the 'older man' role of the crew. While he stays in this mumbling, bumbling role very well over the course of the film, he doesn't get to do much of anything. He has one bright moment of Peter Cook like comedy about mid-way through the film and then burbles again. It's not that he does nothing, he just doesn't get to do enough.

On the plus side, a lot of the subtle comedy is fun once one stops being disappointed that Yellowbeard isn't headbutting someone into oblivion. Spike Milligan has the briefest of cameos but he spends the whole time being normal crazed Spike Milligan. It made me laugh.

I remember the movie feeling very uneven but I didn't get that feeling watching it this time. I also remember Yellowbeard disappearing for half the film but I didn't feel that this time either.

Is it perfect? A forgotten, neglected gem? Not quite. Is it better than it's been received in the past? Yes, I believe so.

Recommended.

A Phone Call Causes a Flashback of Sorts

I had an experience with the customer service department of a large company the other day that reminded me of a lot of my experiences in that general field. It made clear to me why so many companies are failing. Certainly the driving force behind those failures and the failures yet to come is whatever has motivated the economy to destabilize as a lack of positive cash flow will destroy even the best run company. Quite simply, I don't think most companies are set up to succeed. Once they reach a certain size, the structure becomes unwieldy. When the economy is soaring, it's a lot easier to survive with a faulty structure. If the company's product is a success and positioned correctly for an economic downturn, it has a better chance at surviving said downturn. If not, well, the collapse can be a tricky one.

The problems in this process are down to structure and people. In themselves, both are necessary, especially to run a large company, so they can't be avoided. When things are going well, it's easier for well-meaning, or even not-so-well-meaning, employees to fail, to not be good at the jobs, or just poorly positioned. Some are in the wrong role. Some are badly managed. Some are repeatedly badly managed. Some are just lazy bums, doing the least they can without getting fired. All of these situations tend to be treated more calmly in times of success. Everyone fails at some point or another. Everyone should be given a second chance to atone for previous failings. Sometimes people don't 'get' it and they remain in a position because it's easier than removing them, thereby creating a drag on the rest of the group in question.

Organization is a good thing. Clearly defined roles help people to succeed as they know what their boundaries are and therefore don't waste time on work that's beyond their role. A well defined set of boundaries are a good thing.

Something always sets itself between the boundaries, in a gray area that never truly gets defined until it arises. While on hold the other day, that's what I felt was occurring. The question we had raised was outside the normal list of questions that the individual on the phone could answer. She needed a supervisor or someone in another area to consult with and they are rarely available when needed. They are busy people too you know! They will usually tell you that, even if they have their feet up on their desk.

I didn't know the exact situation of the structure on the other end of the phone but I could imagine a generic situation from my past to fill in the gaps.

It's about a month after a reorganization that felt very clear and tidy, very enabling. A customer calls with a question that is clearly outside your realm of ability. Using your memories of previous similar situations, you retrieve as much detail from the customer as you can, documenting it carefully. You inform them of your need to transfer the problem to another group and try to give them an expected time to resolution, while not wanting to speak for the other group's availability. The problem isn't critical, not yet anyway, but is important and needs to be resolved quickly. You reassure that you will do everything you can, politely terminate the conversation, and find who's on call for the group in question.

Said individual answers the phone but is grumpy because your group is calling his group. Your group 'never' has documented the problem well enough because your group tends to hear a word or two, immediately theorizes it's his group, and transfers it over without investigating fully. The criticism is unfortunately accurate but poorly timed. You explain the situation as described and add any personal investigation you were able to do with the tools at hand. While you have investigated properly, the individual you called quickly checks something (you hear them typing away), indicates that the error is not with their group's equipment and to call a third group.

You call the third group but the entire group is in a meeting for the next hour and none of them will respond to your call because it's not critical. Yet. As the group is known for not responding to videomail in a timely manner, you email the group, noting the incident number in question as well as a few details. In the meantime, you have other work to do while you wait, including updating the original customer on the status of the problem, and you work on that.

Despite the fact that the third group doesn't like voicemail, after the meeting, one of them calls you after their meeting. As you are on the phone with someone else at the time, you cannot respond to them. They leave you a long voicemail, noting that they checked on their equipment, all is well, and ask if the second group had checked on a specific item as this has been an issue in the past. You don't get to the voicemail for another twenty minutes. You call the representive from the second group again, but now he's at lunch. He can't check on the specific item yet, but will once he returns from lunch.

When he calls back forty-five minutes later, he's not grumpy but confused. Clearly typing away, he's calling to update you on the situation. An error code didn't report properly. Why it didn't isn't clear at this time and can be determined later. It looks like he'll need to call a fourth group that's in another state and is probably at lunch now. He'll let you know when progress has been made. You contact the original customer with another update.

Twenty minutes later, the original customer calls you back. She just got out of a meeting, heard your voicemail, and is hoping for an update. You have none. She is frustrated but points out she's not frustrated with you. She can't understand why the problem is taking so long to resolve. As you have no good answer to that question, you do your best to relax and reassure her that it is being taken care of and that you'll contact her as soon as you know. The group that's impacted by the problem has other work that they've been doing today but it's not the best use of their time. After noting this, she notes that she'll have to explain this to her boss who will have to explain it to their manager who will have to explain it to their vice-president. You don't think she's name dropping at this point but realize it's possible. You also feel that the vice-president will only hear that your entire area failed this group, not that there was an issue and an issue determining what caused the issue. Once that call is done, you immediately call the second group for an update but their line is busy.

Another member of the second group calls you about a half-hour later. They put some heads together on the situation and the failure has been resolved, at least they're pretty sure it has been. The original individual you talked to is verifying it's fixed now and asked for this other person to call you with the update. While you talk, trying to understand what went wrong and what the long-term resolution will be to catch the error code next time, you are given the thumbs up that everything should be back to normal.

You contact the original caller with the update and the resolution as you can best describe it, trying to take the explanation you mostly understood and translate it into something that a layperson can grasp. She says she gets it, thanks you for your attention to the matter, but expressed dispare at the time it took to resolve as it's now well after three and most of her department will soon be going home. You apologize despite the fact that it's not really your fault in any way and try to say nothing that will sell out any of the groups involved while she vents a little more frustration your way. After you apologize again and she thanks you again, you terminate the call and do your best to document what happened so you can update your supervisor before they leave for the day.

That's how a day gets wasted. I'm sure it's not much better at a smaller company where more outside help might be required. Imagine being on the customer side, being on the phone for an hour and on hold for the bulk of it, rather than being updated occasionally during the day. It's frustrating. It's how my Wednesday got wasted.

A Few Thoughts on Comics from This Week

Slow week up at the lodge.

Secret Warriors #2 wisely provides us with more information after the shock ending of the first installment. Some mysteries need to be drawn out a bit. Some reach a tipping point and lose track of the story by waiting too long to resolve. 'Twin Peaks' springs immediately to mind as a fine example of this problem. 'Who murdered Laura Palmer' took too long to resolve, the audience started to waver, and there wasn't enough in place as a storyline for after the resolution. The 'Who is the Red Hulk?' mystery is shaping up to be one of those. Secret Warriors is NOT doing that, not on that level anyway. A myriad of questions raised by the ending of the first installment are resolved in a sentence or two from Nick Fury. I know that some disliked the revelation at the end of the first issue. I think this plot point works in the 'this is why to be more scared of the Daleks at the end of Series Four' sort of manner as opposed to it being a 'everything you know is wrong!' sort of thing. It reinvents Hydra as not being whipping boys. Their leader isn't crazy as often portrayed but a cunning plotter on the level of Nick Fury. This is a personal duel played out with organizations. Nick's just realizing he lost, and had always lost, even when he thought he won. All are welcome to their opinions. I'm finding it interesting so far.

Spider-Man and the Human Torch in Bahia de los Muertos! is a one-shot sequel to last year's story in Puerto Rico, the title of which escapes me at the moment. Like the original, this is fun and doesn't really need continuity beyond 'Spidey and Johnny Storm hang out occasionally'. Juan Doe's art is very stylized but I like it in small doses like this. The heroes all look like action figure versions of themselves but, in his style, it works rather than looking clumsy. It's a fun read.

Black Panther #2 continues the story of the (presumably) temporary replacement Panther. I didn't care for the book much the last time T'Challa wasn't in it and I'm growing increasingly neutral to this one as well. This story is being told better than that last time but I'm not sure why I should care about the replacement. I'm more impressed that I could spell T'Challa correctly without looking first.

Daredevil #116 brings back the Kingpin. Ed Brubaker humanizes the Kingpin in this issue in order to set up his return. It doesn't look like it will be business as usual for the Kingpin and that sounds like a good thing to me, at least for awhile. Bendis' run on Daredevil was good until Brubaker took over and has taken things to a whole new level of interesting. I like Ed Brubaker's writing a lot. If it weren't for him, I'd probably have dropped every X-Men related book I was getting. Brubaker is barely keeping me interested in the Uncanny title.

Madman #14 takes last issue's happy ending (who says #13 is bad luck?) and moves forward, telling another good naturedly weird story. I won't lie and say that I get everything 'Doc' Allred does with his characters but it's always worth seeing his art. Love. It.

Still reading the Video Watchdog I got this week and there's a couple trades I've yet to go through, including a story about a down on his luck Luchadore that used to fight crime. Hey! I know guys like that!

Ads aren't what they used to be

I've been making some solid progress on my project to transfer my old tapes to DVD. Of late I've been prioritizing the stand-up shows on some of my oldest tapes, dating from 1990-1991. It's odd that some of the jokes would sound very valid now, or just recently at least, with talk of war in Iraq, economic downturns, and Bush as President.

Occasionally I taped the commercials during these shows. Most often I was watching them as I recorded them and I paused the recording during the commercials. Sometimes I was clearly gone or chose to sleep and the commercials are intact. Almost 20 years later, the commercials are interesting instead of just annoying. I've been letting them record onto the DVDs.

Sometimes it's worth it for fragments of forgotten shows. As these stand-up shows were on FOX, I'm seeing bits of 'True Colors', 'Babes', and 'Drexel's Class' in amongst more familiar shows like 'Married with Children' and 'The Simpsons'.

One question that occurred to me while watching the ads in general was 'What happened to the jingle?'

Even in the 1990s it seems that the concept was dying out. A little tune associated with a product's catchphrase can burn that product into your head, sometimes annoyingly so. Did they become too annoying? Was there a backlash? I'll bet there are people that were children in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and even 80s that can still sing jingles from certain products. Apart from the radio, where are they now?

Did advertising agencies get lazy? Was marketing invaded by frustrated movie directors that feel the need to tell a story rather than push a product? It seems that commercials are often too busy trying to be clever nowadays than sell something.

Maybe that works. Maybe I'm the one that's backwards. Maybe I've seen too many commercials where I didn't know what was being advertised until the end of the commercial and then immediately forgot what the product was in the ad.

Lets face it, most people skip commercials when they can. Why make them longer? Make them shorter. Do a 30 second song based on buying one brand of soup over another and move on. Better yet, a 10 second song, to hit someone's brain just before they raise the remote to hit fast-forward. Sneak it in there quickly.

It's obvious music gets people's attentions in a commercial. Look at the trend to promote bands via commercials. What gets over? The band or the brand? Hint: it isn't the brand.

The only place I can think of where this comes together for the brand is for a credit tracking company that has a band in each commercial, doing different songs in different styles. The first one was in a seafood restaurant. You know the one. They tend to be clever, they use music, and it's focused on the brand.

Maybe that doesn't work either. My folks love the songs but would never sign up for the service. Maybe it does work. Somebody must be signing up. They keep making new commercials in the series.

'Something Weird' review

Synopsis:
A serial murderer kills women in Jefferson, WI. An electrical accident leaves a man horribly scarred but with incredible psychic powers. An old crone approaches the scarred man, offering to fix his face, if he will become her lover. To everyone else, she appears to be beautiful but all he can see is the old crone. Once the psychic offers to help solve the serial murders in Wisconsin, a government agent is dispatched to test him. Love triangles, psychic powers, murders, assassination, karate, attacking bedsheets, LSD - truly this is Something Weird.

Thoughts:
With all the movies I own copies of that I haven't watched, I felt the need to watch this one again last night. This was not a bad choice as it's a fun ride. The movie keeps moving, quickly setting up what's going to happen, explaining it just enough to set the rules for the movie, and then getting to the next bit. It does not get boring. Ever. Well, maybe once, but not for long. There's a minute or two long explanation of psychic powers that's all narration over clouds. Coming out of nowhere as it does, it still manages to be weird and, therefore, fits in the movie.

As with any low budget film, the acting is not always what you'd expect or what is needed. Sometimes it is. The old crone is wonderfully over the top and she needs to be. Our psychic friend is solid, occasionally becoming theatrical when the role demands it, but also capable of looking realistically broken up as he stares at his burned face in the mirror. The government agent isn't horrible, has good moments, but often comes across a bit flat, like an anchorman. Some of the smaller, one or two line roles, come across as very natural. All in all, there's enough there to make it work.

The special effects, limited as they are, aren't bad either. The makeup is good. The levitation scene is a bit transparent but the lighting tries to cover that up. As silly as it sounds, the attacking bedsheet scene doesn't look bad at all. The lighting is just right so that no wires are clearly visible and the shadows created add a creepy tone. It works when it shouldn't.

Did they film in Jefferson, WI at all? I don't know for sure. It's possible. This is an H.G. Lewis directed film and he was headquartered in Chicago if I remember correctly. Jefferson would still be considered small enough to film something in, to get the local assistance one would need, and yet isn't so far away from Milwaukee, Madison, or even Chicago to make traveling back and forth improbable. The moment that made me believe it was Jefferson occurs early in the film, as the government agent arrives at police headquarters. Across the street is a bar with a large Blatz beer sign on it. That just screams Wisconsin to me.

The film has survived but not perfectly. The 2000 DVD release by Something Weird Video (the company is named after the movie) has a solid audio and video quality but the print is regularly flecked with damage. One reel seems to be a little soft in image quality. It's never horrible, not like watching a movie through a screen door, but this isn't one of those 'it looks like it was filmed yesterday' sorts of situations either.

It's not often that a film lives up to its title. This one does. For 80 minutes, this is truly Something Weird.

Recommended.

The Books of U.N.C.L.E.

I have a habit of getting things when the opportunity arises. I have a great many interests, sometimes they connect to one another, and I had a habit of haunting second-hand shops to see what there is to see. Quite simply, this is why the Archive is as big as it is.

Much of the Archive is in a temporary status, not in it's proper home. It's in a staging area, set aside as the item in question has yet to be read or watched or what have you. Sometimes opportunity and interest do not connect at the same time. Some items happen to be on sale at the right time, or a hard-to-find book will pop up, or I'll stack up issues of a magazine for a year or so knowing that they'll get read over the course of a week at some point.

Some years ago I picked up about a dozen books in 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' line. They're not novelizations of episodes from the TV show, like my Doctor Who books are, these are just other stories featuring the characters from the show. When I saw them on the shelf at the second-hand store I knew that some of the later books in the run were rare, I had enjoyed the earlier books I'd gotten from the run, and they were priced at the princely sum of a dollar apiece. I bought all that I needed and have a nearly complete run thanks to that day. They came home and have sat on the 'read me' bookshelf since, waiting for their chance to be read and be moved to the shelf with their previously read brethren.

I started reading through them a week or two ago. They are fun. Some paragraphs have made me read them twice as I would have sworn I wrote them. Perhaps they are another influence on my style. A couple have been particularly entertaining.

90% of one book was set in Wisconsin. The details were enough to make me giggle on occasions; different but enough the same to know they were often right even 40 some years after the writing of it.

The one I'm working through now is set in England and the author is having fun with unnamed guest stars. One character was clearly meant to be Fu Manchu. I think another was the Saint. James Bond is referred to in a 'I hope we don't meet him on this trip' sort of way. There were a couple sets of people I didn't recognize as of yet and may have to look around to see who they were meant to be. Neddie Seagoon, Harry Secombe's character from the Goon Show, is named as working at New Scotland Yard.

The best so far is William Escott, an old man, long retired, who lives in Sussex and raises bees. Once he was a detective and has been amazing Napoleon and Illya with his abilities. He speaks of having dismantled a proto-THRUSH back in his working days.

I think the chap may have changed his name. Sounds a bit familiar, hmm?

Still Drifting a Bit

The days are starting to blur together. My normal weekend appointments were called off and that has only served to further confuse my head. Tomorrow I'll be out of the house and that should help realign things. Hopefully I'll have some fun as well.

Haven't played Guitar Hero in months and today I found out I'm still okay at it. At least I'm no worse at it than I was months ago. I'm probably not any better. My hand won't curl to allow for comfortable play on medium so I lamely rock on easy. I still managed to get through 'Raining Blood' and that's not bad after all that time.

In the past few months, Time/Warner has been meddling with the television scheduling screens. I dislike the changes. Screens are slower to respond in general, to the point where bringing up the guide can lead to a break in the audio/video feed. This never happened before the updates. This failure is part of the reason for the change I mentioned yesterday. Today I found that, at the very least, they made the 'on demand' channels work better. I could never consistently get them to work properly before. Today they're working. I've been recording some shows to DVD, stuff I wouldn't normally record. The lack of commercials or minimal commercials in the 'on demand' feed is very attractive. This way I got the first three episodes of 'Wolverine and the X-Men', which I had previously missed. It's a pretty good show so far.

I also got some 'new' Muppet stuff today. This is exciting!

So there's reason for hope.

I got nothing

Feels like I've done nothing but type this past day or so. That's not a bad thing as such but it's not all directly related to the current project so it's as much keeping the momentum going as anything else. Watched a movie last night but it walked a line between 'okay' and 'not bad enough to be funny' so there isn't much to walk about there. Getting rid of Time/Warner for the AT&T version of television but that won't kick in for a little while yet. Once it does, that'll be something to talk about. Played the last level in a videogame that I haven't touched for months. That was weird and fun at the same time.

Just...meh.

A Few Thoughts on Comics from This Week

After a couple smaller weeks at the shop, this week was heavy duty in comparison. Wow.

I found New Avengers #50 to be enjoyable, despite the fact that the cover image never really happens within the book. This Avengers team is in flux and is trying to stabilize. As with last issue, Clint's speech at the end of the book makes it. I do look forward to the day when the 'new' can be dropped from the title. I understood its purpose at once point but is feeling increasingly lame.

Hulk #10 was interesting, a Defenders reunion that's not a Defenders reunion. As Jeph Loeb stories go, this could be interesting. That said, I'm tired of waiting on the identity on the Red Hulk. C'mon Jeph! It's getting old.

Mighty Avengers #22 also shows an Avengers team in flux. The storyline gets serious this issue and I'm very interested. Traditional Avengers villains show up and are causing some major problems. I wasn't sold on the art at first, but I'm liking it now. It's not my favorite style, but its a reasonable mix of stylistic and realistic.

Fantastic Four #564 starts a vacation story for the FF which is clearly not going to let them rest. The team's in Scotland to stay with Reed's minister cousin. Millar and Hitch have been doing a great job with the book. I'll admit that when they were announced I was concerned it would be too 'ultimate' in nature but I believe those fears to have been unfounded. It may not be Stan and Jack, but it might be Mark (Waid) and Mike (Weiringo).

Incredible Hercules #126 shows Herc's origin, details that we didn't have before that are explaining some of the storylines going on now. Better than I expected and the backup story isn't bad either.

Savage Dragon #145 starts the book over. Sorta. Not really but yeah. It's a good jumping on point for new readers and has quite a shock ending. Thumbs up.

Fear Agent #26 feels like it's preparing to end a series rather than be the penultimate issue in a storyline. A good chunk of the book is a knock-down drag out bare knuckle fight. It's mean but makes sense given the history of the book.

Transformers - Maximum Dinobots #3 continues my Generation 1 Transformers comic book joy. Simon Furman's Transformers work has never left my wanting. I'm not sure how we writes giant robots so well but I'm glad he can.

War Machine #3 continues the launch of a book for which I had very low expectations. It's been very interesting instead. I'm still not completely sure what happened to Rhodey but I'm willing to wait until they're ready to lay it all out. What they've revealed so far is pretty Deathlok but I'm sure there's a bit more to it. Actually, the way his character is currently seems like a mix of Deathlok and Terror Inc. This is good stuff.

As normal, there were others I enjoyed but these are the ones that I felt like commenting on.

'Into the Wild Green Yonder' review

I'm not completely sure why I didn't like the new Futurama 'Into the Wild Green Yonder' when I watched it yesterday.

Perhaps it was because it didn't seem to link up much to the end of the last movie. Normally that would be no big deal but since the other movies felt more connected to each other, I expected it to happen again.

Perhaps it was because it seemed to change it's own rules. I don't recall women being treated as such second-class citizens during the series so that point here felt like it existed just to feed the story. Perhaps it was due to legislation that Earth-President Nixon introduced? Then why not bring it up before it's a critical story point? Before it feels like a cheat?

Perhaps it was because it felt like there was an extra episode attached to the beginning that had little to do with the rest of the story? Normally that wouldn't be a big deal either. Seen as individual episodes it may have worked better. As a 'movie' expected to be a whole, it felt odd when the storyline and characters with it disappeared.

Perhaps it was too preachy. Perhaps the jokes weren't funny enough. Perhaps it wasn't clever enough. All I know is that I was disappointed. I got bored halfway through and started flipping through other things, like I do with normal television. Stuff not worth directing my entire attention upon.

This might be the end of the series. Again. If they wanted to leave me unexcited, not chomping at the bit for more episodes should none materialize, they succeeded. It felt incomplete somehow.

I'm sure I'll watch it again and maybe I'll like it more then as I won't be expecting what I don't receive. For now, I expected better.

Thumbs way down.

I Still Miss Someone

My friend, I know it's been awhile since we last saw each other and I'm sorry about that. I know you've missed me as I've missed you; that is clear to me.

It's not as if I've been avoiding you, well, its not as if I didn't want to see you. I do. You know how things are at the moment.

I know our recent meeting was brief. We had so much to catch up on and it felt like all we got to do was say 'hello' before we were separated again. I promise, I'll do what I can to be back soon.

I miss Best Buy.

At least I managed to keep myself to the items I chose before walking into the store. It wasn't easy.

Now I'm all Hungry

I try to control the amount of fast food that I eat. I know I don't have the healthiest eating habits in general so I figure limiting fast food is a step in the right direction. However, there are certain times and circumstances that just scream 'fast food' to me and it doesn't seem right if I don't go with the flow.

Generally I gravitate to Wendy's as I am a fan of the Spicy Chicken Sandwich they have on the menu. Hardee's was once a favorite of mine but there isn't one nearby, not close enough that I would go regularly anyway. I prefer Burger King to McDonalds but don't like Burger King as much as I used to do. McDonalds stopped being interesting to me somewhere in my late teens. There are things on the menu I know are 'safe' for me to eat but I don't have an excitement for the place. I think I've had all of one Big Mac in my life. I saw a commercial for a Quarter Pounder the other day and pondered whether or not I'd ever had one. Can't remember. Don't think so.

Of late, I've had a taste for Taco Bell, which seems ridiculous as that's even worse. It's dangerous, evil stuff but a weird yearning for nacho cheese draws me there. It doesn't hurt that they're open late and there's one right off the freeway, not far from where I live. It's a weird self-loathing that brings me there, great heaps of hot sauce, and far too entertaining with beer with which to wash it down.

The other part to me that seems ridiculous to me is that I like watching cooking shows. I see proper food getting made, occasionally get keen to try something, but have no skill in that regard. I can bake after a fashion, barbecue a little, but not really cook. Gordon Ramsey would hate me I'm sure.

December 27, 1992

The tape is labeled 'Museum - December 27, 1992' and I find no reason to doubt that date. It can't be much earlier as it's clearly winter and I'm wearing the Ramones concert T-shirt I got October 30, 1992. It would make sense that I'd wear it later that year in an effort to show it off to my friends, some of which I wasn't seeing regularly anymore after I'd graduated from high school in June 1992.

I watched the tape a few years ago in order to pull off some interesting moments for a 'home video' type collection DVD. In doing so, I cut the 40-50 minutes down to about 7. The camcorder gets passed around a lot so there's a great deal of really shaky cam and messing around. The messing around was good for the other project but last night I watched it/skimmed it in an effort to see if there were any images I could pull from it in order to compare and contrast the Museum as it appeared then to how it looks now. The messing around is less good for this project.

The good news is that there's some areas captured that have changed drastically from then to now. I don't know if there are any decent stills I can pull from the tape to show this, but I'm interested in trying. Two areas in particular would be good for this: the main area on the first floor and the Temples, Tells and Tombs exhibit on the second floor.

The main area on the first floor held the entrance to the building at that time, along with two gift shops and a coat check area. It was a very open area at that time. Now, the entrances are on the ground floor. The area that used to be the entrance on One holds a butterfly exhibit. The once open area is very crowded with new exhibits. Big change.

Temples, Tells, and Tombs was new (to me anyway) in 1992 and was removed in 2007 to make way for the enlarged traveling exhibit space where the Titanic relics are currently. The bulk of the items from that exhibit still on display are currently on the third floor and the wikipedia article for the Museum says they will be there permanently come next year. There are some signs that this is starting to occur now but, if the plan is to accomplish this in the area those items are currently located in, it will be a greatly cut down version of the exhibit. Still better than nothing.

I also have proof that the humpback whale skeleton was on the ground floor at the time. I'm not misremembering.

Some of my entertainment in watching it last night came from listening to myself. In a number of ways, I have not changed. Upon seeing the mummy in Temples, Tells, and Tombs, I immediately start telling my friends where he used to reside in the Museum, down on the first floor, in the Rise to Civilization exhibit. Some of my jokes are even the same from then to now. Some of my jokes were created by my friends that day and are stuck in my head. We must have had fun.

Good deal.

I gots nuthin

Since I have spun a plate, Now I must sit and wait.

Yeah, I got nothing. I blogged twice yesterday so I figure that makes up for this.

A Few Thoughts on Comics from This Week

Light week this week.

My favorite this week is Amazing Spider-Man Family #4. Don't like Brand New Day and its effects? Spidey Family features mostly fun stories and has very little bearing on mainstream 'continuity'. This issue has a short story based in the mainstream, reprints Spidey issues 97 and 98, a story set in the Spider-Girl continuity, an Aunt May story that's cute... and the return of Spider-Ham! Yes! One of the first comics I got when I started intentionally getting comics. It's a fun story, nothing earth shattering but fun.

Simpsons Comics #151 introduces Moe's family. He has family?

Dark Avengers #2. I have to believe this is a storyline type book, the sort of thing designed to run for a year or two before ending. It's too much like Thunderbolts to continue much longer than that. More of an interesting idea than anything else.

Ultimate Fantastic Four #60 is the last issue of the book. Does it wrap anything up? Nope. There's a miniseries to do that. Not a bad issue but the lack of closure annoyed me.

Marvel Adventures - The Avengers #33 made me laugh out loud at one point. If you don't like how 'dark' the mainstream books are right now, then get some of the Marvel Adventures books. They're designed for a slightly younger audience and can be a hoot. Generally good art and good writing that doesn't take itself too seriously, in a way that works more often than not.

As normal, I got more books that just this but this is what I felt like talking about.

A little detail regarding yesterday's post

Yesterday's story segment originates from the incomplete Season 32 Doctor Who story 'Psychotic Reaction'. Some looking into the notebook it was being written in displays the problems that lead to the end of the Season 32 project.

The second story of the 'Season', another rewrite of a 'Teen Doctor' story, 'Relative Power' was completed. It was started after the Reaction, which was meant to launch the Season. A note inside the cover of the notebook states 'Season 32 must begin!' and dates the beginning of the writing process as December 14, 1995.

During this time, I tended to date the beginning and ending dates of episodes. This was a way to track the timing of my writing process. Considering I wrote sequentially at this time (I hadn't learned how to write in fragments and piece a story together yet), this worked.

Episode One was completed on May 12th, 1998. Ages later. Generally an episode, about 30 written pages, should have taken me a couple months at worst. This was forever. A little note next to the completion date states 'This took too damn long!'

Episode Two was started immediately after, finishing the cliffhanger. It wouldn't be completed until June 6, 1999. 'Too slow still!' the accompanying note states.

Episode Three started on June 17, 1999. It would never be completed. 9 written pages exist for it, as well as a couple pages from Episode Four written after I started figuring out how to write out of order.

I started typing the story up this week, what exists of it anyway. It's weird editing words I originally wrote over a decade ago but I am.

I don't expect to finish the story, just preserve what exists, kind of like the incomplete Tom Baker story 'Shada'. It does explain why I had to officially 'cancel' the Season. When it takes three and a half years to write half the story, well, that's not a good pace with which to go forward.

It's okay; I've other things to focus on now.

A scene from a never completed story

“What's a kipper?” Julie asked as she searched the menu containing her breakfast choices.

“It's a fish,” answered the Doctor, currently engaged in scanning a similar document.

Julie made a face. “I don't think the idea of fish for breakfast would sit very well.”

“It doesn't with me either. This incarnation doesn't seem to tolerate seafood very well. Not that I'm all that hungry in general.”

“You rarely are.”

“True, true,” he murmured.

The owner of the small hotel they were staying in approached their table. He was a tall man with an expressive face, long legs, dark thinning hair, and a tidy mustache. “Ah, Doctor.” That title, 'Doctor', was savoured by the gentleman speaking it, carefully forming it in his mouth before daring to utter it. When they had checked in, he'd been clearly impressed by the title. The Doctor's youthful appearance did not appear to hinder the owner's enthusiasm in any way given the amount of fawning over them he'd done. “I trust you slept well last night.”

“Actually I did, thank you for asking.” At an hour and a half, he felt that he'd overslept a bit, but they were on holiday, so that was acceptable. “How comfortably were you wrapped in the arms of Morpheus this past eve?”

A grin played about the mouth of the owner, evidently pleased by the intellectual reference. “Comfortably enough, when I wasn't being roused by my wife's nocturnal rumblings and roarings.”

“I'm sorry to hear that.”

“As I am when it wakes me.”

The Doctor laughed politely. Seeing that the Doctor had been amused by his minor jest, the hotel owner laughed as well, with considerable more energy than the Doctor had shown. The Doctor patiently waited for the jester to complete his boisterous laughing. This event was not soon in arriving but arrive it did. Once the owner noticed the patiently quiet look on the Doctor's face, he recovered quickly. “Ah, yes, well, nevermind all that. Are you prepared to order your meal?”

“I am, Julie?” She nodded. “I'm not all that hungry this morning. Perhaps a bowl of porridge, some toast, and a glass of milk.”

“Very healthy no doubt,” he gushed as he jotted this information down. “And you miss?”

“I'll try the house omelet, with a side of bacon and toast, and a glass of orange juice.”

“Very good. I'll go and tell the chef.”

As he left to do so, Julie smiled. “What an odd man.”

“Indeed. Fancy a walk after breakfast?”

“Sounds nice, especially since we won't be hunting evil robots or evading energy blasts to do so.”

“It'll be different, that's for sure.”

I See Weird Things

I've been dubbing footage from old tapes to DVD again. I see Weird Things.

- Hulk Hogan with Mean Gene Okerland cutting a promo in front for a Wrestlemania VI sign about how he won't fight Bugs Bunny (as part of a 50th Anniversary to Bugs show).

- Honey Nut Cheerios commercial with Godzilla in it.

- Levis commercial directed by Spike Lee featuring writer/artist Rob Leifield.

- Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue - a half-hour anti drug cartoon featuring Smurfs, Alvin and the Chipmunks, ALF, Michaelangelo from the TMNT, Garfield, Muppet Babies, Winnie the Pooh, and others. Bugs Bunny talking frankly about marijuana is mind-altering in itself.

The True Terror of Friday the 13th

Friday night was full of fun as well as terror. There was also some rage and that's mostly what I'm planning to talk about today.

I don't really get angry very often. I get annoyed, I get upset, I get frustrated, but not really angry. Angry is special and impressive. All the other emotions tend to fade away as soon as the cause for that emotion is gone, and then I fade back slowly to relaxed. Angry leaves me too short tempered to relax so immediately and tends to get compounded too easily. I have to concentrate a bit to start the process back to relaxed. Angry has led to violence in the past; not much mind you, I can count on one hand the times that's occurred, but there's been some punches and scuffles from being pushed a step too far.

Friday night we were heading for the movies. We had pre-bought our tickets, so there were no concerns about being able to get into the movie or finding seats. We did start to worry about getting into the theatre though. You see, Friday night it started snowing. It was a bit on the slippery side and caution was called for but there's caution and then there's fear and then there's stupidity. Add the snow and the listed reactions to it with a busy Friday night at the theatre with the fact that the theatre in question has only one access point to the parking lot and you get traffic that doesn't move for five minutes because people are clogging the interchanges in the lot and can't get free because the traffic light didn't change and no one thought to just make a right turn instead and break the jam. This annoyed and frustrated me. I was not driving but my friend that was driving was also annoyed and frustrated so we didn't help each other relax very well. We fed each others anger.

Finally we got into the lot and parked, fussing and fuming as we walked. One of our party was meeting us there and was stuck in the traffic. His normal five minute trip took him a half-hour. As part of our tickets, we had a five dollar vouchure for the snack bar and I was encouraged to go instead and make use of it. As I entered, I bumped into a different friend of mine and chit-chatted with him for a minute. This chance meeting relaxed me a little and then I headed to the snack bar.

Mistake!

I picked what felt like the shortest line and decided what I wanted. The line didn't move for ages and my annoyance started to build back to anger. When the people in front of me didn't step up to the front when the opportunity presented (I'm not saying that they didn't rush the counter as soon as the gap presented itself, I'm saying that they were having too much fun for a moment to step forward and I wasn't in the mood to see that) and then didn't have an order ready to place, I got more mad. I had no way to take it out without being the bad guy so I just stood there and fumed. Once they finally got their stuff and moved on, I got to the front, made my simple request, and it was quickly granted. Thank you! A step in the right direction.

A few things then went right. I bumped into my buddy again, which wasn't that much of a shock as we were going to the same movie, and then I saw that my other friend had made it through the traffic so that was settled. We got in the theatre, got in our seats, and I tried to relax a bit as I starting eating my candy and watching trailers for films that didn't make me want to see the films in question very much.

Then the film started. The lights were still on in the theatre. This caused a couple comments from the audience but nothing changed. I was not relaxed enough to take another bump in the road and quickly grew irritated again. The desire to throw my Junior Mints at the screen was strong but I resisted. As the credits continued and nothing changed, my buddy got up to talk to someone about this. When he returned he noted that the individual he spoke with was 'going to talk to someone about it'. What? It's the lights in the theatre! It's probably just a dimmer switch. Does the manager have to make a decision about who's responsible enough to touch the dimmer switch? I got a little explosive but tried to settle down for the benefit of the rest of the audience. It's not like they were happy about this either. Let's just try to ignore it and watch the movie. About five minutes later, as my buddy rose to complain again, the lights finally came down.

Okay. Deep breaths. Just get into the movie and relax a little. Everything will be fine by the end of the film. Just relax.

Then a couple rows behind me, someone's phone goes off. Seriously? And they pick up and start talking without leaving the theatre. Seriously?!?

At that point, I was done. The theatre going experience was well and truly dead to me. Almost everything I'd ever predicted about the death of theatres was happening to me. All I needed was damage to the print of a new film or a problem with the sound system and my night would be complete.

Thankfully no. That was it. I could finally relax and get into the movie. I laughed a little, reacted to the scary scenes, and, despite my distaste for doing so, applauded from amused joy at one point. I know, it's not a play and they can't hear me, but it wasn't at the end of the film as if to say 'that was a good movie', it was a spontaeous 'oh wow!' sort of thing that others joined in on.

By the end I was okay again. I'm still not keen to go back to the theatre though. It may cause me to skip a film or two that I'm not sure on. Or maybe that's just fall-out from one of the trailers I saw. It just didn't feel right. We'll see.

New Simpsons Titles

I liked them.

Today was the first appearance of the new title sequence for the Simpsons, mostly for HD. I was pleased that it was, by in large, the same basic sequence as the original, but updated with other characters and items. It made me laugh a bit out of joy.

Haven't watched the episode yet. After the title sequence I left for bowling.