Saturday, October 04, 2003
Wow. Blogging is like spreading your own fungus out to the world and letting people try to discover exatly where that smell is coming from...
It's become Klein Oak week here at The League of Melbotis, with most recent discovery being Anne Francis, class of 1989. I never knew Anne personally, but she must have been an A+ Panther, because by the time I showed up, folks were still talking about her. Anyhoo, she e-mailed me about my entry about Jim Parsons from a little bit ago, and I was deee-lighted to hear from her. It's like getting an e-mail from Captain America or something, if you were at Klein Oak in the early 90's.
Helping to preserve Anne's legacy was her mom, Mrs. Francis, who was the coolest substitiute teacher at KO. Now, why I remember Mrs. Francis and not anybody from my own class, I cannot say. But that lady knew every kid in the school. She was fantastic.
How exciting! KO spreads out about the world and it's up to the League to bring us all together. Truly, the mission of the League is a global one.
9:49 AM |
I've been listening to the 4th American Recordings album done by the late, great Johnny Cash. Jim D. had suggested the record to me, and once again, Jim's recommendations have panned out well.
In a way, the album has a weight to it simply becuase it is the final album from a highly prolific recording artist. That would have been enough, alone, to make this a good record. But what is so starkly obvious upon listening to the album, is that Cash had a pretty good idea this might be his final album. His voice isn't what it was on prior recordings, and frankly, he sounds like an old man on quite a few tunes. But for an album which covers everything from Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" to "Streets of Laredo", there's a certain cohesion created by the fading voice of the Man in Black.
And, if nothing else, the title track, "The Man Comes Around" puts on display the goods that Johnny Cash had right up until his final days.
Thursday, October 02, 2003
Found out by doing a sitemeter check that
1) a lot of people continue to want to see nude photos of a certain conservative pundit. No, I am not referring to George F. Will. 2) Shannon and Josh were looking for JAMIE, not Ryan. So forget anything nice I ever said about them. 3) Alzare is more popular than I originally knew.
I think I am going to NASA in October. No, I am not being used for low orbit reconnaisance (although i would not object). I think they're sending me there for an ed fair.
While I am excited to participate in all things NASA related, I think I am handing out brochures to NASA scientists about our online programs. I love NASA. I'm kind of excited. I hope me and Buzz Aldrin get drunk and go and kill a wild boar and then take an old moon buggy out for a spin.
Howdy to Josh and Shannon who are getting married in mid-October and STILL took the time out to track me down. And they found me via the League. Yes, the 10 Year Reunion for Klein Oak High School certainly has been stirring up some dust.
Shannon and Josh are two nifty kids and I don't know what to say except that you're both swell people and I wish you the best. Looking forward to seeing you at the wedding (I'll be the one sobbing loudly in the corner. Weddings always make me cry).
Why does Star Wars Episode II suck so bad? It's now showing on one of my movie channels, and I'll be honest, Leaguers... I gave it below "luke" warm reviews when i saw it in the theater (4 times, and thereby hangs a tale...). And on TV, it's even crappier. I hate Hayden Christian. I hate the stupid dialog and meandering story and I hateses the crappy CG.
I used to love Star Wars, and as I once noted in these pages, I even went insane and defended Episode I at length for about 6 months. But in all honesty, in some ways, it's better than Episode II. At least Episode I has a beginning, middle and end and was long enough ago that you kind of didn't notice how crappy some of the CG was... but why, oh, why, oh why... is the CG in Episode II so awful? It looks like that Andromeda show with Kevin Sorbo... and that show is freaking free to watch and syndicated....
Sorry. This was out of place and belaboring the obvious, but I had to get it off my chest.
I just used to really dig Star Wars, and now it's all crappy.
Someone remind me to finish Return of the King before the movie comes out so I can enjoy the movie, without feeling guilty.
Mel has ear problems. Apparently, for several years, he's had ear problems. We've taken him to the vet for his annual visit, and every time they give me SOMETHING to treat it, but it never works. THe new stuff is gross, but I think it's working. But dirty dog ears smell like bat barf, and I don't like dealing with them. Bleah.
1:45 PM |
Wednesday, October 01, 2003
WHOOO-HOOOO
Goin' to see David Bowie in Phoenix in February!
10:03 AM |
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
I feel a little bad that I haven't really updated in a while. Sorry, kids. Not much has been going on at League Central. Usually I feel I have a story to share, but right now, the well has run dry.
Melbotis returned home last night and is his same, potato shaped self. He was a happy, happy boy to see me, which provided me with the pointless positive vibe only dog owners ever really get. Everyone should be much nicer to their dogs. You never see people so happy to see you they squeal and roll around.
I have an exam in the course I am taking on Monday. I am totally terrified as I have not taken an exam since May of 1998. Oh, well. If I fail, I can always try a different degree, i guess.
Oh... High School Chum "Thrill Kill" Jill Wilmarth is coming to visit in December. She's all hitched up and a Hermann-Wilmarth now, but I doubt marriage has made her any less of a little ray of sunshine. I am tickled pink to host her while she attends some sort of National Reading Convention here in the Valley of the Sun. Jill asked me if I was the AV guy at my employer university, or the guy who turns on the TV for her when she can't get anything to work in her classroom. It made me wonder what my parents think I do for a living. For years, my borther thought I stopped and started VTRs all day. Which i kind of did, but IT WAS MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT!!!!
It seems family and friends are finding The League. Reports have it that my uncle, Bob the Conqueror, has located The League of Melbotis. Also, high school chum and current Doctoral Candidate Jill Hermann-Wilmarth has located The League.
Jill sent an e-mail and alerted me to her presence, and it was good to get an update on the Wilmarth clan, who introduced me to the novelty of the dried cranberry. mmmmmmm... dried cranberries. In one sitting, Jeff Peek and I cleaned out all of the Wilmarth family's dried cranberries. Well, next time Hope will know better than to offer up a snack when I visit.
Bob sent no e-mail, so one is forced to assume Bob was somewhat disappointed.
Well, welcome, kids. Feel free to send e-mails and recipes.
12:54 PM |
Sunday, September 28, 2003
Was in Austin for a few days this weekend. Honestly, September in Austin is my favorite month, and end of September is even better...
I don't really care for Vampires, or the mythology surrounding vampires as a source of much fiction, but I never read Bram Stoker, so maybe I have no idea what the hell I'm talking about... But I always liked the werewolf mythology for pretty much the same reason I dug the Hulk... it's all about freaking out on folks and then feeling bad about it later...
Anyway, went and saw Underworld this weekend as part of my fantastic voyage... and I'm really too spent from otherwise having fun to properly go off on this particular hunk of junk.
At any rate, it was good to be back in Austin. Despite the fact I actually do greatly enjoy my job here in Tempe, it's difficult to compare Chandler/ Tempe/ Phoenix to a town where you can get anywhere in 20 minutes, see top level college football, go to the best comic shop in North America and find a damn good record shop every twenty feet. This is not to mention great restaurants, the 6th street/ 4th street/ Red River nexus of un-reality and an endless supply of really decent folks.
People who never visit Texas tend to have a pretty negative stereotype of Texas, which is about as much fun as having negative racial stereotypes. Sure, some crazy stuff goes down in Texas (re-districting controversies, Presidential assassinations and whatnot), but you also have to give Texas it's due in being an all right place to be.
I'd love to be back in South Austin as a permanent resident, but getting there is quite the chore. But you've got to give yourself goals, people.
In the meantime, thanks to a damn fine Bar-B-Q put on as a joint effort by my folks and my brother, I did not rest my head until well after midnight. I was just fallen asleep when our wall neighbors at the hotel began to enjoy one another loudly, so I lost a little more sleep, but at least I got a good laugh.
Anyhoo, I am a tired boy today and I have miles to go before I sleep.
Mel is still in the Kennel, and will be until tomorrow sometime. Poor boy. He needs to come home now.
5:54 PM |
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