BEARS WIN..?

I literally only caught the last 2:00 minutes of the game and then the post game highlights/ SportsCenter, but I only really see one of two possibilities:

(a) God loves the 06 Bears
(b) God thinks its funny to mess with the Cardinals.

Having lived in Arizona, I think its (b)

Read about the goofiest NFL game ever, right here.

Weekend

I did post a little over the weekend, so take a look and see the posts below, including a few photos of the new Austin house.

The weekend went well. In truth, as I'm currently jobless, there's not much difference between weeks and weekends other than my ability to call upon people. On the weekend I can call Jason and make him go to lunch. During the week I can upon businesses and services.

Example: When we moved in to our house, we bought two garage door openers as we have two garage doors. The installer finally came out, was here for five minutes and pointed out that one door was installed at an angle and the other door's rails come together near the floor. "I can install the openers," he said, "But the motors going to wear out pretty fast unless these doors are fixed."

So I called the builder to come out and look at the doors, but he said, "Well, the doors are only under a one year warranty. The previous owner should have fixed them. Also, they ran into the doors, so your warranty is void, anyway."

So now I have to call the garage door services people to come fix the doors they installed improperly the first time, and I have to pay them for it. All I want is to have a garage door opener and tro cruise into the garage without thinking about it. Instead, the whole operation is costing me time and money I don't have.

-Saturday we grabbed Steanso and headed to North Austin, visiting the intersection of Pond Springs and 183, which had once been a wee League's old stomping grounds. We popped into Austin comic shop "Thor's Hammer", which was having a massive clearance sale and table-top gaming tournament. The League does not play table-top games and must confess to being a little weirded out by the squeaks and squeals of nerdish delight coming from the gaming area. I know gamers and comic geeks may appear to share kinship to even a team of trained anthropologists, but I think we're a pedigree apart on the nerd-scale.

I bought a stack of back-issues for a dollar apiece, picked up three trades at 40% off cover, and had a moment of geekish horror when I unwittingly entered a trivia contest.

I was elbow deep in long boxes, desperately seeking out stray New Gods back issues when someone burst into the back-issue room.

"Quick! Who was the director of Empire Strikes Back?"
"Irvin Kershner!" some geek blurted. I looked around for a moment and realized the geek in question was none other than your humble League. The room was oddly silent. The other geeks looked a little stunned. The guy who had asked the question ran back out of the room.
I felt awkward, as if I had crossed some geek-trivia line and had somehow revealed myself as somehow even more of a knob than the guy yanking back-issues of old Image comics out of the stacks. I had assumed that knowledge of who sat in the director's chairs for Episodes V and VI was common knowledge in geek-circles.
A moment later, the guy asking the question shoved a DVD in my hand. "Your door prize!" I looked blankly at the DVD, turned it over in my hand and saw the title: "Star Wait". I use the term "documentary" loosely, as its really just somebody's home videos as they waited in line for the opening of Star Wars Episode II.
Not Episode I.
Episode II. When we all should have known better.

The DVD is very, very bad, and full of unpleasant geeks being unpleasantly obnoxious. I am very tolerant of Star Wars geeks for the most part, but geeks in packs are a danger more to themselves than to others. Unfortunately, when geeks mass for a geek related event, the lack of proper social acumen becomes a genuine liability. And, even worse, you may bear witness to geek-on-geek hook-ups, the most grisly of geek behavior.

Anyhoo, the trip north was good. "Thor's Hammer" was much nicer than I thought it would be, but has miles to go before its anywhere near the mecca of Austin Books. I might also point out that Austin Books does NOT cater to table-top gamers, instead using its vast space to provide a wide variety of comics of all stripes and eras. Plus, you don't have to hear some dude proclaiming his half-orc had totally made some other guy's halfling his bitch thanks to rolling a natural 20.

Some of us just want to look at our burly men in spandex in quiet.

Oh, and Ty (my LCS manager) has tapped into my utter geekness. My shop, South Side, is part of the Austin Comic Ring, owned by Thor's Hammer. Anyhoo, Ty had been called in to help with the event and had an excellent time making fun of me for heading 20 miles north in search of deals on comics.

Leaguers, Ty has only begun to scratch the surface.

-Saturday Night, Steanso and I headed to Alamo Drafthouse South to see a midnight showing of "Friday the 13th III (a New Dimension in Terror!)". I am not a slasher movie fan. I do not see the appeal. Unless, of course, there's 3D technology at work. I tell you, Leaguers, there's nothing like seeing an axe-handle protruding from someone's noggin when you feel like you could get smacked with that same handle as the victim looks surprised for a beat or two before falling out of frame. I just really felt like I was immersed in all of the blood splattering action.

As the gentleman introducing the movie pointed out: in order to provide the most out of the experience, the script was apparently written to take the utmost advantage of the 3D technology, occasionally at the expense of details like plot, dialogue and a coherent narrative.

All I can say is: ladies, when you see a dude slowly ambling toward you with a ski-mask and a spear-gun, do not make small talk. Assume the worst and flee.

-Today we met up with Cousin Sue, showed her the house, the grabbed lunch at Cherry Creek Catfish on Manchaca. Not much going on today, and even less when you take into account the hours I lost when I fell asleep on the couch reading those Superman back issues I picked up yesterday.


-Hope everyone had a good weekend.

A little football

UT wins! Well, it's Baylor.

Colt McCoy is not as dazzling to watch as Vince, but it will be very interesting to watch this already solid quarterback mature. He's not throwing any more interceptions than Simms, and he seems to have a better head on hsi shoulders... But when things go south on him in the pocket, he just isn't Vince Young. That's okay. He's good.

Of course, my favorite player this season is Limas Sweed. Limas looks like he's planning to get UT into one of the big bowl games all on his own if he must.

I am very tired of UT looking like deer in the headlights in the 1st quarter, but they do seem to wake up in the second quarter... I just can't believe UT gave up so many points. To Baylor.

A moment for OU's Adrian Peterson and Sooner fans. Geez... well, he'll be back maybe before end of the year. Maybe.

A&M, well done again this week.

Picture Parade


Recently, the in-laws came to town. Jamie's Dad (that's Dr. McB to you, mister!) took some photos and sent them our way. We're not really done with the house, but this might give you an idea of what we're up to.

If you're looking for a house in Austin, btw, I totally recommend our realtor.


Why, look! It's a comforting suburban street in Anytown, USA!




This is our house. There are many like it, but this one is mine. You will note the upstairs and downstairs patios. A big selling point.




These are the shelves we painted red. Now many Supermans and Batmans dwell upon the shelves. It's probably a little overwhelming, but not nearly as much as my office will be when I finish. Yes, these shelves are in one of the two living areas which comprise the downstairs.




And there's me with my giant Spider, Mr. Spider. He was a gift from the in-laws. Mr. Spider used to adorn the walls of their home every Halloween, but Judy decided to give Mr. Spider up so now he has a new Halloween home. And given the number of spiders we've found in the house, Mr. Spider will have lots of friends.


the photo was taken before Jim Deadman had been constructed. photos of Jim Deadman will hopefully be forthcoming.

A LOT OF JOBLESS NONSENSE

-Leaguers, I often remind you to take my opinion of your favorite programs with a grain of salt. I am but a deeply opinionated and intellectually bankrupt blogger trying to find television programming which appeals to my own particular brand of amusement. Keep in mind, I still giggle and clap when someone turns the key for me on one of those wind-up cymbal monkeys.

With that warning, I've been watching a lot of Sci-Fi Channel's original series "Ghost Hunters".

It's October, our spookiest month, and I feel I can ponder the supernatural a bit. "Ghost Hunters" is all about attempting to debunk ghostly evidence while simultaneously creeping you out. Honestly, The League is not one to believe much in ghosts, flying saucers, the Loch Ness Monster or most traffic laws. I confess that I do believe in El Chupacabra. Too much damn evidence.

If you have basic cable and a free Saturday afternoon, you really can't miss all the programs which bring us re-enactments of mysterious visitations, hauntings and horror. You may have seen one of the programs such as "Most Haunted", "Secrets of Area 51", "World's Scariest Places" or "Bigfootville". Basic cable has a made a mint out of promising to present compelling evidence of the mysteries of our childhood, but the programs never really deliver. After all, it seems unlikely at best that if someone WERE to capture video footage of The Yeti of Norman, Oklahoma, the first place you might stumble across it would be on a Saturday afternoon rerun of a two-year-old one hour basic cable show.

But, what the heck... I like "Ghost Hunters." Mostly, I like the fact that two blue collar dudes have parlayed their otherwise cynical nature and problem solving skills into a successful Ghost Hunting business (whose services may be, I think, available pro bono). Each weekend these gentlemen jump in the car with some friends and go videotape old, creepy houses. But I DO think they try to be skeptical, and I do believe them when they see something they can't explain (I've seen things I can't explain, such as Jamie's ability to put away a 1 lb. bag of Skittles).

As you may know, The League is currently jobless, and we think Ghost Hunting may be the next exciting career opportunity we should explore. Jamie has already declined to join me in my investigations, stating, "You know, I don't believe in ghosts, but there's no way in hell I'm sitting in a dark house all night waiting to see if something jumps out at me." So, looks like I'd be flying solo if I were to pursue this to its logical conclusion. That's where Mel comes in. Mel with a flashlight strapped to his head.

-Today I assembled my new front porch decoration. I have named it: Jim Deadman.

Jim Deadman is my latest version of The Great Pumpkin. I took one of the artificial Jack O' Lanterns from Target, drilled a hole in the head, put an eyelet in the porch roof and attached string. I attached two "skeleton hand" gloves to a beige bed sheet and then suspended those from some eyelets. All of this creates a nice "ghostly" motion for Jim Deadman and allows Jim to sway in the breeze. Unfortunately, I was trying to be careful and removed the bulb from Jim's artificial head, and in the process of replacing the bulb, I dropped it. So. I need to go buy Jim's head a new bulb.

Home-made decoration construction tip #1: Zip ties. Everything can be solved with zip ties.

-I decided to go out and hang Jim Deadman today as the weather finally broke. It's cool outside. It feels like Fall. I am inclined to put on jeans tomorrow. And maybe take a shower if Jamie is lucky. I have not lived somewhere that has Fall in a few years. I plan to enjoy it.

It was so nice out, in fact, that Jamie and I sat on our upstairs patio and ate dinner. I tell you, Leaguers, you cannot go wrong with an upstairs patio. Add an upstairs patio to your home today.

-I spoke with an old pal from years gone by. Some of you WW Warriors may remember Shauna C. from the checkout line at K-Mart circa 1991. I remember Shauna as a mean dancer and the person who pointed out that a McDonald's cone is less than a dollar (circa 1994). Anyhoo, Shauna has landed on her feet in sunny LA and is doing quite well for herself as a bit of a writer.

You know, normally The League loathes hearing success stories about people with whom he once shared a cafeteria. After all, The League is currently unemployed and hasn't bothered to shave in a week (we've decided that The League's outward appearance must match the grimness of his career prospects). So it's nice to hear a success story about someone to whom you don't want to immediately respond "That @$$hole? His own plane?"

Those sorts of conversations inevitably end with the League standing on a cliff overlooking the pounding surf, staring into an empty bottle of wood grain alcohol while contemplating the injustices of being born into this meaningless existence.

Then you hear one of the good ones did well for themself and it's punch and pie all over again. Good for Shauna C. Hopefully she'll be willing to spend her hard-earned monies funding my ghost investigations.

-This evening I cracked open my first Halloween movie, finally attached the DVD player to the TV and enjoyed. In a fit of Elvira love, spawned by my post from earlier this week, I watched my recently purchased copy of "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark". It was nostalgia and my memory of Elvira's final dance number that got me through the movie. In some ways, the movie was a lot funnier now than when I was 13 and watching it for the first time, but in many ways... well, if you want to borrow it, you know who you can call.

-Also, I watched an Elvira hosted original version of "Little Shop of Horrors". I've been a fan of the film musical starring Ellen Greene, Rick Moranis and Steve Martin since the mid-80's (Ellen Greene as Audrey probably deserves her very own DITMTLOD). However, this was the black and white original, which I'd never seen.

Film legend has it that the entire movie was filmed in two days for a few thousand dollars, but is probably just as famous for including a very young Jack Nicholson in one of his first roles (he plays the masochist part you may recal Bill Murray took on in the musical). It's worth noting that the movie is actually pretty funny in parts, and certainly never seems concerned with being taken seriously. I'm not sure if the characters were each given business and a base personality by Roger Corman (the film's director and producer), or what happened, but in a lot of ways, the film almost reads like the actors were entertaining themselves as much as trying to get the film made.

Occasionally, Elvira pops up in the movie (it's a menu selection before you start the movie), and while her comments are welcome, the technology isn't as seamless as it should be to make this work.

-You may note a lack of Halloween Contest this year. Sorry about that. I'm a little pre-occupied. Maybe next year.

-Hope all Leaguers are doing well.

Because I can think of just too many Leaguers who might find this amusing...

From Television Without Pity regarding the Season 3 Premier for "Lost"

Closeup on an eye, which turns out to be scanning a CD rack. A hand reaches out and grabs what is recognizably the case for Speaking in Tongues by the great Talking Heads, and since I am one of those guys who have to know these things and let everyone else that I know these things, I immediately announced, "Cool! Talking Heads!" to everyone watching with me. Much to my chagrin, Petula Clark starts warbling "Downtown," instead. That is not a song I hate. But it is not Talking Heads. And I can only surmise that either a) Lost planned to use a Talking Heads song but couldn't work out a deal or b) this person is a natural enemy to music geeks like myself: that person who takes CDs from the player and puts them in the case of the CD they now want to listen to instead, such that none of the discs match up with the cases in their collections, and when you want to listen to something, you have to work your way backwards until you suddenly find the Talking Heads CD in, like, the My Bloody Valentine case or some such. And forgive me if it sounds like I'm exaggerating, but those people are the greatest evil mankind has ever known.

Besides, for this show, the Talking Heads album you want is Stop Making Sense.

I went through almost this exact same inner-monlogue while watching the opening scene, going so far as to blurt out "Talking Heads!" when they exposed the interior of the CD case. The person in my house with no respect for CD's v. CD Cases? Jamie, and her blase attitude toward making the two jive.

Her acquisition of an iPod saved our marriage.

For those of you who've never been there: Television Without Pity