I came back to town today and to work for a few hours. I took my co-worker home and met his entire family, which was kind of entertaining. You hear little snippets about your co-worker's home lives, and then there they are, including the little dog.
I walked away with a nice plant I can put in my front yard flower bed. I'm actually very excited because its a bit more of a local plant and less of a shrub than what we have planted there now. I kind of want to tear out what we have in those beds and put in some native flora.
As a follow up to yesterday, I slept like a log last night once moved. Good for me, bad for my reading of Moby Dick.
Was going to write about final episodes of Terminator series, but I'm tired and I don't think anyone of you actually watch the show.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
apparently it was some coffee shop, not a bar. They host fund raising events. The world's nicest La Quinta employee moved me to a new room on, literally, the otehr side of the complex and all I can hear is the sound of trucks on the freeway and my air conditioner.
I should also mention they have free wireless, which the last Hyatt i stayed in did not.
If I catch any of you making fun of La Quinta, it will be pistols at dawn.
I should also mention they have free wireless, which the last Hyatt i stayed in did not.
If I catch any of you making fun of La Quinta, it will be pistols at dawn.
apparently my motel room is about 150 feet from some bar where I can look forward to singer/ songwriters actually starting to play at 10:00ish. Just when I thought I was turning in for the night.
It's going to be a long night.
And suddenly I have completely changed my stance on Austin's 70 db policy for outdoor musical venues.
It's going to be a long night.
And suddenly I have completely changed my stance on Austin's 70 db policy for outdoor musical venues.
TV Flashback
This post only sort of makes sense. I started looking at this "Bigfoot and Wildboy" intro clip and then posted a bunch of 70's and 80's era sci-fi stuff that I liked, but never really got much attention. This was back before I knew about TV ratings, separations between Prime Time TV and after school kid's stuff. Things like that.
Its kind of impressive what a practice in narrative economy these opening sequences are. You get the basic idea of what's happening, a funky 70's coke-fueled band, and a look at who you're going to see in the cast (and a surprising number of clips end with "John McCheese as Lt. Rodwhatsit". Why do we have to identify the cop's character, but nobody else?
Wonder Woman sort of does all this in song:
Got this clip at Calvin's Canadian Cave of Cool.
I can't imagine what the dudes were on who came up with this, but it must have been a bit stronger than Children's Advil.
Okay, let me rephrase that. I can maybe see coming up with the idea. It's almost as good as my idea for a show where FDR goes underground to run a crackerjack team of secret agents who refuse to play by the rules. But in the 1970's, dagnabbit, Bigfoot was in, but everybody knew our pal Sasquatch didn't talk. Hence: Wildboy. What I can't imagine is being the chain-smoking, chain-philandering, chain-cocktail-guzzling TV exec who looked at clips of this show and said "Bigfoot and Wildboy? That's TV GOLD, PEOPLE! AIR THAT SUCKER!!!!"
I do actually remember this show from the late 70's. But only very vaguely.
After shooting all day in the Southern California sun, that actor in the Bigfoot suit must have smelled like last week's Catch O The Day.
I also stumbled onto this on, and it blew my mind. I've asked dozens of people if they remember this show, and nobody ever knew what I was talking about.
They often thought I was talking about "The Power of Matthew Star". But, no, I was not. I was talking about "Phoenix". I don't think it ran even a whole season, or much of what it was about, but as a kid I remember thinking it was really cool and that Phoenix dude was weird.
Matthew Starr was a show about a cowardly space prince with questionable hair and Louis Gossett Jr.
Jason and I were also really into "Voyagers!" when we were kids. I remember that the Thomas Edison lightbulb episode blew my mind. Trivia. That boy is Punky Brewster's brother, and the adult accidentally died when he pointed a gun at his head with a blank in it and the concussive force killed him. That's why the show ended.
We were also into the briefly lived "Automan", even though we knew it was sort of a lame cop show with Tron-inspired FX.
I was also partial to "Manimal", which would have done much better had it come along about 10 years later when someone invented a piece of software that would blend two photos together. The dude could turn into a falcon and a panther and stuff, and when he was a human, he was rich British guy with okay hair. Not bad.
V: The Series. Which made no sense as the evil Diana and her cohorts STILL wore their "human" masks, even after everyone on Earth knew they were really lizards. It's like keeping on a monkey suit well after everyone realizes you're a person.
Despite the hair (or maybe becuase of it), Diana is better looking than I remember.
The Infrequently spoken of Spider-Man TV stuff. Probably closer to what Ditko had in mind than all that Toby Maguire hoo ha.
The also infrequently discussed Captain America
There was also this post-Heavy Metal Levi's Commercial I was very fond of. Its probably why I wear Levi's to this day.
And just for fun: the opening of The Adventures of Superman
Its kind of impressive what a practice in narrative economy these opening sequences are. You get the basic idea of what's happening, a funky 70's coke-fueled band, and a look at who you're going to see in the cast (and a surprising number of clips end with "John McCheese as Lt. Rodwhatsit". Why do we have to identify the cop's character, but nobody else?
Wonder Woman sort of does all this in song:
Got this clip at Calvin's Canadian Cave of Cool.
I can't imagine what the dudes were on who came up with this, but it must have been a bit stronger than Children's Advil.
Okay, let me rephrase that. I can maybe see coming up with the idea. It's almost as good as my idea for a show where FDR goes underground to run a crackerjack team of secret agents who refuse to play by the rules. But in the 1970's, dagnabbit, Bigfoot was in, but everybody knew our pal Sasquatch didn't talk. Hence: Wildboy. What I can't imagine is being the chain-smoking, chain-philandering, chain-cocktail-guzzling TV exec who looked at clips of this show and said "Bigfoot and Wildboy? That's TV GOLD, PEOPLE! AIR THAT SUCKER!!!!"
I do actually remember this show from the late 70's. But only very vaguely.
After shooting all day in the Southern California sun, that actor in the Bigfoot suit must have smelled like last week's Catch O The Day.
I also stumbled onto this on, and it blew my mind. I've asked dozens of people if they remember this show, and nobody ever knew what I was talking about.
They often thought I was talking about "The Power of Matthew Star". But, no, I was not. I was talking about "Phoenix". I don't think it ran even a whole season, or much of what it was about, but as a kid I remember thinking it was really cool and that Phoenix dude was weird.
Matthew Starr was a show about a cowardly space prince with questionable hair and Louis Gossett Jr.
Jason and I were also really into "Voyagers!" when we were kids. I remember that the Thomas Edison lightbulb episode blew my mind. Trivia. That boy is Punky Brewster's brother, and the adult accidentally died when he pointed a gun at his head with a blank in it and the concussive force killed him. That's why the show ended.
We were also into the briefly lived "Automan", even though we knew it was sort of a lame cop show with Tron-inspired FX.
I was also partial to "Manimal", which would have done much better had it come along about 10 years later when someone invented a piece of software that would blend two photos together. The dude could turn into a falcon and a panther and stuff, and when he was a human, he was rich British guy with okay hair. Not bad.
V: The Series. Which made no sense as the evil Diana and her cohorts STILL wore their "human" masks, even after everyone on Earth knew they were really lizards. It's like keeping on a monkey suit well after everyone realizes you're a person.
Despite the hair (or maybe becuase of it), Diana is better looking than I remember.
The Infrequently spoken of Spider-Man TV stuff. Probably closer to what Ditko had in mind than all that Toby Maguire hoo ha.
The also infrequently discussed Captain America
There was also this post-Heavy Metal Levi's Commercial I was very fond of. Its probably why I wear Levi's to this day.
And just for fun: the opening of The Adventures of Superman
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Off To Wacky Waco
Short (practically non-existent) post.
I'm heading to Waco for about 36 hours or more.
I have to get up early, so I don't have time to pen my usual musings if I want to get some shut-eye before my big drive and whatnot tomorrow.
Oddly, this is really the last driving I plan to do for work for a smidge, so hopefully I'll be homebound for a few weeks.
No plans for my evening in Waco. Hopefully I'll just find a place to grab a drink and maybe do some dancing on campus.... Oh, right.
I hope I do not come face-to-face with an angry Baylor Bear
I actually really like the good folks at Baylor, and not just because their facilities are a jump better than ours and they fed me well last time I was there. I haven't spent the night in Waco since high school when our drama team was there for regional competition (and lost). I didn't actually sleep that night, and almost threw-up on the way home thanks to a steady diet of sugar and blue-colored sodas while out from under my parent's watchful eye.
Makes me wonder whatever happened to a lot of those crazy kids.
Anyway, I'm doing some training stuff, including LEADING some training, which is no good for anyone. But if you really, really want to know about open journal systems, meet me Waco on Thursday (but not tomorrow. I'm not leading anybody, anywhere tomorrow).
I'm heading to Waco for about 36 hours or more.
I have to get up early, so I don't have time to pen my usual musings if I want to get some shut-eye before my big drive and whatnot tomorrow.
Oddly, this is really the last driving I plan to do for work for a smidge, so hopefully I'll be homebound for a few weeks.
No plans for my evening in Waco. Hopefully I'll just find a place to grab a drink and maybe do some dancing on campus.... Oh, right.
I hope I do not come face-to-face with an angry Baylor Bear
I actually really like the good folks at Baylor, and not just because their facilities are a jump better than ours and they fed me well last time I was there. I haven't spent the night in Waco since high school when our drama team was there for regional competition (and lost). I didn't actually sleep that night, and almost threw-up on the way home thanks to a steady diet of sugar and blue-colored sodas while out from under my parent's watchful eye.
Makes me wonder whatever happened to a lot of those crazy kids.
Anyway, I'm doing some training stuff, including LEADING some training, which is no good for anyone. But if you really, really want to know about open journal systems, meet me Waco on Thursday (but not tomorrow. I'm not leading anybody, anywhere tomorrow).
Monday, April 13, 2009
Your Time Killer of the Day
Here's your time killer of the day.
Movie and comic concepts reduced to their unflattering essence.
Two of my favorites:
Movie and comic concepts reduced to their unflattering essence.
Two of my favorites:
SUPERMAN RETURNS: Illegal immigrant is deadbeat dad.
TERMINATOR: An unplanned pregnancy leads to complications.
Comics and Big Bang Theory
Because I'm going to get asked (Jill and Mom):
Yes, this evening's episode of "Big Bang Theory" was eerily on the nose. To the point where I wasn't laughing, so much as following the script's stunningly accurate depiction of comic shops, lingo, debates, culture, etc...
The issue Penny picked up was, I believe, a recent Booster Gold comic, which WOULD require the reader having had read Infinite Crisis, 52, and have a working knowledge of DC Comics' Multiverse and history. The Batman and Robin issue pulled from the bin was a year-old issue of All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder by Miller and Lee. Sheldon and Howard were fighting over the rare alternate cover by, I think, Neal Adams.
And, yes, the Battle for the Cowl is currently ongoing in Batman comics. As of right now, the DCU believes Batman to be dead following the events of Final Crisis, which leaves a gap as to who, if anyone, could fill Bruce Wayne's cape as Batman. Like Sheldon, I believe its obvious that only Dick Grayson would make sense as the heir to the cowl, but I appreciate Stewart's points on why failed-Robin, Jason Todd, would be an intriguing successor.
I'd forgotten Joe Chill is once again a part of the Batman mythos, but I think that was accurate or they wouldn't have said it...
Also, the comic Stewart picked up for Penny's nephew was, I think, Dangerous Habits, a Hellblazer graphic novel. You may loosely know the story from the movie "Constantine", which bastardized the story to no small degree. And, yeah, i would have loved it at 13, just as I love it now.
Yes, every comic shop has a Captain Sweatpants. In some shops, it is a miracle to see a girl. Not so much at Austin Books, where you see a mix of girlfriends (both dragged along and equal partners in this business) and many women who shop on their own. I owe it to selection, wide customer base and the fact that Austin Books is run like a professional shop more so than most comic shops. But I have, at some stores, seen the nervous look over the aisles when a woman walks into a comic shop. But I'll be honest with you, those geeks are probably mostly interested in seeing what you're reading.
But for the 90% of normal shoppers, there are those 10% of customers who are Captain Sweatpants, over-stylized goth lifestyle guy, whatever. I won't pretend those guys and girls aren't there, because they certainly are. But I wouldn't want it any other way.
Anyway, BNT is fun to watch thanks to its accuracy to comic and sci-fi geek culture. Its great to have a show that laughs along with geeks instead of depending on humiliating and inaccurate hyperbole. And the mix of high-minded science withc omics is a bit flattering to geeks.
Even some of the science stuff I know, like the Drake Equation, which anyone who watches those History Channel shows on UFO's might know, and its gratifying to see folks like Smoot show up on a sitcom. A weird, fun mix.
Almost as funny as seeing Gary Numan show up on The Mighty Boosh on my DVR.
It's always a pleasure to see a Flash joke make its way onto the show, or a discussion of Superman's costume, etc... These guys know their audience. And we are loyal and appreciative when you do things right.
The producers aren't dumb. They were at Comic-Con last year and had a huge crowd. This year should be even crazier.
Some Other Stuff
GL Trailer
Trailer for the upcoming animated Green Lantern movie.
I'm not sure why they changed the outfit, but I have no complaints. It looks cool. Seems they kept the storyline in place of what's now considered the Hal Jordan Green Lantern mythos, so I'm happy so far.
Go here.
Free Comic Book Day
May 2nd marks the 2009 edition of Free Comic Book Day!
For those of you playing catch-up, here's the skinny: On FCBD, comic companies produce comics that can be given away at no cost to people who come into the store. After several years of doing this, the companies have figured out what sort of things make sense to give away for free to people who read lots of comics as well as people who are coming by just to check out the free stuff.
Not everything is free, of course, but your local comic shop may have some events scheduled. I suggest calling them up or looking at their website to see what they have scheduled.
Here's a website to check out.
Kurt Cobain Suicide Anniversary
This week marks the 15th anniversary of the death of Kurt Cobain, which the music media has been intent on insisting was horrendously important to just about everyone of my generation.
At the risk of sounding callous, I just wasn't that into the band or the supposed air of mystery around Cobain. I was actually under the distinct impression that by early 1994, Nirvana was fading a bit from superstardom to regular ol' popular rockers. That, of course, completely changed with the death of Cobain, the release of the live MTV album, and the rock-n-roll martyrdom/ mystery of Courtney Love that surrounded the death.
I do know some folks take Cobain's death deadly seriously, and in that I feel awful for his child who will never not-be the daughter of Cobain and Love, then I feel terrible. But I'm not going to romanticize his death, and I'm certainly not going to pretend it made me a Nirvana fan.
For more on the legacy of Cobain, I recommend checking out Garth Ennis's comic series, "Preacher".
Yes, this evening's episode of "Big Bang Theory" was eerily on the nose. To the point where I wasn't laughing, so much as following the script's stunningly accurate depiction of comic shops, lingo, debates, culture, etc...
The issue Penny picked up was, I believe, a recent Booster Gold comic, which WOULD require the reader having had read Infinite Crisis, 52, and have a working knowledge of DC Comics' Multiverse and history. The Batman and Robin issue pulled from the bin was a year-old issue of All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder by Miller and Lee. Sheldon and Howard were fighting over the rare alternate cover by, I think, Neal Adams.
And, yes, the Battle for the Cowl is currently ongoing in Batman comics. As of right now, the DCU believes Batman to be dead following the events of Final Crisis, which leaves a gap as to who, if anyone, could fill Bruce Wayne's cape as Batman. Like Sheldon, I believe its obvious that only Dick Grayson would make sense as the heir to the cowl, but I appreciate Stewart's points on why failed-Robin, Jason Todd, would be an intriguing successor.
I'd forgotten Joe Chill is once again a part of the Batman mythos, but I think that was accurate or they wouldn't have said it...
Also, the comic Stewart picked up for Penny's nephew was, I think, Dangerous Habits, a Hellblazer graphic novel. You may loosely know the story from the movie "Constantine", which bastardized the story to no small degree. And, yeah, i would have loved it at 13, just as I love it now.
Yes, every comic shop has a Captain Sweatpants. In some shops, it is a miracle to see a girl. Not so much at Austin Books, where you see a mix of girlfriends (both dragged along and equal partners in this business) and many women who shop on their own. I owe it to selection, wide customer base and the fact that Austin Books is run like a professional shop more so than most comic shops. But I have, at some stores, seen the nervous look over the aisles when a woman walks into a comic shop. But I'll be honest with you, those geeks are probably mostly interested in seeing what you're reading.
But for the 90% of normal shoppers, there are those 10% of customers who are Captain Sweatpants, over-stylized goth lifestyle guy, whatever. I won't pretend those guys and girls aren't there, because they certainly are. But I wouldn't want it any other way.
Anyway, BNT is fun to watch thanks to its accuracy to comic and sci-fi geek culture. Its great to have a show that laughs along with geeks instead of depending on humiliating and inaccurate hyperbole. And the mix of high-minded science withc omics is a bit flattering to geeks.
Even some of the science stuff I know, like the Drake Equation, which anyone who watches those History Channel shows on UFO's might know, and its gratifying to see folks like Smoot show up on a sitcom. A weird, fun mix.
Almost as funny as seeing Gary Numan show up on The Mighty Boosh on my DVR.
It's always a pleasure to see a Flash joke make its way onto the show, or a discussion of Superman's costume, etc... These guys know their audience. And we are loyal and appreciative when you do things right.
The producers aren't dumb. They were at Comic-Con last year and had a huge crowd. This year should be even crazier.
Some Other Stuff
GL Trailer
Trailer for the upcoming animated Green Lantern movie.
I'm not sure why they changed the outfit, but I have no complaints. It looks cool. Seems they kept the storyline in place of what's now considered the Hal Jordan Green Lantern mythos, so I'm happy so far.
Go here.
Free Comic Book Day
May 2nd marks the 2009 edition of Free Comic Book Day!
For those of you playing catch-up, here's the skinny: On FCBD, comic companies produce comics that can be given away at no cost to people who come into the store. After several years of doing this, the companies have figured out what sort of things make sense to give away for free to people who read lots of comics as well as people who are coming by just to check out the free stuff.
Not everything is free, of course, but your local comic shop may have some events scheduled. I suggest calling them up or looking at their website to see what they have scheduled.
Here's a website to check out.
Kurt Cobain Suicide Anniversary
This week marks the 15th anniversary of the death of Kurt Cobain, which the music media has been intent on insisting was horrendously important to just about everyone of my generation.
At the risk of sounding callous, I just wasn't that into the band or the supposed air of mystery around Cobain. I was actually under the distinct impression that by early 1994, Nirvana was fading a bit from superstardom to regular ol' popular rockers. That, of course, completely changed with the death of Cobain, the release of the live MTV album, and the rock-n-roll martyrdom/ mystery of Courtney Love that surrounded the death.
I do know some folks take Cobain's death deadly seriously, and in that I feel awful for his child who will never not-be the daughter of Cobain and Love, then I feel terrible. But I'm not going to romanticize his death, and I'm certainly not going to pretend it made me a Nirvana fan.
For more on the legacy of Cobain, I recommend checking out Garth Ennis's comic series, "Preacher".
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