Great Moments

Driving to work coated in zombie makeup (or am I...?) and always having someone next to me when I stop at a stop light. And seeing them do a double-take out of the corner of my eye.

Or is it my eye?

Braaaaaaaaaains.....

'Twas the Day before Halloween...

Weighing my costume ideas for tomorrow. Well, weighing my interest level. I have an idea, but it involves application of makeup, which is not a specialty of mine. Plus I'd have to remove it quickly after work in order to make class. Probably not worth the effort.

On the plus side, I'm not on the East Coast and getting slammed with a crazy-ass storm.

Zomney

Simply Giant

So the Giants won the World Series, apparently. How do I know?

People were flipping the hell out in my 'hood last night.

Seriously. You'd think a comet was about to hit from all the yelling and carrying on.

Go Giants! I guess. I'm not much of a baseball fan (or really any kind of baseball fan or any kind of sports fan at all), so I could give less of a crap but I do have the Bay Area pride. If someone's gonna win a sporting event, I'd prefer it was a local team.

So go Giants! Yay you!

Thoughts on "Arrow"

Okay, so I've seen a few episodes of the CW's "Arrow".

I can't possibly review this show because it's just terrible. Yet it's also awesome. It's awesomely terrible and terribly awesome. More the former than the latter, really.

I literally can't tell anyone apart. They're all generically pretty with brown or dark hair.

It's clear that Oliver Queen was trained by ninjas on a ninja island near Russia. Russian ninjas? I wait breathlessly for that revelation to come to light.

It's clear that Laurel Lance was trained by cop ninjas in kung fu. I don't care how or why.

It's clear that this is corny beyond words and computers can do magical Hollywood hacking things that are completely divorced from reality.

The Queen family is getting up there in the dysfunctional category.

I... I don't know why I like this show! I really don't!

A new appreciation for sushi

(via The Awesomer)

Best Camera Test Video Ever

(via The Awesomer)

Know your Hordes

How to fight like a Viking. Useful for when their dragon boats come to our shores with a desire to burn and pillage (but not in that order, 'cause Vikings know their business).
(via The Awesomer)

A good alternate use of certain accessories.

Wet Monday

The rain is here. Woke me up, actually. It's a welcome sound. I love the rain.

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Tweaked the unholy hell out of my shoulder trying to throw someone on Friday. I've been having trouble with this shoulder for some time. I hurt it last year and I did something to it a couple of weeks ago. Hurts if I get the elbow above my shoulder. After trying to throw someone, it is decidedly less-comfortable.

I think I'm going to just take a week off from class.

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A lot of beer this weekend. Sunday morning was not the most fun I've ever had in my life.

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I've started collecting the trade paperbacks for "Atomic Robo". Whee!!!

Atomic Robo

I first heard of Atomic Robo when picking up a refill of Black Blood of the Earth.

Herr Direktor mentioned something of this comic. I recalled folks at the comic store I frequent mentioning the same. I also recalled seeing said comic. I was intrigued and filed away that information in the recesses of my brain.

And forgot to follow-up.

Fast-forward almost a year.

Had a game last week. A buddy brought volume four of "Atomic Robo" for me to peruse.

I read it. I re-read it. I re-re-read it.

I laughed. I cried (mostly because it's got some really funny scenes). I tried to re-re-re-read it but I have to sleep sometime.

This morning, I was perusing the site as I was linking it. I saw this one.

If I'd been drinking my coffee at that moment, I would have third degree burns throughout my sinuses.

I'm now weighing how far I want to go into debt this month. Is it worth it to grab all the trade paperbacks or should I pace myself?

A few random pop-culture musings

I have discovered Atomic Robo. I must own all volumes. I must. It is sublime.

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Okay, when did Imperial Stormtroopers transition from "bad guy thugs" to "quirky examples of hapless schlubs"? There's fans who dress up in stormtrooper legions. There's wonks who put stormtroopers in front of the Google servers (yeah, that's not ominous).

When did this happen? Why?

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After having watched the second episode of "Arrow" on the CW, it's become painfully clear that every TV station just wants to air Batman.

Busting Up

We broke boards in class last night.

Few things are as satisfying as splitting a board. I haven't done that in years!

A good reminder why I subject myself to that pain.

Oct. 17, 1989

Dang. 23 years ago yesterday, the Loma Prieta earthquake hit, flattening the eastshore freeway, taking out a section of the Bay Bridge, and causing all sorts of mayhem.


I wasn't around for it. I was in another part of the state. I remember getting the news.

"An earthquake has hit the Bay Area", the announcement came over the intercom. "The Bay Bridge has collapsed. We do not have more information."

Way to scare the shit out of people, guys.

I raced home and tried to contact my family for the better part of twelve panic-stricken hours.

I never felt the quake. My family was fine. I think a beer stein got destroyed (the news of that brought me to tears, an indicator of just how important the sacred drink was becoming to me).

Ah, memories.

Six Strikes bullshit

If you're not aware of the so-called "Six Strikes" rule that several of the major ISPs plan to shove on folks later this year, you probably ought to read the link.

Makes me glad I don't use any of those ISPs. This crap never seems to go away...

Observations of no importance whatsoever

I'm conflicted.

I do not care for hot weather, and this translates to a rather more-than-moderate distaste for the current mini-heat wave hitting the Bay Area.

That said, this does give me a chance to bust out my Aloha shirts before the weather gets properly chilly.

Glass half-empty? Glass half-full? I ordered a cheeseburger, damnit.

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Nothing says awesome like being invited to an ice cream social when you're lactose intolerant.

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I voted absentee ballot. This means all the robo-callers and political wonks will stop calling me. Right?

... right?

............... hello?

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On the topic of voting, I should point out that I do not like either candidate for president and find most of the choices a bit distasteful.

I am also of the opinion that voting gives me bitching rights.

Well, having a voice gives me bitching rights.

Huh. Nevermind then.

Answers!

[Political moment: be warned]


For details on the Romney Tax plan, click here.

What a difference a few weeks makes

Rode my bike today, like a good little monkey.

FSM-damn, I'm out of shape. Oy!

Lust List

It could be the time of the year.

It could be just that I like sharp things (when they're not pointed at me).

Whatever the reason, I really want THESE.

Currently I'm thinking of trying to get a "Tainto".

Tick-tock goes the clock

October is roughly half-done. Ye gods. How the hell did that happen?

I really should consider what, if anything, I will do for a Halloween costume.

I bet I could do a convincing undead with minimal makeup.

Oy.

Allergies have set in over the weekend, by way of segue. Thank goodness I still have the strong meds for that. Fried me up nicely Saturday and Sunday.

In other health news, my arm is improving. Slowly. Sucks that the exact motion that hurts the most (using the mouse) is the motion I need for my work.

A mini heat-wave is due to hit the Bay Area this week. Gotta love autumn here. It's always hotter than summer.

Drives me nuts.

Did I mention I watched the CW "remake" of "Beauty and the Beast"? It stars Kristin Kreuk and a bunch of soap-opera model faces. In a nutshell: lots of pretty people with mediocre acting talent acting poorly in a poorly-written show filled with cliches.

Kind of what I expected, only disappointing all the same.

I might continue to watch "Arrow" out of its hokey entertainment value, but "Beauty and the Beast" is unlikely to retain my attention.

Hell, aside from the now-on-hiatus "Doctor Who", the only things that are holding my attention for any amount of time are "Fringe" (oh, you crazy Observers and your Nazi-esque occupation of the future... and the delicious Georgina Haig...), "White Collar", "Covert Affairs", and... um... is that it? Jeez. Oh wait, I guess I'll give "Arrow" a shot (HAH! See what I did there?).

Oh, and the odd cartoon or two. I'm enjoying the "DC Nation" block on Cartoon Network. "Green Lantern: The Animated Series" is entertaining despite the terrible CGI. And I'm really liking "Young Justice".

I gave up on "Alphas". SyFy clearly doesn't feel the urge to put any effort into science fiction anymore.

Yes, I'm sort of just rambling today. Such is the way of things.

Mmm... Georgina Haig. Wait. What was I talking about?

Oh yes! TV! I'm excited about the upcoming "S.H.I.E.L.D." TV series. Especially since they're...









Spoiler:


























Bringing back Agent Coulson. YAY!

Observations on Preparations

ApocalypseEquipped has a really good post about preppers in the media.

I call this out because I think he's really hit the nail on the head with this one. The first point (the bit about firearms) is certainly different in Australia than the more gun-crazed United States (the Bay Area has lots of firearms floating around). It's interesting how guns do appear to be a focus for so many preppers.

The concept of "bugging-in" (love that phrase... sounds wrong) does appear to miss an important point: what if your chosen lair is hosed by disaster? I personally live in an area that's known for its earthquakes. In the case of the Bay Area, it's not necessarily a wise idea to assume one's home will be habitable should disaster pay a visit.

The fitness observation is the real clincher. So many preppers I know are horribly out-of-shape. I would not consider myself especially fit. I'm in okay physical shape, but need to dedicate a LOT more time and energy to getting my flabby arse more functional. I have one friend who now owns a place and is setting himself up with a farm and all that. He's in pretty solid shape and he's trained himself with all sorts of interesting skills (hunting, stone-knapping... I guess in case he's thrown back to caveman times... raising livestock, martial arts, firearms, etc.).

I always find preparedness discussions to be really eye-opening. It's a topic that fascinates me so I find I often chat with certain friends about it. Their reactions are equally interesting.

Some nod and agree that they ought to pay more attention to being prepared. Crime is rising. We live in earthquake and fire country. The weather patterns are wonky as hell. It pays to have a kit handy and get some first aid training and all that.

A smaller subset go further. They talk about their collections of guns/knives/other esoteric weapons and martial arts training. One or two own property and have prepared their homes for going "off the grid". I used to know a lawyer who up and moved to the country so he could have a farm. He'd planned on doing a big wind and solar power thing. Wonder if that played out for him?

Then there's the people who discount the idea of getting prepared as "being paranoid". One or two actively do not want to talk about the possibility of disaster and would never consider getting a three-day kit. That view really boggles my mind. It's not like a sixty-dollar kit is going to break the bank and should the fit hit the shan (see what I did there?) it would be a good investment.

It's really funny how people handle this topic.

This. This right here.

Says it all.

All a quiver

Managed to watch my recording of the premiere of "Arrow", the new TV series vaguely adapting the story of Green Arrow to television.

It was hokey, but I enjoyed the premiere. The lead actor, Stephen Amell, is good for the role and the dude has seriously put in hours at the gym. I like the little digs to the comic ("Speedy", Diana Lance, etc.).

Things I learned from the pilot:

If you're marooned on an island in the north China sea, the survival skills you will pick up will include:

• Archery
• Crafting of explosives
• Parkour
• Mixed martial arts

You'll also develop a super-human resistance to pain, foreign languages, and sophisticated technological skills.
Upon your return to civilization, you'll suddenly have high-tech Batman-esque toys.

Late for LARP

Nothing more needs be said.

Wow

Saw this on io9.

Just... wow.

A few more babblings

I appear to have full-blown carpal-tunnel/repetitive stress injury/some f***ing problem with my dominant arm/elbow/wrist/hand.

This sucks. A lot.

Interestingly-enough, squeeze toys help as does the weirder parts of my martial arts class. Go figure.

I'm constantly experimenting with height levels at my desk to get the right comfort level.

Haven't found it yet.

That said, my arm doesn't hurt nearly as much today as in previous days. Using the mouse with my non-dominant arm sucks a great deal, though.

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Somewhat-related: found out I am completely out of pain-killers in my apartment.

Except for the liquid stuff. Got lots of that.

Whiskey works. Just sayin'.

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Learned how to properly do air-falls last night. What's an "air-fall" you ask? Well, an "air-fall" is when you are flipped/thrown/whatever in a style (for example, judo) and you're in the air for a bit before gravity introduces you to the ground.

Differs from a fall where you're in contact with the ground the whole time.

Differs a lot.

Learning how to do so properly was a genuine joy. One of my instructors has said that learning to fall is the most valuable part of my particular style. He ain't lyin'.

I fall a lot.

Weekend Lessons Learned

1. "Fringe" started on the 28th, not on the 5th. D'oh!
2. I can never stick to a budget in a Halloween store.
3. A new and deeper appreciation for Tolkien.
4. I have (very, very) minor plumbing skills (demonstrated by being able to attach the requisite adapters and get my water filter hooked-up to my new sink).

Yay!

Working kitchen sink! Woo-hoo!

rambling

Sitting on the cusp of the weekend, I ponder the week.

Crazy-busy.

"Fringe" starts tonight, so there's some TV joy in the immediate future. That should be nice. After a week of slacking, this week's crazy has not been relaxing or fun.

I have hopes that the damn sink issue is getting resolved today. I was testy with a lot of people and I expect someone to at least look at the damn thing when I get home today.

Wish I didn't have to blow off class for this.

The re-reading of "The Fellowship of the Ring" is really driving home for me just how different the books and the movies are. I still think Peter Jackson did a good job adapting the story to film. Some changes just had to be made. Can't say I approve of how some characters were transformed, though.

Aragorn became a bit more badass and broadly-skilled (shooting arrows nearly as well as Legolas, for example). That worked for me.

Merry and Pippin became little more than comic relief for the most part. That doesn't work quite as well.

I would have liked to see Jackson somehow work in the Barrow-wights into the story, but that would have pretty much required Tom Bombadil and I just don't see Tom Bombadil getting to the big screen without being utterly silly.

The interplay in Bree is much better in the book, for the most part. Still, adding all of this would have made the series six movies instead of three. Easily.

Placed an order with County Comm earlier this week. Got a couple of Neo Elastic Pouches and some other odds-and-ends.

Why the pouches? I want something to carry my wallet-ish bits easier to martial arts class. I think this can fit my wallet nicely and my martial arts uniform lacks pockets... I could put everything in a bag, but I'm a fan of not keeping all my eggs in one basket.

If this idea doesn't work out, I expect I'll find other uses for the pouches. They seem quite well-constructed and nicely-padded.

Gotta love County Comm.

siiiiiiigh

So much for hoping to get the goddamn sink fixed.

Anger. Just a wee-bit of anger.

I don't mind when there's delays. I get it. All I ever ask is to be informed if there's schedule problems. After all, I have stuff scheduled as well.

A little consideration goes a long way.

This, That, and the Other Thing

With luck, my kitchen sink is getting fixed today. What a PITA.

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Got my DVD of The Avengers. I forgot how much I enjoyed that movie.

Three times in theaters. How the hell do I forget that? Damn, I'm getting old.

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I think I managed a record for myself last night. Hurt my knee, pulled something in my back, tweaked a shoulder. And - unrelated - I think I'm developing carpal tunnel.

Time for cybernetics.

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I'm re-reading "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings". I'm at a loss on how Peter Jackson's going to split the Hobbit story into three films. I didn't mind the creative license he took with the LOTR story (too much...) but I suspect I shall take exception to the padding of the Hobbit's story.

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The weather has finally cooled with the return of the much-welcome fog to the Bay Area. I really, really hate the heat.

Make this happen!

An animated "Indiana Jones" series!

Just have to keep George out of the writing and NEVER mention Mutt Williams.

And probably avoid 'fridges. Just sayin'...

An Ending, A Beginning, A Lot of Email

My vacation has ended. Back at the salt mines. Sweet FSM I have a lot of email stacked up.

The last three or four days have been a bucket of allergy-joy.

By which I mean, there's no joy there at all.

We're getting hit with a last gasp of summer (typical for the Bay Area) with uncomfortable heat. Combine that with the ragweed and whatever else is spewing into the air and last night was not the most restful sleep I've had.

Nevertheless, I'm back at work and trying to figure out what the hell I was doing before I went on vacation.

I can't quite parse out the early hour yet. My email is incomprehensible. I think I may have killed my plant.

And it's only Monday.