Random Access

I just saw what I can only refer to as “Porntastic Headline of the Day” : BBC NEWS – Federer pulls out of Paris

so lovable? Because she randomly sends me things like this:

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< groove>
Robbie Williams – Rock DJ
< /groove>

Sunday : 29 October 2006
I decided to sleep in and not head south today, either. And I was good with that decision. I lazed about the apartment for a while, keeping tabs on the Ravens as they took on the New Orleans Saints. The outcome? Baltimore is now 5 – 2. I’m quite happy with this development. Granted, they let New Orleans rally from a 28 – 7 halftime deficit to wind up with a final score 35 – 22, but a “win” is a “win.”

invited me to join her and her boys for lunch. After that, we watched The Shining. The original, “Heeeeere’s Johnny!” Jack Nicholson version. (The man’s hairline hasn’t changed in almost 30 years…)

After that, I went for a drive up Parley’s Canyon and back down Emigration Canyon. As much as I ride those roads, UDoT might start charging me a toll. This week’s excursion was as relaxing as it usually is. That was good. Post-canyon run, it was time to do a little grocery shopping. I realized that I didn’t really need a lot of stuff, so I got out of the store on the cheap. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with that!

had invited me back over to watch Without a Trace – it was their 100th episode. It took a little bit to figure out a couple of the twists – and I don’t feel that they covered one aspect of the resolution very well – but it was, on the whole, a good episode. Channel surfing, we found CSI: on Spike, the “Fur and Loathing” episode. (My thoughts from the show’s original broadcast can be found here.) I don’t know that the episode necessarily broke her, but I think that it might have come close in a couple of spots.

Annnnd, home.  Selah.

Stray Toasters

• My mom makes me laugh.  She called this evening to see how I was doing.  Part of the conversation went like this:
  

  Mom: So, is there any particular reason you don’t call your mother anymore?
  Me: Because she calls me every few days to see how I’m doing…?
  Mom: Oh.  Was that a smartass answer?
  Me: Yes.  Yes, it was.
  Mom: Was it an intentional smartass answer?
  Me: No, it just happened to come out that way.
  Mom:  I see…

• USA Today’s Pop Candy had a link to the trailer for the upcoming season of 24.
• Want to see something inspirational?  Check out this video.  “Armless swimmer,” that’s all I have to say.  Well, that and “Wow.”
• : You may already know this, but Aimee Mann has put out a Christmas album.
• It’s been almost 20 years since I saw The Who in concert; they’re coming to the Delta Center in a couple weeks.  Part of me wouldn’t mind seeing them again.
• Project Gutenburg
• Is Apple abandoning the iPod’s click wheel?  According to this article, maybe so…
• These posters amuse me.   And the Cackalacky Film Festival?  That amuses me, too.
• 

Namaste.

Saturday : 28 October 2006
I was still undecided about going out of town today, but I opted not to do so.

I woke up with the intent of going to REI to check out their Garage Sale.  As I was getting ready, I chatted with for a bit.  Five to ten minutes after our conversation, I got a call from Bret.  Color me astonished, as we haven’t talked in about… six months or more.  We caught up on what’s new in our respective worlds.  Then, it was off to REI.

I got there and found and went in search of a bike rack.  I’ve wanted one for some time, but never got around to picking one up.  Until today.  I got a Thule Speedway 2 rack… at a good percentage off the original retail price.  Can’t beat that with a stick.  From there, it was on to Old Navy to return a jacket – it had a hole in it that I didn’t notice when I bought it.  Walked in, found replacement, walked out.  Just. Like. That.

Next stop: ‘ place – was coming to town to watch the Salt City Derby Girls bout and she was stopping at Nox’ before the event.  I got there before she did, so Nox introduced me to the world of Battlefield 2142.  Dear Lord… I think I want this game.  *sigh*.  and Forrest (one of the refs from the Treasure Valley Rollergirls League) arrived and we headed off to lunch.  Post-lunch, it was off to the derby.
I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from the derby.  It was held at the Olympic Oval.  Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: “Roller derby at an ice rink?”  I had the same thought.  There is a concrete oval in the center of the ice, that’s where the ladies skated.  and Josh met us there.  A few minutes into the bout he made the comment,  “It’s kind of like NASCAR… complete with the crashes.”  I had to agree with him on that point.  But, it was fun to watch.  I sat a few yards from the edge of the rink for the first two periods; I joined down in the “Suicide Seats” (3 – 5 feet from the rink’s edge) for the third.  After the match, we headed to find some coffee – she was deadheading back to Boise tonight.  Two closed shops later, we wound up at Krispy Kreme.  We had called on the way; he met us there.  Shortly, it was time to take back to her car.

On to Village Inn.  Vikki was the only other person to show up.  Our people-watching was enhanced by the assorted Hallowe’en costumes that the patrons wore.  The best costumes: Cruella DeVille and the Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

Home again, home again.  Jiggety-jig.

Stray Toasters

• I wound up looking up a site that I haven’t been to in a long time: Jeff Russell’s Starship Dimensions.  That’s right, I got my geek on.  And it made me smile.
• What made me want to find that site again was: Death Star Powerpoint Presentation.
• The origins of “To Hell in a handbasket,” according to Wikipedia.
• : BOOM! Studios has another book in which you might be interested: Fall of Cthulhu
• : I saw this and thought of you…
  
• Did Rob Liefeld actually draw this and this?!  I mean… there’s almost a human anatomy there!  Must not be him, then.  Of course, everyone looks like they’re wearing too much eye shadow/eye liner, so maybe it was drawn by him.
• : I think that this might be up your alley: Rhyme Torrents Halloween E.P.
• Firefly Fans Fight Back Against Universal

Quote of the Day
While sitting at Village Inn, a patron walked to the restroom.  He was dressed, as best I could figure, as Vincent from the CBS television series Beauty and the Beast.  I saw him as he turned the corner, but Vikki only caught the back of his head.  When he exited, she saw the rest of his makeup and costume, which led to the following:

Vikki: “Oh, okay… that makes more sense.  When I saw him before, I thought he was a Saskatchewan or something.”
Me: “You mean a ‘sasquatch?’ ”
Vikki: “Sasquatch… yeah… One of those northern things.”

It took a lot of willpower to not laugh hysterically at that.  So, I laughed quietly, with my head on the table.

Namaste.

Friday : 27 October 2006
Today was a day full of “I don’t really feel like doing anything.”  And, I proceeded to do just that.  I stayed at home and chilled.  I did play CoH and put some books on the bookshelves, but that was about it.

This evening, I went to Mr. and Mrs. ‘s for a Hallowe’en get together.  It was good.  And fun.  I ran into a few people whom I haven’t seen in a while; I met a few new people.  It was a good time.

The Adventures of Indigo Bolt
I finally hit Security Level 45.  That’s a lot harder to do when you’re “between” contacts – one contact has a timed mission for me, but I don’t want to try and solo that one; other contacts haven’t wanted to talk with me until I hit Level 45.  So, now we’ll have to see what they have to offer.
Stray Toasters

• I have Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
• makes an amusing Sumo wrestler.
• While listening to Moving Pictures the other day, I was struck by the thought that I really like four of the CD’s seven tracks.  This made me want to go album-by-album and determine what I like – and don’t like – about each of Rush’ studio releases.
• By way of : Ninja Turtles turned gangster. This reminded me of The Juggernaut, Bitch!… which led to the discovery that there’s a J2: Juggment Day, not as tight as TJB, but it is amusing.
• Marvel Comics Stamps, coming in 2007.

And that’s a wrap.

Namaste.

Today was quite good.

• I had coffee with Perry.
• I went to Dr. Volt’s.
• I was treated to a rather tasty dinner at Outback by my coworker, Tommy.
• invited me over to watch tonight’s episode of CSI:…. And she surprised me with a Superman-themed “mini-party”: Cupcakes and ice cream on S-shield shaped plates. She and her boys also got me a DC Super Heroes S3 Superman Action Figure and a DVD with some of the old Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons from the ’40s.

By day’s end, I had also talked with 2/3 of the sibko (wasn’t expecting vox from the third, but I got a cute e-card from her), both parents and my uncle. Like I said: “Today was quite good.”

Stray Toasters

• I was treated to no less than three different renditions of birthday songs today. Each, in its own right, was amusing.
• I should be far more tired than I am. I’ll probably pass right out when I hit the bed, though.
• : You may want to take a look at this.
• While chatting with , he pointed me in the direction of the trailers for Pan’s Labyrinth. It looks good.
• : It seems as though you might have some competition at the claw machine…
• There was something that I was going to put here, but I don’t remember what it was.
• 

And now… bed.

Namaste.

Thursday : 26 October 2006
Actually, I was born on a Monday, but that’s not really the point.  Although, I guess it kind-of is.  Oh, well.  I guess it doesn’t really matter, either way.

Today, I’m turn 36.  Physiolocigally, anyway.
Mentally, I’m (occasionally) still stuck somwhere between 10 and 13.  That reminds me: I need to stop at Dr. Volt’s today…

I’ve already received a number of calls, emails, text messages and other communications congratulating me on avoiding the fair lady, Death, for yet another year.  Thankfully, none of them came at Far-Too-Early o’Clock, as that would have meant spending my birthday on a cross-country bloody rampage.  And nobody really wants that.  Although, I suspect that it might have been good for news ratings.  Maybe I should get some hirelings or henchmen to handle that kind of dirty work and reap the benefits of the best of both worlds.  Hm.  I’ll have to give that one some thought.

And now, to go play in the sunshine (or Best Buy or CompUSA or the library) for a while.

Namaste.

Tuesday : 24 October 2006

Namaste.

Monday : 23 October 2006
Today was a better day than yesterday, in spite of the fact that it was a Monday.

It’s also been a fairly lax day; something to do with the fact that I was at work until after 6:00… and tonight was Heroes night on NBC. (Speaking of which, Wizard Entertainment has an interview with Greg Grunberg, who plays Officer Matt Parkman on the show.) I chatted with Don while the show was on – it had just gone off the air for him when it started here. I then watched Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip… the entire episode. It was good. Then I was reminded that Aaron Sorkin, the man behind The West Wing (before it went downhill).

After those shows went off, I headed to Paragon City. There wasn’t a lot going on, mostly teams working on taking down Eochai and Jack in Irons. I helped out with a couple of those encounters and then did a little trick or treating. Then I got bored. So, I left Paragon City and headed to the Rogue Isles. I trick or treated with Dhoruba for a few minutes before taking on – and taking down – some of the locals. By the time I was done, I had reached Threat Level 12. I really need to make Level 14 so that I can get a travel power other than… *sigh*… Hover.

Stray Toasters

• I neglected to mention that I saw The Prestige last night. It was a good way to cap off the day. Good movie. I read something recently in which Christopher Nolan said that he wanted the movie to come across in three parts… like the three parts of a magician’s trick. I think that he accomplished that. And, it had David Bowie. Win-win situation.
• , you’re getting a two-for-one Toaster:
  • Prepare for Future Warfare, a look at BOOM! Studios’ upcoming Warhammer 40,000 comic adaptation
  • Cthulhu versus Galactus.
    

    …between Cthulhu and Galactus it’s a pretty close call. G has the power cosmic while C has the gaze of insanity. Points lost by Cthulhu for having the scaly epidermis power that sounds like it could be thwarted by a couple gallons of Jergens. Herald Silver Surfer’s powers include running shot. Cthulhu’s cultists’ powers? “Run away” and “gibbering.” If we ever get the gibbering superpower—other than when we run into that hot convention chick with the Yu-Gi-Oh! fixation—just shoot us.

    We’ll give the battle edge to Galactus, since he’s in the “Fantastic Four” sequel with Jessica Alba next year and we can never have too many Jessica Alba references in the magazine.
    

• , check out this picture. I think you’ll like it.
• White, nerdy and here to stay – The Boston Globe’s look at Weird Al
• If you’re in the Portland area, Excalibur Comics is having Wonder Woman Day – a benefit and celebration for two shelters for women and children – on Sunday, 29 October 2006, from 2PM – 6PM.
• , click here.
• Happy 5th Birthday, iPod
• I knew that Marvel Comics was in a… partnership… with Guiding Light (yes, the soap opera); Shawn Dudley – one of the show’s costume designers – designed the wedding dress for the X-Men’s Storm. What I didn’t know was that there was going to be reciprocation: It seems as though one of the show’s regulars is about to become… wait for it…. wait for it…. a superhero. There. I said it. Details can be found here. And, for the truly brave, you can click here (and scroll down) to see a trailer of sorts of the heroine, called “Guiding Light,” in action. It’s bad. Really bad. Cool World – Long Kiss Goodnight Scale bad.
• Over the weekend, pointed out a couple of cool LEGO projects: LEGO Stargate and LEGO Flamethrower.
• Rush had a song on their Counterparts called Virtuality, about interpersonal interaction in the digital age. I like that song. Then again, I like Rush, so I’m a little biased. This song, Less Than Three, is basically about the same thing… but, it scares me for some reason.

Namaste.

Sunday : 22 October 2006
Today was not a good day. On a scale from one to ten, I’d give it about a negative three. It’s not that anything “happened,” per se, it was just a “very bad headspace” day. I woke up in an “alright” mood, but it turned sour a little later… and downright surly/irritable not too long after that.

*sigh*

Of all God’s creatures, it’s rather amusing – and a bit sad – that the one that doesn’t listen to its instincts is the one that considers itself above all of the other creatures. Last year, I felt “a bit off.” It expressed itself as a “homesick” feeling, but, it took me far longer than it should have to recognize it as such. I’m wondering if what I was feeling then was a… precursor to what I felt today. I’m not feeling homesick; now that I have a handle on what that feels like, I know that’s not the issue. But the inner dissonance was similar. Beast or avatar versus host. (Don’t worry if you don’t get that reference, suffice if to say that I know what it means and it works for me.) While I aspire to gain enlightenment, there are days – and boy was today one of them – when the darkness creeps in and takes hold.

I’m still a little torn, but I think that it was a good thing that I opted not to go to Moab today. I could have easily made the trip alone, but I didn’t want to. I’m not sure whether or not it would have been better to go with company. *shrug* I may just defer the trip to this coming weekend, as I am taking Thursday and Friday off. That means that I’d miss the weekend’s Hallowe’en parties; but if I’m still feeling the way that I did earlier today, that might not be such a bad thing.

Nothing really seemed to be able to get me out of the mood. Company. Going for a drive – which almost always works to some degree. Shopping – I knew that it was bad when I walked out of both Best Buy and CompUSA empty-handed. Actually, I did buy something, but it was much later in the day: Severance, a book that I heard about on NPR’s All Things Considered – Sunday.

There are few people – If I’m counting correctly, there are eight – with whom I’d feel comfortable talking to (or even consider talking to) in or about this mood. I dealt with three of those people today. One of them called me, out of the blue. The problem: They caught me at the wrong time – I was just edging into the really surly mood. I ran into the second person, who tried to talk with me… but I wasn’t ready to talk then. (We talked a bit later, though.) The third person called this evening. By this time, I was ready to get it out of my system. And I did. It helped to coalesce some of the more elusive and ethereal things floating through my head into more coherent and easier-to-deal-with forms.

“The longest journey begins with a single step.”

From the point of conception
To the moment of Truth
At the point of surrender
To the burden of proof

From the point of ignition
To the final drive
The point of the journey is not to arrive

anything can happen

–Prime Mover, Rush (from the CD Hold Your Fire)

Namaste.

Saturday : 21 October 2006
Today’s been rather lazy. After staying up far too late, I slept in longer than I had planned. Much later.

While figuring out what to do with myself, I got a message from saying that a few people were getting together for lunch with our friend, Matt, who is in town for the weekend. I observed the requisite hygiene rituals and met everyone at Cafè Med. Lunch was good, as was the company.

I came home and decided to wander around Paragon City for a bit. I was on a team that was hunting Giant Monsters (part of the Hallowe’en event). We were after Eochai (1, 2) and Jack in Irons (1, 2, 3). We had to defeat Eochai ten times before Jack spawned. That’s a lot of fighting. A lot. In fact, we were one of two full teams who went all 5th Ward on him. But, we got him. And then, there was Jack. That big club he carries? It’s not just for show. I saw him tee off on someone on the other team; he was swinging for the fences. In the end, we beat him, too. Then I led a team on a few missions on Peregrine Island and off-world.

Breakfast. It was different without Melody there. Tonight’s group consisted of only four people. The people-watching was only so-so… with one exception: I saw a customer with a yellow… something (feathers, a boa or the like)… in her hair. My immediate first thought was of Copacabana.

Stray Toasters

• I need to run by the local Macey’s to see if they carry one of the kinds of cotton candy that I like. A coworker said that he found some at a Macey’s in Happy Valley Utah County; I need to see if SL County is similarly enlightened.
• A couple of things for : Paul Dini/Dan Didio Press Conference (about Batman) and this page from Justice #8
• Even as the time is ticking down, I’m still undecided about heading to Moab. I may just hang it until next weekend.
• : I’ll take the blame for this…
  Quis stultus puto is videas haud sapiens vir habetur ops causa absentis
• Can Rosa Parks Sell Pickup Trucks?
• This goes a long way to explaining why there was always cat fur on the cushion of my computer chair…
  
• In light of last week’s “What would Jesus do for a Klondike Bar?” question, the following question came to me this afternoon: What videogame(s ) would Jesus play?
• Good or Bad? Frank Tieri Talks Juggernaut… or as they referred to him a couple of times in this interview: “Huggernaut”
• “Maureen! I totally almost killed you!”
  “You couldn’t almost kill me, even if I were already almost dead.”
  “What are… wait… What?”
  

Namaste.

I want to take a road trip.  A day trip actually.

To Moab.

Leave early-ish, have lunch (Wings, Beer Cheese Soup and Black Raven Oatmeal Stout…), possibly squeeze in a short hike and then head back.  Quick turnaround, just like in Smokey and the Bandit.  Except, doing the whole thing inside of twelve hours, not 48.  And no high-speed chases.  And no truckload of beer.

I’m not 100% committed to it yet, but it just sounds like a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Anyone interested in getting out of the valley for a few hours tomorrow?

Friday : 20 October 2006
It’s been a good day, but I’m tapped.

So, I’m calling it a night.

Just.  Like.  That.
Mm-hmm, that’s right!

But, I will leave you with this…

Amusing Highlight of the Day
managed to make me snort Guinness out of my nose tonight.  Beer abuse, I know… but it was worth it.

Namaste.

< boogie>

• Billy Ocean – Get Out of My Dreams (Get Into My Car)
• Moby – James Bond Theme

< /boogie>

:: edit ::
Yeah…. proofreading is your friend.   Thanks, .

Thursday : 19 October 2006
Four down, one to go.

Work wasn’t too bad today.  Last week, Tommy, mentioned that he wanted to update a few things in his wardrobe and wanted some input from me.  After the work-a-day grind, I took him to the local Stein Mart to look at a few things; Stein Mart was a pretty easy choice because I used to work at one of their stores and I’m still passingly familiar with the kinds of things that they carry.  He went, he looked, he left the store with a bag full of clothes.  Mission: Accomplished.  Helping him out was very similar to when I worked in the other store, many rains past… without the associated aggravations.  From there, it was on to grab a bite to eat at Barbacoa and then home.

I watched a little of the NLCS Game 7 (the Mets vs. the Cardinals).  I didn’t really have vested interest in either team, but I did want to see who was going to be taking on the Tigers this weekend.  There were a number of Mets fans who were carrying signs that said things like “You gotta believe” or just simply “Believe.”  It reminded me of Ghostbusters 2.  Specifically, it reminded me of the scene where the team had to get all of New York – or as much of it as they could – to get behind a pervasive good feeling… and so they wired up the Statue of Liberty with a massive sound system… and articulated it so that it could walk.  (Hey, I didn’t write the movie…)  But, that kind of feeling.  That’s what it looked like the Mets fans were doing – getting everyone in on a common vibe.  Unfortunately, it didn’t help.  The Cards won the game 3 – 1 and are going to the Big Dance.

Next up: CSI.  Well, technically, CSI was bracketed by the game… but that’s neither here nor there.  Tonight’s episode was good.  Three long-time friends a crucifixion and a confessional.   All more or less neatly wrapped up in one hour.

After CSI and the game, I felt a little… edgy.  So, I went for a drive.  Downtown to Holladay to Cottonwood Heights to Sandy to home.  Jiggity Jig.  It worked – I felt better when I was done.  While I was driving, I had a story fragment start to congeal.  It, in turn, reminded me that I want to start working on another story that I haven’t done anything with in far too long.
Stray Toasters

• introduced me to the Best Of… page on Craigslist today. This is the first article that she hit me with.  Lord in Heaven have mercy.  *genuflect*
• By way of : Album Cover Galore!!  Not entirely work-safe.
• Switch on Bounty Hunters – a DIY light switch plate project for kids (even big kids)
• Miracles will have their claimers
  More will bow to Rome
  He and she are in the house
  But there’s only me at home

  Raise the art to resistance
  Danger dare to be grand
  Pride reduced to humble pie
  And diamonds down to sand

• iRooster Turns Your $2000 iMac into an Alarm Clock
• Even if you’re not a huge fan of the game, these are pretty cool: Scrabble-Tile Benches
• Sorry I haven’t posted in a while
• In news that will make , among others, happy: Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock going to big screen
• The Prestige opens this weekend.  I want to see it.  And Fearless.  And The Departed.  And there’s probably something else, too.

Namaste.

Wednesday : 18 October 2006
Not a bad day.  Work was good; so good, in fact, that no monkeys were harmed in the making of this post.

After work, I got a call from Land and Catherine, inviting me to dinner.  We settled on Buca di Beppo.  We were seated at a table near a rather boisterous group; they didn’t bother me too much, but they were a bit much for Land after his day in the trenches.  So, we moved to another section of the restaurant where it was considerably less noisy.  Both the company and dinner were very good.

The Adventures of Indigo Bolt
CoH and CoV are currently holding their Hallowe’en event. Characters can “Trick or Treat” through the streets of Paragon City and The Rogue Isles.  I haven’t tried the CoV side yet, but in CoH – if you can collect four items and take them to an NPC in one of the zones, it opens up the fifth costume slot.  I hooked up with a few members of my supergroup, ran around Croatoa for a few minutes and the next thing you know… I have all four pieces.  I turned them in and *bam*  Fifth slot.  Of course, I had no idea what to do for the costume.   Gwendalion suggested making, appropriately enough, a Hallowe’en costume.  So, I did.

I even got a few compliments from other players on it. That was cool.

After putting the new costume together, it was back to Croatoa and Independence Port to take on some Giant Monsters.  And to die a few times.  To the tune of 232,000 points of debt.  *sigh*  But, it was still fun.  I teamed up with O’terra X for a bit, to help her collect pieces for her costume, before calling it a night.

Stray Toasters

• I should have been in bed… a while ago.  *shrug*
• It seems as though Macey’s (a local/regional grocery store) carries a brand of the cotton candy that I like.  And, for a decent price, at that.  This bears investigation.
• Xythos Revolver: World’s Smallest Six-Shooter
• There’s a new “Jazz” station in town.  I say “jazz” because a good bit of what they play isn’t really jazz, it’s R&B.  But, I’m not really going to complain; I like what I’ve heard so far.
• “…worthless bald monkeys.”
  
• Gabriel Re-Shocks the Monkey Online
• From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance: Take My Wallet, Please – a look at how pickpockets work

Namaste.