Random Access

Saturday – 19 May 2007
WHY was I awake at 8:06 AM?!  There’s no discernable reason that I’ve come up with, so far.  None.  But, there I was -  my time in The Dreaming at an end.  Although, given some of the dreams I’ve had lately, being awake isn’t such a bad thing.

Yesterday was a good day.  Because I didn’t sleep well/much Thursday night, I stopped for a triple-shot laden cup of frozen mocha goodness on the way to work.  I got to the office, put out a few small fires, did some reading and then the day was done: The IT department had “offsite training” – lunch at Cafè Trang and Spider-day Night Fever Spider-Man 3.   After the movie was over, a couple of guys asked what I thought of it; I repeated what I had said a couple of weeks ago: “It wasn’t Amazing.  It wasn’t Sensational.  It wasn’t Spectacular.  But, it was fun.”  A couple of them looked at me and asked: “You saw this already!?  Why did you see it again?”  My answer was simple: “Because I didn’t have to pay for it.  And I can spring for a bucket of popcorn for a free movie.”  (I did kick myself for not taking my refillable cup, though.)  After the movie, I stopped by to see Kate, Perry and the kids for a bit.  Then, I was off to dinner with Jenn at Yamato.  Teriyaki beef with sushi… which turned out to be pretty tasty California Rolls.  I also had a couple of pieces of Ika (squid) nigiri.  Then, back to ‘ders for Clitorati.  But, by the time I got there, the party had already moved to Applebee’s.  But, I ran into Gin and Roger, a couple I know from Jitterbug; I talked with them for a few minutes.  As I was getting ready to head out, showed up… so we headed to Cheers: North to hang with everyone else.

Did I mention that I still have no idea why I was up so early this morning?  I did?  Oh.  Alright.  Just checking.

The only thing on the day’s agenda was Tristan’s birthday party this afternoon.  Operative word: “Was.”  Seems as though I may be heading to the zoo shortly – Liz wants to go, I have an open schedule and I haven’t been in a while.  After all, it’s the zoo.  Speaking of which, I need to make a foray to the Living Planet Aquarium – I want to see how it stacks up against the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Hmm… since I’m going to the zoo, can I use “monkeys!” as a tag for this post…?  Oh, what the Hell.  Why not?  It’s my blog.  And, just like Bobby said: “It’s my prerogative.”

Stray Toasters

• I have coffee.  All is becoming right with the world once more.
• UTFO
• “Fuckmuppetry.”   (And, no, this is not an Avenue Q reference.)
• Tyranist and I were discussing this the other day: While we realize that flashy costumes are part and parcel of the four-color comics superhero world, why don’t more heroes wear costumes/outfits that are easily replaceable?  Something off-the-rack, for example.  Look at how often a hero’s costume gets torn to shreds in the heat of battle.  Wouldn’t it be much easier to pop into Kohl’s or The Gap or Dillard’s, pick up a new shirt (or jacket or pants) and get back on the job?  Instead, they either have to whip up a new costume or go see their tailor/costumer and wait.  (Of course, no one ever waits in comic-time, but you know what I mean…)
• : I don’t know if you’ve gotten into HeroClix, but has a new item about the upcoming Legion of Super-Heroes set, if you’re interested.
• There were a few videos I wanted to look for on YouTube, but I can’t remember what they were.  Frustrating.
• 

Zoom!

Namaste.

A few things that crossed my path in the past few hours:

• posted a link to the new Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix trailer.
• Four-year-old drummer
• A retcon of Of Mice & Men… with Superman and Bizarro.  (watch the entire clip, even after the credits)

And with that, I’m ghost.

Thursday – 17 May 2007
Post-work yesterday, I (finally) went to pick up my four-color crack… for the past two or three weeks. Yeah. I needed my fix. I didn’t get everything, just the important stuff. Okay, the really important stuff. And, Dave was kind enough to save the Free Comic Book Day items that I had requested… which is good, because he apparently ran out of stuff quickly. AND… I even got the limited edition FCBD plastic crack: Batman.

After that, back home for a bit and off to dinner and a movie with Liz. Tres Hombres. I need to remember to travel with Tums – the food was tasty, but it came back with a bit of a vengeance a few hours later.  *sigh* The movie was Disturbia. I enjoyed it. I would call it “a thriller,” but I fear that a certain Tyranist would pelt me with office supplies over the cube walls. The movie did a good job of building suspense and holding it. I even jumped a time or two because I didn’t see something coming. I give the movie a thumbs up with an okay. It might even make it into the collection someday… And, there was a life-sized, 3-D Silver Surfer… mannequin/standee in the lobby.  It’d make a great lawn ornament: “Oh, sure… anyone can get a cement statue; we decided to do something different!”
Three days and change down… one to go. This morning started, once again, in the SLC office. Followed by another trip to the caffeination dispensary. Selah.

Stray Toasters

• I’m craving crab cakes. From Phillips, of course.
• Woman survives internal decapitation
• Shucky Ducky quack quack!
• Quiz: Are You Smarter Than a 5^th Grader?
• Matt – who shall hereafter be occasionally referred to as “Dwim,” – pointed me in the direction of Chris Dimino’s Cuckoo Clock… based on The Shining.  Check out some of his other stuff, too.
• More scary old ads about Lysol: Nazi babies and Spider-Crotch
• 
• Microsoft to Dump 32-Bit After Vista
• 2 Legit 2 Quit (Hey! Heeeey!)
• Usenet is my friend.   It brought me more episodes of Legion of Super Heroes.  *genuflect*
• Guy who remodeled his flat to Star Trek specs finally sells it

Just getting back from the gym; it was good.  Very good: Three sets of 200.  Ten reps each set.  Hoo-AH!

And now, food.

Namaste.

boingboing.net has an item called: Funky Horror mp3s from 1977: “Soul Dracula.”

I shared the link with , which sparked a conversation about Soul Dracula vs. Blacula:

[14:26] melodywise: soul…….dracula.
[14:26] melodywise: soul……… dracula.
[14:26] shadorunr: NOT to be confused with Blacula
[14:26] melodywise: i think blacula could kick soul dracula’s ass.
[14:26] shadorunr: Fangs down.
[14:26] shadorunr: 😀
[14:26] shadorunr: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blacula
[14:26] shadorunr: 😀
[14:27] shadorunr: First paragraph after “Synopsis”
[14:27] shadorunr: 😀
[14:28] melodywise: it looks like soul dracula has a bad case of the shakes.
[14:28] melodywise: and blacula’s got it out for gay men.

Then there’s the Soul Dracula video. In the words of Magnum P.I.‘s Higgins: Oh. My. GOD!

I shared the video link with Tyranist. His response:

(2:31:48 PM) Tyranist: It buuuuurrrrnnns.
(2:34:15 PM) Tyranist: That vampire looks like he’d starve to death in less than a week.

Yep, this deserves a stake through the heart. Maybe even two or three of them, for good measure.

Monday (coda)
Tonight, I watched the next-to-last episode of the season of the Angry Jack Show 24. It was good… and, of course, had a last-minute plot twist that I didn’t see coming. And I’m still trying to get my head around the concept of Powers Boothe as a not-so-likable Vice President. Although, he did play the charismatic Jim Jones in Guyana Tragedy many moons past…

Other than that, it’s been a rather quiet evening.

Stray Toasters

• I want to clarify something from this afternoon’s post: IMPACT = creepy/odd/bizarre. I have no desire or intent of becoming one of the Stepford Children. Some of the things my coworker told me about that organization – a member of his family became involved with IMPACT a many years ago – came off sounding almost cultish or like a Mirror Universe version of Amway. Thank you, no… I’ll pass.
• For those of you who are planning on boycotting gas stations tomorrow: You might want to read this. I’m not trying to dissuade you from doing not buying gas, if you feel that it will make a difference, but there is some good information here.
• Geek Troubador Jonathan Coulton profiled in New York Times Magazine
• For Tyranist and :
  
• Pirates of the Great Salt Lake
• – Japan boy ‘severs mother’s head’
• PX! Book One: A Girl and Her Panda
• I should see if I can track down a copy of Tailgunner Jo; I don’t think that I fully appreciated that story when it was originally released.
• …and I also need to figure out to whom I loaned my copy of The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes. My signed copy. *sigh*
• …and I want to track down issues of The Griffin.
• From lordmesa, of the Comics2Film Digital Concept Gallery, comes a simple – yet effective and elegant – solution to Civil Bore War:
  
• I believe that I shall have a Merlot nightcap again tonight.
• If anyone has suggestions of a good brand and/or type of wine that I should try, please let me know.
• Papercraft Back to the Future III Train

Time to go punch holes in the walls of the universe and screw with continuity.  Again.

Namaste.

Sunday – 13 May 2007
Happy Mother’s Day.

I called the maternal units (biological and step) this morning… and got both. That’s right, I was up at 7:00 to make sure that I could catch them. Both are doing well. Then I went back to sleep. Selah.

Last night, before heading to breakfast, I decided to test Usenet’s retention and see if I could find “Man of Tomorrow,” the pilot episode of Legion of Super Heroes. Not only did I find it, but I was able to grab it. Then I watched it. It was a very good episode. They tweaked a few things from the original Superboy meets the Legion story, but it was close enough for jazz as far as I was concerned. And, it did something that the original story didn’t do: Clark knew about his powers and was able to use some of them… but not very well. This played out a few times during the episode. And, this was also the episode in which the Fatal Five was introduced, which made having them in “Sundown” even more fulfulling, as it brought them full circle.

Breakfast was… interesting. IMPACT was there. In full force. With reinforcements. They had to take up at least 80% of the available seats in the place. I think that was a first. They’re an odd group, but they make for interesting people-watching. “Interesting” in a weird and occasionally creepy way. made a QotD-worthy comment that I can’t remember. *sigh* But, I do remember that she won a purple, hat-wearing dog from the claw machine.

I have no idea what I’m doing with the rest of my day. But, I have a cup of hot caffeinated goodness, so I’m sure that things will fall into place. Or something.

Stray Toasters

• I have an… eclectic… assortment of videos in my YouTube favorites. I’m still a little saddened by the fact that Code Monkey: SGA isn’t there anymore, though.
• There are a lot of Mom/Mama/Mother songs out there.
• What happens to people when they get old?
• Not that I have any idea where I’d put it, but I think that I want an electronic keyboard. Musical, that is.
• Conversations with are usually amusing. This morning’s was no exception:

[10:05] asdf_cat: you and wil wheaton are really freaking me out lately.
[10:05] shadorunr: Happy Mother’s Day!
[10:05] asdf_cat: heh
[10:05] shadorunr: I mean… ‘Good morning’
[10:05] shadorunr: He’s stalking me.
[10:05] shadorunr: 🙂
[10:06] asdf_cat: i read your legion of superheroes bit and then the next entry down is this one – http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/wwdnbackup/2007/05/we_are_the_legi.html
[10:09] shadorunr: See! Stalking me!
[10:09] asdf_cat: technically i think his was posted a day before yours. 🙂
[10:09] shadorunr: That’s not the point.
[10:12] asdf_cat: hmm. i’ve never seen you and he together in the same place.
[10:12] asdf_cat: YOU ARE WIL WHEATON!
[10:13] shadorunr: Shit.
[10:14] shadorunr: *calls in the Mnemonic Deletion Unit*
[10:14] shadorunr: I’m sorry.
[10:14] shadorunr: This is for your own good.

• I’m willing to bet that Scotty still doesn’t know. (mp3)
• Doghouse (for/because of )
• I’m still digging Multiplicity.
• 
• Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow.
  Cornershop said so.
  And, here is a breakdown of what the song means.
• 
• Tony Stark’s House of Ribs

Namaste.

Saturday – 12 May 2007
Thanks to Usenet, I just finished watching part two of “Sundown,” the season finale of Legion of Super Heroes.

Wow.

I am duly impressed.

Battered, bruised and adrift in space after suffering a rather handy defeat from the sun-eater, the Legion has to figure out a way to stop it before it reaches its next target: Sol.  Earth’s sun.  The realization comes that they need help.  Who do they turn to?

• Dev-Em?
• The Wanderers?
• The Heroes of Lallor?
• Xanthu’s Uncanny Amazers?

No.  The Fatal Five, a villain group that has often fought the Legion to a near stand-still.  Apparently, war – like politics – makes strange bedfellows.  Four Legionnaires break into the prison planet Takron-Galtos to free the ‘Five.  Then, the battle planning begins.  The teams are divided into smaller groups… and young Superman, who would be ineffective against a red sun-powered sun-eater, is given the task of finding the Controller who put the sun-eater into play.  Something of a wild goose chase, but a necessary one: You can’t have Superman dying in the future… before he ever began his career as Superman.

The characterizations in this episode were solid.  There were a few Easter eggs thrown in for long-time Legion fans.  (It’s good to be able to read Interlac!)  A few more previously-unseen Legionnaires were seen: Element Lad, Shrinking Violet, Tyroc and Ultra Boy.  And, let’s face it: This was a season-ending episode – you can’t end it with a whimper.  They didn’t.  It definitely went out with a bang.  A loud, reverberating bang.
I was talking with Tyranist a few weeks ago about what he looks for in a comic.  One of the things that he mentioned was that he began reading The Avengers because it was, at its core, a book about people in brightly colored costumes beating up other people in brightly colored costumes.  That’s exactly what this episode was.  Granted, the costumed characters were all fighting a common threat, but it was a great, no holds barred Battle Royale.  The perfect way to end the season.

As if the episode didn’t do everything that it needed to, the epilogues wrapped things up quite nicely… and set the stage for season two.  They also included a couple of items that leave nice inroads to bring in – or bring back – (other) characters.
Long live the Legion!

=======================================

Today’s been rather lazy.  I fell asleep on the couch last night while watching Ultimate Avengers 2.  I must have been FAR more tired than I thought.  I looked at the clock once and it was 1:13 AM… I looked again and it was 6:04 AM.  I got up off the couch and made my way to the bedroom.  9:30 was a much more civilized time to be awake, although I tried to fight it for a while.
I started to watch “Brain Drain,” this morning’s episode of Legion of Super Heroes, but decided to have a go at fighting crime in Paragon City.  That didn’t last long, but it was a nice distraction.

called and asked if I’d mind going with her to look for a digital camera.  I didn’t, so off we went.  She found one that seems to meet her needs nicely.  I was able to walk into – and out of – two (2) Best Buy locations without buying anything.

I came home, watched “Sundown, Part 2” (above) and I am now torn between finishing Ultimate Avengers 2, going back to Paragon City or taking on PAC or EU forces in Battlefield 2142.  Decisions, decisions…

Stray Toasters

• I received a message from Kris and Mom letting me know that Kris has been accepted into an advanced Graduate Program to receive her LL. M., starting this fall.
• , click here and take a look at the figure on the top row, far left side.
• Wizard Magazine interviews Keith Giffen: 52 on 52 – A (jaundiced) Look Back
• : Paul Levitz & Keith Giffen talk Legion
• Paul Dini, the ‘father’ of Batman Rogue Harley Quinn, talks about his newest creation: Madame Mirage (1, 2)
• Spoon!  (Not a reference to The Tick, in this case.)
• The 52 Exit Interviews: Grant Morrison
• 
• Should I have an apple… or ice cream?   Or gummy worms?
• and

Namaste.

Friday – 11 May 2007
End. Of. The. Week.

Last night, post-work, was good.  And quiet.  CSI: Spaghetti.  And a lot of not much else… although, I did go out for a late night mocha.  I found it rather amusing that, by the time I got back home, I was about ready to hit the rack… and did… and didn’t have any issues falling asleep.

And, on top of all that: I was up before the alarm went off this morning.  Go figure.

So far, the day’s been good.  I’m still stuck as to what’s hanging up this problem system.  But, I’ll either fix it… or drop kick it.  Into Utah Lake.

And, tonight: Clitorati.

Stray Toasters

• I have made a horrible – yet terribly amusing – discovery:  The Crüxshadows’ Earthfall is just slightly more uptempo than Prince’s When Doves Cry… but with a little tweaking, they blend in a decent way.  I have been driving around listening to Earthfall and singing Doves over it.  And laughing a lot.
• That led me to another discovery: Pacemaker, a WinAmp plugin that lets you modify the tempo, pitch and speed of an mp3… on the fly.
• For the record: When Doves Cry has to be sped up 3% to work.  It’s still not perfect… but it’s not bad.
• showed me a link to a site called Jewcy.
• Damn Pepperdge Farm for making their Pretzel Goldfish so damned tasty!
• Steampunky assemblage clock
• You know who you are…
  
• Derek watched American History X last night.  His training is proceeding nicely.
• HOWTO make a Carbonite Han Solo chocolate bar
• 
• Next time someone tells you to “Shove a cork in it,” show them this.
• Who can turn the stove on with her smile?
  Who can take a bubblebath
  And suddenly fill it with crocodiles?
  ‘Cause it’s you, Dot, and you should know it
  Put nitro on a bridge go ahead and blow it
  Mud is all around, I guess it’s Spring
  Name another crooner, other than Bing
  Don’t throw your hat up in the air
  Cause what might land is a Frigidaire!
  Dot!
• I found a link to this The Horrible Pirates webcomic… and the last panel reminded me of this.

Namaste.

I was just working on a system and dropped something.

Nothing really major, just a case screw.
Insignificant, really.

But, when I dropped it, in my head I heard the swearing sound that Q-Bert made when he got squished.

It made me laugh and feel just a little sad at the same time.

Tuesday – 08 May 2007
Aside from today being travel day, it’s got another ever-so-slightly more important meaning: It’s my stepmother, Sib3 and Max’ birthday.  I called the family unit – talked with both – and left a message with Max’ parents.  So, all bases covered.
I didn’t manage to catch my old teachers, but I did run a few errands, so the morning hasn’t been a complete wash.

We’re leaving for the airport in a little bit and then I’ll be chasing the sun.  I’ve had a great time and wish I didn’t have to leave so soon.  It was good to see family and friends and get a chance to hang out with them.

Stray Toasters

• I’m not sure why, but I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On was running through my head this morning.  While I like the Robert Palmer version, it was still missing something from the Cherrelle version from the mid 80s: A breakdancing King Kong.  I think that’s what Peter Jackson was missing from his version of King Kong, too – Kong gettin’ it on the good foot.
• Alter Ego: Portraits of players and their avatars
• Generally speaking, I don’t drink soda… unless it’s part of a mixed drink.  For Cheerwine, however, I am willing to make an exception.  This and – if I could find it – Birch Beer, from a soda company back in Maryland.
• Microwave popcorn is the new asbestos

Hello, I must be going.

Namaste.

Monday – 07 May 2007
Lazy day.

Imagine that… a lazy day… on a vacation.  Who would have thought such a thing possible?!  But here it was.  I slept in.  I stayed around the house for a while.  Mom decided that she needed a new printer, so I made a trip to the not-so-local (but-full-of-fun-things) Best Buy.  One printer, one cable (and one copy of Snakes & Arrows) later, I was on the way back home.

It was also a nominally productive day.  I…

• …installed the printer and hardware
• …replaced a tail light in Mom’s car
• …went to the grocery store
• …visited an aunt whom I hadn’t gotten to see over the weekend
• …still…need to do…. laundry.

Four out of five ain’t bad.  And I did get to see tonight’s episode of 24.
Tomorrow, I get to chase the sun.  Tomorrow evening, that is.  Tomorrow morning, I want to try and catch up a couple of my old teachers.

Stray Toasters

• As if I needed something else to covet: Elektra
• Two States Restrict Used CD Sales
  Why does it not surprise me that Utah is one of the two states?
• Mario: Game Over
• Desert Island Discs: Can one game last a lifetime?
• 
• Interesting new gadget: LaptopTablet
• I had my hands on Butterscotch Krimpets today… but I didn’t buy them.  I may have to make a run at them tomorrow before I head to the airport.
• Weather.cx
• 
• 
• The 52 Cover Gallery

Namaste.

Sunday – 06 May 2007
Today has been good.

Long, but good. Last night, post-graduation party, some of us wound up in the rents’ room for a conversation that evolved/degenerated into the typical socio-economic discussions that seem to arise when members of my family and extended family get together. It lasted into the wee hours.

This morning started with two trips to the airport and a trip to Kris’ place. From there it was back up 85/40 to the homestead. I relaxed for a bit before heading out to meet , Thomas and Don for dinner at Outback. Prime rib. Cheese Fries. Beer! Don and I went to see Spider-Man 3.

It was good. And fun. It wasn’t Amazing, Sensational or Spectacular, but it was a nice way to pass a couple of hours with a friend. It will make a nice addition to the comics-to-film collection. After the movie, I took Don home and hung out with his family for a bit. While there, I was informed that “…cats are nocturnal.” By Thomas. Which caught me ever-so-slightly off-guard. I wasn’t expecting to hear that… let alone from the resident 5-year-old. But, then I considered the gene donors and things made a little more sense. A little.

Stray Toasters

• I have 12 Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
• This short, Swing, played before Spider-Man 3.  It’s by Esteban Azuela… and it’s cute.  Watch it.
• Don has a monkey.
  A Rikti monkey.
  For a pet.
  (*mutter*  You magnificent bastard!)
  He got it for being in Paragon City for three years.
• I have read the last three installments of 52. Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.
• – Online Communites Map
• By way of boingboing.net – Iraq: Kurdish girl stoned to death, mob films it on cameraphones
• : Aitch N I C. Mastermind. Thugs. Dark.
• By way of slashdot: Utah Anti-Kids-Spam Registry “a Flop”
• The front door may slam
  But the back door it rings…
• America’s Favorite Cites 2007, from Travel + Leisure
• Not that I needed it, but has given me another reason to love her.

Namaste.

04 May 2007
Greetings from the Right Coast.

Red eye flights… not necessarily my favorite way to travel, but they do serve the purpose. Because, God knows, airlines don’t serve much else.  A cup – maybe a can – of a soft drink or juice, if you’re lucky. Food? Forget it.  Unless you want to pay for it. Um… yeah. No, thanks.

But, Jessica Hagy at Indexed made a good observation…

…and I have to agree.  Especially at  McCarran International Airport (LAS). Sweet traveling monkey-squeezin’ Jesus!  Let’s see… we had:

• First there were the “Gotta get my last fix” monkeys, playing slots at the gate. Keep feedin’ them machines!!! Keep the quarters coming!!! Yeah.  Them.
• Then, there was the young lady who decided that rather than sit next to anyone, she would just… pull out a mini-blanket, throw her duffel bag on the floor and just… stretch out.  And she did. With the quickness.
• But, the best people were the ones who couldn’t stop staring at the lying-down girl. It was like it was some oddity/novelty. And I do mean full-on stare.  Mouths open. Eyes wide. You would have thought that they were codfish.

Those were the prime examples. The rest of the people were fairly run-of-the-mill. But, they were still fun to watch.

The flights were uneventful.  I read from SLC to Vegas.  I slept most of the way from Vegas to Charlotte. And dozed from Charlotte to Raleigh – short flight. When I got to Raleigh, I went to the baggage carousel to get my bag. I watched it go around.  And around.  And around. And no bag.

 *braincramp*

  The first thing that I thought of was the Christmas baggage debacle.  That did not fill my head with happy thoughts.  I walked into the Baggage Service Office to see if someone could figure out what happened to it… and there was my bag.  Apparently, there was a direct flight LAS – RDU flight that left a little before my flight did.  My bag – being smarter than my ticketing service, apparently – took the non-stop flight.  *sigh*
And, so, in the words of Queen: “Now I’m here…”  And, it sounds like the day is going to be… busy.  Oh, boy.

Stray Toasters

• I didn’t even eat any of my snacks on the flight.  Oh, well… that means more for later!
• Gallery of 1970s Kirby covers
• I’ve put decent dents in Specter of the Past and Pattern Recognition
• I think that Don and I are going to try and catch Spider-Man 3 in Sunday.
  
• Celebrating Alice Day with the finest Wonderland edition I’ve seen
• has been on something of a cat picture kick of late.  And it’s been funny cat pics, including this one:
  
• sent me a link to this flickr page.  First picture made me laugh.
• How to Open Things
• : It’s not “anal bleaching,” but I figured that you’d appreciate this.

And it looks like we’re about to start doing stuff.  Which means a lot of running around. Wahoo.  Yippeeki-yay.

Namaste.

There was no way that I could not post…
I couldn’t not…
I had to…

Oh, Hell… just click: LOLTrek.

By way of Derek:

1. Hi, I’m a Marvel… and I’m a DC
2. Social Networking (from The John Stewart Show)

And, at no extra cost to you: A non-sequitur, out-of-context Stray Toaster

• A steampunk crocodile, a giant fly swatter and Kenneth Branagh

And that’s that.