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Harvester of Eyes' LiveJournal:
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| Saturday, May 12th, 2012 | | 11:53 am |
Make it so!
Recently, Steph and I rewatched the movies "Star Trek: Generations" and "First Contact," two movies I have not watched in several years. I actually liked "Generations" when I was a kid, and after watching two reviews which really didn't flatter it much, I decided to give it another look. I mean, "Return of the Jedi" was another movie I loved growing up, but after reading Greg Weisman's critiques on it and then rewatching it, I really couldn't find any fault in his logic. So, here's some of my thoughts after rewatching "Generations": ( Engage! )So at the end of the day, I don't think "Generations" is as good a movie as I remembered it. There's good things to it, there's bad things to it, but there are also too many "why didn't they..." moments in the story to really make it enjoyable. And I don't have a lot to say right now about "First Contact," largely because I actually haven't watched the Red Letter Media review. I'm planning on it soon, though. | | Saturday, April 21st, 2012 | | 1:39 pm |
I hope this is just allergies.
Lately, the pollen count down here has been a little higher than usual. Actually, I think it's closer to a lot higher. My non-productive cough recently returned (the one where it's hard for me to say more than a few sentences before my throat starts to tickle), and in the last week, it actually became more productive. Nasonex doesn't seem to be helping, so the Thursday before last, I went to a clinic and was told I might have Upper Respiratory Infection. I was given an antibiotic called Cettin, and told to get a chest x-ray and a sinus CT, which were done this past week. Honestly, I don't know why the ENT didn't just recommend a sinus CT. But then, he seemed more interested in selling me rhinoplasty, which I don't need. I should probably find a new provider that takes Blue Cross. It was a mistake to go with the one called "Ear, Nose, Throat, AND Plastic Surgery Associates." But I'm getting sidetracked. Anyway, I don't think the Cettin is working, since the cough is still producing stuff. But since the Nasonex doesn't seem to be working, I'm pretty sure that I'm just coughing up nasal drip. I've been checking my temperature pretty regularly and it's not going up, and I also haven't lost my appetite. So I'm pretty sure it's not anything serious. I just can't wait to get the results of my radiology read this Monday to determine once and for all if this is sinusitis. On the plus side, we're finally getting some rain. So maybe I'll also get some relief. | | Friday, April 20th, 2012 | | 8:49 pm |
The shit that happens Friday night when you've been drinking.
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=91.6) gregx: So, Aliens get onboard the Enterprise and set up nest. What happens? Me: Which Enterprise? Greg: D Me: A key member of the crew gets impregnated by the second or third commercial break. Which means that La Forge and Data discover a way to safely remove the embryo without killing the host. And then in the course of talking Guinan, Picard remembers something that the Enterprise can do, which it has never done before, and contradicts things we saw in earlier episodes. This allows them to teleport the entire Alien colony into the core of a star. ... Wait, I just confused La Forge with Crusher. How the hell did I do that? Greg: LOL!!!! Me: La Forge is the one who figures out how to boost the trransporters. Greg: :P: LOL Yeah, I think I need some food. | | Sunday, April 15th, 2012 | | 2:53 pm |
Seriously, Florida, what's the deal?
Recently, Stephanie and I noticed something about a lot of the events that are near us. This past Friday, we went to a Food Truck Bazaar that had been organized in the parking lot of a high school that was down the road from us. I actually had to leave work early because the hours were a little disagreeable. It was only from 5 to 8, but it featured trucks for a number of local restaurants. But as we were going home, she asked if it wouldn't make more sense to hold this thing on a Saturday or Sunday, and have it be an all day event, as opposed to just three hours on the evening. And I couldn't find anything wrong with that logic. And earlier today, I looked up an event called Winestock that is taking place next Saturday. It's next to the Altamonte Mall, so it's close to us. But according to their website, the doors open at 5 PM, and then the event runs from 6 to 9PM. Advance tickets are 30 bucks, which is 5 dollars less than buying them at the door. However, both Steph and I are hesitant to do it, since a large number of wineries seem to be attending, but we would only have three hours to spend there, and if the crowds at the Food Truck Bazaar are any indication, we may not be able to see everything we'd like to. So we probably wouldn't get our money's worth for the ticket price. Again, we were forced to ask if it wouldn't make more sense to start at 10 or 11 AM, and have it run as an all-day event. I don't know, maybe it has something to do with the cost of event permits down here, or it has something to do with the zoning laws. But we've decided to just see if any wineries are nearby and find out when they do tours or tastings. And on the job front, Progressive doesn't seem to be hiring. But Allstate apparently also has an office in Maitland, and they're looking for senior claims people. So I'll be applying to that very soon. I would have applied today, but I need to go to work tomorrow and get the actual name of my state license to provide to them. | | Saturday, March 10th, 2012 | | 11:07 am |
At last... pictures!
So, almost two weeks later, I finally got a chance to look through the pictures that we took when my family came down to visit for the weekend of the half-marathon at the Magic Kingdom. Here's some highlights: ( Pics! )Next year, we'll have to get more pictures of some of the costumes. Steph's camera is a lot better at capturing moving subjects than mine is (or was). | | Thursday, January 26th, 2012 | | 6:55 pm |
More observations from Illinois.
So I had a few thoughts about my trip this past weekend, which I didn't want to post in the memorandum to my cousin. I've decided that when I fly from now on, I want it to be Southwest. I checked several websites last Monday, and found nothing but flights in the 4 or 5 hundred dollar range, none of which were non-stop. Southwest got me a round-trip flight for only two-hundred and twenty bucks just four days before my departure date. And twenty of that was to upgrade to the A Group, which lets you be among the first to board the flight (there's no assigned seats). And you can check up to two bags for free. When I fly to New York for a wedding in June (and hopefully out to San Diego for Comic Con in July, which now looks eighty-percent likely) I will definitely be booking with Southwest. Also, the Friday I arrived, my brother and I ordered a Chicago-style pizza from this local place called Giordano's. I think Chicago pizza is good, but it still doesn't compare to New York pizza. In fact, I no longer consider what Chicago has to be pizza. It's a pie,or if you will, a round lasagna, that is made from pizza ingredients. Just my observation... | | Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 | | 7:32 pm |
What the shit, Hollywood?
As far as I'm concerned, there are two types of remakes: ones that are made because the director wants to introduce a theme or an idea to new audience (I haven't seen it, but I think Fincher's "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" would fall under this category), and remakes that are made because Hollywood has no soul, and can't grasp the concept that what made that film special is that it came out at the right time in popular culture history, and if you try to do it again out of the context of the original, you'll fail. I'd say this is definitely going to fall in the latter category. http://www.familyvideo.com/entertainment-news/article/800666190/paul-rudd-to-star-in-upcoming-remake-of-the-princess-brideSeriously, do they honestly think anyone is going to like this? I mean, look at the first movie. The cast was just perfect. Perfect. Perfect to the point that I cannot imagine anyone else in those roles. As far as I'm concerned, they were those characters, and I can't imagine anyone else doing their dialogue, which was beautifully written. It's a rare thing, and impossible to duplicate, when all the elements (cast, writing, and direction) come together to achieve perfection. Rob Reiner certainly wasn't trying to make a cult classic. It's something that just happens. And the very fact that this article acknowledges it's a cult classic should be an instant warning sign that this remake is going to suck. Remakes aren't always a bad idea, but when they get it right the first time, what's the point of making another? Oh, right. cha-ching! And if they're doing this remake just because the first one was so popular, I really hope the fans of the first movie hand these people their asses by making sure this is a box-office failure. Out of curiosity, I'd be interested to read what Rob Reiner, William Goldman, and the original cast think of this. | | Monday, January 23rd, 2012 | | 5:11 pm |
Aw, did we hurt his feelings?
That's okay, I'm sure his billions of dollars will help to soften the blow. Anyway, George Lucas recently said this: http://entertainment.msn.com/beacon/editorial12.aspx?ptid=c4db07f3-d88a-4d47-8df7-4557e17d344f&silentchk=1&wa=wsignin1.0Um, George, I can only speak for myself, but rest assured that I was NOT supporting you when I saw Episodes II and III, even after Episode I was the biggest letdown of my life. The only reason I gave you my money in order to see Episodes II and III was to see if you would redeem yourself and finally recapture what made most of the Original Trilogy so good. If you were a real man, you'd stop blaming the critics and take some fucking writing lessons. Or do what you did for "Empire Strikes Back" and delegate your story outline to a different screenwriter and a different director. You are the only one who seems to think that you're a good writer, because since 1978 you have deliberately surrounded yourself with people who constantly kiss your fat fucking ass. I accept the fact that it's your story, but you need to accept the fact that a blind test tube baby whose mother drank and did crack during her pregnancy is a better writer than you. The ONLY two good things that the Star Wars prequels are attached to are the Clone Wars cartoon (Genndy Tartakofsky's, not the 2008 piece of shit) and Lego Star Wars: the Complete Saga. Everything else about them is shit. And that's no one's fault but your own. | | Wednesday, January 18th, 2012 | | 7:34 pm |
More resolutions!
First, I resolve to use this thing a lot more. I guess I just haven't found the time to post as much as I've wanted, due to life. But I still prefer this app to Facebook. As I recently told a friend, it's easier to be yourself on here, because your family can't read everything you say. And second, in 2008 I purchased a Warhammer Amry, which I'm still in the process of assembling. Hell, I don't even have all the cavalry put together. I think one of the reasons I'm procrastinating is because with the exception of the friends I left in the gaming group in Virginia, everyone I know that likes Warhammer has gone with the 40K, which I do not have. This year, I'm going to set aside some time, even if it's only a few hours a month, to get this army finished. And then I'm gonna find someone to fight, dammit! I don't care what the 40Kers say, I love my Lizardmen. Besides, by the time I found out that 40K seemed to be the preferred game, I'd spent too much money on my army to switch over. Maybe someday I will, when I finally finish giving back money to some of the people who say I owe it to them. But for now, I'm doing it the old fashioned way, like I always do. I just have to make sure the paints haven't dried. | | Friday, January 6th, 2012 | | 6:46 pm |
Seriously? Again?
Since last Thursday, I've been taking antibiotics for a sinus infection I didn't even know that I had. It had been getting better: most of the pressure against my skull was gone, and it felt like a lot of the air had come out of my ears. But since yesterday evening, my nose and throat have started bothering me again, and I'm still supposed to be on the antibiotics for two more days. I think I'm catching another cold, which is not usual for me. I usually only catch one a year, and now I've had two in as many months. But from what I've heard around the office, Florida seems to be a haven for bio-warfare around this time of year. And the stress of the commute probably is not helping, either. Came at the best time, too. Tomorrow, Steph and I were supposed to be having our long overdue meal at the Oblivion Taproom. We actually couldn't go on Christmas Eve because they were closed (which I honestly do not remember seeing anywhere on their Facebook page or website, and I was looking for it). So this past week, we made plans to have dinner there tomorrow with one of Steph's friends, whom we haven't seen in a while. So hopefully the antibiotics I have left will work on the cold, too. I'll also take some cough suppressant and something with alcohol just before bed tonight. | | Saturday, December 31st, 2011 | | 12:50 pm |
New Years Resolutions.
So, this year, I've actually managed to stick to a few resolutions. I've already exercised more over the last six months than I have for the last several years. I haven't been able to walk as many laps around the pond lately because of the fact that the sun sets sooner, but I have been doing a series of simple ab exercises, and also trying to work with weights at least twice a week. Steph and I have also managed to stick to our habit of not consuming alcohol on evenings where we have to get up for work the next day. I'm not sure if that's saving us money, because of all the gas I buy. But it's ultimately better for our livers. Anyway, some stuff I plan to do in 2012 is: -I'm finally going to sit down and retype my Senior Seminar paper on Hitchcock and film noir. I've been putting it off because it's so long, but the only file copy I have saved is on a floppy disc, and since no one uses A Drives anymore, I have no way of getting it off. So my only option is to retype the entire thing. Then I'm going to try and find some cinema journals to submit it to. -There are several Disney and Don Bluth animated movies I've not seen in about twenty years that I'd like to rewatch. At the top of the list are "The Secret of NIMH," "Sleeping Beauty," and "The Great Mouse Detective." The Disney movies I'll have to get through the mail, but fortunately, most of Bluth's films are on Netflix Instant. And back when I added "The Secret of NIMH," I was amused to see it was listed under both the children's category and also science fiction horror. Which I think sums it up. -I'm also working on being more assertive. If I have a flaw, it's that I'm too nice. This isn't something I like to share, but I actually have trouble saying no without feeling guilty. It's a problem I've had for a while, ever since I was in eighth grade. I think it's finally time for me to face it. If I need to go back to a professional to do that, I will. -I also plan to check E-Bay and Craigslist for people who think the world is ending, and are cheaply selling their possessions to get in right with whatever God they believe in. Okay, not so much a resolution, but just me being a cynical dick. 2012 is finally here. And it's gonna be SO satisfying when nothing happens. I have a good feeling about this year. I really do. | | Sunday, December 25th, 2011 | | 9:31 am |
Merry Christmas to all!
Hope everyone is having a happy and restful day. Now, I shall continue my yearly tradition of posting a few of my favorite Christmas parodies. Still amazing after all these years. | | Friday, December 23rd, 2011 | | 7:26 pm |
A Most Unusual Christmas
So far, at least. Stephanie and I were planning to fly to Virginia to see out families for a four-day weekend, but we couldn't find any tickets that she could afford (and she refused to take charity from anyone), and I decided that I wasn't going to leave her alone for Christmas since I left her alone for Thanksgiving to go to New York. So, we're staying in Florida for the holidays. And so far, it's been interesting. It's been in the eighties almost every day for the past week (and it's actually about seven degrees warmer than it normally is this time of year), which I am definitely NOT used to, having experienced New England winters for a large part of my life. It's a fun contrast to see our Christmas tree up and festooned with lights, and to have the ceiling fan running and the glass door on the porch open because it's eighty degrees out (made weirder by the fact that the sun still sets at about five every day). I knew this state would be a new experience when I was able to see the constellation Orion in the sky before Labor Day weekend (usually not visible in Virginia until October). I keep meaning to pull out my field guide and see if I can't spot Canopus. Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked. I've also noticed over the last month that there seem to be a lot more ducks in the pond outside the apartment. Their numbers have reached a point where their quacking wakes me up on the weekends. We were trying to figure out why all the ducks all of a sudden, and then this past week, it hit me, and I felt like an idiot for not figuring it out sooner. They say birds fly south in the winter, and where the hell are we? Of course, I've never been in a state where we experienced that before. So, anyway, we're not where we want to be, but we're spending Christmas together, and plan to make the most of it. Earlier today, we spent most of the day shopping, and again, it felt weird listening to Vince Guaraldi's soundtrack for "A Charlie Brown Christmas" while driving with the windows down. Tomorrow, we're having dinner at a place called the Oblivion Taproom which opened recently. We had liked them on Facebook, and over the past few months we've been torturing ourselves seeing their menu specials every week. So, we're finally going to check them out (we were also waiting for both of us to start earning a paycheck). And if you think I'm kidding about this place sounding awesome, check out their fucking menu: http://obliviontaproom.com/menu.htmChristmas Day we're going to skype with our families, and later that day I'm going to attempt to roast a small duck. I've been reading up on it online, and hopefully I won't overcook it too much. And if the cavity has giblets in it, I plan to fry the liver with bacon and eat it for breakfast the day after Christmas. I've actually never tried liver, and I want to. Plus, my brother did the same thing with a liver the day after he roasted a chicken, and he said that he had a total surplus of energy that day. So, I'm expecting this Christmas to be awesome, even though it's not what we're used to. Hell, I've worked up a sweat just typing this. | | Saturday, December 10th, 2011 | | 4:25 pm |
Santa Christ!
First off, I wanted to test the new icon. I realized I have no Christmas userpics, and Daleks are my current geek obsession. So it seemed only natural to make a Christmas Dalek userpic. And on a semi-related note, this is fucking hilarious: http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=§ion=&global=1&q=daleks#/d35npekBut now to get back on topic. Second, I posted this video on Facebook and figured I'd repost it here. gregx seems to think Christmas needs a new icon. I respect his choice, but can the Ghost of Christmas Future go surfing in space? | | Saturday, November 12th, 2011 | | 12:27 pm |
Ren Faire report!
So, I finally have time to type this. As some of you know, last Saturday Steph and I went to the Lady of the Lakes Ren Faire in nearby Tavares, which is just under an hour's drive away. We drove through some beautiful scenery to get there, and for a while, I didn't see any palms, so I forgot I was in Florida. It felt like I was driving in Maryland, until we passed some lemon and orange groves. Those were actually the first citron groves I've seen since moving down here, and I think they might have been Stephanie's first, as well. Anyway, despite the fact that there were some very elaborate housing developments not far from the Faire grounds, the site felt remote. There were also no palms there, either, so it felt like the period setting it was supposed to. Now, it's pointless to even try to compare this one to the Ren Faire in Maryland, so I went there prepared to judge LotL by its own merits. With that mindset, Steph and I both enjoyed ourselves. It was a little windy all day, so we both got dust in our eyes while watching the jousting match on the field where they had the lists, but it as worth it because the knight we were supposed to be rooting for won. I have to look into getting her a cloak for Christmas, since she wore mine most of the day and I didn't feel dressed up without it. The food selection wasn't as big, so I missed being able to have Scotch eggs or cheesecake on a stick, but they did have turkey legs and pork chops on a stick. Turkey and pork vendors were in a few places, but the food court area also had only one stand that sold a bulk of the items there (burgers, smoked sausage, chicken, gyros, funnel cakes, fries, etc.), and they had only one window for ordering, so the line was always ridiculously long. Steph and I kept trying to purchase fried gator tail to split, but we gave up because the line was too long. We usually purchase items to split at these Faires, so that we can sample more stuff throughout the day. But we never got a chance to really try anything except for the broccoli and cheese soup in a breadbowl (the line for the soup vendors was non-existent), which was delicious. Though I did start the day with a turkey leg. A Ren Faire's not a Ren Faire without SOME sort of meat. We thought about staying for the Pub Sing, but I got tired of the wind. Plus, it kept looking like it was going to rain. So we left at about 5:30. But we both enjoyed it a lot. We'll definitely be trying to go back next year. And next year, I'll remember to bring my leather mug, so I'm not drinking beer out of plastic cups. And now for pictures: ( Pictures within... ) | | Saturday, November 5th, 2011 | | 8:59 am |
| | Saturday, October 22nd, 2011 | | 2:49 pm |
Hey, we're all still here!
I didn't even realize until I saw a reminder on Facebook that yesterday was the correct rapture date given to us by Doctor Dumbass McShitforBrains, because the one back in May 21st actually turned out to not be correct. Now I find myself reminded of David Cross's old routine from the 1990s, back when most people were sure the world would end on January 1st, 2000: | | Thursday, October 20th, 2011 | | 7:27 pm |
Life in Florida.
Last night, it was actually cold. The last few weeks, it hasn't gotten too chilly at night. We leave the fan on and the porch door open and the screens shut, and that makes the bedroom comfortable. Last night, we actually needed the comforter. And it's actually chilly today, too. According to the weather report, it's supposed to be down in the 50s for the next few nights, but then it should warm up again by Saturday. As someone who's never been bothered by cold, since I grew up in New England and am used to not having a spring, I've adapted to the climate faster than I thought I would. Or maybe that's because I grew up in a house with no garage and a long sidewalk, and am quite used to shoveling snow (not to mention clearing off cars and using rock salts and a maul to break the ice covering a driveway). And now I'm getting a nice break from it. And... I found a Renaissance Faire in Florida! http://www.medievalfest.com/Steph and I were both bummed about missing the Maryland Ren Faire this year, and then I happened upon this website by mistake. It's only an hour from where we live, so I bought some tickets. We can't wait to see how it compares to the Maryland one. | | Sunday, October 16th, 2011 | | 4:25 pm |
| | Saturday, October 8th, 2011 | | 1:36 am |
Best Video Game Music Ever.
For the past few months, I've been replaying Final Fantasy VI on the Wii (or Final Fantasy III, for those of us who prefer the American numbering). I downloaded it off the Virtual Console because I realized that over the years, I have started several games of it, but have never actually beaten it. For some reason, something always made me lose interest at some point in the World of Ruin. And recently I decided that I'm past thirty, and finishing this game is something I should have done at this point in my life. Plus, I hear it has one of the best and most complete endings of any video game. I could probably find it on Youtube, but I want to see it legitimately. That's one of the reasons I downloaded the game, when I've also attempted to finish it on an emulator. Emulators are nice, but if there's an option that lets me legally play something on a much larger screen, I'll go with that. Anyway, I think I realized recently why I never finished it. About halfway through the game, the gameplay becomes very non-linear. There's a lot of side quests that you don't have to do to finish the game, but it helps, because it helps you level the characters up to the point where you stand a chance against the final boss. Plus, you have to figure out how to find all the members of your team. So it can be easy to lose interest if you don't know what you're doing. So far, though, I'm sticking to it. I've got all the party members back (plus the two hidden characters), and I'll shortly be checking out what the Cult of Kefka is hiding in their tower. Speaking of Kefka, that is one of the drawbacks to the limited capabilities of the software. Kefka had the potential to be a truly terrifying villain, but unfortunately, due to both the music they composed for him and also that obnoxious hyena laugh, he just comes across as a joke. Plus, he looks like a gay mime on the battle screen. Anyway, now to the reason behind the title of this post. Kefka's theme aside, in replaying this game, I forgot just how amazingf most of the music is. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the music that was composed for the Floating Continent. In fact, this is probably some of the best video game music I've ever heard. It's not just the composition, but also the context. Considering what's at stake at this point in the game, and what the heroes are trying to stop the villains from doing, this music just fits perfectly: It's incredible what some composers could do with an 8 or 16 bit MIDI. |
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