thefridayfive
1) Which one is more irritating- being too hot or being too cold? Hot, definitely. I hate being hot. If I'm cold I can just grab a sweater or a blanket or sit by the heater or hearth. Not so much when you're hot.
2) Were you born in the winter or the summer? Neither. There are four seasons. I was born in spring.
3) What are your favourite foods to eat when you need to warm up and cool down? I don't like to eat when I'm hot. But something fruity and icy is always good. And when I'm cold, I love soup/chili.
4) Which one are you more likely to suffer from- hayfever or flu- and does it run in your family? Both. And yes.
5) You are granted a day of perfect weather whenever you like. What day do you place it on and why? Doesn't matter aside from the stipulation that I don't have to work. The weather, though, should be upper 60s/low 70s and partly cloudy, with low pollen counts and low humidity. And a nice breeze. Autumnal.

RIP, Mary.

PP&M were a huge part of my childhood musical education. I watched the specials on PTV, listened to their music on tapes, records, (and eventually) cds. I learned how to harmonize by singing Peter, Paul & Mary songs with my mom (and Simon & Garfunkel songs, too).

Puff the Magic Dragon - completely innocent, and any relatedness to drug use completely accidental (as far as I'm concerned) was one of my favorite songs as a kid.

I love the way these three people sound together. I love Mary's warm alto voice.

My current mix CD in my car has PP&M's Leaving on a Jet Plane on it. Ma and I just sang along with it this evening.

Mostly gone are the video game arcades. Times were, you could plug a couple quarters (or a bunch of quarters) into a machine and go for the gold. Your buddies would gather around behind you, offering an assortment of advice, uncalled-for commentary, and heckling. Or, better yet, you could play Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat and kick their sorry asses into pixelated oblivion. At least, if you were a guy. In crowds of both guys and girls, the guys seemed to dominate the video games, while the girls watched. It was kind of a "guy thing" back in the '80s/'90s.

I remember playing arcade games with friends at the (now long-gone) roller skating rink; and occasionally playing at the arcade in the mall. I couldn't tell you the names of most of the games, but I know if I played them, I'd probably remember. (Actually, I do remember playing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Mortal Kombat and Pac Man).

Video games were never really a big part of my life, though. Even though I (unknowingly) grew up in the "video game capital of the world."

Yes, a small Iowa city surrounded by corn fields and soy beans. Home to Radar O'Reiley and Tom Arnold. Video Game Capital of the World, home of Twin Galaxies, hopeful future home of the International Video Game Museum.

The idea of a hall of fame in Ottumwa dates back to the early 1980s, when video games first began attracting large audiences, and virtually every town had an arcade.

Ottumwa seemed a natural fit, having been declared the video game capital of the world. That was due in large part to Twin Galaxies, the Ottumwa arcade that morphed into the official record keeper for video games internationally.

But the idea faded as video games moved out of arcades and into homes.

However, recent movies that track the history of video game competition have renewed interest, and a steering committee is working to make a hall of fame in Ottumwa a reality.

( Keep reading )

More info from the Ottumwa Courier:
here, and here, and here
Ottumwa

MSNBC
EmpireArcadia
fatal1ty(TriForce and Fatal1ty were both at the 08/13 event.)

I'm sure just about everybody has stories from the arcade - feel free to share them.

"... the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all."

From Ecclesiastes to Hamlet to 1960s protest songs and 80s country songs to Greek gods... it's amazing where watching Star Trek can lead you.

Forty years ago today, mankind took its first steps on the moon. I put zero stock in conspiracy theories and naysayers claiming that monumental event to be false.

Thinking of it now, I wonder... have we lost that pioneering spirit? Did it die with the 1960s? Why do we no longer reach forth to new horizons? Why do not return to the moon? Why do we not delve beneath the oceans?

Money of course, would be a factor. As well as the people crying out to take care of "home first." Things will always be expensive; there will be poor always. There has been and will be no time on this planet that there have not been hungry, lost, frightened people. This is not a pessimist sentiment on my part. And it's not that I don't care about the plight of humanity, I do.

There is nothing that currently fires today's society more than a scandal. It's not a scientific discovery. It's not a thing of significant historical import. It's someone else's mess. It's Lindsay Lohan's flagging career. It's a politician's infidelity. It's the stupid, inane, mundane.

When I look back at the accomplishments and events of the 20th century and compare them to today, I'm ashamed of my generation.

We've lost the will to go forth and see what's beyond the next horizon. Maybe we think we are what's beyond the horizon. Well, my friends, we are not. Do me a favor. Step away from your computer. Turn off the lights. Go outside and look at the moon and the stars. Tell me that the idea of leaving this troubled planet isn't compelling.

What's out there? I think, on the whole, we care less about finding it out for ourselves than making up stories about it. It's easier, and a darn sight cheaper to read a novel or see a movie (or for that matter, produce those things) than to actually voyage out amongst the stars.

We've been to the ends of the earth. We've been to the moon. What is there left to find? I think we have only scratched the surface. On a seemingly suddenly optimistic note, I do believe that in my lifetime, we will return to the moon.

We've had that giant leap; it's time for one more small step.

Go take a look at this flickr set: 21st century warning signs :D

My allergy medication is really bringing me down and making it hard to get going in the morning. I take it usually around 11:00 PM, about an hour or two before bed. I also have been having strange dreams with this antihistamine. And my head is sore and congested. Ugh. It's Iowa allergy season. Can't win.

Ok, so probably everybody knows about Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett both passing away today. (And Ed McMahon yesterday or the day before.) I was at work today, and didn't know until I got home.

He was never a huge musical influence in my life, but - like a good chunk of America - he was a definite presence.



That is the Michael Jackson I will miss. The musician and showman of the 70s and 80s. What a sad life he had.

And Farrah was before my time, although I did watch Charlie's Angels reruns on occasion.

Ed McMahon I mostly remember from "Bloopers and Practical Jokes" and the Publisher's Clearinghouse commercials -- and, of course, from The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

And it's like the NYC blackout of '77 over at ohnotheydidnt and ontd.

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Fraggle Rock’ To Be First (Of Many) Jim Henson Company Comics With Archaia Press

This week, Archaia Comics and the Jim Henson Company confirmed rumors of a potential partnership between the two creative companies, and offered official word that the pair would be publishing new comic book series and graphic novels based on popular properties like “The Dark Crystal,” “Labyrinth” and “Mirrormask.” And while this news on its own should be enough to excite fans of Henson’s varied and much beloved library, the pair also offered Splash Page readers the exclusive announcement regarding which property will be the first to hit shelves.

“‘Fraggle Rock’ is going to be the first book that we launch,” Archaia’s Director of Development, Stephen Christy, told MTV News. “We’re launching with ‘Fraggle Rock’ and other titles will be forthcoming.”

The “Fraggle Rock” news has been the stuff of rumors since Christy posted a cropped image on Twitter last month and hinted that the quickly identified image from the popular Henson property had something to do with the publisher’s “next big announcement.”

According to the Jim Henson Company’s Director of Publishing and Development, Joe LeFavi (who will serve as story editor on all the books), the titles coming out of the partnership will not be adaptations, but instead involve original stories based on existing Henson properties or new, co-branded properties. And as he points out, the comics-first move represents a major change in the company’s perspective.

“For the first time ever in Henson’s history, we’re going to be creating original stories in print first,” explained LeFavi.

The biggest reason for the change, according to LeFavi, is the restriction-free creative environment offered by comic book medium.

“If a Henson fan has ever wanted to see a $500 million dollar Henson movie, you can see it in these books,” he said. “That’s the potential for print: you don’t have to worry about any of the constrictions, any of the budgets. You just have to focus on telling the story right.”

However, LeFavi said the partnership wasn’t intended to simply test the waters for new or old properties looking to make the jump to the screen, as is the case with so many other publishing partnerships lately.

“They would ideally exist on their own,” he said. “We’re </b>not using publishing as some back door to selling film and television rights. We’re a storyteller, and we’re getting into this for the opportunity to tell more and better stories.”</b>

With Henson properties covering a fairly wide age range (”Mirrormask” and “The Dark Crystal” tend to skew a bit older than “Fraggle Rock,” for example), Christy and LeFavi both promised that the properties wouldn’t be homogenized or toned up or down to reach a certain demographic. In fact, they offered a “definite yes” when asked if properties that tend to resonate with an older demographic would continue to be more adult-oriented than, perhaps, “Fraggle Rock.”

Possibly most intriguing about the deal, however, is the emphatic “no comment” Christy offered when asked if any of the original creators associated with certain Henson properties might be involved in the comics. Would noted comic book scribe Neil Gaiman be involved with “Mirrormask” comic, for instance?

“The wonderful thing about the Henson company over the course of its entire history is how direct a relationship the creators of the actual material had with the finished product that the fans saw,” said Christy. “We’re a creator-owned company. We always look to build a property starting with the creators.”

“I’ll just say that we want to keep that tradition alive, and I think people will be very excited when we announce the creative teams for books that we’re publishing,” he added.

MTV (of all places)

The Jetsons Movie






Not gonna lie, I love this crap.

Twitter Goes Green For Iran

"If you've ever tried to validate Twitter's existence to a bunch of haters who keep insisting that Twitter is full of useless people tweeting about how they're making a sandwich, you now officially have something to shove in their faces. For those of you who don't follow the news, here's a quick recap:

...Most importantly, Twitter users around the world became intimately aware of a complex political situation about an incredibly important place, from the perspective of the people within Iran's borders. When the opposition party started to use green, the traditional color of Iran, to represent their cause, Twitter users stepped up, hundreds tinting their avatar pictures with green to indicate their support."

By the way don't be shy, twitter with me.

Jimmy Page, Jack White, and the Edge.


It Might Get Loud - limited release, August 14.

You’re a 90’s kid if....

You remember watching:
[x] Kenan and Kel
[X] Doug
[x] Ren & Stimpy
[x] Pinky and the Brain
[x] AAAAAAAH Real Monsters!
[X] Rockos modern Life
[x] Animaniacs
[x] Gargoyles
[x] Hey Arnold
[] Out of the Box
[] Bear in the Big Blue House
[x] You’ve ever ended a sentence with the word "PSYCHE!"
[X] You just can’t resist finishing this . . ."In west Philadelphia born and raised..."
[x] Step by Step
[x] Family Matters
[x] Dinosaurs
[X] Boy Meets World
[x] Full House
[x] The Magic School Bus
[X] Wishbone
[x] Reading Rainbow
[x] Ghostwriter
[X ] Batman the Animated Series
[x] Aladdin
[x] Ninja Turtles
[x] Ghost Busters

You watched the original cartoons of:
[x] Rugrats
[X] Wild Thornberrys
[x] Power Rangers

When everything was settled by:
[x] rock paper scissors
[x] bubble gum bubble gum in a dish
[x] miss mary mack

You collected:
[x] Beanie Babies
[] Pogs
[ ] Pokemon cards
[x] Carebears
[ ] Silver dollars

You remember:
[x] When it was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons
[x] Reading Goosebumps
[] When kick ball was something you did everyday
[x] You used to listen to the radio all day long
[x] just to record your FAVORITE song of ALL time on a tape.
[x] You remember Super Nintendos and Sega Genisis
[x] You remember The Original Game Boy
[x] You always wanted to send in a tape to America’s Funniest Home Videos...but never taped anything funny.
[x] When Yo-Yos were cool
[x] Those Where’s Waldo books.
[x] Eating Warheads and Splashers Gushers
[X] You remember Ring Pops
[X] If you remember when everything was "da BOMB!"
[x] If you even know what an original walkman is
[x] You remember boom boxes vs. CD players.
[x] Making those little paper fortune things, and then predicting your life with them
[x] You had at least one Tamagotchi, GigaPet, or Nano, and brought it everywhere you went
[x] All your school supplies were "Lisa Frank" brand
[x] Everyone watched the WB
[] When everybody knew all the Pokemon by heart.
[x] the Macarena
[x] "Talk to the hand"
[X] When digimon was still on.
[] You went to McDonald’s to play in the playplace and it was still sanitary.
[x] Before the MySpace frenzy
[x] Before the Internet & text messaging.
[x] Before Sidekicks & iPods
[x] Before PlayStation3 or X-BOX 360
[x] Back before X-box, period
[x] Before Spongebob.
[x] When light up sneakers were cool.
[x] When you rented VHS tapes, not DVDs
[x] When gas was $0.95 a gallon.
[x] When you recorded stuff on VCR
[x] You had slap bracelets
[x] You actually played outside until it was dark
[x] Way back before we realized all this would eventually disappear

"Post this if you smiled at least more than 5 times. And if you remember at least half the stuff on here."

Re-post with the year you were born: 1980.

I really want to watch Rocko's Modern Life. I loved that show. And I remember when gas was less than 90 cents a gallon.

Brigadoon has once again returned to the mists. We had good turnouts for each performance (between 400-500 each night). I took lots of pictures of the (beautiful) set. The costumes were fabulous. We had standing ovations Saturday and Sunday. I met/got better acquainted with people, spent time with old friends. It was a lot of fun.
*****

The past couple days, though, I've had "intestinal difficulties" to put it delicately.
*****

Saw Gran Torino tonight - Clint is still the baddest badass there ever was.
*****

I've been reading creepy stories over at sf_drama. I was going to go have a shower, but I think I'll just stay in bed, pull the covers over my head. And keep my feet from hanging off the edge. Because, you know, spooks like to grab feet and ankles and other things that hang off the sides of things. And heads that aren't covered by blankets. Not that I necessarily believe in that sort of thing, but... I have an overactive imagination already...
*****

Woah, way to fall off the posting wagon, huh?

I've been in a phase, I guess, for a while. A not talking phase. And I've been busy working on the play. And occasionally at my job. So yeah. Play. Work. That's about it, really. I've been meaning to write, I really have, but...

Work, play, work, play. Empty, refill. Rinse and repeat.

Pretty much it.

Brigadoon (the play - musical, actually) is going well. This is show week. Things are coming together, finally.

Work is work.

I've been watching Avatar the Last Airbender. I was bored, and it was on Netflix's watch instantly thing, so I watched it. And I'm watching the last episode of the series right now. I didn't expect to like it. But I do. (Appa is just so cute!)

I'm rusty at this. Out of the habit. I'll be back tomorrow, though.

Laters, 'gators.

Oh damn...

Dom DeLuise - dead at 75.

He was so good. So good. I think my favorite movie he was in is the Don Bluth animated film, The Secret of NIMH. I remember laughing so hard at Jeremy the Crow. Still do. And there's All Dogs go to Heaven. And Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Smokey and the Bandit II. Cannonball Run. The Muppet Movie. An American Tail.

Coincidentally, I've been watching SeaQuest again on Netflix, and watched the episode with Dom and his sons Peter and Michael just last night.

He was singular. Unique. Seemed like a sincerely sweet guy.

In Edmonton, Alberta, there is a hotel called the Canterra, off of Jasper Avenue and 109th Street. During the night, go here and ring the doorbell. Should you be let in, look to see who the guard on shift is. If the man looks in his mid twenties, yet the hair on his head and face both are white as snow, take a seat beside the security desk. If it is any other guard on shift, leave and return in a week’s time.
( here you must wait )

Check out this mutant dandelion that was growing in my back yard:


It's like four of them stuck together! But it's one solid stalk! And like two heads! Weird! I took it with my camera phone.

Oh no - Bea Arthur died today (4/25)! She was 86 and died peacefully at home. golden girls post.