Stating the obvious.

Wow.. I've been quiet..

KJMY News Brief..

The Headlines:

-Being back is pretty great..
The snow kinda sucks, but as I've said once or twice...it's gonna melt eventually.

-Visiting home was interesting, most of it relaxing, a couple of weird moments, but overall, good to get back for a few.

-Tim Horton's Donuts..visited one while I was back in the city..its hype is very real. 'The truth is out there.'

-Season 4 of Supernatural is pretty intense; awesome storylines so far-- definitely making up for that serious eff up with "GhostFacers"...how lame/wasteful/pointless was that crap? But yes, digging the good/evil bits and the time travel parts have been killer. Hope the momentum continues on.

That about does it for now.. Hope you're all keeping warm and spreading holiday cheer and so on. :)

Amy's Tale..

I've been meaning to post this since I've read it..

Read "With Love and Laughter, John Ritter" by Amy Yasbeck..

It's strange, y'know, when you read a book and feel like you didn't want it to end--that happens to me sometimes when I'm reading a particularly good piece of fiction or some sort of biography that managed to wrap me up for a few days in its brand of mindfog...

And that's all well and good when it happens. It's lovely, it stokes the creative embers, and typically it's pretty shortlived.. You consider it for a few, laugh at the anecdotes, and move on with your life.


Let me tell you...this book is so much more than just that. It's been about a week and a half, and still her words linger in my heart and mind. It's like I can't shake the feelings...the familiarity(which is odd, because I didn't know any of them until Amy shed the words that linked me...), the closeness of her pain...and the joys she shared with John and Stella... it's almost like she made us become part of the family.. After absorbing this book, I feel as though I've known them, as though I've lived through her eyes and seen these memories as vividly as she recounts them.. Haven't felt like this since Gene Wilder's "Kiss Me Like A Stranger"...that vibrant lasting connection. It's truly an amazing feeling.

To be honest, I not only admire someone who can carry a good story and take you along for the ride... but also..with someone like this, I feel full on envy...of course, that's merely an undertone shadowing the truest layer of respect and gratitude.

It's always been hard for me to see people truly sad-- the whole bit; the shaken paleness, the faltering voice, the flooding eyes...and yet, for me, getting a full grasp of one's gamut of emotion is to truly connect. This book exceeds that constant hopeful expectation...and does not easy let go.

Currently trying to reread the book--it's much harder this time out. The exhilarating rush of understanding and appreciation of the untold story, and the humanity it brought...is replaced with looking beyond layers and 'hearing' the person tell the story... Taking it in doses now instead of rushed sittings. It's actually better...but more a process.

I admit, I do get thrown into my weekly or monthly 'obsessions', but this feels different. I feel like I've been reached..and that happens far less often...

I live for that.

Love and Respect for a good ole Jeff..

...Frugal Gourmet ftw.

No, I'm quite serious. You might not remember the joy you've once experience watching this program(if you ever did--if you happened to live in the mid-late 80's and had a grandmother, there's a fair chance you've seen this..), but if you were to revisit this classic, you'll most likely find the wit, wisdom, and fantastic teaching stylings of Chef Jeff Smith to be as endearing(if not moreso) as when the series was first broadcast.

It's the 'it' thing of the month. Tell your friends.


Tell them all.




...just don't watch it while flying...it may lose its magic..

..for a time.

A few thoughts of the moment.

It's good to be back home for a while..

I think I really needed this visit..

It's quiet and peaceful right now, and it's been great spending time with family..

Two years is just too long.

Forget Haley-- Balki's Comet Rides Again

This just in--

There's been this sudden cosmic resurgence of Perfect Strangers..

Are you surprised? Didn't think so.

Can't say that I am either.

It seems lately that if/when I'm taking a break from the transcendentally super absorbent wicked awesomeness that is Supernatural, I'm cracking up watching good ole wacky Larry and his overtly hijinkey Myposian pal in yet another zany 22 minute romp.

And for added touch of honesty--
That show... is at times full on retardo. No question of that.

And at others, a rag tag grouping of some pretty funny rigamole.
In other words, the show at times, is quite the hootenanny.
Yes indeed.

If you don't (immediately) believe me, watch an ep and see for yourself.

If you need a silly wth moment, it's the go to stuff, kids.


And so, if you find yourself at Appleton's house later and you find yourself doing the dance of joy, you be sure and tell em your Uncle S sent you~

Ah, phooey.

Remember when I said I'd probably post that game of Balderdash?

Well, as you might have surmised, I have not.


Perhaps someday I shall.

Until then, keep your nose clean.


Oh, something else..

Remember when I complained for months about how Supernatural is a creepy and unnecessary p.o.s. show that no-one should fuss about and watch at all?

I was sorta wrong. We here at wildersyndicate would like to take a moment and post a retraction.

..there. all better.



But, seriously, give it a watch... you'll get sucked in.

Teaser as per me.

Much has happened since last post..

Not really in a writing mood at present, but I'm sure we'll get there.


Also, of note, I suppose you could say my interest in Balderdash has been renewed. :)


May be posting that soon.

Live Free--without unworth sequels..

Didn't think much of 'Live Free or Die Hard'--just an underpar rehash(and even that's kind..)

Just watched the original the other night--

It just worked really well.
Too bad on that new one, Bruce. Your talents were wasted.
Had a couple of good one-liners..not enough to sustain the picture.

If you must do another..go the route of the 3rd one.. (definitely a good one.)

Where it's at--

Currently on a Trek kick...been getting through the original 6 film voyages..


Had a chance to reconnect to an old musical I was into back around 1998 or so-- EFX.. Never actually saw the show, but got wind of the soundtrack and was mesmerized for some time..
Nice to go back and enjoy what was..


Not much else to report as yet...will get back on that.

Shockerville..

Knight Rider is on my current hit parade.

I'm just as surprised as you are..

Really didn't expect it to be a tenth as interesting
as it actually is, but there you have it.

As a kid, the show was just some cocky looking smiley guy with a bad 'do who drives this cool talking car that goes turbo-boosting into the air and they do community service by kicking bad guy butt.* Now, it's that..plus a backstory! Amazing how some sort of an opening plot can add dimension to an otherwise useless 45 min show. I actually know what's going on now.

Ah, the magic of age.


...

Pfft. :)







*Also, I always thought it had a great opening sequence w/ that really earnest sounding deep voice over telling us all about said dude in the cool car..Nice to finally be able to fully appreciate what he's talking about...and who that person was/how he was integral to plot.. Yeah. Being able to give your full attention now that you have an attention span does wonders for these sorts of things...)

Recurring realization..and other offerings.

Getting lost in one's headphones is a gift.

It's one of those examples that fully
exemplifies the category of "simple pleasures".


In other belated yet still relevant news:

I may have been hasty in naming 'America's Got Talent' as one of the shows you should watch. Not so. Like many things in this century, it has failed to exceed my expectations. True, it started off promising with the already done yet theoretically wonderful idea of bringing back the variety show format, but when you(and by you, I mean you, the unsuspecting tools of America that did me and some others a true disservice. For a description of your dysfunction, read on..) vote off most of the best acts, keep the dullards and then, at the end of this masterstroke of fail, you sack one of the most promising acts to perform on your silly brainsuckertube in a long while! How could you be so blind?!

Where did I end up, you might ask?
Disappointment City, that's where...

Here's where it's at...if I'm going to bother investing time into these things, at least consider your actions and how they may affect me and the others watching in the same room.

(They were there. They were saddened, trust me.
Go ahead, be ashamed of yourselves.)

Next season, my eye. Poof..into the mist with you and the dreams you shatter. (Okay, maybe this is taking a turn for the dramatic. Yes, I see that... but really.. You voted off Poppycock? I weary of those missing true talent..though really I could avoid this madness and skip the stupid show.. Yeah. I could..)

The real question is if I should watch the next season of that dancing show.. I have little interest in the people on it..but I guess if I'm ever to see Hasselhoff break a hip on national television, this is that very opportunity.

Tv...so fickle.

It's really not what it used to be.

Good thing the best of it is preserved on good old standby dvds..



..good thing indeed.

Sometimes you must break if you wish to recreate..

Tonight was one of those nights were I thought I had some vague picture of what my current job would entail-- help someone do this, take a few mins, no big deal.. Wrong. It's way more complicated than that, and yet, it's not.. At the time, I was scared-- lost with no clue of what I should be doing, and frightened by the concept of how it would be every day..

Now.. I'm pleased that it happened. Sometimes you just have to be vulnerable and not know what to do next in order to get a better understanding of what's really happening. Still, I hate not being in control of the situations I get into. I never really dealt with fear too well. I say usually it's "change" that scares me, but really, it's not knowing what comes next, and not being able to think quickly and solve for x. But...I'm glad this came about. I'm better than my best on the next try. That's been my life's motto.

In other news, the new laptop is pretty killer. Like most things that I own, it's a tried and true setup; and with any luck, I'll feel confident enough to start writing again. For whatever reason, I tend to do better with either pen/paper, or a laptop.. I infrequently wrote well on a pc-- Guess this is just more personal. Not sure.

Short but absolute.

5 miles is just plain foolishness.

That's all.

Recap City- The Early Edition.

Work is long, the hours are way too early..but I'm learning new things..

Haven't really been impacted with the yen to write lately.

Steam Punk is my new thing of the week.

Additionally, Man vs Food is topping my tv list(Travel channel usually gets top marks for old standbys like Tony Bourdain and occasionally Andrew Zimmern, but he eats some pretty gross sh*t)...not really sure why..

Guess it's cool to see someone from my coast traveling around, blogging about regions, enjoying some local fare..and it's kinda awesome seeing that Adam Richman fella standing up to food challenges and often winning.

Kudos dude.

--

Not much else at the moment-- sat through a good bit of Metropolis..been a while--probably going back to my college days...the early era masterpieces and so forth. Some of those iconic scenes(Workers at the tower, Machine-Man transforming into Maria, the architecturally fascinating, visually appealing for the time period dystopian epicness, etc etc.) really stay in your head.

As you may have surmised, the word of the week is epic.


--



-Some Related Sidebar Action-

Paul Reubens landed his show on Broadway--coming in October.
That's pretty high kickin' stuff, man.


-An Odds & Ends of a Tidbit Nature-

Made this chotskie of a discovery recently.
Thought I'd pass on the wisdom.
--
During a recent Netflix flipthrough...
...I came to this conclusion..

...Howie Mandel as of late?
Pretty funny guy..

...circa 1983 in Toronto?
An occasionally amusing, goofy, mostly weird little asshat.


And that's how I see it~

( Btw, that little symbol at the end is a grapheme known as a tilde. Really did not know that until recently. Now.. you just go ahead and imagine up a peacock and ...pat yourself on the back..cause like me, you now know more.)

Psst..

Just purchased Eric Allen's "Beyond The Lost Horizon" on Amazon.com-- Will update as the reading progresses. Just very pleased that a fellow writer is getting his stuff out there.

Curious? Have a look at the link below-

Beyond The Lost Horizon

Lamest of the lame updateville...well maybe not..

Short version--

New job going okay. Doing well enough. 6am is an unholy hour to start working, but it's steady income.

Starting to miss having time for things...Guess I've been spoiled in that.


Don't let 'em fool you. Life is no free lunch, and being an adult ain't no pleasure cruise.

..still.. there are moments during the week..brief interludes into the good parts of life..and I'm grateful for that..

More to come when I feel like writing I suppose.

Weekends are beautiful things indeed~

Birthday--short edition

Pretty great birthday really.. Hung out with friends, took it easy.. didn't think much about getting older which is a shocker.. I guess maybe the birthday stigma has mellowed out, at least on the day of anyway. :)

Don't much feel like putting pen to paper to describe it all-- In short, I shared it with Lynds(bestie), Richie, Hollywood, and the rest of her fam on Saturday, had a really fun relaxing time of it, taking it easy today, and probably doing a movie or something great tomorrow. Really, it's probably been the least stressful birthday I can remember..and I love that.

So..that's about the long and short of it.
Grateful to see what 28 is all about.

PS: Lynds and Richie found "Songs Without Words"---finally, the search is over! It's been too long. Thanks, guys. You rock.

Tube update..

I'm in an Osbournes phase. Who knew the show was good? Had the usual impression that it was just these weirdos cursing and making noise with stupid dogs everywhere.

It's that and more. I like it. It's more amusing than it ought to be.

The weird part is I'm beginning to understand Ozzy.. and not just in speech patterns.



...Charles in Charge is so five mins ago.

What news, Ginger?

Okay. Quick update then,yes.

Layoff from unmentionable project..perhaps one day I'll dare to speak its name here.. oooh.

Got two checks, should help with rent. However, no unemployment...real sticklers over there.
Don't have enough time between April 2009-March 2010..I like that you'll pay into the system, and they can still withhold it. Meh, goverment schmoverment.

But that's okay, I planned ahead. New job starts in about a month, so plenty of time to relax.. Wish I could home for a week though.. Not enough funds for that. Oh well.

Roommates went hiking. Fun, I suppose, if you like hiking. Seeing stuff is a blast. Seeing new stuff is inspiring. Hiking to get to said new stuff. Pass.
Hope they're having fun though. Place is too quiet without them.

In other news, got new tv dvds from library. T.J. Hooker is ass. Yes, I'm sure you could have seen that coming. It just..doesn't work.

Charles In Charge, however...holds up. Don't believe me? Go get it. Yes, it's campy. Yes, it's very 80's, and the premise is a bit tired after two episodes. But..it's also sorta funny too. Baio had it made for a few years with that show. You're probably thinking "At what price, Scott? You were doomed after this. Sure, you got on Diagnosis Murder and hung in there with reality shows..but really, you're always going to be Charles or Chachi at best. Typecasting's a real bitch, huh?"

Don't really care. The show amuses me anyway. That matters.


Forgive the emotional catharsis in this next section..but I have to say it.

Speaking of crap, just found out there's to be an Arthur remake... People wonder why I become a little dead inside when I hear about remakes of this and that.. It's because they're dropping trough and taking a heaping crap on original wonderful films. Why, damn you?! The picture was terrific as it was,so why not leave it the hell alone and stop leeching off of greatness! As for casting, that's a joke. You simply can't replace Dudley, and I'd love to see you try to get someone to fill in for John Gielgud, you no-good tinsel-town hacks.

Impossible.


What's next? What other small part of my childhood will you trample upon, I wonder... Neverending Story, perhaps? That concept completely reeks of fail, but screams entirely plausible by most of the members of the current glitched out generation (whatever the hell letter we're on.). Think I'll call them "Repeater Drones"...seems a good a name as any.


So. Yeah. I despise you. Go create something new already, you absolute plunderers of actual creativity.





Well then..other than that, I'm doing okay in the interim.

Hope you're keeping your head up too.

New cycle: The fog purges and refills...

Work has become both tedious and busy...

...and yet, when it is busy, the time tends to go by much quicker..

So, I'm pretty much indecisive as to how I'm feeling about that.

In other news, it's really nice to have days off in the interim.
I've rested like a champ today, and may or may not go out tonight.


I'm a firm believer in unwinding when necessary(and when unnecessary as well..as evident if you've read this blog at any step.)

Not sure where it's heading really. The next few days are most likely going to be busier and busier, and perhaps I'm feeling like it's blinking by and I hadn't had time to really get a full view of it all.

More of the same to come, I'm sure.


*Update*
Trying this new(new to me)calorie counter thing
at livestrong.com..

It's interesting so far...did not know that what would be a seemingly "healthy" breakfast for me would cost me upwards of 700 calories for the ho-hum experience. (I've b&m'd on other sites about this already...just seems an injustice that favoring oatmeal over cold pizza would result in a poor caloric choice despite the hippie green-minded small footprinted jazzercised concept of a balanced breakfast...) I say whatevs. But... it gave me much to write about, and there's a fair chance for further s&gs, I'll continue with it for it does come off as a curio. Fun to gripe about it too.








Legend key:
1. b&m- bitch & moan-- something done around here with frequency and to mild amusement.
2. s&gs- shit & giggles-- if it makes you smile, do it.

An Appreciative Moment #1

I figure positive is healthier than negative, and so with this in mind, I present a new section of my blog entitled "An Appreciative Moment"-- Having intentions of trying this out when they come along.. today was just such a day.

I'm appreciative of my current job-- for all the dim folks I have to coerce into the light with knowledge of what it is I know(can't actually post that, their big brother watches these things.), the whole being able to skiv off for the day whenever(usually) I wish is a real blessing. I can't recall another job that would allow for that and for its regularity.

I just feel awesome in recieving a steady paycheck and the freedom to go live it up when I need it most. Granted, the time off will be temporary in the near future, but for now, it's a relief when it's there.

And that's today's appreciative moment..

Get out there, smile a bit...and find yours too..

You'll be glad you did~

The Modern Bohemia: America's Got Some Serious Wackadoos..

I've been known to enjoy the occasional variety show, predominantly featuring in the 60's-mid 70's, some of the greats really, like Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, Carol Burnett Show, Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, et cetera.. Those good old entertaining flufferies containing all sorts of acts jam packed into an hour time block. All well and good, yes?

And now onto America's Got Talent.

First, let's take a moment to mention the wit and sarcasm of Howie Mandel as he adds much to this show.

Simply put, this show is mish mosh of those older ones and a haphazard kitchen sink of some new other-worldly elements cobbled together to create this amazingly cracked out show of shows. And that's no bs. Everyone from these contortionistically futuristic dancers to hip old grandpas shaking it(and well to boot!) and further down the rabbit hole into a time rift brought to life in full color with the sheer oddities of vaudevillian burlesque and old world carnival theatricality...

This show... has it.

And so, if you enjoy the absurd, the spontaneous, and/or the wonderfully bizarre world of macabre performance art, then be all means,watch..watch..watch.

At most, you'll be highly entertained..

At the very least...in some instances.. you'll find it hard to look away.


Enjoy the visual feast, meine freunde~

Think it's time to speak softly..and carry that big stick.

It's official. I'm through tolerating those damn Blogger spam wankers.
Every time I see one, I just want to snap and kick them in their proverbial junk.
So keep your eyes peeled, you losery porn spammers and crazy asians with your crappy links.

I'm counting your heads and keeping track of your antics.

As for the rest.. just know..

There's a new sheriff in town.






Rise up with fists...be a deputy.

Layout

...okay. It's not exactly what I wanted, but it's better than those crappy default ones.

It'll do for now.

Not so much an update as a blurb really..

Still not feeling quite right.. but it's nice having days off to sleep in a bit and recover.

In other news, Last.fm gets me. It's not great for playing new tracks from your artists(tends to repeat familiar ones), but there's alot of room for discovery..

Also, I'm sick of this layout. It's so..bland. It's supposed to be a reflection of the blogger, right?
I'm not this layout. Need to do something about that.

The futility of sickness and the pangs of VTO..

Not the biggest fan of feeling like I've had too much sun..and that coupled with the oft hacking cough and nasal congestion just tends to make me miserable during my work shift. Granted, having a real job after much time is still a new thing, but also having to cope with this month long sick crap is almost too much to bear.

Ironically, despite the current symptoms, this is the best I've felt since it all started..and that's saying much.

I think the worst part of this is that this job provides both blessings and curses in terms of sickness sympathy. You'll garner yourself an ''occurrence'' if you call out, but if you show up the next day and feel dead, they'll sign you up for VTO(voluntary time off: read nonpaid) and you can flee for the day scot free. Tricky stuff.

...Just hoping for a timely end to all of this..had enough time in the sick kid queue.

Pico de Sicko Ranto et tal.

It seems the longer I neglect this blog, the more I forget the reasons behind having it.

The trouble here is that in being sick, I lose both the desire and the caring about writing anything at all--be it something with substance, something real and worth sharing...or just stupid random crap that amuses about two people in the world, including myself.


Sick sucks. It saps your strength, your personal character, and leaves you with the true feeling of nothingness---Trying to cope with it is madness.

Thought: Is it worse being sick when you're older? Being a kid, it's just sad being sick--it takes up your time, you can't play or be rambunctious or annoy your parents with your usual random kid stuff. I'm finding it to be tougher when older.. You have things you want to do, places to be, and the general feeling of self-worth diminishes when you don't feel much like yourself. Actually, I think I retract the thought.. It's pretty similar, the two. Key difference is who you complain to and what sort of crap(be it adult: job, or kid: school and what have you) you have to endure during the day. The feeling low and not wanting to do anything worthwhile stays the same, I think.

Still. I don't feel fully like me. I hate that alot.


In other news, people have been rediscovering my work on FictionPress and commenting lately... Not sure how to feel about that. It's good to be read and appreciated, but most of that stuff was written when I didn't care about how things sounded. Really I just wrote to write. Still, the idea that people still read those things gets me caring about it again. Suppose that's a good thing. No real yen to resume as yet...but the curiosity does linger.



Lastly, people have been buzz buzzing about Lost and finales and so forth. Honestly, I'm just taking it at my pace. Sometime back when I had oodles of free time to fetter away, I sat through all of the 1st and 2nd Seasons--really eager to dive right in and watch the whole show from beginning to end. Now, I'm trying to do that again, albeit a little slower and with a little more appreciation for the actions. I figure it's much nicer this way, and now more especially with the show being over. Really just go at my pace, not listening to spoilers or everyone's particular brand of commentary on it. You really can't get a full sense of the experience through second and third handed reports. I won't lie about it. I am curious about what happens to these characters, and from some folks, it's very cool to get their bird's eye of the show and compare what we know about it.. But really.. it's just always turned out well to get on with it with your own scope, with your ideas and feelings on it...Personal is almost always best.

On This Not Posting Stuff of Late.

I'm sick. I have an excuse.

Did you a need a note?

This is it.

-Jdawg McSickypants

Weekend Confection #4: The Liz Lemon Crush

We really haven't had a moment to explore the joys of doing a weekend confection in some time, and as per our usual here at KJimmy, we don't feature our highschoolesque crushing fanboyness. (Not putting the knock on those that do, that's all well and good for you. You're admitting these things. That's very cool. *Pats on the back and kudos to you*)

Anyhow, our typical taster's choice type post is usually a bad(?) movie or some random bit of music obsession for the week...but hey-o, it's a new day, and we thought we might take a page out of our bestie's playbook..


And so, with that in mind, we grin sheepishly and proudly present the lovely, witty, vibrant star of 30 Rock...

Tina Fey

Not only is this pretty girl(woman) currently featured in a hit sitcom, but she's a smarty (and your Uncle Sexy loves the bright ones.) too. She's got the charisma, the bold "I'm quick enough to keep up with you, so take notice" nature while still conveying a sensitive warm listener type... And for extra points, she splits her professional career going back and forth between acting and writing. (Which is very very cool.)

What does this mean?

We've got ourselves the trifecta: Geeky-Pretty-Funny definitely rates for top marks around here.


She's aces in our book...just needs to consider ditching that friggin tard Rachel Dratch.
Yeah. I said it. We can go back to ignoring the pink elephant in every other scene now.


Last Word: Uncle S approves.


So, that's about it.

Go watch 30 Rock. Geek out too. It'll be fine.

Trust us. It's the good stuff.

Public Purge and New Stuff

Life is going well. Job is going well. Can't stand waking up early.
Let's see how next week goes.

Oh, and I'm a big jerk for not updating. Shame on me.
Kay, I've said some new stuff and properly berated myself for not
saying them sooner. Have I missed anything?


:)



PS. 30 Rock.. What a great show!
I'm so late with cool stuff..gotta work on that.

Just so we're clear...

I haven't updated in forever, and I feel like a jerk about it.


Kay. That's all for now.


*Update 2 mins later*

So, yeah, the new job is pretty sweet, but I'm not going to jinx it and get too happy over it. I've done that so many times in the past that at this point, I just want to revel in the goodness for a while and then tackle the reality that comes after. But.. I'm liking it so far. The hours are a little murderous, but it's not so so horrible that I can't deal.

Life is pretty good. I'd like to ride that tide for as long as possible. I just get so tired of the ebbs and flos...Would rather maintain the positive parts and go on with it.

Gonna try for that.

Another short one..but..

I just need to point out that we haven't posted balderdash episode since January...

Does that seem long to you too?


I miss it.

The world misses it.


Let's get out there and find those lost eps, gang.

A thought..brought to you by me.

Jews have cool words. Like, imagine for a moment what life would be like without Mazeltov or better yet, Bagels... Yeah. Words with a bite to them. I like that stuff.



...hope that tides you guys over until I have something sorta important to blog about.


alrighty. take care~

Silent House

It's quiet...and it's going to be for about a week..
Feels sorta strange so far.

Current Pickle.

I'm currently in a love/hate relationship with the Beach Boys tune "I'm Bugged At My Old Man"--at this moment, it's mostly a hate relationship, because it won't get out of my head...and really, it's a horrible song.


Help. Suggest another one, and thanks.

This just in..

Wow, does this layout suck.

Too quiet..

Aren't I? Yeah, a little bit.

Really good day yesterday...things are back on the up of the rollercoaster.
Going to ride that out and enjoy it.


In other news,

It's Who & Suki's 6th Anniversary!
Congrats, guys. You do realize that's like
20 times the going rate of an average hollywood romance..
or at the very least, a highschool fling?

Hehe..umm.. I guess what I'm trying to say is way to go,
and I'm glad you kids are happy.


Things are good, peeps. I'm happy riding the tide.

Hope you're catching a wave and sitting on top of the world too~

Hello, Friday, Ready for a punch in the head?

Yeah. Take that, you.

Feeling pretty with it today, not gonna shirk out--

Probably be way productive and see what the day brings..
Midmornings really don't have to suck.


Haven't any real news, just feeling okay these days.
Weird dreams about Mom though..I'm sure she's okay,
but I tend to worry when this happens.

My subconscious mind is a fickle one indeed.


Oh, remember when I said I was going to change redo my layout and not be a slacker?

Yeah. Maybe a little premature on that..


Hope you're keeping it together and smiting Friday too~

Ready to do battle w/ Wednesday.

First time in a long while I woke up feeling great--

Feeling focused, energized, ready for whatever.

Maybe proper sleep had a hand in it..yeah, it did.


Hope you're all cruising along too.

21st Century. Pfft.

Layout's background crapped out. Figures.
Back to default for a while.
Gonna try something new soon.

Interruption.

Inadvertently walked 5 miles today--probably the most I ever did..


Sore like hell but wow...serious midweek achievement much.


Will I be doing it again soon? Hell no.


That is all~

New Layout City! Woohoo!

Was bored and frustrated the lame crap blogger offers in their templates.

And so, I've soldiered on with a new one...


Am I pleased? You bet I am~

Today's new..thing.

A little boredom, alot of patience. What can I say.

.. am mildly pleased to present "The Preview"
-- a short revolving around a preview for a new gothic thriller entitled 'The Host'.


... umm.. enjoy that.

Voidial Farkitude.

And in the end, it's all just noise anyway.

(Don't read too much into that--as it happens, I'm not sure what it means either.)


I think lately I'm taking myself (read: my subconscious mind) too seriously.
Weird dreams are simply that. Weird.

Just gotta push on and see where things go-


About the title: Again, I don't know..just dig the sound of it.


Unrelated but as important: Been perusing my oldie but moldie livejournal to see if I'm as or more prolific than what went before... It's about the same, slightly more mature tone in the writing. Less "I did this/I did that" stuff, far more ellipses used.


How am I feeling lately?
Good question. Probably best to describe it as a fluctuating day to day transparency(in and out of sync), coupled with moments of solid jollity and fleeting contentment. Here. But not here. Wavering in all things, but still there's mountainary trickles of hope down the river.


Simple answer: Not bad, but could be doing better.
Plus column: Urge to write is slowly but surely returning.

Bottom line: Needing to refill reservoir of self-importance, and to find me again.

Hoping(operative word here) it'll happen...fairly soon.

Questions for the multiverse.

Is everything a calculated risk? Or is there some small pocket of unknowing the circumstance and yet succeeding in the doing of the thing-- Checks and balances, scales, weighing the options, finding all the facets of the underlying achievables and pulling the best answer out from the cosmic hat...

No. It can't be just that. There must be more to it. I don't wish to live a life of yes and nos, of pros and cons; of no deeper meanings. There's more to this answer or that, there has to be. We live in a world of infinite possibility, of faces and places we've yet to see.

And if that's true then, there's almost always another way...

Return of the Brothers Gibb.

There's been a resurgence of Barry, Robin, Maurice, and sometimes Andy... in my life.
These things happen, and I'm embracing it.


That is all for now~

Some blurbs.

I'm usually one of those people who tend to assign meaning to things-- days, special items, etc.

Today just doesn't feel like Valentine's Day...

I guess things really matter when you make them matter, or something has happened to you and you find value in it. For me, today is a quiet Sunday..and I'm grateful for it..but it's a not day filled with chocolate hearts or sentimentality.

Strange-- I wonder if today was considered a special day for another reason before this St. Valentine person declared it his own happy holiday of romance.


I know not.

It's Carlin Week at KJMY..

First, the book is reading really well, and has for the time being, renewed my interest in George--it was really always there, but it ebbs and flows when you listen/watch too much of his material...

But..yeah, the book is in depth, personal, very detailed, and still retains the mental/auditory sensation of George being present in it. I've always enjoyed stand up performers that were not only entertaining, but could put ideas forth intelligently while still in that "go ahead, have a good laugh over it" context. George was definitely one of those...and I rather like his going into the old days of Burns and Carlin, his friendships with Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce, and other such details of his early career. It's turning into a quick read, of which I'm both happy and sad over.


Also decided to give two of his early comedy albums a go-- "FM & AM" and "Class Clown". As noted, these two give insight into the turning point of his career--the switch from clean shaven, funny, but safe George into long haired, bearded, not afraid to step out and say what was on his mind George.


So far, so good.



Unrelated note-- Also picked up Lowboy, a novel about a young man with schizophrenia who has adventures riding the subway at night. Premise sounds new and strangely fascinating. Not going into it with expectations however.


Oh, and Belvedere is still a champ. It's true.

Time Out For Cool Peeps-- Vol. 1: Mr. Belvedere- Why he always puts a smile on my face. The Short Version.

Simply put, this man is brilliant.
He's witty, he's often snarky, he refers to himself in third person..and...as it happens, he's British.

He seems to know exactly how to make his tv family
that much more tolerable to watch, especially that Bob Euecker guy..(which I know I spelled wrong, but frankly, I don't give a damn.)

His interactions with young Wesley and his siblings are just such fun to see, and I very much enjoy when he gets kinda creepy and his eyes bug out of his face like he's gonna put your head in your soup at any moment--

And of course, who could forget the end of the episode, wherein he writes within his journal, eloquently recapping the moments we held so dear for 25 odd minutes.


In summary, he gets points for being himself; our Belvedere.

Him and those wonderful sweaters.

You heard it here first, kids. Go. Get. The. Dvds.


Uncle S will smile on you. So go on and do it.

He recently had the pleasure of "helping" a few of his close friends remember the love they once had for Mr. Belvedere--and you can be sure that they were pleased for this.

I'd know.


So.. a one. a two. ya'll know what to do..

You'll be happy you did~

Some stuff about Bojangles and other things.

Was considering for a few making Shirley Temple films featuring our favorite Uncle Billy (doing something like being a champ and tapdancing, you know, the good stuff..) a weekend confection, as it is starting to become a regular treat around here, courtesy of our pal, Who.

So... maybe I'll do that. Not sure yet.. Caught a sample of another blaxploitation film entitled "Black Dynamite", featuring a character named Jimmy who died(sad) and some other dude with a fro is out for justice.. Has the same sort of "wow, this flick is gonna kick ass and sing a song about it" vibe as "Sugar Hill" did...

Sounds like a real winner, huh?

We'll see how this goes down--

And don't you fret for one minute..
You know your Uncle S watches out for his peeps..


If it happens, you'll hear all about it--
..so true you can take it to the bank and spend it.


Stay tuned.







..Ps..Don't you just love I can spout all this badassery about keeping you in the loop when the first part of this was about wanting to make confection be Shirley Temple movies? Yeah. Me too. That's how I roll~

Balderdash!: Lost Episodes-- Ep. III "80's Cartoon Heroes Edition"

Starring:


He- Man










She-Ra











Jem












Liono










Voltron














&

Filling in last moment for Transformer's Optimus Prime, G.I. Joe's Duke, Robotech, Dangermouse and all of the happy creatures at the 25th Annual CareBears/Smurfs/Wuzzles/Snorks mixer:

Let's hear it for Casey Jones!














Recorded in front of a live studio audience
Shot on location at Rose Petal Studios
Discovered on: 1/18/10



Well, howdy howdy howdy, sports fans, and welcome to
another exciting edition of Balderdash!

First and foremost, all of us here at Balderdash would like to take this opportunity to wish you a happy and safe new year!

2010, huh?

That just sounds crazy enough to be real!

As you know, it's been quite some time between games, and we figured what better way to make up for this than to release a special one from the vaults.. Oooh! That's right kids! You've found yourself at one of the most exciting events to hit anywhere in the civilized blogosphere!

Yessir, we've rounded up some of your old time classic 80's cartoon hero favorites for just one night--

They're all set to duke it out and show just who's boss in another heartpounding rollercoastering edition of Balderdash!

So break out your action figures and hang on tight..because....


We're ready to go!





1. Words- "Glossarium"

S: A boutique where expensive French lip gloss is sold.

CJ: A library filled with nothing but glossaries on every subject.

L: A large cosmetic display case.

H: A shop full of globes and maps of countries and cities from around the world.

*V: A mosquito's tongue



2. People- "H.E. Rickel"

H: Famous for suffocating after shoving fifty dollars worth of quarters in his mouth in an attempt to rob the bank he worked at.

V: Led British forces to victory in South Africa.

S: Directed such films as "Groovy Gals" and "Disco-Mania".

L: A 1950's steel union boss, he coined the term "scabs" to refer to replacement workers.

*J: Nebraska man who could touch his nose with his teeth.

CJ: (Please note-- Poor Casey assumed the reader said "H.E. Rickles.)
Don's little brother who had an unfortunate first name.



3. Abbreviations- "A.K.C."

V: American Kickboxing Club
L: American Knights of Columbus
*CJ: Australian Kangaroo Club
H: American Kennel Club
J: Alcatraz Killers Club
S: American Kennel Club (Clearly, the answer to have here..)



4. Names- "David Jimenez"

J: A performer based in Brazil that has patterned his career exactly after David Hasselhoff's.

*H: He was charged with assault using opossum after the oppossum he was holding had attacked 9 men.

V: Invented a way for rednecks to remember that the "Jim" in his name is pronounced as "Yin" in English.

CJ: Tried to assassinate Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1984.
(Who wouldn't?)

S: Equal rights activist shot in the leg in 1967.

L: Son of Mexican immigrants, he created the first American style burrito- now sold at Taco Bell's nationwide.



5. Laws- "In Chicago, IL, it is illegal to take..."

*L: ...a poodle to the opera.

H: ...down the American flag at City Hall before 8pm.

V: ...a pigeon home with you.

S: ...a bath with your clothes on.

CJ: ...a trip to Motown without visiting the Colonel.
(Once again, Casey missed a step with this one. Sad sad man.)

J: ....coins from the fountain outside the courthouse.


6. Words- "Oogonium"
(The words category was very popular this ep..)

V: Mystic ore mined in the mythic kingdom of Oogabooga.
(Totally plausible.)

J: A natural element found in the La Brea Tar Pits.
Makes you feel good! (The good was underlined. It must be true. :) )

L: A heat-generating ore used by early man.

H: An African flute made from Elephant tusks.

*S: Female reproductive part in fungi which contains one or more co-spheres.

CJ: Concentrated bottled excitement.


7. Abbreviations- "F.O.R.P.C."

V: Fraudulent Orange Reproduction Posse of California

H: Fabricated Orange Rind And Peel Confederation

*L: Frozen Onion Ring Packers Council

S: Friends of the Rose Petal Corporation

CJ: Foundation of Racing Pygmies Corporation

J: Friends of Recycling Program of California


8. Laws- "In CA, it is a crime for a trumpet player to use his..."

CJ: ...powers of persuasion on the flute player to solicit a possible night cap.

V: ....spit valve to water flowers on public property.

H: ....instrument as a megaphone in front of the mayor.

J: ....trumpet to play for the inmates in jail.

L: ....spit valve in a parade.

*S: ....instrument to lure someone into a store.



**The last two games are Movie Titles..
You're as pleased as we are, aren't you!**


9. Movie Titles- "Norman's Awesome Experience"

S: A country boy moves to New York and joins a rock band.

J: Riding the coattails of the "Bill and Ted" movies, Don Knotts stars as a librarian who travels through time.

V: Norman wakes up one morning to find he has become a cow. Crazy antics ensue as he comes to terms with his metamorphism.

*L: A scientific lab assistant is transported through time to the Roman Empire.

CJ: While attending jury duty, Norman, the jury foreman, sentences a clown to lethal injection. (A dream is a wish your heart makes.)

H: Norman has an out of body experience in which he becomes Mary Antoinette during a dental procedure.


10. Movie Titles- "Mee Pok Man"

*V: A time traveling noodle salesman falls in love with a girl in Singapore.

CJ: Set in the distant future of gaming, Tarzan finds himself in a late 80's arcade simulator and makes friends with Pacman.

S: A stranded astronaut finds himself the ruler of an alien planet.

J: A chinese man discovers he has superpowers and saves Shanghai from a mob of prostitute gang-bangers.
(IMHO, one of the best answers of this season.)

H: A neanderthal is warped to the future when he is hit by a meteor to become a superhero in NYC.
(We think H has been spending too much time watching his cartoons..)

L: Mee Pok, savior of planet Bonobo, finds himself stranded on an alien planet and must learn to be human to survive.
(This sounds like our old friend 'Newton'
from The Man Who Fell To Earth.)



And that, dear friends, is the end of this grand episode of Balderdash!
As always we thank you for tuning in, and remember, our favorite childhood heroes, be it He-Man, the members of Thundercats, or the famed glitter rocker Jem and her Holographic friends, are never truly gone--if we don't forget to remember them...

Yes, that was very Kevin Macallisteresque in Home Alone II..

Go ahead. You can "awww." I won't tell.


But.. before we head out...there's a few...


Bonus Games!




*1. Abbreviations- "W.A.W.F"

*J: World Arm Wrestling Federation
H: Wrestling Association of Women Fighters
S: Worldwide Awesome Waffle Foundation
CJ: World Allegiance to Werewolves Foundation
L: Washington Advocates for Wildebeast Farming
V: Wing And Waffle Foundation


*2. Words- "Allantiasis"

L: The asexual form of reproduction that occurs in microscopic deep sea anemones.

S: The old English word for "allen-wrench".

V: The process by which new Allens are created, much like mitosis in cells.
(This plays funnier knowing the guest's last name--"Allen".)

H: Carpal tunnel in the wrist cause by overusing allen wrenches.

J: A disease named after dancer Karen Allen, it results in your toes turning black and shriveling up one by one.

*CJ: Sausage poisoning.
(After all that, it's sausage poisoning? How lame is that.)


*3. Words- "Situtunga"

S: Modern Japanese floral design.

V: Traditional Indian head wrapping.

*H: An antelope with very wide hooves.

J: A device old time dentists used to pull out teeth.

L: The Maori mating ritual.
(Extra Credit:If you happen to know what that really is, feel free to write in--)

CJ: A comfy looking Alaskan easy chair.








Cast of Characters:

He-Man: C4
She-Ra: C2
Jem: Whoville
Liono: Dick
Voltron: Enrico
Casey Jones: Jimmy

*Thanks for playing an awesome all star game, gang. Alot of fun had.*

A brief whiner..

Yes, yes, I'm being quite the slacker with that Balderdash ep, but it's a process, man. It takes some doing. Sit tight. It's coming, promise. :)

Game Night

Fun times.
Laughed my ass off.

*New Balderdash ep coming soon!*


sleep well.

Bad Kid Confessional--or maybe not so serious..

So..I played hooky today--

Sometimes you just need to step out and do your own thing...today was one of those days.

I'm grateful for the rare opportunity, and very pleased for a quiet few hours...

Week 4-- Current Musings

Work..is different.

Like many so many things, it's hardly ever what you might expect when you go into it with anticipations--- Sure, it's a long day, it's dealing with strangers with problems, but really, it's doable for me. I'm glad for the next 2 and half weeks to get my bearings. Honestly, the first three weeks were kinda dumb--I get that it was about providing a skeletal structure for the "real world" to build on, but most of it didn't prepare me for shit. Am I ungrateful? Not a chance. Just think most of it was redundant and wasteful.

Glad things don't seem as hard as they did. Wanting more of that~


Sidebar: Must get back on-board with "Weekend Confection"--It's a new year, and there hasn't been one yet. What's up with that noise~

2010, here I am!

So yeah, it's 2010. That sounds weirdish, cause I'm expecting hoverboards and and self drying jackets, but we're not there yet. But you can update how people see your life with little handheld doodads, so I guess it's a step-- I'm hoping that this year will be the year that makes all the other ones make that much more sense to me.. As for resolutions, I'm staying out of that shark infested water, as most of mine don't usually come to fruition. So, for the sake of maintaining a positive outlook, I'm just going to start this year with few expectations, good vibrations, and a song in my heart. (And lookee here, kiddos, your Uncle Sexy didn't even watch Bedknobs and Broomsticks before saying all of that either!...oooh..that sounds like a good idea btw.)


Hope your year starts off with life's simple pleasures, perhaps even some crayons, cool pens, and green tea-- all courtesy of your various favorite establishments. Bring a friend-- Your Uncle S knows best.