Tripped Up By The Light Fantastick, Tales Of An Agoraphobick

Zombies - The Kids In The Hall

Wed, 14 May 2008 06:07:27 GMT

When the zombie plagues start, keep plenty of shoes on hand.

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Quote of the Moment

Marge: Homer! Did you barricade the door?
Homer: Why? Oh, the zombies! No.
- The Simpsons (1989 - )

BlogThings

Wed, 14 May 2008 04:10:55 GMT

Haven't heard anything about the gunshot like sounds last night. Guess they probably were just fireworks.

What Your Taste in Music Says About You

Your musical tastes are intense and rebellious.
You are intelligent... but in a very unconventional way.

You are curious about the world. You love doing something new.
In fact, you enjoy taking risks and doing things most people would shy away from.

You are very physical. It's likely that you're athletic, but not into team sports.
You have the soul of an artist. Beauty and harmony are important to you.

What Does Your Taste in Music Say About You?

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Quote of the Moment

Carl Denham: Holy mackerel! What a show!
- King Kong (1933)

Watching: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007); King Kong (1933)
Drinking: ice tea

I Think They Were Gunshots

Tue, 13 May 2008 05:13:11 GMT

About an hour and 20 minutes ago (11:42pm) I heard what sounded like 2 quick successive gunshots outside (my window is open). Now, every so often late in the evening you do hear kids setting off fireworks, but this didn't sound like that. This sounded like 2 "movie" like gun shots. Went and looked out the windows but nothing outside seemed unusual. Pretty calm actually. In the time since I haven't heard any sirens or anything either. Guess I'll wait and see if there's any news about it tomorrow.

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Quote of the Moment

Sam Gerard: You play any tricks, I gotta shoot you!
- U.S. Marshals (1998)

Drinking: water

A Few Updates & Latin Hotness

Tue, 13 May 2008 01:31:01 GMT

► Nearest I can tell, Dad and Claire should be in close to Europe by now, as they left for their plane ride to get to their 16 day cruise around Italy and Greece. They stopped by yesterday to see me (the others all being out at their in-laws for Mother's Days) and give me contact information. Dad also called me this morning to get my email address in case he can send me emails from the cruise ship, which would honestly shock the hell out of me since he can barely use a computer to check his hockey pool scores.

Oh, had a talk with Darren tonight and officially I'm back to paying $200 rent come the end of the month. This means they'll be picking up my groceries again, although I'll still buy them for the rest of May.

► Since Saturday I've been having some mild dizzy spells, most likely psychosomatic. They seem to go away when I'm laying down so I've been spending most of the past 3 days in bed watching DVDs. I've watched about 10 so far, so that's helping cut down on the stacks on my night table. I'm going to try to watch more.

Just finished watching Bandidas. An action comedy western starring Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz as to female bank robbers from different backgrounds in turn of the century Mexico. In all their pouty lipped, heaving bosomed, cleavagy, Latin firebrand sassiness. I liked it!

► Also, I finished reading Terry Pratchett's Mort on Friday and immediately started Reaper Man after it, but I only read a page and a half so I'm not sure how much that counts.

► Saturday night I had to babysit Max for a few hours, which was tough because of the aforementioned dizzy spells, but I got around it by laying on the couch in the family room and letting him take my slippers off and put them back on me (repeatedly, and sometimes on the wrong feet), and run around the room wearing them. We also kicked around a little ball he had when I was a little more steady standing up. I swear, he must love my name because he says it a lot ("Deh-wick! Deh-wick!"). He has trouble saying Darren's name so he just calls him "Uncie D" (I think cause the first syllable in Darren is the same as Derek he thinks it's the same name and shakes his head no, says my name instead, and points at me).

► So Liv Tyler's marriage is over. Does that mean I finally have a chance? No? Just checking.

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Quote of the Moment

Freddy Benson: I've got culture coming out of my ass.
- Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)

watching: Bandidas
Reading: Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett; Essential Avengers Vol 2
Drinking: cranberry juice

Family Heritage Revelation

Sat, 10 May 2008 05:47:48 GMT

Deana came by tonight to wait and see Brett and Max (they're spending the weekend here at the house). Seems Deana decided to get another new tattoo today, this one is a Celtic cross just below the base of her neck between her shoulder blades. She now has 8. While talking to me she said Darren questioned why she got a Celtic cross when we're mostly French. Turns out she has some surprising information.

All this time we've been under the belief that the 4 of us (Deana, Darren, Brett and myself) are half French, quarter Scot, 1/8th Irish, and 1/8th English:

► Grandfather (Paternal) - French
► Grandmother (Paternal) - Half Irish/Half English
► Grandfather (Maternal) - Scottish
► Grandmother (Maternal) - French

Apparently the mother of one of Deana's best friends (who she also has a friendly relationship with) is into genealogy, and did some research on my Maternal Grandmother's family (of which she's a distant cousin of ours) and discovered that while my Grandmother's family are francophone, they're actually of Celtic extraction. So, we're actually mostly Irish and only a quarter French. I guess all the times I used to joke that my dark hair, black eyes, and pale complexion were the result of my being black Irish, I wasn't far off!

Now if we can just find out about the Canadian Indian connection on my Paternal Grandfather's side.

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► My back and my ribs are still really hurting. I'm wondering if it's the mix of humidity and windy cold we've had lately. Guess I'll take another extra-strength acetaminophen.

► Ok, when I move out at the end of September I want to live in Elizabeth Hurley's cleavage. **melts**

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Quote of the Moment

Jack: Conan, this is important to me. So, we can either do this the easy way or the hard way.
Conan O'Brien: What's the hard way?
Jack: You do a live Christmas Eve special from Kabul every year until the War on Terror is won.
Conan O'Brien: Tell Tracy I'll see him tonight, you black Irish bastard.
Jack: Back at you, red.
- 30 Rock (2006 - )

So Very Sore & My Watch

Fri, 09 May 2008 23:14:57 GMT

Since yesterday my back and my ribs have been acting up. My lower back is all sore and tense and hurts, while my left ribs seem to be a bit looser and snapping and popping around a bit more freely than usual. My right rib cage is aching and I can't help but wonder if that and my aching back are sore cause of the left side. Dad's talking about getting me some of that Lakota pain reliever rub-on stuff.

I ache.

Been awhile since I've really worked on my Micro-Hero designs for my nude female superhero team (those just joining in, that was not a mistake, yes I'm a pervert). Actually managed to finish a few new ideas last night and today. I'm trying to add more blondes since I usually tend to obsess over brown haired brunettes and redheads.

While looking at my new pocket watch Thursday night, I found a very thin little gap along the etch-work on the back. I was able to pop off the back plate so it looks like I can replace the batteries when I eventually need too. Huzzah! Also, I did end up printing a small picture of Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman (warning, the pic is fairly high resolution) that's now on the inside of the watch face cover. Classy.

I miss my digital camera already (I'll get it back in a few weeks). Sigh... at least I have the webcam.

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Garfield Minus Garfield

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Quote of the Moment

Hal: Okay, who do you think is the most beautiful woman in the world?
Mauricio: Wonder Woman.
- Shallow Hal (2001)

Reading: Mort by Terry Pratchett; Essential Avengers Vol 2
Drinking: water
Eating: brownies

Jujubes & Doodling

Thu, 08 May 2008 22:23:59 GMT

When I get a thing of jujubes I like to eat the colours/flavours I don't like first so that I'm left with the ones I do like last (red and yellow). It's annoying when other people ask for some and just take reds. At least I managed to get a bag with an unusually high percentage of red jujubes yesterday.

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Quote of the Moment

Jeffrey Goines: There's no right, there's no wrong, there's only popular opinion.
- Twelve Monkeys (1995)

Reading: Mort by Terry Pratchett; Essential Avengers Vol 2
Drinking: water
Eating: jujubes

Go Ahead, Ask Me The Time (But Not Really, This Is Just A Title)

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:38:24 GMT

Mother
Tell your children not to walk my way
Tell your children not to hear my words
What they mean
What they say
Mother
Mother!

Sorry... I've got Danzig's Mother stuck in my head (the song... not his actual mom). I just ate supper. Fried up some Steak-ums and made 2 sandwiches. God I love those... Haven't had them in years as you can only buy them in the US (Darren picked up a box of frozen ones on the weekend).

Went out this afternoon with Dad. First to Fantasy Realm where I picked up my brand spanking new Darkseid figure. I just took him out of the package and I'm sure it's only a matter of time before he destroys my Mongul and Thanos figures and Superman has to lead all the others against him. No, seriously. Also picked up a Star Trek: The Next Generation Commander Data figure (they had Geordi, who I may get next month... may), and Project Superpowers issue 0 from Free Comic Book Day. Turned out that this past Saturday (May 3rd) was Free Comic Book day and I didn't realize it. I had wanted to go because I wanted the Superpowers issue, but luckily Gene had Randy put a copy aside for me. So that was swell.

Also stopped at Walmart and I finally found a new box fan for my room (though it's still cool outside; I just want to be ready for the summer torridity). Also picked up bread, chips, cranberry juice and a Montreal Canadiens symbol t-shirt. I like the Habs.

I've been wanting to get a pocket watch for a long time. It's been about 3 or 4 years since I last had a watch and I can't comfortably wear a wrist watch (my old one I used to keep folded in my pocket) because I'm right handed and my left wrist has a chipped bone. Anyways, last week I was looking at the watches at Sears and considered buying an $80 pocket watch that was very nice looking and on sale for 30% off (it was the only kind they had). Dad told me not to buy it and to look for a cheaper one elsewhere. Well, while we were at Walmart we decided to look at the watches and I found they had a pocket watch. It was the only one they had (type and unit) and it was only $20, but Dad kept saying I should buy it as it "had" my name on it:

DAD

Obviously it's a watch for fathers, but DAD are my initials and I thought it was funny so I bought it. Not sure how long it'll last (as it is only $20 and I can't figure out how to access the battery), but it's better than having no watch. I was thinking of putting a photo inside the cover that pops open but have no idea who of. Maybe Lynda Carter*...

Oh yeah, we then went to Farm Boy grocery store and I bought a bag of brownies and a bag of jujubes. God I love brownies.

* I told that to a few people and they laughed. Told Darren and he looked at me like I was an idiot. It amuses me.

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Quote of the Moment

Darkseid: Let the universe howl in despair for I have returned!
- Justice League Unlimited (2004 - 2006)

Reading: Mort by Terry Pratchett; Essential Avengers Vol 2
Drinking: ice tea
Eating: jujubes

Pet Peeves: Some Things That Bug Me

Tue, 06 May 2008 21:32:58 GMT

With this post I think I officially cross over to curmudgeon. Just a short list, off the top of my head, of some of the things that bug me:

► The saying "have your cake and eat it too." That has to be the stupidest, most illogically trite saying ever. What the fuck are you supposed to do with cake if not eat it?
George Carlin: "When people say, 'Oh you just want to have your cake and eat it too.' What good is a cake you can't eat? What should I eat, someone else's cake instead?"
► When people say "literally" when they mean "figuratively."
► While we're on the subject of language, people, please stop saying you give 110% or any number greater than 100%. Every time I hear an athlete say that they gave it 110% or 150% or 1000% I want to smack them.
► Dennis The Menace. Seriously, was this comic strip ever funny? Every time I read it in out newspaper I wonder how no one has shot Dennis in the face yet.
► X-Men heroine Rogue's name is spelled Rogue, not Rouge.
► Any time there's a new movie that gets released and it's a critical and financial bomb, there's always people calling it the "worse movie ever". My god people have short attention spans. Unless you've tried to sit through Manos: The Hands Of Fate you've not seen the worse movie of all time.
► When people equate killing with character depth. Wizard Magazine just listed their choices for the 200 "Greatest Comic Book Characters Of All Time", and number 1? Not Batman (#2), not Spider-Man (#3) and not Superman (#4)... Wolverine. And why? Because he kills and the other 3 don't. Riiight.
► Why is it, when you're at the store, there's always people standing in the center of aisles having conversations and blocking the way of everyone else. Are people really that oblivious? Or are they obnoxious or just stupid?

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Quote of the Moment

Peter Griffin: Another thing that grinds my gears is when I can't find the droids I'm looking for.
Stormtrooper: Yeah, me too. What gives with that?
- Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005)

Reading: Mort by Terry Pratchett; Essential Avengers Vol 2
Drinking: water
Eating: Twix

The Pension Office & My New Throw

Tue, 06 May 2008 00:31:50 GMT

Note: I'm seriously getting sick of all this recent "slice of pathetic life" stuff my journal has turned into. I need to start posting different things again.
End Note

Been feeling queasy from my nerves today and last night. I couldn't get any proper sleep during the night because each time I'd start to drift off my stomach would lurch and I'd be bolt awake again. I needs to relax!

Some time around 9:00am Dad called to see that'd I'd get ready to go with him to the pension board offices, but because of my lack of sleep and my stomach and nerves I told him I couldn't go. Around 10:30am he stopped by anyways to see me and I decided that I might as well try and so I showered and got dressed.

It was interesting at board office cause I found out I apparently have a static caseworker and I can only see her on Tuesdays. Nice to find that out now. The receptionist (who despite being English over pronounced my French name dramatically, I couldn't tell if she was being patronizing or not) had me wait to see another of the caseworkers. For awhile it was just Dad and myself in the waiting room but shortly a charming 38 year old woman came in with her 9 year old son. She had just returned to the province from Quebec and was looking to have her pension reinstated. I know all this because she talked to the receptionist very loudly so that we could hear everything. She was told to take a seat and wait and Dad and I had the privilege of sitting there for 10 or 15 minutes listening to her berate the poor boy about how his wanting to play with the toys there made him a baby ("They're baby toys, are you a baby? Do you want to be treated like a baby?" I think she then went on about his friends at school being told he wanted to play with baby toys but my poorer ear was facing her.) and how his supposed fidgeting was "upsetting (her) disability". Dad, seemed to be getting a bit frustrated by her and I can't blame him cause I wanted to smack her as she kept endlessly prattling on to the son being a bitch to him.

Lucky for me I didn't have to listen to as much as him cause I got called to one of the meeting rooms, which was one of the quickest meetings I have ever had. I gave the caseworker my new phone number, told her that Dad had moved out and that my brother and his fiance where there now. She said I'm still on room and board and that no changes have to be reported as long as the house is still owned by Dad. So that was it.

After that we stopped at Short Line (our neighbourhood convenience store) so I could get a new lottery ticket and buy that presswood laminated movie poster of The Good The Bad and The Ugly they had (Dad gave me the money for it cause I had said I was thinking of picking it up and he didn't want me buying it myself, I'm spoiled). So yeah, that was my day (which was spent mostly reading afterwards).

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On Saturday Darren and Jen went to Ottawa to do some shopping. They were going to Costco which is one of those big discount retail stores where you can only shop if you have a membership card, which I think you can only get if you know someone who has a membership card. I gave them some money to get me a throw blanket there. The store has these nice ones that they had bought there before for their bedroom and the family room and I really like them. The throw blankets are 50" x 70" and micro fiber (whatever that means) artificial mink and are really very soft and silky while also fluffy.

I've always been something of a... texturist(?) and had been wanting to get one of the blankets for my bed. Darren picked out a nice dark chocolate brown one for me and I washed and hang dried it yesterday. It feels so lovely. I'm not gay.

Next time they go back I might ask him to get me a second one. Maybe red, or purple. Seriously, I'm not gay.

Dran: how are things?
Derek: ok
Derek: you?
Dran: Not bad. Doing laundry. :-B
Derek: X-D--"YAY!"
Dran: :-D--"Soon I won't have to wear filthy, filthy clothes!"
Derek: I was my new throw blanket yesterday :-B
Derek: I washed
Dran: that makes more sense.
Dran: I was all.... :-, o O (He turned into a blanket?)
Derek: I washed my new throw blanket, I was not my new throw blanket
Dran: 8{)--"I was!"
Derek: :-O--"tomorrow I'm going to be an ottoman"
Dran: haha
Dran: :-D--"I'll join you!"
* Dran has joined the party!!!
* Derek is an ottoman
Dran: haha

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Quote of the Moment

Manfred Powell: Enough of this twaddle!
- Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

Reading: Mort by Terry Pratchett
Drinking: water

So Yeah, I'm Still Here For Now

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:59:31 GMT

So yeah... that was tense at times.

Dad and Deana came by tonight, as foretold, and they, along with Darren and myself had a talk in the family room. Long story short, I'm here until the end of September because Deana (and therefore me) won't be able to move until then. Seems that one of the big things about me leaving is so my room can be used as storage so Darren and Jen can build out the new bathroom on the first floor. So technically I'm in the way.

Darren and I got heated as he kept saying all the things I do wrong* and not enough of while I kept getting cut off from voicing my concerns. I got the same bit about how I have to go downstairs more often and socialize yet I explained once again that every time I do they seem annoyed at my presence. Anyways, I'm here for another 5 months and I guess I can stop worrying about packing for awhile (I'm still going to start buying boxes and bins to stock up). Darren told me not to starting packing and to leave my figures out. He also told me to put stuff back up on my bulletin boards (I cleared them and boxed all my pictures and pin ups this morning). So I'm going to do that. Might not hurt to pack up some of my figures for now, just to remove some of the clutter.

In the end I guess some of the air was cleared out, but I don't know to what avail. After Dad and Deana left Darren asked me downstairs to watch a movie with them. So I went.

My nerves are still shitty and I feel emotionally and physically drained. Tomorrow I have to go out to buy cleaning supplies for the upstairs bathroom since that's now officially my responsibility. Also Dad wants me to go to the disability pension board offices to give them some updated info and make inquiries for when I do move out. Just feel sick to my stomach at the moment with nerves. This has been a stressful year for me so far.

* He's particularly pissed off with my spending, particularly my buying DVDs "just to have them". Actually, the major issue seems to be that he's angry I bought Cloverfield after he had told me not to, as it was garbage. Later he told me he's fine with me continuing to buy the Mattel DC Universe figure line (my 6 Wave 2 figures should be in at the end of the month), and the occasional DC Direct figure (my Darkseid figure I ordered a year ago comes in this Wednesday). Goody I guess.

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I'm a wee bit burned out from 60s Avengers cheese, so I've put aside my Essential Avengers Vol 2 TPB for a little while and read the comics and Justice League Unlimited digests I bought on Wednesday. I'm also now reading Terry Pratchett's Mort and nearly 100 pages in. Feels good to read a Discworld book again. Hell, feels good to read again period. I just hope I can keep it up. I've got a lot of unread books and trades.

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Quote of the Moment

Judge Larren Lyttle: **dismissing the prosecutor's claim that Sabich's sarcastic reply "yeah, I did it" was a murder confession** Shoot... in my neighborhood, had Mr. Sabich come from those parts... He would of said 'yo mama.'
- Presumed Innocent (1990)

Reading: Mort by Terry Pratchett
Drinking: water
Eating: my insides

I'm Out, Big Shock

Sat, 03 May 2008 21:40:28 GMT

Depressed today and feel like crap. Yesterday it became official, Darren and Jen want me to leave. Dad had dropped by in the afternoon to tell me that Darren said the 3 of us, and Deana need to get together and talk on Sunday. I told him that pretty much means I'm out. It was confirmed later in the afternoon when Darren got home from work and started asking me if I had a talk with Dad. He's trying to put it off as no big deal and keeps saying it'll be better for me and bring us closer again, which is a joke given how they're been ostracizing me for the last couple months. Supposedly Darren had mentioned this to Dad a few days ago. I don't know why Dad would have waited so long to tell me, or why Darren and Jen had been telling me how I can clean out the big closet up here for my stuff. Seems pointless in the face of their wanting me out.

As of right now I think I'm here for the rest of May (Dad and Claire are going away on a 2 week cruise in a week and a half so we can't do anything while he's gone). I've no idea when I'm moving and where to. I haven't talked to Deana about any of this so really, I have no idea.

I've been living in this house for 23 years, and with my agoraphobia and through all the problems I've had over that time it's been my only safe haven. That's now gone, and my nerves are pretty much fucked at the moment worrying about the sea of uncertainty ahead of me. I'm wondering if I should start packing stuff now. Though I'm going to need a few big bins for my DVD and figure collections, and a shit load of boxes. Also numerous comic boxes for my collection of comics (currently in a big filing cabinet) and my TPBs.

Didn't win the $20 million lottery either. That would have helped. At least Darren seems to be a bit extra cordial to me now. They went to Ottawa shopping for the day, he offered to pick up a blanket I've been wanting, I gave him $20 for it.

My nerves don't feel so good... Head either...

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Quote of the Moment

Spock: I have a responsibility to this ship. To that man on the bridge. I am what I am, Leila. And if there are self made purgatories, then we all have to live in them. Mine can be no worse than someone else's.
- Star Trek (1966 - 1969)

Lawn Furniture Is Go!

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:53:02 GMT

Rather sore and tired tonight. As foretold yesterday Dad picked me up this morning so I could go over to his and Claire's place to assemble a set of metal lawn furniture for them (cause I do it so well apparently). Dad helped and it took us 2 and a half hours. the thumb and finger tips on my right hand are all sore and numb from working the bolts with an Allen key in the cold (we're having a slight cold snap at the moment). So that was rather tiresome, if somewhat fun (I do like assembling things).

Also sore because later when I was back home late this afternoon Deana showed up to get her summer tires out of the shed. I went out back to help her but that smartass Bruce decided to attack me. He repeatedly took running jumps at me and chomped up and down on my right hand and forearm. He wasn't biting, more playing, but he did scratch me up and my bad ribs hurt.

It's the same crap he used to pull on me when he was a puppy. Also one of the reasons I can't take him for walks or go out back to clean the yard.

At The Convenience Store
Not surprisingly, my being a consumer whore and all that, I managed to spend more money while out. When he picked me up Dad and I went to Shortline, the convenience store for the suburb/area I live in, to pick up lotto tickets. I used to be a regular there, but have rarely been inside in the last 2 or 3 years, so I was shocked to find out they now sell posters. They have a small assortment of posters (different sizes) that are shrink wrapped to cardboard sheets, and also posters permanently lamented onto hard presswood. Of course I had to take a look, and found a few I was interested in. Ultimately I only bought the Jaws movie poster for $12 (it being my favourite movie), but I'm considering going back sometime in the near future as they had an awesome The Good, The Bad and The Ugly movie poster on presswood for $22. Mind you, i have no where to put these, but I figure I'll have them for if I move.

Later, At The Mall
After Dad and I had finished working on the lawn furniture, we took a bathroom break and then we took off for the Cornwall Square mall (Dad also gave me that Special Edition DVD of Cinderella Man that he said I could have a couple weeks ago). At the mall we stopped at Sears were Dad got himself a few pairs of pants and I looked at the display of watches. They had a pocket watch for $80 (I can't comfortably wear wrist watches because a bone in my left wrist was chipped when I was 13) on sale for 30% off. I considered getting it but Dad insisted I just wait and look elsewhere for one cheaper, or to wait for my birthday. At least I now know where to go to finally get one.

We then split up, Dad to get a coffee at the food court, and me to browse at the book store. I wanted to see if they still had a particular Terry Pratchett Discworld novel. Now, the bookstore (Coles) usually only has a few of his books, but today I was shocked to find out that they had 1 copy of each and every Discworld novel (I only have about a third). As I said, I'm a consumer whore, and since I have almost no willpower, I ended up buying 5 books. Really, I was most happy because I've never read any of the Death centered novels and they were all there, but I limited myself to 3 of them. In total, I bought Mort, Reaper Man, Soul Music, Thief of Time, and the young readers book Wintersmith.

It was truly lovely to see all the books I needed there. Lovely, but also disconcerting (I do only have so much money).

I'm thinking of starting Mort tonight.

Note: Dad borrowed my digicam today so he and Claire can take it on their 16 day Greek cruise in 2 weeks. I told him he might be better suited just getting a few disposable cameras as mine is a bit of a pain in the ass, eats through batteries at an alarming rate of clichés, and only holds 98 pictures. Still, he insisted, so I'm going to be cameraless for the rest of the month. Which means you won't have to suffer through me posting photos of any of my stuff or my room.

Lucky you!

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Garfield Minus Garfield

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Quote of the Moment

King of Swamp Castle: Please! This is supposed to be a happy occasion. Let's not bicker and argue over who killed who.
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Things Of Interest

Thu, 01 May 2008 04:30:23 GMT

Few minor things of note today:

► The comic book DC Universe #0 came out today, for all of 50 cents (I picked up a copy). The comic is making headlines in newspapers because the final page shows the return of long dead legendary comic book superhero, The Flash (Barry Allen) (highlight the white text to see who). Well... it doesn't actually show him, but we do see a yellow lightning bolt streak across a large white moon against a red sky and other things in the comic hint of his narrating the issue. Besides, the writers Geoff Johns and Grant Morrison have both confirmed he's back.

The New York Times and the New York Daily News both have articles on the resurrection, while the Village Voice has a rather snarky article insulting the Daily News for running it as an exclusive (despite it not being pictured on the cover page they prominently feature in the article.

Oh, the dripping pretension.

► So it looks like Ian McKellan is officially, but not quite officially signed on to reprise his role as Gandalf the Grey in the upcoming film adaption of The Hobbit. The article says he's basically signed on, but that the final arrangements of the deal have yet to be finalized.

I just hope they get Ewan McGregor to play the young Bilbo Baggins. I think he'd be fantastic.

► Under the category of junk I don't need but want, place Iron Man's disembodied head. My buddy JR popped online for a bit earlier tonight and sent me this link. As a tie in to the new Iron Man movie opening this Friday, 7-Eleven is selling commemorative plastice Slurpee drinking cups, including one that's shaped like Iron Man's head/helmet. I so want one!

Unfortunately Darren told me that we no longer have a 7-Eleven in town, as the one we did has been turned into a Quickie-Mart (though I think the chances are nonexistent). He said I could still check it out to see if they have them. I might ask Dad if we can stop there to look tomorrow when he drives me home.

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Quote of the Moment

Bilbo: I think I'm... quite ready for another adventure!
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

So Much For Cleaning The Ceiling Fan Noninvasively

Thu, 01 May 2008 01:01:17 GMT

Talk about an "Oops" moment. I bought a can of compressed air today, the purpose of which is to blast any dust out of the motor of my ceiling fan. I figure that has to be why the damn thing isn't working. So, I get the can, attach the thing straw like nozzle that comes with it, stand up on my chair placing the nozzle to one of the many holes around the base of the fan. I then squeezed the trigger only to have the nozzle to fire like a crossbow bolt into the the base of the fan. Where it currently is.

First time that's happened to me with a can of compressed air. I gather I didn't affix the nozzle firmly enough. This means I have to disassemble the ceiling fan to get the nozzle out, when the whole reason I bought the can was to avoid having to do that.

**sigh**

Eh, I think I can take it apart myself. Shouldn't be too difficult.

Shopping

Bit of a busy afternoon. Dad picked me up after 1:30pm to go to the bank and to do my shopping. Usually I like to sleep in before that to minimize the time I have to spend obsessively worrying about going out, but today I woke up around 9:00am. That gave me more time then I wanted to have to kill. So, of course, I spent the morning porning... er... perusing educational websites, and trying not to feel too sick with nerves.

So blah, blah, blah Dad picked me up and we went to the bank and then I went to the comic shop. My buddy Gene was there, and as I picked up a lot of stuff and they had empty boxes lying about from today's new comic shipments I was given one with all my stuff. Kinda funny walking down the street with a box that says "Diamond Comics Distributors" on the front. I'm sure I didn't look geeky at all!

Ended up with another purchase heavy visit. Ugh. Guess I just love comics. Picked up a 4 TPBs (gonna try not to actually list every item), some comics (2 free ones!), 4 digests and my Hawkgirl figure. Three of the digests were Justice League Unlimited ones. They're supposed to be reprint collections of the awesome all ages comic book of the same name, but it turned out (after I got home) that what I thought was volume 1 was actually a separate book with screen captures from 2 episodes of the cartoon arranged with word balloons to read like a comic. Called the shop back afterwards and ordered the real vol 1 (and 4).

Edit: For mordru, this is what I bought at the comic shop: Essential Defenders Vol 1, Vol 2 and Vol 3 (omnibus TPBs); Showcase Superman Vol 3 (omnibus TPB); Marvel Adventures The Avengers Vol 5 (digest); Justice League Unlimited: Jam Packed Action! (digest); Justice League Unlimited Vol 2 and Vol 3 (digest); DC Universe #0 (comic); The Twelve #4 (comic); Superman #675 (comic); Project Superpowers #2 (comic); Avengers/Invaders Sketchbook (comic; free); Secret Invasion Saga (comic; free); Wizard #200 (magazine); and the Hawkgirl action figure.

Dad and I then went to Walmart, where I picked up some new shirts* and jogging pants, some laundry items (including a collapsible wooden frame stand to dry my clothes on in my room), the aforementioned can of compressed air, and groceries. Dad tried to steer me away from the $5 DVD cheap bin, but the glint of an unfamiliar title in the bin drew me like a thing which draws something that likes it. Turns out they finally have more new stuff in the bin. I only very barely glanced at the top and ended up with 5 DVDs, only to meet up with Dad a few feet away looking at a box rack with more $5 DVDs. As I walked up to him he handed me one, which was Love Me Tender (starring Elvis Presley), because it has Debra Paget as the leading lady and I like her.

I then tossed Cloverfield into my cart. Darren's already given me shit (a few times) for buying it because he had told me not to as it's a shitty movie. Thing is I have heard it's actually pretty good, and I'm in the mood for giant monster movie.

The 7 films I bought are (in order I picked them): Aliens (154 minute Director's Cut), Get Shorty, Romancing The Stone, Night Watch, The Birdcage, Love Me Tender, and Cloverfield.

* Both are long sleeved t-shirts, which probably won't get much use for the next few months. But I liked them cause one is sorta like the old style baseball shirts with the sleeves a different colour than the trunk, and the other is a stripped shirt with 2 different shades of blue. Perfect for when I want to pretend I'm a pirate.

** See my first block of framed actress photos over my TV (she's the middle of the left hand column) and the smaller framed pic beside me on my desk. She's also in one of the Vincent Price double feature movies I got from Amazon this week!

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Dad wants me to go his and Claire's place tomorrow to finally put together the metal lawn furniture they bought a couple weeks ago. The plan was for him to pick me up around 3:00pm and for me to stay for dinner, but he has golf from noon to then so I said it'd probably be too much of a hassle for him. I suggested I go over either Friday or Sunday but he said they're busy those days, so it looks like he's picking me up in the morning, and that he'd take me to the Cornwall Square afterwards (I've been wanting to go by) and to get lunch.

I'm not entirely sure we can do all that before his tee time, because really, it might take me several hours to put everything together if I have to do it myself. We shall see.

Almost forgot, turns out the reason why Dad told me to only pay him $50 for my $90 Amazon orders is because the reason will be my "payment" for putting the lawn furniture together.

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Quote of the Moment

Armand: It's like riding a psychotic horse toward a burning stable.
- The Birdcage (1996)

Haiku Ode To Elizabeth Hurley

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:15:46 GMT

Today I start a new semi-feature; odes to things I like, in haiku. At least until I either get bored of or forget it.

Ode to Elizabeth Hurley

She is forty two!
Her beauty and bosom,
make me feel tingly.

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Quote of the Moment

The Devil: I'm not all peaches and cream, you know. I have a darker side, and believe me, it's not pretty.
- Bedazzled (2000)

In Which I Ruminate On A Few Things

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:45:57 GMT

Well that was a surprise. Watched a DVD yesterday afternoon (more on that in a moment)and closed my eyes when it finished around 5:30pm. Then I apparently entered a time machine and opened my eyes to find I was now in the future, 16 hours later at 9:30am this morning.*

No idea what the fuck happened. Anyways, on to other things.

[15:31] Talison: Pleasent surprise
[15:31] Talison: Cloverfield was pretty good
[15:31] Derek: well thank you
[15:31] Derek: oh

► I've got all 5 of the DVDs I ordered last week from Amazon. Yesterday I received the first order, which had Eddie Izzard: Definite Article, Eddie Izzard: Circle, and the double feature with The Haunted Palace w/ Tower of London. Today I acquired my second order with 2 more double feature DVDs: The Oblong Box w/ Scream and Scream Again, and The Masque of the Red Death w/ Premature Burial (that last film being the only one of the 6 double feature movies to not star Vincent Price). I sheepishly confessed to dad when he stopped by yesterday morning that I had ordered 2 more films than I was supposed to, and he seemed nonchalant about it. Even told me to only pay him back $50 instead of $90 (S&H is murder).

Yesterday afternoon I decided to watch Definite Article. That's the DVD I finished before I fell asleep for 16 hours. Not sure whether I should blame that on Eddie Izzard or not... Rewatched the DVD this morning with his commentary track and then decided to watch Circle (not like I don't have 2 cumbersome stacks of unwatched DVDs on my night table waiting for some attention). There appeared to be something wrong with the DVD. I tried to play it in my DVD player several times, but it kept failing and saying "error". I tried another older DVD of mine and it played. So I took Circle downstairs and tried it in my brother's older DVD player and it started up immediately. Brought it back up to my room, and after erroring once more, I tried it one last time and it played fine with no problems.

No idea what the fuck all that means. Just weird.

Still, watched a lot of Izzard. He's now a voice in my head**, which isn't a complaint and is much favoured after suffering through Joe Cocker in my head all weekend. Should not have watched him performing With A Little Help From My Friends on YouTube. Ugh.

* Ok... so I did periodically wake up but only to say "...huh? it's dark?" or "goddamn it's cold..." only to then fall back asleep.

** Particularly his comment about Hannibal's brothers "Hasdrubal, Haveaball and Haveabanana, whose real name was, 'whoa! Have a banana…'"

► Had a surprise yesterday when I hazard (hazarded?) a look at my DeviantART page. It seems, beyond all logic and reason, that my flimsy "I Support Gay Rights" stamp has managed to be faved 1,000 (it's been faved a few more times since). That's 700 to 800 more than my next most faved deviation. I just can't shake the feeling that it's unearned. I'm conflicted.

► This is something of a surprise as well, as I'm not sure it fits:

Which Character From The Office Are You?

More on The Office. Created by BuddyTV

Also a surprise, in the course of taking the quiz 1 question asks what's your favourite type of movies and lists Action, Horror, Musicals, Romantic Comedies, and Sci-Fi/Fantasy. I didn't know what to pick as I love them all, but when I asked 2 separate friends they both said "horror". In fact my buddy Dran said "That's the genre that's most closely associated with Derek." I did not know that.

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Garfield Minus Garfield

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Quote of the Moment

Buck Murdock: Irony can be pretty ironic sometimes.
- Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)

Partwork

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 05:56:01 GMT

And of course, I'm still awake (barely) and online. Why, you may ask? Well, you, it took me 3 hours to slowly finish my previous entry, and I wanted to briefly mention something pretty cool from a couple hours ago.

It seems that in the UK there's a company that does small licensed collectible figurines of large franchises that you subscribe to (or can pick up at news/magazine shops) and get 1 every 2 weeks along with a magazine describing the character in detail. They're called "partwork". A couple of years ago my English gal friend Kai had told me about the concept and the figurines when the company produced a line of Lord of the Rings movie ones. Last year the company did a series of Marvel Comics figures.

A few weeks ago Kai reminded me about all this because the company (Eaglemoss) was starting a line of DC Comics partwork, and specifically, the 4th figure was to be Green Lantern. To make a needlessly long story short, Kai offered to pick up the Green Lantern partwork (magazine and figure) if she happened to see it and send it to me. Tonight she told me she got it and she's going to mail it to me.

That's awesome! I'll have to find a way to pay her back somehow.

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Quote of the Moment

Sir Simon Milligan: It is now time for the sleep of ages! Sava lava cuti! Hecubus, can you hear me?
Hecubus: Yes, Master.
Sir Simon Milligan: **to audience** If Hecubus is sleeping, how can he hear me? Maybe because he's lying? Dirty dirty liar! Evil evil white boy!
Hecubus: I lied, I lied, I lied!
Sir Simon Milligan: He lied, he lied, he lied, he lied!
- The Kids In The Hall (1988 - 1994)

Briefly Out

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 05:36:10 GMT

I have no idea why but I just feel totally spent tonight. Sitting here I feel like I'm going to pass out. The only reason I'm still online is that I want to get a post in before the day is up.

So, that's what this is.

► I've been craving hamburgers for a couple of days now (haven't had any in a couple of weeks). Decided to try calling Deana early this afternoon to see if she'd be able to drive me so we could go get some. Turned out she had plans to spend the day with her mother-in-law and then do something with a friend later in the evening. That said, she called me up around 7:30pm to say she could take me so she stopped by.

We had to make 2 quick stops because Darren asked me to buy a thing of margarine and a new bottle of water for the kitchen cooler. Unfortunately, as we left the house Deana's friend finally called and they made plans to get together, so we had to cut out outing short. I got the water and picked up margarine and bread at Walmart (I did manage to grab Fools Rush In, for Salma Hayek, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding in the $5 cheap bin). She had to go so I wasn't able to get those burgers.

Maybe another time.

On a side note, Deana returned most of the movies she borrowed last week, but unfortunately borrowed a bag more. She's got about 12 or 13 now. Be nice to have all my collection in one place again!

► Dad didn't get home from Pennsylvania until today. He gave me a call mid afternoon to see if he had any mail and I guess to check on me, though he spoke mostly to Darren. There was a banquet for their bowling league so Darren and Jen went and Dad and Claire were going too.

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Quote of the Moment

B.A. Baracus: I gettin' tired of this crazy rap, Murdock.
- The A-Team (1983 - 1987)

Freakazoid Clip - Superhero Weaknesses

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 04:01:37 GMT

I wished they'd put out a complete set of Freakazoid.

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Quote of the Moment

Xander: You know, maybe we're on the wrong track with the whole spell, curse and whammy thing. Maybe what we should be looking for is something like, um, slayer kryptonite.
Oz: Faulty metaphor. Kryptonite kills.
Xander: You're assuming I meant the green kryptonite. I was referring, of course, to the red kryptonite, which drains Superman of his powers.
Oz: Wrong. The gold kryptonite's the power-sucker. The red kryptonite mutates Superman into some sort of weird...
Buffy: Guys? Reality?
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997 - 2003)

Reading: Essential Avengers Vol 2
Eating: Snickers bar
Drinking: Ice Tea

Forum Bickering

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 02:03:34 GMT

Dunno what caused it but earlier today I started getting weird throbbing pains shooting down my right shin. Seems to be easing up now, luckily.

► Darren apparently stopped in at the comic shop yesterday on his lunch break, just to visit I guess. My friend Gene was there and he gave him 2 comic book reprint digests (The Irredeemable Ant-Man Vol 1, and Gravity: Big City Super Hero) to give me that he didn't want anymore. I read those early this morning (from 4:00am to 6:30am) as I couldn't sleep.

I liked the Gravity boo, even if it was predictable and I knew who the villain was from the start, but there's no way I can stomach reading another volume of the Irredeemable Ant-Man. The character is such a scumbag bastard I kept hoping he'd die or get injured. Every time he screwed someone else over (figuratively and literally) and got away with it, it just frustrated me more. Not what I'd call entertainment.

► Yesterday I joined ComicBookResources' forum board. There was a thread about the newly announced upcoming Power Girl regular series and I posted a couple of comments about how I'ms really looking forward to it as she's my favourite heroine. Some other member starting taking me to task and insinuating a lot of crap about me (because Power Girl is voluptuously built and has a provocative costume). It's really rather silly and I can't believe how I seemingly (and by no fault of my own, at least as far as I can tell) have made an enemy there on just my second day.

This is my post that caused the brouhaha, and this was the guy's first reply (his comment to me is at the bottom). It starts halfway down on page 9, and the back and forth continues on for a couple of pages weaving between other messages. In hindsight it's rather ridiculously amusing.

I ask you, does it sound like the guy was picking a fight with me and putting words in my mouth? Really, I think I hopefully handled myself fairly politely and levelheadedly (is that even a word?) in face of apparent (to me at least) insults. Guess some people are just disagreeable.

► Dad should be getting back from Pennsylvania tomorrow. Might ask him for a ride to the convince store so I can buy a Super 7 lotto ticket. It's $17 million. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky, win, and buy my own house or mansion. Finally get out of the quiet toleration here.

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Quote of the Moment

Kirk: Well, a double dumb ass on you!
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

Reading: Essential Avengers Vol 2

Girls Will Be Boys And Boys Will Be Girls

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:51:11 GMT

For a guy, Bill Kaulitz is one hot chick.

Ok, I've been awake for over 24 hours. Time for sleep...

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Quote of the Moment

Peter Griffin: If you could be stranded on a desert island with any woman in the world, who would it be?
Glen Quagmire: Taylor Hanson.
Joe Swanson: Taylor Hanson is a guy.
Glen Quagmire: **Laughs** You guys are yankin' me. "Hey, let's put one over on Quagmire."
Peter Griffin: No, he's actually a guy, Quagmire.
Glen Quagmire: What? That's insane. That's impossible. **pause** Oh god! Oh my god! I've got all these magazines! Oh god!
- Family Guy (1999 - )

Now I Remember Why I Don't Like Hawkeye

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:10:28 GMT

Not really a lot to talk about today. I finished reading Essential Avengers Vol 1 this morning and then cut my hair around noon. That's about the most exciting stuff.

It's been a week since I placed my Amazon order (actually 2 small ones) and I've been worrying about them since. Mostly because 3 of the 5 DVDs I ordered were immediately (after my orders were confirmed) changed to not available on their pages. I was worried that there might be a miscalculation and that the copies meant for me were nonexistent. Well, happily the status of the 2 orders were updated today to "shipping soon". So that's a relief.

The DVDs I ordered are:
► Eddie Izzard: Circle
► Eddie Izzard: Definite Article
► The Haunted Palace/Tower of London (MGM Midnite Movies Double Feature, both Vincent Price)
► The Masque of the Red Death/Premature Burial (MGM Midnite Movies Double Feature, first with Vincent Price)
► The Oblong Box/Scream and Scream Again (MGM Midnite Movies Double Feature, both Vincent Price)

Vincent Price is awesome.

It occurred to me earlier that I forgot about Grace Kelly when I was framing up all those framed Golden Age actress prints I made in February and March. I suppose if I ever get around to putting up more, I should make her and Sophia Loren priorities.

I've been awake since 2:30am. God I'm tired...

Edit (11:14pm): Just got back to the computer after making a late supper and washing the dishes. I've 2 emails from Amazon alerting me that my orders have shipped. Huzzah!

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Quote of the Moment

Jerry: You can't cast aspersions on someone just because they're wearing a cape. Superman wore a cape! And I'll be damned if I'm gonna stand here and let you say something bad about him.
- Seinfeld (1990 - 1998)

Cute Redhead With Cool Tongue

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:07:07 GMT

I think I'm in love.

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Quote of the Moment

Wooderson: I love them redheads!
- Dazed and Confused (1993)

Back Online & Random Things From The Last Few Days

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 01:11:17 GMT

So much for my wanting to see how long I could go without missing a day updating. Long story short, my net connection cut out on my on Thursday afternoon and I only just got back online this morning. I'll now give a run down of barely interesting things of note.

If I can remember everything...

► I actually managed to pull my left buttock playing Wii bowling against my brother yesterday. Yes, I know, that's a dumb injury.

► Dad left for Pennsylvania this morning for his annual week long golf trip there. He should be back on Friday. Speaking of which, Dad and Deana have both lately been more vocal about how I should move out and get an apartment with Deana. She was over for a few hours hanging out yesterday and she brought up the possibility of getting a loft. That'd be pretty cool. She also borrowed 7 solo DVDs and 2 trilogies from me. I think I need to start charging her rental fees.

► I picked up groceries on Thursday around noon. Also snatched up the 2-disk special edition of Sweeney Todd and the single disk release of the 1933 King Kong (since I can no longer find the big collector's tin collection anymore).

► Since I wasn't able to come online for a few days I decided to kill time by reading some of my unread comic book tradepaperbacks. I read mostly the smaller collections and not the big 500-600 page phone books, but at least I've managed to chip some of the stack away.

I read and finished:
► Justice Society Vol 1
► The Death of Superman
► Superman: Up, Up and Away!
► Superman: Back In Action
► Green Lantern: Rebirth
► Green Lantern Corps: Recharge
► Jack Staff Vol 1: Everything Used To Be Black And White
► Jack Staff Vol 2: Soldiers

I'm currently reading and halfway through:
► Essential Avengers Vol 1

Jack Staff and the new female alien Green Lantern Soranik Natu (from the Green Lantern Corps series) are now new favourite superheroes of mine.

► Speaking of comics, I had a really nice surprise when I got online early this morning. The New York comic con is running this weekend and apparently DC Comics announced that Power Girl, my favourite heroine, is finally getting her own series after 30 years. To make even better, Amanda Conner (who has a fantastic cartoony yet expressive superhero style) will be doing the art and the writers (in the article) keep saying all the things I want to hear. All they need is Adam Hughes on the covers (since his run as Catwoman cover artist is ending) and I'm all set.

Although, I am worried that, despite enthusiasm, the series will go the way of other recent DC series with female leads and become a mess of revolving door writers and artists.* When that happens it causes a lot of inconsistent and shitty comics (re: the current Supergirl series). That'd suck.

Either way I'm adding this series to my pull list at the comic shop.

* I don't think Conner has ever maintained a regular gig and I'll be surprised if she stays for more than 6 issues.

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Garfield Minus Garfield

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Quote of the Moment

Roy Neary: You can't fool us by agreeing with us.
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)