The Eighth Day of Christmas: The Ocho

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is such a funny movie. "ESPN 8 - The Ocho." HA!

That's not to say that I watched the movie tonight. Anytime I hear the number 8, I think of this. Proof positive that movies have ruined/influenced/dominated my life.

Still, I won't stop them.

The Seventh Day of Christmas: Fringe

Whoa, did I ever waste a day. Sleeping until noon doesn't give you nearly as much time if you were planning on waking at 5 AM. Ah well, there was still enough time that I got some of my work done and still managed to catch up on some shows on the DVR.

The show I caught up on was Fringe. I was 4 episodes off of being current, and I managed to knock them all out today. This show has entertained/intrigued me since the start. And it's only gotten better. There's a good chemistry between the cast members and just enough weird science and on-going mystery to really draw you in. It's also nice to watch a show that's just a bit longer than than the normal 42-44 minutes. This show has right around 50 minutes an episode running time, and while that may not seem like much, to someone like me who watches so much television, I do notice the difference.

I recommend you catch up on Fringe - Tuesday nights on Fox - so that when it returns in January with new episodes you are ready to go. It's worth the viewing.

The Sixth Day of Christmas: In Da Hood

I've spent most of my day chillin' in my hoodie. It's fantastic. My normally cold home has been getting the best of me lately. So, last night after watching Punisher: War Zone, I bought some new slippers, a hooded sweatshirt, and some lounging around pants (and while they may look like sweat pants, they aren't - I don't do sweat pants). I also bought another jacket. And a work shirt/jacket thing in anticipation of some tree-killing I have coming up.

All in all, it's been a comfortable day. Comics, movies, TV, books...ahhh, this is a weekend.

The Fifth Day of Christmas: Ruined Christmas

My day started off so well - I woke up with time to get around at a leisurely pace, ate some awesome little donuts...things were going great.

And then I listened to this message from my mom telling me that my family would be celebrating Christmas on the 21st. Not Christmas morning like we've done for the past 27 years. The fucking 21st.

I'm not normally a person who rocks boats, but this really irks me. So much so that it was all I could think about - ruining my mood, my great morning, my day, and my entire Christmas spirit.

The Fourth Day of Christmas: Frustration

There's no feeling like that feeling you get when you put all of your effort into something - or helping someone - and it (they) falls apart (do nothing to help themselves). I suppose that's why they invented the word: frustration.

Still, understanding the concept of frustration does little to alleviate the...frustration.

If I didn't love this time of year so much I might have said - humbug.

The Third Day of Christmas: Music

Today was the day I began rockin' the holiday tunes.

I never start before Thanksgiving, and thanks to my new-found love of honeyhoney, I'm a few days late with the Jingle Bell-ing.

Still, better late than never, getting those chestnuts roasting and those sleigh bells ringing: ting ting ting-a-ling ting.

(I'm also loving some great scores by some of my favorite composers: Danny Elfman, Milk; Carter Burwell, Burn After Reading; and Bear McCreary, Eureka and Rest Stop: Don't Look Back.)

The Second Day of Christmas: Non-Stop Reading

It's been awhile since I've plowed through an entire book in one day, let alone one night, let alone a few hours.

Ah, the joys of reading children's books.

It's actually not a bad little series I'm reading: The 39 Clues. The second book in the series, The 39 Clues: One False Note, came out today. The series is basically National Treasure-lite. Clues, mystery, action, suspense, double-crossing back-stabbing families...pretty good stuff.

And oh so Christmas-y.

The First Day of Christmas: Rushed

I got a little too used to not having to do anything or be anywhere over my short vacation. So used to nothing, that I was almost late to work today. It's a good thing I live as close as I do.

I didn't hear either of my two alarms, or my cell phone alarm. I was out and lucky to wake at all.

So, of course, I was rushed all day long. Worked all night. And I will be damn sure that I'm in bed at a decent time tonight.

Hmph. Vacation.

5% Chance

I stayed cooped up in my house all day. I did nothing but read comics, watch TV, and snack on food (some moldy and some spoiled, I'm almost sadly sure). It's back to work tomorrow. Am I ready? Sure. Willing? Partly.

I'm working on a six and a half year plan. It would be nice to be retired by age 35. It'll take some doing...but I do think it's actually possible. A 5% chance is better than nothing.

And so I have hope.

First Rodeo by honeyhoney

This is an amazing CD from a band I had not heard of before two days ago.

Signed to Ironworks Music - the music company co-owned by Keifer Sutherland - I hoped they would be half as good as Rocco Deluca and the Burden. I was not disappointed. They have that same alt-country vibe, that same twang that isn't quite country, yet is country done tremendously well. The music is catchy and addictive and new. I have a feeling I'll be spinning this CD for quite some time.

Possibly as long as February when the new Rocco CD drops.

First Rodeo by honeyhoney is available in stores and online now .

Top Tracks: "Little Toy Gun" and "Come On Home"

Up Late and Wandering

I'm up late (for me) and had the urge to look back through my blog. There's some fascinating things I'm noticing again for the first time in over a year(!) -

I used to blog about a thing I called The Stacks. I would list all the media I was currently working my way through...only it appears I never got anywhere with any of it. Example from my last post on September 17, 2007:
---
Books:
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson - finished
The Dark Tower (Dark Tower book 7) by Stephen King - finished
On Writing by Stephen King - still on the bookshelf
Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay - still on the bookshelf
The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam by Ann Marie Fleming -still on the bookshelf
No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July -still on the bookshelf
Tumble Home: A Novella and Short Stories by Amy Hempel - still on the bookshelf
Pretty Little Mistakes by Heather McElhatton - still on the bookshelf
His Dark Materials – Book III: The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman - still on the bookshelf
The Road by Cormac McCarthy - finished

(3 for 10 finished)

Magazines:
Paste issue 32, June 2007
Corel Painter: Official Magazine #5

(not even sure if I still have these magazines - though I'm sure I do, only where?)

DVDs:
The X-Files: Season 6 (TV series) - not finished
Weeds: Season 1 (TV series) - finished
Deadwood: Season 3 (TV series) - nope
Futurama: Season 2 (TV series) - nope
Black Snake Moan - nope
The Replacement Killers - nope, not done either
Spawn: The Animated Collection (TV series) - no
300 - nada
Rome: Season 1 (TV series) - sorry, no
Heroes: Season 1 (TV series) - finished

(2 for 10)

Comics:
Blood: A Tale (TPB) - no
The Other Side (GN) - no
Beyond! (TPB) - no
Pearls Before Swine: Lions and Tigers and Crocs, Oh My! by Stephan Pastis (Treasury) - finished
Grendel Archives (TPB) - no
Grendel: Devil by the Deed (TPB) - no
The Goon vol. 1: Nothin’ But Misery (TPB) - no
The Goon vol. 2: My Murderous Childhood (And Other Grievous Yarns) (TPB) - no
Sentences: The Life of MF Grimm (HC) - no
Scalped vol. 1: Indian Country (TPB) - finished
Showcase Presents: Batman and the Outsiders vol. 1 (TPB) - no

(2 for 11)
---
And this stuff was on my pile to read/watch back on September 17, 2007! And it's not like I haven't added to that in the past year.

I spend entirely too much money on stuff still patiently waiting on shelves. I'm up to 13 bookshelves full of stuff in my home. I'm literally surrounded by unfinished purchases.

Also, there were labels for posts about weight loss (no success there) and bike riding (haven't done that almost half a year) - things that have fallen by the wayside.

All is not lost. In fact, I have some plans for next year, plans that might reinvigorate this blog (and the joy I get from writing)...

Stay tuned.

Thanksgiving Vacation

I sure do love me some vacation from work. It's not that I don't enjoy work, but...

Waking up late, cooking breakfast instead of pouring it in a bowl, rockin' some Dropkick Murphys while casually surfing the 'net, trekking off to a movie (Australia and maybe Transporter 3 afterward), baking an apple pie from scratch (crust and all)...

Now that's a day.

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow!

First Snow 2008

Today was the first day of some snow that actually stuck around - not for long, but for awhile. The driveway and roads are clear, but slightly slushy, while the grass has a nice dusting of white. Somewhat pretty.

I love snow. The cold. Winter. This is my time of year.

Power Through the Tired

It's late (or early). I think I might be getting too old to hit the midnight showings of movies on a work night.

I'm going to tough it out and do without the sleep. I'll go from one day of work straight on into the next. I might be a little tired and have trouble keeping from yawning all the time, but I'll survive it.

And Quantum of Solace was good. Worth the lack of sleep at any rate.

New Ink

It is difficult to not stare at a new tattoo.

I should have been working last night, but instead, I went and added on to one of my previous tattoos. In fact, this addition should - finally - complete the image.

It was a little mind-blowing to remember that this particular tattoo was my very first, and that it was done ten and a half years ago. I'm getting so old.

Still, it does look cool.


Tattoo is on the upper right arm.