Lazy post for the end of the weekend

Wow.  That was one full weekend.

I won't rehash, but its left me feeling a wee on the worn-out side.

Some items:

• Nashville people - I hope all is well.  Holy smokes.  Why do you keep living in the path of horrible weather?  That's Galveston's job.
• I'm slowly making my way through Archer in order on Netflix.
• I am watching Giant in chunks.  I DVR'd it off TCM in February and I'm finally watching it.  My history of trying to watch Giant and failing is as lengthy as Giant itself.  I'll most definitely be writing the movie up when I'm done.  But, boy howdy, Elizabeth Taylor.  Amirite?
• We have entered into the period in Austin where it is just ridiculously gorgeous out.  I usually miss it thanks to work and various obligations.  But, trust me.  75 degrees.  Blue skies.  The grackles aren't even hanging out with their beaks open because its too damn hot yet.  That'll be May.  
• Austin's 6th Street is now just kind of embarrassing.  As are most of the dudes I see down there.  And the return of the microskirt in the age of KFC Food Bowl.
• My gym was sort of 24 hours, but only M-F.  It just went 24-7.  This changes everything for Sundays.  Sweaty, hang-over workouts, you will be happening later.
• Last night, I was hilarious.  But, anyway, its good to catch up with friend you haven't seen in a while.  Even if it leads to sweaty, hang-over workouts.  Actually, not so much hung-over as really ashamed about what I did to that enormous piece of carrot cake intended for two around 12:00AM.
• How awesome would it be to just go ahead and name your kid "Maud'dib Usul Kwisatz Haderach Jones" or whatever your last name is?  Man, see, this is why its best we'll never have children.

No Post Tuesday - TR edition

One of the first disagreements Jamie and I had when moving in together was about whether or not I could purchase and hang a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt in the living room.  I was told I could not.  Eventually, I married her anyway.

I think that one day I will get my Roosevelt portrait.

Also, its probably time to crack that 3rd Roosevelt volume.

Some items about which I do not give a @#$%

Folks who've been floating around for a while will know this about my approach to the Academy Awards:  I read the results in the morning after skipping the telecast, and sometimes I even flip through a gallery of "celebs" on the red carpet, because, hey why not?  I want to see ScarJo all dolled up, too.  But I can do it without suffering through any programming by E!

But that's the way it is.  We all have things we just don't give a @#$% about that are very important to our loved ones, our friends, our co-workers, and whomever is running what I see at Yahoo! and often on Twitter.

Perusing this blog will tell you - I obviously care deeply about a lot of things that absolutely do not matter.  Clearly I'm bummed about things like the appearance or disappearance of Superman's outer/underwear.  I care about the fate of imaginary superdogs.  I get huffy that more people don't go to see movies at 11:00 in the morning.  I wonder why there are so few images of Marie Windsor for me to re-post from the internet.

Here is a list of things I supposed to care about that I basically do not give a @#$% about.  Not "I am hostile and am angry" but, "no, I heard you.  I understand, but when I think about those things, the neurons are barely firing here behind my eyeballs":

• The Oscars
• video games
• pro-wrestling
• Dr. Who
• Anything by Joss Whedon
• Kevin Smith and any of his projects
• seeing Ghost Rider 2
• that the new Star Trek is totally different from old Star Trek and makes no sense
• Downton Abbey
• Adele
• Woody Allen since 1996 or so
• being mad at George Lucas
• Star Wars, I guess, now that I think about it
• Several bands that people (Randy and JimD) think I hate - REM, Nirvana, etc...
• the resurgence of Jem and My Little Pony
• any zombies in comics that aren't in iZombie or Bombie the Zombie
• Avengers vs. X-Men
• Sales figures on comics

I think that's probably a pretty good sampling.  At least as its related to this blog.

I was going to erase this post, because it seems kind of half-assed, but that's what you guys get tonight.

I'm going to go do something else.

No Post Friday

If there is any justice: when I die Myrna Loy will meet me at the Pearly Gates wearing exactly this outfit.

Have a good Friday.

Fantastic Voyage (to Denton, TX and the movies)

Wednesday I head to Denton, TX for a 2 day conference on...  you know what?  I'm pretty sure you don't care.  But, yeah, 48 hours in Denton with Librarians and Degree Evaluators.  Should be a hoot.

Anyhoo, on Saturday I'm hoping to join SimonUK at the Alamo South Lamar for a screening of one of my favorites from middle school, shown to us in Life Sciences in 7th grade in order to demonstrate exactly where we might need to know this stuff.

Fantastic Voyage is the original "we've shrunk them down to microscopic size and injected them in a submarine into someone's bloodstream to save this important person's life" story, which is way less specific than you'd think.  Its been ripped off on numerous occasions.

But the first is still the best.

World's least efficient way of keeping your cholesterol under control

Doesn't that look exciting?  13 year old me certainly thought it was amazingly exciting.  I think 36 year old me still sees the appeal.

The movie starts at 11:00, but as Kid's Club at South Lamar is free, be there early as 10:00.  Have some coffee with me and Simon.  We're good company.

And if you need further incentive:  Raquel Welch wears a white "scuba suit" for a good chunk of the movie.

You can microscopically swim around in my bloodstream anytime

You can never have enough scuba-suited, laser-toting Raquel Welch for my dollar.

Come out and join us!  Wear your Slim Goodbody costume so we can map the progress of our crew!

The Signal Watch Presents: What I Do Meme - The League

We love a good meme around here, and since nobody gives a @#$% what I do for a living (thanks for that), here's a look at that same meme from the point of managing my unstoppable media presence over the past 9 years.*

click for depressing full-sized

*yes. 9 years. In April.  God have mercy upon my soul.

Boy, can I relate

The early 90's were a difficult period for yours truly...

don't worry, kid.  A little Retin-A will clear that right up

Just a quick note... the woman who played Lois Lane on Season 1 of The Adventures of Superman, Phyllis Coates, appears in this movie.  As much as I am on record regarding my love for Noel Neill, Ms. Coates was pretty great, too.

Light blogging ahead (I'm in Lubbock)

Tonight I am in Lubbock.  And tomorrow night I leave Lubbock.  I won't be home until near midnight, so do not look for me.

I'm up here visiting Texas Tech University, a pretty darn good school pretty darn near as far away from the rest of the world as possible.  Sort of a reminder of how spread out we are once you pass west of the Mississippi.  Fortunately, I haven't had to go to El Paso yet for work, but I might one day.  And when I do, I might see about going to Ft. Davis or something you hear about in Texas, but you kind of have to really want to do.

This time to Lubbock I flew rather than drive my own car.  I had believed the Lubbock airport took turbo props from Dallas, but learned en route from SF a couple weeks back that jets come here.  It wasn't a 737, and I forgot to look to see what carried me here, but I'll look on the way back.  It sure beats the 8 hour drive.

Anyhow, limited blogging for several days.  I'm sure you'll all get along just fine.



 

No Post Friday

Myrna Loy is outta here

Sorry.  No post this evening.  You will have to just imagine what is fevering my brain until I post again.

Have a lovely Friday.

Oh, and probably no post for Saturday.  I'm off to see They Might Be Giants with SimonUK tomorrow evening.

No Post Tuesday

Just another Tuesday for Jamie.

End of the Week

Ms. Grahame and I hope you have a swell Friday.

Just, you know, no trouble, if you don't mind.

Hiatus

I really don't feel like doing this for a few days.

Also, in Googling "hiatus", I learned that there's a part of your GI track called the "hiatus".  Here's what it looks like when you pull your hiatus while eating nachos.

why did they draw in that guy's bangs?

I shall return anon.

a hiatus for a few days - I seem to have injured myself

apparently this is the danger of push-ups

Gah, this is annoying.  Blogging shall be limited for a few days.

I seem to have injured a tendon in my left wrist, and I'm not really sure how.  Maybe exercising.  Its not clear.

That big, honkin' brace is making it hard to type, so...  you know, less blogging.

We'll be back up and running as soon as we get this sorted.

2nd Anniversary

Today marks the Second Anniversary of the final post at League of Melbotis, the original blog under which I posted.

If you've never been there and are seeking answers to questions you dare not utter, there are years and years worth of postings.

May God have mercy on your soul.

the ghosts of 2005 say "hi"

End of the Year List?

You know, I don't want to do a "best of" list, because, seriously, I didn't watch that many movies or TV shows, read that many books, etc...

So, instead, here's sort of a list of stuff I liked this year.

TV
Friday Night Lights - final season.  The show nobody watched while it was on, but everyone seems to be finding now.  The show wound up on a great note, bringing together years of storylines.
Louis - Louis CK's odd non-sitcom.  Its on FX, its critically acclaimed and lightly watched, but its maybe the closest to a singular vision you're going to find on TV.
Game of Thrones - I wasn't expecting much, and instead I got totally wrapped up in the show.  And started rationalizing reasons why it was okay to like the really pretty bad bad-guys.  Peter Dinklage was terrific.
American Horror Story - gets a mention because so many people didn't give it a chance, and until the penultimate episode, it was one seriously messed up show that was way more entertaining than I was guessing (your mileage will vary).  Also, its show #2 on the list featuring Connie Britton.
The League - I don't even think this show is terribly good, but it is funny in a misanthropic, semi-nihilistic sort of way.
Park and Rec - This show has always been pretty solid, but this year it hit a particular stride, even with the tragic loss of Lil' Sebastian (RIP).
Adventure Time - I would try to explain this show, but the only way you're going to find out about it is if your kids tune in.  You'll enjoy it/ get it more than they will.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold - Probably my favorite show on TV this year, and it went out with a bang.

There were a lot of good shows.  I didn't talk about my perennial favorite Mythbusters, for example.  What else can you say in season 8 or whatever they're on?

Movies (first run at the theater)
Drive - This one hit so many of my personal buttons for a movie, they might as well have asked me what I thought I'd like to see in a crime flick.
Hugo - Likely the best bit of direction I've seen in a couple of years, and a true piece of art talking about art. And, of course, its flopping.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - APES.
Attack the Block - this one was such a pleasant surprise, I likely overhyped it.  But it was a nice contrast to the nostalgic Super 8.
Captain America - My favorite superhero movie in a while

Movies (on my TV or elsewhere)
The Glass Key - just a kick-ass bit of crime cinema
The Hustler - I am kicking myself for waiting so long to see this movie.  Absolutely brilliant.
Gun Crazy - Those crazy kids.  They almost made it work.  Except for all the gunplay and murder.
Night of the Hunter - Hey!  Its also sort of a Christmas movie!

Books
Oh, I don't know.  They've all been fine.

Music
Ha ha ha.  No.

So the internet might be dead by the end of the day today

Hey, all four of you who read this site.  

If SOPA passes today, that may be the end of this blog.  Just FYI.  If it does pass, I'd have to likely not just stop posting, but may need to pull this blog and the archives of League of Melbotis offline.  And forget tumblr.

Basically, its going to make 95% of what I do and talk about here not just a risk to me (of a felony, not just a law suit), but to any of you who might link back to me.

I've written to my congress people, but they're from Texas, so if anyone is waving a $20 bill their direction, they'll be insisting Jesus pre-ordained SOPA and anyone who doesn't love the bill hates America.

So, you know, now would be a good time to write your local congressperson and see if you can't shake the tree a little.  

Funny.  This really wasn't how I was expecting to end this blog (I assumed one of us would die while saving orphans from a submarine fire), but The League is not going to jail for posting pictures of Superman online without the express written consent of the NFL or whomever.

I think the good folks at Get Your Censor On can help fill in some of the blanks.

Enjoy your internet full of nothing but Kim Kardashian updates.  

@#$%

No Post Tuesday

Instead, I leave you to ponder the Fortress of Solidarity.

click to enlarge

Doug and Kristen were still with us Monday night, and I had an early morning.  No post for you.

Announcing the Signal Watch Video Channel

This isn't really that exciting, but thanks to the power of Vlix (an app available on your iPhone - and The Dug's employer) and their recent holiday edition of the app, we found ourselves creating a handful of videos over the weekend.

So, we've added a tab in the row at the top of the page so you can get to our YouTube Channel, or, of course, you can get there via this link.  Feel free to subscribe so you don't miss any of the excitingness.

And, yes, this will include future Santor videos.  But it'll also feature content not on the site, so, there you go.

Right now, you can get a peek at a behind-the-scenes look at our transition from Thanksgiving to the Christmas season.

Brief break from blogging

So, I just figured out I am really, really busy the next few days.  Rather than try to make time I don't have, I am taking a work-related break/ hiatus.

Ya'll take care, and we'll be back soon.

Happy Freaking Friday

oh, you want a post?  You want the content machine to entertain you on your Friday?

Where's your part in this whole operation?  I give and I give and I give...

sob.

Sometimes it seems like...  its just me blogging here.  Just me pondering Silver Age Superman's relationship with his latest publishing venture...  just me espousing the virtues of Frankenstein...  or searching for semi-tasteful shots of pin-ups girls in holiday themes...

I don't know.  I just don't know anymore.

Well, ENJOY!  Enjoy this post.  I hope you're happy, Mr. "Oh, look at me reading this blog!" fancy-pants.

I'm nowhere ready for blogicide, but I'm a bit burnt out at the moment, Signal Corps.  Give me a few days to recoup.  Forget that my efforts are being hurled into a bottomless chasm of meaninglessness, and maybe... just maybe...  we'll be back at normal operating speed come Monday.

Here's a large goat.  How do goats even get this big?

What do they eat at that size?  Meat?  Where do they live?  This looks like the Alps.

I really don't know much about goats that I didn't learn in a cartoon.

Today I was in a library at a medical school, and they literally have a room just full of rubber models of body parts, and nobody thought this was amazing or funny.

I think I've hit one of those periods I find myself in every so often where I realize I'm just spending too much time online for reasons I can't put my finger on, and its time to crank it back down.

You're all terrific people and goats, but...  I have no idea what I'm doing here this evening.

We'll have a quiet weekend, and maybe we'll see you on Monday.