This is it....for now.

This will be my last post for a while. Well, just the weekend. I'll be on my trip to Savannah then to Jacksonville with my family. I won't be near a computer so I'll update when I get back. I'm sure I'll have one or two or ten stories to share. I'll be getting new comics tomorrow so I'll have reviews as well.

Today, I saw the Kite Runner. It was a pretty good film but did not have the same impact on me as the book did. If you have not read the Kite Runner, I recommend it. It's one of the best books I have ever read.

I also sat around my house today. I usually like to go places but figured I would only spend money so I stayed put. It was pretty boring.

One of my friends came over for dinner. We watched some TV. I introduced him to Army of Darkness. Well, it was the last 15 minutes. But 15 minutes of that movies is better than nothing. We saw a rerun of My Name is Earl. It was actually really, really funny.

Then we shot some pool. I really suck at pool. But it was still fun. He's hit a rough patch in his life right now so it was good to talk. We've all hit rough patches in our lives before. I hit one two years ago when I didn't have a job for 3 months. I was pretty depressed. I mentioned that to him. Apparently, I hid it well because I showed no signs of depression.

Then we rented Curb Your Enthusiasm which I have never seen. I've only watched two episodes but it's hilarious. Blockbuster only has season 3 but it's ok. The Blockbuster I go to doesn't have a lot of things that maybe they should have like Goodfellas. That's a story for another time.

Friends and other musings

I ran into an old friend today. It's a weird thing when you run into old friends. This was someone who was one of my first friends when I moved to Tallahassee. After high school graduation I would see this person around the community college we went to. We remained pretty good friends. I still consider this person a friend, I suppose. We lost contact after I went to FSU and he went off somewhere else. He was at the bookstore today. I said hi. We spoke for a few moments about what we were doing with our lives. Then I went off one way and he went the other. It was a strange experience. I guess that's what happens though. We build friendships then life happens, we move on to another stage and build new friendships.

Recently I've run into people I went to high school with. It feels like I just graduated from high school. I should have more to say to these people. But it's been 6 years almost 7.

This is about as deep as I'll get for now.

In other news, I bought the new Killers cd today. It's pretty good for an album that is full of b-sides and cover songs. I also bought two books today as well. We'll see if I read them. I got the Road by Cormac McCarthy and The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. I also went back to the comic shop today to dig through the 3 for $1 bin. I got 30 X-men comics this time to bulk up my X-men collection. The owner was having a half off sale on his regular back issues. So I got some Amazing Spider-man issues. So I got 37 comics for $20, not too shabby. I also believe that I purchased my oldest comic to-date. Amazing Spider-man #204 from 1980.

It's Christmas!

I hope everyone is having a great day today. I sure am. Well, right now I have a headache and I'm kind of tired. Other than that everything is dandy.

Actually, I've been great ever since I got off of work on Friday. I'll be off untill January 2nd. I'm looking forward to it. I've got some stuff I have to do though, like clean up my garage to make way for my brother and mine's new ping pong table. It was our big present from my parents this year. I'm looking forward to some pinging and ponging soon.

The weekend was good. I took my cousin to see National Treasure 2 which was fun. Saturday night we went to Carraba's with some friends. That was a lot of fun. Carraba's is always a fun place to go with a group. Also Saturday my brother and I went a little crazy at the comic book store. The owner had bought a collection from someone earlier in the week and put all of it in his 3 for a $1 bin. My brother doesn't buy single issues but saw that there was a whole lot of Cable (he's an X-men character) comics so he got all of them. I always look for anything Spider-man and there were about 30 of those so I grabbed them.

We also did some shopping with my dad for Christmas. I can't think of everything we did. It was just a good weekend. We did see Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox story. That was really funny. I tried raw oysters for the first time yesterday. Good stuff. I don't like oysters any other way but they are good raw.

Christmas today was good. I got a good haul. But Christmas isn't about getting is it? I gave a pretty good haul too. We had breakfast and opened gifts at my parents' this morning. The hung out for a while. My brother has to go back to Ocala this afternoon and I might go to a movie tonight. Who knows.

Comic Reviews for week of 12/17/07

What If? Civil War : Most of us know the outcome of Marvel's Super Hero Civil War. If you don't, the pro-registration side won. What we get in this issue is two possible scenerios of what could have happened. It's pretty much by the numbers and boring. In my opinion Marvel took the best route with Civil War. I was hoping for something a little more exciting. There were two covers available, I got the cooler one with Iron Man in red, white and blue armor. We find that it's really Captain America. Word to the wise, skip this one. *



Justice League of America #16: I honestly have no idea what this issue was about. I think it's a fill in before the next story arc. I think it sets elements for a story in the future. The art was good. JLA has been dissapointing. When the new writer, Dwayne McDuffie, took over the series showed some promise but after the first story arc went out with a wimper I've lost hope again. There's a back-up story in here which is always a nice treat. It's a Christmas tale featuring Red Arrow. It was just ok. I would have like to have seen a Christmas story featuring the entire team. **1/2



Countdown #19: This series overall is mediocre. Hopefully, it will have counted down to something worthwile. This series also has it's ups and downs. This issue was actually good. Even though it focused some of the more boring stories it was still good. All of the scenes with Jimmy Olsen were great, even the ending with him making out with the hot bug alien girl. A bonus is the two page villain origin stories. This week's was the Scarecrow. ***

Metamorpho Year One #6 of 6: After 6 issues we finally have the conclusion to the origin of Metamorpho the element man. I was hoping for a little more from this. Basically we get our hero accepting who he is reluctantly. He also rejects an offer to join the Justice League. Which was interesting. What this did was make me want some more Metamorpho adventures. This series did a good job exploring the character. Next time I would like to see something like Metamorpho on a long adventure instead of run ins with different 2nd rate villains and trying to find a cure for his condition. ***

Marvel Holiday Special: This Marvel Holiday Special featured 3 Christmas themed stories. The feature story was the best. In all honesty it was silly but still fun. It starred Wolverine and Spider-man fighting a disgruntled mall santa who found a Sentinel. The banter between Wolverine and Spider-man was hilarious and the ending was excellent. The other two stories featured much lesser known Marvel characters and were forgetable. However, there was a scene in the last story about the meaning of Christmas featuring the Silver Surfer I found pretty funny. ***1/2

Book of the Week

New X-men 45: This is chapter 8 of the Messiah CompleX cross over. This X-men crossover has yet to dissapoint me. Each part moves a decent pace and is easy to follow. This week features a battle between The new X-force team and Lady Deathstrike and her minions. The battle is pretty brutal. There's some good character moments here. The X-men regroup after the attack on the mansion and prepare to go into battle. Cyclops is emerging as the main character here. He hasn't seen much action yet but by the end of this I'm sure he will. *****

Well that's it. It was kind of a lack luster week for me. Next week we'll have the conclusion to the Spider-man event "One More Day" and my favorite Avengers the Initiative.

Cry of the Beta(s)

I bought a new beta fish for my office this week. He's red and his name is Flash. Before Flash was Speck. Before Speck was Pete. Before Pete was Ninja. Before Ninja was the fish with no name. That's five beta fish all purchased between 2004-2007. So as you can see I don't have the best of luck with these things.

First off betas are intersting creatures. They come when you tap on the glass. They also swim around and show off their fins and pretty colors. So they are kind of neat. Why do I keep buying these things? We'll get to that.

The first fish was purchased after I moved into my first apartment. I could never think of a name for him. He died three weeks later from mysterious causes.

The next was purchased a year later. His name was Ninja. Why? My psychotic cousin named him. Ninja was pretty good but he died four weeks later. Actually he kicked it the day before my friend Trey got married. Was this a bad omen? Not yet.

The next one was purchased a few years later. His name was Pete and he came in a vase with a Peace Lilly. It was when I started my current job. Things were going well untill I changed his water. I dumped out most of the water and then filled the vase back up with Pete in there. I forgot he was in there and for some reason thought I was washing dishes. So I used hot water. Pete was freaking out. He was spazing and his gills looked like they were going to burst. I forgot what I did but he survived. Then a few weeks later some books knocked the vase over and it shattered. I rescued Pete and put him in my coffee mug with some water. Well, third time's a charm. I cleaned his bowl out and put him back in there. I apparantly put too much water in there because it went up to were the plant was in the vase. It cut off the air. So he drowned.

I then bought Speck. Who was a crown fin beta. He lasted a while. All Summer in fact. Then Tuesday I was cleaning out his bowl. I poured the water in the sink. I was going to catch him in the cup I keep him in when I clean the bowl. Well, Speck swam a little quicker than usual and before I could catch him, he went down the drain.

Now I have Flash. How long will he live? Place your bets now.

Why do I keep trying with these? I obviously have no business taking care of a live creature. A friend recently observed that I like the fish and it amuses me. But I realize it's replaceable if anything were to happen to it. So I can always get another. If I were to get any other sort of animal that took more care and provided more companionship, I probably couldn't handle it if it died. Or something like that. So a fish has something to do with my deep seeded commentment issues? I doubt it.

I'm going to do my best to keep Flash living. If he dies. Well, I'll buy a new one. You might not want me to pet sit.

But I'm sure I would be a good father if I ever have kids.

I got an owie!

I had already posted this morning about my upcoming day. Well, not all of it has happened yet. This morning in the hallway at work a coworker had brought her children to work and they were doing cartwheels for some other coworkers to see. I had just dropped something off and was returning to my office when I was asked to demonstrate my version of a cartwheel. I don't usually back away from a challenge so I did a cartwheel. I pretty bad one. I landed on my butt and my head went to the side. Actually, my head smacked on the corner of a wall.

It jarred me for a second and got up. I looked at everyone. Their mouths were all opened. I said I was fine but then was told I wasn't because I was bleeding. Fortunatley I was next to the men's room and walked in and washed it off. I had a gash on the side of my forehead. I then went to the clinic where they cleaned it up and told me to go to the doctor so they could check it out. Great, I had to leave and sit in a doctor's office for a long time and then get stitches. Plus the whole incident is slightly embarassing.

The doctor's visit went fine. I was only there about and a hour and a half. And no stitches! They used some glue stuff to seal up the wound. I had to get a Tetnis shot though. I think I'll have a bruise from that . So, it's been an eventful day so far. This tops yesterday's incident of murdering my fish, which is for another time. I did get some sympathy points from some of the ladies on the hall. Some even came up to the clinic to check on me. So I've got that going for me.

What day is this, really?

In the middle of a slow week, I wish it was Friday already. But it's only Wednesday. I have sort of a big day. At work a group of us "adopted" a needy family for Christmas. Basically we got a list and each of us bought a few things from the list. It's stuff that family needed/want. It was mostly things for the children (they have 4). Today I have to deliver the gifts to a person with another agency that set us up with the family. That should be good. Now we just have to see if a bicycle can fit in the trunk of my Jetta.

Even though it's slow there's some work stuff that has to be done. However, with where I work there's a lot of hurry up and wait. So right now I'm waiting. Tonight I'm meeting a friend for coffee. It's someone I knew in community college. We took two photography classes together. We have gone to talking to each other about every two months and it's always about movies/music or pop culture in general. She called me Sunday and I suggested meeting since It's been a while since we've seen eachother. That'll be good too.

Oh, and comics come out today! I'll have reviews up this week. Don't worry it's a shorter list this time.

It's off to work now.

Updates

Ok, so I've got a few updates from a few previous posts.

Update 1:
I thought I had fixed the problem with the lights. I was wrong. Wednesday night they went out again. I think it just wasn't meant to be. That's ok though. The neighborhood has enough lights up to make up for ours.

Update 2:
I had posted previously that I was going to Savannah, GA with my family after Christmas. Well now it appears we will be spending New Years with my aunt's family in Jacksonville. Yippee. I'm glad my mom checked with me first to make sure I didn't already have plans. (note sarchasm). I'll get over it.

Update 3:
I'm still sore from football. I also discovered some scratches on my forearm. I'm not sure how I got them.

It's been a week since I started this blog. So far so good. I've gotten a few good comments from people. That's a good sign. I forgot how addictive blogging actually is. I'm having a good time doing this. I hope everyone is enjoying it.

Any Given Sunday

Ok, this is not a review of the awful Al Pacino/Cameron Diaz film. But it is about football.

My buddies and I got together to play football this afternoon. After a December that has been in the mid 70s to low 80s we decide to play when it's 54 degrees out side. But that's ok, all the running around will warm you up, right?

If you ever want to feel old and out of shape play football with a bunch of kids who are in high school. It's what I do. I still had a few catches and one touchdown. So it wasn't too bad of a day. Actually it was a great day. I always love getting the chance to play some football. I'm pretty horrible but I was not blessed with athletic ability. I guess I will just have to settle for being good looking. Seriously, getting to be outside and running around for a few hours is great. Sure, I'll feel it for the next few days. I'll probably have trouble walking. But it's worth it. Maybe when I'm 40 it won't be worth it but right now it's ok.

We are actually thinking of joining a city league next fall. It will be lot's of fun. Most likely we will all be killed. I have a feeling the people who play are ex college football stars. We'll see if it pans out. I'm good to go. We just have to find a few others committed to the cause.

Next week we'll be out there again. Maybe the weather will be slightly warmer. It could happen. After all this is Florida.

Quick thoughts for Saturday

I Am Legend is a decent flick. Check it out if you don't have anything better to do.

The Dark Knight is going to be awesome. Heath Ledger makes a great Joker.

The mall is crazy during the holiday season and you have to be psychotic to even go there (I was there today, case-in-point).

Rum with mojito mix is not the same as the real thing.

I am not ready for kids.

Reign Over Me is too melodramatic for an Adam Sandler movie.

Anytime you can get a large pizza for less than $8, it's a good thing.

Buying gifts for people for people who need it gives me a warm feeling inside that a shot Jack Daniels does not provide.

I always find it funny when I finally meet a coworker's spouse.

My foot is falling asleep.

I think I'll have a beer.

Comic Reviews for the week of 12/10/07

From time-to-time (translated every week) I'll post reviews of comics. I get a few new ones every week. I think it's important that you know who I feel about them. I'll also do movie reviews if I see one that's worth reviewing. I might review other things like books, TV shows, cds and candy bars, you know cool stuff.

This week was a big week for comics, well for me anyways. I'll be reviewing 9 comics so bear with me. Maybe tomorrow we'll discuss import stuff like my life. (All this sarchasm is just a front, I really have no self esteem.) The rating system will be a *. The best will be five * and the worst of course is one *.

Countdown #20: Countdown is a weekly series and is described as the "spine" of the DC universe for this year. Basically it follows mostly 2nd or 3rd string characters through a year and touches on major events happening in the DC universe. I honestly can't remember what happened in this issue. Probably not a good sign. Most of the stories are coming along now. **

Astounding Wolf-man #4: This is by the creator of Invincible which is probably the best super hero comic being published today. Wolf-man is almost the same concept as Invincible. However, after four issues nothing has really been resolved. The fact I can't remember the main character's real name is a sign. There's been no character development. We seem to be getting the same scenerio each issue. It always ends with a cliff hanger but they always seem to be the same. **

Booster Gold #5: This is a great super hero title. This series follows Booster Gold, the jack @$$ of the DC universe. Little does every one know, Booster is actually the greatest hero ever. Each issue Booster, his Robot Skeets, and Time Master Rip Hunter travel through the timeline and fix errors. Booster is the reason that most of the big time heros are still around. Sure he isn't the brightest bulb but he gets the job done. This issue Booster goes back in time to save Batgirl from being crippled by the Joker. He fails. He tries again. He fails. And so. It was a lesson. The incident was supposed to happen and it wasn't supposed to be corrected. All Booster wants to do is go back in time and save his best friend, The Blue Beetle, from being murdered. This lesson was to prove to our hero that some things were destined to happen. However, the last page may prove to be different. This was a fun issue. Well, this is a fun series. ****

Ultimate Iron Man 2 #1: After almost 2 years we finally have the sequel to the origin of Ultimate Iron Man. For those of you who don't know, Ultimate is a line from Marvel Comics. It's a "re-imagining" of all of the Marvel Heroes to fit with the 21st century. This issue picks up right where the first series left off. This issue got the series off to a good start. The artist is new to the title but his style fits. We see a young Tony Stark and his friend, Jim Rhodes, suit up in their armor and go on a mission for the government to kill a terrorist cell. However, the government believes they are borrowing two robots. This was a good issue. It continues the mysterious from the first series. Hopefully after four issues there will be some resolution. ***1/2

Green Arrow & Black Canary #3: This issues we get an explanation of sort about Green Arrows kidnapping and faked death by the Amazons. After the resce mission is successful we are left with a major cliffhanger. This series so far has been ok at best. It has it's moments of fun. Writer, Judd Winnick has a good handle on the title characters. The art by Cliff Chiang is the perfect fit. As a result gives this issue ***

X-Factor #26 (Messiah CompleX chapter 7): The seventh chapter of the Messiah CompleX crosser is here. After years of not following X-men comics, I picked up the Messiah CompleX. This has been an exciting crossover that's covered in 4 different X-men titles. Each chapter is written and drawn by that title's regular creative time. The result is great story that moves seamlessly from chapter to chapter. A few years ago an event cut the world's mutant population down to 198, after a few deaths it's even less than that. The mutants now they're dying out. This is where Messiah CompleX comes in. A baby has been born, a mutant baby. The race is on between the good mutants, the bad mutants and the humans who want all mutants dead to get to the baby first. This issue has the x-men assessing the damage after an attack on the mansion. Wolverine and his new X-force team are on the trail of the baby. This issue was good and keeps developling the story and a break neck pace. However, you never feel like you're missing something. The highlight is Cyclops putting Professor X (who's been revealed over the past years to be a manipulative ....) in his place. ****

Ion #1: This is a one-shot tying into the Green Lantern crossover, the Sinestro Corps. This is a one-shot issue about the new bearer of the Ion enity, which is were the Green Lantern rings get their power from (I think this is correct). After some great one-shots involving the Sinestro Coprs, this is a let down. It's not completly horrible, the character development and interaction is good. The art is sloppy. I also found myself skimming this one too. **1/2

Green Lantern Corps #19: This takes place after the end of the Sinestro Corps arc that was taking place in the Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps and various one-shot tie-ins. This issue focuses on what the Green Lantern Corps does after the war with the Sinestro Corps. It also sets up the next story. Mostly good character development. ***

Book of the Week:
Green Lantern #25: After many months of the Sinestro Corps, the war is over. I was slightly peeved that this issue was $4.99. But it turned out to be totally worth it. I don't think I've ever read a more satisfying ending in a comic book as I did in this issue. After starting out the crossover full throttle this issue keeps it going. After having their butts handed to them, the Green Lantern Corps comes through, especially the four earth lanterns. This issue has nothing but action, yet there are great character moments. While this war is over, there is a lot left that there is more to come. Geoff Johns, is probably one of the best super hero writers out there. He really delivers with this story. I was out of breath after I read this issue. The art by Ivan Reiss is great, he does a lot of splash pages in this one. All are great. Probably, the best is the splash revealing the prophecy of a bunch of different lantern corps battling. *****

There you have it.

Road Trip?

After Christmas I'm going with my family to Savannah, GA for a weekend. It should be fun. However, my dad came up with the crazy idea of going on a road trip to California. We'd have to leave the weekend before Christmas if we wanted to get the most of it since it will take a while to get out there. I am really all for this. The downside is my brother couldn't go because of his work schedule and my mom wouldn't be interested in doing this. Oh, and we would miss Christmas at home and subsequently be shot for doing so when we return. It might be worth it though....

What I do

I could write about a lot of stuff. I could tell you all about my day at work. But we don't have the time. I also don't want the suicide rate in the country to go up either. I could go on and on about someone who's been getting on my nerves lately but I won't. I'll pretend that if I ignore them they'll go away.

Actually, I will talk about work. I won't go on about my day. Instead I'll just tell you what it is that I do. In case you're curious. I know you're not, just humor me, ok?

I work for the Florida Legislature. To be more specific I work for the Florida Senate. To be even more specific I work for a standing committee within the Florida Senate. I'm what they call an administrative assistant or to use the slang, I'm an A.A. (cool, right?)

Before a bill his passed into law it goes to a committee or more. A committee is made up of about 8 Senators or Representatives depending on what chamber you're in. They meet and hear the bills. THen they vote to pass the bill out. Sometimes they tack amendments on the bill changing it completley or just correcting a drafting error. The bill then goes to another committee or two and finally to the floor where it is voted on by the entire Senate or House then it goes over to the other chamber and is voted on . Then the governor signs it into law. But you know the gist of that from 8th grade civics class right?

Back to the committee. Each committee has a staff. What the staff does is analyze all of the bills that come through. Each committee office has a Staff Director, a few analysts (some of which are attorneys) an A.A., and during session a temporary assistant/receptionist. The staff analyzes each bill for any errors and implications that it might have. There's more to it but I would be doing it a disservice if I tried to explain it.

Let's get to the good stuff. What does a Committee A.A. do? Well I do the typical stuff like ordering from Office Depot and making the copies. But I'm also the office manager. I also have to know the process and the ins and outs of the Legislature. There's a lot of procedures on pretty much everything we do. Maybe the coolest thing, (well I think it's cool) is I get to call the roll for attendance and the votes during each committee meeting. The A.A. is the only staff person who can talk during the meeting that's not a member (that's what we call the Senators/Representatives). I do other stuff like draft amendments on bills and supervise the session assistant. Oh, the other thing. All the A.A.'s in the Senate are middle aged women. I'm the only guy. So how did I get this gig? Well, that's another story for another time. But I do like my job. It's fast paced most of the time. I like to think that it's important. Will I do it for that rest of my life? No. Of course I still haven't decided what I'll do for the rest of my life. Anyways, that's what I do. I do more than what I said, it's just past my bed time. You also got a crash course in state government. There's probably more to that too, or maybe not.

I promise something more entertaining tomorrow. Wednesday is comic book day after all. So maybe my blog will be something about that.

Blown Fuse

Christmas is a time for joy and other happy type things. It is also a time for some not so happy things also. You all know what I'm talking about. Hanging up the lights. How can something that seems so simple take hours. It also makes you say words that would make a sailor blush.

Saturday morning started out good. I went to the car dealership to get floor mats for my new car. As fate would have it they ordered the wrong ones. So I bought breakfast from McDonalds. When I got home my brother already had the brand new extension ladder out hanging the lights. We got the lights up around the front of the house with little problems. We used the lights from last year thinking they would be fine. We got to the end and opened a box we bought last year to finish off the row. We tested them, all was well. However after everything was plugged in nothing happened.

How could a unused straind of lights not work? Well we unplugged the new straind and plugged the extension cord into the the older lights. They all worked. So we went out for the afternoon and on our way home bought a new box of lights to finish the house off. We put it up. Everything was fine. Then it wasn't. I tried to convince my brother that maybe it was just too much and we should use two extension cords so the lights won't blow a fuse. He wouldn't hear it because he thought the lights weren't pulling that much power. He's in the construction biz so of course he should know.

Well, Sunday we buy more lights. The first set work, at first. Then they don't. My dad came over to see if he could figure it out. We put a new fuse in the lights. Then they worked. We unplugged the extension cord and plugged it back in. They still work. Mission accomplished.

My brother left and went back to Ocala to work yesterday afternoon. That night I plugged the lights in. Everything was fine. Thirty minutes later I went out side and the lights were out. Another blown fuse. So tonight after work I came home. I replaced the fuse again. Then unhooked the lights in a central location. I used one extension cord on half, everything was fine. Then balancing on the porch rail I plugged in another extension cord. Everything worked. At last. I wonder if the neighbors have those problems? They all put their lights up the day after Thanksgiving and all look like the house from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. You think they'd have problems. But no, just the two kids in their twenties with the dinky icicle lights have a crappy luck when it comes to the lights. Or maybe we're just idiots. Oh well, tis the season.

I guess I better go unplugg the lights for the night now.

Let's do this thing.

Hello! I have this friend. He just started a blog a few weeks ago and has been bugging me to do one. I hope he's happy. Truth is, I was into blogging a few years ago. It was part of a writing assignment in college a few years back. I enjoyed it and actually kept it up for about two years. One thing lead to another and I ran out of stuff to write about. After almost two years of blog silence, I'm back.

My previous blog still exists. I actually was just going to continue that. However, I was unable to log in. I tried the only three passwords I ever use and none of them worked. Oh well I might as well start fresh and this seems like a good place to do it.

I haven't quite decided what the "theme" of this blog will be. It most likely will be whatever comes to my mind. How original, right? Some days might be about work, or my brother, or my roommate, or my love life. Oh wait scratch the last one, I don't have a love life. Most of the times it might be about a movie I've. I'm pretty shallow and don't really like talking about anything serious. It's a problem I'm working. Hopefully, I won't bore you.