Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Whip It Vs. Freaks


* = C'mon you look at that incredible cover and tell me you don't HAVE to read that, if you can say 'No' to that then we can't be 'buddies'...

Three-day weekend! Not purposeful, but done with the best intention. Mary & Christina had their adoption thingee done yesterday, you know they needed a legal representative to tell them they could legally be parents since it might upset some Conservative somewhere to have two people in love raising a kid. What a f’n racket. I really hope that when I get to be a parent I’m as good at it as they are. But I digress, so yesterday was all about spending time with the happy family and celebrating their long journey. It was fun, as always with M.C.M., and out of that sprung an interesting idea.

This summer, as I’ve posted to FURIOUS responses on ‘teh Facebook(s)’, we’re going to have a BATTLE OF THE BURGERS in our driveway. The premise is simple it’s Burger Armageddon as you bring your best to take on the rest. Everyone will have to bring enough to give everyone a bit of their creation, then we’ll vote, and the winner will get a Crown that we’re going to make. I think it’ll be a good time, and it’s an excuse to grill with a bunch of other folks who I don’t get to see as often as I’d like, as well as to get to eat with folks I see ALL THE TIME! Either way SUCCESS!

This weekend I also was able to finish two books and watch two flicks, here’s what I thought;

- Battle: Los Angeles (** ½ out of 5) – War Porn. Plain and simple this is for folks who froth at the mouth over the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan (**** out of 5). There isn’t anything wrong with wrapping a war film in a Sci-Fi coat and then using it as some sort of allegory for the bravery of the men & women of the armed services serving over-seas right now, the thing is though you need some type of story behind it. Instead I got pretty special effects, predictable characters, lots of ‘splosions, lots of yelling, and an ending that was hokey. All this was smashed between some outstanding battle sequences. It’s not a bad movie, but it’s no District 9 (***** out of 5).
- Date Night (***** out of 5) – I actually liked this little ‘RomCom’ more than Cassandra. I know, I know that just means that I have a leaky vagina, but I’m sorry I found it touching, relevant, and funny. While it starts a bit slow and predictable, it escalates by the twenty-minute mark into something I’d watch again. Steve Carrell and Tina Fey were great, and all the ‘bit parts’ that were in the flick really kept it rolling. Hell, when you can make me enjoy a performance by both Common & Marky Mark, sans Funky Bunch, you have one thing; WINNING! And this movie was full of it.

- The Horror Stories Of Robert E. Howard (***** out of 5) – Sure I’ve read some of these stories before; ‘Pigeons From Hell’, ‘Black Canaan’, ‘Worms Of The Earth’, & ‘Hills Of The Dead’ but each one of them is fantastic, and well worth reading again & again. I think I was more impressed with some of the tales I wasn’t familiar with, especially ‘Wolfhead’, ‘The Haunter Of The Ring’, & ‘The Fire of Asshurbanipal’. It was another collection of Howard stories that surprised, delighted, and really just continued to solidify Howard as one of my favorite writers ever.
- Mathias Thulmann, Witch Hunter Omnibus (**** out of 5) – I know I’ve been writing about this one for a while so I’ll be brief. The author C.L. Werner was able to channel R.E. Howard’s Solomon Kane as if Peter Cushing was playing him in the middle of the dark fantasy of the Warhammer fantasy setting. In short it was blissful. Sure I have some complaints, the way the last tale ends setting up another sequel, the fact that the main antagonist really was the most minor of all threats actually faced, and some of the ‘grim for the sake of grim’ aspects of the setting, BUT all that being said I would read more of this character by this author because I thoroughly enjoyed this Omnibus. It was a good time, and really that’s all I’m looking for in a read.

This is an addendum, but I'd like to point out that Joe & Laura had their beautiful little bundle of joy, Ava Marie. Much like her parents she is a bit of Mana from Heaven. Cassandra & I are beyond words happy for them, and you should be to. Oh and by the by Ava has an incredible baby mullet. Seriously, it is AMAZING!

Speaking of corrupting the youth of the world...

RANDOM CRAP!

- I’m a grilling MACHINE! Seriously, the meal we prepared, & by we I mean Cassandra on prep me on the cooking end, was outstanding. Those were the best turkey burgers I’ve ever had, so much so I’d take them over beef any day. The green beans and onions done up on the grill were superb, and the chicken was sumptuous. Truly a meal fit for royalty. Or for friends.
- I painted nothing last week, Cassandra convinced me to ‘take a week off’. Now I MUST get ten done this week, even if it kills her. ER, I mean me.
- I’ve been watching Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as the episodes are released online. There is one episode left that I can watch tonight. I have to say they’ve done an amazing jog setting things up for the future, the skrull Viper setting up not only the Kree/Skrull War but possibly Secret Invasion, but also have resolved the meta-plot that they established at the get go; Loki’s take-over of Asgard & his engineering of the ‘Break Out’ that established the Avengers. There has been so much amazing ‘goodness’ in the last six episodes that I’ve routinely shouted from my computer in nerdy glee as I got to hear Thor utter my single favorite Avengers line (from the comic) “WE WOULD HAVE WORDS WITH THEE ULTRON!”, got to see Hulk ‘SMASH’ trolls with the Executioner’s axe, just how Bucky survived, got to see Cap get saved by The Thing & the Human Torch, and on and on and on. Hell the Avengers fighting the Serpent Society almost made me pass out from its sheer AWE-some Sauce. Truly this show makes me feel like I am twelve again & picking up comics. I love it, I’m giddy even typing this, I LOVE THIS SHOW!
- WHEW! Seriously that show just pulls at all the right nerd chords.

You know I think I’m done.

“I'm writing a song all about you.
A true song as real as my tears.
But you've no need to fear it
Cause no one will hear it.
Sad songs and waltzes aren't selling this year.
I'll tell all about how you cheated.
I'd like for the whole world to hear.
I'd like to get even
With you cause you're leavin'.
But sad songs and waltzes aren't selling this year.

It's a good thing that I'm not a star.
You don't know how lucky you are.
Though my record may say it,
No one will play it.
Sad songs and waltzes aren't selling this year.

It's a good thing that I'm not a star.
You don't know how lucky you are.
Though my record may say it,
No one will play it.
Sad songs and waltzes aren't selling this year.”



* = Surprisingly VERY good.

4 comments:

  1. You know, that is currently the only turkey burger in my arsenal, but it's pretty darn good if I do say so myself. I can't wait to win the burger battle and claim my crown with my new idea!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey, you've had my turkey burger. Just think what I can do now that I have months to plan and practice.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh I'm not discounting you, but I know that mine "alone is best, you must die..."

    ReplyDelete