a history of me

I will tell you about Boston, I promise, but please watch these bunnies re-enact famous films in 30 seconds shorts. My favorite thus far is The Shining.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

Back from Boston, unharmed, feeling fine. I'll post more tomorrow morning after a good night's sleep and a thorough shower. Can you believe our motel didn't have any shampoo? What a gyp.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

Going to Boston for a little historical perspective, some current events, and a few souvenir photographs. Oh yeah, and alcohol. Lots of alcohol.

Be back by Friday. If I am slain by terrorists, protestors, or drunken Red Sox fans, divide up my stuff as you see fit. Don't forget to tell my employers that I quit.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

Everyone knows I enjoy video games but my interest in recent years has waned considerably. As recently as three years ago I could have spent my entire vacation playing games, mostly by myself but also alongside my friends. Yet today I can barely go for fifteen minutes without furiously dropping the controller. Why is this? Is it purely a matter of "the old games are better?" No, I'm not some grumpy old man who looks back with rose-colored glasses on the "good old days" while ignoring modern progress. I have repeatedly promised on this site to write something summarizing my feelings on the subject of video games. I have yet to do this for two main reasons: Firstly, I procrastinate all the time. Secondly, no matter how passionate I may feel about something I am hesitant to write it down because I do not have confidence in my writing ability to accurately put forward my feelings. Thankfully, I found this article which discusses one the big reasons today's games don't excite me like they used to.

I will write my opinion on video games someday. Soon. Right after I get back from Boston.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

As the corporations grow more brazen in their pursuit of omnipresence, it seems the MTA may soon stoop to the level of selling the naming rights to their stations, bus lines, bridges and tunnels. In fairness, this idea seems to be born from the MTA rather than any individual company, but if these money-making circumstances didn't already exist (like grand old PETCO Park), then maybe our public officials wouldn't be so eager to grab for that last buck.

What struck me as funny was the quote from William Chipps of IEG Sponsorship Report: "People don't have that same emotional connection with their subway stops." Does that mean no one cares about how much advertising we have to see everyday, everywhere? Can't there be a limit? Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person bothered by all this but, the article mentions an organization called Commercial Alert which feels as angry as I do. That site alerted me to some horrors I had never heard of like "neuromarketing." Of course, they're a little bit crazy too. Check out the "media violence" section, where they inexplicably drop Howard Stern's name. What does he have to do with violence or children?

つづく... (Click here to read more)

I figured it happen someday, but it seems to imminent now: The Transformers will be part of a new, big-budget, live-action movie. As if that wasn't big enough, it seems that Spielberg himself was a big part of the deal-making. A few years ago this would have been exciting news, but frankly, I'm smarter now. I know that there's no way in hell this movie will be as cool as I know it could be. First of all, they already made a fantastic Transformers movie back in 1986. The emotional impact it had on me has yet to be defined. Secondly, the movie will attempt to please older fans while catering to today's children at the same time. This is an impossibility. Back in the 80's, the Transformers was downright edgy. Since (almost) all of the characters were robots, they were allowed to do things human characters couldn't. They could shoot each other as much as they wanted (unlike those suckers in G.I. Joe), even killing one another in the movie. They often traded some vicious PG-rated insults, and in the aforementioned movie, they even cursed a little. And in the ultimate (current day) taboo, the evil leader Megatron transformed into a realistic-looking toy gun (a Walther, I believe).

Today's mass-appeal blockbuster cannot do any of this. No one will make a toy gun anymore. I doubt we'll hear anything words stronger than "hell." Whatever "story" their monkey-team of writers concoct will not resolve in order to allow for sequels. I can't even fathom what kind of celebrity they'll try to insert to draw a bigger audience. The best possible outcome is the movie will re-kindle interest in the original products. If you want to learn more about this project, there's an interesting message board discussion going on at a website attached to the production.

In other suspect movie-adaptation news, it seems the long-rumored Watchmen movie is destined for a 2005 release. I am a fan of the attached director, Darren Aronofsky, but the book had so much going on I don't see how it's going to work.

I wish I didn't love movies as much as I do. Then it would be easier to hate them.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

Despite a grand slam by my man, 松井秀喜, the Yankees still lost to the Red Sox 9-6. That means the Sox took two of three games this weekend and five of seven for the season at Fenway Park. This is a bad thing, although the Yanks still have a healthy lead in the division. I'd feel a lot better if I knew the Sox had no shot at the playoffs, but these bums just won't go away.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

It seems George Lucas has announced the complete title of Star Wars - Episode III: "Revenge of the Sith." Sounds just like Return of the Jedi, doesn't it? That's the idea: Lucas is so creatively bankrupt that he deliberately tries to make the new movies "sound like" the old movies that everyone loved. In my opinion, he should do everything in his power to distance the new trilogy from the original trilogy since the new ones are so vastly inferior.

However, George Lucas is actually very clever. His complete control of the original films allows him a unique freedom as a washed-up artist. He has the power to change the original movies so that they look just like the new, CGI-smothered, soulless movies. Think about it: the "special edition" trilogy was first shown in 1997. Since that point, they have been the only version offered for sale on home video and shown on TV. As VHS goes the way of Betamax, the new DVD box set will soon be the only home version available and it will sell by the truckload. Guess what? The new box set is based on the "special edition," not the original films. It's just like 1984, people: "Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past." In thirty years, no one will even remember the original trilogy, and generations of children will know only that Greedo shoots first.

Two more links, while we're on the subject:

Behold the evolution of George Lucas' neck!

Go here for a link to two video clips showing some of the more subtle changes between original and "special edition."

つづく... (Click here to read more)

This afternoon the Yankees lost a crazy game to the damn Red Sox. They should have won. They were, at one point, up 9-4. They nearly blew the lead, immediately surrendering 4 runs. Later, they loaded the bases with no outs but failed to score. The Sox scored three in the ninth on Mariano Rivera, something that should never, ever happen.

I'm totally pissed. Thank god the Yanks are still up by 8.5 games.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

I wasn't going to post this link because the animation seemed a little silly, but after seeing this site plugged in three different places during my web travels, I decided I might as well pass it along. It's pretty funny, I guess, especially when they're marching in place.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

Famed film composer Jerry Goldsmith passed away last night (AP). He had been making music for television and films for over fifty-five years. Personally speaking, his most memorable composition was the opening theme for Star Trek: The Motion Picture which was also used for the Next Generation TV series. Other favorites include The Omen (his only Oscar), Total Recall, and L.A. Confidential.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

Tax dollars and free speech were flushed down the toilet again, as the Washington DMV recently revoked a man's vanity plates because they were deemed "offensive." They didn't know the potentially sexual meaning of "GOTMILF" but sharp-eyed assholes actually wrote to them and complained! Can you believe it? What the fuck is going on around here? How do those seven letters offend anybody? Maybe we should eliminate all vanity plates with the letter "F" in them, just to be sure?

つづく... (Click here to read more)

I get this weird feeling all the time when newspapers or TV shows make a big deal out of something new or something that "everyone's talking about." Typically, it's because I have no interest in that thing, and I wonder if anyone really cares. Well, in jest, The Onion has once again nailed my feelings in this article.

Be warned, the Onion has a lot of advertising now. Kinda sucks, but it's still free.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

These last two days are why I hate the summertime. It's hot out there, and even though it hasn't been exceptionally hot by any standards, I am incredibly uncomfortable. Still, I can't sit at home every day, so I spent most of yesterday and today in New York City.

Typically, when I go to Manhattan I proceed directly to the East Village. I wandered through Strand Books and Forbidden Planet, considered buying items of no importance but decided against it. Next stop was the Sunrise Mart for a refreshing Japanese beverage. Sadly, my favorite drink was sold out, but I settled for the always amusing ラムネ (ramune). I ate lunch at the Otafuku, a wonderful little hole-in-the-wall eatery on 9th Street. If you think Japanese food is all sushi and tempura, the Otafuku will show you something new.

I took the Q to Dekalb Ave in Brooklyn to meet Mike. As it turns out, Junior's Restaurant was right at the top of the stairs out of the subway. This meant I had to buy a slice of cheesecake. I didn't want to, frankly, but I had no choice. It was quite expensive ($5?!?) but it was delicious. I still say the Carnegie Deli's cheesecake is number one though.

I met Mike at his place and we went to a free concert in Fort Greene Park. The star of the show was Bilal, a guy I had never heard of but Mike assured me was cool. The concert turned out to be not so cool though. First of all, it was a free show, so anybody could just walk right in. That means there were a lot of people who weren't really into the music (just like me). Secondly, Mike told me that the songs were being "cleaned up" a bit. I guess a free concert paid for by corporate sponsors couldn't be sexy or exciting in any way. Thirdly, I was uncomfortably warm, but that's just me. We still did our best to enjoy ourselves, and when we got back to his place we hung out for many more hours.

One of the things that occupied our time was NBA Live 2002. Mike really likes basketball and he has a lot of fun with this (admittedly dated) title for the Playstation 2. We collaborated on making some new characters. Mike wanted to created a pair of Indian-looking guys to dominate a team. Obviously, the Create-a-Player feature never figured on an Indian player but we did the best with what we had. The end result was Sanjay and Bramm Tigre, two rookie seven-footers from the University of Maine. We stuck them on the Boston Celtics and played against them using the L.A. Clippers. They kicked our ass for three quarters until we turned off "fouls." Once it got down and dirty, like the South, we dominated. We outscored them 33-0 in the final quarter, turning an embarrassment into an incredible comeback. Later, we got drunk and watched Zoolander. That Hansel is so hot right now...

FUN TRIVIA FACT: Mike played basketball with Clippers star Elton Brand in a local summer league back in high school. According to Mike, Elton is really good.

I crashed on Mike's couch and left this morning. Mike had to go to work, a feeling I no longer understand. En route to Grand Central I stopped in Book-Off, a used book/CD/DVD store, but I bought nothing. The incredible heat forced me into a nearby market for something to drink. I probably should have gotten some tea but I was sweating so much I instead grabbed a Pocari Sweat. Somehow, when I'm sweating, I need to drink something that looks like sweat.

As an added bonus, I got to ride one of the new M7 Metro-North cars home. They were nice, but frankly I felt the seats were a little too upright and stiff. I didn't fall asleep as easily as I normally do. Maybe when I'm not surrounded by jackasses on mobile phones I'll find it easier to doze off.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

From the people who brought you Operation Iraqi Freedom, here comes Operation Find-an-Iranian-Connection! Personally, I'm waiting for Operation Maybe-Just-Maybe-Saudi-Arabia-Might-Be-Involved.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

Now that I have so much free time I've decided I should see a lot more matinees. That plan should have started yesterday with I, Robot. I invited Dylan to come along but Dylan, like my dad, is one of those people who thinks it's silly to see movies when the weather is nice. He convinced me we should instead go to Mt. Kisco and hang out. So we did. We (along with his Freundin) ate at a restaurant of unknown Central American origin (signs indicated both Guatemala and El Salvador), had some Ben & Jerry's, and even checked out some furniture. If I weren't moving out, I might have had a use for it.

We agreed to meet later after Dylan spent time with a client. I'd offer a link, but he doesn't have a website. You see, Dylan works (occasionally) as a computer consultant. He comes to your house, hooks you up, orders parts for your machine, etc. Dylan thought a clever name for this business would be "Geeks on Wheels," as he is mobile. But a quick web search shows that a lot of other people thought it was a clever name too. So Dylan has to pick a new name or just think of a different URL.

In the interim there was a shocking surprise: I actually enjoyed Freddy vs. Jason. Seriously though, our old pal Dan appeared. Dan used to hang out with us all the time but ever since he started going to law school in Massachusetts we hardly ever see him. His sudden materialization called for a celebration. We convened at a local bar, Justin Thyme. I hate puns almost as much as I hate bars, but I did my best to blend in and enjoy myself. This blending involved drinking four Buds and an Irish Carbomb. I got pretty drunk as a result, although I've been much drunker. All it took was two Tylenol.

Today it was raining, so Dylan and I finally got to the movies. Of course, we didn't make the matinee show. More importantly, we both enjoyed the film. I have not read the original book by Isaac Asimov, but I have read a story or two featuring his famous Laws of Robotics. I'm told the movie bears little resemblance to anything he actually wrote (the credit reads "Suggested by...", but all the same I am interested in learning more about his work.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

Good news for a change! It seems the recent success of zombie horror films like 28 Days Later and the remake of Dawn of the Dead has loosened the pursestrings of Hollywood for George Romero! He is reportedly going to make new zombie film to follow up his legendary "unholy trilogy" of Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead (the 1978 original), and Day of the Dead. I highly recommend these films, although the gore level gets higher as the series progresses. Be warned!

つづく... (Click here to read more)

Free.
 
Free!
 
I'm finally free.
 
I don't think I've yet comprehended what "free" means. Not yet.
 
All I know is that I never have to back there again. Ever.
 
And now I'm on vacation.
 


つづく... (Click here to read more)

No, I'm not talking about Martha Stewart. I'm talking about a fugitive on the run from the United States government for several years. A known anti-Semite, he had particularly strong anti-American views as well. After so many years evading our grasp, i was beginning to think we'd never catch him. I'm talking, of course, about eccentric Grand Master Bobby Fischer.

You didn't think I meant him, did you? Don't be ridiculous.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

Hardly! This is it, kids. Billy's last day at work...ever! Once this day is out, my vacation begins. Yet it began so ordinarily. I had another dream starring Miss
Morgan Webb. This dream was not so explicit as before, but she was saying a lot of explicit things. I can't remember any details at all, other than the fact that I was wearing some kind of heavy suit and I had a vacuum tube strapped onto my wrist. Oh, and we weren't alone, we were actually standing on the street in front my old high school.
 
Anyway, this is the last time I'll have to rush out the door to get to my crummy job. I'll have a lot more to say once it's all over. Be back in about 11 hours.


つづく... (Click here to read more)

I've just learned that the largest single-screen movie theater in New York City is closing. You can read the story here. I am saddened by this news, although I do not recall ever visiting that particular theater. I have been to a few single-screen theaters in my life, and I have very fond memories of them. The last such visit I can recall was with my father for the 30th anniversary re-release of Lawrence of Arabia. I don't remember the name of the theater, other than it being in midtown. Inside it was very ornate, and the screen was gigantic. And maybe it was the quality of the movie, but after seeing a giant vision of the desert for three hours, I was pretty goddamn thirsty.
I'm one of those people who still gets really excited by going to the movies. It doesn't matter that I used to work there, and it doesn't matter that movies are definitely getting worse as time goes by. I just find something about the experience magical. Call me a sap, but that's how I feel.


つづく... (Click here to read more)

The worst thing about working in "the branch" is the surrounding businesses. On one side, there's a nasty, cockroach-ridden deli where I buy my breakfast. On the other side is a hair salon which reeks of who-knows-what. Depending on the day, the office smells like one store or the other. Today, it smelled like old lady conditioner and my head felt like it was being squeezed by a gaseous vice. By day's end I felt like I was drowning in Aqua Net.

I found time to read two books by Brian Michael Bendis, Torso and Goldfish. Both were labeled as "crime novels," and they were both pretty good. I enjoyed Torso more because it was based on a true story (featuring Eliot Ness even). Goldfish is good too, but the main character was really irritating. He reminded me of Dante from Clerks, also a jerk. Great movie though.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

While wasting another day at work today I found time to read Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. It was awesome. If you have ever enjoyed reading comic books, you should read this book. Unfortuantely, some of the other stuff Dave gave me wasn't so hot. I know my buddy Joe may disagree, but what's the appeal of Catwoman exactly? Sure, she's easy on the eyes, but good looking women in comic books are a dime a dozen. Is it the bondage look, or a "female-empowerment" thing? Because Catwoman bores me. She has no special powers. Her origin is uninteresting. Basically all she does is carry a whip and occasionally screw Batman.

And how much will that movie suck? I fear someone has greatly overestimated the draw of Halle Berry. Yes, she is beautiful, but there's plenty of Halle out there to look at. If you need a Halle fix, just rent Die Another Day or Swordfish (hey, she's topless in that one).

つづく... (Click here to read more)

I found a cool editorial written by Governor (and one time presidential candidate) Howard Dean. He is also a physician, and it is that position which leads him to make these remarks concerning Bush's "war on science." He makes a few references to 1984 along the way, which is cool since I'm reading that right now.

BTW, Dave gave me a few more graphic novels to read. They're a lot easier to absorb at work than Orwell, so I'll probably tear through all of them before I return to 1984. It's not hard to follow, but given the stop-and-go nature of reading at work, it's much easier to read books with pictures.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

One less day between me and vacation. I was able to read all of the Sin City books I brought with me to work. It's a pretty cool series of stories, and so far each tale connects to the other ones. It's gonna make one hell of a movie! But Josh Hartnett as Dwight? He better start working out.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

I've just learned that 新庄剛志 (a.k.a. Shinjô) stole home in yesterday's Japanese All-Star game. He scored again later in the game and the Pacific League All-Stars won 2-1. He was named the game's MVP. Shinjô plays for my favorite team, the Hokkaidô Nippon Ham Fighters. The team is owned by the Nippon Ham company, but it sounds like the team is called the "Ham Fighters," which I find hysterical. Also of note: ex-Mariner 佐々木主浩 (Kazuhiro Sasaki) pitched a perfect eighth inning for the Central League team.

I always liked Shinjô despite the fact he played for the Mets. I'm glad he's still making a name for himself, even if things never worked out here in the U.S.　頑張れ！

つづく... (Click here to read more)

This is my last week of work before a LONG vacation, and it turns out that I've got a lot of reading to do! Specifically, A Dame to Kill For, The Big Fat Kill, That Yellow Bastard and Family Values, all by Frank Miller. I've also got about 200 pages to go in 1984. Can I complete all this by Friday? Let's find out!

つづく... (Click here to read more)

I've been doing a lot more tweaking today, I hope you like it. If you don't, make your own fucking website so I can tell you it sucks.

The Yankees beat the Devil Rays today, completing a four-game sweep. That puts them at 55-31, a bit short of my earlier prediction of 60-26. Irregardless, I am totally psyched because they still have the best record in baseball. I am also excited because I bought tickets to a game on August 5th against the Oakland A's. I was going to invite my dad but he'll be travelling that day. If you want my extra ticket, let me know. The game starts at 1:05 PM. Be warned; barring inclement weather, I intend to view the entire game. Yankees tickets are a lot tougher to get now compared to a few years ago. I can't believe the best seats available for a weekday afternoon game are in the upper deck (specifically, Tier Reserved Section 17).


つづく... (Click here to read more)

Two hundred years later, it seems the descendants of Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton are re-enacting their ancestors' famous duel. I would go and watch, but I already know how it ends, and I think they're using blanks.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

I know I'm going to lose some female readers here (sorry, Salena) but I have a few words regarding pornography. Over the last three days I have watched the Paris Hilton sex video in its entirety three times. At no time was I alone nor did I really want to watch it; I just happened to be in three separate situations where someone else wanted to watch it. Now I'm no prude when it comes to sexuality and I've tried to be frank in this blog when it comes to my own feelings or fantasies, but I do not like watching pornography with other people.

This attitude goes back a long way. I used to have sleepover birthday parties and at one of them a buddy brought over some X-rated movies. Don't ask me who was in them or what they were called because I could barely watch them. To me, they were disgusting. At that point in my life I had a few Playboy magazines under my bed but that was the extent of my female experience. I suppose the whole thing could have been a shock to my system. At one point I asked if anyone else was bored watching the sex but nobody said a word. I took that as a "no."

As years went by I gradually became "exposed" to explicit images at my own pace and today I maintain a modest collection of "erotica" for my private use. But I am still uncomfortable when watching it around other people, even when it is something I have seen many times by myself. Am I uncomfortable about being aroused in front of others? I doubt it. Does it reflect my feelings of loneliness? Possibly. Does it illicit feelings of guilt? Maybe, but I think it's more about keeping my habits separate. A good example is my drinking habits. I enjoy getting drunk but I do not like drinking alcohol with meals. I want to enjoy the pleasure of eating apart from the relaxation of getting drunk. Similarly, I don't want to mix the feelings I get from porno with my attempts to be social.

I'm not saying I'm right. Frankly, I think I should find a way to get over it (whatever "it" is) and not be such a head case all the time. I should be able to sit back and laugh at it, because let's be honest, most pornography is pretty silly. Especially when it's Paris Hilton getting out of bed to answer her cellphone. Talk about obnoxious!


つづく... (Click here to read more)

I was completely un-surprised to learn today that Bush's service records for the period of time he allegedly went AWOL were accidentally destroyed. I know absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, but these kind of "accidents" are highly suspicious.

I am constantly amazed, however, that veterans continue to attack John Kerry for protesting against the Vietnam War after he came home. He fought in combat and was decorated for it! Is denouncing war really worse then draft dodging?

つづく... (Click here to read more)

I seem to be developing an unusual fascination with the 1970's, particularly the New York area in that time. While I was born in 1976 I've always considered myself a child of the 80's as that's when I began to remember things and form opinions. But in recent months I've watched a lot of movies set in or filmed in New York in the 70's, and the city I see is pretty crazy looking but oddly familiar at the same time. To name a few: The French Connection (one of my favorites), Shaft, Shamus, and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. I also really enjoyed that hour-long documentary A Decade Under the Influence, which is all about the movies made in the 1970's.

One of the points made in the documentary is that the movie industry has changed dramatically over the last twenty years. Filmmakers from the 1970's point out the greater number of riskier, edgier pictures that used to be produced by mainstream studios as compared to today's market where the blockbuster is now king. It's hard to argue with that reasoning. I enjoyed Spider-Man 2, but consider the dimensions of that film. It cost an estimated $210 million to produce, not counting the untold millions it cost to advertise the movie over the last few weeks. That means they need it to pull in about $500 million just to break even! You're not going to get that kind of money with a gritty cop drama or the story of a black detective kicking ass. You could say that NYC has changed in a similar way. As the corporations move in and buy up tracts of real estate the small, independently owned stores are forced out. For every Strand Bookstore or Carnegie Deli there's two dozen Barnes & Nobles and about fifty Subways.

The tragedy of all this, which is why I think I find all this so fascinating, is that things will never, ever go back to the way they were in the 1970's. The films of that era may still exist, but the thinking behind those films is gone for good. Likewise, we cannot go back and visit the old New York. I'm not one to bitch and moan about how great things used to be. I fully acknowledge that many aspects of NYC have changed for the better. At the very least your chances of being murdered there have been reduced dramatically. I just wonder what things will be like in twenty years. Will my children pine for late 1990's? I hope not because they totally sucked.


つづく... (Click here to read more)

Now that I have plenty of "free" time at work, my out-of-work schedule suddenly seems full. For one thing, I need to replace my portable stereo. I remember I bought it at Caldor's, a chain of stores that no longer exists, shortly after I bought my first CDs ever, Guns N' Roses' Use Your Illusion. So thirteen years of service isn't bad. I definitely need my new stereo to play MP3s as I am tired of burning little CDs with fifteen or sixteen songs. I want each CD I burn to play for hours!

Back to work. How much time have I had to goof off? I was able to completely finish Animal Farm as well as read a copy of Frank Miller's Sin City. At this rate I'll finish 1984 by Monday! A customer who spotted me reading and listening to music audibly wished she had my job. I made a non-committal response but inside I again wondered if I am ignoring the upside of having a worthless job. I guess it doesn't even matter at this point; I am so out of here.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

I suppose today was a kind of turning point at work. Sure, I know "the end" isn't for another seven weeks (only seven? Jeez.) but today might have very well been my last day at the office. I'll be cruising the next two weeks in "the Branch," a small, sleepy office that doesn't do much business and, more importantly, doesn't have a Postmaster or a Supervisor to watch over me. That doesn't give me free reign to spit on people or steal the mail; they do exist, they're just a phone call away. That means I can bring my stereo in and play anything I want to. My uniform need not be complete, in fact, I might not wear it all sometimes. Best of all, it's a quiet office, so I'll have plenty of time to read. I think I'll revisit two classics from George Orwell, 1984 and Animal Farm, which I purchased in a single hardcover from Strand Books last year.

Today was an easy day but a typically frustrating day as well. We were closed for business to observe yesterday's Independence Day. I didn't have a lot to do and I had plenty of time to do it in. I would say I was done with everything by three o'clock. Of course, then I had to wait for the mail to come in from the street. Even when we're closed, someone has to collect all the mail from the mailboxes around town. Otherwise they'd overflow come Tuesday afternoon. So that was at least half an hour of waiting and even then it was only twenty seconds of work. But then I had to wait for the truck to take the mail away. He said he would be there at four but it was closer to 4:30. And then just for kicks I had to wait for the other guy to leave. Don't ask why, but someone decided that I can't leave the building until everyone else has left. So instead of leaving at three I have to wait until five. That's about two solid hours of wasted life.

A sharp-eyed viewer (yes, you) might notice that the "NES Videos" link has changed to "Time Attack Videos." That's because clever people have made software advancements allowing us to "time attack" Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis games in addition to the NES. Of course, the URL still says "nesvideos," but that's Bisqwit's problem, not mine.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

Here's a challenge for all ages and genders, courtesy of Zipperfish.com: Celebrity Bra Size Quiz! I thought I did alright but all I got was a 57 and this "award." There are a lot of fun games to play, although many of them have an "adult" theme. As far as the Bra Quiz goes, here's a free hint: Most of them are B-cups.


つづく... (Click here to read more)

Swept by the Mets! For shame!

つづく... (Click here to read more)

Well, I finished my little Derek Jeter vanity project. In hindsight I feel a little childish, but there's something about that play and him that have suddenly taken center stage in my brain. Besides, it's not a total sellout to sports mania. I still used Japanese to make it unique. If you want my Derek Jeter wallpaper, take it. It is about 2MB large, so if you're still using dial-up access it may take a few minutes. The Japanese reads Nyû yôku yûshi, which translates as "New York Hero."

In the meantime the Yankees have lost two straight to those creeps from Queens. I knew there would be a letdown after that incredible, emotional win on Thursday but I didn't expect them to drop two at Shea. While the game was on we were goofing off at work today. Someone had a tennis ball and we found a stick, so we took a few swings inside. It's been a long time since I took a swing at anything, but I got a few good hits in. I also embarrassed myself by swinging at one that was too low, falling down in the process. I kind of twisted my neck too. That sucked but it was the first time I had fun at work since leaving the movie theater. I've only got a few more weeks to go but I have to spend the whole weekend at work. Shit.

つづく... (Click here to read more)

I was going to write an expanded statement concerning my love of baseball and the Yankees, but after last night's game I got caught up in redesigning my desktop layout, complete with a new wallpaper I am making to commemorate Derek Jeter and his extra effort. When it is done I will share it with you, but it is not done yet and I have work tomorrow. The whole weekend actually. Don't forget: just because the Post Office is closed doesn't mean we're not working.

God I hate this job.


つづく... (Click here to read more)

I just finished watching another incredible battle between the Yankees and the Red Sox. Long story short: it went to thirteen innings. Both teams had multiple opportunities to end the game, but somehow no one managed to score. Suddenly that prick Manny Ramirez hit a home run in the top of the inning for a 4-3 Sox lead. The Yankees were in a tight spot as they were virtually out of players; their defense was thrown into a tempest when Derek Jeter fucking crashed into the third row after catching the third out in the twelfth. His face was all busted up, but he seemed alert. Anyway, in the bottom of the thirteenth, Ruben Sierra hit a two-out single. He scored from first on a Miguel Cairo double, tying the game. The next batter would have been the pitcher so the Yankees send out their last bench player, John Flaherty. He hit a ground-rule double to left (past Manny) to win the game.

That's a sweep of the Sox, who are now 8.5 games back, and win number 50. Go Yanks!


つづく... (Click here to read more)

No, not Morgan Webb (damn her sexy hide). I'm talking about Spider-Man and his new movie, Spider-Man 2. I don't give a link because they don't need any more advertising.

Short opinion? Good stuff. If you liked the first one, you'll like this one. A little emotionally deeper than I expected, but all-around a solid picture. The critics adore it, but I wouldn't laud it as much as they do.

On an even happier note, I'd like to point out that the Yankees have beaten the Red Sox twice, erasing all the bullshit that came up when the Sox won a bunch of games in April. My lofty prediction probably won't pan out (unless the Yanks win the next 13 games in a row), but they are kicking ass and I love it.

つづく... (Click here to read more)