My So-Called Strife

Once More, With Feeling

2009-08-28T14:16:00.000-04:00

Even NEWER blog ( JournalSpace died on me and everyone else who was stupid enough to think it would last ):

http://kirkkitsch.wordpress.com/

New Blog Host- http://kirkkitsch.journalspace.com/

2007-02-22T21:30:00.000-05:00

New Blog Location

2007-02-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

I Give Up. Check MySpace Blog for More Info

2007-02-07T20:15:00.000-05:00

Fuck Change

2007-02-05T15:00:00.000-05:00

I Need Some TUMS®

2007-02-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Oy, where do I begin? There are just too many ulcer-inducing news stories to choose from lately I'm having a hard time choosing which one to rant about first.

I think the one that still baffles me is the 29 year-old man in Arizona who successfully enrolled in a charter school as a 12 year-old. Not only did he enroll, he was there for TWO years before being detected. TWO YEARS. Apparently this was his FOURTH school he ran this scam on. It goes without saying that this guy is a convicted pedophile with a prison record (he served 7 years in an Oklahoma jail for making advances to a pair of 6 year-old boys...6. WTF is WRONG with people?!).

Granted the whole pedophilia aspect is reprehensible, my big question is what flaming retard enrolled this asshole in school? I haven't been able to find any specifics, but wouldn't an alleged 12 year-old be in like 6th or 7th grade? And don't even get me started on the defense that he "shaved off his body hair and wore makeup to conceal his STUBBLE." What, were the school administrators checking for pubes when he enrolled just to make sure or what? What-the-fuck difference does ANY of that make?! He's got fuckin' crow's feet and hands like Bigfoot. Are you kidding me?! Whoever (re: whatever school employee) enrolled him in school should be exposed to the world for the moron that they are, ridiculed, then FIRED. Insane! I'm still shaking my head. Just when you think you've heard it all. Jesus.

Epilogue: Even more of the story is coming out now. Click here to read the latest.

TUMS®

Good Tiiimes!

2007-02-01T19:00:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm finally back. I originally thought I was back, then I found out that my newly-installed DVD player was playing so dark, it made every movie I watched look like Cabin in the Sky. THEN I discovered that the new used keyboard I bought, had several keys that didn't work. Sooo, I ended up having to take it all back and get them to fix them both. When I initially called to tell them about the DVD issue, they talked to me like I was nuts, arrogantly telling me to "oh, just adjust the contrast/brightness" of my monitor in the preferences panel. Fuckin' DOI! Of course I tried that, but even turned up all the way, you STILL couldn't make out people's faces everything was so dark.

So, I took it back, they "recalibrated" it and a week later, I now have my computer back AND a new, fully-functional keyboard...with the support leg broken off. Delightful. If you're wondering what a "support leg" is, I just made the term up, cuz I really don't know what the official name is. Basically, it's a leg that runs the length of the keyboard that allows me to either keep the keyboard flat on the desk -OR- pull down the leg giving the keyboard a propped up, sloping position (which I prefer). So, I thought "fuck it" and tried to find a replacement online, only to find out that they're no longer being made. The only thing I'm finding that comes remotely close, is some Mac knockoffs called "iKey" keyboards, which come in white (yeah, just what I need, something else to obsessively clean) and look like cheap crap. So, I turn to eBay and eventually find one that is guaranteed to work and looks GREAT. While I'm bitching about my keyboard situation to a friend, (I also tried two local stores who carry Mac products and they both pointed me towards the inferior iKeyboard), I hear "You've got mail!" and find out that she's just wired me money, via PayPal to pay for the keyboard I'd bookmarked on eBay! How nice is that!? It's nice to be overwhelmed sometimes.

I really went through withdrawal, being without a computer for what seemed like an eternity. Not unlike being without transportation, it becomes such a part of your daily routine, then once it's gone, however briefly, it's extremely frustrating. However, I now have my computer back...again, and all systems are go.

#@&%!

2007-01-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

No, I didn't intentionally drop the blog ball again. As I was finally getting back into the groove, from being sick all those weeks, my computer crashed. I made my attempts at "fixing" things, but just ended up with a Norton Utilities disc stuck in my disc drive. I can't say the crash was a total surprise, since various aspects of misc. programs weren't completely functional. I just didn't want to deal with having to reload all my software and transfer tons of files to flash drives (the "burn a CD" function was among those things that weren't cooperating).

I finally took the computer in to be fixed, to the one and only place remotely nearby that even works on them, who have never been able to save any of my files in the past (they just wipe it clean {which takes only minutes} and hand it back to me a week later. $100. Come again.). THIS time they WERE able to save my important files, so that was an unexpected surprise. Ultimately, I'd really like to eventually upgrade to the G4 iMac. I LOVE the design, but couldn't really afford to buy it at the time. Naturally, the model is no longer in production and I HATE the look of the new G5s. Flimsy. The guy at the workshop said he'd put me on a list if he happens to come across a used one, though he didn't seem too optimistic about that happening. Le sigh.

And speaking of surprises, I decided to have a DVD drive installed and bought a new keyboard. Wheee! The drive/installation was insanely inexpensive (I thought it would be just the opposite), so now I can do all those screen captures I have been DYING to do for so long. For the longest time I have wanted to create a library of my favorite scenes from movies and make them into a book for my personal enjoyment, so it looks like that's finally going to become a reality (the picture is really dark though, so once I figure out how to remedy that, I'll be ready to go). I promise I won't start bombarding you with them here. I may have to create yet another blog solely for this reason. Who knows. Maybe even one of those Flickr things.

Anyhoo, though I'm technically back, it may take me a few days to get back on track, so hang in there. I haven't given up on this ol' blog of mine, so I hope you won't give up on me. Besides, I have waaaay too many things to talk to you about, and complain about. Just you wait.

Epilogue: As it turns out, apparently the iMac doesn't allow you to do screen captures from DVDs. I tried it and everytime I only got a picture of a portion of the screen (maybe 3/4). I researched this phenomena and as it turns out, it's just one of those weird things that has other Mac users baffled as well. Allegedly OS 10.4 users can get around it, but I don't see me tackling OS 10.4 anytime soon. Sonofabitch.

A Perky Pot from the Past

2007-01-10T06:01:00.000-05:00

Dallas Morning News- Brew a little blast from the past. Mr. Coffee has just released its Classic Edition coffee pot. The old-school design with a top cup rack brings back the days when "coffee break" meant an afternoon at the diner rather than five minutes at a drive-through. And the '70s-inspired polka-dot background adds a little bit of pop to your countertop.

But the pot is not without modern amenities such as backlit ambient lighting, a removable silicone decanter pad, cord storage and a water-filtration system. In bean brown and poppy red with brushed metal accents. Available in February for $89.99 at Target stores.

Something to Cleanse the Palate

2007-01-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

Ah, that's much better.

eSmarmery.com

2007-01-09T06:00:00.001-05:00

If you've ever watched any of the "women's" channels (Oxygen, Lifetime, etc.), then you've undoubtedly seen one of the 200 eHarmony commercials that seem to be on a perpetual loop after 7pm. I saw this guy and still haven't decided whether to feel incredibly hopeful or horribly depressed. I imagine Curly here, smells like Frito breath and some kind of spiced aftershave my grandpa would've worn. And I just know he normally sports a unibrow. Yikes. Just yikes.

Go to Jail. Go Directly to Jail. Do Not Collect $200

2007-01-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago there was a New Year's marathon of the MSNBC television series Lock-up. I recorded it and just recently got around to watching it. I find the show fascinating. However, the one constant I notice is that there are basically two kinds of prisoners: The innocent "victims" who were [1] in the wrong place at the wrong time, [2] were framed and/or [3] were casualties of The Man. Then there are the ones who actually own their guilt.

I especially love the ones who are upset that their TV privileges, books, etc. are taken away for their infraction du jour. One prisoner in particular was pissed when his chess set was confiscated for whatever rule he broke that week. He rattled off a list of jails that he'd been to in the past that didn't do this or allowed that, but this place was hindering his rehabilitation by stripping him of privileges and his playthings! Whatever. I'd say if he's already been in MULTIPLE prisons that the rehabilitation wasn't working long before he got to the prison he currently resides in. Fuck off, drama queen. And don't even get me started on the ones that complain that they're treated "less than human." Um, here's an idea: {whispers} If you don't want to be treated less than human and enjoy your freedom...DON'T GO TO JAIL, ASSHOLE! I swear, some of these people act like they were just standing around minding their own business and WHAM! they were arrested, indicted and put in jail. Whatever.

The marathon covered all aspects of the prison system: Administration, the violent criminals, the first-timers, the lifers, the homosexuals, the gangs, the women prisoners and even the mentally ill.

There were two inmates in particular whose crimes were so heinous that your initial reaction is "Unforgivable." However, after seeing them during their interviews, I surprised myself by actually feeling compassion towards them. What were their crimes, you ask? One committed matricide the other patricide (these were separate crimes, neither inmate was related). But it didn't end there. Basically, one shot his own mother with a rifle...then ate some of her brain. The other inmate slit his father's throat and did the same. As it turns out, they are both Schizophrenic and in need of medication, which they are getting now that they are in prison. The inmate who killed his mother was the saddest one of all because he had obvious tics and seemed more childlike than the other inmate. Seeing him emerge from the prison's store with a clear plastic bag of new socks, all smiles, made me sad. I just don't know if the extent of his crime has ever really sank in. Meanwhile, the other man who had killed his own father, seemed visibly distraught at what he'd done, saying he wished he were dead. He began to cry while relaying his story and again, I felt sorry for him.

Some of the inmates are so extremely mentally ill that they have to be kept in a special ward, separate from everyone else and in a cell that is void of bars, but instead has a heavy steel door with shatterproof glass windows built into it. There was one inmate who had such severe Schizophrenia that he was basically uncontrollable, convinced that he was the head of the FBI. At first it sounds comical, like something out of a sitcom. However, seeing the paranoia firsthand, is unsettling and more than a little disturbing. This particular inmate had written, quite neatly, the words "Chief of the FBI" (both forwards and backwards, so as to be read correctly if on the other side of the door) multiple, MULTIPLE times all over the walls of his cell, as well as all over the windows of his cell door. According to the guard who was interviewed, it had all been written in feces and tinted with mustard, "for color." Yu-ikes.

Of course, there was the fascinating (and frightening) segment where they show you all the various handmade weapons that had been confiscated from inmates over the years. All meticulously fashioned from everything imaginable (turkey legs, the metal support found in the soles of shoes, toothbrushes, melted shampoo bottles, etc.). Most of the weapons were shivs of some kind, though some had been clever enough to fashion some into razors and some had even fashioned what they call "zip guns" from various fragments of metal. There were all calibers of zip guns, ranging from .18 to 32mm!

One of the things I found interesting was a device the prisons use when/if a riot should break out, called a "flash bang." This device is basically a form of hand grenade that emits an explosive report and brilliant flash that basically overloads the senses of those in the vicinity. The particular one they demonstrated on the show also released a barrage of rubber ball bearings. Sweet! It was pretty interesting to watch file footage of a riot that had broken out in the cafeteria, then seeing one of these babies tossed into the mix and seeing everyone collapse to the ground from the shock waves. Wow. I want one of these to take to the mall at Christmas time! Or release at a crowded Wal-Mart on Black Friday. More crappy $12 DVD players for me!!!

And last, but not least, leave it to me to scope out the eyecandy. I teased a friend of mine that I was going to make one of them my new pen-pal, but my friend neglected to see the humor. I insisted that he didn't mean to bludgeon his boyfriend to death, he just got "caught up in the moment" and that I could change him. Everyone has their little idiosyncrasies. LOL! My friend no likee my humor. Still, he was really cute, but waaaay to young to already have fucked up his life so badly. Oh well, I have 40 years to decide whether or not he's the pen-pal for me. The other guy was older and very cute, but also a big ol' loser. Naturally, he "found Jesus" (I didn't even know he was missing) after his SECOND incarceration for the same thing (multiple rape convictions). Whatta catch! Not.

On a positive note, it was nice to see people like Harry Belafonte and Jim Brown are visiting prisons, giving inspirational talks and working with programs like Amer-i-can. Two very gracious, cool and inspiring celebrities.

The show airs back-to-back episodes tonight at 9 and 10, then repeats at 12 and 1. Check local listings for time and channel.

No Love for Snowzilla

2007-01-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

(AP) ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Snowzilla may be a smash hit with shutterbugs, but the towering snowman has detractors closer to home.

Some neighbors of the two-story high snowman say they're fed up with the hordes of gawkers clogging their street. "When you get 20 people out there in their cars, now the whole street comes to a stop and nobody can get through," said Anthony Bahler, who can see Snowzilla from his front window. "They just stand out there, in the middle of road, talking about a snowman."

Bahler's neighbor, Billy Powers, supervised construction of the original Snowzilla last year. Through the Internet, it became a media sensation, drawing crowds of visitors and TV crews from Japan and Russia before it melted in the spring.

This year, Powers resurrected the snowman and its giant hat made from tomato cages, corncob pipe and beer-bottle eyes. At 22 feet, the new Snowzilla is six feet taller than its predecessor.

Once again, traffic is streaming through the neighborhood.

"Everybody likes it," Powers said. "That's the reason I do it, really, I like the smiling faces."

Mike Schmitz, whose family lives next door to Bahler, would prefer if Snowzilla were somewhere else. "If it's such a public thing, you'd think the community could get together and find a place to do it," he said.

Is this really that big of a deal? Surely this place has a police department. If it's such a problem, why haven't they been involved? It sounds to me like those doing the complaining have too much free time on their hands. If it weren't the snowman, they'd find something else to bitch about.

Spreading Rumars

2007-01-05T12:00:00.000-05:00

Sleepless in Chicago (AKA "Anonymous") writes (in regard to this post, written nearly a year ago):

Duz N E 1 els feel this way? Eye hop not. I dint mean 2 start no rumars. Onest.

What You're Not Missing on MySpace

2007-01-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Year's First Must-Read

2007-01-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

I honestly don't really get into most tabloid magazines like The Enquirer and Star Magazine, though I admit to having bought them on occasion in the past. However, I freakin' love incredibly awful tabloids like Weekly World News. I don't see it very often (mostly due to the fact that they seem to sell out too quickly), but I recently saw one in the magazine section of one of my favorite places, Walgreen's, that I had to buy. After flipping through it, I REALLY had to buy it. God, it's soooo horribly delicious! How could I resist with articles entitled:

- Pilgrims of Poop
- The Bigfoot Diet!
- Krakens Corner Hotel Guests

Not to mention a regular advice column called Horse Sense by Lester the Typing Horse.

However, I have to admit that my favorite is The Bigfoot Diet article. Permit me to share some of my favorite excerpts with you:

• "This was not the slender, muscular Bigfoot I'd seen in photos...his gut was enormous!"

• "After limbering up, Bigfoot really got to work. He did a series of roundhouse kicks that culminated in him felling a mangrove with a mighty blow."

• "Then Bigfoot took a well-deserved snack break. I thought he'd head to the nearest chicken coop but instead he nibbled on a handful of healthy, low-calorie swamp berries. After that, he plucked a minty green leaf from the shore, chewing it like chaw. The leaf must have been an appetite supressant because I didn't see Bigfoot eat again."

So, run, don't walk to your nearest Walgreen's and pick up your very own issue. The best $2.99 you'll spend all year.

M-m-m M-m-m Good

2007-01-02T09:30:00.000-05:00

It's 9:30am and I want Campbell's Vegetable Beef Soup and sourdough toast points. I know what you're thinking: "What are you, some kind of maverick or sumthin'?" I just may be. I just may be.

On a similar note, I've been obsessed with Dove's new Milk Chocolate candy bars, Schweppes ginger ale, the soft tacos from Taco Cabana (their margaritas took the edge off of Christmas with the parents) and Panda Express' (my new fiancée) orange chicken with fried rice. That is all.

Auld Lang Syne

2007-01-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

I know some of you will find this hard to believe, but I sometimes have a hard time letting things go. No, really, it's true. I mention this fact because yesterday as I was reading the newspaper, there was an article (naturally) on how to resolve issues for the New Year. You know, one of those articles that thinks it's being crafty by not referring to them as "resolutions" but as "life lessons."

Anyhoo, it suggested getting a spiral notebook and shredder and starting a journal where you'd write letters to and/or document when people or situations got you upset, then shredding those letters. The basic idea was to get them out of your mind, onto something tangible, while getting the whole situation out of your system so that you can move on and stop dwelling on the negative. I have to admit I like the concept, but I'm curious to see if it will work for me. I may or may not share one or more of the "letters" I'd write to someone who has either driven me to the brink of homicidal tendencies and/or love. Yes, I'm just that hot and cold. The things that stick with me are either love or hate, I'm just that basic.

Sooo, as luck would have it, I actually had a dream last night about one of the people to whom I'd like to pen a letter to. It was this cuntastic old relic I used to work with when I ever-so-briefly worked at the local university. We'll call her 'Rodan' for blogging purposes. Rodan was a 70-something, who had deluded herself that she was not only 40-something, but also of English ancestry. She was forever working her esteemed "heritage" into conversations, nonchalantly (she thought) and acting all fabulous because she married someone who actually worked for a living and had managed to buy them a house in a froufrou part of town. Well, froufrou to her. Trust me, I've known some rich people in my life and she wasn't one of them. She was one of those types that seems to be plentiful here in Texas, who thinks if they overpay for some cookie cutter home, where they get to pick the amenities for over $250,000 in some "community" that has a name like "Willow Bend" and fills it with overpriced googogs from pretentious stores, that they are the American Dream and all should envy them. In reality, the end up with foundation problems, mind-numbing debt (to which they would never admit to, of course. That's just not fabulous) and a large vibrator collection. Sorry folks, I don't care how much money you think you have, there are some things money can't buy. Talent and taste are two of those things.

But I digress. My dream involved myself and some other "high brow" employees who were at some foofoo product testing scenario/dinner party, testing the quality of dining ware, primarily plates. I was there to do my job and possibly have a little fun in the process. She was there to "shine" and network with the dinner guests. The problem: They saw through her like the fake she was and were engaging me in more conversation. Naturally, this was pissing her off and she was making every effort to undermine me, but to no avail. As hard as she tried, her efforts went undaunted, as she was unable to rattle me and eventually ended up embarrassing herself (she broke a plate in a very disruptive manner).

I bet you're probably thinking to yourself: "This post is about New Year's resolutions...or dream interpretation." Nope! I fooled ya! It's about a paper shredder/pencil sharpener. Yes, as obtuse as that sounds, this whole post initially stemmed from the photo that accompanied the aforementioned article in the newspaper. It was a little manual, translucent paper shredder/pencil sharpener shaped like an elephant. My friends have been trying to get me to invest in a paper shredder for the longest time (paranoids), but so far I haven't been sold on them. Until now. Initially, my head was turned for this cute little novelty paper shredder...that is until I saw the orange HIPPO! *gasp!* Now I must own one, but I've been unable to find one anywhere online, other than KarmaKiss.com (and yes, naturally, I tried eBay). Oh well, I guess if push comes to shove, I can place a backorder, THEN maybe I can try out the whole therapeutic letter writing/shredding scenario. Stay tuned.

*Auld Lang Syne

2007: Year of the Pig

2007-01-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

Party Like It's 1976!

2006-12-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

With New Year's Eve coming up, I felt it was a good time to share my latest super-groovy ephemera acquisition. It's the centerfold booklet from another booklet I bought, advertising the various spirits offered by a store called Liquor Mart (what a great name!) in Boulder, Colorado, circa 1976. After doing a little investigating, I found that Liquor Mart is still operating today and even maintains it's same groovalicious font. How cool is that?!

Anyway, if you want to be the envy of all your friends, just click on the images, print them out and assemble your very own copy to keep on hand.

New Year's Evil © 1980

2006-12-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

[ Click to hear the song ]
Click here to see my list of movies to kick off the New Year with!

Crimp My Pibb

2006-12-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

A few days ago while reading one of the local newspapers (I sometimes buy a copy of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram {the city to the west of Arlington} and The Dallas Morning News {the city to the east of Arlington), I ran across an article/review for a new book for children called "Mommy Has a Tattoo." I know I'll be the big bad Grinch for saying this, but that has to be the most retarded excuse for a children's book ever.

The really sad part is twofold: [1] all the rave reviews for it over at Amazon.com, and [2] the fact that it's going to sell like hotcakes to emo parents everywhere. People love to justify the most inane things, so this will be right up their alley. It cracks me up that more than one of the reviewers over on Amazon are all "Finally, acceptance/Tolerance at last, etc." Whatever. Fuuuuck off. I love how something someone chose to have done to modify themself and/or make them "unique" is now a "problem." With choices come consequences. You can handle it, "bro," after all, you're a rebel who doesn't care what anybody thinks, remember? Xtreme! What's next, "Mommy Has Her Clit Pierced?" Gimme a break. Don't laugh, I'm sure the piercing book is already in the works. There's a sucker born every minute.

Just remember, when you're 80-something and getting a sponge bath in "The Home" you can regale the nurse with your awesome story of how you got loaded one night and, "because all your friends had one," got a "sweet" butterfly "inked" on the small of your back. You know, where you have the Bursitis now. Neat!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against tattoos per se, but [A] this whole "children's book" concept is ridiculous and [B] don't try to pass yourself off as some misunderstood minority who "isn't treated fairly." More of us 'get' it than you think: You're alternative. Neat. Congratulations. Deal with it, and let's not romanticize the whole tattoo "backstory." It's a fad, you got caught up in it, the end.

Currently Reading

2006-12-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

What do all these books have in common? I got all of them for Christmas! Hurray for people who know what I like! All synopsis are courtesy of Amazon.com.

I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence by Amy Sedaris
Synopsis: Sedaris's sidesplitting guide to throwing parties hopes to return readers to the times when the word "entertainment" was "charmingly old-fashioned, like courtship or back alley abortions." While her tongue is firmly in cheek, novice party-planners will actually find some helpful hints along the way as Sedaris offers instructions and real recipes. Her tips run the gamut from how to properly freeze meatballs (freeze them on a cookie sheet before putting them into a freezer bag so they won't stick together) and deal with the inebriated ("Better to cut them off rather than pretend it's not happening and then allow them to stay over and wet your bed"). She's a generous but crafty hostess ("A good trick is to fill your medicine cabinet with marbles. Nothing announces a nosey guest better than an avalanche of marbles hitting a porcelain sink"). Etiquette pointers include inappropriate introductions ("This is Barbara, she can't have children") and things to avoid saying to the grieving ("Did she smoke?" "Was he drinking?" "Where were you when this happened?"). Her advice is both practical and hilarious; her instructions on removing vomit stains ends with "or just toss it, chances are you've stained it before."
Comments: YES! As you know, I had been wanting this book but was waiting for the price to come down before getting it. Fortunately, one of my friends knows me so well that he got it for me and didn't even know I wanted it! There's something to be said for synchronicity.

The book is even better than I'd imagined. I am LOVING it. A LOT of thought, time and effort went into this book and it shows. I'd love to author something similiar someday. Highly recommended!

The Way to a Man's Heart by Liz Wolf-Cohen
Synopsis: Savory recipes and funky 1950s style artwork reveal the path to any man's heart, be he boyfriend, dad, uncle, son, or potential mate. From man-sized snacks like Italian submarine sandwiches and buttermilk biscuits to sweets like angel food cake and Philadelphia sticky buns, this feast of recipes is designed to tempt masculine taste buds. Delights such as Hunky Salad, Rib Stickin' Beans 'n' Pasta, and Fisherman's Favorites are included.
Comments: Believe it or not, I'd never even seen this book before and believe me, that in and of itself is rare, cosidering how I hone in on all things kitsch. Loaded with tons of great vintage photos, clip art and recipes. I love it. Again, highly recommended!

Ice Cream Treats by Charity Ferreira
Synopsis: Food writer and "ice cream person" Ferreira explores the possibilities of store-bought ice cream with recipes ranging from a richly decadent eggnog ice cream torte to an airy raspberry sorbet sandwich with cocoa meringues. While the author admits that ice cream is difficult to improve upon, she maintains that even the subtlest addition—a twist of orange zest, a white chocolate drizzle—can make a big difference. There needn’t be much arm-twisting here—the mouthwatering photography does the dirty work for her. Along with recipes for cakes, inventive shakes and malts, hand-held treats and a variety of toppings, Ferreira offers a buying guide and tips on the basics, such as softening and shaping ice cream. For the reader who wants to try something more daring, the book also contains recipes for homemade ice cream in traditional flavors like coffee, dark chocolate and vanilla bean.
Comments: My next door neighbor gave me this book coupled with a really great ice cream scoop (mine has a lime green handle!). I love them both! The book is filled with all those lovely, yet completely unrealistic photos that I love so much. Think Pottery Barn catalog meets Real Simple magazine. Recommend!

Merry Christmas from Kirkkitsch

2006-12-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Vintage Christmas Card

2006-12-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

Here's a Christmas card I bought earlier this year at an ephemera booth at a flea market. I was initially attracted to the kitschy glitter garland on the front of the card, but then was forced to buy it once I saw the name inscribed on the inside. I love it. Can you imagine growing up with that name?

Christmas Trimmings

2006-12-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

*A few photos I took when I went back to my hometown recently.

Christmas Cards

2006-12-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

Well, it's that time of year again. Yep, the time of year when I wait to the last possible minute to address and mail my Christmas cards. As usual, if anyone out there who still reads this ol' blog o'mine would like to receive a Christmas card from me, just e-mail me with the word 'card' as the subject and include your mailing address. Of course, if your name is Girlzoot, I already have your address (thank you for the great card, BTW).

I'll be addressing cards right up until the end of this week. I love sending cards and there's plenty, so don't be shy!

Update

2006-12-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

Well, the garage sale went well, last weekend. I made more money than I thought I would. I believe a lot of the success goes to the "Everything 1/2 Off on Sunday" gimmick, because shit was flyin' off the tables all day long.

I ended up having the sale with both Derik and Lolita (Ms. Fossil's granddaughter). Heck, even Nathan and Christi stopped by to partake of the bargains and Nathan was instrumental in helpin us get things put away when it started to sprinkle on Sunday afternoon. I don't like to get mushy very often, but thank goodness for good friends. They really are a blessing. Okay, enough of that, on with the story...

Both Derik and Lolita brought plenty of variety to the sale, Derik selling amazing shit that even I bought some of, and Lolita bringing on her mom's behalf (and her mom stopping by with lunch on Sunday; chicken gumbo, So delicious!). We all ended up buying bits 'n pieces of each other's stuff (or just trading out, in some cases). I came away with a pair od bookends, an old metal toy typewriter, a vintage card game and a box of assorted lightbulbs. What didn't sell, Mission Arlington came and picked up, thank God, or I think I would have left it all there in the backyard, like the ruins of Pompei. It was EXHAUSTING.

We had a lot of really nice people stop by and buy things and the occasional not-so-nice person. And, of course, we were never short on the "interesting" shoppers either. One in particular, came dressed (very smartly, I might add) as what we assumed was someone who worked for the Salvation Army. He had the pea coat, matching hat, everything but the bell. We soon found out that he had no connection with them, he was just cuckoo for Coco Puffs. We were tipped off when he smiled and had teeth that resembled indian corn. I did my (now infamous) impression, later with some gummi cola bottles that I'd bitten in half and strategically placed on both my upper and lower teeth. He was friendly enough though (if not a little strange) and bought some of my videos (Salem's Lot, Prince of the City, etc.) and some of my books. And though he was nice, he lingered at the table for a lonnnnnnng time after he'd paid for his stuff and we'd put it into bags for him. So long in fact that we were beginning to wonder if he was ever going to leave. Here's how it went down:

Snaggletooth: I like comics. Do you like comics? I collect comics.
Me: Oh yeah, I love comics. Which ones do you collect?
Snaggletooth: Conan the Barbarian, Prince Valiant, etc. You collect any of those?
Me: That's cool. No, I don't have any of those. I collected The Incredible Hulk and Silver Surfer for a while though.

Insert pause that seemed to last a lifetime
*At this point in the conversation, he's just on 'Pause' and stares and breathes a lot. We all kind of shift uneasily, not sure where to go with the conversation.
Snaggletooth: I used to work at a comic book store, so I have boxes of comics at home from when I worked there.
Me: Oh really? Heh, I used to work at a video store, so that's why I have so many videos (points in the direction of the table with the videos on it).

Insert ANOTHER long pause
Me: Wellll, thank you very much. I hope you enjoy the videos and books.
Snaggletooth: Okay.

Insert ANOTHER long pause
*Snaggletooth walks over to my 25¢ table and picks up some random toy and brings it over and says "I think I'll take this little guy too."
Me: Oh, heh heh, okay. Yeah, he's cute. He's from some movie I forget the name of. Thank you!

Meanwhile, Lolita has peeled-the-fuck-out and went to the back of the yard to "fold clothes," while Derik exclaims "Is that fresh coffee I smell?!" and runs inside the house, leaving me there to talk to Napoleon Dynamite, Jr. for another 10 minutes. Thanks guys, you turds.

Then there was the couple that tag teamed me to sell them a $7 item for $4...then $4.50, then when I wouldn't (we made a deal NOT to budge on prices the first day, but pleasantly reminded people that everything would be half price on Sunday, if they want to come back), the girlfriend who'd been so friendly previously, says "fuckers" under her breath. What a dear.

Then there was Nacho Libre and her gang of banditos, who she had distract us by asking us prices on things that were clearly marked, while she and her other accomplice stole clothes marked 2 and 3 dollars. That's some classy motherfuckers.

And of course, there were the antique dealers, flea market sellers, assorted neighbors (one of which was the one I called and reported for their insanely loud music just a few weeks earlier, unbeknownst to them), lesbian couples, stinky old ladies, grouchy old men, friends and assorted transients. In the end, fun was had by all.

However, now I am sick as a dog and that's why I didn't feel like blogging last week. I am still sick, but it comes and goes. I'm sweating like Dick Cheney at a PFLAG meeting, yet I have no fever. The sore throat comes mostly in the morning and now I have a cough, snotty nose and enough lung butter to rival the folks at Country Crock. I'm sure I'll get better eventually, so if this week's blog posts seem stinkier than usual, you know why.

Napoleon Dynamite Would Be So Proud

2006-12-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

(*especially when smothered in chili & cheese!)

Of Lawn Jockeys and Space Monkeys

2006-12-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

Well, here is a load of pictures I have taken over the last few weeks. As usual, they are totally random, so here goes:

[1] Assorted Christmas ornaments at Target
[2] A picture of a walrus from the Compton Yearbook © 1961 (you can find them on Amazon for around 3-12 dollars). I bought it for 50¢ at a local flea market recently
[3] Vintage angel Christmas tree topper at the same flea market
[4] One of the vintage Christmas cards I bought at the flea market
[5] A great old sign near a local thrift store
[6] Fall finally comes to Texas...2 months late
[7] Elmer's new concept in 'bling,' Galactic Glitter glue
[8] The lawn jockey in Ms. Fossil's backyard. She had one of the original ones, I'd guess circa 50's, but it was damaged during a storm or something and was broken into pieces. So she bought this one new, unpainted and painted it herself. Oy
[9] This was both odd and sorta creepy. Someone abandoned this poor guy under a street lamp on a lonely road near my house. This is a recent picture (like within the last 2 days), and the jack o'lantern still looks Halloween fresh. No signs of decomposition. Strange.
[10] This is Ingemar Johansson, a boxer popular in the late 50's to early 60's. I just think he is so handsome. Another picture from the Compton Yearbook.
[11] A house in a nearby small town that is being renovated to be made into a bed & breakfast.
[12] One of the booths at the flea market I went to. The guy whom the booth belongs to, always has his stuff set up in a very visually-appealing way. Consciously or not, it's always interesting in its' eclecticism. He has a real eye for the unusual and kitschy.
[13] "Monkey in space suit" reads the caption for this photo and one of the main reasons I bought the book (see #2). She looks like she's dressed like a hoagie. LOL!
[14] This was the inside of a closet at an estate sale I went to. It was an older home and had lots of interesting little design elements I found interesting.
[15] In my hometown there is a box factory that has been around for decades and it's only open to the public once a year, around Christmastime. I love going there because it makes me feel like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and bcause you can buy huge sheets of wrapping paper for 10¢ and they have tons of great boxes ranging from 5¢-$2! These are some of the boxes they make.
[16] Another picture from the kitschalicious booth at the flea market. Love the cup full of spoons. Great colors. (*see #12)
[17/18] This is Petey. Well, I don't know what her name is, but I like to think it's Petey. She was one of the cuties at the local pet store. I wanted to hug her and squeeze her and take her home for a nap. Unfortunately I didn't have the ransom they wanted for her. Just look at that pouty lil' face!
[19] Another picture from the aforementioned book. For some reason this one made me laugh. I guess because this woman seems to be mesmerized by this gas incinerator. Yeah, be sure and stick your face right in there, idiot.
[20] Racks of the assorted wrapping papers from the box factory.
[21] This was the toilet from the estate sale I mentioned earlier. I thought the tank was so cute and small. I love the size and shape of it.
[22] Dig this funky ol' Arby's sign near a thrift store in a nearby town. I think it's so great. I love that you can still find stuff like this in the older parts of town. The restaurant is still open too! Great, now I want a roast beef and cheddar with a side of Arby's sauce.
[23] Detail of one of the "brushless" scrubbers in the local carwash. It reminded me of one of the "Fry Guys" from the 80's McDonald's commercials.

Ephemera

2006-12-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

I went to a flea market this past weekend and found a few goodies. I had to dig through a lot of dusty ol' boxes, but it was worth it in the end. I really liked these two pieces in particular, but I couldn't tell you why exactly. The first one is an old (1941) fortune card like you'd get out of one of those old fortune teller machines.

The other is just some random receipt (for $1, no less!) that I found interesting. I don't wanna get all fruity and say "I was drawn to it, or that it "spoke" to me, but it did stand out from all the other scraps of paper. I did a little research, out of curiosity, and it turns out that The "A.T. & S.F. Railway System" stands for The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, which was one of the largest railroads in the United States and was founded in 1859. Click on the hyperlink to see some really interesting pictures from its' heydays and to read some interesting information about its' history.

'Tis the Season

2006-12-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is going to be a really hectic week for me, what with getting everything together for the giant garage sale coming up this weekend, so my posts may be more of the visual nature than textual. I have some photos I've taken that I've been meaning to post, as well as some things I've been meaning to scan and share, so enjoy!

Excerpt from the 1963 book 'Sick, Sick, Sick' by Jules Feiffer

Better Homes & Gardens Dares to Ask...

2006-12-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2006-11-30T16:30:00.000-05:00

It's cold outside today. It's been snowing since early this morning. I love this kind of weather. Around 2 this afternoon, I needed to run a few errands, one of which was stopping by the grocery store. Here's what I was in the mood for today:

• Pepperidge Farm Sourdough Bread
• Sweet Sue Chicken 'n Dumplings
• BlueBird Pecan Swirls
• Nestlé Hot Chocolate with Mini Marshmallows
• Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate with Mini Marshmallows
• Hillshire Farm Deli Select Turkey & Chicken Combo Pack
• Tree Top Apple Cider
• Kroger Brand Red Grapefruit Slices in Light Syrup
• Little Debbie Fancy Cakes
• Dr. Pepper
Provolone Cheese
• Claussen Dill Pickle Halves
• Potatoes for Baking
• Sour Cream

The sourdough bread was for toasting, as a side for the chicken 'n dumplings as well as for the turkey/chicken sandwiches. I bought both brands of hot chocolate because I couldn't remember which one I liked best (I think it's Nestlé, but Swiss Miss was on sale for $1). And I bought both the Dr. Pepper and the apple cider to heat up (separately) and sip while watching movies over the weekend. For those who have never had Dr. Pepper served hot, here's how you go about it:

Pour Dr. Pepper into saucepan. Heat to simmering temperature about 180º F. or just below boiling point, (The beverage will appear to be boiling long before if is hot due to the carbonation.) Place a thin slice of fresh lemon in bottom of cup and pour steaming hot Dr. Pepper over it. Serve at once. This drink will be hot - sipping hot or should be about 170º F. when ready to drink. NOTE: A fresh slice of lemon is required to give the proper taste of Hot Dr. Pepper.

Mancandy

2006-11-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

I love Vince Vaughn. Though everyone seems to know him best from his "breakthrough" performance in Swingers and in more mainstream comedies like The Wedding Crashers and Dodgeball, I first came to love him in a little independent movie called The Locusts. The movie co-starred some other favorites, Paul Rudd and Kate Capshaw. It was the movie that forever earned Vaughn a place in my heart.

Vaughn has since gone on to make a lot more mainstream "wacky" comedies (re: Old School, Be Cool, etc.), which I assume are more lucrative than the dramatic roles he seems to have abandoned (here's hoping!). I'm assuming once his young male demographic begins to wain, he'll get back into the more substantial roles like the ones that paved his career (re: Psycho, The Cell, Return to Paradise). I think he's a dynamic actor and I long for the days of his more dramatic roles.

In the meantime, I just bought The Break-Up on DVD and look forward to seeing him and Favreau, both of whom I think are handsome, "fat" or thin (eh, it's all relative). Dreamy. I just wanna kiss that little mole on Vince's left temple. *sigh*

Movie Review: The Return

2006-11-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

Last week ( I think, I'm getting old you know) I went to see Sarah Michelle Gellar's latest movie, The Return. Having a soft spot for 'Buffy' and her projects (Cruel Intentions, I Know What You Did Last Summer, etc.), as well as being in the mood for a creepy movie, I thought surely I couldn't miss. Boy, I couldn't have been wrongerer (<-----made up word).

For those who may not know the premise of the film, here is a brief synopsis AND the original movie trailer: Joanna Mills (Gellar), a traveling business woman, begins having nightmares of a murder that occurred 15 years ago. Soon she is drawn to an old farmhouse, where the murder took place.

Looks/sounds promising, right? Wrong. Wow, this movie stunk. It should have been rated 'P-U.' I should have been suspicious when I realized that I was the only soul in the entire theater. Forty-five minutes into the movie I found myself pumping my legs up and down, wishing it would hurry up and GO SOMEWHERE. I can honestly say this is the first and only movie I have ever seen at the theater where I actually didn't give a second thought to getting up and going to the bathroom. I never feared for a moment that I would miss anything. And I didn't. I came back to another go-nowhere scene. I should have gone to see Borat. I wound up wanting a Return of my money.

Here are the pros and cons in a nutshell:

First the Pros, since there are so few of them:
• The movie had a great, dark, foreboding look to it that would have been a perfect compliment to the atmosphere, if there was any.

Now for the Cons:
• The movie relied on loud sounds/sudden 'startles' for its' "scares." This happened A LOT. You tend to get numb to the schtick after the 3rd time around.
• What was with the continuous close-ups of Gellar's nose and the vehicle she was driving? Yeah, we get it. It's Texas. Everyone in rural Texas drives an all terrain vehicle and resides in a Texas Chainsaw Massacre-style home. Also, meat hooks and meat are around every corner. Cliche.
• The delivery of the material was as convoluted as the plot. Sure, I appreciate that not every movie has to spell out every little detail, that sometimes piecing together the puzzle on your own is half the fun. However, in this case, the puzzle pieces were all the same color and several pieces were missing.
• What was with the guy (Peter O'Brien) cast opposite of Gellar? Is he really the best they could come up with? Forget the 17 year age difference, and the fact that they're somewhat love interests, he brought absolutely nothing to the role but questions of "Who is this guy and why is he playing opposite Gellar?" And while we're on the topic of appearances, Gellar's hair looked painted on. No ones' hair is that devoid of highlights and/or color nuances, however subtle. BAD. Plus, her teeth were distractingly white.
• How come key scenes that were in the trailer to sell the "scare" factor, weren't in the movie? What's that about?
• The shaky zoom-in editing style was distracting and without merit. Don't use a camera gimmick unless the scene calls for it. Too many of today's horror/thriller directors try to get too "creative" with the angles and end up coming off looking generic and forced.
• The movie's plot is so convoluted that it doesn't give the viewer enough to work with and leaves you wondering "What the hell is going on? What is the significance of this scene? Where-the-fuck is this moving going?" Sure, the movie ends up answering these questions in the last 15-20 minutes, but by that time the viewer has lost complete and utter interest in the characters and the subsequent situations they continue to find themselves in. BAD SCRIPT. I'm still baffled as to why Gellar took this project. One can only hope it was a contractual obligation and not by choice. Painfully plodding, jumbled mess of a 'thriller.' A thriller completely devoid of thrills.

Sensitive and Savvy

2006-11-29T05:59:00.000-05:00

Your Brain is 53% Female, 47% Male

Your brain is a healthy mix of male and female
You are both sensitive and savvy
Rational and reasonable, you tend to keep level headed
But you also tend to wear your heart on your sleeve

What Gender Is Your Brain?

Newsworthy

2006-11-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

I come across news stories all the time and thought I would share three recent articles that caught my interest in particular:

• Christmas Wreath With Peace Sign Banned
Comments: Man, this really pissed me off when I first read it. I think it's absolutely ridiculous. It's so goddamn frustrating to see people's civil rights being altered and loopholed and generally steamrolled time and time again, while church & state continue to merge into some politically-correct police state. Grrrrrr

• Baby Born with Twin in His Stomach
Comments: This creeps me out. Reminds me of the scene from the movie The Dark Half, where the surgeons are operating on the little boy's brain because he is blacking out/having seizures, and when they go to make the incision on his brain an eyelid opens and you see an eye darting around frantically. Turns out he was supposed to be a twin, but the other fetus never fully formed and his body basically absorbed the other twin. Creepshow!

And the last news story requires a little preface for those who may not be familiar with the original story:

Back in July of this year, a man who worked for the city of Neenah, Wisconsin, found an envelope containing $1,900 secured to the bottom of a discarded metal desk with magnets. He turned the money into authorities and after the 90 day waiting period, no one had claimed it, the city refused to turn the money over to him.

Here's the update:

• Owner Of $1,900 Found At Scrap Heap Was Worker Killed On Highway
Comments: Again, I was really steamed when I found out that this genuinely honest person was getting shafted, then this story came out and it made me feel a little better knowing that his honestly didn't go unrewarded. Not that honesty/integrity necessarily has to be rewarded monetarily, but it would have been a real slap in the face if the man didn't receive some form of recognition. All's well that ends well.

Christmas Music

2006-11-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

A friend and I were discussing what Christmas albums we own and how it can sometimes be hard to find a good one. So, I decided to share my small, yet steadfast collection of Christmas CDs. None of the CDs listed here are over $10, with most falling well below the $5 mark.

• In the Christmas Mood- The Glenn Miller Orchestra © 1991
Comments: Okay, first off let me warn you that not all CDs released by LaserLight are as good as this one. In general, the LaserLight label is generally appealing because they are inexpensive and have deceptively-appealing covers but generally real shitball quality tracks. HOWEVER, on occasion, there are exceptions. This CD is one of them. I love this CD and it has become a tradition at my house. I always end up playing it at some point during the holidays. A truly great addition to your Christmas CD collection. *Note: There is also a part II to this collection, which I just discovered while adding a hyperlink!
• A Jolly Christmas from Sinatra- Frank Sinatra © 1999
• Christmas Gift Collection- Nat King Cole © 1992
Comments: I LOVE this CD. Though it does contain a few tracks that could be considered not traditionally Christmas-y, the CD is excellent through and through. It contains some great Christmas songs that you don't hear ALL THE TIME, so that too is refreshing. However, my all-time favorite Nat King Cole song on this CD is not a Christmas song: A Handful of Stars. A must-have CD for anyone who is a fan of Nat King Cole.
• The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas: Christmas Spirit- Various Artists © 1997
Comments: I could SWEAR that we had these same Christmas albums on audio cassette when I was growing up in the late 80's. I distinctly remember seeing them advertised on TV and ordering them from there. However, looking at the copyright date, apparently they were released in 1997. Maybe that was the year the CD versions were issued because I definitely remember the cassette cover art being the same. ANYWAY (sorry, it bugs me when I can't pinpoint dates) I bought this set of 3 discs at Costco back in '99 and they are all excellent. They contains all the tradition Christmas songs sang by the original artists (for someone who grew up in the 70's/80's) and is excellent from beginning to end.
• The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas: Holiday Magic- Various Artists © 1997
• The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas: Christmas Memories- Various Artists © 1997
• Ultra-Lounge: Christmas Cocktails- Various Artists © 1996
• A Vintage Christmas Cracker- Various Artists © 2002
Comments: I just ordered this one. It's a double disc and it had so many great songs and artists I couldn't resist. With over 40 tracks by artists like Bessie Smith, Fats Waller, Dinah Shore, Judy Garland and lots more, you just know it's gonna be good!
• Christmas All-Time Greatest Records- Various Artists © 1990
Comments: I was working at a record store the year this one came out and I remember it being in the bin of Christmas CDs that everyone would rifle through day in and day out. I ended up listening to it so often in the store and had so many customers ask "What CD is this?" that it's become another perennial favorite. The artists run the gamut from: Lena Horne, Bing Crosby, The Beach Boys, Glen Campbell and lots more.
• The Edge of Christmas- Various Artists © 1995
Comments: This one is definitely for those of us who grew up in the 80's and/or just prefer a little more contemporary Christmas music. Some artists include: The Ramones, The Waitresses, The Cocteau Twins, Queen, Pat Benatar, The Pogues and plenty more. It's just not Christmas until I hear The Waitresses' Christmas Wrapping.
• Hi-Fidelity Holiday: A Holiday Compilation in Stereo- Various Artists © 1998
Comments: This CD was released by Star-anything to make some-bucks and I bought it cheap at a pawn shop. Me no likee, but it technically is part of my collection, so I thought I'd include it. FYI.
• Jazz to the World- Various Artists © 1995
• Bing & Friends Christmas- Various Artists © 1999
Comments: This CD has a jillion different covers, so I was unable to locate this particular CD. However, if you wanna try and find it, it's a great CD. The CD contains 20 tracks and includes favorites like Rosemary Clooney's Suzy Snowflake, Hitch a Ride With Santa Claus sung by Bing and Lindsay Crosby and lots more by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Rosemary Clooney.
• ¡Esquivel!: Merry Christmas from the Space-Age Bachelor Pad- Esquivel © 1996
Comments: This CD must be out-of-print because it is insanely-priced over at Amazon, though I could swear I see this one at the used CD places all the time. Hmmm...
• Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas, - Ella Fitzgerald © 1988
Comments: Another can't-miss Christmas favorite. Excellent CD from beginning to end. Highly Recommended.
• Christmas Jump & Jive: Songs That Won the War- Various Artists © 2001
• Martinis & Mistletoe: Cool Tunes for Your Christmas Cocktail Party- The Yuletide Lounge Band © 2002
Comments: Believe it or not, some great Christmas CDs can be found in the weirdest of places. I bought this one at the hardware store up the street and I really really like it. And yes, it is yet another example of a good LaserLight label CD. I'm usually leary of music CDs where the songs are performed by any alien group I've never heard of, since it's usually a sign of inferior or just downright 'yuck' renditions. However, this is the exception. The CD flows smoothly and is very Jazzy without trying too hard. It really is perfect background noise for a party or just to wrap presents by. My personal favorite track: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. Jazzy!
• A Swinging Big Band Christmas- Various Artists ©
Comments: Yet another good example of what LaserLight can do. Great songs performed by Guy Lombardo, Gene Krupa and Les Brown to name a few. A nice CD to have on in the background while doing things around the house during the holidays.

And the Winners are...

2006-11-27T05:59:00.000-05:00

Congratulations go out to Natalee and John E! Both won a brand new pair of orange ear warmers from From the Blue (and, of course, me, Kirkkitsch).

Please send me your shipping information and I will get your ear warmers out to you ASAP. Toasty ears activate!

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Friday Funnies

2006-11-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. Mine was peaceful, which is always welcome.

As I've mentioned before, I'm currently cleaning out all the closets in preparation for my big garage sale (it's actually gonna be in the backyard, but to hell with semantics) coming in December. I'm currently all caught up with the main part of the house, but have to tackle the laundry room/back bathroom starting next week (god, I dread it). In the meantime, I have narrowed down my mementos to 3 or 4 cigar boxes, and one of those things among them was an envelope filled with misc. comic strips I'd clipped from various newspapers over the years. I've scanned them and posted them here for you to see. I hope you enjoy them! My personal favorite is the 1-panel, of The Quigman's. Click on the images to enlarge. Have a good weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving from Kirkkitsch

2006-11-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

People and Other Aggravations

2006-11-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

One of the books I bought this fall at one of the various book sales I went to, is a book called People and Other Aggravations by Judith Viorst. I initially bought it for the illustrations, but once I had time to sit down and read it, I liked the content as well. The book describes around 2 dozen different 'types' of people. I thought this one was appropriate, considering the whole Kelly Ripa hoopla. She's definitely the type that falls under this category.

I'll post more over the next few weeks. There are so many good ones that I can't choose just one.

[ Click on each page to enlarge ]

Riptide Washes Up One More Drama Queen

2006-11-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

One of my friends just asked me if I knew anything about the 'Clay Aiken/Kelly Ripa thing.' Since I don't watch morning television, I told him I hadn't, but I'd look around on the Internet to see what it was all about.

So, I Google the two names in a search and apparently there is some drama over Aiken recently guest-hosting with Ripa during Regis' absence. Apparently, during an interview with some people from So You Think You Can Dance With The Stars of American Idol, or whatever the hell is the latest masturbatory incarnation of reality TV that's captured middle America's short-attention span this week. So, during the interview (watched via YouTube), Ripa in her usual spastic, self-centered, faux-interested-mode, completely monopolizes the interview, leaving Aiken to sit there and twiddle his thumbs. It got to the point where Aiken jokingly reached over and covered her mouth and that's when the drama ensued.

Ripa's demeanor changed as she told him "Oh that's a 'no-no.' I don't know where that hand's been, honey!" while taking his hand away from her mouth. Her later excuse had something to do with hygiene and some chivalry BS.

First off, I honestly could give a shit about either of them. Neither one of them register on my Star Scale and never have. I never got the whole American Idol appeal nor Ripa's. However, I have never liked Ripa. I don't find her attractive, talented and/or humorous. I think she's a big spoiled, generic, horse-toothed diva who thinks everything and everyone should revolve around her. The fact that she's had the staying power she has is a monument to the fact that people will watch anything if exposed to it long enough. She should be thanking her lucky stars that her 15 minutes didn't expire a long time ago.

Secondly, what this boils down to is appeal-factor. Ripa obviously has some issue with Aiken. Personally, I think the issue is that she's threatened that someone else might get the attention she so obviously craves. I find it more than a little hard to believe that if the person putting their hand over her mouth was Julian McMahon or one of the hundred other men she's gushed over on the show, that it would have been a 'problem,' much less been handled the way it was.

And last, true to form, the majority of people taking Ripa's side have been using the "How dare you touch that beautiful woman" retaliation, short of calling Aiken a faggot. Gee, that's so original. I love it when people who have zero debating skills go straight for the physical. Example: Rosie O'Donnell recently commented on The View (according to various web sites) that she felt Ripa's behavior was homophobic in nature. Whether it was or not, isn't the point. The point is, I've read multiple comments where people retaliate by calling her 'fat,' 'lesbo,' 'dyke,' and/or Aiken 'gay,' 'fag,' etc. What does that have to do with anything? These are the same ignorant assholes who bitch about Michael Moore whenever one of his documentaries comes out and they don't like the 'message.' Instead of actually making an effort to approach the situation with research, knowledge, etc. to disprove his work, people go straight for the 'fat' comments. It's so ridiculous already. I'm never surprised to see how truly ignorant people are as a whole.

Epilogue: Ripa is now claiming that her remarks had nothing to do with Aiken's sexuality and that it was more a matter of her being a mother of young children and it being cold and flu season.

Apparently being a mommie is free rein for justifying acting like a self important cunt.

Gag

2006-11-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

I ran across this article in the October issue of Reader's Digest, but only now have had the time to scan it and talk about it. It made me roll my eyes and go 'Oy.' This post was inspired by another blog post recently written by my friend Terri, on her blog.

And yes, I realize that you don't just open a bag of candy and tell the child "Eat 'til you hit the bottom," however, it's people who do shit like this (re: the article) who are the same politically-correct assholes who give their kids 'time-outs' and who put their kids on Ritalin because they're "such a spirited handful." Whatever. I am so beyond tired of the whole vilification of anyone and anything that eats like any normal person has been doing for decades. And don't even get me started on the latest hubbub where the government is now going to dictate portion sizes and choice of cooking oils. Here's an idea: Put on your big girl panties and deal with it!

P.s. What retard kid is gonna say "Four" without being coerced? C'mon! That's like those parents who try and tell you "Billy would rather trick-or-treat for UNICEF than receive candy." Riiiiiight. I somehow find it hard to believe that if his answer was "Fourteen" Mommy would have been okay with that. Puhlease.

Chilly...Did Someone Say 'Chili?' + Giveaway

2006-11-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

It's been pretty chilly around here lately and I'm lovin' it! I love stepping outside and smelling fireplaces burning. As such, I just came across some of my old Garbage Pail Kids cards and it seemed fitting so I thought I would share.

And speaking of sharing, click on the Garbage Pail Kid card to see what you can win. If you'd like to be entered in the drawing, please e-mail me with the subject "Chilly" and I will put your name in the drawing. I will be giving away two pair, so you have twice the chance of winning! I'll announce the winners on Monday, November 27th. Good luck!

*P.s. They're unisex and adjustable. And yes, they're my favorite color: orange! Oh, and if you're concerned that they might not fit you, don't be. I have a Charlie Brown-sized head (buying sunglasses is a bitch!) and they fit me just fine. Truly a one-size-fits-all!

Time Retardant

2006-11-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

I emerged from my cocoon yesterday to go pick up some groceries at Super Target and go to the movies (a review coming soon to a blog near you). During my recent closet excavations, I unearthed several Swatch watches. Eighties be damned, I still love my Swatches (complete with dead batteries). A definite defining factor from my formative years. The brilliant marketing, graphic design and overall style of Swatch helped solidify my love of pop culture and good design. But I digress.

Having forsaken the wearing of an actual wristwatch more than 10 years ago, I decided to take a particularly cool Swatch with me and pick up a new battery at the jewelry counter while I was at Target.

Naturally, the watch batteries are behind the counter (because that just makes sense, what with them priced at a whopping $3), so I had to ask for assistance. Naturally, I didn't remove the actual battery before I came, assuming I could borrow a nickel or paperclip to remove the old one while I was there. As it turns out, the clerk is not allowed to aid the customer in any way when it comes to removing the old battery...even though I'm buying a replacement battery. I stood there, mind boggling over the overly complicated corporate bullshit rules & regulations. Apparently it had something to do with the fact that if the watch was somehow damaged while removing/replacing the old battery, the store is liable for damages. Even if I remove the battery myself.

I talked to my friend Derik about this, assuming he would make a frowny face and side with me. He sided with Target. We went back and forth with our own arguments (my key argument: "That's retarded"). He took the "If I talk long enough you'll agree with me out of exhaustion" method. It no workee. I'm stubborn too, so I took my retaliatory, dig in my heels (and oh what heels they are!) stance of "I've made up my mind, get on board or you will be annihilated" (the equivalent of putting my fingers in my ears and singing "I'm not listen-ing! La la la la la!" very loudly). Otherwise known as 'the high road.' LOL! Not. I think our combined hardheadedness is one of the pillars of our complicated, yet steadfast friendship. Needless to say, we agreed to disagree. Maybe I'm nuts, but I think way too many things have gotten waaaaay too complicated.

Annnyway, I ended up buying the battery (+3) over at Radio Shack. I now have a super-groovy "new" timepiece. Once I get caught up around here, I'll have to post some pictures of all the Swatches I found.

Brokeback Coloring Fun

2006-11-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

While spelunking through one of my closets (2 down, 1 more to go!) I've come across all kinds of swell stuff. Among them was my ol' Big Jim coloring books. I flipped through it and had to snicker once I saw this particular coloring page. I realize that for it to officially be like Brokeback Mountain, they'd both be in the same sleeping bag, but you gotta take what you get. I considered putting them in the same sleeping bag through the magic of Photoshop, but I just didn't have the time and/or patience, so you'll have to use your imagination. *Click on the image for a printable version

mOlé Part Deux

2006-11-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally got this collage together, as promised, to show the 'before' and 'after' of the mole removals I had a few weeks ago.

As I mentioned in a previous post, the 'before' pictures I took turned out too blurry, so I was forced to use the only remotely recent photo I had, and it's not too hot either. For a reference point, think of the mole that was near my left eyebrow as being a little smaller than the diameter of a pencil eraser. The mole that was in my sideburn was half the size.

Overall, the removal was not as bad as I'd anticipated and I had kinda psyched myself up that the moles would be removed via laser (after reading an article online), but when I got there the procedure was actually performed with a scalpel.

I was given shots to numb the areas where I was having the moles removed and I was shocked that they actually really worked (unlike at the dentist, where sometimes I have to have more than one shot to get me numb). She told me I shouldn't feel any pain but that I might feel some pressure. And it was true, I didn't feel a thing, but I did hear the 'crunch' sound when the scalpel pierced the flesh for the first time, and the 'tink tink tink' of the very sharp scalpel digging out the mole. Blech. I wish I'd brought my MP3 player (when I go to the dentist, I make use of their Walkman, cuz I don't know about you, but for me the sound is the worst part of going to the dentist. Once that's blocked out, it's smooooth sailin'). Oh well, hindsight is 20/20, right?

Anyway, after the stitches were put in (which I didn't even feel), I was instructed to keep a band-aid on the areas for a couple of days and made an appointment to come back a week later to get the stitches removed.

And that's pretty much it. No big deal, but when you haven't had many medical procedures, it initially feels like a big deal. LOL!

The biopsy results were negative (whew!) and I was told to keep SPF-30 on the area near my eyebrow, regardless if I went out in the sun or not. It had more to do with the skin pigment being consistent with the rest of my skin. Little did I know that a tube/bottle of SPF-30 costs like $9 (ridiculous), so I opted for the $2 SPF-30 lip balm instead. LOL! I checked with the pharmacist first and he said it would be A-OK. Ancient Chinese secret huh?

[1] This is a picture I took of part of the medical district. It was taken from the parking garage where I parked the morning of my procedure.

[2] The area with stitches (kinda hard to see...see, I told you the pictures were blurry).

[3] My lame 'before' picture, which is hard to see, but you get the general idea.

[4] The AWFUL 'after' picture taken in the medical plaza's bathroom under fluorescent lights (gee, can you tell? God, I look green).

[5] Biopsy photos of my moles. Mole A is the one that was on my head, near my eyebrow. Mole B is the mole that was located in my right sideburn.

[6] Proof positive that olive loaf really does look an awful lot like a mole biopsy photo.

Currently...

2006-11-14T01:00:00.000-05:00

Listening to the oldies station and changing the lyrics of The Commodores' Easy (Like Sunday Morning) to "I'm easy, like Lizzie Borden. I'm listening to the oldies station while I clean out closets in the bedrooms, in preparation for the garage sale of the year in about 3 weeks. This crap is OUTTA HERE whether it sells or not. I am not packing this shit up and storing it again for years. If it doesn't sell, it's going to Goodwill. My friend Derik is going to come help me with the garage sale and bring his own boxes of goodies. I am getting rid of A LOT of stuff that I've been keeping for god knows why: stuffed animals, books, magazines, clothes that fit me back in 1988, knick knacks out the wazoo, etc. In the immortal words of Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer, "Enough is Enough!"

I'm done now. Back to the closet (figuratively speaking).

P.s. I'm also finding all kinds of cool shit I thought was lost forever and/or forgot I had, but more about that later. Trust me, it's good. :)

P.s.s. I know! I'll do another installment of "Look What a Found In My Drawers!" at a later date! To see past installments, click here, here or here.

Dark Ride

2006-11-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

So, there's this thing called Horrorfest that's coming up on the 17th of this month. It's been advertising like crazy, on television, billboards, etc. Oh, by the way, before I get too far ahead of myself, let me tell you what Horrorfest actually is: Horrorfest is a weekend of horror films that are considered to graphic or too disturbing for general audiences. After Dark Films will release "8 Films to Die For" (plus one bonus film) for one weekend only in approximately 500 theaters around the United States.

So, anyway, I dropped by the site to see what the movies were and to see if they were playing any remotely nearby (this shit usually bypasses us completely and goes straight to Austin). The site had no fuckin' information. Every button that might contain actual information about the time/date/location/cost were all "coming soon." Apparently they spent all their money on marketing concepts instead of actually getting the event organized. That was about 5 days ago. I just checked again and now that the event is one week away they actually have information. AND as it turns out, they are showing it in Dallas...BFE Dallas. And you know how much I love to get lost on the freeway in fuckin' Dallas, especially at nighttime.

Needless to say, I won't be going. Sure, I wanna see some of the movies, but once it gets overly complicated (like it already has), I lose interest fast. Besides, they'll all be on DVD before I know it anyway. Still, it would have been nice to see the one I reaaaaaaaaaaally wanted to see, Dark Ride. Here's a brief synopsis: A group of six friends on a road trip stop off at an amusement park attraction named 'Dark Ride', unaware that a psychopath who has just escaped a mental institution for brutally murdering two girls, is seeking refuge there.

The movie appears to have an 80's slasher feel to the plot (think The Funhouse meets My Bloody Valentine). That coupled with a bloody body count tells me I will most-likely totally dig it (like, fer sure really). Plus, the trailer (though way too dark) helps seal the deal.

I'm still not sure why a slasher movie that apparently isn't breaking the mold when it comes to gory murders, is being considered "too graphic/disturbing for general audiences." Looking at stills from the movie, it doesn't seem any more "graphic" than a lot of movies that have been in the theater these last couple of years. Personally, I think it's a marketing ploy and/or these films had trouble finding distribution/representation or something along those lines.

In addition, I also think the killer, Jonah looks genuinely creepy. The movie looks like a throwback to what slashers used to be. I really love the movie poster as well. I miss the "old school" slasher movie posters that weren't afraid to show some blood, unlike the teentacular "hip" bullshit posters that feel compelled to show us the entire cast in domino formation, looking pouty and emo.

Click here to watch the teaser • Click here to watch the trailer

What I Wish I Was Reading + Dirty Birdy

2006-11-11T23:30:00.000-05:00

I love Amy Sedaris, but I just can't bring myself to pay nearly $20 for her new book. LOL! I know, I'm a cheapskate, but maybe once it's not so new I'll find it cheaper somewhere.

BTW, I just called 911 and reported the new neighbors down the street. They must be new because this Tejanopalooza just started like 3 weeks ago, but it's consistant every weekend. Let's put it this way, it's so loud I could hear it while watching TV in the den in the BACK of the house and I can feel its' reverberations when I'm in any other room of the house. These people live ACROSS the street 4 houses away! Retarded. This is just one more reason I hate people. Fucktards.

What I'm Listening to: Vol. 11

2006-11-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

• Dinah Washington- Dinah's Blues © 1998
• The Pet Shop Boys- Actually © 1987
• A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector © 1990
• The Best of Nina Simone © 1990
• Prozzäk- Hot Show © 1999
• Etta James Rocks the House © 1992

I know, I know. Even looking at Christmas CDs this far ahead is insane, BUT once I saw the songs and the people peforming them, I had to buy it. Boy, am I glad I did. I LOVE this Christmas CD! I'm kinda picky when it comes to Christmas music, but in addition to having one of my favorite songs (Marshmallow World, as only Darlene Love could sing it), all the songs are good. Performed by Darlene Love, The Ronettes, The Crystals and Bob B. Soxx And The Blue Jeans, you can't help but get in the holiday mood while listening to it. Highly recommended.

*On a side note, for those who are familair with the whole Phil Spector/murder case, the CD's insert folds out into a creepy little poster of him dressed as Santa. Freakshow.

Idiot in the Box

2006-11-09T06:01:00.000-05:00

The night before last I made a late-night run to a nearby Jack in the Box. I was craving their Sourdough Grilled Chicken Club. In addition, I placed an order for a couple of their (2 for) 99¢ tacos. I drove up to the window, paid, took my bag and went home...only to discover they neglected to put my chicken sandwich in the bag. Oy.

I called them and told them what happened and they told me I could come back later to pick it up. So, I decided to go pick it up and have it for dinner last night.

While I sat there (Jack in the Box) and read the paper, lots of people began to come in. One of them was this loud, obnoxious woman whose volume control didn't seem to have a 'low' setting. As she trumpeted around, barking corrections to her order, asking stupid questions etc., I just rolled my eyes and wondered why high-maintenance people like her even bother to eat out, what with everything seeming to be such an effort for her. Then she did one of the most retarded things I've seen in a while:

After placing your order, they give you your cup so you can go get the drink of choice at the fountain. There they also have lids, straws and assorted condiments. The container with the lids is marked according to size.

The woman must have ordered a "regular/medium" because when it came time to put the lid on, it blew her goddamn mind because the lids marked "regular/medium" didn't fit! OMG! Stop the presses!

SO instead of exercising her common sense and choosing another lid until she found one that fit, she takes her drink UP TO THE COUNTER (which is swamped with customers) and complains that the lid "doesn't fit."

*insert blank stare from me. blink. blink blink.*
The cashier tells her that there are lids next to the fountain. She goes on to say that the container said "regular/medium" but it doesn't fit her regular-sized drink cup.

*I'm still not believing what an unbelievable moron she is*
As it turns out, the container that holds the lids is marked incorrectly, which she goes on to inform him. He grabs a lid and puts it on for her and she walks away, still mumbling about how it's not marked correctly.

Where's a gunman in need of a hostage when you need one? People are dingleberries.

Collections #32

2006-11-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

This marks the first of a new regular series that I'm going to be posting. Since I have little collections of different things, I thought I'd occasionally share some of them with you.

This is my small collection of bookmarks (the ones I could find). I know bookmarks may seem like an odd thing to find solace in, but I do, however eccentric that may seem. I thought bookmarks were the shit in the 80's. Bookmarks were plentiful back then but have somewhat fallen off the radar and/or gotten fancier and more complicated. Give me a tassled bookmark any ol' day. And speaking of the 80's, I have such fond memories of browsing for hours at B. Dalton Bookseller, Taylor's Books, Waldenbooks, etc. Good times.

I'm esp. fond of the first two bookmarks because they are the oldest. Plus, I never see much of Ziggy anymore and I miss him and his dog Fuzz.

The last bookmark is identical (image-wise) to the bookmarks that one of the bookstores in my hometown used to have sitting out on the counter, for free. I've always loved the image and thought it had a 'cozy' feel to it. The book store, B For Books didn't last long, but I have fond memories of the bookmark. Book stores never really did very well in the town I grew up in (whatta shocker), so I usually had to go to the nearby town of Fort Worth, to shop for my books.

The bookmarks have come from all over the place and some (the first 2 in the last row) are a few that I picked up at various used book sales. I esp. love the name The Haunted Book Shop (I so wanna go there!) and the quote on the other bookmark: "A room without books is as a body without a soul." Nice.

[ Click image for more detail ]

Duuuuh, Ya Think?

2006-11-08T17:00:00.000-05:00

In regard to yesterday's election results:

"The message yesterday was clear. The American people want their leaders in Washington to set aside partisan differences, conduct ourselves in an ethical manner, and work together to address the challenges facing our nation," Bush said.

Yeah, now he's insightful. Whatever.

Spooky Movie Rental Reviews

2006-11-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

Halloween Night © 2006
Synopsis: This horror movie tells the story of a high school student's Halloween party that goes terribly awry when a psychopath escapes from the local mental hospital and turns up at the party (which is in the same house as the psycho's childhood home). Suspense, surprises, and terrifying chills result in this film (allegedly...I've yet to find any proof. Methinks it's just a marketing ploy for the Ritalin Generation) based on true events.
Comments: It being close to Halloween, I was anxious to rent any and all new horror/slasher movies that looked remotely palpable.

The movie was 'okay.' It started out good enough and I'd hoped for some creative kills, but it just kinda went down hill after the first murder. On the plus side, there were some really good-lookin' guys in it (Jared Cohn {DAYUM!} and Mike Zent to name a few). However, though Jared was such the hottie, his performance could have been greatly improved by actually learning his lines instead of the whole "improvisational" riff he kept desperately clinging to. Methinks he was trying too hard to be a walking billboard for the improvisational classes that he teaches. Like most things, a little goes a lonnnnng way.
Survey Says: Eh, this movie was alright if you have nothing bette to do on a Friday night. Weak gore. Low bodycount. Worth a rental if you're really into slashers, but everyone else don't bother.

Salvage © 2006
Synopsis: College student Claire Parker is stalked and killed by a serial murderer. Awaking alive and well, she assumes the whole affair to have been a grisly nightmare. When the awful scenario repeats itself a second and then a third time, she is forced to conclude that something supernatural is afoot. Enlisting the aid of her best friend, the local detective, and her reluctant boyfriend Jimmy, Claire must somehow break the cycle and piece together the truth -- a truth too horrible to imagine.
Comments: Speaking of too horrible to imagine, that would describe this convoluted premise. It sounds intriguing enough, in a Groundhog Day kinda way, but it never really succeeds in successfully delivering a coherent ending.

I've read reviews, in regards to the "twist" ending, ranging from "You just don't 'get' it because you're not deep like me" to "Whu?" I was of the latter persuasion. Trust me, it's not my first time at the ol' picture show, so surprise endings are normally not lost on me, however badly executed, but this one was a total reach. I don't buy that the ending was just sooo profound that people aren't 'getting' it. That's called bad execution (no pun intended).
Survey Says: Relatively good performance by the female lead. The movie does have some genuine creepy moments, but overall this movie was a total waste of my time and an effort to watch. Wait for cable.

Heartstopper © 2006
Synopsis: Two hospitalized young people discover that things can get even worse when the dilapidated institution is stranded by a severe storm and a maniac stalks the corridors butchering the patients and staff.
Comments: I wanted so badly to love this movie. The premise is a lot like another 80's slasher-on the loose in the hospital, called Hospital Massacre. This movie wasn't anywhere near as interesting when it came to the actual murders. How many times can you see some 'supernatural' killer rip someone's beating heart from their chest before it gets monotonous? The movie reminded me of a less entertaining version of 1989's Shocker. Robert Englund brought absolutely nothing to the movie, but an annoyingly cliched character. Needless to say, the movie didn't even begin to hold my interest and I never got past the first 45 minutes.
Survey Says: BIG yawn. Monumental yawn. Don't waste your money renting this. Definitely one to watch on cable...if at all.

Slither © 2006
Synopsis: A small town is taken over by an alien plague, turning residents into zombies and all forms of mutant monsters.
Comments: I'd heard lots of good word-of-mouth about this movie AND it's premise closely mirrored that of an 80's movie that I really liked, called Night of the Creeps, so naturally I rented it. Plus, the leads Nathan Fillion and Michael Rooker are pretty easy on the eyes. Rooker has a surprisingly tasty bod on him. Who knew?

Fun movie with juuust the right blend of humor (it's not laughing at its' own jokes). Likeable characters. A homage to the 80's horror movies, when they were still fresh and fun.
Survey Says: I liked this movie. A decent marriage of 'old school' prosthetics and CGI effects, especially in a day and age where CGI reigns. Definitely worth the rental. I might even buy it used, for the right price.

Mental Goulash 13

2006-11-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

• I saw a woman waiting to cross a busy intersection last night. She was standing there with both hands on her hips. I nicknamed her Super Pedestrian.

• I'm currently getting ready to have a HUGE garage sale (it's actually gonna be in the front & backyard, but the hell with semantics) in early Dec. I've only emptied the one closet in the dining room and I already wanna run screaming from the house. I still have the back bathroom, laundry room and garage to go. Cross your fingers that I don't come across any rats or mice. I'm such a girl about those kind of 'surprises.' Not that I'm afraid they'll bite me, as much as I'm afraid I'll be startled and impale myself on the nearest blunt object.

• Last night I tried the McRib for the first time ever. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. I esp. liked the BBQ sauce. Now I can cross off "Try a McRib" 'Things to do before I die' list. Inspiring, aren't I?

• I PROMISE that the before/after pictures of my mole removal are forthcoming. The problem is that all my pre-op photos were all too blurry, so now I am having to find a picture of myself (no small task, as I detest having my picture taken) pre-op to go with my post-op photos.

• Today is voting day for state governor, among other things. I voted early (before Halloween), so I'm covered. Not that it will mean anything to any of you, but I didn't vote for Terri Moore, who was running for District Attorney. And here's why: I received her humongous 8.5x11" 'postcard,' and thought the giant blow up of some emo teen girl (selected to insinuate sexual abuse without actually coming out and saying it) and the whole "Save our precious children and grandchildren from child porn predators!" platform was emotional blackmail of the lowest order. "Our children." Whatever. I'm not saying "go fuck a kid," but I am saying don't try to emotionally blackmail me by pulling "But what about the children?" outta your ass for the umpteenth time, THEN insinuate that voting for your constituent is like condoning sexual predators.

Personally, I'm sick & tired of the whole child angle being milked for all it's worth. Enough already! Let's focus on the issues that actually affect everyone, not just people with kids. I spend thousands of dollars in taxes for "our" children to go to school. Where they are and what happens to them is their parents' responsibility (some parents need to get reacquainted with the meaning of that last word).

And don't even get me started on the obligatory "grandchildren" tossed into the mix. Yeah, let's make sure our scare tactics encompass all the generations. What-ever. Utter bullshit!

• Since I am on the Half Price Books mailing list, I receive coupons from them in the mail. They recently sent me a coupon for 50% off one item, so I got the recently-released Thriller DVD boxset ($70 new/$40 used) for a mere $20.00. Woo hoo!

• While channel-surfing the other day (it must be genetic), I caught part of a Country Music video on the CMT channel for a song called Honky Tonk Badonkadonk by Trace Adkins. Country music has officially run out of ideas. Aye Carumba. Gimme 70's Pop-Country any day of the week...Crackers in Bed...Two Doors Down...Kiss an Angel Good Morning...

• As a rule, I don't normally shop at CVS Pharmacy. Ever since I saw a Totino's pizza in their freezer section priced at $8. Anyway, I stopped by the other day because they were closer than Walgreen's and it was a matter of convenience (not to mention that I reaaaaalllly had to pee). Annnyway, I bought a big ol' bag of CVS Brand lemon drops for $1.50 and lemme tell ya, I am diggin' 'em! I was drawn to the fact that they were discs and individually-wrapped instead of the regular lemon-shaped/sugar-dusted kind. I still love those, mind you, but they always ends up morphing together into some big candy meteor that I end up throwing away.

• I recently purchased a Brother label printer. It's bright orange to boot! I'm getting such a kick out of it (I have no life).

Currently Reading

2006-11-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

• Nothing's Sacred by Lewis Black © 2005
Synopsis: With subversive wit and intellectual honesty, Lewis examines the events of his life that shaped his antiauthoritarian point of view and developed his comedic perspective. Growing up in 1950s suburbia when father knew best and there was a sitcom to prove it, he began to regard authority with a jaundiced eye at an early age. And as that sentiment grew stronger with each passing year, so did his ability to hone in on the absurd.

True to form, he puts common sense above ideology and distills hilarious, biting commentary on all things politically and culturally relevant.

Comments: I am loving this book. If you are a fan of Lewis Black and his no-nonsense humor, then you will enjoy this book. A quick read. A fun read. An insightful read.

I just finished the chapter on Black's junior high years and this passage cracked me up: "My mother dressed me in irregular clothing and my pants were always way, way, way too baggy. When I asked why they were so big, my mother, as God as my witness, replied, "Because you have a big crotch." If this was the case, none of the girls in my class ever took note. Maybe because the top button of my shirt was always buttoned and I wore big Tortoiseshell glasses. So I looked like a dump truck in heat."

• Better Than Homemade: Amazing Foods That Changed the Way We Eat by Carolyn Wyman © 2004
Synopsis: A freewheeling illustrated history of the packaged foods industry. From Green Giant and Hamburger Helper to Jiffy Pop and Jell-O, syndicated columnist Carolyn Wyman reveals the fascinating origins of your favorite "food" products -- along with never-before published advertisements, innovative packaging (cheese in a can!?), and hilarious "unauthorized uses."

You'll learn that Birds Eye frozen foods were invented by an Arctic adventurer; Kool-Aid got its start from an 11-year-old entrepreneur; and Twinkies were once used to capture a gang of escaped baboons. Perfect for fans of the Food Network's Unwrapped, this guide is the ultimate paean to processed pleasures!

Comments: This book has it all: Cheesy, kitschy photos, retro recipes, pop culture history, AND I was surprised that it wasn't a Chronicle book. Looking over the spines of my library, most of the books like this are usually published by Chronicle, but this one was published by Quirk (I like the name better). A mere 76¢ at Half.com. Pick up a copy today!

• The Occasional Man by James Barr © 1966
Synopsis: (From the book jacket) No longer young and beautiful, David, at 40, was still handsome. Flat broke and depressed over the break-up of his affair with the man he had adored for fifteen years, David wandered lost and lonely in the back streets of the twilight world of sex.

Suddenly three men came into David's life - each offering a different variety of relationship for David to grasp at: a cruel, super-virile young man with whom David was physically obsessed; a warm and kindly Negro who offered more companionship than excitement, and a godlike, demanding older man who was a master of every kind of erotic adventure.

Comments: First off, I don't even want to talk about how much I paid for this book. Let's just say it was more than I normally like to pay for a paperback book, vintage or not. BUT, pre-70's gay pulp is hard to find (esp, in decent condition), and the premise seems like a lot of fun, so I thought "Why not?" Plus, who could resist a tagline like: A new adult novel of the torments and temptations of abnormal desires.

Man Finds Letters to God at Sea

2006-11-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A U.S. man who found 300 letters to God floating in the Atlantic Ocean said on Friday he will donate them to a church instead of selling them on eBay following protests from religious people.

The letters, sent to a deceased Baptist clergyman, mysteriously wound up in a sealed plastic shopping bag near a beach in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Bill Lacovara, an insurance adjuster from Ventnor, New Jersey, said he waded out to get the bag while on a fishing trip last week.

The letters were addressed to the Rev. Grady Cooper of Jersey City, New Jersey, who died in 2004. Someone cleaning his house may have discarded the bag, which Lacovara found about 100 miles from Cooper's residence.

They include one from a teen-age girl asking God to forgive her for having an abortion, one from a prisoner who said he was innocent and wanted to be at home with his family, and one from a man who wanted God's help winning the lottery, according to media reports.

Lacovara said he could have auctioned them off on eBay for up to $15,000 and would have given the money to charity. But he has withdrawn them from the online auction service because he said the move offended some religious people. "There were a lot of religious fanatics that were very insulted," he told Reuters. "They said they were disappointed in me, and I didn't want to do something that's going to create bad vibes." Some urged him to burn the letters, throw them back in the ocean or give them to a church, Lacovara said.

Lacovara said about a dozen clergymen have offered to take the letters, and he is evaluating the requests to make sure the letters don't fall into the wrong hands.

Dinosaurs Love Grey Poupon

2006-11-02T21:00:00.000-05:00

A few days ago, I was at the grocery store getting provisions for Halloween. I was tired and kinda out of it and at one point while strolling down one of the aisles, I blindly ran over a 'speedbump' and was like "WTF did I just run over?" I lookd behind me and there laid a little dinosuar with tire marks down his back. I picked him up, to get him out of harm's way, and then it dawned on me "Why not have a little fun with him?" As you can see, he now loves Grey Poupon. I guess what they say is true; dinosaurs will eat anything.

Take It From Totie...

2006-11-02T20:00:00.000-05:00

Jack O'Lantern '06

2006-11-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

This is a picture of this year's jack o'lantern. Believe it or not, I didn't feel like carving one last year, so the pumpkin just hung around the house until around August of this year.

This year instead of my usual Sloppy Joes, I made mega nachos, Rice Krispie Treats and Golden Graham Bars (same principal as Rice Krispie Treats, just add chocolate chips; think s'more in bar form). I made too much of everything, so it's Halloween here alllll week.

I only had 2 trick-or-treaters (my friend Christi and her hubby dropped by with Mummy Princess and Recalled Spinach; i.e. their children). It was fun to have trick or treaters for a change. I've only had them once before in the 11 years I've lived here.

I watched Halloween, Fall of the House of Usher, The Headless Horseman (AKA The Adventures of Ichabod Crane/Disney) and lotsa Halloween cartoons/specials (Fat Albert, Bugs Bunny, Mad Monster Party...). AND it was nice and chilly, so I opened all the windows. Nice nice nice.

Fun With Old Magazine Ads © 1968

2006-11-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween!

2006-10-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

I guess being a packrat has its merits. My mom recently gave me a box of stuff she found that she thought I might want. There was a lot of crap, but there was the occasional gem as well. BTW, the little image here, to the left of this paragraph, is a scan of one of my all-time favorite and memorable Halloween decorations. Whatever happened to cardboard decorations for the holidays? I really miss them.Here are a few things I picked out to show you:

[1] I have no idea who these kids are, but the picture was among some misc photos from the 80's. I think they may be some random people's grandkids that my parents were friends with, I'm not sure. I just liked the fact that one of them is dressed up like Witchipoo! from H.R. Pufnstuf + I like Casper (and not that new CGI crap..though the Casper movie with Christina Ricci was a lot of fun). I think this was probably taken at the kids' Halloween party at the Country Club, since that's where I was going in the next photo...

[2] Oy vey. Yes, this is me. I thought I was the shit in this homemade cat costume (complete with poseable tail). I remember my mom making it for me and I was so excited. Catwoman, eat your heart out. Whatta spaz I wasam. I have no idea how old I was in this picture, but I wanna say 9 or 10. I dunno.

[3] This blew my mind. This is a piece of my original first Halloween costume (and when I saw 'first', I don't mean that shit where people dress up the infant in some goddamn Anne Geddes monstrosity and tote them from door to door. I know I was pold enough to walk and be taken trick-or-treating, so I'm gonna guess I was 3 or 4. There are some photos of me wearing this somewhere around here, but I wasn't able to locate them in time for the post. I love that my mom kept this. I wanna frame it.

[4] Remember Ernest? As some of you may or may not know (depending on the region where you live), Ernest started out as the spokesperson for Braum's Ice Cream. He was featured in commercials where he'd be forever annoying his unseen friend, Vern. Anyhoo, they were giving these away at the Braum's in the 80's around Halloween time and I'm shocked that Mine is still intact and none the worse for wear. Fun!

[5] I totally remember this Halloween mask because they were giving them away at the local Hallmark at the time. I thought it was the coolest thing ever that they were free. Alongside the masks on the counter, there was a little container holding the stretchy think you you would put through the holes on the side, so you could wear it as a mask after punching it out of the cardboard background it came on. Of course there's no way that this could ever happen again considering some 'tard, roaming free would undoubtedly put out an eye or something with the cord. And/or some organization of witches would protest that it was "stereotyping" Wiccans or some such horseshit. Man, I miss the simple times.

Grief and Steak & Ale

2006-10-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

I reluctantly went to the funeral. In retrospect, I'm glad I did. And in the end, I did it more for me and not for Lolita (Ms. Fossil's granddaughter, whom I consider one of my friends). There were less than 20 people there and I was only 1 of two people who was invited (it was a private ceremony) that wasn't family. That made me feel sorta special.

I arrived at 11, but chose not to "view the body." And no, it's not because it's 'creepy' or spooky or whatever. I just think it's morbid and pointless. It's one of those ceremonial funeral things that really irks me. I have no idea why you would want to deliberately mentally scar yourself by making that the last visual you have of someone you love. My mom did it with her mother (VERY bad car accident...it was a closed casket ceremony, with exception to the children; my mother and her 3 brothers) and personally, I think it really fucked her up, mentally. Maybe I'll have a change of mind when it hits closer to home, but as it stands, I think there's nothing to be gained by it.

The day was cold and windy and the ceremony was short but sweet. I didn't see many people crying, with the exception of Ms. Fossil's sister. SISTER. Who knew? Ms. Fossil was 93 (would have been 94 this December), so I never even contemplated that she had any living siblings. During the eulogy, the funeral director (? I don't think he was a preacher) mentioned that if there was one thing that Ms. Fossil didn't like, it was "long funerals" (this got a big laugh from everyone) and that she wouldn't want everyone to be sad or dwell on the negative. So, with that said...

After the ceremony, everyone went to Steak & Ale for lunch. I rode with Lolita and some woman she works with. It was 'okay.' I mean I had a good time (which sounds awful, I suppose, but I told myself "She'd want it this way.") and the waiter was a 7ft hunka hunka burnin' love, BUT I've never really understood the whole connection with funerals and food. But, being a slave to the rhythm, I have to admit I did take some banana nut bread and tuna salad/box of crackers over to her house, for the family, so I guess the beat goes on, huh? I don't know if it's just a Texas thing or what, but as long as I can remember: Funeral = potluck. Go figure. All in all, the funeral "experience" was nowhere near as bad as I'd anticipated. I hadn't been to a funeral since my grandmother died in 1987 (I think), so I was realllly dreading it, but it turned out alright in the end.

BTW, on a somewhat similar note, after much contemplating, I have begun a third blog. The blog will be where I vent about personal things that I can't blog about here because everyone I know knows of this blog (just one of the many drawbacks of lacking humility). I was considering going back to my "old school" journal (read Composition Book) for these things, but this has proven to be much more convenient. Besides, this way I can get all these thoughts out of my head without running the risk of alienating the few friends I do have.

The new blog is not included under this account name, nor will it be linked to here. However, on the off chance that you're remotely interested in the continuing saga (and backstory) of the whole Fossil mania, as well as my occasional unfettered frustration with friends, family, etc., you can e-mail me and request the URL. *This offer is void in Texas

DVD Purchases

2006-10-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

• Legends of Horror Collection
- Mark of the Vampire
- Mad Love
- Doctor X
- The Return of Doctor X
- The Mask of Fu Manchu
- The Devil Doll
• The Crush
Comments: Warner Bros. did an outstanding job with this boxset, some of the movies even have their original trailers! AND, they did what I wish more companies would start doing, when it comes to multiple DVDs in a set, they put the DVDs in slim cases instead of one of those cacca-doodie digipaks. Hurray! Now if Warner could do as good a job being my new cable company (they stink compared to Comcast).
• Green Street Hooligans
Comments: I bought this for Elijah, that's about it. I'm sure it's a good movie, I remember seeing the trailer, but at the core: It's about Elijah.
• Pink Lady...and Jeff: The Complete Series
Comments: For those of you who remember this super-obscure, short-lived novelty show from the 80's, you're probably as shocked as I was when it was released as a DVD boxset 5 years ago. I wanted it then, but it was one of those titles that I kept telling myself I would buy...eventually. Well, 'lo and behold, my friend Nathan bought it for me for my birthday. Whee!
• The Facts of Life: Season 3
• The Venture Bros.: Season 1
Comments: Wow, what a great animated show! I just love it. It's like a dysfunctional Jonny Quest meets The Hardy Boys.
• "The Front"
Comments: A recommendation from Nathan that I decided to buy because (1) it was super-cheap ($4) and (2) I like Woody Allen...in small doses. And (3) the movie's premise sounds intriguing: # A cashier poses as a writer for blacklisted talents to submit their work through, but the injustice around him pushes him to take a stand.
• Prince of Darkness
Comments: Can you believe there's an 80's horror movie I haven't seen? Well, it's true. There are lotsa people in this movie that I like (Donald Pleasence, Jameson Parker...ROWR!), PLUS it doesn't hurt that it's directed by John Carpenter. I'm saving it to watch on Halloween night!
• The Night of the Iguana
High Anxiety
Comments: I thought the only way to get this movie was to buy the Mel Brooks boxset, so boy was I pleasantly surprised when I found it for sale, solo. Sweet! Besides, I already own all the Mel Brooks movies I want to own.
• Windy City Heat
• Greg the Bunny: Best of the Film Parodies
Comments: Okay, technically, I haven't bought this yet, since I can't seem to locate it locally, but I KNOW I will be buying it, so I put it on the list.
• The Fairly Odd Parents: Abra-Catastrophe! The Movie
• Ed Wood
Comments: I forgot how much I loved this movie until I saw it on cable recently. Again, it's one of those DVDs I've been meaning to buy, but I've been waiting to find it for under $15 (no small task). Well, I FINALLY did, so it's one of those I bought myself for my birthday. Also saving this one for Halloween night!
• Rock 'n Roll Nightmare
Comments: Let there be no mistake: This movie is stink-o-rama. BUT, Jon Mikl Thor has some seriously juicy man pecs and that's about the only reason I bought it (re: the shower scene....ROWR!). The other reason? The showdown with "The Devil" at the end of the movie. OMG, it's so bad it's good.
• Fighting Tommy Riley
• Groovie Goolies: The Complete Series
Comments: *See Greg the Bunny
• Nacho Libre
• Beetlejuice
Comments: I have been meaning to buy this DVD for sooooooo long. Recently found it for $5. Woot!
• Walt Disney Treasures: Mickey Mouse in Black and White ()
• The Addams Family: Volume 1

mOlé!

2006-10-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

Today I'm going to have a couple of small moles removed from my face. I'm dreading it like you wouldn't believe. Cosmetically, they don't bother me, but my mom has been at me for years to get them removed (i.e. after my dad's Cancer diagnosis a few years ago, to be exact).

I have one near the top of my left eyebrow. Personally, I've never thought twice about it until my mom started harping on it. The plastic surgeon says that since the mole is "clear" (i.e. devoid of pigment) she's not concerned about it. The removal will leave a scar, but I don't really care. The mole is a few centimeters in diameter, but since it's so deep, the incision is larger.

The other mole is smaller and in the lower part of my right sideburn. Now THIS one I don't mind having removed since it's been decapitated on more than one occasion by the various overzealous (not to mention horrified) barber over the years. However, this mole does have pigment, so I'm hoping the biopsy comes back negative.

Since the moles are too deep to be frozen/burned off at the dermatologist's office, he referred me to the plastic surgeon who will be doing the procedure in her office. *Shudder* I'm not so worried about the pain of them being cut out, as much as I am of getting stitches in them both. I've never had stitches and I've always dreaded the day I'd ever have to have them. For me though, it's not so much the needle routine as much as it's the sticky sound the rubber gloves & blood will make. I saw that once in a movie and it's haunted me ever since.

So, wish me luck. I promise not to cry...much. My new code name will be 'Scarface.' LOL! sigh

P.s. If possible, I'll try and get 'Before/After' pictures, for posterity.

P.s.s. Thankfully, my insurance is going to cover this or I might be trying this...which costs more with shipping than my copay.

Retro Interiors

2006-10-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

Having just purchased Better Homes and Gardens 1971 book Decorating Ideas Under $100, I found so many inspiring interiors that I thought I'd share my favorites with you. I realize that not everyone is a fan of the 70's, but you gotta admit, good design is timeless.

[1] This may seem "cluttered" by today's standards, but I love it. I think it's eclectic, inviting and comfortable-looking. Unlike my aunt's house who, even in the 70's/80's had all the warmth of a rectal thermometer. You never felt completely comfortable at her house because everything was so over-styled and artificial, not to mention everything was from the same "collection" and/or color scheme. I remember the formal living room/dining room was all blues and cremes and light-colored wood, while the informal living room/dining room was all wood and gold colors. I hated it. Give me comfortable any day. It's your home and it should reflect you. My aunt's home said "Pretentious & anal-retentive."

[2] I love all the colors and graphic elements in this room. I esp. love the Peter Max-style pillows.

[3] I thought this was such a great idea. Apparently the upper part of the piece of furniture had been a discarded wine rack at a liquor store which was simply placed on the top of the wood cabinet base. Both pieces were refinished to make a uniform look. I LOVE that the wine rack was repurposed as a book shelf!

[4] I am normally NOT a seashell fan, but I really like the collage/collection of seashells in the simple frames, hung above the couch.

[5] This might induce an epileptic seizure in some people due to it's intense combination of graphics and colors, but I really like it.

[6] Another great idea: This bold door idea is nothing more than 2 posters that have been sprayed with adhesive and attached to the door, then a clear lacquer coat was applied for a protective finish. Great idea.

[7] I just loved the shape of this cabinet and the great orange tiled floor that ties in all the other orange decorative elements. Nice.

[8] I LOVE this "you can make it" lamp idea! Here's what the captain for this photo had to say: You can build this hanging light fixture from a wire fish-keeper. First, remove top and bottom circular traps from keeper and reattach with wire two inches from bottom. Spray-paint mesh black. Make a cylindrical tube of white vinyl-coated lampshade material. Cut material to size, form a tube, and fasten with white glue. Insert tube into keeper. Next, place light socket, with ample white electrical cord, inside of tube and knot cord where it comes out top of tube. At the knot, wire cord in middle of keeper. Cut, sand, and paint an arm of wood, drilling holes at front and back to slip cord through. Ingenious!

[9] I love this colorful modular look. Esp. love the yellow book shelf with the square shelf areas. Simple, but timeless.

[10] I thought this was interesting: A candelabra made from broomstick handles, metal funnels and candles. Neat!

[11] I LOVE green and black together. I also really love those little plantation shutters. They never go out of style and let you control the light. LOVE this room.

The End of an Era

2006-10-24T23:30:00.000-04:00

Well, it looks like the Fossil Files are officially closed. My next door neighbor, Ms. Fossil passed away at midnight on Tuesday, October 24th. She had a heart attack last Tuesday, but didn't tell anyone until 2 days later. After some prodding, her granddaughter and one of her daughters took her to the hospital where she was placed in the Intensive Care Unit. Two days later her internal organs began to fail and she flatlined once before being revived. She never fully recovered.

I realize I blogged about the negative aspect of our relationship or whatever you wanna call it, however I know I'll come to miss the annual poinsettia appearing on my doorstep come Christmastime and the varying potted flowers that appeared in the Spring. I'll miss looking out the window and seeing her clothes hanging on the clothesline, the white car parked in her driveway and just having someone I know in this town. It's all gone now.

Services are this Friday. I haven't decided if I want to go now or pay my respects later. I haven't been to a funeral in almost 2 decades and I'm not sure I want to start now. I'll have to think about it.

R.I.P. Ms. Fossil.

Bite Me

2006-10-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

[ Click image for more detail ]

Mooch

2006-10-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

Late Saturday night (11...11:30PM), I make a run to the grocery store for a few things. As I pull into my parking space, I illuminate a guy in his late 20's/early 30's, talking to a little black boy, about 8 or 9 years old, near the guy's car. Since the older guy is looking so intense, but not angry, whilst talking to the little boy, I wonder what's up.

As I get out of the car, the older guy immediately approaches me and asks if I have a cellphone. I think "Oh boy, what did I just walk into?" Then the guy says, in a concerned tone of voice, "His parents locked him out of the house and he can't get back inside. He just asked me for 50¢ so he could buy a Coke." I say "Oh. Sure, just a sec," and I get back in the car and retrieve my cellphone. With a raised eyebrow, I offer it to the kid, asking "What's the phone number?"

Before this story gets too far ahead of itself, let me clue you into a few things: [1] There are apartments & condos within walking distance of the grocery store's/shopping center's huge parking lot. [2] The weather had turned chilly that night, in the mid 40's. [3] I'd seen this kid before and he knew it. The whole 50¢ thing is what tipped me off.

The little boy starts to back away from the both of us, in the direction of the apartments, telling us that "It's okay," while the older guy, obviously concerned, says "No man, it's not okay. It's cold out here," then turning to me to say "We gotta call the police or something. He says his parents locked him out. That's just not right." By this time, the kid is halfway across the parking lot, probably thinking what suckers we are, or how he just got caught in a LIE.

I turn to the guy, who is adorably cute & clueless, and tell him not to worry, that the kid isn't locked out and that he does this shit all the time, apparently, day or night. It's his schtick. I've seen him before, usually during the day, and he waits outside the exit and asks people if they have 50¢. The guy, obviously still disturbed by the fact that alleged little boy + locked out + cold weather= bad, is still missing the big picture. He says "You think his parents get him to do it?" then follows up with "I tried to get him to go inside with me, so we could tell the manager (of the grocery store), but he didn't want to do that." I say "Yeah, and if he was really locked out, he would have been more receptive to getting help. Notice how he's retreated, quite quickly once things started to get complicated. Trust me, he's not locked out. He does this all the time." The poor guy is obviously still somewhat bothered by the whole 'locked out' scenario, but he listens to reason and thanks me for clueing him in. I say "Sure, no problem," and head for the store entrance.

First off, emotionally, I'm all over the map when it comes to this situation. First off, it royally PISSES ME OFF that the little scumbag is lying to people to bilk them out of their money, however small the amount. It's not cute, it's not harmless and it sets a precedent. Secondly, it renews my faith in humanity when I see people like the nice guy, who still genuinely want to help out a stranger. And third, it also makes me really sad that because of fuckups like this con-artist kid, people like me are cynical and skeptical.

It's shit like this (combined with other negative experiences with panhandlers) that have molded me into the skeptic that I am today. I am a homeless (Allegedly. They could just be lazy, for all I know) person/panhandler MAGNET. I swear to God, I could be in a crowd of 50 people and they'd hone in on me like they had radar installed. Here's just some of my experiences with the lowlives:

[1] Having read a heart-warming Dear Abby column recently, as to what to do when homeless people ask for money, Abby suggested that instead of giving them money (for those that just use it to buy more alcohol), to buy them a meal at a nearby fast food establishment.

Ever the ideological moron, I did this one day after being approached at a stop light by a homeless man. I drove down the street and bought him a hamburger combo at a Wendy's, drove back and gave it to him. Instead of gratitude, I was met with "I don't like lettuce/tomatoes/Coke, etc." while rummaging through the bag. I drove away feeling foolish and vowing to never again fall for the 'routine,' instead opting to just give anyone/everyone a blanket "No."

Of course, being a sympathetic idiot, I have sense given some truly needy/appreciative people some change and they have indeed gone and bought food with it. Not to get all Jesuslicious, but it's like that old saying "There but for the grace of God go I." I'm not sure what all the theological implications of that saying are, but for me, I interpret as "It could be me."

[2] Having just got in my car, still sitting in the parking lot of the sub shop I just came out of, I was in the process of putting my seatbelt on when I hear someone tapping on my driver-side window. First off, it scared the shit outta me and secondly, when I looked up and saw that it was some panhandler guy, I just shook my head and said "No." Forever the creative liar, he's quick to say "No, I just wanted to ask you where the bus stop is," in a tone that says 'Geez, you're paranoid.' I point to the bench 10 paces DIRECTLY BEHIND HIM and think "Whatever, dick. You fuckin' liar. You got pegged correctly the first time and that's your quick 'damage control'-routine." I just hate people...most of the time, but not always.

So, in the end I'll probably get conked on the head by some homicidal loser, because I let them approach me because I was too worried I'd appear 'paranoid' if I hurried to my car and locked the door instead of hearing what they have to say. Oh, and BTW, I've stopped feeling guilty about locking my door when someone is nearby and I'm sitting in the parking lot, at a stop light, etc. I used to feel guilty if the person happened to be black or Hispanic or whatever, but you know what? It's not a minority thing, it's an EVERYONE thing, so if the person feels like "That's racist," fuck them. I'm an equal opportunity distruster (it's a word!), so there. Deal with it...or don't.

Mancandy

2006-10-20T14:00:00.000-04:00

While reading up on the remake of the 1978 made-for-TV movie The Initiation of Sarah, I recognized the face of one of the actors in the movie: Ben Ziff (whatta name!). I could've sworn I'd seen him before, but I couldn't put my finger on where or when. I distinctly remember his face (God, he's hot, just look at that mouth! Kissable.) because even then I thought he was so cute. Well, after doing a little sleuthing, it turns out I have seen him before. He was one of the eager interns in a batch of Dell computer commercials (remember those?). The whole "intern" angle was the new ad campaign that replaced the "You are sooo getting a Dell"-dude, since he was arrested for buying pot from an undercover policeman (narc!).

Annnyway, Ben is going to be in the remake of The Initiation of Sarah, whic premieres on the ABC Family 13 Nights of Halloween this Sunday at 7PM (check local listings for time and channel). As you know, I'm not a huge fan of remakes, but I am a sucker for teens (or at least people portraying teens) in danger movies. Plus, I can never resist a teen movie where telekinesis, witchcraft or bloodshed is on the menu. PLUS, you gotta love the fact that Morgan Fairchild is reprising her ORIGINAL ROLE as one of the house mothers for the sorority (at least from what I've been able to surmise). It never ceases to amaze me she's knock knock knockin' on 60's door. I swear she made a pact with the Devil.

A Message From Kirkkitsch...and Kotex

2006-10-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

[ Click to enlarge ]

Velox

2006-10-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

A few years ago I was commissioned to sell an antique pre-Holocaust photo album that had originally been the property of an affluent Jewish family. Before I sold it, I was given permission to choose whatever photos I wanted from the album before it was sold. I put them in a 'safe place' (so safe, that I forgot where they were...I do that a lot) and just recently 'discovered' them all over again. I just love them and thought I would share them with you. *BTW, 'Velox' is the brand of photo paper (A Kodak brand) used.

[ Click image for more detail ]

Crosswalks: Society's Mind Bogglers

2006-10-18T03:04:00.000-04:00

Where I live there are 3 main streets that run parallel to each other: Collins, Cooper and Bowen. I often take Bowen because it bypasses the throng of idiots I'd run into over on Cooper. You know, all those people who love shopping at the mall, sharing their kickass bass their car stereo has to offer and getting moist over the mere mention of The Olive Garden ("They have the best breadsticks!"). You know the types.

Half way down Bowen, there is an elementary school. It's not literally off the side street, but it's somewhat nearby. So, I'm (as well as 4 other vehicles; 2 in front, two in back of me) in the ONE lane to turn left and I see this huge procession of children being led by alleged adults, across the street I want to turn onto...but we can't because these retards in charge of school children are allowing them to continually stream across the street even though the crosswalk sign says otherwise. And they continue...and continue...and continue. While these morons let what seems like a neverending procession of children cross the street, the rest of us are (Myself and the others behind me, coming from the north that want to turn left + the line of vehicles coming from the south, waiting to turn right) left to sit through not 1 but THREE traffic light changes. WTF is wrong with people? I'm all for patience, within reason, but this borders on retarded.

*At this point not even half the kids have finished crossing the street yet.

Later that day, yet another crosswalk sign manages to elude some dumbasse's realm of perception, when I'm stopped at a corner, waiting to turn right and he's stopped ON the corner, on his bicycle. The light turns green for me to cross. I check the crosswalk sign (because I'm paranoid I'm gonna turn, thinking I have the right-of-way, and run over someone's ass), it has the RED hand that means STOP/DON'T CROSS, so I start to turn and the fucktard on the bike slowly rides out in front of me. I throw on my breaks in order not to hit the moron, throwing all the stuff in the seat, into the floorboard. Unfortunately, it never dawns on me, until after the fact, that I should have laid on the horn, not that'd it matter. I'm sure he'll go on to do it again somewhere else.

Also, at what point did people stop hurriedly getting their ass across the street, even when they have the right-of-way? I swear the kids at the school zones deliberately walk slow, whether it be elementary-high school. And don't even get me started on the dumb motherfuckers who saunter across your path in shopping centers. Taking their time, talking on the cellphone, everything short of reading a book. I never assume just because I have the right-of-way as a pedestrian, that when I go to cross traffic in a shopping center parking lot, that people are automatically going to stop for my ass. Personally, I think the whole sue-happy culture we live in these days has contributed to this dumb shit (re: people sauntering out in front of cars). I can't tell you how many times I've had people take their sweet fuckin' time crossing in front of me. There are times when I wanna pull a Halle Berry on their ass, but you know anyone who isn't a celebrity, wouldn't be gettin' no "200 hours of community service" and a slap on the wrist. Must be nice to be above the law. Whatever.

It's Comin'!

2006-10-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

24/7

2006-10-16T06:00:00.000-04:00

While scouring the Internet for images for my archives, I stumbled upon some of the new calendars for 2007. Here are just a few of my favorites. Man, James Dean sure was good lookin'. DAMN! He'll forever be on my list of 'Perfect Men' (sans the whole 'aversion to bathing' thing). Now if there were only a Johnny Knoxville or Vince Vaughn calendar...

Teen Questioned for Online Bush "Threats"

2006-10-15T17:00:00.000-04:00

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)- Upset by the war in Iraq , Julia Wilson vented her frustrations with President Bush last spring on her Web page on MySpace.com. She posted a picture of the president, scrawled "Kill Bush" across the top and drew a dagger stabbing his outstretched hand. She later replaced her page on the social-networking site after learning in her eighth-grade history class that such threats are a federal offense. It was too late.

The 14-year-old freshman was taken out of class Wednesday and questioned for about 15 minutes by two Secret Service agents. The incident has upset her parents, who said the agents should have included them when they questioned their daughter.

"I wasn‘t dangerous. I mean, look at what‘s (stenciled) on my backpack — it‘s a heart. I‘m a very peace-loving person," said Wilson, an honor student who describes herself as politically passionate. "I‘m against the war in Iraq. I‘m not going to kill the president."

After they left, Kirstie Wilson sent a text message to her daughter‘s cell phone, telling her to come straight home: "There are two men from the secret service that want to talk with you. Apparently you made some death threats against president bush." Moments later, Kirstie Wilson received another text message from her daughter saying agents had pulled her out of class. "They yelled at me a lot," she said. "They were unnecessarily mean."

Wilson and her parents said the agents were justified in questioning her over her MySpace.com posting. But they said they believe agents went too far by not waiting until she was out of school.

Assistant Principal Paul Belluomini said the agents gave him the impression the girl‘s mother knew they were planning to question her daughter at school. There is no legal requirement that parents be notified.

"This has been an ongoing problem," said Ann Brick, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union in San Francisco.

Former Govs. Pete Wilson and Gray Davis vetoed bills that would have required that parents give consent or be present when their children are questioned at school by law enforcement officers. A similar bill this year cleared the state Senate but died in the Assembly.

Do Secret Service agents really have this much free time on their hands? Where will they strike next, roughing up some disgruntled elementary school kids who refuse to recite the Pledge of Allegiance? Gimme a break. Talk about a waste of resources. Ridiculous what passes for "news" these days.

Bottled Water

2006-10-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

When I'm out and about and it's hot outside, I notice that I usually reach for water instead of a soft drink. I think it's because it's not as heavy, not necessarily because I'm all about health, health, health (I still drink Coke With Lime and Tab like a fiend). Most bottled waters have a plastic aftertaste that I find very distinctive, though most people have no idea what I mean when I say that. Here's my top 3 bottled water favorites. BTW, I'm almost certain that Fiji's deliciousness has a lot to do with the shape of their bottle...as weird as that may sound.

*Note: I realize this is a lame post, but I have lotsa stuff to do today, so it'll have to do. Also, I know it may sound pretentious to be talking about bottled water, esp. since, growing up in the 80's I never thought I'd be paying for a bottle of WATER. Funny how things change.

Man Ray

2006-10-13T05:59:00.000-04:00

As I blogged about on Wednesday, here is my favorite photo from the Time-Life book, Photography Year 1974. Now you know this had to be the influence for the NIN's 'Closer' video and/or Madonna's 'Erotica' video. The photographer's name is Man Ray. To see more of his photography, click here.

Spooky! Spooky!

2006-10-12T22:00:00.000-04:00

I received this flyer in the mail today. I loved it so much, I just had to share it with you. I've always thought the Little Caesar's character was cute and seeing him as The Wolf Man, The Mummy, Frankenstein and Dracula have forever earned him a place in my pop culture archives. Sweet!

Candy Leaves a Bad Taste in Your Mouth

2006-10-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

WARNING: This review may contain spoilers for the film Hard Candy. If you have not seen the film and/or intend to, please disregard today's post.

It's at times like this that I wish I more eloquent. Here's hoping you 'get' where I'm coming from and if not, well, I guess I'll have to live with it. Whatever the case, last weekend I rented the movie, Hard Candy. I chose its' movie poster as one of my favorites in a previous post, along with some others and having seen the trailer, I was looking forward to seeing the movie.

For those who may not be familiar with the Lions Gate film, here's a brief synopsis, courtesy of the IMDB: A mature 14-year old girl meets a charming 32-year old photographer on the Internet. Suspecting that he is a pedophile, she goes to his home in an attempt to expose him.

First the pros:
- The movie is visually beautiful. I thought the overall look of the film was consistently great. It didn't get too gimmicky with the editing and gave the film a foreboding feel.
- The acting was top notch. I felt like the characters were relatively plausible and well-acted without being over the top or hammy, an all too easy pitfall with these type of suspense thrillers.
- As I mentioned earlier, the poster art is excellent. Conveys the message of the film perfectly while leaving the interpretation to your imagination. A-1.
- The subject matter, though "controversial" was unsettling on multiple levels, as well as the characters motives, etc.

Now the cons:
- Before I even saw the film, I already didn't like the actress who played 14-year-old "Hayley." Her androgynous, pie-eyed emo demeanor didn't fool me for one second. I'm not saying that you had to be a rocket scientist to conclude that she was somehow going to be the antagonist of the film (depending on your perspective), I'm just saying that the wide-eyed bookworm routine didn't fool me. She was acting way too naive and initiating way too much "bad" behavior, to be plausible. Plus, I wanted to punch her in the face really really hard.
- So many things left me with questions:
[1] When Hayley eventually discovers the hidden photos and declares "This is officially sick," I wonder whose definition of "sick" she's using. She's 14 years old for Pete's sake. She not my first choice for defining what's "sick."
[2] When Hayley says (paraphrasing here) "Just because girls can imitate being a woman doesn't mean they should do what women do." Um, then why would they be taking on these mannerisms to begin with? It's called being a 'cock tease.' Play with fire and you're bound to get burned eventually. This isn't a thumbs up to pedophilia, but you have to be realistic with the whole "child" angle today. More about that later in the post.

Reading multiple, MULTIPLE reviews on IMDB, which isn't saying much, considering the general age and what constitutes "good cinema" these days, I realize that what I'm about to say next probably won't be a popular viewpoint, but I don't really care. I have to get it off my chest, so it won't be bouncing around in my brain, left to stagnate and fester over time.:

I didn't like the movie. Though pedophilia creeps me out (not to mention, baffles me as to how having sex with a child is "sexy"...ech), not to mention being amoral, the film failed in getting me to side with the so-called "child/victim" in the movie's scenario. Instead, it just made me angry, like most topics that already have a built-in standard audience response. Looking over the reviews, it's obvious that it's much more popular to say "He got what he deserved" than to question the motivation behind the person who instigated "it" because they're considered a "child" according to the law, therefore the law is on their side. And should you question that, then you're considered "bad" or somehow morally corrupt for daring to question the integrity/motivations of a "child."

Whether we want to admit it or not, all children are not the innocent, cherubs we portray them as. And when I say "children," I'm referring to anyone old enough to initiate sexual behavior, however ill-conceived, etc. Which brings me to the whole "victim" card parents and their "children" love to toss out there anytime something happens because they (the parents) failed to do their job. Prime example: This post from earlier this year. Another, more current example, is the whole MySpace debacle. As you may or may not be aware, online predators didn't exist until MySpace was conceived (can you taste the sarcasm?). Back in May of this year a 13 year-old girl (she told him she was 18) ran off with a man she met on the Internet. The man was 25 years-old and did not sexually molest her (miracle of miracles), but was initially held in jail. And this is just ONE of many stories (*Google 'myspace teen rape' for more) about children being preyed upon by big bad adults. Of course, no one seems to want to talk about that fact that a lot of these "children" take provocative pictures of themselves and blatantly misrepresent themselves in their online profiles. Apparently men that talk to them or are targeted by them, are supposed to utilize their psychic powers to determine if the person he's talking to is legal or not.

And this is the kind of fine line-type shit I'm talking about. Granted, in the film, the male character DID know he was meeting a 14 year old and obviously had a whole "routine" for luring in young girls, you also have to take into consideration that these "children" are intentionally seeking older men out (or in the case of the movie, not to mention numerous episodes of Dateline, are baiting these men under the guise of vigilante "justice"). Sorry, I'm not buying it. Say what you will, two wrongs do not make a right. And that, my friends is the movie in a nutshell. Hard Candy is one of those movies you will either love or you'll hate. There doesn't seem to be much room for anything else.

*Note: And for anyone who thinks the whole online 'child as prey' thing is strictly a girl thing only, think again. I've popped into AOL's 'Town Square' chat rooms (a generic chat room for anyone, but mostly frequented by straight guys and gals) from time to time and it's been overwhelmingly underage MALES who seem to be trolling for girls, aging anywhere from 13 to 17. Go figure.

Misc. Book Purchases

2006-10-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

• Zabar's Deli Book by Susan Katz © 1979
Comments: This is SUCH a great-looking book. The images inside are collages composed of old woodcut clipart and are very reminiscent of some collages in one of my woodcut clipart books, done by one of my all-time favorite Surrealist artist, Max Ernst. A must-have for anyone who's a fan of New York and it's pop cultural history.
• Kitsch: The World of Bad Taste by Gillo Dorfles © 1969
Comments: I went to an estate sale a few weeks ago and was shocked to see this book on one of the bookshelves, compared to the rest of the home's contents. I don't really believe in kismet, but this purchase seemed like it was meant to be. I hope the previous owner knows it went to someone who will appreciate it. This is one of those books that I've been wanting for some time.
• The Muppet Movie by Steven Crist © 1979
Comments: I have fond memories of this movie. It was and still is one of my all-time favorites. I remember seeing it multiple, multiple times in the theater and also fondly remember pestering my mom to buy Cheerios, who, at the time, had Muppet Movie trading cards on the back of the box. It was a real hard sell, considering I didn't even like the cereal (at the time) and only wanted the box so I could cut out the cards on the back.
• Boy Scouts of America: Lifesaving © 1971
Comments: The illustrations and photographs in these little BSoA books were so wonderfully kitschy that I had to buy them. The weird thing is, I found them at completely different places at different times, yet they're from the same time period. Weird.
• Boy Scouts of America: Safety © 1971
• Gods & Goddesses of the Movies by John Kobal © 1974
• Werewolf! by Bill Pronzini © 1979
Comments: Just in time for Halloween!
• Am I a Good Lover? The Answer Is in the Palm of Your Hand © 1981
Comments: C'mon, I HAD to buy this! It's just too deliciously cheesy. I felt like I should be sportinging a leisure suit and some shellacked hair a la the cast of Ron Burgundy.
• Photography Year 1974 by Time Life Books © 1974
Comments: This book was in the Clearance section at Half Price Books for just $1!! It is FILLED with tons of beautiful images, both B&W and color. I bought it for the photographs of Man Ray, one in particular, which I'll be posting later. A dynamite book of photography!
• How to Star in Swimming and Diving by Charles Batterman © 1968
Comments: Again, I was sold the minute I got a load of the cheesy B&W photographs, illustrating the various diving techniques. Fun stuff.
• Masters of the Universe Play Pad
• Patter for Standard Tricks by Robert Orben © 1950
Comments: After seeing the cover for this little booklet, combined with my love of vintage magician imagery, I had to get this booklet.
• Easter Kitten by Janet Konkle © 1955
Comments: I found this old ex-library book at a, what I lovingly call a 'junk store', but the merchant prefers the term 'collectibles shoppe.' Whatever the case, this book was too cute not to get. All the images inside are actual B&W photos of a kitten, a duckling and an Easter egg. Adorable!
• The Old Darnman by Charles L Goodell © 1906
• Hollywood Album 2: Lives and Deaths of Hollywood Stars From the Pages of The New York Times © 1979
• Dear Teen-Ager by Abigail Van Buren ("Dear Abby") © 1959
• Pillowtime Tales by Marion K. DeGroot © 1944
• A Study of the Junior Child by Theodora Whitley © 1923
Comments: Though not illustrated, this book is filled with lots of charming "old school" information. Unintentionally funny in this day and age. Perhaps I'll print some excerpts from it later.
• Orson Welles: The Rise and Fall of An American Genius by Charles Higham © 1985
Comments: I know Cheryl over at Blog, Tarsier, Blog! will want this one, if she doesn't already own it. And if not, luckily, she can get a copy WITH dustjacket (and what a great dustjacket) for $2 over at Half.com! Can't wait to start reading it. BTW, there are plenty of nice B&W images inside too!
• The Yuppie Handbook by Marissa Piesman and Marilee Hartley © 1984
Comments: My 'Handbook' collection may be nearing completion. I now have the Preppie Handbook, the Hoser Handbook, the Jewish American Princess Handbook and the J.A.P. Handbook (they're different books, same concept).
• Mel Brooks' High Anxiety by Robert H. Pilpel © 1978
Comments: My friend Nathan got this book for me and I love it. I didn't even know it existed! I also recently bought the DVD, so now I can celebrate my love of this movie in just about every medium.
• Do You Remember Pong, 8-Track, and Betamax? by Michael Gitter © 2005
Comments: My friend Terri sent me this book and I LOVE it. It chock-full of images and text about everything pop culture circa the 70's and 80's. Sigh...perfect.
• Personal and Community Health by C.E. Turner © 1963
Comments: Filled with great kitschy B&W images!
• Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Ideas Under $100 © 1971
Comments: Oh man, I LOVE this book. I will definitely be posting images from this book in more detail later. Good stuff!

And the Winner (Finally!) is...

2006-10-10T18:30:00.000-04:00

Back in August, I posted a contest for a copy of one of the books I was reading at the time, The Revenge of Kali-Ra by KK Beck. Well, like an idiot, I got sidetracked (it doesn't take much these days) and completely forgot to do the drawing for a winner. I did the drawing last night and the winner is Haley. If you're still out there Haley, send me your shipping address info and I'll get the book out to you ASAP.

Thanks to all that took the time to enter and I sincerely apologize for the delay. And if you didn't win this time, don't sweat it. There will be more drawings in the future. I promise! :)

Where the Kisses are Hers and Hers and His...

2006-10-10T06:00:00.000-04:00

One week ago today, the 8th and final season of Three's Company was released to DVD. Season 8 is contained on 4 discs, along with multiple featurettes, bloopers and more. The great thing about the set is that it's priced under $20 ($12.99 NEW at Half.com)! How cool is that?! And that's not just a New Release price, like some other boxsets I've bought, whose price skyrockets after the first week of release, but a SET price. Very affordable.

Having watched all the episodes, I was pleasantly surprised to see that so many of them were favorites of mine. To be honest, after 8 years and multiple cast changes, some of the seasons kind of run together. Plus the fact that TVLand doesn't air them consecutively, doesn't help. LOL! I've since learned to pay attention to Janet and Terri's hair, to help in my mental timeline. Janet discovered some major black eyeliner and rouge in season 8 and Terri dumped the Supermodel makeup and cut her hair. Voila! Welcome to season 8!

So anyway, I digress. Some of my favorite episodes took place during Season 8: Grandma Jack (Jack dresses up as a woman to win the prize money for a baking contest...for women only), She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not (Larry & Jack find a quiz in a magazine, convincing them that either Janet or Terri wants to have an affair with Jack, so they take them to a mountain retreat to find out which one it is), Itching for Trouble (Jack's former high school crush is married to an extremely jealous schoolmate. Jack ends up in the bushes with his crush and both contract a severe case of poison ivy, but Jack can't let the husband know) and even one that I'd never seen the entire episode of, Jack's Tattoo (Jack goes into the hospital to have a tattoo removed from his butt {a heart that says "The Love Butt"}, but Mr. Furley thinks he's going in for a sex change and Janet thinks he's going in for a vasectomy). Plus, lots more!

The great thing about the series is that the storylines were almost always funny and imaginative (I say almost because, I, not unlike Joyce DeWitt, hated the rarely-seen in reruns episode where Janet dons a blonde wig and her personality changes...for the worse). The final season was no exception, with great episodes right up until the season finale, which, personally, felt rushed and half-assed. But, then you have to factor in the fact that behind the scenes, the cast was at odds with the fact that John Ritter was secretly negotiating a spinoff for himself, called Three's a Crowd (horrible!). Overall, though, season 8 doesn't fail to deliver the goods. A must buy and at under twenty dollars, there's no reason not to!

Now here's hoping that Anchor Bay releases The Ropers spinoff series to DVD. A completely underrated spinoff that should have lasted more than one season. Norman Fell and Audra Lindley (AKA "The Ropers"), and even Jeffrey Tambor, were great characters with lots of potential. I loved the show and it saddened me that it had such a short (but sweet) shelf life. The network should have given it more of a chance. Shame on them!

Cookbook Purchases

2006-10-09T18:00:00.000-04:00

As you may or may not know, I have a weakness for retro recipe books and booklets. Feel free to check out my retro recipe blog, Jam Handy!

• Better Homes and Gardens Favorite Ways With Chicken Turkey, Duck and Game Birds © 1968
• Better Homes & Gardens Barbecue Book © 1959
• Better Homes and Gardens Snacks and Appetizers © 1974
• Better Homes and Gardens Encyclopedia of Cooking: Volume 3: Special Edition © 1973
• Better Homes & Gardens Dessert Cook Book © 1967
• Better Homes and Gardens Casserole Cook Book © 1967
• The American Home's Meals in Minutes © 1964
• The Finishing Touch: General Foods Kitchens
• The Cookie Jar Cookbook © 1991
• Jimmy Dean's Best Sausage Recipes © 1973
• Better Homes and Gardens Meat Stretcher Cook Book © 1974
• June Roth's Fast and Fancy Cookbook © 1969
• Cookie Time © 1992
• The Tupperware Book of Picnics Parties & Snacks © 1967
• McCall's Cooking School © 1976

Former Angel Battles Cancer

2006-10-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

Los Angeles - Farrah Fawcett has undergone surgery to treat cancer. The 59-year-old star of the original 'Charlie's Angels' TV series appeared to be glowing with health at the Emmy awards five weeks ago but has since had an operation to remove a tumor from her lower intestine. The tumor has been described as "the size of two strawberries" and she now faces a gruelling course of chemotherapy treatment to overcome the potentially fatal disease.

A friend said: "Farrah faces hell but she's determined to be tough. She's told everyone around her, 'Look I've stopped crying, now you stop too.'"

Yesterday (10.04.06) Fawcett put on a brave face as she walked to her gym, in Los Angeles, but she looked exhausted and unwell.

While the actress dazzled at the Emmys with her 'Charlie's Angels' co-stars she was bravely hiding her illness.

A family friend said: "Though she looked magnificent at the ceremony, Farrah had been feeling faint, suffering abdominal pain and having cold sweats for two months."

Fawcett has now moved back in with her ex Ryan O'Neal, who has had Leukemia himself. O'Neal cancelled a film shoot to look after Fawcett and accompanied her to the UCLA Medical Center where she had radiation treatment to shrink the tumor.

Paperback Purchases

2006-10-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

As promised, here is the first installment of my recent book purchases. First, the paperbacks:

• Strange Fruit by Lllian Smith © 1948
• The End of the Night by John D. MacDonald © 1961
• A History of Shadows by Robert C. Reinhart © 1982
Comments: Love those cheesy 'dramatic' gay novels
• The Lodger by Mrs. Belloc Lowndes © 1941
• Rumble Fish by S.E. Hinton © 1977
• The Catch Trap by Marion Zimmer Bradley © 1980
Comments: Another early gay novel. I think I may have this one, but with a different cover.
• The Cheap Detective by Robert Grossbach © 1978
• Phone Call by Jon Messman © 1979
• Reply Paid by H.F. Heard © 1942
Comments: LOVE this cover. It's so ahead of its' time. The cover is so modern and the book is in such good condition, I was shocked that it was printed in 1942.
• Barnabas Collins In a Funny Vein © 1969
Comments: Vampire jokes. You know I had to pick this up.
• Selections From Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book © 1983
• Flash Gordon: The Ice Monster by Al Williamson © 1968
• The Sky Block by Steve Frazee © 1958
Comments: Another great cover. I am such a sucker for a great bookcover.
• Marye Dahnke's Salad Book by Marye Dahnke © 1961
• Mystery of the Witches' Bridge by Barbee Oliver Carleton © 1969
• The Voodoo MAD © 1963

Dreamy

2006-10-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

Carpe Cart

2006-10-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

Though Halloween is weeks away, here's a brief little story that happened to me last October.

About a month ago, I was talking with one of my friends about various random things, as usual, and somehow we got on the topic of "ghosts." She happens to believe in them, I'm more of a skeptic. One of those "I'll believe it when I see it"-types. So, in the process of telling her something weird that happened to me last October at the local Joann Fabrics, she flipped out because she used to work at that same store and something weird happened to her there as well, but neither of us had ever told each other about it.

First, her story: She said that one night while she was closing with another girl, that there was no one else in the store. The girl she was working with was doing things in the actual store, while she (a manager at the time) was in the back (the store and the storage/office area is separated by a door located at the back of the store) doing the closing paperwork. While the whirring and clicking and clacking of the adding machine was going on, she heard the giggle of a little girl, as if she were running around with someone else, playing tag or hide-and-seek. She initially didn't think anything of it, assuming some kids were still in the store (you know how observant parents are these days), so she got up to go tell them that the store was closed and it was time to leave.

When she got up to go tell them to leave, she didn't find anyone, so she went out into the store and asked the girl she was working with if she'd seen/heard anything. She girl hadn't, so my friend got on the intercom and announced that the store was closed, assuming whoever was still lingering around would come forward. When no one did, she went back to the office to finish her paperwork. She heard the laughter of a little girl again, and this time she was pissed. She got up and went out into the storage area of the store, turned on all the lights and made a thorough search. Nothing. She was starting to get more than a little nervous, so this time she went and got the other girl she was working with, told her to leave what she was doing and come sit in the office while she finished the paperwork.

Once back in the office, she told the employee what she'd heard and asked her if she was sure she didn't hear it. She hadn't. The girls were began getting scared and my friend went back to her paperwork, determined to get it done as quickly as possible and get the hell outta dodge. That's when they both heard it...again. A little girl's giggle-y laughter. They both just sat there, frozen. That's when they both said "Fuck this. I am OUTTA here!" They got their stuff together, left the store, locked the door and went home.

Now for my story: This is the story I had told my friend that spurred her to share her story with me. She was shocked when I told her because no one believed her when she told them what happened that night. Neither of us had known about the other's experience, so I think that's what she found so shocking. I really hadn't given my 'experience' much thought until I heard her story, so it all came together in an interesting way.

One afternoon last October, I was at Joann's Fabrics, browsing their Halloween decorations. On one of the aisles there sat a big, metal cart, unattended, loaded with the paper that they use to wrap the customer's fragile items in (ceramic, glass, etc.). As I stood looking at the decorations, the cart ever so slowly moved towards me. I didn't think much of it at the time and pretty much ignored it...until it did it again. This time the top piece of paper sort of ruffled ever so lightly, as if a gust of wind had made it flitter. I looked around to see if anyone else had seen it, but no one else was nearby. The closest person was over in the fabric department, at the other end of the store. I just stood there smiling, thinking "weird!" and decided to take a picture, to blog about it later.

Well, I recently ran across the picture and that's what prompted me to tell my friend about my "moving" experience. I'd thought I'd deleted it LONG ago, but there it was on my desktop, in my "Digital Pix" folder.

She later told me that the few carts they did have, were relics. All made from this really heavy metal and all having those ridiculously bad wheels (think of the lone cart at the grocery store that you inevitably pick, that's a total lemon), which made them frustrating, if not nearly impossible, at times, to maneuver. Strange.

*Note: This didn't really have any significance to be before, but if you look directly at the end of the aisle, that's the door that goes into the back storage/office area.

Shenanigans

2006-10-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

This weekend I went to The Magic Time Machine in Dallas, with some friends. For those not familiar with TMTM, read my previous post or go here.

When we arrived, the place was packed and we were told there was a 30 minute wait, which was nowhere near as long as we'd anticipated, so we took our little pager disc and went upstairs to the arcade/disco/bar to kill some time. Upstairs it was like 150º and we were all about to die of heatstroke. Thankfully, we discovered some video game where you shoot zombies (Area 51) and the heat ceased to matter anymore. Man, it was really fun, and I normally don't even attempt to sway from anything that doesn't remotely resemble a video game from the 80's because usually they're too complex for my little brain to handle, but Area 51 was a blast! Plus, I'm a good shot.

Thirty five minutes later, we were seated by Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and our waitress, Wonder Woman came by with menus and asked if we'd be starting with drinks and/or appetizers. I ordered a Poison Apple (apple martini) and some Mozzarella sticks. The waitress asked us if we were celebrating anything special and we all fell silent. I did NOT want any birthday fanfare, especially here, where loud and embarassing are king. Then when someone said "it's his birthday" it began. She asked what my name was and someone said "Molly. Molly Ringwald," so from there on out I was referred to as 'Molly' by the waitress. Neat. :P Later, I ordered the fried shrimp and two scoops of vanilla ice cream for dessert...which they ended up bringing out with a pink birthday candle in the middle of, while The Mad Hatter, Wonder Woman and Jack Sparrow (I think that's the name of Johnny Depp's character in Pirates of the Caribbean) sang some really loud, obnoxious version of Happy Birthday to me. Lovely. LOL! Actually, I don't embarrass too easily, so I just went with it, but I could have lived without it.

Everyone's meal comes with a trip to the salad bar (an old jalopy converted into a salad bar). As we stood in line, the woman in front of me was desperately trying to conjole some spoiled-ass 10-year old kid. We were all like "WTF?! This bitch has to be convinced to have a good time here?! Gimme a fuckin' break!" This took for fuckin' ever because the girl's lip was dragging the floor (as my parent's would say) and was just soooo "sad." WTF-ever. Meanwhile, there are 8 of us waiting in line for this stupid bitch and her granddaughter to get the fuck outta the way so we can get our goddamn salads. Ridiculous! Once back at the table, we all were on the same wavelength, saying that's like taking your kids to Disneyland and having to convince them to have a good time. Kids suck.

We sat and talked for a while after dinner and everyone was mesmerized by all the activity going on. I felt a little ridiculous, having chosen SUCH a little kid's-style place to have dinner, but I tried not to think about it too much. I thought it'd be fun, but I think the combination of it being SO busy and there being SO many things going on and so many kids running around, made it a bit overwhelming.

The table across from us was being waited on by G.I. Joe and I thought he was a hottie. Keep in mind the place is REALLY dark, so when you don't have your glasses on, everyone looks good. All I know is that he had some nice, veiny biceps and some kind of accent (I think he was Australian or British...the din was pretty loud in the restaurant). He was cute to me, so as we were leaving, I noticed a few people going around taking pictures of various people and things, and he was one of them. He was clearing a table on the way to the exit, and some woman had just asked to take his picture and he was very obliging, so I thought "What the hell, I'll ask too," so I did. My friends were passing by as my flash went off and they all looked at me like "Oh my God." One of them said "Be obvious why don't you" to which I replied "Eh, who cares. He's hot and it's my birthday." LOL. Like I said, I don't embarrass easily.

Recent DVD Purchases

2006-09-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

The Star Wars Trilogy
Comments: With the release of the original Star Wars trilogy (sans the shitacular CGI "special" effects), came a bevy of premiums being offered by just about every large chain store that was selling it: Wal-Mart offered mini reproductions of the Star Wars comic books with each DVD...Circuit City was offering lithographs with each DVD...Fry's Electronics was offering lithograph posters and Best Buy was offering the commemorative tin that contained all three movies. I went with the tin for 2 reasons: [1] It looks so cool! and [2] I need something to hold all my old Star Wars action figures (instead of that old shaving kit box they were sitting in, from the 70's).

I'm not a mondo Star Wars fan, but I do like the movies and, for me, it's more about the memories of the pop culture phenomenon. However, though not a hyperfan, I refused to salivate at the first release, which Lucas claimed was going to be the only release (the late 90's editions with the shitball CGI added). I was content to hold onto my old Star Wars VHS boxset. So, I was happy to see that this set offered the original versions.
Saturday Night Live Halloween
Best of Bowie
The Classic Sci-Fi Ultimate Collection
Comments: This is the Best Buy exclusive I blogged about last weekend.
The Dick Tracy Show: The Complete Series
Dead End
School of Life
Comments: I love Ryan Reynolds to death. Hell, I bought the new Amityville remake on DVD for Christ's sake, so I must like him. However, just because he's dreamy doesn't mean that he doesn't do some shitball movies (Just Friends, Waiting). This was one of those movies. Sure, he looks hot, but there's a reason very few people have even heard of this movies, besides the fact that it was obviously a made for "Family" TV-movie. This movie is as schmaltzy as it gets, people! Wow. Just wow. Here's just a few of the things about this movie that made me cringe:
• The horrible pasted-on head/Photochopped coverart of the DVD
• The fact that the main character is utterly revolting, yet is married to some "hot" chick...yeah, whatever
• The heavy-handed "you never how much time you have," up-with-life plot
• The dialogue. Example: Some "hot" junior high girl for whom the dorky principal's son has a hard-on for, tells him, after his father says something "deep" at lunch: "You're old man's alright." Wha? Yeah, teenage Britney-wannabes, like say that all the time. Oy vey
Haunted Honeymoon
Amityville II: The Possession
Comments: Always loved this movie. Always creeped me out. Plus, the chick from Better Off Dead ("Monique") is in it.
MAC and Me
Comments: OMG, this is one of my guilty-pleasures. One of those so-bad-it's-good movies. This movie SO wants to be the poor-man's E.T.. It's hilarious! Also, big bonus: The DVD contains the original movie trailer with Ronald McDonald. Sooooo bad. A must-have.
Fear Chamber
Shock Treatment
Comments: WARNING: This movie contains extremely addictive musical sequences. You may find yourself singing these songs days, even weeks after just one viewing.
Noel
Comments: Chaz Palminteri's directorial debut. First off, I've always had a thing for Chaz and secondly, I just saw the trailer for this movie and ordered it on Amazon. Apparently it completely tanked at the box office and therefore is super-cheap. Looks good to me, one of those cry-like-a-baby/feel-good movies. I'm ready!
Strange Days
Comments: God, so many actors/actresses that I like are in this movie. I'd almost forgotten about it. I say almost because I'll NEVER forget one of the scenes from the film that scarred me for life: A fight scene where during the process, a glass coffee table top is broken and one of the combatants grabs the other by the hair and rakes his throat against the broken edge of the table. ACK! Aaaaiiiiggghh! Nightmares!
Venom
Comments: YESSS! I finally got to see this damn movie! It's one of those movies that didn't last long at the theater (bad PR) and was ONLY available to rent at Blockbuster, where I refuse to rent...but not refuse to shop at their TENT SALE!! Yes, folks, I got this baby at a tent sale for $4. Sweet. And know what? I liked it!
Son of Samson/Son of Cleopatra
Comments: Mark Forest. 'nuff said. PERFECTION.
Basic Instinct 2
Comments: I was pleasantly surprised by this visually-stunning lil' thriller. Beautiful, BEAUTIFUL looking film, + the suspense is on par as well. Sharon Stone...eh, she's okay. She's trying WAY too hard to be "sinister" though. Hammy.
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth
The Poseidon Adventure
Path of Evil
Comments: OMG, this movie suuuuuuuuucked. It so wants to be Halloween. Stinky. This one's getting traded in.
Good Neighbors: The Complete Series
Comments: I love this show. Penelope Keith can do no wrong. She just can't.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 3
Comments: Finally! I found season 3 [1] Used and [2] For a price I was willing to pay. Can't wait to begin where Season 2 leave off!
Charlie's Angels: Season 1
Comments: I'm addicted. ADDICTED, I tells ya! I love Sabrina.
Home Movies: Season 4

It's My Birfday

2006-09-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

Help yourself to some cake & leave me a comment here or on my Myspace page!

The Many Moods of Kirkkitsch

2006-09-28T05:59:00.000-04:00

Awhile ago, I told my mom that if she would get all her photos together that I would organize them into albums for her. I did mean it, but I assumed, like most things, she'd act excited, say she would, then forget about it. She didn't forget about it. Maybe 3 weeks later, I went home for a visit and she had 3 huge boxes of photos, assorted albums, etc. Yippee.

Anyway, I ran across some old photos of me when I was little and these are the four that made me laugh.

[1] Happy. Some things never change. I still get that expression on my face when I have money in my hands.

[2] Groovy. My Dr. Zhivago phase. Yes, that's an actual purple fur coat and matching hat, and yes, I'm wearing my Pluto footie pajamas with it. I may look like Grimace, but I remember wearing the hell outta that coat. Little did I know that I'd be a trendsetter for the Bling Generation.

[3] Saucy. I'm too sexy for my Big Wheel. Ech. I think this photo was taken when I was in a summer "style show." This also marked the last time I was ever seen without a shirt on. And the world breathes a collective sigh of relief.

[4] Silly. I still do this sometimes. Who doesn't like to play the guitar and sing while sittin' on the pot? And yes, I do take requests.

Get a Rope

2006-09-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

So, for my birthday this year, I decided to buy myself a CD player for the car. I'm not an audiophile nerd, so I just need something that will allow me to listen to CDs in the car. Brand really isn't a factor for me, (as long as it's not Emerson, Sony is a close second, but I digress...) so that wipes out those big names with prices to match that the "sales associates" love to push.

So, having been burned by Circuit City in the past, bad word-of-mouth of Fry's Electronics (not to mention the dumbass quotient is at an all-time high), that left me with Best Buy. They're not my first choice, but I do have a charge card for them, so that's a plus.

I go to check out the newest Best Buy close to where I live (as opposed to the one in South Arlington, AKA Traffic Land). After picking out a DVD I'd been looking for, I begin looking for the car stereo section of the store. I walk around aimlessly for a while before I spot a boggle of bruhs. You know, the big shorts, tank tops, baseball caps, sweet faux-retro T's and facial hair. SWEET! I must be getting close. Sure enough, I spot the "sweet" listening 'pod' that Best Buy has set up (complete with 'futuristic' Millennium Falcon-style chair), obviously made to appeal to the "dudes." I approach and before I can put both feet into the pod, some Best Buy 'bot goes in for the kill, proclaiming "Hey, dude!" I look at him and just blink, laughing on the inside because the straight male stereotypes are just as retarded as the gay male stereotypes. Even more so when they prove to be true. I'm temporarily transported back to the late 80's/early 90's, when Keanu Reeves was making bank with movies like Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Point Break (the last time I heard 'dude' and didn't die a little inside). Cornered, I almost panicked and blurted out "Pussy! I love pussy!" or "Hey, bruh. Workin' hard or hardly workin'? heh heh" (preceded, of course, by the straight guy nod of acknowledgement).

The guy introduces himself (I forgot his SKU #, er I mean name) and asks me mine. I tell him my name is "Barry. Barry Gibb" (he's 12, so he won't know who-the-fuck Barry Gibb is), we shake hands: let the ~~subterfuge~~ bonding begin. He's quick to inform me that he doesn't work on commission, so there's no pressure for me to buy, just to help me have the "best experience possible." My mind whispers "too late" as I raise a skeptical eyebrow and say "So, are you gonna suck it now or later?" He just looks at me, confused. Okaaaay, I really didn't say that, but I was thinking what his expression would have been if I had.

I pick out a system that's the cheapest one there, with the features I want, yet is still more than I want to spend ($100 or less, preferably). He asks me the make/model of my car and then tells me that the stereo I chose is compatible with my vehicle, BUT I will need a $40 adapter kit and something else I forget, but it costs $30. I take the card with the info on the stereo and tell him I'll be back later. BTW, installation is "free" for stereos over $100.

I decide to look online for the stereo, now having the dimensions, features, etc. all neatly printed on the card I took from the display. I check the Best Buy website and find exactly what I want, ON SALE, for $80. That's $60 LESS than the cheapest compatible system at the store. The web site offers a 'feature' that allows you to type in your vehicle information in order to determine if the system you've chosen is compatible with your vehicle. I attempted to use this "helpful" feature several times, but I could never get it to work. I said "eh, fuck it" and ordered the stereo anyway, opting to pick it up at one of the locations here. I figured what's the worst that could happen? If it doesn't fit, I just won't buy it when it arrives. Besides, since both items had practically identical dimensions (give or take 7/8 of an inch), I thought it'd be fine.

Later, I had a friend try the compatibility feature on the site and after a few tries, she got it to work. Naturally, it said that the system I chose was NOT compatible. Feh. I'll believe it when I hear it from the "installation technician." I figure he'll be pretty motivated once he sees me saying "Oh well. See ya" and leave empty-handed. A no-no in Corporate America.

The system arrives and I go to pick it up since the retard answering the phone left me on hold for an hour. I did get an e-mail telling me it was ready for pick up, but I wanted to double check before I wasted a trip (you know how 'technology' works these days). Oh well, I want to pick up the new Dick Tracy animated series DVD anyway. Before I pay for the stereo, I have the cashier call the installation dept. first and make sure they can install it. She calls and they say they can (gee), so I pay and head on back.

The guy at the installation center looks at the car stereo box like I just wiped my ass with it (it's not a "big name", hyper-expensive stereo) and tells me that they charge for installation for any stereo under $100. I tell him I realize that and ask how much they charge. He goes through the $40 adapter kit routine, plus the $30 for something else I forget and finally $50 for actual installation. He THEN has the NERVE to tell me "If you go back and get a ~better~ stereo, it'd save you a lot of money." It's my turn to look at him like someone just wiped their ass on his sleeve. I look at him like "Riiiiight" and say "Oh well, that's okay, thanks." He assumes I mean I'm okay with the fees...until I reach across the counter to get the stereo box he's holding in his hot lil' hands. He's like "Wha? Oh." It's finally dawning on him that I'm not getting it installed there. I leave, thinking "Fuuuuuuck off."

Instead, I go to my local mechanic down the street and I ask him if he can install a car stereo. He says "Sure" and asks to see the stereo. I show it to him and tell him about how Best Buy tried to sell me an adaptor kit et al. He then tells me that that comes standard WITH most stereos. He opens the box to check and sure enough, there it is. "Cocksuckers!" screams inside my brain, but I don't say a word. I ask how much he charges and he says...$40. FORTY DOLLARS. I just saved $140 by NOT buying the stereo in the actual Best Buy store AND not having them install it.

So, I now have a new stereo in my car and it looks (it lights up neon blue...pretty!) and sounds great. Yay me.

Dennis the Menace

2006-09-26T06:01:00.000-04:00

[ Click image for a printable version ]
I've always loved Hank Ketcham's Dennis the Menace. I like to pick up one of his old paperbacks whenever I see them. I recently came across 3 of his books lately and bought them all. Here are 4 comics in particular that struck a chord with me for whatever reason. Hope you enjoy them!

Musically Delicious?

2006-09-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

Lucky the Leprechaun wants to be in a Gorillaz music video! *Sorry if this seems weird and completely out of context. I saw this on the back of a box of Lucky Charms cereal and it just lent itself to the situation. Look for a less convoluted post tomorrow.

Gimme a Break

2006-09-25T15:30:00.000-04:00

While watching the news Sunday night (FOX 4 News @ 9), local schmo news anchor, Richard Ray had, what for anyone else, would prove to be a simple task: Report the top 5 grossing movies of the weekend. However, this particular weekend, the movie in the number one spot had a name that he'd "rather not say," so instead, he opted to display the list of the top 5 grossing films:

1. Jackass Number Two $28.1 million
2. Jet Li's Fearless $10.6 million
3. Gridiron Gang $9.7 million
4. Flyboys $6 million
5. Everyone's Hero $4.75 million

This is the "adult" I'm relying on to give me the news? This is almost as retarded as that one juror I served on jury duty with, who couldn't "bear" to say the word "ass" or even "butt." ("I'd so kick his you-know-what.") Ridiculous.

Upcoming DVD Releases

2006-09-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

• Thriller: The Complete Series [ September 26 ]
• The Woods [ October 3 ]
• Abominable [ October 3 ]
Comments:
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2: The Gruesome Edition [ October 10 ]
Comments: I've always had a certain love/hate relationship with this movie. On one hand, there's some creepy-ass scenes, on the other hand, I'm not too wild about the "humor" factor. I've never really been one for humor in my horror movies. I want one or the other, not some "wacky" hybrid. Nevertheless, I'm definitely looking forward to this release. Rumor has it that the original deleted scenes where Joe Bob Briggs gets murdered, will be included in the Extras. Neat-o!
• Legends of Horror Collection: [ October 10 ]
-Doctor X
-The Return of Doctor X
-Mad Love
-The Devil Doll
-Mark of the Vampire
-The Mask of Fu Manchu
Comments: Wowsa! And just in time for Halloween too! Though I already own DVD-Rs of Mad Love and Mark of the Vampire, I am really looking forward to seeing the new digitally-remastered versions. I just hope the discs include their original thetrical movie trailers!
• Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law: Season 2 [ October 10 ]
• Art School Confidential [ October 10 ]
• The Addams Family: Season 1 [ October 24 ]
• The Facts of Life: Season 3 [ October 24 ]
• Greg the Bunny: Best of the Film Parodies [ October 24 ]
Comments: God, I hope the one they did for Gummo is on here! Hilarious!
• Heartstopper [ October 31 ]
• Police Squad! The Complete Series [ November 7 ]
• The Forest [ November 7 ]
Comments: Fun 80's slasher I remember renting at the video store. Can't wait to see it again, digtitally-remastered.
• Family Guy: Volume 4 [ November 14 ]
• The Cary Grant Collection: [ November 14 ]
-Big Brown Eyes
-Kiss and Make Up
-Thirty Day Princess
-Wedding Present
-Wings in the Dark
• The Paul Newman Collection: [ November 14 ]
-Harper
-The Drowning Pool
-The Left-Handed Gun
-Mackintosh Man
-Pocket Money
-Somebody Up There Likes Me
-The Young Philadelphians
Comments: Oh man, you don't know how long I have been waiting for some of these movies to be released to DVD! I LOVE Harper, it's sequel The Drowning Pool and one of my all-time-favorites, the boxing film Somebody Up There Likes Me. I'm excited!
• The Rock Hudson Collection: [ November 14 ]
-Has Anybody Seen My Gal?
-A Very Special Favor
-The Golden Blade
-The Last Sunset
-The Spiral Road
• Dr. Katz: Season 2 [ November 24 ]
• Superman: The Movie: 4-Disc Special Edition [ November 28 ]
Comments: You don't know how close I came recently to buying the previously-released Superman boxset. I'm glad I waited. And even though I have fond memories of and love the first movie, I can't imagine WTF they are gonna put on FOUR discs.
• Superman II: 2-Disc Special Edition [ November 28 ]
• Superman III: Deluxe Edition [ November 28 ]
• Superman IV: Deluxe Edition [ November 28 ]
• Bones: Season 1 [ November 28 ]
Comments: I love this show! I'm not sure which coverart they are going with, but personally, I prefer the first version. Looking forward to getting this boxset! The weird thing is, I never really got into David Boreanaz in his TV series Angel, but I think he's incredibly hot as FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth. Maybe it's the suit.