Dance the Night Away

“When his life was ruined, his family killed, his farm destroyed, Job knelt down on the ground and yelled up to the heavens, 'Why god? Why me?' and the thundering voice of God answered, 'There's just something about you that pisses me off.'”

I love waking up how I woke up today. There really isn't a better way to do it as far as I'm concerned.

So, last week had it's difficulties. I was really disappointed to skip the symphony, but I'll live. The other problems were worse than that. C'est la vi. The new lawnmower will be here on Wednesday, and I'll probably try to have the spare room repainted by then.

I bought an orchid last week, and it is doing wonderfully. I wonder how long I can keep it alive.

There's really just not a whole lot to talk about right now, I'm pretty tired, and it's late, and I have been working ridiculously hard and or running around for the past two weeks. I'm fine with that, it just means I'm tired right now.

Good night all.

Well, I'm not too tired to dance.



Maybe just one more....

Casa de Mi Padre

It's difficult to simply outright recommend Casa de Mi Padre. That's not a negative, believe it or not. I enjoyed this movie thoroughly from beginning to end, and it was funnier than anything I've seen in a year. On top of just being enjoyable and solid as a movie, I just kept thinking to myself, "How did this movie even get made?" A spoof on latin soap operas done entirely in Spanish and staring a large cast of latin actors and... Will Farrel, who doesn't, as far as I know, have a single Spanish bone in his body. And the trailer doesn't lie, that really is the big joke that the whole movie is based on. Mostly what makes this movie so hard to recommend, is I'm just not sure how large of an audience this movie will appeal to.

I like to think this movie has something for everyone, but I know that tastes are wide and varied, and it's not the Shawshank Redemption. This is not a movie that is so good that it transcends tastes and genres, and the smart and witty approach of the central joke, while well done, may repel the core audience that appreciates Farrel's comedies, while not being obvious enough to pull in the audience that it's targeting. It was really the blend of the two that made the movie a hit for me. And it was done with heart, too. It never felt mean spirited about the material, it approached it playfully.

If you're on the fence about seeing this movie, I recommend you give it a shot. Even if you don't like it, it wont hurt your soul. What's even more important than that, is that even if you don't like it, it's good that a movie like this got made at all. If you're undecided, then just know that this movie is worth your time, even if you aren't in love with it, you wont walk away without a few laughs and you wont be offended to the point of feeling like your time is wasted. And just maybe, you'll find yourself loving it through and through like I did.

A Quiet Like a Far Off Thunder

At this moment I simply could not possibly think of a better way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon. Maybe it's because when you're happy, you're happy, and it doesn't matter what's making you happy.

But I did take a music break, but only till my fingers hurt. House of the Rising Sun by The Animals done as poorly as I can manage. Hope you like it.



I know how to make a girl happy.

And repost for the record... I still look sexy.

Kony in 2012. This is as important as it gets. #Kony2012

I don't think I've ever gone out of my way to ask other people to share something, but if you're reading this, please do what you can. This is truly important. This is a real world example of the power of knowledge in practice. The more people know about Joseph Kony, the greater his awareness, then the better off the world will be. Share this video. Tell everyone you know about what it says when you can't share it. Get Kony in 2012.

Pledge here: http://s3.amazonaws.com/kony2012/kony-4.html

Minus Green is the Manliest Color

So, Kayla had to move out. She'll be missed, and hopefully she comes by for dinner from time to time. Will miss the cats, too. Alas, I still did not have an end table or a coffee table by the time she left earlier today, though those were gone yesterday. Fortunately, I was able to acquire a pair from my dad and step mom earlier this evening.

Without much ado, here is the end table..

And here is the coffee table...

Meanwhile, though the cats are gone, they did spend one last whole morning with me and even Olivia. I woke up to these three all sleeping on top of me this morning. I had to take a picture before I got out of bed and disturbed their cat nap.

What was really nice, on a cold sunday night, though was spending time with my friend Justin. We hung out and talked about all kinds of things around the fire outside at the brick house. Decent beer, good company, and a beautiful fire. That was just a rocking way to spend the evening.

Something Bad and Something Good

I'm watching this right now:


Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie. I will be exposed to Shrim. Pray for me.

To make this up to anyone who watched that trailer, I offer something good. Beautiful guitar is always awesome.

I Think I Hate Zelda

If a game doesn't challenge me philosophically, or extremely effectively pull my emotional strings, or put me in a situation where my decisions matter, not just to my character, but to the characters that surround me, I don't care about the story. Not one whit. That's not bad, a game doesn't have to be about story. Half Life 1 has a wonderful story that I don't care about, but it's brilliant because it's all around me, unobtrusively being there, letting me play the game, but sometimes... just completely grabbing my attention. As opposed to the new Zelda: Skyward Sword. Heck, from back in the day, Final Fantasy VII.

I like playing a game. Getting into its mechanics and spending as much time as possible navigating the world. It's the whole point, the gameplay is the root of what makes a game unique. You should never, ever, EVER, stop the gameplay, take a person away from running, jumping, fighting or thinking about a puzzle. Unless the dialog is an integral part of the puzzle, or the environment or even itself a part of the gameplay, it should not ever interrupt the experience. In Zelda, I have spent far more time button mashing through meaningless dialog, often page after page after page with the sole purpose of sending me on a very simple menial task, trying to create context. I've already bought into the game. I don't need you to keep selling me on it. If you want me to run somewhere arbitrary for no particular reason, I'll do that.. cause I bought the game. I don't need empty and meaningless context. I want to play through dungeons, and solve puzzles and fly.

Button mashing through bad dialog is the quickest way to get me to quit any game. I may not be able to bring myself to finish this Zelda.

Call me a weirdy, but I think Wind Waker was the best Zelda I ever played, and even that was a bit too talkative.

On the plus side, finally played The Missing Link DLC for Deus Ex Human Revolution.. and it is a pretty robust, largish addition to the game. I had a lot of fun with it. IT even had an achievement for playing without using any praxis kits, or weapons, or explosives at all of any kind. Oh, man, was that fun and challenging. Oddly enough, I played through it MUCH faster than I did the other way. Probably because I was just focused on surviving and beating it at all instead of the other way.. where I made it my personal goal to knock every last enemy soldier in the world unconscious.



What can change the nature of a man?

Bonds and Berries

Filthy Filthy Dubsexxx from burchbabexo on 8tracks.

I finally got around to reading The Hunger Games, and I was personally blown away. This book, while still feeling like light reading, managed to be harrowing and emotional and immersive. I'm really not sure if the movie could possibly live up to the book, it would take a lot of really good story telling and directing, because the narrative of the characters and all the subtext of the events would be difficult to portray. A lazy director could make this really bad with really awful exposition and poorly done character development. It also has an ending that very much demands a sequel, none of the real problems are solved. It feels like a short story, almost.

I really can't wait to finish plowing through my CCNA material. Reading the next two books will be my reward for that. They're free to check out on kindle for amazon prime members, which is a great perk.Catching Fire, and Mockingjay are the next two books. As much as I liked the first one, it just hurts my soul that publishers are trying to sell digital downloads, with fewer rights and less control over your purchase than a physical copy, is more expensive than a paperback. They are charging MORE to give you less.

That really infuriates me. And they wont have my monetary business until they fix that. They're also available for loan on kindle from my local library. It is so cool to be able to borrow books from Harris County Public Library on my Kindle Touch.

Also, I mentioned my new Android, but I didn't mention that to get it I switched networks to Boost Mobile. Cricket disabled their online store, but only for existing customers, for at least the last six months. Their phone operators were not authorized to price match the prices on their website. They've never really rewarded me for being a customer, but this is the first time that I was actually screwed over as one and denied a price that I was promised. So.. Boost Mobile, who is actually pretty cool in a whole lot of ways. Their shrinkage plans are pretty interesting, after being a continuing customer of theirs for a while, my android plan will drop in price to as low as 40$ for a plan that includes unlimited minutes, texts, and data.

Anywho, company is coming over, time to go spend time with a friend. Will have to talk more later.

Adjectives on the typewriter
He moves his words like a prizefighter
The frenzied pace of the mind inside the cell

H+ Compliant.

I really need to post here more often. It's just shameful how much has happened that I have not talked about. Over a week ago Jackson and Marcia got married, and it was a beautiful ceremony, and a wonderful reception, and a truly important moment for a lot of people that I think of as my family. A week before that was the bachelor party. I really can't wait to show some pictures from the event. Mike gave a speech that was just downright touching and moving, and also funny and entertaining on all the right notes. And it was great to have him in town for a week, again. Justin and I also gave speeches, but by far Mike's was the best.

The bachelor party was pretty awesome. Justin rented a beach house down in galveston, and the view and interior were amazing. We went out for some food and spent some time in a bar and then we came back and talked and drank and ate all night long. Some of us were up till 8 am. It's good to be able to connect like that with people who have moved a long way away still.

In other news, I have finally moved on into the modern age with an Android phone.. I am using the Samsung Transform Ultra. It's good to be back on a Samsung phone, the last 3 phones that I really truly loved were sliding Samsung phones. They really know how to do this right on a budget phone. The Samsung Messager Touch was the best non smart phone I ever had, and it was wonderful for absolutely all of my needs. Even a bad android, though, eclipses it in almost every single way. Games, applications, GPS, maps in general, real multi functionality that has the versatility of any application imaginable. It's been around for a while, so there is already a lot out there, but even if what I need doesn't exist, it could. And that is just crazy cool.

On top of everything else, Amazon gives away a paid app for free every day, and some of those are incredibly cool. I really wish I'd been able to hop on board back when the Ultimate Guitar App had been free.

Anywho, quick photodump. Mostly puppy and kitty and me, and just something from valentine's day. It was a good valentines day when I got around to celebrating it...

"Maybe mush isn't all bad. You can keep stomping on it, but it's all give, it just stays mush. You can't build it up, but you can't break it down either. In a funny way, mush kindof has the edge."

Now...

Dance, fucker, dance.

Excited to See Zombie Morgan Freeman

Wedding today. Wedding in just a couple of hours. It's pretty exciting. I could probably think of some clever things to say and somehow connect all the content here in some meaningful way, but I really only have like ten minutes before I have to run and put my tux on. I need to look sexy.

Happy Valentine's Day

The SOPA Protest

This thing is pretty wild. I love the joke at the bottom of the www.sjgames.com website for their SOPA blackout. I'm very impressed, and honestly, I really hope this is enough to help. Between google and wikipedia alone I'd hope there's enough support to really change the tide in congress. Or to put it bluntly, to effectively actually let those pig headed old trogoladytes get a sliver of a perspective of what people are really aware of. Or want. Or whatever revolutionary line about what they need to be aware of to have them not make blatantly bad decisions.

New Furniture Installation Complete!

And here it is! It looks good, it feels comfortable, and it fits in my room okay. Chris is making it affordable for me to buy this from him, and so it's all coming together pretty nice. Really beautiful living room set and amazing kitchen table, too.

So last night was pretty crazy busy, moving my old bed to my mom's house, finally, and then moving the bits into my room that I couldn't assemble till I got the last of the pieces from Chris today. Some other busy work and cleaning and taking care of things. It was a really good day. Today, I'm getting laundry done and studying a ton. Will see what tomorrow brings.

What if Dreams are Our Natural Domain....

...and we only wake to gather strength to return?

The river walk at night, while the Christmas lights are up. It feels like a waking dream, I could just stroll around there for forever and listen to the music of people talking and random instruments playing.



New Years Eve was pretty incredible. It was an amazing feeling having everyone at just one party. After a great party, I slept in this room for a bit and listened to music and then went home in the early hours of the morning for some real sleep. Took down the tree and tenderly packed it all away for another season. Listened to music, and watched the new episode of Sherlock, did the dishes, and.. made beef jerky. Yum. It's been a busy week.

They Share a Fare and Some Friendly Conversation

Do you think that the word reactor was intentionally designed as an anagram for creator? A deliberate and purposeful assignment of a name that reflected the significance of deconstructing the building blocks of the universe?

I'm Having Christmas at George Clooney's House

This is probably the most beautiful Christmas tree I've ever seen for sale. I truly wish I had one for a special corner in my room.



It's that beautiful time of year. Shame I've been stuffed up for most of it so far. Sucks that the weather change is taking all season to get here at the last moment, but I guess that's Texas for you.

I learned how to play Oh Christmas Tree, and Little Drummer Boy on guitar. I love learning to play carols on my guitar.. playing them slow, listening to them like half forgotten memories and beautiful briefly remembered dreams.

I've been celebrating with egg nogg, and hot chocolate, and I even made some wassail already this season, extra warm and soothing. A good hot happy beverage is always important when contemplating the mixed blessings of Christmas commercialism and the machine that somehow generates togetherness via large dollar amounts. That and they just make you feel warm inside on cold nights with a blanket and the only lights on in the house are the christmas tree lights while the cats hide in the branches.

Have You Been Half Asleep...

I didn't think I was going to be able to get a Christmas Tree this year, things have been pretty tight because of medical bills. Matt's brother was getting a new tree this year and so this one was available for me. It is a wonderful tree, and I am proud to have it. The ornaments came from Matt's family, they are glass ornaments that they bought while they were living in Germany. It is a good year, and it is a good life.

I've been spending some more time over at my dad's house. Enjoy the product of our labors:

Behold, the ribs are finished and we have begun planking the ship! One on each half so far, and more to follow till she has a beautiful wooden hull! Well.. a wooden hull! Well... a glue hull with some wood flecks in it! The ratio of glue to wood really remains to be seen. Guess we'll know after a few more planks are attached.

Why are there so many
Songs about rainbows
And what's on the other side
Rainbow's are visions
They're only illusions
And rainbows have nothing to hide
So we've been told and some chose to
Believe it
But I know they're wrong wait and see

Someday we'll find it
The Rainbow Connection
The lovers, the dreamers and me

Thank you Pandora for making holiday music for my living room easy.
Thank you Netflix for putting so many holiday specials in one place.

It's going to be a Merry Christmas.

Cranberry Sauce, It's not just for Thanksgiving Anymore

It's criminal.. I had never made home made cranberry sauce before. I had no idea how delicious it could be. Crazy and sweet and tangy and robust and just downright amazingly delicious. And easy.

12oz Cranberries
1 1/2c Sugar
1tsp Allspice
11oz Can of Mandarin Oranges
1c chopped pecans
1/4c Port wine

Mix all the ingredients except the port wine together in a sauce pan and cook at medium low heat till all the cranberries have burst in the sauce. More sugar can be added for a sweeter sauce, less for a tarter sauce, though 1 1/2c will be pretty tart, so more sugar is a little more likely. Once the berries have popped, remove from heat, stir in the Port, and chill till ready to serve.

It was one of the real highs of my thanksgiving. I really wanted to share it.



I hate people. Especially friends. Know what a friend is?

A friend is someone who puts a portal over an acid pit and then waits till you're standing still on a portalable surface to put the other portal under your feet and drop you to your death. That's what a friend is.

Fuck friends.

Sometimes...

Sometimes... I think about contacting complete strangers via instant messenger in the exact method and style of porn spam bots. Copy and pasting their dialog, and then passing it on, refusing to respond to people.

I was never really meant to pass a turing test, so it really seems like a waste to even try.

Uploading Life.

Lions. Always on topic.

Kittens that will sleep on your lap: See Lions.

A little bit of this years thanksgiving. I will never ever ever eat cranberry sauce out of a can again. It's cheap, easy, and about a million times more delicious. I spent the early afternoon at my dad's house, my grandparents were there, my aunt Karen, and even my sister showed up. My step brother was there, and even brought his daughter. I showed off some origami to her and made her a tiny rose.

I was honestly surprised that I remembered so precisely how to make the rose.. it's been a long long time since I made one. But it was really cool and I plan on making more in the future. My step brother brought 2 of the coveted butterscotch pies.. there was much joy. After dinner at dad's house I went home and finished cooking dinner for my mom, and zac, and my sister came over to join us. Kayla was out with her family.

It was really messed up, though, later that night we found out that Zac's parents escaped their home burning down. Even if insurance pays everything that it was all worth, which is unlikely, it will never replace the photos and memories.

After that, though, my sister got both Zac and I invites to play in the weekend long Star Wars The Old Republic beta.. which we did all weekend when not busy with family.

I spent a lot of time at dad's house later working more on my boat. So much work, but it is really shaping up to be very beautiful.

This morning I went to pick up my new guitar. My new beautiful baby. So pretty, and she sounds like a dream. She is the first new guitar I picked out for all the features I wanted, and Scott bought her for me. One of the most generous gifts ever, and it really felt good after the crappy months and debts I had over my broken arm. That and a small computer upgrade are two of the things that those debts stopped me from being able to do.

Anyway, the replacement after the dud I had last time arrived at Guitar Center... last wednesday. I would have known that if I'd bothered to call or something instead of just assuming monday. I could have had her and shown her off to all my family. Oh, well. C'est la vi. After I picked her up, I swung by Larry's Hobbies on the way home because I was inspired by all the model building with my dad this weekend. They have a sci fi section that is filled with star trek, star wars, doctor who, and all sorts of other cool models. I should maybe have taken more pictures, but these seemed like enough. The ceiling is covered with complete models. THey've been around since as long as I can remember and I remember going there with my parents as a kid after church to look at the model trains.

Their model train is plagued by Godzilla, btw.

Now, this cool little treat is a character I had thought was completely forgotten.. but is painted on the wall of the taco bell between guitar center and home. This is actually from the trip to turn in my damaged guitar to get the new one, but I didn't think it was worth posting by itself at the time. It was just super cool to be surprised while I was eating with a hand painted picture like this from some random local artist.