List if items to cover in today’s board room meeting…

Yeah, I meant to say “List OF items”, but I don’t care. I’m lucky I capitalized “List”, or even created a topic for this post.

Anyhow, the list. I was bored over the weekend, but also lazy as far as computer related stuff went. I barely went on the computer at all, which meant I could get some things done. However, I still thought about things to talk about here, interesting or not. Well, interesting enough to draw my attention inward to Dakota East (this blog, in case you’re looking through posts and realize I changed the name of this blog to something else in a year or so…I tend to do that every 2-3 years. I don’t know why, I guess I get board of the name I have and want to try something else, regardless of the fact that I’ll lose my few followers in the process, but whatever, I’m not a rational person and I type in run-on sentences…) and continue to write about for any extended period of time rather than simply move on to an online game, or worse yet, homework for classes. Or class (singular), since I’m just taking one. Eight hours a week in addition to 40 hours of work, plus a total of 1 hour commute each way for class, which really makes it to be 12 additional hours a week…

I’m bored. Let’s move on.

My list, let’s see…I finally have my game room setup at my house, or what normal people call a Family Room. Since the Living Room is actually setup as the Family Room (same setup, only “with” a TV), I grabbed my old TV, my old game systems, and a VCR and created a nifty little setup. What was before a storage room for unpacked boxes (sitting for 14 months) is now a usable space. The boxes…well, I unpacked roughly 1/3 of them, then moved the rest into our spare room, as neatly as possible. So, if you’re staying overnight, better sleep on the couch. I don’t think you can reach the bed. Well, you can, but don’t get up for anything in the middle of the night. It wouldn’t be wise.

Anyhow, let’s see, the list, the list…ah ha, Dead Sundays. This eludes to my schedule, which is work from 1:00 AM to 9:00 AM, then sleep a short sleep, then go to school (Mondays and Wednesdays, anyhow) from 6pm til 10pm. Fridays I tend to stay up, so I can actually see my wife when we’re both conscious and at home. But that means, to get back into my regular schedule, I have to head for bed at 5pm on Sunday. Which means my Sundays are, for the most part, Dead Sundays.

I guess what I’m saying is that, if I ever start either a punk band or a folk band, Dead Sundays would be a fun name for a B-side song with crappy lyrics worse than anything James Hetfield has ever written, but with such a great backbeat that you just wouldn’t care. In the words of Steven Tyler, may he rest in peace (I’m writing this in case he died overnight, since he looks like death warmed over), it would be a great song to have sex to, if you will. I’m sure that you could read through my subtle subtext, but there, I’ve spelled it out for you.

Then…the list…”Disintegrated Tales of Albert Lee”. I guess that’s a subtle naming of a character after the city in Minnesota that acts as a crossroads of I-35 and I-90…and then a story written about that character. Okay. That’s a thinker for sure.

The rest of that list I’ve either already blogged about, or I’m going to post in a webcomic. I have one that’s funny, but I do not have a computer scanner, so you will have to wait. Sorry, but rules is rules. Let’s just say it involves time travel, a daisy, and Forrest Gump, although in 3 separate comics to be exact.

The rest of my notes to self aren’t that great…I may blog about them later, but for right now I’ll leave you with nothing.

Surprise!

Evel Knievel’s Injuries

Evel Knievel died two years ago today. That is one man that went way past his supposed expiration date. Here’s a list of his many, many injuries.

Yeah, it was an embarrassing day for the Bears…

…but this was worse.

More Tales to Distinguish

Futurama: the legend of Nibbler’s shadow.

Dave Barry’s blog

Google Labs – see what Google has in the test kitchen. (Hopefully a better version of Blogger.)

The Twenty-Five Scariest Moments in Non-Horror Movies

Amazing Charles Bukowski works and quotes.

And this is why we don’t drop acid.

BLACK FRIDAY.

Gift Idea #1: Rammstein’s CD Box-Set, complete with artificial-male-members cast from the band member’s…members. NOT SAFE FOR WORK for obvious reasons…

Gift Idea #2: A list of the Top 100 Sci-Fi Short Stories. Thankfully no inclusion of anything by L. Ron Hubbard, who I think sucks. I can’t stand Battlefield Earth the book, let-alone the movie.

Gift Idea #3: Crochet needles & yarn, to make this MOST AWESOME BRAIN SLUG!!

And coupon codes for restaurants, so you can chill out after the insanity today.

Quo Astry and the Mysterions

Yeah, I have no idea what to talk about.

I just had an 8 mile walk/jog, an assload of pushups and situps, and yet I’m still a fatty.

I guess that was “something” to talk about, and yet a conversation killer all the same.

Hmm…I guess I’m thankful I have a job, despite the fact that I’m working on Thanksgiving. Although it doesn’t beat ‘not’ working. I’d much rather ‘not’ work pretty much everyday, if I had a choice. Money is good, but if I could live some extended existence, with food and shelter taken care of, and full access to books, I’d…probably still miss having money. I like to spend money. I like the feeling of trading a couple hours of work at a thankless job for a lead figurine of Hawkeye from The Avengers (as opposed to Hawkeye from the book M*A*S*H, or Hawkeye from the moving picture show M*A*S*H, or Hawkeye from the TV show M*A*S*H, or the campy TV show from the 1960’s called The Avengers, instead of the Marvel Comic featuring Hawkeye, a kick-ass archer from Iowa).

Or this…I like the fact that I’ve actually wanted to buy a miniature Gargamel (from The Smurfs) for 3 weeks, yet I keep on getting to this weird science-y toy store that carries him either before they open, or after they close. I’m not worried about him being in stock. Sure, he’s only 4 bucks… but seriously, who else would want Gargamel?

The reason why I love Gargamel is he doesn’t give up. He’s been trying to catch and eat those Smurfs for years, and although he has failed pretty much every time, he just keeps on trying. I like his stay-with-it-ness. He’s focused, he knows what he wants in life, and he’s willing to kill an entire village of commies with that habit of singing really annoying and catchy songs in order to do it.

The problem with loving to spend though is that, eventually, you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel every week. So, my spending habits of yesteryear have gone from 2-3 CDs or DVDs a week to one item, approximate value $4, every week. That’s my allowance, sad as it is.

Life could be a lot worse. I’ve had worse moments in my life, most notably Junior High. I tried to write something for Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) that had me going back to my Junior High School self and convincing past-me to do a bunch of bitch-work in the future (in my 33-year-old body), in exchange for checking out cool stuff in the future. I gave up on it, because as the memories of circa-1990 me came back, I grew rather dark and depressed, especially remembering the various people who I’d love to hit with a 2×4 if I saw them today. So I ditched the story, got my homework done, and found other things to do besides accidental homicide.

Anyhow…yeah, writer’s block. I’m going to go now and drink my Hawaiian Punch. Carry on, and happy T-day.

Thanksgiving

The book of Genesis, illustrated by R. Crumb! Realistic enough to irritate the fundamentalists.

Where to start with Young Adult Science Fiction books.

Mostly Forbidden Zone – a blog of miscellaneous old comics, photos, and what-nots.

Negative Pleasure (NSFW) – random still photo clips from old horror movies. Contains nudity.

Where’s the celebratin’?

First off, I have to say, all this blogging is really taking my time away from my webcomic reading. I mean, seriously, I was only 8 years from current on Diesel Sweeties. I don’t win anything by reading them all, it’s just something that I must do before the meteor hits and wipes out all life. Because I can’t be assured that they have internet access in Heaven. I mean, they probably don’t even have hands in order to mouse around. What do they have? All I have to go on are TV shows with near death experiences, and movies like Defending Your Life (awesome movie with a great song to get hit by a bus to) and Heaven Can Wait with Warren Beatty (another great movie, but skip Chris Rock’s remake). With movies and shows like that to go by, I can be assured that not only will I have fingers, I might also have mini-malls and restaurants with awesome service that make the best tasting foods I’ve ever had.

Before I lose focus (too late), I want to know…where’s the celebrating? It’s almost 2010. The decade is over. What happened to celebrating this?

Take 1980. Although I’m too young to remember this (but old enough to have lived in 1980), I can watch Boogie Nights for a great example of a sense of feeling. The 1970’s saw an end to the Vietnam War, Nixon’s presidency, Ford’s bumbling transitional presidency, and for the most part, Disco music (despite the fact that it continues to this day as “Dance music”). People were pumped to get out of the 1970’s, into something fresh and new.

Take 1990. While the 1980’s rocked, a lot of people wanted to turn the page, musically, politically, and socially. I don’t think the real vibe of the 1990’s happened until Ross Perot entered the picture and screwed up Bush 41’s chance at a second term. Seriously, if it wasn’t for H. Ross, the Clinton presidency might never have happened. I’m glad it did, because his “covert actions” helped people realize that sex actually happens, even in the Oval Office. And seriously, he can’t have been the first guy to have done it in the Oval, or the Roosevelt Room (which pre-dated the Oval Office as the President’s desk locale, and now you know).

Now, 2000. Sure, the Y2K bug was freaking everybody out, and Clinton’s shenanigans kind of ticked off the Conservative base in the country at the time (myself included). There was a mini-recession as the first dot-com boom went bust. Oh, that and the fact that it was the freaking year 2000. It wasn’t the true millennium according to the Poindexters, but that didn’t stop every large westernized city in the world by putting on a big celebration.

Maybe I got spoiled by 2000, despite the fact that I spent the eve of 2000 in my room, by myself, having a pity party. But the anticipation…man, it was intense. It was amazing to go through all of that, for a year before, and then a year afterwards when the “real” millennium occurred, and the world finally realized that Arthur C. Clarke was full of shit. Thanks a lot, NASA.

But look at the crap we had to go through in the last ten years: 9/11, the biggest kick to the nuts since Pearl Harbor. The Iraq & Afghanistan Wars, which admittedly don’t hit home as much as the Vietnam War due to the absence of the draft, but they’re still these all-consuming, money and energy draining forces of nature. No one wants to talk about them in mass media, it seems, because the wars just plain suck. Which brings me to Bush Jr., who shot first and asked questions later, at the request of the American People. I can remember the outrage that, even 20 days after 9/11, Bush still hadn’t declared war on anyone. No one really remembers this. I can’t deny my own fervor, after I signed on the dotted line for the U.S. Air Force on 9/12. I wanted to kick some terrorist ass, even if it was behind a desk.

I guess what I’m trying to get at is this: Why don’t we want to put some of this behind us, and turn the page into a new decade? Are we so reluctant to look at our own situation that we don’t want to think of something different coming about? Screw that, let’s party and make believe that, based on a year that’s kinda-sorta based on the birth of Jesus Christ, and is also divisible by ten, that really cool things are about to happen. Screw the past for a little while. Let’s party and get drunk and screw and have some fun next month. I’m excited!

Woo!

-Aaron

Monkeys! (Not really, sorry.)

Bad Spock Drawings (the name alone will just draw you in.)

American Gothic Parodies…if you don’t know, Iowa’s Grant Wood painted the original. It’s probably the most famous American painting of the 20th century.

The Sunflower Boy’s Smile (a very cool CNN story from Indiana)

Seven Secrets Only Two Living People Know (via Cracked.com)

Some sites and whatnots…

Well, first off I need to give some props to someone I kind of neglected. K.C. Davidson commented on a post I scheduled for around Halloween, and I only just this morning logged in to notice. Sorry, but here’s a link to the blog, “The Writings of K.C. Davidson“. Fun stuff, and I’ve only just scratched the surface of the blog.

Here’s some more stuff to pass the time.

The Complete History of Movie Tie-In Novels

Twenty Beatles Buried Treasures

Go Go Fatty! My Attempts At Training For A Half-Marathon (yeah, this is really Me, Aaron)

Super-hero Facebook Status Updates

I’m Back.

Well, I’ve more or less let this poor blog flounder on scheduled nonsense for about 2 months now. I’ve got excuses, such as I’ve been sick, my college work has gotten in the way, I’m training for a half-marathon, blah blah blah. In reality, I’ve just grown rather lazy. It’s called Blog Fatigue. There’s a sense that, instead of going through the 3-step process of posting (or writing) something here, why not just go through a 1-2 step process of saying or posting the same thing on Twitter or Facebook instead?

Well, yeah, one could do that. But I have to censor myself on both. On Facebook I have to make sure I don’t piss off the far-right wing friends of mine, or the far-left wing friends either. On Twitter, I have to do the same thing, except with these strange friends that, while I know they’re real, they only exist in Twitter-land, and so they aren’t “really” real. But I can irritate them all the same, and if I go under 200 followers ever again, I’ll just die.

…I mean in a 13-year old girl sort of “I’ll just die”. That wasn’t a plea for help. I’m drinking the Kool-Ade, but it’s not quite the Jim Jones variety.

Random thought: I actually worked for a Jim Jones. Swear to God. And he was an asshole too. I hope he reads this. But to any potential employers, I’m really a nice guy who doesn’t normally backbite my previous employers. I’ve had plenty of bosses that were cut from a different piece of cloth than myself. Mr. Jones was a bit different though, because he was truly a jerk who didn’t want to work within the system, instead just making up his own rules in a fun little tyrannical rule.

But all of my other bosses were/are angelic. Truly, I mean, there’s an empty spot in heaven just waiting for my previous bosses, upon their death. Unless they don’t believe in “that” God, then I don’t know. I’m not a theologian.

Anyhow, so, the blog is back, sort of. The first thing I want to do is to clear out my bookmarks and post them here. So, that will commence today, and into the next couple of months. I’m also going to “try” to round-about-ly talk about the two books I’ve written in my absence (don’t freak, they were kids books, and they are, to date, unpublished), and other stuff along the way.

So, yeah, welcome back, me.

Back To The Future 2: Twenty Years Old

Can you believe this movie is 20 years old?! And that it’s only 6 years until we get our flying cars, flying skateboards, and flying unmanned USA Today cameras? I can’t wait.

I saw this movie shortly after it opened on Thanksgiving Day, with my brother, sister, and cousins. We were having the regular get-together at my Grandma’s house, where my siblings, Mom, and I were living. Having 70+ people invade my nice quiet space was enough to drive me nuts, so we escaped to the movie for a couple hours.

Oh, before I forget, there’s a really great site you should check out. I happened to swipe this post’s photo from there as well. Someone compiled a list of Eleven Predictions That Back To The Future 2 Got Right. [link]

Happy Birthday, Bro

This was #1 on the charts on the date of my brother’s birth: November 14, 1973. This is a good, funky tune, unlike the crap-tacular disco number from my date of birth. Happy Birthday bro, have fun today.

RIP Steve McQueen, 29 years gone.

I mainly remember Steve McQueen in the first movie I saw him in, which also happened to be his last movie, <a href=”http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080907/”>The Hunter</a>. It was a “movie of the month” on the new-fangled cable TV station Home Box Office. Movie of the month means that once HBO got the rights to a movie that they thought would be a popular draw to potential subscribers, they would play the HELL out of it to ensure these potential subscribers would get a chance to see it at a moment’s notice.

The problem with most of these movies is that you grow tired of them after the second or third time watching…but The Hunter I never really grew tired of. Maybe it was the scene where McQueen’s car is stolen by the two guys he’s trying to capture. So, McQueen steals some farmer’s combine and starts tearing up this cornfield in an attempt to get the bad guys. Yeah, the concept is utterly ridiculous. However, back then as an 8-10 year old kid in the early 1980’s, and now approaching my mid-30’s, I smile when I think of the scene.

The Hunter is hardly McQueen’s best role, but it’s probably my favorite. I wish he had lived a few more years like Paul Newman, or was still making movies like Clint Eastwood who shared fame around the same time period. It sucks when cool guys die, even years after the fact.

(belated) Halloween Prank

Pulp Fiction Mix

Happy 4th Birthday, Double Bass Blog!

The best I can tell, Double Bass Blog was born in November 2005 via creator Jason Heath. This is one of my favorite videosfrom the site, in which Jason explains the double bass to a bunch of Music Camp attendees in terms that even I can understand.

Happy Birthday DBB!