Finished Product

Hannibal Lecter Would Be Proud

We aren’t one of those families that goes all-out on Halloween decorations.  In fact, this year we only decorated the small area of our fireplace inside, put a little sign on the front door and a fake pumpkin on the steps.  Since our son was about 3, I guess, we also started carving a pumpkin every year.  This year, at the ripe old age of 7, he wanted to carve his own.  Well, I carved it, but he did draw the face he wanted.  So, this year, we are now a two-pumpkin family.  Above is “my” pumpkin, right after I cut open his skull and just before I emptied his guts.

Final pictures to follow tomorrow.

It’s Alive!

I have this little thing you may have heard of. It’s a huge black electronic device that plays blu-ray movies.  Oh, it also plays games. It’s called a Playstation 3.

Once upon a time, the Playstation 3 in our home did more than play high definition blu-ray movies.  In fact, it even – are you ready for this? – was used as a video game console!  Albeit, we were a hardcore Xbox 360 family, so the few games the PS3 did play were mostly the downloadable content from the PSN Store.  Then, one day, the Xbox 360 broke a leg and we had to shoot it.  Well, technically it was a “red ring of death.”  Either way, it was the second time it had happened and I was highly peeved.

Alas, my joy of gaming died with the 360 – Microsoft doing what they do best and killing the dreams of millions with tainted hardware.  I hid my sorrow by burrowing deep into the World of Warcraft mmo, the family PC becoming my new best friend. The PS3 forgotten, except when it was needed to play the occasional rented dvd.

Then, out of the blue, something strange began to happen. Game developers started showing off amazing looking games again. This is the first year in a long time that I’m actually 100% interested in titles that are being announced, coming out this holiday or are already on the store shelves. And, of course, since I don’t have a 360 to play them on, guess what my default console gaming system is?

Oh, Sony, we use to be in love back in the PS2 days, and the past couple of weeks has seen our relationship spark to life once more.  I look forward to snuggling up with you on the coming winter weekends when I’m home and need comfort. Won’t you play Batman: Arkham City and Skyrim with me?  Say you will, please …

The Avengers Theatrical Trailer!

No words can describe how awesome I think this looks.  Even my wife and son were like, “Oooooohhhh.  We have to go see that!”  I’m also impressed with the NIN music :)

Please, sit back and enjoy the beauty:

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eReader Guilt

I received a Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader for my birthday last year.  I’ve really enjoyed it, and my reading time has increased.  Once upon a time I was an avid reader, absorbing everything I touched, but ’round about my mid-20′s, I nearly stopped reading books all together.  I just lost interest.  I felt there was nothing new.  Turns out it may have also been the fact that they were everywhere.  When I bought a book, I couldn’t get rid of it.  I had three 5-shelf bookcases filled with books.  Filled so full, in fact, that I even had books laying down and stacked in front of upright rows of books.  I couldn’t bare the thought of getting rid of any of these fantastic escapes.  But, like I said, I eventually fizzled out anyways.

Shortly after I was married, during a yardsale, I gathered up all my books and threw them in a box.  My wife sold them all.  We even had a guy ask if I had more, and when my wife asked, I sighed and gave her everything else I had kept, except for my copy of Stephen King’s The Stand: Complete & Uncut Edition.  And there I was, bookless.

Fast forward.

Barnes & Noble announces the Nook.  The Sony e-readers and the Amazon Kindles had been out (as well as all the “lesser” branded readers) but I’d never really caught the “I Gotta Have One” bug.  The Nook caught my eye, though.  Maybe because of the fact it was linked to the large Barnes & Noble name.  Maybe it was the fact that it had the tiny little color touch screen on the bottom.  I don’t know.  But I had to have one!

When the Nook was released, the sucker was back ordered for months.  Stores weren’t even allowed demo units for people to look at.  About that time, though, Sony and Amazon were suddenly allowing more retail stores to carry their readers.  Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, Best Buy, all the big box stores suddenly had e-readers on display.  I stuck to my guns and got my Barnes & Noble Nook in March, I think.  A month after my birthday, but I was pleased regardless.  Since then, I’ve been delving back into my old reading habits.  Also glad to say that our son has developed his own reading bug and usually has at least 2 books going at any given time.  I envy him in that matter.  My old, slow brain can handle maybe one, but to read two separate books at the same time?!  Insanity, I say.

In the old days, I was a strict horror aficionado.  Recently, though, I’m a fantasy lover.  I read George R. R. Martin before the Game of Thrones television series was cool.  I still read my Stephen King and I’ve suddenly had a taste for biographies and short story collections.  I still visit bookstores, especially B&N, but now that I have an e-reader, I feel a little guilty when I walk in to a brick and mortar store and browse the shelves.  It’s like I’m cheating on my Nook by looking at the physical copies of the bestsellers.  E-reader guilt syndrome.  Is it okay to still buy the paperbacks and hardbacks if you spend the cash to own a digital reader?  I know I’m being ridiculous, but I’m a weird-o anyways.

 

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Some Friend Pimpage: The Baby

A former co-worker, friend and online buddy has recently become a published author!  She has also started blogging – the most daring of feats one can attempt, putting yourself out for comment on the world wide web.  Taking advantage of her blog, Miss Autumn has posted her published short story, “The Baby,” for all to read.  Please, go check it out and give her your feedback.

AutumnAlmighty @ WordPress : The Baby (as seen in Suspense Magazine, May 2011)

Barnes & Noble Pulls 100 DC Graphic Novels

Reported by Bleeding Cool News, it seems Barnes & Noble (the giant book selling chain) has pulled over 100 DC Comics graphic novels from their shelves.  Why?  It seems to be a tantrum over the fact that DC gave Amazon exclusive rights to digital distribution of these same graphic novels on their new Kindle Fire device.

Please, hit the link to read Bleeding Cool’s brief article and give them some hits and love.

Bleeding Cool:

Barnes & Noble Pulls Watchmen, Sandman And 100 DC Graphic Novels From Their Shelves Over Amazon Kindle Fire Deal

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Light Reading for 10/5

Light week at the local comic shop (Outer Limits Boro) for me this week.  I did manage to pick up a copy of Superman #1, and #2 issues of Detective and Action Comics.

Superman #1 introduces us to the changed Superman universe.  The book takes place several years after the events we’re being introduced to in Action Comics, which I suppose could be a little confusing since the titles are being released just a week apart.  But we learn what has become of The Daily Planet, Lois Lane, Jimmy and Perry.  Couldn’t really tell you much else about Superman, though, aside from the fact that he’s been gone for some time in this book and has returned.  Wasn’t really impressed with the book itself, but that could come from the fact that they’re diverging from a history that’s been established in print for decades.

Action Comics #2 has Doctor Lex Luthor experimenting on his captive, Superboy/man/whoever he is at this point.  Action follows a much younger Clark Kent/Kal El/Superman as he learns to use his powers and tries to find his place in the world.  In this issue Lex throws everything at the young man, including toxic gasses, machine guns, flame throwers.  It’s a torture issue to find out who the world is up against, as this “alien” hasn’t proven himself as a hero or a villain just yet.  I’m going to stick around with this series for a bit longer.  Action Comics has too long a history for them to completely trash it, I hope.

Detective Comics #2 … If you aren’t reading Detective yet, WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?!  One of the best relaunch titles so far – and that’s just 2 issues in!  Already we’ve seen the Joker get his face cut off and now, at the end of this issue … WOW.  We’re doing some ground breaking stuff here, folks, I really, REALLY like this series so far.

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Tick Tock Goes the Clock

A parody cover of Ke$ha’s “Tic-Toc” song, except it’s set to the 6th season events of Dr. Who. I give the guy points for trying, but sadly he’s no worse than Ke$ha herself.

Degradation of Society Continues

I just wanted to take a very brief moment to point out that, despite anything I may post about on this blog, one thing continues to bring in the “hits.”  A single post from about 3 years ago that was imported from another blog of mine on MSN Spaces, before they decided to shut it down.  Yes, 3 years later, spanning across two blog ventures, the number one referring search that directs people to this page is … LOLCats.

May 12, 2008 I posted: LOLCats

You are welcome.  Thank you.