Don't You Judge Me.

Sometimes I still buy comic books. And by 'sometimes' I mean I'm kinda on a first name basis with the comic store owner, he keeps a folder for me, and I get emailed his weekly newsletter. I don't have a $50 a week habit like some people I know but let's face it comics aren't cheap these days. (When I was 'collecting' as a child I would pay for my comics with pocket change. I remember when I thought it was outrageous to pay 75 cents for a new title. -I sound like a grandfather, don't I?) Anyway, I go in every few weeks and see what there is.

Sometimes I buy a comic for nostalgia's sake. There's a new mini-series The Haunted Tank. I remember a former run of this title and thought I'd check out the new one.

Sometimes I get suckered in by a suggestion of the owner. He'll say, "Dude have you read the new Hellboy? I know you dig those comics. Check it out bro."

Then there are the times when a major 'event' is happening in the comic book world and I don't want to be left out of the loop. "What's this 1985 title all about? I wonder?"

But now I'm starting to get annoyed with the industry.

Why, you ask? (Thank you for humoring the little geek inside me who still loves the frosted side.)

Because they're trying to to gouge my pockets. For instance, this past year a certain comic book 'Universe' was having yet another in a long line of crises. This crisis promised to be the final one; the Final Crisis, you might say. So it's supposed to be a 7 part mini-series. Great 7 issues spread out over 7 month's or so; fine!

Wrong! Issue 7 just came out and I realize something is amiss. I feel like there are parts of the story missing. Here's the catch. Comic companies today sell you on a big event like this, claim a mini-series, and then include several other 'tie ins' to the title. Understand?

No? Okay, this 7 issue mini-series is better understood if you also buy a one shot title that supplements the story between issues 3 and 4, then you have to read a few issues of a Batman tie in at some point to find out what happened to the caped-crusader after he was captured, and finally it is important to also purchase a 2 issue 3-D Superman title to understand where the Man of Steel disappeared to before finally reappearing in the climax of the original mini-series you were trying to read in the first place. Not to mention the other titles that have been born from this Final Crisis. It's ridiculous.

Now I know you maybe be saying to yourself, "A grown man buying comics is ridiculous." But I say to you that grown men, and women are the only one's who can afford to buy comics these days. It's not for children anymore. What child do you know could afford to plunk down $2.99, $3.50, and sometimes $4.99 for a comic book title. $5 comic books? That's insane.

So what's my point? I don't really know. This post is really for those people who keep harassing me about having children. Lay off, I can't afford a kid right now I have to find out what really happened to Wolverine!

4 Missed Calls?

I noticed my cell phone registered a few missed calls. I'd only been outside for 5 minutes this morning; scraping Sara's car off, and then moving mine so she could go to work. I may have lingered an extra minute or two - salting the walkway - but I wasn't gone long.

The missed calls were from Sara. She's stuck on a sheet of ice. Everything's covered in ice. Sara and her VW can't get over a little hill a block away from our house. It's one of the smaller hills in our neighborhood! If she couldn't get over that one then she had no chance of negotiating the rest of the way out of Epping Forest.

I threw on my boots and ventured outside to go retrieve my stranded sweetheart. Her car is now sitting on the side of the frozen road a block from our house. We're inside drinking coffee, and waiting for the sand truck/plow to come through the neighborhood. I like the snow days but the ice storms I'm not always crazy about.

(2 years ago we got hit with a huge ice storm the night before Valentine's Day. Read what I thought about it then.)

The Future Is Now?

So I'm listening to an Isaac Asimov book on CD during my commute. (Something I'm trying every now and again - these audio books. I'd rather read the actual books but I figure I spend at least 13 hours in my car per week so I'm trying to keep it interesting.)The book is entitled The Caves Of Steel. Asimov is supposedly the most well-known and beloved science fiction writer of all time. He wrote over 400 books, and practically wrote the book on writing books about robots.

As I'm listening to the audio book it strikes me how easily outdated science fiction can become. The book in question was published in 1954 - man had yet to set foot on the moon even - and yet this man is writing about humanoid robots, positronic brains, laser guns and space colonization. He was years ahead of his time... but his main character still smokes a pipe and uses the word 'Jehoshaphat' like it's going out of style. (Which it has.)

It always cracks me up when I'm in the middle of a sci-fi novel and they mention things like newsstands, or shoeshine boys in the same breath as space travel, or jet packs. "Xanion strapped on his jet pack and flew promptly to the newsstand to buy a morning paper. He flipped a shiny quarter to the robot behind the counter and said, 'Keep the change, bub.'" It's silly. It brings a smirk to my lips. Everyone's vision of the future may differ but if 3 millenia from now people are still smoking tobacco pipes, and using the word 'Jehoshaphat' I'll eat my bowler!

Some Thoughts On The Day

- It is exciting that we have some fresh blood in the White House. The change is what I'm most excited about. Obama seems like a good man, but he's still only human, a politician, and a member of one of the two big political parties. Time will tell what kind of President he will make.

- History was made today - there's no doubt in my mind - it was an amazing event. If you are a 30 something white male you should not say things like 'I never thought this would happen in my lifetime.' It sounds silly and doesn't carry the same weight as it would coming from someone more advanced in years, and/or who has struggled to overcome adversity.

- George W Bush has got to be relieved. I bet there was some drinking done on that flight home. I wonder what in flight movie was playing on his way back to Texas?

- Jake 'The Snake' Roberts was more of a tragic figure in wrestling than Randy 'The Ram' Robinson. 'The Snake' smoked crack and then did an interview on how miserable his life had become. Don't get me wrong, Mickey Rourke was great, but 'Beyond The Mat' resonated more with me.

Can't Sleep

Woke up about an hour ago. Tossed for awhile. Got up to pee. Can't get back to sleep so I'm on the computer. Don't feel like reading. Left my work projects out in the car. Worried about Fridays class project. Anticipating the inauguration. Awaiting for Obama's first mistake in office - he's only human - because then we'll see a resurgence of those 'Hey, Don't Blame Me I Voted For the Other Guy' Bumper Stickers. (Love Those) Saying goodbye to Bush in my own way. Feeling like I wasted my 4 day weekend and I still have 1 day left.

The WATCH Awards.

The nominees for the Washington Area Theatre Community Honors Awards have been announced and I am proud to say the 'Hauptmann', the play I did this past Spring, has received several nominations. The nominations include best leading actor, best featured actor, best director, and best play of the year. I am proud of this production, and my fellow cast & crew. I am happy to see our work getting some recognition.

(Plus, I failed to mention the fact that Sara and I were told recently that we have been cast in a show together. This May we will take to the stage together in Standing O Productions' 'Counting The Ways'. The full cast hasn't been announced yet but we're excited to act in the same show.)

A Bird Flew in The Engine?

By now you have read or seen news footage of Flight 1549. The pilot reported a double 'bird strike' and dumped the plane in the Hudson River after the engines failed. All aboard survived with no major injuries.

My mother called me yesterday morning and asked me if I'd been following the story. I said I had paid a little attention to it. She, apparently, was keeping a close eye on the story because it reminded her of our own near miss years before. I agreed it sounded similar.

Twenty something years ago - I can't remember the exact year but I was young enough to still go on Spring Break with my mom. I was probably a freshman in high school - a plane that we were on had a bird fly into the engine. My mother saved a few dollars by having us fly first to Newark before continuing on to Florida to visit my grandmother. (Does that make sense? We flew from Baltimore north to Newark to then fly south to Florida.)

Anyway, we were leaving for Spring Break, it was my mom, Bert, and I. We flew to Newark without incident. It was at the beginning of the second leg of our trip when our close call happened.

I remember that it was a larger jet; with a middle section of 4 or 5 seats and then an aisle on either side plus those side sections near the windows. I believe my mother was sitting in the middle, my brother and I on either side. Bert was in a world of his own. He was listening to his headphones and completely ignoring my mom and myself. I was reading a book as we taxied away from the terminal, but I folded it in my lap for take off. I always do. I love the take offs.

So there we are getting ready to leave Newark. We're cleared for take off. We charge the runway. The front wheel lifts off the ground. Suddenly the left engine explodes, and a trail of flames shoots past the windows towards the tail. The plane shudders and the pilot's voice is on the intercom telling everyone to remain calm and hold on. The plane brakes and our front wheel lands on the ground as we safely come to a full stop.

My mother tells Bert, who has missed the entire thing whilst jamming on his Walkman, to take the headphones off in case we need to evacuate the plane. Bert is clueless; he's missed the whole thing. The pilot is talking again explaining what he believes to have happened, 'bird strike', and then we taxi back to the terminal to switch aircrafts. Our second plane takes off without incident and when we land in Florida, with a few less passengers than we started off with, there was a rousing round of applause for a safe arrival.

I gave my mother grief the entire vacation and for years afterwards. "I'm glad we were almost killed in a plane crash so you could save a few bucks!" The funny thing is that I remember how scary it was at the time, and I can't get on a plane without thinking about it. Now, I don't wake up at night in cold sweats, and I still enjoy flying, but as I sit there in my seat with my book folded in my lap and the plane is rocketing down the runway, that night in Newark is always on my mind.

Apparently it happens all the time but most engines are designed to withstand a 4 pound bird strike; not a comforting number considering that Canadian Geese can way three times as much. This is a story I've told many times before. It's one of those stories that as I'm narrating it I often get the feeling that the listener thinks I'm full of crap. It's not the most exciting story but it is what it is.

So close to the dream...

... but so very far away from the reality of the Jetsons!

Seacrest... You Douche!

The kid's legally blind and you throw up a high five? You're worthless!

You're famous because...?

It's An Exciting Time Of Year!

Superbowl is approaching. The NFL Playoffs are in full swing. Fans are excited! Every loss hurts, and every win is celebrated.

I sit in one room and from the other I hear my wife's voice.

HELL YEAH, MUTHAFUCKA!

THAT'S RIGHT, BITCHES!

AW YEAH, EAT IT! EAT IT!

Of course the football games are finished for the day and she couldn't care less about football, anyway!

No! Her rabid fan behavior is reserved for a much loftier, admirable arena than professional sports... Awards Shows! My wife lives for Awards Seasons! Critic's Choice! Emmy's! The Tony's! Golden Globes! ETC! She practically goes into a seizure when the Oscars are on. (She requires a bottle of Champagne, Chips & Salsa, and a spoon to keep her from swallowing her tongue!)

It's all rather amusing... at first. Okay, I admit it - it's cute. It is. I just keep popping in and out to make sure she doesn't stroke out if Johnny Depp takes the stage!

I Couldn't Believe My Ears!

But after examining the leftover holiday decorations on the stage I decided that my young student HAD NOT actually, as I originally suspected, asked me why the snowman had a hard on!

I had heard him wrong.

A Little Perspective.

Sometimes every now and again it's been known to occur to me on occasion once in awhile I rarely frequently witness or hear about true hardships and then I realize, 'Hey, I've got it pretty good these days.'

I Finally Finished Moby Dick

I've tried in the past and quit 40 pages in... This time I was determined. It wasn't easy. It seems as if I've been reading it for months. I took it along on my winter break, and couldn't find the time to read, nodded off during chapters or struggled through page after page of descriptions on the whaling lifestyle.

-But it's a classic!

So what? It's not the most entertaining book. I mean, come on, the whale isn't even sighted until page 576... the book ends with an epilogue on page 603. Ahab isn't even introduced until after over a hundred pages. Don't get me wrong some chapters flew by; short, and action-packed. Other chapters seemed to take days to read; short, unbelievably detailed and boring.

But now I can say I've read it. Good for me. I found the below quote interesting.

'There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life when a man takes this whole universe for a vast practical joke, though the wit thereof he but dimly discerns, and more than suspects that the joke is at nobody's expense but his own.'

A Few Pics

This winter break we traveled, ROAD TRIP, for 2 weeks; from Annapolis to White Bear Lake to Chicago and back to Annapolis.







We spent our first week in White Bear Lake, MN, where it was negative degrees upon our arrival, , and I spent a lot of time in the sauna or warming myself by the fire in the gazebo. I regret that I did not get to try ice-fishing but - just as exciting - a local pizza joint decorated their store entirely with Pink Panther Xmas scenes.



We got to hang out and play with the niece and nephew. She, Moraya, is too much fun and I don't think I've ever seen such a happy baby as Nathan. It was good to see the In Laws.
I always enjoy seeing Sara's face light up when she's around family... then later she'll stress out a little because, well, she's around family.

After bidding adieu to the Patsy family we sped on down to Chicago. (In fact I was pulled over for doing 82 in a 65mph zone. I blame my mother. She called and distracted me from my driving and the cruise control didn't react well with my foot. WI has ungodly expensive speeding tickets. Thanks Ma!)

In Chicago we tried to see as many friends as we could; we missed a few I'm afraid. But we went karaoke-ing at Trader Todd's, had dinner at 2 of my old restaurants, hit 2 different New Years parties, and played Jumbo Jenga with a group of friends.

Over all it was a great trip. Now we're home, we're exhausted, and we're ready to go back.

So... Happy 2009!

Last night was fun. Sara and I bounced between 2 parties with old friendly faces, warm hugs, and cheap beer. It was a cold walk back and forth last night but, hey, that's January in Chicago.

So needless to say we got off to a slow start this morning and decided to get brunch close to home base. So we randomly selected Kitsch'n and as we sat down at the counter I look up and recognize one of the cooks. My friend, whom I worked with for several years, just happened to be cooking brunch. Earlier yesterday I went looking for him at his old place of business but the bar had changed owners. I wondered what had become of him, then I bump into him over my green eggs & ham.

It was one of those little coincidences that makes one smile. Hopefully, it is a sign of good things to come.