Got this from my video clip guru, Allan. Usually there's no link to embed the vids he sends me.
But this time, there was.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Fast Food Duel of the Fates
I'll admit, it's kinda stupid. But I liked the last lines by each character.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Premieres and Notables; Dec. 14-20, 2009
Monday, 12/14
The Vampire Diaries; The CW. 7-9 pm CST. Marathon.
In a cool move I'd like to see other networks do, The CW is airing the first half of the season Monday to Friday this week.
The Sing-Off; NBC. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
This daily series (Mon-Wed this week) touts it takes the singing in Glee and mixes it with the competition of
American Idol right in the commercial.
I guess NBC hasn't been able to score on its own, so it may as well rip-off the best...
Bank of Hollywood; E!. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Average blokes beg a panel of L.A. moneybags (like Candy Spelling) to finance their dreams.
Tuesday, 12/15
E2: Design (Sundance; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Paranormal State; A&E. 9 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Funniest Commercials of the Year 2009; TBS. 9 pm CST. Special.
Usually a pretty good hour of TV-- especially since I watch my TV on DVR, DVD, or tape and FastForward through commercials.
Wednesday, 12/16
So You Think You Can Dance (FOX; 7 pm) Season Finale.
Man vs. Food (Travel; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Nip/Tuck (FX; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Thursday, 12/17
SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas; NBC. 7 pm. Special.
Normally I wouldn't mention an SNL special (as the show has been crap for years), but these clip shows tend to be okay.
Friday, 12/18
Love the Beast; SPEED. 7 pm. Special.
Eric Bana directs this documentary about his 1974 XB Coupe.
Crash (Starz; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Saturday, 12/19
WWE Tribute to the Troops; NBC, 8 pm CST. Special.
Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars; BBC America. 8 pm CST. Special.
The countdown to David Tennant's departure of the series ticks one episode closer...
Sunday, 12/20
Survivor (CBS; 7 pm). Season Finale.
The Vampire Diaries; The CW. 7-9 pm CST. Marathon.
In a cool move I'd like to see other networks do, The CW is airing the first half of the season Monday to Friday this week.
The Sing-Off; NBC. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
This daily series (Mon-Wed this week) touts it takes the singing in Glee and mixes it with the competition of
American Idol right in the commercial.
I guess NBC hasn't been able to score on its own, so it may as well rip-off the best...
Bank of Hollywood; E!. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Average blokes beg a panel of L.A. moneybags (like Candy Spelling) to finance their dreams.
Tuesday, 12/15
E2: Design (Sundance; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Paranormal State; A&E. 9 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Funniest Commercials of the Year 2009; TBS. 9 pm CST. Special.
Usually a pretty good hour of TV-- especially since I watch my TV on DVR, DVD, or tape and FastForward through commercials.
Wednesday, 12/16
So You Think You Can Dance (FOX; 7 pm) Season Finale.
Man vs. Food (Travel; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Nip/Tuck (FX; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Thursday, 12/17
SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas; NBC. 7 pm. Special.
Normally I wouldn't mention an SNL special (as the show has been crap for years), but these clip shows tend to be okay.
Friday, 12/18
Love the Beast; SPEED. 7 pm. Special.
Eric Bana directs this documentary about his 1974 XB Coupe.
Crash (Starz; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Saturday, 12/19
WWE Tribute to the Troops; NBC, 8 pm CST. Special.
Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars; BBC America. 8 pm CST. Special.
The countdown to David Tennant's departure of the series ticks one episode closer...
Sunday, 12/20
Survivor (CBS; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Pulp Muppets
It's a complete shame I'm posting this when there's perfectly good real Muppet stuff to post...
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Monday, December 07, 2009
Bohemian Muppets
I'm not sure what the deal is with The Muppets anymore.
Are they maing a comeback or not?
Possibly, with this new clip from The Muppet Studio.
Are they maing a comeback or not?
Possibly, with this new clip from The Muppet Studio.
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Premieres and Notables; December 7-13, 2009
Monday, 12/7
The Closer (TNT; 8 pm CST). Mid-Season Return.
Men of a Certain Age; TNT. 9 pm CST. Series premiere.
Great actors in Ray Romano, Scott Bakula, and Andre Braugher as the leads. Unusual premise in three (male) friends experiencing mid-life crises. And the two TV critics I follow were split on it (TV Guide's Matt Roush hated it; Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker loved it).
Million Dollar Listing (Bravo; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Rita Rocks (Lifetime; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Tuesday, 12/8
Biggest Loser (NBC; 7 pm). Season Finale.
ABC tries again to debut the Christmas special Prep & Landing (7:30 pm CST).
Better Off Ted; ABC. 8:30 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Wednesday, 12/9
Glee (FOX; 8 pm). Fall Finale.
Spectacle: Elvie Costello With... Sundance. 9 pm CST. Season Premiere.
With... Bono and The Edge.
Top Chef: Las Vegas (Bravo; 9 pm) Season Finale.
Thursday, 12/10
Stossel; FOX Business. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
John Stossel gets his own, live, show.
Fringe (FOX; 8 pm CST). Fall Finale.
The Jeff Dunham Show (Comedy Central; 8 pm) Season Finale.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Friday, 12/11
Yes, Virginia; CBS. 7:00 pm. Special.
Neil Patrick Harris lends his voice to this Christmas special based on the famous 1897 newspaper editoral that answered Virginia's question with "Yes, Virginia, Santa Claus is real."
Live at Gotham (Comedy Central; 10 pm). Season Finale.
Saturday, 12/12
Ghost Intervention; TLC. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
Sunday, 12/13
The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty; A&E. 8 pm CST. Miniseries Premiere.
Hey! Look at that! A&E really does do some artsy stuff once in a while.
This mini follows four of the Jackson Five in their efforts to have a reunion tour happen (it started filming before the fifth Jackson died).
Dexter (Showtime; 8 pm). Season Finale.
The Closer (TNT; 8 pm CST). Mid-Season Return.
Men of a Certain Age; TNT. 9 pm CST. Series premiere.
Great actors in Ray Romano, Scott Bakula, and Andre Braugher as the leads. Unusual premise in three (male) friends experiencing mid-life crises. And the two TV critics I follow were split on it (TV Guide's Matt Roush hated it; Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker loved it).
Million Dollar Listing (Bravo; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Rita Rocks (Lifetime; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Tuesday, 12/8
Biggest Loser (NBC; 7 pm). Season Finale.
ABC tries again to debut the Christmas special Prep & Landing (7:30 pm CST).
Better Off Ted; ABC. 8:30 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Wednesday, 12/9
Glee (FOX; 8 pm). Fall Finale.
Spectacle: Elvie Costello With... Sundance. 9 pm CST. Season Premiere.
With... Bono and The Edge.
Top Chef: Las Vegas (Bravo; 9 pm) Season Finale.
Thursday, 12/10
Stossel; FOX Business. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
John Stossel gets his own, live, show.
Fringe (FOX; 8 pm CST). Fall Finale.
The Jeff Dunham Show (Comedy Central; 8 pm) Season Finale.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Friday, 12/11
Yes, Virginia; CBS. 7:00 pm. Special.
Neil Patrick Harris lends his voice to this Christmas special based on the famous 1897 newspaper editoral that answered Virginia's question with "Yes, Virginia, Santa Claus is real."
Live at Gotham (Comedy Central; 10 pm). Season Finale.
Saturday, 12/12
Ghost Intervention; TLC. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
Sunday, 12/13
The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty; A&E. 8 pm CST. Miniseries Premiere.
Hey! Look at that! A&E really does do some artsy stuff once in a while.
This mini follows four of the Jackson Five in their efforts to have a reunion tour happen (it started filming before the fifth Jackson died).
Dexter (Showtime; 8 pm). Season Finale.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Premieres and Notables; November 30- December 6, 2009
Monday, 11/30
Shrek the Halls; ABC. 7:30 pm CST. Special.
A repeat of last year's Holiday special.
Intervention; A&E. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Hoarders; A&E. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
I'm still waiting for my call for them to film my Fortress of Solitude ("mancave").
Tuesday, 12/1
Prep & Landing; ABC. 7:30 pm. Special.
Sarah Chalke and Dave Foley voice the lead characters, who are elves who make sure Santa gets the job done on the 25th. ABC has been promoting this one, hard. I also think Pixar had a hand in it (can't say for sure, or how much), so that, alone, will have me tuning in.
Scrubs; ABC. 8 & 8:30 pm. 9th Season Premiere.
After a great series finale last spring, we get "Scrubs 2.0" with many familiar faces alongside a bunch of new ones as Drs. Turk and Cox teach medicine to a number of new recruits.
Britain's Missing Top Model; BBC America. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Unconventional models compete to be featured in a fashion magazine.
Sherri (Lifetime; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
Sons of Anarchy (FX; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
Wednesday, 12/2
Bank of Mom & Dad (SOAPNet; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
Steven Seagal Lawman; A&E. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Steven Seagal chronicles his career as a real-life Louisiana sheriff's deputy.
I can't wait until Entertainment Tonight breaks the story that he snapped a perp's neck.
Top Chef Las Vegas (Bravo; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
Launch My Line; Bravo. 10 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Bravo tries to re-catch lightning in a bottle with another attempt to replace Project Runway.
Friday, 12/4
Monk (USA; 8 pm) Series Finale.
Monk gets the break he needs to solve his wife's murder.
Saturday, 12/5
The Ultimate Fighter: The Heavyweights (Spike; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.
Sunday, 12/6
Amazing Race (CBS; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Alice; Syfy. 8 pm CST. 2-part mini-series.
A "reimagining" of Alice in Wonderland in the vein that last year's Tin Man retold The Wizard of Oz.
Shatner's Raw Nerve; Bio. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Shrek the Halls; ABC. 7:30 pm CST. Special.
A repeat of last year's Holiday special.
Intervention; A&E. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Hoarders; A&E. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
I'm still waiting for my call for them to film my Fortress of Solitude ("mancave").
Tuesday, 12/1
Prep & Landing; ABC. 7:30 pm. Special.
Sarah Chalke and Dave Foley voice the lead characters, who are elves who make sure Santa gets the job done on the 25th. ABC has been promoting this one, hard. I also think Pixar had a hand in it (can't say for sure, or how much), so that, alone, will have me tuning in.
Scrubs; ABC. 8 & 8:30 pm. 9th Season Premiere.
After a great series finale last spring, we get "Scrubs 2.0" with many familiar faces alongside a bunch of new ones as Drs. Turk and Cox teach medicine to a number of new recruits.
Britain's Missing Top Model; BBC America. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Unconventional models compete to be featured in a fashion magazine.
Sherri (Lifetime; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
Sons of Anarchy (FX; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
Wednesday, 12/2
Bank of Mom & Dad (SOAPNet; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
Steven Seagal Lawman; A&E. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Steven Seagal chronicles his career as a real-life Louisiana sheriff's deputy.
I can't wait until Entertainment Tonight breaks the story that he snapped a perp's neck.
Top Chef Las Vegas (Bravo; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
Launch My Line; Bravo. 10 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Bravo tries to re-catch lightning in a bottle with another attempt to replace Project Runway.
Friday, 12/4
Monk (USA; 8 pm) Series Finale.
Monk gets the break he needs to solve his wife's murder.
Saturday, 12/5
The Ultimate Fighter: The Heavyweights (Spike; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.
Sunday, 12/6
Amazing Race (CBS; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Alice; Syfy. 8 pm CST. 2-part mini-series.
A "reimagining" of Alice in Wonderland in the vein that last year's Tin Man retold The Wizard of Oz.
Shatner's Raw Nerve; Bio. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Premieres and Notables; November 23-29, 2009
Monday, 11/23
Surviving the Holidays With Lewis Black; History. 7 pm CST. Special.
Low-key comic, Lewis Black, gives helpful tips (along with a little history lesson) on making it through the next month's worth of holiday madness.
Battlestar Galactica's Katie Sackhoff shows up on The Big Bang Theory (CBS; 8:30 pm CST).
Tuesday, 11/24
V (ABC; 7 pm CST). Mid-Season Finale.
TV's biggest hit of the year takes a nap for the next few months (returning in March); but not before giving us a killer cliffhanger (what I expect, anyway).
How the Earth Was Made; History. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Taking a look at how the Grand Canyon was formed.
Dancing With the Stars (ABC; 8:01 CST). Season Finale.
Dinner With the Band; IFC. 10 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Chef Sam Mason hosts dinner parties for indie bands in New York.
Friday, 11/27
Shameless; Sundance. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Monk (USA; 8 pm) airs the first part of its 2-part series finale, which focuses on Monk finally solving Trudy's murder.
The Foo Fighters get their turn on Storytellers (VH1; 10 pm). I'm not much of a fan, but I do think Dave Grohl's pretty funny, so it should be a lively show.
Sunday, 11/29
The 26th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert; HBO. 7 pm CST. Special.
Four hours of music by past presenters and inductees such as Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Aretha Franklin, Simon & Garfunkel, U2, Metallica, Mick Jagger, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, The Black Eyed Peas, Smokey Robinson, and Sting.
And, as these shows often do, the performers mix-and-match and jam with each other.
If this sounds cool, just think of what the actual 25th anniversary (in 2011) celebration will be like...
[That's a little math joke, people. The first inductees to the Hall was in 1986...]
Stormchasers (Discovery; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Surviving the Holidays With Lewis Black; History. 7 pm CST. Special.
Low-key comic, Lewis Black, gives helpful tips (along with a little history lesson) on making it through the next month's worth of holiday madness.
Battlestar Galactica's Katie Sackhoff shows up on The Big Bang Theory (CBS; 8:30 pm CST).
Tuesday, 11/24
V (ABC; 7 pm CST). Mid-Season Finale.
TV's biggest hit of the year takes a nap for the next few months (returning in March); but not before giving us a killer cliffhanger (what I expect, anyway).
How the Earth Was Made; History. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Taking a look at how the Grand Canyon was formed.
Dancing With the Stars (ABC; 8:01 CST). Season Finale.
Dinner With the Band; IFC. 10 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Chef Sam Mason hosts dinner parties for indie bands in New York.
Friday, 11/27
Shameless; Sundance. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Monk (USA; 8 pm) airs the first part of its 2-part series finale, which focuses on Monk finally solving Trudy's murder.
The Foo Fighters get their turn on Storytellers (VH1; 10 pm). I'm not much of a fan, but I do think Dave Grohl's pretty funny, so it should be a lively show.
Sunday, 11/29
The 26th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert; HBO. 7 pm CST. Special.
Four hours of music by past presenters and inductees such as Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Aretha Franklin, Simon & Garfunkel, U2, Metallica, Mick Jagger, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, The Black Eyed Peas, Smokey Robinson, and Sting.
And, as these shows often do, the performers mix-and-match and jam with each other.
If this sounds cool, just think of what the actual 25th anniversary (in 2011) celebration will be like...
[That's a little math joke, people. The first inductees to the Hall was in 1986...]
Stormchasers (Discovery; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Premieres and Notables; November 16-22, 2009
Monday, 11/16
I won't spoil what happened last week, but let's just say that this week, Barney returns to form on How I Met Your Mother (CBS; 7 pm CST).
Chef Academy; Bravo. 10 pm. Series Premiere.
Just what the world needed: another chef reality competition.
Tuesday, 11/17
Merry Madagscar; NBC. 7 pm CST. Special.
A half-hour, Holiday-themed special where Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman sub for Santa.
No mention of the real stars (and only high points) of the films, the Penguins, though.
Heather Locklear makes an attempt to save the reboot of Melrose Place-- just as she saved the first incarnation (CW; 8 pm).
And in DVD/BluRay release news: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's A Very Sunny Christmas direct-to-DVD special drops in stores today.
Wednesday, 11/18
America's Next Top Model (CE; 7 pm CST). Season Finale.
Clark Gregg ("Richard")'s real-life wife, Jennifer Grey, plays his blind date on The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS; 7 pm). Should be fun to see.
Thursday, 11/19
Project Runway (Lifetime; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Friday, 11/20
Happily Ever Faster; TLC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A "classy" Las Vegas wedding chapel that appeals to people who don't want their nuptuals to look tacky is featured in this reality show.
Sunday, 11/22
The Next Iron Chef (Food; 8 pm). Season Finale.
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO; 8 pm). Season Finale.
Filming of the Seinfeld reunion show commences...
I won't spoil what happened last week, but let's just say that this week, Barney returns to form on How I Met Your Mother (CBS; 7 pm CST).
Chef Academy; Bravo. 10 pm. Series Premiere.
Just what the world needed: another chef reality competition.
Tuesday, 11/17
Merry Madagscar; NBC. 7 pm CST. Special.
A half-hour, Holiday-themed special where Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman sub for Santa.
No mention of the real stars (and only high points) of the films, the Penguins, though.
Heather Locklear makes an attempt to save the reboot of Melrose Place-- just as she saved the first incarnation (CW; 8 pm).
And in DVD/BluRay release news: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's A Very Sunny Christmas direct-to-DVD special drops in stores today.
Wednesday, 11/18
America's Next Top Model (CE; 7 pm CST). Season Finale.
Clark Gregg ("Richard")'s real-life wife, Jennifer Grey, plays his blind date on The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS; 7 pm). Should be fun to see.
Thursday, 11/19
Project Runway (Lifetime; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Friday, 11/20
Happily Ever Faster; TLC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A "classy" Las Vegas wedding chapel that appeals to people who don't want their nuptuals to look tacky is featured in this reality show.
Sunday, 11/22
The Next Iron Chef (Food; 8 pm). Season Finale.
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO; 8 pm). Season Finale.
Filming of the Seinfeld reunion show commences...
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Best Day Ever?
So, it's been a while...
I admit, I got a bit burned out by doing that whole birthday thing (let's not discuss how long ago that was). Then I found I couldn't embed clips from E! online here anymore (I guess that's not a big loss, the clips disappeared after a short time anyway). And I've been a little anti-computer lately; I don't even do much for my Fantasy Football team (which has sucked pretty hard this year) beyond an hour or so a week making sure I don't have anyone hurt or on bye week starting for me. And my computer is nearing the end of its useful life (at least in terms of having 1-3 other people logged on it at a time); eating up the available memory and slowing anything I want to do down.
And then I read a book called The Narcissism Epidemic which claimed that things like MySpace and blogs are causes as well as effects of the increased narcissistic nature of our society. So I've been wondering if posting about what I think is just part of that societal trend, or if my original purpose still held up. (That purpose being a more passive way to express what I write in e-mails to friends in a format that is not "forced" like reading an e-mail; people have to go to this website, which leads me to believe they come here for a reason beyond the duty one would feel to read an e-mail from me.)
BTW: I think I've stuck to my original intent.
Except for this post. In this post, I'm gonna talk about my day... A lot... This one is about "me me me".
Deal with it.
Let's go back a few weeks; back to the time when I almost wrote a post called Best Week Ever...?
That week was potentially my best because I scored some really cheap ($1 & $3) CDs that were either new or very much like new. I also got a few slightly used Marvel Essential TPBs (massive books containing reprints of 20-25 issues of old comics) that retail for $16-18 for $1-$3. I got my backordered copy of Van Halen: The Visual History, 1978-1984 (used a gift card from my birthday along with a coupon and only paid a couple of buck out of pocket). I found Paul Feig's book Kick Me!-- which is hilarious and highly recommended-- for half price. Grabbed Smallville Season 5 used DVD set for $10. And I got my advance copy of the Wii game Guitar Hero: Van Halen (due to be released in stores December 22-- suckers), which I actually played (don't play much Wii) and enjoyed. It was hard not seeing Mike in the game, but Wolfgang is the current bassist, and the game is centered on how the band looks now (until they give Roth the boot)-- at least it's current as far as I've gotten in the game, which isn't terribly far. And, finally, I preordered a copy of Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 1 on BluRay for $35, which is pretty good (Best Buy is selling it for $49 right now in stores).
Pretty damn good week.
It'll be tough to top that week, but I came pretty close in just a single day.
Let's go back just a little more. I saw the movie Up last spring. It kicked my ass with how good it was. I couldn't wait to get it on DVD; and after I bought a BluRay player this summer, I couldn't wait to get in on BluRay Disc. Now combine that with a visit I had with my movie/DVD/sci fi guru Tom this summer, who gave me hints on how to find good DVD/BluRay deals. I was on a mission to get Up-- and pay as little as possible for it (not that it's not worth full price; just that finding it cheap was a bit of an adventure).
So I scoured the internet and found as many deals, coupons, price match opportunities and the like I could use, and I had a plan. I was going to score the Up 4 disc (Blu Ray film, BluRay extras, DVD of film, and digital copy of film) as well as Monsters, Inc 4-disc for about $24. Not the best deal I knew about, but the one I was willing to go for because it didn't involve too many things that could end up being roadblocks (after a certain point, stores don't like dealing with you when you're practically getting stuff for free).
So yesterday (Tuesday, the day the movies were released to stores) was a tough one to sit through. I was riding in the carpool, so I didn't have a car (my bad for not scheduling myself to drive, I guess)-- and I wasn't going to make a special trip to the nearest city to pick them up. So I was as jittery as a crack addict looking for his fix.
So today I woke up, ran to the computer, and printed off the final coupon I needed for my adventure (a $10 off Up that didn't become available until the release date). Then I had to sit through another day of work with visions of Pixar-created goodness dancing in my head.
Now the good things about today:
There was meeting on the floor I reside on in my office building, and those usually are good opportunities to score a free lunch. Which I did. I snaked a lunch yesterday as well to use as my early supper today (donating plasma-- gotta keep my protein up). Double good things.
I was able to convince the people I talked to at work that I gave a shit about what they were telling me. Always a good day when I accomplish that.
I didn't find anyone to give me a ride to a store to buy my BluRays during lunch (didn't try hard; just was looking for someone "going my way"). What looked like a bad thing, ended up good (because I did better at night than I probably would have during the day).
Another bad break: I left my reading book (Russell Brand's My Booky Wook) in the person's car I was riding with when she dropped me off. Very bad-- it was the only book I had, and sitting in that chair while donating plasma without a book is torture. So I exceeded the speed limit, hit the lights just right, and headed to my favorite bookstore before I had to donate. Ran to the clearance section to grab a book and stumbled on Ricky Gervais presents The World of Karl Pinkerton based on the popular podcast I haven't heard yet. I'm not always entranced by Gervais (even though I consider him as close to a comedy genius as it gets), but the book was $3-- and it gave me something to read.
Oh yeah, I also grabbed the Invasion complete series I had been eyeing for months for $12 with a coupon. Score!
I donated plasma, and they had me turned up a little high, so I blew through it (without blowing a vein) in about 50 minutes (ten less than usual). Good deal. Got halfway through my new book while I pumped my arm... Another bonus.
Now the big part: My trip to Best Buy to buy my BluRays. I picked up my two sets and visited the game section because BB was also offering the Up game for Nintendo DS for $10 if you bought the BluRay. I'm sure the game isn't spectacular (most games based on movies aren't), but it was $10 and makes a nice Christmas present for that price.
So, the moment of truth... I walked up to the cash register with what should have rung up at just under $53 based on prices in the ad (and close to $75 retail priced). I lucked out and got a new cashier (because he didn't know what he was doing). He called someone else over to help (always a good sign; the helper usually has his own station to watch, so is in a hurry). The helper agreed to price match bestbuy.com's price for Up for $19.99 instead of the $23.99 in the ad ("It's not company policy to meet the website's price, but any manager will end up doing it.") My first break. But then the damn specials in the ad didn't ring up right ($10 off Monsters if bought with Up as well as the DS game deal), so a manager had to be called in to override. Break #2.
Managers are even busier than helpers, so she blasted through the overrides-- and gave me an extra mystery $10 off (oops). When all was said and done; I had my price matches, ad deals, and the manager walked away, and my total came to $41. The cashier and his helper breathed a sigh of relief.
Then I pulled out my $18 worth of Disney manufacturers coupons, and brought the total down to $23 for 2 BluRay 4-disc sets and a DS game. That included tax.
Best day ever.
After that, I drove home, listening to the mix CD my music/internet site guru Brian made for me to get me cultured in Joe Satriani (guitar virtuosos usually keep me away with the overly-high tuned guitars, so Brian made sure I got to experience the real Satch because I needed to bone up on my Chickenfoot members aside from the Red Rocker and Mad Anthony) . I'll tell you, being completly amped up after a big deal and listening to "If I Could Fly", "Surfing With the Alien", "Satch Boogie", and "Always With Me, Always With You" on the drive really makes a man feel good.
I got home and watched the tape of the Veteran's Day program my kids' school hosted today. My Kindergartener had one of the toughest lines (long, with larger words-- especially for a kindergartener) among the kids from K-5, and he nailed it. And my second grader started coming down with a cold earlier that day, but he still sang along with the others. He was a little trooper. A great capper to a great day to see them perform.
Well, almost the capper. After I put the boys to bed, I did watch tonight's episode of Glee-- and adored it. The last few episodes weren't as jaw droppingly good as the first few (still an excellent show, don't get me wrong), but tonight's ep was wonderful. I laughed and even cried a little. Got to see lots of "background" stuff on these people, and that always makes for a great episode of this show. There was a lot of heart to it-- and that's why I fell for the show in the first place.
And I suppose the final part of this best day ever was that I actually managed to make a post in this blog...
It posted on Thursday only because I proofread it. It was written and finished on Wednesday. I promise...
I admit, I got a bit burned out by doing that whole birthday thing (let's not discuss how long ago that was). Then I found I couldn't embed clips from E! online here anymore (I guess that's not a big loss, the clips disappeared after a short time anyway). And I've been a little anti-computer lately; I don't even do much for my Fantasy Football team (which has sucked pretty hard this year) beyond an hour or so a week making sure I don't have anyone hurt or on bye week starting for me. And my computer is nearing the end of its useful life (at least in terms of having 1-3 other people logged on it at a time); eating up the available memory and slowing anything I want to do down.
And then I read a book called The Narcissism Epidemic which claimed that things like MySpace and blogs are causes as well as effects of the increased narcissistic nature of our society. So I've been wondering if posting about what I think is just part of that societal trend, or if my original purpose still held up. (That purpose being a more passive way to express what I write in e-mails to friends in a format that is not "forced" like reading an e-mail; people have to go to this website, which leads me to believe they come here for a reason beyond the duty one would feel to read an e-mail from me.)
BTW: I think I've stuck to my original intent.
Except for this post. In this post, I'm gonna talk about my day... A lot... This one is about "me me me".
Deal with it.
Let's go back a few weeks; back to the time when I almost wrote a post called Best Week Ever...?
That week was potentially my best because I scored some really cheap ($1 & $3) CDs that were either new or very much like new. I also got a few slightly used Marvel Essential TPBs (massive books containing reprints of 20-25 issues of old comics) that retail for $16-18 for $1-$3. I got my backordered copy of Van Halen: The Visual History, 1978-1984 (used a gift card from my birthday along with a coupon and only paid a couple of buck out of pocket). I found Paul Feig's book Kick Me!-- which is hilarious and highly recommended-- for half price. Grabbed Smallville Season 5 used DVD set for $10. And I got my advance copy of the Wii game Guitar Hero: Van Halen (due to be released in stores December 22-- suckers), which I actually played (don't play much Wii) and enjoyed. It was hard not seeing Mike in the game, but Wolfgang is the current bassist, and the game is centered on how the band looks now (until they give Roth the boot)-- at least it's current as far as I've gotten in the game, which isn't terribly far. And, finally, I preordered a copy of Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 1 on BluRay for $35, which is pretty good (Best Buy is selling it for $49 right now in stores).
Pretty damn good week.
It'll be tough to top that week, but I came pretty close in just a single day.
Let's go back just a little more. I saw the movie Up last spring. It kicked my ass with how good it was. I couldn't wait to get it on DVD; and after I bought a BluRay player this summer, I couldn't wait to get in on BluRay Disc. Now combine that with a visit I had with my movie/DVD/sci fi guru Tom this summer, who gave me hints on how to find good DVD/BluRay deals. I was on a mission to get Up-- and pay as little as possible for it (not that it's not worth full price; just that finding it cheap was a bit of an adventure).
So I scoured the internet and found as many deals, coupons, price match opportunities and the like I could use, and I had a plan. I was going to score the Up 4 disc (Blu Ray film, BluRay extras, DVD of film, and digital copy of film) as well as Monsters, Inc 4-disc for about $24. Not the best deal I knew about, but the one I was willing to go for because it didn't involve too many things that could end up being roadblocks (after a certain point, stores don't like dealing with you when you're practically getting stuff for free).
So yesterday (Tuesday, the day the movies were released to stores) was a tough one to sit through. I was riding in the carpool, so I didn't have a car (my bad for not scheduling myself to drive, I guess)-- and I wasn't going to make a special trip to the nearest city to pick them up. So I was as jittery as a crack addict looking for his fix.
So today I woke up, ran to the computer, and printed off the final coupon I needed for my adventure (a $10 off Up that didn't become available until the release date). Then I had to sit through another day of work with visions of Pixar-created goodness dancing in my head.
Now the good things about today:
There was meeting on the floor I reside on in my office building, and those usually are good opportunities to score a free lunch. Which I did. I snaked a lunch yesterday as well to use as my early supper today (donating plasma-- gotta keep my protein up). Double good things.
I was able to convince the people I talked to at work that I gave a shit about what they were telling me. Always a good day when I accomplish that.
I didn't find anyone to give me a ride to a store to buy my BluRays during lunch (didn't try hard; just was looking for someone "going my way"). What looked like a bad thing, ended up good (because I did better at night than I probably would have during the day).
Another bad break: I left my reading book (Russell Brand's My Booky Wook) in the person's car I was riding with when she dropped me off. Very bad-- it was the only book I had, and sitting in that chair while donating plasma without a book is torture. So I exceeded the speed limit, hit the lights just right, and headed to my favorite bookstore before I had to donate. Ran to the clearance section to grab a book and stumbled on Ricky Gervais presents The World of Karl Pinkerton based on the popular podcast I haven't heard yet. I'm not always entranced by Gervais (even though I consider him as close to a comedy genius as it gets), but the book was $3-- and it gave me something to read.
Oh yeah, I also grabbed the Invasion complete series I had been eyeing for months for $12 with a coupon. Score!
I donated plasma, and they had me turned up a little high, so I blew through it (without blowing a vein) in about 50 minutes (ten less than usual). Good deal. Got halfway through my new book while I pumped my arm... Another bonus.
Now the big part: My trip to Best Buy to buy my BluRays. I picked up my two sets and visited the game section because BB was also offering the Up game for Nintendo DS for $10 if you bought the BluRay. I'm sure the game isn't spectacular (most games based on movies aren't), but it was $10 and makes a nice Christmas present for that price.
So, the moment of truth... I walked up to the cash register with what should have rung up at just under $53 based on prices in the ad (and close to $75 retail priced). I lucked out and got a new cashier (because he didn't know what he was doing). He called someone else over to help (always a good sign; the helper usually has his own station to watch, so is in a hurry). The helper agreed to price match bestbuy.com's price for Up for $19.99 instead of the $23.99 in the ad ("It's not company policy to meet the website's price, but any manager will end up doing it.") My first break. But then the damn specials in the ad didn't ring up right ($10 off Monsters if bought with Up as well as the DS game deal), so a manager had to be called in to override. Break #2.
Managers are even busier than helpers, so she blasted through the overrides-- and gave me an extra mystery $10 off (oops). When all was said and done; I had my price matches, ad deals, and the manager walked away, and my total came to $41. The cashier and his helper breathed a sigh of relief.
Then I pulled out my $18 worth of Disney manufacturers coupons, and brought the total down to $23 for 2 BluRay 4-disc sets and a DS game. That included tax.
Best day ever.
After that, I drove home, listening to the mix CD my music/internet site guru Brian made for me to get me cultured in Joe Satriani (guitar virtuosos usually keep me away with the overly-high tuned guitars, so Brian made sure I got to experience the real Satch because I needed to bone up on my Chickenfoot members aside from the Red Rocker and Mad Anthony) . I'll tell you, being completly amped up after a big deal and listening to "If I Could Fly", "Surfing With the Alien", "Satch Boogie", and "Always With Me, Always With You" on the drive really makes a man feel good.
I got home and watched the tape of the Veteran's Day program my kids' school hosted today. My Kindergartener had one of the toughest lines (long, with larger words-- especially for a kindergartener) among the kids from K-5, and he nailed it. And my second grader started coming down with a cold earlier that day, but he still sang along with the others. He was a little trooper. A great capper to a great day to see them perform.
Well, almost the capper. After I put the boys to bed, I did watch tonight's episode of Glee-- and adored it. The last few episodes weren't as jaw droppingly good as the first few (still an excellent show, don't get me wrong), but tonight's ep was wonderful. I laughed and even cried a little. Got to see lots of "background" stuff on these people, and that always makes for a great episode of this show. There was a lot of heart to it-- and that's why I fell for the show in the first place.
And I suppose the final part of this best day ever was that I actually managed to make a post in this blog...
It posted on Thursday only because I proofread it. It was written and finished on Wednesday. I promise...
Monday, November 09, 2009
Sarah Silverman's Idea to Solve World Hunger
I don't always find her funny, but there are some good lines in this.
Oh yeah-- check out the comments about the video on YouTube. Some people just don't fuckin' get it...
If you don't either: it's a joke.
Lots of underlying truth, but the main target can't solve the problem itself.
Oh yeah-- check out the comments about the video on YouTube. Some people just don't fuckin' get it...
If you don't either: it's a joke.
Lots of underlying truth, but the main target can't solve the problem itself.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Premieres and Notables; November 9-15, 2009
Monday, 11/9
Lincoln Heights (ABC Family; 7 & 7:30 pm CST). Season Finale.
The gang uses Alan Thicke to try to break up Barney and Robin on How I Met Your Mother (CBS; 7 pm CST).
The big C.S.I. crossover begins tonight on CSI: Miami (CBS; 9 pm CST).
Lopez Tonight; TBS. 10 pm CST. Series Premiere.
George Lopez gets a talk show.
Tuesday, 11/10
Sesame Street; PBS. 6 am (check local listings). 40th Season Premiere.
Let me spell that out: FORTIETH.
Wednesday, 11/11
The episode of Glee (FOX; 8 pm CST) that features the cast in wheelchairs during one number airs tonight. There's been a little buzz about it, so I thought I'd let you know.
Ghost Hunters Academy; Syfy. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Don't know-- and don't care-- what it's about...
Friday, 11/13
The Wonder Twins show up in Metropolis to help the Blur on Smallville (CW; 7 pm CST).
Sunday, 11/15
The Prisoner; AMC. 7 pm CST. Miniseries.
This six-part (2 hrs/night over three nights) miniseries tries to find the same magic of the '60s cult hit. From what I've read, it doesn't (but what do I know? I tried the original about 2 years ago and couldn't get past the second episode).
The Seinfeld cast gets together to read-through the script of the [fictitious] reunion special on Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO; 8 pm CST).
WWII in HD; History. 8 pm CST. Mini-series.
2hrs/night for the next 5 nights showcases restored color footage of the war.
Super Dave's Spike-tacular; Spike. 10 pm. Mini-series.
Bob Einstein's Super Dave character returns in this 4-week series. I'm sure it'll be a tasteful affair seeing as it's on Spike...
Lincoln Heights (ABC Family; 7 & 7:30 pm CST). Season Finale.
The gang uses Alan Thicke to try to break up Barney and Robin on How I Met Your Mother (CBS; 7 pm CST).
The big C.S.I. crossover begins tonight on CSI: Miami (CBS; 9 pm CST).
Lopez Tonight; TBS. 10 pm CST. Series Premiere.
George Lopez gets a talk show.
Tuesday, 11/10
Sesame Street; PBS. 6 am (check local listings). 40th Season Premiere.
Let me spell that out: FORTIETH.
Wednesday, 11/11
The episode of Glee (FOX; 8 pm CST) that features the cast in wheelchairs during one number airs tonight. There's been a little buzz about it, so I thought I'd let you know.
Ghost Hunters Academy; Syfy. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Don't know-- and don't care-- what it's about...
Friday, 11/13
The Wonder Twins show up in Metropolis to help the Blur on Smallville (CW; 7 pm CST).
Sunday, 11/15
The Prisoner; AMC. 7 pm CST. Miniseries.
This six-part (2 hrs/night over three nights) miniseries tries to find the same magic of the '60s cult hit. From what I've read, it doesn't (but what do I know? I tried the original about 2 years ago and couldn't get past the second episode).
The Seinfeld cast gets together to read-through the script of the [fictitious] reunion special on Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO; 8 pm CST).
WWII in HD; History. 8 pm CST. Mini-series.
2hrs/night for the next 5 nights showcases restored color footage of the war.
Super Dave's Spike-tacular; Spike. 10 pm. Mini-series.
Bob Einstein's Super Dave character returns in this 4-week series. I'm sure it'll be a tasteful affair seeing as it's on Spike...
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Coolest Album Cover... Ever...?
I saw this pic in National Geographic a while back and thought it was awesome then.
On Sunday, I saw it in an ad for Wheezer's new album.
Still awesome.
On Sunday, I saw it in an ad for Wheezer's new album.
Still awesome.
Monday, November 02, 2009
Batman: Dead End
This short has been around a while, so I don't don't the exact story behind it. I think it had something to do with some aspiring filmmakers who put together this fan-film in order to show off their skills.
I think it came off very well. Aside from a Batsuit that doesn't work well on film (even though it's faithful to the comics) and an ending that I wouldn't have gone with, it's pretty damn good.
I think it came off very well. Aside from a Batsuit that doesn't work well on film (even though it's faithful to the comics) and an ending that I wouldn't have gone with, it's pretty damn good.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Premieres and Notables: November 2-8, 2009
Monday, 11/2
Greek (ABC Family; 8 pm CST). Mid-Season Finale.
Tuesday, 11/3
V; ABC. 7 pm CST*. (Mini)-Series Premiere.
One of ABC's most-hyped series of the season begins tonight*. The first four eps are packed together as a sort of mini-series, and then the rest of the season will pick-up in March after the Winter Olympics.
I'm not sure how much of this follows the original mini-series (and sequel mini-- as well as the 19 ep series that followed-- although hardly anyone mentions those stories in anything I've read), but it looks like the premise is similar: Alien spaceships appear in the skies, offering to help humanity out with some issues (war, disease, etc). Not everyone is convinced of their giving nature.
I won't spoil it in case you missed the original, but it's safe to say The Visitors have some secrets they haven't shared with Earth.
The things I've read by critics about the show are pretty positive. I think it's safe to say this will be a pretty good series-- if the idiotic scheduling doesn't doom it.
*Special Note: the show premieres on Tuesday, unless you happen to live in the Green Bay, WI viewing area, at which point you (we) get to wait until 11:05pm on fucking Saturday to see it (unless you want to watch it on your itty-bitty computer monitor). Oh yeah: if you have to wait until Saturday, make sure you record long on it because it follows a football game.
[Can you imagine the boon the Green Bay Packers have to their area that one of ABC's major premieres can get bumped in favor of "Tuesday Night Touchback"? That the ratings/ad money for a weekly recap show can push back a network premiere? Dang.]
Flowers Uncut With Jeff Leatham; TLC. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
The above just confirms I'm a pretty full-service blogger.
I mean, this is a reality show about florists. They serve a wonderful purpose, but a TV reality show? Really?
Wednesday, 11/4
Bill Cosby: The Mark Twain Prize; PBS. 7:00 pm CST-- Check local listings. Special.
The Cos gets props from Willie Nelson, Phylicia Rashad, Chris Rock, and Jerry Seinfeld, among others.
Friday, 11/6
Spongebob Squarepants: Truth or Square; Nickelodeon. 7 pm CST. Special.
The tenth anniversary special combines animation as well as live action to take a never-before-seen trip down memory lane. Guests include: LeBron James, Craig Ferguson, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Tina Fey, Will Farrel, Robin Williams, and Pink. Oh yeah, the special is hosted by Ricky Gervais, which is all kinds of awesome.
Fanboy and Chum Chum; Nickelodeon. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Super-hero obsessed schoolmates find adventures in their everyday lives.
Platinum Babies; WE tv. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A look at spoiled-ass babies.
It's interesting I see this type of show as I am in the middle of the book The Narcissism Epidemic, which makes a pretty good case that today's society is too spoiled. I was sure the authors may be looking a little too closely at some minor things-- but the fact this show is a reality kinda proves their point...
Like I mentioned a few days ago, Chickenfoot plays some tunes on Jimmy Kimmel's show tonight (ABC; 11:05 pm-- check local listings).
Saturday, 11/7
Legend of the Seeker; Syndicated. 3 pm CST (check local listings). Season Premiere.
Guest-starring one of my favorites: Charisma Carpenter.
The Wanda Sykes Show; FOX. 10 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A new talk show starring the comic of the title.
Sunday, 11/8
Bored to Death (HBO; 8:30 pm). Season Finale.
Mad Men (AMC; 9:00 pm). Season Finale.
Greek (ABC Family; 8 pm CST). Mid-Season Finale.
Tuesday, 11/3
V; ABC. 7 pm CST*. (Mini)-Series Premiere.
One of ABC's most-hyped series of the season begins tonight*. The first four eps are packed together as a sort of mini-series, and then the rest of the season will pick-up in March after the Winter Olympics.
I'm not sure how much of this follows the original mini-series (and sequel mini-- as well as the 19 ep series that followed-- although hardly anyone mentions those stories in anything I've read), but it looks like the premise is similar: Alien spaceships appear in the skies, offering to help humanity out with some issues (war, disease, etc). Not everyone is convinced of their giving nature.
I won't spoil it in case you missed the original, but it's safe to say The Visitors have some secrets they haven't shared with Earth.
The things I've read by critics about the show are pretty positive. I think it's safe to say this will be a pretty good series-- if the idiotic scheduling doesn't doom it.
*Special Note: the show premieres on Tuesday, unless you happen to live in the Green Bay, WI viewing area, at which point you (we) get to wait until 11:05pm on fucking Saturday to see it (unless you want to watch it on your itty-bitty computer monitor). Oh yeah: if you have to wait until Saturday, make sure you record long on it because it follows a football game.
[Can you imagine the boon the Green Bay Packers have to their area that one of ABC's major premieres can get bumped in favor of "Tuesday Night Touchback"? That the ratings/ad money for a weekly recap show can push back a network premiere? Dang.]
Flowers Uncut With Jeff Leatham; TLC. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
The above just confirms I'm a pretty full-service blogger.
I mean, this is a reality show about florists. They serve a wonderful purpose, but a TV reality show? Really?
Wednesday, 11/4
Bill Cosby: The Mark Twain Prize; PBS. 7:00 pm CST-- Check local listings. Special.
The Cos gets props from Willie Nelson, Phylicia Rashad, Chris Rock, and Jerry Seinfeld, among others.
Friday, 11/6
Spongebob Squarepants: Truth or Square; Nickelodeon. 7 pm CST. Special.
The tenth anniversary special combines animation as well as live action to take a never-before-seen trip down memory lane. Guests include: LeBron James, Craig Ferguson, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Tina Fey, Will Farrel, Robin Williams, and Pink. Oh yeah, the special is hosted by Ricky Gervais, which is all kinds of awesome.
Fanboy and Chum Chum; Nickelodeon. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Super-hero obsessed schoolmates find adventures in their everyday lives.
Platinum Babies; WE tv. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A look at spoiled-ass babies.
It's interesting I see this type of show as I am in the middle of the book The Narcissism Epidemic, which makes a pretty good case that today's society is too spoiled. I was sure the authors may be looking a little too closely at some minor things-- but the fact this show is a reality kinda proves their point...
Like I mentioned a few days ago, Chickenfoot plays some tunes on Jimmy Kimmel's show tonight (ABC; 11:05 pm-- check local listings).
Saturday, 11/7
Legend of the Seeker; Syndicated. 3 pm CST (check local listings). Season Premiere.
Guest-starring one of my favorites: Charisma Carpenter.
The Wanda Sykes Show; FOX. 10 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A new talk show starring the comic of the title.
Sunday, 11/8
Bored to Death (HBO; 8:30 pm). Season Finale.
Mad Men (AMC; 9:00 pm). Season Finale.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Robocop Vs. Terminator
Not bad. Cool "surprise" near the end (even if it was only to advance the plot).
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