To all you laborious Nerds!
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
A rambling melange of pop-culture.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Sunday, September 06, 2009
30 Miles Later
Usually, when there is something more to add to a story I've already covered, I'll just post it in the comments. However, this post is about more than just the "30 Mile Yardsale" I attended yesterday and Blogger now limits the length of comments.
Anywho, pretty much every mile in the "30 Mile Yardsale" was a bust. Most of those people have been watching too much Clean House; they wanted top-dollar for what was, essentially, crap! There was absolutely nothing worthy of collecting, although one woman had an impressive collection of Barbies for sale and a yard sale just down the road from her had Playboy collections for sale by year. I didn't ask about the rest, but one had a price tag of $10 - which is a really good deal, but I don't collect Playboy.
What I did find was books 1,2,4,6, and 7 in the Chronicles of Narnia. I sold mine years ago and never finished reading the entire series. I also got The Magic of Oz and 8 and 12 of the choose-your-ending Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Adventure series (Nightmare Realm of Baba Yaga (Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Adventure Gamebook, No 8) and Curse of the Werewolf (Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Adventure Gamebook, No 12)). None are in good condition, excepting the Narnia books which are recent reprints, though I could still get $5-10 for the AD&D books (they're worth over $10 in Mint), so I really lucked-out there.
The Big Find was a Yamaha Digital Percussion (drum machine) pictured here. I got this bad boy for a whopping $15.00!!! I've never played a drum machine before, and it didn't have the manual (which I'm hoping to find online), but I love everything percussion and already have some ideas as to how to incorporate it into some pieces, so that was really cool. Still, by and large, it was 30 miles of Not Much.
Today I'm doing tech stuff. I know the sidebar looks wonky but I don't know if I'll get to that today or not. I'm also working on content for the Big Update this Halloween. I'll probably start making some changes long before then, so be sure to visit the site and check things out from time to time; Halloween is when the whole shebang gets uploaded, so you can just wait 'til then.
ttys!
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Anywho, pretty much every mile in the "30 Mile Yardsale" was a bust. Most of those people have been watching too much Clean House; they wanted top-dollar for what was, essentially, crap! There was absolutely nothing worthy of collecting, although one woman had an impressive collection of Barbies for sale and a yard sale just down the road from her had Playboy collections for sale by year. I didn't ask about the rest, but one had a price tag of $10 - which is a really good deal, but I don't collect Playboy.What I did find was books 1,2,4,6, and 7 in the Chronicles of Narnia. I sold mine years ago and never finished reading the entire series. I also got The Magic of Oz and 8 and 12 of the choose-your-ending Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Adventure series (Nightmare Realm of Baba Yaga (Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Adventure Gamebook, No 8) and Curse of the Werewolf (Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Adventure Gamebook, No 12)). None are in good condition, excepting the Narnia books which are recent reprints, though I could still get $5-10 for the AD&D books (they're worth over $10 in Mint), so I really lucked-out there.
The Big Find was a Yamaha Digital Percussion (drum machine) pictured here. I got this bad boy for a whopping $15.00!!! I've never played a drum machine before, and it didn't have the manual (which I'm hoping to find online), but I love everything percussion and already have some ideas as to how to incorporate it into some pieces, so that was really cool. Still, by and large, it was 30 miles of Not Much.
Today I'm doing tech stuff. I know the sidebar looks wonky but I don't know if I'll get to that today or not. I'm also working on content for the Big Update this Halloween. I'll probably start making some changes long before then, so be sure to visit the site and check things out from time to time; Halloween is when the whole shebang gets uploaded, so you can just wait 'til then.
ttys!
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Saturday, September 05, 2009
The Day o Sales
I am up super-early for one good reason: yard sales. But today's a little different. When my great-grandparents were alive, we would go "yard-saling" eevry Saturday morning. We got up early, but not at the crack of dawn (close, though). My great-grandmother would get up long before the rest of us and circle all the yard sales announced therein. Then they would argue over where they were, what was the best way to get there, which ones we should hit first, etc. This was our regular routine for most of my childhood (when I visited them, that is).
I don't know about everywhere else, but down South, yard sales are a kind of cultural... sub-plot unto themselves. (I'm sure there's a technical term for what I'm trying to say, but I'm not digging through boxes to find the Sociology books just for this.) There are as many different yard sale people (the ones who have yard sales) as there are yard-salers (the ones who frequent them). There are those who spend weeks just planning their yard sale, there are those who decide they're going to have a yard sale Friday night, and then there are those who start dragging crap out of their shed and house Saturday morning - or mid-afternoon! (The latter are called "crackheads.") Sometimes, several families will get together and have a huge yard sale. Sometimes, yard sales offer coffee and/or other refreshments. Some are so big they have one person dedicated to handling parking. Some sit in one place with a little, metal box of money beneath their chair; others walk around to make sure no one steals the crap they're trying to get rid of.
Anyway, just a few towns over, there is one of these cultural events. Every Labor Day, Camden, TN has the 30-Mile Yard Sale. It's exactly what the name implies: 30 full miles of nothing but yard sale! Of course, this is a well-known and highly-publicized (throughout the immediate area) annual event, so I'm sure a lot of these people will be of the type who take their yard sale far more serious than they should - and charge far too much for crap they don't need or want - but you can still find some great deals and, every so often, unearth some incredible treasures at yard sales. And I'm hoping to do both!
I'll let you know how the whole thing went some time later today or tomorrow.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
I don't know about everywhere else, but down South, yard sales are a kind of cultural... sub-plot unto themselves. (I'm sure there's a technical term for what I'm trying to say, but I'm not digging through boxes to find the Sociology books just for this.) There are as many different yard sale people (the ones who have yard sales) as there are yard-salers (the ones who frequent them). There are those who spend weeks just planning their yard sale, there are those who decide they're going to have a yard sale Friday night, and then there are those who start dragging crap out of their shed and house Saturday morning - or mid-afternoon! (The latter are called "crackheads.") Sometimes, several families will get together and have a huge yard sale. Sometimes, yard sales offer coffee and/or other refreshments. Some are so big they have one person dedicated to handling parking. Some sit in one place with a little, metal box of money beneath their chair; others walk around to make sure no one steals the crap they're trying to get rid of.
Anyway, just a few towns over, there is one of these cultural events. Every Labor Day, Camden, TN has the 30-Mile Yard Sale. It's exactly what the name implies: 30 full miles of nothing but yard sale! Of course, this is a well-known and highly-publicized (throughout the immediate area) annual event, so I'm sure a lot of these people will be of the type who take their yard sale far more serious than they should - and charge far too much for crap they don't need or want - but you can still find some great deals and, every so often, unearth some incredible treasures at yard sales. And I'm hoping to do both!
I'll let you know how the whole thing went some time later today or tomorrow.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Friday, September 04, 2009
Two New to SNL
While no official announcement has been made yet, the AP is reporting that Saturday Night Live (SNL) will be adding two new castmembers this season: Jenny Slate and Nasim Pedrad. Both Slate and Pedrad are somehow connected with the improvisation troupe, The Upright Citizens' Brigade; the articles do not state if either is an actual member. Several SNL alumni have come from the Upright Citizens' Brigade.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Suntrooper Squadron - The New G-Man: Cape Crisis Video Game!
Now this is pretty cool: G-Man creator, Chris Giarrusso, has released two, 8-bit video games so far - one for eah issue of G-Man: Cape Crisis! While games based on comic book properties are certainly nothing new, they usually get the full treatment - and cost at least one of your limbs! These major, mainstream video games are really just based on the comics property; they don't remain true to the comic book, nor even the character usually. And the creator is rarely ever directly involved.Giarusso is taking the whole "indie comic" one step further with his 8-bit games. They are what they are, and that isn't much, but it's the spirit behind them that counts. Suntrooper Squadron is free to play, and Giarusso's playfulness is contagious.
The original G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS video game had a game engine which allowed players to move both left and right. With G-MAN: CAPE CRISIS: SUNTROOPER SQUADRON, players can now also move up and down, literally exploring every square inch of the screen. This radical shift in gameplay may be shocking at first, but that's what the evolution of classic old-school 8-bit style video gaming is all about.
Giarusso and creators like him understand that comic books, while a valid medium for communicating stories of great depth and drama, used to be fun.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Thursday, September 03, 2009
U2's Spider-Man "Opera"
U2 recently discussed their Spider-Man "opera," Turn Off the Dark, written for the Broadway play of the same name, weeks after all reports seemed to indicate the project was dead in the water. The band even confirmed that Evan Rachel Wood had been hired for the role of Mary-Jane Watson [Parker] and that Turn Off the Dark would feature a new, female villain not previously found in Spidey's Rogues Gallery. Bono said the characters really weren't the ones portrayed in the comic books, movies, and other media in which they have appeared; Bono explained it as "not a straight take on the myth."
The Edge, guitarist for the band, does not consider the play a "musical" - "Most musicals are... not very cool," he said - insisting instead that it is an opera. As for the music, they once again mentioned opera, but say "it touches on rock n roll," as well.
They also praised Woods' voice. Bono said, "She's the one to watch. She happens to sing like a bird - it's like a true voice."
The Edge added, "We made one rule for ourselves though that we would never have Spider-Man singing. A guy singing in tights can't happen."
With Disney's acquiring of Marvel, it is possible Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark may actually happen, though The Weirding suspects the current director, along with at least half of the production team, will have to buy tickets to see it.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
The Edge, guitarist for the band, does not consider the play a "musical" - "Most musicals are... not very cool," he said - insisting instead that it is an opera. As for the music, they once again mentioned opera, but say "it touches on rock n roll," as well.
They also praised Woods' voice. Bono said, "She's the one to watch. She happens to sing like a bird - it's like a true voice."
The Edge added, "We made one rule for ourselves though that we would never have Spider-Man singing. A guy singing in tights can't happen."
With Disney's acquiring of Marvel, it is possible Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark may actually happen, though The Weirding suspects the current director, along with at least half of the production team, will have to buy tickets to see it.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
50th Annual W TN Collectors Club Coin Show
The West Tennessee Collectors Club is holding their 50th Annual Coin Show September 12th-13th from 9a-5p at the Madison County Agricultural Extension Service Auditorium in Jackson, TN. Whew! - that's one long building name!
The Long-Assed Named Building is located at 309 N. Parkway. Admission is free and you can find out more by calling 731-394-3972.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
The Long-Assed Named Building is located at 309 N. Parkway. Admission is free and you can find out more by calling 731-394-3972.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Timelines: A Study of Time Travel in Pop Films
This is just one of those links I thought you'd find interesting. This is a collection of all the many time-traveling timelines from popular sci-fi films. Well, really all films in which time-travel played a part; we'll leave it up to bigger eggheads to determine what makes a film involving time-travel a sci-fi film and what precludes it.
Like many similar projects, the information contained is less the point than the art of the delivery, but the piece includes various clever quips concerning different films' convergences.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Like many similar projects, the information contained is less the point than the art of the delivery, but the piece includes various clever quips concerning different films' convergences.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Marvel's Motion Comics
The Weirding is in a unique position with Marvels' new Motion Comics:
We've received the first three to preview for you. However, they are HUGE files (Marvel really needs to work on that) and I'm still waiting on the hi-speed modem. I DLed one of the files yesterday/last night and it took EIGHT HOURS to download!!! Now, I'm supposed to upload it to the site so that I can offer it for preview to you guys. Obviously, that's another full working day lost to file transfer and I'll simply have to wait until tonight to do that.
Anyway, we do have them, we are working to bring them to you, but we live far out in the woods - what they lovingly refer to as "The Sticks," or B.F.E. - and have technological constraints with which we must deal.
So, that's the deal with that.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
We've received the first three to preview for you. However, they are HUGE files (Marvel really needs to work on that) and I'm still waiting on the hi-speed modem. I DLed one of the files yesterday/last night and it took EIGHT HOURS to download!!! Now, I'm supposed to upload it to the site so that I can offer it for preview to you guys. Obviously, that's another full working day lost to file transfer and I'll simply have to wait until tonight to do that.
Anyway, we do have them, we are working to bring them to you, but we live far out in the woods - what they lovingly refer to as "The Sticks," or B.F.E. - and have technological constraints with which we must deal.
So, that's the deal with that.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Marvel Comics Shipping 09-02-09
Here we go, True Believers, your weekly Rundown of all the Marvel Comics hitting newsstands (do they still have those?) tomorrow - Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009:
Comics On-Sale:
AGENTS OF ATLAS #10
BLACK PANTHER #8
CABLE #18
CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #1 2ND PRINTING VARIANT
DARING MYSTERY COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
DARING MYSTERY COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL MARTIN VARIANT
DEADPOOL #15
EXILES #6
GHOST RIDERS: HEAVEN'S ON FIRE #2
HOUSE OF M: MASTERS OF EVIL #2
IMMORTAL WEAPONS #2
INCOGNITO #6
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #17 (DR)
IRON MAN & THE ARMOR WARS #2
LUKE CAGE NOIR #2
LUKE CAGE NOIR #2 CALERO VARIANT
MARVEL ZOMBIES RETURN #1
MARVEL ZOMBIES RETURN #1 SUYDAM HEROES VARIANT
MOON KNIGHT SAGA
MYSTIC COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
MYSTIC COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL MARTIN VARIANT
OFFICIAL INDEX TO THE MARVEL UNIVERSE #9
SCOURGE OF THE GODS - THE FALL #3
STARR THE SLAYER #1
STRANGE TALES #1
THE TORCH #1
THE TORCH #1 ROSS SKETCH VARIANT
TROJAN WAR #5
ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #2
Collections On-Sale:
ESSENTIAL SUB-MARINER VOL. 1 TPB
HULK: GRAY PREMIERE HC
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: ATLAS ERA BLACK KNIGHT/YELLOW CLAW VOL. 1 HC
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: ATLAS ERA BLACK KNIGHT/YELLOW CLAW VOL. 1 HC (VARIANT)
MARVEL ZOMBIES/ARMY OF DARKNESS TPB
MARVEL SUPER HERO SQUAD: HERO UP! DIGEST HERO COVER
MARVEL SUPER HERO SQUAD: HERO UP! DIGEST VILLAIN COVER
NEW AVENGERS: THE REUNION PREMIERE HC
SPIDER-MAN: 24/7 PREMIERE HC
SPIDER-MAN: SINISTER SIX PREMIERE HC
SPIDER-MAN: SINISTER SIX PREMIERE HC (DM ONLY)
THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ HC
WOLVERINE AND POWER PACK: THE WILD PACK DIGEST
Posters On-Sale:
MARVELMAN BY QUESADA POSTER
VENGEANCE OF THE MOON KNIGHT BY ALEX ROSS POSTER
*DR = Dark Reign tie-in
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Comics On-Sale:
AGENTS OF ATLAS #10
BLACK PANTHER #8
CABLE #18
CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #1 2ND PRINTING VARIANT
DARING MYSTERY COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
DARING MYSTERY COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL MARTIN VARIANT
DEADPOOL #15
EXILES #6
GHOST RIDERS: HEAVEN'S ON FIRE #2
HOUSE OF M: MASTERS OF EVIL #2
IMMORTAL WEAPONS #2
INCOGNITO #6
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #17 (DR)
IRON MAN & THE ARMOR WARS #2
LUKE CAGE NOIR #2
LUKE CAGE NOIR #2 CALERO VARIANT
MARVEL ZOMBIES RETURN #1
MARVEL ZOMBIES RETURN #1 SUYDAM HEROES VARIANT
MOON KNIGHT SAGA
MYSTIC COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
MYSTIC COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL MARTIN VARIANT
OFFICIAL INDEX TO THE MARVEL UNIVERSE #9
SCOURGE OF THE GODS - THE FALL #3
STARR THE SLAYER #1
STRANGE TALES #1
THE TORCH #1
THE TORCH #1 ROSS SKETCH VARIANT
TROJAN WAR #5
ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #2
Collections On-Sale:
ESSENTIAL SUB-MARINER VOL. 1 TPB
HULK: GRAY PREMIERE HC
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: ATLAS ERA BLACK KNIGHT/YELLOW CLAW VOL. 1 HC
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: ATLAS ERA BLACK KNIGHT/YELLOW CLAW VOL. 1 HC (VARIANT)
MARVEL ZOMBIES/ARMY OF DARKNESS TPB
MARVEL SUPER HERO SQUAD: HERO UP! DIGEST HERO COVER
MARVEL SUPER HERO SQUAD: HERO UP! DIGEST VILLAIN COVER
NEW AVENGERS: THE REUNION PREMIERE HC
SPIDER-MAN: 24/7 PREMIERE HC
SPIDER-MAN: SINISTER SIX PREMIERE HC
SPIDER-MAN: SINISTER SIX PREMIERE HC (DM ONLY)
THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ HC
WOLVERINE AND POWER PACK: THE WILD PACK DIGEST
Posters On-Sale:
MARVELMAN BY QUESADA POSTER
VENGEANCE OF THE MOON KNIGHT BY ALEX ROSS POSTER
*DR = Dark Reign tie-in
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Hole in the Head
My sinuses are absolutely killing me this week! From what I understand, there's been a "cold snap" across the country, but I can tell you that here, in Tennessee, it got into the 40° range this morning! It's been cool throughout the days, as well; both yesterday and this weekend, I had to close windows because it got so cold! I turned the heat on sometime last night.
Anyway, I've been wrestling with a stuffy head for the past two days - that kind of stuffy head that makes your eyeballs bulge and temples throb - so I've gotten a bit behind. The good news is that I is a college student! I signed-up for a Cartooning course from a reputable "distance learning" school - the same one from which I took a freelance creative writing course some years back. I did fairly well with that knowledge, so I figured 'why not'?
I also invested more in the site - specifically, in several sourcebooks which will assist me in expanding some of the departments. Right now, I am planning for the site's expansion in such a way that it will provide new content for you on a much more regular basis. Let's hope it works.
Right this minute, I am waiting on a file to come through so I can share it with you. Unfortunately, the mail's already run and still no hi-speed modem, so it says it should be done in about... EIGHT FUCKING HOURS left. We'll see what comes along before then.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Anyway, I've been wrestling with a stuffy head for the past two days - that kind of stuffy head that makes your eyeballs bulge and temples throb - so I've gotten a bit behind. The good news is that I is a college student! I signed-up for a Cartooning course from a reputable "distance learning" school - the same one from which I took a freelance creative writing course some years back. I did fairly well with that knowledge, so I figured 'why not'?
I also invested more in the site - specifically, in several sourcebooks which will assist me in expanding some of the departments. Right now, I am planning for the site's expansion in such a way that it will provide new content for you on a much more regular basis. Let's hope it works.
Right this minute, I am waiting on a file to come through so I can share it with you. Unfortunately, the mail's already run and still no hi-speed modem, so it says it should be done in about... EIGHT FUCKING HOURS left. We'll see what comes along before then.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
Marvel's 2009 SCREAM Nominations
Marvel Entertainment is proud to be honored by Spike TV’s Scream Awards in the top comic-related categories! The Scream Awards don’t air till October 27th, so you still have time to vote for Marvel and all your favorite works from 2009!BEST COMIC BOOK OR GRAPHIC NOVEL
* KICK-ASS
* THOR
* WOLVERINE: OLD MAN LOGAN
BEST COMIC BOOK WRITER
* BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (DARK AVENGERS, ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN)
* MARK MILLAR (WOLVERINE: OLD MAN LOGAN, KICK-ASS, FANTASTIC FOUR)
BEST COMIC BOOK ARTIST
* JOHN ROMITA, JR. (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, KICK-ASS)
* STEVE MCNIVEN (WOLVERINE: OLD MAN LOGAN)
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
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