In fairness, she DID warn me. Gabrielle and I, pursuant to our mutual Trek obsession these days, watched Insurrection tonight. It was horrible. As in, truly terrible and godawful. I saw Nemesis for the first time a few nights ago (having dropped out of Trek fanhood for a few years, there), and I thought it was pretty good. Very close to great, even. But Insurrection just didn't measure up. Because it sucked (it is an odd-numbered Trek movie, and thus subsceptible to the curse). There were a few inspired moments, usually involving crew interaction, and the space battle was pretty good, but the story was so talky and boring and completely devoid of tension. Sample line, "How could I ever look at another sunset knowing all the suffering we let these people endure?" I think gabrielle's exact words referring to the first time she saw it were, "There goes two hours of my life I'll never get back."
But at least I was allowed to watch it in my own country.
Wednesday, November 12, 2003
Tuesday, November 11, 2003
Grrr! You know, I can handle being shut out of most contests due to being Canadian- it would be nice to enter to win a free Two Towers DVD or a chance to be an extra in Star Wars III, but since the chances of winning are so negligible, it is really not a tragedy that I am not eligible. Hee hee I used negligible and eligible in the same sentence.
But what really frustrates me is that I can not watch chapter 2 of the Clone Wars simply because I do not reside in the UNITED STUPID STATES OF POO?????? Why the hell would I want to live in a country that . . . ok, rant averted, simply because I do not want to offend my American friends and readers, of whom there are many. Still. I watched Chapter 1 no problem just the other day, so why all of a sudden is chapter 2 denied me?
Perhaps this is the CRTC at work, come to think about it. In which case it would be MY country that is the pooey one, and I would owe an apoology to the 'mericans.
But what really frustrates me is that I can not watch chapter 2 of the Clone Wars simply because I do not reside in the UNITED STUPID STATES OF POO?????? Why the hell would I want to live in a country that . . . ok, rant averted, simply because I do not want to offend my American friends and readers, of whom there are many. Still. I watched Chapter 1 no problem just the other day, so why all of a sudden is chapter 2 denied me?
Perhaps this is the CRTC at work, come to think about it. In which case it would be MY country that is the pooey one, and I would owe an apoology to the 'mericans.
Monday, November 10, 2003
There is something wrong with the blogspot banner ads. I think someone has hacked into them because there is no way blogspot would do this. And just like with the creepy nun picture, this one is on all blogspot pages. Hopefully by the time you read this it will have been fixed and you won't have any idea what I'm talking about.
Update: Interestingly, with my very limited hacker skills (ie, nonexistent), I was able to discover a couple of things. I checked the properties of the image, and this is its URL: www.blogblog.com/images/header1.gif. Now, www.blogblog.com is just a 404 not found page. But I typed in blogblog.com/images/header2.gif to see what would come up, and it was the old blogspot logo that used to appear. Strange, n'est ce pas? But what does it all mean?
Update: Interestingly, with my very limited hacker skills (ie, nonexistent), I was able to discover a couple of things. I checked the properties of the image, and this is its URL: www.blogblog.com/images/header1.gif. Now, www.blogblog.com is just a 404 not found page. But I typed in blogblog.com/images/header2.gif to see what would come up, and it was the old blogspot logo that used to appear. Strange, n'est ce pas? But what does it all mean?
Disney seems to have a fascination with bears, did you ever notice? Winnie the Pooh, Baloo, Little John in Robin Hood (both Baloo and Little John were voiced by Phil Harris, incidentally), the Country Bears, and now Brother Bear. I think it's only a matter of time before they approach me regarding making a movie about Homie Bear. I'll be right here, Disney, when you're ready!
Just the other day I was thinking about how I don't have anyone of just the right age to take to movies such as Brother Bear, a movie I don't particularly want to see, but feel obligated to in light of its subject matter. There used to be this little guy named Zach who came out to the Gathering, and we were friends. His mom thought it would be cool for me to take him out from time to time, and we had fun seeing movies and tobogganogganing and stuff, but then they moved away.
Tonight at the Gathering I walk in, and who should be there but A and Z! They have moved back, and though Zach didn't immediately remember me, it didn't take him long to warm up again. And he asked me, "Do you want to go see Brother Bear? Or Matrix Revolutions?"
I told him Brother Bear would be a great movie to go see. Matrix might not be appropriate for him, since he is only 8. And besides, I couldn't possibly go see Matrix with anyone other than gabrielle.
Tonight at the Gathering I walk in, and who should be there but A and Z! They have moved back, and though Zach didn't immediately remember me, it didn't take him long to warm up again. And he asked me, "Do you want to go see Brother Bear? Or Matrix Revolutions?"
I told him Brother Bear would be a great movie to go see. Matrix might not be appropriate for him, since he is only 8. And besides, I couldn't possibly go see Matrix with anyone other than gabrielle.
Saturday, November 08, 2003
Remembrance Day is coming up, so I wrote a little piece which I published over at the Cave. It's a few days early but I went over to a coffeeshop this afternoon and wrote it, so I might as well put it up now.
The Genndy Tartakovsky Clone Wars microseries debuted last night, and you can watch Chapter 1 here at the Star Wars site, or at the Cartoon Network site, which has some pretty cool Flashness going on. It's just an introductory episode, and like all the chapters, only a couple of minutes long, but it's pretty good. As in, better than Attack of the Clones.
Friday, November 07, 2003
Remember the Choose your Own Adventure books? I was good at them- I always chose the right adventures. Anyways, someone recently emailed me the URL for a site they made- Choose Your Own Adventure New York!
I finally finished reading Cryptonomicon yesterday. That was one long book. As gabrielle said, "Now you can read something good." For the record, I enjoyed Cryptonomicon very much. One doesn't read an 1100+ page book that sucks, but it is nice to move onto something else.
And that something else is Life of Pi. It's quite good, so far. It's about animals and religion and who knows what else. But the cool thing about it is, it is the second book in a row to mention cassowaries! Yay! Though both times were very incidental. Still.
And that something else is Life of Pi. It's quite good, so far. It's about animals and religion and who knows what else. But the cool thing about it is, it is the second book in a row to mention cassowaries! Yay! Though both times were very incidental. Still.
Thursday, November 06, 2003
What is with the creepy nun that is on all the blogspot banner ads? She is looking decidedly unnunnish.
Ahh, so good to be back, safe from vampires and nomads at last. Bear with me while I attempt to put things back the way they were.
And there! I kept a few changes- I thought the black looked kind of cool. What do you think? Of course, if you were to offer me a completely reworked template featuring trees and bears and streams and even snow, that would be even cooler. But for now, this will do.
And there! I kept a few changes- I thought the black looked kind of cool. What do you think? Of course, if you were to offer me a completely reworked template featuring trees and bears and streams and even snow, that would be even cooler. But for now, this will do.
Hello? Can you hear me? Hopefully this works. I think gabrielle and I have figured out the cause of all the mayhem. You might have read the account of my deductive reasoning over at the Crypt where I was stuck for the last few days, where I poosited that it was Poe who was responsible for the switch. Gabrielle tended to agree with me, and said this:
"I tend to believe Poe was typing and nefariously reversed the polarity of the gravitational field while attempting to make an interplexing beacon that would alter the timeline of the current universe to one where cats rule the world and humans exist only to carry the cats around on cushions."
And then I found Poe doing this.
So. Caught in the act. Unfortunately she is not in the least bit scared of me so when I commanded her to re-reverse the poe-larity she just off-handedly swiped at me with her claws.
So then I tattled on her to her mom and she made her put it back the way it was.
"I tend to believe Poe was typing and nefariously reversed the polarity of the gravitational field while attempting to make an interplexing beacon that would alter the timeline of the current universe to one where cats rule the world and humans exist only to carry the cats around on cushions."
And then I found Poe doing this.
So. Caught in the act. Unfortunately she is not in the least bit scared of me so when I commanded her to re-reverse the poe-larity she just off-handedly swiped at me with her claws.
So then I tattled on her to her mom and she made her put it back the way it was.
Tuesday, November 04, 2003
For those of you following along at home, Blarg is now 5 for 5 in the potential solution department and the rest of you are either too baffled to attempt to make sense of this switch or you don't care. I'm vain enough to believe everybody cares what happens to Homie and I so I'll assume you're all having brain farts (or, as I like to call them, Keanu moments) and cut you some slack. In any case, Blarg did come up with 5 very intriguing and potentially devastating options. Let's review...
1. Reverse the polarity. This is a popular choice. Homie came up with something not dissimilar himself. Reverse the quantum polarity, reverse the effect of the space-time rift, reverse the dataflux... it's all the same theory. Geordi could expound upon it in nauseating detail I'm sure but I'll put it to you in lay terms. If we make the engines go the other way, we'll be sucked back into our own blogs. The Enterprise reversed polarity rather frequently, usually in terms of gravitational fields, and to the best of my TNG knowledge never blew up as a direct result. So this is definitely in the running.
2. Redirect power from the EPS manifolds. There once was a time when I could flip open my Star Trek Technical Manual (I'll pause for the laughter to subside) and tell you exactly what the EPS manifold was and how it worked. Of course since then I found myself living a rather eventful life and promptly forgot all my isolation-induced Academy training. However I can tell you that messing with the EPS manifold is no mere trifle. (Puppy you just hush - we're not aiming for Data-like accuracy here. Just a vague Riker-esque impression of what things do.) If we redirect power from the EPS manifold we not only have to contend with a drained manifold but the reality that... well... redirect power to what?... and for what purpose? In blog terms this is too vague to be considered an actual answer. But as theories go it's like bubblegum. Fun to chew on, little nutritional value.
3. Venting plasma. If I had a dollar for every time venting plasma solved the problem du jour, I'd have, like, five dollars. Venting plasma can really solve just about any problem. Warp core overheating? Vent the plasma. Anti-matter containment breach? Vent the plasma. Ten-Forward out of Romulan ale? Vent the damn plasma! When all else fails... yeah, you guessed it. This is one of those all-encompassing no-brainer solutions. It's an alternate to using Data's superior speed, processing, intelligence, or strength to get out of a tight spot. Definitely in the running.
4. Try using the navigational deflector array as an interplexing beacon. This is by far my favorite of the Blarg Solutions. It worked not so well for the Borg but not because the idea was flawed. The idea is sheer and unadulterated brilliance. With the navigational deflector re-worked to function as an interplexing beacon you can re-write the fabric of time. Give or take dimensional rift plausibility and timeline consistency. Where the Borg failed was in execution. They tend to lack the ability to adapt to change with any degree of creativity. Creativity is not a problem here. In fact, all we're really working with is creativity. Which is why this is such a great idea!
5. Email the guys at blogspot. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *gasps* HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... wheeeeeee... what sort of science fiction reality do you think we're living here?
I'm going to get my crack team of scientists (re-runs of Geordi's finest moments in combination with my old grade ten science text book) working on these options straight away. Hopefully Homie will weigh in with his own observations sometime tonight. I feel pretty good about our chances here, truth be told. Barring sudden disaster (like letting Deanna drive), we should be back in our own blogs before you can say 'Bob's your uncle'.
G the VN
1. Reverse the polarity. This is a popular choice. Homie came up with something not dissimilar himself. Reverse the quantum polarity, reverse the effect of the space-time rift, reverse the dataflux... it's all the same theory. Geordi could expound upon it in nauseating detail I'm sure but I'll put it to you in lay terms. If we make the engines go the other way, we'll be sucked back into our own blogs. The Enterprise reversed polarity rather frequently, usually in terms of gravitational fields, and to the best of my TNG knowledge never blew up as a direct result. So this is definitely in the running.
2. Redirect power from the EPS manifolds. There once was a time when I could flip open my Star Trek Technical Manual (I'll pause for the laughter to subside) and tell you exactly what the EPS manifold was and how it worked. Of course since then I found myself living a rather eventful life and promptly forgot all my isolation-induced Academy training. However I can tell you that messing with the EPS manifold is no mere trifle. (Puppy you just hush - we're not aiming for Data-like accuracy here. Just a vague Riker-esque impression of what things do.) If we redirect power from the EPS manifold we not only have to contend with a drained manifold but the reality that... well... redirect power to what?... and for what purpose? In blog terms this is too vague to be considered an actual answer. But as theories go it's like bubblegum. Fun to chew on, little nutritional value.
3. Venting plasma. If I had a dollar for every time venting plasma solved the problem du jour, I'd have, like, five dollars. Venting plasma can really solve just about any problem. Warp core overheating? Vent the plasma. Anti-matter containment breach? Vent the plasma. Ten-Forward out of Romulan ale? Vent the damn plasma! When all else fails... yeah, you guessed it. This is one of those all-encompassing no-brainer solutions. It's an alternate to using Data's superior speed, processing, intelligence, or strength to get out of a tight spot. Definitely in the running.
4. Try using the navigational deflector array as an interplexing beacon. This is by far my favorite of the Blarg Solutions. It worked not so well for the Borg but not because the idea was flawed. The idea is sheer and unadulterated brilliance. With the navigational deflector re-worked to function as an interplexing beacon you can re-write the fabric of time. Give or take dimensional rift plausibility and timeline consistency. Where the Borg failed was in execution. They tend to lack the ability to adapt to change with any degree of creativity. Creativity is not a problem here. In fact, all we're really working with is creativity. Which is why this is such a great idea!
5. Email the guys at blogspot. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *gasps* HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... wheeeeeee... what sort of science fiction reality do you think we're living here?
I'm going to get my crack team of scientists (re-runs of Geordi's finest moments in combination with my old grade ten science text book) working on these options straight away. Hopefully Homie will weigh in with his own observations sometime tonight. I feel pretty good about our chances here, truth be told. Barring sudden disaster (like letting Deanna drive), we should be back in our own blogs before you can say 'Bob's your uncle'.
G the VN
Monday, November 03, 2003
I just watched two more episodes of TNG to see if I could come up with a solution to the whole blog-switch insanity Homie and I currently find ourselves in. I didn't learn anything directly applicable to our current dilemma but I did observe some things that may be useful in future situations. For example...
1) Site-to-site transports are useful for evading forcefield corridor blockages. And pursuant Klingons.
2) Dating on the Enterprise is just another excuse to work more.
3) Bad things happen when Riker is left alone on Risa.
4) Flashlights are called 'palm beacons'.
5) Geordi will be alone forever.
Other than that I have to admit that I'm stumped. Over at my beautiful crypt, Homie has been getting a few bewildered comments in regards to the switch just as I have here in the woods. It seems this little dilemma is causing more than a few head scratching moments. Listen, there are a few things you all should know about this situation. First of all, we didn't plan it. Nobody plans dataflux or a quantum filament. Come on, people. Second, we'd each like to be back in our own home blogs before Christmas. Or Wednesday. Pick your poison. Third, there is one more thing I learned from Trek - to be open to suggestions. Which is why I'm now turning to all you loyal readers for assistance. HELP!
Just click on the 'bite me' link... *sighs*... I mean the 'droppings' link and leave me your comments, thoughts, and plans of action. Seriously. We could use a hand here. Not that I'm not brilliant but much more of this cold wintry woodsy existence and my brain will stop functioning altogether. And I'm sure by now Homie's starving. Unless you're an immortal, a vampiric twilight isn't the best place to forage for food.
G the VN
1) Site-to-site transports are useful for evading forcefield corridor blockages. And pursuant Klingons.
2) Dating on the Enterprise is just another excuse to work more.
3) Bad things happen when Riker is left alone on Risa.
4) Flashlights are called 'palm beacons'.
5) Geordi will be alone forever.
Other than that I have to admit that I'm stumped. Over at my beautiful crypt, Homie has been getting a few bewildered comments in regards to the switch just as I have here in the woods. It seems this little dilemma is causing more than a few head scratching moments. Listen, there are a few things you all should know about this situation. First of all, we didn't plan it. Nobody plans dataflux or a quantum filament. Come on, people. Second, we'd each like to be back in our own home blogs before Christmas. Or Wednesday. Pick your poison. Third, there is one more thing I learned from Trek - to be open to suggestions. Which is why I'm now turning to all you loyal readers for assistance. HELP!
Just click on the 'bite me' link... *sighs*... I mean the 'droppings' link and leave me your comments, thoughts, and plans of action. Seriously. We could use a hand here. Not that I'm not brilliant but much more of this cold wintry woodsy existence and my brain will stop functioning altogether. And I'm sure by now Homie's starving. Unless you're an immortal, a vampiric twilight isn't the best place to forage for food.
G the VN
Sunday, November 02, 2003
"Fuck breakfast!" ~ Marilyn Manson
(Except tomorrow when I get a free furbday breakfast at Denny's.)
In honor of my new surroundings (woods and poo, in case anybody could forget), I went wandering to acclimatize myself to the region. What I learned is not necessarily any sort of profound (or POOfound, as Homie would doubtless say) life lesson. It was freezing cold. There was snow. And yes, there were trees. So I will now bastardize MM's statement to suit my needs.
"Fuck winter!" ~ Gabrielle
I long for the dark closeness of my crypt where snowflakes dare not penetrate. Not even to fall feather-light on my eyelashes. The beauty of such moments is tangible but preferrably viewed from within the confines of a warm sanctum. I wander these woods and try to learn what lesson must be learned in order to send me back to my lush twilight realm.
I did have a marvelous furbday celebration last night, however. To all the Beautiful People who surprised me and showered me with friendship and gifts, I was truly taken off guard and truly touched. It was the best party I could have imagined and I thank every one of you for being part of it. As I thank my dear sister for planning it all and feeding the hungry masses with a feast fit for an immortal.
HAPPY TO ME!
G the VN
(Except tomorrow when I get a free furbday breakfast at Denny's.)
In honor of my new surroundings (woods and poo, in case anybody could forget), I went wandering to acclimatize myself to the region. What I learned is not necessarily any sort of profound (or POOfound, as Homie would doubtless say) life lesson. It was freezing cold. There was snow. And yes, there were trees. So I will now bastardize MM's statement to suit my needs.
"Fuck winter!" ~ Gabrielle
I long for the dark closeness of my crypt where snowflakes dare not penetrate. Not even to fall feather-light on my eyelashes. The beauty of such moments is tangible but preferrably viewed from within the confines of a warm sanctum. I wander these woods and try to learn what lesson must be learned in order to send me back to my lush twilight realm.
I did have a marvelous furbday celebration last night, however. To all the Beautiful People who surprised me and showered me with friendship and gifts, I was truly taken off guard and truly touched. It was the best party I could have imagined and I thank every one of you for being part of it. As I thank my dear sister for planning it all and feeding the hungry masses with a feast fit for an immortal.
HAPPY TO ME!
G the VN
Saturday, November 01, 2003
Oooooooookaaaaaaay....
WTF?
I posted a whole entry about the glories of my birthday to my blog and it ended up posting to Homie's woods. What the hell is going on here?
Yeah, I'm screwed. After five log-out and log-in attempts, I can't make anything post to my blog. Just Homie's. I can't explain this switch. I can only theorize that it has something to do with dataflux. I suspect that the anti-matter containment mix somehow reversed polarity when we passed through the vertiform particle storm thus triggering a rift in the fabric of space. I can't back that up. And actually I think I'm beginning to sense that too much Trek can begin to affect your daily life in ways heretofore considered impossible...
I don't know what to do about this. I mean, I DON'T EVEN LIKE CAMPING! Guh... woods... poo... hmmm... though a true vampire could have a seriously good time converting the wildlife into immortal predators here. Fear me. My impetus knows no bounds.
G the VN
WTF?
I posted a whole entry about the glories of my birthday to my blog and it ended up posting to Homie's woods. What the hell is going on here?
Yeah, I'm screwed. After five log-out and log-in attempts, I can't make anything post to my blog. Just Homie's. I can't explain this switch. I can only theorize that it has something to do with dataflux. I suspect that the anti-matter containment mix somehow reversed polarity when we passed through the vertiform particle storm thus triggering a rift in the fabric of space. I can't back that up. And actually I think I'm beginning to sense that too much Trek can begin to affect your daily life in ways heretofore considered impossible...
I don't know what to do about this. I mean, I DON'T EVEN LIKE CAMPING! Guh... woods... poo... hmmm... though a true vampire could have a seriously good time converting the wildlife into immortal predators here. Fear me. My impetus knows no bounds.
G the VN
So far my birthday has more closely remembled the twelve days of Christmas than any traditional sort of birth celebration. Deservedly so, I may add.
It began on Tuesday with the first of Homie Bear's seven-part gift to me. So far I've received a 'Shakespeare In Love' DVD, a Beethoven CD, a Luke Skywalker action figure (complete with removable hand), a 'Star Trek: First Contact' DVD, the promise of the new Britney CD, a collection of grrl power songs, and a Marilyn Manson concert DVD. WOOHOOO!! Go me. In case you're wondering what the hell Marilyn Manson, Star Trek, Beethoven, and Britney could possibly have in common, Homie Bear's genius is the explanation. In the course of our friendship so far we've been to Shakespeare in Hawrelak Park, a Beethoven symphony, a play about pop music (including a Britney and NSync spoof), a play about a Shakespeare professor, a one-man Star Wars show, a Marilyn Manson 'Golden Age' concert, and we've watched enough Trek to choke a moose. Thus, you see, it's thematic.
Last night we celebrated Halloween (and my birthday, since I've laid claim to everything from October 30 to November 5) by watching the Director's Cut of 'Alien' in the theatre. Um, how many ways can I say KICK ASS? Sigourney Weaver blows my mind. She's a woman in charge. She should have done Trek. She would have made a formidable Tasha Yar... and would never have let some smack-talking oil slick take her out in the first season, either.
Tonight my sister is whipping up a feast for my birthday (I love having a sister - especially one who cooks) and then we're doing the time warp with other Rocky Horror-ites. Such a worthy celebration for a vampire.
G the VN
It began on Tuesday with the first of Homie Bear's seven-part gift to me. So far I've received a 'Shakespeare In Love' DVD, a Beethoven CD, a Luke Skywalker action figure (complete with removable hand), a 'Star Trek: First Contact' DVD, the promise of the new Britney CD, a collection of grrl power songs, and a Marilyn Manson concert DVD. WOOHOOO!! Go me. In case you're wondering what the hell Marilyn Manson, Star Trek, Beethoven, and Britney could possibly have in common, Homie Bear's genius is the explanation. In the course of our friendship so far we've been to Shakespeare in Hawrelak Park, a Beethoven symphony, a play about pop music (including a Britney and NSync spoof), a play about a Shakespeare professor, a one-man Star Wars show, a Marilyn Manson 'Golden Age' concert, and we've watched enough Trek to choke a moose. Thus, you see, it's thematic.
Last night we celebrated Halloween (and my birthday, since I've laid claim to everything from October 30 to November 5) by watching the Director's Cut of 'Alien' in the theatre. Um, how many ways can I say KICK ASS? Sigourney Weaver blows my mind. She's a woman in charge. She should have done Trek. She would have made a formidable Tasha Yar... and would never have let some smack-talking oil slick take her out in the first season, either.
Tonight my sister is whipping up a feast for my birthday (I love having a sister - especially one who cooks) and then we're doing the time warp with other Rocky Horror-ites. Such a worthy celebration for a vampire.
G the VN
In a moment reminiscent of 'Freaky Friday', Homie Bear and Gabrielle inexplicably change online places. Homie Bear now finds himself wandering the preternatural twilight of the vampire nomad's opinion-soaked domain while Gabrielle blinks in some consternation up at the towering trees where pooing in the woods occurs. Neither is quite sure what to make of their new environments. How did they come to be in each other's blog? Could all that Star Trek: the Next Generation they'd been watching of late have opened some bizarre online space-time portal? How will they get back home? And, more importantly, what sort of havoc will each wreak in the other's domain along the way?
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