Good-Bye To All That...

Very sad that Halloween is over. It's my favorite holiday. Yet I didn't plan ahead to dress for the occasion for my shift at work. Errg. But, I did stay up all Halloween night watching scary-ish movies. Started with Hocus Pocus and Toy Story of Terror! before sending the little one to bed. Then it was Trick 'r Treat, The Cabin in the Woods, Big Ass Spider!, and Maleficent. Pretty good Halloween, all in all.

I ended up going Goth for the trick-or-treating. Found a pair of old black & purple punk-goth pants that I paired with a black corset-y tank, boots, and dark make-up. Could've done better, but I worked with what I had. (And they were pants back from my Freshman year, c'mon. That counts for something.)

Return Attempt

I miss writing. Badly. Ever since coming to the day shift, I don't seem to have it in me anymore. Working evenings, I'd come home, have a couple drinks, put on some music, and review the latest album I listened to that night during my shift, or give a play-by-play of a humorous or ridiculous work-related incident.

Now... nothing. I look up quirky pics and art just to have something to post. Or a YouTube vid.

It's just incredibly frustrating to see that I've lost something I might have had going for me. I'm not saying it would have gotten me anywhere, but it was more than I have now. People praised my way with words.

Praised, past tense. Because I can't find it anymore.

Alright, enough complaining. That's not the way to go. Time to give it another go.

My son has a couple of those fleece throw blankets (the ones that anyone over 4 ft tall has to curl into the fetal position to be completely covered by). One is a Spongebob blanket that he likes to spread out completely flat. Well, the other day, apparently this 4ft, one-dimensional pineapple-dwelling sponge needed... a mint.

And I'm thinking "Seriously, right on the uvula? Ouch." At least the dude lives under the sea. In a pineapple.

Quite liking the new show Gotham. It's interesting to see Jada Pinkett Smith as a (hot) bad chick, and funnyman Donal Logue in a more dramatic setting. I seriously can't wait to see more of Ed Nygma, and I'm liking how they're doing Selina Kyle. Penguin is ok, and Poison Ivy is just kinda hinted on.

Also, I've been binge-watching Nurse Jackie. It seems to be a cross between ER and House, but it's a Showtime show, so it's much less... kid friendly. But, sooo funny in moments, yet heartbreaking in others. And (not that I was an avid fan, I haven't even finished the film series) it's intriguing to see the calm vampire head of household Carlisle Cullen from the Twilight series (Peter Facinelli) as the hyper, emotional, immature frat-boy Attending Doctor Fitch "Coop" Cooper. (Also, I keep wanting to call the actor Peter Cullen, which is wrong. He's no Optimus.) But I'm looking forward to when Adam Ferrara joins the cast. In season 5... Just a little over a season away from where I am. Though, should prolly take my time, 'cause the show doesn't start its last season - season 7 - til April '15.

But, I do recommend the show. I'm not saying it'll be for you, but give it a try. Really.

Alright, that's all I have for now.

Halloween Themes, Memes, and Things 'Tween

So, my last carved pumpkin was my Beetlejuice design, two years ago. This year, I attempted Toothless from How To Train Your Dragon. Didn't quite turn out like the original (I think the eyes should prolly be more rounded), but I think it works.

Once again, it was a lot of work, but worth it. I'm pretty pleased.

Concept Art & Remembrance

The other night, I found some Batman concept art. Some of it I've seen before, but regardless, I find it to be pretty good stuff.

Michael Fassbender (the new Magneto) as the Riddler:

David Tennant (Barty Crouch... Jr!) as the Riddler:

(By the way, yeah, my favorite villain is the Riddler.)

Kristen Bell as Harley Quinn:

 

Rose McGowan as Poison Ivy:

 

Yep, cool stuff.

So, the death of Robin Williams has been particularly upsetting to me. I always recognized him as the artist who had a never-silent mind, who thrived in environments that allowed for his creativity to run wild. He was arguably the best in his field of expertise. But I know that for every high he could have, higher than everyone else, bursting with spirit, there was a low to equal it. I desperately wish those lows could have been less in intensity. But in the end, they won out, wore him down, however you want to consider it... There weren't enough highs. My contribution to his remembrance is the next-to-last episode of Conan O'Brien's short stint as host of The Tonight Show. He shows enormous support for Conan and understands how unjust the situation was. But he brings his best humor to the interview and... they just have fun. Please, please watch.

Robin Williams on The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien

As Of Late

Alright. I know my entries have been lacking. Whether or not that affects anyone negatively, I don't know. (But seriously... I doubt it. Not much to see here.)

Recent happenings:

Munched on Annie Chun's sesame seaweed snacks. The kid seems to like them as well.

Decided to get a pet (upon landlord's/lady's blessing).

(Likely a cat. While desired, I don't think we have the right schedule to be able to take proper care of a canine. That's more of a later-life goal.)

Mourned for changes around where I grew up. A family church getting torn down. Family home being moved out of and sold... Depressing.

Acquired a set of 4 margarita glasses that I paid too much for. But they're lovely and I supported my favorite handmade items marketplace.

Living for my weekends and days off. Sleeping in. Fixing up house. Random errands on my own time. Company without curfew.

Planning next year's coveted vacation.

Wept (expectedly) while reading the last quarter of Dean Koontz's book, or rather memoir, entitled "A Big Little Life" which follows he and his wife's dog Trixie's journey from their first encounter with her to their untimely and unfortunate end of time together. I read this thing in about five days, which is saying something. I've loved most of the books of his I've read, and this one was way more personal. Still had his humor in it, but I enjoyed how I was reading about his own experiences, rather than the fiction that is his usual material.

Saw that my Guy Garvey is going on a solo album venture. While I feel it'll have rather similar sound to Elbow (frontmen who go solo never seem to go to extremes), it seems a bit awkward for him to be recording without Mark, Craig, Pete and Richard on this wide of a project. 

There is a growing list of people I've love to sit down with at a quiet-ish bar and spend the evening with, with drinks of course. Leisurely evening of beverages and conversation. This list now includes:

1) Guy Garvey
2) John Grant
3) Dean Koontz
4) Gary Oldman
5) Billy Connolly
5) Meat Loaf Aday
6) Joshua Homme
7) Jeff Bridges
8) Denis Leary
9) Bryan Cranston
10) Billy Zane

Yeah, that's right. I included Billy Zane.

But, alas, these be the outlandish desires of a lonely dreamer.

To CONclude, I'll INclude a couple pics I found of Koontz and the deservedly loved Trixie.

Many of my blogs have used this rule.