Comic Book Fans, Commence laughing

Still chugging along at work. Wish I had some more free time to work on my spec stuff... ah, who am I kidding? I wish I had more free time to play video games. A man can dream, can't he?

So thanks to Dwayne and Thom, I've got a stack of this month's DC Comics to read. Last night, I took a break and decided to read the Countdown comics. Featuring the writing talents of guys like Paul Dini and Adam Beechen, they come out weekly, so there's a stack of issues #43, #44, #45, and #46. Without thinking, I plop myself down before bed and open up to read #43.

Because I'm reading them sequentially.

Now, for most of you out there, there's nothing wrong with what I did. But for you guys who follow comic books, you know that the Countdown comics are counting DOWN. Thus, the title, Countdown. But because I'm an idiot, I read the last part first. I was a few pages into #44 when I got really confused. Man, this story is using a lot of flashbacks. Then I wondered if this was some sort of genius Memento-like story-telling device. I don't think I realized that I was reading it out of order until I looked really closely at the covers.

Me use brain. Brain good.

Why am I putting this out there? To make myself the object of derision? Well, because if I didn't blog about the stupid things I did? We wouldn't have a blog now, would we?

August 2007 Music Diary

Getting settled back into my music routine after travel and work. Just a few new tunes that I've been listening to this month-

Horse and I - Bat for Lashes
Big Things Poppin' - T.I.
You Know What It Is - T.I. featuring Wyclef
Bubbly - Colbie Caillat
Ya Me Voy - Ceci Bastida

Bat for Lashes was a free tune on iTunes and it's amazing. Reminds me of a gothy Bjork and Hooverphonic.

T.I. is becoming one of my new favorite hip-hop artists. I've always disliked that ATL Krunk style, until I heard T.I.'s stuff. His one live performance I saw was disappointing, but man, put that guy in a studio and he works magic.

Bubbly is maybe the catchiest pop song of the year. I'm like Tracy Jordan in 30 Rock - I love this song so much, I want to take it behind the middle school and... you get the reference. And it was free on iTunes.

Ya Me Voy was another free tune. Super catchy Spanish alternative - or as the Spanish say, Alternativo.

Waking in the Late Morning

This week, I've had talented comic book writer/artist friend Thom Zahler staying at my house. If you haven't read his comic book Love and Capes, your life isn't as full and rewarding as it could be.

While Thom's been here, he's been just as busy as me working on his projects. The difference between us? Well, where to begin? He's taller, in better shape, has a better laptop, can draw, and my kids like him better than me.

But the most important difference - even though he's as busy as me, he's still been blogging. So I felt the need to blog something here. Even if it has to be done in the middle of the night. Even if it's something meaningless like what I did this week.

So here it is.

This week, I've been waking up in the afternoon, er, uh, that sounds bad, let's call it LATE MORNING. I'm waking up in the late morning every day, eating lunch while watching a few minutes of tv, then spending the rest of the day writing. Mostly on outlines & scripts that I have due, but also a little spec material. Then maybe get in a few minutes of Marvel Ultimate Alliance on the XBox360, then go to bed.

Had dinner with a screenwriter friend of mine. Earlier this year, things were drying up for him work-wise and he was talking about getting out of Hollywood. Fast forward six months later. Now he has a big sitcom in development, his big-three agents are calling him constantly, and he's meeting with successful billionaire über-writers who want to work with him. I'm super happy for him, and in a way, I'm thankful because it just goes to remind me how quickly writing fortunes can change for the better.

Okay - time to get to bed. I've got plenty more writing to do this week. More blogging soon.

I go to work... like Kool Moe Dee

Sorry about the lack of updates. I'm finally feeling better, just in time to go twelve rounds with this heavyweight pile of work. And let me tell you, this big pile of work can float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.

I could carry this terribly awkward analogy further by describing my mouth guard and spit bucket, but I'll stop here and get back to work.

I really need a catchy "I'm on a Deadline" slogan that I can re-use on my blog. Something like, "We've traced the call... and the deadline is coming from INSIDE the house!" Only punchier.

Stay safe everybody. More blogging as soon as I can.

With a Name Like This

So I have this running joke in my life.

My name.

It's Eugene.

Pretty bad, huh?

I'm pretty sure that it's the worst name in the world. What names are actual SYNONYMS for nerd? EUGENE! If you want to call someone a nerd, and your verbose nature wants you to mix it up and pick a new word, you can call them a EUGENE.

The only other people who have an argument are people named "Melvin" - and even then, Eugene is still worse. In every movie or television show where you want to quickly let the audience know that the character is a nerd? You call them Eugene.

Now, I have a friend who thinks his name is worse and he insists that Eugene isn't that bad. Bless him for thinking that, but there is a mountain of evidence to the contrary. We've discussed our differences of opinion, but I think I have new evidence that will end this discussion.



Discussion over. Meet Eugene.

He's a professional wrestler. Friday night, while I was lying in bed, I came upon some WWE wrestling and discovered this wrestler. Named Eugene. He wrestles in a superhero costume with a backwards "E" on it. Much to my horror, I did a google search for him and discovered lots of pictures and web pages, where they imply that he's a mentally retarded wrestler. And his real name? Not Eugene. According to Wikipedia, his real name is "Nick" - but he CHOSE the name Eugene.

Oh - but it gets worse.



This is what I have to live with. He wrestles with "Eugene" sewn on his posterior.

How I wish I hadn't accidentally watched pro-wrestling Friday night. How I wish I'd never known about this guy. Mostly, how I wish I'd been named something respectable.

Anything but Eugene.

R.I.P. Premiere Magazine

Sorry about the lack of updates. I had a cold last week, thought I was over it, and then it rose up and bit me again. If things continue the way they're going, I'm going to be dead by Monday.

But as long as I'm dying, I might as well blog about something completely unrelated to my health. Reading the earlier post "premiere week" get me going on this tangent.

I miss Premiere magazine.

In college, especially, it was my best source of REAL movie news, with thoughtful interviews with writers and directors. Oh sure, it had its occasional puff piece on J.Lo's diva-ish ways or Schwarzeneggar's pig-heart transplant, but it was the only magazine I looked forward to and didn't feel embarrassed about reading. Libby Gelman-Waxler, a little bit, but other than that - I liked Premiere magazine.

Then a few months ago, Premiere shuttered its doors. To make up for the two years of subscription I had left, they transferred my subscription to one of their sister magazines. And it's horrible. Now instead of articles about movie studio heads and upcoming film festivals? I get articles about Jennifer Aniston's clothes and what kind of iPod cover Hillary Duff uses.

The only reason I would have any passing interest in Angelina Jolie's love life was if I WAS SOMEHOW IN Angelina Jolie's love life. And even THEN I don't think I'd spend time reading about her.

Look, new magazine. I know you're trying really hard. I don't want to hurt your feelings, but the minute that I care about any part of your magazine... is the minute that I'm going to end my life in some horrible horrible way. The worst part of the week is when I open my mailbox and see your magazine's cold, soulless eyes looking back at me.

Your magazine sickens me.

And the fact that I had my favorite magazine replaced by it is just more salt in the wound. Thankfully, the internet has made magazines all but obsolete, except while waiting to get your hair cut or your teeth cleaned. And this new magazine subscription will eventually end and I won't have to keep recycling it.

Oh - and Angelina? Call me. Thanks.

Pictures of Food

I was going to blog something today about writing. Maybe something about Comic Con. Maybe something about life in general. Maybe something funny.

Meh, why start now?

Oh, here's something that'll fill some space. Because of peer pressure, I've signed up for Facebook. If you're on Facebook, feel free to add me as a friend. Unless you don't want to be my friend. And I can't really blame you. Just don't poke me... whatever that means. I haven't quite figured out how to use Facebook yet.

Lastly, I posted some pictures of my Europe trip with this new picture viewing app that my ISP says is the next big thing. They say it's going to be big. GABBY HAYES BIG. So enjoy looking at pictures of food from my trip to Europe.

Pictures of Food in Europe