Hanging of the Crepe

You wouldn't believe the hoops I had to jump through to get this!

Yeah, it's cheesy, but I thought it was cute.

Go on and vote for Hugh Laurie! 

I love puppets and while I don't mean that in the biblical sense I promise here and now that should I meet Mr. Goodpuppet we will use a condom.

I am so behind reading LJ posts that I'm just cutting the loses and if it wasn't among the last 20 it just isn't getting read. Still on the job hunt. I truly am unhireable. I took Babushka to the Dr. yesterday and he sent her to the ER. After the ER personnel ignored her real symptoms and made up new ones - not once did she say blurry vision! - they let her come home. It was ridiculous.

On the plus side, here's a new episode of STeaP. We review some tea, I break a chair, and Brandice makes me cry. Enjoy.

I was the guest co-host on the latest episode of STeaP this week.  I think it will inspire you to drink tea!  Actually, it will probably only inspire you to hit the stop button.  Eek!

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I'm afraid to tell you we've already filmed another ep. 

 

It could start raining and Noah would still have time to build an ark before NaNoWriMo 2008 begins.  No, I'm not saying anything about the validity of Noah; I'm just saying.  There's enough time to run a non-November novel month before the official NaNo begins.  No, I'm not writing an October novel; I'm just writing.  The problem with this is I want to start now.  I've come up with a zany subplot.  Did you hear me?  ZANY SUBPLOT ALERT!!!!!  Yeah, the Norse myth/Viking/modern horror story is going to have a ZANY SUBPLOT.  Arg!  must...not...write...

I need to rewrite an article for Zatz. Yes, it is the long awaited voice to text article which I won't go into detail about in case somebody googles it and finds me ranting about my procrastination. The tests are all completed - which you are tired of hearing about if you follow me on Twitter. The data has been crunched. It's all written, but I need to revamp the results section. I don't like how it came out. And I don't think anybody will be pleased with my uncharacteristic, non-commital findings. Blah.

If you know nothing else about my writing process you know I suck at rewrites. The first rewrite of Ancient Intentions only happened because Gina yelled and brow beat me. And, yeah, I know I have to rewrite it since it wasn't "dark" enough, but I've decided instead of toning down the humor and making the villian darker I'll increase the humor and make the villian creepier. Sure, that isn't what the "needs to be darker" publisher wanted, but it isn't a dark story. And since they want darker I'll just have to come up with a darker story. And, yes, I've been putting that off for months now. Ick.

So I have a serious case of procrastination. And how am I going to change that? Yeah, I got nothing. So I'm off to the coffee shop to be unproductive there.
AND now I'm more annoyed at myself than ever because now I'm not just procrastinating, but whining. Arg.

As much as I said I hated micro video blogging, Viddler has a new group for it so I did one. It's really easier to follow me on Twitter

Week 3 of my summer cold (part 2) isn't any more fun than the previous 2 weeks. I'm going to start experimenting with some insane homeopathic treatments soon. I'd start today, but I'm low on eye of newt.

More importantly, I have an article due in 2 days and I still don't have the subject worked out. I'm blaming my cold and lack of sleep for my lack of original thought. I'll be out and about tomorrow trying to get it together. Feel free to stalk me on Brightkite and Twitter to hunt me down. Any and all distractions always welcome!

The job hunt is at a new low. I'm kind of bummed about not hearing back from the place that didn't have a job. I really wanted to work there. I'm trying out something new with making Flash (ick) menus and if it comes out nice I'll send that to them as a quick reminder. They wanted to do more with Flash so that might be a nice reminder.

Babuskha's passive aggressive behavior is getting on my nerves, BUT how can you stay mad at somebody with such a cute video?? She's had over 10,000 “views” now and she has me check her numbers ever day. I'm going to make her a shirt that says “Internet Super Star”.

**Many apologies for the length, but you know how I do go on!**

Guess what time it is? It's time for my annual rant about the latest House Season on DVD! What exactly keeps them from putting an ounce of creativity into the content and packaging? I haven't watched the bonus features yet so I won't rate how lame they are. I will rail against the packaging though. Again. Listen, how tough is it to get the packaging right? Seriously! The outer sleeve – one of the most annoying properties of box sets – is abysmal. Part of it is a nice shade of green and the other is a horrible shade of green. Instead of looking like a subtle fade it looks like an accident in printing. This is heightened by having Hugh Laurie centered along the medial line. Also on the front sleeve are 5 tiny pictures of Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard), Foreman (Omar Epps), Cameron (Jennifer Morrison), Chase (Jesse Spencer), and Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein). The problem with that? Um, wasn't Cameron a blond this season? She wasn't in it very much so I might be mistaken. I'll let that go, but with reservations. If you haven't seen the season yet and are one of those who waited all year avoiding spoilers and media in order to watch the entire season in one marathon session, don't turn the box over. Why? Well you will see the shiny photos of the three winners of House's new staff search that's why! Not only is the wording on the back condescending in that “I don't do marketing writing – how hard can it be?” way, but it further gives away the main story arc's ending. And the bonus features are listed in an oversized annoying pill bottle similar to the one used on the Season Two set only this time it is even more obtrusive and questionably cropped. By the way, if you are going to go to the trouble of adding a quantity to the pill bottle graphic why not make it the number of episodes in the set? I know it was a short season, but that seems like an easy call. Again, nobody is picking this up and reading the back trying to decide if they should buy it. They might be picking it up and reading it to decide if they shouldn't buy it. Subtle, but important difference.

Setting the annoying sleeve aside (and can't we find a better solution than those sleeves???), out pops the ad insert. Oh look! It's an ad from Universal for House of Fox. Sure, you bought the tv show on DVD, but you had no idea it was on broadcast television! Plus side, it is one of my favorite cast photos. You know the overhead shot with House lying on a table with his 1-3 season team, Wilson, and Cuddy standing around him all looking up? Sure it's been overused, but this is a nicely retouched version and you can even see the purple of Foreman's tie and the texture of House's jacket. Very nice and, more important from a marketing standpoint, it made me turn it over. Well done! The other side advertises several other shows on DVD and is ok. It reminds us that “Crossing Jordan” uses a font that isn't print friendly and “Friday Night Lights” uses an unfortunate light effect in the word “Lights” that doesn't work in a small image. It's on slightly thicker paper than similar adverts and I have to say that outside of some shadowing on the white text side (which might have been intentional) it's well printed. So far this is the highlight of the packaging. Sad.

On the back in an unappealing white on brown they list the contents of disks 3 and 4. Opening the flap we see an even more unappealing white on green page listing the contents of disks 1 and 2. As per previous seasons I find the episode descriptions unsatisfactory. The least they could do is add the name of the actor playing that episode's patient. Would it have really taken up that much space to add (Mira Sorvino)? No, it sure wouldn't. In fact, the description for “Frozen” is centered so strangely that adding (Mira Sorvino) would have helped even it out.

The DVDs are labeled in the same format used for Season Three. I would have preferred the nice portraits of Season Two, but clearly they are trying to save some money. Pathetic and cheap and another shad of green that clashes with the shades of green used on 70% of the package. Brilliant.

One more unfolding and wait a tick! That's the same photo as the one on the advert! Let me double check that. Yes, it is just a poorer quality version of the advert picture. So without the nice color balancing, good quality paper, and superior printing you get an ok image, but since we have the premier version of the picture right here in the same package we can see how washed out and poorly done the DVD box is. Ok, to be fair it isn't the exact same picture. It is from the same photo shoot, but clearly 4 of the 6 people have their hands in different positions so I can't say it's the same photo. I can say the interior photo should have been House and the final 10 fellowship candidates. Oh wait. I forgot this was all about how cheaply they could make this set. Wouldn't want to pay out an extra royalty there! On the other hand, the photo of Hugh Laurie on the front of the inner box is nice, but the chair seems weird. And to match the other sets and the series shouldn't it be a picture with the cane?Is that broken symbolism or a broken theme? And isn't that the same wrinkled blue shirt from the Season Two and Three boxes? I know he wears it a lot on the show, but really!

This is another complete failure in DVD packaging for House. As for the DVD content, clearly the episodes are wonderful, but the DVD menus are lackluster. It's amazing how poorly done this is compared to the Season Two set. Also, why not include a DVD bonus feature as simple as a link for those viewing the disc from a computer to go to a special page for purchases where they can view all the Pre-Season Five promos? In an attempt to protect their brand (I once heard the show producers were afraid of diluting the brand with too many t-shirts) what they have managed to do is not establish a brand. With only one product a year Isn't it time to capitalize on the fan base or to at least respect the fans by not putting out a disappointing product?

You know how I hate blogs that end up just being videos? Yeah, I feel like I'm quickly skipping down that path. Here's my video for Viddler's "When I Grow Up" challenge.

Babushka made a video! It's her 5 things her grandson Glenn probably doesn't know about her. It includes her co-cola story which I love!

I finally did my video for the 5 Things Challenge on Viddler. Yep. I saved it for the last day! What I'd like people to do is skip my vid and go to bbautista's 5 Things Vid and click the star by the title to vote for him to win a Viddler T-Shirt. If he doesn't win I'm going to send him my shirt!

Here's my vid. You wouldn't believe how hard it turned out to be to keep it as short as it is. I babble way too much!

I have an interview Friday so I'm practicing interview answers. I don't think I'll use any of these...

Stop reading my blog and go immediately to Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog for a retelling of a tale as old as time. Boy meets girl in a laundromat. Boy builds Freeze Ray to impress girl. Well, you see where it's going from there. Did I mention it's from Joss Whedon and friends and there's singing? But, seriously, why are you still reading this when you could be watching that? It's only up and free through July 20th (ee gad! Tomorrow!) Then it will be available on iTunes and later on a DVD. I want them to release the soundtrack because the music is really good! Yes, I was surprised!

Need more reason to go to Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog? How about Neil Patrick Harris playing Dr. Horrible? Hmm? Pretty good, right? Then his laundry buddy is Felicia Day! And for all you fan girls, Captain Hammer is Nathan Fillion! Super keen! Now go! Time's a tickin'!


Best Super Villian Musical Ever!

Job Hunt July 15th vlog:




And July 16th:

Day 1 of my job hunt vlog. Today, I read an email. After a few days of seeing how unemployable I am this will get really old.

Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3-D was so much fun!  The story is ok.  The acting is pretty good.  The effects are AWESOME! 

Dawn, a friend of a friend, was sitting next to me and had never seen a 3-D movie before.  What a treat for her first time out!  I jokingly told her before the movie that part of the experience was to kick the chair in front of her and swat things away from her face.  I didn't need to tell her that because her instincts took over and KAPOW!  lol too funny!  I can't tell you how many times I jumped.  At one point I think 75% of the jumped and gasped in unison!  And my dream of having Brendan Fraser spit on me has finally been realized!  

I think it might be a little odd in a traditional theater.  (Why are they showing a close up of a trilobyte?  What is he doing with that yo-yo?)  Kids will probably still like it though.

One of my favorite bits is early on in the film when Fraser is going through a box of stuff that belonged to his brother and pulls out a stereoscope and says "I have no idea what that is."  HA!  Classic!

  
Fraser, Hutcherson, and Briem with 3-D flashlights!     


Wow - a building in stereoscopic vision! 
       

 Waiting in line with misfitmonkey for her iPhone wasn't nearly as awful as it sounds or looks on video. I was disappointed by the lack of geeks there. There were a lot of really stupid people there so the mocking opportunities were good. I especially liked the bizarre explanation of “House” a couple gave their friends. Hee-haw funny. The friends said they don't like medical shows. The explanation went something like:

Guy: It ain't like ER or that crap. It's good. 
Gal: It's awesome! House is totally cool.
Guy: He's awesome!
Gal: Totally!
Ignorant friend: Yeah, I hate hospital shows. They suck. 
Know it all guy on the end: (butting into their conversation) I hate that show. I don't get it. He just magically knows whats wrong with somebody. It's stupid.
Gal: (way too invested) No it's not! He's, like, overly observant and can tell when people are lying and stuff. 
Guy: He's a really good doctor and he knows stuff.
Gal: He's like a superhero. He's awesome!
Guy: Totally!

Basically she explained to them that House is a cross between “Psych”, “ER”, “Heroes”, and “To Tell the Truth”. This was the same girl who couldn't figure out how to turn off the interior lights on her car. Later the pro-House guy gave me another glimpse into his mind when he was talking to Ignorant Friend about safety.

Ignorant Friend: I hate seatbelts. They suck.
Guy: Wow! So do I! They are always in the way!
Ignorant Friend: And they're uncomfortable.
Guy: Totally! I think it would be so cool to get a tattoo of a seatbelt across my chest so when the cops pull me over for speeding and junk I can just take off my shirt and they won't know I don't have my seatbelt on!
Ignorant Friend: Cool!

Yeah, they were that stupid.

Another great moment came inside the store when I realized the person waiting on Brandice used to work at Sun TV with me. I feel much better about my career path now. Sure, I might have to start hawking cell phones if I don't find a job soon, but at least I had a few years making actually money. (Of course that assumes I can find a job a hawking cell phones.)

Not a bad day at all!

 I lost the post I was writing about how my birthday went yesterday and I don't feel like rewriting it so the summation, amazingly brief for me, is:

Went to bookstore
Met up with misfitmonkey
Joined by enchantedonyxfor dinner
Joined by enchantedonyx's friend for movie and Starbucks

Many thanks to everybody for your birthday wishes!  I was surprisingly undepressed.  It isn't that I care about getting older (I welcome the cold embrace of the grave), but it's the requisite introspection and reflection that's the real downer.