Well, here we are again with another Single-Post Project post. It wasn't all that long ago that I wrote about the modern world and there are plenty of other topics I could tackle, but at the moment, this topic just stood out.
I think part of the attraction is the fact that the modern lifestyle has so much to offer. I can meet and connect with people all over the world. I can talk to them in real time or we can message back and forth. We can connect via video or audio or text in a way that would have been called Science Fiction twenty years ago. However, it's all real, and we have it right here in our own little handheld devices as well.
I just got thinking how so much of what we currently have looks like something out of Star Trek. (I watched a few shows about it.) You know, Star Trek's communicators are like low-tech cell phone, and things like that. So what about those tricorders that could do body scans and all sorts of other strange things. I'm really just wondering if there's a tricorder app out there. (OK, I looked it up and if you have an Android phone, you can download a tricorder app.)
So, yes, we are doing all sorts of new and exciting things thanks to our ever improving technology, but does it really make our lives any better? There was a time that I was addicted to Facebook. Then I started connecting with random people on Tumblr and that's where I spend most of my time. I'm not sure where I'll end up next.
I had a similar situation with my cell phone. I've had a cell phone for a long time and when it was time to replace my phone earlier this year, I decided that rather than try to find a suitable replacement for my old LG Chocolate, I would invest in one of those new-fangled smart phones. I wasn't excited about it, and I didn't really expect it to change the way I used my phone, but now I'm complaining that my phone isn't smart enough.
Technology is changing at a rapid pace and who knows what the future might hold. I doubt I'll ever see a flying car, but I'm sure that what we do find in the future will amaze us. I look forward to seeing what is in our future even if I'm worried that we may not really be ready for it.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
Finally, one day I decided I'd actually check it out. It was the best decision of my life. Neil Patrick Harris plays the title character, Dr. Horrible, and from the moment he pops up on the screen showing off his evil laugh, you know this video is worth watching.
So let's start by talking about how this story came together. During the writer's strike, Joss Whedon, creative mastermind behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly, got together with some family and friends and decided to start a new internet based project using the talents of actors and writers that didn't have anything better to do. Dr. Horrible was born shortly thereafter.
Dr. Horrible is the ultimate anti hero. In fact, he isn't even a hero. He's a wanna be villain. His ultimate dream is to join the ELE-the Evil League of Evil. You're going to hear a lot about the leader of the ELE, Bad Horse, the Thoroughbred of Sin. Yes, he's a real horse, and he has cowboys that sing his letters. That's just how evil Bad Horse truly is.
OK, let's step back for a moment. Dr. Horrible (who has a PhD in Horribleness) is trying to prove how evil he is in order to get into the ELE. He's also got an arch nemesis, Captain Hammer, played by Nathan Fillian. (You'll recognize him from Firefly and Castle.) Dr. Horrible is also trying to make a real tangible connection with Penny, played by Felicia Day, the girl he knows from the laundromat. They are a poor match because Dr. Horrible wants to take over the world and Penny wants to help the homeless.
I haven't talked about the Sing-Along part of the title yet, but yes, this is actually a musical. The songs are not your typical musical-style songs. The first song "Laundry Day" is all about how Dr. Horrible wishes he could stop time and maybe then he could actually talk to Penny. The music really makes the move. Neil Patrick Harris has an amazing voice and really makes the music work. (Don't worry, Captain Hammer and Penny are great too.)
Now, I'm sure you can enjoy the movie on your Netflix Watch-It-Now just fine, but let me suggest that you get the DVD. If you click on the link above, you'll be able to get it for less than $20, and it is worth the money. First you get all the parts of the original web braodcast of Dr. Horrible. That's pretty amazing on its own, but you also get the bonus features. First, there is Commentary the Musical. This is a complete musical accompaniment by the cast of Dr. Horrible. It's all original music that has little to nothing to do with Dr. Horrible. (You can also listen to the real commentary track if you want to be boring and traditional.) You also have the application videos for the Evil League of Evil. Yeah, people made videos to apply for this most evil of organizations. (My favorite is L'Enfant Terrible.) Most of them also have a song to go along with the application.
So check this out, I think you'll enjoy it. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think of Dr. Horrible.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Finding time to Blog
Well, I'm still here contrary to popular theory. I've just discovered that blogging isn't as easy as it seems. I guess the better phrase is realized. I think I knew that blogging was difficult for a while, I just didn't have the realization until recently.
What makes blogging so difficult? There are quite a few factors that contribute to this difficulty. First there's the complication of coming up with something to write about. This is a little easier for me since I like to work with Top 12 Lists. It takes a while to work through the list no matter how many parts, but that doesn't make the process of blogging all that easy.
Sure it doesn't take much to come up with a topic, just mash a couple of things together and see what happens, maybe a Justin vs. Justin-Bieber takes on Timberlake. (No, I have no intention of doing this since I have no desire to listen to their music, so feel free to write it if you want to.
That's one reason I started the Single-Post Project. In the short period of writing my random opinions, I've come up with a long list of tags that only have one post. Why not try to write something using those tags again? What's the worst that could happen? Well, you'll have to look at the list of tags on the right hand side of your screen to see. (It's a big list with lots of topics that don't really deserve a second post.) The worst part is that I'll probably add lots of new tags as I go, so that will help keep my blogging going.
So I do want to explain my lack of production while I'm writing this post. You see, I've got a few writing projects going on at the same time. I have this blog for random opinions on topics all over the board, but I also have a blog that I set up for my creative writing. (I wrote This) I'm also a contributing writer for a fairly new website called This or That. What's really taking up my time though is the high social interactivity of Tumblr. It's a great site for connecting with other people and tons of overly reblogged content.
Anyway, I'm going to try to get back on track for my other blogs and get back on track for some daily opinions. I'll still be working on Top Twelve lists and this new Single-Post Project. Let me know what you think or if there's something you'd like my opinion on.
What makes blogging so difficult? There are quite a few factors that contribute to this difficulty. First there's the complication of coming up with something to write about. This is a little easier for me since I like to work with Top 12 Lists. It takes a while to work through the list no matter how many parts, but that doesn't make the process of blogging all that easy.
Sure it doesn't take much to come up with a topic, just mash a couple of things together and see what happens, maybe a Justin vs. Justin-Bieber takes on Timberlake. (No, I have no intention of doing this since I have no desire to listen to their music, so feel free to write it if you want to.
That's one reason I started the Single-Post Project. In the short period of writing my random opinions, I've come up with a long list of tags that only have one post. Why not try to write something using those tags again? What's the worst that could happen? Well, you'll have to look at the list of tags on the right hand side of your screen to see. (It's a big list with lots of topics that don't really deserve a second post.) The worst part is that I'll probably add lots of new tags as I go, so that will help keep my blogging going.
So I do want to explain my lack of production while I'm writing this post. You see, I've got a few writing projects going on at the same time. I have this blog for random opinions on topics all over the board, but I also have a blog that I set up for my creative writing. (I wrote This) I'm also a contributing writer for a fairly new website called This or That. What's really taking up my time though is the high social interactivity of Tumblr. It's a great site for connecting with other people and tons of overly reblogged content.
Anyway, I'm going to try to get back on track for my other blogs and get back on track for some daily opinions. I'll still be working on Top Twelve lists and this new Single-Post Project. Let me know what you think or if there's something you'd like my opinion on.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
More about haiku
Well, I thought it might be interesting to reduce the quantity of tags I've got on this blog that only refer to one post. I'm not sure I'll finish the project or it will produce anything worthwhile, but it should give me plenty of things to write about. I decided to start this project with the topic of haiku.
For those of you who follow my creative writing blog (currently under the URL i-wrote-this.tumblr.com) I've been writing a haiku pretty much every day for a few months now. I've covered lots of strange topics usually supplied by my followers. I've written haiku about mac and cheese, broccoli, and orchids among a long list of oddities. It's a fun process and it isn't as easy as it sounds.
For those of you who don't know about haiku, here's the deal. Haiku were developed in Japan and they are a traditional poetic form in that country. They are short and sweet and the structure is pretty simple. First the haiku is only 3 lines long. There is no need to rhyme when you write. In fact, rhyming my be looked down on with this form. Next we worry about the length of each line. It all comes down to syllable. Line one has 5 syllables, line two has 7 syllables, and line three also has 5 syllables for a total of 17 syllables.
That's all there is to it, but it's not as easy as it sounds. You can't break a word with a dash to make your syllable count work. You're going to have to play around with word choice and word order to make it work out. I suppose you want some examples to help you on your way. Well, I've got some space so we can make that happen. Here are a few samples from my creative writing blog.
Lillies
on the water, in
a vase, growing in a field-
they are wonderful.
Smiles
A frown turned upside
down makes the world a brighter
place to those in need.
Travelling
Balloons in the sky,
planes, trains and automobiles,
let’s go on a trip.
For those of you who follow my creative writing blog (currently under the URL i-wrote-this.tumblr.com) I've been writing a haiku pretty much every day for a few months now. I've covered lots of strange topics usually supplied by my followers. I've written haiku about mac and cheese, broccoli, and orchids among a long list of oddities. It's a fun process and it isn't as easy as it sounds.
For those of you who don't know about haiku, here's the deal. Haiku were developed in Japan and they are a traditional poetic form in that country. They are short and sweet and the structure is pretty simple. First the haiku is only 3 lines long. There is no need to rhyme when you write. In fact, rhyming my be looked down on with this form. Next we worry about the length of each line. It all comes down to syllable. Line one has 5 syllables, line two has 7 syllables, and line three also has 5 syllables for a total of 17 syllables.
That's all there is to it, but it's not as easy as it sounds. You can't break a word with a dash to make your syllable count work. You're going to have to play around with word choice and word order to make it work out. I suppose you want some examples to help you on your way. Well, I've got some space so we can make that happen. Here are a few samples from my creative writing blog.
Lillies
on the water, in
a vase, growing in a field-
they are wonderful.
Smiles
A frown turned upside
down makes the world a brighter
place to those in need.
Travelling
Balloons in the sky,
planes, trains and automobiles,
let’s go on a trip.
Friday, April 8, 2011
So much for 'of the people, by the people, and for the people'
Well, it looks like this shut down might just happen. Won't it be wonderful to have our Federal government closed down for a while? We won't have to worry about listening to all the political jargon or any of the hateful comments from either side of the political fence. Oh wait, that's not what will happen with the shut down at all is it?
No, if there is a shut down later today, you can expect a huge increase in political jargon and name calling and instead there will just be a huge decrease in what the government normally does for us. That seems like a fair trade doesn't it? I don't think so either.
I'm not asking Washington to do everything for me, but I would at least like some mild form of promise that those politicians would be a little more faithful in the trust that the American people have placed in them. Most of the American people have much bigger concerns than what seems to be so important right now. At this point, I can't even tell what's so darn important that it gets in the way of keeping the basic operation of our country alive.
As I was thinking about writing this post, I thought of the words in the title that I snagged from the Gettysburg Address given by Abraham Lincoln. Why can't our politicians remember that this is a "of the people, by the people, and for the people" rather than a chance for elected officials to flex their political muscle? That's all I'm going to say about the subject for now.
Well, just one more thing...Dear Washington, please start thinking about the American people for just a minute instead of your own agendas and egos. (That goes for both sides of the party political machine.)
No, if there is a shut down later today, you can expect a huge increase in political jargon and name calling and instead there will just be a huge decrease in what the government normally does for us. That seems like a fair trade doesn't it? I don't think so either.
I'm not asking Washington to do everything for me, but I would at least like some mild form of promise that those politicians would be a little more faithful in the trust that the American people have placed in them. Most of the American people have much bigger concerns than what seems to be so important right now. At this point, I can't even tell what's so darn important that it gets in the way of keeping the basic operation of our country alive.
As I was thinking about writing this post, I thought of the words in the title that I snagged from the Gettysburg Address given by Abraham Lincoln. Why can't our politicians remember that this is a "of the people, by the people, and for the people" rather than a chance for elected officials to flex their political muscle? That's all I'm going to say about the subject for now.
Well, just one more thing...Dear Washington, please start thinking about the American people for just a minute instead of your own agendas and egos. (That goes for both sides of the party political machine.)
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Top Twelve X-men-Number 9
Of all the characters in the X-men, I think that Rogue provides the greatest opportunities for story and drama. Not only does she have a power that limits her interaction with others, but she also has an outgoing personality that craves that kind of interaction. She has a past as a criminal. She's 'stolen' the lives of countless people-most for just a few minutes, but there's one case where it was much longer, and her power always has that potential to steal another life.
Rogue's first appearance was in the pages of the Avengers. It was Avengers Annual # 10, a book that I actually own. Mystique is the leader of the Brotherhood of Evil mutants at this point and Rogue is her adopted daughter. She convinces Rogue to attack the Avengers so the Brotherhood won't be bothered by that team while they pull another job. Rogue almost defeats the Avengers single handed because she gets the drop on Thor. In a What if? story, Rogue completely absorbs the powers of Thor and eventually becomes the goddess of thunder.
I should probably take a step back and talk about Rogue's powers. Rogue has the ability to absorb the abilities, powers and memories from anyone she comes in contact with. For a very long time, she had no control over this ability, but I guess through some convoluted circumstances, that has changed. (At least for the time being.) Rogue has ghost memories of the people she touches even though the transfer is only temporary, but in one case she did steal a person's mind and powers 'permanently' or at least as anything in the world of comic books can be considered permanent. Rogue also faces the possibility that her personality might be overtaken by someone that she touches.
 |
| The first story where a member of the X-men accepts Rogue after she joins the team. |
 |
| Rogue took charge of training a group of new X-men shortly after the Mutant Massacre story. The team ended up facing off against the Juggernaut and actually beating him. (Go Rogue!) |
So why does Rogue get on the list? I think that question is pretty easy to answer. While Rogue has never been the center of any major plot lines, she has been a steadfast part of the X-men since she joined up with the team. I know this is contrary to the movies, and some of the animated story lines, but while Rogue might think about getting rid of her powers or going back to Mystique, she never really went for it.
 |
| Rogue is possessed by Spiral when she accidentally makes contact with her foe. (Even the bad guys look scared.) |
One of my favorite aspects of Rogue is her willingness to use her natural powers to help the team even though it's going to be hard for her to face that absorption. Rogue has had the minds of Spiral (see above) Juggernaut, Naze (the Native American god of chaos), and Loki inside her head as well as many other unsavory people.
Well, Rogue's number nine on my list. I hope you enjoyed learning more about her. I'd recommend you check out what she's up to these days. For now though, feel free to leave any comments or feed back on Rogue.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Last minute April Fools pranks.
If you're anything like me, you've been making plans for April for a while. There's so many things that happen this month if you're not planning ahead, you're going to miss out on something. I've also been making some plans for April-specific articles, but it wasn't until this morning that I realized I was missing a very important part of April in my plans-April Fool's Day. If you're in the same boat, there's no need to worry. I have just what you need, a list of last minute pranks you can pull with little to no preperation or materials.
1. The Globetrotter's Confetti-Filled-Cup TrickMaterials: a lightweight non-clear cup (paper, plastic, or styrafoam), confetti
How it works: Take your confetti and place it in the bottom of the cup. Make it look like you are drinking from the cup even though it's actually empty. Find your mark and make it look like you're going to spill it on them. Then dump on the confetti.
2. The 3 O'Clock High PrankMaterials: You don't 'need' anything, but a leather jacket, tattoo, and scar are optional and will make it an easier sell.
How it works: Find your mark and bump into him in the hall. Act really upset and tell him you'll see him right after school. Continue to threaten him (or her) during the day. When you finally meet up for the big fight tell them it was all a joke for April Fools.
3. The Make-Shift Whoopie CushionMaterials: A sandwich bag.
How it works: Grab your lunch (or just take someone else's if you have to) and find a baggie. You're going to either want one of the kind that seal itself or also find some tape. Get rid of whatever's in the baggie. How you get rid of it is up to you. Now fill the baggie with air and set it on the seat of your unsuspecting victim. Watch the fun when they take a seat.
Bonus: If you wanted some extra fun, you can leave the food in the bag, especially if it's really messy.
4. The "I was just in a car accident" Gag.Materials: Whatever you can get ahold of, specific ideas-scissors, fake blood or ketchup, black make up, black sharpie, etc
How it works: Rip some holes in your clothes, mess up your hair, and give yourself some fake bruises and cuts. Walk around with your hand on your head and stumble around. When someone asks what's up, tell them you were just in a car accident. Play it up a bit and tell the fake details of your epic encounter with death before shouting "April Fools."
5. The Fake Shoe BombMaterials: A shoe, some wires and a clock face.
How it works: Take the shoe and shove the wires in it. Then 'connect' them to the clock and let the wires dangle around. Place it in a prominant location and enjoy the laughs when people think it's a bomb and start to panic. (Disclaimer: This is just a list and not a recommendation for a prank. You could get in a lot of trouble for preparing a fake bomb, so think before you act on this one.)
6. The Old "I'm Gay"/"I'm not Gay" GagMaterials: none
How it works: The how is a little different depending on your sexual orientation, but basically if you're straight, you suddenly declare that you are gay. If you're gay, suddenly declare yourself straight. Play it up a little. Flirt with the opposite people of your particular orientation. Give your audience a reasont to believe your tale. Then when you've got people convinced, shout 'April Fools!' If you want you can keep switching sides all day and really mess with people's heads. If you need some inspiration for your role check out this "I kissed a girl" spoof by Karen Gillan.
Well, those are a few quick prank ideas that you can still pull off if you're quick about it. I'm sure you can come up with plenty of other ideas. Why not share them below?
How it works: Take your confetti and place it in the bottom of the cup. Make it look like you are drinking from the cup even though it's actually empty. Find your mark and make it look like you're going to spill it on them. Then dump on the confetti.
How it works: Find your mark and bump into him in the hall. Act really upset and tell him you'll see him right after school. Continue to threaten him (or her) during the day. When you finally meet up for the big fight tell them it was all a joke for April Fools.
How it works: Grab your lunch (or just take someone else's if you have to) and find a baggie. You're going to either want one of the kind that seal itself or also find some tape. Get rid of whatever's in the baggie. How you get rid of it is up to you. Now fill the baggie with air and set it on the seat of your unsuspecting victim. Watch the fun when they take a seat.
Bonus: If you wanted some extra fun, you can leave the food in the bag, especially if it's really messy.
How it works: Rip some holes in your clothes, mess up your hair, and give yourself some fake bruises and cuts. Walk around with your hand on your head and stumble around. When someone asks what's up, tell them you were just in a car accident. Play it up a bit and tell the fake details of your epic encounter with death before shouting "April Fools."
How it works: Take the shoe and shove the wires in it. Then 'connect' them to the clock and let the wires dangle around. Place it in a prominant location and enjoy the laughs when people think it's a bomb and start to panic. (Disclaimer: This is just a list and not a recommendation for a prank. You could get in a lot of trouble for preparing a fake bomb, so think before you act on this one.)
How it works: The how is a little different depending on your sexual orientation, but basically if you're straight, you suddenly declare that you are gay. If you're gay, suddenly declare yourself straight. Play it up a little. Flirt with the opposite people of your particular orientation. Give your audience a reasont to believe your tale. Then when you've got people convinced, shout 'April Fools!' If you want you can keep switching sides all day and really mess with people's heads. If you need some inspiration for your role check out this "I kissed a girl" spoof by Karen Gillan.
Well, those are a few quick prank ideas that you can still pull off if you're quick about it. I'm sure you can come up with plenty of other ideas. Why not share them below?
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