Okay, after no small amount of piddling around on my end, I'm going to attempt to make my X-Men music video available via peer-to-peer. Bear Share, specifically. Those interested in downloading it, either e-mail me to set up a specific time for transfer, otherwise try your luck in finding the file on Bear Share. The file name is JW_X-Men_vid.zip.

As if it wasn't abundantly clear from all the bitching I've been doing over the past two years, bear in mind that I'm on dial-up. So expect that the transfer will take some time -- I know that I am. Hopefully once a few people get it, however, it can become fruitful and multiply as only file sharing can be.

Listening To:Today - Smashing Pumpkins

Looking Forward To:I dunno. Stuff. (I'm in a weird mood today.)

I received the most hilarious thing in the mail yesterday. I got a letter, dated 6/26/03, from LiveBridge, the place that I quit at the end of March. Said letter informed me that I was being terminated due to job abandonment.

Yes, that's right. They fired me. THREE MONTHS AFTER I'd already QUIT.

Nevermind that I called and left a message for the HR department as soon as I'd made up my mind to leave back in March. Nevermind that I then spoke to the director of the center a day or so later when she called me and told her that I had quit. Nope. It took them three whole months to piece it together.

The letter went on to say that if had left due to something with the company, they were interested to find out what and why. "Please fill out and return the included survey," it said.

Of course, no survey was included.

It's good of them to keep the memory of why I quit alive and well in my head. You know, just in case I went temporarily insane and decided to ever set foot in that building again.

Listening To:
Twilight - Bubblegum Crisis

Looking Forward To:Finishing part 6. One day.

Yay, another 25 issues of mutanty goodness direct from Mum! All hail the Den Mother.

...damn, I'm going to need another comic box in a minute. That feels so good.

Listening To:The fan whirring next to me. Gods, it's hot.

Looking Forward To:Breaking through these mediocre '90s issues and get to the really good stuff.

Just when I was on a roll, they migrate my Blog and I don't have access. Typical.

Let's see, what's gone on these past few days. I got 100% on my first Math quiz, so that's off to a good start. I actually like the professor pretty well. She has a good way of explaining things, and seems genuinely devoted to making sure you understand. It's funny, though. I'm sitting there, looking at this stuff, and I'm wondering to myself why it took me five bloody times to understand it.

I actually slept pretty well last night. That was a welcome change from the previous two, as I was assaulted by unpleasant dreams. My subconscious was beating the crap outta me for something I did to piss it off. I can't remember too many details, but I do know that both involved rather violent deaths to friends, so ... well, if you're a friend, watch out. Though I don't expect anyone will be shot in the face like someone was in my head on Thursday night. Brrr.

My progress on Goblet of Fire proceeds at a decent pace. Today promises to be a hot one (it's only 8am and already 71°), so I might retreat to the cool darkness of the living room as the afternoon wears on and just read for a while. With some work, I can knock out GoF this weekend. I'm tired of having to walk on eggshells to avoid spoilers absoultely everywhere I go online.

Finally, Flatscan has been update with this week's haul. I now adjorn to get some computer stuff done before it gets too hot to be in here any more.

Listening To:Nothing. It's eerily silent at the moment.

Looking Forward To:Starting Order of the Phoenix.

Let's start today off with some selected responses ...

Jen: I did indeed read some of Kevin Smith's Green Arrow. Unfortunately, it too started around the time I was leaving, so I never got very far. I enjoyed what I read, but there are other series that I'd rather fill in the holes for first, so I don't know when (or if) I'll get around to picking them up. When all is said and done, I'm really more of a Marvel fan than a DC one, though at least I'm not as narrow-minded as I was back in my youth ("If it's not Marvel, it's CRAP!") Seriously though, what's up with not including Donna? Particularly if they're going with the Perez/Wolfman era. Blarg.

Bunny M: Wouldn't an Excalibur cartoon just kick so much ass?? The mere thought makes me jittery and excited. Penned by Claremont, animation in the style of Davis ...... <swoon>

Matt: (and anybody else interested) I've scanned the front of the Amazon box that Order of the Phoenix came in. You can see it here.

I've seen a few of the reunion photos people have uploaded. There are many that I can't put a name to, but there are just as many that I can. It's ... weird. Yes. Weird.

Listening To:Nothing, it's too early.

Looking Forward To:Superheroing on Aard. Just so I can remort and start all over again. Wuv the treadmill!

First day of summer term today. I had a karmic moment on the way there this afternoon. The car next to me was blaring "Shadows of the Night" by Pat Benatar. I thought I was the only person left in this new millennium that dug Ms. Benatar. Even better, that exact song was cued on my MP3 player three songs later. See? 'Tis karmic.

The class looks alright. The instructor actually seems to know her stuff and has a teaching method that feels compatable with my learning style, so I think I'll do okay. The class itself is about two or three times bigger than my last one (I attribute that to it being the summer term, so there are less classes to go around), and they seem to be of a generally higher caliber as well. I don't know if that's good or bad. Honestly, I don't much care so long as I personally understand.

I was watching last night's Evolution episode ("Fun and Games", a good 'un) and saw an extended commercial for Teen Titans. I'm looking forward to this series, but have a few reservations. It's obviously portraying itself in commercials as a bit frivilous and totally playing up the "Teen" part ("They fight for truth, justice, and a bigger slice of pizza". They're the Titans, not Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, darnit). I'm hoping that it won't turn out too stupid as a result. The comic book is pretty heavy and serious in more than a few places. A big plus is that they have Kori, but for reasons that I cannot fathom they left out Donna. Given the rest of the line-up -- Cyborg, Raven, Robin and Changling (Garth is "Changling" to me, not "Beast Boy") -- it only makes sense to have Troia as well. I was thining that maybe they stayed away from her given that Wonder Woman is in the Justice League cartoon, but they have Robin for cryin' out loud, so that just doesn't make sense. Here's to hoping that they add her later.

Hm. I'll have to get mum to send me my Titans collection one of these days. After all the X-Men, of course, and probably after Legion too. But one day. There's no beating the Perez era. <sigh> Man, I miss comics in the '80s sometimes.

Listening To:Mike and I type furiously, as we attempt to capitalize on the double experience and superhero.

Looking Forward To:Finishing Goblet of Fire ... I'm only on chapter three. :\

I just got an e-mail thanking those who attended the high school reunion. I knew it was soon, but didn't quite realize it was this past weekend.

I'm sort of sad, in a way. I didn't really have any intentions of attending, but still. I actually made a decision to attend the high school I did for purposes of a future reunion. Seriously. I know that sounds stupid now, but at the time I was thinking "Which group of people would I rather see in ten years? New friends, or ones I've been going to school with for years already?" I picked the later. And then didn't go. Funny how life turns out.

I think it's more of a nostalgia pang. I still remember these people, many of them amazingly well. It certainly doesn't feel like 10 years have passed since high school. I don't talk to any of them any more, but they were still my friends, and I do miss those times to a certain degree.

They're putting together an online photo album of the reunion, which I expect that I'll check up on. Sure, cuz that'll help my nostalgia pangs immensely.

Listening To:The birdies outside.

Looking Forward To:Seeing how my new class is.

I can't sleep any more.

I am displeased by this.

Listening To:Not much, my head's still foggy.

Looking Forward To:<grumble>

Alright, I think it's all fixed up now. I went to Poster Child instead of bloggkomm, and there are no more error messages. I think I may fiddle a bit more with the formatting, but that'll hold over for now.

Listening To:Jack Frost, MST3K style.

Looking Forward To:Levelling to 160.

Must ... resist ... urge to read ... new Harry Potter ...

It's taunting me. It's sitting on my desk, all new and blue and teasing. "Come read me!" it sings. "You know you want to read me! You can remember the highlights of Goblet of Fire, you don't have to go through it again. Reeeaaaaad meeeeee ..."

I must be strong.

Actually, what I found almost as interesting as the book itself was the box it was shipped in. A perfectly sized box from Amazon that was obviously custom made. The Harry Potter logo and book name on the top, "Deeper Secrets. Darker powers. Stronger magic." on the bottom, and the front has the following nice warning labels (yes, warning labels on a book box): "CARRIER: PLEASE DELIVER ON JUNE 21. Do not under any circumstances deliver before June 21!"

I think I may actually keep the bloody thing. That's definitely not something you see every day.

Listening To:Jett growling at some imagined threat outside.

Looking Forward To:<eyes darting nervously to book>

Poster .. so cool.





It's amusing, really. We've been here for almost two years now, and this is only the fifth or sixth thing that I've hung up (hence the bare walls). I actually have a bunch of things that I'd like to hang, but given that most of them are unframed and framing is so expensive, it'll probably be at least another two years before they see the light of day.

But that's okay. This is good. <contented sigh>

So yeah, the comments thing is indeed working, it's just giving an error message for some reason why you try to post. I'll fiddle with it and see if I can't fix it later on. I've been distracted by other shiny things at the moment.

Listening To:Cars outside.

Looking Forward To:Staring at my poster some more.

Or, well, it is working, but gives an error message when you post .... Gyah.

Okay, lunch. Ignoring web page. Food.

Check that, it doesn't appear to be working at the moment. I'll check into it later. Must .. eat ...

Alright, after several requests and suggestions, I've added something new to Daily -- comments. Provided courtesy of blogkomm, I'm not 100% certain on how this is going to work out, but we shall see.

So. Yeah. Comment 'n stuff.

Listening To:Spark - Tori Amos

Looking Forward To:Lunch. I'm starving.

Just saw the cover to X-Treme X-Men #31. Looks so gooood ...

September is going to be a pretty good comic month, methinks. As if Rogue (and Gambit's) return weren't nice enough, we also have another part of 1602, which I am unbelievably stoked for. It's amazing how just a name and a hint can do that to you. All I know about it is that Neil Gaiman is the writer, that "everything changes" and that just about everybody who's anybody in the Marvel universe will appear. I've only seen the same three page teaser that everyone else has seen, but damn, those are some awesome three pages. Yes, definitely excited.

It's hard to believe that school starts again on Monday. How fast a week can slip away when you don't really do anything with it. It's only the one class, two hours a day, Monday through Thursday, so it's hardly like I have a huge caseload. And with luck I'll do well and maintain that 4.0.

My poster's framing job should be completed today. I can't wait to see it.

Listening To:In Bloom - Nirvana

Looking Forward To:September.

Are you ready to envy the hell out of me?

My birthday present came early this year, courtesy of Mike who knows how the heck to get an awesome gift. Behold.



Yup, I am now the proud owner of an autographed X2 poster, signed by just about everyone and his brother. We have, for my drooling pleasure, starting from the top and winding down in a pattern that is likely apparent to only myself:

Halle Berry (Storm), Kelly Hu (Deathstrike), Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Daniel Cudmore (Colossus), James Marsden (Cyclops), Ian McKellan (Magneto), Sean Ashmore (Iceman), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler), Rebecca Romijn-Stamos (Mystique), Michael Reid MacKay (Mutant 143), Aaron Stanford (Pyro), Peter Wingfield (Lyman, Stryker's right-hand man), Kea Wong (Jubilee), Michael Dougherty (screenwriter), Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Bryan Singer (director), Dan Harris (screenwriter), Stan Lee (creator), Bruce Davison (Senetor Kelly), Anna Paquin (Rogue), Brian Cox (Stryker), and Famke Janssen (Jean Grey -- at the very bottom, cut off in this picture).

This little baby is at the frame shop as we speak, and that's my mother's part of the gift. In less than 24 hours, I'll have a professionally framed and 100% protected treasure hanging on my wall. Expect new pictures of that too, of course.

Hot DAMN this is sweet.

Listening To:The angelic choir of joy and delight singing in my head.

Looking Forward To:Hanging up postery goodness.

The Weeklys are up at Flatscan. I actually did them on release day this week, I feel so proud. Note to comic book readers: If you aren't picking up New Mutants then SHAME ON YOU. The two issues that have been released thus far have been incredible. Pick them up. Now.

So, yeah, I'm having a really lazy day today. I'm not sure what I want to do. I really need to write part 6 of my story, and I have it all plotted in my head n' stuff, but just don't feel like sitting down to write it. I also would like to start working on some more reviews (I think I'm going to hammer out "Rules of Engagement"), but don't feel like that either. I'm not really into computer games at the moment, and while I still have a third of Azkaban and all of Goblet of Fire to get through before, oh, Saturday (laugh with me now), I don't feel like sitting down and reading either. As for TiVo, there's a limitless supply of Law & Order, but I don't feel much like watching TV.

Why is it that I can never think of things that I want to do when I have the time, but when my schedule is packed there's always a million and two things that I'd rather be doing?

Listening To:Piano Man - Billy Joel (in my head. I blame "Ode to a Superhero")

Looking Forward To:Figure out what I want to do with my today.

My fun for today came in the form of a past due notice from Hollywood Video (now I have another reason to hate them). Several months ago, when it was first released, we rented Dynasty Warriors 4. We tested it out, and returned it when our time was up. Unfortunately, we didn't actually put the game in the box, as I discovered much later that night when I went to put a disc in the PS2. The next morning, we took the disc to the store, explained what happened, and left with reassurances that it would be taken care of. I hadn't given it another thought since then. Until I got a $109 past due notice from them, that is.

They said that they tried to call us five times but couldn't get through (not surprising, the main phone number is always tied up with the modem and I don't give out my cell phone number). So it wasn't until now that I got a whopping great bill.

One phone call to the corporate office later and my account is cleared, but geez. That was an irritation I didn't need. I'm so glad for Netflix. Between crap like this, late fees, and the fact that video stores just never seem to have what I want when I want it, I could do without ever using them again.

Listening To:I Want it All - Queen

Looking Forward To:New comics!

I'm $400 poorer, but at least my car doesn't squeak any more. You have to love car mechanics, they tend to find themselves so amusing. And you know that's exactly what I want to hear at 8am after four hours of sleep.

Three mind numbing hours later, I was free to leave. I've gotten through half of Azkaban, which I guess is something, and was witness to a woman who I think should win mother of the year. She had two very small children who were taking a morning at the car dealership about as well as you'd expect for one- and three-year olds. She was a bloody saint though. Attentive, never lost her temper or raised her voice, and she actually didn't give in to her children's every demand, but refused them kindly and with explanations. Me, I probably would've gotten pissed and tried to trade them in on a new car. Kudos to mom, not only for being such a good mother but for reminding me why I'm not one.

That out of the way, I technically have the rest of the week to myself. I did receive my car registration renewal in the mail yesterday so I have another charming visit to the DEQ to look forward to, but I think I'll pull that one off after class next week or something.

So, what to do with my time? I think I'll work on part 5 and then ... Hm. I started playing FF8 a month or so back and then got interrupted, maybe I'll try going back to that.

In video news, Matt suggested some peer-to-peer thing, which is actually a pretty good idea. I'm going to look further into that. Keep watching for details, and those of you who have requested the video already, I'll be in touch as soon as I figure out how I want to organize transfers.

Ooo, other interesting news. The finally ironed out all the kinks with the Comcast deal, so next month Millennium is out and Comcast is moving in. With them, they bring digital cable and ... CABLE MODEMS. The downside is, of course, now I have to start paying for the service, and that does indeed suck, but ... CABLE MODEMS. I can finally dump dial-up, as well as the phone line (soon as I figure out how I'm going to have TiVo update itself, anyway). I've already called and added my name to the list, so "Chris" is going to call back as soon as they have an installation date for my building.

Broadband returns to my life. The circle is now complete.

Listening To:Loser - Beck

Looking Forward To:Writing my next story part.

It's official: I got a 4.0. I'm tired so have no spare exuberance, but I'm pretty f'ing excited. Of course, now the pressure is on to keep it up, but for the moment ... WHOO.

Now I have a whole week to myself (well, less than that now that Monday's practically over). I've finished the video, so it's a question of what to work on now. I think I'm going to see about getting at least one comic review done per day (last week's comics are up at Flatscan, incidentally), and working on my story. Mike and I have resumed discussion on Starz too, so maybe I can get that going.

Though to be honest, I've felt really wiped out these past few days. I actually went to bed at about 9pm the other night, which is practically unheard of these days. Not sure if it's just post-semester stress or what. Tomorrow isn't going to be much better. Kiyone started squeaking in a most annoying fashion a week or two ago, so she has an appointment at the Saturn dealership tomorrow. At 8 AM. NOT HAPPY. I can just see me getting stuck up there all freaking day, too. Bleah.

Oh well, at least there's a good chance that I'll finish rereading Azkaban. Gotta hurry, Order of the Phoenix is due to arrive on Saturday and I still have the two biggest books to get through.

New Harry Potter. Much yayness.

Listening To:Happiness is a Warm Gun - The Beatles

Looking Forward To:NOT tomorrow.

It's been a few days. Let's see if I can play catch-up.

As noted, the Spring term is over. I took my Computer Science final on Wednesday. Not sure how I did, unfortunately. I got in there and then seemed to immediately forgot everything I knew. I think it was actually more pressure to find out that I got that A in Math. Typical. Still, the jury remains out on my final score in there, so my fingers are crossed.

My most recent project has been completed -- I made another music video. My first since I created the feature-length video for A-Kon 9, in fact, which means it's been something like ... five years. Damn, I hadn't realized how long it'd been. Anyway, so I have a new music video. I really wanted to make one for X2 -- have a great song idea and everything. But obviously I can't make that right now, so it was suggested that I do one to X-Men instead. So I did.

The song itself is a little clichéd. It's to Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out for a Hero". But it's still pretty good, if I do say so myself. I'm pretty proud of it. I'd love to show it to you guys, but then there's that horrible hosting problem. That having been said, I have an idea.

The first being the obvious -- find someone to host it for me. So, if you have a healthy chunk of server space and bandwidth and would like to host my latest video, then send me an e-mail. I will love you always and forever, at least 10 minutes or so.

My second idea is VERY LIMITED personal distribution. Talking, like, one person being able to download the thing per day. So, if you're keen on seeing it, then shoot me an e-mail and express your interest. I'm not exactly sure how this is going to work yet, but if the interest is there, then I'll see what I can do.

As for the video stats, it's 6 minutes long and weighs in at just under 66 megs zipped. You get good quality for that though, and it's full-sized, 720 x 480. Gotta love compression these days. I may make a much smaller version later if necessary, but for now I'm sticking with the good stuff.

Other news includes a highly interesting outing last night, but I shall save that for later on, Mike's dragging me around the MUD today.

Listening To:Mike's VGM. Hooray.

Looking Forward To:The break before Summer term starts.

I got an "A" in Math! WHOO!!

<super happy happy dance>

I think this is the first "A" in Math since 4th grade. :P

It took the better part of the evening, but I've finished all of the stuff for my UNIX final. Math went okay this afternoon as well, and it turns out we don't actually have a final for Software Design (it's being reserved for make up work, but I don't have anything to make up, so yay). That only leaves Computer Science, which is at 3pm on Wednesday. So close.

Listening To:Midnight Blue - Slayers

Looking Forward To:Tomorrow being as cool as today was.

So it's intended audience is limited. And yeah, okay, sprite comics are done to death. But damnation, this is just too cute and funny: Check out The Uncanny X-Sprites.

Favourites so far have to be this one, this one, and this one.

Tee-hee.

Listening To:My stomach growl.

Looking Forward To:Finals being over.

It's not every day you're woken up to someone saying "You don't want to sleep through today, it's cloudy." The temperature remained blissfully tolerable throughout the afternoon, and it's even about 60º outside! (And there was much rejoicing ... Yaaaay.)

We escaped for a while yesterday and went to see Finding Nemo. It was cute, but didn't particularly rock my world. I actually found Nemo and his dad to be intensely irritating, but the other characters in the movie made up for it. I was so sure that Dory was played by Mo Gaffney (Bo from AbFab). Turns out it was Ellen DeGeneres. Go fig. The rest of the weekend was fairly low key, but that's not a bad thing.

Got my Math final tomorrow. Everyone cross your fingers.

Flatscan has been updated with this week's comics and the cable channels came back. Whew, I thought I'd have to actually shell out money for a second.

95° outside. I think it's probably not far away from that in here. I'm sweating. GODS I hate sweating.

Listening To:Us and Them - Pink Floyd

Looking Forward To:Winter. Is it here yet?

Uh oh. Most of the cable channels are out. Not the really basic ones, but the others ... Hrm. I think that maybe after two years of pumping cable into this apartment, they might have realized they left it on. That ... sucks. Fingers crossed that it's just a glitch, but ...

I think I've found the big advantage to this heat. My hair is fully dried about ten seconds after stepping out of the shower.

See? Every cloud has a silver lining. A stifling, heat-stroke-inducing silver lining. Like the silver stuff they put on single serving microwavable pizzas. Just like that. Yeah.

Listening To:Precious Things - Tori Amos

Looking Forward To:Getting this week's comic reviews done. It's been too hot during the day to apply much thought into anything.

Hot ... hot ... dying ... gyah ...

Just popped an old tape in the VCR of the Mystery Science Theater Hour. By the gods, this is great stuff. I miss that show. <wipes a tear from her eye> Who will protect us from all the nasty cinematic badness in the world? Who, I ask you? WHOOO???

Listening To:"Your experiment this week, Joel, is called Pod People. It has nothing to do with pods. It has nothing to do with people. It has everything to do with HURTING."

Looking Forward To:Mr. B Natural! S/he's on this tape too!

Today was a pretty alright day, considering. I actually forgot when I was supposed to go to my first class, though, and had to look it up online to remind myself. How quickly we forget. Turns out I got a 48/50 on my most recent Math test, though. Who's your daddy?

As for today, I've actually been writing. Quite amazing to me, too. I'm not sure how long this particular spurt will last, but I believe that I'll enjoy it while it's here.

Listening To:My hard drive defrag.

Looking Forward To:The end of the quarter.

It's good to know that I can pretty much relax and enjoy the rest of my night. I've finished all of my homework, and all of my required parts of the group projects (as well as gotten the other reliable member of the project to confirm she's going to be reserve for the pieces we're missing). I even managed to be a bit productive this weekend and cleaned the den. It looks like a whole new room. A CLEAN one.

So, with the rest of my night ahead of me, whatever shall I do? Believe it or not, I think I'm about to start writing. Hell isn't freezing over just yet, but give it a few days. I actually had a story idea the other day, and the thing's starting to write itself in my head. That coupled with the fact that I feel antsy usually means my muse decided to stop eating bon bons for a bit and is demanding attention again. I must appease her, or she starts screaming and I can't sleep. The bitch.

Listening To:Sabotage - Beastie Boys

Looking Forward To:Getting a word down.