all this buffy talk

Makes me sad that I haven't seen the show in awhile. But not sad enough to actually get a tv, because man I have so much more free time to do other things without that tv. Plus I can read about Buffy on the web, which is not the perfect substitute, but hey.

Instead, I've been seeing a bunch of bands that show up at The Black Cat--wish you all were here, because I bet you'd be easier to convince to come see shows with me than my friends here, who all seem to have a bedtime of 10pm. Ugh, the responsible world! I hate it.

But that's whiny! Wouldn't you rather meet the new San-X characters? Like the tissue paper dude. Or the cat. Which is just a cat. I can't believe they're calling it a "character."

Returning To Rant

Everyone should know that I tripped and fell (the excuse "um... I fell" seeming believable because of this experience) and busted myself all up. Nothing horrible, but bad for me, who never has accidents. I tripped on something in the hallway and fell on everything on the way down, mostly the piano, I think. I have a little scratch above my eye, two carpet burn scabs around my elbows, a toe that was in pain for a few hours, a left wrist that still hurts after two days (especially when I type: ouch), and a big scabby gash on my right shoulder that now looks like Smog the dragon. And it also bent my glasses, but I got them repaired today.

It's fun stuff.

GCEA are the notes you use to tune your ukulele strings. I always forget that. Maybe I should come up with a mnemonic device, you know, like my band. Good Cows Eat Ass? I was combining the piano ones.

I won't talk about media... I won't talk about media... I won't talk about media...

Okay, I have nothing more to talk about. I'm trying my best to get into rant mode. I'm trying to get off on a rant here, like Dennis Miller doesn't try to do. He was on Politically Incorrect tonight. I know that's media, but this doesn't count, cause I'm mostly just sad that that show's going off the air. I dug it very kindly. It has seven more episodes to go. I like you, Bill.

Here's to Bill!

In the Buff

What gives you the idea that there are Buffy fans on here?

For Buffy Fans

Got this message in my e-mail box....

Contributions are sought for a collection of essays titled Monsters and Metaphors: Essays on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Essays should focus on episodes from the first six seasons of the television series but may also incorporate the original film and episodes from Angel. This critical anthology seeks to position the series within larger social and literary trends and traditions. Welcome approaches include monster theory, liminality, gender studies, psychology- and sociology-oriented readings, comparative analyses, and cultural studies. Send 2-page abstracts no later than 1 October 2002 or inquiries to Christopher Weimer, Dept. of Foreign Languages and Literatures, 309 Gundersen Bldg., Oklahoma State University, Stillwater OK 74078. Email: CBWeimer@aol.com.

I'm back

All this week when I wasn't working, sleeping, eating, or lying in bed with a massive sinus headache, I've been spending almost every minute of time watching DVDs. I got the Buffy season 2 set this week, too. I haven't had a chance to watch it though, since my backordered-for-two-months boxset of Neon Genesis Evangelion was finally shipped to me this week, and I have been caught up in its insanity. And I use that word "insanity" in a very literal sense. For those unfamiliar with it, it's a Japanese animated series that starts out as a show about children who may be something more than ordinary children recruited to pilot giant robots that may be more than mere machines in order to fight giant genocidal monsters called Angels who may be exactly what their name implies. It then gradually takes the seemingly typical giant robot anime into directions such shows hadn't followed before its time, and eventually descends into depression, madness, schizophrenia, and what I can only describe as a nervous breakdown in animated form, seemingly tossing the plot completely out the window to spend the final episodes inside the mind of the lead character. (The director reportedly was dealing with a terrible period of depression in his life at the time, and it shows.) Trippy stuff. I wouldn't call it the best anime series ever, as the sticker on the box does, and I think it is slightly overrated by many, but I can see why it's passionately loved (and hated) by lots of people, and has been copied by lots of shows that came afterwards.

The Buffy season finale was good, and a good resolution to the storylines and themes of the season.

Overall, I think the season had some major problems (and Joss Whedon has actually said he's looked back at how a bunch of things could have been done much better), and it just meandered all over the place and dragged on too long in spots before the final few episodes where everything started falling into place and setting the storylines of Warren completely being corrupted by power and ambition and Willow being driven insane in motion. It might be better when viewed as a continuous whole over a shorter period of time, rather than spread out in chunks of new episodes interspersed with reruns over the course of a TV season. Maybe the pacing will work out better when I re-watch it that way.

I liked Xander's moment of heroism, proving himself once again the Heart of the group, saving the world with his unconditional love for his best friend. About time he got the chance and the guts to be the hero (and actually get recognized as such).

The development with Spike at the end was pretty interesting, and it should be fun to see where that goes next season. Interesting that the one character who was warning everyone all season long about the consequences of messing with powerful magic and wishes and such ends up asking for and getting something that's no doubt gonna cause him more trouble than ever before...

Okay, where is everyone?

I have finally received and watched the season finale of Buffy. I was very pleased and can't wait until next season to see what develops. Hopefully I'll be somewhere where I get the stupid UPN.

Jason, (and anyone else who watches and enjoys the Buffy) do you have any comments on the season finale???

Just so you all know, I rule the school.

I am the proud new owner of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 2. I had to buy it at the mall, Walmart and Sam's didn't have it, but at least it was on sale for $49.99.

There are a lot of good episodes on this season. I will slowly but surely work my way through them all in the next week or so.

Just wanted to share the joy with you fine folks. Now I bid you farewell.

I do post here, Lizard. But rather infrequently, I must admit. All that work to sign in and stuff. Wow. Thanks for the great compliment. All you Love and Letters watchers out there, I hope to begin work on my new/next solo record in the VERY NEAR FUTURE. Hopefully, it'll be ready by summer's end. "The Story Goes" is on the short list for being included. Pretty much all the newer tunes I've written are going to make an appearance. I also hope that Dr. Spell will be producing again. I plan on having a bit more "hands on" with this one, but I'd like to use the same type of approach. It's nice to record them and then just to let them go, and Rusty is sympathetic to some of those song's needs. Hoepfully, he can work is magic.
Speaking of all the music stuff, www.latelydavid.net went down for a while and Danny and I had to redo alot of it. The sad thing was that our guestbook went the way of the dinosaur. We need people to sign it, so get your booties over there to sign the Lately David guestbook! Say nice things, now...Also, there some new pics, so look around.
And while we're on the subject of websites being redone, the good old Tommy Burton Adventure had been facelifted. (Can "facelift" be a verb?)
Anyway, hope to see all of you soon...
Tommy Burton--Parsidential Aide and Confidante.

Jason, I would like to have one of those Buffy DVDs, but I'm not crazy. I'll just make due with my video copy and cd that Rusty made me from the video. I listen to that sucker at least once every out of town drive I make (by myself...I think hearing it once was enough for Rusty).

I am already waiting in line at the store to purchase Buffy season 2. (Not really, I'm actually sitting at my computer in my pajamas, but you know what I mean.)

(I'm all about the parentheses tonight.)

I made two somewhat noteworthy DVD purchases in the past few days. I got the special edition of "Memento" on Thursday night, and "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" last night. I've already sung-along to the sing-along songs.

I can't remember if Tommy B. blogs, but just in case he does:
Tommy just wanted to let you know that I've had one of your songs stuck in my head for the past couple of days, the "that's the way the story goes" song. I thought you might get a kick out of that.

I'm Freddy.

Oh yeah...

If you really wanna throw around some money on DVDs and get some more digital Buffy goodness, you couild get one of the many "Once More With Feeling" special DVDs that were sent out with Daily Variety subscriptions for Emmy consideration and are popping up all over eBay...

Those things are going for too much for me, though. I'll just wait the 1 1/2 to 2 years I expect it'll take for them to release the Season 6 boxset...

Hey Liza!

Welcome to the robot wackiness!

I'm all excited about the Buffy season 2 set. And hoping I won't have to wait to get a copy, since I gots bills to pay, and, depending on several things, I may end up being low on cash next week and won't be able to throw it around like Liza. :( I'll probably get it anyway and make myself skip some meals. I mean, who's got time for stuff like eating with all that Buffy to watch, anyway?

Random Thought of the Day

The guy in those Gateway Computers ads with the talking cow reminds me a little of Reggie Bannister from the Phantasm movies. Now they've got that new ad where the guy and cow are driving down the highway in a truck together, and the first thing that pops into my mind is an image of this guy and the cow driving into some small abandoned town and the two of them running around with flamethrowers and sawed-off quadruple-barreled shotguns, blasting evil dwarves and flying silver balls...

Just thought I'd share that.

Hello, all.

Not only have I finally joined Rusty's blog, I'm on Nyleva's, too. When I go, I go all out.

Jason, how excited are you about Buffy season 2? I can't wait to get my grubby little hands on those dvd's.

I think I'm going to pick up the special edition "Willy Wonka" and "Memento" as long as I'm spending all sorts of cash. I'm hoping Sam's Club will have all of them for some crazy discounted price.

Could be.

In Sink

Hmmm. The 'nSync guy wanting to go into space... Star Wars... space... the Star Wars program... Reagan... nuclear etc etc... hmmmm. It's all making some sort of terrible sense.

Is there an ongoing attempt to cover up a huge Hollywood scandal?

Contradictory stuff culled from various entertainment news websites:

Star Wars producer Rick McCallum's recent comments when asked in a radio interview, "Is it true that N*Sync shot some scenes for Episode II but they ended up on the cutting room floor?": "No, totally untrue. They’ve never actually done an album at Skywalker Ranch but they come and do, you know if they have a show they’re doing in London and have got some stuff they have to pre-record they’ll come up to Skywalker Ranch and actually do their music and they’ve always been great fans. And they came down on the set while we were shooting in ILM some miniatures and of course then everything goes out of control."

...and when asked about the same thing in a recent interview with Empire Online: "That was such a complicated, longwinded, unbelievable bunch of wank. I don't know where that came from. It is interesting. The only two people - and this is an absolutely true story - the only two people who have ever fact checked with everything that has ever been written about Star Wars is you guys and the National Enquirer. That's just amazing. I mean I don't get it but you guys are the only two people who have ever fact checked."

If that's true, then why did a Lucasfilm representative tell media outlets that they had in fact been filmed as extras in a scene, and that it was McCallum himself who had offered them the part?

Again?

And again?

(Note that the Lynn Hale credited with confirming the rumors in the E! Online articles is quoted on numerous articles from legitimate news sites and credited at StarWars.com itself as Lucasfilm's director of communications. Were these quotes by her completely fabricated? Could she have been lying? Deliberately misinformed by someone? Why on earth would anyone want people to think that this was happening if it really wasn't?)

Why did members of Nsync supposedly themselves seem to think they'd appeared as extras in scenes filmed for the movie?

So... is this some kind of huge hoax designed to make Star Wars fans mad? To embarrass the Nsync guys? Is there a concerted effort at Lucasfilm to backtrack over this whole sordid affair? Or is McCallum simply trying to cover up his involvement in this attempted crime against cinema? Who are we to believe? How the heck is "*N'Sync" spelled anyway? Will the truth ever be known? More importantly, does anyone really care? I sure don't. I do however think it's been funny following all this and watching everyone scramble to backtrack and vehemently deny everything about something so stupid. I'm sure this isn't the last we'll hear about this.

(I still haven't seen Attack of the Clones yet, but it has been widely reported that NSync does not appear in the final movie.)

Do I Like Star Wars? Yes, I Like Star Wars

I saw Attack of the Clones and I can't find anything wrong with it. I'm going to see it again soon.

Thanks for everyone who wished me a happy happy joy joy.

People tend to steal my ideas too, a la the Jason/Space Ghost experience. I have an audio commentary idea that I haven't done yet, but which I won't write here for Weird Al to steal.

I'm sorry everyone was sad over the robot being gone for a day. I didn't do it. I assume it was some maintenance thing.

I am now the proud owner of the Wet Hot American Summer DVD. Will gladly watch with anyone who needs to see one of funniest movies ever made.

Rusty.

Great minds think alike

"The way things are going, pretty soon the only shows on TV will be either Law & Order or Buffy spinoffs. Then they'll have no choice but to make Law and Order: Vampire Slayer Unit."
-- Jason Bell, 2/19/02 Blogger posting

"Format change: from now on, the first half hour will be about Buffy FIGURING OUT what the monster is, and the second half hour will be about Sam Waterston PROSECUTING the monster."
-- Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon, 5/22/02 Bronze posting

Here it is

Never mind.

Where'd the robot go?

Its page can't be found. Poor lost robot. Of course, if you're reading this without being on the blog editing page, then I guess someone managed to find it, and everyone can stop looking.

Curse you, Space Ghost producers!!!

First they used concepts suspiciously similar to The LunchBots in their Aqua Teen Hunger Force show. I wasn't too mad about that, as only two of the three giant talking food products on the show are morons, and the situations on the show are pretty different. But now I see they're not content with simply getting their ideas from my website. They've now taken to stealing my LunchBots ideas straight from my brain, what with them doing a Space Ghost episode with an audio commentary on the show and second and third audio commentaries on the first commentary. I've been planning to do that for the LunchBots movie, but have been keeping it a closely guarded secret known only to me so that it would remain a unique and original surprise. Bite me, Williams Street Productions. I'm on to your evil schemes! You haven't stolen all my ideas yet, and I will one-up you! You'll see! You'll all see! Mwaahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!

congrats too!

You got the power Rusty Spell; let it show. Go Rusty Go. Go Rusty Go. Go Rusty Go.

Me, I usually don't drink soda, but I'm starting to like the weird lemon diet Coke. Even though I don't usually like diet drinks either. But for some reason the citrus-Cola-nutrasweet combo really pleases me.

I want to host a Kaiju battle!

I'm About to Go Graduate Now...

I don't have to say "I'm a college gigawatt anymore." (Not that I did as of five years ago, but that's beside the point of the joke.)

Yes, the robot lives. Sure, it might just be Jason & Rusty (and sometimes Y--I mean Steph) talking at each other, but I know non-writers read it. Someone referenced it the other day that I had no idea was reading it. So we're famous.

I'll have a "try all the caffeine-free drinks" spree one day. And then Spree itself. I think Coke might be the one I had as well. I'm just happy that they're making Vanilla Coke now. Used to, I had to rely on Sonic for that.

I liked Spider-Man too. I think I like it the more I think about it, and that I'll like it even better when I see it at home instead of with loud drunk people. Spider-Man was always my favorite too... he was always sort of a parody of Superman, and the movie did that as well. And it's those kinds of parodies that I like: where you barely know they're parodies at all. Parodies don't have to be all-out funny like The Tick or something.

Where is Spider-Man coming from? Oh where?

Dr. Rusty. Dr. Rusty Spell.

The Robot Lives

Yay! I'm not the only one who still remembers that there's a robot here!

Diet Dr Pepper is the stuff that's supposed to taste like the original (and it pretty much does, except for some small trace of something unfamiliar--almost a hint of maybe a metallic taste, if you ask me). Plus, it's still got plenty of the good caffeine content of the original to keep you going. I've had caffeine-free Coke before, and didn't mind it much. Caffeine-Free Dr Pepper however is an entirely different creature. (And I suspect it may, in fact, be a creature of some kind. Possibly that "black oil" lifeform from the X-Files--drinking it does seem kind of like drinking motor oil, or at least what I imagine drinking motor oil must be like, seeing how I've never actually imbibed motor oil.) It doesn't even taste much like the original, leaves me feeling queasy after drinking it, and is in general an abomination against all that is good in this world.

I exaggerate though. It turns out if you mix small quantities of the caffeine-free stuff in with the real thing, it can be safely consumed, and this 2-liter my horribly misguided parents got for me won't have to go to waste after all.

I liked Spider-Man. Really, really good for a comic-book-to-movie adaptation. Very true to the spirit of the character and the story. I simultaneously get a kick out of and frustrated by a lot of the dumber criticisms of the movie I've read from people. (There's this really laughable one on the Aintitcool.com talkbacks that I can't stop thinking about--the poster says that the fact that Aunt May never gave Peter his pancakes (actually wheatcakes in the comics) or that May and Ben never gave Peter the microscope they did in the comics somehow ruined the impact of certain scenes, but then goes on to suggest that Mary Jane become the Black Cat in the sequel--which is a totally different character... Hopefully a joke post, but not too far removed from a lot of other rantings about the movie.) I think most of them just don't get the point--that Spidey's not supposed to become some badass who does everything right and knows what he's doing, gets the girl and becomes a huge winner. That it's about his struggle to grow into a responsible man, even if it's at his own expense and not the cool thing to do. He's "the Woody Allen of the superhero world" as Stan Lee has called him.

I don't have Quicktime reinstalled on this thing yet (Quicktime and my computer never got along much anyway), so I haven't seen the Kaiju Battel footage yet, but judging from the rest of the site... uh... yeah... heh. Godzilla & Power Rangers-style monsters in real-life wrestling matches, heh.

Yay for Dr. Rusty!

The Return of Rusty

I'm not sure if I drink soft drinks for caffeine or not. I don't think I do, but maybe I'm just an addict and am not admitting it. Maybe I'll attempt caffeine-free and see if I still want to drink it as much (isn't this the stuff that actually tastes about the same?).

Starwoids. I will just refuse to believe this.

Spider-Man was fine. It didn't blow me away, but it was better than most of those big hyped-up movies that I get so excited about and then hate.

I couldn't get the Kaiju stuff to open, but I'll try again later.

Rusty graduates Friday. Fun times.

you guys have to see this

If you haven't seen it already. I don't know what to make of it, really.

http://www.kaiju.com/video.htm.

Huh

The Free Comic Book Day website is working again (it couldn't be found when I posted last night) and their comic book store locator claims that there actually is a shop within a reasonable distance of me, contrary to the phone book and other sources I've tried. Maybe it's really, really new. Guess I'll have to go try and find it.

Superhero Weekend

Spider-Man opens today!

This Saturday is Free Comic Book Day. Go to your local comic book store and get a selection of some free comics from a bunch of different publishers. I would, but as much as you'd think there'd be a comic book store around here, there aren't any that I can find.

Something I did not know.

Apparently Star Wars fans are known as "Starwoids." I've loved Star Wars for almost all my life (granted, I've never gotten into all the die-hard fandom around it or much of the "Expanded Universe" stuff, nor am I one of the type of folks who camped out in front of theaters for Episode I and went to see the movie wearing full Darth Maul makeup), but I've never heard this term before. Is this true, or is it something that was just made up for this documentary thing? Do people actually call themselves this? It has an even sillier/nerdier/more insulting sound to it than "Trekkie" if you ask me.

Caffeine-Free Dr Pepper

What is this stuff good for? Isn't the massive caffeine buzz the reason for drinking Dr Pepper anyway? This caffeine-free stuff is marketed as a beverage, but it sure ain't for drinking, I can tell you that. Could it possibly be put to use as some kind of alternative fuel source or something?

Reminders and/or Announcements of Biggest News

We Like Media is up and running, the website devoted to intelligent (we think) articles about all kinds o' media. Featuring stuff so far by Jason, Tommy, Noby, and Rusty.

The Mnemonic Devices' Sparkling Objective Correlatives is the best new album of 2002. Hear it to believe it.

Dusting the cobwebs off the robot

The ninja-related announcement I mentioned a while back is still pending, just delayed for a while due to lazine... uh... being swamped with other projects.

I was browsing Usenet the other day, and this posting gave me a laugh.
Manimal!

Nobody knows who you are

This suddenly reminds me of talking about the Electric Company Spider-Man and singing the theme song with mine and Steph's old elementary school friend Allison on occasion.

I've gotta add that I'm really enjoying the Amazing Spider-Man comic book again these days, especially after years of mediocrity and endless storylines about Spider-clones and rewriting of previous storylines seemingly for the heck of it that drove away most of the book's readers (including me). It's now back to the basics, about the seeminly ordinary guy who's able to escape his frustrating life and have a little rewarding fun by fighting bad guys and helping people--and you don't have to have read four comics a month for the last few years to be able to keep up with what's going on anymore, thank goodness. I think they should have realized something was wrong back when they had to start putting two pages of story recaps in every issue of almost every comic Marvel published...

I'll start working on some We Like Media articles soon, just as soon as I finish up a couple of personal projects I'm working on right now (and when I stop procrastinating), so your Tom Green article won't have to be alone forever. How many will have to die before then? Only the We Like Media page counter knows.

Spi-Der-Man! (See Company, Electric)

Spiderman was always my favorite, as well. Not that I ever read superhero comics. I read stuff like Richie Rich and Archie. I was never into those "boy" things... just kid things. I only had one G.I. Joe, and I called him G.I. Joe (he was Clutch). I never watched the boy cartoons. The closest I got was He-Man. I liked The Smurfs and Muppet Babies. I know I've said these things before somewhere, probably here. But, yes, Spiderman is the best. He was the funniest. Everyone says they like Batman because he's not superhuman, but what's the point of that?

If we can stay in one daylight time mode, I pick the one we're currently in. I like more sunlight than less. I don't know if we're in the normal time or the DST right now, but whatever we're in, I like best. Of course, if we must have DST (which I don't mind too much), then at least it works out good seasonally: in the spring and summer, we get lots of light for partying on the beach; in the winter, it gets dark just in time for Halloweeen and for Santa Claus to come early. I dunno, maybe I do like it. But I won't tell Jason that.

Oh, wait...

"Did you know that your mama was a pelt? Did you know that?" --Yo! MahMa

Me Like Media Too

MTV decided to show the Tom Green Subway Monkey Fun special again last night, so I have it on tape now, too. Missed a new episode of X-Files to see it (which is probably actually a good thing now that I think about it, since it was apparently one of those "let's do a goofy episode to show off how clever we are" episodes, not to mention the general quality of the show these days). I appreciate the offer though Rusty.

I'm looking forward to Spider-Man too. He's my favorite superhero character--an ordinary guy who leads an ordinary life and can never seem to get a break, always struggling to follow his conscience and live up to his uncle's advice about power and responsibility, despite all the crap life throws at him even when he does do the right thing. What I've seen from the previews looks good, and I think Sam Raimi can make this work.

April is looking to be a really good month for animation DVDs--several Gundam discs, Osamu Tezuka's Metropolis (with the Cowboy Bebop movie trailer!), Evangelion boxset, Transformers season 1 boxset, Batman: The Animated Series Vol. 1, and the long-awaited unedited version of Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.

I may have spoken a little too harshly about Angelfire, as their "contact us" form has reappeared, the bandwidth outages appear to have ended (for now), and they finally sent out an email about the change in the amount of storage space this weekend. We'll see how things go, though. (Bravepages does look like a better deal)

And now, a serious message about a serious and controversial topic:

Daylight Savings Time needs to be stopped. There is no need for it. If you find that you really do for some reason need an "extra" hour of daylight to work or whatever, then just go to bed an hour earlier, and get up an hour earlier on your own. Don't force your needless stress-causing wake/sleep cycle changes on other people's bodies. If there is some real need for having the clocks set an hour ahead, why do it only for part of the year? Why not make it Daylight Savings Time all year round so we won't have to bother changing our (both mechanical and internal biological) clocks at all? Who needs that hassle and stress?

It's no doubt an economic liability as well. How many hours of work are missed this time each year because people forgot to adjust their alarm clocks? Think about all those people feeling tired from having to wake up earlier, hurting their productivity on the job, hurting our economy in turn. I urge you all to write to your congressperson, urging them to take measures to ban this unfair, wasteful, stress-causing, and unhealthy practice. Join me in the fight against this oppression!

Headline News

Tom Green in Japan

I have it on tape. Mayhap it can be viewed by me again, and with you in the room. Or mayhap it can be viewed by you without me in the room. Whichever works best.

Tom Green in We Like Media

There's a new website now called We Like Media which writes a very intelligent article on Freddy Got Fingered. Okay, so I wrote it and We Like Media was started by me and whoever else hops in to help. You can find it here and see it in its little baby form!

The Lunchbots

They're pretty funny. Unfortunately for Jason, the next issue will have to be more than a recap. Or will it???

Angelfire

We Like Media is at Bravenet. Maybe that's the way to go.

The Mnemonic Devices

The group I'm most famous for has a new album. Read all about it here! Carrie "I Only Post Pictures" Hoffman even sings on it. Mayhap I'll play another show in Chalmette, LA so I can sell it to the eager teenagers. They loved me so there.

April Is Not the Cruellest Month for DVDs

I got Joe Versus the Volcano yesterday (it came out Tuesday). Mulholland Drive comes out this Tuesday.

May's Not So Bad Either for CDs

The new Weezer CD comes out in May.

... Or Movies

Has anyone heard that Lucas is making an episode two of Star Wars? Is this just a rumor?

Peter Parker Brothers and Mary

I'm also anxious about Spiderman. Me Like Media.

Art On Art

So while I'm writing articles about movies and music and stuff, I'm thinking, "Hmmm. Writing is used to talk about everything. Has anyone ever, like, painted a painting about a book, or taken a picture about a symphony?" It's interesting. I guess that's why writing is the #1 thing in the world, once you get down to it. I picked the right job.

Simon and Garfunkle

I bought their first album today. I decided I need them all (there are only five). They are one of the few 60s bands I listen to/own music of. The other are The Beatles and The Velvet Underground: I got all their stuff already. Anything else I have is just scattered songs here and there.

Glasses

I got two new pairs of glasses. One look kinda similar to, but better than, my old ones (which broke), and the others are not-quite Buddy Hollies. Less thick and pointy. I didn't go full-blown indie kid.

Emails

Everyone that reads this and is not a poster should write me here and tell me. I'm just curious.

Rusty.

Checking in

Haven't posted here in a while myself, so here's a big update on various assorted things I feel like updating you about.

• I'm feeling much better than I did two months ago, and I'm handling the Sucky Thing That Happened a lot better. (Not that it should be taken by anyone as a sign that my opinions about the situation or anyone or anything that happened have changed or that I'm okay with it or ever will be. I'm just able to be more civil and less overwhelmingly sad/angry/hurt about things.)
  
  
• My computer died last week. The operating system had been acting increasingly buggy the past few months, and then a botched installation of Internet Explorer 5.5 put the final unremovable nail in the coffin. It had a good run--seven years of constant upgrading, installing, and uninstalling with no major problems until now. The hardware was all fine, so I just backed up my files, reinstalled everything, and it's all back up and running again.
  
  
• I lost track of time while trying to save my computer from dying, and missed Tom Green's Japanese special. Strangely, MTV isn't re-airing it a hundred times this week like they do everything else. Someone be sure to tell me if you see it in the listings anytime.
  
  
• While I don't particularly care for the more gross-out stuff Tom Green does (mainly because I just don't like gross stuff), I do appreciate his style of humor. I think his critics tend to focus on his outlandish behavior more than the interactions and contrasts he creates between the normal everyday world and his craziness, and it's in those interactions and contrasts where most of the actual funny resides. It's like he says in this interview: "It's an interesting thing, especially from my show since it is so based on getting people's reactions. In Japan, it is the people's tendency to not acknowledge when someone is making a fool of himself, which I often do." It's just about not being normal or predictable or behaving as expected. Then again, it's often funny just to see someone acting silly.
  
  
• For those of you who don't religiously visit my website every day like you're supposed to, the big news of the decade is that there's a new issue of The LunchBots comic online now as of April 1. It's the first new issue published in about sixteen years!
  
  
• A warning to those of you who use Lycos's Angelfire or Tripod free web hosting services: For those of you who do religiously visit my website every day, you might have noticed that in the past few days the sections on my site that are hosted by Angelfire have finally been hit by the infamous frequent bandwidth limit shutdown plague that has siezed a majority of Angelfire and Tripod sites.
  
  It appears that they've switched from controling your bandwidth consumption by using monthly and daily limits to using hourly limits. The result is that now instead of them temporarily shutting down your site when you reach 1 GB in one month or 33 MB in one day, they now temporarily shut down your site when you go over around 1.4 MB in one hour, and that's just stupid. I mean, what's the point in having 20 MB of storage space if only one and a half megabytes can actually be viewed or downloaded by your visitors? I could be wrong about this, but they don't seem to be answering anyone's questions on their support forums about this lately, and their previous statements and the numbers back it up. They claim it's being done this way now to "protect" site owners from going over the monthly limit and having their site shut down for days at a time, but the way this works, even if you only use about 1/10 of your alloted bandwidth per month like I do, it's now possible for your site to be shut down for one- or two-hour periods every few hours--like mine currently is.
  
  So... that means that either there's a glitch in the system somewhere, or they're just being stupid about this, or they've got some serious problems going on there. (And let's face it, who in the web hosting biz isn't having problems these days?) Given their recent cutback from 50 MB of free space to 20, the fact that they didn't bother to inform any of their users about the cutback in the amount of free space or the threat of having your files deleted if you continue to stay over the new limit, and their removal of the "contact us" form on the Angelfire help pages, it's looking like us rats should be getting ready to flee the ship...
  
  
• New episodes of Invader Zim, which I maintain is the best American-created cartoon in a loooooong time are now airing Fridays at 9:30 ET/8:30 CT and Sundays 1pm ET/Noon CT on Nickelodeon--a network completely undeserving of such an intelligent, twisted, wonderfully morbid and cynical, and creative show (which is why they cancelled the show, so catch it while they're still contractually obligated to broadcast it).
  
  
• It's 4 in the morning and I'm drinking iced tea and eating leftover cornbread dressing from Easter dinner. Yummy.
  
  
• I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Ozzy Osbourne is a funny, funny guy. And the great thing is that he's funny without even trying or seeming to be aware of it.
  
  
• Speaking of underwear:
  
  
  
• Watching my Buffy Season 1 DVD set, I've just gotta wonder how far Joss Whedon had planned out certain characters' storylines when he got started with the show. I mean, there's major stuff that's happening later in this sixth season of the show (yeah, I've broken down and read some spoilers) that is seemingly foreshadowed waaaay back in the beginning, giving a really eerie depth to what seemed like innocent little jokey remarks at the time.
  
  
• Red Lobster is now running an ad with the same "Happy Together" song, but now with scenes of couples hugging and stuff instead of people getting to know friendly ocean critters before ripping them apart. Because nothing makes you feel more romantic than eating seafood, I guess.
  
  
• That's all for now.
  

Don't forget to watch the Osbourne family tonight on Jay Leno

Tom Green

So I know that Tom Green isn't exactly everyone's taste, but there's no reason he should have won all the Golden Raspberry Awards, or "Razzies," the award for the worst movies (I would say the anti-Oscar, but those winners are usually so bad that it doesn't mean anything).

He won, for Freddy Got Fingered:

• Worst Picture
  
• Worst Director
  
• Worst Actor
  
• Worst Screenplay
  
• Worst Screen Couple (for Tom and "any animal that he abuses")
  

He accepted his award, the by the way. Paul Verhoeven of the deserving Showgirls accepted his Worst Director once before.

Anyway, pick most any random movie, and it's worse than Freddy Got Fingered. Especially things that were mentioned that were apparently nominated, like Glitter (Mariah Carey--not that I've seen it) and 3000 Miles to Graceland, which I picked as worst movie of last year as well as one of the worst movies I've ever seen: one that wasn't just bad, but managed to insult and offend me, which doesn't happen often.

And as Carrie "Why Ape a Pretzel?" Hoffman said, and I said before too, it was original and different from anything else, which should be worth something.

Of course, I rank it up there with my favorite movies, and it's arguably the funniest movie ever made. And I'm really not too upset that it won, since the founder of the Razzies seems like an idiot asshole based on some of the quotes from the article I read, like "Tom Green set out to make something stupid and offensive. It's got bestiality, incest, child abuse. Uggh." Um, so do lots of "real" movies and stories. So, if John Wilson, the founder guy, is reading this, I'd like to publically call him an asshole.

I'll end with a list of the celebrities I can think of who I actually feel I love, if that's possible to love someone you haven't met, which I think is:

Tom Green
All The Beatles
Possibly The Osbournes

That's all I can think of. I'm not sure if I love David Lynch yet. I don't love Stephin Merritt, just his music. There might be one or two more, but I guess I don't love them enough to remember.

On a non-Tom Green subject, my glasses broke so I'm wearing my old ones which are huge and uncomfortable, but at least I can see. I'm getting a new eye exam tomorrow, since I probably need a new prescription anyway.

tomgreenfan14@aol.com

Wet Hot American Summer

I think I fell in a ditch with Tommy twice. One time I was driving, but he was there to cause it, cause some people are chick magnets, but he's a ditch magnet. MxPx should write a song about him.

Happy birthday to everyone, whether it's their birthday or not.

Nyleva probably mentioned Dressy Bessy, since I've gleefully watch her dance around the room to them before. Nyleva makes me happy when she dances.

Wet Hot American Summer is a movie everyone should see. It's a camp movie that doesn't have Edie McClurg in it, so that tells you how edgy and hip it is. It's got Janeane Garofalo. And Paul Rudd. And a zillion other people. I laughed me-hardily at it, and I don't laugh anymore or like anything anymore cause I'm a picky bastige.

My very last story ever for fiction workshop is up today, in about twenty minutes. And my very last reading at USM (as a student, anyway--I might get famous and come back) is Friday. The times they are a-changin'.

well wishes

Jason -- hope your thumb gets better, too! Same to Tommy regarding the ditch incident.

(And congrats to your sister, Jason.)

As for my birthday, I woulda forgotten, too, if it hadn't been for my dratted coworker, Deb, who made the whole class (including various EPA officials and assistant U.S. attorneys) sing happy birthday to me. After she had kept me out so late the night before that I was falling asleep in class. Embarassing. ;)

Did one of you here ever mention a band called Dressy Bessy, or am I just imagining that? They're in town next week.

"Ditches are bad. Mom always used to talk about the ditches."
--Buffy the Vampire Slayer quote

In case the secret government big brother computer system that monitors what we do and say on the internet is looking at this: I don't know what Tommy's talking about. I just let him borrow those DVDs to watch. Honest. He needs to go buy some DVDs of his own.

Ugh, I'm an idiot. I forgot about Steph's birthday last week while she was out traveling and helping to protect us from toxic chemicals and stuff. Hope you had a good one! (Hey, waitaminit... wasn't Danny's birthday last Wednesday, too? Or did we ever learn if Rusty was wrong about that?)

Ditches and stuff...
I'm still here, too. Somewhat. I feel that I've been so busy these days. What with me sleeping and working and occasionally watching a movie! Life is so hard. Yeah, right.
Jason, I hope the thumb recovery is going well. Cowboy Bebop is really really good. I enjoy it the most. Me and my illegally copied VHS copies. But they were copied from the the Jason Bell original DVDs, so that has to account for something.
I had a wreck the other night, I fell into a ditch. Big surprise. I'm gonna die in a ditch. Just make sure they burn me and throw my ashes into the river. A river is sort of like a big ditch anyway. A really really big ditch.
I'm alive, for now.
Tommy B.

i'm here!

Though just temporarily! Spent a week in South Carolina learning how to better sue polluters! Now I'm in Somerville, Mass., eagerly awaiting a Death Cab for Cutie concert on Sunday! That's all I have to say!

Rusty the Ruler Is Still Here

I went two weeks without posting. Not sure if that's a record or not, but I know I talk a lot. The way stars get big is either by being elusive or being completely non-elusive. I'd have to go the second route, though they're usually the crappier ones like Whoopie Goldberg who I want to shoot when I see her ten times a day. Her motto should be "Whoopie'll Do It."

Spent "spring break" (it's all the same to me) doing more school work than my non spring break, hanging out with Lori and Barbara (part II), hanging out with the elusive (she'll take that route) Carrie, writing new songs (22:01 is the current running time; I'm shooting for 35-45 mins), and most recently watching almost all the bonus material for Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Did I like the movie? Not really. I laughed at three or four things, and I didn't think it was completely terrible, so there you go.

We took Kiska to the vet today. He got shots. The vet said he should get neutered, but we're not sure we should bother his nut-sack and pink thing so late in his life. It would confuse him.

Yeah, boyee.

Where'd Everybody Go?

Okay, Steph's flying all over the place, and there was that guy that almost died or something the other day, I know that much. But where's everybody else been lately? Am I alone here now? Hello? Hello? Echo!
...
...Echo!
...
...
...Echo!
...
...
...
...Echo!
...
...
...
...
...Echo!
...
...
...
...
...
Well, If nobody else will post here, I'll just have to. Once you see the last item in my blog here, maybe you'll wish I hadn't. Remember, you guys made me do it...

You Can All Stop Worrying

Nothing more happened to my thumb after Sunday.

Who Won?

Oh darn, I missed the Celebrity Boxing special Wed. night. Spent the evening hanging out with old high school friend Karen, watching Cowboy Bebop (which makes five people so far that I've managed to indoctrinate into the "Cowboy Bebop Is Really Really Really Good" Club), so I'm not complaining. I should kick myself though for not remembering to set the VCR to catch The Job that night.

That Other Place Some of Us Post To

Is it just me, or does the Bulky Mail Truck break down more often than my real-life truck does (which is a whole lot)?

Obligatory Buffy Reference

Regarding the ending of this week's episode: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I bet they're trying to drive us insane too...

Hello Kitty... Oh My!

In my research of bizarre and unusual Asian pop culture artifacts, I've heard tales of this legendary object from distant shores, but thought that it only existed in myth--that surely even those wacky Japanese marketing companies would not make such an item. I was wrong. It exists.

Scroll down a bit to find the infamous Hello Kitty Vibrat... erm... "Shoulder Massager"

"Hello Kitty" indeed.

I'd give my right thumb for some Dr Pepper right now

THURSDAY: I was cutting out a Dr Pepper coupon with my X-Acto knife (since I couldn't find my scissors) and accidentally made a long, shallow cut across my right thumb on the... what would you call it? Front? Underside? The side opposite the thumbnail, whatever that's called. Not bad, just bled a little and stung sorta like a paper cut. Not unusual either--I don't know any graphic artist who doesn't get a minor X-Acto cut at least once a month or so doing something stupid like that.

FRIDAY: I bought a new jacket for the formal dinner the night before my sister's wedding, and while cutting off the tags (yeah, with my X-Acto knife), I manage to stab myself below the cuticle on my right thumb. Again, not a bad cut, but it stung and bled some.

SATURDAY: My sister and new brother-in-law gave each of us men in the wedding party these nice pocket knives. (I'm sure you see where this is going.) After the wedding, I'm at home checking it out, and without realizing it manage to slice my right thumb on the side. No pain, but lots of blood this time.

SUNDAY: I seem to have a splinter deeply embedded in the other side of my right thumb, possibly from moving the tables and planters and stuff from the church after the wedding the day before. No blood, but quite painful.

What will happen to my thumb next? Stay tuned and find out.

(Oh yeah, did I happen to mention that my little sister got married this weekend? I'm happy about that, even if my thumb isn't.)

Bastards...



I guess the disease he succumbed to in the stem cell episode did him in for good. Rest in peace, Kenny.

Or else they're just stringing us along for something big in the future... It's still funny either way, I think.

Dr. Turdbucket's Post-It Notes and Buffy the Vampire Slayer Discussion Forum

I forgot about that Simpsons episode with the lobster. Been a long time since I've seen that one.

It's official! Vanilla Ice will be on Celebrity Boxing, facing off against a special "Mystery Opponent." Who could it possibly be? Based on the other contestants, I think we can venture some guesses. Todd Bridges? Monica Lewinsky? O.J. Simpson? Abe Vigoda? The suspense is killing me.

Whoa, I just checked on the latest info before posting this, and I got it right on the first guess! It's Todd Bridges! Unfortunately, it also appears Amy Fisher's parole board won't let her do the show, and Paula Jones will be filling in. (And with that expensive new nose of hers too...

Because there hasn't been any Buffy-related discussion the past week or so, I just have to say that the Angel writers are evil. We've got over a month to wait for new episodes, and they give us not one, but two big-ass lives-in-the-balance cliffhangers to linger on. Oh, and it seems VH-1 has officially declared the Buffy movie to be a "Movie that Rocks."

I may have a major ninja-related announcement to make within the next week or so...

Rock Lobster

Liza and I have both been disturbed by that commercial. I'm surprised they can get away with it. That's even worse than the earlier one where they're playing something like "Nowhere to run to, baby, nowhere to hide..." and showing lobsters swimming as fast as they can in the water. I like hamburgers, but showing someone killing/bonding with the cow beforehand wouldn't make me want to eat them.

Anyways, they certainly made the lobster look cute in that commercial.

Everyone can officially call me Dr. Turdbucket now. I defended yesterday.

boxing tonya harding

Oh yes, I've heard. It *is* amusing! But I must resist the addictive (for me) forces of the teevee, at least for now. Spring has brought with it a bunch of bands to this area! (And I can finally afford to see them.) Belle and Sebastian will be here! I will see Death Cab for Cutie in Boston! So excited, so exciting. And I have so many books I still need to finish.

Jason--didn't you see the Simpsons episode where Homer bonds with this lobster he raised?

Steph's missing out on so much

Fox Plans Celebrity Boxing

Man, "celebrities" such as ill-tempered ice skaters, attempted murderers, and former child actors beating each other bloody for the world to see. Ain't TV great?

(Oh wow, and they're "said to be negotiating with rapper Vanilla Ice" for the show too. Hooray.)

And while I'm on the subject of distressing TV programming, I just saw a commercial where a man is staring at a lobster longingly, and the cute* little critter is reaching out lovingly with its claws to the man's hands on the tank, while "Happy Together" is playing in the background. Cut to people at a Red Lobster chowing down on lobster meat, gleefully ripping apart lobsters and consuming them. Now I'm no vegetarian or PETA member or anything, but I find that juxtaposition of images clearly disturbing.

*Yeah, so I think the big aquatic bugs are cute. Bite me.

Jason's Pre-March Media Madness

I got my copy of that heartwarming little film Fire Walk With Me tonight. Haven't watched it yet. Rounded out my Best Buy savings shopping spree with Gundam 0080 Volume 1--the heartwarming tale of a boy who loves cool giant robots and the cool soldiers who've come to his colony until everybody starts dying horrible, tragic, brutal deaths because of them, and Beast Wars Transformers Volume 1--the heartwarming tale of a bunch of cybernetic animals that transform into robots and beat the crap out of each other.

And, as if anyone actually cares, the UPS truck is supposed to be bringing my Cowboy Bebop Anime Guide book tomorrow, along with more DVDs--Lain Volume 3, which continues the heartwarming animated tale of how the internet manipulates life, death, and reality, and MST3K: Manos, The Hands of Fate, which is the heartwarming tale of a really really really bad movie--so I'll be all set with fun and artsy digital media goodness for a while.

I'm glad I got the cool Lynch characters. Previous criticisms of the test aside, I think I really am somewhere inbetween the two descriptions.

Yay for Rusty!

Jason Rocks the David Lynch Game

Well, you got two cool ones... Actually, Fred's pretty cool too. I got the Wicked Witch of the West though (at least that's her Wizard of Oz counterpart).

So I passed comps. It's official. Yay for me.

Previously on Bloggy the Robot Slayer...

The Giles spinoff is going to be filmed in England, but it's only going to be co-produced by the BBC. 20th Century Fox will still be involved, since they own the character, and Joss has said that they'll find a network over on this side of the pond to show it.

I almost picked up Fire Walk With Me today, but I decided to hold off until later this week, when I'll have a little more disposable income in my budget, and I can go take advantage of Best Buy's "get $5 off when you buy 3 DVDs" deal.

Man... I have a budget. I hate being a responsible grown-up.

I need to stop forgetting about Hudson's, too. I've found some good deals on art supplies there before, and I am running low on some of my paper supplies... Thanks for the reminder, Rusty.





Which David Lynch character are you most like?

I still need to see Wild at Heart.

As someone who's written a personality selector (and recently had to re-write part of it after a server crash lost some of the data), I can't help but be critical of the Lynch character test. There need to be more questions, and some could stand to have choices that would actually apply more to the real world life of the person taking the test. But I'm probably taking it way more seriously than it needs to be taken. Being the indecisive person I am, I took the test again and got:





Which David Lynch character are you most like?

I Took It






Which David Lynch character are you most like?

How nice to know. I thought it would bad to be Carrie/Fred, but I found out there's worse.

I think that the Buffy game, Nyleva, is probably more fair than it seems at first glance. If anything, it seems like Evil has a slight advantage sometimes. Evil gets to constantly regenerate characters, by summoning them, so you're almost hoping sometimes that Good kills your servants off so you can get better ones, like Veruca or Angelus. Meanwhile, you can usually just try to keep your villain safe. But if you're Good, even though you do get all those cool cards, Xander and Willow (and Oz when not Werewolf Oz) are really easy to kill (and you can't bring them back) and Buffy almost always has to keep herself around Evil (instead of hiding, like the villain) to do anything at all.

Anyway, when we first started playing, Evil used to win a lot (no matter who controlled them), but now it's about half and half. Also, the number of human players doesn't seem to change too much, since it's always four good guys vs. one villain and three servants. It's sometimes more fun with extra players, so that Good can confer with each other and be a real "Scooby Gang" while Evil just sits back by himself and laughs manaically. My favorite stories are the Mayor and the Judge. The Master and Adam aren't as fun since it isn't as complicated, but they're still good for a shorter game.

I also found that reading the FAQ helps (here) since the rules in the book aren't exactly clear sometimes. For example, I used to think that when you traded/drew cards your character's turn is over, but it's only her movement.

I'm writing all this Buffy game stuff on the robot rather than just an email to Nyleva so that when everyone else gets their own copy, they can read this with knowing head nods... instead of now where everyone is just saying, "Shut up, Rusty." Maybe Carrie and I can play Friday night after recording our crazzy little song.

Liza finally played Evil. She played Good every time, which was like ten times. She won as Evil, but my excuse was that I wasn't used to being Good. Kinda like Andre the Giant losing to Wesley because he was used to fighting dozens of people.

Hudson's: a place I need to quit forgetting about. I found cartridges for my printer which are normally like $30 for like $12. I also found a CD by The Mountain Goats, who I've heard one song from off the lovely Harriet Records compilation. I will listen to it tonight with my big-ass headphones.

Oh, we got Nyleva pictures developed, so now there are even more pictures of us and Clyde Frog. We're some cute people.

Lori Berkemeyer is here from Slovakia for a while. Got to hang with her face today. Fun times.

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRusty is GRRRRRRRRReat.

Take the David Lynch Personality Test






Which David Lynch character are you most like?

Speaking of Soundtracks

Great idea, Rusty! Yes, everyone should visit on B&S day. Or, any day for that matter! And we can all go to Emo's and make wishes on our rock 'n roll stars. In a couple of weeks South by Southwest starts. We didn't go last year. The first night we tried to get in to see a show (Dressy Bessy at Emo's), they turned us away because we didn't purchase the almighty (and expensive) wristband. This year we've talked about forking over the big bundle of cash, but we haven't made it down to the ticket outlet yet. I just can't bear to miss all the awesome shows again. Calvin will be there this year, as will Chicks on Speed and Add N to (X). Dressy Bessy makes a return engagement and Holly Golightly will cross the Atlantic.

I don't mind so much the after-school-special-ly episodes of Buffy. They still prove to keep me glued. The writers played Willow's "problem" rather heavy-handedly. But I'm pretty forgiving when it comes to both Buffy and Angel. And I look forward to The Watcher spin-off. Jason, did you mention that it is to be a BBC-produced show? Does that mean we won't get to see Giles unless we move to England or buy a super-duper hi-tech digital cable outfit like Liza and Rusty have?

We bought the Buffy game and played it for the first time last Sunday. Lots of fun for not a lot of money! Eric played Evil and I played Good. Good prevailed (and with little difficulty, I should add). We're going to have to devise some house rules though, especially if we're playing with just two people. Eric didn't think it was fair that if you play Good you get Buffy, Willow, Xander and Oz and all their cool cards; whereas if you play Evil, you're only able to do evil deeds with your four cards and maybe an artifact card. He got a little testy when Buffy kicked the poop out of the Master and managed to save the world once again.

Rusty, the robot needs a soundtrack.

Pete Townshend's Dragon Flies

Well, suffice to say, Dragonfly wasn't that great. I wasn't expecting to be, so nothing lost, nothing gained. Just thought I'd report that to all 'yall, since you were so interested.

Jason, your love/hate for IT and all things IT always manages to crack me up. I really believe that it is you who have the touch and the power. Stan Bush (George's even lesser known brother) had you in mind, not Optimus.

Lately David will be rocking Neil's in Midtown Memphis on March 7. This is a Thursday, so I'm sure none of you will be there. I just thought I'd let you know.

Tommy's Jargon

i just have to tell someone this

This girl I've been seeing, she's afraid of bunnies. And she has Anya-ish red hair (well, when Anya had red hair) too. But she's never watched Buffy, so she doesn't understand why I giggle a little every time she mentions this fear. And it takes too long to explain.

"We talk T.V. You talk some T.V.?"


Yep, Anthony Stewart Head wants to spend more time with his family in England, which led to the idea of a BBC co-produced show about Giles. It may or may not not be ready to air by next TV season. Buffy: The Animated Series will supposedly air next season, though it hasn't been announced on what network yet. It should be interesting to see how it turns out, because they're using the same writers and actors from the live-action show, and keeping it within the continuity of the regular series (set during the first season of the live-action show).

I think Cousin It is a whole lot better than IT.

I need to go by Wal-Mart tonight to see if their street-date-breaking trend holds up with FWWM...

I think the real reason Waking Life and all the other animated films under consideration that didn't get nominated were looked over by the academy is because they didn't have Happy Meal-type tie-ins with fast food chains. (Disney's Atlantis wasn't submitted, but it had a kids' meal, so it no doubt would have scored a nomination as well.)

A tidbit relating to the Transformers movie as dramatized in the comic book image from above...
WARNING:
DO NOT DOWNLOAD THE STAN BUSH MUSIC VIDEO ON THIS PAGE. DO NOT BE TEMPTED BY THE TOUCH AND THE POWER. YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK. It's bad enough that it actually aired on television at one time, it doesn't need to be seen again.

New Toys

I think I remember Liza telling me about Giles now. On the BBC right?

Hmmm, maybe we should visit Nyleva on B&S day...

I am indeed Tommy's intellectual giant. Dragonfly? I'd see Mothman over that, if I had to pick a "big star who I don't care for too much in creepy movie" movie. The bald kid scared me the first time, but now he/she? just gets on my nerves.

I watch TV. I brag about watching TV.

And all this time I thought It was the thing from The Addams Family. I mean the "it," not the thing. Thing is the thing... or the hand. Man, I'm confused.

So I'm all dissed out, and now I just have to get dissed by 3 guys and 2 gals (my committee, who are probably reading this) a week from tomorrow (Friday). I've made two songs and two partial songs in the meantime, and now I'm ready to jump full in.

Everyone should know I bought two Star Wars I games. Today I bought a card game called Clash of the Lightsabers, which I haven't played yet, but it seems like it might be fun (or might sux, I can't tell). The other is the Jar Jar's adventure game, which actually seems like a good game for a kid, though not for an adult very much. They were both five bucks, same as Buffy, which is worth fifty.

Lambchop's new CD came out last Tuesday. Fire Walk With Me comes out on DVD Tuesday. Joe Versus the Volcano comes out April 2. Mulholland Drive comes out April 9. I'll gladly accept these as graduation gifts, but you should tell me first so I don't get them for myself. I've already bought the first two on this list. Actually, everyone should just get me an Amazon gift certificate. I'll make life simple. Or cold hard cash. Maybe a hooker. I've never had a hooker, T.J. or otherwise...

Millhouse is still funny: "whazzzzuuuuup!?!" Nyleva gave me a Valentine with Millhouse on it. I have it sitting next to the flower that Liza gave me for Valentine's day, the one that she took from the boquet I gave her. Nyleva choo-choo chooses me!

This would be the oddest message for anyone who hasn't been following.

Liza made me watch some of olympics tonight. Has art always been considered sports? I kept waiting for the ballet competition or something. "Requiring physicality" does not equal "sport" in my definition of the word. To me, chess is more of a sport than figure skating, because there's a clear winner and loser. I might define sport as a game you play with your body where there is a clear winner, nothing subjective. Football. Baseball. Tennis. But not drum corps (no clear winner). And not poker (no body).

Who cares? Scarecrow and Mrs. King do perhaps.

I'm going to bed, y'all. Three dollar bill, y'all.

RSTUSTISH.

I felt somewhat of an obligation to make a comment here...

Get IT now!

I'm still here...

Yes. Tommy still lives. This is good news for most of you. No. I have not forgotten about the robot. I've been reading all of your lovely posts and what not. I enjoy reading. I may be more of a responder than even Jason. Especially in the presence of such intellectual giants that are here on the robot.

Bob Dylan is great. I know he's old and all that good stuff, but he's still great. I like his all war blown voice and everything. Sure he sounds like poop warmed over, but he's still the man. He is the man, Thomas.

I'm sure I'm going to see Dragonfly this weekend. I'm unsure as it's Kevin Costner. He's a bad actor that happens to be in very good movies.

I don't watch any TV at all. I don't even watch movies these days. Just lots of reading and writing some new songs. This is good, I suppose, but they're still not as good as Dylan's. They're not even as good as Spell's, but I like them all the same.

Tommy Rundgren

diss and datt

Oh yeah, people knew it was a rip-off. But only recently has the Cleo line been ripping off so many people that the feds decided to step in. Which I guess means that not everyone knew it was a rip-off. Sad.

Maybe Waking Life is different because in Waking Life, the cartoons are superimposed on the live-action, while things in the animation category need to be "pure cartoon"? I dunno. I'm just throwing things out here.

In the movie, only snippets of songs are heard (as you'd expect). I spotted three or four songs I hadn't heard, but there were some old ones too. Like The State I Am In, which was (in my opinion) in a really appropriate scene.

Wow! A Giles spinoff!

I like Law and Order because it really is good on the law. I mean, I can (and have) actually have geeky conversations with my law school classmates about the show. So for me, it's fun.

New Belle and Sebastian schedule out. Nyleva--they'll be in Austin!

Rusty Gets Dissed

I'm up putting together my dissertation. That sounds funny for some reason.

I also spent a few minutes reading Steph's blog, which I haven't looked at as regularly as I used to lately. I too meant to mention on my blog how much I enjoy Stephin Merritt's Eban and Charley soundtrack. Some good poop, especially the songs with lyrics.

I thought it was a given that phoneline stuff was a rip-off. People are just now figuring this out?

They've been tracing live action for cartoons since at least Snow White, so nothing illegal about that.

I'm anxious to see Storytelling, but even more anxious to hear the soundtrack. At Amazon, they say it won't be out till May. What's the dealeo with that? Obviously it's finished, or else the movie couldn't be out. Color me confused.

If I had a TV, I wouldn't miss Law and Order or Malcolm in the Middle. I don't dig them. Liza watches the first one a lot. The second one, I just listen to the theme song then turn the channel.

A Giles spinoff? Wow. Like I said, he's my favorite character. What's it going to be, Frasier with vampires or something?

Nyleva liked tonight's episode of Angel so kindly that she called in the middle of it to tell us so. I didn't see it, since I'm such an order fanatic for shows with ongoing plotlines and I'll just wait for the Angel DVDs. I have such a new appreciation for M*A*S*H now that I get to see it in order, and it's pretty darn episodic. I'm surprised I watch The Practice since I missed years of it, but I do. Actually, I'm surprised I watch The Practice at all. It doesn't seem like something I'd like. It's the only drama I've watched in years and years. Usually I just watch the funny ha ha. And I'm surprised at how much I like it. I think it's really really really good. The stories actually make me nervous and worried and stuff, and I can't think of any current TV that does that for me.

I told someone I watched The Practice and he said "Why don't you just go watch ER while you're at it?" but I think ER is a piece of sh*t. Of course, the only show that I absolutely despise is Sex in the City, which Liza watches. It's the only show I absolutely have to leave the room for. In second place is Seventh Heaven which Liza also watches (she watches everything, yes) and which makes me puke. I sort of refuse to believe she actually likes it.

As long as Waking Life is better than The Newton Boys, I'll be okay.

Jason win the Blog Joke of the Day award with his final paragraph on the last posting. Of course, they might actually have to make Star Trek: Law and Vampires.

Jason does some more respondifying

I think the main problem with Buffy this season is how heavy-handed and ultra-serious some of the writers have handled all the angst. I've read that creator Joss Whedon hasn't been quite as hands-on this season as before, being all busy starting production on the Buffy animated series, the Giles spinoff, his new sci-fi series Firefly, and yet another possible series that's been hinted at, not to mention the Buffy-related comics he's written. Maybe the other Buffy writers need him around more to keep them from going over the top on stuff like they have--particularly with Willow's storyline this season, which has practically turned the show into an Afterschool Special at times. Angel has somehow managed to stay much more stable quality-wise... despite the annoying way they still introduce major new plotlines, then completely ignore them for a few months before finally doing anything with them.

Anyway, after tonight's episode of Angel, I think I've figured out why I'm liking it more this season--I can really identify with the characters more than the ones on Buffy nowadays... but that's actually pretty depressing, I suppose.

DVD Animania says that Waking Life is tentatively scheduled for a DVD release in April, so hopefully I'll finally get to see it then. (I seriously doubt it'll be playing in Starkville, Mississippi anytime before the Earth gets swallowed up by the sun, despite the theater there having had a poster for it...)

Now that Miss Cleo's been busted, maybe she'll stop sending me all those urgent emails about how she had a dream about my future. Assuming she already hasn't... I wouldn't know, since I have my mail filters working overtime to reject them all. You know it's probably only a matter of time now before NBC starts airing Law and Order: Psychic Hotline Fraud Unit. The way things are going, pretty soon the only shows on TV will be either Law & Order or Buffy spinoffs. Then they'll have no choice but to make Law and Order: Vampire Slayer Unit.

jason in the buffy giving congrats two rusty

Occasionally, I miss having a television. Not enough to actually get one, mind you, because I now have so much more time. But I still get an occasional pang or two. And Buffy's one of then.¹ But people at work give me updates, so I still kinda sorta keep up.

Angel is now better than Buffy? That's too bad.

Glad the psychic vibes are working, though now that fraud charges are being filed against Miss Cleo, I guess I'd better stop advertising.

Yes yes, I liked Ghost World tons. And Waking Life really should've been nominated. I mean, they used fancy schmancy electronic computers for that movie, too, I think. Kinda sorta. Though maybe it didn't count completely as a cartoon because the whole animation was drawn on top of real footage?

On another movie note, I should report that Storytelling turned out to be a pretty good first date movie. Though not an all-powerful first date movie, as I'm now home at 1:30 am posting on blogger. But still pretty good.

1. My other pangs are Law and Order (the original one, not the various spin-offs) and Malcolm in the Middle.

Happy Vampires Day

Without spoiling any big plot developments for Rusty, Buffy does start to develop more of that depressing-relationshippy stuff as it goes on, but at least the second and third seasons still keep it all in its place, IMO. Season 3 is well worth watching for the Mayor and Faith at the very least. Since then, the show hasn't been as consistently good, and IMHO Angel actually manages to be the better show a lot of the time now. Buffy Season 5 did still manage to pull off a few of the best moments of the series, though.

I think the current season (the 6th) really has ventured too far into the realm of becoming what the show had once parodied. The writers say they're trying something different this year, having the "big badness" of the season come from the characters' personal struggles rather than the usual big supernatural villain-of-the-year. Alas, I feel like they've been rather unsuccessful at pulling it off and still keeping things as entertaining as before in many of this season's episodes.

Those Oscars are mostly a big studio popularity contest. I watched the DVD of the previously-mentioned Japanese-animated film Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (which they had at Best Buy for $5 off, yay!) last night, and while it sure isn't the best film ever, it's not bad, and it's got more visual style, artistic direction, and quality animation in its little demon-possessed finger than Jimmy Neutron has in its entire freakishly-enormous head.

Rusty Pop Rocks

Um, thanks, Carrie. Never had anyone congratulate me (or whatever you did) by showing a picture of a baby lemur (or whatever that was). You're a cool kid, Care.

Hey, Jason. I'm a responder too. Unless I feel the need to talk. So I guess I'm both, but I'd rather be a responder.

I kinda like Buffy for that reason too. The 90210 stuff was always happening a neusance, more or less, while they were trying to kill vampires. Buffy gets grounded or something. I've only seen one or two that weren't from the DVD, but it seems like in the later ones, that it does turn more into 90210 with relationships and stuff, and it seems more depressing and less parodic. Is this true, or just me? Maybe I'll only like season one.

Yeah, you need the freakin' game. Everyone needs to get their copy before they go out of print and you're left without one of the most fun games ever. Liza and I played all four "stories" from the game this week. She was good each time and I was e-vil like the De-vil. I won the first two and the won the second two. I'm going to convince her to be e-vil for the new four go-rounds, but she says she likes being the goody two shoes.

Yay for David Lynch, even though he won't win. I gave award shows a chance with the Golden Testicles/Boobs (whichever you prefer), but those were crappy too. I mean, movie award nominations and winners aren't as bad as, say, the Grammy's (in which only the worst music made seems to be involved), but they're still kinda bad.

I still haven't seen Waking Life, but it's not my fault. I'm sure the committe just said, "Oh yeah, I forgot that was a cartoon." People have this animation = children's movie ideas stuck in their heads, even though even from the beginning of animation that's never necessarily been true. Kids just like them more than live action: or, "all kids like cartoons, but not all cartoons are for kids."

So yeah, part two of comps are done, so the worst is over. The worst was today, but I zipped through it, probably writing twice as much as I really needed to, but I had a lot of info in my brain I wanted to get rid of on paper. Even though I guess I'll keep it in my brain in case I need it for, you know, teaching English and stuff.

So thanks, Carrie and Jason. You guys rock the juke box.

Rusty Rocks Comps

Okay, I may still be posting semi-regularly to the BMT, but only short replies, and I haven't really left here. The Truck just always has so much more conversation going on than the Robot, which some of those talkative BMTers couldn't be bothered to ever post to. I'm just more of a replier (is that a word?) than a conversation-starter, especially right now. But I'm here now because now I've got stuff to reply to. And because Steph's psychic vibrations are helping. (Like that one old psychic hotline commercial said, the psychic energy that travels over the phone lines can be even more powerful than in person!) Yay! Am I making sense? I shouldn't get up at 7 in the morning, it just doesn't feel right for me to be awake unless it's all dark outside.

Back when it first came on, I thought Buffy was gonna be just some kid show-ish thing like Rusty said. Once I actually started watching it, what I first really liked was how it was basically the anti-90210. It took all these melodramatic issues that everyone always treats like end-of-the-world life-and-death struggles in those angsty teen shows and parodied them, turning them into over-the-top literal end-of-the-world life-and-death struggles. I think the first episode I saw was the one where Xander falls in with a bunch of kids in "the wrong crowd"--getting into trouble when they turn out to be a gang of evil hyena-people.

I really like the wit and humor and dialogue and characters, and the fact that the show can be deep and meaningful without ever taking itself too seriously. When it all comes down to it, it's a show about simple everyday life, only viewed through a freakishly distorted lens.

In case any of the Buffy fanatics here haven't seen it, the never-aired half-hour Buffy pilot episode is out there on the internet. Basically a shorter and not-as-good version of the first episode, with a different and not-as-cute Willow. I can't remember where I originally found it, but it's probably still easily findable with search engines and stuff.

I still need to get and play that freakin' Buffy game...

I see ol' Dave Lynch got a Best Director nomination for the bald guy statue awards, and Frodo and friends got a bunch of recognition too. At least there's that... but Jimmy Neutron for animated feature??? In a year where Waking Life and Osamu Tezuka's Metropolis were under consideration but didn't get nominated? (Okay, I haven't seen the whole Jimmy Neutron movie, just a few of the short minute-long excerpts that Nickelodeon has shown on TV, but those were horrible and ugly and bad enough to make me want to retch. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, which was also eligible but didn't get nominated, looks like friggin' Citizen Kane in comparison...) How much bribe money did Nickelodeon/Viacom have to shell out to the Academy for this? Or was it a case of "OOOOH! They used some o' them fancy schmancy electronic computors to make that movie, so they must really know what they're doing, and that means it has to be rilly good and kewl!"

Good luck on the rest of them test things, Rusty.

One Down, Two To Go

So I'm checking in now that I've completed comp-one. It was the creative writing one, which is basically a lot about contemporary authors and aspects of the story in general. I feel one-third lighter now, really. I think I did okay, and if I didn't, I'll come back and edit this out later. But I think I did fine. I almost even though "Aw, what was I worried about?" but if I didn't worry, then I wouldn't have studied, and I would have flunked it -- cause it is a hard test if you're not ready, and it was hard enough anyway, if for nothing else than the fact that it took four hours. For little attention-span guys like me that's a long time.

Monday is the test on the Modernists, Pound and Yeats and those fellers. That might be the hardest, although some say that the one I took today was the hardest. Friday is the test on Harold Pinter.

Hey, Nyleva. We love Clyde Frog. I can't wait to see the pictures. You should send me scans when you develop them. Nyleva is one of my two favorite photographers. The other is Liza.

I'm just glad The Breeders are breeding again. And I hope Mr. Philips was doing well at his club. I haven't seen them ever, but then again I've only seen just a tad of folks. Living in Hattiesburg, you know: culture capital of the south. At least they have me, but not for long.

If Nyleva could come up for another day, she could recorded another Mnemonic Devices song with me for the album I'm gonna make as soon as this week's over. The criteria for appearing on this album is that you have to be cute and have a degree in English (I've got seven gals lined up right now who fit the criteria -- oh, and me, and I'm the cutest). I'm thinking of calling it Sparkling Objective Correlatives or something with that phrase in it (yeah, so I've been reading too much T.S. Eliot, but it seems to fit somehow). Everyone has enough trouble saying or remembering the title of the band, so I'll screw people even more.

Good ol' Buffy. I don't know if Jason knows this yet (I'm sure Liza told Nyleva), but I've been watching the Buffy shows with Liza on her season one DVDs. I don't really want to become an all-out fan and watch new ones or catch up on old ones, but I'll watch them on the DVDs as they are gradually released. I like watching things in order. I actually try to avoid the TV when Liza's watching new ones, since I want to keep myself ignorant of the developments. Anyway, I like the show pretty well (the few minutes I had watched of it previously seemed like a kids' show, which is sort of is, but not in so much a bad way as I thought). Giles is my favorite character. Willow is cute, and Buffy looks pretty hot in those mini-dresses (which Liza tells me she loses in later seasons, which is the saddest development of all).

Oh, and everyone should be playing the Buffy the Vampire Slayer board game, which is in my top five board games of all time (seriously). I bought one for Liza a while back, and I recently bought one for myself in case she leaves me, and because they only cost $5 at our Toys R Us (though they seem to cost $25 at lots of places). You have to say things every now and then like "I'm going to use my soul restoration card," but don't worry that it's too D&D or anything, or Magic: it has some of those nerdy elements, but it's mostly just a good board game. Search your Toys R Us-es!

Hey, Steph. I can't wait for Storytelling myself, though when I go it won't be a first date. I'm sure I'll have to drive to New Orleans for it, and I keep checking the date at the cinema I go to when I go there, and no luck yet. I don't know when it becomes more widespread than it is now.

And speaking of movies, I also saw Ghost World and liked it a great deal. I know Steph and Nyleva liked it (unless I misunderstood something, which I do sometimes). None of my friends liked it, or if they did, they thought it was "okay" instead of "good" or "really good." The Thora Birch character is my new girlfriend, by the way. Liza doesn't mind, since she's invisible.

And, Jason, I have to say... I'm a little hearbroken that you left the robot, but you still post on the Bulky Mail Truck. Traitor! And right when I've got all this Buffy-related stuff to talk about! Again, hurry back.

Ahhh... anyway, just wanted to breath a long sigh of relief, a one-third sigh. Today was the first day I haven't studied in weeks, though I'll cram again tomorrow. Come Friday, I'll be floating around the room, writing music and working on my dissertation (I know that sounds like work, too, but it's not -- I'm putting together a collection of short stories and writing an introducing, not writing one of those big long things like Nyleva had to do... I wrote my a little at a time over three years). I also plan on putting on a music show, maybe in March or April, or whenever I finish the album, hopefully having all the singers from the album sing on stage for their songs. Oh, if only everyone just followed me and lived wherever I did...

Rusty.

same same same

I, too, hope they'll be back soon. Their respective breaks, however, seem pretty understandable. :| (Rusty, Jason -- imagine me looking all concentrate-ey and sending good evibes your way.)

I wanna go to Emo's! Nyleva -- you're in Austin? (I'm slow figuring these things out, yeah.) I might actually be swinging by there sometime during the next six months; a good friend of mine from law school moved out there last June and he keeps sending me cheapo fare announcements.

So hard to suggest which record to try first! Right now, my favorite is actually their short five-song EP, Forbidden Love. But you can decide in advance! A lot of their songs are downloadable at

http://www.epitonic.com/artists/deathcabforcutie.html

Oh, so I've gone and done something silly. I'm using Storytelling as a first-date movie. I think I might end up regretting this. More later.

No Aloha

I am sad that Rusty and Jason have to take temporary leave of the robot. Don't tarry too long!

It was ab-fab to see Liza and Rusty during my four-day trek to Central Mississippi. It's so very hard to pack in everything you want to say to your bestest friends in the universe in a mere 90 minutes! I had a swell time at ye olde playground with Clyde Frog, the yellow duck and two of the kewlest peeps I know.

Recently Eric and I saw The Breeders at Emo's. It was an especially fun show for me since I LUV Kim Deal and haven't seen The Breeders since 1994 at the New Daisy Theatre in Memphis. The show had all the rock 'n roll rowdiness you could want, with a couple of f**k you's and middle fingers to boot. I was a tad bit sad that the set only lasted for about 40 minutes and there was a lot of sloppiness in that small amount of time. I guess the alcohol had a little to do with that. But we had a great time despite the misspoken lyrics and the wrangled guitar parts. I'd go see them again in a heartbeat! A worthy sidenote for Buffy watchers: The Breeders opened their set with a lively rendition of the BtVS theme song. Doublemint goodness!

Rusty, buena suerte on comps! I'm sure you'll kick arse.

Steph, any suggestions on which Death Cab for Cutie record to try first? I've intended to give them a whirl for so long now. I'd say it's about time.

And, finally, to paraphrase Angel: If you love her so much, go make a website.

Hurry Back, Jason

I may be taking a leave of absence from the robot myself. This is my last week to study for comps, so that's what I'm doing. Next week is the week. Mabye by the time I get back, Jason will come back. The robot isn't the robot without Jason.

... In the meantime, Steph and Nyleva and everyone else can take over the shop. I might pop in every now and then when I've had enough Modernism for one day.

A Few Things

The LunchBots selector was messed up for a while recently (don't know how long), and was displaying some weird(-er than normal) questions, in case anyone was wondering. The notice they've added to the page about taking the "3" out of the URL doesn't work (at least not yet), but I've gone and fixed the questions back... unless they've gotten messed up again since, that is.

I have the stressful being-back-in-the-drum-line-and-not-being-ready-for-the-show dream every now and then, too myself. Like most of my dreams, it usually ends when I begin questioning the logic of the dream world--like why I'm in my 20's and taking college classes, but playing in a high school band.

Top 5 Cowboy Bebop soundtrack songs I've been listening to a lot lately:
1. Gotta Knock a Little Harder
2. See You Space Cowboy
3. Is It Real?
4. Rain
5. No Reply

Certain recent events have forced me to think about a lot of things about myself, and try to make some changes for the better. I've always been big on self-control, and while I think it's a good thing that keeps lots of bad stuff from happening, maybe I've been a little too self-controlling. Maybe I'd actually get the things I want out of life a little more often if I listened to my feelings and acted on them more often. I could at least stand to be a more active participant in conversations with people. That's just what I'm thinking.

Seeing as how the BlogBot's supposed to be for non-depressing stuff, I'll just leave it at that, and I'll probably be here a lot less often until such time as I feel more up to full Bloggificating fun again. Rusty, it's been fun. Steph, try to help Rusty keep the Robot running and powered up with Blogs in my absence, 'cause you've always got interesting stuff to say. As that great actor once said... "I'll be back."

Dreams Again

My dreams seem to work as therapy. They usually act out dramatically some problem I've having in my brain, something I'd rather not think of much during the day.

Either that, or I dream up ideas.

Lately, I've been waking up wondering where I am or who I'm in the bed with. About once or twice a year, I'll have dreams about being back in the drumline, which is usually scary, since it's me not knowing the set or something on the football field. Of course underwear dreams.

Rusty.

dream worlds

My dreams are never so exciting. Actually, they were, once upon a time. I would dream about things like people morphing into penguins morphing into jet planes and stuff.

Now I have all-too-realistic dreams, dreams about summer travels, dreams about the frustration that comes with trying to get everyone to meet on time at this one spot so that we can all go somewhere else together, dreams about people trying to kill me. I guess that last part isn't so realistic, but hey. Those are my favorite ones, the dreams with the spies and the people trying to kill me.

Damn You, Bulky Mail Truck

The Bulky Mail Truck hasn't zapped the robot all the way yet, since smart folk like Jason realize that the "Sci-Fi Anthology" story wouldn't be as fitting there. That's what the robot is for. I haven't been riding the robot as much as I usually do, but then again I've got a week and a half left for studying for comps (a week and a half of life-on-hold: yay for it to be over).

Ghost World comes out on video Tuesday, so I'm there, dude. Hopefully Storytelling will come out in theaters at least in New Orleans soon so I can make another field trip. Why is the guy on Beat the Geeks considered a geek because he "drove two hours to see an hour and a half movie"? Nothing wrong with that.

The good thing about comp-studying is that I think I'm getting into books again. I realized, "Oh yeah, I kinda like books." I don't like cramming them in my head like this, but the cramming has told me, "When you don't cram, books are good." Like bacon. So maybe I'll be reading again, instead of watching all them damn movies and listening to damn music. Or, well, maybe I'll do all three. Maybe I'll make a Rusty Likes Books page.

If Nyleva is still reading, I had fun seeing her this past weekend. She flew from Austin, Texas just to spend an hour and a half with me, so there's your geek. Actually, she didn't come to see me, but she saw me anyway, because she's kewl. She's so cool that you have to spell it different. Queul? That's even more cool. She's queul. My Leevee.

Oh, and my new techno song can be found at MP3.com.

Calling occupants of interplanetary craft!