First article 1/3 done.
I go through a 3 step process for this kind of article. I rough out the mecahnics, then I build them in Hero designer, then I write the flavor text. I have the rough outlines done. Woohoo.
I also added links to my Pandora radio stations for anyone who is interested.
If you listen to pandora I suggest you do the same either in sidebar or a post, so we can share in each others music.
If you don't know about Pandora go here
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
The title of the blog is "infrequent" after all
This is just a note to say I won't be around much for the next little while - not doing memes or other stuff like it.
I work my normal job
I work my second job (and am getting more hours)
I write. Which I am behind on, and need to get more articles done, I had 2 published at once, and then one more in the next issue, it cleaned out my backlog. I need to fill it.
We just had someone give us an offer for the house - a very good one. So we will be spending time looking for a new home.
I have my church callings (plus filling in for the Sunday School teach occasionally, until they get a new one).
So, to put it succinctly, I have no time. When I blog, I try to give serious though to stuff, and I just don't seem to have the time to do this at the level I want.
I'll be doing stuff very occasionally, but not to often.
I work my normal job
I work my second job (and am getting more hours)
I write. Which I am behind on, and need to get more articles done, I had 2 published at once, and then one more in the next issue, it cleaned out my backlog. I need to fill it.
We just had someone give us an offer for the house - a very good one. So we will be spending time looking for a new home.
I have my church callings (plus filling in for the Sunday School teach occasionally, until they get a new one).
So, to put it succinctly, I have no time. When I blog, I try to give serious though to stuff, and I just don't seem to have the time to do this at the level I want.
I'll be doing stuff very occasionally, but not to often.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Friday' Feast
Appetizer
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you look forward to your birthday?
9 or 10. I use it as an excuse to take a week off from work. Fun fun fun. :)
Soup
What is one word you don’t like the sound, spelling, or meaning of?
The F bomb. I don't like the sound, or it's use in language.
Salad
Do you wear sunglasses when you’re outside? If so, what does your current pair look like?
I haven't worn sunglasses in over a decade. I don't remember what the last pair looked like.
Main Course
If you were to write a book, to whom would you dedicate it?
To the Wife for putting up with me for writing it. To the guys at Hero games who published my first professional article. To Stephen R Donaldson, who gave me a desire to write.
Dessert
Name a beverage that you enjoy.
Orange Gatorade. My favorite non-water beverage (Water is still my favorite)
Top 5 on Friday:
Top 5 cover songs that are better then the originals
1) All along the Watchtower - Hendrix.
Heck I could do an entire list of Dylan songs, because while he was a great songwriter he sucked as a performer.
2) Baby one more time - Ahmet and Dweezl Zappa.
I like the song, and it is't Britney performing it.
3) Sweet Emotion - Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades.
Granted it isn't hard to do better than Aerosmith, but these guys keep the hard rockin, and do a much better job on the vocals.
4) Sleeping on the sidewalk - Los Lobos
It is difficult to actually mention the Queen cover here, but these guys take the song, and really go with it. They keep the theme and message the same but really make it their own.
which brings us to
5) Elenor Rigby by Godhead.
Who would have thought an industrial cover of a Beatles song would be better than the original (which I love), but here you go. The instrumentation screams "alone" and "Distant" which is a perfect match for the themes of the song.
and/or
Top 5 Beatles or Beatles-related covers
(Knowing full well that these can never be better than the original)
1) Elenor Rigby - Godhead
See the above.
2) Across the Universe - Lana Lane.
I like, but don't love the original. I love Lana's approach and style on it.
3) Come Together - Micheal Jackson
Another one where I only sorta like the original,
but love the cover.
4) Taxman - Stevie Ray Vaughn
A very different take on the song, and I just love his guitar work on it.
5) Helter Skelter - Pat Benatar
Just really like this cover (And the Crue's one too)
And no list of Beatles covers can be complete without listing
extra) Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - William Shatner.
Just becauase.
Appetizer
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you look forward to your birthday?
9 or 10. I use it as an excuse to take a week off from work. Fun fun fun. :)
Soup
What is one word you don’t like the sound, spelling, or meaning of?
The F bomb. I don't like the sound, or it's use in language.
Salad
Do you wear sunglasses when you’re outside? If so, what does your current pair look like?
I haven't worn sunglasses in over a decade. I don't remember what the last pair looked like.
Main Course
If you were to write a book, to whom would you dedicate it?
To the Wife for putting up with me for writing it. To the guys at Hero games who published my first professional article. To Stephen R Donaldson, who gave me a desire to write.
Dessert
Name a beverage that you enjoy.
Orange Gatorade. My favorite non-water beverage (Water is still my favorite)
Top 5 on Friday:
Top 5 cover songs that are better then the originals
1) All along the Watchtower - Hendrix.
Heck I could do an entire list of Dylan songs, because while he was a great songwriter he sucked as a performer.
2) Baby one more time - Ahmet and Dweezl Zappa.
I like the song, and it is't Britney performing it.
3) Sweet Emotion - Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades.
Granted it isn't hard to do better than Aerosmith, but these guys keep the hard rockin, and do a much better job on the vocals.
4) Sleeping on the sidewalk - Los Lobos
It is difficult to actually mention the Queen cover here, but these guys take the song, and really go with it. They keep the theme and message the same but really make it their own.
which brings us to
5) Elenor Rigby by Godhead.
Who would have thought an industrial cover of a Beatles song would be better than the original (which I love), but here you go. The instrumentation screams "alone" and "Distant" which is a perfect match for the themes of the song.
and/or
Top 5 Beatles or Beatles-related covers
(Knowing full well that these can never be better than the original)
1) Elenor Rigby - Godhead
See the above.
2) Across the Universe - Lana Lane.
I like, but don't love the original. I love Lana's approach and style on it.
3) Come Together - Micheal Jackson
Another one where I only sorta like the original,
but love the cover.
4) Taxman - Stevie Ray Vaughn
A very different take on the song, and I just love his guitar work on it.
5) Helter Skelter - Pat Benatar
Just really like this cover (And the Crue's one too)
And no list of Beatles covers can be complete without listing
extra) Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - William Shatner.
Just becauase.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Tuesday tunes in a time machine
Word association for music - courtesy of the Music Memiors
autumn: Ronnie Talk to Russia by Prince
I knew someone named Autumn in high school, and she loved Prince. Controversy was an album she introduced me to - that song in particular. Whenever I hear the word Autumn I think of her, and if I think of her, I think of this song. I never called the season Autumn, I called it fall.
rain: I spoke as a Child - Todd Snider
There is a line in there about rain and clouds, but mostly it is melancholy about childhood, and I grew up on the coast of Oregon and rain and childhood goes together for me.
Halloween: Crystal by Mannheim Steamroller
The piece has the sound of wind blowing around some tones in an interesting melody. In a creative writing class we had to write a tone poem/prose using a song as inspirateion - I chose this, and listening to it made me think of a night walk trhough a graveyard - very Halloween.
cat: Black Cat - Janet Jackson
Obvious in word content.
help: Help - The Beatles
As Above.
road trip: Roll on Down the Highway - BTO
It's a road trip song.
drink: Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
That "Do the Dew, do not dew the dew" ad from a number of superbowls ago.
fire: Burning Down the House - Talking Heads
Obvious.
autumn: Ronnie Talk to Russia by Prince
I knew someone named Autumn in high school, and she loved Prince. Controversy was an album she introduced me to - that song in particular. Whenever I hear the word Autumn I think of her, and if I think of her, I think of this song. I never called the season Autumn, I called it fall.
rain: I spoke as a Child - Todd Snider
There is a line in there about rain and clouds, but mostly it is melancholy about childhood, and I grew up on the coast of Oregon and rain and childhood goes together for me.
Halloween: Crystal by Mannheim Steamroller
The piece has the sound of wind blowing around some tones in an interesting melody. In a creative writing class we had to write a tone poem/prose using a song as inspirateion - I chose this, and listening to it made me think of a night walk trhough a graveyard - very Halloween.
cat: Black Cat - Janet Jackson
Obvious in word content.
help: Help - The Beatles
As Above.
road trip: Roll on Down the Highway - BTO
It's a road trip song.
drink: Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
That "Do the Dew, do not dew the dew" ad from a number of superbowls ago.
fire: Burning Down the House - Talking Heads
Obvious.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Meme-age
Friday's Feast
Appetizer
How are you today?
Doing okay so far, but I've only been up about half an hour, so we will see how the day goes.
Soup
Name 3 television shows you watch on a regular basis.
Heroes. That is the only one I watch week to week. I get the Shield, 24 and Stargate Atlantis on DVD as soon as they come out.
Salad
What’s the scariest weather situation you’ve experienced?
I've never found weather scary - I love lightning storms wind and rain. And Snow.
How about the heat wave that hit this last summer - I don't know about scary but it was sure dang irritating, and impacted my health to a small degree.
Main Course
If you could wake up tomorrow morning in another country, where would you want to be?
Canada - it would be the easiest to get back home from.
I actually have no desire to travel to see other places.
Dessert
What do you usually wear to sleep?
Undies.
Music Memoirs
Top 5 CDs That You Bought Used
I buy 80% of my music used, so that is almost the same question as "Top 5 CDs" And I'm feeling to lazy to look up the pics at amazon. :)
Antsy McClain - Trailercana
Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
Barry Manilow - 2 AM Paradise Cafe
Big and Rich - Comin' to your City
Ring of Fire - Dreamtower
Appetizer
How are you today?
Doing okay so far, but I've only been up about half an hour, so we will see how the day goes.
Soup
Name 3 television shows you watch on a regular basis.
Heroes. That is the only one I watch week to week. I get the Shield, 24 and Stargate Atlantis on DVD as soon as they come out.
Salad
What’s the scariest weather situation you’ve experienced?
I've never found weather scary - I love lightning storms wind and rain. And Snow.
How about the heat wave that hit this last summer - I don't know about scary but it was sure dang irritating, and impacted my health to a small degree.
Main Course
If you could wake up tomorrow morning in another country, where would you want to be?
Canada - it would be the easiest to get back home from.
I actually have no desire to travel to see other places.
Dessert
What do you usually wear to sleep?
Undies.
Music Memoirs
Top 5 CDs That You Bought Used
I buy 80% of my music used, so that is almost the same question as "Top 5 CDs" And I'm feeling to lazy to look up the pics at amazon. :)
Antsy McClain - Trailercana
Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
Barry Manilow - 2 AM Paradise Cafe
Big and Rich - Comin' to your City
Ring of Fire - Dreamtower
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
The Magic Is Back
Finally got around to watching Heroes season 2 episode 1.
It is as good as any of the good shows from season one. I liked seeing the old characters in new situations, seeing new characters, and just all around watching Heroes again. The episode left me drooling for more (which is what a good pilot show should do).
So I'll be hooked, watching it week by week again this year. I lent out my box set of season one, now I can't wait to get it back and relive the glory of season one, and listen to the commentaries and behind the scenes stuff.
And as a bonus we didn't see Sylar or Niki in the first episode. Yay!!
Maybe with the actor playing Sylar going off to play Spock in the new ST movie, they will kill off the character. I hope so, I'm tired of him. Maybe he will be punked by the new bad guy, just to show how tough the new guy is (dubbed Sauron by some of fandom).
Hiro is still as wonderful as ever, and the episode really re-inforces the idea of never meeting your heroes, you will be disappointed. Ando go screen time; watching Noah and Claire was great; Matt is actually having things go his way; Suresh is actually being proactive, and smart; Nathan is all so guilt ridden, and calling his mom Evil was wonderful; Peter's reveal at the end was cool. I like the new flyer, and I can't wait to see what kind of story develops around the twins.
Great great stuff.
It is as good as any of the good shows from season one. I liked seeing the old characters in new situations, seeing new characters, and just all around watching Heroes again. The episode left me drooling for more (which is what a good pilot show should do).
So I'll be hooked, watching it week by week again this year. I lent out my box set of season one, now I can't wait to get it back and relive the glory of season one, and listen to the commentaries and behind the scenes stuff.
And as a bonus we didn't see Sylar or Niki in the first episode. Yay!!
Maybe with the actor playing Sylar going off to play Spock in the new ST movie, they will kill off the character. I hope so, I'm tired of him. Maybe he will be punked by the new bad guy, just to show how tough the new guy is (dubbed Sauron by some of fandom).
Hiro is still as wonderful as ever, and the episode really re-inforces the idea of never meeting your heroes, you will be disappointed. Ando go screen time; watching Noah and Claire was great; Matt is actually having things go his way; Suresh is actually being proactive, and smart; Nathan is all so guilt ridden, and calling his mom Evil was wonderful; Peter's reveal at the end was cool. I like the new flyer, and I can't wait to see what kind of story develops around the twins.
Great great stuff.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Tuesday Favorites
What is your favorite movie soundtrack or score? (You can tell us why if you'd like)
I'm limiting myself to scores, and only those that were written for the show (which disallows Cosmos, one of my favorites, but it is just a collection). I never count rock collection as soundtracks - they are just themed rock collections, just like those K-tel put out decades ago, with better marketing.
That is a toughie. A toss up between the original Star Wars soundtrack (the original release, not the "full movie release") by John Williams and Henry V by Patrick Doyle. Star Wars is pretty much what introduced me to orchestral music, and started a love of soundtracks and classical. Henry the V is just amazingly good, notable the battle theme, and Non Nobis Domine.
Honorable mentions to Battle Beyond the Stars by James Horner, Somewhere in Time by John Barry, and The Black Hole also by John Barry. There are too many that one one or two really good pieces, but the rest of the soundtrack is average.
What is your favorite album by your favorite artist/band?
Oblivion Days by the Rocket Scientists.
Hah, you thought it would be Queen CD didn't you? :D
What is your favorite music video?
Not having watched music videos for over a decade... Take on me by A-ha. Song is good, but I just loved the whole real world / drawn world thing.
I'm limiting myself to scores, and only those that were written for the show (which disallows Cosmos, one of my favorites, but it is just a collection). I never count rock collection as soundtracks - they are just themed rock collections, just like those K-tel put out decades ago, with better marketing.
That is a toughie. A toss up between the original Star Wars soundtrack (the original release, not the "full movie release") by John Williams and Henry V by Patrick Doyle. Star Wars is pretty much what introduced me to orchestral music, and started a love of soundtracks and classical. Henry the V is just amazingly good, notable the battle theme, and Non Nobis Domine.
Honorable mentions to Battle Beyond the Stars by James Horner, Somewhere in Time by John Barry, and The Black Hole also by John Barry. There are too many that one one or two really good pieces, but the rest of the soundtrack is average.
What is your favorite album by your favorite artist/band?
Oblivion Days by the Rocket Scientists.
Hah, you thought it would be Queen CD didn't you? :D
What is your favorite music video?
Not having watched music videos for over a decade... Take on me by A-ha. Song is good, but I just loved the whole real world / drawn world thing.