The Cliffs of Insanity

So I'm back in the bosom of the house, even though I'm spending nights at Janice's and Michael's for the next few days. I'm still not very comfortable being by myself for any significant length of time and, considering I have no transportation for a while, that means I'll be imposing myself upon the good will of the aunt and uncle. It makes me consider even more seriously the idea of chucking it all and going to live nearer to the Mother Unit, if she'd have me. I still don't see myself doing such a thing until Chester has made the great journey beyond, though. I would feel it to be a betrayal not only to him, but to Aunt Tudi as well. So that's not gonna happen.

Toby is another matter altogether. Toby is still a youngster and would be the perfect companion to an older single person, or an elderly couple. He's definitely a one-dog canine, being quite territorial and possessive. I have constant problems with him trying to run the other beasties away from what he considers his and his alone - me.

Smidgen, of course, goes where I go. She's my baby. Period. No arguments on that point, even if it means that I remain in this house until my dying day. The only problem I think the Mother Unit would have with Smidgen is that mah Smidge still has her claws. And she always will. I don't believe in de-clawing. Even before I saw the procedure done, I was against the practice. Seeing how it was done and how the animal suffers during recovery makes it eternally verboten in Tin-land. Soft Paws might be an option, though. I deeply doubt that Smidge would want to engage in any serious discourse with the Unit's birds, seeing as how they're all almost her size and meaner than shit, but if she did become interested, Soft Paws would nip that inclination in the bud without any pain felt by anyone.

I made two Tim Roth Tutorials whilst lying in the hospital. Some of the devout followers of the series (Hooligans one and all) were shocked that I would do such a thing when I was feeling so poorly. Well, there wasn't much to do there, but watch television (not good telly either), try to write (which is hard when you're kind of drugged up), or engage in anything remotely meaningful other than trying to heal. I'm not saying the Tutorials have no meaning. Far from it! It's just that they're very easy to make once I know what the lesson is going to be. I've created a template that I use for each one, so it's really just paring down to what scene I need and changing the lesson number, along with wording the lesson just so. The most difficult bit of Tutorial creation is finding the perfect scene and thinking up an appropriate lesson for accompaniment. That's the trickiest bit. One thing that really pisses me off, though, is finding a wonderful Tutorial, but not being able to create it, because the ripped version of the movie turns out to be in French or Martian, or whatever, or it's scrambled beyond all semblance of sanity. What few Lie to Me Tutorials I've been able to make are all blocked worldwide on You Tube. Thank the Mighties for Vimeo! Despite the issues that come along with using that video sharing site, at least Vimeo is more charitable when it comes to free exchange of imagery. But I am babbling. I need to catch up the Cliffs with the current Tim Roth Tutorials before I make any more of them. So stay tuned for that.

Oh, one more thing on The Tutorials; I have announced to the Hooligans that, when I have run out of sufficient Archibald Cunningham footage to create new lessons, the Tim Roth Tutorials will come to a close. I don't think they were thrilled with the idea; however, I still have tons of good material to create more Tutorials, so it's not like the series is ending tomorrow.

Okay, enough of that.

Janice checked my mailbox yesterday and brought me a package from Barry. It contained three or four copies each of Shriekback's Having a Moment, his solo project Haunted Box of Switches, and Stic Basin's self-titled EP. There was a gentleman who expressed more than a rabid interest in Haunted Box, which Barry was all too gracious to share after I told him what the fellow had said. I am going to try to sell the other copies and send B the fundage I may get from such a venture. We shall see. One thing I do need t find out, though; the titles of the Stic Basin songs. I had them on my old iTunes before the computer was pulverised by Sprite. I was not so lucky with the retrieval of everything for iTunes, and that included the Stic Basin tracks. Soooo...I'm gonna have to ask him about that.

Now I am wondering if I should try to write anything of substance (as if that ever happens!) or just surf the web whilst listening to groove-ass songs, like the one playing on iTunes right now. What? "Party Man" by Prince, Joker's original theme song, and rightfully so, yo. "Why So Serious" is an epic theme, don't get me wrong. But "Party Man" so perfectly fits Joker, even Nolan's interpretation. Speaking of Nolan and Batman, it had been the plan to drive up to Concord and have a date with janalyson to see The Dark Knight Rises. That was pretty much tanked when I had the seizure in particular, but was indefinitely round-filed when the advent of my unexpected hospitalisation. I just hope my unfortunate travel-destroying misfortunes have not ruined janalyson's chances of seeing the flick on the silver screen. I've heard that's the only effective way of TDKR, preferably in an IMAX theatre. Here's hoping she and Jennifer are able to make it. As for me, I'll hopefully be able to see it when it comes out on video. If we all haven't been eradicated by the Alpaca Lips, I shall check it out then. If we are rendered extinct, it really won't matter in the end, anyway. Win-Win, as I see it.

Okie-Day, I think that's all I have for now. I'm off to either try to write, or make merry on The Intarwebz. Or I may snag a flick off Netflix, god bless 'em for their mere existence... 'Night 'Night.

With a first look at Tom Hardy as Bane. He had to gain that irritable muscle back, but he can lose it again, so I'm not worried. Ha.

I know it's evil of me to giggle every time I come across reports of how Terminator: Salvation is flopping at the box office, which is probably the reason why I keep looking out for more reports. From the moment I saw Christian Bale in Velvet Goldmine, I despised him. His taking the role of Batman further ruined that character for me, which had already begun a slow downhill journey after Michael Keaton left the role. My love of and need for schadenfreude was spoon fed the hope that his star may be falling when that tape of him losing his temper was released to the news media. I'd like to think that people finding him out for the shit head he truly is, is reason for the poor showing for his latest film at the box office. I hope this is the beginning of his star not just falling out of the heavens, but plunging.

For the life of me, I can't understand why anyone would think the man is handsome, talented, or anything else. I've heard the arguments that I really need to see American Psycho before I pass judgment, but I don't. I got a vibe off him from the moment I saw him. It had nothing to do with his appearance or his "ability" to act. The guy is bad news, that's what I perceive. That dude on the set of Terminator: Salvation would probably agree with me. I'm sure I'd enjoy American Psycho if Christian Bale weren't in it. I have a weakness for serial killers and dragons so, if I'm incapable of enjoying Reign of Fire because I'm too busy hating on Christian Bale, I'm pretty sure the same will go for American Psycho.

So how can I watch The Dark Knight? That's easy. The Joker so far outshines Batman in the movie, it's as if Christian Bale isn't even in it. And, now, I only watch the Joker scenes anyway, most of which have nary a hint of Batman in them. Plus I get to see Bale as Batman get his ass kicked a couple of times, so that heartened me quite a bit. If there were more movies made where Christian Bale receives a serious beat-down, I may watch more Bale movies.

And, to end cryptically just for fun, here's hoping FollowFriday means what I think it does. If it does, it's gonna be a long four days. Great Goddess, grant me patience NOW.

Here's the second part of the story. Again, this is cut for length, explicit sexual situations (including rape-triggery language), violence, child abuse, and iPod idolatry.

( The Dentist's Date, part 2 )