Tuesday, June 21, 2005

"Gone Fishin'..."



Just a real quick one...
Got da new 160 gig hard drive today!
"w00t!"
Got a "borrowed copy" of Win XP Pro.
Would really suck if THAT didn't woik!
Got a ton of shit to do...
Dis crap scares da beejeezusz outta me.
Not really a "hardware kinda guy".
Kinda like being given a scalpel, and being told...
"Go ahead... now perform brain surgery on your kid...!"
And it's gonna be lots to backup, reinstall, update and recustomize as well.
Anyhoo... clock is ticking... and the harddrive is sittin' there...
winking at me & lookin' pretty.
Dunno when I'll be back online. (as if anyone cares...lol!)
Wish me luck!
"Cut the blue wire.... no wait... it's da RED one...!!!
<"boom!">

Monday, June 20, 2005

"Die Fledermaus"



OK... so it inn't ezactically easy to keep up wit a daily blog/journal etc. I could post this as a "late entry for Sunday"...
but then wut if I write something tonite...???
And I'm saying this as if... someone is actually readin' dis horsepucky I been writin' here. If I'm lucky...I got an audience of maybe ... two. Me and maybe one other person...
But hey... it's really just for me anyhoo.

So I went to see the new Batman movie yesterday...
My daughter took me to see it for Farter's Day.
As Joey on "Blossom" used to say... "Whoa!".
(do I put a period after that last quotation mark or wut...?)
As you'll see...punctuation... is all relative to me.
The movie, for lack of better woids, was awesome!
The Michael Keaton flicks were great... but if the tag line for Superman was "It'll make you believe a man can fly...", well then this movie should have a line sorta like...
"It'll make you believe a man can... um...be obcessive/compulsive and look good in a rubber suit..."
(I dunno... wuddo I know...???)
It should have some kinda nifty catchphrase.
It really gets ballzdeep (my latest favorite expression) into da Batguy.
How he got that way, what drives him, how he came to decide on the bat thing, where he got his gadgets & costume from...
All that neato stuff that they would save for special issues of the comic books when I was a kid.

I stopped reading comics about 30 yrs. ago.
And I was a "DC" kinda kid.
Marvel comics were a bit too "out there" for me back then. I mean, I bought & liked Spiderman, the Fantastic Four, and Capt. America and all... but it got really weird for me, with stuff like the Silver Surfer, Thor, and all that fantasy/sci-fi stuff.
Back then... I liked my superheroes old-fashioned, in tights wit a cape, emblem, etc.
And I had TONS of comic books. In great condition, and taking up so much space my old lady made me throw a lot of them out.
(if I only knew back then, what I know now...)
Then somewhere like in the late 70's, early 80's... comic books got all avant-garde and esoteric and shit. And ya couldn't go down to your local newsstand anymore to buy 'em. You went to "comic shops", where they wouldn't let you open the comic and peruse the inside, because the were all in lil plastic bags for "collectors". And when I was a kid... comics were like 15 to 25 cents. And every so often, there would be a "big issue"... and that was like 75 cents to a dollar.
Later on... comics went up and up and up... and they made things called "graphic novels" about Batman, etc... for like 15 bucks or more! They turned it into a big industry.
One that makes a LOT of cash.
But somewhere along the line... I dunno, it just got different.
And they took all the fun out of it. Like a lot of things in life... it just got tainted and jaded somehow to me.
We saw the movie in the city, and it had a major comic shop across the street... "Forbidden Planet".
We stopped in for a few minutes to have a look around.
They have figurines & these "resin kits" nowadays as well. They run upwards of $125. bucks for these babys. We used to call 'em "models". They cost like $3.00 at your local 5 and dime...
But anyways... back to da movie...

It was very dark, gritty, and realistic... with great acting, and especially... an outstanding cast.
Christian Bale is a convincingly obsessed, driven and semi-nutty Batman.
Michael Caine as "Alfred" was fantastic, and the other roles by Liam Neeson, Morgan Friedman, and Gary Oldman were good as well. The effects were great, the storyline was excellent, and very believable. Makes ya wanna go out and be a superhero, as if it were possible given the right skills and cashflow.
I couldn't really find any real flaws in it, except for three things...
ya don't really get a good look at da batsuit. Batman flips, and kicks, and kungfu's his way around so fast... he just really looks like "Blackblurman" in a lot of scenes. Which... in a way, kinda adds to the whole mythical/phantom-esque type scenario I guess.
And there isn't really a "Theme music" for da poor guy. The music is good and all... but it's no John Williams "standout recognizable " theme music score.
And finally... there's not too many "signature", standout, take your breath away kinda scenes in it. You know... like when the original Batman flew the batplane up against the moon, or Luke Skywalker stood on the hill with the sunrise, and the music swelled up, Or like when Superman first hit stood there in his Fortress of Solitude, and ya heard the theme song...
"Da, da, da-da, da-da...da-da, da-da... DA da-da...!"
They did have one scene where Bruce Wayne faced his fears, and stood there as thousands of bats flew around him.
And they had another "moneyshot" from the posters, where he swoops down in flight with his "bat-parachute cape thingy"... but they were all kinda fast scenes. But they also included the one (rather fast), obligatory "gearing up" scene.
Yanno... open safe to reveal mask... gloves..."swoosh-swoosh!"... utility belt "click!"... weapons check..."click, click, click!".
Like Stephie had said... the scene like that in the George Clooney movie... actually showed off Batman's ass.
But other than that... I give Batman Begins 2 pointed ears up!
I LOVED it!
I'm just finding it very hard to push this spare tire of mine into these rubber tights to go to work tonite...

Sunday, June 19, 2005

"National Treasure"



Quarter to 4 in da AM. Missed posting for Saturday... kinda sorta.
This'll be Saturday's post I guess.
Nothin' much goin' to write about anyhoo.
Got my "One" bracelets in the mail today.
Really great charity in my humble opinion. They don't want money...
Just your voice. (tho cold hard cash iz good too.)
It's like a bunch of major world charity organizations are forming into... well..."One".
To try to eradicate worldwide poverty, hunger & AIDS.
If ya haven't heard about it yet... you will.
HUGE worldwide concerts happening next month, with a mind-blowing artist lineup.
I may go to the one in Philly.
Visit the "ONE" link to the right, check out the lil movie, and sign your name...
You'll be a better person for it.

Took a trip into Manhattan today to exchange a pair of shorts I bought there wit da website moolah.
Walked around with my camera just window shopping... stuff for da "wishlist"... and snapping random pix. Got a couple of good shots.
Spent like an hour in CompUSA. God! Gimme like $30 grand and turn me loose in DAT place... MAN! I could loose my mind there!
Love me some hi-tech gadgets!

I love the city.
Some folks like grass, and greenery, and open space 'n wutnot...
I do too... don't get me wrong. I spent my summers on my aunt's farm upstate NY. Even had my own horse "Joey". I love the country & nature just like da next bumpkin. But every so often I get an ache like a junkie does for his fix... I need to get all right up in dere in da mix with people... and lot's of 'em.
I'm like my mom... we can both be content at a sidewalk cafe, or in an airport, just watchin' all da people go by. Rush hour in Manhattan!
A crowded concert in Central Park!
A Saturday night in Times Square... now datz livin'!
And I've been to a few large cities in my day...but I gotta say...
I Love New York!
It's a treasure... a national treasure...
Which is wut I just got finished watchin' on pay-per-view.
"National Treasure", with Nicolas Cage (nice segue huh...?)
Good movie. Well... I liked it anyway.
It's a heist movie about stealing the Declaration of Independance, Freemasons and treasure.
For years as a kid... I thought the "G" in the Free Masons symbol stood for Gosik... my last name. My mom used to have one of those 1960's see-thru lighters, with that symbol floating around in da lighter fluid in da bottom.
Got it from one of her customers in the bar she owned.
I love a good heist/action/adventure flick.
(I shoulda never quit jewel thief school...damn...!)
And next to gadgets, I love movies.
And especially big summer blockbuster, sooperdooper...
hype-all-pumpin'-out-it's-neck type movies.
Spiderman, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings... BATMAN...!!!
(datz comin' tommorrow for Doodie's Day! My kid calls me "doodie")
I'm sooped! I can't wait!
I get all into movie hype... I love it! I watch the trailers, visit the websites, download da desktop pictures & screensavers...
a month later... it's all over.
Yesterday's cold soup.
But it's fun while it lasts.
"NEXT...!" C'mon Hollywood... dazzle me...!
Matter of fact... plant my ass in da middle of Times Square, in a Sharper Image $2000 Vibrating Massage Leather easychair, with a beefed up laptop with WIFI, a plate of Chinese food, some Reese's Pieces, stereo headphones with "The Fanastic Four" coming on the Jumbotron TV... and da keys to CompUSA and a pickup truck...
I've died and gone to Heaven...!

Friday, June 17, 2005

"Lest I Not Forget..."



Well...da website's DONE.
Thank da Lord!
I'm OK at webdesign, but not exactly a "seasoned pro" at it yet.
I undercharged my client for this last one, but learned da hard way.
It was a bit tricky in some places, and I put in more time than I thought I would have for the money...
but I think it came out rather OK.

  • The Serenity Club of Hudson County


  • Got some minor things to tweak, because being a member of NA & AA myself, I spotted some tiny outpoints in the text they gave me about their group. And so I brought it to their attention, and they have to vote on the changes that I suggested.

    Went shopping in Manhattan yesterday with the dough I earned from doing the site. Came back with a bag full 'o stuff... just for me! WooHoo!!!
    I haven't gone shopping for myself, and come back with more than one item in ages... it feels good.
    Like my buddy Morty says... having a couple of Benjamins in yer pocket changes your whole outlook on life!
    So...I got me some summer threads!

    All this mention of Kelly, and babies, and Father's Day...
    lest I not forget I have another kid... Stephie.
    She's my lil honey at home. While Kelly has traveled the globe, joined the service, is kinda a tiny bit more "nose to da grindstone" in certain areas and makes me proud as Hell... Stephie seems to be taking after me... and is kinda bobbing around in the "Ocean of Life" like a buoy. A free spirit going wherever life takes her.
    And I'm equally as proud of her. Mainly because she has a deep down sweetness & innocence that just makes ya warm & fuzzy.
    She's 23, went to culinary school for a bit, is a cook, and works for an executive cafeteria in a large international firm banking firm.
    She has a boyfriend, but I don't think has found her soulmate yet.
    I dunno. She'll find her niche someday.
    But like Kelly, she's also my baby girl. She can be a bitch on wheels at times too...but for the most part... she's generous and sweet.
    If there's one thing in my life that turned out right... it's my kids.
    I'm proud of them, and I love 'em to pieces!
    And Stephie's my movie buddy too. Especially horror movies!
    So... I got a date for Father's Day...
    my other lil baby datz all grown up...is takin' her dear old Doodie to see "Batman Begins" in Mahattan on Sunday... in IMAX!
    She knows wut Doodie likes...
    I'm diggin' around for my utility belt, cape and pointed ears as I type...
    "To the Batpoles!"
    "Nah-nah, nah-nah, nah-nah, nah-nah..."

    Thursday, June 16, 2005

    "Hard Drives 'N Diapers..."



    So I went out to meet Stan, my website client yesterday.
    All went unbelievably smooth. I had a pleasant trainride out there, took some shots of the club for the site, got the content info I need for webpages and got paid.
    WOW! If only this could happen once or twice a week... I'd be set!
    And MONEY... what a euphoric drug!
    Then I got home and tried to enter all that data into the homepage,
    and then I soon realized...
    I haven't got a clue as to how to do this.
    HTML editors are NOT word processors.
    Straightup text is no problem, but doing bulleted lists & webpage tables have never been my friend.
    But after monkeying around with it... I finally got it. <"phew!">
    (Not the way I'd like it...but at least I got it all in there.)
    Ah... he looked back at it all...and it was good.
    Couldn't get any better...could it...?

    The phone rings around midnight, and it's my daughter Kelly in the Air Force stationed down in Georgia...
    "Hi Daddy!"
    "Hi Sweetheart...how are you?"
    "Ok...didja get my email?"
    "No...been working on a website...haven't checked it."
    "Go check it daddy..."

    [opens email program and reads...]

    "Hey daddy, whats up at the homefront? I’m just sitting here at work bored out of my mind. Your father’s day present shipped out today. It’s one of the hard drives in the email links that you sent me. Oh dad, by the way how would you feel if I told you that you were going to be a grandfather...?"

    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!

    My baby...my first baby...
    da one I carried home in a lil bundle 25 years ago...
    is gonna have a baby!

    AND I'm gettin' a new harddrive!!!

    <"booomp!">
    [falls to the floor in a dead faint]

    Jeez...ain't life GRAND!!!

    Wednesday, June 15, 2005

    "Getting Closer..."



    Just a quick post just to keep this thang goin'...
    Gotta meet a client later to finalize his webpage design.
    Been talking mostly over da phone, and thru email.
    Getting closer to finishing it up, and gettin' paid.
    Maybe...he may have some money for me today... ?
    (Yay! Money! Was starting to forget what dat stuff was like!)
    Took the "iMood" current mood thingy off for now. I really like it, but this is a pre-packaged template I'm using here at Blogger. I can do straight-up HTML type stuff...but this template is in some strange Klingon CSS type crap that's completely foreign to me. Can't figure out how to add the basic HTML code to it, so that the mood thing can be placed where I want it. So the way I had it, changing the mood would change the lil gizmo on all posts...
    instead of for each single day.
    Oh well...will figure it out later.
    Still caught up in a newsgroup flame war.
    Try as I may...I still get caught up in these things. I go on a newsgroup asking simple questions, and inevitably...some asshole answers me with some jerkoff comment, I answer him back with one... and so it goes... a clash of halfwits!
    And these guys think they're literary geniuses, and cutting edge comedians & insult kings.
    So they're either trying to put you down for bad spelling or grammer, or going on & on about how much they "put you in your place" or how much they "owned" you.
    Is it just me and my middle-aged-ness...or does anyone else out there wanna just smack da ever-lovin' piss outta every pimple-faced lil douchebag that uses that term "owned", or talks in "l33t 5p34k"...?

    It's like...
    "1f u c4n r34d th1s u r34lly n33d t0 g37 l41d!"

    I wanna just ring their necks till they make dat Bugs Bunny cartoon headshaking noise...
    "eeyoi-yoi-yoi-yoi-yoi...!
    But...it's me own fault. Like I learned a long time ago...

    "Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game
    because they almost always turn out to be, or to be indistinguishable from...self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time."

    But...sometimes I get caught up in it all...silly wabbit.
    Hmmm...this post turned out longer than I imagined it would be.
    Gonna try to post a new picture of mine for each post.
    Hope ya likes 'em.
    Anyhoo... time to hit da showers, pack up me marbles, and head for da train to meet da client.
    Wish me luck...!

    Monday, June 13, 2005

    "Well this is a fine how-do-you-do..."



    Hmmm...blogs...
    A good friend of mine had one long before they even had a name for 'em.
    I was never really interested in them. Now everybody's got one...
    and I'm somehow strangely jealous.
    I don't read 'em... ('cept for my friend's)
    and I certainly never felt the need to start one. (up to now at least.)
    But... I like taking and posting pictures, I've got a new piece of photo software... Picasa, that has this blogmaking thingy built into it... and I've got a website that needs visiting... so...
    Who knows...? I just may find that I've got something to talk about to da woild at large.

    I'm an outta work graphics artist and magician. I'm also a recovering addict/alcoholic with 9 yrs. clean and sober. I've recently found out that I have Hepatitis C, and that I am somewhere in between stages 2 and 3 in a four stage liver deterioration process. And now I am about to embark on a 48 week Interferon treatment program starting early next month.
    [translation: wreckage of my past]

    And they tell me due to this "treatment", that I'm in for a world of changes coming in the next 11 months...
    Mega Flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle aches, joint pain and headaches; extreme fatigue (tiredness); upset stomach (including related events such as nausea, taste changes, and diarrhea); blood sugar problems which may lead to diabetes; skin reactions such as a rash, dry or itchy skin, and redness and swelling at the site of injection; temporary hair loss; and trouble sleeping, risks to pregnancies, mental health problems (including irritability, depression, anxiety, aggressive behavior, suicidal behavior including thoughts about suicide and suicide attempts, and trouble with drug addiction or overdose), blood problems (including a drop in various blood cells which can lead to an increased risk for infections, bleeding, and/or heart or circulatory problems), infections (which have sometimes caused death), lung problems (including trouble breathing and pneumonia), eye problems (including blurred vision or loss of vision), autoimmune problems (where the body’s own immune system attacks itself including psoriasis and thyroid problems), heart problems (including chest pain and heart attack) and liver problems (rarely, patients may develop worsening of liver function).

    Wow...! Do I know how to start off a fun summer...or what...???
    So it should prove to be quite interesting.
    But I'm very positive about it all...
    (I just love to use 3 dot sentance pauses... but I think I wore my period key out!)
    SO... I haven't got a clue as to what I'll write about here...
    but it just might be interesting to someone out there....and hey...
    I got a BLOG!

    Stay tuned...

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