QuestionAbel Parenting

Sammi and I had a geocache adventure today and on the way back we stopped at the Video Vault.  The Vault is a large brick building I haven’t set foot in yet – neither has Sam.  From the outside it looks foreboding.  It’s a big square warehouse I don’t want to go into.  It’s scary.

Well, we went in.  The man invited us to bring our bikes in – he didn’t want them stolen.  Saturday at 3pm is a slow video time, I guess.  We were the only ones in the store.  And what a store!  It was a large, well-lit store with a small chair/coffee table area to read some magazines.  Right near the front is the pet bearded gecko of the owner.  Isn’t that nice?

It was the best video store I’ve ever been to.  The man really capitalizes on his extra copies of certain movies.  Most of the store is organized by genre, but very popular directors are organized in the Directors section.  A small alcove organized alphabetically by director.  I was very impressed.  Even more impressive was the amount of bootlegs available.  It seems the store has a complete set of Ralph Bakshi, Peter Jackson, and Terry Gilliam movies.  I will finally see “Meet the Feebles.”

It was after dragging Sam through this (she is not as big a moviephile as I) I squealed with glee to spy an entire rack devoted to Troma movies.

Selection was amazing.  They have all the big movies normal folks would want to rent, and most (if not all) of the off-kilter flicks.  It was a mom and pop store done really well.  Not just because of awesome selection, but what seems to be a kick ass rental set up.

Rentals are three bucks for six days (five nights).  I am not a fan of rentals over a dollar, but times are a-changing and prices must change with them.  To get around this, the owner has utilized a Netflix philosophy.  For a monthly fee (dependent on total movies you want out) you can just return and rent.  You can request holds on certain movies as well.

I know that some stores do this, but I haven’t seen it advertised so up front.  It was really nice to talk to a guy who just really liked movies.  Not a snob, either.  I love art-house flicks, but I hate people who get down on me for slumming.  So I like “Can’t Hardly Wait.”  It’s HILARIOUS!  And it has Donald Faison.

Anyway, I wish all video stores could be so awesome.  I know if they don’t have a mainstream flick I can head to Hastings, but I doubt I’ll need to with the selection available there.

Hoping I can work there in the future until I get a real job.

Sam and I just got back from Run, Fat Boy, Run starring Simon Pegg. (RFBR from now on). I went into this with fairly high expectations and was rewarded. Simon Pegg shows up again on the writing credits, which is why it’s so damn funny.

The plot: A man tries to win back his lost love by running a marathon. There’s some more stuff in there, but it’s a summary.

The acting is acted. I don’t really see how one can rate acting actually. Pegg has great comedic timing, excellent facial expressions, and where’s a fake gut quite well. He’s basically a fat Shaun in this movie, which I like.

It was predictable and that is my only qualm. Which isn’t too big a deal, because it’s nice to be right. I always hope to go to that movie where the other guy isn’t a jerk in the end and the main character just has to deal with moving on.

Hank Azaria is the jerk. He plays it well. He’s like a ninja asshole, though. You don’t see it coming right away. He’s also a whiner it turns out.

Leading lady, Thandie Newton? I don’t know who she is, but I thought she was great. She’s basically a supporting role for Pegg’s funnyman, but she does it amazingly well. I am reminded of the Laura character in High Fidelity, in that she was the weakest part of that movie. Not so here. Newton just does her job and gets it done well.

And the kid in this is great, too.

I am pretty terrible at movie reviews.

EDIT:  So, Thandie Newton was in Pursuit of Happyness and Crash.  Wow.  She is a very good actress who I think would definitely be great in Hollywood.

I also forgot to mention Pegg’s landlord in the movie.  His name is Mr. G in the movie and he is amazingly funny.  Sam called him the cutest little man, and he makes what is already a very good movie even better.  Mr. G. and Pegg’s child crack that heartwarming shell we need in our romantic comedies.

I also remembered:  This movie was directed by David Schwimmer!  David Schwimmer:  Direct more movies!  This was fantastic.  It is his directorial debut, and I think you can tell a little.  He doesn’t take a lot of chancy shots, just gets the job done and well done at that.  It may be “just” a romantic comedy, but it’s tops in my books.

Also:  I really liked the casting.  We have a multi-racial cast here.  Why do I care?  Because after watching it, I don’t feel like it was made that way to appeal to anyone.  It was just done because they were just the best actors for the job.  I like it.

While gone over Spring Break I got a chance to play Harmonix’s Rock Band for the first time.  We have the actually game disc, but – long story – we have none of the instruments.  Christofsk purchased it for his new pre-owned 360 and invited us over to play it.  we had a good time.

Rock Band, if you don’t know, is similar to Guitar Hero.  Which is similar to Dance Dance.  You watch the screen.  You press the button.  That’s what it all boils down to.  With Rock band, you have the added fun of a drum kit and microphone.

I’m not the biggest fan of Guitar Hero.  It’s a ton of fun, which I like in a game, but I spend so much time when I play it trying to do so well when I could just be playing my real guitar.  It does help out with rythym and strumming patterns, but it is far from a real guitar.  Christofski’s dad, who is awesome at real guitar, is not solid at GH because of a lack of hand/eye coordination.  To be really sweet at guitar, it’s all hand.

With Rock Band, it’s a little more complicated.  The guitar is a bit more like a real guitar part, even though it still only has a few buttons.  You can have another guitar playing the bass line, which is also like GH.

What’s really bitchin’ is the microphone and drums.

You need skill to play GH and the guitar for Rock Band, but that isn’t necessarily going to transfer into real world skill.  The microphone can do such a thing.  You don’t have to hit all the notes perfectly, but it gives you a better sense of actual pitches while you are singing.  It also means that you have to get over any fear of public speaking you may have, because the game is all about multiplayer.

Same with the drums.  You have to get a lead on the kick-pedal and drums at the same time or you won’t succeed.  An actual drum kit is much more complex, but it still would help serve as a learning tool for a drum newbie.

I don’t think it would be much fun to sit around playing this game all on your own, but the multiplayer function is pretty damn kickass.  This would be an awesome game for a family to buy.  Everyone can play together.

Because talking to each other would be too hard

Well, geocaching has been a bit of a bust this week.  Thankfully, the community is very friendly and The Limey Guys are helping us with a covered-in-snow multi cache.  Which is good, because it is covered in snow.

Yesterday we went out with Fanugler and we had a good time, despite the lack of finds.  Fanugler brought along his little micro cacher which was fun.  We had visited them the night before and gotten to play with the little guy a lot.  He is a husky baby, but not fatter than any other.  He’s just very well-built.  And very strong.

It was nice to give Sam her baby fix for a while.  Sometimes she really wants one and sometimes I really want one, but we need to wait, of course.  We aren’t even sure if its safe for Sam to get pregnant.  Which would be okay since we plan on adopting most of our kiddos.  I think I could handle all of them, but we would like one baby so we can experience all that.

Anyway, we also saw the camp folk on Wednesday.  Dan, Lori, Kate, and Kevin.  Kevin will be playing soccer so I showed him the various ways to put on the shin pads and cleats.  He’s a very good little kicker.  I whacked his shin a few times and he smiled and said “I don’t even feel it!”  I am very excited to return and see him more often.

In bad news:  We are still having trouble getting our stupid loan through.

In good news:  If we do, I might be able to get back to camp in May, just working for room and board.  I would be fine with that, for sure.  I curse credit cards and all they stand for because we are going to be late this month.  I have never been late on a credit card.  But if we make it to the summertime, we will be fine.  And we will certainly be better budgeters.

Here I am, complaining.  I said I wouldn’t!  I also said that was a lie, so I think it’s okay.

I can’t wait to get back here for a longer period.

I have been thinking a lot about my blog here.  This is mainly a writing blog, which allows me to showcase work and get feedback.  I also talk about my life, but I try to be humorous.  I don’t take much time, though.  So it’s no Dave Barry.

My main thought right now is a memory of my LiveJournal, which I have abandoned.  It’s not that it’s not a decent service, but I feel like all of LiveJournal is dedicated to emo-crap.  All these people writing blogs about their problems.  I have talked to a few people (this is a lie) about how no one reads their blogs and they wondered why not? 

Because no one cares about your damn problems, that’s why!

So, I take a stand here and now.  I will not be whining here.  I will not be complaining about my life unless I feel I can do so and make a witty observation.  I will fail at this, but not for lack of trying.

There’s not much thought this week, anyway, because being at home involves doing stuff with family.  Quite frankly, that’s far more interesting than typing all the time.

First, last night we played Rock Band with Christofski.  It is an amazing game.  I think I might end up bored by it, similarly to Guitar Hero, but I still liked it.  I sang, I drummed, I guitared.  Good stuff.  Amanda (Chris’ wife) played to and we had a great time.

Today we picked him up around eleven and went geocaching.  For those unaware, geocaching is a treasure hunt using a gps.  There’s listed caches on geocaching.com and it’s very fun.  It was a hard first cache so I suggested we try a quick easy one that was nearby.

Sam found this little container and opened it up.  But there was no log in it!  Just a note asking her to marry me.

She said yes.

We celebrated at the Doghouse Saloon, a place with chili dogs.  They have pickles on them which I love and the sauce is similar to Manwich.  Great stuff.

We trekked onward and found a few more, soaking our feet.  Chris got dropped off and we are back in the house waiting for folks to come over for ham.

Sam is awesome, and I’m very happy we will be together.  We aren’t marrying anytime soon as we will both be in school.  But it’s a great thing.

Sam (my lady) and I left this morning for the Tulsa airport around five am.  She had been up since three doing stuff.  I got up at four thirty and finished a few tasks she felt needed to be done.  I did them since I think she just thought them up so I wouldn’t feel guilty she’d done all the packing, which I would.

We have made it to Muskegon safely, leaving me to wonder why on earth we fly.  What’s up with airline food, indeed.  If you even get any.  I saw not so much as  a bag of pretzels on my two flights.  Just lemon-lime soda – I asked for ginger ale. 

We barely made our flight because today was a huge travel day.  The airport was on top of this, opening security about an hour before flights started taking off.  I am joking out of disappointment.  If some nice folks hadn’t let us stand with them, we would never have made it through.  The plane took off with 26 people not on.  The fault for many is the airport’s.  And a bit of the airline’s.

It was possible, from what I saw, to arrive a full hour before take-off and miss the flight.  We should have arrived a bit earlier, but woe to those poor folks who arrived exactly when the airline told them to.  A first time flier may not have had the wherewithal to make it through, missing whatever important function they were flying to.

I don’t mind the actual flight.  It’s okay.  But all the sitting on the runway, waiting to get through security, and paying eighteen dollars for fries at an airport fast food joint really make me wish there was a viable alternative to flight.  Driving would take twice as long.  A bus would be longer than driving.  The train in this country is so pathetic it might as well not exist.

But safely we made it.  Ma Abel picked us up and we blearily made our way from Kalamazoo to Muskegon whereon we rented our Chevy Cobalt.  A car invented for the slouching class.  I sat up straight and almost broke my neck.  It will suffice.

We head to Christofski’s for the evening where we will imbide in Guinness and Rock Band.  It will be a good St Patrick’s Day.  I am very happy to be home and ready to eat cabbage and corned beef all week.

I am a big fan of Terry Pratchett, the Discworld series exclusively. I’ve never had a chance to read his other writing, unfortunately. The Discworld is a big place, though, so I haven’t been wanting for material to read. I might be soon.

Mr. Pratchett has a form of Alzheimer’s. It was a bit of a shock to me when I read it. I was surprised at my reaction, too – but I guess it might be normal. I was quite a bit sad. His writing is very entertaining but also enlightening in the way it makes you think about things. Not in a serious way, but very good nonetheless.

There is a website to help raise funding for Alzheimer’s now in which he matches the donations made. This is a good thing. http://www.matchitforpratchett.org/

So, that’s that for the day I think. If you like fantasy, I bet you would like visiting the Discworld. It’s a very fun place.

This is an almost-finished poem for my poetry book “Ded Jimmy: Poems with Illy-strations.” The drawings turned out well, especially with the barber. The poem itself is still being reworked. Please feel free to comment on your impression of it as a whole. I can’t format it right with the pictures full size, so you’ll need to click through.

Ded Jimmy Gets a Haircut

“What about a haircut?” Ded Jimmy said,
Patting the hair on his round curly head.
“In such a short time my crown’s gone askew
It must be time to procure a new do.”

The man was not far, it was quite a short walk
Jimmy sat in the chair and they started to talk
About sports and items political, too.
“I’m right,” said the barber. “I’ll prove it to you.”

He hmmed and he hummed over Ded Jimmy’s hair
And asked him politely what was wrong with it there.
“It’s lovely,” he said. “You really look good.”
Ded Jimmy replied “Why thank you, dude!”

But I wish it were shorn, for it’s really quite hot.
It makes my head sweaty. It itches a lot!
I thank you for your kind words and all that you’ve said,
But please do this for me and shave my poor head.

“I shall,” said the man. “Though it pains me a bit”
And he fussed with the comb as his brows knit
In thought and ideas as he readied the scissors.
“If I had this hair, my true love would I kiss her.”

“I am jealous, it’s true. You don’t know how lucky
You are. But too bad, I better start plucking.”
With a frown on his face he plunged the comb in
To the thick vibrant locks much to his chagrin.

But as he pulled up a lock to make the first snip,
He felt not a tug, not a stop, not a rip.
For skelling-tons do not grow hair like us folk
Someone had played on Ded Jimmy a joke.

For to the amazed barber’s eyes the hair lifted off
Leaving a bony white head in need of a buff.
He blinked in surprise and showed the dead boy
“Someone has fooled you,” he said, hiding his joy.

“The wig is undamaged! Beautiful, too!”
“Why it is,” Jimmy said, “So I’ll give it to you.
“Use it tonight, surprise your one true.”
“Why,” said the barber, “I must thank you.”

He took a fresh cloth and wetted it down
And swept over and on and around
Young Ded Jimmy’s head until it positively shone
Bright white and shiny. An enviable dome.

They shook hands and Jim left with a spring in his feet
Whistling a tune as he hopped down the street.
The barber looked after, standing outside the store.
He smiled, walked in, and shut the wide door.

Read this book. You will laugh. If you don’t, you have no sense of humor.

That’s all the review it needs.