Happy Halloween, Ladies!

Once again, the veil between the worlds is thin, the Other Side is closer than it's been all year, and all we can think about is how to win that costume contest or keep up with the 20-somethings' drinking games.

Last night, Bizarro, J-Net and I went out in costume to see the freaks and the happenings in downtown City on the Edge of Forever. We were early, for starters, so mostly we saw respectable people in respectable clothes just after their wine and tapas. They did not look amused. J-Net flipped them the bird, I vaporized them with my ray gun, and Bizarro would've shrunk their clothes until their buttons popped off with his sonic screwdriver except he left it in the TARDIS.

We finally found a hip place where people were in costume - many homemade and very creative - and happily slurped our Strongbow ciders until we decided to eat. By the time we left to head over to the waffle place, the uptight theatre goers were in bed. The freaky Halloweenists (that moniker via some drunk in one of the towny bars we hit) were out and the vibe was much more relaxed and tinged with anticipation. Ah yes, to be young and in costume on Halloween Eve!

After our snack, we did a little funk-da-fying with a local funk and soul band before completely petering out (because we're old) and heading back to the car. However, the good times kept rolling with J-Net's totally rad cassette tape of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" which we blasted as we drove through the quiet, sleepy streets of the City on the Edge of Forever. It was like being seventeen all over again. Except that we weren't smoking, we stopped at every stop sign, and we were all in bed by 1:00 a.m.

Doctor Who Rides Again

P.S. Had to delete unnecessary ellipsis after my title! What is WRONG with me?

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Doctor Who is BACK!

I grieved over the departure of David Tennant, but now it's time to be wrapped up in the magic again. Tonight Bizarro and I watched Matt Smith's first Doctor Who episode, and I have to say that I am well pleased. Don't worry, I won't post any spoilers, but the new TARDIS design is absolutely awesome, Matt Smith is likable, rascally and mysterious (but not as cute as DT, let's face it). He has yet to find his "edge" but that will come in time, and with the much stronger writing of David Moffat, I am ready to see what happens next. Geronimo!

If you'd like a sneak peak at the new TARDIS design (no story/character spoilers, I promise), have a look at Blogtor Who.


From UK TV listings magazine, courtesy of Blogtor Who.

I missed my own birthday

I was so busy with that thing called WORK that I had no time/focus to acknowledge my own birthday on my own blog. I had to work until 7:00, but then Bizarro took me out to eat and we had a nice evening, which included margaritas and a birthday brownie. So here I am - The Answer to Life, The Universe and Everything.

For once I'm on top of Vladurday, but LOLCATS hasn't posted today's funny. So instead:


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Something to look forward to this Easter (a resurrection of a different sort)

My thoughts, exactly.

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Okay, well not this one.

Um, that would be me...

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I wonder if it's bigger on the inside?

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I HAVE NO IDEA... JUST CLICK ON THE LINK (LAME CODE?)

Farewell, Doctor...Welcome, Doctor

David Tennant's Doctor didn't want to go, and we didn't want him to go, but as with all things in this Universe, change is inevitable. It's hard not to compare, but I hope that DW fans won't be too harsh on Doctor #11 (as the BBC News clip below already suggests). I, for one, am willing to give him his fair shake at making the role his own. My initial impressions: a little reminiscent of Peter Davison's Doctor (#5) with a smattering of Patrick Troughton (#2). We'll have to wait to the spring to see him and his new companion, Amy Pond, in action.

Went a little crazy with the post-Christmas consumption of commercial goods, but nothing I purchased today is wasteful. A new valise to carry around my work and not look like a grad student. A new power cord to the ole' MacBook Pro so that I can have dual work stations at home (and incidentally, so I can work here in Cleveland even though I left the power cord at home). A car charger for my iPod (at Marshals for $8!). Two games at 40% and 50% off - Hang Four (a surfing doggeh card game) and The Big Kahuna (Tiki guys galore). A wipey cloth for my laptop. Bizarro bought me a pair of earrings on clearance for belly dancing (they're rather big and flashy, not for work). I also treated myself to a quickie manicure (at a cheap price) - lavender, of course.

Best of all, we had a few minutes by the lake in the mid-afternoon sunshine. Photos soon to come. The best part of the day was free!

I've done well with the level of food intake; my healthy, filling breakfast of yogurt and oatmeal is leaving me full until 1 or 2 in the afternoon, and I've been eating a sammich and one side dish for lunch. Dinner is whatever Mom and Dad Bizarro make, but as with tonight's dinner of (fried) lumpia, I only had a few, and instead had two bowls of soup and a largeish salad. And only a few spoonfuls of rice. As long as they see me eating a little of everything, they leave me alone. Hee. Of course, I've had more than my fair share of Christmas cookies, but still within normal range.

And now the exciting stuff: I've been "hired" to proof read for a small press that is publishing original novels of Space: 1999. I've been email pals with one of the writers, who eventually took over the role of editor when the actual editor had to manage some personal crises that prevented him from doing the work of publishing books that had already been written. At this point we're gonna get all the books out in 2010 that were supposed to have come out earlier this year. I say "hired" in quotation marks because although he's cut me in on this, I won't see money for awhile. However, I will see money, and let's face it, I can put this on my C.V. That alone is worth the time I'm taking.

Now, I've also been working with the writer-cum-editor on some ideas for a TV pilot pitch. That's right - if Battlestar Galactica with their disco capes and King Tut-style space helmets can be reimagined - and hell, if Star Trek can be messed with - then Space: 1999 needs a jolt of its own. At present I don't know if I want to go the route of alt history or create a different title set another 1000 years in the future. It's a primordial work in progress at the moment, but it's very exciting, especially with my writing retreat coming up.

And so, 2009 is winding down with some great possibilities lined up in 2010. New job as a permanent writing tutor, new manager interested in my scripts, new side job as a proof reader, and many new ideas ready to break out into the world. Made a couple new friends this year, and I'm looking forward to nurturing those relationships in the new year, as well. 2010 feels like it's going to be a great year!

Right now, though, it's time to catch the Doctor Who Christmas Special on BBC America! Time to say good bye to David Tennant. He's my personal iconic Doctor, and always will be.

Horno Tostador

Holy shit I am SUCH a nerd! I just re-read my last post and realized that I really do sound like a total geek. Oh well. If the tennis shoe fits... (oblique reference to the 10th Doctor's choice of footwear). Damn, see? There I go again.

My students had to write a detailed description of someone or something or someplace for their first paper. The first paper off the stack I read was, in fact, a biography of Vincent vanGogh. How do you say "HUH?" in Chinese? But it's okay; we had our conference today and she gets to rewrite the entire thing. She did have some description of a few of his paintings, but 85% of the paper was about how he got kicked out of everything because of his problem with authority, and how he went nuts, and how he cut off his ear, and how he shot himself.

Oh well. Whaddyagonnado?

Tomorrow we go to the campus museum (which isn't bad for what it is). Had to give them a crash course in art appreciation, which I didn't appreciate because you cannot teach someone how to appreciate art in 3 days. Not only are they supposed to understand what they're looking at, then they have to write a paper. I am not down with that. At all. But it's not my call. *shrug*

Even with teaching a class and four conferences and a trip to grocery store, I was still home by 4:30 today. This is a schedule I can live with.

Didn't sleep well last night, though. Insomnia and multiple wake-ups during the night. Don't know why. I'll be hitting the hay as soon as I am well-entertained by Chip Coffey and his Psychic Kids tonight.

But first, dinner, laundry, and to finish the book of short stories I've been reading, A Thousand Years of Good Prayers by Yiyun Li, which apparently has been made into a movie of the same title.

P.S. We bought a new toaster oven yesterday. The box is in English and Spanish (today's title). Finally, after being married 3 years, we're starting to replace all the old and busted bachelor/bachelorette stuff with grown-up stuff. The only downside to eloping is not getting the cool wedding presents.

End of June (and DW Spoilers below... you've been warned)

Wow, here we are at the end of the month. What the hell? We're coming up on my huzzbinnd's burfday and Independence Day. And before you know it, it'll be Thanksgiving.

Week One is under my belt now, and it was a good week. I'm looking forward to the rest of the program, though my "homework" will start pouring in now that they are writing papers.

Just watched the 2nd-to-last episode of this season of Doctor Who. We don't watch them on SciFi - the bastards cut the episodes down to fit American advertising and they are also 3 episodes behind their airdate on the BBC. So of course we find other ways to acquire them, uncut and hot off the airwaves.

Major shit is going down in the multiverse of the Doctor. I can't help myself... so here come spoilers, so DON'T READ THEM IF YOU DON'T WANT TO.



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Here's an interesting blog page for Doctor Who (DOES include spoilers esp. if you watch it on SciFi, behind schedule of the BBC): Blogtor Who

How did "Bad Wolf" get scrawled all over everything? How did Rose find her way out of her universe (with what technology)? Did she use the same gizmo that Martha did?

Since David Tennant IS confirmed at least for the '08 Christmas Special, and we left him regenerating at the end of this week's ep., can we expect that he'll keep his present form?

And will the Doctor and Rose finally get to consummate their love with a kiss before she's shunted back into her own universe?

I don't think the Daleks would listen to the babblings of an insane Dalek who won't even allow itself to be encased in a new casing. Wouldn't they call him/it a freak and EXTERMINATE him/it? That part doesn't ring true for me, even if he/it did rescue Davros. Davros is clearly even more insane (wants to be the emperor of... nothing?? what sense does that even make? you can't even levy taxes!)

I was like a 10-year-old version of myself watching these last couple of episodes, totally hanging on every turn, and jumping for joy when Martha, Sara Jane, Captain Jack and the former P.M. were on the sub-wave chat, and feeling so sad for Rose, left out of the session.

My very own...

LOL kitteh:


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Bizarro says it's stupid but I think it's cute. We'll see if the LOL Cat voters get it and vote it up.

So Easy, A Caveman Could Do It

At last, those lovable, defensive cavemen will get their own sitcom:

ABC's Caveman sitcom

I give it four weeks, max. Which is too bad because cavemen are funny. I have two Geico ads on my office door at home. But it's like making a 90 minute flick out of an SNL sketch -- usually not suited to anything longer than a coupla minutes, and usually sucky.

But I will watch at least the first episode to see where they'll take it. Unless, of course, they are stupid enough to put it up against The Office, in which case they'll cancel it after the pilot.

Speaking of which, the season finale of The Office last week really kicked my ass. Ah, summer, the land of re-runs and grilling. What really blows chud is that we gotta wait until January 08 for Battlestar Galactica to return.

Meantime, we've got Doctor Who imports every weekend (the ones we download, not the ones on Sci Fi). This week's was like an old episode - the TARDIS and the sonic screwdriver were both effectively cut out of the story. I'm glad; he was starting to rely too heavily on the sonic screwdriver.

Tomorrow I'm getting my ass back in the driver's seat - wake up and write! Write til it's time for a walk, then write some more. Job-search crap in the afternoon, followed by house work.

I worked out tonight - the damned Ellipticals are still down, those bastages. I despise the treadmill. I did some punching drills and hit the saunaaaaahhhhhh...

And now it's time for zzzz's. Nite.

You Will Be Catalogued!

Bizarro downloaded the first episode of Doctor Who's third season (we won't see it here on Sci Fi until later this year, I think). If anyone out there follows the show, then you know that the Doctor's companion from the first two seasons, Rose, is gone (to a better place), and he has a new companion coming in this season - Martha Jones. So far from what I've seen, Martha is a good fit. Catch all the dirt on BBC's Doctor Who site.

If you haven't watched the new Doctor Who, you need to. Great fun!

You will be catalogued!