15 in the A.M.

State of the Mike

I haven’t written a 15 in the AM post in quite a long time. Gee, what to write about…

I walked outside this morning to drain my pool. In the process, poison found me and my leg and arm are itching. I do not like poison.

I can’t believe how much junk was in my home office drawers. Ok. Maybe, I can imagine it since I am obviously the one who put it there.

Cats are extortionists. They just are.

Netflix is making a movie out of the Gray Man book series. I recently added these to my Audible collection. Although I haven’t read them yet, a co-worker says they are good. The Russo brothers are directing which makes the movie prospect even better.

I have to work on a clients computer system today. I don’t know if I’d classify it as a fun time because of all of the added security in macOS. I could get frustrated and want to throw something.

Did I mention that I have a pool and I like it? Sure, I have to drain it and clean it every few weeks but who cares? It is a pool!

That is all I have for now. These are fun for me.

Why Marvel is Better at Making Movies…

…than DC Comics.

Ben Affleck is hanging up the cape, according to a report that the actor is leaving the Batman franchise.


Affleck’s exit comes on the heels of another departure from the DC universe, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which claims Henry Cavill will no longer be Superman.

via New York post

Changing actors so often has become tiresome for movie goers. I just got used to these characters being portrayed by these actors. DC can’t even have the same actor that works on a television show play in their movies. Look at The Flash for example — played by two different actors in two very different ways. Grant Gustin’s television version isn’t the same as Ezra Miller’s version in Justice League.

Around the Twitter-verse – Monday Edition

Adding an important one…

Random Haberdashery

I don’t know what haberdashery means but it fit in the title. Ok, I know what it means but like Google, I like to hijack words to make them them mean what I want them to mean. So, henceforth — haberdashery means “shizz.”

First thing is that I got to work on a new MacBook. Not a MacBook Pro — just a MacBook. It is one of the smallest but I was impressed with the keyboard. I didn’t feel “cramped” working on it.

The other thing I’d like to post is the damage I’ve done to the lawn. Yep. My big ass tent left the mark you see below. Hopefully, this will grow back. I actually feel bad about it.

Impression made by Alps Mountaineering 4 Man Tent

Science Fiction or Not

Sometimes, we don't really need to involve aliens in a screenplay to make the story interesting. I bring this up because my current project is one that could have easily incorporated an alien element and I'm sure it would have made for an entertaining movie. I decided to take the much harder path and not involve anything “alien” in the plotline. In fact, this movie may be a science fiction piece but just barely.

Most things in life are best enjoyed by not taking the easy path. I continuously choose the more difficult paths in everything I do because I find the rewards to be much greater. I think writing fiction is no different.

Ahem. Ok. You can go back to doing whatever…

Taking Pictures…of our food?

Perhaps, it's one of the most perplexing questions of our time.

Why do people take pictures of their food?

For some reason I can't explain, I'm not impressed. In fact, I feel sorry for people who take pictures of their food because it tells me that their lives really don't have much meaning. Let's face it. You have a camera and can take pictures of anything but you choose to take pictures of your breakfast.

I remember taking a picture while I was out with friends a number of months ago. I remember deleting the picture and asking myself why I was taking a picture of food and more importantly, who cares? I mean really. Who gives a shit?

We are a nation of fat overweight slobs and the best we can do with our cell phone cameras is take pictures of food.

We deserve to be smashed out of existence by a big huge asteroid.

 

Scarey Nanny Crap

While reading the NYT this morning, I came across this article about technology that allows parents to monitor their kids online activity.

The problem with the article (a point that they sneak in at the very end) is that monitoring your childs every move is not only “not very productive” for you but also sows the seeds of dis-trust.

Spy on your kids. Go ahead. Don’t be surprised when they grow up to distrust.

You know that kids don’t inheritantly lie. They need to be taught to do so. Most often, they learn that from their parents. Parents then turn around and get pissed off because “little Bobby” lied to me about where he was going. I guess that is sort of like mommy lying about where she has been to daddy.

This has to be the worst generation of parents that I have ever seen. No amount of software is going to make you a better parent, I’m afraid. Because the regular day care (school) is closed for the summer, I see parents dropping their kids off at the rec center. Parents just have to be able to drop their kids off somewhere don’t they? When I was a kid, my father gave me a dollar and I was on my own for the day until dinner time. I did not need dropped off anywhere. My dad trusted me enough to give me a dollar and let me be a kid. When he asked me what I did later, I simply told him. That is how it is supposed to work.

Spying on your children robs them and you of a relationship built on trust.

Baaaad parents.

My Problems with Farmville

 

1. Way Too Much “Sharing”

2. Way Too Many “Notifications”

3. Notifications literally can interrupt game play, thought processes, and bring the game to an abrupt halt. I’ve been in “placement mode” only to have a notification kick me out of it. Same with plowing or planting seeds. I’ve had to literally go through the process of buying seeds two and three times because a notification has kicked me out of what I’m doing.

4. At this point, Farmville does more of “getting in your way” than anything else.

Ok, small semi-enthusiastic rant over.

 

Why We Have More Gays and Other Fun Facts

Sometimes when I listen to the shows that I produce, I learn a little somethin’ somethin’. Yesterday was no exception when I taped Brass Balls Radio with Wendy Sullivan and Kimberly Haney.

The discussion led to excess estrogen in the water supply and how it gets into the water supply. You will have to listen to the show to get the details because yes, I pimp my own shit from time to time. Once you get over the initial laughable context and the light goes off…well, you’ll understand when you listen. The ladies suggest that the connection explains an exposion of gays and lesbians. Not sure how accurate that is but it is very interesting.

Strictly Right contains a clip of a union worker claiming that democracy is dead because his candidate lost. Huh? Actually, his candidate losing proves that democracy really works. The education system that he attended obviously doesn’t.

 

A Quick One

Sometimes writing comes easy to me and sometimes it doesn’t. Most times, my head fills up with ideas and then I just need to find the right “valve” to use to control the flow to paper. Usually, that is exactly how the process works for me.

Sometimes, it doesn’t.

I’m working on something now that has a bunch of funny pieces and elements to it but they don’t want to fit together and play nice.

I guess I’ll blame the lack of alcohol. The last time I wrote a piece like the one I’m trying to finish I did it while drinking some lager and the piece ended up being quite funny.

Oh, well.

Now I have this Eddie Murphy skit in my head. “You can win Jesse. You can win cause you’re bigger than motherfu**in’ Harold Washington. F*** Harold Washington. F*** ’em.”

That still makes me laugh.