Next to playing Santa at the nearest home for wayward youth or joining a roving choir for a boisterous round of caroling, what do you figure would be the last thing I’d want to be doing this time of year? Yep, you guessed it: visiting my local botanical garden for its seasonal Christmas light show. And yet, that’s exactly where I ended up last night – at Vancouver’s Van Dusen Gardens for its 2007 Festival of Lights. It was a little after 8:00 p.m. when we arrived and conveniently found parking not too far from the place. With only an hour before closing and pressed for time, we opted to take a shortcut by trudging through the back lawn, Fondy leading the way. The ground was unusually soggy and, as I slowed to help my mom, I heard Fondy call out: “My shoe! My shoe!” I glanced over and noticed she was teetering on one foot, her other foot, now bare, waving about as she desperately scanned her darkened surroundings, like an elegant ballerina in a filthy, frost-covered Swan Lake. “I can’t find my shoe!” Being the dutiful husband I am, I immediately launched into action, going for my camera intent on snapping a blog-worthy pic of my wife‘s designer shoe lying nestled in the mud. “Can somebody get my shoe?!”. Alas, my sister stepped in and rescued it from the muck, robbing me of my photo op. Fondy threw me a look, put her shoe back on, then stepped forward – and left her other shoe behind. “Let’s go this way,”I suggested, directing my mother around the quagmire while Fondy, fed up and shoes in hand, squelched through the sodden lawn barefoot. “Thank God I didn’t catch fire!”she said aloud, throwing me a glare as no-doubt icy as her feet while she put her shoes back on. “Joe would’ve stopped to take pictures.” I wanted to point out that I didn’t actually get to take any pictures, but elected to keep my mouth shut and headed for the entrance.
So we strolled through the vast garden and its admittedly dazzling display, stopping to take in a musical multi-colored light spectacle that made the Bellagio fountain show look like, well, the Bellagio fountain show. Still, the Van Dusen Garden version was not bad – and mercifully short. We moved on, but I could tell Fondy was feeling the chill. “Do you want to stop off and get some hot chocolate or hot apple cider,”I suggested, “- to pour over your feet?” “I’m fine,”she replied, forging ahead through “gingerbread alley” where the gingerbread men lining the walk looked more demonic than festive with their rictus grins and blazing red eyes. Once we’d passed the last luminous green toadstool, my mother suggested we call it a night. Hey, works for me! In and out in an hour! And so, satisfied with our outing, we headed back to the car.
We took the long way around.
Today’s mailbag –
Susan the Tartan Turtle writes: “Did you check Lulu’s tummy for the heart medication?”
Answer: That’s the first thing I considered although, in this case, I’d have to check for both the heart medication AND its plastic dispenser. Still highly possible.
Thunder writes: “How come I can’t see the video?”
Answer: I’m not sure why some of you can’t see the video. However, for those of you interested, here’s the URL: http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=7609661590527338306&hl=en-CA
Montrealer writes: “I believe that IamJohn is thinking of getting SG-1 online outside of the US.”
Answer: Oh. Sorry, I can’t help you there. I have no say in which region gets to see what. For what it’s worthy, I do sympathize and feel it is unfair that fans outside of the U.S. are apparently unable to legally download episodes.
Riley writes: “It’s “overdue”!”
Answer: My bad. I know the difference but failed to properly proofread my entry. Which happens a lot.
Arctic Goddess writes: “ Have you ever tried Kobe beef?”
Answer: Ever since we had the Kobe beef in Tokyo four years ago, Fondy and I have a hard time eating regular beef here in North America. Nothing even comes close.
Beth G. writes: “I was wondering whether or not you’d named any of the pugs?”
Answer: Fondy named all of the pugs. If I’d had my way, Lulu would have been called Electro.
Jedi43 writes: “Any Sheppard fighting to save his life with the Bantos rods or something similar in S5?”
Answer: Way too early to tell.
John in NZ writes: “Do the dogs simply adapt to whatever method the daycare chooses?”
Answer: Usually. Although the daycares are fully prepared for any unforeseen accident.
My Name Is Scott writes: “What would you say the oddest name in your family is?”
Answer: Not so many odd names in my family, but Fondy has an uncle Marble and had a cousin Mars and Venus. Mars! The Roman god of war! How cool is that? Apparently, not cool enough because Mars changed his name to Norton.
Emily writes: “Would you recommend Philip K. Dick’s Ubik?”
Answer: Without reservations. It was an incredibly compelling read.
Erika writes: “Have you seen Howl’s Moving Castle? Or read the book that it’s based on?”
Answer: I own the dvd but have yet to watch it.
Gracey writes: “I watched the marathon off and on and was wondering if Joel Goldsmith was responsible for the Orlin theme music???”
Answer: Yes, Joel is responsible for all of the music. He’s great, no?
Charles Schneider writes: “Have you been to Chris Judge’s poker night lately?”
Answer: I’ve been remiss. And, at the Ark of Truth screening, Chris reprimanded me for not showing up at the last few times he hosted.
big paw writes: “just wondering if you’ve read any of the cirque de freak books by darren shan??”
Answer: Haven’t. What are they like?
Jimbo writes: “Any reason for the lack of participation from not only the actors, but yourself?”
Answer: It always comes down to availability.
Majorsal writes: “Joe, is there a way of activating some ‘preview your post’ thinger?”
Answer: I can’t seem to find this option. If anyone knows where it is and how I can activate it, I’d be happy to do so.
Scarym writes: “I read your interview in the lastest Stargate Magazine. Loved it. Does Chris Judge know what you said about him?”
Answer: I don’t even remember what I said. Give me a hint? Am I looking to be on the receiving end of some Jaffa revenge thing?
Annie from Freemantle writes: “This Christmas I’ve turned two people onto Joe’s(z) blog (ok being a bitch here lol).. they say that Joe’s humour is right up their alley!!”
Answer: Bless you and their little hearts (and exceptional tastes).
I really liked Peter DeLuise’s work on SG1 over the years. Any chance he will direct any SGA in season 5?
1) Who is your favorite Arrested Development character?
2) Who is your favorite Boston Legal character?
3) Who came up with the name Puddle Jumper?
Wow… those are gorgeous lights!!! I giggled and called you a bastard (in Australia we have many definitions of ‘bastard’ and in my case it is one of both affection and calling you a naughty boy). I can imagine those ice cold stared from Fondy (and don’t blame her a bit).
I read your May 2nd blog and fondly remember those show. Gilligan’s Island was constantly repeated- you call them reruns and it always left the questions begging in this then 10 yr old..
1- Why did they take all those suitcases for a three hour tour?
2- Seeing as Gilligan and the skipper wore the same clothes all the time, were they naked on wash day?
3- Why didn’t they fix the hole in the boat?
anyone else think of any?? lol
I guess there’s alot more questions to ask about GI, but right now my sons want to see the pics of the lights.
Ahhhhh yes, the festival of lights. A few years ago, I was forced to go with my family to that God forsaken place, but due to lack of parking we had to turn around and go home as soon as we got there. I complained the whole way.
It was not soon after that I realized that I was being a right little bitch, and apologized to my family for it. Oh well, you live and learn.
Anywho, a question, if I may:
When are you guys going back to the studio to continue production for Season 5?
Hi There,
Festive Greetings from Australia!
Thoroughly enjoying Season 4, keep up the good work!!
Who are the top 5 people you would like to have on the show?
Personally, I would like to see Anthony Michael Hall
Josh
Riley writes: “It’s “overdue”!”
Answer: My bad. I know the difference but failed to properly proofread my entry. Which happens a lot.
I figured you knew the difference (I read your blog regularly – you’re an intelligent guy) – it just made me laugh that you had made that particular mistake. 🙂
On the ‘weird names’ front – my cousin Troy joined a cult and changed his name to Aristotle Wonderboy … and I used to know a guy who changed his name to Cloud Of Unknowning … and never told his family.(He was too afraid. He was also an idiot – but you probably didn’t need me to tell you that.)
I get a lot of those icy looks after grabbing my camera at family outings instead of doing something more helpful. But after all, a good photo op is a good photo op. Sorry you had to endure the botanical garden. I’ve been dragged to several outings that were all similarly forgettable.
Ooooh, pretty shiny lights. Poor Fondy, I can empathize, I have a friend, Genius, who takes pictures first and rescues later. I should get downtown to our Festival of Lights, we have miniature houses, dozens of them, way cool, very festive. The city let us us decorate one years ago, but the atheist theme got us banned for life. Were the shoes a total loss? Do I smell a shoe shopping expedition?
Unusual names … in my family, number one is the niece, Sunshine Castle. I have a cousin who named her daughter Heavenly Sunshine something or other. And I have a niece named Divya, which is Divine in Hindu. Mars is great, Norton is … geeky.
I may not have Kobe beef in the freezer, but I do have a close friend who arranges for me to get a side of young beef each year. Grass-fed range beef, very lean. Massaged by coyotes no doubt. I swapped an Amish buggy for my butchered side last year. Oh, the beef is in the freezer, not the close friend.
It is all your fault, you know. I’m blogging here now also, that makes Three! Four if you count Tribe, which I don’t. Honestly, thank the many stars above for cut and paste! All that nattering on about Mighty Loads of Steel and Santa Rampage … all your fault. You’re a bad example, sir! You and your hoting!
hi joe! so i was reading your blog the other day(at work i might add) and one of my co-workers saw it and was asking me everything there is to know about SGA and you and your blog! so needless to say i think we just added a whole new viewing family to the SGA universe and she wanted your URL for the blog so… i dont know what will come of this!
joe, will you please stop capitalizing my words/names when you answer my questions!? going totally uncapitalizing is my ONLY form of rebellion i have. i have a rep at stake, sir. 😛 😛
now, i love that you guys saw a christmas lights show thinger! moms like these things (so do non moms). and how you were with fondy and the shoe incident… you really are *so* guy, aren’t you? my brother’s the same way, delighting in others incidents of misfortune. maybe fondy can break a limb and you could film the entire sitation, doing close-ups of her agony and her yelling colorful metaphors at you. just think of the bliss, joe! 😯 😛
sally 😀
D’oh! That was “Cloud of Unknowing” – damn laptop and its stupid keyboard. By the way, forgot to say thanks for the cool christmas lights pics … you’re right, those gingerbread men are creepy.
The was a report on the radio that on one street in our city all the houses had gone full out when decorating the outside of their homes (which is more of a rarity in the UK than the US/Canada I suspect)…so to give my 3 year old neice a treat we set out to find it (just knowing the genreral area it was supposed to be in rather than the street name) I guess we just expected the such a spectacle to be easy to find but…I mean surely? Sadly the only spectacle we received was some very annoyed people getting up to close there curtains becuase we were drving up and down the neighbourhood! and also my neice fell alsleep long before we gave up.
THe gingerbread men remind me of how Terry Pratchett decribes Golems in his books.
You Stargate people just can’t stay away from blinking lights, can you? 🙂
Thanks for the pretty pictures.
We have a light show around my neck of the woods this time of year. Although, I have to say, yours is much more impressive. The extent of ours is a neighborhood that goes all out and decorates their houses, lawns and the surrounding roads. They call it “Candy Cane Lane”. It’s nice, don’t get me wrong, but as my son put it “you can’t really see anything cause you can’t get out of the car.” He’s five, so he’s short and difficult to impress.
I am forever scarred by Christmas lights. As a child my parents took me to the Christmas lights and Santa’s beard got caught in my hair tie. I ripped it off in the pursuing struggle. And that is the way many kids that night found out that Santa wasn’t real. 😐
I can see those kids now preparing legal action against me for ruining their childhood.
“I can’t find my shoe!” Being the dutiful husband I am, I immediately launched into action, going for my camera intent on snapping a blog-worthy pic of my wife‘s designer shoe lying nestled in the mud.
You are such a guy! Did you have to sleep in the dogs’ bed after that?
Don’t you just love those ‘icy looks’ Joe? I shot one of those looks at my husband last night. He and our two sons were settled in front of the big screen (snacks and all) prepared to watch the Red Wings game. Obviously they had forgotten that I was planning on watching “Under the Mistletoe” on the big screen too. Needless to say I won. Not only did I win but they watched it with me. They really enjoyed it too. I figured that since they received tickets to the Jan. 2 Red Wings game as a Christmas gift….well, you get the idea.
PS: I think you’d make an excellent Santa.
Joe,
I don’t know, you didn’t have any cute kitties or discussion of politics in todays blog. You are never going to get to number with interesting and entertaining blogs like this one.
Ahhh, gingerbread men…
My mom used to collect gingerbread men and decorated the house with them around Christmastime. It got to be quite creepy. They were everywhere. My sister and I started calling it her “Gingerbread Army.” She, herself, was the General. She’s gotten rid of most of them in recent years, opting to sell/donate them in lieu (thankfully) of her oft-voiced “I wish the house would burn down so I wouldn’t have to worry about all this shit!” Now her battalion is regulated to the windowsill above the kitchen sink.
You know, kudos to you writers for the ideas you come up with. I saw “Exodus” today. Are you just laying in bed and suddenly you get the idea, “Hey, I know! How about SG-1 has the opportunity to wipe out Apophis’s fleet by blowing up a sun?! And this can be accomplished by jettisoning a gate dialed to that black hole planet into said sun! Yeah!” Anyway, good on ya for that.
Might I suggest the age old method of bribery to ensure domestic tranquility? Something in the way of an atrociously expensive replacement pair of shoes, or better yet a nice spa treatment including pedicure. Perhaps its just as well that you didnt get the picture, since there is no ensuring the camera would have survived the trip home. One nice thing about living in this part of the country; there are always plenty of folks who ensure that we use up our fossil fuels years sooner by putting on light displays that can probably be seen from space. All the enjoyment without the hassle of tromping through quagmires. Maybe you can work in the gingerbread men into all the other requests for season five, like Sheppard fighting with the sticks. Seems a waste of creepiness not to derive some inspiration from them. Only question for the day is, are we going to see the Travellers again in season 4, and if so any hints as to which episode/s?
I saw this today and thought of you:
http://houseofmarley.com/
Also, this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cksample3/1809604927
It’s like playing Barbie, but with pugs!
[i]Jedi43 writes: “Any Sheppard fighting to save his life with the Bantos rods or something similar in S5?”
Answer: Way too early to tell.[/i]
I hope you do some in S5 since he was trained to use them by Teyla.
“Montrealer writes: ‘I believe that IamJohn is thinking of getting SG-1 online outside of the US’ ”
Also have you thought about having it viewable online via the sort of system that NBC or Hulu.com with shows like Heroes, where the hosting is add supported, and not directly bought by users?
Make that three readers I’ve brought here… Hi Eric!!! This is Joe’s awesome blooooooog. 😛
Bonsoir Joseph,
Qu’il es bon d’être en vacance et de se lever tard, trèèès tard. Au début des vacances j’ai emprunté quelques livres à la bibliothèque dont Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (blade runner) et j’ai été un peu déçu. Le commis de la biblio s’était esclaffé de bonheur devant ce livre : «Ho ! Blade runner c’est un classique, execellent choix.» Alors, pleine d’espoir et impatiente j’ai lu avec avidité ce livre. Bon, l’histoire est un peu dure à suivre au début, les personnages se révèlent un peu fade et le dénouement, ben il arrive un peu trop vite et un peu trop rapidement… Toutefois, l’idée de faire un test pour déceler les androïdes des humains est vraiment intéressant: qu’est-ce qui différencie un humain d’un androïde super perfectionné ? Ben selon le livre c’est l’empathie.
So, do you ever read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? And if yes, do you liked ? And you alls, do you ever read this book ? I dont know if its me, I dont think its very good. No, its not true, I thought some parts was very good, and the idea with the importance to have a real animal was interesting… But, for a supposed classic, its not so good. The movie was good… Im very interested about all your opinions.
Watching “The Sound of Music” and braving the holiday botanic garden light show (seriously, was there any type of theme besides evil gingerdevils and their toadies?) the same week must rate very high on the “loving son scale”. Good for you.
I’m really looking forward to next week and a new SGA episode.
Ooooh, shiny!!! 😀 Reminds me of when my whole family (aunts & uncles too) would go to a rich neighborhood called Candy Cane Lane during the holidays when I was a tot, to see how they decked the place out. I miss that. 🙁 Thanks for sharing the piccies!
(For those readers who love lights like I do, I have pics of the lights on Cinderella’s Castle and the fireworks show behind it in my deviantART photo gallery. :))
Man, I really, really, really , really , really miss snow. 🙁
Morgia:
I have read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. But it was a while ago, so I can’t recall any specific thoughts I had about it. I do remember that I really enjoyed it, but I think it really saddened me. I remember it being very thought-provoking. Sorry I can’t give a more substantial take on it!
I saw the movie even longer ago…I don’t remember the movie mentioning anything about robotic animals/real pets. Am I recalling correctly? I remember being really interested/moved by the whole animal thing in the book. The frog part really killed me.
Allo,
est-ce que c’est possible d’avoir comme sur l’autre blog une option preview de son texte ? Parce que c’est incroyable comme j’ai fait des fautes d’orthographes dans mon texte (surtout en anglais), j’espère juste que ce que j’ai voulu dire, ben c’est compréhensible. Au moins avec l’autre blog on pouvait se revérifier. J’hais ça quand je fais des fautes d’orthographe, surtout en anglais car c’est pas ma langue maternelle et je sais j’amais si c’est compréhensible ce que j’écris… En tout cas, je me dis qu’au moins moi je me comprends lol
1) what type of chocolate do you prefer? for me, it would be a mars bar
2) have you ever seen the never-ending story? i just watched it tonight, and am hoping to see parts two and three sometime next week.
Great pics Joe!!
I can’t take any good nighttime pics with my digital camera.
You’re right, those gingerbread men look evil. Are they going to be the next villian for SGA?
Maybe tomorrow night me and my family should see about going out to see some Christmas light. Great idea Joe!!
Joe,
Is there any paticular reason why the Zats have not made there way into Atlantis especially with the addition of Amanda Tapping (Sam Carter)?
Hi Joe:
I’ve got a bone to pick with you. When I bought the season 3 SGA dvd’s, this is the conversation I had with the checkout clerk:
Clerk: Oooh, Stargate Atlantis. I hate this show.
Me: Ummm….
Clerk: But I loooooove SG-1.
Me: Yeah, it’s a good show.
Clerk: I’m going to get all 11 seasons on dvd.
Me: Ummm….
Clerk: I hate that they cancelled it.
Me: Well, at least we’re getting two movies.
Clerk: That doesn’t count. They’ve already done the movie.
Me: Ummm….
You guys have been holding out on us. Where’s season 11? 😉
PS: Regarding the new direction for Weir, I really hope that means she’ll be heading back to Atlantis in season 5 (and be in more than 4 episodes). You’ve opened up some intriguing possibilities for her and the team. Hopefully we’ll see them play out on screen.
Hi,
I’m a huge fan of Stargate and, I ain’t going to lie, I saw the “Ark Of Truth” and every single episode that have been released before being ready to go on air
As you would say it, I’m a Hardcore fan
Also, I’m a Brazilian fan and I’m in a couple of Orkut communities (Stagate SG-1 Brasil and Stargate Atlantis Brasil) both are among the biggest communities of Stargate in the entire Orkut
Actually, there are more Brazilians in Orkut then any other
Anyway, some of the guys in the communities started to talk a lot of things about you, and how fun it would be if you even knew about the existence of our community
So, here I am. I’m leaving the link to both communities above and I hope it’s not a complete waste of time.
hehehehehehe
http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=1163997
http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=128439
Anyway, please make a comment about our community, visit it and leave a stupid message (just to make us happy) or just put a Brazilian member in Atlantis or anything like that
Just throw us a bone or something
hehehehehe
Thanks anyway
Oh, almost forgot, please stop blowing AncientShips up!!
It’s been too long since I asked a question, so I’ll fix that right now. Is there any particular reason for blogging on a new website? Although I’ll say that it is probably an easier site to read the blog on, watch videos etc.
I know “The Eye/The Storm” were very special occasions, but do you think we’ll ever see that side of Sheppard again? That precise almost black ops area of expertise?
If not that maybe a Ronon and Sheppard all action type of episode?
Hey wolfenm- Candy Cane Lane you say…me too, it’s still going strong (that is if it’s the same one…anything is possible).
(sorry if this is a repeat; I’m on dial-up at the moment, and the comp is freezing up.)
I’m with everyone else who’s mentioned the “guy thing” of bringing out the camera at what are highly inconvenient moments for the picture subjects – if they even know they’re being photographed, and some of those candids taken on the sly are just downright unfair. *glares in husband’s general direction* But it makes me laugh all the same. If you (collective) weren’t a different species, you wouldn’t be nearly as interesting. 😀
*sits and stares at lights, and water, and lights reflecting in water*
Thank you for the lovely pics. The non-creepy displays are very impressive, and some of them are, in my eyes, quite beautiful. I love the colors of the tulip-like lights in the first image; it’s like looking at an illuminated palette of warm and enticing tints. The colors in the third and fourth images are very, very pretty, and the water makes it all intensely atmospheric. – My own favorite is image 7, where you’ve used the bare tree branches as a sort of frame for the lights farther off. The contrast makes for a dreamlike atmosphere, to me; and even though your reference to Swan Lake was to help set up a comic scene (and it was very funny, although you deserved to be glared at, as others have pointed out) – well, anyway, now the moodier sections of the ballet music are running through my mind. – Geez, just the use of bare tree branches for picture composition has got my imagination spinning. That’s one reason why I pay a lot of atttention to the camera work for SG: Atlantis, even though I have no technical knowledge whatsoever.- Okay, well, time to come back to reality.
“Do you want to stop off and get some hot chocolate or hot apple cider,” I suggested, “- to pour over your feet?”
That is SO silly. If my very droll husband were saying that to me, I’d be trying hard to wither him with one glance, but he’d still get me to smile. (Like I said – different species.)
And yeah, you should definitely take Fondy shoe-shopping, but leave the camera at home unless you obtain prior permission to use it. (That’s for penance.) But if you do happen to go, and you get to take the camera, please take lots and lots of pics. 😀
Great writing when describing the gingerbread men! “Rictus grins and blazing red eyes” – you can almost feel the evil oozing out of them.
PS: Cool new theme and layout.
Hi Joe,
I am curious: Who is older – you or your sister – and do you have other siblings? I’m the baby in my family. 🙂
Thanks,
Jennie 🙂
Bloody hell!!!!
I thought something was wrong with my only-a-year-old-laptop monitor when I saw this white stuff falling down the screen….
Phew!
Now I feel a right drongo.
Nice background (after my initial shock). Let’s see who else gets suckered in.
Hey joe,
Have you started planning your new years resolutions yet? I havnt, but proabably the same as last year, study, do my homework and keep striving to be a better person!
I find the background a little cold – can you warm it up a little or do something to make it more cheerful?
Could your dislike of the Christmas lights be — in part — because of the location’s connection to “Irresponsible”? Or is this a life-long aversion?
As for the last picture, the first time I saw it, I thought “Demon Gingerbread from Hell!” (As Dave Barry would say, that would be a great name for a rock band.)
I like the new look except for the fact the comments aren’t numbered.
Anne Teldy
Hello Joseph ♥
Bien dormie? moi sa va.
Vraiment super le nouveau style du blog, c’est trés jolie.
Et j’ai enfin pu voire la video, vraiment génial! j’adore vos chien!
Waou, c’est magnifique, j’adore les endroits comme ca, superbe! et je suis désoler pour les chaussures de Fondy.
Hier j’ai mis deux autres commentaires sur votre blog, mais ils n’ont pas encors marcher =(
Il y’a beaucoup de choses a apprendre aujourdh’ui:
1) se que j’ai a mes doight
2) Si notre miss france va démissionait a cause de certaine photo prise avant son couronnement
3) Si les Farc vont libéré les otages qu”ils nous avaient promis
==> sinon notre petit président passe des vacances de rêve en égypte avec sa nouvelle copine la top model ( waou sa nous change de notre ancien président lolXD)
Question:
1) Vous aimez les macarons? a quel parfum?
2) lequel de vos chiens est le plus gourmand?
Voila =) Kisou, Merci a toute a l’heure ♥
Hi again Mr M, Fondy, and Mrs M.,
Greetings from Tipperary!
Just stepping out of the Time Dilation Bubble that is Christmas to wish you all a Happy New Year! Saw that you mentioned the US Primaries, my brother runs a web-site for Sen. Joe Biden…It’s called Irish For Joe.org…Come to think of it, we could use it for you after the election…Any-hoo yes the primaries are hotting up. With regard to the Republicans, i’m putting a pint on Mike Huckabee to get the VP spot on the Republican ticket.. With regards the Dems, I think Edwards is very strong in Iowa and it’s not just a Clinton/Barack race
Have a great New Year.
Shirt’n’Tie
thinking of funny names, we have a friend who gave their daughter very normal names … except one … one of her middle names is Danger. Purely so that she will be able to say when she gets older ‘Danger is my middle name!’
*waves*
Annie from Fremantle Says:
Bloody hell!!!!
I thought something was wrong with my only-a-year-old-laptop monitor when I saw this white stuff falling down the screen….
Phew!
Now I feel a right drongo.
Nice background (after my initial shock). Let’s see who else gets suckered in.
Not just you, I thought I was having a stroke! 😛
Mr M, loving all the pretty lights, we haven’t got that where we are, although the Garden center near us does do a lil grotto type thing, which is… umm kinda lame compared to that, so… is that a one off? Or do they do the light shows every year?
On a seperate note, one of the terrestrial channels are showing SGA from the start, I missed the whumpy 38 minutes and chest peekage!! Can you believe it? To say I was gutted would be an understatement, but thankfully got to see The Eye/The Storm the other day, so wet Shep kind of makes up for it. 😉 So, can I just say ditto to Kristen’s question? 🙂 While i’m here and being exceptionally longwinded and sloth like today, are there any more plans to bring back the Genii?
And before I go, tell Fondy that I completely empathise with getting stuck in the quagmire!
*hugs*
like the new blue layout. it’s a very soothing color.
Annie from Fremantle Says:
I thought something was wrong with my only-a-year-old-laptop monitor when I saw this white stuff falling down the screen….
Me too, I did a double take and almost made an opticians appointment, drongos indeed LOL.
Joe, you have obviously a heretofore unseen side to your nature that of a papparazzo(?) earlier in the year my mum had a river flowing through her living room for three days due to a burst pipe in the lane at the back of her house and we spent the ENTIRE time with a Vax wet and dry vacuum cleaner hoovering it and pouring it down the drain and never ONCE thought to take a photo, although a 3am shot of me with a bucketful of ice cold water after two days and no sleep would’ve been enough to bust any lens, might have been further ammunition against the South West Water tho who denied for the first two days that it was anything to do with them.
Anyhoo, there goes another tangent, great pics, loved the golem gingerbread men, I can see their influence turning up in season 5 or Doctor Who for that matter.
Question: Do you or have you ever watched Doctor Who and if so what do you think of David Tennant’s portrayal? I think he absolutely ROCKS!
Um … speaking of creepy gingerbread men – http://us.share.geocities.com/rileyo_1999/p1020004.jpg
They’re McKay & Sheppard. I have to tell you this, because they’re so bad you never would have known, otherwise. This is why I always failed art (until I started learning photography, anyway.) However, I am proud of Rodney’s lovely blue eyes. I’ll spare you the Disco!John&Rodney versions I also made …
>>Annie from Fremantle Says: Nice background (after my initial shock). Let’s see who else gets suckered in.<<
Hah its me- a few minutes ago I was swearing and looking for bug spray because I thought tiny ants were suddenly running down my screen! 😉 nice new theme a bit Atlantis-y.
Really loving the various Atlantis commercials SciFi is running, looks like its going to be absolutely awesome in the 2nd half of S4 (they are insisting its a “new” season when its not they should stop confusing people) I watched some of the SG-1 S9 marathon and had forgotten how much I disliked Vala and that Claudia & Ben had made the series feel more like “Fargate” than SG-1. But I never dissed the show online because all things end- unfortunately the series instead of the storyline- and bought the s9 & 10 DVDs anyway, its part of the legacy and there were some Vala-free episodes- I will have to swallow distaste and carefully review them again before I watch the Ori finale.
Are there going to be some TV commercials to advertise The Ark of Truth DVD?
Joe M & everyone else, have a safe and happy New Year’s!!!
DD
Petite video sympatique:
•Sammy the goa’uld slayer•
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=0O3wMcJIXfk
*Gasp* SNOW!!!!!!!! 😀 Thank you, Joe!!!!!!!!!!!
@Amber ~ The one my family used to go to was just outside of Chicago. The family just stopped going as people drifted and had their own things to do, and the Lane’s decorations (supposedly) dwindled. I have no way to get there to see for myself — I don’t drive …. plus I’m in Florida now! XD
Dear Joe,
speaking of stranges firstname, one of my ancestors’ name was Hildever Naud which could be translated as
Island-Geen Ours !!!
Happy New Year to all SG 1 and SGA teams and my beloved Vala !!
Hey Joe,
Is there any chance of us seeing Ba’al in the Pegasus galaxy? With things getting a little too hot in the milky way with the Ori, I thought maybe he could ‘retire’ to a nice planet with new people to worship him…any chance at all?
Great blog, always enjoyable!
I found your blog by, of course, typing in some Stargate Atlantis keywords and came across it via Gateworld, and up until Stargate Atlantis I couldn’t -stand- science fiction of any sort. Now, however, I’m finding SG-1 enjoyable and even moving onto novels that I probably never would have touched. . .such as Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card.
I suppose the short message of this would be thanks-you helped find a new sci-fi fanatic through SGA. I haven’t yet braved any other series (except SG-1) but I plan on doing so soon.
Do you have any recommendations for a newbie sci-fi fan?
Oh — let it snow, let it snow, let it snow… I don’t mind the flakes but I do wish that the site body text was 100% BLACK, not washed out gray. I’m a graphics geek and know the higher the contrast, the easier the readability Joe. Take pity on us oldsters!
Now, kindly explain why it is Teyla has so easily adopted the tech that was lacking from her agrarian lifestyle? We see her working on tablets, spouting tech-speak and seemingly very comfy with it all. Alas, poor Ronon, it still adrift, but he’s warming up to it all. Are we to assume she has been taking geek lessons in between gate trips?
Just wondering…
And lovely Christmas pics, thanks
Awesome photos JoJo, thanks for posting. For the women who think real men no longer exist, you blow them out of the water. Your wife is very lucky to have you. Thanks for the wonderful post and making my life a little bit brighter. 🙂
Emily Says:
«I saw the movie even longer ago…I don’t remember the movie mentioning anything about robotic animals/real pets. Am I recalling correctly? I remember being really interested/moved by the whole animal thing in the book. The frog part really killed me.»
Yes its true the movie is very different that the book. You make me realize maybe its because I saw the movie before the book that I did not really enjoy it. Humm, I gonna read again the end of the book, I have the feeling I missed something…
Awesome blog!! Read it everyday.
I was wondering with Season 5 in the ideas stage would the be a chance to see Ford in a story arc or a one off episode to bring some closure to the charater
P.S Carson for S5
Your site meter is confusing me…Am I an idiot and am reading it wrong? It looks like it says you’ve had more visitors today than this week. Huh?? How does that work?
Did you have the option of starting the counter at a particular number (like 800,000 or however many hits were on your blogger site)? Or are we starting anew? Maybe you shouldn’t make available to us the site meter stats. It seems like cheating somehow. 🙂 Unless you’re axing the competition, that is.
But the map function is always fun. I had a blog that had a visit from every continent except Antarctica. But after a year it cleared and started over. Very sad.
Hello Joe,
Happy holidays! A friend of mine (the one I hold responsible for turning me into an avid SGA fan) recently directed me to your blog and suggested that I try asking you some of the burning SGA questions that I’ve been hounding him with over the last two seasons — most of which he can’t answer.
So if I may… seeing “Sanctuary” again during the SGA marathon made me wonder: when the writers are planning eps that involve Sheppard and a possible love interest/relationship (ie. Travellers), how much consideration is given to the fact that he might still carry the torch for Chaya? Is what happened between them a reason for his apparent hesitation to let anyone in later on?
Thank you and have a happy new year. Hopefully you don’t mind if I pop in every so often and post a question 🙂
LV
Is my brand-new monitor broken or is your layout snowing?
“I thought something was wrong with my only-a-year-old-laptop monitor when I saw this white stuff falling down the screen….”
Yeah Anne, I think it’s something called…….ah, lemmie think…….oh yes – SNOW!
It’s actually quite nice and cool. In these blazing temperatures we’re having here in the Southern Hemisphere every little thing helps!
Thanks Joe!
Man, those lights are… interesting. I mean, i love neon, but sometimes around Christmas it all gets a bit too much. We stick with a thick fir-tree and 100 plain white lights. No blinking, no flashing, no strobing, no nothin’. 😛
>>For what it’s worthy, I do sympathize and feel it is unfair that fans outside of the U.S. are apparently unable to legally download episodes.
Very nice of you to say. 🙂 Sometimes it feels as if we’re a bit forgotten. I was devastated when last year i downloaded iTunes and found there were no TV shows available to UK users. There are now though, so things are changing. I just wish they’d speed up. 😛
The things i find strangest, are sites like Showtime that actually prohibit us accessing major areas of their website. They still send me newsletters, i just can’t follow any of the links! They seem to forget that i have many US-based friends online that i pimp shows to. So they may not gain one more viewer number from me, but they might from my friends if they’d let me access their website and trailer videos. Bah.
Whinge over. 😛 I’m off to rustle me up some dinner…
Urgh, those emoticons are driving me nuts. If there’s ever any question of it, i vote for disabling them in your WordPress. : )
Col. Sheppard may have a point about clowns – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/26/nclowns126.xml
I really hope that the link works.
I WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME WITH MY CAMERA! lol WE’RE SO MEAN! lol but hey it’s funny!
Dernier message de la journée==>
~>~>~>~>Cette aprés midi j’ai etait au docteur, il a confime que c’etait du a la maladie de raynaud, mes doight etaient rouge et gonflé car j’aivais fait un inflamtion, donc il ma donner plein de médicament.
~>~>~>~> Mon blog a ateint les 18000 visites:D
~>~>~>~> j’ai une nouvelle “snif” je ne pourrais certainement passer sur votre blog que demain car mon cherie va arriver et je ne serais plus beaucoup sur ordinateur, je serais de retour Samedi 4 Janvier:(:(:( vous allez beaucoup me manquer.
Je vous fait les plus gros Gros GROS BISOu de la planet !!
♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥
Je vais beaucoup penser a vous, bonne nuit, je vous adore!!
♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥!♥
A demain
There must be something about moms and Christmas lights. Last night my mom took me out to see yard lights. Quite a number of people here have supplemented their lighted reindeer herds with the occasional lighted moose!
Please tell me that there was snow falling across your web page;
No, I haven’t been drinking.
As I’ve always said, Clowns are just evil. Spawns of satan or the NID.
Like the new look although I can’t see the snow, just an icy-blue colour?
Nice lights, what kind of shoes was Fondy wearing that they fell off?
Though in your quest for galactic domination you’ve probably already come across this website, when a friend turned me on to it, you were (understandably) the first one I thought of. If you haven’t seen it already, enjoy.
http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html
And I hope you and yours have a great New Year’s Eve!
Aloha!
I’ve just got back from the local equivalent to the emergency room, it appears I have the beginnings of a gastric ulcer whoopee-doo, no wonder I was in agony all day, got some medication now and its easing off a little, I’m off to bed now – resigned to bland food for the duration, shoot me now please
Please take away the snow from the blog.
I thought I was having a hypo when white specs kept floating in front of my eyes.
Then I read Annie from Fremantle’s comment and realised what it was, just before I reached for something sweet to off set my potential coma.
Damn you Anne from Fremantle! I had that mars bar in my hot little hands, so close to the heaven that is chocolate.
Pauline
At first I thought there was a problem with my eyes… then I realised that it was snowing on your blog ! So nice :).
And, by the way, if Fondy ever gets on fire, take a vid instead of pics, you’ll have more material to choose from for your next post ^_^ .
See Annie with an “i” from Fremantle if I would have had that little piece of enchantment that is chocolate, I would have spelt your name correctly.
Apologies once again.
What sort of tv station puts SGA on at 04.25am?
Only gamers and insomniacs are awake at that time of the morning everyone else is either asleep or working night duty!
Pauline
Hey Joe!
Wow, nice pictures of the lights! That gingerbread man is pretty creepy indeed. 😛
Having had one dog when I was yonger, I am curious as to how you are able to upkeep with four adorable dogs? 🙂
– Enzo Aquarius
Hi Joe !
1) Has everyone of the cast resigned for season 5 ?
2) Is there an investigation going to find who stole and put on internet “the Ark of Truth” ? And what will happen to him ? Sue by MGM… ?
3) Is that true there’s a third movie already planned
4) What kind of poker do you play at Chris’ ? (personnally I looove TExas holdem)
5) Did you see “A dog’s breakfast” ? If yes, what did you think of it ?
Have a nice night !
Quilani
Anais Says:
“•Sammy the goa’uld slayer•”
Cool video!! I love Buffy and Sam Carter!!! Thanks!
Kimberly
Quilani Says:
“1) Has everyone of the cast resigned for season 5 ?
OMGosh…tell me they haven’t all resigned???
Resigned: 1: to give up one’s office or position : quit
Just kidding…I’m sure Quilani meant re-signed…which of course means to sign the contracts again! ;-D So…who has signed up for SGA season 5? Anyone yet?
And I like question #5 Did you see “A dog’s breakfast” ? If yes, what did you think of it ?
Smartypants,
Kimberly
Your blog may not reach the #1 position, but I assure you that food, fun (er, misadventures) and dogs are MUCH more interesting topics for us to read than U.S. politics, football (the Hail Mary excepted) … and I recuse myself on cats. Of course, Stargate is a MUST.
Seeing the light displays makes me miss Cullen Gardens (east of Toronto) where I trekked up and down many hills and bridges in great darkness, but at least I didn’t stumble or lose a shoe! Well, at least there are Boxing Week sales so Fondy can shop to her heart’s content.