My feets be hurt. We walked around all day. And then, when it came time to get on the tram and ride it back to our hotel, we couldn't find it, so we had to walk. And walk an extra block to boot because we changed hotels this morning. We are now staying at the…
May 15, 2014: Vegas, Day #1!
Welcome to The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. How incredibly disappointing. Last time we were here, we had a balcony with a view overlooking the Bellagio fountains and, most importantly, a nice deep bathtub for Akemi to soak away the afternoon. This time around = no balcony, no view, and no bathtub at all. The above-pictured…
May 14, 2014: Hockey, waiting, and alarmingly elaborate culinary creations!
Last night as the game headed into overtime... Me: "Who are you rooting for, the Chicago Blackhawks or the Minnesota Wild?" Akemi: "The Minestrone Wild." Alas, it was a sad night in Minestrone. The Wild ended up losing and were eliminated from playoff contention. Well, we're Vegas-bound for a few days. I was hoping to…
May 12, 2014: Brain check! Ready, set, but not quite go!
I registered Akemi and me for one of those private health plans that allows you to see a specialist or run a CT scan without having to wait for six months or longer. Part of the service is a comprehensive health assessment that includes blood tests, a full physical, and visits with a dietitian, kinesiologist, and…
May 12, 2014: 9 shows that survived terrible early ratings to become legends of television!
I see a lot of fans complaining about the fact that networks don't really give shows a chance to find their audience. If a series doesn't perform well out of the gate, it's usually curtains for that production. Some will argue it's only fair. After all, television is a business and if a show can't…
May 11, 2014: The Fantasy Pilot Television League results are in!
Well, the results of Lawren Bancroft-Wilson's Fantasy Pilot Television League (named after the guy who did all the leg work for us) are in! Although my former Stargate nemesis Ashleigh lead through most of the season, I overtook her in the final days of "pick-up Heaven/cancellation Hell" to win our pool by an impressive four…
May 10, 2014: My April Reads!
Capsule reviews of my April reads... CHEW (vol. 8: Family Recipes) by John Layman and Rob Guillory The eighth instalment in the ongoing series about detective Anthony Chu, a chibopath capable of receiving psychic impressions from whatever he tastes, be it inorganic matter or fresh(ly deceased) flesh and blood. It's been a wonderfully bizarre, over-the-top series but…
May 9. 2014: What I Did This Week!
Blogged. Read five books. Worked out. Spent quality time with the dogs. Played phone/text/email tag with our production partner. Did a "leaner/tighter" pass on the pilot. Added two new sections to the show's bible: "The Economic/Political Structure" and "Getting Around" (via ship and transfer stations). Drafted an overview of the 13 episode first season complete…
May 8, 2014: News of Note!
Hollywood bemoans its lack of experienced writing producers. And, presumably, Starbucks coffeehouses: http://www.deadline.com/2014/05/showrunners-wanted-networks-grapple-with-lack-of-experienced-writing-producers/ * Drew Magary (author of the terrific The Postmortal) confirms what we've all suspected for a while now: Facebook is dead. "Apart from the long-standing complaints about privacy and insufferable people posting pictures of their own feet from a fucking beach, it's really only…
May 7, 2014: Mailbag!
I'm busy outlining a 13-episode first season for a new SF series. But more on that in another blog entry. In the meantime, when's the last time I did a mailbag? Mailbag: Tam Dixon writes: "He likes them well done and you know how hard it is to retain the tenderness when cooked that way?!…
May 6, 2014: What’s cookin’?
Thanks to everyone who actually sat down and not only started May's book of the month club pick, but actually finished it. And an especially big thank you to those who took the time to offer their thoughts on The Rich and the Dead. I kid you not - your reviews were infinitely more entertaining…
May 5, 2014: Our Book of the Month Club reconvenes! Let’s discuss The Rich and the Dead!
Time travel fiction is notoriously difficult to write, fraught as it is with complicated theoretical rules related to grandfather paradoxes and butterfly effects. It is, on the other hand, relatively simple to write if you merely pay lip service to said rules and then proceed to either ignore or violate them over the course of…
May 4, 2014: Recommended Reading!
Today, we went to the nearby Cookworks kitchenware shop where Akemi browsed while I offered the woman at the cash some book recommendations for her upcoming vacation (John Scalzi's Old Man's War and Jeannette Walls' The Glass Castle). Moments earlier, we had been at our local chain bookstore where Akemi hunted for a cookbook for dogs (cooking for dogs as…
May 3, 2014: My Top 10 Most Personally Influential SF Films!
This morning I came across this (http://www.buzzfeed.com/louispeitzman/how-many-science-fiction-movies-have-you-seen) Buzzfeed article that asks: "How many science fiction movies have you seen?". Apparently, in my case, quite a few - but I'm sure many of you can do better than my still-respectable 151 out of 300 score. In looking over the list, I realized I watched A LOT…
May 2, 2014: Places you may want to avoid! Cast your vote for our July Book of the Month Club read!
I'm enjoying reading your comments on yesterday's entry (My Top 5 Never-Before-Visited Vacation Destinations!) both for the travel recommendations AND critiques. Don't be shy or fearful of offending. I'd love to learn about your those negative experiences as well. After all, not every city is for everyone. For instance, I've only been to New Orleans, San…