Look at what I came across while cleaning out the crawlspace - a clear indication that I was destined for creative genius at a very early age. Note the artful composition, the refusal to be bound by traditional framing, the boldness of the color palette, and unique use of what appears to be actual gift…
October 5, 2012: Akemi Podcast #2 – Adam and Eve! Jelly on the mend! Bad Movie Night!
In which I (admittedly way over my head on the subject being discussed) attempt to explain to Akemi why humanity must toil as a result of original sin: Jelly went in for a stem cell boost the other day and is now at home and on the mend. Will be interesting to see what kind…
October 4, 2012: And a few recent big screen disappointments!
In yesterday's blog entry, I ran down a list of movies so bad, they actually hurt. They hurt because, at the time I paid the ticket price to sit in a theater and watch them, I was far less jaded and a long way from the embittered, hyper-critical viewer I am today. The five movies…
October 3, 2012: Movies so disappointing they hurt!
And the reason they hurt so much was because, at the time, I was a young, innocent lover of film, naive to the ways of Hollywood with its slapdash sequels, soulless reboots, and godawful adaptations. These were movies a fresh, ingenuous Joe looked forward to, counting down the days to their release. I expected great…
October 2, 2012: Safe, all-natural dog treats! I checked! Almost smoooooooth sailing! No, really! The Frozen Sky!
A recent investigative report on suspect dog treats from China led me to do a little research on the treats I feed Jelly, Bubba, and Lulu. After all, just because it says "all natural" and "made in the U.S." or "made in Canada" on the label doesn't mean some of the ingredients don't originate in…
October 1, 2012: The Supermovie of the Week Club reconvenes! Cookie Monster reviews The Incredibles!
Me know, me know. You expecting monster to say dis movie be SUPER. Or mebbe INCREDIBLE! But me not so obvious. No, monster more unprediktable den Lindsay Lohan at one of Oscar de Grouch's Hobo Hoedowns. What me WILL say is dat monster pleasantly surprized by how much me enjoy dis movie considering it be…
September 30, 2012: Joe’s English language school! Snow Monkeys in tough! And so am I with this outline.
I figured what better way to help Akemi learn English than by having her master the art of the tongue twister? Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers... The plan was to have a rough draft of the finished outline by Sunday. Well, yes, that was the plan. It's Sunday and I've only managed…
September 29, 2012: Dangerous dog treats! Days of Stargate Atlantis Past! The Last Man!
Watched an infuriating report last night on Marketplace that detailed the string of pet sicknesses and deaths purportedly linked to two dog treats manufactured in China: Waggin' Train Dog Treats and Milo's Chicken Jerky treats. I say "purportedly" because, even though many dogs have gotten sick and, in some cases, died after ingesting these treats,…
September 28, 2012: Make your own home made chicken heart tacos! I show you how! Days of Stargate Atlantis past! The Kindred II!
Since Akemi was attending a party for her ESL (English as a Second Language) class tonight, I thought I'd take advantage of her absence to make something a little atypical for dinner, something she probably wouldn't enjoy (until she tried it of course) if she was home. I wanted to make duck hearts. Now, last…
September 27, 2012: Quinto Quarto dinner! Days of Stargate Atlantis Past! Kindred I!
"In the cuisine of modern Rome quinto quarto (literally the "fifth quarter") is the offal of butchered animals. The name makes sense on more than one level: because offal amounts to about a fourth of the weight of the carcass; because the importance of offal in Roman cooking is at least as great as any of the outer quarters, fore…
September 26, 2012: Spinning our creative wheels! Dark Matters! Days of Stargate Atlantis past! Midway!
My writing partner, Paul, came over for Day #2 of our spinning session for the new pilot script we're working on. Next to starting a script and, perhaps, passing a kidney stone, there's nothing more painful than outlining a story, especially in those first few days. Ideas are pitched. They're shot down. The story is…
September 25, 2012: The Doggy update! Days of Stargate Atlantis past! Outcast!
Yep, them's is diapers Jelly is wearing. She's been having some issues, the result of an apparent bladder infection, so she'll be sporting the velcro shorts for the rest of the week. You can tell she's bummed because she was expecting something more stylish. Lulu, meanwhile, has been prone to occasional vomiting. Well, semi-regular vomiting.…
September 24, 2012: The Supermovie of the Week Club reconvenes! Cookie Monster reviews Catwoman!
How can movie about sexy bendy girl who wear leather outfit and carry a whip not be good? How possible? Well, why not we run down pros and cons of Catwoman. Cons: crappy akting, stoopid skript, lame direktion, annoying music, terruble speshul effekts. Pros: Not longer den 104 minutes. Hmmmm. Monster tink we have our…
September 23, 2012: Football Sunday! Mystery Reads! Days of Stargate Atlantis Past! Trio!
Whew! After two winless weeks in fantasy football league play, my Snow Monkeys appear poised to claim their first victory. Ivon's team, The Running Dead, require a near miraculous performance by both his wide receivers to make up a big 49 point deficit. This win is, of course, huge for the defending champions who are…
September 22, 2012: Heart of Duckness
I'm sure it's happened to you before. You're sitting back, watching a show on Food Network or the Travel Channel, when a dish catches your eye. You track down the recipe, study it, then jot down the ingredients, determined to recreate it at home. The next day, you go to the grocery store and pick…