The Demonweasel Speaks

Hot fuck it’s a nice day outside. Great day, even. Sunny, bright, beautiful, and just, wow…here’s mud in your eye, Winter.

I mean, I spent the whole day inside, but still. You get to see it, and that’s the nice thing. Rode my bike to work today for the first time this year. I missed it, not to mention how fast I get there. Mmmm, pedals.

Of course, my work day was all kinds of fucked, given that the comics were put on the wrong truck and we had to wait around for UPS to find them and get them to us, and it just made the whole day completely unbalanced. It’s funny how you get into predictable routines and when they get thrown off it just fucks everything up.

In a way, I think it’s unbalanced my whole equilibrium for the day. Not because it was irritating and caused me a hassle, because I can deal with that. I was just expecting my day to go a certain way and then it just…didn’t. And I didn’t know what to do with myself. Frankly, I still kind of don’t. Brought home comics to read, including four Star Wars: Clone Wars TPBs. I’ve been weirdly really, really into SW lately. Watched both prequels the other day while I was cleaning the house (did a *lot* of cleaning during Episode 1), watched Jedi on DVD as Kenzie left her box set here with me this weekend, been reading a lot of the Clone Wars comics. I guess I like the interconnectivity of the Clone Wars era stuff. I like seeing a story being told in a pretty decent way across many different media (novels, comics, cartoons) and how they explore the various characters that they’ve created for that time that will not appear at all in Sith, like Asajj Ventress, Durge, Quinlan Vos. That kind of shit is just plain fun.

I’m finally reading Harry Potter for the first time, and yeah, I get it, that is good plain fun, too. I’ve always said that Rowling is a genius, even though I hadn’t read any of her stuff, because anyone who can create something original, unique and with such a great fan base has their shit together. When Kenzie and I were watching the Star Wars documentary that came with the DVD set the other day, I actually began to get a little sad, thinking about how maybe the market and the world haven’t really seen a lot of great new original phenomena in the realm of fiction lately, but I perked up when I remembered Potter. You are a legitimate phenomenon.

You know what’s a really, really great rock song? AC/DC, “Thunderstruck.” I’m not much of an AC/DC fan (although one of my characters is), but man…that’s a good one. Allie even likes it, although we like “TNT” better (just because she likes going “Oi! Oi! Oi!”).

Speaking of her, she was with me all day Monday and Tuesday, since she’s off from school on Spring Break. I was playing Madden on Tuesday and she was sitting on the couch behind me, and I was getting into the game, all mad because I was doing crappy, throwing my hands in the air and going “Oh, come ON!” and stuff like that and then all of the sudden she starts copying me. It’s funny because I always copy her when she’s talking, and she gets all frustrated and goes “Why do you always do that?” and I just smile and tell her it’s because I love her. So there she is, copyign me, and when I ask her what she’s doing, she goes “I’m just mocking you.” “Why?” I ask, and she goes “Because I love you!”

It’s important to raise your kids right. I know I was, plenty of mocking in my household, and look at what it created?

For those that are wondering, some of Allie’s other favorite songs are Franz Ferdinand, “Take me Out,” Beyonce “Baby Boy,” and strangely, Meat Loaf “I Would Do Anything for Love (But I won’t do that).”

Despite all the zaniness at work today, I managed to have a lengthy conversation with one of our regular customers, who’s an artist, and we got talking about making comics, what we both like and think storytelling should be, what comics should be, and we clicked on a lot of levels. He’s going to being in some samples of his work next week, and I think I may polish off a script or two to show him, and maybe we can get some collaboration going. Frankly, after the conversation we had, I don’t really care how well he draws, as long as it’s above stick figure level. From what we were both talking about, we’re on a lot of the same wavelengths, which is the most important thing.

So there we go. I think this put me back on track. Rock on, people.

Stay in milk, don’t do school and drink your drugs, I remain…

So I’ve decided that we need to do something special.

It’s important to recognize the important things in life, more importantly, the people. So this is for my girl, My Kenzie, who always goes above and beyond, who always makes me feel special and lucky. She came into my life at a point where I didn’t think that I’d ever find someone I’d be willing to give my heart would be closed and she brought new joy into my life. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’m lucky every day to have her in my life. She’s beautiful, she’s smart, she’s funny, she’s caring and simply amazing. She truly worthy of this, our highest honor:

So I’ve had a fun morning of waking up from disturbing, disturbing dreams, accepting the transfer of child possession as Allie’s mom dropped her off at my house since she’s on Spring Break, playing Gran Turismo 3 *and* Madden, getting my broken furnace fixed, emailing my parents, my girlfriend, commenting in said girlfriends Live Journal, getting my credit report, applying for a student loan consolidation (and getting denied!) and writing a profile for myself that will eventually go to the webpage that I’m going to be writing reviews for.

Yes, for those that remember the glory days, I’ll be making my triumphant return to comic reviews, for the same webpage I used to work for, PopCultureShock, but relaunched (at some point today, hopefully) as BuzzScope. It’ll be nice to get back into the fold and maybe make some contacts and maybe spread a little of what passes for my wisdom around. It looks like I’ll be in good company, as there are a lot of famous folks writing columns and contributing, and the launch has been supported by ads in several comics. So fingers crossed that I don’t make an ass out of myself, and that I’m as clever as I’ve been led to believe I am.

This past week and its end I spent time with my Kenzie, going to see “The Ring 2″ (yawn, boring, nowhere near as scary or tense as the last one, although it does have some interesting back story and the like, but not enough to make it close to paying full price for) and doing just general hanging out, the way you do when you get to that stage of couplehood when you just spend all your time together and just watch TV, talk and other things. We had dinner with my neighbors Brett and Monica one night and lunch with Jen and Scott the other day. Fun little couple activities with couples. My god, I’m getting civilized. Of course, it’s amazing and fun to finally have someone to do these things with.

Next on my shopping list of fun is to start the balls rolling on moving, or finding a place to move. You’d think after the past few weeks at work I’d be sick of moving things and yet, here I am, planning to do that very thing again in a couple of months. I informed my landlord of this intention, and things were very civil. I couched it in “I’m thinking of, and I’ll let you know by the end of the month one way or the other” just so I could cover my bases. I don’t want to throw a big “I’m leaving party” only to not be able to find something that I can afford or live with (and in the future, that *we* can live with, which is the best pronoun when its in those terms).

That and doing some writing. Been feeling a lot of creative angst lately, but it’s been kind of misplaced and misdirected, like an inch you have but you’re not sure *where* it is. Hopefully I can find the culprit and really put the spurs to it shortly.

I like TV. Most things are on break, and that’s good, but I’m glad to have Desperate Housewives back. Because I’m lame. And Deadwood, which seems to be getting more complicated by the episode, which is kind of sad as it ruins the possibility of getting others into the show. Battlestar Galactica is winding down, and then we’re down to just…what? 24, Veronica Mars, Smallville, Deadwood, Desperate Housewives, Boston Legal and…and…? Well, Adult Swim, but that hardly counts. I’ll own the fact that I forgot about 24 and Veronica Mars, but VM has been on hiatus lately and I guess I just had a brain fart about 24. Maybe that’s a lot of shows for some people, but way less that I’ve had in the past. Frankly, I wonder how much stamina DH and VM can muster, and most of them are going to be going away for the summer soon anyway. At least we’re getting close to the Basketball playoffs.

I’m starving, my child is starving, and I have tons more shit to do. Like play “Neverwinter Nights” and maybe, maybe write (or watch Return of the Jedi on DVD).

Busy like a lazy grasshopper, I remain…

So it’s been quite a week or so or however long it’s been since I last posted. We did a shit load of stuff at the store, moving around and rearranging pretty much every single fixture in the front of the store, and some from the back as well. Ultimately, it makes the front floor plan way more open and hopefully more appealing to browsing and foot traffic. For 58 hours of work this past week, it’s definitely worth it.

Kenize was here this past weekend and we went to go see “The Ring 2.” Not so great, really, but still interesting and worth the matinee price, not to mention the pleasure of my dearests company. I figured after she left on Sunday morning that all the good stuff from the day would be over, but not so.

I was up at the front moving books around and ironing out the wrinkles of the new layout when I turned to greet some customers and found myself face to face with professional wrestlerAl Snow. Granted, I haven’t watched wrestling in quite some time so I don’t know what he’s up to now, but I’ve always been a fan of his, and he was quite popular when I started watching wrestling again.

So there I was, halfway through “Let me know if I can help you find anything” and my eyes go wide and hopefully I don’t trail off too much. I’m sure it was clear that I recognized him, and hopefully I didn’t make too much of an impression of shell-shocked fandom. Naturally, I tried to retain my cool and refrained from asking for an autograph or gush or any of that other fanboy stuff, especially since he was there with his wife and daughter. I pointed out some comics to him, but he picked his own stash and that was cool too. A wrestler that likes comics. Rock on.

The funniest part was that was the day I choose to wear my Jeremiah contest “Ask me about an ass kicking” t-shirt, and his wife noticed it as I was ringing them out. “Hey Al, check out his shirt!” she said, and he just kind of nodded a bit as he was reading one of his comics, as I begged comically that the shirt didn’t apply to him. Kenzie is amused that I wear the shirt at all, but now I get a fun story to tell with it, aside from the obvious irony of me wearing it.

She’s coming tonight to stay for spring break, and we plan on pretty much just chilling and hanging out. Speaking of hanging out, Allie learned a new trick today. Last night she had been picking at a blister at the bottom of one of her feet, and finally picked it away to a point where her skin was tender, and she didn’t want to step on it or mess with it, so I put a band-aid on it. She went back with her mother last night and this morning when she was getting ready for school she refused to put weight on it or continue getting ready for school, so her mom decided to let her stay home. And then she ran and played and hopped around on it right as rain. When her mom asked about it later, she started limping again and said it hurt too much. Then she started playing again. Clever, clever girl.

Cleaning for my woman, I remain…

So seriously, enough with the fucking cold and snow.

I’m past sick of this bullshit. It’s March, I get it, winter is a bad-ass, hooray. This snow in March shit is driving me crazy. Literally, truly, crazy. I’m really ready to dig a hole and hide under the earth for another three weeks or so.

In other news, we’re ready to begin fucking around with stuff at the store, so I’m looking at some long days and work weeks. If all goes according to plan, I’m in the middle of a 14-day work week. Of course, these things never go according to plan.

Can I just say that the Sci-Fi movie “Mansquito” looks like it could well be the worst thing ever made. I love saying “Mansquito,” but seriously…this is what gets made into a movie. Maybe it’d be a fun life to just churn out crappy sci-fi movies one after the other with no real care about quality or merit. Like churning out the old pulps, I can imagine.

Speaking of sci-fi, I saw the new Star Wars trailer today and holy shit, it is no joke. I am very, very excited. I must’ve watched it about three or four times, and man, I cannot wait. I know Kenzie and I will there opening night screaming and yelling our heads off. And speaking of, they’ve started showing the Sin City commercials on a regular basis. Hot damn, is that going to be fucking cool also. I’ve only read “The Big Fat Kill” and “A Dame to Kill For,” but we’re getting more of the rest in the store soon. I think the movie is going to be those two and “The Hard Goodbye” and “That Yellow Bastard.” Can’t, can’t, can’t wait.

–

One of the things I love about not being single (aside from the fact that I’m with someone amazing) is that when it comes to your appearance, for the most part, it’s all up for grabs. There are some days where you can just go, “Hey, fuck it, I’m going to wear something godawful.” And there’s always something in your wardrobe that every girl you know thinks is just godawful.

For me, it’s the Cosby sweater.

I call it that because well, that’s what it looks like. I think it’s neat, for some reason, but every other woman I know hates it. For women, it’s like kryptonite. I mean, this thing is like pussy repellent. It doesn’t bother me any because hey, I’m all set. I’m more than set, I’m flying high and five by five.

Which is why I wore the Cosby sweater today.

, I remain…

So let’s get into some more of the nitty gritty of the past month.

Yes, I sold a bunch of comics. A little painful, but it got me a healthy sum of cash which I used for…well, for not a whole lot of important things. I bought the Buffy and Firefly with the money and paid some bills, and well I guess it only got that far. I kept a fair amount of what I had, and sold about 4 medium boxes worth of the most recent and most valuable stuff. I didn’t sell any of my Spider-Mans or Batmans (well, I did sell my whole run of Ultimate Spider-Man, the first 6 issues alone getting me $150 on eBay), and there is plenty of other crap that I don’t need but the store doesn’t really need either, so it’s kind of a bind.

Kenzie and I watched almost all of Buffy season 7 the weekend before last, staying up until 4am the last night she was here so we could watch the end of it. I was amused and delighted that she had the same problems with season 7 that I did. I almost felt bad about getting S7 before 4-6, but we watched a bunch of those already borrowed from a friend, and if I bought them now, well, it’s not like I’d be watching them any time soon so it almost seems kind of wasteful.

I’d forgotten what a terrific show Firefly was, and the unaired episodes made it all the more enjoyable. It makes me angry that such a great show was jerked around and then ultimately never given a real shot. I can’t wait until the movie comes out this September.

Things with Kenzie are simply the best. Happier than I’ve ever been, in fact. Meeting her family was fun, even though I made an ass out of myself dancing and being all drunk and everything, but apparently I was still remarkably charming and endearing. I suppose even doing the chicken dance couldn’t stop that. At least I stopped short of the electric slide. *shudder*

I wrote a new Winston & Churchill story by hand a transcribed it to Word, so now I’m in the processes of editing it. So we’ll see what happens now, as there are plenty of things about it I want to mess with. I’m generally happy with it, more so about the fact that I sat down and finished out the last part of it in a four-hour marathon writing session. I need to do more of that kind of thing, and now that my computer is back where it belongs I’ll be able to keep editing as well. I’ve got another W&C story that I kind of gave up on halfway through, but I’m now a bit more eager to go back and put the spurs to. It’ll be nice to get back into the groove of writing and editing again. I felt so hobbled and useless when it came to writing without my computer.

My haircut is nice and short, shorter than it’s probably ever been. I did some beard maintenance and shaving off of stuff as well. My beard trimmer gave up the ghost on me, so I had to make some changes. Hopefully, by the time my moustache and such grows back I’ll be able to get a new one. Maybe pictures to come.

So all in all, things are pretty damn good. I’m happy, I’m in a good place, and all things are close to proceeding as planned.

Alpha male, I remain…

So yeah, my computer is back to the land of the living. I’ll be writing a more deatiled report of my exploits this February, but let’s say for right now that a lot of fun was had. Kenzie and I spent oodles of time together, including this past weekend at her mom’s wedding, where I met a vast majority of her extended family, which was real nice. I sold a bunch of my comics, bought Buffy season 7 and Firefly, cut off a bunch of my hair, bought some nice clothes, got ready to make some major changes of the floor plan at work, finished a short story (for the first time in maybe five years or so) and had all kinds of other adventures.

So yeah, it’s been a hoot.

So we now return you to our regularly scheduled yelling, ranting, bitching, moaning, musing, pondering and brilliance.

Back in the fold, I remain…