What James Knows
Ramblings of a 20-Something
I Accept This Challenge…From Myself
Aug 27th
So here’s the deal. I buy stuff. I buy stuff a lot. I usually spend between $100 and $200 on stuff each paycheck. This ranges from DVDs & Blu Rays to Books / Comics to Video Games. I’ve been trying to cut down a little bit and give myself an allowance of sorts. Today I thought about it and decided that I would give myself a challenge. What if I tried to avoid buying anything (aside from essentials like food and bills and whatnot) until my wedding day? I’m getting married on October 10th. 10/10/10. That’s about six weeks from now. Can I last six weeks resisting any sales that I may see along the way?
I think I’ll have one exception to this challenge though. If I get anything for free then that’s OK. Anything I may win from a contest is fair game. I’m currently torn on SwapaDVD though. I’m still going to be trading DVDs through the site and as a result I’ll be getting credits. These are of no cost to me so they technically fall into the “free” territory. I have a wishlist on the site and it’s set up to automatically request anything that comes in stock on that list. Should I turn this feature off to avoid getting DVDs from here too? I’m not paying for any DVDs that may come out of there as a result since it’s a trading marketplace kind of thing.
Aside from that, I’m going to hopefully tackle this challenge. It will give me six weeks to catch up on some of the media that’s in my backlog before the wedding. Then I can go back to my regularly scheduled habits, hopefully with a budget in mind.
CSI: Case of the Week vs. Character Development
Aug 25th
Monica and I just finished up seasons 2 and 3 of CSI. We had watched the first season some time ago and liked the show enough to continue it. After plowing through these two seasons though, it has become evident that the writers of the show are not interested in character development at all. Each episode is the perfect example of the “Case of the Week” type of show. This plagued the first seasons of shows like Smallville
Case in point, the last episode of the second season introduced the idea that Grissom (William Peterson) had a genetic disease that would result in the eventual loss of hearing. This wouldn’t have been that bad but it came completely out of nowhere without a hint of anything like this. It was like the writers realized this was the season finale and needed to do something to actually grow the characters so they tossed in this thing with Grissom. The episode starts and he’s at a doctor’s office like he’s been there a dozen times before.
This continues into the third season only their attempts are a little better. They have a handful of scenes where Grissom has a hard time hearing someone throughout the episodes. Then at the end of the season, completely out of the blue, Sara (Jorja Fox) asks Grissom out on a date like she had her eye on him since she showed up THREE YEARS AGO. Also, Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) finds out some guy is her dad in a horribly acted scene? Sure. Just go with it. They need to stuff a whole season of character development in a single episode.
I think that CSI is the one show that can get away with doing the “Case of the Week” type of show with minimal or just no character development. The show works. It’s entertaining and the lack of an overlying arc doesn’t make the show boring at all. I wonder if this is why the show has done so well in the ratings for so long.
The Dark Knight’s Babe Magnet
Aug 23rd
There’s a reason that I try to bring my camera with me wherever I go. If I spot something interesting, I can take a quick snapshot and share it with everyone here. A few weeks ago I was driving home from work when I was behind a black Corvette at a stop light. When I got closer I got a better look at the license plate.
Yes, that says “BAT VET.” I bet that guy gets tons of ass.
James’ Adventure to the Redneck Pep Boys of Maryland
Aug 1st
As I mentioned earlier, my Check Engine light came on on the way down to Maryland. It had come on about a month or two months ago and I had the front O2 sensor replaced. I was warned at that time that the catalytic converter could be damaged and to keep an eye on the light. Sure enough, it came on during the trip. I wanted to be on the safe side so I brought it to a Pep Boys to have it checked out and to make sure that I could drive the car the 200 miles or so home.
I’ve never been to a Pep Boys before but the ones I’ve seen have appeared to be somewhat bright and clean. The one near the hotel though was dirty, old, and disgusting. I get there just before they open and walk back to the service section. I’m the second one on line but there’s no one to help us yet. While we’re waiting for someone to come by, another guy and an old lady show up to get stuff for their cars. Finally this guy shows up and takes care of the first woman. He was expecting someone else to be in to take care of her but that guy isn’t here and she’ll have to come back tomorrow.
I’m about to talk to the service rep when the little old lady hops up and starts going on about opening an account and a busted oil pan and all this nonsense. The rep had no idea what she was talking about but after she was rattling on for a couple minutes I think I figured it out. I chime in that I think she thinks she needs to open a credit card account in order to get her car serviced. I explain to her that she doesn’t need to do that and can instead just bring the car in and they’ll fix it. She asks “Well, how am I going to pay for it then?” and I tell her she can use cash or another credit card and this appears to boggle her feeble old mind. She’s sent up front to look for a credit application.
Finally, I get help. The guy takes me to the garage area and asks a technician to find out what’s up with my check engine light. I had hope I would get the other technician, but I got the shady looking hillbilly I saw come in earlier. This guy was stick-thin, had grey hair and I think a crazy eye. Plus he talked like he just came up from Alabama or something.
I pull my car around and “Simon” goes to work. I explain the situation and how I just want to make sure that the car is safe to drive home. He says (and I quote), “You know you can just take the train back to New York. I did that once. I took the train all the way to Madison Square Garden. Those trains go wicked fast.” I am speechless at this. I try to make small talk with people in the service industry or at least joke around with them. I’m powerless against someone like Simon. He doesn’t get my jokes and he weirds me out a little bit.
It seems the problem the same thing that set the light off last time: a catalytic converter inefficiency. They turn the light off and I’m given the OK to head home with no charge. I head out of there as fast as I can, away from this slightly ghetto area of Maryland and into a somewhat less ghetto part.
Reason #8,567 Why I Love Monica
Jul 27th
We had a room with two beds while we were in Maryland. This was because the rooms with one bed were either all taken or smoking rooms. We obviously can only use one bed at a time. On our first night there, Monica is laying in bed #1, turns to me and says with a giddy look on her face “Do you want to sleep in this bed tonight and the other one tomorrow?”
I love this girl. We’re getting married in less than three months.
They’re All Going to Be Somebody
Jul 26th
I apparently had nothing to do this past weekend so I went to Maryland. Just like that. Well, not really. I planned it ahead of time. Joe Ripple was holding open auditions for his upcoming film Jebediah. Stewie was going to be there along with a few other people from the HorrorTalk board and I was really interested in seeing the whole process at work so Monica and I trekked down to the Baltimore area on Friday night. On the way down, my check engine light came on again. (More on this later in a separate blog post.)
We got in late on Friday and crashed. Auditions started up at 9 the next morning. Monica went to try out the gym while I met Stewie and a few new faces (to me at least) downstairs. Joe, whom I’ve only spoken to online and on the phone once, walked by as I said Hello. Stewie said “Hey Joe, do you know who that is?” Joe turned back and said “I know who you are” and gave me a hug. It was sweet…and a little creepy. This would become the theme for the rest of the weekend. Fun!
Joe also asked me to read for a part which I politely declined to do (although he asked a few more times). I told him that I’m interested in coming down to see a day or two of shooting but our schedule is going to be too hectic in September when he’s planning to being production. We’ll have a month before the wedding and I’ll be crazy trying to keep Monica from losing her mind.
I’ve never seen open auditions before. This was an interesting process. People filled out their release form and then picked out a character to read for. Then they waited on line to be called in to a room with Joe, a couple of the actors that have already been cast, and a few other local directors to read. This went on all day. Stewie and I BS’ed throughout the day while we helped out. It was actually pretty cool.
We went out to Chili’s for dinner and I got to chat up Zig from HT for a bit about video stuff. I got some pointers on music videos that I will have to put to good use in the coming weeks for a project I’m working on for the Neon Gloworms.
The next day was more of the same but I made sure to get some pictures.
Monica and I ended up leaving around 3 or 4 to head home. We drove right through a crazy big storm. I’m really glad that we went down there even if we just hung out for a couple days. It’s stuff like this that reminds me that I have great friends that just live too far away. If only I could wrangle up all these people and keep them in a large prison like building and force them to hang out with me all the time. Then life would be so grand.
Goodbye Cable. Now Leave Me Alone!
Jul 20th
About a month ago I officially cut the cord. I received a notice from Cablevision telling me that my Triple Play deal (Phone, Cable, and Internet for $100 a month) was coming to an end. I wasted no time and called Cablevision to cancel my phone and cable. I had no real use for them anymore. We held on to the phone because we sent out wedding invites with our number on them. Absolutely no one called us so we didn’t see a need to hold on to the service. Plus we barely watch TV especially now that LOST is over.
My call was quickly answered and the guy on the other end tried to convince me to keep the services. He offered to extend the Triple Play deal which was tempting but I’d still be dropping an extra $50 for services I wasn’t using. He asked what I would be doing for cable, even basic. I explained that I purchased a digital antenna so I get the basic channels for free and I’ve hooked up a computer to my Television to watch things like Hulu and YouTube whenever I want. He didn’t have much of an answer to that. When asked about phone service, I pointed out that both myself and my fiancee had cell phones. The cable guy asked what I would do if the network went down. I told him if I needed to get in touch with anyone I would email them because I’d still have Internet service.
So with that, my service was turned off. My $100 bill was now half that. Despite what they said on their site, the Internet service isn’t $30 a month. That offer is only available for new customers even though they were ready to offer me the Triple Play deal and free HBO.
Fast forward to last week. I’ve now been without phone or cable for about 4 weeks and I haven’t noticed a change in my day-to-day activities. Friday afternoon I get a call from Cablevision. The woman on the line asks me what I’m doing for phone and cable. I explain my situation just like I did when I canceled the service. She allegedly didn’t know what Hulu was or that you can watch complete episodes of TV shows online for free whenever you want. I suggested she check it out. I also pointed out that I canceled the service less than a month ago and she had no real reply to that so the call was ended. Is Cablevision that unorganized that they’re calling me so quick after canceling? Or is this how their sales team works?
Let Hollywood Remake the World and Then Make a Sequel To It
Jul 19th
I got into an argument of sorts on Twitter with a friend from college. The topic of the debate was remakes, specifically the announcement that Hollywood is planning a remake of Gremlins. I am of the opinion that it doesn’t matter what movies get remade or what sequels to classics get pushed out of the studios. Hollywood is going to keep making these movies because they make money. It’s a fact. What I don’t understand are the reactions from people that seem personally offended that one of their favorite films is being remade. Why is this? Why do you care?
The fact of the matter is that despite a film being remade, it won’t in any way shape or form change your opinion of the original. It’s not as if when a remake comes out they destroy all copies of the original and erase the memories of the original from the minds of everyone that’s seen it. It still exists as its own movie just as the remake will exist. That doesn’t change the slew of anger-filled tweets and Facebook statuses that pop up whenever a new remake is announced though. Let’s remake everything. If it ever turned a profit, it should be remade now. Let’s remake Casablanca starring Zac Efron and Miley Cyrus directed by Brett Ratner. Make a sequel to Citizen Kane featuring his long lost son played by Andy Samberg. Who cares? The originals will still be held in such high regard. Plus when people find out it’s a remake or a sequel, they might be interested in seeing the original, thus opening them up to these classics that you love.
While on the topic of remakes, I’ve also heard people spout off about how there’s never been a good remake. That’s bullshit. John Carpenter’s The Thing? Remake. The Maltese Falcon starring Humphrey Bogart? That was the 4th time they made that movie. Ocean’s Eleven? The original starred Frank Sinatra!
Bottom line is, does anyone really care? Hollywood is going to keep pumping these movies out because they make money. The moment a remake doesn’t make money, they’ll rethink their current strategy. If it’s a remake of a film that you cherish and you’re offended at the very idea that Hollywood would reimagine it, then don’t see it. You have that power. Use it.
Watching Movies at Random
Jul 10th
As you may know, I have quite a few DVDs to watch. I buy rather than rent and as a result a lot of the DVDs I pick up contain content that I’ve never seen before. These blind buys are put to the side on a separate shelf for me to check out at a later date. I’ve been slowly working through them as it takes a helluva lot longer to watch each DVD than it does to buy them.
To make matters easier, I decided to put all the movies I haven’t yet watched into a list on Google Docs. Instead of combing through the shelf thinking about what I feel like watching, I open up this list and Random.Org and have it pick out a movie for me. So far I’ve knocked about a dozen or so films off this list. It’s sizable and there’s still quite a bit to go but I feel more organized now.
Please note, this list doesn’t include the TV series that I haven’t watched yet. Those represent an entire other shelf but they take a lot longer to get through than the movies.
The Adventure of Monica Talking in Her Sleep: Volume 1
Jul 5th
From time to time, Monica talks in her sleep. She rarely remembers it when I tell her about it in the morning, but it happens. She’s asked me to try to write some of these down so what better place to do it than here?
Just the other night, Monica got to bed before me. I stayed up and played Uncharted 2
That’s my girl.
