What James Knows

I think the search for an officiant is officially over. Monica and I went up to Wappingers Falls two weeks ago to meet with the Justice of the Peace there. Then we got stood up. We had some miscommunication it seemed. I thought I was meeting the Judge at his home but the address he gave me was his office. We waited for a bit but no one showed up.

So we made an appointment to meet Judge Chase last Saturday. He’s a pretty nice guy and he went over the ceremony and what we’d need to do. Monica and I are still a little weary about it though because we don’t have a contract really because he doesn’t do that. We’re in his schedule now and we have his word but Monica wants stuff in writing. Plus the fact that we had a complete mix up the week before doesn’t help matters. I’m optimistic though.

One thing I thought was pretty funny was that the Judge suggested a few things to do during the ceremony including this one where we’d each pour a vile of colored sand into a vase to represent how our separate lives are joining together as one or some other crap. I had my own thoughts about it but I held my tongue until we left. As soon as we were out I said “We’re not doing any of that stuff, right?” and Monica said “Of course not. Sand? Really?” I love this girl.

Tags: Wedding

I often buy used books. They’re cheaper and the quality of the book doesn’t bother me. As long as it’s in one piece and all the pages are there, I’m good. I’m obviously a lot more critical of DVDs and video games, but books can be beat up and still work fine. It’s just paper. One of my regular haunts when searching for used books are library book sales. You can usually get a bunch of good stuff for 50 cents or a dollar a piece. They had one in Ossining a few months ago and I picked up a couple of Isaac Asimov books. I had read The Robots of Dawn last year so I was interested in checking out more by Asimov.

Yesterday morning I picked up I, Robot (one of the aforementioned Asimov books) and something fell out of it. It was a gift certificate to the Palisades Center Mall that expired 5 years ago. I can’t read the name on the “A Gift For” section but it looks like this was from Pete. Pete dropped $30 on this gift certificate and Huddle? never used it. Poor Pete. Anyway, I took the book to work and when it came time for lunch I went downstairs and popped it open. That’s when the second prize fell out in the form of 4 wallet size photos of some kid.

I just started cracking up. What a bizarre find. Look at that kid’s smug face! And the background? No lasers? Such a disappointment. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with this. The gift certificate is going in the garbage but I almost feel like putting the pictures on my refrigerator. If anyone asks I’ll tell them it’s my buddy Pete. Although I might get a call from Dateline…

Tags: Used Books

I’m going to warn you now. This blog post is going to take the long way around. Let’s take you back for a minute. When Monica moved in with me about a year and a half ago, I made a big deal about the fact that her DVDs had been adopted into my DVD collection. I took the good (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) with the bad (Bridget Jones’ Diary) and I treated them like any other DVD that was in my collection, except for the fact that they were immune to possible trading. As a result, the DVDs that I hadn’t seen made their way to my “To Watch” pile. That’s the other thing. I separate my DVDs. On one side are the ones I’ve seen and the other side (more specifically in a corner) are the DVDs that I haven’t seen yet. Despite the fact that I had little to no interest in watching Bring It On it still ended up on the “To Watch” shelf because I hadn’t seen it.

So this is how I ended up watching Sex and the City. Continue Reading »

Tags: DVD, DVD Collection, Sex and the City

I’ve left most of my recent car troubles out of the blog as of late, mostly because I didn’t know what would happen next. I’ll provide a brief rundown now because I think it’s just about done.

As you may know, I was rear-ended on Halloween. That was almost three months ago. Fortunately, no major injuries seemed to be sustained. I had some whiplash in my neck which went away, but Monica has had some back troubles since. It comes and goes but she’s been seeing doctors to hopefully make everything OK.

My car was a different matter. The rear end wasn’t demolished by any means. It looked like some minor dents and scratches but I don’t know much about cars. When we were hit, my car was pushed into a pickup truck that was stopped in front of us. There was no noticeable damage to the front end of my car, but when I moved it it sounded weird.

I brought my car in to J & B Bodyworks where I brought my car in when I was in an accident earlier in 2009. Geico went and looked at the car and work began. While the car was in the shop, I was driving a rental car from Enterprise. About a week later I was informed that there was some incremental work being done on the car. This was in addition to the original estimate. From what I understand, when they took the bumper off to start working they found more stuff that needed to be fixed. OK. It’s all covered so let’s get this done.

Then weeks went by. All the while I’m driving this rental car that I’m not really a fan of. Thanksgiving comes and goes and then finally after a full month, I get my car back. I was so excited to get it back and I get in and start it up and it still doesn’t sound right. Sure, the whole rear end looks fantastic but there’s still a noise or a vibration in the front right side of the car. I don’t know how else to explain it.

A few days go by and I bring the car back to J&B. I explain the issue and they look at it that day. They say that it was an issue with the tire balance and they re-balanced them for me. Great. I pick up the car and the noise is still there.

Dave took a look under the hood while he and Jess were up here and he suggested it might be the engine mounts. So, that weekend I bring my car into my regular mechanic for an oil change. While the car is there, I ask him to look the car over to see if he can find the cause of the vibration. It was determined that the lower ball joint had play and the drive belts were making noise and the engine mounts were OK. Geico wouldn’t cover this as it was seen as normal wear and tear on the vehicle. Fine. I’ll gladly pay for it if it means getting my car back to normal.

Then I get the car back and the vibration is still there. I’m still weirded out by it so I bring it back to the mechanic. I ask him to look at the mounts and they are cracked and lowered by about a half inch or so. I get Geico to look at it and they cover a portion of it. They can’t cover the whole thing because apparently I’m right at the threshold for having to declare the car totaled.

I get my car back this time and the sound is a little less but the vibration is still present. The next morning I clean snow off of the car and lean on the front bumper while doing so. The vibration stops. I let go and the vibration starts up again. How is it that I can make such a discovery and two different car places couldn’t find this?

At this point I don’t know what to do. I don’t think it’s that much of an issue however the vibration is very annoying to me. Do I bring the car back to the mechanic and see if he can fix it? What of the body shop? Do I try to get Geico involved again? Then the car might be declared totaled and the word “Salvaged” will be sprawled across the title of my car which will make it a real pain in the ass when I want to get a new car. I hate that I paid my car off in full at the beginning of 2009 and since then it’s been in two accidents. I just want it to be OK. Is that so much to ask?

Tags: Car, Car Trouble

There are only a handful of really funny shows on TV right now in my opinion. These include, but are not limited to the likes of 30 Rock, Glee, and How I Met Your Mother. That being said, HIMYM is not a show that I watch as it airs. That’s because I’m still behind and I’m just now getting the opportunity to catch up on previous episodes through the wonders of DVD. I don’t remember how I got into the show, but Monica and I plowed through the first two seasons on DVD so we were eager to check out the next DVDs. We went through the third season in less than a week.

How I Met Your Mother is a very funny show but with a couple major flaws. The whole premise of the show is that in 2030 this guy is telling his kids the story of how he met their mother. Sounds OK, right? Well, it is except that the entire show should theoretically end when he meets the woman that will eventually give birth to his kids. The show isn’t called How I Met and Fell in Love With Your Mother, Got Married and Had You Kids. That title is just far too long. So, with this logic in place, any relationship that Ted (the main character) gets into is doomed to fail because we already know based on the show’s title and premise that he doesn’t end up with any of these girls. As a result, I don’t give a crap about any of his relationships. I just can’t bring myself to do so.

Another big problem with the show is that I hate Ted. Seriously, he’s one of the most annoying and stupid characters I’ve seen on Television. Plus he makes some of the absolute worst decisions I’ve ever seen. What really doesn’t help Ted is his friends, most notably the legendary Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) who steals every single scene he’s in. When Barney is through, Marshall (Jason Segal) is taking what’s left leaving Ted with little to nothing to work with. It’s actually a little sad.

Anyway, despite these two huge problems, this show is hilarious, not to mention incredibly well-written. The writing is very smart and each episode has a unique quirk to it with pieces falling together almost seamlessly. Sometimes it’s little things like a framed newspaper headline in a scene in the future in Marshall’s office that reads “NYC Lawyer Discovers Nessie” which ties in to a previous storyline. Other times though, it’s the shape of an entire episode as was the case with “The Platinum Rule” where 4 stories are told almost simultaneously that each exist a year apart. That’s just impressive.

This season’s episodes were pretty damn funny and this DVD is pretty good as well. There are commentaries, deleted scenes, and a personal favorite: an unrated gag real. There’s also a music video for both “Sandcastles in the Sand” the follow-up to Robin Sparkles Canadian Hit “Let’s Go to the Mall” as well as a video for Marshall’s “You Just Got Slapped” which is a song that’s been stuck in my head for days.

If I can catch up on this season of How I Met Your Mother, I’d consider watching the episodes as they air. I can’t guarantee that because of how I’ve viewed the show already. I think it would be tough to make that transition. I’d go from plowing through an entire season, watching episodes back-to-back-to-back to watching one every week with commercials. That just doesn’t seem that fun. If the show continues to be this consistently funny I’d at least give it a try on-air. Every episode of this season had me literally laughing out loud.

Rating:

Tags: DVD, How I Met Your Mother, Review

It’s no secret that 2009 kind of sucked for me. I think it started out alright but then it got mediocre and then it ended like a horrible foreign film. I stopped writing the daily blog but I had some resolutions. I dug them up and here’s what I had.

1. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.
2. Write for at least 30 minutes a day (excluding blogs and reviews)
3. Learn how to play the guitar (seriously this time)
4. Get a handle on my finances and save enough to buy a house within the next year or so
5. Actually film something.

Of those I’ve sort of accomplished two of them but not to my standards yet. What did I do this year? Yes, I went on two vacations, both of which were actually very fun and I’m glad I went on those. The rest of the year just went by and looking at that list makes me sort of depressed. I can’t remember the last time I exercised. Every time I’ve thought about working out in the past few months something happens like I get into a car accident. Writing sort of went out the window, but I’ve been constantly brainstorming scenes and bits in my head. I’m just too lazy to actually write them out. I should try out the tape recorder in my camera and try to get some of those thoughts out. Or maybe use my newly acquired Google Voice number to call myself and leave a voicemail for it to transcribe.

The guitar is an instrument that I’ve had an interest in for years, ever since I first heard Led Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker.” I took lessons in 10th or 11th grade from a friend of mine but didn’t do much after that. Then I toyed with a CD ROM occasionally but the instrument has sat in a corner gathering dust for the year. Sad really. I don’t even know what I’d do with the knowledge of playing if I learned. It’s not like I’m going to join a band or something. I just want to learn to play the guitar because I want to learn how to play the guitar.

The finance thing I’m somewhat on top of. I’ve increased the amount of money I’ve put into savings. Monica and I are aiming to buy a house in the summer of 2011, however we’ve got that wedding to plan and save for in October that will make a dent in our savings. I’m optimistic about it and hope to have enough to at least put a down payment down by then.

Then we come to the film stuff. I’ve used my camera a few times but mostly for blog stuff like showcasing our new apartment. I’ve also filmed performances from the Neon Gloworms a few times and I’m slowly putting some footage together for a music video for them. This isn’t up to what I’d like to be doing yet though. Those aforementioned ideas that have been kicking around in my head for months need to come out and get on film…or digital whatever-you-call-it. Even if I can make a brief 2 minute video to toss up on YouTube so some random visitor can call me retarded, I’ll be happy.

So with all this said, I don’t think I’m going to make any New Year’s resolutions this time around. I’ve had enough. I think that I’m just going to go into 2010 with some positive thinking because honestly the year cannot be worse than how 2009 ended up. I’ve got some good things going like the wedding and work is going really well. 2010 may not be the year we make contact or the year we get flying cars and robot maids, but I’m looking forward to it regardless.

Tags: 2009, New Years Resolutions

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of zombies. Whether it’s books, video games, or movies, I dig the undead (pun intended). So when I heard of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I thought it would be awesome. Granted, I’ve never read Pride and Prejudice, nor have I ever had any interest in doing so, but any book is bound to be better with zombies. It has to be.

Except this wasn’t. I’m about a third of the way through the book now and I’m not going to lie. It’s going to be a struggle to get through those last two thirds. I don’t think it’s the zombies though. I think it’s Jane Austen. I just don’t care about the story. I don’t give a shit about how Mr. Darcy isn’t a gentleman or what is proper in ye olde England. Give me the zombies! The only mention of the undead is on occasion. You have to sift through several paragraphs before one is brought up and then it’s just a passing reference like “Elizabeth entered the ball after dispatching with some unmentionables outside. Now to dance or talk about dancing or something else equally boring.”

I know that Pride and Prejudice is supposed to be some classic piece of literature, but if that’s the case then it is one boring piece of literature. My outlook of the book so far makes me less likely to give Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters a read through because odds are it will be just as snore-inducing with the occasional mention of a Kraken or something.

Tags: Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

While shopping for groceries at BJ’s tonight I spotted a deal on a DVD box set I’ve had my eye on for a bit: The Batman Motion Picture Anthology. I thought the set had gone out of print and I was waiting for the inevitable re-release when I saw this for just $14.99. I snagged one immediately.

When I got home, Monica asked if I wanted to watch one of them. I suggested Batman Returns as it takes place during Christmas. We sat down to watch it which was the first time I’ve done so in I can’t remember how long. The movie came out in 1992 when I was 8 years old. I have a soft spot for comic book movies of all kinds and this one was extra special because it came out when I was all about comics as a kid. (Yes Mom, I know that I still have a bunch that are sitting over the garage that I have to get rid of.)

About halfway through the film, it struck me how this particular story of the Caped Crusader hasn’t aged well…at all. The suit is bulky and far too rubbery, Batman doesn’t seem to have many gadgets at his disposal and what he does use seems pretty unnecessary (elaborate bat signal signal in Wayne Manor?) and please don’t get me started on the Batmobile. At one point in time, this was held as not only a fantastic Batman and super hero film, but perhaps the best Batman film. The sequels certainly helped cement that status.

Maybe my tastes have changed over the years, but I think that now that we live in a world where things like The Dark Knight, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and numerous fantastic Batman comics that have come out in the last 10 years alone, there is barely a place for something like Batman Returns. I’m sure there is in the history books and stuff, but when compared to something like Batman Begins it’s almost no contest.

Don’t get me wrong, there are still several aspects of Returns that I love. The top of the list is Danny De Vito’s performance as The Penguin. While it wasn’t my favorite portrayal of the character (I’ve always been partial to the more recent misunderstood businessman and night club owner), De Vito was definitely the best part of the film. He was somehow despicable, charming, and pathetic all at the same time. I wanted to hate him, shake his hand and then wash it right away.

I’m sure that I’ll check out all of the features on this new 2 disc DVD as well as the commentary by director Tim Burton, but I guess Batman Returns is one of those movies that just can’t live up to the mantel I placed it on when I was a kid. Fortunately this is not the case for films like Ghostbusters and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Those will always be awesome. Cowabunga.

And another thing, are all of the scores to Tim Burton movies exactly the same or is it just me?

Tags: Batman, Batman Returns, Tim Burton

With our wedding less than a year away, Monica has officially entered panic mode. Things need to be done. Bullets are flying and people are dying. We’ve got a lot of stuff already taken care of. She has her dress. We have a location, a DJ, and a photographer. Save-The-Dates have been sent out and Monica has designed the invitations. One of the big things is now up to me. We have to find an officiant, someone to marry us.

My initial thought, which popped into my head out of the blue one day, was to ask my friend and former college roommate, Tom to get ordained online and perform the ceremony. Knowing him, he would do it if we asked. Plus, he’d finish the ceremony by pronouncing us man and wife and then giving us a big hug. All fun. Unfortunately, this online ordainment didn’t sit well in the eyes of his minister. I respect his beliefs and I didn’t want to push the issue.

With this development, Monica has tasked me to find an officiant. I haven’t a clue as to where to look. We received some names from bridal shows and from our reception hall, but nothing that’s affordable or at least within reason. The ceremony is going to be a half hour. I don’t see why I have to pay someone $600 to do that, especially if they stay for dinner. That seems way too expensive. Monica is concerned because of the potential popularity of our wedding date (10/10/10) that officiants will be booked up well in advance. I’ve got some calls to make, but I feel like officiants could handle a few of these a day and be all set. We’ll see though.

Tags: Minister, Wedding

I have to admit that I haven’t been very active on the blog as of late. I blame this on a variety of things. Mostly it’s video games though. I went from using my PS3 for about 80% DVD / Blu-Ray viewing and 20% video games to at least 50 / 50. I’ve become somewhat obsessed with the trophies in each game that I’ve played so far. I fully understand that it’s a somewhat meaningless endeavor, but damn is it fun.

In other news, Dave & Jess came up to visit this week. They arrived Sunday night and left this morning. Yesterday Monica and I took off from work to go gallivanting around the city with them in search of various chocolates. While we walked around downtown NYC in search of pizza (which proved entirely too difficult given the abundance of pizzerias in every other part of the city), I spotted this awesome piece of graffiti. Yes, that’s the phrase “Rock N Roll Grandma” spray painted in crazy graffiti font on a door. What could possibly be the reason for that? Needless to say, this fascinated me. I immediately imagined some tough thug-like guy with his tag of “Rock N Roll Grandma.” Don’t you dare mess with that guy. Of course, we soon found that he was no match for Dick Chicken.

We ended up stopping at 5 or 6 chocolate and candy places. I picked up some strawberry candy at papabubble and then I found something truly special. We went to Vosges Haut Chocolat where I purchased Mo’s Bacon Bar. It’s a chocolate bar with bacon. Monica and I just tried it and it’s…interesting. There are pieces of bacon in the chocolate and I don’t think my tastebuds knew what to do. It’s a similar experience to when I had a deep fried Oreo only this is better because it has bacon. Continue Reading »

Tags: Bacon, Dave & Jess, Dick Chicken, Graffiti, New York City