It’s about 12:40 am right now and it is still warm in the house.  All I can think about is how hot it is supposed to be tomorrow.  I can’t think how I’m going to keep cool tomorrow.  Should I go to the mall?  Should I see a movie?  Should I walk around Fry’s Electronics until I can’t stand being there any longer?

Speaking of Fry’s Electronics, I stopped by there after work.  There seemed to be a mad rush of people buying the $400-$600 portable air conditioning units displayed in the center aisle.  It was almost an end-of-the-world-I’m-going-to-get-mine-and-I’ll-kill-you-if-you-look-at-me-funny sort of rush.  The heat makes you do crazy things, I suppose.

I wish I could be like Tiana is in the photo.  I wish I could break out the inflatable pool, fill it up with water from the hose, and just lay there in the water.  

Come to think of it, who says I can’t do it?

What's your favorite drink or cocktail? What's in it?

Question submitted by charm.vox.com

When I gt in the mood, I like to take a trip to Long Island with a Long Island Ice Tea.  There are variations on this drink, but basic ingredients are:

1 part vodka
1 part tequila
1 part rum
1 part gin
1 part triple sec
1 1/2 parts sweet and sour mix
1 splash Coca-Cola®

(The above provided by Drinksmixer.com)

After three of these I’m a happy camper.  If I had to choose another beverage it would be nice pint of Guinness Beer.

Paris Hilton

"It will surprise a lot of people because there's real artistry coming from Paris."

This above quote is about Paris, France, right?

No, the article is talking about Paris Hilton and her catchy pop-reggae-island-beat song that is playing all over the airwaves.  I’ve seen the glimpses of the video on VH1 so many times - but I haven’t been able to sit through the whole thing.

Just goes to show you: anyone in the digital age can be made a singer.

Those guys in Yahoo! Japan get all the fun, don’t they?  I found this video while surfing YouTube.  I never heard of the guy or the show, but hey, I don’t watch much Japanese television.

I was happy that there was a version with English subtitles.  I guess the user Bakafish takes the time to subtitle these little adventures.  If you want to watch more hilarity, do a search on YouTube for Bakafish and Hard Gay.

Who is your favorite Muppet? Why?

QotD submitted by knitwitology.vox.com.

Fozzie the Bear of course! “Wocka Wocka Wocka!"  I just love Fozzie’s sense of humor and he always is happy. 

Who doesn’t love the bear?

I never really watched the show that often, but fell for Fozzie in the first Muppet movie.  C’mon, the song ‘Moving Right Along’ was a classic for that movie!

Plus, Fozzie has (at least from what I remember) always been the loyal friend.  Loyalty is big in my book for a Muppet! 

A close runner up: the always loveable Beeker!

What's the one CD that will totally remind you of the Summer of 2006?

Pearl Jam

Has the Summer of 2006 come and gone already?  Well, if I had to choose a CD for this summer, it would be Pearl Jam’s self titled release.  This CD was a return for Pearl Jam of sorts, at least to my ears.

The last CD I fully listen of theirs was 1998’s Yield.  Yield was a fine album, but I think I only remember two tracks from that album!

This one is chock full of rockin’ tunes.  Pick it up when you can.

So, you don’t need talent to draw comics any longer?   I saw this article on CNet’s site.  It seems a company, working with Marvel Comics, gives users the ability to create their own Marvel Comic!  Wow, where was this when I was younger.

I always fancied myself a good comic book plotter, but not a dialog writer, and certainly not an artist.  If only there was a program where I could provide an outline for a comic book, and then a program can come up with words to express my creation.  Better yet, a program that can produce a movie script in the same fashion!

Oh, the endless possibilities.

Sony PSP white is coming originally uploaded by puckman

So this was a controversial ad for the new Sony PSP white?  When looking at the series of ads, it doesn’t seem too provacative.  (Click on the photo to see more from “puckman’s” Flickr page.) CNET Story

Farrah and I are doing the AIDS Walk in San Francisco next Sunday.  Care to donate (sponsor us) on our walk?

Click here to donate for Farrah.
Click here to donate for me.

Now, online donations are a minimum of $25.  If you wish to make a donation by check, please make it out to ‘AIDS Walk San Francisco’.  Cash donations are welcome as well.

At Home With Evel Knievel Originally uploaded by cheesebikini

I saw this link on the CNN front page.  It goes to a story about a childhood hero I had by the name of Evel Knievel.  Now frequent readers may or may not know about Evel, but the story talks about how Evel is doing now and what a toll his stunts took.

I remember watching Evel on television and on film.  I think he was on ABC’s Wide World of Sports at times, and maybe even had some prime time specials.  I’m sure he was the inspiration for the Fonz (from Happy Days) jumping over garbage cans and a shark in separate episodes. I remember Evel with his motorcycle jumping over buses and the Snake River Canyon.  I think, if I recall correctly, watching films of him at my elementary school during the summer.  (But my favorite film during that time in my life was The Doberman Gang.  I wonder if it’s on DVD?)

Anyway, it’s tough to read about a guy - a daredevil - like this being in so much pain.  But he seems to be hanging in there:

"No king or prince has lived a better life," he says. "You're looking at a guy who's really done it all. And there are things I wish I had done better, not only for me but for the ones I loved."

I have an observation that seems to rarely fail me: action movies that are around ninety minutes in length rarely work.  The problem I have with this timeframe, in this genre, is the fact that there is usually more action then story development.  I like to be entertained as much as the next guy, but at least put a coherent story together, ok?

The only movie that comes to mind that works within this criteria is Under Siege. Yes, this film does star Steven Segal, but he is only on screen for half of the movie.  The other half is taken up by Tommy Lee Jones, who eats up each scene he is in.  There is also Big Trouble in Little China with Kurt Russell.  Big Trouble’s major problem for me was too much story in 99 minutes, but it was an entertaining film.

But now on to Charlize Theron in Aeon Flux.

The Netflix summary:

In the 25th century, a rampaging virus has forced the remnants of humanity into the seclusion of a last redoubt. But political conflict swirls within, and the climate is ripe for revolution. Aiming to hasten an uprising, the leader of the underground rebellion (Frances McDormand) dispatches acrobatic assassin Aeon Flux (Charlize Theron) to eliminate the government's top leader in this futuristic thriller based on the popular animated MTV show.

What I liked about the movie: The sci-fi / future slant.  I probably only watched one episode of the MTV cartoon, so I am by no means a Aeon Flux expert.  But I found the setting, and the sparse sets, to be beneficial to the movie’s flow.  Oh, it also doesn’t hurt the film seeing Charlize Theron in several tight-fitting costumes.

What I didn’t like about the movie: Very predictable.  After the first 15 minutes you are able to tell where certain characters are going to end up, and of course, what the eventual outcome will be.

Aeon Flux: ** out of 5

Events (things) tend to come in threes, don’t they?  Take these three recent events:

Exhibit A - chipped Batman cup.  My favorite drinking mug!  It was given to me as a birthday present from Lotte and Fina, o’ so many years ago.  It’s still usable, but my heart still sinks every time I see the chip.

Exhibit B - A nail in tire.  Ouch!  This nail is in Farrah’s front passenger-side tire.  I heard the moment it made impact while driving around town.  The tires are fairly new, which makes this more difficult to take.

Exhibit C - My dented laptop.  I dropped the PowerBook.  Yep, it slipped out of my hands.  It didn’t hit the carpet, but the 1 1/2 inch wide metal leg of my desk.  The accident also has caused the battery to not sit properly.  The damage appears to be more cosmetic then anything else - which garners a big sigh of relief.  But the PowerBook is only several month old!!!

There must be some good news around the corner, right?

Well, good news can come in groups of three as well. I had been having a drought on interviews lately.  But within a week I received one lead from a friend and I also received a response to a submitted application.  Score two for the good side!

Both opportunities yielded first and second round interviews.  Yes!  It does get better.  This past Monday I received a verbal offer!  It looks like I’ll be starting a new job some time next week.  I am very excited and very happy this opportunity.

I wanted to thank everyone for their support, encouragement, and the leads they provided me through these months of … inactivity.  I know we’ve all been there one time or another.  But If i had to characterize this break I’d have to say it was the most pleasant one I have had away from the workforce.