Shameless fanboyism!

OK, so I admit it, I'm a Trekkie. Tonight, I finally went to see the new Star Trek. The verdict: WOW. Allow me to elaborate:

The casting was terrific. A mix of unknowns and b-listers, the cast selection was excellent. The actors played their parts well, and the absence of Shatner-esque overacting was refreshing (no offense Bill, I still love your work!). I liked that it was easy to tell who was who, and the mannerisms and personalities of the characters all fit.

The plot was great. I was a bit worried when things were getting farther and farther from the "established" Star Trek backstories, but throw in an alternant timeline or two and everything makes sense. And that's all I'm saying.

The effects were mind-blowing! The Star Trek franchise has always been known for its visual effects, and this movie raises the bar considerably. There's some really, really cool stuff here, especially when one considers the legacy of the Original Series of Star Trek, which this film is set just before. The Enterprise is lavishly detailed and intricate, and the Starfleet Academy and Shipyard are both terrific. I was particularly impressed by the shots of the Enterprise under construction at the shipyard drydock on Earth, and the sequence of the ship rising out of a dust cloud like a ninja stalking his next victim.

I'm intrigued by the vista of possibilities opened up by this movie. The writers have re-written the rulebook, just as Kirk did with the infamous Kobayashi Maru scenario. There had better be more movies, or possibly a new TV series, on the way, because this storyline is too good to just leave there. Go and see this movie, even if you're not a Star Trek fan. By the end of the movie, I can guarantee you will be!

Umm, yeah. I haven't exactly been posting lately. Honestly, blogging hasn't been high on the priority list for me lately. I'm going to try to blog more, since I know that there are actually people who read this (or used to, anyway) and who are frustrated. I'll write a nice long post soon, I promise... and try to post weekly, as a minimum.

Later

Life with cats, in a nutshell:

more animals

So true...

more animals

Sigh of relief...

Ahhhh, the government un-fucked themselves, and now we can probably afford to get married. Next step: we negotiate prices with the caterer...

OK, so it's a day late, but it's funny!

OK, this is one of the funniest Muppet videos EVER. This one is for you, mom.

The first days of the rest of my life.

So, for those EXTREMELY few friends of mine who don't know yet, I proposed to Jessie on Saturday, in front of our entire combined family and many friends. I'm engaged. So, I will, someday soon, be a married man. And I couldn't possibly be happier.

I love you, Jess. And I always will.

Uncluttering my life: Phase I

When I was helping Jessie clean out our spare room tonight, it struck me just how much crap I have. The really depressing part is that I have a helluva lot of it here and that's just a start. The shitpile still living (and probably creating sentient lifeforms somewhere in its depths) in my parents' basement is easily three times what would fit into this house. Yikes.

So, I have gleaned a few choice tips from one of the top personal organization sites on the web, 43folders.com. I have made up my resolve to get this house shipshape by the date of Jessie's graduation party. And, a huge help, I've been promoted to a job at head office, where I only work 40 hours a week and have a regular schedule, as opposed to the airport shift-work of the past 5 months, which has taken its toll in the form of crabbiness, irritability and constant fatigue.

Now, gentle readers, I invite you to bear witness to the transformation of this chronically disorganized pack-rat into a reformed, organized neat-freak. I will do my best to journal my activities regularly here, and I invite anyone with advice to comment!

Next tasks:
1. Finish cleaning spare room (clothes to goodwill, books to secondhand store/Scouts' book sale, sweep floors, store office supplies in some logical manner yet to be determined). (Edit 9-6-08: DONE!)
2. Fold/put away ALL clothing in the bedroom, and get the bedroom back to normal (that table down to the basement for laundry folding at the source...)
3. Sweep/wash ALL floors in the house. This is my major housecleaning chore... which I too often put off. (Edit 9-6-08: Jessie did this yesterday, bless her!)
4. Photograph all unused furniture currently stored in the basement and post on craigslist and/or freecycle, with toss deadline
5. Clean up the basement as soon as unused furniture is out, to make room for proper use (storage shelves/hooks/bins, proper laundry area, proper repair/craft area)

I'll update as each is finished.

Geekdom has its advantages...

I just got finished putting my laptop back together with some replacement parts ordered from Parts-People.com, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for replacement parts for a Dell computer, by the way. I needed to change my screen's plastic casing and bezel, which is now done. My total cost for the parts and tools required was about $75.00, which is about $175.00 less than sending it to Dell for repair would have cost, and $150.00 less than taking it to a local laptop repair facility. Having the ability to do it myself is goooooooood.

Enter the ICHC online Poker Cats Contest!

Hockey high.

Jessie and I were having a discussion in the car this evening, on our way home from seeing a sneak preview of The Other Boleyn Girl, and our discussion led to NHL hockey, and the usefulness of professional sport. While we agree to disagree on whether professional sports in general (and the NHL in particular)are useful to society, I got to thinking. My inquiring mind suddenly asked, "Why do we watch pro sports anyway?" I use hockey as an example mostly because it's my favourite sport to watch, and the one I follow most closely.

So what draws us to watch a bunch of millionaires play a game? Why do we spend billions of dollars each year on tickets, merchandise, and the like for our favourite teams? Why do we celebrate our team's victories as if they were our personal triumphs, why do their defeats cause as much anguish as the death of a family member? After all, it's just a bunch of guys skating around after a little bit of frozen rubber. What's all the fuss about anyway? More ruminations to follow...

I need all the help I can get!

Jess and I are joining a gym and eating healthier in the new year, in an effort to get into shape...and we've enlisted some help...


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