It's tough being a collector, especially on the pocketbook. That is why I'm always looking for cheats or shortcuts that will expand my collection without diminishing my bank account. Part of my collection is composed of mini-busts, and although I would like to increase the number of them in my collection, they are a bit pricey. (About $50 apiece for the ones I own). I've gotten a few in DVD boxed sets (eg. Neo from Matrix, Hellboy, Alien vs. Predator), and a few from my local comic book shop (eg. Ultimate Spider-Man, Green Goblin, Magneto, Cyclops, Venom, The Darkness). With this in mind, I've come to discover two great alternatives that fit the bill quite nicely. (Low cost, high quality). These are the Bust-Ups from Gentle Giant, and the Marvel Heroes Figure Factory from Toy Biz. Both these sets offer the quality of higher-end busts and statues, but at a scaled-down, lower-priced, do-it-yourself version. The Bust-Ups that I have are primarily Star Wars figures, but I do believe that they offer other lines as well. The Figure Factory sets are all Marvel superheroes, (although I've heard that a DC line is on the way!) and are all full-figures instead of just busts. Of the two, I prefer the Bust-Ups because they offer greater detail, but the Venom Figure Factory set is the coolest one in my collection, I think. And at $10 a set or less, you can't beat the quality to price ratio. See ladies, good things CAN come in small packages!
I've come to realize that there is a certain malaise that afflicts the owners of Apple's iPod MP3 players. That unhealthy malady is known as the need to accessorize. Being an iPod owner myself (4GB iPod Mini in Blue, and it's sooooo cute!) I'll be the first to admit to suffering from this debilitating disease. I've purchased various skins and other forms of protection for my iPod, god forbid that it get scratched, as well as the iTrip FM transmitter for maximum portability when on the road. (I've got to have my tunes!) I even bought the iDog (pictured above) because I thought it was cool! My brother recieved the 512MB iPod Shuffle, and I have seen the symptoms in him as well. At work, I was not the first to have an iPod, but I believe I was the one who made it popular as a form of work entertainment. (God bless the iTrip). There are now 4 iPod owners at work. Yesterday I accompanied a friend to the Apple store in Brea to have his iPod checked out because it wasn't working. Long story short, it turns out there was nothing wrong with his iPod other than he needed a new charger. So, he bought a dock for his girlfriend's Nano, and an iTrip for his. (While I was there I picked up a charger for my brother's Shuffle, as well as a carrying case!) And today he told me he bought a charger for his iPod and an iTrip for his girlfriend's Nano...You see people?? The vicious cycle never ends! Once you start, you can't stop. It's like heroine. (No, no Stephanie Tanner, that heroine is not for you!) And it doesn't help that the iPod's keep evolving. Pretty soon you'll be able to watch videos, while listening to your music, and playing video games while talking on the phone. All on an iPod!! (Mark my words people, it will happen!) The Bible needs to be re-written (for the billionth time) to say that Eve (Evil??) tempted Adam with an Apple iPod. (It's in Revelations People!!)
I'd just like to take this opportunity to say that Mario Kart DS is THE greatest game ever!! There is no better way to spend your lunch break at work than by going head to head with a buddy in Mario Kart. The more the merrier! We had a 3-man tourny going on today, and it kicked ass. If you don't have this game, or this system, you MUST own it! Come one, one cartridge for up to 8 players. You can't beat that! Let's-a Go!
If on Groundhog's Day we celebrate the fact that a small hairy creature emerges from a small warm hole only to curl up into a ball from the sudden cold, would Beaver Day be celebrated by a small hairy creature seeking warmth within a small, narrow, warm, and possibly moist opening as his quickly-warming blood engourges its tiny body into something twice its size as it climactically expells its essence only to produce tiny versions of itself several months later? No, no, I didn't think so. Oh, well...Happy Groundhog's Day everyone...Two more weeks of winter...YAY!-Aww, go F@*k yourself Punxsutawney Phil.
Why, Stephanie Tanner, why?? Danny was such a good dad, not to mention Uncles Jesse and Joey. First Judy from Family Matters does porn, an Olsen does an eating disorder, and now you do meth. There is no joy left in sit-com land...For shame!
I'd like to take this opportunity to pay my respects to a very special guy who is not with us today (you know who you are). Your vivacious personality and sunny disposition will be greatly missed. Our world is a little emptier without you in it. R.I.P. Burpie...(Or maybe you're just sick, in which case, what a pussy move calling in sick to work today. Suck it up you Son of a Bitch!). You will be missed...
Welcome to what I hope to maintain as a regular feature on my blog. (Right now I'm thinking monthly, but who knows, maybe it'll be more regular than that). And first up is a figure that I'm both proud of and impressed by. This is the 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime figure released to commemorate the 2 decade span of the Transformers line. This figure is supposed to fit into the Alternators/Binaltech line, which merges classic Transformers characters with modern vehicle modes. Although Optimus Prime maintains his classic semi-truck trailer mode, this figure is completely different from past incarnations. The figure itself is highly detailed, made to mimic an actual semi-truck much more so than any of his previous counterparts. Actual rubber tires and spring-loaded strut suspensions give this vehicle a very smooth, as well as realistic feel, as it moves along. This is a pretty large and hefty figure, Optimus transformed stands at about 13 inches, and weighs about 3 pounds. He's a combination of both plastic and metal, and he is extremely poseable. (Well, compared to past Optimuses? Optimi? Is that right?) One really cool feature is his chest compartment. It opens up to reveal the matrix of leadership, which is cool in itself, but it also lights up the matrix, bringing to life one of the Transformer's mythos most awe-inspiring visuals. Optimus comes complete with his classic ion blaster, Megatron in pistol mode (which he can hold!), and an energon axe. He's got a communicator on his arm that flips open to reveal a small screen with an image of Bumblebee. Although the process of transformation is a bit more complex than previous versions, it is well worth it for the visual aesthetics of the final product. My only real complaint is that the classic Optimus Prime trailer was not included. Sure, the Japanese model included a cardboard mock-up of the trailer for display purposes, no such thing was provided for the American collector. At $50, the figure is a bit pricey, worth every penny, don't get me wrong, but I would have paid up to $100 for it if it just included a fully rendered version of that classic grey trailer. 9 out of 10. Up Next: The Dark Lord of the Sith Speaks...Stay Tuned.
I picked up a copy of The Aristocrats DVD last week, and boy, lemme tell ya, that movie still cracked me up. I remember going to see it in the theatre with a few friends, and we were rolling in the aisles. (For those of you who don't know, The Aristocrats is a documentary film made by Paul Provenza and Penn Jillette {One half of the comedy/magic duo of Penn and Teller} which chronicles the history of a particular joke that has become somewhat of a competative taboo among comedians, the punchline being the title of the film). The joke itself has lost most of its comedic potency due to the passage of time, but the telling of the joke is what has evolved since it's inception. The entire purpose of the joke, in its present incarnation, is to serve as a vehicle for raunch, lewdness, vulgarity, obscenity, and unspeakable degradation. This is the film...just how dirty can this joke get? In a word, VERY. In even more words, unbelievably filthy! So after seeing it in theatres, I had been raving about it to friends, co-workers, family, etc., describing it as the funniest thing I'd seen in a long time. Fast forward to last week when the DVD is released, and a buddy of mine decides to take it to work and watch it. Now, I'm fairly close in proximity to his work area, and I was beginning to dread the fact that here I was hyping this movie as one of the funniest I'd seen, and there is not a peep coming from my friend's work area. Nothing. You could hear a pin drop! Someone in the film mentions that the way a person decides to tell the joke says a lot about that person. For example, if they use a lot of urine or feces, don't let them in your house. If they use a lot of incest, don't let them near your kids. Or if they use a lot of beastiality, well, let's just say they shouldn't be trusted (Euphemism Alert!) petting your dog. {Rimshot} Now, if that can be said about the person who tells the joke, what can you conclude about the person who finds it funny?? I pondered THAT very question, as I listened to crickets chirpping louder than my friend was laughing. (Or not laughing, depending on how you chose to look at it!) Should I feel ashamed? Emberassed? Disgusted? I mean, after all, people DID walk out of the theatre at our screening of the film, but why didn't I? Am I evil? Demented? Disturbed? Well, yes, but that's beside the point. The point is, why didn't he seem to think it was as funny as I thought (knew) it was?? And then it hit me! The answer, of course, was simple. He must come from a family with a long history of incest, necrofilia, beastiality, scatology, self-mutilation, and female degradation. In which case, I apologize. I still think it's funny as hell, but I'm sorry for it. See? All is right with the world again! (And the peasants rejoice!) Now, let me tell you about a guy I know. He walked into a talent agency...
As I sat at work today eating a bowl of cereal during break, (Honey Nut Cheerios...Mmm Mmm Mmm...Yummy for My Tummy!) I began to reminisce about the good ol' days of my youth when Fridays meant the end of the school week, but also that the next day, Saturday morning, would bring with it the promise of Saturday morning cartoons. (Yippy Skippy!) Whatever happened to those days? Fridays STILL mean the end of the week, but Saturday mornings now bring with them the umpteenth version of the Power Rangers, plus some badly dubbed japanese import involving either a card game or mythical creatures whose sole purpose in life is to battle other such creatures. (Yu-Gi-Oh-My-God-Just-Shoot-Me!!) Anyone remember the Smurfs (La La La La La La La La La La La)? How about Muppet Babies? Gummi Bears? Alvin & the Chipmunks? The Snorks? M.A.S.K.? Transformers? Go-Bots? G.I. Joe? (A REAL American Hero!) Silverhawks? He-Man? Thunder-freaking-Cats?? Come on, even Pee Wee's Playhouse was a classic!! (And to a lesser extent, She-Ra, My Little Pony, Care Bears, Rainbow Brite, Strawberry Shortcake, and Jem!! That's for all the ladies!)Come on networks, get your acts together! Give me another reason to get excited about Saturdays other than the fact that I can sleep in late. Bring back my childhood!! (OMG, What about Bobby's World??)
My buddy gave me a pack of those Marvel Superhero Mighty Beanz in exchange for my family's only cow. I wonder what will grow if I plant them?? Hmmm...Only one way to find out! (I just hope it'll be enough to feed us all!)
So, I have a few hobbies. It started of with comic book collecting. Nothing fancy, mind you, but I have a pretty nice collection. (Perhaps a bit modest compared to most). I started that hobby about 4 or 5 years ago when I discovered a small comic shop had opened in my neighborhood. Now, before that I had bought a few comics simply for their covers (eg. holographics, lithographs, commemorative, etc.) I never really immersed myself in the mythos or the legends of each superhero until I set foot in this quait little comic book shop. I'd go every week (Wednesdays) when the new books would come out, and I'd pick up a handful of marvel titles. (I was there on the groundfloor of both the MAX line and the Ultimate line.) But every week my curiosity would be tempted by some new title from some other company (DC, Dark Horse, Dreamwave {Transformers rule!}, Image, etc.). And like a snowball slowly gaining momentum as it venture down the slopes of Mt. Everest, I was also adding more and more titles to my collection every week. I learned the hard way that hobbies weigh heavy on the pocketbook. Now, this comic shop also carried action figures, and THAT my friends has become my obsession. I have long since abandoned the comics, although I still visit the nerd forums from time to time, and I have friends who fill me in on what I'm missing (SHOUT OUT!!! WHOOPDIE WHOOP!!), but I can't seem to set aside the mistress that has become my action figure collection. The bulk of it is concentrated on Star Wars, but I also have some McFarlane figures, plus a lot of Transformers. And although I hardly have any room left for my ever increasing collection, I just can't seem to stop. The Star Wars figures have been my primary focus now, leading to weekend excursions to various Targets, Wal-Marts, Kay-Bees, or Toys 'R Us(s? es? i? I dunno, what's the plural of that??? Anyone? Anyone? Buller? Buller?) It started with the sneak preview figures that accompanied the Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones movie, and has skyrocketed since then. We've done the midnight toy onsales at Toys 'R Us twice which have been nuts. (I even managed to rope in a co-worker of mine. Now he too has been bitten by the Star Wars Action Figure bug, and there seems to be no cure for the itch!) I've got most of the Revenge of the Sith collection as well, with a few figures here and there from previous collections. I'm likeing the new Star Wars Transformers figures, but mostly just their vehicle modes. But at least it is a fusion of my two favorite toy lines. My favorite figure so far? Star Wars Celebration III Darth Vader! (God Bless eBay!!) So many figures, so little cash!
A word on the Nintendo DS: I'm a Nintendo guy, pure and simple. My brother has a PS2, my other brother wants an XBox, but I will always remain true to Nintendo. That being said, what is up with the dimly lit screens? The Gamboy Advanced offered better graphics, but god forbid you try to play outdoors on a sunny day. Then came the Gameboy Advanced SP. I personally loved this system. I got the blue one as soon as it came out. I couldn't bear to part with it when the DS came out, so I gave it to my girlfriend for safekeeping. Now, the DS is a great system, graphics could stand to be a bit crisper, but beggars can't be choosers. The two screens, a novelty at first glance, have been greatly underused however. Although it is nice not to have to switch screens in order to look at a map to see where the hell you are, but the true nature of the touchscreen is to be touched. That being said, the games that have made the most use of the touchscreen have been your less-than-typical game fodder. (eg. Nintendogs, Trauma Center, Electroplankton). Games such as this bring the most diehard nintendo gamer down to the level of a Japanese school girl. I face ridicule for not only buying, but thoroughly enjoying games such as Nintendogs or Meteos, but damn if they don't have their entertainment value! I just got a copy of Electroplankton on Friday, and although it is nothing more than a light and sound creator, it is fun and addicting, as well as creative. Colors, lights, and music result as you manipulate these microscopic creatures with your stylus, your voice, your clapping, or your breath. (Yep, your breath!) What other game can boast such a claim? None! So, hand me my plaid skirt and my knee-high socks, for a Japanese School Girl Am I!!!
So, here he is, Joshua Ramirez, 8lbs. 13oz., born this January 28th of 2006. This kid is gonna be spoiled, but he will also be loved very deeply. I remember meeting his mom in high school, both of us goofballs, so of course we got along right away. Our group of friends has been pretty much inseperable since senior year at good ol' MHS. (Go class of '97!! WOO HOO!! Man, we're old!! But I digress!) It has been amazing seeing how much we've all grown (physically, not mentally) and accomplished in our lives. We've been through so much, been there for each other whenever the need arose. This is a welcome addition to our circle of friends. He will be loved. Congratulations Adi and Enrique, may you never sleep again!!
So, we're eagerly awaiting the arrival of one of my best friend's baby. She'll be the first of our group of high school friends to have a child. (She was also the first one to get married!). Perhaps I should get a move on on starting my family. After all, I've been with my girlfriend for about 9 years. I know we've been thinking about it a lot lately, especially since she is finishing school this year. Who knows, maybe it'll happen soon. Only the future can tell.
This is my first blog, so please bear with me as I try to get the kinks out. In the meantime, please enjoy George Burns reincarnated as a monkey:-)!
So, I had to go through all this mess just to be able to post a comment on my buddy's blog?? Sheesh, thanks a lot.
