COLOR ME TWEET

Robot avatars on swirling blue backgrounds rock; check out @poetryc

DC Wednesday Comics is a must, according to sources.

World of Warcraft gets a Twitter app (unofficially): Tweetcraft. But there are concerns that it violates Terms of Use + could lead to banning.

@lilipip found this beautiful blue haiku based animation.

And why aren’t you following me on Twitter?

Oh, and this is something I found on Facebook, just for a change of pace…new Economist advertising campaign: clever, intricate and gorgeously done exploration of thinking spaces. You can submit yours.

And, oh yes, I have broken down and gotten Flash a last.fm subscription so I don’t get the darn bear during WoW sessions with the little brother. As an enchanting tailoring blood elf ret paladin, I find myself sewing and disenchanting pants for strange dust, which harkens back to my quest for pants beginnings in a strange and dusty kind of way.

And to leave you laughing, @cooljerk takes on vampires and musicals. Or as he says it.

Since we started with robots, we’ll end with @shellsuitzombie recommendation of The Princess and The Robot. Very cool art; nice version of the traditional tale.

And I almost forgot the lovely @Bardcore who started off my Twitterday with their crazy rocking music video version of Hamlet, Act III, scene i.

REVIEWING LIKE CRAZY (IN 3 SENTENCES OR LESS)

Last Chance Harvey — rent it, see it…Dustin Hoffman amazes — he finds new emotions somewhere; Emma Thompson charming; good good show.

Cars — finally watched it…some nice moments, racing very cool; scenery pale compared to the real stuff (animation can’t do sunlight+scenery). Still mired in the Pixar mawkishness.

Sonny With A Chance — funnier the second time and continuing. Disney shows hit 6-8 on the consistency scale while with Nick you’re more likely to get either 3 or a 9.

If you haven’t watched my BOOKS + INSPIRATION clip, you should. I had a lot of fun doing it and may think up some more short form topics (considering voice).

iCarly — iLook Alike a fun concept, but too out of character with Spencer getting trashed against a wall…

Hannah Montana — but we like Joannie, but Oliver would never keep a girlfriend so well, bring her back occasionally. Looking forward to the movie; The Climb still great.

Been watching What I Like About You (Beau’s fault)…early seasons better; jennie Garth actually pretty good with the physical stuff but her character gets annoying later.

Speaking of Nick and The N — yes, I do miss Radio Free Roscoe.

Still reading the Financial Times, although dropping The Economist because of time + money constraints, craving Indian food and planning for the start of The Miser.

Finished a Jonas Brothers themed Blink Kitty Love(yes, and you’ll laugh), listening to Radio Jonas on Radio Lonelypond on last.fm (Demi Lovato — Party currently up).

Have been trying to build up Radio Blink Kitty Love (thank you last.fm for your excellent widgets), but it gets a bit grim at times and I miss Radio Lonelypond.

Twitter still rocks. Trying out a Dwarven hunter and a Tauren druid in World of Warcraft — like the hunter better…always wanted to be Robin Hood.

Not reading enough…or writing…rented the new Wonder Woman movie, need to watch it tomorrow or I’ll own it. Still haven’t watched Steamboy…really need to budget NetFlix in…

Going to watch 2nd The Parent Trap soon…sad for Natasha Richardson’s family; like the first version better, but thought she + Dennis Quaid did an excellent job w/ imperfect script.

Good night, my friends. Take care of yourselves.

BURNING UP THE BURNING CRUSADE

Warning this post will contain comments on World of Warcraft and the Jonas Brothers and The Watchmen (should I call it meditations on popularity and the attacking hordes?) If any of these disturb you, please enjoy this Shakespeare themed cartoon.

Jonas Brothers 3-D movie opened up but not as big as anyone hoped. I won’t be seeing it but not for a lack of liking the Jonas Brothers, just a lack of liking screaming.  Here’s a fun, funny article from a journalist who flew with them to an Atlanta visit. I prefer fictional band movies — A Hard Day’s Night, for example. At least one reviewer found Beatles infuence in the Burning Up movie. The brothers in rock seem to bring out good moods in some of the journalists covering and reviewing them; that can’t be a bad thing. Especially with an upcoming TV series to promote. My favorite Jonas Brothers song — well, I like the Hold On video where the whole house blows away around them — but if you read this blog at all, you’ll know that sort of thing appeals to me. And I do occasionally worry about that. And Gayle frequently reminds me of the list of things I’m not supposed to do to the house while shooting any of the movies or animations.

Can’t figure out if any of the Blink Kitty Love members would listen to the JoBros…they’re arm wrestling/lawn darting over the issue right now. Stayed tuned.

(and yes, we are currently listening to Radio FlashCatFlash on last.fm, which is tuned to Radio Jonas.)

The Burning Crusade…yes, I hit level 60 and yes, I decided to try the free trial and spent two of my most frustrating nights so far of WoW. Took me 10 tries to figure out the Shatter Point bombing runs — try the aerial view and ignore the REALLY BIG guys. There are NO trees; I like trees. And now I’m 1 point away from level 61 (and the level 61 quest Beau wants to do) and although I keep wracking up the experience, it won’t actually breach the next level. So when I tried the pay for your upgrade online option, I got error message 202, call customer service. Customer service was quite willing to take my money over the phone and I’m hoping the leveling glitch sorts itself out. I’ve switched from a holy paladin to a retribution paladin because first level 60 plus group, well, we kept getting jumped by three groups at once and our tank didn’t tank. But my hit points always did because I was healing other people and not paying attention to me. And also, there were the horde players who would appear behind me and hacking/blasting away. So much fun. So I’m switching to a ret paladin (see, I almost sound like I know what I’m doing), read a couple of guides — one to legal hacks so I’m thinking of trying MazzleUI to see if I can find a better interface. Right now, I’m logged out in Exodar — pretty cool, very empty auction house — where my newly respecced paladin is waiting for the next session when my brother shows up with some good gear for me (I’m saving for a charger). The Burning Crusade so far only makes me long for a colder ale at the end of the night.

The Watchmen –see previous post — for why I’m not watching it and why you should watch The Shadow. Here’s the New Yorker’s Anthony Lane reviewing it, which alters my opinion not a whit but goes into detail (graphic, be warned) about the movie, since he’s seen it– and more importantly, reviews “Leave Her To Heaven,” comparing it tangentially to The Watchmen and leaving Gayle with a watch Gene Tierney do ruthless urge. The Netflix account is becoming inevitable.

Oh, and for those waiting for my “Girl Who Leapt Through Time” review, I haven’t been able to track down a copy yet; apparently, I didn’t nag little brother #2 enough when he came out to see Henry V, which I still need to write a review of (short version: stirring, company more suited to comedy than command.)

Enjoy your weekend.

 

 

OK

Lastfming (once I take my computer off mute); first song Esperanza Spalding’s Perazela, I don’t think I’m alert/awake enough for scatting so let’s try again. Ah, now Sigur Ros’s Vaka…so if I’m suddenly sounding Icelandic you’ll know why.

Pulled out the rough draft of what I shall be referring to as “THE MYSTERY.” As aforementioned, I was disappointed that I haven’t been able to work on it at all. But having ditched the actual paying freelancing gig to work on the projects I’ve been neglecting for phone tag, I am going to start reworking it — first step reading it and deciding which of the multiple narrators to save/alter. It was inspired by my Chet Gecko/Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew phase as well as the nieces and nephews so for those of you hoping for The In The Bleak December sequel, we’re not there yet. But I think you’ll still enjoy this one once I’ve improved it a little.

I always hand write the first draft — this time in medium sized cardboard covered Moleskin notebooks (7 total) that fit handily by the side of the bed. Then I use typing it into the computer as a way to clarify and distill the initial inspiration. This one may be due for another hand written take; I’ll know more once I read it.

I will be taking a break for my Chinese New Year art meditation in a couple of weeks. My acupuncturist has copied for me some commentary on the Ox Herding pictures, classics of Zen Buddhism but is encouraging me to find better art than the small printed version online. I’m hoping to do a couple of animations as well as returning to more traditional art forms as well (last year my first Toon Boom test was a Year of The Rat animation — Studio Express didn’t work; FlipBoom did and we fell in love.)

Had my standard audition nightmare about the upcoming “Taming Of The Shrew” (they usually happen about six months before the actual auditions). This time, I was underprepared, couldn’t find scripts in the strange high school type office while the unfamiliar auditorium was full of actors, some of them professionals, I think. Some years, the nightmare is I’m prepared and nobody shows up. Underprepared makes sense after my sabbatical year from theatre. Moliere will help with that, although I think “The Miser” might be a difficult warm up as I’ve never done French farce before. But I have done an excellent “The Importance of Being Earnest” so I’m going to try to channel that.

Want to relax and have nothing on the schedule this weekend. Broke so lots of cooking in with maybe a little Mexican takeout and perhaps a visit to Starbucks for tea on the way to or from a two dollar movie (I haven’t watched anything on the big screen since High School Musical 3 opened and that’s too long.) Will also be playing World Of Warcraft with the little brother and trying to get a group together for dungeon questing — anybody playing in Arthas and nearing Level 40?

I’ve sicced the little brother on The Girl Who Leaped Through Time quest. He’s my other anime resource and has a NetFlix account so check back in February or so for a review. Mel has loaned my SteamBoy for my next bite of anime.

Bonus Big Bang Theory last night. Sheldon and Penny and the online role playing game — priceless stuff when Penny breaks into to Sheldon’s bedroom and Leonard catches her on the way out.

Looking forward to Nick’s Kisses and Misses new eps this weekend. I’m thinking Gibby gets to kiss somebody interesting; Gayle doesn’t see how Freddie and Sam could possibly work. Caught part of iGo Japan again — still some great stuff at the end and Freddie’s mom is comedy gold.

And thank you to whoever runs The N’s programming and has a wicked sense of humor for putting Radio Free Roscoe on all next week from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. That’s my prime sleep time. Stay tuned to see if insomnia or RFR wins.

Have a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. One of my favorite songs (New Radicals “Someday We’ll Know” will be playing us out.

Oh and the FT’s been a bit dull over the holidays, although I have been enjoying The Economist’s year end issues. And when Entertainment Weekly offered me a year for $10, I caved. Gayle apparently likes when I read out highlights and the Hit List guy is funny.

NB: Interesting thing about The Economist’s one page summary of things going on in the World in 2009. The only movie or TV show to make an appearance on it is Star Trek XI. Right up there with the Oscars, The Venice Biennale and Asterix’s 50th birthday.

WORLD OF FAMILY GAMEQUEST

The Warcraft neophyte reports in: Well, this time I met up with brother Beau, survived(athough I did just start over with a new character, clear the slate, it’s often a morale booster), gained levels, glowed a little and did all those fun things I remember from D+D…and yes, I come from that kind of family and I was usually the DM…just another storytelling manifestation. Anyway, I’m exploring WOW as a family thing — my nephews adore it, being orcs, crushing things, etc. Both their parents play, but on a different server. Thanksgiving, we played long distance MarioKart on the Wii and when you added in the speakerphone on my cell, it was a little like being in the same room…

This, I guess, is the year I explore alternate strategies for keeping in touch with family. Meeting at the King Of Prussia mall works, but doesn’t happen often enough. None of us are really phone people — we’re more pull out Settlers of Cataan, Blokus or Scrabble — or if it’s a nice day, take the football outside or go play on swings. So phone calls don’t really cut it; you have to share an activity. So I’m trying out WOW…

Fun inexpensive family game suggestions: Flux — a great card game — and from the Games 100 list, Go Nuts. Found that one in a game store two weeks ago, tried it out with friends and had a blast. Same night we played the new Risk, which was an interesting way to make the old Risk less of a time eater. Enjoyable. But what I am really enjoying right now is “de blob” for my iPod — the last level’s impossible, but the rolling gameplay rocks and it’s nice to bounce through town making citizens colorful and happy.

O.K., for further me + WOW + little brother/sister/nephew/brother-in-law updates, you’ll have to head here; this blog ranges enough. And I’m always on the lookout for new family friendly games; let me know if you find one.