cgm13.net :: the boy wonder: October 2003

Jen, Chas. and Lynnette at one of the many Kansas City, Missouri fountains.

After spending a nice Wednesday in downtown KCMO, I spent yesterday on the couch asleep all day. I have picked up some "cold bug" from somewhere ... either my boss lady (who was deathly ill before I left) or the plane ride (planes are just big germ canisters). Feeling better today and ready for our Halloween marathon of beer, junk food and horror films. Hopefully, later we will be able to terrorize the tick or treaters. Whee! And I need to make it back downtown tomorrow. I found a record store (as in "lps") the size of ... well, Missouri. Rockin'!

Well, here I am in the "heart land" of America. Whoo! The trip out yesterday went pretty well. The traffic in Atlanta still manages to boggle my feeble, little, small town mind. The flight went pretty well and I didn't freak out too much. Ugh ... planes. But when we arrive, the friends were waiting. After a short ride we were kicked back with a beer. Sweetness!

I love vacations like this. Today has consisted of eating, eating, sleeping, watching movies and snuggling up with my ole friend Guinness ... all day long. Tomorrow I will get to see Kansas City, which a sign at the airport informed me is "The City of Fountains." And why would a sign lie to a person. Hopefully some photos will be taken at some point for me to post. I know you all are on "pins and needles" about that.

Eeep! Gotta run. I hear a beer calling my name!

CGM13 World News will suspend broadcasts temporarily. We will resume posts from what is understood to be the "beef capital of the world" - Kansas City, Missouri ... and that means cows, not cocks. Though I suppose "cows" means "cowboys" can't be far away. Whoo!

Last night I finally got the record player working with the new "home theater" system. I think that vinyl has become a much maligned form of music delivery. It has a sound all its own that I happen to like very much. Also, record sleeve design was far more creative a medium for graphic design compared to tapes and cds. Have you ever seen the original LP design for Jethro Tull's "Thick As A Brick?" It's quite spectacular. Needless to say, I lay back on the couch last night and was transported back to the 80's via my old records. Berlin's "Pleasure Victim" couldn't have sounded any sweeter.

Well, another day of quickly getting work done before my 2:00 p.m. leave time is in store. Ah, the joy of going on vacation ... lots of stress before you hit the door. The weekend was fairly busy as well. The exterior wall of the living room has been dry-walled. When I get back it will be time to start on the interior wall that needs to come down. Whoo.

Argh. I've got more work than I can shake a stick at. Damn, damn, damn. "Whipped Light Cream" has become the bane of my existence.

Of course, with my vacation happening next week, the bosses have dropped a shit load of work for me to get done in the next couple of days. So, here is some leather to keep you busy while I am busy. Whoo!

I want a dog to walk in the park
When it gets dark my dog will bark at any passers-by
Oh, you can get lonely ... I want a dog
Pet Shop Boys - I Want a Dog [4.57 MB]

Happiness is new drywall.

Happiness is a newly insulated wall.

I do want to clarify something. A few people have said, "According to you, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" remake really sucked." Well, no it didn't. There is are things that I didn't like or would have done different (which I focused on in my "review" of the film). There is also a lot that does work in the movie. By no means is it as good/scary as the original (and who could expected it to be), but, if you are a horror film fan, it is worth checking out.

Happiness is a new door.

Zombies have it made. No major worries or cares ... and ... the only reason that they rely on another human being is to chew that human being's arm or leg off for food. Straight foward and simply. Damn those lucky zombies.

So, on your birthday you get a message on the answering machine from that "certain someone" that you really care about (for some insane reason) and then a few days later you get an e-mail from him. And in that e-mail he writes "Plus, Michelle reminded me, or I would have forgotten the day and then called later and sounded like an ass." Is there any good way to look at this or is it still the "slap in the face" that it feels like. Argh. I should just drop it and consider him "dead and gone." He was all along. Wasn't he?

It's zombie day here at CGM13 World News! The dvd of "28 Days Later" is now in my hot little hands. Mmmmm, zombie carnage. And you can now view the teaser trailer for the very questionable remake of "Dawn of the Dead" which hits theaters next March.

Hmmm. I decided to check out the IMDB page for "28 Days Later" and, boy, it is quite something. Those of you who have seen the movie know that there is a brief shot of Cillian Murphy totally nude. No big deal, right? No quite so according to folks posting on the Message Board for the film. Geez. Just goes to prove that ole double standard ... Breasts and Vaginas on screen are good, Cocks on screen are bad. And we all know that a naked penis in a film must mean that the movie has some homosexual connotation/agenda. What bullshit.

Weekend Update:
Well, it was a full weekend of doing home owner type of stuff. Pretty sad when you have to come back to work to get some rest.
1) Dry wall purchased and delivered.
2) New door purchased and hung.
3) New insulation installed in exterior living room wall.
4) Weather proofing finally completed.

Movie Update:
Yep. Saw the remake of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" this weekend as well. There is so much that I could say about this movie, so I will save you all the rambling of a horror film lover's opinion on the death of the horror film 'cause it would just bore you. "Chainsaw" is a good example of what is wrong with horror films. Now don't get me wrong ... it has its moment and when they happen they are really, really good. But on the whole the film is sacrificed to "atmosphere" and "mood" to try and scare. The art direction is a little overdone. Every single location is done up to be menacing and creepy. What makes the first film work so well is that all the locations have the appearance of normalcy until all the mayhem starts happening. The family's house looks very average from the outside ... but then you enter and find the killing room. The music for the remake is also overdone as well. Silence is a far more effective tool at unsettling viewers than constant ominous music. The original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" used very little music and when it was used it is a "noise" that is very effective (see also "The Exorcist" for great usage of the silence to set up scares). The casting of R. Lee Ermey in a major role is also a problem for the film. He does his typical "Full Metal Jacket" schtick which comes off more as parody instead of being truly unhinged and unsettling. When I saw the movie his character got more laughs than anything. I know, I know. I shouldn't be comparing the original to the remake ... but to see what works about older horror films and doesn't work about new ones, the comparison of the old "Chainsaw" and the new one is a good place to start. Before the film started we were treated to a trailer for the new "director's cut" of "Alien." Even with a few minutes of crappy new footage this film will be far more terrifying than the new "Chainsaw" could ever hope to be.

Travel Update:
In one week I leave for the wilds of Missouri. Whee!

Oh, well. I guess I am gonna just have to settle for beer, home improvement projects and sexy teens getting chainsawed into tiny bits. Y'all have a good one.

Argh!!! Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex. Need. Intimate. Physical. Contact. Even just a hot make-out session would do. Any volunteers?

Whoo. Here is a Friday list to occupy y'all for a bit.
Currently in the CD Case:
01) Bjork "Homogenic"
02) Cardigans "First Band on the Moon"
03) Concrete Blonde "Group Therapy"
04) Creatures "Boomerang"
05) DJ Shadow "Endtroducing"
06) DJ Shadow "The Private Press"
07) Everything But The Girl "Temperamental"
08) Foo Fighters "Foo Fighters"
09) Lauryn Hill "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill"
10) Portishead "Portishead"
11) Radiohead "Hail to the Thief"
12) Respect is Burning "Respect to DJ Deep"
13) Sade "Diamond Life"
14) Shirley Horn "I Thought About You"
15) Shirley Horn "The Main Ingredient"
16) Siouxsie and the Banshees "Nocturne"
17) Siouxsie and the Banshees "Tinderbox"
18) Skinny Puppy "Back & Forth: Volume 6"
19) Steely Dan "Showbiz Kids: The Steely Dan Story, 1972-1980"
20) Thievery Corporation "The Mirror Conspiracy"
21) U.N.K.L.E. "Psyence Fiction"
22) Cast Recording "Sweeney Todd Live at the NY Philharmonic"

Mmm, mmm ... Jack Wrangler. I am sure that the clip which is picked will be really, really sweet. Naked men, cock, sex and BJ selected to boot ... does life get any better?

When you start ripping down the walls in your house you make it look like a horror movie is being made there ... especially when the original wall turn out to be a minty green color. Damn. Why did I start remodeling? I'll give you three guesses what I am going to be doing this evening.
1-2) The outer living room wall minus paneling.
3-4) Aftermath of rewiring.

Argh! My living room is now a total disaster. The reworking of some of the wiring got done last night. Tonight, I have to finish tearing out the one wall and put some new insulation in. Whoo. I am starting to feel all butch and handy-manish. In the meantime, amuse yourself with pictures from "Wit," a show I was in this past August. I got to play a "clinical fellow working in the Medical Oncology branch" of a research hospital. Quite fun. As always, you can get there from the About page as well.

Hotei Tomoyasu - Battle Without Honor or Humanity [3.36 MB]

Sweet. I found my birthday card.

Alright ... I'll confess! The reason that I dislike "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" is that I think Sean Connery is a very, very overrated actor. He was great as Bond, but after that he just needed to call it quits. Call it quits, Sean. You've been a "has been" for about 25 years now.

Next week will see the release of "28 Days Later" on video. Yep. I can say that this is one of my favorite films from this year (after "Finding Nemo" ... how about that for diversity). Zombies, blood and death, Cillian Murphy's penis ... this film has it all. The extras on the disc look like they will be pretty sweet.

Next week we also will finally get the Indiana Jones films on dvd as well. I feel really conflicted about whether to drop to $50-ish for the set or not. I'll have to hand it to the marketing folks for being smart enough to figure out that most folks will want "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and not the far inferior sequels. So, we're gonna be forced in getting them all to get the one we really, really want. "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" is so, so bad. I really want to know who told Kate Capshaw that she could act. "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" is a fine film but just a little too slick. All the extra "making of footage" will be available only on a fourth disc that comes with the box. Argh. Damn those crafty bastards for making this a love/hate movie purchase. Hmmmm. I think I will just have to Wishlist this one and see if some rich, sugar daddy wants to treat me right.

A big "thank you" goes out as well to my bosses for taking me out to a super swank dinner last night at The Old Stone Inn here in town. I love good food, but generally would never, ever pay what it cost last night for that meal.

And the whole "G" thing is starting to get me down. Yes, I know that he is off on his vacation/job hunting trip. Yes, I know that he has better things to do than document his trip for me. But I want to know what's up. When I write and say, "Hey, how is your trip going? Found a job yet? Having a good time?" ... I don't want to be greeted by silence. I don't want to wait a week to receive the two sentence reply that basically lets me know he's still alive and that's all. Yeah, yeah. I know that I am a dumbass for wanting or expecting more. Urgh.

A big "thank you" goes out to Michelle and Chris for a pretty swank birthday dinner last night. Wine and pork ... mmmmmmmmmm. And, I have absolutely no reason to be angst ridden today. A certain person left a birthday message on the answering machine (even if it was short and to the point) last night.

Oh yeah ... I turned the ripe ole age of 32 today. "Happy Birthday" to me. Yeah!

The critics are correct. "Kill Bill: Volume One" is a pretty kick-ass film. For me it's hard to tell if Tarantino is really a genius or just very good at ripping off other movies. Then again, does it really matter? The movie is visually jam packed with everything from 70's title cards, anime, martial arts and more blood than you can shake a vampire at. Everyone and everything in this movie kicks ass. Of special note is the killer (pun intended) soundtrack by the RZA.

Yeesh. Started pulling down the paneling in the living room (I hate paneling) and have now opened the proverbial "can of worms." Photos of the mess will probably appear at some point. New dry wall here we come!

Yes! More photos of theater stuff is now available here at CGM13 World News. You can now view "Rope" (which I directed earlier in the year) and "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" (which I performed in a few years ago). As always you can get there via the About Page as well. I have been on a kick the last couple of days to document my work here in theater ... plus it's keeping me busy and my mind off "certain other things" that I really don't need to be thinking about. We'll get back to naked men soon for all you non-theater people.

Geeks of the world rejoice. There's a new cat in town.

The staff here at CGM13 World News is pleased to announce the addition of more photos. You, dear reader, can now see pictures of my second directing effort, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," which was presented in September and October of 2001. The page can also be accessed through the photo listing on the About Page as well. You can stop holding your breath now.

Damn. I am so weak willed. I flinched first.

Elizabeth Berkley is so totally money in "Showgirls." Right?

In all my television watching of the past week, I have discovered that they truly will put anything on for folks to watch. Take "Surviving Nugent" that seems to be rotating 24/7 on VH1 (they also like to show "Showgirls" a lot as well). Contestants camp out on Nugent's property, compete in silly games and kiss Ted's ass for a chance at money and a new Dodge Ram. And, yes. I sat and watched the entire damn thing. I really do think there is some evil, gamma wave in the tv signal that suckers us into watching this crap ... it's so bad you just can't turn it off. Yeesh.

I am currently house-sitting. I hate it. A few years ago taking care of other people's places was fun ... but now that my lifestyle (no pun intended) has changed I find that it really brings out the more sloth-ish tendencies in me. I lay around and stare at the television all evening. I let the dishes pile up in the sink. Work that needs to get done falls by the wayside. Yeesh. Now that's not to say that I am gonna stop house sitting because I do get paid. That pay (right now) is gonna help finance home improvements and further my dvd addiction. Plus, next month I get to stay at the bosses ... and who can pass up a malt machine, big screen tv, hot tub and the pay that comes from taking care of all that stuff.

I am so glad that I don't live in California.

You know ... I am really making more out this whole birthday thing than needs to be. Why should I care that a "certain person" is out of town and might forget. Fuck 'em. My friends, Michelle and Chris, are having me over for some dinner, wine, videoke and, maybe, a viewing of the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre." I plan on having a very, very nice time with two of my really great friends.

You know ... it is really stupid that to fix a problem in Internet Explorer for Windows you basically have to reinstall the entire operating system. I will state again that Windows is a dirty, filthy whore.

Scrath that last post ... I am being dumbass again.

Time to beat a very, very dead horse:
The more days that go by without hearing from "G" the more it confirms (to me anyway) that I am really not the good friend that he says I am. Now, if I had not heard a peep from him the couple of weeks he has been gone so far, I might not feel this way. But, we did e-mail each other a few times when he first left ... and now nothing. So, now that he is having a great time with his other friends, we here in the mountains seem to be forgotten (especially those that he relies upon for entertainment on a Friday night). Yeah, I know that I am probably making more of this than I should and that it doesn't really mean anything at all. I guess the true test will be if I hear from him on my birthday next Monday ... especially since he made a point of asking when it was before he left.

Mmmmm ... cock flavoured!

Damn it. I don't want to be the first one to flinch.

Tired of waiting for the release of Twin Peaks: Season 2 DVD? Well, now you can sign the "Twin Peaks Season 2 on DVD Petition" and hopefully help some video company to get their ass in gear and get it released. It was way back in December of 2001 that Twin Peaks: Season One came out and some of us nerds are getting tired of waiting for Season Two. Go. Sign. Now.

In other news: I decided to take a break (albeit a small one) from the horror film buying and picked up a copy of the new release of "The Adventures of Robin Hood." Damn. I had forgotten how great this movie is. A fantastic cast, great actions scenes (can anyone ever top the duel between Sir Guy and Robin?), a lush score courtesy of Erich Wolfgang Korngold ... plus Errol Flynn! The set contains a documentary about the making of, a documentary about the advent of Technicolor, related Looney Tunes cartoons and a gaggle of other features. Go. Buy. Now.

Reasons to feel ill at ease on a Monday morning:
1) The real responsibilities of home ownership are starting to sink in.
2) The majority of my friends will not be here for my birthday next Monday.
3) It's been over a week since I have heard from "G."
4) Reason 4 really bothers me and I know it shouldn't.

Now, honestly ... does anyone expect Bush to say, "Hey. I told you all a big lie about those WMD's." Please let this clown get voted out of office next year.

Hmmm. I feel like this site has gotten stale. Looking back over "The Archives" it seems like things were far more exciting when I became suicidal this past winter.

Whoo! Only two more weeks till pure terror (hopefully). I usually don't get excited about remakes because they usually suck so much ass. Take the remake of "Psycho" that Gus Van Sant did. It was pointless and just plain awful. But the new version of "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" looks like it might have taken just enough of a different path to make a newer, equally good version of the story. Here's to hoping. If it sucks, it won't be the first time that a trailer is better than the actual film.

In my opinion, the reason that the movie "Donnie Darko" kicks so much ass is because of its killer 80's soundtrack.
The Church - Under The Milky Way [6.9 MB]

Sometimes I wonder if I am trying to recapture that time in my life when Roger was around. Back in high school, when Roger and were hangin' out together, I was the same horror film obsessed geek that I am right now. After the whole Roger mess ended, horror films went on the back burner. I enjoyed seeing them from time to time, but I never imagined that they would become a staple of my movie collection. But over the last few years, especially since "G" has become so intertwined in my life and thoughts, the horror films have become a regular thing again. So, I wonder ... is the love of horror films just a part of who I am? Or, am I trying to repeat with "G" what Roger and I did (and ultimately had with each other)? I think I am worrying about this a little too much. So, I'll just kick back with one of the horror classics tonight and enjoy it for what it is ... good, clean family fun. I will not obsess. Right!

My Goodness! BJ certainly does know how to pick 'em.

Finally! Blogger likes me again!!! Yesterday was very frustrating with all the problems I am having with Internet Explorer (I am now being forced to use Netscape ... ugh) and then Blogger deciding it didn't want to publish for me. I should mention that these problems have been occurring on my wonderful, supposedly "better than a Mac" Gateway PC at work and not on that Macintosh Powerbook I have at home. Yes. I treat my Mac like it's my boyfriend.

Thirteen Days ... and no, I am not referring to that really, really suck-ass Kevin Costner movie.