cgm13.net :: the boy wonder: March 2004

Damn. It's snowing outside. I was wearing shorts this past Saturday. Grrr.

I am gonna get slapped for going on about this, but ...
Something feels final about this whole "Evil" going back to Florida business. It really feels like he won't be back this time. Last year, everyone in the group of friends could tell he would return after the couple of months he had planned to be there. We all knew he was gonna job look and stay if he found something he liked. That didn't happen. But this time it feels different. It feels like an absolute thing. It makes me sad thinking about it. Not just because I have a "thing" for him, but because he's one of my best friends. That's what I am going to miss most.

Damn ... it's 10:30 already. Busy, busy, busy. If'n I get a chance I need to post a photo of the ultra-hot Marcus Nispel, director of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" remake. Yum. Yum!

[Blood. Death. Terror. All Good.]

Conversation Snapshot from Last Evening:
Evil: "You're gonna buy the 'Wonder Woman' dvd when it comes out? That's gay. When are you going to start buying Barbra Streisand and Bette Milder cds?"
Chas: "You should talk. You're only 23 and can actually sing the entire 'Wonder Woman' theme song. You weren't even alive when it originally aired."
Evil: "Well, that show kicked ass."

In other news:
After having moved back here because he couldn't find a job and didn't like central Florida, "evil" is going back down this weekend to start job looking again. I'm conflicted. It bugs me that he's been back for four months and is suddenly all gung-ho to go back. When he got back last November he was all happy to be back with his friends here. And now this sudden change supposedly because he can't find a job here. It makes me wonder. The story is that he's going down on Saturday and will stay down until he either gets a job or runs out of money and has to come back. Last night I helped him with some "prep" stuff for an audition he's doing. How appropriate would it be if I play a hand in getting him out of my life?

Guess what hit video stores today ...

So, Sherry, the roomie's woman, spent most of the day yesterday on the new couch not feeling well. She thought it was because she had eaten something she might have had an allergic reaction to. Well, this morning she call and informs me that she has tested positive for Strep Throat. That super evil virus ... and there she was just spreading it all over my house!!! I am generally not paranoid about being around sick people, but Strep makes me paranoid. I always end up sick as a dog for days when I get strep. Grrrrrr. I guess I'll know if I am lucky man in the next 24 - 48 hours. If I suddenly stop posting you'll know that I am off somewhere barfing my guts out.

Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
I am so happy I could cry.

Feeling a wee bit more stable after a relaxing-ish weekend. Saturday was a spectacularly beautiful so some much needed yard work got done. Ah, the joys of home ownership. Yesterday was spent relaxin' and trying to recover some of what little sanity I have. Got a new (and cheap) couch moved into the living room. Watched some old "X-Files." Whoo!

[New Album!]
Skinny Puppy. New Album. May 25th. Fuck yeah!!!

In honor of our local theater's first show of the 2004 season ...
Falco - Rock Me, Amadeus [3 MB]

[I'll Let Him Frisk Me Any Day]
I forgot to mention that Michael Kelly is quite delicious (pun intended) in "Dawn of the Dead."

The thing I hate most about hangovers is the upset stomach. The headaches I can handle just fine ... but that stomach issue is the killer. Usually a nice greasy breakfast will take care of the problem. A stop at McDonald's for the required medicine has not helped any. So, here I sit with the feeling that I'm gonna barf at any second. Yeah. You wanted to know that.

Why drink so much you ask? Ah, who knows.

Should I tell you about how pissed off I was yesterday ... about how I sat outside for lunch yesterday ... about how I sat in the sun while I ate my lunch and almost cried ... almost cried out of frustration, anger, fear ... almost cried because I feel like I can't do anything right at this point in my life. Should I tell you about how, after a lot of vodka last night, I told someone I care about so much it hurts that I really, really hated them ... about how when I fell into bed I stared at my dead mother's picture on the wall ... stared at it and wondered what she would make of all this. I don't think there is an answer.

By the way ... I'm still pissed off.

Vodka + Blackberry Brandy
Vodka + Blackberry Brandy
Vodka + Blackberry Brandy
Vodka + Blackberry Brandy
= Friday Morning Hangover

[Coming in June. Whoo-hoo!]

Ha! Here is the new design ... and it's pretty much where I want it to be. Some of the reasons for the new look are 1) the other design was getting a little too busy for my taste 2) I was getting tired of staring at my ugly mug every day 3) monkeys are fun ... especially when you can reference Anne Murray. I still need to switch over the theater photo pages and add some footer info, but past that I am pretty satisfied. Enjoy!

"If the past week is any indicator, the new year promises to be a lot more interesting." Remember when I said that at the end of last year? Boy, that sure was a bullshit statement.

Whoo!!! It's time to go get a drink. Mmmm, beer. Mmmm, wine.

Damn. 11:30 a.m. and I need a drink. It's happy hour somewhere ... right?

[My Dusty Dice]
Damn that Jimbo. All his talk of playing Dungeon&Dragons with the gurls makes me want to bust out and get a campaign going.

Yeah, I'm bored. So here is a new design. I like it better than what I had before, so it will stay around for a bit ... at least until another bought of unease and ennui takes hold. Only the blog pages are "packin' the new" right now. All the others are old but will switch over soon. Let me know if this site is doing anything funky in your browser, if'n you please.

Yep. It's a work in progress, people ...

Boy, the truth sure does hurt ... doesn't it?

The view from Wesser Bald this past Saturday.

Other Stuff that Happened this Weekend:

Friday Night: Well, duh. I saw that zombie movie with that certain "evil" person.

Saturday: Had a nice hike with PT. I think we spent more time talking and drinking wine than actually walking in the woods. Nice temp, lots of cute hetero boys on the trail, several thru-hikers ... yep, it all made for a nice day out on a short section of the Appalachian Trail. That night I had a posh dinner courtesy of Chris and Michelle. Dumb me and my dumb drunk brain did reek some havoc though. But, I guess you can't have a posh dinner without someone making a scene. Grrrrr.

Sunday: Saw a show at the local theatre and did some more freelance work. Whoo.

Someone is in desperate need of a vacation ...

[Who Will Survive?]
Movie Update:
Yes! "Dawn of the Dead" is good ... very good. First-timer Zack Snyder has crafted a fast paced, zombie filled, gore fest that delivers the goods ... from the pre-credit sequence (that gets the story rolling) to the end credits (that wraps things up). In my opinion, the major problem of the movie is in name only. The script is based on Romero's movie but only very loosely. So, it's not a "remake" in the true sense of the word. I wish they could have credited Romero with the "based on his screenplay" tag and named the movie something else. It will be an "apples and oranges" comparison it you try to judge the two films together. There are few jumps between scenes that don't make a whole lot of sense and a certain character (that I came to really like) does an "about face" for no real reason. But, those are minor complaints. There was so much good stuff ... chainsaws, explosions, lots of blood and a lounge version of Disturbed's "Down with the Sickness." Yes!!! I found the humor used in the movie to be downplayed enough that it didn't get in the way of the scares. My major disappointment with the film was that there was no "zombie dog." Bummer.

Eli Roth ... Zack Snyder can kick your ass any day of the week, you hack. I can report with much excitement that the new "re-imagined" version of "Dawn of the Dead" (with Mr. Snyder at the helm) rocks hard. More thoughts on this later ...

Whee! Zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies, zombies!!! Death and carnage! Zombie carnage!!! I am off to see some zombie carnage! Yes!!!

Oh, baby! According to USPS tracking there is a certain video in my mailbox.

With the promise of spectacular weather tomorrow, the fellas (PT, Matt) and I will be off for some much need hiking. But, where to go ... Appalachian Trail, the Chimneys, Shuckstack, Max Patch area? So many trails. So little time.

[Good thing I have Ole Blue.]
*Sigh*

"Boy Meets Boy," the super evil reality television show, is headed to dvd. I'm not quite sure who they think the target market is for this. I can't imagine that any straight folks will want this in their video library. And, speaking as a gay fella, I found the show to be manipulative and in very bad taste.

Grrrr. No video joy in the mail yesterday. So, I just had to settle for doing more work. I must say that the more I use Panther, the cooler it is. Apple has done a really nice job of making their OS even more user friendly (not that it wasn't to begin with). Yea for Apple! It really is too bad that Bill Gates has brainwashed almost everyone into having to endure the crappiness of the Windows OS. So many hours of work and frustration could be saved if everyone were Apple users.
[This rant proudly sponsored by Apple ... The Superior Computer.]

Maybe someday I will get some more free time to play around with Garageband. I have only had about an hour or so to play with it. So far, it's proven fun and easy to use. I wanna be a porno music makin' monkey. Whoo.

You know ... I really do hope that a certain "video" arrives in the mail today. I could certainly use a "pick-me-up." Mmmmm.

Oscar Winner Mercedes McCambridge Dead
Of note to horror film fans: McCambridge did the voice over work for the possessed Reagan in William Friedkin's classic "The Exorcist."

[Whee ... I'm a big nerd!!!]
[Grrr ... no insert!!!]
Having grown up in the 80's I am a big ole Dr. Who nerd. Here in the mountains the local PBS station would show them either at 5:30 during the week (individual episodes) or at 2:00 on Saturday afternoons (the entire story arc). Talk about some nerdy, sci-fi goodness. My favorites (just like everybody) were the Tom Baker episodes. I also really liked the ones that had Jon Pertwee and Peter Davison. The BBC has been putting Dr. Who out for years on vhs and I just never have committed to getting them because the tape price tag was always $20.00 or more. Well, now they are being released on dvd, and I can kinda get behind buying them since most have extras like commentaries, documentaries and the like. They still ain't cheap though with the prices being anywhere from $19.99 up depending on the story and the extras. Well, last night I decided to cheer myself and picked up "The Talons of Weng-Chiang." It's a two disc set with lots of goodies and a steep cost of $27.99. Now, I am not complaining about the price. If that were the case I wouldn't have bought it in the first place. What bugs me is that there is no insert ... just the two discs and the case. I was given a copy of "The Robots of Death" for my birthday and it had no insert either. Grrrr. That really bugs me! If the disc was $9.99 I can get behind no printed material inside ... that's the way the MGM Midnite Movie Series is ... and that's fine. It just seems like BBC/Warner Home Video would take a little more care with such a cult favorite like Dr. Who ... especially when the discs cost top dollar. OK ... rant over.
Peter Howell & The BBC Radiophonic Workshop - The Doctor Who Theme [3.2 MB]

I decided to take the night off last night ... from work, from my brain ... from everything. Lynnette and I went and had dinner and kicked around some. But, this morning, I am regretting taking last night off. Just means that I will have to double up and get more done this evening. I only have about another week of this and the bulk of my extra work will be done. Then it's time to party ... nah, not really.

[When there's no more room in hell ...]
Man-oh-man, I really need to see some violence right now ...

So, here's what Anchor Bay has to say about the upcoming huge "Dawn of the Dead" dvd ...

DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978) - MULTI-DISC SET
There have been a few folks asking about this set, and soon we will be revealing the details of what promises to be the most extensive edition of any title in Anchor Bay's history! The release is planned for September, and you can expect multiple versions of the film as well as new commentary tracks and interviews galore. Much more TBA!

The rumor is that the set will definitely have the theatrical cut and director's cut. I actually prefer the theatrical version as the director's cut slows the movie down a little too much in the final act. Supposedly, Anchor Bay is trying to acquire the rights to the Dario Argento's European cut of the film for inclusion on the set as well. Man-oh-man would that be sweet. I guess that we will have to wait until a little closer to September to find out for sure ...

[Ze German Art is Pretty Sweet!]
We are only mere days away from zombie carnage ...

It's official:
A new site design will be coming sometime in the next few weeks (can you tell I am unsettled right now?) and I have decided to shave what hair I have grown back off. Yea for baldness.

Unfortunately, I only got to spend about 30 minutes playing with GarageBand last night. Still in the middle of all that freelance work, so by the time I got that done it was late and my brain was tired. Grrr. I am hoping to master it so that I can make some super sweet porno music (or else try my hand at making some house). Yeah. You'll probably get tortured by some tracks when I have the time to make some. Whee!

I can officially say that Howard Stern is my new hero.

Take the What Sex Position Are You? test by Ley Ley
[via the sexy host at Roomsixteen]

Maybe I should clarify that last statement ...
I didn't mean "dork" in any bad way. I consider all Mac owners to be dorks ... but good dorks. We Mac owners are dorks that care. We care that we have the best computer. After all, where do you spend most of your time? With your computer! Why not be dorky and have a computer that won't lock up at the drop of a hat? Why not have the best OS on the market? Yea for Panther! It's super fast, has a cool interface and lots of useful features. Why not have cool programs like iTunes and GarageBand? Why not have a computer that's like a work of art? When you're friends come over it's always guaranteed to get some attention due to the super sleek design that Apple has come up with.

Now, some of us are bigger dorks than others. My friend Chris is a really big dork. He has wired his house with AirPort Extreme. Yes ... dorkiness to the extreme but super cool as well. And, I am a dork 'cause I am jealous that I am not as big a dork as Chris.

So, fellow Apple users ... show your pride! Put that Mac sticker on you car and let the world know that you are one of the enlightened ones. Yea for Apple!!!

I went to the Apple Store. I am a big dork.

No arguments. I am the biggest dumbass on the planet. Why does it have to be so hard/impossible to actually express yourself to someone you care about? To quote a song ... "and some things that can be written down that we're too shy too say." Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

[Yeah. I stole this image.]
I have not only won porno from the man but also porno featuring the man!

In Memory of John McGeoch ... guitarist for Siouxsie & The Banshees and Magazine. He also played for many others bands including P.I.L. and Visage. He passed away last Thursday in his sleep.
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Christine [2.76 MB]

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!
Hotter than a cool 'Duff' in a warm Springfield summer, the fourth installment of TV's best selling DVD property arrives from Fox Home Entertainment ... "THE SIMPSONS" SEASON FOUR DVD COLLECTION!"

Break out the Kwik-E-Mart Squishies and pull up a couch -- on June 15, 2004, "THE SIMPSONS" SEASON FOUR DVD COLLECTION debuts from Fox Home Entertainment. "THE SIMPSONS" SEASON FOUR DVD COLLECTION features all 22 episodes from the fourth season (1992-1993) from the longest-running comedy series in primetime. Featuring exclusive bonus material including commentary on each episode, an introduction by Matt Groening, a voiceover featurette with James L. Brooks, an Animation Showcase multi-angle feature, animatics, commercials, deleted scenes and more, the four-disc collection arrives at a suggested retail of $49.98 US / $69.98 Canada.

"THE SIMPSONS" SEASON FOUR DVD COLLECTION Special Features:
All episodes are compiled on four discs (full frame, aspect ratio 1.33:1). Each episode is presented with English 5.1 Surround, Spanish Dolby Surround, French Dolby Surround Sound and Spanish subtitles. The following is a breakdown of each disc:

Disc One:
Kamp Krusty (9/24/92)
A Streetcar Named Marge (10/1/92)
Homer the Heretic (10/8/92)
Lisa The Beauty Queen (10/15/92)
Treehouse of Horror III (10/29/92)
Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie (11/3/92)

Disc Two:
Marge Gets a Job (11/5/92)
New Kid on the Block (11/12/92)
Mr. Plow (11/19/92)
Lisa's First Word (12/3/92)
Homer's Triple Bypass (12/17/92)
Marge vs. The Monorail (1/14/93)

Disc Three:
Selma's Choice (1/21/93)
Brother From the Same Planet (2/4/93)
I Love Lisa (2/11/93)
Duffless (2/18/93)
Last Exit to Springfield (3/11/93)
So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show (4/1/93)

Disc Four:
The Front (4/15/93)
Whacking Day (4/29/93)
Marge in Chains (5/6/93)
Krusty Gets Kancelled (5/13/93)

My apologies to anyone who has written me in the last week or so and has not heard a peep back. I'm not ignoring you. I don't hate you. Things this week have been really crazy with regular work, freelance work and my general mid-life crisis. I just haven't had the energy or any original thoughts to share. Grrrr. The good news is that one freelance gig is done and another is almost done. That leaves only five more freelance jobs in line. That may not sound like a lot. But, with my day job and freelance that means about a 12-hour work day. No rest for the weary, I guess.

With the Apple Store in Atlanta a planned stop this weekend, I may just have to upgrade my OS to ... Panther! Oooo. I just wet myself thinking about it.

Plus, I am already tired of the new design for this site. I wanna start plans for a new look.

"Meat From Accused Killer's Farm May Have Contained Human Remains"
Life sure is stranger than fiction at times. The horror film fan in me just couldn't resist grinning at this news story. Yeah, I'm a sick person. "Motel Hell" anyone?

I have been letting my hair grow back out. Alas, I keep forgetting how unkind heredity has been to me. Grrr. I may just shave it again.

Since it's the new craze (and tests are sorta fun) ...

[Yep. I like the type of fella who would never look my way.]
Favorite Qualities
- A man over 35 is probably getting a little old for your tastes
- Very handsome men
- So-called "Ecto-Mesomorphs," with narrow chins and nicely angular faces
- Dark brown hair
- Wavy hair

Favorite Looks
There's something about "Outdoorsmen" that obviously appeals to you. These guys have a tanned, weathered look, along with ruggedly handsome features. You don't need them to be "pretty" or even "very handsome," but you are drawn by the masculinity and free-spirit they convey. These are not your "button down," "don't get your hands dirty" sort of men. Another of the "looks" that you consistently noticed has been described as "The Boy Next Door."

What Is Your Approach to Judging Which Men Are Handsome or Very Attractive?
Very Picky: It's official: You're "picky." The fact is you are drawn to the most handsome of the handsome. You know what you like in men and are more selective than most men your age. Your tastes seem instinctual. You'd make a great casting agent, because you have a good eye for men who have "star quality." In real life, your high standards may be an obstacle for you. It's hard to find a man with the strong features you like, who's also well-rounded in other ways. Still, you know the importance of a real physical "spark" in a relationship, and aren't willing (or able) to settle for less. The challenge is finding a man who really wows you physically, even if he's not the most handsome man in the room.

I'm going to gone to Atlanta this coming Saturday/Sunday for the 2004 Sunbelt Graphics Show. The bad news about all this is that I'm gonna be stuck with the boss ... so, there will be no fun with any wild Atlanta night life (or maybe an escort for some ... er, well you know). Grrr. The good news is that I will get to be a big nerd on my way back Sunday and stop at the Apple store in Lenox Square. Whee!

Much to the disappointment of the school children (and teachers) of Haywood County, no snow has fallen yet ... though the forecasters are still saying we're gonna get it.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SWAIN... HAYWOOD... MADISON... YANCEY... MITCHELL... AND AVERY COUNTIES IN NORTH CAROLINA. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT WILL MOVE ACROSS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA TUESDAY. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN AROUND DAYBREAK... WITH SNOWFALL BECOMING HEAVY DURING THE MORNING. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE 4 TO 6 INCH RANGE... WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS... ESPECIALLY IN HIGHEST ELEVATIONS NEAR THE TENNESSEE LINE. HEAVY SHOWERS... EVEN SOME THUNDERSTORMS... COULD OCCUR CAUSING VERY HEAVY SNOWFALL RATES. THIS COULD CAUSE LOCALIZED ACCUMULATIONS OF SEVERAL INCHES IN A SHORT TIME.

They're calling for snow after we've had "short sleeve weather" for the past few days. Grrr.

Material Goods = Happiness

In other gay news:
You would think that a certain 23-year-old straight fella would have better things to do than spend Friday night and Saturday night with the gay friend that is "certifiable" over him.

Yeah. There was a rally in support of the "Sanctity of Marriage" in Asheville on Saturday. Of course, gay rights supporters showed up in protest of the rally and eleven were arrested. The reasoning being that the gay rights folks didn't have a permit to assemble. Good grief. Last week, flyers promoting the damn thing started showing up here in Waynesville. I had thought about going and didn't. Napping on the couch was more important.
[via Local Radio and The Man]

Grrrr. Been a really crazy week on this end. Maybe you could tell by the lack of posts or exciting porn/horror stuff. My day job has been nutty with work and new duties piling up quicker than George Bush's lies. Freelance has been busy as well with four (a large number for me) that need to be done by the end of the weekend.

It's also not been a good mental health week. You might have been able to tell that as well. Grrr. But, then again, when has it ever been a good mental health week. My cousin is back on to advocating "happy pills." Bah on being medicated.

[Michael and Preston Relaxing]
[Good View/Good Wine]
[Preston, Chas., Michael]
[Trailside Lovin']
[Zen on the Parkway]
[Single Arch]
So, here are some more hiking photos to bore you ...

Since it's a busy morning, here's a list of what is currently in ye ole compact disc case ... music guaranteed to make you even more crazy:

Concrete Blonde: Group Therapy
Depeche Mode: Ultra
Depeche Mode: Exciter
DJ Shadow: Endtroducing
Goldfrapp: Felt Mountain
Joy Division: Heart & Soul, Disc I
Joy Division: Heart & Soul, Disc II
Nine Inch Nails: Pretty Hate Machine
Nine Inch Nails: Broken
Nine Inch Nails: The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails: The Fragile
Nine Inch Nails: And All That Could Have Been
Nine Inch Nails: Still
ohGr: WELT
ohGr: Sunnypsyop
The Pixies: Doolittle
The Pixies: Bossanova
Radiohead: Hail To The Thief
The Smiths: The Smiths
The Smiths: The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths: Louder Than Bombs
This Mortal Coil: Filigree & Shadow
The Blair Witch Project Soundtrack

In a wee bit of a wigged out mental state this morning ... actually was that way for most of the weekend. Grrr. Damn brain has been working overtime again.

I got asked by a friend on Saturday night, "I hear you have a website?" My response was swift and immediate. "Maybe." Now what kind of answer is that? I should have just said yes. See, some of my friends know about this little neurotic outpost that I keep on the web ... some not all. I have been trying to keep it on the "down low" so that I would feel free to discuss stuff, people, events without the fear of pissing anyone off. Actually, I am most worried about that certain someone reading all my obsessions about him. Hell, he may be reading them already. Hmmm. I guess I should quit being a weenie, own up to my site and let the chips fall where they may.