Tuesdays with Muerte

I received money for Christmas this year! $$$, in my opinion, is a super-duper gift. It is not necessarily the most thoughtful gift, but it is the most efficient and reasonable. This year, I decided to purchase myself new shoes, an uber-cozy winter coat and a new external Hard drive. Detailed descriptions will follow. 1. Shoes My main drive for going into the shoe store in Columbus was to buy a pair of slippers that would keep my feet warm inside the apartment. I was willing to pay up to $30. I ended up leaving the store with a high-quality pair of Minnetonka slippers and an $80 pair of Capital Rockports, all for under $33! Got to love buy-one-get-one-free on the clearance rack! 2. External Hard Drive Phil was kind enough to buy my 320 GB (Gigabyte) Seagate hard drive for Belle's Birthday. With money he gave me, I added it to my own to buy a 1 TB (Terabyte) Seagate hard drive . It came today via UPS but I missed the deliver, Darn it! I'll get it tomorrow f...

How NOT to Light a Furnace Pilot Light "Fail" Video - This video may not be suitable for children (PG - light profanity, "the bird") Bear in mind, both of those indiscretions are also found in the PG-rated favorite, TOP GUN. (Plus, you'll get to know my roommate Aaron Wheeler.) How to Light a Furnace Pilot Light "Success" Video - This one is a solo performance by me. (One thing I misspoke was, when lighting the pilot, hold the flaming paper over the pilot AND THEN PRESS AND HOLD DOWN THE PILOT IGNITION BUTTON.

THERE'S A PARTY IN MY TUMMY! I am, once again, glad to have left a legacy in Ohio over Christmas break with the Whitehead kids. Last year, I introduced Tanner (my only nephew) to the Hayao Miyazaki's Japanimation film, My Neighbor Totoro : (Trailer) This year, I brought a song from the Nick Jr. TV program, Yo Gabba Gabba . Oddly enough, Sienna seems to be the one who is most interested in the song. I suppose she is just more musical than Tanner is right now. Per Tanner's request, here is your favorite, addictive, lunchtime song, There's a Party in my Pants Tummy : Yo Gabba Gabba! (There's a Party in my Tummy !) Here is the Yo Gabba Gabba Homepage. This is a link to the blogspot where I first discovered Yo Gabba Gabba. this low-quality link ought to work via YouTube. ---------------- Listening to: the bird and the bee - Baby

My first picture uploaded to Flickr.com - My Neighbor Totoro . Myths About Anime I'm giving you all one last opportunity to repent of your uninformed prejudices against Anime as a genre. Some of you may be harboring ill-feelings for "anime" based on incorrect assumptions. Here are six of the most common Western misconceptions about Japanimation: 1. All anime is ridiculously violent. 2. All anime is for adults because all/most of it is pornographic 3. All anime is created by perverted 45-year-old Japanese men. 4. All animation is for children, so therefore anime is also for children. 5. All anime shows are ripped off from American cartoons. 6. Not only is it a rip-off, but Anime's animation quality is inferior. Rebuttal (Prepare to read this by taking a deep breath and opening your mind.) What is Anime? "Put simply, anime is animation from Japan. Although in Japan the term refers to any work of animation, here in the West the term refers to Ja...

If you have never seen a concert from the 80's, you should have a quick peak at the show of Europe's Live Tour below: Here are the three finest tributes the web has to offer, aside from this one. 1. Man plays Final Countdown using just his hands. Be sure to see minute 2:20! (There was a much classier one out there by a young man who recorded himself playing 4-parts on the trombone, but took it off YouTube.) 2. This video features 3 headbanging cellists that shred the solos and are accompanied by a full orchestra. 3. The worst rendition of Final Countdown ever played--so bad, it must be appreciated for what it is. (Just like American Idol.)

EASY “ET phone home.” - ET, ET “Khaaaan!” - Captain James T. Kirk, Start Trek: Wrath of Khan “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!” -Inigo, The Princess Bride “He’s dead, Jim.” - McCoy, ST:TOS “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.” - Obi-Wan, Star Wars “Bring out your dead.” - Medieval Street Cleaner, Monty Python and the Holy Grail “Danger Will Robinson! Danger!” - Robbie the Robot, Lost in Space “Would you say I have a plethora of piñatas?” - El Guapo, ¡Three Amigos" “Don’t panic” - Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy “Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!” Vizzini, The Princess Bride “Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try.” - Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back "There can be only one!" - Highlander, Highlander “Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no substitute for a good blaster at your side, kid.” -Han Solo, Star Wars “To infinity..and beyond!” Buzz Lightyear, Toy Story...

Merry Christmas Happy New Year.