"When you 'Hulk Smash' upon a star"?!?!

If you’re a geek/nerd/card carrying member of The Comic Book Addiction Hotline, local 120, as I,m myself, am, then you’ve most likely already heard of this. Walt Disney has bought Marvel Comics. More Info can be found here.

At first, I was a little apprehensive about the whole thing. But if I remember right, there’s a lot of other weird mergers/ownerships out there that seem to work well. So, I’ve upgraded my naturally state of “What the Hell?” to more of a Cautiously Hopefully “What?! Uh, ok…”. Time well only tell if this is going to be a good thing. And Walt Disney? No little Mouse’s in Mark II armor, alright? If there is, a big Fist Shake of Doom will be sent your way…

(and I thought these were pretty funy)

"The frame of the cave leads to the frame of man." - Stephen Gardiner

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure in going spelunking with some friends to cave system called Minnetonka. I really had a lot of fun. The temperature inside the cave is about 40 degrees year round, and if I had it my way, that’s the temp I would want around me all the time. It was absolutely wonderful. If I was a billionaire, I would buy that cave and live in it. But I digress.

In my mind, the Cave itself is very photogenic. I got a lot of good pictures during my visit. I wish we weren’t so rushed along (it was a guided tour), or I would’ve taken a few more. Next time I go, I’m definitely taking a camera stand, holding up the group be damned. They have really good mood lighting in there, and you would need it if you want to take full advantage of it and not get blurry pictures.

If find yourself in the Bear Lake area of South Eastern Idaho, and looking for an afternoon adventure, I would send you this way. It`s totally worth it.

"What is the point of having free will if one cannot occasionally spit in the eye of destiny?"

The past year, I’ve come across a new author that I absolutely love. Jim Butcher, author of the series “The Dresden Files” and “The Codex Alera”. Both are rather intriguing in their own respective ways, but I if had to choose which I liked best, it would be The Dresden Files.

The thing that makes the series for me is that the main character, Harry Dresden, is so damn flippant, it’s awesome. I wish I could be as flippant as he. Plus the world that Butcher spins, a Wizard in modern day Chicago, is brilliant and captivating. The characters feel real to me and end up caring what happens to them. And there’s so many great lines from the book, you would be underlining them at least every other page. In fact, that’s where I got my main quote for The C of Fail. I would suggest this series to anyone.

The other series, The Codex Alera, is good, but not as captivating as The Dresden Files. The series seems to start up slow. But by the 4th and 5th book, it really comes into its own. What I like best about the series though is the it’s a fantasy world with an ancient Roman spin and his different take of a “Magic” system is really creative and original.

So, if any of you are in need of a new series to read, at least consider reading The Dresden Files. I don’t think you would be disappointed.

"Is there anything worn under the kilt? No, it's all in perfect working order..." -- Spike Milligan

I recently attended a local Celtic Festival over this past weekend, the first of its kind in my valley. I’ve got to say I was pleasantly pleased. They had a variety of things to browse at, from Caber Tossing, different Scottish Clan booths, and reportedly there was Haggis, which I would've tried if I would've known about it. I would recommend to anyone if they come back next year, for I certainly would be going.

Now, I love all things related to Scotland, for its freakin' awesome. I’ve always entertained the prospect of having a full Kilt set up, but never had the means or opportunity to get one. Now at this certain Festival I attended there was a certain little both selling Kilts. After much deliberation and a certain amount of peer pressure, I broke down and bought one. And I’ve got to say, I have no buyers remorse what so ever.

There's a certain amount of freedom I’ve never known before while wearing the Kilt. It’s cool, flexible, and covers everything that needs covering. No wonder those Scots liked them. The only thing I have to say it’s just pure awesome. Now I’m on my way to building a great Halloween costume, for I have late have been watching a certain cartoon called Samurai Jack.

You’re probably asking what does Samurai Jack have to do with Kilts? Let me explain. There’s a certain character on the show that I absolutely love. And he only goes by The Scotsman. He’s one of my favorite characters on the show, and I will be going as him this year. If you have never seen said cartoon, I would suggest giving it a try. After a few episodes, it can be kind of predictable, but it does have a bit of charm to it. One of the qualities that I like is that it shows without telling. If you ever seen Wall*E, you would know what I’m talking about.

"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women." - Conan, The Barbarian

“What is good in life?”. Never has a self analyzing question come from an action movie than this. And never a question would have more answers than the individuals that were asked. I think everyone of us should ask ourselves this question continuously through our lives, for not only does it gives us a moment to reflect upon what is good, but to also identify what is not, and then be able to cut the chaff from our lives accordingly.

For me, what has been good in my life you might ask? Foremost, I would have to say friends. In my mind, friends are one of the main driving influences that have shaped Me into the person I am today. Family is another. I feel like that I’ve been lucky with my family life. I would be a totally different person if I was born into a different one.

But alas, to have the personal, simplistic mantra that Conan, the Cimmerian lived by. An inner gecky side of wishes for that simplicity. Or it just could be that I wish I was a muscled bund, sword toting barbarian that has a better honor code and sense of right and wrong than most of the “civilized cultures”. But I digress. To live as Conan did. To have such great mirth. The ability to live as roofless wanderer or as a King of Nations, and yet retain the ability to know ones true self.

So I ask you again. What is good in life? Go. Think. And be better for it.
Stay thirsty my friends.

"Autobots, transform... And roll out!" - Optimus Prime

Yesterday was a good day. I joined up with my friends early in the afternoon, had dinner at a good new place in town with great root beer, and went to a viewing of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

I think Michael Bay does a good job with it overall, but it has it fair share of problems. We get our fill of monster robots kicking the trash out of each other and lots of explosions. It’s a Bay film, so what else do you want? My favorite new character is Jetfire and the cantankerous old “man” that he portrays. Too bad he was underutilized. But really, the whole thing has pacing issues, Megan Fox only purpose was just to stand there and look hot, to many “what the Hell?” moments, and the gross over use of bumbling side characters with the only drive is to act as plot devices.

Overall, it’s not a bad movie and I still think worth seeing, but it could’ve been better. 3/5 stars

"Some days you're the statue, and some days you're the pigeon; try to be the rain." - Unknown

It’s been raining in my neck of the woods a fair bit the past month, and I gave come to the realization that I really like the rain. I could and sit and watch it for hours. It’s kind of entrancing the way the continuous way the rain falls, the quite roar of the rain hitting the earth could lull me to sleep, and the smell. Oh the smell of the earth as it rains! I love the earthy fragrance after the rain stops. It really has a cleansing and rejuvenating scent to it.

I think it also brings a child like fun and innocence out of us. To abandon all inhibitions to go and run through the downpour and splash in the puddles. Itself is its own reward, to come and dry off and wrap yourself in warm blankets in front of a fire.

Even if it ends up not raining, I like to lie on back and watch the angry clouds roll past. For how hectic a storm can be, with all its thunder and lightning and buckets of water, I find it relaxing.