January 2008

I fully expected to update this blog more often once my student teaching was done, but now I wonder if I ever will update as often as I once did. Probably not. Things have been very busy. I am still teaching, and working another job, and trying to have a social life. I have also been updating my web site frequently with reviews. Check them out! There are also plenty of new episodes of The Good, The Bad, & The Geeky, which is a great podcast! It has really been growing and solidifying what it is. There are now three hosts, including Jon. I'm sorry I don't have anything real to post here. I'm looking very forward to the season premiere of Lost on Thursday. If you know me, feel free to call me about coming over for it. There'll probably be a few people here. And that's, um, yeah that's all for now. I'll post something more fun soon. Have a good week, loyal readers!

Qop!
"Sir, there is a multi-legged creature on your shoulder." ~ Spock, fooling a guard, Star Trek

Damages

I'm sure you people that still check this blog are getting tired of the very rare updates and vows to fix that. I truly will, come December, when student teaching is over, and I can afford to have a life again. Until then, I am behind on everything. It's already the 25th of the month and I haven't even started my short story for my book web site. I know, I know. I'm terrible. But I will prevail, and after December, you will feel my presence. Until then, if you want your regular does of Jimmy, check out the podcast I do with Nick Nitro, The Good, The Bad, & The Geeky. We update every week. We didn't always, but we have kept that schedule for a month or so, and we do intend to keep it going. It's really taking off. You can find it on iTunes, or at the show's web site. It's really something, I think, and we have lots more surprises in store for our loyal listeners! And yes, An Actor's Nightmare Book 3 will be out soon.

What could possibly break my once-again lengthy code of silence on the blog? Every once in awhile, a show comes along that just completely wows you. I mean, really. I know I like lots of shows, but the ones that join my top tier are few and far between. We're talking your Buffy the Vampire Slayers, your Deep Space Nines, your Sports Nights. Shows unique in nature, and long lasting in mind. The newest to join that rank: the first year drama Damages, which just completed its initial run on FX. While the show has not yet been picked up for a second season, they should just hand the Emmy and the Golden Globe to Glenn Close. While they're at it, give a supporting actor nod to Zeljko Ivanek (Live Free or Die Hard, Oz, The Manchurian Candidate). Rose Byrne stars, and Ted Danson and Tate Donavan round out the actors you need to know. I haven't watched the finale, it's paused on my tv screen right now, but I know without a doubt it will finish strong.

The show began in the summer, with poor Ellen (Byrne) in a trench coat covered in blood on a dark street. Over the ensuing thirteen weeks, we soon learned that her fiance was dead, and her boss, Patty Hughes (Close), may have tried to kill them both. Most of the story takes place in the months leading up to that fateful scenes as Patty and Ellen attempt to make a case against Ted Danson, but the action catches up the opening by the penultimate episode. I have much to say about this show, and will this Sunday on our podcast, but I can delay my anticipation no longer. It's on to the finale!

Qop!
"I predict that by the time I get back, you and David will be together again." ~ Patty Hughes (Glenn Close) to Ellen (Rose Byrne), Damages

I Broke My Pledge

Yeah, sorry. I let it go another two weeks and didn't do my Tip of the Hat, Wag of the Finger. I've decided not to make any more promises about posting until student teaching is over, because as much as I'd like to keep them, I'm not sure I can. And now for some brief random thoughts that should have been on our podcast, The Good, The Bad, & The Geeky, but wasn't.
Did anyone watch Saturday Night Live this past weekend? Chevy Chase on freakin' Weekend Update! How cool was that!!!!
When did Heroes become Star Trek? I mean, yes, shows have had lots of ST people before, from the tv movie Roots: The Gift which featured many ST actors before they were ST actors, and Boston Legal, which starred two major ST alumni, but Heroes got crazy! First they had George Takei (Sulu), whom they recently killed off. And then the villain, Sylar, was cast to play Spock in the new movie. Then last night, Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) showed up, and she will surely be seen again, and Dominic Keeting (Reed from Enterprise) was there, too! It's getting crazy up in here!

Qop!
"I'm still...and you're still not." ~ Chevy Chase, SNL

Alone

So I live alone now. This is, admittedly, probably a temporary situation. I have a roommate lined up for November, a possible one for December, and then maybe another one for next year. This is met with mixed feelings by me, honestly. I have only lived alone for two months. I like it a lot of the time. I can walk around, er, less than fully dressed. The temperature is what I want it set to. I can stay up late or go to bed early. The tv is always mine. Hell, every room in the house is mine. Yet, as I empty out the spare bedroom, that only had clothes and a bed in it anyway, in anticipation of the roommate coming in two months, I do feel a little happy. For one thing, I like to see people. And when I'm home alone all day, and every night, it gets lonely and sad. I think I would like a roommate. I think I would also like a bigger place to share with them, because while this place is big for me, it will not be big for two people. I use every inch in it except the spare room and a few kitchen cabinets. Ah, well. The mixed bag will stay for awhile now, and likely I won't be with roommate for long.

Qop! (this one's for you, Nick!)
"My name is Wil Wheaton. Jack Thompson can suck my balls. If you have a problem with that, go fuck yourself." ~ Wil Wheaton, Pax 07 Keynote Address

Blast From the Past

So, because I'm a total loser, I was googling both my name and the title 'An Actor's Nightmare' to see what I could turn up. I found a tun of stuff that I did back when I was in middle school, and I realized just what a huge dork I was. I also realized that Geocities and Tripod never took down the pages. I obviously had too much time in my hands in those days. Of course, my parents didn't let me go anywhere unless they wanted to take a 'family trip', and I was rarely permitted to go to parties or hang out with friends, so what else was there to do? Then I got to high school and got a life. A very, very busy one. These projects fell to the wayside and were abandoned to one day be dredged up. I still have the same e-mail address. I bet I could still log in and edit them. Hmm. Yes, I even used the pen name back then. And so in the spirit of self emasculation, I present some links for you to click on so you can revel in just how dorky I really was. Am. No. No. Was. Yeah, was.
The Star Wreck Fleet
Data's Joke (click on Star Wreck)
The Geek Space Dominion (I was a contributor, but THAT e-mail doesn't still work)

Also, I've watched three of the four aired episodes so far of Thank God You're Here! The first episode was funny, but the second was fantastic, and the third was pretty good. Anyone who wants to see Harland Williams, Jason Alexander, Edie McClurg (the secretary from Ferris Bueller's Day Off), Kevin Nealon, Wayne Knight, Jane Lynch, Jennifer Coolidge, George Takei, Richard Kline, Mo'Nique, Shannon Elizabeth, Tom Green, and others battle their way through improvisational scenes, check it out! It's really good. Best reality type show. It's like a better version with more talented people of Who's Line Is It Anyway?

Qops! (from 30 Rock)
Liz Lemon: Where's Gary?
Jack: [Kicks down door and enters room] Gary's dead. I'm Jack Donaghy. New VP of development for NBC/GE/Universal/Kmart.
Pete: Oh, we own Kmart now?
Jack: No. So why are you dressed like we do?

Toufer: [Complaining to Liz] Surely our massive conglomerate parent company could spring for a samovar of coffee.
Frank: Yeah, or, like, a big coffee dispenser!
Toufer: [Condescendingly] That's what a samovar is.
Frank: Are there other black nerds, or is it just you and Urkel?

Pete: [Tending to one of three cast members who have been rendered unfilmable for that week's episode] Liz Taylor really messed him up! He might have brain damage.
Liz Lemon: God. Maybe the musical guest can do some extra songs this week. Who is it?
Pete: James Blunt.
Liz Lemon: Ugghh.

Tracy Jordan: I'm gonna make you a mix tape. You like Phil Collins?
Jack: I've got two ears and a heart, don't I?

Birthday Sharers

I have a Top Ten list today, but first some entertainment news. The season finale of What About Brian? is tonight, and Molly Willow, tv reporter for The Dispatch, whom I usually agree with seemed to think it would be the series finale, and that it was a good thing. That is one of my favorite shows! I loved it at first, and it got much better with some retooling of the cast this year. I will be deeply upset if this is the last episode ever tonight. Also, Shannon and Boone are on Lost this week. What the hell!?! And Billy Dee Williams. Gotta love Lando. And the Battlestar Galactica season finale last night was FANTASTIC!!! OMG!!! I can't believe who The Four are!!! And who is the last one? I have to wait until frackin' January to find out? Come on!

Ok, Top Ten People I'm Glad Share My Birthday (which is today, by the way)
10. J-Kwon - Ok, I don't even know who the rapper is. But I only found ten people who share my birthday. Although a Krogers clerk a couple of weeks ago should prob beat him for #10. And the fictional character of Capt. Kirk (Nimoy's dig on Shatner) also has this birthday. Let's call it a three way tie.
9. Martin Short - Sorry. I don't think he's been funny since Three Amigos.
8. Diana Ross - So, yeah. Um. Yeah.
7. Kenny Chesney - I actually own his greatest hits, though I haven't listened to them since I bought them. I was dating a country music fan at the time, who was in love with him.
6. Alan Arkin - I want to see Little Miss Sunshine!
5. James Caan - Great actor. Just great.
4. Steven Tyler - I don't want to close my eyes. I don't want to fall asleep. Cause you'll probably be dead before I wake up, you old geezer. :)
3. Keira Knightley - Soooooooooo hot!
2. T. R. Knight - Yep, good ol' George from Grey's, even I'm still pissed with him for sleeping with Izzy. You're a married man, George! Tequilia is no excuse!

And #1. Leonard Nimoy. Spock will always be my #1. Yay Spock!


Qop! (I haven't really kept up with Idol since the final 24, but props to this quote)
"Did you know that Sanjaya is an ancient Indian name meaning 'William Hung'?" ~ Jay Leno

Why Is Bush Still in Office?

Sorry about only getting three entries in August. A lot has happened in the last few weeks, from my Five Year Reunion, to starting grad school, to my web site being down temporarily. Ugh. And I should have a TiVo by the first of the week. Finally. Anyway, the main topic today is, Why is Bush still in office? If you like Bush, even a little, skip this post and join me next time for something more fun and frivilous.
Many of you have probably wandered this. If you know me at all, you know that I certainly have. A lot of people believe he didn't win in 2000. Fewer, but still a significant number, believe he didn't win in 2004. Not that any of that matters because he is in office, so suck it up and forget that old stuff. It's way too late to do anything about either election. Lots of people pretty much acknowledge that Iraq is a mistake, although good ol' Bush is up to his good ol' fear tactics again of telling us that if we pull out, we will be beset upon my terrorists. Not his language. He would say something less intellectual. This morning's Doonesbury reminded me of a few of the things he has done that are illegal: authorizing torture, kidnapping people and throwing them in secret prisons without due process, wiretapping phones. Why is this man still our president? His poll numbers are so low you'd think someone would stand up and say, Look, this is a bad man that is breaking the law and leading our country asunder! Let's at least put him on trial! But other than a reprimand from the Supreme Court, and rapidly dwindling poll numbers, nothing has happened to him. I wish that someone in Washington would take note and get that bastard out of office before he screws anything else up. I guess it's ok to say this. I don't think he has thrown anyone in secret prisons just for critisizing him...yet. :) (Yes, that last part was a joke people!)

Qop!
"Today's secret word is 'Kahn'. You remember what to do when someone says the secret word, don't you? ...That's right. SCREAM REAL LOUD!!!!" ~www.in4mador.com

Prehistoric Ages

Sorry for the so long no post. I have a valid excuse this time. I was in Florida for most of the non-posting period, and with no internet access, I was screwed. I depend a lot on technology. Unfortunately, it appears that I am about to descend back into the dark ages, which there is no good reason for that to happen to me so I am bit upset. I am moving back in, very temporarily, like the school year, with my parents to save some money. I don't want to do it, but I have to. I am poor and that's what happens with poor people. My mom isn't opposed to me getting a DVR, like I have had for the last year and a half, there, but the decision is up to my father, a man who grew up on a farm and has very different ideas about life from me. I think part of the problem is that he doesn't understand me, nor does he want to. I understand him. It takes effort, but I do. But he wouldn't recipricate. So when I called and very nicely asked about having a DVR added to his cable me, with me paying for it of course, he said no. Why? Because he doesn't want 'that trash' in the house. They have only a basic cable package, 28 channels. It hasn't always been that way, but my little siblings, and me admittedly, watched things he didn't consider appropriate. I didn't have much time for tv when I last lived there, so it didn't bother me. And I do understand his want to protect his children, although I totally disagree with his method of doing it. I had originally planned to ask to put the DVR in the family room, although since he doesn't want the other siblings (two of them are still at home age. almost 17 and almost 12) to watch it, I said I would put it in my bedroom. He can block the 'unwanted' channels on all of the other tvs, and I would block all the 'trash' and movie channels that he wanted on my system. I only watch the basic channels (4, 6, 10, 28, 53), Comedy Central and Cartoon Network. I guess I will watch Battlestar on SciFi this fall, and Runway on Bravo, and maybe Lovespring on Life. Still, he can block MTV and the like. I don't care. The big exception he took to it seemed to be Comedy Central. I am an avid The Daily Show and The Colbert Report fan. He doesn't get Comedy Central and doesn't want it. I promised to not watch 'that trash with all the f-words', but he doesn't want it available. It is a really dumb situation. If the machine is in my room, I don't see how that's a problem. He didn't think it was fair to allow me, a 23 year old, access to something his much younger children aren't allowed to watch. I think, as an adult, I am entitled to my shows as long as I am willing to pay for them and keep them away from the youngsters. I am really trying to understand him, but I think my compromise of keeping it in my room and allowing him to block most of the channels should satisfy him. It does not. He will allow it only if he can block any channel other than the 28 he gets, which includes none of the cable channels that I watch. This isn't fair and isn't necessary in the 21st century.

Qop!
McCoy: Are you out of your Vulcan mind? (Star Trek)

Musings Part 1,383,292... or so it seems :)

So I've been watching Dawson's Creek (Lisa, you can read this. I won't spoil anything). The final season came out and of course I'm addicted to watching it, and of course being emotionally moved, sometimes to tears, as Dawson often does to me. But instead of getting into that, because I don't want to spoil anything for Lisa, I've been thinking about my life and intrests. When I was younger, I read constantly. I was incluenced greatly by Judy Blume, Beverly Clearly, Bruce Coville, Lynn Reid Banks, L. Frank Baum... and then later by Peter David, J.K. Rowling, Diane Carey, and many others. It was probably part of the reason I turned to writing. I wrote my first chapter book in 3rd grade. I have been writing ever since. In contrast, tv meant very little to me. A couple of years ago, however, I discovered what great storytelling can exist on tv. Yes, I still do enjoy the occasional dumb sitcom, but my fascination with tv stems from my fascination with storytelling, not because I'm a couch potato junkie. I couldn't imagine tv shows as good as books until I discovered Star Trek: Deep Space 9, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Dawson's Creek, Firefly, Felicity, Lost, 24, and a host of others. The people that create this stuff (Joss Whedon, Ira Steven Behr, J.J. Abrams, etc.) are every bit as good a writer as the authors I loved. The actors they choose bring their stories to life, and while I still love books, there's a lot to be said for television, which is now in it's renaisance. Especially the serial series. When I was writing my first published book, I was just starting to discover the tv world. I think it did influence my writing. I imagined that book as a television season, and I would be thrilled beyond measure if someday it became one. I like to tell a serial story, where the part fit together, the story goes on for years, but it's one long story. One that is complicated, with characters that grow and change. I don't think I'm awesome at it, but I'm not ashamed of my first book, and I think my stories will continue to get better. I live life through my stories since I'm not leading the life I dream of. If I'm lucky, someday I will get to. We'll see. If you haven't read my book, please do so, then if you like it tell everyone. I will follow my dream of telling stories. In the meantime, I'm back to Dawson and watching others' stories. I need to know what's going to happen to Dawson, Joey, Pacey, Jenn, Jack, Grams, Todd, Audrey, Natasha, and the rest!

Qop! (from Season Six of Dawson's Creek)
Joey: Dawson, I'm sorry I don't have the same dreams I had when I was 15 years old, and I'm sorry that I moved on faster than you did, but you know what? Maybe not everything that happens to you is my fault! And maybe just because I want more from my life than...
Dawson: More than what? More than us? You don't know, do you? You've never known. The entire time I've known you, all you've wanted to do is escape. From me, from Capeside. I mean, you say that I'm the dreamer. I'm the one who doesn't wanna live in the real world. Well, I'm doing it, Joey. Right now. I'm living in the real world. It's you who wants the fantasy

My Alias

My book is selling ok so far...keep buying people! :) Go to www.amazon.com and search the title An Actor's Nightmare to purchase your copy today! Anyway, other than that I have been working my butt off. Still pulling full time hours at Steak N Shake and substituting every day (except not today because it was a snow day, which disappointed me). But the reason for my entry:
Alias is finally coming to an end. It was inevitable, and I said all summer this should be it's last season. However, they did a major cast overhaul and there were so many ways to go with it so I was finally getting comfortable with the idea that the show would go on. That and Jennifer Garner supposedly signed a contract to take the show through 2007. Then the bad news comes around Thanksgiving. This will indeed be Alias's last season. Now they are rocketing towards one exicitng closer! Vaughn is dead, and Irena is back! Or is Vaugh dead? Maybe? Some of my friends think not. Something is going on with Sydney's baby, and now Prophet Five and SD-6 are connected! Yes, this is going to be one well of a season. If they could just bring back Weiss and Marshall's wife I'd be happier. Oh, well. Here we go!
P.S. The rumor out is that Star Trek XI will focus on the mirror universe and star William Shatner and Patrick Stewart, and possibly Scott Bakula. Anyone else afraid of this concept?
P.P.S. Go Eva Longaria for being included with the rest of the Housewives in this year's Golden Globes nominations, and Candence Bergen for her nomination. Also props to My Name Is Earl and the much better than last season Grey's Anatomy. Now will they halt the possible cancellation of Arrested Development? I mean, we're going to get Justine Bateman fod goodness sakes! Fox, don't cancel it!!!

Qop!
WILLOW: Promise me you'll never be linear.
OZ: On my trout.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Choices"

Gay Trek

So George Takei, a.k.a. Star Trek's Mr. Sulu came out of the closet. I try to be surprised. After all, I read his autobiography and it never even hinted at that side of his lifestyle. Then again, it really didn't talk about any women he was in love with either. Apparently he has been with one partner for eighteen years. Well, I say good for him. I wonder which other Star Trek actors may be gay and just afraid to admit it. I guess time will tell. I'm pretty sure the only two main characters that have passed away are straight (James Doohan and DeForrest Kelley), but that leaves many others. Patrick Stewart has been rumored for years, despite a marriage that broke up. Speaking of Stewart and Star Trek, Michael and I were talking about one of our favorite shows, Boston Legal. That law firm in that show is Crane, Pool, and Schmidt, and only Denny Crane (William Shatner) and Shirley Schmidt (Candence Bergen) have appeared. What about Pool? We decided that Patrick Stewart should play Pool, especially if the character was outageous, possibly flamboyantly gay. I mean Bergen and Shatner play their parts pretty out there, so Pool would have to be as well. How much fun would that be if Stewart did that? Anyway, I am very sad Betty White left Boston Legal already this season. I hope her replacement is just as good, but they will be hard shoes to fill.

Qop!
Ok, I admit, this was much funnier to watch and hard to convey in my blog, plus I have to tell a story rather than just write the quote, but it was hilarious! On the Colbert Report (both T's silent) Monday night, Colbert unleashed a new skit where he plays God and decides whether to LEAVE THEM DEAD or BRING THEM BACK where Colbert made a case for whether to clone a dead guy or not and the audience answered en masse. When he suggested the leader of the Spanish Inquistion so he could work the Tom Delay trial, they all yelled BRING HIM BACK. Then he suggested Darwin, and he would make Darwin admit evolution was wrong and God was real, probably using the Spanish guy to do so. Again the crowd yelled BRING HIM BACK. His last selection was Dave Thomas, Wendy's Founder because his double cheeseburgers were so good. The crowd yelled LEAVE HIM DEAD. Colbert reminded them that he was the person that invented the delicious Frosty dessert. The crowd then, in unison, yelled "Mmmm. Ok, BRING HIM BACK" Ok, again, it was funnier to watch in person

Happy Birthday Timmy J!

Tomorrow would have been Timothy Jesser's birthday. I miss him. We had a little party for him on Saturday at T.G.I.Fridays. It was great. Friends, teachers, his family, fun, cake, food, pictures, and memories. I am so glad we did it. I don't know how much else to put on here about it because I've written about it before and I've said what I wanted to say, several times over. I am dedicating my first book to him, had planned on it since I first started writing, so that will be my tribute.
Then a bunch of us went to see The Exorcism of Emily Rose. I had no desire to see it because it looked scary, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was a courtroom thing with flashbacks to the exorcism and while those were a bit startling, it was very well done. And it was based on a true story. This girl named Emily died and the priest who had earlier performed an unsuccessful exorcism on her was charged for negligence for encouraging her to abandon medical treatment. It was very dramatic and cool. I won't tell you how it ends. The priest and his lawyer were great actors, and it had our favorite beige queen from last season's 24.
Continuing with season premiere critiques, American Dad's Patrick Stewart heavy premiere was great. Stan's liberal daughter begins seeing his conservative, very old, boss (Stewart). The sex jokes out of Stewart's mouth are hilarious. Family Guy was even funnier. Brian began dating Meg's black teacher, and Peter decided he would replace Brian's friendship with James Woods. There was a great scene on the bridge of the Enterprise-D with Stewart and Michael Dorn and possibly Jonathan Frakes lending their voices. That is it so far on the premieres, although I have to comment that The Flight That Fought Back on Discovery was very moving. It was about Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania on Sept. 11

Qop! (long one, but good; from the Buffy episode "Flood")
GILES: (over his shoulder) You're a very stupid girl.
WILLOW: What? Giles...
GILES: (turns to face her) Do you have any idea what you've done? The forces you've harnessed, the lines you've crossed?
WILLOW: I thought you'd be ... impressed, or, or something.
GILES: Oh, don't worry, you've ... made a very deep impression. Of everyone here ... you were the one I trusted most to respect the forces of nature.
WILLOW: Are you saying you don't trust me?
GILES: (intensely) Think what you've done to Buffy.
WILLOW: I brought her back!
GILES: At incredible risk!
WILLOW: Risk? Of what? Making her deader?
GILES: Of killing us all. Unleashing hell on Earth, I mean, shall I go on?
WILLOW: No! (stands) Giles, I did what I had to do. I did what nobody else could do.
GILES: Oh, there are others in this world who can do what you did. You just don't want to meet them. (turns away again)
WILLOW: No, probably not, but ... well, they're the bad guys. I'm not a bad guy. (upset) I brought Buffy back into this world, a-and maybe the word you should be looking for is "congratulations."
GILES: Having Buffy back in the world makes me feel ... indescribably wonderful, but I wouldn't congratulate you if you jumped off a cliff and happened to survive.
WILLOW: That's not what I did, Giles.
GILES: (angry) You were lucky.
WILLOW: I wasn't lucky. I was amazing. And how would you know? You weren't even there.
GILES: If I had been, I'd have bloody well stopped you. The magicks you channeled are more ferocious and primal than anything you can hope to understand, (even more angry) and you are lucky to be alive, you rank, arrogant amateur!

Dawson's Creek

THIS DOES NOT CONTAIN SPOILERS TO THE OVERALL SERIES, ALTHOUGH IT OUTLINES ONE EPISODE THAT DOES NOT BEAR INTO ANY LONG TERMS OF 5th SEASON ARCS. IT IS SAFE TO READ, LISA! I have been watching the Dawson's Creek DVDs for quite some time now. When I got Season 5 a few months ago, I had been excited to watch it but it wasn't until this week when I got the chance. I have always regarded the show as a bit trashy and was slightly embarrassed that I liked it and was addicted to it, but I couldn't help myself. I'm a sucker for sappy stuff, even over the top dramatic high school angst, which is odd considering no girl even looked at me in high school and I didn't experience the angst myself. Still, I have since had relationships and I can really feel for the characters, even if they seem to young to be going through things. Today, however, I watched an episode of Dawson's Creek which changed my mind about the show forever.

The episode was called "Downtown Crossing" and was focused only on 3 characters: Joey (Katie Holmes), a mugger, and the mugger's wife, played by Merecedes McNab of Buffy and Angel fame. The first part of the episode concentrated on the mugger taunting Joey, pulling a gun on her, stealing all her money out of her account, her cell phone, and even her coat. Obviously they could not use the normal cheery theme song so a dark one was put in it's place that just flashed the main actor's names, even though Joey was the only one in it. The mugger finally left her alone, and despite her smart ass mouth and a kick to his head, he didn't harm her. She tried walking home in the snow with no coat and it was sad. Then the mugger showed up and waved at her, just to get hit by a car moments later. Instead of running off, after getting her coat and things back, Joey calls an ambulance and stays with the man, talking to him about his family. She begins to compare the man, who is also a drug dealer, to her father, and feels sorry for him. At the hospital, his separated wife and daughter show up and the parallels between her father and the mugger continue to build. When the wife finds out who Joey is and the circumstances surrounding the accident, she leaves. The wife wants nothing to do with the mugger, but the daughter adores her father. They leave, and Joey is the only one who can stand by the mugger as he dies and they talk about her father and why he did what he did. In the end, Joey sees the wife and daughter one last time. The daughter innocently asks "Did my Daddy do something bad to hurt you?" Joey looks at the girl and says "No, he saved my life." She preceeds to tell the child that the mugger actually pushed her out of the way of the car, then silently Joey despoits her money in the wife's purse as she leaves. This episode made me feel and even cry for a drug dealer!!! I don't care how cheesy the show is. Only brilliant writing can pull that off. Amazing.

Oh, and I also discovered that Joshua Jackson (Pacey) directed an episode and Robert Duncan McNeil (Paris from Star Trek: Voyager) directed several. And Dawson's mom was the virgin in Caesar times from Mel Brooks' History of the World Part I! I love www.imdb.com!

Dawson's Creek 1998-2003
Starring: With
James Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery
Katie Holmes as Joey Potter
Michelle Williams as Jen Lindley
Joshua Jackson as Pacey Witter
Mary Beth Piel as Grams
Kerr Smith as Jack McPhee
Meredith Monroe as Andie McPhee
Busy Phillips as Audrey Liddell
With
Mary Margaret Humes as Gail Leery
John Wesley Ship as Mitch Leery
Nina Repeta as Bessie Potter
Monica Keena as Abby Morgan

Qop! (Dawson's Creek - throughout the series)
"What about you, Joe? Are you a virgin?"
"You kidding? Years ago. Trucker named Bubba." ~ Jen (Michelle Williams) & Joey (Katie Holmes)

BONUS QOP!s
" You know, this town is the absolute embodiment of dull. Apart from the occasional sex scandal provided by yours truly, nothing happens here." ~ Pacey (Joshua Jackson)

" You mean that you guys would rather watch a movie about something than actually doing it yourselves?"
"Correct." ~ Andie (Meredith Monroe) and Dawson & Joey (James Van Der Beek & Holmes)

"Emilio Estevez. He was in those Ducks movies. Man, those were the best." ~ Pacey (Jackson, who starred in the Ducks movies with Estevez)

"Good teachers are just traumatized students trying to erase whatever went wrong with their own high school experience." ~ Jack (Kerr Smith)

"Tell ya what, grams. I'll go to church with you when you say the word penis." ~ Jen

"Wait a second. You're taking romantic advice from a guy who spent his evening trying to get 3 snails to sleep together?" ~ Joey (referring to Pacey's attempt to create a snail menage-a-troi)

"I make a cancer joke and Joey gets mad, or I make a crazy joke and Andie gets upset, or I make a joke about ho-bags and Jen starts humping the couch." ~ Abby

"I mean, you did just nude-up with the guy. Oh, I'm sorry, or did you guys do it through a hole in a sheet because that's very Dawson and Joey to me." ~ Audrey

"You and I are meant to be together, Joey. Period. The end. Cue happy-ending music." ~ Dawson (NOT at the end of the series)

R.I.P. James Doohan 1920-2005

James Doohan died early this morning at the age of 85 from pnemonia and Alzheimers. He is best remembered for his portrayal of Monthgomery "Scotty" Scott on Star Trek. Canadian born, he was a master of dialects. Doohan served in the Canadian Army and landed at Juno Beach on D-Day. He suffered wounds and lost the middle finger on his right hand, which he managed to hide throughout his acting career. He had four children with his first wife, Judy, and two children with his second wife, Anita. The youngest of four children, he is survived by his wife of 28 years, Wende, and their three children, the youngest only being born in 2000. Doohan was never ashamed of his role as the famous engineer, and never got tired of hearing fans order him "Beam Me Up Scotty", although that line has never been said on screen in Star Trek. Doohan is the second original series cast member to pass away, as DeForrest Kelley (Dr. McCoy) died in 2001. On a personal note, I have always respected and admired James Doohan for his incredible acting skills, not just on Star Trek. I was saddened last August when he retired from public life after being diagonsed with Alzheimer's, and his death is very sad, although he led a rich and full life. Many of my favorite actors have died in recent years, Lane Smith (Perry White on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman) for instance died last month. Doohan hits me the hardest though. My favorite two actors from the original Star Trek were the first two to go. Remember Jimmy and his legacy.

Qop!
"I know this ship like I know the back of my hand!" James Doohan as Scotty in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Shortly thereafter he smacks his head on a pipe and lays unconscious

Hodge Podge

Spamalot Soundtrack - Pretty good. Not a lot of memorable stuff, but still funny. You have to love Hank Azaria, Tim Curry, David Hyde Pierce, Christopher Sieber, Sara Ramirez and Michael McGrath.
Felicity Season One - Made me cry a lot. Not as melodramatic as Dawson's Creek though, which is good. I am furious at the ending and can't wait to start season two tonight!
Batman Begins - Very intense, but incredible! I can't wait for them to continue this movie series.
Fantastic Four - I thought it was enjoyable. Funny at parts, but all around a pretty good movie.
Wicked: Songbook - I hate the keys! I can barely plunk along with the vocal line! But good music.
Summer Sisters - An unexpectedly good book by Judy Blume. A bit risque, but I like that. Can't wait to finish the last 100 pages.
Wicked - The novel by Gregory Maguire was pretty good, and it definitely left me with things and philosophies to think about.
Tales From The Captain's Table - Good collection of stories about Captains Jonathan Archer(Enterprise NX-01), William Riker (Titan), Elizabeth Shelby (Excalibur / Trident), Chakotay (Voyager), Jean-Luc Picard (Enterprise-D), Demora Sulu (Enterprise-B), Gold (DaVinci), Kira Nyres (Deep Space 9 / Defiant), and Klag. For those of you who don't know, Gold is part of the Starfleet Corps of Engineers book series and Shelby, who was a guest character in the TNG episode "Best of Both Worlds" is in New Frontier. Klag was the Klingon 2nd officer in the TNG episode where Riker did the officer exchange, and he is now a captain and has his own book series. Jenn, the Chakotay story was pretty good. It was the story of how he joined Starfleet sponsered by the old Captain Demore Sulu, who had left the Enterprise-B by that point. Riker's story was his honeymoon. Picard's was from the period between Stargazer and Enterprise-D.
Goerge W. Bush - Should still not be in office. :)

Ok, enough about that. I need to crash. I am exhausted from several days of solid work.

Qop! (From Spamlalot / Arthur - Tim Curry / Robin - David Hyde Pierce)
ARTHUR: Have you heard of this Broadway?
ROBIN: Yes Sire, but we don't stand a chance there?
ARTHUR: WHy not?
ROBIN: Because Broadway is a very special place, filled with very special people, people who can sing and dance often at the same time. They are a different people, a multi-talented people, a people who need people and who are in many ways the luckiest people in the world. I'm sorry Sire, we don't have a chance...So listen Arthur, Darling, Closely to this neqa, We won't succeed on Broadway if we don't have any Jews! There's a very small percentiel, who enjoys a dancing gentile...You just won't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any Jews!

Bonus Qop! (Sara Ramirez playing the Lady of the Lake from Spamalot)
"Whatever happened to my part? It was exciting at the start, now we're halfway through Act Two, And I've had nothing yet to do, I've been off stage for far too long, It's ages since I had a song...I've no Tony Awars, I'm constantly replaced by Britney Spears! I might as well go to the pub! They've been out searching for a shrub! Out shopping for a bush, well they can kiss my tush. It seems to me they've really lost the ploy, whatever happened to my part?"

Quick Note

I would love to catch you all up, but I'm exhausted and busy. Still, I need an entry today and tomorrow to hit my quota of 10 for the month of May. This will be quick. I am glad my recent Star Wars post has opened some debate. I am sorry that not everyone holds Deep Space 9 in the same regard that I do, but I think if you gave it a fair chance, you would at least understand and respect my awe for the show. That is all I will say on the subject, so I'm considering the debate closed. Live long and prosper. :)

Qop!
"I saved billions of lives, and all it worst cost was the lives of a couple of lousy senators and the dignity of one Starfleet captain. And the worst part is, I think I can live with myself for it. If I had to do it all over again, I would." ~ Capt. Ben Sisko, ST: DS9, "In The Pale Moonlight"

Who Has It Better: Al Bundy or Darth Vader?

My friend Jnel and I were talking on the way back from Star Wars at 3am this morning and I decided Darth Vadr had a horrible life. His penis was burned off so no sex, he certainly couldn't imbibe alcohol through those little slits, and he was in constant pain. Celebacy, enforced soberness, and pain. Sounds like marriage. I'm just kidding. It sounds like the stereotypical marriage. I would never gets trapped in one of those. Intentionally. Must be hell. Poor Darth. Anyway, to defend my honor and prove I'm not a loser Star Wars fan, cause honestly I don't consider myself a Star Wars fan at all, I present the Top Ten reasons Star Trek is better than Star Wars. And I didn't eve mention whiny characters, Jar Jar Binks, and a black man's voice put onto a British guy's body) You just can't be equal fans of both, and honestly Star Trek is the smarter and better established franchise.

10. Screen Time (ST - 600+ episodes, 10 movies / SW - 6 movies, no more than 3 more)
9. Titles (Come on! "Revenge of the Sith"? Boring! How about "First Contact", "Badda Bing-Badda Bang", "Trials & Tribleations", "What You Leave Behind" I could go on)
8. Ships (ST - cool, sleek, polished / SW - rag tag crap that looks way too big to fly or be practical at all, all crowding the screen and rushing by faster than any human could comprehend)
7. Hairdos (Shatner's toupe at least looks real. Padme reminds me of Marie Antoinette)
6. Aliens (Klingons and Borg are way cooler than those spiny things or wookies)
5. Message (ST is about something, it's satire. SW is just shoot-em-up)
4. Characters (ST I actually care what happens. In SW I didn't tear up for a single death)
3. Weapons (Phasers are way more effective than light sabers)
2. Time Period (A long time ago and a galaxy far away? With humans. Yeah right)
1. Deep Space 9 (the worst DS9 episode is better than the best SW movie)

Qop!
"Why you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy looking nerf herder!" ~ Princess Leia to Han

These Are The Voyages

The finale of Star Trek: Enterprise aired tonight. The last new Trek show in production. Next season will be the first time in 18 years Star Trek has not aired at least one new season. Often there has been two series airing simultaneously. The episode was odd to say the least. For one thing, it is the first finale since the original series, which didn't really have a finale, to only be an hour long. Second, it was a Next Generation episode. Let me explain. The finale was basically set during a Next Generation episode from the 7th and final season of that show called "The Pegasus". The episode aired in 1994. They recreated many of the sets - the holodeck, the hallways, Troi's quarters, even Ten Forward. These were sets they destroyed in a 1994 motion picture when this ship blew up. It was wonderful except Riker and Troi definitely look ten years older, try as they might to make them not. They tied it in with voice overs from Brent Spiner (Data) and Patrick Stewart (Picard) relating to events in that episode. Anyway, the first officer, William Riker, was faced with a difficult decision in that episode. Troi, the counselor, encourages him to access the holodeck program of the Enterprise NX-01's final voyage. This means Riker is watching the events that happened about 200 years before his time. The Enterprise events are set six years after the previous Enterprise episode so we get to see those characters older and what has become of them. They are about to mothball the ship, and at the same time the UFP is being formed. They take a nice little excursion on their way home with recurring character Shran (Jeffrey Combs, who also played Bunt and Weyoun on Deep Space 9 as well as appearing as Shran in numerous episodes of Enterprise). We find out they think Shran died three years ago. This would be interesting to explore if Sci-Fi picks the series back up, as it is considering. Anyway, Riker has alone time with each member of the crew by replacing their Chef, who basically served as their counselor. They throw in references when one of the Enterprise characters says "all good things..." (the title of The Next Generation's finale) and Archer talks about a "next generation." In the end, the chief engineer Trip Tucker has to decide to disobey his captain and sacrifice himself to save the ship. Trip is the most interesting and popular character on Enterprise and watching his death was painful. It helps Riker make the decision he made 11 years ago when "The Pegasus" first aired. After Trip's death, they show a scene that happened earlier when Riker had his chef session with him, something omitted during the episode until the end. Riker gets some last advice, then end the program before the UFP signing. I as initally mad as The Next Generation music swelled and the Enterprise NCC-1701-D took off into space until Patrick Stewart's droning "Space, the final frontier, these are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. It's continuing mission..." The suddenly the view shifted to the Enterprise NCC-1701, the ship featured in the original show and William Shatner's voice clip from the sixties continued the monologue. "...to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations..." Finally the NX-01 appeared with Scott Bakula (Captain Archer's voice) finishing "...to bodly go where no man has gone before." The monologue used throughout Star Trek history. I got chils. It was the perfect ending as the credits rolled. I am torn between wanting to see the intervening six years on the sci-fi channel and letting Star Trek rest...at least for a year or two until it premieres the sixth television show and the 11th motion picture. Or next year if Sci-fi picks up Enterprise. Live long and prosper, Star Trek!

Qops! (Enterprise quotes from the main and major recurring characters)
"Malcolm's got this rule; you have to be taller than a gun to use it." ~ Trip about Reed

"If I'm not mistaken, they are preparing to mate. Do you think they might let me watch?" ~Dr. Phlox

"And one thing I can tell you is that at warp one point eight, you've got a lot of time on your hands between ports. That's how my parents wound up with me."
"Do you have any helpful information on this vessel beyond its recreational activities?" ~ Travis and T'Pol

"He's a Klingot.
"A Klingon."
"Where'd he come from?"
"Oklahoma." ~ Admiral Leonard, Tos, Captain Archer, Commander Williams

"Someone hasn't been taking very good care of my engines."
"Speak with the Klingons." ~ Trip and T'Pol

"I'm a translator. I didn't come out here to see corpses hanging on hooks."
"It goes without saying that you're going to encounter the unexpected."
"Not corpses on hooks. " ~ Hoshi and Dr. Phlox

"Captain Archer, your presence on this mission has not been... unduly burdensome."
"I think he likes you, pink-skin." ~ Soval and Shran

"Where did you put those phase pistols?"
"You're going to shoot a bug?"
"I'm just going to stun it." ~ Trip and Reed

"You son of a bitch!"
"Actually, mother was a chemist." ~Dr. Lucas and Dr. Soong

"Captain, this may surprise you, but I agree." ~ T'Pol

"You know that you and cheddar don't get along." ~ Archer to his cheese-loving beagle, Porthos

Randomness Yet Again

Ok, so it is too much to put all my memories in one week, so I am doing one year per week. Here are a few more freshmen memories that I thought of, and then I have some fun news headline for you all!
FRESHMAN:
~Erin and Esther and Kelly lipsinking I Touch Myself as Erin and Esther danced on Nathan andI ~My Christmas party: Julie, Nora, Cindy, Brianna, Esther, Erin, Nathan, and WJ crashers
~Going to see a midnight CPC movie with Kenny starring Jolie and falling asleep
~Enterprise premiered
~Tricking Amber and K with my Wizard trick
~Staying at the Hilton at Easton for band tour

INSANE NW HEADLINES - SIGNS OF THE END TIMES??? :)
~Governor Taft was voted the least approved governor in the country by the first ever all-governor poll. He only got a 19% approval rating. The next highest had 27%. Taft sucks.
~Girl from Portsmouth found to have Lyme Disease - green braclets made to support her
~Cell phones are costing colleges tons of money in lost phone charges and having to dial long distance numbers to reach students. Boo-hoo.
~Two people who were bad at reading maps flew over DC and caused a panic that evacuated the White House and the Capital. Hahaha. The men were not charged as it was an accident.
~Another proof of gayness is genetic, not a choice. Gay men have been found to read maps like straight women - badly. They don't have spatial intelligence.
~ Jennifer Garner is pregnant and engaged to Affleck, whose ex J-Lo is in a movie opposite Garnmer's ex Michael Vartan
~ABC is remaking The Ten Commandments because they like screwing with classics. Naveen Andrews of Lost will play Menerith. They start filming May 23.
~ West Virginia is trying to start their own Hollywood Walk of Fame. Their first entry? Don Knotts
~Elf found hanging in tree

And Question Week Continues!
Tuesday - Why do they sell boxes of boxes?
Wednesday - Does anybody really know what time it is?
Thursday - Does anybody really care?

Qop!
"I didn't feel anything at all. I hope I'm not some kind of psychopath." ~ Chloe to Edgar on 24

Bonus Qops!
"We don't have time for your personality disorder." ~ said to Chloe on 24
"If you need to talk to someone, I'm here. You know, not now, later." ~ Chloe to Jack on 24

Randomness

In honor of my second viewing of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, my blog today will be completly random.
~ I have not posted in a week since right after my first viewing.
~I posted 11 times last month on 10 days. Yay! I met my goal.
~I have not been on a date in months, have not had a girlfriend in two years. My life has been shit, and not just in the love department. I wonder if that's connected? And here's the kicker. I am not unhappy for the most part. Although I do wish my life wasn't such shit. :)
~Hitchhiker is better the second time. There are some very clever things in it.
~I am absolutely horrible at reading people.
~Will & Grace got renewedand for the first time Jack and Karen will match Will and Grace's salaries. Is that bullshit or what that it took this long?
~I spend too much on food. Meaning I eat out too much, not that I eat too much in general.
~I cannot be thin. I've tried, and I've put effort into it, and while I now have muscles I've never had before, my belly shows no sign of going away and my weight has stayed steady.
~I have slept more this year than probably the last three years combined. And I'm still tired right now. Am I old?
~I really want to amount to something, but I'm not sure I will.
~I have never been able to see my life past this point. Does that mean I will die soon?
~Why aren't the comics more popular? They're funny.
~I have watched more tv in the past two years than the rest of my life combined, and yet feel I have no time for it.
~What is the point of life?
~Why isn't Buffy back on the air yet in some incarnation?
~Why can't Paramount fire Rick Berman?
~Why does everyone like Grey's Anatomy and ER so danged much?
~Family Guy is the funniest cartoon ever. Hands down.
~Why is there brail on the drive through ATMs?
~How come I can't meet a woman that likes me, no matter how perfect they seem?
~Why do pants all fall apart in the same week?
~What is the purpose of getting out of bed in the morning?
~Why did I care about my grades so much for the past 17 years (until this year) when they don't mean shit in the real world?
~Why is my blog so long?
~Why have I been so restless and emotionally numb for so long now? Is something big coming in my life? I've felt it for two years and I'm still waiting for it to hit. But will it ever?

Qop!
"The best laid plans of mice."
"And men."
"What?"
"The best laid plans of mice and men."
"I don't think men had anything to do with it." ~ Slartibartfast and Arthur Dent, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, on the creation of the Earth