Mike Rimar Reason

Random Post

2009-10-03T21:56:00.002-04:00

Saturday night. Not doing much, just watching Yes Man on the TMN. It's okay. Not sure what the big deal is about Zoey Daschenal. I like her better as a blonde, like in Elf, but otherwise not exactly an inspirational actress.

Of course this means she is destined to win an Oscar and go on to become the greatest American actress after Meryl Streep's untimely demise during a freak Golden Globes accident.

Watched most of Stargate: Universe. I was never a fan of the Stargate franchise, even though I did like the movie when it came out way back when.

Okay, just saw a real funny part in the movie when Carey serenades a guy trying to commit suicide. This is the second of third time he's sung so far.

FYI if I laugh out loud, it's real funny to me.

Anyway, yeah, SGU I guess is what their gonna call it. Wasn't bad. I liked the FX, casting, the story was all good. At least for the 2 hour premier. I'll watch the show see how it goes.

Lets see what else... Fastforward is looking to be excellent. CSI Las Vegas, used to be CSI classic, but now is just kinda CSI what the heck. But it's the only thing on at that time.

Made a real good roast beef for dinner, but could could have used a real nice tasty treat afterward...like now.

Oh! Joined a critique group. Had one meeting so far, but it went really good.

Yes Man is over now. Looking fro something else....and...999 channesl of nothing. Ooooh. The Godfather. Just in time for the horse head scene. Classic.

But moving on...

Bah, nevermind. Getting tired. Gonna go to bed read some, then go to sleep. No sleeping in on weekends when your 4 year still wakes up with sun.

Really have to teach her how to cook.

Mike

Flash Forward

2009-09-25T07:40:00.003-04:00

Just watched the series premier of Flash Forward, based on Robert Sawyers book of the same name. I have to say I was little concerned. I read a mixed Variety review earlier in the day, drawing comparisons to Lost bouncing from the present to character back stories, then relating those to the present again. In Flash Foward's case the back stories are actually two minute chunks of the future, but the technique remains the same. In this case, there is no other way to film the show, and thankfully, the Flash Forwards are done well.

I read the book a number of years ago, but I still remember the majority of the plot lines and most of the characters. In the book, most of the characters where scientists at CERN, and there was no sinister plot behind the reason for the incident. The Large Hadron Collider done the deed.

From the looks of things, that fact has changed. Oh well, I did say the show was BASED on a book.

The show begins with the hero waking from the Flash Forward and witnessing the devastating aftermath, followed by a back story as to how the characters got there.

Though some of the plot lines don't jive with the book, the overall them remains true. What would we do, how would we react if we saw our future.

This was what kept me reading the book, and what in all likelihood keep me watching the show. Unlike many shows, Flash Forward has come with a budget, hiring good solid actors, such as the oddly underrated Ralph Fiennes, and wisely casting Courtney Vance in the role of FBI chief. The SFX, stunts and CGI are big screen quality. But none of this means bupkiss without good writing, and this show has it.

Television is a finicky medium. This show should succeed, and in all likelihood will. But television is a finicky medium. Great shows have fallen while other far inferior shows have had inexplicably long runs. In the end it will all come down to numbers. If the show can bring in the rating to justify the budget, then we'll be seeing Fiennes and company for a few years, otherwise the show will be just another, ahem, Back Flash.

Sorry, but I couldn't resist.

Mike

What I Did This Summer

2009-08-29T14:00:00.013-04:00

Niagara Falls--

Slowly I turned, step by step...

Old 3 Stooges routine. Speaking of the boys, they got themselves a new member--
The family went to Niagara Falls for our family summer vacation. We got all touristy, spending oodles of cash we couldn't afford, and even stayed overnight in a nice hotel room, a 4-star Sheraton with a marvelous view of the falls. It wasn't one of the casino hotels, we did have the kids with us.

The Butterfly Conservatory was very cool--

and we went on the Whirlpool Aero Car, truly foolish for a guy afraid of heights.

As usual, the Maid of the Mist was an awesome experience. We've been in the boat before, but not with Ellery, so this was a first for her.

If you do decide to ride the boat, go after 3 pm. By then the lineup has usually thinned considerably. The only time we waited was for the previous boat to load and the next unload.

Next, we hit the Guinness World Records Museum because my oldest daughter wanted to go. Quick review: DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY. But yourself a used copy of a book, it'll be more entertaining and probably more up to date.

Time fore dinner, but where to eat? Out of the hundreds of eateries, we chose a TGIFridays. After a quick scan on the overpriced menu and scraping some crusted cheese from a plate, we decided to eat at the hotel. Still pricey, but the food was good and, what the hell, we were on vacation why not room service?

The next day started with rain. Undaunted, we made our way to my personal choice for the trip, Louis Tussaud's Waxworks. Quick Review: WORTH THE MONEY. Tussaud's is a traditional was museum with plenty of food opportunities.

Not all the statues were perfect replicas,
--but even the fails were superior if only for the care put into the displays.

Next, we rode the Incline Train--
--to get to the Journey Behind the Falls, tunnels blasted out of the shale with two openings behind the actual waterfall--
and an observation deck at the base.
It was okay, I guess. I was expecting more, I suppose. Warning: If you suffer from claustrophobia avoid this attraction. The tunnels are long and narrow.

This brought an end to our trip and we headed for home. Aside from the casinos, Niagara is a great place to visit for the day. Everyone should see it at least once in their lives. After all, it's not like it changes much, so once is enough.
Clifton Hill has a ton of attractions and there is still a lot we haven't done like the Aviary, Nightmares Fear Factory, and The White Water Walk. Yeah, yeah, I hear you saying, "But what about Marineland?" Well, I've heard from more than one reliable source the best thing about Marineland is the commercials. Still, perhaps one day.

Anyway, this pretty much brings an end to summer, and wasn't that a great 2 weeks kids? Geez, who do I complain to? I need to place a grief with my union rep. I guess like the Maple Leafs chances of winning the Stanley Cup, there's always next year.

Summer is Broken

2009-08-09T09:50:00.001-04:00

That’s how my 4 year-old described the season as we made our way home from the in-laws Haliburton cottage. The temperature never got above 21 C and when it did, it rained. Not just rained but nasty thunderstorms. Not ten minutes on the road home, under a partially but decidedly cloudy sky, it rained yet again. Not much. Not even a drizzle, really. Just enough to see the drops on the windshield.

“Why does it rain so much?” asks my daughter.

“Just the way the summer is going,” I answer.

“Summer is broken.”

And I couldn’t agree more.

Then to top it off, the engine cuts out and we drop almost 20 km in speed before I could get the car started again. Thankfully we were the only cars on the road. We drove all the way home with the CHECK ENGINE LIGHT glowing dismal amber in the dashboard. Damn it Jim, I’m a doctor, not a mechanic!

Weather and car troubles aside, our hosts were as always, great.

I think its time to starts searching for an agent. This is the part that scares me the most, the ultimate rejection. Worse than a publishing house saying no to you. A publisher might say no because, even though your work might be substandard, your mind could trick you into thinking it was just the opinion of the slush reader. But to have an agent reject you. That’s someone saying, “I cannot invest my time in this crap.”

Assuming they are even looking for new clients.

Nevertheless, it must be done.

Wish me luck.

Mike

No wonder I feel crappy today

2009-07-15T13:04:00.001-04:00

Just found out the SF community lost some serious icons the last couple of days.

Founder and Editor of Locus Magazine, Charles Brown, http://www.locusmag.com/News/2009/07/charles-n-brown-1937-2009.html

Phyllis Gotlieb, considered a matriarch in Canadian SF.

Blah. Going back to bed.

Summer Update

2009-07-07T08:18:00.001-04:00

Been a loooooong time since I’ve posted. Probably be another long time before I do so again. It’s summer, and with taking the kids to this thing and that thing and other various personal obsessions taking up my time, blogging isn’t actually a priority.

BUT!!!

So much is happening that bears comment.

My birthday came and went, making me 45 years old. More importantly, I am now a 45 year old man with his very own laptop. WHOOHOO! My family loves me!

This great gift segues into my current obsession, online poker. Don’t worry, I’m not gambling away the family fortune. It’s all play money, but with opportunity to win free money, and as everyone knows, I’m all about the free stuff. Hell, I’ve been banned from the Costco because of my lurking around the free sample kiosks.

Michael Jackson. I can’t honestly say the man impacted on my life, other than as a curiosity and “Beat It,” as a song to master on Guitar Hero. His death was, by all accounts, not exactly untimely, (no one can survive with all those drugs in their system), nor, after the initial shock, surprising (again, his drug use wasn’t exactly a secret). I am saddened for his family, losing a loved one is hard.

Unfortunately, a man like Jacko generates the same kind of bizarre hoopla in death as in life. On the news people who got tickets! to his memorial were as excited as though they were going to some invitation only rock concert. God almighty, are the expecting to see Michael wheeled out on a dolly a-la Hannibal Lector dressed in his “Thriller” outfit? And even though the tickets! were given through some online lottery, many who received them are selling them on eBay.

The man is dead. Memorials are to pay tribute to the dead. The only good thing is that hopefully, the Jackson family won’t attend the farce. Then again.

Once again Toronto has gained the notoriety it truly deserves. Due to its ongoing garbage strike, ‘Toronto the Good’ has been given a travel advisory warning, ranked third behind Libya’s bubonic plague and the military coup in Honduras.

Best part about that, neither the city nor the city unions are even at the bargaining table.

Martin Streek, a local DJ whom I listened to on and off on CFNY was found dead, an apparent suicide. Streek was one of those DJ’s who was always there, a mainstay of a station that played the Clash, Nirvana, even Rush before other stations even knew who these bands were. But times change and my listening tastes have mellowed so I don’t listen as much. Evidently, Martin got fired some time last May and I guess life went down hill for the guy.

Oddly, Streek's death affects me more than Michael Jackson, though I have no more enduring connection to him than to Jacko.

Writing continues. Putting the finishing touches on the big book, making sure eye color stays the same, that sort of thing. Got a couple short stories pushed up to the editor, but have to wait till fall for a final rejection, er, decision.

Overall, my life is good. I am happy, my family is happy, except for my youngest daughter who can’t seem to find her Cinnamon Toast Crunch, oh, she found it. Never mind. We’re all happy.

Hope you are all happy, too.

Mike

Woe is E-mail

2009-04-25T08:13:00.001-04:00

Had a bit of a glitch with my website email. Everything is back up and running, so if you tried to send me something and got bounced, my apologies. Especially if you are that poor guy from Nigeria desperately needing to unload that big wad of cash. Yeah, getting my personal information to you shortly to help out your situation. (Shhh! It’s a secret!)

Mike

Television Seasons

2009-04-18T09:48:00.001-04:00

Perhaps it’s time for North American television to consider the 1 year television show, or at least the 1 year story arc.

A fair example is Harper’s Island, advertised as a 13 episode series, and that’s it. No more.

Studios are always crying the blues at the cost of creating new shows for television, hence the reason for so many ‘reality shows’. An entire season, including whatever grand prize for the winner of said show, can equal the salary of a single star in a regular television series. As much as I dislike reality shows, (except for Hell’s Kitchen, damn my soul), the numbers are hard to ignore.

Viewers counter the argument with the lack of quality programming. Every year, some drunks at the big studios give the green light to the dumbest shows ever conceived. Whenever the big studios look to produce a quality show, the steal from the BBC, reworking them for American audiences. For example, Three’s Company and All In The Family, both mega-hits for their time, were based on British programs.

Why not just steal the concept? Limited run series with a beginning, middle, and end. A story line that lasts for one season. Hell, you could actually have a full year of programming. Imagine, while other stations are showing reruns of some mediocre show, your station is chugging along with a well-written, well-acted story that viewers are watching because it is fresh, and has a promised conclusion without some pesky cliffhanger to leave the viewer feeling unsatisfied.

Sports teams have been doing this for years, giving one year contracts to ‘ace’ players, hoping to help the team. why invest millions in a player who tends to give less than a 100% right after the ink dries on a contract, when you can pay 1 million to a guy who will work his ass off because at the only way he can promote himself is through his, or her performance.

I’m sure there are valid reasons why television conducts business the way it does. I mean, why be innovative when the old system has worked for years. Works for the auto industry, right?

Mike

Proof the Easter Bunny Exists

2009-04-13T08:49:00.003-04:00

Taken early Sunday morning in my backyard. Notice the rabbit. Notice the brightly coloured yellow egg. Coincidence, I think not!

Forgot About Harper's Island

2009-04-12T09:25:00.003-04:00

Watched the premiere of Harper's Island last week, too. The show suffered from the typical rushing-in to get as many story lines and character introductions as possible, but that's hard to do with any new series. I can count on my hand the shows that grabbed me by the short and curlys right off the get go and this is isn't one of them. I will watch more, however, if only because the story line is set for 13 shows, in the BBC tradition of television. Also, the surprisingly creative and gruesome ways of the first two murders. Hamlin's early departure was not surprising. I don't even feel cheated because I didn't even know he was in the cast and I'm used to 'stars' being used as red herrings.

Mike

More Television

2009-04-11T09:08:00.002-04:00

Saw some new shows this week. I thought the commercials for “In the Motherhood,” funny enough, but was bored of the show five minutes in. Waste of good talent. The only pleasant surprise was to see a slimmed down Horatio Sanz managing to get through a scene without cracking up. Horatio is the chubby guy from SNL best remembered in my mind for the 4-man band skits he did with Jimmy Fallon, Tracy Morgan, and Chris Kattan. The other show I saw was "Parks and Recreation" with other SNL alumni Amy Poehler. Created by the same team who brought “The Office,” my advice is to watch “The Office”, instead. The shows are practically the same, only “The Office” is funnier.

Saw the next installment of Costello’s "Spectacle". This week his guests were Police members Sting, Steward Copeland and Andy Summers. Costello was more relaxed this week, perhaps because he was dealing with people more his contemporaries. Gone were the torturous sitting chairs, replaced by the more standard wooden stools, which IMHO, are equally torturous. AND Costello was wearing lime green socks. I hope he changed them, or at least washed them.

Andy and Stewart were given 1 block interviews, (commercial to commercial), where Sting was given a 2 block interview. The rest of the band was brought together, asked some more questions, then everyone played a short medley of Watching the Detectives and Walking on the Moon.

From seeing the show I can deduce the real reason the Police broke up the first time around. Stewart Copeland. He was just so happy to be in the limelight again, he dominated his interview, then the group interview with extended unnecessary answers. Watch Sting and Andy’s body language whenever Copeland talks. They stare at the floor, maybe smile, patiently waiting for the guy to shut up. I’ve noticed this with plenty of group interviews when the least popular member of the group speaks. Most notably, an interview with the “MASH” cast. Each time the interviewer began interviewing someone, Gary Burghoff (Radar) would interrupt with some platitude for the cast member. And each time everyone stared at the floor and smiled. Coincidentally, when it was Burghoff’s time to be interviewed, no one else interrupted.

Copeland didn’t interrupt, just dominated by force or personality, or ego. Even Costello seemed irritated.

THAT BEING SAID, I found this show better and more entertaining than the Elton show. Next weeks show had an eclectic guest list and should be interesting for that reason alone.

“Dollhouse” is not new, but I’ve been watching it since the beginning. Why? Because there is nothing else to watch. Sadly, that is the only reason. The story is picking up, but no one in the Dollhouse organization is sympathetic. Even the “good’ handlers are nothing better than good “overseers.” If Joss Whedon’s name wasn’t attached to the "Dollhouse", it would have been retired to the toy shelf long ago.

Heh.

Mike

Costello’s Spectacle

2009-04-05T13:21:00.002-04:00

Because my friends think Elvis Costello is a musical genius, I watched his latest talk show venture, “Spectacle.” His guest for his lead-in show was Elton John, and from Costello’s connection with the music industry, I expected some in-depth questions about Elton and his life.

Elvis chose to take a different route, discussing early musical influences accompanied with rare clips of said musicians. Personally, I never heard of any of these performers, most reaching prominence in the late 60’s and early 70’s. I found the information interesting, but because of the timeline disconnect, not every engaging.

What I did find fascinating, and utterly hilarious were Costello and Elton. The stage was set up with a live band in the background, a grand piano for Elton to play off to the side and two sitting chairs at center stage. Whoever thought of armless chairs should get some kind of award. It gave the viewer the special treat of two old farts, guts evident beneath their thousand dollar suit coats, sitting with legs spread as though ready to give birth. Imagine grandpa in the park feeding the pigeons and you get the idea.

Costello was the best. Dressed all in black with his, (I'm guessing) trademark bolo tie, AND LIME GREEN SOCKS WITH BROWN SHOES. Normally, I wouldn’t be drawn to these things, except for the man’s constant fidgeting as he listened to Elton speak. His thumbs twiddled and his feet shuffled. He spent a good part of the show with his ankles bent so he sat sole to sole like a gorilla. Eventually this evolved into one foot atop the other, slowly scuffing the hell out of his new shoes. Not that Elvis was disinterested, but I got the distinct feeling he needed to go pee, very, very, very bad.

On the other side, years of sitting on a piano bench served Elton well. He did not fidget much at all, but he and Elvis were both obviously in dire need of somewhere to rest their arms. Eventually, Elton simply draped his arm over the back of the chair.

Spectacle is advertised as an intimate and relaxed interview/musical show. Intimate, perhaps, but a bit too relaxed.

Mike

Ad Astra 2009 Report

2009-03-30T08:19:00.002-04:00

As usual, I met up with Tony Pi, this year's nominee for the Campbell award for best new writer. Said hello to other writers including Dough Smith, 3x Aurora nominee, and Robert Sawyer, Aurora nominee who will hopefully have his TV series based on his book Flashforward picked up for the fall season. Also met with Suzanne Church, Carolyn Clink and Rob St. Martin among others. Made some new friends and as usual, managed to rub others the wrong way. (Note to self: Don't slag Joss Whedon at a con). Attended a couple of panels and author readings then headed home.

The same for Saturday. Attended a number of panels and author readings. Amusing conversation overheard in the Dealers room (which was a bit sparse this year IMHO). Ed Greenwood is looking over some D&D miniatures at a gaming stall.

Guy Behind the counter: So, do you play D&D?

Ed Greenwood: Actually, I design them.

Guy behind the counter: Oh, which ones?

Ed plucks out the Forgotten Realms Game Manual he created. His name is embossed across the bottom: This is me.

Guy behind the counter blinks. Blinks again. You can actually hear the silent swearing in his head. He tries to save face: Ed Greenwood!!! You know, I've met you before.

I wonder about this because unless you have some serious short-term memory, Ed Greenwood is a fairly recognizable person once you've seen him.

And Ed Greenwood, ever gracious, lets him off the hook and talks with the poor guy for a while.

Minutes later I see Ed Greenwood, and grin: I love overhearing stuff like that.

Ed Greenwood grins back: I know. Me too.

I'm going to file that one away.

Went to Julie Czerneda's annual newsgroup Pizza Party. Afterword, hung out with Tony Pi killing time till his next panel with James Alan Gardner. I intended just to listen but Jim, asked if I wanted to attend since they were short a panelist, and idiot opportunist that I am, I said sure. The topic, Virtual Reality and holodeck-type simulations. Yikes! And let me tell you, those audience members knew way more than I did. Thank God for Jim and Tony, who pulled most of the weight. Still, I think I held my own, changing things up by taking the con side, pointing out why such things cannot truly exist. Oh well, bullshit baffles brains.

Sunday and I finally had my own scheduled panels, Dueling Openings and Parodies. I got smoked again on dueling openings, where you read the first sentence of published stories. It was fun, and in both panels I actually sounded like I knew what I was talking about.

Also attended Ages of Wonder book launch where I won a copy of Julie Czernada's Reap the Wild Wind and later a reading by my nemesis, Tony Pi.

This brought the con to a successful conclusion. I did miss certain faces, like Stephen Kotowych and Jim Hines, even though I knew he wouldn't be there. There was a lack of puzzle games associated with book launches. They always add an element of fun to the con and help fill the dead periods between panels.

AND THEN I CAME HOME TO A COLD BITCH-SLAP OF REALITY.

My wife tells me the roof is leaking. And water has soaked into the bedrooms. And there are shingles missing. And she can't find the warranty for the roof.

Sigh.

Life goes on.

Mike

Ad Astra

2009-03-15T09:32:00.002-04:00

If you're going to look for me at Ad Astra, and I know you will, I have a short schedule this year. Two panels on Sunday, Dueling Openings 12:00 - 1:00, and Parodies 1:00 - 2:00. I will also be at Julie Czerneda's pizza party Saturday night.

Short movie review. Batman: The Dark Knight. Heartwarming drama for the entire family. A real tear-jerker. And oh, yeah, lots and lots of laughs. Let's put a smile on that face.

Short TV Review. Dollhouse. I am not a Joss Whedon fanatic. I liked Buffy, thought Serenity was okay, and only saw ten minutes of Firefly without wanting to see more. Whedon is a master of dialogue, but snappy lines isn't always enough. Especially if you're doing Sci-Fi. You need story, you need the effects and the ability to use them. IMHO that is where Serenity fails. I mean, strapping dead people to the hull of your space ship is a nice and gruesome effect, but somehow I just don't think the corpses would remain in place after launch.

Still, I gave Dollhouse a shot and I'm beginning to wonder about Joss Whedon. I appreciate a strong kick-ass female character, BUT--

Buffy, a pretty girl who gets beat up on a nightly basis.

Serenity. River is a pretty girl who is hunted for her special abilities.

Dollhouse. Echo is a pretty girl put into dangerous situations and is physically abused by violent men before she slaps them into Sillyville.

Is there a recurring theme here?

Makes me wonder what he wanted to do with the Wonder Woman movie before he got yanked of for, ahem, creative differences.

Well, she does have that lasso of hers.

Mike

Darwin's Evolutions Evolved

2009-03-04T09:02:00.002-05:00

Just got an email from Darwin Garrison. Looks like the roller coaster ride of demise has finally ended and his magazine, "Darwin's Evolutions" has morphed into a blogzine. Other than the format nothing much has changed, great stories, articles and reviews of speculative fiction. And it's all free. So, go to Darwin's Evolutions and check out what's what.

Mike

On the subject of 'Happy Birthday."

2009-03-04T08:08:00.002-05:00

Note to self:

When singing 'Happy Birthday' to your significant other whose nickname happens to be Kat, it is unwise to present the candle-lit cake, while simultaneously stepping on the family pet and reaching the critical naming segment of the song, to comment with, "stupid cat." So you have, . . . Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birrrrrttttthhhhhdaaaaaayyyy deeeaar, stupid cat, Happy Birthday to you.

Oops.

Luckily, my wife has a sense of humor, and after eleven years of marriage, she's used to my, uh, idiocy.

Mike

Count Yorga is Dead

2009-02-23T10:33:00.005-05:00

When I was a kid, I went to see a double feature--back in the day when the still had such things--The Return of Count Yorga, and Frogs. The first was the first 'modern' vampire movie I'd ever seen and truly scared the crap out of me. I mean, until the Scream channel, I had no idea how the movie went because I spent most to the time with my hands over my face, cowering beneath the chair and bawling. Thank God, for Frogs, which was a joke compared to the nightmare I'd just gone through.

For years I remembered old Count Yorga, and vowed to watch that movie again, but I couldn't find it anywhere. Finally, Scream (Canada's horror movie channel) showed it and I finally watched it. Well, I'm a bit jaded now, so it was little wonder I thought it not the greatest movie in the world, or even scary, really, except for when Yorga does that vampire charge of his. Kind of disturbing.

Anyway, Robert Quarry, who portrayed Count Yorga in two movies has died. My story, "Second Banana," in the latest issue of Necrotic Tissue, is an homage to The Return of Count Yorga, not as it is, but a childhood remembrance of what it had been.

Mike

Oscar, Oscar, Ossscaarr!

2009-02-23T08:03:00.002-05:00

The above is from the TV series, "The Odd Couple". Oscar and Felix are vacationing in the Caribbean and Felix makes up a Calypso song. Here is the clip on U Tube.
Whenever it is time for the Oscar awards, the song always pops in my head.

So, here is my take on the Oscars. When I heard they were going to 'revamp' the show, I was concerned. Considering the number of 'Democrats' in the acting profession, the awards are remarkable 'Republican' in who gets what. And when I saw the promo of how they were going to do it, apparently revamping means stealing ideas from 60 to 70 years in the past.

And yet they managed to pull it off. I liked the set, and I liked closeness of the stage to the audience.

I thought it interesting that 'Slumdog Millionaire," and "The Curious Tale of Benjamin Button," took so many technical awards, but that is the nature of popular movies released late in the year. Had the "Dark Knight," come out around Christmas, I'm sure the awards would have been a different story.

Which brings me to Heath Ledger who won a posthumous Best Supporting Actor award. I have no doubt he deserved the award, and the family accepted the award for his daughter. Not a dry eye in the house after that. Poor Bill Mahr, to have to come on after that--well I digress.

To win and Oscar is a boon to any acting career. Heath Ledger is dead. He doesn't need it. I feel if there is a case of a posthumous Oscar, then another should be given to a living nominee. Might sound cold, but then it feels like -20 C with the wind today.

Mike

Morning Musings

2009-02-18T08:02:00.002-05:00

GM is asking for FIFTY BILLION DOLLARS!!! WTF?

I sympathize with the employees, I really do. They will never find a job that pays so well for what they do, and they all know it, (unlike some Canada Post employees, but that a whine of another flavor.) Let's not forget the employees who support the auto industry, the parts makers right down to the waitress at the local donut shop. They are the real casualties of this recession.

But seriously, $50,000,0000,000.00! And what is the grand restructuring plan?

Well, close down factories and layoffs, of course. Put more people out of work, that way they'll have more money to, ah, hmm. . .

Anyway, once the economy gets back on track we can continue making our gas-guzzling, er, we'll get back to you on that.

The real key to GM survival is pricing. We need to keep our cars unaffordable, beyond the means of the average, ah . . .

Oh, screw it! We have to answer to our share holders. They demand dividends, and our poor VP's need bonuses, lots and lots of bonuses because they've been under alot of stress lately. We stick to the same policy that has served GM well since the Jurassic: Take care of the Big Guys and the little people will fall into place--like they have a choice.

And if that doesn't work, we'll just ask for another 50 Billion.

I say buy a lottery ticket. That's what I'm doing.

Quick Movie Review: "Iron Man." Believe the hype. It's everthing a good superheroe movie should be.

Mike

Morning Musings

2009-02-17T08:04:00.002-05:00

This winter seems to be the season of revamping websites and blogs. I noticed this as I surfed over to friends websites and old haunts. My website, MikeRimar.com also has a new look. Even Kat seems to approve.

Don't forget the Aurora Awards for Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy. My story, Avarice is eligible in the Short Story, English category. Nominations end Feb 28th 2009.

Quick movie review. 'The Assassination of Jesse James by The Coward Robert Ford'. Slow moving in the sense you are drawn into that world, living and feeling every moment. All characters are equal parts unlikable and sympathetic, in other words, human. Excellent from beginning to end.

Mike

I Want My. . .I Want My MRI

2009-02-12T08:14:00.003-05:00

My left knee, as seen through Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Cool!

Looks like I got plenty of cartilage, so no operation. Unfortunately, I have plenty of arthritis, too, so it's going to be a brace for me, and holy crap are those things expensive.

Of course, I'm going to get the leather jumpsuit so I can be Mel Gibson in the Road Warrior. The cool, tough guy Mel, not the drunken antisemitic Mel.

Thoughts During Morning Tea

2009-02-11T08:25:00.002-05:00

I need to move my Word icon away from my Outlook icon. At a quick glance the two look the same and I always manage to click the wrong one.

Today I go see the doctor regarding my knee. No doubt he will tell me I need some kind of surgery but he won’t get to me until the summer, at which point the police will be called because I will kill him.

A quick review of, Shoot ‘em up. Fantastic, totally unrealistic stunts. Plot as thin as cheap toilet paper, and the script, littered with preschool poo-poo jokes was likely used as such after filming. Essentially the writer/director’s wet dream of what an action movie should be. My only explanation is somehow he slipped a date rape drug into all the actor’s, crew, and financier’s cocktails, and screwed them all into making this movie.

2 out of 5 stars because I’m in a good mood today.

I have discovered editing a novel is like that Al Pacino line from Godfather 3, “Just when I think I’m out, they drag me back in.” I thought my book was ready for first readers, but noooooo. Luckily, the edits are getting shorter, and more like edits and not total rewrites.

Mike

Pytheas Rising

2009-01-22T14:26:00.002-05:00

A momentus event.

On January 22, 2009, at 2:25 pm I finished the BIG BOOK!!

I'm calling it, Pytheas Rising.

Second Banana is out!

2009-01-12T12:33:00.004-05:00

The first story of the year, Second Banana is out in Necrotic Tissue.com, a real spiffy online Horror Magazine with some truly disturbing art.

Check it out here.

Aurora Awards

2009-01-05T10:26:00.004-05:00

For your 2008 Aurora award consideration. Avarice, Darwin's Evolutions, June 2008. Voting is free and you can do it online here.