Mr. E

Mark Kozelek concert

2008-08-21T02:04:21Z

Just got back from seeing the man who is probably my favorite recording artist ever. I was thinking about it at the show and I guess I have been into his music (in one band or another) for about 15 years now.

The show was great. He did not have a band along; it was just he and another guitar player. Unfortunately he did not play any of my most favorite songs. No Red House Painters songs at all. The songs that I did recognize were from his newest band/project, Sun Kil Moon, but again not necessarily my favorite songs by that band.

Some of the songs were arranged differently than the studio cuts but that was cool.

I can't be happier that I got to go to this show.

Ah, youth

2008-08-18T13:13:19Z

Yesterday Colin and I were at the store and he spotted something he wanted to buy. I indicated it was $15 and asked him if he had $15 to buy it. Naturally he did not but he insisted he had three. I shrugged it off and moved along in the store. However, the boy kept insisting on his possession of three dollars. Finally, after some time he showed me the money. It was three pennies. I think his grandmother gave him at least one.

Things like this make me marvel at youth. Also:

Several months back, we arranged with the parent of one of Colin's friends to meet the friend at a local park. They had a nice time playing together. A week or two ago, Colin suggested going to that same park on the off chance that his friend would be there. I had to try to explain how it wasn't just a chance meeting.

growing

2008-07-22T23:22:00Z

Well, Violet (now 22 months) is really growing up.

I have the full-size of this picture up as my desktop wallpaper. Vi was standing there and she pointed out Col-Col and herself. I asked her if she knew where this picture was taken. I was going for "Grammy's house" but the answer she gave was "outside" -- still quite correct.

cheap comics in pittsburgh

2008-06-21T21:38:21Z

New Dimension Comics @ Century III Mall has a nice sale going on. Among other things, one of the available deals is any of their "comic sets" for just $1. Included are some huge sets (10+ issues in individual sets). I'll possibly post soon of the seven sets that I got for amazingly cheap, yet huge numbers of issues. They probably weigh more than my daughter! (Okay, maybe not probably.)

new pics

2008-05-17T22:53:45Z

Updated pictures from May 2008 including some items we took just the other night, where the whole family went for a walk on the Eliza Furnace Trail and across the Hotmetal (pedestrian) Bridge.

The walk was a lot of fun.

Ve haff garage

2008-05-12T10:32:32Z

Something recently got me motivated to clean up the mess that'd accumulated outside the house.

Though I'll be happier once the resulting trash has been hauled also.

Comic capsule reviews

2008-05-12T00:41:25Z

Here are some of the things I've read lately...

Super Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11

This was a lot of fun, particularly if you like obscure older Marvel characters like the Rocket Racer. I've been thinking about it a lot lately and I've come to the conclusion that despite problems (such as huge crossovers a la Civil War, etc) Marvel's really got the best comic universe. It's just the most fun. This book is a perfect example of why.

Casanova vol. 1

Everyone loves Matt Fraction in recent times. I think he's done some very good stuff but this one left me feeling a little disjointed. Kind of weird. Doesn't read clearly. Maybe that's the art's and not the writing's fault though.

Cover Girl

On the other hand, this was great. No superheroes here, just a pretty straightforward action story (it'd make a good movie). Lots of fun.

The Escapists

Vaughan's been probably my favorite comic author for some time now (following such great series as Runaways, Y: The Last Man, and Ex Machina) so it's no surprise I enjoyed this. I wasn't up on the back story/series that it's based on, but this has inspired me to pick it up (in a huge order from TFAW. (Spend over $45 at TFAW and get free shipping with code CRYSTALSKULL. Expires end of May.) (Note: read as single issues, but Amazon link used for point of reference.)

new pictures

2008-05-04T14:35:10Z

Just updated the gallery with pictures from April. Mostly they are from our trip to Erie for Mason's birthday party.

Iron Man

2008-05-02T02:38:45Z

Through pure happenstance I got to see Iron Man tonight. I admit I hadn't really kept up with it (probably only saw one of the trailers once) and wasn't expecting much.

Go see it! Now! Or, as soon as you can. (No, not you, mom.)

viscous @ 2008-04-28T20:52:00

2008-04-29T00:53:03Z

Whoa.

The images of Target exclusives, at TFormers make the Dirge/Roadbuster pack look far, far more appealing than the initial BotCon ones.

Yeah, I'll be wanting to get that one too now.

heading south

2008-04-29T00:17:59Z

So.

I think Violet is going to be left-handed. This is at least based on watching her throw a ball three times in a row with that hand.

As most of the two readers of this probably know, I myself am left-handed. I was really happy for Colin when I realized he would be right-handed. It really is the way the world is.

Obviously I will support Violet however she may be. Hopefully I can help her out (as needed) since I am from that leaning also.

Transformers news

2008-04-27T11:07:23Z

Some of the news (such as linked via these photos) is pretty cool.

I can't believe they are doing redecos of some of these molds again (like Cybetron Hot Shot or Cybertron Red Alert... jeez that's the third color scheme of each, and IMO neither's all that great a mold to begin with). Two new Cybertron Evac molds coming out... that is actually somewhat exciting (great mold). I'll have to get the Ratbat/Springer pack, not particularly because I think either is such a great homage to either character, but moreso because I love the Cybertron Sideways mold and $20 for that two-pack is a great deal. On the other hand I'll skip the Dirge/Whatever-Ugly-Guy pack because the latter is too hideous. Who came up with that??

The redeco of Classics Mirage looks neat though I'll probably skip it.

redeco redeco redeco redeco. Jeez.

youtube

2008-04-23T14:14:36Z

I've started taking some small videos with my camera. Here's the first test of putting one of them on Youtube.

I tried to use Flickr's new video feature first but apparently it's limited to 5MB.

Comic book capsule reviews

2008-04-01T10:49:56Z

Omega Flight

Anything with Beta Ray Bill should by definition be awesome. Written by Oeming should only help. Unfortunately this was an utter disappointment.

Bastard Samurai

Also by Oeming. Read them close together just by coincedence. This wasn't bad. It was a really fast read (lots of art pages with few or no words. Got it cheap at least.

The Mask Strikes Back

I was reminded of this series when I recently realized Dark Horse is doing huge "omnibus" reprints of a bunch of their series. The first Mask Omnibus is going to have the first three Mask mini-series. It would be a great deal except I already have the first two series, so I picked up Strikes Back by itself. Lots of fun but I'm sure it helps if you were into the original series.

Closed CFCP

2008-03-31T20:37:54Z

This really kind of sucks.

We hadn't really been there in quite a while but back in the day it was a top place for Colin and I to go Saturday mornings. It was especially nice since it was a safe, warm, wide open space where he could just run and play. I think Violet only got to go once and it was before she was walking.

But I guess the effect is basically clear from this discussion Saturday morning.

Me: Hey, do you want to go to the Center for Creative Play?
Colin: No, let's go to the Children's Museum.

The Children's Museum is great and realistically, probably offers a lot more to do. Still, we had some great times at CFCP.

Firebreather

2008-03-30T11:34:55Z

Wow. This comic was actually really great.

Phil Hester is most familiar to me as a longtime artist of Green Arrow, a series I enjoyed a lot. But I didn't know he wrote comics too. The elegant simplicity of the premise is almost shocking - why hadn't someone done this before? The result is fantastic. So far it's explored any given angle I'd think it should have.

I picked this up on a whim, and I heard that it's coming back so I am psyched.

Besides, how can you not like something that originally started out as a concept of "Son of Fin Fang Foom?!"

Easter pics

2008-03-27T21:39:53Z

Just posted some pictures of the kids during our weekend visit to Harrisburg for Easter.

Find them here. Note they are pretty huge. I have been leaving the camera at max resolution, simply because the memory card has so much room.

An era passed

2008-03-06T03:21:39Z

There was a time when Exiles was a top comic... for me at least. Judd Winick seems to get a lot of flack from many comic fans for some reason. I understand he was on the Real World TV show but I have never seen it and don't care. I really just liked his comics.

I'm trying to slog through this most recent trade paperback and it's been tough. I know Winick hasn't been writing it for a long time but mostly it was at least passable. This... it not good. It rather not good.

Makes me a bit sad. But I still have those old issues at least. I guess that's what collecting is about huh? You can always go back to the good ones.

Jacques and ghost of War Witch

2008-02-26T12:18:09Z

Jacques and ghost of War Witch
Originally uploaded by gargunkle

I miss the old City of Heroes comic. It was about "normal" heroes (like the kind that you can actually play in the game) and their adventures in Paragon. Then they changed it to be about the major characters like Statesman, and for me it just wasn't interesting anymore. The main CoH NPCs are mostly generic-ish knockoffs of major names anyway.

Cryptic Studios is now working on Champions Online. It could be an interesting fresh start.

Pictured here is my new main hero, Jacques Couteau. He's turned out to be tons of fun.

Shigcon tank

2008-02-23T00:25:06Z

Picture 207
Originally uploaded by gargunkle

Did some tinkering and set up a really barebones macro studio. Needs better lighting, I think, but I still wouldn't mind some comments about the pictures in this series (check the flickr page for them).

really nervous

2008-02-08T11:40:27Z

Welp, I'm going under the laser in about an hour. Wish me luck.

Cruisin' Buddies

2008-02-03T00:55:52Z

Cruisin' Buddies
Originally uploaded by gargunkle

After quiet time today, Colin brought these items and set them on my desk. I just thought the arrangement of 3PO and Spidey was too cute not to capture.

City of Villains new armor

2007-12-21T19:55:31Z

City of Villains new armor
Originally uploaded by gargunkle

Posted this (and a few others) mostly for Scott. Check it out.

Nighttime view

2007-11-21T14:01:35Z

Nighttime view
Originally uploaded by gargunkle

I find it a bit odd that I seem to get the best nighttime shots when the new camera is set to manual. There are like three other nighttime settings that don't work as well.

Gaiking (Shogun Warriors)

2007-11-14T10:46:48Z

Gaiking (Shogun Warriors)
Originally uploaded by gargunkle

The classics never go out of style.