My first Wellness/Lose It challenge

Posted on June 2, 2018 by Steve

For the next four weeks, I will be participating in my employer’s latest Lose It challenge. I agreed to this because Somara has been twisting my arm for a couple years to join. I finally capitulated under two conditions; she joins me at the gym (she’s been exempt for a few days due to illness) and the team we’re on consists of just us, I’m not really in the mood to let others in regarding my weight.

I can see how you can lose weight with the “help” of the application Lose It. Logging and researching the number of calories everything I put in my gut is work. Sometimes it’s too much work to look up fast food or breakdown something lacking a calorie count ahead of time. Better yet, it may narrow down my diet for a month since it will be easier to eat and log what I have nailed down.

The challenge ends on 6/28, let’s see how I do. 

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Summer 2018 is here

Posted on June 1, 2018 by Steve

Technically, Summer begins with Memorial Day for me, some of us never get over the ebb and flow of the seasons from when we were in school.

Although I’m late on my finale to Karl Marx’s 200th birthday and I haven’t even started watching She’s Having a Baby, I changed the art to one of 1998’s most overlooked movies, Out of Sight. It’s a Dark Comedy and Action film centered around a heist the George Clooney character had been planning after meeting Albert Brooks’ version of Charles Keating while they were both in prison. There’s also Don Cheadle, Luis Guzman, Katherine Keener and Ving Rhames turning in great performances. The weakest link is obviously Jennifer Lopez for me. It’s not her worst attempt at acting but I found her character implausible because Lopez is outclassed by the others. If you’ve seen Jackie Brown, you’ll appreciate one of the two cameos.

Sight was a personal favorite film 20 years ago when I was a projectionist in Cary, NC, saving up for the day I would return to Austin. The theater even let me keep the official poster. Today it’s somewhere in a tube. The design was so simple and the color choices were perfect, I had to emulate this for June 2018. Lastly, I believe it’s a great story thanks to its source material, one of Elmore Leonard’s numerous novels.

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1984: Still holds up and remains a warning

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Steve

Part two of three on showing Marx’s influence to celebrate his 200th birthday is the movie 1984, which also was Richard Burton’s last performance. There were many jokes made about the film’s release…the Spring of 1985. If you stayed to watch the credits, the producers explain the “delay,” they filmed during the estimated dates from Orwell’s novel. Besides, the nightmarish Oceania remained a possibility because the Soviet Union still existed and retained some desire to conquer the world. The general public just didn’t know America’s nemesis was on life support and we can thank Reagan and Thatcher’s lying for the spread of disinformation.

Orwell’s warning isn’t necessarily something Marx wrote about, desired or even left a blueprint for. It’s more Stalinism cranked up to 11 since Marx didn’t write down a practical application of his writings. Ergo, he was a typical philosopher in my opinion. To blame Marx for Stalinism and Oceania is on par with blaming Charles Darwin for Eugenics and why the One Percent think they’re allowed to behave like pricks. Darwin only wrote about the theory on how species adapter to their surroundings, situations, etc. He never made recommendations on how to make it applicable to governing or economics.

Besides, if you’ve read the book you can see how this realm could also a Fascist regime (they share Stalin’s cult of personality) or a Corporate state (with all the media consolidation and infotainment), plus marketing types make up dumb words as their dialect of NewSpeak, hell Fox News keeps changing their stories to coincide with whatever subjective “truth” fits their aging, uneducated audience’s rage. With the movie’s opening, Winston could’ve been at a Donald Trump, especially how batshit crazy his worshippers would get if you subbed Goldstein’s image with Clinton’s, Obama’s and maybe Sanders’.

As for the movie, 1984 is incredible in its design. Everywhere you go there’s rot, neglect, decay covered in Big Brother posters or video screens. Like an army plowed through London (aka Airstrip One) and nobody bothered to rebuild. Despite it being Spring, you feel very cold through all the gray tones in Winston’s apartment and work space. There’s one exception, O’Brien’s office, it’s the only place which is clean, orderly and relatively modern looking.

The final act is pretty gruesome and probably would bore most audiences today yet O’Brien’s torture and re-education of Winston remains a key element in the story. Personally, something similar goes on all the time in America. Employees and citizens are cowed by our version of the Inner Party (executives) who warp reality into getting others to believe in dumb business plans, wealth consolidation into making jobs and somehow, they’re better at running a nation. Say that to the victims of Sears, K-Mart and Toys R Us and eventually Fox and Disney should the evil Mouse get his way. Again, I wouldn’t be surprised if Fox News watchers and proponents of corporate welfare believe that two plus two is five, it’s only four to the elitist, educated Libruls and mongrels (their private word for mixed races).

My only complaint is the ending. In the movie, it just fades out with Winston sitting in the cafe, grateful the war against Eurasia is going well. They needed to have O’Brien walk up behind him to shoot him in the head since the goal is to break people down and execute them when they truly love Big Brother.

1984 has left Hulu as of June 1. Should it appear by other means, give it another look. I readily admit it’s depressing but so is the truth.

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Superman: Red Son

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Steve

Part one of three showing Marx’s influence as recognition of his 200th birthday, I’ll start with the Elseworld (DC’s version of Marvel’s What If? comics) story pondering the question; What would the world be like if Superman were raised in the Soviet Union instead of America?

Mark Millar of The Kingsman and Kick Ass fame has Superman’s ship crash land in Ukraine in the Thirties. His adopted parents raise him as a normal, early Soviet era child because his powers don’t kick in until puberty. As an adult, Superman a loyal Soviet citizen who is mostly obedient to Stalin yet he really strives to uphold Soviet/Marxist ideals. Meaning, even if he were a Soviet-style commie, Superman would still protect the whole world, including his sworn enemy…the US, from any harm like meteors, disasters and alien invaders. America finds Superman to be too good to be true, so President Eisenhower commissions the country’s smartest mind Lex Luthor to eradicate Superman. The two go on to have a decades long fight until one of them is utterly defeated and the winner will govern (not rule) the planet by their preferred methods.

Other differences in this reality? Luthor is married to Lois Lane. Jimmy Olsen is a CIA agent. The Amazons of Themyscira are openly friendly to the Soviets. Batman is a troublemaker around Moscow. Brainiac is a subdued ally of Superman. Green Lantern is on the US’s side through Luthor’s doing.

Red Son was a very intriguing story and sadly, Millar couldn’t write something like it until the USSR had gone away for at least a decade. Had he written in while the Cold War was continuing, DC Comics probably would’ve been accused of treason in the narrow minds of Reagan’s followers. Never mind that Superman’s core is really the same, he just intervenes way more to keep Earth safe. He does do some questionable things but he never uses his powers to defeat anyone’s military and take over. Superman is in the idealist camp, with the belief in other states coming around to Communism when they how well the Soviet Union and its allies have it. The traditional Superman we’ve had for 80 years is barely different despite having “American” values. He protected our enemies when they were threatened by the same dangers to demonstrate how his moral compass was politically neutral.

The comic is available these days in a trade paperback encompassing all three issues. I recommend checking it out. Get a fresh perspective on a well-known icon.

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Stars are going to the Calder Cup for the third time!

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Steve

Despite the inability to protect their leads for very long, my Stars are on their way to the AHL Championship, aka the Calder Cup! Pretty damned awesome for a team that’s only nine seasons old. I can’t immediately think of any AHL franchise achieving this three times in such a brief period of time. An NHL team, I can but why it’s a big deal with the AHL is the league’s nature, it’s a development league so the talent is mostly younger and rosters differ greatly every season.

Toronto will be a tough opponent. They’ve plowed through the other Eastern teams with relative ease, they swept my Phantoms to get here. They’re somewhat of a nemesis too because, they gave us the most grief in our 2014 run. Once we eliminated them, defeating the St. John’s Icecaps (no longer around, they went back to Winnipeg) was a breeze.

Cup games begin Saturday, June 2! They play games three and four in Austin (technical Cedar Park or as I call it, North Reaganstan) next week, June 5 and 7.

Go Stars! Let’s win this and end Travis Morin’s time with us on a high note!

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Ultimate Campaign

Posted on May 28, 2018 by Steve

The next optional rulebook fleshing out Campaigns by providing new elements for plays and GMs.

Chapter One covers Character Backgrounds. Wisely, Paizo put this into an optional book instead of the numerous page WOTC wasted in their 5E Player’s Handbook. For me, I wouldn’t make the players roll for all of these because in my experience, most have enough creativity to write the background themselves. However, it’s nice to have some tables to cover the details should they get stumped or they fall in a rut like that player we all know…he has to be an elf with a bow in every fantasy game.

Chapter Two covers something on a few players obsess about…downtime. I already have my own system of XP awards for downtime since life doesn’t carry on in a vacuum. Campaign devises something entirely different, downtime = investments. Investments? It fleshes out the results of the players buying a tavern or being the head of a guild. The rules provide how much the PCs must spend to establish them, how much revenue they’re expected to make on average and to keep things interesting, a random-event table to have something happen every month.

Chapter Three is Systems. This entails a lengthier discussion about Alignment, Companions, Bargaining, Contacts (a big one since my players are based around the city of Korvosa), Exploration, Honor, Lineage, Magic Item Creation, Relationships, Reputation, Fame, Retirement, Retraining, Taxes and lastly Young PCs. Many elements are optional but I found most interesting by the way they shed additional perspective on some parts of the game I don’t linger on. However, Retraining is something I need to go over. My player with a Rogue wants to beef up his combat and magic ability by pursuing Magus. The trick will be how do we get there plausibly.

Chapter Four concludes with Kingdoms and War. While Downtime covers an enterprise the PCs operate, Kingdoms is about the PCs founding a nation or getting promoted. So there’s construction, revenue, edicts, etc. War is the inevitable element of operating or being involved with the day-to-day of kingdoms. Campaign provides very abstract rules on how to execute battles. Units are similar to D&D’s old 3.5 rules on Mobs/Swarms. The size designations confused me initially. For example, a Medium-sized unit of infantry is about 100 beings (humans, hobgoblins, ogres, etc) not how many beings fit in a 5′ x 5′ square as per the personal combat rules. How much space this unit takes up isn’t important, it’s the number. Obviously, a larger unit is more dangerous too. Individuals are classified as Fine. Can they harm say a Large (200) unit? Depends. A dragon? Absolutely. A demon? Likely due to their immunity to non-magic weapons. A powerful PC/NPC? I think so but they better count on getting wounded in the process.

Campaign is on my list of must have for GMs. It helps lay down the ground rules in world creation, provides more Traits to make PCs differ from each other and lets face it, a huge battle much like Tolkien’s Battle of the Five Armies or TSR’s legendary Bloodstone Pass is something we all want to run one day.

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Solo: Must See*

Posted on May 28, 2018 by Steve

* That’s the rating for the fans, for the rest of you it’s Worth Seeing.

It seems the non-episodic movies for Star Wars are the great ones (Rogue One) and Solo seems to perpetuate this. I loved Force and Last but Rogue and Solo really deliver on my expectations. What are my expectations? Well-paced action, dialog that flows, practical or CG effects capable of aging well and little Easter eggs to keep hunting for so I will watch the movie multiple times.

Obviously, this is the story of Han Solo about a decade before he gave an old man, a kid and two droids a lift to Alderaan. Much about his past is answered through the movie: how he met Chewbacca; how he met Lando; how he became a smuggler; did he really join the Imperial Navy?; and most importantly, how did he come to own the iconic Millennium Falcon. It’s also a heist movie for the non-fans with all the questions mostly surrounding the plot and execution. 

Alden Ehrenreich does a good job channeling Harrison Ford but Donald Glover as Lando is the real standout. Woody Harrelson is great at the veteran showing Han the ropes and I’d say the real breakout character is L3-37, an uppity droid and Lando’s co-pilot played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Obviously, there are cool nods to us diehards who follow the cartoons Clones Wars and Rebels, namely with the surprise ending.

I forgot to take my notebook to log the Alamo Extras. Most were the expected jokes regarding the horrible 1978 TV special, pranks on people and a collection of other rogues people love from past films.

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Franz Ferdinand

Posted on May 27, 2018 by Steve

One of my favorite bands in the last 20 years came by Austin again. I had tickets to see them in the last decade but was too sick to go. Not this time!

Somara accompanied me which tells you how good they are, she only goes if they have a pretty wide appeal. I’m glad they played Emo’s too. Personally I think they deserve the fame and success Coldplay has since they don’t repeat the same melody on every other hit they make and they are what Blur could’ve been before Damon started believing his on hype via Gorrillaz (can’t get into them still).

Back to FF. They were great! They love the crowd. The material from their new album Always Ascending was mixed in with the hits everybody loved, namely the wall of guitars they have when they do “Take Me Out.” Sadly, no songs from their joint venture with Sparks; a personal favorite.

I know I make this statement all the time but I wouldn’t if I didn’t mean it. Either buy some FF albums and/or see them in concert, I guarantee you’ll love them. Streaming doesn’t count in my opinion.

Swap #17 with “Stand on the Horizon” and it’s an accurate set list.

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Good news regarding my knee(s)

Posted on May 27, 2018 by Steve

Two weeks ago I got my right knee and ankle looked at by the doctor, everything appeared fine, take some drugs and stay off those parts when it comes to exercise…in short, no running until further notice. The bike and stair master were fine.

Now I have completed my initial appointment with a physical therapist to get a better clue on what went wrong and what to do to heal/prevent it. Running remains on the “do not do” list but the verdict is that at my advanced age, I must stretch after I complete any future running. The problem may have begun in my right ankle and worked its way into my right knee, this sounds pretty likely. I have to remember a simple equation too, my weight times seven to know how much I’m stressing my knees. Lastly, I need to pursue some strength training on other leg muscles. My running only strengthens the muscles involved in going forward. Their equivalents for say, going backwards are puny.

Scheduling some more PT is going to be tricky. I also think my bike goal will succeed before this year’s running.

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Deadpool 2: Rental or Streaming

Posted on May 23, 2018 by Steve

Mostly everyone’s favorite wise-cracking, fourth-wall breaking hero returns and this time he has to save a mutant teenager from himself and time-traveling anti-hero Cable. It falls into the same trap all sequels do by adding more characters but thankfully, half aren’t around for long. What else? There’s plenty of extraneous violence with some of it having comical results, if you like that kind of stuff.

In short, I think the majority of people who loved the first Deadpool will go on to love this which is impressive given how sequels often have diminishing returns. I went because Somara is a fan. I wasn’t completely bored or grossed out, it has moments worthy of a chuckle or smile, yet one viewing is enough for me.

Finally, DP2 is a Marvel movie, stay through the closing credits for additional gags.

Alamo Extras: Computer-generated cartoon of Deadpool v. Deathstroke; commercials for Tucson restaurant Gordo’s promoting their chimichangas; Green Lantern trailer; Deadpool poking fun at Australia Day; Shitty Movie Trivia (new Alamo thing); Deadpool v. a man-sized chicken; musical cartoon about ODB being a mythical hero; Deadpool as Bob Ross; Deadpool spending Halloween with kids dressed up as the X-Men; a synopsis of the first movie; Alamo kitchen secrets.

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Greg Gorden

Posted on May 22, 2018 by Steve

I was able to be one for two at this year’s Chupacabracon by meeting a Roleplaying Game legend Greg Gorden! He designed many games (TORG, Earthdawn) but my absolute is DC Superheroes published by Mayfair from 1985-199? Despite Champions being the de facto superhero game you encounter in gaming and convention circles, Greg’s system will always be superior. As I told him in person, “You made Superman a tangible character and that’s why yours is the best to me.”

We talked a bit as well about other people who were and are in the business too. However, I was very happy to finally meet the guy who’s Action Point system gave me hours of fun, joy and creativity.

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“Weird Al” Yankovic (4) at Moontower!

Posted on May 22, 2018 by Steve

The overdue cherry on top of this years Moontower Sundae (even though it was before the schmoozing), “Weird Al” Yankovic playing at the Paramount Theater. This wasn’t just any show, it was his Ridiculously Self-Indulgent Ill-Advised Vanity Tour which meant, no parodies, only original works and style parodies. OK, at the end, he did a montage of favorites before the encore. Being a fan of his work since high school and well versed from the first album on (I would grief for playing his originals on WMUR), hearing songs such as “Dog Eat Dog” (1986), “I’ll Sue Ya,” (2006) and “One More Minute” (1985) were a thrill! Another surprise was his frequently performed Devo style parody “Dare To Be Stupid” was re-arranged as a Grateful Dead song, “Truckin'” is my guess.

For the encore, this was another demonstration of what great musicians Al and his band are. They do a different cover every evening. For Austin, they chose “Particle Man” by They Might Be Giants.

See him if you can. Weird Al never disappoints!

Opening for the Weird One was his old friend Emo Phillips. I had seen big portions of his set last year at CapCity, can’t get enough of his jokes, namely this dig at NeoConfederates.

Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin have the same birthday. It’s very fitting because they’re two of the South’s biggest enemies.

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Arden Myrin

Posted on May 19, 2018 by Steve

My last Brush for Moontower 2018. Sorry it’s late but I was very, very tired Friday thanks to a very exhausting Thursday.

It was awesome to finally get a picture with Arden! She is the other half of The Tinkle Twins showcase with Dana Gould, something they do in Austin lately, it’s a regular gathering in LA. You may also recognize her from many appearances in sitcoms and movies. Most likely Arden was a cast member on MAD TV for a few seasons too. The funny part is that she met Dana while working on the short-lived Fred Savage sitcom Working. I’ve followed Arden mainly through her appearances on Dana Gould’s podcast, she is a very funny person.

Should she come back to Austin to headline, I’ll be there.

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My day had a surprisingly nice start…

Posted on May 17, 2018 by Steve

…because I went to HEB for my coffee stuff and found $20 on the ground! I made sure it wasn’t from the cashiers by accident. Then I hung around for five minutes, hoping the person who dropped it/lost it would appear. Now you’re probably thinking, “five minutes isn’t very long.” Agreed but I was running behind already and needed to be on time at work. Karma paid me back a little, some annoying update prevented my workstation from being ready early. I still was on time so I think I’m still ahead.

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Tom Rhodes

Posted on May 17, 2018 by Steve

It’s actually my second time meeting Tom. The amazing part is that he remembered our meeting at the first Moontower Fest at Dana Gould’s showcase! Most of you will recognize him from the Nineties when his hair was longer too. After his sitcom on WB, Tom left the States to be a TV host in Europe for travel shows. He’s damn funny as he works some of his adventures into his act. For example, “I just got back from Asia and have discovered that the most beautiful women are young Thai men.”

If Tom comes to your town, see him. You will piss yourself at his jokes. I’m just glad he came back to Austin and participated the showcases, the 4/20 was definitely a theme which played to his strengths. He was impressed about how much I remembered of Vietnam show on Comedy Central 20 years ago.

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