Reading: SFWA Bulletin back issues
Music: Anti-Flag
TV/Movie: Shadows and Fog
Link o' the Day: Internet Review of Science Fiction





If I have to deal with ice, let it be honest ice. Ice that, from the window, glares balefully back at you, with milky swaths of hate like the fangs of polar bear which say "This way lies Many Bad Things."

That kind of ice I can deal with. I just avoid it. Instead, this morning, we get ice that says, "Hey, c'mon out! I just rained last night. This is nothing more harmful than a little bit of wet pavement. What are you worried about? No ice here."

And instead, you discover that the world has been covered in a perfect coating of clear teflon. Penguins are falling on their butts. The neighborhood polar bear is sleeping in. But no...I'm out there, taking a thousand little baby steps to make it downhill to the car to chip it out. But not before nearly wiping out on the front steps due to a false sense of security.

One thing I will hand to this morning's ice, though. It was perfectly formed. Like a perfect storm or a ten-point earthquake or a wildfire, there was a terrible beauty. And what I thought most interesting as how it formed on the car. I single clear coating of ice that, from a distance, looked like nothing at all, but up close, was like something out of a medical lab freezer. Chipping out was actually quite easy as the ice came off in huge panes crashing to the ground, shattering. I wonder, if I but had the know-how, if I couldn't have found that one key spot to make but one small incision with the ice-scraper, then been able to lift a single, unbroken ice-shell in the shape of a Ford Escape.

Something that could have been used as a mold to make more.

This was all at 5am. Now at 6:45 it's already getting warmer and the people who get up at a sane hour will less likely experience this terrible wonder.

More's the pity.

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Part of my Christmas surprise was getting an Xbox 360. It's the sort of thing I'd want, but would never buy for myself, so it was a genius sort of gift. I'm hugely impressed with it. Not only do the games look fantastic, but I enjoy the Xbox Live system, and in particular, the fact that I can watch Netflix movies on it. What am I playing on it? Game-wise, we're focusing on Blue Dragon, then Mass Effect. From there I will be moving on to Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and Lego Indiana Jones. My only real criticism about the games so far is I find the type on the screen is kind of small.

Netflix-wise, I'm enjoying lots of stuff. I finally saw, from beginning to end, the new Justice League: New Frontiers movie and finally got to see the View Askew-produced movie Vulgar written and directed by Bryan Johnson who really should have considered continuing to make movies. I've not deleted it off my Netflix Xbox queue yet as I'm going to give it a couple of mroe viewings, then do up a full review. It's worth reviewing.

The tough part is I have a lot of freelance stuff to do. And I have an Xbox. Fortunately I've got some pretty decent discipline when it comes to keeping to my work schedule. The economy sucks too much for me to play around with my freelance. The Xbox sits in the living room. I work in my office which has fewer distractions. Piece of cake. I don't play Xbox until I get everything else done for the day. Or if it's the weekend--unless I have a major deadline looming.

Who knew I'd be this responsible one day? Makes me want to go out and commit crimes like...like order sushi, then not pay for it.

(Bonus points for anyone who can name the movie where I shamlessly stole that last line from.)



And while I'm talking movies. The Ruins is a very creepy flick. Looked like it was probably fairly cheap to make, but the production values are surprisingly high. I can't decide whether or not this movie falls in to the "torture porn" genre. I don't think so, but then again I don't really follow a lot of that genre. Yes, it gets pretty gory in spots. And there are some true cringing moments. I'm not going to suggest it's a deep story with a deep plot. but it works as a twist on "survival horror." I understand that it's based on a novel. I can only imagine that the book has a bit more depth. Would I recommend it? Eh. I watched it on cable. Pennies a day. I wouldn't have bought the movie on disk, nor rented it, but I can see how others might call it rent-worthy. It's for tried and true horror movie fans. I'm more of a classic horror movie fan. And a fan of supernatural horror. So this wasn't really aimed at me. Still, it wasn't bad. Not bad.


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Today's link takes you to the Internet Review of Science Fiction which just released its January 2009 issue. Essays, columns, reviews, and other bits of thought-provoking goodness. Loaded with archives. Much to enjoy and support.

Cheers!