Obscurorant 2.0

Well, since you asked…

I can tell you the title of every book I’ve read since 1990. Because I’ve written them all down.

Every so often I slip out of the office and grab some lunch at Panera Bread. There’s a regular there, with a strong resemblance to Frank Black. While I doubt very much it is Frank Black, it pleases me to pretend otherwise, and picture the erstwhile Pixies singer hanging out in a chain restaurant in Quincy doing… well I haven’t figured out that part of my imaginary story yet.

Way back when I wrote about the things I carry. Turns out there’s a flickr pool dedicated to this idea as well.  I’ll contribute in the near future.

“Look eye! Always look eye!”

This Saturday morning I’ll turn in my last assignment of the semester.

Sunday? A book sale at the Thomas Crane Library, followed by The Good, The Bad and the Ugly at the Brattle.  Let me know if you want to come along.

Speaking of Dark Tower, did you know that you can play it on line? Or that Orson Welles touted the game way back in the day?

Oh, the humanity: va-rice-ity!

There was no reason for my eyes to blink open at 6:20 this morning, as my alarm had yet to go off.

Nor was there any reason for the theme song from Arthur to be running through my mind almost as soon as I became conscious of being awake.

Over at Stainless Steel Droppings Carl V. posted all sorts of cool stuff that he found across the intertubes, with a heavy emphasis on the work of fantasy and sci-fi illustrators. I found these fascinating: Gelaskins - removable art prints for iPods and laptops. In place of the Playstation 3 I’d been dreaming of buying with my tax rebate, I purchase two Gelaskins - one for my iPod and one for my laptop.

Submitted for your consideration: the Gentleman’s Emporium, purveyor of authentic historical clothing and calligraphy supplies.

First impression: there’s enough 19th c. clothing here to outfit several seasons of Firefly.

Second impression: if, like me, you live in a state where various government officials and functionaries feel Second Amendment rights are for ‘important’ people only, a stout length of wood might be a valuable traveling companion. And if, like me, you’re partial to a drop of the water of life now and then, a stick with a flask is just the thing.

I love coats and jackets in general (the more pockets the better) and I rather like this linen duster. I have zero idea of where and when I’d wear it though. And it still doesn’t hold a candle to the ne plus ultra of jackets.

Some links for your entertainment:

The Marine Corps in China.

Raging Bull is overrated…

..and so apparently are certain albums.

LibraryThing Local - an interactive map of all things bookish.

Bookshelf Etiquette

N.B. - The title song for this post can be found on Living Legends by the Fleshtones.

Some time ago the Bunny and I attempted to visit the Pabst brewery in Milly-wah-kay. Unsuccessfully, because as it turned out, that particular brewery is closed.

However, you can go here to check out some pictures of the now-abandoned building. Extra creepy bonus - pictures from an insane asylum - for children.

Happy St. Paddy’s Day.

A few more Gary Gygax tributes from around the tubes. This article from The Believer, written when Gygax was still alive, is especially well done.

Until I read some of these tributes I’d forgotten just how many of these games, beyond Dungeons and Dragons, that I played as a kid. In retrospect, some of them were pretty poorly designed. Somehow I missed this one though, which looks fascinating.

UPDATE:

Just for s. and g. I compiled an actual list of said games: Dungeons and Dragons, Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, Top Secret, Boot Hill, Gamma World, Star Frontiers, Twilight 2000, Traveller, Middle Earth Role-Playing, James Bond 007, Gangbusters…

Dang, that’s a lot of geekiness., to say nothing of hours spent playing Car Wars or Squad Leader.

School’s started again, so there’s not too much report here, and there you have it. I’d hoped to get out and about more during the break between semesters but wound up spending most of that month sick. C’est la guerre. Got a shite load of reading done though.

Some other random tidbits…

The Girl and I happily spent a gift card at Crate and Barrel yesterday - got a shiny new mandoline to play with. Hit up Barnes and Noble with a gift card too - nothing like shopping for free. Good times, good times.

Saw No Country for Old Men last night. Enjoyed it, but enjoyed the book still more.

We saw the Magnetic Fields a couple of weeks ago - great show. Going to see Sons and Daughters in week or so - hope it’s a good show.

Perhaps you’ve already seen this bit already? I’d love a staircase like that - and may in time need one.

Extreme Geekiness Alert*:

Torchwood, the Dr. Who spin-off? Not liking it so much - in fact I’m just about ready to give up on it.

*Extreme Geekiness by virtue of the fact that being Dr. Who fan is - or at least was - far far nerdier than being a Star Trek fan. In those long ago pre-cable days, Star Trek was always in syndication on one UHF channel or another, while Dr. Who was hidden away on PBS. Either you accidentally stumbled across the show, or you were initiated into the mysteries of Who by another fan. Kind of a Skull and Bones or Rosicrucian Order for the science fiction set.