My wife and I celebrate our one-year wedding anniversary this weekend. Tomorrow we'll be going to a mall and someplace nice to eat. Nothing over the top, but I'm looking forward to spending the weekend with my wife.
Long Weekend . . .
Whenever I get my long weekend, I try to squeeze as much stuff into it as possible. Things that I want to do, watch, or play are pursued during these times.
Hopefully, I'll get to play Indigo Prophecy for my XBox, watch Serenity, and get some artwork done before my weekend is over. I'll let you know how successful I am when I go back to work on Wednesday.
Spooner . . .
If you like You'll Have That, you'll love Spooner. Thanks to Scott Zirkel for clueing me to this outstanding comic strip. I hope Ted Dawson doesn't sue my butt for copyright infringement or something . . .
For the record, I've never intentionally ripped this guy off.
New Alarm Clock . . .
I've been putting it off for quite awhile, but I think it's time to get a new alarm clock. My alarm clock didn't wake me up on time this morning which made me late for work. When my wife woke me up, I picked up my alarm clock and smacked it. It instantly began "alarming".
It's gonna be hard getting rid of my alarm clock. I've had that clock since I was a sophomore or junior in high school. It's seen me through a lot of good times. It was there when I went to school in Indiana. It was there when I moved out on my own. And it was there when I first met my wife.
Now it's time to retire the old guy and replace him with some new-fangled technology. It'll be tough to say "goodbye" . . .
Digg Friday . . .
Once again, here's my top five favorite Digg stories from the past week:
5.The AIDS Virus Could Be Weakening - Scientists studying the AIDS virus have discovered that newer strands of the virus seem to be growing "weaker" than older strands.
4.Atari Re-Releasing 2600 Console - It's the original game console and joystick controllers, but the cartridges have been replaced by an internal computer chip that holds 40 games. Games include Centipede, Asteroids, Yar's Revenge, Missile Command, and Pitfall.
The weekend is here! I hope everyone has a great one! Be sure to stop by the YHT message board, and check out my Myspace site. I've got 112 friends and I'm looking to add more. So add me to your list!
Just wanted to let everyone know that there's a new "Contact" button, and the "Forum" and "About" buttons have moved. They're now underneath the strip rather than above it. So, if you use the "Forum" button to access the message board and you can't find, just look underneath the cartoon. Simple as that.
Eldest . . .
I've been reading Eldest, and even though I'm only two-hundred-fifty pages into the beast, TheInheritance Trilogy is quickly becoming one of my favorite book series. It's actually giving Harry Potter quite a run for his magical money. If you enjoy epic fantasy novels then you need to check out Eragon. Once you've finished Eragon, pick up Eldest. It picks up exactly where the first book left off. The books are wonderfully written and a lot of fun to read.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose . . .
The scariest movie I've ever seen in my life is The Exorcist.
The second scariest movie I've ever seen in my life is The Exorcism of Emily Rose. This movie scared the holy pahchoznies (pronounced pah'chawz'neez) out of me. What really blows me away was the lack of CGI animation in this movie. The totally freaky back bends and contortions were all done by the actress. I also thought that the story itself was very interesting. Most "horror" movies are layered with a thick amount of cheese, but this movie was very smart.
I don't know what it is about exorcism movies that scare me so much. Maybe it's because I'm a Christian. Maybe it's because the thought of involuntarily forfeiting control of my body to a demonic entity is scary as heck. Or maybe it's a combination of both.
This is honestly how scared I was last night: Our bedroom is very warm in the evenings, so I was laying in bed with one leg outside of the covers because it felt cooler. I started thinking about scenes from the movie and I immediately brought my leg under the covers because I didn't want a demon to grab it! I haven't done something like that since I was seven-years-old and I wouldn't bathe with my back to the drain because I thought Jaws was gonna pop out and eat my face off!
Anyway, if you want to see a scary flick then go see this movie. I thought it was excellent. I'll probably buy the movie on DVD.
Zoinks! Magazine . . .
Just a reminder that the October issue of Zoinks! Magazine ships this Friday, Sept. 30th. You can read an exclusive, Halloween-themed You'll Have That cartoon (as well as several other great webcomics) in this issue. So check it out and order your copy today!
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I hope everyone's week is going smoothly. Make sure to stop by the message board and leave me a note. I'd love to hear from you!
My buddy, Jage, and I are going to see The Exorcism of Emily Rose tonight. I haven't seen a truly scary movie since The Exorcist, so I'm hoping that this movie will scare the crap out of me since it follows the common thread of exorcism. I've heard good things about this flick, and I'll be sure to let you know what I think of it in tomorrow's blog.
Sorry for the late blog. My Blogger.com account was acting fishy earlier, but now we're cool.
Take Care of the Luck That You Might Have . . .
Brian Regan is a comical genius. He was hilarious the second he stepped foot on the stage. For about thirty seconds he just walked around and looked at people, and I laughed my pants off. He talked about airplanes, pilots, Nova, art, stupid sayings, show horses, glasses of water, stupid husbands, windchimes and chalkboards, politicians, children's books, and inventions. For his encore he took requests from the crowd. The requests included cigarette boat races, Hooked on Phonics, Pop Tarts, and, of course, "Take luck".
After watching Brian perform I honestly want to be a comedian now. I've been thinking up "bits" all day. I don't think they're funny enough, though . . .
Awesome Conversation . . .
I had an awesome conversation with a co-worker today. It started with a discussion about Jehovah's Witnesses and evolved from there. Good conversations are essential in life, and I'm thankful that I have so many outlets to talk with people and glean information. In all honesty, great conversations help me as a writer exponentially.
Thanks to all the people who talk to me. :)
Favor for a Friend . . .
I've got a buddy who wants to be a writer, but he's not sure how to get his foot in the door with publishers, literary agents, and the like. I did some Google searching and found some good info, but I didn't know if any of you YHT readers had any tips, hints, or info that you'd like to share with my friend and I. If so, leave a message in the forums.
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That's all for me, people. Thanks so much for comin' out! You've been a great audience!
I don't know about your wives/girlfriends/significant others, but my wife looks amazingly beautiful when she has glasses on. Not that she's any less beautiful when she doesn't have glasses on. It's just that when she wears them, there's no announcement or anything. There's no prep time. You just walk into the bedroom and she's curled up under the covers reading the latest Oprah's Book Club selection with her glasses on, and my knees get weak from the cuteness.
Ch-ch-ch-changes . . .
There's going to be some small changes going on around here, so I thought I'd give you guys some prep time before the changes went underway. I don't want your knees to get weak or anything. So here's a list of some things that we're going to be adding to increase the functionality of the site:
Links
I've been updating the links section, so take a look whenever you get a chance. There's a few more things I'm gonna add, and I imagine I'll be adding links whenever I find sites that I feel are significant. So make sure to check the links section periodically for anything that might perk your ear.
Contact
We're gonna add a "contact" button on the site somewhere so you people know how to get a hold of me. I'll have my e-mail address posted there as well as a link to my Myspace page (I spend too much time there). In the meantime, feel free to e-mail whenever you want. My address is wesmolebash AT gmail DOT com. I'd love to hear from you!
Viper Shop
Jim Resnowski, the father of the internet, is going to add a button to the Viper store so people can purchase YHT buttons and posters, as well as any and all YHT products as they are produced and made available for the public. Currently being tested are YHT back scratchers, YHT LED keychain flashlights, YHT one-piece pajamas (with "footies"), and YHT anti-slip bathtub stickers.
Domain Name
One of the things Jim Resnowski, world's biggest Harry Potter fan, and I discussed at Wizard World Chicago was a domain name for You'll Have That. Jim said that he'd been meaning to get with me on that, so we tried to think of a forwarding domain name. Unfortunately, youllhavethat.com is already taken. We came up with four different domain names, but I can't decide which one I like best. So, we're gonna put it to a vote and let the YHT readers decide which domain name to go with. Expect to see a poll on the YHT site in the next couple days, and please vote!
The Biggest Change of All . . .
The biggest change will be the updating schedule for You'll Have That. Starting on Monday, Oct. 3rd, YHT is going to update five times a week Monday through Friday. This is something I've been wanting to do for quite some time, and I'm excited for what it means for the strip. I'll be able to build continuity a little better without feeling like I'm losing the readers' interest every other day. We'll see what happens, but I've already got some little stories I want to tell. This should be a lot of fun.
So, next week will be the last week for three-times-a-week updates. So far, October is a big month for me: my anniversary is in October, Viper first got a hold of me last October (so it's been a year since I first started working with them), and YHT is going five days a week this coming October. No wonder all the classic rock stations call it "Rocktober". Because it rocks.
Digg Friday . . .
Here's my favorite Digg news from the past week. Feel free to check all my Digg stories at www.digg.com/users/wesley. Here we go:
5. Microsoft Has a Working Prototype to Counter Revolution Controller - It looks like the XBox might have a controller attachment similar to what Nintendo is doing with their innovative controller. Should this be viewed as Revolution-crushing competition, or is it confirmation from a rival company that Nintendo is on to something big?
4. Office Space: Special Edition - This is one of my favorite movies, and I was disappointed at the lack of extra content on the DVD. The special edition contains a few extras and deleted scenes, as well as a fancy box and Milton's stapler.
3. Can This Man Save the World? - This guy has invented a low-emissions device that will fit in most cars and trucks, increases gas-mileage exponentially, and has already passed third-party verification.
If any of you have ever worked shift work, maybe you share my pain. I hate second shift. It's certainly not the most difficult shift as I get the most sleep when I'm on this shift. But I'm out of the loop with the things going on at home, and that sucks. I don't see my wife except for a couple minutes when I get home to kiss her goodnight.
Oh well. My griping is done. Only a couple more days left of second shift . . .
Brian Regan . . .
On Sunday, Trish, Jage, Sara, and I are going to see my favorite comedian, Brian Regan, perform live in Columbus. I'm pretty excited! Brian Regan is a huge inspiration for me on the comedy side of drawing a comic strip. He talks about stuff that everyone can relate with without singling anyone out. That's how you know someone is a great comedian/artist/cartoonist/musician/etc.
Anyway, I'll try to take some pics with my camera phone and post them to the moblog. Should be good times.
The Next Nintendo . . .
I don't know if it's because I've always liked Nintendo, but the Revolution is sounding more and more intriguing to me everyday. I've been an XBox devotee for the past couple years, now, but I'm ticked off with Microsoft over the pricepoint of the 360.
I've been reading several articles about the upcoming Revolution, and each one perks my interest a little more . . . Here's some links:
I read Stephen Chbosky's book, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, in less than eight hours yesterday. It's fantastic. It's a very bittersweet book with emotionally distressed characters; especially the main character. Throughout the book, the reader and Charlie (the main character) realize that there's something not quite right with him. However, if you're good at reading in between the lines all is revealed toward the end of the book.
If you've never read this book, it's a very interesting and well worth the read. As far as I know, Mr. Chbosky hasn't written any other books which is kind of disappointing.
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I hope everyone's week is going smoothly. Leave a note in the forums if you feel so inclined. Also, don't forget to check me out on Myspace and add me to your friends list. That would be super sweet!
I received my iPod on Friday and I've been staying up late playing with it all weekend. I've got all my MP3s from my computer on it, and now I'm going through my CD collection. Next, I need to make playlists for the car so Tricia doesn't have to listen to any techno or loud music. I don't know what's more fun: listening to the iPod, or organizing all of my songs onto it.
Eragon . . .
I finished reading Eragon, and I gotta say it's one of the most fun books I've read in a long time. If you haven't checked it out, do so immediately. Great book. Hard to believe it was written by a sixteen-year-old.
Ben, whenever you're done with Eldest, ship it my way . . .
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That's pretty much it, people. I had a pretty uneventful weekend. If you get time, drop a note in the forum. Also, check out my Myspace site and add me to your friends list.
To see a colored version of today's comic strip, click here.
Books . . .
My buddy, Ben, hooked me up with two new books to read. The first one is The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chjobskysticks, or something. I was going to read it at work today, but my wife has apparently stolen it from me. The other book is Eragon by Christopher Paolini. This book looks awesome, and, according to Ben, is awesome.
I'll let you guys know what I think as soon as I finish them.
My Car . . .
I washed my car for the first time in a year yesterday. I used to be a Nazi about washing my car. Every weekend I was in the driveway with a sponge and bucket washing my car down. But then I moved out on my own and didn't have access to a driveway. My weekend washings slowly turned into bi-weekly washings which turned into monthly washings.
So, yesterday I gave my car its yearly washing and I was blown away by how many rock chips were on the front of my car. It kinda made me sick to my stomach, but I guess that's life when you drive to Michigan a few times a year. I would get one of those bras for the car, but I think it would look stupid on my car.
Oh well. The car's clean now. That's what matters . . .
Zoinks! . . .
I keep forgetting to mention that You'll Have That is going to appear in the next issue of Zoinks! Magazine. Zoinks! is a quarterly magazine devoted to the promotion of webcomics. There's already a long list of comics including Bob the Squirrel, Bottle Rocket Chronicles, Dandy and Company, HOUSD, The Good Little Robot, The Zoo, and many more.
The magazine will also include a bunch of industry news as well as a feature written by Zampzon and Daku of Digital Strips.
A single issue is only three bucks and you can order a copy or an entire subscription at the Zoinks! website. Make sure to check it out!
Digg Friday . . .
If you've been following the blog for the past couple days, you know how addicted I've been to the website digg.com. It's a site where the users contribute their favorite tech news and vote for which stories are posted to the front page of the site. It's pretty fun.
Well, I've decided that every Friday I'm going to post my five favorite Digg stories from the past week. These are stories that I've either dugg or contributed. I'll provide the link to the digg site for each story, and you can link to the actual story from there. So here we go:
4 - Patent on NES Runs Out - The patent for the original Nintendo Entertainment System has expired which allows other companies to manufacture and sell old-school Nintendo's. The company linked to in this story has created a console that is compatible with most all of the NES' games and peripherals.
3 - Classic Web Browser Emulator - This site allows you to select an old web browser (like IE 1.0) and surf the web so you can see how modern website would look in the old browser. The YHT site looks pretty funky. Lots of unrecognized code.
2 - Michigan Gov. Signs Gaming Bill - This is a story I contributed, but it didn't get very many diggs. Still, I find it interesting. Basically, the governor of Michigan signed a bill that made it illegal for retailers to sell videogames with adult material and/or harsh violence to minors. We'll see how this law is backed up when it's broken . . .
1 - Nintendo Revolution Controller Unveiled - Nintendo finally unveiled the new controller for the Revolution at the Tokyo Game Show. It looks pretty funky. Basically, the controller is two separate pieces. The main controller looks like a television remote, and there's an analog stick attachment that you plug into the bottom of the main controller and hold in the opposite hand. Sensors on top of the television can tell which way your aiming the main controller, and you can move objects across the screen like a mouse cursor. Sounds kind of contrived, but they've got backing from Square Enix which says a lot to me. We'll see what happens.
If you want to check out all my digg stories, just check out my user page. I'm digging and contributing stories all the time; some of which are actually cool.
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The weekend is almost here people. If you get a chance, stop by my Myspace site and add me to your friends list.
Mona Lisa Smile is not a bad chick flick. Trish and I own it on DVD. Here's a Mona Lisa Smile Fun Fact: despite the fact that the movie is about women's rights, several women on the set of the movie were not paid equal wages as men. Thought that was interesting.
My Wife's Car . . .
Apparently, my wife's car has been fixed. We're getting ready to go pick it up, and I'm experiencing a little anxiety about the whole thing. We've had some bad experiences with different garages and auto mechanics in town, so I'm pretty pessimistic about not having to worry about Tricia's car for awhile. We'll see what happens . . .
iPods, Baby . . .
I'm still waiting on my new iPod to arrive, and I was wondering if anyone knew of a decent product for car playback? I've got a cassette adapter that I use with my old iPod, but the sound is kind of tinny. Not sure the FM transmitters will be much better, but I find the Belkin transmitters to be intriguing. I've also looked at the aftermarket car stereo iPod adapters, but most of them are expensive and quite cumbersome.
I may just have to stick it out with the cassette adapter for now, but if any of you iPod owners out there have any suggestions please leave them on the message board!
Also, I've been looking at the iSkin cases. They're pretty slick, but I was wondering if they'd inhibit the dock connection. If you have a clue let me know!
Work . . .
Last night at work I was very bored. It was one of those days where there wasn't much to do, so we did a lot of sitting and bullshipping (family website). The most interesting part of the evening was reading a 40-page publication on the Jehovah's Witnesses. It was very enlightening . . .
Days Off . . .
Fortunately, I've got a couple days off, now. Not quite sure what I'm gonna do with my days off. I know there will be drawing involved, but I'm not sure what else I might do. I'd like to watch a movie, preferably Sin City. A book would also be nice as I've just finished Ender's Shadow.
Speaking of books, everyone go out and read Eragon. I haven't read it, but my buddy, Ben, says it's the cat's pajamas.
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Well, that's about it for me. Make sure to stop by my Myspace page and add me to your friends list. I've got a hundred and five friends and I'm always looking to add more! Also, if you like tech, check out my Digg news page. You can see all the nerdy tech news that I'm interested in.
Hope everyone's having a great week! It's half over, so just hang in there for a couple more days!
It's been two days since Texas came back and slapped Ohio State in the face with less than three minutes left in Saturday's game. I'm still struggling to get over the loss, but I know that time heals all wounds. I just wish time would hurry up.
If any of you cats out there watched the game, you know that it was Ohio State's to lose (and they were quite successful at losing). I don't want to sound like a sore loser, but Vince Young was shut down hard by the OSU defense. Did you see how dirty he was near the end of the game? Unfortunately, it didn't phase him and he was able to make a clutch play. Good job, Vince. Good job, Texas.
But you gotta admit you were scared for a little bit, weren't ya? ;)
Ender . . .
I just finished reading Ender's Shadow yesterday evening. Like Ender's Game, it's fantastic. However, Ender's Shadow has a very different ending than Ender's Game. Whereas Ender's Game leaves you feeling kind of empty inside, Ender's Shadow leaves you feeling extremely happy for the main character. So happy in fact, that I teared up. Not lying. Tears welled in my eyes. But I bit my lip and concentrated on the pain the way I always do when I feel like I'm gonna cry . . .
Various Things . . .
Digg.com - If you like tech news (gadgets, video games, computers, etc.) you should check out digg.com. While you're at it, check out my digg profile and you can see all the stories I've dug. Pretty cool stuff.
Myspace.com - Check me out at myspace.com and add me to your "friends list". I've got 100 friends so far and I'm always looking for me. Come hang with me!
Vote! - Make sure to vote for me at webcomics.com. We've held steady in the mid- to lower-forties. Tell your friends and family to vote everyday to get YHT into the top ten!
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Hope you guys had a great weekend. Only five more days until the next one. Hang in there!
This weekend we will see two global superpowers butt heads in an epic battle of skill, might, and intellect. No, I'm not talking about the United States and Iraq or any other country.
I'm talking about the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
All I gotta say is this: Texas is goin' down. Texas is goin' downtown.
My Wife's Car . . .
Trish's car is in the shop . . . again. If I could pick up a car and throw it, I would. But I can't. And probably a good thing, too, because I'd get accused of throwing the car into ACME Comics.
Thanks to the Fans . . .
One of the nice things about being a cartoonist is receiving an occasional piece of fanmail. I've received a couple of very nice e-mails the past couple days, and I just want to say "Thanks". I don't think you guys will ever know how great it makes me feel to know that you enjoy my comic strip. I know I've said it before, but it really blows me away. It's surreal, really.
Anyway, thanks. :)
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The weekend is upon us and it shall be glorious. If you get time, make sure to stop by my Myspace site and join me and my 100 friends. Leave a note in the forums, too!
Sorry for the lack of a blog on Monday. My wife and I returned from Michigan on Monday evening and had to unpack some furniture from our vehicle. After that we grabbed something to eat and then relaxed. I was exhausted and didn't feel like staring at a glowing computer screen for a half hour typing a blog entry. It's amazing how the simple act of driving can totally kick the crap out of you. But it does . . .
Thanks Gramps . . .
As I stated above, my wife and I had to pick up some furniture while we visited her family in Port Huron. We couldn't have done it without my grandpa stepping up to the plate and letting us borrow his Jeep. I couldn't believe how much crap we got into the back of that thing, but it was a huge help. Thanks, Gramps! I owe you one.
Michigan . . .
Our trip north was fun, but short and busy as usual. We were only there for a little over two days, and Trish gets stressed out pretty easily. About a day or two before we leave on these trips she starts to get anxious, whereas I get totally psyched.
We arrived late Friday night and stopped by my mother-in-law's house to say "hello". After that we went to my father-in-law's (Jim) house where we'd be sleeping for the weekend. It was about 1-1:30 AM when we got to Trish's Dad's house, and it wasn't long before we were sleeping like rocks.
On Saturday morning Trish and I woke up at 9:00 AM and had cinnamon rolls and coffee with Jim. We left for Lansing, Michigan at about 10:15 in order to meet Jef Mallett and his wife, Patty, for lunch at noon. More about this later in the blog.
Saturday afternoon was pretty relaxing. We came back to Jim's house and had a cookout. Jim invited Trish's Aunt Kim and Uncle Paul over (great people, by the way), and we ate steaks and grilled chicken. Paul ate an abundance of corn on the cob while I cautioned him to slow down. After the third cob of corn I knew that his next trip to the bathroom would probably be quite violent.
My brother-in-law, Spencer, and I had a long conversation about computers, iPods, and cell phones. Just the kinda stuff I like to talk about. :)
That evening, Jim, Paul, and Spencer introduced me to the addicting world of Texas Hold 'Em. I've been sucked in, guys. And it feels wonderful.
On Sunday, Trish and I woke up early to go to church with my mother-in-law, Patty. After church, we went to Frisch's Big Boy with Patty, Spencer, Nelson (Patty's boyfriend), and Nelson's daughter, Jessica. It was good times. I had the Big Boy Combo with onion rings and a chocolate shake. Quite dee-lish.
After lunch, Trish, Nelson, Patty, Jessica, and I went to the mall to do some shopping. Trish and I were both quite surprised by the fact that neither of us bought anything at the mall. Usually one of us ends up with something.
When we finished at the mall, we headed over to Trish's Aunt Janet's house where a birthday party was going down for Trish's grandparents. We had grilled hot dogs and homemade desserts. I had fun talking with Tricia's family about Ohio, how Trish and I are doing, and about my comics. It felt good to know that these people we hardly see were so supportive of my cartoons and seemed genuinely interested in all the things going on with You'll Have That. I hope I didn't bore them with all the details.
We left Janet's house and met Jim at Best Buy. Jim was asking me all kinds of questions about wireless internet all weekend (and we all know how successful I've been with wireless internet) and wanted to get a wireless card for his laptop to use at his girlfriend's house. So, I helped him find a wireless card for cheap that I thought would be a pretty good brand. We went with a D-Link NIC. Let me know if you guys think that was a good buy.
We took the wireless card over to Jim's girlfriend's house, and I installed the card onto Jim's laptop. Thankfully, his wireless internet seems to be working properly. I'm sure he'll let me know if it ever screws up . . .
That evening, Trish and I went to a bonfire at some people's house we didn't even know. The family goes to church with Patty and Nelson, and were celebrating the adoption of their fourth and fifth child (I think). I left about an hour into the bonfire so I could play Texas Hold 'Em with Jim, Spencer, and Spencer's friend, Chelsea. That was definite good times.
On Monday morning we all went to breakfast at Bob Evans. I drew some crayon drawings of Andy and Katie and gave them to the two girls that Trish used to babysit. They seemed pleased.
. . . And so ends are latest trip to Port Huron, Michigan.
Jef Mallett . . .
My lunch with Jef Mallett was super awesome. Last time I had lunch with Jef it was like a padawan gleaning information from his Jedi Master (I was the padawan). I pumped Jef for information about the business and his experiences with syndication, the NCS, and his cartooning methods.
This time, however, it felt like two guys talking shop. It was so fun. He asked me how things were going with You'll Have That, and we compared notes and experiences. He has way more experience than me, but we were still able to see eye-to-eye on a few things and shared some laughs.
Jef's wife Patty and my wife seemed to hit it off pretty quickly. As all four of us talked, we realized our relationships were similar. Jef and I are nerdy cartoonists who lack organizational skills. Our wives are perfectionists who have to take care of some of our business stuff and yell at us to keep our offices clean. I told Jef that my office is clean now and I intend on keeping it that way. Jef replied, "I give it three weeks." He's right. I don't know who I'm kidding.
We had lunch at the same place we ate the last time I visited. It's a little place called the Airport Tavern, and they've got the best bacon cheeseburger I've ever had. Jef described the place perfectly. He says, "It's a place where you expect to be called 'hon'." And I believe we were a couple times.
It was a great visit and I look forward to hanging out with Jef and Patty again. They're great people and I totally appreciate their hospitality. Plus, I owe them a couple lunches now since they've bought both times I visited.
Digg.com . . .
If you're not familiar with Digg.com, it's a tech news site where the users decide what news content gets posted on the front page. You can also set up a friends list of people who have similar interests as you so you can see what stories they've "dug". It's a pretty cool site, and I've finally signed up for it.
So, if you'd like to check out the stories I've dug or add me to your friends list, just visit this link.
iPod . . .
My wife and I have a 10 GB first-gen iPod, but it doesn't work on my computer unless I download a program called MacOpener. I had the free trial and it expired, and I've never felt like paying fifty bucks for the program. I've used that as a way to justify paying $300 bucks for a brand new iPod! (Don't question my logic; just go with it.)
Well, I had some extra money left over from the comic art sale, so I decided to browse eBay and see what kind of deals I could find on an iPod. I'd never used eBay before, so this was a huge learning experience for me.
I found a 20 GB third-gen iPod that had ten minutes left on its auction. The current bid at the time was $130.50. I checked out the pictures of the product and the star rating of the dude selling (Trish's Uncle Paul told me what to look for!). The pictures looked good and the seller's star-rating was 100%, so I started bidding.
I didn't want to spend more than $180, so I tried to use some strategy. My first bid was $132 with about nine minutes left on the auction. At around five minutes someone outbid me with $150. Instead of bidding again, I waited. I waited until there was less than a minute left in the auction and I bid $162.00, but as soon as I bid someone outbid me. So I re-bid $167.50 with about twenty seconds left and hit the refresh button like an obsessive-compulsive person.
I ended up winning the auction, but I was mentally and physically exhausted. Sweat poured down my face and I felt light-headed. Victory was mine, but at what cost? Time will tell, children . . .
Skeleton Key . . .
Last night, my buddy, Ben, and I went to the movies. We decided on the movie Skeleton Key because we both thought it looked pretty scary. After watching the movie we have both decided that the movie is not scary.
Without giving anything away, the movie has a pretty cool concept. It's one of those movies that sounds awesome when someone explains it to you, but when you see it you're like, "Bob's explanation was way cooler than this movie." It just seemed that the movie was lazily done. It took awhile for the action to begin, and you really didn't like the characters enough to care what happens to them.
Oh well. We did get to see some awesome previews, though. Here's the movies that Ben and I agree will be huge amounts of awesome:
- King Kong - This looks totally awesome. When Ben and I see this, I know there will be several high fives during and after the movie.
- Shopgirl - This is a movie based on a novella by Steve Martin. It stars Claire Danes, Steve Martin, and Jason Schwartzman. It's gonna be one of those chick-flick movies that guys enjoy, too.
The Horrible Pirates . . .
Shame on me for not mentioning this sooner, but Viper has a new webcomic called The Horrible Pirates. It's created by the astounding Patrick Bussey. The comic is updated every Monday, and there's now five episodes in the archives. So check it out and tell Patrick how awesome he is.
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I hope everyone's week is going smoothly. Keep us posted in the YHT forums. We'd love to hear from you!
Dont' have much time to write a blog post today as we're getting ready to go to Michigan. Make sure to stop by the Viper Shop and purchase You'll Have That posters and button sets. Purchase some for you and purchase some for your family as well. And for the dog, too.
