A glimpse into a twisted mind

I was about to update my What I'm Reading list when I realized perhaps my latest entries might offer a glimpse into my twisted mind.

Or at least, offer an example of why my blog is so completely off-topic so much of the time.

I just banged through two horror LEs, Jeff Strand's twisted horror-comedy short-story collection, "Gleefully Macabre Tales," and Clive Barker's "The Hellbound Heart" - the story on which the "Hellraiser" movies are based.

And now I'm re-reading Stephen W. Sears' "Landscape Turned Red," one of the great Civil War historian's books, on the battle of Antietam (outside Sharpsburg, Maryland).

I can offer no better explanation for why these particular books than, "I felt like it."

I'm not sure what that says about me. Perhaps I'm a Renaissance man. Or perhaps I'm simply a raving loon.

Who wants to be a skinny bitch?

Well, evidently Marisa does, since she's not just reading the best-selling diet book, she's so excited about it, she wants me to read it, too.

Skinny Bitchis by a pair of women, Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, who are, in fact, skinny bitches.


As evidence of their skinniness, I offer up their pictures.

I will say that, thus far, the book is both snarkier and funnier than the one about sports by Kenny Maynethat I just read.

On the downside, regrettably from Marisa's point of view, I don't particularly want to be a skinny bitch - even if the book differentiates skinny bitches from scrawny bitches.

And, regrettably from the authors' point of view, Marisa got the book from the library.

A year of reading!

AS OF OCT. 27, this list is being discontinued. My apologies. I just can't keep up. Suffice it to say I cracked 10,000 pages, surprising even myself.

So Stewie has his Metro Reading and HorrorTalk has its books forum...

But I've tried without much success to keep track of what I've been perusing lately. So here's what I'm going to do... (before I finish the two other posts I promised last weekend that I never got to...)

I'm going to make a list, like my 101 in 1,001 list...

Of a year worth of reading. I'm starting on Feb. 10 of this year, because that was when I got several books for my birthday, and I'm going to (try to) keep this list through Feb. 10 of next year.

Thus:

As of July 5, 2008:

• King of Russiaby Dave King (256 pages), a coach's story of his year in the Russian hockey league. Thumbs-up - nothing I love better than a good year-in-the-life-of-a-team book
• The GMby Tom Callahan (288 pages), the fascinating - and remarkably prescient - story of retired N.Y. Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi. Thumbs-up for another year-in-the-life type
• 30 Days of Night(re-read) by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith (104 pages), the popular graphic novel of vampires and an Alaskan town. Thumbs-up, if you like the type, which I do
• Seven Deadly Wonders(re-read) by Matthew Reilly (400 pages), the first Jack West Jr. novel from my favorite author. Thumbs-up; more of Reilly's trademark nonstop action
• The 6 Sacred Stonesby Matthew Reilly (448 pages), the second and latest Jack West Jr. novel. Thumbs-up, though we'll have to wait a year for Part 3
• Half a Wing, Three Engines and a Prayer(re-read) by Brian D. O'Neill (454 pages), a look at the World War II daylight bombing campaign through the eyes of one B-17 crew. Thumbs-up for one of the best war histories I've ever read
• Carlisle vs. Armyby Lars Anderson (368 pages), a social and sports history focused on the 1912 football game between Jim Thorpe's "Pop" Warner-coached Carlisle Indian School and Dwight Eisenhower's U.S. Military Academy team. Thumbs-up - for history and sports fans alike, and I'm both
• Aliens Omnibus, Vol. 1by Mark Verheiden, et al. (384 pages), the first collection of the movie-inspired Dark Horse comics. Thumbs-up, but just barely - it's a bit too not-quite-the-movie
• Aliens Omnibus, Vol. 2by various authors (448 pages), the second collection of the movie-inspired Dark Horse comics. Thumbs-up; it's better than Vol. 1, but not much
• An Incomplete and Inaccurate History of Sportby Kenny Mayne (256 pages), a bit of humorous light reading that mixes some truly interesting and touching biography with the ESPN anchor's love-him-or-hate-him snarkiness in a way that makes me like the man far more than I ever have on "Sportscenter," which may be damning with faint praise. A half-hearted thumbs-up
• Aliens Omnibus, Vol. 3by various authors (376 pages), the third collection of the movie-inspired Dark Horse comics. Thumbs-up, but like the first two, for fans only
• Blasphemyby Douglas Preston (416 pages), the inconsistent latest solo novel by one of my favorite authors, dealing with technology and religion, but, disappointingly, not tied in - in any noticeable way - to the Preston-Child "pangea." Thumbs-up, though probably the least of all the Preston and/or Child books
• Skinny Bitchby Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin (224 pages), a chick-lit snarkfest of a diet book that my fiancee wanted me to read for some reason. Thumbs-down, though certainly thumbs-up for those who want to either a) go vegan; or b) be disgusted with how your meat is made
• The Fortune Cookie Chroniclesby Jennifer 8. Lee (320 pages), a look at Chinese-American culture through the window of American Chinese food. Thumbs-up, for total awesomeness about Chinese food from General Tso to the titular dessert
• Son of the Morning Star(re-read) by Evan S. Connell (448 pages), the seminal one-volume account of Custer's doomed battle at the Little Bighorn. Thumbs-up, though I'm eager to get a hold of a new book on the battle, this is a fine standard
• The Hellbound Heartby Clive Barker (112 pages), the anniversary edition of the novella upon which the "Hellraiser" movies are based. A slightly dubious thumbs-up for a well-written book in great LE form, but a touch overhyped
• Gleefully Macabre Tales by Jeff Strand (288 pages), a collection of comic/horror short stories from one of my new favorite horror fiction authors. Thumbs-up, particularly for the wiener dog
• Landscape Turned Red(re-read) by Stephen W. Sears (464 pages), a study of the battle at Antietam and the events around it, by one of the great Civil War historians. Thumbs-up for one of the great Civil War writers on America's deadliest day
• Disaster in the West Woods(re-read) by Marion V. Armstrong (77 pages), a focused study on Gen. Edwin "Bull" Sumner's disastrous II Corps charge at Antietam. Thumbs-up, making me look forward to Armstrong's full-length book on the subject
• Donnybrookby David Detzer (576 pages), a nice one-volume read on the first Battle of Bull Ran, the first major engagement of the Civil War. Thumbs-up, though it could use more maps and photos
• Graven Imageby Ray Garton (90 pages), a special not-for-sale Cemetery Dance limited edition featuring an unholy crucifix. A mild thumbs-up, as it's creepy, if a touch predictable
• Basic Blackby Terry Dowling (314 pages), a limited edition from Cemetery Dance featuring short stories by an Aussie writer. Thumbs-down, I'm afraid - maybe it's the Aussie factor, but these just didn't do it for me
• The Number 121 to Pennsylvania & Othersby Kealan Patrick Burke (550 pages), another Cemetery Dance LE of short stories, this time by the author of the great "The Turtle Boy" and its sequels. Thumbs-up, a distinct improvement over the previous short-story collection
• Slivers of Boneby Ray Garton (508 pages), a third Cemetery Dance LE of short stories by well-known genre writers. A thumbs-up with a caveat, as some stories are genuinely predictable, but others are genuinely scary
• Last in Their Classby James S. Robbins (500 pages), the story of West Point's "goats" of the 19th century, including George Armstrong Custer and George E. Pickett. Thumbs-up, though a bit dry, generally interesting, assuming you are interested in Civil War and Indian wars history
• Moneyball(re-read) by Michael Lewis (320 pages), the seminal text on small-market baseball and the Oakland A's. Thumbs-up for one of the great sports books of all-time
• The Mistby Stephen King (178 pages), which I read after seeing the movie as part of "Skeleton Crew" along with the following story, which I couldn't resist because it was called "The Monkey." Thumbs-up, as the story is much better than Darabont's fairly good film,particularly the ending

Total pages: 9,177

Currently reading:
• King Ratby China Mieville (320 pages), though I'm reading the version from Earthling Publications, the first novel in its "Modern Classics" line.

On deck:
The rest of the Earthling Modern Classics series.

The Civil War meets World War II

OK, remember I mentioned I was going to post about the book I finished after Paul Shirley's?

Well, here it is, and it's...

Civil War trivia time.

Except, it's also World War II trivia time!


You all know Ulysses S. Grant, hero of the Union.

Well, some people say Grant won the Civil War at Fort Donelson and Fort Henry.

Those battles, early in the war, earned "U.S. Grant" his nickname, "Unconditional Surrender" Grant.


The man he demanded that unconditional surrender from, at Fort Donelson, was an old friend turned Confederate general, the slightly improbably named Simon Bolivar Buckner.

I guess he must have been named for Simon Bolivar...?


Anyway, Buckner not only survived the Civil War, he wound up the last surviving Confederate general above the rank of brigadier. He lived, in fact, until 1914.

Along the way, he had a son, whom he named Simon Bolivar Buckner (Jr.).


Buckner the younger also became a general. In fact, he was commander of the forces at the battle of Okinawa, the subject of the book I was reading.

Unfortunately, "Buck" Buckner failed to live up to his father's example in one regard: He was killed in action on Okinawa, making him the highest-ranking general killed (by enemy fire) during the war.

Interestingly, a bit of Wikipedia research reveals the family is up to Simon Bolivar Buckner IV and Simon Bolivar Buckner V.

It's a strange name, to be sure, but it's a proud one, and the men who bore it have served their countries pretty well.

The finest book in the English language... this week

I have just finished one of the best books I've read in quite some time. Enough so that I've craved it for months, bought it and read it in less than a week, and put off doing plenty of important stuff I absolutely must do in order to read it and post this, um, post about it.


The book is Paul Shirley's "Can I Keep My Jersey?"

If you've heard of Shirley - and most likely, you haven't - you know him as a sometime NBA scrub who kept a blog on NBA.com one year and for ESPN.com sporadically.

The thing about Shirley is, apparently unlike many of his teammates, he's something of an intellectual. So his book is not exactly a tell-all, nor is it a sports cliche. In fact, as one of the people involved puts it, it's sort of what you might get if a regular guy found himself immersed in the world of pro basketball.

And it's great. Absolutely brilliant. Both funny and at the same thoughtful and thought-provoking. Look, if you like your basketball heroes coated in gold and armor and soaring like MJ above the sky, don't read this book.

But if you like sports, and yet wonder about the modern concepts of ego, greed and disdain for rules and fans and how they factor into the life of an athlete, it's worth a read.

The man's damn funny. And yet down-to-earth. He pulls few punches and tells some terrible jokes. He's not very PC. And yet, he writes a quick, light read that will nonetheless leave you thinking.

Sports fans, I can't say enough. Like Shirley himself, I'm not a fan of pro basketball. But this book, as much about life - albeit a different sort of life from mine or yours - as sport, is well worth the money.

Buy it. Because I said so.

And watch for a future post related to the book I put down to pick Shirley's up.

It's Civil War trivia time...

Ever wonder what the Civil War generals who actually survived the war went on to do?

(As opposed to the ones who didn't.)


That's Gen. Lew Wallace.

Wallace wasn't exactly noted for his skill. In fact, fairly or not, he was handed much of the blame for the butchery at the battle of Shiloh.

But if Wallace found little success in the Civil War, he found plenty afterward.

Some of you might remember the character of Gov. Lew Wallace from the movie "Young Guns II."



Yes, it's the very same Lew Wallace.

(Well, the picture is Scott Wilson, the actor who played him.)

Wallace was governor of New Mexico from 1878 to 1881, and found himself involved in the affairs of "Billy the Kid"after the Lincoln County War.

But "Young Guns II" wasn't the most famous movie that Lew Wallace was involved in.

You see, Lew Wallace was also an author after the war, and he wrote a little book in 1880 that got made into a movie nearly 80 years later.

And even though that book was a huge best-seller in the 19th century, it may not be as well remembered as literature today, and you may not have even heard of the author.

But you've definitely heard of the movie:

"Ben-Hur"

Let's close with a couple of old-school links:
• Lew Wallace, Wikipedia-style
• And Charlton Heston, Ben-Hur himself

Oh, and out of curiosity, if you knew the name of the author of "Ben-Hur," did you know he was a Civil War general? I have the nagging feeling I went about the trivia angle backwards...

Speaking of Karma...

I ripped the dust jacket on one of my LEs the other day, because I took it with me to the car dealership (for my oil change) in a backpack, and it got crunched by something else in the bag.

Just a little tear, maybe 3cm, on the back cover, but it sort of bent the bottom of the cover outward.

Serves me right for pondering paranoia about LEs, and possibly misrepresenting Stewie's stance on same.

Almost makes me want to laugh, except I'm busy trying to flatten the dust jacket back out.

That's right, I'm asking your opinion

Here's something to ponder that came up in discussions with Stewie this weekend...

The subject of lending books.

See, we both collect limited edition horror fiction from places like (in alphabetical order):

• Bloodletting Press
• Cemetery Dance Publications
• Delirium Books
• Earthling Publications
• Gauntlet Press
• Subterranean Press
• And others...

These books, while some cost $100 or more, mostly run between $35 and $75 each. They're limited, so there's only so many printed (i.e. one of 1,000).

So your $40 gets you a hardback with a dust jacket, autographed on a limitation page. And in most cases thus far, some terrific fiction.

Now, I offered to loan Stewie a book sometime back so he could read something by an author he liked. He wouldn't borrow it. "What if something happens to it?" he asked.

Don't get me wrong. I've loaned out "regular" books and had them come back with the spines broken, pages dog-eared, etc. Twice, friends have had to buy me entirely new books due to unfortunate run-ins with liquids such as coffee.

But Stewie understands. He collects like me. He'd be careful. In fact, he'd probably be more careful than me.

He sometimes gets reading copies of books so he doesn't have to sit around messing with the pretty, costly, special ones. Not that I blame him or think he's necessarily a little nuts.

Well, at least not because of THAT.

So anyway, I was saying, the thing for me is, unlike Stewie, I read these books. You know, crack 'em open and page through 'em. Sometimes, while drinking, or eating, or even on the throne, where I get some of my best reading time in. I've got oily skin, so I'm sure I get fingerprints on them and stuff. In fact, one publisher thoughtfully puts its dustjackets in special plastic protectors (like book covers), and I take them out! (Because they annoy me.)

I mean, I take good care of my books, I'm careful with them, but I read them in the practical sense of the word. I've got an LE on my nightstand at home right now. And in fact, when we were talking about these books, I was at Stewie's, and I had that one crammed in my overnight bag. Yes, I kept it in its own pocket, but I'm sure I've rendered the dust jacket slighly less than "mint/near mint" condition over the past few weeks I've been trying to finish it in between all the things I should be doing instead.

I take my books on airplanes, the train into New York City, on road trips of all types. Crammed into my bag, usually.

So I don't see the big deal in loaning a book to somebody careful. Of course, I would never infringe on Stewie and try to force him to read a book of mine. I mean, duh. If he's not comfortable with borrowing it, so be it. I wouldn't ever want to make him feel uncomfortable, either forcing a book on him or debating his feelings about borrowing. That would be being a bad friend. And that's not my intent.

But I'm wondering, my readers... Who's right? Am I being careless with these books I'm so addicted to and have spent so much money on? Or is Stewie just more cautious than me, and to each his own? His copy of some LE will be pristine while I'm crying over my copy, which I just dropped in my sink or something? (Hope not. Knock wood.)

I don't have an answer. What do you think?

(And no, I have no idea how to make HTML polls. Yet. Be grateful I got the Monkey Waistline Tracker table on without hurting myself.)

Blog The Revenge

OK, so I'm feeling silly and ripping off the title of the fourth "Jaws" movie, the infamously colon-less (the punctuation, not the body part) sequel.

However, it's been brought to my attention that I haven't posted in quite some time.

Thus, since, as Steve Vai once said, "the audience is listening," a post for your reading and clicking pleasure.

First, let me draw your attention to Stewie's Metro Reading blog, where there is an ongoing (if slightly one-sided) discussion of the terrific horror author Gary A. Braunbeck and some of his work.

Mr. Braunbeck is, in addition to an author, a professor at the fantastic-sounding Master's in Writing Popular Fiction program at Seton Hill (not to be confused with Seton Hall). It sounds so cool, I sent away for information, but then I realized I don't have $20K lying around, and if I did, I'd probably spend it on wrestling figures, adult DVDs and stuffed munkees.

By the way, I was also asked by a reader why I insist on misspelling "monkey." Munkee, I should suggest for those new to the blog, is not just an animal, it's a saying. More, it's a way of life.

And now, a survey, courtesy of The Lesley.

This one is, apparently, high-school based. And as for the missing numbers, well, ask the Patron Saint. I cut-and-pasted.

1. Who was your best friend?
Two, really: Turbo and Dave. Turbo I've mostly lost touch with. Dave's my best friend to this day.

2. What sports did you play?
Soccer and tennis, neither well enough to earn a varsity letter, but both well enough to get hurt.

Tennis: Strained (read: torn) rotator cuff, right shoulder.
Soccer: Bruised spleen; strained (read: torn) MCL and meniscus, left knee.

3. What kind of car did you drive?
1985 Mercury Cougar, light blue. Lasted nearly a decade, and in HS one of my friends dubbed me "Cougar," in its honor, after the pilot in "Top Gun."

I always thought it was kind of appropriate. Cougar's the hotshot who's supposed to go to Top Gun, but he chokes on a mission and quits. I've made quite a living out of being overrated myself.

4. It's Friday night, where were you?
Downtown, hanging out on street corners (against my parents' wishes) and at the (now defunct) pool hall.

Redneck pool hall: On the jukebox, Garth Brooks. When not Metallica.

Yeah, I know all the words to "Enter Sandman" and "Friends in Low Places."

5. Were you a party animal?
No. Never popular enough.

Until, that is, my Dad drew the freshman comp rotation at Bloom U. my senior year. His reputation preceded him. Thus, the invites to parties poured in.

6. Were you considered a flirt?
No. In fact, a girl who was trying to get me into the sack actually asked me if it was true I was training to be a monk.

Can Jews be monks? Or just munkees?

7. Ever skip school?
No. Not for lack of desire. I actually missed Senior Skip Day with an excused absence (college visit). How humiliating.

9. Were you in any clubs?
Drama. Four years, one lead (John Proctor, "The Crucible," junior year fall drama), two major roles (Dr. Corrasco, "Man of La Mancha," junior year spring musical, and the detective, whose name escapes me, in "Special Guest," senior year fall competition show).

I might point out that, in the senior year spring musical, "A Chorus Line," I got no role. None. See above note (ref: "Cougar") on failing in the clutch.

10. Suspended?
No. But not for lack of trying, during the Wendy Wars of junior year.

11. Can you sing the fight song?
I could probably sing the alma mater, though "sing" is a generous term (ask anyone who heard my six lines of solo in "Man of La Mancha). I don't think we had a fight song. Most of our athletic teams didn't put up much fight.

12. Who was your favorite teacher?
Mrs. Casteel, the now-retired drama director, but still an English teacher.

13. What was your favorite class?
Theatre Arts. Mostly. I was good at school, but I'm not sure how much I liked it.

14. What was your school's full name?
Bloomsburg High School, though technically it might have been Bloomsburg Area Senior High School or some such.

15. School mascot?
The panther, baby!

Did you know: Per Wikipedia, and I quote, "In North America, particularly the United States, "panther" by itself refers to a cougar when the context implies a local species." See, this cougar thing has come full circle.

16. Did you go to dances?
Yes. On occasion, I actually danced at them.

With a girl.

17. If you could go back and do it over again, would you?
I don't know. High school had its moments, but it wasn't always the happiest time in my life. I think I'd rather do college again.

Though I loved (in no particular order) the stage; my two minutes of varsity soccer and varsity tennis exhibition win; my first girlfriend; losing my virginity (TMI? ... and not the same girl, I might add); discovering creative writing; sportswriting; my friends; graduation and all that came with it; learning to drink; learning to drive (not together, of course); hanging out downtown; the Wendy Wars; the Three Felony, Eight Misdemeanor Car Ride; Regional drama (now there's a story for another day)... and I'm sure there's more.

If you'll indulge me and allow me to quote myself, in my graduation speech, I said: "As classmates, we have known success and we have known failure. We have known victory and defeat, happiness and tragedy." All true. And that means plenty of memories. But that doesn't mean I'd do it again. I survived one tour, I suspect I'd be tempting fate to sign up for another.

18. What do you remember most about graduation?
My speech. I kept it short: Nick's Rule of Speechgiving. It got plenty of compliments. But most important, my grandmother got to hear it.

19. Favorite memory of your Senior Year?
The competition show, going up to Regionals. Where, of course, I bombed, but it's a great story to tell. (Someday, if I haven't already.)

20. Were you ever posted up on the senior wall?
I don't even know what a senior wall is.

22. Where did you go most often for lunch?
That would be the cafeteria. Where else? We couldn't leave, just go outside.

23. Have you gained weight since high school?
Are you reading that chart on the right? I'm up 75 pounds, but shrinking.

24. What did you do after graduation?
Right after? Fought with my parents over whether I had to go home and spend time with my relatives rather than go party with my Turbo. (I partied with Turbo. OK, it was a dick move, but I missed out on years of partying because I was a social misfit.)

Or, in more of a big-picture sense, went to college.

25. When did you graduate?
June 5, 1992

26. Where are most of your classmates?
Hell if I know. Some never made it out of town. The lucky ones scattered to the four winds. At least, that's the impression I got from the reunion a few years ago.

27. Did you have a high school sweetheart?
I had two high-school girlfriends, my first ever. Not sure either counts as a sweetheart. I dated one for almost exactly a month, and the other for about three.

28. Have you changed since?
I changed during. Just no one noticed. But yes, I've changed since. A lot, and not just in pants size.

29. Have you been to your high school since you graduated?
I went back once or twice my freshman year of college, then the summer afterward to cover some events for the paper, maybe. And then years later, I went back for Mrs. C's drama retirement show. But I suspect that's it.

It's not like I miss it that much.

Get the jokes ready...

OK, apologies for the previous whiny post. I realize there are probably a lot more important things in a lot of your lives than collecting little books about sports teams. Guess I need to up the meds or something. Just in one of my moods, between paying the bills, a bit of a tiff with a co-worker (quashed, but still) and the pressure of a date, too much work... You know. It was just sort of the last straw.

Thus, venting.

Anyway, I thought I'd make up for it with a bit of a more interesting and informative, slightly less whiny post. No, it's not Civil War day. Though I'm plotting a post on the quotes of Gen. George Pickett. ("General Lee, I have no division...")

It sort of ties into the date, which went well - my definition of "going well," I think there's going to be another one - because the young lady I went with chose a restaurant she likes, and a cuisine I'd never had:

Ethiopian.

(Insert joke here.)

That's right. Ethiopian food. And it was darn good. Lot of vegetable, beany-type side dishes. And the fascinating thing: You don't use utensils, you eat with your hands. And the bread they bring you, which isn't bread so much as a kind of tortilla, for lack of way of explaining it. A soft, flat bread, but lighter than a tortilla. You tear it in pieces and scoop up the food.

The place is called Makeda, in nearby New Brunswick (home of Rutgers University, or at least most of it).

I got some kind of spicy lamb chunks in brown sauce (yeah, I have no idea what it's called or what exactly is in it) and if it wasn't as spicy as the menu suggested - a good thing on a date, I suppose, avoiding chili-breath - it was still very tasty.

And the sides... boy, y'all know I'm not normally one for vegetables, but one was made of split peas and spices, in a kind of mush (not the best of words, I admit) and the other was split lentils and spices and really, really delicious. Bean/pea type vegetables are some of the few I like, and these really were tasty. There's ginger in the lentils, and something that reminded me of vinegar, a kind of tanginess.

My date (a vegetarian) had that lentil dish as her main course, and I was almost jealous I didn't get it so I could have more.

Almost, I say, because by the end of the meal I was stuffed. Reminded me a bit of Indian food, though I couldn't exactly explain why, but you know how when you get Indian food, it just fills you up with all the meat and vegetables in thick sauce? Like that, you know.

And undoubtedly, it's all healthy, too. It just seems like it should be.

(Insert politically incorrect joke about fat Ethiopians here.)

Tonight, at a Super Bowl party, I just killed my diet, though. Wings, subs, beer, the first dessert I've had in a while outside of tiny slices of cake...

I get no more bonus points for the entire week. All the way through Thursday. It's going to be Mookie Monkey Salad Week, that's for damn sure.

This Weight Watchers thing is really working, though. It may be water weight, but I'm down nine pounds in three weeks. So I've lost most of the holiday weight. On to the weight I gained back last year.

Progress update:
Holiday max-out: 235+
Current weight as of Friday: 226
Last year's post-liver issues low: 213
Pre-Jersey weight: 204
Doctor's recommeded weight: 200
Goal: 199
Fighting weight: 185
Ideal weight: 165
High-school weight: 148

It's all about points, baby. Life would be so much easier if I could chart my "time" points online and be able to allocate them to whatever I want. I'm so freakin' busy, I think I took on way too much extracurricular stuff. I can't even find time to do things I want to do; hell, I can't even find time to do things I have to do.

Sigh. Maybe I need a schedule. Monday Mookie Movie Night (read: HorrorTalk review night; I've got two to do...), Tuesday and Wednesday Project Nights, Thursday Hockey Night in Hillsborough, and so forth.

I'll have to think about it. My horror reading is suffering, my Blood Bowl figures remain unpainted, I'm behind schedule on my Strat-O-Matic hockey league, the Raiderfans.net magazine still isn't done, my book project is in infancy, my November novel I swore I'd get back to is untouched, and the list goes on and on. And did I mention those HorrorTalk reviews?

Double sigh.

Everybody else is doing it...

Aric and Stewie did "best of 2006" posts, so I stole Freak's blog title and thought I'd do my own.

What can I say? I'm a lemming.


So, "with no ado whatsoever," here's my best of 2006.

(Much like the Oscars, it's going to be heavily weighted toward the end of the year... sue me.)


Best book: I'm going to go with "Dark Harvest," by Norman Partridge, from Cemetery Dance. A really terrific little horror thriller.



Best book, Civil War: "The Generals of Gettysburg," by Larry Tagg. A series of short, but thorough biographies of every brigade-level commander on up, North and South, who fought at the Civil War's signature battle.



Best CD: The "Snakes on a Plane" soundtrack. You might be able to tell if you watch the "My lousy taste in music" display below, but I'm completely addicted to Cobra Starship's "Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)" single.


Best experience: The "Dead Hunt" premiere, back in June, and the public premiere, at HorrorFind in August. That's me and my proud parents at the June show above. (Rest in peace, Don. I hope I did you proud.)



Best movie, in general: "The Descent," the follow-up to "Dog Soldiers" by Neil Marshall. Great, scary, scary movie. Best one of the year on several horror fans' lists.



Best movie, in theater: "Snakes on a Plane," which I saw the same day as "The Descent," in New York. I differentiate because "SoaP" was just an experience to be enjoyed. "Descent" is a better film. "SoaP" was more fun.


Best score: My PlayStation 3, which I got more or less by blind luck. Blu-Ray, baby! I'm in the high-def DVD wars! Score!


(Photo by Hawaiian Fire)

Best vacation: Do you really have to ask? Hawaii, baby!