Dungeons & Dragons

More nostalgia. Check out this ad I saw on Retrospace:

So I held up my copy of the Monster Manual next to my computer screen. The picture's identical, but it must be a different edition, since the words are in different places. I remember when I bought it (circa 1980), it seemed so expensive. I don't know how the edges of the book got worn and cracked. I haven't kept these things in a sealed vault, but I'm not using them to kill roaches, either. Must be the passage of time.

In addition to fantasy monsters like dragons and orcs and gelatinous cubes, the Monster Manual had more mundane creatures, too, such as this entry for "Owl, Giant":

Giant owls are rarely encountered as they inhabit only very wild areas. They are nocturnal predators and effective hunters. Giant owls speak their own language.

A giant owl strikes with its two sets of sharp talons and its strong beak. Its feathers allow it to fly with nearly absolute silence, thus it surprises on 1-5 (on a 6-sided die).

These creatures are intelligent and will sometimes befriend other creatures. If encountered in their lair there is a 20% chance that there will be 1-3 eggs (25%) or 1-3 hatchling owls, 20% to 70% grown. The parents will always attack any creature threatening the eggs/owlettes. Eggs sell for 1000 gold pieces, young for 2000 on the open market.

Stretch Armstrong

I never had a Stretch Armstrong -- or the many derivative members of the Stretch family. I may have been too old. I knew kids who had them. This guy at Stretch Armstrong World claims there are only about a hundred left in good condition. And that Kenner was the top purchaser of corn syrup in the years they were in production. How about that.

Rock Band Songs

Have I mentioned I like the Rock Band? And now there's a handy online way to browse through or look for songs.  Groovy.

Drinking

Bottoms up!  IO9 made this clip of drinking in sci-fi movies.  How is it that 90% of what's on youtube is other people's copyrighted material (or, "intellectual property"), and yet when my buddy PJ posts one thing with Carly Simon clips in it, he gets a copyright complaint and the video is taken down.

Learning Guitar

I find these short Guitar World videos with Testament's rhythm guitarist, Eric Peterson, interesting.  But calling them "lessons" is a real stretch.  Unless I'm just such a beginning guitarist that it's just way above me.  I do like what he's doing, though. I'd like to just be able to get that tone.  Or even the simplest progression example that he's doing. Or even the basic do-do-do (below) that you hear so often.  I guess that's where having an actual instructor comes in handy.

We're All Salesman

You know how they say the worst thing in an interview is when they ask if you have any questions, and you don't?  It wasn't really an interview, just a face to face meeting with a headhunter, but I didn't.  Actually, this is the first time a headhunter ever wanted to meet in person.  And since he wasn't representing an employer/job, I didn't think it appropriate to go with the standard-questions-to-ask-in-an-interview-even-though-I-really-don't-care-what-the-answers-are.

And speaking of selling yourself, I just started rehearsals for "Death Of A Salesman" at the Bowen Park Theatre Company.  (Opening night is Rocktober 8th.)  Last night I read the play for the first time. You know, at the read-through.  Wow, that's some depressing tale.  And so relate-able.  Probably more so today than 60 years ago when it was first produced.  But I'm sure I don't have to tell you.

(And now those bits on "Seinfeld" when Jerry would refer to George as Biff start to make a little sense.  But, um, don't ask me to explain how.)

Movie Delivery

Every time I read (especially) about a great older movie, I think, this is why I should have netflix. At least to put it in the queue. And, who knows, it might even be downloadable. Not that I need or want another monthly expense.

This 3 minute trailer seems like it has too much in it:
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi16581401/

About once a week I seem to come across something and this time it's "Hannie Caulder", starring Raquel Welch and, whoa, Robert Culp and Ernest Borgnine. It is available on Amazon on Demand, which I can get -- well, everyone can, but for tv viewing, it's available through TiVo -- as a "buy" option at 6 bucks; no rental option. 6 bucks isn't too bad, but that's like the price of an HD rental through the PS3. Ooh. Is it on the PS3?  Again, only to "buy", for 10 bucks.

Frances Bay

So I'm watching "Twins", and Arnie gets to the orphanage to dig up info on his brother, and the nun helping him seems familiar. Holy cow, I thinks to myself, is that Mrs. Tremond? (No further explanation needed, right?) I had to look it up, but, yes, indeed, that was she! And she's still working today, in her 90s. And her first role wasn't until she was nearly 60. Wow, that's the role model for me! Of course, digging a little deeper, she did study acting and did some stage and radio work 40 years before she appeared as Mrs. Russel in "Foul Play", but still. Close enough. Look out, Hollywood. In a few years, my teeth will be straight and white (just like me!) and I can start appearing in those really small parts in 3 or 4 movies & tv shows a year. For the next 40 years!

The Jobs Halfway House

If you're keeping score at home, I'm technically not unemployed right now. I got hired for a two month contract by my previous employer. So, not exactly employed full-time, but working full-time for two months. Of course, some people do that forever, going from one contract to another. Two things make that untenable for me: being a true contractor (i.e., not the ones employed full-time by a consulting firm) means no benefits -- and I need me some group health insurance (although, technically, I don't know if Papa Obama has changed this dependency for me); and contracting is a life of continuously looking for the next job -- just poke my eyes out!

But having that extra two month financial cushion in my current job search is way better than not having it.

Drunk History

I managed not to be aware of these until now -- it is a big world out there.  Coming to HBO.  There are 5 shorts on FunnyOrDie.com that started two and a half years ago.  They get someone -- presumably someone who knows about history, not some dropout joker off the street -- get them drunk and have them teach us a little about their personal area of historical expertise.  Of the ones on FunnyOrDie, this story of William Henry Harrison literally had me laughing out loud.

Drunk History 4 - Featuring Paul Schneider - watch more funny videos