Month: May 2008

A "Lost" Episode

I’m an idiot.

Last night The Civee started and I started up the ol’ DVR to watch parts 2 & 3 of  ‘There’s No Place Like Home,’ as she wasn’t around Thursday night.  We were watching the episode in glorious HD, when we decided to get some ice cream at the next commercial break. I hit stop, then hit another button and the next thing I knew, the episode was erased.

– – – – .

Our cable provider recently changed the software on our cable box, so some of the buttons I had gotten used to in the past year have changed.  If it was a mistake she had made, I would have been fine with it, but because it was me, I’m a bit pissed at myself.

We finished part 2 on ABC’s Web site, but it wasn’t just the same.

Maybe I should review the instructions the cable company sent along when the system changed.

King Tom

Stop the Beep, Creep

One of my weaknesses is a sensitivity to noise, particularly when I’m trying to sleep.  As I documented back in the summer of aught-six, my life was nearly ruined by a malfunctioning carbon monoxide detector in my then-next-door-neighbor’s apartment.

A few nights ago, I thought the malfunctioning detector had tracked me down with the intent to finish what it started back in ’06.  It was after midnight, I was hanging out and I heard this short beep emit from somewhere on our ground floor every minute. It was a short, soft beep–just enough to drive me crazy, but not enough to be able to pinpoint the source of the beep, which is kind of self-defeating.

It took me a good 20 minutes of roaming around our ground floor like a lunatic hunting for the source of the beep before I found it: a cordless phone which had been off its cradle all weekend. I returned the phone to the cradle and the beeping stopped.

I don’t understand why, in a world where we have birthday cards that can play the audio of the first fifteen minutes of Star Wars, our more sophisticated electronic devices are limited to a beep when they need our urgent attention. I would have gone through a lot less hassle had my phone simply emitted a “your cordless phone is nearing the end of its power cycle” in a pleasing voice once or twice.  I would have known what was causing the noise, where to find the source and how to remedy the problem.

(The titular line of this entry was inspired by a line from a Saved By The Bell episode.  I’m not sure which one, but I believe Lisa said something to this effect to Screech).

King Tom

Lost: The Future

I’m not trying to turn the Kingdom into King Tom’s House of Embedded Videos, but this one was pretty cool.  Scenes from all of the Lost flashforwards in chronological order (although I’m not sure Ben’s visit to Widmore is in the right place).

All I have to say is I’m really looking forward to Thursday night.

King Tom

They Still Make Music Videos?

J-Dog only beat me to the punch here because I stayed late at work today.

Weezer has released the music video for their single Pork ‘n Beans on Youtube.

It’s only fitting they released it on Youtube, because the video co-stars YT celebrities, half of whom I don’t know.

Still, the video is well done (and it’s about time Weezer’s done a video with lightsabers), humorous and entertaining.

Much like 2001, it is a great time to be a Weezer fan. The band has the new album coming out June 3. To promote the album, they’ve started a series of webisodes starring band members (in addition to Rivers’ ongoing Let’s Write A Sawng project).  Along with the regular album, Weezer is releasing a deluxe version of the CD the same day (which would serve as the definitive album) and a bunch of other tracks (aside from the 14 tracks on the deluxe CD) to come in various markets, including:

  • The Weight (The Band Cover)
  • Life is what you make it (Talk Talk Cover)
  • It’s easy
  • I can love
  • Are friends electric? (Tubeway Army Cover)
  • Love my way (Psychedelic Furs Cover)
  • Oddfellow local 151 (REM Cover)

Lots of interesting musical choices. Like I said, it’s a great time to be a Weezer fan.

King Tom

That's His Name, Henry Jones Junior

Within 24 hours of its official opening, I caught Indiana Jones and the Kingom of the Crystal Skull. The theater was packed- and for good reason- the first new movie featuring one of the greatest action heroes in almost 20 years.

While I was a bit confused by some of the story points, I liked this movie. It had all the forumla points of a “classic” Indiana Jones movie, with great action and the feel of a real adventure while the Indiana Jones character (and Harrison Ford) were trying to keep up as they got older. That gave this movie depth and homages to previous Indiana Jones movies kept the die-hard saga fans happy.

Continue reading “That's His Name, Henry Jones Junior” →

King Tom

A Nice Little Place On The Chee-Funky River

Tchefuncte River signThis weekend, The Civee and I went to Louisiana to visit my grandparents. We had a good time and went at the right time of year. The weather was in the low 80s, clear and dry.  Any later in the year and it would be oppressively hot and humid.

My grandparents live an hour north of New Orleans, across Lake Ponchartrain.  This was my first time to the area in four years. My grandparents’ area was hit by Hurricane Katrina (as was pretty much everything else down there), and while life is back to normal, things definitely look different than a few years ago.

We spent most of the weekend with my grandparents, eating breakfast (The Civee and I are not regular breakfast eaters) and doing family things, but for a few hours Sunday, The Civee and I had a few hours and a car to ourselves.  We didn’t have enough time to go into the city, so we decided to drive around in the backwoods and not-so-backwoods of the North Shore of the Lake. 

While driving around, we drove over a bridge spanning the Tchefuncte River (pronounced Chee-Funky) into a small town called Madisonville. On one side of the river was a large marina. On Madisonville side, a row of restaurants.   We parked and walked around for a while, eventually deciding to stop at Morton’s, a bar and restaurant with an outside deck facing the river.

Morton's Restaurant signI have to admit, one of the things that drew me to Morton’s (considering all the restaurants had decks facing the river) was the sign to the left, promising hot boiled seafood.  The Civee and I got an outside table and just enjoyed ourselves by talking and watching the boats and the moving bridge.  The bridge we passed over was a Swing Bridge (check out the wikipedia link for a cool animated image), which would open every half hour for about five minutes to let marine traffic through.  While watching the bridge was fun, the fulfillment of the advertised seafood was even better. 

Because we had breakfast a few hours earlier, I didn’t think I could finish off a whole tray of boiled crawfish, so I opted for two broiled soft shell crabs, which were damn good.  I also helped myself to some of The Civee’s Mahi Mahi, which was also superb. 

After eating and sitting around for a while, we found our car and started to head back.  But as we got the car going, we noticed we had just a minute or two before the next closing (or opening, depending on your point of view ) of the swing bridge. So we high-tailed it out of Madisonville, lest we be held up.

Even though we sped out of town, it was a nice place, one I wouldn’t mind going back to (if only to polish off a plate of boiled crawfish).

King Tom

Ben Linus Always Has A Plan

Not only did ABC decide to break the three-hour season four finale of Lost, No Place Like Home, into two episodes, but to add even more punishment, they’ve added a week break inbeween installments.  So this season of Lost won’t wrap up next Thursday, but rather, on May 29th.

Thanks a lot, ABC!

Tonight’s episode definitely felt like it was the first part of a larger story.  Characters got put into place and plans put into motion, but at the end, I felt like I was waiting for the action to happen.

Continue reading “Ben Linus Always Has A Plan” →

King Tom

Leave 'Em Laughing and Wanting More

Ten years ago today, the greatest sitcom of all time came to an end.

Seinfeld ended its nine-season run on May 14, 1998 with The Finale, an episode that brought back memorable supporting characters from throughout the show’s run, and sent the “New York Four” to prison.

SeinfeldAt the time, I hated the episode.  While it had some great humorous moments, the idea of sending Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer to prison  for not helping out a carjack victim was preposterous and a bit of a cop-out. 

Looking backat this today, while I still think the finale was funny, but weak overall.  However, I think a lot of my ill feelings toward the episode had more to do with the fact that the show was ending than the individual merits of the episode. 

The thing I realize now is that like George, the show was going out on a high note. Seinfeld didn’t outstay its welcome or become irrevelant by coming back year after year with even more episodes. Compare that with other long-running series. I love the Simpsons, and could probably quote classic episodes all day long.  But while the antics of our favorite family are still good for a few laughs, the show isn’t as memorable or ass must-see as it once was.  Same goes for M*A*S*H*, which had a longer run than the active combat phase of the conflict it was based on.

Instead, Seinfeld limited itself to nine seasons of comedy which people quote (and life still imitates) to this day.  A recent article in Newsweek claims the show’s relevance was minimal due to the self-centeredness of the characters.  I’d say that the show’s focus on the little things in life, as well as the character’s own self interest is what made it great.  Take George, for instance.  I think George Costanza is one of the great characters of all time.  No one could be like him all the time, but I’m sure everyone has parts of them that wish they could be.  However, when we see George in action, we’re reminded why it’s good that we don’t live life the way George does.

If Seinfeld had continued production, it most likely would have gone the way of all the other shows that held on too long.  But I guess as George and Jerry learned, it’s better to go out on a high note and always leave the audience wanting more.

Kramer: And it’s a waste of my talent. It’s just a little burning. Mickey, he
got bacterial meningitis.

George: I guess there are no small diseases, only small actors.

The other three start laughing.

George (leaving): Alright that’s it for me. Good night everybody.

Elaine: What was that?

Jerry: Showmanship, George is trying to get out on a high note.

King Tom

Reading is Fundamental

I was in a conversation recently with The Civee and the in-laws about reading. 

The Civee’s mother, who does a lot of work raising money for her neighborhood library, mentioned that it’s reccomended that people get in three hours of reading per week.  Books and newspapers count.  Most things on the Internet, including “blog-stuff,” doesn’t.  So if you’ve been taking your time at the Kingdom, enjoying my observations and witticisms, your time spent here may not count.

I easily spend a few hours (more than three, less than, say, six) each week reading.  And I’m not counting  the time spent wasting time on the Web.  I’m also not counting the number of hours I spend at work reading and proofreading material.  That gets to be mind-numbing and I almost need to read non-work material (outside of work, of course) just to get my mind on the right track.

Give a hoot, read a book!

King Tom