In Which Discretion is Optional

The Holidays have always been a mixed bag. On one end you're freed from the shackles of workplace mingling for a precious few days, unhooked from the generic sameness whose rustic claws puncture into your life and root you into complacency. Rejoice, there's something different happening. On other end of this drab and unfurnished corridor, just once you've breached the outer sanction of the parking lot and you've gripped the wheel of your economy sedan which now burns off the fumes of hopes and dreams (of free time and video games), you will feel an icy trickle of watery fear down the back of your neck.

That's because on your alleged 'time off', you will have to spend most of it either driving, or displaying various degrees of exaggerated interest to people you see only once, perhaps twice, a year. I'm not saying this is a bad, or wrong, thing. Only that it is extremely time consuming and on any other day of the year would be considered miserable scenario to force yourself through. But that's what the holidays are for, you spend money, you receive gifts, you talk about stuff you've likely forgotten you care about, and you drive...a lot. The whole experience is done right as you get a chance to get back to work.

I say this as someone whose only in the last few years have held a steady relationship with the same lovely woman. It was so much worse, during those dark 'you might or might not be my girlfriend after this month' times when you're sitting at your girlfriend's family's place and nobody, pets included, are sure whether to invest any real investigative interest in your involvement. No matter how you slice it, you're stuck for hours hearing stories about people you don't know, whom were doing things mildly interesting, a good deal involving drugs or cats, and all the while thinking that if they'd just let you sleep in the car, or in the snow, wrapped in molten lava, on a bed of rusty spikes, the thing would be just a touch more enjoyable.

One day I'll warm up to the idea of an large extended family being the prime hangout spot during my critical rest and relaxation days. Perhaps even next year...

The Man-ification of Man-ly Man-ish Bad-Assery

Bad-ass anti-heroes are my Achilles heel. Ever since Big Trouble in Little China and Die Hard, I've been hooked on one liners and five-o-clock shadows, the never ending ammo clips and the always getting the girl even though it "probably wont work out for a guy like me" romance scenes.

I also blame Alien(s), and Sigourney Weaver, because ever since then I know that above all else there are two things universally true in the world. Space marine, with pulse rifles, are awesome and ladies, operating mech suits, are hot.

Alien 3 and  parts Alien Resurrection are not, and I put this as respectfully as possible, dead to me.

There's just something about kicking down a door, shooting dudes and throwing them through a window, asking questions after the fact, then telling your boss "this is personal" while throwing your badge at them, that has an everlasting appeal to me. Perhaps it's the barbaric and raw man about the whole thing, and a yearn to be just that macho without fear of consequence. Those who know me, know that I'm macho in context, but not content. If given the chance, I'd much rather mount on the wall a blaster rifle mock up then own an actual handgun that...you know...fires actual bullets. I'd love nothing more than to hide a shotgun in my trenchcoat and whip it out (insert penis joke) in a dark alley deploying a spray of justice to undead foes. But that kind of thing is creepy and might get you locked away, depending on where you aim it (dispense second penis joke, that makes it DP)

I'm terrified of shooting myself, accidentally, and having to lie to people in the afterlife about the matter.

For as long as I can remember action movies were my favorite thing and writing or DMing an action plot just comes natural. It's a personal goal of mine to work outside this comfort zone, to push aside the yearn for explosions and chase scenes, and use them sparingly for my future projects. We will see how that works out.

In Which a Change of Pace Occurs

The pacing of my blog has been less than acceptable. Though I believe I've capture the culprit and, after an extremely high intimidation check,  have hammered out a solution which should net positive results.

I will attempt to use blogspot, because the cloud is where I belong. While I'm not the biggest fan of using iframe, this website within a website will have to do the trick until something else is hammered out.

Expect more, more often. As I will supply it. Because I keet it real. I think.