Pining for the fjords

Voted "Cutest Couple"??

No - I'm not dead.  Just busy.  But, rest assured, if I were dead, I would be haunting, and I would be haunting you.  And since you're dying to know (pun worthy of capital punishment), here is what I'd do to haunt you:

- Hide your keys, specifically right when you're about to leave the house to work or other such important pre-engagement;

- Flush the toilet whenever you hop in the shower;

- Undo your shoelaces entirely at random intervals.  Should you switch to velcro straps, I'll dip 'em in sand, because there's nothing more annoying than that;

- Make sure there is an odd number of pieces of bread in the bread bag;

- Make the toilet paper float just slightly out of reach when you need it the most;

- Fill your house with the catchy tunes of the Spin Doctors;

- Flick your ear periodically;

- Hit the "next chapter" button on the DVD remote right before every important part of every film should you bring home a DVD not from your DVD collection, which I have replaced entirely with episodes of Peewee's Playhouse;

- Add soy sauce to whatever you're cooking;

- Lock the bathrooms from the inside;

- Hog the covers in your sleep;

- Undo all the socks in your sock drawer and just mix 'em up, or, on exceptionally cruel days, steal one sock from each pair;

- Drink from the same cup you are;

- Have your clothing float around and do spooky reenactments of Archie and Edith Bunker... when you're trying to get to sleep, of course;

- If you ever do get to sleep, I'll rearrange all your furniture to surround your bed;

- And I will also use a sharpie marker on your face;

- Litter the floors with banana peels in unexpected places;

- Litter the halls with trip wire in unexpected places (ie. at eye level);

- Rehinge doors in unexpected places (ie. in front of another door opening towards the new door, the ceiling, and windows);

- Replace your mints and aspirin with moth balls;

- Fill your shoes with honey;

- Unscrew light bulbs just a little so they don't connect;

- Invite other ghosts over for recorder orchestra rehearsals.  We do mostly Super Tramp covers.

This is another list that can go on forever, which is good 'cause I'll probably be stuck roaming this earth for that long.  Essentially, it's a list of things as a mere mortal I can't quite do that I would like to.  None of this "friendly ghost" crap - I am Neil: that sonuvabitch ghost.  And this is a more immediate-notice list of things.  Not included are things like plucking the straws from your toothbrush few by few, or stealing a piece of your underwear one-by-one, or adding a sliver of rubber to the soles of your shoes day by day until they're massive platform shoes.  These are acts of jackassery requiring so much time, discipline, and sheer dedication it's something you gotta respect.

Man, I don't know about you, but I can't wait to die!

The Reckoning

Tarantula Jacket! Parte duex!

4

5

6

More still coming!!

I pity the fu

Do you understand now just how bored I'm getting?

"foux de fish fish" or "one fish, two fish, dead fish, blue fish"

So, I know I've been pursuing this whole animation thing for a while now, and it seems like that's officially my "thing".  Well, not anymore.  I'm sick of it.  I've got a new dream, and it goes like this:

STEP 1:

Don scuba gear, enter the ocean.

STEP 2:

Bow and arrow a fish that looks at me the wrong way.

STEP 3:

Collect hella cash from someone in a top hat and monocle, though those accessories can be skipped in a pinch.

I don't know why someone would pay me for fish homicide, but I can't be bothered with that.  I have a dream of sticking arrows through fish, and I intend on pursuing it.

Though bow and arrowing fish would be profession, I wouldn't just limit myself to that.  I'm also skilled in several different fish killing methods.

The End.

Creepy crawlers!

Parte 1

1

2

3

Part 2 coming soon enough!

Yesssss!

Some people find it odd that I often watch kid movies,.. until I call it "research".  Immediately they think I'm writing a screenplay, not finding ways to get children to reach into my pocket for candy.  Haha - how naive!

Seriously, though, I watched a lot of kids movies, and here I present to you my findings in form of lessons learned and initial reactions.

The Page Master

Better known as the "Lame Master".  Macully finally demonstrates the curse of being forever young.

What I learned: Nerdy, annoying shut-ins everywhere - if you immerse yourself in nothing but books and read read read, you will... no longer be a nerdy shut-in?  I guess budget cuts forced producers to cut that one scene... you know, the one where our hero actually makes friends.

Also: Always, always trust creepy dudes with fascination with little kids.

Also: Romance, Adventure, and Horror have places in this world, but why not Comedy or Eroticism?  No wonder this movie sucked.

Hook

Once upon a time Robin Williams starred in everything.  And it was horrible.  No amount of flubber could distance you from his chest hair farm.  Bad form!

What I learned: I'm siding with Captain Hook on this one: my dad sucks.  I'll play pistol baseball for the rest of my life.

Also: Over-actors are clearly evil, but we knew that one already.  No one suspected Steven Spielberg yet, though.

3 Ninjas

The twist: there are several ninjas in this film, not just three... plus three bumbling, surfer thugs.  What a treat!  (No, seriously, they're the best thing about this film, dude.)

Initial reaction: I swear to God, if I heard just ONE MORE little kid say "ay-ya!"...

Also: Start bringing guns to fights.  The bad guys only figure this out at the very end of the film, and, sadly, this lesson does not carry over to the next 3 Ninja film or any children's film for that matter.

Also: being a grown up pretty much guarantees you'll be nailed in the nads at some point.

3 Ninjas 3? 4? HIGH NOON AT MEGA MOUNTAIN 

Those caps are definitely necessary.

Initial reaction: Hulk Hogan is a washed up actor? ...no!  NO HE'S NOT!  Not my Hulk!

Lessons learned: Ninja children never grow old, and in some cases get younger.

Also: This time the bad guys did brings guns to fights very early on!  But they have yet to learn not to be utterly incompetent.  Sigh.

Angels in the Outfield

The movie pitch: "It's like Fear and Loathing Las Vegas meets The Omen crossed with Poltergeist, except instead of a demon child, you have a kid who hallucinates angels, and instead of a house we'll have a baseball team.  ...Whaddya mean?  Of course it'll sell!"

What I learned: if my opponents are a bunch of no-talents who can only win through divine intervention, maybe it's a good time for me to be making bargains with Satan.

Also: Baseball is the angel's sport of choice.  No wonder Satan wins so easily.  He probably plays rugby or South American soccer.

Also: Tony Danza is going to die soon?  It's a miracle!

Also: Christopher Lloyd, even in death is creepy, practicing voyeurism on a cosmic level.

Home Alone

What I learned: Losing a family may be the best thing to happen to any spunky child.  Hey... I was spunky once, too.

Also: The Laws of Comedy prohibit any child to commit accidental manslaughter.  Wrongdoers should have no fear of death, but damn! you're going to wish for it.

Also: let's hear it for creepy, old dudes!

Home Alone 2

What I learned: same thing as the first film - I don't need my family.  But losing them on purpose might be a little more difficult with ramped airport security.

Also: Rob Schneider has what's coming to him.

Also: always trust creepy, old ladies?  Sure, man, it's the 90s - times are changing!

Also: I must steal parents' credit card....

Also: Yeah, I know that recording device isn't that useful, but I still waaaaant onnnnnee!! Nowwwwww!

The Sandlot

You know, I actually still like this one.  Step off, man.

Blank Check

Initial reaction: Theft is soooo awesome.

What I learned: talking computers are hours of fun... no, really - they are.  Just run some Eminem lyrics through it.

The Mighty Ducks

Kids + hockey + a whole lotta drama + flashbacks.  Game on.

What I learned: Emilio Estevez is NOT Michael J. Fox.  I couldn't make that distinction as a child.  Still, I might have had a point - we need more MJF movies.

Also: Peewee hockey is relevant!

Also: Hockey is relevant, too..?  Now that can't be right...

Sidekicks

Otherwise known as "Partenaires de Combat" which must translate to "Chuck Norris is the Savior" in some divine tongue.

What I learned: Movies ahead of their time will go unappreciated when initially released.

Also: Chuck Norris did, in fact, exist before Chuck Norris jokes.  Man, film with Chuck Norris on it projects itself that's how badass it is.

Also: Chuck Norris will magically show up and help me if I sign up for a martial arts tournament unprepared.  I wonder if that'll work for the upcoming prom dance approaching in a few weeks.

The Wizard

Initial reaction: Nintendo Nintendo Nintendo Nintendo Nintendo Christian Slater? Nintendo Nintendo Nintendo.  Must... subscribe to... Nintendo Power!!

What I learned: Who knew I could make a career out of playing video games?  Hell, even a retard can do it!  Screw college.

Also: go befriend a large, black truck driver named "Spanky".  No, really, do it.  

"So.. Spanky - why'd they call you Spanky, eh?"  The answer will probably have the phrase "prison time" in there some place.

Also: The Power Glove.... it's so bad.

Let's wrap.  What did we all learn?  That's right, all our childhoods sucked... Sucked!  I hate my life!  I hate you!  You don't understand me!  I'm going to my room, but not before storming up the stairs!

-Heir to the Throne

Year of the chimp!

A bit late, but here it is anyway...

THE [OFFICIAL] LIST OF PEOPLE NEIL WILL MOST LIKELY WAKE UP NEXT TO ON JAN 1ST!

Listed from best case scenario to worst.

1. Johnny Greenwood

Obviously, being a Radiohead junkie Johnny is a shoo-in to the sack.  His guitaring is enough to work up a hypnotic trance, and he probably has a pocket Thom Yorke to lullaby me to rest.  Combine that with the rock/groupie cred to be gained, this wouldn't be too bad,.. besides waking up with the inexplicable desire to grow my hair out and mope around the house.

2. The Burger King King

Downright creepy.  I imagine this guy works in some pretty sketchy ways like - I dunno - slipping me a roofie, then using a Whopper to muffle my screaming.  There is absolutely no sympathy or humanity in those eyes, and that smile reeks of unrelenting sadomasochism.  Plus side: waking up with extra cash in my pocket, just like the commercials.

3. Mickey Rourke

Yeah, not much good going on here.  The man is what a dead cigar would look like if it was reincarnated as a human.  I take consolation in the fact that eons ago he looked pretty good, and that at least his career in on the upswing.  With enough alcohol in me, that's probably what I'd be focused on.

4. Ursula

Power always wins.  Drunk or not, a 300 pound woman with tentacles will have no trouble taking advantage of me.  In addition, assuming I was in her company, we'd probably have to be underwater.  Something about me not being able to breathe probably works to her advantage.  On the upside, at least something can be said about bedding with someone with that high stature.  

"All-powerful evil cartoon sea witch?  Yeah, I hit that."

5. Any combination of these fatties

Presented in Wide Screen.  At least it's cinematic, dammit.

6. Encino Man

What's worse than waking up from a frozen coma that's lasted thousands of years?  Maybe waking up next to Brendan Frasier dressed louder than his acting.  He probably stinks like Paulie Shore.

7. Any diabolical form Christopher Lloyd can conjure

Okay... maybe - maybe - if this were the early 1990's this would be a crazy set up for one of his many movies.  Zany antics to follow, with a highly improbable but convenient ending.  But no.  It's not the 1990's.  Waking up next to this guy means I've somehow volunteered my living residence to him after his Californian home burned down.  No antics here, just a lot of creep.

8. Pancho Villa

Resides in a bottle of tequila.  Once I drink him out of his home, he invades mine.  I wake up with a nasty hangover, traded on the sex slave market, and with 50% less organs.  I hope he at least leaves that wacky hat.

9. Of course...

'nuff said.

Happy 2009!