Here’s an unofficial poll for everyone:
You are in a movie about yourself starring yourself.
What’s the theme song they play whenever you appear on screen, your
personal “Axel F”?
agree.
I haven’t figured mine out yet.
1 She says not because she is built like a brick sh*t
house, just because she likes the song. I think she’s built like a brick
sh*t house, but either way.
“Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!” (Adventures of a Curious
Character) by Richard P. Feynman
Delightful book. Stories from a wacky Manhattan Project physicist.
In the beginning I was sort of non-plussed… early stories from his
childhood that were not so amazing because they were comparable to stories
I or people I know could tell. Ho-hum, I ain’t no brilliant physicist.
But people I respect highly recommended this book, so…
Later he emerges as an amazing man who got himself into interesting
adventures, largely through extreme curiosity and bravado and often with
famous historical figures.
Also, a womanizer. There’s something darkly funny about a brilliant
physicist who expends a lot of energy trying to score with show girls
(and, by his account, succeeding).
Highly recommended for just about anyone.
Currently Reading:
The Best American Essays 2003
The next time I get a spare $99, I’m going to buy the kit from the
National Geographic “The Genographic Project” to find out where my way-back ancestors hailed from.
I would think it’s a critical part of any genealogical efforts. And cool besides.
Detoxing after tonight’s Scandal!… it was a good one. If I had my doubts about the sustainability of Chris Blair playing Ted Nugent, they were certainly quelled after the first scene.
Apropos of nothing… names.
My brother’s full name is Justin Ray Lucas. My full name is Ryan Jay (Colosa) Lucas. My parents thought the Jay/Ray thing was neat.
I have decided that my next child should have a middle name that starts with a D. First one who can tell me why wins a valuable No Prize1.
On the way to Scandal! and back, I listened to The Signal podcast… a fan podcast about Serenity/Firefly. Some people have too much time on their hands. Including me, because I found myself fascinated, especially in the analysis of the timeline… calculating when things happened based on lines from the movies and tv shows. Mal is 50! Who knew?
1There was a comic book I used to read… Flash? Fantastic Four? Don’t remember. Anyway, in the letters section, if a reader could point out an error in a comic, they would win a valuable No Prize. Which was, essentially, no prize. But it was an official No Prize.
Scandal!
Episode 5: Power, Failure
Starring
George Faughan as Eric von Landingham
Z Gillispie as Rory Manchester
Amber Nash as Dorothy
Leslie Sharp as Bixie Biederback
Tim Stoltenberg as Lance Belligui
Dan Triandiflou as Hank ‘The Beaver’ Basker
Lucky Yates as Miller
and Ryan Lucas as The Voice
Berkshire Hathaway Annual Report came out March 4! Woohoo!
Alas, yet again this year I won’t be making it out to the annual meeting
that is “Woodstock for Capitalists”. I don’t get to find out if it
involves as much mud, drugs and nudity as the original Woodstock.
Next year. Next year will be the year.
Last Week in Scandal!
Episode 4: Homeland Insecurity
Synopsis by Erich Mees
Starring
George Faughnan as Eric von Landingham
Z Gillispie as Rory Manchester
Matt Horgan as Poncey Highland
Amber Nash as Dorothy
Tim Stoltenberg as Lance Belligui
Lucky Yates as Miller
with special guest stars
Eugene Cordero as Chip Blingo
Sean Daniels as Agent John Denver
and a surprise appearance by Chris Blair as the Nuge
with Ryan Lucas as The Voice
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
Was good read. Written in Luna dialect. Was story about dinkum thinkum
that could talk-talk like regular cobber. Started revolution for Free
Luna with three not-stupids.
Or, put another way, it’s the story of a computer that gained sentience
and helped three decent humans start a revolution to overthrow the
oppressive Lunar Authority.
It’s a good example of the genre.
What’s interesting is that
set on Mars many years ago. In a draft I wrote of the first scene, I
inserted bits about alternative lifestyles that I thought would be more
prevalent in a society more or less cut off from the main society on
Earth.
But apparently Mr. Heinlein (“The greatest science fiction writer of the
modern age” according to the jacket cover) was on my side, because the
“marriages” on this fictional Luna are mostly of an alternative sort, some
what necessitated by the 2:1 male to female ratio there.
The main character was a member of a “line” marriage that had been in
existance for some time. (I think he said 100 years, which, given that
the story takes place in 2075, meant that Mr. Heinlein felt we would have
colonized the moon by 1975. The book was written in 1966.) A line
marriage starts basically with a couple, who then “opts” in a slightly
younger person, so now there are three spouses. Then later, another
younger person is added, and so on, so that the average age of the
marriage stays around 35.
I casually collect alternate marriage formats because I’ve always felt
that the answer to this “marriage=man+woman” controversy is to provide as
many legal social contract types as there are business types. You can
form a business as an s-corporation, c-corporation, limited liability
partnership, limited liability corporation, sole proprietership, general
partnership, a holding company with subsidiaries, etc., but you only get
one type of marriage contract1. Backwards, if you ask me.
So, now having completed a novel by the “greatest science fiction writer
of the modern age,” I turn next to Guardian I Defender of Peace by
what I assume will be the second greatest science fiction writer of the
modern age.
1 It should be noted for critical parties reading
(hi sweetie!) that I’m perfectly happy with my current marriage contract
and would not advocate a different type, but I’m all about freedom of
choice. In much the same way I believe all drugs should be legal but
would not partake myself.
So my brother-in-law has decided to name his gestating daughter “River”, after River Tam from Firefly.
When asked, he replies, “That show has had a profound effect on my life.”
We got him the series on DVD for his birthday last fall.
So, in essence,
The only disappointing thing about it all is that now we can’t use the name, should the opportunity arise.
Kaywinnit Lee Lucas… hmmm…
I am a-mazed.
I was listening to a podcast of a Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me episode
and learned that Warren Buffett is providing the voice for himself in a 13
episode animated kids show called The Secret Millionaires Club,
where a bunch of kids become millionaires by selling some sports
memorabilia they found in a crate or something. The show will attempt to
teach financial literacy to kids… the importance of saving, budgeting,
etc.
So,