Do they deserve a little more respect?

As any of the five people who read this thing regularly could tell you, or if you have actually gone through this receptacle for the thought and opinions that cross my mind, I have an affection for the pop culture. I am a music and movie whore. But the one aspect that I haven't talked about is my love of comic books...Hold on here...Just hear me out....

Comic books are generally looked on with disdain and met with a slight chuckle and passed of as just for kids.

"Guys running around in capes and tights saving the world from ridiculous villains" is usually how one might describe comics passed off as a lesser art form.

Now I started reading comics a lot in maybe grade 6 or 7, Spiderman comics and those of Marvel mostly, but the fact is I was reading. My Mom couldn't figure out why I kept them or anything but she liked the fact that I was reading. I, to this day think that reading comics as a kid promoted me reading later as an adult. I know many people my age that didn't read, comics or anything, as a kid and to this day they still don't read and I truly think that reading should be a part of anybodies life.

I also think that the general public looks down on comic books because they see them just for kids...Simple stories of Superman saving the world.."How complicated could they be?" one might say. Well very in fact. I personally think that some off the best stories in literature..(yes I used the word literature to describe comics wanna fight about it?)..Have been told in the form of comic books. Books like Preacher that told the story of a disgruntled priest named Jesse Custer who is mad at God for abandoning his post and sets off in search of him. The story Nazi concentration prisoners and there pains and fears as told in Maus. People need to give comics a chance, some of the greatest writers we have to day work in comics...Frank Miller, Alan Moore, Neil Gamain,Brian Micheal Bendis, Mark Waid..If you have kids don't be afraid of comics for your kids let them embrace reading. Starting with comics is not a bad thing. I will leave you with a list of comic stories you should scope out and take a chance reading, even if you have never read a comic book beyond Archie or if you haven't read one in awhile I have linked them all to a synopsis...

1.Dark Knight Returns- DC comics

2.Preacher- DC Comics

3.Kingdom Come- DC Comics

4.Watchmen

5.Marvels- Marvel comics

6.Any Sin City Book you can find

7. Squadron Supreme-
Marvel Comics

8.The Ultimates- Marvel Comics

9. Welcome Back Frank!- Marvel Comics

10. Frank Miller's run on Daredevil in the 1970's

This is just a small list..go out and explore the genre...you might be surprised what you find.....

A Picture really is worth a Thousand Words...

So as usual I headed down to what is fast becoming my home away from home(Victoria) to spend my days off with Jen. Now we always have a great time when I go to visit or when she sneaks home from school for a weekend and this time was no exception. The cool thing we did this visit was go to the Royal British Columbia Museum to see a traveling exhibit entitled "Linda McCartney's Sixties- A portrait of an era". Jen had to go for a class that she is taking and really didn't have to convince me to hard as all the photos are of rock icons from that era, and being the music fan that I am I couldn't have been more excited to go see this.

So off we go to the museum, excited to see the exhibit and we walk in the doors and what do they have ...But John Lennon's Rolls Royce in all of its yellow decorative glory. If you haven't seen this car then go take a look, Google it or some thing it really is a car only a very rich person could get away with being in but looking at the car and realizing that icons of an age in music that I adore were in there was very cool. So I pay my admission and off we go up the escalator to see the exhibit.

At the top of the escalator is the temporary gallery..I walk in and they have classic albums in glass cases and music from the time playing over the speakers and a room full of amazing pictures of people I have listened to and read about...I was in my element...

Now I like to think that I'm a relativily cultured guy, at least open minded, but Jen is the art buff here and usually has to tell me why stuff is art, and I never had really understood photography in that I thought all it took was a good eye to get a good picture, but this exhibit changed my perception. Now I still think it takes a good eye to get that great picture, but in looking at these pictures you can tell that they were taken by someone that the people in them were comfortable with. There were of course a lot of Beatles pictures and the thing that got me was how much they all still seemed to like each other and how happy they still seemed. As most of the beadle pictures were taken in the final year of the band(1969) during sessions for Let It Be and Abbey Road, a time when it was reported that relationships were at their most strained point it was interesting to see a picture of John Lennon and Paul McCartney laughing over writing a song. It was looking at these Beatles pictures that it struck me that comfort and intimacy can be conveyed rather well through a camera lens. I think if these pictures were taken by someone from outside the bands inner circle that they wouldn't have turned out as amazing as they did.

I guess I could go on and I wish I could find a link to the whole exhibit in pictures but it was a very cool thing to see. Like the picture of Bob Dylan at the top of this post. He looks completely at ease and not even like the Bob Dylan that we have seen in pictures for years. It was taken without his knowledge and to me he doesn't look like the tortured artist that he usual conveys through pictures. If you have a chance to go see it I suggest you do, for music fans especially...Those at the home office I am talking to you...I came away from it with a greater appreciation for photography as an art form ....

If I had my choice...

With the depth of fear that I have of Stephen Harper winning the election I have comprised a list of who I think would do a better job of running the country that Mr.Harper...so here we go:

1.Optimus Prime- Come on he was a great leader,he was tough yet firm and fair with the Auto bots. And besides who would fuck with us if our county was led by a giant robot that could Transform into a semi-truck..no one that's who.

2.Doctor Doom- yeah sure he tried to kill the Fantasic four all the time but you Know he did take care of those in his country and was an exalted leader...Who cares if it was false love created out of fear...

3.Han Solo-- You know he wouldn't take shit from know one...I could see the headlines now" Bush shoots
First, PM Solo fries him!"

4.Darth Vader--- You want shit done with the less arguing possible...Vader is your man..just ask Captain Needa

5.Darkseid--- Heres another guy who achieved his post through murder...His own mother know less, still seems better than Harper.

6. Hannibal Lecter-- Why not, he's well educated...so he's got that whole serial Killer thing...

7. A Trained Monkey--- really could it be an worse than Harper dancing to Bush's every whim.

8. Superman-- So what if he's all about Truth, Justice, and The American Way..We can change that, but his Deputy Prime Minister would have to be Batman...its a two for with these guys

9.Tony Soprano- He could squash any uprising in Quebec...Separation would not be an option

10.Captain Picard- Okay I am not the hugest Trek fan but come it's Captain Picard...A great mediator and a guy who's not afraid to do his own thing and fuck shit up if need be....

That's my list If I had my way..sure they are all fictional, except for the Monkey but I think it goes to show how much faith I have in Harper and besides ..Any one of them could be better than the alternative...

Black Monday is just around the corner...

The federal Election is tomorrow, a day that I have decided to call Black Monday. As of the last few days the Conservatives are still leading in the polls by about 10% and it looks like Mr. Harper(or George JR. If you will) will become the next Prime Minister of our country.....This as has been stated in the past...Scares the hell out of me.

Now a lot of people will argue that Canada needs a change, a shake up in Ottawa is just what we need. Look Canada has had enough change already this year and I still am having trouble with some of the new rules in the NHL, the kind of change that Mr.Harper represents is not what we need.

The views of this Conservative Party are not what Canada should be embracing, they will lead us down the path of turning into the States as led by Goergie Porgie and his gang of right-wing extreamists.

I don't like the fact that he will. No matter what anybody says will try and repeal things like same-sex marriage that I truly believe are a persons human rights, He wants to spend more money on the military, stupid, he will put us in Iraq because he wants to be like George Bush and be on his good side. Even Michael Moore thinks it would be crazy to vote Harper in...

Now I do agree that yes there is definitely something fishy in the liberal camp, and I don't think it's Belinda Stronach, but at least we know what we are getting with the Liberals, a party that has decreased our national debt and has had a surplus the last 3 years, this seems to me to be a good thing, it seems productive and like they are achieving some thing that a government should do...So one or two little scandals came up, at least even those scandals were National Unity based..Even when they were cheating the Liberals at least seemed like they were thinking about the countries well being, like "Yeah I robbed the bank but I did it so our family could stay together"..Or something like that.

Now I know one little persons opinion put out in cyber space won't change much..but if you should happen to come across this and red it before tommorrow..think about it..and..for the love of god vote, if nothing else if you are between the ages of 18 and 30..damn it vote....

Can you pin point that one mistake

We all make mistakes, it is human nature to error, but can you look back at and pinpoint what the biggest mistake you have ever made, that one mistake that if you could go back and do things differently you would have, and no I am not talking about the "Woke up next to some strange girl after too many shooters kind of mistake", and actually mistake that has affected your life beyond having to get some topical cream to clear up what ever it is you woke up with.

There are those, like The Sidekick, The Homeoffice,Bish and Jen that know excatly what I am talking about and know this story but generally I have kept it from family...And you will see why. But now I share it with you, those in cyberspace that may come along and find this blog of mine and take a little time out of your day to read it.

So here it is, I will try and keep it a little condensed because it is a long story.

So about 6 years ago I was living with a two friends of mine, The Emperor of Port Alberni and his Girlfriend Dawn, things had come to the point where I felt I needed to move on to give them the space to let their relationship blossom...really it just opened the door for unchecked cheating...but this is not that story.

So I had a good job but decided to move in with a roommate anyway it's what I knew and thought why not...but I wasn't going to just move in with anybody..No...I moved in with my cousin, the cousin who was more like my big brother when we were growing up..Inseparable and people even thought we looked alike. This I thought was a great plan so I found the house and we moved in....

Things were fine for the first while...No real problems he spent a lot of time at his parents and with his girlfriend so it was fine.

Now one day he decided that he would just take care of the phone bill and I would look after Hydro..had no cable so this worked for me..they were comparable bills and I too thought this would be easier. The thing to make a note of at this point..It was all in my name...You can see where this is going can't you?....

After awhile I came home one day and opened the phone bill...And nearly choked on the beverage I was drinking...Thought "This Shit CAN'T BE RIGHT!!!"...A phone bill to the tune of $1400 was staring me in the face...After a discussion and an apology for calling phone sex numbers it was decided that he would pay it (as he should have) and I called the phone company to put a restriction on the line without his knowing it. But as the month went on he didn't have the money and I had to dip into the savings to pay the bill, and a whole months rent and other random bills from third party Phone sex bills that came in with my name because the phone of course was in my name..After all was said and done..My whole savings of 2500 was down the tube..With a promise to pay back. I mean it was my cousin, he bucked up and felt bad and I thought he deserved the benefit of the doubt.

So I kept that to myself, didn't tell the family or anything, then and I can't remember the exact time line but I think it was a month or two later I opened another phone bill to discover another large bill, now remember that I put restrictions on the phone and did everything that I should have..I opened up a $3000 dollar phone bill...Let that sink in for a minute..I'll wait....Yup I typed that right $3000....So around that time he was moving out to go to school..I still kept this to myself except for my then girlfriend who knew and the sideshows but again no family or anyone that could affect his life....

Fast forward to this month, now by this time his family doesn't know, but my brother(who is joined at this cousin's hip) and now my mother know. I have been truing to take the high road but I had to take out loans and stuff to pay this shit and I have to this day not seen one red cent from him. I have had the "You owe me money talk" with him probably like 5 times, and for the last two years he has been going through all this ICBC stuff because he was in car accident and the story I keep getting is wait till the stalemate comes in.

So I called him last month to see if he wanted to grab a coffee and discuss or situation..This made him fly off the handle. Picture this he calls me at work because he was supposed to drop by and organize a time to meet. After a few minutes he proceeded to tell me that he is sorry but has no money then after I tell him that I have been extremely patient and I need something..He proceeds to tell me that I'm lucky that he didn't sue me for DEFEMATION OF CHARACTER...Sue me? This is impossible as any info I have given out to anybody has not cost him any public or even private humiliation. He has no legal leg to stand on. So the battle rages on.

But this is my biggest mistake of my life, I would go back and change it in an instant.....

But he's really good in this one movie...

If there is one thing I do enjoy about the holiday season it's the prospect of new DVDs and Cds for Christmas(or whatever other denominational religious holiday that you may celebrate...)ahh yes there is nothing better than coming home and realizing you have like 7 new dvds to open and watch...of course by the time you finally do get them open it's like 2 hours later and you have worked up an appetite because it took you for ever to get through the fucking security labels...But that's a rant for later...And this Christmas was very good in the DVD aspect of things.

First off, my darling girlfriend got me The Return of the King extended edition that I have neglected buying for the last year, this was followed the Hetero-life mate getting me the Passion of the Jew DVD, and my brother getting me Episode III(if I have to explain what I mean by Episode III...You can leave now, and don't let the blast doors hit you on the way out...) then the every year "The Boss" gives us a present,and this years was the best by far..A gift certificate to Futureshop..oh baby dvd central here I come..A free hundred bucks to spend.


So The Sidekick, Bishop and Jen and I made the trek and went down to our nearest branch of the retail giant as the Sidekick had Gift certificates too and Bish needed to exchange stuff and Jen...well she just didn't want to stay at home and thought she would join in the fun...although I'm sure she started to regret going to geek central with Three geeks but she held up well...(bear with me I am getting to the point of this post soon...This just isn't me recounting what I got, that would be shameless and materialistic...There is a point..Really..)

So I picked up 4 more DVD's..The Sin City special edition..Fantastic four(I know it sucked but what can I say I like the comic book movies...)..Full metal Jacket...And then I picked up Tombstone.

Now the reason I came to this movie is that I have always thought about picking it up..I don't like western a whole lot but this is a good movie roll please cause ladies and gentleman he has finally gotten to the point of this whole thing(yes that's right I write more backstory for one blog entry than Georgie Lucas does for three movies)..Val Kilmer is the shit as Doc Holliday...And I am not the biggest Val Kilmer fan..this is by far my favorite Val Kilmer role..some people may pick The Doors..Not me I like my Val kilmer on the verge of Death and drunk with a razor sharp wit...Now the Sidekick likes the Kilmer...in everything... me I can take him or leave him...but in this movie..great.. and it got me to thinking..What other actors do you hate or are not big fans of but will watch them in one certain movie because they are so good...It's like the planets aligned for that small period and they they just sucked it up afterward. Jennifer Lopez in Out Of Sight..Another fine example...Bad actress but great in that movie...I don't know...Who are yours....

Insomnia sucks.....

Here it is 130 in the morning and I have been trying to sleep for like 2 hours now...This sucks. So I put this disclaimer out before I go any further..Remember I am tired and any thoughts that may seem like they are coming from a crazy man, or may seem like they are incomplete ramblings of a lunatic, please remember they are coming through a mind filled with the hazy feeling of some slight sleep deprivation all will be fine tomorrow...Hopefully.

The funny thing about not being able to sleep is that's all you can think about is going to sleep..Oh they tell you that you just need to relax and clear your mind...But that shit don't work, all you can think about is going to sleep..Then that leads to oh shit I have to work in the morning, oh crap I have to get up in like 4 hours for work...God I just want to sleep.

But you also start thinking about other stuff, when you can't sleep, you can really get a lot of thinking done..A lot of useless thinking, like hey I have some laundry to do tomorrow. Which is fine for the first hour then you start thinking crazy things like "Hey I should make a CD of nothing but ABBA covers", which of course seems like a fun idea at the time till you realize that A.) you hate ABBA and B.) That's right you hate ABBA...And C.) Why would any one ever need a whole CD of ABBA covers..

So you toss and turn..Then you get up to watch T.V. and realize that isn't helping..So you decide to go to bed and finish reading your book that you thought you were to tired to read when you went to bed in the first place. So you finish the last few pages of Hunter.S.Thompson's Kingdom Of Fear and think..."OK I am ready to sleep...So you turn off the light and roll over but again the thinking starts and there is no way you are goin to sleep.

The thought crosses my mind to call Jen but I realize that she was pretty tired when I talked to her a couple of hours ago and she is probably sleeping peacefully by now so I begin to read the book she gave me for Christmas "BOB DYLAN-Chronicles vol.1", so you read the first few chapters and realize that isn't doin it either..so here I am blogging about my damn troubles sleeping. Not that those of you out there are going to care but maybe this will help....the warm glow of the monitor lulling me to sleep...damn you all that slept well last night!!...at least I know the sidekick isn,t getting much more than I am with Tristan(Brodie) now in the household.

I can't get too mad at this no sleep thing though, because it might even be my fault...See I had to drive home from spending New Year's in Victoria with Jen this evening and to keep myself alert and wake I did stop for coffee twice but this should not have affected me like this and that was HOURS ago...oh to be sleeping peacefully right now...well might as well try again....