Books Read/Listened to in October, 2010
So I’ve kind of made it my goal, for as long as I am commuting a considerable distance to work (100 miles round trip currently) to at least try to further my horizons by listening to some audio books, if not managing to read some real books. I’ve always liked the idea of becoming more read… just other objects of entertainment seem to get in the way. So without further ado here is my list for this month.
1. Real Ultimate Power – Robert Hamburger
A humorous look into the real power of ninjas through the eyes of a depressed/troubled 12 year old.
2. The Invisible Man – H.G. Wells
This one wasn’t as good as I had hoped, the points I found interesting as to the whole concept of the story were either too brief or didn’t come until the very end.
3. From the Earth to the Moon – Jules Verne (1865)
This was my favorite of the three books this month, it is the first part of an experiment partaken by a group of men in the 1860’s (complete with pre-1900 science) to shoot a cannon shot to the moon.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Oct. 31st - Movie
October 31st, 2010
Finish Cinco De Murder
Saved for last in Honor of Halloween… Cinco De Murder, is a horror movie idea created by my sister, two friends and myself. It originated in May of 2006 and has a script completely written… however it has faced numerous setbacks and has yet to actually be produced.
In theory it should already be done, I mean it has like 5 cast members total. But one cast member died in 2008 (Poor Fudge), the script was destroyed but then later recovered, now the camera is down plus it is out of season (takes place in May). So maybe next year?
Actually we have a name for our follow up movie picked out, and I have another movie project I’d like to try to do, but its tough getting people together and getting a video made.
Finish Cinco De Murder
Saved for last in Honor of Halloween… Cinco De Murder, is a horror movie idea created by my sister, two friends and myself. It originated in May of 2006 and has a script completely written… however it has faced numerous setbacks and has yet to actually be produced.
In theory it should already be done, I mean it has like 5 cast members total. But one cast member died in 2008 (Poor Fudge), the script was destroyed but then later recovered, now the camera is down plus it is out of season (takes place in May). So maybe next year?
Actually we have a name for our follow up movie picked out, and I have another movie project I’d like to try to do, but its tough getting people together and getting a video made.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
3 Underappreciated Horror Movies
3 Horror Movies that you should see
So it’s Halloween time, and of course this is the time of year in which everyone talks about their favorite scary movies and discusses their favorite killers and series. The best thing about horror movies is the simple fact that there are so many of them, covering a wide variety of sub-genres… if you have any desire to watch something scary… there is a movie out there for you.
Anyway everyone talks about their favorite mainstream horror films, but I’m going to talk about three of my favorite horror movies that are more obscure titles, that no one seems to have heard of let alone have seen if I bring them up in passing conversation. Note: I’m not ranking these just throwing them out there as suggestions for next time you are looking for a Horror movie.
Note: I’m not going to throw out any spoilers, otherwise what would be the point of me suggesting these to you.
1. Kingdom of Spiders (1977)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076271/
Starring – William Shatner
Yep you read that correctly… starring Captain Kirk himself. I saw this movie for the first time this summer on TV, didn’t plan on watching the whole thing but next thing I knew it was the end of the movie and I really enjoyed it. Sure it has some cheesy moments… (There is this little girl that gets tossed around for like the whole movie) but it’s a horror film so you expect that. It also contains… zero special effects, just old school stunt work, which you can appreciate for a film like this one.
The plot involves a small town in Texas, whose livestock are dying… a State Vet comes to town to help the local veterinarian solve the problem… which turns out to be spiders… tarantulas to be exact, behaving in an odd way… they are swarming their victims and soon turn on the whole town.
As I said I’m not going to throw out any spoilers, but I must say… this has one of my favorite endings for a horror movie.
The Severed Arm (1973)*
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070673/
Starring – (no real star)
This movie is included in a DVD set I have of 50 horror movies…. many of the movies in that set suck, lol, and I must say the videography for this film… is horrible. The lighting is messed up, sometimes the you are wondering what the camera what you should to be looking at, and to be honest the sound isn’t always that clear either. So if visual effects are important to you, this probably won’t be that worthwhile for you.
So… you are saying… why the heck would I want to watch something that looks as horrible as you just claimed it to be… Simple. Awesome story. What happens you ask? Well the plot starts out with 5 men, trapped in a cave, who are starving and begin to decide whom they will eat first.** Obviously someone has to lose this, and once the loser is draw they cut off his arm. Only to be rescued moments later. The man whose arm was chopped off goes crazy and the other four miners embarrassed as to what they had done, claim his arm was damaged in the cave in.
However, it’s not several years later and all of the men have went on to live different lives… when one man is mailed a human arm… and they suddenly find themselves hunted down by someone/something….
This movie like the one before also has a great ending, really the ending of a horror movie is where they often fall short, but all three of the suggestions, most notably these first two do really well in there endings and the final film is above average.
3. Spider Baby, or The Maddest Story Ever Told (1968)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058606/
Starring – Again no real star but one of Sid Haigs early works
This is the only black and white movie of my three suggestions, and like most 1960’s horror movies it has no special effects. The story involves the remains of a once powerful family living a quiet life do to a heredity disease that has come to affect them all. Basically they digress after the age of ten into a downward spiral, luckily they have a butler caretaker to cover up their misdeeds and protect them from outsiders.
However, the story picks up when some distant and unaffected relatives learn of the great wealth remaining with the family and come in with their lawyer in an effort to stake their claim on the remaining assets of the family.
It ends up being an interesting story, even though it is 1960’s “scarey” and made on a shoestring budget.
*I know there was a blog, I think back in June 2009, where I also suggested this movie as one that should be remade. Or something like that, so yeah I really do like this movie even if it is filmed poorly.
** Totally off topic, but the whole drawing lots to see whom will be eaten just reminds me of the old whaling ships and how they would actually do this on a not so rare occasion, that made whaling probably the scariest occupation.
So it’s Halloween time, and of course this is the time of year in which everyone talks about their favorite scary movies and discusses their favorite killers and series. The best thing about horror movies is the simple fact that there are so many of them, covering a wide variety of sub-genres… if you have any desire to watch something scary… there is a movie out there for you.
Anyway everyone talks about their favorite mainstream horror films, but I’m going to talk about three of my favorite horror movies that are more obscure titles, that no one seems to have heard of let alone have seen if I bring them up in passing conversation. Note: I’m not ranking these just throwing them out there as suggestions for next time you are looking for a Horror movie.
Note: I’m not going to throw out any spoilers, otherwise what would be the point of me suggesting these to you.
1. Kingdom of Spiders (1977)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076271/
Starring – William Shatner
Yep you read that correctly… starring Captain Kirk himself. I saw this movie for the first time this summer on TV, didn’t plan on watching the whole thing but next thing I knew it was the end of the movie and I really enjoyed it. Sure it has some cheesy moments… (There is this little girl that gets tossed around for like the whole movie) but it’s a horror film so you expect that. It also contains… zero special effects, just old school stunt work, which you can appreciate for a film like this one.
The plot involves a small town in Texas, whose livestock are dying… a State Vet comes to town to help the local veterinarian solve the problem… which turns out to be spiders… tarantulas to be exact, behaving in an odd way… they are swarming their victims and soon turn on the whole town.
As I said I’m not going to throw out any spoilers, but I must say… this has one of my favorite endings for a horror movie.
The Severed Arm (1973)*
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070673/
Starring – (no real star)
This movie is included in a DVD set I have of 50 horror movies…. many of the movies in that set suck, lol, and I must say the videography for this film… is horrible. The lighting is messed up, sometimes the you are wondering what the camera what you should to be looking at, and to be honest the sound isn’t always that clear either. So if visual effects are important to you, this probably won’t be that worthwhile for you.
So… you are saying… why the heck would I want to watch something that looks as horrible as you just claimed it to be… Simple. Awesome story. What happens you ask? Well the plot starts out with 5 men, trapped in a cave, who are starving and begin to decide whom they will eat first.** Obviously someone has to lose this, and once the loser is draw they cut off his arm. Only to be rescued moments later. The man whose arm was chopped off goes crazy and the other four miners embarrassed as to what they had done, claim his arm was damaged in the cave in.
However, it’s not several years later and all of the men have went on to live different lives… when one man is mailed a human arm… and they suddenly find themselves hunted down by someone/something….
This movie like the one before also has a great ending, really the ending of a horror movie is where they often fall short, but all three of the suggestions, most notably these first two do really well in there endings and the final film is above average.
3. Spider Baby, or The Maddest Story Ever Told (1968)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058606/
Starring – Again no real star but one of Sid Haigs early works
This is the only black and white movie of my three suggestions, and like most 1960’s horror movies it has no special effects. The story involves the remains of a once powerful family living a quiet life do to a heredity disease that has come to affect them all. Basically they digress after the age of ten into a downward spiral, luckily they have a butler caretaker to cover up their misdeeds and protect them from outsiders.
However, the story picks up when some distant and unaffected relatives learn of the great wealth remaining with the family and come in with their lawyer in an effort to stake their claim on the remaining assets of the family.
It ends up being an interesting story, even though it is 1960’s “scarey” and made on a shoestring budget.
*I know there was a blog, I think back in June 2009, where I also suggested this movie as one that should be remade. Or something like that, so yeah I really do like this movie even if it is filmed poorly.
** Totally off topic, but the whole drawing lots to see whom will be eaten just reminds me of the old whaling ships and how they would actually do this on a not so rare occasion, that made whaling probably the scariest occupation.
Oct. 30th - Trip
October 30, 2010
Adventurous Trip
I’ve always thought this would be kind of fun, as I believe it was previously listed in a blog back in June of last year. But I thought of it this week as two different people who came into my work were doing it… Go on a trip where there is no destination planned… just go and drive… see where you end up at in the end. Find out what there is out there, and see the world around you.
Some rules to go by would be…
1) Don’t eat at any “chain” restaurants
2) Avoid Interstates whenever possible
3) Of Course follow the Road Trip rules*
Anyway maybe I’ll try this when I qualify for vacation time… in oh say a year…
* http://nomadwaystation.blogspot.com/2006/09/rules-of-road.html
Adventurous Trip
I’ve always thought this would be kind of fun, as I believe it was previously listed in a blog back in June of last year. But I thought of it this week as two different people who came into my work were doing it… Go on a trip where there is no destination planned… just go and drive… see where you end up at in the end. Find out what there is out there, and see the world around you.
Some rules to go by would be…
1) Don’t eat at any “chain” restaurants
2) Avoid Interstates whenever possible
3) Of Course follow the Road Trip rules*
Anyway maybe I’ll try this when I qualify for vacation time… in oh say a year…
* http://nomadwaystation.blogspot.com/2006/09/rules-of-road.html
Friday, October 29, 2010
Oct. 29th - Secret
October 29, 2010
Create a Secret Society
I have always found secret societies to be really cool, all of the myths and legends surrounding them… Do the Mason’s control the world? The Bilderberg Group? Illumanti? Rosicrucians? Everyone seems to have an opinion or claim to be the real power behind the throne so to speak.
Honestly I think almost all of them are more hype than function, and many of the conspiracies around them are just silly. However to think that powerful people don’t unite to help out each other is just crazy in itself.
The main draws for me are; the formality, structure and uniqueness of rituals, myths and histories surrounding these groups sound like great fun to me, thus I would like to create one someday. Sure we wouldn’t have any real power, but it would be fun pretending that we did, and who knows maybe someone will start some cool conspiracy theories about us? It would certainly be a way to make your mark on the world.
I actually have some groundwork ideas on what and how I would go about creating one, but if I shared them here it wouldn’t be that secret would it ;)
Create a Secret Society
I have always found secret societies to be really cool, all of the myths and legends surrounding them… Do the Mason’s control the world? The Bilderberg Group? Illumanti? Rosicrucians? Everyone seems to have an opinion or claim to be the real power behind the throne so to speak.
Honestly I think almost all of them are more hype than function, and many of the conspiracies around them are just silly. However to think that powerful people don’t unite to help out each other is just crazy in itself.
The main draws for me are; the formality, structure and uniqueness of rituals, myths and histories surrounding these groups sound like great fun to me, thus I would like to create one someday. Sure we wouldn’t have any real power, but it would be fun pretending that we did, and who knows maybe someone will start some cool conspiracy theories about us? It would certainly be a way to make your mark on the world.
I actually have some groundwork ideas on what and how I would go about creating one, but if I shared them here it wouldn’t be that secret would it ;)
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Oct. 28th - Home
October 28th, 2010
Own a Home
This one seems pretty obvious as its basically part of the quintessential “American Dream”. Though to be honest my idea of what kind of home I’d want has drastically changed over the years. When I was little I thought I’d want a big home like my Grandparents 14 room home.
Then I transitioned to thinking it would be cool to own a home made out of a Grain Bin. Which I honestly still think would be a really cool home. My idea with the grain bin would be a 4 story home with the bathroom, laundry, kitchen in the bottom floor, the second floor would be a big living area, third floor would be two bedrooms and the top floor would be in the slanted bin part which would be the master bedroom with a sky light. I just think it would be pretty awesome.
However, now I’d like to get a small home, honestly it’s just me currently…. So yeah I think I’d just want a smallish house, to be my bachelor pad. If I got a big house most of it would just sit as empty space, and I have zero desire to go buy stuff and furniture just to fill empty space. As I apparently lived like a “serial killer” when I had my apartment in Indy last year, as I didn’t even have enough stuff to fill a studio apartment. But, honestly this is what I like, I guess I’m just more of a minimalist…. Which is good because I hate getting rid of stuff so that way I don’t have to throw away stuff when I don’t ever buy it to start with.
Own a Home
This one seems pretty obvious as its basically part of the quintessential “American Dream”. Though to be honest my idea of what kind of home I’d want has drastically changed over the years. When I was little I thought I’d want a big home like my Grandparents 14 room home.
Then I transitioned to thinking it would be cool to own a home made out of a Grain Bin. Which I honestly still think would be a really cool home. My idea with the grain bin would be a 4 story home with the bathroom, laundry, kitchen in the bottom floor, the second floor would be a big living area, third floor would be two bedrooms and the top floor would be in the slanted bin part which would be the master bedroom with a sky light. I just think it would be pretty awesome.
However, now I’d like to get a small home, honestly it’s just me currently…. So yeah I think I’d just want a smallish house, to be my bachelor pad. If I got a big house most of it would just sit as empty space, and I have zero desire to go buy stuff and furniture just to fill empty space. As I apparently lived like a “serial killer” when I had my apartment in Indy last year, as I didn’t even have enough stuff to fill a studio apartment. But, honestly this is what I like, I guess I’m just more of a minimalist…. Which is good because I hate getting rid of stuff so that way I don’t have to throw away stuff when I don’t ever buy it to start with.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Oct. 27th - Wall
October 27th, 2010
See the Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China, built around 200 B.C. is still the only man made structure that can be seen from space. It has a ton of history accumulated over the years and was built to stop one of my favorite historical groups, the Mongols. Not to mention inspiring the name of 95% of the Chinese restaurants in the United States.
Seeing it would also allow me to see China which would be another nice experience as well, not a lot to say about this item as its pretty self-explanatory so yeah, I’d like to visit the Great Wall of China someday.
See the Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China, built around 200 B.C. is still the only man made structure that can be seen from space. It has a ton of history accumulated over the years and was built to stop one of my favorite historical groups, the Mongols. Not to mention inspiring the name of 95% of the Chinese restaurants in the United States.
Seeing it would also allow me to see China which would be another nice experience as well, not a lot to say about this item as its pretty self-explanatory so yeah, I’d like to visit the Great Wall of China someday.
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