Templar569

Why so serious?

templar569@hotmail.com — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:32:39 GMT

Finally got to see Dark Knight. I'm glad I did. Great frickin' movie, though I wish Bale's performance was as strong as the rest of the cast's. It's funny how the supposed star of the show has the least to really do. And it would have been nice to see them give a little more time to Two-Face, but overall they handled him really well.

Oh, and Heath better get a nomination. An amazing piece of work there.

I'm going to be smart...

templar569@hotmail.com — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:27:51 GMT

and take some inspiration from Aries and break my vacation stuff into manageable pieces, with pics as needed (NSF 56K!). So...we'll start with general impressions of Eleuthera and the first day or so of the trip.

General Impressions
August is the low season here. Apparently 90 degrees Fahrenheit and humid with a chance of hurricane lacks appeal for your average vacationer. Go figure.

The island's population is only ~11,000, many of whom live on the north of Governor's Harbour (notice the British spelling). Basically, if you see more than three cars on the road going either direction it's virtually a traffic jam. And if you see anyone else on the beach it's a crowd.

Essentially, Eleuthera is not an island for people who want to *do* things. If, however, you want to have craptons of privacy and quiet, it's well worth your consideration. This phenomenon is compounded by staying at Le Sable Rose, where due to its isolation we were able to run in pants-optional mode pretty much the entire time.

Sunday, 8/2
If I slept 3 hours I'd be surprised. The limo was due at 4:30, but I was up and about by 3:00 AM. Still and all it was fine, got to the airport plenty early and check-in went smoothly. Less smooth was the flight itself, which was scheduled to leave at 7:05 AM. Actual departure time? 9:25 AM due to weather. However, our connecting flight had been changed to a later time anyway, so we didn't miss it. We flew into Governor's Harbour airport on a 19-seater prop plane, which wasn't nearly as unpleasant as it may sound.

Got our rental car and headed south. Driving on the left side of the road took a bit of adjusting but it became simple enough after a few minutes. The side roads here are pretty rough but navigable. I could feel Charlene tensing up a bit as the road to Le Sable Road got less and less civilized...

...and I have to admit to a moment or two of trepidation myself.

After what seemed like an interminable ride, we reached our destination. It's cute enough, but man is it hot. Until, that is we go around front and the sea breeze caresses us and the aquamarine, turquoise and sapphire of the Atlantic kicks us in our travel-weary eyeballs. It's gorgeous and quiet and all is right with the world.

To our delight, the interior of the place is actually nicer than the pictures on the website. A rare thing indeed!

We grab some supplies in town, take a swim and read on the porch for a bit before retiring early.

I'll post more as the days go by and I find the time. Thanks for reading!

A preview of the upcoming big post

templar569@hotmail.com — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:23:23 GMT

The view from the north end of our porch in Eleuthera...

Back from my trip!

templar569@hotmail.com — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:09:14 GMT

Did I miss anything interesting? I see I missed an NYC meet with Aaron and Buzzard, which makes me sad inside, but did I miss anything else?

I'll post a nice long tale of two vacations soon, perhaps tonight or tomorrow. There will be pics. Good ones. And yes, I will be wearing pants in them. Crotchless ones, but pants nonetheless.

How did our summer baseball season end?

templar569@hotmail.com — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:53:25 GMT

With an unassisted triple play, courtesy of the best fielding kid on the other team being in the right spot and having a seven-year-old and a kid with ADHD whose meds balance isn't always exactly right on base. A fitting cap to the season, I think!

Still, the kids had a great time and I got to see a few of them really develop over the last six weeks. And of course they forgot all about the game as we sat around eating the pizza I had delivered to the field as a treat for all the kids. (We had money left over in the budget, I'm not *that* big of a sport.)

The downside? I know I'm going to be drafted to run fall ball now, because of how smoothly things went this summer. I am such a sucker.

templar569@hotmail.com — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:26:23 GMT

Can't believe we leave for the Bahamas in less than 72 hours. Mad props to Aries and PK for the link to the place we're staying. Hopefully I'll be able to give you guys an update or two while we're there!

templar569@hotmail.com — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:15:28 GMT

I'd like to see an entire week go by on FO without seeing at least one fucktard who just doesn't get the joke bagging on my boy Buzzard. At least almost everyone's finally gotten past the whole "A'Gaeris is a Nazi" nonsense.

Bum-bum BADAAA, DADADAAAAAAAAA!!

templar569@hotmail.com — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:03:31 GMT

Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0
created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as James Bond, Agent 007

James Bond is MI6's best agent, a suave, sophisticated super spy with charm, cunning, and a license's to kill. He doesn't care about rules or regulations and somewhat amoral. He does care about saving humanity though, as well as the beautiful women who fill his world. Bond has expensive tastes, a wide knowledge of many subjects, and his usually armed with a clever gadget and an appropriate one-liner.

James Bond, Agent 007

75%

William Wallace

63%

Maximus

54%

Batman, the Dark Knight

50%

Captain Jack Sparrow

50%

The Amazing Spider-Man

50%

Neo, the "One"

46%

The Terminator

38%

El Zorro

38%

Lara Croft

38%

Indiana Jones

29%

templar569@hotmail.com — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:19:22 GMT

My older daughter is turing into a G-I-R-L. This is somewhat distressing. :-(

Yeah, circle of life, that's what happens, kids grow up, blah blah blah. Knowing it intellectually doesn't make it any easier for Daddy to handle emotionally, you know.

Gotta teach these durn kids everything...

templar569@hotmail.com — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:37:49 GMT

As I fired up TF2 yesterday, my son, who occasionally plays on my account, came over to me all excited and informed me he had gotten me the Flare Gun.

He was somewhat taken aback when I pinned him with the stink eye and said "You did what?"

And he gamely went on, telling me "Yeah, Tyler and I found these servers where you can get achievements..." and trailed off as I fixed him with a second stink eye.

I explained to him that A) It's my game, not his and if I want achievements unlocked I'll do it myself and B) achievement farming is verboten in my household.

I felt pretty bad about it this morning, though, because I know he meant well and was sorry that he did it once I explained things to him. Fortunately he was up before I left for work this morning, so I let him know I knew he meant well, just that he had to understand I liked to unlock the achievements in the course of playing and that farming is for lamers. Getting together with a couple of buddies to do the really tough ones at the end is OK, but farming is icky.

He bounced back OK, though, when I told him that when the Sniper and Engineer achievements come out, they're all his. He just better not try that stuff with the Heavy or the Soldier, or he's grounded. :-p

templar569@hotmail.com — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 21:53:00 GMT

By the by, Dr. Horrible was awesome. :-)

templar569@hotmail.com — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:02:19 GMT

The Avatar series finale was overflowing with awesome. It bubbled over with more coolness than just about anything I've seen in a long time. Seriously, if you are on my F-list and haven't watched this show at all yet, maybe because you assume (not without a bit of merit) that a show on Nick couldn't possibly have any real appeal for a grown up, I wish you'd give it a try. You're denying yourself a real treat.

templar569@hotmail.com — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:47:13 GMT

You ever want to feel like you'll never lift your arm over your head again? Throw BP for two hours.

templar569@hotmail.com — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:23:01 GMT

I can't believe it's only two weeks before we head off to Eleuthera. Where the heck has the time gone?

templar569@hotmail.com — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:30:25 GMT

I'm just going to join the pack here and say that Dr. Horrible was a pretty fun way to kill a half hour at lunch today.

templar569@hotmail.com — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:20:38 GMT

Yay, finally new Avatar episodes!! Best American 'toon since JLU, I think.

I did something today I never thought I'd do...

templar569@hotmail.com — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:11:34 GMT

Order Yankees tickets. Seems wrong for a boy who loves baseball the way mine does not to see the place once, even though I detest those pinstripe wearing stinkers.

This link is for Stagepin...

templar569@hotmail.com — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:38:56 GMT

...and I advise Jimmy to avoid it at all costs:

http://www.evil-comic.com/archive/20080702.html

templar569@hotmail.com — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:33:55 GMT

So my wife comes to visit me for lunch today, and really goes out of her way to doll herself up. Nice new clothes, hair just so, new earrings, the whole bit. Just looked great.

And where does she want to go for lunch, all done up like it's a first date or something? What is it she truly craves to break her fast? Arby's. No, seriously. Arby's. She just wanted some roast beef. I couldn't even talk her into going somewhere else, even though it felt ridiculous. Honestly, how low maintenance can you get?

I was actually laughing at the whole thing, because it was like we were 17-year-olds with the girl getting all done up and the guy feeling like a tool because he can't afford to take her somewhere nicer. It was hilarious.

But like Bugs Bunny says, "What Baby wants, Baby gets."

templar569@hotmail.com — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:45:22 GMT

I think if you use expressions like "heteronormativity" in an unironic way, you should probably take a step back and re-examine your life. I mean really, could you be any more pretentious?

templar569@hotmail.com — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:56:25 GMT

Someday, some wonderful day, I am going to have a job that does not involve cleaning up other people's improperly done crap. I'm really liking it here, but I find myself doing exactly what I've been doing for the past six years: playing actuarial janitor.

templar569@hotmail.com — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:21:44 GMT

If it's wrong to think the thread about the guy taking the Host instead of eating it is the funniest thing I've read on FO in some time, I'm fine with being wrong. Because it's hilarious, at least if you're neutral on the subject of religion and can just sit back and watch the fireworks without getting emotionally invested.

Edit: And it introduced me to the term "flaming douchnozzle," which is being added to my lexicon for certain.

An addendum to the movie thing

templar569@hotmail.com — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:16:34 GMT

Apparently, it's EW's top 100 movies of the past 25 years. And as I perused Zishan's list, it occurred to me: How the heck is The Shawshank Redemption not on this list? I mean really. It's #2 on IMDB's top movie list, and it's an amazing piece of work even absent that. If the South Park movie makes it, how does this one not?

templar569@hotmail.com — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:33:42 GMT

1. Pulp Fiction (1994)
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03)
3. Titanic (1997)
4. Blue Velvet (1986)
5. Toy Story (1995)
6. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
7. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
8. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
9. Die Hard (1988)
10. Moulin Rouge (2001)
11. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
12. The Matrix (1999)
13. GoodFellas (1990)
14. Crumb (1995)
15. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
16. Boogie Nights (1997)
17. Jerry Maguire (1996)
18. Do the Right Thing (1989)
19. Casino Royale (2006)
20. The Lion King (1994)
21. Schindler's List (1993)
22. Rushmore (1998)
23. Memento (2001)
24. A Room With a View (1986)
25. Shrek (2001)
26. Hoop Dreams (1994)
27. Aliens (1986)
28. Wings of Desire (1988)
29. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
30. When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
31. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
32. Fight Club (1999)
33. The Breakfast Club (1985)
34. Fargo (1996)
35. The Incredibles (2004)
36. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
37. Pretty Woman (1990)
38. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
39. The Sixth Sense (1999)
40. Speed (1994)
41. Dazed and Confused (1993)
42. Clueless (1995)
43. Gladiator (2000)
44. The Player (1992)
45. Rain Man (1988) (Own it, but haven't watched it yet)
46. Children of Men (2006)
47. Men in Black (1997)
48. Scarface (1983)
49. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
50. The Piano (1993)
51. There Will Be Blood (2007)
52. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988)
53. The Truman Show (1998)
54. Fatal Attraction (1987)
55. Risky Business (1983)
56. The Lives of Others (2006)
57. There’s Something About Mary (1998)
58. Ghostbusters (1984)
59. L.A. Confidential (1997)
60. Scream (1996)
61. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
62. sex, lies and videotape (1989)
63. Big (1988)
64. No Country For Old Men (2007)
65. Dirty Dancing (1987)
66. Natural Born Killers (1994)
67. Donnie Brasco (1997)
68. Witness (1985)
69. All About My Mother (1999)
70. Broadcast News (1987)
71. Unforgiven (1992)
72. Thelma & Louise (1991)
73. Office Space (1999)
74. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
75. Out of Africa (1985)
76. The Departed (2006)
77. Sid and Nancy (1986)
78. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
79. Waiting for Guffman (1996)
80. Michael Clayton (2007)
81. Moonstruck (1987)
82. Lost in Translation (2003)
83. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)
84. Sideways (2004)
85. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
86. Y Tu Mamá También (2002)
87. Swingers (1996)
88. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
89. Breaking the Waves (1996)
90. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
91. Back to the Future (1985)
92. Menace II Society (1993)
93. Ed Wood (1994)
94. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
95. In the Mood for Love (2001)
96. Far From Heaven (2002)
97. Glory (1989)
98. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
99. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
100. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)

My God, it's full of nerds!

templar569@hotmail.com — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:34:17 GMT

Every year my wife makes a calendar for Christmas with a different picture of the kids each month and featuring the various important family dates on it. So this morning I flip to July, and I see a picture taken at last year's San Diego Comic Con.

It's the three kids, a Star Wars wall hanging in the background, my son with a Pokemon shirt and my older daughter with an Invader ZIM shirt, each kid wearing a Naruto Hidden Leaf Village headband (signed by the voice actors for Sasuke and Temari) and they are each showing off the Star Wars LEGO miniatures they got from the 501st for evading the Storm Troopers all day.

Poor kids. They really don't stand a chance, do they?