Missing book: Exterminators vol 5

http://www.amazon.com/Exterminators-Vol-Bug-Brothers-Forever/dp/1401219705

After the big move, I was looking through our books and discovered that this one was missing.  I know I own it, but can't find it anywhere.  It's may have been loaned to someone, but can't remember.  If this jolts your memory in a "oh crap, I forgot about that, it's somewhere under my bed" kind of way, please let me know. 

I really need to set up a library card system.  My memory failure is ridiculous.

It's been a little while...

We've been in the new apartment full time for over a month now.

"But Jeff, weren't you supposed to move in January?"

Yes.  Behold the joy of real estate in New York, where the lawyer's office was closed for months due to Hurricane Sandy, and that wasn't the main problem.  But let's not bother with the details.  It's over now.  Stop living in the past.

We still have lots of work to do cleaning out the old apartment.  The biggest challenge is removing the wall to wall, floor to ceiling bookshelves, and finding space for all that they had accumulated - so many toys shall be boxed :(

The child is 19 months old now.  He is saying things like "Oh no!", "Nooooooooooo!" (that's the overly dramatic, Darth Vader just learned of Padme's death Noooooo), "Meow meow", and random babbling.   He is glued to PBS every morning, and utterly fascinated by anything with wheels.  He is always playing with a Hot Wheels Batmobile. 

That is, of course, when he's not playing in the oven, or climbing the book cases, or running back and forth screaming with glee, or utterly refusing to eat his favorite foods, or torturing the cat, etc., etc.

Let's see, what else...

Dad lost his job a couple months ago for bullshit reasons...

Mom came down and spent the night on Wednesday.  Two of my aunts were coming down to see the city again, and they invited her along.  The child was terrified of her at first, because it's only the second time he's seen her.  But she did bring him the Batmobiles from upstate, so he was happy.

Overall, still exhausted as fuck.  I put the child to bed, pass out, wake up three hours later to clean up, go back to sleep, wake up two hours later for the rest of the day.

Every once in a while, I get the urge (but not the energy or idea) to draw or write.

And finally, a request:  Please please please fill my inbox with whatever you are working on.  Sketches, photos, pages, music, scripts, whatever.  Thanks.

A (New) Place for My Stuff

Keeping with the tradition started since college of not staying in the same place for more than four years, we are moving in January.

We're not moving to California...yet.  That's been put off by a few years with these new plans.

We're not leaving Brooklyn.

Heck, we're not even leaving the building.

We're moving across the hall and down two floors.

A 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment at the back of the building.  No street noise (thank fuck), less sunlight (eh...), slightly larger kitchen, more closet space...

Oh, and I won't have to paint a wall or build another shelf.  The in-Laws are taking care of EVERYTHING, including the hiring of movers.

(Hey, I heard that sigh of relief!  Don't you deny it!)

This, plus the storage space in the basement (where all of my comic boxes reside, instead of my closet) means a whole lot of room for more stuff.  Which will be very helpful when we're ready for Grayson to have (a) sibling(s).

In other news, my desktop PC is dead.  I don't know what's wrong with it (I replaced the power supply because the old one was whining a lot), but nothing else changed.  It won't start up for more than five seconds without shutting down.

In other, other news, we've all been sick for the past couple of weeks.  I had a brief cold, then was fine, and a week later it came back with a vengeance.  The in-Laws were here last weekend (that's when they saw the other apartment available) and helped out a lot.  It's a good thing we missed out on NYCC, because we'd all be miserable.

Taking a little trip upstate

Finally going to see my parents this Labor Day weekend.  They haven't met Jillian yet, and obviously not Grayson, either.

It's been almost three years since I've seen my family.

I'm kinda looking forward to it.

Put these in your ear holes to embiggen your life.

"I don't listen to podcasts."

"I hate iTunes."

These are things I hear and don't fully understand.

The first, because that's like saying "I don't watch TV/read books/read comics/listen to music/watch movies/intake that medium".  I understand some can't do it because they lose focus or get distracted.  That's an acceptable excuse.

As for hating iTunes...  Here's a program that automatically keeps all of your content organized and up to date.  Yes, Apple may update it, and when you are synching a device there's a glitch and you have to wait for the next update to fix it.  I understand the frustration.  But it works so well for all of its other uses.

Many podcasts have websites where you can subscribe through an RSS feed.  There's also Stitcher Radio which you can subscribe to whatever you want and it will stream to your device.

For those of you like myself who are financially declined (and, I suppose, those of you who are financially inclined), you can appreciate that most podcasts are free.  Many offer premium content for those who pay/donate.

To what do I listen when working or commuting, you may ask?  Please allow me to offer some suggestions.

This Week in Blackness Radio (Formerly known as Blacking It Up) and The AfterBlack, as well as We Nerd Hard (back from a long hiatus).  (Elon James White, Aaron Rand Freeman, and friends)

Bullseye. (Jesse Thorn)

Comedy and Everything Else, and the Jimmy Dore Show.

The Dana Gould Hour.

Girl on Guy with Aisha Tyler. (Go on YouTube and search for NOASSATALL,  die laughing.)

Kevin Pollak's Chat Show, and Talkin' Walkin'.

The Mental Illness Happy Hour. (Paul Gilmartin)

Mohr Stories. (Jay Mohr)

The Pod F. Tompkast, and The Dead Authors Podcast. (Paul F. Tompkins)

RISK! (Kevin Allison aka The Red Head Gay from The State)

The Smartest Man in the World. (Greg Proops from Whose Line Is It, Anyway?)

This Week with Larry Miller.

What The Fuck. (Marc Maron)

And just about everything from Nerdist is pretty fun.

(This post took about three weeks to complete.  Babies are demanding.  I've gotten 13.5 hours of sleep in the past four days.)

So...a lot has happened.

Just about everyone knows this anyway, but what the hell.

My son Grayson was born about six weeks ago. There won't be pictures here, as Jillian has entirely justifiable privacy concerns. Feel free to email for them, though.

We're all exhausted, of course.

Amazon baby registry

Due to privacy concerns, Jillian doesn't want any pictures of herself on the Internet. I'll send photos through email in a couple days.

Hey, my parents just saw them on Wednesday.

Anyway, people have asked for the baby registry, so here you go:

http://www.amazon.com/registry/baby/11ZEG98NA5GP2

Clothes, books, and carrying wraps are the priority. Toys can wait a while...I guess...

Photos on the way

Wedding and ultrasound photographs are on the way. I just need time to pick which ones to put up.

Oh, and we'll be at NYCC, through the generosity of my in-laws.

Have you ever danced with the Devil in the pale moonlight?

Go to the links and check out the galleries.

Michael Keaton as Batman (1989) 12" Figure


Jack Nicholson as Joker (1989) 12" Figure


I don't usually go for the really big, intricately detailed, super poseable, very expensive superhero toys, but DAYUM! I really want these. Granted, there's no place to put them AT ALL, but that's never stopped me before.

If you really want me to be happy...

You'll get me a set of the Batman Incorporated toys that come out this week. And an extra Batman so I can spray-paint it with gloss black enamel.

(Okay, don't do that. I'll be begging for more important stuff later on.)

Oh, btw, getting married on the 19th.

Got Blackness?

http://bccostudios.com/

I got hooked on to the works of one comedian and activist Elon James White through Jillian. My exposure first started with a video series entitled This Week in Blackness. While the title is somewhat misleading (not exactly weekly, nor has it been updated in a while), it has been entertaining and thought-provoking.

Outside of TWiB, EJW hosts an audio podcast (available through iTunes) called Blacking it Up, which broadcasts live through Ustream Monday through Friday. Joining Mr White is critically acclaimed, internationally renowned poet Ms Bassey Ikpi, and America's Premiere straight man*, Mr Aaron Rand Freeman. In this program, they talk about politics, current events, and whatever else is on their minds.

On Sundays, there are two live audio podcasts, also available through iTunes. One is called the JTMScast, covering all sorts of nerdery, hosted by Tatiana King. What does JTMS stand for? Any proper nerd would recognize the line "Jaga, take my strength! As lord of the Thundercats, I command you!"

They nerd hard. It's not a game!

The other Sunday podcast is called The White House. It is generally a blend of the other two shows, with a bigger focus of telling stories and of friends just hanging out and having fun, and anything goes.

I spend my working days listening to this stuff. It keeps me entertained and challenged. I love it. Please listen, and share it with friends.


* - in comedic terms, not sexual identity terms.

Dorothy Brady, RIP

So, my paternal grandmother died Friday night.

Dorothy Rasmussen Brady, 89, of Deer Creek Blvd., Meco, passed away Friday, March 4, 2011, at home with her loving family at her side.

She was born in Cleveland, Ohio on May 3, 1921, a daughter of the late Lewis M. and Catherine McNealy Rasmussen.

During World War II, Dorothy was one of the first women to enlist in the U.S. Navy WAVES Program, and served her country as a pharmacist's mate 2nd class dental technician. While on duty in Oxford, Ohio, she met her husband, James Brady, whom she married on November 21, 1944. After the war, the couple resided in Chicago, Ill., where they raised seven children.

The Bradys moved to New York in 1970 and settled in Broadalbin. After many years as a homemaker, Dorothy spent nine years as an employee of the Fulton County Infirmary. She moved to Meco after the death of her husband in 2001.

Dorothy had deep feelings about volunteerism and cheerfully gave of her time wherever help was needed. Starting as a volunteer receptionist in a local hospital in Chicago, she continued her work in New York as co-chairman of the ladies Auxiliary of the Fulton County Infirmary and as a library attendant at the Wilkinson Memorial Book Station in Broadalbin.

She was a member of the Johnstown Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and served many terms as chairman of its National Defense Committee.

Dorothy was a communicant of the Holy Trinity Parish in Johnstown.

In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by a great-grandson, Henry Bruckelmyer.

Dorothy is survived by her seven children, 13 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren of whom she was very proud; and several nieces and nephews.

Heading to California

We're flying out to Long Beach tomorrow to spend Christmas with Jillian's parents, and flying back on the 29th. Bowie will be at our place to take care of Wash while we're gone.

I'm looking forward to the upper 60s weather.


It's my second time flying. The first time was in 2003 for my friend Thom's wedding in Tacoma, WA.

I'm so very tired.

32, the Flu, Dad's Stroke, and JerrySpringerville

Last Monday was my 32nd birthday. We celebrated by taking advantage of a secret Black Monday sale at a comic shop and knocked a couple of Absolute editions off of my wish list. That night, we started to feel the early symptoms. Tuesday was more of the same, but Wednesday was miserable. At least Jillian didn't have a fever. Mine broke early Thanksgiving morning - and Wash decided it was the perfect time for breakfast.

For Thanksgiving, we had some fake drumsticks from May Wah, sweet potato corn bread, wild rice with cranberries & almonds, lentil loaf, mushroom gravy, roasted garlic & veggies, mashed potatoes, pecan pie, and cranberry cheesecake. We spent the rest of the day and Friday just resting.

Saturday we started to finally organize our bookshelves. We're through half of the books (not counting the comics on the shelves, they've been organized since Day One), and almost out of shelf space.

It was 2:30 AM when I realized Mom had called me multiple times, with two vague messages of "call me back, it's important!" So I called, and surprisingly, Mom was quick to answer. That morning, Dad had felt dizzy, and his left fingers were tingling, and soon had a strong headache. He told Mom to call an ambulance.

Meanwhile, his own mother was in the hospital having ten pounds of fluid drained, for the second time.

Dad was taken to the local hospital and had some tests. He had a "small" stroke. There wasn't any blood in his brain, but there was a lot of pressure on his eyes. Aside from that, Dad seemed okay; he was awake and functional. Mom said that he was in better shape than she was. The doctors had him transferred to Albany. Barring any other problems, he should be released in a few days.

Now, for the Jerry Springer part of our show:

My ex-brother-in-law is engaged to a woman who doesn't want him to have any ties to his previous life, and she doesn't know her ass from her elbow. He owes my parents a lot of money, and one day he calls up my sister and tells her that she'll have to pay it, that he's not doing it anymore. So Mom calls and leaves a generic message at his home and on his cell phone. He then texts my sister saying that if Mom calls him again, he'll charge her with harassment. And I'm pretty sure that he has custody of the kids, since it was my sister who left for another man (and that sure as hell didn't work out).

Edit:

Dad came home Monday night. They couldn't find anything else wrong with him. He just has to take aspirin for the rest of his life.

Bath Time

This is Wash after a very necessary bath. (I'm just now getting the pictures from my camera. Sooo lazy.)

I woke up Sunday morning, fed Wash, and went back to bed. Got up a little bit later to discover he pissed on one of the dividing curtains we have separating the entrance from the living room. He must have gotten tripped up into the curtain as well, because he got his own piss on him.

Into the sink he went!

As you can guess, he was not pleased.

Red

Very loosely based on the comic if the same name by Warren Ellis & Cully Hamner.

It's great fun. Go see it.

Some good news

I'm going back to work on Thursday. Same job I had before.

Washburne Van Gogh

Behold, our new kitty.

Washburne - from the Firefly character, because of his friendly demeanor.

Van Gogh - after Vincent Van Gogh. His left ear had mites which cut off some blood vessels, preventing it from growing properly.

Wash is about three years old. He was abandoned by a previous owner. Another couple had found him in their back yard and fed him for a little while, but as they had two cats (and a third that recently died of cancer), they weren't ready to take him in. So they talked to their friends, and their friends work with my friends, who knew we are very kitty friendly. The couple has paid for all of his shots and other medicine. We have to wait a few weeks before taking him in for the Big Snip.

Wash has kitty HIV. It's not a big deal for cats as it is in humans. But if we adopt another cat while we have Wash, it should already have HIV, otherwise Wash will infect it.

We've had him for two hours now. He's making himself comfortable on the couch, sleeping next to me.

Sorry for the spam

My email account was hacked. BOOOO! Ah well, one new password later...

Table giveaway

I've had this table since I first moved to Astoria, and it has served me well. It's bade of a ballistic textured plastic and can hold up to 400 lbs. Six feet long, 30 inches deep, and 30 inches tall. It locks into position when unfolded. Each half has a handle so it stays closed when you're carrying it.

The table is now redundant in this apartment. Jillian doesn't want it around, and I don't want to throw it out. I paid $80 for it six years ago, and there's nothing wrong with it.

If anyone is interested in taking it (or know someone who would), please let me know. Otherwise, it goes on Craigslist.