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NOVEMBER 2007 BLOG ARCHIVE

For current and ongoing blog entries: http://www.thrillfactory.com/

NOVEMBER 30, 2007

Much has been made about the "leaked" Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull images online. Some sites posted them, then removed them just as quickly, claiming to have been ordered to do so by the "powers that be". In any case, IGN seems to have locked onto them and they're not letting go.

As spoilers go, I'd rate these as very light in danger. Still, I'll crop the thumbnails to protect the innocent.

I am ready to tear my teeth out with anticipation for this thing.

NOVEMBER 25, 2007

Every once in a while, life forces you to reevaluate. Circumstances change. Things rarely become less complex.

When I first came to Boston in 2002, it was, ostensibly, to pursue the best that medical science had to offer in light of my multiple sclerosis diagnosis. Also, my new wife felt she needed the support of family and close friends to help us through whatever that diagnosis would bring. Totally sensible. And, hell, I needed a break.

At the time, I still felt that I could maintain the career I had developed in Los Angeles, albeit using e-mails, conference calls and fax machines to keep myself viable. I never told my agent, my lawyer or my manager anything about my illness, fearing (rightly so) that their confidence in me as a client would dissipate. Nonetheless, after working long-distance on a few Miramax-Dimension projects, it became clear that I really needed to be in L.A., taking the meetings in person, networking in the flesh, pushing my stuff through the system.

My professional momentum took a hit. Not long after completing Chelsea Tap in '04, my creative momentum followed. Since then, I have clung to the notion that a return to Los Angeles -- re-immersing myself in the creative community that was once my very lifeblood -- would be all that was necessary to help me regain that momentum.

But, as I said, circumstances change.

It has been so long since I have been a part of that world, that I no longer know if I could return to it. I haven't really written any serious new material in over three years, and mostly haven't cared that I didn't. I am distanced from the thriving environment that I needed, and so I have no peers with which to compare or compete. My marriage and my baby make the notion seem kind of trivial now.

I still have stories to tell. I still have a point of view, and I still feel the need to communicate. I just don't know if I have the oomph to commit 6-12 months to a single project anymore, with another year of workshopping, pitching, rewrites etc. I think I may have grown out of the whole thing.

This could all seem very sad, but it is actually kind of a relief. Annemarie and I have been working under a giant ticking clock, gearing up for a return to California that was putting extraordinary pressures on both of us.

- What would we do when we got there?

- What would we do if I wasn't able to "recapture the magic" ?

- Who would be there for us when I got sicker?

- Where does the baby fit in?

- etc etc etc pshaw!!

What little creative energy I have left seems better spent on my wife and my daughter, on establishing a new home that will enable me to continue to manage my illness and care for my family, on simple pleasures and quiet introspection, and on good friends who like me whether I write or not. All of these things have helped my MS more than any medication ever has.

And, one day, the lightning bolt may hit me again. I may sit at the PC and start firing off some post-modern classic that had been cooking away in my subconscious without my knowing it. I may dispatch it to L.A. in a plain, brown wrapper and the old magic may just turn the world on one more time.

Or maybe it will suck.

Shit... Isak Dinesen wrote only four novels in her 72 years on Earth, so I've got time.

NOVEMBER 19, 2007

Might as well make it official. Thrill Factory endorses Congressman Dennis Kucinich for President of the United States.

Brian DePalma's Redacted is one powerful piece of work. I mean, you COULD go see Bee Movie or whatever, but you SHOULD see Redacted... if for no other reason than Bill O'Reilly doesn't want you to.

I really should point your attention to A.J. Jacobs' new book The Year of Living Biblically. He set out to follow all 600 of the Old Testament Commandments for twelve months. Some of it was easy and gratifying (be nice to your parents), while other aspects were evidence of the usual batshit insanity of the 'Good Book' (don't shake another man's hand unless you're certain he has not ejaculated within the past 24 hours). I have to give him credit.

NOVEMBER 14, 2007

A TEN COMMANDMENTS for ATHEISTS

1. Do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you.

2. In all things, strive to cause no harm.

3. Always be ready to forgive wrongdoing freely admitted and honestly regretted.

4. Live life with a sense of joy and wonder. Always be learning something new.

5. Be ready to discard even a cherished belief if it does not conform to the facts.

6. Do not allow yourself to be led blindly by others.

7. Enjoy your own sex life and leave others to enjoy theirs.

8. Do not discriminate or oppress on the basis of sex, race or (as far as possible) species.

9. Do not indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think for themselves.

10. Value the future on a timescale longer than your own lifespan.

Adapted from The God Delusion. And never forget: faith in that which cannot be supported by evidence is a Superstition, NOT a Virtue.

NOVEMBER 11, 2007

Just some quick hits.

Dennis Kucinich nearly forced the full House to vote on his measure to impeach Dick Cheney. You go, Big D!

Check out this really cool fan-made Star Wars Super Poster. Makes the perfect wallpaper.

NOVEMBER 9, 2007

I've been off the radar for the past week while I set up the new PC, installed all of my can't-live-without-it software, and troubleshot all the compatibility issues with Windows Vista. I am finally ready to blog again, and I've got a bunch of material, so get a helmet.

DURAN DURAN

It's only four more days until the new album drops, and I can't wait. There have been so many opportunities to spoil it for myself (from YouTube videos of the Barrymore Theater shows in New York, to full-on CD quality downloads of the entire damn album posted to BitTorrent, to the track-by-track premiere -- with commentary by Simon and Nick -- that aired on Sirius last night) but I am proud to say I am holding off to do it the right way. Tuesday night. A pot of coffee. And 5.1 Dolby Digital. Tell it to the Judge!

ANNAMAE

New pictures and video will be uploaded on Sunday (I hope).

She's crawling like a rocket now, and pulling herself up into a stand using anything that can support her weight. She's getting into everything, and because we are growing out of our apartment, it's proving to be a challenge to baby-proof.

INTERIOR DESIGN

The three-bedroom unit we are dying to move into is not ready until after the first of the year, so Annemarie and I are faced with making some tough choices. It looks like my office will have to become a Baby Zone, meaning the computer workstation goes into the main living area, the Star Wars action figures go back into storage, and the DVDs go onto spindles while their snapcases go into storage as well. Putting the baby's crib and playpen and stuff into the office would open up much-needed space elsewhere in the apartment, so it won't be so bad, really. It was time I re-evaluated the Star Wars collection anyway.

ACTION FIGURES

Hasbro has been dumping a lot of filler (repaints of previously released figures, 'expanded universe' characters from the novels and video games, etc) so I had to take it back to the roots and limit myself to just the figures that looked awesome and really represented the films. Approaching from that angle, there might actually be a time when I can be 'done' collecting, instead of always racing to keep up with Hasbro's infinite output.

STRIKE

The writers strike is in full swing in Hollywood, so a shout of support goes out to all, of course. I've been getting questions about the strike from some folks, presumably because I dabbled in that world when I lived in L.A. Rather than waste space here, I just direct all inquiries to this AlterNet piece written by actor Alec Baldwin and featuring a brief video that sums the whole thing up nicely.

POLITICS

The news media seem to have made the decision that Hillary Clinton will be the ultimate Democratic candidate for the 2008 election. While I support the possibility of a smart female in that role, I'm far from convinced that she is the best choice. Considering that eventual 2004 candidate John Kerry was in sixth place at this stage, I'd say its still anybody's game to lose.

Strictly speaking from conscience, Dennis Kucinich is closest philosophically to both Annemarie and I, but, tragically, I don't think he is electable.

I am close to making a prediction and an endorsement for a candidate, so keep an eye out for that within the next week or so.

As far as the opposition is concerned, Batshit Insane Jesus Freak (is there any other kind?) Pat Robertson has endorsed Rudy Giuliani for president, on the grounds that his victory is foretold in the book of Revelations. This is the kind of stuff that makes me really glad to be an atheist.

ATHEISM - - YEAH!

I'm getting a big kick out of being a vocal, militant atheist. I have begun wearing my 'scarlet letter A' pin everywhere I go, which invariably leads to questions about its significance, which then opens the door for me to reveal (proudly) my rejection of whatever it is the curious person believes. And, to be honest, I wind up getting more back-handed agreement than strenuous argument. Its almost like most people are atheists deep down inside, like they know that the idea of an invisible man in space who watches everything they do is ludicrous, but their childhood indoctrination and subsequent social reinforcement is so insidiously implanted that they lack the strength of will to let it go (it's not for nothing that the church stresses the importance of ritual sacrament several times before puberty).

This must be what it was like for thoughtful women before they got the vote, or African-Americans before civil rights, or gays before the sexual revolution of the 70s.

The interesting thing is: you can be elected to public office if you're a woman, or African-American, or gay, or even if you are a gay African-American woman. But if you're an atheist? Forget it. And that has got to change. So when anyone asks me why I'm so outspoken about my atheism, its because we atheists have had enough of the God lobby. And we want to give strength to those others who need it.

Which leads right into the new YouTube video under Stuff To Watch. It's the great Richard Dawkins speaking at an atheism symposium, and deals with a lot of what I have just said. Sit back and dig it.

INDIANA JONES

Production has wrapped on the new movie, and there are rumors of a trailer by Thanksgiving. Boo-yah!

NOVEMBER 1, 2007

Sincerest apologies to all you readers of the site for the lack of new content in the past few weeks, but if you've been keeping score, you know things have been a bit problematic computer-wise. The trusty Sony VAIO went completely belly-up (although buddy Mike thinks he can save it with Linux -- we'll see). Graham at ShamNet.com saved my precious data (including pics and video of the Baby Annamae taken just before the crash), and I can't be more grateful... but ultimately an entirely new computer was the way to go. I am expecting delivery of a pimped-out Dell in just a few days, and man-oh-man I couldn't be more anxious. No BitTorrents, no DVD burning, no Pastrami Moon, no iPod syncs, no RSS for TWO AND A HALF WEEKS? I could put my face through a plate glass window! Soon, everything will be back to normal. Whatever that is.

During the break, the baby started crawling.

Annemarie turned 34, we celebrated our fifth anniversary, and she finally got her iPhone (I'm holding off on mine for now).

I gained about five pounds (not having internet access makes you hungry for calzones).

We celebrated the baby's first Halloween by dressing up as the Skywalker family (Darth Vader and Padme with baby Leia -- pics coming soon).

Our buddies Mike and Sharon announced they will be moving to New York this summer. Bummed.

I downsized my CD collection by putting a lot of them onto spindles. I filled a banker's box with the redundant jewel cases and left it in the trash room on my floor. Within minutes, the box was gone, no doubt grabbed up by someone who thought it was their lucky day. That was a week ago. Today, I went to dump some trash and the jewel cases were all over the trash room, as if thrown there in rabid frustration. I just thought that was hysterical.

See you tomorrow...

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