Everything Old Is New Again
Yes, that's right! We've gone retro here at Foresthouse Central. Trixie's Back in Blue (which is much better than being Back in Black, y'know). I am actually planning a brand new design at some point soon, but it's not ready yet. So welcome back to the Mystery Fan Club.
Not *everything* is old, though - I FINALLY got around to something I've been meaning to do for awhile now, which is update my links list over there in the sidebar. -->
So now it has a more accurate representation of the sites I tend to read and pull cool links from most often these days. It also includes sites I just read and laugh hysterically at. So check those out!
Speaking of links, here's the latest in Fun Stuff I've Been Looking At Lately. Totally freakin' disorganized, 'cause it's Friday and I'm TIRED.
Enjoy!
...
First, I have a Tumblr now. Mostly to follow other people, but maybe I'll actually post there, too. :)
Next, a couple of bits of art from our friend John Snyder:
I meant to post this link to the Green Lantern piece from a previous post before the eBay auction ended, but then I got bronchitis. :( Anyway, in case you missed it before, it's great.
And here's the first 'Phoenix Without Ashes' cover (IDW), which was shown at Wondercon recently.
Love the blue. And the geometric shapes vs. the delicate flowers. Gorgeous.
Continuing on,
Alkaline Trio, as recommended to me by @Agent_M
I've heard *of* them but hadn't listened to them before. You can listen at the YouTube page. So far I like them! Check out "Warbrain."
Random Contests from In Touch Weekly
"That Guy"
Have I posted this before? A place to find those stock actors you recognize from several movies but never know the name of.
New Smashing Pumpkins Songs Available for Free Download on Their Site
Iron Man + Pulp Heroes + Girls = This Week's Comics
Complete list of each week's new comics
Movie Theater Etiquette
EW talks to the Georgia Grandfather who bought the 10 billionth song on iTunes - 'I've never won anything!'
Not a lie: Valve updates Portal with secret radio broadcast images
Mysterious Portal Updates - Main Discussion Thread
A Villain Who Can't Kill The Hero Is The Worst Kind Of Asshat
Who Are The X-Men?
Two Literary Superstars Publishing Science Fiction Novels Soon
Scientists Have Discovered Booze That Won't Give You A Hangover
The 75 Books You Should Own For DC Comics' 75th Anniversary
Is Superman Headed To The Courtroom?
I think I already linked another article on this? :)
You Win, Terrorists: Wisconsin Cracks Down On Unsportsmanlike Cheering
Obsessed with smartphones, oblivious to the here and now
For all your Twilight Hating Needs
What Cadbury meant to Birmingham
Found this because I'm thinking about visiting the Cadbury factory in Birmingham, UK when I go there in August for the Discworld Con. Interesting read.
6 Things Men Do To Get Laid That Science Says Turn Women Off
The 5 Creepiest Unsolved Crimes Nobody Can Explain
6 Ridiculous History Myths (You Probably Think Are True)
7 Insane Conspiracies That Actually Happened
6 People Who Secretly Ruled The World
The 5 Creepiest Defense Attorney Websites
Terry Pratchett Helps to Raise Funds for his Village Church
Photos of the church.
History of the church (scroll down)
OK, when I posted this link on Twitter and said, "Hey, I've been there!" I was obviously confused. I *thought* this was this church in Wiltshire, which I really loved, particularly the graveyard. And not just because my friend told me someone famous (who I can't remember now, darn it) is buried there. It was deliciously old, and both amazingly peaceful and slightly creepy at the same time. I kind of wanted to have a picnic in it, but we didn't have time, and anyway my friend might have looked at me like I was crazy if I suggested we hang out on a gravestone and have a snack. Although probably it wouldn't surprise him. Anyway, in fact, this is not the church they are referring to in the article, as anyone looking at the architecture will see. So when I said, "Hey, I've been there!" I was totally just kidding. I am pretty sure it isn't this church that was across the way, either, even though that's a slightly more likely-looking candidate. But anyway. I have been in the vicinity of this church, surely. And now I've probably thoroughly confused everyone with my ramblings. Sorry about that. :)
Speaking of Terry Pratchett, he's posted a news update for April over on his news page.
The Alot is Better Than You at Everything
This post is pretty much my favorite thing of the week. And the rest of the blog is equally hilarious. I've been burning through the previous posts and laughing hysterically. The Easter Bunny and fish stories killed me. Here's another good one: Am Adult.
Superheroes to answer to Whedon: He will direct Marvel's 'Avengers'
BCBG is back on track.
I love BCBG. I love their (now discontinued) Metro and Nature perfumes. I love the ridiculously expensive silk dress I bought from them five years ago, that I have worn everywhere from Barrister's Ball to weddings to the US Discworld Con banquet (I get my money's worth!). But I didn't love what they've been doing for the last year and a half or so, particularly the bit where they started designing stuff for Angelina Jolie, since I am NOT Angelina Jolie, and, while that stuff looks good on her, it does not look good on me, nor is drapey wafty stuff particularly my style. I am ECSTATIC to report, however, that as of the last couple of months, BCBG has returned to the sort of dress designs that made me love them in the first place. True, some of their stuff is still a bit too "couture" (read: weird) for me, but when 75% of the dresses make me go "Oooh," they're winning. Here are a few I want to own, or at least try on:
Green ruffles.
Yellow halter.
Blue stripes.
Turquoise halter.
Wacky fringe dress. (Yeah, it's a bit weird, but it could be fun, and also, it's made of Modal cotton, the softest stuff EVER.
Pink strapless.
Red sleeveless.
Blue gathered.
Striped blue halter.
Strapless blue pleated.
Blue silk print.
Black crossover v-neck.
Blue chiffon.
Of course, like I said, not all of the dresses are awesome. Here are a few of the scariest missteps:
Shirt minidress.
Printed side drape.
Gingham print.
But overall: Very nice.
Late Night Highlights: A Batman Showdown with Adam West and KFC's Double Down with Stephen Colbert
Is Seth Rogen's Green Hornet the Next Batman and Robin?
*sigh* I was JUST saying how I don't love Rogen but I had hopes for this. It seems they may be dashed.
J.K.Rowling Writes "Single Mother's Manifesto," Criticizes British Conservative Party in The Times
Britney Spears Releases Unretouched Photos
She looks pretty darned good.
Watch What You Tweet: Google's Archiving
This...is interesting. Hrm.
Do You Have An Abusive Relationship With Pop Culture?
Yes, I suspect I do. BUT I JUST CAN'T BREAK THE CYCLE.
Insane Maps Of The Batcave And Krypton
LOVE. I've seen the Baxter Building one before. These are so great.
How to Build a Clock That Will Outlast the Apocalypse
I saw the first prototype of the clock in London in 2008. It made me think of the clock in Thief of Time (of course).
Raver Gear That Helps You See In The Dark
First Look At Mattel's Superheroic New Comic Con Toys
8 Upcoming Science Fiction Movies That Could Be The Next District 9
Some of these look very exciting. (Another Philip K. Dick movie, woo! I love him.) Although not 'The Host,' eurgh.
The Most Epic Cross Stitches Ever (PHOTOS)
List of fan fiction terms
Just for fun, you can refresh your understanding of important terms such as "Jossed" and "Kripked." And of course "Crack Fic," which is mostly what I write when I write fic (hello, ask_deadpool, Deadpool: Weapon, MAGNET WARS, and Dear Mr. Antisocial Advisor. Heh.)
Top 10: Most Disappointing Video Games
While we're on the subject, I have to admit that while it's definitely not a "top ten most disappointing" type game, I haven't been overly excited with the end result of MUA 2. The graphics are certainly better than MUA 1, and the fusions are fun. But...whatever crack they put in MUA 1 that made me stay up 'til insane hours of the night/morning fighting through the levels is seriously lacking in MUA 2. It just feels...rehashed. And not as immersive. I still haven't actually *finished* it. Although granted, I've been busy. But still. Hrm.
Ah, well. I will say the DC Metro and landmarks stuff is cool.
The Most Ridiculous Movie Adaptations: Proof That Hollywood's Out Of Ideas (PICTURES)
These are just SAD.
The 5 Most Badass (And Possibly Insane) Athletes Of All-Time
These, on the other hand, are awesome.
This hilarity came up in conversation with cleolinda while discussing the severe lack of women (and/or the perception amongst the male population that there is a lack of women) in the comics and gaming communities, and the way it affects male/female interactions in said communities:
Friends, Romans, Countrymen
The strip is referring to this idiocy:
GameCrush: Pay to Play (Video Games) with Hot Girls
I cannot even begin to describe how sad this makes me for the people who are actually crazy/lonely enough to pay money for this. And how pathetic I think they are. Seriously, guys. Is the idea of a woman playing video games so foreign and exciting that you want to pay money for it? And are you so lacking in social skills that you can't find any actual in-person women to play with? I just...gah.
And I should say, while I fully encourage guys who fall in this category to try to develop their social skills by trying to meet actual women and hang out with them, I am also a complete hypocrite, because I have pretty much had it up to here with guys at comic cons and the like with no social skills treating me like some sort of alien creature and/or rare Aztec artifact because I like comics and video games and can talk about them. I just want to hang out with people, ok? And talk about how I LOVE MATT FRACTION and JOE! KELLY! and want to marry the old-school Deadpool comics (but not Deadpool himself, because he's a scary S.o.B.), and how Reilly Brown's art is cool and Ed McGuinness is pretty much my favorite Deadpool artist and how I like Civil War a lot despite what people say about it not holding up to expectations regarding its potential for intellectual debate. And how I'm still on level 14 of Portal because I keep forgetting to go finish the game because I have a lot of worrrrrk to do but man, I had such a hard time with the level where I kept falling in the water and dying, wasn't that hard? And the level where you had to jump in a portal just right to land in another portal so you could go fast enough to get through the force field was awesome, yo. And I really want to get to the longer levels and the part where the voice starts to become evil. And how MUA 2 puzzled me in not being the crack that MUA 1 was, and I can't quite figure out why. Hey, we can even talk about my Viva Pinata garden and how it makes me laugh whenever the pinatas do mating dances. But you have to stop being close talkers and leering at my chest and having absolutely nothing to say for 5 minutes straight first, ok, guys? Then we can be friends.
I love this Penny Arcade strip, too.
Conclusive Evidence
It's referring to this:
Emotiv Systems
Read about Mindball. It's awesome.
More Penny Arcade, in the spirit of Joe Quesada:
Assertion Twelve
And this is just hilarious.
The Glass Tweet
The iPad - Making Comics Piracy Easy?
Probably, yes. Good one, Apple and/or comics apps! Eh. What can I say, I still like having the paper comics anyway.
I wish I had come up with this myself… - Batman Green Lantern
This may be one of the most badass comic images of all time.
Marvel Science: Iron Man's Armor
Real science, guys! It's cool!
New Iron Man 2 Interactive Trailer & Dr. Pepper Commercial
Explore The World Of Tony Stark In Interactive Trailer
I AM SO CRAZY EXCITED FOR THIS MOVIE I CANNOT CONTAIN IT. *dies* Also, Justin Hammer's portrayal looks like fun.
Don't Choke
About test-taking studies.
Call to overhaul 1 of Mall's oldest buildings
Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building could become a high-tech education center through renovations, etc.
Wait wait, don't blog me: We Eat The New KFC Double Down And Live To Tell About It (But It's Only Been 15 Minutes)
See the Work of Nathan Sawaya, Lego Sculptor
Seriously guys: see it. It's great.
Query letters: What NOT to do when you get a rejection: Example #873
How a Web Design Goes Straight to Hell
I've seen stuff from "The Oatmeal" before, but I hadn't seen this one, which made me both laugh and go: "I AM NOT ALONE. IT'S REALLY NOT ME. THE CLIENTS ARE ACTUALLY CRAZY." Every. Single. One. of these things has happened to me during my web design work. *sigh*
The Oatmeal, he's a cereal killer
The Oatmeal on Last Call with Carson Daly
This guy's just fun.
Go Fug Yourself: Fugs and Pieces: April 16
I haven't mentioned the Fug Girls in awhile. They are still awesome. Some great links there, too.
Like:
27 Weird, Creative Vandalized Ads
and
The Forbes Fictional 15
and finally, just because I love Tesla:
The Badass of the Week: Nikola Tesla
Wow, this was way longer than I intended. Hope you had fun!
Not *everything* is old, though - I FINALLY got around to something I've been meaning to do for awhile now, which is update my links list over there in the sidebar. -->
So now it has a more accurate representation of the sites I tend to read and pull cool links from most often these days. It also includes sites I just read and laugh hysterically at. So check those out!
Speaking of links, here's the latest in Fun Stuff I've Been Looking At Lately. Totally freakin' disorganized, 'cause it's Friday and I'm TIRED.
Enjoy!
...
First, I have a Tumblr now. Mostly to follow other people, but maybe I'll actually post there, too. :)
Next, a couple of bits of art from our friend John Snyder:
I meant to post this link to the Green Lantern piece from a previous post before the eBay auction ended, but then I got bronchitis. :( Anyway, in case you missed it before, it's great.
And here's the first 'Phoenix Without Ashes' cover (IDW), which was shown at Wondercon recently.
Love the blue. And the geometric shapes vs. the delicate flowers. Gorgeous.
Continuing on,
Alkaline Trio, as recommended to me by @Agent_M
I've heard *of* them but hadn't listened to them before. You can listen at the YouTube page. So far I like them! Check out "Warbrain."
Random Contests from In Touch Weekly
"That Guy"
Have I posted this before? A place to find those stock actors you recognize from several movies but never know the name of.
New Smashing Pumpkins Songs Available for Free Download on Their Site
Iron Man + Pulp Heroes + Girls = This Week's Comics
Complete list of each week's new comics
Movie Theater Etiquette
EW talks to the Georgia Grandfather who bought the 10 billionth song on iTunes - 'I've never won anything!'
Not a lie: Valve updates Portal with secret radio broadcast images
Mysterious Portal Updates - Main Discussion Thread
A Villain Who Can't Kill The Hero Is The Worst Kind Of Asshat
Who Are The X-Men?
Two Literary Superstars Publishing Science Fiction Novels Soon
Scientists Have Discovered Booze That Won't Give You A Hangover
The 75 Books You Should Own For DC Comics' 75th Anniversary
Is Superman Headed To The Courtroom?
I think I already linked another article on this? :)
You Win, Terrorists: Wisconsin Cracks Down On Unsportsmanlike Cheering
Obsessed with smartphones, oblivious to the here and now
For all your Twilight Hating Needs
What Cadbury meant to Birmingham
Found this because I'm thinking about visiting the Cadbury factory in Birmingham, UK when I go there in August for the Discworld Con. Interesting read.
6 Things Men Do To Get Laid That Science Says Turn Women Off
The 5 Creepiest Unsolved Crimes Nobody Can Explain
6 Ridiculous History Myths (You Probably Think Are True)
7 Insane Conspiracies That Actually Happened
6 People Who Secretly Ruled The World
The 5 Creepiest Defense Attorney Websites
Terry Pratchett Helps to Raise Funds for his Village Church
Photos of the church.
History of the church (scroll down)
OK, when I posted this link on Twitter and said, "Hey, I've been there!" I was obviously confused. I *thought* this was this church in Wiltshire, which I really loved, particularly the graveyard. And not just because my friend told me someone famous (who I can't remember now, darn it) is buried there. It was deliciously old, and both amazingly peaceful and slightly creepy at the same time. I kind of wanted to have a picnic in it, but we didn't have time, and anyway my friend might have looked at me like I was crazy if I suggested we hang out on a gravestone and have a snack. Although probably it wouldn't surprise him. Anyway, in fact, this is not the church they are referring to in the article, as anyone looking at the architecture will see. So when I said, "Hey, I've been there!" I was totally just kidding. I am pretty sure it isn't this church that was across the way, either, even though that's a slightly more likely-looking candidate. But anyway. I have been in the vicinity of this church, surely. And now I've probably thoroughly confused everyone with my ramblings. Sorry about that. :)
Speaking of Terry Pratchett, he's posted a news update for April over on his news page.
The Alot is Better Than You at Everything
This post is pretty much my favorite thing of the week. And the rest of the blog is equally hilarious. I've been burning through the previous posts and laughing hysterically. The Easter Bunny and fish stories killed me. Here's another good one: Am Adult.
Superheroes to answer to Whedon: He will direct Marvel's 'Avengers'
BCBG is back on track.
I love BCBG. I love their (now discontinued) Metro and Nature perfumes. I love the ridiculously expensive silk dress I bought from them five years ago, that I have worn everywhere from Barrister's Ball to weddings to the US Discworld Con banquet (I get my money's worth!). But I didn't love what they've been doing for the last year and a half or so, particularly the bit where they started designing stuff for Angelina Jolie, since I am NOT Angelina Jolie, and, while that stuff looks good on her, it does not look good on me, nor is drapey wafty stuff particularly my style. I am ECSTATIC to report, however, that as of the last couple of months, BCBG has returned to the sort of dress designs that made me love them in the first place. True, some of their stuff is still a bit too "couture" (read: weird) for me, but when 75% of the dresses make me go "Oooh," they're winning. Here are a few I want to own, or at least try on:
Green ruffles.
Yellow halter.
Blue stripes.
Turquoise halter.
Wacky fringe dress. (Yeah, it's a bit weird, but it could be fun, and also, it's made of Modal cotton, the softest stuff EVER.
Pink strapless.
Red sleeveless.
Blue gathered.
Striped blue halter.
Strapless blue pleated.
Blue silk print.
Black crossover v-neck.
Blue chiffon.
Of course, like I said, not all of the dresses are awesome. Here are a few of the scariest missteps:
Shirt minidress.
Printed side drape.
Gingham print.
But overall: Very nice.
Late Night Highlights: A Batman Showdown with Adam West and KFC's Double Down with Stephen Colbert
Is Seth Rogen's Green Hornet the Next Batman and Robin?
*sigh* I was JUST saying how I don't love Rogen but I had hopes for this. It seems they may be dashed.
J.K.Rowling Writes "Single Mother's Manifesto," Criticizes British Conservative Party in The Times
Britney Spears Releases Unretouched Photos
She looks pretty darned good.
Watch What You Tweet: Google's Archiving
This...is interesting. Hrm.
Do You Have An Abusive Relationship With Pop Culture?
Yes, I suspect I do. BUT I JUST CAN'T BREAK THE CYCLE.
Insane Maps Of The Batcave And Krypton
LOVE. I've seen the Baxter Building one before. These are so great.
How to Build a Clock That Will Outlast the Apocalypse
I saw the first prototype of the clock in London in 2008. It made me think of the clock in Thief of Time (of course).
Raver Gear That Helps You See In The Dark
First Look At Mattel's Superheroic New Comic Con Toys
8 Upcoming Science Fiction Movies That Could Be The Next District 9
Some of these look very exciting. (Another Philip K. Dick movie, woo! I love him.) Although not 'The Host,' eurgh.
The Most Epic Cross Stitches Ever (PHOTOS)
List of fan fiction terms
Just for fun, you can refresh your understanding of important terms such as "Jossed" and "Kripked." And of course "Crack Fic," which is mostly what I write when I write fic (hello, ask_deadpool, Deadpool: Weapon, MAGNET WARS, and Dear Mr. Antisocial Advisor. Heh.)
Top 10: Most Disappointing Video Games
While we're on the subject, I have to admit that while it's definitely not a "top ten most disappointing" type game, I haven't been overly excited with the end result of MUA 2. The graphics are certainly better than MUA 1, and the fusions are fun. But...whatever crack they put in MUA 1 that made me stay up 'til insane hours of the night/morning fighting through the levels is seriously lacking in MUA 2. It just feels...rehashed. And not as immersive. I still haven't actually *finished* it. Although granted, I've been busy. But still. Hrm.
Ah, well. I will say the DC Metro and landmarks stuff is cool.
The Most Ridiculous Movie Adaptations: Proof That Hollywood's Out Of Ideas (PICTURES)
These are just SAD.
The 5 Most Badass (And Possibly Insane) Athletes Of All-Time
These, on the other hand, are awesome.
This hilarity came up in conversation with cleolinda while discussing the severe lack of women (and/or the perception amongst the male population that there is a lack of women) in the comics and gaming communities, and the way it affects male/female interactions in said communities:
Friends, Romans, Countrymen
The strip is referring to this idiocy:
GameCrush: Pay to Play (Video Games) with Hot Girls
I cannot even begin to describe how sad this makes me for the people who are actually crazy/lonely enough to pay money for this. And how pathetic I think they are. Seriously, guys. Is the idea of a woman playing video games so foreign and exciting that you want to pay money for it? And are you so lacking in social skills that you can't find any actual in-person women to play with? I just...gah.
And I should say, while I fully encourage guys who fall in this category to try to develop their social skills by trying to meet actual women and hang out with them, I am also a complete hypocrite, because I have pretty much had it up to here with guys at comic cons and the like with no social skills treating me like some sort of alien creature and/or rare Aztec artifact because I like comics and video games and can talk about them. I just want to hang out with people, ok? And talk about how I LOVE MATT FRACTION and JOE! KELLY! and want to marry the old-school Deadpool comics (but not Deadpool himself, because he's a scary S.o.B.), and how Reilly Brown's art is cool and Ed McGuinness is pretty much my favorite Deadpool artist and how I like Civil War a lot despite what people say about it not holding up to expectations regarding its potential for intellectual debate. And how I'm still on level 14 of Portal because I keep forgetting to go finish the game because I have a lot of worrrrrk to do but man, I had such a hard time with the level where I kept falling in the water and dying, wasn't that hard? And the level where you had to jump in a portal just right to land in another portal so you could go fast enough to get through the force field was awesome, yo. And I really want to get to the longer levels and the part where the voice starts to become evil. And how MUA 2 puzzled me in not being the crack that MUA 1 was, and I can't quite figure out why. Hey, we can even talk about my Viva Pinata garden and how it makes me laugh whenever the pinatas do mating dances. But you have to stop being close talkers and leering at my chest and having absolutely nothing to say for 5 minutes straight first, ok, guys? Then we can be friends.
I love this Penny Arcade strip, too.
Conclusive Evidence
It's referring to this:
Emotiv Systems
Read about Mindball. It's awesome.
More Penny Arcade, in the spirit of Joe Quesada:
Assertion Twelve
And this is just hilarious.
The Glass Tweet
The iPad - Making Comics Piracy Easy?
Probably, yes. Good one, Apple and/or comics apps! Eh. What can I say, I still like having the paper comics anyway.
I wish I had come up with this myself… - Batman Green Lantern
This may be one of the most badass comic images of all time.
Marvel Science: Iron Man's Armor
Real science, guys! It's cool!
New Iron Man 2 Interactive Trailer & Dr. Pepper Commercial
Explore The World Of Tony Stark In Interactive Trailer
I AM SO CRAZY EXCITED FOR THIS MOVIE I CANNOT CONTAIN IT. *dies* Also, Justin Hammer's portrayal looks like fun.
Don't Choke
About test-taking studies.
Call to overhaul 1 of Mall's oldest buildings
Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building could become a high-tech education center through renovations, etc.
Wait wait, don't blog me: We Eat The New KFC Double Down And Live To Tell About It (But It's Only Been 15 Minutes)
See the Work of Nathan Sawaya, Lego Sculptor
Seriously guys: see it. It's great.
Query letters: What NOT to do when you get a rejection: Example #873
How a Web Design Goes Straight to Hell
I've seen stuff from "The Oatmeal" before, but I hadn't seen this one, which made me both laugh and go: "I AM NOT ALONE. IT'S REALLY NOT ME. THE CLIENTS ARE ACTUALLY CRAZY." Every. Single. One. of these things has happened to me during my web design work. *sigh*
The Oatmeal, he's a cereal killer
The Oatmeal on Last Call with Carson Daly
This guy's just fun.
Go Fug Yourself: Fugs and Pieces: April 16
I haven't mentioned the Fug Girls in awhile. They are still awesome. Some great links there, too.
Like:
27 Weird, Creative Vandalized Ads
and
The Forbes Fictional 15
and finally, just because I love Tesla:
The Badass of the Week: Nikola Tesla
Wow, this was way longer than I intended. Hope you had fun!