Of Justice, Swords, and theoretical projects involving wood...
Forgive me if this blog post goes a little wonky; I had a few deadlines creep up and hold me down while my son asked to be fed and acknowledged at least once every six hours (this co-dependency he's got is really irksome). On the up side, I finished off (pending edits) the script for the upcoming graphic novel, "Diablo: Sword of Justice" from DC Comics. I can't say too much yet, but I did answer a bunch of questions for their publicity department as taken from fans of the franchise, so more info should be on the way shortly. I really like how the final chapter turned out, and it sets up the major players for more adventures, which would be awesome. I also would love to revisit a female barbarian who figures in pretty heavily towards the end of the story. She became more awesome with each line she "spoke," so I think everyone will get a huge kick out of her.
In other possible projects, last year I said I wanted to make a suspended track for an n-scale train to travel around the midsection of our Christmas tree. The reason I never posted what I worked on was because it was about as structurally sound as a Yugo made out of Ford Pinto gas tanks. I think my problem was I wanted the circular bed to be two pieces of thin lumber cut into half-circles that the track would lay on. This resulted in a too-flexible surface that would bow even under the tiny train's meager weight, so this year, I'm trying something else. I've picked up some wood molding (about 14 feet, so I can make many mistakes with my miter saw) that was on sale, and after I measure the track again, I'll basically be making a mutli-sided (probably around 10-15 sided) regular polygon using thicker wood with joints held together with wood glue and reinforcing pins (wood or possibly steel dowels). The suspension method still remains to be tested. I've got a kind of metal clamp-thing I cobbled together from some plumbing brackets that I plan on attaching to the tree trunk a few feet higher than where I want the train to orbit. From there, I'm thinking of using at least four heavy wires, going from the clamp to a series of eyelets attached to the underside of the track. I'm hoping between the wire and the branches beneath, the track should be stable enough to amuse Josh for hours on end while remaining too far out of his reach to destroy, Godzilla-style. As with all of my projects, I'll be posting about it... if it works... or fails in an amusing fashion.
I'm also trying out another 'speriment with the wood lathe. My mom's house has a strange back yard, in that the driveway which curves back and around our house used to be a street in pre-WWII days. It still has an old wooden light pole with a corrugated metal cover over a disused light socket. Anyway, the land past it isn't much in use, and a lot of rotting fallen trees are in the area. Inspired by a woodworker I talked with at a convention, I picked up some quite rotted wood and stuck it in a trash bag (so anything that might be hibernating in it slips quietly into oblivion), bringing it home. My woodworker-pal told me the reason some of my found-wood objects d'art were shot through with vibrant colors was because of rot chemically altering the wood. The deadfall stuff is much more decomposed than anything I've used before, which is why I'm going to try hitting it with something I found at the hardware store, letting it dry, and then seeing what happens when I give it a spin and some chisel treatment. I'm hoping for some awesome Christmas decorations for my family, but an amusing cautionary tale will do, should the worst happen.
Completely out of the blue, I've been getting checks from AT&T. No, I'm not planning a vacation, as the checks I've received (two thus far) are for only two cents each. I pretty much filed the first one away in the growing piles of paper around my desk, so the second might be a replacement as I never cashed the first. I'm guessing they're probably for some class action suit or another regarding fees on my long-ago disused phone line. While these settlements are a ding against AT&T, I'm sure the costs are negligible, and how many people bother to cash a two-cent check? Well, oddly enough, it turns out that sending out checks for under a dollar is against the law, and carries a fine and a six-month prison term. I'm sure nobody will serve time on it, but it's a nice thought. It's almost worth someone's two cents, eh? :)
I missed out on the coveted Bag of Crap at the ol' Woot-off, but I did score a few presents for friends and family, so +1 to me. I also found out, too late to take advantage, that someone has written some clever and simple computer code for those novelty USB "panic buttons" Woot and other sites have been offering. I'd cleverly set one to lock and password-protect my computer and set it out as a large, shiny, candy-colored trap for my kid who would probably slap it first before proceeding to randomly format my hard drives or something.
I'm off to get some well-deserved sleep before heading back into... I'm not sure, actually, as my brain is giving me a "low battery" warning and won't boot up my calendar. I do plan on getting some kind of holiday card up sometime tomorrow evening, though it might be as geeky as one of my recent FFN comics (amazing coincidence, that) if other tasks prevent me from having as much time as I'd like. If it is, I'll try and swing the text back to "normal enough that mundane recipients will get a chuckle, or at least, won't hide their kids and pets when you visit" territory. :)
Now why is this rotten stick of wood glued to the floor? Maybe the answer lies beyond:
- Since cultures with swords are fast becoming a meme (and because my wife prides herself on her Danish heritage), here's a tumblr blog that, fair warning, begins with a phrase that rhymes with "duck yeah," all about Vikings and Celts.
- An architectural photographer brings us a more Discovery Channel-esque timelapse of Skyrim's landscapes set to some ambient tunes.
- "Skyrim" link number two is a most amusing use of Fus Ro Dah.
- Here's Sneak Thief part 4, the latest installment of the point-n-click adventure that's appealingly presented in all-too-short installments.
- Presented without comment: A photo of Weird Al and a John Travolta dummy from the movie "Face/Off."
- I hope nobody tells Dan Brown about this, but an artist has uncovered what look like hidden images in the Mona Lisa. I don't think they have anything to do with the creeds of assassins or holy grails, thankfully.
- I found this image while cruising the interwebs and thought it might interest some as quick e-mail holiday card (the text below said image has a word or two young'uns probably shouldn't repeat) for their more Sagan-esque friends and associates. Someone needs to make a "Sagan Claus" TV special.
- Let it be known I've come across what is surely the most offensive possible thing you'll ever see this holiday season, bar none. I mean it, this may send some people into the streets with torches and pitchforks, so think carefully before you expose yourself to Justin Bieber's steampunk (yes, steampunk) video for "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." And "shake it baby" followed by the "he sees you when you're sleeping" verse? Really?
- I've posted this before, but it's a Christmas classic: How to gift-wrap a cat.
- More Christmas video? Okay, how about the minute-and-change prequel to this year's Doctor Who Christmas episode?
- I think this Reddit photo (click to enlarge) is of the best Christmas decorations ever.
- This is some jewelry I'd love to give the wife, because it's a transformer, kind of.
- If you have ten minutes and love funny stories, you could do worse than listen to the Moth's GrandSLAM winner and his tale of robbing banks as a part of his job (note: If swears are verboten in your vicinity, stop after the robber in question finishes his talk).
- Larry King thinks "Futurama" has the right idea, announcing he wants to be frozen and revived in the future.
- I grew up in a county with a nuclear power plant. A school trip there got me my first pat-down, as security was a huge concern. Florida has a solution to this challenge with little taxpayer cost: Have crocodiles colonize the cooling canals.
- What more needs to be said about a flash game other than Minecraft Tower Defense? Thanks to Alert Reader Tony for sending this one in!
- More adult language pokes up here and there in this next article, and players of a certain mining game might say it's justified, as a software "developer" known for making knock-offs of actual games is using Minecraft screenshots to advertise a game that's not even remotely like Minecraft.
- The Android Marketplace is offering an ongoing Christmas special of ten-cent apps, which (as of this posting) includes Minecraft Pocket Edition, which my rusty ol' G1 can't run, grumble-grumble...
- Dear Marvel Comics, you know that "devourer of worlds" guy you have running around who's supposed to be the biggest and baddest thing ever, but looks dippy because he dresses in purple and blue? Why not adopt this re-design and make every kid have nightmares that Reed Richards won't be able to make him go away next time.
- Once again, we're being promised that we'll get that pet mammoth science has been playing up for years. I'll put it next to the pony I've never gotten since I was six. :(
- Finally, here's Sugar, Sugar: The Christmas Special. Guide the sugar particles to their respective containers, if you're merry enough.