Yeah. I took two slugs to the chest. Now who wants some water?

Yeah. I took two slugs to the chest. Now who wants some water?

Today I became a man. I took my first two squibs to the chest. If you watch Desolation Canyon on the Hallmark Channel (ask your local cable provider), you'll actually see my chest explode as I get shot in the ol' upper torso.

For those of you unfamiliar with behind-the-scenes special effects documentaries, "squibs" are little devices that explode outward from the body, shooting the contents of each squib (usually red liquid playing as blood) in the explosion. The effect? Each squib simulates a bullet entering a body (at least in this case). So when the red-haired JACK character takes a couple slugs to the chest in Desolation Canyon, you can leap up and shriek: "I know that exploding chest! I'd know it from a hundred yards! That's my friend Drew, and he took those bullets like a MAN!" (or something to that effect).

I love this business.

[UPDATE: I just got two long distance phone calls tonight raving--raving--about Batman Begins. The reviews are glowing. The geeks love it. And I have to wait until the weekend to see it. If anyone else sees it before then, please feel free to call me long distance to tell me how awesome it is thus lengthening every moment between now and B-Day.]

Reading, Watching, Listening to: same as yesterday

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KCRW: Prince among radio stations

KCRW: Prince among radio stations

Have I mentioned how much I love this radio station? I turned it on yesterday evening and fucking M.I.A. was on doing a live interview/performance on a show called "Sounds Eclectic". If that's not cool enough, check out who ol' Nic Harcourt has had on his sister morning show, "Morning Becomes Eclectic" (all shows are available for your streaming listening pleasure, by the way [I use the word "pleasure" lightly in reference to RealPlayer, but it's the only way the shows are available]). Public radio is awesome, my friends, no more so than in this town.

I need not mention this to you smart people, but metal that sits out in the sun for even five minutes in 98 degree weather is very hot on bare skin. In unrelated news, I need to get some work gloves because I burnt my hands touching hot metal, and they hurt like burning. Work is going well other than the fifth degree burns (they had to invent another degree to account for the extensive ouchness I received [I'm actually quite all right]).

I'd also like to point out that today was Monday, the Thirteenth. As an "Garfield" fan knows, this is once of the worst days on the calendar. That's why we did all our stunts today. No one was hurt, but the orphanage nearby burst into flames. Sad, really. Luckily I got to go home early.

Watching:

Minority Report

Dr. Strangelove

Singin' in the Rain

The Smiths: Live in Germany

Reading:

The Comics Journal vol. 268

The Barmaid's Brain & Other Strange Tales of Science, Jay Ingram

Quimby the Mouse, Chris Ware

Blankets, Craig Thompson (I'm finally going to start this mother after reading his interview in The Comics Journal. He's a pretentious bastard, by the way. Doesn't cheapen the talent, though.)

Listening to:

Hey Ho Let's Go: The Anthology, The Ramones (I know, I know. It started as just a search for "The KKK Took My Baby Away", but it ended in anthology. I'm ashamed. I swear.)

Chronicles: 1 & 2, Creedence Clearwater Revival (Gadzooks! Another anthology! Lynch the bastard! [Please don't.])

"Surfin' Bird", The Trashmen

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