The release of US and international Prometheus trailers in the past twenty-four hours has made me think — which of this year’s summer movies am I interested in seeing? Which am I likely to see? Let’s run down the list… The Avengers, May 4 — No, emphatically no. I’m far more interested in The BestContinue reading “On the Summer’s Movie Slate”
Author Archives: Allyn
On Douglas Adam’s 60th Birthday
Douglas Adams would have been 60 years old today. Things to do in honor of his memory… Have a Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster. Find that moldering copy of The Worshipful and Ancient Law of Gallifrey that’s gathering dust in your attic. Recite Vogon poetry. Walk around with a towel. Blow a deadline just so you canContinue reading “On Douglas Adam’s 60th Birthday”
On That Wesley Crusher Smut-Book
Never let it be said that I have standards! I’ve bought Wesley Crusher, Teenage Fuck Machine. You can read about this piece of insane fanfic, for sale on the Amazon Kindle, here in this io9 article. Dayton Ward suggested that this belongs in the pantheon of late-night con readings, alongside The Eye of Argon andContinue reading “On That Wesley Crusher Smut-Book”
On Writing A New Outline
Over the last two weeks I’ve been working on and off on a plot outline. For the past week, the work has been mainly off; it’s been a week of deadlines at the office, though there has been progress over the last two days, if only to clear my head. The germ of the idea,Continue reading “On Writing A New Outline”
On My Grandmother’s Cat
My grandmother’s cat is gone. Yes, my grandmother had a cat. He had no name. She called him many things. He was usually just “Kitty” or “Buddy” or “Little Guy.” My grandmother hated him and she loved him. She could scream at him for no reason at all, and then be deathly worried about himContinue reading “On My Grandmother’s Cat”
On John Carter
I saw John Carter last night at an advance screening in 3-D. There was a drawing at work, I tossed my name into the ring, and I came away with a pass. As recently as three weeks ago I was ambivalent about the film. The trailers weren’t exciting me, and Disney was doing a terribleContinue reading “On John Carter”
On Helping Sponsor an SPCA Walk
In about six weeks, my friends Natalie and Beau are doing a 3K walk with their dog Kaylee to help raise money for the SPCA of Wake County, North Carolina. The Wake SPCA is a No-Kill organization, and that takes money and resources that they have to receive from private individuals since they receive noContinue reading “On Helping Sponsor an SPCA Walk”
On Receiving the Ringo Starr Tickets
Yesterday in the mail, the tickets for the Ringo Starr concert arrived. On my birthday, Ringo and his All-Starr Band — including Todd Rundgren, Gregg Rolie (of Santana fame), Steve Lukather (Toto), Richard Page (Mr. Mister), saxophonist Mark Rivera, and drummer Gregg Bissonette — will be playing in Baltimore. And I’m going to take myContinue reading “On Receiving the Ringo Starr Tickets”
On the New Horizons Stamp Petition
A few days ago my parents told me that my three-year-old niece had developed an interest in astronomy, that she had been asking her parents questions about Mars and Uranus, and she wanted to know what all the planets. “Oh,” I said. “That’s easy.” And I rattled off the list of planets, from Mercury onContinue reading “On the New Horizons Stamp Petition”
On Noel Gallagher’s Next Release
Epic. That’s the only way to describe Noel Gallagher’s “Shoot a Hole into the Sun,” the first track released from his collaboration with Amorphous Androgynous for his next album. Seven and a half minutes of psychedelic, trippy stuff mixed with reverb, echo, and stinging guitar work. This is to “If I Had a Gun…” whatContinue reading “On Noel Gallagher’s Next Release”