Defend Your iPad with Otterbox

7/31/2012

Sold!

I recently received a free Otterbox Defender for the New iPad and iPad 2. This was a mistake made by Otterbox during the warranty replacement of the case for my iPad 1. They let me keep it and I won't be getting another iPad any time soon (knock on wood), so I'm selling it on eBay. Okay, remind me never to eat yogurt while doing this again. I just got it on my screen.

Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos


Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos


Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

A Letter to the Cast of Fringe

7/31/2012

Dear Wonderful People of Fringe,

I just happened to be reading through hours of tweets to stave off boredom one day and came across a message from Lyn (@runpaceyrun) about going to Vancouver in August for The Fringe Event and bringing along letters of appreciation from fans who don't have the chance to go. I found that there wasn't nearly enough time to write to all of you, especially since I tend to go on and on; and I wouldn't feel right choosing, because every person involved made Fringe what it is, so this is for everyone.

Three days to go and I'm still putting off finishing this. I've had two months now and I was so sure it was going to be easy, but I always find something else to do, such as drawing, blogging, or even just doing absolutely nothing. I have so many unfinished drafts including my Neverending Fringe Post, which I've been working on since January and always avoid because it became an unwieldy monster. There are just so many good things to say about Fringe that I can never seem to say enough. It's kind of an annoying problem. Seriously... whenever I try to edit it, I end up adding another couple hundred words.

This weekend, I went to The Dark Knight Rises. Somehow that meant my entire Saturday was out. Then the next day I continued a search for a new mattress and desk, and that went into the wee hours of the morning. Now it's Monday morning. I did dishes that could have waited, put up my brother's wedding picture, which had already been waiting 11 months, washed a water bottle that could have stood to wait another few days, and took pictures for an item I'm putting on eBay. Every time I busy myself until work comes in and then I say I'll definitely do it later.

Is it because I fear I'll embarrass myself? Maybe, but I should be used to that by now since I've been regularly using Twitter for over a year. Or am I just the absolute worst procrastinator in the world? I certainly have been in the past. Or is it just because I know it will never be read by anyone, so why bother? I'm not sure what it is, but it's not as if you'll ever know who I am, so I really don't have anything to lose. Still, I didn't think I would do this, but my mind kept spitting out things I could say and I decided to not ignore them as I usually do. Since this is the last time you will all be together on TV, I decided to take a chance.

I've written only one fan letter before, but I never sent it. I held onto it for some reason and two years later, when I was thinking about putting it in the mail after all, I found out through a tiny blurb in Entertainment Weekly that Andy Hallett (Angel) was taken too soon by congestive heart failure caused by a bacterial infection, which was contracted after a filling came loose. I still tear up when I think about him. Even if Andy never would have seen the letter, I regret my decision. I don't want to make the same mistake again, even though I'm sure countless others have already told you what you mean to them, so I add my voice to theirs. There is something incredibly special about what you accomplished with Fringe and you deserved so much more.

I'd like to say congratulations on another outstanding finale. It wrapped up so nicely and felt full circle, even without answering everything. If it had been the series finale it almost was, I would have been thrilled. And to think, I wasn't going to watch Fringe; the commercials didn't intrigue me. I only tuned into the pilot because John Noble was in it. I couldn't imagine how someone in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time could have ended up on a little, odd-looking science fiction show on Fox. I assumed it would be cancelled before the season ended, like they did with Firefly. I didn't image it would, by the close of the first season, raise the bar for all of television, so much so that my tolerance for anything disingenuous was ruined.

Now it's hard to get it through my head that this fall starts the final countdown. Though, I am unremittingly happy that Fringe is being allowed to have its perfect end. At least, I hope it's perfect. Damn pessimism, please go away. Sorry about that. I've often been disappointed by certain nonsensical endings or by cancellations that give no resolution. But I am determined to go into this last season for the first time having the confidence, which I hope to keep, that this incredible show will not let me down, because it never has before; a very unusual thing indeed. I would love to have the time to write individual letters to all who made this show so real and wonderful, but that's impossible, so I will just say a few words about those in front of the camera and a few behind. Hopefully, that will be enough.

That most of you managed to play multiple characters and be distinct is an incredible feat. It's kind of sad that Josh couldn't show another side in that way, but I guess that would have messed up the story quite a bit. Even though it may seem to some people that Peter doesn't have enough to do, he was always the linchpin. Besides, he changed in more subtle ways: in the beginning being distrustful and resentful then opening himself to family and love. Josh, your contribution cannot be underestimated. If you didn't make us care about Peter then we wouldn't care about the show.

John, your performance is always flawless. You hold my heart captive every episode, and you don't need to say a word. Even without the challenge of playing multiple versions of Walter, for drawing laughter one minute, tears the next, and for making me sick with worry that Walter was going to die in the second season finale you should have won all the awards and then some. I heard about the show halting production so you could recover from a sleep disorder. I hope you are feeling well soon.

Anna, you were amazing. The way you changed between Olivia's and Bolivia's personalities and movements so perfectly, I was able to tell them apart immediately. And though I'm nothing like either of them, you made them instantly relatable and likeable...and kick-ass and vulnerable. From the first episode you had me caring about what happened to your character.

Jasika, even though you didn't have as much to do as I would have liked, you were always a welcome sight. I have no doubt Astrid's part would have grown had Fringe's fate been different; the tears welled in my eyes this season during "Making Angels." My cousin is autistic. You made me wonder what he would tell us if he could.

Blair, you made me cry for Nina this season, when Olivia lost her memories of their life together. It's such a hopeless feeling. I lost my grandmother to dementia six years ago. Wow, can it be so long already? First she became sensitive to light, then doctors misdiagnosed her. Then the memories started slipping, then they were gone, and so was she.

Lance, at first I didn't like Broyles. It took a little time to realize he wasn't there to be a typical TV boss. Broyles has a soft spot for the team which I noticed in "What Lies Below," where he said they were like family to him. The scenes that revolved around Broyles' love for his son were so affecting and some of my favorites. And your presence on screen always commands attention.

Seth, you made me care for two people I hardly knew. Then one died and the other one left. Damn it. Should have seen it coming. But that's just the thing, isn't it? Fringe always does the unexpected and amazes me every single time with it's depth.

Joel, and writers come and gone, your limitless imaginations and beautiful words brought everything together. With a lesser team, the show would have been ordinary. Maybe then it would have gone on for many more years. An inordinate amount of mediocre shows last a lot longer than makes sense to me. Wait, that's depressing to think about, so I'll pretend that's not how it works. Instead I would like to tell you that without you there is no Fringe. Once in a while people may forget that. Thank you so very much.

I wish you all the best of luck in future projects and quite selfishly hope for new shows for every one of you next spring that captivate me the same way that Fringe did. And if some of you work together again, I will not object. It's a very rare thing that happened here, but is it really too much to ask for another show as well-written, incredibly acted, and emotionally satisfying as Fringe? If I'm also hoping for the numbers to go with that then, yeah, I guess it is.

Please know that even though you worked so hard and were appreciated by so few, those of us who did watch until the end, who understood what it was, loved Fringe completely and will keep it with us for the rest of our lives. For all of the heartbreaking, heartwarming, chilling, thought-provoking, and hilarious moments, I thank you. You made a world so convincing in action and emotion that anything seems plausible and the constrictive "sci-fi" label, which is unfairly always a turn-off for awards, became a distant third to all other concerns. I laughed with you, I cringed with you, I cried with you. I will miss you.

With much love,
Erin Bates
@Reinbeast

Johnny Depp on Sale

7/27/2012

Well, not really. It's just some Entertainment Weekly magazines with Depp on the covers. I know: disappointing. But if you're a budding fan who's looking for a place to start your collection or a super fan that needs every last everything then these might be for you. They're in good to very good condition. Please have a look over at eBay.

Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos


Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos


Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

Six Marvelous Avengers and a Hero

7/20/2012

It took forever to actually get to finishing this review-y thingy and sort of rant, which certainly doesn't reflect my love for this terrific movie. So, let's get to it.

The Avengers left me in the same state as when I watched Iron Man for the first time and every time since: in awe of a wonderfully crafted and satisfying film that appeals to a wide audience, and with a terrific lead (leads in this case) who cares for the work he's doing regardless of genre. I have no doubt The Avengers will have the same effect on me every time it's played on TV or when slide the Blu-ray into the PS3. It's a feeling that doesn't happen often with blockbusters, most of which seem designed specifically to rake in the cash with light and sound, but which lack depth, performance, and intelligence. Here we have the rare film that is both large in scale and moving; think Dark Knight, District 9, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter.

Anyone who has even a passing interest in superheroes, or entertainment in general, will fall in love with this movie. If you haven't yet, I would suggest first watching the previous Marvel entries or at least Iron Man, because certain moments will be more affecting with character background from those films. This is the first in the series, but it's still a sequel of sorts to four other movies, and sequels usually move ahead without wasting too much time on stories they've already told. As one example, you'll better understand the tension in the room when Steve accuses Tony of being someone who would never make a sacrifice. He sees only Tony's sarcastic and blasé attitude, not his heart... though the arc reactor in his chest is a constant glowing reminder.

If you haven't seen The Avengers already, what are you waiting for? Go. Now. Yes, it's still playing ten weeks in while so many are forgotten about after a few. But unless you have a second run theater nearby, the next few days are most certainly your last chance since Dark Knight Rises opened today. (Rest in peace, victims of the Colorado theater shooting.) The fact it was directed by Joss Whedon makes it worth recommending. If you don't know Whedon, you should. He's a master of storytelling. He knows how to make you genuinely care for characters, fleshing them out with big, funny moments and small, quiet ones, and personality to spare.

Then sometimes he'll pull the rug out from under you when you least expect. You will hate him for it, you will love him for it, and you'll come back for more. Every world Whedon touches gains dimensions of reality and humanity. There's a reason The Avengers made over $1.4 billion worldwide. Go see this for the pure fun and great sense of humor, the clashes between heroes, the epic battles, the seductively smooth villain, and for the cast of very fine actors, each of whom had a chance to shine. This is a story well-told, one that reminds why I ever seriously imagined myself in the entertainment business.

I didn't intend this as a mini review, so here's what I really wanted to say when I started writing. As anyone who has seen The Avengers knows...

Fringe at Comic-Con 2012

7/15/2012

Fringe's Comic-Con panel ended just a little while ago. Wish I could have been there, but at least I had Give Me My Remote live blogging it and all the tweets using the #TheyAreComng and #InWymanWeTrust hashtags. Didn't quite feel like I was there, but I'll be one step closer whenever people decide to put it on YouTube.







Here's all I can get my hands on right now, the season 5 trailer they showed at the panel. I think I read that there's also a fan appreciation video...or something. And the panel should be released tomorrow morning by Geek Nation, according to Vargesz.

There's No I in Teamocil

7/15/2012

...at least not where you'd think.

Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

Here's another great Arrested Development shirt. I already have "Illusions," so I won't be getting this, but I would love to. Tobias Funke's 100% Good-Time Family Band Solution is one of the funniest parts of this hilarious show. Get yours before it's too late. It's $10 today only and then it's gone for good.

Fringenuity Lives for Comic-Con

7/15/2012

Fringenuity is alive and well. Though no longer urgent, now fans can relax and just enjoy the time we have left with this extraordinary show and its wonderful cast. Tweet your love just before the Fringe Comic-Con panel today at 12:30pm EST with #TheyAreComing and during the panel at 1:00pm EST with #InWymanWeTrust.

Download your Twitter Icons here. I'll be using...

Photobucket
Photobucket

 
Bonus Video //


While John, Josh, Anna, and Lance insist that they're happy to be allowed to finish the story of Fringe and that season five was like a stay of execution, there's no way there won't be tears on the last day of filming this beautiful work of art. You only have to watch some interview, or the show itself, to realize they really care for each other and love working together. If they didn't, Fringe never would have come together so well.

Movies from My Childhood

7/14/2012

More movies played in my head this week while working. It happens when I hear random words. This is starting to get distracting. I need to be more focused.

Masters of the Universe: The live action He-Man movie. Far from the best thing in the universe.



Time Bandits
: I still love it since it has one of my favorite lines, "Dear Benson, you are so mercifully free of the ravages of intelligence." Couldn't find that clip, so here's another funny one.



Baron Munchausen
: "That sounds nasty. Is it contagious?"



Mom and Dad Save the World: That Time Bandits clip reminded me of the "Shoot yourself in the head" scene in this movie. Since I couldn't find that one either, here's some fun with the light grenade. Yeah, this is a bad movie, but I love it.



Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: It's been a very long time since I last saw this.



Darby O'Gill and the LittlePeople: No little people in this scene, but this was probably always my favorite part.

XSight Touch ARRX18G Universal Remote

7/13/2012

SOLD!

Up for auction today is Acoustic Research's top of the line model universal remote. Control up to 18 devices at once with codes for thousands of models of TVs, cable boxes, DVRs, DVD players, and audio equipment. MSRP $149.99, starting at $60.00.

Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

Otterbox is One of the Good Ones

7/12/2012

Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos


A couple weeks ago I picked my iPad up like normal and my Otterbox Defender cover cracked, which was very disappointing since my warranty had expired a month before. I wanted to replace it with the same case, though, because it had saved my butt on two occasions. Before spending more than I had to I decided to ask Otterbox if I could possibly buy just a cover. What did they do? They sent me a new case for free, even though I told them twice that it was no longer under warranty. I love this company. A case from Otterbox is definitely worth the investment.

It's a Jungle in Here

7/11/2012

Here we go again. I was just sitting at the computer, minding my own business, trying to work, and my brain flashed random clips at me from things I watched years ago, sometimes just once. Seems to happen mostly while I'm working, so either a voice I hear or a word I'm typing will trigger it. Very distracting.

Bram & Alice: The show was certainly not the greatest, but it had Alfred Molina and Traylor Howard (Monk), so it was at least worth trying. I do remember liking it. I couldn't find any clips, so here's a fan video focusing on the assistant, Paul.



Since there were no clips of Bram & Alice, here's a bit of Ladies Man instead.


"Lost" Entertainment Weekly and TV Guide Magazine Back Issues

7/08/2012

I'm finally selling things on eBay! Trying to get out from under the suffocating mass of magazines that I don't want to just throw away. Please see descriptions in the listing. If you don't care for these, I also have a store at eCrater.

Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos


Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

Pineapple Brigade Psych T-Shirt

7/08/2012

Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

I found the pineapple! Actually, I've found it a few times before, but usually accidentally. I forget to look for it after the first commercial break almost every damn time. But now I can wear the elusive fruit proudly. I think this is a perfect first Psych shirt. I'm a huge fan, so why don't I have a shirt professing my love for it already? Well, I guess I was just waiting for an affordable and creative one. Get yours for just $10 plus $2.75 shipping today. Second chance tomorrow the price goes to $13.

TeeFury.com

Thank You MOG, Bleep You Ping

7/05/2012

The first thing I must say is a big FUCK YOU I LOVE YOU to MOG. I used to be there so much after Lala, the only music site that was ever worth loving, died at the hands of Apple. Then they took away customization and I drifted to other sites. I was always planning on going back, because I liked the playlists and blogging, but it didn't happen until they started giving away a certain amount of free music per month this year. Well, I was going to make Tom Hiddleston's playlist there last week, because I'd done so at Spotify and was working on a number of others. I tried it and it turned out my account was deleted still there without so much as a warning to upgrade before it happened, and I didn't see any options for a new free account. Anything I'd shared and all my playlists, which took a damn long time, were gone just hidden from me. I only had to email them. Turns out you need to sign in every 30 days or you get suspended.

As for Ping, I never used it before because Apple swallowed Lala whole. I was going to post that Ping was great for making a playlist, because it's fast and easy and has just about every song I've searched for. But then you get to the fact that they say "click publish when you're done" instead of "click publish to save your progress, because if you do anything else it will fuck up." I put a CD in to rip, it backed me out of the playlist, and 40 songs disappeared. Nice. You know, iTunes, I only put up with you because I have an iPad and iPod.

If you just want me to tell you which site you should spend your money on, or no money at all, I would say Spotify. You get a free account and commercials or you can pay.

Related Posts //

Random Movie (and TV) Thoughts Time

7/04/2012

I have too many of these moments.

War at Home. Only watched this once, but I guess it stuck with me, because something just flickered through my mind today. It wasn't this scene, but this is a good one...


...which I somehow mixed up with In the Gloaming. The only thing I remembered was Christopher Reeve directed it. And I didn't remember that Robert Sean Leonard was in this, and every time I see him I first thing I think of is incredibly moving and Emmy worthy performance in the House episode "Wilson's Heart."


Silver Screen Silhouettes ~ MST3K T-Shirt

7/04/2012

Photobucket

Because of time constraints, I still have not yet seen all 198 episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000. I started watching when we finally got SciFi Channel in the early 2000's, a few years after it ended and didn't see even a quarter of them before SciFi replaced it with something else. But MST3K became a must watch with Prince of Space, the first episode I randomly came across one weekend, and Manos ensured I would never forget it. Last year my brother even named his cats Gypsy and Crow. This shirt makes me smile. Get yours by the end of the day or it'll be gone forever. Just $10 plus $2.75 shipping.


If you've never seen MST3K, why not start with the first three episodes that I bought? Available from fye.

Manos, $24.97
Eegah, $10.99
Mitchell, $10.99

Hiddleston's Many Playlists

7/02/2012

The last three weekends I went through all of my music, deleting the doubles and triples...and quadruples! I put everything on a new, larger drive a while ago, but I actually think I copied them over instead of moving them. Probably paranoid that my computer would massively screw up. Wouldn't be the fiftieth time. At the same time, I decided to fix old CDs that were too scratched to play right and somehow never made it to the computer. (Thank you, Disc Doctor.) As I'm trying to do all that, I was also playing with a new blog template, getting things ready for eBay, and creating too many playlists with the songs Tom Hiddleston has been tweeting since October, 2011. If you don't know who he is, you have missed a couple big movies.

Yes, I spent a damn long time on these. Appreciate it. ;P


And if you use none of these, just stay here for the most complete of the lists. The other sites were all missing a song...or four.

And follow Tom on:
Twitter
Facebook