Sunday, April 23, 2017

To absent friends...



Beth Cleaver died yesterday. I'm heartbroken.

I don't know how many of you followed her old blog, "My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy," but it was always a must-read. She dropped it and continued on Facebook for the last several years.

She always spoke her mind, and always cared about her family, her friends, and, of course, her country.

I don't really know what to say. I do know that we need more people like Beth, not fewer.

Cancer sucks.

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Gettin' ready for the new MST3K

You knew it was coming back on the 14th, right?


[The YouTube]

Yep, Mystery Science Theater 3000 is back -- or will be back, really soon. Like a week and a half. Not even that long. On the 14th. So, yeah, soon.

Are you ready? I'm not. But I'm getting ready.

First, I need to subscribe to Netflix. I don't ever watch Netflix, what with Hulu and iTunes and Amazon and TiVo and everything. I had Netflix, but never watched it, so I stopped paying for it. Plus they ticked me off about something, but I don't remember just what. Anyway, I'll need to subscribe to Netflix, since that's where you can watch it.

Also, I thought about watching the old episodes again, but I watch the occasional episode every week anyway, so I'm not doing that. I actually did that before, back in 2011 & 2012. I started at the beginning, with the KTMA episodes. You can't buy them, but you can find them if you look hard enough. Honestly, unless you have those on a bucket list, it's like a pre-season football game. It doesn't really satisfy, but you can see them training and growing and working the kinks out. Some of the host segment are really good, so good they were redone for the national series. If you want to read my reviews of the KTMA episodes, start here.

If you want to start with the official Season One, start here. I watched them in the original airdate order, which is slightly different than most episode lists you see. It only makes a difference in a couple of places but the first season has one of those places.

If you want to just look at the overall review of all the episodes, videos, and what-not, try this link. Use the sidebar to go to particular ones you want. Or, just watch them in order (if you own them or can find them) and see if you think about them like I do.

Anyway, what I've been doing that's MST3K related is finding the original uncut, unedited, un-MSTied versions of the movies and shorts that aired and watching them. Why? I dunno. Maybe to see what the MST3K crew had to go through. Maybe just to say I did. That last one seems more likely, knowing me like I do.

But what about you? What are you doing to get ready for the relaunch of MST3K?

Monday, April 3, 2017

Check your doors when you leave

Got an unusual text from my sister -- the Mean One -- the other night.
Mean Sister (8:54 PM):
Are you in town?
Me (8:54 PM):
Yes
Mean Sister (8:55 PM):
Can you come to my house with your gun. I just got back in town, and my front door is open.
Me (8:55 PM):
On the way
Mean Sister (8:55 PM):
Thank you.
That's not a very common request from her ... or from anybody, actually. At least, it's not a request I get very often.

I threw some clothes on, grabbed the gun, got my sister on the phone, and rushed that way.

A room to room search determined no one was there ... or had been there. The front door was locked, but wide open. The conclusion was that she had pulled the locked door to but didn't properly close it, and that it has blown open.

She admitted that she never checks the door when she leaves because she "always keeps the door locked." I tried not to be too much of a jackass, but I did suggest that she change her habits. And, just in case you have ... well, sloppy, to be honest ... habits regarding securing your residence, rethink things.

Always check your doors when you leave. Go to every door, and make sure they're locked. Check your windows regularly. If you ever open them, check them before you leave or before you call it a night.

When you leave out a door and you pull it to, turn the knob to ensure it's locked. Push on the door to ensure it's latched. And, if you have a deadbolt, use it. Sure, it's a pain to do every time you leave. And it takes anywhere from 2 - 6 seconds. Take that extra time. Please.

The problem isn't that my sister didn't do these things and get me out. It's that she wasn't being safe. I'm hoping she changes her habits. I want her to be safe.

You be safe too, okay?