Barbarian at the Gate

I finally got around to listening to the Original Conan the Barbarian Soundtrack today on rdio. By god, the wait was worth it. Though what the hell was I waiting for? This is epic stuff. Who wouldn't want to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women to this music?

It's not going to happen today, but I also have the Conan the Destroyer soundtrack queued up. I ought to see if the library has these films on DVD, though I should probably just leave the awesomeness to my imagination

Christmas in July

Christmas in July doesn't make any sense to me. June 25th is the in-between date before Christmas comes again, not July. Shouldn't we use this Summertime to enjoy Summer festivities like cookouts and the beach, rather than try to enjoy Christmas things? Christmas Season starts in October now, it's not like we don't get enough of it. Maybe this is for the Southern Hemispheres who are in the midst of Winter right now. It might be a chance for them to enjoy the Winter Season aspects of Christmas. After all, part of Christmas is bringing light during the darkest part of the year.

Regardless of all that I did decide to brush off my Ultimate Christmas Playlist on rdio at work today. I only got through about half of it. Hey, it's long and I was busy. Also, The sun is shining and the days are long. I don't want to hear about sleigh bells and snow fall.

Short Term Obsessions

For me, Pop-Culture/Entertainment obsessions only last so long and I rarely, if ever, finish what I have started. That last bit can be applied to my life in general, but I am not going to head down that path so early in this relationship. These short-term obsessions vary in length and intensity but I think that I can say the average length is around 6 months, and the average intensity is around not that much.

Here's my list of past and current obsessions for me.

The X-Files: Back when I was working retail the Halloween season brought out the Halloween Muzak station. God was it repetitive and awful, except for the times Oingo Boingo's "Dead Man's Party" came on. One of the songs played often was the Theme from The X-Files. Around the hundredth time I heard it that October I decided that watching every episode was a brilliant idea. Finally I would find out all the answers to the multitude of mysteries and conspiracies the show contained. Well, I never got to answers but I got plenty of questions. I think I made it through five and half seasons out of nine. The last one I watched was two or three years ago. I still love the show and I still want to complete it, but the longer I wait the more I want to just start from the beginning again. The thought of rebooting has turned me off so I haven't done it yet.

Harry Potter: This series I actually finished so it doesn't fit into my theme for the day. I poured through the books one Summer and loved it. Unfortunately I read all 7 back to back to back so I can't really differentiate the plot points between novels. It all blurs together. I did get into listening to the audio books which are performed amazingly well by Jim Dale. I only got through four of those though. There, theme shoehorned in.

24: I watched three days, loved it, but never got around to more

Lost: I watched a season and a half, enjoyed it, but stopped for no particular reason.

Arrested Development: It's barely three seasons long and it's absolutely hilarious! How is it that I never finished this? Even with the fact that I borrowed the final season (before Netflix) from a friend for a long long time. I even restarted watching from the beginning earlier this year and got stalled around halfway through Season 1. Still love it, still can't finish it.

Battlestar Galactica: I also started watching this earlier this year. I also stalled with this around halfway through the first Season. I also thought it was really good and I hear nothing but good things about this series.

My current obsession, and the reason I started thinking about this, is Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. I couldn't tell you what number I am on at restarting this game. Half a dozen? A dozen? Does it matter? I stated playing again last week knowing full well I would never finish it. Hell, if I still had the Original XBox I would have restarted Elder Scrolls III. (Never finished that one either though I had a lot of fun with it.)

I started playing again because my less specific overall current obsession is Fantasy. RPG's, Comic Books, Music, Movies, Books, etc. It's all fantasy right now. I've already exhausted the music options. Using rdio at work I've listened to a ton of epic fantasy music, mostly soundtracks to video games and movies, Fable Soundtrack is good and so is Bram Stoker's Dracula. But data entry doesn't lend itself to epicness so now I'm done. I see the remaining pieces in my queue and keep pushing them back. I'm not sure if I will ever get around to Basil Poledouris' Conan soundtracks.

Comic Books don't really offer a lot of choice. I read Book 1 of Dark Horse comics' Conan. It was good and I would keep going but I don't really like dropping cash to complete the Trade Paperback collections. Obsession stalled. I suppose I could see what the library offers but I don't hold out high hopes for that. I have supported The Guilded Age on Kickstarter (Kickstarter being a minor week long obsession) but I really don't know if it is good and it won't see print until November.

As for regular books I am continuing George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire. I am on Book 4 and everything I have heard about it is true. We are following new uninteresting POV characters and favorites are missing. Too many Greyjoys I say. And it doesn't feel like we are getting anywhere. Just gear grinding. After that I will read the fifth book, but then I am in the "waiting for the next book" phase that the rest of the world is in. Who knows how long that will take? Who knows where my interest will lie when it happens?

Movies, well, I suppose I could watch Lord of The Rings again, but as it is I am sititng on a bunch of other movies that I want to watch. Finding time to watch movies is almost impossible. Especailly if I am using my free time to play Oblivion, which I will never finish, as I am already slowing down with it.

Long Awaited Sequel to 20 Year-Old Cartoon

Here’s what I think would be the best Sequel to Disney’s Beauty & The Beast. Prince Beast hunts down the capricious fairy that callously cursed him all those years ago. Better yet, make it a prequel so he uses his sweet beast strength and skills to hunt down the wicked fey. I should write a spec script.

Thinking about it, pre-Beast Prince was screwed no matter what he would’ve done. Sure, he could’ve let in the old crone, but what if Chip makes fun of her appearance? What if Lumiere Scoffs at her looks while chasing after the young, attractive maid? What if Cogsworth doesn’t allow her to eat in the Master’s fancy Dining Room due to her raggedness? What if Miss Bureau Drawers (Madame De La Grande Bouche) says she needs better clothes? Boom! Whole castle cursed due to the vile nature of that evil fairy. Never trust a fairy.

While we are on the subject. Lumiere turns into a candlestick, Mrs. Potts becomes a teapot, Cogsworth becomes a clock and Chip becomes a chipped cup. I feel bad for Mr. Privy.