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My To-Do List -- Last Updated October 23, 2009
FAQ -- last updated July 26, 2008

I'm not dumb, I just have a command of thoroughly useless information. -- Calvin, The Days Are Just Packed

Okay, I honestly need to quit reading stuff that I KNOW will give me nightmares. Or at the very least freak me out enough to make me lose sleep...

I admit it. I'm a wimp. I know I'll probably never be able to watch certain movies -- horror, slasher, zombie, violent shoot-em-ups... heck, I'm not sure I can handle the Alien movies. It's so bad that just reading a plot synopsis of some movies can freak me out, especially if said synopsis includes screencaps.

So why do I go and look up movies that I know are going to scare me somehow? Train-wreck syndrome? Am I just a masochist in that way?

This time around it wasn't horror movies per se -- it was nuclear-war movies, specifically The Day After, Threads, and When the Wind Blows. And the synopsis of that last one was even thoughtful (or cruel) enough to provide a link to the scans of the comic book it was based off of. And I know, the Cold War is over and Russia and the US are no longer threatening each other with nuclear strikes, but still, it's a subject that's bound to make anyone jittery, right?

So yeah, last night I was up half the night because of a nightmare about a bomb going off near our house. I feel ashamed to admit it, but there you go.

What's funny is that I can read horror fiction just fine most of the time -- Stephen King gets a little intense and squicky in parts, but he hasn't given me nightmares yet. I guess it's because with a book, you control what you "see" to some extent, but with a movie synopsis, you know it's visual and so you're trying to picture it in your head... and sometimes your imagination comes up with something far more awful than what's actually on the screen.

So there's my embarassing confession for the week, I guess. *slinks off to hide*

Journal Feature -- Darth Vader

Create a TF Cartoon Challenge!
100 Theme Challenge -- 100 TF pics!
My To-Do List -- Last Updated October 23, 2009
FAQ -- last updated July 26, 2008

I'm not dumb, I just have a command of thoroughly useless information. -- Calvin, The Days Are Just Packed

I don't follow too many webcomics (Insecticomics and Darths and Droids is about all anymore -- Casey and Andy is no longer being updated and I've fallen behind on Comics In Disguise), but I do enjoy finding and reading new comics, especially if I like the premise and the art is enjoyable. And they're often funnier and more entertaining than newspaper comic strips, which I find have fallen in quality ever since Gary Larson and Bill Watterson retired. (Alas, Far Side and Calvin and Hobbes, we knew you...)

Thanks to the TV Tropes website, I've found an adorable and clever webcomic called Housepets. Yes, I stayed up half the night last night to read the archives, I'm a dork like that...

For anyone who likes their webcomics with a healthy dose of cute, here's a link to the first strip -- [link]

I've been copying Christmas music to my computer's hard drive over the past few days, so now I have Christmas songs stuck in my head. It might be a bit early to get into the holiday season, but hey, I'm having fun.

I've asked this before, but I'm going to ask this again because I keep forgetting about it. Can anyone out there help me learn how to make an AMV? And please don't just point me at Windows Movie Maker and tell me "There's your program, go nuts." I'm pretty thick when it comes to these things and prefer a specific "Click here, stupid" to a vague answer. Is there a website that will show you how to make an AMV, step by step?

Journal Feature -- Darth Vader

Create a TF Cartoon Challenge!
100 Theme Challenge -- 100 TF pics!
My To-Do List -- Last Updated October 23, 2009
FAQ -- last updated July 26, 2008

I'm not dumb, I just have a command of thorougly useless information. -- Calvin, The Days Are Just Packed

You might be a Transformers fanatic if you have one or more robots in your purse, bag, or pocket at any given time.

Yes, I frequently carry one or more of my TFs in my bag or pocket when I go places -- the store, work, a friend or family member's house, even church. (Note that the TF doesn't usually come OUT of the bag when I go places...) I think just about every TF of mine has traveled with me in this way, from the Robot Heroes to the Masterpieces. And it leads to a lot of odd misadventures... and a lot of laughs.

On one occasion I took Henkei Cyclonus to Wal-Mart for a grocery run, and for the heck of it I took him out of my bag and let him ride in the cart while I shopped and checked the toy aisle to see if anything good had come out lately. (Don't remember if I picked up anyone new that run.) I finished my shopping, paid for my food, put Cyc in my bag, headed for the door... and got stopped by an employee who thought I'd removed Cyc from a package and was trying to steal him. I had to go back to the toy aisle with the guy and prove to him that I'd brought Cyc with me and Wal-Mart didn't even carry Universe Cyc at that time, much less Henkei Cyc.

Another time, at my brother's band concert, Mom suggested we all pool our change and see if we had enough money to go out for ice cream afterward. I dug around in my purse and came up with a handful of coins... and a bit of green plastic. I spent a few minutes staring at the plastic piece trying to figure out where it came from. "I know this belongs to somebody... oh wait, it's part of Thunderclash." Mom just laughed.

Then this past weekend the entire family went to Costco to pick up a few things and to check out the Bumblebee helmet and arm blaster set (which I would totally get if I thought I had fifty extra bucks to blow). At the checkout I reached into my bag to grab my checkbook... and pulled out Motormaster. Mom laughed while I set him aside and reached back in to grab... Breakdown. I'd taken the Stunticons to work the previous day to show a co-worker and forgotten they were still in my bag. The cashier was all "How many of those have you GOT in there?"

I used to set whatever TF I was carrying on the dashboard of my car while I was driving, but I've quit doing that after one too many times of turning a corner and having the poor TF go flying across the car. Not all TFs have flight capabilities...

And yes, I've gotten the occasional remark from someone as to WHY I carry a toy robot in my bag. I've even had a few people freak and ask why whatever figure I'm carrying isn't still in its box. Hey, I'm the type of collector who likes to actually play with my toys. Nothing wrong with that, is there?

Still banging my head on writing here. If I can get this sequel to "Breaking the Rules" written within a reasonable amount of time, I MIGHT have time to get a TF Christmas story written before the actual holiday rolls around. Call it a Christmas present to all my watchers.

...also, why do I have a Michael Jackson song stuck in my head? It's not like I listen to the guy's music on a regular basis...

Journal Feature -- Darth Vader

Create a TF Cartoon Challenge!
100 Theme Challenge -- 100 TF pics!
My To-Do List -- Last Updated October 23, 2009
FAQ -- last updated July 26, 2008

I don't need to compromise my principles because they don't have the slightest bearing on what happens to me anyway. -- Calvin, Calvin and Hobbes

I'm in a grumpy mood tonight -- won't go into details -- so tonight feels like the perfect night to get something off my chest here.

ATTENTION WATCHERS -- I DO NOT TAKE REQUESTS.

I mean it. Unless I specifically make a journal opening up specific requests, I won't take them. I have enough projects lined up as it is, and don't write stories on demand very well. If you have an idea for an epic crossover or character-themed story, try writing it yourself or plugging the idea to another writer. (Besides, chances are I'm not familiar with whatever you want to cross over with TFs, or I just don't care...)

Also, I do NOT take suggestions. Unless I'm specifically asking for help with a story, any suggestions on what to do next with a certain story will be taken into consideration but not necessarily implemented. I have most of my stories fully planned out already, so odds are whatever is being suggested won't fit into the storyline.

I'm glad that people like my writing enough to see more of it, but at this point I want to write what I want to write. And while requests are nice, they're something that can grow out of control in a hurry if an artist or writer isn't careful.

And about messages... I don't hide messages on my stuff very often, but when I do rest assured it's for a good reason. I'll hide a message on a journal, picture, or story if:

1. It contains excessive profanity (the "F" word being the biggest offender) and/or graphic or otherwise offensive comments.

2. It's an obvious flame -- I'm fine with honest criticism, but if someone's obviously being a jerk or a troll I'm not going to put up with it.

3. Two or more of the same comment get posted somehow. I'll leave one copy of the comment up and hide the other, just so people don't have to read the same thing twice.

Now that I'm done with my rant for the night, I'm going to go lay down and read some Calvin and Hobbes. That always seems to brighten my mood somewhat.

Journal Feature -- Darth Vader

Create a TF Cartoon Challenge!
100 Theme Challenge -- 100 TF pics!
My To-Do List -- Last Updated October 23, 2009
FAQ -- last updated July 26, 2008

I don't need to compromise my principles because they don't have the slightest bearing on what happens to me anyway. -- Calvin, Calvin and Hobbes

Okay, I admit, going to eBay "just to look around" probably wasn't the smartest idea. But I did it, and there's no turning back, is there?

To my credit, I guess, I didn't bid on anything. But I came REALLY close.

There are still a few items I wouldn't mind adding to my collection, and I wanted to see if any of them were available on eBay. And yes, two of them were -- Actionmaster Thundercracker and a set of three of the KISS Players cassettes. Yes, KISS Players cassettes. I can't stand the concept of KISS, but the cassettes are cute, and I can always rename them if I get my hands on them, right?

The problem? Everything costs money. Thundercracker is $65 and the cassettes are $50 for the three (and a CD). Luckily the bidding won't go up, seeing as these are only available as "Buy It Now" items. But still, that's a chunk of money and doesn't include the shipping costs, especially since TC has to come from Europe.

Part of the problem is that I need to be saving for next year's BotCon, and purchases now can cause problems later in that department. But another part of the problem is that Mom and Stepdad aren't working at the moment, and the financial situation isn't going to be improving anytime soon from the look of things. And while I do suppose my money is my own to spend how I want, I still feel incredibly guilty buying stuff for myself when Mom isn't even sure if she can pay the bills this month.

Ah well. I guess I can just make a list out and hope I can find these figures again once someone gets a job here. I won't feel so bad about splurging on a figure or a T-shirt or something once another adult in this house is gainfully employed. For now... I'll just play around with the figures I already have and try to be patient.

Speaking of figures, that lock on my door will come in handy once we get it installed -- the cat seems to think my shelves are his jungle gym and the figures are currently a mess at the moment. Must straighten the shelves here...

Journal Feature -- Darth Vader