Monday, December 26, 2005

The Net of Stormbringer: Issue #15, Volume One

I know, I know...long time, no write. But that is a good thing in a way because it means that your and my Carolina Hurricanes have been doing good for the most part. Which, is pretty dang impressive for December, one of the Canes' historically worst months. They actually didn't do horrible tonight at Tampa Bay, but they did not do all that great either. Keepin' it short and simple, if the Canes' D/penalty kill unit did not allow that stupid shorthanded goal in the second period OR Gerber's being all the way in Iowa did make for a 3-3 tying goal in the same period, they would be on top of the 'Ning by eleven big ones. That said, the Canes have GOT to find a way to beat the more and more pesky Lightning in the remaining four games against them. Hopefully it won't come down to it, but the Canes' shot at the number three seed (if they don't move up to first or second in the Eastern Conference) could *very well* depend on those chances to keep a lead on Tampa.


And BTW, a note to one Mr. Dave Andreychuk...what is up with your hair?! It makes John Forslund's hair look quite stylish...and that's saying quite a bit. Barry Melrose may have to step aside...there's a new Mullet Prince* in town.

On a non-hockey related note...Tales of Symphonia kicks serious tail. I've never been the largest RPG nut. While I do *really like* the Dragon Quest/Warrior series and the Inuyasha RPG (titled Secret of the Cursed Mask), otherwise, I find a lot of RPG series highly overrated...especially Final Fantasy**, the Chrono series, and the Xenosaga series. But, I have always thought that if there was a highly rated RPG series I would not mind trying, it's the Tales of Destiny one, of which Symphonia is the latest installment. After what little I've played of Symphonia, I will have to eventually look into playing Tales of Phantasia and Secret of Mana, which I have on my PC's big-a** old school arcade...the latter I think being part of the ToD series because of Mana being talked about a lot in Symphonia. But hey, I could be wrong...

* - The Mullet King title *still* belongs to Jaromir Jagr...and all you need for proof of that is
this picture.

** - Not that I totally hate the Final Fantasy series...I *do* like to occasionally play Final Fantasy 3 (FF6 in Japanese numbering) on my PC. That might increase too, thanks to ToS.
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Sunday, December 25, 2005

So...What Did Everyone Get For Christmas?

As always, I'll start...

Avon Perfumes - Haiku Awakenings and Today (perfume and body wash package)

Avon Tri-Tone Ring

Books:
An Underground Education by Richard Zacks, Can A Guy Get Pregnant? by Bill and Rick Sones, The Darwin Awards: Felonious Failures by Wendy Northcutt, The Explainer by Slate Magazine, mental_floss Presents: Condensed Knowledge, and Why Do Men Have Nipples? by Mark Lehner and Billy Goldberg.

DVDs:
Keeping Up Appearances: The Full Bouquet and March of the Penguins.

An Estee Lauder perfume package (featuring Beautiful, Beyond Paradise, Pleasures, and Pleasures Exotic)

Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments - Penguin Races (Three little penguins on sleds.)

An Italy day-by-day calendar.

A penguin snowglobe music box (which plays "Let It Snow!") from the Metropolitan Museum of Art store.

Sweatshirt with a "peppermint penguin".

Tales of Symphonia video game for the Nintendo Gamecube. (Thanks
littlerae!!)

T-Shirt featuring Chinstrap Penguins and saying "Keep Chillin'".

Two West Virginia made glass penguin figurines, bought at Tamarack (the "Best of West Virginia" store in Beckley, WV)

AND last, but certainly not least...

The Complete Calvin and Hobbes

The Complete Far Side

Opus: 25 Years of His Sunday Best
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Saturday, December 24, 2005

Merry Christmas From Buckhorn Mountain, VA! :)



BTW, a note to anyone offended by the picture and/or comments:It's all a joke/kidding around, ok? Stop being a prude, and get a sense of humor for Christmas if any of this *really* bugs/shocks you.
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Friday, December 23, 2005

Happy Festivus!

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Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Wayne Gretzky's Mother, Phyllis, Dies of Lung Cancer at 64.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=147620&hubname=nhl

And I *really* cannot put it any better than RonnieFranchise @ Scout.com's Canes board...

"Terrible loss for Wayne, who was so close to his parents. Phyllis Gretzky and Colleen Howe are practically the patron saints of hockey moms."

May thee rest in peace, as my thoughts and prayers go out to the Great One and his family.
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Saturday, December 17, 2005

This Much Fun Should Be Illegal

http://www.myheritage.com/FP/Company/tryFaceRecognition.php?s=1&u=g0&lang=EN&restore

I dare all of you to *not try* pictures of your favorite hockey players/movie stars/musicians/etc. on this thing. I guaran-damn-tee you that it will be much more amusing than you think...already, I've discovered that:

Draft/early Hartford-era Ron Francis looks like Jason Biggs.

Canes era Ron Francis bears an uncanny resemblance to George Clooney (one of the very few "separated at birth"s I've nailed from the get-go).

Eric Staal might as well say he can't get no satisfaction, since he and Brian Jones look alike.

When John Forslund turns 64, he'll probably look like Charles M. Schultz.

Chuck Kaiton and Ozzy Osbourne? I never knew Chuck and the letter K had some rocker in him...

For all we know, Rod Brind'Amour could be the Prime Minister of Denmark having gone "undercover". AND he happens to look like Jack Nicholson...not many prime ministers can hold claim to that.

Yes, quite obviously, I'm already having too much fun...
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Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Beavis and Butthead Address Congress

http://beavisbuttheadcongress.ytmnd.com/

Scarily enough, I think that sums up politics in a nutshell.
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Tuesday, December 06, 2005

I Think I Just Saw the Tackiest Christmas Light Display Evah.

So, my family and I are returning from Bellacino's (GREAT pizza and grinder place) in Bluefield, when we all of sudden pass by this house with red lights around the door and porch. The closer we get to the house, the more I realize that the red lights aren't even Christmas lights...they're those chili pepper lights that you see at many "hip" Mexican restaurants.

At the risk of seeming like a very mean person, I am highly tempted to go back by that place, snap a picture, and send it in to this site.
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Saturday, December 03, 2005

The Secret Santa Experiment 2005

Ok, I have updated not only my Amazon.com Wish List's items, but also its name...which is now officially, as the title states:

The Secret Santa Experiment 2005

I decided to have a little fun with my AWL, considering that it's my first year trying such a thing...how is it an experiment? Well, if you don't know who you are getting gifts from (apart from the relatives and friends to whom you've already sent the list), it *is* an experiment. And, one I hope to continue every year, should this year be a success.

So, if any of you dear readers have the time, please take a gander. AND, if you have an Amazon Wish List, feel *very free* to post it in a response to this.
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Thursday, December 01, 2005

Christmas Time Is Here Again!

Now that it's truly official, I.E. December 1st is here, I shall share with all of you dear readers my lists...

First, my holiday gift wish lists...

Amazon.com, Dieci: The Ron Francis Project - Cards, D:TRFP - Stuff

Let me emphasize that I don't expect to get every single thing on those lists, NOR do I expect to get anything at all. But, for those of you toying with the idea of getting me a gift this holiday season, the lists are there to provide ideas.

And second, my Christmas playlist, as of my writing this...

Bold = New addition since last year.

The Beatles - "Christmas Time Is Here Again"
Barenaked Ladies - "It's Christmas Time (Oh Yeah)"
Smashing Pumpkins - "Christmastime"
The Pretenders - "2,000 Miles"
Mannheim Steamroller - "Deck the Halls"
The Flaming Lips - "White Christmas"
Sonic the Hedgehog: Flickie's Island - "Snow" (Overclocked Remix)
Roomful of Blues - "Let It Snow"
Lou Rawls and Dianne Reeves - "Baby, It's Cold Outside"
Brian Setzer Orchestra - "Winter Wonderland"
Saturday Night Live - "Christmas Song 2000"
The Band - "Christmas Must Be Tonight"
Bryan Adams - "Something About Christmas Time"
Billy Squire - "Christmas Is the Time To Say I Love You"
George Thorogood - "Rock and Roll Christmas"
Chuck Berry - "Run Run Rudolph"
Bruce Springsteen - "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"
Emerson, Lake, and Palmer - "I Believe In Father Christmas"
The Kinks - "Father Christmas"
Louis Armstrong - "'Zat You Santa Clause?"
Bob Rivers - "I Am Santa Claus" (Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" parody)
Spinal Tap - "Christmas With the Devil"
Trans-Siberian Orchestra - "Carol of the Bells"
The Waitresses - "Christmas Wrapping"
John Coltrane - "My Favorite Things"
Bob Rivers Comedy Corp - "The Twelve Pains of Christmas"
Brenda Lee - "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"
The Dropkick Murphys - "Nutrocker" (Live)
The Ramones - "Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight)"
No Doubt - "Oi To the World"
John Lennon - "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)"
Band Aid - "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
The Flaming Lips - "Christmas At the Zoo"
Rockapella - "Hope We Hold"
Miles Davis - "Blue Xmas (For Whom It May Concern)"
Porky Pig (Mel Blanc) - "Blue Christmas"
Ben Folds - "Lonely Christmas Eve"
The Eagles - "Please Come Home For Christmas"
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - "Christmas All Over Again"
Elton John - "Step Into Christmas"
Jose Feliciano - "Feliz Navidad"
Reel Big Fish - "Mele Kalikimaka"
James Brown - "Soulful Christmas"
B.B. King - "Merry Christmas Baby"
Bryan Adams - "Run Run Rudolph"
Elmo and Patsy - "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer"
Ella Fitzgerald - "Sleigh Ride"
Super Mario World - "Super Mario's Sleigh Ride" (Overclocked Remix)
Hall and Oates - "Jingle Bell Rock"
Paul McCartney - "Wonderful Christmas Time"
Queen - "Thank God It's Christmas"
Renaissance - "Northern Lights" (Not really a Christmas song, but has always had a Christmassy/Winter feel to me.)
The Pogues - "Fairytale of New York"
Run DMC - "Christmas In Hollis"
Frank Sinatra and Cyndi Lauper - "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"
Madonna - "Santa Baby"
They Might Be Giants - "Santa's Beard"
Squirrel Nut Zippers - "Santa Claus Is Smoking Reefer"
The Who - "Christmas"
Bob and Doug MacKenzie - "The Twelve Days of Christmas"
Weird Al Yankovic - "Microsoft Christmas"
The Supremes - "My Favorite Things"
Wham! - "Last Christmas"
U2 - "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
XTC - "Thanks For Christmas"
Vince Guaraldi Trio - "Linus and Lucy"
Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings" (Live on a radio show.)
David Bowie and Bing Crosby - "Little Drummer Boy (Peace On Earth)" (Live on television.)
Trans-Siberian Orchestra - "O Come All Ye Faithful/O Holy Night"
The Beatles - "Everywhere It's Christmas"
Emerson, Lake, and Palmer - "Nutrocker" (Live)
Christmas NiGHTS - "Merry Little Christmas" (Overclocked Remix)
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