*does her best James Brown* I'm Back...I'M BACK!!

Get up offa that thing and dance 'til you feel better!!

I certainly feel better...I apologize for the week-long wait, but as I mentioned over here, once I got my computer on Thursday, it still took a couple of days to get all of the stuff I wanted to keep from my old compy uploaded. Not helped by the fact that I royally screwed up the new PC's operating system (Windows XP Media Center...giving Vista at least a year to come down in price AND get its kinks worked out) Friday night in hopes of quickly finishing up my uploading via Windows OneCare. Long story short, OneCare wasn't totally clear with its instructions of what its "Backup Restoration" does with the files. But all was well when I found out another reason why Hewlett-Packard's computers rock: They have an option where you can tell your computer's OS to revert to its "new condition" when it first arrived in its refurbished box. Yes, it meant having to re-upload certain things again, BUT I don't think I could have been any more happier doing that. I was just very, VERY GLAD to get my OS and its INCREDIBLE sound and graphics systems (and uber-nifty HP photo software) back after Friday night's debacle (which made me get out the laptop again so I could at least get my Adventure Quest fix before hitting the sack).

Speaking of the compy being a HP one (my previous one being a Compaq, which is technically a HP too...meaning that basically, I've never been able to completely shake myself of the brand), when given the opportunity to "name" it (much like you get to give your Nintendo Wii a name when setting it up), I thought of christening the PC "Patrick" or "Marleau", since my new compy is a HP Pavilion...think about it. But, I ended up going with "Reed", from the real name of my most favorite comic book character and practically the "human" computer of the Marvel Universe in Mr. Fantastic instead.

Speaking of him...god, I hope he and his team's second movie is a whole lot better than the first one. I'm STILL reeling in shock from how they effed up the total classic of an origin by having the future Dr. Doom tag along with the four soon-to-be fantastic ones. I'm sorry, but part of the charm of the Dr. Reed Richards/Victor Von Doom rivalry is the fact that they have never really gotten along. And when they have had to get along, it is more often than not a very unpleasant and begrudging time between the two geniuses.

In addition to that, a friend recently made me aware of a potential great effing up with another total classic in the upcoming movie...spoiler proofed for those of you who actually care:

Galactus is not a enormous intergalactic golum-like being as he has been portrayed in ink and paper...instead, he is merely a storm cloud. YES, A FREAKIN' STORM CLOUD!!!

As I told that friend, it scares me to think that ten years from now: The Flintstones will be known as candy that's supposed to be vitamins* instead of classic cartoon characters, Galactus will be known as a big ol' thunderstorm instead of a cosmos-born giant, and Tecmo Super Bowl will be known as yet another crappy football video game franchise instead of the former glorious shell of itself, among a ton of other things.

The scary thing? I am not nearly as fanatic about the Fantastic Four as I once was in a former life. But, dagummit, I care about them and especially their movies, since that is what is finally getting my most beloved comic characters ever in my childhood/life in the spotlight after at least the 80's and the infamous John Byrne creative run. And it worries me that there are at least two, if not more things in those movies that make my skin crawl...if they can do that, then there is no telling how much Jack Kirby is tossing and turning in his grave.

Speaking of things that make one's skin crawl...time for my marketing geek-out of the moment: Have you seen the now not-so-recent Sprite "Sublymonal" commercials? I finally have, thanks to my morbid curiosity stemming from reading the following at Television Without Pity recently...

"Wah! I just saw another Sprite "Sublymonal" commercial. Lebron James skulks around a mansion wearing a lime-shaped helmet. They're stalking a gigantic walking tongue (okay, a guy in a tongue suit) with paintball guns. They find the tongue and alternately shoot it with green and yellow paintballs representing "lime" and "lemon." And, there are little people dressed as lemons and limes jumping in a pool.

I am not feeling refreshed or thirsty right now."

If you don't know what the heck I am talking about...the following will "refresh" your memory. And no, not one of these is the aforementioned jewel featuring a certain Cleveland Cavalier...











And remember, kids...

"Don't worry, it will only affect your brain."

I don't know about you or anyone else, but that screams "RUN...like the wind...like Forrest Gump!!".

Besides, Sprite doesn't contain caffeine...what fun is that?

Current Music: "A Soldier's Memories" - Sailor Neptune's Sailor Moon Sailor Stars Single

* - I refuse to believe that freakin' "Gummies" are real, honest-to-goodness vitamins/supplements.

March 22nd and 24th, 2007 - Canes vs. Capitals and Sharks: Random Musings and Observations

- Remember where I said that game at the Devils was not exactly a turning point? Can I take that back? Please? Pretty please? With butter and maple syrup on top?

- Between these past three games and the Canes' overall play, the month of March has been like beisbol to the Canes. Despite the fact that in the games this RM&O is supposed to be focused on, the Canes haven't exactly SBLOUNSKCHED the Caps and Sharks like they did to the *does her best Putty from Seinfeld* DEVILS(!!). And if there's any other game where I wish they did that, it would tonight's affair vs. the Sharks...if you ask me, any team with Joe Thornton couldn't get SBLOUNSKCHED enough.

- And speaking of the Bad News (former) Bruin, why, OH WHY did Hurricanes Live do a freakin' feature about him? Just when I thought I would get away with not having to play Angry Carolina Hurricanes Nerd about FSN South sometimes giving a little too much attention to the opposing team this season, along came that crapola.

Anyway, you know why this month has been good to the boys in red and black? No, it's not Mike Commodore's enchanted afro...though, one could make the argument about the Canes' play picking up the more his carrot top grows. That said, I hope he doesn't have a girlfriend named Delilah...

But anyway, just a few days ago, I happened upon this tidbit over at Bubba's Canes Country...

"I was listening to a Justin Williams interview on 850TheBuzz yesterday afternoon and he sounded very upbeat. He said that the team still feels very confident in what they can accomplish and they are close to putting things together. Of course they are as disappointed and frustrated as everyone else is about the loses, but there are no more excuses. They need to start winning hockey games. He said that they got a visit from Ron Francis after the game Tuesday night and the “Franchise” told them that they are in a similar situation that he was in with Pittsburgh back in 1992, the year after they first won the Cup. The Penguins barely squeaked into the playoffs, but ended up winning the Cup again that year. Isn’t it great to have one of the best players to ever play the game come into your locker room for some inspiration? If that doesn’t get the boys worked up, nothing will!"

As I know I've said at least once, if not twice in this here blog: Ah...the power of Ron Francis.

- Something I did not realize until tonight...with the win over the Sharks AND the Thrashers losing to the Penguins (YAY PENS!!) earlier today/yesterday, the Canes are just a mere four points away from first in the Southeast Division AND the numero tres seed in ze Eastern Conference!! *does her best Ben Stein* Wow. O_O

If I was told a couple of months ago that the Canes were going to be in this position, at the risk of sounding like a horrible fan, I probably would have laughed off my butt. But, this is very much an instance of where I am glad to have been very wrong.

- Regarding other sports news...GO!! HEELS!! Both men and women happen to be playing tomorrow against Georgetown and George Washington, respectively, for a chance to be playing in the Final Four and Elite Eight.

As for my bracket...not only do I want the UNC men to win for the sake of being my favorite college and namesake, but also because thanks to Kansas getting knocked out by UCLA, the Heels find themselves being my bracket's wing and prayer.

Speaking of prayers...please direct them to the UNC's current Rameses performer, who is in critical condition after getting hit by a SUV near his hotel in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

And a HUGE THANK YOU to Sergio Garcia for proving to the world why you are EASILY my most disliked "professional" golfer.

"But it (the spit) did go in the middle (of the hole) and wasn't going to affect anyone else. If it did, I would have wiped it off."

Yeah. Right. *rolls her eyes*

Yes, I like golf...shut up.

Current Music: "Cammy's London Drizzle" - Super Street Fighter 2 OverClocked Remix