Something about this weekend feels like the old days. Friday was a sad little 7-11 shift which quite possibly was my shortest weekend shift in weeks. Later today is a soul sucking Saturday DlK...but the weather and those God Awful Fireworks should help things a bit.

Oh, I hate the Celebration of Light with a passion. One Year with the McCollum Girl. One Year with Elizabeth. I never saw the draw when it takes you at least 5 hours to get there to see a half hour flash in the pan followed by massive urban chaos and other six hours to go back....I probably had one bad one with Staci and Co., but I can't even remember that one!  

I couldn't have possibly gone with Staci. She would die in crowds like that. My god, she almost had a panic attack before "The Dark Knight" started. I couldn't do a thing to help her then. It made me a little sad.

Things I Might Be Writing:

"The Untitled Next Great Canadian" script dealing with being split into four different people and destined to live out boring mediocre lives. Staci has signed on as collaborator simply because we thought David Hewlett would be great in the starring role....I don't even have a script yet, but we're casting it. Nicole deBoer has to be in it too...Since really...I don't have the budget for Natalie Portman. We'll probably get Maple to produce it...since they're produce anything....I'd like to get Rogue to produce, but they are a little classier. Of course, whatever god awful production company that just did "Starship Troopers 3" should be shot....they're doing "Zombie Strippers" which is not a better idea than "Ninja Cheerleaders." Staci claims the only reason I'm upset about "Ninja Cheerleaders is that I didn't come up with it first. (sigh)

 "The Untitled "City of" Third Reich Occult Story"

I came up with this while watching a random History Channel show about Hitler and the occult. Apparently he had a Mandrake Root that brought him good luck just before he became the chancellor of Germany. I think it's connected to the Tim Roth film "Invincible" which I've been meaning to watch for a while. Saint and I managed to finish "Youth without Youth" which was fantastic, despite the fact I might not get it.

Anyway, The story will revolve around the five main character Freedom Franny (both in the past and present...I might have her meet Churchill and Truman then claim she liked FDR better) HotShotKid , EnGen-X (Author surrogate perhaps? He's good back up for the Rent-a-Sidekick anyway...nothing like having the caffeine kid in your corner) and Nicky Rogers * with Violet Roe working against them to secure the Mandrake before all hell breaks loose.

 *So much fun to write about, not as much fun to play. Roe is fun to play...but her background is too murky right now....

I still have to make the call about my schooling in the fall...I still don't really care, but I do have to get back on that horse before it's too late.

 Good news though. Cousin Ian has recently informed me "Be Your Own Pet" has broken up. I hope the lead singer went to prison.

I don't want to sleep. But I should soon.

Oh joy...my date of birthday is coming up. Let's all rejoice and not get the day off that we booked off weeks ago. The Sarge is very close to a mutiny. At least I got the 16-17 off for the wedding. I might have to work the Sunday night though...which isn't that bad. 

Done? Done....

-Cleric  

Wow, "Grindhouse" was on that movie channel we get. Not "Planet Terror" and "Deathproof", but fucking "Grindhouse!" Complete with the *fake* trailer for Machete before Planet Terror and the one for "Don't!" between Planet Terror and Deathproof.

I know Saint said we should wait and watch Planet Terror together, but it was just me and Pyro home last night as I stumbled upon it an hour or so after work. Needless to say, Planet Terror was the better Grindhouse film. I didn't even watch all of "Deathproof" when I first rented it. Like a Tarantino B Grade softcore Porno if you ask me. I keep telling people that I wanted something "new" from Tarantino with Deathproof and I just didn't get it. Let's hope:

A) Inglorious Bastards is good
B) He actually finishes Inglorious Bastards

Work was work today. Odd spread for a Sunday, but since today is a stat(My first stat off in god knows how long.) Closing with Brother Mark is never bad...especially when our copy of Attack of the Clones freezes on that one part after Natalie Portman's middrift is torn and she's in the desert being recovered by the Clone Trooper.s Awwww. Awwww ...that'll make any shift go by fast...That...and we don't actually have to watch "Attack of the Clones!"...Or move on to....Revenge of the Sith.

I get Monday AND Tuesday off...I have a training thing on Wenesday AND I get Thursday off. Wow. Three Days Off. Awesome!

Pyro wants to see "Step Brothers..." which will probably be tomorrow. I still have to see "Watching the Detective..." It comes out Tuesday on our shelves and has several things working for it.

1. Obvious Elvis Costello reference...and he is my musical hero
2. Cillian Murphy owning a movie store. This was enough to get Staci flapping around the store with the showboxes on her arms. Aww. That's cute even for her.
3....Lucy Liu? I can't remember if I like her...Charlie Angels? No....End of Lucky Number Slven? Yes.
....So yes.

Done? Done....

-Cleric 

I've been stuck in my own private musical time capsule the past few weeks. I've dug out such personal favourites like The Chris Gains album...which instantly destroys any music cred I might have gained during my time with the Lt as well as Remy Shand's "The Way I Feel." His second album has been in...development hell for years now. I managed to find a suitable version of The Churchill's "Everybody Gets What They Deserve" which is simply one of my favourite songs period. I found an odd "Up" version of the song which bothers me...since it's not an "up" song...

I'm such a night owl(Wait for the joke later) that I trekked out at 2 in the morning in sandals to return "Watching the Detectives" instead of waiting until the morning. I wasn't about to get up early to meet the 9am deadline....but really, like anyone will come seeking out that one film when it comes out later today.

I love the film, despite it not having an ending or any Elvis Costello music...but it had movie geeks galore and that I can roll with.

Mandy Moore is tall...not many people seem to know this. Tall. It's most obvious when she's in heels and standing next to Billy Crudup at the Dedication premier. I bring this up simply because I'll go into a Watchmen rant in a few. I loved Dedication come to think about it...tortured writer movie. I just have to find a tortured writing movie geek movie and I'm set...though I think that was "Adaptation" which is impossible to explain to a teenage girl about adapting the inadaptable. That and the Mark Harmon "Summer School" does not involve male hookers...thought if it did...Staci would still watch it.  She said something about wanting to see it because it's "Gibbs" in a "Tony" like role....

I can't even remember what got her in NCIS. My entire family had been watching it years before she even set her eyes on Abby's gothness and the implied sexual tension between Tony and Gibbs.....

Yeah, don't ask me. I just hang out with the girl, I've stopped trying to explain her. Like today we got "Coffee"* on her break and we had a nice neat random 20 minute conversation as I once again marveled at neck in her purple tank top. We debated the merits of the Golden Delicious vs. The Gala Apple. We made jokes about our favourite politicians and how getting a Dixie plate full of whip cream in the face cannot be called a pie. That would be like throwing a bag of chocolate chips at someone and calling it a cookie.

"Oh God! They're in my eye! Ahhh! Semi sweet!"

I can take pleasure in that "Watchmen" is a truly Canadian experience. Besides being shot here, my man Dan Payne will be playing Dollar Bill...Yeah, Dollar Bill doesn't have a huge role(But he does set the whole "No Capes" thing) but Dan Payne will bring it. Since he was every "lead" Kull Warrior on SG1 and that Big Wraith that hunted Ronan in SGA....oh and he's vaguely connected to Dead Like Me....only vaguely. I thought about renting "Little Children" a couple of days ago not only because I've been told it's a fantastic movie, but it would be like the "Old Days" with The Night Owl and Rorschach....because Patrick Wilson and Jackie Earle Haley are in it? Pfff, I'll leave that one to the movie geeks.

At first I was a little upset Carla Gugino wasn't playing the second Silk Spectre....since I love Carla Gugino from her years on Spin City and much different and...um...revealing role in Sin City...but the trailers and other promo stuff on Malin Akerman....I hope I will not be disappointed....I'll still be a little weirded out when they have to age Gugino for some of the movie. Thumbs up for the reimagined Silk Spectre costume...less poof, more oooomph. Yay! Thought Night Owl still looks like Batman...when really he should look like Blue Beetle...whoever the hell that is. Help me Chris Notarile! Actually...just send Niki...thanks....

Brother Mark still hasn't read Watchmen...despite the fact I lent it to him in January. The book moved with him for goodness sakes.  

 *She got one of those Orange Mango things, but I did get my usual Americano...but the term "Coffee" for us is a loose figure of speech for drinks available at Starbucks. Oh, no matcha for her...but she did say "Thank You Very Matcha..." which she promised she'd never repeat. Who know turning your drink puke green would be a tasty venture? At least it's better than those god awful Green Tea Frapps...

Done? Done...I just had to get some stuff out. I know it makes no sense, but really...have I ever? Nope. Never.

-Cleric 

My birthday was pretty much how I live most other days: Small, quiet with Greek food and Staci....Oh and Saint...and Brother Mark.

We ended up going back Staci and Mark's place to watch "Persepolis" which I had rented. She surprised me with a little birthday cheesecake. I hastley blew out the single tealight so she could eat it....the cake....not the tealight. With Staci you do have to clarify....I wouldn't be surprised if she ate the tealight.

Brother Mark has provided me with a loyal Orgyn Bone'ead Bodyguard either for my Guard Officer or my Awesome Wicked Bunker Membership limited edition Inquisitor Lord. Pretty much the best 35 bucks I've ever spend at a GW. That 35 also got Brother Mark a fairly wicked looking Veteran Space Marine.

Even Pyro, who is one of the cheapest people I know bought me the new Dawn of War game for my birthday...which does have the Sisters of Battle in it...but not really as members of the Inquisition...since they are not lead by an inquisitor lord....

The parentals got my a Starbucks Card and GW Gift certificates...so I won't be spending money on things for a while since really, that's all I spend money on(Minus the 24 someodd dollars I spent today on iced tea, root beer and copies of "In Bruges" and "Be Kind Rewind" in the 2 for 20 deal.) 

Work was work today. I don't care about working on my actual birthday date. It was an alright shift with Scott...we were short handed for reasons I no longer care about.

I work later today...another little shift....I'm really not complaining since next week I'm doing the inventory followed by at least three 8 hours morning shifts. I haven't looked past Friday.

Anything else? Nope....Oh I just want to mention the fact that for a while I forgot how old I was....yep...that's scary.

-Cleric-  

Friday? Worked. Yep. We know. Birthday blah blah. I don't care.
Saturday? Tiny shift in and out. Staci was there for a couple hours.
Sunday? Close with Brother Mark. Nothing new.
Monday suddenly went from a day of rest to a morning shift
Tuesday is the inventory. I'll be glad to be rid of these in the Fall.
Wenesday. Eight hour morning.
Thursday. Eight hour morning.
Friday. Eight hour Morning.

Saturday is the wedding. I hope it'll be a good time since it's my only day off. Any event I get to wear a suit for(New tie + shirt in play) is always a kick. It'll also be the event that'll break the "Older Cousin" Marriage Curse.

I really can't think of anything else to say this early in the morning. It's four something as I'm watching random FurTV clips on Youtube....Crude British puppets. Fantastic.

As my favourite song says "Everybody Gets What They Deserve" but I wonder why I deserve several things I "get" including a misplaced and most often misguided sense of honour towards my workplace despite hating 90% of my job. Staci and actually helping someone fill out the other 10 by the way. At least she gets to stay home and rest today. I can draw strength from that. To do the 11-Whatever followed by the midnight inventory. I say 11 to whatever simply because at this moment in space and time my misguided sense of honour says to tell the Sarge not to take the rest of the shift since he has increased travel time. I can slug it out for 8 hours. Get a few precious hours of sleep(I need so few anyway) then come back all full of coffee and Full Throttle(Since I can no longer handle Red Bull in the amounts needed) ready to rock eight hours solid with The Sarge and Staci....which is no longer fun.

What is fun? The fact I finished my ultra cool Inquisitor Lord Model...who apparently is named Gideon Lorr. Now I'm looking to increase my WitchHunters Troop count...which is easy since all my current standing guard(The Stormtroopers especially) can serve in either force. Or we can team up with Brother Mark's Grey Knights and Super Marines for an ultimate Inquisition event. Innocence proves nothing!  I was peering through the designers notes for the WitchHunters and a phrase made me giggle:

inspired by the phrase "who watches the watchers," we wanted the arrival of an Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor to be greeted with a mixture of awe and dread, the feeling that yes, he might have come to take down the powerful rogue psyker eating your babies, but could just as easily have come for you.

I have grand vision of adding a Chimera painted WitchHunter colours as a paddy wagon...a neat Demolisher tank for use in both forces...and a Dreadnought which is much more tactical flexible than a Penitent Engine ...and much easier to paint....but if they ever make a plastic Penitent Engine kit(Too much detail for plastic) I'd sign on.

...I got nothing else. I might actually need some sleep...and I need to stop talking about little plastic and pewter people.

-Cleric  

You know it it actually became a "Sing Along Blog" last night since it was on Staci's phone and everyone involved knew the words.....but now that you think about it....Joss didn't really have it a sing along blog since there was no bouncing ball.

I got a call around 10:00 saying that Staci had a "plan" For the inventory. This plan was to change the energy of the inventory...since we get most of energy sucked out of us during Games...she managed to make the game inventory really fun with random music(Dr. Horrible for example) and Coffee Crisp bites...which are fantastic.

It was a textbook inventory. The more the three of us do, the better we get. I think I got the NR Wall done in less than 3 hours and that's 1000 some odd items. The Sarge says it just how you learn to move your hands properly....yes, that sounded odd.

I felt bad for Brother Mark. He Clo-Pened with a Midnight Close. Of course, that is bad...but then I paused I realize...Yes Mark...that was rough on you...but I still win...since I saw you leave at midnight and arrive back at the store at 8.

Though, it's no longer a contest. We just take comfort in mutual misery....and that reminds...I still have to get him that Land Raider to commemorate the fact he passed his RCMP exam.

Speaking of Brother Mark, since he currently has my copy of "Watchmen" he lent me the first two volumes of "The Ultimates" which is a great little Marvel graphic novel which looks like the basis for that awesome animated "Ultimate Avengers" movie I enjoyed and The Incredible Hulk...since they "Throw" Banner out of a helicopter in order for him to fight another super powered being...Sure, Norton's Banner jumped on his own feel will...They just kicked the Ultimate one out the door after Captain American says "Permission to traumatize Banner!"

Oh...before I forget...HULK SMASH! Cleric Smash after certain parts of the inventory made no sense.

Done? Done.....

-Cleric 

This is a vein attempt to re-establish some type of sleep pattern. I work in the morning. 11:30 to be exact. I bet it'll be full of receiving (Staci isn't THAT good to get it all done last night...Maybe) and answering really stupid question asked by equally stupid people. However, there will be no letters. Nope. Since I only had to put out two for yesterday, I decided to bite the bullet and do something nice for person working 11:30 the next day and get them done. Yes, it's me...but that had nothing to do with it.

This is my...Sixth shift in a row? I still have another two then I get a day off for my cousin's wedding...which I have the odd feeling The Sarge didn't want to give me, but since I asked in June he really had no choice.  

I'm back in on Sunday and Monday...quite possibly Tuesday. 

This means simply more little plastic and pewter "people" to paint.

I'm still allotting how I will spend the birthday credit given to me by my parentals. The WitchHunter Codex is on the list for sure as are at least two more Orgyn to make a basic squad. Since there are 4 different models (The "Bone-ead" and three others) getting three makes sense....but I had discovered they are difficult to paint due to their weight. He's still going to come out fine...just my fingers will be worse for wear.

No Battle Sisters or Inquisitorial Henchmen(but have you seen one of Crusader or Missionary Models? Snap!) until I settle on a build from the Codex. However, I've been planning a separate paintjob for my dedicated stormtroopers....imagine LAPD SWAT Colours with red visors. This will stand in drastic contrast to the Camo painted "Cadian 812" Stormtroopers I currently have standing. I think I'll join the School of Thought in which Sisters have "real" hair colour . Not that white nonsense the 'Eavy Metal team is pushing on us.

I try to include short hair brunettes* in every facet of my life.

*That term is fairly loose these days since I like to include a large spectrum of colour in my definition of brunette...so pretty much anything you can't call "Blonde" "Red" or "Black" is brunette. The colour "Chestnut" consistently comes to mind with such people like Staci and/or Dani.

 Speaking of Staci**(and "Chestnut" for that matter) I found out today she hates Jennifer Morrison...and even more shockingly she hates Alison Cameron! *Gasp*. Staci said something about hating her character. I was going to make a Dani reference...but making a Dani reference to Staci always seems a little odd.

**I just might a Sister Superior(Which is sort of like the Battle sister's Sarge) with a Bright Awesome Purple streak in her hair...it' s just a thought.  

 There was also something today, as Staci and I sat in the Starbucks....I was on my break and she started in 15 minutes that the Sarge had the day off after the inventory...neither of us did. She did point out that the Sarge has been working hard...whether or not we like how he works is the question. I respect the man for trying to hold together the motley crew we currently have despite all the shit that falls down....but even a supreme movie geek like myself has his limits. Be glad to know my limits are surpassed when I do 9 days in a row...which not working Saturday will prevent.

Yep. I think I'm burnt out enough to sleep.

Night 

-Cleric