Can't Sleep

So it's 2:30 in the morning. I have to get up at 5:45, so I can call a bunch of radio stations, to do my part in the publicity for Weakest Link effort...and I can't sleep.

I hate that. I think it's something I ate, because my stomach is burning something fierce, and my poor little brain is running a mile a minute. Does that ever happen to anyone? You're trying to sleep, and your brain won't shut up? It's either having an argument with someone, or singing songs, or replaying the days events? It usually happens to me when I've just started work on a new show. The whole night after that first day, I wake up every fifteen minutes or so, hearing them call out "Rolling!" and "Quiet!" and "We need Wil! Get Wil away from the hookers! We're waiting on Wil!"

Did everyone (well, most everyone) have a good weekend and a good Thanksgiving? Usually Thanksgiving is just another meal in my family, but this year it was really different. Being with my family was very important this year, moreso than usual. My mom asked all of us to bring candles up to her house, like the big jar-type candles, so that she could make a little memorial to my great aunt...so we did, and it was really cool. I took my step-kids shopping for them, and told them to pick out candles that reminded them of Aunt Val, one way or another...so Ryan picked out one that smelled like roses, and Nolan picked out one that smelled exactly like her house. I thought that it was really cool, because the one Nolan got was called "compassion", and that was the defining characteristic of Aunt Val...there was never, ever, someone with such boundless love and compassion for people. Anne got her one that smelled like Gardenia, and mine was acacia.

You know, I consider myself to be pretty skeptical, sometimes too much for my own good...but I swear that I've felt my Aunt Val's presence in the last few days, and it's been really comforting. I miss her, but I feel so happy when I think about her, and about how cool she was, that I don't feel sad...

I've always taken the 4 day Thanksgiving holiday totally for granted, but this year I spent the whole damn thing with family, and it was great, since I was originally planning to be out of town.

Here's a little re-cap of the weekend:

Anne and I spent the whole day together Friday, at the zoo. I took pictures, and I'll be adding them to the gallery sometime later today. Then there was the concert with my brother Friday night. Loren and Kelly came by Saturday, on their way home. We went to dinner, and they came and saw me in the worst improve show, ever. Then they went home Sunday, and Anne and I went to see "Spy Game", which is one of the best movies I've seen this year

Tangent:

Has anyone else noticed how movies keep getting more expensive, but the quality of the films, and the movie-going experience, is getting worse and worse? I mean, they're charging us 9.50 for movies in some theatres now, so that we can sit through commercials in the theatre, and watch the shitty movie on a screen that's slightly bigger than the bedsheet that my uncle used to project his vacation slides on. I'm thinking that if they're going to be charging us so much freakin' money to see the damn things, we shouldn't have to see commercials in the theatres, or if they're going to run even more advertising, that they should reduce the cost of tickets, but that's just me.

End of tangent. Sorry about that.

Robert Redford and Brad Pitt are just awesome in this film. I hope it does well at the box office, because I'd sure like to see more movies like this.

It was really cool...I hadn't realized how little I've been seeing Anne the last few weeks, because of my meetings and her work schedule...and when we do see each other, we're so busy being parents and stuff that we don't get to actually enjoy each other's company...so spending the bulk of the 4 days together was wonderful, and very much needed.

Finally, I tried to watch The Simpsons last night, but FOX was showing this horrible movie, instead...it was sort of like Star Wars, but without all the cool mythological over tones...

Wow. I can't belive that I've been sitting here for an hour. I think I'll try to go back to sleep now.

Posted by Wil at 03:20 AM | Permalink

Can't Sleep

So it's 2:30 in the morning. I have to get up at 5:45, so I can call a bunch of radio stations, to do my part in the publicity for Weakest Link effort...and I can't sleep.

I hate that. I think it's something I ate, because my stomach is burning something fierce, and my poor little brain is running a mile a minute. Does that ever happen to anyone? You're trying to sleep, and your brain won't shut up? It's either having an argument with someone, or singing songs, or replaying the days events? It usually happens to me when I've just started work on a new show. The whole night after that first day, I wake up every fifteen minutes or so, hearing them call out "Rolling!" and "Quiet!" and "We need Wil! Get Wil away from the hookers! We're waiting on Wil!"

Did everyone (well, most everyone) have a good weekend and a good Thanksgiving? Usually Thanksgiving is just another meal in my family, but this year it was really different. Being with my family was very important this year, moreso than usual. My mom asked all of us to bring candles up to her house, like the big jar-type candles, so that she could make a little memorial to my great aunt...so we did, and it was really cool. I took my step-kids shopping for them, and told them to pick out candles that reminded them of Aunt Val, one way or another...so Ryan picked out one that smelled like roses, and Nolan picked out one that smelled exactly like her house. I thought that it was really cool, because the one Nolan got was called "compassion", and that was the defining characteristic of Aunt Val...there was never, ever, someone with such boundless love and compassion for people. Anne got her one that smelled like Gardenia, and mine was acacia.

You know, I consider myself to be pretty skeptical, sometimes too much for my own good...but I swear that I've felt my Aunt Val's presence in the last few days, and it's been really comforting. I miss her, but I feel so happy when I think about her, and about how cool she was, that I don't feel sad...

I've always taken the 4 day Thanksgiving holiday totally for granted, but this year I spent the whole damn thing with family, and it was great, since I was originally planning to be out of town.

Here's a little re-cap of the weekend:

Anne and I spent the whole day together Friday, at the zoo. I took pictures, and I'll be adding them to the gallery sometime later today. Then there was the concert with my brother Friday night. Loren and Kelly came by Saturday, on their way home. We went to dinner, and they came and saw me in the worst improve show, ever. Then they went home Sunday, and Anne and I went to see "Spy Game", which is one of the best movies I've seen this year

Tangent:

Has anyone else noticed how movies keep getting more expensive, but the quality of the films, and the movie-going experience, is getting worse and worse? I mean, they're charging us 9.50 for movies in some theatres now, so that we can sit through commercials in the theatre, and watch the shitty movie on a screen that's slightly bigger than the bedsheet that my uncle used to project his vacation slides on. I'm thinking that if they're going to be charging us so much freakin' money to see the damn things, we shouldn't have to see commercials in the theatres, or if they're going to run even more advertising, that they should reduce the cost of tickets, but that's just me.

End of tangent. Sorry about that.

Robert Redford and Brad Pitt are just awesome in this film. I hope it does well at the box office, because I'd sure like to see more movies like this.

It was really cool...I hadn't realized how little I've been seeing Anne the last few weeks, because of my meetings and her work schedule...and when we do see each other, we're so busy being parents and stuff that we don't get to actually enjoy each other's company...so spending the bulk of the 4 days together was wonderful, and very much needed.

Finally, I tried to watch The Simpsons last night, but FOX was showing this horrible movie, instead...it was sort of like Star Wars, but without all the cool mythological over tones...

Wow. I can't belive that I've been sitting here for an hour. I think I'll try to go back to sleep now.

Posted by Wil at 03:20 AM | Permalink

Can't Sleep

So it's 2:30 in the morning. I have to get up at 5:45, so I can call a bunch of radio stations, to do my part in the publicity for Weakest Link effort...and I can't sleep.

I hate that. I think it's something I ate, because my stomach is burning something fierce, and my poor little brain is running a mile a minute. Does that ever happen to anyone? You're trying to sleep, and your brain won't shut up? It's either having an argument with someone, or singing songs, or replaying the days events? It usually happens to me when I've just started work on a new show. The whole night after that first day, I wake up every fifteen minutes or so, hearing them call out "Rolling!" and "Quiet!" and "We need Wil! Get Wil away from the hookers! We're waiting on Wil!"

Did everyone (well, most everyone) have a good weekend and a good Thanksgiving? Usually Thanksgiving is just another meal in my family, but this year it was really different. Being with my family was very important this year, moreso than usual. My mom asked all of us to bring candles up to her house, like the big jar-type candles, so that she could make a little memorial to my great aunt...so we did, and it was really cool. I took my step-kids shopping for them, and told them to pick out candles that reminded them of Aunt Val, one way or another...so Ryan picked out one that smelled like roses, and Nolan picked out one that smelled exactly like her house. I thought that it was really cool, because the one Nolan got was called "compassion", and that was the defining characteristic of Aunt Val...there was never, ever, someone with such boundless love and compassion for people. Anne got her one that smelled like Gardenia, and mine was acacia.

You know, I consider myself to be pretty skeptical, sometimes too much for my own good...but I swear that I've felt my Aunt Val's presence in the last few days, and it's been really comforting. I miss her, but I feel so happy when I think about her, and about how cool she was, that I don't feel sad...

I've always taken the 4 day Thanksgiving holiday totally for granted, but this year I spent the whole damn thing with family, and it was great, since I was originally planning to be out of town.

Here's a little re-cap of the weekend:

Anne and I spent the whole day together Friday, at the zoo. I took pictures, and I'll be adding them to the gallery sometime later today. Then there was the concert with my brother Friday night. Loren and Kelly came by Saturday, on their way home. We went to dinner, and they came and saw me in the worst improve show, ever. Then they went home Sunday, and Anne and I went to see "Spy Game", which is one of the best movies I've seen this year

Tangent:

Has anyone else noticed how movies keep getting more expensive, but the quality of the films, and the movie-going experience, is getting worse and worse? I mean, they're charging us 9.50 for movies in some theatres now, so that we can sit through commercials in the theatre, and watch the shitty movie on a screen that's slightly bigger than the bedsheet that my uncle used to project his vacation slides on. I'm thinking that if they're going to be charging us so much freakin' money to see the damn things, we shouldn't have to see commercials in the theatres, or if they're going to run even more advertising, that they should reduce the cost of tickets, but that's just me.

End of tangent. Sorry about that.

Robert Redford and Brad Pitt are just awesome in this film. I hope it does well at the box office, because I'd sure like to see more movies like this.

It was really cool...I hadn't realized how little I've been seeing Anne the last few weeks, because of my meetings and her work schedule...and when we do see each other, we're so busy being parents and stuff that we don't get to actually enjoy each other's company...so spending the bulk of the 4 days together was wonderful, and very much needed.

Finally, I tried to watch The Simpsons last night, but FOX was showing this horrible movie, instead...it was sort of like Star Wars, but without all the cool mythological over tones...

Wow. I can't belive that I've been sitting here for an hour. I think I'll try to go back to sleep now.

Posted by Wil at 03:20 AM | Permalink

Explosivo

Just got back from seeing Tenacious D, Jimmy Eat World, and Weezer, down at the Long Beach Arena.

Not a bad place for a concert, but not the best, either.

We got there at 7:00, despite the best efforts of my friend to kill us while we were driving down there...staked out our spot on the floor, and waited...surprisingly, the show started on time, at 7:30. Jimmy Eat World went on, and played everything you'd expect, and played it pretty well, but I don't think they're currently suited for an arena show. I think I'd really enjoy them at The Glass House, or The Galaxy theatre, or someplace like that...They played for about 25 minutes, and then there was a break...at about 8:15, Tenacious D took the stage. JB and KG, alone, beneath a mighty banner of the devil...very, very cool. They rocked the hell outta the place, and were simply amazing. Jack Black is a tremendous showman. The crowd was, annoyingly, mostly kids. I'd put the average age at about 14. So JB takes the stage, and he says, "I notice that there's a lot of kids in the audience! Lots of 13 year olds...couldn't get into Harry Potter, so ya came out to see the D! Well, I'm gonna keep the show clean for you tonight. You're only going to hear 25 'shits', 81 'bitches', 324 'fucks' and one 'cocksucker'. Because we care about keepin' it clean for you."

Hilarious.

They played everything I wanted to hear, except for "Kielbasa" and "Dio", but they said that they had to cut it short for Weezer.

Weezer was pretty good...I can tell that they're sick of touring, though, and they didn't play "The World Has Turned"...but they did play some stuff from Pinkerton, which was rad.

Really lame stuff that happened:

*When we were watching the D, these two girls came and stood *way* to close to us, and every time JB would say anything, they would shout something back, like they thought we were on the Satellite of Love, or something...but the thing is, they were the exact opposite of funny. They were so lame and unfunny, that they actually sucked out some of my comedy, just by their mere presence, and I'm going to be forced to replenish my funny before tomorrow's Liquid Radio Players show...otherwise I could quite possibly suck.

*Also during the D, the kids standing right next to us decided that they really needed to smoke a huge joint. Now, I don't use the drugs, but I also think that a lot of the laws we have against them are stupid...but there are few things in the world that I hate more than the smell of weed, and I know that going to a concert and expecting it to be weed-free is like going to a tractor pull and expecting it to be mullet-free...but that didn't make it any less annoying. If you're gonna burn one, don't do it by me, dude.

Really cool things that happened:

*We were wating in a HUGE line to get into the arena, and it sort of doubled back on itself, at the edge of the building...so Jeremy and I are about to make the turn, and head back towards where we started, and Jeremy tells me to wait...and we did, and the line moved back past us, and we walked straight across, thereby making the line shorter. (I don't know if that makes sense, but Jer will probably read this before the weekend is out, and he'll know what it means, and when we play softball on Sunday we'll talk about how cool and funny that was. so there.)

*Between Tenacious D and Weezer, we walked over to the beer area place, because it was the only place that was teenager-free, and my friend wanted a beer (duh). While we were there, I saw my friend John, who plays guitar for Eve6. I told John that Keith and I are putting together a special Holiday show sometime soon, and I asked him if Eve6 would come and play on our show, and be guests, and he totally said that they'd do it. So I'm really excited about that. Those guys are all really cool, and we'll have fun. Funtimes. Yeah.

*When the show was over, we were walking out to the van, and we walked past where the tour busses were, and we saw Jack Black and KG standing outside, just chillin' with some people. We shot them the metal fist and threw them "the goat", and JB totally threw it back!! During the show, they shoot off some of those stomp rocket things, that are like Nerf arrows. My friend's girlfriend caught 2 of them, and we waved them at JB and KG. JB looks surprised that we got 2 rockets, and we told my friend's girlfriend to go get them signed, because that'd be cool...so she asked them to coem sign them, and they did! They were so fucking cool! I can't believe how nice, and normal, and grateful they were. Unfortunately, we drew a small crowd, and JB and KG ended up signing stuff for close to 30 minutes (I know because we stood there, waiting for another of our friends to come back to the van), and they were cool, and friendly, and accessible the whole time. I was very impressed. Jeremy got them to sign his "Cleveland Steamer" sweatshirt. Tenacious D gets 50 billion cool points.

I also realized that I'm 1 degree of Jack Black, which makes me 1 degree of Tenacious D.

ROCK.

Posted by Wil at 01:39 AM | Permalink

Explosivo

Just got back from seeing Tenacious D, Jimmy Eat World, and Weezer, down at the Long Beach Arena.

Not a bad place for a concert, but not the best, either.

We got there at 7:00, despite the best efforts of my friend to kill us while we were driving down there...staked out our spot on the floor, and waited...surprisingly, the show started on time, at 7:30. Jimmy Eat World went on, and played everything you'd expect, and played it pretty well, but I don't think they're currently suited for an arena show. I think I'd really enjoy them at The Glass House, or The Galaxy theatre, or someplace like that...They played for about 25 minutes, and then there was a break...at about 8:15, Tenacious D took the stage. JB and KG, alone, beneath a mighty banner of the devil...very, very cool. They rocked the hell outta the place, and were simply amazing. Jack Black is a tremendous showman. The crowd was, annoyingly, mostly kids. I'd put the average age at about 14. So JB takes the stage, and he says, "I notice that there's a lot of kids in the audience! Lots of 13 year olds...couldn't get into Harry Potter, so ya came out to see the D! Well, I'm gonna keep the show clean for you tonight. You're only going to hear 25 'shits', 81 'bitches', 324 'fucks' and one 'cocksucker'. Because we care about keepin' it clean for you."

Hilarious.

They played everything I wanted to hear, except for "Kielbasa" and "Dio", but they said that they had to cut it short for Weezer.

Weezer was pretty good...I can tell that they're sick of touring, though, and they didn't play "The World Has Turned"...but they did play some stuff from Pinkerton, which was rad.

Really lame stuff that happened:

*When we were watching the D, these two girls came and stood *way* to close to us, and every time JB would say anything, they would shout something back, like they thought we were on the Satellite of Love, or something...but the thing is, they were the exact opposite of funny. They were so lame and unfunny, that they actually sucked out some of my comedy, just by their mere presence, and I'm going to be forced to replenish my funny before tomorrow's Liquid Radio Players show...otherwise I could quite possibly suck.

*Also during the D, the kids standing right next to us decided that they really needed to smoke a huge joint. Now, I don't use the drugs, but I also think that a lot of the laws we have against them are stupid...but there are few things in the world that I hate more than the smell of weed, and I know that going to a concert and expecting it to be weed-free is like going to a tractor pull and expecting it to be mullet-free...but that didn't make it any less annoying. If you're gonna burn one, don't do it by me, dude.

Really cool things that happened:

*We were wating in a HUGE line to get into the arena, and it sort of doubled back on itself, at the edge of the building...so Jeremy and I are about to make the turn, and head back towards where we started, and Jeremy tells me to wait...and we did, and the line moved back past us, and we walked straight across, thereby making the line shorter. (I don't know if that makes sense, but Jer will probably read this before the weekend is out, and he'll know what it means, and when we play softball on Sunday we'll talk about how cool and funny that was. so there.)

*Between Tenacious D and Weezer, we walked over to the beer area place, because it was the only place that was teenager-free, and my friend wanted a beer (duh). While we were there, I saw my friend John, who plays guitar for Eve6. I told John that Keith and I are putting together a special Holiday show sometime soon, and I asked him if Eve6 would come and play on our show, and be guests, and he totally said that they'd do it. So I'm really excited about that. Those guys are all really cool, and we'll have fun. Funtimes. Yeah.

*When the show was over, we were walking out to the van, and we walked past where the tour busses were, and we saw Jack Black and KG standing outside, just chillin' with some people. We shot them the metal fist and threw them "the goat", and JB totally threw it back!! During the show, they shoot off some of those stomp rocket things, that are like Nerf arrows. My friend's girlfriend caught 2 of them, and we waved them at JB and KG. JB looks surprised that we got 2 rockets, and we told my friend's girlfriend to go get them signed, because that'd be cool...so she asked them to coem sign them, and they did! They were so fucking cool! I can't believe how nice, and normal, and grateful they were. Unfortunately, we drew a small crowd, and JB and KG ended up signing stuff for close to 30 minutes (I know because we stood there, waiting for another of our friends to come back to the van), and they were cool, and friendly, and accessible the whole time. I was very impressed. Jeremy got them to sign his "Cleveland Steamer" sweatshirt. Tenacious D gets 50 billion cool points.

I also realized that I'm 1 degree of Jack Black, which makes me 1 degree of Tenacious D.

ROCK.

Posted by Wil at 01:39 AM | Permalink

Explosivo

Just got back from seeing Tenacious D, Jimmy Eat World, and Weezer, down at the Long Beach Arena.

Not a bad place for a concert, but not the best, either.

We got there at 7:00, despite the best efforts of my friend to kill us while we were driving down there...staked out our spot on the floor, and waited...surprisingly, the show started on time, at 7:30. Jimmy Eat World went on, and played everything you'd expect, and played it pretty well, but I don't think they're currently suited for an arena show. I think I'd really enjoy them at The Glass House, or The Galaxy theatre, or someplace like that...They played for about 25 minutes, and then there was a break...at about 8:15, Tenacious D took the stage. JB and KG, alone, beneath a mighty banner of the devil...very, very cool. They rocked the hell outta the place, and were simply amazing. Jack Black is a tremendous showman. The crowd was, annoyingly, mostly kids. I'd put the average age at about 14. So JB takes the stage, and he says, "I notice that there's a lot of kids in the audience! Lots of 13 year olds...couldn't get into Harry Potter, so ya came out to see the D! Well, I'm gonna keep the show clean for you tonight. You're only going to hear 25 'shits', 81 'bitches', 324 'fucks' and one 'cocksucker'. Because we care about keepin' it clean for you."

Hilarious.

They played everything I wanted to hear, except for "Kielbasa" and "Dio", but they said that they had to cut it short for Weezer.

Weezer was pretty good...I can tell that they're sick of touring, though, and they didn't play "The World Has Turned"...but they did play some stuff from Pinkerton, which was rad.

Really lame stuff that happened:

*When we were watching the D, these two girls came and stood *way* to close to us, and every time JB would say anything, they would shout something back, like they thought we were on the Satellite of Love, or something...but the thing is, they were the exact opposite of funny. They were so lame and unfunny, that they actually sucked out some of my comedy, just by their mere presence, and I'm going to be forced to replenish my funny before tomorrow's Liquid Radio Players show...otherwise I could quite possibly suck.

*Also during the D, the kids standing right next to us decided that they really needed to smoke a huge joint. Now, I don't use the drugs, but I also think that a lot of the laws we have against them are stupid...but there are few things in the world that I hate more than the smell of weed, and I know that going to a concert and expecting it to be weed-free is like going to a tractor pull and expecting it to be mullet-free...but that didn't make it any less annoying. If you're gonna burn one, don't do it by me, dude.

Really cool things that happened:

*We were wating in a HUGE line to get into the arena, and it sort of doubled back on itself, at the edge of the building...so Jeremy and I are about to make the turn, and head back towards where we started, and Jeremy tells me to wait...and we did, and the line moved back past us, and we walked straight across, thereby making the line shorter. (I don't know if that makes sense, but Jer will probably read this before the weekend is out, and he'll know what it means, and when we play softball on Sunday we'll talk about how cool and funny that was. so there.)

*Between Tenacious D and Weezer, we walked over to the beer area place, because it was the only place that was teenager-free, and my friend wanted a beer (duh). While we were there, I saw my friend John, who plays guitar for Eve6. I told John that Keith and I are putting together a special Holiday show sometime soon, and I asked him if Eve6 would come and play on our show, and be guests, and he totally said that they'd do it. So I'm really excited about that. Those guys are all really cool, and we'll have fun. Funtimes. Yeah.

*When the show was over, we were walking out to the van, and we walked past where the tour busses were, and we saw Jack Black and KG standing outside, just chillin' with some people. We shot them the metal fist and threw them "the goat", and JB totally threw it back!! During the show, they shoot off some of those stomp rocket things, that are like Nerf arrows. My friend's girlfriend caught 2 of them, and we waved them at JB and KG. JB looks surprised that we got 2 rockets, and we told my friend's girlfriend to go get them signed, because that'd be cool...so she asked them to coem sign them, and they did! They were so fucking cool! I can't believe how nice, and normal, and grateful they were. Unfortunately, we drew a small crowd, and JB and KG ended up signing stuff for close to 30 minutes (I know because we stood there, waiting for another of our friends to come back to the van), and they were cool, and friendly, and accessible the whole time. I was very impressed. Jeremy got them to sign his "Cleveland Steamer" sweatshirt. Tenacious D gets 50 billion cool points.

I also realized that I'm 1 degree of Jack Black, which makes me 1 degree of Tenacious D.

ROCK.

Posted by Wil at 01:39 AM | Permalink

Holy Crap!

Ever since reading Ishmael, things have really changed for me, as far as the way I see the world...changed for the better, I think.

Recently, I've been thinking a great deal about how the Universe likes balance, and when something really shitty happens, I'm feeling better about it, knowing that the really great thing will happen to balance it out.

Life's been pretty tough the last couple of years: strikes, threatened strikes, always coming in second, another recession...they all add up to not a whole lot of work for your old pal Uncle Willy...and, when you've got a family to support, you take some jobs that, in retrospect weren't exactly...well...yeah.

So the way I see it, the good stuff that should balance out the shitty stuff is on the way. It started when I did the old, lame website, and has continued to build, when I saw Ben at ComicCon (good balance, there...seeing Ben and meeting Loren really balanced out how shitty that whole thing was), when I built and launched this here website, when I did the whole Win Ben Stein's Money thing, and recently had the meeting with Buena Vista...

Is this going somewhere? I don't want to miss The Simpsons.

Yes. Yes it is.

I've recently been thinking about The Balance, and I've been expecting good things to happen to me, and, not surprisingly, that's mostly what I'm getting...sometime, I'll tell you my philosophy of the Nature of Life, The Universe and Everything (hint: a big part of it is the last chapter of The Dilbert Future, by some strange coincidence.)

I got a fortune recently, at a Chinese restaurant. It said, "You will receive help from an unexpected source". Nice and nebulous, right? Like a good fortune, it's easy to apply it to your life in a meaningful way, right? Well, the good thing I got out of that was to be open to help from people I wouldn't expect it from...like Levar Burton, for example. See where I'm going with this? Nah, me neither. But I think there's a good point hidden in there, somplace, and you'll apply it to your own life in a meaningful way.

Here's the "Holy Crap" thing: I was reading the comments in the last entry, and someone pointed out that I'm in the top ten, for entertainer of the year at EW. I took this screen shot, because I am totally ahead of *Nsync!! YES! :) I thought it was really cool, in a totally lame, sitting-in-the-quad-with-the-cool-kids sort of way.

Posted by Wil at 11:28 PM | Permalink

Holy Crap!

Ever since reading Ishmael, things have really changed for me, as far as the way I see the world...changed for the better, I think.

Recently, I've been thinking a great deal about how the Universe likes balance, and when something really shitty happens, I'm feeling better about it, knowing that the really great thing will happen to balance it out.

Life's been pretty tough the last couple of years: strikes, threatened strikes, always coming in second, another recession...they all add up to not a whole lot of work for your old pal Uncle Willy...and, when you've got a family to support, you take some jobs that, in retrospect weren't exactly...well...yeah.

So the way I see it, the good stuff that should balance out the shitty stuff is on the way. It started when I did the old, lame website, and has continued to build, when I saw Ben at ComicCon (good balance, there...seeing Ben and meeting Loren really balanced out how shitty that whole thing was), when I built and launched this here website, when I did the whole Win Ben Stein's Money thing, and recently had the meeting with Buena Vista...

Is this going somewhere? I don't want to miss The Simpsons.

Yes. Yes it is.

I've recently been thinking about The Balance, and I've been expecting good things to happen to me, and, not surprisingly, that's mostly what I'm getting...sometime, I'll tell you my philosophy of the Nature of Life, The Universe and Everything (hint: a big part of it is the last chapter of The Dilbert Future, by some strange coincidence.)

I got a fortune recently, at a Chinese restaurant. It said, "You will receive help from an unexpected source". Nice and nebulous, right? Like a good fortune, it's easy to apply it to your life in a meaningful way, right? Well, the good thing I got out of that was to be open to help from people I wouldn't expect it from...like Levar Burton, for example. See where I'm going with this? Nah, me neither. But I think there's a good point hidden in there, somplace, and you'll apply it to your own life in a meaningful way.

Here's the "Holy Crap" thing: I was reading the comments in the last entry, and someone pointed out that I'm in the top ten, for entertainer of the year at EW. I took this screen shot, because I am totally ahead of *Nsync!! YES! :) I thought it was really cool, in a totally lame, sitting-in-the-quad-with-the-cool-kids sort of way.

Posted by Wil at 11:28 PM | Permalink

Holy Crap!

Ever since reading Ishmael, things have really changed for me, as far as the way I see the world...changed for the better, I think.

Recently, I've been thinking a great deal about how the Universe likes balance, and when something really shitty happens, I'm feeling better about it, knowing that the really great thing will happen to balance it out.

Life's been pretty tough the last couple of years: strikes, threatened strikes, always coming in second, another recession...they all add up to not a whole lot of work for your old pal Uncle Willy...and, when you've got a family to support, you take some jobs that, in retrospect weren't exactly...well...yeah.

So the way I see it, the good stuff that should balance out the shitty stuff is on the way. It started when I did the old, lame website, and has continued to build, when I saw Ben at ComicCon (good balance, there...seeing Ben and meeting Loren really balanced out how shitty that whole thing was), when I built and launched this here website, when I did the whole Win Ben Stein's Money thing, and recently had the meeting with Buena Vista...

Is this going somewhere? I don't want to miss The Simpsons.

Yes. Yes it is.

I've recently been thinking about The Balance, and I've been expecting good things to happen to me, and, not surprisingly, that's mostly what I'm getting...sometime, I'll tell you my philosophy of the Nature of Life, The Universe and Everything (hint: a big part of it is the last chapter of The Dilbert Future, by some strange coincidence.)

I got a fortune recently, at a Chinese restaurant. It said, "You will receive help from an unexpected source". Nice and nebulous, right? Like a good fortune, it's easy to apply it to your life in a meaningful way, right? Well, the good thing I got out of that was to be open to help from people I wouldn't expect it from...like Levar Burton, for example. See where I'm going with this? Nah, me neither. But I think there's a good point hidden in there, somplace, and you'll apply it to your own life in a meaningful way.

Here's the "Holy Crap" thing: I was reading the comments in the last entry, and someone pointed out that I'm in the top ten, for entertainer of the year at EW. I took this screen shot, because I am totally ahead of *Nsync!! YES! :) I thought it was really cool, in a totally lame, sitting-in-the-quad-with-the-cool-kids sort of way.

Posted by Wil at 11:28 PM | Permalink

Aw, Crap

I did this interview with Entertainment Weekly Online, to support the Star Trek Weakest Link...I know, it was risky, considering how brilliantly objective and reasoned their last story about me was...but I was assured by NBC, and by the guy who did the interview, that it was a different medium (Website vs. Print) and it would be okay....

So here's the article...which is fine, except for "Crusher Crushed"...c'mon, how many times have we heard that?

Anyway, here's the deal: I'm really scared about how this is going to come off. I'm not allowed to talk about the outcome of the show, so I'll walk a very slim line here, while I try to explain some stuff.

I made a choice, when I went to play the show. I decided that I'd really play with Anne Robinson, and really go head to head with her, and never back down. Even though that's not really my style, I thought it would be fun, and it was...but I'm really nervous, because, at the end of the show, one of the producers came up to me and said, "You're really arrogant, aren't you?"

I was stunned. Ask anyone...I'm lots of things, but I'm not arrogant. But I played it snotty with her, because I was playing with her at her own game, you know? So I begged them to please be thoughtful when they edit the show, because if they make me out to be a huge dick, it could REALLY hurt my career. All of a sudden, the guy who you used to love from TV and Movies has grown up, and he's grown up to be a huge dick.

Perfect. Can I take your order? How about a nice Iced Tea to start, sir?

But here's the thing that I'm really, really upset about: Roxann Dawson, who I don't know at all, was, apparently very offended by something I said on the show. Here's the quote from EW:

However, Roxann Dawson (''Voyager'' sex symbol B'Elanna Torres) appears less amused when the married Wheaton jokes that he's in love with her. ''Coming on to me on national television -- when he knows my husband's gonna watch the show -- is just unfair, and frankly rude,'' Dawson says to the camera. (We don't think she's joking)

So, I feel just terrible. I don't know her, at all, and she seemed very nice to me, and I am really upset that she felt like I was rude to her, and that I was coming on to her, because nothing could be further from the truth.

I doubt it, but if Roxanne reads this, I want her to know that I meant absolutely no disrespect, at all. I am truly, truly sorry for that.

I just feel awful, and I've put in calls to my Star Trek friends, so I can phone her myself, and apologize to her.

*sigh*

Posted by Wil at 02:46 PM | Permalink

Aw, Crap

I did this interview with Entertainment Weekly Online, to support the Star Trek Weakest Link...I know, it was risky, considering how brilliantly objective and reasoned their last story about me was...but I was assured by NBC, and by the guy who did the interview, that it was a different medium (Website vs. Print) and it would be okay....

So here's the article...which is fine, except for "Crusher Crushed"...c'mon, how many times have we heard that?

Anyway, here's the deal: I'm really scared about how this is going to come off. I'm not allowed to talk about the outcome of the show, so I'll walk a very slim line here, while I try to explain some stuff.

I made a choice, when I went to play the show. I decided that I'd really play with Anne Robinson, and really go head to head with her, and never back down. Even though that's not really my style, I thought it would be fun, and it was...but I'm really nervous, because, at the end of the show, one of the producers came up to me and said, "You're really arrogant, aren't you?"

I was stunned. Ask anyone...I'm lots of things, but I'm not arrogant. But I played it snotty with her, because I was playing with her at her own game, you know? So I begged them to please be thoughtful when they edit the show, because if they make me out to be a huge dick, it could REALLY hurt my career. All of a sudden, the guy who you used to love from TV and Movies has grown up, and he's grown up to be a huge dick.

Perfect. Can I take your order? How about a nice Iced Tea to start, sir?

But here's the thing that I'm really, really upset about: Roxann Dawson, who I don't know at all, was, apparently very offended by something I said on the show. Here's the quote from EW:

However, Roxann Dawson (''Voyager'' sex symbol B'Elanna Torres) appears less amused when the married Wheaton jokes that he's in love with her. ''Coming on to me on national television -- when he knows my husband's gonna watch the show -- is just unfair, and frankly rude,'' Dawson says to the camera. (We don't think she's joking)

So, I feel just terrible. I don't know her, at all, and she seemed very nice to me, and I am really upset that she felt like I was rude to her, and that I was coming on to her, because nothing could be further from the truth.

I doubt it, but if Roxanne reads this, I want her to know that I meant absolutely no disrespect, at all. I am truly, truly sorry for that.

I just feel awful, and I've put in calls to my Star Trek friends, so I can phone her myself, and apologize to her.

*sigh*

Posted by Wil at 02:46 PM | Permalink

Aw, Crap

I did this interview with Entertainment Weekly Online, to support the Star Trek Weakest Link...I know, it was risky, considering how brilliantly objective and reasoned their last story about me was...but I was assured by NBC, and by the guy who did the interview, that it was a different medium (Website vs. Print) and it would be okay....

So here's the article...which is fine, except for "Crusher Crushed"...c'mon, how many times have we heard that?

Anyway, here's the deal: I'm really scared about how this is going to come off. I'm not allowed to talk about the outcome of the show, so I'll walk a very slim line here, while I try to explain some stuff.

I made a choice, when I went to play the show. I decided that I'd really play with Anne Robinson, and really go head to head with her, and never back down. Even though that's not really my style, I thought it would be fun, and it was...but I'm really nervous, because, at the end of the show, one of the producers came up to me and said, "You're really arrogant, aren't you?"

I was stunned. Ask anyone...I'm lots of things, but I'm not arrogant. But I played it snotty with her, because I was playing with her at her own game, you know? So I begged them to please be thoughtful when they edit the show, because if they make me out to be a huge dick, it could REALLY hurt my career. All of a sudden, the guy who you used to love from TV and Movies has grown up, and he's grown up to be a huge dick.

Perfect. Can I take your order? How about a nice Iced Tea to start, sir?

But here's the thing that I'm really, really upset about: Roxann Dawson, who I don't know at all, was, apparently very offended by something I said on the show. Here's the quote from EW:

However, Roxann Dawson (''Voyager'' sex symbol B'Elanna Torres) appears less amused when the married Wheaton jokes that he's in love with her. ''Coming on to me on national television -- when he knows my husband's gonna watch the show -- is just unfair, and frankly rude,'' Dawson says to the camera. (We don't think she's joking)

So, I feel just terrible. I don't know her, at all, and she seemed very nice to me, and I am really upset that she felt like I was rude to her, and that I was coming on to her, because nothing could be further from the truth.

I doubt it, but if Roxanne reads this, I want her to know that I meant absolutely no disrespect, at all. I am truly, truly sorry for that.

I just feel awful, and I've put in calls to my Star Trek friends, so I can phone her myself, and apologize to her.

*sigh*

Posted by Wil at 02:46 PM | Permalink

Liquid Radio Players

So what are you doing on Saturday night?

I'll tell ya what I'm doing...I'm performing with The Liquid Radio Players at the ACME Comedy Theatre!

I've posted about it before, so I won't re-hash all the details, I'll just encourage you to go and read them again.

Come on out and see us! You'll be glad ya did!

Posted by Wil at 12:41 PM | Permalink

Liquid Radio Players

So what are you doing on Saturday night?

I'll tell ya what I'm doing...I'm performing with The Liquid Radio Players at the ACME Comedy Theatre!

I've posted about it before, so I won't re-hash all the details, I'll just encourage you to go and read them again.

Come on out and see us! You'll be glad ya did!

Posted by Wil at 12:41 PM | Permalink

Liquid Radio Players

So what are you doing on Saturday night?

I'll tell ya what I'm doing...I'm performing with The Liquid Radio Players at the ACME Comedy Theatre!

I've posted about it before, so I won't re-hash all the details, I'll just encourage you to go and read them again.

Come on out and see us! You'll be glad ya did!

Posted by Wil at 12:41 PM | Permalink

Hella Hella Hella

I am really loving this.

Posted by Wil at 10:22 AM | Permalink

Hella Hella Hella

I am really loving this.

Posted by Wil at 10:22 AM | Permalink

Hella Hella Hella

I am really loving this.

Posted by Wil at 10:22 AM | Permalink

Inward Singing

How cool is this?!

For the record, I only drink beers that you can't see through, but I really appreciate the sentiment :)

Did you see the Leonids over the weekend? Wow. I watched them from my backyard, and, even through the haze and light pollution of the city I was able to convince my step-kids that the world was ending, and it was their fault.

How about the Simpsons Sunday? I was so happy to see completely random, unresolved, bizarre shit back on that show. I loved Bart just digging that hole. Up there with "Forbidden Donut", if you ask me.

Guess who's going to see Tenacious D, Weezer and Jimmy Eat World?

Well, lots of people, because it's sold out. But guess who has the coolest brother in the world, whose cool fiancee gave him her ticket?

Oh yeah, baby. Jeremy's fiancee totally passed the torch.

One last thing: I wrote some satire for BBSpot, and Brian published it! Before you read it, please read BBSpot's WARNING first:"BBspot is a satirical news and comedy source and meant to be funny. If you are easily offended, gullible, or don't have a sense of humor we suggest you go elsewhere."

Oh, and rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated.

Continue reading "Inward Singing" »

Posted by Wil at 10:34 AM | Permalink

Inward Singing

How cool is this?!

For the record, I only drink beers that you can't see through, but I really appreciate the sentiment :)

Did you see the Leonids over the weekend? Wow. I watched them from my backyard, and, even through the haze and light pollution of the city I was able to convince my step-kids that the world was ending, and it was their fault.

How about the Simpsons Sunday? I was so happy to see completely random, unresolved, bizarre shit back on that show. I loved Bart just digging that hole. Up there with "Forbidden Donut", if you ask me.

Guess who's going to see Tenacious D, Weezer and Jimmy Eat World?

Well, lots of people, because it's sold out. But guess who has the coolest brother in the world, whose cool fiancee gave him her ticket?

Oh yeah, baby. Jeremy's fiancee totally passed the torch.

One last thing: I wrote some satire for BBSpot, and Brian published it! Before you read it, please read BBSpot's WARNING first:"BBspot is a satirical news and comedy source and meant to be funny. If you are easily offended, gullible, or don't have a sense of humor we suggest you go elsewhere."

Oh, and rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated.

Continue reading "Inward Singing" »

Posted by Wil at 10:34 AM | Permalink

Inward Singing

How cool is this?!

For the record, I only drink beers that you can't see through, but I really appreciate the sentiment :)

Did you see the Leonids over the weekend? Wow. I watched them from my backyard, and, even through the haze and light pollution of the city I was able to convince my step-kids that the world was ending, and it was their fault.

How about the Simpsons Sunday? I was so happy to see completely random, unresolved, bizarre shit back on that show. I loved Bart just digging that hole. Up there with "Forbidden Donut", if you ask me.

Guess who's going to see Tenacious D, Weezer and Jimmy Eat World?

Well, lots of people, because it's sold out. But guess who has the coolest brother in the world, whose cool fiancee gave him her ticket?

Oh yeah, baby. Jeremy's fiancee totally passed the torch.

One last thing: I wrote some satire for BBSpot, and Brian published it! Before you read it, please read BBSpot's WARNING first:"BBspot is a satirical news and comedy source and meant to be funny. If you are easily offended, gullible, or don't have a sense of humor we suggest you go elsewhere."

Oh, and rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated.

Continue reading "Inward Singing" »

Posted by Wil at 10:34 AM | Permalink

Joy and Sorrow

We had my Aunt Val's memorial service yesterday. It was really wonderful. We had it at her son's house. The whole family gathered in his living room, and we all just shared stories and memories of her. It was the most perfect memorial service I've ever been to. See, I think that a service should reflect the person you're (or yr, if you're a hipster) remembering. I've been to so many funerals and memorials, where they have little or nothing to do with the memory of the deceased...and I always leave feeling cheated. But I really didn't feel that way. All of us, just sitting in the living room, remembering how wonderful she was, and how special she made each person feel...

My mom had asked me if I wanted to say anything, and I told her that I would, but I just didn't want to say, "Me, too." So I looked through my bookshelf, trying to find someone else's words that I could use to express the dichotomy within me: I feel like I should have this debilitating sadness. My Aunt Val was so important to me, that I feel like I shouldn't be able to do anything but sob and grieve over her loss...but when I think of her, I feel happy, remembering all the cool things we did together, and what a simply amazing woman she was...the only time I've felt that crushing sadness was last night. I woke up in the middle of the night, with a start, thinking "Oh my god. Aunt Val is really, truly, gone." It took me close to 2 hours to fall back asleep.

So I'm looking through my bookshelf, and all I have is Shakespeare (too flowery) and Wilde (not exactly appropriate for a memorial)...then I see, tucked in between my "Tao Te Ching" and my "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", "The Prophet", by Kahlil Gibran. It belonged to my Aunt Val, and she loaned it to me about 2 years ago. I remembered that it was so important to her, and I looked though it, to see if I could find something that was appropriate...and I did. I read the following, from a chapter entitled "Joy and Sorrow":

Then a woman said, "Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow."

And he answered:

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

My Aunt Val was my delight.

Posted by Wil at 05:34 PM | Permalink

Joy and Sorrow

We had my Aunt Val's memorial service yesterday. It was really wonderful. We had it at her son's house. The whole family gathered in his living room, and we all just shared stories and memories of her. It was the most perfect memorial service I've ever been to. See, I think that a service should reflect the person you're (or yr, if you're a hipster) remembering. I've been to so many funerals and memorials, where they have little or nothing to do with the memory of the deceased...and I always leave feeling cheated. But I really didn't feel that way. All of us, just sitting in the living room, remembering how wonderful she was, and how special she made each person feel...

My mom had asked me if I wanted to say anything, and I told her that I would, but I just didn't want to say, "Me, too." So I looked through my bookshelf, trying to find someone else's words that I could use to express the dichotomy within me: I feel like I should have this debilitating sadness. My Aunt Val was so important to me, that I feel like I shouldn't be able to do anything but sob and grieve over her loss...but when I think of her, I feel happy, remembering all the cool things we did together, and what a simply amazing woman she was...the only time I've felt that crushing sadness was last night. I woke up in the middle of the night, with a start, thinking "Oh my god. Aunt Val is really, truly, gone." It took me close to 2 hours to fall back asleep.

So I'm looking through my bookshelf, and all I have is Shakespeare (too flowery) and Wilde (not exactly appropriate for a memorial)...then I see, tucked in between my "Tao Te Ching" and my "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", "The Prophet", by Kahlil Gibran. It belonged to my Aunt Val, and she loaned it to me about 2 years ago. I remembered that it was so important to her, and I looked though it, to see if I could find something that was appropriate...and I did. I read the following, from a chapter entitled "Joy and Sorrow":

Then a woman said, "Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow."

And he answered:

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

My Aunt Val was my delight.

Posted by Wil at 05:34 PM | Permalink

Joy and Sorrow

We had my Aunt Val's memorial service yesterday. It was really wonderful. We had it at her son's house. The whole family gathered in his living room, and we all just shared stories and memories of her. It was the most perfect memorial service I've ever been to. See, I think that a service should reflect the person you're (or yr, if you're a hipster) remembering. I've been to so many funerals and memorials, where they have little or nothing to do with the memory of the deceased...and I always leave feeling cheated. But I really didn't feel that way. All of us, just sitting in the living room, remembering how wonderful she was, and how special she made each person feel...

My mom had asked me if I wanted to say anything, and I told her that I would, but I just didn't want to say, "Me, too." So I looked through my bookshelf, trying to find someone else's words that I could use to express the dichotomy within me: I feel like I should have this debilitating sadness. My Aunt Val was so important to me, that I feel like I shouldn't be able to do anything but sob and grieve over her loss...but when I think of her, I feel happy, remembering all the cool things we did together, and what a simply amazing woman she was...the only time I've felt that crushing sadness was last night. I woke up in the middle of the night, with a start, thinking "Oh my god. Aunt Val is really, truly, gone." It took me close to 2 hours to fall back asleep.

So I'm looking through my bookshelf, and all I have is Shakespeare (too flowery) and Wilde (not exactly appropriate for a memorial)...then I see, tucked in between my "Tao Te Ching" and my "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", "The Prophet", by Kahlil Gibran. It belonged to my Aunt Val, and she loaned it to me about 2 years ago. I remembered that it was so important to her, and I looked though it, to see if I could find something that was appropriate...and I did. I read the following, from a chapter entitled "Joy and Sorrow":

Then a woman said, "Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow."

And he answered:

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

My Aunt Val was my delight.

Posted by Wil at 05:34 PM | Permalink

The late, great, Bill Hicks

Bill Hicks was one of the greatest comedians of all time. He is one of my greatest influences.

Disinfo has this great story about the man they called "the Nietzsche of comedy, the most legitimate social critic of the 1990s: a renegade messiah who tried to make people laugh, but usually ended up pissing them off, or drawing blank stares."

Posted by Wil at 09:24 PM | Permalink

The late, great, Bill Hicks

Bill Hicks was one of the greatest comedians of all time. He is one of my greatest influences.

Disinfo has this great story about the man they called "the Nietzsche of comedy, the most legitimate social critic of the 1990s: a renegade messiah who tried to make people laugh, but usually ended up pissing them off, or drawing blank stares."

Posted by Wil at 09:24 PM | Permalink

The late, great, Bill Hicks

Bill Hicks was one of the greatest comedians of all time. He is one of my greatest influences.

Disinfo has this great story about the man they called "the Nietzsche of comedy, the most legitimate social critic of the 1990s: a renegade messiah who tried to make people laugh, but usually ended up pissing them off, or drawing blank stares."

Posted by Wil at 09:24 PM | Permalink

Saturn Comes Back Around

So the meeting today went very, very well. I really liked the people I met with, and they seemed to really like me back. We talked about lots of different things, and they told me that I'm at the top of their list, when they are working on new projects! I was a little nervous, mostly because I was just excited, but I think I kept my cool...I only rambled a little bit, which was good, and I mostly stayed off my soapbox. :)

I am having major problems with my cable modem service, and it looks like it's going to require a service visit, to my house, to fix it. Problem is, they're telling me that they can't get someone out here until the 26th! I'm currently fighting the angry customer fight with them on the phone, but I don't know what is going to happen. So if nothing changes here for a few days, it's because I can't get online to do anything. I should point out that the national-level guys I've talked with have all been very cool and helpful, (yay tech support!). It's the local's who are being sort of lame.

I know that the soapbox is dead, and it's all my fault. I was doing some work, which required accessing the database that the soapbox uses, and I borked it up. completely. So I'm working to reset it, and I'll make sure that Josh makes me a database just for the soapbox, so it won't happen again. I am truly sorry to everyone who lost messages and stuff.

Thank you all so much for sending the mojo. I really appreciate it. I truly believe that there is something there, when we do things like that...I think that we can do more with our thoughts than we think we can...("You mean that space, and time, and thought aren't all as separate as we think?") <--name that quote, and win a teddy bear!*

Continue reading "Saturn Comes Back Around" »

Posted by Wil at 07:37 PM | Permalink

Saturn Comes Back Around

So the meeting today went very, very well. I really liked the people I met with, and they seemed to really like me back. We talked about lots of different things, and they told me that I'm at the top of their list, when they are working on new projects! I was a little nervous, mostly because I was just excited, but I think I kept my cool...I only rambled a little bit, which was good, and I mostly stayed off my soapbox. :)

I am having major problems with my cable modem service, and it looks like it's going to require a service visit, to my house, to fix it. Problem is, they're telling me that they can't get someone out here until the 26th! I'm currently fighting the angry customer fight with them on the phone, but I don't know what is going to happen. So if nothing changes here for a few days, it's because I can't get online to do anything. I should point out that the national-level guys I've talked with have all been very cool and helpful, (yay tech support!). It's the local's who are being sort of lame.

I know that the soapbox is dead, and it's all my fault. I was doing some work, which required accessing the database that the soapbox uses, and I borked it up. completely. So I'm working to reset it, and I'll make sure that Josh makes me a database just for the soapbox, so it won't happen again. I am truly sorry to everyone who lost messages and stuff.

Thank you all so much for sending the mojo. I really appreciate it. I truly believe that there is something there, when we do things like that...I think that we can do more with our thoughts than we think we can...("You mean that space, and time, and thought aren't all as separate as we think?") <--name that quote, and win a teddy bear!*

Continue reading "Saturn Comes Back Around" »

Posted by Wil at 07:37 PM | Permalink

Saturn Comes Back Around

So the meeting today went very, very well. I really liked the people I met with, and they seemed to really like me back. We talked about lots of different things, and they told me that I'm at the top of their list, when they are working on new projects! I was a little nervous, mostly because I was just excited, but I think I kept my cool...I only rambled a little bit, which was good, and I mostly stayed off my soapbox. :)

I am having major problems with my cable modem service, and it looks like it's going to require a service visit, to my house, to fix it. Problem is, they're telling me that they can't get someone out here until the 26th! I'm currently fighting the angry customer fight with them on the phone, but I don't know what is going to happen. So if nothing changes here for a few days, it's because I can't get online to do anything. I should point out that the national-level guys I've talked with have all been very cool and helpful, (yay tech support!). It's the local's who are being sort of lame.

I know that the soapbox is dead, and it's all my fault. I was doing some work, which required accessing the database that the soapbox uses, and I borked it up. completely. So I'm working to reset it, and I'll make sure that Josh makes me a database just for the soapbox, so it won't happen again. I am truly sorry to everyone who lost messages and stuff.

Thank you all so much for sending the mojo. I really appreciate it. I truly believe that there is something there, when we do things like that...I think that we can do more with our thoughts than we think we can...("You mean that space, and time, and thought aren't all as separate as we think?") <--name that quote, and win a teddy bear!*

Continue reading "Saturn Comes Back Around" »

Posted by Wil at 07:37 PM | Permalink

We asked for Mojo Nixon. They said, "He don't work here!"

Good morning!

Remember the last time I asked for some mojo? Remember all the empty promises I made, about being best friends, and letting you ride in my mom's car when we went to the museum of Natural History for our next field trip?

Well...the time has come, the walrus said, to make some more empty promises.

I need your mojo, and I need it between 3 and 5 PST today. I'll even tell you what it's for this time..."Win Ben Stein's Money" is produced by Buena Vista Television, and BV saw all my auditions and all my tapes and stuff, and I guess they have decided to give me a chance to be funny, because their VP of development and their Director of development asked to have a "general meeting" with me today. A general meeting is where I go and talk to a casting director, or a director, or producer, or whomever, and we talk about stuff we could do together, and it usually leads to employment. (!) They'll probably ask me what type of show I think I would like to do, and would be good for. I'm gonna tell them how much I like "The Daily Show".

Anyway, it's very exciting, and I'm just a little bit nervous...not because I think I'm gonna suck, but just because it's such a huge opportunity for me and my family...so if you could spare some mojo, I'll be your best friend, and you can ride in our car when my mom chaperones on the field trip to the Natural History museum!

Oh, did anyone see the Drew Carey show last night? It was the live, improv version...made me laugh out loud many, many times.

Posted by Wil at 11:55 AM | Permalink

We asked for Mojo Nixon. They said, "He don't work here!"

Good morning!

Remember the last time I asked for some mojo? Remember all the empty promises I made, about being best friends, and letting you ride in my mom's car when we went to the museum of Natural History for our next field trip?

Well...the time has come, the walrus said, to make some more empty promises.

I need your mojo, and I need it between 3 and 5 PST today. I'll even tell you what it's for this time..."Win Ben Stein's Money" is produced by Buena Vista Television, and BV saw all my auditions and all my tapes and stuff, and I guess they have decided to give me a chance to be funny, because their VP of development and their Director of development asked to have a "general meeting" with me today. A general meeting is where I go and talk to a casting director, or a director, or producer, or whomever, and we talk about stuff we could do together, and it usually leads to employment. (!) They'll probably ask me what type of show I think I would like to do, and would be good for. I'm gonna tell them how much I like "The Daily Show".

Anyway, it's very exciting, and I'm just a little bit nervous...not because I think I'm gonna suck, but just because it's such a huge opportunity for me and my family...so if you could spare some mojo, I'll be your best friend, and you can ride in our car when my mom chaperones on the field trip to the Natural History museum!

Oh, did anyone see the Drew Carey show last night? It was the live, improv version...made me laugh out loud many, many times.

Posted by Wil at 11:55 AM | Permalink

We asked for Mojo Nixon. They said, "He don't work here!"

Good morning!

Remember the last time I asked for some mojo? Remember all the empty promises I made, about being best friends, and letting you ride in my mom's car when we went to the museum of Natural History for our next field trip?

Well...the time has come, the walrus said, to make some more empty promises.

I need your mojo, and I need it between 3 and 5 PST today. I'll even tell you what it's for this time..."Win Ben Stein's Money" is produced by Buena Vista Television, and BV saw all my auditions and all my tapes and stuff, and I guess they have decided to give me a chance to be funny, because their VP of development and their Director of development asked to have a "general meeting" with me today. A general meeting is where I go and talk to a casting director, or a director, or producer, or whomever, and we talk about stuff we could do together, and it usually leads to employment. (!) They'll probably ask me what type of show I think I would like to do, and would be good for. I'm gonna tell them how much I like "The Daily Show".

Anyway, it's very exciting, and I'm just a little bit nervous...not because I think I'm gonna suck, but just because it's such a huge opportunity for me and my family...so if you could spare some mojo, I'll be your best friend, and you can ride in our car when my mom chaperones on the field trip to the Natural History museum!

Oh, did anyone see the Drew Carey show last night? It was the live, improv version...made me laugh out loud many, many times.

Posted by Wil at 11:55 AM | Permalink

Wow

I am completely humbled, excited, and just a little giddy.

I don't even know what to say...I was linked by fark, metafilter (they were much nicer this time), plastic (still not nice), and too many Trek sites to list. Chris from Slashdot (among others) emailed me to say congrats...he'd heard the news via the submissions that were flying towards /.

The really, really cool part of all this, I mean, the best part of all, is that the comments out there, for the most part, have been very positive towards me, and when they are negative, they are negative towards Wesley. That I can handle. And I bet you that it wouldn't be like that if I didn't have this lame little web site. So, to those of you who have given me a chance to illustrate the difference between him and me, I say "thank you!"

This has been a weird 10 days or so...the universe really likes balance, doesn't it?

Posted by Wil at 09:51 PM | Permalink

Wow

I am completely humbled, excited, and just a little giddy.

I don't even know what to say...I was linked by fark, metafilter (they were much nicer this time), plastic (still not nice), and too many Trek sites to list. Chris from Slashdot (among others) emailed me to say congrats...he'd heard the news via the submissions that were flying towards /.

The really, really cool part of all this, I mean, the best part of all, is that the comments out there, for the most part, have been very positive towards me, and when they are negative, they are negative towards Wesley. That I can handle. And I bet you that it wouldn't be like that if I didn't have this lame little web site. So, to those of you who have given me a chance to illustrate the difference between him and me, I say "thank you!"

This has been a weird 10 days or so...the universe really likes balance, doesn't it?

Posted by Wil at 09:51 PM | Permalink

Wow

I am completely humbled, excited, and just a little giddy.

I don't even know what to say...I was linked by fark, metafilter (they were much nicer this time), plastic (still not nice), and too many Trek sites to list. Chris from Slashdot (among others) emailed me to say congrats...he'd heard the news via the submissions that were flying towards /.

The really, really cool part of all this, I mean, the best part of all, is that the comments out there, for the most part, have been very positive towards me, and when they are negative, they are negative towards Wesley. That I can handle. And I bet you that it wouldn't be like that if I didn't have this lame little web site. So, to those of you who have given me a chance to illustrate the difference between him and me, I say "thank you!"

This has been a weird 10 days or so...the universe really likes balance, doesn't it?

Posted by Wil at 09:51 PM | Permalink

Homecoming

When I did Weakest Link, I stood next to LeVar. We were talking during the commercials, and I said to him that I really missed them. He said to me that I should be in the movie, especially since it's going to be the last TNG movie. I told him that I would love to be in it, but I really thought that Berman and company really didn't like me. He seemed surprised, and he told me that he was going to call Rick the next morning, and suggest to him that I be in the movie, at least as a cameo. I thought that would be really cool, and told him so.

Last week, on Friday, my agent called me to let me know that there was an offer from Paramount to reprise the role of Wesley Crusher in Star Trek X. We just needed to work out the details.

So we spent some time negotiating it, and --get this-- Rick Berman told my agent that he was "very pleased" that I was going to be in the movie!

I am really excited about this for three reasons:

* I am going to get to work with my friends again.

* Wesley Crusher will have some real closure, finally.

* For the last 5 years, at least, everywhere I go, fans ask me if I'm going to be in a movie, and what happened to Wesley, and I can honestly say that I'm doing this for the fans, because it will be so damn cool to see all of us together again.

WHEEE!

Posted by Wil at 08:02 PM | Permalink

Homecoming

When I did Weakest Link, I stood next to LeVar. We were talking during the commercials, and I said to him that I really missed them. He said to me that I should be in the movie, especially since it's going to be the last TNG movie. I told him that I would love to be in it, but I really thought that Berman and company really didn't like me. He seemed surprised, and he told me that he was going to call Rick the next morning, and suggest to him that I be in the movie, at least as a cameo. I thought that would be really cool, and told him so.

Last week, on Friday, my agent called me to let me know that there was an offer from Paramount to reprise the role of Wesley Crusher in Star Trek X. We just needed to work out the details.

So we spent some time negotiating it, and --get this-- Rick Berman told my agent that he was "very pleased" that I was going to be in the movie!

I am really excited about this for three reasons:

* I am going to get to work with my friends again.

* Wesley Crusher will have some real closure, finally.

* For the last 5 years, at least, everywhere I go, fans ask me if I'm going to be in a movie, and what happened to Wesley, and I can honestly say that I'm doing this for the fans, because it will be so damn cool to see all of us together again.

WHEEE!

Posted by Wil at 08:02 PM | Permalink

Homecoming

When I did Weakest Link, I stood next to LeVar. We were talking during the commercials, and I said to him that I really missed them. He said to me that I should be in the movie, especially since it's going to be the last TNG movie. I told him that I would love to be in it, but I really thought that Berman and company really didn't like me. He seemed surprised, and he told me that he was going to call Rick the next morning, and suggest to him that I be in the movie, at least as a cameo. I thought that would be really cool, and told him so.

Last week, on Friday, my agent called me to let me know that there was an offer from Paramount to reprise the role of Wesley Crusher in Star Trek X. We just needed to work out the details.

So we spent some time negotiating it, and --get this-- Rick Berman told my agent that he was "very pleased" that I was going to be in the movie!

I am really excited about this for three reasons:

* I am going to get to work with my friends again.

* Wesley Crusher will have some real closure, finally.

* For the last 5 years, at least, everywhere I go, fans ask me if I'm going to be in a movie, and what happened to Wesley, and I can honestly say that I'm doing this for the fans, because it will be so damn cool to see all of us together again.

WHEEE!

Posted by Wil at 08:02 PM | Permalink

Score!

From StarTrek.com:

LINDA PARK: The first Star Trek was not my first Star Trek. I started with Star Trek: Next Generation, and I loved it. I loved the holodeck. I loved Wesley. He was, like, my first crush, so that kind of kicked it into high gear for me. Later on I started to watch some of the earlier, Captain Kirk episodes, but for me I'll always be a Next Generation fan. That was my first one, so I'm going to stay loyal to that one.

Cool. No word yet on when Jolene Blalock will be confessing her love, but she will...oh yes, she will.

Posted by Wil at 08:35 AM | Permalink

Score!

From StarTrek.com:

LINDA PARK: The first Star Trek was not my first Star Trek. I started with Star Trek: Next Generation, and I loved it. I loved the holodeck. I loved Wesley. He was, like, my first crush, so that kind of kicked it into high gear for me. Later on I started to watch some of the earlier, Captain Kirk episodes, but for me I'll always be a Next Generation fan. That was my first one, so I'm going to stay loyal to that one.

Cool. No word yet on when Jolene Blalock will be confessing her love, but she will...oh yes, she will.

Posted by Wil at 08:35 AM | Permalink

Score!

From StarTrek.com:

LINDA PARK: The first Star Trek was not my first Star Trek. I started with Star Trek: Next Generation, and I loved it. I loved the holodeck. I loved Wesley. He was, like, my first crush, so that kind of kicked it into high gear for me. Later on I started to watch some of the earlier, Captain Kirk episodes, but for me I'll always be a Next Generation fan. That was my first one, so I'm going to stay loyal to that one.

Cool. No word yet on when Jolene Blalock will be confessing her love, but she will...oh yes, she will.

Posted by Wil at 08:35 AM | Permalink

More Cowbell

I'm getting ready for bed, and Ferris is starting to bark.

So I let her into the backyard, so she can see that there's nothing there.

I follow her into the backyard, and it is just breathtaking...the storm has moved on, so the clouds are breaking up...their bottoms are just slightly glowing with the light of the city, and I can see Saturn through a hole in them.

The rain is still dripping off the trees in my yard, and it's cold, so my breath swirls around my head while I stand in the grass, watching Ferris secure the area.

The smell of many fireplaces hangs in the air, and I can hear the soft roar of the freeway, many miles away. Funny how the sound carries in the cold, still air.

My face is still cold as I write this...boy, I love Autumn.

Posted by Wil at 11:27 PM | Permalink

More Cowbell

I'm getting ready for bed, and Ferris is starting to bark.

So I let her into the backyard, so she can see that there's nothing there.

I follow her into the backyard, and it is just breathtaking...the storm has moved on, so the clouds are breaking up...their bottoms are just slightly glowing with the light of the city, and I can see Saturn through a hole in them.

The rain is still dripping off the trees in my yard, and it's cold, so my breath swirls around my head while I stand in the grass, watching Ferris secure the area.

The smell of many fireplaces hangs in the air, and I can hear the soft roar of the freeway, many miles away. Funny how the sound carries in the cold, still air.

My face is still cold as I write this...boy, I love Autumn.

Posted by Wil at 11:27 PM | Permalink

More Cowbell

I'm getting ready for bed, and Ferris is starting to bark.

So I let her into the backyard, so she can see that there's nothing there.

I follow her into the backyard, and it is just breathtaking...the storm has moved on, so the clouds are breaking up...their bottoms are just slightly glowing with the light of the city, and I can see Saturn through a hole in them.

The rain is still dripping off the trees in my yard, and it's cold, so my breath swirls around my head while I stand in the grass, watching Ferris secure the area.

The smell of many fireplaces hangs in the air, and I can hear the soft roar of the freeway, many miles away. Funny how the sound carries in the cold, still air.

My face is still cold as I write this...boy, I love Autumn.

Posted by Wil at 11:27 PM | Permalink

Here Comes The Rain Again

Some things happened today that were cool: I hung out, all day, with my brother. I took my wife and kids to his house, and we played Tony Hawk 3, and Age Of Empires at his house. Jeremy works all the time and doesn't live very close, so we don't get to hang out as often as we used to. The kids totally look up to him, and just love being around him, and he took the day off today to hang with us, so that was really, really cool.

We went to lunch, and Ryan said to us that while he was at science camp, all the kids started calling him "EMENEM", because of his short blonde hair. So I asked him if he was the Real Slim Shady, or just one of those imitators. Ryan takes a beat, and he says, "Well, Wil, here's your answer." And he stands up! I totally missed it, at first, but Anne caught it...I was so stunned, when I got it...that type of subtle, non-fart-related humor just doesn't exist in your average 12 year old. As I reflected on it, I felt really warm and fuzzy, because I see both Ryan and Nolan developing senses of humor that are very smart, ironic, dry, and sarcastic...I wonder where they got that? *grin*

Ryan is *almost* ready for his first trip to Milliways...I'll go pick out a towel for him next week.

We do this work with Ferris, where we train her. We work on a skill for a few times, treating her when she does it correctly, and then alternating treats with praise, until she knows what it is we want her to do.

Using this technique, we've taught her to sit, lay down, and roll over.

What Ferris really needs to learn is to come when she's called, and we've been working on that. I have her sit and stay, then I walk away to another room of our house, and call her. When she comes, I give her a treat and some praise, and we repeat.

Small problem with Ferris: she is very smart, and when she's learning, for example, to lay down, she will hear me say, "Ferris.." and she'll just lay down, and look for the treat. So I have to make her get back up, and start over again. Sometimes it takes awhile.

I promise this will pay off...just bear with me.

So the other day, I'm working with her, and she's very excited, because she loves the attention, she loves having something to do, and she loves the treats and praise. We've been doing the "sit, stay, come, good dog" thing for about 5 minutes, and she is getting really excited. She's got lab in her, so when she gets excited, she just about turns inside out. I have her sit and stay in the kitchen, then I go to the complete opposite end of the house...past the ballroom, the conservatory, and right into the study. I call her, and she comes running into the room, crashes into me, looks at me, and then she sits, she lays down, and she rolls over. I just about died. I don't know if it's translating, but it was so damn funny to me, seeing her show me all her skills, without me saying anything...

Anne and I watched "Blow" night before last. I really enjoyed it. I thought it was a bit over-edited, but I liked the script and acting. that Ted Demme is quite the director, I tell ya what.

It's raining here in Los Angeles, the first real rain of this season, and I really love it. It's all yummy and chewey. Tonight, for dinner, Anne made turkey meatloaf and mashed potatoes and I built a fire in the fireplace. After dinner we all sat by the fire and played Apples To Apples, one of the coolest games, ever.

Yes, today was, indeed a good day. I hope you enjoyed yours, as well.

Posted by Wil at 09:17 PM | Permalink

Here Comes The Rain Again

Some things happened today that were cool: I hung out, all day, with my brother. I took my wife and kids to his house, and we played Tony Hawk 3, and Age Of Empires at his house. Jeremy works all the time and doesn't live very close, so we don't get to hang out as often as we used to. The kids totally look up to him, and just love being around him, and he took the day off today to hang with us, so that was really, really cool.

We went to lunch, and Ryan said to us that while he was at science camp, all the kids started calling him "EMENEM", because of his short blonde hair. So I asked him if he was the Real Slim Shady, or just one of those imitators. Ryan takes a beat, and he says, "Well, Wil, here's your answer." And he stands up! I totally missed it, at first, but Anne caught it...I was so stunned, when I got it...that type of subtle, non-fart-related humor just doesn't exist in your average 12 year old. As I reflected on it, I felt really warm and fuzzy, because I see both Ryan and Nolan developing senses of humor that are very smart, ironic, dry, and sarcastic...I wonder where they got that? *grin*

Ryan is *almost* ready for his first trip to Milliways...I'll go pick out a towel for him next week.

We do this work with Ferris, where we train her. We work on a skill for a few times, treating her when she does it correctly, and then alternating treats with praise, until she knows what it is we want her to do.

Using this technique, we've taught her to sit, lay down, and roll over.

What Ferris really needs to learn is to come when she's called, and we've been working on that. I have her sit and stay, then I walk away to another room of our house, and call her. When she comes, I give her a treat and some praise, and we repeat.

Small problem with Ferris: she is very smart, and when she's learning, for example, to lay down, she will hear me say, "Ferris.." and she'll just lay down, and look for the treat. So I have to make her get back up, and start over again. Sometimes it takes awhile.

I promise this will pay off...just bear with me.

So the other day, I'm working with her, and she's very excited, because she loves the attention, she loves having something to do, and she loves the treats and praise. We've been doing the "sit, stay, come, good dog" thing for about 5 minutes, and she is getting really excited. She's got lab in her, so when she gets excited, she just about turns inside out. I have her sit and stay in the kitchen, then I go to the complete opposite end of the house...past the ballroom, the conservatory, and right into the study. I call her, and she comes running into the room, crashes into me, looks at me, and then she sits, she lays down, and she rolls over. I just about died. I don't know if it's translating, but it was so damn funny to me, seeing her show me all her skills, without me saying anything...

Anne and I watched "Blow" night before last. I really enjoyed it. I thought it was a bit over-edited, but I liked the script and acting. that Ted Demme is quite the director, I tell ya what.

It's raining here in Los Angeles, the first real rain of this season, and I really love it. It's all yummy and chewey. Tonight, for dinner, Anne made turkey meatloaf and mashed potatoes and I built a fire in the fireplace. After dinner we all sat by the fire and played Apples To Apples, one of the coolest games, ever.

Yes, today was, indeed a good day. I hope you enjoyed yours, as well.

Posted by Wil at 09:17 PM | Permalink

Here Comes The Rain Again

Some things happened today that were cool: I hung out, all day, with my brother. I took my wife and kids to his house, and we played Tony Hawk 3, and Age Of Empires at his house. Jeremy works all the time and doesn't live very close, so we don't get to hang out as often as we used to. The kids totally look up to him, and just love being around him, and he took the day off today to hang with us, so that was really, really cool.

We went to lunch, and Ryan said to us that while he was at science camp, all the kids started calling him "EMENEM", because of his short blonde hair. So I asked him if he was the Real Slim Shady, or just one of those imitators. Ryan takes a beat, and he says, "Well, Wil, here's your answer." And he stands up! I totally missed it, at first, but Anne caught it...I was so stunned, when I got it...that type of subtle, non-fart-related humor just doesn't exist in your average 12 year old. As I reflected on it, I felt really warm and fuzzy, because I see both Ryan and Nolan developing senses of humor that are very smart, ironic, dry, and sarcastic...I wonder where they got that? *grin*

Ryan is *almost* ready for his first trip to Milliways...I'll go pick out a towel for him next week.

We do this work with Ferris, where we train her. We work on a skill for a few times, treating her when she does it correctly, and then alternating treats with praise, until she knows what it is we want her to do.

Using this technique, we've taught her to sit, lay down, and roll over.

What Ferris really needs to learn is to come when she's called, and we've been working on that. I have her sit and stay, then I walk away to another room of our house, and call her. When she comes, I give her a treat and some praise, and we repeat.

Small problem with Ferris: she is very smart, and when she's learning, for example, to lay down, she will hear me say, "Ferris.." and she'll just lay down, and look for the treat. So I have to make her get back up, and start over again. Sometimes it takes awhile.

I promise this will pay off...just bear with me.

So the other day, I'm working with her, and she's very excited, because she loves the attention, she loves having something to do, and she loves the treats and praise. We've been doing the "sit, stay, come, good dog" thing for about 5 minutes, and she is getting really excited. She's got lab in her, so when she gets excited, she just about turns inside out. I have her sit and stay in the kitchen, then I go to the complete opposite end of the house...past the ballroom, the conservatory, and right into the study. I call her, and she comes running into the room, crashes into me, looks at me, and then she sits, she lays down, and she rolls over. I just about died. I don't know if it's translating, but it was so damn funny to me, seeing her show me all her skills, without me saying anything...

Anne and I watched "Blow" night before last. I really enjoyed it. I thought it was a bit over-edited, but I liked the script and acting. that Ted Demme is quite the director, I tell ya what.

It's raining here in Los Angeles, the first real rain of this season, and I really love it. It's all yummy and chewey. Tonight, for dinner, Anne made turkey meatloaf and mashed potatoes and I built a fire in the fireplace. After dinner we all sat by the fire and played Apples To Apples, one of the coolest games, ever.

Yes, today was, indeed a good day. I hope you enjoyed yours, as well.

Posted by Wil at 09:17 PM | Permalink

Preludes and Nocturnes

I had a semi-vivid dream last night. I say semi-vivid, because it felt very real when I was dreaming it, but as the day has gone on, I've lost most of it. Here's what I recall: I was being chased by this very large man, who was some sort of creature. He was part simian, part alligator, and part human. He was terrifying, and was going to kill me. I was so scared of him, and I was running away, and, though he was very dangerous and bent on killing me, he was saying, "If I could only communicate with them [meaning humans], they'd understand. Why don't they understand me?"

So I got the feeling that he/it was trying to communicate with us [humans], but he couldn't speak our language, so we were afraid of him, and he was desperately trying to talk to us, so he was chasing me...I'm sure there is deep symbolism here, but I'm not very motivated to seek it.

The strange thing is, I was thinking to myself as I was laying in bed that I miss dreaming vividly. I just don't dream as often as I used to, or at least I don't remember them like I once did.

I was reading Ishmael before bed, and I had watched the X-files (with the freakshow), so I think I know where the dream originated...but it was still...uh...interesting, or something.

Posted by Wil at 09:14 PM | Permalink

Preludes and Nocturnes

I had a semi-vivid dream last night. I say semi-vivid, because it felt very real when I was dreaming it, but as the day has gone on, I've lost most of it. Here's what I recall: I was being chased by this very large man, who was some sort of creature. He was part simian, part alligator, and part human. He was terrifying, and was going to kill me. I was so scared of him, and I was running away, and, though he was very dangerous and bent on killing me, he was saying, "If I could only communicate with them [meaning humans], they'd understand. Why don't they understand me?"

So I got the feeling that he/it was trying to communicate with us [humans], but he couldn't speak our language, so we were afraid of him, and he was desperately trying to talk to us, so he was chasing me...I'm sure there is deep symbolism here, but I'm not very motivated to seek it.

The strange thing is, I was thinking to myself as I was laying in bed that I miss dreaming vividly. I just don't dream as often as I used to, or at least I don't remember them like I once did.

I was reading Ishmael before bed, and I had watched the X-files (with the freakshow), so I think I know where the dream originated...but it was still...uh...interesting, or something.

Posted by Wil at 09:14 PM | Permalink

Preludes and Nocturnes

I had a semi-vivid dream last night. I say semi-vivid, because it felt very real when I was dreaming it, but as the day has gone on, I've lost most of it. Here's what I recall: I was being chased by this very large man, who was some sort of creature. He was part simian, part alligator, and part human. He was terrifying, and was going to kill me. I was so scared of him, and I was running away, and, though he was very dangerous and bent on killing me, he was saying, "If I could only communicate with them [meaning humans], they'd understand. Why don't they understand me?"

So I got the feeling that he/it was trying to communicate with us [humans], but he couldn't speak our language, so we were afraid of him, and he was desperately trying to talk to us, so he was chasing me...I'm sure there is deep symbolism here, but I'm not very motivated to seek it.

The strange thing is, I was thinking to myself as I was laying in bed that I miss dreaming vividly. I just don't dream as often as I used to, or at least I don't remember them like I once did.

I was reading Ishmael before bed, and I had watched the X-files (with the freakshow), so I think I know where the dream originated...but it was still...uh...interesting, or something.

Posted by Wil at 09:14 PM | Permalink

Karma Whoring Part 2

In the world of comedy, we call this a "call back".

Har. Har. Har.

Posted by Wil at 07:01 PM | Permalink

Karma Whoring Part 2

In the world of comedy, we call this a "call back".

Har. Har. Har.

Posted by Wil at 07:01 PM | Permalink

Karma Whoring Part 2

In the world of comedy, we call this a "call back".

Har. Har. Har.

Posted by Wil at 07:01 PM | Permalink

Veteran's Day

A moment of silence, and respect, please, for all the men and women who have sacrificed and served their country, whether in a conflict just or unjust, always with honor.

Mr. or Mrs. Veteran, thank you.

Posted by Wil at 04:16 PM | Permalink

Veteran's Day

A moment of silence, and respect, please, for all the men and women who have sacrificed and served their country, whether in a conflict just or unjust, always with honor.

Mr. or Mrs. Veteran, thank you.

Posted by Wil at 04:16 PM | Permalink

Veteran's Day

A moment of silence, and respect, please, for all the men and women who have sacrificed and served their country, whether in a conflict just or unjust, always with honor.

Mr. or Mrs. Veteran, thank you.

Posted by Wil at 04:16 PM | Permalink

Galaxy Ball

Yesterday, I participated in The Galaxy Ball. It was a cool reunion of sorts, benefiting the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles, and some other worthwhile charities.

I got to share the stage with Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, and Jonathan Frakes! I was sitting backstage with them, looking at the four of us, and I was singing that old Sesame Stree song, "One of things just doesn't belong..."and I was a little bit nervous, you know? Every time I get around those guys, I have always felt like a little kid again...but it was different, yesterday. When I first got there, Jonathan was already there, and he smiled that big, warm smile of his, and embraced me. he told me how happy he was to see me, and how glad he was that I was there. We talked about a bunch of stuff...the thing I remember most vividly is that neither one of us could understand why Vin Diesel is a star.

Brent arrived, sporting a very...interesting looking goatee. They joked that it was the first itme in our history together that Brent has looked more like Robert Goulet than Jonathan has. Brent told us that he's playing a character called "The Evil [something something]" in the new Dana Carvey movie. He was hilarious, as always, and he seemed happy to see me too. They talked about the upcoming movie, how things are going with it, and marveled that I was almost 30.

Jonathan says, "Brent, do you know how old W is?"

Brent says, "Sure. He's 37. But he doesn't look it."

I say, "Brent! How did you know? I've tried so hard to keep my age a secret."

"Well, you were 22 when we started, Wil. Do the math."

Laughed my ass off. Jonathan and I talked about TNG on TNN, and how we've been watching the old shows, impressed with how well they've stood the test of time. I told him how it's strange for me to watch them, since I was so young when we did them. It's like watching a high school year book come to life, I told him. So he looks at me, and he says, "You know, all of us just got older. But you grew from child to adult. So you're the only one of us who's really changed."

That was cool. I felt, finally, accepted as an adult.

Patrick arrived, impish and mirthful, teasing everyone and stuff. He hugged Brent and Jonathan, and then fixed me with his gaze, and gave me the biggest bear hug a bald Englishman ever gave anyone. It was one of those joyous, warm, thoughful embraces that people just don't give these days. It was very cool.

We went downstairs to the ball room, and took the stage. We joked with each other, we joked with the audience, we told stories, we all teased each other...and the whole time I was thinking, "I can't farking believe that I am on stage with these guys. Holy crap!" But I kept my cool. Really, I did. Shocking thing was, when we said that we'd take questions from the audience, lots of them were for me. I couldn't believe that, with the Captain of the farking Enterprise, the most beloved character of all time, and the coolest first officer, ever, people were asking me questions. But they did. And lots of people have been to the WWDN, which was supercool, and I got to talk about the website, which was also fun. So if you were at the Galaxy Ball yesterday, and this is your first visit to my lame site, Welcome! :)

The time really flew, and when we were done, Patrick and I were walking back to the green room to get our stuff, and Patrick turned to me, and said, "Wil, I had no idea you were so funny!" He turns to Brent, and says, "Can you believe how funny he is?" Brent agreed, and I told them that that really touched me, and I had such a great time being on stage with them. Patrick told me that he was very excited when he heard that I was going to be there, because he thought I'd just vanished in the last few years.

You know, back when we were doing the shows, I always wanted to be as good an actor as Patrick, as funny as Brent, and as cool as Jonathan. So I'm getting closer to that. :)

Posted by Wil at 09:05 AM | Permalink

Galaxy Ball

Yesterday, I participated in The Galaxy Ball. It was a cool reunion of sorts, benefiting the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles, and some other worthwhile charities.

I got to share the stage with Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, and Jonathan Frakes! I was sitting backstage with them, looking at the four of us, and I was singing that old Sesame Stree song, "One of things just doesn't belong..."and I was a little bit nervous, you know? Every time I get around those guys, I have always felt like a little kid again...but it was different, yesterday. When I first got there, Jonathan was already there, and he smiled that big, warm smile of his, and embraced me. he told me how happy he was to see me, and how glad he was that I was there. We talked about a bunch of stuff...the thing I remember most vividly is that neither one of us could understand why Vin Diesel is a star.

Brent arrived, sporting a very...interesting looking goatee. They joked that it was the first itme in our history together that Brent has looked more like Robert Goulet than Jonathan has. Brent told us that he's playing a character called "The Evil [something something]" in the new Dana Carvey movie. He was hilarious, as always, and he seemed happy to see me too. They talked about the upcoming movie, how things are going with it, and marveled that I was almost 30.

Jonathan says, "Brent, do you know how old W is?"

Brent says, "Sure. He's 37. But he doesn't look it."

I say, "Brent! How did you know? I've tried so hard to keep my age a secret."

"Well, you were 22 when we started, Wil. Do the math."

Laughed my ass off. Jonathan and I talked about TNG on TNN, and how we've been watching the old shows, impressed with how well they've stood the test of time. I told him how it's strange for me to watch them, since I was so young when we did them. It's like watching a high school year book come to life, I told him. So he looks at me, and he says, "You know, all of us just got older. But you grew from child to adult. So you're the only one of us who's really changed."

That was cool. I felt, finally, accepted as an adult.

Patrick arrived, impish and mirthful, teasing everyone and stuff. He hugged Brent and Jonathan, and then fixed me with his gaze, and gave me the biggest bear hug a bald Englishman ever gave anyone. It was one of those joyous, warm, thoughful embraces that people just don't give these days. It was very cool.

We went downstairs to the ball room, and took the stage. We joked with each other, we joked with the audience, we told stories, we all teased each other...and the whole time I was thinking, "I can't farking believe that I am on stage with these guys. Holy crap!" But I kept my cool. Really, I did. Shocking thing was, when we said that we'd take questions from the audience, lots of them were for me. I couldn't believe that, with the Captain of the farking Enterprise, the most beloved character of all time, and the coolest first officer, ever, people were asking me questions. But they did. And lots of people have been to the WWDN, which was supercool, and I got to talk about the website, which was also fun. So if you were at the Galaxy Ball yesterday, and this is your first visit to my lame site, Welcome! :)

The time really flew, and when we were done, Patrick and I were walking back to the green room to get our stuff, and Patrick turned to me, and said, "Wil, I had no idea you were so funny!" He turns to Brent, and says, "Can you believe how funny he is?" Brent agreed, and I told them that that really touched me, and I had such a great time being on stage with them. Patrick told me that he was very excited when he heard that I was going to be there, because he thought I'd just vanished in the last few years.

You know, back when we were doing the shows, I always wanted to be as good an actor as Patrick, as funny as Brent, and as cool as Jonathan. So I'm getting closer to that. :)

Posted by Wil at 09:05 AM | Permalink

Galaxy Ball

Yesterday, I participated in The Galaxy Ball. It was a cool reunion of sorts, benefiting the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles, and some other worthwhile charities.

I got to share the stage with Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, and Jonathan Frakes! I was sitting backstage with them, looking at the four of us, and I was singing that old Sesame Stree song, "One of things just doesn't belong..."and I was a little bit nervous, you know? Every time I get around those guys, I have always felt like a little kid again...but it was different, yesterday. When I first got there, Jonathan was already there, and he smiled that big, warm smile of his, and embraced me. he told me how happy he was to see me, and how glad he was that I was there. We talked about a bunch of stuff...the thing I remember most vividly is that neither one of us could understand why Vin Diesel is a star.

Brent arrived, sporting a very...interesting looking goatee. They joked that it was the first itme in our history together that Brent has looked more like Robert Goulet than Jonathan has. Brent told us that he's playing a character called "The Evil [something something]" in the new Dana Carvey movie. He was hilarious, as always, and he seemed happy to see me too. They talked about the upcoming movie, how things are going with it, and marveled that I was almost 30.

Jonathan says, "Brent, do you know how old W is?"

Brent says, "Sure. He's 37. But he doesn't look it."

I say, "Brent! How did you know? I've tried so hard to keep my age a secret."

"Well, you were 22 when we started, Wil. Do the math."

Laughed my ass off. Jonathan and I talked about TNG on TNN, and how we've been watching the old shows, impressed with how well they've stood the test of time. I told him how it's strange for me to watch them, since I was so young when we did them. It's like watching a high school year book come to life, I told him. So he looks at me, and he says, "You know, all of us just got older. But you grew from child to adult. So you're the only one of us who's really changed."

That was cool. I felt, finally, accepted as an adult.

Patrick arrived, impish and mirthful, teasing everyone and stuff. He hugged Brent and Jonathan, and then fixed me with his gaze, and gave me the biggest bear hug a bald Englishman ever gave anyone. It was one of those joyous, warm, thoughful embraces that people just don't give these days. It was very cool.

We went downstairs to the ball room, and took the stage. We joked with each other, we joked with the audience, we told stories, we all teased each other...and the whole time I was thinking, "I can't farking believe that I am on stage with these guys. Holy crap!" But I kept my cool. Really, I did. Shocking thing was, when we said that we'd take questions from the audience, lots of them were for me. I couldn't believe that, with the Captain of the farking Enterprise, the most beloved character of all time, and the coolest first officer, ever, people were asking me questions. But they did. And lots of people have been to the WWDN, which was supercool, and I got to talk about the website, which was also fun. So if you were at the Galaxy Ball yesterday, and this is your first visit to my lame site, Welcome! :)

The time really flew, and when we were done, Patrick and I were walking back to the green room to get our stuff, and Patrick turned to me, and said, "Wil, I had no idea you were so funny!" He turns to Brent, and says, "Can you believe how funny he is?" Brent agreed, and I told them that that really touched me, and I had such a great time being on stage with them. Patrick told me that he was very excited when he heard that I was going to be there, because he thought I'd just vanished in the last few years.

You know, back when we were doing the shows, I always wanted to be as good an actor as Patrick, as funny as Brent, and as cool as Jonathan. So I'm getting closer to that. :)

Posted by Wil at 09:05 AM | Permalink

Karma Whore

Slashdot is doing "Ask Tick creator Ben Edlund anything...".

So I posted this question, which I think is funny, and I wanted to share it with you, my loyal monkey armada. :)

Posted by Wil at 01:59 PM | Permalink

Karma Whore

Slashdot is doing "Ask Tick creator Ben Edlund anything...".

So I posted this question, which I think is funny, and I wanted to share it with you, my loyal monkey armada. :)

Posted by Wil at 01:59 PM | Permalink

Karma Whore

Slashdot is doing "Ask Tick creator Ben Edlund anything...".

So I posted this question, which I think is funny, and I wanted to share it with you, my loyal monkey armada. :)

Posted by Wil at 01:59 PM | Permalink

Loss

My Aunt Val had a stroke on Monday, and she died around 1030 this morning.

I was just going to keep this to myself, but I want everyone in the world to know what an amazing, wonderful, loving, kind, thoughtful, selfless person she was. No person, anywhere, at any time in my life ever loved me as unconditionally as she did. She was truly the matriarch in my family, and, as the initial shock of her loss is wearing off, the growing sadness and emptiness is consuming me.

While she was struggling to survive on Tuesday, and was mostly unconscious, I held her hand, and Anne told her that it was our anniversary on Wednesday...she squeezed my hand, and when I told her that I loved her, and that I'd miss her if she had to go, she turned her head to me, and she smiled, and squeezed my hand, hard. It was the first time she'd been really responsive to us. I felt like she knew we were there, and I felt like she was telling me goodbye, and that she loved me. For that, I am eternally grateful.

Do not ever take anyone for granted, for even one minute. If there's someone in your family who you love, pick up the phone, and call them, right now, to tell them.

I love you, Aunt Val.

Posted by Wil at 11:14 AM | Permalink

Loss

My Aunt Val had a stroke on Monday, and she died around 1030 this morning.

I was just going to keep this to myself, but I want everyone in the world to know what an amazing, wonderful, loving, kind, thoughtful, selfless person she was. No person, anywhere, at any time in my life ever loved me as unconditionally as she did. She was truly the matriarch in my family, and, as the initial shock of her loss is wearing off, the growing sadness and emptiness is consuming me.

While she was struggling to survive on Tuesday, and was mostly unconscious, I held her hand, and Anne told her that it was our anniversary on Wednesday...she squeezed my hand, and when I told her that I loved her, and that I'd miss her if she had to go, she turned her head to me, and she smiled, and squeezed my hand, hard. It was the first time she'd been really responsive to us. I felt like she knew we were there, and I felt like she was telling me goodbye, and that she loved me. For that, I am eternally grateful.

Do not ever take anyone for granted, for even one minute. If there's someone in your family who you love, pick up the phone, and call them, right now, to tell them.

I love you, Aunt Val.

Posted by Wil at 11:14 AM | Permalink

Loss

My Aunt Val had a stroke on Monday, and she died around 1030 this morning.

I was just going to keep this to myself, but I want everyone in the world to know what an amazing, wonderful, loving, kind, thoughtful, selfless person she was. No person, anywhere, at any time in my life ever loved me as unconditionally as she did. She was truly the matriarch in my family, and, as the initial shock of her loss is wearing off, the growing sadness and emptiness is consuming me.

While she was struggling to survive on Tuesday, and was mostly unconscious, I held her hand, and Anne told her that it was our anniversary on Wednesday...she squeezed my hand, and when I told her that I loved her, and that I'd miss her if she had to go, she turned her head to me, and she smiled, and squeezed my hand, hard. It was the first time she'd been really responsive to us. I felt like she knew we were there, and I felt like she was telling me goodbye, and that she loved me. For that, I am eternally grateful.

Do not ever take anyone for granted, for even one minute. If there's someone in your family who you love, pick up the phone, and call them, right now, to tell them.

I love you, Aunt Val.

Posted by Wil at 11:14 AM | Permalink

The time, has come, the Walrus said...

Boy, having a vacation was awesome, and very much needed. If you haven't gotten away, even if it's only for one day, with your SO, you simply must do it.

We went up north, and visited some wineries...I can't wait until I am successful enough to move the hell out of LA, and go someplace along the central coast, or even SF. I took some pictures, and posted them in the gallery.

Our server got borked while I was gone, because I was using a .vacation to send the autoresponse. I didn't know that .vacation keeps a log of everything, so I filled up /var with 79MB of needless info...so, until I figure out another way to send an autoresponse, it's gone.

I want to run a listserv, for announcements, and maybe a quarterly journal of weblog posts, and stuff...if you know of extremely easy software that I could configure and run, post it in the comments. That'd be cool.

I have some potentially MAJOR career news coming up within the next 3 to 5 days...I can't wait to post it...!

OH! I submitted a link to Fark, and it was accepted!! Woo!!!

I noticed that nobody went to loren's house, or posted lots of useless crap for him. I'm very sad.

I will be posting the next installment in the saga of SpongeBob Vega$ Pants very soon.

Let's Roll!

Posted by Wil at 10:52 AM | Permalink

The time, has come, the Walrus said...

Boy, having a vacation was awesome, and very much needed. If you haven't gotten away, even if it's only for one day, with your SO, you simply must do it.

We went up north, and visited some wineries...I can't wait until I am successful enough to move the hell out of LA, and go someplace along the central coast, or even SF. I took some pictures, and posted them in the gallery.

Our server got borked while I was gone, because I was using a .vacation to send the autoresponse. I didn't know that .vacation keeps a log of everything, so I filled up /var with 79MB of needless info...so, until I figure out another way to send an autoresponse, it's gone.

I want to run a listserv, for announcements, and maybe a quarterly journal of weblog posts, and stuff...if you know of extremely easy software that I could configure and run, post it in the comments. That'd be cool.

I have some potentially MAJOR career news coming up within the next 3 to 5 days...I can't wait to post it...!

OH! I submitted a link to Fark, and it was accepted!! Woo!!!

I noticed that nobody went to loren's house, or posted lots of useless crap for him. I'm very sad.

I will be posting the next installment in the saga of SpongeBob Vega$ Pants very soon.

Let's Roll!

Posted by Wil at 10:52 AM | Permalink

The time, has come, the Walrus said...

Boy, having a vacation was awesome, and very much needed. If you haven't gotten away, even if it's only for one day, with your SO, you simply must do it.

We went up north, and visited some wineries...I can't wait until I am successful enough to move the hell out of LA, and go someplace along the central coast, or even SF. I took some pictures, and posted them in the gallery.

Our server got borked while I was gone, because I was using a .vacation to send the autoresponse. I didn't know that .vacation keeps a log of everything, so I filled up /var with 79MB of needless info...so, until I figure out another way to send an autoresponse, it's gone.

I want to run a listserv, for announcements, and maybe a quarterly journal of weblog posts, and stuff...if you know of extremely easy software that I could configure and run, post it in the comments. That'd be cool.

I have some potentially MAJOR career news coming up within the next 3 to 5 days...I can't wait to post it...!

OH! I submitted a link to Fark, and it was accepted!! Woo!!!

I noticed that nobody went to loren's house, or posted lots of useless crap for him. I'm very sad.

I will be posting the next installment in the saga of SpongeBob Vega$ Pants very soon.

Let's Roll!

Posted by Wil at 10:52 AM | Permalink

Make Yourself

I'm out. I'm gone until Thursday, on a much needed get away with my wife.

So, while I'm gone, I thought I'd leave something interesting for you to do: You can go to the Liquid Radio Players website, and listen to the shows I've done. Funtimes.

The two shows I've done so far are "The Lust of Penelope" and "The Madness of the Horror"

They are done exactly like old timey radio shows, ala The Shadow, or The Greaseman, so you'll have to settle in, and pay close attention...but I think you'll enjoy it.

For those of you who haven't noticed, Soapbox is back.

I'm supposed to be in McPaper tomorrow, be sure to check it out.

RFB will be down, because my computer will be off. Why not listen to thepAvedearth? You'll be glad you did.

Or, you could go visit loren, and post lots of comments for him. He particularly likes jokes about monkeys. Tell him I sent you.

One last thing: Did you know that Adam Curry is posting stories about all our favorite bands, and Michael Jackson? It's true. Adam Curry was on eMpTyVee from 1987-1991, or something like that, and he's sharing stories about the bands he got to interview or hang with. My favorite so far is the story of what a freak Jacko was. Duh.

I keep asking him to post stories about Van Halen. You should ask him to post stories about Van Halen. You should call your most estranged relative, and ask them to bug Adam to post stories about Van Halen. That's the power of the internet to unite, and bring us more stories about Van Halen.

Play nice while I'm gone, and stay the hell off the couch.

Posted by Wil at 10:16 AM | Permalink

Make Yourself

I'm out. I'm gone until Thursday, on a much needed get away with my wife.

So, while I'm gone, I thought I'd leave something interesting for you to do: You can go to the Liquid Radio Players website, and listen to the shows I've done. Funtimes.

The two shows I've done so far are "The Lust of Penelope" and "The Madness of the Horror"

They are done exactly like old timey radio shows, ala The Shadow, or The Greaseman, so you'll have to settle in, and pay close attention...but I think you'll enjoy it.

For those of you who haven't noticed, Soapbox is back.

I'm supposed to be in McPaper tomorrow, be sure to check it out.

RFB will be down, because my computer will be off. Why not listen to thepAvedearth? You'll be glad you did.

Or, you could go visit loren, and post lots of comments for him. He particularly likes jokes about monkeys. Tell him I sent you.

One last thing: Did you know that Adam Curry is posting stories about all our favorite bands, and Michael Jackson? It's true. Adam Curry was on eMpTyVee from 1987-1991, or something like that, and he's sharing stories about the bands he got to interview or hang with. My favorite so far is the story of what a freak Jacko was. Duh.

I keep asking him to post stories about Van Halen. You should ask him to post stories about Van Halen. You should call your most estranged relative, and ask them to bug Adam to post stories about Van Halen. That's the power of the internet to unite, and bring us more stories about Van Halen.

Play nice while I'm gone, and stay the hell off the couch.

Posted by Wil at 10:16 AM | Permalink

Make Yourself

I'm out. I'm gone until Thursday, on a much needed get away with my wife.

So, while I'm gone, I thought I'd leave something interesting for you to do: You can go to the Liquid Radio Players website, and listen to the shows I've done. Funtimes.

The two shows I've done so far are "The Lust of Penelope" and "The Madness of the Horror"

They are done exactly like old timey radio shows, ala The Shadow, or The Greaseman, so you'll have to settle in, and pay close attention...but I think you'll enjoy it.

For those of you who haven't noticed, Soapbox is back.

I'm supposed to be in McPaper tomorrow, be sure to check it out.

RFB will be down, because my computer will be off. Why not listen to thepAvedearth? You'll be glad you did.

Or, you could go visit loren, and post lots of comments for him. He particularly likes jokes about monkeys. Tell him I sent you.

One last thing: Did you know that Adam Curry is posting stories about all our favorite bands, and Michael Jackson? It's true. Adam Curry was on eMpTyVee from 1987-1991, or something like that, and he's sharing stories about the bands he got to interview or hang with. My favorite so far is the story of what a freak Jacko was. Duh.

I keep asking him to post stories about Van Halen. You should ask him to post stories about Van Halen. You should call your most estranged relative, and ask them to bug Adam to post stories about Van Halen. That's the power of the internet to unite, and bring us more stories about Van Halen.

Play nice while I'm gone, and stay the hell off the couch.

Posted by Wil at 10:16 AM | Permalink

How To Disappear Completely

When's the last time you looked at your bookmark file? I mean, really looked at it, and realized that most of your bookmarks have gone unused for months?

I did that this morning. Holy crap. I had close to 40 bookmarks that I couldn't even remember bookmarking. So, after cleaning them up, I got to thinking...I'm getting bored with my regular sites. Which is good, because I'm reading more books, seeing more of my family and seeing more sunlight.

But I had this idea: Post one link that you like, that isn't already on this site, that hasn't been posted by someone else. Maybe it will give all of us someplace new to look at. I'll send the coolest one to Fark, where it won't get posted.

I'm going out of town tomorrow until Friday, so there will be no updates to the site, and the RFB (which is up right now, btw) will be down, as well. May I suggest thepAvedearth as an alternative listen.

I'm gonna be in USAToday tomorrow or Wednesday, in the e-briefing column. Cool!

If you wanna read the EFF's analysis of the USAPATRIOT act, it's here. Scary.

Did you watch The Simpsons last night, after the game? I've never seen that one before. Brilliant!

Posted by Wil at 12:25 PM | Permalink

How To Disappear Completely

When's the last time you looked at your bookmark file? I mean, really looked at it, and realized that most of your bookmarks have gone unused for months?

I did that this morning. Holy crap. I had close to 40 bookmarks that I couldn't even remember bookmarking. So, after cleaning them up, I got to thinking...I'm getting bored with my regular sites. Which is good, because I'm reading more books, seeing more of my family and seeing more sunlight.

But I had this idea: Post one link that you like, that isn't already on this site, that hasn't been posted by someone else. Maybe it will give all of us someplace new to look at. I'll send the coolest one to Fark, where it won't get posted.

I'm going out of town tomorrow until Friday, so there will be no updates to the site, and the RFB (which is up right now, btw) will be down, as well. May I suggest thepAvedearth as an alternative listen.

I'm gonna be in USAToday tomorrow or Wednesday, in the e-briefing column. Cool!

If you wanna read the EFF's analysis of the USAPATRIOT act, it's here. Scary.

Did you watch The Simpsons last night, after the game? I've never seen that one before. Brilliant!

Posted by Wil at 12:25 PM | Permalink

How To Disappear Completely

When's the last time you looked at your bookmark file? I mean, really looked at it, and realized that most of your bookmarks have gone unused for months?

I did that this morning. Holy crap. I had close to 40 bookmarks that I couldn't even remember bookmarking. So, after cleaning them up, I got to thinking...I'm getting bored with my regular sites. Which is good, because I'm reading more books, seeing more of my family and seeing more sunlight.

But I had this idea: Post one link that you like, that isn't already on this site, that hasn't been posted by someone else. Maybe it will give all of us someplace new to look at. I'll send the coolest one to Fark, where it won't get posted.

I'm going out of town tomorrow until Friday, so there will be no updates to the site, and the RFB (which is up right now, btw) will be down, as well. May I suggest thepAvedearth as an alternative listen.

I'm gonna be in USAToday tomorrow or Wednesday, in the e-briefing column. Cool!

If you wanna read the EFF's analysis of the USAPATRIOT act, it's here. Scary.

Did you watch The Simpsons last night, after the game? I've never seen that one before. Brilliant!

Posted by Wil at 12:25 PM | Permalink

Posted by Wil at 08:56 PM | Permalink

Posted by Wil at 08:56 PM | Permalink

Posted by Wil at 08:56 PM | Permalink

Pac Man Fever

So there's not too much to write about...and I was getting tired of the Baseball post sitting at the top, so...here's something for everyone to do today: play those old 80s arcade games with this java emulator. Thank you to Fark for the link.

Of course, if you find yourself waxing nostalgic for Journey and waffle cones, while you play Tempest, or Berzerk, you can tune in to RFB, which is broadcasting an 80s explosion, right now.

If you find that you need even MORE classic games, I suggest picking up a copy of MAME, and only downloading the ROMs for games you own. *ahem*

I saw the Episode II trailer today. I am not optimistic. Lord of the Rings, however, looks amazing.

One final note to parents: if your child is too young to not scream and cry the whole movie, and you need to entertain it by making baby noises for the entire film, your baby is proably not old enough for the movies, and should probably stay at home.

Thank you.

Posted by Wil at 06:40 PM | Permalink

Pac Man Fever

So there's not too much to write about...and I was getting tired of the Baseball post sitting at the top, so...here's something for everyone to do today: play those old 80s arcade games with this java emulator. Thank you to Fark for the link.

Of course, if you find yourself waxing nostalgic for Journey and waffle cones, while you play Tempest, or Berzerk, you can tune in to RFB, which is broadcasting an 80s explosion, right now.

If you find that you need even MORE classic games, I suggest picking up a copy of MAME, and only downloading the ROMs for games you own. *ahem*

I saw the Episode II trailer today. I am not optimistic. Lord of the Rings, however, looks amazing.

One final note to parents: if your child is too young to not scream and cry the whole movie, and you need to entertain it by making baby noises for the entire film, your baby is proably not old enough for the movies, and should probably stay at home.

Thank you.

Posted by Wil at 06:40 PM | Permalink

Pac Man Fever

So there's not too much to write about...and I was getting tired of the Baseball post sitting at the top, so...here's something for everyone to do today: play those old 80s arcade games with this java emulator. Thank you to Fark for the link.

Of course, if you find yourself waxing nostalgic for Journey and waffle cones, while you play Tempest, or Berzerk, you can tune in to RFB, which is broadcasting an 80s explosion, right now.

If you find that you need even MORE classic games, I suggest picking up a copy of MAME, and only downloading the ROMs for games you own. *ahem*

I saw the Episode II trailer today. I am not optimistic. Lord of the Rings, however, looks amazing.

One final note to parents: if your child is too young to not scream and cry the whole movie, and you need to entertain it by making baby noises for the entire film, your baby is proably not old enough for the movies, and should probably stay at home.

Thank you.

Posted by Wil at 06:40 PM | Permalink

There is no crying in baseball!

I've just realized why Kim has blown 2 games.

He secretly wants to come and play for the Dodgers, and get a 20 million dollar contract.

Mr. Boras? Your phone is ringing...

Posted by Wil at 02:05 PM | Permalink

There is no crying in baseball!

I've just realized why Kim has blown 2 games.

He secretly wants to come and play for the Dodgers, and get a 20 million dollar contract.

Mr. Boras? Your phone is ringing...

Posted by Wil at 02:05 PM | Permalink

There is no crying in baseball!

I've just realized why Kim has blown 2 games.

He secretly wants to come and play for the Dodgers, and get a 20 million dollar contract.

Mr. Boras? Your phone is ringing...

Posted by Wil at 02:05 PM | Permalink

Bleed American

Stolen from loren, who gleaned it from killoggs, who found it here:

"Pro-America does not mean pro-war. Or pro-Bush. Or anti-Afghanistan. Or pro-little-flags-on-SUV-antennas.

It means thinking independently and getting better informed and filtering your news very carefully and realizing that just because one version of the American aggro attitude is currently being ramrodded down society's throat doesn't mean you have to swallow."

I'm proud to be an American.

Posted by Wil at 09:24 AM | Permalink

Bleed American

Stolen from loren, who gleaned it from killoggs, who found it here:

"Pro-America does not mean pro-war. Or pro-Bush. Or anti-Afghanistan. Or pro-little-flags-on-SUV-antennas.

It means thinking independently and getting better informed and filtering your news very carefully and realizing that just because one version of the American aggro attitude is currently being ramrodded down society's throat doesn't mean you have to swallow."

I'm proud to be an American.

Posted by Wil at 09:24 AM | Permalink

Bleed American

Stolen from loren, who gleaned it from killoggs, who found it here:

"Pro-America does not mean pro-war. Or pro-Bush. Or anti-Afghanistan. Or pro-little-flags-on-SUV-antennas.

It means thinking independently and getting better informed and filtering your news very carefully and realizing that just because one version of the American aggro attitude is currently being ramrodded down society's throat doesn't mean you have to swallow."

I'm proud to be an American.

Posted by Wil at 09:24 AM | Permalink

Vogon Poetry

Good morning, everyone.

I am recovering from those $#@!ing Yankees and their $#@!ing 'mystique' and 'aura'...

I swear, The Diamondbacks have been watching too many Dodger games, based on the way they blow 9th inning leads.

Just a reminder: The WILLIAM F***ING SHATNER and WILLIAM $#!@ING SHATNER stores are closing today, so if you want anything from there, now's the time to get it.

Don't fret: The WWDN and Posse stores are still there, and I'm working on a RFB design, too!

My fortune from last night's Panda Express Extravaganza: "Nothing can keep you from reaching your goals".

So I got that going for me, which is nice.

Posted by Wil at 09:19 AM | Permalink

Vogon Poetry

Good morning, everyone.

I am recovering from those $#@!ing Yankees and their $#@!ing 'mystique' and 'aura'...

I swear, The Diamondbacks have been watching too many Dodger games, based on the way they blow 9th inning leads.

Just a reminder: The WILLIAM F***ING SHATNER and WILLIAM $#!@ING SHATNER stores are closing today, so if you want anything from there, now's the time to get it.

Don't fret: The WWDN and Posse stores are still there, and I'm working on a RFB design, too!

My fortune from last night's Panda Express Extravaganza: "Nothing can keep you from reaching your goals".

So I got that going for me, which is nice.

Posted by Wil at 09:19 AM | Permalink

Vogon Poetry

Good morning, everyone.

I am recovering from those $#@!ing Yankees and their $#@!ing 'mystique' and 'aura'...

I swear, The Diamondbacks have been watching too many Dodger games, based on the way they blow 9th inning leads.

Just a reminder: The WILLIAM F***ING SHATNER and WILLIAM $#!@ING SHATNER stores are closing today, so if you want anything from there, now's the time to get it.

Don't fret: The WWDN and Posse stores are still there, and I'm working on a RFB design, too!

My fortune from last night's Panda Express Extravaganza: "Nothing can keep you from reaching your goals".

So I got that going for me, which is nice.

Posted by Wil at 09:19 AM | Permalink

S! A! TUR! DAY! NIGHT!

This Saturday night, at 10PM, your pal and mine, Wil Wheaton, will be performing, LIVE at the ACME Comedy theatre!

I have recently joined forces with The Liquid Radio Players. We battle evil by performing an entirely improvised 1940's-style radio play. We wear period costumes, perform with a sound effects man and musician, and there is always 1940's era entertainment, as well, like Swing Music and dancers during intermission, etc.

Here's the info:

WHAT: Liquid Radio Players

WHERE: ACME Comedy Theatre

WHEN: Saturday, 4 November 2001

WHAT TIME: 10PM

HOW MUCH: I don't know. But certainly less than buying the DVD re-release of Cleopatra Jones.

If you're in the LA area, come and see the show. You'll be glad you did! < /shiteating grin >

If you come early, you can see the 8PM "Best of" ACME sketch comedy show. It's Spud-tacular!

Posted by Wil at 11:27 PM | Permalink

S! A! TUR! DAY! NIGHT!

This Saturday night, at 10PM, your pal and mine, Wil Wheaton, will be performing, LIVE at the ACME Comedy theatre!

I have recently joined forces with The Liquid Radio Players. We battle evil by performing an entirely improvised 1940's-style radio play. We wear period costumes, perform with a sound effects man and musician, and there is always 1940's era entertainment, as well, like Swing Music and dancers during intermission, etc.

Here's the info:

WHAT: Liquid Radio Players

WHERE: ACME Comedy Theatre

WHEN: Saturday, 4 November 2001

WHAT TIME: 10PM

HOW MUCH: I don't know. But certainly less than buying the DVD re-release of Cleopatra Jones.

If you're in the LA area, come and see the show. You'll be glad you did! < /shiteating grin >

If you come early, you can see the 8PM "Best of" ACME sketch comedy show. It's Spud-tacular!

Posted by Wil at 11:27 PM | Permalink

S! A! TUR! DAY! NIGHT!

This Saturday night, at 10PM, your pal and mine, Wil Wheaton, will be performing, LIVE at the ACME Comedy theatre!

I have recently joined forces with The Liquid Radio Players. We battle evil by performing an entirely improvised 1940's-style radio play. We wear period costumes, perform with a sound effects man and musician, and there is always 1940's era entertainment, as well, like Swing Music and dancers during intermission, etc.

Here's the info:

WHAT: Liquid Radio Players

WHERE: ACME Comedy Theatre

WHEN: Saturday, 4 November 2001

WHAT TIME: 10PM

HOW MUCH: I don't know. But certainly less than buying the DVD re-release of Cleopatra Jones.

If you're in the LA area, come and see the show. You'll be glad you did! < /shiteating grin >

If you come early, you can see the 8PM "Best of" ACME sketch comedy show. It's Spud-tacular!

Posted by Wil at 11:27 PM | Permalink

A Message From Robert Redford

Robert Redford is one of my favorite actors of all time.

About 16 years ago, Sundance was not the disgusting marketing bonanza it has become. It was a workshop for budding filmmakers. Imagine Space Camp, but for films. Like Movie Camp, I guess. Robert Redford provided the location, and the filmmakers would go up there, and have access to *real* actors for their projects. When I was up there, I remember Karl Malden was there, Rob Lowe, Lea Thompson, Andrew McCarthy...It was 1985, I think, so you can imagine, they were a very big deal at the time. We'd work on films during the day, and we'd get to watch the projects at night, as well as screenings of popular movies, including a Q&A with the director. I seem to recall that Akira Kurosawa was there, but I was 13...so my memory is a bit hazy on that one.

None of us got paid, we just went there to participate in the workshops. It was really, really cool.

At the end of the whole session, which I think was 2 weeks, or something, Robert Redford had a big party at his house, which was on a hill overlooking the entire resort. I met him at that party, and, even though there were hundreds of people there, and I was just a snot-faced kid, he took the time to thank me for coming, and was very warm, and friendly to me. I was just excited because I was meeting the guy who played The Sundance Kid, but I managed to keep it together.

I just received the following message, written by my old pal, Robert Redford. Please read it, and act accordingly:

Dear Friend, [wil: see? he remembers me! just kidding.]

It is understandable that we Americans feel an almost reflexive need

for unanimity in trying times like these. As a nation, we are rightly

consumed with responding to the terrorist attacks on September 11th.

But, at some point -- and I think we're beginning to get there -- we

need to take a long-term view even as we are reacting to the current

crisis. Really important domestic issues facing us before all of this

happened -- education, energy and the environment, health care --

still have the same dimension and consequence. But we have to

recognize that it's much more difficult to discuss and debate them in

the aftermath of Sept. 11th. Unfortunately, disagreement is sometimes

characterized as unpatriotic during times such as these and open,

thoughtful discourse is somewhat muted. The gravity of the current

situation is not lost on any of us and we all want to do what's right

to insure our national security. It is with this in mind that I felt

compelled to write you today.

A handful of determined U.S. senators, encouraged by the White House,

are arguing that national security requires the Senate to rush a

pro-oil energy bill into law. They have vowed to hold up normal Senate

business and attach the bill to every piece of legislation that comes

to the Senate floor. So far they have failed in what The Boston Globe

is calling "oil opportunism." But with President Bush, himself, now

calling for rushed passage of this disastrous bill, intense pressure

is building on Senate leaders to succumb to the emotions of the

moment. Using our national tragedy as an opportunity to advance the

narrow interests of the oil lobby would not be in the best interest of

the public. This bill, already passed by the House, would not only

open the Arctic Refuge to oil rigs, it would also pave the way for

energy companies to exploit and destroy pristine areas of Greater

Yellowstone and other gems of our natural heritage. As important, it

would do nothing to address energy security.

I'm asking for your immediate help in stopping this legislation. After

reading my letter I hope you'll take action at

http://www.savebiogems.org/arctic/index.asp?src=ab0110a and then

forward this letter to your friends and colleagues.

Last spring, the Bush administration and some members of Congress said

we had to pass the president's oil-friendly energy bill because we

were facing the most serious energy crisis since 1973. But here we

are, a mere six months later, and the energy crisis has vanished. Due

to a slowing economy and falling demand, the prices for gasoline,

natural gas and home heating oil have plunged. Meanwhile, the

much-feared "summer of blackouts" in California never happened,

largely because consumers and businesses made dramatic cuts in energy

use by launching the most successful statewide conservation campaign

in history.

With no energy crisis to scare us with, the administration and pro-oil

senators are now promoting their "Drill the Arctic" plan under the

guise of national security and energy independence. Don't buy it. It

would take ten years to bring Arctic oil to market, and when it

arrives it would never equal more than two percent -- a mere drop in

the bucket -- of all the oil we consume each year. Our nation simply

doesn't have enough oil to drill our way to energy independence or

even to affect world oil prices.

We possess a mere 3 percent of the world's oil reserves, but we

consume fully 25 percent of the world's oil supply. We could drill the

Arctic Refuge, Greater Yellowstone, and every other wildland in

America and we'd still be importing oil, still be paying worldwide

prices for domestic oil, and still be vulnerable to wild gyrations in

price and supply. As The Atlanta Constitution put it: "Burning through

our tiny oil supply faster will not make our country more secure." I'd

go further: increasing our dependence on oil, whether that oil comes

from the Persian Gulf or the Arctic Refuge, practically guarantees

national *insecurity*. And we know that it will bring more habitat

destruction, more oil spills, more air pollution, and more global

warming. The public health implications will be devastating.

If our nation wants to declare energy independence, then we have no

choice but to reduce our appetite for oil. There's no other way. We

need to rely on smarter and cleaner ways to power our economy. We have

the technology right now to increase fuel economy standards to 40

miles per gallon. If we phased in that standard by 2012 we'd save 15

times more oil than the Arctic Refuge is likely to produce over 50

years. We could also give tax rebates for existing hybrid gas-electric

vehicles that get as much as 60 mpg. We could invest in public

transit. We could launch an "Apollo Project" to bring fuel cells and

hydrogen fuel down to earth, allowing us to begin the mass production

of vehicles that emit only water as a by-product. The list goes on and

on.

In this climate of national trauma and war, it is up to us -- the

people -- to ensure that reason prevails and our natural heritage

survives intact. The preservation of irreplaceable wildlands like the

Arctic Refuge and Greater Yellowstone is a core American value. I have

never been more appreciative of the wisdom of that value than during

these past few weeks. When we are filled with grief and unanswerable

questions it is often nature that we turn to for refuge and comfort.

In the sanctuary of a forest or the vastness of the desert or the

silence of a grassland, we can touch a timeless force larger than

ourselves and our all-too-human problems. This is where the healing

begins. Those who would sell out this natural heritage -- this

spiritual heritage -- would destroy a wellspring of American strength.

What's worse, their rush to exploit the wildness that feeds our souls

won't do a thing to solve our energy problems.

There are plenty of sensible and patriotic ways to guarantee our

nation's energy security, but destroying the Arctic Refuge is not one

of them. Please tell that to your senators. They urgently need to hear

it because the pressure is on to move this pro-oil bill to a vote in

the next few weeks. It will take you only a minute to send them an

electronic message from NRDC's SaveBioGems website.

Go to http://www.savebiogems.org/arctic/index.asp?src=ab0110a

And please forward this message to your family and friends. Millions

of Americans need to know about this cynical attempt to promote the

interests of energy companies at the expense of everyone else.

Sincerely yours,

Robert Redford

Posted by Wil at 11:57 AM | Permalink

A Message From Robert Redford

Robert Redford is one of my favorite actors of all time.

About 16 years ago, Sundance was not the disgusting marketing bonanza it has become. It was a workshop for budding filmmakers. Imagine Space Camp, but for films. Like Movie Camp, I guess. Robert Redford provided the location, and the filmmakers would go up there, and have access to *real* actors for their projects. When I was up there, I remember Karl Malden was there, Rob Lowe, Lea Thompson, Andrew McCarthy...It was 1985, I think, so you can imagine, they were a very big deal at the time. We'd work on films during the day, and we'd get to watch the projects at night, as well as screenings of popular movies, including a Q&A with the director. I seem to recall that Akira Kurosawa was there, but I was 13...so my memory is a bit hazy on that one.

None of us got paid, we just went there to participate in the workshops. It was really, really cool.

At the end of the whole session, which I think was 2 weeks, or something, Robert Redford had a big party at his house, which was on a hill overlooking the entire resort. I met him at that party, and, even though there were hundreds of people there, and I was just a snot-faced kid, he took the time to thank me for coming, and was very warm, and friendly to me. I was just excited because I was meeting the guy who played The Sundance Kid, but I managed to keep it together.

I just received the following message, written by my old pal, Robert Redford. Please read it, and act accordingly:

Dear Friend, [wil: see? he remembers me! just kidding.]

It is understandable that we Americans feel an almost reflexive need

for unanimity in trying times like these. As a nation, we are rightly

consumed with responding to the terrorist attacks on September 11th.

But, at some point -- and I think we're beginning to get there -- we

need to take a long-term view even as we are reacting to the current

crisis. Really important domestic issues facing us before all of this

happened -- education, energy and the environment, health care --

still have the same dimension and consequence. But we have to

recognize that it's much more difficult to discuss and debate them in

the aftermath of Sept. 11th. Unfortunately, disagreement is sometimes

characterized as unpatriotic during times such as these and open,

thoughtful discourse is somewhat muted. The gravity of the current

situation is not lost on any of us and we all want to do what's right

to insure our national security. It is with this in mind that I felt

compelled to write you today.

A handful of determined U.S. senators, encouraged by the White House,

are arguing that national security requires the Senate to rush a

pro-oil energy bill into law. They have vowed to hold up normal Senate

business and attach the bill to every piece of legislation that comes

to the Senate floor. So far they have failed in what The Boston Globe

is calling "oil opportunism." But with President Bush, himself, now

calling for rushed passage of this disastrous bill, intense pressure

is building on Senate leaders to succumb to the emotions of the

moment. Using our national tragedy as an opportunity to advance the

narrow interests of the oil lobby would not be in the best interest of

the public. This bill, already passed by the House, would not only

open the Arctic Refuge to oil rigs, it would also pave the way for

energy companies to exploit and destroy pristine areas of Greater

Yellowstone and other gems of our natural heritage. As important, it

would do nothing to address energy security.

I'm asking for your immediate help in stopping this legislation. After

reading my letter I hope you'll take action at

http://www.savebiogems.org/arctic/index.asp?src=ab0110a and then

forward this letter to your friends and colleagues.

Last spring, the Bush administration and some members of Congress said

we had to pass the president's oil-friendly energy bill because we

were facing the most serious energy crisis since 1973. But here we

are, a mere six months later, and the energy crisis has vanished. Due

to a slowing economy and falling demand, the prices for gasoline,

natural gas and home heating oil have plunged. Meanwhile, the

much-feared "summer of blackouts" in California never happened,

largely because consumers and businesses made dramatic cuts in energy

use by launching the most successful statewide conservation campaign

in history.

With no energy crisis to scare us with, the administration and pro-oil

senators are now promoting their "Drill the Arctic" plan under the

guise of national security and energy independence. Don't buy it. It

would take ten years to bring Arctic oil to market, and when it

arrives it would never equal more than two percent -- a mere drop in

the bucket -- of all the oil we consume each year. Our nation simply

doesn't have enough oil to drill our way to energy independence or

even to affect world oil prices.

We possess a mere 3 percent of the world's oil reserves, but we

consume fully 25 percent of the world's oil supply. We could drill the

Arctic Refuge, Greater Yellowstone, and every other wildland in

America and we'd still be importing oil, still be paying worldwide

prices for domestic oil, and still be vulnerable to wild gyrations in

price and supply. As The Atlanta Constitution put it: "Burning through

our tiny oil supply faster will not make our country more secure." I'd

go further: increasing our dependence on oil, whether that oil comes

from the Persian Gulf or the Arctic Refuge, practically guarantees

national *insecurity*. And we know that it will bring more habitat

destruction, more oil spills, more air pollution, and more global

warming. The public health implications will be devastating.

If our nation wants to declare energy independence, then we have no

choice but to reduce our appetite for oil. There's no other way. We

need to rely on smarter and cleaner ways to power our economy. We have

the technology right now to increase fuel economy standards to 40

miles per gallon. If we phased in that standard by 2012 we'd save 15

times more oil than the Arctic Refuge is likely to produce over 50

years. We could also give tax rebates for existing hybrid gas-electric

vehicles that get as much as 60 mpg. We could invest in public

transit. We could launch an "Apollo Project" to bring fuel cells and

hydrogen fuel down to earth, allowing us to begin the mass production

of vehicles that emit only water as a by-product. The list goes on and

on.

In this climate of national trauma and war, it is up to us -- the

people -- to ensure that reason prevails and our natural heritage

survives intact. The preservation of irreplaceable wildlands like the

Arctic Refuge and Greater Yellowstone is a core American value. I have

never been more appreciative of the wisdom of that value than during

these past few weeks. When we are filled with grief and unanswerable

questions it is often nature that we turn to for refuge and comfort.

In the sanctuary of a forest or the vastness of the desert or the

silence of a grassland, we can touch a timeless force larger than

ourselves and our all-too-human problems. This is where the healing

begins. Those who would sell out this natural heritage -- this

spiritual heritage -- would destroy a wellspring of American strength.

What's worse, their rush to exploit the wildness that feeds our souls

won't do a thing to solve our energy problems.

There are plenty of sensible and patriotic ways to guarantee our

nation's energy security, but destroying the Arctic Refuge is not one

of them. Please tell that to your senators. They urgently need to hear

it because the pressure is on to move this pro-oil bill to a vote in

the next few weeks. It will take you only a minute to send them an

electronic message from NRDC's SaveBioGems website.

Go to http://www.savebiogems.org/arctic/index.asp?src=ab0110a

And please forward this message to your family and friends. Millions

of Americans need to know about this cynical attempt to promote the

interests of energy companies at the expense of everyone else.

Sincerely yours,

Robert Redford

Posted by Wil at 11:57 AM | Permalink

A Message From Robert Redford

Robert Redford is one of my favorite actors of all time.

About 16 years ago, Sundance was not the disgusting marketing bonanza it has become. It was a workshop for budding filmmakers. Imagine Space Camp, but for films. Like Movie Camp, I guess. Robert Redford provided the location, and the filmmakers would go up there, and have access to *real* actors for their projects. When I was up there, I remember Karl Malden was there, Rob Lowe, Lea Thompson, Andrew McCarthy...It was 1985, I think, so you can imagine, they were a very big deal at the time. We'd work on films during the day, and we'd get to watch the projects at night, as well as screenings of popular movies, including a Q&A with the director. I seem to recall that Akira Kurosawa was there, but I was 13...so my memory is a bit hazy on that one.

None of us got paid, we just went there to participate in the workshops. It was really, really cool.

At the end of the whole session, which I think was 2 weeks, or something, Robert Redford had a big party at his house, which was on a hill overlooking the entire resort. I met him at that party, and, even though there were hundreds of people there, and I was just a snot-faced kid, he took the time to thank me for coming, and was very warm, and friendly to me. I was just excited because I was meeting the guy who played The Sundance Kid, but I managed to keep it together.

I just received the following message, written by my old pal, Robert Redford. Please read it, and act accordingly:

Dear Friend, [wil: see? he remembers me! just kidding.]

It is understandable that we Americans feel an almost reflexive need

for unanimity in trying times like these. As a nation, we are rightly

consumed with responding to the terrorist attacks on September 11th.

But, at some point -- and I think we're beginning to get there -- we

need to take a long-term view even as we are reacting to the current

crisis. Really important domestic issues facing us before all of this

happened -- education, energy and the environment, health care --

still have the same dimension and consequence. But we have to

recognize that it's much more difficult to discuss and debate them in

the aftermath of Sept. 11th. Unfortunately, disagreement is sometimes

characterized as unpatriotic during times such as these and open,

thoughtful discourse is somewhat muted. The gravity of the current

situation is not lost on any of us and we all want to do what's right

to insure our national security. It is with this in mind that I felt

compelled to write you today.

A handful of determined U.S. senators, encouraged by the White House,

are arguing that national security requires the Senate to rush a

pro-oil energy bill into law. They have vowed to hold up normal Senate

business and attach the bill to every piece of legislation that comes

to the Senate floor. So far they have failed in what The Boston Globe

is calling "oil opportunism." But with President Bush, himself, now

calling for rushed passage of this disastrous bill, intense pressure

is building on Senate leaders to succumb to the emotions of the

moment. Using our national tragedy as an opportunity to advance the

narrow interests of the oil lobby would not be in the best interest of

the public. This bill, already passed by the House, would not only

open the Arctic Refuge to oil rigs, it would also pave the way for

energy companies to exploit and destroy pristine areas of Greater

Yellowstone and other gems of our natural heritage. As important, it

would do nothing to address energy security.

I'm asking for your immediate help in stopping this legislation. After

reading my letter I hope you'll take action at

http://www.savebiogems.org/arctic/index.asp?src=ab0110a and then

forward this letter to your friends and colleagues.

Last spring, the Bush administration and some members of Congress said

we had to pass the president's oil-friendly energy bill because we

were facing the most serious energy crisis since 1973. But here we

are, a mere six months later, and the energy crisis has vanished. Due

to a slowing economy and falling demand, the prices for gasoline,

natural gas and home heating oil have plunged. Meanwhile, the

much-feared "summer of blackouts" in California never happened,

largely because consumers and businesses made dramatic cuts in energy

use by launching the most successful statewide conservation campaign

in history.

With no energy crisis to scare us with, the administration and pro-oil

senators are now promoting their "Drill the Arctic" plan under the

guise of national security and energy independence. Don't buy it. It

would take ten years to bring Arctic oil to market, and when it

arrives it would never equal more than two percent -- a mere drop in

the bucket -- of all the oil we consume each year. Our nation simply

doesn't have enough oil to drill our way to energy independence or

even to affect world oil prices.

We possess a mere 3 percent of the world's oil reserves, but we

consume fully 25 percent of the world's oil supply. We could drill the

Arctic Refuge, Greater Yellowstone, and every other wildland in

America and we'd still be importing oil, still be paying worldwide

prices for domestic oil, and still be vulnerable to wild gyrations in

price and supply. As The Atlanta Constitution put it: "Burning through

our tiny oil supply faster will not make our country more secure." I'd

go further: increasing our dependence on oil, whether that oil comes

from the Persian Gulf or the Arctic Refuge, practically guarantees

national *insecurity*. And we know that it will bring more habitat

destruction, more oil spills, more air pollution, and more global

warming. The public health implications will be devastating.

If our nation wants to declare energy independence, then we have no

choice but to reduce our appetite for oil. There's no other way. We

need to rely on smarter and cleaner ways to power our economy. We have

the technology right now to increase fuel economy standards to 40

miles per gallon. If we phased in that standard by 2012 we'd save 15

times more oil than the Arctic Refuge is likely to produce over 50

years. We could also give tax rebates for existing hybrid gas-electric

vehicles that get as much as 60 mpg. We could invest in public

transit. We could launch an "Apollo Project" to bring fuel cells and

hydrogen fuel down to earth, allowing us to begin the mass production

of vehicles that emit only water as a by-product. The list goes on and

on.

In this climate of national trauma and war, it is up to us -- the

people -- to ensure that reason prevails and our natural heritage

survives intact. The preservation of irreplaceable wildlands like the

Arctic Refuge and Greater Yellowstone is a core American value. I have

never been more appreciative of the wisdom of that value than during

these past few weeks. When we are filled with grief and unanswerable

questions it is often nature that we turn to for refuge and comfort.

In the sanctuary of a forest or the vastness of the desert or the

silence of a grassland, we can touch a timeless force larger than

ourselves and our all-too-human problems. This is where the healing

begins. Those who would sell out this natural heritage -- this

spiritual heritage -- would destroy a wellspring of American strength.

What's worse, their rush to exploit the wildness that feeds our souls

won't do a thing to solve our energy problems.

There are plenty of sensible and patriotic ways to guarantee our

nation's energy security, but destroying the Arctic Refuge is not one

of them. Please tell that to your senators. They urgently need to hear

it because the pressure is on to move this pro-oil bill to a vote in

the next few weeks. It will take you only a minute to send them an

electronic message from NRDC's SaveBioGems website.

Go to http://www.savebiogems.org/arctic/index.asp?src=ab0110a

And please forward this message to your family and friends. Millions

of Americans need to know about this cynical attempt to promote the

interests of energy companies at the expense of everyone else.

Sincerely yours,

Robert Redford

Posted by Wil at 11:57 AM | Permalink

Steamer Trunk

Today was a good day. I didn't even have to use my A-K.

It was also a good day because my friend Keith's TV show got pick of the week in the LA Weekly, wherein they call him "local hero"! Yay Keith!

In the same article, my friends at ACME, who are in the Sunday Show, got the Pick of the Week for comedy.

I am so proud of my friends! Kick ass you guys!!!

Posted by Wil at 10:20 AM | Permalink

Steamer Trunk

Today was a good day. I didn't even have to use my A-K.

It was also a good day because my friend Keith's TV show got pick of the week in the LA Weekly, wherein they call him "local hero"! Yay Keith!

In the same article, my friends at ACME, who are in the Sunday Show, got the Pick of the Week for comedy.

I am so proud of my friends! Kick ass you guys!!!

Posted by Wil at 10:20 AM | Permalink

Steamer Trunk

Today was a good day. I didn't even have to use my A-K.

It was also a good day because my friend Keith's TV show got pick of the week in the LA Weekly, wherein they call him "local hero"! Yay Keith!

In the same article, my friends at ACME, who are in the Sunday Show, got the Pick of the Week for comedy.

I am so proud of my friends! Kick ass you guys!!!

Posted by Wil at 10:20 AM | Permalink

Can I paint your chair?

If anyone has been laboring under the delusion that I am now, or ever was cool, you need to see this.

Continue reading "Can I paint your chair?" »

Posted by Wil at 10:04 AM | Permalink

Can I paint your chair?

If anyone has been laboring under the delusion that I am now, or ever was cool, you need to see this.

Continue reading "Can I paint your chair?" »

Posted by Wil at 10:04 AM | Permalink

Can I paint your chair?

If anyone has been laboring under the delusion that I am now, or ever was cool, you need to see this.

Continue reading "Can I paint your chair?" »

Posted by Wil at 10:04 AM | Permalink

240 dollars worth of puddin

Over at Fark, we've been talking about me being on Weakest Link.

Somehow, the conversation has morphed into a "Six degrees of Kevin Bacon" discussion...boy, I love that game. You all know it, right?

A was in [movie] with B.

B was in [TV Show] with C.

C was in [prison] with Kevin Bacon.

So A is 2 degrees of Kevin Bacon.

Wanna know how many degrees of Kevin Bacon I am? Click [link] or [comment], and you can read it there.

Continue reading "240 dollars worth of puddin" »

Posted by Wil at 09:57 AM | Permalink

240 dollars worth of puddin

Over at Fark, we've been talking about me being on Weakest Link.

Somehow, the conversation has morphed into a "Six degrees of Kevin Bacon" discussion...boy, I love that game. You all know it, right?

A was in [movie] with B.

B was in [TV Show] with C.

C was in [prison] with Kevin Bacon.

So A is 2 degrees of Kevin Bacon.

Wanna know how many degrees of Kevin Bacon I am? Click [link] or [comment], and you can read it there.

Continue reading "240 dollars worth of puddin" »

Posted by Wil at 09:57 AM | Permalink

240 dollars worth of puddin

Over at Fark, we've been talking about me being on Weakest Link.

Somehow, the conversation has morphed into a "Six degrees of Kevin Bacon" discussion...boy, I love that game. You all know it, right?

A was in [movie] with B.

B was in [TV Show] with C.

C was in [prison] with Kevin Bacon.

So A is 2 degrees of Kevin Bacon.

Wanna know how many degrees of Kevin Bacon I am? Click [link] or [comment], and you can read it there.

Continue reading "240 dollars worth of puddin" »

Posted by Wil at 09:57 AM | Permalink

All Hallow's Eve

Happy Halloween, everybody!

Halloween is my absolute number one most favoritest holiday, EVER. Maybe it's my inner Druid...I dunno. I've always loved it. The spooking, the scaring, the candy, the punkin carving...mostly the fact that the fundies don't like it...that's always been a big bonus.

So, what are you doing for Halloween? Why don't you post a picture of your costume in the comment area? I'd post mine, but I haven't put it on yet. I'm gonna be a ghoul, complete with pointy ears and bald head...no fangs, though. Fangs were too damn expensive.

Hope everyboody (ha!) has a great day and safe evening, whatever you may decide to do.

Posted by Wil at 01:50 PM | Permalink

All Hallow's Eve

Happy Halloween, everybody!

Halloween is my absolute number one most favoritest holiday, EVER. Maybe it's my inner Druid...I dunno. I've always loved it. The spooking, the scaring, the candy, the punkin carving...mostly the fact that the fundies don't like it...that's always been a big bonus.

So, what are you doing for Halloween? Why don't you post a picture of your costume in the comment area? I'd post mine, but I haven't put it on yet. I'm gonna be a ghoul, complete with pointy ears and bald head...no fangs, though. Fangs were too damn expensive.

Hope everyboody (ha!) has a great day and safe evening, whatever you may decide to do.

Posted by Wil at 01:50 PM | Permalink

All Hallow's Eve

Happy Halloween, everybody!

Halloween is my absolute number one most favoritest holiday, EVER. Maybe it's my inner Druid...I dunno. I've always loved it. The spooking, the scaring, the candy, the punkin carving...mostly the fact that the fundies don't like it...that's always been a big bonus.

So, what are you doing for Halloween? Why don't you post a picture of your costume in the comment area? I'd post mine, but I haven't put it on yet. I'm gonna be a ghoul, complete with pointy ears and bald head...no fangs, though. Fangs were too damn expensive.

Hope everyboody (ha!) has a great day and safe evening, whatever you may decide to do.

Posted by Wil at 01:50 PM | Permalink

Who was the weakest link?

So I just got back from my taping of The Weakest Link.

I'm bound by contract to not say a single word about the show, like who did what, or who won, or anything like that...

BUT!

I can say something, that is going to rock everyone's world. It certanly rocked mine.

I sat in the green room (a place where actors hang out while they get stuff ready. There's food, drinks, and TV, usually), and watched the World Series.

Not a big deal, right?

Well, I watched The World Series, With WILLIAM FUCKING SHATNER.

It was so goddamn cool. I was sitting there, talking about baseball with him, discussing Randy Johnson versus Curt Shilling (Who was better), the various strategies employed by the teams during the few innings that we were watching...and he was so cool to me, I don't even know what to do. He was nice. He was funny. He was warm, genuine, and basically just a 100% cool-ass guy.

Matter of fact, I can say this one thing about the show: William Shatner was the funniest I have ever seen him, or anyone who was in Star Trek, ever.

William Shatner has earned 50,000 cool points with me, after tonight. One for each monkey at this site.

So, until further notice, I am dropping the FUCKING from WILLIAM SHATNER, and I am closing the store at the end of the week, even though it's earning me enough to pay for the MASSIVE bandwidth I'm consuming here.

William Shatner, you are my new buddy. I'll see you for Game 4. I'm buying the first round.

Posted by Wil at 10:24 PM | Permalink

Who was the weakest link?

So I just got back from my taping of The Weakest Link.

I'm bound by contract to not say a single word about the show, like who did what, or who won, or anything like that...

BUT!

I can say something, that is going to rock everyone's world. It certanly rocked mine.

I sat in the green room (a place where actors hang out while they get stuff ready. There's food, drinks, and TV, usually), and watched the World Series.

Not a big deal, right?

Well, I watched The World Series, With WILLIAM FUCKING SHATNER.

It was so goddamn cool. I was sitting there, talking about baseball with him, discussing Randy Johnson versus Curt Shilling (Who was better), the various strategies employed by the teams during the few innings that we were watching...and he was so cool to me, I don't even know what to do. He was nice. He was funny. He was warm, genuine, and basically just a 100% cool-ass guy.

Matter of fact, I can say this one thing about the show: William Shatner was the funniest I have ever seen him, or anyone who was in Star Trek, ever.

William Shatner has earned 50,000 cool points with me, after tonight. One for each monkey at this site.

So, until further notice, I am dropping the FUCKING from WILLIAM SHATNER, and I am closing the store at the end of the week, even though it's earning me enough to pay for the MASSIVE bandwidth I'm consuming here.

William Shatner, you are my new buddy. I'll see you for Game 4. I'm buying the first round.

Posted by Wil at 10:24 PM | Permalink

Who was the weakest link?

So I just got back from my taping of The Weakest Link.

I'm bound by contract to not say a single word about the show, like who did what, or who won, or anything like that...

BUT!

I can say something, that is going to rock everyone's world. It certanly rocked mine.

I sat in the green room (a place where actors hang out while they get stuff ready. There's food, drinks, and TV, usually), and watched the World Series.

Not a big deal, right?

Well, I watched The World Series, With WILLIAM FUCKING SHATNER.

It was so goddamn cool. I was sitting there, talking about baseball with him, discussing Randy Johnson versus Curt Shilling (Who was better), the various strategies employed by the teams during the few innings that we were watching...and he was so cool to me, I don't even know what to do. He was nice. He was funny. He was warm, genuine, and basically just a 100% cool-ass guy.

Matter of fact, I can say this one thing about the show: William Shatner was the funniest I have ever seen him, or anyone who was in Star Trek, ever.

William Shatner has earned 50,000 cool points with me, after tonight. One for each monkey at this site.

So, until further notice, I am dropping the FUCKING from WILLIAM SHATNER, and I am closing the store at the end of the week, even though it's earning me enough to pay for the MASSIVE bandwidth I'm consuming here.

William Shatner, you are my new buddy. I'll see you for Game 4. I'm buying the first round.

Posted by Wil at 10:24 PM | Permalink

Oscillate Wildly

Guess where I'm going, right now?

I'm going to play on a special Star Trek edition of Weakest Link!!

It's all for charity, and my charity is The Electronic Frontier Foundation. They're guaranteed $10,000 of TWL's money, and even more, if I can make it to the end, and best my opponents, who include...WILLIAM FUCKING SHATNER.

Holy Crap. This is going to be SO MUCH FUN!

RFB is on autopilot all day, today. There's an IRC chat room called #rfb at irc.undernet.org

Have fun, everybody!

Posted by Wil at 02:59 PM | Permalink

Oscillate Wildly

Guess where I'm going, right now?

I'm going to play on a special Star Trek edition of Weakest Link!!

It's all for charity, and my charity is The Electronic Frontier Foundation. They're guaranteed $10,000 of TWL's money, and even more, if I can make it to the end, and best my opponents, who include...WILLIAM FUCKING SHATNER.

Holy Crap. This is going to be SO MUCH FUN!

RFB is on autopilot all day, today. There's an IRC chat room called #rfb at irc.undernet.org

Have fun, everybody!

Posted by Wil at 02:59 PM | Permalink

Oscillate Wildly

Guess where I'm going, right now?

I'm going to play on a special Star Trek edition of Weakest Link!!

It's all for charity, and my charity is The Electronic Frontier Foundation. They're guaranteed $10,000 of TWL's money, and even more, if I can make it to the end, and best my opponents, who include...WILLIAM FUCKING SHATNER.

Holy Crap. This is going to be SO MUCH FUN!

RFB is on autopilot all day, today. There's an IRC chat room called #rfb at irc.undernet.org

Have fun, everybody!

Posted by Wil at 02:59 PM | Permalink

Slashdot, redux

Have you read the Slashdot interview, yet?

I am really proud of it, and the comments there have been overwhelmingly positive. I caught myself beaming more than once, as I read it.

Considering how things have been lately, this really made me feel good.

A big thanks to everyone who mirrored the site. That was super cool. :-)

Posted by Wil at 04:50 PM | Permalink

Slashdot, redux

Have you read the Slashdot interview, yet?

I am really proud of it, and the comments there have been overwhelmingly positive. I caught myself beaming more than once, as I read it.

Considering how things have been lately, this really made me feel good.

A big thanks to everyone who mirrored the site. That was super cool. :-)

Posted by Wil at 04:50 PM | Permalink

Slashdot, redux

Have you read the Slashdot interview, yet?

I am really proud of it, and the comments there have been overwhelmingly positive. I caught myself beaming more than once, as I read it.

Considering how things have been lately, this really made me feel good.

A big thanks to everyone who mirrored the site. That was super cool. :-)

Posted by Wil at 04:50 PM | Permalink

NOTICE

I finally finished answering the questions from the Slashdot interview.

They're going to be posted tomorrow, so the site will go down for another 24 hours, starting sometime tomorrow around 12 or 1 PST.

If you can mirror the site, let me know ASAP, and I'll put up some temporary links.

RFB will be up all day tomorrow, barring any more live365 trauma.

Posted by Wil at 10:50 PM | Permalink

NOTICE

I finally finished answering the questions from the Slashdot interview.

They're going to be posted tomorrow, so the site will go down for another 24 hours, starting sometime tomorrow around 12 or 1 PST.

If you can mirror the site, let me know ASAP, and I'll put up some temporary links.

RFB will be up all day tomorrow, barring any more live365 trauma.

Posted by Wil at 10:50 PM | Permalink

NOTICE

I finally finished answering the questions from the Slashdot interview.

They're going to be posted tomorrow, so the site will go down for another 24 hours, starting sometime tomorrow around 12 or 1 PST.

If you can mirror the site, let me know ASAP, and I'll put up some temporary links.

RFB will be up all day tomorrow, barring any more live365 trauma.

Posted by Wil at 10:50 PM | Permalink

No Runs for You!

Randy Johnson pitches complete game shut out of the Yankees tonight.

I bet this is going to generate more flames than anything I've said yet, but I dislike the Yankees just slightly more than I dislike the D'backs, so this series is a lot like a presidential election...but Johnson and Pettitte...holy crap what a game!

Top 3 things I liked about tonight's game:

3. Yanks are shut out. Shove that in your 'mystique'.

2. Johnson, being interviewed after the game, is super cool, and praises Pettitte over and over again, saying what a great pitcher he is, and it's 100% genuine. No false modesty. Maybe The Unit isn't such a tool after all.

1. The game is over fast enough to guarantee The Simpsons will start on time tonight in LA.

Posted by Wil at 07:58 PM | Permalink

No Runs for You!

Randy Johnson pitches complete game shut out of the Yankees tonight.

I bet this is going to generate more flames than anything I've said yet, but I dislike the Yankees just slightly more than I dislike the D'backs, so this series is a lot like a presidential election...but Johnson and Pettitte...holy crap what a game!

Top 3 things I liked about tonight's game:

3. Yanks are shut out. Shove that in your 'mystique'.

2. Johnson, being interviewed after the game, is super cool, and praises Pettitte over and over again, saying what a great pitcher he is, and it's 100% genuine. No false modesty. Maybe The Unit isn't such a tool after all.

1. The game is over fast enough to guarantee The Simpsons will start on time tonight in LA.

Posted by Wil at 07:58 PM | Permalink

No Runs for You!

Randy Johnson pitches complete game shut out of the Yankees tonight.

I bet this is going to generate more flames than anything I've said yet, but I dislike the Yankees just slightly more than I dislike the D'backs, so this series is a lot like a presidential election...but Johnson and Pettitte...holy crap what a game!

Top 3 things I liked about tonight's game:

3. Yanks are shut out. Shove that in your 'mystique'.

2. Johnson, being interviewed after the game, is super cool, and praises Pettitte over and over again, saying what a great pitcher he is, and it's 100% genuine. No false modesty. Maybe The Unit isn't such a tool after all.

1. The game is over fast enough to guarantee The Simpsons will start on time tonight in LA.

Posted by Wil at 07:58 PM | Permalink

You can roll a rollo to your pal

"In modern society the opposite of courage is not cowardice; it is

conformity." --Rollo May

Posted by Wil at 12:13 PM | Permalink

You can roll a rollo to your pal

"In modern society the opposite of courage is not cowardice; it is

conformity." --Rollo May

Posted by Wil at 12:13 PM | Permalink

You can roll a rollo to your pal

"In modern society the opposite of courage is not cowardice; it is

conformity." --Rollo May

Posted by Wil at 12:13 PM | Permalink

Gnash

The night Max made mischief of one kind and another his mother called him "Wild Thing!" and sent him to bed.

Posted by Wil at 01:16 AM | Permalink

Gnash

The night Max made mischief of one kind and another his mother called him "Wild Thing!" and sent him to bed.

Posted by Wil at 01:16 AM | Permalink

Gnash

The night Max made mischief of one kind and another his mother called him "Wild Thing!" and sent him to bed.

Posted by Wil at 01:16 AM | Permalink

46&2

Don't just call me pessimist. Try and read between the lines.

Posted by Wil at 12:11 AM | Permalink

46&2

Don't just call me pessimist. Try and read between the lines.

Posted by Wil at 12:11 AM | Permalink

46&2

Don't just call me pessimist. Try and read between the lines.

Posted by Wil at 12:11 AM | Permalink

Lateralus

I loved those old vinyl Halloween costumes. I loved how cheesy they were, and how they smelled.

Remember them? They had that plastic mask, with the rubber cord that dug into your scalp? And your breath would condense around the mouthpiece, and you'd end up taking it off, so you wouldn't be wearing that Luke Skywalker mask, you'd just be wearing a plastic shirt?

Retrocrush has a great article about those costumes.

What a difference 24 hours makes. I'm feeling much better today, after getting so much stuff off my chest yesterday. Sorry if it seemed like I was whining. That wasn't my intention. Good thing is, some of my funny has returned.

Went out to dinner last night with my wife, which we haven't been able to do for weeks. There was a long wait, so we sat in the bar until our table was ready.

There's this large party next to us, also waiting to be seated. They are quite drunk. Their name is called ("Donner, party of 8? Donner party?" har.), and they get up to go. The bar waitress tells them that she'll have her drinks sent to their table.

One guy, this tall, mullet-headed, acidwashed-jeaned, pink-shirted guy stands up, and gets way to close to her, and says, "Hey, baby, come over here with me, and I'll take care of the tab."

She looks at him, and tells him that her register-thing is the other way, but the guy is so drunk, and so lame that he is insisting that she follow him. He takes out his wallet, and produces a wad of bills to emphasize his point.

She just keeps walking, and he drunkenly walks into the restaurant with his buddies.

So I've got a soda coming my way, and our name is called ("Jass? Party of 2? Jass?" har.). So I walk over to the waitress, and tell her that we've been called, and could she please make sure that my soda is brought to our table.

She says sure, and I pause for a second, and say, "Or, if you'd rather, I can put on my pink shirt, invade your personal space, and hit on you. Whichever you'd prefer."

She cracks up, and says, "Oh my god. What was with that guy? Thanks. That was really funny."

And I felt genuinely good for the first time in days, because I made someone laugh, hard.

There was much rejoicing.

Posted by Wil at 11:38 AM | Permalink

Lateralus

I loved those old vinyl Halloween costumes. I loved how cheesy they were, and how they smelled.

Remember them? They had that plastic mask, with the rubber cord that dug into your scalp? And your breath would condense around the mouthpiece, and you'd end up taking it off, so you wouldn't be wearing that Luke Skywalker mask, you'd just be wearing a plastic shirt?

Retrocrush has a great article about those costumes.

What a difference 24 hours makes. I'm feeling much better today, after getting so much stuff off my chest yesterday. Sorry if it seemed like I was whining. That wasn't my intention. Good thing is, some of my funny has returned.

Went out to dinner last night with my wife, which we haven't been able to do for weeks. There was a long wait, so we sat in the bar until our table was ready.

There's this large party next to us, also waiting to be seated. They are quite drunk. Their name is called ("Donner, party of 8? Donner party?" har.), and they get up to go. The bar waitress tells them that she'll have her drinks sent to their table.

One guy, this tall, mullet-headed, acidwashed-jeaned, pink-shirted guy stands up, and gets way to close to her, and says, "Hey, baby, come over here with me, and I'll take care of the tab."

She looks at him, and tells him that her register-thing is the other way, but the guy is so drunk, and so lame that he is insisting that she follow him. He takes out his wallet, and produces a wad of bills to emphasize his point.

She just keeps walking, and he drunkenly walks into the restaurant with his buddies.

So I've got a soda coming my way, and our name is called ("Jass? Party of 2? Jass?" har.). So I walk over to the waitress, and tell her that we've been called, and could she please make sure that my soda is brought to our table.

She says sure, and I pause for a second, and say, "Or, if you'd rather, I can put on my pink shirt, invade your personal space, and hit on you. Whichever you'd prefer."

She cracks up, and says, "Oh my god. What was with that guy? Thanks. That was really funny."

And I felt genuinely good for the first time in days, because I made someone laugh, hard.

There was much rejoicing.

Posted by Wil at 11:38 AM | Permalink

Lateralus

I loved those old vinyl Halloween costumes. I loved how cheesy they were, and how they smelled.

Remember them? They had that plastic mask, with the rubber cord that dug into your scalp? And your breath would condense around the mouthpiece, and you'd end up taking it off, so you wouldn't be wearing that Luke Skywalker mask, you'd just be wearing a plastic shirt?

Retrocrush has a great article about those costumes.

What a difference 24 hours makes. I'm feeling much better today, after getting so much stuff off my chest yesterday. Sorry if it seemed like I was whining. That wasn't my intention. Good thing is, some of my funny has returned.

Went out to dinner last night with my wife, which we haven't been able to do for weeks. There was a long wait, so we sat in the bar until our table was ready.

There's this large party next to us, also waiting to be seated. They are quite drunk. Their name is called ("Donner, party of 8? Donner party?" har.), and they get up to go. The bar waitress tells them that she'll have her drinks sent to their table.

One guy, this tall, mullet-headed, acidwashed-jeaned, pink-shirted guy stands up, and gets way to close to her, and says, "Hey, baby, come over here with me, and I'll take care of the tab."

She looks at him, and tells him that her register-thing is the other way, but the guy is so drunk, and so lame that he is insisting that she follow him. He takes out his wallet, and produces a wad of bills to emphasize his point.

She just keeps walking, and he drunkenly walks into the restaurant with his buddies.

So I've got a soda coming my way, and our name is called ("Jass? Party of 2? Jass?" har.). So I walk over to the waitress, and tell her that we've been called, and could she please make sure that my soda is brought to our table.

She says sure, and I pause for a second, and say, "Or, if you'd rather, I can put on my pink shirt, invade your personal space, and hit on you. Whichever you'd prefer."

She cracks up, and says, "Oh my god. What was with that guy? Thanks. That was really funny."

And I felt genuinely good for the first time in days, because I made someone laugh, hard.

There was much rejoicing.

Posted by Wil at 11:38 AM | Permalink

Slow Emotion Replay

So you've probably noticed that my posts the last week or so have kind of sucked. I haven't had much to say, and the things that I have had to say haven't been, well, funny, or very interesting. Now, I'm not trolling for sympathy here, so don't bother. I really don't want that. I want to write about how I'm feeling right now, in the hopes that I will get some Zen from it, or at least feel better when I'm done.

I'm super depressed recently. Really unhappy, and very upset with just about everything, personally, professionally, and with the world we live in, and life in general.

I am profoundly shaken by what's happening in our world now, and being labeled "against us" is really upsetting to me. It is just sheer idiocy to blindly follow anyone, in my opinion, and what I see happening now is just that. If you're not a sheep following George and the Majority, you're somehow complicit, and you think it's a good thing that 6000 innocent people died on September 11. If you value your privacy, and don't think it's a good idea for the federal government to have the authority to walk into your house whenever they feel like it, you're not patriotic. Well, I for one am absolutely sick of this shit. The USA act has cleared Congress, with minimal debate, and awaits a signature from the Oval Office, and I am just sick about it. I'm not trying to sound alarmist, I'm really not, but go read some of the provisions included in the bill. We have just taken a huge step towards becoming a police state. The horse is so out of the barn, that I don't think we'll ever be able to put it back in. Think of it this way: our politicians all privately agree that the War On Drugs is a complete and utter failure, and has done NOTHING to help addicts, or stop people from abusing drugs, yet they funnel BILLIONS of dollars into it each year, so they don't appear "soft on drugs." The same thing is going to happen with terrorism. These laws have some "sunset clauses", but they're not going to be repealed, because congress doesn't want to appear "soft on terrorism". So many of the fundamental rights that we've all taken for granted are in serious danger.

I am sick and tired of the farking government shoving itself into virtually every aspect of my life, and we as a nation are completely to blame for that. How many of us didn't vote? How many people will write letters to UPN when they pre-empt "Buffy", but won't write their Mayor, or their Congressman? I know that there are still people left in the country like me, who are progressive, and activist, but our voice has increasingly become a lone cry in a hurricane of lobbyists and Big Business interests. Now, we compete with the Siren's wail of "patriotism".

What happened to our revolution? It was bought out by Wal*Mart and Microsoft, Starbucks and Coca Cola. They say that a Democracy gives the people a government that they deserve. Shame on us all.

I am scared to death to fly now. More than I've ever been, and recent events have just affirmed what I've felt all along: airport security in the US is a complete joke. It's window dressing, meant to convey a false sense of security to the masses, so they'll keep flying.

I feel helpless to have any effect in all of this now, and that feeling is just killing me. I remember when I was 18, working on Toy Soldiers in Virginia. Keith Coogan and I drove up to DC for a day, to see all the things around The Mall. I went into the National Archives, and looked at the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution. I read the Bill of Rights, and I cried. I was so moved by it, and felt so proud to live in a country where "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

I was profoundly moved, and understood what it meant that "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

Those rights, so fundamental to our very existence, have been steadily eroded in my lifetime, and I fear that the passage of the USA act has stripped away most of what is left. I mean, it's only a matter of time before I get sent to a "Patriot Camp" to "Re-educate" me about my ideas, when I write things like this.

(Okay, that's hyperbolic, but you get my drift, right?)

On a more personal note, I am just tired. I'm depressed and I feel like my life is under siege. I'm so farking sick of not working that I'm ready to dig a hole and never come out. Not getting the job on Win Ben Stein's Money was devastating to me. I know that I was good enough for it, because the executive producer told me so. I know that coming in second is great, because lots of people didn't make it to even the final four, but that doesn't pay my bills, or feed my family. I am so tired of coming in second, I'm feeling like I should just hang them up, go back to college, and find a new career. It is becoming harder and harder to support my family by just being an actor. What do you think would be worse? Not making it out of basecamp, or dying 100 meters from the peak of Everest? I feel like Sisyphus.

The worst thing about being an actor is not working. The second worst thing about being an actor is knowing that your whole life could turn around in a second, with one phone call. No wonder so many of us end up dead, or in a cult.

I'm also having a hard time with some of the attention I'm getting from this site. Some stuff is beginning to creep me out, and is making me VERY uncomfortable. Bear with me a second here, while I attempt to explain what's going on...I'm getting tons of emails, and some of them are very, very disturbing. People think that, because I write this site, or because I reply to an email, that we're best friends. That is so not the case. In my real life, I can count my "friends" on both my hands. My close friends can be counted with 4 fingers. Friendship is not something that I take lightly, and it creeps me out that others would throw the term around with such ease. Look, having this site has been, and will hopefully continue to be lots of fun, and I think it's super cool that such a large community has sprung up here...but you gotta respect my limits. The internet gives such a false sense of intimacy, and I'm feeling like I have to waaayyy pull back here, or take the whole damn thing offline altogether. I actually got an angry email from someone who was pissed that I'd "turned my back on all my gay fans", because "I had gotten married and I have kids". WTF is that?! The nerve of some people is really, really wearing on me.

That interview I did for Adequacy really came back to bite me in the ass. I was led to believe that it was going to be a funny, sarcastic, satirical thing, but it would appear that I am the butt of the joke there. I hope they're kidding, but being called a crass, sexist, oaf really hurts me, because nothing could be further from the truth. Someone says that I am "so despicable, on so many levels". Why? Because I made some jokes in an interview that was supposed to be a joke? I honestly don't understand some most people. I guess it's my own fault for being trusting. I got trolled, and trolled but good. Congratulations.

I remember, back in the day, when people had this agenda, and it was to prove to themselves and anyone who cared to listen, that because Wesley Crusher was someone they didn't like, Wil Wheaton was a jackass too. So they'd take things I said, out of context, and use them to support their position, and prove to the world (or at least their local Star Trek club) that they were right. I can't believe that shit is still going on. It's exactly what happened with that Entertainment Weekly blurb. That woman who did the "review" could have EASILY emailed me, and gotten some context, or some comments, but she was determined to show how we were all losers and has-beens, so that's what she did.

There is nothing worse for an actor than being called a has-been, because it's an inevitability in your career, and if happens before you're 30, well, you're farked. Perception is everything, and being perceived as a has-been just kills me. I don't think of myself that way, but it seems that, because idiots like The Coreys and the rest of them are all fuckups and burnouts that the rest of us are, too.

Finally, something happened today while I was at my mom's house: I got officially, completely and utterly sick to death of Star Trek. I was standing in her kitchen, and I suddenly went from zero to completely sick of it. I still like to watch it, and I think it's cool, but I quit when I was 18 so I wouldn't be 30 and still living it...well, now I'm still living it, I'm just not getting paid to do it anymore. Doing conventions used to be lots of fun...but I can't do them anymore. Either I'm in, or I'm out, you know? I got out, and I have to stay out.

Do you know how many emails I get everyday that say, "I hated your character"? Jesus. I think it's well meaning, (they usually follow up with something like "but you seem cool", like the jury is still out, because they have such an attachment to hating that stupid character) but enough already, okay? I get it. It's over, guys.

It's no wonder that I can't find my funny. I am so ready for it to come back, but it's buried beneath a mountain of shit, and every time I shovel some of it away, twice as much comes back.

I hate feeling this way.

Hrm. I was hoping that I'd feel better, but I don't, really.

Goddammit.

I want Spudnuts to come back.

Posted by Wil at 02:33 PM | Permalink

Slow Emotion Replay

So you've probably noticed that my posts the last week or so have kind of sucked. I haven't had much to say, and the things that I have had to say haven't been, well, funny, or very interesting. Now, I'm not trolling for sympathy here, so don't bother. I really don't want that. I want to write about how I'm feeling right now, in the hopes that I will get some Zen from it, or at least feel better when I'm done.

I'm super depressed recently. Really unhappy, and very upset with just about everything, personally, professionally, and with the world we live in, and life in general.

I am profoundly shaken by what's happening in our world now, and being labeled "against us" is really upsetting to me. It is just sheer idiocy to blindly follow anyone, in my opinion, and what I see happening now is just that. If you're not a sheep following George and the Majority, you're somehow complicit, and you think it's a good thing that 6000 innocent people died on September 11. If you value your privacy, and don't think it's a good idea for the federal government to have the authority to walk into your house whenever they feel like it, you're not patriotic. Well, I for one am absolutely sick of this shit. The USA act has cleared Congress, with minimal debate, and awaits a signature from the Oval Office, and I am just sick about it. I'm not trying to sound alarmist, I'm really not, but go read some of the provisions included in the bill. We have just taken a huge step towards becoming a police state. The horse is so out of the barn, that I don't think we'll ever be able to put it back in. Think of it this way: our politicians all privately agree that the War On Drugs is a complete and utter failure, and has done NOTHING to help addicts, or stop people from abusing drugs, yet they funnel BILLIONS of dollars into it each year, so they don't appear "soft on drugs." The same thing is going to happen with terrorism. These laws have some "sunset clauses", but they're not going to be repealed, because congress doesn't want to appear "soft on terrorism". So many of the fundamental rights that we've all taken for granted are in serious danger.

I am sick and tired of the farking government shoving itself into virtually every aspect of my life, and we as a nation are completely to blame for that. How many of us didn't vote? How many people will write letters to UPN when they pre-empt "Buffy", but won't write their Mayor, or their Congressman? I know that there are still people left in the country like me, who are progressive, and activist, but our voice has increasingly become a lone cry in a hurricane of lobbyists and Big Business interests. Now, we compete with the Siren's wail of "patriotism".

What happened to our revolution? It was bought out by Wal*Mart and Microsoft, Starbucks and Coca Cola. They say that a Democracy gives the people a government that they deserve. Shame on us all.

I am scared to death to fly now. More than I've ever been, and recent events have just affirmed what I've felt all along: airport security in the US is a complete joke. It's window dressing, meant to convey a false sense of security to the masses, so they'll keep flying.

I feel helpless to have any effect in all of this now, and that feeling is just killing me. I remember when I was 18, working on Toy Soldiers in Virginia. Keith Coogan and I drove up to DC for a day, to see all the things around The Mall. I went into the National Archives, and looked at the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution. I read the Bill of Rights, and I cried. I was so moved by it, and felt so proud to live in a country where "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

I was profoundly moved, and understood what it meant that "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

Those rights, so fundamental to our very existence, have been steadily eroded in my lifetime, and I fear that the passage of the USA act has stripped away most of what is left. I mean, it's only a matter of time before I get sent to a "Patriot Camp" to "Re-educate" me about my ideas, when I write things like this.

(Okay, that's hyperbolic, but you get my drift, right?)

On a more personal note, I am just tired. I'm depressed and I feel like my life is under siege. I'm so farking sick of not working that I'm ready to dig a hole and never come out. Not getting the job on Win Ben Stein's Money was devastating to me. I know that I was good enough for it, because the executive producer told me so. I know that coming in second is great, because lots of people didn't make it to even the final four, but that doesn't pay my bills, or feed my family. I am so tired of coming in second, I'm feeling like I should just hang them up, go back to college, and find a new career. It is becoming harder and harder to support my family by just being an actor. What do you think would be worse? Not making it out of basecamp, or dying 100 meters from the peak of Everest? I feel like Sisyphus.

The worst thing about being an actor is not working. The second worst thing about being an actor is knowing that your whole life could turn around in a second, with one phone call. No wonder so many of us end up dead, or in a cult.

I'm also having a hard time with some of the attention I'm getting from this site. Some stuff is beginning to creep me out, and is making me VERY uncomfortable. Bear with me a second here, while I attempt to explain what's going on...I'm getting tons of emails, and some of them are very, very disturbing. People think that, because I write this site, or because I reply to an email, that we're best friends. That is so not the case. In my real life, I can count my "friends" on both my hands. My close friends can be counted with 4 fingers. Friendship is not something that I take lightly, and it creeps me out that others would throw the term around with such ease. Look, having this site has been, and will hopefully continue to be lots of fun, and I think it's super cool that such a large community has sprung up here...but you gotta respect my limits. The internet gives such a false sense of intimacy, and I'm feeling like I have to waaayyy pull back here, or take the whole damn thing offline altogether. I actually got an angry email from someone who was pissed that I'd "turned my back on all my gay fans", because "I had gotten married and I have kids". WTF is that?! The nerve of some people is really, really wearing on me.

That interview I did for Adequacy really came back to bite me in the ass. I was led to believe that it was going to be a funny, sarcastic, satirical thing, but it would appear that I am the butt of the joke there. I hope they're kidding, but being called a crass, sexist, oaf really hurts me, because nothing could be further from the truth. Someone says that I am "so despicable, on so many levels". Why? Because I made some jokes in an interview that was supposed to be a joke? I honestly don't understand some most people. I guess it's my own fault for being trusting. I got trolled, and trolled but good. Congratulations.

I remember, back in the day, when people had this agenda, and it was to prove to themselves and anyone who cared to listen, that because Wesley Crusher was someone they didn't like, Wil Wheaton was a jackass too. So they'd take things I said, out of context, and use them to support their position, and prove to the world (or at least their local Star Trek club) that they were right. I can't believe that shit is still going on. It's exactly what happened with that Entertainment Weekly blurb. That woman who did the "review" could have EASILY emailed me, and gotten some context, or some comments, but she was determined to show how we were all losers and has-beens, so that's what she did.

There is nothing worse for an actor than being called a has-been, because it's an inevitability in your career, and if happens before you're 30, well, you're farked. Perception is everything, and being perceived as a has-been just kills me. I don't think of myself that way, but it seems that, because idiots like The Coreys and the rest of them are all fuckups and burnouts that the rest of us are, too.

Finally, something happened today while I was at my mom's house: I got officially, completely and utterly sick to death of Star Trek. I was standing in her kitchen, and I suddenly went from zero to completely sick of it. I still like to watch it, and I think it's cool, but I quit when I was 18 so I wouldn't be 30 and still living it...well, now I'm still living it, I'm just not getting paid to do it anymore. Doing conventions used to be lots of fun...but I can't do them anymore. Either I'm in, or I'm out, you know? I got out, and I have to stay out.

Do you know how many emails I get everyday that say, "I hated your character"? Jesus. I think it's well meaning, (they usually follow up with something like "but you seem cool", like the jury is still out, because they have such an attachment to hating that stupid character) but enough already, okay? I get it. It's over, guys.

It's no wonder that I can't find my funny. I am so ready for it to come back, but it's buried beneath a mountain of shit, and every time I shovel some of it away, twice as much comes back.

I hate feeling this way.

Hrm. I was hoping that I'd feel better, but I don't, really.

Goddammit.

I want Spudnuts to come back.

Posted by Wil at 02:33 PM | Permalink

Slow Emotion Replay

So you've probably noticed that my posts the last week or so have kind of sucked. I haven't had much to say, and the things that I have had to say haven't been, well, funny, or very interesting. Now, I'm not trolling for sympathy here, so don't bother. I really don't want that. I want to write about how I'm feeling right now, in the hopes that I will get some Zen from it, or at least feel better when I'm done.

I'm super depressed recently. Really unhappy, and very upset with just about everything, personally, professionally, and with the world we live in, and life in general.

I am profoundly shaken by what's happening in our world now, and being labeled "against us" is really upsetting to me. It is just sheer idiocy to blindly follow anyone, in my opinion, and what I see happening now is just that. If you're not a sheep following George and the Majority, you're somehow complicit, and you think it's a good thing that 6000 innocent people died on September 11. If you value your privacy, and don't think it's a good idea for the federal government to have the authority to walk into your house whenever they feel like it, you're not patriotic. Well, I for one am absolutely sick of this shit. The USA act has cleared Congress, with minimal debate, and awaits a signature from the Oval Office, and I am just sick about it. I'm not trying to sound alarmist, I'm really not, but go read some of the provisions included in the bill. We have just taken a huge step towards becoming a police state. The horse is so out of the barn, that I don't think we'll ever be able to put it back in. Think of it this way: our politicians all privately agree that the War On Drugs is a complete and utter failure, and has done NOTHING to help addicts, or stop people from abusing drugs, yet they funnel BILLIONS of dollars into it each year, so they don't appear "soft on drugs." The same thing is going to happen with terrorism. These laws have some "sunset clauses", but they're not going to be repealed, because congress doesn't want to appear "soft on terrorism". So many of the fundamental rights that we've all taken for granted are in serious danger.

I am sick and tired of the farking government shoving itself into virtually every aspect of my life, and we as a nation are completely to blame for that. How many of us didn't vote? How many people will write letters to UPN when they pre-empt "Buffy", but won't write their Mayor, or their Congressman? I know that there are still people left in the country like me, who are progressive, and activist, but our voice has increasingly become a lone cry in a hurricane of lobbyists and Big Business interests. Now, we compete with the Siren's wail of "patriotism".

What happened to our revolution? It was bought out by Wal*Mart and Microsoft, Starbucks and Coca Cola. They say that a Democracy gives the people a government that they deserve. Shame on us all.

I am scared to death to fly now. More than I've ever been, and recent events have just affirmed what I've felt all along: airport security in the US is a complete joke. It's window dressing, meant to convey a false sense of security to the masses, so they'll keep flying.

I feel helpless to have any effect in all of this now, and that feeling is just killing me. I remember when I was 18, working on Toy Soldiers in Virginia. Keith Coogan and I drove up to DC for a day, to see all the things around The Mall. I went into the National Archives, and looked at the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution. I read the Bill of Rights, and I cried. I was so moved by it, and felt so proud to live in a country where "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

I was profoundly moved, and understood what it meant that "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

Those rights, so fundamental to our very existence, have been steadily eroded in my lifetime, and I fear that the passage of the USA act has stripped away most of what is left. I mean, it's only a matter of time before I get sent to a "Patriot Camp" to "Re-educate" me about my ideas, when I write things like this.

(Okay, that's hyperbolic, but you get my drift, right?)

On a more personal note, I am just tired. I'm depressed and I feel like my life is under siege. I'm so farking sick of not working that I'm ready to dig a hole and never come out. Not getting the job on Win Ben Stein's Money was devastating to me. I know that I was good enough for it, because the executive producer told me so. I know that coming in second is great, because lots of people didn't make it to even the final four, but that doesn't pay my bills, or feed my family. I am so tired of coming in second, I'm feeling like I should just hang them up, go back to college, and find a new career. It is becoming harder and harder to support my family by just being an actor. What do you think would be worse? Not making it out of basecamp, or dying 100 meters from the peak of Everest? I feel like Sisyphus.

The worst thing about being an actor is not working. The second worst thing about being an actor is knowing that your whole life could turn around in a second, with one phone call. No wonder so many of us end up dead, or in a cult.

I'm also having a hard time with some of the attention I'm getting from this site. Some stuff is beginning to creep me out, and is making me VERY uncomfortable. Bear with me a second here, while I attempt to explain what's going on...I'm getting tons of emails, and some of them are very, very disturbing. People think that, because I write this site, or because I reply to an email, that we're best friends. That is so not the case. In my real life, I can count my "friends" on both my hands. My close friends can be counted with 4 fingers. Friendship is not something that I take lightly, and it creeps me out that others would throw the term around with such ease. Look, having this site has been, and will hopefully continue to be lots of fun, and I think it's super cool that such a large community has sprung up here...but you gotta respect my limits. The internet gives such a false sense of intimacy, and I'm feeling like I have to waaayyy pull back here, or take the whole damn thing offline altogether. I actually got an angry email from someone who was pissed that I'd "turned my back on all my gay fans", because "I had gotten married and I have kids". WTF is that?! The nerve of some people is really, really wearing on me.

That interview I did for Adequacy really came back to bite me in the ass. I was led to believe that it was going to be a funny, sarcastic, satirical thing, but it would appear that I am the butt of the joke there. I hope they're kidding, but being called a crass, sexist, oaf really hurts me, because nothing could be further from the truth. Someone says that I am "so despicable, on so many levels". Why? Because I made some jokes in an interview that was supposed to be a joke? I honestly don't understand some most people. I guess it's my own fault for being trusting. I got trolled, and trolled but good. Congratulations.

I remember, back in the day, when people had this agenda, and it was to prove to themselves and anyone who cared to listen, that because Wesley Crusher was someone they didn't like, Wil Wheaton was a jackass too. So they'd take things I said, out of context, and use them to support their position, and prove to the world (or at least their local Star Trek club) that they were right. I can't believe that shit is still going on. It's exactly what happened with that Entertainment Weekly blurb. That woman who did the "review" could have EASILY emailed me, and gotten some context, or some comments, but she was determined to show how we were all losers and has-beens, so that's what she did.

There is nothing worse for an actor than being called a has-been, because it's an inevitability in your career, and if happens before you're 30, well, you're farked. Perception is everything, and being perceived as a has-been just kills me. I don't think of myself that way, but it seems that, because idiots like The Coreys and the rest of them are all fuckups and burnouts that the rest of us are, too.

Finally, something happened today while I was at my mom's house: I got officially, completely and utterly sick to death of Star Trek. I was standing in her kitchen, and I suddenly went from zero to completely sick of it. I still like to watch it, and I think it's cool, but I quit when I was 18 so I wouldn't be 30 and still living it...well, now I'm still living it, I'm just not getting paid to do it anymore. Doing conventions used to be lots of fun...but I can't do them anymore. Either I'm in, or I'm out, you know? I got out, and I have to stay out.

Do you know how many emails I get everyday that say, "I hated your character"? Jesus. I think it's well meaning, (they usually follow up with something like "but you seem cool", like the jury is still out, because they have such an attachment to hating that stupid character) but enough already, okay? I get it. It's over, guys.

It's no wonder that I can't find my funny. I am so ready for it to come back, but it's buried beneath a mountain of shit, and every time I shovel some of it away, twice as much comes back.

I hate feeling this way.

Hrm. I was hoping that I'd feel better, but I don't, really.

Goddammit.

I want Spudnuts to come back.

Posted by Wil at 02:33 PM | Permalink

Daisy, daisy, give me your anserererrzzzmgfhzxxnxzzzz

2001+Legos=Genius.

Posted by Wil at 10:20 AM | Permalink

Daisy, daisy, give me your anserererrzzzmgfhzxxnxzzzz

2001+Legos=Genius.

Posted by Wil at 10:20 AM | Permalink

Daisy, daisy, give me your anserererrzzzmgfhzxxnxzzzz

2001+Legos=Genius.

Posted by Wil at 10:20 AM | Permalink

Open the basket

Posted by Wil at 09:39 AM | Permalink

Open the basket

Posted by Wil at 09:39 AM | Permalink

Open the basket

Posted by Wil at 09:39 AM | Permalink

Wax on, Wax off

So I guess we weren't the only ones who were upset about this.

Thanks to Shatner Takes It Deep for the link.

Posted by Wil at 10:28 PM | Permalink

Wax on, Wax off

So I guess we weren't the only ones who were upset about this.

Thanks to Shatner Takes It Deep for the link.

Posted by Wil at 10:28 PM | Permalink

Wax on, Wax off

So I guess we weren't the only ones who were upset about this.

Thanks to Shatner Takes It Deep for the link.

Posted by Wil at 10:28 PM | Permalink

Exploitation Nation

This is the most disgusting thing I've seen all week.

Are the bodies officially cold, now?

Learn to swim.

Posted by Wil at 02:22 PM | Permalink

Exploitation Nation

This is the most disgusting thing I've seen all week.

Are the bodies officially cold, now?

Learn to swim.

Posted by Wil at 02:22 PM | Permalink

Exploitation Nation

This is the most disgusting thing I've seen all week.

Are the bodies officially cold, now?

Learn to swim.

Posted by Wil at 02:22 PM | Permalink

Royale with cheese

This is the coolest thing that has happened, in quite some time. Having my character lampooned in Foxtrot (one of the finest strips, ever, in a post Bloom County world), just rocks.

If anyone knows Bill Amend, tell him thanks from me.

Posted by Wil at 10:13 PM | Permalink

Royale with cheese

This is the coolest thing that has happened, in quite some time. Having my character lampooned in Foxtrot (one of the finest strips, ever, in a post Bloom County world), just rocks.

If anyone knows Bill Amend, tell him thanks from me.

Posted by Wil at 10:13 PM | Permalink

Royale with cheese

This is the coolest thing that has happened, in quite some time. Having my character lampooned in Foxtrot (one of the finest strips, ever, in a post Bloom County world), just rocks.

If anyone knows Bill Amend, tell him thanks from me.

Posted by Wil at 10:13 PM | Permalink

Pigs on the Wing

Radio Free Burrito will be broadcasting Pink Floyd's "Animals" today, starting at 4:15 PM PDT. Live365 is back, so the RFB should be back up in dis motha, streaming all that bombass shiznat you've come to expect from TVsWW.

Posted by Wil at 03:41 PM | Permalink

Pigs on the Wing

Radio Free Burrito will be broadcasting Pink Floyd's "Animals" today, starting at 4:15 PM PDT. Live365 is back, so the RFB should be back up in dis motha, streaming all that bombass shiznat you've come to expect from TVsWW.

Posted by Wil at 03:41 PM | Permalink

Pigs on the Wing

Radio Free Burrito will be broadcasting Pink Floyd's "Animals" today, starting at 4:15 PM PDT. Live365 is back, so the RFB should be back up in dis motha, streaming all that bombass shiznat you've come to expect from TVsWW.

Posted by Wil at 03:41 PM | Permalink

Karma Ghost

Found at Unrealistic Expectations: What goes around, comes around.

You'll be humming the jaunty little tune all day.

Posted by Wil at 01:42 PM | Permalink

Karma Ghost

Found at Unrealistic Expectations: What goes around, comes around.

You'll be humming the jaunty little tune all day.

Posted by Wil at 01:42 PM | Permalink

Karma Ghost

Found at Unrealistic Expectations: What goes around, comes around.

You'll be humming the jaunty little tune all day.

Posted by Wil at 01:42 PM | Permalink

Yeah, but does he have a clever autoresponse?

It could be the hoax of the month, but it appears that Saddam Hussein answers his Email. No word yet on what his geek code is.

Posted by Wil at 01:34 PM | Permalink

Yeah, but does he have a clever autoresponse?

It could be the hoax of the month, but it appears that Saddam Hussein answers his Email. No word yet on what his geek code is.

Posted by Wil at 01:34 PM | Permalink

Yeah, but does he have a clever autoresponse?

It could be the hoax of the month, but it appears that Saddam Hussein answers his Email. No word yet on what his geek code is.

Posted by Wil at 01:34 PM | Permalink

Silver Shamrock

Since there are just 7 more days till Halloween (my favorite holiday of the year), I thought everyone might like to look at something scary.

Posted by Wil at 01:54 AM | Permalink

Silver Shamrock

Since there are just 7 more days till Halloween (my favorite holiday of the year), I thought everyone might like to look at something scary.

Posted by Wil at 01:54 AM | Permalink

Silver Shamrock

Since there are just 7 more days till Halloween (my favorite holiday of the year), I thought everyone might like to look at something scary.

Posted by Wil at 01:54 AM | Permalink

Safety Tips

The Onion has Halloween Safety tips.

I'm Wil, that that's one to grow on.

Posted by Wil at 09:58 PM | Permalink

Safety Tips

The Onion has Halloween Safety tips.

I'm Wil, that that's one to grow on.

Posted by Wil at 09:58 PM | Permalink

Safety Tips

The Onion has Halloween Safety tips.

I'm Wil, that that's one to grow on.

Posted by Wil at 09:58 PM | Permalink

Scooping Adequacy

I was asked by adequacy.org to do an interview, quite sometime ago. Of course, being Mister Responsibility, I read the questions, and said, "I'll get to those later today".

Well, this day has lasted 5 weeks.

I finished the interview this afternoon, and I'm scooping adequacy, and posting one of my answers, here:

P: Let's say some group of terrorists blew up a Federation planet, and

Picard had to decide how to respond- how to protect civilians from getting

blown up without starting a huge galactic war. What do you think he'd do?

Do you think that Star Trek's mushy liberal view point, like the Prime

Directive of non-interference, holds any water in today's post-tragedy

world?

W: Well, the first thing he'd do is hide out for the better part of the day, when the planet was blown up, because his handlers knew he wouldn't be able to address the UFP with any grace or aplomb. Then, when he did speak, he'd tell the UFP that everyone is either with us, or with the terrorists, to effectively quash any criticism of his policy decisions. Then he'd find a planet where he could claim the terrorists lived, and he'd launch a long and profitable war against that planet, with no endgame in sight. His approval ratings would skyrocket, because nobody would want to be perceived as "against" the UFP. As an added bonus, when he wanted to do something really stupid, like drilling on Lothar 7 for oil, in the Lotharian Brazilfish Reserve, it'd be very easy for him, because everybody would be so focused on the war that they wouldn't notice.

Wait, none of that makes sense. That's just plain stupid. Nobody with any brains would do anything like that.

Picard is smart, and what he'd do is improve security within the UFP, for REAL, even if it cut into profit margins for the big companies that drive the UFP's economy. He'd also do it in an informed, well-thought out way, ensuring that all UFP citizens were safe, without having to trample all over their rights as UFP citizens.

But something like that would never happen. That's just TV.

Now, I gotta finish the /. questions. Sure, I could get to them later, and I could always start my training tomorrow...tomorrow...tomorrow...

Posted by Wil at 04:39 PM | Permalink

Scooping Adequacy

I was asked by adequacy.org to do an interview, quite sometime ago. Of course, being Mister Responsibility, I read the questions, and said, "I'll get to those later today".

Well, this day has lasted 5 weeks.

I finished the interview this afternoon, and I'm scooping adequacy, and posting one of my answers, here:

P: Let's say some group of terrorists blew up a Federation planet, and

Picard had to decide how to respond- how to protect civilians from getting

blown up without starting a huge galactic war. What do you think he'd do?

Do you think that Star Trek's mushy liberal view point, like the Prime

Directive of non-interference, holds any water in today's post-tragedy

world?

W: Well, the first thing he'd do is hide out for the better part of the day, when the planet was blown up, because his handlers knew he wouldn't be able to address the UFP with any grace or aplomb. Then, when he did speak, he'd tell the UFP that everyone is either with us, or with the terrorists, to effectively quash any criticism of his policy decisions. Then he'd find a planet where he could claim the terrorists lived, and he'd launch a long and profitable war against that planet, with no endgame in sight. His approval ratings would skyrocket, because nobody would want to be perceived as "against" the UFP. As an added bonus, when he wanted to do something really stupid, like drilling on Lothar 7 for oil, in the Lotharian Brazilfish Reserve, it'd be very easy for him, because everybody would be so focused on the war that they wouldn't notice.

Wait, none of that makes sense. That's just plain stupid. Nobody with any brains would do anything like that.

Picard is smart, and what he'd do is improve security within the UFP, for REAL, even if it cut into profit margins for the big companies that drive the UFP's economy. He'd also do it in an informed, well-thought out way, ensuring that all UFP citizens were safe, without having to trample all over their rights as UFP citizens.

But something like that would never happen. That's just TV.

Now, I gotta finish the /. questions. Sure, I could get to them later, and I could always start my training tomorrow...tomorrow...tomorrow...

Posted by Wil at 04:39 PM | Permalink

Scooping Adequacy

I was asked by adequacy.org to do an interview, quite sometime ago. Of course, being Mister Responsibility, I read the questions, and said, "I'll get to those later today".

Well, this day has lasted 5 weeks.

I finished the interview this afternoon, and I'm scooping adequacy, and posting one of my answers, here:

P: Let's say some group of terrorists blew up a Federation planet, and

Picard had to decide how to respond- how to protect civilians from getting

blown up without starting a huge galactic war. What do you think he'd do?

Do you think that Star Trek's mushy liberal view point, like the Prime

Directive of non-interference, holds any water in today's post-tragedy

world?

W: Well, the first thing he'd do is hide out for the better part of the day, when the planet was blown up, because his handlers knew he wouldn't be able to address the UFP with any grace or aplomb. Then, when he did speak, he'd tell the UFP that everyone is either with us, or with the terrorists, to effectively quash any criticism of his policy decisions. Then he'd find a planet where he could claim the terrorists lived, and he'd launch a long and profitable war against that planet, with no endgame in sight. His approval ratings would skyrocket, because nobody would want to be perceived as "against" the UFP. As an added bonus, when he wanted to do something really stupid, like drilling on Lothar 7 for oil, in the Lotharian Brazilfish Reserve, it'd be very easy for him, because everybody would be so focused on the war that they wouldn't notice.

Wait, none of that makes sense. That's just plain stupid. Nobody with any brains would do anything like that.

Picard is smart, and what he'd do is improve security within the UFP, for REAL, even if it cut into profit margins for the big companies that drive the UFP's economy. He'd also do it in an informed, well-thought out way, ensuring that all UFP citizens were safe, without having to trample all over their rights as UFP citizens.

But something like that would never happen. That's just TV.

Now, I gotta finish the /. questions. Sure, I could get to them later, and I could always start my training tomorrow...tomorrow...tomorrow...

Posted by Wil at 04:39 PM | Permalink

Have I told you about my condition?

Beat The Geeks was lots of fun. I searched *all* over the net, trying to find anything about it...but, alas, I came up empty.

Unfortunately, nothing very funny happened, and I thought about making something up, but I've decided against it. I'm just not feeling very funny the last few days.

I hate it when I lose my funny. It's like someone left the door to my house open, and all the comedy ran out.

I'm reading my emails today, and I got the following, and I'm trying to decide if it's a Troll or Flamebait...

I'm guessing that everyone here is familiar with me, more or less, and you've read my entries. So read this, and comment on it. Do you agree?

To:

Subject: Old Fan of Wesley

Hi,

I just found your web page and read your faq. I'm really disappointed in the reasons you left Star Trek, I hope you have grown up and realized you screwed up. I hope you find work in the future.

I hate to see so many actors think they can do better only to find out they were very lucky to begin with.

Your character ( Wesley) was going to go so far....

I really hope to see you get back on your feet.

The thing I love the most is that this guy marked this email "Highest Priority".

Posted by Wil at 01:01 PM | Permalink

Have I told you about my condition?

Beat The Geeks was lots of fun. I searched *all* over the net, trying to find anything about it...but, alas, I came up empty.

Unfortunately, nothing very funny happened, and I thought about making something up, but I've decided against it. I'm just not feeling very funny the last few days.

I hate it when I lose my funny. It's like someone left the door to my house open, and all the comedy ran out.

I'm reading my emails today, and I got the following, and I'm trying to decide if it's a Troll or Flamebait...

I'm guessing that everyone here is familiar with me, more or less, and you've read my entries. So read this, and comment on it. Do you agree?

To:

Subject: Old Fan of Wesley

Hi,

I just found your web page and read your faq. I'm really disappointed in the reasons you left Star Trek, I hope you have grown up and realized you screwed up. I hope you find work in the future.

I hate to see so many actors think they can do better only to find out they were very lucky to begin with.

Your character ( Wesley) was going to go so far....

I really hope to see you get back on your feet.

The thing I love the most is that this guy marked this email "Highest Priority".

Posted by Wil at 01:01 PM | Permalink

Have I told you about my condition?

Beat The Geeks was lots of fun. I searched *all* over the net, trying to find anything about it...but, alas, I came up empty.

Unfortunately, nothing very funny happened, and I thought about making something up, but I've decided against it. I'm just not feeling very funny the last few days.

I hate it when I lose my funny. It's like someone left the door to my house open, and all the comedy ran out.

I'm reading my emails today, and I got the following, and I'm trying to decide if it's a Troll or Flamebait...

I'm guessing that everyone here is familiar with me, more or less, and you've read my entries. So read this, and comment on it. Do you agree?

To:

Subject: Old Fan of Wesley

Hi,

I just found your web page and read your faq. I'm really disappointed in the reasons you left Star Trek, I hope you have grown up and realized you screwed up. I hope you find work in the future.

I hate to see so many actors think they can do better only to find out they were very lucky to begin with.

Your character ( Wesley) was going to go so far....

I really hope to see you get back on your feet.

The thing I love the most is that this guy marked this email "Highest Priority".

Posted by Wil at 01:01 PM | Permalink

Semper Geekus

Good Monday morning to everyone!

I am off, to work on my friend Keith's show, "Beat The Geeks". I'll have at least one cool story to tell this afternoon.

Posted by Wil at 08:07 AM | Permalink

Semper Geekus

Good Monday morning to everyone!

I am off, to work on my friend Keith's show, "Beat The Geeks". I'll have at least one cool story to tell this afternoon.

Posted by Wil at 08:07 AM | Permalink

Semper Geekus

Good Monday morning to everyone!

I am off, to work on my friend Keith's show, "Beat The Geeks". I'll have at least one cool story to tell this afternoon.

Posted by Wil at 08:07 AM | Permalink

It's funny, because it's true.

Posted by Wil at 04:51 PM | Permalink

It's funny, because it's true.

Posted by Wil at 04:51 PM | Permalink

It's funny, because it's true.

Posted by Wil at 04:51 PM | Permalink

When the body speaks

I'm going through my email, and I was read the following question. What started out as a simple answer has turned into a new entry:

Oh, my girlfriend...wanted me to mention that she was completely and totally infatuated with Wesley and Gordie :-)

Do you consider yourself a part of these characters? Or were they just roles?

That's a good question...

When I am working on a show, that character that I am portraying takes on certain aspects of me, and I take on certain aspects of him. Sometimes, it is very hard to determine where one ends, and the other begins. There are some characters that I can't wait to let go of, and others that I am sad to put to rest...it really depends on how good the script is, and how much I have invested in the project, emotionally. I feel that it's my job to realize the vision of the screenwriter, so I always endeavor to do what the writer is asking. When the writing is very clear, it is easy, and fun. When the writing is unclear (as it was, sometimes, on TNG), it can be like teaching a pig to play poker.

I start out every project full of hope and excitement. Sometimes, that hope and excitement fades to resignation, when I realize that the director is an complete moron, and he's going to ruin the project, or when one of the main actors is an unprofessional jackass, who thinks he can just do his own thing, and not what the script is asking for. Other times, that hope and excitement endures, and is justified with a terrific final cut.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Posted by Wil at 04:44 PM | Permalink

When the body speaks

I'm going through my email, and I was read the following question. What started out as a simple answer has turned into a new entry:

Oh, my girlfriend...wanted me to mention that she was completely and totally infatuated with Wesley and Gordie :-)

Do you consider yourself a part of these characters? Or were they just roles?

That's a good question...

When I am working on a show, that character that I am portraying takes on certain aspects of me, and I take on certain aspects of him. Sometimes, it is very hard to determine where one ends, and the other begins. There are some characters that I can't wait to let go of, and others that I am sad to put to rest...it really depends on how good the script is, and how much I have invested in the project, emotionally. I feel that it's my job to realize the vision of the screenwriter, so I always endeavor to do what the writer is asking. When the writing is very clear, it is easy, and fun. When the writing is unclear (as it was, sometimes, on TNG), it can be like teaching a pig to play poker.

I start out every project full of hope and excitement. Sometimes, that hope and excitement fades to resignation, when I realize that the director is an complete moron, and he's going to ruin the project, or when one of the main actors is an unprofessional jackass, who thinks he can just do his own thing, and not what the script is asking for. Other times, that hope and excitement endures, and is justified with a terrific final cut.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Posted by Wil at 04:44 PM | Permalink

When the body speaks

I'm going through my email, and I was read the following question. What started out as a simple answer has turned into a new entry:

Oh, my girlfriend...wanted me to mention that she was completely and totally infatuated with Wesley and Gordie :-)

Do you consider yourself a part of these characters? Or were they just roles?

That's a good question...

When I am working on a show, that character that I am portraying takes on certain aspects of me, and I take on certain aspects of him. Sometimes, it is very hard to determine where one ends, and the other begins. There are some characters that I can't wait to let go of, and others that I am sad to put to rest...it really depends on how good the script is, and how much I have invested in the project, emotionally. I feel that it's my job to realize the vision of the screenwriter, so I always endeavor to do what the writer is asking. When the writing is very clear, it is easy, and fun. When the writing is unclear (as it was, sometimes, on TNG), it can be like teaching a pig to play poker.

I start out every project full of hope and excitement. Sometimes, that hope and excitement fades to resignation, when I realize that the director is an complete moron, and he's going to ruin the project, or when one of the main actors is an unprofessional jackass, who thinks he can just do his own thing, and not what the script is asking for. Other times, that hope and excitement endures, and is justified with a terrific final cut.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Posted by Wil at 04:44 PM | Permalink

FNORD.

Posted by Wil at 06:06 PM | Permalink

FNORD.

Posted by Wil at 06:06 PM | Permalink

FNORD.

Posted by Wil at 06:06 PM | Permalink

Hoopy Frood

I saw this site in my referrer logs, and went there, expecting the usual...but it turns out that this guy actually said some cool things about me:

BBSpot recently ran a short interview with Wil that's funny enough to make you suspect it was ghost-written by someone who studied Advanced Modern Cultural References at Harvard.

and

Wil Wheaton is apparently a geek, a practiced wielder of sarcasm, and an all-around hoopy frood in general.

Now I'm off to do the happy geek dance.

Posted by Wil at 04:16 PM | Permalink

Hoopy Frood

I saw this site in my referrer logs, and went there, expecting the usual...but it turns out that this guy actually said some cool things about me:

BBSpot recently ran a short interview with Wil that's funny enough to make you suspect it was ghost-written by someone who studied Advanced Modern Cultural References at Harvard.

and

Wil Wheaton is apparently a geek, a practiced wielder of sarcasm, and an all-around hoopy frood in general.

Now I'm off to do the happy geek dance.

Posted by Wil at 04:16 PM | Permalink

Hoopy Frood

I saw this site in my referrer logs, and went there, expecting the usual...but it turns out that this guy actually said some cool things about me:

BBSpot recently ran a short interview with Wil that's funny enough to make you suspect it was ghost-written by someone who studied Advanced Modern Cultural References at Harvard.

and

Wil Wheaton is apparently a geek, a practiced wielder of sarcasm, and an all-around hoopy frood in general.

Now I'm off to do the happy geek dance.

Posted by Wil at 04:16 PM | Permalink

DoublePlus Ungood Thoughtcrime.

Some thoughts on the previous post, which I'd have put in comments, but the comment thread is so huge, I didn't know if anyone would see them..so, uh...yeah:

I am horrified at the way this kid appears to have been treated. I think a BIG part of it was that he *IS* a kid, and a non-conformist kid at that. I was a non-conformist kid, and I am a non-conformist adult. I know how McWorld treats us...they just give adults less shit because adults stand up for themselves more than kids do. Maybe he didn't handle himself well...but kids tend to react honestly to things...and I'd honestly freak out at someone if they gave me shit for the book I was reading. The authorities there clearly knew that they had over-reacted, because they fabricated a story about him making a bomb threat. Don't lose sight of that.

Should airport security be tightened? Duh. It should have been brought into line with the EU years ago. Why wasn't it? I dunno...but I'm willing to bet it had something to do with corporate profits.

I didn't say that this was scary because I am against airport security. Let's all get that straight. Remember that there was a commision formed specifically to address possible terrorism in the US, and their findings and reccomendations were ignored. Arianna Huffington has an interesting theory.

I was dismayed to read some comments that seemed to fall right in line with the "You're with us or you're with the Terrorists" rhetoric, seemingly heeding Ari Fleischer's warning to "all Americans that they need to watch what they say, watch what they do, and this is not a time for remarks like [Bill Maher's on PI]; there never is." But I am happy that, now more than ever, we can all conduct ourselves here with dignity and aplomb, and argue ideas, not personalities.

Posted by Wil at 03:57 PM | Permalink

DoublePlus Ungood Thoughtcrime.

Some thoughts on the previous post, which I'd have put in comments, but the comment thread is so huge, I didn't know if anyone would see them..so, uh...yeah:

I am horrified at the way this kid appears to have been treated. I think a BIG part of it was that he *IS* a kid, and a non-conformist kid at that. I was a non-conformist kid, and I am a non-conformist adult. I know how McWorld treats us...they just give adults less shit because adults stand up for themselves more than kids do. Maybe he didn't handle himself well...but kids tend to react honestly to things...and I'd honestly freak out at someone if they gave me shit for the book I was reading. The authorities there clearly knew that they had over-reacted, because they fabricated a story about him making a bomb threat. Don't lose sight of that.

Should airport security be tightened? Duh. It should have been brought into line with the EU years ago. Why wasn't it? I dunno...but I'm willing to bet it had something to do with corporate profits.

I didn't say that this was scary because I am against airport security. Let's all get that straight. Remember that there was a commision formed specifically to address possible terrorism in the US, and their findings and reccomendations were ignored. Arianna Huffington has an interesting theory.

I was dismayed to read some comments that seemed to fall right in line with the "You're with us or you're with the Terrorists" rhetoric, seemingly heeding Ari Fleischer's warning to "all Americans that they need to watch what they say, watch what they do, and this is not a time for remarks like [Bill Maher's on PI]; there never is." But I am happy that, now more than ever, we can all conduct ourselves here with dignity and aplomb, and argue ideas, not personalities.

Posted by Wil at 03:57 PM | Permalink

DoublePlus Ungood Thoughtcrime.

Some thoughts on the previous post, which I'd have put in comments, but the comment thread is so huge, I didn't know if anyone would see them..so, uh...yeah:

I am horrified at the way this kid appears to have been treated. I think a BIG part of it was that he *IS* a kid, and a non-conformist kid at that. I was a non-conformist kid, and I am a non-conformist adult. I know how McWorld treats us...they just give adults less shit because adults stand up for themselves more than kids do. Maybe he didn't handle himself well...but kids tend to react honestly to things...and I'd honestly freak out at someone if they gave me shit for the book I was reading. The authorities there clearly knew that they had over-reacted, because they fabricated a story about him making a bomb threat. Don't lose sight of that.

Should airport security be tightened? Duh. It should have been brought into line with the EU years ago. Why wasn't it? I dunno...but I'm willing to bet it had something to do with corporate profits.

I didn't say that this was scary because I am against airport security. Let's all get that straight. Remember that there was a commision formed specifically to address possible terrorism in the US, and their findings and reccomendations were ignored. Arianna Huffington has an interesting theory.

I was dismayed to read some comments that seemed to fall right in line with the "You're with us or you're with the Terrorists" rhetoric, seemingly heeding Ari Fleischer's warning to "all Americans that they need to watch what they say, watch what they do, and this is not a time for remarks like [Bill Maher's on PI]; there never is." But I am happy that, now more than ever, we can all conduct ourselves here with dignity and aplomb, and argue ideas, not personalities.

Posted by Wil at 03:57 PM | Permalink

War is Peace

This is scary.

Posted by Wil at 12:31 AM | Permalink

War is Peace

This is scary.

Posted by Wil at 12:31 AM | Permalink

War is Peace

This is scary.

Posted by Wil at 12:31 AM | Permalink

Here Comes Your Man

Last night, I went to the screening of my latest movie, "Jane White Is Sick And Twisted". It was very, very cool. The screening was a benefit to raise money for the American Cancer Society to benefit breast cancer research, and I hear that we raised close to 10,000 dollars. Cool!

I am always nervous before a screening...I never know what the audience is going to think, I don't know if the movie is going to suck...it's never a fun, relaxed thing for me. So I was very, very happy to see that the movie is indeed funny, and I think I'm really good in it. I always worry that what I prepared in my head and what I did on the set won't make it into the final cut, which happens more often than you'd think...just read any of William Goldman's books, to get an idea of how an asshole director can ruin a movie.

A big challenge for me right now is to convince The Industry that I can be funny...I once made some flyers for a comedy show I was in, and wrote on the back:

“Wil Wheaton is the best improviser I’ve ever seen.”

-Debra Wilson

MAD TV

“Above all the great talent associated with this film, Wil has been amazing. If you like any part of what he's done, it's all him. If you hate it, it's all me. Wil was funny, endearing, thoughtful, romantic, sympathetic and down-right charming...and that's off camera. On camera he was inspirational. I can't wait to work with him again !”

-David Michael Latt

Writer/Director of “Jane White Is Sick And Twisted”

“Sources say this past Thursday's show with Wil Wheaton was our best show yet! Look for Wil to guest again with us this summer. Thanks Wil!”

-The Liquid Radio Players Website

Improvised 1940’s-style radio show.

“Why doesn’t anyone know how funny you are?”

-My mom

“Wil Wheaton is not funny.”

-Every Casting Director in Hollywood

So I was extremely happy and excited when the audience laughed at the stuff I did. One of the biggest laughs of the night came during a tirade that I improvised while we were filming...so that was some clever voyving, indeed.

I don't know what will happen with "Jane". It's funny enough to find an audience, so it may even get a theatrical release. But it's more likely that it will go directly to video. When I know, I'll update it here.

Speaking of Updates, I have no idea why the update page isn't, well, updating...but I'm working on it. I've been making WAY too many "I'm lame and need help" calls to the guys who host me...so I'm only making the calls now if it's something urgent, like when greymatter ate all my entries a few days ago. Since I'm going this one alone, it will be a few days. I know that soapbox is dead. Working on that, too.

Last night, I had a very strange and disturbing dream.

I was in a large, empty space, where I could see things in my peripheral vision, but when I looked directly at them, there was nothing but blackness...a woman walked up to me, drew a pistol, and shot me in the stomach. Goddamn, it hurt. I can remember the feeling while I write this (I am a VERY lucid dreamer). [Note to self: avoid getting shot. It would suck.] I looked at her, and asked her why she'd done that, and she looked down at me, said something which I can't remember, and opened the chamber thing (It was one of those old Western 6 shooters). She slowly turned the cylinder with one finger, and put in a single bullet. Then, she put the gun to my head, and shot me. I died.

Aren't you supposed to not die in your dreams?

I woke up, and had that "*whew* it was just a dream" moment, and went back to sleep.

Ferris jumped up on my bed this morning. Bad dog.

I'm off like T'Pol's Spacesuit. I have an audition this afternoon, and I have to pick up a script for another, very huge audition on Saturday.

Be nice to someone today.

Posted by Wil at 12:23 PM | Permalink

Here Comes Your Man

Last night, I went to the screening of my latest movie, "Jane White Is Sick And Twisted". It was very, very cool. The screening was a benefit to raise money for the American Cancer Society to benefit breast cancer research, and I hear that we raised close to 10,000 dollars. Cool!

I am always nervous before a screening...I never know what the audience is going to think, I don't know if the movie is going to suck...it's never a fun, relaxed thing for me. So I was very, very happy to see that the movie is indeed funny, and I think I'm really good in it. I always worry that what I prepared in my head and what I did on the set won't make it into the final cut, which happens more often than you'd think...just read any of William Goldman's books, to get an idea of how an asshole director can ruin a movie.

A big challenge for me right now is to convince The Industry that I can be funny...I once made some flyers for a comedy show I was in, and wrote on the back:

“Wil Wheaton is the best improviser I’ve ever seen.”

-Debra Wilson

MAD TV

“Above all the great talent associated with this film, Wil has been amazing. If you like any part of what he's done, it's all him. If you hate it, it's all me. Wil was funny, endearing, thoughtful, romantic, sympathetic and down-right charming...and that's off camera. On camera he was inspirational. I can't wait to work with him again !”

-David Michael Latt

Writer/Director of “Jane White Is Sick And Twisted”

“Sources say this past Thursday's show with Wil Wheaton was our best show yet! Look for Wil to guest again with us this summer. Thanks Wil!”

-The Liquid Radio Players Website

Improvised 1940’s-style radio show.

“Why doesn’t anyone know how funny you are?”

-My mom

“Wil Wheaton is not funny.”

-Every Casting Director in Hollywood

So I was extremely happy and excited when the audience laughed at the stuff I did. One of the biggest laughs of the night came during a tirade that I improvised while we were filming...so that was some clever voyving, indeed.

I don't know what will happen with "Jane". It's funny enough to find an audience, so it may even get a theatrical release. But it's more likely that it will go directly to video. When I know, I'll update it here.

Speaking of Updates, I have no idea why the update page isn't, well, updating...but I'm working on it. I've been making WAY too many "I'm lame and need help" calls to the guys who host me...so I'm only making the calls now if it's something urgent, like when greymatter ate all my entries a few days ago. Since I'm going this one alone, it will be a few days. I know that soapbox is dead. Working on that, too.

Last night, I had a very strange and disturbing dream.

I was in a large, empty space, where I could see things in my peripheral vision, but when I looked directly at them, there was nothing but blackness...a woman walked up to me, drew a pistol, and shot me in the stomach. Goddamn, it hurt. I can remember the feeling while I write this (I am a VERY lucid dreamer). [Note to self: avoid getting shot. It would suck.] I looked at her, and asked her why she'd done that, and she looked down at me, said something which I can't remember, and opened the chamber thing (It was one of those old Western 6 shooters). She slowly turned the cylinder with one finger, and put in a single bullet. Then, she put the gun to my head, and shot me. I died.

Aren't you supposed to not die in your dreams?

I woke up, and had that "*whew* it was just a dream" moment, and went back to sleep.

Ferris jumped up on my bed this morning. Bad dog.

I'm off like T'Pol's Spacesuit. I have an audition this afternoon, and I have to pick up a script for another, very huge audition on Saturday.

Be nice to someone today.

Posted by Wil at 12:23 PM | Permalink

Here Comes Your Man

Last night, I went to the screening of my latest movie, "Jane White Is Sick And Twisted". It was very, very cool. The screening was a benefit to raise money for the American Cancer Society to benefit breast cancer research, and I hear that we raised close to 10,000 dollars. Cool!

I am always nervous before a screening...I never know what the audience is going to think, I don't know if the movie is going to suck...it's never a fun, relaxed thing for me. So I was very, very happy to see that the movie is indeed funny, and I think I'm really good in it. I always worry that what I prepared in my head and what I did on the set won't make it into the final cut, which happens more often than you'd think...just read any of William Goldman's books, to get an idea of how an asshole director can ruin a movie.

A big challenge for me right now is to convince The Industry that I can be funny...I once made some flyers for a comedy show I was in, and wrote on the back:

“Wil Wheaton is the best improviser I’ve ever seen.”

-Debra Wilson

MAD TV

“Above all the great talent associated with this film, Wil has been amazing. If you like any part of what he's done, it's all him. If you hate it, it's all me. Wil was funny, endearing, thoughtful, romantic, sympathetic and down-right charming...and that's off camera. On camera he was inspirational. I can't wait to work with him again !”

-David Michael Latt

Writer/Director of “Jane White Is Sick And Twisted”

“Sources say this past Thursday's show with Wil Wheaton was our best show yet! Look for Wil to guest again with us this summer. Thanks Wil!”

-The Liquid Radio Players Website

Improvised 1940’s-style radio show.

“Why doesn’t anyone know how funny you are?”

-My mom

“Wil Wheaton is not funny.”

-Every Casting Director in Hollywood

So I was extremely happy and excited when the audience laughed at the stuff I did. One of the biggest laughs of the night came during a tirade that I improvised while we were filming...so that was some clever voyving, indeed.

I don't know what will happen with "Jane". It's funny enough to find an audience, so it may even get a theatrical release. But it's more likely that it will go directly to video. When I know, I'll update it here.

Speaking of Updates, I have no idea why the update page isn't, well, updating...but I'm working on it. I've been making WAY too many "I'm lame and need help" calls to the guys who host me...so I'm only making the calls now if it's something urgent, like when greymatter ate all my entries a few days ago. Since I'm going this one alone, it will be a few days. I know that soapbox is dead. Working on that, too.

Last night, I had a very strange and disturbing dream.

I was in a large, empty space, where I could see things in my peripheral vision, but when I looked directly at them, there was nothing but blackness...a woman walked up to me, drew a pistol, and shot me in the stomach. Goddamn, it hurt. I can remember the feeling while I write this (I am a VERY lucid dreamer). [Note to self: avoid getting shot. It would suck.] I looked at her, and asked her why she'd done that, and she looked down at me, said something which I can't remember, and opened the chamber thing (It was one of those old Western 6 shooters). She slowly turned the cylinder with one finger, and put in a single bullet. Then, she put the gun to my head, and shot me. I died.

Aren't you supposed to not die in your dreams?

I woke up, and had that "*whew* it was just a dream" moment, and went back to sleep.

Ferris jumped up on my bed this morning. Bad dog.

I'm off like T'Pol's Spacesuit. I have an audition this afternoon, and I have to pick up a script for another, very huge audition on Saturday.

Be nice to someone today.

Posted by Wil at 12:23 PM | Permalink

I heart idiots

It has just been brought to my attention that someone is sending out a potential virus, changing the From: header in the email to appear as if it's coming from wil@wilwheaton.net.

If you have received any emails claiming to be from me, with an subject called "usample" or any other file alleging to be a README, delete it, and send an email to abuse@esatclear.ie, since I'm pretty sure that's the IP where the email came from.

Here's the information I got by running the headers through Sam Spade:

Trying whois -h whois.ripe.net 194.165.169.179

% This is the RIPE Whois server.

% The objects are in RPSL format.

% Please visit http://www.ripe.net/rpsl for more information.

% Rights restricted by copyright.

% See http://www.ripe.net/ripencc/pub-services/db/copyright.html

inetnum: 194.165.160.0 - 194.165.175.255

netname: ESATNET-ROUTE6

descr: Esat Net Consumer Dialup Modem Bank

country: IE

admin-c: CA1690

tech-c: CC1276-RIPE

tech-c: GP1184-RIPE

status: ASSIGNED PA

remarks: For SPAM/UCE complaints, please email "abuse@esatclear.ie"

notify: noc@esat.net

mnt-by: RIPE-NCC-NONE-MNT

changed: chris@esat.net 19991207

changed: colma@esat.net 20010128

source: RIPE

route: 194.165.160.0/19

descr: ESATNET-NET5

origin: AS2110

remarks: Aggregated route covering multiple Esat Net networks

mnt-by: IEUNET-NOC

changed: tech@Ireland.EU.net 19960528

changed: dave@esat.net 20010423

source: RIPE

person: Colm Anderson

address: Esat Net Limited

address: 4 Westland Square

address: Pearse Street

address: Dublin 2

address: Ireland

phone: +353 1 6790832

fax-no: +353 1 6799634

e-mail: colma@esat.net

nic-hdl: CA1690

changed: colma@esat.net 19990118

source: RIPE

person: Catherine Chelmiah

address: Esat-X

address: Citywest

address: Co. Dublin

address: Ireland

phone: +353 1 432 6926

fax-no: +353 1 242 4001

e-mail: catherine.chelmiah@esat.net

nic-hdl: CC1276-RIPE

notify: noc@esat.net

changed: catherine.chelmiah@esat.net 20010823

source: RIPE

person: Gary Petticrew

address: Esat Residential Service

address: 7-13 Cardiff Lane

address: Dublin 2

address: Ireland

phone: +353 1 6724016

fax-no: +353 1 6771477

e-mail: gpetticrew@esat.ie

nic-hdl: GP1184-RIPE

notify: gpetticrew@esat.ie

mnt-by: IEUNET-NOC

changed: gpetticrew@esat.ie 19981031

source: RIPE

Continue reading "I heart idiots" »

Posted by Wil at 02:32 PM | Permalink

I heart idiots

It has just been brought to my attention that someone is sending out a potential virus, changing the From: header in the email to appear as if it's coming from wil@wilwheaton.net.

If you have received any emails claiming to be from me, with an subject called "usample" or any other file alleging to be a README, delete it, and send an email to abuse@esatclear.ie, since I'm pretty sure that's the IP where the email came from.

Here's the information I got by running the headers through Sam Spade:

Trying whois -h whois.ripe.net 194.165.169.179

% This is the RIPE Whois server.

% The objects are in RPSL format.

% Please visit http://www.ripe.net/rpsl for more information.

% Rights restricted by copyright.

% See http://www.ripe.net/ripencc/pub-services/db/copyright.html

inetnum: 194.165.160.0 - 194.165.175.255

netname: ESATNET-ROUTE6

descr: Esat Net Consumer Dialup Modem Bank

country: IE

admin-c: CA1690

tech-c: CC1276-RIPE

tech-c: GP1184-RIPE

status: ASSIGNED PA

remarks: For SPAM/UCE complaints, please email "abuse@esatclear.ie"

notify: noc@esat.net

mnt-by: RIPE-NCC-NONE-MNT

changed: chris@esat.net 19991207

changed: colma@esat.net 20010128

source: RIPE

route: 194.165.160.0/19

descr: ESATNET-NET5

origin: AS2110

remarks: Aggregated route covering multiple Esat Net networks

mnt-by: IEUNET-NOC

changed: tech@Ireland.EU.net 19960528

changed: dave@esat.net 20010423

source: RIPE

person: Colm Anderson

address: Esat Net Limited

address: 4 Westland Square

address: Pearse Street

address: Dublin 2

address: Ireland

phone: +353 1 6790832

fax-no: +353 1 6799634

e-mail: colma@esat.net

nic-hdl: CA1690

changed: colma@esat.net 19990118

source: RIPE

person: Catherine Chelmiah

address: Esat-X

address: Citywest

address: Co. Dublin

address: Ireland

phone: +353 1 432 6926

fax-no: +353 1 242 4001

e-mail: catherine.chelmiah@esat.net

nic-hdl: CC1276-RIPE

notify: noc@esat.net

changed: catherine.chelmiah@esat.net 20010823

source: RIPE

person: Gary Petticrew

address: Esat Residential Service

address: 7-13 Cardiff Lane

address: Dublin 2

address: Ireland

phone: +353 1 6724016

fax-no: +353 1 6771477

e-mail: gpetticrew@esat.ie

nic-hdl: GP1184-RIPE

notify: gpetticrew@esat.ie

mnt-by: IEUNET-NOC

changed: gpetticrew@esat.ie 19981031

source: RIPE

Continue reading "I heart idiots" »

Posted by Wil at 02:32 PM | Permalink

I heart idiots

It has just been brought to my attention that someone is sending out a potential virus, changing the From: header in the email to appear as if it's coming from wil@wilwheaton.net.

If you have received any emails claiming to be from me, with an subject called "usample" or any other file alleging to be a README, delete it, and send an email to abuse@esatclear.ie, since I'm pretty sure that's the IP where the email came from.

Here's the information I got by running the headers through Sam Spade:

Trying whois -h whois.ripe.net 194.165.169.179

% This is the RIPE Whois server.

% The objects are in RPSL format.

% Please visit http://www.ripe.net/rpsl for more information.

% Rights restricted by copyright.

% See http://www.ripe.net/ripencc/pub-services/db/copyright.html

inetnum: 194.165.160.0 - 194.165.175.255

netname: ESATNET-ROUTE6

descr: Esat Net Consumer Dialup Modem Bank

country: IE

admin-c: CA1690

tech-c: CC1276-RIPE

tech-c: GP1184-RIPE

status: ASSIGNED PA

remarks: For SPAM/UCE complaints, please email "abuse@esatclear.ie"

notify: noc@esat.net

mnt-by: RIPE-NCC-NONE-MNT

changed: chris@esat.net 19991207

changed: colma@esat.net 20010128

source: RIPE

route: 194.165.160.0/19

descr: ESATNET-NET5

origin: AS2110

remarks: Aggregated route covering multiple Esat Net networks

mnt-by: IEUNET-NOC

changed: tech@Ireland.EU.net 19960528

changed: dave@esat.net 20010423

source: RIPE

person: Colm Anderson

address: Esat Net Limited

address: 4 Westland Square

address: Pearse Street

address: Dublin 2

address: Ireland

phone: +353 1 6790832

fax-no: +353 1 6799634

e-mail: colma@esat.net

nic-hdl: CA1690

changed: colma@esat.net 19990118

source: RIPE

person: Catherine Chelmiah

address: Esat-X

address: Citywest

address: Co. Dublin

address: Ireland

phone: +353 1 432 6926

fax-no: +353 1 242 4001

e-mail: catherine.chelmiah@esat.net

nic-hdl: CC1276-RIPE

notify: noc@esat.net

changed: catherine.chelmiah@esat.net 20010823

source: RIPE

person: Gary Petticrew

address: Esat Residential Service

address: 7-13 Cardiff Lane

address: Dublin 2

address: Ireland

phone: +353 1 6724016

fax-no: +353 1 6771477

e-mail: gpetticrew@esat.ie

nic-hdl: GP1184-RIPE

notify: gpetticrew@esat.ie

mnt-by: IEUNET-NOC

changed: gpetticrew@esat.ie 19981031

source: RIPE

Continue reading "I heart idiots" »

Posted by Wil at 02:32 PM | Permalink

Posted by Wil at 02:10 PM | Permalink

Posted by Wil at 02:10 PM | Permalink

Posted by Wil at 02:10 PM | Permalink

(-1, Troll)

I read /. daily, post infrequently.

As I've said before, I am really, when you get down to it, a geek, who's just looking for validation from his fellow geeks. So being asked for an interview by them was pretty goddamn cool...and the scariest thing, ever. I knew that the server would crash. I knew that I'd go so far over on bandwidth that I'd have to take out a 4th on the house. I knew that the other people hosted by logjamming would get hosed...and I was scared shitless that the trolls would come, and eat me alive.

Thankfully, things have been okay, so far. I read /. at 3, so the signal to noise ratio is very good.

Anyway, I wanted to share something that I thought was hilarious, and very cool.

The story at /. was "Ask Wil Wheaton Anything." There are some REALLY great questions there, and I'm going to have funtimes answering them...but, as I was reading, I saw the opportunity for a joke, and I had to take it.

I was asked:

Do you have an account here ?

Have you ever posted here ?

Have you ever submitted ?

Have you ever got a submission accepted ?

I was tempted to answer all the questions there, using my Slashdot UID, but I resisted...except for this one, because I saw the chance for some operation mayhem:

Do you have an account here ?

Yeah, I've had it for quite some time. I never put my name to it because I was afraid I'd automatically get modded down.

Have you ever posted here ?

Yeah. But not too often. My motto is "if you don't have something to say that's worth at least +1, don't say anything at all".

Have you ever submitted ?

Yeah.

Have you ever got a submission accepted ?

Are you kidding me? If I had a submission posted, that would make me cool, and that would begin the slow unraveling of the very fabric of space-time.

If this post isn't the poster-child for karma whoring, I don't know what is.

I am Jack's.sig

Now, the humor of this will be completely lost on you, unless you are familiar with Slashdot's moderation system...but this post got modded up, which I suspected it would...but the Operation Mayhem kicked in, and the joke paid off, when someone moderated it down...(-1, Troll).

If the person who modded it down is reading this, I must say thank you. You totally got the joke, and I am giving you a personal (+1, Funny) and a (+1, Insightful) along with a (+1, Underrated).

With my feet in the air, and my head on the ground.

Posted by Wil at 12:14 PM | Permalink

(-1, Troll)

I read /. daily, post infrequently.

As I've said before, I am really, when you get down to it, a geek, who's just looking for validation from his fellow geeks. So being asked for an interview by them was pretty goddamn cool...and the scariest thing, ever. I knew that the server would crash. I knew that I'd go so far over on bandwidth that I'd have to take out a 4th on the house. I knew that the other people hosted by logjamming would get hosed...and I was scared shitless that the trolls would come, and eat me alive.

Thankfully, things have been okay, so far. I read /. at 3, so the signal to noise ratio is very good.

Anyway, I wanted to share something that I thought was hilarious, and very cool.

The story at /. was "Ask Wil Wheaton Anything." There are some REALLY great questions there, and I'm going to have funtimes answering them...but, as I was reading, I saw the opportunity for a joke, and I had to take it.

I was asked:

Do you have an account here ?

Have you ever posted here ?

Have you ever submitted ?

Have you ever got a submission accepted ?

I was tempted to answer all the questions there, using my Slashdot UID, but I resisted...except for this one, because I saw the chance for some operation mayhem:

Do you have an account here ?

Yeah, I've had it for quite some time. I never put my name to it because I was afraid I'd automatically get modded down.

Have you ever posted here ?

Yeah. But not too often. My motto is "if you don't have something to say that's worth at least +1, don't say anything at all".

Have you ever submitted ?

Yeah.

Have you ever got a submission accepted ?

Are you kidding me? If I had a submission posted, that would make me cool, and that would begin the slow unraveling of the very fabric of space-time.

If this post isn't the poster-child for karma whoring, I don't know what is.

I am Jack's.sig

Now, the humor of this will be completely lost on you, unless you are familiar with Slashdot's moderation system...but this post got modded up, which I suspected it would...but the Operation Mayhem kicked in, and the joke paid off, when someone moderated it down...(-1, Troll).

If the person who modded it down is reading this, I must say thank you. You totally got the joke, and I am giving you a personal (+1, Funny) and a (+1, Insightful) along with a (+1, Underrated).

With my feet in the air, and my head on the ground.

Posted by Wil at 12:14 PM | Permalink

(-1, Troll)

I read /. daily, post infrequently.

As I've said before, I am really, when you get down to it, a geek, who's just looking for validation from his fellow geeks. So being asked for an interview by them was pretty goddamn cool...and the scariest thing, ever. I knew that the server would crash. I knew that I'd go so far over on bandwidth that I'd have to take out a 4th on the house. I knew that the other people hosted by logjamming would get hosed...and I was scared shitless that the trolls would come, and eat me alive.

Thankfully, things have been okay, so far. I read /. at 3, so the signal to noise ratio is very good.

Anyway, I wanted to share something that I thought was hilarious, and very cool.

The story at /. was "Ask Wil Wheaton Anything." There are some REALLY great questions there, and I'm going to have funtimes answering them...but, as I was reading, I saw the opportunity for a joke, and I had to take it.

I was asked:

Do you have an account here ?

Have you ever posted here ?

Have you ever submitted ?

Have you ever got a submission accepted ?

I was tempted to answer all the questions there, using my Slashdot UID, but I resisted...except for this one, because I saw the chance for some operation mayhem:

Do you have an account here ?

Yeah, I've had it for quite some time. I never put my name to it because I was afraid I'd automatically get modded down.

Have you ever posted here ?

Yeah. But not too often. My motto is "if you don't have something to say that's worth at least +1, don't say anything at all".

Have you ever submitted ?

Yeah.

Have you ever got a submission accepted ?

Are you kidding me? If I had a submission posted, that would make me cool, and that would begin the slow unraveling of the very fabric of space-time.

If this post isn't the poster-child for karma whoring, I don't know what is.

I am Jack's.sig

Now, the humor of this will be completely lost on you, unless you are familiar with Slashdot's moderation system...but this post got modded up, which I suspected it would...but the Operation Mayhem kicked in, and the joke paid off, when someone moderated it down...(-1, Troll).

If the person who modded it down is reading this, I must say thank you. You totally got the joke, and I am giving you a personal (+1, Funny) and a (+1, Insightful) along with a (+1, Underrated).

With my feet in the air, and my head on the ground.

Posted by Wil at 12:14 PM | Permalink

Slashdot

The site seems to have mostly recovered from being Slashdotted yesterday.

That was pretty damn cool.

Welcome back, everyone.

Posted by Wil at 12:30 AM | Permalink

Slashdot

The site seems to have mostly recovered from being Slashdotted yesterday.

That was pretty damn cool.

Welcome back, everyone.

Posted by Wil at 12:30 AM | Permalink

Slashdot

The site seems to have mostly recovered from being Slashdotted yesterday.

That was pretty damn cool.

Welcome back, everyone.

Posted by Wil at 12:30 AM | Permalink

Abbot and Costello Meet SpongeBob Vega$Pants!

Can it be? Is it...?

Yes, Virginia. You're not hallucinating. It's time for yet another chapter in the increasingly drawn-out saga of SpongeBob Vega$ Pants!!

Recently, on SpongeBob Vega$ Pants...

After a flight, a buffet, and an earlier than expected phone call...

A sad, sad, snubbing by WILLIAM FUCKING SHATNER....

Hours of autographs, where our hero met his long lost Japanese twin brother...

A tangent that went nowhere...

And a talk that started out badly , got worse, but ended up okay...

We find our hero with just a scant 90 minutes to eat, change, and rehearse before he is to take the stage with his sketch comedy group to perfom "MIND MELD: ASSIMILATE THIS!" for 500 Trekkies.

More, after this commercial message:

Logjamming rules. They host you for 5 bucks a month. Cool!

So I've just finished my talk, and it was okay. Not great, not terrible, but I don't have time to worry about it, because I have a show to do.

I meet my friends from ACME, who I've brought out to Vega$ to do the show, backstage. We've all performed on the ACME stage many times together, but we've never performed this lineup of sketches, and they've never performed in front of Trekkies before. Matter of fact, most of them don't even watch Star Trek, and this convention was their first ever experience with the show, and the unique following it has. We've never had a technical rehearsal, we don't know if the body mics we've been expecting for over a year (that's how long it took to plan the show) are giong to show up. The guy who is doing our music and our lights has never seen the show, or read the scripts, and we don't how that's going to work.

Here's a brief note about sketch comedy: one of the most important aspects of sketch comedy is the blackout that ends the scene. When I write a sketch, I always end it with a big laugh, or a big surprise, and the lights must immediately come down. If they don't, we are left standing onstage, with our proverbial dicks in our hands. Not funny, believe it or not, especially if you're a woman. Try explaining the sudden appearance of a dick in your hand to the audience...yeah, not an easy thing. Especially if you're performing at the church ice cream social. So, I'm scared shitless that the tech guy isn't going to make some mistakes, even though I've made him a set list, complete with the last few lines of each scene, and when the blackout is supposed to occur. If you've read my FAQ, you know that I am a Type-A control freak, and I don't like to leave anything up to chance...so I was freaking out, right up until the lights went up on the show.

We all went over to The Hard Rock Hotel, to eat, where I didn't eat anything that I ordered, and headed back to the convention, so change, shave, put on makeup, and get ourselves together.

We are supposed to be let into the theatre at 7:30, so we can have a quick run through of some blackouts, get our props set, and have 5 minutes to catch our breath...but it's now 7:45, and the show before us has run long, and we're not even going to get into the theatre until 8:20, or 8:30...and I know from experience that an audience's willingness to enjoy your show is inversely proportionaly to the amount of time you keep them waiting past the time on the ticket, which is 8PM.

But that shouldn't matter, because Trekkies love everything that any of us from Star Trek do, right? I mean, all we have to do is show up, and they'll go nuts, right?

Wrong. They can be the most hyper-critical audience, ever, and this audience is made up of people who've paid lots of money to see this show. Some of them bought tickets that cost as much as 1500 bucks. So they expect, and deserve, an amazing show, and I intend to give it to them.

Finally, after much waiting, we get to go into the theatre, and set up. We get our props set backstage. We find an appropriate lighting level. We give the list of blackouts to our tech guy, and we are ready to put our body mics on.

Problem is, our body mics aren't there.

What?

That's right. The body mics were either unwilling to respond, or they were unable to respond.

Bottom line is, we have no body mics. Which means we have no mics at all. Which means that it's highly unlikely that the back of the house will be able to hear us.

One of the good things about being under the gun is that you don't have the luxury of freaking out. You see the challenge, you meet the challenge, and you move on. I think that's why I work so well under pressure.

We all huddled, and decided, "Hey, we're all good actors, and we're all good improvisers. We'll just perform to the back row."

So that's exactly what we did.

It's now close to 8:30. I can feel the audience outside the theatre trading their "we love you, wil" signs for torches and pitchforks, so I decide that we're not going to keep them any longer. We're just going to get ourselves backstage, and open up the house.

I give my CD of "Warm Up The House" music to our tech guy, who I've come to know as Jim, and the doors open.

A few anxious moments pass, while we all go through our pre-show rituals...some of us stretch, some of us chant, some of us walk in a circle. I can't remember what I do...it's always different. I think I was pacing, running lines in my head.

Dave Scott comes backstage and asks us if we're ready. We are. He goes onstage, makes his, "Tape this and we will track you down and kick you square in the nuts," speech, and the lights go down.

I take the stage, and I see that Dave has decided to play a little practical joke on me: the entire audience is wearing "Groucho" glasses. It is insanely funny to me, seeing all these people, in various levels of space-suitery, enjoying a mass giggle, like a bunch of school kids putting one over on the substitute.

It was rad.

I'm looking out at them, and I get the sense that they're all waiting for me to say something funny...so I take a long look around the room, lift the microphone to my face, and say, "You're all related, aren't you?"

Huge laugh.

Huge relief from me, that they've traded their torches and pitchforks for Groucho glasses.

I say some things, and the show starts.

The show goes amazingly well. Jim, the tech guy, is a natural. You'd never know that he hadn't seen the show. He never misses a cue, and, a few times, he even anticipates when an imporivsed bit needs to end, and blacks it out like he's been doing it for years.

We are extremely lucky to have Jim doing our lights. If we take this show on the road, we'll take him with us, we decide.

All our sketches kill, except one, and that's a great batting average for us. We're happy.

There is one small problem, though...as the show is nearing its end, one of the other performers, Maz, and I both have to pee worse than we've ever had to pee before. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem. All theatres have a backstage pisser...but we're in a ballroom, behind pipe and drape...so we do the pee-pee dance for the last 25 minutes of the show. I seriously considered using the empty bottle of Crystal Geyser...but thought better of it.

The show closes with a sketch I wrote, called "Shut Up, Welsey." I won't tell too much about it, because you may see it someday, and I'd hate to spoil the surprise. I'm also shooting it as a short film, and you may be able to see that someday, too, so I'll just say this: I loved writing it. It's always fun to perform it, and I was terrified that the audience wouldn't get it. I thought that they'd think I was making fun of them (I wasn't), and those pitchforks would show up again...but they loved it.

As I write this, I am recalling the feeling I had as I performed that show, and it is so wonderful...so much has happened since that show...it's been such a roller coaster for me, the last month or so...and enjoying that feeling all over again is really cool.

Anyway, the show is over, I come out to introduce the cast, and give a HUGE public thank you to Jim the Magnificent.

The most amazing thing happens: when I walk out there, they leap to their feet. They are screaming. They are applauding. They are whistling. They are howling. They stay on their feet for what feels like 5 minutes, but was probably more like 2...and I am struggling to keep it together, because I feel like crying. You have no idea the shit I've gotten over the last 15 years because of Star Trek, and you have no idea how risky it was for me to put up this show...and the validation I felt from this crowd was just overwhelming.

I'd say that over 80% of the email I get says something like, "I had no idea you were funny." or "I expected you to be a tool" or something like that...and I've been working so goddamn hard to get people give me a chance to challenge their expectations of me, and hopefully change their minds about me, that getting that huge, genuine, passionate standing ovation from that group of people was simply magical. I will cherish that for the rest of my life.

Matter of fact, I was so overwhelmed by the response, that I introduced the entire group, and forgot to introduce Jim!

So, Jim, if you're reading, here goes:

This show did not come together overnight, and it didn't come together easily. We all worked really hard to make it happen, and the whole thing could have been easily ruined by a bad tech guy. Fortunately, we had the most amazing tech guy ever. Jim [here is where I'd point to the side of the stage, and call you up] has never lit a sketch show before, and he didn't miss a beat tonight. If you enjoyed the show, Jim deserves your applause as much as any of us do. [Now, the entire house, and all of us onstage applaud for Jim].

The house empties out, and I run at mach 4 to the bathroom. When I get back into the ballroom, I get the most important review, of all. My wife comes up to me, puts her arms around me, and says, "Honey, you were great. I've never laughed so hard in my whole life."

NEXT TIME: 3 Days in Vega$, and The Star Trek Experience.

Posted by Wil at 08:10 PM | Permalink

Abbot and Costello Meet SpongeBob Vega$Pants!

Can it be? Is it...?

Yes, Virginia. You're not hallucinating. It's time for yet another chapter in the increasingly drawn-out saga of SpongeBob Vega$ Pants!!

Recently, on SpongeBob Vega$ Pants...

After a flight, a buffet, and an earlier than expected phone call...

A sad, sad, snubbing by WILLIAM FUCKING SHATNER....

Hours of autographs, where our hero met his long lost Japanese twin brother...

A tangent that went nowhere...

And a talk that started out badly , got worse, but ended up okay...

We find our hero with just a scant 90 minutes to eat, change, and rehearse before he is to take the stage with his sketch comedy group to perfom "MIND MELD: ASSIMILATE THIS!" for 500 Trekkies.

More, after this commercial message:

Logjamming rules. They host you for 5 bucks a month. Cool!

So I've just finished my talk, and it was okay. Not great, not terrible, but I don't have time to worry about it, because I have a show to do.

I meet my friends from ACME, who I've brought out to Vega$ to do the show, backstage. We've all performed on the ACME stage many times together, but we've never performed this lineup of sketches, and they've never performed in front of Trekkies before. Matter of fact, most of them don't even watch Star Trek, and this convention was their first ever experience with the show, and the unique following it has. We've never had a technical rehearsal, we don't know if the body mics we've been expecting for over a year (that's how long it took to plan the show) are giong to show up. The guy who is