After publishing the last post, I noticed that the Save SG-1 banner was gone. I'm not sure when they disappeared, but it seems that the reason is because the Save SG-1 campaign is done. That makes sense. After all, the series ended a while ago and the movies should be coming out soon. It is kind of sad though that we weren't able to convince Sci-Fi to order more episodes though, as we have in the past. heck, the should would have been canceled three or four times if it hadn't been for the fans. Hope is not lost though. Hopefully if the movies do well, Sci-Fi will reconsider.

This is actually a blessing in disguise for me. I have been wondering how I could put a banner up for Politic Hour or when I start publishing my books. I was concerned because I didn't want to take down the Save SG-1 banner, if for no other reason then because it looked good. Now I don't have to worry about that.

I was going to write a post about how, after all the crap we have had to put up with over the last couple of years, I'm not sure I want to follow pro cycling anymore. At least not road cycling. The Riders doping is one thing, but what has been a problem for me is the the reaction both in the media and in the people in charge.

I talked about this before and stuff like tour winner Alberto Contador being accused of doping less then 24 hours after winning the tour doesn't help any (on a side note, Contador rode for Discovery, making the 8th consecutive winner who was either American or on an American team, Coincidence? I think not)

But then I saw this on The Onion and had to laugh. it was just what I needed.

My desire to follow pro cycling is still shaky, but after reading this and with the Tour of Missouri coming up, it is improving.

Non-Doping Cyclists Finish Tour De France

PARIS—A small but enthusiastic crowd of several dozen was on hand at the Tour de France's finish line on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées Tuesday to applaud the efforts of the 28 cyclists who completed the grueling 20-stage, 2,208.3-mile...

The Creator's Hands

This is something I came up with during the meteor showers a couple of weeks ago.

The Creator's Hands

I lay there on the side of the road, staring up at the stars, and the multitude of the heavens stare back at me. And as I gaze into the stare sky, I can’t help but marvel at the mighty works of the Creator. From the stars in the night sky to the nocturnal creatures surrounding me, serenading me with their assorted songs, and everything in between.

And as I lay there, thinking about how small the stars seem to me, and how to them I am less then a speck of dust. I am even more amazed at the fact that in His eyes I am more valuable then any thing else. As magnificent and beautiful as my surroundings are, me and my brothers and sisters are worth more to him then anything else.

As I lay there, my body relaxing, slowly sinking into the grass, I can’t help but wonder if this is a taste of what it’s like to be held in the Creator’s hands.

Writing Month--August 2007, Week 4

Didn't get too much typed up this week, but I did get a lot written on paper. I will start typing it up in the next couple of days, even if some of it doesn't get posted right away.

With writing month almost over, I may extend it a couple of days. I have saterday off, and while I don't know what I will be doing other then hanging out at the Fiend, I hope to spend at least part of it writing. and as past days off that I planned to spend writing, I will of course be playing video games and watching T.V. instead. But you never know. I might actually get something done.

If nothing else, I should have a fair amount added to the word count by the end.

This would be so cool. First, it is mountain biking in Ireland, and second they visited 30 pubs in 6 days. Even if you don't drink it would still be a great adventure, although I don't think I would take some of the trails they did. Then again I am pretty sure that Hans Rey is certifiably insane

As I sit here watching the season 3 premier for Star Trek: Deep Space 9, I find my self wondering why I love this series so much more then the others.

Oh yeah. That's right.

Because it's DS9. 'Nuff siad :)

Red Sky In Morning

This story is part 1 of Battle At Sea, a 4 part series


Red Sky In Morning

I had no idea why I was there.

I knew that father had sent us on a mission. None of us knew what it was. Well, none of us except the commander, but that was fine with us. We were the Ridir a Deo after all. As far as we were concerned no one, save God himself, had any authority above Angus MaCrae. It’s been that way since the Ridir a Deo were created. We have always followed the commands of our leader, to the exclusion of all other orders.

Yet that doesn’t change the fact that I was standing here, watching the sky turn blood read as the sun rose, not knowing why I was here.

As I watched the sun creep over the horizon Murdo Sàl, the captain of the Patrick came to stand beside me. Looking out cross the water, he said that the red sky was a bad omen, that they should head for a port. I laughed, saying he was being superstitious. The sea was calm, the wind was good, and there was barely a cloud in the sky.

Then I saw it. Upon the horizon was a ship moving towards us rapidly. As they drew near, I drew my sword and loaded my pistol as the captain sounded the cry that all sea goers fear.

Pirates.

Once again, just thought this was funny

Sometime in the last couple of minutes, The Freak Show came back online

Not only was The Freak Show down, all of Blogger was down for almost an hour. The reason? According to Blogger Status, it was an unexpected outage.

I could understand if it were just one server containing a handful of blogs. That happens. But not the whole service.

I could also understand if it were being run by my local multimedia provider. After all, they are the idiots who take several months to fix things such as their PPV servers. Because they can't keep spare parts on hand, order them from Tiger Direct or, I don't know, go to Best Buy and get the parts. But this is Google! There is a reason why the phrase "Google It" has become part of our modern lexicon.

Some sites I have found while trying to figure out what is going on had some people blasting others for complaining about how a free service is down. I don't think it is so much that it is down, but more because this is Google. they should be able to avoid stuff like this. like I said, the occasional server problem is one thing, but to have all the servers go down is unacceptable. Google, get some backups that you can hook up when needed or something. You are one of the biggest companies out there. There is no excuse for something like this to happen.

Writing Month--August 2007, Week 3

I didn't finish any of the stuff I wanted to get done this week, but I did a fair amount> I started a new series, called Nocturok: God OF Vengeance, got a bunch of old stories written out (just need to type them) and came up with a bunch of ideas for stuff I have been working on.

This week, I'm not making any promises as to what I will get done. I can promise to get a new episode of Powersurge up on SPW, and I hope to get the next chapter of Nocturok done, as well as get at least 2 new stories typed up, but that is i t.

Crap. I'm glad I started Dragon when I did so I can't be accused of ripping off off a movie. Might have to change the name of a sequel I had planned though.

Dragon wars

Wait. Maybe they stole the idea from me. Wonder how you go about filing a copyright infringement lawsuit.

Writing Month--August 2007, Week 2

Week 2 went well. I got three stories done, got a lot done on Fantasy #8 and the first episode of a new project, Power Force. I hope to have those done by next week. I also re-re added SPW to the writing projects list.

Not only that, last night I finally figured out how to make a few ideas that have bouncing around in my head work. Can't say anything now, but it should be good.

This week I plan on doing another chapter on How To Take Over The World, and hopefully get at least a third of Dragonstar 07 done. the show is booked, just have to write it. Hopefully I can fit some other stuff ina s well.

I'm kind of sad right now. I just found out that Feasting On Asphalt 2 started last week. I thought it started next week :(

Oh well. Found out that season 1 is available on DVD, so 2 will be as well. And then I can watch A.B. and his crew when ever I want :)

The Boy In The Box

This story is part 4 of The Pine Creek Murders, a 6 part series that started in The Girl In The House


The Boy In The Box

Brooke Mirra stood outside her sister’s house, the police tape still hanging from the doorframe. It and been almost four months since the investigation into her sister and brother in law’s death, with no new clues uncovered. As leads dried up, the investigation died down as well. The death of Levi Basso a week later, as well as Will Tennant and Carole Piper soon after hurt as well, drawing officers away from the investigation. While the case was still listed as ongoing, it was no longer considered active. The police had given up any hope of finding their killer.

She took a breath and opened the door, entering the house for the first time. Except for the items classified as evidence, everything was as it had been found.

Brook climbed the stairs, avoiding the living room. Taylor’s chair was gone, but his blood covered the floor. They had torn up the carpet, but it had soaked into the plywood below, and that was considerably harder to remove.

She entered the master bedroom. The blankets and mattress had been taken as evidence, as had a large part of the carpet. Brooke choked back tears as she looked at a picture of Mary and Taylor on the bedside table.

Her mind filled with memories. Of snowball fights growing up in Thunder Falls. Of summers spent at Grandma’s beach house in Bayside. Of serving as maid of honor at each other’s weddings.

Movement at the foot of the bed brought her back to the present. Sitting there was a wooden chest, supposedly something from the Ullrich House. According to local legend, Bradley Ullrich hid in there as his father went on a murderous rampage. It was in that box that he had been killed.

Of course that was the legend. She had heard a lot of them since Mary’s death, including the one about Old Man Ullrich returning from the dead to kill. But no one with half a brain believed them. It was an old wives tale, told around the campfire and to scare little kids. “If you don’t behave, Old Man Ullrich might come and get you in your sleep.”

She bent down and saw a small boy on the other side of the chest. She figured it must have been some local kid that had wondered in. The doors were locked, and she had the only key, but he might have found some other way inside the house. An open window or something.

She tried to talk to him, to tell him it was ok. That she wasn’t here to hurt him. But he his on the other side, fear in his eyes.

After a few minutes, his eyes grew wide with terror and pointed at something behind her. Brooke started to turn and felt something hit her in the back of the head.

Stars filled her vision, and the last thing she saw before darkness overtook her was a black mass beside her, and the boy trying to hide in the box.

There Are Four Lights

It's fun messing with peoples minds, and one of the advantages to being an evil megalomaniac is I can :)

While at work tonight, I was heading up to the station for some stuff and asked my co-workers if they needed any coffee. One said yes. I knew what she liked, because I am the coffee guy on nights. I know everyone's orders. But she has been gone for the last week, so I decided to have some fun.

She hates flavored coffee. Accually hate is to isn't a good enough word. She despises flavored coffee. She reacts violently to it. So when I got back with her regular coffee, I told her it was flavored. Hazelnut to be exact. (told her I had forgotten what type she liked :)

She had some other coffee from earlier, so while she finished the first cup, I kept saying that it was hazelnut. I only had a half hour, and I told her that it might be regular, might be hazelnut, or maybe I was just having fun with the power of suggestion.

So for about a half hour, I was telling her it was hazelnut. She was smelling it to see if she could tell, and said that she faintly smelt hazelnut, but couldn't tell. She hesitated before taking the first sip, realizing that it was regular.

Too bad I didn't have more time. I might have had her believing it.

My little zoo is growing.

In the sound booth at Church, we have had a Tigger toy floating around for several years now. No one really knows where it came from, but he has been there for a long time, moved to a different spot as new equipment is added and old stuff is removed.

So this year, when I started running sound again after a couple of years off I set him underneath the computer monitor, on top of the VCR. (Sundays were one of only two days that I could sleep pass three when I was in the Bakery. I took advantage of it. as long as I was there to teach Sunday School, it was ok.)

He was by himself for a while, but during play practice Mo and Caleb decided that he was lonely, so they found a Pooh toy in the nursery, as well as a green Rhino (the closes we could come to Eeyore) A brown elephant that lived on Cat's drum set visited for a while during the play. We named him Dumbo.

And now, after this week's VBS, a snake of some sort showed up. I'm going to call him Kaa, after the character in the Jungle Book. In the Disney movie he was a bad guy, but in the original book he was a heroic character and one of Mowgli's mentors.

Politic Hour Episode 3 is done. Actually it's not quite done. We still have a couple of segments to do, but the people we needed for them weren't there tonight, so we couldn't record them.

Like I said last time, it keeps getting funnier each episode. We actually had to redo one segment because everyone was laughing so hard that even though they tried to be quiet the mic still picked it up.

JH and I hope to do at least one more episode before he goes to college, and hopefully we will have 5 episodes by the end of the month, when it comes time to post them :)

I received a MySpace bulletin the other day from a friend. In it was a link to a site that would predict how you would die. Normally I wouldn't post about this kind of thing, but I thought I had to. Here is the results.

At age 46 you will refuse to give a quarter to a beggar. Immediately afterwards you will be hit by a bus.

So at the age of 46 (about 19 years from now) I will die. Little do they know that I plan on living forever, terrorizing the world as I rain down destruction on all who oppose my rule.

oh, and here is the link

I think I made a big mistake.

I got some spaghetti sauce off of the Dollar Rack the other day. It was Roasted Garlic, and it sounded good. I have had good luck with the dollar rack in the past. I wasn't to impressed by the knock off Crunch Berries, but the Cajun Seasoning is the best I have found (too bad they don't carry it any more) I love the Chocolate Chip Cookies, and while the container is too small for a snack, the Cashews are the right size for all my culinary needs.

So when I saw the Spaghetti Sauce, I figured I would try it. I like pasta, but I don't always have the time.software to make my own sauce, so I keep some pre-made on hand for when I need it. And to day was just such a day.

It was barely a sauce. Red water the was mildly tomato flavored would be a better description. It was horrible. It didn't stick to the noodles and there was barely any taste to it.

In the future, I'm just going to make my own, making extra for future use. Mine is good. That stuff was crap.

Writing Month--August 2007, Week 1

Didn't get anything finished last week, but that is ok. I got a lot of stuff started, some of it almost done. Would ahve gotten more done if other stuff hadn't come up (like RAW, Video Games, and shows involving Mike Rowe. Damn you Mike Rowe for distracting me with all the dirty jobs you do.)

Like I said, not a good start on some stuff. In fact, I am almost done with 2 stories, one of which will earn me a double word score since I wrote it out on paper first. :)

I also have been doing some work on a couple of side projects that aren't writing, but are related to writing. I plan on revealing them at the end of the month.

Final Fantasy: The Quest Of The Light Warriors

Originally posted on the Game Journal


It's been a week, so I guess I should explain what I said last week about Final Fantasy. IT is one of my writing projects. in fact I had the first two chapters done a while ago, but stopped working on it because I stopped playing. It isn't something I am doing for money, although if SquareSoft wanted to pay me to do it, I would not complain, it is merely a labor of love for one of my favorite video games of all time.

After playing most of the other games (I think the series was up to 8 at that point, although I hadn't played 2, 3, or 5 yet) I decided to play the first game again, and was disappointed by what was once a great story. Unfortunately, after the great stories in the other games, I found myself a bit disappointed by the story in the first game. So I decided to create a new story, staying true to the original as much s possible, but changing some stuff to make it better.

As I said, some stuff has changed. For example they heroes do not know they are the light warriors at the start of the series. Part of their quest is to acquire the mystic orbs before they can restore light to them and save the world. There are some other charges too, but those will have to wait until I write it.

I am working on something simmilar for the Legend Of Zelda series as well, although that is much less developed and are a long wasy away from being officially announced.

Posting this one for pretty much the same reason I posted the one from a couple of days ago. I just thought it was funny.

Warren Ellis is doing a Web Comic. Based on what I've seen it looks great and I can't wait for it to start.

Here is the link, and it will also be added to the sideboard. FreakAngels

Writing Month--August 2007

That's right, August has been designated by me as as writing month, a time for me to get caught up on some writing, and concentrate on new stories. I didn't do that great last time (back in April) but I hopefully can do better this time.


Update, 8/8 Word Count: 0. Posted a Week 1 Update.

Update, 8/8 (Part 2)Word Count: 1016. Finally finished the next part of the Pine Creak Murders. For the 1 person who is eagerly anticipating the next chapter, I will get it proofed tomorrow night and post it either tomorrow to Friday. And just so no one is worried about how long the story is by looking at the word count, I got a Double Word Score because I wrote it out on paper before typing it :)

Update, 8/13Word Count: 1867. I was outside looking up at the stars, a bit outside of town watching the meteor shower. Didn't see many, but I was inspired to write something quick. I will get it proofed and post it soon.

Update, 8/14Word Count: 2093. I actually finished the first story in a new series a couple of days ago, but I forgot to post an update for it.

Update, 8/15 Word Count: 2093. Posted a Week 2 Update.

Update, 8/20 Word Count: 3189. Posted this week's SPW Powersurge. The updated word count includes that episode as well as last week's, which I forgot to include.

Update, 8/21 Word Count: 3400. Finished the prelude to a story I have been wanting to do for a long time, just didn't know quite how to make it work. It's posted on Tales Of The Epic Universe.

Update, 8/21 (Part 2) Word Count: 3400. Posted a Week 3 Update.

Update, 8/28 Word Count: 4012. Posted this week's SPW Powersurge. Can't wait to start working on Dragonstar. It should be good.

Update, 8/28 (part 2) Word Count: 4012. Posted a Week 4 update.

Update, 8/29 Word Count: 4852. Finished a story I came up with based on a dream I had. Will get it proofed and post it soon.

Update, 8/29 (part 2) Word Count: 5135. Finished the first chapter of my first novella :)

Update, 8/29 (part 3) Word Count: 5436. Finished the next two chapters. none of them are very long so far, ths the low word count. I could count them as a double word score since I am writing them out before typing, but I don't know how much longer I will be doing that, plus I don't remember where I started working on it this month. I know Chapter 4 was this month, but I'm not sure about 3.

I just thought that this was funny