« November 2007 | Main | January 2008 »
December 28, 2007
This picture makes me laugh so hard
You just know that clown is going to eat her soul. "Mmmm, tasty. Let me just nibble a little bit on your elbow." That poor kid is gonna extrude a cruller!
Filed under "Nothing in particular" by damyano at 05:46 AM | Comments (1)
December 26, 2007
Politics
Filed under "Nothing in particular" by damyano at 08:01 PM | Comments (0)
December 24, 2007
Things you really didn't want to know about imaginary people
I played the hell out of Sims 1. I had to have every expansion, not only to just see what kinds of craziness they would add, but also to get the most stable version of the engine available. By the time I had it all installed I had all kinds of little projects in mind - different family configurations, career plans, breeding programs - I planned to work that game in any way my fevered imagination could come up with.
I can't quite manage all that yet with Sims 2, because all I have so far is the starter and the glamour stuff pack. I plan to get one or two of the expansions pretty soon, and chances are I'm going to wipe everything and start over fresh. Getting the stuff pack added a couple of new twists to the game, but for the most part it was just more crap for them to buy - what I really want is more community lot options, more DNA options, and the usual endless array of more crap for them to buy. But here's the meat of the matter: For the most part, the actual game play of Sims 2 is basically identical to Sims 1 - personality attributes you assign at creation, skills you develop as you play, motives you fulfill as your sim's day-to-day experience. I figured there would be some new things, but I find all kinds of little surprises and they make me laugh so hard.
I got a little bored with the big mess of sims I set up in the first neighborhood, so I moved on to the second one - the strange one. They already had aliens living there, so I figured I'd add some more oddballs: a Dr. Strange kind of guy, a family of sort-of werewolves, a nearly werebear and werecat, a trio of clones, a couple of ghosts, and an ogre.
Usually when I make new sims I tend to slight their neatness factor; they always hire a maid, so I don't want them wasting time doing the maid's job. When I made the werebear though, I cleared everything and built his personality from scratch, and sort of accidentally forgot to put anything in his neatness. I've done this before in Sims 1, and all it really seemed to do was make them not want to flush the toilet ever, so I figured it was no big deal. So one day he comes home from work, and since he's an athlete he always comes home stinky so it was shower time. I clicked the shower, told him to scrub up, then started looking around to plan his next move. I happened to look down at his rising hygiene meter, and noticed that that wasn't all that was going on. His bladder meter was also improving; my sim was peeing in the shower.
I just couldn't believe it, it never occurred to me to even think about it. This guy can practically get rid of his toilet! So now that I've discovered this little quirk, I'm curious to see what other strange effects the extremes of personality traits bring into play. So far none of the other traits have done anything really surprising, but I've noticed that sims with a fully sloppy personality are really gross. They smell their own stink and appreciate it, sometimes they shovel food into their face with both hands, and when they eat or shower they always leave a gigantic mess. The ogre I made was a guest at another sim's house, and when I was busy making the host clean up the dishes the ogre went outside, opened up the trash can and grabbed a snack. Now that was entirely unexpected.
I'm going to have to start playing the ghost family for a bit, because I made them both entirely shy and I want to see how that plays out. I've also made a couple of sims totally serious, and I want to see if this makes them tell terrible jokes. So far the only other effect I've noticed is that some sims like to make crank calls, though I haven't figured out yet if it's because they're grouchy or playful or both. I suppose I may have to make a sim with 10 in neat just to see if they throw a fit when the house gets messy.
Filed under "Brain candy" by damyano at 11:48 PM | Comments (0)
December 14, 2007
Not particularly surprising
This week's Runway was supposed to have a bunch of surprises in store. They didn't catch me once. I'll be nice and put this behind the cut, just in case you haven't seen it and would like to try being surprised yourself.
First off - the announcement that one of the designers was going to leave early. So not surprised that it was Jack with a health issue. Also, when they had the surprise models show up, I knew immediately that it was a weight loss situation, and that the clothes the ladies had brought with them were to be the raw materials. I also called the winner and the loser right off. And, when they tried a cute little mid-ep surprise with a commercial break cliffhanger, I knew immediately that it was them bringing Chris back.
Not to say that the episode was boring or anything. It wasn't bad at all. I just wasn't surprised by anything.
Steve was doomed from the get-go. A wedding dress? Are you fucking kidding me? There was no way he was going to be able to do anything with that. I can't believe that lady brought her wedding dress to be chopped up for a 'reality' game show. And then to make things worse, he didn't even try to do anything with it. I mean, he might have been on the chopping block with a hideous white monstrosity on his hands, but he would have gotten points for using the material. Instead he used a bunch of black material he bought with the budget, added a bit of white trim from the original dress, and made this horrible schoolmarm outfit. It was pure hideous.
The winner was a near tie between Kevin and Christian. They were both sharp. But you could just tell that Christian's design was just... more. It's hard to define, exactly. In a way, it's about time that he got a winner up there - he really has it in him. Also, he is annoying as fuck, so he is a shoo in for the final three if he doesn't do something totally assy in the next few eps. And what is up with his fucking hair? Seriously - how can he do that to his head on a daily basis? It's insane. Anyway, now that he's got a win in I imagine he will be completely insufferable. I don't hate him, but so far he's the closest to a hate I've got for this season.
And finally - what the fuck is up with Sweet P? Is that poor girl jinxed or what? I swear, every time Heidi pulls buttons out of that damn bag, Sweet P is last. Every time! So far she hasn't gotten royally screwed out of the deal, but it's only a matter of time if this curse continues. I like her, I'd hate to see her get auf'd because of some evil gravity issue.
Filed under "Brain candy" by damyano at 01:19 AM | Comments (0)
December 10, 2007
Obligatory weather report
It's actually raining. Right now. It's about damn time.
Filed under "Living in Texas" by damyano at 01:32 PM | Comments (0)
Wow, what a quiz
I found this bit of quizzage via StumbleUpon. It's way too huge to bother reproducing here - the questions are kind of involved - but I simply must supply answers for it. So go ahead, hit the link in a new tab/window and read along. Answers beyond the clickle.
1: Well, as much as I think Einstein was full on cool, I think definitive proof of magic would be impressive. Kind of a lame bit of proof, but still cool. I'd call it 60/40 in favor of the magician.
2: I know I should, but I couldn't. I just couldn't do it.
3: $120 just to display a stupid skull? Absolutely. All I get out of the turtle is a potential loss if it up and gets suicidal on me.
4: I would never want to subject a gorilla to the horrors of fame. That critter would be coked up before the first season was over. No way - the gorilla will just have to find something else to be interested in.
5: I don't really believe in the soul mate thing, but for the sake of argument I suppose I would take the pill. Besides, I imagine that several songs would be quite improved with the AiC treatment.
6: Hell no. I rarely remember my dreams as it is, so I can't even begin to guess at the really freaky shit that goes on in my head when I'm not looking.
7: I think the Sasquatch story has more zing. Why did they have to shoot the poor critter?
8: That would so work my nerves in the long run. I like the movie and all, but give me a break. Besides, I'm barely the marrying kind.
9: I think we can safely skip this question. Well, except for taking on the actual content of the book - I'm not all that into crime novels, so it had better be a good one.
10: Sorry, don't have much of an opinion either way.
11: That's a hard one to answer, because being in that situation would be a completely different frame of mind than the one I am in now. So, with my current frame of mind I say: No, I wouldn't. If she is dead, she is already dead by the time I get the notion in my head, and getting out of the theater isn't going to change anything. And if she isn't actually dead, well isn't that a lucky thing for me.
12: If I get any hotter I'll melt through the planet, baby! No, seriously - I don't think I need to waste money on something as transient as good looks.
13: I have to stand up and talk for fifteen whole minutes to a room with a handful of people in it? Does this really merit an entire speech?
14: I know a few cats that would probably be amused, and many that would wonder why they aren't getting their fair share of the lasagna.
15: Fuck the 14 days, I intend to spend the next 6 months enjoying what little sense I have. Why in hell do I need to stick around being half of who I used to be and making other people take care of me?
16: No. It will apparently happen all on its own without any interference on my part.
17: Honestly, I distrust them both equally. I don't care for people I don't already know.
18: Oooh, ten whole minutes on the moon! Hey, can I stand there not breathing and freezing to death the whole time? Do I get to look for the golf ball while I'm up there? Laaame. I am so going to Europe.
19: I tell him I tripped. If s/he doesn't believe it that's tough, they'll get over it. Hey bitch, you lived.
20: Probably neither. I haven't done anything all that interesting. But if I must choose, I'd go for the big budget one. Why relive it in reality?
21: Honestly, I don't know. Considering the situation I imagine that my prospects would be horribly limited and my choices would be pretty much the same anyway.
22: The affair one would be more bothersome, since it can get me into actual potential trouble. Who gives a crap if people think something untrue about me that can be disproved if the need arises?
23: I think I wouldn't feel all that different. Not because of the easy "I wouldn't know any better" argument, but because I have trouble imagining the personality of John Ritter, famous or otherwise. Although I suppose he would have been an amusing father figure.
Filed under "Questionable behavior" by damyano at 03:21 AM | Comments (0)
December 06, 2007
Prime Number Shitting Bear
Just look at it. You know you want to. The mind boggles.Filed under "Brain candy" by damyano at 01:24 AM | Comments (1)
How can you fuck that up?
It's time for this week's Runway dish. It's always the team challenges that bring out everyone's inner bitch, and this time was no exception. Victorya was all kinds of massive bitchy - and wtf was Ricky thinking not letting her be the leader? That alone would have saved them so much grief, and just maybe they wouldn't have been on the chopping block.
This was another tough challenge. Not only did they have to bring back fashion trends that had run their course, they had to mix them. (I want a little aside here - I don't care what anyone says, zoot suits are still cool. Maybe I'm nuts.) So you just knew that there were going to be disasters on the runway. And surprisingly, there weren't. I mean, not disasters - there were a couple pieces that were sucky, but there wasn't anything up there that made you want to laugh out loud.
The winners deserved to win. We're not going to dwell on that. They kicked off poor Chris, which sucks but I can see why they did that. So - if we're not going to get all catty on the winners and losers, why am I bothering to blog this?
The title says it all. Team Ricky, which included Victorya and our own crazy Elisa, got the easiest fucking combination ever. How in the hell can you fuck up Neon + Cutouts + Underwear as Outerwear? How fucking hard can that be? They should have been able to accomplish that in half the time, half the budget, and they could have tied Ricky and Vicky up in a bag to fight it out and let Elisa do it. Oh but no - they had to let drama and bullshit get in the way of the easiest possible combination in the shit soup that they got thrown for a challenge. I mean yeah, they had Elisa on their team, which could have been a very entertaining disaster, but instead they decided to fuck up in a completely different direction. I think those two should have gotten a kick in the ass at the very least.
Oh, and I don't mean to diss Elisa so much. I am so behind her, and I'm glad that her piece of the three got some notice. Although I wasn't totally crazy about the fit, everything else about it was entirely cute. It's just that, well, she's nutty. I don't want her to just up and accidentally lose - if she has to go off the show I want it to be in fantastic flames. And if she happens to beat the odds and make it to the final three, well good on her. I'm just not gonna hold my breath, is all.
Filed under "Brain candy" by damyano at 12:25 AM | Comments (0)
December 02, 2007
I know, it's late
The last ep of Runway was weird, I didn't exactly know how to comment on it. Now I've got a big mess of beer and whiskey in me, so if this comes out incoherent (or belligerent) you'll have to blame the booze.
Aight, first off - when they said that they'd been wanting to do this challenge for a long time they had me ever so hooked. Then, when Heidi came out and said they wouldn't need their models I knew exactly what was going on, and believe me sweets - it's about fucking time. Menswear, baby. Now I know they have done menswear a couple times before, but that was only a side effect of the actual challenge - designing for oneself or for the other contestants (or having Austin model for the postal challenge - wasn't that just so cute?).
But you know, as soon as I realized what was up I knew that this was gonna be tough. The fashion deal is pretty much a women's game, and apparently menswear is difficult to do. I don't know why exactly, it's one of those mysteries that just simply is. One or two of the designers seemed to be able to take it in stride, but pretty much the menswear situation was a serious issue.
Now, I gotta get this off my chest. Hey, Rami - get the fuck over yourself you big bitch. Tim said that the guys could use their own clothes as a pattern basis, and the guy (sorry I forgot your name) who did so - and was nice enough to share with the others, does not need you being a big asshole about it. Tim is the hall monitor, and his word is law. So seeing Rami put on his muslin pants form and get all snippy about how he did it without a pattern, and to make snippy comments about those who did - stick it up your ass you big cunt.
Okay, that's out of my system. With a couple of exceptions, this last episode's offerings were a train wreck. It was just so awful. Badly sewn shirts, crotches where crotches don't need to be, completely missing shirts, icky color choices - so sad. It was a big doom fest. I couldn't even begin to guess who would make it and who would die. All I could do was just sit back and cringe (okay, giggle).
So that's it, really. It looks like the next one is going to be dramarama - you know I'm gonna love it.
Filed under "Brain candy" by damyano at 01:11 AM | Comments (0)