Month: September 2010

Crewel Lye

On By Michel McDonaldIn Books, XanthLeave a comment

I finished reading the 8th Xanth Novel today called “Crewel Lye: A Caustic Yarn”.

This was sort of different from the rest of the Xanth novels that I read. This time the story was all about Jordan the ghost. He was telling 5-year-old Ivy the story of his life and how he died.

In order for him to tell his story they had to clean the magic tapestry with a homemade cleaner (which was a crewel lye) but he died because of a crewel lie. See the pun? I forgot where it was but there was a reference to spinning a yarn (telling a story) but it was caustic? LOL I don’t remember now. The puns are getting a bit confusing.

I really hate giving too much of the story away just in case anyone hasn’t read it so I’m just gonna say that I liked it. Of course I like all of the Xanth novels so it’s hard for me to say anything else.

I don’t know what it is about these books but they are so easy and fun to read. During the time that I’m reading them, I feel like I’m in the story. Have you ever seen The Neverending Story? That’s the way it is except I’m not actually in the story lol. But I feel like I’m there watching instead of reading from my bedroom.

So that’s 8 Xanth novels down and 25 to go until they release the last 2 books then it will be 27 to go. My next book will be New Moon, the 2nd Twilight book. I bought it from the grocery store on December 3rd (impulse buy) and I still have yet to read it so it’s next on my list to read tomorrow.

Planet Michael

On By Michel McDonaldIn Games, SingersLeave a comment

I just heard about this new MMO game on Attack of the Show based on the music of Michael Jackson.

Unfortunately it probably won’t be available until the end of next year but it will be an ongoing game and social network where players can build virtual Jackson worlds.

I signed up to receive updates on all the progress of the game by typing in my birthdate and giving my name and email address.

It’s said that this will be a free game and from the video they showed on Attack of the Show it looks very cool.  It’s completely 3D and looks very similar to the other MMO games like World of Warcraft and EverQuest, except it’s Michael Jackson music video worlds and not a kingdom or village.

I’m almost positive that my computer won’t be able to handle it considering it can’t handle games like WoW, EQ, LoTRO and DDO but hopefully it won’t be as memory intensive.  I’m sure it will be though.  And just like those other games, people are going to take it too seriously and get into fights over loot lol.  Maybe.

As far as being a social network, I think I’m good with Facebook and Twitter considering I don’t need to install anything (well, except for TweetDeck).  I can’t imagine being stuck in a game just for conversation and not being able to check my email or blog because I’m too focused on “Planet Michael” but I still wouldn’t mind seeing how it looks.

The Event on NBC

On By Michel McDonaldIn TVLeave a comment

The new series “The Event” was on tonight. I knew it had Zeljko Ivanek from Heroes and True Blood but I had no idea that Scott Patterson (Luke) from Gilmore Girls and Wes Ramsey (future Wyatt) from Charmed would be in it.

This show sort of confused me because they kept going into the past for different people to show why something lead to whatever was happening in the present.  I sure hope the entire series isn’t going to be that way but I have a feeling it is.  I’m sure I can cope lol.

I didn’t want to add any more shows but it’s on right after Chuck which I was going to watch anyway so I figured since Heroes is gone I might as well replace it with The Event considering one of the Heroes characters is in it (Zeljko Ivanek).

I’m not real into shows that have mundane people in it unless they have some odd or magical ability but I don’t know that this show doesn’t.  Considering what happened at the end, I’d venture to say that this has something supernatural in it.  Although I don’t know what just yet, I’m sure it will be revealed soon.

I can’t say this show will hold my attention for an entire season but I can’t say that it won’t either.  If the back and forth into time starts to get too confusing I might abandon it because I’m confused enough as it is lol.

Gossip Queens on Logo

On By Michel McDonaldIn Gay, TVLeave a comment

Tonight was the series premiere of The Gossip Queens on Logo. I heard about this from Loni Love on Chelsea Lately and luckily we have the Logo channel so I was able to watch it.

They have 4 panelists which is semi similar to Chelsea Lately. They aren’t sitting at a table with bar stools but rather in chairs. The first segment it’s just the 4 panelists talking about whatever they’re gonna talk about then the 2nd, 3rd and 4th segment they have a different guest to gossip about the stars who sits in the middle of the 4 panelists.

The difference between the Gossip Queens and Chelsea Lately is that the Gossip Queens go through the topics very quickly, they don’t hover on one or a few topics for an entire segment as they sometimes do on Chelsea Lately. No disrespect to her show but the queens are quicker about it.

Since tonight was the very first episode, I’m not quite sure if the panelists will be different every night, although I’m sure they will be with the exception of Loni herself but I guess we’ll see now won’t we?

The show is on week nights at 7pm on Logo. I was afraid that I’d miss it most week nights because I have shows on the SyFy channel at 7pm a couple of nights per week but fortunately it repeats at 1pm the next day. It also repeats at 3am but I don’t think I want to stay up until 3am to watch a half hour show lol.

If you missed the first episode or you don’t have the Logo channel, don’t worry because you can also watch full episodes on the website The Gossip Queens on Logo.

Pit Boss

On By Michel McDonaldIn Animals, TVLeave a comment

I know they’ve been on for a while but I haven’t seen Pit Boss until today. Actually last night but it was after midnight so I count it as today. This morning when I woke up I turned the TV on which I don’t normally do until about 4-6pm but I turned it on and Pit Boss was on Animal Planet.

I watched a couple of episodes and I think that what they are doing is good work.

One of the episodes I watched tonight (after The Gates was over) was Ashley’s stand-up routine which didn’t look so good (thanks to editing) but once Shorty gave her some encouragement she got right back on track.

I have always said that it’s not the breeding that makes them bad dogs, it’s the beating that makes them bad dogs. Pit bulls have a horrible reputation for being vicious and violent dogs but those few bad ones don’t represent all pit bulls. They are actually very good dogs if they have been raised in a positive environment with love and attention.

The ones that are seen on tv as being vicious are only that way because it was beat into them. They had to learn to be that way to survive. It’s a survival tactic and if you had to live in the environments that these dogs had to live in you would be pretty wild too, I can guarantee you that much.

My aunt and uncle have had Rottweilers who are also known for being vicious guard attack dogs but her dog, one named Miranda (may she rest in peace) was basically a huge lap dog. When I first met her she didn’t know me from Adam (or Steve even) and she started licking my face upon seeing it. She was excited to meet me and every time I went to visit them she was jumping for joy to see my face. She even slept with me in the pull out sofa bed or air mattress that I slept on during my visit. I would wake up in the morning and there she was, sound asleep right next to me, snoring away.

See, it’s because my aunt and uncle raised them with love and attention and if you have ever met a pit bull with that same love in their hearts you will see that they have been raised by good people who know what they’re doing.

Sorry, I went from saying how much I like the show to a preaching rant about dog breeds lol. Anyway, I love the show and I’m extra thrilled to hear that Ashley is one of us. She’s a big lesbian and I love her for that. Her and her vests hehe. You go gurl, keep on keepin’ on you. And Sebastian… what a hunk lol. I will definitely watch this show from now on.

The Gates 2 Hour Season Finale

On By Michel McDonaldIn TVLeave a comment

Tonight was the 2 hour season finale of The Gates on ABC.

Wow, all I can say is what a shocker. They gave us a huge plot twist right at the very end with a gigantic cliff hanger until next June when hopefully it returns.

You know it’s too bad it was a summer only show because I can certainly see this being a fall to end of spring show with 24 episodes. It was that good of a show.

Let’s see, what all did The Gates have? Vampires, werewolves, sucubus, witch, and whatever that woman at the police station was without a heart. I thought she was a vampire all this time when she admitted to being “special”. I had no idea that her heart was in that box. And now what is the son? Is he a zombie now? Why does he all of a sudden have power and glowing eyes?

You know when Devan said she had to kill him to bring him back, I had a strange feeling that he would not come back right. I kept thinking that he’s gotta come back as a zombie or something. You can’t just bring a dead person back to life and not have a consequence. If I learned anything from Charmed is that every spell comes with a price.

And they were going to move, HA! Now they can’t because they have to keep their “special” son in the Gates to protect him and everyone else in the world. Now they’re stuck forever in the Gates.

You know I’ve been watching this show all summer and I still have trouble with their names. I know these names. Devan the witch, Dylan and Claire the vampires. That’s it lol. I had to go to IMDB to verify that those are those people’s names and it is.

If this were a fall to end of spring show instead of a summer only show I would have all the names memorized by the end of the season instead of only knowing 3 names lol.

Anyway, it was a very good show and I can’t wait for its return, if it does return. I hope it returns, they can’t leave me with this huge cliffhanger and not return next year.

Information OVERLOAD

On By Michel McDonaldIn Books, eBook, NookLeave a comment

I have been reading a lot of books lately, I’ve made it a point to read every day.  When I finish 1 book then I start another the next day. It can take me 4-5 days to read a book depending on the difficulty and/or length of the book.

The last 2 months I’ve been reading an average of 4 books per month and this month since I bought my Nook I’ve already read 3 books. Although 1 of those isn’t available in e-book format so I had to read it from the actual book but still. We’re somewhere in the middle of the month and I’ve already read 3 and I can see myself reading 2-3 more.

I wonder if I read so many books if they might blend together in my brain and then I won’t remember what I read from which book.  I might think that what happened in the David Eddings novel might have really happened in the Piers Anthony novel and vice versa.

Just as long as I don’t think what happened in the Marguerite Labbe novel happened in the Xanth novel, then I’ll be fine because that would really confuse me lol.

Tomorrow I start reading “Crewel Lye: A Caustic Yarn” by Piers Anthony. By the way, if you have not read any Xanth novels by now based on my past recommendations, you should.  They are so good.  There are 35 in the series although only 33 available for sale and only 17 available in e-book format.

And if you haven’t read any of the Rainbow eBooks yet you should start with “My Heart is Within You” by Marguerite Labbe.  Next month I will be on the final book of the Triquetra Trilogy which is sad because I kinda wanted that series to be longer but that’s ok, she has written other books.

Maybe since I’ve become such a Nook worm (get it? cause I have a Nook… no?) I should dress up as a worm with glasses for Halloween, although instead of reading a book, I’d be reading a Nook lol.

The Philosophy of Ambiguity

On By Michel McDonaldIn Humor, JokeLeave a comment

Someone emailed this to me and I thought it was too funny not to post.  Oh and, sorry about the all caps but that’s how it came to me and I refused to type it all out in non-caps because my back is killing me and frankly I have better things to do with my time.  If it’s difficult to read, then don’t read it.

The Philosophy of Ambiguity

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THE PHILOSOPHY OF AMBIGUITY, AS WELL AS THE IDIOSYNCRASIES OF ENGLISH:

Please enjoy and understand the following

1. DON’T SWEAT THE PETTY THINGS AND DON’T PET THE SWEATY THINGS.

2. ONE TEQUILA, TWO TEQUILA, THREE TEQUILA, FLOOR.

3. ATHEISM IS A NON-PROPHET ORGANIZATION.

4. IF MAN EVOLVED FROM MONKEYS AND APES, WHY DO WE STILL HAVE MONKEYS AND APES?

5. THE MAIN REASON THAT SANTA IS SO JOLLY IS BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHERE ALL THE BAD GIRLS LIVE.

6. I WENT TO A BOOKSTORE AND ASKED THE SALESWOMAN, “WHERE’S THE SELF- HELP SECTION?” SHE SAID IF SHE TOLD ME, IT WOULD DEFEAT THE PURPOSE.

7. WHAT IF THERE WERE NO HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS?

8. IF A DEAF CHILD SIGNS SWEAR WORDS, DOES HIS MOTHER WASH HIS HANDS WITH SOAP?

9. IF SOMEONE WITH MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES THREATENS TO KILL HIMSELF, IS IT CONSIDERED A HOSTAGE SITUATION?

10. IS THERE ANOTHER WORD FOR SYNONYM?

11. WHERE DO FOREST RANGERS GO TO “GET AWAY FROM IT ALL?”

12. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU SEE AN ENDANGERED ANIMAL EATING AN ENDANGERED PLANT?

13. IF A PARSLEY FARMER IS SUED, CAN THEY GARNISH HIS WAGES?

14. WOULD A FLY WITHOUT WINGS BE CALLED A WALK?

15. WHY DO THEY LOCK GAS STATION BATHROOMS? ARE THEY AFRAID SOMEONE WILL CLEAN THEM?

16. IF A TURTLE DOESN’T HAVE A SHELL, IS HE HOMELESS OR NAKED?

17. CAN VEGETARIANS EAT ANIMAL CRACKERS?

18. IF THE POLICE ARREST A MIME, DO THEY TELL HIM HE HAS THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT?

19. WHY DO THEY PUT BRAILLE ON THE DRIVE-THROUGH BANK MACHINES?

20. HOW DO THEY GET DEER TO CROSS THE ROAD ONLY AT THOSE YELLOW ROAD SIGNS?

21. WHAT WAS THE BEST THING BEFORE SLICED BREAD?

22. ONE NICE THING ABOUT EGOTISTS: THEY DON’T TALK ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE.

23. DOES THE LITTLE MERMAID WEAR AN ALGEBRA?

24. DO INFANTS ENJOY INFANCY AS MUCH AS ADULTS ENJOY ADULTERY?

25. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE A CIVIL WAR?

26. IF ONE SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMER DROWNS, DO THE REST DROWN TOO?

27. IF YOU ATE BOTH PASTA AND ANTI PASTO, WOULD YOU STILL BE HUNGRY?

28. IF YOU TRY TO FAIL, AND SUCCEED, WHICH HAVE YOU DONE?

29. WHOSE CRUEL IDEA WAS IT FOR THE WORD ‘LISP’ TO HAVE ‘S’ IN IT?

30. WHY ARE HEMORRHOIDS CALLED “HEMORRHOIDS” INSTEAD OF “ASSTEROIDS”?

31. WHY IS IT CALLED TOURIST SEASON IF WE CAN’T SHOOT AT THEM?

32. WHY IS THERE AN EXPIRATION DATE ON SOUR CREAM?

33. IF YOU SPIN AN ORIENTAL PERSON IN A CIRCLE THREE TIMES, DO THEY BECOME DISORIENTED?

34. CAN AN ATHEIST GET INSURANCE AGAINST ACTS OF GOD?

AP News: Montana GOP Policy: Make Homosexuality Illegal

On By Michel McDonaldIn Amplify, Gay, Gay Rights, PoliticalLeave a comment

URL: http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_16026/contentdetail.htm?conte…

I am beyond shocked at this AP News article. It’s 2010 and the Montana Republicans want to make homosexuality illegal. Really? Seriously? This is beyond disturbing to me that people are still so ignorant and hateful that they want to make being born a certain way against the law.

Is it illegal to be born with darker skin? Is it illegal to be born with red hair? No! So why make it illegal to be gay? That’s just so beyond stupid and I think that these republicans should be thrown out of office on principle.

Read the article below.

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/aqno

Scary Kisses

On By Michel McDonaldIn Halloween, Products I LikeLeave a comment

Anybody who knows me knows that Halloween is my favorite time of year despite the fact that I sit in my room with all the lights off because I can’t afford to buy candy for the little brats that don’t even bother to dress in costume.

It’s my favorite time of the year because I just love carving pumpkins, I love the funny spooky Disney channel movies, special Halloween episodes of my tv shows and well, and frankly, I love candy.

Unfortunately this year the Halloween candy is off-limits because I am diabetic now. I can’t say that the candy contributed to it because I only eat candy 3 times per year, Easter, Halloween and Christmas. During those holidays I don’t eat enough candy to have caused the diabetes, it’s everything else that I eat that did it.

This year I will not be able to indulge which is sad because of this…

Candy Corn Kisses, Pumpkin Spice Kisses and Caramel Kisses. I do love me some caramel but this I can have every day, how often can I have a candy corn kiss or a pumpkin spice kiss? Now only on Halloween.

Sorry sugar-filled blood in my system but some of your friends are gonna come for a visit tomorrow lol. Don’t worry, I wont be inviting too many of them over, just a few. I can still eat sugar in moderation which means when I buy these candy I gotta buy a safe then forget the number.  Or maybe give the rest away.  I have no self control lol.  I wish they didn’t have to sell them in such big bags, why can’t they sell these in little bags at the check out counter with the other candy where I can get a small bag with 3 or 4 pieces in the package?  It’s totally unfair.