Civin.org: Stu’s Blog
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I don’t even need to comment. I was just dying from laughing. He even put a headset on over the storm trooper hood!
So another calendar year is coming to an end, unlike what you may think about my choice for a title this isn’t claiming I want 2009 to end. 2009 has been an amazing year in just about every aspect. There have been a lot of changes and even a few surprises.
Life:
Life itself has been a blast. I’ve been in Chicago officially over a year now, had a full summer of driving around with the top down, and a whole lot of fun and relaxation time. I met a few new friends in the horror community that I talk to on a daily basis and meet up with at random horror events in the city. I’ve been trying to juggle work, my social life, my projects, and video games and for the first time in awhile I think my video game time is the only option truly taking a hit. How strange is that? At any rate, while I’ve been talking to one friend the last couple of years we’ve really reconnected as of late and that’s been making the end of my year be quite a bit more unexpected then I thought it could be.
I’ve been spending a lot of time with the family, actually able to make events and be able to hang out with my cousin Molly a lot since she’s in Chicago now. Always love being able to have time with the fam and anyone who sees me hanging with my cousin too long usually can’t help but crack up. Insanity runs rampart when we spend time together.
Projects:
While I know most of my comments on projects of late that they are “in the works” I have made huge strides in having quite a few of them come close to completion. There are a slew of horror themed ones that are near completion and I will admit I have a few non-horror projects up my sleeve as well. Yes for those who just know me through my interaction with horror I do amazingly have other interests .This year will see the launch of a lot of new things for me to work on, and some that will even be running themselves (harder to setup then to actually get going!)
So how about what is already in place? Buy Zombie is nearing the completion of it’s new design which is a huge bonus. Stat wise? My readership has been consistently on the rise and even with no ability to currently comment on the site there hasn’t been a day in over 6 months where my lowest unique hits a day were under 500. Thank you fellow zombie lovers for helping keep the site so active with news submissions, e-mail’s, talking on Twitter, and just by constantly reading the site. I’d also like to thank everyone involved in the creation of new forms of media with zombies as well! I’ve spoken to so many writers, directors, etc this year it’s been a whirlwind of creative energy that’s helped keep everything on track!
I don’t have much else project wise that’s completed. Amazingly this site, my personal blog, usually averages out at 100 hits a day (you couldn’t tell by the lack of most comments) so that on it’s own is pretty neat. Hello readers! Thank you for stopping by!
Work:
Even work has been good. With my promotion to Tier 2 I’ve been working on more complicated and interesting problems at work WHILE being afforded being able to enjoy my free time. Extra bonus from that? My cell phone was paid for. It’s like a mini-extra raise on top of my actual pay. As of late though it’s had an even larger change. I now have a Mon-Fri schedule. Even in college I was never able to know this kind of a schedule! The downside is of course working from 8-4:30. Don’t get me wrong I LOVE getting out at 4:30 but 8 as a start time? It’s a miracle I’m not late on a daily basis.
So how do I really feel about this year?
Yes the year was quite full of awesome sauce.
(Lyrics by Weezer – If You’re Wondering If I Want You To. The entire point of the lyrics on this one are for one person since I know you read the blog. You have to know the chorus and while I’ve already made it clear my take on everything, I don’t want their to be any doubt- I want you to…)
At any rate, little side messages aside back to your regularly unscheduled life update on what’s going on in the world of Stuart Conover. While the image above may hint that I am overworked at the moment nothing could be further from the truth. I’ve had a ton of days off in December and have a very easy beginning of the near year about to happen! The main reason for the above would lean towards how much I have actually been working on projects in my free time as of late, in fact I’ve been playing less Modern Warfare 2 then you would actually believe. Yes, I’ve been busy with both writing content AND working on projects. In fact I was supposed to have this update ready soon but have been so busy with projects that I didn’t even have time to focus on it!
There was a lot of time spent with Leah as of late, a few movies have been seen and I also spent a night hanging out with her best friends- Brad, Ana, and Savage. Good people from what I can tell and glad they live up to the endless hype I’ve heard about them. While I again haven’t been going out with friends ‘that’ much I was able to head out one night while Bob was in town. Good turn out for the occasion and went out drinking with him, his wife, Neil, Rob, Adam, and Mia. Always a good group of people to party with. I was able to head out for dinner with Rose as well as catch a movie with her, in the process of doing so was able to mostly fix the problems our friendship had been suffering through and it looks like things might be ‘ok’ now. Only time will really tell. Finally on the horror end of my social life I was able to head over to the Holiday of Horrors thrown together by Horror Society and had a blast hanging with a few people I knew there. And I got to meet Santa Shu.
I really wish that was zoomed in more so you could get a better shot at the mask he had on. Speaking of Santa, it is December though and December means holiday fun with the family. On my parents side of the family we did our yearly tradition of driving out to Geneva to go for a family lunch and visit a few of the Christmas shops out that way (see: Little Traveler.) We actually went to a new restaurant while we were there that was absolutely had nothing bad on the menu! I wish I could remember the name to recommend it to… who am I kidding. I don’t know anyone that is going to be heading out to Geneva in the near future. Christmas Eve involved working and then driving out to my cousin Arthur’s. The eve was spent with my mother’s side of the family and had nearly a full turn out (surprising to some that I was there! Usually that side of the family has parties when I am otherwise preoccupied unfortunately.) After that I came back into the city, went out, and was able to sleep in before heading over to my Aunt and Uncle’s for Christmas day at my father’s side of the family. I seriously think I have to have gained 10 pounds from those two nights alone.
Movies:
Pirate Radio was a fun romp of a 70′s movie with sex, drugs, and rock and roll. It was a story of the 70′s, a story of having fun, and a coming of age story. The acting was phenomenal and the sound track was perfect in the way that “Across the Universe” had a perfect soundtrack. Of course this one used the real tracks and not re-created ones. I’m not complaining about either, in a movie about the 70′s with anything to do with the musical portion- the music is the heart of the movie. Honestly this movie should have been filmed multiple times through the perspective of each of the main characters. THAT would truly be a blast.
The Brothers Bloom appeared to have a hard time differentiating if it wanted to be a comedy, a romance, a heist story, or a story that just didn’t want you to predict what was going to happen and have a surprise ending. It wasn’t a bad movie, and none of these aspects were portrayed poorly- they just didn’t flow together. With a movie that has so much going on each topic has to blend into the next and I personally didn’t feel that happened. I did enjoy the film though don’t think it’s for everyone and wouldn’t be high on my recommendation to other’s list.
Carriers, which I just reviewed for Horror Society is a post apocalyptic tale of the events that happen to a group of survivors as the outbreak is dying down. After the outbreak has occurred but before it is so far in the future that the entire infrastructure has been destroyed. It follows 2 brothers and their friends on a search for safety. The entire sub-context of the film is guided by moral choices, both those of our survivors as well as the choices of those that they encounter. For any horror fan or PA fan out there you really need to not even ask a question and find a way to see this. Immediately.
The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans. The first thing I need to say about this movie is that it feels like a light version of a David Lynch. It has a very clearly off beat style that you could easily associate with a Lynch film though is just clear enough that you CAN understand what is going on, even though it can feel like a jumbled mess until about 3/4th of the way through the film. Cage is back into a roll where he is completely out of his mind but done in such a great manner I can only hope he is finally done being “that guy” with long hair who is just playing himself. If you are a movie buff willing to take a risk on something completely offbeat pick this up, if you are into popcorn fair I’d advise against it.
Brothers is going to see a slew of nominations at the award ceremonies. From outstanding acting from every lead in the film you can’t but help but be drawn into the world of the two brothers and the woman that is wife to one yet loved by both. If you want to look past the acting it was visually stunning with a script that bleeds talent. You can completely feel for all three of the character’s perspectives and are actually torn on who you should feel sorry for. It is wrapped up in such a way that will leave you knowing that not everything is wrapped up but you are still happily satisfied with how it ends.
Rob Zombie takes the sequel to his last movie and gives us Halloween 2 – aka – Please Stop Remaking Franchises. I LOVE Zombie’s original work but his insistance on furthering a franchise that I don’t think should be re-made in the first place and clearly not by Zombie. The whole point and scare factor of Meyers is that we don’t know about him. Oh yay now he’s an abused child from a white trash family who just wants to go around killing people. Thanks. Unnatural strength and crazy visions of his mother aside this just isn’t working for me. Please tell me your done and going back to making something original. I want you to do well and it’s just not working in the realm of Halloween.
Where The Wild Things Are is a children’s tale brought to the big screen and done in a way that I can imagine only an adult would truly appreciate the dark undertones and suggestions brought forth throughout the film. Honestly I don’t know if a child could follow even half of the subtle commentary or symbolism that is brought up through the movie or that I would want them to. It is another story about growing up and learning the true difference between wrong and right and how it effects others. With how the film plays out I really believe it is one of the better ones that were released this year and sadly won’t receive the credit that it is due as audience targeted was not the audience that would truly appreciate this work of art.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry made me wonder why I choose to watch 2 Adam Sandler movies in one month. In fact it makes me worry about how well my mind is working. While I can’t say it was a ‘horrible’ movie I really can’t see myself watching it a second time. The whole homophobia that is done to death in the movie and the way it is resolved feels like a rehash of every television show or movie that has ever touched on the subject. My favorite part were the few unexpected scenes that contained Dan Aykroyd as he played his roll to a T. What’s this with ex-Ghostbusters cast showing up randomly in other comedies and stealing the scenes they are in? Maybe it’s a sign that the next Ghostbusters movie won’t be a flop? We can only hope.
Sherlock Holmes is clearly the breakout action/adventure film of the year. It is the first movie since the original Indiana Jones (and Star Wars before that) which has pulled off what will clearly be the beginning of a franchise with a self contained story. If this is the only movie ever made with these characters (…wait.. I mean with these actors playing these characters) you will not feel as if you are lacking information- while you will want more you won’t need it. It’s a self contained story that can easily launch a franchise or stand alone as a single. Thank you for making such cast with amazing interaction in an action/adventure that ALSO is just a fun solo watch. Seriously, two thumbs up.
TV:
While I haven’t fully caught up on every show I currently am watching I have made a nice dent in it! Media overload isn’t happening these days with everything else going on but I am fully caught up on House M.D. to the half season point and am loving where the story line is going. Sons of Anarchy Season 2 did NOT disappoint in quality of acting or writing and when I saw the end of the season I was happy to know that there would be a third season as well as believe that it would be the best cliffhanger episode of the year. I was drastically mistaken on this as Dexter Season 4 came to a close. Before I go into that let me say that Lithgow’s performance in the season was greatly appreciated and I HOPE he get’s more dark roles as he was clearly made to be able to play them. Now onto the Dexter Season 4 finale. Holy. Shit. Even though you knew something big was about to happen, and had to suspect it before the scene was shown, it’s still mind blowing. I REALLY want to talk about it but I still know people who haven’t seen it. Sadly.
Books:
Dexter #1 – Darkly Dreaming Dexter AND Dexter #2 – Dearly Devoted Dexter were both recently just finished. I read them so close to back to back I’m not going to bother trying to separate this into two reviews. While I’m used to the show and how the show works these are a great read so far. (Not as well written as I had hoped but no real complaints.) At the very end of the first novel though you can easily tell you are in a completely different ride from those who follow the show as I do. There are three MAJOR story arc changes that occur at the end of the first novel. You would expect most of the changes from the novel to a full season of a TV show and they make sense but with how the novel ends- I think I’m nearly at the end of how character interactions are going to cross over from this point on.
(You really need to click the image to see it full sized.)
For any fan of American Psycho you have to love what they just did here. I am in awe at the creativity of this project, as easy as it was probably for them to do. This is both a tribute and a work of art- I want one of you to steal this so I can have it moved to Chicago and put outside my condo. That is all.
While affiliate marketing always helps to encourage people to sell your product, something about being able to make money, there is another way. If the product you sell is something that people want and doesn’t cost you quite a bit you can offer it to them for free.
So what StandOut Stickers are doing is offering free custom stickers made up for you in turn for advertising their site. While stickers aren’t useful for everyone, quite a few niches being able to sell or offer stickers in a promotional manner is a huge deal. Being able to get a test run done for free and if they work out having them ready to use immediately is priceless.
So if you are looking to have custom made stickers purchased head over to StandOut Stickers today! If you are looking for doing some cross promotion with them check out StandOut Sticker’s Blog!
Custom Stickers, Sticker Printing, Custom Bumper Stickers - StandOut Stickers
In this case StandOut Stickers is giving out 50 FREE Full Color Die Cut Stickers for Everyone! Yes you can get 50 stickers made.. for FREE. Well actually its more of a barter as you need to offer them a blog post, advertising, or just in general a way to help them advertise the site. Really though that is an amazing deal for anyone looking for a little extra promotional material if you ask me.
At any rate they offer a very easy to use website that allows you to easily know what they need to make a sticker for you. On top of that it is amazingly easy to pick the size, number of stickers you want, etc and order them up. The prices are also very easy to go with while comparing them to other sticker creators on the market. Easy to use? Cheap? Who can complain about any of these options?
Well it’s that time of the year again to celebrate with your family. Regardless if it’s to celebrate religiously, spend time with your family, or just open presents- if you read this site you are probably celebrating. So I’d like to thank this time to be thankful for… oh wait that was turkey day.
For me Christmas is a time to spend sleeping in, being spent with family, and ending the day being spent with friends. There is food and presents sprinkled in here and there as well. It is supposed to be fun and relaxing, and really isn’t for the vast majority of people out there.
So just remember, it could be a horrifying day. We could be celebrating an old bearded fat man in a red suit. One who watches us year around, judging each and every one of you on a night that he decides if you were naughty or nice and sneaks into our houses to leave us things made by his army of elves that slave away all year round. A known abuser of reindeer and also someone who isn’t above taking food and drink from any whose house he breaks into. A crazy old man who laughs a lot and will ‘fly through the air’ all night long is clearly someone we want to encourage and show as a role model and hero to the children across the planet.
Yes, sometimes I worry about me too.
Timing is amazing. It really seems that Wednesday nights are when the majority of ‘free swag’ comes in. Either from contests, giveaways, or review copies that’s when I tend to see something in the mail room with my name on it. This week Anchor Bay decided to run a fun little contest on Facebook that was a ‘first 3 to comment’ win. I’ll give you 1 guess who got the first comment in! Ready? And… go.
…no it wasn’t me. I actually have no idea who got the first one, I did however get the second one and walked home with a Righteous Kill shirt, a Surfer Dude shirt, and a pack of playing cards from The Grand. Much love for free swag. Thanks Anchor Bay! (Now send me some movies to review…)
Being a fan of 24 (even with how difficult it is to believe how many horrible situations happen that are resolved in a 24 hour time span) one, you have to love how Jack interrogates prisoners. It’s a staple of the show that he is “over the top” in his questioning and why he is constantly in trouble with his department and our government in general.
So what happens when a man who has been plotting on a delivery to the states for a full year is taken into custody for questioning? Clearly only Jack can get the answers! This is an absolutely great mashup that most 24 fans (and even non-24 fans) should get a kick out of.
So I was sitting around the office yesterday, complaining about someone who wasn’t taking calls in chat to a co-worker. That in itself was not entertaining, to me though his response was priceless.
[14:46] Stu: hrm.. Casey’s been on wrap for 10 min
[14:46] Stu: bet hes busy working
[14:46] Matt F.: working my ass
(This is where AIM shows that “Stu is typing”)
[14:46] Matt F.: that came out wrong
(Still typing. Dammit not fast enough!)
[14:46] Matt F.: shut up
(Pressing enter anyway)
[14:46] Stu: I don’t want to know what Casey is doin… yea fine
[14:47] Matt F.: don’t say it
[14:47] Stu: haha!
Stuart Conover is a web entrepreneur, geek, horror junkie, and gamer. This is my barely updated online journal as most of what I write goes elsewhere. Want to know more?
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