New Sarah Connor T2 T-1000 Figure

Wow. This is an amazing Terminator collectible. It's probably the best Sarah Connor figure ever produced. It's by the company Hot Toys & distributed by Sideshow collectibles. It's priced at $149.99 & it's available now.

The figure is the T-1000 disguised as Sarah as seen in the film Terminator 2. It stands 12" high and comes with the following:

Detachable magnetic bullet holes you can attach at the waist and on her back.

28 points of articulation.

Two pairs of interchangeable palms (one pair of relaxed palms; one pair for holding guns).

Two extra right palms (one for holding knife and one for cigarette).

Enhanced tactical load bearing vest with four magazine pouches.

Combat Boots & another pair of metalic boots melted and attached to figure stand.

Bonus accessory: additional metal-like T-1000 bullet damaged head.

Shotgun with folding stock

Pistol

Combat knife with leather-like sheath

Newly developed and specially designed square-shaped figure stand with four extra triangles, which can be attached to the four sides of square to build a larger stand OR the four triangles can be put together to form another square-shaped stand OR the four triangles can be put together to form another square-shaped stand

Pretty freaking sweet.



From Sideshow's page: "Created as a Summer 2010 Asian toy shows exclusive, Hot Toys has graciously allowed Sideshow Collectibles to import a low quantity of the T-1000 in Sarah Connor Disguise Collectible Figure, available in a very limited release!"

Absurd & Obscene & some Funny.

So, we're going to try something. Every time something absurd happens today, I am going to post it on the blog. In this blog entry. It should prove interesting. If I'm lucky, just trying this will keep all the absurdities away. I will have nothing to type & feel silly. If I'm lucky. Okay, let's start...

Absurd thing #1: I had to get gas this morning on the way to work. As I am unlocking the gas cap on the Honda Rebel I ride, a sweaty tattooed rough looking skinny guy asks me how fast I have to pedal to get my motorcycle up to 60 mph. Sigh. It might just be a small 250, but I assure him it'll reach 80 mph. He comments that it's a very small motorcycle. Seriously, though, I don't need a huge motorcycle. I don't need to compensate for anything. I'm not lacking. This was my first human interaction of the day.

Absurd thing #2: Labeling. Why waste your time if it's for other people? No, really. You can go out of your way to make bright shiny stand-out labels with people's names on them & they won't bother to look or read them. Instead, like just happened, they will walk in, walk over to where things usually are kept & start digging through other people's stuff. Everything is clearly marked with clip-on bright pink badges sporting the name of each person that a particular pile of copies belong to. The badges are even facing out so they are easy to read & spot, but no, that won't help. Inevitably, they will rummage through things in a half crazed fashion looking confused & befuzzled. Seriously people, stop. Think. Stand back & LOOK at what is in front of you. If there are words, read them. Don't just read them mindlessly. Read & comprehend them. It will make everyone's life incredibly easier, better, & more positive.

Obscene thing #1: All these wasteful desk accessories. The person before me loved expensive disposable gadgets. For example, I have a tape dispenser that dispenses one piece of tape at a time. You have to buy these special little scotch tape refills & put them in. No more regular ol' tape dispenser. Really? You can't be bothered to tear off a piece of tape? I can't stand the thing. There are so many times I need more than 2" of tape at a time. The refills are costlier than just a regular tape dispenser refill. It just seems silly. I also have an electric stapler. Yep, wave the paper underneath and "BAM!" stapled. Again, you couldn't be bothered to press down a stapler? It runs on electricity. A regular stapler runs on, oh wait, it doesn't run on anything. It doesn't sit there sucking electricity from the outlet 24/7 like my shiny electric stapler. "facepalm"


Funny thing #1: Went home for lunch. Ate leftover fried mushrooms & a bell pepper from the garden & 1 mozzarella stick with a nice glass of Blood Orange Pomegranate tea. I was talking to the baby dog as she sat on the couch. She lifted her paw & put it on my mouth. LOL. Ok, ok, I'll shut up & go brush my teeth.

Absurd thing #3:

I find it absurd that people from other departments sitting at computers doing the same job as me, or a higher paying job, ask me to look up phone numbers for them. Why? Well, you see, if they are at a computer, and I am at a computer, then they can just go to the University homepage, like I'm going to have to do for them, and look up the person they are searching for in Peoplesoft. Instead of doing it for themselves though, they want me to. So, I have to put them on hold, go to Peoplesoft, type in the name, sometimes take them off hold to verify the spelling & dept. the person they are searching for is in, & get the number. All the while tying up me up from my work to do their work. I don't know why they do this. It seems very strange to me.

Rave #1: The guys from surplus that delivered the 11 desks & other assorted furniture in 105 degree heat were thorough & efficient. Kudos to them!


Irritating thing #1: The Snickers bar I just bought out of the vending machine was melty & smashed.

Well, all in all not too bad. 20 minutes of work to go. I'm making buttloads of copies right now. Sooooo Fun! (Sarcasm)

Cinderella LIVE!

What? What!? WHAT!?!

So, I finally got to see Scorpions live. I was super excited. All my life I have waited to let the sounds of "Winds of Change" roll over me at an outside venue as they played it for the crowd. I sat eagerly waiting for it, song after song. I rocked out to "Big City Nights" & "Rock You Like A Hurricane" and then the band said good night. I wasn't worried. There would be an encore. All these rock bands do encores. Especially if this is the last show ever in Oklahoma. They are retiring after this tour. Then the lights came on. The stage hands & roadies descended upon the stage.

What?

No way. What just happened?! What!? No, no, no. This was impossible! How on earth could this be happening? "Winds of Change" was #2 on the US Mainstream Rock Chart in 1990.

I was stunned. Shocked. They had failed to play the one song I had so longed to hear. A song cemented in my memory. A song that, still to this day, makes me tear up. In fact, they didn't play anything from the "Crazy World" album. No "Tease Me, Please Me" or "Send Me an Angel" or "Don't Believe Her". All top 15 US hits. From other albums they failed to play "Rhythm of Love" & "Woman".

Seriously...what just happened?

So away I sulked. Thank the gods Cinderella was freakin' awesome! LA Guns was right on as well. So there ya go. I've seen Scorpions live. Honestly...I wouldn't go see them again even if they weren't retiring. I'd see Cinderella tomorrow.

Despite my let down, "Winds of Change" remains permanently fixed with my memory of the Berlin Wall crumbling. I guess I'll just have to accept that the video is the only way I'll ever get to see them play it & just light my lighter up when it comes on. Maybe get a fan & place it in front of my laptop outside as I hit the play button on youtube.

Rock N America

Ho boy, Am I getting excited!? Yes! I am about to attend a three day concert of nothing but old school metal. I finally get to see all these bands I missed. Twisted Sister, Scorpions, Lita Ford, Bullet Boys, Pretty Boy Floyd, LA Guns, Steelheart, Lizzy Borden, Warrant (minus Janie Lane), Faster Pussycat, Trixter...and the list goes on.

It's an outside venue. Now Oklahoma in late July is like a skillet. It's gonna be hot. Still, I'm glad it's outside. You better believe I'm pulling out the lighter when Scorpions start wailing "Winds of Change". I'll probably cry. That song is forever tied to my memories of the Berlin wall crumbling down & all of those people finally uniting with lost loved ones. It's about possibilities & peace. Cheesy...maybe, but it's how I feel.

I've always had this dream of one big giant metal concert. This is close to that dream. My list would be much bigger & include bands like Doro Pesch & Iron Maiden, but this ain't bad. Ratt, Dokken, Slaughter, & Cinderella are going to be there too. I've seen all these bands, but I don't mind seeing them again. Especially Cinderella. In my opinion, one of the most under-rated bands ever.

So, here I am all excited, and now....I just have to wait.

Rock on Metalheads! See ya there!

The Coffee House

I'm in a local coffee shop. It has a really cool old wooden door with small panes of glass & a big heavy brass door handle. There's a sign on the outside of the door that politely asks that you park across the street if you are going to stay a while. That's where I parked my black motorcycle. It's a really large spot with art painted on the walls that border the back of it. It's also easier to get out of then trying to back up with oncoming traffic coming at you.

There are two middle-aged women sitting next to the object of my attention, but a space left just for me. They have all taken up residence on a chocolate colored cloth couch in the very back of the coffee house. I plop my backpack down next to hers, say hello, and take the empty space up on the couch. The two middle-aged women are chatting like parrots as she rises & asks what she can get me. I smile & request my usual as I notice the women are dressed much younger than they are in t-shirts & Capri pants. They both sport extremely short haircuts, with the blond woman's being a little more daring with a bit of hair gel used to spike it up a bit. It's obvious she likes attention. She shifts in her seat constantly & uses her hands to talk. The other woman, who has dyed black hair, is more timid. She seems a little uncomfortable, almost embarrassed by her friend's bravado. I hear tidbits about yoga instructors, work, etc.

For some reason the blonde woman feels compelled to loudly announce that she parked out front rather than parking in the lot across the street as the little sign on the door suggested. The other woman looks embarrassed & admits she did as well. They discuss whether they should move their vehicles. Of course, they have no intention of even attempting to move their vehicles. This stage play is all for my benefit. Well, me & my companion. These types of plays are the worst. If I wanted to see a melodramatic play put on by bad actors I'd go catch a middle school play. Although I think middle school kids are quite a bit better. On & on they go. I've never really grasped what this does for people. I guess it's a way to admit you've done something in order to escape being called out & shamed by it.

Suddenly, the dark-haired women gets up & announces she needs to visit the restroom. I think the blonde woman's loud admission has slightly embarrassed the other woman & she seeks the restroom as a refuge to gather herself. As she walks to the door marked Womens, the other one flamboyantly waves her arms around & shouts that she's going to check on the cars. Check on the cars? Really? They need checked on? So outside she goes. What a show. The silence lasts only about 30 seconds. Once the two are reunited, the show starts again. Funny, I came to get coffee, not for a show.

"No tickets or slashed tires!" shouts the blonde woman much louder than she needs to for her friend to hear her as she walks by me. Sigh...really? Slashed tires? Oh the drama! The darker haired woman smiles & tries to ignore her over-dramatization. They fall back into their gossipy conversation about other people. I over hear comments about a friend's snide remarks & concrete thinking & how she gives & gives but her friend never listens when she tries to talk about her problems & her life. Somehow, I doubt it.

You know, I don't like to talk about people. I didn't come in here with the intention of talking about people. I like to talk about other things. Things like the universe or what amazingly weird insect I discovered today, or why Crepe Myrtles are named Crepe Myrtles. I enjoy topics on volcanoes, or weather patterns, or Star Wars & it's influence on culture & society. Talking about people is so overrated & boring. It always seems to be negative as well. People that talk about other people never go around spouting about how wonderful other people are. You never over hear things like, "She's amazing! She always listens to me & is there when I need her. I can't imagine what I'd do without her.", or things like, "My husband spoils me. I am so lucky to have someone who understands me so deeply." Isn't that odd?

I find it even harder to block them out when I hear the word "Artist" froth from their rabid mouths. I'm an artist. People usually have very interesting things to say about artists. Damn, they've pulled me in. I continue writing in my little sketchbook, changing nothing, as if I don't hear them. Of course if they are transparent to me, I'm sure I am just as transparent in my act. They critique his art by viewing paintings the blonde has stored on her phone. First up for consideration is a painting of a woman. At least they think it's a woman. The blonde boasts that he is the top artist in the state & received thousands in scholarships. Oh, and he's dating someone she's related to. The second painting is called, "What Time is It?". The dark haired woman looks confused. The blonde woman tries to explain why he is so good, but it's clear that neither of them really get art. I would like to look this kid's work up. Being an artist myself, I'd be interested to see the "top" artist in the state. The blonde explains that he painted it to capture the moment he fell in love with Mariah. Oh, Mariah must be the blonde woman's daughter. He posted it on FaceBook and only he & her know what the title alludes to. Um...not anymore buddy.

Why am I listening to this? I try to get back to my thinking & writing. Then I hear tidbits of the conversation & conclude that now they have switched to a conversation about love & relationships. Something about why wait & marriage. I smile & laugh a little inside. Marriage has absolutely nothing to do with love. If it's love, true love, there is no rush. It won't magically disappear if you don't grasp it in your hands & hold onto it. You won't lose it. It'll wait forever if it is really love. With those thoughts I look over at the person sitting to my left. Someone I can sit with in silence. Someone that no words need be spoken to. We can simply sit & write & create & be so deeply connected. We sip our yummy coffee drinks & write, creating new worlds & new images never before seen. No gossip. No negativity. Just two people who love each other left in a coffee house on a chocolate couch as the 40 something drama queens exit & leave us in silence.

The end.

My blog.

I think my blog is bipolar.

New job....same old crap.

So, I just switched positions within the same dept. recently. I am now considered an admin. asst./receptionist. I hate it. No, really. I'm a month in & I absolutely loathe it. This is bad. My art show is coming up in October & this job is zapping me. I have to stare at spreadsheets all day & when I get home I can't focus my eyes anymore for my art work. In fact, it's hard to focus at all on anything. I absolutely despise Excel. How on earth do people do it? How do they enter data constantly. It makes me uptight, tense, moody & gives me headaches. The fact that it is messing with my ability to focus when I get home is really getting me down.

I have no idea what to do.

I am not going to want to be here much longer. I'll be lucky to make it a year. I know, I probably sound whiny & spoiled, & I should be happy to have a job, but I'm not happy. The benefits are nice, but this job is not for me. It is not helping me reach my goals.

Again, I have no idea what to do.

All I know right now is that I better figure something out or this is going to end badly. The old job wasn't any better. It was for a while, but it got bad too. The constant negativity & put downs where bad for my self esteem. Now the esteem is good but the health & creativity are being drained away.

This sucks.

Art & Love

So, I have approx. 2 months to really get things going for the Art show I managed to snag. What Art show, you ask? Why the Art show I have in October at Coffeeslingers in downtown OKC. No, for real, I finally have my own show. At first I was nervous, but then I was like, nah, I can do this, & then I was like, I need to think about what I want to do, and now I'm like, Holy crap!!! I have an Art show in two months!

I must admit, just having one has spurred on the creativity. Slowly it creeps back from the depths it was been pushed down to by retail & the pointless creative-less redundant workplaces. I feel it rising, slowly pulling itself up to stand on its own two or four or sixteen feet again. It feels so nice. Hell, it feels. There was a time where I was afraid it was dead. I was afraid it was broken or dead. It's not.

It's been a weird experience though. I've never really thought so much about what I paint. My stuff isn't exactly the kind of stuff people want to hang on their wall. It's all emotionally based reactive art. By reactive, I mean based on my reaction to things. Not shock art. So much of it is about things we, as a whole, don't like to look at. Oil spills, war, theology, politics, social issues & inner conflict & turmoil. Not flowers or hay bales in a field. I look at it & think, "Are they going to let me hang this?", "Will this cause the coffee house owners to have to put up with crappy comments from customers?" I certainly hope not. Then again, it would be creating conversation & perhaps an exchange of ideas. Still, I'm not trying to incite negativity, just thoughts. The negative/positive depends on the viewer really.

It's a little scary. I don't expect people to "like" my work. I do want them to see it though. If it sets off just one person's brain, then I'll be happy.

I used to be too scared to show anything to anyone other than my friends. Afraid the world out there would think I was crazy & lock me away or dismiss me altogether. Luckily, one of those friends that has been over a hundred times, has never stopped encouraging me to try. That's really amazing. To keep encouraging me for the last 15 years & never giving up. Over & over again, trying to talk me into it. Sending me articles or links to little shows here & there. I can honestly say, I owe this show to her. To her & T. T for just putting up with me for 14 years. It's not easy living with an Aspie (person with Asperger's), but she's done an amazing job of teaching me how to communicate & be more social. I've also got some really amazing people in my life. People who are still fighting to make their dreams come true. We gather together at least once a month & vent our frustrations & share our desires & support each others attempts. I know, in my heart of hearts, that one day, we will all be where we want to be. These people are too amazing not to make it happen. All of us just have to cast off all the BS we were taught & keep working toward the goal. Happily ever after is possible. Look around. It's there. You see it all the time. Society tells you it's only the lucky ones, but the one's telling you that are the ones that gave up. Never give up. Never stop trying. There are millions, let me repeat, MILLIONS of people living their dreams.

Seriously. I'm not kidding. Think about all the singers, songwriters, screenplay writers, special effects artists, painters, writers, guitar players, dancers, orchestra directors, zoologists, entomologists, and millions of other occupations that people do & love. Sure, maybe you don't know their names & maybe they don't make a million billion dollars, but they are happy & pretty well off. They are doing what they chose to do with their life & they love it. For every JK Rowling or Stephen King, there are hundreds of thousands of writers you've never heard of. All of them successfully selling book after book & paying their mortgage. Society tends to only focus on the mega stars. Being famous or a mega star isn't what it's about. Doing what you love is. Don't let them scare you. Never let anyone tell you that you can't do something you dream of, & only surround yourself with people that love & understand you.

I'm blessed to have so much love in my life. And understanding. I'm not an easy one to understand sometimes.

Now, back to the painting. I only have two months to get this all together!!!!

The Return of Futurama: A Critique

Good news everyone...

Well, June 24th marked the triumphant return of my favorite TV show to the airwaves. How was it? Awesome & meh. The first episode was pretty good. It did however feel a little different. I can't quite put my finger on it yet. Things just seem a little off. The Planet Express building, New New York, & other familiar places seem a little unfamiliar. It's like walking into a house you lived in for twenty years after someone else has lived there 5 years. It still looks like your old house, but things aren't where you expect them to be. The walls are a different color & someone put wood laminate down where the orange & avocado shag carpet used to be.

The character Leela seems to be completely off. All the other characters seem exactly the same, but not Leela. She's weaker & dumber. Which makes me really sad because she was a really strong character. Sure she had her ditzy moments, but she had very clearly defined character flaws that now seem completely lost. The second episode was completely unbelievable for me because Leela didn't just shove off the log & kick Zapp's ass. She let Zapp pretty much call all the shots & she seemed easily controlled. There was absolutely no sexual tension between the characters & she gave in way too easy to a guy she supposedly hates. The Fry/Leela relationship is also very muddy right now. Are they? Aren't they? Fry's reaction to the Leela/Zapp thing was also unbelievable. All in all it was a very uncomfortable episode to watch & left me with a bad feeling in my gut. That "be careful what you wish for" feeling.

The third episode was better. We got back to addressing pop culture issues which Futurama always did so brilliantly. Still though, the toilet/juvenile humor is much more than it used to be. I liked the smartness of Futurama. The way the show was so good at addressing political, theological, & relevent social commentary. The cohesion of the plot is very lacking & they seem to be trying to get out all the proverbial "fart" jokes they can due to being on Comedy Central, a network that allows more of that sort of thing.

If Futurama doesn't smarten up & lessen the crude humor, I think it's headed in a bad direction. They need to pull the plot together by addressing one or two issues in the sarcasticly smart fashion of the original, find Leela's original personality, & drop the frat boy attitude or it's going to crash & burn.

I know they can do it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Here's a preview of the episode from this week:

Futurama	Thursdays 10pm / 9c
e-Waste Delivery
www.comedycentral.com
Futurama New Episodes Futurama New Episodes Ugly Americans

Sleeping Beauty Collectible

Wow! This is gorgeous! This is a box inspired from the movie Sleeping Beauty. In the movie the three good fairies hid their wands inside a box like this so that Briar Rose would not find them. It is sculpted resin with wood grain finish and is about 8'' H x 6'' W x 4 1/2'' D.

There is also a Beauty & the Beast box, shown here:


And a Cinderella collectible/box along the same lines, shown here:


These are all just gorgeous! The Sleeping Beauty one & the Beauty & the Beast one are both around $85.00, while the Cinderella is a bit more affordable at $70.00.

You can find all of these awesome collectibles at THE DISNEY STORE.

All Eleven Doctors!!!

Wow! This is an awesome offering from Underground Toys & Entertainment Earth ! All Eleven versions of the Doctor in one Tardis shaped package! Available in August for the price of $99.99! Not too bad a price. That's less than $10.00 a figure! Figures are about 5" tall.

Also, check out this nifty Tardis. Yes, I said nifty. And bow ties are cool.



It floats in mid-air. How clever is that? Brilliant, I say! The Tardis measures a little over 3" tall. If only it had a button to push that would play the theme song.
This little do-hicky will run you $35.99 over at Entertainment Earth. It is available for pre-order & should be shipping in August.

Sideshow Gamorrean Guard Figure

Available now for Pre-order from Sideshow Collectibles is this 12 inch finely detailed Gamorrean Guard. For those of you who already have the Jabba, his throne, Han in Carbonite, etc., you are going to have to pick this one up to complete the scene!

Sideshow has them priced at $119.99 with the option of Flex-Pay so you can pay it out in two installments of $60.00.

If you want one, you'd better get over to their site & pre-order it now, Sideshow Star Wars figures don't last long.

Gentle Giant Greedo Statue

Hey Star Wars fans, Gentle Giant is gearing up to release this really cool Greedo Statue sometime in December. They are taking pre-orders now, so head on over to their site & check it out!

New Gentle Giant Star Wars collectibles

Straight out of Star Wars: A New Hope come two fan favorites, Muftak and the small little bat looking creature Kabe. Sure to add that fanboy/fangirl touch to any room! Which from my perspective is a good thing. Hand crafted and Cast in high quality poly-stone these small collectibles are quite detailed . Muftak and Kabe measure 7" and 5" respectively.

These limited classic cantina creatures are shipped together in a 2 pack box, both with matching edition numbers and a certificate of authenticity. They will be available as of February 2011, but you can get your pre-order on now!

Gentle Giant collectibles, from a collectible stand point are a good bet. They are usually a pretty low number as far as edition size, and seem to only escalate in price once they are sold out. So, if collecting something that gains value is of interest to you, you will most certainly want to pick these guys up. The pre-order price is listed as $129.99.

Have fun & May the Force Be With You!

Thundercats make a return!!!

That's right! Thundercats are on the move, Thundercats are loose! Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with Studio4°C, have announced they will be re-booting the series for Cartoon Network.

Check out all the articles about it here, here, & here!

Maleficent Painting

Check out this beautiful print of Maleficent! It is a great tribute to the sorceress from Sleeping Beauty. It comes with the frame as well.

Here is some info from Sideshow's site:

The 'Accursed Gift' Fine Art Print features:
Limited Edition Giclee on Canvas
100 piece hand-numbered edition
Signed by the artist Steven Daily
Comes with Certificate of Authenticity
Print measurements: 19" H x 24" W
Size (Including Frame): 24.5" x 30.5"

Go check it out at the link here: "Accursed Gift"

Artist Michelle Vaughan

So, I stumbled across an artist I wanted to share with you. Her name is Michelle Vaughan.

I LOVE her ant drawings.

Go check out this one: Ant Drawing #4

Enjoy!

New music Thursday feat. Lissy Trullie

Lissy Trullie is a native of Washington, DC. In high school she and her mother moved to New York. A kid of divorced parents, she spent the mornings sifting through her dad’s large record collection as he schooled her in the ways of Motown, Surf Rock, Folk, Soul, and Classical. In the evening is was her Mother's copy of Tommy that got all of her attention.

Later, she was an art school graduate who dabbled in music, but still hadn't found the confidence to really immerse herself in exploring her own musical talent.

Finally, with the support of friends & anyone who heard her play, she went for it, writing & making her own original tunes.

Her first release was with an indie label out of Brooklyn called American Myth. This label allowed the band to expand & control their own way artistically.

Self-Taught Learner came out February 17, 2009 & Lissy & her band continue to play out & tour all over the US.

Go check her out!

Myspace

Blog

Website

Website Wednesday feat. Coopstuff.com

Do you know who Ed "Big Daddy" Roth is? Do you like motorcycles, tattoos, roller derby, hot rods, pin-up girls, punk subculture, Psychobilly, Rockabilly, Mod Subculture, surf culture, Pop Art, Surrealism, Kustom Kulture, or DIY? I've got an art site for you then. Posters, paintings, books, clothes & more.

If you said "YES!" to any of these, then here is a website for you! http://www.coopstuff.com/Coop

There is an excellent selection of things to buy on this site. From art work to t-shirts, belt buckles to zippos, if you like this style of art, you are sure to find something you want.

Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's art was an influence on me when I was very little. My brother had picked up a "Rat Fink" car model & I was fascinated by the art on the box as well as the model itself. I really loved the bright colors he always used that made the stuff seem to really pop. Coop does the same thing.

Coop is a hot rod artist working from Los Angeles. He was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1968, and describes his occupation as "Insensitive Artiste". His work consists primarily of barely clothed Bettie Page-style 1950s soft pornography and/or B-movie monsters, with the female characters often taking the role of "Devil-Women". The artwork up top is Coop's.

Go check out the site!