Love your comments; thx for the message.

Ah, Doctor Who... I'm an old fan, and have only just gotten into the new series. I spent 3 weeks in January watching seasons 1,2 and 3 of the new ones. Didn't leave much time for anything else, but that's life innit?

Doctor Who IMO works on many levels; it's pure Sci-fi escapism, the like of which hasn't ever (once again IMO) been provided by US Sci-fi, and is terribly and wonderfully British in nature.

Not to bag US Sci-fi; there's some really good stuff out there, but nothing else on the planet has the broad-based appeal of Doctor Who.

As for episodes for repeat viewing; my faves are Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways (which has the cliffhanger-on-cliffhanger ending), Blink, And the original Captain Jack ones... course, the reintroduction of The Master was brilliant. The whole "What's that/Gasmask/What's it for?/The gas" conversation in the cabinet room in Number 10 always gets me. The only weak episode I've seen is the Doctor-who lite one from Season2. Doctor Who taps into a lot of horror concepts as well, which is also very english (Season 1 Space:1999 did a lot of that for example).

Now I've rambled. Go figure!

Anyways, hope you're going well :)

Oh, and on the subject of classic versus modern definitions of handsomeness, have you seen O'Toole in Lawrence of Arabia? And Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn in Charade (fave film of that era; although there are so many good movies in that period - breakfast at Tiffany's for just one). I agree on the point that men have to be Arnie clones and women have to be physically transparent in tv and movies... BORING! No bloody wonder so many people have such negative body images; it's just so unnatural to aspire to be these things, for the 10 or so "supermodels" in the world, there are millions of women and men who are different body shapes, but we're compelled to look and lust after the media's ideal shape and size (and forced through clothing stores to hope that something freaking well fits!)

</end rant>

;)

Rory, are we your shrinks? :)

I have gross childhood stories and I still find neat stuff over the parents' house from time to time. Fortunately, it doesn't involve animal carcasses.

My mom's genetics have handed down a tendency to be gross (and break things). Messy is too light a term. Each of my siblings and I copes with it the best they can, or not at all.

My lil' sister has it so bad that sometimes she sits herself down and has a long talk with herself. After one such talk she cleans her room completely spotless. She even puts a sheet on the bed. She puts a large garbage can lined with a bag in her room to try to prevent a relapse.

For days, things go well. She's using the garbage instead of every other surface. Victory seems at hand.

One night she wakes up to a powerful odor. She may have noticed it before, but before it wasn't enough to prevent sleep. She searches her clean room completely baffled.

Finally she thinks of the trash, which she hasn't changed yet because it's big and it's not full. She looks inside.

Even though the trash is not full per se, maggots have taken up a large portion as their new residence. My lil sis remembers the food she's been so good about throwing away for the past week... into the large trash can... in her room... sitting on the radiant heat flooring.

I was told this story after complimenting her on her room (which used to be mine). I hadn't seen it so clean since I lived there. I'm sorry I said anything.

I shared a room with her for 10 years. She still was never as bad as my older brother. He had issues with various bodily fluids.

Living alone has its perks.

Anyone out there hungry? :)

Rory dude, I remain perplexed by the Fake Steve Jobs. Mostly because he thinks you still work at Microsoft when you do your Mac rants. I mean, you ranted when you were with us, but you left us a while back to have a happy life of Being A Real Writer and stuff....he can't call you a Microsoftie no more.

Anyway, I was afraid to load the YouTube video because my cat at home has FINALLY (we think) stopped her reign of fluid terror. I don't want to jinx it.  

Have a great weekend!

B

Your fort didn't seem very secure; I mean, I'd never pay to live there.

This is why dogs are waaay cooler than cats...they'd never pee on your stove, it's always in your shoes or suitcase.
A little more respectful, I'd say.

Lisa 4.0 -

"Ah, Doctor Who... I'm an old fan, and have only just gotten into the new series. I spent 3 weeks in January watching seasons 1,2 and 3 of the new ones. Didn't leave much time for anything else, but that's life innit?"

:)

When growing up, I occasionally managed to catch some Tom Baker episodes on the public broadcasting channel. The stuff was already ancient when I was a kid... I was five, and considered myself too sophisticated for it, but found the stories quaint.

I took my orange jello in the study afterward. Then I'd retire to my library where I donned my smoking jacket and blew on my bubble-pipe.

Tom Baker was - as is the case for many - my favorite Doctor until David Tennant. I liked Chris Eccleston and thought he was my favorite, but then David came along... no contest.

"Doctor Who IMO works on many levels; it's pure Sci-fi escapism, the like of which hasn't ever (once again IMO) been provided by US Sci-fi, and is terribly and wonderfully British in nature."

I'd agree that it's escapist, but not on the sci-fi part. The *new* Doctor Who is obviously drama for a more cynical adult audience. That's why there are so many people wearing prosthetic cat faces in some episodes.

Totally grown-up.

"Not to bag US Sci-fi; there's some really good stuff out there, but nothing else on the planet has the broad-based appeal of Doctor Who."

I don't think there's any US TV left - sci-fi or otherwise. It's all Canadian nowadays unless it's a big show for a big network.

Shooting in Canada is cheaper because of the metric system - everything's smaller.

"As for episodes for repeat viewing; my faves are Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways (which has the cliffhanger-on-cliffhanger ending), Blink, And the original Captain Jack ones..."

Yeah, huh. Bad Wolf and Parting of the Ways are a couple of my favorites as well. I love that Rose becomes the more powerful character - I love that the universe was saved by Little Miss Chavette :)

Why the original Captain Jack episodes? I liked all of them. And, speaking of which, did you watch Torchwood? I loved the first season. Because of the strange, almost random pace at which new seasons of shows appear through BBC, I have no idea when the next season is coming, but I await it with hardcore, very serious impatience. I'm not messing around.

Blink - classic. When my friend Felix and I were trying to indoctrinate one of our civilian, skeptical-of-Doctor-Who friends, we made her watch Blink. We flanked her on the couch to ensure she couldn't get away.

The problem with Blink when it comes to trying to push Doctor Who on people is that it's an atypical episode. The writing, production, and everything else is top, top-notch. Not to say the other episodes aren't fabulous, too, but I think you have to *really* love and want to watch Doctor Who to enjoy them.

Blink was a great ghost/mystery story - pretty much all the others are charming goofery :)

"... course, the reintroduction of The Master was brilliant. The whole 'What's that/Gasmask/What's it for?/The gas' conversation in the cabinet room in Number 10 always gets me."

I love that scene as well. I loved that character. When watching it, I was disappointed to realize that I have much more in common with The Master than I do with The Doctor. His flamboyant evilness really appealed to me.

"The only weak episode I've seen is the Doctor-who lite one from Season 2."

If you're talking about that stupid support group for the I-saw-the-Doctor losers, then I'm with you. I loved the intro when the Doctor and Rose were actually *in it*, but everything after that was garbage. Felix and I formed our own support group for the support group episode. We reject it. It is filth to us. It is not canon. It may have been written and produced and directed by the same old team, but they were all obviously having an off-month. How that crap got past quality control is a great mystery.

That said, I'm not sure if there *is* quality control for Who. I think the only way you could make a show like that would be to trust yourself and not worry about what people think. It's so un-self-conscious. I have a lot of respect for that. They aren't concerned with looking cool - they just do what interests them. If people could be like that more often, I think a lot more people would go out dancing (dancing being one of the best pleasures, provided you can do it without worrying about how you look).

"Anyways, hope you're going well :)"

Fabulously, thanks. Things have been getting better and better. They were crap for a while, but it looks like it's behind me for now.

I'll crash again, though I'll enjoy this while it lasts :)

Lisa 4.0 -

"Oh, and on the subject of classic versus modern definitions of handsomeness, have you seen O'Toole in Lawrence of Arabia? And Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn in Charade (fave film of that era; although there are so many good movies in that period - breakfast at Tiffany's for just one)."

Are you *kidding*?

I own every Audrey Hepburn movie except Funny Face. Funny Face is one of those movies where I feel embarrassed for the people in it. That embarrassment hinders my ability to enjoy the movie.

Also, the movie was just crap.

As for Lawrence of Arabia - I've memorized big chunks of it in two languages, so, yeah, I've seen it, and I'm a fan :)

Everything about that movie exemplifies what is (was?) so great about cinema. The color was realer than real. The horses were real. The locations were real. No bluescreen - but plenty of blue sky.

When Peter O'Toole finally got his honorary Oscar, I knew I could stop watching the Academy Awards. One of the most ghastly universal injustices had been rectified. His speech was also 100% O'Toole - elegant, graceful... none of this weeping thank-your-mother-and-God flapdoodle. In fact, as soon as his speech was over, I left the Academy Awards friendly gathering thing I was at. Told everybody to have a nice day, to fuck off, and then I got on with my life.

As I said on your site... if you haven't watched How to Steal a Million, then you're missing out on the best romantic comedy ever made (making it one of only a few that can even be called "good" - or "not abhorrent").

I'll check back in your comments to see if you said anything 'bout it...

Celes -

"One night she wakes up to a powerful odor. She may have noticed it before, but before it wasn't enough to prevent sleep. She searches her clean room completely baffled."

Your family takes expression of mental illness seriously :)

"She still was never as bad as my older brother. He had issues with various bodily fluids."

With respect, if we just had a crazy-off, your brother won.

... -

"Your fort didn't seem very secure; I mean, I'd never pay to live there."

It was engineered to withstand a hurricane, which is a Class 12 Meteorological Event on the Beaufort Scale.

That's provided you can keep that one cushion balanced on your head. Lose that, and it's GAME OVER, MAN... GAME O-V-E-R.

"This is why dogs are waaay cooler than cats...they'd never pee on your stove, it's always in your shoes or suitcase."

You clearly have little field experience with this. There's only so much you can learn about domesticated animal urination in the classroom.

Our cats peed in shoes, on shoes, around shoes, under shoes - and that includes the shoes you're wearing.

They peed on plates, in cupboards, on the roof, in the tub, on TV, on you, and on each other.

So that I don't have to name every object in the known universe, I'll sum it up: They peed everywhere but in the litter box.

This includes everything from New York to Celestial Object M31.

Those cats had a gift.

"A little more respectful, I'd say."

When I was much younger, I had a half-dingo/half-Australian-Shepherd. He was one of the most amazing dogs ever created.

He was also insane. Like, he was (Dog Insanity + (Infinity * Danger)).

I came home from school one day and found him sleeping peacefully in the TV room. I had a gate in front of the stairs to keep him there. It was the best room to leave him in - big windows, lots of natural light, and enough space that you'd think he'd have been satisfied.

When I looked beyond his quiet little tuckered-out self, I saw a few interesting things. The first was that there were paw prints coming out of the fireplace. He tracked ash everywhere. There were ash footprints on the floor, on the furniture, up the wall, and across the ceiling.

Most interesting, though, was that he had gone to the couch, torn a hole in the back, pulled all the stuffing out, made a pile of it, and then peed all over the pile.

Think about it. It's an odd situation, but the powerful aspect is that he was so *methodical* about it. This was the sort of thing that required forethought.

There was a thought process to this.

1) I have to pee.

2) I could pee on the floor...

3) Or in the fireplace...

4) Or in the cup on the table...

5) Or... OR! I could tear a hole in the back of the sofa, pull the stuffing out, make a pile of the stuffing, and then pee all over it.

6) I'm doing the last one!

7) I hope Rory's pleased with this!

8) I can't wait for him to get home and see what I've done!

9) He's not gonna believe it!

10) I'm going to run through the fireplace now and then up the walls and across the ceiling!

I miss that dog.

"With respect, if we just had a crazy-off, your brother won."

You have no idea. For all I've had to put up with, at least he makes me feel normal and together.

Those silver linings...

"10) I'm going to run through the fireplace now and then up the walls and across the ceiling!"

That is one talented dog. I think he's my new hero. Sorry, Rory. You've been outdone.

@Lisa - The clip of Peter Davison meeting meeting David Tennant I found on your site has instantly made you one of my favorite people in the world.  I somehow mananged to miss that little insert before the Titanic hit the Tardis, but it was awesome.  

I have to disagree with Rory for once.  There are no bad Doctor Who episodes.  There just aren't.   The forced myself to like the support group episode.  It's like walking on hot coals or sleeping on a bed of nails.  It's not easy, but if you really put your mind to it it can be done.  Mind over matter....

American Sci-Fi doesn't appear to exist anymore.  Indeed, as Rory said, I'm not entirely sure American TV exists anymore.  AmTV is all about finding some relatively creative idea somebody else tried that resulted in some measure of success and repeatedly shoving down the TV viewing public's face until the concept has no meaning anymore.  We sometimes refer to this phenomenon as "spam", which is actually a reference to a Monty Python skit, another non american television show which beat the crap out of anything American networks could produce.  By way of example, my personal standard of NEVER watching what's currently termed "reality TV" has really opened up my free time, since that's pretty much all the american networks seem to show anymore.  

Torchwood is an incredible TV show, despite all the man-snogging.  I accept that Captain Jack "finds our definition of sexuality quaint" but jeez, if they're gonna go heavy on same sex snogging, can't they throw a few woman snogs my way?

I ascribe your love of David Tennant to narcissism.

That's cool that you're doing comedy skits now. I think you could be the next older Napoleon Dynamite if you tried.

Celes -

"That is one talented dog. I think he's my new hero. Sorry, Rory. You've been outdone."

If I'm to be outdone by anyone, that dog is one of the few people I don't mind losing to.

Had to give him away. We got him at the pound, and they didn't know at the time that he was half-dingo. It was several months later that we found out that bit.

Our house wasn't enough for him. The yard wasn't enough. We had the backyard (the same one from which dad chucked the raccoon carcass), but he jumped the fence each time I put him back there and made his way back to the front door. I actually liked that maneuver - he didn't want to escape. What he really wanted was to be inside with everybody else, hanging out, scraping rats off the carpet.

He wound up with a guy in Colorado who has a farm, which is where a dog like that belongs. I guess he's all happy and stuff.

The guy taught him a cool trick - he tweaks the dogs ear as though it's the throttle of a motorcycle (if you aren't totally familiar, that the thing where you "twist" the grip of the handlebar), and the dog growls in a crescendo, making it sound like he's a motorcycle engine being revved up.

I love that dog. And miss him. But I'm glad he is where he is...

The Cowboy -

"The clip of Peter Davison meeting meeting David Tennant I found on your site has instantly made you one of my favorite people in the world.  I somehow mananged to miss that little insert before the Titanic hit the Tardis, but it was awesome."

Hadn't seen it either - thanks, Lisa :)

The dialogue was fantastic. The biggest smart ass in the universe meets the biggest smart ass in the universe. The repeated trash talk about the celery was great.

If you want to watch another good Tennant Who skit, search youtube for the Catherine Tate Red Nose Day Doctor Who sketch. *She* is a funny human being, and matching her to Tennant's Who was perfect.

"I have to disagree with Rory for once.  There are no bad Doctor Who episodes.  There just aren't.   The forced myself to like the support group episode.  It's like walking on hot coals or sleeping on a bed of nails.  It's not easy, but if you really put your mind to it it can be done.  Mind over matter...."

I was going to construct a long, well thought out, respectful answer to this, but I really don't have to because you're *that* wrong.

"Torchwood is an incredible TV show, despite all the man-snogging.  I accept that Captain Jack 'finds our definition of sexuality quaint' but jeez, if they're gonna go heavy on same sex snogging, can't they throw a few woman snogs my way?"

I love it because it's so in-your-face. Especially the bits where, not only is it obvious they aren't trying to play it down, they're going insanely over-the-top in ways I don't think I've ever seen on "normal" television. The ending of the episode where Jack has met his namesake - the way they create the halo effect on the two, zoom in closely, and then leave the camera on the kiss long enough that you could go to the kitchen, try to make a souffle, fail, start over, succeed, eat most of the souffle, put the remainder in the freezer, have friends over a week later to have some thawed souffle, chat about what's been going on, bid farewell to everybody, and it was still going on.

I know it's not for everybody, but I got a kick out of it :)

I'm glad we're talking Torchwood... I had forgotten to check for season two, and it's apparently been on for a while. I think I saw five episodes available via bittorrent. Grabbing the first now...

Jersey Girl -

"I ascribe your love of David Tennant to narcissism."

I demand clarification.

Not about the narcissism part - we all know I'm narcissistic - but the love-for-Tennant-as-narcissism thing.

Clarification, Jersey Girl!

I demand it! Satisfaction! I shall have it!

Chris -

"That's cool that you're doing comedy skits now. I think you could be the next older Napoleon Dynamite if you tried."

Thanks, mister :)

Clarification?

*Sigh*

Brevity is the source of wit, you know? Now I have to forgo the opportunity to be witty.

Oh well, then.

Picture yourself naked, except for a blue towel wrapped around your most tender loins, sitting on a wooden floor in front of the television set, tempted repeatedly to touch the screen in mere wonder (but hesitant, as the mirage might break in ripples if you do), curiously musing at the movements on the screen, where you see the shape of what Rationality identifies as David Tennant, but that - due to a singularity of Nature which has caused certain similarites of gait and gauntness (not to mention the rhinotechnical aspects of the juxtaposition) - in your mind is transformed into your very own Blythian being, encountering strange events as you are hurled through space in a phone booth.

(Cliff's notes version: you look alike.)

Jersey Girl -

"Cliff's notes version: you look alike."

I totally disagree, but I'm still presenting you with Compliment of the Year status. Regardless of what else comes in the next ten months.

I had the same damn thing happen to me with a smoke detector when I moved into an apartment years ago.  I was moving in, there was no smoke, fire, etc and the damn thing just kept on with this high pitched BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPOHDAMNITALLTOBEEPBEEPBEEP.  I yanked it off the ceiling, pulled the battery, and finally chucked it into the back of a closet and covered it with blankets.  It stayed there until I moved out because I was afraid if I ever put it back up my head would explode.

@SteveJ

Mine lets me know when I'm cooking. To clarify, I am a good cook. It's just in the wrong place...

Why do places come standard with them and not fire extinguishers?

They're more useless than the flotation devices in planes. Where are the parachutes?

Life's mysteries...

@Rory
"I was going to construct a long, well thought out, respectful answer to this, but I really don't have to because you're *that* wrong."

Perhaps.  It wouldn't be the first time I was *that* wrong.  However, if I can choose my reality then there are no bad Dr. Who episodes, however painful that may get.  It *did* hurt some...

"I'm glad we're talking Torchwood... I had forgotten to check for season two, and it's apparently been on for a while. I think I saw five episodes available via bittorrent. Grabbing the first now..."

It really is a great show, my 2nd favorite after Doctor Who and slipping in right before Stargate.  Hm, well.... we'll call 2nd place a draw.  Bringing Teal'c back was pretty cool.  

I thank the Flying Speghetti Monster for my DVR so I don't miss Torchwood.  I'm curious though... where do you get the bittorrent?

@Jersey Girl
"(Cliff's notes version: you look alike.)"

I can kindof see it.  Sortof...

@Celes

Ah, I do know the answer to why there are no parachutes.  It's a few parts:

1) If you don't take precautions for the plane crashing, then there's nothing to worry about.  

2)  Planes don't ever crash, but they occasionally make "water landings".  Fat lot of good that chute will do you in the water.  

3)  Show of hands, who wouldn't steal the parachute if there was one?  

4)  In the event that a chute would be useful, you'd need to A)  figure it out while there's still time to do something about it, B)  Get everyone into their chutes and holding on to something while you open the door C)  Somehow train everyone not to open their chutes while they're near the plane, or god forbid, still in it.  Considering most people can't comprehend what the seatbelt light is for, I don't have a lot of optimism for that going well.

I've been on aircraft carrier transports (little prop airplanes) and they basically have you sit in the cargo hold.  There's an escape hatch in the ceiling, which you'd be hard pressed to reach.  They do give you a crash helmet, and a 4 point harness, so your body should be in relatively good shape when you drown.

Rory, don't buy into all the scycology. be who you want to be.  You have come accross death a few times in your life. interesting storys. well actually entertaining. i was just checking your site to see what your up to. you working? well of course you are, i see your blog. but like you doing some 9 to 5 gig? or maybe part time? your very talented, extreamly imaginative.