Month: June 2004

So… what’dja think?

Like Douglas MacArthur, or perhaps last night’s lasagna, I have returned.

The entire family spent the weekend down at Dreamcon, a first time convention in Jacksonville. I don’t normally do first time cons, but Shana, my eldest daughter, lives in Jacksonville and the con was willing to fly the whole family down there, so why not? Overall, aside from a few glitches, the con was smoothly run although it didn’t draw as many people as I think anyone would have liked to see. Ron Perlman was the headliner. Met Mercedes McNab (hey, if Mercedes McNab moved to Massachusetts and married Julie “Darla” Benz, she’d be Mercedes Benz), Brian Thompson (the Judge who uttered the famous line, “What’s that do?” before being annihilated by Buffy with a rocket launcher). But the high point was seeing Jewel Staite again. Before playing an engineering genius on a spaceship in “Firefly,” she played an engineering genius on a spaceship on “Space Cases,” co-created by Bill Mumy and me. It’s wonderful to see people paying attention to this wonderful and up-and-coming actress.

After the convention, we went up to Disney and stayed there a few days. It was Caroline’s first exposure to the House of Mouse, and she spent it in two modes: Wide eyed or asleep (I guess the wide eyes helped make her tired.) Managed to hit the three major parks, not to mention our favorite hang out, the Adventurers Club. They’ve outdone themselves for the new novelty cup, by the way: Specialty drinks are now served in a purchasable carved wooden monkey head.

PAD

From a mailing list Peter and I are on…

The first of three done-in-one issues, issue 12 takes us back to the first meeting between the woman called Lee and the man called Doctor Juris, in the throbbing heat of Mardi Gras. Whad’ja think?

Oh, and for those interested, there’s a detailed interview about “Fallen Angel” over on Newsarama.com which also features covers for future issues.

PAD

I have been informed that the Squiddies, an annual on-line comics poll, has declared “Many Happy Returns”–the return of Kara storyline–to be the best multi-part story of 2003.

I appreciate the validation, although it does remind me of Tony Randall’s five-second acceptance speech upon winning the Emmy for Best Lead in a Comedy for “The Odd Couple” the same year the show was cancelled: “I’m pleased I won. Now I just wish I had a job.”

PAD

On very, very rare occasions, I employ a tactic utilized by Professor Kingsfield in the pilot episode of “The Paper Chase.” In that episode, young student Mr. Hart proves so inept, so worthless, that Kingsfield “shrouds” him. Akin to “shunning” in certain societies, it means that the person is effectively dead. He will never be called upon or acknowledged or responded to in any way. Far more effective than taking steps to shut someone up, it allows them to shout into the wind as much as they wish. I consider it a far more elegant solution than censorship.

Peterdavid.net officially shrouds Dee and his/her various personalities. Dee, who gives conservatives a bad name, is dead to this board. As far as I am concerned, he/she/it no longer exists.

I invite others to follow my lead or not, as they see fit.

PAD

…that key GOP figures will exploit the death of Ronald Reagan for all it’s worth in order to seal the election. I’m looking ahead to the GOP National convention and am suggesting the following odds:

A minute of silence will be called for: 1-1.

Chances that Bush will mention Reagan one minute into his speech: 5-1.

Two minutes into his speech: 3-2.

Three minutes into his speech: 3-1.

That a key speaker will exhort his comrades to win this election “for the Gipper”: 1-1.

That it will be stated Reagan would have approved of this country’s direction: 2-1.

That if Reagan were there, he would be urging you to vote for Bush: 1-1.

PAD