Somehow I never pre-set this column to go off yesterday. I simply had no post for 03/30. Kind of weird.
Anyway, let's give Sean Young credit where it's due.
Film. Comics. Sci-Fi. Superheroes. Pulp. Noir. History. Superman. 20th Century Archaeology.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Your Daily Dose of Good Cheer (Bonus Edition): Sean Young in Blade Runner
Somehow I never pre-set this column to go off yesterday. I simply had no post for 03/30. Kind of weird.
Anyway, let's give Sean Young credit where it's due.
NathanC on The League's 10th!
I don't recall exactly when I met NathanC, but i recall seeing him play in a band called "Barnyard Commandos" at my high school's rockfest. I know I'd met him before he met up with my brother at Trinity in San Antonio when they were both Freshmen. And, not only have we been pals ever since, but Nathan knew Jamie separately from knowing me back at Trinity, as well. So, longtime pal.
No matter what happens with this blogging business, I know that Nathan will still be popping up at odd hours at my house until one or both of us goes.
Lovin’ the League
I’ve told the League (I cannot in any way refer to him as ‘Ryan’ in cyberspace) many times that he should be writing a column for the paper. Or a book.
I’ve know Mr. League for close to 20 years now, and always found him to be a bright boy. But something in his nut cracked when he moved to Arizona. The dearth of cultural activities in Chandler turned him inward, and then led him to spew his thoughts upon the interwebs with the classic-era blog “League of Melbotis.” The life and times of livin’ large in AZ were supplemented by remembrances of better (and worse) times in Texas, including some of my favorite stories about working for the Mouse at Willowbrook Mall, or the rat at Chuck-E-Cheese.
The League writes well, and continues to do so with The Signal Watch. His online persona is honest and not without a little humorous sarcasm. He speaks for the frustrated observer of life and culture. His takedown of Johnny Clambake’s is legendary.
And he brings people together. As many have said before in this spot, the League of Melbotis was a social network when Marc Zuckerberg was only...
Oh, wait a second, Facebook started in 2004?
Well, you were a little ahead of the game.
No matter what happens with this blogging business, I know that Nathan will still be popping up at odd hours at my house until one or both of us goes.
Lovin’ the League
I’ve told the League (I cannot in any way refer to him as ‘Ryan’ in cyberspace) many times that he should be writing a column for the paper. Or a book.
I’ve know Mr. League for close to 20 years now, and always found him to be a bright boy. But something in his nut cracked when he moved to Arizona. The dearth of cultural activities in Chandler turned him inward, and then led him to spew his thoughts upon the interwebs with the classic-era blog “League of Melbotis.” The life and times of livin’ large in AZ were supplemented by remembrances of better (and worse) times in Texas, including some of my favorite stories about working for the Mouse at Willowbrook Mall, or the rat at Chuck-E-Cheese.
The League writes well, and continues to do so with The Signal Watch. His online persona is honest and not without a little humorous sarcasm. He speaks for the frustrated observer of life and culture. His takedown of Johnny Clambake’s is legendary.
And he brings people together. As many have said before in this spot, the League of Melbotis was a social network when Marc Zuckerberg was only...
Oh, wait a second, Facebook started in 2004?
Well, you were a little ahead of the game.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Jamie has her say on 10 Years of Blogging
Jamie and I have been together for over 17 years, married for almost 13. Of that, 10 years has been spent online. She really never has to wonder what I'm up to or thinking because: there you go. Just check the post in the morning.
She's been a sport about her supporting role in this endeavor, and her level of joy at participation waxes and wanes, depending on what's going on. I will say, I found it pretty hilarious (and telling) that we essentially end our posts the same way.
I have been extraordinarily lucky to team up with a partner who is as patient and understanding not just about my hobbies, but about this endless blogging business of which she's been a part. She's the light of my life, my north star, all that jazz... Love you, pumpkin.
When Ryan sent out a request for reflections on his ten years of bloggership, I immediately thought - "what better way to toast the League than the League's own words?". I decided I wanted to go back through League of Melbotis and The Signal Watch and select the most memorable posts from his impressive run.
Holy smokes, ten years. Do you have any idea how much material that is? That's a LOT of blogging. I would have regretted this decision had it not been a joy to comb through the archives in search of my favorite posts. The hardest part was selection. My first pass through all ten years netted no fewer than 50 entries. Fifty seemed a little too much for a "best of" tribute, so I have narrowed it down to 10.
I am well aware that everyone has different opinions and some of my selections may seem strange, but I tried to nail down those posts which I immediately remembered or to which I had a significant emotional response. So without further ado, in chronological order, I present to you:
10 Posts of Note: A League of Melbotis/ The Signal Watch Retrospective
When Ryan fist started League of Melbotis in April of 2003, we had lived in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler for almost a year, had yet to make any friends aside from one of the guys I worked with, and were gearing up for another soul sucking Arizona summer. The blog was a great outlet for Ryan's frustration and talent for writing. Some of the more common earlier posts took the form of relaying our outings in and around the Chandler area:
1. The Chandler Jazz Festival
Birdemic 2 in Austin! Join us!
I have secured my ticket for Birdemic 2: The Resurrection for when it makes its Austin debut on April 18th, 2013.
If you would like to join me, I'll be at Lakecreek Alamo on April 18th in seats 5509 and 5510.
Buy your tickets now and do not miss out on this unique experience!
Birdemic 2!
If you would like to join me, I'll be at Lakecreek Alamo on April 18th in seats 5509 and 5510.
Buy your tickets now and do not miss out on this unique experience!
Birdemic 2!
League of Melbotis: 10 Years of Blogging
March 30th, 2013 marks the 10th anniversary of my blogging habit. Ten years, something around 5000 posts. That's just the blogs of which I've been chief proprietor. I also wrote briefly with other folks at Nanostalgia and at Film Fodder (a paying gig! I made, literally, about $1.25).
So, I've written and posted a lot. Big whoop. Sometimes I wonder if I've a small case of hypergraphia that's gone undiagnosed, but we won't dwell on that here today.
Pushing through the haze and trying to remember why and how... you start making up stories in your own head to make it sound better. But it's mostly right there in print. At the age of 27, looking down the barrel of 28, I kicked off the first blog, League of Melbotis.
So, I've written and posted a lot. Big whoop. Sometimes I wonder if I've a small case of hypergraphia that's gone undiagnosed, but we won't dwell on that here today.
Pushing through the haze and trying to remember why and how... you start making up stories in your own head to make it sound better. But it's mostly right there in print. At the age of 27, looking down the barrel of 28, I kicked off the first blog, League of Melbotis.
 |
| this is no fantasy... no careless product of wild imagination... |
Friday, March 29, 2013
Horus Kemwer shares some words on the eve of the 10th Anniversary
In the way things go with Horus, I have met him officially once. We ate food, drank beer and then liquor. We swapped stories. I was given a comic series to begin to pursue (Dungeon). I may or may not have met him previously in a bar in Beaumont, Texas. Flash Gordon and Superman were involved. So was RHPT and JimD. It's hard to say what really happened.
Horus can be found at Against the Modern World. And sometimes in Hong Kong.
On the 10th anniversary of the League:
There's only one blog which I have consistently read since I started reading blogs 7 or so years ago. There's only one blog I check on a daily basis (sorry JD, shouldn't have gone corporate). There's only one blog I started reading for one type of content (comics) and yet grew attached to the rest (the noir, the family updates, the rants, the pinups). There's only one blog I've ever contributed guest content to.
There's only one person I've ever met first on the internet, then met later in person.
That person is the League and that blog is his - the best all round blog I know.
~ horus kemwer
Horus can be found at Against the Modern World. And sometimes in Hong Kong.
On the 10th anniversary of the League:
There's only one blog which I have consistently read since I started reading blogs 7 or so years ago. There's only one blog I check on a daily basis (sorry JD, shouldn't have gone corporate). There's only one blog I started reading for one type of content (comics) and yet grew attached to the rest (the noir, the family updates, the rants, the pinups). There's only one blog I've ever contributed guest content to.
There's only one person I've ever met first on the internet, then met later in person.
That person is the League and that blog is his - the best all round blog I know.
~ horus kemwer
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