Book: Rise of the Governor

I just finished The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor.

The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor is the first installment in a new novel series by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga. It depicts the journey of Philip Blake in the early days of the undead apocalypse to his eventual rise as "The Governor" of Woodbury. It will be followed by The Road To Woodbury, scheduled for release on October 16, 2012.

If you like Zombie stories you will like it.

Rating = 6 of 10

Who is that man?

Movie: The Visitor

Last night we watched The Visitor.

It was a yard sale buy from yesterday and man was it a dollar well spent.

It was a beautiful depiction of a mans internal struggle and how he finds himself in the end.

The casting was so very good. Hiam Abbass was so quietly  excellent.

Richard Jenkins was amazing. He was also great in Let Me In.

Rating = 8 of 10

I Want This!

I still totally miss this show.

--I really am a dork.

Book: Ready Player One

I just finished Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

This book was so damn good I swear it was written just for me. It is chock full of pop cultural references from the years of my youth. It references books, movies, TV, cartoons and so much goodness it was amazing.

To make it even better this was an audiobook read by Will Wheaton, who was also a character in the book in his dotage!

And now it's going to be a major motion picture in 2014!!

"The year is 2044 and the world is in near-ruins. The Great Recession has taken its toll on the world's economy, and resources are scarce. The internet and gaming culture have evolved to a creation known as OASIS, a massive multiplayer online simulation game created by James Halliday and Ogden Morrow, the Steve Jobs and Bill Gates of Gregarious Simulation Systems (GSS). Halliday, with no heirs or other living family, dies suddenly and leaves a video will to those in OASIS and a book that was dubbed Anorak's Almanac, which purports to be a volume written by James Halliday's avatar Anorak in OASIS. The video says that whomever can collect three keys (Copper, Jade, and Crystal) that are hidden throughout the universe of OASIS and can pass through the matching gates will receive his fortune and controlling stake in GSS. This becomes known as the Hunt and people at once begin searching for Halliday's "Egg", a reference to the first "Easter Egg" in video game culture in the game Adventure."

I rate it 8 of 10!! Great Stuff.

--It even has School House Rock!!

Want Men to Cook!?

I want a set of these!

I would so cook a wicked omelet in this!!

--Love it!

BOOK: Better to Rest

I just finished reading Better to Rest by Dana Stabenow. It turns out it is the 4th book in a series.

Part of the Liam Campbell series:

In 1998, she began a new mystery series featuring Alaska State Trooper Liam Campbell. In addition to Liam Campbell, the books also feature bush pilot Wyanet Chouinard, and restaurant owner Moses Alakuyak.

Fire And Ice (1998) So Sure Of Death (1999) Nothing Gold Can Stay (2000) Better To Rest (2002) Bones Out Of The Grave (TBD)

I really enjoy the history and descriptions of life in Alaska.

The end of this book kind of petered out. I still liked it. Great characters, settings and sex!

Rating = 6 of 10

Like Father, Like Son

Marty Wilsey

Gray Wilsey

Jennifer "Badass" Lawrence

Jennifer "Badass" Lawrence

She plays Catness in The Hunger Games.

The 21-year-old beauty gutted a squirrel in the most talked about scene for her role in 2010’s Winter’s Bone, (for which she was nominated). The scene was not faked, she told Rolling Stone magazine: “I should say it wasn’t real, for PETA,” she said. “But screw PETA.”

--I Love this woman.

The McDonald Visit

Tom and Lisa McDonald came down for a visit this week.

We did the tourist thing. We watched movies.

We had some excellent Tequila and beer.

We went to the range!

Tom also got my chainsaw running. He has one just like it and gave it some love. Then I put him to work. We cut down six more tree in the yard and chunked them up into firewood. His kids Joey and Ryan, even stacked all the wood!

--Some day he might figure out that the saw was fine the whole time and I was just too lazy...

Book: Shatner Rules

I just finished Audio Book.

Shatner Rules: Your Guide to Understanding the Shatnerverse and the World at Large

William Shatner reads it as well. It is a hoot and I really enjoyed it! Makes me go to Youtube and search for the things he talks about! Wow.


"This collection of rules, illustrated with stories from Bill's illustrious life and career, will show you how Bill became WILLIAM SHATNER, larger than life and bigger than any role he ever played. Shatner Rules is your guide to becoming William Shatner. Or more accurately, beautifully Shatneresque. Because let's face it...Shatner does rule, doesn't he?"

 --Rating 8 of 10.

My View of the Space Shuttle Today

Discovery Lands at Dullas

It flew by my office window three different times today. The last time was amazing.

--My office was eye level at the final approach.

Book: Commitment Hour

I forgot to post this book I finished last week:

    Commitment Hour by James Gardner

I read a lot of post apocalyptic fiction. I love books that have description of the societies that develop after the big crash. Hunger Games is another example. This one was written in 1998. Brenda recommended this one, I think because it was 100% zombie free.

This book has an excellent look at gender roles. It looks at sex from an interesting angle. (STOP laughing Schwartz!)

The people of this village switch genders annually.

Everyone in Tober Cove knows what it's like to have a baby, be a mother and a father. When their Commitment Hour comes they decide the gender they will keep through the rest of their lives.

--My book rating: 7 of 10

Went camping

Dragged my brothers ass into the woods and went camping last night.

If you are related to us we probably talked about you!!

There was steaks and coffee and even a couple good cigars!

--Gotta go back soon with BR!

Ever seen a grown man cry?

I broke my favorite coffee mug this morning, dammit!

Brenda said it would happen and it did.

But did she predict it, or make it happen?

Hmmmm,,,

--Goodbye old friend.

Narwin und Andy

In the Bleak Midwinter

I just finished reading In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Fleming.

I read a ton of these books. I am always on the lookout for a new author and/or character to consume wildly.

I really enjoyed this book. Great characters.

The main characters, the protagonists, are a small town police chief and a female priest.

...and she is a hot, fit, ass-kicking, former military, attack helicopter pilot, blond in a priests collar.

Yes, this strangely aroused me too.

Plus it takes place in upstate NY during the winter. I can totally relate have grown up just outside of Buffalo!

"It's a cold, snowy December in the upstate New York town of Millers Kill, and newly ordained Clare Fergusson is on thin ice as the first female priest of its small Episcopal church. The ancient regime running the parish covertly demands that she prove herself as a leader. However, her blunt manner, honed by years as an army pilot, is meeting with a chilly reception from some members of her congregation and Chief of Police Russ Van Alystyne, in particular, doesn't know what to make of her, or how to address "a lady priest" for that matter.

The last thing she needs is trouble, but that is exactly what she finds. When a newborn baby is abandoned on the church stairs and a young mother is brutally murdered, Clare has to pick her way through the secrets and silence that shadow that town like the ever-present Adirondack mountains. As the days dwindle down and the attraction between the avowed priest and the married police chief grows, Clare will need all her faith, tenacity, and courage to stand fast against a killer's icy heart."

Rev. Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series

• In the Bleak Midwinter (2002, hardcover ISBN 978-0-312-98676-6, paperback 978-0-312-98676-6)
• A Fountain Filled With Blood (2003, hardcover ISBN 978-0-312-99543-0, paperback 978-0-312-99543-0)
• Out of the Deep I Cry (2004, hardcover ISBN 978-0-312-31262-6, paperback ISBN 978-0-312-98888-3)
• To Darkness and To Death (2005, hardcover ISBN 978-0-312-33485-7, paperback ISBN 978-0-312-98887-6)
• All Mortal Flesh (2006, hardcover ISBN 978-0-312-31264-0, paperback 978-0-312-93398-2)
• I Shall Not Want (2008, hardcover ISBN 978-0-312-33487-1)
• One Was A Soldier (2011, hardcover ISBN 978-0-312-33489-5)

 --I will read them all now...

PC Crash

Posting has been light here because my laptop had the big Blue Screen of Death. I will be back soon.