The Dashing Chap

[alistairkimble]

Universal Monsters

My first exposure to the classic Universal Monsters came in the form of a card game.

Yes, in 1964 Milton Bradley released a monster version of Old Maid! I found this card game at my grandparents' house when I was a little kid in the mid-1970s. The game must have belonged to one of my aunts. I'd look at these cards and get scared and a few were creepy. I mean, they were mostly the disembodied heads of monsters, and when you're four or five years old it's scary!  I sometimes wonder what happened to those cards. My next exposure to the Universal Monsters was through watching Abbott & Costello at my grandparents' house on Sundays after church. To this day I enjoy Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and that was my first real exposure to the film monsters. Watching Abbott and Costello was a good way of being introduced to these guys. It's a fun film, try it some time, it has Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr., and Vincent Price does the voice of the Invisible Man at the end of the film. It's funny, and as a kid it was both funny and scary.

A few years ago, Universal released a few sets of the famous Universal Monsters, some came in a plain old case, but I found the Coffin Collection and knew that was the set I needed!

The set contains the classic films: Dracula (and a second, Spanish version of Dracula that was shot on the same sets, but only when the main production wasn't filming, and to be honest, it's really good!). Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolfman, The Phantom of the Opera, and The Creature From the Black Lagoon(includes the original 3D version on Bluray!).

The coffin case contains a few goodies, like a booklet, and eight poster cards, one for each of the main films. I love this set, and while the films aren't as truly frightening as some that have followed, they're fun and even some of the special effects are still pretty cool!

[alistairkimble]

MileHiCon

I'll be at MileHiCon 10/27-10/29 along with my Iron Angels co-author, Eric Flint who is a Guest of Honor.

I'm on a few panels, and will of course haunt, I mean hang out at the bar!

Friday, October 27: 3:00pm - Living Life in the Open:  Panelists explore the impact of big data, surveillance, drones, data mining algorithms, etc., on public-private life. Panelists: Arlen Feldman, Andrew Burt, Veronica Calisto, Alistair Kimble, Deena Larsen 6:00pm - Knives, Tanks & Things That Go BOOM!:  How did the technologies, understanding, and culture of violence change throughout history, and why? How can we use this to understand our favorite fandoms, or create our own "cult of the gun" in our fictional worlds? Panelists: Kevin Ikenberry, Jonathan Brazee, Travis Heermann, Alistair Kimble, Kerry Major 9:00pm - Creatures of A Different Night:  New twists on old monsters—what’s out there beyond vampires, werewolves, and zombies. Panelists: Travis Heermann, Vivian Caethe, Amalie Howard, Alistair Kimble, Sam Knight Saturday, October 28: 10:00am - Different Roads Taken To Success:  Not everyone’s path to success is straight and narrow—find out how these panelists have forged their own paths. Panelists: Emily Mah, R. Alan Brooks, Alistair Kimble, Shannon Lawrence, James Van Pelt

[alistairkimble]

It? If You Want Clowns...

Try Killer Klowns From Outer Space! I was hanging out at a friend's place back in the late '80s and we stumbled upon Killer Klowns one day while flipping through the channels and we couldn't stop watching.

Why? Well, the film was crazy. It was funny. It was scary. It was goofy. The Klowns in this film are wait for it...from outer space! They travel around in a spaceship that looks like a giant circus tent! Arnold thought the Predator was one ugly mother&*!$%@, but these Klowns are hideous. My very first night at Dragon Con this year I saw three people dressed up as these things and it was awesome!

Some spoilers here, but do you care? The movie has been around since the '80s.

So, why did the klowns land on earth? Well, they want to capture humans and put them in giant cotton candy cocoons, let them ferment, and drink them with a giant krazy straw of course! Duh! They terrorize a small town with popcorn guns and they twist balloons into dogs that come to life and have this little howl. The movie is bad, but it's a blast.

There are some creepy parts, some sinister and gory parts, but mostly it's just a fun horror film with ugly clowns running around. The Chiodo brothers are responsible for this flick--they are the ones behind the marionettes in Team America: World Police.

If you just want to turn off your brain and have a few laughs after seeing It, give Killer Klowns From Outer Space a try. I don't promise an award winning film, just a fun one even if it has clowns in it, and most people I know hate clowns. 

[alistairkimble]

Live Albums?

Maybe I've just aged myself, but the word album means different things to different people and age groups.

For me an album is a slab of wax, a piece of vinyl, or extended to the music itself, a grouping of songs or pieces put together as to make a whole. Albums were released by artists as a whole (sure, there'd be singles from the album) with each track placed specifically on the album.

Live music isn't any different. When putting together a live show for an album or a concert, the band tries to arrange the songs in a pleasing order. They hook you with a great opener and pull you under so you won't stop listening. Some live albums capture the crowd's energy, while others strive to provide a crystal clear sound. There are a few that manage to do both.  I tend to like raw performances, ones with warts and all--that's what I like about some of the Sinatra recordings, he's putting on a show, cracking jokes, changing words, forgetting words at times, but making it awesome! I'm so happy they didn't screw around with those to get rid of those things.

Here is just a sampling of live albums that I enjoy in no particular order.

Frank Sinatra, Sinatra At The Sands, 1966 -- Perhaps my top Sinatra live album. He's with the Count Basie Orchestra, conducted by Quincy Jones. A great selection of tunes and great banter throughout.

Rush - Exit...Stage Left, 1981 -- While I love all of Rush's live albums this one hit at the right time for me as I'd just discovered Moving Pictures and to hear them recreate live what they're able to put on album was amazing. I also loved the live video released not long after.

Iron Maiden, Live After Death, 1985 -- Iron Maiden wasn't on my radar until this album was released. I was fifteen and that album cover demanded attention. Hearing Bruce Dickinson wail away while the guitars played in harmony with the bass lines thundering and galloping along with the drums was overwhelming and I was a fan from the opening. They lead with a stirring recording of Winston Churchill, ending with, "...we shall never surrender" and they rip into Aces High, it still gives me chills.

Led Zeppelin, The Song Remains The Same, 1976 -- what can I say about this one that hasn't already been said or written? Well, I love this one for how raw it is, and sure they may overindulge on a few tunes, but I'm sure heroine and alcohol had nothing to do with that--I mean Jimmy Page and John Bonham would never partake of the stuff, right?  I prefer this over the strange live video, though I'll watch that from time-to-time.

Judas Priest, Unleashed In The East, 1979 -- I threw this one on here for a couple of reasons, one, back in high school (this is the mid-80s) there were a few people who thought I resembled Rob Halford. The first album I owned by Priest was Defenders of the Faith, but I quickly went back to their older stuff and this live album--though some people don't like how they overdubbed in the studio to present a cleaner and more upfront sound with I'm guessing fewer mistakes as well, I like this album a lot. Rob Halford hits some crazy high notes and the music is heavy! Priest was not only heavy metal back then, but their heavy by today's standards.

Here are a few more I like, some mentioned during a Facebook exchange:

Pink Floyd, Pulse, 1995  Kiss, Alive II, 1977 Peter Frampton, Frampton Comes Alive!, 1976 Triumph, Stages, 1985 The Rat Pack: Live at the Sands, released in 2001, but from a show performed in 1963 Ozzy Osbourne, Tribute, 1987

I could list many, many more--there's Genesis, Peter Gabriel, The Who, and so on and so on...

[alistairkimble]

Fan Of Genre Since 1975

I was five years old in March of '75. Yes, I've been a fan since then, only I didn't come to that conclusion until recently. I'd always thought '77 was the year I became I fan. Do I need to spell out what franchise debuted in 1977? Didn't think so.

What made me think of writing this was an author interview I participated in over on the mylifemybooksmyescape blog. I brought up Kolchak: The Night Stalker as one of the influences for the novel Iron Angels, which I co-wrote with the wonderful Eric Flint.

The more obvious influence was The X-Files, but to anyone who reads Iron Angels that should be somewhat obvious. Kolchak, for the uninitiated, stars Darren McGavin (you know, the dad from A Christmas Story) as a reporter who finds himself embroiled in the fantastic and unbelievable. The show only aired for one season (there were also two TV movies that aired earlier that were highly rated) but this show was cited as an inspiration for The X-Files. I remember my great-grandmother babysitting me watching Kolchak while sipping a Pabst Blue Ribbon. The show scared me to death (there are plenty of horror elements), but it stuck with me.

Two more shows I remember from my childhood are Quincy and Columbo. Both of those are genre, too--you didn't think I only meant science fiction/fantasy/horror, did you?

The shows all have something in common, solving a mystery. Investigating. It doesn't matter if it's fantastic or based more on what we believe is reality, what obviously stuck with me was the mystery.

Let's take it even further! Another show I adored as a child was Scooby Doo. More mystery! More monsters! More investigation! Scooby Doo was my absolute favorite cartoon back then, and I still enjoy it--which is why I bought the full DVD collection housed in The Mystery Machine! And now I'm reading Meddling Kids, by Edgar Cantero.

What brought Scooby Doo back around to me was when I came across the most awesome cosplay at Dragon Con (annual multi-media convention held in Atlanta with around 80,000 attendees!). Not only did they have the Scooby Doo gang there, but the monsters was almost every episode! It was like I was in the cartoon!

When I got a little older, I used to watch all the classic mystery films and suspense films such as those from Hitchcock, which also influenced me and my choice of career. These are all genre, and I love to watch and read across the different genres.

Now that I'm looking back at my formative years, prodded by these recent rediscoveries I mentioned above, I think it's safe to say that genre, and in particular anything that involved mysteries and investigation led me to my career in law enforcement.

I could go on and on about television and film that influenced me, but for now, this is a good start! Thank you Granny for introducing me to genre (and horrible beer).

[alistairkimble]

My 2017 Concert Schedule Won't Help My Tinnitus

I'm attending quite a few concerts in 2017. Most people probably figure me for loving Sinatra and big band style music (and they'd be right), however, I have pretty broad tastes when it comes to music.

Tinnitus: I do have a constant high-pitched tone in both ears (probably from being around jet aircraft in the Navy on a daily basis for years, playing in loud bands throughout my life, and attending a large number of concerts), and as such, a few years ago I began wearing musician-grade decibel reducing earplugs at band practice as well as to concerts. Of course I adopted the earplugs way too late in life, but I don't want further damage if I can help it!

Here are the concerts I already have tickets for:

May 6 - Testament & Sepultura at the Summit Music Hall

May 11 - Opeth & Gojira at Red Rocks

June 3 - Roger Waters at Pepsi Center

June 7 - Metallica with VolBeat and Avenged Sevenfold at Mile High Stadium

June 8 - Brit Floyd at Red Rocks

July 6 - Queen at Pepsi Center

July 8 - Ghost at Fillmore Auditorium

August 25 - Depeche Mode at Pepsi Center

That's a pretty cool lineup, and I may add in a few shows if they don't interfere with travel and work.  And I don't think I'll be partaking in any mosh pits this year.

[alistairkimble]

Until Dawn - Interactive Horror for PS4

You know, I don't often write about video games. In fact, I don't think I've ever posted about one on my website, until now, and I'm writing about Until Dawn from Supermassive Games. I hate to write this, but for those with other platforms, it's a PlayStation 4 exclusive that was released back in August of 2015.

When I began writing fiction seriously again around a decade or so ago, the time I allotted for gaming (video, RPG, tabletop, board, etc.) dwindled to nearly zero. Every once in awhile I'll find a title that intrigues me, and this time it was Until Dawn that hooked me.

The game is an interactive horror film, and while it's filled with some pretty standard tropes, the description of the gameplay interested me enough to give it a whirl.

Okay, here is the setup and the tropes you'll recognize right off: the game involves a group of teenagers who are probably 18 or 19 given the clues you'll find in game. These teens get together in a remote cabin up in the mountains one year after the disappearance of two of their friends who are twin sisters of one of the teens. Of course, they are then terrorized by a psychopath who toys with them and they must survive until dawn.

Okay, that doesn't sound all that original, and it isn't. But that is the briefest of explanations regarding the plot that I'll give--I'd hate to spoil the game (even though it's been out for a awhile now). What makes this game interesting is the gameplay and implementation. This is the first game in a long time that made me come back to it and made me think about it after I'd stopped playing.

First off, you get to play all of the characters, each of them will take center stage throughout the story and you'll find clues, make critical decisions that will not only affect that character, but the other characters. In the game this is called the "butterfly effect" and some choice made early in the game may have a sever impact later on. There are a couple of cool things about this butterfly effect and the way it's implemented. They use Native American lore to explain the significance, and throughout the game there are also totems that characters will find that foreshadow events (such as a characters death, saving someone's life, that sort of thing), so these can help when making decisions and impact the butterfly effect. The other great thing is that these decisions have their own screen and the player can flip through them and see how these events impacted the story and characters as you play.

As this is happening, a story unfolds, and there are times characters have to make a choice on the fly, such as investigate a noise or follow footprints, or stay with the group or investigate noise on your own. These are things you'd be yelling at the screen for if this were a movie, and you'll find yourself making decisions that are the lesser of two evils (until you find out later on it wasn't the lesser of two evils!).  And then there are chase scenes where the screen will flash an icon and you need to hit the corresponding button on your controller, but these aren't often, but it's extremely stressful when it happens and I could feel the adrenaline kick in.

Given the choices all these characters can make, this leads to probably hundreds of different scenarios, and the choices the player makes will affect which characters make it until dawn. My first go through, I had 3 out of the 8 survive. Going into the last few minutes until dawn I actually I had 5, but then lost 2 from a decision I had to make in a matter of seconds.

This game lends itself to multiple play-throughs. The good thing is that once you've completed the game once you can access the chapters (the game is divided into chapters), which are also cleverly done and end in cliffhangers, and after a brief interlude (with a psychiatrist who explores your fears--and then those fears get implemented into the game), there is a recap of what happened before in the form of: Previously on Until Dawn, which then gives the highlights.

The effects of all these decisions even plays into how the characters then react to one another and they'll stop trusting each other or perhaps grow closer. I found myself really bummed when a couple of my favorite characters bit it. Another thing, sometimes you are given a choice, and it may seem you have to do something, but there are times when it's good to not hit the button to do something.

A few of the cast members are fairly well known, such as Hayden Panettiere (Heroes) and Rami Malek (Mr. Robot). The in-game characters are not only voiced by them, but modeled on them. The photos of Hayden Panettiere and Rami Malek are from the game, and they're pretty decent. Even the facial expressions are done quite well (I think they're at least as good as the Grand Moff Tarkin CGI in Rogue One--and that was a major production, not a somewhat unknown video game). The only character with weird facial expressions is the psychiatrist, there is just something a little off about the way his mouth moves, it's odd (it may be that the way his mouth moved in the game reminded me of one of my bosses that I didn't get along with at all, so that may have played into it a bit and made me want to punch the screen once or twice. Yeah, we didn't like each other at all). My old boss, I mean, the psychiatrist, doesn't have much screen time, so it's palatable.

It's not all positive. For instance, at times it feels like the game has the characters "on rails", guiding you down a specific path and at times the camera angles are frustrating. But I told myself that added to the mystery (when a camera angle prevented seeing something for instance), and if a door was locked, well, believe it or not, that was somewhat explained down the road when certain pieces of information are discovered. But those are my biggest gripes. It's only 9 hours or so of playing, but to me that's a good thing since I want to replay this a few times since it's impossible to see all the content the game offers in one play through.

I believe this sort of game and the butterfly effect and decision making process would work well with other genres, but it was such a pleasure to take the reins of a horror film and be the one making the dumb decisions rather than yelling at the screen. This really is an interactive horror film and overall I think the acting, graphics, music, gameplay, and cut scenes are pretty seamless and add to the cinematic feeling.

[alistairkimble]

Taking A Break - Social Media Edition

I took a break. From social media. Not entirely, but from active participation, which to be fair wasn't super active to begin with. I've lurked on social media, but quite honestly, since my post on enjoying life in the age of social media back in June, I haven't felt the urge to engage much online.

I took a break for many reasons:

I wanted to enjoy the rest of my summer and and then enjoyed a prolonged fall, a rarity up in the mountains, which allowed me to sip scotch and smoke cigars on the deck all the way into November. I was also going through a busy period at work and then as of January 8th, I stepped down from being a supervisor and I'm now back as a field agent (in case you weren't aware, I'm a Special Agent with the FBI). We were joking at work that the Bureau may be one of the few places where one is congratulated for stepping out of management and taking a pay cut. But it makes sense, most of us went into the Bureau to work investigations, not be tied to a desk dealing with administrative and personnel problems! So, work kept me busy and writing novels at night kept me busy.

Let's see, what else happened? Well, I was injured (I got hit hard in the left side of my back, and I think a floating rib, connective tissue, and my left kidney took the brunt) in a mosh pit at an Amon Amarth (viking metal) and Megadeth concert at the end of September. That kind of put a damper on my intense workout routine, but I did manage to suck it up for my Bureau physical readiness test (but in the process set my recovery back a few weeks).

The biggest impact came when we lost two of our cats, beloved family members really. It's difficult to call them pets or simply cats when they've been such a part of our lives. We lost Juniper and Buddy in October, within a span of a week and a half.

Juniper was 17 when she passed, and even though we'd been expecting her to go (kidney failure which we'd been slowing with subcutaneous fluids for the past two years), it was still painful. She was my companion--she'd sit behind me while I was writing, forcing me to sit up, and she'd also hang out on the deck with me. And then Buddy, he was 19, almost 20 (his birthday would have been January 27th). His loss was a shock. Yes, I know, he was 19, but he was a ball of energy and pretty healthy. And out of the blue he collapsed and I took him to an animal hospital where we discovered he not only had a pretty bad infection, but what appeared to be stomach cancer. We rescued Buddy when he was 18 and he was awesome--and I'd do it again. He made me smile every morning when I'd see him, and I typically don't smile much when I first wake up. They were both such sweet cats. Juniper is the first photo and Buddy, the second.

SKIP AHEAD TO THE NEXT CAT SECTION IF YOU'D RATHER NOT READ MY OPINIONS REGARDING POLITICS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

And then politics and vitriol and outrage filled social media and I stayed away--I deal with enough hate and stress at my day job where I get to see the worst of humanity on a daily basis so that when I'm at home or online I don't want to see more of it.

I honestly don't see the point in raving on social media about politics. It's tiring. When faced with a virtual wall of people in various stages of outrage, well, sooner or later it becomes white noise. Here is the problem: if the sky is falling all the time and someone is always crying Hitler, well, it ceases to have power or meaning.

If I read every single instance of outrage, and chose to comment on those outrages, well,  I'd do nothing else. Also, if I ceased being friends with people I disagreed with on a single opinion or belief, well, I wouldn't have any friends since I don't think there is a person on the planet that agrees with every single thing I have an opinion on.

So, I'm staying away from active commenting on Facebook when it involves the outrage of the minute. Commenting on pets, family trips and activities, the successes of friends, food and drink, entertainment, and when others need support, those are all things I'll gladly comment on.

START READING HERE IF YOU WANT MORE ABOUT CATS!

Now, back to better things: we have since adopted two more kitties. There is something about my wife and I where we look for cats that no one else will adopt. We found many in that category, but with the two we adopted, we can't believe that no one else would have wanted these guys, even with their problems. They are two of the most loving cats ever.

First up was a guy the Denver Animal Shelter had named Ronan. His photo was pathetic, which is what drew us to him. He's a black cat and the shelter believed he was 12 or 13. He was left in the overnight deposit box (sounds like a bank, doesn't it?) after being found on the streets of Denver. All of his teeth were taken out by the shelter and his eyes needed surgery, and later, we found out he also had FIV (feline version of HIV), but since he had no teeth, wasn't likely to transmit FIV to Bumble or the other cat we'd just adopted. Despite that tough guy appearance in the first photo, he's the sweetest and most affectionate cat. He's also so playful! The first photo is Ronan at the shelter and the second of him at our home lounging on the bed. We changed his name to Bear Cub, but his superhero name is Ronan.

We then adopted a 19 year old cat name Dagwood from the Cat Care Society in Denver (yep, we ended up doing it again, but we've found that older cats are so wonderful!). He will turn 20 this March and really has no issues at all other than his hearing is nearly gone, but boy does he still love the laser pointer and will go after that for as long as I'll wave it around! He still runs and leaps and can climb up the cat tree! He's my new writing partner,  sitting on my lap while I write and watch old TV shows like The Six Million Dollar Man and Magnum p.i. The first photo is Dagwood at the shelter and the second the young man relaxing on the sofa.

Photos of cats are always a good thing on the internet and seem to diffuse anger in a way no other photos can. And no better place to end this now lengthy post!

[alistairkimble]

Happy 30th Anniversary, Big Trouble In Little China!

This movie is one of my all-time favorites.

How can you not like a movie starring Kurt Russell directed by John Carpenter? Kurt Russell is also wonderful in The Thing and Escape from New York, but Big Trouble In Little China is a masterpiece--a genre mash-up before that was considered a thing. 

What is this movie? It's a comedy, martial arts, fantasy, drama, action movie with some romance. Kurt Russell stars as Jack Burton, a truck driver drawn into the search for a missing Chinese girl. Doesn't sound all that interesting when put like that, but the missing girl is the fiancee of Jack's friend, Wang Chi, and she's in the clutches of an ancient and powerful Chinese sorcerer, Lo Pan. Their adventures take them beneath San Francisco Chinatown and into a world of Chinese myth and superstition with the fate of the universe at stake.

What makes Jack Burton great is that he can take his lumps physically and verbally, and  keep coming back for more. He's a mixture of John Wayne and Indiana Jones (in his mind perhaps), but in many situations he's on his butt or out of the action. Kurt Russell is great in this film, and has a great supporting cast to include Kim Cattrall. The exchanges between Russell and Cattrall are reminiscent of the classic movies I adore. I could drop a bunch of quotes here, but there are so many great jokes and one-liners that you really need to experience the movie for yourself.

There are some over the top fight scenes, and even during the most serious of moments there are wisecracks and jokes to lighten it up. When I saw this movie back in the mid-eighties when it was released, I couldn't believe one movie could contain so much and make such a crazy idea work. And even now, 30 years later, I think it holds up well. You even forget Kurt Russell's mullet once the movie gets going--but if anyone can pull off a mullet, it's him.  ;)

The Blu-ray version is nicely done and contains all the special features found on the 2 disc DVD version. There are deleted scenes, an extended ending, trailers, a 1986 featurette, and a Kurt Russell and John Carpenter commentary.

So, if you've seen the movie before, you know what I'm talking about. But if you haven't watched it in a long time, or have not seen it at all, check it out. I'm pretty sure if you give it a chance, you won't be disappointed. And do me a favor: don't multitask while watching this, the film deserves your full attention.

[alistairkimble]

Enjoying Life - Social Media Edition

I've posted quite a few photos (a lot for me, at least) on a few social media sites the past couple of months. One of my cousins commented on one of those photos--a typical photo of me enjoying scotch and cigars on a weekend, the one below, actually:

My cousin's comment was: "You always look like you're enjoying life."

I thought about the comment and for the most part I think I do enjoy life, however, I am at times dour and cynical and unhappy. Chalk it up to my day job in law enforcement, I suppose. And even with my job there are many days of awesome and it's all fuel for my writing. But the point of this post isn't to complain or point out that my life sucks. It doesn't. It's not even close to sucking. I'm fortunate and I am aware of how fortunate I am.

One of the many points I'm attempting to make is this: I choose to use social media and interact on social media in positive ways. People will typically only see positive items from me on the internet and that may give the impression I'm having a good time, all the time (extra credit if you got that movie quote, I'll put the answer below). You know what? I certainly attempt to have a good time, but most of the time. Life is too short.

Sure, I may slip in a post or comment once in a while that isn't positive, but that is rare event. I will comment or post on grief, but grief is my exception to "negative" comments and posts on social media. I don't often vent or discuss personal problems and issues (I think I commented once that I needed to listen to Slayer or some death metal during a commute, but that was sort of meant to be funny though the commute that day was horrible). The people who need to know my personal matters are made aware and I'll discuss those in person or in private messages and email. I prefer speaking to people and seeing their reactions and body language (again, my job requires speaking with people face to face rather than through email, texting, and utilizing emojis). I'm not good at emailing people back or even participating in text discussions. Actually being in the company of people works for me.

There is enough negativity and hate in the world without me chiming in and adding more to that pile of you know what. I rarely complain on social media, and rarely get upset and make negative comments on social media. Why would I? There are too many people doing that already and what does it accomplish? Negativity is low hanging fruit, and even if you mean well and are trying to have a civilized dialogue, people are too easily outraged these days over someone else's opinion. I do not typically engage in political disputes or those regarding religion. There are more mundane and useless items people get upset over, such as trending news: I don't care if Bieber grabbed his crotch, or that the Coldplay guy said Rihanna was the Frank Sinatra of this generation. I'm a huge Sinatra fan, but really, who cares? But people get upset and "outraged" over that sort of nonsense.

I applaud the dedication of the people working for me, but I tell them from time to time that on their deathbed they aren't going to be thinking about all those extra hours they put in working. Instead, I'd likely lament not having spent enough time with family and friends, and perhaps thinking such things as: "Why didn't I travel more?" or "I should have gotten back in touch with (insert name of person here)," or "I always wanted to learn to (insert thing here)." That sort of thing. Along the same lines: will you be thinking about the person who trolled you on the internet or that thing you can't even remember that upset you so much on the internet all those years ago? I doubt it. I'm not saying don't take up a cause, please do. Just don't get too upset when people sh*t all over it, they're not worth the time and energy, especially when hiding behind a computer screen somewhere on the internet. Have meaningful discussions with your friends and acquaintances, in person if at all possible. Hell, try a Google Hangout, even that's way better than flame wars with people you don't really know, or even want to know. I've found people tend to be more reasonable when having to look me in the eye.

There are so many wonderful topics to write about and discuss, why would I choose to drop more negativity into an already overflowing cesspool of hate, negativity, and derision? I want to smile, but I'm too often frowning when I'm on certain social media sites.

Enough negativity! I started going down that path during this post and I'm done with it!

I enjoy posting about books, writing, film, travel, music, mens style (or lack of), outings with my wife, my cats, drinking (scotch, gin, mules, beer, and, you get the picture), smoking cigars, and sitting on my deck.

Post something humorous!

Tell us about the stuff you enjoy. You have hobbies, right? People and pets you love and care for? 

How about a photo of people having a good time?

Give us more cat and dog photos!

Enjoy life!

Oh, here is the quote I mentioned above. It's from the awesome "Rockumentary", This Is Spinal Tap:

"Have...a good time...all the time." Viv Savage, keyboardist for Spinal Tap.

A funny film, and even funnier if you've been in a band.

[alistairkimble]

The King of Cool

Dean Martin. So cool and talented. I'm a huge Frank Sinatra fan, but Dean Martin is right up there with Frank as one of the top entertainers of not only the 20th century, but of all-time. Another favorite of mine, Steve McQueen, was also nicknamed the "King of Cool", but Martin got there first.

Today would have been Martin's 99th birthday, but he passed away on Christmas day in 1995 at the age of 78. I'm always shocked at the longevity of guys like Dean and Frank--they smoked, they drank, they partied hard and had a good time. On the other hand, the lifestyle took a toll, but I'm still impressed he lived to the age of 78.

Yes, he had many hits, such as: "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Volare", "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?" and so on, and so on, but he was an entertainer stretching far beyond his dreamy crooner persona.

Most everyone has heard of the comedy team of Martin & Lewis. Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis performed a music-comedy act at night clubs and eventually made a bunch of pretty funny films. From 1949 to 1956 they were in something like 17 films together. Lewis is ridiculous in those films, but Martin, as the straight man always seemed funnier to me. Try My Friend Irma (their first film) and Scared Stiff.

My favorite Dean Martin film is Rio Bravo where Martin shared the screen with John Wayne and was directed by Howard Hawks. Even if you don't enjoy westerns, the pairing of Wayne and Martin is worth the time spent watching the film. He also starred in a string of comedy adventures  as Matt Helm, a super spy--these films are ridiculous, but a lot of fun to watch.

Of course, Martin was a key member of the Rat Pack. They performed on stage together, recorded songs together, and made movies together, such as Ocean's 11, Robin and the 7 Hoods, Sergeants 3 (a comedy remake of Gunga Din), and 4 for Texas.

Martin was everywhere, even on television. He had his own variety show, The Dean Martin Show, which launched in the mid-60s and ran until the mid-70s. It's a fun show to watch, even now, and showed off Martin's gift for improvisation.

As a child I remember seeing Dean Martin on television, but hosting The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast which ran through 1984 when I was a teenager. I thought these roasts were funny back then, but they're funnier now (probably because I've immersed myself so much in old Hollywood films and trivia). He roasted Ronald Reagan, Hugh Hefner, Kirk Douglas, Frank Sinatra, Bette Davis, Jimmy Stewart, and the list goes on and on. I think these roasts are available in a box set, I may have to pick that up.

When I think of the greatest entertainers of all time (the multi-faceted ones, not the one-trick ponies), Dean Martin is in my top 5.

[alistairkimble]

The Cure

This Sunday I'll be seeing The Cure in concert at Fiddler's Green Amphitheater. I prefer Red Rocks (who wouldn't, that venue is amazing, and if you're ever in the Denver area go there and check it out!), but the chance to see The Cure was one I couldn't pass up.

For those in the know regarding The Cure, you can skip this paragraph, but for the uninitiated, read on. The Cure have been around since 1976 and are known for gloomy, gothic rock, but in reality defy any specific categorization. Having written that, Robert Smith (pretty much the driving force behind the band) developed pop sensibilities in mid 1980s and released some commercial albums. Don't get me wrong, those albums aren't all butterflies and flowers and happy, but they're more accessible to the casual listener and do have some "upbeat" tunes. The album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me is the best example of this.

I enjoy Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, but my favorite albums comprise a trilogy which Robert Smith toured a few years back, playing each track from those albums in order.

Here they are:

1. Pornography--released in 1982 and is an example of their early gloom and doom and depression. Supposedly this album was conceived under the influence of alcohol and LSD, and the result is a textured, moody, and intense album I love listening to while writing. The entire album is worth a listen, but the opener, One Hundred Years, surges the album forward beneath a gathering storm. The album's cover shows the band members as if they were under the influence of a hallucinogen and alcohol cocktail.

2. Disintegration - released in 1989 after the more commercial Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, and was a return to gloom land, and from what I've read, Robert Smith claimed to have been, once again, under the influence of LSD during the writing and recording. I suppose this album was a backlash against the commercial elements of the previous album--but this album became The Cure's most commercially successful album. Again, the entire album is worth a listen, but check out Fascination Street--the straight forward beat and punchy bass guitar mixed with the chiming guitars is standard fare for The Cure, but amidst the somewhat optimistic tune, the lyrics strive to pull us down into an inevitable despair.

3. Bloodflowers - released in 2000 is the final album in the trilogy. Robert Smith believes this trilogy of albums best represents what The Cure is all about. This may not be the strongest of the trilogy, but is enjoyable when listened to start to finish with my favorite track being the title track followed by The Last Day of Summer and There Is No If...

I'll be enjoying The Cure live this Sunday and I hope you give them a try if you've not been exposed to them, or if you have, rediscover their music.

[alistairkimble]

American Cemetery and Memorial

Memorial Day has occupied a place in my heart for as long as I can remember. My family used to attend the Memorial Day Parade in Hackettstown, NJ every year. I remember seeing both of my grandfathers in the parade, as well as my mom's uncle--all World War II veterans. For a child, the parade was thrilling, since there were uniforms and trucks and tanks and so forth, but I couldn't grasp the true meaning of Memorial Day. I also didn't realize how significant the day was given the timeframe--I was a child in the 1970s and the Vietnam War was either still going on or had just ended.

During my first trip to France a few years ago, one of the first things we did was visit Normandy and saw the beaches and the cliffs where so many gave their lives with our own eyes. We also visited the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. There are 9,387 U.S. servicemen buried there on what is now essentially American soil--France granted the United States a perpetual concession to the land occupied by the cemetery.

This cemetery was originally established on June 8, 1944, the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. The U.S. flag flies over this soil in France. This cemetery is situated overlooking Omaha Beach, perhaps the bloodiest landing site of the Normandy Invasion. I will probably post about the Normandy Invasion on June 6th.

The cemetery is beautiful, but being there is overwhelming. Arlington National Cemetery is overwhelming as well, but that may be due to the sheer numbers buried there. The American Cemetery and Memorial in Normandy overwhelmed me in a different way--I'd just walked on Omaha Beach and Point du Hoc like it was just another blustery day, like it was nothing, while 70 years earlier men died taking those beaches and cliffs I strolled on without worry. The thought brought tears to my eyes and thinking on it right now dredged up those memories of visiting Normandy, and again my eyes water.

Theodore Roosevelt Jr. is buried at the cemetery. In 1941, in his early 50s, he returned to active duty and given command of the same infantry regiment he'd fought with in World War I and participated in the North Africa Campaign. At the age of 56, he was the oldest man in the invasion and was the only general on D-Day to land by sea with the first wave, landing on Utah Beach. His son, Quentin, also landed that day among the first wave, but on Omaha Beach. Theodore didn't die during the invasion, but did so a month after landing at Utah Beach.

There is one veteran of World War I buried in this cemetery--Theodore Roosevelt Jr's younger brother, Lieutenant Quentin Roosevelt, a pilot shot down in France during World War I. He was exhumed from another location in France and re-interred beside his brother.

In closing, while I'm honored people think about me and my service to the country on this day (I was enlisted in the U.S. Navy), Memorial Day is specifically for those who died while serving in the armed forces of the United States.

Don't ever forget what these brave men and women died for--I won't elaborate on that point, but give that some thought, please.

[alistairkimble]

Consider Adopting A Shelter Pet

My wife and I always think of animal shelters as the Island of Misfit Toys, if you've seen the Christmas special, "Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer", you already know what this means, but the island was a place where all the defective toys were sent and were waiting to be loved by a child. Whenever we pass a shelter, we always think of the scene where the toys are sad because no one wants them.

The toys are later rescued and they're happy that they'll be in a home where they'll be loved.

As we head into summer, and kids are off from school, I'm sure many families look into getting a pet for the household. Consider adopting from a shelter--there are so many wonderful animals waiting for you to adopt them! Give these guys a chance, many have been returned to a shelter, or worse, abandoned when they became a problem (the problem is usually humans who do not understand the adopted animal and what they need). Some are simply old and after all those years of companionship the family no longer wants to "deal" with them.

All of the photos I've included in this post are of cats we rescued from shelters over the years. The next two photos are Woobie--adopted way back in the late 90s when he was just a little guy in a shelter in the Mojave Desert. He was my best friend and traveled the across the country with me multiple times, driving and flying. Woobie was named after the blanket in Mr. Mom since he always wanted to be near me. He was a wonderful cat, and I still miss him.

The next two images are of Juniper, a sweet and loving (almost) 17yr old friend. She's also been all over the country, but was adopted in the Los Angeles area. She loves to snuggle and help me when I'm writing (she'll tuck herself in behind me, which makes me sit up straight!). She's required subcutaneous fluids every other day for the past year or so (for kidney failure), but it's worth it, she's so loving and sweet, and as long as she's not suffering we'll keep doing it.

Bumble, the character in the next couple of images, was adopted after Woobie passed away back in 2011. Bumble was our first Colorado cat. He's a lovely piebald cat who was named after the Abominable Snowman from the above-mentioned "Rudolph" Christmas special, which Yukon Cornelius called the Bumble. He's full of energy, but also loves to snuggle and be around us, he'll even steal my spot on the sofa when I lean forward or move! Bumble was diagnosed with premature kidney failure and lost a lot of weight a couple of years ago. He requires some medication, but he's rebounded and the vet believes we've halted his kidney failure.

We like to torture ourselves on occasion and visit a shelter, and during one visit, discovered a little black bear of a cat named Pepper. Pepper's owner passed away and the owner's son simply tossed Pepper outside into the cold. A neighbor scooped him up and took him to a no-kill shelter which is where we adopted him. Black cats are often overlooked by people, but Pepper's story was so sad and he'd been at the shelter for a long time before we took him home. Pepper may have been 10 when we adopted him, and he passed away last year from cancer--the three years he was with us were wonderful. He was such a handsome guy.

We were heartbroken after Pepper passed away so suddenly last July, and we weren't sure if we were ready for another cat, but then we heard about Buddy. Buddy was being fostered at a home after his owner had boarded him and never returned--we're not sure what happened to the owner. Buddy was 18 when we adopted him and recently turned 19. Many people do not want to adopt older cats, but Buddy does not act like a senior. He's active and loving. He must have been treated well by his previous owner. He puts a smile on my face in the morning (which is hard to do most of the time, just ask my poor wife). Buddy is healthy, but is deaf and is starting to get cataracts. He is so sweet though, and we just can't believe he is 19 (and neither can the vet). He can still jump with the best of them!

Shelter pets are wonderful and many of the cats we've adopted over the years would have been overlooked or passed over. Black cats, elderly cats, or cats with conditions after often those misfit toys that only want to be loved. Buddy healed our hearts after Pepper passed away--kittens are wonderful, but that 19yr old cat was exactly what we needed. We thought we were rescuing him, but he rescued us.

[alistairkimble]

Upstream Color: Art-House Science Fiction

Upstream Color is a 2013 science fiction film directed by Shane Carruth, who also plays a major part in the film. The film is one part con artist/thief and two parts science fiction. Here is the description from Amazon: A woman is abducted and hypnotized with an organic material harvested from a specific flower. When she falls for a man the two come to realized he may also have been subjected to the same process.

What was left out of the description (and this is minor spoiler territory) is the parasite introduced via the "organic material" and the "same process" doesn't explain much, but the two were abducted so a thief could rob them blind. The two fall for each other and try to put their lives back together, but the concoction they ingested has them recalling experiences they both shared and bonds them. I won't write anything more on the plot, but this film is beautiful and touching, but also ugly and disturbing.

If you prefer your science fiction (or film watching experience in general) spoon-fed to you, this film isn't for you. It's not even that surreal, certainly not in the same way as a Luis Buñuel or David Lynch film is surreal, but it is challenging, and I'm sure the long stretches without dialogue will turn some people off. I do not believe this slows the pace of the film, as the visuals are fascinating and thought-provoking. Upstream Color is both visceral and blunted at the same time, sharp, yet unfocused depending on what Carruth is attempting to get across. Carruth not only directed the film, but wrote the soundtrack (which suits the film perfectly and would be a great soundtrack to have on in the background as I'm writing).

If you want something a little different from your science fiction, give this film a try. If you're a Hulu Plus subscriber, it's available for streaming there, or you can rent on Amazon.

[alistairkimble]

5 Kickass Kung Fu Flicks from the 1970s

A couple of things right off: these are just five of the many kickass martial arts films from the 1970s and I left off the Bruce Lee films on purpose since they're well-known and they all kick ass (Game of Death being the weakest, but was released five years after Lee's death). Also, these films aren't all necessarily kung fu films, but kung fu worked with the title I wanted for this post so cut me some slack!

The '70s gave us horrible fashion and some horrible music and weird films. I grew up in the '70s and when you're in the middle of it, especially as a kid, you can't really understand how weird a decade it was. But I think the '70s produced the coolest martial arts films--especially the Shaw Brothers films. I remember watching kung fu films on Saturday afternoons in the late '70s and early '80s. The fight scenes were nuts and seemed to last forever, like when they went to commercial break they kept fighting or something. And because I was a kid when I first saw these, I still watch these with the English dubbing.

So, these are some of my favorites from the 1970s.

Master of the Flying Guillotine - 1976

This film is bizarre. The flying guillotine looks like a red hat with teeth which is attached to a chain--the wielder wings the contraption at an enemy, it lands on his head, the teeth sink in and the thrower yanks. You can imagine what happens next. But, the craziest thing in this film is the dude with the long arms--this guy can extend his arms to an insane distance, like twenty feet.

The final fight scene is pretty interesting and chaotic, but also nearly ten minutes long. Not my all-time favorite, but it makes this list simply because of the weapon and the dude with long arms.

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin - 1978

This one stars Gordon Liu (star of many, many martial arts films over the years, and played a couple of roles in the Kill Bill films). Many of these films have revenge/vengeance as their theme, and this one is no different. What I enjoy most about this film are the training scenes and Liu figuring out each of the 35 chambers of shaolin and he eventually establishes the 36th chamber.

Crippled Avengers (Return of 5 Deadly Venoms) - 1978

The final three films on this list star the Venom Mob (the name will make sense when I discuss the final film of this list), a group of actors Shaw Brothers films used together in many films. This one was originally known as Crippled Avengers--the main characters are all crippled by the villains in different ways: one becomes deaf and mute, another blind, while another has his legs cut off, and the final person has his head crushed and becomes "simple". So, of course, they seek revenge, but first have to learn how to fight, using their limitations to full advantage.

The Kid with the Golden Arm - 1979

Another Venom Mob Shaw Brothers film. This one is about a gang attempting to steal a shipment of gold. The heroes band together to stop Golden Arm and his gang. Great choreography (but then, all of these have great fight sequences).

Five Deadly Venoms - 1978

Okay, this one is my favorite. This is the film that tagged the group of actors as the Venom Mob. A dying master dispatches his last pupil to find his former students and discover what they're up to, he doesn't trust that they're using their skills for good. Each of his five prior students trained at different times and learned a different technique--oh, and they all wore masks during training. The five styles: scorpion, centipede, snake, lizard, and toad. The last pupil, the one dispatched to find the 5 venoms, knows a little of each style so he has to align with one of the other venoms to defeat the evil ones. But first he has to figure out who are the bad venoms and who are the good venoms. This film is a lot of fun and the storyline is as interesting as the fight scenes are spectacular. So, if you're going to watch just one of these, I say make it 5 Deadly Venoms.

[alistairkimble]

5 Kickass Kung Fu Flicks from the 1970s

A couple of things right off: these are just five of the many kickass martial arts films from the 1970s and I left off the Bruce Lee films on purpose since they're well-known and they all kick ass (Game of Death being the weakest, but was released five years after Lee's death). Also, these films aren't all necessarily kung fu films, but kung fu worked with the title I wanted for this post so cut me some slack!

The '70s gave us horrible fashion and some horrible music and weird films. I grew up in the '70s and when you're in the middle of it, especially as a kid, you can't really understand how weird a decade it was. But I think the '70s produced the coolest martial arts films--especially the Shaw Brothers films. I remember watching kung fu films on Saturday afternoons in the late '70s and early '80s. The fight scenes were nuts and seemed to last forever, like when they went to commercial break they kept fighting or something. And because I was a kid when I first saw these, I still watch these with the English dubbing.

So, these are some of my favorites from the 1970s.

Master of the Flying Guillotine - 1976

his film is bizarre. The flying guillotine looks like a red hat with teeth which is attached to a chain--the wielder wings the contraption at an enemy, it lands on his head, the teeth sink in and the thrower yanks. You can imagine what happens next. But, the craziest thing in this film is the dude with the long arms--this guy can extend his arms to an insane distance, like twenty feet.

The final fight scene is pretty interesting and chaotic, but also nearly ten minutes long. Not my all-time favorite, but it makes this list simply because of the weapon and the dude with long arms.

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin - 1978

This one stars Gordon Liu (star of many, many martial arts films over the years, and played a couple of roles in the Kill Bill films). Many of these films have revenge/vengeance as their theme, and this one is no different. What I enjoy most about this film are the training scenes and Liu figuring out each of the 35 chambers of shaolin and he eventually establishes the 36th chamber.

Crippled Avengers (Return of 5 Deadly Venoms) - 1978

The final three films on this list star the Venom Mob (the name will make sense when I discuss the final film of this list), a group of actors Shaw Brothers films used together in many films. This one was originally known as Crippled Avengers--the main characters are all crippled by the villains in different ways: one becomes deaf and mute, another blind, while another has his legs cut off, and the final person has his head crushed and becomes "simple". So, of course, they seek revenge, but first have to learn how to fight, using their limitations to full advantage.

The Kid with the Golden Arm - 1979

Another Venom Mob Shaw Brothers film. This one is about a gang attempting to steal a shipment of gold. The heroes band together to stop Golden Arm and his gang. Great choreography (but then, all of these have great fight sequences).

Five Deadly Venoms - 1978

Okay, this one is my favorite. This is the film that tagged the group of actors as the Venom Mob. A dying master dispatches his last pupil to find his former students and discover what they're up to, he doesn't trust that they're using their skills for good. Each of his five prior students trained at different times and learned a different technique--oh, and they all wore masks during training. The five styles: scorpion, centipede, snake, lizard, and toad. The last pupil, the one dispatched to find the 5 venoms, knows a little of each style so he has to align with one of the other venoms to defeat the evil ones. But first he has to figure out who are the bad venoms and who are the good venoms. This film is a lot of fun and the storyline is as interesting as the fight scenes are spectacular. So, if you're going to watch just one of these, I say make it 5 Deadly Venoms.