Mimeno

Challenges for November 6th, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 08:14:00 +0000

Well, it's the first day of my challenges, and here they are:

DRAWING

1. 20 Anatomical Drawings of People

2. 3 Character Designs for Comic-In-Progress 'Divine Company'.

3. 3 Location Designs for Comic-Strip-In-Progress 'RocketRat Blues'.

WRITING

1. 1 'RocketRat Blues' Strip.

2. Mini-Short Story #1 - Start.

3. 'Divine Company' World Building.

I've already started and I'm about half-way through the first challenge. I'm feeling pretty good about this, even if I don't get through everything.

Challenge Created

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 03:53:00 +0000

Hello, blog. It's been a long time.

You and I have had quite a relationship, haven't we. I started you because I wanted to keep all the people back home up to date. Well, I got too lazy and no one read you.

A little later, I started you all over again. Twice. And you fell to the wayside both times.

Then you were reborn as Mimeno! And I was writing. Then I stopped. There's a little pattern going on around here.

But, well, to be honest, I guess I never found anything interesting to say through you. I had no voice. I love my family and all, but I was too busy enjoying my time with them to bother using you for your intended purpose.

I think I have found a reason for you now. I think I know what to do with you. And it's this:

For far too long, blog, I have been lazy. Lazy writing blogs, yes, of course. We already discussed that. No, I mean, lazy about all the things I truly love and want to do. My art, my writing. Not only that, through many starts and stops, I have been very physically lazy. The absence of table tennis or aikido in my life has left me literally soft. In the belly region. Some may call it fat. I call it fat. I'm fat.

So now, it's time I put you to work, blog. You are not only my blog on life, you're my blog on my improvements. You are going to show the world - and by that, the one or two readers who may pass through - that I don't have to be lazy. I don't have to trade my self-respect, my true pride, my hard work, my happiness, my fun for convenience and entertainment.

I have started my drawing, writing and exercise challenges for all to see. Enjoy, blog and all those who may read you in the future.

Have you ever...

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 06:35:00 +0000

...thought a movie might be good only to realize that Charlton Heston is in it?

What Would Tyler Durden Do? Not This.

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:33:00 +0000

I just found a web site. Seems popular. It's full of pictures and gossip about celebrities, mostly women that I can tell.
It's called What Would Tyler Durden Do? I've watched Fight Club countless times, and read the book nearly as much. It saved me from myself in a time when I desperately needed saving. I have learned how to be a human being because of this book and movie.

This website is not what Tyler would do. So if not this, what?

If Tyler Durden could steal or blackmail his way to an internet connection he would:
→ develop a virus that would not only destroy your computer, but would spread to everyone else's and destroy theirs and continue on until the internet was no longer viable.
→ change everyone's desktop picture to a massive, 13-inch black dong.
→ spam you with advertisements for soap so much that you just have to click that button to buy your fat-ass back and stop the spamming. It won't.
→ he would come to your house and make you throw your computer out the window and go outside to play. Starting with me.

Any other ideas?

My Beautiful Boy, Destined for Greatness...

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:54:00 +0000

...keeps shoving blue pic pens into the printer.

I don't know where he's getting them from.

Printer broken?

Blue pen found in the paper feed.

Blue ink all over his face.

Takeshi Kitano Promises ECC Something When Drunk...

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:06:00 +0000

As I've mentioned before in my highly opinionated post about George Clooney's adverts, I am not a fan of the celebrities selling anything and everything as long as it comes with a pay check. It's pretty terrible - unless, of course, the person in question actually likes and uses the product.

I am also disturbed by the fact that our 'mascot' is selling our company because he (possibly) made a drunken agreement.

One of the most internationally famous of the entertainers here in Japan is Takeshi 'Beat' Kitano, whose penis-like signature I've written about as it is displayed proudly at one of the schools I go to. And he, when at a bar, drunk, promised an exec of ECC (the company I work for) to do some commercials for the English-Instructing Corportation. Mr. Kitano thought the exec represented a coffee company, UCC. Apparently learned of the error the following day. It's been in the Japanese press, like this re-release of a newspaper article through Rocket News 24.com (Japanese), and it's badly Google-translated translation (English).

For me, in my blogger-opinion, the only saving grace here is that Kitano actually said that he's interested in English because of his work overseas. Then, it's marred by the fact that he isn't actually a student of ECC. Go figure.

Update: Though I'm not willing to delve into this any further, as it doesn't truly matter one way or the other - as either way it's a story about another celebrity selling their soul - but this news story may just be from the gossip rags.

Here is a collection of the most recent ECC commercials, the first ones to actually have him speaking English:

Blockquotes

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:43:00 +0000

are squaresville.

Sometimes Movie Posters Don't Know Who's On Them...

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:25:00 +0000

While I adore movies, I often look at their posters and wonder about the competence of those who make them. Mainly with the flippant way they add the actors' names above their heads and how, more than they should, don't match up. The latest I've seen is this poster for After.Life, a movie staring Christina Ricci - whose name it actually is above her head, Justin Long - who apparently is a large-headed Irishman, and Liam Neeson - who is looking a little skinnier and more nervous than he usually does.

The Ending of Another Year

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:51:00 +0000

Wednesday marked the end of this year's Senka program at ECC. If you don't know, and probably you don't, it's a four hour a day, five day a week English program ECC has. Usually those who are really interested in seriously studying English at a company such as hours pay cash out the ass-load to study intensely for a year. It is usually full of the best and brightest, thought this year was marked with some shaky dealings.

Despite that, I'm sad we have to part. It's become the only good reason to stay at ECC. No offense to any of the people who helped me out during the year with the rough time my family and I were having. A lot of help was given and I appreciate it. However, I've come to dislike the kids classes. Not that I hate the kids or anything, but because I can't stand waking up to my own son, then teaching 15-20+ kids, then going back to my son. It's exhausting. I'll just take my son, thank you. I've also hated the Web Lessons for a year or so. It's grueling.

And in the end, the scheduling is killing me. I've been asking for a Saturday-Sunday weekend. I've been asking for morning-only classes. They won't give any of it. Not just to me, but to pretty much 90% of the people who are employed for them. I need a steady, regular schedule for my family, and I'm not getting it this year either. On top of that, while one of my night shifts ends slightly earlier, I'm stuck with the same private lesson I've had for the past two years. I don't hate the guy, but after a full day of children, he puts me to sleep.

The schedule screws everyone up, not only myself, but my family, too. My wife, who's looking for a job won't have an easier time of it with me having a night schedule. And I don't like to say so, but with the money I earn from ECC - and with no real raises in the future, we need her to work, that is, until, I can make money doing art. (HA!)

If I can find a new job, this will definitely be my last year at ECC.

Fringe

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:04:00 +0000

Watched the first episode of Fringe last night with the wife after renting it from the video store. It wasn't bad.

Unfortunately the first episode was the only one on the DVD.

Wife SMASH!!!

Monday Morning

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:05:00 +0000

It's the first day of March. The first day of the week. What a perfect time to start a new lease on life... so long as it lasts that is.

It's the first of an eat-less diet. Very proud.
It's the first day of regularly scheduled, though light, exercise.
It's the first day to actually focus on my art again. All hardcore and what-not.
It's the first day of less video games.

As if that last one's going to happen...

It's the first day I've been truly exhausted. Running, then sit-ups, then push-ups and topped off with as much jumping rope as I could muster. And after all that, playing with my own son before having to play with fourteen other kids.

Who knew that actually fulfilling resolutions was exhausting. I mean...
Wow.

Welcome to Mimeno!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:50:00 +0000

Hi! It's been a long, tong time since I've written anything, and it's the first time I've written anything at all here at this particular blog address! I have no idea what this will do to my traffic, and honestly, I'm not about to really start caring again.

If you don't know, and you probably don't, I had another blog in which all these magical posts come from. However, I had another purpose for that blog, but lost sight of it. Instead, it became my personal blog, and the theme of the layout didn't really make sense. I blog about life, dressed up with unusual cartoon characters which I never used anywhere else.

So, after nearly a year of complete and utter laziness, I've decided to turn over a new leaf, and get myself back on track. This starts with this brand new blog that fits more of the personal idea.

The other blog isn't going to disappear either. It'll be back as what it was originally all about. Comics. I really need to get on the ball with that one and, hopefully, by next month, will have started posting them.

My portfolio needs a working on, as well. Not just the sight, but my actual work as well. Thanks to Blogger for adding static pages, I can finally organize things the way I want.

In the coming months, I have many a plan for this site using pages too, including creating a new photo page to make my mother happy, and a links page.

Anyway, that's it for now. Hopefully, all will be right with the world! At least, my world.

The Xbox 360 Doth Returneth Againeth Post Hasteth

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 11:13:00 +0000

So, after sending the Xbox out again due to that crazy noise, I got it back verily quickly - with another bonus free month of LIVE. This time, they replaced the fan free of charge and now, when a game isn't playing, it's quieter than a whisper in space. With a disk running, it's still noisy, though not as much as it once was. Excitement!

I complain much about this island nation, but not about it's customer service (especially compared with America's 'What the fuck do you want' attitude).

The Xbox Doth Returneth and is Senteth Backeth Againeth

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:11:00 +0000

So, the great thing about living in Japan is their slave-like customer service. If they don't satisfy the customer completely, the sales people get thirty lashes. The same goes for Microsoft Japan.

I hear complaint after complaint from Americans about when the Xboxes die, they have to call for M$ to send them a box, and it takes quite a while to get it back. Lately, I've been hearing that M$, in order to screw people out of their own time and money are refusing to send people a box - though Microsoft I've heard is denying it.

Anyway, here in Japan, when you call, they SEND SOMEONE to pick it up from your house next day. The customer service reps will tell you it takes about 10 days to get it back, but in fact it takes less than five, and comes with a free month of LIVE. Four days ago, mine was picked up and I got it back yesterday! Hooray!

However, now it's making all sorts of odd noises that weren't there before. Very troubling and very their fault. So yes, we called, and yes, someone's going to pick it up soon - and from what others are saying, I might get some money or a brand new Xbox out of this! Informed, I shall keep you.

The Panasonic VDR-D50P/PC and Mac OS X

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 13:41:00 +0000

My parents gave me a video camera for Christmas this past year in order to record the growings-up of the munchkin, now 13 months of age. It's a Panasonic VDR-D50P/PC DVD Palmcorder and unfortunately the software is completely incompatible with my glory of glories Mac OS X 4.11.

Damn.

I've had it for quite some time, allowing it to collect dust. That is, until today!

With some pain-in-the-assed techniques, you too can download your video directly off of the camera for your editing pleasure - without having to finalize your disk or use an analog bridge. This is how I did it.

Ready The Video
The DVD in the palmcorder is formatted to Video Recording (VR) Mode. Now, shoot your masterpiece - you know, the one where you're totally awesome stealing all that shit and beating up an old man. That'll never be found or used against you in a court of law.

Connect the Camera
Next, plug the camera into the USB port in your Mac and select PC CONNECT (DISC).
A DVD icon should appear on your desktop. Open it and go into the folder that you see. Inside there, you will find a .VRO file. Drag that file onto your desktop to copy it.

Make a Disk Image from the .VRO file
I then found this suggestion on macosxhints.com entitled How to rip .VRO files from DVD video recorders.

Basically, drag the .VRO file to the Video Tab of Roxio Toast Titanium. Once you see the video in the window, go to File → Save As Disk Image. You should now have a .TOAST file.(I used Toast, but I guess maybe other software that create disk images would work as well - don't quote me on that.)

Convert the Disk Image files into an .M4V file.
Now open Handbrake and click on the Source button. Open your .TOAST file click the Start button.

Once it's finished, you will have a nice little .m4v file ready for you to ravish into a new file format you can edit!

As I am no expert in any of these things, I will most likely not be able to help you troubleshoot, nor have I tested everything yet. If you wish, post your questions and I'll answer as best as I can.

Gotcha, Mutha-Fuckah!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:18:00 +0000

I don't like to kill. Anything, well, except for plants for food, I GU~~~ESS. Aside from that, I don't like to kill. Not even the insects I despise so much. However, last summer, I killed a mosquito. One of these tigers. I felt awful for weeks after.

Today, another reared it's ugly head and it pissed me off, and I vacuumed that son of a bitch right up - though, not before he tagged my wife, son and myself numerous times. Guess I've become a cold, hard killer. Damn. Though, bitch had it comin'.

iPod Crapfesta 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 03:57:00 +0000

So, throughout the better part of this, and the last in fact, the headphone jack of my iPod's been dying. First, I couldn't hear anything out of the right earpiece, then more recently, the left has been on the fritz. It's not the headphones, and this seems to be quite a common problem. That, and my warranty has been up for a couple of years, now.

So I opened the bitch up, and I found that I could do nothing about it, save stick a business card inside to create enough pressure to allow the connections to reconnect - which seems to have been the trouble all along.

I learned how from this eHow page.

Now, the left ear piece is golden while the right is getting much more sound out of it now - though hardly perfect. I love Macs, but I's really starting to hate all their little peripherals!

Update: The business card has long since failed on me, and now I've bought another remote control, from a company other than Apple, which seems to be doing somewhat of the trick, but not well enough. I'm tired...

The Red Rings of Ridiculous

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 03:26:00 +0000

So, I was playing a few rounds of Crackdown while my family napped. All was going well, then it was break time. After a nice supper, I was thoroughly full, ready to chill out with the TV and family. My son, always very excited about my xbox 360 controllers, decided to turn on my machine. The TV was still set to the game input, yet no picture was to be found. I went around the side to check out the xbox, and to my surprise, not three hours later, it had sadly died, with the ring glowing as red as sin.

As much as I hate that this happened, however, I do feel it a partial blessing, as I've started to actually get some work done. Hooray! And Boo hoo!

Japanese Children Shows: Miitsuketa

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:29:00 +0000

Miitsuketa revolves around Suichan (スイちゃん) - the adorable little human, her rice-loving chair Koshi (コッシー), and creepy-uncle-like cactus Sabosan (サボさん). Koshi - in mini-puppet form has tons of furniture friends who get into all sorts of mini adventures. There's also the strange guy in a pink cow outfit, Ofurosuki (オフロスキ) - or bath-lover - who spends his time making strange noises.

The ending song, though is ridiculously addictive. It's sung by Ufuls lead Tortoise Matsumoto.

Japanese Children Shows: Pitagora Suicchi

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:44:00 +0000

Occasional animations, a strange song in round with matching actions and a few other tidbits make up this short kids program in the mornings here in Japan. But the main attraction is the Pitagora Suicchi (ピタゴラスイッチ) - aka Pythagoras Switches, aka A Rube Goldberg Machines - themselves that come between each short. It's an example of things that make even the smallest person think a bit.

Japanese Children Shows: Knyakki (Animation)

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:39:00 +0000

I'm pretty sure that this was a one off, as I've only seen it today.

Knyakki is a short animation mixed with clay and photos. It follows a little green worm, his little green lady-worm-friend and a stink bug as they traverse the wonderful world of the city. As it happens, Knyakki loves to whistle, and is amazing at it!

One day, while falling asleep in a flower in a flower shop, the flower is bought by an entertainer who accidently discovers this little worm and his talents while on stage performing. His whistling is an instant hit, leading to the entertainer kidnapping the little worm, shoving him into a tank where he's starved and beaten and forced to be on a TV show - The Whistle Worm Show.

Of course, being beaten and starved as he is, little Knyakki is soon unable to perform, reversing all of the public adulation they had been receiving while scores of other animal acts vie to take his place. Angered, the entertainer tosses Knyakki and his tank out the window allowing him to be rescued by his two buggy friends!

As a watched, I thought that, in it's way, was quite a bold story for Japanese mini-kids. I really liked it. If I can find it on YouTube in a while, I'll throw it up, though it just aired today, as I've said.

Quite Well Balanced

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Sun, 31 May 2009 03:00:00 +0000

"Please enjoy it - a food with well-balanced nutritians. Its very convenient as a snack to children and for picnic."

You know, I have been lacking in my caramel intake as of late...

Magic Cookware

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:00:00 +0000

"This frying pan is like the wizard. Because a terrible, delicious omelet can be made also for me well." Glad I'm vegan.

Fashion Family

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Wed, 27 May 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Just before the picture was taken, they were smiling! I SWEAR it! Now it looks like they're in a Gap or Uniqlo ad.

On the Subject of Wheels

noreply@blogger.com (Michael, The RocketRat) — Mon, 25 May 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Nolan loves wheels. Wheels and bottles and balls and basically anything that rolls. He shoves his stroller around. He has to touch every tire on every car he sees.