ShanesWorld

Happy Hallowe'en!

Shane Birley — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:37:48 +0000

I wish I could head out and do a little trick or treating. But I am too old. At least, that is what they keep telling me. I don't recall ever getting old and I don't remember my trick and treating rights being revoked! I thought I was like that guy in Lethal Weapon 2 and had some sort of Halloween candy gathering immunity. It makes you want to go out knock over a few kids and sneak away with pillow cases of candy.

But you can't knock over those kids. They carry knives these days to protect themselves against all those people giving away free candy laced with acid and razor blades. Of course, I suppose, if there was acid in the candy they may not care so much about the razor blades.

Anyway, have a great Halloween!

Once More With Happy Bats Cinema and All The Feelings That Go Along With It

Shane Birley — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:37:15 +0000

I was mentioning a little while ago that the Once More With Feeling episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer has returned. And, guess what, Hallowe'en is this coming Saturday and you know what that means - if you aren't there, you are totally square and may a vampire sneak into your home and eat your ass off.

Need details? Well, here they are:

Saturday, October 31st, 2009 and
Sunday, November 1st, 2009

The triumphant return of the Buffy Musical screenings - you know, the ones you can SING at, ALONG with everyone else - ONCE MORE, WITH FEELING!!

Pacific Cinematheque 1131 Howe St
DOORS: 12 NOON, SHOW 12:30 PM

You can purchase tickets here!

I also kid you not - they sell out. The two times I have gone tickets were history a few days before, so, don't slack until the day of. If you're going to attend - chop chop - get your tickets now.

Of course, you can also check out the Happy Bats Being There blog for more up to date details should my excitement drag me into the Ninth Level of Hell or something strange like that. Hey, it is Hallowe'en - it could happen.

Happy Goonies Day!

Shane Birley — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:07:18 +0000

According to Facebook, today is the actual day the Goonies from the Goondocks had their adventure into the underground of Astoria, Oregon. I just happen to have watched the film (hey, what else do you do when you're sick, you watch movies!) just this past weekend and I never get tired of it.

The film is one of those movies you always remember. It is up there with Indiana Jones, E.T., and a bunch of other films that I love.

I hear there may be a sequel brewing but, somehow, I doubt it. Do we really need another adventure with them? Don't get me wrong, I would love one to be made, but I also have that feeling that the magic would just die on the vine. Perhaps not.

Well done, Goonies, and I hope to get to the 25th anniversary in June of 2010. Never say die!

Carrie Fisher Wants You to Stay Home (if you suffer from Ebola, Black Plague, or Leprosy)

administrator — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:04:14 +0000

My sister told me yesterday about Carrie Fisher's one-woman play, Wishful Drinking. I thought: "Hey, cool, she is on stage and doing some incredibly cool." What I didn't expect was this video that promotes the performance:

Absolutely hilarious. It proves to me that Fisher is a class act and is a nerd. Don't ask why, just go see the show. Sadly, I may not get to go as I don't have any plans (at this moment) to head on over to Broadway.

Watch Dollhouse Or I'll Come To Your House and Wipe You

Shane Birley — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:40:37 +0000

Okay, people. What the hell have you been doing with your Friday nights? Actually, I don't care. What you should be doing is watching Dollhouse. What you should do then is go out and buy a copy of Dollhouse on DVD. As a matter of fact, you should head to your local retailer now. Don't wait. Just go. Right the hell now! There is also the online shopping option. Go there and get two copies!

Not sure what Dollhouse is? Well, have you bought your copy yet? Dollhouse started back in February 2009, and I admit that I didn't have much hope for it. I am a hard core Joss Whedon fan but I have been kicked in the gut a few too many times to rush out and watch an awesome show just to have it canceled and yanked before its time.

So, this time, I waited. I heard a few bad things, and waited some more before checking it out. Finally, I couldn't take it any more and decided that I needed to watch it. The first few episodes were okay and I always give a pass to shows in their first season. Then, all of a sudden, BANG. About five or six episodes in, WHAM. The story kicks in, the feet are more solid on the ground and I was rockin' this show like there was no tomorrow.

Don't let this show become another Firefly. Let's show these television executive types that we like to watch this show. Don't let this happen to this show!

This show is good and I don't watch that other bullshit known as "reality television". So, don't cancel something of quality and replace it with garbage.

Happy Bats Cinema Hosts Once More, With Feeling in Vancouver

Shane Birley — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:10:52 +0000

Looks like Buffy The Vampire Slayer's season six episode Once More, With Feeling is hitting the screen in Vancouver - just in time for Hallowe'en! I can't believe it but it looks like there hasn't been an event like this since 2007? Is that right?

Our friends over at Happy Bats Cinema are hosting the event at the Pacific Cinematheque this October 31st and November 1st, 2009. Both shows are at noon and will feature all kinds hilarity. I got my tickets already. Have you?

Yes, I am a Joss Whedon nerd and quite proud of it. You can check out some of my nerdy pics from the last sing along.

Blogathon 2009: What Am I Doing Up In Whistler?

Shane Birley — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 05:09:05 +0000

A little while back, Allyson was bouncing around on Red Flag Deals and found a deal for cheap rooms at the Fairmont here in Whistler. It was quite the find and I wish we'd signed up for a few more weekends up here because I have been having a blast. I didn't realize that a few days in a place (sans pugs) would be such a treat. I suppose I have been locked up in that "world" of work and more work. Anyone who knows me knows that I am addicted to making sure everyone is happy and there aren't any stones left uncleaned (before being turned over).

This, of course, means we haven't had a holiday since 2003. I have heard this is a bad thing and I can't believe I haven't had more than a few days here and there to relax and not decide to kill. I am going to get back to that relaxing and will add a few more thoughts as the day goes on.

Blogathon Photos

Shane Birley — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 06:52:11 +0000

One thing I plan on doing is posting photos while I am up here in Whistler. You can find them on my photo blog on my Flickr steam at www.Flickr.com/photos/shanesworld.

UPDATE: Yes, I know, where the hell have I been and what the hell have you been doing talking about posting photos and then not following through? Good god, man! Get with the photos!

It has been well over a month since I tinkered around here, but that doesn't mean I haven't been active on the web. Without further whining and complaining, here are some of those photos I was promising.

A Little Help From My Fiends

Shane Birley — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 05:09:52 +0000

Ack! There is no excuse. I haven't been blogging at all these past few weeks and months. I am not entirely sure why. I suppose I have fallen into that trap so many other bloggers find themselves. Periods of self-loathing take over and beliefs are inserted that tell our internal critics that anything they create is either no good or is simply garbage. There is never a silver lining in any of these situations. Nothing is ever any good. Some go so far as deciding they are themselves no good. I could be only speaking of myself but I have a hunch that there are many of you out there going through what I am going through - blocked blog syndrome.

In truth, such thoughts are rubbish. Here I am in the trenches, one who has "proven" himself by being involved in the creation of a manual that helps people start this bizarre career of "blogging". Yet, I find myself lost in a cavern of creativity. I have written hundreds of blog posts all over the Internet and I can't seem to get one finished for my own website. How cruel is that? I guess there is some comfort I can offer. It is a well known fact that writers of all levels will star blankly at a page (either on a computer screen or a piece of paper) for days before putting down a single word. They can get blocked up just like the average blogger. It is a natural part of being a writer. (Sorry, what was that?)

I am here to tell all of you that the act of blogging is an art. Plain and simple. Your ability to write is what makes blogging possible. So, how do you break the blockage? By doing something I haven't done in a while. You sit down, look at the screen with a little bit of defiance and you start typing or you start writing away from the computer. Write by hand (yes, you can do that!) and then type in your thoughts later.

And, please, don't feel bad in the slightest if you don't have anything to say. You can always follow a standard blogging formula and write a list of some kind. Fill out a meme about yourself. Offer advice (as I am right now) and keep that chin up.

I have been reading also a disturbing theory running around the Internet that is claiming that the days of blogging are over.

I hear them say: "Who blogs anymore? It is all about micro-blogging now."

Horse hockey!

As cool as micro-blogging is, it isn't the full kind of writitng that people enjoy the most. Sure, you can "tweet" a story out but the act of writing can't be touched by these technologies. Don't feel "afraid" or "less of a writer" if you are told that blogs are "not where it is at". I don't subscribe to such theories. Blogging is writing! To claim that the days of writing are over is such nonsense. Maybe we're in a collective slump but blogging or writing is not a dead art and I would guess that it is here for some time. You can change the technologies and the format but you can't change the truth. Human beings love stories. We love writing. Micro-blogging may be here for a while or it may be a flash in the pan. Who cares. Writing doesn't change. We change and get lost once in a while but we always come back to what we love.

There you have it. A blog post. How about that? No preparation and no cause for celebration. I just sat down to do a bit of research and look at what I created. It isn't Shakespeare but I think I can use it.

For Earth Day, What More Can We Say?

Shane Birley — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 04:51:55 +0000

A number of months ago, I experienced a very low point in my life. I don't think I had ever experienced something quite like it before and I was glad for it to be over.

I gave up.

I didn't give up on my life. I gave up on the world's life. I gave up on you, gentle reader, and I hope you can find the wisdom to forgive me. I was weak and unable to cope for several hours.

I do offer some context. What started me down this path of utter dispair in regards to the current status of the world was I had read too many articles about how the world and how it is going to "Hell In An X-Wing Fighter" and I decided that it was time for me to just wash my hands of the world. I didn't mean it.

I do remember having a brief conversation with myself.

"That's it! We'll never learn. It won't matter anyway. The world will just buck us off the sadle when it feels like it. The universe will unfold as it should and if that means we're not part of that then so be it."

That night, the universe fought back and kicked me in the ass. It was one of those nights where you catch yourself reading or watching something that you wouldn't normally do. You may even pause to ask yourself why you're doing it. This particular evening, I found myself watching The Hour and who should appear but David Suzuki.

The interview was typical of that show. There was gentle conversation about what Mr. Suzuki was doing and, of course, there was talk about the environment. I was feeling quite self justified that Suzuki was telling stories about how he had been drinking out of a plastic cup and some onlooker said that he shouldn't be considering who he was and what he stood for.

Ha! I thought. You jerk! You drink from bottled water too! You dime store hood! It was then that a question was asked about what people should do if they are feeling tremendous apathy about the universe and the world. I was expecting some kind of: "Come join us. You can help heal the world."

Nope.

Suzuki became very serious and said: "Go be that way. Do what you need to do but get the hell out of my way. I am not perfect but I am doing my part. If you don't want to help, then stand aside and let me by."

Thank the world for David Suzuki. If it were not for him, I would proably be still feeling the way I did all those months ago. Have a great Earth Day and, Mr. Suzuki, I am sorry. I am doing my part too.

The Hero of Canton - Yes, Again

Shane Birley — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:14:32 +0000

My site has become very, very, Firefly-centric of late and I have been trying to stop blogging about anything Firefly related. But I can't ignore this.

When I Saw Fanboys

Shane Birley — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 07:20:32 +0000

About ten minutes ago, I posted to my blog.

About seven minutes ago, I did a few last minute edits.

About three minutes ago, I realized I had edited out an entire thread of that post - and left a mention of it in the title.

Right now, I am adding that text back in an expanding on it because I am obviously brain dead.

This past weekend, as a part of my "smelling the flowers" movement, I went out to a movie with Jonathon Narvey. Now, if you don't know Jonathon, let me point some things out about him. He is a nerd. Not just any nerd. This guy is hard core nerd. We have a nerd bond. He and I nerd out. This bond is strong. Nerd power! (I am just waiting for his rebuttle! Hee hee.)

The film we checked out is called Fanboys. It is a film about a bunch of Star Wars fanatics who try to steal a pre-release print of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace before it hits theatres. Pretty cool, huh?

What is interesting (and scary) about this film is that it is an accurate depiction of me, my friends, and everyone I knew back in 1999.

(cue dramatic music)

Some will say that there are times in a person's life when they know their exact location when some kind of life changing event occurs. My parents know where they were when Kennedy was shot and I knew where I was on May 19th, 1999 at 11:59pm. I was in a theatre line up in Langford waiting to be let in for the next Star Wars movie.

(cut dramatic music, a few broken notes)

Hmm. Having just written that out, it isn't so exciting. I mean, look at what Phantom Menace became. Mee-sa-saying itsa maybee not-a that-see citing, Shane.

Well, in either case, go see the movie. It had a long hard road to getting into theatres and deserves some support. And I give it a thumbs up.

Fanboys, Sunday, and Hogging Some Time

Shane Birley — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 06:26:26 +0000

When you are part owner in a small start up company, it can be very hard to make time for yourself. You work a whole lot in an attempt to make sure that you are on top of practically everything. Whether or not that is a smart thing, as a business owner, you can't help but want to make sure everything is looked at once - at least. The drawback to this is you find it hard to make time your life and, rarely, do you get to "smell the flowers".

I suppose this is why I haven't been blogging here like I wish I did. I have a rich life and a great number of opinions. You'd think I would be lathering up and chattering about something every single day. (An aside: I also hate writing these kinds of posts where I try to explain why I am not here as much as I would like - but what can you do. It seems to be a blogger trait. We love to think that we have a readership that cares - but, apparently, I am an ass.)

So, what is with my melancholy? When I woke up on Saturday morning, I did something very out of character. I hit the snooze button. A few minutes later (about 9 minutes, isn't it?) I reached over and hit it again. The third interruption found me turning it off. The next thing I knew, it was 11:30am on a Saturday morning and I hadn't even taken the dogs out for a walk yet. They didn't seem to mind, though, as they were cuddled together between us and happily snoring away. This, my friends, is highly unusual for me and I have a little nagging guilt about it. I don't remember the last time I slept in past 7am. I had a birthday marathon that kept me up until 2am a couple of weeks ago and I was up before 8am the next day. How crazy is that? My last visit to my parents home was the same way. Normally, I sleep like a baby and take as much time as I want. But, dammit, if I wasn't up at 7am every single day.

I don't want anyone who reads this to think that I am complaining. I am not. I am rewarded for the hard work I put in and if sleep is getting a back seat, then who am I to argue. I get to meet new people all the time. I am able to work on interesting projects. It is just that, some days, you wish you could fit everything into your life and, somehow, I am either blaming a lack of sleep or my ability to squeeze more things into my day by not sleeping. What I think I am really writing about here is a post about my recognition that I can't fit everything in and to force myself to remember that I do get a lot of joy from what I am managing to do.

I think I will end this one off by saying with something a famous engineer once said: "When it's important, you make the time." Damn you, Mr. Scott. Damn you!

Firefly Marathon 2009: Objects In Space

Shane Birley — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 06:37:13 +0000

This is the last episode of the series. It is almost painful to watch because it deals with many different aspects of existence, relationships, and how people perceive their own reality. I won't get into the details about the influence of Jean-Paul Sartre in the writing of this episode but, if you like, read about it here.

For me, this episode reminds me of the times I feel detached from the world around me. I don't feel like I fit into the world much like a square peg trying to squeeze into a round hole. I think everyone feels like this from time to time but, for me, it is all about the internal re-evaluation of the physical world.

Have you ever taken a close look at the objects, space, and people around you? I mean really looked at them? Ever mulled over a piece of wood, a marble, or your big toe? Sometimes I am fascinated by such things. I can stare at objects and see them in entirely new ways. I remember a time when I was exploring a new part of my childhood neighbourhood. I saw my street from a new direction. When I came home everything looked different. Lighting fixtures were glowly more brightly. Surfaces felt different. It was like I was seeing these common objects for the first time.

It was a powerful experience that I remember to this day. Being able to see things all over again sounds quite simple but it isn't.

Firefly Marathon 2009: Ice Planet Action

Shane Birley — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 04:06:36 +0000

We were a little crazy and made a couple of ice planets. Suprisingly, they were difficult to make. I made other people put them together because I am sure I would have been too frustrated to bother.

Firefly Marathon 2009: Ariel

Shane Birley — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 01:37:13 +0000

Ah, yes, Ariel. There are two things I think of when I watch this episode: hands of blue, and the Ariel Ambulance.

If you've dipped feet into the world of the Browncoat, you'll know that the hands of blue villians are underused. They are scary, methodical, and have the coolest and goriest brain melting weapons - ever. These villians appear in two episodes and are scary as hell. They are very terminator like and feature blue gloves which, by itself, isn't all that scary but just watching them work makes my skin crawl. Unfortunately, we don't see them at all after this episode (unless you've read the comics) and we learn what happens to them afterwards.

The Ariel Ambulance from this episode also has an interesting story as a prop. A guy who was driving by a junk yard stopped to take a look around. He saw some common aircraft frames and one frame he couldn't identify.

He answer came from Firefly.

The craft he has found at a junk yard in the desert was what remained of the ambulance prop from this episode. To make a long story short, a bunch of Firefly fanatics pooled their money together and paid for the prop to be shipped to them to be refurbished.

Crazy? Nah. Cool? Yes. I gather that the ambulance has been fixed up and is making a few appearances at different conventions.

Firefly Marathon 2009: Out Of Gas

Shane Birley — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:37:13 +0000

Out of Gas is the "pivotal episode" of the series. We learn how everyone managed to find their way onto Serenity. I like this point in the series because the show has "found itself". As we learn about how each character found their way onto Serenity it is also as if the writers, directors, and the performers have settled into the production. Everyone knows their roles now. Everyone knows what to do without thinking. A well oiled machine of a show has finally surfaced. What makes this even more interesting is that the show was like that from the very first episode.

When I think if Out Of Gas, I think of the many times I have imbued an object with affection. Sometimes it has been my car while other times it is something like a favourite t-shirt. For myself, there is a level of comfort I feel for certain objects. I like to keep them close or, at the very least, know where they are and that they are safe. Sounds weird, doesn't it? But, don't you have favourite "thing"? It could be a book, a night light, cookie jar, teddy bear - just about anything. For me it is my old security blanket. I have sealed my blanket in a plastic bag and keep it in a drawer. I don't take it out daily for a cuddle or anything - I have pugs for that. The majority of the time I don't think of my security blanket. But when I need a little pick-me-up when life is getting me down all I need to do is think about my blanket and remember all of the times I used it to keep me positive. It makes me feel better. I think of Mal's instant love for a derelict spacecraft as the same as I love my derelict security blanket.

The very last scene of the epiosde hurts my heart each time I view it. I just want to cry because I know what it is like to "find yourself" in something. To see the same qualities you have in something. It is hard to explain but when you feel it for the first time, you never forget it.

Firefly Marathon 2009: Jaynestown

Shane Birley — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 23:37:13 +0000

What can I say about Jaynestown other than:

The Ballad of Jayne

Jayne, the man they call Jayne

He robbed from the rich
And he gave to the poor
Stood up to the man
And gave him what for
Our love for him now
Ain't hard to explain
The hero of Canton
The man they call Jayne

Our Jayne saw the mudders' backs breakin'
He saw the mudders' lament
And he saw the magistrate takin'
Every dollar and leavin' five cents
So he said "you can't do that to my people"
He said "you can't crush them under your heel"
So Jayne strapped on his hat
And in 5 seconds flat
Stole everythin' Boss Higgins had to steal

He robbed from the rich
And he gave to the poor
Stood up to the man
And gave him what for
Our love for him now
Ain't hard to explain
The hero of Canton
The man they call Jayne

Now here is what separates heroes
From common folk like you and I
The man they call Jayne
He turned 'round his plane
And let that money hit sky
He dropped it onto our houses
He dropped it into our yards
The man they called Jayne
He stole away our pain
And headed out for the stars

He robbed from the rich
And he gave to the poor
Stood up to the man
And gave him what for
Our love for him now
Ain't hard to explain
The hero of Canton
The man they call Jayne.

Firefly Marathon 2009: Our Mrs. Reynolds

Shane Birley — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 23:37:07 +0000

Come on, let's face it, guys. This episode is a wet dream for most men. We have all the elements here:

the blushing, innocent bride who needs a man to take care of her
the blushing, hot innocent bride who needs a man to take care of her
the blushing, ever-so-willing bride who needs a man to take care of her
did I mention hot?

Also, this is the same bride who wants to do nothing but please her man in any way she can - even at the expense of her freedom to choose! Oh, wait, that's bad.

What I really like about this episode is the true strength in the character of Saffron or whatever her real name is. I cheer for Yo/Saff/Bridge when she proves that she is not what she seems. She turns the tables on all men (sure, Mal is a nice guy but he is rare in this Verse). She is a survivor. I only wish we had learned more about this character. Her past must be very interesting. I suppose it doesn't really matter because Joss Whedon writes women characters that can kick ass. Only this time, she is a woman who kicks ass for her own survival.

Firefly Marathon 2009: Safe

Shane Birley — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 23:36:53 +0000

Of all the episodes of Firefly, Safe is probably the one I watch the least. I don't know why since there are cows in this episode and, really, who can resist cows on television? This episode has two the the most interesting moments (for me) of the entire series:

Jayne stealing all of River and Simon's stuff and mocking Simon's diary.
Shepherd Book has an identification card that can help him whenever he wants.

I think this episode is where we really begin to wonder about Shepherd Book. And, don't we all want to want to have a secret just like that?

Firefly Marathon 2009: Shindig

Shane Birley — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 23:36:52 +0000

Shindig is an episode that reminds me just how cool Kaylee is. She is one of those types of girls you want to take home to mother. She is cute, adorable, and down to earth and tries not to take crap from anyone. It just kills me when her feelings get hurt. But even after having her feelings hurt, she is able to chat up a bunch of men about their "cars" and we see her fit right in.

You know what this episode reminds me of? It reminds me of all the school dances I went to. I hated them and was alwasy grumpy about it. But I still had to go because the girls I was seeing during my high school days wanted to go. I always felt out of place (hey, I was a geek) and was a total dick. We can all be jerks from time to time, right? Well, those dances were my place to shine at being a loser. I think I will end this post on that note because I don't want to be seen as someone who hates dancing.

Well, I don't!

Firefly Marathon 2009: Bushwacked

Shane Birley — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 23:34:57 +0000

In the first episode, we're introduced to the Reavers. They fly around in a scary spacecraft In this episode we're introduced to more about who they are - well, not really. We find out what they do and how they like to "do it".

Technorati Tags: firefly, serenity, joss whedon

Firefly Marathon 2009: The Train Job

Shane Birley — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:04:20 +0000

Ah, yes - The Train Job. What can you say about this episode except that it was written in a weekend and was an attempt to do everything the pilot was supposed to. I like this episode as it really shows us the true nature of all the characters.

Technorati Tags: firefly, serenity, joss whedon

Firefly Marathon 2009: Serenity

Shane Birley — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 21:52:26 +0000

As I have mentioned before, I didn't see the Firefly series until after I had seen the Big Damn Movie. I was a little confused when I saw the film because it was apparent these characters and the situation they were in had some kind of history.

Lucky for me, there were some very cool people in the theatre that shouted: "What? Where is the Grr Argh!" I had to ask what the "grr argh" reference was about. (Remember, this is also before my exposure to Buffy The Vampire Slayer.) They explained to me the history about how Firefly had been broadcast out of order and then unfairly canceled. I was hooked before I even watched the show - how is that for crazy.

What can I tell you about this episode? I believe this is one of the best opening episodes of any show I can think of. The dialogue and story lines were solid from the beginning. Sure, a lot of people would say that about a show they admire and love. I don't. Of the shows I have watched, including ones I watched as a kid, the majority have shaky scripts. The characters are not fleshed out, the shows are not overly developed and the structures of the show are not fully thought out.

I remember watching some shows I loved as a kid a few years ago - and I hated them! They were terrible! Why did I like Dukes of Hazzard? What was I thinking when I watched Knight Rider?

Technorati Tags: firefly, serenity, joss whedon

Firefly Marathon 2009: Done The Impossible

Shane Birley — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 20:58:01 +0000

My parents arrived last night and they took us out for a steak dinner in honour of my birthday. I enjoyed a t-bone steak with a baked potato and some red wine. It was delicious!

I don't think anyone would complain about a steak dinner. I certainly don't. What I can complain about is the question my parents asked me this morning before they headed off back to Victoria. in the morning: "So, what is this Firefly thing you're doing tomorrow?"

I was horrified. I have been talking about Firefly for the past few years and I thought it had sunk in just how cool Firefly is. They are my parents. Shouldn't they be interested in everything that I enjoy? I mean - really. There was soccer, baseball, and (for a brief time) hockey. They took a great about of interest when I was involved in those activities. But why don't they remember Firefly?! They didn't even remember me talking about it. Sheeesh.

I decided I had to take action. As they were packing their things, I put in the Done The Impossible documentary. I thought they would only stick around for a few minutes of it but they stayed and watched the whole thing. I told them a little bit about the series and what it was about and they showed some genuine interest. Take that, soccer!

Technorati Tags: firefly, serenity, joss whedon

For My Birthday: A Firefly and Serenity Marathon!

Shane Birley — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 20:29:38 +0000

For my birthday this year, I have invited a bunch of people to my place for a Firefly and Serenity Marathon. I am going to live blog this event because, well, I am crazy.

Technorati Tags: firefly, serenity, joss whedon

Should You Blog When You're Angry (And Tired)?

administrator — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 07:09:53 +0000

You are bloody well correct on all counts with that! I am utterly choked, cheesed off, and I may even be a little bit grumpy! Is it just me or can I never have a Friday that just works. Let me set this up for you.

I was planning on taking a trip to Victoria to visit a friend’s new baby.
I was supposed to have new phones installed.
I was supposed to feel good about said new phones.

Did I feel good about said new phones? Of course! But what happened? Nothing that didn’t require me to fix it. What do I mean? Well, when you invite a company into your office and you determine that they have services you require – wouldn’t you expect them to come in an instantly know what it was they needed to do?

Of course you would. They are the company providing you the service!

Sadly, this didn’t happen in my case. I was left to do a whole bunch of things myself in order to make what they were supposed to do happen. I shouldn’t rant to brashly against the nice man you came but you would think the people assigning him work would make it all worth while.

I remember that a number of years ago, the television man refused to come to the house in order to fix something that they broke which made it impossible to watch television. I a had to threaten to smash the television box off the house before they agreed to come. Should consumers have to resort to such threats?

Unfortunately, it has become far too common in this day and age.

I will end my rant now and go to bed and combat the issues of a new day tomorrow. Until then, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow will be a better day.

Technorati Tags: grumpy,service

Been Itching for Some Fog

Shane Birley — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:42:19 +0000

I think the weather in Vancouver best describes my brain when it comes to my blog the last couple of weeks. Of course, at the turn of the year, you want to start new things, get writing, get blogging, get something - anything. But I haven't found the time nor the desire.

While I try and sort out my head and exercise my writing muscles, here is a photo I took this evening.

I headed out into the night with Travis and we got a few shots in.

Technorati Tags: fog, vancouver, writing

January 2nd, 2009 and How Many Years Have I Forgotten?

Shane Birley — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:45:58 +0000

New Years Eve was very cool this year. I headed over to Alan and Erin's place and we had a few too many with Jim, Todd, and Elizabeth and played some Playstation.

The evening was casual and we just blabbered about whatever it was that popped into people's minds to converse about. The one thing that struck me about the whole night was people kept forgetting that it was New Years. I was thinking about it today and realized that New Years was more important a long time ago. In recent memory, my friends get together to bring in the new year but there seems to be a collective forgetfulness.

I suppose it is because we enjoy hanging out with each other so much and the actual ticking over the midnight hour becomes less so. But I do recall a long time ago I used to hit pots and pans in the front yard of my parents house. It seemed like such a big deal. We prepared for the new year by getting noise makers and whatnot.

Maybe I just miss the act of making a big deal about another year rolling over. 2009 to 2010 should make a return to those days. What kinds of noise makers do you use? Or am I just old fashioned?

Technorati Tags: new year, 2009

Happy New Year and How Did My Resolutions Do In 2008

Shane Birley — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:20:00 +0000

2008 is now over and 2009 is upon me, slapping my psyche to make sure I do better this year. In order to determine how I have done this past 12 months, I have decided to review my 2008 resolutions. I hope it isn't like watching a traffic accident but, regardless, let's watch together, shall we?

According to my post back in January of 2008, I was going to:

Continue Writing

I am happy to report this has gone quite well. I have written almost daily (not necessarily on this blog, thought - and I do intend on making improvements) and have put together a few more poetry collections that I still need to finalize. Surprisingly, this takes more time than I thought it would but it is enjoyable for me. Oh, and I helped write a book so I can add that to my list.

Swim At Least Three Times A Week

This was going very well for some time and, I think, was accomplished for most of the year. I fell off the band bandwagon in the fall, unfortunately. January 6th is already scheduled as a return to the water so fear not.

Drink Less Beer

This has been quite the year for beer. I have almost cut it entirely out of my diet to the point where a single beer tells my body that it doesn't want that single beer. 2009 will see me eliminate beer from my diet.