Category Archives: Crossposted

Crossposted, Reviews

The Dark Tower

The Dark Tower took a little while deciding what kind of movie it wanted to be, but I enjoyed it. It’s not my favorite Idris Elba movie, and it’s not my favorite Stephen King movie, and it doesn’t clear my Threshold of Awesome, but I enjoyed it.

I don’t have much emotional attachment to the novels, so the film’s departures from the text didn’t bug me. I did have a burning desire to get out of my hotel room to see a movie, so that may have artificially inflated the film’s joy factor a bit.

The weakest aspect of the film surrounded the parts that were the coolest to watch: when the Gunslinger is doing supernaturally awesome things with his .45 revolvers it’s just eye candy. There’s no emotional connection between him and the viewer. The stakes are high, but it’s difficult to really care. Had I cared more, the film would have been more enjoyable. Probably not Threshold of Awesome enjoyable, but still better.

Crossposted, Journal

From WorldCon to GenCon

I’m in Helsinki at WorldCon 75, and today is my last day here. The final leg of my 27-day tour begins on Sunday morning when I fly to Indianapolis in preparation for GenCon Indy.

This trip has been wonderful, and if it’s been difficult it’s also been an opportunity to remember that I can do difficult things. The familiar path rarely leads to new places, and the easy path isn’t the one with the XP containers on it.

Crossposted, Journal

Heidelberg from the Hotel

Look, I could totally go outside, but right now I’m enjoying the view of my notebook’s screen while I listen to something that is neither engine noise nor other human beings.

I’m in Heidelberg, Germany. It’s 5:30pm, and by this time tomorrow I’ll be on a plane bound for Helsinki. Behind me lie three nifty castle tours, and lots of walking. I won’t trouble you with the travelogue beyond a few bullets:

  • There’s a mural in Neuschwanstein castle that looks like a Disney matte painting. Chronology suggests that Walt Disney took some pictures when he visited.
  • The stairway trail up to Hohenzollern castle means business.
  • Trains are way better than buses because they have wi-fi.

Obviously we got off the ship okay. That seems like forever ago, but I guess it was just Saturday. I’ve lost track. WorldCon is my next big thing, and by this time next week I should be in Indianapolis bracing for GenCon Indy. And after that? HOME.

Home is my favorite.

Announcements, Crossposted, Journal

Four Weeks of Travel…

On Wednesday, July 26th, I fly out of Salt Lake City for a series of events. On Monday, August 21st, I fly back into Salt Lake City and then hook a ride back to my house.

My house, my bed, my 4-monitor PC, my lit-from-four-sides drawing table, my kitchen, my food, okay yeah my kids, my couch, my TV…

Four weeks.

FOUR WEEKS.

I’m not looking forward to this. Sure, I’m totally looking forward to the events themselves, but concatenating them in this way is throttling the joyful anticipation a bit.

The events in question? WXR 2017 on a cruise ship near something called “Europe,” WorldCon 75 in Helsinki, and GenCon Indy in Indianapolis. I get a few days of rest between each event, and that rest is theoretically enhanced by me being not on airplanes to and from my house. Also, it’s more cost-effective.

During this time it is possible that I’ll drop off the internet and forget to do things like review movies (which I won’t be seeing anyway, I guess) and participate in social media stuff.

Fortunately, the thing most people expect from me—a steady, daily supply of Schlock Mercenary—will continue for the duration of my trip. As of this writing I’m 42 days ahead, and the server’s queue of comics has been populated to the point that it can (and will!) automatically deliver comics each day without any help from me.

If you’re coming to WXR 2017, WorldCon 75, or GenCon Indy, and you happen to meet me, you now know why I look like a piece of lost meat-luggage that is three weeks past its sell-by date.