Mostly Doctor Who Also Casting

Today was Casting Day!

Not big Hollywood type casting, but rather oh-my-god-my-arm-is-broken-and-crooked-and-sweet-christ-how-are-we-going-to-keep-it-from-moving type casting.

The hour or so drive to the orthopedic was spent discussing Doctor Who and wishing we could attend Comic-Con International in the near future.

X-rays were taken, we were told the arm is healing well and the cast was applied. The boy wanted green and was devistated to hear the nurse say “Oh, I think we’re out of green!” before she left to see what colors they did have.

She returned with a little bag marked “Green”.

The boy was happy again. Even happier when he learned we were eating Mexican after his appointment.

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Speaking of Doctor Who, we’re caught up on this year’s series. We’re right on schedule with Britain (you needn’t know how) and looking forward to the latest episodes.

The more I see David Tennant as The Doctor, the more I realize he’s one of my favorite Doctors so far. Tom Baker is a hard one to top, though. I’m not sure I can say the words “I like him better than Tom Baker” aloud without choking on them.

Here’s a bit of Doctor Who geekness that had me giggling like a fanboy this morning:

That’s the Tenth Doctor, David Tennant, meeting the Fifth Doctor, Peter Davison, in the wacky sort of way you meet a past version of yourself whilst flying around time and space in your TARDIS (have I mentioned I love Doctor Who?).

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I was introduced to Doctor Who at the same time I was (sort of) introduced to Anime.

I was a teenager watching PBS late one evening (as I did quite often and still do, from time to time), when I saw an episode of an animated show called “Urusei Yatsura” and fell in love (I’d seen anime prior to this, in the form of Voltron, Robotech, Speed Racer, and Astro Boy, but this was the first time I’d seen something subtitled).

After Urusei Yatsura was Tenchi Muyo! and after Tenchi Muyo! it was Charlie Rose. This was my Saturday evening from then on. I would stay up and watch my animated programs and then, depending on the level of interest I had in that night’s guest, I’d watch Charlie Rose.

But something struck me as odd. Whenever I would tune in a minute or two early to Urusei Yatsura, I was treated to the credits of some old program that showed words disappearing into what I could only assume was some sort of acid trip colored intergalactic worm hole (I was close) in the background, all while eerie-but-catchy techno-before-techno-existed type music played.

“Huh.” I’d say, intrigued.

One fateful Saturday, I made the effort to tune in an hour earlier.

I saw on my television screen an old man in a fedora and a long scarf running around saving the world from alien forces. I learned he was an alien himself, a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey. I learned that the TARDIS (which stands for Time And Relative Dimenstion(s) In Space and is The Doctor’s primary mode of transporation) was stuck as a Police Box circa 1950, but that we humans would never notice that fact. I learned that Daleks are bad, K-9 is a good dog and that no matter how many companions the old man had, he was doomed to travel alone.

This was The Doctor.

The Doctor has stayed with me over the years. He’s become a part of me. In 2005, I learned they were revisiting The Doctor. The ninth regeneration for the good Doctor and I really enjoyed the entire series. At the end of the series, The Doctor regenerated again, this time from Christopher Eccleston into David Tennant, who remains the current Doctor.

I’ve seen old black and white episodes, I’ve seen episodes from the sixties with hilarious hair and super technicolor visuals, I’ve seen eighties episodes, I’ve even seen the movie from 1996.

Such is my love of The Doctor. And I’ve found a woman who shares my love of all things Doctor Who, as the wife has been watching The Doctor’s adventures since she was a little girl as well.

Funny, the things that connect us.

Happy Doctor Who Day

A quick one, sorry.

Tonight will be Doctor Who and we will rejoice. The level of Doctor Who love in this household lately is amazing, as is the level of anticipation for this new season. It seems far longer than it has been since the last season.

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On a brief adventure to Casey’s last night for carbonated syrup-laced beverages, I noticed a list of outside chores Boss Lady had left for me for today. I get the joy of showing up in jeans and a t-shirt and working out in the sun all day.

Few things can compare to working outside. Such a simple pleasure. Fresh air, sunshine, the smell of freshly mowed lawns. I’m actually looking forward to it.

—

Early this morning, after the wife had left for work, I re-read the five thousand or so words I had completed of what will be my first novel. I was suddenly struck with a far better way to start it, however.

So I did. I opened a fresh word document and began to type, using the previously written words, in a seperate window, as a base on which to build. I was able to write a solid opening before retiring to bed. I then wrote a few more solid paragraphs when I woke up until just now, when I realized I should really get dressed and go to work.

I’m excited. I think I know how to continue now.

Onward I go. Wish me luck.

Mumblings of Science Fiction and More of the J.K. Rowling Thing

With the temperature staying in the mid 60s and a decent wind rustling the trees, today was the sort of day that made you feel good to be oustide. Walking to the store and back was a fun thing, for a change. To think that less than a month ago, it was a cold and frigid landscape of white and gray is astounding when breathing in the warm Spring air, looking around at all the rich greens and browns.

Today was a good day.

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In my previous entry, I commented on this article in which was information on a lawsuit filed by Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling.

Andrew Wheeler feels she’s wrong.

It’s truly interesting hearing from an established publisher on this topic and, while I still side with Rowling and hope she wins, I also tend to agree with a few things Andrew has mentioned.

Printed fan work is one thing. Go to your local Borders and look for any book on the topic of Star Wars. You’d be surprised how many there actually are (or perhaps you wouldn’t be surprised). Not all of them are official. In fact, many of them are unauthorized. And those will sell many copies right alongside the “Official” Lucasfilm produced books on the subject. No copyright infringing.

But from what Rowling is claiming in the suit, many of the facts in this fan’s Lexicon is taken verbatim from the books. There is, reportedly, very little original content in it. And by original content, I mean words about Harry Potter written uniquely by this man. Not just copying and pasting from the books (again, reportedly, as I’m not familiar enough with the books to recognize the similarities).

I believe therein lies the difference.

Of course, I’m no publisher.

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Author Dan Ronco thinks we’re entering a new golden age for science fiction.

It is eerie to think of all those ideas envisioned by SF writers that are now becoming a reality.

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Here, have some of the best book covers ever printed.

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Doctor Who gives Ben Templesmith a hard on.

Doctor Who by Ben Templesmith gives me a hard on.

Springtime In Minnesota

Sometime last week, I opened our front door to find a vision of green grass and of cascading raindrops. I stepped out onto our porch, inhaled deeply, filling my lungs with the refreshingly crisp air, and smiled. After a long and brutal winter, Spring had finally arrived.

I returned inside, got dressed, and went for a walk in the rain. Something I hadn’t done in far too long. I enjoyed myself so much that I fetched the camera and took this picture:

I was planning to post this in a blog entry heralding the return of spring. It was to be an entry chronicling my long walks in the rain, how much I enjoy breathing the post rain air, how happy I was to be without snow once more.

This morning I awoke to find this:

I was not pleased.

The man with the perfect hair, the wicked smile and the killer suit standing in front of a green screen on the television said some areas had gotten over a foot of snowfall. One look outside and I believed him.

Ben, cleaning the snow off the car.

Ben was happy to clean off the car until we told him he’d have to help me shovel the driveway as well.

Then he was rather unhappy.

The snow was cleared and we went about our day (grocceries, mailing of bills, various boring activities).

The weatherman reappeared upon our television screen, wicked smile and all, and he reassured us that the snow would dissipate and the sun would be seen again very soon.

This time I was not so quick to believe.

—

The wife and I had heard that The Sarah Jane Adventures would be airing tonight, on Sci-Fi. Being the huge fans of all things Doctor Who that we both are, we were sure to tune in.

It was… Fun. And lighthearted. And I got the feeling that, while the show had the same producers and visual effects team as the new Doctor Who series, it may not have had the same writers.

It was very corny and funny and more like a taste of a low calorie version of Doctor Who than anything else. But I enjoyed it very much and will be tuning in again next week.

Coincidentally, the new season of Doctor Who begins next week as well, and the amount of arm flailing and fanboy-and-girl giggling in the house is absurd.

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I’ll leave you with this link, which details how a Florida law has been passed allowing people to take guns to their place of employment.

I’ll just let you ponder that for a bit.