I took a second glance at the blog post I made this morning and decided that it was a really sucky way to cap off the week. I wanted to come back and let everyone know things are all better at Camp Brazelton.
After thumbing through the forums at Triton Labs, the solution became immediately clear. When installing the Afterburner, there are four protective plastic strips that prevent contamination to the components before installation. While assembling the mod, I only removed three and that’s why the colors looked all assy.
I would have had time to make the repair last night, but I didn’t want to wake up our beagle puppy Truman. How ironic that the little bastard woke me up at 6 o’clock this morning – a full hour before I regularly get up. I decided to take the extra time to make the repairs to my Game Boy and everything turned out fine. Yay!
I have to say, in retrospect the installation was fairly uncomplicated. But I think when you crack open the shell of this rather expensive piece of equipment, you’re nerves get a little jittery and you don’t follow directions as well as you should. Just goes to show I would make a horrible bomb squad technician…
Something else I wanted to cover in this blog is another Wynnsong story. I figured it was the least I could do since I gave everyone the shaft this morning. I wanted to use it as a plot for one of today’s strip, but it had to deal with concession workers in a different aspect, and I was looking to follow the thread of continuity a little further down the line. Hence, the “lunging through the projectionist booth window” gag we get today.
Anyway, the story. And I swear on the grave of Jack Lemmon it’s the truth.
I went to see Gangs of New York about a week ago. I was having a particularly crappy day and wasn’t much in the mood for any crap. I had hoped going to a movie would take my mind off things. No such luck.
We get to the theater and there is only one guy selling tickets. It’s a Monday night, but it’s understandable, but it’s also right before Christmas when a lot of people have time off. Bad management strikes again.
After purchasing tickets and going inside, there are about 16 people working behind the concession counters and there is NO ONE in line. In fact, there are kids standing behind the counter while the line for tickets is trailing outside. You can’t pull a couple of kids out from behind the candy counter to help thin out the ticket line? Morons!
Realizing that Gangs of New York is like, 12 hours long, I decided to get some popcorn and a soda (BUT NOT A COMBO!) I hadn’t eaten yet and I didn’t want hunger getting in the way of my grasping the movie in all it’s Scorsese glory.
I ask the kid behind the counter, “Can I have a large popcorn and a medium Coke?”
To which he replies, “Sure you can. It’s a free country.”
To which I wanted to reply “ARE YOU GOING TO GET ME MY DAMN COKE, OR NOT?!” But Miss Manners wouldn’t approve.
The kid then starts scooping up the corn and looks over his shoulder with a cock-sure grin and asks “Do you want oil on your popcorn?” And his tone inferred that this was not his cute name for butter, but meant to be taken sarcastically.
“Nooooo… I don’t want OIL on my popcorn,” I scoffed.
Once he was finished putting everything together he rang up the total and I paid with a twenty. “Ooo! Big spender!” he cooed.
So close I was to gripping his skull and slamming it into the register.
I get my change back and he says to me “Enjoy your movie, people!”
I WAS THE ONLY ONE AT THE COUNTER! THERE WERE NO OTHER “PEOPLE”
I met up with Cami who was looking at preview posters and I was nearly shaking with anger. “I think they must be giving these kids lessons on how to be a jackass, or something,” I muttered. We went to watch our film.
Now look, before this erupts into some kind of class warfare thing or whatever, know that I used to work for a movie theater just like this kid. So I KNOW what’s it’s like to be bombarded by idiots all day long. But I was nothing but cool to this kid and he’s firing back with both barrels.
I may have never liked any of the people I served when, but I never went out of my way to make anyone feel like crap. I swear to God if I ever see that kid again, I’m gonna punch him in the back of the head.
Oh, look. Now I’m all angry again! Dammit!
All that hard work and not being able to enjoy it with the person that matters most? That’s what we call irony, kids. Then again, Cami probably wouldn’t have gotten as big of a kick out of meeting Scurvy Joe as Tom and Goth Jared did.
Not much to talk about movie-wise. I feel like I’ve been beating a dead horse talking about Ocean’s 12. It’s good. Go see it. That about sums it up for me.
I guess I’ve been getting some push back on that sentiment, though. Basically, the audience has been split into two camps. Those like me who really loved it and those that have been disappointed by it.
Boy, there’s some insight for you, huh?
No, but seriously. The people who have been disappointed all make the same complaint – “There wasn’t as much heist action as there was in the first.” So just keep that in mind if you haven’t seen the movie and are thinking about spending your hard earned cash.
A couple of you have written in asking me what my thoughts are about the MPAA suing peer-to-peer networks who traffic in pirated movies.
As much as I don’t like the MPAA, I don’t really fault them on this move. Unlike music or software, pirated movies are usually of questionable quality. Basically it’s just some guy sitting in a movie theater taping what’s on the screen with a video camera, then trying to pawn it off on you for five bucks. I think any true film fanatic would insist on optimum picture and sound. So in this regard, hooray for the MPAA.
My biggest complaint with the MPAA was its shoddy treatment of movie audiences who paid the price of admission. The stern, disappointed Fatherly tone of the RespectCopyrights.org ads that appeared in front of trailers were as insulting as they were insipid.
In the past I’ve made the comparison that those ads are like lecturing a kid about shoplifting after he just put down money to buy a candy bar. In the case of the MPAA suing the peer-to-peer networks, the kid has stolen the candy bar and is half way around the block. Feel free to paddle his ass when you catch up to him.
Perhaps I’m oversimplifying things a bit. In fact, it’s more than likely. But it’s my interpretation of the situation.
Hey, before you go, be sure to check out our latest advertiser Skookum. Great fun for the manga lover inside all of us!
Have a great weekend!