100th Post Spectacular!

Well, okay, maybe I'm being a little overly boastful to call my hundredth host spectacular, but a cloned monkey with three arms made me do it. Knife to my ribs and everything. So, here we are. I can't believe you guys have allowed me to ramble on the internet for a hundred posts. Really, someone should notify the CRTC or, failing that, the good people at Shaw Cable. Perhaps there were no good people to be found at either place and so I am able to continue. In any case, thank you all whether you pop in once or check daily, weekly, or when I beg you. In honour of this, I'm hoping to offer a grab bag of random topics, one of which is sure to not offend you. Not the least likely is the resumption of my podcast.

The Podcast Returns
Those of you who wrote me to continue my podcast, rejoice! As for the planet Earth, I suppose you can just wonder what the heck I'm doing putting together podcasts after the fantastic failure that was Episode 1. Well, I'll tell you. Over on FrankBlack.Net, my podcasting associate for the FrankBlack.Net Podcast and co-maintainer of the site came up with an idea. An idea to swap discs with other members of the forum. And then I came up with an idea. An idea to, instead, or rather also, record a podcast where we introduce people to the music and so forth. So, 'my' podcast is no longer mine at all except that I maintain the feed and came up with an idea. Now every week, at least for the next while, someone new will be publishing a podcast on Fridays, with music they like. Already, Kathryn has done a podcast focusing on the talents of Brian Eno and David Byrne. This week, I have a more eclectic mix of stuff. Next week, someone else will be posting theirs. Want it? All you have to do is add the following to your podcasting software (if you're not already subscribed to my podcast): http://dean.katsiris.com/podcast/feed.xml. If you have iTunes, it's as easy as selecting the "Advanced" menu, selecting "Subscribe to podcast" and pasting that link. I'm looking forward to some of the future hosts' shows. I've found out about some cool music from another mix like this I did a year or so ago.

Soccer and Lollies

So, the winter, the constant sitting at the desk, the getting out of shape, it's all done. Done, I tell you! Except for the desk, but now I will hopefully stop after work and get outside. Spring is here and it's glorious. There is magic (aka pollen) in the air, and I'm going to be so outdoors this summer that you won't have a clue how I still keep this thing up to date. I'm hoping to reinstate my team, Dynamite Dean and the Formidable Pylons, for a little summer recreation, and perhaps get some new players. Let me know if you're interested. I'm also thinking of doing an Ultimate Frisbee team this year. And some golf and tennis lessons. And biking. Yup, I love Saskatchewan summers more than I love taffy. Well, that's not true, which is part of the problem, I suppose. I need to work the taffy off. And other 'lollies' which is what the Australians like to call candies of any sort. Except, perhaps, for suckers and lollipops. Speaking of which, still planning on heading away this winter for a year there, but I haven't even begun to start looking at planning or tickets or tours. Perhaps I'll book it whilst biking on the Meewasin trail.

Simpsons Movie

Speaking of summer, and next year, coincidentally, there is a Simpsons movie coming out. Now, I know that the show is one of my favourite of all time, and also that many have lost interest because the writing really went downhill after the twelfth season in particular, but it has come around again if the recent episode with Ricky Gervais is any indication. Of course, he also wrote it, but to be fair, the last few I've seen have been pretty funny. And so, I have some hope that this movie could be pretty darned good. I also hope to win the lottery, but I think the odds are a little better on the Simpsons movie. You can see the trailer by clicking on the image over there. Meanwhile, they've squashed rumours of renewing Futurama, another 'F' show (Family Guy, Futurama, and there are others) that Fox cancelled for no good reason. I don't know what's going on over there. They have brilliant people getting these guys signed up and then idiots deciding who gets to stay. "We're sorry, Futurama has been cancelled. Please enjoy the next five shows which are all from the World's Blankiest Blank" genre. Still, there are also supposed to be some straight-to-DVD movies for Futurama coming, and that's cool. I hated the show based on a few viewings but finally knuckled under (thanks Darren) and now love it. It takes some growing.

Spaced Extras

British media is so ridiculously superior to anything we've got over here that it's scary, possibly with the exception of the BBC, which, although it has some great programming, doesn't have anything that holds a candle to the CBC's efforts at promoting Canadian music. Well done! Still, the BBC did bring us The Office, a brilliant piece of work from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, both of whom are doing the second season of a newer show called Extras. Which, if you haven't seen, is (if you will allow) bloody brilliant. Hilarious. Ricky is a movie extra, which is a great role as he seems born to play the ambitious nobody who likes to think he's already somebody, and, well, hilarity ensues. Patrick Stewart, a man I never once considered funny, was on the last show of season 1 and made me split a seam. Which may be related to the whole taffy-love. Who knows? Another show I've heard NOTHING about over here is Spaced, which is probably the closest thing to Family Guy that any show with real people could get. It's not crude, but it does rely on quick flashes and wacky over dramatization/parody for its humour. Check this show out if you can.

Goodbye, Cruel Blog!
And now we come to the least objectionable part. I will be back, of course, with a new post in a new week, but it's about time I got outside and more importantly, to the restaurant for the supper rush that I don't anticipate will materialize (unless I stay home). So, happy Easter to all and I'll see you on the other side of the bunny.Read More...