The Essential MCF: 2K9-2K10: Part 9

This is it, the final ESSENTIAL listing of Cloakfest 2K9-2K10! After September 2010, that just leaves the first 13 days of October, for those of you who remember the date of my very first post. Admit it; it's on your calendars. Don't be ashamed. Now for those of you who realize we're four days from that anniversary, fear not; if I write anything significant in the next four days, which is a slight possibility, I will be back to edit this post.

October, 2010

Metaphysics 101
In my disturbingly crowded brain, every facet of my personality manifests, some avatars more dominant than others, on the verge of a potential power shift.

My Nexus Feature Five
Because six years of Essential POSTS isn't enough, I use My Fives to revisit my favorite features through tags/labels.

T.I.L.T. Things I've Learned Thursday IIIVI
And one last time, I share some of the things I've learned, useful or otherwise, on a Thursday, mostly for the sake of an acronym.

A Boy Called "Spider-Man"
Reminiscing about a high school nickname takes me back down the path that led to a hobby, and a career, and an overall life philosophy.

PBW: NYComicCon 2K10: Day One.
PBW: NYComicCon 2K10: Day Two.
I'm glad that my final PBW photographic adventure got to be at the NYComicCon.

The Ultimate Hat Tip.
By the time I'm thanking everybody I ever interacted with, it's probably pretty obvious what those numbers at the end of each post are counting down to.

#2198 in a Four-Issue Limited Series
I always knew it would end this way someday, and 2198 consecutive daily posts isn't bad, but I can't believe it's over.

* * *

But wait; there's more! Here's a listing of EVERY Essential collection from the past six years:

The Essential MCF 2K4-2K5

The Essential MCF 2K5-2K6

The Essential MCF 2K6-2K7

The Essential MCF 2K7-2K8

The Essential MCF 2K8-2K9

The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 Part 1
The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 Part 2
The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 Part 3
The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 Part 4
The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 Part 5
The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 Part 6
The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 Part 7
The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 Part 8
The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 Part 9

* * *

4

The Essential MCF: 2K9-2K10: Part 8

Cloakfest 2K10 is almost over! August 2010 is behind us, which leaves me only one more complete month to recapitulate:


September, 2010

PBW: Light Show
A little experiment with a small keychain flashlight and long exposure yields surprisingly fresh results.

My Plate Runneth Over
I'm almost always a busy guy, between my day job and my weekend gigs, so the last thing I need added to the list is a property dispute. But when a jerk goes after my dad, he goes after my whole family....

MCF vs. the L.I. Universe
It took some extra effort to see Scott Pilgrim vs. The World after poor ratings took it out of most theaters after a mere two or three weeks, but it was totally worth it, easily in my top 3-5 movies for the year.

MCF's 2010 Watchlist
I may be a busy guy, but I make time for television, though this year brings fewer shows and, thus far, not many promising new ones. Maybe I'm not busy enough.

The Miracle of Cubby
They say cats have nine lives, but I think my mom's cat has used far more than that. I've lost track of how many times we thought we'd have to say goodbye this year, only to have him make a comeback. Our vet rocks. My mom rocks.

AFK in AC
I'd only been there once before, and missed two other opportunities to go earlier this year. Acting against type, I plan to play hooky and have some fun for a weekend getaway.

Always Bet on Odd
I have a great time on my mini-vacation, and even win a few games of roulette, applying my powers of improbability to my own benefit for a change. But nothing lasts forever, and all things must end some time....

PBW: Boardwalk Quagmire
Behold day one of my weekend escape!

The Monday of all Mondays
The last week of our last September begins with gloomy weather, corrupt computer files, and bad television reception. But a Monday like that can't last all week...or can it...?

PBW: Fountains of Win
Day 2 of my weekend escape was mostly about checking out of a hotel and sleeping on a train for a few hours, but that didn't stop me from getting a few more cool pictures before making a reluctant return to reality.

Shifty Priorities
Guy works for band. Band leaders lie to guy about job being canceled and screw him over. Guy later gives up personal plans to play for band, and screws self over. Guy begins to question priorities.

* * *

And that's what I wrote about in September 2010 in my sixth year of doing this.

The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 will conclude with a review of the next twelve days, and something more....

12

The Essential MCF: 2K9-2K10: Part 7

Cloakfest 2K10 lives on! July 2010 is done, which means we're up to August already! I can't believe it's going so fast.


August, 2010

Running Out of Time.
Every year I participate in a 5K run against other Long Island professionals, and every year I get a bit faster. I wonder before this year's race if I'll be fast enough, when there's no more time left to prepare...

faster.
Oh, I was fast enough. Surprisingly, so...

My Marvel Weapon Five
I know they're not real, but they're pretty damn cool anyway.

PBW: Cuz He's 50.
I can't possibly have a 50-year-old cousin yet, can I? Because that would make me....nahhh. I'm still a kid.

Sensitivity Zero
I usually keep things light and avoid tackling sensitive subjects, but after wrestling with one hot topic for a few weeks I need to work out my thoughts. Having the right to do something should not supersede taking how others will feel about doing that thing into consideration.

* * *

And that's what I wrote about in August 2010 in my sixth year of doing this.

The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 will continue....

20

The Essential MCF: 2K9-2K10: Part 6

Cloakfest 2K10 lives on! With May and June 2010 reviewed, July is our next logical stop:


July, 2010

Triple elbuorT
Three problems visited in the end of June attain various degrees of closure, or lack thereof, at the beginning of July.

Keeping My Cool
This Summer was HOT, but I endure the heat for parades, a barbecue, and yard work. My dad feels the heat too and is disappointed in his limitations, while I'm impressed that an 80-year-old who had heart surgery can do as much as he does.

PBW: MCF Takes Manhattan 2
It's part 2 of 3 as I take advantage of a business trip to take pictures in the greatest city I know.

The Rise and Fall of M. Night
Once upon a time there was a promising director named M. Night Shyamalan whose film career path can be described as, “Great-Awesome-Good-Wait What?-Decent-WTF was that?!-OMGYouRuinedAvatarYouB@st@rd!” I elaborate on that a bit more in the actual post, of course.

The Old Man Keeps Going.
My dad might not be what he once was physically, but his spirit is an inspiration.

PBW: MCF Takes Manhattan 3
I button up my collection of New York photos in the conclusion of a three-part series.

Fix or Repair Daily Redux
I wish my troubleshooting skills included my dad's knowledge of automobiles, especially when my inability to get a friend's car started reminds me that I should have paid more attention as a kid handing the old man wrenches.

Loop De Loop
Without variety, I find myself going in circles, and parts of my life begin to blur as I forget certain details and repeat myself and repeat myself.

Crank Wanker
Over the years, one of my band leaders and his son have become like family to me. And, like family, they rely on me, especially since neither father nor son drive. This proves challenging when transporting a bass drum or just commuting to a job, and causes them to depend more than others. The bus depot proves not as patient as myself...

Signs and Causes of Stress
These include but are not limited to bizarre dreams, researching the disease of a dying aunt, eating lunch at my desk, dealing with a major printer jam, and discovering 8 D batteries have leaked inside a boombox I inherited from an old friend.

PBW: The Six Faces of Dorkness
I pity the fool who doesn't recognize my six digital alter-egos. I do, I do! (I don't.)

Tact vs. Age
Some people reach an age where they don't care what they say anymore, while others never cared to begin with. My dad more or less falls in to that first category while his oldest sister falls in to the latter, especially when matter-of-factly stating that if their sister did not pass away during her trip up from Florida, she would not plan on coming back to New York for the funeral.

Order of Operations
A rough week starts with my aunt losing her battle with cancer, my dad grumbling about the way his nephew worded the obituary, and me figuring out how I'm going to get everything done at work when a funeral clearly takes priority over a busy season. It's all about my autopilot.

PBW: Aunt Josie
It's a photo farewell to a favorite Aunt.

Always Darling
I said goodbye to my Aunt Josie with pictures, and then I said it with words. It still doesn't seem real, but my family made it through that tough week, and beyond.

Always Darling
I said goodbye to my Aunt Josie with pictures, and then I said it with words. It still doesn't seem real, but my family made it through that tough week, and beyond. Hopefully, we’ll see her again in the next life...

* * *

And that's what I wrote about in July 2010 in my sixth year of doing this.

The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 will continue....

The Essential MCF: 2K9-2K10: Part 5

Cloakfest 2K10 lives on! With April 2010 reviewed, let's turn our sights back to what I was writing about in May and June of this year::


May, 2010

UN
-sure why this is here.

Nocturnal Electrician
That's right, it's another one of my weird dream posts, this time involving a hostage situation at the mall and a taser that proves that my improbable luck carries over into my subconscious.

Spoilers
I don't ruin Iron Man 2 for anyone. I wish I could say the same for some of the young people in the theater with me....

PBW: The Mother of All Days
My mom gets to spend Mother's Day with my dad, who survived his heart surgery, and revisit a place she hadn't visited since the 1960s.

Here Today...
It's the story of an elderly coworker's last day, in more ways than one.

Better to Burn Out
Maybe networks need to give new shows a chance. Maybe television series need to have shorter story arcs. Maybe I need a vacation from even my leisure activities.

My 2010 Summer Show Five
...and maybe I won't even get a break from television this Summer.

Vwls r vrrtd
n whch wrt n ntr pst wtht vwls.

I once was LOST
...but now I found my review of the series finale of LOST.

Broken
Things get worse for my mom's 14-year-old blind cat Cubby, as a bladder infection leaves him in bad shape.

Finale Time
LOST isn't the only show to wrap things up, and I look at the series finales of 24 and FlashForward as well as the season finale of Chuck.

Phantasmic Links 5.31.10
It's not the links that are essential, but rather the update on the fate of Cubby after a long holiday weekend....


June, 2010

Worry About the Other Guy
The health problems of my dad, my mom's cat, and others remind me that when we focus on other people, it's an ideal distraction from our own problems.

PBW: All About Cubby
Take a look at Cubby in his youth, and more recent pictures of a too-soon ailing senior cat.

Puppy in the Road
What happens when a little dog is spotted wandering and confused in the middle of a busy road on a hot Summer day?

Yet Another Mental Health Day
I finally take a real vacation day, something I apparently do once a year or so. I make it to the movies. I think nothing of my dad taking his sister to the hospital at the time other than admire how he's up and about and helping other family members after his own hospital stay. I get some photos and catch some new shows. For about 17 hours, I escape routine and reality, and life is good.

PBW: JDRF Walk 2010
For me personally, a repeat celebrity sighting pales in comparison to the sight of my old man playing a gig once more.

Natural Outcomes
I experienced various causes and effects on or around 6/11/10, so I wrote all about them.

They Don't Serve My Kind.
Once upon a time, being a musician at a feast meant certain perks, such as free food and/or beverages. Once upon a time....

Burned at Both Ends and in the Middle
I spend my morning at a conference in the city, my afternoon taking pictures and subsequently rushing to catch a train after a time miscalculation, and my evening playing a feast. And it's only Wednesday...

Ribs, for your pleasure...
There are so many good rib places near where I work, but the discovery of one new location sets off a new Summer tradition.

Some MCF Math
2+2=OMGMCFSBRAINISODD!

Triple Trouble
Uno: My dad's lingering heart problems combined with his stubbornness. Dos: A litter of kittens under some pipes near my job. TRES: Chirp, our other cat, has a lesion under his tongue, explaining what we had thought was a cute habit of him sticking it out all the time. Resolutions and/or updates to these situations wouldn't be forthcoming until July....

PBW: MCF Takes Manhattan
It's part one of why I enjoy taking photos in New York, and why I almost missed my train after attending a conference for work.


* * *

And that's what I wrote about in May and June 2010 in my sixth year of doing this.

The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 will continue....

The Essential MCF: 2K9-2K10: Part 4

Cloakfest 2K10 isn't over yet! Last time we reviewed the highlights from February and March 2010, and now we'll take a look at the essential posts from April 2010::


APRIL, 2010

T.I.L.T. Things I've Learned Thursday MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
My Things I've Learned Thursday feature takes a very strange turn, for some reason...you there, what day was that?

My Comic Book Movie Wishlist Five
There are some very cool, if obscure, comics I've read that will probably never become movies, and these are my top five picks.

Self Edit
My restrained nature and ability to not say aloud the things which should stay in my brain keep me out of trouble. More people could use that self edit feature.

Not My Beautiful Room
My Aunt Rose doesn't adjust well to her new room at her assisted living facility, and when we visit on Easter, she refuses to get out of bed or eat. She gets some tough love from my father and my Aunt Josie, and Aunt Josie does manage to feed her sister some watermelon. Afterwards, we visited my mom's brother, my Uncle Jerry, at his nursing home, then I took my folks to the beach and took some photos in case my dad's upcoming bypass surgery didn't got well and it was our last Easter together. Months later, as I reread this story, two family members have made great improvements, and another one is gone forever. If you asked me then who I would have thought would be in what condition, I would have been way off in my prediction. Life is unpredictable.

PBW: The Easter Choice
And here are some photos from that Easter.

Other Places
What implications does a new scientific discovery in the realm of quantum physics hold? Probably not the ones I'm hoping for, but it's still fun to speculate and fantasize.

The Big Day
After years of suffering, and months of anticipation, my dad finally reaches the day of his heart surgery.

Bye Past
I'd just like to take this opportunity to thank you all once again for your prayers, thoughts, and comments through some scary times. The day of my dad's surgery was a long one for my mom and I, but mercifully went much quicker for my dad who spent most of it under sedation. The first hurdle was behind us, but there were still a few more ahead....

"How did you make that so real?"
My father's recovery progresses and he moves to a new wing, but he doesn't react well to pain medication. Among his prominent hallucinations: kicking me repeatedly for being the “director” in charge of the hallucinations. At the time, when his feet were moving under the bed sheets, I just thought he was dreaming about running.

PBW: From the Heart
Behold the return of my father, complete with an enlarged heart(which in this case is a good thing).

Over this past week...
...that is to say, the second week of April, many things happened, including my dad's successful surgery, a promotion at work, a high tax bill, and one of my trademark near-death experiences....

Dreamcasting Five
Because I like franchising, dreaming, and thinking ahead, here are my picks for the cast of a West Coast Avengers movie.

Kick-Ass Kicks Ass
The title is fairly self-explanatory, and headlines a positive film review.

Bracketers Welcome
I apply the bracket formula to popular television characters.

One of THOSE Days
“Some weeks, I really feel the burden of working five days. Some weeks, a Thursday should really be a Friday. This Thursday was one of THOSE days.”

Resilient
We're all tougher than we think. We can get stressed. We can get hurt. We can get sick. But, through the example of my parents, I realize we don't have to let any of that stop us.

PBW: Toe, No! Toe, YES.
For example, I didn't let a black toenail stop me from running, and nothing stopped me from posting before and after photos from the initial damage to the time it finally began to separate and finally came off entirely. Gross? Yes. Offensive? Yes. Essential...?

I Have No Idea....
...why I'd relink to that toe post. Here are some other things I had no idea about.

* * *

Busy month! And that's what I wrote about in April 2010 in my sixth year of doing this.

The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 will continue....

The Essential MCF: 2K9-2K10: Part 3

The early Cloakfest 2K10 continues! Last time we reviewed the highlights from December 2009 and January 2010, and now we'll take a look at the essential posts from February and March 2010::


FEBRUARY, 2010

Circles in the Dark
My mom's blind cat will spend the rest of his life walking in circles, while I begin to recognize the circles my own fears and emotions lead me in before, like Cubby, I pick a direction.

The Greatest Comebacks
I love a good comeback, love that it's always darkest before the dawn in some of my favorite movies and television shows. The contrast of some genuinely tragic times make the eventual comebacks even greater. It's a fantastic archetype.

Perspective.
Reminders that I'm not a kid anymore are never easy, but things like being called “Mr.” are probably important if I'm ever going to move forward.

80 Years and Out of Ideas
As my father's 80th birthday approaches, I wrestle with the problem of shopping for a man who already has everything he wants, doesn't want a party, and as I'd soon, realize, probably isn't healthy enough for a trip to a baseball stadium.

Snow Blind
It was good that I had this blog, so I could remember HOW MUCH SNOW WE GOT THIS YEAR. A snow day off from work swiftly results in a day of shoveling, and ultimately isn't much of a day off AT ALL, especially when I find myself in a third round of digging after my dad goes to sleep.

My Future Commercial Star Five
Sure, they're all celebrities now, but where might they land in the future in advertising?

PBW: A Snow Day's Night
Hey, did I mention it SNOWED a lot this year? I had the pictures to prove it....

Turn Turn Turnaround
Sometimes, the universe balances out, and those of us who were down are up, while those of us who knocked us down finally fall themselves.

Up Fate's Sleeve
When a raccoon saves me from a speeding ticket, I ponder recent positive changes in my luck, and wonder if missing a casino weekend due to a sick friend is also part of a larger design of fate.

MCF's Old School 100
It's the first 20 in a very awesome list of memories from the decades of my youth.

Crazy/Lucky
When an ex-college crush targets one of my friends on a social network, sharing her life's crazy problems(which include dating a crackhead), I realize how much of a bullet I dodged when she rejected me years ago. Maybe life does work out the way it's supposed to, but it takes years to recognize the pattern.


MARCH, 2010

MCF's Old School 100: Part II
It's items 21-40 in a very awesome list of memories from the decades of my youth.

Stenty Birthday
Against all odds, my dad makes it to his 80th birthday, and his cardiologist advises an angioplasty with the possible introduction of a stent to keep his clogged arteries open. And in the ultimate jinxing sentence in hindsight, I wrote, “At 80 years old, I don't think he has to worry about bypass surgery anymore because now it would be too risky.” Oops....

While My Black Car Gently Weeps
With my dad facing a surgical procedure, and me facing dental work, the “check engine” light on my dashboard is among the last things I want to see. A truck with “MEDIEVAL WEAPONS” written on the side of it is a different, and mysterious, story....

MCF's Old School 100: Part III
It's items 41-60 in a very awesome list of memories from the decades of my youth.

Never Tell Me the Odds.
Bad news: not only are doctors unable to put a stent in my dad's artery due to the location of the blockage near a branch, but they advise bypass surgery ASAP, to keep him alive longer than their estimate of five months WITHOUT the operation. The old man doesn't take the news well, and is ready to die. I don't take the news well, but I'm not ready for him to die, so I keep my fears to myself and encourage him.

Every Day is a New Day
At my age, every day means another meeting or assignment at work. At my parents' age, every day means a visit to a different doctor, as the list of procedures my dad may need grows....

MCF's Old School 100: Part IV
It's items 61-80 in a very awesome list of memories from the decades of my youth.

Heart Strung
My dad's heart bypass surgery is postponed for a month due to insurance requiring an office visit with the surgeon first, and the surgeon's schedule which includes a vacation. Giving someone five months to live then delaying an operation is strong psychological torture.

Lot in Life
Adding to March's growing list of problems, the fence between my dad's vacant lot and a neighboring warehouse begins falling apart. The new owner refuses to take responsibility for the fence(which is on his side and was put up by his predecessor), so it's up to me to check things out when a coworker who lives nearby notices not only the fence, but that someone opened the gate to our driveway and left it open....

MCF's Old School 100: Part V
It's the final 20 items in a very awesome list of memories from the decades of my youth.

Two Men on an Island
Years from now, I may remember my obsession with a little show called LOST, and the theories I'd formulate as I tried to piece it all together, especially in 2010 during the final season. Also, a new reader shows up and tells me to “get a life”, fitting in with my old readers right away.

POST #2000!!!!!
On my landmark 2,000th consecutive post, I reveal the one horrific secret some readers waited over five years to see: my face. It's all downhill after that....

* * *

And that's what I wrote about in February and March 2010 in my sixth year of doing this.

The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 will continue....

The Essential MCF: 2K9-2K10: Part 2

My jumpstart on Cloakfest 2K10 continues! I've already covered October and November of 2009, and now we'll take a look at the essential posts from December 2009 and January 2010::


DECEMBER, 2009

How I Wasted My Autumn Staycation
The older I get, the faster my longest weekend goes, and the easier it seems for me to waste 6 days of my life. Somehow, I still made it interesting....

Wish I Understood...
There's a lot of things I don't understand: the death of a good friend's sister, the notion that animation as a medium is limited to an audience of children, the humor some people see in vomit, and why people will go to work when ill. I've been guilty of that last one, but actually encountered someone almost as bad as if not worse than me....

MCF Libs
It was an experimental [NOUN] that [VERB] readers [ADVERB].

The Tent
At the memorial service for my friend's older sister, I learn that his brother is a minister, and an amazing public speaker. As one of my other friends observed, “Weren't we supposed to be comforting him?” It was an amazing display of faith in what could have been a very dark time.

RoboJack
As weird as I am during the daytime, sometimes even I'm amazed by my subconscious. Here's yet another one of my crazy dreams, in which among other things, I'm a transforming Jack Tripper robot.

And He Can't Get Up
I have an off day at the gym, which pales in comparison to the news that my nursing home-bound uncle had a fall. I'm aging, but my family has a great head start, and it's tough seeing what they have to deal with, what I'll have to deal with someday.

The Hangover One Point Five
Who has two muscular calves and a wild first visit to Atlantic City? This guy. (Not shown: me pointing at myself with my calves.)

PBW: So Money, I Don't Even Know It.
And, in case there was any danger of me forgetting my weekend getaway to AC, I took plenty of pictures.

Shopping Daze
With the holidays fast approaching, and me run down with a sinus infection after partying too much in Atlantic City, I trudge through work, skip the gym, and manage to get some Christmas presents for my cousin's kids. Some years, last-minute shopping is more last minute than usual.

My Current Songs Five
It's five songs that I was really digging at the time. Three of those still get regular air play; I realize I miss the other two. I don't know if I could come up with as strong a current five right now....

In the Core Drama Universe
I turn my trope-busting gaze upon...DRAMATIC TELEVISION! Dunh dunh duuuuuuuhn! (Not shown in this house: “reality” television. Ever.)

Holiday Motion
Who has a tie full of Christmas trees and dances like a fool at his office holiday party? This guy. (Shown: Christmas tie and me dancing like a fool).

A Very Merry
Seasons greetings, from my favorite holiday special, and my cats.

My Christmas Special Fives
And these are my five favorite Christmas specials. Man, I had way too much holiday spirit last year....

Looking Back Looking Forward
2009 draws to a close and with it, the “oughts”. What did I do that was new, and what will I do with the next 10 years of my life?

Maybe...
...I'll do everything I listed as a possibility for 2010. At a glance, I did get a raise, a promotion, shave my head, and set a new record running an annual race. There's a few things on the list I didn't do yet, but this year isn't over yet either....


JANUARY, 2010

Firsts and Lasts 2009
I continue the tradition of starting one year by listing the first and last sentence I wrote for each of the 12 months prior.

2009 Music & Movie Wrap-up
What songs and films did I like in 2009? And what movies turned out to be disappointments?

Psych-In
I finally get into Psych(which I've since caught up on), and try to psych myself up for great accomplishments in 2010. I still don't own that house, but did I mention how well I did in the race? Also, my BMI is currently 27.3, which is almost one less than it was at the time of that post. Slowly but surely....

My 2010 Midseason Fives
Remember when I wrote about pop culture on a more regular basis? Here I go through my favorite shows starting the second half of their respective seasons, as well as the ones just starting in January or later.

I Need NEW New Sneakers
I realize, after the umpteenth time I damage my feet, that I need new sneakers, better than the last disastrous new pair I bought. The right shoes, I would learn, would make all the difference.

Comp-licated
My trip to Atlantic City lands me on a mailing list in which they constantly bombard me with enticing offers to return. But even in January, my various band leaders are vying for my availability, and I find weekends booked months in advance. Updating my credit card at this time also proves complicated, as does my love life, which I only allude to in the post. Fortunately(?), that last one would get much simpler when both options became unavailable within the course of a week.

Hypothetically...
...if I mixed in some genuine inquiries with some hypothetical ones, would anyone notice or respond?

Status Quo
My flair for the melodramatic gets the better of me, as I descend into a fit of feeling sorry for myself because a girl someone tried to fix me up with lost interest and stopped talking to me within a few short days. Looking back, that molehill is hardly the mountain I made it out to be, especially since I probably made more money playing all the gigs I was complaining about than if I'd missed them to visit this girl out of state. Things always work out the way they were supposed to, even if I only realize that in hindsight. And no roll of the dice is ever guaranteed.

No Sweat
Fortunately, it doesn't take me long to recognize I'm being irrational about that girl(even if it did continue to nag at me a bit longer). There's a big difference between playing it cool and actually staying cool for real.

Self-Absorbed
It takes a sermon from my pastor for me to consider the other side of the equation, to get out of my “What's wrong with me?” pity party and think about what someone else might be feeling or might have experienced that would influence her decisions(or seeming lack thereof). I also draw inspiration from Conan O'Brien's classy parting words. He rocks.

Wisdom in Stupidity
I'm the sort of guy who can listen to a Weird Al song and recognize the value of taking a risk. There's a 100% chance of nothing happening if we don't at least try, so the only thing we should regret is not trying, and never regret not succeeding when we do try. Or, as Han Solo more succinctly put it, “Never tell me the odds”.

The Finish Line
Dollhouse limps sadly across the finish line too soon, and my love life sidelines into the friend zone(which isn't so bad), but my physical fitness life accelerates as I get ever closer to running 7 miles a day, a distance I would reach and exceed in the coming months...

* * *

And that's what I wrote about in December 2009 through January 2010 of my sixth year of doing this.

The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 will continue....

The Essential MCF: 2K9-2K10: Part 1

What's this? Cloakfest 2K10 already? Last year, as I do every year, I chose highlights from my fifth season. But, while I generally do so on or close to my anniversary date of 10.13.2004, going through a year's worth of posts is a gargantuan task. So, for various reasons, I'm doing it differently and breaking it up into smaller chunks this year. It will make things easier for me, and make each post a little more reader friendly. Let's turn the clock back a few months, and start with October and November of 2009:


OCTOBER, 2009

Sex is On Fire
My father has some concerns after his doctor has him wear a portable heart monitor around the house.

Stroke of Genius
We learn the cause of our cat Cubby's blindness, and getting out with my friends to see an hilarious satire takes my mind off of things for a bit.

GTFU Songs
I defy anyone to stay perfectly still when these songs come on; they always get me moving.

Milk and Toast
Am I a professional or a pushover? I examine the fine line between the two.

Who Doesn't Like T?
I pity the fool who wasn't a fan of this ‘80s icon.

Go with the Flow
Water remarkably calms me, despite the times in my life when it almost killed me.

The Eve before Hallow's
I put a new spin on a holiday classic for a different holiday.


NOVEMBER, 2009

Leaf Alone
Hardly anything goes according to plan on an Autumn vacation day, though I do finally get the push I needed to look into paying my credit card bill online.

Just Beginning
A lifetime of bad luck leads me to always expect the worse, so I'm pleasantly surprised by a pleasant birthday and realize that I may yet have better days in my future.

If You're Reading This...
Birthday happy hours are always fun, and I'm glad I always remember everything, from the jokes to the humorous encounters with new people, even when we sometimes lose a few people along the way....

Fighting Back Feels Good
I always have the worst luck at one particular fast food establishment, and when they forget to give me a sandwich I ordered for my father, I'm done accepting crummy service as bad luck and go back for what's mine. Bigger wars are won starting with smaller victories.

Without a Spark
It was a nice, quiet afternoon at the office when I noticed the ceiling catch fire. And, in true improbable fashion, I was the only one who noticed....

Thank You, Umbrella.
I finally retire a favorite cheap umbrella which lasted for years beyond the one day I bought it in an emergency.

Math Boy
Always good with numbers, I find I can relate to one character on a slowly improving new science fiction show.

MetallicAgain
For the second time in one year, and second time in my life, I see my favorite heavy metal band perform, and it is AWESOME.

27 Years
My godfather spends the rest of his brother's life not talking to him. It seems to me life is too short to allow such things to happen, and I'm glad my dad's strained relationship with his eldest sister never got that bad.

The Birthankschriangle
I continue running and improving my shape, even as I find myself trapped in the time of year when it is impossible for anyone to escape snacks and treats. Thankfully it only lasts a few months before I'm able to get back on track.

Turtles Forever
I'm blown away by a crisis of infinite turtles as my original childhood and my inner childhood collide in a creative execution of writing and animation.

Young Blood
Donating my universally donatable blood has become an annual tradition. I should probably do it more often, and the blood bank certainly wants me to, but I'm fine with doing it once a year for now, and I've come a long way from my first unfortunate experience in high school.

Thank Full
With my uncle suffering from dementia and living in a nursing home, a holiday tradition evolves accordingly, and my family makes adjustments.

In the Core Sitcom Universe
An analysis of television tropes might contain decades-old spoilers, and can only end with one possible conclusion...

* * *

And that's what I wrote about in October and November of my sixth year of doing this.

The Essential MCF 2K9-2K10 will continue next week....

The Essential MCF: 2K8-2K9

Cloakfest 2K9 continues! Last year I chose highlights from my fourth season, and now, hard to believe, the Nexus has existed for FIVE years! I've gone through a year's worth of posts, summing up and linking to the most important ones. If you're just joining me, or missed a few episodes, now's a good time to get caught up:


OCTOBER, 2008

Don't Want to See That
In life, there may be things we don't want to see, but it's not always our choice.

Cloakfest Heroic Epilogue
I dusted off my very rusty drawing skills to depict a few readers wielding powers that they suggested.

Unfair Platform
An intentionally unfair game conjures memories of past video game challenges.

Ego Boost
A little physical contact from a makeup girl mesmerizes me and I almost buy what she's selling.

Wind Songs
The wind knocks out power for hours, and subsequently takes over my topic through song.

Touching
In the greatest and most obscure pop culture reference ever, a song from an animated childhood favorite surfaces in a current primetime show.

Short Days; Long Nights.
A black cat crosses my path, but how much worse could that make my luck for the week? I soon find out, and in hindsight I suspect I jinxed one of my favorite shows out of existence...

The Beauty of Saw
I cut through preconceptions to show why one horror series continues to impress me with its deep psychology, despite its surface appearance of being just another gore-fest.


NOVEMBER, 2008

Whatever Happens...
On my birthday, and the day of the big presidential election, I offer my predictions, feelings, and hopefully some words of reason.

Dear Mister Obama
I address our new president-elect with my well-wishes, thoughts, and concerns.

Oversensitive
A day out of the house is just what I need when every little sound annoys me, but I soon find that tension and paranoia are not so easy to elude even on trails deep in the woods...

Blackened Blues
The shorter days of Winter are never more noticeable than when I spend a day without leaving my office building.

Sure thing, Bunny Rabbit...
If elected president, these are some of the code names I'd like to have. (And no one did get the Friends reference.)

More
It's not always about what we have, so much as how much of it we have.

Words About Bond: Part VIX
I weigh in on the latest installment of the gargantuan spy series.

More Rude
When people are rude for the umpteenth time at my expense, I wonder if I'd be better off being less polite myself...

Holey Shoulder
My dad, after being plagued by a recurring shoulder cyst for four years, ends up with an infected wound in its place. As frustrating as the doctor's lack of answers was at the time, we had no idea how much of a problem it would become two months later...

Balanced Equations
Two thursday night dramas offer extremes in a good and evil, making for their respective best seasons ever.

The Longest Weekend
One weekend out of the year I manage to get six consecutive days off from work, and I hardly plan to be idle. It's time to catch up with friends, family, films, and more.

Thank God
I have a lot to be thankful for, and I know Who to thank.

White Room
My uncle refers to his sister, my mom, as his mom, and exhibits other odd behavior that shows us just how old age and dementia have begun to erase the man we knew.


DECEMBER, 2008

Vacation Time Flies
I have a productive and fun-filled long vacation weekend that seems all too short.

Rough Week
I'm sick, and angry, and tired, and make it to the end of the week, at which point my mom starts to catch the cold that's been going around. My dad, still healthy, continues using the device attached to his shoulder wound.

Gym Withdrawal
Between vacation and illness, I miss a few weeks of gym, both physically and emotionally.

PBW: Stars and Dolls
My mom does something really nice for an underprivileged child.

Subconscious Lucidity
Dreams fascinate me, from the “characters” to the blending of locations, and real life will never, ever compare to the places I go when I sleep.

Big Screen Comic Villains
Part one of a two-part look at the actors with the best portrayals of comic book villains. Heath Ledger's Joker probably tops them all, but a lot of these guys did a great job as well.

More Big Screen Comic Villains
A few more great villainous performances in comic book movies are cited, along with two of the worst.

Holiday Partied Out
Is there anything better than an office party full of great food, dancing, and fun games? Probably, but 2008's party was a good one.

A Good Question
What should an atheist tell his children about the existence of God and the afterlife?

Battle Humbug
My dad lugs in a tree by himself when no one is looking, bickering ensues, but somehow in the end we always get back our holiday spirit.

Christmas Memories 2008
I preserve them all for posterity, perhaps the most important of which is CHIMPANZEE RIDING ON A SEGWAY!

The Frightened Deer
I learn the hard way that it's never a good idea to panic while in the woods, and scamper off the trail into a thorny thicket, which you would think is common sense...


JANUARY, 2009

Meet the New Year
I look back on 2008 before embracing the challenges I'd soon face in 2009.

Knights and Docs
A struggling remake gets closer but continues to miss the mark while a veteran favorite sitcom gets a little more life.

20 lies and 5 truths
I don't know which was more fun, coming up with the lies or seeing which ones readers thought were true. I'm actually wondering about some of those myself, now, and I was there....

Unprepared
My dad, certain his days are numbered, wants to teach me how to take care of a house. His fatalism leaves me in a bleak mood.

Quick Update
My dad's persistent fever, shoulder pain and weak state land him in the hospital. 2009 is not off to a great start.

Still the Best Medicine
Scrubs returns at a time when I need and appreciate their inimitable balance of humor and hospital drama the most. My dad awaits the results of several tests to learn the cause of his suffering, and his mood and disinterest in everything has me worried.

Snooze You Gain
My trademark passivity and hesitation causes me to miss out on a great piece of geek artwork for my office. Meanwhile, I wish my dad could get some much-needed rest in the hospital and my own dreams take a turn for the stranger. What's freaking me out right now is realizing that one of those dreams came true a few months later!

Dad Mighty
My dad is a fighter. Slowly, I see more of his old self return, from being able to finally move a swollen arm to just his attitude and personality. He still has a serious infection to fight, but I start to believe he can win and, more importantly, so does he.

The Mood for Surgery
My dad tells a doctor he's not in the mood for surgery. Who ever is? There are definite risks involved, but I know it's his best chance at getting his shoulder infection cleaned out properly so he has a chance at recovering.

The “S” Word
We meet with my dad's surgeon as a family, and get the clearest picture yet of the situation. His wound needs to be cleaned, and the bone has to be checked to make sure the infection hasn't spread. I worry about how he'll handle anesthesia with a heart condition, and I bump up my praying to the next level.

PBW: Cast Iron
My dad survives his surgery. The doctor confirms that my father has no rotator cuff and will never lift his right arm higher than his shoulder again. Meanwhile, I focus on my dad's historical strength while he remains in a weakened, post-operative state.

Meet the Cast
2009 claims its first two celebrities, while my dad continues to show improvement. Is a return home in his future? With a chance to catch my breath, I finally acknowledge the cast of characters surrounding and supporting our hospital drama.

The Decision
My dad has two choices. His recovery is depending on regular intravenous administrations of a powerful antibiotic twice a day, so he can either come home and have my mom do it, or move to a nursing home for as much as 6 to 8 weeks where a professional staff can take care of him. He's not happy about his options; I'm just happy that a full recovery is in sight, no matter how many weeks it will take.

Speaking Too Soon
My dad's transfer to a nursing home doesn't go smoothly at all. By the time he finally gets there and gets settled into a room, there's a weird smell that has my mom and I wondering if we made the right choice.

Saturday Minutia
Things are frantic on the first day we visit my dad in the nursing home. My uncle calls to let us know his house was broken into and robbed. I get a new portable DVD player. And I have to turn down an invitation to see a movie with some old college friends who haven't heard about our situation.

The New Routine
Lost is back, and I wish my dad was back home to watch with me. His physical therapy continues along with his antibiotic treatments, and we all adjust to our new routines.

Return of the King
My dad might have a few weeks ahead of him in the nursing home, but he's still allowed to check out for a few hours and we look forward to his first visit home in almost a month.

Happy Birthday, Ma
My Godfather stops by the nursing home to see my dad and leaves my mom the worst birthday present ever.

Stream of Metallica
For the first time ever, I see one of my favorite bands in concert. It's good to finally have a night out, and the experience is overwhelmingly great.


FEBRUARY, 2009

The Switch
Upon making the mandatory switch from analog to digital, I discover that there seems to be no way to tape one channel while watching another, short of hooking up two separate converter boxes. Digital TV is better why?

Phantasmic Links 2.2.09
My dad finally gets to come home from the nursing home, his infection ordeal at last behind him! And then I post some links and stuff, but the important thing is I get my dad back.

My Murray Five
It's the daunted debut of the first new feature of 2009, My Fives! A few months later, a popular social network that shall remain nameless came out with something very similar and a lot more interactive, but my fives may still pop up from time to time.

PBW: 3D Trumps No D
I discover a simple method for turning my photos into 3D images.

Mistakes Amid Misplaced Priorities
As life gets back to normal, I discover a mistake I made at work during the period of my father's illness, and reflect upon how our personal lives can have an impact on our work.

A Man Called Uslan
At a convention, I'm inspired by the persistence and success of a man whose behind-the-scenes efforts led to the first serious film interpretation of a comic book legend.

PBW: NYComicCon 2K9
My annual pilgrimage to the largest comic book convention in Manhattan yields some of my best photos yet.

Sentimental Journey
With my dad finally home and on the mend, our attention turns to my uncle's declining mental state when he inadvertently “wanders” to Staten Island, makes a u-turn over a concrete divide, and is stopped by the police. We have to face the fact that little things like trailing off in the middle of a story or referring to his sister(my mom) as his mother may be early signs of dementia.

The Glau-Dushku Convergence
It was the perfect equation to please a geek on a Friday night. It's a pity it didn't last, but I hear there may be an even closer convergence of the two this season...

The Next Last Dragon
I discover an old favorite martial arts movie in the discount DVD section of the supermarket, and later read of an upcoming remake to the classic.

PBW: NY ComicCon 2K9 Part II
One day of snapping photos of minor celebrities and cute girls dressed like pop culture characters just wasn't enough for me this year.

Some Kind of Monkey
One of the year's more shocking stories of an animal attack has me reconsidering youthful dreams of owning my own primate.

My Megatron Master Plan Five
These are some diabolically evil plans that almost defeated some heroic robots. Yesssss...


MARCH, 2009

MCF vs. The Fog
Sometimes, my brain is overwhelmed by the everything, and I move on autopilot through a fog. And by “sometimes” I of course mean most times.

My Worst Mutant Powers Five
If the comments are any indication, the worst mutant power is apparently my own power of being me. People who I don't even know(possibly) will point out how much I suck.

State of Myclofigia
I give an update on Myclofigia, my mini city. It's not #1 yet, but it will be if we keep clicking once a day.

Technology vs. Parents
Hearing what other parents have to deal with in the internet age, I worry about keeping watch over my own children someday.

WATCHMEN
Who watched the Watchmen movie? I did, and loved it.

A Rich Life
In the corporate world, it's not always our decision when we leave a company. It's the same with life. When a former coworker leaves the world of the living, we're all drawn together to remember an outstanding artist and human being, because nothing severs our emotional bonds.

Messages
A bass drum appears in our yard while my parents are involved in a car accident that leaves my dad's bumper destroyed, my folks shaken, and the offender nowhere in sight. I never know what my voicemail will say...

Galactica: Ex-Machina
Grab your gun and bring in the cat. A remarkable remake comes to a remarkable and moving conclusion after four seasons. Opinions vary...

Just Because You're Paranoid...
I lose my temper while working on a gate with my father, lashing out and destroying a pipe cap in my fury. But the lesson I learn is that when I don't think anyone is watching me is the most likely time that someone is. Whoops....


Speculative Sitcom Spin-off Showcase
I think up some spin-offs that are too bizarre to ever actually happen...or are they?

HOMEWORK!
As much as the 9(-ish) to 5(-ish) grind can suck, it's still nice that, unlike school, the work stays behind when I finally leave the office. But homework cemented my knowledge, and kept me out of trouble in my formative years, and I'd want future generations to have the same experience I had for those same benefits, as well as the appreciation of life when school ends.

The Empty Canvas
Creatively, the first key or brush stroke is always the hardest part.


APRIL, 2009

PBW: Paintin Blahg Wennsday
Me be good painter! What am date again?

Signs I'm Getting Old
It all seems like only yesterday, but the yesterdays keep piling up. You there! What day is this?

My ‘80s Cartoon Five
These are my five favorite cartoons from the 1980s.

Can't Stand Ya
It's a list of things I can't stand. #25 is “opinionated nerds who live to complain online about everything”.

The Oasis
After a rough morning at work, I'm drawn back to the beach on my lunch break on a day finally warm enough to do just that.

Out of Darkness
Our pastor prods greater spirit out of the congregation at the annual Easter vigil.

Fire and Water
There's a new BBQ place in town....

My ‘90s Cartoon Five
And these are my five favorite cartoons from the 1990s.

Question Re-Animation
A cult horror classic makes me recognize the talents of an actor whose work I was already a fan of, even if I didn't know it.

Umm, No
Do I think these are good things?

Without Whom
Thanks to my professors and my peers, without whom I wouldn't be where I am today.

Resolute
A veteran comics author writes a series of webisodes based on an ‘80s cartoon that would ultimately prove to be darker, more mature, and more awesome than a live action version later in the year...


MAY, 2009

Nexus of Spillability
I marvel at a difficult customer's complaint about a drink lid, until the drink is on the other lap...

PBW: Under Construction
My parents have our entranceway gutted and begin a project to give us easier roof access. It was actually not a bad idea.

Glenn Matthews?!
Scrubs has one of the best series finales in sitcom history, even if it's not over(technically the upcoming season is a spin-off without a name change, in my eyes).

Boldly Go Again
Star Trek sets the bar so high for Summer films, that it took a few months before I saw a movie that didn't disappoint me even a little bit. It was a great reboot and relaunch for the franchise.

PBW: Secret Window, Secret Room
The renovations to our turret continue, and it's kind of cool to have a new room in the house after over three decades.

It's all so finale...
The 2009 television season comes to a close, and I look at how some of my favorite shows wrapped things up, some permanently....

PBW: Hi Jinks
I finally use the new turret room to get out on the roof to do some shooting(with my camera, of course).

On Towel Throwing
When my dad and I can't get my mom's car to run, it's hard to throw in the towel and ask for help.

Turkleton
I meet up with an Italian band to play for a Turkish parade in the middle of Manhattan. What could go wrong?

Everybody to the Limit
My dad, despite his recovery from his shoulder infection, learns that he's still not in any shape to finish one parade, let alone two.

Smoke R
Should smoking be a factor that gives a film an “R” rating? It couldn't hurt, unlike smoking itself...

My Second Soprano
2009 also included the time I met Paulie Walnuts.


JUNE, 2009

The World Outside
As my uncle's dementia worsens to the point that he nearly burns down his apartment, I realize that the internet is no substitute for the outside world.

A Little Respect
Respect is a rare thing, and people don't feed bands the way they used to. But my dad still commands respect in auto parts stores, among those that remember the old timer and know his reputation. It's a nice thing to see.

PBW: A Bridge Too Near
The bridge photos are nice, but really I'm including this post here for the Paulie picture at the end.

My Running Music Five
What songs does a geek use to mentally prepare for a big race?

Sidelines
For the second time in his life, my dad finds himself a spectator at parades rather than a participant, while I carry on alone for the both of us.

Lucky Day
After two years, a Mysteriously Cloaked Sanchez learns why he hasn't been getting any interoffice mail...

Once Around Manhattan
A business trip to the city turns into a great photo opportunity when my friend and I find time after the convention center and lunch to hit the park.

Michael Bay Go Boom
Michael Bay says he wants to move away from being the guy who makes the movies with all the explosions. As a fan of his explosions movies as well as things he may muck up with a remake like A Nightmare on Elm Street, I wish he'd stick to his strengths....

The Soak Must Go On
A little rain doesn't stop my fire department band from marching, and neither does buckets of rain. So...very...wet...

PBW: Central Perks Part I
It's the first batch of photos from my aforementioned visit to Manhattan.

My Transformers Voice Actor Five
These guys gave life to the characters in my favorite childhood cartoon.

Talent in Heaven
A lot of famous people died this year, but one week alone took out three stars, including the unexpected demise of the King of Pop.

Sturm und Drang
A procession on a Friday night after a storm yields the most amazing warm colored clouds.

Between the Lines
My mom tries coloring books to help her brother with his dementia. He makes his pig say “Wowee”.

Where's MCF?
And then there was the time our phones were down and I almost messed up my goal of posting for 2,000 consecutive days. Thank you, office connection...


JULY, 2009

PBW: Central Perks Part II
It's the first batch of photos from my aforementioned visit to Manhattan.

ROTF Deleted Scenes
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a great movie if you go into it with the notion that it includes scenes that should have been deleted....

A Disturbing Lack of Fries
What are the odds that the only traditional fast food joint near my office would run out of French fries?

PBW: O'er the Land of the Free
Check out the fireworks photos I took in 2009!

July is Going to Kill Me
In which I steel myself for the busiest month of the year.

Clash of the Humans
“Inevitably, when you put two or more people together, conflict is inevitable.” Repetitiously, some of my July prose was repetitious.....

PBW: Return to Barto
Who has a brass instrument, a camera, and more photos of a shrine in Pennsylvania? This guy.

Italians on the Streets
Red, White and Green. People shuffling their feet. It's the feast time scene.

Feast for the Senses
It's another long feast day, because I wasn't kidding when I said July was busy. It would also mark the first time I lost track of my dad at a gig this year, but not the last...

867-5-I-Am-Dumb
If you're ever at a feast on a hot day, DO NOT stick a bottle of water in your pocket with your cell phone. I killed a five-year-old phone, potentially losing all of my contact information, and the best solution I could find was to bury the phone and the battery separately in a box of rice....but would that work?

My Name is Christina
The rice thing did not work, at least not until after I got a new phone. Still, it was nice to have a camera and some other bells and whistles, and being able to turn the old one on, even sporadically, meant I could retrieve and data I thought I'd lost.

The Secret Origin of the Artist MCF
Among my demented uncle's possessions, we discover an abstract painting that turns out to be something I made when I was four years old...

Flat Tire
I buy new sneakers that are too small and too shoddily made, ****ing up my foot and jeopardizing my chances at running the race I'd trained two months for.

Bent
One of the things I did this past Summer was marathon through the series Avatar: The Last Airbender in its entirety. It was so good. I hope the movie trailer that inspired me to watch the source material is an indication of a good adaptation to come. Sadly, it probably is not....

WWW: Weekend Wrental Wreviews
It's the DVD-packed debut of a new regular feature!

Could I BE more improbable?
It's rhetorical, but things like a surly train conductor, surprise storm, a drunk driver, and my messed up foot answer anyway.

PBW: New Phone. Old Sneakers
It's a unlikely winning combination.

Now What?
MCF! You've just set a new personal record in a 5K race. And so the post title is phrased in the form of the logical question.


AUGUST, 2009

Getting There From Here
A lazy Sunday begins with a surreal subconscious trip down memory lane.

A Montage of Hughes
So long, Mr. Hughes, and thanks for all the angst.

Killing Time
A visit to my uncle's nursing home makes me realize how we all travel full circle. Make the most of the time in between the beginning and ending years of your life.

PBW: Uncle Jerry's Art
In cleaning out his old apartment, we found tons of his old paintings that I had to preserve, both physically and digitally.

10 Things I learned Watching G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
11) I'll definitely wait for the DVD with the sequel.

Go See District 9
In a Summer of disappointing movies, this one more than brought quality and innovativeness back. Easily in my top five for the year.

Tales of Baritone Horn
What do you call a party hosted by an ex-senator, a walk around the block as old Italian ladies balance vases on their heads, and a day of hot sun, red wine, and a five hour procession? I call it the third weekend in August.

Two Years Ago
On the anniversary of my new job, I reflect on how much has changed in what seems like a short time.

MCF vs. The Tarantino 20
A director chooses his twenty favorite films made since his own career began. I had seen 13, and have since seen one more. I have to get back to those other 6...

A Few Things
Inglourious Basterds; have you seen it, brother trucker? I saw a late show the night before an early dental cleaning, and I regret nothing.

Scofflaw
You've got a ponytail and a cheesy goatee to make yourself look older than 12, and *I* look suspicious bringing something IN to the office? Freaking security guard...

Steps to Contentment
I typed it all up so I wouldn't forget it, and subsequently forgot all about it.

Phantasmic Links 8.31.09
This is included because it contains a funny story about how I drove for over an hour without noticing my trunk was unlatched.


SEPTEMBER, 2009

Mouse of Ideas
A Mouse buys a Spider. Geek panic and speculation surges. In the coming months, there would be no noticeable changes as a result of the merger....

Idiots on Parade
A lot of nervy(and stupid) people drive over yellow tape and leave tire tracks on freshly sealed asphalt. Morons.

In Which I Steal From TWOP
I list my picks for ‘80s stars to make a comeback in today's shows.

A Life Lived
Within my relatively short lifetime, I'd had a certain impression of my uncle as an unemployed former alcoholic with a lot of rambling stories. It wasn't until I looked through old photographs that I got the full picture of a life lived to the fullest, and the truth within those stories.

PBW: World War Jerry
It's my uncle in the 40s, from his buddies in Brooklyn to his adventures in the army.

Burning the Candle
I anticipate it will burn at both ends well into October, a prediction that wasn't far off.

Downs and Ups
My day job is on the North shore. I agree to play a night gig on the South shore during the week. Getting there in time is the adventure.

Never Forget
I'm a day late in writing about it, but I Remember.

Phantasmic Links 9.14.09
A lot of interesting misadventures landed in my link posts this year. This time, I make a three hour trek to New Jersey for nothing because no one tells me a job is canceled. Whoops.

Off Day
A much needed one, too.

Unglued to the Tube
I realize my favorite shows are returning along with some possible future favorites, and track down the premiere dates.

Falling Forward
I want life to slow down but, not unlike falling, it seems to just gain momentum.

Of All the Shows I Watched Last Year
A lot of great shows came to an end last year, timely or otherwise.

Not A Great Start
I don't even get out of my block in the morning before I see a seagull make an unfortunate, possibly fatal, mistake...

World of Wackcraft
I'd like to thank my mom for limiting my video game time and curbing my addictive tendencies, and I'd like to thank both of my parents for not giving me any siblings who might have filmed embarrassing videos of me to put on the internet. That would be the worst.

Backspacing
Pearl Jam is back, trying some new things, and succeeding, in this fan's opinion.

PBW: Hobroken
My trip to Jersey wasn't a complete waste...


OCTOBER, 2009

My Mondegreen Five
I share five lyrics I've misheard over the years, certainly not the only five.

Full Circle
FlashForward is awesome, and a fire drill at work reminds me of the time at my last job when it wasn't a drill, but it was my fault...

To Live Out Loud
We start to suspect that one of our cats may have gone blind....

Blind Cubby
The vet confirms our suspicions, and tries a steroid treatment to see if it can be reversed....as of now, we don't know if it's working yet...

for what?
I'd still like to know. I think Hanks said it best in Saving Private Ryan: “Earn This.”

Phantasmic Links 10.12.09
It's yet another link post with an amusing anecdote, this one about losing my dad in the Bronx for 3 hours. So much happened to me that day, that parts of the story fell through the cracks, like the little girl selling candy bars that asked if I went to her school or the car accident I witnessed as an ambulance sped through an intersection. Speaking of intersections in the Bronx, cross against the light at your own peril. People don't slow down; they lean on the horn and accelerate. At times, I was sure I was going to die there.

Cloakfest 2K9: Words and Pictures
On my blogiversary, I took your words and pictures and mashed them together, because that's what I do. Every day. For 8 or 9 hours. I need a girlfriend.

PBW: The Long Reveal
Hey MCF, why the long, eyeless, mouthless, face? No wonder....

* * *

And that's what I wrote about in my fifth year of doing this.

Cloakfest 2K9 is over! Thanks for reading; you might all be figments of my imagination, but you make it all worth it! Season Six starts....NOW!