(no subject)

Re: the Olympics -- while I thought having the Olympics in Chicago might have been a lark, "It'll be an interesting experience" is more of a personal motto and not a justification for an entire city to go insane.

I'm glad Rio won, because apparently South America has never had an Olympics and it's about damn time. It could have brought a lot of money into Chicago and spurred some infrastructure overhauls, but eh. We get along, and we're a wealthy city compared to most already. So weighing "I'm not that enthusiastic about this" versus "Well, it could be fun" -- I just can't get worked up about losing it, either way.

In other news, whilst reading this article about GDL playing Watson in a Sherlock Holmes Creature Feature (from the people who brought you "Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus", swear that's not a lie) I came across the following:

Part of the up-coming remake of the Clash of the Titans was also filmed in Dinorwic Quarry and looks set to be the Hollywood blockbuster of next summer.

I cannot tell you all of my love for this movie, this cracked-out, totally inaccurate, bizarrely star-studded, patchwork mess of a film that inspired both my youthful passion for special effects and my lingering love of classical mythology. I cherish it with sincere adoration born of demanding to see it on a daily basis when I was a child. I love the claymation and the green-screen and the GIANT VULTURE and the KRAKEN. I love Sir Lawrence Olivier and Dame Maggie Smith and Ursula Andress and Harry Hamlin, and I love Burgess Meredith drily proclaiming CALL NO MAN HAPPY WHO IS NOT DEAD!

I can't wait to see what new horrors are wrought in a remake.

(no subject)

At lunch I went up to the Michigan Avenue Bridge, where hangs a giant IMAGINE olympics banner with a big picture of Michael Phelps (I assume) on it. I think they should leave it up; Chicago could have the Imaginary Olympics, where we all bitch about the construction that isn't happening, the traffic that isn't -- well, okay, isn't as bad as it could be, and the tourists who aren't here to see the Olympics we don't have. It'd be epic.

Actually the reason Chicago was voted out was that if we had the Olympics here the world would find out about our moving statuary and then it wouldn't be special anymore. Obama went there to beg the IOC to keep it a secret, truefax.

(I'm looking at reworking Secret Of Chicago as a short story, a Christmas book, or a novel, but I haven't found the proper hook yet.)

(no subject)

WIAD is up!

The last round of reading and voting for writerinadrawer starts today and ends on Sunday. The finalists are myself, kalichan, and cruentum, and I have to say I couldn't be happier with the company I'm found in, or the diversity of stories we've created for the final round.

You can find links to each story here, at the post which is also incidentally the voting page. Have fun!

(no subject)

Received in my mail today, an ad for CW Napkin with the following text:

"You don't have to order online to use this $1.00 postcard discount. Ordering online is easier, faster, and less fun, than talking to one of our great phone order takers."

Dear CW Napkin,

I will rewrite your ad copy for you for one (1) free pizza. I do this out of the goodness of my heart, and because my eyes are burning with your inability to write clear copy. This is a good deal for you, because your pizza is not that delicious.

Pizza kisses,

Sam