"Iron Man 3"

Previews: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Lone Ranger, After Earth, Star Trek Into Darkness, The Wolverine, Thor: The Dark World, Fast & Furious 6

Not much to say, but it's been ages since I've been out to the movies. Enjoyable, funny as always. Very much a wrap-up at the end, just in case. I've always been indifferent to Gwyneth Paltrow.

But yay! for Adam Pally!

And the '70s/'80s end credits were super awesome.

"Spartacus: War of the Damned" -- "Victory"

Absolute, edge of my seat the entire episode. Or, rather, sitting cross-legged in my chair, one hand over my mouth the entire time. Cried through the second half. I know that 98% of people who I know would not enjoy with show, what with the extreme, exaggerated violence of plentiful sex and nudity (although, to be honest, both actually declined as the show went on -- it didn't get less violent, but it was a bit less over the top (sometimes), and the random background sex/nudity became (a little) less common), but it got so, so good by the middle of the first season. It was frequently horribly beautiful, with such real, raw, flawed characters. The relationships were so painful and real and the show never flinched from showing the negative -- once the rebellion really gets going, there's really no plan as to how to control and feed and shelter the "army," and absolutely no idea about what's going to replace the Roman government should they actually overthrow it (which, you know, we know that they won't). Even people who are allies often don't get along and sometimes don't even like each other. Individuals on both sides do terrible things and amazing things and there are really no characters who are completely good or evil.

As various people were pointing out in the comments for the AV Club review, in the end, nearly everyone is dead, and certainly everyone from the first few episodes. But most of their deaths were amazing and devastating. And the final credits montage, ending with a shot of the late Andy Whitfield, was stunning.

VM movie!

Moving (again!)

On Tuesday morning, I go into the apartment complex office and say, "Hey -- I'm earning less money and my apartment is too expensive. What can we do about that? Can I move to a smaller, cheaper apartment?" And the manager said, "Let me get your file. Wow -- You've live here forever. You can have whatever you want. Here are the three apartments we have available right now. If you move in this weekend, they're cheaper, and the rent you've paid for this month will roll over and cover it."

So I'm moving this weekend.

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I've done a decent amount of packing, but instead of doing most of it on Saturday, my guy friend with the furniture dolly is really only around on Friday night. So that's when we'll be moving the majority of the big, heavy stuff. That means that I do have all/most of Saturday to move the smaller things and curtains and the like, then just vacuum and finish filling those last holes on Sunday.

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I have boxes and boxes and boxes of books. I've decided, once I move, to start getting rid of them. Ideally, I would have done it earlier, but there's no time. But I won't be moving so many boxes of books again. It's very hard, however -- I love owning books. I don't need them all, however, and I just really, really need to downsize. Someday, I'd love to have a big library and places to put them all, but as long as I'm not in a permanent place, it's so impractical.

Snowy day

Happy Valentine's day.

From http://cheezburger.com/7063891200

GO BUY THIS SONG

I am an admitted regular viewer of "Glee," although I am painfully aware of its many shortcomings. It is, arguably, about losers and outsiders who help each other find the value within themselves and stand up to the bullies who would keep them feeling worthless.

So it angers me greatly when the show itself is a bully.

If you haven't heard about the controversy, the most recent episode featured a version of "Baby Got Back" that is clearly ripped off from the cover version created by Jonathan Coulton. Coulton is a favorite musician of mine, and although "Glee" has been criticized for using the cover versions of other musicians in the past without asking or paying or even crediting the artist, this one has my attention.

You can read all about it here (and here, and here, and here, and here, and here, and...)

I'm asking the people I know who support independent musicians and/or who want to stand up to bullies who don't bother to even credit the people who do the work to buy this version: Baby Got Back (In the Style of Glee). It's only $0.99 and all profits go to charity.

Let's help turn this into something good.