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There will be no new blog today as I got back from working late and I am very very tired. I apologize.

So last night a friend and I were at a local hospital to do some side work for a second job we both have. We were standing outside the emergency room waiting for our boss so she could let us in to the part of the building we needed to be in and what do we see? An old man (late 60's at LEAST, most likely mid-to-late 70's) walking out of the emergency room in thigh high shiny vinyl go-go boots. I'm talking the kind of boots worn either by a stripper or a pale girl with yarn in her hair. All other appearances were normal. The plaid flannel jacket, the nearly non-existent hair, the 'life has defeated me' look on his face but with huge shiny stripper boots. It was so funny I nearly fell over and my friend (who shall remain nameless) was urging me to run after him and take a picture but there was NO way I was crazy enough to follow an old man in stripper boots. And to add to the surreal nature of the experience, he was leading an older woman back to her car (I'm assuming it was his mother or sister or something). And the lady had GROSS skin, like her entire epidermis had been replaced by one giant carcinoma. I nearly hurled. Normally I wouldn't mention the old lady but the idea of vomiting because of her and laughing because of the guy, and standing outside the hospital like a vomit sprinkler makes me laugh. Ah, sometimes life is just FUN.

We all know that Hollywood is out of ideas. The movies I was most looking forward to this year are either based on books or sequels. So in that spirit, here are three books or series I have read that I think would make great movies.
WORLDWAR- A great book series that saw lizard-like aliens attack during World War II. The most interesting aspect is how the humans react, forcing lifelong enemies to become allies and forcing the human race to get clever.
ANNO DRACULA- A great book and a great series (followed by THE BLOODY RED BARON and JUDGEMENT OF TEARS. The first book has Dracula marrying the queen of England and follows a vampire nurse and a human agent of the Diogenes Club tracking down Jack The Ripper. The series features characters from a plethora of other fiction. Including an autopsy performed by Dr. Moreau and Dr. Jekyll.
THE WINTER KING- The first of a trilogy (followed by ENEMY OF GOD and EXCALIBUR) hat takes a realistic view of the Arthurian saga. Filled with great characters who are often quite contrary to how you expect them to be (for example, Lancelot is a giant douchebag and not at all brave).

So I rented Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II from GameFly. Got it in the mail Friday, beat it Saturday. And that's my biggest complaint. It was too short. It essentially had three slightly large levels. It seemed like the world's longest demo. I only rented it and I still felt gypped.
Granted, the graphics were better, the story was okay (though the appearances by Boba Fett and Yoda were just cameos). It was cool bunching up a TIE fighter like a ball of paper. But the size, I mean, it was just over! It's like playing Pac-Man and then game is over before all the dots are eaten.
Bummer.

Today at work I overheard somebody bragging about how they aren't getting much for their kids for Christmas so that they can teach them what's "really important". They then casually mentioned that they are currently broke. Are the two related? Yes! It irritates me that somebody would use a "lesson" as a cover for their lack of money. But I digress…
The real thing that bugged me was the kid not getting much for Christmas. Now, I'm not the materialistic type, in fact my favorite part of Christmas is buying the presents for people, but Christmas is supposed to be a magical time for kids. How can you top the look of pure joy on a kid's face when they open that big present they've been wanting? That's something the kid will remember FOREVER. And some people want to take that away for some ill-conceived lesson? Let me tell you, the lesson ISN'T that presents aren't important. The lesson is one of the following three things:
1- Your mom and/or dad are broke and are being jerks to cover it up.
2- Your mom and/or dad have been so destroyed by the misery in their life that they would gladly sacrifice your Christmas in order to feel better about themselves.
3- Your mom and/or dad are religious nuts who have been conned by the leaders of their congregation into ruining your Christmas.
Sorry about the rant, but you don't mess with Christmas.