A Poet and Didn’t Know It

GACK! That’s a horrible title for a blog. More importantly – yesterday was a blast!

“Why’s that?”

I’ll tell you all about it – you see, Gentle Reader I had the pleasure of meeting, listening to, and performing with a large community (I’d say of about 24 souls) of poets / musicians / artists right here (in the South Jersey area) at Bogart’s Books and Coffee (http://www.bogartsbookstore.com/). The talent there just blew my socks off. Which is exactly what I told them when it was my turn to perform “Script Frenzy – The Poem”. Now I have never participated in a “poetry slam” before so it was uncharted waters for yours truly. It went well, very well; in fact it was a blast. That community of artists that I mentioned at the beginning is also, apparently, quite forgiving. I am truly looking forward to next months gathering. Ms. Rita Lyman is the master of ceremonies and what a wonderful job she does. The group meets every third Sunday so if you are at Third Friday celebration know that Sunday afternoon is going to be cool too.

That’s not all. The poetry group formed a few years ago to support a 30-day poetry-writing event; POEWAR (I think); and they have been meeting ever since. Ms. Lyman as I was stepping down from the microphone mentioned that some of the group also participates in something called, “NANOWRIMO”. She pronounced it “Na No REE Mo” – I’ve always said, “Na No RYE Mo”. At the end of the day we’re both right; Potatoes – Potatoes. Still hearing it made me smile.

“No Way!” I said, “This (meaning Script Frenzy) is from the same people!” We were no longer poets or playwrights at that moment – we were writers. There are more of us here than I was aware of and that makes this particular purveyor of chicken scratch quite happy. I do believe some writers will be joining the Frenzy. So thank you to Bogart’s and thanks to Ms. Lyman.

I can’t wait for next time.

Battlestar Galactica – Provisos and Predictions

Battlestar Galactica ends its run tonight with a two-hour series finale. I will miss it horribly.

“Why?”

Because it is the best show on TV and I know that writing, producing and performances the likes found on Battlestar Galactica are few and far between. It is not every series that can actually be granted the time to tell a complete story arc before being cancelled. It is not every series with such a epic and sweeping story to tell. If you have not seen it or if your only expectations are gathered from the TV show of the seventies then I am a bit envious. If you are about to start putting the DVDs into your cue to watch from the beginning then you are about to discover something wonderful. A drama of life and death, or war and genocide, and of despair and hope; and, I might add, you will get to do so commercial free.

Now BSG is not for everyone. It is a high intensity drama and if that’s not your thing then that’s not your thing. But hey, that’s ok; that’s why there are so many different flavors of ice cream. Some will hear the words, “science fiction” and run for the hills in the opposite direction. That’s too bad really because if you can look beyond the genre of where the story takes place then you are in for a treat. If you can’t get beyond that then you should probably move onto another blog – everyone will be happier that way.

Still here? Good! I am pleased that you are Gentle Reader but I must warn you I am about to make some spoiler-laden predictions so if you wish to remain unsoiled until you have a chance to catch up and see the series for yourself then you should probably stop right here. See you next time!

STILL HERE? Wonderful. Now then… let’s get down to the business of predictions. Scroll down and you’ll have ‘em.










1. Dr. Gaius Baltar is going to sacrifice his life to save humanity.

2. Starbuck is Daniel; or rather Danielle after Cavil was through experimenting with him/her a few generations back. [NOTE: a friend of mine has a great theory that I have to mention. His idea is that Starbuck is the first human/Cylon hybrid – you know, like Hera? We will see how it plays out tonight.]

3. Anders is going to “JUMP!” the Battlestar Galactica into Cavil’s Cylon station just outside that singularity. Insert CATACLYSMIC BOOM here.

4. Cavil is going to be stranded for all eternity inside that black hole – completely isolated, completely aware. Trapped for all time. [NOTE: this is my friend’s idea. I liked it so much that I’m borrowing it.]

5. The resurrection machines will be able to start the terraforming process on the planet earth and Roslin will be regenerated in the process.

THERE. That’s it. I’m spent. Here’s a link to the Sci Fi Channel’s BSG series end special: http://video.scifi.com/player/?id=1063661.

This re-imagining has been one for the ages. Thanks Mr. Moore.

SO SAY WE ALL!

Stage VS Screen

I saw a snotty tee shirt once that read, “Film is Art, Theater is Life and TV is Furniture”. In my humble opinion, wearing something like that puts you at the head of the class when it comes to snobbery. Do not pass go – collect your more cultured than thou existence and go straight to… jail.

“Why don’t you like that? It’s witty enough and I’ve read this blog before – you have your own set of snobbish ways too, Evil Chicken!”

Guilty as charged and why that very well may be the case, Gentle Reader, please allow me to say right off the bat I find that tee shirt exclusive, a little myopic and heavily weighted down by a boatload of pride. “Why?” It’s because story is the key. I don’t care what venue it takes. Serve the story. However it manifests itself.

That being said please allow me to share a dilemma with you; I don’t know what format I’m going to write yet for this April’s Script Frenzy – screenplay or play. Now, let me just say, I am comfortable with the screenplay format. Not that I’m a whiz by any stretch of the imagination; no. I just have a working familiarity with that process. I’ve written them before or had a hand in writing them. Now I’ve written puppet plays but I’ve always used the screenplay as my canvas (man, that sounds pompous – I’m sorry). To date I have never written a PLAY in standard format. April’s Script Frenzy may be my chance to change all that.

What to do… what to do?

This may not sound like a big deal but it could spell the difference between victory (100 pages by the end of April) and defeat. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I’ve got to do some research; dust off my old Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller books/plays. It’s always good to look before you leap. Hey, if worse comes to worse I’ve got my tried and true Screenplay formatting to fall back on… right?

Oh well. I’ll decide sooner or later. One thing that I could stand in April is some company. I hear that “Misery” loves it! No pressure or anything but April is Script Frenzy (http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/) and NOW may be YOUR time to shine.

Think about it.

The Progressive Coffee House

I was in Glassboro recently and stumbled across the Progressive Coffee House. They are located on 208 West High Street (856-243-2466) and they are worth your time. I just grabbed a large regular ($1.98 not bad for a coffee shop these days) and listened to the music, which, at the time, happened to be an old Robert Plant song.

“How about that, coffee AND Robert Plant too?” I said with a smile to the gentleman behind the counter. I was stirring in my traditional 3 Splendas and cream at the time.

“Did you see the picture?” he asked. He was excited and a genuine smile spread across his face.

“Picture?”

He pointed to a wall next to the counter. I peeked around the corner and, low and behold, there was a photograph of the gentleman behind the counter with Robert Plant. They were standing next to each other and grinning from ear to ear.

“No kiddin'.” I said.

“Nope.” He said and he proceeded to tell me the story of how Robert Plant was walking down South Street in Philly and, by an interesting set of circumstances, happened to end up in his coffee shop – that is when he had a coffee shop on South Street.

I will let you ask him about the details, it is his story and he tells it much better than I can. My job is to arrange the introduction. Therefore, let my just say that the Progressive Coffee House is most certainly worth your time and that I can’t wait to go back in the near future. He mentioned to me that he has some old Genesis concert footage that he is going to dig up for the next time I’m come in. I, for one, can’t wait. They can be found here: http://progressivecoffeehouse.com/. Ed and Jen Andricola’s shop is worth your time. Their motto is, “Brewing Happiness One Cup at a Time”.

I was happy. I think they’ll make you happy too.

An Unreal Estate Agent

Unreal Estate Agent and author, Phillip Jose Farmer passed away in his sleep today. He was 91. If you are a fan of “science fiction” (an ever-blurring and dated classification these days) then you probably know the name. The “Riverwold” series & the Wold Newton Family stuff (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wold_Newton_family) is just plain fun reading.

For further information on Phil Farmer please see the following write ups here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-obit-farmer,0,5906330.story, here: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2009/02/philip-jose-farmer-1918-2009.html, and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillip_Jose_Farmer.

He was a writer and a fan (which is evident in his calling card) and he pushed the envelope. He’ll be missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this time.

Tough Love Vs. Spanking

A friend recently passed this information onto me via e-mail:

Most people think it improper to spank children, so I have tried other methods to control my kids when they have one of “those moments.” One that I found is effective is for me to just take the child for a car ride and talk. Some say it’s the vibration from the car, others say it’s the time away from any distractions such as TV, video games, computer, iPod, etc. Either way, my kids usually calm down and stop misbehaving after our care ride together. Eye to eye contact helps a lot too. I’ve included a photo of one of my sessions with my son, in case you would like to use the technique.

We’ve been seeing some pretty dramatic responses from our children since we started using this technique.

Please click on the picture for a larger version of the non-spanking technique of correcting inappropriate behavior in children.

Script Frenzy 2009

30 days. 100 pages. April. Are you in?

Well, you could be. I make mention of this writing exercise now because I would like you to consider joining me in writing a screenplay in the month of April. I figure now is as good a time as any to make the offer so here it is. Script Frenzy is from the same people who bring us NaNoWriMo every November, the Office of Letters and Light. Submitted for your approval, check out http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/. Poke around long enough and you’ll find the following:

Script Frenzy is an international writing event in which participants attempt the daring feat of writing 100 pages of scripted material in the month of April. As part of a donation-funded nonprofit, Script Frenzy charges no fee to participate; there are also no valuable prizes awarded or "best" scripts singled out. Every writer who completes the goal of 100 pages is victorious and awe-inspiring and will receive a handsome Script Frenzy Winner's Certificate and web icon proclaiming this fact.
Even those who fall short of the word goal will be applauded for making a heroic attempt. Really, you have nothing to lose—except that nagging feeling that there's a script inside you that may never get out.

The 5 Basic Rules of Script Frenzy

1) To be crowned an official Script Frenzy winner, you must write a script (or multiple scripts) of at least 100 total pages and verify this tally on ScriptFrenzy.org.

2) You may write individually or in teams of two. Writer teams will have a 100-page total goal for their co-written script or scripts.

3) Script writing may begin no earlier than 12:00:01 AM on April 1 and must cease no later than 11:59:59 PM on April 30, local time.

4) You may write screenplays, stage plays, TV shows, short films, comic book and graphic novel scripts, adaptations of novels, or any other type of script your heart desires.

5) You must, at some point, have ridiculous amounts of fun.

Of those 5 Basic Rules, number 5 is a must.

“But I’ve never done anything like that. I wouldn’t know where to start.”

Well, you’ve got to start somewhere and worrying is bad for your health. Don’t worry; there is helpful advice on the site for whatever genre that you decide on writing. There is support & instruction, there are screenplay programs to download & use for your script too. Perhaps writing a screenplay is something that you’ve always wanted but you felt that you just didn’t have the time to do it. Well in April your time has come.

“What software, if any, would I use?”

Well that’s a good question and the answers are circular; use what is the best tool for you. I’m not a professional writer but I have played with some of their tools. I’ve used “Screenwriter 2000”, dabbled briefly with “Final Draft”, and wrote a script once with “Celtx”. These days when I want to bring out the guns for a screenplay, script or puppet-script I just fire up my Screenplay Template from Microsoft and I’m off to the races. Since I’m addicted to “WORD” anyway it makes a nice even flow. You can score a copy of that template here: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/results.aspx?qu=screenplay&sc=4&av=TPL if you so desire. Script Frenzy has several free programs that you could use and discounts on “Final Draft” if you just have to spend money. The choice is up to you. As for yours truly, the Screenplay Template for Microsoft WORD is the weapon of choice.

“I’m still not convinced.”

That’s OK. This is something that I find particularly cathartic; writing. Perhaps you will as well. Yes, now it may seem foreign and be outside of your comfort zone but come April and YOU are writing YOUR script, telling YOUR story the exercise becomes more tangible. You walk into the month of April someone who has ideas and creative possibilities swimming in your head and you walk out of April as a writer who has just completed his/her first draft of a screenplay. You did it. Congratulations writer!

“It can’t be that easy – what’s the catch?”

This will be the third Script Frenzy that I will participate in. The only catches in this process are the internal ones that you will have to answer for yourself, writer. Consider this; you like a good story don’t you? Sure you do. Haven’t you ever found yourself screaming at the TV after watching a goofy show or after renting an expectation crushing DVD from Blockbuster, “That really STUNK! I know I could do better.” Are you sick and tired of the rehashing of tired storytelling in most Hollywood productions? Yeah? Well, do something about it! It’s time to fire back at Hollywood and April is your time to shine.

Script Frenzy, as is the case with all of the writing projects from the Office of Letters and Light, is an exercise in creativity. It’s free, by the way, and they hold non-profit organization status. You can donate if you want but it’s not required. Remember, you are writing the first draft of a script. It’s a FIRST DRAFT so you don’t need to get hung up on if your T’s are crossed or if you transitions in and out are the industry standard. Just write it. Have fun with it. Tell your story. You can do it. I know you can.

30 days. 100 pages. April. GO!

The Polar Bear Plunge 2009

I didn’t think it was going to happen this year for yours truly. After all, there is a member down from the EC-5, as well as, 2 out of 3 Chicks down with the sniffles. “It’s just not in the cards.” I told myself. “There’s always next year.”

Then I checked the SJG boards – then my watch – then the boards – then my watch – then I got a call. It was from Print Shop, friend, Geocacher and Mastermind of our Polar Bear Plunge expeditions. He was calling to ask how Mother Hen was doing. I told him that she was doing well and that she was sitting at the computer hacking away at some project. I asked how he was feeling. He told me that he was on the way to Sea Isle City to register. I asked him when the Polar Bear Plunge was going to happen. “2:00 PM”, he said. I wished him well, told him that I would tell Mother Hen that he said Hello, and that if anything changed on our status about NOT GOING that I would let him know.

There’s always next year.

I looked at my watch. I found myself pacing. I started walking back and forth and it didn’t take too long for Mother Hen to take notice.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Huh?”

“You’re pacing.”

“Am I?”

“Yes. Knock it off.”

“Sure.” I said. On some level I guess I meant it but my feet did not get that message and soon I was walking the path between the kitchen and the dining room once more. We (as a team, the EC-5) had pulled out at the last minute due to certain circumstances beyond our control. We said that we would take the year off. Mother Hen was out and, as previously stated, 2 of the 3 Chicks were out due to having colds – that left yours truly stewing in his own juices; and friends, that’s a lot of juice.

“What do you want to do?” Mother Hen asked with a gleam in her eye [NOTE: not THAT gleam. Gentle Reader, I’m surprised at you]. She had the Polar Bear Plunge gleam in her eye.

“How about a day at the beach?”

And so it came to pass that Mother Hen and I traversed to Sea Isle City for the 2009 Polar Bear Plunge! We agreed that Mother Hen would not go in and that I would be the only plunger from the EC-5 this time out. She would photograph the event and be support on the beach for our peeps from South Jersey Geocaching. We text’d Print Shop so that he knew to look for us, met up with some of the finest people I’ve ever want to jump into freezing ocean water with and, as they say, the rest is history.

As I type this I’m unsure of all the stats but I’d say there was at least a million-bajillion people there. The outside temperature was in the mid forties and the ocean temp was about 38 degrees. This difference in temp was noticeable. Last year it was an even 38 degrees so you did not feel the difference in the temperature. This year you did. But that was all right, we had a BLAST.

Thank you to SJG Plungers. It is a JOY and an HONOR to share this particular bit of insanity with you. Mother Hen got some great shots, which will I’m sure be posted in the appropriate areas.

...And Doug is still THE MAN.

The 81st Academy Awards

For the last few years or so right here at Chicken Scratch I would pick whom I thought was going to win the big categories for the Academy Awards. I would do this yearly not because I’m “star struck” or care whatever whoever is wearing, no; I did it because I love movies. I am a movie geek. It’s what I do.

This being the case, I have a confession… of the five films nominated for best picture (see here: http://www.oscars.org/ for a full list) I haven’t seen any of them. But that’s ok because really, at its core, the Academy Awards is a tad skewed.

“What did you say?” Oscar asked rearing his golden head in my direction.

“Yeah – That’s right!” I responded, “I said it.” In fact, I thought to myself as Oscar resumed his stance on that tiny little podium of his one really doesn’t have to see the film to guess what the outcome of the contest will be – no; all one has to do is think like the Academy voters think.

“Huh?” you may ask and an understandable question you pose Gentle Reader – once more, I am impressed.

Here… we will do the first one together. Empty your mind… Pretend that the only thing that you have to worry about is what you are going to wear on the red carpet… Put aside any thoughts of real world sensibilities or eking out a living. Stop. This is Hollywood. Back to our purpose… Think like a Academy voter… I must be progressive… Those whales won’t save themselves… How can I retrofit my third Hummer with an engine that burns bad reviews from bloggers or critics? …Ok. Ok… We’re there! All right, we are now ready to Celebrate the Arts and Sciences of Motion Pictures! Let us look at the first category, “Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role”.

Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor”

Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon”

Sean Penn in “Milk”

Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler”

You can eliminate Richard Jenkins and Brad Pitt from the list. Their performances were wonderful (I’m sure) but Jenkins is new to Oscar gold and Pitt is young (relatively). Jenkins is a great character actor and Pitt has his entire career ahead of them with solid and bankable pictures. That leaves three. Frank Langella might get it because he is the elder statesman of the pack. Sean Penn might take it because despite his edgy repute he is a great actor. Mickey Rourke might walk away with a statue because people like to route for the underdog and Rourke hasn’t been the lead horse in a race for a long time… The Academy voter will really be deciding between the oldie, the actor, or the outcast?

And the Oscar goes to…

Sean Penn.

There, now that wasn’t so hard was it? Of course it wasn’t.

“Why even do this?” you may ask. “Why is this worth all of my trouble? I mean I don’t even go to the movies.”

Yet another fair question and usually I would agree with anyone who didn’t like film to stay away from the Oscars at all costs. This year, however, thinking like the Academy thinks has its perks. You see two radio stations NJ 101.5 and SOJO 104.9, in conjunction with “Bayport on Lake Bay” is giving away a $300,000 “Luxury Townhome” in the “Atlantic City area’s Newest Waterfront Community”. So click here: http://www.oscars.org/awards/81academyawards/nominees.html for the official listing of the nominees for this years presentation, think how the Academy thinks, go over to the “Red Carpet Prediction Contest” (http://trentonoscars.pooltracker.com/awards/) enter, and make your choices known. If you win the waterfront townhouse in Atlantic City all I ask is that you have us (the Evil Chicken 5 – Me, Mother Hen and the Three Chicks) over for a BBQ once you get set up.

What can I say? I love BBQ.

I’m coming for YOU Oscar… and this time I’m bringing friends!

The X-Prize

Sometimes the some of history’s most amazing moments are simply missed, forgotten, or passed over. Few remember when the microchip changed the world or when a global networking of computers decided to call itself the ‘Internet’. One may arrive at the question “Why is that – why do we ignore such moments that will have such an impact on us in the future?” I believe it’s because until a milestone or some step forward directly affects our lives we, as a populous, are happily oblivious. As a society (and once our basic survival needs are met) we tend to focus on the big issues such as if Brittany will take her kids with her on new world tour or lamenting the fact that Jerry Springer is just not as much fun anymore since they toned down all the fighting.

Not that I’m throwing stones. You don’t have to cruise along here on this particular corner of the blogosphere to see that pop culture and Evil Chicken are like this {NOTE: Evil Chicken is now holding up his right hand – the index finger is pressed tightly against his middle digit signifying that there is a close relationship. He is now releasing said gesture and returning his fingers to his wireless keyboard.} I too am swayed by the siren call of mass consumer corporate goodies and bright & shiny things. Anyway, I mention all this in preface to an article that I stumbled across from Wired Magazine’s site (which ROCKS out loud if you happen to be or aspire to become a techno-geek). It is about the Automotive X-Prize. Check it out for yourself here: http://blog.wired.com/cars/2009/02/automotive-x-pr.html. The goal of this Automotive X-Prize is, “to inspire a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles to help break our addiction to oil and stem the effects of climate change. Teams will compete for multi-million-dollar cash prizes by designing and building super-efficient vehicles that will achieve 100 MPG (2.35 L/100 km) that are commercially viable.”

The first X-Prize winner now hangs in the Milestones of Flight gallery of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. It is right between the Spirit of St. Louis and the Bell X-1. Space Ship One won the ten million dollar “Ansari X PRIZE for Suborbital Spaceflight, successfully challenged teams to build private spaceships to open the space frontier.” Now you too can grow up and be an astronaut. Seriously. This Anasari X-Prize was won on 10/4/2004, when “Mike Melvill broke the 100-km (62.5 mi) mark, internationally recognized as the boundary of outer space.”

We did not notice. It didn’t directly affect us. Hey, it’s ok, Judge Judy was on. This next X-Prize, the Automotive one is different and it is as tangible as asking yourself just how much YOU paid at the gas pump the last time you filled your tank. With any luck this will have a direct impact on our lives in the extremely near future. I love the concept of competition and how 25 teams of visionaries from around the world just might present us with something truly revolutionary. Can you imagine a world where we were not so utterly and completely dependent on the whims of madmen, oil barons, status quo automobile manufactures or OPEC?

This concept, the X-Prize Foundation, pleases me to NO END. Big changes can come from the little guy. “Revolution through Competition” is the Foundation’s theme. For more information check them out here: http://www.xprize.org/.

Best of luck to all the teams and participants in the contest; I am now officially looking forward to triple digit mileage. I believe it can happen, that it can be commercially viable, and that this moment in history, when it happens, will not be passed over or forgotten.

Harbinger of the 2012 Zombie Uprising

I first saw this on the TODAY show – so it must be true… Please DO NOT believe the following article: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6236655.html!

Hackers create 'Zombies Ahead' highway signs
Associated Press

Jan. 29, 2009, 11:18AM
AUSTIN — Apparent slacker hackers with time to kill brought a raised eyebrow or two to the faces of motorists at a busy Austin intersection.
Electronic signs intended to warn motorists of construction near the intersection of Lamar and Martin Luther King boulevards were changed Wednesday to warn of “Zombies Ahead! Run for your lives!”
The two signs are about a half mile west of the University of Texas campus.
Austin Public Works spokeswoman Sara Hartley says the message was only displayed for a few hours. She said the hackers cut a padlock to get into the signs’ computers.
Hartley also tells KXAN-TV in Austin that the stunt is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine if the scamps are ever found.

The article is from the Associated Press / Houston Chronicle web site and I, for one, am frightened at just how far the powers that be have gone to interfere with the freedom of the press. Clearly this is a cover story. Make no mistake – there was a Zombie uprising in Austin Texas and the government wants you to remain unaware of the danger. You won’t hear the truth from the press; oh no… you’ll only hear it leaked from blogs such as this one and by those American Heroes who reprogrammed the sign!

Oh you can believe what you want to believe but remember – you heard the first warning right HERE! No matter what the Austin City fathers or the bought off press want you to think a Zombie breakout was quelled. This is only a harbinger of things to come 2012 is not that far away!

…Hackers, Slackers, Scamps?! Please. Don’t insult the American people’s intelligence. We see through your clever ruse. The days of being pandered to are over! Remember Austin City Council; you can only hide the TRUTH for so long.

I only hope that by that time it won’t be too late.

A Newbery for Gaiman

“The Graveyard Book” just won a Newbery Medal. Check it out here: http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/01/what-i-look-like-day-after-i-win.html. And WAY back here: http://evilchickenscratch.blogspot.com/2008/10/neil-gaiman-in-philadelphia.html, will give you some background on Neil Gaiman, “The Graveyard Book” and our adventures going to Philly to hear him read us chapter three of the exploits of young Nobody Owens.

Cheers, Mr. Gaiman. I can’t wait to read and see (hopefully) what he does with adapting his book, “Anansi Boys” into a screenplay. Warner’s has first crack at it. I hope they do it right. It’s a great story that will make you root for Spider and Fat Charlie Nancy.

Nicely done, Mr. Gaiman. Nicely done.

Hello SAIGON & Happy New Year

This particular blog entry is about two things that I have a bit of experience with - food and celebrating.

First, let’s talk food. Mother Hen and I had the pleasure of dining at SAIGON a new Vietnamese restaurant that has sprung up in Millville at Union Lake Crossing Shopping Center (close to the Target and right next to the Philly Pretzel Factory) at 2180 North 2nd Street, Millville, NJ 08332. Unlike the American invented “Chinese” take out food that we are so accustom to the food at SAIGON is the real deal – true Vietnamese cooking. I did not have all that much experience with Vietnamese cooking but our meals were simply awesome. To give you some idea about just why you should try them out I am reprinting the back of their menu…

Vietnamese fragrant and exotic: a deliciously simple cuisine. Rich in history, Vietnamese cuisine is one of the jewels of South East Asia. The style of cooking, which has evolved over many centuries, is a wonderful blend of Chinese and South East Asian spices, flavors, and techniques, fused with ingredients and traditions of classic French food. Vietnamese food is lighter and more refreshing than Thai food, using crisp, uncooked vegetables, subtle seasonings, raw herbs, and unique flavor combinations. Often described as textural with fresh, sharp flavors, it is also more tropical and fragrant than Chinese food.

Saigon Restaurant will take you on a culinary tour of discovery, exploring the history, culture, and traditions of the Vietnamese people, the evolution of their cuisines, and the dishes that have become synonymous with the country itself.

The Saigon Restaurant menu has more than 80 dishes, from National Beef Noodle Soup, Saigon Spring Rolls, Shrimp on Sugar Cane, Chicken Wrap Salad and many more which will give you the opportunity to taste Vietnamese Cuisine from our own specialty kitchen.

There you have it. We started with Spring Rolls and Dumplings, which were the best I’ve ever tasted, and then it was onto the main course. Mother Hen had the Vietnamese Steak and I had the Shrimp Clay Pot. The flavors were simply amazing. We ended the meal by sharing a Green Tea Ice Cream, which really capped off the whole dining experience. I briefly jumped off of my Atkins Low Carb bandwagon and it was worth each and every extra carbohydrate that I consumed.

So if you have a taste for something exotic you should try SAIGON. Remember that it is light, fresh cooking and not your run of the mill Chinese place. The chef is an artisan and not a short order cook. I don’t think that you will be disappointed.


Secondly, let’s talk celebration – Happy New Year; it is the Year of the Ox today! Depending on which scholar you choose to believe it is the year 4707, 4706, or 4646. Here is what Wikipedia, my favoritie second brain, has to say on the subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_new_year.

So Gong hei fat choi (congratulations and be prosperous) in this New Year, Gentle Reader. Gong hei fat choi.

"Welcome to Wal-Mart"

A new Super Wal-Mart, or rather, Hypermarket, has just opened in town (Vineland, NJ). Make no mistake this is big for the community here in South Jersey. The corporate behemoth is going to employ somewhere between 700 to 800 people. It will have the convenience of being open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and the selection of things that one can buy is pretty much second to none. That is the good news. The bad news is (if you take the picket signs that the two dozen or so local union people standing next to the giant inflatable rat were holding said) that when a Super Wal-Mart comes to town wages go down unilaterally 5%. A Wal-Mart is designated as “Super” when it has the ability to put local supermarket chains out of business as well as all of those ‘Ma & Pa’ hardware and department stores that you may remember from days of yore. To soften these blows Wal-Mart has made several different donations to local charities, put in “green lighting” and has put down flooring made of recycled tires; and between you and I, that’s a LOT of flooring.

Please don’t get me wrong, I don’t completely buy into the notion that Wal-Mart is an evil corporate empire. Nor do I believe that all evil corporate empires are necessarily exceptionally evil. No. I enjoy the convenience, the ease, and multitude of choices that a Super Wal-Mart provides; not to mention how many sweat shops we support and boatloads of Yen we supply the Chinese economy with.

After a quick walk through just two corners of the massive structure; seeing the sports celebrities, robots shaped like toothpaste tubes, the people flocking to the dancing logo characters from several companies who sell their wares at the mega-store and the populous’ reaction to the experience and thrill of it all I realized that that there was more to the concept of the Super Wal-Mart than meets the eye. Super Wal-Mart is a place where the lines blur between the things we need and the things that we want. It is important to remember that there is a distinction between the two. Sam Walton built an empire on this blurry line. Something that he may have not planned on initially was the idea that such a large supplier of jobs, needs and desires under one roof would also begin to encompass the local culture. Make no mistake, the Super Wal-Mart that just opened is now a cultural hub for the community; a Wal-Mart community that is going to grow. We will never get a Borders or a Barnes and Noble since the illiteracy rate in the Cumberland County area is too low and those corporate entities don’t see the point in investing here. Unfortunately, the laws of supply and demand just don’t make that a wise business choice. Hey, but that’s ok; the book section at the Super Wal-Mart books can be found somewhere towards the north east section of the building and it’s only a 0.2 mile hike from the first of the three main entrances.

There are a number of festivities scheduled to celebrate the grand opening including visits from “Buck the Buckle Up Dog”, the “Pepsi Prize Wheel & Free Sampling”, the “AMP Car Fathead Drawing”, the “NASCAR Racing Simulator Competition”, an “Oreo Cookie Character”, “Live Radio Broadcasts”, the “Dale Earnhardt Jr. 88 Car Show”, “Kool-Aid Man”, “Swoop” the Eagles mascot (with cheerleaders), the “Phillie Phanatic”, an appearance by the “Oscar Meyer Weiner-Mobile”, and the ever popular “Much, Much, More”! Ultimately, I suppose, the desire for “More” it the emotion that we are all toasting, celebrating… worshiping.

So open up those new credit lines! Tell the kids to smash their piggy banks! Raid their college funds (if you can afford to have such a thing)! It’s all there at the hypermarket!

…Wal-Mart has come to town and it will never be the same again.

Quite a Historic Day

Barack Obama became our 44th President when he took the oath of office today. I don’t know if you saw the news or not. {SPECIAL NOTE: if you are not aware of this little factoid please check your pulse}. Here’s a decent article on the festivities: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090120/ap_on_go_pr_wh/inauguration_rdp. No matter how you voted or what your “politics” are, President Obama is the leader of our country and, after watching a LOT of news today with the Three Chicks, it’s hard to not feel a sense of optimism for whatever the future may hold. “Hope Over Fear” was the theme of President Obama’s inaugural speech. Judging by the, what appeared to be millions of, people there on the National Mall it looks like America is ready for some hope. I have said it before but please allow me to say it again; I don’t like either of the main parties and I didn’t vote for Obama or McCain for that matter (I’m a Libertarian). However, I recognize certain moments that make us who we are as a people as a nation – today was just such a moment. You see, I remember my mother calling me into the room to watch our 13 inch TV and to see Gerald Ford take the oath of office. She and I watched Nixon get onto that helicopter and leave Washington D.C. for parts unknown.

“This is history.” She said. “You should try to remember this.”

I suppose she too had a fondness for such moments. So it was in this spirit that today I sat down with my three daughters and watched the Inauguration and the throngs of people (1 million plus attendees), and listened to the “Hope over Fear” speech. This little blog is not specifically about who is right or wrong, politics or even civics for that matter, no; it’s more about marking a moment in our collective history. Today, Gentle Reader was one for the history books. Today history unfolded right before our very eyes. An African American man took the oath of office for the Presidency of the United States of America swearing on the same Bible that Abraham Lincoln swore on during his inauguration. That is pretty remarkable considering how young our country really is, how slaves were used to build the Capitol Building where President Obama took the Oath of Office, and how not all that long ago people, based on the pigment of their skin, couldn’t use the same bathrooms as those of us who are pigment challenged. The fact of the matter is we are not talking all that long ago that this segregation was openly taking place and being enforced as law.

Lady Liberty, you’ve come a long way baby.

I know a handful of hearty souls who were there today on the mall when the President was sworn in. I was sorely tempted to drive down to Washington with the rest of my family just to be able to say that we were on the Mall when the President was sworn in too. I’ve been in large crowds in Washington D.C. before (Promise Keepers – Stand in the Gap) and it can be a bit overwhelming. Lump that in with there being only one bathroom at the Lincoln Memorial, Mother Hen’s recent sickness, and the fact that the Inauguration probably had more safety and security protocols than the city has ever seen and my living room began looking like a much more preferable and viable option. So, at the appointed time I made sure that my girls were there to watch the event happen live; the peaceful transfer of power that is one of the cornerstones of our republic for which it stands.

“This is history.” I said glancing at their faces as they watched the moments unfold. “You should try to remember this.”

Calling All Shutter Bugs

While poking around at things on the internet with a sharp stick I came across this: http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20090117/NEWS01/90116015, a Winter Photo Contest sponsored by the Millville Recreation Department.

Here is what you need to know as per the article:

Millville Recreation Department will accept entries for its annual winter photo contest through Feb. 22. Photographers, of all ages and skill levels, are asked to show the best depiction of winter in the Holly City. Millville residency is not required to enter.

Photos can range from 4 by 6 inches to 8 by 12 inches. Black and white or color is acceptable. Finished photographs may be mailed to Millville Recreation, P.O. Box 609, Millville, NJ 08332 or dropped off at the recreation office, 416 S. 15th St., Millville.

The rules are as follows:

- Photos must be a person, place or object in Millville.

- The name of photographer, age category, address, phone and place of photo must be on the back of the photo.

- One entry per person.

- The title of picture must be displayed on front of photo.

Age groups are: 7 to 12, 13 to 17, 18 to 61 and 62 and older.

First-, second- and third-place ribbons will be given awarded in each category. Also, one grand prize winner will be awarded. Winners will be announced at the City Commission meeting in March.

For more information, call (856) 825-7000, ext. 7392.

So there you have it. The next time you bundle up and head on down to the Arts District in Millville bring your camera.

Happy 200th Edgar

On January 19th, Edgar Allen Poe’s 200th birthday will be observed. He is the man who invented the detective story (Poe’s creation of C. Auguste Dupin predates Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes). He worked his craft in short fiction, poetry and being a literary critic. He died when he was 40 under unknown circumstances. Wikipedia, my favorite second brain, has much to say on Mr. Poe and his life and it can all be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Allen_Poe. It seems an utter disservice to Poe that “Ludwig” (R.W. Griswold) spun so many lies about him after his death. History continues to remember Poe but has forgotten Griswold all together. The Hop Frog in me likes to believe that this omission is the universe healing itself from poison of such a man. “Hop Frog”, by the by, remains for this reader one of the best tales of revenge and madness ever written. When one considers Poe, you really have many options to choose from – there are many “favorites” when it comes to his body of work. “The Mask of the Red Death”, “The Cask of Amontillado”, “The Tell Tale Heart”, “The Black Cat”, and “The Fall of the House of Usher” are all prime examples of Poe at his best.

It is easy to automatically think of Baltimore when you consider Poe, his work and his life (and his death for that matter) but some of his best and most prolific work took place right across the Delaware River in Philadelphia. Again from Wikipedia, “While living in Philadelphia, Poe published some of his most well-known works, including "The Tell-Tale Heart," "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," and "The Gold-Bug". It has been called his most prolific period. In all, Poe published 31 stories during his time in Philadelphia as well as several literary criticism pieces, including his February 1841 review of Charles Dickens's novel Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of 'Eighty. In reviewing the novel, which later inspired Poe's poem "The Raven", he correctly predicted the novel's resolution before its final serialized installment was published. Dickens is said to have remarked, "The man must be the devil". Poe's five years in the city have been described as the happiest of his life.” The Edgar Allen Poe National Historical Site in Philly is just about to reopen to celebrate Poe’s 200th Birthday (those gory details can be found here: http://www.nps.gov/edal/). I’m looking forward to taking the girls. We have already shared the reading of some of his tales.

So, Gentle Reader, the dreary midnight hour draws close at hand. I am weak and weary and I have been pondering over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore… It is with a spirit of kinsmanship that I join the Poe Toaster (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe_Toaster) from right here in South Jersey in raising a glass and laying down one more rose at his grave.

Happy 200th Edgar.

Battlestar Galactica – The Beginning of the End

On 1/16/09, at 10:00 PM EST, the first of the last 10 episodes of Battlestar Galactica was broadcast. This reimagined rag tag fleet’s journey is coming to an end. The new BSG was the series that I did not want to like (see this: http://evilchickenscratch.blogspot.com/2005/01/how-i-learned-to-enjoy-broccoli-and.html). You see I grew up in the seventies and had the old Glen A. Larson production cemented in my mind as to the way things should be. Back in 2005, Ronald Moore took a sledgehammer to the mold and in doing so helped make one of the finest shows on television. The story is sound, the writing is top shelf, and the characters are viscerally real and skillfully brought to life so that the viewer actually cares about what happens to them and the last remnants of humanity.

BSG is not for everyone; it is certainly not for children but if you have the imagination to look past the spaceships and battles then you’ll be able to enjoy an intense human drama of life, death, and the hope of survival in the face of a genocidal of war. If you can appreciate a good story then BSG is for you. Here’s a 13 minute video to bring you up to speed on the last 4.5 seasons: http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/video/index.php?sub=specials&clip=3. And now you’re ready for the beginning of the end.

As much as I would like to discuss tonight’s episode in a spoilerrific fashion, I will resist. Ask me in person and I might tell you but for now that’s one down and nine to go. My only two complaints are that I detest commercials on regular television and that the questions that were answered only left larger questions – I guess I miss the option of just slipping in the next DVD. The journey’s almost over and the Cylon menace is still lurking somewhere in the cosmos. The only way to find the story’s resolution is to (shock and awe) tune in next week; which is exactly what I’m gonna do.

SO SAY WE ALL!

Trail Maintenance

I have been away from the blog due to the fact that we had a bit of a scare here at Rancho Del Chicken. Mother Hen spent some time in the hospital. The long story short is that we went to the emergency room for an Achilles tendon issue and she began to present with the symptoms of a heart attack. One of her heart values was elevated. It turns out that it was a false positive and that she did not have a heart attack – which is a good thing. While she was there she also had some water drawn off of her knee. It’s one stop shopping at the hospital these days.

What can I say? God is good. We have much to be thankful for. She is now home and recovering from her stay. We have appointments to follow up on and some changes to make (i.e. diet and exercise), which is something that we need to work on and something that we’ll be able to do together. It looks like we will be recommitting ourselves to low carb diets and getting out more for Geocaching (& hiking).

That being said, this got my wheels turning concerning our next series of adventures. Just where is next on the hit list of places to visit? I thought to myself. Where is good territory to explore and cache in these days? A quick look over at www.geocaching.com showed me that we (the EC-5) haven’t been doing too much caching recently. There are now a lot of holes in our 10-mile radius. That wasn’t always the case. Not that we are numbers junkies; no, it’s not a question of that, it’s more like discovering what’s in our own backyard; the thrill of unearthing local history and legend, the appreciation of the journey. Yadda, yadda, yadda… Well, we’ve been on sabbatical. Oh we still love the game it’s just that we haven’t been playing it recently. Sure, a lot of that has to do with the weather but we hit a bit of the doldrums. We stopped going out and we started getting larger; that’s simple cause and effect. It will be good for us to get back in the game – in a lot of ways. There is still much to see, still much to do. It’s time to make the time to see and do it.

See you on the trails.

This Truly is One of the Best Jobs in the World

Times are tough. It’s hard to find good work that you can really throw yourself into. That’s why I’m thinking about applying for this: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/lifestyleaustraliatourismoffbeat.

Yeah… let’s see here… Six months of adventuring on the Great Barrier Reef and blogging about it for about a hundred grand American? The question begs to be answered, “Where would one apply for such a position?” The answer can be found at the end of this reprinted article from Yahoo.

Australia offers ‘Best Job in World’ on paradise island.

SYDNEY (AFP) – An Australian state has launched a global search for candidates for "the best job in the world" -- earning a top salary for lazing around a beautiful tropical island for six months.
The job pays 150,000 Australian dollars (105,000 US dollars) and includes free airfares from the successful applicant's home country to Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland's state government announced on Tuesday.

In return, the "island caretaker" will be expected to stroll the white sands, soak up the sun, snorkel the reef, "maybe clean the pool" -- and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.

The winner, who will stay rent-free in a multi-million dollar three-bedroom beach home complete with plunge pool and golf buggy, must be an excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English.

"They'll also have to talk to media from time to time about what they're doing so they can't be too shy and they'll have to love the sea, the sun, the outdoors," said acting state Premier Paul Lucas.
"The fact that they will be paid to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, swim, snorkel and generally live the Queensland lifestyle makes this undoubtedly the best job in the world."
Lucas said the campaign was part of a drive to protect the state's 18 billion Australian dollar a year tourism industry during the tough economic climate caused by the global financial meltdown.
While the campaign has elements of some reality television shows, a candidate's looks will not be a prime requirement, Tourism Queensland chief executive Anthony Hayes told AFP.
"No, I don't think beautiful is what we want, I think charismatic is what we want," he said. "The reality is we are looking for a fantastic communicator.
"What we want this person to do is travel throughout the Great Barrier Reef and just try every experience, every adventure they can find and report back via blogs and video to tell the world why Queensland is a great place to come for a holiday."
Tourism Minister Desley Boyle said some people might question whether it was risky to let an unknown person become an unofficial tourism spokesperson for the state.
"I think the biggest risk will be that the successful candidate won't want to go home at the end of the six months," she said.
"This is a legitimate job which is open to anyone and everyone."
Applications are open until February 22. Eleven shortlisted candidates will be flown to Hamilton Island in early May for the final selection process and the six month contract will commence on July 1.

Job-seekers can apply on Islandreefjob.com.

So there you have it Gentle Reader, a decent job opportunity. When I first went to the provided link the site was down. My guess is that potential employees are swamping their servers. Check back to throw your hat in the ring. I know that I would if the yoke of employment and the responsibilities thereof didn’t already encumber me. If you are chosen I promise to read your blog while I throw a shrimp on the bar-be and to voraciously live vicariously through you.

New Who Review

Next Christmas David Tennant will regenerate leaving the roll of the Doctor behind. When the dust settles Matt Smith (26) will be the youngest Timelord ever to play the role. Here’s the story from BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7808697.stm.

Tom Baker is my Doctor. There were three Doctors before him (William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, & Jon Pertwee) but it was Baker’s regeneration that I first discovered the series. I started watching Doctor Who back in the seventies with him in the role. I watched him regenerate into Peter Davidson but then the show disappeared. BBC or PBS pulled the plug on American audiences so I missed Collin Baker and Sylvester McCoy. I saw the TV movie where Paul McGann became the commander of the TARDIS and had high hopes that there would be more but for the next 9 years there was nothing. The series was revived in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston in the role and it was like manna from Heaven. Gone were the cheesy special effects and production values and in there place was rock solid acting and storytelling. It was with a heavy heart that I watched Eccleston regenerate into David Tennant after only one season. But then Tennant made the role his own. He became a pleasure to watch with his humor and eccentricities. There are some truly great moments that have happened during the last four years. Tennant will be at the helm of the TARDIS for the next four BBC specials and it will be with a heavy heart that I will watch him regenerate into Matt Smith next Christmas.

All the best Mr. Smith; I am looking forward to seeing how you make the Doctor yours.

The Great American Think-Off

Just after defeating the Empire by founding the Rebel Alliance on the X-box 360 (The Force Unleashed just plain ROCKS BTW) and enjoying each and every last carb in my Wawa Turkey Bowl I decided to tickle the ivories and do a little web surfing (Hey, 2009’s been a good year so far). It was on Yahoo that I found this: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090102/ap_on_fe_st/odd_think_off_1; The Great American Think-Off. I clicked it and read the following article; “NEW YORK MILLS, Minn. – A tricky question of morality is this year's brainteaser in the annual philosophy competition called the Great American Think-Off.
"Is it ever wrong to do the right thing?" is the theme of the 2009 Think-Off.
The event is organized by Minnesota's New York Mills Regional Cultural Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding the cultural and creative opportunities of rural Americans.
Anyone can enter by submitting an essay of 750 words or less. Four finalists will be chosen to debate the question on June 13 before a live audience.
Last year's question was whether immigration strengthens or threatens the United States. The audience decided Craig Allen, of West Linn, Ore., was most convincing with his argument that the system of immigration and immigration policy is broken, that it encourages illegal immigration and poses a threat to the country.
New York Mills is a farming town of some 1,200 people in central Minnesota, about 170 miles northwest of Minneapolis.”

From there I went to the http://www.think-off.org/, the official site for the event. Interesting stuff is to be found here at the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center’s website including the some of the winning essays and questions from years past. Up in the top left corner is the easy on-line registration procedure. It’s just a click away.

So there we have it, 2009’s first crazy activity; a short philosophy essay on “Is it ever wrong to do the right thing?” It sounds like an interesting exercise but one that I don’t want to do alone so I’m taking YOU, Gentle Reader, with me.

What do you say – are you in?

I think I’ll throw my hat in the ring. I am not going to answer the question here… yet. I will after I ponder upon it, write it, and upload it; hey, I might even post it here at Chicken Scratch when it is finally fit for human consumption. But that’s just still a gleam in my eye.

I’m glad I tripped over this. It gives me something to do between defeating the Empire and concurring HALO.

Life is good.

Coming to a Theater Near YOU in 2009

As a little tradition here at Chicken Scratch I usually compile a list of the movies that are coming out that I believe will be entertaining. I was going to compile said list until I discovered an article by Hugh Hart from Wired Magazine’s site. It sums things up quite succinctly and, if you happen to be a movie fan, more than worth your time. It can be found here: http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/12/2009-wiredcom-m.html. They even include links to the trailers. Nice.

Of what the studios have planned for us viewers in the coming year of our Lord 2009, here’re what I think will be the cream of the crop (or at least the movies I wouldn’t mind buying a ticket for). If the film makes my list then I’ll let you know if it is an Opening Nighter, a I’ll Buy a Ticket, or a I’ll Wait to Rent It.

So, let’s get down to business…

1. Coraline. Let’s see here… written by Neil Gaiman? Check. Directed by Henry Selik – the same man who did “A Nightmare Before Christmas”? Check. This one’s an Opening Nighter. Now I’ve got to track down where they’ll be showing it in 3D.

2. Watchmen. I wonder if Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons had any idea that they were going to be rocking the world when they told their story, “The Watchmen”. Get ready to be rocked. Opening Nighter – no doubt (whether Fox Studios wants me to or not).

3. Wolverine. Logan, Gambit, Emma Frost – on the big screen post the X-Men movies? Count me in. If not Opening Night then I’m Buyin’ a Ticket for that weekend (even if Fox Studios are actively suing for a piece of the Watchmen pie and looking to block the films release – I hope they don’t get dime one).

4. Star Trek. Opening Night. In fact, feel free to stop by and bring me a cup of coffee since I’ll be camping out for this one.

5. Terminator Salvation. Christian Bale as John Connor? No James Cameron for a second time? Hmmm… This looks like a good Rental.

6. Land of the Lost. My inner child is grinning from ear to ear for this one. I’m definitely buying a ticket for this one and bringing the girls too – I love to embarrass them by singing the theme song. We’re there.

7. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I’m a huge fan of the books and there is some pretty deep stuff that happens in this one. If you’ve read the book then you know how iconic some of the images from the trailer are… If not opening night then we’re buying tickets for opening weekend.

8. The Wolfman. Benicio Del Toro stepping into Lon Chaney Jr.’s paws prints? The wolves’ bane is blooming in 2009 and I’ll be buying at least two tickets for this one. Bad Wolf is a bit of a werewolf fan. This was one of the last films that Stan Winston worked on as well. Hopefully Opening Night.

9. Sherlock Holmes. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as Holmes and Watson? Directed by Guy Ritchie? I just might have to buy a ticket for this one. I’m still waiting to read the spin before I'm sold. We shall see.

10. Avatar. James Cameron has been inventing the technology to tell this science fiction tale – no, really. Expect amazing things. I expect that I’ll see ‘em in 3D hopefully opening night.

11. District 9. Alien invaders from the guy that Peter Jackson wanted to make the HALO movie? This kid’s Kung-Fu must be good. I just might have to buy a ticket.

12. Inglorious Basterds. (With an E). Quinton Tarantino takes on the Nazis. Do you know what they call a Quarter Pounder with cheese in Germany? Me neither, but I think I’d like to find out. I’d buy a ticket for this one depending on my spending money when it’s released.

13. A Christmas Carol. Robert Zemeckis’s third motion capture picture in a row. Jim Carey will be Ebenezer and I have high hopes that this just might become a new Holiday classic. The jury is still out if I’ll be buying a ticket or not. We shall see what we shall see. I’m rootin’ for you Bob (even though “Beowulf” didn’t do it for me).

14. Public Enemies. Johnny Depp is John Dillinger and Christian Bale is the fed that is chasing him? Much mobster mayhem. I might have to buy a ticket. We shall see.

So there you have it; my picks from Mr. Hart's list. These are the movies that I’ve got my eye on. Who will tell the best story out of the bunch? I don’t know. Are there dark horses that I’m not aware of? You bet; and that’s part of what makes this particular obsession a joy – the surprise of discovery, the shear unadulterated magic of the movies.

2009 is here so butter my popcorn – see you at the multiplex!

Don’t Blink

It’s almost 2009. Douglas Adams wrote, “Time is fleeting; lunchtime doubly so.” I think he was onto something. Tempus fugit. Time files. And here it is, the end of the year. Unbelievable. It really did not feel like Christmas this year to yours truly and I blame it on the passage of time. I feel it outpacing me now and that’s ok, that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Still it does not seem that 2008 has even started let alone the fact that it’s coming to a close.

Resolutions. My New Year’s resolution is to NOT make any Year-End lists for myself (or for you either, Gentle Reader) here at Chicken Scratch. I’m seriously curtailing any such compilation. All I want to do this coming year is grow in my faith, work out some holdout areas in my life and see what’s around the corner. However; there are those (including me, I must admit) who like to review such things; so therefore, Gentle Reader here’s this; http://www.time.com/time/specials/2008/top10/, for your review. Time Magazine did a pretty decent job of the whole list thing, don’t you think?

According to my friend the internet, Carl Sandburg said, “Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.” My sincere hope is that time in 2008 was time well spent. Here’s hopin’ for a better 2009.

Happy New Year

CAP’S COMICS

“I’d like a comic book.” Mother Hen casually said about a month before Christmas.

“You know, I have a bad ear,” I said, “but I would have sworn on a stack of Bibles that you just said that you wanted a comic book.”

“No, you heard me right.” She said.

“Which comic book?”

“The Amazing Spiderman number… five seventy something.” She said.

“Why?” I asked. Now yours truly wanting a comic book not very big news, Mother Hen wanting a comic book, on the other hand, lent itself to having Rod Serling step from around the corner of the doorway and literally explaining the reasons to me.

“Who are you looking for?” she asked me as I searched for Mr. Serling.

“Huh? …Oh, no one…” I said taking one last look at the doorway. “So why do you want a Spiderman comic?”

“Stephen Colbert is on the cover and he is still in the running to be President of the United States in the Marvel Universe. There’s a story written by Joe Quesada in there too.” Oh she was speaking my language. I met Joe (the head of Marvel Comics) Quesada in Philadelphia a few years back and heard him speak. At the time he mentioned that he wished there was no such things as secret identities and discussed how cool it would be if Tony Stark held a press conference just to say, “I’m Iron Man.” That was before he did that in the comics, in the movie and in the whole “Civil War” story arc. There are a lot of Colbert fans out there who would be grabbing up the variant issue.

And so it came to pass, Gentle Reader that yours truly set off on a quest to find the Stephen Colbert issue of The Amazing Spiderman. After a bit of research I found the number (573) and that there were three covers; the regular cover with Venom and the Scorpion, the minor variant cover with Anti-Venom and the Scorpion and, the issue that geeks and Colbert fans are clamoring for, the one where Stephen Colbert is saving Spiderman and emulating the same pose from Amazing Fantasy # 15 (Spidey’s first appearance). I covered the South Jersey area looking for it. I went to three comic book shops before stopping in over at IT’S A TOY STORE (see: http://evilchickenscratch.blogspot.com/2008/11/its-toy-store.html) and they steered me in the right direction.

“Yeah, they have a copy over at CAP’S COMICS in Millville.”

“Millville!? …Cap’s Comics?” I said, truly surprised. It’s just not like me to NOT know about a comic book shop in the South Jersey area. “How long have they been open?”

“Since about February.”

“No kiddin’.”

“Nope.”

So with hot tip in hand I placed a call to CAP’S COMICS. They had it and I said that I’d be there post haste. And I was. Like many of the characters that it deals in the storefront itself is like a secret identity but lest there be no doubt a Comic Book shop is there at 1301 N. 10th St. Suite G in Millville (N.J. 08332 – that is). I paid a fair price for the issue and struck up a great little conversation with the owner – who is not only a nice guy but he’s also a Comic Fan! Believe it or not that’s not always a prerequisite for being in this line of work. We talked Iron Man, Silver Age and Red Hulk for about forty minutes or so and, I gotta tell ya, I can’t wait to get back there. I picked up a card, which says, “Silver age, bronze age and back issues also collectibles. New comics every week. 10% off all subscription titles.” Their hours are Wednesday 6:00 – 9:00 PM, Thursday 6:00 – 9:00 PM, Friday 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM, and Saturday 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Their phone number is 856-825-5779. I can tell you CAP’S came through for me (and Mother Hen) and if there’s something that you’re looking for, I bet they can do the same for you.

Too cool.

I’m thinking about getting the Red Hulk graphic novel; hey it’s been a while since I’ve read any comics and I’ve got a lot of catching up to do. Fortunately, CAP’S COMICS is there to ease my transition back.

EXCELSIOR!

Loose Ends

I’ve been pretty busy as of late so here are some loose ends that I thought could use some attention.

Eartha Kitt passed away, she was 81. She led a very interesting life which you can read all about here; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eartha_Kitt and here; http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081226/ap_en_mo/obit_eartha_kitt_15. I first discovered Ms. Kitt via the old Batman TV show. She was the best (and dare I say sexiest) Catwoman to date. My kids (and me too for that matter) loved her character Yzma from Disney animated film, “The Emperor’s New Groove” and “The Emperor’s New School” on the Disney Channel. My thoughts are with her family and friends at this time.

The new Doctor Who BBC Special, “The Next Doctor” was broadcast across all of Brittany on Christmas Day. While this was great for Doctor Who fans there it did precious little for fans here in the good ole United States. Fortunately, it’s possible to check it out on Youtube cut up into eight segments. If you’re interested just do a search for “The Next Doctor” and enjoy. David Tennant will be the Doctor for the next four specials in 2009 but that will be it. A new Doctor is going to regenerate in 2010. Tennant stepped into some big shoes when he succeeded Christopher Eccleston in the role; and the wonderful thing is that he was able to keep stride. I will miss Tennant as the Doctor but I’m glad for the specials coming in 2009.

Battlestar Galactica is ending. The story is coming to a close. You can tune into the SciFi Channel on January 16th to see the beginning of the end. If interested, and I’m assuming you are if you’ve hung in this long, in the meantime you can check out the 10 episode web series that bridges the gap between season 4.0 and 4.5 here: http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/webisodes/. So say we all!

Back in August of 2008, I entered a script-writing contest sponsored by Ain’t It Cool News. The task was to write the ending to Star Wars – Revenge of the Sith that you wanted to see. No winner has been announced yet. I believe that the volume of the entries was unexpected by AICN. No news is good news and, to the best of my knowledge, I’m still in the running. Hey, who’s to say? I’ll let you know if my script is in the running.

The world keeps moving… no really; there was an earthquake yesterday between Lancaster and Three Mile Island. It was only a 3.4 but it was enough to get people’s attention. Here’s the details here; http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=6575318 and here; http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/ld1023196.php. I’ve never been in an earthquake – at least one that I was aware of – but I’ve got friends who have lived and live in southern California and they have stories to tell. The AP report says that 1,000 people called 911 after the quake. I would have been 1,001. I’m glad that it wasn’t more to the north west of the epicenter since that’s where Three Mile Island is located.

There’s some loose ends tied. Mischief managed.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The four performances of “Joy, Joy, Joy” are now over but the show is on a continuous for the holiday weekend – you can check it out here: http://www.ccvineland.org/livewebcast.html, just click on the box that says, “Watch Our Services Live” and enjoy.

Merry Christmas, Gentle Reader. God bless us… everyone.

On the Road with Chick 1.0

Bad Wolf and Evil Chicken, after church this morning, attempted to grab a bite to eat. We stopped at Jim’s Lunch but unbeknown to us, Jim’s Lunch is closed on Sundays. We stood looking into the window at the cold grill and empty seats.

“We could go to Larry’s.” I said.

“Not the same as Jim’s.” She said.

“True.” I nodded in agreement. “How about we grab a cup of coffee from Bogart’s?”

“That would be great but…”

“But?”

“But I’m hungry.” She said.

“Me too.” I agreed.

“We could come back to Bogart’s.”

“Yeah,” I said, “I suppose we could.”

And after a series of adventures and misadventures, both of which I won’t go into here, that’s just what we did. We hit Bogart’s Books for a cup of coffee and to pick up a couple of books. She picked up a book called, “Emergence” by David R. Palmer and I picked up “DUNE” by Frank Herbert. The book that I bought her back cover reads as follows, “This is the saga of Candy Smith-Foster, a brilliant, witty girl on the verge of womanhood, survivor of a bionuclear war that destroyed most of humanity, first of a new stage of human evolution – homo post hominem. EMERGENCE is the story of her turbulent odyssey across a scarred America seeking others of her kind and a new future for the people of Earth.” Between sips of Gingerbread coffee and conversation, the book sounded good to both of us.

And then there’s “DUNE”. I have had a hankering to read this book for a long time now; a LONG time. I’m embarrassed to mention this but this marks my third purchase and attempt to read this book. I don’t know why there were two previous failures to launch concerning finishing this book but there were. Confidence is high this time out. We’ll see how it goes. I know that Paul is the Kwisatz Haderach and have an understanding of just how that happens – well... maybe I won’t lose the book this time.

After Bogart’s we did some food shopping went home and cooked dinner. She put the food away and I did the dishes. We had a great day, father and daughter. I am staggered by the fact that my little girl is about to turn 16. I am thankful beyond words for the wonderful day that the two of us had, the relationship that we have, and the amazing young woman that she is.

Thanks Angel, Dad loves you.

A Pirate Looks at 40

“Yes, I am a Pirate. 200 Years too late. The cannons don’t thunder there’s nothing to plunder, I’m an over 40 victim of fate. Arriving too late, arriving too late…”

Amen.

The first 40 years are now down. I hope the next 40 are as sweet – Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise.

“Joy, Joy, Joy” Part Deux

Another show has been added for 12/22/08, at 7:00 PM (There are also shows scheduled for 12/23/08, at 7:00 PM and for 12/24/08, at 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM). ALL of the performances by the Calvary Chapel Theatrical Choir will be on Live Streamed on the internet (and around the world) here: http://www.ccvineland.org/livewebcast.html.

Tickets are still available for the upcoming Christmas Musical but they are only available on a first come / first served basis (although, I have a hard time believing that we’d be turning anyone away at the door). The whole ticket thing is to gage how many people we have coming to the different performances. Bottom line is that is better to have a ticket than not so give Calvary Chapel a call at 856-696-9409. Tickets are free but they are moving.

Give it a looksee. It’ll put you in the Christmas Spirit.

G is for GEEK

All right. It is a well-established fact that I am a geek so I’m not going to go into that any further. That being said, I was on the Marvel Comics website and found something called “Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited”.

“Huh?”

Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited. Check it out here: http://www.marvel.com/digitalcomics/?utm_source=comics&utm_medium=Btn-blwbanner&utm_content=digital_comics&utm_campaign=MDC_TNav. For a yearly fee of $4.99 a month (which they bill as one payment of $59.88) or a monthly fee of $9.99, you have access to Marvel Comics back issues. That’s a 60-year history of some pretty marvelous stuff. Currently there are about 5,000 comics online in their vault and that is growing. “Unlimited access” to full runs of some of the greatest comics ever written and drawn and inked.

Now THAT is some good readin’.

If there are any Marvel Zombies with computers with internet connections on your Christmas list this year check it out. You’ll be happy – they’ll be happy and, Gentle Reader, that’s a win win.

“Joy, Joy, Joy!”

Man, I just can’t believe that it is DECEMBER. Time, most certainly, keeps on slip, slip, slippin’ into the future. The 25th will be here in no time and, come to think of it so will this year’s Choir Production. Speaking of which…

The Calvary Chapel Theatrical Choir Presents

“Joy, Joy, Joy"

Tickets for the upcoming Christmas Musical Production will be available on a first come/first serve basis. Please sign-up that info counter and let us know how many tickets you will need and for what performances. You will need to have tickets this year in order to be assured of seating. Tickets are available for Tuesday, December 23 rd at 7:00 PM, Wednesday December 24th at 6:00pm or 8:30 PM. There is a special family night preview-show on Monday December 22nd, which does not require tickets and is open to anyone, but those attending should note that this is also a final dress rehearsal for the production.

No pressure but if you want to see a singing and dancing Evil Chicken or, more importantly, come out and celebrate the Gospel and Christmas with us give the church a call (856-696-9409) and ask for tickets. Don’t pay scalper’s prices! The tickets are free. From what I understand there are still some seats left for the first performance but it is filling fast.

Merry Christmas, Gentle Reader; now’s your chance to scream “Break a leg, Evil Chicken!”

And ya know what? …I just might.