Script Frenzy 2009

I won. My script stands at 113 pages (WORD Template) and 102 pages (PDF file – verified).

Mischief Managed.

This was my third Script Frenzy but my first as a Municipal Liaison. I posted something similar to this on the Municipal Liaison’s forum yesterday. We did not have large numbers but you ARE out there and I thank you for participating. Know that I have stickers just waiting for you. You know who you are. I know who you are too – YOU are scribes, playwrights and writers. You ROCK. Although we didn’t have large numbers in the South Jersey area this time out I had the opportunity to network with some really great North Jersey people and I look forward to the chance to do it all again next year for Script Frenzy 2010.

My plan for next year includes putting out my feelers, finding and networking with a Municipal Liaison for the Philadelphia area while nurturing an interest here in Southern New Jersey via schools (any teachers out there interested in having their class participate in 2010? Just give me a call) and local media outlets.

30 Days, 100 Pages – Are you in? Think about it. It just may be time to stop watching and to start doing. This year was great but next year – the sequel – is gonna be jaw dropping.

Bea Arthur

Man, I hate cancer. Bea Arthur passed away today at the age of 86. Here are the details: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090426/ap_en_mo/us_obit_arthur_14.

When I was a kid I never understood why my mother and father laughed so hard at “All in the Family”. Oh I tried to get what was going on but I was just too young to see the genius. Time passed and I rediscovered it in the world of re-run television. Norman Lear and Co. really had the tiger by the tale with this one.

Then there was “Maude”. And then there was “The Golden Girls” and, as a casual viewer, you knew right then that Ms. Arthur was truly a force to be reckoned with.

Amazing woman, amazing voice. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends at this time.

They just don't make 'em like this anymore.

An Ode to 9 Teen Years

(Today marks 19 years of US – Mother Hen and Evil Chicken. This was my gift to her and it was performed at Bogart’s Books this afternoon. Gentle Reader, I thought I’d pass it along for your reading pleasure. Happy Anniversary, Lady!)



An Ode to 9 Teen Years

I can’t afford too much these days
The economy’s ransacked my purse
I didn’t know what to get you
So I thought I’d write a verse

I began to wonder just what does one give
To honor such a day
Styrofoam, cork, or paperclips
Just what does Hallmark say?

Well…

Twenty years ago I met her
In a bookstore at the mall
9 teen years ago we married
Oh so young as I recall

She was a fiery red head
With a sparkle in her eye
With curves I found quite memorable
Don’t judge me, I’m a guy.

But I knew this one was special
I knew she was the one
To spend a lifetime’s afternoons
In the meadows ‘neath the sun

I could see the future in her eyes
Of hopes and one of dreams
This was obviously the product of
One of my more insightful schemes

A marriage is quite like a dance
Life’s tempo fast and slow
Deciding who leads and who follows
Well, such sacrifice makes you grow

We’ve done some growing in our time
Oh, the things we’ve seen
I can’t envision that time without you
Those years, the past 9 teen.

I see the past, the present, the future
When I look into your eyes
I can’t imagine a life without you
Our paths are that entwined

You’re the mother of my children
Three hopes of things to come
They are the sun, the moon, the stars
One for all and all for one

Once there was me and once there was you
Those children are gone now you see
In their place there is only US
And that’s the place I want to be

These first 9 teen are over
My lover, wife, and friend
I’m eager for the next 9 teen
I would do it all again

For you’re still that fiery red head
With that sparkle in her eye
I’m thankful the Lord gave you to me
My confidant, my wife.

Happy anniversary, Lady.

The Enterprise Project

Yep. I am a Star Trek fan. I bleed GEEK. So when I heard about “The Enterprise Project” I gushed a bit. It’s pop art through the eyes of pop art. As per the website…

Respected graffiti, FX and pop artists from all over the world have designed their interpretations of the USS Enterprise. These 34-inch-long replicas of the USS Enterprise from the upcoming film were cast from the 3D digital models created for the film by Industrial Light & Magic. These models will begin touring the world in March – see the location details on each ship to find its current location.

People such as Jim Lee and Robert Rodriguez each have submissions. It would be fun to see them all together in one place for now, however, you can check ‘em out here: http://www.startrekmovie.com/modelgallery/. There will be more Enterprise interpretations coming soon.

This might be able to hold me over until the first 12:01 showing on May 8. We shall see…

So How Are Things with YOU?

Gentle Reader, it’s been too long. My time has been drawn to Script Frenzy recently and I have not had a chance to write a decent blog entry. That’s ok though; please take heart in knowing that progress is being made (34 pages as of right now 8:32 PM) and that other amazing and cool things have been happening – such as Geocaching.

This past weekend we (the EC-5) had a blast. We went places and saw things and learned things that we just never knew about the South Jersey area. That is just plain cool. We saw the oldest house in Atlantic County, learned about the woman who repelled the English Navy at Beasley’s Point and discovered the Clara Glen Pet Cemetery in Lynwood. There are about 3,800 animals buried there and it 2 plus acres are hidden by suburban “progress”. Very cool though – if it hasn’t been in Weird NJ yet then it should be.

Well, I’ll talk soon; right now I have to get back to writing my script.

Talk care!

This Mystery Man’s Kung-Fu is Good

Gentle Reader, submitted for your approval: http://mysterymanonfilm.blogspot.com/. If you have an interest in film and in writing for them then you owe it to yourself to visit this blog, soak in what you read there and check out his Writer’s Resources section. There is a wealth of information to be found here.

I read about his blog while checking out Ain’t It Cool News a few weeks back. Harry had posted something about a long conversation between three filmmakers (Kasdan, Lucas & Spielberg) and how “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was birthed. It is a great read, which can be found here: http://mysterymanonfilm.blogspot.com/2009/03/raiders-story-conference.html.

I post the Mystery Man’s blog because I think that you just might find something that you read there helpful for YOUR Script Frenzy (http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/). There are some nice little resources out on the net and this blog is a gold mine for anyone who wants to learn the craft of writing for the movies.

April is just 4 days away. 30 Days, 100 Pages, Are YOU in? I am and I wouldn’t mind some company.

Cast Off the Yoke of Oppression

In days of yore there was no such animal as the internet and its myriad of online applications; nor were there cell phones, digital recordings, or GPS units. It was the seventies and the eighties and it was just around the time that yours truly was growing up. Over the past 30 – 40 years some pretty amazing things have taken place in the realm of electronic wizardry. Technology has shrunk the world. Paul Simon once sang, “These are the days of miracle and wonder. This is the long distance call. The way the camera follows us in slow-mo. The way we look to the stars. The way we look to a distant constellation that is dying in the corner of the sky. These are the days of miracle and wonder and don’t cry, baby, don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry…”

Ah Graceland – great album. Please forgive the musical interlude, Gentle Reader. I got carried away. Still I think you get the idea. It’s not as easy as it once was to find people who want to return to the “good old days”. They all have their own websites and Twitter feeds now. A common theme that surrounds times of technological growth is will our technology outpace our humanity. I would argue that our humanity benefits from the inclusion of new technologies and, in fact, creates dynamic and new forms of socialization and communication between, well, humans. The popularity of Facebook, MySpace, Geocaching, Twitter, X-box Live, and the other worlds of the Massive Multiplayer Online Gaming (MMOGs) sites are shining examples of how technology and human interaction are no longer mutually exclusive. So much for dehumanization; right here, right now in the latter years of the first decade of the twenty first century – change is good. Change is our friend. If we make friends with change we won’t stagnate in a pit of nostalgia and depression at how good things were so long ago. The world has moved on. We must move with it.

“Why are you telling us all this stuff?”

I’m telling you this, Gentle Reader, because while I love the new and emerging technologies and all the wonders they can bestow, I detest being nickeled and dimed for functions on an electronic device that is theoretically owned by me.

“Huh?”

Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m talking about Verizon Wireless. I have a state of the art (5 years ago) free cell phone from Verizon; it’s a Motorola RAZR V3. Motorola, with the RAZR made one of the most popular cell phones ever. The product itself is capable of taking pictures & digital video, playing MP3s, internet browsing, and you can even make phone calls with it. Yeah, that sounds like a pretty neat gadget; unless, that is, your little 5 year-old electronic marvel of a cell phone happens to be using Verizon Wireless as its carrier. You see when you take a picture with your phone Verizon will charge you for you to send it to your own email address. It’s the same thing with videos. Do not think for a moment that you can remove the SD ram chip and insert it into a card reader to download your 300 plus pictures – oh no, Verizon has assigned a Electronic Serial Number (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Serial_Number) to block the use of free applications. Please allow me repeat that in all caps; “BLOCK THE USE OF FREE APPLICATION!”

Ladies and Gentlemen, exhibit A: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_RAZR_V3. Please direct your attention to the Verizon Wireless version of the phone; and I quote from Wikipedia my favorite second brain, “Verizon Wireless disabled certain features on the V3m including the ability to transfer data files to and from the phone via Bluetooth (a specific protocol called OBEX). Verizon has also blocked the transfer of most data over USB, such as ringtones. These phones also run Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW), which signs each application to the phones Electronic Serial Number, or ESN, thus preventing the use of free applications. The equivalent models offered by competitors (such as the V3t by T-Mobile) still retain these features.

Verizon also installs their own user interface instead of the default Motorola interface that they used to use in the past. This has led to many Verizon Wireless users to resort to using their own artificial means of reverting their phones back to an original Motorola condition, or to that of a Verizon phone that has some of the disabled features enabled. A newer Verizon version of the phone has been upgraded and features limitless video capture, easier laid out menu system and the ability to customize the external screen. The phone is still unable to sync to a computer via USB cable for anything other than charging, unless a software such as Bitpim is used to access files.”

All of those things that you thought your cell phone could do – it can but only with other providers; now on Verizon? Not so much. You have to pay them for the basic functions that come natural with the basic programming of your phone. What a deal. Do not even get me started about the Verizon web browser.

Perhaps in the distant future there will just be a monthly Data Fee that would be set / adjusted on the amount of bandwidth you use. You no longer would have a cable bill, cell phone bill or internet bill. The Data Fee would encompass them all. A world without double, triple, quadruple dipping – a world where the market decides what products and services the populous uses. This Data Fee would cover your phone and digital television too – hey it won’t be that long before you will have an HD projector on your wrist anyway and when that day comes how many bills do you really want to pay? Charge for bandwidth used; that will be the future.

What about the now? To be fair Verizon has a lot of towers in the South Jersey area. That translates to clear signal strength. These are the “days of miracle and wonder” and I am truly excited about what the near future just may hold for the micro personal computer and mobile electronic and information community. While the short-term financial gains that come from replacing a user interface may be appealing to companies such as Verizon Wireless the long-term prognosis is pretty weak. Case in point, I have four cell phones through Verizon Wireless, 700 minutes a month, and on two of those phones I pay extra so that two of those phones can Text without being charged per each Text message. We do not use the Verizon web browser since the interface is clunky, it is entirely too expensive to do so, and, quite frankly, we prefer the real thing to Verizon’s alternate universe version of the internet. As each one of our cell phones reaches the end of its contract I will take said number and I will leave. Four, Three, Two, One, Zero. I will cast off the yoke of oppression one cell phone at a time.

Can you hear me now?

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.