Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 146

October 22, 2021: Hitting the Gym!

Came across this article today….

https://t.co/kSBe4DWONQ

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 22, 2021

Which is somehow appropriate given that I had occasion to use the peloton on my recent gym visit because all of the two working treadmills were occupied.  I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say it’s the fucking worst.  Simply getting on and pedaling is not an option.  You apparently have to sign in first and then choose from among a multitude of video lessons, all of which involve some guy in a tank top shouting at you.  I assume there must be a “Just fucking bike” option, but I couldn’t find it.  The pedals are tiny, more ideal for the feet of an alien grey or an ostrich, and the seat feels like you’re riding a vertical broomstick.  One thirty minute ride and you walk out feeling like this guy –

What’s particularly annoying is that the gym was redesigned and removed 3 of its 6 treadmills in favor of 2 pelotons and a rock wall which no one uses.  There’s also what I understand is some sort of “massage” machine…

I mean, I have no idea.  I’ve seen people straddle it and, while it undoubtedly worked to their satisfaction, I would give the show a PG-13 rating at best.

I used the rowing machine yesterday and while it was much better than the peloton, there’s nowhere to rest your iPhone while you listen to music or podcasts.  I also woke up this morning feeling like I’d been worked over my mob enforcers for failing to make the installment payment on an outstanding debt.  They really worked the kidneys.

The gym also has a tackle sled which users push up and down the length of the gym, through open space that could have housed a few more treadmills.  Don’t get me wrong.  I think it’s great for the many, many, MANY people living in my building who are pursuing a professional football career.

Finally, there’s the immense stair climber, a state-of-the-art machine with varied settings that allows you to approximate the sensation of climbing stairs while not climbing actual stairs but taking up precious gym room that could have gone to a couple of more treadmills.

Okay, that’s it for today.  I’m off to the gym!

The post October 22, 2021: Hitting the Gym! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

October 21, 2021: Science and Sour Patch Kids!

Pick your poison!  On the left is some of Akemi’s homemade limoncello (recipe here) which was a two month process and certainly worth it.  I say that, of course, because I didn’t peel any lemon skins, soak them in alcool for 45 days making sure to give them a daily shake, strain the liquid, mix it with simmered and cooled milk, cream, vanilla and sugar, and let it sit in the freezer for two weeks.  I did pour myself a small glass and drink it though!  Amongst the clear spirits however, the surprising favorite was the George Dickel Tabasco Barrel Finish whiskey.  I picked up as a novelty addition to the collection but it wound up being surprisingly delicious.  All three tasters agreed!

6 Times Science Fiction Inspired Real Sciencehttps://t.co/3QvmCKgivW

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 21, 2021

And I believe Arthur C. Clarke, back in his time, predicted remote work, instantaneous communication technology, and the fax.

Spooky, no? https://t.co/AmMUlcjX7v

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 21, 2021

Oh, hey, circle November 6th on your calendars, Stargate fans!

KAWOOSH, BABY! The #Stargate is OPEN.

See @amandatapping @MichaelShanks @dhewlett @JewelStaite @bradtravelers and host @MarcEvanJackson in action in this epic trailer for #StargateAI

Click the link and reserve your place if you are not a member yet!
https://t.co/67a4fudjrF pic.twitter.com/cBWIXXajVo

— The Companion – Where the Fans Go After the Show (@TheCompanionApp) October 20, 2021

Today’s Yes/No…

Sour Patch Kids Popcorn? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/nAk6FphzjL

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 21, 2021

Two of the worst things I can imagine eating.

 

 

The post October 21, 2021: Science and Sour Patch Kids! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

October 20, 2021: Amazing Covers!

A few that caught my eye this week…

Red Sonja: Black, White, Red #4 – cover art by Jae Lee

King Spawn #3 – Bjorn Barends

Phoenix Song: Echo #1 – cover art by Leinil Francis Yu

Thor #18 – cover art by Olivier Coipel

Catwoman: Lonely City #1 – cover art by Cliff Chiang

Eat the Rich #3 – cover art by Kevin Tong

Pop Star Assassin #1 – cover art by Marcelo Basile

So, which were YOUR favorites?

The post October 20, 2021: Amazing Covers! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

October 19, 2021: News, Grubs, and Slew of Stargate Stuff!

In the news…

I'm going with "End simulation".https://t.co/V3oTJD3WL1

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 19, 2021

Zelenka learned this the hard way in Adrift Part 2!@DNykl https://t.co/3RTouj96Ot pic.twitter.com/YGUpLLqd69

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 19, 2021

Important!

Howard the Duck https://t.co/S60WcT07ao

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 19, 2021

So what say you?

Today’s Yes/No…

Cricket Udon? Yes/No
We tried cricket udon made with 100 crickets, and then we added some more crickets https://t.co/JizsVNUJvC via @RocketNews24En

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 19, 2021

 

The motherlode  from the Stargate vault…

The post October 19, 2021: News, Grubs, and Slew of Stargate Stuff! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

October 18, 2021: Twitter Catch-up and Stargate Concept Art!

Are you following me on twitter?  If not, look at all the insightful tweets you’ve been missing!

Akemi: "I never heard of anyone eating cookie dough until I met you."
I'm like Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady!

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 15, 2021

I refuse to shop anywhere that offers "Spooktacular Savings". pic.twitter.com/2jLFhPkkZU

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 18, 2021

13 years ago at a hotel spa, the masseuse informed me she was going to work on my bad shoulder. I told her I didn't have any shoulder problems. "Oh, you will,"she assured me.
Turns out she was right and now I wonder whether she was prophetic or just fucked me up for sassing back. pic.twitter.com/KswknhnXcR

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 18, 2021

Research for my eventual trips to Charleston and Savannah!
Here's what these quirky Southern phrases mean https://t.co/NoV9TqITVA

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 18, 2021

And, of course, today’s Yes/No…

Pumpkin Spiced Beemster? Yes/No pic.twitter.com/HHLmRrRY7u

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 18, 2021

From the Stargate vault…

The post October 18, 2021: Twitter Catch-up and Stargate Concept Art! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

October 17, 2021: Suji Sunday!

Out and About with Dad.

Out and About with Dad II: The Quickening

Out and About with Mom (spinoff)

Hanging out.

On the run…

The post October 17, 2021: Suji Sunday! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

October 16, 2021: Birthday Blog!

I’d like to thank everyone who posted birthday wishes here and on twitter.  Greatly appreciated.

So, what did I do to celebrate?  You mean besides researching propane stocks and unhedged natural gas producers?

Well, I woke up early this morning at just a few minutes before 6:00 a.m.  “Why were you up so early?”you may ask.  “Were you that excited to start your day?”  No, actually.  My wife got up at 5:00 a.m. and I could only ignore the kitchen light and sound of her Japanese variety show for so long.

Soon after waking up, it was time for presents from Akemi!

 Clockwise from top left: The take-out bag from our favorite Japanese yakitori restaurant (Zakkushi) that was personalized with a hand-drawn picture of a pug because Suji usually accompanies us when we pick up and that Akemi re-uses for special occasions, three of what Akemi calls “stress balls” but really look and feel more like dog toys for Suji, Akemi’s homemade limoncello that was a 2 month process, a stand-up desk that you can also hang off a window (hmmm), a tree, and, presumably, a fellow customer sitting with his back to you at Starbucks, a heartfelt card, my new favorite pistachio chocolate from Laderach chocolatier suisse, and a journal that Akemi suggests we both use to write down our daily thoughts .

This feels…dangerous.

The plan was to go out for a special birthday lunch – and, really, what could be more special than tacos.  Alas, the place we wanted to eat at, Campechano, has the weirdest hours and, even when they’re open, they aren’t really open.  Which was the case the last time we went, at opening, and were told to come back in twenty minutes.  And was the case today when we went, ten minutes after opening, only to find it closed.  Sooooo, we went to Rodney’s Oyster House instead and had arguably a much better lunch…

A dozen oysters, half shigoku and mere points.

Akemi with the double chowder – Manhattan and Boston.

My lobster roll.  Not picture: my fried fish sando.

Later in the afternoon, I answered a knock at the door to find – our friends Emily and Kevin bearing birthday cheese!

Love these two.  On Wednesday, they’ll be swinging by to sample the limoncello!

Then, dinner tonight was compliments of sis and mom who special ordered us a Filipino feast from Tinuno (31 Howard Street).

Fielded emails, calls, and text messages from friends and family and now I’m heading to the gym for my nightly run – which will be more leisurely than usual.

Again, thanks for all the well-wishes.  Tomorrow, it’s back to work, writing.  And maybe a little more research on those unhedged natural gas producers.

The post October 16, 2021: Birthday Blog! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

October 15, 2021: News of Note heading into the weekend!

This video effectively sums up the current state of the stock market…

When popular Fintwit accounts get on CNBC. pic.twitter.com/52E1cIJzRW

— Mark (@PelotonHolder) October 15, 2021

Reminds me of this…

An update on our interview with Michael Wolff earlier this morning. This footage from our London studio reveals that there were no audio problems and Wolff could clearly hear @BenFordham's question! #9Today pic.twitter.com/a91DzcajMP

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) February 26, 2018

Also reminiscent of…

29 March 2020

Senior WHO official Dr Bruce Aylward is asked about Taiwan's epidemic performance and WHO membership. He first pretends not to hear, then when the question is repeated, he hangs up. When called back, he terminates the interview pic.twitter.com/m0Df4Qyl4F

— Covid One Year Ago (@YearCovid) March 29, 2021

And then there’s this nonsense…

What fucking nonsense. 2 bottles of Dom 2006, 2 bottles of Petrus 2003, and a bottle of Petrus 1996. The food may be overpriced, but it wasn't what did the damage here. Also, anyone stupid enough to order a tomahawk steak covered in gold leaf forgoes any right to complain. https://t.co/VYopC4omqP

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 15, 2021

I like the sound of Dark Trojan Asteroids…

NASA's Lucy launch Saturday to target eight mysterious asteroids

https://t.co/Lwy5mKcRkl

— Mike Walker (@New_Narrative) October 15, 2021

Reports of empty shelves cropping up everywhere….

1-My grocery. There’s plenty of food it’s not as if we will starve. But I’ve never seen empty shelves like this in my lifetime. pic.twitter.com/jz6aQpXFxq

— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) October 14, 2021

How’s the situation in your area?  Akemi and I have definitely noticed a notable drop in quantity and selection since last year, and it would appear to be getting worse.

Today’s Yes/No…

Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes Ice Cream? Yes/No
Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes ice cream is coming to Walmart this November https://t.co/aooE5foH8p

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 15, 2021

The post October 15, 2021: News of Note heading into the weekend! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

October 14, 2021: Power Issues!

Woke up this morning to discover my laptop wouldn’t charge despite repeated efforts to power it.  I was concerned it was an issue with the fairly new MacBook Pro I purchased in February but, after some back and forth with Apple chat support, the culprit would appear to be the fairly new power cord that came with the MacBook Pro I purchased in February.  Fortunately, I was able to use Akemi’s power cord – surprisingly since it seems that every iteration of of the MacBook comes with its own unique port to discourage this sort of thing.  The day was saved and I was able to complete a pass on the pitch deck for that untitled sci-fi adventure series with copious amounts of humor.  I did, however, waste almost an hour of my afternoon trying to come up with a good title.  The obvious ones have been taken, leaving me with a bunch of obvious lesser lame titles…several of which have also been taken.  I almost want to do what I did on Dark Matter – essentially shirk my duties as a scriptwriter by foisting the task on my followers by having them come up with a title.  The only thing stopping me is the fact that this project is, at present, super secret.  But don’t let that stop you.  If you’ve got an amazing title for a t.v. show, let’s hear it!

I respectfully disagree. A 51% chance of showers mean any one location in the area the forecast was made for, has a 51 in 100 chance of seeing rain that day.

— Mark Baden (@Mark_Baden) October 13, 2021

Not sure how parallel realities fit into this explanation. On the surface, seems less plausible.

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 13, 2021

Someone had an upset stomach and has had to forego her usual freeze-dried duck stew in favor of plain rice and chicken.  But, in all fairness, she’ll pretty much eat anything.

Speak of which…Yes/No?

Rice Krispies Treats-Flavored Coffee Creamer? Yes/No
Rice Krispies Treats-flavored coffee creamer to hit store shelves in 2022 https://t.co/KcBgCqUZUs

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) October 14, 2021

The post October 14, 2021: Power Issues! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

October 13, 2021: Amazing Covers!

A few that caught my eye this week…

Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #5 – cover art by Carlo Pagulayan

The Immortal Hulk #50 – cover art by Dr. Marcin

Batman ’89 #3 – cover art by Lee Weeks

Batman: The Audio Adventures #1 – cover art by Dave Johnson

Batman: The Audio Adventures #1 – cover art by Francis Manipul

Justice League: Last Ride #6 – cover art by Michael Choi

Vampiverse #2 – cover art by Stephen Segovia

So, which were YOUR favorites?

The post October 13, 2021: Amazing Covers! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.