The Zoo over Ambuscade Street

What the hell is the sense of including DVD buring software with a DVD burner that requires a CD key - that you don't have. The fuck?

Ah well - at least I have my burner installed. I'll probably end up getting different burning software anyway, but it's annoying to not have anything in the meantime. Not that I have any blank discs to burn...

The power went out at my house earlier - probably no more than an hour ago. I didn't really think much of it, other than cursing the fact that so many of my hobbies require electricity. When the mail came, the mailperson told me there was a tree down across the road, and could I please call it in since her cell phone didn't have a signal?

Who the hell do you call when there's a tree down? I didn't know, and she didn't either. Since the power was out, I figured that I may as well call the power company about it. Problem - there's nobody there, because it's Saturday. They do have an automated outage reporting system, but I didn't have much hope of it working all that well. Too much experience with Dominion Virginia Power, I guess.

Since I didn't get to talk to a Real Live Person, I called the cops next. They didn't seem to think that calling them was too outrageous, so I felt better after filing a report.

My duty done, I grabbed my camera and the dog, and took off down the road to find this downed tree. I didn't have to go very far - it was right on the other side of my property line. Less than a yard from my property line, actually. I was just taking a picture when I heard a vehicle coming up the road. I was going to warn them that there was a downed tree...but it was the power company. Ten minutes later, the road was clear, and I had power again.

Sometimes, it's not so bad out here.

This? So mine. I've toyed with the idea of getting the resin kit and finding someone to paint it for years. And, while it's not up for preorder anywhere yet, this is coming out in October. Pre-painted PVC. I personally think most Hellsing figures have really sucked, but this one is sweet.

Other than that, there's not much coming up that I want to spend money on. With a very few exceptions I'm not going to be starting any new manga series (even Cain Saga, sob) until some of the long running series I'm currently collecting end. Talk to me after Basara ends. And Sensual Phrase, and Boys Over Flowers, and Please Save My Earth, Vampire Game, Fruits Basket, Banana Fish (which no bookstore in my area stocks, bastards), Angel Sanctuary, Ceres, Kenshin, etc, etc.

I was reading one of the early volumes of GTO the other day, and I noticed something funny. In the front cover, there was a list of titles that Tokyopop was releasing. Fifteen titles, half of those "coming soon." Viz was releasing even less, and most of the other publishers were barely blips on the market. Now...I could buy fifteen books a week, and not be able to keep up with the current releases. Market saturation indeed. I only have the money, much less the time, for so many. And now Go Comi launches on the scene with a lineup that greatly interests me, too (girl...chased by C.O.C.K.). But...I won't be starting any of their titles for a while.

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I've decided on my next Faire costume, and I will be saving up for a pair of those boots - I need a good pair of hiking boots anyway, and I just can't find a pair that fits my feet. Regular widths are too narrow around my toes, and wides are too...wide, and give me massive blisters.

I need cheaper hobbies. Starting an apiary doesn't qualify by a long shot.

[EDIT] SQUEE MUST HAVE THEM ALL!! Luckily, I have most on preorder already, but I'm probably going to have to resort to Y!JP for the Gunslinger Girl one.