Joseph Mallozzi's Blog! (SPOILERS For All SG Shows and Dark Matter)

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November 24, 2010

Video: Weird food purchase of the day

Photos: Comics, snow monkeys


Well, not actually a comic haul. More of a trade paperback haul...

I’ve come to prefer collections over single issues and these were a few of the titles I’ve been meaning to pick up for a while.

Chew: Police detective Tony Chu uses his cibopathic abilities to solve crime, deriving psychic sensations from whatever he consumes. As a foodie, how can I NOT check this one out.

Secret Six: Gail Simone’s awesome re-launch follows a team of calculating yet colorful and charismatic villains who take on the missions those other super groups would never dream of tackling.

The Walking Dead: Enjoying the series on AMC? Well, check out the comic book that inspired it. It’s even better.

Maus: A Survivor’s Tale: In this Pultizer Prize-winning work that took thirteen years to complete, the author uses metaphor to tell the tale of a Jew living in Poland under Nazi rule. Considered among the greatest graphic novels of all time.

All quiet on the Stargate front as the cast and crew head their separate ways to work, enjoy the holidays, and await word on a potential third season. Meanwhile, post-production continues (as Kerry, our post-production coordinator will frequently remind us) with Day 1 Mixes of Deliverance and Twin Destinies, and a Day 2 Mix of Alliances on deck. And, given the way the schedule looks to be playing out, I’ll probably be receiving delivery of the Day 1 Mix of The Hunt at The Imperial Hotel in mid-December.

Today’s weird food purchase of the day comes compliments of blog regular Laura who spotted a package of Astronaut Ice Cream at the U.S. Space Camp gift shop and thought of me. Thanks, Laura.

My Snow Monkeys managed to eke out the closest of victories last weekend, beating rival Tio’s Juice Monkeys by a measly six point margin. Still, a wins and win, and this puts my Snow Monkeys at 5-2 since starting the season 0-3. Tough match-up ahead this weekend versus Ian’s Lightning. I’m not enamored of either of my QB match-ups (an underwhelming Matt Schaub at home against an improved Titans D, and Matt Ryan at home against a tough Packers D), but will go with the hot hand and start Ryan. My RB starts are no-brainers: Houston’s phenomenal Arian Foster will be picking up slack this weekend by running up and down that field, while the 49ers Frank Gore will rebound off a disappointing game last weekend to trample the Cardinals on Monday Night. My kicker, the Titans’ Bironas, is battling a groin injury but should be okay to start. I hope. Not loving either my TE (Balitmore’s Heap) or Defense’s (Ravens) chances this weekend and hoping the wide receiving corps will pick up the slack. Donald Driver and Santana Moss have been slowed by injury while Seattle’s Mike Williams is nursing a mystery injury of his own (that, if rumor is to be believed) could keep him out of action beyond this week. That leaves me with four candidates to choose from. Who should I start? The Cowboys’ Dez Bryant (has been on fire but is up against the #1 ranked pass defense in the Saints), Percy Harvin (despite nagging injuries, migraines, and having Brett Favre as a quarterback, he consistently puts up the big numbers – and the fact that they’re playing the Redskins’ porous pass offense helps), Danny Amendola (Sam Bradford’s go-to-receiver will be up against a cranky Broncos’ D in Denver), and Steve Breaston (ever dependable even with Anderson throwing to him). Or, I could snap up a couple of the receivers I’ve been eyeing on the waiver wire. Thoughts?


Mailbag:

Nathan writes: “The kind of aliens that would put people back with their friends and kind of family, knowing they’d just die. How horrible is that!?!?”

Answer: The aliens didn’t know they would just end up dying again. They assumed they had “fixed” them.

Ponytail writes: “If they are all dead now, either the baby is too or it was never there.”

Answer: Considering Caine had no knowledge of baby Carmen, the latter theory seems to hold more weight.

Jason writes: “So the events in tonights episode directly contradict T.J.’s vision. However, her vision had a strong sign/prediction suggesting it was true (the nebula). Will this ever be resolved in the series, or is it left to the viewer to decide?”

Answer: Well, given Destiny’s ability to detect cosmic phenomena (see next episode), one might assume the ship fashioned the vision in a way that it would appear true to T.J. in order to spare her the pain of losing her daughter. Either that or there’s more to the vision than everyone assumes.

Mimi writes: “Even more appropriate: your gf goes away for no discernible reason (It’s not you, it’s me?), but her uncle tells you this cousin with the same last name might be nice for you based on past interests. But you discover your time with her is dark, unfunny, and lacking in the empathy and fun you had with your ex. This gets expressed in various ways–some polite, some not, but definitely recurring two years in. The uncle says this is what you have, and you can either date her or go away. But first they’re going to beg you to get your family and friends to date her so she has more friends and will continue to hang around. The reasonable side of you says, fine, keep her around, I just don’t have to date her. But the main part of your heart keeps hoping your gf will come back at least for a short holiday so you can have some closure to the relationship. Because while the gf and the cousin share a last name, it’s by marriage, not blood.”

Answer: And then you proceed to stalk the cousin, call her names, and wish her dead. The end. (P.S. “The reasonable side of you says, fine, keep her around”? The REASONABLE side?).

Valaur writes: “At the end of ‘Visitation’, we see that Kane in fact does live to tell the tale rather than die like his fellows. Or does he?”

Answer: He doesn’t.

Valaur also writes: “You have mentioned before that SGU was brought forward to the network knowing what the end game was going to be. Based on ratings of course, what is the furthest extent that you’re willing to go to tell Destiny’s story? 6 seasons? 10? 4?”

Answer: Ideally, five seasons.

Shannon writes: “Why does sci-fi always revert to the Deists (I won’t call Caine Christian because technically his particular faith is never revealed) being touchy feely flighty types?”

Answer: I didn’t find Caine to be either touchy-feely or flighty. He was a clearly a man of science whose outlook was informed by his faith. Like you, his beliefs did not preclude him from accepting the logic of science. Ultimately, when faced with an inexplicable otherworldly scenario, he chose to trust in God rather than the mysterious god-like powers of benign aliens. And, in the end, even if the latter explanation proved more likely, he remained steadfast and strong in his faith. I found that admirable rather than a show of weakness.

Star Platinum writes: “With the discovery of Destiny’s bridge by the rest of the crew, will there be any more of those great scenes by Rush/Gloria & Franklin?”

Answer: Rush turned off the neural link in Trial and Error. If he or anyone started seeing Gloria or Franklin again, it would be cause for concern.

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Either that or there's nothing nefarious going on at all, and it's just a fan having a laugh...

Yeah, maybe I'm reading too much into it

I actually don't find it that funny, but a lot of people seem to

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November 25, 2010

Photo: Jelly


My gal Jelly (pictured above) suffers from hip dysplasia and arthritic shoulders and elbows. It got so bad that she was barely able to walk, so I looked into possible treatments for her condition. Major surgery is an option to replace the ball joints of her hips, but its an extremely invasive procedure and, going on thirteen, I’m not convinced she’d be able to handle it. And so, I looked into alternate treatments – supplements to strengthen her joins, pain medication and, most recently, a stem cell procedure (documented a few months back) that resulted in dramatic improvement in her mood and mobility. Unfortunately, over the past week or so, her condition has worsened. While her mood remains upbeat, her hindquarters seem to be weakening to the point where she can barely hold herself upright to pee. Kristi from Vet-Stem has been following Jelly’s progress and suggested I take her in for a follow-up injection. I discussed the option with Jelly’s doctor and, while he thinks we can certainly try it, he suspects Jelly’s problems may be even more complicated than what we assumed. And so, next week, I’m taking my gal in to see a doggy neurologist (No kidding. I didn’t even know they existed.) who’ll check her out and, possibly, recommend at cat scan (ironic, no?) to get to the root of the issue. Sucks to get old.

Still, even though she’s slowed down, she clearly knows how to have fun...

Just in case you thought I’d forgotten all about you, I’ll be announcing my elite eight recipes in the “I Make the Best Whatever…” showdown later this weekend. Lots of terrific-sounding/looking dishes to choose from!

Well, now – this is timely. Tokyo maintains the title of Top Michelin City: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/1...michelin_guide

Happy Thanksgiving!


Mailbag:

Iom666 writes: “Is there an AI on Destiny itself ?”

Answer: Rush has suggested that, while Destiny does possess a certain awareness (ie. its ability to recognize and address insufficiencies in food, water, etc.), he stops short of saying it possesses intelligence. His ability to interact with the avatars on the bridge would appear to be a result of the ship’s neural link; its ability to understand and communicate presumably a result of its absorption of Franklin whose brain patterns now function as template for human understanding. Still, it appears to go one step further, by demonstrating what seems like empathy for Tamara – if, it really was behind her vision. So, to answer your question…I dunno. I just work here.

Michael Jones writes: “True, Destiny seems to be using the mind of the person having the visions to craft said visions, but they seem to show some level of character or personality.”

Answer: Agreed, although one could argue that what we perceive as personality is actually a personality construct manifested by Rush’s subconscious.

Laura writes: “I found Christopher Moore’s Bloodsucking Fiends at Indigo for 10 bucks and will probably read it over the holidays.”

Answer: It’s tough to stop at just one. I started with Fool, then read Bloodsucking Fiends, and now have another half-dozen Moore books sitting on my to-read pile.

Joel writes: “It would seem then that as capable and as advanced as the obelisk/planet beings are, they are not as capable or as advanced as the creation message beings. Am I correct in believing that these entities are in fact different and that one is superior to the other?”

Answer: That assumption would appear to be correct.

KEK writes: “So are we to assume that their lack of ‘soul’ is he reason they died again, or what that just Caines theory?”

Answer: No. It was a phsyiological design flaw (or re-design flaw to be more specific) that caused them to die again. The lack of soul (or perception thereof) was a failure/byproduct of the process.

dasNdanger writes: “Ye didnae answer me wee question aboot Japan an’ whole grain rice!”

Answer: I asked Akemi and she claims there’s only one kind of rice in Japan. And I’m assuming it aint whole grain.

Freeman writes: “Most of the ship was never explored or at least not yet, are there going to be any surprise stasis pods or anything like an ancient or two hiding somewhere on the ship?”

Answer: Well, now, wouldn’t that be interesting? Please remember to file this comment and response away for future reference. Like, say, late in season 2.

irish pete writes: “Hey Joe, i was looking at some old sg1 episodes and in an episode called ‘demons’ (season 3) the writer is carl binder. Is this the infamous moustache wearing, german supporting rogue that we all love/ hate/ are indifferent to?”

Answer: That be him!

Ben writes: “So, just for my peace of mind, what exactly happened to Caine? Is he dead, or still alive? He was still alive when the light appeared, but then he says he remembers his death. So, what’s going on there?”

Answer: One could draw the following conclusion from having watched the episode – Caine and the others died on the planet (in Caine’s case, it was on the heels of witnessing the white light). The planet’s caretakers/creators discovered them too late and sought to remedy the situation by restoring them to full functionality and reuniting them with Destiny. However, while constructing planets is easy, resurrecting once living beings is not and this resulted in – for lack of a better way of putting it – each of the restored human beings having an expiry date. Eventually, the damage done caught up with their corporeal forms, resulting in all of their deaths – even Caine’s which took place offscreen.

Joan001 writes: “Speaking of exploring the ship – don’t they have beaming technology and if so, will they discover it?”

Answer: You’re thinking of the Asgard.

Doug writes: “I disagree with that characterization of Caine. He was never a man of science or logic, all of his choices and responses in both Faith and Visitation seemed to be constructed on his system of belief.

As a religious scientist myself, my first reaction would always be to suspect the explicable before the inexplicable. It’s not a challenge to the faith of any reasonable believer to accept that not everything you dont understand is de facto divine.”

Answer: In this case though, it wasn’t a simple theoretical matter but a very personal life and death experience, and that no doubt informed his conclusion. Also, the fact that both the existence of powerful aliens or an omnipotent God are posited but neither hypothesis is supported by corroborative evidence.

Elminster writes: “I’ve often wondered why you haven’t done a ‘Japan Trip’ with your Sis?”

Answer: Okay, now you’re beginning to sound like my mother.

squall78 writes: “I am hearing from some of my sources that SGU will be renewed for a 3rd season. Same sources that told me Caprica was done, so I do trust them, but they said take it as any rumor or buzz or good/bad sign. Brad said he might possibly leave, but didn’t he leave or take a break back when SG-1 ended and you and Paul were running SGA? Also, would you take the showrunner position for SGU if Brad were to leave if the opportunity was given to you? I think you guys did great with SGA, would hate to see Brad leave totally but I think you and Paul would still make an amazing show. Your eps have been some of my favorites of this series.”

Answer: I wouldn’t put much stock in rumors. After all, many of us were convinced that season 11 of SG-1 was going to happen and, well, we all know how that turned out. To the best of my knowledge, the decision-makers have yet to broach the subject of a renewal and I don’t expect to hear definite word, positive or negative, until January. Right now, there’s no knowing what kind of a scenario we’d be looking at if and when SGU gets that third season pick-up but, for the record, Paul and I were co-show runners this year with Brad.

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November 26, 2010

Video: Jelly

Photos: Jim Menard, Michael Blundell, dinner


Yes, it’s that time of year. The time of year when thoughts turn to home, family, and lovable Directors of Photography bearing gifts! Thanks for the vino, boys. Your work continues to amaze and here’s hoping we get a chance to do it all over again next year!

In addition to home, family, and Directors of Photography, my thoughts have also turned to the seven days when mom and sis will be visiting during the Christmas holidays and what, exactly, I’ll be cooking for them while they’re in town. Rather than take the easy out and hit some restaurants, I’ve decided to handle all dinner duties during their stay. As a result, I’ve been spending a lot of time testing various recipes, finding what works, what doesn’t, and what makes the holiday line-up. Last night, it was pork belly two ways...

Both very good but, alas, not good enough to unseed stronger candidates like Chicken with Morels and Metaxa, Bacon-Fried Pork Chops, and Costa Brava Fish Stew. Tonight, I tried my hand at two more dishes...

This weekend, I may tackle one of three desserts, either a Tarte Tatin, Maple Pecan Pie, or Chocolate Stout Cake.

This weekend, I finalize the short-list for the “I Make the Best Whatever…” contest. It’s going to be tough because there are a lot of great-looking/sounding candidates to choose from!

Thanks to everyone who sent Jelly well-wishes and helpful links. She’d like to take this opportunity to thank each of you personally. Oh, and Maximus says thanks too...


Mailbag:

Bryan M. White writes: “A while back, you had mentioned a recent secret development that you were going to fill is in on (possibly movie/comic book project/season 3). Any news???”

Answer: Yep. It’s the comic book project I’ve been referring to over the past month or so. As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, we delivered the scripts for the first two issues (of the opening four-issue arc) last week and hope to reach a decision on the artist soon. Hopefully, I’ll be able to reveal more in the coming days.

Randomness writes: “What’s the lowest SGU can do and still get renewed?”

Answer: There is no set rating that will guarantee a show a pick-up or doom it. As a rule of thumb, however, higher is better. Still, a number of other considerations will figure into a broadcaster’s decision-making process. It’s not as straightforward as simply looking at the ratings.

Jermaine writes: “Sorry, Joe, but if you have to try and explain the events that occurred in Visitation to many people here on the blog then the episode must have failed to a large extent.”

Answer: My prefacing my response with “One could draw the following conclusion from having watched the episode –” was intended to suggest this is a theory. You may choose to interpret things differently although, presumably, you’d settle on the explanation that makes the most sense given the evidence provided.

PJR writes: “Does SGU, instead, approach its world by look more at what makes each species tick, and so is more about comparative ‘good’ and ‘bad’ among species? There is no simple white hat, black hat play in this telling?”

Answer: Yes, and I think that’s very apparent in the way we’ve written the characters and their relationships. Elements of the show (particularly characters) aren’t as black or white as in previous Stargate incarnations.

Gilder writes: “Somehow I missed any/all references to a neural link and to confirmation of Franklin’s continued “existence”. You say this happened in “Trial and Error”?”

Answer: Nope. There is mention of Destiny getting into Young’s head (the aforementioned neural link), so if the ship made Young have visions, it’s quite possible that it is also responsible for what T.J. experienced in Intervention and the visions/avatars Rush interacted with on the bridge. Again, I’m offering up a potential theory based on the evidence provided (note the use of the term “what appears to be” in my response). Your mileage may vary.

Arctic Goddess writes: “Do writers get residuals?”

Answer: Some do.

VB writes: “Was curious as to how the seed ships are manufacturing the gates. Aren’t the gates constructed out of some very rare material called naquahdah? I would doubt if the seed ships are carrying this material with them since launch time.”

Answer: They would definitely have to locate and source the materials for the gate-building process. They certainly weren’t stocked with a limitless naquadah supply.

PoorOldEdgarDerby writes: “It’s been awhile since I’ve lurked, so I thought I’d stop by again, mainly to tell you that Nielsen finally wanted my opinion. So that top pixely line in viewership last week among males 25 to 34?”

dioxholster writes: “let me see if I understand you correctly, you are saying that the method the powerful aliens used to bring back those people only works with aliens but fails to do the same for humans?”

Answer: What has lead you to conclude that these powerful aliens have used this method of resurrection before?

Answer: I was just saying the other day: “You know who I haven’t seen in a while? PoorOldEdgarDerby. I love that guy!”.

Eliminster writes: “Hey Joe, It’s yer mom. You take the pups for a walk yet? You got the yard cleaned up? Whatcha waiting for? “

Answer: Quit nagging me!

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November 27, 2010

Photos: Martin Gero, crazy/sexy/awkward, Riese, artisan sakemaker


I’ve been doing a little updating of late, clearing out some old emails and bookmarks, checking in with distant friends online, and discovered a bunch of interesting developments I missed out on for whatever reason. And so, I’d like to take a moment to draw your attention to said developments in this “How did I miss that?” entry.

1. Marty G. has a website!

Martin Gero, as most of you know, is a good friend, fellow foodie, former Stargate writer/producer, and all-around charming talent who now calls L.A./New York/Toronto home as he jets between his various projects on the go. I try to keep up with Mary G. via his twitter account, the one stop spot for all the exciting developments in the Golden Boy’s life (ie. Oct. 26th = “I’m 33, it’s midnight, and I’m standing in line with my best friends to buy a videogame.”). Anyway, I happened by the other day and, while it’s entirely possible I just never noticed before, I noted a link to a Martin Gero website: http://martingero.com. Look at that handsome mug gracing the front page. Coincidentally, Martin called me this morning and, while we were talking, informed me that, in fact, the website has been up for two years now. Furthermore, my drawing attention to it on this blog would shame him into updating it given that it’s been about that long since he last visited.

2. Jamie Elman co-wrote and starred in a web series!

Another funny and extremely talented guy I worked with way back when is Jamie Elman who, some time this summer, forwarded me a link to a great five-episode series he co-wrote and stars in called crazy/sexy/awkward. It’s all three of those things and hilarious. What’s it about? Well – “Neurotic romantic Ben Hoffman hasn’t had sex in a year. Ever since the love of his life walked out on him, Ben has been stuck in a rut of despair and an endless streak of dates gone horribly awry. But now, his manchild best friend Sebastien and wingwoman neighbor Ashley have decided enough is enough: it’s time to get Ben out of his cave, and throw him head-first into the wild jungle of the LA singles scene to break his seal.” www.crazysexyawkward.com

I think I can be excused for missing it since the email was sent to my old email account, but I dug it up and bring it to your attention. It’s funny as hell, but stand forewarned – it’s raunchy stuff.

3. Alyssa Ciccarelli is writing for Riese.

Alyssa is someone else I know from way-back-when. She’s a talented writer who is presently pulling scripting duties on Riese: The Series, a steampunk web epic now screening at SyFy.com: http://www.syfy.com/riese/. The cast boasts some impressive talent, among them several Stargate vets including Sharon Taylor, Patrick Gilmore, Ben Cotton, Ryan Robbins, and Amanda Tapping who provides the voice of the show’s narrator.

4. There’s an artisan sakemaker in Vancouver!

Despite my ridiculously replete liquor cabinet, I’m not much of a drinker. I’m not a whiner or whineo (what do you call a wine aficionado) nor am I the type to crack open a nice cold beer on those hot summer days. Having said that, I do enjoy my sake – so I was pleasantly surprised to learn the city boasts its own artisan sakemaker (http://osake.ca/). Head on over to Masa Shiroki’s shop on Granville Island and do a tasting of his handcrafted Osake fresh premium Junmai Sake. Or check out the various inspired products that make use of kasu, the “lees” that remain after the fermented rice mash has been pressed. The flavor is intense and delicious, and can be found in products like kasu hot sauce, kasu cherry drink, and even an out-of-this-world kasu ice cream with raisins. Vancouver’s primo gelato shop, Bella Gelataria, makes their own version of kasu gelato that is so unbelievable that it’s surpassed chocolate as my favorite ice cream flavor. For real! But more on Bella Gelataria in the coming days...

Today’s entry is dedicated to Michelle, Izzy, and AB!

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November 28, 2010

Photos: Various items


I woke up at 5:20 a.m. to deal with a dog-related issue and, by the time I was done, it was almost six. Rather than head back to bed, I elected to head downstairs and tackle that long overdue pantry cleaning. I was amazed at some of the interest/weird/downright mysterious items I discovered including two packages of four year past their due date TimTams, an economy size tin of duck confit, a jar of nutella so old it had started to sport brown (albeit delicious-looking) moss, and the following items...

Back in the office tomorrow to watch a couple of mixes, a visit to the neurologist (for Jelly, not me) on Tuesday, dentist on Wednesday, and then wrapping up the week with some Christmas shopping – unless I run out of time in which case I’ll be doing my holiday shopping in Tokyo. Wonder if mom would like a takoyaki maker?

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November 29, 2010


Damnit! My Snow Monkeys are about to go down to defeat. With 18 points to make up, my sole player tonight, Frank Gore, racked up 5.3 points in the first quarter alone! Then suffered an ouchy and took himself out of the game. Thanks. Thanks a lot, Frank. With two more weeks to go in the season, that just about eliminates us from playoff contention.

Went into the office today to watch not one, not two, but THREE episodes of Stargate: Universe’s second season – a Day 1 Mix of Twin Destinies (Some fantastic visuals in this one), a Day 2 mix of Alliances (Both Ming-Na and Jamil are terrific), and Andy’s director’s cut of the season finale, Gauntlet (Those last two acts! Wow!). One more mix and one more day should do it for 2010...

Steve Eramo has posted his latest interview with Alaina Huffman (SGU’s Lieutenant Tamara Johansen): http://scifiandtvtalk.typepad.com/sc...ace-medic.html

My buddy Jon in Japan has alerted me to the following cultural event taking place in Tokyo during our visit: pole dance championships. Beats a third straight visit to Tokyo Tower.

Oooh. Latest trailer for HBO’s Game of Thrones: http://www.hbo.com/video/video.html?...&autoplay=true

So cool. And generous! Hundreds of lucky Oprah fans will get to be entombed with the beloved t.v. host: http://www.theonion.com/video/oprah-...-buried,18443/

Think twice before you consider standing too close to a lava flow: http://www.cracked.com/article_18862...to-movies.html

The long paw of the law in Japan: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUST...rpc=22&sp=true

Fake doctor jailed for giving breast exams in bar. What has the world come to when you can’t trust a complete stranger to examine your breasts at a local drinking establishment: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUST...rpc=22&sp=true

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November 30, 2010

Videos: SGU Resurgence tsneak peek, SGU Resurgence trailer

Photos: SGU Resurgence pics


Yep, sparks will be flying tonight as Stargate: Universe heads into its mid-season break in explosive fashion with Resurgence, an episode that sees the Destiny crew investigate a mysterious energy signature...

Anyway, it turns out Volker was misreading the screen and the energy signature was actually their own shuttle, so they all have a laugh and put on a talent shows that sees Eli and Brody team up for a high-steppin’ medley of Gilbert and Sullivan favorites. You’re gonna love it!

Just kidding. You will love it. But no talent show or Gilbert and Sullivan medley, although we will see Eli struggling to deal with a recent loss, Scott struggle to prevent a loss of his own, and this -

In addition to a few surprises. The events of tonight’s episode will have significant and shocking repercussions that will reverberate through the rest of season 2 and beyond.

If you want to know a little more, check out this non-spoilery preview by Curt Wagner: Destiny boldly goes in spectacular ‘Stargate Universe’ mid-season …

Or this preview by Joseph Dilworth Jr.: Hope Finds A “Resurgence” On The Next Stargate Universe *SPOILERS*

Speaking of Stargate: Universe, scifi in general and, oh, the universe, check out this interesting article over at Discovery.com that makes mention of the show and some timely cosmic developments: http://news.discovery.com/space/cosm...radiation.html

Brought Jelly in to see the neurologist today. She has an appointment to get an MRI tomorrow.

Have finally narrowed down my list for the “I Make the Best Whatever…” contest. The elite eight will be announced as part of tomorrow’s blog entry.

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December 1, 2010

Video: Jelly

Photo: Books


You know how they say your entire life flashes before your eyes before you die? Well, if I was dying and my entire life flashed before my eyes, a replay of December 1st, 2010 would seriously make me reconsider rescinding that do not resuscitate order.

I woke up late this morning – and it was downhill from there. Because I was dropping my pug, Jelly, off at the vet’s for her MRI, she was the only one who didn’t get breakfast this morning. And, boy, did she remind me – barking, whining, looking up at my with those big pleading bug-eyes as if to ask: “Why? What did I do? Why have you – and Nature’s Variety Beef Formula – forsaken me?”. I did my best to ignore her like a persistent panhandler or fellow producer Carl Binder suggesting we sit down to watch a producer’s edit. I loaded Jelly into the car, said goodbye to the rest of the gang who would be cooling their paws until lunch, and headed off -

And directly into a traffic jam. An early morning fire had shut down one of the city’s main streets, West Broadway, for two blocks in either direction. Interestingly – one might even go so far as to say “annoyingly” – motorists were denied access to the street but there were no signs directing them around the blockage. And so, I took a left, hoping to take my next right and run a parallel course to the one I’d planned, only to discover the next block was inaccessible as well, forcing me to take another left and travel down another two blocks before taking another right to travel twelve more blocks before taking a right and eventually finding my way back to civilization. Seriously. Would it have killed them to put up a simple Detour sign directing us to the quickest and most convenient way around the problem area? Time and again, it seem as thought Vancouver’s city planners plan for everything, except for the possibility that cars may be on their roads. They’re far too busy building cycling lanes in order to curry favor with the city’s powerful bike lobby.

I arrived at the vet clinic and dropped Jelly off. After showing remarkable improvement following a stem cell procedure to treat her hip dysplasia and arthritic shoulders and elbows, she has deteriorated significantly over the past week and a half, leading her vet to suggest we investigate other potential causes for her condition.

I then headed to work where I spent the greater part of the morning, sitting in my office impatiently waiting for a certain individual to join us so we could watch the Day 1 Mix of Deliverance (The second part of the mid-season two-parter. Last night’s episode, Resurgence, being the first. Ohhhh. So THAT’S how it turns out!). Eventually, about a half an hour before lunch, said individual informed us that he would not be joining us and to go ahead without him. So, we settled down and watched the music. The verdict? Music = awesome. Sound effects = are going to need some work. Not that they were bad; simply…wrong in so many ways, owing to the fact that they were all synced to temp visual effects. Time and again, a frustrated Paul would pause the episode to remark “Okay, that’ll be totally different.” or “That’s gonna change,” or “Pay no attention to that!”. Since we started so late, we took a break, then resumed after lunch, which allowed us to finish up well after the time I needed to head out and back into town for my dentist appointment.

I chipped a back tooth earlier this year (all that caramelized foie gras no doubt) and had gone in last week to get fitted for a crown. Four needles, an aching jaw, and a numbened tongue that I ended up biting three times and so ended swelling up painfully making it difficult to either chew or talk for days on end later, they had an impression of my back tooth and I had an appointment to go back and finish up the procedure. Unfortunately, it turns out the lab failed in their task of transforming my dental impression into a crown AND delivering it to my dentist. I’m not sure what the hell happened. Either they forgot, misplaced my file, lost my crown, or inadvertently shipped it to a loved one in Amsterdam along with a pair of hand-knit socks, an ugly Christmas sweater, and a ceramic scottie mug. It doesn’t matter really because, in the end, it amounted to the same thing for me. And so, four more needles, another aching jaw, and a second numbenened tongue that I will end up biting three more times so that it will swell up painfully making it difficult to either chew or talk for day on end later, they had a second impression of my back tooth and I had a second appointment to go back and finish up the procedure (tomorrow, unfortunately right before kick-off of the Texans-Eagles game I had planned to enjoy with friends).

Immediately following that appointment, I was in the car and driving all the way back to Burnaby to pick up Jelly and get the news on her MRI. But not before waiting another thirty minutes in the waiting room for the doctor to free up. So, here’s the deal with my gal: she’s got a disc extrusion, a disc rupture of the vertebrae, high up on her spinal cord (T11/T12/T13) which has seriously hampered her movement and made it impossible for her to walk, squat, pee, or poop in a dignified manner (well, as dignified as possible given that she is a pug). Left untreated, there are number of ways things can go: 1) With rest, her condition may improve with time, 2) Her condition will stabilize and she’ll have to accustom herself to these latest hardships, 3) Her condition continues to deteriorate and full paralysis sets in. Given the gradual turn in her physical condition, I don’t think #1 is even remotely likely. Faced with the latter two scenarios, I asked the doctor about possible treatment. Surgery is the other option, a two hour procedure that could go a number of ways: 1) It will improve her condition (and quality of life) to varying degree. 2) There will be no change in her condition, 3) The surgery will have the opposite effect and she may end up paralyzed. Oh, and there’s always 4) She doesn’t survive the surgery either owing to her advanced age, pug-related breathing issues, or other complications. And so, I’m faced with a big decision. Do I risk her life to attempt to improve her quality of life, or do I avoid the risk of surgery to run the risk of her succumbing to paralysis? Food for thought during my once highly anticipated Tokyo trip.

Oh, forgot to add – as I was receiving care instructions from the tech, Jelly, proceeded to relieve herself…while seated on my lap. It was pretty damn impressive volume. She must’ve been holding onto that all day.

Arrived home late tonight to discover that I’d misinterpreted the post-season scenario for the Stargate NFL Fantasy Football League and that, with Monday Night’s heartbreaking (and, apparently, hip-breaking) loss of Frank Gore, my Snow Monkeys were eliminated from playoff contention.

Would love to take refuge in a good book – if I could find one. More misses than hits of late (although I owe you guys a write-up on Joe Abercrombie’s greatest latest and am, thus far, very impressed with Art Spiegelman’s Maus) so I’ve taken steps to rectify the situation by stopping by my local bookshop on the way home from dinner and ice cream tonight...

Read any of the above? Recommendations? Warnings?

Apologies. I’ll be announcing the finalists of the “I Make the Best Whatever…” contest in tomorrow’s blog entry.

Promise.

[Addendum to tonight's entry: I just went downstairs to check on my laundry and stepped in a huge puddle. Apparently, my washer is leaking.]

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...ly-better-day/

December 2, 2010

Photos: Lady of Mazes by Karl Schroeder, the Elite Eight dishes in the “I Make the Best Whatever” contest


In January, we’ll be dabbling in urban fantasy when our little book club tackles Marjorie M. Liu’s The Iron Hunt (Check the right sidebar for details. Oh, alright, you lazy good-for-nothings. Discussion the week of January 17th with author Marjorie M. Liu). In February, we’ll be switching gears to take on a little Hard SF in Karl Schroeder’s Lady of Mazes...

Says Publisher’s Weekly: “Canadian author Schroeder’s challenging hard SF novel explores the vast potential of artificial intelligence for transforming human culture. On the remote ring world of Teven Coronal, Livia Kodaly and her family inhabit the beautiful Westerhaven manifold, surrounded by a richness of high tech and virtual conveniences. Due to a childhood tragedy, Livia enjoys different consensual realities. The mysterious Book 3340 breaks down the barriers between manifolds, destroying her world, so that she must travel, with a few accomplices, out of Teven Coronal into the Archipelago, where she encounters several models for a perfect human society and examines her own. Her task is to choose among them, but ultimately to ensure that choices are possible by sacrificing herself to prevent the total subjugation of humanity. The interrelationship between technology and philosophy that informs her choice gives depth and breadth to a book that many will want to reread to get all the nuances.”

Says SfSite: “Karl Schroeder’s new novel is the real thing–head-snappingly cool SF, with big and clever ideas, almost believable transcendence, and a way to map human scale stories into a world where ‘post-human’ powers exist.”

Says Library Journal: “Schroeder specializes in far future, hard sf. His lively writing style and cutting-edge visions combine to deliver a topnotch story that emphasizes the human will to persevere even when reality is falling apart. A good choice for most sf collections.”

Says me: I’ve heard a lot of great things about Lady of Mazes from some very great people. Plus, Karl and his wife are Stargate fans!

Discussion the week of February 14th, 2011 with author Karl Schroeder.

Well, as promised, after considerable consideration, I’ve narrowed down your entries in the “I Make the Best Whatever” contest down to the Elite Eight dishes that will battle for culinary supremacy on this blog (and in my kitchen). The champion of the round robin tourney wins the title of Goodliest Eats 2011 and a remarkable prize (to be decided on awarded at a later date). It was very tough choosing from among the slew of delectable-sounding dishes but, in the end, I was able to trim the field by focusing on those entries that: a) appealed most to my warped culinary sensibilities, b) showed a degree of creativity and/or personal ownership, and c) seemed uncomplicated enough that even I could successfully prepare them without burning down my kitchen. And so – drumroll, please – the Elite Eight are...

You had me at “Puerco”.

Yep, that’s right. I went with the white chocolate over the milk chocolate cheesecake. I’m leaning toward the white’s more subtle flavors. Also, Akemi prefers white.

It’s his Great Grandma’s recipe! That’s as home-cooking as you can get.

I was promised a pic, but the combination of the words “chocolate”, “peanut butter”, and “pudding” alone were enough to secure a playoff spot. But I still want that picture!

I’m usually not a fan of fruit-themed desserts, but I’m a sucker for cobbler with a nice dollop of vanilla ice cream. Of course, if the official entry doesn’t include a recipe for the accompanying vanilla ice cream, DP faces a darkhorse battle.

From group underdog to field favorite. Alexander of Houston dishes a recipe worthy of culinary institute. But am I worthy of following his directions?

No, it’s not a euphemism. It’s a hearty traditional soup/stew popular in Spain, the Canary Islands, and South and Central America.

This looked and sounded so damn good, it edged out the Nutella Croissants!

So there you are. Listen up, candidates – if you haven’t posted a recipe yet, please do so. The rest of you – let the betting begin! And thanks to everyone who entered.

A marginally better day today. At least my dog didn’t pee on me. I woke up way too early because Jelly was crying. Was she in pain? Lonely? Did she have to go to the bathroom? Nope. She was just hungry. I fed her and the rest of the gang, then proceeded to clean the house (since I’ve realized I’ll have one whole half day to tidy up between my return from Tokyo and mom and sis’s arrival in Vancouver for Christmas). I worked out, had my protein shake, then showered up and headed out, Jelly in tow.

In a desire to make as informed a decision as possible, I decided to look into alternative treatments and second opinions for Jelly. The first vet I visited checked her out and informed me that nothing short of surgery would cure her condition. Instead, he focused on pain management, suggesting I start her on Gabapentin and monitor her progress for a few weeks before trying acupuncture. The second vet I visited checked her out and came to the same bottom line conclusion: only the surgery would improve her condition. But unlike the first doctor’s wait and see attitude, he urged me to schedule the surgery as soon as possible lest she deteriorates completely.

Suffice it to say that the second opinions only served to reinforce my confusion and general uncertainty. If I go ahead with the surgery and it leaves her paralyzed (or worse), I’ll feel terrible. If I don’t do the surgery and her condition deteriorates, leaving her paralyzed (or worse), I’ll feel terrible. If I wait too long to schedule the surgery and she takes a turn for the worse, I’ll feel terrible. If I rush her into surgery and something goes wrong, I’ll feel terrible.

I cheered myself up by heading back to the dentist for the third time this week to (finally) get that crown finished. To the list of things I hate – popcorn, candied fruit, shepherd’s pie, kiwi’s – please add “needles”. I received another four this afternoon and, when they didn’t do the trick, another two for good measure.

“Is it working?”asked my dentist hopefully as I massaged the right side of my face.

“I hope so,”I said. ”Otherwise, I think I’m having a stroke.”

All lopside grin and drooling aside, it was a much nicer visit than the last one.

Tomorrow, Jelly has one more vet appointment and I have a bunch of things to get done (ie. buy chairs for the kitchen table because all the old ones have last their backs) before I’m Tokyo-bound on Monday.

Also, there’s something wrong with my garage door.

Soooo sleeeeeepy...

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...of-those-days/

December 3, 2010

Photo: Jelly


While Wednesday may have delivered death by a thousand cuts (and four needles), today was more of a death by a couple of gouging slashes and a very deep stab. It would seem everything is going sideways. Given my recent bad luck, I suppose I should consider myself fortunate that I don’t have any scheduled medical visits lined up. It also leads me to wonder how my rolling momentum of misfortunes will react with Ivon’s notoriously heinous vacation mojo. I’m kind of hoping that basic math prevails and negative times negatives equals positive (- x – = +). Of course, you could argue that it’s more of a negative plus negative equals negative predicament (- + – = -), but best not to dwell. And keep positive. Literally. I figure the fact that Ivon already experienced an earthquake on his last trip makes it highly unlikely we’ll be experiencing one while in Japan. Law of averages and all. I mean, come on, I’m sure fate can be a little more creative than that. On the other hand, all that saber rattling by the global family version of the oafish cousin with the suspect hygiene (North Korea) does give me pause.

Yes, I’m a little bummed – and I’m sure watching The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (a brilliant but deeply depressing movie) and reading Maus: A Survivor’s Tale hasn’t exactly gone a long way toward lifting my spirits. I really need this Tokyo trip and, while I’d love to say I’m looking forward to going, the truth is a big part of me isn’t. After receiving yet another second opinion (I suppose that, technically, you’d call it a fifth opinion), I’ve decided not to wait. I’ve gone ahead and scheduled Jelly to undergo surgery on Wednesday. My dogsitter, Christine, who is nothing short of amazing, helped put my mind at ease. Somewhat. She’ll drop off Jelly on Wednesday, then pick her up on the weekend and help her through the early recuperation process. She’s been through something very similar with her last dog and is confident I’m making the right choice. Me, I’m not so sure and while I would prefer to wait the two weeks until my return, all the physical symptoms suggest that if I don’t act now, it may well be too late by the time I get back. Between her recent stem cell treatment, vet visits, MRI, and upcoming surgery, I’ll have spent more on my gal than my last trip to Tokyo. But, at twelve years, we’ve been together longer than any of my past relationships so, really, I owe it to her.

Still, my time in Tokyo won’t be quite as joyous as past travels – at least not until I’m reassured that the surgery went well and Jelly is on the mend – which probably won’t be until next weekend. I’ll be hitting the sake hard. Good thing I have a capable wingman/someone-to-carry-me-back-to-the-hotel-if-I-pass-out in Ivon.

Anyway, thanks to all you regulars, semi-regulars, and long-time readers/first-time contributors for the well-wishes and helpful links, from those whose kind and supportive words are on full display in the comment section, to those who, for reasons unknown, ended up in my spam folder. Fortunately, I was able to wade in and save some of the more complimentary and encouraging posts and thought I’d spotlight them here. Thanks again…


Kate writes: “Wow! Nice article. I like it.”

Answer: Thank you, Kate. Your kind words are much appreciated.

Joshua Heglin writes: “I wouldn’t think I have ever seen a new site using this type of lots of remarks in it!”

Answer: Yes, Joshua, there are a lot of remarks in it. And that’s mainly due to the support of people like you.

Remanufactured Ink writes: “i like to search the internet for new kitchen gadgets to add to my kitchen”

Answer: As do I, Remanufactured Ink. I feel like we were separated at birth.

Restaurant Coupons writes: “The quality of your article is very good. Nice reading, informative, and thought provoking.”

Answer: Thanks, Restaurant Coupons. I try to mix it up, providing entries that are alternately informative, thought provoking, and baffling.

Carpet Shampooer writes: “there are bargain dvd players that are sold in our area. i think they are generic low cost dvd player”

Answer: Thanks for the tip, Carpet Shampooer. I’ll be sure to keep that in mind.

Shower Screen writes: “actually i like women wedding singers comapared to male wedding singers, the female voice is awesome _”

Answer: Hey, Shower Screen, I agree. The female voice IS awesome.

melissagibso writes: “May i sex dating with you?”

Answer: Hi, melissa. The number you provided erroneously connects to a 1-800 service that charges $5.95/minute per call. Double-check and please re-post. Thanks.

osmanli iksiri writes: “People with hypothyroidism often gain weight and have difficulty losing weight despite a normal diet. This can be frustrating. Fortunately with successful treatment of hypothyroidism weight loss can become successful and permanent. Long term weight loss for thyroid disease patients is something that patients can realize with the help of their doctors or healthcare practitioner.as”

Answer: Thanks for this hopeful post, osmanli!

Premature Ejaculation Treatment writes: “lithium ion laptop batteries are very good specially those 6 cell battery array”

Answer: Hey, I think I went to high school with your sister. Small world!

Again, thanks to everyone who has taken the time to post.

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...gence-mailbag/

December 4, 2010

Photos: SGU concept art, Patrick Gilmore, David Blue, Mark Savela, James “Bam Bam” Bamford


Two days to my Tokyo departure and I already have the nagging notion I’ve forgotten something. I’m sure I’ll realize what it is once I get to Japan.

Hey, thanks for the input on Resurgence, the first part of the big mid-season two-parter. I had a somewhat easier time writing this one than Awakening (#214). Anyway, some random thoughts on the episode -

I particularly enjoyed this one because it allowed for opportunities for humor. When Volker says “Are you kidding? That’s exactly how you judge a neighborhood.”, he’s actually channeling yours truly. I’m really enjoying writing for some of the supporting players (specifically, the geek squad of Brody, Park, and Volker) and they really shined in this episode. More terrific little moments for them to come in the back half (see #216, The Hunt).

Paul complained it was too subtle, but did anyone else catch the the 2001 reference in Eli’s “big black monolith orbiting a planet” line?

We’ve established a burgeoning friendship between Wray and Eli (Faith, Pathogen), so I figured Wray would be the best person to approach Eli about his recent loss. It was an issue that needed to be addressed, one that would, no doubt, deeply affect someone like Eli. I thought it was particularly interesting to imagine the scenario he refers to, his whole world being distilled down to less than a hundred people in a confined space, and how any change in said scenario would be greatly magnified. In retrospect, even though he avoids talking about his true feelings, Eli demonstrates incredible emotional strength in the face of tragedy.

Scott is his own worst enemy, something we came to learn in Cloverdale, and as much as he may want to do the right thing, his own subconscious may betray him – as is this case here where he outwardly insists he’ll support Chloe only to have her point out that he’s already started pulling away from her. When the time comes to make the hard decision, will he be able to step up and be honest with both her and himself?

Loved exploiting the interplay between these two very different characters, the uptight Brody and the calm and collected Greer. Love the look on Brody’s face when Greer throws him the ominous “Too quiet” line.

Also, love the obvious chemistry between Varro and T.J. As much as I love Young as a character, I think he’s bad for her. But, of course, Everett disagrees – which will make for some interesting dramatic developments later this season.

“Either that or pie’s done. Nope. Simulation.” Seriously, love the plethora of dings, bleeps, beeps, and whistles that pepper SF shows.

This onscreen battle sequence was incredibly tricky to pull off, but the boys in playback did an amazing job creating a simulation that helped tell the story. Some (aka my writing partner Paul) didn’t think it could be done!

Awesome space battle courtesy Mark Savela and his uber-talented VFX team.

I was toying with various ultimately unsatisfactory scenarios for how Destiny manages to shake the drones, but it was only after exchanging emails with our Creative Consultant, John Scalzi, that the solution presented itself. I wrote John: “I was sitting at my desk agonizing over my latest Stargate outline when it suddenly hit me. Hey, why don’t I share the love and have John agonize over it as well. [I explain the premise]. Thoughts? And, no we can’t have space dolphins magically appear and surround Destiny. I already pitched that out and, for some reason, Brad wasn’t enthused. I think maybe Battlestar already did it.” To which John replied: “First, this show’s bias against space dolphins SICKENS me and always has. [...] But I did think of something along that might work for your purposes; Destiny, as you know, has the singular ability to dive into a star. Why not have it attacked and then take refuge inside the local star?” I imagined the cool visual of those pursuing drones flaming out and was immediately sold.

Rush’s Darth Vader speech to Eli. Things come to a bit of an emotional head for Eli here and he receives a boost from, of all people, Rush. What’s Rush’s game? Clearly, he needs Eli to be on his game and he sees a lot of exploitable potential in the boy – yet the advice he offers Eli is as much an insight into his character as Eli’s. When he says “I’m sure you were so blinded by rage you imagined getting revenge on the man who killed her, besting the bully on his terms. But even if you had, it wouldn’t have changed a damn thing. You’d wake up every morning and she’d still be dead.”, he’s not only dousing Eli with cold reality, but offering a glimpse into his own vulnerabilities. It wouldn’t have changed a damn thing and he should know because he did best the bully and it didn’t change a damn thing. I love writing Rush when he’s indirect, unfathomable in his motivations. Is he motivated by empathy here or is his motivation self-serving? Check out a parallel bridge scene in episode #214, The Hunt, and get back to me.

Chloe’s lightning quick and painful looking take-down of the Corporal Baras courtesy of James “Bam Bam” Bamford.

Today’s blog entry is dedicated to PBMom’s Patrick!


Mailbag:

Deni writes: “Please, please, please let us know as soon as you can when she’s out of surgery.”

Answer: She goes in at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday morning which will around 1:00 a.m. in Tokyo. It’ll be a sleepless night and I’m sure I’ll be awake bright and early for the update. As soon as I hear, I’ll definitely post the mini update.

Sparrow_hawk writes: “Hey! Reading Maus at a time like this? What are you thinking?! Find yourself some lighter reading!”

Answer: Finished up last night and am switching gears to lighter zombie fare: the latest volume of The Walking Dead.

Chy Clayton writes: “Instead I would like to thank you for electronically visiting my house every day and sharing a bit of yourself.”

Answer: My pleasure. For my future visits, you might want to consider leaving out some milk and cookies. Oh, and keeping that back door unlocked.

Lewis writes: “1) Have you heard through the grapevine if a Season 2.0 dvd is going to be released like 1.0 was released during last year’s mid season hiatus?”

Answer: Hey, Lewis. Sorry, I haven’t heard anything about the timing of the season 2.0 release.

“2) The other night I was eating chili and came across a Tostitos Scoops chip that was a spot on replica of the Destiny. Unfortunately I was hungry, so after taking a moment to marvel at the likeness I ended up eating the chip. My question is, if I ever come across another Destiny-like chip should I…”

Answer: Create a shrine and charge fans 50 cents a head to visit.

EllieV writes: “Have you not considered delaying your trip to take care of Jelly?”

Answer: Yes, I considered it, but my flight and hotel are non-refundable. Still, if I was traveling alone I’d be more likely to consider it, but I’ll be going with Ivon who would be flying solo if I bailed. In the end, the fact that my dog-sitter Christine will be taking care of her made the decision somewhat easier. It’s unlikely I would have gone ahead with the early surgery if I would have had to board Jelly at the vet clinic for two weeks.

Zac writes: “Is destiny capable of entering the atmosphere of life supporting planets and landing?”

Answer: Probably – although we’ve yet to see it do so.

Sean D. writes: “What’s the most number of pages that you’ve ever written?”

Answer: One of several 120 page feature scripts.

Shawna writes: “I notice from your ‘currently reading’ list that you seem to read a lot of stand-alone novels. How much do you read books that are part of a series of some kind?”

Answer: I try to mix things up. I have read several excellent series (Joe Abercrombie’s First Law trilogy, David Anthony Durham’s Acacia trilogy, George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series) but do tend to prefer my stand-alones.

Chev writes: “Who is looking after the dogs while you’re away or are they going to a kennel?”

Answer: My regular dog-sitter, Christine, will be staying at the house with the dogs. Akemi, who will be in Vancouver while I’m in Tokyo, will only be a short bus ride away.

maggiemayday writes: “How did your kitchen chairs lose their backs? You’re not a lean-backer are you?”

Answer: Apparently so.

Roger Hagensen writes: “Besides, three vets suggested surgery right?, and one even suggested it ASAP.”

Answer: Actually, two suggested surgery ASAP.

“If you are still in doubt, what would you have written for a similar scenario on the Destiny?”

Answer: Well, from a dramatic standpoint, I’d have had the character opt for surgery. Funny you should mention this because Carl was faced with a similar creative decision in Hope, episode #214.

DP writes: “Anyone else got a vanilla ice cream recipe for Joe?”

Answer: Yeah, I got one.

KEK writes: “The 2.0 in-house trailer was brilliant. Should we expect one for 2.5?”

Anwer: Probably not. Sorry.

Etagrats writes: “It’s seems that destiny had originally 3 Shuttles based on the picture bellow! Although the crew only found two of them, So will we ever know what happen to the missing one if no, have you some theory about that ?”

Answer: My guess is it was probably damaged, disabled, and lost during an attack.

Mercy writes: “Are we ever going to meet aliens that are actually human or decendants of humans from Earth?”

Answer: Oooh, there would have to be a damn good reason for why we’d encounter humans this far out. Yep. A damn good SF reason…

Brian M. White writes: “How’s Jelly today?”

Answer: The same. She’s in obvious pain, having trouble getting around, but is extremely happy to a) eat and b) sit on my lap and snooze away. Thanks for asking.

[KEK]

KEK writes: “The 2.0 in-house trailer was brilliant. Should we expect one for 2.5?”

Anwer: Probably not. Sorry.

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...for-departure/

December 5, 2010


I phoned my mother tonight to say goodbye as I’m off to Tokyo for two weeks. I’d love to say I was expecting a “Have a nice time!” or “Enjoy yourself!” or even a “Have fun but be careful!” but I got pretty much what I expected. A few seconds of ominous silent contemplation after reminding her of my trip and then: “Are your affairs in order?”. While I’d love nothing better than to head east confident in the orderliness of my affairs, the sad truth is my affairs are decidedly DISordered. I’m still transferring documents to my new travel laptop, downloading books to my new kindle, prepping, packing, and, most importantly, making sure Christine, the dog-sitter, knows everything she needs to know before I leave. And, when it comes to my dogs, she needs to know a lot. An excerpt from my Instruction Rundown…

“1. When you wake up, take them out back to do their business otherwise Lulu will go downstairs and poop. Check anyway. She probably already has. If so, there’s some Peroxide in the kitchen for disinfecting. By the way, Jelly has bad hips and will need to be carried down. Maximus’s excuse is that he’s fat. He’ll occasionally be freaked out by the stairs and need to be carried as well.

2. Breakfast! Bubba gets 3 ½ pucks of raw food. Maximus gets 3. Jelly gets 2. Lulu gets a handful of dry kibble and 1/3 of a can of wet food. The extra raw food is in the freezer in the garage.

3. All of the pugs get a sprinkling of Recovery SA with their morning meals. For Jelly, I tend to alternate between the Recovery and a crushed half-pill of Gyco-Flex. Jelly also gets 2 tablets of Gabapentin breakfast and dinner, and one tablet of Zeniquin each morning. Also a squirt of Omega 3 oils each meal – but I don’t think she likes it so feel free to discontinue. Everyday, Jelly also gets a dose of metacam with her breakfast (8 kg), kept in the left hand drawer of the refrigerator. Jelly is also supposed to get 2.5 ml of Amantadine daily but, at this point, she’s eating more meds than actual food so I’d suggest holding off on the Amantadine for now.

4. Morning and night, the pugs get a dose of tacrolimus for their eyes, while Lulu gets her eyedrops. Jelly also gets her ears cleaned with a special ear-cleaning solution nightly Afterwards, I give them all a treat/kibble.

5. As I said, unlike the other three, Jelly and Maximus can’t manage the stairs and will need to be carried up an down. Jelly and Maximus can’t really manage to get up on the couches or beds – so if you’re inclined to have company, you’ll have to help them up and off as well. At night, it might be best to leave them in the kitchen to sleep.

6. Never leave the dogs outside unattended! People in Vancouver have had their dogs snatched out of their yards by dog thieves. Also, coyotes have been known to dig under or jump fences for a quick snack.

7. Always make sure the dogs follow you in when you go out with them. Maximus tends to lag and eat mud and, because he is dark, tends to blend in at night. Plus, none of them will come when they’re called. In fact, they’re wanderers so make sure all four are inside whenever you: 1) go out, 2) come in, 3) go to bed.

8. The dogs are allowed in the front yard, but you’re better off taking them to the back because they’re easily distracted and will bark at any passing dog, person or suspicious-looking bicycle left unattended.

9. The doggies are needy and don’t like being left alone for more than about 3 hours at a time. Much longer than that and they will take it out on any available footwear or anything they can get their paws on.

10. Don’t leave food lying around the couch area. Bubba can and will reach anything edible left on the coffee table, side tables, or kitchen table.

11. Jelly’s surgery is scheduled for Wednesday morning. Her surgeon is Dr. Sharp. Jelly shouldn’t have any breakfast on the day of the surgery, but water is okay. Please drop her off in the early morning (they said between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 or even earlier if you want to get an early start on your day). I’ve set aside some things for Jelly to help her through the recovery period: one blanket, one musical duck, one pink flamingo (slightly chewed), one clean black sock, and one t-shirt (for snuggling purposes).”

As if I didn’t have enough to worry about, now it looks like Maximus is coming down with an eye infection. I’ll have to swing by the vet’s tomorrow and pick him up some ointment to add to the pharmaceutical cavalcade.

Off to finish my prep!

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...10-travel-day/

December 6, 2010

Videos: Jelly, Bubba, Maximus, Lulu


I’m Tokyo-bound today. But here’s a little something to tide you (actually, me) over as I leave the pooches behind for a while.

Jelly goes to town on her mallard...

Bubba, ready for bedtime...

The always cool Maximus. If some ever casts for a salty pirate dog, I think he’d be perfect...

Lulu in “Get that camera out of my face”...

And an interview with yours truly over at Steve Eramo’s site: http://scifiandtvtalk.typepad.com/sc...-mallozzi.html

Okay, I’m just going to enjoy myself. Next year, everything changes!

See you all in Tokyo!