ChocolateFrogs

I think main issue was you decided to make an article like this just as a convention like BrickFair was about to start.

 

- JMJ 2013

It was topical. It was the best time to post it. (I would have posted it a week or two earlier had I written it a week or two ago.)

-CF

Very nice.

I'm glad that after a few years I bought the Lifetime premier is so I don't have to remember to do it again each year!

-CF

I am not sure if my phone isn't loading the image, or if the joke is that Ant Man and Wasp are so tiny you can't see the photo of them.

I didn't host the picture in the entry to prolong the effect. Click the link to go to the image. I assure you, these are definitely being added to my collection of Avengers minifigs.

-CF

Does the saw blade spin when the tank rolls? Because that'd be AWESOME.

The thought crossed my mind, but I'm not nearly that experienced yet...

-CF

Sounds fun. I can throw something non-fragile together beforehand if this (and I) pull(s) through.

-CF

I feel you on intimidating non-fiction. Such reasons are why I haven't touched my Erik Larson books yet.

-CF

SO, APPARENTLY, and my source is a LUG member who pays more attention to LEGO community insider news than I, these are stolen from a LEGO factory! Wow! I forget which country, but it's one of the new ones as LEGO is having some trouble with internal theft (which is why some things, like some new, about-to-be-released Star Wars sets IIRC, have leaked and sold on ebay or bricklink recently). Such theft included reject Friends figures.

In short: I'd recommend letting Keven Hinkle know who you bought these from on ebay.

-CF

(So that just adds to the story of these figs. Neat! Kind of like those red Darth Vader helmets. Kind of....)

Space conservation was an obvious issue from the start, so paperback helps. And I wanted to read older ones, which are only in paperback. Once you get so many, why muddle the clean look on the shelf by switching between paper and hard back? I think it looks really ugly.

But what if you want to read the newest SW novel, like Scoundrels? Do you just wait until it's in paperback?

Why does how the work is presented (AKA Fancy Book) matter as much as the work itself? The book is just letters on the page, and as long as it's easy to read them, I don't care what form they can be in, be it paperback or hardback. (And what, no love for virtual stories? Aren't you trying to sell Nooks too? )

Because if it's a hardback, it will last longer. I don't want it to look (and actually happen) like it will fall apart with each page turn in 20 years. I want to invest in a hardback if I'm going to keep it around and lend it out, providing it many rereads by myself and others in the years to come.

I don't read ebooks, so they aren't on my radar as such a viable source. I know they are popular though. But my problem with getting an ereader is 1) can't share it with all my friends (or any for that matter, though Velox has a Nook...) and 2) what happens in 5, 10, or 20 years when B&N goes under? Or even Amazon eventually? All those ebooks purchased will be gone once said ereader breaks and no one is around to supply a new one to DL all those books on that system. Only those free ebook sites with the out of copyright stories will be viable.

 

Which reminds me! @ Ben, I also bought the American Gods/Anansi Boys leatherbound book a little while back, and plan to read it soon. You (and others) have kept recommending Neil Gaiman (and American Gods particularly) to me, so I'm really looking forward to it.

 

Yeessssss!

-CF

I guess they weren't allowed to leave without headgear/pastries first?

Can't wait to see what you do with these! (At the very least, look at all those amazing head pieces.)

-CF

I haven't said "I'm good" ever since my English class received a lesson on it's incorrect grammar back in ninth grade, lol.

I got lesson that too. I'm pretty good in remembering to say "well" and not "good," in interviews and things, but in a casual setting I kind of forget to care. And I should probably remedy that.

-CF

Nice list.

From what I've heard, the author of The Prestige was present at one of Nolan's screenings and was thoroughly impressed at what Nolan had done, wishing he had thought of some of it.

-CF

YES! This is exciting! I can't wait to finally meet you! What a treat!

-CF

This has been one of the best blog entries I've seen in a while!

-CF

Wow, that looks so cool! And the artist is an awesome AFOL too.

Can't wait to hear the details for getting one.

-CF

 

Funny how many customers who I've never met assume I'm asking about their well-being and reply, "I'm good," when I'm merely saying "good morning" to them as they come into the bookstore.

Okay, what? If you meant good morning, then say good morning, not "Hi, how are you?".

 

I mean seriously I don't understand why you can be annoyed by someone for answering your question with, "I am good," because it definitely a valid answer to your question.

But I never asked how they were doing. I merely said good morning. I don't know them, I could care less how they are doing. I'm more interested in what product they want so I can find it for them as per my job.

Hence me laughing at their self-centeredness and/or automatic response due to assumption.

I should probably change this blog title.

-CF

That's awesome! I've love to see you expand that into a cosplay!

-CF

Not the new Relient K or Matt Maher CDs coming up/eventually?

-CF

Sounds awesome!

-CF

(I thought you didn't like custom-built trophies. )

I second A Monster Calls.

I haven't read anything else on here (false: I read The Hobbit 9 years ago) but look forward to The Book Thief, The Dresden Files, A Song of Ice and Fire, some Agatha Christie, and reading more by C S Lewis (I love The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce).

-CF

You know, people keep mentioning about how great Neil Gaiman is, but I have yet to read (or even look into) anything of his. Any suggestions on where to start?

Where to start for Neil Gaiman? Sandman volume 1 is a great starting point if you're interested in graphic novels/comics. American Gods is great an example of a pretty much perfect novel. If you want some light reading, he has some short stories online. Maybe google Cinnamon and A Calendar of Tales (that one is available to download as a PDF or ebook).

As for other graphic novels, (The Walking Dead sounds like you found a good place to start), I recommend Sandman, Batman: Hush by Jeph Loeb, V for Vendetta, Carnage USA (Spider-Man), Joss Whedon's run in Astonishing X-Men, Hawkeye volume 1 by Matt Fraction, and Y: The Last Man by Brain K Vaughn.

-CF

Dude, I have about 60 unread books on my shelf. Most of which are mine, most of which I've paid for. It makes me a little sad, but then I perk up when I realize I'm going to read a lot of those this year.

From the sounds of your reading plans for the year, I bet you'll finish these with no problem.

I think the last Bionicle Legends/Adventures book (whichever series was in Bara Magna) I bought wasn't the last one published, and it took me a few months to finally say "ok just let me read it already" because as much as I enjoyed the story, I was well beyond caring at this point.

-CF

Ooooh! I'll be reading Night Circus and Robopocalypse sometime this year! (Hopefully by the summer.) It's cool that you're reading those for class, just so long as that obligation doesn't ruin the books for you.

-CF

Finally I can make Zoe...if i ever get a head to make Book.

-CF

I love Insectoids! My 2nd favorite 90s space theme behind the Exploriens. (3rd is Ice Planet 2002.)

I definitely have noticed the similar looks of the two energy crystals (even wishing that perhaps they brought the Insectoid crystals back for the mold), though admittedly haven't looked at the Chima storyline.

I even referenced Insectoids in my Galaxy Squad review with this picture at the end. Such fondness for a great theme.

-CF

Admittedly, I love the pieces that were used as the original skis. I never owned that type of piece for quite a while, but finally got some a few years after Bionicle was released.

-CF