Since you guys have been listening to my woes and such for so long..I wanted to inform you all ....I"M GOING BACK TO WORK!!! It couldn't have come at a better time. It's going to take a while to catch up on bills and such, but...YEEEAAAHHH! I cannot tell you what a blow this whole situation has been to my self esteem. Watching my wife work, stress, and me not able to help.

And I'll tell you something... I am married to the most wonderful woman in the world. She has stood by me, believed in me, trusted in me..when most women would have been out the door months ago. I owe so much to this woman, and owe almost everything that I am, to her. And as soon as we get cought up on things, I am dressing her up, taking her on the town, and she will be treated like a queen.

Anyway, sorry for going on but..I am soooo happy right now. I really have to go, I have to get my stuff ready for tomorrow. be back soon. Everybody have a great week!

Been widening my TV-Com travels. I've been visiting the page for The Six Million Dollar Man... which was my favorite show when I was a kid. Hey, every young boy needs a hero.. this was mine. There doesn't seem to be anybody going there. I put up a couple new posts, but my expectations are low. Lifesigns are weak on older shows during peak months on this site, but during summer break, I understand it gets worse. But if anybody is reading this, and is a fan of that show.. give me a holla on the forum. I'd love to have someone to chat with about it!

Speaking of which, I finally decided to at least take a look at the latest Bionic Woman.. the one that was cancelled recently. I went to Hulu.com and watched the pilot. Yuck! Now I remember why I wasn't even interested in checking it out.. and I understand why it was cancelled after 8 episodes. I left my review on the main page.. it's also on my profile.

I read an interview with Ron Moore, longtime staff writer of Star Trek: Next Gen, DS9, and Voyager, not to mention , of course, creator of my current fave, Battlestar Galactica (oh, will the plugging never end?). Anyway, he was commenting on the current Star trek movie... now in post production.. to be released early 2009. He said some things that i kind of found disturbing, and a little dissapointing. They also kind of made me loose a little respect for the guy, which I didn't think was possible. I started a forum post and poll on the Star Trek:TOS page on this. It kinda unintentionally turned into a long winded editorial, and halfway through, I changed my mind, and was gonna do it as a blog on my page. But my Firefox won't let me cut and paste, and I didn't feel like loosing it or retyping, so I just continued and left it. If anybody's curious, check it out.

Still watching X-Files with Sapphire. I'm only at the beginning of the 7th season (Hungry), but I'm still going to try to finish the series before the movie release.

I just started watching Lost. Never seen it before. OMG, the first 2 episodes were amazing!

Also, got from Netflix the first two disks of Alias, and Heroes first seasons. Nver seen them before either. Will burn for later consumption.

What is going on with Movietome? If you'll notice, the link is no longer listed on top of the screen with the other CNET services. Metacritic is there instead. The site is still active, though..which is the only thing even the Mods seem to know at this point. If you go to the help forum, though..and click on either FAQ, or tech support, and then go to the top of your screen..the link will be there.

I know the site has been on the brink for a while, but you would thing CNET would have the decency , not to mention respect for it's users..to let us no what is going on with the site. There are some like myself, who have posted reviews there, who would like to know if we should save them in case the site get's taken down. I guess that's too much to expect. Shame on you CNET.

That being said, I would really like to thank angelandspike for getting back to me so quickly with any info she had on this and other issues. You should be well paid for your efforts and consideration.

Well, that's it for now. Take care everybody, and have a wonderful weekend.

Peace,

Ted

Yo, yo, wassup, my peeps! Just wanted to report in, ya feel me? I took my previous blog down. You know.. the rant about the unfriendly, unsociable, stuck up, "too good for lil ol me" snobs? I figured the people whom I was addressing would never read it, so I deleted it, and PMed the people in question, to tell them personally what unfriendly, unsociable, stuck up, "too good for lil ol me" snobs they really were. And I feel a whooole lot better. Even if I get kicked off or banned..hey..what is life without a little danger, huh? I laugh in the face of danger. Ha-Ha-ha! (See?)

Anyway, sorry that I haven't been comunicating, especially with my new X-Files friends (Wasssuuuup!). Had a few things going on. Still no job yet, but...my wife Patti just greeted the arrival of her sixth grandchild. He is a healthy beautiful little boy named Malcolm Landon Mazar. His Mother , my step-daughter, Jessica arrived saftely back home a year ago, after four years in Iraq. So we are doubly blessed.

Patti had an accident with the car last week. Coming home from work about a mile from our house on a rainy night during rush hour, the car slid out of control, missing about five oncoming cars (I don't know how she wasn't hit), and hit the curb hard. She wasn't hurt, and it happened on a side street instead of the 30 miles of high-speed freeway she travels each trip, so I thank God for that! Damage was minimal, but even minimal damage can be expensive. Impact with the curb totaled the drivers side tire and rim, and threw the allignment out of wack. Just to make the car drivable again was 450 dollars...for that! Dosen't sound like much, but when you only have a hundred in the bank, it's a lot. Can anybody out there say.."overdraft"? I knew you could.

On the television front, we can no longer afford to have the Sci-Fi channel on our lineup, so I can no longer see the one current program I love, Battlestar Galactica live as it airs. Arrrrrgggghhh! I've missed the last three episodes, and I'll have to watch them via an internet stream. Speaking of which, the ruling just came down (it's been a rumour for months) that the episode this Friday will be the last new episode until at least January 2009! OMG! I was hoping for Fall.. but 2009?! How sick is that?!! Fans are betting that this weeks episode before the break will contain the Big Reveal... who of our beloved characters is the Final Cylon? I don't expect them to find Earth until after the break, but it means the rest of the journey will damed sure be plenty interesting. The show has been a very rewarding viewing experience. Having been not too crazy about a re-imaganing of one of my favorite childhood shows at the beginning, it didn't take long for the show to prove me wrong. Many twists, turns, dramas, and mysteries..handled in an intelligent, thought provoking , and realistic manner...which is rare for any show these days..but realistic, for a sci-fi show? Yep. It's been so much fun watching there guys change and grow...and that includes the bad guys. The lines between human and Cylon have inched closer and closer together, especially this season..that the terms good and bad aren't really applicable anymore. But after this reveal..it's going to be a long wait until January.

Usually, I don't complain too much about not being able to afford going out to the movies. Ticket prices, and concessions are ridiculous anyway, and the movie has to be a real big screen only event to make me pay that kind of money. But so far...I'm not going to get to see Iron Man or Indiana Jones...which sucks, big time. Especially Indy. I have been waiting for sooo long for Ford to put on that Fedora again. For a while, I didn't think they'd have a script ready until he was in an actors retirement home! But now it's here, and I can't see it! Whaaaaaaah!

My hope is that my financial straits will be better by the time my next big release comes out...X-Files II: I Want To Believe. Due in July, this is another one I doubted would make it. This beloved show was almost DOA in it's last year, back in 2002, as far as most fans were concerned. The upcoming release has re-stirred the fandom pot, and I and my wife are re-watching the series to get caught up. She's watching most of them for the first time, and having a ball doing it! I can't wait!

Some of these forums on here are sooo dead, particularly the one for Star Trek, the original series. I'm trying to stir up some life on there through some strategy of my own. If you're a fan of Star trek, and on my list, check out my new thread there. I really want to see how many people actually visit the forum, and then try and exchange ideas on how we can bring it back to life.

That's all for now. Life beckons, so I'll talk at ya all later. Holla at a brutha!

Peace,

Ted

Sorry guys, I know it's relentless behavior. I know it's shameless plugging. But i have to do it. I've been telling people about this for awhile, and everybody who has given it a chance has gotten hooked, without fail. But still, too many people are not watching this show And it's the best show on TV right now, so, forgive the Paul Revere complex, but i would not be the kind generous and sweethearted person I am (are you ill yet?), unless I provided this service. Last night, I watched the latest episode of Battlestar Galactica (2003). You have to watch this show! It is getting too good! It's not about the ships, effects, or space battles, it's really about humanity, it's struggle for survival against the constant threat of extinction...it's a drama about people that just happens to take place in space and the mystery of life, death, religion, goverment, etc. It starts off taking it's time in the miniseries, introducing you to the characters, letting you get to know them and setting up the enviroment. It has characters you can like and care about , and the show has the best story archs since the X-files Mythology, filled with twists, turns, dramas and puzzles. If you start, a little stratagy here. First, program your Tivo or DVR to record what's on now for later consumption. Then, get/rent the mini-series first, then go through the seasons. If you buy the season one boxset, it has the mini-series as the first disk. There is are some webisodes between the second and third seasons that are on the Season three set, and a movie called Razor to be watched between the third and fourth season. The show is on it's fourth and final Season, and every twist and turn in the prior three seasons are paying off in spades. It's making me go back and watch the earlier shows for clues, and plot elements that I didn't notice before. Trust me, you'll be hooked, and doing marathons before you know it, and should catch up before they show the last half of the final season, and you'll be able to watch the end live with the rest of us. Trust me, oh please trust me, you will not be sorry. A little obsessed, and very entertained..but not sorry. Any questions, see my review on the show's page, or ask me. i love talking about this show...but I won't give away secrets. It's much more fun finding things out as you watch. Have a great weekend.

It's been a while since my last/first blog. A lot's been going on. I've been out of work since October, and have been searching franticly. I now know what it feels like to be a minority, I think. I'm in South Florida, a white male over 40 years old, with a prior work history that covers just about everything. You'd think that makes it easier, right? Wrong. Turns out, I'm overqualified for just about everything i apply for around here. My patient and loving wife is picking up the slack, but she's stressed to the max. And this financial recession coming up does not make things look brighter.

Before all this happened, I was trying to quit smoking. I had been smoking since the age of 13, stopped when I met my wife (she can't stand it), then started again when my crazy landlord started attacking me, just before I got laid off. Don't get me wrong, we're not poor, or in danger of being homeless. But her paycheck covers the bills and groceries, and that's it. We were, and still are planning a move to Colorado and the situation throws in a big monkey wrench. We both hate Florida. It's insane here, and niether one of us belong. We're both from New Jersey, and oh, I miss the four seasons. Anyway, she wants me to stop smoking, and so do I. But stress makes it hard. Oh, well..it'll get better. Something's gotta happen soon.

REVIEW BLOG

Anyway... I use my reviews as a way to keep my sanity. You may have noticed that my reviews are kind of long, and overly descriptive. I'm ironing out the kinks, trying to find my way and whittle down the process. I've been getting a few tips from some members (thank you) who actually like all the info. I think I can find a way to tighten it without loosing the basic structure. PLEASE, LET ME KNOW YOUR OPINIONS. I kind of like writing, although i haven't done it in a while..and I reeealllly need to brush up on my typing/spelling/punctuation skills.

I've only recently started getting serious with the reviews I've been putting in. Compared to a lot of members here, I've found I really don't have a lot in my favorite shows. That's because I'm very picky about shows that I like . I HATE watching commercials, so a lot of shows I start watching are retro, on DVD and such. There are some shows that I loved, but due to personal tragedies, I lost interest in during their runs, and never finished watching ( Star Trek DS9 and Voyager, ER, etc). Other's I'd heard are great, but I've never seen...yet...(Alias, Heroes, Lost, etc). Currently, my wife and I are going through DS9, Voyager, ER, Gillmore Girls, Little House On The Prarie, West Wing, The X-Files, 24, and Battlestar Galactica (2003). In 1997, I lost my Mom, Grandmother, and childhood home, so I was just a little bit depressed for a long wehile , and lost touch with all my faves. I've seen most of DS9 and Voyager, but I'm going through it anew with my wife, who never really liked Trek until I got her into it, before I watch what i missed. Likewise with ER. Enterprise, I missed entirely, but i'll get to it. BSG, we've seen most of through it's run, and we're absolutely addicted. West Wing, we have just started, and we're about halfway through the first season...what a great show! Little House is okay. but I'm getting into it. .It's mainly my wife's childhood fave, I was more Six Million Dollar Man at that time. She has REALLY gotten me into Gilmore Girls (damn her!) It's a great show, and once you start watching it from the beginning, it completely assimilates you, and resistance is futile. It doesn't hurt that Alexis and Lauren are very easy on the eyes,and I love the quirkiness of the town members.

I am not, and never have been a sit-com person. I don't know why, I'm very anti-fomulaic, and sit-coms seem to me to be the most formulaic genre. I only have two on my list, M*A*S*H (which is not really a sit-com) and Happy Days (an exceptional show, very much a part of my childhoot, and very dear to my heart). I've liked more, but not enough to post reviews about. I may add some more to my list, we'll see. My shows tend to lean toward the Sci-fi side, but they have to lean towards the human element and characterization rather than just F/X and tech. I've heard a lot about Firefly, and i'm going to check it out, whenever I get a chance. More on all this another time.

RECOMENDATION OF THE MONTH

I am going to start making viewing reccomendations to people. These will invariably be retro, for reasons stated above, but well worth your time. Because so much is going on with the story, and because there's so much current chat about it now, I have to go with the following as my first pick....

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (2003);

As stated in so many reviews and press releases, articles, etc..this is a show which even non Sci-Fi viewers can get into. The stories are more about the characters rather then planets, aliens, tech,etc. Though it does have plenty of great special effects, there are no aliens from other worlds, save for the main villians of the show, the Cylons. So many people are getting into this show through word of mouth. I would urge all of you to check it out, if you haven't already. Please read my main review of the show for more info, located on the shows summary page. I hear of many people reading summaries and re-caps so that they can tune into the current season and fully understand what's going on. This would indeed do something for the current ratings, which I'd love to see happen, but you would be doing yourself a favor if you instead watch the mini-series first, then go through the seasons one by one in order. So much of the appeal lies with the characters, and if you just read recaps, you really won't get to know them, and won't care as musch about what happens during the current story. Right now, they are running the fourth and final season, and waaayy yo much has been established..too many layers, questions, story, etc. to grasp through just re-caps. It is the best show currently on television and you MUST see it. It's WELL worth your time, and you will NOT be dissapointed as long as you realize that it's a drama set in a sci-fi backround, not your typical Sci-Fi show. You can rent them all through Net-flix.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

I want to thank people who have tracked and/or corresponded to me, and I apologise if I haven't gotten bact to you yet, but I will. As for other members, I have a rant about this. I realize I haven't been here long, but I'm trying to make some new friends/contacts based on people in forums , reviewers etc. There seems to be a lot of people who would just rather not be contacted, or maybe their just stuck up, or anti-social. I start out by tracking a user, then send them a PM, just to say hi, and get nothing back. What, you're to good to say even a hello? Likewise, I've also noticed some people ignoring me in the forums if they don't know me. This is a social-networking site right? I'm not looking to pick out china patterns or anything but , jeez..it's starting to make me think this site is populated by a lot of snobs. Hopefully, this will improve, as I've taken pains to make sure my criminal reccord and arrest warrants are kept carefully gaurded secrets...except to those special few I choose to share it with. Of course, if my secrets are discovered, I'll have to kill you...no offense (Insert dark, forboding music and maniacal laughter here). Seriously...Me good guy. Honest. Sort of.

As you can see (or not, depending), I'm also on Movie Tome and Mp3. I'm a little ticked at the Mp3 site, because they seem to have so many problems/bugs, whatever...and it seems so user unfriendly (anybody else have this problem?) that it's just not worth my time nowadays to deal with, which sucks, cause I'm a music freak, and I'd really like to go nuts in there the most, but i cant deal. I'm also doing reviews on movies. My favorites list on their is a lot more substantial. I've written a few reviews, and I'm gonna do a lot more. By the way...anybody know what the point cap per day is for your contributions ? I've sent an e-mail to support asking the question, but tech and other support seems to be shorthanded around theses sites.

Well, it's back to the job hunt for me. (Joy. Happiness. Rapture. Yay.) Thank you all, you've been a wonderful audience. Have a great weekend. PEACE. ....Ted

PS: RANT LOG, SUPPLEMENTAL; This not being able to use certain words in blogs or forums is really ticking me off! There, I said it. Rant over.