Steer Clear, Big Tuna

hey_big_tuna @ 2009-05-14T15:27:00

2009-05-14T19:41:56Z

So yesterday was pretty much the longest day of my life, and being as I haven't written here in a while, I figured I should sum it up.

The Bad:
I blew out a tire and knocked off my alignment coming off of Route 46, it'll cost a little under $1,000 to fix.

$500 for 4 new tires
$300 in new parts for the tires' interior
$60 for the alignment, plus tax

on top of that I need to replace the bumper for $500, but mom is paying for that.

The Good:

I beat Super Mario 64 completely for the first time. All 120 stars, That might seem like no big deal, but I've been trying to do that since I was 8.
Meredith and I went to the OLV Carnival in Wayne, and we got the bumper car course all to ourselves for five minutes, then we had homemade lemonade, zeppoli and cotton candy.
Transformers 2 toys hit shelves tomorrow, and if I work eBay right, I can sell all the toys from the first movie and use the cash to buy the ones for this one. That way I can use my work paycheck to fix the car.

So yeah, that's my life at the moment.

!!!!!!!

2009-02-01T06:20:03Z

HOLY CRAP!

I...I think I just simultaneously wet, crapped, and came in my pants.

Damn you, Michael Bay, you cost me a fortune in laundry.

the f-list is quite poetic. Me? not so much

2009-01-11T07:07:26Z

You know, sometimes I think I misuse this journal. I mean, everyone else posts about their beliefs, their relationship struggles, stressful events like deaths in the family, breakups, profound experiences like living on their own, or inspirational moments they've had throughout the day that warranted sharing with the world.

I discuss toys. Toys and movies. Movies about giant, heavily-armed robots and people with super powers.

Yes, there are people (mainly Emily and Becca) who use their journals for fanfiction, squeeing, and zombie discussion, but when real stuff happens to them, they post about it.

I have a girlfriend, a job, money troubles, I struggle with what to do with my life, where my place is when I clearly view the world much differently than everyone else. But I can't seem to bring myself to post unless
a.) a new movie trailer just came out
b.) I just bought a totally awesome transformer

or

c.) I just watched the latest best episode of the Office

Is this a bad thing? Should I pander to the crowd and post about something that's not plastic or celluloid, and actually matters?

On a seperate note, I was in Toy's 'R' Us the other day and bought the COOLEST thing...

randomness

2008-12-27T01:26:16Z

this is why Will smith is my hero.

Well, that and I Am Legend.

And Hancock.

And Independence Day.

And that booty.

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-12-01T00:48:00

2008-12-01T05:54:05Z

In the past 24 hours, I've:

Watched the movie "Elf" 5 times
Eaten 7 cheeseburgers (one from McDonalds, 7 from Burger King, to be fair though, 6 of the Burger King ones were those mini White Castle-style dealies)
Stood in the freezing rain for a total of 73 minutes

and

seen approximately 62 minutes of Jim Gaffigan's stand-up routine. live. in person. like, he was standing right in front of me.

that guy is pale.

Pale, but hilarious.

That is all.

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-11-21T02:30:00

2008-11-21T07:35:37Z

After 7 MONTHS, I have finally managed to get my computer out of safe mode, and now have sound again! It really did take too long, but after sending away for a new recovery disc and going to just about everyone who works at IT for help, it's finally getting back to normal. I regrettably had to wipe the hard drive and lost quite a bit of stuff, but I had backed up all the important info. I'm having little problems here and there (Facebook and Youtube won't work, and I can't get the battery to charge, so I'm running on the AC cord) but I'm just thankful to actually hear noises again, it's damn near nostalgic!

So yeah, I'll actually BE on AIM now that I can get on it. I still need to reinstall a few things (like Photoshop, which I haven't used since May) so I'll be on a lot.

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-10-19T18:31:00

2008-10-19T22:34:06Z

SOOOOO, it looks it I bought that Transformers Knockoff just in time, as this was posted today.

Apparently I just barely managed to get him before they were all pulled from shelves nationwide.

Score :)

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-10-16T18:00:00

2008-10-16T22:18:24Z

ADVENTURES IN COUNTERFEIT or GOD BLESS THE MAGNIFICENT BASTARDS AT BIG LOTS

so, Nick and I had some time to kill today, and he needed a new controller for his PS2. We headed to the nearest Game Stop and picked one up (those things are still damn expensive) and noticed there was a Big Lots next door. Having seen a post from a trusted far-away Toy Collector, I decided to check it out, and lo and behold, we stumbled upon this:

PIRATED TRANSFORMERS KNOCKOFFS!

these things are full of win. They had all sorts of toys that, were they not stolen and made with cheap paint and plastic, I would have so been all over. They were between $5 and $15 each and some of them were HUGE. I ended up walking away with one of these bad boys, whose name is (get ready for this) "SUPER TRANSFORM ULTIMATE END GENERAL MOBILIZATION"

This is now the crown jewel of my collection. (He has two tiny Optimus Primes for feet!). I am amused to no end by this guy.

Anyways, that is all for now, sorry for totally cramming your friends list with pictures of toys.

That is a lie, I am not sorry.

At all.

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-10-08T12:27:00

2008-10-08T16:30:22Z

I have no idea how to feel about this...I hate to sound like an OMFGWTFBBQ hater, but Piccolo really needs to be green. I get not having a turban, because that might be taboo these days, but seriously.

Green.

's not that hard.

Millions of cosplayers do it every year.

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-08-20T00:43:00

2008-08-20T04:55:56Z

so the past two days have been crazy.

I'm writing this from my NEW ROOM! Kat moved to Maryland to teach there, so I got her room downstairs. It's official, I'm a 20 year old acne-faced Star Wars nerd living in his mother's basement.

All is right with the world.

I went to see Star Wars: The Clone Wars with Seth on Monday, then again with Giedrius and Melissa today, and wow, I'm really glad I didn't make a huge event out of it. I had this whole night planned where I was going to invite a bunch of friends and at the last minute decided "you know what, maybe this'd be better off with just two or three people".

Bullet dodged.

The movie was terrible. Like laughably bad at points. The battle scenes were great (albeit lightsaber battles between CGI characters lack the grace and gravitas of a real movie duel) but man oh man, I've said it before and I'll say it again: George Lucas can not write dialogue FOR HIS LIFE. The entire movie was filled with drab, pointless, dull exposition. Even the witty banter was shallow and repetitive. Seriously, if I had a nickel for every time Anakin called his padawan "snips" or she called him "Sky-guy", I'd have enough to afford a premium lj account. Don't even get me started on the apprentice. Little girl, wearing a tube top, spunky, competitive, with a temper and a deep urge to prove herself. I don't think anyone has yet explained to Mr. Lucas the definition of "Mary Sue" but someone needs to get on that.

But I saw it twice, for two reasons. One: because Padme was wearing the white outfit in it, and two: because a droid gets pushed off a cliff by his commanding officer and screams "WHY?!?!" all the way down. It sounds mildly entertaining, but if you saw it, it was hilarious. It was like a well executed Family Guy joke (or an average Simpson's joke). Seth and I died laughing. For serious. Funeral is on tuesday.

More later.

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-07-28T16:42:00

2008-07-28T20:47:08Z

Last night, I had a dream that Spike and Angel were beating the living / undead crap out of Edward Cullen in a shady back alley, while Buffy stood by the street corner, making sure the coast was clear. Bella was crying next to a dumpster and rambling something like "b-but, he's so BEAUTIFUL", and Faith was standing next to her laughing hysterically, while Xander filmed the whole thing.

And I just thought that merrited sharing with everyone. That is all.

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-06-30T01:10:00

2008-06-30T05:11:20Z

dude...two days of double-shifts...not cool

*passes out*

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-06-14T12:16:00

2008-06-14T16:33:42Z

Because I was bored the other day, and Mia has a large tolerance for my behavior, we shot an impromptu scene for a little "project" :)

Enjoy...

Amidst the rocky mountains of Southern California (which bear a striking resemblance to my bed), the masterfully-incognito Autobot Agent stalks the wily Decepticon feline, who's carefree demeanor suggests complete unawareness of the approaching threat...

...THE BATTLE BEGINS! The Decepti-cat discovers our hero, who valiantly attempts to escape! SUSPENSE!

GASP! Pursued for nearly half an hour across the rocky (yet rug-like) terrain, the Autobot has had enough, revealing himself to be the totally pimped out '76 Camaro Bumblebee! (what? no, he was not an '09 just a second ago. PAY ATTENTION!)

THE EPIC STRUGGLE! OH THE HUMANITY! ROBOT ON CAT! CAT ON ROBOT! (couple of chickens doin' a goat, couple of pigs watching...)

OH NOES! DECEPTI-KITTY GOES IN FOR A FINISHING BLOW! WHAT CHANCE DOES THE 'BEE HAVE?! Using his heroic skill, top-notch training, and keen intellect, Bumblebee decides...

...to GTFO!!!1

FIN(?)

If you'd like the last 5 minutes of your life back, please feel free to e-mail me. Even though it's totally your fault for clicking on this LJ cut.

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-06-06T00:45:00

2008-06-06T04:52:06Z

I have spent the last three hours freaking the fuck out.

Why, you ask? mostly because of this, oh and THIS.

Granted, Michael Bay has said he would leak false info up until the movie's release, but the title is officially legit, and HOPEFULLY the second bit is, too. I mean I have NO idea how they're going to explain having a female Transformer like Arcee if they don't reproduce sexually, but hey, it's a movie.

The bit about having an Ice Cream truck that turns into two (yes, TWO) robots is odd as well, but I'm putting a religion-sized amount of faith in Michael Bay not to screw this one up.

OH, and, watching the Aristocrats for the first time, and like five comedians are discussing how they always end up saying "Aristocats".

I is dead laughing.

That bit was for you Ace...

Now it's final

2008-05-20T04:03:00Z

I doubt I've told too many people about this, but I've always wanted to live in either Ireland or Scotland. Ever since I was 11 years old, watching Braveheart for the first time at summer camp in a crowded cabin, I knew I always wanted to go. It just seemed so much more beautiful and serene than anything this country has to offer; Don't get me wrong, I love having American rights and freedoms, and there are some truly beautiful places here, but nothing compares to what I've seen of those countries.

For the past few months I've been playing with the idea of moving to one of those countries after college, setting aside some money after I've paid off any loans, selling most of my collectibles to pay for a plane ticket and a cheap apartment, etc.

Last week I decided that this is what I want to do. Maybe not right after college, but as soon as humanly possible. As soon as I have the resources, I'm leaving NJ behind to go live in Ireland, and I don't plan on ever coming back, at least not to stay, anyway. I'm starting to put away money, cut down on personal spending, and I'm researching costs and places to live.

Why am I doing this? Well first off, I have family and culture that come from Ireland, and I want to explore that. I want to figure out exactly where the McCoy's came from (and not the Hatfield-hating hicks everyone seems to associate the name with). Secondly, I want to see what the world is like outside of this country. When people say that I'm just a kid who doesn't appreciate the freedoms I have here, I want to see firsthand exactly what they're talking about.

And lastly, to quote Jim Halpert, I have no future here. The only reason I'd want to stay in the US is for friends and family. But considering that most of my good friends don't live too close at the moment anyway, it wouldn't be too much of a change. Some of you are in Boston, some of you are in Colorado, or Staten Island, and the list goes on. And considering how frivolous I am with my money, I'd probably spring a few hundred bucks to have some visitors stop by, I mean it's only money, right? You can't take it with you, and I'd love to show you guys just how beautiful the Irish countryside is.

There is one thing that would keep me here, no questions asked, no matter how much planning I'd done or money I'd spent, but I'm not counting on it ever happening. Everyone and their mother (in some cases literally) has told me that it's never going to happen, and if you don't know what I mean by that, don't ask. It's not something I want to discuss, even with my absolute best friends. I'm not banking on it, no matter how amazing it would be.

(Wow, that last paragraph was depressing, self-centered and cryptic...I feel like I'm back at Sage!)

So yeah, that's my plan. I'm thinking a year or two after graduation, so we're shooting for a 2012 departure...which is good because according to the Mayans we have until December 21st of that year before the end of the world...so I have to tour the place quick. It sounds like escapism; "Look, Mike's running away from everything to go be a hermit", but I see staying in NJ for the rest of my life as a waste of any potential I might have. NOT to insult anyone who plans on doing so, I MYSELF just can't stand this place anymore. If you love NJ, then more power to you, but I have to go.

And I know I've talked about making plans and things for years and never get around to them. I am a procrastinator, I'll be the first to admit it. I've started writing about twelve full-length stories since middle school and haven't even gotten half-way through any of them yet. I planned on doing Missionary work in Kenya and that never happened. I planned on being an Art major and the time for Portfolio review came and went without me there. This is different, because this is my life. This isn't a hobby or an interest. I know that this is something I have to do.

So I just figured I'd share that with everyone, since I don't want anyone to be surprised when I'm gone, and to know that I'm doing this for what I think are the right reasons.

"I need a holiday, a very long holiday, and I don't expect I shall return...in fact, I mean not to." ~ Bilbo Baggins

Post-finale thought.

2008-05-16T02:03:19Z

SPOILER (APPARENTLY) It's official: the World, as we know it, hates Andrew "Drew" Bernard.

(including Angela, apparently)

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-05-07T18:51:00

2008-05-07T22:59:41Z

Okay, I know there are a LOT more important things going on in the world: terrorism, disease, poverty, genocide, and all manner of horrifying, life-destroying events that really deserve everyone's attention more than this, but I gotta say...

Do they really need to keep making Wolverine stuff? I mean they made him the star of ALL THREE movies, they're giving him a prequel even though they explained his back story in X2, and this new X-Men cartoon is going to be called "Wolverine and the X-Men" with him as LEADER of the team.

I don't get it. Yes, he's damn-near indestructible, his claws can cut through anything, and he's badass.

But he's a stocky, hostile 5-foot-tall Canadian with anger management issues and severe dependence on the word "SNIKT" for any semblance of style. And he wears yellow spandex.

I don't get it.

/pointlessness

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-03-23T09:59:00

2008-03-23T14:04:17Z

2,000 years ago, a tiny bunny named Jesus was resuscitated after three days in a coma, and decided to share the joyous message of God to the masses by giving chocolate likenesses of himself to small children and hiding crappy colored eggs he bought at a Stop n' Shop.

Somehow us Christians mixed up the translation in that book of ours, but now you know what really happened.

Happy Easter everyone :)

(ps, Bonecrusher hates this holiday)

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-03-13T03:32:00

2008-03-13T07:38:47Z

At 3 in the morning, when the whole campus is asleep, I've just been kissing a beautiful woman atop a roof overlooking the Manhattan skyline as the breeze fluttered through her hair.

(Danielle Steele has nothing on me.)

And I just thought I'd share that with everyone here, because all the people I'd squee to are asleep. (And will read it here when they wake up).

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-02-17T01:02:00

2008-02-17T06:24:37Z

Sooo, the new episode of Transformers Animated is officially my favorite one so far.

OPTIMUS'S OLD GIRLFRIEND SHOWED UP! AND NOW SHE'S A DECEPTICON!

DRAMA!
ANGST!
SEXUAL TENSION!

(yes, he had a girlfriend! I know what you're thinking! "how, oh how do you do the nasty without reproductive organs?" He's Optimus fucking Prime, he found a way.)

dude, seriously, these flashback sequences are the best thing ever. Every time they go back, there's more drama. Also, apparently female Transformers don't usually fare too well in this show. Hell, girls in general don't seem to be able to go a single episode without being mind-wiped, poisoned, blown-up, or rapidly-aged. I wonder if Cybertronians have a word for sexism? (and can female autobots vote? If so, will they be voting for Hill-bot Clintron or Barractimus Prime? Could they go the other way and vote for McCainatron?)

Wow, I go on a hell of a lot of tangents. You know you love it.

On a side note: Sentinel Prime totally looks like the Tick. ADMIT IT, HE SO DOES. He even acts like the Tick. When they're looking for Energon, he actually says "Energon-y goodness!". I am sorry, that is trademark Tick right there.

Now that the WGA strike is over, we get our Scrubs back(!) and our Office back(!). I kinda don't want there to be an Office season finale. Season finales mean drama. Drama usually means break-ups. It was more fun thinking "come on, come on, get together!" with Jim/Pam. Now it's more like "come on, come on, don't break up, don't break up...pleeeeeease!".

Regardless, now I have to go back to watching actual tv. Not just kids shows. You'd think I'd be happy, but no. My inner child is gonna have to choke a bitch.

FINALLY

2008-02-09T17:09:18Z

IT'S OVER!!!!!

NOW MAKE TRANSFORMERS 2 DAMNIT...I mean...uh...pay the writers...yeah, that's what I meant.

(maketransformers2)

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-01-14T18:39:00

2008-01-14T23:43:28Z

I think the "Golden Globes" special last night was quite possibly the funniest thing I've ever seen. "we don't have any stars, any scripted routines, any tributes to famous dead people, or any cheesy-but-lovable music numbers...but we're gonna try anyway!"

it was cute...like when a kid gets up in front of a school and chokes on stage, and everyone claps anyway because they know the kid is going to be emotionally scarred his/her entire life. That kind of cute.

The new Terminator show (Summer Glau = BEST TERMINATOR EVER), TF Animated and BBC Robin Hood are the only things keeping me entertained right now.

/stuck-up post

hey_big_tuna @ 2008-01-08T00:52:00

2008-01-08T06:03:27Z

I am getting a bit annoyed with these whenever-1am shifts. I hate coming home at 1:15 in the morning and seeing 5 IM windows saying “where are you? I want to talk to you!” and everyone is signed off. I feel like typing “NO I'm here!”. I love this job and the pay but I hate not having any nights free, especially when lack of car means never seeing people. Blah, I digress.

I feel like I should say something nerdy....

um....

TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED IS AWESOME!

no...I used that already...

Marvel comics seriously loses at life, for serious.

also, in sharp contrast, Sweeney Todd wins at life AND death! huzzah!

hey_big_tuna @ 2007-12-30T15:14:00

2007-12-30T20:21:53Z

BBC ROBIN HOOD MADE A '300' REFERENCE.

FTW.

Transformers Animated was fucking awesome.

Bumblebee: hi there, my name's Bumblebee!
Human Girl: I'm Sari.
Bumblebee: Oh, don't be. I like my name.

*giggle* sooooo witty. I have to keep reminding myself that this show is meant for 12 year olds.

also, I got a lightsaber for Christmas. Felt compelled to share that.

I'm going to go play with my lightsaber. By myself, in the dark. Hoping my mom doesn't walk in and catch me.

to all my fellow nerds

2007-12-25T05:16:18Z