Ken Savage: Man of Blog - Page 2

I really enjoyed this week's blog, man. A touch of geek and a touch of politic all rolled up in one. I totally agree with the fact that we guys don't grow up. Heck, my wife and I collect LEGO sets, play video games and are oftentimes total geeks. I think you nailed it.

As for the government sitch over there - my condolences. I'm not big on politics (never have been), but you made your rundown of the situation relatable and clear.

Great stuff. Cheers!

Another great blog, Ken! I applaud you for being able to find a writer that captures your own interests and passion. I can't seem to remember the last writer that did that for me, at least when it comes to literature. Now, when it comes to movies and television? Joss Whedon all the way.

Great entry despite being busy!

Another good read, man. I will admit, I don't watch wrestling at all, but I have quite a few friends that do. Though it doesn't interest me, I certainly respect it, especially after watching the movie The Wrestler. It takes a lot more than most people think to be able to pull off the stuff those guys pull off.

My friend Dan will always tell me, "Wrestling isn't fake. It's staged. All the crap those guys go through is real, but in the end they're just performers."

In fact, that's exactly what it is - performance art.

Another great one, sir. Though I'm a Yank, I absolutely adore almost every single one of your selections (never heard of Chortlon, but now I have to hunt it down). And another yes, absolutely to Dangermouse. Our Nickelodeon network aired that in the 80s, and I loved it.

You fine folk in the UK truly come up with some great stuff. Sometimes makes me wish I wasn't American.

Oh yeah! I totally forgot about Duckula! Nickelodeon showed that right after Dangermouse (plus another cartoon called Bananaman). I used to watch all three every weeknight around 7 PM when I was a wee lad. And you're right - Duckula was frikkin' sweet as well.

You have got a really great blog. Most people that write "nerd blogs" have wonderful, deep opinions and really know what they are talking about. Yet most of them are unreadable because you get the feeling that they are just talking to themselves and rambling. You've got a really conversational style of writing that carries your ideas so well and it seems like you go to the effort to organize your thoughts before actually beginning writing. Makes for great entries.

Anyway, here's my high five to you. I'm enjoying. Keep up the good work.

This was a sweet and endearing entry, Ken. Despite the general consensus over such things, I happen to enjoy nostalgia, whether it be mine or someone else's. And being a fellow childhood fan of Masters of the Universe, I really enjoyed this one.

Loved this one. Loved it. Mainly because you mention two of my favourite movies of all time. I have to be honest, I'm one of those folks who went in the other direction - my favourite film of all time is Empire - but Ghostbusters is definitely in my top five.

And your passion for Ghostbusters certainly shows in this entry. Great blog, man. Love the GB art, by the way.

I totally identify with you in that regard, my friend. My wife and I are both major geeks. We have different interests, but there are some overlaps. We both like to collect LEGO sets, for example.

So yeah, she is definitely one of those wives that has no problem supporting my geek interests. Example - for my birthday this year, she got me the Taun Taun sleeping bag from ThinkGeek.

Funny stuff, man! You took a subject that, in lesser hands, would turn into an unbelievably bland, MSN-style relationship blog, and brought your tone, sense of humour, and perceptiveness to bear on it. The resultant blog shows why yours is one of a select few its my pleasure to follow.

I hope you have a lovely holiday, too!

Ken, you have yourself a deal.

That was great Ken, I've been in a long term relationship with a definite non-geek for five years and I found myself nodding along sagely with every point. It took me a while to figure out that she's not really interested in things like the timeline of events from The Terminator series.

I particularly identify with the Xbox stuff as Red Dead Redemption has been occupying all of my spare time for the past few weeks, much to her annoyance.

Sorry for my absence, Ken! My work sched the past couple of weeks has been ass, and it has kept me from spending any decent amount of time on CHUD.

But, I just caught up with you last two entries. Both were great, as usual. I especially liked this latest one. A lot of great, insightful tips, but balanced with a good amount of humour. My wife and I are both geeks, so I can get away with more of what you advise against, but there was even a nugget or two of good advice in there for me. It's gonna suck to lose you to the South of France for a week.

Oh, and apologies ahead of time - I kind of pull you into my latest blog (which will go up tomorrow). Just a bit of wink-wink, nudge, nudge, say no more. It's all in good fun. So - thank you, and apologies.

Loved this week's blog, Ken. And being another avid watcher of Top Gear (you Brits really make some damn fine programming), I greatly appreciated a little spirit from the program thrown into this installment.

And welcome back, mate! You were missed.

This one made me want to buy walkie talkies. And chocolate eclairs.

Sounds like a fun holiday. All the Germans I've watched football with have been quite good humoured about it. Although considering how their team is doing I suppose they would.

Is there a section on how you start your own blog here? Or do you just write it and start a new thread? I would have thought this type of blog would go in the community section - 'Your CHUD blogs'. thanks.

Apologies for not getting around to last week's blog until today. Another great one, Ken. Hogwash on the cop-out, especially considering that you were able to knock this out while looking for a job and being doubly ill.

I hope you feel better soon, man. I understand completely what you are talking about with the gall stones. I've had two instances of kidney stones in the last ten years, and if that pain is anything like what I went through, my heart goes out to you - especially when your stones have been a constant for two years. Best wishes to your health, mate.

As for the unemployment portion of your blog - it continues to surprise me (and maybe even not so much) with how similar things are between your country and mine. Our unemployment facilities are all too similar to what you described. I think the only thing our process has that may be easier than what you're going through is that all we have to do is call a number once a week and mention three jobs we've applied to. They don't even check either, so you could make up three completely fake employers every week. They just want to make sure it sounds like you're actively seeking employment. Crazy.

Having been unemployed twice in my adult years, I feel you here too. Again, I hope things work out for you on this front as well. In the meantime, your blogs are always a lot of fun to read. Take care, man.

Wow, Ken. Great review. I'm just amazed at how much vitriol you spewed at these books. I remember a friend of mine in high school lent them to me when we were in tenth grade (this was around 1990). I loved them. At the time they were my favourite series. I even loved the Twins spin-off.

I'v re-read them twice since then - once in the late 90s and once about seven years ago. I thought they held up rather well, personally. I love the characters and the rich environments they are all woven into. Granted, I will admit that I also didn't care for the long poems that took up mulitple pages. But, even after three reads, I still find myself quite fond of them.

Then again, maybe I was till reading them with young eyes. I haven't cracked a single one of them open since I've been in my thirties, so maybe if I were to try to now I would react in much the same way you have. Egads, that may be enough to convince me I'd be better off being fond of what I think I remember, instead of revisiting them now and having that feeling shattered.

Still, very good review, good sir.

You've got to remember, Dragonlance wasn't just a series of novels, it was TSR's flagship new game setting. So the idea was to use the novels to get you interested enough to go out and buy the sourcebooks and the modules. And that wasn't going to happen if the novels told you everything.

I can't imagine having to read an entire book of flavor text which is basically what they seem like (from the piecemeal bits I've read over the years).

Haha, nice review Ken. Apart from LOTR and Prachett I think Dragonlance are the only fantasy books I've ever read. I must have been fifteen or sixteen because I read them not long after LOTR and I remember thinking to myself, "These seem to have a bunch of the required elements so why do these feel so half-assed?" Now I know why.

I think I slogged on to about halfway through the second book before realising the constant thought I was having was, "I could write as well as this and I'm at least half retarded."

I agree. Top Gear is one of the best shows ever made. I love it and I'm not even into cars!

Sorry I got to this one late. It's been a busy week.

I am also a fan of Top Gear. And like natalia, I'm not into cars that much. But the appeal of the show is much broader than that, which is why it appeals to so many people.

My favourite episode will always be the one where they travel through the conservative south with graffiti on their cars that would be enough to incite a lynch mob down there (and almost did). I was laughing and cringing at the same time, as their experiences were not exaggerations.

Another great blog, mate. Sadly, with my schedule this week I was unable to offer up my own installment. Hopefully I'll be able to get back into it next week.

Okay, that was a fun read. You have a great sense of humour. It could just be because you're British, though. Still, great sense of humour nonetheless.

There are two comparisons I would have liked to have seen, though. Dunno if you are familiar with the US TV show Monk (airs on USA network) - played by Tony Shalhoub, Monk is an ex-detective for the San Francisco police who was discharged and became OCD after his wife was killed.

Obviously Dr. Sloan would win in this comparison as well, since 1. Monk has a fear of germs while Dr. Sloan deals with them fearlessly every day, and 2. Dr. Sloan managed to bring in a butt-load of characters from other older TV shows as guests stars, while Monk just had the one crossover with Psych (another US detective show, also on the USA network).

The second one is a more perfect match-up - Sloan vs. House. My first instinct is to give this one immediately to House because it's Hugh Laurie, but in the spirit of the article Slaon would win because he is more mobile (skates vs. cane), and he's not addicted to vicodin. Bonus points because Sloan could find a way to cause House to lose his prescription and probably get his medical license taken away.


Two great blogs in one week! You're making me look bad.