Daniel J. Hogan's Blog

Magic of Eyri Podcast: big in China?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:13:21 GMT

Like any good webmaster, I check my visitor data pretty regularly. Over the past few months I’ve noticed some thing interesting–I get way more downloads of the Magic of Eyri Podcast in China than in the United States.

My stats, let me show you them:

Numbers don't lie--China uses more of my bandwidth.

Yes, I have more page views and hits in the U.S. of A than anywhere else, but the bandwidth usage in China is nearly twice the amount of the USA. I brought this up with some writer pals at ConClave back in October, and one mentioned that fantasy stuff is really popular in China right now. I mentioned this to a friend, and she asked a Chinese student she tutors and the student told her that podcasts are a popular method for learning English.

Oh boy.

I am equally amused and concerned that there might be scores of folks in China (or other places) learning English via my horrible Michigan accent, silly voices, made up words, and amateur voice acting. If you’re ever toolin’ round Shanghai and hear someone talking like this, then I’m probably to blame.

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Podcast 014, 1st draft of next novel done, weekly articles

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:33:26 GMT

A busy week, but I got a bunch done. Episode 014 of the Magic of Eyri Podcast is online, so set yer phasers to DOWNLOAD.

The big news of this past week is that the first draft of my next novel, working title Night of the Lonely Werewolf, is done. Yep, all 94,000+ words of it are finished. I opted to print the dang thing out (all 499 pages of it, double-spaced at 12 point font) as I go through the editing process. I’m glad I went this route, because I’ll at least have a hard copy of the first draft, and I like taking notes as I do that always important first read-through. I may need to invest in more red pens.

I'm oldschool. Markin' up the paper with a bunch of red marks.

This is the novel I started for last year’s National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo). Not happy that it took me almost a year to write the last 44,000 words after cranking out the first 50k in less than 30 days, but “thems the breaks.”

“Life happened” right after the holidays last year and I fell off the writing horse for a few months–but I dusted myself off and get right back on, spurs an’ all. Getting that first draft finished is key, after that, things kind of fall in place. But reaching that final goal of a workable first draft–no matter how good or bad it is–is super important.

I didn’t want to become a writer with a few half-finished novels lying around, so I’m happy that I soldiered on and finished this thing. The interesting thing is that I got some of my better ideas after that six month dry spell, life’s funny that way. I actually enjoy editing my novels and watching it change into something even better.

And here’s your weekly round-up of my various writings infesting other parts of the Internet:

Lansing’s International Flavor, Capital Gains (11.04.09)
The Big O Mess at Grumpy’s Diner will put a smile on your face, Examiner.com (11.10.09)
Photo tour of the Michigan Brewing Company Brewery, Examiner.com (11.11.09)
Sip some apple cider at Decker’s Coffee Company, Examiner.com (11.12.09)
This week’s High Noon Fantasy Hockey, IllegalCurve.com (11.09.09)

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Restaurant Examiner and IllegalCurve stories online

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:52:49 GMT

My first two articles as Lansing Restaurant Examiner are online. Here’s the first, it is about the cappuccino at Restaurant Mediteran. My second story is about the yummy pumpkin bisque at Soup Spoon Cafe.

Some more great news: I am now doing a weekly column about fantasy hockey for the hockey blog IllegalCurve.com. My first column went online today. They pop up every Monday at noon (I turn them in Sunday night-ish).

I know what you’re thinking: where can I get an awesome hat like this dude? How the heck can he do all of these side things, along with his other freelance work, the podcast, his in-progress novel and his day job?

Answer: I’ll make it happen. There will be a bit of a learning curve as I get used to these added duties, but I think once I get in the habit things will get smoother. Also, as a person who works better under pressure and with deadlines, this will strengthen my time management skills.

I’m already getting better–I set up a Google doc today to act as a note pad for my hockey column during the week. I read about hockey daily anyway, and this way I’ll have a running tally of news and ideas–unlike last night when I had to spend a lot of time looking for stuff while working on my first column.

My second Examiner story went way smoother today as well. I made the mistake of using the advanced publishing tool for the first story and it resulted in way more work than I needed to do. Heck, I wrote all of the Soup Spoon story and started a new story tonight while at the laundry mat. I’m confident I’ll do fine.

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Examined

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:29:18 GMT

Great news today as I found out I was accepted to be the Lansing Restaurant Examiner for Examiner.com.

For those unfamiliar. Examiner.com is a network of local bloggers that focus on a certain topic for each city. These bloggers are usually based in or near a big city. Michigan has sections for Detroit and Grand Rapids, but not Lansing specifically–however, there were a few I saw.

They proudly display ads on the site asking folks to apply to be an Examiner of whatever topic they wish. So, being the crazy ambitious person I am, I filled out a form and pitched bloggin’ ’bout restaurants in our fair capital city.

I’ll post a link to my page once it gets set up, which could be a few days. They ask that I aim for three to four posts a week, but they can be short–between 250 to 500 words. Heck, I write more than that in Twitter updates on any given day. The goal here is frequent, short posts. I can do that. I enjoy dining out and any of my friends know I’m a big foodie. Also, I have prior experience writing about such things thanks to my freelance work with Capital Gains. However, my style for Examiner will be a bit different than how I write for Capital Gains. I’m going for more of a loose, witty, goofy style for Examiner. I try to keep the Capital Gains stories a bit more on the serious side, to match the style of the rest of the website.

The other interesting thing is that the Examiner stuff is done pretty much without a net (my first post will be reviewed however), so it’ll all be on me in regards to editing and style (which isn’t any different than this blog post).

Yes, I get paid. My payment is based on traffic (page views, subscribers, etc).

I’m excited. I’m not expecting to make any a bunch of money doing this, but the way I look at it, I dine out any way, I might as well get the writing experience and exposure. I learned about Examiner via my pal Kevin, who is the Chicago Comic Books Examiner. I love his funny style, it is something I want to try and emulate–which I think would make my subject more fun to read about over more traditional restaurant reviews.

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Magic of Eyri Episode 013 Online

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:01:51 GMT

Fire up them .MP3 players kiddies, episode 013 of The Magic of Eyri Podcast, “Fight!,” is now online. Check it out: http://magicofeyri.com/2009/10/013-fight/

This episode, and the next two, have plenty of action. Uncle Shameless dukes it out with the bounty hunter Zeroth. Good times are had by all. Uh, well maybe not.

In Fistful of Dollars costume news, my metal chest plate is finished, mom mailed me my vest and scarf and I picked up some cigars last night (don’t tell mom). I did buy a hat yesterday, but after getting it home I hated it and realized it just wasn’t going to work. Sigh. That’s $10 I’ll never see again. I’m going to suck it up and buy a nice felt hat for around $30. At least it is something I can wear after Halloween. It won’t be 100% the same as Clint’s, but it will be close enough.

I will do a proper blog update about the progress of the costume later.

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Fantasy Hockey – Week 2

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:06:35 GMT

Yakkin’ ’bout my fantasy hockey team. Click on cut to read at own risk.

After surveying whom I got stuck with after the auto-pick draft, I started making a bunch of changes to the ol’ roster. As of today, I’ve made 11 moves (which I think counts both dropping and adding a player as separate counts). Here’s the list, the top being most recent and so forth.

I've been busy. I lead my league with transactions.

Yeah, I picked up some folks and then dropped then soon after. ::shrug:: It happens. You have to go with who is hot and cut ties with those that are bringing you down, or ain’t on a streak any longer. I was happy to get Steve Sullivan at first, as he’s a proven 60+ point scorer and has been Nashville’s best forward…hm…ever. However, Sully is off to a slow start, as is most of Nashville, so I had to move on.

Derek Morris was on my team for maybe 48 hours before I saw how great Matt Carle is doing while being paired with Chris “How Many Different Teams Can I Take to the Finals” Pronger. Samsonov–slow start and inconsistent. Gone. Kostitsyn, slow too.

Other cuts: Sykora, a slow start, groin problems and being placed on injured reserve. Bye. Hated to cut Lenio, but, Benn from Dallas has been doing a lot better. I think Lenio might pick it up eventually, as the Red Wings are now dealing with losing Franzen for several months, and having Datsyuk out against the Avalanche didn’t help matters at all. I’m keeping an eye on Lenio. If he starts to pick up, I’ll try and grab him again.

The free agent pick ups:

D-men – Johnson, 7 points, +4. Doughty, 6 points, +1. Carle, 8 points, +5. Doughty, 6 points, +1 is reaping the benefits of LA having a hot start. Carkner, 2 points, +6, is still on probation, as I just picked him up at the end of my first week. He’s on pace for over 200 PIMs this season, which is something I need–and better still, he’s eligible to play at RW or D, which is great. He’s getting around 19 minutes a night with an Ottawa squad that seems to be surviving losing Dany Heatley (5-2, at the top of the Northeast division).

Wingers – Justin Williams, 9 points, has been one of my better waiver wire steals so far this season. He is clicking with his linemates Smyth and Kopitar big time. He’s a much better RW option than what I started with. Benn, 7 points, has been tearing it up with follow Dallas rookie James Neal, 7 points–another pick-up of mine.

Neal is taking a bunch of shots, 27 so far, and is third behind Malkin on my team (36–who had 12 last night alone, yikes) and Vrbata (32 shots). Heatley, my goal leader with 6, only has 23 shots on goal so far. Brunette has been a great addition too–he’s second on my team with 5 goals (8 points total), but his +/- could be better (-5).

Goalies – If’in it ain’t one thang, it’s another. Two of my goalies, Gustavsson and Theodore, were injured early on. Thankfully, Theodore was only day to day (he should be back soon) and at least The Monster was put on IR, allowing me to snatch a new goalie without dumping someone. I picked up Atlanta’s Ondrej Pavelec (3-1, 2.37 GAA, .929 SV%) and I am glad I did. I might try and hang on to him after the Monster comes off IR. Carrying four goalies might be overkill, but with neither the Monster nor Theodore for sure starters, it probably ain’t a bad idea.

Bumps an’ Bruises: The big news this week is that my top D-man, Sergei Gonchar (8 points, 5 of which were on the powerplay) is injured and could miss 4 to 6 weeks. ARGH. I’m hoping he gets put on IR and that I can drop him down there at the same time Schneider comes off (which should be soon), meaning I wouldn’t have to cut someone or try to find a new d-man.

Aw, Man: Boston’s #1 center, Savard, is out–I don’t have him, but I have his wingman, Marco Strum. Savard is out 4 to 6 weeks and this means Strum’s value drops big time. Playing with a center who averages 80 assists a season makes Strum a decent LW, but without Savard’s playmaking, how good will he be? (case in point: Boston beat Nashville tonight 3-2 , Strum had zero points and one shot on goal)

The sting here is that I cut Lenio over Strum for the reason that Strum plays with Savard (and there is no guarantee that Lenio will play with Datsyuk or Zetterberg).

Standings after week one: 11th place (5-10-2) out of fourteen teams.

I got destroyed in week one, 10 to 5. Weak goaltending, aided by two goalies getting injured, and Heatley having a bad week, did me in.

Through Tuesday, I am leading in this week’s match-up, 9 to 6. I’d like to get above .500, and soon.

Marked for the Chop:
Marco Strum, LW. See above.

Scott Gomez, C, (4 points in 8 games) really needs to kick it up a notch (bam?). But then the same could be said of the rest of the Canadiens. I’d hate to cut Gomez, as he at least gets a bunch of face-offs won, but I’m center-heavy and would like to get rid of one eventually (ideally, via a trade for a winger).

Radim Vrbata, RW, 4 points in 7 games. Despite being second on my team with 32 shots, Vrbata is on a 5 game point slump–he hasn’t scored a point since the second game of the season. However, he gets special consideration (to a point), since decent RW’s are hard to come by. But he better get it going. If he got the token goal against the Red Wings on Thursday (and the Wings won) I’d be happy.

Tomas Kaberle, D, 4 points in 7 games, -4. OK, the Maple Leafs have yet to win a game this season, which is reason enough to cut someone. But, Gonchar going down this week will probably cause me to keep Kabbie around for a bit longer–and he’s a fairly consistent scorer over the years, averaging 0.58 points a game over his career. Not bad. And things could pick up if/when Kessel finally skates with his new team. (Yes, Ryan Whitney, another of my d-men, has the same amount of points in as many games–but Whitney is +3 and gets penalty minutes).

Escaped the Ax:
Derick Brassard, C, 5 points in 7 games–but he’s on a four game point streak, including two points in one game on the 20th. Nice. He plays with Rick Nash, how can he not rack up the points?

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A Fistful of Costumes-Part Four

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:11:44 GMT

A Fistful of Costumes – Part Four: eBay Man’s Boots

Days Until Halloween: 15

Part One :: Part Two :: Part Three

My boots arrived this week–the pair I won on eBay last week or so.

Boots with the spurs I bought.

I’m pretty happy with ‘em. The good thing is that they are already broken in, so they comfortable to wear. I’ve been wearing them (sans spurs) while out and about this week to get accustomed to how they feel–and I gotta say, I like it. Not having to worry about shoe laces is nice, but they are rather warm which is great for the chilly weather as of late.

And they make me a bit taller. Which is a plus.

The white whale of this costume remains the hat. I stopped at a couple places today, but had zero luck. I’ll hit up another shop or two I’ve been to before and figure something out. It may come down to getting a hat that I have to reshape the brim to make it close. I’d prefer a brown hat, but I’m afraid I might get stuck with black hat, which, horror of horrors, would clash with the brown leather of the rest of my costume. Oh well.

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Your Store Could Use Some Fixin

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:14:04 GMT

Mojo Nixon’s back baby, bigger than life and twice as crazy.

In perhaps the best news of 2009, Amazon has made most of Mojo Nixon’s albums available as free .MP3 downloads. If you enjoy crazy rockabilly music, then look no further. Mojo does not disappoint. Heck, he even gets a shout out in the song Punk Rock Girl by the Dead Milkmen.

Oh and you might also remember him as Toad in the Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Or maybe that’s just me.

Anyway, most of his albums are hard to find in stores or online (at least in my experience), so do take this opportunity to enrich your musical library with such classics as Elvis is Everywhere or Don Henley Must Die. I had the sheer luck of finding a new copy of Whereabouts Unknown at Flat Black and Circular in East Lansing about a year ago, and quickly purchased it.

I read this is in support of Mojo’s new release, Whiskey Rebellion, which is a neat concept–but given that Mojo hasn’t been in the eye of the mainstream for…uh…awhile, I can see why this happened.

Or better yet, in the man’s own words:

“Can’t wait for Washington to fix the economy. We must take bold action now. If I make the new album free and my entire catalog free it will stimulate the economy. It might even over-stimulate the economy. History has shown than when people listen to my music, money tends to flow to bartenders, race tracks, late night greasy spoons, bail bondsman, go kart tracks, tractor pulls, football games, peep shows and several black market vices. My music causes itches that it usually takes some money to scratch.”

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A Fistful of Costumes – Part Three

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:10:09 GMT

A Fistful of Costumes – Part Three: See My Vest

Days Until Halloween: 19

Part One :: Part Two

I won a pair of cowboy boots on eBay last week, which I’m happy about. They have not arrived yet–and part of me is worried they did while at ConClave this weekend and that the postal person left the box outside my door and they were whisked away by some troubled youth. We’ll see. However, I did pick up a pair of spurs and I can’t wait to wear them with the boots.

Jingle jangle? You BET.

I tried them out with a pair of work boots I have and I had a hard time taking them off–I was having too much fun walking around (stately Hogan Manor) with them on.

Additionally, I solved the orange-tip issue with my non-firing Colt SAA replica. I found a dart for a toy gun that fit inside the barrel. Easy. I tried to glue the flared sides of the suction cup down, but alas that did not work. I may pick up some orange tape or something and tape up the tip a bit, up until the aiming blade.

"Thanks for the tip."

Lastly, Mom is hard at work making me a vest and scarf. I saw what she had thus far over the weekend, and she really hit it out of the park. I just asked for a simple brown vest, but she also got material to do the lining.

Clint's vest in Fistful. Image © United Artists

And what Mom has so far:

Not made of real gorilla chest.

The scarf is tied around the neck at the back and I’m glad it is a thin material, as I’m sure this is going to be a hot costume to wear between the shirt, poncho, vest, scarf and something referencing Eastwood’s improvised bulletproof vest.

Oh, Clint! He's so crafty.Image © United Artists

I don’t plan on wearing a piece of sheet metal under the poncho, but I’ll rig something up. Maybe a cookie sheet from Goodwill that I’ll beat the heck out of or something else. My concern is weight and comfort. I had a thought of just using duct tape to make it, you know sticking it to itself. It’d have the look and be light weight, as well as flexible.

As a bit of a joke, I’m thinking of including the Heart Breaker logo Scud the Disposable Assassin wears somewhere on whatever I come up with.

I’m pretty much set except for the dang hat.

I can't find anything close to this around town. Image © United Artists

I came close to something last week, but it was over $30 and didn’t look that good on me. I gotta find something, but this is proving to be a bit of a challenge. I may say the heck with it and get the $30 hat, although it is a bit of a stretch in appearance. If it was dead on, I wouldn’t hesitate but is is only slightly similar.

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Freelance, ConClave and Werewolves–Oh My!

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:54:12 GMT

My latest feature article for Capital Gains is now online, I interview someone who moved to the Lansing area from China. I have two more stories in the hopper, I’ll post when those get put online. I also have two new assignments–one of which deals with being single in Lansing. Should be interesting.

I had the pleasure of being a guest at the science fiction and fantasy fan convention, ConClave once again this weekend. I had a great time like always, running into Jim C. Hines, who was there promoting his latest release, Mermaid’s Madness, and the always entertaining M. Keaton.

It is fun to reconnect with writer friends and to make new ones at these conventions. I was a part of nine events, including the Writer’s Workshop (I read and critiqued stories), panel discussions (ranging from zombies to werewolves to comic books) and I was even a contestant in a Last Man Standing Sci-Fi/Fantasy Trivia Contest–and I came in 2nd place.

My prize for coming in second is that my name will be used for the name of the president of the CDC in an upcoming zombie novel (The Ravening) by Stewart Sternberg. Stewart said that there will be a quote at the start of a chapter, which will be attributed to said CDC president, so something along these lines perhaps, to give you an idea:

“I see no reason to panic. As long as none of them bite you, you’ll be just fine. Oh, and wash your hands. Seriously, people.”

- Daniel Hogan, President of the CDC.

I’m excited to see what Stewart comes up with–he’s threatening to make it something that will cause an angry mob to show up at my door. Hey, I can use the publicity. The novel will be available in stores and obviously I’ll do a post once that happens. The grand prize winner will be made into a character that gets ripped apart by zombies. Lucky. Amusingly, I lost my shot at first place by not knowing the name of Barbara’s brother in the original Night of the Living Dead (Johnny).

Speaking of Mr. Sternberg, we were on a panel about werewolves at ConClave, which I recorded for this week’s podcast. Check it out. I’m glad I recorded it, because between late nights at work this week and getting ready for the con, I didn’t have the next episode of the Magic of Eyri finished. Hooray for filler. Give the panel a listen, it is a fun time. Jon David, Rick Moore, Charles Zaglanis and William Jones join us as well.

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(Final) Fantasy Hockey

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:54:39 GMT

I signed up for a Yahoo! Fantasy Hockey League for the first time in a few years. I’ll be honest, I missed it. When you’re in a fantasy league, you quickly grow accustomed to absorbing any and all information relating to your fantasy sport of choice. Once you do that a few times, it is hard to ignore that hunger ever again.

Thankfully, I’m in a league with at least a few people I know, unlike the league of strangers I was in last time (note: League of Strangers is a cool name for something, must remember that one…)

I’m in a head to head league–meaning, all of my players’ stats go up against my opponent’s players’ stats for the week, similar to the way most Fantasy Football leagues are run (ex: I have 10 goals at the end of the week, Player B has 7, I win that category). In the past, I’ve mainly done what are called rotisserie leagues–your points fluctuate based on your ranking regarding each stat, usually based on how many teams in your league (ex: if I’m leading in goals at the end of the day in a 14 team league, I earn 14 points. But, if I drop to third the next day, I only have 12 points in that category).

Each type of league has its advantages and disadvantages. It is easier to come from behind in a head to head league, as if you have a great couple of weeks you can jump to the lead. But in a rotisserie league, if you get in a rut from the start, you might never climb out.

We had an auto-pick draft for our league, forgoing a live draft due to our crazy schedules. However, I customized my pre-draft rankings and I think I did pretty well considering we had a fairly large league of 14 teams.

I drafted 2nd overall–which is good, but also bad. The draft order is serpentine, meaning that while I get to pick second in round one, I pick second to last in round two, 27th overall (the person picking 14th overall gets two picks in a row: 14 and 15). By the time I get my second pick, 26 other players have already been picked (assuming my math is correct).

My crew, in the order drafted:

The Yellow Scarfs

: My team’s logo and patron Saint, Proto Man. Image © Capcom</p>

(my team name, named after Proto Man, which in turn inspired the character Zeroth in my novel/podcast The Magic of Eyri. Zeroth also wears a yellow scarf)

1. (2) Evgeni Malkin – MVP candidate last season, keeps getting better and better.

2. (27) Dany Heatley – Disgruntled sniper that demanded a trade to a new team. 50 goal scorer.

3. (30) Joe Thornton – Great set-up man, line mate of Dany Heatley. Wins lots of faceoffs.

4. (55) Steve Mason – Rookie of the year winner last season. Goalie. Getting a great goalie or two is key in fantasy hockey.

5. (58) Sergei Gonchar – Scoring defenseman.

6. (83) Scott Gomez – Capable center playing on a line with two sniper wingers, could be the center of one of the best lines in the league.

7. (86) Henrik Sedin – Another high scoring center.

8. (111) Tomas Kaberle – Decent scoring defenseman.

9. (114) Mikko Koivu – Developing scoring center, 60+ points last season, wins lots of faceoffs.

10. (139) Petr Sykora – New team, could be a sleeper winger. I’m hoping he is.

11. (142) Mathieu Schneider – Scoring d-man, hoping playing with the Sedin twins will help him rack up a bunch of points.

12. (167) Marco Sturm – So-so winger, but Boston has been playing really well as of late.

13. (170) Andrei Kostitsyn – Another so-so Left Wing. Sub-par season last year. Hoping he rebounds.

14. (195) Ryan Whitney – Scoring d-man, will get more minutes with Pronger not being on the team any more.

15. (198) Jose Theodore – An OK goalie, probably good for 30 wins. But, could lose his starting gig to a young upstart rookie goalie.

16. (223) Derick Brassard – Was in the running for Rookie of the Year until injury/surgery shortened his season.

17. (226) Mike Comrie – Meh. A prime example of someone I wouldn’t have drafted had I been running the draft live.

18. (251) Sergei Samsonov – Another possible sleeper winger.

19. (254) Ville Leino – One time scoring leader of the Finnish hockey league, now a rookie with the Red Wings. After losing three wingers to free agency, it is looking like Lenio will have lots of chances to step up.

20. (279) Radim Vrbata – Back with Phoenix, had a great season the last time he was there (27 goals).

21. (282) Jonas Gustavsson – The Monster. Could steal the starting goalie gig on the Maple Leafs.

22. (307) Andrej Meszaros – Lame season last year with the Bolts. Will probably drop him.

23. (310) Andrej Sekera – Will be dropped ASAP.

I’m happy with the results for the most part, by my last two picks irked me a bit, as both are rather lackluster defensemen. The problem was that my list was based on us originally have 16 teams drafting, but then we dropped to 14 at the last minute, which changed things a bit.

The problem with the auto-draft is that while it follows your order, it also looks to fill what you need how it sees fit–and I don’t know how it decides. For example, there might be a great Right Wing available, but it sees that you need a Left Wing and skips down to that, avoiding the better player. I think this is why I have a bunch of Centers. The advantage of a live draft is that you can make calls like that on the fly “Oh, that guy’s still available…I really need a Right Wing, but this Defensemen is awesome…”

Where my strategy paid off was with picks two and three–Heatley was ranked lower this year because of a crappy season in Ottawa. He was recently traded to San Jose, and plays on the top line with Thornton. The good thing here is that I could be doubling my points on a given night–if Thornton assists on a Heatley goal, I get both of those points.

I also got some nice steals in the early and later rounds, mainly Brassard (a rookie of the year consideration last season until having season ending surgery: 25 points in 31 games, not bad) and Gustavsson (a goalie nicknamed The Monster because he is so big).

And I’m really happy I was able to get Leino from the Red Wings. After Heatley though, I’m fairly weak when it comes to wingers, but a few of my guys could be sleepers. Penalty Minutes is one of our categories, so I gotta pick up some goons.

…How the heck did my last two picks both end up being guys named Andrej?

And I leave you with this:

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A Fistful of Costumes-Part Two

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:34:23 GMT

A Fistful of Costumes – Part 2: Shoot to Thrill

Part 1

My non-firing Colt Single Action Army replica (say that ten times fast) arrived Friday afternoon, along with the leather gun belt/holster and 28 solid brass dummy cartridges.

I aim to misbehave.

I am very happy with the gun, as it looks just like an original Colt–and I think it weights the same too, as it is rather heavy. I’m glad I opted for the longer barrel (that’s what she said), but I imagine “spinning” and quick drawing the shorter barreled version would be easier.

Loading gate open, dummy rounds loaded.

Everything on the gun works, which is really neat. The hammer has two positions, half-cocked (loading) and full cocked (firing). The loading gate pops open and the ejector tube works, although the dummy rounds will usually just fall out if the gun is tilted upward with the gate open (which is the case with a real Colt, I’m sure).

Eject!

My only point of concern is that the gun does not have an orange tip, which I think it legally has to for me to wear in public. I can rig something up, I’m sure.

No orange tip, which could make carrying this in public a problem.

The dummy rounds are OK, but I thought they would be a bit longer–but they suit the task they were designed for. Some are difficult to eject from the cylinder of the Colt, as they seem to get wedged in a bit. I think once the gun/rounds get broken in a bit more everything will be fine, everything is already starting to work a bit smoother after a couple days of use.

I may not “load” the gun with the dummy rounds when carrying it in public, out of concern of misunderstandings. Better safe than sorry, but we’ll see. If I’m at someone’s house for a party indoors, that’s one thing–but if I’m walking around a convention or something, well I may leave the dummy rounds out.

The belt and holster however, were a big disappointment–not in regards to the construction, which is fine, but the decoration. The bad job is down right horrible. In the photos I viewed online, the paint job appeared more blended in and uniform. With my belt, it looks like someone just ran a black brush along the edges–or that a the last step was skipped. Considering I paid a little over $40 for this belt, I was not happy. But in terms of functionality, the belt/holster work just fine.

I am not happy with the lameo paint job on this holster. The pictures on the Internet led me to believe these colors would be blended in a bit better.

The loops don’t always keep the cartridges secure, but I knew about that ahead of time. I picked up some putty that I’ll use to secure the cartridges in the belt. I’m torn as it if I should keep the entire belt filled or only about half or so–with several empty loops between cartridges. I think the look of having less cartridges might be a bit more interesting, as it hints at some of the ammo being used.

I also picked up the a poncho at a local Halloween shop (which upon spotting some weeks ago was the inspiration for this costume). Yes, this isn’t the exact same thing Eastwood wears in Fistful of Dollars, but I don’t care. It is close enough and at least a similar color (yes, it is green despite sometimes looking brown in the films).

Not the exact design, but it'll do.

My next quest is finding a decent hat and a pair of boots. For these, I want to go cheap–which I quickly realizing might not be an option. After visiting three resale places and a slew of shoe places, I am currently trying to get a pair of boots on eBay. Again, they don’t have to be exactly what Eastwood had. I just want an affordable pair of boots I can wear spurs with (which I found at a store, but haven’t bought yet).

The hat is a whole other challenge. Eastwood doesn’t wear a typical cowboy hat in Fistful of dollars and finding anything even remotely close is proving to be expensive. I have some options locally, so I’ll hold off a bit, hoping to see if I can score something on eBay–but I’m hesitant to buy a hat on eBay because I won’t know how it’ll fit until it arrives. I may have to suck it up and drop a bunch on a hat..or just say the heck with it and get a cheaper one that is only kind of close. I saw one today at Gander Mountain for $30 that was pretty close (but black).

As far as the rest of the costume, I commissioned my mom to make me a vest–doesn’t have to be hide like in the film, just a light tan material is fine. I have a shirt and jeans that are close enough…and other than that, all I need is cloth for the scarf he wears and the trademark cigars (someone I know already recommended a brand to try).

Finding a hat like that is a problem. Mom is making me the vest, I have a shirt and jeans. Just need a black scarf and cigars. Image © United Artists

Mirrored from Daniel J. Hogan. If something doesn't look right or show up, view the original blog post. Feel free to comment here or on the original post

A Fistful of Costumes – Part 1

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:05:59 GMT

A Fistful of Costumes: Part One – Danny, Get Yer Gun

Days Until Halloween: 30

I decided the heck with it and ordered the non-firing Colt Single Action Army replica, the leather gun belt/holster and the brass dummy rounds for my Man with No Name costume.

After a lot of searching online, I found a site where I got everything for about $130 (including shipping). Pricey I know, but one of my recent freelance articles more than pays for that (which is the whole reason I write the freelance stuff to begin with–to pay for goofy things like this). Plus, I was part of a focus group for the Lansing State Journal on Monday night, earning me a bounty of $25 for an hour of my time.

When I realized I could use the gun/holster for future costumes (I already have several ideas), I decided it would be a good investment. If anything, it will make for a good show piece at home, how’s that for a conversation starter?

The first website I was found had what I wanted for a few dollars cheaper (sequel pun not intended), but when I went to their shopping cart I kept getting warnings from my browser that their security certificate was expired and/or unreliable. I sent the website an email in regards to this, but I ended up finding a different website to go through and pulled the trigger on the deal (pun intended). I’m glad I did–it is looking like I might get my gear as early as tomorrow, which we be great because I could wear some of it to ConClave next weekend.

Only at a fandom hotel convention can you get away with wearing a gun belt all day. I may wait and wear it only when moderating panels or giving critiques for the Writer’s Workshop. We’ll see.

The website I contacted eventually responded, saying they were in the process of overhauling their site and said I could just pay with Paypal and directed me to their new URL. But the new site had next to nothing on it. I ended up paying a little bit more by using the site I did (maybe $10, if that) but the peace of mind is priceless.

I opted for the Cavalry model over the Peacemaker (the website’s names, as both are technically Peacemakers)–the only difference is the barrel length. The Cavalry has a 6 and 1/4 inch barrel, while the Peacemaker has a 4 inch barrel (start with the Freudian jokes). The shorter barrel was the favorite for trick shots and quick draws in the films and wild west shows (and was more popular with civilians), but since I’m not getting into any quick draw contests, I wanted the gun that had a better ‘look.’

Honestly, when I think of a Single Action Army, I visualize the longer barreled versions, because they had a more distinct look. Eastwood’s SAA in Fistful of Dollars had a barrel length of just under six inches.

I’ll take pictures of the gear once I get everything. I’m excited. I even watched Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More last night as research/inspiration.

My next big task is finding cowboy boots and a hat that is at least somewhat similar to Clint’s. Luckily, I saw that the local TSC store sells spurs at an affordable price. I was on the fence about wearing real spurs at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it would be a cool addition (especially the sound of me walking around with them on).

The local costume shop has plastic spurs, but again, I want stuff that’ll last. I’m sick of spending money on cheap props that break easily (as I’m sure these plastic spurs would).

Boots could be an issue, as a I don’t want to spend a lot on them, but if I can find a pair of real boots for under $40, I might get those. I will hit up the Goodwill and the like first however–you never know what you’ll find there. Eastwood’s boots in Fistful aren’t anything fancy (which I’m thankful for), they are more or less basic cowboy work boots. Again, if I do additional Western themed costumes, buying a pair of boots would be a good investment (as would the spurs).

Stay tuned, I will keep blogging as I put the rest of this costume together and will have photos. I’ll probably do another Flickr set like I did for my Ghostbuster costume.

Mirrored from Daniel J. Hogan. If something doesn't look right or show up, view the original blog post. Feel free to comment here or on the original post

Which Way of the Gun

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:40:10 GMT

Halloween is nigh, and I have to start cranking on my costume. For the moment, I am still very much leaning toward the Man With No Name from the film A Fistful of Dollars.

yeah I could pull this off, I think.

Most of the required gear is easy, as I found a poncho at a nearby costume shop but the biggest part of the costume is going to be the gun I get.

To me, much like my proton pack for last year’s Ghostbuster costume, the gun I end up getting will either make or break the costume. I can go one of two ways with this: cheap with a metal cap gun, or expensive with a non-firing Colt Single Action Army replica.

I didn’t want a plastic cap gun, as they are all pretty much lame. I found a metal one, the Big Tex–and it comes with a holster, another important component of the costume. I’m not worried about either the gun nor the holster matching exactly what Eastwood had in Dollars, I just want something that looks good. The Big Tex would be an inexpensive way to go, but, at the same time I’m more or less just buying a toy. And the holster is only plastic (or pleather).

The expensive option is the non-firing Colt SAA replica made by a company called Denix. This baby is the exact look, feel and (nearly) weight of an original Colt SAA, the handgun of western films (and Revolver Ocelot). Being a bit of a western junkie, I’ve always wanted a SAA of my own, and if I ever considered buying a real handgun, that would be one I’d consider.

The replica isn’t cheap, running about $60–but compared to some air soft guns, that isn’t too bad. Everything works with this model: the hammer, the action, the cylinder rotates, the loading gate and cartridge ejector. You can “fire” the gun, only in the sense you can squeeze the trigger and the hammer activates (and like the original SAA, the hammer has two click positions–one is for loading, the other firing I believe). It is not possible to actually fire this gun or to make it fire–the barrel is solid (and after finally seeing a different angle on eBay, I was relieved to see there is the required orange cap recessed into the barrel).

However, if I get the replica, I still need a holster. The company makes a very nice looking leather holster (complete with a leg tie) for about $44 (although I found it for $50-something on eBay, but with free shipping). The other neat bit is that it has leather loops for “dummy rounds“–fake bullets that are just solid brass. These rounds can also be “loaded” in the replica gun (obviously, nothing happens when you pull the trigger). I found a site that sells ‘em for 59 cents a piece (I’d probably order at least 12–six for the gun, six for the belt).

But here is my problem: do I just say “who cares?” and drop $20 on a mediocre cap gun, or do I spend over $100 on a high quality replica, holster and dummy bullets?

The only advantage of going the cheap route is that, it is cheap. However, going the expensive route has more advantages.

First, the expensive stuff isn’t going to break after the first time I wear it. My main complaint of my (self-built) proton pack was that it is very breakable, so much that I can’t even wear it any more. And I’ve bought cheap prop weapons in the past, and they never lasted that long.

Secondly, the replica, holster and dummy rounds just look AWESOME.

Thirdly, this is a prop I can easily use for other costumes (Rooster Cogburn from True Grit comes to mind)–or just wear it around the office. It think it’d go pretty good with at least one of my suits. There is the safety issue here too: I can legally wear this thing to parties, conventions, in public, etc because it is not technically a ‘gun.’ (this doesn’t mean I’ll wear it around town or something, I’m not stupid). But because it is a prop, there is no danger of using it for a costume–that’s the whole point–whereas with a real SAA, there are all kinds of legal issues if I tried using it for a costume. Heck, I was nervous about getting the replica until I saw that it had the required orange tip in a different photo (the stock images didn’t show the angle where you could see it, probably on purpose).

Lastly, it will fulfill my fantasy of owning a real SAA to some extent. Yes, I won’t be able to fire it, but honestly after researching .22 target shooting rifles (I’m considering buying one, but just for target shooting at a range), I’ve discovered how expensive firearms–especially ammo–can be. Also: SAA style handguns run in the neighborhood of $400+ on the low end (based on what I’ve seen locally). Yikes. If I get the SAA replica et al, I’m not buying a .22 until the Spring (I still need a new iPod as well. PRIORITIES.).

Another thing is that the novel I’m currently working on has a character that uses a revolver based on a SAA, so if I had one to mess around with (even without being able to fire), I could get a better idea as to how it feels, the weight, etc.

If I get the replica, I will probably go the cheaper route for the remainder of the costume, namely the hat and boots. Finding a hat just like his has been a bit difficult. The cowboy hats I’ve seen around so far don’t have the flat top like Eastwood’s does. I would like to get something pretty close to that, as the hat is rather distinct. We’ll see though.

The vest he wears under the poncho could be a challenge (it is some kind of hide deal), but I will do the thing with him wearing the metal on his chest as a sort of proto-bullet proof vest. I will also have to grow some of my beard back and at least pretend to smoke those cigars.

If I go all the way for this (the expensive route), this could be a really awesome costume. And honestly, I probably spent at least $100 building my Ghostbuster costume anyway (easily) and all of that stuff broke apart (even my goggles!).

Mirrored from Daniel J. Hogan. If something doesn't look right or show up, view the original blog post. Feel free to comment here or on the original post

Podcast 012 Online, Ignite lansing

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:38:16 GMT

Yes, the latest free episode of the Magic of Eyri podcast is now online. I had some fun creating now vocal effects for some of the new characters. I tell ya, I could spend hours coming up with those things–and I usually do.

GarageBand makes it pretty easy to create and tweak your own effects. It reminds of a time when a friend told me about a digital effect pedal he got for his guitar, he said getting the pedal set his learning guitar back by a year due to spending all of his time playing with the pedal’s effects.

Friday night was the Ignite Lansing event here in town. It was an amazing sight, but sadly I was stuck at work and wasn’t able to watch any of the presentations. I had a break and was able to swing by for a little bit as things got started. Seeing lots of creative people in one spot was great.

The event was held at what used to be the Temple Club–an old church that was turned into a music venue. It was a great place to see a show: I saw Electric Six there twice and both were fantastic shows. However, the Club did not survive and Lansing lost of its unique (and honestly, best) music venues. Currently it is being turned into office space, and while I’m glad the building is going to be used again, it isn’t the same.

The word on the street is that Ignite Lansing 3.0 will take place in March. I’m considering signing up to do a presentation on podcasts. You suggest a topic and people vote on the topics they want to see–if you win, you have to give a presentation on that topic in five minutes, using twenty slides. Lots of pressure, but I think I could do it.

Mirrored from Daniel J. Hogan. If something doesn't look right or show up, view the original blog post. Feel free to comment here or on the original post

Life in Lansing Article Online

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:23:19 GMT

My latest freelance piece for Lansing Capital Gains is now online–it is about the website LifeInLansing.com. This was a fun story to work on, as it was great to see these folks doing what they can to help promote events around town. I turned in my next assignment this week (on deadline–bam!), a tour of some of Lansing’s world food restaurants. It is by no means a “Best Of” list, just a quick informational piece. It was a tasty piece to “research,” and I have the extra pounds to prove it.

I also updated my Writing Samples and Resume pages.

In Halloween costume news, I swung by a local costume shop–one of the mega costume stores that appears in early September and disappears on November 1st, like some kind of costuming Bringadoon.

My plan for the moment is go as The Man With No Name character from thee Fistful of Dollars trilogy. The main thing I need to pull this off is the trademark poncho Clint Eastwood wears. Thankfully, they had ponchos (not the exact design, but that’s OK), so that part is taken care of. Next, I need to find a decent looking gun with a hip holster, and a hat. I can get the Eastwood squint/scowl down, no problem–and I’ve already been working on the voice (which I use for the Magic of Eyri podcast).

All in all, this should be an easier task than last year’s Ghostbuster costume.

Mirrored from Daniel J. Hogan. If something doesn't look right or show up, view the original blog post. Feel free to comment here or on the original post

Red Dawn Remake Set Photos

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:37:25 GMT

Love it or hate it, Red Dawn (a remake of the Swayze-tastic film from ‘84) filmed a scene or two in my old home town last week.

From Wikipedia:

“…the opening football scene for the new film; which did not appear in the original film, was shot at the former Detroit Notre Dame High School in Harper Woods, Michigan.”

I know the original film doesn’t exactly have broad appeal, however, I enjoy it for its over-the-top-Cold-War-paranoia aspect. It is an excellent Cold War media time capsule and as such, I don’t think it should have been remake (but I am thankful that the filming of it brought money not only to Michigan but my home town). I don’t see the new version having the impact the original did when released in the early 1980s.

Anyway, my li’l sis shot a few set photos and I put them online if you are interested in checking them out.

Mirrored from Daniel J. Hogan. If something doesn't look right or show up, view the original blog post. Feel free to comment here or on the original post

Fantasy Writing Panel Audio Online

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 16:08:04 GMT

That’s right y’all, you can listen to the audio from the panel on Fantasy Writing I was a part of on September 1.

http://magicofeyri.com/2009/09/fantasy-writing-panel-podcast/

The panel featured Jim C. Hines (Goblin Quest series, Stepsister Scheme, Mermaid’s Madness), Phil Kline (Curse of the Kitsune) and myself. It runs about 49 minutes and is worth a listen–especially when Jim starts talking about his werewolf-muppet story.

The audio quality is not on par with my normal episodes, as I just set up a recorder on the table and let it go, but I did what I could in GarageBand to make it a little better (tried to cut out some of the long pauses too).

Mirrored from Daniel J. Hogan. If something doesn't look right or show up, view the original blog post. Feel free to comment here or on the original post

Fantasy Writing Panel Podcast This Sunday

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:55:49 GMT

This Sunday, instead of the next (exciting) episode of the Magic of Eyri Podcast (”Double Trouble”) I shall be running the audio from the panel discussion about fantasy writing I was a part of at the Delta Township District Library on September 1st.

Joining me in splendid 64 kps glory are Jim C. Hines and Phil Kline. I haven’t listened to the audio yet, but I’m sure it turned out just fine (or fine enough for this purpose).

I’m curious how this will turn out and if people will like it or not. This will not be a regular feature, but I know people do enjoy this sort of thing (listening to writers talk about writing)–otherwise no one would ever attend any of the panels I’m on. I keep meaning to record non-podcast stuff to have at the ready if I ever need filler in case I don’t have an episode ready or something comes up (illness, vacation, pirate-ninjas).

Regular transmission of episodes will continue on September 27th.

Mirrored from Daniel J. Hogan. If something doesn't look right or show up, view the original blog post. Feel free to comment here or on the original post

It Is Called the Web For a Reason

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:34:14 GMT

It interesting where the Internet leads us some times.

I saw a Twitter update by @gmcalpin (writer and artist of one of my favorite webcomics, Multiplex) about the metal band Mastodon allegedly scoring the upcoming film Jonah Hex (based on a comic). It lead to an article on Ain’t It Cool News (movie rumors and such).

I read the article and was amused, I enjoy Mastodon but realized I don’t own nearly enough of their music. I hopped over to YouTube and watched a few music videos and also listened to some other songs, sampling cuts from the albums Leviathan and Blood Mountain.

Realizing I still had an online gift certificate from my birthday, I decided to buy a Mastodon album (along with Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon on vinyl). But I couldn’t decide which to get–then a friend commented on my Facebook page that Crack the Skye was nothing short of amazing (a friend whose opinions I hold in high regard).

So, I ventured back to YouTube to listen to a few cuts from Crack the Skye and read a few online reviews. I quickly decided on ordering the album–and when it comes to bands like Mastodon, I really prefer having the original CD over .MP3s (because the music is complex and/or layered–things that can get lost when compressing music to .MP3s).

After clicking Finish My Order, I sat back and thought “What the heck just happened?” Over the span of maybe twenty minutes, I went from reading about Mastodon scoring an upcoming film to buying one of their albums, mainly on a whim.

It was an interesting string of events: I read the article, listened to songs online/watched videos, got a recommendation from a friend who lives in another city, read reviews and purchased an album. All without leaving my seat.

I guess this shows you can’t underestimate the advantages of people talking about your stuff on the Internet.

Also: My latest article for Lansing Capital Gains is now online. It is about the Soup Spoon Cafe, a very tasty restaurant (good coffee too).

Mirrored from Daniel J. Hogan. If something doesn't look right or show up, view the original blog post. Feel free to comment here or on the original post

Podcast 011 Online and Fantasy Panel this Tuesday

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 12:24:35 GMT

Yes, the latest episode of my free podcast is online kids: http://magicofeyri.com/2009/08/magic-of-eyri-011-the-trial/

Starting with the next episode, things really start kicking into high gear, action-wise anyway. And we’ll meet some new characters too.

Event this Tuesday: I’m going to be part of the Fantasy Author Panel at the Delta Township District Library. Join Jim C. Hines, Phil Kline and myself as we rap about writing fantasy fiction. FREE. 6 PM to 8:30 PM.

We will be signing and selling books afterwards…well, I won’t be selling books, but I’ll be giving out free podcast CDs. I may only put the first few episodes on there and make them audio CDs instead of .MP3s. We’ll see.

Mirrored from Daniel J. Hogan. If something doesn't look right or show up, view the original blog post. Feel free to comment here or on the original post

A True Story

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:18:49 GMT

This morning, I noticed I had a missed call from Dad around 8:40 AM. Since he usually only calls me that early if it is something of great importance, I quickly called him back.

The conversation that followed could only best be described as “random.”

*RING RING*
Dad picks up:
Dad: One-Eyed Willy.
Me: …Excuse me?
Dad: The pirate from Goonies.
Me: Yes, One-Eyed Willy, you got it.
Dad: That’s all I needed know.
Me: …Why?
Dad: I was trying to think of it and I couldn’t and it was driving me nuts. So I called you, but right after I did, I remembered.
Me: Glad I could…help?
Dad: Thanks, have a good day, son–and May the Force Be With You. *CLICK*

Those who know my dad, will confirm that a conversation like this is not that surprising. Random, yes. But not surprising. His whole attitude since crossing 50 a few years ago has been “I’m over 50, now I’m eccentric and I’ll do whatever I want.”

Why he was thinking of The Goonies, let alone pirates, at 8:40 on a Monday morning, I may never know.

The other funny part of this is that I was enthusiastically quoting The Goonies Friday night while playing Bang! with friends. I was sticking to some of my favorite Mouth, Data and Chunk lines, and the always classic “Slick Shoes?! Are you crazy?!“

And just for you LJ readers--I noticed the other day that LoudTwitter started posting my Twitter updates again. Well, i turned it off--unless folks actually want to see those. Comment below if you do. If I have them again, I'm going to have them behind a LJ Cut.

Mirrored from Daniel J. Hogan. If something doesn't look right or show up, view the original blog post. Feel free to comment here or on the original post

Daily Twitter Updates

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:02:04 GMT

Twitter Nonsense

Grinding beans for Creativity Juice (coffee for you Normals).
Watched the latest RAMBO last night. Its over the top graphic violence was almost artistic. Also, it was crazy.
twitpic.com/f0vwb - I'm ready for zombies. 50 yards with a M4A3 rifle. My first time too.
latest blog, bit.ly/12ZMDp
I do not recommend editing an audio #podcast episode after spending a few hours at the shooting range. Oh well.
Seeing RiffTrax live inspired me to dig out my old MST3K tapes. Hooray for 10 yr old TV commercials about calling collect.

Transcribed by monkeys on MacBooks at LoudTwitter
Follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/danieljhogan

State of the Art Bang Bang

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:04:59 GMT

I went to a shooting range for the first time every today (an outdoor DNR operated range). Why? Well, because I can and also because a friend asked if I wanted to go. But the main reason is because I wanted to experience firing a handgun and a rifle as research for my in-progress novel.

The novel I’m working on, while mostly goofy fantasy/horror, does have characters using guns. I figured it would probably be a good experience to try using a firearm myself, so I can write about their use a little more realistically (although the characters in my novel are using fire arms comparable to late 1800s/early 1900s weapons, but whatever).

We stopped at Dick’s Sporting Goods and each picked up two boxes of 20 rounds of ammo for my friend’s M4A3 Carbine rifle and then we were off to the range. My friend also had a handgun, the style of which escapes me at the moment, but it was semi-auto and its clip held 19 shots.

The biggest impact this outing had on me was just how LOUD the guns were. When I fired that M4 for the first time, I thought for sure I went deaf (yes, I had ear plugs in but they sucked. If I ever go again, I’m buying a set of those earmuff things). The effect the gunfire had on my hearing was really interesting–how it distorted the sound I was hearing, etc.

I didn’t have much luck with the handgun, as I barley hit the target. I had similar luck with the M4 at first–but once my friend helped me with my aiming, I improved greatly.

Not bad for my first time out. This was at a distance of 50 yards. My friend was even impressed.

I was really happy with my results after I finally learned how to aim. I fired sitting down, with the barrel propped up on sandbags. I took my time too and the main thing I had to get over was the sound when firing (as in “oh man, here it comes…EEUGH”).

I certainly noticed the difference between firing a rifle and firing a handgun. The differences are night and day, that’s for sure. The handgun kicked up more than the rifle, which makes sense because the rifle had a stock and it was supported by the sandbags.

I enjoyed the outing and I would gladly go again. Target shooting was a lot of fun. I’d like to give a handgun another chance, since that is mainly what my characters use, but I certainly liked the rifle more–but that might be due to me being able to sit down and line up a shot instead of standing up to shoot.

Lastly, today proved to me that when the Zombie Apocalypse arrives, my weapon of choice will be a high-powered rifle.

Mirrored from Daniel J. Hogan. If something doesn't look right or show up, view the original blog post. Feel free to comment here or on the original post

Daily Twitter Updates

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 12:00:44 GMT

Twitter Nonsense

Got the expansion for Monty Python Fluxx at 21st Century Games last night (7 new cards) and for free because I spent over $10. Nice.
I'm going to start asking game/comic shops around town if they'll let me leave free #podcast CDs there--we have the same target audience.
Checking out Bermuda Mohawk Fest at Macs Bar. Lots of bands. $12. Starts nowish.
Strike that. Killing time at Gone Wired until La Mano takes the stage around 6ish.
Whew, just wrote over 1,000 words in a little over an hour. Now, back to Macs to watch my cousin's band, La Mano (no plans after that)
twitpic.com/ewmpy - La Mano brings the thunder at Macs Bar.
Wandering aimlessly around East Lansing.
Watching Empire Strikes Back. "Your Tauntaun will never make it past the first marker!" "Then I'll see you in Hell!"
If I ever open a Star Wars themed bar, I'm calling it The Landing Claw.

Transcribed by monkeys on MacBooks at LoudTwitter
Follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/danieljhogan