greenman23

Kim Harrison is a class act,but Booksamillion still sucks

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:36:33 GMT

This was posted to Kim Harrison's website,the day after the incident:
2/24/09 -- I can see why you're upset, Trevor. I would be too. What an awful thing for a person to do. Guess what? It was a misunderstanding between me and the staff. That's it. I said one thing, and it was taken as if I said something else. That's all that it was. I'm sorry. Whether you believe me or not, I am. I don't blame you for leaving. I would have too. But I do sign everything as it comes through the line. My standard practice is that I personalized one or two and signature on the rest, with the option of getting back in line to have me personalize two more and so on. It's the only way to get through the line when people bring me eight books at a time. Whether they are hard cover or paperback. But I'm glad you wrote me. Thanks for letting me know there was an issue. --Kim

Now that's how you handle problems,people.You do the best you can, and go from there. Bigkudos to her.

Why author Kim Harrison and BooksaMillion suck harder than a Dyson vacuum.

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 03:24:24 GMT

This is my letter to her,posted to her Myspace and website:
Dear Kim Harrison:

I am/was a fan of your books. I just attended your signing at the Books-a-Million in Concord,NC. I was low on funds, so I wasn’t picking up your latest in hardcover. So I grabbed the first book in the series, figuring my 16-year old stepdaughter would like it, since she likes similar authors. I waited for close to an hour, and got to the front of the line. I was then told I would have to go to the back of the line, since new stock had to be signed first. I tried to explain I had arrived late, and it wasn’t posted anywhere. So, embarrassed and humiliated, I left.
My wife,who is much better at this sort of thing than I am, went back to the store,and talked to the store manager. She was told that this was a request by you, the author.
Now my question is, Ms. Harrison, is how do you think such horrible manners are ok? Yes,I wasn’t buying your newest book. It wasn’t posted that you had to either buy it or a certain amount. Maybe it was said at the beginning. It wasn’t on any of the signage, or the media. Maybe now that people like me, who bought the first books in paperback, have gotten you to the hardcover ranks, you don’t feel you need us. If that’s the way you feel, fine. Just remember that what goes up, comes down, and you might just see some of us again. And my 16-year old stepdaughter? She’ll just have to make do without.
You ought to be ashamed of yourself. I know I was for coming and seeing you.

Yours,

Trevor Curtis
I mean,where do people get off?You get two books in hardcover,and suddenly people who buy you in paperback aren't as good? WTF?

A letter to my daughter

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:26:28 GMT

Dear Aubry:
Today was a big day in history.You won't remember much about it.You're only 3,but this is the day that things changed quite a bit in America. We elected an African-American president today.It might not mean much to you.Most of your life we've lived in a world where the color of your skin doesn't matter.When you play with Keira or Dendric,you don't care what color they are,so long as they share the toys. But for the rest of us,this world has changed a lot this day. We can still remember when a day when White cops beat a Black man by a road,and got away clean.It was in your grandfather's time that water fountains and motels were separated by skin color. Today is a giant step towards making things like that history,not today's story.
You won't remember what life was like under Bush.You won't remember the days after 9/11,when we traded freedom for security,and got neither.You won't remember the grinding feeling of an entire world looking at us with shame.Today,that day is no more.
Today begins a rebellion.It is a rebellion,because as Phil Brucato says,"hope is the bravest rebellion". Today is a day of hope,of realizing there is work to be done,but faith in that the road ahead has a light,and we will work toward it,to bring you a world better than the one we started with.You,the children of tomorrow,have placed your trust in us.Today is the day we start earning it.

The #1 reason not to vote for John McCain

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:27:32 GMT

from boingboing.net:
McCain staffer slams Dungeons and Dragons players

Jimmy sez, "Michael Goldfarb of the John McCain campaign oddly disses gamers in his post yesterday on the John McCain blog."
"It may be typical of the pro-Obama Dungeons & Dragons crowd to disparage a fellow countryman's memory of war from the comfort of mom's basement, but most Americans have the humility and gratitude to respect and learn from the memories of men who suffered on behalf of others."

And yes,they do already have a pro-obama d and d crowd shirt available:
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/08/19/proobama-dd-tee.html
Trevor

So this is what a 2 year old thinks is summer clothing in NC...

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 01:42:59 GMT

My birthday was yesterday,part 2

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:19:36 GMT

Let me also really,really thank Terri and Andy for the HDTV they got me and the family for my birthday
YOU GUYS RULE!!!

My birthday was yesterday

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:31:13 GMT

My step-daughter,Robyn,got me the coolest gift of the b-day extravaganza:

Yes,that is a Guild of Calamitous Intent shirt,from Venture Brothers.

I have really,really cool stepkids.
In other news, I totaled the van,and we can't get financing.We'll be carless for about a month, unless someone's got 5 grand to loan us,cause that's hwo much we need for them to evne look at us for a car.
So the plan is for Terri to haul our POS Ford Contour back here, get it repaired and run that into the ground until we can get our credit back up to where we can get financing for a new vehicle.
By the way, I officially HATE car salesmen. After the lawyers and politicans, they should be the next ones into the fire.

Later

Wolves win!!!!

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:14:05 GMT

My Chicago Wolves won the Calder Cup in the AHL tonight. I love the Wolves,and am so happy I got to watch them win it tonight,800 miles away.Its the only major league sports trophy I've ever drank out of, the last time they won in 2002.
YAY!!!!!

Geeking out

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 01:58:10 GMT

The Chicago Wolves are about to go 3-0 in their quest for the Calder Cup,and fucking NHL network is only showing the game in Canada. And I saw this:
http://www.animals-movie.com/
WARNING:The trailer is NSFW.
I love,love ,love the Skipp/Spector novels.And this is one of the better werewolf novels, done a decade before Laurell K Hamilton did something decent with them.

Drool.

PS. If you haven't read the John Skipp/Craig Spector novels,or Brian Keene's the Rising,you're missing the best horror since Stephen King stopped doing drugs.

Where my heads at these days:

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 01:41:43 GMT

Created by OnePlusYou - a Free Dating Site

Yeah,it's like that.

RIP Robert Asprin

Fri, 23 May 2008 16:59:50 GMT

Another good author gone.Probably the best humorous fantasy author the US has given the world.
His Thieves World books showed how good shared novels could be.

here's his webpage:
http://www.mythadventures.net/

The best argument for voting Obama so far

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:24:28 GMT

“Suppose you had to choose between two Presidential candidates, one of whom had spent 20 years in Congress plus had considerable other relevant experience and the other of whom had about half a dozen years in the Illinois state legislature and 2 years in Congress. Which one do you think would make a better President? If you chose #1, congratulations, you picked James Buchanan over Abraham Lincoln.”

I tell ya ,if you're making under 100,000 a year,or have kids,or give a rat's ass about the world,voting anything other than democrat is just playing into the Dark side of the force.

And yeah,you can go vote green. I voted Green,I voted for Nader. The Green party is so fucking pathetic that they can't even rise up when Global Warming is a huge issue neither party is doing anything about.
Look,politics is an ugly,nasty business.Anyone telling you otherwise is lying to you. Unless you act locally,you're not going to change the big picture overnight.Overnight change usually results from blood in the streets.

RIP Gary Gygax

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 19:59:30 GMT

Another day, another part of my childhood goes away. He,along with Dave Arneson,pretty much invented the RPG.If you never picked up Dungeons and Dragons in your life,then fine,you probably don't think it matters. But if you played any form of RPG,wether it was video game,computer,or even live action,then you owe the man a debt. His creation bought me numerous hours of good times,flights of fancy that fuel me to this day. I don't think I'd have survived puberty without it.It was my escape from a home that was rotten,and a world outside home that held nothing but hatred.I made all of my real friends through Dungeons and Dragons and other RPGs,so the debt I owe him can never be repaid.I'm curious to see how the mainstream media will cover this,especially Stephen Colbert,who wrote an essay for the D and D 30th anniversary book. Top all my friends in Wisconsin,if there's a service,please go.I think it's important,because we need to show the world he mattered,in the end.

Gen Con goes broke,there goes part of my youth again

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 02:47:54 GMT

Here's the story:
http://www.gamingreport.com/article.php?sid=24825
Ok,this sucks.I went to over 14 of these things,mainly because I lived near Milwaukee,and you go for just a day or two and get your rpg on.My game demo experiences? Gen Con. I have my name in two rpg books because of this con.My only time as a booth whore? Gen Con. I LOVED going,even after the bastards at WOTC moved it to Indianapolis.I really think moving it two hours away from the only other major rpg con in America,and trying to focus mainly on video games was a big kiss of death.I think I might try and go this year,just so I can tell my daughter that she too, went.She's only two,but hey.
Damn WOTC and Hasbro for selling the thing.Damn the SOB's who let the Star Wars celebrations take precedence over it.
Grr.Just,Grrr.
Now how am I going to get my LukeSki fix every couple years?

A valentine to my wife

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 04:58:22 GMT

It's been my tradition to not overdo VDay,and this year seems no different.But I got to thinking today that sometimes we lose sight of those around us,and we should stop and tell those people that they really do matter to us.When Lianna and I got married,we based a lot of how we wanted the wedding from one quote,"Love is Behavior" by Andrew Vachss. So,let me brag here and tell you about how blessed and lucky I am,and how I am loved.(No this isn't going to porno,you sickos)

Love is...
Getting me Silver gel pens,even when you're in pain and not feeling good.
Your head lying in the crook of my arm.
Sitting through a movie I want to see,even when it makes you nauseated.
Believing in me,even when I don't.
Cutting through my neurosis with a laser.
Staying up with me when I've been sick.
Every gift you've ever given me,because you've thought about them.
Aubry.Nuff said.
And because words are failing me,here's some other guy with something to say about it:

Here's to you,Pookie.I love you more and more each day.

Where I've been lately

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 04:59:43 GMT

I've been kind of stuck inside my head,grappling with the grief since my mom died.It's made it kind of hard,since I can't look at anything involving a parent/child dying combo without having to choke shit back.It's weird,cause the two things that have made me bawl the hardest have been that song "Sorry" by Akon,and this:

Yeah,say what you want about awards shows,but this was more open and raw than anything I've seen performed on TV in years.Between this and his teamup onstage with Daft Punk,they should be just giving him his own TV channel.Certainly the best rap TV appearance in a decade.
The wife and I were back in Kenosha,briefly.That got cut way short due to my father being very sick.So we missed a lot of people,but it couldn't be helped. I'd say we'll see you when Steph gets married,but that's not gonna happen anytime soon.Mad thanks to Dr. Bill,Patty,Jesse,and Brian for showing us some K-town love.
So I really need to start doing something in terms of physical activity to fight the depression.I don't have the weather as an excuse down here, and yet I keep not exercising. I can't keep that up,or all the memories Aubry will have of me will be as that blob on the couch.
I'm supposed to go spread Mom's ashes in May. I'll keep you posted about that.

the future is catching up with us.

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:16:10 GMT

As a teenager,I devoured everything by Spider Robinson.One of his best known works is Stardance,coauthored with his wife Jeanne. Its about dancers in zero gravity.Now, he and his wife,who is a long time dancer and choreographer,are going up in the "vomit comet" to help with the first ever zero gravity dance piece,which will be filmed and released in Imax next year. This is the best use for that zero gravity planbe I've heard of. Hopefully the film will ignite people's passion for space travel,since it's probably only one of the things that might save us someday.

here's the story on Boing Boing,which if you have a computer, you ought to be reading anyway:
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/12/28/freefall-zerog-dance.html

Ministry Xmas Poem

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 06:55:25 GMT

MINISTRY mainman Al "Alien" Jourgensen has penned a special Christmas poem entitled "T'was The Night Before Impeachment". It goes like this:

T'was 2007 and all through the year
Not a creature was buying this climate of fear
The stockings were hung in a foreclosure scare
In hopes that the Banks would forget we were there!
The soldiers were nestled all snug in their beds
While visions of extended tours messed with their heads
And Dick and Lynn Cheney with shotguns in lap
Had just pardoned Scooter for shutting his yap
When down at the White House there arose such a clatter
I sprang out the door to see what was the matter!
Away to the protest I flew like a flash
I marched for a while and got tazed in the clash
Then soon I was arrested – for what I don't know
But the ACLU said that “This just won't go!”
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But a miniature Cheney and eight dead reindeer
With his pacemaker pumping, so lively and quick
I knew in a moment it must be St. Dick!
Faster than subpoenas, his minions they came
He waterboarded and tortured and called them by name:
“Now Halliburton! Now Exxon! Now Conoco! Now Shell!
On Blackwater! On Bechtel! – Let's all go to Hell!”
To the top of the West Wing, to the top of The Wall
"Now stash away! Stash away! Stash way All!"
As voters are wondering why their vote doesn't fly
Here comes Karl Rove and he'll tell you why
So up to the White House the CEOs flew
With a sleighful of cash and Dick Cheney too!
And then, in a twinkling I heard on the roof
Was the hemming and hawing of the ultimate Goof (heh heh heh heh)
I raised just one finger and jumped all around
Coz there on the roof Ol "Dubya" came round
He was dressed all in fur that Cheney had killed
He looked rather dapper on the taxpayers' bill
A bundle of cash he had flung on his back
Looked happy as Cheney right before an attack
His eyes — how they twinkled, but his manners were weary
Coz Alberto Gonzales has so much to bury!
His droll little mouth was drawn up in a sneer
Like all of those press conferences he holds so dear
The stump of a crack pipe he held in his teeth
He said: "Laura, I'm sorry! I've relapsed — I'm weak!"
And his friend had a Wide Stance and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed in a toilet so smelly
Dim-witted and dumb a right jolly old elf
And I laughed when I saw him, giving way my own stealth
A wink of his eye and a snap of his finger
Soon gave me to know I shouldn't loiter or linger
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work
Put the cash in his stockings, then turned with a jerk
And laying his finger aside of his nose
Thumbs up! And a nod for the coke that he chose
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle
"And away to Iran like a nuclear missile!'
But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight:
"Happy Christmas to no one — Impeachment's not right!"

life update

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 04:48:22 GMT

I got fired Monday from BooksaMillion.Once again,fired from a book selling job I love a week before Xmas.To say that this has mentally fucked me up is an understatement.I can't blame anyone but me, unlike the last time,but still..
Damn,I really liked that job,for the most part.
Big ups to my wife's family,who in their efforts to cheer me and the wife up, brought us a new computer.Its very,very fast.so maybe I'll just dig myself a bigger hole and get addicted to WOW.
I'm trying very hard to have Xmas spirit,but alone at a keyboard at midnight isn't the place to find it.Failing myself is one thing, but dammit,I have a family now,and I have really failed them.
And I can just imagine what my wife's exes will have to say about this.But they won't say it to my face,so fuck them.
So yeah,a little brought down,and no its not because I thought you were the candyman.

Let's hope 2008 brings some light,and some fucking snow.

Been looking for this for YEARS....

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:00:30 GMT

My favorite Xmas cover ever.:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAn-NlKcm6
Anyone know how I could get an MP3 off this thing?

Only 18 days til Black Friday.The store I'm working in opens at midnight. Yeah ,you read that right. On the plus side, they don't stay open til 11 like Bastards and Noble.

Off now to wake the baby.

Just a quick note

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 03:13:49 GMT

Yeah,I went ahead and did it...

http://www.myspace.com/hewhodances23

I think this might just push me into new endeavors.More on this later

News update

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 01:02:36 GMT

We're moving again,but it's in the area.We're renting a house in Kannapolis,the next town over.Four bedrooms and a yard of her own for Aubry.
Aubry turned 2,and Robyn turned 15.I hope that when Aubry grows up,she has a connection to her older sisters.I worry that she will grow up as isolated as I did.
I got a job with BooksaMillion,a big honking bookstore in the local mall.It's the southern version of Border,and thus much more conservative.Its funny to see how we have Jeus stuff up front,and yet have Alan Moore's xrated opus "Lost Girls".
I made a conscious effort when I arrived to try and find gamers and pagans,but am having issues with follow through.I really,really need to see a therapist when we get insurance again.
My mother's remains arrived here.I'm not sure what to do with them.I'm still processing her death.

Not much else to tell here.Im going to mke a conscious effort to post more once we get settled.

The best thing on MTV in the last 20 years.

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:09:33 GMT

This is the best thing on the useless channel since Depeche Mode were on the VMAs in 1998:

http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1568781&vid=174600

I really wanna know what Jello thinks of this

My mom is dead

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 18:56:51 GMT

I got the news at 2am here in North Carolina. Her boyfriend went to wake her up from an after dinner nap,and couldn't wake her. I'm assuming ,since she'd had issues with this before,that the autopsy will show a combination of painkillers and alcohol did her in.
I'm having a very hard time with this.She had no life insurance,nothing in savings,and lives 2800 miles away from me. She's been estranged from her family,and they haven't offered any help,and neither has the useless prick she called her hubby.I'm having to talk long distance to coroner's and cops.I feel like I've failed her.I tried to get her away for years from him,cause the last thing an alcoholic with issues needs is another alcoholic,especially one who still drinks.But the codependency instilled in her by her culture,and my father,left her unable to leave him.
I grieve her,torn by the fact she never got to meet her only grandchild,and for the life left in her,wasted by her demons.
If there's one message in this,its that don't wait for tomorrow,cause it might not be there.If you have people you care about,get your plans for dying taken care of now. Otherwise they'll be left like I've been,grieving,and frustrated. I've been out of work for over a year,the wife is just starting her new one,and now this.
I say to you also,if you're having issues with a parent,or wish you could do something with them,or need to say something,do it now.Otherwise It WILL be too late.

Older than I've ever wanted be,Trevor

big news

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:10:00 GMT

I dunno how much of this is big news to those who know me personally, but here it is.
I'm leaving the midwest, my home. The wife and I are moving to Concord,North Carolina,just outside of Charlotte.She's taken a job that allows her to make as much working 3 days there as working here five days does.So hopefully she'll have more time at home. We'll be living with her sister at first, which is also one of the reasons we'll be there.My wife's family has moved far away from each other, and she misses her sister something awful. An added plus is that we'll be far away from her ex-inlaws, who seem to have nothing better to do than to interfere in our lives. If you're reading this, feel proud that your granddaughters gonna be 783 miles away. And know that it's mainly your fault. Robyn's dad will be an hour away,but since he seems to have a problem with actually returning kids for visits, we'll see how that goes.
How's this gonna work for me? I don't know. I always envisioned my daughter growing up going to Chicago Wolves games, and learning how to endure being a Bears and Cubs fan. Now that is going away, along with most of my friends. I've always lived only a 6 hour drive away from this area, so visiting has been easy. Now with a young child, and the distance, it'll be much harder.
But I've been in therapy lately,and one of things that's helping is mentally trying to see the good in every situation. I'll miss my friends,but I'll have the chance to meet new ones. And it'll make me appreciate them more when I do see them. Aubry won't grow up feeling her family are all strangers, like I did. And when he gets home, I'll be able to spend time with Andy, who is way cool, even if I'm never going paintball with him.(He's SEAL trained)
A big downer for me is going to be missing Rockheads. My wife refers to it as "my barbershop" since I do go in there to pick up stuff every week, but I do spend a lot of time shooting the shit with folks.
I'm going to miss some things about Kenosha, but mainly its going to be the people I've met while here. Dr. Bill Dezoma, who needs to cheer up, is one the best guys I've ever had the chance to hang with. Trent,Paula,Ariel,and Kyle Carson have been way better people to me and mine than we deserve. Christie and Paul Minnato,who are also vacating this area,and their lovely kid Peyton. (yes,Paul's a bigger Bears fan than I'll ever be.)Adam Spivey,who haunts my life like a ghost, but is rock solid.Brian and Val at Rockheads, who have put up with a LOT as hobby store owners. If you're in town, give em your business. Chris,Lee,Brad,Nick,James S,and the rest of the real wrestling fans of Kenosha. You guys are more fun to hang with than a Foley-Funk match. Jesse, who has come through more times than I've deserved, mucho gracias. DC and Amanda,keep loving the babies. And to my original old school buds, Bill R,Patty ,Leesa,Matt,and Jason P. We'll keep it cool, but man am I gonna miss real hockey
So if any of you reading this know any decent comic,book,music, or game stores in the Charlotte area, let me know. Gotta do something to find some freaks down there.