That's Power? I Thought It Might Be Flu

A missed opportunity! I could have been 99.

But I Wrote It In 2012

Remember when GraphicAudio made an audio book of my Iron Man Extremis adaptation? This popped up on my Twitter feed yesterday:

And I clicked on it and couldn't figure out what what going on, because I couldn't see the 2014 list without an app or something. So I retweeted and forgot about it.

But others kept retweeeting, so I went back and downloaded the app. And sure enough, it's on a list there.

Nice work by GraphicAudio!

DIY Sunday

The weather is getting cold, and I realized if I didn't get my little DIY garage-door project done soon, it wasn't going to happen until spring.

My goal was this: The single-car garage, which is in the base of a condo building eight blocks away, has no alternate entrance. It's the garage door or you don't get in. I've long wondered what I would do if the opener broke and I couldn't get in. Rent a blowtorch?

Then my garage neighbors pointed out a little gizmo to me. It is simple -- you unlock the key core and tug it out. It's connected to a steel cable that you tie to the emergency release. You tug the key which tugs the cable which tugs the release, voila, you're in.

I found the gizmo for $10 online, ordered it, and then proceeded to let it sit on my coffee table for a month.

Today, I drove over to the Home Depot by the Holland Tunnel, picked up a 3/4" drill bit, and went to work.

Here are some photos of the project in progress. See how it works?

Dosa a Week

I was heading to work one morning -- yes, I have a job now, at least for a while -- and I passed this sign in the cursed restaurant space:

Why do I say cursed? Well, it's been so many restaurants over the years. The Parkside Bistro lasted a few years, and I'd call from the PATH with my order (always the same, involving cauliflower and potatoes), then pick it up ten minutes later on my way home. I even had dinner there with a few men along the way, back when I used to do that sort of thing. 

The rent is pretty high in this space, and I think that's what keeps restaurants shutting frequently. The owner of the space has a bad rep too, but I have no idea what that bit of info is based on. 

A Mexican restaurant took up residence for a while, and did great during the hurricane, but poorly after that. It's wasn't very good. 

Now we have an Indian restaurant, which seems to always be jumping. 

And now they have this. 

That same night, the Wednesday I saw the sign, I gave it a try. 

Pretty good! But then, we have two dosa carry-outs in the food court two blocks away at Newport. So it's not quite as delightful as it would be if, say, a fabulous healthy food joint opened. But we'll take it. A dosa is good enough for a Wednesday night. 

Now in Paperback

I got this book in the FedEx today:

It's the paperback version of the prose novel by my friend Larry, who I helped hire to write this. I also edited it from my kitchen table in Mexico, where I was also conducting interviews for Marvel's Art of Thor: the Dark World. 

I went to NYU last Wednesday to see a documentary about Larry at its premiere. I've known Larry since 1988, when he'd come say hello to me when I was an Epic intern at Marvel. 

He doesn't really look like this. 

This Is A One-Off

Here's a closer look at how the convention went for me.

Lots of freelancers I know bounce back and forth between companies, but editors have to generally choose one or the other. It was fun to be an exception.

Oddity on Garage Street

American Indians and Buddha hanging out at the old-man bar over on First Street.

Double Agent

New York Comic Con happened this weekend. 

That means I have a slight cold, there is a human sleeping on my sofa, and I need sleep. But it was a fun con, exceptionally sane in spite of the massive crowds, and I enjoyed the odd moment in my life when I'm working for both of the Big Two. 

The moment is brief, and I'm trying to enjoy the fun of signing at the Marvel booth before heading up to the DC hospitality suite. Basking in the moment as much as I can, because the situation will inevitably—necessarily—evolve.

Navrati in JC 2014

For the past few days, I celebrated my first normal-human weekend since I began my latest phase of employment. Meaning my first weekend without freelance work.

I did the sort of things most people do, like laundry, grocery shopping, a trip to IKEA, coffee with a friend, some apartment organizing, and then I briefly took a look at the barbecue festival across the street.

The festival was just silly. Is Jersey City known for its heritage of barbecue? Where did all these earnest young men in trucker caps and facial hair come from? Why do people choose to wait in long lines in the sun for the same food they could just go to the barbecue carry-out for on any given day?

The scene, and that is very much what it is, was depressing. I love where I live, but it's evolving, changing into something kind of annoying.

Later that night, a friend of mine—Ed Ward—was visiting from out-of-town. He was staying at a little hotel in India Square, up near Journal Square. I'd walked by it once after dropping off my car at my mechanic's, and sent him the link, and here he was checking it out.

"There's a festival up here. Starts at 7."

I went up on the jitney, the dollar van. We toured the movie palace, walked around Journal Square, and finally, the street party was happening.

Jersey City is still great and one of the most diverse cities in the country. You just have to go a little farther out to find it now.

A Touch of Imelda

It's that time of year when we all get confused about whether to wear sleeves or not, sandals or shoes, jacket or no. So I've been getting ready to swap out the seasonal clothing, but also not quite sure if I should yet.

I pulled all my summer shoes out of my closet.

This is ridiculous. And I have two more pairs under my desk at work. And how many of these shoes don't give me blisters? Only two sets.

And sometimes one of those rebels too.