Christmas Wong Kresten: December 2006

Sunday, December 31, 2006

Chapter 54.07: Resolve and Reserve

I'm one of those who makes resolutions -- or rather, I set goals. Sometimes I achieve them (for example, I intended to read at least two books a month on average, and I came close to doubling that goal), sometimes I fail (e.g., finishing the latest re-draft of my novel).

I have resolutions already -- which I don't need to go into here. But I think the resolution that makes the most sense is to be safe. This year has been pretty good for me -- busy but successful. But looking at these final days, I'm seeing ominous signs for the new year. This morning, I was on a first aid call for an attempted suicide. Not a pretty scene. Then I found out that a friend of mine lost her home yesterday in a fire. I don't know whether these will be blessings in the guise of grief, but I have a feeling that 2007 will be a year of tumultuous change. I pray it is a safe one for us all.

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Chapter 54: A Night at the Museum

We just got back from a fun night at the movies, and despite it costing about $30 for the tickets and jumbo popcorn/soda, I'd say it was worth the price of admission. While I don't expect A Night at the Museum to win any major awards, it had me chuckling and occasionally even laughing. The 12 year olds in the theater with us were often guffawing, so that may give you an idea of who the target audience is, but the story was fun for adults too.

The basic idea is that Larry Daly (played by Ben Stiller) is a divorced dad in need of a stable life. While he's always had aspirations of greatness, he rarely has been able to achieve anything of much note. He gets a job as the night watchman at the Museum of Natural History and soon learns that at night, history comes alive -- literally. The hi-jinks are somewhat predicatable but that's ok, this isn't trying to be Schindler's List. And Larry's often bailed out by Teddy Roosevelt (played by Robin Williams).

The problem is, the three former night watchmen, who lost their jobs due to downsizing (and perhaps because they're all around 85 years old) are trying to steal a magic tablet that is the reason all the exhibits come to life at night. It keeps the night watchmen young too. Larry becomes a leader as he gathers all the exhibits together to help him catch the somewhat-bad guys (Dick Van Dyke, Bill Cobbs, and the eternally annoying Mickey Rooney). And in saving the tablet, Larry also saves the museum (and his own job).

There are some serious problems with the film's continuity (e.g., how does the museum director, played by Ricky Gervais, notice the Roman centurion in the stockades but doesn't notice that one of the Neanderthals is missing?), but the premise of the story felt fresh and fun. Enjoy.

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Chapter 53.8: Who Knew?

I had no idea Ethiopia had armed services powerful enough to rout the Islamist fighters. If today's developmentsin Somalia are to be believed, I can't help but wonder why we were unable to control things in Mogadishu in the early 1990s.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Chapter 53.74: Remembering Jerry

Though I never met former President Gerald Ford, I saw him up close once. While covering the Presidents' Summit in 1997, I was standing by myself -- almost entirely -- on a path in Philadelphia. I think the event took place near Independence Hall. Suddenly, several serious and official looking men walked along the path and said to stand aside. Then President Ford walked past -- looking rather robust for a man in his early 80s. That was it. Looking back, that's the closest I've ever been to a former (or current) president, even though I've seen several of them speak before large gatherings of conference-goers.

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Chapter 53.5: A Child's Christmas As a Cat

With all the travel we'll have over the next couple of days, we decided to celebrate Christmas at home this morning. Though the cat usually wakes us up early, he seems to have started to understand Saturday means the humans stay in bed. So he wasn't as concerned as he often is, making sure that I get to my train on time. But he did seem curious about the presents under the tree -- some of which were for him.

I got out of bed around 9 or so and fed him and started some coffee, but his petulant mewing told me he wanted more. So I started to toss mice around. He loves this. It's his time to run and pounce and play. I enjoy it too -- as long as he's not gnawing on my heels. Seeing him zip from room to room, bounce the mice around like a basketball or swat at them like soccer balls makes me long for coaching sports.

Though he's a housecat, Riley loves the great outdoors -- the backyard is as far as we let him roam, and always on a leash. But during the winter (even as mild as this one has begun), he doesn't have the same number of visual stimuli as the spring or summer. Fewer birds, the squirrels are preoccupied, and the grass isn't as tasty as new spring shoots. Once the wife was up and I'd scrambled the eggs, it was time to open the presents -- including those for the cat. I got him a DVD of Swan Lake -- rather swans on a pond. There's birdsong and trilling insects in the background. It will entertain him while my wife works or if we're out for a couple hours -- as will the new mice we gave him and the stuffed cat that mews like it needs to be fed.

So Merry Cat Christmas, Riley. I hope you enjoyed it. Now if you could only learn how to clean your box by yourself.

Friday, December 22, 2006

Chapter 53.33: Earworms

This morning I woke up with an odd earworm digging through my brain. You know what an earworm is: that song that keeps playing in your mind. You can't shake it easily, and like the old fable about ridding the city of mice, anything you use to change songs immediately becomes a new problem.

This morning, I awoke with a song by Tom Lehrer -- the 1960s musical satirist and math professor -- called "The Folk Song Army." Only, it wasn't the entire song; I could only remember lines. It was bad enough to have a song in my head, but worse still to not remember it properly. So I tried to push it out with Christmas tunes. Bad idea! I soon was whistling "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas." It wouldn't stop.

Of course, now that I've brought this topic back up, I have songs running through my head. This is not what I intended.

Christmas costumes

I had this elaborate idea to try to find every instance where you can unlock a Santa outfit. Mulled it over for a good 10 seconds before I realized there is no way I have time for such antics. It’s three days till Christmas and I still have a bunch of work to finish.

Still, here are a few pics to tide you over for the holidays. We start up top with the obligatory Kasumi Santa outfit from Dead or Alive Ultimate.

Next up is the Christmas themed bonus disc to the wonderful Sega game Nights.

Last, but not least is our good buddy Sonic. I never thought he would be included in Costume Get! since he usually doesn’t wear anything except for red shoes and gloves. Congrats Sonic.

Chapter 53.3: Bah Humbug!

No, that's too strong, 'cause it is my favorite holiday.

It is beginning to feel a smidgen like Christmas. Perhaps it's the chill in the air or the news that Santa got waylaid somewhere over Denver and had to stop his time bending trip preparations with a layover in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Or maybe it's because I saw a small flake flash before my wandering eyes this morning as I got out of the PATH train station. Maybe it wasn't snow. Maybe it was a piece of windblown crud.

Or maybe it's because I'm about to get my Christmas wish: a couple hours off from work -- well, a few days, actually. But with the travel to see my loved ones and rip open a few presents and toss back a few beers, it'll feel almost like work. Almost. I'll have Tuesday.

No, what I'm looking forward to doing is mapping out a week of winter vacation to do whatever I want to do. At home. Cooking breakfast for my wife after making her late to her office (which is just a room away). Jogging more than 20 miles in a week -- in sunlight. And working on the novel. If I can finish the revisions in a week, it could be the second best vacation of my life -- after the one where I proposed to my wife, of course. At least I'd have an idea of how much work is needed. Then I could use my train commute to sketch out the next book or evaluate literary agents. That's work too, but it's future-focused work.

I'm reading Book Doctor on the train this week, by Esther Cohen. Funny. Some wonderful scenes and playful characters. Not as good as Ward Just's An Unfinished Season, which I finished earlier this week, but it moves along at a comfortable pace. I find myself wishing I knew someone like Arlette Rosen, the lead character in Book Doctor, who devises clever exercises to help writers see their characters and the focus of their books more clearly. I know what I'm writing; making it compelling seems to be my battle.

So I need another vacation. That's what I'm asking Santa for Christmas. Oh yeah, and an iPod.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Chapter 53.22: Winter Night

At some point soon -- either today or tomorrow, I've heard disputing reports -- winter begins. I believe it's today at 7:22 a.m. Regardless, the winter solstice is the shortest day (or the longest night depending on your perspective) of the year. Since I was curious, I poked around and found this site, which I find interesting. It talks about the solstice but also goes into some detail about Newgrange in Ireland. It's an incredible place to see, though I prefer a spring day when the weather's warmer.

Enjoy your winter, friends and readers. May the days grow longer.

Monday, December 18, 2006

Chapter 53: Looking to 2007

Throughout the year, I've had many friends and acquaintances ask how I'm progressing on my novel. With few exceptions, the answer has been, "I've barely touched it lately." That remains true right now. I've had self-appointed deadlines that have passed by barely noticed. And the latest is fast approaching and will likely be met with similar results. Life has just gotten too darn busy.

Although there's no one with an ax over my neck to inspire me to get back to the book, I pledge to get what I hope will be my final pre-agenting draft complete before the end of March. I'll take a week off from work to get it into gear if I have to; it'll probably take that kind of decision.

And once that version is done and I start looking into getting an agent to sell my book, then I'll start on the next novel. Again, it'll be difficult to stay to my schedule, but I'd like to think that having a new project to work on will be the creative kick in the butt that I need. There's still a lot of research I need to do on that one to make sure some of the settings are believable, but I can start to write the character development, which is really the heart of any story. All in all, it should be a busy 2007, especially if I do what I am setting out to do.

Friday, December 15, 2006

Chapter 52.8: Skeeter Control

There's a story from the Raleigh News & Observer about an effort to keep mosquitoes from infecting people with diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and other horrible maladies that humans have suffered and died from for millennia. But I can't help wondering if we know whether or not such transfer of contagions somehow help humans evolve also. I don't mean that in the "natural selection" sense that the people who died were fated to die, but more in the "part of God's plan" idea that perhaps humans also receive a benefit from battling the evil in their bloodstream. I don't pretend to have answers, and I've only skimmed the story, but it caught my attention.

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Bullet Chanbara update

Yet another costume screen has been uncovered for Onechanbara vorteX, this time a cheerleader outfit. Or should I say, cheerleader top as the skirt seems to be missing.

The fate of domestic release for vorteX still remains slim, which sucks since the chances of me buying a Japanese 360 are virtually nil.

In brighter news, the US developer’s blog for Bullet Witch revealed some pretty interesting info. The game is indeed receiving a healthy does of game play improvements. The important bit for costume fans is that five additional outfits along with some revamped levels will be made available for download for free. It sounds like they will be spread out similar to the Japanese schedule, but more info on that is promised in future updates.

Blackheads - Get rid of them

What is the cause of blackheads?
Blackheads are caused when sebum (the skin's natural oil) collects and hardens in the pores. The congesting toxins that are being expelled through your skin from the blood and lymph fluid combines with sebum creating a pasty glue. The exposed tip becomes oxidized and black, hence the name - blackheads . Oily and combination skins are most susceptible to these. The skin's most dense oil glands are located in T-zone. That is why there you get the most blackheads.

How to get rid of blackheads?
Step 1 - Cleanse the face thoroughly with a good cleanser meant for oily skin. Preferrably use a salicylic acid cleanser such as this one, Joey NY Pure Pores Cleansing Gel to get rid of blackheads

Step 2 - Apply an astringent. It helps reduce oiliness. If its a bit harsh mix a bit of rose water in it. You can find some good astringents at Greatskin.com ( Just type "astringent" in the search product box).

Step 3 - Apply a good quality medicated cream or gel containing resorcinol, salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. This helps is soaking the oil and helps in peeling away the blackheads. You can get creams or gels of Benzoyl Peroxide treating blackheads If benzoyl peroxide leaves your skin dry, apply an oil-free moisturizer after 10 mins of applying benzoyl peroxide.

A drug named " adapalene " does wonder in reducing the blackhead formation by stimulation of skin growth through modulation of cellular differentiation and keratinization of follicular epithelial cells, i.e. it encourages skin peeling. (However, adapalene is mainly used to treat acne vulgaris by assisting in keeping skin pores clear.)

Apply a thin film of adapalene gel once daily before bedtime. Its mainly available in the form of "Differin". You can get differin here Its highly recommended! A word of caution though, adapalene can increase the sensitivity of skin to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight, so prolonged exposure should be avoided by judicious use of sunscreens and protective clothing.

Following this routine, in a matter of days you will be getting rid of blackheads.

Effective Tips to get rid of blackheads
Exfoliate the blackhead prone area 3-4 times a week using facial exfoliators and scrubs. Here is a good SCRUB for you to help you to get rid of blackheads
Use creams containing AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Fruit acids) like glyco-creams that will clear away any dead skin cells and "expose" the blackhead. Use the AHA's every 3 days or so.
Keep your hair away from your face. Greasy hair and skin go together, and hair can spread infection.
Sunshine or ultra-violet light encourages skin peeling, and so helps to clear blocked pores. So sunbathing or use of sun-beds in moderation can be helpful.
Avoid washing the face with soaps more than twice a day. Instead wash your face often with plain water splashes.
Often use a mask with a clay base such as ZIRH's Clay Mask
To squeeze or not to squeeze?
If blackheads look ready to pop out, you could try removing them gently by using a blackhead extractor. This is a neat little instrument with a hole at one end, available from chemists. Pressure around the blackhead helps it to pop out through the hole. Also, Pore cleanser strips (blackhead extractor) for removal of blackheads. are highly recommended for the treatment/removal of blackheads. Using them once per week will leave your pores cleaner and smaller.

Otherwise use your fingers. Steam your face first to soften both the skin and the material blocking the pores. Then wrap the fingers in tissues and gently roll against either side of the blackhead. If it won't budge easily, leave well alone, as too much pressure will bruise and break the skin, making your face red and blotchy for days to come, and possibly leaving tiny broken veins. Finish by applying a medicated cream to the empty pore.

Only ever squeeze a spot with a definite head that looks about to burst - pressure on an unready infected spot spreads bacteria below the skin's surface, infecting the surrounding tissue. Bad spots need a doctor's advice, and he may suggest antibiotic or even hormone therapy.

Saturday, December 9, 2006

Chapter 52.5: Evil Dead, the Musical

My wife and I had an unexpectedly pleasant Off-Broadway theater experience recently -- Evil Dead, the Musical.

Better than the films (which isn't saying much), the play is actually a mixture of all three Evil Dead movies (well, primarily the first two with references to the third that perhaps only the cognoscenti would get).

Vulgar and campy to be sure, and a little sticky. The songs actually stick with you too, but how can anyone forget lyrics like "What the fuck was that!" in the song "What the F@%$"

Not a musical for children (or perhaps the perfect demograhic is an 11 year old boy) because the language and the occasional dry-humping, etc. is clearly R-rated. In the first act, the sister of the hero is the first person to become possessed by the evilness that has been unleashed by reading chants from the Necronomicon (Book of the Dead). She eventually causes all the rest of the characters to be possessed at one time or another.

There's an enjoyable dance of the dead scene called "Do the Necronomicon" with passing references not only to the Time Warp from Rocky Horror but also Fonzie from Happy Days.

Before the second act, the first three rows of seats (where we were sitting) get baggies with clear plastic ponchos. The fake blood really flows in the climatic killing spree toward the end. It's so bad that you can't help but laugh.

I probably wouldn't pay more than the special $26 ticket for the show, but I recommend getting the splatter zone to enjoy the whole experience.