1,140 thoughts on “Jack Mangan’s Deadpan #124: Get Motivated”

  3. Morning Pan

    *ahem*

    If you turn to page four of your reports, you’ll note the comment numbers for March 2009 were 1,380. While this is down 19% from the same period last we, we fully understand this is a reflection of the comment economy as a whole, not simply the Deadpan comments. However it behooves us to request a better comment count from the Deadpan community. If we all endeavour to increase our comments we will be able to raise our comment count and, dare we say, surpass the numbers for the period of April that were made last year.

    Thank you for your time.

  6. On a sadder note, today would have been my friend Steve’s 44th birthday. He died on August 6th of last year. I’m thinking about him and his family today.

  13. In an effort to do my part to increase the comments, I give you (real) children’s names that… should have had more thought put into them.

  17. Re: The CDN dumbass memory. That’s actually fairly common. There are still people in the US who think we don’t have proper housing, electricity, or hot and cold running water (it’s true – I actually fielded some questions regarding this for World Fantasy)

  21. I’ve got a pair (may have mentioned this on-Pan?).

    I worked as a school photographer for a season back in the 90’s and we were allowed to take pictures of preschoolers who were related to one of the gradeschoolers. So the lady says there are preschooler twins to be photographed together. So she calls them over.

    “Alaska, Alaska get over here, Nebraska, you too.”

    Alaska and Nebraska. Worse, this was in Omaha…

  65. A science professor friend of mine had a girl in one of his classes named Cherie.
    This wouldn’t have been a notable thing … except her lat name was “Surprise”.

    Cherie Surprise – nice parents.

  98. I have a local friend who named her Kid Kal-El.

    Pics on Facebook. Jeremy Linden…be my fweind if you ain’t already.

  111. W – Wednesday. (I also found a Tuesday. It wouldn’t surprise me if there was one for every day of the week)

  117. CP: Escape From Dragon House — Dengue Fever

    Just P: Yesterday’s Democracy Now! and crying over coverage of the Vermont legislature overturning the Governor’s gay marriage veto. And I don’t even want to get married!

  121. One of my best current friends name is Fanny which I think is adorable, but how many times do people have to say, “No really, what’s your name?”

  125. People harassed me for naming my son Fletcher which I happen to think is adorable. I would have named him Jeremy if it’d been my choice alone, but since I got to name my daughter – it was only fair to let the hubby choose our sons name. I’m partial to J names – especially Jeremy.

  135. CP: 5,4,3,2,1 – Manfred Mann

    Oh and TEB, your name would be great for an actress in a chop socky movie.

    Heck you could even do your own stunts.

    cough

  137. CP: Shooting Star – Cliff Richard and The Shadows

    Trivia: this appeared in Thunderbirds Are Go movie with puppets of the band.

  148. Theme to ‘A Bridge Too Far’ – Prague Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra

    Ah I remember pestering my Dad to go and see this movie as I was war mad as a kid.

  149. CP: Where Eagles Dare theme – The Band of the Dragoon Guards

    Strange what you remember, at the time they would stop the movie for an interval. I can remember the scene where stopped the film (when Richard Burton is destroying the radios at the Castle)

  151. CP: Deadmau5 “Random Album Title Mixed” 110min mix of techhouse. Good for when you need to not be distracted and plug away at a website.

  184. One version of that song has the killer line:

    “current events have a lot of us feeling like a Christian Scientist with appendicitis”

  206. Holy cow, my little story gets a mention in the show notes?! Whoa.

    Speaking of which, show notes for Questors #4 are up at the link Jack posted in the show notes… finally. (I’m a little embarrassed that it took me this long to post them.)

    On another note: Wow! 200+ comments the first day? This is going to be a heck of a week! 😀

  212. My silly name: Stinky Toiletchunks

    Van: Thanks to my parents, I grew up with Tom Lehrer. I know that album well. 🙂

    Jack: Sending good thoughts your way. Persevere!

  213. Earlier, JohnBoze said:

    “Hoo boy, so here I am thinking: “Who’s the dork acting alongside Tee Morris?” ”

    When I read that, the first thing I did was laugh. Your acting is just fine, JB. 🙂

    The second thing I did was get embarrassed, and the third thing I did was start wondring about something. I didn’t tell anyone that Tee Morris would be playing that part; I wanted it to be a big surprise. It didn’t occur to me that I would get a reaction like that from another actor. If I had told all the actors who the special guest star was up front, would you have been more nervous? Should I have done things differently? (Private answers via e-mail or Twitter DM are welcome, if you prefer.)

  227. “Thanks” was a perfectly respectable response! You did just fine.

    I just subscribed!

    And with that, I am locking up the doors at Evil. We’re closed for the night.

  229. Petra more of a dog name for me..or abandoned city in Jordan.

    Oh and I would say PET (that dog is my pet)-RA (Egyptian sun god).

  231. CP: Fairytale – Enya
    CP: After I Fall – Lee Ann Womack
    CP: What It Is – Bad Religion
    CP: Invisible Love – Enigma
    CP: Grace – Apocolyptica

    5 titles: Fairytale After What Invisible Grace.

    CP: Cornflake Girl – Tori Amos (live)

  247. JOe, like the original email, nothing wrong w/ sleeping on it before reading the reply, brother.

    Good morning, Deadpan! I have the dentist this morning. Gee, I hate the dentist.

    I’ll be back after if I can! We have family coming in to town, though, so might be sparse the next few days. I hope you all have a lovely day.

    Now to listen to Deadpan over coffee.

  248. Amy, no, no trouble not knowing you got Tee. I’ve placed my own voice next to Tee’s as well, you know…

    Sigler and Hrab didn’t know they were acting opposite each other for the conclusion of RBT either.

    I’d say keep you cameos a secret. It is a strategy I’ve lived by…

  256. TEB: So, what do you think about X Blades. It didn’t get reviewed well, but I always like to hear what real gamers think. Is it more than butt-floss fan service?

  257. OMFG. More proof PETA is absolutely insane. They are trying to pressure the Pet Shop Boys to change their name to Rescue Shelter Boys since Pet Shops are bad for animals.

  258. Ditto, I think they’re actually pretty savvy, they got both press and a guy who doesn’t agree with them to promote their ideas.

  259. JB: I’m sure they are doing it for the incredible free publicity that they are getting for their cause, but it doesn’t change the fact that this approach comes off as an incredibly stupid idea.

  260. ditto, it’s a cute game. Sort of Tomb Raideresque. I wouldn’t give it an outstanding review, but it’s an ok time waster. The graphics are very nice, though. (6 out of ten? Maybe 7)

    My hubby likes it because the main character wears a thong throughout. (“It’s good to see women heroines in video games” 😆 )

  266. Morning, Pan (well, barely here in Texas).

    My daughter and I are headed up to Church for the youth group performance of the Passion.

  267. You know, I just don’t understand how these guys manage to stay in business.

    http://digg.com/d1oLjF

    You would think that one of these judges would require them to drop the “Monster” name themselves after all these abusive lawsuits.

  269. Ah it’s nice when hardware just works. Plugged an external HD into my routers USB port, followed instructions in the manual…and just worked.

    Nice.

  298. I never made it very far in Oni, but what I did play was very flexible and fun.

    I thought that Oni had some of the feel of Deus Ex, though I tend to overpraise that one as my favorite video game. (Primarily because it is one of a very very few I’ve actually completed.)

  299. Good afternoon, Deadpan! It’s been a good day so far, with a small hiccup/missed communication between the dentist office and my better half. The receptionist there didn’t know I was there already, so called my house to find out if I was on my way. Caused some unnecessary worry, for sure.

    CW: Weather with grandma-out-law

  306. JohnBoze said:

    “Amy, no, no trouble not knowing you got Tee. I’ve placed my own voice next to Tee’s as well, you know…”

    Oh, yeah, that’s right. 🙂 Thanks for your opinion. I’m glad we’re on the same page regarding cameo strategy. 🙂

  307. Well, I can say that if one wants to embrace the penitential spirit of Good Friday, enduring the hordes and subjecting oneself to the damp cardboard that is Chuck E. Cheese pizza fits the bill nicely.

  308. I think in many ways, Chuck E. Cheese could be reminiscent of the temples at the time that Jesus rolled into town.
    Full of money changers and animatronic singing bears/Pharisees.

  313. Van: I think you are looking for a song by Fatboy Slim. It has a lyrics of almost entirely: “Right about now, the funk soul brother / Check it out now, the funk soul brother”.

    Actual title of the song: “The Rockafeller Skank”.

    And thanks for the ^%&$#$% earworm. 😛

  314. Most excellent. Rimmer looks like he’s lost a bit of hair, but otherwise, those guys don’t look like they’ve changed a whole lot in 10 years.

    I really need to watch that whole series all the way through. Caught it in bits and pieces way back when it would run on PBS here in the States.

  316. I am not halfway through importing the Audiobook of “Atlas Shrugged.” The county library system had it in their collection.

    42 CDs…..52 hours of spoken audio. I will start listening to it this week after I finish the Dune audiobook.

    Thankfully, these CD’s have only been taking a few minutes apiece to pull.

    Any of you more literate Panites gone through this story? The book itself is a 1000 page behemoth. I’m pretty sure having it read to me is the only way I’ll find the time to get through it before I’m a retired grandfather with more free time.

  317. Of course, from what I’ve learned of Ayn Rand, she’d probably be appalled at the very idea of a public library….ironic.

  318. As I recall, the prose didn’t appeal to me. And, for me, the more words the you use, the more you better really really not suck. Every word has to count.

    I hear it’s had a minor surge in popularity though. Apparently, the idea of the rich getting sick of being abused by the poor and going off to make their own society….well, the haves at fox news were into it.

  323. I was going to identify “The Rockefeller Skank” for Van, but marlodianne beat me to it. I know the song because somebody decided it would be a great song to accompany a chase scene in “Digimon: The Movie,” and I have the soundtrack.

    Vanamonde also said:

    “CP: Where do you go to (my lovely) – Peter Sarstedt”

    That’s one of my good friend’s favorite songs, and her cell phone ringtone. Thanks to her, it will always remind me of this year.

  326. EssBee, I think calling us mashed potatoes without gravy was just (unintentionally) funny. But his whole attitude during the interview–not wanting to answer simple questions, ranting at being referred to as an actor–was classic douche.

  327. You know, Dollhouse had better be doing well in the ratings. If Fox cancels it, people are going to get hurt.

    What a ride it’s turning into – Helo and November, that was priceless!

  329. Amy’s comment is finally free from murgatory. I’d have have guessed that it ended up in murgatory for the term, “skank” – but then – why did Marlo’s comment get a pass?

    The potential for comedy here is endless, but out of respect for the two parties involved, I’ll let it go. 🙂

  331. I am also still up – and should not be. I’ve got Easter eggs to go find at 7:45am tomorrow… wondering at this point if I’m going to make it.

  333. Listeinging to the fatboy track now..this one from a album called ‘The Ultimate Bikini Body Workout Mix’…think it’s wasted on me.

  343. Hey, there are comments here. When did these show up? Thanks for the welcomes folks. Very warm and cozy! Now that I have purchased a clue perhaps I can nipple. I mean comment.

  344. Nipple at will, imag1narynumber, and welcome home.

    I’m headed out for the better half’s mariachi performance in a bit. It’ll be a night of world music – Gamelan, Mariachi, and Brazilian. Enjoy your evenings, you beautiful people.

  354. Hi there, imag1narynumber! As you can see, some of the things we like to talk about a lot around here are: the latest Deadpan episode, music we listen to, TV shows we watch, work, and other things we’re up to in our lives.

  364. Well I mostly listen to podcasts and I don’t watch TV, so I’ll see what I can impart. 🙂

    Oh, but my woman and I are currently watching Six Feet Under and some movies from Netflix. Great series.

    Hopefully not being too much the curmudgeon, I think the new Dr. Who series is too touchy-feely.

  365. Between our BBC friends and us BBCA watchers, we have a bit of a Who-lag problem.
    I don’t think the new season of Dr. Who has started here in the states has it? Plus … are we a season behind what is airing in the UK?

  390. Van be listening to tunage this morn

    we were just listening to some Herbie Mann ourselves

    Hugh sez: good lazy Sunday music

    it is 🙂 and we’ve been quite lazy this morning

    Hugh sez: I still don’t understand why we got out of bed this morning. This is a stay in bed kinda day

    I’m ok with that 🙂

  392. Jack.. don’t join Facebook it is evil. It is just another time suck

    Hugh sez: I won’t join it

    I tried getting Hugh to join and he refuses. I even tried to lure him by joining the CME Group page (thats where hugh works). So now I got a few of his trader friends to be my friends and they email Hugh through me on Facebook.. it is uber annoying

    Hugh sez: see, why do I need to join Facebook? You tell me when there is a message for me, I log into your Facebook page and reply.

    Now I’m your Facebook secretary?

    Hugh sez: Yes

    LOL *smack* I aint yo’ Facebook secretary brotha

  395. ok, I think thats it from us… sorry if we missed something important. We’re trying here.

    l8r pan

    Hugh sez: Go Bulls!!!!

    *eye roll*

    Hugh sez: please, she loves watching basketball.

    I love watching the basketball GUYS not the actual basketball

    Hugh sez: it turns you on, admit it

    I will not!!!

  401. Well my deed for the day was pointing another FB user of Spotify to the Train track Matt Mango album..she just commented she liked the track.

  403. Finally on the recover side of my cold. Yeah me. Dollhouse was great Friday. What a difference from the first couple of episodes. Also, Sarah Conner, John Henry playing DnD Miniatures. LOL

  413. I finished two series this weekend: Jericho (loved it) and Life on Mars U.S. (the jury is still out, as we just finished).

    Now we’re watching last night’s SNL. I LOVE the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Love love love.

  415. Had an excellent Easter with family…the children played and ran themselves into exhaustion – which makes bedtime a good bit easier 🙂

    And, finally finished the first book of Terry Goodkind’s “Sword of Truth” series. Started reading it after learning about the “Legend of the Seeker” series on Slice. A most excellent yarn.

    I had hoped to be able to do the next book on audiobook, but the reviews the 2nd book has received on Audible have pretty much ripped the reader. So, looks like I’ll be putting my eyes through that 1000 pager.

  416. Actually went to church today with my wife… First time in over a decade. Actually had a great time. Just my personal taste, but if a church is gonna play music, a full rock band with drums and steel guitar is a good sell.

  422. My children are awake. Therefore I, too, am awake. Sitting quietly with them in the dark in the hopes that they fall back asleep. Long day with a lot of outside play wore them out – overtired, they are.

  428. Well that’s nice. Only a dozen contracts to look at. That’ll only take me an hour or so, then the rest of the day is mine. Bwa ha ha ha!

  439. Thanks Van. We might have to check Red Dwarf out 🙂

    Hugh sez: with our hours of free time

    Yes! Exactly! 🙂 We still intend to try Dollhouse too

    EssBee- your welcome

    hope everyone else is good

    cold and rainy in Chicago today. Its a curl up in bed with a good book kinda day

    Hugh sez: and a warm girly

    or guy

    Hugh sez: or both. whatever floats your boat

    LOL yes, or both and all of the above

  442. We’re a couple of weeks behind on all our TV. Still trying to catch up from holidays. Hubby and I are really enjoying Castle, though. Not genre, but still quite fun.

  449. So my daughter is moving out at the end of the month. Her cat is going to totally flip once it doesn’t have me to annoy any more. My cat, however will be very happy to get rid of the evil interloper (cat’s thoughts, not mine)

  458. Not so much a whisperer, Van. But I’m the main provider. I feed them and clean the litter, etc. So I’m the one they mostly sleep on and annoy when they want something. I think He’ll miss me when he moves.

  471. Ed, yes. I was able to get the little ones back to sleep. They even let me sleep in a teensy weensy bit this morning which I desperately needed.

  473. Well, my office had a break in last night. Bandits made off with several laptops and some network gear….Had no email or internet for most of the morning.

  474. [Popping in] We do have some early risers around here, don’t we? What’s your typical wakeup time?
    I’m usually up at 8-ish on workdays. Non-work days vary. . . We all know I sometimes stay up late – so I’ll often sleep in ’til around 10-ish, when I can. [/Popping in]

  476. I’m up at 5 a.m. most days. Gotta work out, and if I don’t do so before work it won’t happen at all. On the weekends, I’ll sleep in if I can, but I never sleep past 7 a.m., no matter how late I stay up the night before. I suffer from insomnia, so I try very hard to be in bed by 9 p.m. so that I can read until I’m sleepy.

  477. Wake up time depends on what shifts I’m on that week, even then every start time is different.

    What doesn’t really change is the amount of sleep, after about 6 hours I get a bad back and it wakes me up.

  478. CJ – Glad to hear the little ones went to sleep. Mine woke up this morning with whatever bug I had yesterday.

    Being sick sucks, in case anyone was wondering 🙂

  480. I usually get up somewhere between 6 and 7am. Today was unusual – I was in bed until 8:30 – but as I said before, I was wiped from this weekend. I stay up much too late almost every day, but mostly because I’m working or I’m doing something to wind down so I can sleep. I suffer from insomnia as well and I need my wind down time.

  483. I’m with Van on the wake up time sliding all over the place. Today, I have to be up for 4:30pm (which is less than four hours from now.) Tomorrow, if I’m good, I’ll get up at 4pm. Thankfully, after that I’ll be able to get up at 8pm for the rest of the week. Then on the weekend, I’ll try to sleep early so I can get up around 11am to be with the family.

    I know that keeping a standard sleep schedule makes me happier, but trying to convince the world to let me sleep from 2pm to 8pm every single day has proven to be well beyond my capabilities.

  484. I’m usually up between 5-6. When I’m really lazy (like this morning) It can be as late as 6:20. Work days anyway, though 8AM is as good as it gets between Fox & Iris on weekends.

  489. I am up at 5 am every work day. Out of the house by 6 for my hour drive into work. On the weekends I am usually up between 6-7 am but that also depends on how much I drank the night before…

  496. As I hear it, the network gear was the switch from AT&T that provides our T1 connection to our main office. Costs about $4,000, but I can’t see how it would be much use to some random scrote on the street.

    Maybe they just wanted a really kick ass LAN party setup….

  504. CP: Rubberband – Z

    Thanks, btw, to Dan and Cj for inviting me to their house for Easter. Fun times all around. 🙂 It was most fun jamming “Blitzkrieg Bop” with Dan and Sarah.

  506. I’m typically in 7:30-7:45 am to work an 8-4 since I carpool with a neighbor and that’s his schedule. My commute is ~45min-1hr. Unpleasant. Looking forward to new gig when I can find one that pays roughly what I get now.

  507. And wow I’m going to put this out there now – I will follow these threads as much as I can but there’s no guarantees. Esp. as we’re getting busier at work.

  509. I obviously don’t know FreeBSD or OpenBSD, imag1narynumber. When I read your comment, my mind immediately went to my Savage Love, Get Your Geek Off, etc. dictionary, and I don’t think you’re talking about anything covered on those shows.

  525. I’m going to try out a BSD – dual-boot w/Linux and I’m trying to decide which to actually try. I think it’ll be OpenBSD.

  528. Back from shopping. Took my Boo to the store to get a few things she’ll need for her new place (like dishes, a broom, etc.)

  531. CP: Oxygene Part 1 – Jean-Michel Jarre

    Ah the old ST days when sampled bits of Oxygene and scrolling text was cool.

    Rose Tinted Spectacles are ON.

  537. EssBee – That is a karaoke staple of mine. I’ve probably sung it 100 times…

    What are we runnin’ for… when there’s no where we can run to anymore…

  539. It’s time for me to clock into work and little boy says “no nap, Mommy.”

    I also have 2 more little ones arriving in an hour. Looks like I’ll be up working tonight.

  543. CP: Sing it Back – Moloko

    So if the biog details correct, Roisin Murphy’s (vocals for Moloko) attempted to pick up mixer/producer Mark Brydon at a 1994 party with the line:

    “Do you like my tight sweater? See how it fits my body.”

  565. Jack, I think you need to give us a mash up of Oxygene (pick a part) and “Can You Dig it?” by Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem.

    Yes, you do know it…..you’ve only forgotten.

  569. Here’s when I usually get up:
    Mondays and Wednesdays: between 7:30 and 8:00 (8:30 at the latest) for a 10:30 class
    Tuesdays: generally by 8:30, I think (no class until 1:00, but I like to be at the school for lunch at noon)
    Thursdays: by 8:00 at the latest (well, I try) so I can be there to start cleaning at 10:00
    Fridays and Saturdays: any time from 7:00 to 8:30 depending on when that week’s meeting/service project starts
    Sundays: by 9:00 at the latest, for a 10:00 church service

    I, too, stay up too late most nights, which contributes to the irregularity of the times I get up. I really need to get to bed at a regular time.

  571. Jack said:

    “It was most fun jamming “Blitzkrieg Bop” with Dan and Sarah.”

    I’m guessing you used real guitars/instruments, not the video-game variety, right? Either way, sounds like a lot of fun.

  611. Me, I need *much* more mythbusters and ghost hunters to make my recovery go faster. Also House. Let’s just make them shoot my favourite shows on a 24hr round. I’ll watch Hugh Laurie sleep; I’m not fussy…

  615. I’m up way too late. Once again. But I’m glad to see Marlo and Van here.
    I wasn’t even aware that Caprica was already set for release.

    I’ll watch reactions.

    Goodnight mush.

  617. Sleep Well, Jack.

    And Van, I stick to flash streams, since the Conservatives got in and decided to track everything else for possible lawsuits. I don’t need to lose my house (pun unintended, but enjoyed) because I somehow downloaded something Harper didn’t approve of.

  618. Morning pan – Deadpan flash poll:

    Side Sleeper, Back Sleeper, or Stomach Sleeper?

    I am most definitely a side sleeper. I can fall asleep on my back if I’m really exhausted, but my body will flip to the side at some point.

  621. Marlo, if you need more Hugh Laurie, you can queue up the DVD’s of the series Jeeves and Wooster and the later seasons of Blackadder.

    I haven’t kept up with House as much these last few seasons, the concept just got too repetitive for me, even if House is a fun ass to watch…..er, that’s not quite what I meant, doh!

    Anyway, I always thought it would be great if they would get Stephen Fry as a guest on House some time. That I would definitely tune in for.

  622. Oh, and props to Obama for approving the action to rescue the American ship captain over the weekend. Quite an impressive story.

  630. Morning, Pan!

    I’m a stomach sleeper with aspirations of back sleeping. My feet fall asleep, though, when I sleep on my back. Please don’t tell me what medical condition that means I have. Thanks.

    I was just listening to Slice and am a bit stunned by the news that the last Wheel of Time installment is now going to be broken into 3 volumes. Wilco Tango Foxtrot, TOR.

  632. Now we’re doing sleeping positions?

    I try to sleep on my side, cuddling into my hubby. However, the cat’s don’t like that. They usually crawl up and down my side until I roll over onto my back. One will sleep between my legs, around my calfs, the other likes to sleep on my pelvis. This works for a while, until my legs fall asleep (kitty syndrome) then I have to roll over to my side and the whole process starts over again.

  635. My cats are being real brats this morning. Yesterday it was 13 degrees so I had the windows open. They got to sit in the windowsill and enjoy the fresh air. Today I refuse to open the windows because, well… it’s snowing. The cats are not happy and letting me know it.