Matrimorphobia and Patrimorphobia

I've been thinking lately that I'm turning into my mother, which has caused me to invent a new word:

Matrimorphosis, noun. The process of turning into one's mother.

This word lead me to its male-parental counterpart:

Patrimorphosis, noun. The process of turning into one's father.

Of course, many people, me included, fear these processes, so 2 more words are needed:

Matrimorphobia, noun. The irrational fear of turning into one's mother.

Patrimorphobia, noun. The irrational fear of turning into one's father.

The Earls of Hazzard

Who ordered that?

The Freedom Tower

Ground was broken on the Freedom Tower yesterday. Only 1776 more feet to go.

Caprica: Birthplace of the Cylons

Yesterday, the Sci Fi Channel announced that it will develop a new series called Caprica. The series will be a prequel to my favorite currently running show, the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica; it will take place about 50 years before Battlestar and chronicle the breakthrough in robotics that will lead to development of the Cylons and, ultimately, the near-total annihilation of the human race. The show is to be executive produced by Battlestar EPs Ronald D. Moore and David Eick---24 screenwriter Remi Aubuchon will pen the pilot---which leads me to believe that the series will focus on character drama and which has me feeling optimistic about the show. As Ketan so succintly put it, "Yay!"

There's no word yet on when the series will debut, but I'm guessing it will be sometime in mid-to-late 2007.

A Stolen Aphorism

Here's an aphorism I stole from Todd:

People say you write things down so you can remember. Really, you right things down so you can forget.

Movie Review: C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

Last weekend, Nick, Lisa, Greg, Alison and I watched C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America. The film, written and directed by an African American film professor from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, is a mockumentary; it takes a Ken-Burns-style look at American History since the Civil War, but it is set in a universe where the South won the "War of Northern Aggression." As a result, slavery, racism, and sexism have not only continued in the South, but spread across the country and beyond. The movie is sometimes funny, often thought-provoking, and always discomforting. What really made the flick one worth seeing were the mock advertisements for products and services available in that universe. The most horrifying part was learning, in the epilog, just how many of these advertised goods were extrapolations of real-world products and services.

Overall, I give it 7.5 out of 10.

Let's Flybar, Baby!

That's it. I'm giving up biking, lifting, and martial arts so I can devote all my time and energy to extreme pogo-sticking.

It's Promtastic

If you are planning a wedding, do not---repeat, do not---go visit the tuxedo-rental facility during prom season. Not only will you be forced to wait forever to talk to the salesfolk, but you'll be surrounded by awkward high-school boys making bold statements like, "Dude, I would look so hot in that white tux!" and their mothers asking questions like, "What color is Kaitlyn's dress?"

Movie Review: Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

I've now seen Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, twice: once on the big screen and once on the DVD that Alison gave me. Being a longtime fan of both Wallace and Gromit, especially Gromit, I greatly enjoyed the film. The movie takes place in a caricature of England in the 1950s and 1960s, and it is loaded up with all the W&G trademarks: Rube-Goldbergery, exaggerated characters, subtle sight gags, and a ridiculous chase sequence at the end. Plus, there's an entire warren of oh-so-cute rabbits.

Overall, I give it 8.0 out of 10.

Movie Review: Thank You For Smoking

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

A couple of weekends ago, Lisa, Greg, Alison, and I saw Thank You For Smoking, a ficitional film about the tobacco industry's principal lobbyist. It was quite good. In particular, the screenwriter, director, and lead actor did a good job of making the viewer cheer for the main character while simultaneously abhorring his job and his industry.

Overall, I give it 7.5 out of 10.