The X-Entertainment Blog

10/05/2007: The Peanuts Prowling Pumpkin Patch!

When I decided to limit the Countdown in light of personal frustration/ennui/whatever the other day, my gal took the opportunity to bring home some much needed Halloween spirit in the form of…well, whatever you’d call this thing:

Officially titled the Peanuts Prowling Pumpkin Patch, it’s a maddening and beautiful little decoration that reminds me very much of an old electronic football game that I cannot for the life of me remember the name of. You might, though: Remember those football “board” games consisting of a big, electronic football field and a bunch of player figurines that’d slowly shake their way across when you turned it on?

It was the only toy in my godmother’s ancient house, and whenever we visited there, I sat on the floor for two hours trying to make sense of it. I’m still not totally sure how it was played or what the general point of it was, but it shared a gimmick with the Prowling Pumpkin Patch: They both have figurines that seem to move under their own power, like magic!

The “base” is “based” on the pumpkin patch where Linus and Sally wasted a very famous Halloween night, complete with Great Pumpkin signage, a couple of dead trees and Snoopy’s doghouse. Snoopy’s abode has never been located in or beside a pumpkin patch in any form of official canon, but I’m willing to forgive this since the doghouse is actually a button that causes Peanuts music to blare through hidden speakers when pushed.

The real stars of the set are the tiny figurines, made of rubber but with magnetized feet. We get Lucy, Snoopy, Linus and Charlie Brown with a removable ghost costume. I prefer to let Charlie Brown go without a costume and pretend that someone else is under the sheet. This way, my Prowling Pumpkin Patch has five figures, and everyone else’s only has four. I like to feel special in any way I can.

Click here to see it in action!

When you smack Snoopy’s shack, music plays, and that signals the figurines to make their shaky, vague rotation across the patch. They’re prone to falling over, but I don’t mind it so much since it doesn’t keep them from moving around. Plus, it opens the door for me to start a little betting pool with my imaginary friends over which Peanuts character will last the forty-five seconds without crashing. My money’s on Snoopy, who skirts the official rules by starting his trek in a downward position.

This would be as good of a time as any to reiterate the information a reader sent in a few days back: It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown will be shown on October 28th at 8 PM, on ABC. It’s almost getting to that time of year where we should all help each other figure out when the real seasonal stuff is going to be on TV. If you’ve got any tips, post them in the comments. Hopefully, we’ll get some good background noise for a few of the upcoming SNTs.

Posted by Matt. E-mail me!

Don’t you know how many of you have CVS pharmacies around, but that’s where she found this.

Jedoc… hell yeah that counts! CVS has action figure versions of the Great Pumpkin too.

I saw the action figures when I was at CVS a while back, but damn, now I’ve gotta go back and consider getting this…

Oh oh oh…a new post! The joy and elation I feel coursing through my veins at this moment is not to be believed! Happy Friday.

ABC Family 13 days of Halloween is always pretty good but I think this year it may fall short because it kicks off with ET. WTF?

I always stick with AMC Monsterfest that really starts on Monday the 21st. It has all the good ones like The Creepshow, The Howeling, Poltergeist ect… It’s 24/7 of horror.

I love Dancing Skelly and the fact that he will dance to the music of my choice! Can we expect to see more of him in the future or has he retired from the x-entertainment business?

ooh! I want one!!! and thanks for the post Matt- I’m bored at work so I wait all day to read the new ones. I also just finished reading the review of Ghoulies 3. AWESOME!

I just checked out the Monsters HD channel schedule for most of October; it looks absolutely amazing. And of course, all the movies look great digitally remastered in high definition. This is the first year the channel has been around on Halloween and it’s shaping up to demolish any other horror marathon on any other channel.

I gave up on network television and their waning holiday specials. For weeks I’ve been ripping as many Halloween themed DVDs I can find to my media center pc.

yeah, my Aunt has one of these for Christmas, it has little people skating around. This is so much cooler! This year I gotta let my kid watch Great Pumpkin, he’s two, it’s time.

Hi x-e faithfuls. I’m new to the party but I had to say that the Halloween countdown is the great. i cant wait to see what is next. and on 10/22 AMC is showing Children of the Corn at 11:30AM. one of my favorites. (little kids are scary)

Wow Matt! That is cool, I want it! I might have to leave early today to haunt my local CVS. Do any of you on here have the chiller channel on Directv? What gives? This channel has so much possibility and falls flat for October!

Ok, I posted this a while back, and while its not anything thats gonna be on TV I think that it should still be mentioned for anyone that missed it.

They are currently in the pre-production stage of another Friday The 13th movie. (What are they up to now, 11?) The release I believe is going to be next october, so that is something to look forward to next Halloween. I will see if I can find a link to the news article.

I noticed that Charlie a la Ghost doesn’t seem to move… the ’sheet’ must make him too heavy for the magnets, huh?
Lucy in her hat makes it all worthwhile.
It sucks that here in Colorado there are no CVS stores (couldn’t decide if it was CVS’, CVSs, CVS’s… figured if I did the one I prefer, it’s probably the least grammatically correct, and I’d get a reaming).
I’ll have to look around for that.

*pout* I was hanging out on the old thread waiting for more ideas for Halloween gifts and I missed the new post. :( Oh, well. Better late than never.

And now I get to leave work early! And I have the night off at my other job because I’m going ghost hunting at Ft Reno! Best Friday ever!!

Nice! Does it have the added bonus of scaring cats? I only want it if it will keep my cat away from the skull-shaped bowl of M&Ms.

Awesome. Does anyone else have the Garfield Holiday Special DVD? I fucking love that thing. About time to watch some pirate ghosts.

Hmph! I’m not going to post curses about how a little girl is going to eat you if you fall alseep tonight, Matt

Matt - Any idea how much this cost her? I have a CVS less than two blocks away and if it was reasonable I may have to swing by and pick one up if we are lucky enough to have them here.

I got no CVS near us, but I so want this. Do they make a Charlie Brown Christmas version of it, too?

SCI-FI is showing one of the Horrorfest movies from last year “Dark Ride” tomorrow. It’s probably edited like crazy, though

JLAJRC
I went to see last year’s Horrorfest in theaters.
I’ll be going to this year’s as well… too bad it’s in November. I’d think it would do better in October… but, I suppose that the theater will be filled with other blood, guts, and gore fans like myself, who love it all year round!
I picked up the DVD set when it came out, as well.
They’re by no means the greatest horror movies ever; but definitely entertaining.
And, yes, Dark Ride will be edited to within an inch of it’s life, I bet!

I think I’ve only posted once a long time ago, I love the site. I wish I could find some of this halloween stuff, I love it! I love the Peanuts gang. We had something similar to this and I’d love to watch them fall over.

We also have the Great Pumpkin action figures. Charlie Brown’s had a removable ghost costume and a candy bag filled with rocks!

I also have the Garfield Holiday Specials dvd, and having the Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas specials all on one dvd is of awesome convenience.

You know, as much as I love “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” I’ve never quite looked at the same since Robot Chicken got a hold of it. Arise! Arise oh Great Pumpkin!

sarah landon and the paranormal and 30 days of night look like they’ll be pretty good movies for this month

You know, I pass that by at CVS every time I go to one looking for great Halloween junk. I’m just not a big enough Peanuts fan to get it. But… I do like Peanuts, and I really like Halloween, so…

How much was it? Is it worth the investment? If you’re a spookity-wookity Halloweener, could it be a year-round thing, like Nightmare Before Christmas stuff?

Sheesh, a keyword search for “horror” brings up a whole lot, especially on the premium channels. For those of us who are poor, tonight at 3 am SciFi is playing Blood Surf, about a monstrous crocodile. Then they’re doing creature features all day tomorrow, followed by something called Dark Ride (set in an amusement park) starring Jaime-Lynn DiScala, followed by Leprechaun 1, 2 and 4. Generally it looks like SciFi, AMC and TCM are the channels to watch.

Almost forgot to comment on the post! That thing looks awesome. Cheers to Matt’s girl for the great purchase

Hmmm… Peanuts Electric Football. As long as the figurine with Lucy on it can yank the football away at the last minute, and all the other figures berate the Charlie Brown figure after the game, I’d buy it. When viewed through the proper lens, Charlie Brown is EXCELLENT black comedy.

I saw this at CVS. Alongside the rock that has an evil laugh to it. And I was wondering what exactly that it did. Now I know. I am kinda sad that there’s no Sally. (that’s the girl’s name that’s all about the great pumpkin right?)

Warner Bros. was supposed to release Trick ‘r Treat today, but due to the fact that WB sucks shit, they moved it to next year.

In 1947, Tudor Games (now owned by Miggle Games) created electric football, using a vibrating car race game made by Tudor as the base for the game technology. Electric football was an immediate hit. More than 40 million of the games have been sold since its creation, and new editions are sold each year.

While video games of football have supplanted electric football in popularity, electric football has also benefitted from technological progress. Players became more realistic in sculpting, and Miggle sells pre-painted players from all 32 National Football League teams and 23 college teams, including home and away jerseys. Leagues, clubs and tournaments continue to play the game. The Electric Football League, headquartered in Highland Park, Illinois, held its 12th annual Official Electric Football Super Bowl & Convention in January 2006.

[edit] The game
The game is played on a metal field. Plastic players are placed on the field in offensive and defensive formations just like real football. The ball is a small piece of foam or felt in the shape of a football. A switch operates the field. When turned on the field vibrates and the players begin to move.

Each player has a “base” attached to them. The bases have prongs on the bottom that allow the player to move. Rookie bases are not adjustable and the player hopefully runs forward. Pro bases have a dial that you can turn to have players turn to the right or left.

A special player called the Triple Threat Quarterback (TTQ) allows players to pass, punt or kick field goals. The ball has a slit that lets the game player place it on the TTQ’s arm. The arm is pulled back and released to pass the ball. For kicking the ball is placed on a tee on the TTQ and a plastic leg snaps to kick the ball.

CVS? Awesome! There’s one on the border of Oaklyn and Collingswood, a couple of blocks from my usual bank; if I have the time, I’ll go looking for it tomorrow morning before work. (If not, I’ll go there sometime this week.) That’s way too cute. It would look great on the other side of my living room table, or maybe on the coffee table in the music area. If nothing else, it’s a great conversation piece (as we’ve noted here).

damn that sounds like the hardest game in the world lol.. are they saying that you try to pass a little foam football from the arm of one of those tiny figures and have it caught by one of the other tiny figures

It reminds me vaguely of a music box my Nana and Aunt Susan had. It was a foot high, liked like a mound of snow, and had a mirror on the top that was supposed to be a lake, and when the mechanism was wound up, a magnet inside started to turn round. There was a figurine (a skating teddy bear) that you would place on the mirror, and the magnet would latch on, and make the teddy ’skate’.

What was fun was that I had a whole bunch of figurines with magnetic feet. A My Little Pony, Bart Simpson, And Charlie Brown and Snoopy. And it worked with all of them. It was pretty funny to see Snoopy ice skating.

If I waited around year after year for The Great Pumpkin, I’d be hitting the bottle as well.

Does anyone have a guess as to how much It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown would cost on DVD? I want to see it and don’t want to wait another two weeks for it. ;_;

I remember somebody mentioning $5.50 holiday DVDs at Target that included some of the old Garfield specials. Maybe I should pick those up too…

Warner Home Video has picked up the distribution rights to the Peanuts specials from Paramount, and beginning next year will be releasing them as remastered deluxe edition DVDs with new bonus features.

The guy at my tele marketing job, he ended up dialing the lady who was Jasons Mom! Betty something or other. I was like O_O !

tigerfan: Yeah, I don’t know about their movie marathon, but the thing I like most about Chiller is that they’re showing the Werewolf series that I loved when I was a kid. I’ve been recording as many episodes as I can. Also, I believe they’ve been showing Night Gallery, another great one from back in the day. Too bad they edit everything though.

Special K: Ghost hunting? Seriously? Right on! Let us know how it goes. I’d love to do that. I’ve always wanted to get some decent recording equipment and go out to a cemetary and see if I can get some real EVP’s.

JLAJRC: I’ve got last year’s Horrorfest on my Netflix list. Are they all really good? As soon as I do those, I’m moving on to all of the Masters of Horror entries so far.

mandy_bleeding skull_Reeves: So sorry for the potential dp, but I gotta say that would just be just about the coolest thing ever, ever! I would totally just loose my shit. Good for him. I once worked at a job where I got to talk to Jackie Chan on the phone. Really nice guy. I’ve actually been fortunate to either meet or work with quite a few famous people in all my years of dj’ing and doing PA work on movies and such. Would rather not go into it now cause I don’t want to get the thread off on too much of a tangent, but I’ve got some stories for another day.

Oh, and I really dig all the creative middle names by the way. Every time you chime in, it’s fun to see who mandy-so-and-so-reeves is going to be today. Keep ‘em coming.

Now I want to be a telemarketer just so I can call Betsy Palmer and make her talk in the “kill her mommy” voice.

Jason’s mom’s head on the table in Parts 2 and 3 scared the holy hell out of me when I was a kid.

Oh, and back to the Peanuts thing, I love how Linus doesn’t have a snowballs chance in the video. And Charlie Brown just gets hung up in the corner. I’m assuming that’s him still under the sheet since I didn’t see him anywhere else. I’m rooting for Snoopy of course.

DJ D: You bringing up how Chiller is playing Fox’s old Werewolf series is KILLING me. I loved that show when I was a kid too. I haven’t seen an episode since it originally aired back in 1987 and ‘88. I have digital cable so I don’t have access to the Chiller network. While hearing about it airing has been torture in a way it also makes me hopeful that if enough buzz is generated then maybe, just maybe, it may see a release on DVD.

Luap: Thanks for the heads up on those DVD releases. I nearly went out last week looking for the Peanuts holiday specials on DVD. I’ve put off buying them for years and thought I’d finally break down and get them. Since you mentioned that I’ll probably hold off to see what comes out next year. Cool.

So, regarding the Peanuts Prowling Pumpkin Patch, still no word on what it costs? Well I’ll try to stop by my CVS tomorrow and if they have it, and no one has posted the price yet, I’ll try to let everyone know.

Hey everyone, I’m ostng on my DS from work. Congrats to DJD on his new job. I myself got a 1 dollar an hour raise to do overnights. G2G back 2 work!

Eddie Lightning Frog asked if anyone has the Garfield holiday specials DVD. Yes, as a matter of fact, I do have it. I’m gonna watch it next week probably.

Bill, I miss that CBS Special logo too. It just doesn’t feel right watching those animated specials without seeing that crazy awesome thing first.

AGHHHHH I probably have to work when the Charlie Brown Halloween special comes on. Damn it all to hell. I really don’t want to have to pay 13 dollars for it on DVD. What a ripoff. :\

Anyway, great post, Matt. I wish I had some money so I could go buy one of those. We do have CVS here, so…

Sorry to double post, but I just saw Luap’s post. That’s fricking excellent news! Warner’s much better about releasing stuff than Paramount is. Like I said, Paramount wants 13 dollars per special! I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t justify paying that much for 22 minutes of animation. Anyway, I’ll be watching out for the new releases.

Gah, does anybody else watch Meerkat Manor? The revamped opening credits are such a bummer. Rest in peace, brave little meerkat. I’m sure you’re digging up grubs in the Kalahari in the sky.
DJ D, I can’t speak for the Horrorfest movies but I’ve seen a bunch of MoH and they’re not bad. Family, Pelts, Pro-Life and The Screwfly Solution are all fairly awesome, actually.

I am so going to buy that today while on a search for my Halloween costume!
Anyway, my man and I rented 1408 last night and saw a trailer for a movie called “Black Sheep.” From what I could tell, it’s about homicidal, gentically engineered sheep and possibly weresheep. It showed a scene in which a person being accosted by one of the weresheep throws mint sauce in the sheep’s face and it begins to burn it. Totally awesome!!!

Leprechaun is on Scifi at 11:00 followed by Leprechaun 2. Do you guys want to do another movie night tonight? I couldn’t think who I would rather watch it with but fellow X-Ers.

I don’t remember, but I think CN’s doing a Courage the Cowardly Dog marathon either this sunday or next. I love Courage, that show’s like visual crack cocaine.

Gah, hit the post button before I was ready, but I recently picked up a cheap Garfeild and Friends DVD w/ a tiny Pookie in to. Most the eps in it were “Garfield’s Tales of Really Scary Stuff” (uh….time has parapharased that particular title, i think), so I suggest going out and picking it up, if only for the baby Pookie in it (sooooo soft).

I probably won’t be home in time for the first movie, but could probably hang around for a little while later on.

I’m gonna go finish watching 28 Days Later. Heads up to you fellow Okies: Nightmare on Elm Street 2 is on at 4PM on channel 43. Too bad I have to go to work at 5. :\

Squee I’m addicted to that show. I felt so bad when they showed her after she was bitten and her face was so swollen.

DJD: I actually haven’t seen any of the Horrorfest movies myself, but I have been reading the reviews of them at 411mania.com as part of their 31 Screams feature this month (along with the Zombiefest).

While I haven’t seen any of the second season MOH entires, I can vouch for some the first season entries. My favorite is Cigarette Burns.

If you have IFC, tonite they’re showing the original Halloween, followed by Club Dread, then Wendigo.

There’s some sort of feet balls game on right now between two apparently large teams, one of which is from the state’s capital and the other is the red guys from one state up….

It’s been a productive day. I have seen 976-EVIL (I think that’s the right number) the old Amittyville Horror, just started Return of the Living Dead, posting a new blog and it’s not even 7pm. What a day off!

i wish we could set up some sort of easy-flow chat room for “events” or .. something. hahaha..

anyone have a psp? I want the jackass game. But i dont want to get it if it sucks. I’m gonna save til wendsday and get Duck Amuck for the ds. The object is to piss off daffy duck and to unlock mini games.

Magic Toy-
The Peanuts pumpkin patch costs $19.99. The pumpkin patch is new to me,but last year for Christmas at CVS,we had a Peanuts ice skating rink for the same price,so you may want to keep your eyes peeled.

where is everyone tonight? - i’m currently watching the mc hammer story on vh1.

Patiently waiting for Leprechaun to start while watching TLC’s “Flip that house”

Back with beer! Happy SNT and it’s almost time for the Leprechaun! (in my best Wayne Cambell voice)

I am stuck watching the baseball game from dvr because my FIL is visiting this weekend. I wish I were watching something a little more halloweenish but alas I am stuck watching boys play with their balls. Any one taking bets on a possible Jason sighting at the game!??! Could I be so lucky?

Just got home from the late shift at work. Chicken pot pie is in the oven, XE is up and ‘Ghostbusters’ in on TV. Oh yeah.

I’m hangin’ around. Getting ready to dust my immensely dusty room. Although I could leave it and say it adds some Halloween atmosphere, I’ve been sneezing up a storm lately.

I should have known the one night I had something to say, the Manicurse would kick in

soooo yummy! Its really got a pumkiny flavor to it. And Matt, you still have your Pogo.com account? I love pogo. I’m in an awesomely fun leauge.

This is the SNT, because I just got home from… The Walking With Dinosaurs live show. Blog review to come tomorrow.

WHOOT! It’s SNT people, and I am here for once. Currently, I am watching “The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show” RETRO TELETOON is the BEST damn channel ever.

Went to Octoberfest this week and it’s official…I can polka dance pretty damn well. I never thought I would say that.

Woo happy SNT! Just got finished watching Pick of Destiny with the fam, now I’m heading home in time for Leprechaun.
Out with it, Manimal! Baited breath over here.

Happy SNT people…
I must be the only one who’s watched Jennifer Aniston’s old nose movie too much, that I’m excited that Zombie Honeymoon starts in 15 on The Movie Channel…
Masters of Horror is just finishing up on it now.

This does have a pretty good cast for a movie about a leprechaun. It makes you wonder how their agent pitched the idea to them.

I KNOW I AM 20 YEARS BEHIND EVERYONE ELSE but I just discovered the original ending to the movie LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS!! WOW!!
The moral and ethical implications that I had never thought of before, the overblown 50s nostalgia of it all, the ‘perhaps yet still disappointing’ aspect of it all.
If you haven’t seen it or know what I am talking about: (1) Go to a (yet another)surprising well-done Wikipedia article then (2) go over to YouTube and check it out.
Matt, Squee, Bill, and the rest etc. did you already know about this?!

Kid Nicky: Thank you for the heads-up on the price. I stopped by my local CVS today and couldn’t find one, so apparently they either have sold out or didn’t get them. I may check it again in a week or so in case they get more.

Oh yeah, I also watched F13 part VII today. I watched it for the first time in college. It was better than I remember but it was also terrible.

Not sure if someone else mentioned this but Corey Corrections says, “Matt, Kane Hodder played Jason in Part VII: A New Blood so VIII was not his first appearance.”

Vague recollection of an alternate ending where Moranis’s character “went bad,” so to speak. Fuzzy memory. Late at night. Will research to refresh.

I haven’t seen Little Shop Of Horrors in about 15 years. I need to order it on Netflix.

Are there Halloween games besides bobbing for apples? I’m having a Halloween party this year and it was suggested that there should be retro games. I just can’t think of any.

Didn’t realize it was a Leprechaun marathon on SciFi!- Leprechaun in Space comes on at 3-
very cool.
Happy SNT

I love that alternative ending for Little Shop of Horrors!
Also,
Bill
I can’t think of any Halloween games… only thing that comes to mind is how, in my childhood, searching through the candy for razorblades and whatnot was almost a game with my folks. That’s not too much help for you, though.

I haven’t seen Little Shop of Horrors since it was newly released on video. My parents rented it in what had to be around 1987 or 1988. I know that Audrey liked to drink blood, Audrey got very big, there was an airhead blond girl, Steve Martin was a dentist, Rick Moranis played a dork (shocking), and… and… that is about it.

Audrey (the airhead blond girl) (Audrey II is the plant) is also one of Chuck’s aunts on Pushing Daisies.

Manimal, you are talking about the movie musical version, right? Yeah, the Musical’s (the real one, not the movie) has a much better ending.

Raechel: Oh yeah, you are right. See it has been a while. I watched Pushing Daisies last week and didn’t notice that. I am assuming she plays the aunt that got less screentime, the one without the eye-patch?

Happy SNT folks! I have not seen little shop of horrors or leprechaun. I make a terrible XE-er. It was 88 degrees here today, it was wrong. My son and I went to the mall where there is plenty of central air conditioning, and we got matching Heely’s. I think someday he might need therapy.

Magic Toy,
Yeah, the one with the short dark haired bob.
It wasn’t the easiest catch to notice her… her voice was not Audrey’s high pitched squeal. That voice is there, but very subdued.
Also, it’s much better than I expected… but, Chuck is kind of annoying.

I just got the Snow badge (is that the name of the badge? If not, you know which one I’m referring to, anyway) and I’m heading out to Rock Climb. 7 down, 1 to go.

So I hear these Leprechaun movies each exist in a separate continuity from the last.
Warwick Davis just wants his gold!
Yub-Nub!

Wow Manimal I’ve never heard about that! I’ve seen the original film but that’s it. I’d like to say it’s a shame they changed it because that’s a way cooler ending but I probably would have hated it as a kid if the movie ended that way.

As for electric types…I like them, but why Plusle? In my book, he’s only useful with Minun (which is where their respective abilities kick in).

The Beacon Badge is definately the hardest gym, if not for the really confusing puzzle and junior trainers. There are electric types, but since Luxray & Pachirisu are the only electric types in Sinnoh, the gym leader has an Octillery in addition to Luxray, Raichu, and an Ambipom.

Then, Elite 4 time. Like those of us who beat it before, Cynthia is a total bitch, especially with the team you have, I’m pretty sure that a grand total of 5 pokemon in all of the Elite 4 & Cynthia are weak to electric, and a hell of a lot of them can take electrics down (all of Bertha’s & most of Cynthia’s pokemon. 8 Pokemon know Earthquake, not to mention the attacks Muddy Water, Dig, and Fissure are used too.). I hope your Manaphy or Mew knows Ice Beam. You’re going to need it for Garchomp.

But you’re team looks ok. I see Blaziken or Mew taking down Aaron, Roserade for Bertha, Manaphy for Flint, but if you don’t have at least 1 Dark-type attack, I suggest you get one for Lucien. If you think Bronzong will be the most powerful of Lucien’s team…it’s actually Girafarig. This one was a total bitch to take down. And as for Flint…since there are only 2 full-evolved fire-type pokemon in Sinnoh (Infernape & Rapidash), he uses both, but he also has a Lopbunny, Steelix & Drifblim. If you’re using Manaphy, I will warn right now that he will try to use Sunny Day as quick as possible, which is why I used my Golem, who was able to withstand fire and other attacks that could’ve taken down my Empoleon. Good luck, man. You’ll beat it.

SNL was on tonight and it was actually great! Seth Rogen was awesome, and one of the best Weekend Updates I’ve seen in a long time (including a little flashback to SNL’s roots with Chevy Chase taking over for 5 minutes)

And I just saw a “new” Orville Reddenbacher ad…They got smart and stopped using Zombie Orville and just showed a classic ad starring it (which made me feel that Zombie Orville was really, really, surprisingly accurate)

Thanks for the heads up about the ending Manimal.I’d heard there was an alternate ending but didn’t think to check on Youtube for it. Definitely different.

Yeah, I directed Little Shop two years ago and a few people actually said they “wished we had done the original ending” not realizing the ‘movie’ ending was the new ending; plus, it kinda doesn’t fit the show; the original ending is soo much better -and more fun- on stage….

I just left a house where we were watching Zombie Honeymoon….how does he classify as a zombie? It seemed more like he was a cannibal with a really good excuse: “Why am I eating people? Uh, I’m a….a zombie! Yeah, that’s it”….

I was watching a rerun of the King of Queens earlier and they were at a fish store and Doug said “I am not interested in eating fish until they make a fish that tastes like Doritos”

Believe me, that isn’t the EXACT team I’ll be taking to the Elite 4. Dark and Ice, you say?

Plusle is there, well it WAS there because I leveled it first before I put in Pachirisu. I really wanted Plusle and Minun because, you guessed it, my name. I will be leveling them fully such that my D/P team will have a variant form where I use +/- together. Plusle is just in there to travel along, right now.

If you can’t tell, my choices are influenced by more than just pragmatics. There is a hefty dose of personal preference, and anime influence. Mana&Blazi from May, Pachy from Dawn, Roserade because of Ninja Roserade

I was given a Mew because I complained about not liking Bibarel

I should be asleep. I was asleep but the fair food has caused some…unpleasantness.
Now that the wife and kids are asleep, I can launch into more detail. It all started this week when I made a “Feed Me, Seymour” reference in class and no one got it. I HAD TO show a 20 second, taped off SCI-FI NETWORK clip to educate the young people of America. I knew the 1960 film and the 1986 movie but I wasn’t familiar with the stage version. So, I looked it up and thus my week-long obsession became LSOH.
I read a good interview from director Frank Oz that says they chose to change it because you can die on stage but come back for the final bow but if you die in a movie, that’s it.
This is out of character but I LIKE THE HAPPY ENDING version better. Yeah, Seymour gets away with some unsavory stuff but he is so likeable (in the film version). Plus, you have to put some of that aside for the greater good; the guy is trying to save the world. He is our champion, people.

Bill: It’s been a long, long while since I’ve been to a Halloween party, and I don’t know how mature your party goers are going to be, but maybe you can find a way to adapt some of the classics.

Pin the nose on the pumpkin, of course. Could have possibilities if there’s alcohol involved.

Instead of putting the apples in a tank, suspend them from the ceiling on long strings and have at least two people racing to see who can take a bite out of one with their hands behind their backs. Guaranteed good times.

Toilet paper mummy. Teams race to wrap a single roll of toilet paper around a team member without tearing it. I forget what happens if it tears, but I’m sure you can come up with some suitably humiliating forfeit. If they don’t manage to wrap it around all four limbs, head, and torso, it doesn’t count.

If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can work a murder mystery in. Last I checked, it was pretty easy to google up some scripts for mystery parties.

Ouija boards are cheap, and if you can’t manage to be spooky with one they’re always a good laugh. Or you can have an old-fashioned “rap once for yes” seance. Doing some light research on the Spiritualism movement or Houdini should give you all the tricks you need to freak out a couple of people. Make sure you know your friends pretty well. There are a surprising number of people who are genuinely offended by or afraid of this stuff.

A spook-based trivia contest, riddling competition, or ghost story tournament would be easy to do, and all three are backed up by centuries of harvest festival tradition. Just make sure you have a blood-soaked compatriot ready to jump out at the appropriate point in your own story.

Does anyone else remember the Little Shop of Horrors animated cartoon? I think it ran on Fox for one season in the early 90s…

For those of you like me who don’t have the premium channels, Netflix has awesome horror films that you can watch instantly on your computer. Poltergeist, The Exorcist, Sleepaway Camp, Pumpkinhead, Evil Dead, Blacula(!), and my personal favorite, Frogs! Of course, you have to be a member, but so worth it.

Wow, thanks Jedoc. That’s some good stuff. It’s funny you mentioned a Ouija board. I had suggested that to the girlfriend and was almost kicked in the balls for even thinking that. I think it would be fun. What’s the worst that can happen?

It looks like the Cartoon Network has kicked off the Halloween season today with an all day marathon of Courage the Cowardly Dog and then some Halloween movie tonight. Starting to slowly get in the spirit. Slowly.

I’m also a HUGE fan of the musical LSOH movie. I even own the soundtrack. It was playing on the various HBO’s about a month back. That movie just never gets old for me.

I actually saw the original ending on YouTube not too long ago (it may even still be on there). It’s incredibly creepy (especially since it’s in B&W) and just doesn’t fit in with the rest of the movie. Even when the plant was munching on people the movie still had a campy, cheerful tone. The original ending turned it into a straight-up horror pic, which it isn’t. I’m with the happy ending all the way.

Speaking of LSoH, I’m going to be Seymour for Halloween. Click my name to see the Audrey 2 I made.

Heh Dan H I’m glad to know I’m not the only one addicted. You pinpointed the exact moment in the show where I lost my shit. I already knew about the death because it made news, but to actually see it

Invader I had the exact same thoughts when I saw that Orville Reddenbacher commercial!
I wish I had an East Coast feed of SciFi. I only made it an hour into Leprechaun…I did try to make it through that Hard Rock Zombies movie earlier but it was just interminable, especially when they dispatched Hitler early in the movie and they kept going with the pointless montages.
I totally remember the Little Shop animated series. I checked out the Wiki to refresh my memory; it was paired with Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, another movie-to-animated-series spinoff that I loved. It’s pretty amazing to think that a movie that took two days to film and used winos for extras led to so much. I forgot that there was a Legend Films version out with Mike Nelson doing the commentary, I want to get that.
I still need to look on YouTube and watch the original ending of the ‘86 movie…Manimal, I can’t believe your students didn’t know LSoH. That’s just depressing.

It’s plastered all over AMVs, and naturally Pokemon AMVs that feature Pachirisu. I’ve been listening to it for a good, solid month now.

I just got this pumpkin patch,and it rules. Linus even manages not to fall down on mine. Of course,I’ve only turned it on once so far.

No idea why, but I am watching the Halloween special “The Haunting Hour: Don’t Think About It” on Cartoon Network. Its not a cartoon, and just about as conventional and cliche as it possibly can be. Just started.
I think the tagline “Don’t Think About It” is pretty appropo-

sorry bout the DP, but Tobin Bell from the Saw series is creepily in it as well-

Tonight on Monsters HD they’re showing the original Halloween followed by a special 1-hour backstory show about the movie. This can be my consolation if the Yankees lose tonight.

I bought the 1960 “filmed in 2 days” LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS” a year or 2 ago and, although I had seen it before, I had never watched the DVD. I started it today and, the theme of the weekend continues, it was better than I remember.
I mainly bought it because the Fudderman’s were in it.

That’s cool Manimal! I just picked up the 1937 film, Freaks. This film disturbs me to no end.

The backstory wouldn’t happen to be called A Cut Above the Rest, would it? It’s a shame; I’ve seen 4 different Halloween documentaries, and they’ve all just stolen clips and information from the original documentary on the 25th Anniversary disc.

I have the Garfield Holiday DVD so I can enjoy the Halloween special when the time is right, along with It’s a Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!

Anyway, we are FINALLY about to leave Iraq and head home. We’re supposed to be back in the states on October 18th. I know there’s a CVS close from where we are stationed (Ft. Hood, TX so that would be Killeen and the outlying areas) so I will have to rush out to get that Peanuts set if they’re not sold out by then (I highly doubt it). Also, the 28th is a Sunday so I guess ABC wants to put this up against the World Series on FOX. I mean, not like you ever get to see The Simpsons Annual Treehouse of Horrors specials before November. Anyway, that’s all I have for right now!

dude, jones inc has sports soda that tastes like ben gay and grass and SWEAT. you gotta get in on some of that

Happy Thanksgiving! If you’re Canadian. Or are really bad at reading calendars. Or feel comfortable giving thanks willy-nilly with no overriding authority or organization. Any of those.

I don’t think that’s new. I’ve seen it on AMC a few times, and like I said it’s just clips from the original documentaries. Did it show clips from the ’70s of Donald Pleasence talking to John Carpenter, and when Jamie Lee talked she was in what looked like a big ass living room?

Well, hows this for a monday…I got fired from my new job(telemarketing fundraising) without cause. No write up or nothing. I even met quota and all. My guess is a pretty good one why i was terminated. I am not a skinny barbie doll nor a pushy loud guy with ten tons of gold jewelry. I am a moderatley attractive but plus size female, with a great phone voice and can be agressive when i need be. But to have them encourage me to make fun of the mexican and asian people we called who did’nt know english, and to verbally harass people. Still legally my cotnract stated that i was to be given a 60 day evaluation period. But they terminated me after 3 days with out cause. I’m thinking this is because they are an at will employer.

Also, a few years ago i was there working and got fired because “telemarketing aint for women” as the former manager at the time put it. I thought they had changed, but boy i was wrong.

Mandy I am so sorry! Things like this happen for a reason and I am sure this will give you the opportunity to find something 10X better.

Mandy: That is terrible! I’m sorry you had to put up with people like that!! You should report them to the labor board or something. That’s just wrong.

My husband lost his job Friday, so I feel your pain Mandy. It was this weird wiki startup company anyway, so in a way he’s kind of glad, but we’ll be missing the paychecks. Something better will come along for you, and us. Let us have some commiseration with Halloween on the side.

Ditto what Bill said; it sucks now, but bigger and better always comes after. I’ve said it before: the bad is to make us ready for the good….

Mandy I feel your pain, I too was recently “liberated” from the job force too.

I am sorry to hear that Mandy and Jessica Marie. Keep us posted when things turn around (and they will).
Bill, ahhhh FREAKS. Been a favorite of mine since I was freshman in high school (and to think the girls weren’t interested). For those who haven’t seen it: 1932 classic that ruined the career of its director Tod Browning who became a superstar the year before with DRACULA. I thought the DVD extras were just okay but I need to watch them again because it has been awhile.

Freaks, Eh?
Matt reviewed that, looks interesting.
So I FINALLY piked up a copy of Diamond, Im completly addicted!!!

Freaks, as in Keanu as Ortiz the Dogboy? As in 13 milkmen? Oh, wait 1932. NO, that is not the classic to which I am referring. Oh and it’s called Freaked OR Hideous Mutant Freaks

A tad off topic, but Matt, do you think you’ll be making a trip up to Salem again this year?

Mandy- I had a friend who was once fired from a telemarketing job in just the same way. Really sad stuff. Much luck to you!

Did anyone else hear about the Poltergeist 25th Anniversary DVD? Just in time for Halloween! I’m so buying it as soon as I get the chance. I’ll be disappointed as hell if it doesn’t have any good special features, though, and from what I hear, it doesn’t. :\

mandy: Sorry to hear that. Want to meet up and look through the classifieds together?

BJ: Glad to hear you are on your way back home. Stay safe, and good luck tracking that thing down. I checked my local CVS and they had none!

k-: Sounds good, when i get my wi-fi up and running, i’ll let you know.
Yes it is andrew, yes it is.

I can get you set up with the starters you didn’t pick, and all of the Pearl Exclusives that can be bred. I can give you extra starters to trade for Sudowoodo and Bonsly on GTS. You can have a Phione if you’d like, and I’ve got some other cool pokes you might be interested in.

I think all slasher films would be improved if the monsters all had the EZ-Flo Elbow.

Definitely, KK. As it stand, only Romulax currently has it, and to be honest, he isn’t a very effective monster. He’s more of a trend-pimp.

Thanks for the kind words all. Im a little more up beat today. Im supposed to be getting unemployment. Hopefully. im hoping we have an update soon on here tho.

Annette:
I don’t know if it is related to the 25th anniversary or Halloween but the local theater here is going to play Poltergeist for one showing on the big screen. Ah, to see it in the theater again…

Forgot! Dio and Lex, where did you get the Garfield DVD? I have been looking for some Garfield ones, but I have had no luck.

Alyssa, I got my Garfield DVDs at Hastings, but I think I’ve seen them around at other places too.

Diamond dose Rock. I already finished it and am actually building up a competitive team. I need a fifth though to finish off my team. Im thinking the rose one because I need either a grass or water, and that poke has Toxic spikes

Mandy-
I thought long and hard about what to say about happened… so here goes….

Hate to double, but where the hell is everyone?
MATT?????!!!!!
Magic Toy????!!!
The Manimal???!!!!
Knegitive???!!!
It’s so empty in here I here an echo.

This is breaking my heart. I look forward to the Halloween Countdown almost as much as Halloween itself. It’s like a Grinch stole all the Christmas spirit, only with Halloween. And it wasn’t a Grinch but something else. Ok, maybe it isn’t like that at all but the heartache is still real.

Iv noticed people mentioning all sorts of Electric kind of Pokes, but no one has mention Elctrive (Spelling) yet. I had him on my team and he defiantly kicks the shit out of any other ones out there. I have a few with a kick as move set if anyone is intreastead
Cross Chop
Fire punch
thunder punch
ice Punch (once hes evolved to Electrive switch it out for earthquake.)
Dont forget to EV train him in attack and Speed.

Alyssa: I bought it at my former place of employment: Target. XD Bastards sent me my 401K 3 days before I would stop working there. Matt’s right, Target gets some great shit for Halloween (just picked up a couple tombstones, a gargoyle and a lamppost that’s ardoably short). ALSO, they have another Garfield collection w/ an Odie plushie in it. My bf just got it cuz he knows how much I am amused by tiny teddy bears.

LOL pokemon. I haven’t touched Pearl since last semester (roughly May). I just got the lv. 50 Manaphy from Toy R Us a few weekends ago. Lil bastard’s like 30 lvs ahead of my core team XD. I’m just trying to breed Eevees.

I mainly pick pokes based on the Anime and my personal feelings towards them. Electivire just doesn’t cut it compared to Pachy and Plusle & Minun.

I do recommend you use Roserade. I quite fancy her. The one in “Oh, do you know the poffin plan?” is awesome, cause she’s a NINJA.

I was going to learn how to coordinate, but you can’t do it over WiFi, so what’s the point? I really wish they’d do a Wii game where you coordinate like they do on the show. Being able to customize and combine attacks for show would be awesome. I can always hold out hope. They’ll get around to it eventually. I hope.

Nintendo is being dragged into the online community kicking and screaming. I had to bike over a mile to the nearest McDonald’s in order to download new puzzles for Picross DS. Why is that necessary when I can download new content for the PSP, XBox 360, and PS3 right at home?

Manimal - Thanks for the condolences. He’s already gotten a call for a job he applied for on Monday. I’m just hoping that whatever is supposed to happen will happen.

Lebowski I feel your pain!! I too love the Halloween countdown and have been so sad that it just hasnt gotten off the ground this year. I hope Matt’s okay and that nothing has happened to him. But I do miss the countdown pretty badly!!!

Definitely, KK. As it stand, only Romulox currently has it, and to be honest, he isn’t a very effective monster. He’s more of a trend-pimp.

Don’t forget that the only other person who got that surgery was Bruce Willis. Maybe you’ve heard of him. And his grappling hook.

I’m more of a fan of Willie Nelson. Blood Feast Island Man DOES thirst for blood.

And speaking of Nintendo: Sonic was officially confirmed for Smash Bros. Brawl today. That is all.

Matt, don’t stress man. We know you have a life. I am amazed you have the time to write 500 words a day in the blog let alone 3000 words in an article. Make sure you enjoy the season too.

Speaking of the season I found the creepies Tales From The Crypt episodes on YouTube where Tim Curry plays all three characters in Death Of A Salesman. It messed me up when I was in high school.

I thought this thread should have ended with the “Matt, why has thou foraken us?” post

Giant ape juice (my first one of those, believe it or not. I have been with the organization for a long time but I never got that one since it was before my time. I FINALLY remembered to look it up so between that and adding on to the PHOTOG thread, the inner-sanctum is mine, ALL MINE!!).

Manimal, someone posted a much nastier version of that comment; in fact, it was so nasty that they were smart enough to post it in the previous thread, as it was obviously deleted on spot. Mystery person claimed that I only keep a website so I can make enough ad revenue to support a life of heavy drinking and cigarettes. He forgot gossip magazine subscriptions and anything made of cobalt blue glass.

BUT SERIOUSLY FOLKS. I feel really bad…it’s just been a bad set of circumstances this month mixed with a personal feeling of “blah” mixed with the fact that it’s been 100 degrees outside. All I can try to do now is end the Countdown strong. Can’t go back in time. Not since “they” came and stole my powers, anyway.

Post Script:
Heavy drinking? Yeah sure. I bet whoever “Mystery Writer” was doesn’t have a website, a full time job, a woman or five cats.

and its only gonna get chillier! that sounds like pumpkin carvin weather to me. im looking forward to seeing more countdown- i love it!! ive been reading old stuff in the breaks though, still good!!!

thats so sad about the blind cat. does it have a little kitty cane and sunglasses? that would be adorable.

Annette, I don’t think we have a Hastings here in MI, well at least not in my area. But I found them online, so I could order it that way. Thanks!

Dio and Lex, Thank you! I guess I will have to check the different Targets around here then. So far I have been there everyday this week. They do get some great stuff for Halloween. To bad they don’t bring a few of the same items back each year. I bought a spider plate last year because it was the last one left, hoping that maybe they would have them again. Nope.. so what the heck am I supposed to do with one plate?!

C’mon, everyone needs to cheer up; in a little over a week it’s going to be Halloween party season! My condo development is planning the biggest one yet next weekend. The next week can’t go fast enough.

cb: While we haven’t had her extensively tested, vets have said that it appears she has some level of light sensitivity, but is otherwise blind. (You can throw a basketball at her head and she’ll never see it coming.) Still, she manages just fine and you’d really never know she had any trouble unless you spent serious time with her. She walks and runs around just fine, because she is a cat and cats are magical. It’s only really a burden when you’re trying to hand-feed her treats. She just chomps aimlessly into thin air, hoping for a stroke of luck.

Lmao, the heavy drinking and smoking comment was a good laugh. Least he creative i guess.

The tree across from my window besides this computer is turning more red/brown/orange by the day, that’s slightly helping.

It’s finally getting cold around here in the evenings, too. Now if it wasn’t for the whole Daylight Savings thing, we all might be feeling the mood a little more.

I was watching something today that may not be Halloween themed, but it has monsters and therefore could put someone in the Halloween spirit. Thanks to me having to send home all my DVDs, the few I have I have to saver for they are my only entertainment until I get home. Right now I’m stuck with Knight Rider Season 4 and Volume 1 of Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats. Okay, I found a disc of Chip N Dale cartoons, but it only had nine cartoons so once I got through them, I’m down to two.

Anyway, I’m sure most of you remember the 1980s Heathcliff cartoon that featured a Heathcliff segment and a segment featuring the cats Riff Raff and the Junkyard Cats Hector, Wordsworth, and Mungo. They are more formally known as the Catillac Cats for references obviously to Cadillac. I mean, it doesn’t help the fact that they drive and sleep in a Cadillac in a junkyard anyway. Okay, the story goes that Riff Raff and the other cats are watching a scary movie and everyone but Riff Raff is scared. After they all go to bed, Riff Raff has a dream. He and his girlfriend Cleo (who I have to admit is pretty hot for a cartoon cat, and she obviously makes references to 1980s aerobics by wearing leg warmers) come upon a mysterious castle. Wordsworth, the roller skating cat and who always speaks in rhyme, welcomes them to his mysterious abode and who is disguised as a Mad Scientist Igor. He shows Riff Raff and Cleo a monster he intends to bring to life who is really Mungo, but here he is known and Monstro. Anyway, I’m sure you know that this is a take on the Frankenstein story so you’re not missing much. Hector appears as an inspector and he looks as though he stole Inspector Gadget’s trench coat and hat. I guess Dic Enterprises were cutting back costs that they had to borrow Gadget’s clothes to save money. I got to tell that I dig the scene in the lab when they try to bring Mungo (Monstro) to life. If you ever come across this episode, watch the scene in the lab. Cleo is wearing a lab coat and pretty much nothing underneath. Now, she was like this through the whole series but with her leg warmers, she obviously is made to look like she does aerobics despite the fact she lives in a record store. Anyway, I wouldn’t have thought this if she did not appear at the castle in a coat. Oh yeah, and yes she was wearing those awful leg warmers. She ALWAYS wears the leg warmers!!!!

You don’t really see much else to take note other than the dog that guards the junkyard, Leroy, turns into a werewolf during a full moon. Yeah, what’s so special about that? A canine turns into another type of canine. Oh well, maybe he goes from a bully to a bloodthirsty killer or something. Anyway, he and Monstro scare everyone out of the castle.

At the end, Riff Raff wakes up from his nightmare proving that even he is scared of monster, but his are in his dreams, not in the movies. There’s a knock on the door and when Riff goes to answer, he faints because he sees Monstro in the doorway. Of course, it’s really just Mungo in disguise. Oh, I guess I should have also mentioned that Riff and the gang were going to Cleo’s costume party at midnight. They don’t make references if it’s either midnight that night, because if they did why did they go to sleep when it was dark out? What time was it, nine o’clock? You can pretty much make the determination if the costume party meant to be for Halloween or not.

Well, that’s pretty much the episode in a nutshell. Of course I was just mentioning it in case it was needed to put a little Halloween spirit in most of you. My Halloween will pretty much be just the annual viewing of “Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” and “Garfield’s Halloween Adventure.” Hopefully Best Buy or some other place has “Fat Albert’s Halloween” for sale. Haven’t seen that show in years, and it would make a great addition to my Halloween viewing specials. I can live without Will Vinton’s Halloween special because the only good special they made was the Christmas one. Oh well, I’ll be home in the state in eight days. To me, that’s FAR more important than anything to do with Halloween. Besides, I’ll be home to fully embrace Christmas which is what I’m looking forward to anyway. Okay, I’m rambling and already posted so much. Hope I didn’t lose most of you! Talk to you later!

Blind pets are pretty entertaining. My aunt had a blind shitzu and every wall had ankle-high snot marks from the poor thing running into them every time the doorbell rang.

DAN: The tree next to my window is turning …..around at me and saying that sooner or later i have to fall asleep.

Hector always wore the New Wave skinny tie. And where did they get the Caddy that could turn into a boat and a camper? I always wanted one of those.

Don’t forget it also turned into a plane when it drove off a cliff or a ramp. I believe they used it to fly to Cleo’s record store on a number of occasions.

I thought Hector looked awful with that tie. Worsworth always had those headphones and skates on. Mungo was always in that stupid red knit hat, and Riff Raff? What made him so special thinking he was the leader? How did he end up with a hot girlfriend like Cleo? What was he trying to show with his hat and scarf? If he was able to look spiffy and have a hot girlfriend, why did he insist on living in a junkyard? Such questions that will never be answered. Oh yeah, and did you ever notice how there were never any humans in the Catillac Cats segment, just cats and dogs? They had them in the Heathcliff segments. Old man grandpa and Iggy, but of course they had to look different and of course, Heathcliff had to have a voice, which was given by none other than the late and great Mel Blanc. I won’t get into why the Catillac Cats were the only ones to appear in both the Heathcliff and Riff Raff segments but Heathcliff and Riff Raff never appeared in each other’s segments except in the closing credits.

Oh yeah, something else I forgot to mention. Did you know that John Kricfaulsi, the creator behind Ren and Stimpy, was an Assistant on the Heathcliff cartoon? Assistant what, I don’t know, probably animator. I just noticed his name appear as I was watching the closing credits. Interesting. Anyway, I better wrap this up since I’m rambling on again. Guess I gotta get all of my last two cents in before I leave Iraq!!!!

Sonic the Hedgehog will officially be a playable character in the new Super Smash Bros. Game coming out in December for Wii!

This is super cool for all of us who have dreamed of this battle since the Sega Genesis first came out.

I’ve been doing a countdown of sorts on my personal blog, in X-E style (a few days ago my Raziel and Kain dolls were decorating my room w/ pumpkins from target). If anyone’s interested, click my name, you know the drill. Its an homage to X-E’s style of articles…XD I warn you though. Its all over the place in terms of content.

I saw Slither on HBO Zone last night and it wasn’t bad. Funny, gross, and just plain fun.

I feel your pain for dealing with special needs cats. My cat gets an IV every night, and currently also need oral antibiotics and eye ointment as well, plus special food that half the time we have to force-feed him because it looks, smells and probably tastes like someone already ate it and barfed it back up. It’s a damn good thing he’s so cute. We had a mostly-blind/deaf/incontinent/extremely arthritic dog for a couple of years as well. They do take up a lot of time.

It’s getting cooler in the city (thank GOD, it was pushing 90 a few days ago…stupid global warming!) so I hope it’s cooling down in your area as well.

I went crazy when I heard about Sonic. So unexpected! Today’s update was equivalent to about 2 weeks worth.

Hey Matt - don’t feel bad about the count-down. I usually do Halloween up really big, but for some reason, I’m just not into it this year. We’ve had beautiful mild weather (70s) out here in Colorado, but I just can’t get into all the decorating. My 13 year old doesn’t even feel like doing it (he wants me to do the decorating myself, so he can enjoy it). Now it’s almost mid-month, so I’m having a really hard time talking myself into doing anything at all. Oh well…

The only way this won’t lead to the death of X-E is if Matt finishes the ‘02 Xmas calender.

Mandy & Jessica and everybody else: A couple of years ago I got shitcanned from a job I had for six years with no warning or anything. That night my girlfriend at the time dumped me. Pretty rough. But shit turns around all the time. It’s cliche as hell, but stuff usually does turn out alright. Not that that helps at all.

I’m going to a haunted cornfield this weekend. These things totally freak me out. But it’s sort of a tradition. Grab some Mexican food, hit the haunted cornfield, and then go out for ice cream. Good stuff. But scary.

Hey maybe that would put me in the Halloween mood! I think I’ll try a haunted house or corn maze.

Or a Nekomimi fetish. Whenever I see a catgirl I never seen before, something usually happens afterward. Something slightly odd. Like finding a claw machine with nobody around, but already ready to play, or a Betty Boop doll lying in the street.

Matt - Don’t stress over updates, you don’t owe any of us anything. Do it when you feel it. I’m amazed at the amount of work you put into this site.

It has felt very much more like Halloween here in IL the last 24-36 hours. The high temp. was in the mid-fifties today. Yeah, it was sort of nice to have 80 degree temps. last weekend, but it didn’t feel like fall. Now it is sweatshirt weather.

Did anyone else update their Wii yet? I woke up today to that wonderful blue glow. The only thing I believe it did was give us the ability to use a USB keyboard, but if anyone else notices any other new feature please let me (and others) know.

BTW, I’m still a little depressed my local CVS didn’t have the Peanuts Prowling Pumpkin Patch.

So, to all you ds owning X-E’rs, I picked up Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck today. Traded in some stuff i was done with, and it ended up being free!, and having enough left to pre order Super Mario Galaxy for when i buy another wii in a few weeks or so. I had to sell my original wii due to certain circumstances that you all know of from the above posts. anyway,

Duck Amuck is hilarious! It’s very much a gamers game, as it takes little good natured jabs at the games industry. Daffy mentions things like graphics, over hyped 3d games with polygons and other stuff. Truly a love letter to daffy duck fans.

Basically its a white screen with daffy standing there all pissed off. You poke at him, with the stylus, tap his shoulder with the L and R buttons, and piss him off to unlock mini games.

The games are challenging and fun enough that you’ll want to improve each time. I’ve played about 5 of the over 20 games so far. Its a fun little time waster.

Actually, that would be a funny Halloween entry: the completion of unfinished X-E projects. Christmas 2002 ends in a bloody massacre, the CHIA meets up with the CHUD and hilarity ensues.

For those in the know: Friday we are taking it easy and doing dinner at the Pirate House and some spooky house tour (or something), Saturday we are hitting up the big cemetary (Bonaventure, I think) and doing a midnight ‘ghost hunt/tour’ thing that is supposed to be really scary…we’ll see, and Sunday we’re going to an old fort to check it out and then, by the recommendation of many, doing the ‘creepy pub crawl’ where you walk, drink and hear ghost stories. May sound dorky as hell, but I hope it will be a great weekend! And I’ll take plenty of pics and such….oh, plus, I’m seeing George Carlin live tomorrow night! Fun all around….

Don’t know if it’s of much interest to anyone here, but Eric Bana has been cast as the villain in J.J. Abrams’ new Star Trek movie.

And supposedly, some dude named Chris Pine is in final talks to play Captain Kirk. He’s supposedly flipping between Trek and George Clooney’s next movie. He was in both Princess Diaries 2 and Smokin’ Aces, neither of which I have seen. Are they any good?

haven’t seen either of those but i’m pretty sure that’s the same guy from the lohan movie just my luck (what can i say i like lohan ;)), and he’s kinda corny.. altho that might work out well for kirk..

Molly: I know how it is dealing with handicapped and sick animals. My remaining cat has kidney failure, so I’m just trying to keep him comfortable until I have to put him to sleep. :( The worst part is dealing with family and friends who don’t understand why you don’t just do that in the first place, and who want to monopolize your time the animal needs.

Matt: Being blind isn’t the handicap it used to be (I sound like Lister!). Just make sure her nose works, too, and she gets verbal warning before you do things that would disorient her, like picking her up. And have fun teaching her cue words and things!

Hey all…going into my 3rd night at the hospital. I will be here too long already! I already miss my laptop, water and THOR, my new kitten. Dtugs make me sleeoy, so I gotta go. Sigh- i hate Crohn’s disease.

Muppet Baby: Feel better! I hate hospitals with a passion so get well and get home. We miss you here.

Though, tonight I’ve been keeping myself busy writing a big long post about Poltergeist in my blog. That coupled with the fact that it’s finally cooling off around these parts is really getting me into the Halloween spirit.

I just finished reading a great set of books if any one is interested called “A Song of Fire and Ice”
The first book is called A Game of Thrones the series is awesome probably the best iv read defiantly best fantasy series iv ever read.

Oh yeah, Shuan, that really sounds dorky. Come on

D & L, your Countdown is made of win, if for nothing more than acknowledging the fact that Courage the Cowardly Dog rocks hard tasty abs washerboard style.
Matt, you shouldn’t feel bad. And especially not because a mystery douche says something douchey. Speaking of cats, it looks like we inherited one this week, along with my dog’s long distance girlfriend, who he’s actually never met, so there’s probably going to be a bumpy adjustment period around here. I’m a little nervous to be honest. I always figured I’d have a fleet of Chihuahuas, but this is an earlier start than I expected.
Feel better soon, Muppet Baby!

The Song of Ice and Fire series is BY FAR the greatest series ever created. Arya is, of course, my favorite.
I read the first the week it dropped, and preordered all the rest to get as they came out.
I check George R R Martin’s site all the time to see if he’s ever going to finish the next.
Actually, it’s from his site that I found out Robert Jordan died; which is a shame.

Yes, I’m a big nerd.
A guy came up to me in the park this summer and asked what I was reading (re-reading A Feast for Crows at the time)… when he saw the cover he asked, “Fantasy?”
I said yes.
He took a step back, said, “Well, nice meeting you,” and took off.
Stupid guys who don’t like geek girls!

And, Matt… really, take your time. You provdie us all an amazing service; but, do it for yourself, not for any of us.

I just read Matt’s article on “The Halloween That Almost Wasn’t.” Once again, he has unearthed a special that for years were buried in my subconscious brain. I don’t remember much about the episode except the ending parts. I find it hard to believe that the witch was Marriette Hartley. Well, I didn’t know her at the time I saw the episode, but knowing her as the witch after some of the performances I saw of her (her guest appearances on M*A*S*H and The Incredible Hulk most notably), I could never think of her in that role. Anyway, I’m sorry but I had a different idea for an ending. Suppose they had a Special Edition with an added scene. Dracula and the witch hail a cab in which the driver is none other than Louie DePalma. I mean, what else can I picture Judd Hirsch as except a Taxi Driver and a psychiatrist from “Ordinary People?” Anyway, Louie doesn’t have to have any disguises because he in himself is a monster. Anyway, he drives off and we hear the Taxi theme song at the end! Okay, not too original but that would be my idea for an ending. Anyway, I’m off for now (”Goodnight Mr. Walters!”) Yeah, yeah. Sorry, now I got the Taxi ending stuck in my head!!!!

Just to let you know I saw those Jones Soda Halloween mini can 4 packs at the local CVS. And here I was thinking they were a Target exclusive. Score!

Also when will you be adding this little bit about the Prowling Pumpkin Patch to the main page? It really is good enough to be part of the countdown.

I totally just stole my buddy’s copy of Trick or Treat. I’ll have to go to Vintage Vinyl to try to see if they have the Spooktacular Fastway album that is the soundtrack for this badboy.

Over the last 24 hours I’ve discovered that listening to Electric Light Orchestra is one of my guilty pleasures. I don’t really know why I had to express that here… but I feel better now. Damn you Honda.

Theres not enough geek girls around IMO ;)(Those are usually the funnest ones to talk to because they have something to talk about) At least not in the town I live in. I think Im a Tyrion fan, though I have a soft spot for Jamie and the Hound as well.

Im wondering what will happen to Arya now that shes in the predicament shes in. For a girl her age she has quite allot of blood on her hands already.

I simultaneously hate and admire GRRM for making me care about Jaime. We had a perfectly good hate/hate relationship going on, and he had to go and make him human. I ask you, what sort of writer does that to you?

I never liked Robert Jordan. I didn’t wish death on him or anything, but I could not get into him to save my life.
Right now I’m loving Lois McMaster Bujold, though. The Curse of Chalion? Anyone?

So I caught part of an episode of Pushing Daisies last night and I liked what I saw except for the really awkward musical number. But it was hilarious listening to those people try to speak Japanese. “No shimasu desu!” And I thought my Japanese was bad…

I’ve been meaning to read that series by Martin, since it comes highly recommended by my fiance. :] All in good time…

Magic Toy I like ELO as well, although I haven’t listened to them in a long time. I remember my dad would sometimes put on one of their records on Saturday mornings and I would just sit and listen to it while having breakfast.

Magic Toy: Pick up the CD reissue of ELO’s “Time” that came out a few years ago. No joke, that album is phenomenal. More conceptual than a lot of their stuff (it’s about robots and time travel), but every song is amazing.

I happen to unabashedly like ELO, along with a lot of Prog-Rock groups (King Crimson, ELP, that kind of thing). Something to do with large musical arrangements. Which, amazingly, includes both Spike Jones and Frank Zappa.

” Accroches-toi a ton reve
Accroches-toi a ton reve
Quand tu vois ton bateau partir
Quand tu sents — ton coeur se briser
Accroches-toi a ton reve.”

And an apology in advance to all of the fellow XE-ers who’d hate to see this thread devolve into an ELO love-fest … but they’re awesome, for reals.

“I love their Mr. Blue Sky, almost my favorite is Turn to Stone, and how ’bout Telephone Line? I love that ELO!”

But seriously, ELO are/were fantastic. You can’t go wrong with anything from “On The Third Day” up through “Time.

I forgot, we got a spirit halloween store down the highway!!! I gotta go check it out tommorow.I would go right now, but im groggy from percocet for my sinus and nuralgia pain.

I love ELO. I’m not ashamed to admit it. I also love The Moody Blues and Styx. Not ashamed to admit that either. I’m a classic rock junkie.

Well, the ghost hunt was a bust. No one showed up so it was cancelled. The Halloween convention was also a bust, unfortunately. We went several hundred in the hole. But we’ve learned from our mistakes and we’re giving it another shot next year. This time I have actual positions on the planning committee (Assistant to the Chairman, Webmistress and Director of Programming) so maybe next year’s will really take off! I hope so. Our theme is b-movies. This year’s theme was zombies… not sure why that wasn’t more of a draw. Oh, well.

A Song of Ice and Fire comes highly recommended by just about everybody.. It’s by far my favorite series. And I never got into Jordan, either.

George RR Martins’ series is one of the best. Keeping with the Halloween feel, I highly recomend Jim Butchers Dresden Files books. I’m not huge on horror/sci-fi but these are great.

this is mai first comment ever!
*dances*
anyway.
Special K: Maybe zombies weren’t a draw because for the moment, it’s kinda played out. “28 days Later” of revived it, but after the Dawn of the Dead remake, the zombies… they don’t quite pull like they used to. But you know how it goes. Like the tides…
B-movies should be fun. Be sure to capitalize on Certain drawers,like Rob Zombie’s work, and Leprechaun. That would be fun- hire a pissed off midget to advertise!

Damn Matt. That punkin’ patch is messed up in the video. ” ITS THE GREAT PIECE OF JUN KCHARLIE BROWN ” =P ah just my word on it

CVS has ‘em again this year- and it’s late enough that it’s marked down. Just snagged one for $15 and had to revisit this post. Woo hoo!

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