The Patent Dragon's Zone of Soul Retraction

*sighs* Not been such a great summer, with my back messing up, and all this Snoopers' Charter sh8 - and it's been so damn hot recently that I struggle to stay awake sometimes. It should therefore come as no surprise that blogging has taken a definite back seat of late - so, what's new(-ish)...?

ITEM! The current series of Star Trek Online videos on my channel continue to be the biggest draw of views I've had since the DaveChaos "tutorial". This probably means that the remaining "Stargazer" videos won't now appear, unless I receive more response to what's already been posted. It could be that the "market" is already saturated - or that I've completely misjudged my marketing methodology.

I'm thinking of posting a VLog at some point - with Tera Online as a backdrop. I have plans there...

ITEM! Saw Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes at the weekend. It was pretty damn good, but I struggle to find the time, or energy, to give it a full review. Probably good for a 8.25/10, with my only criticisms being:

1) Caesar looks too human (but Andy Serkis is still an absolute master of performance capture).
2) The humans seemed a bit lacking in "substance", their characters perhaps lacking in development, where the same couldn't be said for the lead apes.
3) Just stop with the 3D conversions where it simply ISN'T needed!

ITEM! I am all booked up for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. Plans previous associated with this movie viewing have had to be shelved following my recent infirmities - but I may just do something along the planned lines for AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON next year!

ITEM! Josh Brolin... James Brolin... who care so long as he rocks Thanos? We'll soon see...

Current Status: Fair. Not in agony, and managing to get around a whole lot better than Day 1 or 2. Having a weekend to crash out throughout has been a big help, although I'm still not entirely sure some of the drugs are doing what they should, whilst others are doing a good deal more to ease me through this.

Not a lot else to report, apart from the scheduled videos. Just can't be arsed to link to them right now.

UPDATE: Doctor Who returns Saturday 23rd August. Niiiiice.

So much for me being more regular with blogging.

Anyway, on to something else: new video series...!



Elsewhat... Toilet Bat was safely returned to the roost, I'm told - but not before another two bats had a similar problem, and one did not survive. A shame, but hopefully that issue is now fully dealt with, and the colony is now secure.

Other Elsewhat... All isn't entirely going to plan on the Star Trek Online front, as the special gear I was working towards (see video above) has turned out to be a bunch more expensive than anticipated. Bugger.

And finally, on a brighter note, I have received the main part of my recent "special present" order. I had thought to do an unboxing video, but I don't really have the proper setting for it. I will, instead, take a photo, and share it here...

Hmmm - Friday the 13th is almost over, and thankfully there hasn't been anything to worry about, except needing a new watch battery. The same couldn't exactly be said for the bat that ended up in the toilet at work, and was saved by staff from being flushed. I hope the little fella is going to be okay.

Meanwhile; videos. Guess I should get one ready to roll...

This one is...



Previously (Tuesday/Wednesday)...



...Sunday-ish...



...and last Friday...



We are now at NINETY-SEVEN videos. Next week, at this time, it SHOULD be the magic 100!

Oh well, that's another birthday come and gone, and this year, no movie to go and see on the day. Shame, that - but next year may just be different...

In the meantime, videos - of the Minecraft variety. Episode 14 (from Friday):



Episode 15 (from Sunday):



Tomorrow, Day 4 of a four-day weekend. Considering how Friday and a decent chunk of Saturday were taken up by sorting out a fairly substantial Minecraft malfunction, I very much feel I'm owed the Monday, bank holiday or no.

But for today, or more correctly the day before yesterday, a new video:



Now, about that Amazing Spidey 2 review... I have really fallen behind on that one, for which I have to apologise. I don't really have the time to do anything about it tonight, unless I really cut back to the bare minimum - kinda like this (spoilers "whited out")...

Amazing Spider-Man 2 - The Potted Review

- An improvement on the first, now that the obligatory retelling of Spidey's origin is out of the way
- The 3D actually WORKS this time, although it's still more of the "DUCK!" thing rather than the Avatar "added immersion" deal
- They really are piling on the pain for our hero!
- Thankfully, this one isn't overly "villain-heavy", as one of the expected bad guys (SPOILER) only appears in full at the very end of the movie, in an fight scene that is truncated by the rolling of the credits (END SPOILER)
- Negative points: 1) a villain's "previous life" is such an awkward misfire, harking back to the rather regrettable Superman III era of superhero movies; 2) (SPOILER) did Uncle Ben just get written out between movies? Hardly a fitting end for Spidey's greatest inspiration, unless I'm not remembering the first movie correctly (END SPOILER), and 3) the use of an X-Men - Days Of Future Past teaser was a bit misguided, as it seemed to suggest a "shared universe" that Fox now say wasn't ever going to happen (careless!)
- Final score 8/10 for a much more worthy addition to the Spidey reboot than this writer expected.

Hmm - not too cut-down after all...

Okay, I admit it - I have been pretty piss-poor at posting entries recently. There's been a bunch of crap screwing with my routine, and I will try to sort that out, over the Easter weekend.

For now, there's more from the Ace Of Thorns channel. Tuesday's video...



...and tonight's...



I'm also due readers another movie review - Amazing Spider-Man 2, from Wednesday. Short version: better than the first offering from the "reboot", worthy of a solid 8/10.

Guess I didn't post a short entry late last week, then. Oh well, suppose I should make up for lost time, now that I'm approaching normal health again...

First, videos. Yup, plural - from Sunday AND tonight!



Next: great news for Marvel Studios, as CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER does very tasty box-office on its US opening and its ongoing international run! Also, we learn that a third solo movie for the star-spangled Avenger is going to go head-to-head with the Superman/Batman/Wonder Woman follow-on from Man Of Steel - so that's Cap AND ANT MAN for 2016 then...

And finally... Had the TV aerial engineers in, to address my annoying channel drop-outs lately. New aerial, new connecting cable... and the same problem remains. Great...

...it's ME that's leaking. Urgh, I'm ill...

A good opportunity to not only get all my Long Live The Queen videos titled and processed, but also make a start on my Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday planned release schedule...



Yay... *sniffs*... *sneezes*...