Today is Ryan and Nolan’s last day of school.
I can’t believe that it’s here. The end of elementary school for Nolan, and the end of 7th grade for Ryan.
I recall those days when time was measured in terms of school years, but when I look back at my childhood, the only times I remember with any clarity are the summer vacations.
I remember the oppressive heat and still, smoggy air in the San Fernando Valley where I grew up.
I remember the sense of accomplishment I felt when I forced myself to stay awake nearly all night the day I got out of school in 5th or 6th grade, watching VHS tapes of wrestling on the top-loading VCR, just because summer had started, and I could sleep in.
I remember the progression of water-themed toys: The hose, the thing with the clown hat that spun atop the stream of water that you jumped through, the slip-n-slide, and finally the swimming pool.
The Sunland of my elementary and early middle school days only exists in those summertime memories of ice cream trucks and afternoon naps underneath the wall-unit air conditioner.
Back when the livin’ was easy.

Before I say anything, I should point out that, yes, the last entry should be titled TAKE THAT, Comic Book Guy.
It is a glowing, shining, permanent example of just how totally over-extended I am in my life right now.
I actually woke up last week, and realized with great horror that I was simply…empty. I was totally out of ideas, and didn’t have anything interesting to write about here. I think I’m being pulled in too many creative directions all at once, which is A Very Good Thing(tm)…but I’m more than just a little bit bummed that I’m not living up to my own standards here, recently…I mean, come on, reruns?! That shit is played, y0.
Anyway, since last time I wrote, I’ve actually been out in the real world doing stuff: I hiked to the top of Henninger Flats with Anne and found a geocache, went to Sacramento to collect on my bet with Boomer and The Dave at KWOD 106.5, and signed 200 pictures for the Star Trek Cruise.
There’s some other very exciting stuff, but I can’t talk about it yet. 🙁
I’ve been up since 4AM on 5 hours of sleep, so I’m going to slllllllmmzzxxlxpxhghgxxxxxxx

eBay is auctioning tons of really cool TNG things. They have original scripts, some props, and some stuff from some other shows.
Included in this huge lot of stuff is a series of memos written by Bob Justman, one of the main creative producers and a very cool guy, to Gene Roddenberry. In the memos, Bob gives notes on the various scripts and story ideas.
This memo is about the episode “Code of Honor”:

“Next problem. No Wes. We have Will Wheaton on a 13 out of 13 deal — just like our other regulars. We pay him whether we photograph him or not. If we don’t use him, all his teenybopper fans are going to be disappointed and we won’t be taking advantage of one of our new show’s greatest assets. I’m told we’re not using him because our writers don