You are Starscream. You are a very powerful
Transformer and you wish to become better than
even Megatron. It is too bad you get killed by
Galvatron, its just not the same without you're
crazy antics and backstabbing scheming.


Which of the ORIGINAL Transformers are you?
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You're Snake Eyes, the silent, mysterious commando
of the Joe Team. Few know your true background,
and there are some things in that which would
make any other man squeamish. You're the alpha
male of the comic book series, and Scarlett's
love interest... lucky dog.


Which GI Joe Hero are you?
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You're Nude Bettie. People see you as outgoing and
maybe a bit wild. Your often hyper and always
up for some crazy fun!


Which Bettie Page Are You?
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- posted by The Steve Cronen @ 12:37 AM

 
Jesus may have been born on the 25th, but...



... God was born on the 18th.

Happy birthday, Keith Richards.


- posted by The Steve Cronen @ 10:14 PM

 
I just want everyone to know that Google ranks this page's importance as a 3 out of 10. That's better than a whole lot of other stuff!

So here's what the nerd in me is gonna do. Between watching the Stones and listening to the Stones in the past 24 hours, I came up with my very own X-Men dream team. I set guidelines, both for myself and anyone else who wants to play. For example, they must all be mutants. They must all be good guys, or at least 99% reformed bad guys (like White Queen and others). No alternate universe stuff, then - just because Magneto and Sabretooth were X-Men in the Age of Apocalypse, doesn't mean they can be on the dream team. Finally, only five to eight members may be chosen. Professor X doesn't count. So here's my list, as I sent it to a friend of mine who I thought might be interested. If anyone else wants to get all nerdy with me, please email me your list - I think it'd be pretty cool.

Steve’s X-Men Dream Team
Angel/Archangel
Most likely the team leader, although he’s got a bit to learn. Certainly Warren Worthington III has his own responsibilities to attend to (like running a global corporation), but since he’s been an X-Man for so incredibly long, I trust him to focus his energies into leading the team to glory. I’ve always liked the Angel, because he’s matured from a snobby rich kid into one of the X-Men’s most valuable members. He’s survived genetic alteration at the hands of Apocalypse (therefore turning his skin blue and wings metal for the better part of 20 years or so), and he’s recently acquired the ability to heal both himself and others with his own blood. One need only read recent issues of Uncanny X-Men to see how integral Angel has become to the team. With that proof, I nominate him as the team leader of my dream X-Men team.

The Beast
I was never that crazy about Beast when I first watched the cartoon. Too intellectual and over my head. But when I started reading the comic, I realized that it was just one facet of Beast’s character. The Hank McCoy in the comics was not only super-smart, he was also super-funny. I distinctly remember X-Men #49, in which Beast says, “Poor gendarmes. Hard to shoot straight when you’re busy curbing your incontinence.” The blue fur ball is really just an intelligent smart-ass with a heart of gold, which is why he’d be a key addition to a great X-Men team. Did I mention he’s also a pretty tough dude? They don’t call him “The Beast” for nothin’… he could probably tear your face clean off if he felt like it.

Blink
I trust you, of all people, to know who Blink is. But in case you don’t, here’s her deal: She’s this rather inconsequential, pinkish-purple skinned mutant fighter/teleporter who showed up during the whole Phalanx Covenant story arc right before the X-Men got plunged into the Age of Apocalypse. By the time that whole unsavory timeline came into being, Blink had become one of that world’s X-Men, and one of the most popular new things to happen to the X-franchise since Wolverine showed up in 1974. The Age of Apocalypse didn’t last very long, and Blink was promptly forgotten, much to the consternation of fans everywhere. She showed up recently in the remarkable Exiles series, but not for long. My proposition? Bring her back entirely – I don’t care if it’s this universe’s version or whatever, but I want her on the team. Not only is she a valuable X-Man, she’s also rather hot.

Gambit
Quite possibly my favorite X-Man, ever. More than Wolverine. More than Nightcrawler. More than Artie and Leech, even. (Woof…) From the moment I laid eyes on him in the X-Men cartoon (still one of the best superhero cartoons ever made), I knew Gambit was incomparably cool. I know some aren’t that crazy about him, and it’s probably because they’re jealous over the fact that Gambit gets more ass in a single comic book than they ever will. Everything about him is cool – the costume, the mutant power, those black and red eyes, and his irresistible charm. Even the Cajun accent suits him. Gambit and Wolverine were always my “dynamic duo” when I was younger – that is, the two X-Men I’d always pair up as the guys who could take down anyone, any time. Well, Gambit might not be the most powerful X-Man, but given his shady past (he assisted the Marauders in slaughtering the Morlocks, y’know) and hazy agenda, he probably wouldn’t hesitate to kick ass when required.

Nightcrawler
I’ll admit that I’ve always been a huge fan of Nightcrawler. Remember the old X-Men arcade game, the one with six players? In all the times that I ever played that game, I never once chose anybody but Nightcrawler. I beat the whole damn game with him, so it’s no surprise that he’s long been one of my favorite X-Men. I enjoy his character dynamic – a demonic looking-yet-kind soul who is outcast by the religion in which he places his faith, and he covers up his inner turmoil with a rather witty sense of humor. His power always appealed to me – teleportation, plus incredible acrobatic skills. And like I mentioned, he has a physical appearance that is just plain demonic, and I love it for that reason. I’ve enjoyed his recent comedic ventures with Iceman who, although he’s great, probably has to sit this dream team thing out as a sort of reserve dream team’er. Iceman’s cool (ba-dum-bum), but I’d rather have the fuzzy blue elf.

Rogue
For one thing, I really dig the whole “Southern belle” thing Rogue has going on. I enjoy the mystery of her character, and the obvious pain she’s had to deal with – cast out by her family, raised to do evil before the X-Men saved her, and the fact that her mutant power keeps her from getting close to anyone she cares about. Rogue is a very fascinating (and gorgeous) superhero, because she really could be the girl next door; in fact, she reminds me of more than one person I’ve personally known. I’d like to voice my opinion and say that I wasn’t all that crazy about the teenaged Rogue in the movies – sure, she’s still cute, but I prefer the slightly more mature (and slightly less-illegal) comic book version.

White Queen/Emma Frost
Quite possibly the hottest thing to ever walk into the X-Men’s lives, and she probably knows it. It’s true that she started out as the super-rich, super-powerful, and super-mean White Queen of the Hellfire Club. It’s true that her super-team, the Hellions, clashed powers with the X-Men. But it’s also true that she’s also now a professor at the Xavier Institute, having served as both a mentor for Generation X and an active member of the X-Men. I had to choose her because the team needs another telepath – I’d have chosen Phoenix, but that also means I’d probably have to pick Cyclops… so, no deal. Emma Frost is not only a limited telepath, she’s also got diamond-hard skin and a vicious streak that can manifest itself in the roughest of circumstances, be they business deals or epic battles. Oh, and did I mention she’s amazingly hot?

Wolverine
A fairly obvious one, but c’mon, let’s face it – any X-team would be incomplete without him. Let’s not forget the fact that, in addition to his enduring popularity, he’s one of the team’s most valuable players. For one thing, he’s damn near unbeatable with his accelerated healing factor. Think about it: he’s been slaughtered countless times, including having a bullet to his forehead and his skeleton ripped from his open wounds. And he’s still kicking. Then there’s the fact that he’s badass numero uno. He’s also got an impressive rogues gallery; not quite that of Batman or Spider Man, but impressive nonetheless. Lesse, you’ve got Sabretooth, Omega Red (possibly two of my favorite villains of all time), Cyber, Lady Deathstrike, the Reavers, the Incredible Hulk, and an entire legion of ninjas all after Logan’s hide. That could lead to more than one interesting battle. And ya gotta love the adamantium.

And just because I was curious...

You are the Dazzler! Loyal and assertive, you are
unafraid to set your own boundaries and
establish yourself as an individual. The
Dazzler is a singer and an actress, so you may
also have deep connection to the arts, as well
as lofty ambitions of success. You will find
most friendship in the cosmopolitan Psylocke,
but least interest with Rogue and Polaris.


Which X-Woman Are You?
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- posted by The Steve Cronen @ 9:10 PM

 
So I've been at home for almost a week now. Not working at the old coffee haunt this time around - instead been pretending like I know things that I really don't at the guitar shop a ways away. At least it's only on Saturdays, and at least I get paid, and at least I get to play guitar. I think that's the prime selling point. I spent the last hour and a half of my first day there playing open G licks on a Telecaster. It's incredible how much like Keith you feel when you do that kind of stuff.

Not many other people are home yet, not from their respective schools. It's very weird - ever since I got back, I've had nothing but dreams about school - both high school and college, sometimes mixed together into one bizarre reality. I take this as a sign that I'm a man out of time and out of place; I miss my past, but I also miss my present, y'know? I've left this Boise world behind, but now I'm back here at the expense of my new "reality," which is back at Pacific. I'm just kind of in limbo... living out of a suitcase, living life in a time warp. I dunno, it's hard to explain. All I know is I can't find my cell phone anywhere, so I can't contact most people here. Woof.

Digging the Stones right now, a homemade compilation of bootleg stuff. Lately I've been digging the early Beatles, some excellent Neil Young bootlegs, and whatever else catches my fancy. As you can tell, I've been reading through X-Men back issues and enjoying my dormant nerd-dom to its fullest. In fact, the other night, for whatever reason, I decided to watch the whole Star Wars trilogy (y'know, the three good ones) in one night. Well, after "Empire Strikes Back," I thought to myself, "It's almost four AM, and this next movie is the longest one, and I'm tired... and this one has Ewoks, too. I'll save this for later." I've since watched it. The thing is, I dig these movies, I really do. They appeal to the part of me that really digs on the fantastic, you know? Things that couldn't happen in our world, but what if they could... that's why I like comics so much. That being said, I'm not a Star Wars freak or anything like that. My freakdom is reserved for the Stones and Neil.

Geez, it's almost Christmas. I'm getting over some sort of sickness that hit me when I was coming back home - I practically lost my voice on Wednesday, due to the combined efforts of said sickness and my need to sing songs in the car at extremely loud volumes.

Oh, man, I love this song. Well, I suppose you wouldn't know what I'm digging... it's the original acoustic demo of "Child of the Moon." First off, it's one of my favorite Stones songs to begin with. This version is really just plain beautiful. Keith's playing an open-tuned acoustic guitar, Nicky Hopkins lays down this gorgeous piano part that's part-Chopin and part-barrelhouse. Charlie Watts is down in the mix somewhere, too. I think this one helped me in my early stages of fandom... kind of galvanized me as a fan.

I wanna go out and buy some X-Men comics or something. Not that I can afford them, but it'd be nice. I'd like to kiss you all goodbye, and I leave you to kiss each other goodbye.
- posted by The Steve Cronen @ 2:11 PM

 
Apparently I can be two different X-Men at once. That's okay... Nightcrawler's always been one of my favorites. Definitely on my personal "dream team!"


You are Nightcrawler!! His mother, the evil shape
shifter Mystique, dropped Kurt Wagner-Darkholme
off a cliff as an infant. He was taken in by a
gypsy woman named Margali Szardos and raised by
her in a circus, where he performed on the
trapeze, and scared patrons into coming back
again to see the "demon". After
awhile, the mutant fear crept into his German
village, and the people who had loved his shows
for so many years mobbed him. Rescued by
Professor Charles Xavier, Kurt became one of
the X-Men. In addition to his prehensile tail,
Kurt can climb walls with his hands and feet,
and can teleport for short distances, although
he does generate a smell of brimstone when he
does. He has a daughter, Nocturne.


Which Male X-Man Are You?
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- posted by The Steve Cronen @ 11:07 PM

 

You are Spiral! Face it: you're evil. Sure, you
might not want to kill people outright, but
your evil urges know few boundaries. You like
your enemies to suffer. Sociopathic and
mysterious, you prefer to toy with others'
minds, causing them to destroy themselves,
rather than have yourself do the dirty work.
Your evil companion? Mystique -- her style and
manipulative ways will make you two quite
destructive. Pyro and Magneto will only slow
you down with their respective arrogance, and
desire for ubiquitous control.


Which X-Men Villain Best Suits Your Evil Nature?
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- posted by The Steve Cronen @ 3:01 PM

 

You are Iceman! Carefree and wild, you prefer the
world of fun and laughter. Most will agree
that you are entertaining, but you may lack a
sense of responsibility or caution. Gambit and
Angel -- with their social skills -- will best
aid you in your search of entertainment, but
watch for Rictor, who will most likely be put
off by your antics.


Which X-Man Are You?
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- posted by The Steve Cronen @ 2:49 PM

 
Behold my latest homemade compilation disc: "Bob Dylan: Failure's No Success At All."

1. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere ('71 version w/ Happy Traum)
2. Love Minus Zero/No Limit (Live version, 1975)
3. Love Sick
4. Day of the Locusts
5. One More Night
6. Mississippi
7. It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry
8. If You See Her, Say Hello
9. As I Went Out One Morning
10. She's Your Lover Now
11. Seven Curses
12. Jokerman
13. Like a Rolling Stone (Live version, 1974)
14. Heart of Mine
15. One Of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)
16. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) (Live version, 1974)
17. Subterranean Homesick Blues

And I'm already planning a second companion disc, but I won't be able to make it until I go home in... three days! Songs I want to include on this next volume: Tomorrow Is a Long Time; Tangled Up in Blue; Not Dark Yet; I'll Keep It With Mine (Biograph version); I Threw It All Away; I Don't Believe You; One Too Many Mornings (Live, 1966); Isis (Live, 1975); Shelter From the Storm (either studio or '76 live version); Positively 4th Street; Most of the Time; Masters of War; Girl From the North Country (w/ Johnny Cash); I Believe in You; Dear Landlord.

Oh, and one more thing: I miss John Lennon.

Bob says hi, too.

- posted by The Steve Cronen @ 4:31 PM

 
Here's one hot off the press.

Tomorrow's but a valley between bookends
That keep me trapped everywhere I go
Today is just another bump on the highway
Today's another long mile on the road
And if I could see her at the line's end
If I could stand with her, proud and tall
I could shut my eyes and rest a while
But that's not the way it is at all

I once had a night that was star-lit
Where the touch of hands wasn't but a game
The night never crashed down, it just settled
Upon our heads that were drenched in rain
And if I could have that night again
If I could relive the best days of Fall
Maybe I could forget about tomorrow
But that's not the way it is at all

Should I face another lonely weekend
I could mask the pain of losing for a while
I could ride out the hours spent without her
And give myself up to denial
And if I could have her for tonight
If I could make my way down her hall
I could spend tomorrow with her smile in my mind
But that's not the way it is is at all.

-"That's Not the Way It Is At All"
S. Cronen, 12/5/03

Tonight's gonna be a big show. And I'm gonna get loose in the caboose with my backs to the tracks.

Hot stuff, can't get enough
The music is mighty, mighty fine
Hot stuuuuuuuuf!
- posted by The Steve Cronen @ 8:32 PM

 
The return of the thin white duke
Throwing darts in lovers' eyes
Here are we, one magical moment, such is the stuff
From where dreams are woven
Bending sound, dredging the ocean, lost in my circle
Here am I, flashing no colour
Tall in this room overlooking the ocean

Here are we, one magical movement from Kether to Malkuth
There are you, drive like a demon from station to station
The return of the thin white duke, throwing darts in lovers' eyes
The return of the thin white duke, throwing darts in lovers' eyes
The return of the thin white duke, making sure white stains

Once there were mountains on mountains
And once there were sunbirds to soar with
And once I could never be down
Got to keep searching and searching
Oh, what will I be believing and who will connect me with love?
Wonderful, wonderful, wonder when
Have you sought fortune, evasive and shy?
Drink to the men who protect you and I
Drink, drink, drain your glass, raise your glass high

It's not the side-effects of the cocaine
I'm thinking that it must be love
It's too late to be grateful
It's too late to be late again
It's too late to be hateful
The European cannon is here

I must be only one in a million
I won't let the day pass without her
It's too late to be grateful
It's too late to be late again
It's too late to be hateful
The European cannon is here

Should I believe that I've been stricken?
Does my face show some kind of glow?
It's too late to be grateful
It's too late to be late again
It's too late to be hateful
The European cannon is here, yes it's here...

"Station to Station," David Bowie

That's my favorite track of his. I've been in a Bowie mood lately. I hadn't listened to Hunky Dory in a while, and when I did, I remembered why it's my favorite album of his. Station to Station is probably my second-favorite... but then, I haven't heard The Man Who Sold the World in a while. So we'll see.

Four Flicks, the new Stones DVD set from the Licks tour, is one of the best things I've seen in a long time. That's considering the fact that I saw Ladies and Gentlemen, the Rolling Stones for the first time right around the time I got Four Flicks. I love the documentaries on the first disc, like the "Licks Around the World" one where Mick talks about dancing on-stage during a rainy show. "Dancing is out of the question, so you just kind of have to wiggle about." The visuals make it even better. I'd seen the Madison Square Garden show before, and there are some good things on that one (and I'm especially grateful that they omitted the awful version of "Sympathy for the Devil"). The Twickenham show rocks rather nicely, especially the version of "Paint It, Black." Finally, the Olympia show is just awesome. Keith seems very focused (for once), and everybody plays really well, especially Jagger, who is really the best thing the Stones have right now. I'm forever grateful that "Love Train" is on there.

I get to go home in a week. You know how great that feels? Really, that's how.

Finals hurt my brain.

"I'm sinking in the quicksand of my thoughts
And I ain't got the power any more..."
- posted by The Steve Cronen @ 1:45 PM