By Troy Brownfield
9.1.03
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Potential
scene at the impending ShotgunReviews.com/Troy Brownfield
Birthday party?
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I Am
30, Hear Me Wheeze
I really
wanted to write something brilliant for my "30th Birthday"
column, but regular readers should know that there's no danger
of that happening. Instead, I'll offer the following scattered
thoughts and observations.
I Feel
Lucky:
I have to say that while things could be better, a lot of
things have worked out pretty well for me in these three decades
gone. I have a fantastic wife, the kind that celebrates my
birthday by taking me to see Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and buying
me DC Direct action figures. I have great friends, the kind
that help put on shows and websites and are available for
things like driving to Chicago to see Sonic Youth, Bob Mould
and Guided By Voices or hanging out at the Broad Ripple Brew
Pub. I enjoy doing the website, and I enjoy writing for places
like Newtype USA magazine and Nuvo Newsweekly. While the fine
points could be finer, there are a lot of things that I would
have no right to complain about. So I won't.
It's
a Party, and You're Invited:
Yes, we're having a party to honor the 4th anniversary of
ShotgunReviews.com. And yes, we're rolling my birthday into
it. It's Saturday, September 6th at Birdy's
in Indianapolis. If you can make it, please show up and say
"Hello". And yes, the mighty Frank Booth Project
shall appear.
Stuff
That's On My Radar:
The
Newlyweds:
I feel sorry for Nick. Jessica Simpson has proven to be whiny,
fairly dumb, and a slob. Marriage is a trade-off though, and
there's always an upside. I guess his upside is that he gets
to fuck Jessica Simpson.
Alias
and Angel: Seasons
1 and 2, respectively, hit DVD this week. This is largely
notable because these are two rock-solid dramas that, despite
critical praise, deserve a larger audience. Favor yourself
and check 'em out. If you get Alias at Circuit City
this week, you also get a free book. *end free plug*
DC
Direct: Despite
a mini-PR nightmare with the quality control issues on some
Kingdom Come Wave 1 figures, I'm happy to report that the
set my wife got me came out fine. I rather look forward to
Wave 2, although the BIG set is the JLA that drops in October.
If they're half as good as they looked in Chicago, expect
pictures here.
El
Presidente:
I love an interview that President Bush did a couple of weeks
ago where he noted that he's "a follower of American
politics". No shit? The president. He follows politics!
How comforting. Would that he only followed the markets, the
jobless rate, and the will of the electorate.
Arnold:
He
endorsed drugs, group sex, and gay-bashing in an old interview.
Well, one out of three on the Right's agenda ain't bad.
Blankets:
This is the New Big Thing in comics, my friends. Craig Thompson's
huge graphic novel is the powerfully accomplished work of
a strong new voice. Use this to convert the unwashed, comics
fans. Available from Top
Shelf.
Carnivale:
I'm really looking forward to HBO's latest show. Were this
on a network, it would be dumbed down and gone in three weeks.
The ongoing stupidifcation and, as George Carlin called it,
pussification of American culture is ruining most of our media.
At least we still have places like FX and HBO that are willing
to give adults programming for adults. Not everything has
to be kid-friendly. In the future, all of our playgrounds
are going to be fucking foam.
Birthday
Wishes: Got
some birthday wishes from a couple of well-know folks, and
Corey Henson.
"Denture
cream, Preparation H, and Polident are in the mail! Happy
Birthday, Troy!" - Jen Contino of Pulse
News
"Troy
Turns 30! Happy Birthday, Big Fella. Glad it was you before
me! Just remember, I may have only come in 4th [in the
Indianapolis News Personality Beauty Pageant -ed.],
but you're number ONE in my heart! Kiss Kiss" - Catt
Sadler, FOX
59
"Wow,
thirty years old, huh? Let's see... you're a freelance writer
for an anime magazine and a comic book website... Editor-in-Chief
of a website no one's ever heard of... and a fixture on the
Indianapolis music scene. If that's all I've accomplished
by the time I hit 30, I hope God will grant me the strength
to eat a bullet. Seriously, I'm torn between offering you
my congratulations and giving you my condolences. Congratulations,
I guess. (And I'm not kidding about the bullet.)" - Corey
Henson, anime
flunkie
Thanks
Jen, Catt, and Corey. Special thanks to Corey for that Spinal
Tap-like dose of "too much perspective".
What
is 30?: 2 x 15. But really, what IS 30? People seem to
dread it, but I really only dreaded it in joking fashion.
Frankly, while I enjoyed the hell out of my teens, I wouldn't
go back. Your 20s are pretty aimless overall, in my opinion.
And now I'm 30. So what's it mean?
Aside
from a potential break on insurance, not a whole hell of a
lot. Am I "where I wanted to be at 30"? Not necessarily,
but who cares. Thing is, I've gotten to do things that I never
thought I'd be able to, and I realize that there's the potential
to do more. Plus, I feel like I'm old enough where I don't
have to take anybody's shit. Here's some advice from an old
man: live your life for you, your way. If your friends don't
like it, they aren't your friends. If your boss doesn't like
it, you're working at the wrong place. The only bad decision
is to stay miserable. And only you can change it. That's all
there is; and that's my birthday present to you.
Troy Brownfield is the Editor-in-Chief of Shotgun Reviews.
Email Troy at psikotyk@aol.com
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