The Dotted Logline

One of the cool things about living in Hollywood is that you can go see a movie (say, X-Men: The Last Stand) at a well-known theater (say, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre) on opening night, and find out that the director was at the same showing. Of course, not knowing what Brett Ratner looks like, I couldn’t pick him out of the group he was in. But still, pretty cool.

As for the movie itself, I think it might be the first time that I wanted more action and less story in a movie. Because really, the story part was quite depressing. Although hearing Juggernaut say “I’m the Juggernaut, bitch!” did a lot to cheer me up.

I’ve seen many a positive reaction to a trailer in movie theaters, but nothing quite like the frenzy during the preview of Snakes On A Plane. Wackiness all around.

The Brickgirl & Oscar website is officially open for business. It’s a bit bare bones at the moment but updates are forthcoming. Still investigating automation tools for posting the strips.

For those not in the know, Brickgirl & Oscar is a web comic based on a couple of silly comic strips I drew in high school, about ten years ago (and now I feel old.) I finally decided not to let my lack of skills in the drawing department keep me from pursuing this project. Hopefully, that will be a Good Thing.

For those who haven’t seen House, your typical episode goes a lot like this: Patient is admitted with mysterious symptoms which multiply and befuddle as the show progresses. House snarks at everyone, Holmeses out everyone’s dirty personal life issues, and identifies the mystery ailment or ailments right around the last commercial break, just in time to save the patient (except when the ailment is fatal.)

The Ailment of the Week tonight was Celiac Disease, a gluten intolerance that I’m VERY familiar with. My mother has had it since I was three, my dad’s cousin has it, and at least one good friend of mine has it, possibly two. I’m at high risk for developing it someday. Even if the 1 in 130 people ratio I heard is correct, that’s a lot of people. Luckily, the symptoms generally aren’t nearly as dramatic as on House.

Me: My mom has Celiac Disease.

Random Person: What’s that?

Me: Remember that episode of House where the woman had a niacin deficiency that made her go crazy and kill her baby? It was because she was an undiagnosed Celiac and wasn’t on a proper gluten-free diet.

R.P.: …So you’re mom’s insane?

Me: No, but she used to be really thin.

Part of me is glad to see Celiac mentioned in pop culture, as it is very common but often misdiagnosed.  The symptoms vary and, in the past, it seemed like many medical professionals knew little or nothing about it. But the episode did much to further the public’s understanding of the disease itself.