Represent!

The Wonderful World of the Wide Web is filled with ceWEBrities (or WEBlebrities, if you prefer). And the World Wide Comic Book-Type People World…or whatever…is filled with COMlebrities (I’m hoping that one starts catching on).

Last weekend a good deal of both were gathered together in one place for the sole purpose of sitting behind rickety folding tables cluttered with kooky crap.

The place? San Diego. “The Big S.D.” The Diego by the San.

The reason? I said it earlier, weren’t you paying attention? The rickety table thing?


…And Comic-Con.

Everyone who is anyone was at ComicCon – or was at the very least represented by an official proxy at Comic-Con.

How do I know?

Because LFTI was at Comiccon.

That’s right! Steve and myself went to Comic Con to represent the show (at least that’s what it’ll say on our taxes). Tanya, refusing to wear the sexy metallic Princess Leia in Jabba’s Palace costume, was forced to stay behind in LA.

This was my first time at the convention and I learned two things at ComicCon this year:

1. There are about 10,000 different, yet apparently acceptable, ways of spelling Comic-Con.

2. There is no stink like the stink of the bathrooms at Comiccon. Evidentally $6 pretzels and waxy pizza, when combined in the stomach of a dude wearing a storm trooper costume, create toxic gasses that could terraform Mars.


Steve and I had a great time, shuffling through crowds, getting free stuff, hobnobbing with contemporaries.

We even stopped by to see the folks from The Guild. No, gentle Guild fan, we did not meet Felicia Day. She wasn’t manning the booth when we strolled by to say “hi.” In fact, she’s become such a huge celebrity now with the release of Dr. Horrible (quite a few Dr. Horrible costumes at Comic-Con by the way), that I’m surprised she had any time to greet her Guild fans (but she did).

But we did get to chat briefly with Vincent Caso, Sandeep Parikh and Jeff Lewis. They were all very nice and promised to watch our show (note to Vincent, Sandeep and Jeff: if your Google Alert goes off and you read this, there’s a link to our show on this page…a few actually. In case you lost the business cards we gave you. And it was nice to meet you! An additional note to Jeff: If I had known that you had written a film that’s about to be released I would have heartily congratulated you. That’s very cool. Congrats!)

They were busy signing autographs and generally being ceWEBrities. Cool, approachable, ceWEBrities. So check out The Guild! You may not have heard of it. Yeah, they’re a pretty obscure organization. Give ‘em a shot. Support those kids.

Steve also took some pictures while at Comic-Con. Very interesting, poignant and personally inspiring pictures to chronicle our time in San Diego.

Here they are:

All 4 of them:




This a picture (above) of Steve pretending to be Iron Man. Personally, I think it’s a pretty poor imitation, but the comic-drunk patrons of Comic-Con (not pictured) seemed to think it was okay. I said “Man of Steel?! More like Man of Teal…blue design aesthetic…‘cause you’re a pansy…!” And I laughed. Until Steve informed me that Superman is the “Man of Steel.” Which makes no sense at all to me since Iron Man is made of…plastic.





I dressed up like Jabba the Hut (above)(Tanya, I could have used you in that Leia costume!). I have gained a bit of weight lately. So I had that working for me. Sure the costume was a bit lazy. But, in my defense, I had very little time to prepare. Hey, at least I made the effort to find a dead alien frog-looking thing to eat! I think it made the costume.





This is a picture (still above) of the MST3K planet that I forced Steve to take because…well because MST3K kicks ass, that’s why. This photo also makes me personally responsible for exactly 25% of the photos taken at Comic-Con. I think that officially makes me a “muse.”





This is Peter Mayhew (don’t keep making me tell you where the photo is). He played Chewbacca (what a Wookie!). He was there to sign autographs and take cash from Star Wars geeks. Did he sign anything for us? Heck no. We don’t have the kind of money he was asking for autographs. Yes, he charged for autographs. Big deal! What do you want?! He freed the galaxy from the Empire’s icy grip! That was free (except for the money he got for rescuing Princess Leia…but he stuck around for free)! Intergalactic warfare: Gratis. Putting up with comic book geeks: $150.


And that was Comic-Con 2008. Hope you enjoyed this personal glimpse into our exciting lives!

We really spread the word around about LFTI! It was a rousing promotional success!

ROBB

No music today. But I’m working on some for the next video that you might like. It’ll be here to torture you soon enough!

For Want of 30, the 24 was Lost

Things are going full-speed ahead over at the contest. Yes, we have three whole entries! Around here, that's like a stampede. Thanks to eric, Dave, and joe for entering so far. We know there are hundreds more of you who want to enter but are intimidated by your chances of winning. I can not re-iterate enough that the prize is really not worth stressing out about. I mean, as cool and exciting as it is to get your name in the credits for our next video, really, it's not like we'll be curing cancer in your name, or giving you a free trip on Virgin Galactic. So don't let the pressure dissuade you from entering. Go ahead! It's fun! Even if you get them all wrong, you will have gained an important cache of knowledge.

Speaking of prizes, wouldn't it be cool if we could give out a DVD of our first 6 episodes as a contest prize? Why, yes, it certainly would. Well today I will blog the saga of why we so far do not have an LFTI DVD available to buy or win.

The one item holding our DVD back is Episode 6. This is the only episode that was shot with two cameras simultaneously, both of them HDV jobbies. Scott, the director, had fantastic access to these fancy cameras, as well as cameramen and post facilities, so Episode 6 was the only episode that we've shot in high def and on multiple cameras.

Our normal set-up, in case you're wondering, is a single Panasonic AG-DVX100A camera, which we use to shoot at standard-def 24p anamorphic.

Unfortunately, for reasons pretty much unknown, one of the HDV cameras shooting Episode 6 was set to 30fps, not 24fps. That made half of the footage used in the episode look like it came from some terrible soap opera. Online, you really can't see the difference unless you have very sharp eyes, like the eyes not of a potato. However, as soon as Episode 6 is seen on a TV, it looks horrifying.

Robb started the DVD production process, but I took it over in an effort to spare him the extra work. That made me the one in charge of finding out how to turn Episode 6's 30fps shots back into 24fps. Of course, even though we shoot at 24, the video is really actually 30. The camera does some processing to get the 24 to fit onto 30, giving it that "film look." So really what I had to do was find something that would take our 30 footage, toss out some frames, then double up on other frames so it looked like the footage had been faux-24-ed in-camera.

Got it? I'd go into more detail, but you really don't want me to do that, do you?

Okay, so I needed a plug-in to Final Cut Pro that would do something like I described above. After some asking around on Apple's forums, I got the recommendation to use a Nattress plug-in, Film Effects. There were a zillion settings for the Film Effects G Film filter, so I had to test a bunch of them out to see what would give us the best 30-to-24 conversion. For each round of tests, the samples had to be output to DVD, because you can really only see the results for realsies on a bona-fide TV.

The process of testing the plug-in settings did not go uninterrupted. We shot an episode somewhere in there, and lost a cast member, and had to re-jigger the show, so work on this Episode 6 conversion had to wait.

However, I have since nailed down the best setting to use, and now all I have left to do is... take the entire episode, go through it shot-by-shot, isolate all the 30fps footage, then apply the G Film filter and render the whole thing. This is what I need to do, and though I have a good fourth of the episode separated, it will take some time to do the rest.

That, in a clam shell, is why we do not have a DVD of Life from the Inside Episodes 1–6. It's coming, but it's not here yet.

It has been incredibly frustrating, this 24/30fps thing. Why one camera was shooting one way and another was shooting the other—across multiple shoot days—is beyond me. It is all water under the Nattress, however, and with just a bit more work, our first DVD will be ready for your viewing pleasure.

Until then, how about getting your name in the credits? Sounds pretty dang swell, huh? Almost as good as curing cancer or flying in space? Then high-tail it on over and enter our contest! Fame awaits!

Our First Contest!

NOTE: The contest is now over, but go visit the contest post to see the answers and find out who is the big, big, big, big winner!

* * * * *

Yes, my last post has officially turned into a contest! Isn't that exciting? Okay, so it's a pretty simple contest, but Jessica Simpson is simple, and look how much people love her?

So how do you participate in this contest? Easy! 

• Go visit the original post here.
• Read it.
• Contemplate the list therein.
• Choose which of the 18 items you feel will be in our upcoming "episode," and which will not.
  
• Write a comment on that original post (not this one!), putting the number of the item, and then TRUE or T for the items you think will be in the "episode" or FALSE or F for those you think won't be. (Click here to get to the comments.)
• Wait for glory and fame to come your way!

Okay, so how are we going to dole out glory and fame, considering we have none ourselves? Easy! The winner's name will be put in the credits of our very next video (which, incidentally, is our next "episode"). You can't beat that with a wet stick! Imagine how much cooler that prize is than 52 boxes of Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco Treat!

Ah, you've caught the flaw in my logic. We have no glory, nor any fame, so how will attaching your name to the show get you both of those things? Er... well... uh...

Look! A condor!

Here are a few notes about the contest.

In order to post your prize-winning comment, you have to have a Google ID (Google, Gmail, Blogger, etc.) or an OpenID (see here... you may already have one). Spammers have forced us to require this. Take it up with them.

The contest will remain open approximately 2 weeks. We will close it in enough time to get the winner's name in the credits.

Please only enter once. I mean, really, are glory and fame worth cheating for? History demonstrates, quite obviously, that they ain't.

Entries become the property of Hank Yokel, who will use them in his country store to attract new business and up-sell customers on feed and livery.

Have fun! Good luck! Godspeed!

Gonna’ Live in the Sea, Girl

Hey all you cats and kittens, grab your socks and get ready to rock ‘cause LFTI’s got stacks and stacks of the best on wax! So, put your ear to the speaker hole and prepare yourself for some rock and roll!

Awooooo!

Why, why, why am I talking like a circa 1950s radio DJ? Two reasons:

1) It’s incredibly fun and you should try it sometime.

2) I’ve got some music for you today!

Oh, stop it. Quit your complaining! You’ll like this one. It’s a 50s style doo-wop love song…about a puppet.

I know, I know, you’re saying to yourself “Jeez, Daddy-O, if I have to hear one more 50s style doo-wop love song about a puppet I’m going to de-bobby my socks and un-poodle my skirt – but for good!”

But this one is different, I swear! It’s unlike any other 50s style doo-wop love song about a puppet that you’ve ever heard! Or your money back!

It’s from Episode 4! Way, way back. It’s in the oldies style and now it’s an actual oldie! But you didn’t hear the whole song in episode 4, far from it. You only heard a very small part of it (the beginning part to be exact). It’s a tune called “Dream Girl.”

Need to be reminded? Here (at about 1:58):



(Also, if you happen to watch the whole thing, you’ll hear the new “LFTI Theme Song” played in it as underscore music. It was “Mason’s Theme” from this episode.)

Anyway…

Grab your chick, hit the bricks and get ready to be sick! (This patter isn’t as easy as it seems.)

“Dream Girl” is hitting the airwaves!

ALSO: It’s official. Steve’s previous post is actually becoming a contest! Stay tuned for details. As well as a cool banner link to the contest to make it look…well…cooler.

ROBB

True or False? Only Time Will Tell

NEW NOTE: The contest is now over. See the comments for the answers and to find out who won.

* * * * *

NOTE: If you came here from the contest banner or another link, you may first want to read about how this post is now a contest. Wild, eh?

* * * * *

Today saw the release of our first LFTI Extras video. (It's also on YouTube and iTunes.) I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it. Yes, we made it. We shot the material surrounding the extras, to give them a vehicle in which to shine. Like pineapple tidbits in aspic.

Oh, but do not you fret, you fretless wonder, you! We are well on the way to fresh, new content! Fun and exciting content! Content that we can't wait to show you! In fact, we spent 25 hours this weekend shooting the next exciting installment of LFTI. With the set reaching 1,091°, it was an often grueling shoot. But everyone persevered, and we have some unique and funny stuff. At least we think we do. I suppose you'll all be the judge of that.

In keeping with our recent infuriatingly frustrating penchant for secrecy, I will talk no more of what we shot this weekend except to give you the following phrases. Some of these are somehow connected to our upcoming "episode," and some of them are not. Can you guess which is which?

1. Bone with a bow.

2. Red vines.

3. Chicken wattle.

4. Japanese Noh mask.

5. Cup of hot ketchup.

6. Thigh-high chukka boots.

7. "Guv'nuh. Guv'neh?"

8. Dick Cavett.

9. The Wizards of Waverly Cracker.

10. Forty-three blue-and-white four-color pens.

11. Phrenology chart.

12. Skee-Ball Certificate of Achievement.

13. Romantic mood lighting.

14. Gavin MacLeod.

15. Minor e-mail miscommunication.

16. "Two two two mints in one!"

17. Missing unicycle license.

18. Maury Povich.

There. Now, if we've done our job thus far with LFTI, you won't be able to tell which of these are in the upcoming "episode" and which are not. Feel free to post your guesses in the comments. Whoever gets the most answers correct before the next videos air will win a special prize! We have no idea what that special prize might be, so I won't tell you what it is. Isn't that infuriatingly frustrating?

Go! Guess! Then enjoy those pins and needles you'll be sitting on for the next few weeks.

UPDATE: Yes, friends, we've decided to make this a real contest. The prize? Getting your name in the credits of our upcoming "episode"! Really, in the scheme of things, it would be impossible for this to be any cooler... if you take cash, trips, cars, jewelry, or any other material good off the table.

So I've added numbers to each of the above items in the list. All you have to do is post a comment below and give us the number and if it's TRUE (it's in the upcoming "episode") or FALSE (it's nowhere to be found in the upcoming "episode.")

Good luck!

It's Friday Already?

I completely had myself convinced today that I didn't need to blog because it was only Thursday.

Which is really sad when you think about how much I've longed for it to be Friday all week. Add to that the fact that I was informed I could leave work an hour early today as a treat "just because it's Friday" and you have complete proof that I've lost my mind.

Why so scatter-brained you ask? Some would say it's a constant state of being for me. But I hate those people, so let's not give them any more thought.

It's actually because I'm always in a constant state of mental confusion when we are in production. This is what happens when you produce and star in your own projects, you completely lose your mind trying to figure out all of the details, on top of memorizing lines and worrying about your own performance. I've had several people stop me this week and ask if I'm okay as I seem to be in another world. How do I explain the thoughts that are swirling through my head? How do I explain just how many different things I'm thinking about/going over/obsessing about?

But, this weekend isn't the only filming we've been doing lately. Here's a sneak peak at something that's going to be online REAL SOON.



That photo looks so staged and yet, it was very real. That was something we filmed a couple of weekends ago and I'm very proud to say that I ran the camera for it. It was definitely a trial by fire as I've never ran the camera for anything yet - oh I've held it a time or two - even looked over other DP's shoulders to get an idea of how they framed the shot, but never actually ran the camera. So, it was definitely a trial by fire for me and I had a lot of fun doing it. But, I have A LOT to learn, so I'm really looking forward to my next experience.

Which (lucky for me) will be this weekend!

Tanya

Red Hot Blip on Blip Action!

Ever wondered what the hot shows on Blip.tv are? Well look no further than Blip on Blip (*w00t*), hosted by the inimitable Eric Mortensen to find out.

If you do look no further than Blip on Blip (*w00t*), and more specifically, if you look no further than the latest episode of Blip on Blip (*w00t*), you’ll discover that one of the hottest shows on Blip.tv is…

Life from the Inside!

Us! This show! …The show on which whose blog you’re reading. What do you mean you’ve “never heard of it?!” You’re reading the…! Okay, Funnyperson, why not watch Eric’s show and learn more about our show.

Sheesh.



Let me tell you, it was a nice surprise to find out about this yesterday (in tweet form thanks to Twitter. Follow us on Twitter! F-o-l-l-o-w u-s….). Usually we know ahead of time when something like this is going to hit the Nets (I’m including write-ups in that last sentence because…well…because I have to. Otherwise the “Usually” would equal “1”). So to see that Eric put this all together without our input was very cool (Of course, he and cameraman/editor Bill Cammack did have access to all of our episode files afterall. In high quality even! In fact, you can watch all our “high resolution” episodes at lifefromtheinside.blip.tv).

It’s especially cool to feel that Eric digs the show. He is the Director of Content Development which means the he has probably directed some developing content from time to time, so he’s not a total n00b.

Yes, okay, he did bust our oysters a little about not letting him (and Blip.tv) know about the show, but in our defense, it was a careful strategy:

Sure, any old hack can put a show online with tons of fanfare, generating so many hits that it crashes the show’s website (drhorrible.com). But that’s Old Internet Hollywood, baby. We felt that the best way to grow our audience would be very slowly. Like painfully slow. Creep up on the Internet and take it from behind (not that way, gutterbrain)! A sneak attack!

And our plan would’ve worked too, if it weren’t for Eric Mortensen and his meddling Blip on Blip (*w00t*)!

Sure, we finally broke down and told Eric about our show, but that’s only because he said to in another installment of Blip on Blip (*w00t*). And we always treat every episode of Blip on Blip (*w00t*) as if it’s directed especially to us. It’s more fun that way. And way creepier.

But speaking of Blip on Blip (*w00t*); Wasn’t that just the best episode of Blip on Blip (*w00t*) that you’ve ever seen? Have you even heard of a better episode of Blip on Blip (*w00t*)? Do you think I’m using the word “Blip” too much?

I am.

Why? Well because I watched the video in the post under the post about us on Blip’s blog. You see, the Blip team searches the Web for references to Blip (egotists). I just wanted to make sure that Blip didn’t miss this post.

…About Blip.

Blip!

And thanks, Eric (you too, Bill)!

ROBB

Boom! There It Is

One of the hardest things about doing a show with no budget is finding crew. I don't mean people to row our sculls... that's a whole other issue. No, I mean people to do the unglamorous but wholly important behind-the-camera work. Even the more glamorous jobs, such as cinematographer, are often difficult to fill.

What's the worst of all the jobs on set? No, not driver. We're too small to have drivers. And not animal waste wrangler. So far, we've avoided needing to have someone around for that. And certainly not Lindsay Lohan's on-set detox technician. Lindsay turned us down for episode 6, after all. No, the worst job on our set is boom operator.

You might be sitting there saying to yourself, "Wow, boom operator! That sounds fun! Loud! Pyrotechnic! I'd love to operate some boom!" Well, it's my sad duty to tell you that that's not exactly what the boom operator does. No, the boom operator holds the boom pole which supports the microphone that captures the auditory brilliance of the show.

Does that still not sound so bad to you? Well, let me describe the job in more detail. We're about to have a fire drill, so you'll have to forgive me if I have to interrupt myself in the middle.

So imagine a scene, any scene, from just about any movie or TV show you've ever enjoyed or not enjoyed or even loathed. Okay, fine, I'll pick one for you. Say there's a scene between four people in a warehouse, and the shot is wide, where you can see the whole group and their feet and heads and probably some crates or shipping containers inside which are black 16GB iPhone 3Gs. (Very rare as of this writing.) So you're seeing this scene, and you can hear all the people in it perfectly. Now, assuming their dialogue was not looped (re-recorded later in a studio), their chatter had to be captured somehow on the set. Most likely, it was captured by a boom operator.

In the example above, the boom operator would have to hold a very long pole with the shotgun mic at the end of it, making sure it's high enough to be out of frame, yet close enough to capture the dialogue. Often, the boom has to be held aloft, over the operator's head. He or she has to do this over and over and over, for every take of every shot. Since they have to pay attention to the scene, too, they can not relax while the boom is up there. It's tiring and demanding. It's work.

The fire drill happened right in the middle of that last paragraph and you probably didn't even notice, huh? Great! That's means you're engrossed.

So, you can see why it's very hard for us to find people who want to hold a pole over their head all day for no pay. It is with all this in mind that I would like to give a special thanks to everyone who has been boom operator for LFTI. Without them, we'd have a silent sitcom, which, if you've never seen one, is something to avoid at all costs. Please visit the credit page of each episode or our pages at IMDb to pay homage. If you don't have time to do that, please take a moment out of your day today to give silent praise for those who sacrifice their arms in the name of the sitcom.

Mean Street

I’m using the term “mean” here in the mathematical sense, in that the street is not “malicious” but rather “average.” Why? Because the street in question is the one I live on. It’s pretty average. Other than the fact that there seems to be garbage pickup around the clock, every day of the week, it’s fairly commonplace.

In fact, if there’s only one thing extraordinary about the street; it was made famous in the hit Internet sitcom “Life from the Inside.” It was especially on display in episode 7 *do not duplicate.

Which is ironic when you think about the fact that I have duplicated it. The street that is. In painting form.

That’s right, there’s new artwork on the set of LFTI. We needed to it supplement some other changes that have happened to the set (which I won’t reveal here). Needless to say, the idea for me to paint another painting was born out of necessity and not, unfortunately, out of artistic desire.

This is always difficult. We need a painting, but I don’t want to just paint any old crap. So I’m forced to be artistic on the spot. Sometimes this can turn out really well; sometimes it can be a disaster.

I’m pretty sure it’s the reason that so many people in the 70s decorated with driftwood:

“We need something to go over the fireplace!! What will we do?!”

“I don’t know! It’s the 70s and my brain is still reeling from Watergate…and all the hash I just smoked!!”

“Well think of something! Company will be here any minute and you can’t have a key party with bare walls!”

“Umm…I found this old piece of wood the other day…?”

“Perfect!! Throw it on the mantle!”

“Ahhh…that is perfect! And I especially like the way it’s waving to me!”

“Maybe you should lay off the hash?”

“No way! It’s the 70s! Disco’s coming and I’ll need it!”


Like I said, “art” for purely decorative reasons isn’t always the best. But seeing as how I don’t smoke hash, hopefully my efforts are more successful than Mr. And Mrs. 70s there.

But maybe you should tell me? Here’s the painting (It’s not the best picture of the painting, bear with me, I did my best):



*** There SHOULD be a picture here. However, Blogger is a piece of crap. Don't worry, it'll be here shortly! Rassafrakkin' blogger! I have EDITING to do! I don't have time to mess with Blogger!!! ***

*** Update!! the photo is there now...duh.***

It’s a triptych and it’s bigger than it looks here (since there’s no context). The actual size is about 1.5 feet tall by a little over 6 feet long.

Soon you’ll be able to see the whole, new and improved, set. Then you can make your final judgments.

…always judging, you are.


ALSO

I would like to properly thank Yuri and Vlad over at Break a Leg for featuring us on the front page of Blip during their stint as guest Curators!

Thanks guys!

And if you haven’t seen their show, I strongly suggest that you watch it. They’ve just started their season finale and it’s epic. So go there and give them some love!

breakaleg.tv



ROBB

(Oh my god! You got away from this post without having to listen to music from the show! I can’t believe it! But just wait, there will be more music later, and you will be strongly asked to listen to it!)

Unscripted

LFTI is a very carefully scripted show. Each episode is refined and honed a great deal before it's ready to shoot. With this in mind, it might be important to note that we did a little something... extra this weekend. We shot an improvised scene.

I won't give away too much about why we shot an improvised scene. In fact, I just deleted two paragraphs about it! Now isn't that mysterious! There's been so much mystery here lately that we could batter it, deep-fry it, and sell it to you on a stick. (For a very reasonable price, of course.)

I myself was not too sure how it would work, this idea we were shooting. It seemed like a stretch to get our characters to introduce what they were introducing without actually introducing it, as an introducer might introduce things requiring introduction. I am pleased to say that I am now very excited to see the final results! Aren't you?

Robb came up with a framework to riff off of, and we went from there, making it up as we went. The shoot turned out to be a lot of fun, and hopefully produced enough amusing material to craft into a small scene that just happens to include what it includes (see preceding paragraphs regarding mystery and introductions). Whatever we get, it should feel just a little bit different from a LFTI episode or short. In a good way!

Of course, I had to improvise a bit explaining Guy's hair. See, some cuttress took about 40 yards too much off my mop during my last haircut. It was my first time bringing my custom to this particular lady, and though I gave her stills of episode 7 and said, "My hair needs to look like this in 3 to 4 weeks," she roundly ignored me, as most cuttresses and cutterers do. Yet I still tipped her because I hate to be seen as a cad. It's something I need to work on, this Cuttress Distortion Field where no matter what the cuttress is doing to my hair, I say, "Yes, looks great! Sure, it's wonderful! Yes, wow, hey, look!" It always happens! It only takes a few steps out of the salon before the CDF wears off, and I go, "Gosh. This is nothing like what I wanted. I wish this were Best Buy and I could cram my haircut back into the blister pack from which it emerged and exchange it for a better one." Though it's my hair with which the cuttress is playing God, I feel I can't speak up and say, "Hey, that's going just a bit too far, there, missy! Let's take this scissor train back a couple clicks!" I suppose even if I did feel I could speak up in this way, it'd be way too late to do anything about it anyway. It is truly a bizarre phenomenon, the CDF, and part of my personality that I really need to work on.

But I can pay someone for that. You're here for free, and thirsting for entertainment, and my rambling about my dratted hair will provide none of that for you. So just be looking for a new, improv-ed LFTI video soon. Soonish. Well, sorta soon. I mean, we are gearing up for episode... 8. Ish. And Robb has to get this scene edited whilst we prepare for episode... 8. Ish. Just be aware that a new video is coming, and your patience will be rewarded. Soonish.

My Blue Period

That title could sound gross, taken out of any kind of context, couldn’t it? I am, of course, making a reference to genius painter, bon vivant, and, later in life, all around hollow weirdo, Pablo Picasso.

Let me make myself very clear. This title is an allusion to Picasso and not, I repeat, not to an informational medical pamphlet about Martian female adolescence.

Okay, we’ve cleared that up.

Why am I talking about my blue period (you can’t not think of it that way now can you)? See, as Steve and Tanya have both pointed out, there are going to be some changes around the set of Life from the Inside. And I’m not just talking about the fact that Kathy has left the show. There are many new, exciting and immensely superficial changes going on as well!

Tanya also told you about the sofa and gave a sneak peek of it. Well, it’s common knowledge that you can’t change your sofa without changing your artwork. Don’t believe me? Tough. It’s common knowledge. It’s not my fault if you’re uncommon.

Who am I to buck common knowledge? I’m not like you. I’m not a doubter. So, we had to have new artwork on the walls. And since we’re too poor to afford real art (we have to sleep on the set for crying out loud), and we’re too snobby to put up posters, I’ve been working on a new painting for the (Mason’s) living room.

Here’s a glimpse of it. Now, keep in mind that this is merely a computerized simulation of what the actual painting will look like. And this is only one corner of it too. The final piece will be a triptych that will hang over the new…ooohh, there was almost a bean spill! That’s for later.

For now, there’s this.



Again, this is just the computer model. I’ll be painting the real one, so the final version will have much crappier color.

And that’s bout it I guess. I’ll talk at you later and…

OOOOOH-HO-HO!

You thought you were going to get off easy, didn’t you?! Sucker. You thought that I wasn’t going to torture you with music from the show, eh?!

Well think again.

Here’s the waltz I wrote for Episode 5 *side effects may include night terrors. That’s the title, not a disclaimer for the music. Though, I suppose it’s possible.

The especially maddening thing about this tune is that, in my opinion, it ends just as it’s getting good! But such is life. One of the hazards of being written for a short cue on an Internet sitcom.

This tune opens the third part of Episode 5. Why not re-watch Episode 5 and refresh your memory?!

…or take a listen to this.

Stay tuned for more sneak peeks at the exhilarating things we have planned for LFTI! Seriously! We’re gearing up to get some new videos out and everything! Imagine that?!

ROBB

Shhhhh!

I didn't so much forget to blog yesterday as not remember to do so. What's the difference? Well, if I'd forgotten to blog, I would have woken up this morning and gone, "Oh, croop! I forgot to blog!"

Instead, I knew very well as the day progressed yesterday that I was not blogging. "I need to blog," I constantly told myself. But I never did. So when I got up tis morning and realized I hadn't blogged, I went, "Oh, shoot. I didn't remember to blog."

You can see the difference, I trust.

Anyway, part of the reason I didn't end up blogging is because there are all kinds of fun things to discuss, but I can't. Yes, you heard that right. I can't discuss our plans. We're going all stealth on your asses and keeping our next, post-Kate steps a secret! Well, they aren't really a secret so much as a surprise. What's the difference? A secret means we'd be trying very hard not to let anyone know anything and probably keep it that way into the foreseeable future. Or forever, like Bush and all his terrorist-proof evildoing.

Instead, we're keeping it a surprise. This means we're kinda loose-lipped with our plans amongst friends around the dinner table or when congregating before going to see WALL-E, but we're not gonna reveal anything online. What we're doing will be revealed eventually, at the right time. Surprise!

You can see the difference, I wager.

Anyway, without being able to rely on the juicy fun that is to come on the show as a source of blogging fodder, I sorta went blank yesterday.

But do not fear! I will write a blog post today instead! And it will be fantastic! It will be about remembering and secrets and forgetting and surprises! It will be mysterious and teasing! It will provide needed distraction without providing any of the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals! It will be my shortest post in years! And best of all, every single sentence in its final paragraph will end with an exclamation point!