Category Archives: Uncategorized

A Response from the Yeti

UPDATE: The Yeti sued me for punching him in the face, but only brought his case before the court of his Siberian yeti village. Naturally, I’m not going to traverse the globe all the way to Siberia just to partake in a kangaroo court operated by, you guessed it, a bunch of smelly yetis. Yetis who are sympathetic to the yeti in question.

The yeti won a judgment in the amount of 3.5 dollars, which, in a stunning coincidence, is the entire 2015 budget of for the Bookshelf Battle. I hope you all weren’t expecting any special effects.

I haven’t decided whether I’ll just pay the snow beast or just punch him again if he comes to collect. It is only 3.5 dollars, but it’s the principle of the thing.

I have to say at this point I’m leaning toward another yeti punch.

bookshelfbattle's avatarBookshelf Battle

EDITOR’S NOTE: This morning I, as I sipped my coffee at Bookshelf Battle HQ, I discovered, much to my great surprise, the following note scrawled in poor penmanship taped to my front door. I cleaned it up a little, removed the many, many obscenities, and typed it out. Personally, I do not believe the Yeti deserves a response, but I suppose that in the name of fairness, I must allow him one.

Here is my recent post about my encounter with the Yeti.

And now, the Yeti’s response:

MY RESPONSE TO BOOKSHELF Q. BATTLER’S OUTRAGEOUS, LIBELOUS STATEMENTS

By: The Yeti

Hello.  This is the Yeti.  And boy do I have a bee in my bonnet to share with you people.

Did I break into Bookshelf Battle Headquarters?  Yes.  Did I make my way into Bookshelf Q. Battler’s personal office space?  Yes.

Did I have a right to be there?  No. …

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Random Thoughts 4

41)  For years I have wanted to check out The Human Centipede just based on the curiosity factor, but I feel doing so will warp and twist my soul.  Has anyone watched it and survived?

42)  Sometimes when I turn on the news and hear stories about people in third world countries fighting over extremist beliefs that belong in the dark ages, I just want to be all like, “Hey, third word people, you know we have magic pieces of glass over here that show you all the movies and games you want, right?”  Because, you know, you should all stop fighting and then we can sell you magic pieces of glass and then everyone will be happy and play Candy Crush.  No one wants to go to war if they have Candy Crush.

43)  I feel bad for pirates.  So much effort to swipe all that gold only to inevitably bury it.

44)  I have decided to run for the position of Official Comptroller for the Republic of Barbados.  I have nothing wittier to say on the subject.

45)  Why does Hollywood put crappy movies out in January and February?  Why can they just, alternatively, not make crappy movies?

46)  Is the Burger King a wise and just leader, or a cruel tyrant who presides over the burgers with an iron fist?

47)  12.  Scientists have definitely proven that a man must walk down 12 roads before he can call himself a man.  “The answer was just blowing in the wind, my friends,”  remarked one scientist.

48)  I don’t understand why people sky dive.

49)  Knock Knock.  Who’s there?  Life.  Answer it.

50)  Does Kenny G like listening to his own music in the elevator?

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Additional Scenarios – Will They Stop the One Day a Post Challenge?

As my 3.5 regular followers know, I’m doing a one post a day challenge.

The other day, I discussed some scenarios and explained how they will not prevent me from following through on my commitment to post once a day.

In case you missed it.

I’ve considered some further scenarios:

QUESTION – The zombie apocalypse breaks out.  A walker is sitting in your office chair, using your computer, surfing the net and playing Candy Crush.  Surely you will concede that it would not be worth it to risk your life in order to make a post?

ANSWER – I concede nothing.  I will grab one of the action figures on my bookshelf, jam it into the zombie’s brain, and will not only clear a path to my computer, but also vindicate myself for being a grown man who collects action figures.  Two birds with one stone.

QUESTION:  You are put into a straight jacket, tied up with ropes and chains, dangled upside down by your feet in an iron safe, and tossed off a helicopter into the ocean.

ANSWER:  You’re talking about a typical Tuesday for me, son.  First, I dislocate my shoulder ala Martin Riggs in Lethal Weapon.  I too have a shoulder injury from Vietnam.  Sidenote:  Do not go to Vietnamese Disneyworld, they have zero ride safety.  At least I think it was Vietnamese Disneyworld.  Maybe it was just a guy in a mouse suit with a couple of lousy rides.

Anyway.  The shoulder trick allows me to slide out of the strait jacket.  I then either pick the locks attached to the ropes and chains, or I just flex my muscles and bust them all off.  I’m pretty sure I’ll go with the latter.

Finally, I roundhouse kick the safe door open, swim to the surface, then fist fight a shark until I force him into a state of submission, from which point I ride him like an aquatic horse back to the mainland, where I find an Internet cafe and post.

QUESTION:  Terrible snow storm.  Power is knocked out.  We’re talking fifty feet of snow.

ANSWER:  I keep a set of skis at the ready for just this situation.  Like a prairie dog or other burrowing rodent, I will dig my way to the surface, dragging the skis behind me as they will be tied to my belt.  I will then ski hundreds of miles if necessary until I find a computerized device that will allow me to post.

QUESTION:  You are hit by a bus and put into a full body cast.  Every inch of your body is completely and hopelessly immobilized.

ANSWER:  I’ve already discussed this situation with area hospitals.  I will hold a pencil in my mouth, and a nurse will move an iPad around, poking the letters I desire up against the pencil.  Those posts will be poorly edited and grossly misspelled, but they will still count.

QUESTION:  A gypsy curses you.  The curse?  If you post, you will drop dead.  Therefore, by posting, you in effect, will ruin the rest of your challenge, because you’ll be dead, and ergo, won’t be able to post for the rest of the year.

ANSWER:  Damn, you’re good.  First, I’ve scribbled a year’s worth of posts down.  I wrote them with lemon juice so they aren’t visible unless run under a black light.  I have left instructions to my team of attorneys to hire an intern who will continue to post on my behalf for the rest of the year.

Alternatively, I will apologize to the gypsy for whatever slight I made in her direction, for gypsies usually don’t curse people for shits and giggles.  My charm and wit will surely get me off the hook, leaving me fit as a fiddle and able to post for the rest of the year.

QUESTION:  You have failed to post…

ANSWER:  Impossible!

QUESTION:  Just concede for purposes of this hypothetical that you failed to post.

ANSWER:  I concede nothing.

QUESTION:  It is a given that you did not post on a day.  That’s it.  You’re done.  There’s no way to undo that.

ANSWER:  I’ve already thought of it.  First, I will have my body cryogenically preserved, leaving strict instructions that I am only to be thawed out on the day time  travel is invented.  I will then use said time traveling invention to return to the day in question and enter a post.

QUESTION:  Even if doing so changes the very fabric of space and time?  Suppose, for example, it was predestined that you would not post.  Maybe you post something that infuriates one of your 3.5 readers to the point that they become a mad scientist and turn us all into a race of hybrid mutant half-people, half horses.

ANSWER:  Then we spend all eternity as centaurs, man!  I MADE A PROMISE TO MY 3.5 READERS!

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As they say in Gaffney…

There will be a special guest on bookshelfbattle.com this Friday Feb. 27 in honor of the release of House of Cards Season 3 on Netflix.

All 3.5 of you should clear your schedules.

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When the F#%K Should Your Characters Swear?

Thanks all for commenting. I’ve been meaning to get back to you, but I am currently embroiled in a legal dispute with a Yeti that is taking up all of my time. In the meantime, I thought I’d bump this up in case anyone f%$&ing missed it.

bookshelfbattle's avatarBookshelf Battle

Time to bring out Ann and John again.  In case you missed their previous antics:

Ann and John on Copyrights

Ann and John on Characters with Accents

Ann and John vs. Robostrangler

And now, our latest installment – Ann and John and the Search for More F$*ing money.

I have mixed thoughts on those pesky swear words.  On the one hand, we are adults.  If your characters are adults living in an adult world, they might swear once in awhile.  Case in point:

“I’ve had enough of your goddamn cheating, John!”  Ann said as she drew her gun and pointed it at him.

“Ann!  No!  What the f$%k are you doing?!”  John asked.

“What I should have done a long time ago, you son of a bitch!”

Ann fired.  The bullet ripped through John’s flesh.

“Owww!”  John screamed.  “My f$&king arm!!!”

I don’t like gratuitous swearing.  I like to use…

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Movie Review – Birdman (Or, The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) 2014

Boosting this up since the Oscars are tonight. Who do you think will take home a statue?

bookshelfbattle's avatarBookshelf Battle

Or, Hollywood is Sorry for Pushing Crap on You, But It’s Kind of Your Fault.

In 1989, Michael Keaton starred as the first Batman to not suck.  That role made his career.  I’d argue that it didn’t really define him though.  He’s been in zany comedies and serious dramas, performing expertly in both.

Yet, as a former Batman who’s ditched the cowl to seek out more serious roles, one is left to wonder how much of Birdman is semi-autobiographical.  Does Keaton identify with Riggan?  Only Keaton could truly answer that.

Keaton plays Riggan Thomson, a big time actor who, twenty years ago, played a feathery comic book super hero in a series of Birdman films.  They were special effects extravaganzas that made him a lot of money and were big at the box office.

Movieclips Trailers

Today, Riggan is trying to leave his past behind him and gain recognition as…

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Bookshelf Battle Origin Story – Sneak Peak

In case you missed it and were wondering how I became a Bookshelf Battler…

bookshelfbattle's avatarBookshelf Battle

I give you the first chapter of a rough draft of the Bookshelf Q. Battler origin story.  Keep in mind, I only mention characters like Katniss from The Hunger Games or the Pevensie family from Chronicles of Narnia for parody purposes only, and obviously those characters were created by Suzanne Collins and C.S. Lewis, respectively.

If I keep going and serialize this, is this something you 3.5 regular readers will be interested in?  Does it stink?  Is it worth it?  Applause is always welcome, but I need critics to tell me what I’m doing wrong as well.

The first chapter is below.  Let me know what you think.

My name is Bookshelf Q. Battler.

That’s not the name I was given. It is the name I have chosen, for it describes who I am and what I do.

I am the world’s foremost authority on bookshelf combat. I’ll give you…

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Romantic Quotes – The Notebook

“I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who’s ever lived: I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough.”

– Nicolas Sparks, The Notebook

I already commented on poor Nicolas Sparks’ divorce so I won’t go into it again.  For those 3.5 regular readers who are paying attention – no, I never was able to confirm whether or not Michael Crichton actually made a real, live dinosaur.  I’m pretty sure he didn’t, but I just don’t have any hard evidence one way or the other.  I didn’t see him make a dinosaur.  But I didn’t NOT see him make a dinosaur either.

But anyway – going along with the theme from yesterday (the quote from Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables) – here is another man opining that love is the best experience of life.

Is it?

I will say this – the year was 2004 and the Bookshelf Battler was in a movie theater packed to the gills with women pulling out tissues and sniffing up a storm.  No joke.  No exaggeration.  Sparks’ sappiness made a theater full of women ball their eyes out, and I suppose that’s why he makes the big bucks.  That’s real talent.

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Fifty Shades of Blech

If you saw the movie and have anything to offer, please do in the comment section! I’m a big believer in “to each their own” and just because I’m not interested in it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to see it per se. Even so, the whole premise of the film seems a bit hypocritical.

bookshelfbattle's avatarBookshelf Battle

I try my best not to make fun of the work of others on this blog.  And let’s

50 Shades of Grey - 20 Percent of Off 50 Shades of Grey – 20 Percent of Off

face it, make fun of Fifty Shades of Grey all you want, but the author, publisher, and now movie studio behind it are raking in the dough.

I just can’t help but scratch my head though as I try to make sense out of why today’s modern, empowered woman would be into this thing.  But that’s a slippery slope I don’t want to get onto, lest I be accused of trying to tell women what to do.

Here’s the hypothetical Hollywood pitch meeting as it plays out in my head:

HOLLYWOOD SUIT 1 :  OK.  We’ve got this great movie idea.

This mousy woman goes to interview a man, but discovers he has a secret room where he tortures women!

HOLLYWOOD SUIT 2:  Oh…

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