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Daddy and Baby Monster Hunter
I am excited to say I have just completed Daddy and Baby Monster. I do believe it can sell as it is an original story and am extremely happy with the end result. Of course there will be editing and more editing but if it does make it to the market, people will truly know the power of the Derosby Brothers.
Let the editing process begin.
Posting
I would like to apologize to our readers, and of course Craig who has held this site up with his posts, for not being on here more. I am currently hard at work selling my first novel and working on my second, exciting novel Daddy and Baby Monster Hunters. Any updates will be posted here. In the meantime, I will be writing a peice on the upcoming baseball season and covering the newest news coming out of New York.
My New Year’s Resolutions
Happy New Year and welcome back to all 3 of our fans. I hope you left the holiday season in a better place than you entered.
I’ve never been much for New Year’s Resolutions, resolutions of any kind, epiphanies, moments of reflection, or deep thoughts in general. I know I’ve got the soul of a master procrastinator and the attention span of a goldfish, so I’ve always dismissed the practice as a waste of time. This year I figured a little self-improvement couldn’t hurt, so I’ve made a list. I’m curious to see how this year turns out.
1.) Draw more. I started to get back into the swing of things in November and December, but got tied up in the Holiday madness and of course put this on the back burner. I’ve found over the years that I’ve got quite a few back burners on my stove and it’s time to move a few things back to a front burner. I’ve had ideas kicking around for nearing on 15 years now (not to mention Alan’s projects) and think it’s about time I started putting pencil to paper again. This also includes the various assorted headers I plan on adding to our little page here. With any luck and a little motivation, you may start to see them soon.
2.) Play a few video games. I was having a blast playing games and writing up reviews, but haven’t really made the time to play much since the summer ended. Not only am I going to play some of the PS3 games I’ve collected in the last year (I’ve still got to crack the plastic wrap on a few of them), I plan on finishing them too, which leads me to item no. 3.
Assassin's Creed II
3.) Finish what I’ve started. Whether it’s drawing, reading, or playing video games, I can’t tell you how many unfinished activites I leave in my wake. At work, I make it a point to not only see projects and quotes through from start to finish, I try to give them the attention to detail they need. I’d like to apply that to my life at home as well. So does this mean that I’ll be able to return ”Under the Dome” to Alan or “Resistance: Fall of Man” and “Assassin’s Creed” to Keith? I’m not holding my breath just yet, but that’s the goal.
4.) Read more. I made it about 1/2 way through Stephen King’s “Under the Dome” before I was distracted by a shiny object a few months ago. Not only will I start from the begining, I’ll finish it this time around. I’ve already set this item in motion with the acquisition of issues #0 and #1 of Lady Mechanica, my first comic in about 15 years. Read through both in record time and plan on reading them again before issue #3 shows up. Thanks to Erika and Vanessa of Girls Gone Geek for the tip on this one. Great choice ladies. I also recommend you check out their blog, as it’s a blast.
Lady Mechanika
5.) Share the blog love. I’ve met quite a few friends with some fantastic blogs over the last few months and plan on some gratuitous plugs this year. Whether it’s E and V (mentioned above), Dan the Honorary Derosby Brother from Down Under from Its A Dan’s World, tribute blogs like Dave H’s Suicide Squad Task Force, a page dedicated to the DC comic of the same name, Aaron’s Iron Fist Fan page, I hope to share some of the great people and stuff I’ve found with our fans.
It's a Dan's World
6.) Take the kids sledding this year. I’ve been vowing to do this one since Nick was born and 14 winters later have yet to accomplish the mission. I think it’s time to introduce the newest generation of Derosby and Dyer kids to Killer Hill. Killer Hill was our sledding spot of choice growing up and was a half-overgrown snowmobile trail in the woods half-way between our house and the Waterville airport. The walk to the top of the hill was a 20 minute hike through the woods, but worth every step. The trail was treacherous, winding through the trees with an occasional stump or rock exploding through the snow right down the center of the path. We ended up hauling at least one wounded comrade back home in a sled every time, but we turned out okay. Right? Okay, maybe not.
There, that should be good to start with. Don’t want to overdo it. The over-achiever gig doesn’t become me. Any suggestions? Any resolutions of your own? Please feel free to share with us. Again, thanks for tuning in and welcome back to DB.com. Here’s to one hell of a 2011.
Craig.
Date: January 6, 2011
Categories: Artwork, Books, Holidays, Maine Stuff, Supernatural, Toys, Uncategorized, Video Games, Web Stuff
Amazing Holiday Season
First of all, I must wish all our readers a very Happy Holidays. We are going on our third year and with the passing of each one, we find more and more loyal followers. Thank you all for reading our blatherings and hope you get enjoyment out of it.
That aside, I must point out some great things that happened this Christmas. First, my daughter is at the perfect age, and now appreciates the holidays more than running around with the wrapping paper and bows. Next, congratulations to Keith, who celebrates his last holiday without children. You are really going into a great phase of your life, even though it might not always seem that great.
We bought my daughter “Wizard of Oz” in Blu-Ray since that is the newest “favorite” movie. I must say, without a shadow of a doubt, that this is one of the best Blu Ray movies I have seen. Most of the blu-ray releases are current, where it makes it clearer than normal but fixing a 1930′s film and making it come alive again, that is significant. I found myself enjoying it more than I can remember. The last time I took such an interest in this film was when we were watching it once a year as kids. It was a huge event and my mother would make “colored” popcorn for us. (there is no racial overtone to that popcorn…it was actually popcorn with a sugary substance on it). All four of us would go sit on my parent’s bed and watch the whole thing, beginning to end. So if you have the televison and the machine for a blu ray movie, this is a must buy. I never know that the Tinsman was all rusted until he was cleaned in OZ. I mentioned this to one of my aunts and she was surprised as that was something that wasn’t noticeable in the past.
Secondly, I must thank my brother Craig for buying both Keith and I official Derosby Brothers long sleeved shirts. Maybe one day, we will do something to either give one away with a trivia question or sell them. How many loyal readers would like to officially be a Derosby Brothers D-Bag by wearing the latest, and greatest shirt.
Finally, and this is with the utmost respect and awe, I must say my father, the same Robert Derosby who was mentioned in the Robert Rating System, did something that made me laugh until I practially wet my pants. In case you forgot the article, check it out here,
http://derosbybrothers.com/2010/11/07/new-movie-rating/
Now, needless to say, Mr. Robert Derosby, the mastermind behind this rating system, was told of this article. I don’t think he was too impressed but everyone that knows him would agree his taste in movies is, well, questionable at best. He said he was going to get me back for it because everyone at his workplace was asking him which movies they should rent. So today, after he handed out a lot of the Christmas gifts, he leaned in and said, “Alan, there is one more back here for you”. On the tag it said, “Alan, for many hours of enjoyment. Love Dad”. I had forgotten about his promise until I saw the gift just from my father. And that is when it all came back to me. Upon taking the paper off, I saw a brown box that said electric razor. Someone in my family pointed out that it could be an electric razor but I had a bad feeling that it wasn’t. And when I opened the box, this is what I found.
I now own the two movies I mentioned in my article and I plan, no I promise, to give a full write up to these two movies. It was the funniest Christmas gift I have ever received and one of the top gifts of all time because, to be completely honest, I deserved it. The one comment he made after which I found very appropriate is he said he had one hell of a time finding them to purchase…Really? I am shocked.
So dad, thank you for making my Christmas memorable and touche my good man. At least now I know where I got my sick sense of humor. As for my filthy mouth, I guess I can’t blame him for that. But I can blame it on my sweet Aunt Mary, who had no hand in showing him the article in the first place. Oh wait, she did. So taking a page out of her book, I say to all my loyal followers….
And I heard him exclaim as he rode out of sight….MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, NOW GO F*%K YOURSELF!
Happy Festivus everyone
December 23 of each year is a holiday all should celebrate. It is a Festivus miracle that this has endured since the 90s but one day, yes one day, I shall have a Festivus party, including the metal pole and the feats of strength. If you need to be brought up to speed on what Festivus is, please watch the video below.
The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story
I was watching a great movie called “Waking Sleeping Beauty” and saw an add for a documentary called “The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story”. Because of slight interest, I put it on my Netflix list and was able to instant access it. It was one of the most interesting documentaries I have watched, and I love history.
It follows the lives of the Sherman Brothers, the two men who wrote the songs for several of the major Disney movies of the 60s and beyond.
To know that these two men were behind such amazing scores as Jungle Book and Mary Poppins is enough to watch this film. However, throughout their time at Disney, they became Walt’s boys, also writing scores for rides such as “It’s a Small World” and “It’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow”.
But behind such great minds lay resentment and anger. It is sad to watch these two men, who have done so much for our childhood memories, to ignore one another. Well, I should restate that. Robert and Richard Sherman do work together but beyond that, they have no real contact. Robert, the older of the two, moved to London and only makes rare appearances. Even then, he barely talks to his younger brother Richard, who by all accounts, makes every attempt to reconcile.
I know this isn’t that great of a review but I suggest, considering it is instant play on Netflix, to take the time to watch it. I promise it is worth the hour and a half.
Rango
I saw a teaser trailer for this movie roughly six months ago, and thought, what the hell is that. But I just watched the full trailer and I am mildly intrigued by this film. Just go to the site below and check it out.
Thoughts on the Phighting Phillies and the Boston Red Sox. What do the Yanks do now?
I would like to start out this post by thanking all who support the amazing work we do on Derosby Brothers.com. I hope that my comments do not anger you enough to avoid the work we do here on this site.
This morning I woke up to hear the news that Cliff Lee, the top free agent of this year’s baseball class, had signed a five year 120 dollar deal with the hated Philadelphia Philles. Of all the teams out there, I despise them them most, for their obnoxious attitude and their winning of the NL East year after year. They are successful and the results of their winning allow them to spend. It is a current situation of spending money to make money. They have built up a solid fan base and with each successful year, they bring in more money due to games, clothing, etc… That is why it is sometimes important to step up to the plate and spend the money when it is called for.
That being said, I must admit that this rotation is downright nasty, but only for the 2011 season. First of all, for those that know little about baseball, their rotation stands as
1. Roy Halladay
2 Cliff Lee
3. Cole Hammels
4. Roy Oswalt
5. Joe Blanton
That is a scary rotation as the top four can be an ace on almost all teams. However there is reason to worry at 2012 and beyond. First of all, the Phils rotation is expensive; very much so. They have two starters in their rotation making over 20 million dollars. And while Roy Halladay is a beast, he is still in his 30′s. Lee will be 33 when his contract begins, and with his contract having a 6 year in there or a 13 million dollar pay out, he will be 39 when it ends. Lee was ok this year, better in the postseason, He also struggled with back issues all year so I would be worried he would break down. Does that mean I would not sign him? Hell no, they were smart to do so.
The Phillies have an opportunity to have a rotation that rivals the 1990s Braves rotation of Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, Avery, and Leibrandt. They were downright dominant and have three Hall of Famers in the rotation. Currently I would just say that Roy Halladay is a HOF, maybe Oswalt but I think the Astros team he was on will hurt his numbers. Cliff Lee, while good, is not HOF worthy, especially if Jack Morris isn’t in.
The Phillies farm system is in tatters. They have traded everyone away and have little left in the minors to bring up. The current starting 9, while good, is getting older. Utley has been dealing with injuries for the past year, Ibanez fought in the First World War, Rollins has slipped since is MVP season, and Ryan Howard will slowly make the Phils regret that contract.
Again, would I have signed Lee? Yes. Will they be hampered by huge contracts and an aging team in two or three years? Definitely. But they are built to win now. The only thing I could give for advice is that one day you will be like the Mets, tearing down a team that was built purely on money. The Mets are now having to stand pat as everyone, including the Phils get better. They have set aside a 5 million dollar spending limit; though Sandy Alderson says there is no limit. But after this year, they will drop almost $60 million dollars from their budget. Maybe they will spend smarter than before.
Now on to the Boston Red Sox. This winter they started by trading three prospects for Adrian Gonzalez. I think this is a good move, except his surgery, he should be a monster in Fenway. He is a great defensive infielder and a heavy hitter. He will give the Sox the hitter they have missed since Manny Ramirez. The major issue will be the length of the contract. Rumors are that it will be 160 for 7 years. That is a long contract and if he gets hurt or hits a downslide, like Vernon Wells, Alex Rios, and Carlos Beltran. That is a large hit it he fails or does not respond how Red Sox nation demands. But overall, this is a smart move. They are a big market club and they showed it.
The other contract worries me more. I like Carl Crawford and think he is a good player but is he worthy of being one of the highest paid players in the game? I am not so sure. He will make 142 over 6 years and play OF for the Sox. Crawford is very athletic and young. Those are two good components to have and a major reason they were willing to give both Gonzalez and Crawford contracts like that. However, Crawford is all about speed. He has stated that he is moving away from that. What happens if he has hamstring issues? Jose Reyes has been plagued by it and has become a major issue. I would be more concerned by this.
So in the end, I think they are all very smart moves, Crawford being the only suspect one. I like the Lee move but hope his back doesn’t go out in the first few years of the deal. In the fifth and six year, it does not matter. I think they will be an old club by then looking to rebuild. Sure they will have to sit on those deals until they run out, like Beltran, Perez, Castillo, but they will have a few more playoff appearances by then. The Sox made some great moves and have a strong lineup, but how will the pitching staff support them. Will Lackey, Beckett, and Dice-K make it back to form? Will the Phillies have enough bullpen help to keep those wins. The only thing I do not want to hear is that the Yankees only win championships by buying them. The Red Sox and Phillies just did the same thing. The Sox have bought or traded and paid for the following players: Gonzalez, Scutaro, Saltamacchia, Beckett, Lackey, Dice-K, Cameron, Crawford, JD Drew. Their homegrown talent is good but they have definitely used their Red Sox money to trade then pay for guys. The Phils whole rotation except Hammels is bought and paid for, including two 20 million dollar pitchers there. They have a homegrown infield, counting Pollanco for second run as a Phil, but that rotation is the key.
The key to success is to build talent, then trade it for major league players. Keeping minor leaguers, like the Royals, only equal to having great minor league teams. All the while, their major league club sucks, big time. So the Sox and Phils made some great moves, however no more crying when the Yankees sign the latest free agent by throwing money around. There is more than one guilty party there.
Now what do the New York Yankees do considering they planned on signing Lee, and maybe even Crawford. Crawford is an excellent Plan B, but his early signing hurt Brian Cashman’s chances of picking his second choice, if for some reason, Lee signed somewhere else. I think this will truly show if the Yankees just buy their talent or if Brian Cashman really is a good general manager. For years, I have said that one major attribute that few clubs had, except teams like the Yankees and Red Sox, was an ability to make their farm system look like the Garden of Eden. Every minor league player in each organization is a future HOF player. Teams are willing to trade with both clubs because they feel their lower, cheaper talent is better than in other organizations. However, teams like the Royals have major talent at the low levels but are never buyers, always sellers in the market.
Some of the steps taken by the Yankees are interesting, yet necessary. First of all, they signed Russel Martin to a one year deal. This ensures that Jorge Posada has likely seen his final days behind the plate, providing them with a power DH. The problem the Yanks have is that they have several of those exact players, as age is catching up to them.
The next player they signed is the oft injured, arm of a God-body of an old woman, pitcher Mark Prior.
This exact scene has been witnessed multiple times throughout his career. Just one look at the picture and I already know that we have a Prior and a trainer.
This is a low risk, high reward signing if he even comes close to reaching the potential he had out of college. Will he? I would not draft him in any fantasy league but one never knows.
So what do they do? I have heard the names Zack Greinke or Carlos Zambrano. Can they really handle the NY spotlight? I wouldn’t think so, quickly reviewing their past issues.
In the end, who really won here. Well in the short term both the Phils and Red Sox won. Teams like the Mets, while unhappy, are not as affected as one might think. They were not going to contend this year, as they do not currently have one ace, much less four. It hurts teams like the Tampa Bay Rays, who were torn apart by free agency and the lack of finances. It hurts teams like the Yankees and Blue Jays, who watched the Red Sox virtually take the AL Title. It hurts the Rangers, who now need a plan B in finding someone to replace the loss of Cliff Lee. It will be an interesting year, seeing how these contracts play out. But more importantly, it will be fun to look back, say four years from now, to see who really was most affected by these moves.
Date: December 14, 2010
Categories: family, History, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Sports, Stories, Uncategorized
Geeks must see this
Ok, I know I am being a complete nerd and outdating myself, but I had to post this. Jon Dyer, and yes I will give him full credit if I receive crap, showed this to me and it was…wait for it…awesome.
Now to give a shout out, my couisin and her husband came in to Real American when they entered the reception hall. Quite a dream.
rate-this-wwf-wedding-party-entrances-not-the-howard-finkel-one
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