Congratulations, Wil and Anne!

$4000 over your goal! Congratulations! My dog had cancer too. Sometimes I miss her. You're doing a great thing to honor Ferris's memory.

Great WSJ article. I agree that there's etiquette that should be exercised with laptops in a coffee shop or other business. Certain behaviors should be common courtesy to the establishment: 1. BUY something. If you're there for a number of hours make multiple purchases. Maybe a beverage an hour? (I don't know, just throwing out a number.) Eat. Drink. Purchase. 2. If you've been there for hours and see people circling like vultures for a seat (as often happens at my local Aroma), vacate. It's nice to the people who are looking for a seat, and nice to the business who will get their money. Establishments with free WiFi are businesses. They need to make money. If you're going to use their free WiFi you should be respectful of that and either spend money or give the table to people who will. Of course I mean the general "you" here, not Esther "you". I don't know about New York and LA but there's a growing trend in Toronto for coffee shops to open up with free WiFi, plenty of outlets and big communal tables along with smaller ones and where people are encouraged to stay for hours and interact with each other. Sadly, the one closest to me closes at 6pm, which I expressed disappointment over when I went in yesterday for the first time. This is a niche, and I don't think that the model would be so successful if every coffee shop was doing it. I still like Aroma best for free WiFi and great food and drink and since they opened two more locations in the city it might be easier to get a seat now.

One sentiment that's comes up often when I talk to people who see the movie is exactly what you said: "there's almost nothing in this movie that I, like most people who follow these issues, haven't known for years." But... It's one thing to read the stories, another to see them come alive on screen. The cinematography was fantastic. I really liked the opening sequence with the ominous music. The other thing we agree on is that those who see the movie are likely to be the ones who know the issues (that is, in a sense the movie is preaching to the converted) but the challenge is getting people who SHOULD see the movie to see it.

One of my favourite Family Guy moments is when the family was in the supermarket and Chris got sucked into that video.

Great post. You are so right. Being in Israel right now, you're close to it in a way you're not in LA or New York. I can't imagine what it's like because I'm so far away, so far removed. I recall some of those emotional moments and moments of reflection upon seeing evidence of destruction due to war during my visit to Israel in winter 2008. It's so sad and yet at this moment I think that we should all visit Israel on the occasion for the reminder (but of course wish there was nothing like this to remember).

Great post, Wil.

I laughed out loud. A few years ago I was at my parents house for dinner and, while getting ready to leave, put a piece of steak (wrapped) on a chair near the garage door. Well, you can predict what happened next if you've already figured out that this is a dog story: I forgot the steak there. My mother later said that she found the dog licking her chops and looking quite satisfied. There was no challenge there. I recall my dog used to eat gingerly. Daintily. I'm trying to picture it now. Poor Ferris. I wish her the best. Save Ferris!

That last bit made me sniffle with emotion.

You mean all that doesn't go without saying? Dude, I've been reading your blog since almost the start and was an active "Soapbox" participant for a couple of years. I was drawn to your blog and the 'box because you remind me of a lot of people I know. My friends. Geeks like me. Ergo I consider you a peer, neither mythical "celebrity" nor "friend" (I'm not delusional - we've never interacted one-on-one). You're an online acquaintance (albeit one-sided). As such, you deserve the same respect as everyone else. I do worry that technology - first email, then blogs, then "web 2.0" - makes some people think that their access to "celebrities" gives them rights that they don't have: The right to be dicks. The right to think that "celebrities" (or "writers slash actors") are their new friends. I fear that people think that they KNOW the "celebrities" that they're following, like they know their friends. Not to make you paranoid, but I wonder if this opens the door for cyber stalking and wonder if well-known people are risking themselves by being so accessible. I feel slightly self-conscious when I tweet celebrities/actors/former child stars because I don't want to overstep their boundaries as human beings or make them uncomfortable. I emailed an author once after identifying with a character in one her books and felt like such a dork doing so (she emailed me back). Also, silvertales's comments were right on and more articulate than my own. KCFlatlander's point #3 is also right on.

I LOVED American Gods and Good Omens. I've read almost all of Gaiman's stuff. Stardust was one of my favorites. I found out via Twitter that he was in my city the day of (Monday, I think) and that I'd missed an opportunity to see Coraline w/ Q&A. I also don't have cable so I missed him on the morning show circuit. *sigh*

Nicely done, and good cross promotion opp. My Canadian pride kicked in. This one is going into the RSS feeds.

And blogging is a method of procrastination or something to do during a well-earned break? :) (Not judging, just observing in a somewhat cheeky manner.)

And blogging is a method of procrastination or something to do during a well-earned break? :) (Not judging, just observing in a somewhat cheeky manner.)

Oh, and his previous tweets were even better: "...Happy to be twittering you. I'm a fan..." and "Thinking how cool it would be for @WILW to have a cameo on Heroes. Will tell Tim and the writers tomorrow. Think he'd do it?" Don't fall over from excitement, Wil.

Oh, and his previous tweets were even better: "...Happy to be twittering you. I'm a fan..." and "Thinking how cool it would be for @WILW to have a cameo on Heroes. Will tell Tim and the writers tomorrow. Think he'd do it?" Don't fall over from excitement, Wil.

I saw those tweets going back and forth when I got home around 11:30EST (8:30PST). It was like watching Fanboy vs. Fanboy. Good stuff.

I saw those tweets going back and forth when I got home around 11:30EST (8:30PST). It was like watching Fanboy vs. Fanboy. Good stuff.

Because of your blog I've watched all of the guest spots that you've done in the last few years. After reading this post I feel even more comfortable telling you that this is your best guest role yet. I felt that you nailed it and demonstrated your acting skills more in this role than the others. Either you're improving or you're taking roles with better writing/direction. It was the first episode of Criminal Minds that I'd seen. I don't know if I like the show but it's a great cast and well put together. If CM fit my taste in TV I'd really enjoy it. I'll check out another episode or two before dismissing it completely.

Because of your blog I've watched all of the guest spots that you've done in the last few years. After reading this post I feel even more comfortable telling you that this is your best guest role yet. I felt that you nailed it and demonstrated your acting skills more in this role than the others. Either you're improving or you're taking roles with better writing/direction. It was the first episode of Criminal Minds that I'd seen. I don't know if I like the show but it's a great cast and well put together. If CM fit my taste in TV I'd really enjoy it. I'll check out another episode or two before dismissing it completely.

I agree with Marley and you regarding Dark Knight. I felt like they could end the movie after Harvey Dent changed and continue the story in the next film. Because I kept thinking it was about to end, the movie dragged on and on. I liked Iron Man better. Wil - Weeds was best in the first 2 seasons. Season 4 is different entirely. It's as if they ended the series upon completion of of season 3 and started a new series with many of the same characters for season 4. Some of season 4 is really good, some is really not and overall it's weird - like, peculiar - and I don't know if I like it. Mary-Louise Parker is fantastic and I really like Kevin Nealon (Subliminal Man!) and Justin Kirk. Jenji Kohan's vision has gone strange. She's taking risks that aren't working.

I agree with Marley and you regarding Dark Knight. I felt like they could end the movie after Harvey Dent changed and continue the story in the next film. Because I kept thinking it was about to end, the movie dragged on and on. I liked Iron Man better. Wil - Weeds was best in the first 2 seasons. Season 4 is different entirely. It's as if they ended the series upon completion of of season 3 and started a new series with many of the same characters for season 4. Some of season 4 is really good, some is really not and overall it's weird - like, peculiar - and I don't know if I like it. Mary-Louise Parker is fantastic and I really like Kevin Nealon (Subliminal Man!) and Justin Kirk. Jenji Kohan's vision has gone strange. She's taking risks that aren't working.

I hope that story is going in your next book. Why does MTV have to do that? I can't imagine it being a hit, a ratings winner or a money maker. It's just a bad idea.

I hope that story is going in your next book. Why does MTV have to do that? I can't imagine it being a hit, a ratings winner or a money maker. It's just a bad idea.

Congratulations! Funny how the roles seem to come when you're ready to give up. It's not the first time.