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^^I'm with you on that; things like this are a major phobia trigger/nightmare fuel/morbid fascination for me. That is all.

^^Who cares, it's Faygo!!!

Como Carousel - "Moon River" This is one of the most horrific things I have ever listened to. Check it out!

Best wood: Switchback. (Alternative category: Most innovative.) Best steel: Batman at SFFT. (Alternative category: Most thrilling.)

The actual show was fun; I just got a little too into everyone else's snark. I then felt like I had to reevaluate my entire taste in live music since I already suspected I might be a little too easily impressed, but it's all good.

Last movie watched: "Saving Mr. Banks," which I found engrossing, amusing and enjoyable. P.L. Travers was a f--king riot, and awkwardly relatable. The storyline was inspiring; as much as I hate to admit it, I've come around to finding the story of Walt Disney inspiring in general, even though it wasn't all sunshine and pixie dust. I know the plot was modified and embellished and many scenes were a little obvious and convenient; it certainly leaves out a lot of controversy, but I'd rather just see it as a movie standing on its own than obsess over the less-pretty reality of the true story.

I'm totally one of those people who thinks they're way more clever than they actually are. But honestly, a lot of what I say is for the benefit of my own sense of humor, writing style, or interests and preferred topics; even if it's in a publicly viewable place. I don't think I'm just saying that to self-consciously protect myself from people who don't like or care about what I say; I'm pretty sure there's some truth to it.

Umm...it was the B-52s on New Year's Eve, on some blocked-off street in downtown Houston. Now, I've seen some shows that People Who Are Not Me might deem inexplicable and/or embarrassing, but this easily takes the cake. The male singer sounded like, I don't know, the Wiggles, or a five-year-old trying to use a funny voice. The female singer could've fit into an angry punk band. There were maybe 5 very drunk people dancing, and everyone else was "dancing" just to keep warm. The show was followed, after a painfully awkward delay, by the most pathetic fireworks display ever; I should've taken it as a warning when the guy on TV earlier was boasting that they could also be set off indoors. I will concede that the music was catchy and energetic, and I appreciated the rockabilly and surf influence on some songs. It was a free show, so probably didn't attract as high a proportion of "fans" as many typical concerts, and the TV station host was encouraging people to post comments on Twitter, instigating a barrage of hilariously sarcastic remarks. Also, apparently the TV news coverage was even more of a trainwreck than the actual event. As for said event, I thought it was fine; it seemed well-attended, but not overcrowded, and the atmosphere was laid-back. The crowd wasn't overly drunken, it was family-friendly without being overrun by children, and there were several activities included. Earlier, I sampled a jazz trio and a Broadway singalong inside a well-appointed theater, and an outdoor DJ dance party before the concert. Overall, I could've done way worse for NYE.

iPhone 5. Previously I had an iPhone 4, which was my first smartphone. I don't pay attention to upgrade opportunities and I don't keep up with new technology or device capabilities, so my current phone is fine by me! I did, however, quickly reach a point where I have no idea what I did before smartphones and could hardly imagine going back to those days, even though I (and most of us at some point) obviously survived just fine.

Trans Siberian Orchestra earlier this month. We had fairly close floor seats and the show was phenomenal, even though I'd already watched the TV movie for the story they're touring this year. The screens, lights and pyro were all amazing; I'm a huge fan of fireworks, but had never seen an "explosions and fire" band before, so this set the bar high. The performers slayed "In the Hall of the Mountain King" (or whatever their rendition of it is called) and they also played a tantalizing bluesy, Zeppelinesque original song which I'll need to look up. I will definitely be seeing them again.

Would you mind sharing pics? I really want to get a carousel band organ and I've never seen one on someone else (plenty of horses, though). So far I haven't wanted a coaster since for me, I feel it would be too far into "You would get that" territory, but I like that others have them!

"No Greater Love" - Flat Duo Jets

Sad news. He was in rough shape, and not an age that most people would call "young," but this still hit me. I'm still learning about what a fascinating person he was, and I love the heavy dose of rock'n'roll in Motorhead's music. It's too bad, but more than understandable, that the band is over.

I thought this was a "last movie you watched" thread so I'm going to pretend it is. Theater: Star Wars. I don't know how to geek out on it but it was excellent; highly recommended for anyone out there who might need outside help in deciding whether to watch it. Home: Almost Famous. I could never live that life but I wish I could jump into the movie and stay there forever.

I was actually thinking about that for this thread, even though it didn't work out in practice. There are so many little things that Hershey does more effectively than other parks. I especially admire their complete dedication to and enthusiasm for racing on Lightning Racer. The only things I really can't stand are the programs for their flat rides and their lackluster, overly restrictive rendition of a line-skipping program. I may have a half-baked memory and description of this, but I noticed that Iron Rattler has an automatically controlled exit gate. I like how it saves time since no one has to close or lock the gate, and I hope it catches on with more rides that could benefit from it.

I'm always surprised by how often the crowds are minimal here, especially considering the sometimes- crazy low prices. I keep guessing that people want to enjoy the water park as well. This looks like a worthwhile event and they keep more rides open than I realized, not that it matters much to me since I often only ride coasters at this park. It would be neat to finally ride Timberhawk at night! Your description of it sounds about like what I remember from most of my rides; it's decent and rerideable, but nothing to write home about for most enthusiasts.

Dr Pepper! I think it was diet, but not by choice.

^The flames on your butterfly! Oh, and nice coaster, too.

"Dollar Bill Blues" - Townes Van Zandt

Medusa! I was pretty apprehensive about the floorless concept due to the marketing hype on the SFDK website, but it quickly became one of my first favorite coasters. I still have it ranked the highest among floorlesses; whether that's deserved is uncertain, but I think the loop and zero-G roll are solid.

Well, our county is under a state of emergency due to apocalyptic rains. A neighbor's tree fell into our yard, and I guess it didn't make a sound, because no one noticed this for three days. An adjoining yard, which had been charmingly landscaped, now looks like a forest floor. I want to go explore in it, but I'm sure it's much less exciting than I think it is.

Old post, but I'll concur that this is pretty rad. Even though the original is epic.

Definitely Rudolph. Clarice and Rudolph are so adorable. Also, Frosty has made me cry as an adult. I didn't like "The Little Drummer Boy," and "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" traumatized me.

I don't listen to much of his kind of music; had barely heard enough STP to know that I probably would like them, and have somehow skipped over Velvet Revolver. But I noticed a lot of fans' posts on Twitter, and their sadness made me sad. At my last show, one band dedicated their set to Scott, and another orchestrated a surprisingly successful moment of silence. Many shoutouts went out last night to enthusiastic applause, for whatever it's worth.

"Phantom of the Opera" - Iron Maiden