Thursday Odds & Ends: Christopher Lee, Charlamagne, NPH vs. Barrowman, cool watches and liquor

+ Even if this didn't involve sci-fi and horror legend Sir Christopher Lee, this would still be an awesome project: a symphonic metal about everyone's favorite first Holy Roman Emperor Charlamagne. Yes, Sir Christopher Lee, heavy metal and Charlamagne. Is it Christmas again already?





+ "Lost" returns on February 2, and in the meantime, if you can't remember what's happened over the last half dozen seasons or, if you're like me and don't really understand what happened over the last half dozen seasons, here's a handy reference video featuring all 98 episodes of "Lost" in 8 minutes:



+ Did you catch all the hullabaloo over the "Gay Man of the Decade" battle between Neil Patrick Harris and John Barrowman over the holidays? Well, the winner has been announced. That was a totally unfair contest -- it's like asking a mother to choose her favorite child, if both children were incredibly hot gay men with the kind of biceps that make baby angels cry. There oughta be a law against this kind of cruelty.

+ Production for "Spider-Man 4" -- a film I keep forgetting is even being made -- has been delayed indefinitely while they apparently figure out small details like plot and script and characters.

+ Now that it's a new year, I'm thinking of drinking more, which makes this Mental Floss article detailing the histories of 11 famous cocktails all the handier. Also, it gives me an excuse to quote Ogden Nash: "Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker!" (Oh yeah! What other blog's gonna name check Ogden Nash today? Okay, probably like half a dozen but still, I did it with zest.)

+ I have no idea why, but I want this watch: it's a Dick Tracy-style wrist phone. When I was a child, I had one of those Pac-Man wrist watches that I loved and this is a million times cooler. If I had this watch, I would wear it to work and pretend I was getting secret calls from spies - and God - all day long. It would be awesome. Not for my co-workers, of course, but definitely awesome for me.