Friday, 06 May 2011
While working by myself for some time in the lab today, I decided to turn on NPR. I don’t normally listen to that station at work, since it’s too distracting to communicate with co-workers while trying to pay attention to a story but, like I said, I was alone today. Unfortunately, though, NPR was having their membership drive – in which they dedicate about 20% of each hour to telling listeners how awesome they are at producing the other 80%. Then, after listening to this repetitive self-congratulatory advertising for several minutes, they ask how much it’s worth to you. I eventually had to just it off.
In the afternoon, I picked up Owen from school and we headed over to the local theater to catch a showing of Rio. This ends what is, I believe, the longest spell of not going to the theaters that I’ve experienced in my entire life. I hadn’t sat down in a movie theater in over nine months – since just before Isla was born. Anyway, yeah, Rio. Decent flick. It’s definitely not a Pixar, that’s for sure, and many of the plot developments could be spotted about a half hour away. There is some groan0inducing rapping, a pointless venture through the Carnival Float Contest, and a tired recycling of they-think-they’re-so-cool side characters. It’s directed by Carlos Saldanha, who directed the first Ice Age film, and it even began with a short filmlet featuring the squirrel from that franchise. Incidentally – that filmlet was funny, but how over-done is it that that squirrel can never find a good place to hide his acorn? Are there no other ideas from the Ice Age/Rio team? Additionally, Rio stars (the voice of) Jesse Eisenberg. After not even hearing of this guy at all four months ago, I have now, in short order, seen three of his films. It appears he plays only one character. Perhaps, like Jack Nicholson, he’ll be able to parlay this into a multi-Oscar winning, decades long career.
Still, Owen liked it and even declared that he wished to own the movie on DVD. I told him it’s not on DVD yet, so he said maybe we could come see it at the theater next Friday. I said, “Well, why don’t we just wait until Xmas, and I’ll but it for you then.” He said he wanted it for his birthday, and then I had to remind him that his birthday is only 8 days hence, and it’s highly unlikely Rio will be available on DVD by then.
I also watched the latest episode of Community today (it aired yesterday). Since this week’s episode was only the first of a two-parter, I think I’ll hold off until next week to write about it. However, at the moment, I think this latest episode, “A Fistful of Paintballs,” is the worst one so far – worse, even, then last week’s entirely mediocre train wreck.
Saturday, 07 May 2011
Today, for the first time in my life, I ventured inside a YMCA. Jennifer has come up with the idea of joining the Y for health and fitness reasons, so we decided to look into it. I filled out a questionnaire while she was talking with one of the employees. Among other things, it asked where I first heard about the YMCA, but none of the listed options said “Village People song,” so I left that part blank.
We also stopped at a party store, too, today. We purchased lots of items for Owen’s upcoming birthday party and, wow, all those little things add up pretty quickly. We were trying to find a few things that were Star Wars-related. We found some, but…it’s odd how much of the paraphernalia deals with the fighting aspect of Star Wars. I mean, why can’t they have plates with C3PO and R2D2 on them, or Yoda grimacing for the camera? Most of the Star Wars party supplies showed Luke and Vader fighting, or some ship blowing something up. I guess it is called Star WARS, and so maybe I shouldn’t complain.