I Get a Kick Out of Them

Had an early work shift for the second day in a row. It wasn't really much of a problem. Though it did get mildly busy around 10, we were fairly quiet for most of the morning. I rounded up carts for an hour in the morning and an hour or so after lunch, then spent the rest of the time doing returns. I even got a $5 gift card for a good review on an online survey. It was a nice day for returning carts, too, warm and sunny but not as hot, with a nice breeze.

When I got home, I had the remaining Fruit and Chicken salad for lunch. Watched The Empire Strikes Out while I ate. More Lego Star Wars shenanigans, this time set between New Hope and Empire. Han and Leia are supposed to be gaining the support of the Gungans, but finds dealing with them can be a little...messy. Luke is on a secret mission, but he's somehow gained groupies since he blew up the Death Star, and they keep ruining his cover. Vader just wants to prove to the Emperor that he's a better apprentice than his previous one, Darth Maul. Meanwhile, Chewie is stranded on Yavin 4 after they're evacuated, with only a very nervous Threepio for company.

These are pretty cute, but a little strange, with some really odd ideas. Not to mention, you're going to need at least some working knowledge of both the Original and Prequel Trilogies to get a lot of the jokes, here and in Droid Tales. Mild fun if you run into them on cable or are already a Star Wars fan or a fan of other Lego projects; not necessary otherwise.

Spent the rest of the afternoon writing. Han and Leia are confronted by Boba Fett in the antechamber. Vader and the Emperor told him to get Leia back. Han's not about to let him do that. Fett shoots first...but Han shoots best, killing the huntsman in an archery showdown.

Luke, meanwhile, is still being goaded by Vader and King Palapatine. Vader finally starts in on Leia as Luke hides in the shadows. He more-or-less gave her to Palapatine before she was born in exchange for the power he craved to make the Jedi Council notice him and save his wife Padme from dying. Alas, the spell Palapatine gave him power, but it also cursed him into a demon with a hardened heart and an exterior as ugly as his interior. It takes Vader saying Leia will marry - and be corrupted by - Palapatine no matter how much she runs away to get Luke jumping out of the shadows to attack his father.

When I got off, I cleaned the kitchen. This was a little grimier than the bathroom for once, especially the sink, so it took me a while. Watched Anything Goes while I worked. Reno Sweeney (Ethel Merman) is on a trans-Atlantic cruise with her wealthy, if stuffy, British fiancee. Her ex-boyfriend (Frank Sinatra) stows away, hoping to win her back. Also on the ship is Public Enemy Number 13 (Bert Lahr), who has dressed as a missionary in order to gain passage back to the US, and his Dumb Dora flapper girlfriend (Sheree North). When Sinatra is mistaken for Public Enemy Number 1, a whole host of misunderstandings and mistaken identity ensues, along with a lot of great Cole Porter songs.

Actually, it was a bit disappointing. Maybe I was expecting a tad more from the cast. It was nice to see Sinatra and Merman's two very different renditions of "I Get a Kick Out of You" and Merman and Lahr perform "Friendship" (which they introduced together on Broadway in the stage version of DuBarry Was a Lady), but it seemed like everyone was phoning it in at times. Merman and Sinatra had no chemistry - you'd never believe they were so ardently chasing each other.

This is worth seeing just for the cast and the history. It's also the closest I've seen this show get to its original stage incarnation on-screen, other than I have no idea why it's set in the 20's, rather than the 30's. (Two movie versions used the title, ocean liner setting, and some of the songs, but nothing else.) Recommended for fans of the cast and Porter's music.

I'd been inside all day, and after two early days in a row, I didn't feel like cooking. Around quarter after 6, I jumped on my bike and went to WaWa to buy a hoagie for dinner. Needless to say, given the hour, they were busy. I had to wait a while for my roast beef and provolone hoagie on whole wheat and Chocolate-Banana Smoothie. Picked up some baked multi-grain chips as well.

The ride there and back was wonderful. The day remained gorgeous, sunny and cloudless. It had cooled off a little after the heat of the day earlier. I saw kids chatting in groups, little guys playing in yards, and adults doing yard work, including a co-worker who lives down the street.

When I got in, I ate dinner while watching episodes of Max & Ruby. Ruby's looking forward to all the goodies Grandma will make with the fruit from "Ruby's Berry Patch." Max just wants to eat the berries. "Ruby's Bunny Scout Banner" will be great...if Max can keep his toys away from it. When one of Ruby's favorite toys goes missing, it's "Ruby's Detective Agency" to the rescue!