I couldn't believe how gorgeous it was this morning! Sunny, windy, and really too warm for this time of year, in the 60's by 9:30. I threw open the windows to air out my apartment, then watched The Backyardigans while eating breakfast and getting ready for work. "International Super Spy" was their first of three hour-long specials. Pablo is a Bond-style spy who likes his apple juice shaken and his battles in the form of dance-offs. He's sent on a mission by his boss Miss T (Tasha) to retrieve three canisters from exotic locations. If the evil Lady In Pink (Uniqua) and her hench-moose Tyrone get their hands on it, it could be "a recipe for disaster!"
Oh, and I did call the gynecology office in Collingswood this morning after breakfast. After trying to find all my information (my cards were in my purse), we did make an appointment. She originally said the 13th, but if I can't get that day off, I may see if I can change it.
Today was my long shift...and it was even quieter than yesterday. It got slightly steady during the noon rush hour. Otherwise, we barely had customers. I gathered baskets and carts, did the few returns that there were, cleaned up a small spill, mopped the bathrooms, and rounded up the inside trash. Not only are a lot of people likely tired after a busy month, but it was in the 70's by noon and just too nice for shopping.
I took the long way home down Nicholson Road. It was too nice of a day not to! There was a little rush hour traffic down around the Wal Mart/Marshalls entrance and the Hispanic church. Otherwise, the roads were as quiet as the Acme was. Saw quite a few bike riders and dog-walkers out in Oaklyn enjoying the day with me.
Did some writing when I got in (after taking out the trash). Unlike his brothers, Poe is kind to the old woman by the tavern, helping her get water from a well. It turns out that she's Maz, a witch. She gives him a map to the Castle of Jakku in the middle of the desert, along with a magic key and bread to feed the lions. The key's magic will only work for one day...and if Poe's left trapped inside, he'll turn to stone!
Had a quick leftover dinner around quarter of 7, then moved on to Lego Star Wars. Returned to Revenge of the Sith for "Battle of Kashyyak" and "General Grievous." Did very well, getting most of the pieces, True Jedi, and the red brick in "Kashyyak" and completing the very short "General Grievous" boss round.
Finished the night with the lengthy epic Reds. Real-life witnesses tell the tale of reporter John Reed (Warren Beatty) who married socialte Louise Bryant (Diane Keaton) in 1915 after introducing her to his bohemian, anarchic lifestyle. He's all for the Communist Party and heavily believes in the rights of the working man. Meanwhile, his wife becomes an equally radical feminist. They try to make a go of a normal middle-class life, but they're both too restless to remain in the suburbs for very long. She becomes a war correspondent in Europe during World War I and he follows, despite having a rare kidney disease. They both end up in Russia together, witnessing the fall of the Czars and the beginnings of the Communist regime. On their return to the States, Jack writes a best-seller about their experiences, Ten Days That Shook the World. He tries the same type of workingman revolutions in the US, but is stymied by the split between the two Communist parties. He doesn't do much better in Europe; he's arrested in Russia and lands briefly in Finland before he's reunited in Moscow with Bryant. It's she who nurses him in his final days when the kidney disease finally overtakes him.
Tough subject matter, even now. I give Beatty credit for even getting this story made, let alone how well it came out. He and Keaton were excellent as passionate couple united in their love for words and politics; Maureen Stapleton won an Oscar as another real-life radical, Emma Goldman. The sweeping cinematography also won.
If you're a fan of the cast or are intrigued by the topic or the history of the time, this is well worth checking out if you have time on your hands.
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