Second Thanksgiving

Started off a sunny day with corn meal mush, an orange, and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. Twilight Sparkle discovers just how magical it is in the two-part episode "The Cutie Re-Mark." Starlight Glimmer of the episode with the mark-less ponies goes back in time to stop Rainbow Dash from creating the Sonic Rainboom that what was allowed the Mane Six to get their powers all at once. Twilight Sparkle and Spike follow her to try to stop her. Each time, they fail, and they return to a present that grows progressively worse...until Twilight Sparkle finally stops and asks why Starlight Glimmer is doing this. The duo learn that, while we can't really change the past, we can keep making friends in our present...and preserve our future.

Work was...once again, very boring. I stayed outside all day rounding up carts, and there wasn't even all that much to do out there. I probably should have gone inside, but it was just too nice. It was in the 60's, very windy, but sunny and warm.

Ran into Jodie later in the day. She invited me over to hers and Dad's house for turkey breast later in the evening. Why not? My only dinner plans were leftovers.

When I got home, I worked on writing. Captain Hera Sylendulla reveals that Lothal is a rural village, populated mainly by fisher-folk, artists, and farmers. They're also quite poor and are hoping the Artists' Festival will bring in some profit. The new factory on the edge of town hasn't been helping - the profits go in the owner's laps, not in people's bank accounts.

I've added a few more Pinterest pages of late. "A Little Dose of Humor" is just that - wittisisms, gags, puns, comics, and other items to make you laugh. I also created boards for my favorite non-musical movies, past and present, for steampunk ideas, and for beloved Classic Comedians of the 30's, 40's, and 50's.

A Little Dose of Humor
Steampunk & Victoriana
Classic Comedians
Favorite Movies - 1930 to 1970
Favorite Movies - 1970 to Today

Started out to Dad and Jodie's around 6:30. Jodie, Dad, Dana, and one of their neighbors were already eating when I arrived. We had turkey breast, steamed baby carrots, stuffing, roasted red potatoes, and pop-can croissants for dinner. Yum, yum. The turkey was especially moist and flavorful. Watched Jeopardy! with Dad while the other three women talked.

(Oh, and Jodie did finally call the doctor. Now she's just hoping to hear back from him.)

Wanted to jump in the shower when I got home, but...there was no hot water. The shower just wouldn't heat up at all. Either it's broken, or Charlie uses up all the hot water at night. Probably doesn't even realizes he does it. I just took a cold shower.

Sunny Day at Home

Began a sunny day with one of two Remember WENN episodes to spoof popular old movies. Radio station WENN's head writer Betty Roberts is coerced to reading a new play "From the Pen of Gertrude Reece," the station's harried receptionist. The play is a take on Casablanca, with Betty as Ilsa, cheerful organist Eugenia as Sam, mercenary actor/manager Scott Sherwood as Rick, former manager Victor Comstock as Victor Lazlo, Maple LaMarsh as the cafe singer, Mackie Bloom as Major Renault, Mr. Eldridge as the German waiter, Jeff as the matre'd, his ex-wife Hilary as a bar customer, C.J the Technician as the bartender, and Mr. Foley as a Nazi. A sponsor has two letters of "transmit" that'll allow free passage from the country. Trouble is...as with the real Casablanca, Gertie can't figure out an ending for her play. She and Hilary suggest a few before Betty decides Gertie would be better off figuring out her own ending.

I ended up spending most of the day on the computer or the phone. I tried calling Camden County again. I still got either hold or voice mail. This is ridiculous. I'm going to try again on Monday, then just let it lapse. Started my birth certificate, but realized I didn't have some of the information. I e-mailed Mom; haven't heard from her yet. I'll call Dad tomorrow.

I've been organizing and adding two a few more Pinterest boards.Since the trio from the Original Trilogy and the current one had boards, I figured it made sense to give Padme, Anakin, and Obi-Wan from the Prequels their own board as well. (Especially since I'm hoping to do my first prequels-based fics sometime this year.) Also started one on children's books, and one for Disney characters spoofing various franchises (including ones from Disney).

Padme, Anakin, & Obi-Wan - The Prequels Trio
Children's Books
Disney Satire and Crossovers

Actually, the biggest news today was my tax refund finally appeared. I put some money in both savings accounts. I may put more in, depending on what I have left after I pay the rent (on time) next month.

Got so caught up working, I didn't break for lunch until around 4! Watched another episode of Rick Steves' Europe while eating. Munich and Bavaria, with its ample beer gardens, massive palaces, imposing Gothic cathedrals, towering Alpine mountains, and fanciful castles, is the perfect aesthetic for Coruscant in my story.

I finally got around to making that list of repairs that need to be done here after I finished eating. We can start with that cracked window in my bedroom (which has been cracked since I first came here) and end with Charlie's attempt at re-cauking the kitchen sink not having stopped it from leaking. Like the sink in the bathroom, I think the faucet needs to be replaced. Some of the heating grates in the living room are falling apart or falling off the wall. (The heat itself works fine.) Charlie never replaced the tiles around the toilet when he did the plumbing last spring. There's wood panels under the bathroom rug that I'm afraid are going to break. I also mentioned the wardrobe and the dresser falling apart. They're cheap pieces and it's not their fault, but they did come with the house. The sink in the bathroom wasn't entire re-attached and pulls out when I lean on it. One of the shelves in the kitchen cabinet is coming loose. Charlie never fixed the light on the porch after his attempt to attach the Christmas lights to it left it unable to work at all. The shelves in the pantry are old, uneven wood.

Began The Pirate Movie while making Ally's "Snappy" Ginger Snaps. Mabel (Kristy MacNichol) is rather nerdy young woman in Australia who's thrilled to attend a pirate festival with her more glamorous girlfriends, where she gets a crush on a hot guy giving sword fighting demonstrations. Her friends take off with him before she gets a chance to really know him. She goes after them on a pontoon...and when she falls off and hits her head, the resulting dream turns into The Pirates of Penzance. Now, while dealing with a Modern Major General of a tipsy father, archaic rules of whom can marry whom, and her love for a handsome pirate bound by duty to his fellow men, Mable discovers that, when we stand up for ourselves and take control of our own dreams, we're all heroes.

Another long-time childhood favorite of mine. This odd cross between Pirates of Penzance, Pirates of the Caribbean, Moulin Rouge, and the Mel Brooks spoof films wasn't a hit when it debuted in 1982, but it's since picked up an audience on cable. With its feisty, action-oriented heroine and ample rock mixed in with more traditional Gilbert and Sullivan, it might actually have been ahead of its time. If you love action-oriented musicals or want to see an action film with a strong female lead (and aren't a Gilbert and Sullivan purist), this one is worth looking around for.

Did some writing as well. Luke and Leia chat in Maz's small gardens and discover they have a lot in common, including having been raised by an aunt and uncle. Luke had lived with his aunt and uncle until they died and he was taken in by businessman Henry "Han" Solo. Luke has nothing but praise for his guardian, gushing about his intelligence, brilliant engineering abilities, and business prowess.

Ben and Maz finally send the two along to dine with Leia's family. Maz tells Ben about a raid on the Coruscant Armory. Spies stole the plans for some secret weapon...but they weren't the Crimson Hawk's men. They were members of a secret society that is also going against Prime Minister Palpatine and his right-hand men Lord Vader and Govenor Tarkin. Ben says they need to find out more about this society and its aims. They have their own plans to restore freedom in Coruscant, including a "secret weapon" of their own.

Had the last of the leftovers for dinner around quarter after 7. Finished out Pirate Movie, then did Mask of Zorro. This slightly more serious swashbuckler is actually something of a reboot. The original Zorro (Anthony Hopkins) teaches a young thief (Antonio Bandares) how to be the dashing man in the black mask in order to regain all he lost when he was arrested, including his daughter (Catherine Zeta-Jones). The wicked Governor has been hoarding gold and keeping it from the people...but he may have something even more sinister in mind for the workers...

I enjoyed this when it came out, and I still do. I will warn you that, being a late-90's movie, this is a lot more violent than the Tyrone Power or Disney versions, including a severed head being kept in a jar. Otherwise, if you're a fan of the cast or of swashbucklers like me, this is still a lot of fun to watch.

And...I found my old ankle brace, which went far in helping it feel better. I think I'll at least be able to go grocery shopping and work tomorrow.

Not Quite a Winter Wonderland

I did, indeed, awaken to a snow storm. I celebrated the weather with Frosty's Winter Wonderland while I had breakfast. Frosty's glad to be back with his friends, but he feels lonely when they go inside and he can't. They make him a "snow wife" to cheer him up, but it takes a while to figure out how to make her "all livin'." Meanwhile, Jack Frost is very jealous of all the attention Frosty gets from the kids and is determined to be the only winter icon.

The snow may have been bad earlier, but by the time I headed out around 10, the roads were mostly clear, and the shower was winding down. When I headed outside to do carts, the snow was gone. In fact, the clouds broke up shortly after, and we ended up with a sunny day. The Acme wasn't busy when I arrived, probably due to the weather. I spent most of the first half of my long shift doing baskets filled with returns, as well as the trash and recycling. Spent most of the second half doing baskets and carts after the customers picked up around 12:30-1.

Went straight home and on the computer after work. I did do some writing. Ben tells Luke and Leia about a Coruscant's underground, lead by Jeanne Erson and her father. (Yes, I know I haven't seen Rogue One yet. No, I don't care. I like the idea enough to include the characters.) He also tells them that Derek Vader, the industrialist, killed their father Andrew Skylark when he was a promising young archaeologist and Vader was his pupil.

Speaking of Rogue One, I did more Star Wars Pinterest reorganizing. The Rogue One pictures now have their own page, which they share with any "Expanded Universe" material of interest to me, along with photos from the remaining "Star Wars Anthology" films when they come out.

Star Wars - Rogue One, Legends, & the Anthology Series

Broke for dinner around 7. I wanted a real dinner, something tasty but sensible. I ended up with seasoned chicken legs, steamed (bagged) vegetables, and brown rice. Yum. The chicken in particular came out nice and juicy and flavorful.

Ran a serial for current story inspiration while eating dinner and after my shower. Federal Agents Vs. Underworld Inc. is pretty much what it says on the tin. A professor found a pair of golden hands on an expedition that have ancient hierogliphics that could reveal the location of a fabulous treasure...and then disappears. One of the hands falls into the clutches of Nila, the head of the Underworld. Gordon, a gangster, has another. While they prepare to create on super-group of criminals, two FBI agents and the professor's assistant diligently track them and the golden hands down.

Too Warm for Winter

Today did not go at all like I'd planned. I awoke to a phone call. It was the Acme. They were crazy, could I come in? I finally told them I'd come from 1 to 5. I really wasn't in the mood, but I badly need the money. I'll have to do the laundry tomorrow or Friday and the Oaklyn Library on Friday. I tried calling the Camden County Services to reschedule my appointment for food stamps, but they were busy. I'll try again tomorrow.

At any rate, I did have the time for a Tales of the Gold Monkey episode while I got organized and had breakfast. In "Honor Thy Brother," Jake's been rattled by a series of attempts on his life, and by the Japanese bombers he's says he's been seeing. No one believes him but Sarah. Turns out it's a Japanese pilot out for revenge on Jake for shooting down his brother and maiming him. While Jake tries to shake him off, he (temporarily) gets Jack's eye back, and Corky gets an unwanted native bride when he helps a fisherman out.

As it turned out, the Acme had their reasons for calling me. Yes, they were that crazy. There were lines down the aisles when I arrived at one. I spent most of the first hour panicking in a register. We just started the Monopoly game again today, too. (I don't know why they bother. All our customers ever do is complain that they never win anything.) We're supposed to get anything from 3 to 10 inches of snow tomorrow. It got up to the 60's today, so I doubt it'll stick to the streets, but we'll see what happens. Ended up rounding up carts for a lot of the second half of my shift, when I wasn't trying to gather baskets, shelve cold items, retrieve more plastic bags from the storage closet, and bag for people, usually at the same time. I'd start returning cold items, then half-way through that, they'd ask me to grab plastic bags, then I'd start that, and they'd need me to bag. I wish they'd let me finish something!

I mostly puttered around online when I got home. I was too tired to do much of anything. I did manage to rearrange the Finn/Rey/Poe page, adding solo shots and ones of them with BB-8 or in twos, as well as create a page for the James Bond series.

Bond, James Bond - The Bond Movies

Finally broke for dinner around 7:30. Had crab cakes and sauteed spinach and mushrooms while watching Working Girl. Tess McGill (Melanie Griffth) is determined to move up in the business world. When her demanding boss (Sigourney Weaver) breaks her leg skiing, she discovers the woman intended to pass her idea of a company buying a radio network off as her own. She takes over her house and wardrobe in order to make sure the deal goes through, with the help of a handsome broker (Harrison Ford) with problems of his own.

Finished the night out with Brain Donors. More Proft/Zucker madness, this time spoofing the Marx Brothers and other comedy group films of the 30's and 40's. A shady shyster (John Tuturro), a jack-of-all-trades (Mel Smith), and a goofy houseboy help a wealthy widow (Nancy Marchand) start a ballet company, while helping a couple of lovers get their big break.

And...at press time, it still hasn't snowed. It's not supposed to start until early this morning. We'll see how things go.

Raining In My Heart

I started my morning with breakfast and a movie as rain ended outside. Since I did Hot Shots the other day, I figured I'd do its sequel now. Hot Shots Part Deux moves the spoofs from Top Gun to Rambo and the Gulf War. Topper Harley (Charlie Sheen) is recruited to rescue several teams of soldiers who were captured in Iraq, including his old captain (Richard Crenna). He's trying to escape the memories of his old girlfriend (Valerie Golino), who walked out on him. When she turns up on the mission, he has to figure out how he feels...and who in their group is trying to sabotage them. Meanwhile, President Benton (Lloyd Bridges) is working on his re-election bid. When even Topper's reported missing, he decides he has to go in there and help, too.

I'll be honest, I like this one a lot more than the original. The gags are sharper, the cracks at the bloody action movies of the 80's and 90's are hilarious, and the cast is better. Not to mention the "war is hell" gags feel a tad bit less dated than the "ace war pilot" jokes in the first.

If you can only get one Hot Shots film, make it this one. They're both fun, but this is a little bit sharper and better-written.

 Got a call from Mrs. Stahl as the movie was ending. Would I mind if we moved my counseling appointment from 2 to 3? I called Dad and Jodie. It was ok with them, so it was ok with me.

Spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon cleaning the kitchen and the bathroom. It wasn't too bad, but it did need to be done. The kitchen in particular was a bit grungy. I've spent a lot of time at home lately and have been eating here more often than not.

Ran The Phantom while cleaning. This is the 1996 adaptation of one of the earliest superheroes. The Phantom (Billy Zane), aka Kit Walker, just inherited his title from his late father. He's the latest in a long line of purple-clad heroes who operate off of an island in Southeast Asia. He's called into action when the ruthless Xander Drax (Treat Williams) gets his hands on three skulls that could allow him to rule the world. Thing is, he doesn't have all the skulls...and only the Phantom knows where the fourth one is...

There were a lot of stylish, 30's style superhero and action films that came out in the early-mid 90's, including Dick Tracy, The Rocketeer, The Shadow, and this one. Shame none of them really caught on (though the first two eventually became cult favorites). While this one does have some problems (start with a stiff Zane, continue to some major plot holes), it also has some things I really like. Kristy Swanson as the adventurous Diana Palmer and Catherine Zeta-Jones as the head sky pirate Sala are a lot more interesting than most of the men around them. Some of the action set-pieces are a lot of fun, too, especially on the island. The movie has a nice Indiana Jones-esque feel that dovetails nicely with its mid-30's settling.

If you can find this one, it's worth a look for fans of old-style action, The Phantom comic strip, or Golden Age superheroes.

Did some Backyardigans while having a quick lunch. The kids' trip to "The Heart of the Jungle" is slightly less problematic. Uniqua is a scientist trying to find the home of a wormen (one of the Technicolor worm-like critters who appear on the show from time to time). Pablo, Austin, and Tyrone, all playing variations of Tarzan over the years, try to help her out. Uniqua, however, is a very modern scientist and has no patience for their pulp fiction nonsense...until she runs into something even science can't save her from.

Jodie and Dad picked me up at 2:30. Thankfully, by that point, the rain from earlier had long-vanished. We managed to find a parking spot a block from Mrs. Stahl's office and were there five minutes early. I really hate all of this. I know I'm supposed to think, not let my feelings take over...but what I feel like is an idiot and a failure. Yes, I know other people in the family are having problems, that Dad is a vet and gets money from the government for it, that Erica is disabled. I'll try to get the SSI, but only because I have no other options.

The trouble is...none of them understand how much this hurts. I spent a lot of my childhood being dragged to this doctor or that doctor, in the hope that someone, anyone, could tell my parents what was wrong with me. I was hoping that being an adult would mean leaving all that behind. I thought I'd be able to have a real, normal job, and live a real, normal life, and be a real, normal person, with no damn need for doctors. I want to slam the door shut on that part of my life and never open it ever again.

Of course not. Mrs. Stahl is adamant that there are no writing jobs open. Trouble is, that is what I do. I write. I don't really have too many other skills. I can't work in a bakery. I couldn't handle taking orders, and I'd eat the profits. All I wanted was to prove that I could be a real, normal person, with a good, solid job, someone who could take care of herself, with no need for all this silly fuss. I thought I could be someone who could live independently, who could actually earn a living. I'm not good enough for that. I should have known that's impossible for someone like me.

I spent the whole session crying and was miserable when we got out. Jodie and Dad took me out to the Kove Restaurant in Audubon for a snack to cheer me up. This is the huge beige stucco building about a block or so from Desserts by Design and Bob's music shop. It's a really beautiful in there, with lots of light wood (including the bar) and dark booths and a line of large windows around the front. There were four TVs over the bar. One showed Action News. Another showed a repeat of the Super Bowl. I mostly paid attention to the NHL Network.

Dad and Jodie had crab and corn chowder. Jodie also had a crab cake sandwich and fries. I'd already had lunch and wasn't that hungry. I had their mozzarella sticks...which were huge, shaped like triangles, and really more like mozzarella wedges. I also ate the shredded lettuce under it, and Jodie gave me some of her fries.

When they dropped me off, I decided I'd try to at least look over Tales of the Gold Wookie, one of the historical Star Wars AUs I started last year but never finished. The year is 1939. Leia and Luke Skylark, fresh-out-college archeologist and reporter respectively, are on their way to Coruscant, the capitol city of the fascist Empire, to reclaim the Swords of Alderaan from the nasty Govenor Tarkin. They're flying there with opportunistic pilot Harry Solomon, his hairy co-pilot Charel, their godmother's servants Artie and Clarence, and Benton Kenobi, Luke's reporter mentor. Benton tells them his boss, editor Miss Tano, has called ahead to Coruscant. Turns out she has friends in the Coruscant underground who'll be able to help them...

I was still full from the mozzarella wedges, so I settled for spinach, eggs, and cheese for dinner. Ran a couple more comedies while I ate. Troop Beverly Hills is an old childhood favorite. Phyllis Neffler (Shelly Long) joins her daughter's Wilderness Girls troop in the hope of bonding with her child while she works through a messy divorce. Shopping-obssessed Phyllis is hardly your typical den mother...but these girls, with their wide-brimmed hats and pastel clothes, aren't typical Wilderness Girls. Phyllis finally discovers how strong she can be, while teaching the girls that the most important part of being with a group is learning how to deal with your environment, whether you're living in the wilds, or the wilds of the city.

My Favorite Year takes us back to 1954, as comedy writer Benjy Stone (Mark Linn-Baker) recalls how he convinced head comedian King Kaiser (Joe Bologna) to let his long-time idol Allan Swann (Peter O'Toole) appear in a sketch he wrote. Swann, once an Errol Flynn-type swashbuckler, is now a lush who spends his time drinking and chasing women. Aware of his reputation, Kaiser assigns Benjy to keep an eye on him. This proves to be easier said than done. The young man follows Swann from Central Park to his mother's (Lainie Kazan) apartment in Brooklyn in a weekend filled with wild antics, dates with attractive young secretaries, and the realization that anyone can be a real hero...if they have people who believe they can.

Oh, and I created two more Pinterest pages tonight, for my years in college and afterwards and for another cartoon I like, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

My 2000's College Years
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Football Frolics

Began a quick morning with breakfast, baking the Cinnamon Refrigerator Cookies, and the Peanuts. It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown has Peppermint Patty trying to lead her team to victory in the big homecoming football game. Trouble is, Lucy keeps pulling the football away before Chuck can kick it. Chuck's more concerned about being the escort for the Little Red Haired Girl after the game.

The Cinnamon Refrigerator Cookies just made one big mess. All they did was crumble. It took me so long to clean up, I was almost late for work! This was not a good thing. We were busy all day, with beginning-of-the-month people and people getting ready for their Super Bowl parties. Folks were in a major hurry. I had to clean up at least three spills, including a huge soda spill in a line and dip broken in the back room. I did round up carts a little while one bagger was on break, but I mostly bagged.

At least there was food in the back to give me energy. The Acme was having its annual Super Bowl Chili Cook-Off. Along with two pots of chili and my cookies, there was pulled pork, kielbasa, meatballs, deviled eggs, macaroni salad, corn bread, pound cake, chocolate chip bread, brownies with cookie centers, and plates of Reece's mini-peanut butter cups and Hershey's Kisses. I had chili, two deviled eggs, a small slice of chocolate chip bread, and a slice of pound cake, and that was more than enough.

My schedule next week is a bit odd. We're back to the long days with three days off. Maybe it's just as well. I have a lot that I need to do this week. I need to update my non-driver's ID, figure out what's going on with food stamps, and get started with this month's cleaning. I have counseling on Tuesday, too.

I had a ton of grocery shopping to do this week! The Acme was having really good meat sales for the first time in ages, probably due to the Super Bowl. I picked up crab cakes, chicken drumsticks, ground turkey, and Italian chicken sausages, the last-named with a manager's coupon. Stocked up on sugar, peanut butter, cereal (Quaker's been on a really good sale - went with that yummy Vanilla Life), oranges (another good sale), bananas, carrots, eggs, skim milk, tuna, aluminum foil, and cake and pudding mixes. Bought lemon Jello, vanilla pudding, and a white cake mix to try a recipe at home.

Ran more football-themed cartoons while getting organized when I got in. Acme Looniversity's football team isn't looking forward to "The Acme Bowl" in the first season of Tiny Toon Adventures. They haven't won yet, and they're playing unbeatable (and constantly cheating) Perfecto Prep. Plus it looks like Plucky may have sold their playbook to Perfecto! But Buster and the other toons have a few tricks up their sleeves that'll teach the Perfecto team a lesson in playing fair.

Worked on Pinterest and my story for a few hours after I finished in the kitchen. I started a page on teddy bears - famous, old, new, cute, scuffed - yesterday, but didn't have a chance to really work on it until today. I'm not the biggest fan of the Marvel and DC Movie Universes, but I did enjoy (most of) the movies enough to start a page for them. Also did a page for the places I'd like to travel to someday.

Teddy Bears!
Marvel and DC Universes
Travel - Places I Want to Visit

Did get some writing in, too. Leia's the first to tell a story. She spins a spooky yarn about a mad scientist who picks up a hitchhiker and tries to graft his mind and body with that of a deer. He goes insane, rejecting the experiment and what's been done with him. He finally destroys the lab, and possibly, the scientist. Some say he still roams the woods, looking for retribution for what was done to him...

Put on a few more football-related shorts while having leftovers for dinner. Hello Kitty is "Cinderkitty" in Hello Kitty Furry Tale Theater. This little kitten would rather be throwing forward passes than being a cheerleader. She finally proves that girls can do both...and win the penguin prince in the process.

Mickey Mouse is the world's least-likely Tom Brady in the classic black-and-white short "Touchdown Mickey." He's determined to win this one for Clarabelle and Minnie, while Goofy attempts to announce the game in the booth.

Popeye did two football cartoons during the Fleischer Brothers years. "You Gotta Be a Football Hero" has him joining the big game against Bluto in order to impress Olive. "The Football Toucher-Downer" is a tad less typical. Here, he relates to Sweet Pea how he first ate spinach in a football game as a child...and how it helped him defeat the opposition.

The Three Stooges are "Three Little Pigskins" when a trio of gangsters' molls mistake them for popular college players. It's all fun and games...until their boyfriends figure out who they really are. They have to figure out how to play - fast!

Decided to try something a little different for Dad and Jodie's party tomorrow. I saw an advertisement for 7-Up Soda in the chips and soda aisle that included "7-Up Cake." It sounded like Julie's Pistachio Cake with the club soda replaced with 7-Up. The smaller bottle of Sprite was cheaper, so it became Julie's Groovy Sprite Cake. In addition to the Sprite, I added lemon gelatin with the vanilla pudding (I couldn't find a lemon pudding mix), lime juice, and lemon extract.

Finished the night with The Great Mouse Detective after a shower. One of Disney's best action films takes us to Baker Street...or, more specifically, under it. Basil is the finest rodent detective in all of England. He's a little miffed when a Scottish girl calls on him to find her missing toymaker dad...until he realizes that the fellow was kidnapped by the bat lackey of Rattigan, the most notorious criminal in all rodent-dom. Now the game is afoot as Basil and his new friend Watson must use all their deductive skills to find out what Rattigan has in mind...and rescue the Queen of England herself.

An old childhood favorite of mine. Dad-Bruce actually took Rose and me to see it in the theater when it came out, and I've loved it ever since. Check out the amazing visuals on Big Ben - this was some of the first use of CGI in an animated film.

Kids and Dolls

Began another gloomy morning with some Backyardigans. Tyrone has to "Follow the Feather" when the Mysterious Lady (Uniqua) insists that it leads to the mythical Flying Polka-Dot Pony. Tasha and Pablo aren't as sure...especially when the trail takes them through a crumbling temple and over a steep mountain.

I dressed the American Girl dolls in pink and/or red outfits for Valentine's Day after lunch. Jessa's wearing the 2014 Sweet Spring Dress and pink wrap shoes with Our Generation stockings. Whitney and Josefina both wear hand-made outfits I bought off eBay - Whitney a pink felt poodle skirt and white blouse (with a pink pearl-trimmed sweater I found at a yard sale) and Molly's Saddle Shoes, Josefina a pretty ruffled Empire-waist dress with a lace wrap. Samantha is in her Talent Show Dress, Molly her plaid School Outfit with white stockings and Samantha's new "meet" Mary Janes, and Felicity herr Laced Jacket and Petticoat.

(By the way, all indications seem to point to Felicity being re-released this year. Her books were just put out in BeForever format, and people have been reporting seeing a new blue meet outfit and underwear for her on eBay. Fine by me. I've been wanting to get Felicity more clothes. Hers are ridiculous on the secondary market.)

I went online for a little while after I finished the dolls. I wanted to sign up for food stamps, which I did, and check my finances. First of all, I forgot that I haven't updated my non-driver's ID in almost 10 years. I haven't needed to. I need to get to Cherry Hill, and fast. Second, I keep forgetting to order checks. I hope they don't take long to come. I need to get my rent next-door.

It was almost 3 before I finally broke for errands...or would have, if my bike hadn't had a flat tire. Again. It was the last straw. I had books and DVDs to return and I had to get to the bank, but I had no desire to spend the rest of the day hiking around Camden County. I finally decided that I needed to eat, and just went around the corner to Common Grounds Coffee House.

I didn't mean to have a nervous breakdown while choosing which quiche I wanted. I'm just feeling incredibly overwhelmed. I don't know how to get a job. You're supposed to tailor your resume to fit the company you want to go after...but what if you don't know which company you want to go after? I have no idea who's hiring writers, and nothing online has helped. I don't even know how to go about getting a writing job. Or, I do, but I don't know where to start. Not a single thing has been going right lately. No matter how hard I try, no matter what I do, I make things worse. Nothing seems to be getting better. I don't know how to talk to anyone about it, especially my family. There's no one like me around here to discuss all this with.

I chatted a little with one of the college baristas, who ate her chili with me. (I may have to try that the next time I end up at Common Grounds.) The manager said she was delivering cakes to Westmont. She'd drop my books and DVDs off at the Haddon Township Library.

Studio LuLoo was open for the first time in ages when I went by there. I got to help the kids cover fabric "band bags" with pieces of fabric and colored fabric marker. Sang and danced along with the music they'd recorded with Sara, the lady in charge of the studio, and a friend of hers who was a professional musician. I cut the fabric into strips, then into pieces for the kids to use. We all had pizza and French fries from Phillies Phatties next-door for dinner.

When I got home, I went online. Worked a bit on writing. Leia's getting the girls settled down. This is an all-girl retreat. Rey mentions that Han only complained a little about letting them go for the weekend. Jess said Poe sulked because he wasn't getting an assignment in the country.

Also made two new Pinterest pages. Sorted the Original Trilogy/Rogue One pages further, giving pins for photos that cross media, movies, or that are about the Star Wars fandom or fan humor its own page. Also created a page for Star Wars collectibles, books, and toys, either ones I actually own, have owned, or would like to, or just ones that inspire me.

Star Wars - General Saga and Fandom
Star Wars - Books, Toys, and Collectibles

Made Cinnamon Refrigerator Cookies for work tomorrow while doing more Backyardigans. "Dragon Express" is a service that uses dragons to send mail to out-of-the-way spots in Norway. Austin and his dragon Windy hope to be able to fly as fast and high as Pablo and his dragon Maverick someday. Austin finally shows Pablo that brains and problem-solving count as much as fancy flying when he has to help his friend out of a maze of icy mirrors to find the mail box in the Ice Castle.

Austin is "The Funnyman Boogeyman," a spook who just wants to make people laugh. Trouble is, Uniqua and Pablo want to catch him, not his act. Can he make these two mini-Ghostbusters crack a smile?

Finished the night with another round of wacky comedy from Pat Proft and the Zucker Brothers. Top Secret! spoofs Elvis musicals, the classic rock of the 50's and 60's, and World War II movies. Nick (Val Kilmer), a rock star, finds himself behind enemy lines in East Germany when he's mistaken for a spy by the head of the underground, who wants him to help her rescue her father. Things are further complicated when her former love reappears. Now he has to figure out how to win the girl, while making his own kind of music in a place where making any music at all can land you in front of a firing squad.

Hot Shots moves the spoofs to a more recent target. Top Gun and other gung-ho 80's action flicks get the raspberry here as Topper Harley (Charlie Sheen) tries to prove he has what it takes to return to an elite pilot squadron. He finds himself falling in love with the base psychiatrist (Valeria Gollino), making her boyfriend, a fellow pilot (Cary Elwes), very jealous. Meanwhile, someone is planning on sabotaging the mission, under the nose of the ditzy admiral (Lloyd Bridges) who has had a body part replaced in pretty much every war that ever happened.

While I have fond memories of seeing Hot Shots in the theater, I actually give Top Secret! a slight edge for its fun musical numbers and creative plot. Either way, if you love wacky, joke-a-minute spoofs or Kilmer or Sheen, neither of these are masterpieces, but they have enough good moments to be worth checking out.

The Groundhog's Shadow

I almost overslept and was late to work today - didn't even have the time to write in my journal! As it turned out, this wasn't a good thing. It's the beginning of the month, and we're fairly busy. Not to mention, they had a cashier call out and were once again short on help. I mostly bagged, but I did do carts, gathered baskets, and pulled out brown bags for the cashiers.

When I got out, I went straight home. In honor of Groundhog's Day, I ran Jack Frost while I changed, ate lunch, finally wrote in my journal, and got organized. This later Rankin-Bass special has Jack (Robert Morse) fall in love with a human girl when he uses his icy powers to rescue her. Trouble is, no one can see him. He asks to be human for a winter in order to win her. This doesn't prove easy. First, she falls for a handsome, noble knight. Second, the town where she lives is menaced by Kubla Krouse, the Cossack King. With the help of his snowy friends Snip and Holly and Pardon-Me-Pete the Groundhog, Jack comes up with a plan to keep Krouse from destroying the town...and then drive him away for good.

I'm actually kind of glad I held off on doing the laundry until today. For one thing, it was much nicer today than yesterday, still windy but sunnier and not abnormally cold for early February. For another, the laundromat was dead by the time I got there. I saw one family on their way out, and another on their way in right as I was leaving. I mostly listened to Steve Harvey and Ellen and worked on story notes.

(And yes, that sun does mean Phil saw his shadow today.)

Worked on writing and Pinterest pages when I got in. Leia and the girls are finishing their marshmallows when Kaydel says she hears voices. They check all around the outside of the cabin, but find nothing. Leia insists it's a false alarm and takes the girls back inside to tell ghost stories.

I added one of my favorite Pinterest pages yet today. Books, reading, and libraries are some of the most important parts of my life. I did a page devoted to quotes and artwork about books and reading and some splendid photos of libraries. I also added more Star Wars pages - alternative universes and behind-the-scenes photos for the Original and Prequels, the Sequels, and Han and Leia solo and together, plus a page for the Star Wars series' newest trio, Poe, Finn, and Rey, and one for Han and Luke.

Libraries, Books, and Reading
Han & Luke - Best Friends
Poe, Finn, & Rey - The Sequels Trio
Star Wars AU - Originals and Prequels
Star Wars AU - Sequels
Han & Leia AU 
Han & Leia Solo AU

Had leftovers for dinner, then made Butter Pecan-Apple Butter Cake for dessert with the apple butter Jodie gave me last week. Watched Morning Glory while I ate. Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams) was just fired from her job at a New Jersey morning talk show. Desperate for work, she takes a job as the manager on the lowest-rated morning show in the area. Overly enthusiastic Becky has a lot of ideas on how to turn Daybreak around, including hiring former TV journalist Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford). Pomeroy used to be one of the best newscasters around, but he's gotten too big for his britches and is impossible to work with. Becky finds herself juggling Pomeroy's complaints with a relationship with her producer (Patrick Wilson) and the demands of the neruotic female co-anchor (Diane Keaton). Thing is, Daybreak may be heading for cancellation until Becky can figure out how to gain ratings and win Pomeroy's favor...fast.

I was surprised at this one. I was expecting a goofy romantic comedy, but though there is some romance, the story isn't really about that. It's more about Becky trying to juggle work, her relationship, and her new friendship with Mike. Harrison Ford's relationship with McAdams here reminded me a little of Han Solo taking Rey in during The Force Awakens - he doesn't know what to make of her at first, until he starts to warm up to her.

I was impressed. This was a fun little comedy with some nice performances and an interesting commentary on "hard" vs "soft" news and how we need a little of both - of work and play - in our lives. Fans of the cast or those looking for something more comedy and less romantic will really enjoy this one.

The Hunt for Bike Repair

I got a quick, late start. Finished The Penderwicks at Point Mouette, then wrote in my journal and moved on to breakfast. Did a Good Eats episode as I ate. Winter greens have become a lot more popular since Alton made an episode around them in the mid-2000's. People  have since discovered their many vitamins and minerals...and that as Alton says here, if you cook them properly, they can be quite delicious. The mustard green casserole sounds especially tasty.

Hurried out around 1 to do a few errands. My first stop was the Oaklyn Library, mainly to return the Star Wars reference book I took out last week. There was nothing going on over there whatsoever, other than one guy riffling through the racks and one or two people on computers. I looked over the DVDs and shelved board books until the librarian said they were getting ready to close at 2.

I didn't want to hike all the way over to Haddonfield to have my bike checked out, so I headed to that little auto shop in Audubon. There was someone there who was able to look at my wheels. Apparently, the valves on the inner tubes shouldn't have been bending over. He filled them both with air, fixed the flat one, and I was on my way...

For five minutes, until I felt it going flat again. Arrrgh! I just ended up walking to WaWa for a turkey hoagie. Despite the gray cloud cover, it was warm enough for me to eat my lunch at the wooden benches on West Clinton Avenue. Watched the kids laugh and chase each other as they headed home from school.

Left the bike at Richard's and Willa's when I got in, then went upstairs. I did manage to get some writing in. Leia helps the girls clean the cabin from top to bottom. Rey thinks she hears voices while she's sweeping the porch, but she finally decides it's the wind. Leia gets the girls settled down with marshmallows and lots of blankets to combat the chill before they start telling their spooky tales.

Made turkey hot dogs and braised celery for dinner while doing a two part episode from the fourth season of Get Smart.  The title monarch of "The King Lives?" returns in "To Sire, With Love." Max has to hide him and the royal scepter from his mortal enemy Rupert of Rathskiller (James Caan). When Rupert gets wind of the plot, he first sends a tarantula to kill them all, then kidnaps the king. Meanwhile, 99 keeps mixing the king and Max, and her husband is getting very jealous.

Finished the night with the far less florid The Hunt for Red October. CIA analyst Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin) finds himself in the midst of serious Cold War drama when a sub carrying an experimental nuclear device is found heading for the US, with a crew that wants to defect. Captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) is determined to get it back by any means...including defecting himself...

I remember seeing this movie when it debuted on cable with my dad. I liked it then, and though the Cold War politics haven't dated well, I still like it. Connery and Baldwin play well off each other in this tight, well-plotted action tale.

Oh, and Richard was able to fix my bike. The "new" inner tube I had was defective. He swiped a good one off another bike. Good. I never did get to doing the laundry today. It MUST be done tomorrow after work.

And to give you an idea of who my favorite Star Wars characters are, I rearranged my Han and Leia Pinterest pages, plus added two more about my teen years and other retro stuff.

Han & Leia - Original Trilogy
Han & Leia - Sequel Trilogy
Han & Leia - Solo Shots, Original Trilogy
Han & Leia - Solo Shots, Sequel Trilogy
My 90's Teen Years
Writing Careers
Going Retro - Memories of Yesteryear

Of Damsels and Daring Rescues

It was still a little cloudy this morning when I got up, but not as bad as yesterday. There was still a tiny bit of snow on the ground, but it was melting even as I made my Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes for breakfast. Ran A Charlie Brown Valentine while I ate. The second Peanuts Valentine's Day special is a series of skits about the kids and their various failed crushes. Charlie Brown tries to ask the Little Red Haired Girl to a dance, but somehow ends up taking Marcie and Peppermint Patty instead. Lucy and Sally pester their crushes for valentines, to no avail. Snoopy writes love poetry for the gang.

I did end up walking to work. It was still cold and a bit cloudy when I got there. Once again, it wasn't bad. Maybe a little bit busier than yesterday, but some of that may have been a lack of help. There wasn't really much to do. I rounded up carts and baskets, bagged, and returned the very few items that were laying around.

My walk home was a bit more pleasant. By that time, the clouds had vanished, and the worst of the wind went with it. The sun felt nice on my face as I strolled down the Black Horse Pike. There wasn't even much traffic.

When I got in, I went right online to work on The Resistance Kids Go Camping. Leia tells the girls a bit about her adopted parents while they clean. To cheer herself up, she suggests they tell ghost stories and roast marshmallows after dinner.

Speaking of dinner, I had leftovers and made Fudgy Brownies (a different recipe than usual) while watching swashbucklers. The Scarlet Pimpernel is based after my favorite novel. Sir Percy Blakney (Anthony Andrews), a wealthy English nobleman, risks his life and the lives of his men rescuing innocent nobles from the guillotine in Revolutionary France. He falls for the charming actress Margurite St. Just (Jane Seymour), whom he marries. The marriage turns sour quickly when he learn that she may have been a spy for Chauvelain (Ian McKellen) and sent a friend of his to his death. Believing he can't trust her, he hides his identity behind a foppish mask. But there's treachery afoot in the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel, and even as Percy is preparing to rescue the little Dauphan, someone may be giving him away to his worst enemy.

Enjoyable, rousing version of my favorite novel. Andrews in particular is the definitive Percy Blakney.

Finished out the night with another tale of derring-do in merry old England. I went from the 1700's to medieval times for The Adventures of Robin Hood. This is the beloved Technicolor Errol Flynn version of another aristocrat who goes out of his way to aid the poor and innocent. Olivia DeHaviland is a spirited Maid Marion, Claude Rains is Prince John, and Basil Rathbone is an especially hissable Guy of Gisbourne.

I also added two more Pinterest pages. Three of my favorite Original Trilogy Star Wars characters, Han, Lando, and Chewie, got a page to themselves. I also did one for swashbucklers in general to generate ideas for my upcoming swashbuckler and 30's Star Wars fanfics.

Han, Lando, & Chewbacca - The Scoundrels
Swashbucklers! - Pirates, Musketeers, and Other Tales of Derring-Do

Finishing the Fantasy

Today was one of my two early work shifts this week. We may be getting a little bit of snow tomorrow, which likely brought out the crowds. We were busy all morning. I spent almost the entire time outside, doing carts. That was fine by me. It was too nice to be inside, anyway. The sun was finally out, the wind was down to a breeze, and it was probably in the lower-mid 40's, perfectly normal weather for this time of year.

When I got home, I had a really quick chicken soup lunch while listening to my ABBA Greatest Hits CD, then finally finished off Cinder-Han. Leia and Han come in just as Jabba and his men threaten Luke and Obi-Wan. Ahsoka and Chewie help them get Boba Fett down. Leia herself kills Jabba. Wedge arrives, with Commander Kes Dameron and the king's guards. Han and Leia and Wedge and Luke are wed. Jabba dies in prison, where Fett remains for the rest of his days.

Whew! That one took a while, a lot longer than I'd planned. First of all, the story got a bit more complicated than my previous short fairy tales. Second, I ended up doing those two Carrie Fisher tribute stories as therapy shortly after starting this one. Third, I've had a lot of distractions, with Pinterest and my financial problems.

At any rate, Cinder-Han is now available at Archive of Our Own, Fanfiction.net, and my writing blog.

Cinder-Han at Archive of Our Own
Cinder-Han at Fanfiction.net
Cinder-Han at My Writing Blog

Next up, I finish out the short stories that got backlogged during the holiday season with The Resistance Kids Go Camping. This is meant to be a goofy short story, nothing elaborate or too crazy. After that, I'm probably going to go back to the 30's adventure story I started last year and never finished. (Either that, the Original Trilogy Snow Queen, or the swashbuckler.)

I ran into Jodie in the parking lot this morning. She invited me over to her and Dad's house for fondue. She was getting things ready when I arrived. Joe, Jessa, and Dad were watching Deepwater Horizon. This tale of people working on an oil rig who get caught in a massive explosion and fire was just nominated for Best Sound Editing and Best Visual Effects at the Oscars this week. I'm surprised it didn't get some cast nominations as well, especially for Kurt Russell's grizzled commander.

The fondue was fun and tasty, as always. We dipped broccoli and bread chunks into melted cheese, and small red potatoes, chicken, and beef into hot oil. Yum. We chatted and lost chunks of meat and potatoes in the oil and just generally enjoyed one another's company. Jodie and Dad even gave me small pints of apple butter afterwards.

Oh, and my newest project at Pinterest is another fairly personal page. This one is for everything I loved and remembered about my 80's childhood.

My 80's Childhood

In My Hometowns

Began another cloudy day with breakfast and decorating. I usually put up the Valentine's Day items in late January-early February. I figured I needed the splash of pink and red, what with all the gloom lately. Most of what I have are cardboard hangings, notably two vintage 70's-early 80's ones I picked up at a yard sale. One is a Holly Hobbie-type girl in a bonnet, giving flowers to her puppy. The other is a teddy bear with a heart headband. I also have plain heart cut-outs and fancier ones covered in mylar, along with a cute pink teddy bear tin, a heart-shaped candy box covered in ruffles and lace that was too fancy to throw away, and shiny mylar heart I actually found in the street. The smaller heart hanging on the bottom was broken, but the larger one is fine.

Ran a couple of episodes of The Backyardigans as I worked. Uniqua is a "Fly Girl" who goes to dangerous locations with singing telegrams. She's discouraged when she thinks cleaning-obsessed Captain Pablo, quiet-loving Maharajah Tasha, and grumpy Abominable Snow-Moose Tyrone don't like her song and dance. They have a special surprise for her too, though...

"Who Goes There?" is a flamenco-fueled riff on the Night at the Museum films. Security guard Tyrone finds  himself chasing after wayward moving artworks Austin, Uniqua, and Pablo when they come out to play for the night. He's worried what'll happen when Curator Tasha sees the mess they leave, especially in one display room she insisted must not be touched.

I headed out even before "Who Goes There?" ended. First stop on the list was the Oaklyn Library. Other than one old man snoring on a couch and a few folks on the computer, there was nothing going on there. It was getting kind of late by that point as well. I was there at quarter after 1, and the library closes at 2. I organized DVDs and took a quick look at the children's section before moving on.

Dodged a few small flurries on my way to Westmont for lunch. I treated myself to Friendly's. They were busy for almost 2, with families having ice cream and old couples enjoying companionship. The Comb-Ohh $9.99 for sandwiches, fries, and ice cream sale is still going on. The Honey BBQ burger i had was amazing. It was their basic burger slathered with barbecue sauce and fried onion rings. There was also bacon, but I ate that before I attempted to close the bun. I didn't think I'd get the bun closed otherwise! Yum. Crunchy and tangy. The cherry chocolate chunk ice cream with hot fudge sauce and a mountain of whipped cream was just as good.

The Haddon Township Library was much busier. I organized and shelved the children's DVDs...then was promptly told not to do that anymore. They now have volunteers who come in on Wednesdays from other branches to shelve DVDs. Uhh...why? Why bring volunteers from elsewhere when there's plenty right in Haddon Township? I did manage to shelve a pile of audio books with no problems.

Took out a few DVDs this time. The Haddon Township Library has every Harry Potter movie but the first one, including the second, Chamber of Secrets.  I never did get to The Hunt for Red October a few weeks ago. I'm not normally fond of romantic comedies, but Morning Glory, about bickering anchors on a morning TV show, at least has a nice cast that includes Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton, and Harrison Ford. Also grabbed some more Lego Star Wars, The New Yoda Chronicles.

Took the long way home across Newton Lake Park. It wasn't that bad, despite the continuing clouds. At least by 4 PM, the winds had diminished, the flurries were gone, and it wasn't quite as cold, in the lower 40's. There were several people out and about today, including a fisherman father whose two daughters chased each other down the hill, the younger tumbling after her older sister.

Worked on writing when I got in. Ahsoka and Leia follow Chewbacca around back. They use the handle of the bucket of ashes Han held earlier to lead Chewie to the basement. Leia cuts the barrel holding Han open. After the women untie him, Han tells them about Jabba's plot. He and Leia form a plan that has Ahsoka dressing as a maid to distract Jabba and his boys while they make their way in.

Made a quick meal of scrambled eggs for a late dinner while doing one more Backyardigans episode. "Who's Bugging You?" A wormen, one of the Technicolor worm critters that appear on the show from time to time. They've invaded Tasha's house, to her dismay. She wants to show it off to Mr. Spiffy (Pablo) and join his Spiffy Club. It's Tyrone and Uniqua's job to chase them out.

In honor of Chinese New Year today (it's the Year of the Rooster), I did two animated films set in Asia tonight. Mulan is one of Disney's more unique tales. Mulan is a cheerful tomboy in very patriarchal ancient China. She may be a washout as a traditional bride, but she's determined to show she still has a lot to offer her family. The young woman gets her chance when the Huns invade China. She dresses as a boy and takes her father's place in the Army. She doesn't do well at first...until she proves that brains and guts are as crucial to a warrior as brute force.

I've always liked this one. Mulan herself is a fun character, and her fellow soldiers in the army are a riot. The fact that war is brutal is not glossed over. There's quite a bit of violence, and one rather dark sequence where Mulan and the army discover a destroyed village and a ruined child's doll.

This is one of the few times I wish a Disney musical had concentrated on the war and left the music out. Other than the hilarious "I'll Make a Man Out of You," none of the songs are particularly memorable, nor do they add much to the proceedings. Though Eddie Murphy as Mushu, the dragon who accompanies Mulan in the army, has some funny moments, his wisecracks and character really do not belong in ancient China and take one out of the story.

Not one of the best of the Disney Renaissance movies of the 90's, but one of the more interesting. If you're interested in Asian artwork or folktales, or if you have a daughter who prefers action to princesses, this one is well worth your time.

Finished the night with Kung Fu Panda 2. Po is ready for the next step in his journey - to master balance and meditation. Trouble is, fidgety, ever-eating Po can't really do either. During a battle, he has a vision of his family...his real one. He's determined to find out more about them, to the consternation of his adopted goose father. Meanwhile, Po and his fellow Furious Five members discover the wicked peacock Shen's plot to create a cannon that is so efficient, it'll eliminate the need for kung-fu forever. The group go to Shen's home town to get rid of him...and in the process, help Po find his family.

Still the best of the Kung Fu Panda movies. Po's attempts to find out who he is and where he came from are touching and funny, and the final showdown with Shen is amazing.

I spent most of the night working on another Pinterest page. This one is a little personal for me. I did a page especially for South Jersey and the Jersey Shore - the towns I grew up in, and the ones I live in and around now. I wish there were more images for some of the smaller municipalities, like Oaklyn, North Cape May, and Haddonfield. There was nothing for Rio Grande - everything that came up when I typed that in the search bar was related to Cape May, which is 15 minutes down Route 9. I found exactly one image for Audubon, what I believe to be a vintage postcard of what's now the Audubon Crossings Shopping Center. So, if it seems a little too oriented towards Collingswood, Cape May, and Wildwood, that's what I had to work with. The page is sprinkled with lots of Jersey jokes and things only South Jersey natives will know. (And I felt that it was mandatory to add a few "Jersey Girls Don't Pump Gas" jokes, even though I don't drive.)

My Hometowns - Southern New Jersey and the Jersey Shore

Online Collage

It was cloudy and blah when I awoke late this morning. I needed some serious cartoon therapy. Bugs Bunny's Cupid Capers is one of the holiday specials Warners did between the late 70's and the late 80's that was basically a collection of bits of shorts revolving around a thin story. In this case, we have an Elmer Fudd-like Cupid spreading love among the Tunes. Bugs thinks he's meddling, until he gets hit and sees how some of the other characters react.

My big project for today was reorganizing my Pinterest pages and adding a few new ones. The Star Wars folder had gotten too big. That one page became five. The original page now features photos from the Original Trilogy, Rogue One (which is set directly before the Original Trilogy), and anything that crosses movies or pertains to the series or Star Wars fandom in general. One page is devoted to the sequels, another to the prequels and the cartoon series Clone Wars and Rebels. There's a page for Han & Leia and Carrie Fisher & Harrison Ford, and another for Luke & Leia (and non-Star Wars shots of Mark Hamill). I also added more to other pages and attempted to make a page for Remember WENN, but there just isn't much there.

At any rate, here are the reorganized Star Wars pages:

Star Wars - Originals, Rogue One, and General Saga
Star Wars - Prequels and Cartoons
Star Wars - Sequels
Han & Leia/Carrie & Harrison
Luke & Leia - The Skywalker Twins (plus Mark Hamill)

I got so involved and had so many photos, I didn't break until past 2:30! Ran a quick episode of Max & Ruby while I got organized. "Ruby's Figure Eight" is something she's never tried before. While she and Louise work on their skating, she gives Max a chair so he can work on his. Max just wants to play hockey with the big boys. Ruby tries to practice while keeping her brother from ending up underfoot.

To my surprise, the Acme wasn't busy at all when I arrived. The big "Open House" was a big disappointment. Evidently, there had been a ribbon-cutting earlier in the morning and some raffles, but there was nothing going on in the afternoon. Thankfully, the one sample table had delicious eggplant Parmesan and this amazing spinach/mushroom/sauce concoction that somewhat made up for me not having gotten around to lunch. There being food in the back room - bagels, cream cheese, butter, fruit and vegetable trays, two large sheet cakes - helped too.

My schedule is a bit more normal than last week's. I'm back to short shifts with two days, Wednesday and next Friday, off. Short and early - I work at 9 on Sunday and Thursday. (I suspected I only had the long hours I did this week because of the cleaning.)

I didn't have a huge grocery order at any rate. Bananas and eggs were on good sales, and I needed them anyway. The fresh cranberries are gone - I replaced them with apples. Restocked onions, mushrooms, skim milk, canned coconut milk and apricots, and honey. Treated myself to a can of Toasted Coconut Blue Diamond Almonds as a treat for getting through all that cleaning.

(And...yeah, they weren't busy all day, according to the cashier I went through. All that fussing, and they apparently didn't really advertise or spread the word around until two weeks ago.)

Fiddled with Pinterest a bit more after I got in, then put on a Bowery Boys movie while having chicken soup for dinner. It's No Holds Barred when Slip discovers Sach's unusually thick skull can be used in the wrestling ring to take down opponents. Trouble is, the "traveling muscles" keep moving to different parts of his body...and a group of gangsters in charge of a wrestling racket want to know how he keeps winning.

Finished the night with Captain America: Civil War. Lord, did this one get complicated. After a mission gets out of hand, the government creates a company to regulate the movements of superheroes. Still remorseful. over what his creation did in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is fine with this. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), who doesn't want any other superheroes to become pawns the way his friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), The Winter Soldier, did, is not. Their feud becomes a rift that separates the entire Avengers squad, including newcomers Ant-Man (Scott Rudd), T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman), and Spider Man (Tom Holland). But it turns out that there's someone manipulating events behind the scenes...someone who doesn't want the Avengers working together...

You absolutely cannot come into this one with no prior knowledge of at least the previous Avengers and Captain America movies. I was confused, and I've seen all of the Marvel Universe films but the still-in-theaters Doctor Strange. There were too many characters with too many motivations and way too much going on! All the bickering just got annoying after a while.

That said, some of the new characters were fun. I especially liked the super-cute Spider Man (who behaves like a more realistic teen than he ever did in previous film incarnations) and Boseman's noble Black Panther. The villain was interesting, too, with far more motivation than most villains who turn up in super hero movies. There were a lot of nice action setpieces, too.

If you're a fan of the Marvel Universe, this is a must-see. If  you're not, back up and see either the Avengers films or the Captain America films before coming anywhere near here.

All Kinds of Girl Power

I got a fast start this morning. Barely had time for breakfast and an episode of The Backyardigans. Uniqua is a librarian in Vejos, California, who really loves her work...but when a book is overdue, she becomes the Zorro-like "Masked Retriever" to get it back. The Masked Retriever has her greatest challenge yet in Don Austin, who will take his book over the border in order to keep it!

Work was a lot busier than it has been. The weather may have contributed. It was dark, gloomy, and slightly foggy all day. Thankfully, I only had to round up carts once, for a half-hour. There was plenty of help. I mostly bagged, gathered baskets, and brought out plastic bags.

My schedule next week is...odd. I work the same amount of hours, but I have three days off (Monday and next Friday and Saturday) and long hours when I do work. And even stranger, I'm off for the big open house on Friday! Which isn't entirely a bad thing. I won't need to buy the black pants they were requiring all employees to wear that day (it's more "professional," supposedly), and I'll get to see what the samples are like without having to rush.

I had a ton of grocery shopping to do today. And of course, one of the things I needed to restock was meat...which was not on a good sale. I ended up with the cheapest hot dogs they had. Also restocked white and brown sugar, canned pineapple and apricots, skim milk, yogurt, cereal (went with shredded wheat this time - the Acme generic cereal is still really cheap), cheese, peanut butter, mouthwash (buy one-get one on the Acme generic), bananas, and cranberries. Took advantage of a lot of dollar sales to grab soap, a bag of cut up vegetables, a bag of oranges, celery, and a bag of spinach.

Worked on a new story idea when I got home. I really wanted to do a straight "Beauty and the Beast" Star Wars story, but there's a bunch of ones out there, mainly for Anakin/Padme or Rey/Ben Solo. (Though I've seen at least one that was Han/Luke.) I considered doing it with Han and Leia...but I'd like to do more stories that have the Original Trilogy and Sequel Trilogy casts working together. I'm sick and tired of all the whining that one is inferior to the other, just because Luke, Leia, and Han's lives didn't work out perfectly.

The year is 1903. Social worker Leia Organya is seeking her brother Luke, along with her trio of wards, Rey, Jessica, and Kaydel. The four take shelter from a terrible blizzard in a run-down manor house in the Connecticut countryside outside of New York. To Leia's surprise, the snow doesn't extend into the lush, flower-filled grounds. Luke reveals that he was forced to stay by a hideous beast and three younger animals, merely because he took a rose for sweet little Rey. Leia insists that she should be the one to take Luke's place, but the girls won't leave their adoptive mother. In the end, the Beast insists that all the women remain.

As Leia and her wards further explore the manor house and discover its secrets, they learn that not everything in the manor is what it seems to be. The four creatures are under the evil spell of a nasty mayor who may or may not have evil powers of his own...and the oldest is familiar to Leia. Leia and her wards discover that they must look beyond the surface, of the manor and its occupants, to truly break the spell and reveal their hearts' desires.

Oh, and I've been working on a new project these last few nights. I joined Pinterest. Right now, it's mainly for story inspiration, ideas for fun with my dolls, recipes, and much-needed positive quotes. Here's my very full Star Wars Story Inspiration page, filled with photos that are either intended to give me ideas (or "feels" as fans say) for stories, or just ones that I like (humor and fan jokes included).

My Star Wars Story Inspiration Pinterest page

I continued the inspiration with some Girl Power during dinner and afterwards tonight, in honor of today's Women's March. (Which I support. I love seeing women come together, and I don't like politics and/or politicians, period.) Wonder Woman teaches the next generation, aka her teen sister Wonder Girl, to kick ass in the first season finale, "Wonder Woman In Hollywood." Diana is in Hollywood with Steve Trevor to film a morale-lifting move about the exploits of four military heroes, including Steve. Dru shows up to ask Diana to come home, but she sticks around when her older sister decides the youngest of the four heroes (Robert Hayes) bears watching. Someone has been kidnapping these heroes right off the set...and if the Wonder ladies don't act soon, their boys will be next.

Did last year's version of Ghostbusters after my shower. This time, it's four smart women (Melissa McCarthy, Kristin Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones) who get to kick ghost rear. Instead of all of them working at the same place, Erin Gilbert (Wiig) is the one working at Columbia. Instead of getting the tenure she wants, she's fired when she and her friend Abby (McCarthy) and Abby's partner Jillian (McKinnon) discover a genuine ghost in an old mansion. Trouble is, in this time of Internet hoaxes and easily doctored everything, no one believes them...except for subway worker Patty (Jones), who actually witnessed a haunting, and their hot receptionist Kevin (Chris Hemsworth). It takes a plot by a nut who wants to destroy humanity to bring these five together...and show them that your friends always have your back, even when the rest of the world doesn't.

Oooh, this was fun. While McCarthy and Wiig were the headliners, my favorites were brazen gizmo queen McKinnon and down-to-Earth Jones. Helmsworth is having a blast playing against type as a dim-witted hunk, too. The special effects are just as good as the original, allowing the Ghostbusters to interest more with the actual ghosts and to widen the scope of the action sequences. (And Slimer even returns briefly.) Look for a couple of actors from the previous movies in cameos as well (including Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson).

Biggest complaint? Some of the scatological humor doesn't always land, and the commentary on Internet hoaxes and what is real and what isn't seems a bit preachy and annoying after a while. Otherwise, I absolutely loved this. I may have to pick this one up after it's been out for a while and the price has come down. If you're looking for a fresh take on one of the 80's biggest franchises and can accept some changes, this is hilarious and fun and well worth your time.