I overslept this morning and didn't get going until nearly 10:30. Ran a Bowery Boys movie while I finally got around to cleaning the bathroom. The Boys are Loose In London when Sach finds out he may be one of the heirs to a dying earl's fortune. The rest of his relatives aren't as happy to see the guys. When they're attempts at making the Boys look foolish in front of the earl fail, they make an attempt at the earl's life instead after he declares Sach his heir.
Had a very quick lunch while watching an episode of Get Smart. "The King Lives?" from the third season takes us to Europe, where Maxwell Smart discovers that he's the spitting image of the king of a small country. When the king is wounded, Max has to take his place...then rescues 99 from the king's dastardly brother. (And considering how clumsy he is at everything else, Max is one heck of a fencer!)
Dashed out to do the laundry around 12:30 - 1PM. This is something else I've put off that badly needed to be done. I had a huge load, including towels. I picked the right time. They were mostly dead the entire time I was there. I listened to talk shows and worked on story notes.
There was a message waiting for me when I got home. Willa was back. The rent was overdue...again. I gave her what was in my account now, plus most of my paycheck when it direct deposits on Friday.
I still had to get to the Haddon Township Library. It was nearly 3 by the time I headed out. Still not much going on there. I mostly shelved DVDs. I did take out a couple of movies - Batman Vs Superman, Winter's Tale, The Hunt For Red October, and for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Selma. A librarian helped me use the copy machine, so I could make copies of my rent and other papers for Rose.
I didn't expect Rose to be home when I dropped off her papers. I saw Craig chatting with a neighbor when I arrived. Rose and Khai were inside with the dogs, eating Chinese food and watching Ice Age: Collision Course. We talked while she ate and got Khai to at least consider rice and sweet and sour chicken.
Ok, first of all, she's right and they can't raise my rent that high. $50, yes, but not $100. They really need to actually get back here and start working on what needs to be fixed, too. I don't want to fight them. I don't want to make trouble, and I genuinely have nowhere else to go.
I tried to tell Rose this, but I don't think I said it right. I'm scared. I'm really scared. I'm scared, and angry and disgusted with myself. What's wrong with me that I can't do anything right? People keep telling me I'm so smart. If I'm so smart, why do I keep getting into trouble? Why can't I manage my money right? Why can't I find a real job? What's wrong with me?
All I want is to be a real adult. I want to be a real, true, independent adult. I want to walk, talk, think, and act like every other adult. Every time I try, I make a mess out of everything. I think everything is going well, and it isn't. I ruin it all. I'm just not smart enough. I try so hard, and I just make things worse. What's wrong with me? Is it introversion, or something else? I don't know what I am.
I did leave the papers with her. She's going to give them to a friend who will be able to help her understand them better. We still have until April.
I didn't feel any better when I got home. I made a chicken salad with broccoli and watched The Prisoner of Zenda to cheer myself up while I ate. This is the 1937 version of the story "The King Lives?" was parodying. Ronald Colman is Rudolf Rassendyl, a British nobleman who discovers he's the exact double of the King of Ruritania (also Colman). When the king's evil brother Michael (Raymond Massey) drugs, then kidnaps the king, Rudolf has to take his place until he can be found. Meanwhile, he finds himself falling for the king's beautiful fiancee, Princess Flavia (Madeline Carroll). Michael's henchman Rupert of Hentzau (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr) is a cheeky fellow who seems to be willing to play both sides.
This is probably the most famous filming of the beloved swashbuckler novel. Colman's performance is still parodied to this day (including in Get Smart). There's some pretty decent action too, especially towards the end.
If you love duels and Ruritanian romance as much as I do, this is a classic tale of derring-do that's highly recommended.
Life is a lazy river - no matter where you are. Movies, musicals, mysteries, pop culture, and lots of other great stuff.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Raiders of the Lost Dinosaurs
It was cloudy and blahh when I awoke this morning, and frankly, it didn't get much better the rest of the day. I cheered myself up with one of my favorite Dr. Seuss specials. The Hoober Bloob Highway is one of the most unusual of the Seuss cartoons of the 70's and 80's. Here, Mr. Hoober Bloob and his mandolin sidekick show a newborn all the ins and outs and questions and problems of being human, from frantic days to where you live to everything a human must learn in its lifetime.
Work was more-or-less the same as yesterday - steady, but not really that busy. I gathered carts during my first and last hour, but I mainly bagged, gathered baskets, and emptied trash cans. There really wasn't that much to do, and for once, there was plenty of help, including two other baggers.
After calling Mrs. Stahl to set up Rose joining us at our next counseling session, I spent the next few hours writing. Han gets quite a shock when he discovers that the trio he rescued on the road are Prince Luke and Princess Leia of Naboo and their parents' head adviser Sir Obi-Wan. He knew they were rich from their fine clothing, but he never figured they were that loaded. Maz tries to encourage him to attend the ball and pursue Leia. Han scoffs at the idea. How could a poor working stiff like him have a chance with a genuine princess?
Broke around quarter of 7 for a quick Italian Wedding Soup dinner. Made chocolate chip oatmeal cookies while watching The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Four years after the original movie, a second island has been discovered where dinosaurs are breeding. John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) sends Dr. Malcom (Jeff Goldblum) to the island, where his ex-girlfriend (Julianne Moore) is working to prove that dinosaurs are as good at parenting their children as they are at tearing each other apart. Meanwhile, another group, lead by Hammond's snotty nephew (Arliss Howard) and big game hunter Richard Tembo (Pete Posthlewaite), are more interested in bagging themselves the ultimate hunting trophy - a Tyrannosaurus Rex. They learn it's not the best idea to separate a dinosaur mother and her children when they bring a T-Rex and its young to San Diego and she immediately goes on a rampage to find her babies.
Up through the last half-hour, I actually kind of enjoyed this as much as, and sometimes even more than, the original. The action is more exciting, the one kid is better-used, and the nurture vs hunter plot is pretty interesting. They should have never left the island. The finale in San Diego is silly, pointless, and not nearly as much fun as the first half of the movie.
If you like dinosaurs or are a fan of the first Jurassic Park, this isn't quite as good as the first movie, but there's enough that works to make it well worth your time.
Ended the night with Raiders of the Lost Ark. Lost World left me in the mood for more Steven Spielburg-directed action. We jump back in time from the late 90's to the late 30's for the original Indiana Jones movie. Professor Henry "Indiana" Jones (Harrison Ford) is in search of the fabled Ark of the Covenant. The Nazis are also on its trail, lead by his rival Beloq. Jones is aided by his friend Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) and his ex-girlfriend Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) who insists on coming along after thugs burn her bar to the ground. They do finally find the Ark, but the Nazis are on their trail. In the end, Marion and Indy discover why the Ark was hidden...and why some parts of history are best left unknown.
While Last Crusade is my personal favorite of the Indy movies, Raiders still has its moments. Marion in particular is a welcome addition, and the Nazis are especially hissable.
And, after the clouds lingered all day, it finally started raining about a half-hour ago. It's only supposed to linger in the morning, then be gone by early afternoon. I hope so. I have a lot to do tomorrow, including laundry and a library run.
Work was more-or-less the same as yesterday - steady, but not really that busy. I gathered carts during my first and last hour, but I mainly bagged, gathered baskets, and emptied trash cans. There really wasn't that much to do, and for once, there was plenty of help, including two other baggers.
After calling Mrs. Stahl to set up Rose joining us at our next counseling session, I spent the next few hours writing. Han gets quite a shock when he discovers that the trio he rescued on the road are Prince Luke and Princess Leia of Naboo and their parents' head adviser Sir Obi-Wan. He knew they were rich from their fine clothing, but he never figured they were that loaded. Maz tries to encourage him to attend the ball and pursue Leia. Han scoffs at the idea. How could a poor working stiff like him have a chance with a genuine princess?
Broke around quarter of 7 for a quick Italian Wedding Soup dinner. Made chocolate chip oatmeal cookies while watching The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Four years after the original movie, a second island has been discovered where dinosaurs are breeding. John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) sends Dr. Malcom (Jeff Goldblum) to the island, where his ex-girlfriend (Julianne Moore) is working to prove that dinosaurs are as good at parenting their children as they are at tearing each other apart. Meanwhile, another group, lead by Hammond's snotty nephew (Arliss Howard) and big game hunter Richard Tembo (Pete Posthlewaite), are more interested in bagging themselves the ultimate hunting trophy - a Tyrannosaurus Rex. They learn it's not the best idea to separate a dinosaur mother and her children when they bring a T-Rex and its young to San Diego and she immediately goes on a rampage to find her babies.
Up through the last half-hour, I actually kind of enjoyed this as much as, and sometimes even more than, the original. The action is more exciting, the one kid is better-used, and the nurture vs hunter plot is pretty interesting. They should have never left the island. The finale in San Diego is silly, pointless, and not nearly as much fun as the first half of the movie.
If you like dinosaurs or are a fan of the first Jurassic Park, this isn't quite as good as the first movie, but there's enough that works to make it well worth your time.
Ended the night with Raiders of the Lost Ark. Lost World left me in the mood for more Steven Spielburg-directed action. We jump back in time from the late 90's to the late 30's for the original Indiana Jones movie. Professor Henry "Indiana" Jones (Harrison Ford) is in search of the fabled Ark of the Covenant. The Nazis are also on its trail, lead by his rival Beloq. Jones is aided by his friend Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) and his ex-girlfriend Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) who insists on coming along after thugs burn her bar to the ground. They do finally find the Ark, but the Nazis are on their trail. In the end, Marion and Indy discover why the Ark was hidden...and why some parts of history are best left unknown.
While Last Crusade is my personal favorite of the Indy movies, Raiders still has its moments. Marion in particular is a welcome addition, and the Nazis are especially hissable.
And, after the clouds lingered all day, it finally started raining about a half-hour ago. It's only supposed to linger in the morning, then be gone by early afternoon. I hope so. I have a lot to do tomorrow, including laundry and a library run.
Monday, January 09, 2017
What to Do Now
Began a cloudy morning with some quick Max & Ruby as I ate breakfast and got ready for work. There's a blizzard outside, so Ruby declares "Ruby's Snow Day." Her brother keeps trying to get outside. Max wants to find "Max's Snowbunny" after hearing an abominable snowman story on the radio. Ruby's more interested in making snow angels. Max wants to stay outside and go sledding in "Max's Mix-Up." Ruby wants to go inside. Max switches places with Louise's brother Morris in order to continue to have fun.
Work was steady for most of the day. It was a bit of a surprise after the weekend was so crazy. We never got as busy as it did over the weekend. Thankfully, the weather was better. It was sunny and still cold, but not anything resembling as windy as yesterday. I alternated between rounding up carts and bagging the entire day.
There was a message for me from Rose when I got home. I called her back while I was working on writing. First of all, she's right and they can't legally raise the rent that much, only about $50. Second, I need to look more into transportation. I can't always call the family for a ride. I never heard of Uber, beyond a few ads online. I need to make copies of the new lease for her, and she still wants to talk to Mrs. Stahl. I don't think I can do Social Security, but I could probably reopen my Food Stamps account.
I still have no idea what's wrong with me, or if there's anything wrong with me besides deep introversion and general anxiety problems. I hate my Acme job, but my few attempts at finding something else haven't gone well. Every time I've made attempts at trying to job hunt again, I don't know what to do, or I talk to someone and they never respond or they move out of the area, or I get overwhelmed. It's hard to explain to a lawyer that you're not good with people.
Actually got some writing done after letting Rose go. Han heads to Maz Kantana's pub. She's not happy he lost the fireworks shipment...but more to the point, she's worried about what Jabba will do to him when he finds out. Lando Calarissian's there, too. He recently had a good run of luck at the gambling tables and is about to get himself a sharp new suit for the royal ball next week.
"What ball?" Han asks. Maz shows him the poster...and sure enough, right there is the girl he'd rescued from bandits. Turns out she's the Princess Leia. Her brother Prince Luke is already engaged, but she's turned down every suitor. Her father King Anakin has turned her birthday ball into a marriage hunt. Every eligible man in the kingdom is to attend, and he wants Leia to choose a husband from among them.
Broke for dinner around 7. After a quick meal of leftover turkey meatballs with the last of the green beans, I made a new winter collage to finally clear out the last of the holidays and get rid of a bunch of Christmas catalogs. (I'm hoping to get the winter decorations up later this week, after I finally clean.)
Ran The Glass Bottom Boat as I worked. What do you get when you cross a romantic comedy with a spy spoof? Doris Day finds out when she plays Jenny Nelson, a widow who works for a top-secret think tank. The head of security (Paul Lynde) just found out there's a spy in their midst...and he's convinced it's her. Her boss (Rod Taylor), who is starting to fall for her, thinks that's ridiculous. When Jenny finds out the boys have her under suspicion, she gets mad and tries to turn the tables. Now she has to figure out who the real spy is, and who's giving him his orders, before she ends up under the boat of the title that belongs to her dad (Arthur Godfrey).
If you ever wanted to see one of Day's usual romantic comedies crossed with Get Smart, look no further. It's pretty obvious this one was directed by former Looney Tunes animator Frank Tashlin. It feels like a live-action cartoon at times, especially with a crazy cast of character actors that includes Dom DeLouise, Dick Martin, Alice Pearce, and George Tobias along with Day, Taylor, Godfrey, and Lynde handling some really wild slapstick. At the very least, it gets points for trying something different with Day's vehicles. Definitely fun if you're a fan of slapstick, spy spoofs, or Day.
Finished the night with another unique product of the 60's, the Oscar-winning MGM animated short "The Dot and the Line." MGM has fun with limited animation in this tale of a line who falls in love with a dot, and eventually does all he can to please her, including turning all kinds of crazy angles and crazy curves.
Work was steady for most of the day. It was a bit of a surprise after the weekend was so crazy. We never got as busy as it did over the weekend. Thankfully, the weather was better. It was sunny and still cold, but not anything resembling as windy as yesterday. I alternated between rounding up carts and bagging the entire day.
There was a message for me from Rose when I got home. I called her back while I was working on writing. First of all, she's right and they can't legally raise the rent that much, only about $50. Second, I need to look more into transportation. I can't always call the family for a ride. I never heard of Uber, beyond a few ads online. I need to make copies of the new lease for her, and she still wants to talk to Mrs. Stahl. I don't think I can do Social Security, but I could probably reopen my Food Stamps account.
I still have no idea what's wrong with me, or if there's anything wrong with me besides deep introversion and general anxiety problems. I hate my Acme job, but my few attempts at finding something else haven't gone well. Every time I've made attempts at trying to job hunt again, I don't know what to do, or I talk to someone and they never respond or they move out of the area, or I get overwhelmed. It's hard to explain to a lawyer that you're not good with people.
Actually got some writing done after letting Rose go. Han heads to Maz Kantana's pub. She's not happy he lost the fireworks shipment...but more to the point, she's worried about what Jabba will do to him when he finds out. Lando Calarissian's there, too. He recently had a good run of luck at the gambling tables and is about to get himself a sharp new suit for the royal ball next week.
"What ball?" Han asks. Maz shows him the poster...and sure enough, right there is the girl he'd rescued from bandits. Turns out she's the Princess Leia. Her brother Prince Luke is already engaged, but she's turned down every suitor. Her father King Anakin has turned her birthday ball into a marriage hunt. Every eligible man in the kingdom is to attend, and he wants Leia to choose a husband from among them.
Broke for dinner around 7. After a quick meal of leftover turkey meatballs with the last of the green beans, I made a new winter collage to finally clear out the last of the holidays and get rid of a bunch of Christmas catalogs. (I'm hoping to get the winter decorations up later this week, after I finally clean.)
Ran The Glass Bottom Boat as I worked. What do you get when you cross a romantic comedy with a spy spoof? Doris Day finds out when she plays Jenny Nelson, a widow who works for a top-secret think tank. The head of security (Paul Lynde) just found out there's a spy in their midst...and he's convinced it's her. Her boss (Rod Taylor), who is starting to fall for her, thinks that's ridiculous. When Jenny finds out the boys have her under suspicion, she gets mad and tries to turn the tables. Now she has to figure out who the real spy is, and who's giving him his orders, before she ends up under the boat of the title that belongs to her dad (Arthur Godfrey).
If you ever wanted to see one of Day's usual romantic comedies crossed with Get Smart, look no further. It's pretty obvious this one was directed by former Looney Tunes animator Frank Tashlin. It feels like a live-action cartoon at times, especially with a crazy cast of character actors that includes Dom DeLouise, Dick Martin, Alice Pearce, and George Tobias along with Day, Taylor, Godfrey, and Lynde handling some really wild slapstick. At the very least, it gets points for trying something different with Day's vehicles. Definitely fun if you're a fan of slapstick, spy spoofs, or Day.
Finished the night with another unique product of the 60's, the Oscar-winning MGM animated short "The Dot and the Line." MGM has fun with limited animation in this tale of a line who falls in love with a dot, and eventually does all he can to please her, including turning all kinds of crazy angles and crazy curves.
Sunday, January 08, 2017
Swashbuckling In the Stars
It was beautiful when I awoke this morning, sunny and clear. I celebrated my newest story idea with Gingerbread Pancakes and two of my favorite Broadway shows. I love swashbucklers. I grew up watching them on TV with my mom. I listened to the 90's Scarlet Pimpernel and the rousing 20's operetta adventure The Desert Song to conjure up the mood for my latest creation.
It's 1877 in the (fictional) European country Naboo. Having fled the invasion of her native Alderaan, the next country over, Leia Organa is currently living with Mon Mothma, a wealthy older woman who also runs a secret revolutionary society. Leia spies for her guardian, keeping tabs on the evil Prime Minister Palpatine and his right hand, Vader. While posing as a socialite in glittering Coruscant, she encounters the mysterious Han Solo and his ward Luke Skywalker. According to the rumors, Han had once been a naval officer, then a pirate...before a bullet in the leg ended his career at sea. He took Luke in as an aide and caretaker after the boy's aunt and uncle died. He refuses to get involved with the country's troubles, claiming they're none of his business or his ward's, no matter how much Leia argues with him over it.
Leia isn't the only one hiding her identity. Nor is Mon Mothma's revolutionary society the only group fighting for the rights of the citizens of Naboo. The Crimson Hawk and his men are legendary figures in the country. They act as local Robin Hoods, robbing from rich nobles and rescuing poor farmers who were unjustly imprisoned. Leia admires this bold desperado, even as she disagrees with his methods. Han scoffs at his antics; Luke admires them.
As she increasingly comes in contact with the Scarlet Hawk and his sidekick, the Golden Eagle, she starts to understand why they're continuing this charade...and what Palpatine is really after.
Oooh, I love this idea. I may do this next after Cinder-Han and The Resistance Kids Go Camping.
Work was, once again, crazy-busy, and it was like that all day. I alternated between doing carts and bagging. While it was cold, in the mid-20's, and windy, at least it was sunny. The slush that clogged the road this morning had begun to clear somewhat by 3 PM.
Went straight to Dad's house after work ended. Mark, Rose, Khai, Jessa, Joe, and Chloe and her mom had joined Jodie and Dad for Jodie's very tasty chili, brie on Wheat Thins, French bread, and Jessa's Rum Raisin Bread. While Chloe and Khai played with Jessa's massive collection of Beanie Babies under the living room table, I talked to Rose and Jodie. Rose says my neighbors can't legally raise my rent 100 dollars. They can only do 50. Right now, I can't even afford that.
Rose suggested I look into Food Stamps. Jodie suggested Social Security. I hate it, but I may consider the former. I've done it before, during my first few years at Wildwood. I don't think I can do the latter. I'm not disabled, no matter what my family thinks I am.
(Oh, and Dad's Dolphins, I'm afraid, got mowed down by the Steelers, 30-12. Mark's Packers had a far easier time with the Giants later, cutting them down to size 38-13.)
I did a tiny bit of writing when I got home. Han arrives at the pub belonging to one of his few friends, Maz Kantana. She greets him and Chewie as heartily as ever and scolds him for losing his shipment. She knows what Jabba will likely do to him for not delivering it.
Finished out the night with Lego Star Wars after a shower. Didn't get far. I tried three challenge rounds, and I just couldn't get past any of them. Figuring out where all the blue pieces are in 10 minutes is hard, especially when you're dealing with a long level, like with "Retake Theed Palace" or "Battle of Endor."
It's 1877 in the (fictional) European country Naboo. Having fled the invasion of her native Alderaan, the next country over, Leia Organa is currently living with Mon Mothma, a wealthy older woman who also runs a secret revolutionary society. Leia spies for her guardian, keeping tabs on the evil Prime Minister Palpatine and his right hand, Vader. While posing as a socialite in glittering Coruscant, she encounters the mysterious Han Solo and his ward Luke Skywalker. According to the rumors, Han had once been a naval officer, then a pirate...before a bullet in the leg ended his career at sea. He took Luke in as an aide and caretaker after the boy's aunt and uncle died. He refuses to get involved with the country's troubles, claiming they're none of his business or his ward's, no matter how much Leia argues with him over it.
Leia isn't the only one hiding her identity. Nor is Mon Mothma's revolutionary society the only group fighting for the rights of the citizens of Naboo. The Crimson Hawk and his men are legendary figures in the country. They act as local Robin Hoods, robbing from rich nobles and rescuing poor farmers who were unjustly imprisoned. Leia admires this bold desperado, even as she disagrees with his methods. Han scoffs at his antics; Luke admires them.
As she increasingly comes in contact with the Scarlet Hawk and his sidekick, the Golden Eagle, she starts to understand why they're continuing this charade...and what Palpatine is really after.
Oooh, I love this idea. I may do this next after Cinder-Han and The Resistance Kids Go Camping.
Work was, once again, crazy-busy, and it was like that all day. I alternated between doing carts and bagging. While it was cold, in the mid-20's, and windy, at least it was sunny. The slush that clogged the road this morning had begun to clear somewhat by 3 PM.
Went straight to Dad's house after work ended. Mark, Rose, Khai, Jessa, Joe, and Chloe and her mom had joined Jodie and Dad for Jodie's very tasty chili, brie on Wheat Thins, French bread, and Jessa's Rum Raisin Bread. While Chloe and Khai played with Jessa's massive collection of Beanie Babies under the living room table, I talked to Rose and Jodie. Rose says my neighbors can't legally raise my rent 100 dollars. They can only do 50. Right now, I can't even afford that.
Rose suggested I look into Food Stamps. Jodie suggested Social Security. I hate it, but I may consider the former. I've done it before, during my first few years at Wildwood. I don't think I can do the latter. I'm not disabled, no matter what my family thinks I am.
(Oh, and Dad's Dolphins, I'm afraid, got mowed down by the Steelers, 30-12. Mark's Packers had a far easier time with the Giants later, cutting them down to size 38-13.)
I did a tiny bit of writing when I got home. Han arrives at the pub belonging to one of his few friends, Maz Kantana. She greets him and Chewie as heartily as ever and scolds him for losing his shipment. She knows what Jabba will likely do to him for not delivering it.
Finished out the night with Lego Star Wars after a shower. Didn't get far. I tried three challenge rounds, and I just couldn't get past any of them. Figuring out where all the blue pieces are in 10 minutes is hard, especially when you're dealing with a long level, like with "Retake Theed Palace" or "Battle of Endor."
Saturday, January 07, 2017
"The Cold Never Bothered Me, Anyway."
It was snowing lightly when I stumbled out of bed this morning. Ran a couple of winter-themed Disney shorts in honor of the weather while I ate a quick breakfast. Mickey Mouse is "The Klondike Kid" in a black-and-white spoof of historical melodrama. Pete's a trapper who kidnaps wandering waif Minnie. As usual, Mickey rescues her. "Arctic Antics" and "Winter" are snow-themed black-and-white Silly Symphonies. "Arctic" is what it says on the tin, a North Pole-set music video, with penguins and polar bears dancing and walruses attempting to sing. "Winter" is more-or-less the same thing, but this time with woodland animals trying to avoid a blizzard.
I didn't get that lucky. The snow wasn't bad when I went to work. The roads were still relatively clear. Just an hour after I arrived, it started to get worse. I spent over a hour in the first half of my shift and a half-hour in the second doing carts. It wasn't easy. The parking lot became one big ball of slush. Everything slipped and slid. We were crazy-busy for most of the afternoon, up until an hour before I left. I don't know why people felt the need to do major shopping during a blizzard. I know we were having some big weekend sales, but really, did people need bananas that badly? Thankfully, the crowds had begun to subside by 2 PM. Grabbed the Acme's generic Rice Chex (the Acme's generic cereals were 50% off) and Christmas cookies and chocolate chips on clearance on the way out.
By 2 PM, the light shower from the morning had become a windy snow storm. Not only were the roads too bad to drag anyone out, but I'd forgotten my cell phone, anyway. I just ended up walking home in the snow. At least it was pretty to look at, when you didn't look at the slushy roads.
When I finally got in, I hung up all my wet things, then changed into dry clothes. Ran an early episode of The Backyardigans while I got organized. Cave critters Tasha and Austin are holding the world's first "Cave Party." While they invent things to do along with howl at the moon (like dance and play the drums), Tyrone, Pablo, and Uniqua invent ways to get there.
Spent the rest of the evening working on my story. Han agrees to accompany Leia, Luke, and Obi-Wan to Coruscant City. He races the twins there. Leia wins...and Han's smitten. He tries to kiss her, but Luke and Obi-Wan catch them. Luke finds them very romantic and encourages them. Obi-Wan just wants to get his charges back to the palace. He offers Han money, but Han turns it down. The old man then tells him that if he ever needs any help, just ask him.
Broke for dinner around 6:30. I had eggs with spinach and cheese, then made Banana-Chocolate Chip-Coconut Muffins to clear a few things out of the fridge. Tried that rum flavoring, too. I haven't tried them yet. I will tomorrow for lunch.
Watched Frozen as I baked. Disney's biggest hit to date takes us to the Norwegian kingdom of Arendelle. Elsa (Idina Menzel) has had to hide her ice powers for years, for fear she'll hurt someone after she accidentally harms her sister Anna (Kristin Bell) as a child. Now both women are grown, and Elsa's about to take the throne. When Anna comes to her, asking her to approve her marriage to Prince Hans, she says 'no.' Anna only just met the man! Elsa accidentally uses her powers, setting off an eternal winter. Anna has to go convince her to restore their kingdom, with the help of goofy ice cutter Kristoff, his reindeer Sven, sun-loving snowman Olaf, and Kristoff's troll buddies. When Elsa hits Anna with ice, only an act of true love can melt her heart. Anna thinks it's Hans who'll do it...but he's not what he appears to be. In the end, both sisters learn that there's more than one kind of true love in the world, and that love can only come in when you don't shut it out.
While I don't adore this movie like a lot of little girls do, I still like it a lot. The sister love angle makes it fairly unique among animated films. Some fun characters, too, especially Olaf, one of the few sidekicks who actually has something to do with the plot besides make jokes.
If you have kids, especially little girls, you probably already have this...but it's worthwhile for anyone who loves animation or unique fairy-tales.
I didn't get that lucky. The snow wasn't bad when I went to work. The roads were still relatively clear. Just an hour after I arrived, it started to get worse. I spent over a hour in the first half of my shift and a half-hour in the second doing carts. It wasn't easy. The parking lot became one big ball of slush. Everything slipped and slid. We were crazy-busy for most of the afternoon, up until an hour before I left. I don't know why people felt the need to do major shopping during a blizzard. I know we were having some big weekend sales, but really, did people need bananas that badly? Thankfully, the crowds had begun to subside by 2 PM. Grabbed the Acme's generic Rice Chex (the Acme's generic cereals were 50% off) and Christmas cookies and chocolate chips on clearance on the way out.
By 2 PM, the light shower from the morning had become a windy snow storm. Not only were the roads too bad to drag anyone out, but I'd forgotten my cell phone, anyway. I just ended up walking home in the snow. At least it was pretty to look at, when you didn't look at the slushy roads.
When I finally got in, I hung up all my wet things, then changed into dry clothes. Ran an early episode of The Backyardigans while I got organized. Cave critters Tasha and Austin are holding the world's first "Cave Party." While they invent things to do along with howl at the moon (like dance and play the drums), Tyrone, Pablo, and Uniqua invent ways to get there.
Spent the rest of the evening working on my story. Han agrees to accompany Leia, Luke, and Obi-Wan to Coruscant City. He races the twins there. Leia wins...and Han's smitten. He tries to kiss her, but Luke and Obi-Wan catch them. Luke finds them very romantic and encourages them. Obi-Wan just wants to get his charges back to the palace. He offers Han money, but Han turns it down. The old man then tells him that if he ever needs any help, just ask him.
Broke for dinner around 6:30. I had eggs with spinach and cheese, then made Banana-Chocolate Chip-Coconut Muffins to clear a few things out of the fridge. Tried that rum flavoring, too. I haven't tried them yet. I will tomorrow for lunch.
Watched Frozen as I baked. Disney's biggest hit to date takes us to the Norwegian kingdom of Arendelle. Elsa (Idina Menzel) has had to hide her ice powers for years, for fear she'll hurt someone after she accidentally harms her sister Anna (Kristin Bell) as a child. Now both women are grown, and Elsa's about to take the throne. When Anna comes to her, asking her to approve her marriage to Prince Hans, she says 'no.' Anna only just met the man! Elsa accidentally uses her powers, setting off an eternal winter. Anna has to go convince her to restore their kingdom, with the help of goofy ice cutter Kristoff, his reindeer Sven, sun-loving snowman Olaf, and Kristoff's troll buddies. When Elsa hits Anna with ice, only an act of true love can melt her heart. Anna thinks it's Hans who'll do it...but he's not what he appears to be. In the end, both sisters learn that there's more than one kind of true love in the world, and that love can only come in when you don't shut it out.
While I don't adore this movie like a lot of little girls do, I still like it a lot. The sister love angle makes it fairly unique among animated films. Some fun characters, too, especially Olaf, one of the few sidekicks who actually has something to do with the plot besides make jokes.
If you have kids, especially little girls, you probably already have this...but it's worthwhile for anyone who loves animation or unique fairy-tales.
Friday, January 06, 2017
Snow Outside, Ice Inside
I overslept this morning! Barely had enough time for two cartoons, breakfast, and loading the food in my fridge into a Styrofoam cooler. We're still supposed to get more snow, so I stuck to snow-related shorts. "Snow Foolin'" is one of the sing-along shorts Famous Studios did in the late 40's-early 50's. Animals frolic in winter weather, before we get to sing along to some little-known lyrics to "Jingle Bells." "The Snow Man" is a typical black-and-white 30's entry about a snowman who travels up north when the weather gets warmer.
Work was actually pretty quiet for a Friday, especially in the morning and early afternoon. We're coming to the end of the beginning of the month people. It'll be another week before folks start coming in for Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. I spent pretty much the entire day cleaning the registers and bagging. For once, they had plenty of help to do the carts and other cleaning.
My hours were, once again, terrible. I had to beg managers to bring me up to 20. I don't know why I keep getting so few hours. I understand they're cutting them, but...I've worked for this damn company for 20 years. I deserve these hours. Not to mention, I badly need the money. I live alone. I know this isn't a concept anyone around here understands. I have no one else paying for me. I can't always borrow money. Most of these folks are used to either having a significant other around to help them make money, or know people who could easily get them a job. I don't.
Good thing I didn't need much in the way of groceries today. I mainly picked up fruit and vegetables - grapefruit, mushrooms, bananas, broccoli. The chicken sale wasn't great, but I needed meat - grabbed drumsticks. Restocked canned apricots, canned crushed pineapple, strawberry preserves, pads, and butter (the last of which was on a really good 2-day sale).
It did snow last night...about an inch or two. It was just enough to frost the ground and make it look pretty. It never covered the streets. It wasn't even that cold. I easily rode to and from work.
The refrigerator was wide open when I got in. Charlie had finally defrosted it. He came back from running some kind of errand at The Home Depot just as I was sitting down to write. Basically, I need to defrost it better and more often and not let the ice build up like I did. I have defrosted it before...but not often, and not well. It's just too much of a hassle, but Charlie says it makes the compressor run too hard and use too much energy. At any rate, it's fine now. (And it's a good thing it was chilly today. I kept my food out there while I was waiting for Charlie to come back.)
Didn't get a lot of writing done. Han and Leia continue to argue, even as they escape. Obi-Wan watches them, thinking that Han is a lot more worthy of Leia - and royalty - than he believes.
When I got off, I had a quick bowl of Italian Wedding Soup for dinner while watching an episode of Wonder Woman from the early first season. "Fausta: The Nazi Wonder Woman" is an especially strong female spy who uses Steve Trevor to lure Wonder Woman and her magic lasso to the Nazi's clutches. Trouble is, the head Nazi refuses to believe that Wonder Woman is an Amazon from an island ruled by woman. He's convinced no woman could do such a thing...at least until Wonder Woman rescues herself, along with Steve, who had gone to rescue her.
Work was actually pretty quiet for a Friday, especially in the morning and early afternoon. We're coming to the end of the beginning of the month people. It'll be another week before folks start coming in for Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. I spent pretty much the entire day cleaning the registers and bagging. For once, they had plenty of help to do the carts and other cleaning.
My hours were, once again, terrible. I had to beg managers to bring me up to 20. I don't know why I keep getting so few hours. I understand they're cutting them, but...I've worked for this damn company for 20 years. I deserve these hours. Not to mention, I badly need the money. I live alone. I know this isn't a concept anyone around here understands. I have no one else paying for me. I can't always borrow money. Most of these folks are used to either having a significant other around to help them make money, or know people who could easily get them a job. I don't.
Good thing I didn't need much in the way of groceries today. I mainly picked up fruit and vegetables - grapefruit, mushrooms, bananas, broccoli. The chicken sale wasn't great, but I needed meat - grabbed drumsticks. Restocked canned apricots, canned crushed pineapple, strawberry preserves, pads, and butter (the last of which was on a really good 2-day sale).
It did snow last night...about an inch or two. It was just enough to frost the ground and make it look pretty. It never covered the streets. It wasn't even that cold. I easily rode to and from work.
The refrigerator was wide open when I got in. Charlie had finally defrosted it. He came back from running some kind of errand at The Home Depot just as I was sitting down to write. Basically, I need to defrost it better and more often and not let the ice build up like I did. I have defrosted it before...but not often, and not well. It's just too much of a hassle, but Charlie says it makes the compressor run too hard and use too much energy. At any rate, it's fine now. (And it's a good thing it was chilly today. I kept my food out there while I was waiting for Charlie to come back.)
Didn't get a lot of writing done. Han and Leia continue to argue, even as they escape. Obi-Wan watches them, thinking that Han is a lot more worthy of Leia - and royalty - than he believes.
When I got off, I had a quick bowl of Italian Wedding Soup for dinner while watching an episode of Wonder Woman from the early first season. "Fausta: The Nazi Wonder Woman" is an especially strong female spy who uses Steve Trevor to lure Wonder Woman and her magic lasso to the Nazi's clutches. Trouble is, the head Nazi refuses to believe that Wonder Woman is an Amazon from an island ruled by woman. He's convinced no woman could do such a thing...at least until Wonder Woman rescues herself, along with Steve, who had gone to rescue her.
Thursday, January 05, 2017
The Day Before the Snow
Began a cloudy, chilly morning with work. For all the fussing about the cold, it actually wasn't that bad, probably in the mid-30's. Heavy wind was more of a concern than the temperature. I spent most of the first half of my shift doing returns, but they did send me out to do carts when it picked up during the second half. Everyone must have gotten the weather reports. We're supposed to get 1 to 3 inches of snow tonight. I doubt it'll be a huge problem, but people were freaking out anyway.
Went straight home after work. Ran Frosty''s Winter Wonderland while eating lunch. In this 1976 Rankin-Bass follow-up to the original Frosty the Snowman, Frosty decides he's lonely. The kids make him a snow wife named Crystal to keep him company. Jack Frost is jealous that the kids pay more attention to the snow people than him and becomes determined to steal Frosty's magic hat.
(And of course, Charlie didn't show up today to defrost the refrigerator. He called later and said he'd do it tomorrow.)
Spent the rest of the evening returning to Cinder-Han. Han is delivering illegal explosives and fireworks to Coruscant City when he, his dog Chewbacca, and his old horse Falcon discover bandits attacking an old man and a dark-haired girl and golden-haired boy in the woods. He throws firecrackers in their midst, just as they're about to assault the girl. It distracts them long enough for them to knock them out and escape.
Made a nice dinner of turkey meatballs on whole-wheat pasta, steamed green beans, Cranberry Flummery, and gingerbread while watching Perfect Strangers. The two-part second season episode "Snow Way to Treat a Lady " has Balki and Larry hitting the slopes with Mary Anne and Jennifer on a ski trip. Trouble is, neither of them can ski. Larry lies to Jennifer about being a great skier...then seriously regrets it when he takes them down the wrong side of a mountain, and they end up trapped in a cabin after an avalanche.
Finished out the night with The Road to Utopia. "Utopia," in this case, is the Klondike in the fourth Road To... movie and the only one not set in the present time. It's the 1890's, and Bing has just shanghaied Bob (more-or-less) into coming with him to the Alaska gold rush. They steal a map to a gold mine from two killers on the boat over. A ruthless saloon owner (Douglass Dumbrille) will stop at nothing to get that map...and neither will Skagway Sal (Dorothy Lamour), the map's rightful owner.
Not my favorite Road To movie (Robert Benchley's narration isn't that funny and really wasn't necessary), but it does have some nice bits, including all the talking animals.
Went straight home after work. Ran Frosty''s Winter Wonderland while eating lunch. In this 1976 Rankin-Bass follow-up to the original Frosty the Snowman, Frosty decides he's lonely. The kids make him a snow wife named Crystal to keep him company. Jack Frost is jealous that the kids pay more attention to the snow people than him and becomes determined to steal Frosty's magic hat.
(And of course, Charlie didn't show up today to defrost the refrigerator. He called later and said he'd do it tomorrow.)
Spent the rest of the evening returning to Cinder-Han. Han is delivering illegal explosives and fireworks to Coruscant City when he, his dog Chewbacca, and his old horse Falcon discover bandits attacking an old man and a dark-haired girl and golden-haired boy in the woods. He throws firecrackers in their midst, just as they're about to assault the girl. It distracts them long enough for them to knock them out and escape.
Made a nice dinner of turkey meatballs on whole-wheat pasta, steamed green beans, Cranberry Flummery, and gingerbread while watching Perfect Strangers. The two-part second season episode "Snow Way to Treat a Lady " has Balki and Larry hitting the slopes with Mary Anne and Jennifer on a ski trip. Trouble is, neither of them can ski. Larry lies to Jennifer about being a great skier...then seriously regrets it when he takes them down the wrong side of a mountain, and they end up trapped in a cabin after an avalanche.
Finished out the night with The Road to Utopia. "Utopia," in this case, is the Klondike in the fourth Road To... movie and the only one not set in the present time. It's the 1890's, and Bing has just shanghaied Bob (more-or-less) into coming with him to the Alaska gold rush. They steal a map to a gold mine from two killers on the boat over. A ruthless saloon owner (Douglass Dumbrille) will stop at nothing to get that map...and neither will Skagway Sal (Dorothy Lamour), the map's rightful owner.
Not my favorite Road To movie (Robert Benchley's narration isn't that funny and really wasn't necessary), but it does have some nice bits, including all the talking animals.
Wednesday, January 04, 2017
No Home for Dolls
When I started breakfast this morning, I decided I needed "Radio Silence," Remember WENN's second season opener. (In fact, I meant to watch it last week, but never got around to it.) Victor Comstock, WENN's former manager, died in the bombings of London. Actor Jeff Singer sustained injuries, but survived. Betty Roberts is taking Victor's death badly. She had a crush on him, but never had the chance to tell him her feelings. She's writing volumes of dull scripts where nothing remotely bad ever happens to anyone...because she wants her characters to be happy when she can't. Meanwhile, diva actress Hilary Booth tries to figure out how she feels about her (sort of) husband Jeff coming home when Victor isn't, and current manager Scott Sherwood attempts to keep the station running.
Changed the American Girl dolls after breakfast. Inspired by Minions last night, I listened to my British Invasion CDs while working. Discovered the magenta Swiss lace ribbon that originally went with the Our Generation pink overalls outfit looks smashing with Jessa's mid-90's meet outfit yellow felt sweater with magenta, teal, and blue-violet trim. Added the Coconut Fun Outfit studded t-shirt, her original black corduroy pants, and high-top sneakers. Whitney's wearing the pink overalls outfit with the red ribbon from the Our Generation sundress, white socks, and loafers. Felicity is in her forest green Riding Habit and Tri-corn Hat. Samantha's in her gray Buster Brown School Outfit with the black boots and stockings from Rebecca's School Outfit. Molly's nice and comfortable in her Play Outfit with the oxfords from Kit's School Outfit. Josefina sports a corniflower-blue floral dress with an empire waist and a navy-blue velvet hat with flowers that I found on eBay a few years ago.
Changed the Cabbage Patch Dolls, too. Carrie's in her original yellow dress with the green and pink satin ribbon stripes. It's old and the Velcro barely works anymore, but it'll do. Dulcie is in a red gingham dress and underwear.
Had a really quick lunch while doing a Scooby Doo episode, in honor of the (little bit) of snow we may be getting tomorrow. "That's Snow Ghost" from the first season takes Mystery Inc to an old ski lodge in the mountain. The lodge is being haunted by the ghost of a yeti-like creature. An old Asian man claims that the creature is after him...but does it have something more sinister in mind?
Headed out to do the laundry first. Thankfully, by 1:30, they were pretty quiet. I didn't have a really big load, anyway. It was mainly my new pants and the Christmas linens. I was in and out in less than an hour.
As soon as I finished putting away the laundry, I went right back out again. I wanted to get to the Haddon Township Library while the weather continued to cooperate. And it was cooperating. It was a gorgeous day when I rode across Newton Lake Park. The sun was shining. It was windy, but not too cold for this time of year, 50 degrees according to the digital sign outside of the Oaklyn City Hall. I dodged tons of people walking their dogs or out for a morning stroll.
Maybe because it was a nice day, but the Haddon Township Library wasn't any busier than the Oaklyn Library was yesterday. There were a lot of kids' DVDs to shelve, though. I guess everyone was bringing their kids stuff back, now that they're in school. I wasn't able to get all the Ds or Ms on.
I only ended up with two movies, The Lost World: Jurassic Park II and The Glass-Bottom Boat (the latter with Doris Day), but I did take out a few books. I felt like I needed the laughter of children, a silly old bear's adventures, and a pirate wooing a princess (badly). Picked up the next Penderwicks book, a collection of new Winnie the Pooh stories, and The Courtship of Princess Leia. Courtship isn't popular among many Star Wars fans (who can't accept anyone competing with Han for Leia's affections besides Luke or Lando), but I always thought it was cute as a teenager in the late 90's.
It was nearly 5 before I finally made it home. I spent the next four hours working on a story I had to get off my chest. This was intended as a follow-up to my Rey/Luke fic on Han's death from last summer, The Stories We Leave Behind.
The story is based after real-life. Rey feels Leia having a heart-attack in the Force well before she sees the headline on a holo-net blog. Luke feels it, too. Rey rushes him to D'Qar so fast, she's pretty sure she's broken a couple of major galactic traffic laws and Han's Kessel Run record. Luke goes into Leia's room in the medical ward right away. Dr. Kalonia explains to Rey, Poe, Finn, Chewbacca, BB-8, Poe's squadron, and the young dispatchers Kaydel and Pamich that Leia is in critical condition, and she'll tell them if there's any change.
Unfortunately, the change is for the worse. Five days later, early in the morning, Rey feels Leia pass into the Force. Finn and a heartbroken Poe and Kaydel are already at the ward when she gets there. Kaydel clutches the leash of the Resistance's dog mascot, whom she was walking for Leia that morning. Luke stumbles out, his eyes red with many tears. Rey just hugs him wordlessly, the way Leia did for her after Han died.
They give Leia a Jedi's funeral (despite protests that she wasn't a Jedi - who cares, says Luke, she deserved one) and bury her ashes next to Han on a distant beach planet. Poe and his squadron give her a 21-laser salute (Poe when he's not using his hand to wipe his eyes). Rey swears she even sees Kylo Ren - Ben Solo - skulking around, then throwing a fit in the woods, tearing up trees and roots with his lightsaber in his anguish over his loss.
Rey sobs into Luke's chest later. Why did the Force take Leia away? Why? Why?! She was still strong, still vital. Still needed. The Resistance needed her. Poe and Kaydel needed her. She needed her.
Luke has no easy answers for the distraught girl. It was more than likely too much stress on her heart. She hadn't been the same since her husband's tragic death, and there was running the Resistance, Ben's defection, and the losses from Starkiller Base on top of that. At least, he reminds Rey, she's with Han now. It doesn't matter if Han is Force-sensitive or not. He will do what he can to be with his Princess.
Rey asks if they can add stories about Leia to the ones about Han at their memorial holo-blog. "Sure," says Luke. Telling stories won't bring Leia or Han back. Nothing can, not even the Force. But it will make them seem a little bit closer.
I'm glad I finally got this one off my chest. I think I needed it. If you need it, too, here's the links:
The Sun Is Gone at Archive of Our Own
The Sun Is Gone at Fanfiction.Net
The Sun Is Gone at My Writing Blog
I was just finishing up Sun Is Gone when I got a call from Miss Willa. She had something to bring me, she said. Turns out what she brought me was a heavily revised rental notice. I have to start paying $650 by March.
I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't have $650. I don't even have $550 at the moment. She wants me to give the rent to Charlie tomorrow! I'd love to know how all these people think I can just make money appear at a moment's notice. Hello, folks, I don't have a nice, normal job like the rest of you. I work at a damn grocery store, not even full-time. I've tried finding a real job. It didn't work. I can't borrow more money from Dad and Jodie, and I have no one else I can ask. Everyone else has medical bills or children or homes to pay for.
Tried to cheer myself up with a very late dinner and Frosty Returns. This is not a direct follow-up to the Rankin-Bass special. Actually, I think it came out in 1992. Holly DiCarlo is a shy young lady with a fondness for magic and a science-obsessed best friend named Charles. She encounters Frosty while chasing her magician's hat and makes friends. But her home town has suddenly become unfriendly towards snowmen, thanks to a nasty old man and his aerosol snow-removing formula. Now, Holly has to find a way to save Frosty, while reminding the town of just how much fun snow and winter can be.
Changed the American Girl dolls after breakfast. Inspired by Minions last night, I listened to my British Invasion CDs while working. Discovered the magenta Swiss lace ribbon that originally went with the Our Generation pink overalls outfit looks smashing with Jessa's mid-90's meet outfit yellow felt sweater with magenta, teal, and blue-violet trim. Added the Coconut Fun Outfit studded t-shirt, her original black corduroy pants, and high-top sneakers. Whitney's wearing the pink overalls outfit with the red ribbon from the Our Generation sundress, white socks, and loafers. Felicity is in her forest green Riding Habit and Tri-corn Hat. Samantha's in her gray Buster Brown School Outfit with the black boots and stockings from Rebecca's School Outfit. Molly's nice and comfortable in her Play Outfit with the oxfords from Kit's School Outfit. Josefina sports a corniflower-blue floral dress with an empire waist and a navy-blue velvet hat with flowers that I found on eBay a few years ago.
Changed the Cabbage Patch Dolls, too. Carrie's in her original yellow dress with the green and pink satin ribbon stripes. It's old and the Velcro barely works anymore, but it'll do. Dulcie is in a red gingham dress and underwear.
Had a really quick lunch while doing a Scooby Doo episode, in honor of the (little bit) of snow we may be getting tomorrow. "That's Snow Ghost" from the first season takes Mystery Inc to an old ski lodge in the mountain. The lodge is being haunted by the ghost of a yeti-like creature. An old Asian man claims that the creature is after him...but does it have something more sinister in mind?
Headed out to do the laundry first. Thankfully, by 1:30, they were pretty quiet. I didn't have a really big load, anyway. It was mainly my new pants and the Christmas linens. I was in and out in less than an hour.
As soon as I finished putting away the laundry, I went right back out again. I wanted to get to the Haddon Township Library while the weather continued to cooperate. And it was cooperating. It was a gorgeous day when I rode across Newton Lake Park. The sun was shining. It was windy, but not too cold for this time of year, 50 degrees according to the digital sign outside of the Oaklyn City Hall. I dodged tons of people walking their dogs or out for a morning stroll.
Maybe because it was a nice day, but the Haddon Township Library wasn't any busier than the Oaklyn Library was yesterday. There were a lot of kids' DVDs to shelve, though. I guess everyone was bringing their kids stuff back, now that they're in school. I wasn't able to get all the Ds or Ms on.
I only ended up with two movies, The Lost World: Jurassic Park II and The Glass-Bottom Boat (the latter with Doris Day), but I did take out a few books. I felt like I needed the laughter of children, a silly old bear's adventures, and a pirate wooing a princess (badly). Picked up the next Penderwicks book, a collection of new Winnie the Pooh stories, and The Courtship of Princess Leia. Courtship isn't popular among many Star Wars fans (who can't accept anyone competing with Han for Leia's affections besides Luke or Lando), but I always thought it was cute as a teenager in the late 90's.
It was nearly 5 before I finally made it home. I spent the next four hours working on a story I had to get off my chest. This was intended as a follow-up to my Rey/Luke fic on Han's death from last summer, The Stories We Leave Behind.
The story is based after real-life. Rey feels Leia having a heart-attack in the Force well before she sees the headline on a holo-net blog. Luke feels it, too. Rey rushes him to D'Qar so fast, she's pretty sure she's broken a couple of major galactic traffic laws and Han's Kessel Run record. Luke goes into Leia's room in the medical ward right away. Dr. Kalonia explains to Rey, Poe, Finn, Chewbacca, BB-8, Poe's squadron, and the young dispatchers Kaydel and Pamich that Leia is in critical condition, and she'll tell them if there's any change.
Unfortunately, the change is for the worse. Five days later, early in the morning, Rey feels Leia pass into the Force. Finn and a heartbroken Poe and Kaydel are already at the ward when she gets there. Kaydel clutches the leash of the Resistance's dog mascot, whom she was walking for Leia that morning. Luke stumbles out, his eyes red with many tears. Rey just hugs him wordlessly, the way Leia did for her after Han died.
They give Leia a Jedi's funeral (despite protests that she wasn't a Jedi - who cares, says Luke, she deserved one) and bury her ashes next to Han on a distant beach planet. Poe and his squadron give her a 21-laser salute (Poe when he's not using his hand to wipe his eyes). Rey swears she even sees Kylo Ren - Ben Solo - skulking around, then throwing a fit in the woods, tearing up trees and roots with his lightsaber in his anguish over his loss.
Rey sobs into Luke's chest later. Why did the Force take Leia away? Why? Why?! She was still strong, still vital. Still needed. The Resistance needed her. Poe and Kaydel needed her. She needed her.
Luke has no easy answers for the distraught girl. It was more than likely too much stress on her heart. She hadn't been the same since her husband's tragic death, and there was running the Resistance, Ben's defection, and the losses from Starkiller Base on top of that. At least, he reminds Rey, she's with Han now. It doesn't matter if Han is Force-sensitive or not. He will do what he can to be with his Princess.
Rey asks if they can add stories about Leia to the ones about Han at their memorial holo-blog. "Sure," says Luke. Telling stories won't bring Leia or Han back. Nothing can, not even the Force. But it will make them seem a little bit closer.
I'm glad I finally got this one off my chest. I think I needed it. If you need it, too, here's the links:
The Sun Is Gone at Archive of Our Own
The Sun Is Gone at Fanfiction.Net
The Sun Is Gone at My Writing Blog
I was just finishing up Sun Is Gone when I got a call from Miss Willa. She had something to bring me, she said. Turns out what she brought me was a heavily revised rental notice. I have to start paying $650 by March.
I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't have $650. I don't even have $550 at the moment. She wants me to give the rent to Charlie tomorrow! I'd love to know how all these people think I can just make money appear at a moment's notice. Hello, folks, I don't have a nice, normal job like the rest of you. I work at a damn grocery store, not even full-time. I've tried finding a real job. It didn't work. I can't borrow more money from Dad and Jodie, and I have no one else I can ask. Everyone else has medical bills or children or homes to pay for.
Tried to cheer myself up with a very late dinner and Frosty Returns. This is not a direct follow-up to the Rankin-Bass special. Actually, I think it came out in 1992. Holly DiCarlo is a shy young lady with a fondness for magic and a science-obsessed best friend named Charles. She encounters Frosty while chasing her magician's hat and makes friends. But her home town has suddenly become unfriendly towards snowmen, thanks to a nasty old man and his aerosol snow-removing formula. Now, Holly has to find a way to save Frosty, while reminding the town of just how much fun snow and winter can be.
Tuesday, January 03, 2017
Come On In Out of the Rain
It was raining again when I dragged my rear out of bed this morning. I ate breakfast as quickly as I could, then finished taking down the Christmas decorations that go in the big felt Santa Bag. These are either miscellaneous items that come out first - linens, needlepoint magnet poinsettia, hand-crocheted coasters, mistletoe, garlands - or items that are too big or awkward to fit anywhere else - nativity, wreath, box of New Year's party goods. Once again, it takes me far less time to put everything away than to hang it, even the garlands. I was done in a little over a half-hour.
Ran Yogi's Great Escape to cheer myself up on a gloomy day. Decided to stick with Hanna-Barbara, but in a decidedly lighter vein. This 1980's TV movie has Yogi, BooBoo, and a trio of hungry cubs on the run. Jellystone National Park is on the verge of closure, and Ranger Smith is threatening to send them all to the zoo! Groups of kids who are fans of Yogi help him and the others from one side of the country to the other. As they flee Ranger Smith and the tracker and his dog he hired to catch them, they encounter several of the other Hanna-Barbara funny animals of the time, like Wally Gator and Quick-Draw McGraw. Cute adventure gets extra points for including more of the HB roster and for some fairly funny moments.
I gave up waiting for the rain to slow down around quarter after 12. Rain or no rain, I had things that needed to be done today, starting with a quick stop at the Oaklyn Library for volunteering. Nothing much going on over there. I saw a librarian chatting with one of the older women customers as I organized DVDs. The kids' area had been reorganized, with many things shifted around. It all seemed in decent order. I headed out after 20 minutes.
Capitol Pizza is only a block from the Oaklyn Library. I headed there next for lunch. Had my slice of cheese, slice of mushroom, and can of Diet Coke while listening to Action News on Channel 6, then The Chew. Action News mostly talked about the weather. The rain would be continuing off and on, though lighter, for the next few hours. The Chew talked about healthy meals for the New Year.
It was past 1 PM when I made my way out. I ignored the rain and the traffic, heading down Cuthbert, Crystal Lake Road, and Haddon to Haddonfield. Glad I stuck to the sidewalk there. Some parts of the road by the Haddonfield Rite Aid had flooded, leaving huge puddles.
Arrived in Haddonfield right on time for my first counseling session in two months. I had a lot I wanted to discuss with Mrs. Stahl, literally everything from birth to death. I told her how excited I was about Rose's pregnancy and being an aunt again, and how happy I was that both my dads had largely overcome their bouts with cancer. Lauren and I set the date for this year's first vacation week - mid May. It's too hot and busy for us to hike around in June.
Work's not going as well. I can tolerate the new front end manager - he's really more fussy than anything - but the new head manager is nasty, demanding, and insensitive. I am looking forward to the grand re-opening, though. Something good did come out of those two months of remodeling. The store really does look great.
For the most part, I enjoyed my holidays. I loved playing with the kids at Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were fun. I may have to consider taking a week in late November-early December off again this year. That vacation week I had last month was really helpful. Enjoyed my New Year's breakfast, too.
I just wish I hadn't had to learn about death during them. Like I said in an earlier entry, I'm not good with death. I haven't had to deal with a lot of it in my life. I had so much going on when Uncle Ken died in the fall of 2012, I don't think I ever really had the chance to process his death properly. I still miss Miss Ellie, my old landlady. I was in college when my first stepmother Kay and Dad's dad, my grandfather Pop Pop, died. I don't remember much about either. Most of my other grandparents died when I was young, or I hadn't seen them in years.
Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds' passings hit me hard. A celebrity death hasn't effected me this much since Davy Jones of the Monkees also died of a sudden heart attack on Leap Year Day in 2012. That two vibrant, vital women, whose films I've been watching and admiring all my life, were there one day and suddenly not the next...especially after all the praying I did for Carrie...it's still really hard to take.
Writing has helped. I did more writing last year than I have since my early years in Wildwood. I wrote 12 completed Star Wars fanfics (5 of them chapter-length), four original short stories (and just finished a fifth I began last year), two Star Wars historical fanfics I haven't finished, and I completed one short story I began so long ago, I can't even remember when I started it originally anymore. I also posted at least three or four older short stories that were no longer on the internet or were on my website.
I don't mind having New Year's resolutions, but I try to keep them simple. I want to finish the two Star Wars historical stories, write more original stories, save for vacation so I'm not broke after my second one, and try to figure out what to do about the three Han/Leia and Han/Leia/Luke-centric stories I had planned that are now being pushed back in the queue after Fisher's death. I know better than to make big, sweeping resolutions. I'd rather do things I might actually do.
For once, Action News was right. The rain was, indeed, slowing down as I was heading home. Even in the upper 40's, it was too cold for a water ice. I did treat myself to a rather tasty apple-filled doughnut at Dunkin' Donuts in Oaklyn.
By the time I got home, the rain was done, and so was I. I spent the rest of the evening finishing my fable. The bear is now happily living with her mother and her cinnamon bear child. She even returns to telling stories about the spirits in the stars. She's reunited with her old friends the falcon and the deer (now a buck), while her daughter finds new friends in a spirited doe, a sweet river otter, and a majestic condor from South America.
There's one story she's never told. She finally reveals how close she and the falcon were...and regrets it. Other animals shun or chastise her for having fallen in love outside of her own species. The falcon tells her it's not so bad. It's in the past now. They have all the time in the world to contemplate the future.
But the bear doesn't. One day, she collapses while on her way home, her heart having given out. Her last request is for the stars to continue to let her...and her stories...shine. The stars hear her, and she soars into the heavens, now the brightest star among them. Heartbroken, her dancing bear mother begs to be taken, too, and also becomes a star.
The young cinnamon bear and their little dog friend are inconsolable. The mother bear and grandmother bear were their world. The buck reassures them that their loved ones will be there every night, shining brightly for the whole world to see. And the falcon soars into the sky, his wings silhouetted against the bright light of the stars, as he forever searches for the spirits of the dancing bear and his beloved, lost storytelling bear in the hopes of being reunited with them one more time.
I don't know how well this came out. I've never written a fable or folk tale before...but I love bears and stories as much as I love musicals and Star Wars. If you're interested, it's posted at my writing blog and at Archive of Our Own. (It's really an original work, so I didn't post it at Fanfiction.Net, for obvious reasons.)
The Bear Who Told Stories at Archive Of Our Own
The Bear Who Told Stories at My Writing Blog
Charlie showed up on my doorstep just as I was writing the last lines of the story. Evidently, my refrigerator was making his downstairs vibrate, or something. Turns out it's the compressor. All the ice in the freezer is damaging it. I have no idea how to defrost a freezer without making a huge mess. Charlie said he'd do it Thursday or Friday morning.
I finished so late, it was nearly 8 PM by the time I was eating leftovers for dinner and watching the end of Yogi's Great Escape. Moved onto Minions after I'd settled on the couch. For centuries, little yellow fellows, the Minions, have been searching for the perfect bad guy to aid...but they always seem to screw things up and kill off their villain. In the late 1960's, one Minion, Kevin, takes two others off into the wide, wide, world to find the perfect bad guy. They think they've discovered her in the wildly popular Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock). Scarlet wants them to steal the Crown of England, so she can rule the empire and finally have all the glamour she thinks she deserves. The minions first take the crowns for themselves, then regret it when an angry Scarlet takes it back...and they accidentally end up saving England and the monarchy.
Boy, was this a strange one. The story was bizarre and hard to follow, and it just wasn't as much fun as the Despicable Me movies. Despite this being a huge hit about a year and a half ago, I think it's just ok. (It does get props for its awesome late 60's British Invasion soundtrack, including songs by the Who and the Beatles.) Fine if you have kids or young teens who are fans of this series or for 60's rock fans, cute but unnecessary for anyone else.
Ran Yogi's Great Escape to cheer myself up on a gloomy day. Decided to stick with Hanna-Barbara, but in a decidedly lighter vein. This 1980's TV movie has Yogi, BooBoo, and a trio of hungry cubs on the run. Jellystone National Park is on the verge of closure, and Ranger Smith is threatening to send them all to the zoo! Groups of kids who are fans of Yogi help him and the others from one side of the country to the other. As they flee Ranger Smith and the tracker and his dog he hired to catch them, they encounter several of the other Hanna-Barbara funny animals of the time, like Wally Gator and Quick-Draw McGraw. Cute adventure gets extra points for including more of the HB roster and for some fairly funny moments.
I gave up waiting for the rain to slow down around quarter after 12. Rain or no rain, I had things that needed to be done today, starting with a quick stop at the Oaklyn Library for volunteering. Nothing much going on over there. I saw a librarian chatting with one of the older women customers as I organized DVDs. The kids' area had been reorganized, with many things shifted around. It all seemed in decent order. I headed out after 20 minutes.
Capitol Pizza is only a block from the Oaklyn Library. I headed there next for lunch. Had my slice of cheese, slice of mushroom, and can of Diet Coke while listening to Action News on Channel 6, then The Chew. Action News mostly talked about the weather. The rain would be continuing off and on, though lighter, for the next few hours. The Chew talked about healthy meals for the New Year.
It was past 1 PM when I made my way out. I ignored the rain and the traffic, heading down Cuthbert, Crystal Lake Road, and Haddon to Haddonfield. Glad I stuck to the sidewalk there. Some parts of the road by the Haddonfield Rite Aid had flooded, leaving huge puddles.
Arrived in Haddonfield right on time for my first counseling session in two months. I had a lot I wanted to discuss with Mrs. Stahl, literally everything from birth to death. I told her how excited I was about Rose's pregnancy and being an aunt again, and how happy I was that both my dads had largely overcome their bouts with cancer. Lauren and I set the date for this year's first vacation week - mid May. It's too hot and busy for us to hike around in June.
Work's not going as well. I can tolerate the new front end manager - he's really more fussy than anything - but the new head manager is nasty, demanding, and insensitive. I am looking forward to the grand re-opening, though. Something good did come out of those two months of remodeling. The store really does look great.
For the most part, I enjoyed my holidays. I loved playing with the kids at Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were fun. I may have to consider taking a week in late November-early December off again this year. That vacation week I had last month was really helpful. Enjoyed my New Year's breakfast, too.
I just wish I hadn't had to learn about death during them. Like I said in an earlier entry, I'm not good with death. I haven't had to deal with a lot of it in my life. I had so much going on when Uncle Ken died in the fall of 2012, I don't think I ever really had the chance to process his death properly. I still miss Miss Ellie, my old landlady. I was in college when my first stepmother Kay and Dad's dad, my grandfather Pop Pop, died. I don't remember much about either. Most of my other grandparents died when I was young, or I hadn't seen them in years.
Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds' passings hit me hard. A celebrity death hasn't effected me this much since Davy Jones of the Monkees also died of a sudden heart attack on Leap Year Day in 2012. That two vibrant, vital women, whose films I've been watching and admiring all my life, were there one day and suddenly not the next...especially after all the praying I did for Carrie...it's still really hard to take.
Writing has helped. I did more writing last year than I have since my early years in Wildwood. I wrote 12 completed Star Wars fanfics (5 of them chapter-length), four original short stories (and just finished a fifth I began last year), two Star Wars historical fanfics I haven't finished, and I completed one short story I began so long ago, I can't even remember when I started it originally anymore. I also posted at least three or four older short stories that were no longer on the internet or were on my website.
I don't mind having New Year's resolutions, but I try to keep them simple. I want to finish the two Star Wars historical stories, write more original stories, save for vacation so I'm not broke after my second one, and try to figure out what to do about the three Han/Leia and Han/Leia/Luke-centric stories I had planned that are now being pushed back in the queue after Fisher's death. I know better than to make big, sweeping resolutions. I'd rather do things I might actually do.
For once, Action News was right. The rain was, indeed, slowing down as I was heading home. Even in the upper 40's, it was too cold for a water ice. I did treat myself to a rather tasty apple-filled doughnut at Dunkin' Donuts in Oaklyn.
By the time I got home, the rain was done, and so was I. I spent the rest of the evening finishing my fable. The bear is now happily living with her mother and her cinnamon bear child. She even returns to telling stories about the spirits in the stars. She's reunited with her old friends the falcon and the deer (now a buck), while her daughter finds new friends in a spirited doe, a sweet river otter, and a majestic condor from South America.
There's one story she's never told. She finally reveals how close she and the falcon were...and regrets it. Other animals shun or chastise her for having fallen in love outside of her own species. The falcon tells her it's not so bad. It's in the past now. They have all the time in the world to contemplate the future.
But the bear doesn't. One day, she collapses while on her way home, her heart having given out. Her last request is for the stars to continue to let her...and her stories...shine. The stars hear her, and she soars into the heavens, now the brightest star among them. Heartbroken, her dancing bear mother begs to be taken, too, and also becomes a star.
The young cinnamon bear and their little dog friend are inconsolable. The mother bear and grandmother bear were their world. The buck reassures them that their loved ones will be there every night, shining brightly for the whole world to see. And the falcon soars into the sky, his wings silhouetted against the bright light of the stars, as he forever searches for the spirits of the dancing bear and his beloved, lost storytelling bear in the hopes of being reunited with them one more time.
I don't know how well this came out. I've never written a fable or folk tale before...but I love bears and stories as much as I love musicals and Star Wars. If you're interested, it's posted at my writing blog and at Archive of Our Own. (It's really an original work, so I didn't post it at Fanfiction.Net, for obvious reasons.)
The Bear Who Told Stories at Archive Of Our Own
The Bear Who Told Stories at My Writing Blog
Charlie showed up on my doorstep just as I was writing the last lines of the story. Evidently, my refrigerator was making his downstairs vibrate, or something. Turns out it's the compressor. All the ice in the freezer is damaging it. I have no idea how to defrost a freezer without making a huge mess. Charlie said he'd do it Thursday or Friday morning.
I finished so late, it was nearly 8 PM by the time I was eating leftovers for dinner and watching the end of Yogi's Great Escape. Moved onto Minions after I'd settled on the couch. For centuries, little yellow fellows, the Minions, have been searching for the perfect bad guy to aid...but they always seem to screw things up and kill off their villain. In the late 1960's, one Minion, Kevin, takes two others off into the wide, wide, world to find the perfect bad guy. They think they've discovered her in the wildly popular Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock). Scarlet wants them to steal the Crown of England, so she can rule the empire and finally have all the glamour she thinks she deserves. The minions first take the crowns for themselves, then regret it when an angry Scarlet takes it back...and they accidentally end up saving England and the monarchy.
Boy, was this a strange one. The story was bizarre and hard to follow, and it just wasn't as much fun as the Despicable Me movies. Despite this being a huge hit about a year and a half ago, I think it's just ok. (It does get props for its awesome late 60's British Invasion soundtrack, including songs by the Who and the Beatles.) Fine if you have kids or young teens who are fans of this series or for 60's rock fans, cute but unnecessary for anyone else.
Monday, January 02, 2017
To Make an End Is to Make a Beginning
It was so dreary and rainy when I woke up this morning. I decided it was the perfect day to start taking down the Christmas decorations. I normally let them linger for a few days after New Year's, but after that roller coaster of a holiday week, I wasn't really feeling in the spirit to celebrate anymore. I still love Christmas in general...but I just wanted this particular holiday season to be over.
Ran Sailor Moon Super S: Black Dream Hole to improve my mood as I boxed and bagged all the stuffed toys, porcelain bears, Holly and the Nutcracker, the cardboard hangings, Christmas cards, the baskets of greenery, the Peanuts gift card and the Mickey and Minnie frame, Winter Cinderella, the resin Santa, and the wooden "FaLaLa" and "HoHoHo" signs Linda Young made for me ages ago. An evil dream fairy has been kidnapping all of the children of the world, using their dream energy to power her Black Dream Hole. If it gets large enough, it'll swallow the Earth whole! When her minions capture Chibi-Usa and injure Mamoru, Usagi and the others are determined to bring the little girl back. A young dream fairy who has befriended Chibi-Usa helps them out.
Finished just in time to ride in the rain to work. Pretty much the same deal as the past week - dead in the morning, very busy in the afternoon. The weather didn't help. The rain continued off and on all day. Thankfully, I only had to spend about an hour out doing carts...but maybe it should have been more. The girl who was out for most of the morning complained that her feet were wet and cold. I spent most of the morning scrubbing registers...again. We're coming up on our grand re-opening, and the frantic managers want everything to be perfect.
It was still raining when I hurried home. I went right back into taking down the Christmas things. The bears only took me about 20 minutes; the tree, and hour and a half. It takes a lot less time to take down the decorations than it does to hang them!
Ran Charlotte's Web as I worked. I totally forgot I dubbed the 1973 animated version a few years ago. Since I've had the Star Wars movies on the last few nights, I figured it was only fair to run something with Reynolds, too, whom I also liked. She was the voice of the title character, a kind spider who befriends a pig named Wilbur (Henry Gibson). Wilbur's worried he's going to end up on the farmer's dinner plate. With the help of Charlotte and her amazing web-writing abilities, as well as Templeton the disagreeable rat (Paul Lynde) and Wilbur's owner Fern, the entire county is soon believing Wilbur's "some pig."
I do have Singin' In the Rain, and I may watch that later in the week, but I was really feeling more like I needed the bittersweet vibes here. I've always considered this charming animated musical to be highly underrated. There's some nice animation here (especially coming from Hanna-Barbara), and we get one of my favorite Sherman Brothers scores. "Mother Earth and Father Time" and the title song are gorgeous, haunting ballads; Lynde and Agnes Moorehead (as the Goose) are a riot in "A Fair Is a Veritable Smorgasbord."
After I finished the tree, I went online to continue my fable. The bear realizes after leaving the falcon that she likes telling stories (at least until she can find her special something), and she wants to remain among groups. She has many adventures while searching, from tricking a fat bear who got her angry into thinking he's being shot, helping two bear friends mate, and pointing out to an eagle who thinks there's predators around that he's over-reacting. (He's not.)
But she's picked up some bad habits on the way, including raiding picnic baskets and eating human food that isn't good for her. After a meal in a trash can, she's so sick that she has to get her stomach pumped in a national park animal hospital. Her mates have also left her, though one did produce a lovely little cub. She eventually takes her cub back to her mother and brother, who welcome both home. Her mother even starts dancing again. It's how she tells stories.
Broke for a sausage sandwich, sauteed spinach and onions, and gingerbread around 7. Watched Dick Tracy while I ate and settled down on the couch. Tracy (Warren Beatty) is the ultimate dedicated cop, who would do anything to bring in gangster Big Boy (Al Pacino). He's also dealing with a runway kid and with his girlfriend Tess Trueheart (Glenne Headley), who wants him to settle down. He wants Big Boy's moll Breathless Mahoney (Madonna) to testify. She'd rather testify to having him in her bed. It comes to an explosive head on New Year's Eve, when a mysterious figure frames Tracy for murder and Big Boy for snatching Tess...and both men have to figure out how to restore their lives and careers.
The eye candy is the thing here. The amazing, primary-colored set direction, make-up, and costumes are all carefully detailed to match the comic strip this came from. Some good numbers from composer Stephan Sondheim too, including the Oscar winning Madonna number "Sooner or Later, I Always Get My Man" and the heartbreaking ballad "What Can You Lose?"
Ended the night online with The Slipper and the Rose. I'd heard of this lovely British version of Cinderella before, but I'd never seen it. Here, the Prince (Richard Chamberlain) and Cinderella (Gemma Craven) are almost forbidden to wed, because the King wants his son to honor an arranged marriage and keep their countries from war. It takes intervention from Cinderella's Fairy Godmother to make sure everyone gets what they deserve in the end.
This is still apparently very popular with young girls of the 70's and 80's who grew up watching it on TV and video, especially in its native England, and I can see why. It's both charming and almost darkly hilarious. The fairy godmother is by far my favorite character here. I love how she manages to make everything come out in the end, and even avert that war.
I think this might be out of print on DVD on this side of the Atlantic. Thankfully,it's currently available at YouTube.
The Slipper and the Rose
Ran Sailor Moon Super S: Black Dream Hole to improve my mood as I boxed and bagged all the stuffed toys, porcelain bears, Holly and the Nutcracker, the cardboard hangings, Christmas cards, the baskets of greenery, the Peanuts gift card and the Mickey and Minnie frame, Winter Cinderella, the resin Santa, and the wooden "FaLaLa" and "HoHoHo" signs Linda Young made for me ages ago. An evil dream fairy has been kidnapping all of the children of the world, using their dream energy to power her Black Dream Hole. If it gets large enough, it'll swallow the Earth whole! When her minions capture Chibi-Usa and injure Mamoru, Usagi and the others are determined to bring the little girl back. A young dream fairy who has befriended Chibi-Usa helps them out.
Finished just in time to ride in the rain to work. Pretty much the same deal as the past week - dead in the morning, very busy in the afternoon. The weather didn't help. The rain continued off and on all day. Thankfully, I only had to spend about an hour out doing carts...but maybe it should have been more. The girl who was out for most of the morning complained that her feet were wet and cold. I spent most of the morning scrubbing registers...again. We're coming up on our grand re-opening, and the frantic managers want everything to be perfect.
It was still raining when I hurried home. I went right back into taking down the Christmas things. The bears only took me about 20 minutes; the tree, and hour and a half. It takes a lot less time to take down the decorations than it does to hang them!
Ran Charlotte's Web as I worked. I totally forgot I dubbed the 1973 animated version a few years ago. Since I've had the Star Wars movies on the last few nights, I figured it was only fair to run something with Reynolds, too, whom I also liked. She was the voice of the title character, a kind spider who befriends a pig named Wilbur (Henry Gibson). Wilbur's worried he's going to end up on the farmer's dinner plate. With the help of Charlotte and her amazing web-writing abilities, as well as Templeton the disagreeable rat (Paul Lynde) and Wilbur's owner Fern, the entire county is soon believing Wilbur's "some pig."
I do have Singin' In the Rain, and I may watch that later in the week, but I was really feeling more like I needed the bittersweet vibes here. I've always considered this charming animated musical to be highly underrated. There's some nice animation here (especially coming from Hanna-Barbara), and we get one of my favorite Sherman Brothers scores. "Mother Earth and Father Time" and the title song are gorgeous, haunting ballads; Lynde and Agnes Moorehead (as the Goose) are a riot in "A Fair Is a Veritable Smorgasbord."
After I finished the tree, I went online to continue my fable. The bear realizes after leaving the falcon that she likes telling stories (at least until she can find her special something), and she wants to remain among groups. She has many adventures while searching, from tricking a fat bear who got her angry into thinking he's being shot, helping two bear friends mate, and pointing out to an eagle who thinks there's predators around that he's over-reacting. (He's not.)
But she's picked up some bad habits on the way, including raiding picnic baskets and eating human food that isn't good for her. After a meal in a trash can, she's so sick that she has to get her stomach pumped in a national park animal hospital. Her mates have also left her, though one did produce a lovely little cub. She eventually takes her cub back to her mother and brother, who welcome both home. Her mother even starts dancing again. It's how she tells stories.
Broke for a sausage sandwich, sauteed spinach and onions, and gingerbread around 7. Watched Dick Tracy while I ate and settled down on the couch. Tracy (Warren Beatty) is the ultimate dedicated cop, who would do anything to bring in gangster Big Boy (Al Pacino). He's also dealing with a runway kid and with his girlfriend Tess Trueheart (Glenne Headley), who wants him to settle down. He wants Big Boy's moll Breathless Mahoney (Madonna) to testify. She'd rather testify to having him in her bed. It comes to an explosive head on New Year's Eve, when a mysterious figure frames Tracy for murder and Big Boy for snatching Tess...and both men have to figure out how to restore their lives and careers.
The eye candy is the thing here. The amazing, primary-colored set direction, make-up, and costumes are all carefully detailed to match the comic strip this came from. Some good numbers from composer Stephan Sondheim too, including the Oscar winning Madonna number "Sooner or Later, I Always Get My Man" and the heartbreaking ballad "What Can You Lose?"
Ended the night online with The Slipper and the Rose. I'd heard of this lovely British version of Cinderella before, but I'd never seen it. Here, the Prince (Richard Chamberlain) and Cinderella (Gemma Craven) are almost forbidden to wed, because the King wants his son to honor an arranged marriage and keep their countries from war. It takes intervention from Cinderella's Fairy Godmother to make sure everyone gets what they deserve in the end.
This is still apparently very popular with young girls of the 70's and 80's who grew up watching it on TV and video, especially in its native England, and I can see why. It's both charming and almost darkly hilarious. The fairy godmother is by far my favorite character here. I love how she manages to make everything come out in the end, and even avert that war.
I think this might be out of print on DVD on this side of the Atlantic. Thankfully,it's currently available at YouTube.
The Slipper and the Rose
Sunday, January 01, 2017
The New Year Awakens
Wish I could have begun 2017 more pleasantly than listening to Charlie scream at the dogs downstairs because they went to the bathroom where they shouldn't have again. (They're all old. What does he expect?) I read short stories and poems about New Year's from Colliers Harvest of Holidays and ignored him. My favorite short story is the very first one in the book, about a group of schoolchildren in a New Hampshire town who bring firewood for a kind old man on a snowy New Year's Eve, then ring the bells to usher in the New Year when he can't.
As soon as I got dressed, I headed out to the Legacy Diner in Audubon. Since I'm not a party person, my special New Year's tradition is going out for breakfast. The diner was a madhouse when I arrived, busy with families and groups of elderly people. I had to wait for my table, and then for them to notice me in the back. I did finally have my short stack of blueberry pancakes...which were only ok. They had pretty decent Christmas decorations, including gorgeous paintings on the windows.
I needed a calendar. I thought I would be able to find one at Family Dollar, but I didn't see any. Darn. Ended up getting one at Rite Aid, as I did last year. The themes were really boring, and nothing seasonal. I like it when they do seasonal themes, instead of variations on puppies or scantily-clad people in poses. Ended up with a songbird-themed one that had birds in different, appropriate backdrops for each holiday - even a sort of scary-looking warbler for October. They also had two of the Christmas bags of Yorks Peppermint Patties left. I hadn't seen them at the Acme or Target. I grabbed one.
At least it was a nice day for a ride. It was still windy, but sunny and much warmer, probably in the upper 40's-lower 50's. The traffic wasn't too bad, either. I got home and back with no problems.
When I got in, I ran a few remaining New Year's and party-related shorts I forgot yesterday while getting organized and coloring a picture from my new Star Wars adult coloring book. "New Year's - 1960" doesn't begin well for Laverne & Shirley. Shirley comes down with a cold right before their big New Year's Eve party. Laverne's dumped by her date well before midnight. At least they can watch Lenny drop Squiggy in honor of the New Year instead of the ball.
Donald Duck asks Daisy out on a date in one of my favorite Donald shorts, "Mr. Duck Steps Out." Huey, Dewey, and Louie are determined to join them. Donald does what he can to get rid of them. They try to humiliate their uncle, but their efforts only make Daisy love him even more.
Headed to Dad's house to watch the last Eagles game of the season around 1:30. It was just Dad, Jodie, Vanessa, Mark, and later Jessa. Dad and Jodie had gone away for the New Year's weekend and had only just gotten home an hour before. Vanessa brought taco dip, and Jodie made sloppy joes. At least the game was as good as the company. Dad kept whining that the Eagles should have been able to run rings around the Cowboys' second stringers, but hey, at least they won at all, 27-13.
(The Eagles aren't the only ones who ended the season on a high note. Mark's beloved Packers got past the Detroit Lions tonight, 31-24. Dad's Dolphins didn't have nearly as much luck with an on-fire New England Patriots and lost 35-14.)
Headed home as soon as the game ended. Worked on my story for a few hours. The bear is glad to make friends with the falcon and the deer. The deer is playful, fun, and an expert mimic who makes her laugh. The falcon is quiet, but kind and noble. She finds herself falling in love with him, and with the idea of flight...but not only does he have a mate and fledglings, but he's a bird, a flying creature. She's grounded. They part, but vow to remain friends.
Broke for dinner around 6:30. Did Jack Frost while eating bran flakes and broiled grapefruit for a very simple meal. In this Rankin-Bass cross between Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and The Little Mermaid, Jack Frost (Robert Morse) begs to become human in order to win the heart of a human girl. Not only does she have another, more dashing suitor, but she's also pursued by Kubla Krouse (Paul Frees), the evil Cossack King. When Kubla threatens her village, Jack makes it snow to keep him from attacking. But he needs to get a signal from one certain little groundhog to allow him to keep the snow going...
Returned to the Star Wars series to finish the night after a shower. Return of the Jedi kicks off with Luke, Leia, Lando, and Chewie rescuing Han from the clutches of the evil gangster slug Jabba the Hutt. While Lando takes off with Rogue Squadron leader Wedge Antilles (Dennis Lawson) to blow up another Death Star, Han and Leia get help from the furry Ewoks to take down the Empire's base on the forest moon of Endor. Luke, meanwhile, finds himself confronting not only Vader, but his boss Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDermid). He's determined to bring his father back to the side of Light, but Vader isn't sure he really wants to be saved.
The Force Awakens picks up 32 years later. Rey (Daisy Ridley), a scavenger from the desert wastelands of Jakku, intercepts a message from cute little rolly-polly droid BB-8. He has a piece to the map that may lead to long-lost Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. Rey and escaped stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega) take off in the Millennium Falcon, hoping to return BB-8 to General Leia Organa and her Resistance. They're found by Han Solo and Chewbacca, who have been looking for their ship for years. Meanwhile, the First Order are the newest villains in the galaxy. Their hot-tempered, black-clad leader Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) has connections to Han and to Leia that could have grave consequences for the young woman, and the galaxy.
I'm not as fond of either of these as I am of The Empire Strikes Back, but they both have their good points. The opening in Jabba's palace in Jedi is just pure fun, and the final duel between Vader and Luke is intense as hell. I don't mind the Ewoks, either. I think they're adorable and make for some great comic relief.
I almost didn't do The Force Awakens, despite fine performances from Ridley, Boyega, and Harrison Ford, nifty characters (I love Maz Kantana), and that awesome final duel between Rey and Ren. I didn't know how I'd handle Han's death after Carrie Fisher died the way she did.
I think I learned an important lesson this holiday season about real death vs fictional death. A lot of people in the Star Wars fandom, especially those who saw the Original Trilogy when it first debuted, have been complaining bitterly about Han Solo's death and how the older characters were treated. It does hurt when fictional characters are killed off, especially when you're attached to them...but there's always a chance that they could be resurrected later. And there's fanfiction and fan art. Beloved characters never quite leave us.
Death is real. It's raw. It hurts. It can be sudden. It can be messy. It's not something that can be automatically retconned or written away. You can't bring real people back from the dead. It's not like seeing a fictional character die, and knowing we can do something to bring them back. This isn't a Marvel comic book. It's life...and death is a part of that, even sudden, sad deaths.
(And I'm never going to make fun of how Padme Amidala died in the end of Revenge of the Sith ever again. We now know it is possible to die of a broken heart. :()
As soon as I got dressed, I headed out to the Legacy Diner in Audubon. Since I'm not a party person, my special New Year's tradition is going out for breakfast. The diner was a madhouse when I arrived, busy with families and groups of elderly people. I had to wait for my table, and then for them to notice me in the back. I did finally have my short stack of blueberry pancakes...which were only ok. They had pretty decent Christmas decorations, including gorgeous paintings on the windows.
I needed a calendar. I thought I would be able to find one at Family Dollar, but I didn't see any. Darn. Ended up getting one at Rite Aid, as I did last year. The themes were really boring, and nothing seasonal. I like it when they do seasonal themes, instead of variations on puppies or scantily-clad people in poses. Ended up with a songbird-themed one that had birds in different, appropriate backdrops for each holiday - even a sort of scary-looking warbler for October. They also had two of the Christmas bags of Yorks Peppermint Patties left. I hadn't seen them at the Acme or Target. I grabbed one.
At least it was a nice day for a ride. It was still windy, but sunny and much warmer, probably in the upper 40's-lower 50's. The traffic wasn't too bad, either. I got home and back with no problems.
When I got in, I ran a few remaining New Year's and party-related shorts I forgot yesterday while getting organized and coloring a picture from my new Star Wars adult coloring book. "New Year's - 1960" doesn't begin well for Laverne & Shirley. Shirley comes down with a cold right before their big New Year's Eve party. Laverne's dumped by her date well before midnight. At least they can watch Lenny drop Squiggy in honor of the New Year instead of the ball.
Donald Duck asks Daisy out on a date in one of my favorite Donald shorts, "Mr. Duck Steps Out." Huey, Dewey, and Louie are determined to join them. Donald does what he can to get rid of them. They try to humiliate their uncle, but their efforts only make Daisy love him even more.
Headed to Dad's house to watch the last Eagles game of the season around 1:30. It was just Dad, Jodie, Vanessa, Mark, and later Jessa. Dad and Jodie had gone away for the New Year's weekend and had only just gotten home an hour before. Vanessa brought taco dip, and Jodie made sloppy joes. At least the game was as good as the company. Dad kept whining that the Eagles should have been able to run rings around the Cowboys' second stringers, but hey, at least they won at all, 27-13.
(The Eagles aren't the only ones who ended the season on a high note. Mark's beloved Packers got past the Detroit Lions tonight, 31-24. Dad's Dolphins didn't have nearly as much luck with an on-fire New England Patriots and lost 35-14.)
Headed home as soon as the game ended. Worked on my story for a few hours. The bear is glad to make friends with the falcon and the deer. The deer is playful, fun, and an expert mimic who makes her laugh. The falcon is quiet, but kind and noble. She finds herself falling in love with him, and with the idea of flight...but not only does he have a mate and fledglings, but he's a bird, a flying creature. She's grounded. They part, but vow to remain friends.
Broke for dinner around 6:30. Did Jack Frost while eating bran flakes and broiled grapefruit for a very simple meal. In this Rankin-Bass cross between Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and The Little Mermaid, Jack Frost (Robert Morse) begs to become human in order to win the heart of a human girl. Not only does she have another, more dashing suitor, but she's also pursued by Kubla Krouse (Paul Frees), the evil Cossack King. When Kubla threatens her village, Jack makes it snow to keep him from attacking. But he needs to get a signal from one certain little groundhog to allow him to keep the snow going...
Returned to the Star Wars series to finish the night after a shower. Return of the Jedi kicks off with Luke, Leia, Lando, and Chewie rescuing Han from the clutches of the evil gangster slug Jabba the Hutt. While Lando takes off with Rogue Squadron leader Wedge Antilles (Dennis Lawson) to blow up another Death Star, Han and Leia get help from the furry Ewoks to take down the Empire's base on the forest moon of Endor. Luke, meanwhile, finds himself confronting not only Vader, but his boss Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDermid). He's determined to bring his father back to the side of Light, but Vader isn't sure he really wants to be saved.
The Force Awakens picks up 32 years later. Rey (Daisy Ridley), a scavenger from the desert wastelands of Jakku, intercepts a message from cute little rolly-polly droid BB-8. He has a piece to the map that may lead to long-lost Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. Rey and escaped stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega) take off in the Millennium Falcon, hoping to return BB-8 to General Leia Organa and her Resistance. They're found by Han Solo and Chewbacca, who have been looking for their ship for years. Meanwhile, the First Order are the newest villains in the galaxy. Their hot-tempered, black-clad leader Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) has connections to Han and to Leia that could have grave consequences for the young woman, and the galaxy.
I'm not as fond of either of these as I am of The Empire Strikes Back, but they both have their good points. The opening in Jabba's palace in Jedi is just pure fun, and the final duel between Vader and Luke is intense as hell. I don't mind the Ewoks, either. I think they're adorable and make for some great comic relief.
I almost didn't do The Force Awakens, despite fine performances from Ridley, Boyega, and Harrison Ford, nifty characters (I love Maz Kantana), and that awesome final duel between Rey and Ren. I didn't know how I'd handle Han's death after Carrie Fisher died the way she did.
I think I learned an important lesson this holiday season about real death vs fictional death. A lot of people in the Star Wars fandom, especially those who saw the Original Trilogy when it first debuted, have been complaining bitterly about Han Solo's death and how the older characters were treated. It does hurt when fictional characters are killed off, especially when you're attached to them...but there's always a chance that they could be resurrected later. And there's fanfiction and fan art. Beloved characters never quite leave us.
Death is real. It's raw. It hurts. It can be sudden. It can be messy. It's not something that can be automatically retconned or written away. You can't bring real people back from the dead. It's not like seeing a fictional character die, and knowing we can do something to bring them back. This isn't a Marvel comic book. It's life...and death is a part of that, even sudden, sad deaths.
(And I'm never going to make fun of how Padme Amidala died in the end of Revenge of the Sith ever again. We now know it is possible to die of a broken heart. :()
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