Tuesday Tidbits

The Cabin in the Woods awaits.

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I babysat both hooligans during Spring Break and like I always say, its like childbirth:  you quickly forget the pain when you are overcome by joy.  Perhaps it wasn't joy so much as that hefty paycheck at the end of the week.  Anyway, we all survived.  

I insisted on naps and the funny thing is, Norah always resisted having one but she always slept the longest.  I lied down next to her at one point on my bed and when I opened my eyes, this is what I saw.  A beautiful girl resting and waiting for me to awake and I love the way she clasps her hands like a pillow and prayer.  

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This guy and his grandson were having breakfast at Cosmo's while we were there.  Afterward we wandered down the sidewalk at this shopping plaza and check out the martial arts classes usually going on.  We left around the same time and I mentioned it looked like he had plenty of help and he said he did as he entered a business they have been rehabbing.  Curious, I asked him what it was.  

Quite the rage right now is this type of place where you are locked in a series of rooms and must find clues to move from one place to another.  It sounds a lot like a game Brendan and I used to play on the computer called Myst.  

I asked how business was and he said it comes and goes.  He said it would be better if the GPS coordinates didn't send prospective customers down the street to a gentleman's club.  Frankly it sounds like a horrible recreational game to me.  I have trouble enough navigating things without having to fork over money for more.  

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I am becoming more convinced that a basket like this needs to be at every table where people meet:  at home, at restaurants and at bars.  Our total reliance on these is becoming very annoying and rude.  And I'm just as guilty.  C'mon guys, lets put 'em in our pockets.

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I needed a soda after my 8 mile trip to and from Clearwater on the bicycle so I found a gas station.  The background vocals you hear is Alfred.

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Ugh.  Florida weather.

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To Cubs Fans:  It has been 16 years since there was a repeat World Series Champion.  Empires have been born and died in that length of time.

To Cardinals Fans:  I still remember that "Mets Are Pond Scum" banner flying around old Busch Stadium in '87.  I swear the guy flying that plane looked just like Danny Lee. 

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Alfred getting a bath this weekend.

Any similarity is entirely intentional.  

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Miss Norah wanted her hair cut last week.  I liked it.  

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If I'm a bit old school that's to be forgiven - I'm old.  Best movie Oscars usually went to the opulent, the epic, the sweeping.  I'm thinking Lawrence of Arabia, Ben-Hur, Bridge over the River Kwai, The Last Emperor, Schindler's List here.  Every once in a while a small-storied film would win like Ordinary People, Marty, or Annie Hall but generally speaking it was the movie with the most guns, fastest cars, biggest stars, most music, or mentally disturbed characters. 

I got done with Moonlight and was kind of stunned at the smallness of the story and wondered how in the Hell this thing won.  Surely Hacksaw Ridge and Hell or High Water had the most guns and action.  Fences the biggest stars.  Arrival the most intriguing premise, and La La Land the most music.  Hidden Figures, Lion and Manchester By the Sea were big in scope and story.  So why did this little art house film win?  I began to see conspiracies:  after the Academy scandal for lack of diversity, maybe this was a bone thrown to silence the critics.  The Academy is not above such things to regain its footing after political messes.  

Moonlight is a three chapter story about a black gay kid growing up in the ghetto.  A mother always high and bullies ever ready to wreck the day.  We see young Chiron in grade school, high school and then out on his own.  This has got to be so common-place as to not register as unique at all.  The gayness in an age where being gay is celebrated adds just another layer of nuance but doesn't scream like it would have 20 years ago.  

So what's the verdict?  Hmmm.  I could wimp out and reserve judgment until I've seen all the nominations, but since I've already reviewed (favorably) Hacksaw Ridge and Arrival I need to do the same for Moonlight.  

Looking back on it after three days I think I like it better than when it ended.  Sometimes our moods can affect our viewing; maybe I wasn't into it.  I liked the characters, the gayness didn't freak me out, and it had a nice story to tell.  I may very well be in a minority here but I don't see Moonlight as the Best Picture of the Year.  I have always said a good movie makes you feel something, and I'm pretty easy to be moved.  Some emotion has to be twanged.  I wasn't.  I'd recommend you see Moonlight simply because it won, but it didn't make me feel much - and I'm easy.  But then again I'm old school.   I think I'll schedule Lawrence or Schindler this next weekend.  

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Change in schedule:  I think I'm going to try to do one more week before taking a couple weeks off.   Steady lads.