Picture is Unrelated

IMG_4187, originally uploaded by Sandra Maynard.

We just finished watching all the Star Wars movies, in the order that they were made. I'm of the opinion that episodes I, II, and III are decent movies - the good and the bad level out to ok. Like many I think the movies all have fantastic large-scale and small-scale battle scenes (the opening to episode III, the space battle over Coruscant, has good examples of both) intersped with really bad character scenes (every single scene with Padme and Anakin in episode II). Shame on you, Lucas for forgetting why we love IV, V and VI so much - the characters, not the space battles (though they are nifty).

Yeah, I know: George Lucas has had his butt kicked plenty by many an axe-grinding fanboy. Google is your friend if you'd like to subject yourself to the square miles of webspace dedicated to chewing on him. So I will say something nice about Lucas:

Recently an interview with one of the original movie's producers, Gary Kurtz, circulated the inner tubes. He was bitching about how the original story was different from what they originally intended. For instance, Han Solo was supposed to have been killed in the third movie. Some idiots made comments about how that would have made the movie that much cooler. Bullshit. If Solo had died, there would have been a sudden disturbance in the force, like a billion voices crying out in anguish, and Lucas would have spontaneously combusted from all the psychic hate (it's amazing it hasn't happened yet). So there's that. Keeping Solo alive proves Lucas isn't completely insane.

Also: I've said some good things about fan fiction. I also think I linked to this site before: The Darth Side, Darth Vader's blog. No, seriously, this is good stuff! If nothing else, read the very last entry (the first one you will see on the page, it's a blog after all). I promise you will never be able to watch the scenes between Vader and Luke at the end of Return of the Jedi again without getting a little choked. No pun intended.

I for one welcome our new Swedish Overlords

IMG_4186, originally uploaded by Sandra Maynard.

I hope I don't get Dooced for this. I never mention my work because I don't want to be sacked, but I feel compelled to mention that the company I work for has been sold to a Swedish corporation. No, I won't get relocated - we've been assured it will be business as usual.

That remains to be seen, but I'd rather be working for a company that's publicly owned, even overseas, than one that is privately owned by a hedge fund. There's a reason our roofs leak and our computer equipment is 5 years out of date.

I stop now. Mynd you, møøse bites Kan be pretty nasti.

Speaking of Swedes, I saw The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which is an excellent adaptation of the book. I dread the American remake simply because there's nothing wrong with this one whatsoever.

I had a Teaching Moment with Brenden ( no, we didn't let him watch this movie!) when he poked his head out of the computer room once and asked me if Lisbeth, the eponymous character, was a boy or a girl. "She's a girl" I said.
He asked "Why she dressed like a boy?"
I replied "She just likes to dress that way".
He thought about it then said "Is she a boy and a girl?"
I said "No, she's just a girl. Some people like to dress different, that's all. It's no big deal".
He shrugged and said "Ok" and went back to my computer to trash my farm.

I'm reading a new series of books, The Dresden Files, about a modern-day wizard / private detective who solves mysteries in Chicago. They usually involve vampires, werewolves, demons, angels, more wizards, all sorts of faeres, trolls, and ghouls. Classic literature the books aren't but they're bunches of fun. The series has 11 books and counting and the author, Jim Butcher, is on record that he wants the series to span 20 stories including an 'apocalyptic trilogy' to cap everything off, because who doesn't like apocalyptic trilogies?

Stay away from Robert Jordan and George R.R. Martin, Jim. Please.

Happy Birthday

IMG_4188, originally uploaded by Sandra Maynard.

My honey hit the big 4-0 today. Happy birthday sweetie! *Muah!*

I got him a jeep. YARLY.

Catboy

IMG_6173, originally uploaded by Sandra Maynard.

Brenden's first day of Kindergarden went off without a hitch. He had a smiley face on his calendar, which means he was well behaved. When Devin picked him up from school yesterday, she called me and let B talk to me about his day. I don't remember what he said except he likes his teacher and he was really tired.

Brenden and I have been playing Rabbids Go Home a lot on the Wii lately. Last night we were playing and I told him we had to stop because it was bed time. He begged me to play one more level but I said "no, you have school tomorrow". That just slipped out naturally; Jon and I both thought it was funny.

B, Jon and Nana

B, Jon and Nana, originally uploaded by Sandra Maynard.

Brenden is in Kindergarden as I type. No call yet from the teacher so that's something.

Jon received some horrible news this morning: his grandmother, Virginia, died last night. She was in the hospital for the last month - I'm not sure why. The doctors performed exploratory surgery a few days ago and she died from complications.

I feel bad for Jon. Of all his family he seemed closest to her. She had many grandchildren and oodles of greatgrandchildren yet she always remembered cards for our birthdays, including Brenden's. I don't know what else to say except I'm very sorry.

My little guy

IMG_6194, originally uploaded by Sandra Maynard.

I met Brenden's kindergarden teacher Sunday at a meeting at his new school. She seems nice - I hope Brenden likes her. The meeting was a parent orientation meeting and hopelessly boring. Maybe it's just being in a public school setting that makes my eyes glaze over. I hope I never let on to Brenden about my piss poor attitude towards school. I was bored shitless for 12 long years.

Don't confuse my bad attitude with my attitude towards learning. True knowledge and critical thinking are priceless. I learned how to teach myself (all my computer knowledge is self-taught) and I hope I can find a way to show Brenden how. Or maybe he will like sitting in a class 6-7 hours a day, who knows?

Bad attitude aside, after the meeting I got in the car and cried a little. Starting school is a major milestone and I already miss my little guy.