A Bloggers' Film Society: August 2014: Stand By Me

A while back, The Armchair Squid asked if I would be interested in spearheading a bloghop with him.  I try to participate in his monthly Book Club and thought this sounded fun.

Our inaugural movie is Rob Reiner's seminal look at childhood and friendship, "Stand By Me".

Currently #93 on my flickchart list

I missed this movie back in the day. (I'm certain I watched it in college and after when I worked in a couple of video stores). I would've been about to turn 16 when it came out.  I was reading a lot of King's books at the time and had two strong friends but we didn't do a lot of movie watching.  What we did watch was a whole lot lighter than this.

My two best friends from that time popped in my head as I watched it now.  It is a strong movie.  I've never seen anything else by the two men who worked on the screenplay but I have seen lots of Reiner's movies, as well as performances by the majority of the actors, many of whom went on to rather lengthy careers, though maybe not all as leading men.

I've often wondered what the first R rated movie that I watch with me son will be.  This would be a strong contender.  I look at him and the relationship he has with his two best pals and envy him for all that he has with them.  Don't get me wrong....my adult relationships are very strong.  I might even disagree with the narrator's final heartfelt assertion and I doubt any kid is ever as self aware as these characters are portrayed as being, but that carefree time....the conversations you have before you discover girls...when the biggest worries are determining what Goofy is....summer days that spread out with endless possibilities for mischief and adventure...I do hope my boy enjoys it all.

Cinema Sunday: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Currently #25 on my flickchart list

My son was a little bugged that he hadn't seen a movie when it opened at midnight.  He good-naturedly ribs me occasionally that I took The Armchair Squid to see The Avengers midnight opening....neglecting to recall that at the time, my son was 8 and not up to a midnight showing.

Our original plan to see this movie on opening night was derailed by my current quest to obtain my master's degree...I had class last Thursday, Friday and Saturday making it impossible to fit in a screening.

So we made plans to go to the latest showing possible this past Friday night.  We had so much fun on our Father-Son Night Out.  The previews rocked.  During one, I said we needed to see the movie advertised in the theater...Logan replied "On another night like this!".  He was easily the youngest member of the audience and reveled in that fact.

When the movie was over, we both started babbling about the Easter Eggs we caught and were eager to see it again.  Logan pegged it as his second favorite movie in the Marvel Universe.  I put it third behind Captain America: The First Avenger.  We both have The Avengers first.

I sometimes have trouble wrapping my head around the fact that we live in a world where the SEQUEL to a Captain America movie holds the box office record for April releases.  Where I would get a SEQUEL to a Thor movie and enjoy it even more than the first Thor movie.  Where I would have THREE Iron Man movies to rank and be okay with not liking some of them!!

Someone recently posted on-line that they could imagine themselves as an old man lecturing kids on the days when there were so few good superhero flicks growing up.  I remember the days of having to hang my hat on the first Superman movie and some of the second Superman movie.  I remember convincing myself that the first few Batman movies were enough to hold me over until...some day.

Now I'm waiting for Guardians of the Galaxy, a second Avengers movie, an Ant-Man movie....

Cinema Sunday: February 2, 2014: "Definitely not Swedish."

Cinema Sunday: The Lone Ranger, Independence Day (Special Edition), X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Star Trek: First Contact

Currently #186 on my flickchart list

It always seems like faint praise to say a movie was better than I expected.  That being said, despite the reviews, we actually expected to like this movie.  Nan and I are big fans of the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, but were disappointed by numbers 2 and 3.  The fourth was, for us, a return to form.

While we agreed this movie could have been a little more "light" in places, overall it was enjoyable.  We expect it to be added to our collection once we find a used copy.

Currently #113 on my flickchart list.

I saw this sooooo many times in the theater.  At the time, it led to the (short lived) public debut of both my Robert Loggia and Harry Connick, Jr. impressions.  Despite all of that, I've never seen this extended edition.  Well, I've a stack of papers to correct, two assessments to enter into the school grade book and a week's worth of lessons to plan, so why not bring up some movies to have on in the background.

I find it weird to type that this version added to the movie, but it actually did.  A few character motivations get fleshed out and there is nothing that feels padded.

Currently #132 on my flickchart list

Better than I remembered.  And the only portrayal of Gambit in any medium that I've liked!  I'm fine with the mucked up movie timeline and the changes to how things "really" happened in the comics.

Currently #65 on my flickchart list

Our last movie of the day was Logan's choice.  We watched it with the pop up Trek trivia which fired us both up to watch more episodes of ALL of the series.  It leaves the episode of Enterprise which deals with the fall out of this movie as the only Borg themed installment we haven't seen!

Star Trek Stuff

This summer Logan and I are home alone a lot.  Nan is working this summer so that I can continue with my Masters Program and Haley is volunteering at one of the local sailing centers.

That means Logan and I have been watching LOTS of Star Trek recently...he seems to like it.  The collections I have let us cherry pick the best episodes or themes.  He seems to like Next Generation best, though we've seen a few Borg episodes from Voyager (that I had never seen) and we both were very impressed.

We are gearing up for some marathon viewing sessions with The Armchair Squid, Wikes, and maybe a few other.

Just a few cool Trek images from off of the world wide web.

Smuggler's Notch

We started our morning with a ride down the Alpine Slide in Stowe. We arrived wicked early so we found a table in the shade and played some UNO.

After about an hour,  I went in to buy the tickets and found the line.  I was promptly cut by a family just not paying attention.  At this point, I had been up for 5 hours and just let it go.

However, I was then cut again.  So I moved a little more to make sure it was obvious that I was in line.

Then, two punks blatantly tried to cut me.  I sort of raised my hands in an incredulous "What's up" manner and was about to ask the boys if I could help them.  At this point, their mother raised her voice to me and bellowed "They're with me. Don't get so angry!"  I responded, that I was not angry, I was just trying to figure out what was going on.  The woman then shrieked... literally shrieked, "Well our friends were... NEVER MIND we'll just go wait outside."

Most folks in the place sort of stared at her with their mouths open.  There wasn't a huge line.  It was a BEAUTIFUL summer day.  The ride hadn't even OPENED yet.

When I went out, Nan confirmed that the lady was ranting and raving outside.  It bugged me, but we let it go.

Nan and I went down the slide first and waited at the bottom for the kids....and waited...and waited...and waited.

Eventually, they came down with a kid RIGHT behind each of them....looking ANGRY.  Nan pointed out they were the punks that had tried to cut me earlier!  KARMA!


We spent the rest of the morning and afternoon exploring the notch and climbing the rocks.

The pink dot is Haley!!  We had gotten separated so I went down and she went up until we could see each other!

The view out over the valley...

This was the highest point we reached.  Not the best picture but that is ABOUT a 50 foot drop!

So close to the top....

T-Shirt Tuesday: July 24, 2012

We went up to school today to spend a few more hours setting up my new classroom.  Today's shirt was one I bought for myself from "Santa" last Christmas.  I also got a bumper sticker with the same phrase, which I just really like.

A mixed day at school....I finally found the desk I use (in another classroom!) but still have some chair issues...Still lots of time until the year starts...

Yesterday was a GREAT day...I'll post some pictures of our adventure later today...

T-Shirt Tuesday: July 17, 2012

Here the boy and I are chatting over breakfast before he heads off to his cooking class.  The Green Lantern T-Shirt was one of my anniversary gifts from my wife!

What To Do Next Weekend....

The school year is rapidly approaching its (welcome) end.  More so than any other year I have taught, I am absolutely ready for summer to begin.

In an effort to kick-start things, I was mulling over trying to figure out something to do next Saturday and/or Sunday.  Friday night is already claimed for Underclassmen Award Night at my daughter's high school....where she is up for an award or two.

My son received his placement for next year and is not in the same class as his best friend.  Her mother is worried about the kids drifting apart, so I proposed to Nan we do a day trip across the lake to Target on Saturday...ride the ferry, get lunch and so on, and invite the girl.

However.....I start to feel selfish.  I was thinking of calling my brother and asking him to meet me somewhere in New Hampshire to play golf on Saturday.  His birthday is fast approaching and I thought it would be a nice birthday gift.

Things get a little crazy from there....I find out that this Sunday is the Granite State Comicon.  I start planning things out.  Maybe meet my brother and then I could go camping and go to the con on Sunday.  While I am not really looking for anything, it has been SO long since I attended a show.  I could do a day trip on Sunday? Maybe Logan and I could go....I start working out all the permutations.

When I think I have FINALLY landed on what I want to do, I get an e-mail announcing that this Sunday is also the Montreal ToyCon.  I decide to click the link and check it out....and I see this banner...

I'm not terribly tempted but....wait a second....what's that!?!?  

What's the big deal, you may ask...(especially if we have never met in person nor are friends on Facebook)...

Well, the three people at the head of the line....it is me, my wife and my son!!!  We attended one of the first Montreal ToyCons 5 or 6 years ago!!!!   We rented a hotel near by with an indoor pool....had our first trip to La Cage Aux Sports.  It was such fun but I never checked back in, as subsequent events were held on weekends we could not attend.  I wonder if we have been the banner for all these years?!?!

So, to make a long story short ("Too late!"), I have NO idea what I am doing next weekend.....

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 10 – A song that makes you fall asleep

I don't really use music to fall asleep.  I prefer it quiet and to be reading.  Both my kids listen to music as they drift off, but my boy LOVES to have music playing as he dozes off.

For the longest time he had a Jack Johnson compact disc that we would start up.  It had all of the mellow surfer dudes tunes, fast and slow.  Now, whenever we here a Jack Johnson song ANYWHERE Logan pretends to doze off.

Enjoy!

Upside Down by Jack Johnson

I Just Need To Get This Out Of My Head...

Everything works out in the end. We are all fine. We are all in our bed tonight, holding each other but the events are running through my head and I just need to get it out.

So today is Easter. Not a big day in our little family. However, this year, Nancy accepted an invitation to my aunt and uncle's house for dinner. As it is for every family, get togethers can either be awesome or extremely frustrating. Well, besides the ham (I hate ham!) this one went pretty well.

I enjoyed sitting with my great aunt Dot Jones (who at 88 is my oldest living relative and the last of that generation in my family). I visited with my cousins Lee and Marc and their families, as well as my cousin Lars' wife Susan and her youngest. Heck, even my father behaved himself.

We stayed a little longer than we intended but were so thoroughly enjoying ourselves. Leaving I made a wrong turn and we had to back track. Those sort of things changed the afternoon.

Driving north in Bristol, Vermont on Burpee Road, I was approaching Plank Street.

(I think I am including the map for thoroughness)

There was a car on Plank, travelling west in an attempt to cross Burpee. I noticed the driver only looking to the north.

She didn't look in my direction. Not once. And she didn't stop at the stop sign.

It took my mind a moment to realize that she was not stopping. I couldn't understand what I was seeing. And then I needed to decide what to do. It's one of those moments where everything goes through your mind at once. Do I try to slam on the brakes? Do I swerve? Do I punch it? Where is everyone sitting?

I decided to swerve and accelerate. Get ready to hit the horn and move along on our way.

I swerve around as she comes into the road. I start to breathe a sigh of relief as I think I have cleared her.

Then she hits us.

Our car is turned sideways, perpendicular to the road, facing the cemetery on the eastern side of the road. I hit the brakes and try to regain control of the car. I start to breathe a sigh of relief as we start to come to a stop.

Then we start to roll.

Nancy claims I said "We're going over." I'm not sure if I did. But then everything starts to move in slow motion.

I see the road coming up towards my window. I see a cup of water tumble and fall. Suddenly I am showered in dirt (at the time I distinctly remember thinking of that scene in the firstSuperman movie where Lois Lane is trapped in the car as it fills with dirt....though in reality it was only a small bag that contained some dahlia bulbs that my grandfather had grown.) There is a loud noise as everything not anchored down finds a new place to be.

And we stop. I think "I need to turn off the car." The key wouldn't turn. I realize I need to put the car in park. Surprisingly calm, I do so. Both Nancy and Logan say that they are okay.

I try to figure out what to do. I unbuckle and tell Nan to stay in her seat and I will take care of Logan. His buckle is jammed. The window next to him is shattered. He is so brave and so calm.

I unbuckle him and show him where to put his feet.

I try to open the sliding door that is now above our heads but it won't open. I know now it was only a few seconds of trying but at the time it seemed like a half hour. (I later realize that Logan usually sits on that side of the car but today I put him behind me.)

I move to Nan's door and open it. I realize that it is not going to stay open. I see someone's hands on the frame trying to get to us. I tell them to get back and shut the door. I roll the window down (sideways?) and push Logan up and out.

We get Nan unbuckled and get her up. The car is so precarious. The undercarriage is hot. She is a little bit dazed. She gets down and I hop up. Two men brace the roof so that it will not roll that way and two others brace the underside. I jump down and run to Nancy and Logan and we embrace.

I keep it together. Rescue people are on the scene so quick. A witness who was behind us shares her thoughts (and tells us she was coming home from spending the weekend in Massachusetts with her brother who is in ICU!)

I turn to look up the road at the car.

Nan says I commented to the EMT that I did not know that we had a spare tire underneath the car! Susan and my Aunt Anne come upon the scene and help keep us calm. My Aunt Sue called Lauralea (who teaches kindergarten in the town I used to teach in) who lives nearby and she came down. My dad was called and came back.

Eventually the state police came and the trooper verified my story through two eyewitnesses.

(Logan's toys and books on the road amidst the broken glass)

Dad took us and we followed the wrecker so we could empty the car. The man suggested we take the plates because we "won't ever see it again."

(The car getting flipped back up)

So now we enter the phase of dealing with insurance companies and making do with one car for a little bit.

But we are all safe. We are all together. And that is all that really matters.

My next project...

This upcoming weekend, I am going to build some shelves in Logan's room. he wants some for his books and some to display his "collections". While I can't make a secret room, he and I have brainstormed how to have a shelf or two be "fake" with a hidden space for him to keep certain things safe. I'll let you know how it turns out...

Look What I Made...

Since summer was delayed for me by about 5 weeks, I decided that I wanted to start things off with a bang and build something in the workshop.

Looking through an old book, I found plans for a hammock stand. Since we clear cut the back yard, there has been no place for the hammock to go, so this project made sense to me.

I decided that if we could get the materials for under $40 I would do it.

DAY ONE

So on Sunday, July 26, we went to a nearby Lowes and priced everything. I needed a total of 6 2x4s in two different lengths, a variety of carriage bolts, 3 dowels and some lag screws. Logan was a supreme help in finding everything and Nan and I did some quick calculations and decided to go for it. Total price upon checkout was $37.22.

That afternoon, I cut all of the boards to the needed lengths. I also went ahead and made all the needed joint cuts. All of the miter cuts were straight forward (either 45 degrees or 25 degrees....the latter of which was slightly trickier since my saw has defaults at 15, 22.5, 31.6 and 45 degrees!)

The lap cuts were harder, since I do not have either a table saw nor a band saw and I needed to make a total of eight lap cuts. But, at the end of the afternoon, I had all the cuts and had bolted together one of them to make sure things looked okay....and they did!

DAY TWO

I started the day by finishing off the four main struts and tightening all of the bolts. That turned out to be the easiest part of the day.


It was time to connect the arms and to do so I needed to drill 1/2" wide holes for the dowels to go through to add support. The first couple of holes were sketchy, but I eventually got the hang of it (with the help of a drill extender that I did not know I had!).

Today was a purple shirt day!

Once I got one side finished, Haley and I added the braces with a series of lag screws.


Haley and I took a break to attend a bookmaking workshop at the Burnham Library with Jon Chad from The Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction. (It was a blast. I'll blog about that later.)



When we got home I finished assembling the hammock, but discovered that imperfections in the wood and my measuring meant a trip to Lowes on day three to exchange the two hanging bolts I bought, as they were too short.

DAY THREE

This day consisted mainly of returning a few pieces of hardware and figuring out what exactly I needed. We also bought two 18 inch sections of chain to help hang the hammock, as it is rather short. I also hand mitered some of the ends of the arms to allow them to sit more flush.

All in all, it took about eight to ten hours of actual work. I'm not too disappointed in the final product.

A View From The Roof

Last week I finally got up on the roof to fix the leak near the main vent. It was relatively straight-forward work. Here are the views from the roof of our house...I might add them to Google Earth at some point...

There is Nan on the deck, as I look to the south west. The fake chimney looking thing is what I needed to fix.

There is a smidgen of the pool and Nan's garden area to the south east.

Here is the whiffle ball field to the north east.

A tighter shot of the pool area and Logan and Haley!

The swing set looking due south.

Due east.

A blurry shot of the north (I think this was the first one I took and was a little shaky!)


It's me in my bright yellow working shirt...in case Google is using its satellites while I am up there. Nan wanted me to write them a message but they haven't rephotographed the area in 6 years so I did not bother...