Alive?

Fortunately yes. :-) I don't have time for a long post now. I'm using my brother's dial-up connection (yes some people have dial-up. I don't know why, but he does...*shrugs* ;-)) late at night. I've had a great time and will definately post pictures (plus earlier pictures that I wasn't able to take because my camera battery was dead). Don't let me forget the twenty miles from Hell when I describe this weekend--but also canoeing (a much better experience!).

Good night for now--except that I must say I saw Pirates again today and it was again a great movie. My brother is quite impatient though (but he does like music) and never sits through credits--therefore he had no idea there was a scene at the end of Curse of the Black Pearl (he owns that DVD) let alone after Dead Man's Chest! I had driven to the theater--so we waited. :-) If you haven't seen the scene after CotBP, you must before watching DMC--the monkey is a central character, and you will be puzzled like my nephews were if you've not seen the short post-credits scene.

Tomorrow morning I must arise early and leave by seven so that I can be back in time for work. Unfortunately they wouldn't give me Sunday off because the store manager doesn't like people to have three days off in a row (despite the fact that unasked they gave me four days off in a row two weekends ago--it gave me my latest set of ten days of work in a row as a consequence, even though it was apparently a reward for working on the Fourth of July? *shrugs* I don't get it). I don't see the problem if the department manager arranges it and all shifts are covered--other employees have told me that it wasn't that way in the past. *sigh* I shouldn't really complain anyway.

Combined with the advice I recieved from my brother this evening I'm doing everything that I can to get away from bigg's--quickly! It is only if I have to take another job that doesn't pay enough that I'll consider staying on part-time as Eric in LP (our semi-manager) keeps asking me to do. He even thinks I might want to stay at bigg's--but I inwardly shudder every time I hear this. If I had the savings I would quit tomorrow and force myself to job-search full-time. I hate the place and feel stifled there.

Wow, this was long for a short post--but short for one of my old mammoth posts. ;-) Good (very early) morning to those of you on the East Coast, and good evening to those of you in points west.

~Matt

I'll be back

As soon as I get up I'm going to have to pack some last minute things (besides my lunch for work). Then I'll be off for work a bit later, and I won't be back here until hopefully Sunday evening. I'm not sure if I'll be on-line at my brother's place, so this might be my last blog post for a few days. I've missed a few before for important reasons like this, so I'm not too worried. :-) I think that I'll be able to live.

~Matt

El Fin

I just finished Don Quixote at work today. It was fantastic!! (Having a good vocabulary is great when you don't remember how to spell teriffic and have to use a synonym because you're too lazy to use spell check, ;-)).

More rain today, so now my old boots are wet, the ones I've been wearing aren't yet dried out, and I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow. I'm quite busy tonight though. I have an episode of Superheroes to write (LXIV), things to put away, and supplies to pack. I have Friday, Saturday, and hopefully Sunday off--so I'm driving down to my brother Larry's place (Nashville, Tennessee). It should be a great weekend.

I don't hate the Cincinnati area (it isn't California, but it isn't terrible), but I've been stuck here for far too long. The farththest I've been in 1.5 years was last month (or so) when I went with the family to a soccer game my nephew Ryan played down near Louisville (or was it Lexington?). But we just drove right down and came back, stopping only to get gas and eat at a rest area. I even bought a couple books on tape, a portable tape player (my car doesn't have one), and a device to broadcast a signal to my car stereo. I like listening to music, but since I'll be alone I want something more to occupy the several hour drive down after work tomorrow.

~Matt

Rain...Rain

Yeah, I think I've had a similarly titled post before--but it had a comma between the words--so this is different! :-) This morning I was convinced that it would rain all day--so I started pulling in carts around 13:00 (I worked 12:00-20:00) and my pants were quickly drenched. The rest of me was okay because of my cheap poncho (work provided) that has more duct tape than anything, ;-).

After I had the entire lot cleared it actually did stop raining for a few hours--unfortunately it was quite warm and very muggy. It was miserable. Leaving the quite cool store several times my glasses fogged up as I walked into the heat. Then as I was clearing the lot for the last time before I clocked out it started raining again--and this time it was pouring. I was almost dried out--but of course that didn't last in the pouring rain. I'm going to have to let my boots dry out normally (they're leather and not waterproffed because the soles are cracked) and use an old pair tomorrow so my feet will be dry for at least a while (more rain is predicted on the morrow).

~Matt

Lenghty?

(p 412) But Don Ferdinand's friends, the curate, the barber, and all the company (not forgetting honest Sancho Panza) got together about Don Ferdinand, and entreated him to pity the beautiful Dorthea's tears; that, considering what she had said, the truth of which was apparent, it would be the highest in justice to frustrate her lawful hopes; that their strange and wonderful meeting could not be attributed to chance, but the peculiar and directing Providence of Heaven; that nothing (as Mr. Curate very well urged) but death could part Cardenio from Lucinda; and that though the edge of his sword might separate them, he would make them happier by death than he could hope to be by surviving; that, in irrecoverable accidents, a submission to fate, and a resignation of our wills, showed not only the greatest prudence, but also the highest courage and generosity; that he should not envy those happy lovers what the bounty of Heaven had conferred on them, but that he should turn his eyes on Dorthea's grief; view her incomparable beauty, which, with her true and unfeigned love, made large amends for the meanness of her parentage; but principally it lay upon him, if he gloried in the titles of Nobility and Christianity, to keep his promise unviolated; that the more reasonable part of mankind could not otherwise be satisfied, or have any esteem for him: also that it was the special prerogative of beauty, if heightened by virtue and adorned with modesty, to lay claim to any dignity, without disparagement or scandal to the person that raises it; and that the strong dictates of delight having once been indulged, we are not to be blamed for following them afterwards, provided they be not unlawful.

Read that again, or if you skipped over it please go back and read it. That is one sentence from Don Quixote. I think it is the longest that I've seen, but I could be wrong. No, I'm not reading it just for the long sentences, but they are fun. It is quite interesting to read along for lines and all of a sudden realize that you haven't come to a period yet. :-)

~Matt

Still

reading Don Quixote am I. I enjoy older books, but most that I read are nonfiction. I never imagined that I would enjoy a 400 year old book so much. It is quite readable, and once you get past the differences in story construction it is fun. It is the first modern novel, completely unlike the stories that preceeded it. Unfortunately I only have Part I, but I might eventually find a copy of Part II--hopefully in the same edition as this one. I definately don't want one that is more modernized, abridged, or edited.

The copy I'm reading may not be perfect, but it is close enough for me. It is early twentieth century (nearly as good as nineteenth century for readibility) and formatted quite differently than a modern volume. To some extent I started reading the book because I was curious, and so that I could force my way through and say that I'd read the first modern novel. By this point I'm not forcing myself to read in the least, I am genuinely enjoying the book and I want to see what happens next!

~Matt

No Regrets

...have I about my decision to see Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. No, not at all. I'd probably be a bit more tired right now if I'd stayed home, but I'm sure I wouldn't yet be asleep. I really only have two complaints about the movie.

1) It suffers from Redshirt syndrome in that no names die, not the actors that you know. But to be fair, the only multiple unit multimedia (i.e. TV and movies) production that doesn't completely suffer from this is Lost (it has several main, main characters--but several other main characters have died/left because of the plot, not actor's decisions).

2) It is obviously the middle child of a trilogy. Like The Matrix, Curse of the Black Pearl could have stood on its own forever. I'm sure it would have had it not been as wildly successful as it was. With Dead Man's Chest though there must be a sequel. There is an ending, and you have some resolution, but many threads are left hanging--begging for conclusion. I fear this was inevitable as they filmed the second two movies together. The first movie of a proposed trilogy has to stand on its own--you can't bank that people will go see part I if part II is years away. I think it would be interesting to examine Episode IV (A New Hope) and see if it conforms to this pattern--it has been too long since I've seen it to allow me to properly comment on this idea I just hatched.

Other than these relatively minor problems I thoroughly enjoyed the film. I'm so glad I saw it on opening day, because now I have time to persuade myself to go see it again! Yeah, it was good enough that I think I would pay to see it in theaters again. The humour was excellent--I (and many of the other people in the crowded theatre) were laughing through much of the movie. Depp was fantastic with his portrayal of Jack Sparrow as a decidedly atypical pirate. Look also for many connections, tie-ins, and allusions to both the first movie and to the ride. I think that now we've seen nearly all of the scenes fromt the ride--but I could be wrong. I've not been on the ride since October 2004, so there could be something they're saving for the third movie.

I'm not sure how to classify these movies (historical fantasy?) but whatever they are, I want them on DVD! :-) I could not count it a waste to add these movies to my collection. I have high hopes for the third movie.

~Matt

Pirates?

Well the movie opened today, and I've been waiting quite a while. I think that I'm going to take Don Quixote and head down to the nearest theatre. There are show times at 21:05, 22:00, and 22:45. I don't think that all will be sold out--if they are then I'll just head home all the wiser, but if not then I'll just get the soonest show and relax with my book until the movie starts. :-) This movie and Lady in the Water were my two big must see movies of the summer. LitW doesn't hit until the end of the month, so I'm anxious to see Pirates.

But, on the other hand I get off work earlier tomorrow and thus could get down to the theatre earlier. Ahh...I hate indecision. Why can't I make up my mind? Hopefully I will soon... ;-)

~Matt

PS Howard Taylor of Schlock Mercenary also has a great review up, so I'm looking forward to the movie even more.

Don Quixote

Last night I started reading Don Quixote. It is a great old copy, from 1941! It was a gift from the old librarian at my dad's school. I don't know why I've not read this before--but it is a great read. The text isn't paragraphed like a newer book with each line of dialogue in a separate paragraph--but that doesn't stop me from enjoying it.

~Matt

Mi hermana esta aqui

Si, es muy bien. Mi hermana esta en la casa.

~Mateo

Happy Birthday America!

This isn't exactly the country all of the Founders imagined, but I figure they had good imaginations. We may have modern taxes and laws that would probably have many spinning in their graves (Jefferson probably spinning faster than Hamilton). (My political studies advisor said we could solve any energy crisis by hooking generators up to all of the Founding Fathers spinning in their graves!) Nonetheless I think that we haven't done too bad as the longest lasting republican (the form of government, not the party!) experiment. It isn't the best system imaginable--just the best one tried thus far (except where God steps in and rules directly--obviously the best system).

Yes this post is full of caveats and explanations--but I'm still a patriot. I'm red, white, and blue. Happy Birthday America! You are two hundred thirty years young and if the Lord tarries I hope you live at least as many more!

I particularly like the "Don't Tread on Me" flag--which is the current Naval Jack for the "duration of the War on Terror." It strikes a very good pose for the military methinks. Of course the circle flag of stars below has to be my second favourite American flag (or my first? I'm not sure). It is such a great design.

~Matt

Swimming

I went swimming with the kids in the neighbor's pool again today. I think that I inhaled or absorbed too much clorine--my sinuses are bothering me. Tomorrow should be a very busy day, so I'm hoping I'll be better then, but I'm sure that I will be. A good night's rest should do me well.

Tomorrow will be my first day of work since last Thursday. For some unknown reason I was assigned four days off in a row--with no advance notice that I would have more than two (Friday and Saturday). I'm not complaining because it has allowed me plenty of time to watch the kids while my sister and brother-in-law are out of town, and my brother-in-law's mom (Marie) is busy with other family commitments (illnesses, hospitalizations, and such). I don't go in tomorrow until 14:15, so I should have enough time to watch the Fourth of July parade--if I get stuff done early before I have to go--for some reason I didn't go down last year to watch it. The Budweiser Clydesdales will reportedly be in the parade this year!

Tomorrow night my sister should hopefully be flying home from California with my two neices. I'm hoping that she doesn't miss her flight! :-) I don't mind watching the kids when it is necessary, but it will be nice not to have to. And I definately wouldn't have picked to have four days off in a row (it will be hard to adjust to work again) without going somewhere (say to my brother's to camp) it was perfect timing to help out in the middle of family crisees (what is the plural of crisis?). God certainly knows what He is doing--far better than do any of us!

~Matt

Another Dream

I only vaguely remember my dream from last night. I was working at the museum, but it looked quite different. I only remember the inside--but I was helping someone who needed a specific pass for an area of the building after hours. I went up to the ticket counters and my old supervisor Arden was there. I haven't actually seen her since she left at the end of '05, but in the dream I knew it was her. I don't remember what anyone said or how the process worked out since I think I woke up shortly thereafter. I really wish I could remember my dreams as well as Miah does, ;-).

~Matt

Oops

Yeah, I forgot this again. But I had a very good reason this time! ;-) My brother-in-law and sister left with my two neices for California. The older had surgery--she is doing better and they should be coming home the first part of next week. But, yesterday my brother-in-law's mom had to take off because her neice was in the hospital.

So I took care of the kids (I was off yesterday and today). I even fixed dinner, though I went with something easy, taco salad. In the morning we went to the library before I took Ryan to work--and it was nice to relax there, away from home for a while. In the afternoon we went to the park for several hours. The three boys had a great time on the playground equipment while I sat on the bench swing and read.

Today was another relaxing day as a few of us went out garage sailing--I'll get some pictures up soon, I promise! Then this afternoon we headed over to the neighbor's pool for a couple hours of swimming. I made sure to put sunscreen on first, so I don't think that I burned. Only my arms are tanned--the rest of me is quite white still!

~Matt