Showing posts with label Tina Tuesday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tina Tuesday. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

tres amigas y una mala noche en el cine

En parte, fue culpa mía.
Debido a que era martes, tenía la intención de tener el combo de cameo como un trago, con la cena para seguir cuando regresara a casa. Eso significó que llegué al cine con hambre.
Debería haberme dado cuenta de que habría un problema cuando no olí el aroma de las palomitas de maíz frescas cuando entré.
Eso no era una buena señal, no era una buena señal en absoluto.
Sin embargo, no me di cuenta.
Estaba distraído por el estacionamiento lleno de autos incluso antes de entrar.
Estaba distraído por el aire frío de la noche que me obligaba a usar mi abrigo grueso, bufanda y guantes.
Me distrajo la idea de tanta gente en este cine más pequeño para ver una película entre semana.
Pero me quedé con mi plan de cenar allí mientras veía la película con Barbara.
Incluso ya había obtenido mi boleto en línea, así que todo lo que tenía que hacer era recogerlo en el puesto de comida y luego obtener mi comida y canjear el cupón de la encuesta.
La joven de la caja registradora me saludó alegremente, ¡reconociéndome como un habitual de Stephenson!
Ella tomó el código del boleto y me presentó mi recibo A * List para "The King's Man", luego me preguntó si quería algo más.
"¡El combo de cameo, por favor! Y también me gustaría conseguir estas palomitas de maíz de la encuesta", dije, ofreciendo mi balde.
"Se acabaron las palomitas de maíz", respondió ella.
"Te quedaste sin palomitas de maíz", le dije con asombro e incredulidad. "¿No hay palomitas de maíz?"
Cuando negó con la cabeza, le pedí los nachos de la película.
"Lo siento, también nos hemos quedado sin papas fritas, así como con los bocadillos de pretzel. Todo lo que tenemos son dulces y pizza".
Me di cuenta de que estaba reteniendo la línea, pero estaba aturdido.
No había pensado en traer Lactaid conmigo, para poder comer pizza ... Estaba planeando palomitas de maíz.
Ya había comido pizza margherita para el brunch ... Quería palomitas de maíz, había esperado con ansias las palomitas de maíz, solo estaba pensando en palomitas de maíz.
La miré a ella y al estante de los dulces varias veces, la gente se ponía ansiosa detrás de mí, yo me ponía nervioso porque mis opciones eran muy pocas.
Luego agarré una bolsa de Peanut M & M's, al menos habría algo de proteína en eso, y podría comerlos lentamente, y los pagué antes de dirigirme a la sala de proyección.
Eso fue bastante oscuro y tengo un problema al tratar de reconocer a las personas en una multitud.
No ayudó que Barbara hubiera traído a Sandy y que Carolyn estuviera sentada justo enfrente de ellas.
No estaba tratando de localizar a mis tres amigas ... solo estaba buscando a una persona.
O eso había pensado yo.
Bárbara y Sandy me hicieron señas, no una, sino tres, antes de que las reconociera.
Entonces, subí a su fila, manteniendo un asiento entre nosotros, quitando mi abrigo, acomodándome en mi asiento, bolsa de dulces en el portavasos.
No fue hasta que comenzó la película que me di cuenta de que la cabeza rubia frente a ellos era Carolyn.
¿Habían planeado esto como una sorpresa para mí?
¡Fue un buen pensamiento!
Luego prosiguió la película.
No pasó mucho tiempo antes de que comenzaran a aparecer escenas de la Primera Guerra Mundial.
¿Que qué?
No recordaba de ninguna de las vistas previas que se estableció en ese período de tiempo, pero está bien.
¡Al menos las escenas con Rasputin fueron entretenidas!
Pero luego siguieron más escenas de guerra, con hombres jóvenes asesinados innecesariamente ... y yo cada vez más agitado por ser engañado por las vistas previas para ver una película de guerra ... a medida que el contenido de azúcar en los dulces comenzó a funcionar en mi límite hipoglucemia.
Eso no fue bueno, nada bueno.
Cuando terminó el pseudodocumental, estaba más que listo para salir de allí.
Honestamente, si estuvieran tan decididos a volver a mostrar parte de la historia de "1917", entonces hubiera preferido ver esa película increíble de nuevo, no esta "cosa" que trató de tocar las fibras del corazón mientras daba un relato histórico ficticio.
Al menos "1917" suena a verdad.
Ni siquiera me quedé por los créditos.
Ni siquiera me quedé a charlar con Barbara, Sandy y Carolyn.
Ni siquiera les pregunté si querrían cenar tarde en algún lugar.
Sabía que todo eso tomaría demasiado tiempo; Necesitaba salir de allí mientras aún pudiera ser civilizado.
El caramelo en ayunas definitivamente había tenido un efecto negativo en el azúcar que corría por mi torrente sanguíneo.
Agarré mi abrigo y mi bufanda, les dije que necesitaba conseguir algo de "comida de verdad" y los dejé a los tres conversando frente a la pantalla plateada.
Estoy seguro de que salí del estacionamiento antes de que llegaran a la puerta principal del cine.
Sé que conduje más rápido de lo habitual en mi prisa por llegar a casa.
Comí pepperoni y una tortilla, luego desmenucé algunas sobras de pavo (del banquete de Thanksgiving de Christina) y preparé una sopa, agregando zanahorias para darle dulzor y pasta para obtener buenos carbohidratos.
Triturar el pavo ayudó a disipar la ira que se había acumulado por el exceso de azúcar en mi cuerpo.
Comer lentamente el pepperoni me ayudó a conseguir algo de proteína que necesitaba, para ayudarme a calmarme.
Ver el tonto "Marry Us For Christmas" había sido una buena distracción de la decepción anterior de la película que esperaba esta noche.
Honestamente, tuve parte de la culpa.
Debería haber prestado más atención a la fecha de hoy.
Y ahora, este día casi ha terminado.
Te doy gracias, Dios.

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

hitting a triple without even trying

Just how did I do that, you ask, and what am I talkin' 'bout?
Well, let me say this about that: I had a double header today and it was done at two cinemas in two towns.
As a reminder, the GTC in Pooler has cheapie movies on Tuesdays, and today was Tuesday.
As I-16 is under construction still/yet again/as always, I am not driving it at night.
So, I began my movie-hopping in that locale, seeing "The French Dispatch", a movie AMC had promised us, but had reneged.
As a Wes Anderson film, it was chockablock full of name brand actors, per usual, and I had very much looked forward to it.
It didn't quite deliver, though.
About halfway through, I suddenly realized that it seemed very familiar... and then it hit me what the issue was.
He had used the same format as he had for "Isle Of Dogs".
Yes, I realize that was totally animated and this one was not, though this did have some animated portions.
I'm saying the pacing and the block storytelling was the exact same for both movies.
That means that although I enjoyed this latest effort, I didn't love it.
I had loved "Isle Of Dogs", from the first time I saw it to the last time.
I'd gladly pay money to see it in the cinema again!
Yes, that's how strongly I feel about it.
I even wrote a game using several scenes in the movie!
(smile!)
So, where was I before my train jumped the track?
Oh, yes, heading back to Savannah for my second movie, to which I knew I would be late, but that was just fine.
I had already seen it once and so I knew I could easily miss the first twenty minutes and not miss any of the actual movie.
No, I am not referring to the block of previews AMC runs before each and every movie.
I'm talking of the "007's in love" prologue tacked on to the start of "No Time To Die".
And guess what?
Even with me walking in and buying my ticket at 3:49 pm... 
for the 3:00 pm screening of the movie...
I was perfectly in time to see the movie title and hear the movie opening song as the opening credits rolled into view.
How about that for perfect timing!
(smile!)
And as I watched, and thoroughly enjoyed, the exploits of Bond, James Bond, I came to realize that this was the perfect movie to be paired with the first one!
How so, is that the query?
Well, the two share three actors!
Seriously, I'm not making this up.
I know, it seems preposterous on the face of it, but... there you have it.
Jeffrey Wright is a food critic in the first and Bond's favorite CIA field agent in the next.
Christoph Waltz is first an art collector and then the Spectre mastermind, Blofeld.
Léa Seydoux is a prison guard/nude model for the first movie and then the pouty daughter of a hitman/psychotherapist for the second.
Very nice range, y'all!
And a surprisingly nice, better than expected, afternoon at the movies for me!
(smile!)

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

more vcrs lvng, vol 2 4 2sday

Guess what I had for breakfast today?
Blueberry waffles with extra protein, topped with vanilla yogurt!
Yep, there's a toaster here, so I've treated myself to a change of pace at brunch.
I wish I could say it was a most pleasing alternative... but, no.
That's okay, the morning's entertainment was quite appealing!
I get the Science channel here, so that's let me enjoy episodes of "How It's Made" to learn about the construction of a myriad of different things!
Yesterday, the topics were: stapler; disposable cartridge for a razor; allergen-free chocolate chip banana mini-loaves; bassoon reeds; and dive computers for wrist wear.
Today, I was treated to: shale bricks; organ, including the tuning of the pipes; surgical retracters and clamps; vending machines; ketchup; and wooden walking canes.
What a fabulous start to my days here!!!
And just what was on today's episode of "Vicarious Living Through Aunt Tina"?
A doubleheader at a fabulous little cinema at Sea Pines, that's what, with two movies that weren't coming any closer to Savannah than here on this little island.
I got lost in the traffic circles for a couple of go-rounds, but I absolutely adored this lobby the moment I walked in.
Enchanting, isn't it?
In a way, it reminds me of Cinematique, down in Daytona Beach, but this place boasted three screening rooms - and every one of them had a film not in rotation by the chain cinemas near me.
Such a treat!
Not that the movies themselves were a treat.
For both, the subject matter was quite serious and heavy, not frivolous in the least way.
Take this first one, "Blue Bayou".
I was about fifteen minutes late to it (as Nuvi cannot handle roundabouts, sadly, and had me literally spinning my wheels), but I caught up quickly.
The new husband of the cop's former wife had gotten into a fight with the cop's partner, causing the arrest of the new husband... and subsequent finding out that he was not a US citizen.
When he'd been adopted here in the 1980's as a child, somehow the paperwork to naturalize him had not been done.
The end credits were full of others in the same sad state.
All were people who had been adopted here by US citizens and raised here, but never given citizenship, so now being deported.
The second movie, "The Card Counter", followed a man who had been in prison for 8 years after photographs of the torture he'd used on prisoners were posted on the internet.
I remember those events in Abu Ghraib in 2004.
The man was making a living at the casinos and staying out of trouble until the son of one of his military mates approached him, wanting to exact revenge on the civilian who had trained them in torture.
 
 
Both movies dealt with the aftermath of chance encounters that led to big changes in their lives, and the lives of those around them.
Both movies had serious messages about the inability to change anyone else.
But the second movie was the one that impacted me the most.
The former torturer had received parole and was trying to live a quiet life, winning small amounts in poker games that allowed him to live anonymously in motels and travel from one casino to another, leaving no trail of discord, interacting with no one.
Then, this young man, full of anger, recognizes who the he is and sees him as an ally.
What to do to dissuade this young man from the path of destruction?
Money was needed, so the former torturer gets a backer and goes on the celebrity poker circuit, convincing the young man to go along with him. 
Money was made, enough to pay off the debts of the young man and of his mother, enough to allow him to go to college and make a future for himself, and the former torturer tries to give the money to the young man and has to threaten him to get him to take it.
All to no avail.
The young man goes after the civilian torturer on his own, getting killed.
The former torturer then exacts revenge for that death from the civilian torturer, knowing that he will be returned to Leavenworth, but seeing no recourse.
He had tried to do good for someone, he had allowed himself to become friends with someone, and he had failed to keep them safe.
Prison was the best place for him to be.
Wow... heartbreaking.
Tiffany Haddish was the woman who backed his bets for the final celebrity poker, proving to me that she can actually act.
Usually, she just plays the same blue, wild, coarse person in every role.
Not this time; she was excellent: refined, smooth, stable.
That was good.
Even so, the two movies were still rough on me and had my nerves jangled.
Perhaps it was the salty food I'd had as lunch that was partly to blame.
The cinema had some gourmet offerings, like the large Greek platter, loaded with black olives, slices of red bell pepper, circles of cucumber, banana peppers, wedges of Parmesan cheese, toasted pita, and savory hummus - that was lunch!
Still, it probably edged up my blood pressure.
Time to head for the condo and maybe just eat dinner there after all.
And then, right there at that intersection where I happened to be stopped for a red light, I saw it: Slapfish!
Right place, right time!
Talking to the young man in there while I waited for my to-go order really perked me up, too.
I told him about me first hearing of the restaurant in Pooler and that's what started us to animatedly chatting about seafood and good food and food that's good for you!
Very nice.
I took that treasure to my home-away-from-home, finding that I'd been gifted with much more food than I'd expected.
Just look at all those chips!
Doesn't that make a pretty sunflower arrangement?
Then there's all those perfectly sauteed vegetables!!!
Plus, the process of unpacking the food - finding a glass bowl to showcase the shrimp ceviche, plating it with the crunchy, homemade tortilla chips, opening the veggies and breathing that aroma - quieted my nerves and settled me down.
And what more did the universe have for me?
What else - one of my favorite movies!
Like, a movie for which I'd traveled down to Jacksonville to watch it, along with the first in the series, once upon a time.
Yes, yes, indeed, its Yondu Udonta, strutting his stuff, whether as Mary Poppins or evicted Ravager, in "Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2"!
and that was perfectly fine with me!
Right place, right time...

i thank You, God.

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

back to savannah i fly


Such a long day it has been!
That's to be expected, though when it begins at 3:45 in the morning... Pacific Time.
So, I was up at 12:45 AM to get ready to travel to the airport.
Paul was up then, too, thankfully agreeing to start his day almost two hours early.
We left the house at 0415 PT, arriving at the Oakland airport about 30 minutes later.
That was good, very good.
The queue at the security station was already curled around and continuing down the hall.
When my turn finally came, I was patted down thoroughly, just as I had been at the Savannah airport when I started this vacation travel.
Odd, right?
Determined not to have caffeine, I walked around, lugging my carry-on behind me, staying mobile to stay awake until time to sleep on the flight.
That worked quite well.
It was a very full flight, as Southwest had canceled a group of flights eastward over the weekend, leaving this one to fill up.
Lucky for me I had Business Select, so I was able to have a seat up front!
That was actually supremely fortunate, as I found out later.
I chose an aisle seat, on the second row, instead of sitting on the first row again.
I slept most of the three-hour, thirty-minute flight, leaving me refreshed upon arrival...
and ready for the sprint to my outgoing flight home, which was boarding by the time I had used the bathroom!
No time for breakfast in Dallas!
Good thing I'd spotted those trail mix snacks, with 10 grams of protein in them, when I was at Sonoma Harvest with Paul and Cathy.
The package of Moon Cheese bought for the flight west was almost empty.
Protein! 
That's what I need for breakfast!
So, on the second leg of my journey today, my caffeine consisted of a half-cup of Diet Coke and whatever was in the chocolate of the M&Ms in the trail mix.
This flight was very full, too, but I snagged the aisle seat on the second row again.
That meant I served as bouncer for the pre-teen girl traveling solo in the window seat.
I liked that role!
It's about to end, though.
When the plane lands, Carolyn is picking me up and we'll be off to the movies -
after all, it's Tuesday and that means 5-buck films at the Pooler cinemas!
I wonder what we'll see?
(smile!)

Monday, June 14, 2021

tcb, as elvis would say

Before I travel on Wednesday to Flo-ri-da, I needed to take care of things not only around the house, but also with my dear ride.
I had known ever since October that new windshield wiper blades were needed.
Knowing I had done the work myself in years past, I had declined at the time to have Firestone do it.
That meant the rubber had now met the glass so often that rainy day driving was now a hazard.
That would never do.
So after getting stood up at the matinee of "Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway", I forced myself to go to AutoZone and did the switch of windshield wiper hardware right there in the parking lot.
Hooray for me!
The car got 2 quarts of "the good stuff", too.
(smile!)
Then I met Carolyn, for real this time, to see "The House Next Door: Meet The Blacks 2", to round out my trio.
I had loved "Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard" so much that I watched it two nights in a row!
That's borne out in this photo of my A*List films.
Part of the attraction, besides that Ryan Reynolds guy, was all the scenes set in Florence and Rome and Positano and the Isle of Capri - all places I have been to, and gladly would return for, on my two trips to Italy.
How nice to revisit them on the silver screen!
The third, and final for the week, was this very funny, Don Knotts-esque, vampire movie.
But, wait!
Didn't I say I'd gone to an AMC movie earlier today?
Shouldn't that have been my third free one? 
Well, yes, and yes it would have been...
had I not made a reservation for the evening movie tonight.
That made sure I didn't have to pay the night-time surcharge for a ticket.
And, yes, that means I did pay paid to see the bunny movie, but t was a matinee...
and I'm a senior..
making it just over 5 bucks to view.
Might as well have been a Tina Tuesday instead of Monday!
(smile!)

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

not the grinch you're looking for


He's just a big green meanie from outer space and he's bad -
oh, so bad!
I couldn't help thinkin' 'bout "Little Shop Of Horrors" just now and the song the show had about its big, green, blood-thirsty plant - I so love that musical!
Sarris isn't flora of any kind; nope, just like us, he's definitely fauna.
Unlike us, he's not from planet Earth and, as far as I know, not even from anywhere in the Milky Way Galaxy... nor even from a speck of dust on a wish puff dandelion.
That's where the Grinch was from.
(smile!)
For my Tina Tuesday adventure, I chose to go out of this world, On Demand!
Hahahaha!  Hahaha!
I had intended to watch "Focus", in truth, and was about to cue it up when the listing directly below it called my name - no, not quite like William Shatner had done, but as Tim Allen channeling Captain Kirk would do.
That's because he was actually doing that in "Galaxy Quest"!
Not calling my name, silly, but doing the other thing!
(Get the inside joke from the name? Hey, I already gave a big clue! LOL!)
Such a cavalcade of luminaries in this comedic adventure, including Sigourney Weaver, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, Enrico Colantoni, and my dear Alan Rickman - and these were folks who already had name recognition in 1999 when they signed on for this spoof.
What a gem they have crafted!
I just may watch it again before it goes away on Friday -
the more mirth, the merrier!
(smile!)

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

not the elf i'm looking for on Tina Tuesday

Can you imagine any of these misshapen creatures crafting children's toys in Santa's workshop?
No, neither can I.
And, yet, these three, as well as a few others, were declared to be elves, each and every one of them.
Yes, the one in sunglasses with the bulbous nose?
He's an elf.
The one wearing the Lone Ranger eye mask?
He's apparently an elf, too.
At least the third fellow isn't too far off the mark.
And just where were these freakish fellows?
Well, they were in a holiday-themed pair of short movies written by Kevin Cecil (and his childhood chum), making them fair game on Tina Tuesday!
I'm actually a bit surprised I had never heard of Robbie The Reindeer, especially as I am so well acquainted with his dad, Rudolph.
No, I'm being serious.
And, like his dad's, Robbie's nose had a special power - it could sniff out locations, like some crazy GPS homing beacon.
There are three tales thus far about this crudely drawn resident of the far north...
wait, I shouldn't single him out like that, calling him 'crudely drawn'...
because, in truth, all of the characters were crudely drawn, with the most disconcerting feature being their mouths on one side of their faces...
with the two writers receiving accolades and Comic Relief benefiting from the films.
CBS On Demand only offered the first two of the three, so I watched both.
"Hooves Of Fire", from 1999, began with the arrival of Robbie on the bus to the town at the North Pole where the Reindeer Games were held. The bus came through in August and the athletic events were in December, so that gave the overweight beast time to get in shape.
That was good, because that's all anyone did for fun there: they trained for the Games.
Fortunately, Old Jingle, the same coach his dad had back in the day, agreed to take on the son for training, teaching him the importance of that special nose, too.
Next up, three years later - literally and figuratively - was "The Legend Of The Lost Tribe", in which Robbie has been seeing Vikings around town.
Not tall, blond, beefy men these guys... 
think of beings more like those elves, but with horned helmets.
Now, throw in some killer Bunny Rabbits - like, for real, and just released from prison - who are accompanying Blitzen in his feud with all things Rudolph, and sides can be drawn.
Crudely, of course.
(smile!)

Dinner will be courtesy of Kevin!
Truly, it will be!
Kevin's Natural Foods has prepared Cilantro Lime Chicken and all I have to do is heat it up.
What a deal!
Thanks, Publix, for having these in the showcase today... and for having them on sale, too!
I have some baby potatoes which will be just lovely with that chicken!
I even have fresh green beans!
Such a pretty dish for my dinner!

 
And what to do after?
Well, as good fortune would have it, there's an unwatched PFS film awaiting me.
How about that?
Even better, it's a film noir - one of my favorite genres!
"Mirage", from 1965, even has a Kevin in it!
This time, it's 51-year-old Kevin McCarthy, a very talented character actor.
Yes, this is going to be quite a fine Tina Tuesday!
(smile!)

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

still not the elf you are looking for

Today has been quite the Tina Tuesday!
I had a whopping total of four Kevins - and not a single one was anyone famous, like Kevin Bacon or Kevin Hart or Kevin Kline.
In "Jingle All The Way", Kevin Deon played a 'crazed shopper', yet another Dad who had waited too long to shop for the only toy his son wanted fro Christmas.
Hint: Do it before Christmas Eve, y'all!
Hahahaha! Hahaha!
That movie was followed up by the non-seasonal "A Million Ways To Die In The West", which had the other three hombres del martes de Tina.
Pictured here is Kevin Wester, portraying a bartender in a saloon where someone always gets killed.
During the barn dance, one of the men cavorting was Kevin Gallacher, a revered Scottish footballer.
And the third, Kevin Wiggins, was one of the cowpokes pokin' the workin' gal (wink wink) at the saloon.
Pretty sweet start... and I haven't hit the evening yet!
(smile!)

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

a christmas cactus for tina tuesday!

Yep, yep, I have a new plant!
That's it, my very own Schlumbergera Buckleyi, which is like a miniature of the huge ones Mama had.
Speaking of her, that Christmas tree brooch belonged to her and is one of the prettiest pins I own.
The red pullover, with the fireworks embroidery on the front and dark blue binding, was Mother Pat's.
As I keep saying, I am never alone.
(smile!)
For lunch today, I was actually in very good company with old friends!
Sue had invited me about a month ago to join her and Monica and the stars finally aligned!
I'm sure the folks at Jalapenos wondered if we had moved in... 
we were there three hours!!!
This was the first time we'd been together in years, so we had a bit of catching up to do, and a bit of reminiscing, too.
(smile!)
After all, it had been Sue that took me to Okinawa in 2004, allowing my heart to finally reboot after Mama's death in 2001.
Today, I returned this Japanese doll to her, to give to her daughter born later in 2004, now sweet 16.
She was elated to have t for her oh-so-girly girl!
(i thank You, God, for the heartfelt suggestion that raised such good memories for both of us.)
I'm glad I had it for her; Sue had brought the plants for Monica and for me, based on a remark I'd made on fb about the cactus.
It was good to have something for her to take home from our meeting today!
 
Now, I'm off to dance once more with Star-Lord!
"Guardians Of The Galaxy" is ending its two-week return on the silver screen and I'm trying to catch it twice more.
Including tonight's viewing, that will make five times that I've seen it during this run!
Plus, this evening's movie will mark it as my 55th since the the cinemas re-opened!
Right place, right time, all day.
What a glorious Tina Tuesday this has been! 

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

tina tuesday with ... michael rooker!

Here he is, arriving with aplomb to save the day!
Someone had fallen into the pit of a sand gobbler and was moments away from being -
I don't know, stung to death? rendered limb from limb? swallowed whole? web wrapped? - 
killed in some fashion.
Then Clyde came to his aid, throwing down a rope and hauling his silly self up to safety.
Hooray!
And just how on Earth had that hapless person found himself in such dire distress?
Surely, in a post-apocalyptic world overrun with overgrown insects and toads he would know to watch his step, n'est-ce pas?
Well, he was busy writing in this book that Clyde is reading now.
Yes, I said writing in his journal... 
while walking on unfamiliar land...
he might as well have been texting on a cell phone on a busy street.
Clyde was pretty impressed with the cataloguing the 24-yo had done, granting him passage with them for several days and teaching him some life-saving tips along the way.
Then the boy-child had been cut loose to continue his quest for the one who had been his teen love.
Clyde and Minnow veered off for their goal, the mountains.
Boy pondered going with that duo, but decided to stay with the one who had his former owner's dress.
Good dog!
 
That saga of "Love And Monsters" was again at the Royal of Pooler, again on a Tina Tuesday, but the focus was on the man who portrayed Clyde.
Michael Rooker was 64 years old when this 2020-debut movie was made last year.
In many of films, he plays a bad guy, but not here.
Rough and tumble, sure, but with a good heart.
I first fell for that quality in him in 2014, in ""GOTG" - my second feature tonight. 
Yes, yes, I am well aware that this is my third viewing of "Guardians Of The Galaxy" in less than a week.
Yes, yes, I realize that there are other movies out there that I have not yet seen (and may not, as they are typical dreary fall releases looking for Oscar).
Yes, yes, I intend to see it again if it is carried over for Thanksgiving week.
However, tonight was all about one man.
Yes, yes, one man on the silver screen was at the focus of my attention!
Yondu Udontu was that one man -
the one Ravager with the crooked teeth and big grin on his expressive blue face -
the one scavenger in that universe who well knew his place there -
the one who could command the attention of all just by pulling aside one edge of his leather long-coat.
As Rocket would say...
ohhhh... yeahhhh.
That was certainly what I said when he appeared in that scene!
He was on Zandar, facing down a dirty dozen bad guys, and he pulled back both sides of his wild-west duster, puckered up, and released his flying quill of death to write the doom of his assailants.
In less time than it has taken to write these words, the faceless Necron were falling in a synchronized ballet to the ground, dead.
What a thing of beauty that was!
And what a delight that the man 
knows how to whistle!
That form of mouth music has been such a joyous part of my life since I learned how to do it from Daddy!
How very wonderful to have it highlighted in this favorite movie!
And how fabulous to know that this fierce man has a soft spot for tchotchkes, too -
like I do!
His look breakable whereas mine are rubber ducks, but all look whimsical for one young at heart!
My many thanks to the Royal Cinema for giving me a place to meet my man of the evening.
My many thanks for providing two screening rooms (and the distraction of "Freaky" for others).
My many thanks to the Universe for arranging these two movies to be available on this same evening that is special to me.
Right place, right time.
i thank You, God.

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

'lection day luncheon!

Such a rare treat!
A weekday lunch with my first niece!
We haven't had those since she stopped working in Richmond Hill.
The reason we were able to today is twofold: she had not yet changed her voting address and she was off from work early because the littlest girl had misbehaved at daycare.
All of that worked in my favor -
i thank You, God!
It was even on a Tina Tuesday, so I'm counting this as my date night meal - oh, yes, I am!
I had been planning to pick up pizza from Papa Murphy's, but now there was no need for that dinner.
Cici's made one to order for me, sans cheese but with plenty of chicken, pepperoni, and veggies, so I was one happy camper.
Plus, there was that great big salad and fresh, hot cinnamon buns for dessert.
This was a much better deal...
and the company that shared this with me made it a repast fit for royalty.
(smile!)

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

royal romance respite!

Wondering where I went?
Thinking it might have just been to downtown Savannah on River Street?
Wrong, wrong, wrong!
Fooled you!!!
 
That lovely mural was on the wall of the lobby at the Quality Inn of Pooler.
Yes, really!
See my butterfly tote bag on the bed?
Room 204 was my haven for the evening, a long-needed chance for me to "wake up somewhere else", even if only 20 miles from home.
My first stop was Cheddar's afterward, for a very late lunch on this 'Tina Tuesday'.
(No, the bear was not with me.
I am claiming this as my new 'date night' since Fridays are no longer an option.)
First course was a fabulous salad, this time with honey-lime dressing rather than my usual balsamic.
Fabulous!
 
Veggie plate was my choice for main course!
How could I resist red beans and rice?
I could not - especially as I knew there would be sausage in that bowl!
I had saved the crusty croissant for dessert - tre bien!
Plus, I had a gift card, so I had treasure for Treasure to reward her service!
(smile!)
 
By the time my sumptuous dining experience was done, it was time for the first part of my doubleheader at the Royal!
I'm glad I'd bought my tickets last week when the bfrb and I saw the wolf flick!
I had not thought then of staying overnight... 
that decision was made on Monday.
So, what was the theme for my pairing of movies?
Well, I thought it was romance...
but I was not quite right!
"2 Hearts" turned out to be pro-organ donation, highlighting the life of Jorge, the man saved by Chris' lungs.
Gabriel House of Care was born from that gift.
"Love And Monsters" followed a 24-year-old on his 85-mile trek through a post-apocalyptic Earth to Aimee, his girlfriend when they were 17 and the world was normal.
He hadn't realized that she had maybe not been waiting for that boy... and she was now a woman.
So...
I hadn't gotten what I'd thought I would  -
but I certainly got what I needed.
Right place, right time.
 
Afterward, I'd bopped back to Exit 102, to my home for the evening.
Wonder of wonders, guess what was just starting on the telly?
Another romance: "Deadpool 2"!!!
Wade and Vanessa... two colorful jigsaw puzzle pieces perfectly fitted!
Afterward, I jammed to two old favorites, "Sex In The City" and "That 70's Show" and both of them had episodes about weddings!
Love those coincidences!
Then, what to my wondering eyes did appear?
Three nude men!!!
It was one of my favorite episodes of  "How I Met Your Mother", the one in which Robin falls for a stunt pulled by a one-night date... and that Ted and Barney each try to replicate.
Ah, the shadow thrown by The Naked Man is a long one, but not all can follow in his footsteps!
Hahahaha! Hahaha!
Feeling well and truly blessed, I was in bed by 1 AM - two hours earlier than my usual.
Right place, right time.
 
The next morning, I snagged the last English muffin at the free breakfast - woohoo! - and smeared it liberally with peanut butter and two types of jelly - both apple and grape - just because I could!
(smile!)
I ate in my room, reveling in "Night Court" with Harry and Bull, watching two episodes, flipping back and forth during the 'mercials to the Toddler Tunes music station.
Yes, that's what I said and that's what I meant, too.
Toddler Tunes was at the number listed for 80's Hits, but, rather than try to find the latter, I stayed for the jokes.
Seriously!
How does the ocean say hello?
 - It waves.
What did one wall say to the other?
 - I'll meet you at the corner.
Where do you learn to make banana splits?
 - In sundae school.
What do you get when you cross a frog with a rabbit?
 - A bunny ribbit!
 
Hahahaha! Hahaha!
Right place, right time.
Now, I am home again, my mental state much calmer...
my travel itch scratched... 
my psyche reset.
i thank You, God.

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

are those REAL?

 

Yes, the dish drainer does have real glasses and real plates and real forks.
I don't know that I'd go so far as to say the strike has ended...
but I would agree that a cease-fire has been called.
This is the second week of my usage of such, rather than the ersatz versions.
Has my stash of plasticware been depleted? 
Not hardly, although the disposable plates are almost all gone.
So, why the shift toward the real things?
Partly, I've stepped away from the plastic because I've needed a change.
Mostly, though, it was predicated by the arrival of an unexpected box.
I say 'unexpected', but it could well be that I simply forgot about the order.
The meals sent by Blue Apron are certainly ones that meet with my approval...
so, perhaps I did have them on 'impending' status and forgot.
That's certainly possible.
My drift factor has definitely increased this year.
They'd notified me on October 2 that I had a box on the way -
and it had arrived last week on Wednesday morning - 
so I had plenty of time to unpack it before my Royal adventure.
The menus certainly looked familiar.
So, I had started using real plates, thinking I would save the few remaining plastic ones for the meals I'd be making.
I've now cooked two of them and have not switched back to plastic.
Maybe I'll stay out of the china cupboard for this third meal...
maybe not.
As I said, my drift factor, due to my blonde roots, is pretty big now.
(smile)
Okay, time for "Quantum Leap"!
For this Tina Tuesday, Sam is a bouncer with a bouncing baby girl, shades of "Raising Arizona", then he'll be shipboard trying to win back the hand of his lady love from a mobster.
That latter one is the one I'm looking forward to, as he'll be clad in swim trunks.
Oh, yeah...
that's what I like!
No dinner and movie?
Frayed knot tying that together.
It looks like Saturday may become the new day for that, as the AMC (the cineplex, not the church) has switched to Friday-Saturday-Sunday screenings only.
Maybe that change is partially responsible for my drift now.
Then again, October tends  to be hard on me, though not so much as April.
Reminders of deaths of family, both those born with and those chosen.
Sigh.
Thank God for these imaginary fictional characters on tv for distraction.
(smile)

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

there are no accidents

 
Sure, this is most certainly an accident scene.
Four ambulances, as many police cars, and four lanes of blocked traffic at a major intersection (Abercorn and DeRenne) during rush hour...
most certainly an accident scene.
However, we all know he was not speaking of physical mishaps when he uttered those words.
His reference was in regard to timing of events to set a course of action: there are no accidents with those.
This wreck occurred yesterday, on Tina Tuesday, with me fortunately eastbound.
I had been westbound not thirty minutes earlier, planning for a movie in Pooler, when I realized I was going to be too late.
Moments earlier, as I was topping off the brake fluid and oil levels in my car, I had known I was cutting the drive time too close.
The glut of traffic for the I-16 exit had confirmed that, so I had continued on,  planning to turn around and head home in Garden City.
Instead, a CVS there caught my eye and I stopped by to look for the Olly Men's multivitamins that I had planned to buy in Pooler.
Lo and behold!
The store had them, as well as a superb sale on canned chicken and tuna, and those unsalted peanuts I like!
Having saved a whopping $18.23, I headed back for home.
That's when I came upon the accident scene and became grateful that I was not traveling westbound, where the line of cars stretched back almost to Waters Avenue.
i thank You, God.

That placed me home again in plenty of time for Dr. Sam Beckett to save someone's day - and to sing to me!
"Catch A Falling Star" found him as the understudy of a falling-down-drunk alcoholic Don Quixote... and in the presence of the piano teacher he'd loved when he was fifteen.
Ah, yes, a second chance...?
Not quite, as she and Ray - his new body - had been an item at Julliard.
Those embers were easily coaxed into the fire he'd nurtured as a teen!
Very nice!
 
Then what to do?
It was still 'Tina Tuesday', so of course I chose to watch a movie, 
e ere anei?
Crackle stepped up and presented "Cooped Up", an Australian made-for-tv film, made by Aussie tv stars, about a wrestler who has to go into quarantine because he might have caught a rare, but deadly, coronavirus.
Such a perfect choice!!!
Even though it was made four years ago, it was absolutely pertinent for these days.
Right place, right time.
i thank You, God.

Monday, October 5, 2020

not the groove, but groovy

I found out tonight how he received the name for red panda.
He had told me that he had learned some Mandarin so he could better enjoy the Chinese-language martial arts films that he enjoys.
I had assumed his teacher had given him the name.
No, that was not true.
I'm so thankful for the change in our schedule this week.
 
I had contacted him via text last Thursday.
The two local cinemas have reduced their days open to three per week, meaning our 'Tina Tuesday' would be movie-less.
I wanted him to have a heads-up to that change in our groove.
We both - not just me - use our weekly get-together to help us track time passage during this pandemic.
He thanked me for letting him know and grumbled off like the bear he is.
(smile)
On Friday, he had contacted me to suggest an alternative.
His home group was having their monthly meeting dedicated to celebrating their members' anniversaries on Monday evening.
That would be from 5:30 to 6:30, not too late for dinner afterward, if I'd like.
I replied in the affirmative, thinking it was just for the dinner.
No, that was not correct.
He invited me to be present for the meeting, too.
THAT is not only something different, but a welcome inclusion into this important part of his life.
Wow.
Afterward, he asked for suggestions on where to dine and I popped up with Cracker Barrel...
primarily because I have such a fond memory of a pre-holiday meal ahared there, with carolers, two years ago...
proffering a second suggestion of Olive Garden (knowing his comfort food is Italian)...
since choices are good to have...
and, after a moment to decide, he gladly accepted the first option.

Somehow, in the bright lobby lighting, I really noticed his red hair tonight.
Of course I knew he had that...
I just never quite noticed it.
Perhaps it was because he was dressed quite sharply, fostering a new, more grown-up look, with the cream tie and dark vest, that really completed his image much more so than a t-shirt ever did.
Perhaps that was what drew my attention to his hair, who's to say?
He had his favorite meal at that restaurant (country fried steak) and I dined on 'greens and beans' and the cornbread I had been missing with my chili yesterday.
I guess he must have been much more relaxed than usual...
maybe his new grown-up clothes have lent him some confidence...
but he told me he had been an ESL teacher for 6 months in China, post-graduate school...
and that is where he learned to eat with chopsticks...
and that is where he was given the name Xióngmāo, by the students.
Wow.
I really love these times when we just wander, taking the road less traveled in our conversation.
This truly has been a Marvelous Monday.
i thank You, God.

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

indy rapped, that's one bad mamma jamma

I adore this episode of "The Big Bang Theory"!
No, let me amend that: I adore all of the episodes where Howard Wolowitz sings!
The mechanical engineer is at his most charming when he is a nerd in touch with his inner pop star.
In this particular show, "The 2003 Approximation" from Season 9 - that's 2015, y'all - he and his best buddy, Rajesh Koothrappali, form a band.
Why would they do that?
Well, Stuart thinks such a thing might benefit the store.
To that end, he's willing to pay... well, he's willing to pay nothing, naturally, as he is perpetually broke.
Still, the two best friends jump at the chance to not only be boys of physics, but the boys in the band - whoa, shivers of excitement just at the thought! 
What kind of band, though?
A filk music band, suggested the astrophysicist.
(That's like 'folk music', but aimed at science and fantasy nerds.
I first encountered it at my inaugural Dragon*Con in 2008, in the form of a guy calling himself "Darth Brooks" - hilarious and smart lyrics to his tunes!)
Okay, so the dynamic duo have a gig and a genre...
but what name to use?
No worries there, Howard has had a band name in his (mental) back pocket ever since he was in middle school:
wow, right?
And Raj had a song title in search of lyrics:
"Hammer And Whip: The Untold Story of Thor And Indiana Jones" -
how magical is that?
Especially as I just saw Harrison Ford last night in "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back", so his image was fresh in mind!
(Hooray for Tina Tuesday and time with the bfrb in a real cinema!)
So, how was the song?
Well, I'm right here writing about it, so that means it was most excellent!!!
To be honest, this is my second time in as many days watching it and I may well view it once more before it disappears from TBS' On Demand list.
Here, you can judge for yourself from these lyrics!
 
"Oh, Indy,
Oh, Indy,
the skies are
so windy -
Is that a flying man with a killer bod?
Wait, that's no man, it's a Norse god!
Thunder clapped
as Thor raised his mighty hammer.
Indy rapped, 
'that's one bad mamma jamma!
 
Thor and Doctor Jones,
Thor and Doctor Jones,
one plays with lightning,
the other plays with bones.
One runs from Loki,
the other runs from stones.
 
Indy's whip snapped -
Thor's hammer hissed -
it was Avenger versus
archaeologist.
Indy held his ground
and straightened his Fedora -
Thor said that's a nice look
in nineteen forty-four-a.
 
Thor and Doctor Jones,
Thor and Doctor Jones,
one plays with lightning,
the other plays with bones.
Thor and Doctor Jones,
(Thor and Doctor Jones),
Thor and Doctor Jones,
one plays with lightning,
the other plays with bones."
 

Simply magnificent!
I'll have to relocate the link on youtube to post here so I can at least watch this part whenever I want!
(smile!)