Dave’s Neighborhood

I Had A Pair of Star-Studded Dreams

Craxy
Jun 1, 2008
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Dream one featured Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald, both in their younger rounder years sitting on a couch, and Oprah Winfrey peeking out of a doorway. I don't remember what else was in it.

Dream two featured Paul F. Tompkins trying to put the intellectual moves on me on a train (Amtrak, not Metro), and some couple with a child that I don't know asking for an update on his progress when I got up to go to the bathroom. And I was dressed impeccably.

Sex And The Suburbs

Craxy
May 31, 2008
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Last night, I ventured outside of the Beltway with my friend Rachel to see Sex And The City in a theater less, uh, colorful than the one in my neighborhood.

That started out as one of the most embarrassing experiences I have ever had, and thank God that I was there with Rachel. The movie started five minutes late. By movie, of course, I mean the previews. About halfway into the trailer for some piece of crap starring Dane Cook, everything stopped and the lights came on. And then the outside voices started. And then the chants of "We want sex!" It was about that time that I called the front office to find out what was going on in the projection room. After conferring with Rachel, we decided if something wasn't happening by 10:45 we'd leave (it was supposed to be a 10:15 show). 10:42 the lights go back down, the shrieking commences, and... the previews continue. Eventually the movie started, and it was good (if not a little draggy but that might have more to do with the fact that somehow our 10:15 show ended at 1:05 after the projection room malfunction.

All of the footage of Carrie's apartment made me wish that my own living space was better maintained. And then this morning, I was told that some people are coming to put an attic fan in on Monday afternoon. The only way into the attic is through my closet, so I will be spending the weekend cleaning out the closet AND the rest of the room. Divine intervention or huge inconvenience as I have spent this week in a funk the size of Madagascar (the country, not the movie) and have like 8 homework assignments that must be done and a test to be scheduled. I'm leaning towards the latter, but I think that's residual negative energy.

Way After The Fact

Craxy
May 25, 2008
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I think Sarah Jessica Parker's crazy acorn hat was AWESOME.

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Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Things I Can't Abide

Tom
May 20, 2008
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I've been saving up buckets of leeway for "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal ~~Light~~ Skull." I'm enough of an Indy nerd that if I show up with criticism on my mind, I'll find plenty to hate. My only options are to skip this one completely or zero out my expectations and happily wolf down whatever I get.

Considering a Raiders clip popping up on Muppet Babies was once enough to bring joy to my heart, it shouldn't be too hard to satisfy me. But there are some scenarios that would burn through my leeway store pretty quickly.

Namely:

Indiana Jones and the CGI Shenanigans

I've read encouraging accounts of Ford and Spielberg slapping the computer out of Lucas' hands, but this being a Lucasfilm joint, there's a fair chance some "wizardry" will still creep in. Well-crafted, necessary special effects or crowd/building enhancement are fine and dandy. But I don't want to see anything that stands out as the product of ILM, Class of 2008

My biggest concern -- aside from a Jabba cameo -- is a flashback featuring a CGI 35-year-old Indy. The digitally spry Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen in "X-Men: The Last Stand" weren't as horrible a the zombified digital Orville Redenbacher, but youngifying technology has a long way to go yet.

I'd also be displeased if there were any reason for a scene with a younger Indy, such as...

Indiana Jones and the Past Twenty Years

I do not want to know all about what everybody's been up to since the Last Crusade. One of the most wonderful things about the series is the adventure serial sense that there are countless off-screen adventures, which are potentially even more awesome than what you're watching. And there's no reason to talk much about all the other adventures, because each could be some other movie. Temple of Doom occurs before Raiders, but you'd only know that by comparing the date captions. Each adventure stands alone.

Indiana Jones and the Famous Indiana Jones

I'd also hate to find out that in the past 20 years, Indy's adventures gained him fame beyond the tight-knit fortune-and-glory community. Mainly, I'm not interested in Indy grappling with his own legacy as a theme.

I know this one seems awfully specific. It only occurs to me because I imagine Spielberg, Lucas and Ford have wrestled with such things and might spew it all over the screen.

Indiana Jones and the Old Indiana Jones

For that matter, I'd rather no see Indy grapple with any sort of aging crisis at all.

I've been a staunch opponent of the "Harrison Ford is too old to play Indy" position. I never thought Indy was the sort of hero that needed to be any particular age. In fact, that's integral to the whole idea -- he gets by mainly on hard work and thinkin', not on youthful prowess.

So, I'd rather the movie didn't make a big deal about his old-manness, at least not to the point of it being a central theme. And I really wouldn't like the idea of the story being "one last adventure." To me, the potentially wonderful thing about the new Indy movie is the idea that the guy just keeps adventuring his whole life. This is a highly worthy theme.

And of course, taking the "one last adventure" notion to its furthest extent would realllly bug me, which is why I fear...

Indiana Jones and the Dead Indiana Jones

For one thing, 95-year-old Indy already showed up in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, so we nerds would never stand for 60-something Indy kicking the bucket. For another thing, that sort of plot turn would be counter to the whole spirit of the films. A series of continuing adventures shouldn't have a hard stop.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of In-Jokes and Anachronisms

One of the most infuriating things in the Phantom Menace -- on par with Jar Jar, even -- was the schticky Greg Proops two-headed pod race commentator monster thing. Specifically, this little jokey-joke: "I don't care what galaxy you're from, that's gotta hurt!"

So, the inhabitants of the StarWarsverse know that they're in a sci-fi series? And they use catch phrases that come from a long time in the future, in a galaxy far, far away?

Here's hoping the guys resist the opportunity to pander to casual fans with jokes from modern times, references to other Spielberg/Lucas/Ford projects or yuck-yucks about waiting a long time between adventures. That flies in Oceans 11 movies, but not here.

Indiana Jones and the Visit to Present Day

In the years leading up to the Star Wars prequels, I had a recurring nightmare that the new movie was all about Luke and the gang showing up in 1990s America, where hilarity ensued, Star-Trek-IV-style.

If aliens pick up Indy and drop him into a world of Starbucks and American Idol, I'm driving straight home for the torches and pitchforks and heading to San Francisco.

I know this is highly, highly unlikely. But there's just enough supernaturalness and Lucasness involved that I won't feel completely safe until the credits roll.

But all that far-fetched worry aside, I'm as giddy as can be. I want to see it opened as well as you. We are simply passing through history. This is history.

Do as you will.

QotD: Personality Trait = Trouble

Jam
May 4, 2008
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What personality trait has gotten you in the most trouble?

My ability to leave until tomorrow what I can't be arsed doing today. The official term for this personality trait is "procrastination". I have spent my whole life staying up late the night before an essay is due, and exam is to be sat, a job is to be applied for, a deadline is to be met trying to get work I've left to the last possible minute done.

While this causes me much stress, and I suffer long hours of envy watching others who plan and execute their tasks in timely fashion in the weeks before deadlines (mostly I procrastinate my time away wishing I was this person) I have now decided that this will never happen.

Therefore, I have come up with a brilliant set of thoughts to justify my procrastination trait:

I always have the most up-to-date information as I've only gathered it the night before
I do have a good nose for knowing the very minimum amount of time I need to do something
I can switch on my superworking powers very late at night and accelerate progress
When I procrastinate I trick myself into doing "other" tasks so stuff still gets done

Unfortunately, outside my work environment, the fallout from my procrastination includes:

friends thinking I don't care because I miss their birthdays
partners thinking I'm stupid because I didn't pay the electricity bill early to gain a saving
family thinking I can't make a decision because really, I just don't care enough yet (wait til I'm closer to the date)
sleepless nights worrying and running risk analysis scenarios and potential outcomes

At What Point

Craxy
Apr 30, 2008
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do you seek medical attention for sleeping problems? I'm on about three weeks of really bad sleep.

I've tried wine and hard liquor. I refuse to try Ambien. Tylenol PM doesn't even help pain, much less bad sleep. I cut out my after-dinner coffee about a week ago. Melatonin is next, I think. But after that I'm pretty much out of options.

Good Times at Starbucks

Craxy
Apr 29, 2008
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I was lucky enough to have two fun experiences at two different Starbucks today. I know you're thinking, "Jenny, how fun can Starbucks REALLY be?" Here's how fun it is -

First up - this morning at a Starbucks in Silver Spring. I was at the fixins bar waiting for it to clear out so I could properly fix up my Americano. A little boy (3 or 4, no older than that) in a definitely grownup sized knit hat challenged me to a straw duel. Because of the fixins bar lineup I had no straw with which to fight, so I had to dodge a couple of jabs and then bow out. "You win!" He beamed and left with his mom.

Secondly - this afternoon at a Starbucks somewhat near my office in the middle of nowhere (Hanover, MD). I had just come from Staples, where I procured a Dymo LabelBuddy so I could start festooning my surroundings with "You Look Nice Today" stickers, as per my instructions (I do everything the Internets tell me to do). The guy behind the counter asks me "Hot or iced?" which made my day, because I love it when people know what I want before I can tell them. I said "Hot" and he asked how I was doing. "I'm great, I'm getting ready to do some feel-good graffiti!" He laughed and laughed, thusly giving me another little bit of the current greatest joy in life, making cute boys laugh.

So there you have it, good times are definitely to be had somewhere that is usually just a filling station.