I’m not going to list all the things that I’m thankful for, since I did that last year and it pretty much covers it for this year too. I don’t know that I have anything new to add.
So sit back, eat up, and enjoy the first interesting Thanksgiving Day football game involving the Lions in my lifetime. Go Packers!
Once upon a time (in 1991), a fantastic movie by the name of Hook was released, and changed the world of film forever.
Okay, not really, but I liked it nonetheless.
The story line was fairly unique, as far as I know: after Wendy left Neverland, Peter followed her as well, grew up, and became a dad, and a lawyer. Years later, Hook finds him and steals his kids, forcing Peter back to Neverland, and back to the life he left behind and forgot about. Finally, he reconciles his two identities: Peter as the never-growing-up-carefree-leader of the Lost Boys, and Peter as a responsible adult in the real world.
Robin Williams was alright in the main role, but for me the star of the show was Dustin Hoffman (I guess you could argue that Dustin Hoffman had the main role, since the name of the movie is “Hook” not “Pan”). Bob Hoskins and Julia Roberts are no slouches themselves. And I can guarantee you, nobody has ever seen Dante Basco in *anything* without shouting, “Bangarang Rufio!”
The whole world of the Lost Boys captured my young imagination. An awesome tree house, an adventure every day, whatever they could ever want to eat, they could fly for christsake, and a cool nickname to boot (well, most of them were cool at least). Plus, they continually out-thought and out-fought the adult pirates. Kid power all the way!
The characters were multi-dimensional too. Coming to terms with growing up. Jealousy issues. Parental issues. And Hook is just a flat out mess. It’s one thing to be a kid forever, but what about being trapped as an old man forever? And an old man who has to suffer defeat at the hands of a bunch of kids over and over for all eternity no less! Heaven for the Lost Boys, but hell for Hook. I was kind of glad that he stole Pan’s kids and tried to turn them pirate: at least the evil old bastard finally had a plan that was relatively successful! (Excuse me for being on the side of the pirates here)
I watched this movie about a million times when it came out. I haven’t seen it recently, but word on the street is, it holds up. I’m sure I would enjoy it through sheer nostalgia factor alone.
Any specific Hook memories?
The Big Bang Theory. I don’t get it. It just looks so awful, I can’t even watch the commercials. And yet, it’s one of the most popular shows on television. Is it hypnotism? Mass hysteria? It feels like I can’t even get through a day without someone telling me how much I need to watch it.
Timeout to go watch some clips on youtube.
Okay, I get it, the guys on the show are nerdy, and I’m nerdy. But the humor is so over the top and stupid, like they’re just beating you over the head with it. I hate shows like that! Shouldn’t nerdy people like shows that are clever and smart, not traditional, laugh-track sitcoms? And it’s not funny every time someone says something that sounds smart (and usually isn’t, by the way…using big words doesn’t make you smart). From what I’ve seen, the formula seems to be:
How can anyone stand to watch that, episode after episode??
You know, the whole thing reminds me of Two and a Half Men. Somehow it continued to be the most popular show in the world, and yet, I couldn’t imagine a worse show in the universe. Now The Big Bang Theory seems to have taken over the crown.
There’s only one explanation: some kind of pod-person-replacing-mass-hypnosis. Therefore, I can never, ever, watch the show. It will obviously replace me with some sort of Big Bang Theory zombie who must convert as many other people as possible, by forcing them to watch this god-awful show.
Evie: “I want to put this where it’s supposed to go.”
Me: “In the dirty laundry basket?”
Evie: “No, in the hamster.”
Me: “…”
Evie: “The hamster. For dirty laundry.”
::Me starting the car::
Evie: “Daddy, you didn’t buckle up your other arm!”
I had to explain that adult seat belts were a little different than kid seat belts.
Me: “Sounds like we need to pack a little more in your lunch.”
Evie: “I was NOT hungry!”
Me: “Well, if you weren’t hungry, why did you eat so many chips and raisins at school today?”
Evie: “Because I wasn’t going to be there tomorrow!”
Evie: “Daddy, let’s play Candy Land. I’ve already got the cards all dealt out.”
Me: “Okay.”
Evie: “I didn’t cheat or anything.”
Me: “I didn’t say you did.”
Evie: “Well…I’m just telling you that every, every, every other time I did.”
Friday is as good of a day as any for a time wasting flash game. In case you couldn’t tell by the name, Missilebreak Outvaders is like an ’80’s greatest hits mash-up of all the best video games: a combination of Missile Command, Space Invaders, and Breakout.
It’s kind of weird, since the games seem like they’re nothing like each other, and yet the combination works surprisingly well. Very enjoyable.
My high score is 150300. Can you beat it?
Shane Halbach 