Captain's Log: Star Date 05302019

It finally happened. I always heard about it but thought it was really strange.

As I was on the train home from work yesterday, I hear this very loud coversation between two women. Well, it was more like one loud woman with occasional single word interjections from the other.

She's describing a different conversation to a man about Star Wars. Then after a few more sentences says that she actually meant "Star Track". I wondered if she was being intentional with her choice of words, but the more I heard, nope.

Apparently she wasn't interested in either. There was a gleeful detatchment that I interpreted as "I'm not into that nerd crap." Yes, it was my interpretation and I chose to make her judgemental. I swear that interpretation was only partially based on context of being forced to listen to her boring conversation. She seemed happy to not know the difference.

I sort of get being proud of being detached. I like not giving a crap about sports ball. At the same time I understand people's enthusiasm. I also get their rage fits when things go south. That's the main reason I like to detach. That way you don't spontaneously sob when one of your beloved GOT character dies for crappy character development that could have been accomplished instead with the FREAKING.....

Sorry. My point is while I don't stand tall with my Warriors jersey hooting about three-peats (side note: they were giving away Warriors Tshirts outside my office yesterday. I love free crap, but I tamed my inner hoarder), but I am aware the name of the team.

Seriously, Star Track? It's not like you're being asked to remember the full title of Borat or Birdman. 

Okay, I'll save you 2 Goggle searches:
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Too Much Time on My Hands

Hey, that's a song.

We have tickets to see the Avengers. I have friends posting their selfies in the movie theaters. I tempted fate by looking up the voice of F.R.I.D.A.Y. I have so much to do and all I seem to want to do is go online and risk having the movie spoiled.

I mean, it's not as bad as my teenagers years where I spoiled Alien for myself as I looked up movie quotes on IMDb while there was still at least 30 minutes left. 

My husband tells me that even if he knows how it ends, he can still enjoy watching. He considers this a cultural event and enjoys participating. I'm making myself so anxious, and demand that this better be the greatest movie ever.

I hated Infinity War.. the first time I saw it. It left me upset. Husband didn't know it was meant to be two parts so he was totally confused. We rewatched it last night and even though I was upset, I wasn't fraught. It is an excellent movie. 

(Crap! I doubled checked if rewatch was a word and the first article up is about Marvel movies. I should have known.)

Sigh. There are plans for a three plus hour movie (Damn, I want to look up the exact time and now I'm paranoid.) and a meal out. Will my bladder betray me? Will I dehydrate? In my younger years, I ran out of Return of the King because I really had to pee and those fake endings can bite me. 

Still, I have a date with my husband tonight to see a movie we are excited to see. I also have brunch plans with a nerd friend that was there opening day. There are talks to be had. Hopefully. I hope I'm not upset again. There will be "real" deaths happening. This is the endgame. 

Don't tell my friend, but I'll be okay if Tony is doesn't make it. Oh, I might even cry. Please don't let this be a movie where I cry...

Hey, that killed come time. Only two hours left.

Retconned Movies

After listening to a podcast covering the War of the Roses and the hosts recommending The Other Boyelyn Girl, I was immediately watching the trailer. I remember when this movie came out and read through the plot as I figured I wouldn't enjoy the movie, but curious about the story. At least the non-spolied by common knowlege history parts of the story.

Here I am eleven years later and a decade plus of Marvel movies and extensive casts has destroyed my perception of this period drama. So Black Widow and Jane Foster are fighting over the Hulk's attention (no the other Hulk, no the other Hulk) AND Black Widow is married to Dr. Strange?

I suppose it tracks as much as Justice League. Well, I'm seeing Captain Marvel tomorrow and with that being a period piece, that should add to the fun. Wait, hot Dumbledore/Watson is in this one? But Watson/Bilbo was already in Civil War and Black Panther. Damn you Marvel. But also thank you.

More Plane Thoughts

Holy crap, I am literally in the same place I was last post. Or the same airport and impatiently waiting for my flight. This time I have my loving husband with me and pointed out the exact display that made me miss him one month ago. 

I'm happy to have this contrast. In fact, I am currently watching his crap (that he told me to guard with my life) while he does our standard preflight ritual stuff. Nothing like the preflight nervousness to make want to pee.

Oh, he's back. My turn. Got to enjoy this luxurious bathroom trip while my purse and travel pillow are protected. Ahhh....marriage.

Plane Thoughts

Written January 18, 2019.

I write this at 30,000 feet, and now is the perfect time to kill time. I find my blogging tends to take more time than I realize, so here I go as I am trapped in my preferred window seat and NOT having anxiety. (Don't mess with me potential turbulence.)

Even with the government shutdown, I was able to fly through security. I saw a coworker on her way to southern California and turns out I have an online friend on the same flight going to the same convention as me. Only found out through Twitter. INTERNET!

When I was back alone with my thoughts, I wondered how it would have been different if my husband was here too. We travel more lately (since I learned to manage my flying anxiety and started accruing vacation at a faster rate) and last year discovered we can travel independently.

Okay, we knew we could, we just didn't. We like each other. And we like being home. Don't get me started about leaving my dog. I would do a weekend away with my mom, but beyond that, my bed is comfy and already paid in full.

It wasn't until people on the other side of the road got me excited to get going again. So many fantastic podcast friends await me. Husband doesn't need to be dragged along.

But that means I won't have my human travel pillow with me. Wait, I'm fully responsible financially for this trip? Crap. I have to bring all my stuff with me to the bathroom at the airport and no one will save my seat. What kind of bullshit us this?

Then again, I'm traveling with so much less since I'm not doubling up on supplies and provisions. I don't have to scout out places and make the traditional trip to a drugstore where we buy a case of soda and two gallons of water. I don't have to worry about keeping him up with my snoring since we'll be on top of each other in a tiny room. I sleep when I want! And no mom style hovering when it's time to pack. I don't have to pack the dog for a trip to grandma's house.

Yes, benefits to be enjoyed. Still I miss the little jokes to be made when a typical travel foible happens. Or a certain word that in very special context is only funny to us said by a stranger. We have our moments. I'll miss those. I miss him.

I also know he's happy to get the bed to himself, can do the dishes on his timetable, and pizza will be on the menu all weekend.

While I'm a little sad to leave him, these times apart make me grateful we are allowed to be our own people. We just happen to share our stuff. Well, some of it.

Sweet, we're descending. Crap, bumps and seatbelts now required. Damn you lack of husband arm to grip. I'll live. It'll just be one more story to tell him tonight when we talk each other to sleep.

Movie Challenge 2018: Failure

Well, yes and no. I didn't make it to 12 movies this year in the theater. In fact, even with the plan to see Aquaman with a coworker still in flux, I still didn't make it. 

Without trying, I became a big reader. Not like those real people who read, but someone who now reads more than she used to. I bet if I looked back, I made it to twelve books this year. The portability, the fact that I can stop and start when I want, and there is not a designated space specific to where it must be consumed all contributed to my more frequent reading. 

Even though reading is fundamental and it's better than movies (if you believe your teachers) is that it still keeps me on my ass. I'm not advanced enough to read a book while on a treadmill. Or like the guy in Cotsco who was watching football while moving thorough the isles. 

So what movies did I see? Well here we are: 

1. Black Panther 2/18/18 
2. Ready Player One 4/1/18
3. Avengers: Infinity War 4/29/18
4. Deadpool 2 5/18/18
5. Solo: A Star Wars Story 6/1/18
6. Ocean's 8 7/3/18
7. Mission: Impossible Fallout 7/29/18
8. Bad Times at the El Royale 10/21/18


If I wanted to bulk up my time at the theater, I could count:

Jim Henson’s Holiday Special
Featuring Emmet Otter and Fraggle Rock


I suppose I could count that as two if I really wanted to. Sadly, it would be cheating and not winning. Double boo.

I'm okay with it though. It's about doing something fun and I didn't have the urge to see everything out. Here's to 2019 being more tempting.

Are Podcasts Sabotaging My Career?

Yes.

Okay fine, not exactly. I think it would be in my best interest to learn some hard skills to open up my career possibilities. Enter learning SQL. It's been high on my list since someone who wasn't my husband told me to do it. It was lower on the list when my husband suggested it.

I have my trusty library card ready for some access to online learning. But in my best Homer Simpson voice I think, "But then I won't be listening to podcasts. You can see the bind I'm in."

This is not a new thing. I also find myself working on low brain level tasks because I'm listening to something and I want to keep listening. So let's answer some e-mails, collate some papers, not take on something that requires more than 15% of my focus. It only occurred to me that this might be keeping me from learning and advancing. 

It was a scary thought. Should I create some sort of non podcast listening pact with myself to better myself? Yes. Will I do it right now? No it's time for bed. Maybe tomorrow. Thursday is a slow release day for me anyway. Wish me luck....oh a new Pen Pals is out! #saga