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My thoughts for today
This post was inspired by Penny, who was in turn inspired by some random blogger. Apparently there are rules and regulations for answering these questions, but whatever. I’m a rebel. Anyway, here we go.
Outside my window… the Mystic River.
I am thinking… of all the work I have to do today.
I am thankful for… my baby boy.
From the kitchen… leftovers.
I am wearing… blue jeans and a polo shirt, because neither needed to be ironed.
I am creating… an adorable little monster.
I am going… to buy some comic books tomorrow.
I am reading… The Terror by Dan Simmons.
I am hoping… to find my ice cream recipe book.
I am hearing… the sound of drums.
Around the house… unfinished projects.
One of my favorite things… the way the wind cools you down when reach the top of a mountain.
This weekend I plan to… go to a party and fix the back steps.
The Tuesday Traveler # 9: Lookout Mountain, Tennessee
Where: Lookout Mountain, Tennessee
When: September 2005
What: Yep, that’s me hang gliding 2,000 feet above Tennessee. I’m flying tandem with an instructor from Lookout Mountain Flight Park about 20 minutes from downtown Chattanooga.
There are at least two ways to launch a hang glider. One is to climb to the top of a mountain and jump off the edge at a full run. The other—and this is the approach I took—is to tie your glider to the back of an airplane with a long bungy-like rope. When the plane takes off, so do you. Once you’re a couple thousand feet in the air you let go and float gently to the ground like a leaf on the wind. All in all, a thrilling yet mildly terrifying experience.
Things you can’t see in this picture: 1) The Vulcan death grip I’m employing on the crossbar, and 2) The wide-eyed exhilaration on my face. This is probably not something I’ll ever do again, but I am happy I did it at least once. Happier still that I lived to tell the tale.
My weekend, by the numbers
Ten minutes arguing with Penny about cat urine. (Don’t ask.)
Nine issues of New Avengers read, bagged, and boarded.
Eight innings of baseball watched.
Seven really cute pictures of Ethan taken with my cell phone camera.
Six failed attempts at downloading those pictures. (F**king Verizon!)
Five episodes of Doctor Who watched. (Including this awesome one.)
Four miles walked in the woods at Ravenswood Park in Gloucester.
Three new words added to Ethan’s vocabulary (“up,” “hat,” and ”hot”).
Two long walks around Beverly with Ethan and Penny.
One minor foot-stomping temper tantrum by Ethan.
Zero effort put into fixing the back steps.
Jolly Green Giant
Three Super Bowls, two World Series, and now an NBA championship.
WOW.
Hulk is smashing good
I have seen the Incredible Hulk, and it is good. Very good. Better even than the generally positive reviews are giving it credit for.
This Hulk recalls the very best parts of the TV series—Banner as a lonely exile on the run and looking for a cure—with bigger set pieces, better acting, and a firm place in the growing Marvel Universe of the silver screen. The screenplay displays a sharper-than-it-needs-to-be wit, and Ed Norton brings genuine pathos to Banner’s tortured existence. The CGI is pretty good, too.
Side note # 1: Anyone who thinks Hulk shouldn’t have been CGI needs to watch the Fantastic Four movies again and take a long, hard look at The Thing. No, wait, I take that back. No one should have to watch the Fantastic Four movies.
Side note # 2: A big eff-you to A.O. Scott for this little throwaway line from the New York Times’ review: “If you really need a superhero to tide you over until Hellboy and Batman resurface next month—and honestly, do you? really? why?—I guess this big green dude will do.” First of all, Hulk smash puny film critic; and second of all, yeah, I like comic book movies. What of it?
Anyway, I digress.
The Incredible Hulk is a world away from the 2003 version, and thank god. With any luck this one will have legs at the box office and spawn a few sequels. Keeping Norton in the fold as Banner is the key, though. (Easier said than done, unfortunately.) He really makes the movie work, and without him I don’t think I’d be nearly so high on the film.
For my spoilerific take on this movie—and to see two grown men argue like teenage fanboys about how high the Hulk should be able to jump—read the comments section of Eric’s review.
Father’s Day
I awoke this morning to find my cat’s rear end planted firmly in front of my face (we call this the anal salute), and the first thing Ethan said to me was “mama,” but after that things went great.
Penny made blueberry pancakes (delicious) and later took Ethan grocery shopping so I could lay around and do nothing for an hour. (I read the first two issues of the new Invincible Iron Man comic. Good stuff.) We then headed to my parents for a Father’s Day / 60th birthday bash for my dad and hung out by the pool with my parents, grandmother, brother, sister, and a whole gaggle of nieces and nephews. Dad seemed to like the Patriots tickets I got him. Just wait till he figures out I put ‘em on his credit card.*
Actually it was a festive weekend all around, because yesterday we also celebrated my father-in-law Ken’s 60th birthday. Penny and her mom planned a surprise party, and they somehow pulled it off despite the fact that Ken is usually pretty good at uncovering secrets. We had a great time and Ethan behaved like a saint sitting at the table for three hours. It’s not every weekend that he gets to see both sides of his extended family.
In summary, a great weekend to be a dad.
(* – I kid. He’s smart enough not to give me his credit card number.)
Not Happening
Wow, is there anyone in Hollywood on a worse losing streak than M. Night Shyamalan? I was hoping The Happening would turn things around for him. Apparently not.
Reason # 6,871 why I hate Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant’s post-game comments after the Lakers historic collapse at the hands of the Celtics last night.
“A lot of wine, a lot of beer, a couple shots, maybe like 20 of them, digest it, get back to work,” Kobe Bryant said when asked how the Lakers could possibly bounce back.
Got that, kids? When the going gets tough, drink! That’ll fix everything.
Pathetic.
Ethan-to-English dictionary (updated!)
It’s pretty cool to see Ethan developing language skills and a vocabulary. He’s only 15 months old and already he knows a bunch of words. He still needs a translator for those who don’t spend hours a day with him, though. So here to help is the official Ethan-to-English dictionary. Study up!
Baa Baa – Whenever Ethan sees a sheep in the pages of one of his picture books, he says this. I can only assume he picked it up from the farm animal noises we make when we read Brown Bear to him.
Boon – A balloon.
Bowoo – A boat.
Chu Chu – A train, such as the Rockport commuter rail line that passes by our house about 10 times a day.
Da!? - Typically accompanied by an extended pointer finger, this exclamation is actually a question, loosely translated to, “What’s that?”
Dada – His daddy, of course.
Deeda - Any furry creature, such as a cat, squirrel, or harbor seal. The word is derived from “Aida,” the name of our portly little cat.
Gook - We think this means, “Look!” Or possibly, “Fish.” Don’t ask.
Mama - His mommy.
Nana – Used interchangeably to mean either his grandmother or a banana.
EDIT: I forgot some! Here are a few more.
Hi-eeeeee! – His enthusiastic greeting. Not exclusively reserved for human beings, however.
Hi-eeeeee Boy! - Just what it sounds like.
Hey Baby – Yes, he really does say this. Honest to god. To girls on the beach, no less. Attaboy, Ethan!
Uhhhh? – The Ethan equivolent of “whatchutalkinbout, Willis?”
So there you go. He’ll be writing his own blog in no time.
