Random Thoughts for the Week of May 11, 2012

• Congrats to Kevin for his great appearance on KETV this past week talking about his journey!  Couldn’t be more proud … at least until he loses the next 100 pounds.    The interview with Marty was awesome … just the kind of things folks need to hear but never do.
• Yeah, the new Dark Knight Rises trailer has got me super-stoked for the movie to come out in July! And yet, somehow, I don’t really want to go see the new Spider-Man movie.  I guess how many times can you tell the same fucking story?
• It wouldn’t surprise me, but I’m pretty sure the alien and ship in Ridley Scott’s “Prometheus” is the same design and look of the alien ship that crash-landed in his other movie  “Alien.”  Can we say tie-in? Or, can we not come up with a new idea and just use Geiger’s art all over again?  Harrumph.
• Thank you, Mr. President, for finally endorsing gay marriage.  Why couldn’t you do that years ago?  Why the hesitation?  It’s a pretty simple issue to choose a side on.  But now how can I trust that you’re not making this declaration simply as damage control for the mistakes your administration made this past week, or some other political ploy?  How do I know you’ll really work to make it legal nationwide?  Yeah, I don’t, so your declaration really holds about as much water as a Kleenex tissue.
• Then again, I agree with Clint Eastwood and Mitt Romney … we’ve got more important things for our lawmakers to be focusing on right now.  Although, I agree with Clint and disagree with Mitt; gay people should be allowed to get married.  Why should I, much less my government, care enough to regulate it?  Love is love.  Let is happen.  I am enjoying the jokes at Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh’s expense; the advocates for traditional marriage are people who failed at it so many times themselves.  Sad.
• So, do I vote for Obama to ensure that gay marriage isn’t banned or for Romney to ensure the economy doesn’t go into the tank with out-of-control government spending?  Some days, I it’s really frustrating living in this country.
• Isn’t it amazing how a dog will do so much to make your life better and all he asks for in return is a little food, water and love?  How did I live this long without a dog?
• RIP Bear.  You were a sweet dog who took good care of that family time and time again.  You’ll be missed.
• Endured the finale for “The Voice.”  Didn’t think any of them were anything better than I’ve heard on good karaoke nights, but whatever.  My favorite thing about the show?  The end credits on the show are rolling, and just when you think you can breathe a sigh of relief that you’ll get a break from amateur singers, the announcer happily declares “America’s Got Talent” starts next Monday.  Shit, didn’t even give us a week to enjoy the peace.
• Speaking of that, I’m calling it here first: Howard Stern will start a “feud” with either Howie or Sharon and they will build it up into a marketing blitz to get people to watch the show just to see what they’ll say to each other. Yeah, let’s forget the show is called “America’s Got Talent” cause it’s all about the judges. Please. “Reality” TV is such a waste of time.
• Another show I have secretly learned to love lately?  “House Hunters.”  It’s interesting to see so much variety of homes, so many options, and listen to the people react.  The bad episodes are with the bitchy people who can’t ever be satisfied (fixtures girl, Chicago girl, etc.).
• Really like how “Game of Thrones” is going.  Make the wildfire Cersei’s plan?  Okay, a nice change that will probably end up the same.  Arya serving Tywin instead of the other Lord of Harenhall.  Not sure how that’s going to end up.  The casting has been superb all around.  I miss the characters who helped Bran escape Winterfell, but that’s okay too.  My favorite part of last week?  Listening to Mindi berate Theon for the dumbass that he is.  Awesome.  More sex, please, HBO.
• I like looking through greeting cards that are addressed to “my wife.”
• Joss Whedon was one of the writers of “Toy Story.”  Wow.  More on him below.
• This week it seems like most of the people I talked to were more likely to criticize my decisions then support them.  Sure, I appreciate the help, particularly when I’m wrong, but come on, people!  Sometimes I’m going to do things that you wouldn’t.  That doesn’t mean that I’m wrong and need to be corrected every fucking time. Sometimes a little support goes farther than whatever truth you think you’ve got.
• Walking around Washington DC last week I had a sobering revelation about my adulthood.  I passed group after group of 20-something's, all dressed up and heading to the party bars with the loud music and the slutty girls looking for fun.  You know where I wanted to be?  Anywhere but there or near those people!  At best, I wanted to be in a sports bar where I didn’t have to dress up and the odds were good I could hear my friends from across the table.  No bands.  No DJ’s, please.  Just some sports, some good food, drinks and my friends.  Of course, there weren’t any sports bars around and my friends were all back in the midwest, so I went back to my hotel room.  LOL.
• NBA playoffs … ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
• So when do we decide that Tiger Woods will not get his groove back anytime soon and give the guy some space?  I swear there are some amazing plays and wins from other golfers getting less air time then the latest update on Tiger’s early eliminations.  Don’t get me wrong, I like Tiger the Golfer.  I love to watch him play (well) and I love the story of his rise to greatness.  There’s only so long we can watch a train wreck.  Seriously, did we watch Ben Hogan’s career slowly dip into the sunset? Or Jimmy Conners?  Give the man some space, folks, and let’s see if he can get his game back without us expecting each weekend to be the time he does.

WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT THE AVENGERS MOVIE

• Okay, first of all let me be clear that I have always been a huge Avengers fan.  It was definitely one of my favorite comics growing up, along with Iron Man as it so happens.  Although lately they’ve made some choices I haven’t liked (Wolverine joining the Avengers?  NEVER should have happened) but they’ve weathered the storm well.  So I went into this movie with my normal skepticism and pickiness.  That being said …
• I fucking loved this movie.  Great action from start to finish.
• They didn’t waste time with origin stories, the bane of any superhero team movie (i.e. X-Men).  They can jump right into the action with little explanation from the previous movies.  This is the first time I’ve seen that work, and it worked well.
• Joss Whedon’s fingerprints are all over this movie.  From the quips in dialogue to the Hulk knocking Thor off camera, his wit and style are all over the place, making the movie that much better.  By that same token, killing off a character is something he likes to do, and they picked the wrong character this time.  Probably the only thing about the movie I didn’t like.  Also, I like how he keeps his friends in the movies he makes.  Alexis Denisof was the alien ambassador Loki met with.  He also found Cobie Smuthers through Alyson Hannigan.  I like that kind of loyalty in Hollywood. Something tells me there were other cameos by his pals I missed.
• Best on-screen version of the Hulk ever.  I thought the last Hulk movie was good.  This one topped it ten-fold.  Still not sold on Ruffalo as Banner, but enough hardcore Hulk fans have approved him that I’ll open my mind a little more on the subject.  The scene when Banner and Stark geek out on the problem was like watching a moment right out of a comic.  Very cool.
• Gwenyth Paltrow can wear those jeans shorts any day.
• I don’t know about you, but the theater Mindi and I went to had almost 30 minutes worth of previews.  5 minutes is too little.  10 is just right.  15 is the max.  By the time the last green preview window appeared we were all ready to charge the screen.
• Mindi and I saw the movie in 3D.  Not worth it.  Didn’t' make the movie worse, just not worth it.
• Thanos as the next bad guy?  Okay, I can get on board with it.  I would have preferred a more Earth-bound enemy to counter the alien horde from this movie.  Maybe the Red Skull returns and forms the Masters of Evil.
• Wow, you really want to mess things up … have the Avengers team up with the Fantastic Four and have Chris Evans play both Captain America and the Human Torch.  You ask me, he made a way better Cap than Torch.

ALEXANDER UPDATE

• Last ultrasound was lame.  Apparently there’s not enough amniotic fluid in 36 weeks left for the system to differentiate between Alex and Mindi’s uterus.  I caught a brief glimpse of the outline of his head, and that was it.  Good news is he’s dropped and turned and ready to launch.
• Alex has the body of a 36-week old baby, but the head of a 39-week old.  Hmm.  Maybe Mindi was right about the Wendels having large heads.  Well, you know what they say about that!
• I don’t care what anybody says … I’m celebrating Mother’s Day with Mindi as a mother even if Alex hasn’t arrived yet.  You don’t go through 9 months of what she’s done and not get at least 1 day of serious pampering.