The Movies

Note: This was originally written on June 4, 2012.

     For the first time in over ten years, I went to a movie with my husband, just the two of us. Since our daughter was born I had been to the movies as a family only a few times, to cartoon movies that our daughter would enjoy. We don't do that very often because our daughter prefers to wait and buy the movies to watch at home later, over watching them in the theater when they come out. Prior to her birth we rarely went to movies together because there are few movies I care to see, and our taste in films differs. My husband typically watches movies with friends or alone.

     We went to see "The Very Best Marigold Hotel". I really did enjoy the movie, even though it made me feel a little emotional. I enjoyed it because I have been to India a few times, and I have brought along friends to India for vacations. It was fun to see the characters' different personalities and how each one handled the situation. It also made me feel more inclined to go on another trip to India. There are so many parts of India that I have not yet seen.

     Back to the movies... There are some upcoming movies I do want to see. One is "Brave". Yes, it is one of the cartoon movies that my daughter will like, but I suspect I will like it too. I also look forward to "The Hobbit". I already read the book (a chapter at a time) to my daughter. Probably slightly scary for bedtime stories, but she enjoyed it nonetheless. One excuse for doing so was that I wanted my daughter to know the original story before seeing the movie (I try to stick to that rule when I can). My other excuse was that I wanted it fresh in my mind, as I last read it when I was a kid. I also would have gone to see the 3D releases of the Star Wars movies, but 3D gives me a headache if I watch it for more than a few minutes (probably due to my slightly messed up vision).

     One last thing, I found that watching a movie in the theater is much more enjoyable if I wear earplugs. I do have sensitive ears, and usually the volume levels in theaters is physically uncomfortable for me. Earplugs also have added benefit of discouraging my husband from talking to me during the movie. I just remembered, that was one of the reasons I stopped going to the movies with him in the first place.

:)

Update:  I did enjoy "Brave".  Now I'm eagerly awaiting "The Hobbit".

Star Wars Weekends

Note: I wrote this a few months before posting it.

Oh boy, I love being a nerd!  I don't live too far from Disney World, and the last few weekends have been Star Wars Weekends at Hollywood Studios.  Yay!  The whole family enjoys it.  On the first weekend that we went, we saw the Darth Maul show (called "Visit to the Mall").  I was afraid my daughter would be bored with it, but she loved it.  She was on the edge of her seat, and became a big Darth Maul fan by the end of it.  I really wish I had video recorded her reenacting some of Darth Maul's moves with a toy double-ended light saber.  She did a great job!  It looked extra cool because I had her hair in two round high buns (not the same style that many associate with Princess Leia).

We also went on Star Tours many times.  I was absolutely thrilled that I was the rebel spy on one of the rides.  It was even a great photo (I had a cool suspicious look because I was trying to find the camera).  It got even better because the incoming transmission was from Yoda.  Those 3D glasses made it look like Yoda was pointing right at me.  That was so cool!  After that particular ride I had my fun extended because of a child.  I heard a little boy behind me asking his mom who the rebel spy was.  His mom pointed to me as I turned my head to look at him.  He gasped with surprise, so I just smiled and turned my head back to the front.  I managed to keep myself from giggling as I overheard the kid asking his mom all kinds of questions about me.  He was young enough to really believe the ride was real and that I really was a rebel spy.  It was so fun.

The next weekend that we went I wore my hair in the style Princess Leia wears on cloud city, when they encounter Vader.  It looks like a bun with two looped braids under it.  This time we watched the celebrity motorcade in the morning, and then spent time enjoying the characters and taking nerdy photos with them.  The only bad time was when I was getting my photo with Darth Vader.  My daughter was terrified that I was in a line to 'meet' Darth Vader, and she cried for most of that time, thinking Vader would do something bad to me (my husband took her to see other things, but she was still worried about me).  I thought that was funny that she loves Darth Maul and Ventress, but is terrified of Darth Vader.  I did give her plenty of comforting and reassurance after I got my photos with Darth Vader.

The third time we went to the Star Wars Weekend event, my husband was the rebel spy on one of the Star Tours rides.  He got the incoming transmission from Admiral Ackbar.  He enjoyed it, but now our daughter is getting really eager to be the rebel spy on that ride.  Our last visit is coming up at the end of this week.  We just have the Florida Resident Seasonal Passes, which have blackout dates for pretty much any day that kids have off from school.  That means we can't go for the entire summer,  during spring break, and during major holidays.  Oh well, I will enjoy what I can.

:)
June 4, 2012