We watched a slew of these episodes during the marathon on Sci Fi Channel and it was fun; I was getting into the story line (yes, there was one!). I remembered a lot from seeing it as a kid, but of course grown-up eyes see much more. Like Holly grew up between Seasons 2 & 3 but they kept her in pigtail braids. There were only 3 Sleestack at a time because they only had 3 costumes. Will looked suspiciously like David Cassidy (turns out they had him lined up to replace Cassidy on the Partridge Family but then the show was canceled). The Sleestack aren't really that scary - they're dumb, move really slowly, and can't throw nets very well.
I'm saddened that the new movie coming out will be just a Will Farrell goofball vehicle, with none of the mystical science fiction element that made the old show so much fun to watch. Just another reason to despise Will Farrell.
It pours, as the saying goes, and right now it's pouring (figuratively and literally).
A quick recap of the last few days:
1. Had my observation at Out-of-Town-University on Thursday. It went something like this:
(thanks to B. for this vid)
The thing about my observation is that she didn't give me any positive feedback, other than a general acknowledgement that it didn't suck completely. "Overall it was fine and you were in control of the class, but I'd just like to point a couple things out." This statement was followed by 40 minutes of criticism and suggestions, not all of which were even helpful.
2. After that, I drove to Boston for a fun if hectic weekend. The main event was JEB's wedding, for which I did a reading (and did a fine job, I must say). JEB - or rather now I guess I need to call her JET - was resplendent. She was quite stressed out the night of the rehearsal and dinner, which she came to call The Freakshow. But I reminded her that a bad dress rehearsal portends a fabulous performance. The wedding was gorgeous and simple, a Catholic Mass, and the reception was perfect. JET looked like the happiest girl in the world, and so did her new husband. Only, you know, he's a boy. And stuff.
3. Also got to visit another childhood friend of mine and his family. They have done very well for themselves; their house is bigger than our apartment building and the parking lot together.
4. Got to videotape Owen taking a few wobbly steps, and also had some good 1:1 time with my nephew during my visit to their house. My niece is so sweet; she baked and frosted brownies and made us divine coffee for dessert.
5. A bit of sad news - my sister-in-law from my bro's first marriage has COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). We were all supposed to have dinner together on Sunday, but she had to cancel because she wasn't feeling good. She's been a heavy smoker since her teenage years, and now she's in her 50s.
6. Raced back to NY yesterday and had to pull my head together to prep for this morning's class at Out-of-Town-University, which I was dreading. But it did go well; I'm trying a couple new things after my disappointing observation feedback.
I've decided for the remainder of the semester at OOTUniversity, I am focusing on two things and two things only: 1. How to help my students succeed and 2. What I can learn to make me a better teacher. I am not going to think about my supervisor, or the program, or the school, or the drive (although that will be difficult). This is about me and teaching, and nothing else.
And of course our beloved Red Sox are in the World Series, so there's hope for us all. It was exciting to watch those ALCS games with my brother. The night of the wedding, the DJ kept us up to date with the score, and the entire reception hall erupted in cheers every time the Sox scored another run. Good times! Whenever the Sox got a run and I'd call Bizarro to gloat, he'd answer his phone with either "Shut up, just shut up!" or "It's early, don't worry." So much for your little white towels, Cleveland!
Halloween is coming up; I have to figure out my costume. As if I don't have enough shit to do.
I'm on my brother's chat site and just found out that the town we grew up in (where he still lives) is considering an option to tear down three houses to make a parkway. One of those houses is the one in which we grew up.
I am horrified at the prospect of this demolition. My father and mother bought that place when it was still unfinished, and my dad made it into a little palace. In my visit back in October I took all those pictures inside and noted how little the present owners had changed the place since they moved in back in 1978. Imagine if all that were to be crushed and destroyed. Our pets in the back yard (well, the dust of them at any rate), not to mention all the trees (what's left of what was once a bird sanctuary decades ago). It will be a sad day, a tragic day, and I can only pray it never happens.
The town of Rockland, MA was at one time a flourishing town about halfway between Boston and Cape Cod, off Route 3 on the South Shore. Today it's financially broke and the downtown seems as empty as any mid-western former metropolis. Very similar to Elmira, NY, my other "hometown" if you can call it that.
After the heinous 2 weeks I just suffered through, I am taking it easy today. It's shitty and rainy out anyway, so what better time to sleep in, read a book and let my body and mind decompress. The only thing I may do later is some of Bizarro's laundry, since yesterday I finished all of mine, plus sheets and towels. Whew!
I keep thinking, if it's this bad with only two of us, imagine what having a youngster will do to the laundry situation. And that's JUST the laundry situation. Imagine all the other unimaginable tasks and the volume of housework that will increase tenfold. What was that about taking it easy today? Now is not the time to worry about this stuff, I'm sure.
I did all my errands yesterday, thank gods. I'm all set to bake pumpkin PAH (filling from scratch, pre-made crust) and all the other goodies for Christmas weekend at MZ's.
We'll be driving down on Christmas Eve day and staying over. There's midnight mass and then opening presents afterward, then eating sausage and angel hair spaghetti and oil at like 2 a.m. It's a family tradition - a hold over from the days when you couldn't eat anything for a certain number of hours before taking Holy Communion. So they wouldn't eat dinner, to go to Midnight Mass, and then would do all the festivities just after mass, complete with dinner at 2 a.m. Then on Christmas morning, sleep in and let the kiddies get up at the crack of dawn to play with their toys (already opened after mass).
I LOVED it when I was a kid. The grown-ups would go to midnight mass and I'd stay home and sleep (someone stayed home with me), then someone (usually my sister-in-law) would get me up when they all came home and it was Christmas! The tree was lit, Christmas music playing, and everyone was there - my parents, my brother and sister-in-law, sometimes friends of my parents, or my sister-in-law's family, and for a couple of years, my Uncle Louie. It was a wonderful party in the middle of the night - SO exciting for me as a kid. I still revert to being 9 years old when it comes to Christmas Eve. Even though mom doesn't have a proper tree any more, her apartment is decorated (by yours truly) and will be filled with love.
Funny how much I still get into Christmas, seeing as how I'm a Buddhist. But you know, Christmas doesn't have to be about a person(i.e. Jesus), even though I do recognize Jesus as a master and teacher. It's what the spirit is supposed to entail - compassion, love and the coming of the light (Solstice was of course the pagan timing chosen by the early Church on which to hold Christmas).
And with that, I will return to my lazy day. Congrats to Mr. Club and Hot Mamba, enjoying the holidays in their swanky new pad!
Sound of Music (Julie Andrews as postulent nun-turned nanny of seven-turned Frau Von Trapp-turned Nazi Austria escapee) 
