Now, with just about anyone I care about having seen Revenge of the Sith, I think I can safely talk about what worked and what didn't and not feel Revenge of the Spoiler coming on. First of all, yes, I liked it. Yes, I liked it quite a bit. I've seen it twice now and will probably see it at least once more in theatre before all is said and done. There is no question that it is the strongest of the three prequels and generally speaking it manages to fulfill its (destiny?) purpose wrapping the whole saga together. Now, let's talk a little more about the nitty gritty.

Things that Work:

• Ties up the loose ends
• Success in creating an old school Star Wars feel
• Excellent blend of prequel and original technologies/look
• Special Effects, on the whole, are very good
• Good juxtaposition of good vs. evil and lots of room for shades of grey
• Well balanced emotional tugging with violence
  
• The story does not suck
• Excellent fight sequences
• It is clear that Anakin really does adore Padme
  
• Natalie Portman actually manages to act (!!*gasp*!!)
• Ewan McGregor pulls off a convincing Obi-wan
• Yoda is fantastic, including Frank Oz getting the voice right
• Palpatine is deliciously corrupting
• Hayden Christianson is hot (0kay, this is a weak point, but nevertheless, counts for something)
• Wookies
  
• None to subtle anti-Bush/Imperial evangelism message
• No ridiculous flying-through-tube-channel-canyon shot (which is good, because we get it, it was cool twenty years ago, it's not so cool now)
• It's finally over
  

Things that Don't Work:

• Lucas can write a story but still cannot write dialogue to save his life
• That Naboo's equality/feminism does not extend to pregnant senators (what, women with babies have no ability to serve democracy?)
• Hayden Christianson is the weakest link, but plays the focal character
• Lousy battle droid voices (what was wrong with the original?)
• Wookies that make Tarzan sounds
• Computer generated characters that do not follow the laws of physics
• Naming anyone Cody. Cody? Seriously.
• The lack ass-kicking females or even ones with lines (other than Padme)
• Excessive to the point of distracting use of 'wipes' between scenes
• Technology to create prosthetic everything that cannot save a woman in childbirth
• The lamest score John Williams has ever written
• Too much time is spent on General Grievous, not enough on Anakin's relationships with people
• Too many limbs get amputated (is this the only way to disable a Force user?)
• None of the saga would have happened if people had just bothered to communicate with each other

I might yet write a real review, but this unordered list of pros and cons will suffice for now. Now that this is out of the way, I can start writing about real things happening in my life again, like, for instance, going horseback riding TWICE over the long weekend, including the four hour hack through the Ganaraska. But, not right now. Later.

I promise to write a real entry about Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith very soon, but honestly, I have to see it again before I completely formulate my thoughts. Seeing it last night was almost ruined by a little bit of stupidity on the parts of Rick and myself (he waited OUTside the theatre for an hour, while I was pacing angrily INside - it's a big theatre, this is easily done). He got mad and threatened to go home and I told him he'd better not... and then we got over it, but not without some awkwardness first. But we were over it before the movie started, so I was free to love (or hate) it in my own way without outside emotions. At any rate, I was very pleased with the movie, satisfied after two less than spectacular prequels. This one isn't as strong as The Empire Strikes Back, but it's certainly the strongest of the prequels, and possibly better than Return of the Jedi (definitely NOT as cute). Sadly, my biggest complaint is about Hayden Christianson, he's really quite wooden. It's disappointing because everyone else actually manages to act, some of them quite well. He has facial expressions down, but seriously, the delivery of some of his lines left something to be desired.

That said, I'm totally going back to see it tomorrow, if I can. Also, I got interviewed after the movie by the CBC. I think I said some interesting things, but sadly, there was no way I was getting up at 6am to see if I made the morning show. *laugh*

What kind of Jedi are you?
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The sad truth about the education system in many districts (especially within the USA), is that the teaching of science is under threat by fundamentalist christians (more than any other religious group) who deny the scientific evidence, no matter how vast it is, that evolution does not exist. In some areas, creationism has effectively replaced evolution in the science curriculum. The American Association of Physics Teachers has come out with a very good statement of exactly why they cannot teach creationism or "intelligent design" in schools, at least as part of the science curriculum, and exactly why they must teach real science. I give you an excerpt:

No scientific theory, no matter how strongly supported by available
evidence, is final and unchallengeable; any good theory is always exposed to the
possibility of being modified or even overthrown by new evidence. That is at the
very heart of the process of science. However, biological and cosmological
evolution are theories as strongly supported and interwoven into the fabric of
science as any other essential underpinnings of modern science and technology.
To deny children exposure to the evidence in support of biological and
cosmological evolution is akin to allowing them to believe that atoms do not
exist or that the Sun goes around the Earth.

Unfortunately, the people who need to be reading this are probably too busy protesting abortion clinics, raising money for Bush, or teaching their children how to be narrow-minded. Hm. I guess my bias came through here loud and clear, eh? Crikey, I used to know a woman who home-schooled her son in order to give him a scientific education because his local schools had made creationism part of the manditory curriculum. And that was in Ohio. Ohio is close to Ontario. Anyway, you can read the rest of the piece here.

In other news, also of a scientific bent, Tutankhamun now has a face. This makes me very happy, as does the fact that no evidence of murder was found in scanning his remains. At least not by physical meas - he could have died of poisoning, or by more natural causes such as a very broken leg, or something. Heh. Check out the forgotten prince here. You know what's kind of neat, and yet also kind of creepy? The French model, which is extremely convincing in shape and painting, bears a striking resemblance to Rick, or at least to Rick when he was closer to 19. It's pretty wild, actually.

Tonight, Rick and I finally went to see Sin City. Finally. And it was worth the wait, I think. Very attractive, very stylish movie in the spirit of the original graphic novels (with which I admit not having had more than a smattering of experience). Once again, I am impressed by the work of its director, Robert Rodriguez, who I first discovered when I was in high school and my friend Digs introduced me to El Mariachi (and the delightful short film Bed Head). There were a few scenes that I felt lost some of their aesthetic quality in favour of the brutish and ugly, but I suppose the lapse allowed for a point to be made. Sin City is possibly the most violent movie I've seen in a long time, but even the violence and blood is so choreographed (and bleached of colour) that it is attractive, too. It has a good story, too, which is nice. I like this trend in recent comics inspired movies (like Hellboy, for instance) and hope that it will continue.

I've been in Toronto since Wednesday and I want to go back to Peterborough, despite the fun I've had. Last night I went to a house party where I was able to eat tasty things and -really- geek out (like I don't do that normally, or something). I've been playing video games and have even done some drawing, but I want to go back to Mom's now. The film shoot going on outside of Rick's apartment is tiresome, the gunshots in it were loud and frequent. The air is a bit hazy and frankly, I REALLY miss having a garden, or at least a porch or balcony. Rick's place is devoid of such a thing. There is a very unpleasant sun room off the living room, but it's mostly a place to put stuff since it's not insulated and is therefore unlivable at any time of the year except October and April (maybe).

I did finish painting Rick's living room finally, and started doing some of the trim in the hallway. I fully intend to clean the place up - just in time, no doubt, for Rick to move out. Ah well. The living room wall took THREE coats of white to cover up the yucky-white that was already there. The chain smoking that went on in the apartment before Rick quit smoking has really stained the place. The nicotine and tar kept leaching through the paint. I'm still not convinced that three coats was actually enough. My next project is to repot my plants, the ones that did not die over the winter under Rick's somewhat less than nurturing care. I must pick up a bag of potting soil on the way home from the ROM tomorrow and then on Tuesday, I'll spread out some newspaper and get to it.

In other news, I'm in a bit of a quandry trying to figure out where I want to see Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. I know what I said, that I didn't want to see it on opening night, on principle because of the suckiness of the previous two, but thanks to Revelations stirring up the hype, I'm kind of jonesing. I've also heard that it might be more satisfying than the previous two, but I have had a chance to catch some of the script and the writing is, yes, truly terrible. Again. Dilemma ! Techknight is going to pick up tickets tomorrow evening and he plans to call me from the theatre in order to score me a ticket, if I want to attend with him, but like I said, I don't know if I should be in Peterborough to see it or not. I suppose I could see it in both places... I dunno. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have made a decision. Time is running out !

I am enjoying my down-time very much these days, no doubt due to the near complete lack I had while I was in school. I'm relishing every waking minute and sleeping soundly each night. My grief over losing Willi has abated somewhat, leaving me with more time to think about her without crying. Certainly, I still miss her, but I've had a bit of closure now that I have her ashes.

Included in the package from the vet was a little card bearing to impressed ink paw prints, her perfect little feet. When I opened the envelope in which they came, I naturally started to cry, but I am very happy to have the impressions. Mom plans to have them mounted, either plaqued or framed, along with a photograph. And, yes, they are most definitely her little feet. I even have a Christmas ornament made of dough bearing her print that I can match them against. I don't have to, though, I know my little girl's feet. The ashes came in a lovely little cast faux-sandstone urn that has been left unsealed (at least I hope so) and I was surprised at how nice it looks. I don't know if I'll keep her remains in it when I take her to the cottage, or sprinkle them. At any rate, in order to guarantee we don't forget her when we go up there in August, I had the bright, if somewhat macabre, idea of storing them in our travel cooler.

I was helping my mother out in her garden earlier, doing some lifting and digging. It was pleasant to work up a mild sweat in the garden. Both Chester and Melody came out and joined us and... slept. Exciting, they are not. There is definitely a missing personality, though, as Willi is not there to dash about and yell at me. Chester no longer looks for her, and Melody hasn't noticed she's gone. Anyway, Mom and I commented on the walnut tree that was so badly warped from growing under a much larger, imposing basswood (the one the storm ripped out like a carrot three years ago). This is the same tree Willi enjoyed climbing right up to the top. Anyway, now that it no longer competes with the basswood and gets all the sun it wants, it is slowly straightening out. It's pretty amazing how something so apparently rigid like a tree can actually be flexible and adaptable.

That is all for now.

What a nice day. It's so relieving to be able to go outside on one's break and do nothing by sit in the sun and read. It's not hot, it's not cold, it's just right (for me). The trees are coming into bloom, the bushes are coming into leaf, the air is sweet... gosh, it's just so darn pleasant out. I think I'll take a walk after work in order to appreciate it even more. I hope that Rick is going outside to enjoy some fresh air (fresh being a relative term when you live downtown), if he's up to it.

Yesterday he had a very impacted (and infected) wisdom tooth removed after a number months complaining about the pain. I cooked him a dinner of bacon (done soft, not crispy) and cheesy scrambled eggs because he cannot chew hard food right now. He had a mouth full of cotton and a body full of Tylenol with codeine. The good news was the mouth full of cotton prevented him from grinding his teeth last night, which was AWESOME. Not sure what I'll feed him tonight, maybe something pasta-like.

I, on the other hand, have had a couple of really nice days, mostly free from the grief of losing Willi. Part of the reason, I think, is because I'm in Toronto, staying with Rick, which is a place where I have no associations with her, but maybe also because on Wednesday I dreamed about her. I always feel better once the person/animal I've lost visits me. I don't recall the details now, but it was a very simple dream. She came into my room, brought me her washing socks, dropped them, rubbed me, yelled at me, picked up the rolled-up socks again, and left. (Of course, now I'm tearing up, just writing about it, but I'm not crying, and there's an important difference.) I miss her terribly, but I am starting to adapt to life without her, much as I don't want to, but it is harder in Peterborough, where I was used to having her around.

The other bit of news is that I got an email from the manager of education/interpretation at the Manitoba Museum. It sounds like there is a lot of opportunity to do interesting things there, and she listed one of the projects they're going to be handling, which involves the redesigning the school programming, which sounds potentially neat, depending on what kind of redesign she's talking about. I'll find out more about what's up in other departments, too, so we shall see. I'm really starting to look forward to going there, oh my goodness ! As well, I ended my semester with an 85% average, which is a -little- lower than what I'd hoped for, but far from disappointing, considering all the irritating things that happened.

And, finally, I started soloing the school group tours yesterday. It was a little nerve wracking, but from what the lead hand said, it doesn't sound like I showed any anxiety at all. In fact, it sounds like I could have told the kids anything and they would have believed it, I apparently have that authoritative tone. It was a great mix to have in for a first day, too, with grades four, nine/ten, one, and some speds of differing ages. The grade one class were a bunch of little hellians, but I worked my disciplanary magic and they snapped to attention - also something witnessed by the lead and she was impressed. Hurray.