Monday, December 31, 2007

Happy and Sad.

I just finished watching the movie trailer for Speed Racer. I am happy and sad.

I have been looking forward to this for quite a while. Speed Racer was my childhood. I have always loved the Mach 5. But after over analyzing the trailer, I feel sick. At one point there is a 6 on the car. Which means one of 2 things. 1. They got it COMPLTETLY wrong (which I doubt). 2. The Mach 5 gets completely destroyed in the movie, prompting them to make a Mach 6.

Sigh.

It looks fantastic, and the sound of the jump jacks from the trailer brought back a flood of memories of watching the show. There is no doubt I will see it. Racer X's car looks great, Christina Ricci with short black hair - wowza!, and the overstylized look is wonderful.

But the car.... that amazing car is the reason I love the show so much ( I have a model of it in my office right now. Complete with jump jacks and Saw Blades)... I understand the movie is "Speed Racer" and not "Mach 5", but I bet if you ask anyone that watched the show, and loved it, the first thing they will talk about is the car, and not how much they like Speed. But that is just me, I guess.

---end Rant---

Sunday, December 02, 2007

An Interesting Circle

In the process of cleaning out Dad's house, and getting rid of things, we found a bunch of Hallmark ornaments Mom had bought and saved... All sorts of different ones, but for some reason, mostly Star Trek ornaments. We have about 25-30 of all different sorts, but 10 of the "First Series". These are selling VERY well on Ebay.

My family does Christmas early. It is something my Mom decided would be best for the family. Instead of splitting holiday with in-laws, and trying to drive from one house to another Christmas day, my immediate family does Christmas 1 or 2 weeks before the 25th. That way we can all be together, and then do what ever we want Christmas day. It's was a great sacrifice for my Mom, but it has really worked out. Every year we head to KC, to my oldest brothers house, and spend the weekend. Since he doesn't have room for all 14 of us, we usually get a hotel room. This was Mom's thing to do, she had a friend that worked for Marriott and could get a good rate. But since she is gone, I did it this year. I found a couple of rooms for my family, and my middle brother's family. I got a pretty good deal, as I got to name my own price, and got pretty close to the deal Mom used to get. ( I would have used her friend, but he no longer works with Marriott). Dad said he would pay me back, if I picked them up. I told him I had money from selling the ornaments, and he was Ok with me using that money.

Here is the curiously funny part. I paid for our Christmas hotel rooms, through Priceline, with money from Star Trek Christmas ornaments. (for those that still don't get it... think about William Shattner's career for a minute.) That made me smile quietly to myself. Thanks Captain James T. Kirk, for everything.