Thank You, Sir! May I Have Another? - 10 December 2021 - Plague Journal Day 638

Micah 6:8
Proverbs 13:12
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Twenty years. It's really been twenty years since the first of the Lord of the Rings films was released.

I still remember sitting in the theatre waiting for it to start. Then in no time (or actually something like three hours) it was over.
The four of us sat there for a moment (after having cheered the Key Grip, as is our wont) and agreed that we would sit there for another three hours if the next film were ready to start right then. It was that amazing.

Peter Jackson did such a great job in adapting Tolkien's books (apart from leaving out Tom Bombadil - what's up with that?) that it was a shock to see what he did to The Hobbit. A simple tale was expanded, altered, stretched almost beyond recognition in parts; but I digress.

The glory that was the Fellowship of the Rings was first released on 10 December 2001, and it was so worth watching that one can ignore the few problems with that trilogy and (nearly) those of the Hobbit trilogy. (Trilogy? It was a tiny book! What were you thinking, Peter Jackson?)

Now the question is - what films are you willing to sit in a crowded(?) theatre to watch? What films are you anticipating? I'm getting tired of all the remakes, reboots, retreads, re-whatevers that pass for new these days. Can't someone make a new story with new characters? Please?

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

Broke That Hobbit - 21 September 2021 - Plague Journal Day 558

Micah 6:8
Revelation 22:16-21
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

On 21 September 1937 JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit was first published. It was a nice, little book. A story that could be read in a short time. It had all the makings of the classic of (children's) literature which it has become.
It did not have the makings of a trilogy of overlong, overstuffed movies taking nearly eight hours to watch. Good grief, at fewer than 300 pages it could be read aloud in far less time than those bloated films take to screen.

I was and am a fan of Peter Jackson's work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Four of us attended the first film and as it ended we were all of the same mind - we would sit there for another three hours right then to watch the next, were it available. Sadly, Mr Jackson decided to "fix up" the Hobbit to make it more like LotR rather than letting it be itself. What a shame. I've seen a fan-edited version of the three Hobbit films pared down to one that is a reasonable length and actually hews to the original story. It's a much better product than Jackson's overblown trilogy.

What a shame. I'd recommend grabbing the little paperback off your shelf and giving it a read. It really is a good story, and it didn't need any of the extras that were pasted to it.



Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

22 September 2020 - Plague Journal Day 193

Micah 6:8
Psalm 104:16-23
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

As you know, yesterday marked the 83rd anniversary of the publication of JRR Tolkien's "The Hobbit." Oddly, today we celebrate National Hobbit Day. Perhaps that's because the book came out a day later in these United States than it had back in the United Kingdom? I don't know, and it's not worth researching, as we may as well simply celebrate Hobbits today as we celebrated the book yesterday.

Additionally, today is Chainmail Day, and that links with Hobbit day nicely (see what I did there?), as both Bilbo and Frodo wore mithril chainmail. I don't actually own any chainmail, but I have seen the rule book for chainmail, which was part of the basis for the original combat system in Dungeons and Dragons. If you search for images of chainmail clothing, you should probably keep your safe search turned on. Just a word to the wise - there's a lot of NSFW chainmail out there. Who knew? (I do now.)

As nearly everyone knows, today is the Autumnal Equinox (one assumes it's the Vernal Equinox in the Southern hemisphere), so we have equal amounts of day and night as we move from Summer to Autumn. In defiance of the calendar and the stars and planets, today is also National Ice Cream Cone Day, so why not indulge in a micro-retro-revolt and have an ice cream cone today? That sounds good to me, and I don't even like sweets much.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

21 September 2020 - Plague Journal Day 192

Micah 6:8
Genesis 41:39-45
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Today is the 83rd anniversary of the first publication of JRR Tolkien's "The Hobbit." It's a fun book to read, and doesn't take nearly as long to read as it does to watch the bloated trilogy that was created from the book (along with extra story lines to help fill the extra time), and who knows? you may even discover parts the movies missed.
I highly recommend reading the book if you have a chance (and I'm pretty sure it won't be hard to find).

A quick closing political aside: Early voting. That sounds like a convenience, but is it? Suppose something happens after your early vote to make you want to change your mind. That shouldn't be inconceivable, right? I mean, if there's nothing that can make you change your mind, you probably are just voting out of reflex rather than reflection.
Voting before the candidates even meet for a debate? That sounds downright insane. Please think before you vote, and vote responsibly.


Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

16 May 2020 - Plague Journal Day 65

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?


Those of us of a certain age who read comic books when they cost 12¢ will be happy to know that today is National Sea Monkey Day. I miss the King and Queen and their whole court, don't you?

If you're somewhere that would allow you to swim, you should know that it's also National Learn To Swim Day, so it might be a nice thing to take your sea monkeys for a swim. Those little guys need exercise too!

On a totally unrelated topic, we watched the film Tolkein last night. It was actually a really good movie. If you have access to it - it's currently playing on HBO - I would recommend it. It's not a fantasy, it's not exactly a biopic, but it's really good.
You're welcome.


Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.