No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on May 1, 2019

Tra la, it’s May, the lusty Month of May
That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray
Tra la, it’s here, that shocking time of year
When tons of wicked little thoughts merrily appear

– Lusty Month of May from Camelot

Happy Beltane to those who celebrate it.

Happy Labor Day or International Workers Day to those who celebrate it.

I had a grand total of five web log entries for the month of April. I plan to do better this month.

This Saturday, May 4^th, is not only Star Wars Day but also free comic book day. We will be at Fourth World Comics in Smithtown New York this year.

We have things to do most weekends this month and not all of it are conventions. We are going to Cirque for Mother’s Day. I am taking Caroline to her first rock concert that she wants to go to. Peter has a lecture at a library about the importance reading.

I want to take the month of May to regroup and take stock of what I want to accomplish the rest of the year. Once I have that in a hand, I plan on drafting a plan and then executing it. Then see what pops up to change my plans because of an x factor I am not counting on. I do plan on being realistic about what needs to be done and what I would like to do.

I think that will be my theme for the month, “Be Realistic”. I need to get what I can do done without beating myself up over what I cannot do. I also need to get done what I can without distracting myself with that which gains me nothing. 

I am grateful for that which I can get done.

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Posted By Kathleen David on April 26, 2019

There is something about finishing things. When you have been watching a series of films over the years and you get to the conclusion of the saga, it can be bittersweet. You have to say goodbye to something that has been part of your life for so long. 

Yes, there will be more Marvel films and they will be amazing. But this film is honestly 10 years in the making. Everything HAS been leading to this. If they packed up Marvel Studios right now, they would have a great track record and become a model of what is possible with a franchise. I bet it is already being analyzed at various film schools with someone getting their PhD deconstruction ‘how they did it’.

Can someone who has never seen a Marvel film see this one and enjoy it? Maybe? This film is more for those of us who have seen all the films. Lots of Easter eggs and in jokes for those of us who put our time in. Even more if you have been reading the comic books over the years. There is no explanation of who is who or where they fit into the picture. The assumption is that if you are seeing this film, then you have some idea what you are walking into.

I saw it two days ago and am still processing everything that I saw.

I laughed. I cried. I watched as my daughter and husband also went through a roller coaster of emotions right along with me. There were gasps and the occasional squeal of joy.

Clocking in at 3 hours, it does not feel that length. It feels shorter than Infinity Wars but longer that Doctor Strange or Ant-man.

This is a pay-off film. If you have invest time in the previous films, this one gives you almost everything you wanted and a few things you didn’t know you wanted. I left very satisfied although a bit sad because it was a conclusion.

Of course the acting is magnificent. The cast director for these films managed to find a bunch of actors who can act rings around most of the rest of Hollywood.

The sets are sumptuous and the costumes were fabulous. And make sure you look around because there are lots of little nods to the previous films in the corners.

It does need to be seen on the large screen.

I will put a warning here. I saw it in IMAX and I got seriously motion sick by the second hour, which made the rest of the film a bit more of an adventure than I would have liked. If you suffer from motion sickness, I do not recommend IMAX. ay

Take some tissues with you. They will be necessary at several points both for tears of joy and sadness.

And enjoy yourself. You deserve this film in your life.

Yes, I haven’t said much about the plot but I did say spoiler free and there really isn’t really much I can talk about without spoiling it. Just know it is a good plot and story.

Side note that has nothing to do with the film and it not a spoiler but something fun to do: Go to Google, type Thanos in the search bar, then click the Infinity Gauntlet on the Wikipedia window. Then look at the ‘About’ results as well. Then click the Gauntlet again. Nicely done Google.

I am grateful for the past ten years of Marvel Films.

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Posted By Kathleen David on April 24, 2019

My Uncle John passed away and the world is a little less bright because of it. 

He was a good father, husband, and Catholic. He had great faith in God.

My first memories of him are that he was tall and had a nice laugh. He has been described as always having a twinkle in his eye.

He was a hard worker. He started on the farm where he grew up and never stopped until he finally retired. He worked hard for everything in his life. Never shirked or complained but just did what needed to be done. He served in the Air Force. He earned an engineering degree. There were set backs like a company going out of business but he picked himself up and figured out what to do next.

He loved his family. He and his wife Marge raised three children to be fine upstanding people. They have four grandchildren who loved their grandfather very much. I haven’t seen my cousins in years but I keep up with them through my mother.  

The last time I saw him was at my wedding. For some reason Harlan decided to try to make my Aunt Marge laugh. I could see my Uncle John biting the inside of his cheek trying not to laugh at Harlan’s antics and almost succeeding. She was not amused but the rest of us were very much so.

He would have turned 90 in a little over two months.

I will miss him.

I am grateful for having Uncle John in my life.

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Posted By Kathleen David on April 16, 2019

I first saw what was happening at Notre Dame because a friend is in Paris with her husband celebrating their wedding anniversary and the last kid in college. They saw the smoke and took a picture not quite knowing where it was. Shortly they found out and went to see for themselves. 

By that time it was all over the Internet. Photos and video showed the flames on the roof and then we all watched in horror as the Spire fell consumed by the fire.

The world held it collective breath as the firefighters worked very hard to try to contain the blaze trying to keep the damage from fire to a minimum.

There were all kinds of stories flying around about the amount of damage and what had been taken out or not taken out of the church. The plus is that a lot of the statues had been removed for cleaning.

This morning we saw the damage and what was not destroyed. The word miracle is being tossed around but it might be apropos this time around as that both the altar and the Rose Window seem untouched.

17 years ago this coming memorial day weekend, Peter and I were in Europe celebrating our first wedding anniversary. We went to a Star Trek convention in Italy and then a comic book store signing in Paris, France. While in Paris we ran around to see what we could see in a couple of days or rather as much as I could since we had found out before the trip that I was pregnant. Not quite three months so we kept the news to ourselves sort of. It was our immediate families, my supervisor at work, and 300 Italian Star Trek fans. This was before most of the social media that exists now so it stayed among those groups.

One of the places we went was the Cathedral of Notre Dame. While there I lit a candle at the statue of Madonna and Child and prayed that the baby I was carrying would be healthy and happy. On our way out, we saw that they had small statues based on that statue. Peter bought one for me and said, “We can put this in our room.” That statue gave me comfort. Once Caroline was born, that statue was always over her bed from cradle to crib to toddler bed to the bed she sleeps in today.

(For the VI: This is a photo of a shelf over Caroline’s bed. The statue of Madonna and Child is a metal statue. Leaning up against it is a cross that belonged to my maternal Grandmother. To the right is a ceramic Dalmatian dog Caroline painted at least 10 years ago.)

I can still remember the feeling of energy of that church. The hushed tones everyone was talking in. The stain glass windows and the craftsmanship in wood and stone were amazing to look at. I have only felt that sort of energy a couple of places on this planet.

It may be a video game that will allow them to recreate what had been lost. For Assassin’s Creed, they did a detailed laser scan of the whole building so they could recreate it within the game. These measurements are within 3 mm of the original. So video games are good for something apparently.

It will be rebuilt and now has another piece of history to add to all the history that has happened there. They can even put in fire prevention equipment. Many years down the road maybe Caroline will visit there and see the statue that I lit a candle for her and light one for her own child.

I am grateful that no one died and pray for the firefighter who was seriously injured trying to put the fire out.

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Posted By Kathleen David on April 9, 2019

This past weekend I went to HELIOsphere a convention in Tarrytown New York. I was there at the invite of the con committee to interview a good friend of mine Laura Antonio who was one of the guests of honor.

One of the activities I participated in was a trunk show/live performance where authors read things that either were their very early work or unpublished items that they wanted to read. Tom Smith added some very clever songs to the mix along with a reading of something he wrote a very long time ago. I performed with my Holmes and Watson puppets by reading a section of “The Case of the Industrial Revolution” or rather Watson read it and Holmes kibitzed while showing people ‘how he did it’.  

I haven’t performed in a long time other than short improve with whatever puppet was on my arm. I can’t say that I miss it but I will say I did have fun doing it. More than I thought I would.

I talked about puppets with people over the weekend and it reminded me of why I started building them in the first place.

I think I needed some perspective on what I do and for some reason making people laugh at the antics of the puppets gave it to me.

So resetting my thinking and figure out the next in things.

First an upgrade/redo on the website to include the price of a custom puppet.

Then a couple flyers for both the Patreon account and my puppet work to see if I can generate some business there.

Then a business card for Peter and one for me since we have run out.

Building the puppet show for DragonCon is next along with the Art Show work.

And there might be one or two other specific puppets down the road.

So there is my plan for the rest of the year.

I am grateful for things that renew my energy.

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