No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on May 12, 2018

A while back my friend Mary Aileen and I were talking about going to Disney and the like in Orlando. We came to an agreement that we would like to take a vacation together down to Orlando.

Mary Aileen and I have been friends since we were 6/7 years old and have continued to be so over a rather long span of time. She was my maid of honor at my wedding.

We worked it out that she got the tickets I would get the room and a few other things.

This past week we went on that vacation. We stayed at Fort Wilderness on Disney Property which gave us an advantage that we used on Thursday but more on that when we get to Thursday.

Monday was up early to get to the airport and fly down so we would be there mid afternoon. We traveled first class with all the perks that entailed like lunch on the plane and getting through security in a short amount of time.

Once down in Orlando, we picked up the rental car for the week and drove to Disney world. We were able to check in to our cabin and pick up the golf cart (best way to get around Fort Wilderness) for the week.

After settling in, we took the golf cart to the back to the property where the boat launch is and my parking luck got us a good spot in the lot next to the boat. We took the boat over and entered to park.

Mary Aileen had a few things she really wanted to do and a number she would like to do. We went to the fast pass station to see what we might be able to still get on. Not much to choose from but picked up the Little Mermaid and Jungle Cruise as Fast Passes. We rode the carousal, which was a must on her list and then rode the people mover. Then it was time for Little Mermaid which was fun. We walked by Pirates and Haunted Mansion but the stand-by was longer than either of us wanted to stand.

We had a really good guide for the Jungle Cruise. The puns and bad jokes were some of the best we had heard. All the pilots that night were female which was a nice change of pace.

We tried Pirates but something happened (I think we had someone try or succeeded in getting out of their boat) and it shut down. We went to Haunted Mansion where the wait had reduced. I asked the cast member there if that was a real number or an estimate since it had been a long day and neither of us were up for a long stand. She was kind enough to pass us through the Fast Pass lane and I got my annual pilgrimage in.

One more round on the carousel and we were done for the evening.

Tuesday morning found us in Disney MGM……Disney Hollywood Studios….Disney what every they are calling the park were one can see Muppets 3-D. We had lunch reservations at the ‘drive-in’ café. We lucked into some fast passes for Star Tours which she had never done. For the record Darth Vader, the Wookie Planet, Princess Leia (sniff) and Corscant. After that my pilgrimage to the last recorded performance by Jim Henson as Kermit. They have cleaned it up and it looks nicer. We then had lunch and walked through the Star Wars Launch Bay.

We went back to the cabin to take a break before heading for Epcot for the late afternoon/evening.

Got to Epcot and was able to walk onto Spaceship Earth. Does anyone else think that the Roman Senator with his back basically to us looks like Tom Baker as Dr. Who except in a toga? We road Finding Nemo and looked around the aquarium there spending some time with a very playful dolphin.

After that we executed a demented idea I had. I had brought Mary Aileen her Porg that I got for her after she complained that she couldn’t find a stuff Porg on her side of the Long Island. So we took photos of the Porg in all the countries in the world showcase. Got some good ones and framed a number very well. I am quite proud of it. My friend Patty joined us in Morocco where we had just finished dinner (Shawarma). Using the fading light we finished the photo set and started our way back to the front of the property.

This was when our one mishap of the trip happened. I was showing Patty the picture that was taken the day that Peter and I got engaged. It is on the walls etched onto the metal plate. Mary Aileen was a few steps behind and in the lighting conditions tripped over the extended corner of the walls. I tried to catch her and managed to get a hand on her but the momentum was too much and I lost my grip. She fell hard but, except for a skinned elbow, was basically not damaged. We were observed by a group of women who misinterpreted the situation from what they saw that apparently looked like I hit Mary Aileen as she was falling. They went to get a cast member who came over to make sure that she was OK and get a read on the situation. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a security guard positioned to come in. Mary Aileen pointed out the curb she had tripped over and explained what happened. We decided to just go back to the cabin rather than walk back to first aid. I do give the women credit for seeing something and saying something to make sure my friend was OK. They read the situation wrong but that’s fine by me because they cared enough to make sure Mary Aileen was safe.

Wednesday thanks to my buddy Graham, we went to Universal and played in the world of Harry Potter. We saw the puppet show. Mary Aileen was picked for the wand ceremony, which was really cool. Mary Aileen rode Escape from Gringotts. We had lunch with Graham at the Leaky Caldron and then went playing around with Spells then took the train to Hogsmead and played around there for a bit. We went to Suess land and rode the Sneech ride and the Caro-Seuss-el. Then walked back to the Hogwarts express and Diagon Alley. Ran out of energy and went back to the cabin. Had dinner at the Trail’s End Restaurant which was very good and filling. That evening some friends came over and we hung out as I taught a short puppet operating course. It was relaxing and fun. It was an early night since we knew it was going to be an early morning.

The next day we found ourselves at Animal Kingdom very early. Mary Aileen was able to walk onto Flights of Passage in Pandora and we did the Na’vi river ride again with very little wait. We walked quickly to the Safari and lucked out because the animals were very active. As were the tigers. We admired the animals, had lunch, and went back to the cabins. We went back to Pandora at right before dusk and saw such a change in the landscape. Colors that were not there in the morning were evident as the plant life took over the landscape. We didn’t see the whole transformation so I will have to go back at some point.

Friday was getting ready to head home and some more time in the Magic Kingdom. We walked around doing various things as we wanted to and then went to the airport. The flight home was pleasant. I got home in good time. Mary Aileen had one more adventure that I would not wish on my worst enemy before she got home after I did. She is less than 30 minute from JFK and I am an hour and change. She did get home thanks to the fact the cabs take debit cards and a kind hearted cabby who didn’t over charge her for the ride.

I did not watch any television the whole time I was gone. I did not read newspapers or pay attention to the news. I went on vacation and it was wonderful to just drop out of reality for a bit.

Today Peter is at the Tidewater Comic Con and Caroline is on her freshman trip to Six Flags given me a day to ease my way back into my usual routine which is nice. Tomorrow things go back to normal.

I am grateful that Mary Aileen and I went to Orlando for the week.

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Posted By Kathleen David on May 4, 2018

It is Star Wars Day! I would not go to Disney Hollywood Studios (or whatever it is called this week) today on a bet. Unless I had a VIP pass with a place to go hide when the crowds get overwhelming.

Star Wars had been a touchstone for me since I first saw the film that opening weekend back in 1977. Because of that film I have friends that I would have met otherwise. I worked at Del Rey on Star Wars books that only existed because of that film.

Star Wars is a cultural phenomenon that proves that we, as a planet, can get long. You can find Star Wars fans all over the world. The conventions and the Star Wars days at the Disney parks prove that. The number of languages I heard spoke when I just happened to be in the park that day was amazing. However no one spoke Bocce.

I have watch as the next two generations discover Star Wars and each group has made it their own.

Caroline feels like the Force Awakens is her New Hope. That is her Star Wars. Sort of how you tend to love your first Doctor in Doctor Who.

In a couple of weeks Solo: A Star Wars Story will be released. Fans can’t seem to decide how they feel about it. Personally my butt will be in a seat and I will be watching it hoping for a good origin story.

I will always remember that first viewing of Star Wars back in 1977. It was on the large screen at what was the Lefont Tara but I think another company was running it at the time. I bought the book they had for sale and poured over it to the point that it fell apart. We, as a family, embraced the film and all that followed.

I am grateful that I have Star Wars in my life.

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Posted By Kathleen David on April 29, 2018

Next Saturday is Free Comic Book Day. Peter will be at Fourth World Comics from 1 to 4 with Caroline. I will be attending an Arts Brunch in the city.

We have almost gone through a quarter of the year. Caroline has 2 more months of school and she will be done with her freshman year in High School.

This week is a clean up two projects and finish a third before going on Vacation week. Let’s see what I can get done.

There are a number of things I would like also to get done today and a couple I must do today. There are two I am going to put off until the rain stops and things dry out a bit.

A belated Happy Birthday to AJ who turned two yesterday. His cake had an Avenger’s A on it. He is a happy little boy who loves superheroes and all things Disney. No longer a baby, he is now officially a toddler.

Gathering things up to take on vacation as I go along. I found my pin trading lanyard and am hoping to find the extra to take along as well. Caroline is lending me her wand for Harry Potter land and a map so we can play along with her Disney magic cards. I want Mary Aileen to have the full Disney experience. Now to find my missing guest pass. I need to start making a list.

I am grateful for cats would want to cuddle.

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Posted By Kathleen David on April 26, 2018

10 years ago Peter happened to be in LA on a project and was invited to walk the red carpet at the world premier of “Iron Man”. He came out knowing that Marvel had something very special that, if done correctly, could change how the Marvel B list characters were looked at. Marvel had sold the rights to their A list teams to other studios so they had to go with what they had.

6 years ago Caroline and I stood in line for the Marvel Friends and Family screening of the Avengers film waiting with great excitement since we had seen some great films that were the pipe work for this film like Thor and Captain America. We loved it and wanted to see it again right away.

Since then a number of films have been released and the general audience has been introduced to more characters in the Marvel Universe. They did this in two phases, as they put it. The third phase ends with the untitled Avengers movie next year.

When they announced Guardians of the Galaxy, I will admit that I said, ‘Really?’ but it worked. When I heard that Doctor Strange was being filmed, I said, “Please don’t screw it up.” and they didn’t. I was thrilled they were making a Black Panther film and the film itself exceeded any expectations I had for it giving us a whole new world.

They haven’t made a misstep and the question becomes when will they?

Well it won’t be this film that is, in all honesty, ten years in the making.

When I first heard the cast for the film, I had my doubts that you can put that many characters together and not half of them end up as window dressing. I am here to say that they succeeded in gives us that many characters and every single one of them had something to do. The few that didn’t make it in were mentioned as to why they are not there and given good reasons for doing so.

They talk about films on an epic scale. This was an epic film as in things happened that mattered. There is no putting all the toys in the toy box and pulling them out again. Some toys do get broken during the film and others get damaged. There are consequences from our heroes’ decisions and indecision that will have a ripple effect through out the Marvel Universe.

The snark that we expect in the dialogue is there. Peter Parker ends up being useful because of his banter and knowledge of trivia. Some of the best exchanges in my book were between Tony Stark and Stephen Strange who don’t exactly get along. Star Lord gets a couple of fun scenes where he is basically having to deal with not being in charge or recognizing he is not in charge.

Everyone has an agenda and sometimes they mesh and sometimes they are at odds. Amazingly they did deal with most of the elephants in the room with one or two placed carefully in that toy box to be unpacked in the next Avengers’ film.

It clocks in at about 2 hours and 40 minutes but the time goes by very quickly. There is a post credit scene that sets up something down the road but if you have to go to the bathroom, the credits are long enough that you have the time before the last scene since it is all the way at the end.

Solidly acted, well written, and beautifully directed, Avengers Infinity War hits on all cylinders and keeps the Marvel Movie Machine moving forward.

I will say that bringing a tissue or two would not be out of line and having someone to talk to afterwards would be a good idea because you are going to need to talk about this.

Let’s keep spoilers out of this. I want the impact of what I saw be as big for the next viewer. Thank you.

I am grateful that I had an opportunity to see this film with the Marvel Family.

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Posted By Kathleen David on April 25, 2018

Depending how you place Sunday in the week…

Cold Rainy morning with the promise of more of the same later, which might make us change our plans slightly for this evening.

More on this evening’s adventure tomorrow.

I learned a new word yesterday ‘Incel’ that, according to the Urban Dictionary, is a shortening of the words “involuntarily celibate”. I kind of wish I hadn’t known of this words existence and the people behind that word. Apparently it is our fault that people aren’t having sex with another person. This screams to me of the generation that was given participation trophies so they would feel good about themselves. I skirted the rabbit hole to find out that many of these incels believe that they have a right to sex and, even if it was legal, they would not pay for sex because it is their right.

A new profession I learned about is the professional cuddler. Someone who will cuddle with someone for money. There is nothing sextual about it. It has more to do with having some human contact to make people feel better. We are, according to various articles from various places, a touch starved country. Human contact is less and less even though we are talking more and more.

I keep typing sentences and then backing out of them. There are things I want to say here but know it would be better that I don’t for a variety of reasons.

One thing I am going to talk about here is that Caroline has taken to texting us in the morning that she loves us in case she doesn’t make it home from school. And that makes me very angry and very sad at the same time. Right now I am angrier than sad. I am furious that my daughter has to think that way. She should be worried about her grades or her social life not whether she will make it home in one piece. The schools are investigating each potential threat. Social workers are second guessing everything they are hearing. The security guards are on alert. We didn’t have security guards at our schools when I was growing up. Heck we were lucky if there was a greeter for the school.

So for the Dragon Con Art show next year, meme Art. I plan to translate some memes and fandom memes into puppets and dolls. As I get them done, I plan to unveil them here so people know that they exist and might want to buy them.

Spring had sprung sort of. Flowers are up and the trees are finally budding.

I am grateful for friends and loved ones.

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