Illusions of Motion in Triplicate

So I’ve seen a few movies in my month off as well.

First off I went to see “The Simpson’s Movie.” It was pretty nice, but it wasn’t as good as I was hoping. It’s no Tomaco episode, but it was pretty good. I laughed, but not hysterically. I’d suggest seeing it at a matinee if you like the Simpsons. Rent it as well.

Then I saw “The Bourne Ultimatum.” That was just fantastic. If you liked the first two movies then this is a must see. I’m impressed that the movies have seemed to get better each time. It’s a rare thing, but I’m contributing it to them going with 3 good books that were already completed, and they took their time making the scripts and getting the movies out. They still did that shaky camera thing that made me feel sick in the last one, except it was more prevalent this time. Why do they need to do that? I know it changes the feel, but not all the damned time. Anyway, you must see this movie if you like action or suspense. It’s just great.

Finally, this past weekend I saw “Superbad” with some friends. That is one of the funniest movies I have seen in quite a while. It’s from the makers of “Knocked Up” and “40 Year Old Virgin.” If you liked those two this one is 30-40% funnier. It’s wrong, gross, raunchy, and full of vulgarity, but it’s just so damned funny. I laughed so hard I started coughing. Anyone who was a nerd in High School will find it all the funnier. I’m probably going to have to see it again. I recommend going on a Friday or Saturday night at a theater frequented by college students. See it at full price, but you have to see it. Man that’s funny.

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Millennial Man

Actually several weeks ago I finished 3001: The Final Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke. This is the final book in the four book Space Odyssey Series by Clarke. After reading this I understand why Stephen Baxter called the Time Odyssey books orthogonal to the Space Odyssey series.

This book starts with our short lived friend Frank Poole from the first book. Frank was the guy who went out to fix the antenna only to have HAL ram him with the Pod and send him flying off with his oxygen vented into space. Well 1000 years later he’s picked up and brought back to Earth and revived. This book focuses on Poole adapting to the new world. Imagine taking someone from 1007 AD and dropping him in modern society. Yeah it’s a big shock.

Frank makes contact with what is left of his friends Bowman and HAL, that reside in the inner workings of the obelisk. They tell him of a dark secret that threatens to destroy all of humanity. Frank must rally influential people to stop the danger, but how does one fight a device of almost infinite power. They have to use the most dangerous weapons mankind has ever created. The question is will it work.

This is a fitting end to the series. It tells a lot and brings home the differences in the aliens in the Time and Space odyssey series. I liked it.

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Hiatus Redux

After my chastisement in the comments of the previous post I will try to add some content. What’s happened over the past month?

Well we have been sweltering in 90-100 degree temperatures for July and August. That has had several consequences. First I gave up on the garden. I didn’t have time to water it for hours every day, I didn’t want to spend the money on the water for the meager returns, and many of the tomatoes and such were essentially baking on the vine. I picked a few that were hot to the touch and felt like I had boiled them. So I have let it go as it will. I haven’t even been out to it this week.

I haven’t had to mow grass in a month or more. It stopped growing. Now some of it looks like I burned it. I’m hoping it comes back next year.

All the new installation stuff at work that I wanted to do in July I was finally able to start 10 work days before classes started. I installed two classrooms, 2 presentation rooms, rehung 18 projectors, and reinstalled 15 computers. Yesterday I answered 10 work tickets and last Tuesday, the day before classes, I worked a 13 hour day I was not expecting to have to work. And the heat and humidity are not helping in the least.

I started a class for Fall in Ceramics and Materials Engineering which required I buy a $155 book. YAY!

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