Marvel Watch: Avengers | Infinity War (2018)

Watched:  04/28/2018
Format:  Alamo Drafthouse Slaughter Lane
Viewing:  First
Decade:  2010's

Warning - this write-up will have spoilers.  Do not read this post until you've seen Avengers: Infinity War (2018).

PODCAST: Laura M-S and Ryan talk HIGH SCHOOL MOVIES! "Brick" (2005) and "Lady Bird" (2017)

Laura M-S has been around the blog since time immemorial.  But did you know she and I went to high school together?  It's true.  We also live in the same area here in modern times, and decided to get together for what will be the first in a series on High School Movies.

To kick it off, we decide high school movies are a poor reflection of the high school experience - so what movies do reflect those crucial years (for us)? We talk 2005's "Brick" (dir. Rian Johnson) and 2017's Oscar contender "Lady Bird" (dir. Greta Gerwig).

Belated Oscars Watch: Lady Bird (2017)

Watched:  04/27/2018
Format:  Amazon Streaming
Viewing:  First
Decade:  2010's

Watched this one for an upcoming podcast.  Saving it for then, I'm afraid.

Melodrama Watch: The Hard Way (1943)

Watched:  04/26/2018
Format:  TCM on DVR
Viewing:  first
Decade:  1940's (wartime)

The Hard Way (1943) is a wartime melodrama and probably counts as a "Women's Picture", which was a thing, as it starred women, had them front and center as career-centered ladies with romance as a conflict.

It's not a genre with which I have a lot of experience, and I'm not a huge follower of soapy melodrama.  "So, The League," you say, "Why did you watch it?"

Noir Watch: Mystery Street (1950)

Watched:  04/25/2018
Format:  Noir Alley on TCM/ DVR
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1950's

Noir Watch: Brick (2005)

Watched:  04/24/2018
Format:  DVD
Viewing:  third
Decade:  2000's

There's probably plenty to say about this movie, but I'm saving it for a podcast.

Wedded Bliss in New Orleans - Congrats Lauren and Steven

This weekend Jamie and I flew to New Orleans for the wedding of two folks I met via blogging and have become good pals with as we all lived in Austin for a few years before they departed for San Francisco and then NYC.  On Saturday Steven H and Lauren R tied the knot in City Park with yours truly officiating.

The Peristyle in City Park.  This is from the internet, but it is where the wedding occurred.

This was the third time I've officiated and every time it's no less nerve-wracking, and it is no less special as I've known all the couples well and know their stories.  It's truly an honor and privilege to be asked, and to get to play that role is a truly memorable experience.

It's also the best seat in the house, if you're going to show up for a wedding, anyway.  You want to see people having a moment as up close as it gets?  That's where you want to be.  You'll also see your friends looking as dashing and beautiful as they will ever be from, like, three feet away.

In short - I hope I didn't mess up the ceremony too much.

I think March 30th was the 15th Anniversary of the Start of my Blogging

So, I guess I missed my own 15th Anniversary of blogging.  We were over at League of Melbotis back then.  Here's a link to the first batch of posts.

Back then, kids, we had no facebook, no twitter, barely had iTunes and it took me forever to figure out how to upload photos and have a comment section.  I was a lad of about 27 and living as a Texas ex-pat in Arizona at the time.  I was busily learning about Superman and comics, and I was oh, so, sweetly naive.  Reading those early posts is sometimes a teeth-gnashing experience but also a journal of what was going on in my head in the blogging salad days.

Epic Watch: Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Watched:  04/15/2018
Format:  Alamo Ritz
Viewing:  6th of 7th
Decade:  1960's

Barbara Bush, First Lady and First Mother, Merges With The Infinite

Former First Lady Barbara Bush has passed at the age of 92.   

Mrs. Bush was the wife of President George H.W. Bush, the 41st President, Vice-President under Ronald Reagan and former CIA Director. 

She was also the mother of George W. Bush, the 43rd President and grandmother to Jenna and Barbara Bush. 

My politics don't always run in line with the Bush clan, but I liked Mrs. Bush.  You knew where she stood, you knew she had a sense of humor of sorts but didn't suffer fools.  She seemed to know her own mind and while she was a presence in the White House, she didn't rub me the wrong way that Nancy Reagan always did. 

And when Jenna was getting trashed at parties during her tenure at UT Austin and she and Barbara got busted for fake ID's at Chuy's... Mrs. Bush summoned those two miscreants, had a talk with them and got them permanently straightened out. 

Mrs. Bush used her platform as First Lady to support literacy programs and for civil rights, and in her later years didn't hold her tongue when it came to the national scene.   In retirement the Bush's called Houston home and could be seen at the Symphony, Astros games and around town.  She was reportedly gracious and kind.

I heard she once slipped her security detail and made her way to the George HW Bush Library in College Station where the couple have an apartment built right into the library (man, no I don't know why.  There's a nice few hotels in that town.).  What Mrs. Bush didn't know was that she needed to tell someone she was there, and she didn't, so she got locked in the library over night and surprised the heck out of everyone the next morning when they opened up.

I really hope that story is true. 

We'll miss you Mrs. Bush.  You were good people.  Even if your one very public feud was with Marge Simpson. 

I hope Millie is waiting for you.