Star Wars...but maybe not the blog entry you're looking for.

Since I'm trying to be more prolific in my writing and because it's a good way to kill time while waiting for the workday to end, I've decided to do my first movie review for the new year...That movie is Star Wars: The Last Jedi. When I first watched it--in 3-D--I was loving life and I almost immediately proclaimed it one of the best entries in the franchise--right up there with Empire and Rogue One. After a few days passed and I read other reviews and discussions, I can see that I may have been initially too enthusiastic in my assessment. Now, I won't let the naysayers talk me out of saying it was a good movie. Given the chance I'd watch it again in a heartbeat, but I understand where they're coming from with the criticism...and even how some might outright hate the movie. I'd still give it at least 3/5 stars and more like 4/5. There is a lot of " amazing, CGI spectacle" especially in the side-mission that may not hold up on future viewings. These scenes reminded me of the prequels and that's what I really want to talk about. Strangely not to bury them, but to go on a little rant that I've wanted to go on for a long time.

Star Wars Prequels vs. The Hobbit
I should have written this ages ago when The Hobbit finally wrapped up, so I won't belabor my points too much. Almost everyone would agree that neither of these prequel trilogies approach the quality of their original predecessors--does that sentence make any sense? I guess you know what I mean. Since we're nerds and all we will sometimes debate which one was best anyway. For me, based on theatrical releases 'The Hobbit' movies would win. Phantom Menace sucks hard, The Clone Wars is far too underwhelming with the bad parts outweighing the good, and although Revenge of the Sith makes for a thrilling conclusion, it just can't salvage the rest of  the series--and it's far from perfect itself. On the other hand, An Unexpected Journey never reaches the heights that it should have, The Desolation of Smaug is almost impossible to get through and jammed packed with silliness that could just as easily been omitted, and The Battle of the Five Armies--though again the best of the trilogy for me--tries too hard to connect with TLOTR when it doesn't need to. Adding extra characters or sticking them where they don't belong didn't help either.

So, what's the point of this--if any? Fan edits. If you haven't watched any of the Star Wars prequel fan edits, you owe it to yourself to remedy this. Several are available on YouTube and most whittle the bloated lackluster trilogy into one awesome--albeit very long--single movie. Most of them rely heavily on Revenge of the Sith which as I said, is already decent on its own--and cut the crap out of Phantom Menace, but at the end of the day they prove a good movie was there. Even "The Fandom Menace", which I believe was the first edit focusing only on the first film, makes it into something much better than its initial theatrical release. On the other hand, I don't think you can edit The Hobbit trilogy down and come up with anything better than it is. The silliness in the Hobbit runs through every film. If you removed it, the movie would be incomprehensible. With all of this considered, I say the Star Wars prequel trilogy is better than the Hobbit one...just don't watch the original versions.  

Happy New Year: 2018

Hello folks...knocking the dust off of my blog--it's anemic and suffering since #RPG_a_Day ended this past summer. There was a D&D December that I heard about, but it didn't seem as appealing during the busy holiday season. I also stopped submitting to my paid blog and only just spent the last of the funds that it generated for me. It was fun while it lasted--money for nothing--as I enjoy writing anyway. I decided to get back into this blog for 2018 and we'll see how far it goes.

BACKGROUND UPDATE: There have been a lot of changes since the summer break. Professionally my teaching gig, which is now 1/3 of the way through year number eight, has an entire new curriculum. Unfortunately, we have the same old students and administrators. It's their attitudes that make the difference. If you've read any of my non-RPG/right wing rhetoric entries, you'll know that 9/10 of those attitudes are poor, so SNAFU. As expatriate teachers we do the best we can with what we have, but not much going on there. My friend compares it to golden handcuffs as in we don't like the handcuffs, but we're glad that they are gold. My uncle compares it to holding a wolf by the ears, I don't really like what I have, but I'm afraid to let it go. From my end, I don't know when or if I'll ever give it up...maybe from my employer's end they'll get tired of this old, deplorable American and not renew his contract. In some ways they would probably be doing me a favor--in other ways my family likes being able to eat and they wouldn't like me losing my steady pay check. What can you do?

As to my personal life, my daughter made it to age 3 back in September. She's growing strong and healthy so far. My dreams of her eventually becoming a professional wrestler and/or corporate assassin remain optimistic. The wife remains healthy in her ongoing recovery from thyroid cancer, and I remain about as healthy as an aging, overweight guy can be. The blood pressure is high--so high that I currently can't find affordable life insurance--but I feel fine and up until the holiday relapse I was fighting to become healthy with fairly good results which leads us to...

Future Plans...or resolutions if you will: 
I've got some plans for this blog--even if I do top out at thirty readers normally--which I'll relate here: It ended up being a long one, so just read the headings if you aren't up for a wall of text and you'll get the gist of it.

Weight Loss Struggle: We all make this resolution on Jan 1st and are back to our old ways before spring. This time is a little different for me. I've actually been working on this project on and off again for a few years now making visible progress--but my stomach is still too big, and the progress way too slow, but, it isn't as if I'm starting back at square one. I had an excellent run during May and June...followed by a disastrous summer break July and August...I got back in the groove upon my return for September...but wishy-washy in October...even slower in November...and anemic last month. Holidays are horrible for me for working out and eating right. Hopefully, when I return to work tomorrow I'll also get back into my regular routine. It amazes me that one can work for years and really stick to it, but have such limited results that only a few people notice. Yet, you can lay out for two weeks--as I just have--and you can see right away that your're relapsing. Having a long break during the summer, as teachers are wont to do, makes it even worse.  In this blog I'm going to let my loyal readers know--at least monthly--how the battle is going. I've tried FitDay and Beachbody websites as well as keeping the old-fashioned, personal journal, but I always fall off. I hope that changes here and that I'll keep you guys posted about my progress or lack thereof since I have an audience to talk to. Of course it also works therapeutically even if I wind up with no readers for this thing--if you are a lurker and don't write for some reason, give it a try writing is almost as great as playing RPGs.

RPG Updates: Writing entries during RPGaDay is one of my favorite things to do. I currently run a Roll 20 'Ryuutama' game that we started back in September. I'm thinking that it might be somewhat interesting to tell you guys what's going on with the campaign and the "behind the scenes" stories of my time as GM. Of course if anyone reading my blogs happens to want to play in the game just let me know and I'll send you an invite. Before the break I ran a four player group consisting of three guys and one girl. We've had a lot of fun, but keeping the group together online is very tough and the holidays are the bane of all play groups. The next game is scheduled for the 6th of January. I've got my fingers crossed that everyone makes it back.

Bible Reading: Wha? Yes, for a lot of conservative, deplorables like myself, getting through the Bible in a year is a resolution that almost always fails by April. I've made several attempts and have read through many books of the Bible, but I've never completed the entire book. This is a strange thing as I love to read and have based my entire worldview on a book--which I believe to be the Word of God--that I've never fully read. Much like the weight loss thing, I have a head start this time having already read through Genesis, Matthew, Proverbs and parts of Exodus, Mark, the Psalms, and Ecclesiastes as a part of an online reading schedule that gets one through in one year that I started back in October. I don't know how many entries I'll devote to my reading, but when I see good stuff I'll let you know. For example, Ecclesiastes is very good and timely. It's a book that I've rarely heard preached from, but it's very interested hearing from one who has been called the richest and wisest king to have ever lived. It's almost like reading a blog from Solomon.

Hobby Discussions: I plan to include more reviews of movies, tv shows, video games, wrestling and whatnot that doesn't fall into the RPG discussion. I don't get to talk about these things all that much living as an expat in the UAE. I'm more likely to talk to my students about these things than colleagues my own age. I'm also planning on getting back into drawing. I'll post anything that I produce that seems to have merit.

Website: It's easy to make a website nowadays. I have every intention to create one for me. I'll still keep my blogs posted here--I like the way their page is set up--but I think my own website will be much better than using Facebook. If I get one up and running, I'll direct you guys to it or I'll at least tell you why the plans to make one fell through.

Deplorable Things: Of course I'll be posting entries about #winning, #MAGA, and #Trump_Train when appropriate. Keep in mind that I have friends of every political stripe and most of the time I try to keep my rants funny.

That's about it. If I manage to make good on half of what I want to do, then I'll be a better man for it. I wish everyone a Happy New Year and I hope to hear from you soon!