Force Friday and Sith Saturday

And so the merchandising begins. Tales of my weekend hunt and future tales of future hunts to come soon. But in the meantime, here's a picture of the first haul.

Movie Talks: Megamind (2010)

As many of you my Dear Reader may know, I love a good superhero movie. That is part of the reason why Dreamwork's Megamind makes it onto my list of Top 10 Favorite Movies (only one movie per franchise or Star Wars and the Dark Knight Trilogy would be the whole list). But another reason is I feel that the movie reminds me a little bit of who I actually am. Now, before I continue, this post will have to discuss a little of the basic plot, but not enough to constitute a Spoiler Alert in my book.

The movie's main character is a Supervillain who has given himself the oh so humble title of "Megamind, Incredibly Handsome Master of All Villainy", and the plot starts with his battles with the Superman-esque "Metroman, Defender of Metro City". The story of Megamind is actually quite tragic. He was sent to Earth by his parents while their planet was being destroyed, again, more Superman references. Megamind never could fit in while he was growing up and eventually decided that if he was going to be the bad guy, he was going to be the "baddest guy ever". And so the film continues, with Megamind facing an existential crisis after beating Metroman. With no hero to fight what is the point of being a villain. He says it best in the movie when contemplating a Drinking Bird Desk Toy, alway drinking, always thirsty. This leads him to create a new hero to do battle with, however with the hero becoming a villain, Megamind must become the hero.

So what about this character do I find intriguing? While watching this movie today I was faced with a quote from the villain of this movie, Titan who says something to the effect of "we live in the real world, not some fantasy". Now those who know me personally know that, at times I can take a very bleak outlook on the world and on the nature of humanity in general. Because my ideas are so different than those I am typically around and from those I grew up with I have grown up feeling like I am the villain of the story. Not that I am evil, but I am always opposed and told that I am wrong. Maybe I am. So, watching this movie, I wonder if I am the villain in my view because I am different or because I've made myself believe that. Megamind says it himself: "I'm the bad guy. I don't save the day, I don't ride off into the sunset, and I don't get the girl". Well are we all either good guys or bad guys? Am I stuck being on side of the coin of the battle between good and evil? I've realized that I'm not stuck. Superheroes are not all the same, we all don't have to be the most liked or the best looking to be a hero. We play to our strengths and chose to be the hero. So I may get out of hand sometimes. But what superhero doesn't lose control of himself at one point or another? Even Superman, for all I dislike about him being incorruptible, fell in the Injustice storyline. But it is because we fall that we are able to see how we can become better. Maybe we have to be in the dark sometimes, just so we can know what it is like to be in the light.

I may have said some crazy things in the past. I may have thought some crazy thoughts, but in the end I'm just someone wanting to be a hero, wanting to fit in. So maybe you, Dear Reader, do not fit in. I mean, you are reading a rather non-mainstream blog, how did you even find this? But I'm glad to have you read my ramblings. Remember, we don't have to be villains just because we're not liked. We can all be heroes, even superheroes.

April Fool's Day: The Aftermath

Now I enjoy a good joke as much as the next person, in fact some might even say that I love jokes, that I revel in them. Well, Dear Reader, it may come as a shock to find that this April Fool's Day was spent by me waiting out the storm. As a result of my year long tricks and jokes many people hold me in especially low credibility of April Fool's Day. As a result, my tricks never work on April Fool's Day. I would be okay with the day if it were just that, but the problems of the day are compounded with the fact that I am, ironically, very easily tricked, being the trusting person that I am.

Although I currently reside with an entire country between us, my Father still finds away to fool me on this day. As he led me on a half hour scourge of the internet, I'm sure he was laughing away back home. As a result I was on the watch for the rest of the day. Unfortunately the Hebrew Quiz was a very real thing. Returning home later in the day I elected to hold down the fort, my hall being infested with self proclaimed "Mercenary Pranksters". And these individuals are actually quite skilled. I have seen their work and been impressed. However, also as a result of their activities, our hall is frequently targeted by other halls for retaliatory actions. May we never forget the Shower Curtain Affair of Fall 2014.

So there I was, at my desk, in my room, with a packet of Economics work that has taken approximately 12 hours in total to finish. When I hear a commotion in the halls. The first major prank of the day. I see a group of these "Mercenary Pranksters" moving the bed and personal effects of one resident into the bathroom. The roommate of this resident was complicit, being the Captain of this Band. I return to my desk and work a few more hours. Before long, the next prank occurs. Peering out of my door I see that it is not in fact my door they were laughing at, I had feared attack all day, it is the door across the hall. A stack of cups, full of water have been stacked like a pyramid in front of the door, with the bottom-most cup taped to the door which would undoubtedly cause a cascade of water upon the opening of the door. Satisfied that I was still safe I returned.

The rest of the night passed without great incident. Except for my roommate revealing that he possessed four cans of silly string all was quiet on the home front. Until this morning that is of course. Exiting my room for the daily morning rituals of showering I came across an impressive sight. Barricades in the hall had been erected, barricades of newspaper creating for an interesting trek to the doors. There were also traces of silly string on the ground as if some great battle had ensued the night before. I guess I will never know the truth of what occurred that night after I had retired to my bed, and, to be honest, I do not believe I want to know.