Anticipation

Every year, after the Academy Awards, I like to take a few days 'off' from the world of movies. Then I start to get excited about movies that are coming out this year, especially the summer movies. The ones I'm most looking forward to are "Terminator: Salvation" and the new "Harry Potter" movie. Kind of looking forward to the new "Star Trek" movie. "Star Trek" movies have been very good in the past, but also rather horrible. The more I see of the upcoming version, the more I'm NOT looking forward to it. At first, I thought it would be great to take the whole "Star Trek" universe, shake it up a bit and see what happens. And J.J. Abrams has done a perfect job with TV's "Lost." I also thought his "Mission: Impossible 3" was very good. He's got a great way of telling a story that is usually better than most. But, the previews for the new "Star Trek" movie make it seem like "90210" in space and that sickens me. I hope I'm wrong and that it's just Paramount that is screwing it up. I'll still see it, but I doubt that I will wait in line for hours like I did with "Star Wars."

Yes, I waited a very long time for the last three "Star Wars" movies. And I loved every minute of waiting in 1999, 2002, and 2005. Plus, back in 1997 when the first three were re-released and way back in 1985 when Seattle was one of 10 cities to show the first three back-to-back. Back then, it was $10 for all three and I still have the ticket stub from the UA150, my most favorite movie theatre of all time. I waited in line for eight hours to buy tickets and another two afterwards before the doors opened. Aaaahhh...good times!

What brought all this up is that tonight, Karen was watching the beginning of the first "Lord of the Rings" movie on TNT. It was only the beginning of it, but watching it on TV was just too difficult because it was made to watch on a 68-foot long screen with THX, Dolby Digital sound and warm popcorn. Not on a small, square TV screen with commercials and logos covering it. I will always prefer going to a movie theatre but I know that won't always be possible, with the plans that Karen and I have for our future but even with a big screen TV and a home theatre sound system, it still won't be the same. When I go to Singapore in April, I'm hoping there will time for us to see a movie there since there wasn't time the last time I was there. Karen rarely saw movies in Singapore, she said, because she was either busy or couldn't find someone to go with. Well, I will always be available!

Scott and David are going to be joining us in Singapore for our wedding. I'm excited about going back there, and can't wait to see more of Singapore and Malaysia with Karen. Also, it will be interesting to see what David and Scott think of Singapore, the heat and the humidity. And the public transit system that is so easy to use and gets you most anywhere you want to be.

So, my calendar is getting rather full for the next six months. Singapore, Wedding, Bali, movies and SUMMER. I can't wait for Karen to see how beautiful Seattle can be during the summer. Warm to very warm days, picking berries, fresh fruit every day and relaxing time in the sun. I will have accumulated more vacation time by the end of summer, so we may plan a vacation for September or October. Karen really wants to go to Disneyworld and I haven't been there since the early 1980's so I would love to go back, too. That would definitely take all my vacation!