Family Vacation in Georgia 2021 Part One

Last week my family took our first vacation since the pandemic started back in March of 2020. We booked earlier this year with some hesitation since we weren’t really sure where everything would be as far as restrictions, vaccinations, etc. Fortunately things have moved in our favor. Everyone in our house who is eligible to be vaccinated has been, and while the threat from Covid-19 and its variants is far from over, there seems to be enough of a handle on it that we were comfortable in going ahead as long as we played it safe.

When we decided to go forward with our plans to travel, we decided that our top priority was to find a destination that wouldn’t be overly crowded, but still offer plenty to do. We wanted to be able to explore the outdoors, but still eat at some new (to us) restaurants, maybe visit some small shops, that kind of thing. So we quickly determined that large cities and well known tourist destinations were out. We did find what we were looking for by staying in the Blue Ridge mountains in a little town called Clarkesville Georgia.

Through the IHG hotel group and Holiday Inn Club Vacations we booked a Sunday-Thurs. stay at the Apple Mountain Resort. The resort itself is tucked away just outside of Clarkesville proper, amid lots of twisty-turny mountain roads with little but farmland and small rural neighborhoods surrounding it. The nearest fast food/Wal-Mart is about a 15 minute drive, as is the quiet downtown itself, although naturally in opposite directions. The resort itself offers quite a bit of amenities to keep their guests entertained. There is a full 18 hole golf course on premises (which I did not use), a full 18 hole mini golf course (which I did), a pool, hot tub, exercise room and sauna, a tennis court, basketball, shuffleboard, table tennis, and a visitors center with pool tables ,a game room, mini-theater, and refreshments. Laundry service is also available on site.

Our unit was basically a two bedroom condo, with full kitchen and balcony. It was very clean and quite spacious. This was an excellent choice to use as home base for our week of exploring the mountains of North Georgia.

PART ONE: CHASING WATERFALLS

We love waterfalls. I think it’s hard not to, once you’ve been to one. Scientifically, the waterfalls change the atmosphere around them, usually causing a slight temperature drop and releasing negative ions in the air which generate an increased flow of oxygen to the brain and bring about all sorts of positive benefits to your mood and overall health. So not only are they beautiful to look at and take in, but they just make you feel good. So once we learned that there were multiple waterfalls within a short driving distance, we made it a goal to see a waterfall a day.

MONDAY-Minnehaha Falls.

The Minnehaha trail is actually quite difficult to find, since it is tucked away in the back of a lake community with few road signs and marginally paved roads. There’s not really much in the way of parking to speak of at the trail head, and though it is clearly marked it could easily be missed if you have your head in a map or are staring at your GPS screen. However hard it may be to find, it is assuredly worth finding.

The trail itself is mostly flat, despite some rocks and tree roots that you will need to work around. The incline is not very steep, making this an easy trail for hikers of all levels. The only issue with this trail, if you can call this an issue, is that the trail is short. The hike should only take about 5-10 minutes. You’re just walking along this pretty little hillside path with a creek running right next to you and then suddenly BAM! there it is.

The falls themselves cascade over what looks like a natural staircase, and there are plenty of large rock slabs that serve as natural viewing platforms. After sitting by the waterfall a while and getting lots pf pictures, we made our way back down. All in all we spent maybe a half an hour at the falls, which is plenty of time to take in the beauty, and check our fist waterfall off our list. It also left plenty of time for swimming in the afternoon.

TUESDAY-Anna Ruby Falls

Anna Ruby Falls was my favorite of the trip. There is a small admittance fee, and a gift shop at the trailhead, so it’s a little more well known than Minnehaha. It can get quite crowded, but getting there within a half hour of opening the crowds weren’t so bad.

The trail is about a half mile in length, up a mountain side which isn’t overly strenuous, but it does get quite steep in the middle. It’s a little bit of a workout, but a fairly short stretch, and the payoff is absolutely worth it. As with many waterfall trails, there are plenty of picturesque views as you climb and the water rushes down beside you.

The Anna Ruby Falls are created by two streams, Curtis Creek and York Creek, joining together to form Smith Creek at the base of the falls which runs into Unicoi Lake later on. So what you see is the two streams running over the cliffs. The left side facing the falls is taller and comes down with a bit more force. The U.S. Forestry Service maintains the falls and has built several viewing platforms. Anna Ruby Falls is beautiful, very enjoyable and still doable in a reasonable amount of time.

We then ventured into the nearby city of Helen which I will discuss next time.

WEDNESDAY-Tallulah Gorge State Park

“Oh, look, here’s a state park where you can walk across a bridge over the river in an actual gorge. That looks beautiful-and sounds fun too. Let’s go!”-Us before we knew better.

To be fair, the scenery is beautiful, and crossing the bridge is kind of cool, in that it’s long enough to be impressive and it is totally stable, though it does swing a little bit to give you a sense of danger. There is an option once you cross the bridge to go down a little further and see the waterfalls from a closer vantage point. The park also allows limited passage to the gorge floor itself for a small fee and in limited numbers. while we were there the passes were not being offered due to high water but it is normally an option for those who may choose it.

Most of the trails we have taken to see waterfalls are either paved or natural terrain, but this trail is made by stairs. Yep. Stairs. You descend into the gorge, cross over the bridge, and then continue down or come back up. Getting down is easy, and fun. Crossing the bridge and getting close to the gorge floor makes for some prime photo ops and a lovely time. But then you have to come back up.

In the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, King Arthur and his knights encounter the “Bridge of Death Over the Gorge of Eternal Peril”. This is not that bridge-but halfway up, I’d have taken my chances with that one instead of continuing the climb.

There are signs at the beginning of the stairs warning that this trail is strenuous and people with health issues should not attempt this climb. There are two signs to this effect, and a handy guide to how much water you should be taking with you.

I don’t think this is good enough. I think about a quarter of the way down there should be a third sign saying “No, really, we’re serious, this is going to suck coming back up.” Then halfway down another one that reads “Okay, look back up at how far down you are. Think about it. Do you really want to continue? You are not in the shape you think you are. Turn around.” But no.

So we came back up the staircase. Trudged it, really. The official count of stairs to the bridge is 620, and we went on past that. So now we did 620+ back up. Graciously, there are benches and landings provided throughout the staircase at every switchback so you can not die. I mean, rest. And not die. We sat at every single one of them, because this is a brutal climb. That’s what the sign should say-brutal! Not strenuous. Brutal.

Once we started the climb our goal was not to make it to the top of the stairs. That was impossible, our brains and bodies could not fathom actually accomplishing this. We merely set the goal of reaching the next staircase. Even the kids, who are “kid fit” were hating it after a while. They were not on the verge of collapse as were my wife and I, but their legs hurt and they were not having fun. My son announced about halfway up that he hated the outdoors now, and I didn’t argue. Of course, I was no longer able to form sentences so I couldn’t have argued anyway, but in that moment he had a point.

Eventually, through sheer willpower, determination, and the grace of God we made our way back up the gorge. then we collapsed onto some park benches for about a half an hour. We went inside the information center enjoyed and its sweet, sweet air conditioning. We poked around their exhibits for a while that were actually quite interesting and had I been in a less exhausted state I’m sure I’d have remembered what on Earth they were about.

I did pick up a souvenir t-shirt that has a picture of the steps on it. The caption reads “I survived the stairs! It’s worth the climb!” Well. I did survive. The pictures we took are AMAZING. It was worth having the experience. But worth the climb? Ehh…

THURSDAY-Toccoa Falls/Duke’s Creek

After the previous day’s adventure, a nice, short, less challenging walk was needed if we were going to meet our goal. Preferably a relatively quiet one too-my legs were screaming loud enough to drown out everything else anyway. Man, they didn’t stop hurting until Sunday after we were back home.

Sorry. I digress. On our last full day in town we drove out to Toccoa falls, which is on the campus of Toccoa College. It’s quite a nice campus actually, but not really near much of anything, which would be great for academics, but maybe not for the “college experience”. Once again there is a small entrance fee, and you have to go through the college gift store to get to the falls.

The trail is only 100 yards, and the waterfall itself is stunning. It is 186 feet high and quite powerful. What a wonderful retreat for the students-and a lovely spot to visit for the locals too. Interestingly, there is also a monument at the falls to the 39 people who lost their lives when the dam broke at Kelly Barnes Lake in 1977 and flooded the campus with 176 million gallons of water in minutes. The dam has not been rebuilt. The monument is a reminder of the power of nature transposed by the beauty of nature as you stand surrounded by it. This is a really special site.

After lunch, we decided to try one more trail-the Duke’s Creek Falls trail. you can see the falls from a distance early on in the hike. This was another one where you had to walk down to the falls and then back up. We got about a mile into the 2+ mile hike, and realized that the slope of the mountain was not going to play well with our already hurting selves. So we abandoned that one, but got some nice pictures and a few more steps for the Fitbits anyway. That counts, right?

Overall, our Georgia waterfalls experience was quite enjoyable. Previously our waterfall hikes were mostly done in Tennessee, where you tend to hike up to falls, and then down the mountain at the end. While the Blue Ridge mountains may rival the Smokies in beauty, Tennessee edges them out just slightly on the paths themselves. You’re beautiful Georgia, but some of these trails are built backwards!

Alright, that’s enough for this time. Next week I’ll be taking you through the rest of the vacation. Mostly the charming mountain town of Helen, a sampling of the food enjoyed on our trip, and maybe a little bit about the travel days too.

See you next time for more MonDAVEs!

This Was Inevitable…

Recap!

Last week my daughter Tessa and I began running through our opinions on the movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We have been watching them all in chronological order and I thought it would be fun to share the differences and similarities from the point of view of a teenage girl and her dad on these, the movies that are essentially the mythology of our time. Or something like that.

Anyhoo, the rating systems are as follows. I rate the movies on my usual scale of up to 5 Daves (5 being the best) and Tessa rates on a scale of up to 5 Y’s (Y standing for yaaaaaas!).

Buckle up y’all, we’re back with the second half of our Marvel movie breakdown. Spoilers lie ahead so proceed with caution.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 (4 Daves, 4 Y’s)

Tessa: Just like the first Guardians movie, I like this one a lot. The soundtrack still slaps, and the storyline is great. I like that we get to see more of Peter Quill’s past. I like the first one better, but I still enjoy this one, and I know that it’s hard to make a sequel that lives up to the first one when the first one was that good.

Dave: Don’t you think they missed a great opportunity by not naming it “Guardians 2: The SeQuill?”

T: I did not think about that, but yes.

D: Word. Anyway, I agree with your review. I think they relied a little too heavily on some of the same basic jokes for the characters, but it was still quite enjoyable. Also, Kurt Russell stars in this movie and I like pretty much anything he does, so that’s like an extra half point in and of itself.

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (3.5 Daves, 3 Y’s)

T: I like this movie, but it’s not one that stands out in my mind. While rewatching it, I realized that it was a better movie than I’d originally remembered, but still not my favorite. But I do like the fact that Wanda was introduced, and I almost cried when Pietro died. It’s a good movie and pretty important, but I feel it deserves 3 Y’s.

D: Once again, it’s a little dense (Marvel are good at trying to put too much stuff into one film), and kind of slow in places. However it is an important movie in that it really helps move the characters along, both individually and in the ways they function (or sometimes don’t) as a team. So it’s worth seeing, but it’s not one I will watch repeatedly.

ANT MAN (4 Daves, 4 Y’s)

T: I like this movie a lot. Scott Lang is a great protagonist, and it has just the right amount of humor in it, proving once again that the MCU does comedy well. And Ant Man is a great hero and an asset to the Avengers later on.

D: Ant Man is regarded as a lesser hero, and maybe he is, but I really like Paul Rudd’s take on the character, and this movie is highly entertaining. It also doesn’t require as much knowledge of previous movies as some of the others, so it’s a good stand alone film for MCU fans and casual viewers as well.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (5 Daves, 5 Y’s)

T: This movie is amazing. Not only is it important to the timeline of the MCU, it shows that the Avengers aren’t perfect. They aren’t these amazing heroes who do no wrong and never disagree. This movie shows the tension between each and every Avenger, and how little some of them know each other. It’s refreshing to see a team of superheroes that don’t work together well, or whose plans don’t all go off perfectly. And this is the first time we meet Peter Parker, which I love. Also, BUCKY!!!!

D: One of the very best entries. There are so many great action scenes, and the character development for both Iron Man and Captain America is possibly the best there is in the entire MCU. The events occurring in this film affect everything that comes after it, right up until the last movie. I wish that this would have been released as an Avengers movie, or perhaps just as “Marvel: Civil War” since nearly all major characters are affected by the plot, not just Cap. This is a small quibble however, and does not affect my enjoyment of this film one bit.

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (4 Daves, 5 Y’s)

T: Maybe it’s the fact that this was the first Marvel movie I ever watched, maybe it’s because I love Peter, MJ, and Ned so much, maybe it’s because I have a shirt that has Peter’s high school logo on it, but I love this movie! It brings back so many good memories, and every time I even see Peter I start smiling. Honestly, this is my favorite MCU movie (tied with CA:TWS obviously), and I was so excited to rewatch it. If it was on Disney+, I would watch it everyday.

D: That’s why we have a Blu-Ray player, Tess. Okay, honesty time: Spider-Man has traditionally been one of my least favorite characters, (I know, sorry) and when I heard how young the character would be in this version I was prepared to really dislike this film. But you know, Marvel Studios did it again, this film is really well done and I like it a lot.

DOCTOR STRANGE (4.5 Daves, 3 Y’s)

T: Similar to what I said about Thor: Dark World, this movie is important because it sets up the time stone and everything, but I don’t really like it. Maybe I was used to the comical or action filled movies, and since this had little of either, it wasn’t my favorite. However, I am looking forward to the next Doctor Strange movie, because Strange and Wanda together are a force to be reckoned with.

D: I quite enjoyed this movie. Tessa’s right in saying that it’s not a traditional super hero type movie, but that’s one of the reasons why I like it. I believe there is more action and humor than she claims, but it’s a different style and perhaps a bit more subtle. The film’s take on the mystic arts is quite interesting and though it is an effects-heavy film, the cast is very good.

BLACK PANTHER (4.5 Daves, 4Y’s)

T: I enjoyed this movie. Around this period is when Marvel started churning out solo movies for heroes we’ve never/barely met before, and they don’t always work, but I think this one does. It’s fun to see a new little corner of the MCU with the Wakandans, and they play a big role in the rest of the series. My favorite character is definitely Shuri, and I can’t wait to see what part she plays in the upcoming movies. All in all, this is a great movie by itself, and a great addition to the universe.

D: I like this one a lot, too. I remember seeing this one in the theater and being almost taken aback by how much I felt it. Upon further viewings there are a few plot issues and character choices I’m not so sure about, but that feeling is there. It comes down to a well executed movie, and top notch acting from an actor who left us far too soon.

THOR: RAGNAROK (3.5 Daves, 4.5 Y’s)

T: I gave this 4.5 Y’s (or Thor point five, lol), and I think it deserves that. I’m proud to award it with funniest MCU movie. Every time I watch this movie, I laugh so hard and fall in love with the characters all over again. I’ve kind of been mean to the previous Thor movies, but this one is definitely a lot better. Its another MCU classic for all generations.

D: Okay, so I have a hard time with this one. It is undeniably good, and an important movie for Thor’s character and in fact all of Asgard. It is hysterically funny…and that’s the issue. I feel it relies too much on humor when a little more pathos would have been more true to the characters. However, there are some great set pieces, and it’s probably the Hulk’s finest hour. Also, you can’t do better than the “get help” scene. So I’m torn, but I do like it.

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (5 Daves, 5 Y’s)

T: Dude, this one makes me cry. I might be biased, but it’s probably the best cliffhanger in cinematic history. Thanos is such an unlikeable villain that it makes what he did even worse. If you haven’t seen it or haven’t had it spoiled to you yet; it does not end well for our heroes. Watching my favorite characters turn to dust right before my eyes was scarring (this is the part where I cry). Peter’s iconic “I don’t feel good, Mr. Stark” is forever ingrained in my head as the saddest line ever. But even though it makes me uncontrollably sob, I give it a 5 because its an amazing movie because of the ending.

D: This is one of my favorite movies. Period. Thanos is such an interesting villain to me because yes, he does terrible things, but he has a reason. Though that reasoning may be flawed, it does have a certain twisted logic to it and like all madmen and most politicians he is doing what he believes to be right while being very wrong. Watching this epic story unfold and going through the sacrifices and losses suffered by these characters is viscerally exciting. The ending leaves you breathless in the most unexpected way. So good.

ANT MAN AND THE WASP (4 Daves, 4 Y’s)

T: Similar to the first one, this movie is incredibly funny while also being action packed. It dives deeper into each character’s backstory, and Hope gets a new haircut which we all enjoyed. I love seeing Cassie and Scott’s father-daughter relationship, along with Hope and Janet’s mother-daughter relationship. There is an underlying theme of parenthood in this movie, and that makes me smile.

D: Pretty much what Tessa said. Good as a stand alone movie, and excellent as a pallet cleanser after Infinity War. That credit scene though…

AVENGERS: ENDGAME (4.5 Daves 5 Y’s)

T: Dude, this one makes me cry. The finale fight scene is both brutal and beautiful, and the ultimate sacrifice that had to be made, was made. I cry at least three times throughout this movie. I saw it in theaters twice, and everybody in the movie theater was sobbing. We got everyone back, but somehow it feels like we lost everything again. And seeing the impact of what happened on the characters shows that even though they had their faults and disagreements, they stood by each other in the end. The time travel aspect was actually done pretty well, and while human Hulk kinda creeps me out, he played a big part in bringing everyone back as well. On second thought, I give it 10 out of 5 Y’s, would recommend.

D: It was all leading up to this, and the movie delivers. There are lots of emotional scenes that deepen our love of these characters, and it does give a satisfying conclusion to the story ark of both Iron Man and Captain America. The only thing keeping me from giving this the full 5 Daves is that I am just so not a fan of time travel, and I felt a little cheated that the plan to save everything revolved around that. To be fair though, I’m not sure how it could have happened any other way. The time travel thing does open up a few questions and possible holes in the story, but Marvel seem to be addressing those in their shows and future movies, so that’s alright. All in all though, a great movie and excellent ending to the story line.

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME (4 Daves, 5 Y’s)

T: Dude, this movie also makes me cry! It’s like all I do these days is cry! But seriously, let’s talk about this amazing movie. You probably saw my rating and said But Tessa! You give every movie with Spiderman in it a 5! And you are correct. But this movie really deserves this. Peter was one of the people most affected by one of Endgame’s major losses, and this movies dives into how he handles it. He’s already upset because he was gone for five years, and now that he’s back his father figure dies. FFH shows Peter’s insecurity in himself and his ability to quickly trust others at the same time, and it elaborates on his character so much, which is what we’ve been asking for. But aside from all the deep feels, this movie is really funny and adds the ever so loved romance aspect. I will always and forever love this movie.

D: I view this movie as an epilogue to the connected storyline, and a little bit of a bridge to the next phase of Marvel movies. It is the first movie to deal with life “post blip” (something the tv shows are doing well) and that is an interesting aspect. This is a fun movie and definitely worth viewing.

Alright, we did it, True Believers. 23 movies in 2 posts. Thanks to Tessa for her contributions, we just might have to do this again when the next movie comes out. See you next week for more MonDAVEs.

Excelsior!

We Can Do This All Day

Our family has a movie night once a week. Usually we take turns picking a movie, enabling everyone in the family to share their favorites and for us all to discover something new. It (mostly) works quite well and is something we all look forward to.

Over the past few months we completed all of the Marvel movies, official MCU only, in chronological order. Now, you can watch the movies in any order you choose. Some prefer the order of release, some go the chronological route, some focus only on one character or sets of characters, some just go random. But since the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe is connected via an overarching storyline, this was a fun way to do it. It’s also helped a lot when watching the three new Marvel series on Disney+, also related, but that’s a topic for another day.

Since these movies are all still pretty fresh in our heads, I thought it would be fun to run through them, in order, and give quick reviews. To assist me here, I have recruited my oldest daughter, Tessa, to give her opinions with me. She is every bit the fan of these movies as I am if not more, so this should be fun. We will try to keep this spoiler free, but come on y’all, it’s been ten plus years that these films have been out, so no blaming us if you are not up to speed. We will present this in two separate posts so that a.) you don’t get too bored and b.) we don’t get too bored.

Rating system is as follows. I will rate on my standard scale of up to 5 Daves, and Tessa will rate up to 5 Y’s. Y’s, of course, standing for Yaaaaaas! Anyway…

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER (4.5 Daves, 5 Y’s)

Tessa: I like this one because it sets up Cap’s character really well, it shows off his priorities and good motives that are important throughout the rest of the MCU. It also sets up Bucky and Peggy, two of my favorite characters.

Dave: Captain America rules. Red Skull rules. End of story.

T: Facts.

CAPTAIN MARVEL (4 Daves, 4 Y’s)

T: I like Captain Marvel because it’s the MCU’s first female lead movie, and it doesn’t have a cheap love story or anything, it focuses on her journey as a superhero and they treat it like they would if it were a man’s story. Also I like Goose. It does cause one or two minor plot holes with Nick Fury, but all in all I like it.

D: This gets a lot of hate from the online fanboy community, and I’m not sure why. Intimidated by a strong female character, are we? Grow up. I think this is a very entertaining entry, and I believe it will set up some storylines for the next phase of movies, which is cool. Contrary to popular opinion I think Brie Larson did a great job, and I am looking forward to the next film.

IRON MAN (4 Daves, 4 Y’s)

T: I think Iron Man sets up the MCU very well. It shows Tony Stark’s growth as a character and introduces us to very important characters (Tony, Pepper, Happy, etc.) Tony is a very important character, and you can tell right from the beginning of his story that he’s going to be the one who takes charge of the MCU and makes it what it is now.

D: One of the best movies to watch as a stand alone. I don’t think the Marvel people were 100% committed to the “it’s all connected” theory yet and that Nick Fury’s appearance in the post credit scene was more of a giant “easter egg” for fans of the comics, but boy did it take off from there! Robert Downey Jr. is perfectly cast.

IRON MAN 2 (3.5 Daves, 3Y’s)

T: This movie was good, and dove further into Tony’s character, but it was somewhat forgettable. There were some important things that happened, like the introduction of Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow), the formal introduction of Fury, and a tease at Thor’s hammer, but ultimately this isn’t one that stays in my head as a monumental Marvel movie, ya know?

D: I like this one a little better than some, but I think it’s a little overly complex for what it is. It’s not as much fun as the first one, but it moves the character along nicely.

THE INCREDIBLE HULK (2.5 Daves, 2 Y’s)

T: I didn’t really like it, and it’s not Mark Ruffalo so what’s the point?

D: This is Marvel’s biggest miss in my opinion. I love Edward Norton as an actor, I think he is one of our finest. However, he is just completely and utterly miscast here as Bruce Banner. The rest of the movie is fine. Not great but not bad, it’s just that Norton is so wrong for this character it brings the whole thing down.

THOR (4 Daves, 3.5 Y’s)

T: I liked this movie. I did not like Thor’s haircut, which is why it’s a 3.5 and not a 4. I think it was a good way to set up Thor, and set up the side characters really well too. Darcy and Loki will always be my favorite characters in the Thor series, and I’m excited to see Jane again in the next Thor movie.

D: I like this movie a lot, both visually and from a world building point of view. It was directed by Kenneth Branagh, a favorite actor and director of mine, who thinks everything he does is Shakespeare. So it’s a little overly dramatic and heavy handed, but that works well for me when we’re talking about an epic film filled with Norse Gods.

THE AVENGERS (AKA AVENGERS ASSEMBLE) (4 Daves, 4.5 Y’s)

T: This is such an iconic MCU movie. I’ve talked a lot about setting up characters and the MCU, but I’m going to talk about it again. This movie did set up the Avengers, something so important to every following movie and the MCU as a whole. The only reason it’s not a full 5 is that it was kind of long, and even though they had a lot to do in one movie, it felt like it was a bit too long.

D: This is a good movie, and it’s a lot of fun to see all the heroes together for the first time. The downside here is that the film makers tried to put a little too much into the story, which is excusable since a lot of people would be watching this one that did not see anything leading up to it. So I feel it’s a little complicated for the casual viewer and a simplified version may have worked better. On the other hand, it really does put the overarching story into motion, and the begins to develop the working relationships between all of the major characters. It’s also where the MCU began to really start finding its style.

IRON MAN 3 (3 Daves, 3 Y’s)

T: There was a lot I liked about this movie. I loved the introduction of Harley, and even though he never made a large appearance after this movie, it was nice to see the way Harley intertwined into Tony’s character. I think having that person who looked up to you that you could mentor and teach was good for Tony. And that helped him as he later went on to do the same with Peter Parker, Morgan, and even Nebula in a way. And I liked when Pepper used Tony’s suit, because it foreshadowed her getting her own suit in Endgame. But just like Iron Man 2, even though there were a lot of good things, it stayed forgettable, other than one or two details.

D: The good: Everything without the kid in it. The bad: everything with the kid in it.

T: 😦

THOR: THE DARK WORLD (4 Daves, 3Y’s)

T: This movie is important and all, since it sets up the reality stone and stuff, but it’s boring. Loki and Darcy again stepped in to steal the show, and they were the only real good things about this movie in my opinion. Forgettable, yet watchable enough to deserve 3 Y’s.

D: Incorrect, Tessa. This movie is unfairly underrated by many. It has more humor than the first Thor film, though not as much as later entries. The stakes are much higher from a storytelling point of view, I like the character development between Thor and Loki, and I especially enjoy where they went with Dr. Selvig’s character. I admittedly had jumped on the bandwagon of this being a miss of a movie but after the recent viewing I have changed my mind and stand happily corrected.

T: Incorrect, Dad. A lot of what you said was true, about the humor and character development and all that jazz. But it wasn’t enough to save the movie for me. I low key (see what I did there) almost fell asleep. I do not like this movie.

D: Whatevs. Moving on.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER (4.5 Daves, 5 Y’s)

T: I love this movie! When we watched it as a family, that’s when I was finally hooked on the MCU. Without this movie, I would not be the fan that I am today. This movie is well written, did a great job at bringing back Bucky, introduces Sam, and dives deep into almost every Cap character’s backstory. This is my comfort movie. I’ll put it on whenever I’m bored or want to watch an MCU movie but don’t know which one to pick. It may be because of my love of Bucky Barnes, but I love this movie very much.

D: Another strong showing from Cap and friends. It introduces the Winter Soldier storyline, and is the first appearance of The Falcon. I grew up reading Captain America and Falcon comics, so this made me happy. Lots of cool S.H.I.E.L.D./Hydra stuff too.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (4.5 Daves, 4.5 Y’s)

T: Guardians was the first movie that was intentionally comical, and it really payed off well. The MCU showed that it can do a funny movie, that also expands the universe and adds more depth to what we already know. I love Groot and Rocket, and Drax never fails to make me laugh. All in all, this is a great movie, and one I definitely will watch just on a random Tuesday if I feel bored. A *classic* to be honest.

D: Total winner. Apart from being hilarious, this movie does have some great action sequences as well, a really great soundtrack, and gives us interesting new characters. Although we caught a glimpse of Thanos’s power in the Avengers movie, here is where his character starts to earn his “big bad” status, and he’s not even in the film much at all. Marvel really knocked it out of the park with this one. Also, Howard The Duck makes an appearance and that makes me so happy I can’t even tell you.

Okay, that’s it for this post. See you next week for another MonDAVE.

Tessa will return.

A Basement Full Of Memories

My wife and I are currently in the process of cleaning out our storage room in the basement of the house. The plan is to eventually install an egress window and put in another room down there. That’s all well into the future, though. Right now we are going through boxes trying to figure out how to rearrange everything, and seeing what we want to keep and what we want to get rid of. Turns out, we want to keep most of the stuff we have. Sure, we made a few donations and we have filled up the trash and recycle bins a few times. Yet, most of it has remained.

A lot of my friends are embracing minimalism, I’m more of a maximalist.

I just like my stuff, okay? I enjoy looking having things around that bring back memories, or that I can still enjoy. Be it an old toy, book, picture, album, whatever. Some may look around and see clutter, I see a life. While it is true that we are not defined by our possessions, they do tell a tale. That tale can be relived again and again, and some comfort and, yes, joy can be found just by looking at our stuff.

And we found some really fun stuff.

Remember photo albums? Back before we had a thousand pictures in our pockets we had these books of real, honest to goodness, permanent and tangible photographs that we would flip through. Usually with family, or at the holidays. You would take time to stop, look, and reminisce. It was a thing. Sure, you can store all your photos digitally now, and that may be easier, but it’s not as much fun. Nor is it as special. That’s why we’ve kept them all.

Speaking of photographs, we also found lots of pictures of the kids when they were little. Along with those were some of their art projects and school work. Sweet little objects to remind us of their already fading childhood days. The years of innocence and wonder only last so long, and it’s good to have these things to draw us back into that special time.

We also found a box full of keepsakes from the early days of our relationship, before we were married. Old ticket stubs, some cards and love notes, even old dried and preserved roses from a Valentine’s Day years back. Sentimental, and important to the both of us.

There are other things too. Old Christmas decorations (which I particularly love), some appliances and electronics that may or may not come in handy at some point so we may as well hold on to them, some of the kids old toys and décor from their old rooms, a few old clocks, and wall art. Lots and lots of wall art.

Then there are the personal stuff we each found and held on to. Things we both held on to from high school and college years. I can’t speak for what my wife held on to from her earlier years, as they are personal to her and she can hold her memories how she sees fit. I was excited to go through a lot of my stuff though.

I found a lot of old theater stuff from high school-programs signed by fellow castmates and crew. Pictures from the shows, write ups from the school newspaper (and one from the North County Journal even!), plus some fun old pictures in the remnants of a long ago destroyed photo album I didn’t realize I still had. It all came flooding back and I had a great time.

It is well known that I am a collector of music memorabilia, and I found a good portion of that stuff too. There are some publications like fanzines, music related comic books, a few old wall calendars (I love wall calendars!!), and ticket stubs from my high school days. Most of the stubs from later years have sadly vanished, but there are some good ones still left.

Then there are the old VHS tapes. Many are live shows and documentaries unreleased in the USA, along with some “fan filmed” footage and some long out of print video compilations and concerts. Most of this stuff has never been re-released, at least not in the same configuration. And before you ask, yes I still have a VHS player and an old TV to play them on. There’s some really cool stuff by a number of my favorite artists. I actually got rid of some years ago that I still wish I had. Call it collector’s remorse. Ah well.

I also have like 90% of all the t-shirts I have ever owned. Well, the ones that weren’t blank anyway. Since I am largely a t-shirts and jeans guy, this number is quite staggering. Some have been lost and/or destroyed but I kept most of them because I love t-shirts, and many have memories attached. Most are from concerts I have attended, events I have been a part of, or just an example of pop culture at the time. Once again, they evoke memories and I think they are cool. I am also considering putting them online in a blog or Facebook/Twitter page or something like that. Haven’t decided yet, but if that sounds like something you’d like to see, let me know.

Now, I know there are way too many shirts to wear. I also am aware that some of these could fetch a pretty penny on eBay these days. They could also go to the homeless in a clothing drive. I know. I get that. I’m just not ready to let them go yet.

See, that’s the thing. I’m not ready to let this stuff go. At least not most of it. One day, I’m sure I will. Maybe long after retirement we will need to downsize, by choice or otherwise, and getting rid of it will become a necessity. Maybe we will be in a situation where we need money and I will be forced into selling my collectibles to other crazy obsessives like me. Maybe the time will come when I have a change of heart and just won’t want to have all this stuff in my house anymore. After all, I don’t actually need all of these things to have my memories or the feelings that come with them. But it’s nice to have them anyway.

I am sure that the cynical would claim that there’s a lot of greed and selfishness involved in keeping a lot of these things. Perhaps so. The bigger reason however, is that this is my way of preserving the past. Not living in it, but honoring it and keeping important parts alive in a tangible way. Life moves fast. Every once in a while it’s nice to slow down a little, take the box of the shelf and spend time with your memories. It’s therapeutic, personal, and wonderful.

School’s Out For Summer

You sang the Alice Cooper song when you read that title.

If you didn’t, you are singing it now.

And kids still know that song! Maybe not all kids, but a lot of them do. Even kids who don’t know who or what an Alice Cooper is are familiar with that song. It’s ingrained in the public consciousness.

“School’s Out” is one of the great anthems of our time, because everyone can relate to it. Even the kids who like school love their Summer vacations. From elementary students on up through high school and college, the sentiment rings true. Even for teachers. Maybe especially for teachers!

Working adults feel the same way, too. We remember what it was like to be free of the responsibilities and pressures of school very well, and we have held on to that feeling. That’s why we get so excited for the vacation time we have- be it a holiday, a weekend trip or full on vacation. And we still sing along with “School’s Out” every time we hear it. We may even sing it this time of year with no prompting, just as a natural instinct.

But for most of us, Summers just aren’t the same anymore. As adults we don’t get a few months off from our jobs to do whatever we want. Sure, we enjoy what little time we have, but even most of our “free time” is filled with obligations we don’t always want to do. The care free days of Summer Vacation are all but a memory.

Unless you have kids and are married to a teacher.

Yep. It’s a whole different deal around my house.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, my wife works incredibly hard at her job. Being an educator is tough work, and can be quite the emotional roller coaster as well. She needs this time to re center, take it easy for a while and to do things that are uniquely her, away from the pressures of being a teacher. Summer vacations are nowhere near a full three months anymore, but they are very much needed for reasons of overall sanity.

The kids, of course, are on Summer Break too. This is an absolute right of Kid-dom, and that is as it should be. As adults we tend to remember the carefree days of Summer, and think about our childhoods overall through a rose tinted lens where we had very little responsibilities and life was pretty sweet. No taxes, no career paths, no family to provide for, no investment portfolios or 401ks, no real worries about the state of the country/world and how it may effect our living situation. Man, kids have it so good!

Well, yes and no. Being a kid is hard. Every day you are learning facts, figures, and skills that you will be expected to draw from for the rest of your life. You are trying to figure out who you are, and how that affects your schoolwork and your social situation. You learn who your friends are, and more importantly, who they aren’t. And as you get older you begin to try to figure out the opposite sex (or the same sex), you start to understand how the world outside your door affects your own life, and oh yeah, try to have a good idea of what you want to do with that life by the time you hit eighteen. Which brings to mind another Alice Cooper song, but let’s leave that alone for now.

So don’t hear what I’m not saying. I think the people in my family deserve the break they are getting. I don’t begrudge them one bit, and I’m happy if they can enjoy it.

However (there’s always a however) it can be a little difficult on yours truly.

One way things get all turned around is through scheduling. As the Summer goes on, bedtimes get later and later, and my end of day alone time starts to get shorter. The schedules for the kids’ activities change too, and that gives us a whole new routine to learn for about 6-8 weeks, which we then have to unlearn and go back to what we were doing and I get all confused and grumpy.

There always seems to be a lot to do in Summer, and little time to do it in. There are some things we just want to do, like Amusement Parks, the Zoo and other local attractions, family hikes and cookouts, swimming, special events, and we wind up not being able to do all of them. Then I feel like I failed at Summer. Why is that? Just because Summer only lasts three months doesn’t mean that all the time has to be filled up, but I can’t help feeling like it should be. I wind up feeling guilty for sitting and relaxing too much, or for not sitting and relaxing enough.

I think that it’s because a part of me wants my Summer Vacations back. I mean, we are going on a week long vacation this Summer (in your face COVID!), and even though I work most Saturdays I do get Mondays off with the kids. I am grateful for the time I do have, but it kinda sucks that Summers aren’t what they used to be.

I still love Summer, it’s my favorite season. I love the sunshine, the long, hot days (even the really humid ones), late Summer sunsets, sudden 20 minute rain showers, outdoor concerts, and pretty much everything that makes Summer what it is. I just want it to last a little longer and to have more time to enjoy it. That’s just not how it works these days.

So anyway, the rest of the house is in vacation mode and I am not. I’m a little…well, jealous and envious both feel like the wrong words to use here, the feeling is not that extreme. I just feel sort of left out. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older. Maybe it’s because I know that the Summers with my kids in the house are numbered. Maybe it’s because there’s a big part of me that never grew up. Maybe it’s all of those things.

Well, the fact of the matter is that school is out, and Summer is upon us. Though I’m feeling a bit sentimental, introspective, and melancholy about it right now, it is still my favorite. And I will still enjoy it to the full. I mean, I’m not going to go full on Clark Griswold or anything, but I hope to have a great Summer.

And I hope you do too.