It must be summer... if there's a new Batman movie coming out. Since 1989, a good summer has been defined by its Batman movie. And maybe a good dinosaur movie. But we don't have a good dinosaur movie this year. This is the year of The Dark Knight.
John and I met at the Arena Grand Theater at 10:30 for drinks in the upstairs lounge. Interestingly, there was a full moon that night, which may or may not have played a part in bringing out all the crazies. At any rate, we admired all the colorful fanboys and fangirls in the lobby standing in line for popcorn and soda. Soon we were joined by Matt and Acacia, then Dan, then Toph and Jill. Then my brothers made their dramatic entrance, with their bicycling gear in full effect. I think it's safe to say that a good time was had by all, even if we didn't get quite what we expected.
Unfortunately, I seriously mismanaged my caffeine intake, foolishly choosing to drink a small Pepsi at midnight so I wouldn't get sleepy during the course of the next 2 1/2 hours. I should have known better. There was no need for artificial stimulants of any kind, as I was utterly rapt with the movie. Indeed, a caffeine-induced brainstorm of trying to figure out what might happen in Batman 3 kept me up until well past four in the morning. Ugh.
So how was it? Fantastic. Not perfect, but a worthy sequel. I won't attempt to retread over some very astute reviews that other critics have written. But I will tell you they're all true.
Internet buzz indicates that Catwoman, Penguin, and Robin will NOT appear in the next movie. My bet is on the Riddler, who will be introduced as a kind of CSI genius hired by the Gotham Police in order to trap and reign in the fugitive vigilante Batman.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Run through the fields and houses...
It's been three days and I figure I better write a wrap-up post before this year's fest slips too far into the past. Before I do, I would like to take a moment and say a big thank-you to toph and Jill for letting me crash in their guest room all weekend. There's only one weekend of the year where I miss my old apartment and this is it, but the blow was greatly softened by still having a place to crash in the neighborhood. Many thanks.
With that, here's my fond remembrance of Comfest 2008.
Friday
I rose early and packed up my bags. My intention was to complete that task Thursday night, but, as they say, the best laid plans...
Got everything packed up and had just enough time to go hunting for new sunglasses before I had to be at the Phoenix for the panel. Swung by Speedway on 5th (hoping to also obtain a new butane lighter) and grabbed sunglasses. Alas, no lighters anymore at Speedway.
Post-panel, I text toph telling him I'll be on time and post the picture I snapped earlier of my gear all ready to go. Zip home and am home less than 3 minutes when toph pulls up out front. We head to his house, carrying in only the items that will not be making the trip into the park and toph, Jill, and I head to Mac's for the annual kick-off lunch.
After lunch, Jill heads home and toph and I head out into the park. We
quickly procure mugs, koozies, and beer and begin to wander the fest. We saunter down Park to Goodale then follow the interior road up to the main stage. We watch a little of that band and then decide it's Johngarita time. As we begin to walk away we run smack into the Jones boys.
After our visit with the Bros. Jones, we head back to toph & Jill's. We forgot ice and have to run to Giant Eagle to get some. I successfully complete my quest for a new lighter. Nibo triple torch. $10.99. Perfect.
We zip home and I begin the first mixing of the weekend while toph fills bag after bag with ice. Packed up and ready to go, we (along with Jill) head out to the park. We land, as always, at the Gazebo and settle into our chairs. Jared's already there and he and I do a little post-morteming of Brooklyn Boy as I kick back with my Johngarita and my first cigar of the fest.
Comfest-time kicks in and the afternoon blurs quickly into the evening. Lots of folks come and go. At one point, I give Jared some Johngarita. I don't see him again until Sunday.
By the end of the night it's just me, toph, Lauren, and DrunkBrant(tm). We head back to toph and Jill's where we begin to rehydrate. After some water, Brant and Lauren head out and toph and I call it a day.
Saturday
I wake up in desperate need of more water. For an hour, that's all I drink. Very dry.
We partake in the delightful quiche Jill has made for breakfast and then head to the liquor store and Giant Eagle in Grandview because we need:
We are there 2.5 hours before the rain comes. And come it does. For an hour. Very wet. Sometime around 5 lightning starts to appear in the sky and they close the stage. We pack it in and head back to toph's. Very sad.
We all change and begin to dry out. The Johngaritas continue to flow. We order pizza. We blog. They pop in Firefly but as I haven't seen it before and there is much socializing going on while it plays, I decide to pass. I blog a little and then text with Dan for a while. He has finally arrived and is wandering around the mudpit waiting for us to come back. I pretty much imply that unless he actually comes over it seems very unlikely that I will be able to motivate the group back into the park. So he stops by and together we successfully push for a return to the park.
After kicking everyone into gear (apparently a little too quickly... we find out later from Jill via phone that we left the place a total mess and she is not happy), we walk back up. Straw and mud, but we find a place in the general vicinity of our stomping grounds and set up camp for the night. We drink, smoke lots of cigars, and generally chill. The rain took a lot out of us and thus Saturday night ends up being a lot more like a typical Sunday. Johngarita consumption is way down. (We end up with a bottle and a half left over for Sunday.)
toph heads home to clean-up before Jill gets back and Dan and I stick around to finish off the JFR's we started. We end up being some of the last revelers in the park once again. Dan heads south to his car and I head north back to toph's.
I help out with a little clean-up, fill my mug with ice water out of the cooler, and head to bed.
Sunday
After chowing down on Jill's tasty french toast bake, toph runs out for ice and additional PowerAde bottles and I begin mixing Blue Hawaiians. Preparations complete, we gear up and head out.
We set-up camp close to where we were the night before and settle in for a relaxing Sunday afternoon. We wait out a half hour of rain mid-afternoon, but this shower doesn't hold a candle to Saturday's downpour and we quickly dry out in the returning sun.
We wander the fest a little, partake in additional Comfest traditions (turkey legs, mmmmm), and sit around bullshitting. Despite the rain, it ends up being a beautiful Sunday at Comfest. We drink Blue Hawaiians and all is right with the world.
As the day slips to dusk, a slight melancholy descends over our revelry. However, I am all too familiar with the end-of-fest blues and refuse to let it bring me down this year. Reflection can be saved for the next 363 days, I'm determined to savor the last few hours of my favorite weekend of the year.
The light fades in the western sky and we say our goodbyes.
Jason gives me a lift home where I promptly throw 2 days worth of wet, muddy clothing in the washer to be laundered, then head upstairs to launder myself.
I catch up a little on everything I've missed in the world for 3 days and drink lots of water.
This year I smartly took Monday off, so I have a full day to recover. Eventually I head to bed and quickly fall into a deep, restful sleep, officially closing my eyes on Comfest 2008.
-----
Only 359 days to go. See you soon.
With that, here's my fond remembrance of Comfest 2008.
Friday
I rose early and packed up my bags. My intention was to complete that task Thursday night, but, as they say, the best laid plans...
Got everything packed up and had just enough time to go hunting for new sunglasses before I had to be at the Phoenix for the panel. Swung by Speedway on 5th (hoping to also obtain a new butane lighter) and grabbed sunglasses. Alas, no lighters anymore at Speedway.
Post-panel, I text toph telling him I'll be on time and post the picture I snapped earlier of my gear all ready to go. Zip home and am home less than 3 minutes when toph pulls up out front. We head to his house, carrying in only the items that will not be making the trip into the park and toph, Jill, and I head to Mac's for the annual kick-off lunch.
After lunch, Jill heads home and toph and I head out into the park. We
quickly procure mugs, koozies, and beer and begin to wander the fest. We saunter down Park to Goodale then follow the interior road up to the main stage. We watch a little of that band and then decide it's Johngarita time. As we begin to walk away we run smack into the Jones boys.
After our visit with the Bros. Jones, we head back to toph & Jill's. We forgot ice and have to run to Giant Eagle to get some. I successfully complete my quest for a new lighter. Nibo triple torch. $10.99. Perfect.
We zip home and I begin the first mixing of the weekend while toph fills bag after bag with ice. Packed up and ready to go, we (along with Jill) head out to the park. We land, as always, at the Gazebo and settle into our chairs. Jared's already there and he and I do a little post-morteming of Brooklyn Boy as I kick back with my Johngarita and my first cigar of the fest.
Comfest-time kicks in and the afternoon blurs quickly into the evening. Lots of folks come and go. At one point, I give Jared some Johngarita. I don't see him again until Sunday.
By the end of the night it's just me, toph, Lauren, and DrunkBrant(tm). We head back to toph and Jill's where we begin to rehydrate. After some water, Brant and Lauren head out and toph and I call it a day.
Saturday
I wake up in desperate need of more water. For an hour, that's all I drink. Very dry.
We partake in the delightful quiche Jill has made for breakfast and then head to the liquor store and Giant Eagle in Grandview because we need:
- more Cabo (unbelievably)
- more lime juice (to go with the additional Cabo)
- more ice (go figure)
- butane
We are there 2.5 hours before the rain comes. And come it does. For an hour. Very wet. Sometime around 5 lightning starts to appear in the sky and they close the stage. We pack it in and head back to toph's. Very sad.
We all change and begin to dry out. The Johngaritas continue to flow. We order pizza. We blog. They pop in Firefly but as I haven't seen it before and there is much socializing going on while it plays, I decide to pass. I blog a little and then text with Dan for a while. He has finally arrived and is wandering around the mudpit waiting for us to come back. I pretty much imply that unless he actually comes over it seems very unlikely that I will be able to motivate the group back into the park. So he stops by and together we successfully push for a return to the park.
After kicking everyone into gear (apparently a little too quickly... we find out later from Jill via phone that we left the place a total mess and she is not happy), we walk back up. Straw and mud, but we find a place in the general vicinity of our stomping grounds and set up camp for the night. We drink, smoke lots of cigars, and generally chill. The rain took a lot out of us and thus Saturday night ends up being a lot more like a typical Sunday. Johngarita consumption is way down. (We end up with a bottle and a half left over for Sunday.)
toph heads home to clean-up before Jill gets back and Dan and I stick around to finish off the JFR's we started. We end up being some of the last revelers in the park once again. Dan heads south to his car and I head north back to toph's.
I help out with a little clean-up, fill my mug with ice water out of the cooler, and head to bed.
Sunday
After chowing down on Jill's tasty french toast bake, toph runs out for ice and additional PowerAde bottles and I begin mixing Blue Hawaiians. Preparations complete, we gear up and head out.
We set-up camp close to where we were the night before and settle in for a relaxing Sunday afternoon. We wait out a half hour of rain mid-afternoon, but this shower doesn't hold a candle to Saturday's downpour and we quickly dry out in the returning sun.
We wander the fest a little, partake in additional Comfest traditions (turkey legs, mmmmm), and sit around bullshitting. Despite the rain, it ends up being a beautiful Sunday at Comfest. We drink Blue Hawaiians and all is right with the world.
As the day slips to dusk, a slight melancholy descends over our revelry. However, I am all too familiar with the end-of-fest blues and refuse to let it bring me down this year. Reflection can be saved for the next 363 days, I'm determined to savor the last few hours of my favorite weekend of the year.
The light fades in the western sky and we say our goodbyes.
Jason gives me a lift home where I promptly throw 2 days worth of wet, muddy clothing in the washer to be laundered, then head upstairs to launder myself.
I catch up a little on everything I've missed in the world for 3 days and drink lots of water.
This year I smartly took Monday off, so I have a full day to recover. Eventually I head to bed and quickly fall into a deep, restful sleep, officially closing my eyes on Comfest 2008.
-----
Only 359 days to go. See you soon.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Great friggin weekend (as always). Did my summary entry on my Blog. Check it out if you wish, and see ya'll next year!
-Jared
-Jared
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