Just A Beautiful Day
 

I woke up pretty early (for a night person like me) at around 9:30am...

After breakfast,  the family and I spent a nice quiet Memorial Day out in the backyard.   We have a nice backyard in that we have a great view of the valley looking down into a scenic part of our area with eucalyptus trees all around for miles.   It was a gorgeous morning and we took advantage of it.   In need to get some serious spring cleaning done,  I started working in the garden and trimming all the shrubs and hedges,  fertilizing the lawn,  and watering,  watering,  watering.  Being in Southern California,  the weather on a great sunny day is dry,  very dry.   So,  plants need water here, and lots of it.

We of course did not forget the traditional Memorial Day barbecue,  so we put some steaks on the grill that had been marinating for a day.

After lunch it was back to the gardening for a greater part of the afternoon.   I helped my younger son with his school project,  a diorama of the sea,  built out of a shoe box and contained handmade fishes, crabs, seahorses, and plants.  It was a fun project and reminded me of some dioramas I had made in elementary school.  Dioramas are fun,  especially when you help your young first grader make 'em.
 

My Own Star Wars Saga

Even though the "hype" has definitely made it tempting to see the new Star Wars:  Phantom Menace movie,  I have been hesitant to see this film,  knowing that the movie was going to be another "Hollywood" mass marketing & promotional tool for all the merchandise that HE (George Lucas,  who was able to get all merchandising rights before the release of the original Star Wars) plans to make a ton of money on. 

To be honest,  this kind of thing really turns me off,  and as a parent,  I'm sensitive to all the blatant advertising going on when we watch TV.   But thankfully,  the boys have been schooled (by their parents) nonetheless,  that they shouldn't get caught up in all the hoopla regarding the Star Wars Saga. 

Granted,  we'd been thru all this when the Star Wars Trilogy came out on video,  and my two boys watched it over and over again until they were chanting the lines in those movies. 

And then we were "suckered" into seeing the "Special Edition" Empire Strikes Back on the big screen.   I just feel that the original Star Wars was a great film,  and George Lucas produced one of the great epic trilogies of all time. 

I just feel differently about this NEW one,  especially when I see all the new Star Wars toys being marketed months before the movie comes out.   But then again,  it's been going on with all the big blockbuster movies,  so "what else is new?". 

It just seems all too predictable.   I know George Lucas has more creativity and genius than that,  to maybe start something entirely different in concept and design,  and not just go for the big bucks.   From what I've heard,  the film is good but Lucas didn't outdo himself here...

One Year Ago Today

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