Iron Man 3 Event at The Source

One of the greatest pleasures I have as a parent is sharing fun experiences with my kids. They like many of the same things I do and we get along really exceptionally well. Last night we attended the Iron Man 3 event at The Source Comics and Games in Roseville and I was again pleasantly surprised by my kids and by the event itself.

We walked away with a ton of free stuff and the kids had a great time. Each of them received an Iron Man action figure. Through the plinko game, we received an Iron Man 3 poster, Iron Man 3 tattoos, and even an Iron Man 3 t shirt. The line moved quickly and then we had time to search around the store for the Mandarin's rings. Whomever found the most got free passes to an advance screening of the movie. My son was disappointed by not finding any rings but it was a stroke of genius by The Source. We spent almost 30 minutes checking out every inch of the store. The kids were the ones who drove it and really wanted to find those rings. But they also saw tons of other items and my son's birthday list is officially overloaded.

 Iron Man chilling on the way to school today. 

 Poster that bumped Lego Pirates of the Caribbean off the preferred spot in the bedroom.

 Fun Iron Man 3 shirt that is a small so was deemed a night shirt. Joint custody and a sharing agreement has already been established. 

May 3rd. I'll be there. I'll have to fight them both to let me have a parental guidance preview. 

The Source's relatively new location gives them so much room. It was fascinating and pretty cool that a group of gamers were set up for their game in the back, completely uninterested in the movie fans. The new location is somewhat of a United Nations of Nerds. Giving gamers, movie geeks, comic geeks and more enough room to exist and co-exist. I was thoroughly pleased with the ease of the evening, how kid friendly it was and how easily it was to check out at the end. (We got Ticket to Ride, review to come). All in all kudos to The Source and Disney, who provided the prizes and movie materials. It was perhaps done well enough that a tiny portion of my Disney doing Star Wars agnst was destroyed. Perhaps. 

OH! Also The Source has Game of Thrones merchandise....this is not good for my bank account. Patches, pint and shot glases, decks of cards etc. Hell, I could even get a Hand of King pin. Yep. It plays.

 

Trailer Triple

This Summer is going to be awesome for geeks and movies. I pray.

Thor The Dark World (Thor 2)

Star Trek Into Darkness (Star Trek 2)

Kick Ass 2

Sequels can rule.

Wednesday Wanderings

The two best things that I have gotten out of internet dating in 2013 are being exposed to LCD Soundsystem's "dance yrself clean" and rereading Vonnegut's "Cat's Cradle" When put in that light, internet dating has been highly productive.

I forget the brilliance of Vonnegut. Masterful story teller and amazingly intelligent. Perhaps evil genius level. I mean he got an anthropology degree from the University of Chicago for this book.  The character of Felix Hoenikker is so brilliant yet unable to be part of society, he's like an accidental Bond villian.

Aaron Hicks has had a rough start to his MLB career. But kudos, props and much respect the Twins organization for not panicking and looking for a quick fix. This season is about learning what some of these kids can do. Not what a AAAA player like Julio Borbon can do.

 My love for fake band tshirts (Wyld Stallyns, The Beets, Jesse and the Rippers) might soon be replaced by love for fake beer brand ts and hoodies like Peter Cotton Ale.

One reason I may never find my true love is because she's actually a fictional character. But who doesn't love Kate Beckett? This scene is amazing. Hell this entire show is my therapy.

Mumford and Sons sometimes gets blasted for hipsterness, being too popular etc. But I'd love to see them live. Music can be an incredible version of a prayer. No matter your religious leanings.

Jess Myers writes good stuff for 1500 ESPN here in MN. But this article seems to reach a bit too far. If the Wild had picked up penalties and lost the game. Myers and the rest of the media would blast them for being too reactionary and emotional.

Rapid Fire:

Some people don't believe I'm on Pinterest.

If I ever get the guts to actually get my tattoo, this guy might do it.

As a entrepreneur, I wish I had thought of being this Dad.  

Since my true love is a fictional character, I don't have to worry about ruining my chances by putting this Yoda on my wall.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Dawn Treader at Canal Park Brewing Co in Duluth. Craving.

Kids and I will be going to this tonight. I'm super excited about the movie. Even if the Lego's in the store ruined one plot surprise already....

Optimism v. Pessimism - Or How I learned to hate absolutes

I often question whether my pessimism is a learned or inherent behavior. Am I am a dark grumpy cloud at times because I am simply wired that way? Or have the experiences of my life, the dreams deferred, the mistakes, the public elimination and discontinuation of Surge and Oldsmobile, national and international tragedies and so much more, made me that dark cloud? Perhaps it is illuminating that I have always preferred Grumpy Bear to Cheer Bear and Oscar over Big Bird.

Definitions of 'optimism' [op-tuh-miz-uhm] Dictionary.com -(noun)

 

1. tendency to have a favorable view of things

2. the belief that good will prevail

 

Over the past few years I have tried to make a serious effort to have a favorable view of things. I try not to get too down when little things happen, a bad tip, crappy traffic, a winter that won't end etc. It has been a struggle at times and it is a constant battle. Some moments I'm good at it. Some moments I'm incapable of seeing even the slightest light at the end of the tunnel. And if I do, I'm convinced it's simply an oncoming train. 

However, part 2 is something I'm not sure I can do. At times it feels that life isn't about good prevailing. It's about good surviving. Did good prevail in Boston last week? No. Good survived. If good had prevailed, the bombers would have been caught before they could place those pressure cookers. The great and amazing thing about good is that it can and does survive. 

The good vs. evil dynamic is a version of the zombie apocalypse. Good doesn't defeat evil in the way that survivors don't defeat zombies. There is no cure. There is no eradication coming. Good must survive evil. Not prevail. Good is a survivor and sometimes good has to capture evil, cut it's jaw off and drag it around by a chain so it can alert good to more evil.

From the dictionary definition, I'm working on half of what optimism is. And I reject even the premise of the second part. So perhaps I'm more in line with pessimism. 

Definitions of 'pessimism' [pes-uh-miz-uhm] Dictionary.com - (noun)

 

1. the tendency to expect the worst

 

Is it just me or does it seem like Dictionary.com just mailed in the detail on this definition. Though, ironically perhaps I'm just being pessimistic. 

"The tendency to expect the worst" At times I do expect the worst. But more often, I find myself caught off guard by the worst. I don't walk up to every table expecting a horrible tip or a impossible to please patron. I don't watch every sporting event expecting a loss for the home team. Inexplicably, I still expect to date and find love. I believe that my children's lives will be filled with possibility and look eagerly forward to watching them grow and experience life. 

Yet. I trend toward expecting the worst as events unfold. If the food comes out wrong, or we are out of something or I take too long to get the seven slices of lemon that a table desires - I expect the worst (No tip, lose job, stabbed with spork). If the Twins are suddenly down by four runs in the first inning and the offense looks as completely lost at the plate - I expect the worst (Career ending injuries, 25-0 loss, No hitter). When I ask someone out and get a lukewarm or traditionally bad response (Washing my hair, Just so busy right now, You're so nice and fun and a great friend) - I expect the worst. (alone forever, forget the feel of human touch). When things like the Boston bombing, bullies in the classroom, teachers who are poorly placed, school districts that split a school in two for financial reasons over educational reasons, the rising debt, those aforementioned evil zombies - I expect the worst (My children unhappy).

So what does this mean? (Luther's Catechism reference!) 

In summation, I'm a half optimist who has pessimistic tendencies as the evil seems to prevail over the good. 

In short, I'm probably just human. 

And that's ok.