Summer Vacation Friday Five

1. What is (or would be) your dream vacation?
Right now, a full week away *without kids*, somewhere I can visit friends or people interested in some of the things I am. Perhaps a yoga or meditation or spa retreat, a long game convention where I could play train games, or even just a week on my own during which I can sleep, read, do yoga, and gad about as I please without being responsible for anyone but myself. Heavenly. Oh, add a Howard Jones concert and a half-marathon, please, while we are in dream mode.

2. What's one thing no vacation can do without?
A new-to-me good ripping adventure-y, mystery, science fiction, or fantasy book. Something like a new Harry Potter book, a new Eve Dallas novel, a new Tim Powers, a new Laurel K. Hamilton, a new Neil Gaiman or Terry Pratchett, oh, or something new or unknown to me by several other authors I can think of. I can buy a new tooth brush practically anywhere; the hotel or b-n-b will have shampoo; but shopping for reading material whilst on vacation is often pathetic. Though I *have* picked up some fun trashy thrillers that way, it can be hit and miss.

3. What has been the best trip of your life so far?
Our recent, impromptu Memorial Weekend. We were only away two nights, but we had a good time at the zoo and Meijer garden on the west side of the state. Good food, not stressful. I could have used more sleep. The kids did not want to go to bed. Most of our trips seem to end up as stress-fests, but this one went smooth as silk.

Second place goes to the last vacation we took when I was pregnant with our first. We were suppposed to do D.C. and such for half a week then visit friends in Charlottesville, but the friends ended up cancelling so we did a B and B on the Del-Mar instead. Williamsburg, The Smithsonian, frolicking in the Atlantic, fantastic seafood dinners at that restaurant that was far too far away from our BnB for walking.

Third place to our trip to Estes Park Colorado and Rocky Mountain National Park. I love hiking!

4. Who was with you on that trip and what is the role of that person in your life?
My family: husband and kids.

5. What's the worst thing that can happen during a vacation?
Getting sick. With stomach flu. Happened to me and my husband both on our Disneyland trip about a year and a half ago. Just awful. And then having sick kids on the (two-day) train ride back to Michigan sucked pretty bad. Nothing like knowing your kid has a fever and there is very little to do for her but give her tylenol from the rapidly dwindling supply on hand, while thanking whatever powers there be that you at least packed that much.

Cars & obligatory Pixar worship

Dear older daughter is now done with school for the year. Yesterday was her last day, and a half-day at that. This morning we got up, dropped younger sis off at pre-school and sped over to the nearby mega-ultra-plex (now! featuring! the county's only IMAX screen!) for the first showing of Cars at 10:15. Wow! Pixar never disappoints. You go in with high expectations and you go out with those high expectations met and exceeded. Just amazing!

The only weirdness for me was Owen (I assume it was Owen, but maybe it was Luke?) Wilson's performance in the lead. (Actually, I was right: Owen. Just checked IMDB.) Owen Wilson has this smarmy patter down pat as shown in various of his movies including the fun Shanhai Noon, it's -eh- sequel Shanghai Knights, and others, but pretty much it just comes across as plastically false to me, as very performance-y. And self-conscious of how performance-y it is too boot. But I could deal, especially with the vast array of other voice performers to listen to. ( Voice Acting Spoilery )

Fun, flashy effects, excellent if mildly predictable storytelling, and frequent, wonderful crack-up, cultural-smash-up, moments and scenes. Lots of self-referential gags as fans of Pixar movies have come to eagerly anticipate. And awsome little one-off jokes ( like I mention in this visual gag spoiler. )

Best movie I've seen in quite a while, possibly since The Incredibles. It gets two thumbs way up from me, and from my daughter as well. Go see it.

And still everytime I see their logo sequence with the white luxor lamp, I remember that I saw the original Pixar short Luxor Jr. in an animated film fest at The Michigan Theatre, probably in 1987 or 88. That short was the start of something very big, and very good for American movies and culture. Thank you John Lasseter and everybody else at Pixar, again!