Watching the Saga in Order
Now that the Star Wars series is complete, it's possible to finally watch it in chronological order. I, of course, cannot go back in time and watch it anew, nor am I sure that I really want to. While watching them in order would certainly change many dramatic angles in the story, and add a lot of heft to a lot of original trilogy scenes, I also don't want to give up the feeling of 'holyshittery' when Vader revealed his heritage to Luke.

As much as it has become a part of popular culture to know who Luke's father is, it's sometimes difficult to fathom that NO ONE saw that one coming. Hell, in the interim between 'Empire' and 'ROTJ', there was a lot of debate regarding whether Vader was lying to Luke. (I remember being absolutely sure that it was true. Not because I was smart or perceptive, but because I thought, "Wow, wouldn't that be the coolest twist??")

In any event, should I somehow manage to have children someday (task 1) and then somehow manage to shield them (or it) from the media and friends so as to avoid spoilers (task 2), the question remains, do I start with the original trilogy or the prequel trilogy?

I haven't determined the answer just yet, but thinking it through is Tosy and Cosh, who has written a perspectus of what it would be like for a new viewer to watch the series in chronological order. Worth a read and the reactions are pretty funny.

Fascism right at home
Even if you do live in the DC/VA/MD metro area, it's unlikely that you knew about the District's uber-strict "drunk"-driving laws. I put that word in quotes to illustrate what happened to a lawyer recently after she had a glass of wine with dinner:

Debra Bolton had a glass of red wine with dinner. That's what she told the police officer who pulled her over. That's what the Intoxilyzer 5000 breath test indicated -- .03, comfortably below the legal limit.

She had been pulled over in Georgetown about 12:30 a.m. for driving without headlights. She apologized and explained that the parking attendant must have turned off her vehicle's automatic-light feature.

Bolton thought she might get a ticket. Instead, she was handcuffed, searched, arrested, put in a jail cell until 4:30 a.m. and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

The arresting officer's words are even more chilling:

As D.C. police officer Dennis Fair, who arrested Bolton on May 15, put it in an interview recently: "If you get behind the wheel of a car with any measurable amount of alcohol, you will be dealt with in D.C. We have zero tolerance. . . . Anything above .01, we can arrest."

Yes, folks, thanks to a DC council decision years back, our police force in DC giddily enforces the letter of the law against Ms. Bolton, charging a sober driver with drunk driving. The comical aspects aside, this police policy actually encourages people to lie when pulled over. Seriously, why would you ever confess to a single beer or glass of wine if you knew they could take you to jail just based on that? Welcome to the nation's capital of zero tolerance.

Tailgating
As much an American pasttime as anything else, the tradition of consuming food and beverages in the parking lot outside a football stadium is one I try to partake in at least once a year. Granted, I have plenty of opportunity as I live in Washington, DC, but that's not where the 'best' tailgating is to be had.

Sports Illustrated has been running a poll to determine which stadium is your favorite tailgating spot in the U.S., and it has come down to two: Ralph Wilson Stadium (Buffalo Bills) vs. Happy Valley (Penn State). I'm one of the few (well, at least for those who read this blog) who can boast that they have been to both, the latter many times, and the former a few. Although the fans in Buffalo have a great tailgate, it doesn't compare to 100,000 strong (that's conservative, because I know a lot of people who go just to tailgate, and don't even have tickets) at University Park. To catch a glimpse of why I'm right, tune in to College GameDay Saturday.

And a vote for me is a vote for 'righteousness'.

I'm borrowing from a blog (via Jaquandor's links) that cite some quotes from the Unbearable Lightness of Being that struck the blogger as life truths. One in particular had that affect on me:

Tomas came to this conclusion: Making love with a woman and sleeping with a woman are two separate passions, not merely different but opposite. Love does not make itself felt in the desire for copulation (a desire that extends to an infinite number of women) but in the desire for shared sleep (a desire limited to one woman).

Upon reading this, I felt the amazing desire to scream "DUH!!" For the vast majority of my sexual life, I have been able to separate the two emotions (or 'passions' as it were) very easily, but haven't quite seen it put to page so succinctly. Just based on that one I'll have to check the book out (although my judgement may have already been ruined by the movie).

Why not call him "Dork" to save time
I've seen a lot of couples in my lifetime struggle with the naming of a baby (not me, thanks), but even though I'm a fan of comics, I had a "No... It can't be... not--" moment when I read this:

In New York City, Nicolas Cage's wife of 14 months gave birth on Monday to the couple's first child together. The couple named their baby boy Kal-El -- the birth name of Superman.

No details were given as to why the couple was inspired to borrow from the Superman mythology in naming their child, though Cage is known for being an avid comic book fan.

Although I'm usually don't like to read the hater fanboy comments that follow the stories, I did scan one that was perfect.

You know some geek kid is going to beat the crap out of him at school and say "Kneel before, Zod!"

Yes, kneel, and for all our sakes, vote. Heck, even Clinton had to do it.

We are... Penn State
I'm positively brimming with energy today, and very likely the rest of the week. If you have to ask why, I'll patiently inform you. In our first game against a ranked Big Ten opponent, we handed out an old-fashioned 80's-PSU-style thumping of Minnesota. I watched it in its entirety, surrounded by PSU friends from college, and we were just beside ourselves with giddyness. I mean it was the most unbelievable one-sided win I've seen in years. It exceeded every expectation, probably best displayed when the Gopher's "biggest hitter" tried to tackle our QB head on and was thoroughly concussed. That kind of exceeding.

I've been glowing ever since. Although today is going to be a monster day at work, I am just beside myself with glee. A columnist from the Front Row summed up my physical feelings perfectly:

Everyone keeps saying "We're back." But what does that mean? What is back, and how do we know for sure that we are it?

If you ask me, "Back" is having a goosebump-inducing team. It's physically feeling the anticipation for this Saturday's game against No. 6 Ohio State.

It's dreaming of being in the Top 10, and the knowledge that it really, truly could happen within one week's time.

Recognizing that PSU might just be on the rise, ESPN chiefs decideded the game of the week: State College PA will be hosting the ESPN College GameDay crew for our prime-time nationally televised matchup. I am just chomping at the bit for Saturday night. JoePa rocks.