Jean and I went to a lawyer today to discuss our wills. The lawyer we're using is a friend Jean has made since starting work in insurance (though she no longer has a working relationship with him at her new company). He a gentleman and we had a pleasant time talking about almost everything, from impressionist painters to NOAA. Eventually we settled down to business, which was fairly quick. In a few more weeks, he'll send us a draft of our wills (including living wills) and we'll go back to officially sign them in front of three witnesses.
Afterwards we went to see a 4:30 showing of Star Trek: Insurrection. The streak of odd numbered Star Trek movies that are bad remains unbroken. This one is nine if you're still counting, and I must admit I went into the movie not expecting much. I was still disappointed. I don't need to post any spoilers because nothing in the plot was so memorable as to bear summarization here. F. Murray Abraham was dreadfully under-used as the bad guy. He's such a capable actor and he was given nothing to do. Really, no one seems to have anything to do.
I wish I had more to say about the movie, but it wasn't terrible, it was just unremarkable. I wish it weren't, as Jean and I have both enjoyed most of the Star Trek movies, as well as the Next Generation television show. We're far from being trekkies or whatever the nom du jour is for the faithful fans. I enjoyed the movies and shows when they did a good job, forgave the shows when they were flat (TV is after all TV), and lost interest in the movie series as it gets weaker and weaker. As we were leaving the theatre tonight I told Jean that I will no longer go to the Trek movies without first learning something about the plot and the overall buzz about the movie. I've got much better places to put my money than movies like this one.
When we got home we couldn't figure out what we wanted for dinner, so we sat watching television for a bit. First off, I am embarrassed for a Congress that equates lying about a sexual liaison with high crimes and misdemeanors against the country. Sure he's a jerk for what he did. I'll never vote for him again. The only thing that's driving this issue anymore is the vindictive wing of the conservative Republican party. I hope that the moderates in the Republican party think seriously before voting.
After the news, we flipped through the five television stations in Richmond. What is it with entertainment today? It's all bad, or at least not good. Giving up on the tube, I went grocery shopping and Jean went to the mall (gasp) to return stuff and pick up the first wave of Christmas gifts.
There's still much to do, but we've accomplished many of the things we'd hoped to in these past two days. Jean's decided not to go see her mother's choir concert in Virginia Beach tomorrow night, which simplifies our weekend. I'm going to be focusing on reading and work projects. I even hope to practice a little yoga this weekend. I could use a little body, mind and soul unification before heading back to work on Monday.
These were the right days to take off from work: highs in the low to
mid fifties both yesterday and today, and the low tonight is expected
to be 29 degrees (F). The clouds were a little thicker than
yesterday, but the sky was still more blue than white. Two more days
like today would be ideal!
reading: The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)
listening: A Winter's Solstice II (Windham Hill); Christmas in Vienna - The Vienna Boys' Choir (Musical Heritage); Christmas with the Cambridge Singers (Collegium Records); A Winter's Solstice IV (Windham Hill); A Charlie Brown Christmas - Vince Guraldi Trio (Fantasy) -- it's time to change the CDs!
watching: Star Trek: Insurrection
© 1998 Kevin J.T. Creamer