When cheese gets it’s picture taken, what does it say?
- George Carlin

Hey, Hollywood. Trint, here. Long time no see. Seriously, and it’s your own darn fault. This has been the summer of 3D and I’m sick of it. You forced me to watch Toy Story 3 in those stupid, uncomfortable, plastic glasses and I survived it, only because it was an incredible movie (and it helped hide the fact that I was blubbering like a baby by the end of the show). But the 3D requirement is getting old fast and I have reached the point of staying home rather than put up with it.

Reason 3D sucks #1: It’s old news.

I’m willing to wager that every human being who’s seen more than two movies in their life can close their eyes and picture a scene of a theater full of people wearing those old, red/green, cardboard, 3D glasses… in the early 1950’s!! 3D hasn’t been “shocking” since The Attack of the Mutant Atomic Killer Ants. So why, in the name of all that is entertaining, is 3D such a big deal now? It’s the freaking twenty-first century, people!!

Reason 3D sucks #2: It doesn’t really enhance the movie.

Unless you enjoy spending two hours pretending that monsters are lunging out at you when they’re not (ala The Attack of the Mutant Atomic Killer Ants), 3D just doesn’t really do much to enhance the story telling that is motion pictures. The horribly lopsided battle between Pixar and every other animation studio in the world bears this out year after year: Technology alone does not sell tickets. It’s the story, stupid. (With the obvious exception of Avatar, which made more money than the GDP of half the globe with an extremely tired, old, tree-hugger tale and I can only chalk that up to media hype.)

Reason 3D sucks #3: It makes some people sick.

Literally. 3D works by fooling your brain into believing that your two eyes are seeing different pictures. But not everyone’s eyes see the same. Not everyone’s eyes are spaced the same. Not everyone’s brain uses both eyes equally. My wife, Tammy, was born with a lazy eye which was surgically corrected when she was an adult. As such, her brain uses her eyes much differently than most people, and 3D movies giver her vertigo and headaches. And that, quite simply, spells “movie ruined” for both of us.

Reason 3D sucks #4: Inflated ticket prices.

I’ve been looking forward to seeing Despicable Me. I really like Steve Carell. I really really like animated movies. But when I pulled up the Movie Tavern schedule and saw that A) it was only offered in 3D (so Tammy would get sick), and B) the tickets were $11 each (while 2D shows sell for $8), I decided to wait for Netflix and watch it in my home theater, essentially for free, with no screaming kids and as much popcorn as I want at a 95% discount off of theater snack prices. Does anyone really think this business model can possibly succeed? Cuz, frankly, the word is out: jacking prices and releasing in 3D only is going to fail.

And to that, Hollywood, I say, “Good riddance!”

Legos…

Light sabers…

Awesome. That is all.

…many many more to go (God willing)!

One year ago today, August 3rd, 2009, we sat down at a big fancy table with a huge stack of papers and signed our names (over 100 times each). We were handed a set of keys. We became home owners. (Which is really a misnomer because we are thousands and thousands of dollars away from really owning our house.)

It has been a crazy crazy year, but also very productive. We’ve finished many of our home projects, although there are many more (in fact, I’m sure I will never really run out of them). We still feel totally over-blessed. Thank you, God, for letting us be stewards of this house and thank you for the many opportunities we’ve had already to share it with others!

I’ve had fun this morning trolling back through the blog to find the house-relevant posts. You might enjoy it too, so here are some post links:

Hurry Up and Wait

Life… Too… Fast!!

“Moved,” Yes. “Moved In,” No.

Wait… We OWN a HOUSE?!

Whew!

Just Like Old Times

Hoppy New Jears

Winter Wonder

WFHF: Catching Up

Adventures in Home Ownership

Another milestone, of sorts, snuck (Sneaked? Snookered?) past last week. And as such, we are forced to celebrate the two hundred first white board quip.

Hooray. (Party horn sound.)

And here it is: Another Dilbert, Pointy-Haired Boss quip.

Ooh. I think I felt a little personal growth there.
- The Pointy-Haired Boss

Oh. Well, that might have been a little inappropriate.

Oh well. Have a great week!