Dave Mancuso dot Com

And they’re mostly negative. I maintain my faith, though. Virtually everyone I know who saw The Matrix:Reloaded hated it, but I thought it was great.

Guess I’ll find out about Revolutions soon.

I just finished watching The Royal Tenenbaums. I’m at a loss to describe the film, but I really got into it. But then, I’m always into character movies. A movie could have zero plot, but if it’s about deep, engaging characters, I’m there.

I’m also at a loss to guess why this movie was in the comedy section at the video store. When I was in Play Performance in high school, we did monologues and other short scenes. Some were classed as dramatic, some as comic, and some as serio-comic–a piece with elements of the two. I guess that’s what this movie would be called, serio-comic.

Or maybe it’s just not really classifiable. That’s one of the things that make movies like this interesting to me.

[At the Vietnam Veteran’s Wall Memorial in DC, looking at the statues of Vietnam soldiers]

Drew: Why did they make the men into metal?

Aunt Lisa: They aren’t real men, Drew. They made these statues to honor the soldiers who were in the Vietnam War.

Cousin Sean (six years old): Yeah, Drew, because these are the three men who made it back alive.

So at the reunion, my sister Lisa mentioned that her five year old Megan stated how one day she’d grow up and her mommy (Lisa) would shrink down and become the child. Then Megan would take care of Lisa, like Lisa now takes care of Megan.

We remarked that several of our children have had similar ideas, and Lisa noted that she’d had the same thought when she was small–that she’d grow up and that my parents would turn into the children for our generation to take care of.

Then, with a mischievous grin, Lisa capped the conversation by mentioning that reality had proved somewhat different with our own parents and chuckling “Somehow though, I thought they’d be smaller and easier to manage by now.”

It looks like the website is atrophying through lack of posts. It’s time to rededicate myself to this weblog. I’ll see if I can put some worthwhile material on here for the thousands–well, several people who check this thing out. Although in the end, you do these things because you have to, regardless of who reads it.

I hope you find it worthwhile to check out, though.

We just came back from the family reunion, a great time for all. Seven brothers had twenty grandchildren, and the great grandchildren are growing in numbers as well. Not all of them could attend, but we made a huge happy throng. Uncle Carlo and Aunt Regina put together a gathering not to be forgotten.

I can’t wait until the next one in three years.

This little app is all I use now to update my blog–it is freakingly awesome.

On Sunday evening Alyssa turned on the TV and began to watch a documentary on the Egyptian twins who were conjoined at the head. Drew watched it with her. Denise and I weren’t sure that they should watch it, but it is real life–so we let her see the entire segment.

At dinner Drew began to ask questions. “Are they OK, Daddy?” Yes.
“Why are they together like that?” That’s the way things happen sometimes, Drew.

And then the kicker.
“Why did God make them like that, Daddy?”

It’s all part of God’s plan, Drew. Sometimes we don’t know why, but God has a plan.

They start asking the tough questions younger than you think.

Me: So Alyssa, what did you do at day care today?

Alyssa: Let’s not talk about it at all right now, OK Dad?

This is typical language and vocabulary from my five year old. My main task in the years ahead will be to rein her in until her true maturity catches up a bit with her perceived mental maturity. It’s not an easy task–at times Denise and I both forget a bit that Alyssa’s not much, much older. Parenting is a complex business using a simple compass to point the way.

I have Lord of the Rings Trilogy triple showing tickets for December 16! All three movies at once! 2:00 pm to 1:30am! Over ten hours of movie time! I have the tickets that sold out within hours! I have the tickets that others are begging for! BWAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!

Man, I hope I can watch ten hours of movies. I think I may have gone off the deep end this time.

But it’s a fun ride…