The weekend was long. A little stressful. A little relaxing.
Friday we played in the annual work golf tournament. I still wasn’t feeling great but went anyway. I played with Matt, Jake, and Ray and fortunately Matt and Jake can both really drive the ball. I made a slight contribution to the team in my putting, which got better and better as the day went on. When the handicap was calculated, we actually ended up tied for second place, but a hole-to-hole comparison tie-breaker pushed us into third. We won $10 — as a team — so I got a lovely $2.50. Ah well, I certainly don’t play for the money!
After golf, we all enjoyed burgers and chips in the golf cart shed (which allowed us to finally get in the shade, nice because it was hot outside) and then Gavin, Jen, Jake, Jo, Rich and I met up at the Cinemark for an afternoon showing of Revenge of the Sith. I’m not one of those people who analyzes movies to death, but somehow I ended up doing just that with with Carter yesterday. I thought it was an ok movie at first — better than Episodes I and II but with a lot of similar flaws in directing and acting — but after talking to Carter about it and discussing how a person now views Episode IV differently…well, I think I like Episode III more now that I’m a couple days removed.
While in the theater, I wasn’t really buying it. Anakin’s quick change — “I know what I’m doing is wrong, and you’re creepy and ugly and evil incarnate and now you want me to become your apprentice and slaughter a bunch of people…hmm, well, sure, ok, why not!” — wasn’t all that believable to me, and instead of seeming dark and evil-prone, he just seemed pouty.
But while watching it, despite knowing that of course he’s going to become Darth Vader, I still found myself caring about him and wishing he’d change his mind. So, that’s interesting, and a sign of decent movie-making I think.
Saturday was a rough day. I have thought a lot about what happened with Leo, and everything I come up with sounds to me like I’m making excuses. I guess the best way to summarize is that while I like dogs, I do not want to be a dog owner. Not right now. Maybe never. I really, really wanted to be, but I guess I’m not. Unfortunately, I don’t think I could have figured that out without having actually gotten Leo, without having actually gotten a dog that was mine. I had reservations about owning a dog, and about Leo in particular, and I thought that once I got him home I’d change my mind. I cried on my way to the Humane Society. I cried on my way home. I cried when I had to tell the first person that I didn’t have him anymore. I really, really wanted to be a dog person. I’m sad and sorry that I’m not.
I decided to take him back Saturday morning in hopes that he might be adopted over the weekend. My emotional turmoil over that, combined with a general feeling of aimlessness being home on the weekend (not having gone out of town, not having extensive plans like Yuri’s Night or race photography) for the first time basically since Easter, left me antsy all day. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I walked circles around my apartment. I cleaned. I watched way too much TV.
Yesterday was better. I ran a few errands, watched some baseball (how long, seriously, will the Astros continue to waste good pitching? Roy Oswalt gave up only 2 runs, yet lost because the Astros didn’t scores any), and played soccer last night for the first time in a month and a half. Being out of shape and recovering from being sick left me pretty slow and lethargic, but my team managed to win 2-1 for our first (and probably only) win of the season. Finally. The team we played last night only had one win, so we really needed to take the opportunity to get in the W column against them.
My teammate lost her chihuahua. The incredibly tiny chihuahua that is so cute that he’s what made me start thinking about a dog in the first place. A week ago, she and her husband left him in the backyard for the first time ever, because there was an electrical smell in the house, and went out for dinner. The 2+ pound dog escaped. He wasn’t wearing a collar, because he didn’t like collars, and because tags were heavy on his little body. They put up over 200 signs, but haven’t heard anything.
I remember you leaning over in the middle of the movie and telling me you didn’t buy Anakin turning to the Dark Side. Jen sort of felt the same way, but I didn’t.
There’s several reasons why, and they all culminate with his impulsive decision… as he tries to uphold the Jedi ideals… and put him past what he thinks is the point of no return.
Early on in his Jedi career he wants to be recognized as being great, and later he wants to save his wife from the impending death he senses. Plus, he is starting to question the both Jedi Council and Palpatine, but Palpatine seems to be more honest with him. His naivity allows him to be easily manipulated, leading to his actions in the showdown between Windu and Palpatine.
That is the turning scene, and I thought it was pretty well done. Throughout Episode 3, Anakin is obviously trying to uphold the Jedi philosophy against his impulses. He hesitates to kill Dooku, he refuses to abandon Obi-Wan, and once he learns Palpatine is the Sith Lord he tells Windu right away. When Windu has bested Palpatine, Anakin counsels that the man should stand trial. When Windu is poised to pass judgment and kill Palpatine, Anakin struggles to stop Windu and lashes out with his saber… maiming the great Jedi Master and thereby allowing Palpatine to finish him.
And there Anakin feels he has abruptly passed the point of no return. He’s inadvertently helped a Sith Lord kill Windu… how can the Jedi forgive that? How will he be able to save Padme if they imprison or kill him? At that point, he believes he is committed to Palpatine.
And before Anakin has time to rethink his position or talk to Yoda or Obi-Wan, Palpatine sends him against the Jedi Temple. Well, now he really _is_ committed.
So, long story short, I bought it.