Signs That I Am Getting Old.

I did want to write just the one post today but then I thought of another so i'll do both.

1. I Hate Bridgestone.
I came home from work today to discover a leaflet in my letterbox advertising "Back To School Deals With Bridgestone". I don't have children, but i'm fairly sure that the current SA school curriculum does not require them to bring their own tyres. I am willing to stretch to the idea that if people weren't quite so litigious the school might want a tyre-swing for the playground, but even then i'm fairly sure that Bridgestone could work something out with the schools directly instead of sending me the leaflet.

2. It Doesn't Feel Like Ten Years.
I just realised that it's now more than ten years since "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" was released. It's never been the strongest movie in the series but it's better than "Attack Of The Clones" and even dare I say, "Return Of The Jedi". Yes, i'll see your Jar-jar and raise you an Ewok or two. At least the bloody Gungans didn't sing.
I will admit that in recent years my attitude towards 'Episode 1' has softened. It's not as visceral as Eps 4, 5, and 6; it doesn't grab you quite as much, but I do now get off on seeing the ships and the droids and Qui-Gon Jinn CUTTING THROUGH A BLAST DOOR WITH A LIGHTSABER. Yes, the villains could have been more evil and had proper entrances like Darth Vader at the start of Ep 4, there should have been a Han Soloesque character (scoundrel) in there somewhere and I could have done without the stupid NASCAR-style podrace, but I still enjoy watching it every now and again. It's still visually stunning in a way that, say, Avatar will never be. It still draws me into the story. It's still fun. I refuse to apologise for liking it.