As I Like It

Over the weekend, there were so many things to enjoy!

Friday night: "As You Like It" at the Civic Theater. It was so funny! Physical comedy, helping to make the language accessible, with some fine young actors. Rosalind was wonderful. The Hillbilly Silvius! Duke Frederick as a Pro Wrestling promoter, and all-around sadist! Over three hours, but worth every minute. And we went as a family, so we had another fun shared experience.

Saturday: Magic Tournament. My first local tournament. A son and his friends for companionship. I met some nice people. I played my way into the Top 8. A great time. I'll have to do some Friday Night Magic sometime.

Sunday: "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" for a second time (so I could attend it when the girls saw it for their first time.) Even better the second time around. How in the world did the original casting crew know that all of these kids would have the skill to act this well? Sure, the main three are astounding - I'm not discounting that. Emma Watson knows Hermione is not a strident know-it-all anymore; her resolve is tangible, her empathy fills the viewer's heart. But the supporting cast is also excellent, and they haven't changed since they were first cast. Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley) has almost no lines, but her character grew so much -- because we can see it in the acting. Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) has been consistently good in each film.

Also Sunday: Watched the final episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space 9" again. This marks the end of my re-viewing it on the treadmill. I started it two years ago. It's a touching end. I will miss those characters. But it's time to move on to a different series for my exercise time.

This is what a weekend is all about. Escape into fiction or games or both. Meeting a few new people. Sharing fun experiences with family and friends. The only thing missing was a run in the beautiful weather. I'll try to get that done today.

Here's hoping your weekend was as good!