A few pictures from Nader and I’s final trip to the Varsity with Teresa.
I don’t know if there is any thing else to say.
Denouement
Monthly Archives: January 2009
Blitz
I had big plans this weekend of going down to Ottumwa to help Jen and Derrick get the house in Ottumwa in shape to go on the market, but unfortunately I had a little trouble on the way to work on Friday.
That my friends, is a blown tire.
I was able to go down on Saturday and help out a bit, but unfortunately my ride for Sunday flaked on me. Oh well, here are some pictures from Saturday.
Jay
Dave
Mindi and Jen
Jen
Derrick
Derrick and Rob
Jen
Santa
It was good to see Mindi again. It had been too long.
November
November’s image.
I also added about 20 pictures to the Flora Album:
Flora
INFORMATION BELOW IS NO LONGER VALID
I should point out that because my galleries were victimized by spam, if you decide to register as a user because:
A. You want to comment on an image.
B. You want to rate an image.
C. You want to favorite an image.
D. You like me as a human being.
I do have to approve all new registrations to keep the spammers at bay. Don’t be disheartened, I’m pretty quick at approving real people for registration.
You might also notice that you are familiar with most of the images added to the Flora Album. I have finally gotten some of the classics up for your perusal. Including My Giverny and Happiness Shared #01.
Goodbye, Old Friend
I got word on Friday that this week will be the last week of operation for the Varsity II Theater in Ames. The Cinemark Corporation had been wanting to close the theater down for quite some time, but they were stuck in a lease. Unfortunately for fans of thoughtful, intelligent films, Cinemark was able to negotiate an early termination of their lease and will be closing down the Varsity forever on Thursday night.
This is a sad day. I know that frequently when I have attended movies at this theater there was little more than me and my companions there, but I think this theater could have made it. The Fleur Cinema in Des Moines seems to flourish showing similar movies to the Varsity and it doesn’t have the built in audience of Art, Independent, Foreign and Documentary Film fans that the Varsity’s close proximity to a major college campus gives them.
It never seemed like Cinemark was interested in making the Varsity work. I know from firsthand experience what it is like to run a business for a person that is doing everything they can possibly do to make that business fail. When it happened to me, it ended with a meeting where my staff and I were served burnt pretzels and burnt hot chocolate.
I hope, if nothing else, that the staff of the Varsity was given properly prepared food when their theater was lead to the chopping block.
I will remember fondly that I saw some of my all-time favorite films at the Varsity. It is the theater where I saw Once, Hustle and Flow, Born into Brothels, Young at Heart, Son of Rambow, Napoleon Dynamite, Fight Club, Insomnia, Akeelah and the Bee and The Queen.
Not everything I ever saw at the Varsity was great. Some movies were quite dreadful, but it was always interesting.
It might seem like losing two movie screens in Ames isn’t going to reduce the amount of movie options in Ames, by much. But when you look at the type of movies that will be lost, the amount of movie options in Ames just hit an all-time low.
I will be going to the Varsity for one last time on Monday night to say goodbye to an old friend.
Intermission
On New Year’s Day, between the Outback Bowl and the Rose Bowl, I went over to check out the ACTORS building in Ames with Becky, Terra and Geri. Geri is actually the President or Chairman of ACTORS.
Some pictures.
Geri
Shoes
Becky & Terra
Rubber Chicken
Ham
Geri and I
Dressing Room
It was an interesting experience.
October
October’s picture.
Some mums.
Reading for a New Year
It is a New Year and soon enough, it will be too cold to go outside and you will need to do more while you are inside than just watching the Cyclones play basketball. May I suggest reading. In fact, while I’m suggesting I’m going to suggest a few websites that are worth your time to read every now and again.
Teresa’s blog about crafts: Tea Time
Jesse’s website: WEBSITE DELETED
Lowell’s website: LowellDavis.net
Dawn’s poetry: Impassioned Versifier
I think you will find some stuff of interest in all of these diversions.