Bentleyville Tour of Lights

This nighttime photo was taken inside the pedestrian bridge above West Michigan Street and in close proximity to South 4th Ave West.

My Thanksgiving dinner came in a white, paper bag

I am grateful to have this meal.  However, I know it is not quite the Thanksgiving dinners that I remember from my youth!

Food Baskets distribution at the King Manor Co-Op for November 20, 2017

This is a heart-healthy fruit basket.

This is a heart-healthy vegetable basket.

Here are the photos that illustrate what five dollars per basket can buy in 2017 dollars.

Saturday Brunch at King Manor

This is a very good meal for one dollar!

And now, here is a photograph with the fork on the left side of the plate, for my left-handed audience.

The only thing that I can think of that would make this meal even better would be to eat it while watching a new episode of My Little Pony:  Friendship is Magic!  But, I must wait several more months to watch the start of season eight of Hasbro’s greatest cartoon!

Saturday Brunch at King Manor apartments

Brunch is one dollar for residents and two dollars for guests.

It will be held in the fourth floor dining room from ten AM to eleven AM.

These are the waffle toppings I bought for our Saturday Brunch!

The Kindness Rocks Project at UMD, Part 2

I found this other semicircle of Kindness Rocks around the south column of the front entrance to the UMD Kirby Plaza Transit Hub.

Was creating these Kindness Rocks a class project or a club project?

I’m amazed that the smaller things in life often have the biggest ability to improve the quality of your life.

One of my favorite quotes, not shown here, is “You don't have to be perfect to be amazing.”

I discovered an excellent example of “The Kindness Rocks Project” in Duluth, Minnesota

I found this semicircle of Kindness Rocks around the north column of the front entrance to the UMD Kirby Plaza Transit Hub.

This entrance is located between the Street Level Stores and the Food Court.

Someone must love tacos to place their love for these  crisp fried corn tortillas upon their Kindness Rock.

Here is the address to the “The Kindness Rocks Project”, http://thekindnessrocksproject.com/

My King Manor “Community Turkey Dinners” registration form.

While attending my difficult and expensive university classes, I never imaged that I’d be using my two academic degrees to be creating posters for the King Manor Residents’ Club.  But, at least I’m using my skill set for something creative and useful.

Today, I saw Thor: Ragnarok in RealD 3D

I tend to see most of my movies on easy on the budget, Marcus Value Pricing five dollar Tuesdays.

My critique of the adult, amateur My Little Pony (MLP) Analysis Community

Dear MLP analysis community and those that consume their reviews:

 

I’ve watched videos and read written reviews created by the well-known members of the adult, amateur My Little Pony:  Friendship is Magic analysis community; I’ve come to the conclusion that these adult critics are critiquing Hasbro’s MLP franchise from the point of view of adults.  Many of their reviews of the franchise are both funny and insightful.  However, their foremost mistake in their analysis is that they disregard the fact that the MLP franchise is primarily made for both the enjoyment and education of preschool and elementary school children.  As these adult fans critique from the point of view of adults, many of their reviews are often absurdly harsh and unforgiving for entertainment created for children.  Thus, their reviews appear similar to inflammatory posts created by internet trolls rather than authentic critiques.

 

Those in the MLP analysis community appear unaware that children’s minds are not the same as adult minds.  Children’s minds take in information about the world, interpret that information, and then act on that information differently than do adults.  That is why the popular and critically acclaimed children’s book, “Green Eggs and Ham” by Dr. Seuss is written differently than the adult novel “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy.  That is why the television series “Sesame Street” is written differently than from the series “Mad Men”.  And, it is consequently logical to review the 2017 “My Little Pony:  The Movie” differently than from “Blade Runner 2049”.

 

I realize that children do not care about the “flaws” such as stereotypical characters, contrived coincidences, and simplified story plots, as well as foreshortened third acts in the MLP television series described in exhaustive detail by members of the adult analysis community.  When I was about five years old, I saw “The Mysterians”, a science fiction & horror film made in 1957.  After my first viewing, I thought this film was the greatest thing ever and would have given it a ten out of ten, if anyone had asked me about it.  About one year ago, I saw the film again and it was like watching an entirely different movie.  I saw the film’s many flaws and could not recapture the luster I had for it when I was a child.  Today, I give it a five out of ten.  I find that this film is still entertaining, but now nowhere near as close to giving me the joy it did when I was a child.

 

My point of my essay is that professional media reviewers realize the differences between children and adults.  Therefore, they use one list of criteria for children’s entertainment and another list of criteria for adult entertainment.  For example, while we adults have seen the commonly used literary themes hundreds of times, most children have little or no knowledge of many tropes used by the MLP writers.  As a result, when a specific trope is used in children’s entertainment, adults sees an overused cliché; while children may have seen the same trope very few times or might be the first time encountering that trope.

 

After watching the 2017 MLP movie, I saw in the theater hallway the children who have also seen the movie.  These children were all smiles and giggles, attempting to talk their parents into seeing it again real soon.  If the late Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert knew enough to critique children’s entertainment differently than adult entertainment; then why can’t members of the adult analysis community adjust their reviews and then attempt to see the MLP franchise from the point of view of the target audience, preschool and elementary school children?

 

Sincerely,

 

James Patrick Buchanan, a professional journalist who sees the MLP franchise for what it is and still loves it!

 

I bought a new wrist watch at Security Jewelers

Yesterday, my regular watch broke.  At Security Jewelers, the watch repair technician told me that Timex had stopped making parts for my old watch.  On top of that, my Father's digital watch, which I had in my sock drawer for years, had an unresponsive reset button.  Therefore, no one could not reset the time setting on it.  With two watches out of service, I unexpectedly bought a new watch.

Free Community Thanksgiving Dinner at King Manor

I made this poster at the request of the King Manor Residents’ Club president.

I attended the International Taste of UMD!

By bus, I arrived one city block away from the church about fifteen minutes before the international students starting serving food.

It was not a warm day for walking.

I wonder how the computer graphics for this lighted sign was crafted.

This is the church’s front door.

This is the church’s parking lot door.

The Hope’s Blessing aesthetically pleasing, bulletin board.

I attended UMD’s Music Student’s Spaghetti Dinner & Music Festival

This event was held at the Pilgrim Congregational UCC, at 2310 East 4th Street, Duluth, Minnesota.  My photo was taken on Fourth Street looking southwest.

The five dollar admission charge goes for the MSAC (Music Students Arts Council) University of Minnesota Duluth Music Students Outstanding Music Student Scholarship fund.  My photo was taken on Fourth Street looking northeast.

I was satisfied with my food and I got a second serving of spaghetti.  After I ate, I walked down the hill to Superior Street, bought some food at Super One, and then took the bus back home.

I got a first movie wall poster for Kathy’s grandson Mason.

I still remember my first movie, “The Man Called Flintstone”.  While watching that movie, I first became a lifelong animation fan.

I hope Mason has fun coloring this poster.