Oz the Great and Powerful

So I went to my first movie today. This is one reason why I've been looking forward to moving here...so I could go to movies without bumming rides. The easiest movie theatre for me to get to is at South Side Works, which is basically an outdoor shopping mall. It's kind of like the Ithaca Commons. There's the cinema, a Cheesecake Factory, a PensGear store, a Puma, Urban Outfitters...I went to Cheesecake Factory while waiting to get into the movie. Kind of wish I hadn't, because I was full afterwards. The chocolate cheesecake I had was pretty rich. It was good, but I was uncomfortable afterwards. The movie was kind of meh, too. It was ok, but honestly? James Franco didn't fit the part. The part of Oz may have been more suited for Johnny Depp, but maybe I've seen Alice in Wonderland one too many times. There was just something not right. Oh well...that just won't be added to my collection. It was a fun afternoon, though, and I'll be back. 42 comes out in April, and Star Trek in May, so...yeah.

Oh. PensPoints. OK, so the PensGear store is the official team store of the Pittsburgh Penguins. There's the store at South Side Works, which I went to when I went to see Oz, as well as the store at Consol. Since the lockout, the Pittsburgh Penguins have decided to start up a rewards program to generate interest in the team and the sport once again. You get points for listening on the radio, watching on ROOT, attending games, and buying things at PensGear stores. These points can then be redeemed for things like hats and jerseys. I'm probably not going to get very far, but it'll be fun to try. 

For the Birds

So I have discovered that there is an aviary near my apartment. This was great fun. The penguins were, of course, my favorite part. I think what got me, though, were the bald eagles. I had never seen one before, and was actually quite saddened by this. Have we really damaged our planet to the point that some animals can only be encountered in captivity? I'm sure there were other endangered birds there, but the eagles are what got me. I'm from a place where you can still see them in the wild, although this is very rare, and I never did see one. God gave us stewardship over this planet, and what have we done? Having lordship over lesser beings doesn't mean that we mistreat them. I know people who believe that this world is not important, that the next one is. These same people call themselves "pro-life," yet they are not interested in what is left for the children after they are born. Eagles were once very common. The kookaburra, a.  bird that mimics your laugh, was also once very common, I'm sure, as were the penguins I love so much. But we have destroyed habitats. The rain forests, for example. And most of us don't regret that. It may be too late, given that there is so little left, but that's why places like the aviary exist. They exist for the protection of these animals. I don't see them as existing for our amusement. Yes, we can go see them. Yes, they serve that purpose. But moreover, they serve as a reminder of what we have left. And what we have left is very valuable, and must be protected.