SPIDER-MAN Homecoming

   We went to the 3:15 matinee at the VIP Theatre yesterday, opening day of the newest Spiderman film in 3D. Buddy has always been a fan and couldn't wait to see it. He received a movie pass as an early BD gift so it made sense to get in on the action. 
   It was a challenge to book online. Each time I master one account things have to change. I had to start with adding a new account that would then merge with my original one so my points would remain. It took me a whole hour and at the end I was instructed to print my bar code to take to the movie theatre where real tickets would have to be printed at a kiosk. No more print at home option. 
   That was weird but I went to the actual ticket counter. Kiosks are a visual challenge with intructions and buttons to get right. We had reserved seats. I got that all wrong. They have the screen in reverse position to most live theatres so I chose seats too far from the screen during the online bookimg. As the usher took us way up we asked to change and as we were in a rather empty room changing to seats closer to,the screen was no issue. 
   Nicely seated in comfy chairs we ordered our meal and drinks and settled in for the show to begin. There were at least 20 minutes of commercials before the movie began. (Wish the extra fee for VIP could get rid of that.) The lights went out for the main feature and we watched with delight.
   A newbie Spiderman in the making was worth all the effort because the movie was fun. It was less dark and more appealing to our taste.  Buddy left smiling. I left happy too.
   Now we have a new option to use our ticket stub to buy a digital film at a reduced rate of $19.99 on the new account I had to create.  Is that really a bargain price? 
   More challening will be getting it done correctly online. I am curious to give it a try but wonder about how it links all we did that day together. The stub carries a lot of information. 

Glass Concert Hall

  On June 21 the three of us took  public transit into downtown to attend a concert. Karl Orff"s Carmina Burana was being put on as part of the TSO collection for the celebration of Canada's 150 years of Confederation on July 1st.
   We were a bit early so we walked around the area and were amazed at the many new glass high rise buildings that had sprung up around the concert hall that opened 35 years ago. 
   Glass as a building material has had me wondering for many years. While it appears to look so glamorous I wonder if it can stand the test of future weather changes or time.
The concert itself while composed in the 1930's was a stark contrast to modernity as it was made up of many vocal pieces all written in latin about secular peasant life around Bavaria at about 1300 A.D. The information had come to Karl from notes from a monestary and he found a superb way to tell it. It was a thrill to hear it.
     Grand child turned today. Buddy will be 44. I move up a notch too.
           Happy 4th of July to many American friends.
P.S.  Carina Burana may be found on Youtube if you want to hear it. Many of you will recognize the opening.