Four Thoughts

The First:

I recently re-watched Serenity with my girlfriend. I don't say it enough, but I'm a huge Firefly fan.  Huge with a capital H and italicised for extra effect.  And yes, a girl.  And, yes, I got a girl to watch Firefly with me (I know!), and not only that, but she really likes the show, now, too.  Of course, our tastes are very similar, so if I like something, it's a good bet she will, too, and vice versa.

Anyway, I was really disappointed that the show had to end so soon.  I would have been satisfied with, perhaps, two full seasons.  Of course, after 26-odd episodes, I'd probably have switched it to four full seasons, because I have absolute faith that the show has the goods to make a successful run.  Ultimately, we're left with the film, which I love in equal measure, but feel was merely a taste of what could be had.

That feeling lingered long after the credits, as later in the day, I sat at the computer, and the only thing going through my mind was, "Dammit, I want to watch Serenity again."  It was a horrible feeling.  Not only a testament to the fact that the filmmaker has succeeded in making a wonderful film, but the knowledge that I can't ever re-live those moments.  They're banished to my memory, nostalgic echos, as it were.

The characters of Firefly, I feel, are like my friends.  Joss Whedon and the cast did such a fine job creating them, that I feel like I know them on a personal level.  Watching Jubal Early remark, "Well, here I am," as he floats into space, I feel like I'm saying goodbye to a bunch of friends, hoping to see them again but knowing I probably never will.  I do see them again in Serenity, but the ending is just the same: goodbye, see you around some time...  I hope.

I dearly wish I could see those characters again, for purely selfish reasons, to laugh with them and go on more adventures.  I understand the reality of the situation, however, and will never demand that everyone involved with the show suddenly drop all their responsibilities and make more episodes/films.  Instead, I am incredibly grateful that I found a show like Firely, and had the opportunity to experience something truly remarkable.  For that, I have to say thank you.

The Second:

I finally upgraded both the computers I use to Firefox 4.  I've been using the beta on XP for a while now, and have to admit that it looks good but nothing more.  Then, with most of the addons I use now updated, I upgraded it on Windows 7 (i.e. the computer I use more often and therefore would prefer to have running at full-speed).  Wow.  It's probably also to do with the fact that the monitor is better, but it just looks gorgeous on 7.  I can't overstate how amazing it looks, and it runs quicker than all the other browsers I use (including Chrome).

I haven't gone beyond the surface and customised it to my liking, yet, but at this point, I can say that in all the years of using Firefox, I have never been this impressed - with the exception, possibly, of when I first switched from IE.  Well done, Mozilla.  You truly outdid yourselves.

The Third:

My camera bag problem is finally fixed, I hope.  After having to contact the seller twice, we eventually made some progress earlier this week.  When the replacement arrived today, I noticed that it looked different from the original in specific places, like stretches caused by the hip strap that signify to me that my bag never had a hip strap to begin with.  I think the seller (or person in charge of shipment) sent it with the hope that I wasn't interested in the other two items.  They were wrong.

Nevertheless, I'm impressed that it got sorted out quickly enough (once the conversation started) and the seller was willing to make certain compromises like sending the replacement before requiring me to send the original back, and taking care of the return costs.  Hopefully, no shenanigans will occur once the bag arrives there.  I still want to make several more purchases from this seller, despite this problem, since the packages always arrive quicker than anticipated and in excellent condition.

The Fourth:

It's my birthday today.  Yay for me.  No parties, though, which is how I prefer it.  Instead, my parents sent a box of goodies and my Windchilla is baking a Black Forest cake.  That's pretty much perfect to me.  Watch a movie, eat some sweet stuff, *censored*.  Yeah.