More vacation stuff...

The visit in Minnesota continues. It now looks like I will gain about 20 pounds during my 14 day stay since I have been doing nothing but eating in restaunts with friends, or eating movie popcorn.

Saw Transformers today in East Bethel (aka The Other Side of the World) with Noah and 30-year friend Styopa (see link to his blog) along with his kids Griffin and Maggie and straggler neighborhood kid, Parker.

The consensus review from the three 9-year old boys is two thumbs way up. Non-stop movement and things exploding with giant robots that transorm from (into?) cars and trucks. What is there for 9-year old boys not to like?

I actually enjoyed it, too, but my expectations could hardly have been lower. I remember the original cartoon and thought it was lame. But the special effects were quite good, and Steven Speilberg was the executive producer and Styopa convinced me that Speilberg had some influence on what ended up on screen. There are a few references or inside jokes to Speilberg movies like Close Encounters and ET (but they are pretty subtle).

After the movie Noah and I ended up at a new Brunswick bowling center on highway 65. It has a decent arcade and you use cards that you charge with points. It's much like Dave and Buster's - but with fewer games that cost more to play. It will be back to D&B next week.

Since I have been back in MN I have taken exactly zero pictures, so there is nothing to post but lame stock photos that I find on the internet (like these).