On Sunday, 22 July 2007, Janice and I drove up to the Alewife train station to go into Cambridge, Massachusetts. There, we met college friends Steve A.L. & Michele M.L., their son Nathaniel M-H.L., and Amilcar B., another friend who teaches at Northeastern University (see photo above).

We went to lunch at a nearby "Cheesecake Factory." I hadn't eaten at that restaurant chain in several years, and I had forgotten how large the portions are. Still, the food was good, and conversation flowed easily, as Steve and Amilcar discussed politics in New York, Puerto Rico, and Israel, and Janice and Michele caught up (we saw Steve and other friends last month in Manhattan, but not Michele or Nathaniel).

Poor Nathaniel was a bit restless, so we later walked around the Cambridgeside Galleria shopping mall and along the Charles River. The weather was very nice, with temperatures in the high 70s Fahrenheit. The Levines then headed home to Brooklyn. I hope to see Amilcar more often, but he lives in Boston, and we haven't gotten into town from the suburbs as often as I'd like.

Steve is an alumnus of the social/role-playing cohort known as "Bellevue-Camelot," as certain dormitory suites were nicknamed at Hinman College at the State University of New York at Binghamton in the mid- to late 1980s. It included John Z.G. & Kim M.E.A. (now married), Dave F.B., Bill A.R., Corbin A.Y., several other people, and me. Bill, Steve, Corbin, and I were all roommates of John at one time or another at SUNY-B.

We mostly played "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" in John's "Gwynedd in Greyhawk" high fantasy campaign, but we also tried Beth T./Eve S.'s "1,000-point" superhero game, among others. Bill's AD&D2 "Oriental Adventures: Kara Tur/Dragonlance" scenarios dovetailed with those of Dexter V.H., and my own "Vanished Lands" world continued to develop through this period. Corbin ran an occasional humor game, such as "Paranoia" or "Xanth."

But our merry band had more in common than gaming. Most of the men in our college crew were from middle-class families in metropolitan New York, while strangely, the women were from Upstate New York. Several of us (including myself) found spouses through that group. Our circles shared strong interests in political activism, movies, music, and art, and we've been fortunate to stay in contact in the two decades since our undergraduate studies, even as we moved from New York to Virginia, Massachusetts, and California.

I entered the group through Corb and Bill, whom I met playing foosball. We also later played Laser Tag in the glass galleries and dark catwalks of the then-new fine arts center. Thanks in part to my friends, I became very active in numerous student organizations.

Of course, my sophomore year of college (1987-'88) was also the most turbulent emotionally. While we excelled in our "Folklore and Fantasy," equestrian, and political science courses, the suite at one point became home to 12 people, double its expected capacity! The "pseudo-suite," various relationships, and living in close quarters led to strong conflicts amid the strong friendships.

As a result, I have no desire to watch so-called reality shows such as "Big Brother," "The Real World," or "Survivor," in which people are forced to live together, compete for prizes, and indulge in alcohol-fueled intrigues and short-lived romances. High school and college should be enough for most people to discover their identities and find like-minded fellows.

Still, I have fond memories of that cohort, which is still the benchmark for creativity and fun among my circles of acquaintances. A few groups, such as "the Paragon/Twilight" in Northern Virginia in the mid-1990s or "the Liberators/Dragonslayers" in New England at the turn of the century, have come close in terms of size or interpersonal conflict, but none have endured or affected me in quite the same way. I suppose young adulthood is a similar rite of passage for many people.

Coming soon: More recent games, work, and politics…

On Wednesday, 18 July 2007, I postponed my regular D&D3.5 "Vanished Lands: Holy Steel" teleconferencing game to meet co-worker Brian F. and Thomas K.Y. for "Transformers." I rarely go out in the middle of the workweek, but the theater was close, and the timing worked out.

I thought that the live-action/computer-animated movie was one of the better action flicks of this summer. A fan of the 1980s cartoons, Brian liked it a bit more than I did, and I think Thomas liked it a bit less than either of us.

The humor and plot — involving an alien invasion and plucky Earthlings tangling with a government conspiracy before fighting back — were derivative of other disaster movies, such as "Independence Day." Less overtly apocalyptic than "Live Free or Die Hard [4]," the giant robots of "Transformers" were spectacular, and it was difficult not to sympathize with the heroic characters and attractive cast.

The fight choreography could have been cleaner, in my opinion, and the robots themselves seemed overdesigned, with more parts and mass than their automotive disguises would indicate. Still, I'd give "Transformers" a 7 or 8 out of 10.

Speaking of movie ratings, at the request of several friends, here are my revised ratings of this year's movies so far, in the form of stars, a numerical grade, and a letter grade:

-"Pan's Labyrinth" (modern fantasy) ****, 8/10, A-
-"Ghost Rider" (comic book horror) ***, 8/10, B+
-"300" (comic book sword & sandals) **, 7/10, B-
-"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" (comic book heroes) ***, 8/10, B+
-"Spider-Man 3" (comic book superhero) **, 7/10, B-
-"Shrek the Third" (comedic fantasy) **, 7/10, B-
-"Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End" (swashbuckling horror) **, 7/10, B-
-"Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the Silver Surfer" (comic book superheroes) ***, 8/10, B+
-"Ratatouille" (computer-animated comedy) ****, 8/10, B+
-"Harry Potter [5] and the Order of the Phoenix" (fantasy) ***, 8/10, A-
-"Live Free or Die Hard [4]" (action) **, 7/10, B-
-"Transformers" (giant robot action) ***, 8/10, B+

Thus, my favorites so far this year have been "Pan's Labyrinth" and "Ratatouille," with "Ghost Rider," "TMNT," and "FF2" getting honorable mentions. Granted, I'm predisposed to like the movies that I choose to pay $10 to see in the theater, but for every disappointment ("Spider-Man 3"), I hope to find a pleasant surprise ("Transformers"). Yes, most of these are science fiction, fantasy, and superhero flicks, since I see relatively few mainstream dramas or comedies.

On Saturday, July 21, Janice and I dropped off three boxes of used books at our local library, went for a brief hike in the Blue Hills Reservation, and watched "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," which she hadn't yet seen.

As I've mentioned before, our television channel lineup has expanded slightly with changing to Verizon FiOS. Among them is Nicktoons, sibling to Nickelodeon, home of favorites such as "The Real Adventures of Jimmy Neutron" and "Avatar: the Last Airbender." This past weekend, I caught a few episodes of the French computer-animated "Skyland," which is about rebels against an oppressive state in a future world where Earth has fragmented into floating islands: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyland

Sky pirates are a staple of fantasy (AD&D2 "Spelljammer"), pulp (see "The Phantom" and "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" movies), cartoons (Disney's "Tale Spin"), and science fiction ("Flash Gordon" and "Treasure Planet"), as well as a favorite of mine. While the rotoscope-style animation (based on motion capture) and bright colors are a bit tiring on the eyes, "Skyland" has good characters, a plot reminiscent of "Firefly/Serenity," and an interesting setting, where technology and psionics uneasily coexist.

I would still recommend the subtle "Avatar" or spoofy "Jimmy Neutron" first, but "Skyland" and the plethora of other animation I've discovered on Nicktoons, Funimation ("Galaxy Railways"), and Boomerang ("Justice League") are worth checking out. I'll try to post my summer television ratings soon.

Speaking of anime, the "Highlander: Vengeance" direct-to-DVD movie has gotten mixed reviews: http://news.toonzone.net/article.php?ID=17964 I'm a fan of the first modern fantasy movie ("There can be only one!") and of the television series, but I probably won't go out of my way for this part of the franchise. On a related note, co-worker Ken G. has blogged about planned sequels to "Tron," "ReBoot," and the "Indiana Jones" films at Showbits.net. Let's hope that these are good!

Next time: Steve A.L. and family's visit, more gaming, and politics!

Friends, I hope you've had a good week. After going to magazine size, we're still getting accustomed to different deadlines and workflows at CW. My latest article did make it into our first print edition in the new format. As usual, the D&D3.5 "Vanished Lands: the Broken Chains" and "Holy Steel" gamers have kept my weeknights busy.

On Saturday, 14 July 2007, I drove to used book shops in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in another attempt to sell the three boxes of science fiction and fantasy novels I had gotten from Robert A.S., who has moved to North Carolina. Speaking of moving, congratulations to college friend Corbin A.Y., who, like my brother Peter and Steve M.R., recently moved within Northern Virginia! Good luck also to David I.S., who'll be moving to Rochester, New York!

Later that afternoon, I met Brian W. & Beth S. and Thomas K.Y. at the AMC Framingham 16 for "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." I thought that the movie version of J.K. Rowling's fifth novel in that fantasy series was well-done, trimming out many of the subplots and some of the lead character's adolescent angst. I'd give "Order of the Phoenix" a solid 8 out of 10 — I liked it almost as much as the Alfonso Cuaron-directed "Prisoner of Azkaban."

Of course, many people are looking forward to the seventh and final book, which I hope won't be too dark. In the meantime, there are other fantasy adaptations to look forward to, including "Stardust," "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," and "His Dark Materials: the Golden Compass." After the "Harry Potter" film, we went to dinner at Cuban restaurant "The Naked Fish," where I've eaten with co-workers a few times. Janice was visiting her family in Upstate New York.

On Sunday, after playing "City of Heroes" with David I.S., Shari S., and Thomas K.Y., I picked up Ron J.K. at his brother's home in Brookline, Mass. We managed to catch an early matinee of "Live Free or Die Hard" at the AMC Chestnut Hill Cinemas. Bruce Willis' fourth flick in this series had decent action scenes, although the hacker-driven plot doesn't hold up too well under scrutiny. The "Hi, I'm a Mac" guy wasn't as annoying as I had feared he would be.

I wonder if former U.S. cybersecurity czar Howard Schmidt recognized himself in the Eurotrash villain. As with the PowerBook and the alien mother ship in "Independence Day," a mere laptop is capable of bringing down the nation's infrastructure. While the pyrotechnics and vehicular destruction were state of the art, the wary acknowledgement of our reliance on technology and government, and the post-9/11 fears of Armageddon were more interesting to me. I'd give "Live Free or Die Hard" about a 7 out of 10.

Ron and I stopped by my duplex in Needham Heights, Mass., to pick up some comic books. We grabbed a mini-burger dinner at the "Ground Round" before stopping by Newbury Comics and Borders Books & Music for to use coupons for music CDs (the new Amy Winehouse; see previous posting) and DVDs (the BBC/A&E's "Ivanhoe"). I then dropped off Ron back at his brother's place. Janice and I hope to see Steve A.L. and family this coming weekend.

In the coming week, I may screen the live-action (computer-assisted) "Transformers" with co-worker Brian F. After that, I should be done for a while with summer blockbusters. Of the previews I've seen, "The Bourne Ultimatum" looked decent, if not especially related to the Robert Ludlum espionage books I read back in high school. Another co-worker, Ken G., has marked the 25th anniversary of "Tron" and other influential genre movies at his blog at Showbits.net.

In addition to the BBC/SciFi Channel's revived "Doctor Who" and BBC America's "Robin Hood," I've been enjoying the remastered original "Star Trek," the crazy obstacle courses on G4's "Ninja Warrior," and VH1's "World Series of Pop Culture" trivia quiz show. Unfortunately, time limitations have forced me to miss "Psych" and "Eureka." In coming postings, I'll try to blog about politics (I can already hear some of my readers sigh in exasperation), gamer cohorts, and space!

After a truncated workday on Tuesday, 3 July 2007, Janice and I went to Needham's fireworks. Unfortunately, we didn't meet with co-worker Brian F. and his wife, but they also attended the event, which every year draws thousands of people, many from surrounding.

We camped out from about 6:30 p.m. until dark, eating hamburgers and a hot dog, supplemented by chicken nuggets from the nearby Sudbury Farms. I caught up on newspapers, and Janice read a historical mystery until about 8:30 p.m. While the skies were cloudy, we were spared rain, although it was cool.

The fireworks themselves were spectacular for a town of Needham's size, and we later recognized similar explosions in the Independence Day celebrations of Washington D.C., New York, and Boston. The next morning, we went to a pancake breakfast offered by the local Masons and waited about an hour for our parade. After that, we browsed through a craft fair, grabbed lunch at Bertucci's (one of the few places that was open), and watched a model sailboat regatta on a nearby pond before rain came.

Speaking of the U.S., I've posted some replies to Steve M.R.'s blog (http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-zA8iOK8iaalgc0hpoQY-?cq=1&p=343) regarding how our government has been hijacked by a few power-hungry people. Both "The Boston Globe" and "The Boston Phoenix" (admittedly, left-leaning publications) have noted how the current administration has flouted the rule of law. Let's hope the next election brings some reformists into office.

Taking the longer view, perhaps the cycle of rebuilding and corruption is inevitable. On PBS's "Masterpiece Theater: Mystery," Janice and I have been enjoying the latest episodes of "Foyle's War" and "Jericho." "Foyle's War" examines the hidden intrigues in England during World War II, and the noirish "Jericho" shows the seamier side of London during the 1950s. As even Marvel Comics has shown in its "death of Captain America" story arc, the need for ideals is always tempered by the complexities of politics and conflicting interests.

On a lighter note, I'd also like to congratulate my brother Peter and Steve M.R. on their recent moves! Unfortunately, not all news among my friends has been good lately, as a few have experienced some legal difficulties. In the coming month or so, I look forward to visits by college chums Ron J.K., Steve A.L. and family, and Dexter V.H. I also hope to post more about music and upcoming genre television and movies!

Now, after discussing comic books, back to my regularly scheduled blog. See my earlier postings for Part 1 of the report on our New York trip (see also the "Spamalot" photo above).

On Wednesday, 20 June 2007, Janice and I had lunch at "Burger Heaven" before meeting my family at our hotel in Manhattan. I miss the diners, delicatessens, and pizzerias of my hometown. My younger brother Peter had rented a van to drive his wife Kelly, their young daughters Ava and Lili, and our parents from Virginia to New York. We stayed at the Belvedere Hotel, and my parents were at Essex House.

After getting settled, we walked around a bit before settling on "Serafina," an Italian restaurant, for dinner. My nieces were still adorable, and the weather cooled down from the previous days, but was still pleasant. At the moment, Lili is a better eater than her sister.

On Thursday, June 21, we spent the first official day of summer in Central Park. Toddler Ava enjoyed the Central Park Zoo (but Lili spent most of the time in her stroller/baby carriage), and we walked to the Gapstow Bridge, where my father proposed to my mother. Peter had proposed to Kelly elsewhere in Central Park.

My parents went to a fancy French restaurant for dinner, while Peter, Kelly, the girls, Janice, and I walked around the West Side before eating at "Ariba, Ariba," an upscale Mexican-American eatery. Crossing busy streets with two strollers was a challenge, but we managed.

The next morning, we met at the Essex House for a nice brunch in a back area of the Art Deco dining room. Peter and Ava presented my parents with an engraved plate to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. We then walked through Columbus Circle to the Upper West Side, where my parents and I had lived in the late 1960s and very early 1970s.

We walked past Roosevelt Hospital, where Peter and I were born; St. Paul's Church, where my late great-uncle Albert baptized me; and to the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. My parents barely recognized their old neighborhood, which has grown vertically and in population in the past four decades! The blocks north of what used to be known as Hell's Kitchen have also gentrified, so it's unlikely that a nurse and a graduate student of history, recent immigrants to the U.S. both, would be able to afford even a small apartment in that area anymore.

Peter had originally suggested driving down to the Village, Chinatown, and Little Italy, but rush hour traffic and fatigue changed everyone's minds. Janice and I stopped by a store called "The Amish Market," hoping to find Pennsylvania Dutch specialties from Janice's home state, but we instead found a nice gourmet grocer. We returned to our hotel to find that the rest of my family had taken naps.

Peter & Kelly and Janice and I took Ava and Lili to the FAO Schwartz and Disney Store near Pete's old Godiva workplaces in Rockerfeller Center. Ava, who is already a little princess, had fun with all the stuffed animals. We then met my parents for dinner at "La Bonne Soup," another nice French restaurant. On Saturday morning, Janice and I took Amtrak from New York back to Massachusetts, and I plan to see my family again in Virginia in early August.

Work was busy the following week, as CW prepared to shift from tabloid newspaper format to magazine size. In truth, the copy desk is reading more stories for our Web site than for print, and a productive staff meeting discussed this shift and other editorial issues. CW is proud to celebrate its own 40th anniversary this year.

My D&D3.5 "Vanished Lands: the Broken Chains," "Holy Steel," and role-play by e-mail teams all resumed, as did the "City of Heroes" online game. On Friday, June 29, Janice and I tried the "Rice Barn," a new local Thai restaurant. I also had follow-up phone calls with the metropolitan New York crews and watched some BBC America, which Janice and I now get thanks to our Verizon FiOS and DVR.

The latest television iteration of "Robin Hood" was decent, taking as much inspiration from the campy "Hercules: the Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess" as from the 1980s neoPagan "Robin of Sherwood" or Kevin Costner's execrable "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves." "Hex" was a soapy supernatural "Buffy: the Vampire Slayer" ripoff, in the style of "Charmed."

On the SciFi Channel, "Stargate SG1's" 10th season finale was bittersweet and was clearly not intended to be a series finale, which it was. Let's hope that Amanda Tapping/"Col. Sam Carter's" move to "Stargate: Atlantis" will strengthen that space opera spin-off.

Speaking of space operas, while I believe that the subgenre is in hibernation at the moment, I'll be curious to see what "Wizard of Oz" riff "Tin Man" and the latest "Flash Gordon" are like. On the one hand, the SciFi Channel has cut budgetary and creative corners lately with schlock horror and even professional wrestling (don't get me started about live-action movies on Cartoon Network or Animal Planet).

On the other hand, that cable channel's adaptations of "Dune" and even the revisionist "Battlestar Galactica" demonstrate a devotion to production value. In many ways, Ben Browder's marooned astronaut "John Crighton" was a modern-day Flash Gordon on "Farscape," so reusing those themes might be entertaining if done well. Of course, that leads this veteran speculative fiction fan to ask, "Where's the updated Buck Rogers?"

The postapocalyptic, swashbuckling, planet-hopping romance, best remembered with stars Buster Crabbe or Gil Gerard, could be fascinating if set in a 25th century solar system that has been colonized without the benefit of "Star Trek"-level technology. Like the newer "Galactica," it could also provide allegories for commenting on modern international politics and popular culture. Anyway, I'm off to prepare for Needham's annual Independence Day celebrations, so have a safe and happy holiday!