I knew something was up a couple of weeks ago when the icon for The Rings of Power suddenly returned to the front of “Amazon Originals” on my TV (after being conspicuously absent for some time). Earlier this week, Amazon release the teaser trailer for the show’s second season, which will drop in late August. Check it out:
The most noticeable thing to me is the absence of the Harfoots and the Stranger Who Fell From the Sky at the beginning of season one. I’d have no problem if that storyline was shelved for a while. I’m more interested in seeing how they make the creation of the remaining rings plausible after the end of season one.
Visually, this looks great. As with season one, I am hopeful. More tentatively so, I’m afraid. But it’s almost always good to dip your toes back into some part of the ocean of Tolkien’s work, even if the water isn’t “just right.”
Both parties are speaking rightly, of course. There’s something about preparation, but there’s also something about the grading. Edu-speak sometimes talk about formative and summative assessments, but those concepts are difficult to hold onto in what ends up being an academic rat-race. And then the conversation gets even better:
Once again, both have a point. “The stakes” are important. But really: someone needs to loop in the “college admission industrial complex,” for sure. And then from today:
Ah, language and dialect. And pleasantly witty repartee!
Exam season is already upon my students (I gave my final test last week and have a final writing assignment over the next two days). And that’s seniors with APs. There’s a whole other world of students wrapping up classes in preparation for finals. How do you prep for them? Mrs. Fox has a great idea, one I wholly concur with. But I’m not sure its one most students live and study by.
In the Eastertide narrative, today marks Ascension Day, forty days after Jesus’ resurrection and ten days before Pentecost. Erik Varden reflects well on the day in Entering the Twofold Mystery when, using Luke’s account of the moment in the book of Acts, he draws a parallel between God’s presence and guidance via cloud in the Old Testament (especially in connection with the Exodus, the Tabernacle, and the Temple. He writes:
A very human picture, really. Putting on one boot at a time. There’s still lots of speculation about what James Gunn’s story will be, especially since it “reboots” whatever you want to call the DC Cinematic Universe. (There’s also the constant speculation about “trunks or no trunks” that has plagued DC Comics on multiple platforms over these last few years.) Whatever else, I like the humanity of the picture, it makes me hopeful for what the summer of 2025 will bring.
(image from gocomics.com)
I caught a late-afternoon screening of The Fall Guy yesterday. It is a great movie, one that works on practically every level. It really is the kind of movie you really want people to see: it’s funny, thoughtful, action-packed, and twisty in just the right way. Beyond that, the faces are familiar enough and a real affection for stunt work and for movies in general is palpable and, in a way, reassuring.
I suppose it’s like dealing with “the devil you know over the devil you don’t.” But not quite. In Frazz’s case, both troubles are known quantities. Swimming the cold lake just puts everything into perspective. Which leads to an interesting question: what’s the go-to perspective-maker for people? Is it always the “bad” thing? Maybe it’s the “better” thing? I suppose it’s like the mission of an office as compared to the mission of the greater organization. You would think there would be overlap, of course. But the big picture should maybe be both more comforting and more challenging. Something to think about.
Space Enough, and Time 