Child of the 1980's - Movies Are Not Real

                It is the Holiday season, the time for family, friends, food, and Santa.  Young children start off by believing that Santa is real among other things, it is that imagination and wonder that we lose along the way.  Though sometimes it is for the best.

I am sure most of you out there remember when and how you found out that Santa was not real.  However, I wanted to share how I found out that movies weren’t real.  It is a little funnier and more embarrassing than simply finding a closet full of wrapped presents, some from Santa, when I was 6 or 7.

In 1985 the movie Rocky IV came out, it was a sequel in the very popular Rocky franchise.  I can still remember being in second grade and standing the lunch line listening as one of my classmates described in vivid detail the fight between Apollo Creed and Ivan Drago.  I listened in horror as I heard about one final blow in the fight which ultimately killed Apollo.  A few months later I did see the movie and found myself having to hide behind my bedroom door in fear.

This would not be the last time that I found myself watching something terrifying through the crack in my bedroom door.  I can still remember being nine-years old and watching in horror as my favorite wrestler at the time, Hulk Hogan, had his shirt and crucifix torn off by the now-evil Andre the Giant.  It was the build up to Wrestlemania III in 1987 and it all seemed real to me still.  Of course as I grew up I realized that pro wrestling was choreographed, not fake, and I also learned to not like Hulk Hogan and root for more skilled wrestlers.  But I digress; it was nearly a year later that I got a wakeup call in terms of movies not being real.

Just as 1988 began I saw an ad on NBC for Saturday Night Live.  That episode would be hosted by Carl Weathers, also known as Apollo Creed from Rocky.  It was a shock to my system to see a man I saw die in the ring against Ivan Drago standing there promoting SNL.  How was this possible? Weathers even announced himself as Apollo in case people didn’t know who he was.  It was at this time that I realized he was only playing a character and didn’t really die in Rocky IV, or Predator, or Happy Gilmore.  Come to think of it Carl Weathers dies in a lot of his movies.

So there you have it, up until between age 9-10 I believed that movies were real until Carl Weathers hosted Saturday Night Live.  Did you ever believe that things which happened in movies were real?  What was the event which stopped you believing that?  Stay tuned for more crazy revelations from 1980’s memories!  

33 - 2/17/2011

Initial Impressions

Christopher Setterlund

33 – 2/17/2011 – In My Footsteps Trip

         -->   Took a trip to Canton, Sharon, and Foxboro today.  200 total driving miles, $20 in gas.

            The first stop was the 700 foot Great Blue Hill and a foot or so of snow on the entire way up.  Sure, it was in the 50’s today but that did not melt much snow.  The entire hike up the mini-mountain was like the scene in Rocky IV with Stallone running up the mountain.  The view from the observatory at the top of Great Blue Hill was sick, the Boston skyline was visible although melting snow made a bit of fog.

            There was also a small collection of wildlife at the Blue Hills Trailside Museum.  The otter was so cute he was doing laps around the tank, flipping off the walls of the tank and swimming upside down.  The only downside was the pair of deer that spent the whole time licking each other, legs, asses, it was like animal porn.

            My shoes were soaked from the snow pretty quickly, I also ended up getting pretty busted up from the piles of heavily compacted snow.  Taking a few photos of the Canton Viaduct I sunk in the snow and I tell you hitting that packed snow was like smashing my shin on the front step.  It was worth it though, that viaduct is like something out of ancient Rome.

            There was some sort of black box in front of the Canton Town Hall.  I am trying to figure out what the hell it was.  Time capsule?  Sculpture?  Pointless or useless?  Maybe, it had some cool things carved into it though.

            Driving through Sharon, a back street neighborhood, I saw some white trash looking guy in a white-t and boxer shorts walking, blowing his nose all over the snow.  Then I saw him later leaving Walgreens and wanted a photo but he was looking.  Didn’t want snot blown on my windshield by that loser.

            Thought for a moment about hiking up the 300 foot Moose Hill in Sharon, but my ruined hip, knee, and shin told me to forget about it.  I found it odd that while walking through the deep snow it was only my right leg that sunk down in over and over.  What is that?  Does my left side weigh less?

            Went back to Borderland Park in Sharon/Easton.  I was able to skip the $2 fee to get in, it’s called ignoring the toll booth.  There was way too much mud thanks to it getting up near 60 by this time.  I did get to take some crazy shots of the Ames Mansion though.  Some workers in a truck stopped to watch me since I looked drunk stumbling in the snow, only the right leg sinking in of course.  Tried to explain this to an old couple walking by but they ignored me or pretended they were deaf.

            Foxboro started out as a total bust since the historic homes I was looking for were either not where they were supposed to be, or they were being lived in, and had no place for me to park to take a shot.  Can’t just stop in the middle of the road, well, usually.

            Going to Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place more than made up for it.  Ate at Five Guys for the first time and had my mind blown.  Having lunch in the shadow of Gillette was pretty bad ass.  Then I got to get pretty close to the field, some great shots.  I almost got in but the field worker chickened out.  Just needed 2 minutes but no, he was more worried about his precious job.

            I found this old school, Paine School, in Foxboro.  Behind it was this weird stone tower with stairs leading up to it.  No sign, no plaque to tell me what it is.  All I know is the railing leading up was wobbly and the stairs were covered with ice, horray.  I ended up with soaked shoes, socks, and the bottom foot of my pants again after blasting my heat to dry them.

            I stopped on the side of the road to shoot an historic home, no harm right?  Then I went to leave and ripped a huge patch thanks to the mud, car covered, yeah, doesn’t make me look too suspicious.

            Song of the Day – Hearts On Fire by John Cafferty.  From Rocky IV, I heard it in my head as I scaled Great Blue Hill, I did not shout ‘Drago!!’ at the top though.  Buy the mp3 here and go train!

            Quote of the Day – “Great view, huh?”  Field worker at Gillette Stadium to me as I drooled clinging to the gates only a hundred feet from the football field.  He would not let me in, said he’d get in trouble.   

            Photos of the Day:

Canton Viaduct

So close to the field at Gillette.

View of Boston from the top of Great Blue Hill.

What the hell is this tower?  Behind Paine School in Foxboro.