Jeff, who stays at home

Two weeks ago today, I saw The Hunger Games. That's right, I saw it the day before it came out. So my 12 bucks are near the bottom of the $300 million-plus pile of cash that the flick has raked in so far.

This was a momentous thing for me, as it had been about 16 months since I had last seen a movie in a theater. That's right, I did not set foot in a cineplex in all of 2011. This was not a conscious boycott, not a deliberate fast; I just don't go to the movies that often. I'm much more of a TV guy. I'm not likely to suggest to my friends that we head to the theater, and I'm not a fan of going by myself. I did that, once, and saw the amazing Son of Rambow, a movie nobody saw (hence my alone-ness) but everyone should.

So when everyone else is catching the latest 3D blockbuster, I'm usually staying staying at home. The title of this post is actually an adaptation of a movie currently in theaters, another one that I'll probably never see. Jeff, Who Lives At Home tells the tale of a grown man who lives in his mom's basement, basically wasting away his humdrum life. Been there, done that. But I'll never be able to again--my parents are getting ready to sell the house they've lived in since before I was born. (Do you like how I've completely changed topics here?)

My dad retired last December, and with my youngest sibling being 22, my parents are looking to move to a house that better suits their current space needs (and they'll likely be serving an LDS mission soon). As a result, there have been ongoing renovation and redecoration projects at the house for the last several months. At first it was just the inside, but the last time I visited the front door had been painted a garish tangerine orange. It's weird. The weirdness will likely morph to sadness once they've actually moved out, but right now that still doesn't seem real to me.

They've been packing all their stuff, and tossing out all kinds of junk. Every time I go over, they have a new pile of my old stuff for me to look through, and either take it with me or throw it away. As a result, I've been reliving parts of my childhood, such as the big report I wrote on the Soviet Union in 6th grade which concluded with some comically strong anti-Communist statements, and most recently, putting my old WWF sheets on my bed (causing the He-Man pillowcase I've been using for over a decade to go into the closet for now). In many ways (especially considering how often I still get dinner and other food from them), it's like I'm living in a satellite extension of my parents' basement. I hope they don't move too far away.

Anyway...I'm sure you're all anxious for my HG review. Well, I liked it. I haven't read the books, so I can't compare it to the source material, but I'm not a snob about that kind of thing anyway. I have no interest in the Twilight franchise, but this movie was good enough that I can see myself reading the books someday.

But it turns out, maybe I have read the actual source material...the Book of Mormon prophet Enos describes how he "went to hunt beasts in the forests" (just like Katniss!), and his "soul hungered" (not clear if it was a game). In this case, the disembodied voice heard was the Lord, and He didn't lie, unlike Suzanne Collins's all-powerful, weird-bearded game creators who change the rules as they go (see Enos 1:2-6). But you've got to expect that some things will be changed.

This week's Sunday School lesson covers the lives of Enos and several other prophet-historians, including the one verse penned by Chemish (a name that sounds like it came right out of Hunger Games--somebody should really write some Chemish fan fiction). Go here for some info that will help you prepare.