Phase 2: Complete

My "grow your own geek" project has completed an important milestone.

Last night Simon and I had a boys night out to go see the new Iron Man movie together. This was great for a number of different reasons. First off, the movie rocked. Definitely one of the best super hero movies I've ever seen. I collected the Iron Man comic for many years in my youth and it was amazing to see him finally hit the big screen.

Also, it was great just to go out and do guy stuff with my son. He had a good time and is also excited about going to see the new Indiana Jones movie with me in a couple weeks. He even said he'd go see The Hulk when that comes out later this summer. This is new for us. I tried to get Simon to go see Spider Man 3 last summer, but he was still afraid of non-animated action movies. This year he's totally cool with it.

Mostly though, it reminded me of the time when I was 7 years old and my father took me to see my first "grown-up" action movie. It was the 1976 King Kong and I loved the fact that it was just my dad and me going to see it together. It was the first in a long, long line of me and dad going to see action & cheesy horror movies. Just me and him. No chicks allowed.

The funny thing that occurred to me as we were leaving the theater is that my first movie with my dad and Simon's first movie with me both featured Jeff Bridges. What's up with that? It's like my father, me, Simon and Jeff Bridges are all doing this Circle of Life thing together... but Jeff Bridges doesn't even know about it. I wonder if I should tell him?

But seriously, it was weird how such a simple thing, taking my kid to a movie, was so strangely satisfying... both for its fun in the here and now, but also for its nostalgic value. The super-hero theme, the remembering of times with my dad, the realization that there's a whole new activity that Simon and I can do together that we couldn't before because action movies scared him... all of these things made it a fine, fine evening.

Now I just have to wait a few more years to teach Simon how to play pool. Two (or more) guys + action movie + hanging out in a pool hall afterwards = best times ever!