Three crazes worth looking into

For this week, I'd like to discuss a trio of crazes. I don't understand one, I look at the second with a different angle and the third is just a craze I'd like to see.

• I don't get this whole "supermoon" craze. I really don't.

But Kevin, the moon's closer than it has been for decades. It's normally 252,000 miles away, but it's now only a scant 222,000 miles away. It's SUPER.

Let's put that into perspective. If I'm in Melrose and you're driving on Prince Street, you're driving a car. But if you're on Martin Luther King Boulevard, you're now driving a "supercar."

I also know that the moon's 15 percent larger and 20 percent brighter. I also know I leave better tips at most restaurants. And I haven't seen a supermoon photo yet that a good photographer can't reproduce with good framing.

• Speaking of crazes, I can't help but note that "The Avengers" has become the movie craze of the summer, and we're not even into the summer.

It broke the $200 million mark on its opening weekend, which leads me to two issues. First, why does Congress need to put in overreaching piracy protection laws? Disney seems to be doing just fine on this Marvel investment.

I have yet to see it, but I plan to. I just want to let the crowd die down a little bit, and I need a day with an afternoon off so I can see the 2D version, which is playing in limited runs.

I hear I'm not alone. A friend of mine in Lubbock saw the movie twice over the weekend, the second time with two of his kids. There were six showings all day in 2D. All of them sold out in 10 minutes, and everybody else was furious about the 3D upcharge.

And that's the second issue. These record box office numbers don't mean they're making better movies; it merely means they're finding ways to charge more. To me, a 3D movie is like going to a restaurant, and getting a mandatory upcharge because they're using a special plate.

• This isn't so much a craze, but it's just something funny that I like to pass on to others. Maybe it could turn into a craze when everybody finds out just how funny it can be.

I was killing time on Saturday, when a person a few tables away sneezed twice in succession. As somebody with pet allergies and hay fever that never goes away, I can sympathize.

"Bless you," I said. I received a, "Thank you."

Just as quickly, though, came the third sneeze. That's when I employed Plan B.

"Stop it," I said.

It's one of my favorite hidden jokes, the non-blessing. I have another friend who menacingly looks at the sneezer and says, "That's one."

The beauty of it is nobody sees it coming; it's always funny. You never have to apologize, because any reasonable person knows it's a joke. The next time the person sneezed, I didn't have to say anything before they laughed.

I'd like to think they will tell the next person, "Stop it," as well. I don't see a groundswelling, but I like the idea that I helped spread a few cheap laughs.

Kevin Wilson is a columnist for Clovis Media Inc. He can be contacted at 763-3431, ext. 313, or by email:

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