A month (or two) with Fi

There are lots of reviews of Google's Project Fi out there.  This is from the perspective of someone who:

• Is switching from a dumb phone
• Makes extremely few calls away from a WiFi hotspot

... so, naturally, it's a great deal for me compared to Verizon (which AFAIK is the only real alternative in the Green Mountains).  I haven't had a chance to test Fi in the Northeast Kingdom, but it's done well in the Champlain Valley.

Things I've learned so far:

• On long car trips, if I'm going to use it to provide directions, I need a car charger.
• Incoming calls appear to continue be routed through Google Hangouts.  Thus, my laptop rings, my tablet rings, and finally my phone rings.  This isn't really a bad thing, but I could wish that it rang my phone before it rang my tablet. 
• I can send texts with the Messenger app, and they are received by the other party, but return texts are routed through Google Hangouts; that is, they never appear in Messenger.  This is actually a Good Thing (tm) IMO, because I like Hangouts and want all of my SMS history there along with my hangout history, but it's a little weird.

Vermont college graduates staying in Vermont, sort of

This is an old report from VTDigger on Shumlin asking college graduates to stay in Vermont for jobs, but it's been rattling around in my head.  

Typically, the concern in Vermont is that our young folks raised in the state are leaving the state.  The study being done at St. Michael's doesn't really help with that question, because only 20% of their undergraduates are Vermonters (see last paragraph in the article).  The fact that 40% of the 2015 graduating class stayed in Vermont means that we have a net gain to the state population.

The key here is that this is among graduates of St. Michael's.  Does UVM collect this kind of data, and does it show a different story?

Star Wars openings

John Kovalic posted memories of his viewings of the previous 6 live action Star Wars movies, so of course that got me thinking.

Star Wars (1977).  I saw this the summer it was released at the Eatontown Drive-In Theater (RIP).  I was 5 and my only memory of this viewing is that when Princess Leia declared, "Darth Vader, only you could be so bold," I thought she said "bowled" and wondered if they were going to Asbury Lanes (back when it was "just" a bowling alley).

Empire Strikes Back (1980).  I have no idea where I saw this first, but the likely suspects are Middlebrook, Seaview Square, the Shrewsbury 3, or maybe Red Bank.

Return of the Jedi (1983).  Stood in line outside the Seaview Square Cinema for what felt like an entire showing in order to get in.  This was the first, and only one of a handful, of movies I've seen twice during their original run.

The Special Editions (1997).  Seen at the Carmike 15 in Durham, NC, with a bunch of Duke grad students.

The Phantom Menace (1999).  Seen somewhere in Chicagoland with a bunch of Northwestern grad students.

Attack of the Clones (2002).  We were furniture shopping in Hickory, NC when Killer Clones from Outer Space opened.  Went to the local megaplex hoping to get in and the place was empty. 

Revenge of the Sith (2005).  We had a 1-year-old and knew we didn't want to pay a babysitter in order to see this, so we took turns going out to the Essex Cinemas.

The Force Awakens (2014). TBD

The meaning of "fidelity" and cultural dissonance

Finished Katherine Pancol's The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles today, which in three sentences sums up the gulf between my understanding of fidelity and what seems to be acceptable elsewhere.

And behind Minar's bohemian facade you'll find a faithful husband.  He's completely absorbed in his work, doesn't screw around.  Oh, maybe the odd bit of crumpet -- you know, a quickie with a script or makeup girl -- but nothing to hurt his relationship with his wife.