Yes, I am now more into Elsa the pteranodon and "We're Back: A Dinosaur Story".

My Land Before Time phase is over. I've exited my phase after 4 1/2 years. I got rid of all of my LBT dvd's a few days ago, cold turkey. But, i'm not leaving the gof.

You see...I have more past childhood memories and connections behind "We're Back" than I do with LBT.

Look guys.. I know that "We're Back" is a much lesser-known movie with a much lower fan base than LBT, but I love the movie, personally.

The 2 things that We're Back, and the LBT sequels have in common, is that they both feature actor Kenneth Mars, and both also feature music composed by James Horner.

I never owned any LBT movies, or any merchandise as a kid, and I didn't even know LBT even existed until 1996.

I'll give you my own personal history behind "We're Back". In my opinion, it's a really funny dinosaur movie, and personally, I love it:

I met "We're Back: A Dinosaur Story" right away after it was released on VHS. I can connect this movie with my childhood a *lot* more than I can with LBT.  

As I was saying, I got the movie right when it was released on VHS in the spring of 1994 when I was in preschool (and I had it with my other cartoon movies all the way until we moved 4 years ago.)

In addition to the movie, I also owned a pair of Rex pajamas when I was 4-5 years old, and the pattern was Rex smiling in his golf hat, shirt, and glasses.  We also watched the movie in kindergarten in '94-'95, and the other kids got up and danced when "Roll Back The Rock" was playing.

I got the movie on dvd yesterday, (having watched it on youtube previously).  "We're Back" also *really* tickles my funny bone a lot more than what LBT movies do.

and Vorb's voice.. (And I imitated Vorb to myself yesterday from his opening scene..)

 "A-HAAAA!  A POTENTIAL CUSSSTOMERR!!"  

LOL!

.... "By process of selection..your galaxy, your planet, your neighborhood!".. "YOUUUU!  YES.! YOUUUU!  HAVE BEEN CHOSEN AS THE SOLE BENEFICIARY..!")  and I burst out giggling hard as if I were being tickled by 1,000 feathers!....

..and the scene where Rex rode on a truck like a skateboard.. (and the end part where he "went in" for the rescue, and rolled off the Brooklyn Bridge to rescue Dweeb, Elsa, and Woog from the police.)   LOL. XD



And as for Elsa..  I have a cartoon crush on her since re-visiting this movie. I had forgotten how gentle, caring, and loving of a personality she has.

Now when I think of her, I blush and get all warm inside, and get those warm "love" feelings. I've imagined myself in my head as a pteranodon, and embracing in a hug with Elsa, even being kissed on the beak by her, or just laying down next to her, and whispering gentle thoughts with each other.

I love her gentle personality, and I loved her gentle/caring facial expressions when she waited outside while Louie was talking with Cecilia at her apartment, and Elsa had those warm, caring eyes, and a warm friendly smile. I also remember how she outsmarted the police helicopters during the chase scene by hiding behind a gargoyle on the roof of one of the buildings. I also liked the 2 close-ups of her, saying the first "Hello." to Cecilia, and her straightening out Louie.. after he said "I got it.. hey you!  the bat??.."        she straightened Louie out..  "I  am  *not* a bat.    I'm a pterodactyl!"  And near the end when Cecilia hugs her and turns her back into her "friendly/good" self, and away from a wild pteranodon, and she chuckles lightly and smiles back.

I also remember that I rented the "We're Back" video game for my Sega Genesis system one weekend in 1996, too.

Again, what I owned as a kid:

Land Before Time?  Nothing.

We're Back? The movie on VHS, Rex pajamas, and I rented the video game for my Sega Genesis one weekend in '96. I now own the "We're Back" DVD.

I know there are many who don't like this movie for it's plot. (And I really do not like people who call this movie "The Land Before Time on crystal meth." And I *hated* the youtube video of "The Nostalgia Critic" fussing, bashing. moaning and yelling his head off about this movie. :angry: *Boooo!*:angry: *MAN* what a pain in the butt!

I love it because it's such a funny dinosaur movie, and it tickles my funny bone so much. I love it for it's humor.

Just call this a "change of phase" for me. We all have our different "phases" we go in and out of in life.  I'm not leaving the GOF, i've just exited my LBT phase for "We're Back".  

One last thing I wanted to add, and this is a cool coincidence. On the night of September 25th, I tried to draw Elsa.. and I had no idea, that September 25th was her voice actress's (Felicity Kendal's) 68th birthday. And when I found that out, I was surprised.

I've really gotten into Elsa now. I had forgotten about her beautiful appearance and her loving, caring personality, as well as her expressions and appearance. It had been a long time since I had seen the movie before I re-visited it. I own We're Back on dvd now, and I am really happy about it.

When i'm alone (in my room in private of course..) I sometimes get wet in the eyes with happiness, when imagining for fun.. what it would be like (as a pteranodon) if Elsa and I were to be in a romantic friendship/releationship.. and kiss each other beak to beak, and hugged closely. That would be so sweet...

In summary..

Don't feel down. I'm not leaving the gof right now.

I'm just saying that i've left my LBT phase after 4 1/2 years, and i'm into "Elsa" and "We're Back: A Dinosaur Story" now.

Everyone comes in and goes out of different phases throughout their lives, and that's normal.

For the past 3 years, my job has been bagging groceries and cleaning at a grocery store. It's not the greatest, but it's better than having no job at all, though.

 It's part-time and the pay is only $8.75 per hour. about $14,000 per year for me.  And i'm not a high-school aged teenager. I am 25 years old now. I still feel that I have made no real progress since 18. And that the last 7 years have been a total waste (other than moving to Florida 4 years ago.)

I just hope I can get a better paying job in the future to get my life going better. I definitely do not earn enough money to live on my own, and i'm still with my mom and dad.    I'm sorry, guys. I feel bad. My one life is passing me up year by year. I do not like the direction my life is going in now. Yeah living in Florida is great, but not having my own car, or having enough money to live on my own, and never having a full time job ever before, really sucks.

I'm still living with my parents. I have no real in-person friends, i've never had a girlfriend either and I feel that my life is passing me up, and that i'm losing at the game of life. I feel bad and really behind. And when i'm at home, I still do feel stuck and that I can only do things my parents approve of as long as i'm still living with them.

Guys,   I  am     just.           plain.          sorry.    

I feel that 2008-2014 have been 7 wasted years of my 1 life that I will never get back.

I think that "normal" 25 year old guys do live on their own, have decent jobs, have friends, and some even have girlfriends.

I played the game again today, and I won on my second try!

When you win on the advanced level,  The game's narrator says "You are a master flyer just like Petrie"   The game did get tough for me when I got to 7 tricks, but I was able to remember all 10 of Petrie's tricks in the proper order.

The 10 tricks were "Loop de loop,  down dipper,  down dipper,  loop de loop,  soar up,  down dipper,  soar up,  soar up,  loop de loop,  and loop de loop."

I'm really happy that I finally won Petrie's flying game on the "advanced" level.

I've been having trouble with one of the bonus games on the "Great Day Of The Flyers" dvd. This game plays just like "Simon" does, except instead of colors I have to remember and repeat the order of tricks Petrie does.

The object of the game, is to repeat a new flying trick Petrie adds for each round. His 3 tricks in the game are "soar up" "loop de loop" and "down dipper".

I won the "beginner" level, which is repeating 5 tricks in a row correctly.  but I couldn't  repeat the 10 tricks required to win at the "advanced" level, where the narrator says, "you are a master flyer." when you win.

I usually get to 6 or 7, but then I have trouble. I'll win the advanced level eventually. It does take some concentration.

I'm sure if I were a flyer, Petrie and his mom wouldn't be mad or upset at me for not remembering the correct order of tricks Petrie does, and I wouldn't get picked at, called a stupid deadbeat, or get hit either. I'd make a great friend for Petrie.

With some practice, I can win the advanced level of the flying game.

*I prefer traditional LBT art, too.*  

I love Petrie's happy "wings up high" pose, with his wings raised high with a *very* happy look on his face. It's as if Petrie is looking right at me and iss *very* happy to see me. It made me grin so big and nearly blush. I love the character collage drawing, Ducky.

Okay, my gifts were a total of $110 of birthday money, and a 3-pack of Florida State University/Seminoles Nike golf balls from my sister, mailed down from Tallahassee, where she's attending college.

Thank you for all of the 25th birthday wishes, everyone.

My 2 favorite greetings this year were bushwacked's:

Happy birthday to the biggest flyer fan I know!

and also Bruton's.

May you go on to be a handsome and graceful flyer in your next life!

I'd also really like to thank Pterano (Cal).   Thank's for being there for me,  Pterano buddy! I really enjoy talking with you each day.

Thank you. So far, my dad and I went to burger king, then we both went to the golf/driving range. I shot a bucket of 100 golf balls. Some of the shot distances were between 150-175 yards. Most of the balls that I shot had traveled between 100-125 yards. I mean I was *really* hitting those balls hard. *Bang! Bang!*  That had to have been my best performance at a driving range so far. It was great.

Now, we are about to go out for dinner, then come back to the house to unwrap presents and have cake. The cake is a 1/4 sheet, it's white with a buttercream filling. The cake's design theme is a beach and shoreline.

I hope your surgery goes well, Pterano. I hope you make a good recovery after the surgery is over. After you recover, you'll have perfect vision.

Here's an update. I have some new videos and a picture.

He's doing okay and he's making a good recovery. He still travels, and he still does interviews and makes public appearances.

In this video from last year (2013) Michael discusses "Amyloidosis and Stem Cell Research" during a public appearance.

This first video is over 18 minutes long, you can hear the detail and quality in his voice throughout his speech. (I know that he sounds like a gravelly-voiced, tired, and elderly Pterano if he were a pteranodon in his 70's and had his own room in a medical clinic/care center for the elderly, talking to visitors.)

But, the good thing is that Michael is doing okay. Here is the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cF0pY9IsiM

And more recently, here he is at a photo session on January 11, 2014. (at the time of this post, this is the newest video I could find of him on youtube)  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsJ8Fg37d1Q

And a picture, taken in (I believe) May 2014:
http://michaelyork.net/images/Michael-York-5-2014.jpg  As you can see here, he has more hair now than he had in the older pictures from early 2013.

That's a great LBT plush collection, Loofah.

I see your plush Petrie on the far right side of the picture. I noticed that yours has the right twig shaped fingers/claws, and his neck ring looks like it's the right size. Even his crest length is accurate, too and it shows up well. Your Petrie plush looks pretty good, Loofah. It does look similar to the one in the video.