tribute to my nephew.

Thanks to my nephew, I am currently baby-sitting for the first time since I was 16 years old. That was a while ago. Luckily, we have an understanding. I'll be the cool aunt as long as he behaves himself. So far...it's working out perfectly. He's sleeping his little heart out and I still have all my hair. (He has entered the "grabby" phase. I forgot and wore it half down.) Babies have quite the talent for creating nostalgia and pensiveness in peoples lives and I will freely admit I am not immuned to it all. When I'm with him, I want to secure my title as 'the coolest and favorite aunt' so I'm always planning things for us to do and things I'll get to teach him. I think I've got dinosaurs in the bag (three years at Dinosaur National Monument will educate anybody.) Books? I'm all over it! Recently, however, I have realized that there is a huge deficiency in my "cool aunt" knowledge. The whole super-hero bit?...well, let's just say I have some work to do on that one. I remember playing "concentration" at a family reunion and getting burned by my cousin in the "super hero" category. I'm sorry, but more than Adam West's original BATMAN with the POW! BAM! and WHACK!-I'm kind of uneducated. Frankly, it never really interested me. For some reason, the past 6 months I have been fascinated by them. I think it all stems from THE DARK KNIGHT, but I don't really know for sure. Coincidentally, I still haven't seen it, but have every intention to do so. In my over-analyst way of doing things, I have recently decided that there has to be more them than fictional characters trying to save the world in body suits and tights. I then set out to find a deeper meaning and I will gladly report that I did find one. (These theories are based purely on my recent viewing of BATMAN BEGINS and SPIDERMAN.)
*Of what use is a super hero without a villain?
Spiderman was considered a menace to society until the Green Goblin showed up. Batman never took on all petty thieves of Gotham City by himself, he only stepped in when there was a REAL threat.
*As of late, one of my favorite thoughts/concepts is that "any idiot can survive a catastrophe, but it takes a real man to survive the day-to-day." Now, don't think that I don't appreciate a good super hero, because I do, but I wonder what they themselves think of it. For example, when given the opportunity, Spiderman refused MJ because he was concerned for her wellness. Rachel refused Batman for the similar reasoning.
Really...I'm currently fascinated. Nephew and I have a lot of learning to do. I do understand that there are 2 uncles in the family that may very well take over the super-hero education,but frankly, I like learning myself. I think it's good for me. And super-heroes amuse me.