Duckburg Gazette

Monday, January 20, 2025

Sore lips

It continues to be a very dry here that my lips were getting so chapped and sore! I use Blistex brand to help heal and coat my lips, I find it works way better than ChapStick which just feels like wax on my lips and not doing anything. And mostly the right side of my lips were the worse which using water doesn't help because they are already trapped and water doesn't bring in moisture which is weird thought. So you need something like Blistex to medicate and add moisture as it medicates. But I do swear by this product and immediate offers relief as soon as you apply it. Within a day my soreness was gone but now I want to make sure I keep one handy and apply it as it is still very dry here and with the cold, it makes it worse. But picked me up an extra thing of Blistex so I just need to remember to keep it on me when I go out!

Weekly Update:
In September last year they had us return to office about 2-days a month so we can be around our co-workers and other people again. This has been a huge inconvenience and makes my life so much more boring. So far the days I have gone in, what could house maybe 300 staff there have been less than 12. And of those 12, not one is in the same work group I am in. Even if all 300 where there, none would be in the same work group. Why? Because I am the sole person in my work group on this side of the US. The rest of my team are in Orlando or Tampa, Florida so, how can it be going to the office to be with my peers? So, I waste my gas and money to work in the office, not to mention the time to get up earlier and then drive home. For me it is counter-productive and quiet frankly, boring.

At the movies:
New at #1 this week is One of Them Days with a modest 11.6 million to open. This time of year is usually a slow down in-between awards and soon to start the film festival circuit. Holding at #2 is Mufasa: The Lion King with 11.5 mil more as it passes the 200 mil cume mark. New at #3 is Wolf Man with 10.6 mil and not a great number considering the franchise its playing off of. Slight drop to #4 is Sonic the Hedgehog 3 with 8.6 mil as it starts to slow down. Big drop to #5 is Den of Thieves 2: Pantera with 6.6 mil and soon to be down and out at this rate.

Quote of the week:
"The world breaks everyone, and afterward some are strong at the broken places." - Ernest Hemingway

Facts & Tips:
A cloud weighs around a million tonnes.

"I feel a 'but' coming on." - Judith Light as Angela Bower in the TV series "Who's the Boss?"

Monday, January 13, 2025

all ablaze

Earlier this week California had some wildfires started mainly due the the high winds reaching 80 MPH, the worst wind conditions that have not been seen for decades. It only takes one spark to start it and the winds will do the rest of not only fanning the fires but carrying the embers across miles to ignite other areas. Everyone is pointing blame on others but honestly we are all to blame. Awareness to the global warming situation is making it worse and worse. The dry air, record-breaking winds is all contributing to this and that is just in California. The East coast also saw record-breaking hurricane weather and other natural disasters. The Gulf of Mexico produced more than normal hurricane anomalies and it is only getting worse as the water becomes warmer. But, they blame people despite their warnings and not using scientific fact for their own made up fiction. We are at a loss and will continue to lose.

Weekly Update:
We need some rain!! With the fires raging in Los Angeles County and how dry it has been along with wind, we are bone dry. Not one drop of rain for months and this is generally our wet season! Another sign of climate change and global warming occurring yet those empower who are not scientist choose to ignore it and blame it on stupid things that make no sense. The biggest impact that is causing all of this is all the emissions every year from not just our country but globally. If we do not start making drastic changes, it will increase and get worse fast, it already is and will just exponentially increase year-after-year. How much proof do they need? They ignore it till it affects them and eventually it will affect everyone.

At the movies:
New at #1 is Den of Thieves 2: Pantera with a modest 15.5 million for this post holiday lull time frame. Don't expected it to last very long on screen. Slight dip to #2 is Mufasa: The Lion King with 13.2 mil extra and closing in on that 200 mil mark still. Also dipping down a bit is Sonic the Hedgehog 3 with 11 mil more and just broke the 200 mil mark! Drop down to #4 is Nosferatu with 6.8 mil more and closing in at 100 mil, it should get there eventually but definitely over time. Rounding off the top 5 is Moana 2 with 6.5 mil as it slowly quiets down after 7 weeks in release.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
Two this week on semi-wide releases (under 1,000 screens). In at #9 is Game Changer with 1.9 mil and a very low per screen average at that. At #10 is The Last Showgirl with 1.5 mil and even lower per screen. Both of these won't last very long at the theatres.

Quote of the week:
"Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued." - Socrates

Facts & Tips:
The Universe's average color is called 'Cosmic latte.'

"There is a time for diplomacy and a time for action. Diplomacy is dead." - Tcheky Karyo as Inspector Richard in Kiss of the Dragon.

Monday, January 06, 2025

New Year, Same Stuff

New Year's Edition

Another day has come and gone and honestly, another "holiday" I don't really care about. It is a bit sad this year as I don't have a dog to keep calm for the first time in about 15+ years which has kind of gotten me sour towards fireworks in general. I hope all the other animals out there were OK though. But this past week with New Year's Eve being on a Tuesday, it has felt like there was 4 Friday's last week with no Saturday after. Almost like my own personal Groundhog Day loop and I keep waking up to Friday again. But, let's see how this upcoming week plays out. January always seems like a super slow month as well so every day is like watching each minute pass by. Also, it's been a very dry Winter so far for us which is also unusual. Haven't had a drop of rain in months, we did have some slight misty once or twice but no solid rain yet... I hope that changes soon!

Weekly Update:
Speaking of the rain, where is it?? It has been so dry here for weeks and the forecast also shows no rain in sight. Last year we had a lot of rain (but it wasn't enough) and now no rain and it worsens our water supply problem and drought situation. Every riverbed that I see is bone dry and what is usually man made small lakes to hold water are completely empty. We need some downfall water and we need it soon! I can see a layer of dust and dirt forming on top of everything and I can't remember when we had some decent rain last. We are due and can only hope it is soon and lots!

At the movies:
Small climb up the charts at #1 is Mufasa: The Lion King with 23.8 million for another holiday weekend. Still a bit away to 200 mil so still a struggle for it to reach that. Drop down to #2 is Sonic the Hedgehog 3 with 21.2 mil and pretty close to 200 mil, has steam to reach it but will take a bit more time. Holding at #3 is Nosferatu with 13.2 mil and will still struggle to reach 100 mil. Back up to #4 is Moana 2 with 12.4 mil as it quickly slows down. Rounding off the top 5 is Wicked with 10.2 mil as it starts to wrap up itself.

Quote of the week:
"Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony." - Thomas Merton

Facts & Tips:
Your brain is constantly eating itself.

"Vince Downey, you are a disgrace to me and Super Club! I am not proud of you!" - Tim Bagley as Glen Ross in Employee of the Month.

Monday, December 30, 2024

Holidays are OVER!

The Holiday Edition

Wednesday was Christmas Day thus making Tuesday Christmas Eve and honestly... do not really care. I've not been a fan of the holidays for quiet some time now and to me they are just another day and nothing more. I am definitely a Bah Humbug type and proud of it. I hate the holidays and the one time of year you are supposed to be nice and cheerful and help others? Why not year-round, why does it have to be this day or even month? Seems like a bad and fake excuse to me to be at least civil, that you have to have a reason. The religious notation seems also forced and personally do not buy into it. This holiday can leave as far as I'm concerned, too much expectation around it and many fall short year round and act like this is their penitence or absolution. Like if you were to go to confession for your year of sin and be absolved. Nope, not buying into it.

Weekly Update:
When games end... I am not sure if I talked about this already and if I did, oops, sorry. But there is an app game I play daily called Simpsons Tapped Out and it's called that because you use your finger and just tap on everything, it's appropriately named. A few months ago they announced the game would be sunset (closed) for good on January 24, 2025 forever. I have played this game for a solid 9-years... NINE YEARS and just to be closed like turning off a light switch. I mention it (again?) because as that date quickly comes up, there are reminders in game about it and it's just.. sad. I guess all good things come to an end, I'm glad I didn't spend much money in the game as others I know have. I think, and this is just a guess, the most I spent was a total of under $50 over that 9-year span. Not bad if you think about it, that means I only spent about $5.55 per year, or $1.33 per month over 9-years... not bad, not bad at all given the amount of fun and entertainment it brought me. Not to mention the nostalgia of it since it has things from pretty much the history of The Simpsons show. I'll miss it, became part of my daily routine to check on my Springfield once a day.

At the movies:
Holding ground at #1 for a 2nd week in a row is Sonic the Hedgehog 3 with 38 million extra for the holiday weekend and now past 100 mil. It may struggle a bit to get to 200 but possible. Holding as well at #2 is Mufasa: The Lion King with 37.1 mil more and just past 100 mil as well. Much further to hit 200 mil and unlikely it will get there. New at #3 is Nosferatu with 21.2 mil (40.3 mil for Wed-Sun) and pretty fair word-of-mouth on this one. It may struggle to hit 100 and likely fall short. Drop down to #4 is Wicked with 19.5 mil as it passes the 400 mil mark! Rounding off the top 5 is Moana 2 with 18.2 mil and now only inches away from 400 mil domestic box office, likely to hit it in the next day or two.

New movies that id not make the top 5:
We have a few this week. In at #6 is A Complete Unknown with 11.6 mil (23.2 mil for the 5-day) and more of an academy push but still a wide-release. Coming in at #7 is Babygirl with 4.4 mil (7.2 mil) and no real buzz around this one. In at #10 is The Fire Inside with 2 mil (4.3) and another one that will fade out fast.

Quote of the week:
"Great minds have purposes; others have wishes." - Washington Irving

Facts & Tips:
Identical twins don't have the same fingerprints.

"If I'd a known that was the last time I was gonna talk to Bubba, I would've thought of something better to say." - Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump in Forrest Gump.

Monday, December 23, 2024

It's curved!

I did some shopping this past week along with my usual errands and despite it being the holiday season, people still do not care for others. I try to stay aware of my surroundings as much as I can, keep out of people's way so they can ship unhindered and I hope to be able to do the same. If someone needs help getting something, I'm happy to offer a hand if they want it. But, it feels like the holidays doesn't adjust people attitudes in helping others or being aware but just brings out more of those same people who only care about themselves. I must have encountered at least three times as many of those people who were blocking the entire aisle way at a store with their body and cart. One person was reorganizing their cart while this one lady waited so she could get by and I waited for that lady to go first after this a-hole finished with is cart before he proceeded to move on. He pushed his cart right between us, not even a clue that we were both being courtesy enough to wait. Tis the season to be selfish instead of selfless. I hate the holidays.

Weekly Update:
Recently I purchased my first curved computer monitor screen and I also decided to do a wall mount in hopes it might save me desk space and also, give me more flexibility in adjusting it when needed. The screen itself is pretty massive and may take me some time in adjusting to it but so far, it's pretty nice. The big challenge though was installing the wall mount. The directions seemed easy so I thought I would do it myself. I had an old stud finder I have no clue where it came from but I didn't buy it. It didn't work that well as it was beeping at everything (after using a fresh battery). So, I learned of the magnet method and it worked! I found the stud and drilled my holes after marking it and making sure the mount would be level. But then later screwing in the bolts to hold in place was a chore! But after a few trips to the hardware store the one thing I needed to help me get this mount in was... a 10MM socket wrench! I had 3/5", 7/16" and many others but it boiled down to MM's! We don't use metric here but fortunately the hardware stores use both! But after a full day of doing that amongst some other errands, the screen is up and computer in place... and so far so good!

At the movies:
Zooming into the #1 spot is Sonic the Hedgehog 3 with a nice 62 million for this pre-Holiday box office. Has fairly good word-of-mouth on this one and should hit the 100 mark by next weekend. New at a distant #2 is Mufasa: The Lion King with 35 mil and so-so reactions on this one. May do well this coming holiday week but might not hit 100 mil till later. Slight drop to #3 is Wicked with 13.5 mil and now inches away from the 400 mil mark. Could get it over the holiday break this week. Big drop down to #4 is Moana 2 with 13.1 mil and still in striking range to hit 400 mil but may not be for another couple of weeks. Rounding off the top 5 is Homestead with 6.1 mil and may carry for another week and after, probably will be gone.

Quote of the week:
"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies." - Mother Teresa

Facts & Tips:
Giraffes are 30 times more likely to get hit by lightning than people.

"FUBAR." - Tom Sizemore as Sergeant Horvath in Saving Private Ryan.