Monday, October 27, 2014

It really is starting to feel like Fall.  We don't really have change in colors with the foliage but we get different temperatures and also a certain smell in the air changes.  It is a good smell but I have no idea why it is so different from season to season.  There was a couple of days where it got warm but it wasn't too bad like earlier in the season or what we think is a season.  But aside from those 2 or 3 days of slightly warmer temps, it was just that, a few days but the nights went back to that sense of Fall and the rest of the days were just simply nice.  There was a strange parade in Anaheim on Saturday that closed down a semi-major street and that caused a lot of traffic but I guess it was for some Fall Festival ... didn't see it but that is OK.

Weekly Update:
The liquid poop as ended, thank goodness!!  The last week was just so tiring and I am glad that part is over ... for now anyway.  Had a day or two of accidents in the house but most of it was outside but that was still pretty bad.  Not sure what brought on this illness with the dogs but I heard some other fosters who were in contact were sick as well.  It was like their own little outbreak but easily treated.  Made some white rice, got some plain yogurt and had some pumpkin filling.  That was their meals for a few days but now they are back on regular dog food however still using the yogurt which might be really good with some granola and fruits (for me!)  They had vanilla flavored ... I wonder how that would be with some granola and fruit!  But, the dogs are happy again and just feeling a lot better which is good for me.  Pictured is not one of the dogs but a very happy one which is good to see all the time!

At the movies:
The spirits have spoken and "Ouija" takes the box office crown with a solid 20 million to open which is above expectations.  There seems to be a lack of suspense and horror films this year where as previous years we would see 2 to 3 a week.  Showing up at #2 is "John Wick" with a decent 14.2 mil for this time of year. Slight drop to #3 is "Fury" with an extra 13 mil as it struggles to reach a 100 mil cume but will more than likely fall very short of that number.  Continuing to do well at the box office is "Gone Girl" with 11.1 mil and making it's way to 150 mil cume.  Rounding off the top 5 is "The Book of Life" with an extra 9.8 mil and pretty much out of steam on this film.

Quote of the week:
"To err is human -- and to blame it on a computer is even more so." - Robert Orben

Facts & Tips:
Sound travels up to 15 times faster through steel than air, at speeds up to 19,000 feet per second.

"Vulcans do not smile." - Tim Russ as Tuvok on the TV series "Star Trek: Voyager."

Monday, October 20, 2014

And it continues to stay cool!  Two weeks in a row and loving it.  I mean the sun is out which is fine but at least it has been breezy and the temps in the high 70's for the most part.  Nights are really nice, mid 60's which for me is good cuddle in the blankets weather.  So we are now in warm fuzzy blanket season ... that should be a season!  My purple blanket picture looks like a big old purple bathroom towel ... its an Internet picture but I do think I have a towel like that now that I look at it!  Well, towels can be blankets too if you are in need of one.  It still covers you up and will be extra absorbent too!  Wait a minute ... blanket towel?  Is this a possible thing?  I could be!  Get warm when you get out of the shower or take your shower ... OK, it may need a little work.

Weekly Update:
So having to watch 3 dogs this week and in the process of doing that, two of them get sick.  Not pleasant and been having to sleep on the couch in case someone needs to go outside and can't hold the load of liquid poop!  Yep, liquid poop is a thing and it isn't pleasant by any means.  I thought one time I was going to throw-up while cleaning it ... so much mess and one of the dogs also added some throw-up to it as well but it wasn't mostly liquid.  That ended after a day but the other end was still going.  Not pleasant and very tiring ... dog pictured is not one of them, that is another Internet picture but pretty close to Maddox (sick foster dog).  I hope it all stops soon ... I need it to stop soon so I don't get sick from it.  I know I can't sick from it but I mean sick sick, like "ew" sick.

At the movies:

World War II drama blows through the competition this weekend as "Fury" earns the #1 spot with a debut of 23.5 million.  Just slightly above expectations but given the price tag on this film, needs to do much more.  Holding ground at #2 is "Gone Girl" earning an extra 17.8 mil as it surpasses the 100 mil cume mark and continues to build.  This film should cap out just north of 150+ mil.  New at #3 is "The Book of Life" with a decent 17 mil and about expectations for this style of film during this time of year.  Slight drop to #4 is "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" with another 12 mil.  Rounding off the top 5 is "The Best of Me" with 10.2 mil to open and on the low end of expectations but still good for this film.

Notable films this week ... At the #18 spot with being on 4 locations across the country is "Birdman" earning a very strong 420,000 which gives it a screen average of 103k!  That is both huge in the independent and mainstream market.  Word-of-mouth is tremendous on this film and look for it to go wide with solid numbers not to mention great award buzz as we approach award season.

Quote of the week:
"When everyone is somebody, then no one's anybody." - W.S. Gilbert

Facts & Tips:
The sail fish has been clocked at speeds of over 60 miles per hour.

"You realize we're all going to go to college as virgins. They probably have special dorms for people like us." - Jason Biggs as Jim Levenstein in "American Pie."

Monday, October 13, 2014

Finally cooling down ... I can have windows open during the day and not worry about it getting so hot.  I mean I could always open the windows but with no breeze everything because a sweat house or something because it is so hot and was still humid till recently.  Now we are starting to see and feel like Fall for Southern California.  I just hope it stays this ways and we don't get another heat wave or something because what we need now is some rain!  The drought is getting worse and they say it is the worst in 3 years?  How about 10?  20?  We are in a constant drought and as our population increases, it only gets worse.  Has someone invited during a grain of sand into a gallon of water yet? Because I think that will help out ... a lot.  Someone get on that please!  PS: I don't really know why I put that picture on the top, it just struck me as nice for some reason.

Weekly Update:
What to say, what to say ... not much happened this past week other than lack of sleep and running all over the place.  I mean that sums things up in a nutshell.  I went to LA on Sunday and that drive was crazy busy for a Sunday.  I think there was some parade down one of the main streets or something because when I got to my destination the street cleaners were going and barricades every where being picked up to reopen traffic.  So that was probably why
the traffic was so bad and everyone trying to get around things.  Barricades are pretty interesting, I like how they interlock with one another and if they are used to keep back protesters ... they never realize you can just lift up the one end and it opens but instead you see news reports of them pushing the whole thing down.  It is kind of fascinating that one doesn't just take 2 seconds to look down and realize, "oh hey, if you life this up it unlocks itself!"  Well, I guess when you are in some sort of state-of-frenzy you probably don't think to look or check.

At the movies:
Fending off to keep the title this week is "Gone Girl" holding it's #1 spot for the 2nd week in a row with a very low drop bringing in an extra 26.8 million.  It is currently on track to possibly hit the 150 mil mark when it is all said and done.  New at #2 is "Dracula Untold" debuting with a decent 23.5 mil and right about expectations.  The number is fair but in the bigger picture, not enough.  New at #3 is "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" with a 19.1 mil opening.  Just shy of expectations but still good for this film during this time.  Holding on to #4 is "Anabelle" with another 16.4 mil as it tries to reach the 100 mil cume but won't make it.  New at #5 is "The Judge" earning 13.3 mil and below expectations but still a decent opening.
New movies that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week as "Addicted" comes in at #7 and made 7.6 mil and not too far off industry estimations.

Quote of the Week:
"It's not the voting that's democracy; it's the counting." - Tom Stoppard

Facts & Tips:
Steel is 100% recyclable.

"She always says, 'Don't play ball in the house.'" - Mike Lookinland as Bobby Brady in the TV series "The Brady Bunch."

Monday, October 06, 2014

HOT!!!!!!!

OH MY GAWD it was a hot week.  I do not remember EVER it being this hot this time of year.  We had 4 days in a row with the weather high 90's, I think it hit 101 twice but thank goodness I have been indoors a lot.  What is going on!??!  Seriously!  The nights drop down to 60's but not till close to past midnight, I'm able to open the windows during the night but still.  It should be low 70's right not as we head into Fall but it feels like the peak of Summer which usually isn't as bad but has been from time-to-time.  This is just flat out crazy!

Weekly Update:
I can't remember what I did last week ... how sad is that?  I know I have been getting up super early and late at night (between 11 and 1
) I fall asleep on the couch to wake up for 30 minutes to go to bed in a half daze. My sleep pattern has gone completely insane lately ... where am I, who I am ... uh oh, I sound like the theme song to the Buck Rogers movie from the early 1980's.  But I guess that is who I sort of feel, like drifting in space about to face Ming and his army but trying to save a post-apocalyptic Earth from every kind of destruction.  You know, that old chestnut.  And why are chestnut's old?  You can't have new ones?

At the movies:
Huge surprise at the box office as "Gone Girl" takes a big lead with 38 million to open!  Doubles industry estimations and word-of-mouth is solid on this film which could break the 100 mil cume threshold.  Just under is "Annabelle," the spin-off movie from "The Conjuring" franchise with a strong 37.2 mil and above expectations as well.  Holding ground at #3 is "The Equalizer" with another 19 mil and still on track to potentially hit the 100 mil cume mark.  Slight drop to #4 is "The Boxtrolls" with 12.4 mil extra.  Rounding off the top 5 is "The Maze Runner" with another 12 mil and this one will get lost after this weekend.
New movies that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week as "Left Behind" hits 6.9 mil and right around my expectations but slightly below industry estimations.  Looks like "Left Behind" was simply left behind and will stay there.

Quote of the week:
"Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else." - James M. Barrie

Facts & Tips:
Pilates stretches your muscles, improving your posture and helping you appear taller.

"Hello Mummy. I-i-i-i-i-i-t'ssssssssss K-a-a-a-y." - Tracey Ullman as Kay in the TV series "The Tracey Ullman Show."