So the last week of August and overall looking back it was simply just a busy month. Work had so much going on plus that event I was a part of. Weather was just flat out crappy and way to humid to be called California weather. Back-to-School stuff happened and because I am working from home and the crappy weather, my electric bill went up 400% which is just stupid. All because I have to run the AC and I do need to run it for equipment when I am working. I just managed to get my utilities way down and now they skyrocket back up. I can not wait for winter ... that is if we even have one! Suck it August, you suck!
Weekly Update:
What in the world did I do this week ... nothing. I think it was a pretty mellow week for me except work wise was a bit busy but what can you do. I think I am due for vacation but to where and what to do ... weekend trip or actually take a day or two off? I do not want to do a stay-cation because now that I work from home 4-days a week, I would prefer to get out of the house than stay in even more and do nothing. Maybe some where cold or cool, any place where I need to wear a light jacket during the day or night ... or heavy jacket at night. I just want to wear a jacket! I will have to think on this some more because I also do not care to fly any where. Having a car, my own car even, is a nice bonus so it gives more flexibility and freedom to come and go where I want. Well, this is just a thought anyway so who knows if it will even happen.
At the movies:
Still #1 at the top of charts is "Straight Outta Compton" for the 3rd week in a row with another 13.2 million and now over 130 mil, making its way to a nice 150+ domestic box office! New at #2 is War Room with only 11 mil which was a quick short release. Holding ground at #3 is "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" with another 8.3 mil and at the 170 mil cume. New at #4 is No Escape with only 8.3 mil and just below expectations. Rounding off the top 5 is "Sinister 2" with another 4.7 mil and hopefully it will reach 25 mil cume but not sure at this point. Overall very low box office numbers but the majority of schools started this past week so that could have effected box office numbers as it usually does around this time of year.
New films that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week as We Are Your Friends reaches only 1.8 mil for this wide release drama. Well below overall expectations but at the same time, no surprises. This also ranked at #13.
Quote of the week:
"Love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real." - Iris Murdoch
Facts & Tips:
An average of three billion cups of tea are consumed daily worldwide.
"No, it came with the frame." - Courtney Gains as Hans Klopek in "The 'Burbs."
I am unclear what months are Summer anymore. I usually thought it was like a late May/June through August thing but lately we are getting hit with crazy temperatures toward the end of August. Which is fine but before that it was so up and down and the humidity? Where in the world is this coming from? I wonder what places like Big Bear and Lake Tahoe are like. I wonder if they are super hot or are they just warmer than normal for them. I should check it out sometimes ... or I guess I could just look it up on Weather.com or any other weather site. I do like the mountains in the winter but not really driving to them, just being already up there and the snow comes in. I miss snow ... I love snow. I wish we had a chance of snow sometimes but oh well.
Weekly Update:
What did I do this week ... oh yeah, We have this thing called Townhall for the office (about 500 in total) but only about 200 show up. I was the MC of the event, not sure how that happened but it was fine. Been giving presentations for so many years, that is all it felt like, was giving another presentation but this time I did not have to talk from beginning to end and just introduced people and kept the flow going. Overall I thought I did a fair job but I just hope the event itself went well. Got to see some exclusive footage for upcoming movies and behind the scene stuff from other films so that is always nice.
At the movies:
Holding on to the #1 spot is "Straight Outta Compton" with another 26.8 million and film surpasses the 100 mil cume mark with no problems. Still decent legs on the film and should end the Summer on a high note. Also holding at the #2 spot is "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" with an extra 11.7 mil and slowly climbing to 200 mil domestic but will likely fall a bit short. New at #3 is Sinister 2 with 10.6 mil to open and below overall expectations. Also new at #4 is Hitman: Agent 47 with only 8.2 mil and this high-octane action film died out of the gate. Rounding off the top 5 is "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." with another 7.4 mil and continues to drop.
New films that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week at a bit of surprise as American Ultra comes in at #6 with only 5.5 mil to open. Well below all expectations and with school's starting, thought it would perform a bit better.
Quote of the week:
"If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded." - Maya Angelou
Facts & Tips:
Recycled paper is made using 40% less energy than normal paper.
"Welly, welly, welly, welly, welly, welly, well. To what do I owe the extreme pleasure of this surprising visit?" - Malcolm McDowell as Alex in "A Clockwork Orange."
I have been noticing my phone heats up pretty fast when I run certain application on it. I wonder what causes some apps to run hot and some to run normal. I guess certain ones take up more processing maybe? I mean they seem similar in nature most of the time but I guess I do not know what may be going on in the background that I am not seeing. Now I have seen warnings on iPhones before (see picture) but not on my Samsung Galaxy ... I guess it thinks it can take the heat. It has not shut down due to the heat but I also move it around to different cooler spots on the sofa or on a table if I am sitting some where. I wonder if we will ever see a teeny tiny little cooling system in there someday where we have to put a drop of freon or something in there. Now that would be interesting.
Weekly Update:
So this was pretty amazing the other day. I was at Costco waiting in line to get a hot dog and a drink, they always give you a cup for every hot dog you buy even though it is just me. Funny, I would think they would just ask because I could eat two hot dogs as a meal but only use one cup to save on cups. Oh well, anyway there was this very frail lady in a wheelchair and this elderly man, possibly her husband, was trying to help her up from the chair but clearly she was unable to. There was two younger boys when them and one was just holding the wheelchair as in to push it around and the other guy was on his cell phone tapping away at something. They looked to be a family but none of the other boys offered to help or even moved! I was kind of shocked and was about to come offer some help when it looked like they were just going to roll her inside instead. Just amazing.
At the movies:
Holding ground for its 2nd weekend is "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" earning another 29.4 million and now passes the 100 mil cume mark. On track to be in the 175 range domestic when it is all finished up. New at #2 is Fantastic Four earning 26.2 mil. Below overall expectations but still a decent number despite all of the bad reviews on the film. This may be a fast burn at the box office which we have not seen in awhile for a Marvel title. New at #3 is The Gift from the new studio STX. Earning an OK opening of 12 mil and should also be a quick burn out. Hanging on to #4 is "Vacation" with another 9.2 mil as this road trip quickly comes to an end. Rounding off the top 5 is "Ant-Man" with another 7.8 mil in its 4th week and crawling to 150 mil which it should get soon.
New movies that did not make the top 5:
Two this week with the first being Ricki and the Flash in at #7 and with only 7 mil to open. Fairly close to expectations so nothing surprising there. In at #11 is Shaun the Sheep with only 4 mil to open on such a wide release pattern. Way below expectations but the marketing was very small on this film.
Quote of the week:
"Love is the power to see similarity in the dissimilar." - Theodor Adorno
Facts & Tips:
All scorpions glow.
"I'll catch you on the flip side." - David Della Rocco as Rocco in "The Boondock Saints."
How is humidity even made? Does it have to do something with different pressures in the sky or something? I know in a greenhouse it is formed with existing air heating up from moisture where as the light comes through but doesn't escape and makes it very warm and dense ... wait a minute! But how can this be when this mythical effect doesn't exist according to some politicians? Are they lying or are just dumb? Probably a little bit from column A and column B. I know humidity is natural in certain regions but not hear, we are a no-humidity state! Not allowed yet this past year or two have been getting worse and worse.
Weekly Update:
I had a chance to visit the newly re-modeled wing of the Regal Irvine Spectrum as they are now converting some theatres to a high-end movie-going experience. It was pretty nice and it will feature the leather seats recliners and more meal type of foods instead of snack foods (although those will still be available as well). It was pretty nice and I do look forward to seeing a movie there soon. I stayed for a little bit but I was a bit tired so I left for home right after. They did a fun ticket tearing ceremony and had nice finger foods along with a chocolate fountain. Who does not love a chocolate fountain?! I had fun and it was nice seeing some old friends as well. Now, if they can just do something about all that terrible neon!
At the movies:
No surprises at #1 as Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation earns the #1 spot with 56 million and slightly above expectations. Word-of-mouth is strong on the film and it should finish way north of 100 mil cume if not close to 200. New at #2 is the remake/sequel, Vacation with 14.9 (5-day gross, opened on Wednesday 7/29) mil and pretty much at our expectation. Movies of this nature coming off an already classic tend to lack the numbers. Holding ground at #3 is "Ant-Man" with an extra 12.6 mil and crawling its way to 150 mil. Doing well at #4 is "Minions" with another 12.2 mil and very close to 300 mil cume. It could get it by the end of next weekend. Rounding off the top 5 is "Pixels" with 10.4 mil and just trying to break even but will fall very short.
Quote of the week:
"Laughter is the sensation of feeling good all over and showing it principally in one place." - Josh Billings
Facts & Tips:
Fresh apples float because 25 percent of their volume is air.
"Well, I'm scheduled for execution and if I miss it I could be in a lot of trouble." - Gil Gerard as Captain William "Buck" Rogers in "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century."
What in the world did I do this week ... nothing. I think it was a pretty mellow week for me except work wise was a bit busy but what can you do. I think I am due for vacation but to where and what to do ... weekend trip or actually take a day or two off? I do not want to do a stay-cation because now that I work from home 4-days a week, I would prefer to get out of the house than stay in even more and do nothing. Maybe some where cold or cool, any place where I need to wear a light jacket during the day or night ... or heavy jacket at night. I just want to wear a jacket! I will have to think on this some more because I also do not care to fly any where. Having a car, my own car even, is a nice bonus so it gives more flexibility and freedom to come and go where I want. Well, this is just a thought anyway so who knows if it will even happen.
At the movies:
An average of three billion cups of tea are consumed daily worldwide.
