Monday, October 31, 2016

HALLOWEEN EDITION

This is Halloween, this is Halloween ... rare time that a Monday lands on Halloween!  So the spooks and ghouls will be out tonight however I didn't get any candy.  I'm not even sure if there are kids in this neighborhood but maybe I should get a small bag of something just in case 1 or 2 wonder near by.  Never hurts and anything left over, I can eat it!  So I better get good candy like wafers or something with nuts!  This is a fun "holiday" but I don't celebrate it.  I mean it really isn't even a holiday since you don't get the day off and banks are closed or anything.  Just a random day to be honest where you can dress up and be dumb.  But weather promises to be cloudy, despite the promise of rain all weekend, I think we received a total of 22 rain drops.  And I am not kidding either!!!

Weekly Update:
It was a warm week and pretty quiet overall.  Did some errands, planted some grass since I have a lot of dead spots on the lawn where the pups have peed.  Hopefully those areas will recover and just need to keep watering it.  Grass is an interesting thing, how it grows and how quickly it can fade.  It really is both a sturdy plant and also a very sensitive greenery.  It can take a lot of abuse from weather and being stepped on but then without water it goes yellow and dead pretty dang fast.  It also is comfy to lay on too ... grass, what an interesting plant or thousands upon thousands of mini-plants.

At the movies:
Big surprise at the box office this weekend and even in the scary sense!  Holding on to the crown for a 2nd weekend in a row is "Boo! A Madea Halloween" with an extra 16.7 mil.  A small drop from last week but should fall out of the its throne next week.  New at #2 is Inferno with 15 mil to open and well below all expectations.  Could be the end of this franchise?  Holding on to #3 is "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" with another 9.6 mil.  Also holding on to #4 is "The Accountant" with an extra 8.5 mil and still has good word-of-mouth.  Rounding off the top 5 is "Ouija: Origin of Evil" with 7 mil more (25 mil cume) and the board is now spelling "the end" on this one.

Quote of the week:
"The bluebird carries the sky on his back." - Henry David Thoreau

Facts & Tips:
Forty is the only number whose letters are in alphabetical order.

"I became a police officer because my doctor told me I needed to get out of the house more." - Kerri Kenney as Deputy Trudy Wiegel in "Reno 911!: Miami."

Monday, October 24, 2016

This past weekend was suppose to be full of rain.  Like some thunderstorms and Friday, Saturday and Sunday lot of rain!  So what did we get .. Friday, cloudy, no rain ... not even cold but warm cloudy day, unusual.  Saturday, cloudy, big thick almost black clouds ... no rain.  But at least it was a lot cooler so it felt almost correct.  Sunday, RAIN ... for almost 5 minutes!  It was glorious and enough to cover the ground and look wet till the sun came out and dried up all the rain ... (yes yes, I know) so the itsy bitsy spider ... I heard it in my head too as I was typing it.  But the weather, what is up with you already?!?!  Give us just one other season besides Summer ... just one, is that too much?

Weekly Update:
What happened this week ... lack of sleep, that is for sure!  Dogs running around, that always happens.  But yeah, lack of sleep and I am tired.  I don't know how I can not turn off my brain at night when I turn off the light.  What is really funny, I attempt to go to sleep, turn off the light and within maybe 10 seconds, could be just a bit more, the big dog instantly started snoring!!!  I can she do that in mere seconds?!?!  I want this ability!  Granted they will wake up on the slightest sound, usually but still.  I did put my hand on her back and she continued to snore so she must have been really tired from doing nothing all day and sleeping.  Oh and eating, that is exhausting as well apparently.

At the movies:
As we get close to Halloween and the end of October, we kind of see a boost in films related to the season.  New at #1 is Boo! A Madea Halloween earning a nice 27.6 million and above expectations.  I guess we were in need of a comedy of sorts.  Right behind it and new at #2 is Jack Reacher: Never Go Back with 23 mil in its debut.  This is also above expectations but not by too much.  Another new film at #3 is Ouija: Origin of Evil earning 14.1 mil and very close to expectations.  The one film that was made for this season ends up not being the top film which is kind of interesting and expected.  Drop down to #4 is "The Accountant" with another 14 mil and its numbers are fading.  Rounding off the top 5 is "The Girl on the Train" with an extra 7.3 mil as it comes to the end of the line soon.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week as "Keeping Up With the Joneses" chimes in at #7 earning 5.6 mil and actually also close to estimations.

Quote of the week:
"On earth there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it." - Jules Renard

Facts & Tips
Two trees can create enough oxygen for a family of four.

"Yeah, I feel one lung short." - Claudia Black as Sharon 'Shazza' Montgomery in "Pitch Black"

Monday, October 17, 2016

Our weather is not kind.  We are suppose to be in the Fall season and they say rain here, maybe but then ends up being close to 100 degrees.  They do say it will be hot too but then luckily we have had some nice breezes that if you stay in the shade it doesn't feel that hot at all.  But seriously, our temperatures show not be exceeding 90 degrees this time of year!  The nights are a big warmer than usual too but still good enough to have the windows open while sleeping and not freeze.  Just would like some rain, a day, 2 days in a row?  Every other week?  Can we set up a schedule please?

Weekly Update:
Went to some strange movie event that was suppose to be a press and premiere event.  One of the producers (hahaha this is funny to say and you will earn soon enough why) was supposed to be there but did not show due to being ill that night.  The director was Nicholas Brooks and his dad ... well his dad is Mel Brooks.  See how that is funny now?!?!  Producers, Mel Brooks ... oh never mind.  But he sent some note and I hope he is better because you always worry about those folks being up their in age.  The movie though, it was called "Sam" and, well ... it opened direct to DVD and TV.  It was a 2 hour comedy which is 30 minutes too long for any comedy.  I can see it being a
TV movie from the 90's.  Everyone in it was sub-par in acting but the lead girl.  She was actually pretty amazing!  That surprised me after seeing the others in the film.  This was Nicholas' first movie but he has worked for years for his father doing editing and such.  Its cute little movie but definitely not theatrical value.

At the movies:
Another new #1 this week as the crown is passed to The Accountant earning a solid 24.7 million in its debut.  The numbers do add up here and some potential award buzz for its main star possibly.  This comes in very close to predictions.  New at #2 is Kevin Hart: What Now? with a fair 12 mil and close to expectations as well.  Drop down to #3 is "The Girl on the Train" earning 11.9 mil, so shy of #2 by inches.  Holding on to the #4 spot is "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" earning another 8.9 mil.  Rounding off the top 5 is "Deepwater Horizon" with an extra 6.4 mil and about to cap out around there.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week as Max Steel comes in at #11 with only 2.2 mil, below expectations but sadly not by much.

Quote of the week:
"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Facts & Tips:
Pat Nixon was the first First Lady to wear pants in public.

"Look, I know things can be hectic with the wedding, but you know if you get stressed out, just do what I do.  Snort Zoloft, okay?" - Eric Winter as Colton in "Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay."

Monday, October 10, 2016

The heat wave is slowly cooling down and we are out of the Earthquake Watch we had last week, in fact it only lasted for about 2 or 3 days.  So that was weird and quick at the same time.  But at least our heat is starting to fade away and temps are much nicer.  The nights have always been good but its the days that were so unbearable.  I just hate running the AC if I don't have to and I had to for several days.  It really causes my electric bill to double if not be 150% over what it normally is or should be.  I am on that Energy Saving program so not sure if it would have been worse without it or not.  I also signed up for another energy program which buys back energy during certain times of the day.  But what I discovered is I estimated I would get back around $100 a year or save possibly $500 plus a year.  Both are estimated figures but I would rather side on the savings than the earnings in this case.  I wish I could do both but they won't let you.

Weekly Update:
What happened this week?  Nothing ... It was a pretty uneventful week but working and more working.  Did I do anything?  Hmmmm, good question.  Other than the heat ... tried to stay cool, jumped into the pool a couple of times but more to get golf balls from really bad golfers ... and there is a lot of golf balls.  The picture to the right is not my pool nor my dogs.  My dogs both hate water and are scared of everything with water except drinking it of course!  Orion will tolerate water when he knows its bath time.  Shadow will fight you that you have to carry or push her in.  But what is funny is they will walk along the edge of the pool or run around it which scares me thinking they will fall in and then smell like chlorine all day so I would have to give them a bath to get that smell out!  I wish they would like going in the pool, it would be fun to hang out with them in the jacuzzi.


At the movies:

New #1 this week as The Girl on the Train earns top honors along with 24.7 million.  Right on predictions with some good general reviews on the film.  Slight drop to #2 is "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" earning another 15 mil and still doing well.  Also slight drop to #3 is "Deepwater Horizon" with an extra 11.8 mil and also some good word-of-mouth on this film.  Dropping down to #4 is "The Magnificent Seven" bringing in another 9.2 mil as it will fall short of 100 mil cume.  Rounding off the top 5 is "Storks" with 8.5 mil and this delivery may be just about over.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
We have two this week as this weekend was not kind to new films.  Up first is The Birth of a Nation at #6 with only 7.1 mil.  This was as predicted and maybe should have been a slow roll-out film instead of a instant wide release.  In at #7 is Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life with only 6.9 mil.  Below expectations but along those lines not too surprising.

Quote of the week:
"A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love." - Max Muller

Facts & Tips:
Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

"Whoa man, I didn't mean to kill that guy.  How was I supposed to know he had a bad heart?" - Dan Fogler as Randy Daytona in "Balls of Fury."

Monday, October 03, 2016

We are in some weird perpetual heat wave.  We are also on something called an Earthquake Watch?  I guess there was a series of earthquakes some where in the Pacific Ocean which effects California and the plates.  So we are on something called Earthquake Watch but not sure what we are watching for?  They recommend getting supplies like water and canned goods.  But living in California, shouldn't we already be storing some of this stuff to begin with?  But I have a case of bottled water, some canned food (SPAM!) and basic medical supplies.  Not sure what else to get ... I don't have a generator or anything but those are hundreds, if not thousands of dollars depending on what kind you get.  Oh and I have candles, matches and lighters along with flashlights and extra batteries.  I guess I am OK for a few days, maybe a week.

Weekly Update:
Went to a movie premiere, been awhile so it was nice attending one again.  It was for a small movie called "Masterminds" that opens this weekend.  The film was fun and had a solid cast but it also had a sort of limited appeal.  It was based on a true story and an interesting one at that.  I can see why its being released now because I don't think it will do very strong or well.  But all-in-all it was good to go to a premiere again and I did manage to snag a picture with one person new who I had not met before:

*Devin Ratray - best known as the older brother in "Home Alone" and was a nice guy.

At the movies:
No surprise at #1 this weekend as Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children takes the crown with a decent 28.5 million to open.  Right on expectations too and should reach close to 100 mil cume when it is all said and done.  New at #2 is Deepwater Horizon with 20.6 mil and pretty close as well to estimations.  Dipping down to #3 is "The Magnificent Seven" with another 15.7 mil and doing well but not great.  Slight drop to #4 is "Storks" earning 13.8 mil and still flying a bit longer.  Rounding off the top 5 is "Sully" with an extra 8.4 mil and now just over the 100 mil cume threshold.  Still solid reviews and award contender this season.

New movies that did not make the top 5:

Just one this week as Masterminds comes in at #6 with only 6.6 mil and about expectations as well.  It was a fun and cute film but not a large appeal audience movie, probably could have done better at the beginning of Summer as a light comedy to kick the season off.

Quote of the week:
"Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder." - George Washington

Facts & Tips:
The tradition of baseball managers wearing player uniforms started because the first managers were also players.

"And ... I need you ... to be my friend." - Danica McKellar as Winnie Cooper on the TV series "The Wonder Years."