Is it finally Fall?
Coooooool!! Finally the weather has gotten cooler and actually felt like Fall! I even work a jacket one night when I went out for a bit. I didn't need to turn on the house fan or AC once this past week!! Please let this be the start of our Fall into Winter! I hope, I hope, I hope!! I even slept one or two nights with the windows closed again! I did have the ceiling fan on but at least not windows open, fan on and maybe the AC a bit. The nights have not been freezing, just chilly like low 60. The days maybe low 70's to high 60's which is awesome. So hoping I can get a better handle on that electric bill. I wish I could go solar but it is just too expensive upfront that I don't think I would see a return for at least 3 to 5 years. I mean if I had gotten solar 10 years ago, I'm sure the cost would have been so much then that I would now be seeing the return on the investment. So, to me it's great but price point-wise just not quiet there yet. As technology improves though, so does price.
Weekly Update:
ANTS!! So for the last few, maybe even longer, I have been able to avoid having an ant problem in the house. I've had them before and in mass, but got it under control but now they are back! Usually only find them where there is a water supply of some kind like the bathroom or the kitchen. So I first found them in the kitchen counters so started to clean all that off and I also use ant bait traps. I also replace those traps every 6 months but the ones I used last time I guess only lasted for a few months (replaced them in June-July). So since then, no new ants that I have noticed. Today I noticed a few ants in the living room near the stairs and that trail eventually lead me to the laundry room! Great, so sprayed that all down and then later that same night, they are back but this time going to the guest bathroom shower. Again, all water type sources ... so sprayed that area plus no one is using that downstairs bathroom anyway. So, I hope, for now, these buggers are under control but time will tell.
At the movies:
Holding it's lead for a 2nd week is "Honest Thief" for another 2.4 million with a cume shy of 10 mil but it should get there soon as New York Theatres are just now getting started in some markets. Also holding on to #2 is "The War with Grandpa" with 1.9 mil and also just shy of 10 mil cume. Hanging on to #3 is "Tenet" with 1.3 mil and now over 50 mil which would easily equate to an 100 mil release plus some. Coming in at #4 is "The Empty Man" with 1.3 mil and not a great opening right now. Rounding off the top 5 is "The Nightmare Before Christmas" with 557k which could do even better next week being Halloween.
Quote of the week:
"Out of difficulties grow miracles." - Jean de la Bruyere
Facts & Tips:
The Anglo-Zanzibar war of 1896 is the shortest war on record, lasting an exhausting 38 minutes.
"No, it's not about the money. Well, for me, it's a little bit about the money ... and I made that much money last year. I am the VP of the biggest executive-helicopter-leasing company on the Western Seaboard. Okay? I haven't had a carb since 2004. Check these out!" - Adam Scott as Derek Huff in "Step Brothers."
Keep your distance!
Weekly Update:
I was at Costco again this week and still amazed at some people. Ok so there was 2 carts ahead of me in line and the first cart was at the register, getting their stuff on the belt and organizing their cart. It was a couple with a young kid and they were pulling the kid out of the cart. The guy in front of me (behind them) was clearly not using the markers on the floor and the young dad said something along the lines of look at the dots on the ground. He was starting to crowd them with is cart and clearly wasn't adhering to the markers! THEN, the aisle to my right there was this very pregnant lady (who I think may have been a Costco employee too) with a box of some chocolate macadamia nuts and waiting at the register. She had them in her hand and was standing on a marker when this lady behind her, was no more than 2 foot away and standing next to her cart and just not paying attention or caring. She was an older lady so the pregnat lady turned around (barely since the other lady was almost on top of her) and said to please back up to the markers. So all she did was move behind her cart instead... It's better but not 6' feet apart. Just some people .. incredible.
At the movies:
Yet another new #1 at the box office this week! It kind of feels normal a little bit more with the changing of the titles as we slowly see new releases coming out again. New at #1 is Honest Thief with 4.2 million to open, a film of this caliber probably would be a mid to low-teens anyway so it's a good number. Drop down to #2 is "The War with Grandpa" with 2.5 mil and who knows where this film will end at right now as new locations continue to open each week. Also dropping down to #3 is "Tenet" with 1.6 mil extra as it crosses the 50 mil cume mark. Re-surfacing for the season is "The Nightmare Before Christmas" with 1.6 mil and that is all profit basically. Rounding off the top 5 is "Hocus Pocus" with 756k and that is all profit as well.
Quote of the week:
"I can, therefor I am." - Simone Weil
Facts & Tips:
The world's largest mountain range is under the sea.
"If one person crosses the bridge... Gotham gets blown to hell." - Josh Stewart as Barsad in "The Dark Knight Rises."
Hot or cold, is it the weather or the country?
Weekly Update:
The other day I visited the Company D store (Disneyland cast member only store) to check it out since it has been closed since the start of the pandemic. Going into the store, it was very secure in that they did the whole temperature check, asking questions, etc. so I felt pretty safe going in. The store was just a little bit more spacious then it normally is but not by much. But there was only about 20 to 30 shoppers in there which isn't a lot at all. One thing I immediately noticed, working cast members huddled together just chatting. Another thing that made me think, "Disneyland is not ready to open!" was when I was walking down an aisle and I saw this lady coming towards me. So I stopped, stepped to the side as much as I could and said, "Please" while gesturing her to walk by first. She saw me and continued but instead, stopped right in front of me to see stuff on the walls. Um, ok, so I turned around and there was another lady on her phone blocking me … excuse me, how do you not see me and where is the social distancing? I can not move because I was against a shelf while the lady who I let by first was blocking that direction and I couldn't go behind me because of the other lady … and these are ALL CAST MEMBERS! I was stuck.
At the movies:A new number one takes the box office! Earning only 3.6 million is The War with Grandpa as it climbs to a 2200 screen count. Almost a normal number but still without some major big market screens and available capacity. Dropping down to #2 is "Tenet" with another 2.1 mil and now so close to 50 mil cume. Holding at #3 is "Hocus Pocus" with 1.1 mil for this Halloween season. Drop down to #4 is "The New Mutants" with 685K and almost at 22 mil. Rounding off the top 5 is "Unhinged" with 660k and still not a bad number considering the current situation.
Quote of the week:
"The smallest deed is better than the greatest intention." - John Burroughs
Facts & Tips:
A ten gallon hat holds less than one gallon of liquid.
"Whoa!" - Joey Lawrence as Joey Russo on the TV series "Blossom."
Isn't it Fall? Why is it so hot?!
Weekly Update:This past week, Disney Parks announced it would be laying of 28,000 employees (cast members) from both their Disneyland, Anaheim and Disney World theme parks. Ranging from park operations to sales to merchandise to benefits, everything top to bottom. Also includes some corporate and Burbank-based operations. This is a huge blow as it's only salaried and hourly cast and more will come with the unions after. These times are getting worse and worse with no real hope in site. Many continue to get sick while those in power continue to not care which is very evident with lack of mandates to protect each other and the laissez-faire attitude. The very "it's not happening to me who cares" attitude. We need actual leadership ... or all we have suffered these past few years will quadruple in the years to come.
At the movies:
Another interesting week as a few more locations open up ... Still holding at #1 is "Tenet" with another 2.7 million as it comes closer to 50 mil. Still a very solid number with the amount of available screens and even within those theatres, limited availability of seats. New (yet old) at #2 is "Hocus Pocus" with 1.9 mil. Not bad for a movie from 1993! Slight drop to #3 is "The New Mutants" with 1 mil and now just over 20 mil cume. Hanging on to #4 is "Unhinged" with 870k and should reach 20 mil plus when it is done. Rounding off the top 5 is "Infidel" with 455k and had the biggest drop of all the newer films.
Quote of the week:
"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door." - Milton Berle
Facts & Tips:Alaska has more caribou than people.
"Please, a little respect, for I am Costanza, Lord of the Idiots." - Jason Alexander as George Costanza in the TV series "Seinfeld."
