End of the terrible year - hope ahead
This is a unique edition of the blog because it takes place right in the middle between Christmas which was on Friday and before New Year's which is this Friday! So a combo-edition to celebrate the holidays and to wrap-up what will probably be known as the worst year in US History and at the same time, one of the best... The worst: From a failed government administration and over 300,00 lives lost due to or in part by the Coronavirus. From one of the biggest economic crashes in generations and a country never divide since the 1800's. To people who simply want to believe what they heard from someone on YouTube over practicing specialist and made ups and phrases that are direct terms of hatred and a rise of things that should never have existed in our past, but have come back to our present. The Best: A new administration coming in of hope and a message of togetherness. A new government of actual qualified individuals of both genders and diverse ethnic backgrounds. A vaccine being distributed and implemented to hopefully stop this rising death and illness toll. Talking and accepting advise and help from not only within but abroad. Once again leading by example of just simply caring and showing. An end to the continuous lies and bringing America not only physically but mentally and fiscally healthy again! The Challenge: the last four years of destruction and historical amount of debt. But as the cliché goes, we NOW have a light at the end of this very dark tunnel... but we need to get through the tunnel first.
Weekly Update:
I can't remember if I had commented on this before but just in case ... why do people rev up their engine at a red light and then bolt like they are in race when it goes green? Just to show off? I had the same car show-off four times because every light it would take off but then the next light would catch them and I would just cruise back up either behind or next to them like no big deal. Why are you 1) wasting the gas and 2) adding that unneeded wear on our engine? I'm sure your tires don't appreciate it either and who did you impress? Every single person who catches up to you saving their gas and car while you do the whole process again? FYI, your car wasn't that impressive to begin with, show me how it might run on solar energy or inside it's as quiet like a sealed box... THEN I would be impressed!
At the movies:
Despite WB's new format of going day-and-date with streaming and theatres, with the limited number of screens available it appears "Wonder Woman 1984" did fairly well. For a holiday weekend opening, it came in at #1 with 16.7 million. Mixed word-of-mouth on the movie and this coming weekend being New Year's Eve, traditionally not a big box office weekend. We should see a significant drop but then a potential rebound the following week. New at #2 is "News of the World" with 2.4 mil and potentially more of an award contender. Drop down to #3 is "The Croods: A New Age" with 1.7 mil as it hits the 30 mil mark. New at #4 is "Promising Young" with 680k and another potential award contender. Rounding off the top 5 is "Fatale" with 660k as it struggles to get to 5 mil and unlikely it will reach that.
Quote of the week:
"Dream in a pragmatic way." - Aldous Huxley
Facts & Tips:
Every tweet Americans send is archived by the Library of Congress.
"The duality of his kind: admired as a gladiator; yet despised as a slave." - Viva Bianca as Ilithyia in the series "Spartacus."
Windy = Fire
Weekly Update:
During this week I went to a work shopping event and they had a remote controlled toy I was interested in getting but, it wasn't applicable for our employee discount. It was the new Spiderbot which (as of now) is exclusive to Disneyland because of the upcoming Avenger's Campus opening. It was $80!!! Way too high for my pocket for something I know I won't play with too much at all but just cool to have. I checked on E-Bay to see how much people are selling them for and I saw one sold for $120 with free shipping... so I got to thinking... whoever sold it paid $80 (plus tax so let's say $85 to round it off). Then E-Bay fees which means $12 so let's add that to the base price and we are up to $97. Shipping, so this will vary but based on the weight and dimensions of the box I saw, NO lower than $15, I would say even closer to 20 but stick to 15 for funsies. That means we are now up to $112 - $120 = $8 profit. Yeah, not worth it!
At the movies:
A new #1 this week as Monster Hunter takes the crown with a 2.2 million debut. Fair to OK number but also A typical for this time of year. Drop down to #2 is "The Croods: A New Age" with 2 mil more as it gains closer to that 30 mil mark and with the holidays, could get it next week. Holding at #3 is "Half Brothers" with 260k more and not doing well overall. Hanging on to #4 is "The War with Grandpa" with 170k and still trying to reach 20 mil, might clear it by end of year. Rounding off the top 5 is "Freaky" with 165k and unlikely will hit 10 mil cume.
Quote of the week:
"Things are not quite so simple always as black and white." - Doris Lessing
Facts & Tips:
Ethopia follows a calendar that is seven years behind the rest of the world.
"You're good at building things, I'm good at blowing them up." - Dominic Keating as Lt. Malcolm Reed in the TV series "Star Trek: Enterprise."
Achoo
My nose is runny ... I am not sick but this weather lately is reeking havoc on my nose. Hot, cold, warm, cold, colder and cold again. I am going through a lot of facial tissue that I should consider going to Costco and stocking up on another case! I mean the last time I bought this current case was over a year ago I think. I might be ok though because I still have at least 4 unopened boxes. But it is also something you can keep around forever since it's just paper product and it won't go bad or lose it's effectiveness date. And I do have a chronic runny nose to begin with every morning. Not sure why, I've asked the doctor about it and they didn't see or notice anything wrong. Maybe if I get to see a doctor again I will mention it. Also, it's starting to make my sneeze a little bit too and if I am out and about, I don't want people to start freaking out that I am some how contagious when it's just Winter weather effects.
Weekly Update:
Why are people so oblivious still in today's world?? I know I've mentioned (or complained) about this before but as things are not getting any better, social distancing is so important now more than ever! I was at two different stores this past week and people not only were in the middle of the aisle looking at one side, they then had their shopping cart blocking so that you had to cut in front of them. And this is an aisle that you could fit 3 cards along. I get if you don't want to be against say the glass of the refrigerated aisle, but even if you were one or two feet away, that is enough room for you and enough room for me and enough room for a third person need be! But no, they have to be 1/3rd, kind of like between the far right and middle lane and then their cart was turned 90 degrees blocking the rest of the middle and into the far left.
At the movies:
For a third week straight, "The Croods: A New Age" holds the #1 spot for an extra 3 million and now well over the 20 mil benchmark. This still holds consistent with this time of year till the X-Mas films get released but this year will be interesting with the on-Demand market now a player. Holding at #2 is "Half Brothers" with 490k as it passes 1 million cume. Also holding at #3 is "Freaky" with 315k and crawling to 10 mil. Still in the top 5 at #4 is "The War with Grandpa" with 266k and getting closer to 20 mil Rounding off the top 5 is "All My Life" with 215k and might break the 1 mil threshold.
Quote of the week:
"Order and simplification are the first steps toward the mastery of a subject." - Thomas Mann
Facts & Tips:
A tarantula can survive for more than two years without food.
"I would rather wade in blood, than submit." - Julian Adams as Robert Adams in "The Last Confederate: The Story of Robert Adams."
the yings and yangs of weather
Weekly Update:
I don't know why but lately I have had a weird craving for banana chips. I like banana's in general but I saw a bag at the store and thought I would try it and I'm kind of hooked! I mean it's just two simple ingredients; banana and sugar. How much sugar? Not sure but I hope it isn't a lot. But these are tasty and I would think a little healthier than your average potato chip (though I am not entirely sure). But I pick up a bag every time I'm at Smart & Final, their own store brand is good but they are also the best price I've seen so far compared to the weight. I am not about to get my own dehydrator to just make banana chips so these are good. Maybe in the future if I start getting into other fruits but right now, just banana is good.
At the movies:
The new first family maintains it's #1 spot for a 2nd week as "The Croods: A New Age" earns another 4.4 million and now hitting the 20 mil mark. A new standard of benchmarks in this current struggle at the ever changing box office scene. New at #2 is Half Brothers with 720k which isn't a good number but also this time of year is usually poor performances as well. Hanging on to #3 is "Freaky" with 460k as it struggles to reach 10 mil (again, a new benchmark) but unlikely will achieve it. New at #4 is All My Life with 350k and that is all it will do. Rounding off the top 5 is "The War with Grandpa" with 329k extra as it tries to reach 20 mil, still potential for it.
Quote of the week:
"Leadership is influence." - John C. Maxwell
Facts & Tips:
The ancient Chinese carried Pekingese puppies in the sleeves of their robes.
"Don't try to frighten us with your sorcerer's ways, Lord Vader. Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes, or given you clairvoyance enough to find the Rebels' hidden fort ... (choking)." - Richard LeParmentier as Admiral Motti in "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope."
