Monday, November 25, 2024

It's all dry up in here.

Apparently off the Pacific North West is this massive cyclone that comes about once every 10-years and supposed to be bring with it massive rains.  We were expecting rain this past weekend from it but instead got... nothing. Now, we weren't expecting a lot of rain as the majority of it was going to hit like Oregon and Washington with some Northern California... and as it goes further out, it trickles down to us.  But so far we haven't received anything from this massive cyclone.  I'm not sure how long this is supposed to last or how it even works.  I did see Central California got some rain which is really needed there as that is mostly farming area for the state. But I hope we get some rain eventually, we have the cold temperatures for it right now in the 50's, almost high 40's so it feels like a proper Winter season right now at least.

Weekly Update:
Coupons have sure changed lately, and when I say lately I mean within this past year.  You would take the code on a receipt, input that on to a website, fill out the questions and then get a number or alpha or both sequence to use it on your next visit for something off or free.  Now, it's the same process but no code but instead they email you the coupon which now has an expiration date associated with it!  All these previous ones would just say do the survey within a certain time of your visit but no expiration date on when the code expires once you get it.  But they caught on I guess and have made it all digital or you can still print it out and use it I guess but now have about a 2-week window for when you receive the coupon.  That is a bummer as I don't go to the same place that often so kind of a waste now for me to do the survey unless something was really bad and I want it on record I suppose.

At the movies:
New at #1 is Wicked (part one) with a huge 114 million to open.  A great pre-Holiday number and this coming weekend should ideally sustain it and reach 200 in no time.  Word-of-mouth is positive for this film so repeat business should occur over the next week and Thanksgiving.  New at #2 is Gladiator II with 55.5 mil and also a good number pre-holiday.  It could sustain over the holiday weekend as well.  Drop down to #3 is Red One with 13.3 mil and appears this will definitely struggle getting to 100 mil and unlikely will reach it.  New at #r is Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Assassin with 5.1 mil and probably will drop out pretty fast.  Rounding off the top 5 is Venom: The Last Dance with 4 mil extra and will wrap up soon, at least it broke 100 mil.

Quote of the week:
"One that would have the fruit must climb the tree." - Thomas Fuller

Facts & Tips:
The Barbie doll's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts from Willows, Wisconsin.

"Well, are you boys gonna sit there with your mouths open or is someone gonna offer me a seat?" - Kathleen Robertson as Theo in Scary Movie 2.

posted by McDuck @ 00:00 0 comments

Monday, November 18, 2024

everybody FREEZE

It sure feels like Winter is upon us!  This past week was probably the first full week of very cold weather here.  It didn't get any where past 75 degrees during the day and at night as low as 44 I believe.  It feels like Winter or the start of it at least for here... bring on the jackets!  Though we don't get snow here (VERY RARE), we do so it in the mountains all the time and I'm sure once the rains start, the snowy covered mountains will be with us again (not my picture).  I wonder how long this Winter-like season will last this time.  Last time it went into May and it was so nice.  Saves me a lot on my electric bill because my number 1 expense for power is the AC. When I have to use it, it triples to quadruples my eclectic bill for a month so I'm good not using it anymore for the rest of this year please.

Weekly Update:
The Amazon Fresh store near me had a Grand Re-Opening... I didn't know they had closed?  I haven't been inside the "new" reopened location yet but the outside looks exactly the same except for that sign that says re-grand opening.  I don't recall it ever being closed, if they did close it.  Amazon Fresh is an interesting place... always more workers than shoppers there.  Prices are overall higher on most things but you can find the deals if you really shop and look.  I wonder if they finally did something with their butcher area?  They had closed it and everything went to pre-packaged which is fine to be honest.  I guess I need to take a visit and check things out again soon.

At the movies:
New at #1 for the holiday season is Red One with 34.1 million.  Mixed reviews on this one but the 2nd weekend will be the big one to tell us how it will do overall.  Drop down to #2 is Venom: The Last Dance with 7.4 mil more and it will continue to slide down as we get further into the holidays. Down to #3 is Best Christmas Pageant Ever with 5.4 mil extra and will continue to drop.  Holding at #4 is Heretic  with 5.2 mil and still overall not bad numbers for a thriller at this time.  And still hanging on at #4 is The Wild Robot with an extra 4.3 mil as it continues to perform well overall.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week on just 250 screens is Hello, love, Again at #8.  Per screen it only did about 9k which won't be enough to hold it long.

Quote of the week:
"Immature love says: 'I love you because I need you.' Mature loves says 'I need you because I love you.' - Erich Fromm

Facts & Tips:
Hawaii is the only state never to report a temperature of zero.

"I thought we'd be robbing banks by now, not some gas truck in the middle of nowhere." - Sung Kang as Han in Fast & Furious. 

posted by McDuck @ 00:00 0 comments

Monday, November 11, 2024

We all lost...

This past Tuesday was Election Night and it started off hopeful but ended with disappointment.  It's amazing how constant lying, making up stories (which is basically lying too), being a convicted criminal (jury of their own peers), multiple bankruptcies, never earned a dollar and belittle multiple ethnic groups and women doesn't matter to anyone anymore.  America has lost its morals and those who claim to have them, don't.  I was thinking the other day that... I'm not a Democrat (formally Republican) and I voted for them (Democrats).  I'm not black but I voted for them.  I'm not gay, trans, bi, etc. .. but I voted for them.  I'm not in the military nor ever served, but I voted for them.  I'm not Latino but I voted for them. And the big one, I'm not a woman but, I voted for them.  We have let them all down.

Weekly Update:
Have you ever had a craving for something and couldn't remember what it was called so you could look and ask for it?  I was like that recently for over a week and been craving this nutty, not too sweet chewy candy that is middle-eastern based.  Then I finally found it, basically it's a almond nougat and they are kind of pricy for such a little thing. I then found some on Amazon that came bout to about 50 cents a piece AND they were sugar-free!  I ordered some and it wasn't too bad if you break it down per piece but the box was so tiny.  I think I finished the whole box in about 10-days only having 2 to 4 pieces a day but it was so good.  The crunchy almonds in the soft chewy nougat, wondering if I want to get more or maybe wait for some Black Friday deals and stock up.  But it was a good treat and satisfied the craving I was having.

At the movies:
Maintaining it's hold at #1 for a 3rd week in a row is Venom: The Last Dance with 16.2 million as it breaks the 100 mil mark.  This has performed over time much better than expected and should end on a good note.  New at #2 is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever with 11.1 mil and maybe a bit too early for the holidays?  Also new at #3 is Heretic with 11 mil and a very decent number for this time of year till we get to the holidays.  Drop down to #4 is The Wild Robot with 6.7 mil after having a great run this Fall.  Rounding off the top 5 is Smile 2 with 5 mil extra and will likely frown out soon.

Quote of the week:
"Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears." - Marcus Aurelius


Facts & Tips:
Flamingos turn pink from eating shrimp.

"Then who killed the world?" - Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as The Splendid Angharad in Mad Max: Fury Road

posted by McDuck @ 00:00 0 comments

Monday, November 04, 2024

Brrrrr

Daylight Saving Time Edition

Sunday was rolled our clocks back an hour, some say you get an extra hour of sleep but to me, I didn't really notice a thing other than the sun wasn't up as early and is setting much sooner.  But even if we didn't change our clocks back, it would still do that because of the angle of the Earth to the Sun during this time of year.  I know Daylight Saving Time (DST) bothers a lot of people but I do not mind it at all.  I actually do not mind when we "spring" forward an hour in the Spring and lose an hour of sleep... again it's something I don't really notice losing or gaining.  When I was much younger, I did notice it more and I'm not sure why that is changed, perhaps it just that I may not care as much and most of my devices that have the time change it automatically for me.  Or the clock by my bed just has a button that says DST and I press it twice a year, done.  But as we go into Winter time, it will get colder and darker more regardless of any time change.

Weekly Update:
Was expecting some rain this week but ended up having none!  It was pretty cold though, every night and in the AM it stayed around 51 degrees till maybe 8AM and then it would slowly rise up into the 60's.  Most of our highs during the day were low 70's so it definitely was jacket weather again which I love.  I have so many jackets and if it's already this cold now, hopefully that means this Winter will be freezing and wet, we need rain desperately here.  And the cold last at least through May, hope that is the case again or mostly... as I always say, it's easier to warm up than to cool down... and also cheaper!

At the movies:
Holding onto #1 for a 2nd week in a row is Venom: The Last Dance with another 26.1 million and now a 10-day total of 90 mil.  Should hit the 100 mil mark probably in a day or two. Going up the charts to #2 is The Wild Robot with 7.6 mil extra and continues to do well overall.  Drop down to #3 is Smile 2 with 6.8 mil and it slowly slows down.  Drop down to #4 is Conclave with 5.3 mil and is pretty much done overall.  New at #5 is Here with 5 mil and here today, gone tomorrow.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
Two movies in a more limited release pattern opened this week.  At #8 is Singham Again with almost 800 screens and brought in 2.1 mil.  At #10 is Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. also just under 800 screens, bringing in 2.1 mil as well.

Quote of the week:
"It takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition." - Henry James

Facts & Tips:
The first flight traveled at less than 7 mph (ground speed).

"No. No, it's a death sentence. I'd never make it to the death sentence." - Miguel Ferrer as Eduardo Ruiz in Traffic.

posted by McDuck @ 00:30 0 comments