Duckburg Gazette

Monday, June 29, 2026

Hammer hammer, bang bang

It went from cool to chilly in a week! It is actually getting cooler or colder here! What a nice change of weather and with this comes lower utilities costs. If I have to use the heater for the house, natural gas is a fraction of electricity but as I've always said, it's easier to warm up than cool down. The rest of the week looks to be cool weather as well so I hope it maintains this level and doesn't spike high any time soon. I thought at one point during a day I smelled burning wood like a fireplace going, was it cold enough to light a fireplace fire? I hope so, that would be cool, pun intended. Now, where is some rain?

Weekly Update:
What a crazy week it has been. After almost a week of no activity on the bathroom remodel, this past Monday they did the hot mop for the shower and then 24-hours later they cemented up the shower and tub area all the way up to the wall. It was pretty fast paced once that step was done and I know that type of work has to be outsourced since it requires specialty equipment. They came with this big unit on the bed of their truck and it pretty much smells like tar which they then apply it to the basin of your shower and it's the sealant that should last decades. But I can see where that would stop work as you have to wait for that to be done (and properly) before you can then seal the rest of the bathroom up. I'm glad I have a guest room to stay in because they run a fan almost 24/7 in there and I wouldn't be able to sleep with that going on.

At the movies:
Holding ground at #1 with a decent 56% drop is Toy Story 5 with another 70 million and now just inches away from 300 mil domestic cume. No doubt will hit that by noon tomorrow and start making its way to 400! New at #2 is Supergirl with 38 mil to open, a very low opening for a superhero movie let alone DC. Word-of-mouth is mixed on this film but at this rate it will be a hard crawl to 100 (if at all). In it's 7th week is Obsession with another 9.8 mil, only a 27% drop and still going strong. New at #4 is Jackass: Best and Last at 8.4 mil, for it's finale not a great number as all previous films in this franchise opened to over 20+ I think after 5 of these, we are done and hope this is truly the last. Rounding off the top 5 is Disclosure Day with 8.1 mil and does look like it will hit 100 mil but may not be for another week.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week at #9, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity with 1.9 mil on just under 1,000 screens. The title is longer than the run it will have at the theatre.

Quote of the week:
"When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Facts & Tips:
Broccoli is the only vegetable that is also a flower.

"Not to brag, but I predicted this on Twitter three days ago. I'm a prophet." - Yara Shahidi as Zoey Johnson on the TV series Black-ish.

Monday, June 22, 2026

MOVE IN!

Move it or lose it!

I did a bunch of errands this week and I noticed at a few stores that why do people stop right as they enter the store? The entrance is not a big area like Trader Joe's and when you enter and stop with a shopping cart, you block 1/3 to 1/2 of the entrance. Move in! Just another 5 or 6 feet and that will give people plenty of room to enter behind you and exit. Now Costco, much bigger entrances but still if you stop in the entrance, still annoying but at least way easier to walk around. But places like Trader Joe's, you can't because you have wall on one side and likely people existing on the other side. These are the kinds of people who are just oblivious of their surroundings and likely have a more self-centered attitude. I know I am always (at least) trying to be aware of my surroundings and not inconvenience people. If I have to stop and do something on my phone (for example), I'll try to go a clear aisle or corner of the place to be out of the way as much as I can or not block or be something that blocks everything. Just be aware people.

Weekly Update:
Summer has officially started, June 21st is the Summer Solstice, first day of Summer and what they say is the longest day of the year (of daylight). I didn't really notice the daylight part and the Summer can be like this every day if it doesn't hit above 80 degrees during the day and the nights remain a very chill 60, I can live with that! But, I guess this is what it was kind of like last year when the weather was decent at the start but come mid to later it got HOT. But where is all the rain we used to have? This is the 2nd year in-a-row I believe were we had almost zero rain fall and we need it as we still haven't really recovered from the 90's! At least if the weather remains cool, that will help preserve our water a bit but we know that won't happen all Summer. We didn't have any "May Showers" and June wasn't that "Gloomy" so, on to July and whatever that brings, heat?

At the movies:
New at #1 and no surprise here is Toy Story 5 with a big 160 million to open. No doubt it will get to 200 mil by week's end and where it goes, who knows as the Summer is just barely starting! Big drop to #2 is Disclosure Day with another 17 mil as it looks like it will reach the 100 mil mark but how long will it take? Holding ground at #3 is Obsession with another 14.2 mil as it breaks the 200 mil mark! Also holding is Backrooms with 7.3 mil and still potential hitting 200 mil for this little movie that could. Rounding off the top 5 with a big drop is Scary Movie with 6.7 mil and will get to 100 mil by end of next week. That is pretty solid for this film overall.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
Coming in at #8 is Leviticus with 2.7 mil and a very low per screen average for a semi-wide release. New at #9 is The Death of Robin Hood with 2.6 mil and even lower per screen on a wide-release which will likely drop fast.

Quote of the week:
"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success." - Edward Everett Hale

Facts & Tips:
Children tend to grow faster in the spring.

"Rebecca Woods. She was the most beautiful freshman on campus." - William Ragsdale as Herman Brooks in the TV series Herman's Head.

Monday, June 15, 2026

BOOM!

A lot going on this past week! On Monday, I started remodeling my master bathroom (well, not ME but hired someone to do it). A lot of noise and stuff coming out of it and it's completely gutted except my bathtub which will be kept in the long run. The house is exactly 30-years old and behind the shower area they found some mold (not a lot) which is kind of surprising consider the age of the house and the water leaks that may have occurred so not bad. But this past week was basically all demolition, electrical (which only took part of a day) and then the mold treatment. Not sure what is next but the entire time was estimated at 3-weeks and we are now 1 week down. I guess once they start with the tiles it will be speeding up at that point. The whole ordeal is pretty stressful and I'm not even doing the work! Hopefully it will be amazing when it is all said and done! (Picture not mine but I'm sure it looked like that at one point).

Weekly Update:
Have you ever noticed how much time you spend at a gas station getting as in your lifetime? I am sure there is a study out there but growing up I drove a lot and when I worked in Los Angeles, on average I drove close to 100 miles a day. All pumps are not created equal so some are faster or slower than others. Once I timed myself on a regular basis at the Costco gas pump and I was about 2 minutes once I get out of the car, pump the gas and get my receipt for a full tank. But that is when I was timing it and trying to break a record but before and since them, I kind of take my time but also move briskly. But back in the LA-days, I would probably estimate getting gas every 4-days at best, and figure say minimum 5 minutes per visit so in a year that would be approximately 7 hours and roughly 30 mins. Not an exact number but a fair rough estimate I would say... so just something that made me think.

At the movies:
New at #1 with a disappointing opening is Disclosure Day earning only 44 million. As we are now in the Summer season, expectations were much higher on this film and it just simply fell short. This will struggle to get close to 200 mil if at all given the number of big releases yet to come. Coming back up into the #2 spot is Obsession with 19 mil extra and very close to 200 mil for this little movie that could. Drop down to #3 is Scary Movie with a very sizeable 73% change and earning 14.5 mil, should still get to 100 mil when it is said and done though. Slipping down to #4 is Backrooms with 11.3 mil extra as it is now in striking distance to 300 mil. It continues to out-perform and impress at the box office. Rounding off the top 5 is Masters of the Universe with 8.7 mil and a huge 71% drop, this film won't make the 100 mil mark or come close.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
A couple this week starting at #8 is The Furious with 2.8 mil but on a semi-wide release pattern so a fair, but not great number. Right behind that at #9 is Stop! That! Train! with 2 mil and same release pattern.

Quote of the week:
"Don't watch the clock: do what it does. Keep going." - Sam Levenson

Fact & Tips:
A jellyfish is approximately 95% water.

"Sire, I failed you today. There's no excuse. You have my resignation." - Stephen Henderson as Thufir Hawat in Dune (2021).

Monday, June 08, 2026

Operation Overlord

This past Saturday was June 6th, the 82nd anniversary of the invasion of the French Coast, Normandie during World War II into occupied France or what is more commonly known as D-Day. This day and invasion was codenamed Operation Overlord and marks the turning point of the war between Allied forces against Germany and the night before, paratroopers dropped behind enemy lines to capture towns, bridges, many strategic points along with causing confusion and sabotage of things like supply and communications. Every year on this day I watch one significant movie that is the closest rendition of this day, The Longest Day from 1962 from 20th Century Fox Studios and directed by (primarily) Darryl Zanuck. It is an epic movie with an all-star cast for that era including such names as John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, Richard Burton, Red Buttons, Fabian, Roddy McDowall, and up-and-comer young actor Sean Connery. This is an epic and incredible movie for it's time and should be watched and remembered every June 6th.

Weekly Update:
Ok, so when an emergency vehicle is coming you are supposed to pull over and stop (if you can) if it has it's sirens and lights on. You are supposed to do that to ensure it has complete right of way and not to impede it's route in anyway. However, you do not do it AFTER it has passed you. Once it passes, you are good to move again but the other day I pulled over, ambulance than passed me on the opposite of the road and then this other car pulls over in front of me. Um, why? The ambulance is already gone so how are you helping it at this point but instead, creating additional traffic because I'm about to go and so is the car behind me that stopped before it got to us but you decide to do it after it drives by you? Some people really confuse me and apparently do not understand how traffic or driving is supposed to work. I would understand if there was another vehicle coming maybe but there wasn't as we could see all the way down the road (we were on the top of a hill going down). Amazing, just amazing.

At the movies:
Lot of movement at the box office this weekend with some surprises and expected results. New at #1 is Scary Movie with a decent 55 million to open. Word-of-mouth is very mixed on this and may get a sizeable drop next week. New at #2 is Masters of the Universe with a 29.3 mil and given the price tag on this film, that is well below expectations. Drop down to #3 is Backrooms with an extra 25.9 mil as it passes the 100 mil mark. Still did well beyond what was projected and will be interesting to see where this ends up. Small drop down to #4 is Obsession with 25.6 mil as it steadily makes it way to 200 mil and on track to get there. New and rounding off the top 5 is The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act with 12.7 mil for the weekend with a 21.1 mil for a 5-day release.

Quote of the week:
"The secret of getting ahead is getting started." - Mark Twain

Facts & Tips:
A hummingbird weighs less than a penny.

"So, that make one more for Ox or for Mitch?" - Samm Levine as Bruce in Not Another Teen Movie.

Monday, June 01, 2026

And the scholarship goes to...

Had a very busy Friday but one thing I did get to do was attend the Santa Ana College (SAC) Scholarship Award Ceremony where two recipients received my parents scholarships. They were awarded to individuals who will pursue a career in nursing as that is what my mom was, a nurse. But she was also a Doctor of Nursing and actually taught at SAC way back in the day when I was a little kid. Since my dad passed in '95, my mom started a scholarship in his name for nursing and when she passed, I am continuing it both of their names even though it was my mom who was the teacher and Doctor of Nursing at that school. But this is to continue their legacy I hope for a long while and I only saw one of the recipients (it was a long ceremony), I did have to leave right after so didn't get a chance to meet them. Maybe next year but I wish them both congrats and good luck!

Weekly Update:
I wanted to spotlight the city I stayed at last weekend, Atascadero, California. It is located in the Paso Robles area and it's a really nice little town. I didn't get a chance to explore that much as it was a holiday weekend and a Sunday so a lot of places were closed but it had some pretty cool shops that were around. I also saw a regular calendar of events like a farmers market weekly and some other events that occur once a month. It has a very old town USA kind of feel and I saw some vintage classic cars around which I am guessing they have an event surrounding that as well. I hope to go back there some day again with someone special, it would be a nice getaway that isn't far but far enough.

At the movies:
New at #1 this week is Backrooms with a hefty 81.5 million to open. Very big number for this semi-independent studio (A24) and I believe this is their biggest opening to date. Hopefully it holds up for another week but should hit 100 mil easily. Holding at #2 is Obsession with another 26.4 mil as it is up 10% at the box office and just broke the 100 mil mark! Big drop down to #3 is Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu with 25 mil as it passes the 100 mil mark but at this rate, it may not hit 200. Hanging on to #4 is Michael with 11.7 mil as it continues its song and dance into the 300 mil range and will end there. New at #5 is The Breadwinner with 7.5 mil and this one will be out quickly.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week at #7 is Pressure with 5.8 mil. This movie came out a week to early as it is about the invasion of Normandy (D-Day) during World War II which took place on June 5th and 6th, 1944. So why did it come out now and not next Friday on June 5th!

Quote of the week:
"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." - Harry S. Truman

Facts & Tips:
The world's termites outweigh the world's humans about 10 to 1.

"I wish destiny would lose our number." - James Kyson as Ando Masahashi in the TV series Heroes.