I don’t have a lot of words right now, but something needs to be said. This looks amazing and, I think, it’s something we could really use right about now. It gives me some hope.
Well done. Can’t wait for the movie and especially more of Krypto. Clearly, the best boy.
July 2025 can’t come soon enough.
Well, I don’t mind telling you this week has been rather difficult. I know I’m not alone in this. In fact, I feel like there’s millions of you who agree with me. And that’s how it is.
I’ll probably have more to say in the near future, but for now, I want to state for the record I’m an ally to kindness, to love, to family and to any LGTBQ folks reading this. I see you. I hear you and I accept you (not that you need that from me). I just want it known I’m on your side.
I’m sorry about this week. It sucks for people who want to choose right from wrong. I was hoping for more from my fellow citizens.
Many of them showed up and did the right thing. More did not. It’s gonna take some time to process that. I don’t understand it right now, and to be honest, I’m not sure I ever will.
In the meantime, I’m taking it one day at a time, doing my work, creating, making my version of art, being with my loved ones and taking some time for self-care. Is that the best strategy right now? I don’t know. It’s what I’ve got so I’m gonna do it.
Try to take care of yourselves and try to be kind. We need it now more than ever.
Can you believe it’s September already? Yeah, me neither. This month is made especially important (at least to be ) by the fact that it’s the month of my son’s birth. That’s pretty great. He’s great too.
He opted out of having a party this year and instead asked for some VR goggles, the MetaQuest 3 in particular. We’ll see how that goes. He’s probably gonna get some books, underwear and socks just like I did at his age.
Some traditions should continue.
Plus, I’m not sold on the necessity of 11-year-olds needing $500.00 VR goggles. Sounds sus to me. My son would tell me I’m being cringe for saying “sus.” What can you do?
Putting that aside, let’s go on with the things I’m watching, reading, listening to and otherwise enjoying and consuming lately.
Watching
The Trap – Writer/Director M. Knight Shyamalan’s latest with Josh Hartnett is a pretty fun movie. I’m not always 100% sure if the director or his star know exactly what kind of movie they’re making, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying it. And no, the fact that the director’s daughter is in it and features prominently didn’t make me like it any less.
Although, there’s one point in the movie where I was sure Bruce Willis’s characters from Unbreakable was going to show up. But I’m not gonna spoil anything, so I’ll stop there.
Longlegs – Scary and moody. A film that definitely has a vibe. Also, I’m pretty good at figuring out movies but this one took longer than most and actually had a twist I didn’t see coming until almost the end. I liked it.
And, of course, Nick fucking Cage. Awesome. He is the only actor who could have played that character. I won’t be taking questions at this time.
Deadpool and Wolverine – Loved it. Loved all the insider MCU and comics stuff. Was it a “great” movie? No. Did it need to be? No. It did pretty much what it had to do and did it very well. It was fun and it was great to see Hugh Jackman as Wolverine again.
Plus, so many other great cameos I won’t spoil here. Let’s just say they were awesome and it was a delight to see some of those characters and actors again.
Homicide: Life On The Street – The classic TV series from the early 90s is back and on streaming for the first time. Sure, you gotta get Peacock to watch it . . . so I got Peacock. It’s a classic show for a reason with an amazing cast led by the superb Andre Braugher. He was a titan and is missed. If you’ve never seen it, you really should. It’s that good.
Andre Braugher conducts an acting masterclass every episode and the number off guest stars who appeared on the show is a who’s who of people who became famous. I won’t spoil who they are, just check it out. It’s worth the price of Peacock for a month or two.
Reading
I’m not reading a lot right now. Just two books.
A Little Hatred By Joe Abercrombie – I love sword and sorcery and fantasy and all the in-between so this one was a no-brainer for me. I’ve read several of his other books and this one is excellent too. Recommended.
Death Without Company By Craig Johnson – The second Walt Longmire mystery novel. I enjoyed the first so now I’ve moved on to the second. I expect I’ll read them all.
Listening To
New Order (and more) – I’m a kid of the 80s/90s so part punk and part New Wave (and part Grunge too, if I’m being honest). I’ve been listening to a lot of The Cure and New Order lately as well as Soundgarden, Alice In Chains and even some Nirvana. Yes, I contain multituides.
Mozart – I always enjoy some Mozart and I’ve been listening to several of his operas lately, and in particular Don Giovanni. It doesn’t end particlarly well for Don. Let that be a lesson, kids. Don’t be a selfish prick all your life.
I’m also watching a ton of YouTube videos about how to use Final Cut Pro and make travel-related “content.” Some people have expressed, let’s call it dismay, over my choice of Final Cut. All I can say is I was one of the members of the Official Final Cut Pro users group in LA way back in the day and I continue to be a fan and user of it to this day.
I first used an Apple computer over 30 years ago and I haven’t looked back. Call me a fanboy or a simp or whatever, I don’t care. I will be an Apple user until the day I die. It just works.
Speaking of that, I decided to treat myself to a new computer. It’s a 14″ M3 Pro MacBook Pro (say that three times fast) and I gotta say, it’s pretty great. I’m not sure why I waited this long to switch to Apple Silicon.
It’s that much of a difference from my previous 13″ MacBook Pro with Intel i7. It makes using FCP and Logic a real pleasure and it handles al my 4K footage with ease.
Well, that pretty much wraps it up for this one. Until next time, be kind to each other.
Photo: Joe Maidment / Walt Disney Co.
Well, now I’ve done it. I’ve gone and started a new business venture that will either be a rousing success (or something else). But at least it won’t be boring. Also, not gonna fail. It’s that simple.
What is this new venture, you may wonder?
I’ll tell you: Travel. As in, I’ve become a Certified Travel Advisor with FORA, a worldwide travel agency. That means I can book all your travel and get you the perks and VIP treatment you deserve. Cool, right?
But wait, there’s more.
I’ve also decided I need to be making videos for YouTube in connection with the business, but also because I’ve got years of experience making stuff and it seems a shame to continue to not use that for something positive. So, YouTube.
The channel is called Ullrich Travel, as is the business. It will be launching soon. The business is already going. Yes, it’s a real business and everything. An LLC to be exact. Fun stuff.
Anyway, I’m gonna be even busier than before . . . and that”s a good thing. I love to travel and meet interesting people and see amazing things. I just wish I’d thought of this before. Oh well, I’m doing it now.
Pretty exciting. Say tuned for more.
In the meantime, here’s some places where Ullrich Travel is already making an impression:
And don’t forget, if you want to travel, I’ve got your back.
Where do you want to go today?
As you may have figured out, I’ve failed again (mostly). I have not been updating this blog frequently. Long-time readers will know this is, unfortunately, somewhat of a pattern for yours truly. I have good intentions, but alas, time and will have other ideas.
I do love this blog. It’s been a part of my life longer than my son has. It’s my first baby, so to speak. Does that sound weird? Maybe.
The truth is, writing is hard. It’s been hard since the first time I did it and it’s still hard. I also don’t make a living doing it anymore so the financial aspect and incentive to do it is gone. Now it’s “just for the lols” or whatever.
I also just don’t have as much “free” time as I used to have. And, things are pretty bleak in the world these days. I’m sure that also has somewhat of a detrimental effect on my willingness to put “pen to paper” or whatever the kids call it.
And yeah, blah, blah, blah you’ve heard it all before. I know. I know because I’ve said it all before. I can hear myself.
Honestly, I’m doing what I can. I won’t call it “doing my best” because, let’s face it, that ship sailed and hit the proverbial iceberg long ago. Still, I persist. And I guess I always will until I can’t anymore. Even if it takes time and only happens once in awhile.
Who knows, maybe I’ll be writing the next witty bon mot from my new cabin in the outskirts of Vancouver? Or, from the deck of a luxury cruise ship on its way to exciting ports of call? You never know.
Actually, I was on a cruise recently and it was pretty great. Highly recommended. More on that later.
Until then, be kind to each other.
I know. You don’t have to say anything. It’s been way more than a week since my last post here. I feel bad but I can’t really do much about it now except move forward.
Also, this will be the last time I apologize for not posting more. Yes, I should post more. I want to post more. But shit happens, right?
I am going to try harder, but I can’t promise anything. Because, you know, that whole “shit happens” thing? But I will try. Okay? Okay.
So, with that in mind, let’s get going . . . Here’s some of the things I’m watching, reading or, dare I say it, consuming these days.
Watching
Dune Part 2 – Heck yeah. What a great way to continue the story and wrap things up (almost). Loved it. I’ve already watched it several times and I expect I’ll watch it many more. Can’t wait to see what Denis Villeneuve does with Dune Messiah. That’s gonna be interesting, to say the least.
Shogun – I watched almost of of this but now I’m waiting for all the episodes to drop so I can watch them as one complete story. Yeah, I used to wait a week between episodes too. Maybe we should go back to that exclusively? Might help shows that come out all at once, people talk about them for a few minutes, then it’s done. Which brings me to . . .
3 Body Problem – I liked the book so I thought I’d give the show a try. For the most part, I enjoyed it . . . especially the Game of Thrones mini-reunion. But sadly, the show hasn’t really stuck with me now that it’s been a few weeks. Not sure why, exactly. It wasn’t all that memorable, I guess. It’s not bad. It’s good. It’s just not great. Alas.
Highlander – I know, I’m waiting for the Henry Cavill remake too. Until then, I decided to go back and watch the Christopher Lambert original. Still fun. Still so many great things about it. Sure, some of it is a bit dated at this point, but the movie still rocks and even though I’ve seen it many times, I’m never bored watching it again. Can’t say that about a lot of stuff these days.
Plus, terrific actors like Sean Connery and one of the nicest guys still working in the business, Clancy Brown. He’s one of the good ones and deserves all of his success. Remind me to tell you my Clancy Brown story sometime.
Reading
Dune Messiah – After watching Dune part 1 and 2, naturally I was curious about what comes next. I haven’t read the sequel to Dune since College so it seemed a good time to get back into it. So far, I’m really enjoying it. Frank Herbert really wants you to know Paul is not the good guy. Like really. He’s not. Still, great book.
Children of Dune – I’m basically almost done with the second book so it’s onto the the third. So far, so good. At least some other main characters that seemed kinda important have shown up after being absent from book 2, which is nice.
Listening To
Dune Messiah Audio Book – I get a lot out of reading but I also get a lot out of being read to. I also have a lot of Audible credits, so there’s that.
Lots of Radiohead – I never get tired of this band. One of my all-time favorites and I listen to their music frequently.
Scriptnotes Podcast – If you want to know anything about being a screenwriter in Hollywood, John August and Craig Mazin have you covered. Great podcast with two wonderfully informative hosts
The Recipe podcast with Kenji and Deb – I’ve been a big fan of J. Kenji Lopez-Alt (aka Kenji) for a long time. Love his YouTube Channel and his books. Naturally, I really enjoy this podcast too. And Deb is great as well. They really seem to like each other and their styles complement.
Finally, just for fun, here’s the trailers for both Dune and Dune Part 2. Amazing stuff, especially for a sci-fi nerd like me from way back.
And, we’re back. Or, more to the point, I am. As I often say, I’m trying to write here more frequently and would prefer it on a regular weekly (or more) basis. Sadly, what I want isn’t always how it turns out. You just have to learn to live with stuff like that I guess.
You know what helps live with things not going your way? Activities. Hobbies. Entertainment. All that kind of non-work and non-BS stuff. You know, distractions. A way to engage your brain in other actives so it doesn’t think about the state of the world and how fucked we may be. Damn, there I go again. Moving on.
This week (as we often do) let’s talk about some of the things I’m currently reading, watching and/or doing.
I’m still in the middle of the audio books for Lord of the Rings as read and performed by Andy Serkis. I’ve made it through Fellowship and I’m almost done with The Two Towers. We’re getting to the big battle towards the end. You know the one.
I’m also still reading Roger Zelazny’s The Chronicles of Amber. There’s several books and I’m currently deep into Sign of the Unicorn (aka Book Three). Still really enjoying the books. I wonder if we’ll ever get an Amber movie or series? I can see it being a series more than something than a theatrical release. I don’t think it has the deep fanbase The Lord of the Rings has.
It’s more of a story you’d watch on Amazon or Netflix or Hulu. Actually, it would have been a good fit for HBO back when HBO was HBO and needed a followup to Game of Thrones. Although, I guess it’s easier and better for them to just keep making spin-offs or prequels to GOT rather than bring in a whole new series. Business over creative and all that.
Speaking of series based on books, I’ve started watching Shōgun on Hulu. Which, as you may know, is based on the epic novel by James Clavell released in 1975. It’s epic for a lot of reasons but it’s also just a big, long book with lots of words. Not that that’s a bad thing. Just know before you dive into it. It’s a big one.
In short, the show is terrific. I love everything about it. But then, I’ve always been a fan of that time in history, the culture and those types of stories.
I’m currently through episode three and looking forward to the next. But I must confess, I’m really excited for the eventual episode where the Ninjas show up. I’ve always been fascinated by them. Maybe it was watching Chuck Norris in The Octagon when I was way too young that did it. Or reading The Ninja by Eric Van Lusbader. I was probably way too young to be reading that too. Oh well.
Anyway, if you love exciting, interesting stories well-told, check out Shōgun. It’s that good.
I’m also drawing, sketching, painting, etc. again. I missed it. I was drawing or sketching infrequently before, as I’ve done my entire life. I’m just trying to make it a daily habit now.
I think it’s good to focus on something for a time and try not to think about other things. It works. When I’m drawing or painting (or making photos or whatever) I’m only thinking about making the art and not anything else. It’s great, you should try it.
As for why make art at all? Lots of people have said a lot of things about that. I think this quote from Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. sums it up nicely:
“Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”
He’s a smart guy. Works for me.
If you’d like to start drawing or sketching or paining, I’ve got a bit of advice on how to begin. You don’t need much in the way of tools. You just need to do it.
And don’t worry, you’re not going to be great at the beginning . . . but you can be. Or, at the very least, good. Stick with it. Have fun and don’t compare yourself to anyone else. This art is for you. If you love making it, that’s what matters.
Here’s the minimum I think you’d want to get started:
• A sketchbook – I like the Canson XL mixed media with the blue cover. It’s good for pencil, pen and ink or even some watercolor. My favorite size is currently the 7 x 10, but get whatever size you want and just start using it.
• Pencils – It can be as easy as whatever HB pencil you have around the house. And no, that’s not exactly a Number 2 pencil, but it’s close. Try to get one that’s graded as an HB, or try out a few if you can. Maybe you’re more of a 2B or an F? Experiment and see what works for you. But to start, even a Number 2 will do. Or, you can grab a Mars Technico 780 lead holder from Staedtler and some HB leads. That’s what I do most of the time.
It saves on having a pencil sharpener around (although I have a lot of those too) and the 2mm leads are a joy to work with. You’ll probably want an eraser too, at some point. Grab a Tombow Mono Dust Catch and you’re good.
• Pens – If you’re feeling confidant, you can skip the pencil and go right to the pen. I have a lot of pens, but for a couple dollars you can’t really beat the Sakura Pigma Micron. I also use a Uni Pin or even a Uniball Vision, if that’s what I have on hand. They’re all fine and can work well.
When you’ve been doing it longer you may find you want to use something like a fountain pen to draw with. People do it all the time. My fountain pen of choice for that is usually either the TWISBI Eco or the Lamy Safari. Each is a great pen and not terribly expensive. You can also write with them too. They’re quite versatile.
And that’s pretty much it. Have fun. Make art.
Until next time, be kind to each other.
Wow, The last time I updated here was on 2.2.24 and now it’s 2.24.24. I find that weird . . . and kinda cool. How about you? I’ll bet you do also. Maybe? A little?
Okay. Whatever. I’m just trying to keep it light. Or lite. Or, you know, the opposite of heavy . . . or serious. You get the idea.
Anyway. What have I been watching, reading, listening to or otherwise distracting myself with lately? Glad you asked because, well, that’s kind the point of this and things work out better if you just go along. Cool? Cool.
As I mentioned last time I’ve been reading Roger Zelazny’s The Chronicles of Amber. Gotta say, I’m still really enjoying these stories. I first read them as a teenager and loved them. Fortunately, they’ve absolutely stood the test of time and don’t disappoint.
I’ve also been listening to the audio books of The Lord of the Rings as narrated and performed by Mr. Andy Serkis. If you’ve never heard him perform the books before then you’ve never really heard them performed (no disrespect to the previous guy). In short, Andy is terrific and really brings the characters and story to life. Heck, he even sings the songs. All of them. Which, as any Tolkien fan knows, there’s a lot of.
I highly recommend the Andy Serkis versions to anyone who wants to get into the books for the first time or is looking to revisit them. They’re that good.
I recently watched the entire Peter Jackson movie trilogy and that’s what sparked my desire to go back to the novels. It’s so interesting to watch the films and then read (or listen, more to the point) how much of the story had to be changed in order to bring them to the screen. A lot of things had to be dropped and the story altered to fit a film narrative.
Also, the books are very long and you just couldn’t fit everything into three movies. It’s not like you can spend three movies on just one book or something. That’s just crazy.
I’m sure more than one person has already done an exhaustive chronicle of the differences between the Lord of the Rings novels and the Peter Jackson movies, so I won’t get into it here. And no, I’m not too sad that some things had to be cut. Sorry Tom Bombadil stans. Them’s the breaks.
I’m also gonna watch the Ralph Bakshi animated Lord of the Rings movie and see if that holds up. I’ll bet it does, mostly. I’ll let you know. If you haven’t seen it before, be sure to check it out.
I haven’t been watching as many TV shows or movies in the last few weeks. I did, however, accompany the boy to see Kimetsu No Yaiba – To the Hashira Training (aka Demon Slayer) in the movie theater this week. It’s a version of the animated series containing the final episode of the current season as well as the first of next season. It’s all part of the upcoming Hashira training arc. If you know, you know.
It was fun and great to see anime on the big screen. The boy loved it too. We also had milkshakes. They were tasty.
In case you’re interested, here’s the trailer.
I’ve also included the trailer for The Fellowship of the Ring from Peter Jackson too. Enjoy and remember just how great those movies are. I’m not sure we’ll ever get a better cinematic treatment of the novels. Thank you Peter Jackson and co-writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens and all the cast and crew. Well done.
I guess that’s enough for the moment. Oh, in case you haven’t done it yet, don’t forget to check out the thing there on the right side (or below if you’re on mobile). Be sure to register to vote and then vote. It’s pretty important, especially if you give a shit about Democracy.
Be kind to each other.
Image: New Line/Warner Bros. / Amazon
Well, we made it through 2023 and now here it is 2024. And February too. Imagine that. I was pretty sure we could pull it off, but you never really know until you know. You know?
Yes, that’s an awkward sentence above. But what do you expect? It’s an election year so prepare yourself for a whole lot of awkward sentences and whole lot of other bullshit.
I know, I feel it too. That sense of impending doom that had sorta gone away for awhile. Yeah, it’s back now. I’m thrilled.
But hey, there’s plenty of time to feel bad and worry about the future. Although, there’s something you can do today to help make yourself feel a bit better. More on that at the end. For now, let’s get to the good stuff!
No, I did not end up getting any kind of new Apple product in 2023 or 2024. Not for me, at least. The boy, however, got a new M2 MacMini for Christmas so he can play Roblox at the proper frame rate. I don’t know, I just try to give him something he wants. Right now, it’s all Roblox-related.
He also got some other stuff for Christmas that’s not as cool, so I won’t bother to mention it. As for me, I got a few nice presents as well. One was an Asus ProArt Monitor to use with my (aging) MacBook Pro 13″. I’m not sure how I lived without an external monitor before this. People in The Dark Ages didn’t have it so bad. It’s a very nice monitor. Not 4K, but I don’t really need that at the moment. Maybe someday.
I’m also back to using a mechanical keyboard for typing instead of the Apple mini keyboard I had been using. The one I use most frequently at the moment is a Keychron V3 with brown switches. I really like it. The only thing I need to get used to are the keys being a bit smaller than what I had before so I tend to make a few more tying mistakes as I go. I’m sure I’ll figure it out.
I also got a Cherry MX 2.0 keyboard (also with brown switches) to try out. I like that one also but I wish it wasn’t a full sized keyboard. I know I could have looked around a got a different one from Cherry, but this is what they had at Amazon so . . . easier. Anyway, I like that the Keychron is a TKL (as in it doesn’t have a number keypad).
I prefer TKL form factor. But really, I’m still in the experimental phase so I may even try a third (or fourth) option just to see. I probably will. One or both of these test keyboards can also go to the boy when his current keyboard gets destroyed . . . as it inevitably will.
I’ve also been reading a bit and have taken a fresh look at Mr. Bukowski. I recently finished his novel Ham on Rye. It’s even better than I remember. Highly recommended. I’m going to read Post Office next. If you’re not aware, Charles Bukowski is one of the greatest authors of his or any generation. His work (novels, poetry, whatever) are well worth your time.
Sure, his stuff is heavy. But it’s also real and alive and essential. Give it a try. I don’t know a single person I’ve recommended him to that regretted it. Maybe they’re just being polite? I guess that’s possible. Judge for yourself.
I’m also going to get back to Roger Zelazny and his Chronicles Of Amber. I haven’t forgotten those.
As for movies and TV, I’ve watched a bunch of stuff. I can highly recommend Godzilla Minus One. Amazing film, even if you don’t love monsters. I’m also in the middle of a rewatch of Mad Men. Great show, in spite of its flaws. And yes, it has a few.
Well, I guess that’s enough for today. I’ve been sick for the last week or so and I’m getting tired of typing, so I’ll just go ahead and get going for now. Until next time . . .
Oh, wait. I almost forgot to mention the important thing that will make you feel a bit better: This year is an election year (as you know) and you need to vote, no matter what.
You can register right there in the sidebar of this blog. Or, near the bottom if you’re reading this on a mobile device. Do it. Register or check your status or get more info at Vote.org. Then, vote. It’s that easy.
Now go. Make Democracy happen. You’ll feel better.
Image: Toho Studios
Another week, another weekly roundup. I like how that sounds. This week I’ve got another bunch of things I’m interested in, watching, reading or whatever. In other words, If I like it, it’s probably something I’m going to talk about this week or in the near future.
What can I say? I like to share.
But before I get to the (more) interesting stuff I just wanted to mention I’m currently writing this post at a library. I’ve sat down at a table and I’m typing away on my Apple MacBook Pro. While doing this I’ve discovered a few things.
One, this MacBook Pro keyboard isn’t all that “magic.” Sorry, Apple, but it isn’t. It’s just okay. Personally, I prefer a bit more mechanical feel and a bit more key travel. The keyboard on my Linux/Windows laptop (from Lenovo) is way better than the one on this MacBook Pro.
I would sacrifice a bit of girth in order to get a better keyboard on an Apple laptop. Apparently, Apple doesn’t agree or care. Alas.
They used to care. In fact, the best laptop keyboard Apple ever made was the Powerbook 1400c and that’s from 1998. Maybe one of these days I’ll get my wish for a better keyboard. Probably not.
I’ve also realized the table I’m sitting at is slightly too high for me to type comfortably. I tend to be a lazy typer and rest my wrists on the laptop while typing. The height of the table makes it feel like I’m typing up hill a bit. It’s not a big deal, I’m just used to my desk at home and this just feels different.
Finally, this library is really quiet. I’m impressed so many people can shut up for so long. The section I’m in does seem like the more serious “study” area, so that might have something to do with it. But still, it’s really quiet. Almost too quiet.
Okay, enough of that. Let’s get to the good stuff.
Regardless of what I said above, I’m still very interested in the new M3 MacBook Pros Apple announced recently. No, I don’t absolutely need a new laptop, but they do look cool and are, apparently, blazing fast. So, maybe.
The reality is I’ll probably end up getting a new iMac instead. They’ve also been bumped to the M3 chipset and I’ve been thinking about my current setup lately and how, or if, it needs improvement. At the moment, I’m laptop only and have been for a few years.
I intended to get an external monitor for the MacBook Pro but never got around to it, mostly because it worked well enough and I was able to get stuff done without it. But now? I’m thinking.
Picking up an iMac would solve a few problems. I’d get a larger screen. It would be more powerful than my current Mac. I could still use the MacBook Pro when I’m not in the office. I kinda miss having a desktop computer. All true. The question is are they all true enough to make me spend the money when things work pretty well now? I guess that’s why I’m still thinking about it. More on this later.
As you may know (or not) the WGA strike was concluded with an agreement ratified by membership and the writers went back to work. This week, SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP reached a tentative agreement and SAG officials called an end to their strike, which has lasted over 100 days. I’m glad it’s over. I know people were suffering, but they held the line. Great job to all and congratulations.
I just wish my union, the DGA, had held firm in support of our fellow union members. Alas, they did not and signed a deal earlier this year. Although, they did issue a really nice press release once the SAG-AFTRA tentative agreement was announced. I guess that’s something.
I’m currently on an Aaron Sorkin bender and have watched The Social Network, Molly’s Game and the first two season of his HBO show The Newsroom. Why? Mostly it’s because I like the way he writes dialog. It’s pretty great. I don’t think I’m alone in that assessment. Plus, those movies and the series are excellent.
I’ve also watched the films in the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy: Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End. I love them all, with particular love for Hot Fuzz, which is a favorite among favorites. Great stuff.
As you probably know, I love notebooks. And pencils, pens and all that other “analog” stuff. My friend Dave Caolo gave me the heads up on notebooks from Dapper Notes and I’m hooked. They are awesome and whenever they’ve got new ones, I grab ’em ’cause they go fast. The latest one just arrived at my door and, as usual, I love it.
I’m just about done reading Chuck Wendig’s Black River Orchard and holy crap, it’s a good one. I will never look at Apples the same way again.
Next on the reading list is Nine Princes In Amber, the first book in the Chronicles of Amber series by Roger Zelazny. I love these books but haven’t read them in years. It’s time to read them again.
Finally, I should mention that I continue to produce a podcast with my co-host Joe Dilworth. It’s called The Flickcast and it’s quite fun. We get into all sorts of nerd stuff that nerds love. We used to have a new episode every week but have transitioned to every other week for the time being. We’ll get back to every week soon enough.
That’s it for now. Until next time, be kind to each other.
Image: Focus Features