The Cheese Stands Alone

 Tu 6/30/21 910am. 105pm. 9pm. Up 730am: Chance of rain all day and through the night with temps to the upper 70's. Watched 'THE FISHER KING' (Amazon Prime). Another film about a descent into mental illness, but this one was a more humorous take than last night's 'TAKE SHELTER'(Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain). A radio shock-jock feels  responsible after a man shoots up a restaurant because of their on-the-air altercation. Then he meets a homeless man who is clearly insane and his wife was one of the victims of the shooter. The radio personality and the homeless man become friends. A sweet story and a 'reimagining' of the opera 'Parsifal' that involves the quest for the holy grail. Directed by Terry Gilliam with Jeff Bridges, Robin Williams, Amanda Plummer (daughter of Christopher Plummer), Mercedes Ruehl, and Harry Shearer.  ***I called Zane before I started the film and he said that he'd call around lunchtime so that we can arrange a t...

 Tu 6/29/21 1030am. 905pm. 1035pm (a couple of tokes). Up 850am: Hot and humid with a chance of showers  early this afternoon- upper 80's. Later 'showers' was dropped from the forecast and it's so humid it would surprise no one because the flash flood warnings are still in effect. ***Southern Baptist leader: "When the church gets in bed with politics, the church gets pregnant, and the offspring does not look like our Father in heaven.” I watched 'THE ICE ROAD' (Netflix). Over-the-top thrills and chills with semis on ice. A mindless diversion that is nearly impossible to believe but you can't take your eyes off the screen. The A.V. Club: "Even at its dumbest, The Ice Road holds your attention; a climactic fight/chase scene even acknowledges that it’s hard to look badass on a slippery surface." 1pm: Preparing to mow the lawn. When I filled the tank a heavy shower began. No Go.  ON the treadmill... 5 MILES AT 3.4 PACE... Watched 2 episodes of ...

  Mo 6/28/21- Kyes Remodeling 335pm!! 1010pm.  Up 630am: Rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast through Friday. Today, periods of rain with temps to low 80's. ***Everything is out of the room downstairs and Buddy's box and water dish are in the computer room. 820am: Got a call from Zane (with two assistants) that they were just leaving Petersburg. and they arrived shortly after 9am. They are going to do all of the demo today including the carpet removal.    Watched 'CALAMITY JANE: THE LEGEND OF THE WEST' (Tubi). A fifty-five minute bio of Martha Cannary, better known as Calamity Jane- frontierswoman, sharpshooter, and raconteur. She is associated with Wild Bill Hickok and when they were alive he didn't like her, yet they are buried next to each other in Deadwood, South Dakota. She died in 1903. Then I watched '50/50' (Tubi). A young man learns he has spinal cancer and this tragic news affects all of the relationships in his life. A nice ensemble cast ma...

 Su 6/27/21 850am. 915pm.  Up 8am: Cloudy and humid with temps to the low 80's and rain predicted for this evening through tomorrow. Watched 'A FAMILY' (Netflix). In the late 90's a young Japanese man joined the Yakuza because it provided him with a sense of family and life focus. He becomes like a son to the boss, does a fourteen year sentence for a mob related murder, but when he returns to civilian life the Yakuza world has irreparably changed. The old ways are gone. The Yakuza lifestyle of honor and dedication are irrelevant and no longer a social force in Japanese culture. Yet all he ever wanted was a family he could call his own. A different take on the Yakuza film genre; dir. Michihito Fujii. 130pm: On the treadmill... 5 MILES AT 3.4 PACE and watched 'THE OTHER ONE: THE LONG STRANGE TRIP OF BOB WEIR' (Netflix). Weir was adopted at birth and reconnected with his birth father after Jerry died. Bob married late in life yet he knew his future wife since she w...

 Sa 6/26/21- Water Anxiety 940am. 3pm. 930pm.  Up 820am: Up late last night and today more rain, high humidity, and temps to the low 80's. Rain is in the forecast for the next several days. Watched Netflix disc 'FIRST COW'. A cook from Maryland and a Chinese immigrant seek their fortunes during the early 19th century fur trade in Oregon. They decide to steal milk from the first cow in the territory so that they can make deep fried dough and sell it to the trappers. The film begins in contemporary times where a woman finds the skeletal remains of two people. Then the story reverts to the 19th century and shows how the cook and the Chinaman ended up there. Directed by Kelly Reichardt; with Alia Shawkat (I saw her on GETTING DOUG WITH HIGH last night), John Magaro, Orion Lee, and Ewen Bremmer. A tornado watch has been posted and one to three inches is predicted for tonight and tomorrow. I hope the downstairs area is dry enough for Zane to do the demo work on Monday. 145pm: Dow...

 Fr 6/25/21 925am. 345pm. 950pm.  Up 730am: Temps to the mid 80's with rain in the forecast for the next several days. Very heavy rain early this morning, but now it's a nice, gentle, steady shower.  ***Got a text from Tracy at Helitech that we're on for the 8th, and I texted Adam with the news.    Watched 'I AM ALL GIRLS' (Netflix). A flat commentary on international child trafficking out of South Africa. A female detective stumbles upon a ring of traffickers who are trading young African girls for Iranian oil. The 'mystery' is that her lover/partner? was a victim of this syndicate and she is exacting a bloody retribution. A pretty good idea, yet dragged down by a ham-fisted script and the beautiful set locations in South Africa are wasted. This wasn't in the film, but South Africa has one of the biggest income disparities in the world.  A Netflix production.  Watched a twenty minute YouTube video- "DAN SODER & ARI SHAFFIR: WELCOME TO ALASKA...

 Th 6/24/21 840am. 125pm. 1005pm.  Up 7am: Cloudy and overcast with periods of rain and temps to the low 80's. ***This morning I noticed that another house is up for sale on Westview- up the street and next to the house with the 'Card Your Lawn' people. I think that a very elderly woman lived there. Watched 'XTREME' (Netflix)..."Let's Spill Some Blood"...And there's lots of it in this flashy tale of waring drug gangs in contemporary Barcelona, Spain. A brother must take out his half-brother to avenge his father's death. Lots of intricate mixed-martial arts and crazy shoot-outs that are so over-the-top that it's not believable, but I guess that explains the title.  1225pm: Called Brewer for another gel-pen and I'm going to walk over before the rain starts. 1140am~1210pm, a brisk walk and no rain. ***Tracy sent a text that 'crack repair' is on for July 2nd. Later in the day she texted that they are running behind, so it's now ...

 We 6/23/21 850am. 1155am. 310pm. 1005pm.  Up 715am: Partly cloudy and breezy with temps to low 80's. Rain is in the forecast for the next several days.  Watched 'STARGATE' (Netflix); with Kurt Russell and James Spader.  The 'hairy buffalo' creatures were 'created' by placing costume frames over horses. To make it appear that James Spader's character is pulled over the sand dunes, a dog wearing a costume frame was used to drag a puppet (dressed as Spader's character) because the horses couldn't take the extreme heat in the Yuma, AZ desert. The film was released in 1994 and three years later the idea was used for a long running television series and 'STARGATE' is now known as a Movie Franchise.  From Entertainment Weekly: "The film has flashes of psychedelic visual energy, but its story is limp." An enjoyable film especially if cannabis is legal and plentiful at your viewing location.  Then I watched 'KEITH RICHARDS: UNDER TH...

 Tu 6/22/21 9am. 1135am. 315pm. 930pm.  Up 730am: Mostly sunny with temps to high 70's. Watched 'VALLEY OF THE GODS' (Amazon Prime). An odd and bizarre Art Film about Navajo myths and the world's richest man...or something...Playing indoor tennis in a cathedral...A man brings a wooden desk and a fountain pen to the Valley of The Gods area of Utah...The world's richest man lives as a street person and wears a bulletproof vest...A man throws gas on his car and lights it on fire (why?) at the foot of a beautiful cliff...'THE MUSEUM OF POVERTY'- Tidbits from the life of the world's richest man...A mountain gives birth to a baby and an Indian cuts the umbilical cord and this same baby stamps out a contemporary American city late in the movie. Strange and outlandish, yet some scenes were strikingly beautiful; with Josh Hartnett, John Malkovich, and Keir Dullea.  Listened to a bit of an interview with the director, Lech Majewski, on YouTube.  ***Removed all the...

 Mo 6/21/21 930am. 115pm. 940pm.  Up 8am: Cloudy and breezy with temps only to the low 70's.  It feels great! I entered 'THE QUIET AMERICAN'- Graham Greene and 'UNDER THE BRIGHT LIGHTS'- Daniel Woodrell in the blog. I watched 'THE MATADOR' (Kanopy). An overlooked gem about the odd friendship between an eager young businessman and a hitman who is losing it. It's a fresh take on the 'Buddy Movie' genre with a unique storyline and interesting characters. Pierce Brosnan was nominated for both a Golden Globe Award and a Saturn Award for his performance as the disillusioned, unstable hitman Julian Noble; with Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear, Hope Davis, Philip Baker Hall, and Dylan Baker. I wrote 'The Wrap' and sent it; Free Peacock to Xfinity customers, Recliner To Garage, and Where To Watch 'Hannibal'/'Black Sunday'. 1pm: PC is 'Off' and will go to Lowe's for drop cloths and prices- flooring, paint, interior door.  14...

 Su 6/20/21 820am. 940am. 325pm. 925pm.  Up 7am: Cloudy, humid with temps to low 89's and rain in the forecast for tonight. Much cooler on Monday. Watched the rest of the Netflix disc 'THE KID'.  Show the 'more human' side of the bonafide celebrity crime figure, Billy The Kid...  "It's tough to know how dumb you are when you're not scared of nothing". An enjoyable film and I'm not a big fan of the Western Genre, but this was a good one.  Watched the next Netflix disc 'FRENCH EXIT'.  A broke socialite, her son, and the family cat leave Manhattan's 'high society' and relocate to Paris for a new start..." arch drawing-room comedy". A low-key and melancholy farce with quirky characters and pithy dialogue; with Michelle Pfeiffer, Lucas Hedges, Imogen Poots, and Tracy Letts (voice-over). I really liked it, but I don't think this will do too well at the box office..."Two deaths a day is the industry standard for ...

 Sa 6/19/21 855am. 12pm. 2pm. 950pm.  Up 730am: Heavy storms early this morning, but the ground was so dry that there was no flooding. Cloudy with temps to upper 80's. AC is 'Off' and windows are open... I watched 'TO DIE FOR' (Pluto TV).  A determined yet ditzy 'weather personality' in the tiny market of Little Hope, New Hampshire has great expectations, but her husband has got to go. She enlists a clique of teenage airheads to kill her husband, but it's obvious to everyone that she was behind it. HILARIOUS SCENE: At her husband's funeral she produces a ghetto blaster and plays  'All By Myself' by Eric Carmen.  A film by Gus Van Sant with Nicole Kidman, Matt Dillon, Joaquin Phoenix, Casey Affleck, Illeana Douglas, and Buck Henry (screenplay). ***Buddy threw up 835am. Hungry again in less than an hour.  Then the first two episodes of 'SNABBA CASH' (Netflix). 145pm: PC is 'Off' and preparing for an afternoon at Planet Fitness. ...

 Fr 6/18/21 910am. 335pm. 930pm.  Up 720am: Muggy and sweltering with heat indexes in the triple digits- mid 90's. I put the recliner in the garage and then I read the email from Habitat that the pickup is NOT for recycling items, so it won't matter if the chair gets wet. Later I read the email confirmation (must have been sent after 10pm last night) and I learned that this stuff is for resale so it wouldn't matter if it got wet. Watched 'BEATS' (Kanopy).  It's the early 90's and the Rave Scene in Lothian, Scotland is taking off. The giddy intoxication of this gritty and intoxication movement is a perfect backdrop for this heart-felt 'rights of passage' saga.  It's about two friends. One is heading for a sweet suburban life and the other is 'human scum'. Shot in black and white and highlights the dirty, hopelessness of the area and the times (Southeastern Scotland including the city of Edinburgh).  "Know your role, shut your hole...

 Th 6/17/21- Brandenburg Visit 910-920am?! 10pm.  Up 730am: Mostly sunny with temps to the mid 90's and tonight the low is only 75. The heat wave has arrived! ?! Bong Brouhaha?! Breathing 'Out' instead of 'In' and the negative effects. Smoke more than usual and I ain't getting 'used' to the usual?! (Stony interval convo with myself- "Don't exhale because I'll blow out the bowl and I am NOT developing a tolerance for  cannabis") Watched 'DARK BLUE' (Amazon Prime).  LAPD'S top brass run secret illegal operations using psychopathic thugs to do their bidding. This happens on the day of the Rodney King verdict. Better than it sounds; with Kurt Russell, Scott Speedman, Brendan Gleeson, Ving Rhames, and Jonathan Banks- from a story by James Ellroy.   1230pm: Since it's going to be so hot, I'll hit the treadmill today... 5 MILES AT 3.4 PACE... J. R. E. ~ JOSH DUBIN. 'Project Innocent', DUNCAN TRUSSELL.  ***Janny text...

We 6/16/21 915am. 1210pm. 220pm. 940pm.  Up 650am: Spent an hour adding cassettes to the trash barrel and I watered the front flowers. I need a new hose, but what to do with the old one? Sunny with temps to 86, but the heat wave is just around the corner. It's supposed to get to 118 in Phoenix today and it's heading to The Land of Drinkin'. I wrote up 'THE HAVANA ROOM'- Colin Harrison and 'EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE'- M. William Phelps for the blog. Watched 'FELON' (Netflix). A young father kills an intruder who was robbing his home late one night. He picked up a baseball bat and crushed the thug's skull, but the fact that the thief had run from the house, he was not a threat, so the charge is no longer self defense but becomes murder. While in prison he becomes part of a 'gladiator school' run by corrupt prison guards..."an ordinary Joe trapped behind bars with warring ethnic psychopaths"; with Stephen Dorff, Val Kilmer, and Sam Shepa...

 Tu 6/15/21 1035am. 305pm. 925pm.  Up 630am: Up early for the morning meeting with Zane and read until 830am. I finished the bio of Gary Evans- 'EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE' and began 'THE QUIET AMERICAN'- Graham Greene. Zane arrived about 830am and he looked at the room and we realized that I didn't have the contract that he had sent. His bid was $6,8750.00 but this didn't include the flooring and the new door. I gave him my email, but just to be sure I sent his office my email address via their website. 1045am: Watched 'FIGHT CLUB' (Amazon Prime). A difficult film about the rage that is inspired by Consumer Capitalism...I guess. Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter, Meat Loaf, and Jared Leto. Then I watched two episodes of 'THE HILLS'; mainly because I forgot to charge up the mp3 and it was on zero. This was the last episode of the entire series. It ends with Brody standing in front of a sound stage in the final scene and seems to pose a ques...

 Mo 6/14/21 930am. 1245pm. 10pm.  Up 745am: Sunny, less humid with temps to upper 80's. ***9am: Left word on Zane's phone that we need to meet and iron out the details of the demo and remodel. Watched 'TWO FOR THE MONEY' (Amazon Prime). Two thespian superstars get to ham it up and act their heads off. I don't believe in getting something for nothing, but the movie gives great insight into the reasons and motivations for a gambling personality. Snappy dialogue and an interesting premise, although the ending was a bit hard to believe;  with Al Pacino, Matthew McConaughey, Rene Russo, Armand Assante, and Jeremy Piven. Directed by D.J. Caruso. 1215pm: PC is 'Off' and preparing for a walk around the neighborhood (before it gets too hot). 1pm: Oakmont, Outer Park, Lowell, Wash. Park. north side, up the hill, Parkview, Fairway, and up to 940...TWO HOURS AND 10 MINS....'The Music In My Head, King Crimson, 91.9FM, and then battery gave out.  ***I called Zane and ...

 Su 6/13/21 915am. 12pm. 155pm. 945pm.  Up 740am: Sunny, not as humid with temps to 90. Watched 'PARANOIA' (Hoopla). An aggressively talented young man in the high-tech sector tries to outmaneuver a couple of 'Titans of Capitalism' and pulls the rug out from both of them. A little corny, but still enjoyable; with Liam Hemsworth, Gary Oldman, Amber Heard, and Harrison Ford... "Power is the juice. Get used to drinking it..."  Watched the final episode of 'DIRTY JOHN' (Netflix). This one ended without any details about 'the real case'. It said that it was based on 'true events', but where are the details? 115pm: PC is 'Off' and doing the Weekly Cleaning. 2pm: and it's off to Planet Fitness. 45" Cross. 45" Treadwell. 30" Bike. 30" Treadmill. 30" Cross. Watched 'AMY TAN: AN UNINTENTIONAL MEMOIR' (Netflix), and some SARAH SILVERMAN and ARI SHAFFIR.  7pm: In the tub with 'EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE...

 Sa 6/12/21- Mowed lawn early 10am. 1235pm. 1005pm.  ****Three years ago today I cut off the large branch on the tree next to the driveway; 'Th 6/12/18' is carved into the stump.  Up 7am: Blistering with temps to the mid 90's . Heat Indexes of 100-105 this afternoon.  Decided to do the lawn early so I read 'EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE' and began to mow at 830am. Done in 40", no trimming needed and I didn't do but a few swipes on the 'abandoned' house. ***Texted Adam that 'Zane is still on the case'. And he returned a message that he was aware and had talked to Zane after my call last night. I've got to have Zane look at the room and get a more accurate idea of the cost.   Showered and 1015am watching 'SCARFACE' (Netflix). The American Success Story of Tony Montana- "THE WORLD IS YOURS"; with Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Robert Loggia, and F. Murray Abraham. Brian DePalma- Dir. Screenp...

 Fr 6/11/21 735am. 9am. 945pm.  Up 7am. Very hot and humid with temps to mid 90's. 745am: To County Market ...A dreamy and pleasant visit and I spent an inordinate amount of time staring at a display of Texas Sheet Cakes. I didn't want one (I've never wanted one), but it just seemed like such a great idea.  $84- Total.  905am. Watched Netflix disc 'OUR FRIEND'. This only got mediocre reviews, but I loved it. The bigger issue is not that the woman is dying, but that she has a male friend who is more than willing to put his life on hold to help her and her husband. I've never seen this done before and this was about as far from a Lifetime Channel film as you can get; with Casey Affleck, Dakota Johnson, and Jason  Segel. Based on an Esquire article entitled 'THE FRIEND' by Mathew Teague.  Noon: AC is back 'On' and on the treadmill waiting for the contractor... 5 MILES AT 3.4 PACE.... I watched the next two episodes of 'DIRTY JOHN'.  I read i...

 Th 6/10/21 855am.  11am. 325pm. 845pm.  Up 720am: Hot and muggy with temps to 90. ***At 9am Buddy threw up. I finished the gel-pen this morning and he only got about 3/4 of a dose. I hope it's not related to vomiting. I fed him again at 10am. He kept it down, and a little more at 11am. So far..... I watched 'DANGEROUS EDGE: THE LIFE OF GRAHAM GREENE' (Hoopla). Greene said that he did not believe in Heaven or Hell, but he thought that Purgatory was more to his liking. He was always attracted to the dilemma of Faith and Unbelief. Near the end, he talked of his 'wavering Faith'...always questioning. This makes me want to see some of his movies and I know that I've recently seen 'THE POWER AND THE GLORY' on the shelves. ***1045am: Texted the contractor (Zane) about the first or second week of July and that he's got to see the room and draw up an estimate. 1115am: We arranged a meeting for tomorrow afternoon. He'll give me a time later. Then I watche...

 We 6/9/21 825am. 1040am. 250pm. 935pm.  Up 7am: Partly sunny, muggy with temps to mid 80's. ***Checked downstairs PC and Updates had run and needed a restart. However, when I restarted, I couldn't get it to see if it was 'Up To Date'. And the internet speed is only in the high 30's. Watched 'BIAS' (Hoopla).     FUN FACT: Some people on Nextdoor join the site to 'Fight Crime'. "Black and Hispanics commit more crime, so I am only making my neighborhood safer when I spot possible criminal activity".  "Black Americans are 2.5 times more likely than white Americans to be shot and killed by a police officer. In these cases, black Americans are twice as likely to be unarmed as white counterparts." A boy is in a bad car accident with his father. The father dies and in the operating room the surgeon arrives and says, "I cannot operate on this boy, he is my son". Who is the surgeon? His mother. Most people don't get this beca...

 Tu 6/8/21 825am. 215pm. 9pm.  Up 645am: Partly cloudy, muggy with temps to the low 80's and possible showers this afternoon. I wrote up 'PARABLE OF THE SOWER' and 'THE CITY AND THE PILLAR' for the blog. Watched 'THE INTERPRETER' (Netflix). A melodramatic political thriller concerning skullduggery and a fake assassination plot at the United Nations. A beautiful UN interpreter overhears what she thinks is an assassination plot and a determined U.S. Secret Service agent tries to neutralize the threat; with Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, and Catherine Keener. 'If I Had A Boat' by Lyle Lovett and 'Hey Grandma' by Moby Grape are featured in the film. Then the next episode of 'MASTER OF NONE' (Netflix). A 55 minute episode about the emotional rollercoaster of in vitro fertilization.  1230pm: Reading 'THE HAVANA ROOM' and will walk later and pick up the gel-pen. 235pm: Parkview, Wash. Pk. South side and across, panhandle, North on Walnut ...

 Mo 6/7/21 815am. 2pm. 935pm. Up 645am: Muggy with temps to the low 80's and the possibility of rain is in the forecast for the next several days. I watched 'GREEN ZONE' (Amazon Prime). The film makes the case that the reason for the  2003 invasion of Iraq involved 'Weapons of Mass Destruction' and they did not exist. Many reviewers felt that this was too politically partisan, but Republicans really did believe that they could destroy the Bath party and 'peace and democracy' would miraculously occur. This was a stupid and costly mistake. I wonder whether these facts  will be the historical consensus in fifty or a hundred years because I'm sure that many contemporary Republicans would like to see these truths permanently forgotten; with Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Amy Ryan, and Brendan Gleeson.  I wrote The Wrap and sent it off. It was mostly about the guy next door mowing his lawn and the house that was recently sold and power washed.  1145am: ON THE TREAD...

 Su 6/6/21 805am. 1005am (a pinch). 130pm. 850pm.  Up 645am: Cloudy, muggy with temps to mid 80's and a chance of rain this afternoon. Watched 'WHEELER' (Hoopla). A faux-documentary about a guitar picker and songwriter from rural Texas who comes to Nashville to take a shot at becoming a star. More or less a vanity project for Stephen Dorff, yet worth a look...just barely. Kris Kristofferson has a small role and he looks very frail. Then I watched the next two episodes of 'BLACKSPACE' (Netflix). The one-eyed Israeli detective tries to find out the identities of the Unicorn Killers, but the high school students are holding all the cards. Not bad, and I can only hope that the ending is worth the effort.  1235pm: Preparing for a trip to Planet Fitness. 144pm: Planet Fitness~ 45" Cross. 45" Treadmill. 30" Recumbent Bike. 30" Treadmill. 30" Cross. Did the Weekly Cleaning. 6pm: In the tub with 'THE CITY AND THE PILLAR' and listening to KENN...

 Sa 6/5/21 825am. 1255pm. 305pm {a pinch}. 920pm. Up 7am: Mostly sunny with temps to the upper 80's. Watched Netflix disc 'GREENLAND'. A family drama set within an 'end of the world disaster' scenario. It wasn't the best of the genre, but well worth a look; with Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, Scott Glenn, and Hope Davis. 11am: Preparing to mow the lawn. I hope the people in the abandoned house are not visiting. They were there during last night's fireworks. And of course, they brought along at least one hound from hell. There was a truck in the driveway in front of their garage, but there didn't seem to be anyone in the house- No big dog, anyhow. I went ahead and mowed a big patch of their front lawn. Not my best work, but... I was done with everything in just about an hour. ***I decided not to watch the end of 'ROGUE' because it would just be a waste of valuable screen time. So many movies, and so little time and no time whatsoever for the unwo...

Fr 6/4/21- FIREWORKS!! 910am. 150pm. 915pm.  Up 725am: Sunny with temps to upper 80's- Near perfect early summer day. Listened to the 'Fresh Air' podcast from yesterday;  How Russia used an overt agent to attack Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Watched 'WHAT JUST HAPPENED' (Kanopy). This wasn't a truly memorable film, but still pretty damn good. The film is a profile of the trials and tribulations of a big time Hollywood producer. He's just produced a film with a director who insists that the hero's dog must be shot in the head at the end of the film, but this is a turn-off for audiences everywhere. And in one of his other films, Bruce Willis  is under contract to play a contemporary American hero, but he will not shave his long beard or lose fifty pounds of recently added weight. Wry dialog and an all-star cast; with  Robert De Niro, John Turturro, Stanley Tucci, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener, Bruce Willis, Robin Wright, and Kristen Stewart. Then the next ...

 Th 6/3/21 905am. 215pm. 930pm.  Up 730am: Sunny with temps to low 80's. Back to 116 Mbps upstairs although this doesn't rule out that it was the downstairs PC and not the Internet/Xfinity that caused the slowdown last night- Possible, but I doubt it. Watched 'MANDY' (Hoopla).  Random violence engenders extreme retribution. Hazy and muddy photography enhances the dream-like quality, but makes it difficult to watch. Nifty Scenes: Cage chugs vodka in the bathroom...Dueling chainsaws- one is over twice as long...Cage swallows a dab of gray psychedelic and his mind explodes.           From 'The Playlist': "Through Cage, the film’s straightforward revenge plot becomes a King Crimson album played at half speed and twice normal volume; a bizarre and bloody outing with a strong heart beneath the surface."  ***1145am: Called Republic to find out the procedure to get rid of the recliner. Habitat does a free pickup, but I don't think the chair is w...

 We 6/2/21- Paid The Taxes 855am. 1120am. 345pm. 9pm.  Up 8am: Partly cloudy with temps to the low 70's.  ***905am: A beautiful morning, sun and clouds with temps to upper sixties when I left for the county building (after a few tokes).  I parked at 8th and Edwards and walked through the Lincoln Home area blissed out...In and out of the county building; $1,400.  Then to the County Market/Fairhills for the groceries: $88. Home by 1015am. 1125am: Watched 'MINORITY REPORT' (Amazon Prime). Not a bad SciFi/Action/Adventure film, but radically different from Dick's short story. Three precogs can read the future, but when one disagrees it's called a 'minority report'.  The film is an attempt to decode the dilemma of  'Freedom of Choice' vs. 'Predestination'. Fast paced and entertaining, but I would have preferred a darker and more 'Phil Dick-ian' sensibility although the special effects by Steven Spielberg were fantastic; with Tom Cruise, Ma...

 Tu 6/1/21 850am. 220pm. 530pm. 920pm.  Up 720am: Cloudy and temps to low 70's. Watched 'CRISIS' (Hoopla). "Over 100,000 people die from opioid overdose each year, a figure that grows at over 20% annually. More Americans were killed by an opioid overdose in the past two years than died in the Vietnam War". These facts were shown over the end credits and probably more compelling than anything in the movie. The story is told using intertwined plotlines of people affected by the opioid crisis, but they didn't ring true and strain credulity; with Gary Oldman, Armie Hammer (He is the great-grandson of industrialist, art collector and philanthropist Armand Hammer), Evangeline Lilly, Greg Kinnear, and Kid Cudi. Shot in Montreal and Detroit in the winter. ***Buddy threw up 935am. He seemed a little off yesterday as well. 1145am: He seems back to normal and I've given him a couple of servings of canned food and he's kept it down.  1210pm: ON THE TREADMILL...5 M...