Day in the Life of Driving to Los Angeles, the Death of Buffets, and the Covid Vaccine

I'm tired, guys. I'm beginning to feel yesterday's jog. I'M SORE!!!

Hey there. There wasn't too much to talk about today. I spent about 3 and half hours of the day driving to and from work and didn't get much down time. But that doesn't mean I didn't have any thoughts and conversations. Let's get into it.

Thoughts on... Oculus

Hey there.  I love horror flicks.  I am intrigued by the supernatural.  I think that Amy Pond, er... Karen Gillan, is awesome.  So when I find out that there is film out there that combines all three, I just had to check it out!  In a nutshell, Oculus is a film about a mirror and some spooky stuff that goes around because of it.  Brother and sister, Tim and Kaylie, vow to destroy it once and for all.  But can they get it done before the mirror does its spooky stuff on them???  Story doesn't sound original, but it does look intriguing, so when I found the film at my local Redbox, I couldn't resist.  I haven't done a Thoughts on post in a while so let's just lay out the ground rules before I get into it.  THIS IS NOT A REVIEW.  This is merely some thoughts and observations that I made while watching the film.  Also, I will speak candidly of the film so there will be spoilers.  If you haven't seen it, go see it now and then come back and check out this post.  Now, my thoughts on... Oculus.

The Magic of Chucky and Child's Play

Hi, I'm Chucky wanna play?

Hey there.  It's Friday night and we're hanging out at home looking for a movie to watch.  We could go out and catch a just released film but we decided to browse through Netflix to see what we could find.  What we decided on was Child's Play, the 1988 cult classic.  The kids haven't seen it.  They're more into the new stuff.  They care not for 80s awesome unless I bring it up and tell them about it.  I always said how some of my earliest memories are that of my dad and I staying up watching movies on HBO.  I'm sure my mother didn't approve.  I was no more than 8 years old or so and there I was, watching Child's Play, Poltergeist, The Exorcist, Phantasm, Hellraiser, you know, movies along those lines.  Looking back at them now, they aren't really child material and I wouldn't show my kids stuff like that at that young of an age.  Anyways, Child's Play came up on Netflix and there I go, saying how awesome it is that we just have to watch it.

Thoughts on... Insidious

Creepy kid?  Check.  Scary thing in the background?  Check.
Red?  Check.  Rating... wait what???  PG13???  o_O

Hey there.  Last night, I sat down with the wife and caught the movie Insidious on Netflix.  I love me a good a horror flick and the wife... well...  she gets spooked.  lol  Don't get me wrong, she'll sit down and watch them, but it usually has to be day time or she'll freak out.  The fact that the movie is rated PG-13 made me believe that it will not be as disturbing as other movies that I have watched.  The idea of the film is a good one, but I think it could have been better.  I really think that the rating hurt this film more than anything else as I'll explain below.  There will be spoilers below, so if you have not seen this movie and plan to... go do that now and then come back!  You have been warned!  So here are my thoughts on... Insidious.

Thoughts On... The Human Centipede 2

Hey there.  What an insane movie.  When I heard that the sequel to The Human Centipede was to be made, I knew that I had to watch it.  Weird, quirky, disgusting, intense horror flicks are what I like to watch and The Human Centipede did not disappoint in that respect.  The first film told the story of a doctor that came up with a way to create a "human centipede".  He created his specimen by attaching 3 people.  The film used it's tagline, 100% medically accurate, to intrigue viewers.  Is it really possible to attach people that way and have them survive?  The film ended in some what of a cliffhanger and I needed to watch part 2 to see what would happen next.  Especially since word on the web said that the second part would include a 12 human centipede!  So here are my thoughts on, The Human Centipede 2!  *SPOILERS AHEAD*

The Official Selection of the 2011 Screamfest - The Night Caller

Hey there.  I know that Halloween is over and people everywhere are recovering from their scare induced comas but when a great short film comes my way, I need to give it the props it deserves!  Regardless of the time of year!  In 7 tense minutes, Peter Prodgursky and Donna Thorland did an awesome job directing this short story by Gary Raisor.  Using great lighting, awesome colors, and tense moments, the story definitely comes to life and captivates you.  Now... I've said too much.  Let me not spoil it for you.  There's only so much you can say of a short film before you start giving away too many details but just so that you can get a feel for the film, here's the official synopsis:

A father's promise to read his daughter a bedtime story begins a night time descent into terror and madness for his young wife.

If you have 7 minutes to spare, check it out and let me know what you think!  Later!

The Walking Dead on AMC is Not Your Typical Zombie Show

Hey there.  Last year, a great show aired on AMC and guess what...  I missed it.  Of course I did, I mean, who wants to hear about another zombie show/movie?  I'll admit that even though I love the genre, it seemed so saturated at the time that I didn't pay it any mind.  And considering that AMC picked up the show for only a 6 season episode makes me believe that AMC must have thought the same thing.  Boy was I wrong!  The Walking Dead has been a great success for AMC and the second season is just underway and now I hear that they have picked it up for another full season!

Casey Anthony Found Not Guilty: America Weeps

What?  My daughter's dead. Noooooooooo... I didn't do it.

Hey there.  I'll admit that I haven't been as captivated by this case as much as I should have been.  As a matter of fact, I first heard about the case from my wife, when she decided to purchase a magazine with Casey on the cover.  I naturally asked her who's that and she explained the case to me.  I then asked if she was famous since she was on the magazine, she said no.  With that right there... I should have known that this was big.  Since then, I started asking my wife to fill me in on the court proceedings, since my wife has the luxury to watch it at home.  Night after night, the evidence compiled against Casey made it seem like she was going to be found guilty for murdering her daughter.  I was curious to see if they would give her the death penalty and even the "experts" on TV were saying that anything but the death sentence would be a victory for Casey.  The "experts" were saying she was as good as guilty.  Then... the American Justice system did what it does best.  It set this child murdering woman free.  That's right, the jury found Casey Anthony NOT GUILTY!

CDC Recommends We Prepare for a Zombie Invasion

Hey there. At first, I thought this was a joke... but it's not. Yahoo News has posted up an article from the CDC (Center of Disease Control) that states that we should prepare for all natural disasters... INCLUDING ZOMBIES! That's right, The CDC is saying that zombies are a possibility and that we should prepare in case it happens. Can you imagine that? A world, not unlike that of Left 4 Dead, Dead Rising, Resident Evil... and many other kill em up zombie games. I don't know if I should be scared or excited. lol

Teen Mom: Some Thoughts

Hey there.  I was watching Teen Mom last night with the wife and I noticed the disclaimer right before the show stating something along the lines of teen pregnancy being 100% preventable.  There is this one couple on the show that smoke pot.  Now, I'm thinking to myself, they're underage, smoking pot is illegal (it wasn't for medicinal purposes, that's for sure) and they're filming and talking about it and broadcasting it on TV.  Am I missing something here?  The girl has a child and she's smoking pot to "get away".  Now, I understand that it's nowhere near the level of teen cocaine addiction, but don't you think that someone at MTV should be telling this girl that she may need help?  Her mother has custody of the girl's child, the girl has nowhere to stay, and it turns out that both her and her boyfriend smoke pot on a regular basis.  It's safe to say that the girl's family life is in shambles.

At the end of the season, Dr. Drew has a reunion type show with all the mothers and follows up on how their lives have changed since the show.  Dr. Drew is awesome.  He has his own show on MTV, Celebrity rehab with Dr. Drew.  Some of the testimonials that come out of that show are amazing.  These are spoiled celebrities who can be stubborn and if they make it through the show, express nothing but sincere gratitude to Dr. Drew.  But he doesn't just deal with adult treatments, he also specializes in teen addictions and helps with all sort of treatments such as teen cocaine treatment.  Anyways, I like how he gives them guidance on how to move forward depending on their situation.  What I don't like about the show is that there even is a show about it. 

I understand that teen pregnancies happen.  Hell, I was a father in my teens.  But MTV and other networks shouldn't be glamorizing it.  I think I read somewhere that one of the mom's on this show said she was a role model.  No she's not.  It's difficult as it is to be a parent, let alone do it while still in high school, without a job, and without family support.  It's tough and I think it sucks that shows like this potentially add to the notion that if you do get pregnant at an early age, they can be on TV.  In my opinion, if you're about to have a baby and you don't have the slightest clue on what you're going to do, the last thing that should be crossing your mind is to be on TV.  

I understand that some TV is meant for entertainment purposes.  I get the extreme stuff, the fashion stuff, the crazy stuff, but I don't get the teen pregnancy one.  Tell me again why people would care to watch a child raise another?  If it's a documentary or a movie, I can see the appeal, but this is a TV show that is meant to entertain the young demographic that MTV caters too.  And let's be real, here.  This is NOT a reality show.  The pregnancy is real, but when you're getting paid a 6 figure salary, see previous teen mom train wreck Amber, there is no way that MTV is not staging some of the stuff on the show.  If you want to watch for entertainment purposes, by all means go for it, but don't believe that the "stories" and "drama" behind it are real.  Later!

Egyptian President Steps Down

Hey there.  I try not post news type stuffs on this blog, since I figured that the same story is posted just about anywhere else on the web, but this one intrigues me.  As you may or may not know, things in Egypt have been bad.  Very bad.  There is so much turmoil between the people of Egypt and their leaders that the people have turned to violence due to the authoritarian ways of their president.  Today, the president finally steps down and the military has taken power.  Can you imagine something like that happening in the States?  Where the people of the US say, "Screw you prez!" and marches, and protests are rampant throughout the States because the people are standing up to what they believe in.  I think that the police force would start taking advantage and use their authority to have their way.  I can imagine that police harassment would be up, similar to the stuff that went down in Orlando, Fl .  Imagine the military coming in and taking control?  That's just an insane thought to me.

I'm glad that the people of Egypt are rejoicing over their president stepping down.  It's good to see that the voice of the people still has a purpose.  What's awful about the whole thing is that the voice used was not only that of reason, but that of violence.  Congrats and best of luck, Egypt.  Your people have spoken, changes are being made and democracy is on it's way.  I hope that all turns out well for you.  Later!

Going to Work... With My Dad?

Hey there.  Do you believe in ghosts?  I believe that there definitely is something after life... not so sure of ghosts, though.  Maybe better referred to as energies?  You know, people have always been infatuated with things that go bump in the night and other "scary" occurrences that go on during a normal day.  If that wasn't the case, we wouldn't see films like Paranormal Activity being made.  I, myself, have experienced many things at home that I simply cannot explain.  I'm beginning to wonder if maybe those somethings are beginning to happen at work.

This morning, I walk into my office and I turn on my computer.  Nothing odd about that.  I go and grab my coffee and sit down, ready to tackle today's work load.  That's when it hit me...  why do I smell cigarettes?  I don't smoke, my window is closed, and no one has been in my office.  Why the smell of smoke and cigarettes?  Hmmm...  I walk around and sniff to see if maybe I can get to the bottom of it.  Nothing.  A coworker then walks by so I ask if she can step into my office.  I ask if she can smell it.  (insert inappropriate fart joke here)  lol  She says smell what and I tell her cigarettes.  She doesn't so she calls me crazy and walks away.  Hmmm... maybe I am crazy, but then again... I think I know what it is.

I wouldn't doubt it if it's my dad.

Yup, my pops probably followed me to work today.  Why followed?  Well, because I wouldn't doubt it if all the weird stuff that goes on at home is him as well.  Footsteps in the hallways, cabinets opening on their own, my dog being let inside the house when the doors were locked, corona bottles opening by themselves, cans and jars rocking back and forth... the list goes on and on.  Today... I can add, noticed my dad at work.

My dad had 2 distinct scents to him.  He loved to splash on Brut cologne (yup, old school) and he smoked... a lot.  You know how some people say that you can tell the presence of an "energy" by smelling a scent that they were most associated with.  I would say the two I mentioned definitely would fit my father.  Also, I recently mentioned to my kids that we would go see grandpa this weekend so maybe the smell was his way of reminding me that I better go see him.

It's been almost 20 years now since my pops passed and it intrigues me that most of the "activity" centers around the kids.  Their toys go off on their own, their swing sets swing on their own, bouncers are bouncing without batteries.  Recently, the baby has taken a liking to my dad's drawing on the wall. 

He'll start to point, laugh, and stare at it from time to time.  My oldest, when he was younger, would say that "a ghost" would tell him where things were and to stay away from fire.  And then not too long ago, my youngest daughter started mentioning that she's been talking to "little grandpa" and has shown a stronger interest in seeing him more at the cemetery.  So I guess today turned out to be, "tag along with my son to work to remind him to go see me at the cemetery" day.  lol  No worries, dad.  I'll be there.  And we wont forget the beer.  Later!

The Kids and My Father's Presence

Hey there. My pops passed away when I was 9 years old. I grew up without really having a father figure in my life and it was pretty tough. My mother was rarely home so my brother and I practically raised ourselves. I guess that's why my brother and I have a pretty close relationship. Anyways, I always told myself that I would try to be the best dad I could. I am now the dad of 4 and I do my best to provide the best I can. But sometimes... I feel like I'm getting a little help from my pops.

There have been some pretty strange occurrences involving my brother and my kids. First off, when my dad first passed away, my brother would say that he would see him in his dreams. Mind you, my brother was 4 years old when my dad passed, so it's not like he would be making stuff up like that. I'm sure that he was too young to really know what was going on. Then, when our oldest son was born, more weird occurrences started happening. My son would be in his swing, and the swing would inexplicably move on it's own, the TV would turn on and off on it's own, and we would hear some pretty weird noises coming out of a radio that wasn't even plugged in. When our oldest daughter was born, more of the same went on. The same with the swing and I started to hear voices. It never really freaked me out, but it did raise my curiosity.

With our youngest daughter, we didn't have much in that kind of activity, but we did have one huge one. My wife set our daughter down on the couch and she went off to the kitchen. My brother in law was in his room, my wife in the kitchen, and our daughter in the living. Then, my wife hears the sound of someone giving someone a huge kiss. You know, that puckering sound. So she goes over to the living room, thinking that it was my brother in law kissing our daughter. Nope, he was in his room, semi-asleep. My wife freaked. She's never really dealt with anything of that sort so to hear "someone" kiss our baby frightened her. The other night, as we were having dinner, my daughter says to me that she remembers seeing "little daddy" when she was born. I asked her who that was and she said that it was my dad, that she likes calling him "little daddy." It threw me in for a loop but I continued along with her to see what else she would say. She says she remembers seeing him when she was born and that now she misses him. My wife and weren't sure what to make of it. We were not talking about my father so it was extremely odd that she would just throw that idea out there. Now, things are happening with our youngest son.

We find that our son loves to stare at my pop's picture. I have a picture (drawing) of my father in the living room. When we sit on the couch holding our son, we see him stare at the picture and then laugh and coo. Another instance involved footsteps. I was at the store and my wife was sitting with my baby son on the couch. Again, he looked at my father's picture and laughed and cooed and smiled. Then, my wife heard footsteps in the hallway. She freaked. She called me to ask me to hurry home. I check it out and the kids were asleep and I as I stand in the living room, talking to her, we both hear the footsteps again. Pretty intense stuff. And that leads me to the bouncer. Our son loves his bouncer and we believe to have found out why. When we place our son it, we snuggles with his blanket and then drifts asleep. Nothing weird, right? WRONG! That is until you see that the bouncer is rocking itself, even though it's off! It's happened on more than one occasion and I point it out to my wife each time I see it happening. So what are we make out of this?

I say, it's my pops helping me out. It's always happening around our kids, and it's usually when we're trying to rock them or soothe them. I joke around with my wife and tell her that it's my pops doing all the crazy things around the house. The corona bottle, Odin, and since the kids' birth, them. Just the other night, I placed our son in his bouncer and as I was walking away, my wife noticed that the swing was pushed by no one. Yup, it was swinging on it's own. We both just looked at it and said, "Dad, he's in the bouncer." I smiled at wife and she still looked a little freaked out by it. Well, at least we know that my pops is still around, helping out. And if one of the kids start to complain that their head hurts, I'll know it's him... giving them a noogie. lol Later!

Demon in the Mirror?

Hey there. There have been a lot of talk about the paranormal as of late. New Ghost Hunters on TV, new paranormal movie and what not. It's a subject that grabs my attention. We don't fully understand the world we live in. Sometimes, things happen that are so "unnatural" to us that we boggle our minds with how and why it happened. Well, this weekend, my brother showed me a video that had some paranormal activity in it. Things such as poltergeists in action and what not, but the video that really caught my attention was this one. Check it out.

The Mystery of the Corona Bottle

Hey there. More weird things happening in our home. If Odin appearing in the house on his own wasn't enough, check out what happened last night. About a week or so ago, we had company over and we all chilled, had a few beers/drinks and capped the night off with some Guitar Hero. Because I'm not a solo drinker, I never have beer in the fridge unless it's some leftover beer from one our get togethers. Well, it turns out that we had a few Coronas left so I stashed them in the fridge. Last night, my wife decided that the fridge needed some cleaning so she was cleaning it out. She accidentally knocked over one of the Coronas and it toppled to the floor. She stared at it as it fell, lol Luckily, it didn't break so we didn't have shards of glass all over the place. My babe, picked it up and set it next the other bottle of Corona. Nothing weird about that, right?

WRONG! As my babe was about to place the bottles back in the fridge, one of the bottles was open and the bottle cap was missing! WTF!?!?!? We searched for the cap and we didn't find it, then it occurred to my wife that the cap was on the bottle when it fell because it was lying on the floor. If the cap was missing from the get go, it would've spilled when it landed on the floor. That was not the case. We looked at each other in disbelief. I dare not drink the beer of ghosts so I poured it down the drain. lol

Today, during lunch, we concluded that it was probably my pops. My dad passed away when I was 9 (over 17 years ago) and we figured that my pops was probably thirsty so he opened it and took the cap with him to let us know he was there. We usually take a beer can for him when we would go and visit him at the cemetery, but these last couple of times, I've forgotten it. He must've been pissed cause I didn't take it to him on Father's Day, so he needed to take action into his own hands and take it himself. lol Sorry pops, I promise to take you two next time we visit. Later!