Happy Halloween

 I'm just going to hold my breath and wait for this day to be over. (vomit)

Ghost (Sour Pink Lemonade)

 There's getting to be so many flavors out there even I can't keep up now!

And it's hard to find some of the uncommon ones like this but I found a place that had it so I decided to try it out. 

Not bad!!

I love lemon flavored energy drinks and this one taste great! The "sour" really comes from tartness of the leamonade flavor. It's honestly one of the better ones I've had from this brand. 

The only ones I know are still out there that I haven't tried are "Faze Pop", "Bubbliscious Cotton Candy" and "Sour Rainbow Strips" but I have no idea where to go for these since most places only carry the basic flavors. 

It won't stop me from looking though!

Venice Nursery Promo (mini-review)

 Really good game I picked up this year had a promo I had to get. This let's you move you're other boat and even promote a worker at another building!

I really like this one and since I've been playing the game a lot more (it's got to be a Top 100 for me now) I knew I had to get it. 

Is it worth getting? Yes. (if you're a fan of the game as I am)

Easy to find at the BGG Store right now. 

Have a good weekend folks!

Elevator Room (review)

 Scary movie month continues...and comes to a screeching halt with this dud. 

The trailer is impressive...the movie was made off of a collage budget. 

You play a game and if you play it wrong, the "Red Lady from Level 5" gets you. If you play it right? The Red Lady from Level 5 gets you!

Huh? 

So what was the point of playing the game in the first place?! The movie can't come up with an answer. 

The acting is poor, the lighting it horrendous and the "scares" are few and far between. 

The only thing enjoyable about this movie was that I got to watch it with some fellows who kept the laughs rolling as we watched this garbage. 

PASS.

You're better off taking the stairs than playing the Elevator Game on your TV. Trust me. 

Coke Y3000 (review)

 I always have to try a new flavor each time I see it. So the moment I saw this at the gas station I knew I had to give it a try. 

Yuck. 

Orange Creme soda. No wonder they hid that with an obscure name. Because if you called it by its true flavor NO ONE in their right mind would buy it. 

Also, I need to be more careful around this time of year. You never know when the dreaded "pumpkin spice" version will come out. 

I shudder at the mere thought!

As for this flavor? It's another swing and a miss for Coke. 

Retribution (review)

 I don't know why I even bother watching Neeson anymore. It's the same premise, different setting. 

Remember 15 years ago when he was playing the dad of a teenage girl who gets kidnapped? 

Now he's still playing the dad of young teenage children (at 70?)  and trying to get out of a situation that feels it's straight out of a 90's movies. 

Someone plants a bomb under his car seat and unless he obeys the instructions of the mysterious caller on the cell phone, he'll blow them all up. 

This "thriller" takes place overseas in another country for no apparent reason then that's where they decided to film on location. 

The plot never goes anywhere and the "twist" ending makes even less sense. 

The reason I watched this one in the first place is because it actually got a theatric release (unlike the last 2) so I thought the caliber of the story would be better. 

It's wasn't. 

Avoid at all cost. Not sure if I'll ever trust another one of his films again. He had a great run, but now it's going nowhere (just like this film did) 

Talk to Me (review)

 

It's Halloween season... I'm striking out when it comes to movies. 

BOR-RING!

20 minutes of character development before they get to the actual story but the problem is, by the time that all starts you care NOTHING for the characters. 

They aren't likable or relatable. 

For half the film nothing really scary happens, there's one scene that's "ok" and the ending is so predictable you'll know it 10 minutes before it ends. 

I'm getting tired of these horror movies with an interesting premise, but predictable ending. Seems that's all they make these days anymore. 

PASS!

Big Game Energy (review)

 Gave this one a try a few weeks ago out of curiosity (and that it was a sour drink)

Very, very MEH. 

Weak, flat taste. Wasn't a fan. While the flavor was unique, is wasn't very good either. I won't be trying any of flavors. 

Have a good weekend folks!

Carl's Date

Didn't even know this short came out. Didn't even know I wanted to see more from the world of "Up" either. 

It was good. Not great, but good enough to make you miss Carl as a character. There's a little heartfelt moment in the end to make you smile as well. 

Pixar has lost its magic over the years, but I love when they bring classics back the right way like they did here. Worth the watch if you're interested. 
 

Formula D Catalina Santana Promo

 I usually don't go for promos for this game but when I saw it came with the extra car I couldn't resist. 

Not worth getting. It was $20 w/shipping (they charged me $5 but the envelope said $1.35) So probably paid too much. But overall I'm happy I got it. 

We played this a lot during summer vacation and I was caught up in the moment when I bid on it during a BGG auction. 

That stupid auction was a month long so it didn't come in until September. 

Again, I'll probably never play the character card since I don't play the advanced version but that car? That will be my car I use for every race going forward!

Architects of the West Kingdom: Christ the Redeemer Promo (mini-review)

 A few MONTHS ago I bought this from their online store. Due to several delays and 2 attempts to get my address right (their fault, not mine) it finally came in last month. 

I bought a few other promos for the game but decided not to feature them because they're just extra cards to the game with no particular name for them other than "promo pack" All those cards and this Wonder do is give you more choices in the game and I'm all for that. 

Don't be fooled by the size either. That meeple is bigger than the picture indicates. I was a little surprised when I got it in. 

Again, it's your average run-of-the-mill promos that only add extra choices to the game but nothing new. Worth it? To me, yes. To a fan of the game? I'll go ahead and say "Yes" too.  

Dinosaur World Lawyer Promo (mini-review)

 I'm a completist, what can I say? 

This card is currently available in the BGG Store, so during one of their Flash sales I went ahead and picked this up. 

It's a good card to get if you think you're going to get hit hard that round. Is it a must have? No, but you can't tell a completist like me that. 

Justified: City Primeval (review)

 Finished it last month and I have to say...not bad!

The Good:

- Having Raylan Givens back felt good from the start. Though 8 years older since we last saw him, he's still a character that draws you in the moment you see him. 

- Excellent villain. You believe he's as bad as he pretends to be. A little cocky mixed with some smarts on how he knows the law and has been in the game long enough to sniff out a trap or betrayal. Very believable character. 

- Raylan still makes me laugh. The show writers kept the integrity of the show the entire way through. That shouldn't be hard to do with only 8 episodes but...has anyone seen a Marvel show lately??? EEEE...

The Ho-Hum:

- Its 2023 and you have to check that diversity box these days for execs to approve your show. So they set the story in Detroit which made sense and also allowed a slew of diverse characters into the show. 

The Bad:

- I HATE when they deconstruct a character. It's what EVERY writer likes to do these days because they aren't talented enough to write a continuation from a happy ending. Raylan and his wife are divorced, for NO reason Raylan falls in love with an old chubby lawyer (diversity check!) but when he finally quits the US Marshals at the end, it isn't enough to bring his true love back to him as she says in her cameo appearance in the end "You couldn't quit for me, I'm glad you're quitting for her" (the daughter) This was extremely disappointing but expected in today's limited writer's imaginations.

The GREAT:

Raylan gets his man in the end with 15 minutes left to go and you're thinking "Ok....what's next?" Then they hit you with a whopper!!!! Bringing back Boyd at the end....with a jail break and a cliffhanger that shows Raylan seeing the Alert, trying to ignore it while his phone starts ringing from a call by the US Marshalls.

PERFECT. 

Whether or not they go with another season I don't care. Either way, that was a GREAT way to end the series. 

Overall, I was happy with it and would welcome more if FX seemed fit.   

Funyuns Spicy Queso

 I love me some Funyuns, but spicy queso? Why??

Didn't matter because Megan knew to pick them up for me without asking. I'm all for trying something new like this. 

Aaaaaaaand, it's not Funyuns at all. Just Spicy Queso flavor on chips shaped like Funyuns. What was the point? 

Not a taste of onion. None. Just Queso. 

Don't understand it, not getting it again. What a waste. 

Carmella Creeper

 Got to try out the newest Monster cereal flavor last month. It's so-so. Caramel taste that's not too strong and is fine. It falls in line with the other cereals and I hope sticks around for years to come. They also came out with another "Monster Mash" that includes here but unless they go on sale, I don't see a need to get one right now. 

Here's to hoping we get Yummy Mummy back in stores next year! 

Santa Bowl Update X

 Egads! I made an error! The game is on December 9th NOT Sunday the 10th!!

Just noticed that as I was lining up my team for the upcoming game. 

But I'm noticing there's an issue....people on my side are getting too old for this. 

My brother Jeremy informed me he "stopped running years ago" and a few others who played years ago have expressed their regrets that they can no longer play anymore. 

I'm in a little bit of trouble here. Putting together a team of 22 people (like we did in the old days) is the only way to ensure no one gets gassed halfway through the game. But if I only have 11, we're going to get smoked!

Oh well. It's only a game right? 

She you with next month's update!

Last Voyage of the Demeter (review)

 I'd heard this movie left theaters almost the moment it arrived. I thought it was an interesting story about how Dracula came to England and was interested in checking it out. 

I finally got a chance to watch it and it was pretty good! I'm surprised it bombed in theaters. Its beautifully shot, has interesting characters and a good overall story. 

Odd, but I kept thinking it this had come out 15 years ago I may have made more money. It looked like a movie that would've killed at that time. But I guess these days people are more picky with which movies they choose to go see and I can surely understand that. 

But if you get the chance this October for a "scary" movie, it's worth a watch!

Still young

 It's wild the think that my friends (some of whom are 14 years younger than me) are aging faster than I am. 

For example, we have stairs at our house. I'm still running up and down them with ease. But the biggest thing I've noticed is chairs. For game nights and podcast upstairs I'm always used metal folding chairs. But as of this past year everyone is telling me it hurts to sit in them now. 

I'm slowly buying more comfortable chairs but until then, I'm the only one stuck in a metal folding chair without pain and discomfort. While friends my age or up to 14 years younger, MUST sit in a comfy chair or they back hurts. 

Needless to say, it make me very thankful to be in this good of shape at my age. 

Now I'm still getting older in a few aspects. We used to play on the floor 14 years ago....I can't do that anymore. I feel the pain. 

I know in another 10 years I'll be singing a different tune, but for now I'll be thankful for what I've got!

Have a good weekend folks!

Out of checks

 I'm out of checks. 

The last time I ordered checks was when I joined Chase....exactly 14 years ago. 

I'm not even sure if I want to order them again. That was 2009 and it took me this long to order them all. How long will it take the next time?

Yeah, I'm think I'm finally done with these. My church was the only one really getting them anymore and I believe even they have an app now. 

Wow. 14 years. This is no longer relevant in our society anymore its safe to say!

All Hollow's Eve (movie review)

 

Tis the season for scary movies so I thought I'd watch the movie that started all the "Terrifier" movies in the first place. 

I never knew about this until a buddy of mine told me about this low budget movie where the clown was first conceived. 

It's cheap, bad acting at times....but the clown was really good in this one. I liked him better in this one than his bigger budgeted movies. Less gore and more creepy moments which is how it should be. 

It's all about a babysitter who's watching 2 kids at Halloween when they find a VHS tape in one of the kids bags. (yep VHS)

They decide to pop it in and play it, only to discover it's weird "horror" movie vibe. The babysitter send the kids to bed but continues watching the movie without them. It's a couple of "horror" shorts with the clown being a part of a few. 

At the end, the clown comes to life from the TV and reeks havoc on the babysitter. Not a bad ending either. 

Do I suggest watching it? Meh. Not really. It IS cheap and the acting IS poor. But for what it was, I enjoyed it. A good kick off to a month of watching horror movies! 

The Meg 2 (review)

 

Do you like shark movies?

Then don't see this one. It sucks. 

Honestly, Megan and I watched it and couldn't believe how bad it was. The first one was fun. This was.... is just awful!

The story is EVERYWHERE and makes no sense! The sharks (yes there's more this time around) are hardly in it and the entire film is just a giant mess on the big screen. NOT worth your time. 

Writers shouldn't go on strike when their product is as bad as this. 

Slush Puppie commercial - 1984

This was my jam back in the day!