Month: November 2020

Updates and Things

Chas.Leave a comment

Yeah … I am still alive. I just haven’t felt like posting.

Thanksgiving came and went last week without much fanfare. Our friends who normally host a “Friendsgiving” that we go to every year (wisely) decided to not host this year. It was disappointing but understandable. So, David went off to see his family and I stayed around the house and didn’t really do anything but consume pizza and be a generally depressed bastard. Yay, 2020!

I did get this year’s batch of egg nog made on Thanksgiving Day. Later this week, I get to decide who has been nice enough to receive some and who’s on the shit list and is out of egg nog luck. Ha, ha.

COVID-19 case numbers are going crazy here in our little mountain county. It’s a bummer since we’ve done pretty well for most of the year. It seems like precaution fatigue has people letting their guard down and thus getting infected. I am so ready for all this to be over!

One (well, two really) of the bright spots of the past week has been the arrival of the Dawn of the Dead 4K UHD Limited Edition release from Second Sight and the Midsommar Director’s Cut 4K UHD Limited Edition from A24. Squee!

On Saturday, I had a solo shopping appointment at my favorite record store in Asheville, Harvest Records. I managed to snag the 2020 Black Friday Record Store Day release of Amiee Mann’s Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo. I also found a rare Japanese pressing from 1985 of The Sisters of Mercy’s First and Last and Always. So cool!

Sunday morning, we went for a fancy brunch at The Ascot Club at Highland Forest. We have recently become social members there because a) the membership is cheap and b) all of our friends were joining and we didn’t want to be left out. The food is good and the atmosphere pretty quiet. So, it’s a great place to go for a relaxing meal. We drank mimosas and had fancy brunchables … Chicken and Waffles for me and Steak Caesar Salad for David. Très chic.

Since there were no Black Friday sales to go to in person, I bought a few movies online for cheap. Castle Rock: The Complete Second Season arrived yesterday. Horray for 2-day shipping! But, thanks to Amazon’s amazing pack job, it’s already being returned. The slipcase was damaged and (it might be hard to tell from the photo) the case is actually curved and bent. Amazon’s crapping packing/shipping strikes again. Sheesh.

Bent!

Some other randomness that I might post more about later:
– I framed some enamel pin sets I have recently acquired.
– We watched Unhinged. It’s nowhere near as bad as the critics made it out to be.
– I have become obsessed with color matching my jockstrap and shirt colors when I can.

The workweek is now underway. December is nigh (which means 2021 is just around the corner. And they are calling for SNOW tonight!

Oh, and … because I was bad and missed the actual day on the 21st … Happy 18th Birthday to The Boy Wonder. I guess this blog finally legal! I know I say this every year … but, damn … I never thought it would last this long. So, a big thanks to the constant (or even occasional) readers that still come here and read my ramblings.
18

Editor’s Note: No links ’cause I’m lazy.

Updates and Things

Yes, Please!

Chas.1 Comment

The first Collector’s Edition from A24, Ari Aster’s 171-minute director’s cut will look as crisp on your bookshelf as it does on your screen.

Disc comes enclosed in a clothbound, Hårga-yellow slipcase, accompanied by an illustrated 62-page booklet featuring original artworks from the film by Ragnar Persson and a foreword by Martin Scorsese. Choice of Standard Blu-ray or 4K Ultra HD.

Midsommar Director's Cut 4K
Midsommar Director's Cut 4K
Midsommar Director's Cut 4K
Midsommar Director's Cut 4K
Midsommar Director's Cut 4K
Midsommar Director's Cut 4K
Midsommar Director's Cut 4K

Make mine 4K UHD, please!

Side Note: I think it would seriously cool to have a tattoo of that flaming bear art.

Yes, Please!

Freaky Weekend

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Not really. It was pretty calm for the most part.

David and I did get a wild hair and went to the movies on Saturday afternoon. The local theater has reopened and with Freaky debuting on Friday, we just couldn’t resist. I was a bit nervous about going but it ended up that we were the only two people in the theater. We did wear our masks the whole time just because that’s what you’re supposed to do in 2020. The movie was fun and watching a body-swapping serial killer movie was a nice distraction from the horrors of the world.
Freaky

I did buck health officials’ advice and went and hung out with TomJones on Saturday night at her new house. We ate tasty apps from Boojum and drank G&T’s and Boojum beer. We also watched Parasite (which she had not seen). Most awesome.

And now, Monday is done. If this week goes like today, it’s going to be another long one. Pass the anti-depressants, please.

Freaky Weekend

Movie Update

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If arty sci-fi/thriller/horror films are up your alley, you should immediately check out Possessor, the new film from Brandon Cronenberg. It’s seriously the coolest movie I have seen this year. And, I gotta give props to Christopher Abbott for absolutely knocking it out of the park in the role of Colin Tate.

I am a bit bummed that the theatrical and not the “uncut” version is what’s streaming on VOD. Go figure. That will be remedied when the Possessor: Uncut 4K UHD release arrives in my mailbox next month. Physical media for the win!

Movie Update

Weekend Update

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Well … that was another lazy weekend. Thanks, pandemic!

At least now we have a new President-elect! Hopefully, he will be able to make some headway on getting COVID-19 better under control. I am somewhat hopeful for what 2021 might hold now. If we can get past Trump’s last two months in office, that is. What a total waste of a human being. Ugh.

I did make it to the local B&N on Saturday morning to grab some goodies from the Criterion 50% Off Sale. Yay, consumerism! Though it was a little weird to be only one of two shoppers in the whole store.
Criterion Sale!

Saturday night, I went and fire pitted (socially distanced, of course) with Short Legs, Kiki, and Tom. This has become a weekly event (weather permitting) and a bright spot of sanity … especially since we see friends in person so rarely these days. I am really going to miss this once winter fully hits and it’s way too cold to sit outside even with a fire.

Sunday afternoon, I took a glorious two-hour nap. Yes!

AND … a big hat tip to Bowser for alerting us to the neighbor walking towards the front door on Saturday afternoon. David and I were not naked in the living room or engaged in any form of sexual activity at the time. In all the years I have been in this house, I am surprised that I haven’t been caught having sex in the living room. There have been a couple of close calls though when friends have unexpectedly dropped by. Ha, ha.

Weekend Update

MonsterFest 2020 Wrap-up

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MonsterFest 2020 is in the history books now.

Thursday, the weather was dodgy as Hurricane Zeta (by then tropical storm strength) blew into the mountains. We left in the wind and rain but soon drove out of it. One the way down the Saluda grade, we managed to miss a jack-knifed semi. Fun times. The ride down into South Carolina was pretty smooth until we ran into rain showers that dogged us all the way into Florida. Fun.

As planned, we just hung out at Dr. Phibes and Co.’s house the whole time with very minimal trips out. Damn, pandemic. It would have been nice to have a day out sightseeing. Maybe next time. I did get up at the ass crack of dawn on Sunday and went out to the beach to watch the sunrise. It’s become something I look forward to doing when I am down there. This year, the waves were really aggressive, so it was no surprise there was a rip current warning in place.

Fernandina Sunrise 11/1
Fernandina Sunrise 11/1
Fernandina Sunrise 11/1

Monday, we had a (thankfully) uneventful drive back to the mountains. It’s always good to be home, but always sad to say goodbye to the good friends I only get to see once a year.

There was too much food eaten. There was too much alcohol consumed. There were not enough movies watched. Ha, ha.

And now, the MonsterFest 2020 Movie List:
Friday the 13th (1980)
Dracula (1992)
Superstition
The Evil
Kolchak: The Night Stalker (Chopper)
Phenomena
The Children
The Invisible Man (1933)
The Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
Jack Frost (1997)
Haunt
Spookies
The Voices
Cujo
Christine
Body Double
Grave of the Vampire
Hocus Pocus

As always, a big “THANKS!” to Dr. Phibes and Co. for hosting.

MonsterFest 2020 Wrap-up