Monthnotes 28 Feb 2025

This past month, I attended a few days of the WM Phoenix Open golf tournament for the first time. Also caught a few films at this year's Sedona Film Festival.

WM Phoenix Open

I'm not really a fan of golf, but when a co-worker was in town and asked if I wanted to go, I was up for the experience.

What may have impressed me the most is that there were a few hundred thousand people there, and parking and shuttles to and from the event were constant. I was really amazed at how well they moved people around to and from the golf course.

Once there, it's simply a lot of walking unless you've got seats somewhere. But I guess it depends on whether you're following a player around, or watching all the players play through a single hole.

A highlight, I suppose, was seeing Seamus Power, who my employer, Power Home Remodeling, sponsors.

House Update

We are starting to have walls downstairs. This looks straight into where my office will be. Immediately above this area will be our living room and primary bedroom and bathroom. Next month, I think we should have the entire house framed out.

Movies

• Companion was a lot of fun. My favorite film of the year so far.
• Heart Eyes was also a good time. A bit didn't make sense, but this one's more about the kills and tension.
• Paddington in Peru is more Paddington. Not as good as the other two, but I'd probably watch any Paddington film just to revisit the character again.
• The Gorge was another really good one. The first half really gets you to like the character and then, literally, throws them into the abyss.
• The Monkey. So much fun. Had a perfect ending sequence, too.

Sedona International Film Festival 2025

• Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion tells the story of this living legend of costume design. Even I knew who he was from his famous designs for Cher and coming up with countless costumes for the Carol Burnett show. In the Q&A after the film, he's incredibly humble and just seems like an ordinary guy who loves what he does and loves doing a good job. He's done so much over his career, and all of it is impressive.

• The Performance is almost certainly Piven's best performance. The rest of the film is okay, but came off a bit heavy-handed with its message by the end of the movie. This one was a passion project of his and his sister, who directed the film. I know Piven's been the subject of controversy. He seems to have kept his head down long enough to start appearing in films again. Sweetwater, another film he's in, also played the film festival.