March is almost over, but winter is still holding out after being teased with some warmer temperatures. We even had a little snow, which we don't get every year. It's nice though for any type of precipitation. We need it.

Phoenix Trip

We've been visiting the Phoenix/Scottsdale area often because when you're building a house, it's where most of the nicer showrooms and warehouses are for everything you'll need.

Some tile selections we're looking at for our bathrooms

While it was a hectic time, we still took some time to visit the Desert Botanical Gardens for their evening lights.

Desert Botanical Gardens in the early evening
Desert Botanical Gardens lighting once the sun goes down

House Construction Update

We now have a floor above the lower level, which is where our living room and primary bedroom suite will be. They've built up that second, main, floor a bit since this photo, but there's been more equipment and supplies on site which makes a nice, full-width photo like this one harder to take.

It will look a lot different next time. I anticipate having the wood panels wrapping the house, and the sub-structure for the front decks, as well.

Verde Valley Comic Expo

As far a comic conventions go, this was probably the smallest I've ever been to, but it supported a local charity, and it had, as a guest, one of my favorite comic book artists in attendance, Steve Rude.

The character he's most known for, is Nexus, which is still around today after forty years.

Nexus

He's got a unique style that somehow blends the Hanna-Barbera animated shows of the 60s with the clean style of comic book artists of that decade, notably Jack Kirby.

I absolutely love his clean lines and how he can suggest so much detail without having all the detail. He deals more with light and shadows than with intricate lines. Kind of like Frank Miller, but in a more wholesome way.

Steve Rude art featuring Superman and Batman

So I dug out a few choice comics from my collection for him to sign. I got there early when there weren't many people there and was able to have a nice chat with him. Super great guy. As an added bonus, I was able to see him draw a live model at the event.

Steve Rude drawing a model live.

I didn't realize he lives in Arizona, too, so there's a likelihood I'll see him at a future event.

Movies

  • Anora won best picture at the Academy Awards, and I'd heard so much about it, I had to see it. People seem to hate it or love it. I personally loved it, and that only grew the more I thought about it afterward, and viewed some videos that dissected the film.
  • A Prophet (2009) had been on my list to watch for a long time, and recently appeared again on Netflix, so I took my opportunity to catch it. A French prison / gangster film. Pretty good, but definitely feels long with it's 155 minute run-time.
  • Mickey 17 definitely has some modern day commentary. I enjoyed it overall, but I'm left wondering what it may have been like had Terry Gilliam directed it.
  • A Working Man is basically some scenes of Jason Statham stitched loosely together to show him kicking ass. The bad guys in this film are worse at targeting than a Stormtrooper. It's like Statham's character just assumes bullets won't hit him in some scenes.