Weeknotes 2021 Jun 11

This post's introductory photo was taken outside of my house. My wife and I just happened to step outside to see something I'm not sure I've ever seen in my life. Practically a full end-to-end rainbow in the sky. It only lasted maybe five minutes but we felt fortunate to have caught it. Not to mention the purple cast to the sky that accompanied it. A truly magical sight.

Texas has had more rain this year than any other I can recall. At a park we visit regularly to walk, we even ran into this crawdad on the sidewalk, which I'm not sure would ever happen had it not been so wet.

Work

This week I travel up to Power's HQ in Philadelphia for the first time since January 2020. I typically visit four or five times a year at least.

Our team is international, so it's not everyone. Not yet. So it's just those right now who were within the U.S. and felt comfortable making the journey. It may be the first gathering like this the company's had since COVID started. And they are doing everything I feel they possibly can to make things as comfortable and safe for everyone involved.

Me and my co-workers are excited and those who can't make it are just getting that much eager for the time when they can come, as well. I'll have a recap on my next post.

Movies

• Dreamscape is a film I haven't seen in a very long time, but have viewed multiple times. While dated, especially the music, it's still a fun movie I recommend if you haven't seen it. A man who read other people's minds is enlisted in an experiment allowing you to enter someone else's dreams. But if you die in the dream, you die in real life.

• The Skin I Live In is a film I've heard is pretty intense and it is. Antonio Banderas plays a famous plastic surgeon who has a special patient who's receiving experimental treatment. The story gets darker and darker as you learn the events that have led up to this doctor/patient relationship. Recommended.
• Cold Skin is a decent, Lovecraftian, film. In the days during the beginning of World War I, a man takes a post in a remote location where it's just him and a lighthouse keeper who may be mad and is obviously defending himself against something unknown that comes in the night. Oh, and there's fish people.

• Fail Safe is an intense film from the 60's that was a bit overshadowed by Dr. Strangelove about similar themes. A glitch causes a U.S. bomber to think Russia has started a nuclear strike on the U.S. Not true, but the soldiers on the plane have strict orders which include disregarding any further order to stop their mission. The tension in this ramps up to a bleak ending that will stay with me for quite a long time.
• Raya and the Last Dragon is the latest animated Disney film and I felt it was really good.
• Nomadland isn't so much a movie with a story but rather a character study of someone in a particular lifestyle. Those who live in RVs or vans, constantly traveling to get to better weather or some seasonal job to help them persist. The main noteworthy aspect of the film is that most of the characters are real-life people who live that lifestyle which is really what makes it fascinating.
• One from the Heart is the first films in a series about some of the worst or maybe obscure films from famous directors. First up is this musical from Francis Ford Coppola. The movie is a technical marvel in the sets and shots that are there, but I hated the characters and really couldn't get into it. Although it's a musical, it's not quite. None of the characters actually sing outside of one, really bad performance, but rather Tom Waits sings songs as kind of background to what's going on on screen.

• The Gumball Rally is a movie I have a blast watching every time I see it. It takes me back to being a ten year old, sitting alone at a weekday movie matinee with a big bucket of popcorn to just get lost and have fun. And that poster art! Love it!

Boardgames in Person

Finally. Getting back together in-person for board games. One we played online a while back that is a bit more fun in person is Forgotten Waters.

What really makes this is the narration from the apps and the writing which is really funny, keeps you wondering what's next and has a knack for turning what seems like a safe choice into anything but.