Random Thoughts for September 2017

I'm doing 31 Days of Halloween again! In order to make it as little extra work as possible, I have about 40 movies picked out and have their own blogger page, with picture, already set up. So that should cut down on day-to-day work and prevent marathon fatigue (which is definitely a real thing). I have a ton of first-time movies picked out so it should be a lot of fun. Hell, I think there are at least ten from 2017 alone (with two being released in October). I missed doing this last year so figured, despite how hectic my life is, that I'd like to do it regardless.

Fantasy football is in full effect and I'm 3-0. I feel like I shouldn't even be putting this in writing since that'll inevitably just jinx me but fuck it. Gotta do what I gotta do. I have a damn good team this year and therefore able to talk a bunch of shit to my cohorts and it's been a blast. Though I must admit, this is the second year without The League airing alongside and its just not quite as fun. That show always helped inspire for the season but instead we're just left with re-runs (and even those are off of Netflix now...bastards).

I've been operating camera for UNC Bear Athletics. So far I've just shot Football and Volleyball games but others should be in my future once the winter sports start. It's been a lot of fun to get back into the game and do something that actually uses my degree. Makes me feel accomplished in a time where it's not easy to find that while pursuing creative endeavors. It's also made me somewhat invested in the UNC Bear athletic teams which is a nice payoff. Well... besides the actual money.

I'll be bringing back Insomnia Theatre this winter. I'm not entirely sure what format it will run under but I know it'll be back. Could just be as a once-a-year special or it could be something bigger. I don't know. What I do know is that it'll likely just be myself this time around, with potential guests, but no set co-host anymore. I have a lot of fond memories doing it with Dom but unfortunately the quality was just never able to be what I would have liked (the literal sound quality) and our schedules just never synced up well. I hope he'll make a guest appearance eventually. Until then, rewatch some of the old ones while you can because they may be placed under a new section (to differentiate between the production quality).

I have some struggles with the Crimson Summer sequel. The writing is going great and I really like how the story is turning out, it's just taken a lot longer than I've expected to get it done. I'm still being hush-hush on the release date because I'm hoping to meet my original date so don't get your hopes up about that being announced. It'll likely just be dropped out of nowhere. Either way, the sequel will be available this Fall/Winter.

Random Thoughts For August 2017

Wonder Woman ended up being a pleasant surprise. Even with the positive reviews/word of mouth, I was very worried about whether or not it'd live up. I didn't think the previews looked very good and I've always found Gal Gadot to be a disappointing WW. While the film likely wouldn't have worked just a few years ago (it is VERY reliant on CGI that wouldn't have been impressive prior to a year ago) I enjoyed what they did with it. Gadot and Pine's relationship is probably the best part of the film (hilarious, given the feminist slant that's been surrounding the film) and the action can be cool, if not a little formulaic and music video-y.

It's okay to not like people based on their political views. There's been this weird narrative going around that we can't judge people based on their political views and that it doesn't represent them as a person. Uhh...how is that? Political motivations are almost exclusively based upon our own moral values, so if someone has different moral values then you, it's okay to not like them. Is it okay to abuse/harass them? Of course not, but I dislike this narrative that if you delete someone off Facebook based on their political beliefs, you're not tolerant. No, I just don't have people in my life that completely clash with my moral values. It doesn't matter if their family/used to be my friends, if you're an asshole, I don't need to be forced to see your nonsense. So if you're a Trump fan and have been wondering why I deleted you, the answer should be obvious: I don't need someone on my timeline who's values clash with both my own and everyone else's that I'm truly friends with.

I finally have my DVD collection back together... for the most part. Ever since leaving for New Orleans in the Summer of 2013, I've been slowly bringing it back together. I got my Blurays in February of 2014 but had still been without all of my DVDs in that time. If you know me, you know that my movie collection is very important to me. It's a comfort and can instantly make a place feel more homey for me. So finally getting most of them back together this summer has been an absolute treat. You'll notice I say MOST because there is still a box which I don't have that is full of mostly my TV shows... oh and HALF of my horror. Yeah, I didn't bother looking for the TV box because I knew that I had most of those available to me via Hulu/Netflix/HBO Go, so I was fine with leaving them behind. Then, when I got home and put out my DVDs, I realized that my horror collection stopped at the letter N. This means that O-Z are unfortunately back in Michigan and I doubt I'll be getting them anytime soon. Oh well, at least I can get lost in movies like Audition, Dead and Breakfast, and Inside until then. (But no Sleepaway Camp... boohoo).

Baby Driver sticks with you long after its over. I have this weird relationship with Edgar Wright movies where, outside of Scott Pilgrim which blew my mind from the get-go, I'm not always completely blown away at first. Don't get me wrong, I loved Baby Driver and had a blast throughout the entire thing but, like Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz before it, like a fine wine it needs some aging. It gets better the more time passes and the more times its seen.

I'm attempting to get more into golf. I've always enjoyed golf but always deemed it a rich man's sport and didn't bother much with it. After receiving a set of golf clubs as a gift from my Grandpa, I decided I would dip my toes in it a little bit. I really enjoy the sport and I can see how addicting it can be but the money aspect is such a turn off for me at this point. I've gone out a few times and it just seems a little farfetched to be spending so much money for such a short amount of time. I know that people who do it often buy rounds in bulk and that helps with the cost, so maybe that's something to look to in the future, but at this point, I'll stick to Rory McIlroy PGA Tour.

I'm moving on my own soon. I've lived with my brother the past four years and am finally having to go elsewhere. It's scary. I still have no idea as to where I'm going to live. Hell, I don't even know if I have to go back to Michigan or not. Colorado is expensive and I hate living with others. So the chances of me getting into a decent situation where I get along with my roommate doesn't seem high on the surface. But I'm powering through. It doesn't help that this is happening at the same time as a million other things (essentially the worst timing possible) but I'll make it through. Always do.

Writing, Writing, Writing

Writing is really tough. I've really taken a crash course in the difficulties of trying to make a living with my writing and struggle with it often. It's been... challenging to say the least. There's a lot of factors that come into it and I'm not entirely sure which one it is that causes the most resistance. It sucks that there's not a lot of money in writing these days but being rich isn't exactly the end goal.

I worked for a pop culture website for over a year and it made me realize that, just because I'm writing, doesn't mean it's going to be good writing. The clickbait headlines, top 5/10 lists, and countless fun ideas turned down/sterilized had made me completely cynical towards writing and that kind of critique. I hated going after what was deemed popular. That was never my style. I want to write about things I'm interested in and, if those things are popular, then great. It's a big reason why I've gotten away from full fledged movie reviews. I want to write things that help me express myself, that help get me out of any box.

Fast forward to today. I'm writing my second book yet I still don't really feel like a writer. I'm getting royalties from my first book but, as anyone who's self-published will tell you, those aren't the most reliable. I work a part time job in order to make ends meet while I still try to launch my writing career fully. But it's tough. I have to keep reminding myself that 26 is young and that I have a lot of time ahead of me but that doesn't make it easier.

One of my biggest issues these days is comparing myself with others my age. I see a lot of people going to Europe, living in big cities going out every night, or the other side of the coin of getting married, making babies, and buying houses. And I'm in a similar spot to one that I've always been: barely self-sufficient, too poor to do much in the way of extracurricular activities, and writing. I don't have cool photos to post about the extravagant places I've been nor do have the money to show off my latest massive purchase.

And that's okay.

The thing with writing, even when you're making progress, it can be hard to view it as a professional living. I'm writing on the same laptop that I look at porn with, usually in my house or a nearby coffee shop (the writing, not the porn watching). I'm not going to some office somewhere where I can be cut off from the world and really feel like I'm doing something other than using the same word processor I used to write about Lemony Snicket in the Fifth Grade. There's no clear cut off to where the professional side begins so, even after thousands upon thousands of words, it can still feel like just a hobby. Which can be tough when comparing yourself to your "peers."

I would consider success for writing and that is to sustain my life with just writing. That's it. No extra jobs needed. No massive surplus that allows me a massive house and country club membership. Just a decent living. Will that even be feasible in this day and age? I'm not sure but when I accomplish it, I can guarantee it'll be the best day of my life. I don't need to compare myself to others because I'm not on the same track that they are. If I were, I'd be doing what they were. I had my chance at all of that and I chose writing. Just because it takes a little longer to get things going, doesn't mean it's not worth it. If it were easy, everyone would do it.

I just have to keep reminding myself that.

Random Thoughts for May 2017

Is M. Night Shamalayn back on track? After so many years of mediocre to crappy movies being pumped out, he's finally taken it a step back and went to the genre most people go to, to get noticed: horror. While I really enjoyed The Visit, Split absolutely blew my mind to pieces. I've been obsessed with Anya Taylor Joy since The Witch so am elated that she appears to be on the fast track to Hollywood's A-List.

What is with that new Gorillaz album? I've been waiting for a new Gorillaz CD for years and this is what we finally get? An odd mish-mash of dance music and soul? There are a couple songs on the CD that are tolerable but that's pretty inexcusable when it comes to a Gorillaz CD. There's always the off chance that this ends up aging well and growing on me but I'm decidedly pessimistic with the offerings.

If you have Netflix check out Campus. It's fantastic and I can't believe I'd never heard of it before. It's about a University in England and the misadventures of the staff/faculty. The unfortunate news is that there are unfortunately only 6 episodes and, with it being made in 2011, the likelihood of any more isn't good.

I think Steven Weber may have ruined other audiobooks for me. After listening to him read Stephen King's It to absolute perfection, my expectations have been officially set too high. Anything else I listen to just doesn't have the same dramatic flair. Weber made everything seem important and, listening to a book like The Stand now, I'm having a lot of difficulty getting through it with the vanilla narrator.

I finally broke my 7 month "No Move Theater" streak. I wasn't sure how long it was going to take for me to finally do it but it happened. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 proved to be the movie worthy of such a feat. I almost didn't make it in time, and my trepidation towards going to the theater felt justified as I walked in a saw a crowd of teenagers, ready to ruin any movie experience. Thankfully, they weren't going to my movie and I was treated to a wonderful theater going experience. No one talked, texted, or caused disruptions. I was just able to lose myself in the movie and I couldn't have been happier. That's what I go to the theaters for. If only every trip could go that well...

I refuse to see Alien: Covenant. I am a huge fan of the Alien series (last night I fell asleep to the 12 hour "Making Of" in the Anthology Bluray) but I just can't do it. It looks stupid and I decided long ago that I wouldn't support any movie I didn't think look good, just based on name alone. I'm not sure if I'll ever pay for another Ridley Scott film again. Outside of the obvious (Michael Bay), I view Scott as one of the worst working directors today. Sure, his films look pretty but that's where it ends.

I listened to a Harry Styles song...and loved it. I recently re-upped my Apple Music subscription because I felt the need to expand my music choices again and I'm glad I did because "Sign of the Times" is one of the better pop songs I've ever heard. I liked it so much that I actually listened to the entirety of Styles solo album and get this... I dug it. Crazy right? If you haven't heard the song, I highly recommend you check it out.

10th Anniversary

I can't believe it's been 10 years since I started this blog! Originally this was just set up as another random place to write but eventually became the portal into my wacky mind. It's fun to have my thoughts/opinions archived. Looking back on old posts is a good way to see how I've grown as a person as well as how I've stayed the same.

My first post ever was actually a review of the film Grindhouse by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. I love these movies more than I probably should so it's hilarious to see how harsh I was on Death Proof. Most of the problems I have with it are so minor to me now and it's funny to read just how much it got to me. Even better is to see, although this was written ten years ago, the content still fits in well with the type of stuff I still post to this day. Sure, reviews are infrequent but it certainly has the same tone as I do these days.

In order to properly celebrate the 10th anniversary of this website, I decided to do a full redesign. I like how it turned out and feel like it's a little cleaner and more modern than in the past. Be sure to let me know what you think!

Now onto some exciting book details...

I have some good news and some bad news, though the good definitely outweighs the bad. If you've seen the title Lies Our Family Tell Us then you'll know that it was originally going to be my next book. However, after mulling it over a lot (as well as 40,000 words later) I've decided to put that book on the back burner. Despite all I wrote for it, something just wasn't clicking and I think that it would be more time than I'm comfortable with between books if I were to solely focus on fixing that. It was a tough decision and one I took a little too long to make but I'm glad.

So instead I've started work on two different books. The first of which is super secret and I'm considering my very big project that may not see the light of day for several years. My main plan, like with Lies, is to get this legitimately published. It's not horror, though there is a mystery element, and I think that it has a lot of mainstream appeal. So that one will take a lot of time to finish. The other though...

IS THE CRIMSON SUMMER SEQUEL!!! That's right, those Watanka faithfuls are going to get their wish and the sequel will be released by year's end. At this point the book is only outlined and the writing will take place throughout this summer. I'm hoping that my extensive outlining process with help to lighten the load for editing (which was a huge problem with my odd process for the original). Plot-wise, I can tell you that we'll be following Liz and Chase in a different environment and the title will likely be announced along with the artwork.

It's been very exciting to hear people are anticipating the sequel and that just makes me want to make it as good as possible. Unlike Crimson Summer though, I doubt I'll be making a title announcement/release date soon. The main reason for this is that I honestly don't have a title. There's a working title and one that I really enjoy; both of which could easily be the final title. The title will depend on the final content and whether the story expands past this book. So, until that is fully known, the title will be a secret for a little while longer (although, if you've been paying attention to my social media accounts, you may have already seen at least one of the name's in a little easter egg I did.)

No matter if you've been coming to this site for years or if this is your first time, I appreciate you taking some time out of your day to let my words flow through your mind. Here's to another ten.

With many thanks,
Tyler

Movies You Need To See

I've been taking advantage of the library lately and trying to see as many movies possible that I'd never seen before. It's April and I'm almost to 40 for the year, so I should be able to make my personal goal of 100, but in the meantime, I wanted to share some of the treasures I've found while trying to ingest as much content as possible. I didn't know much about any of these movies before I saw them so I won't expand upon them in hopes that you seek them out and enjoy them as much as I did.

Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)

The Bronze (2015)

Willow Creek (2013)

Cooties (2014)

Lolita (1962)

Random Thoughts for April 2017

Wrestlemania wasn't without its ups and downs. I would say that overall the entire weekend was a positive but anything that ends on a downer note can leave a poor taste in your mouth and that's exactly what Mania in Orlando did. I wish that things were different and that they hadn't made some of the booking decisions they did but that's just Vince at Mania. Doesn't like to give wins to first time Mania singles competitors and likes to randomly throw wrenches into well laid plans because he wants a certain "surprise" element. It wasn't nearly as bad as 32 where 80% of the booking made no sense, but it was still thoroughly confusing. Still, I really enjoyed the majority of the show and am glad I was able to attend.

Battle Royale is so fucking good. I wish that more people would seek this film out as I know so few that have actually gone out of their way to. As someone that had to download a specific program, navigate an all-Japanese website and then watch said file on an old HP laptop with terrible resolution, I can't believe that this movie is on Netflix and readily available to so many yet still it goes unwatched. It's a shame.

I haven't been to the theaters since October. It's not like there haven't been great films being released over the past few months, I just really hate going to the theaters. Really, really hate it. Which is too bad because I always had such amazing experiences growing up and going to the local NCG in Coldwater. I guess I never fully appreciated those days because I can't seem to go to a movie in a Greeley without being thoroughly annoyed by texting/talking/general lack of social awareness. It sucks but my alternative has been buying the movies I know I'll like right when they're released, since I saved money on not seeing them in theaters. I did this with Rogue One and will likely be doing this will Logan and Kong: Skull Island as well.

I wish I had gotten on the audiobook train long ago. I've had several jobs (including my current one) where I can listen to my iPhone during work. Usually I've just opted to listen to various podcasts but, after making my way through How Did This Get Made multiple times, and more Joe Rogan and Marc Maron to last a lifetime, I decided to seek out an alternative. First up has been Stephen King's It and I'm amazing at how easy it is to intake the content. Plus, who knew Steven Weber would be such a damn fine narrator? His Pennywise is absolutely terrifying. I've got several books planned for after I finish It and I can't wait to fully take advantage of my audible account.

I love a lot of stuff that alienates people from me. Being a huge fan of horror movies, professional wrestling, and mixed martial arts has drastically decreased the number of people that I can socialize with. There are many preconceived notions when it comes to all of those things and it makes maneuvering through the world a tad more difficult. Yet these are the things that make me happy and that I'm passionate about so have no intentions of dropping them just to appease the general public. It just further shines a light on the idea of "if it makes you happy and it doesn't hurt anyone, do it." Just have to remind myself of that sometimes.

Alpha Brain is a bit of a miss for me. Joe Rogan has been plugging Onnit's Alpha Brain for quite a while now and, after hearing great things from many others, I decided to try it but unfortunately it just seems like a rich person's supplement. While I certainly notice the difference and would love to take it everyday, those differences are minimal, especially for the price per bottle. I just can't see it as being worth it at this time in my life.

Where the hell is the book news? I know, I know, I've been saying it's just around the corner and then nothing happens. Well there's a reason for that: I was originally going to post something a week ago summarizing what's going on for future books of mine but realized there's a certain anniversary coming up. Given that anniversary (supersecret) I thought it'd be much more appropriate to wait. So, I promise there will book news at the end of the month.

Wrestlemania 33

A look at Wrestlemania 33 Weekend in Orlando, Florida.