Bloggy Update 1/15/22

Are we really halfway through January already?

I still have treats from Christmas that have gone untouched (so far). I suppose I can remedy that…

Before we get too far in, I want to welcome all the new followers to the blog – WELCOME! Kick off your shoes, take your coat off, and stick around a while. There’s lots going on, many interviews for you to read, and the promise that you might even see some adorable animal photos now and again.

I also want to make sure that everyone knows my interviews for the Meet & Greet (authors), Spotlight (artists), and FlipSide section (musicians), are always open! I post the interviews in the order I receive them and as soon as they go LIVE, I’ll email the interviewee. My only ask is that you send me an email so I can keep track of who is doing what. (srovens@yahoo.com) Thanks! And by all means, pass that information around – the more, the merrier. For some, this interview is just one of many (and a minor one at that as this isn’t a HUGE publication), but for others, this might be the only (or first) opportunity they’ve encountered. I welcome all.

I’ve recently signed up for a couple of events – one takes place at the end of April (Spring Market at t he Mackinaw Valley Vineyard), and the other is in mid-August (Dark History and Horror Convention in Champaign, Illinois). Hopefully, things will calm down enough for both of these (and other events) to stay safe and actually happen. I’ve heard of events being canceled again (or at least postponed). If things get “too hinky”, I have no issues with backing out of said events. Keep an eyeball peeled to my Events section to see the latest.

We’ve recently watched:

Mr. Inbetween – An interesting take on an Australia hit man. Three seasons and the episodes are REALLY short. It’s violent, has some great twists, and a bit of odd sexual innuendos (nothing is explicitly shown), you’ll dig this. I would recommend it.

You’re Next (2011) – Yeah…a “slasher with a story” film. It was alright. If I hadn’t seen it, I would’ve lived my life just fine, but having seen it, my horror repertoire is a little more complete. So, there’s that. Recommend if you really feel the need.

The Sparks Brothers (2021) – Basically, the story about two brothers who have been in the music biz for over 45+ years. They never quite reach “stardom” but do have quite a following – and the film takes you through the highs and lows of that. If you dig indie music with a bit of an edge, you’ll like this. I gave it a 7.4 and I only recognized one song. LOL. The movie itself is done rather well.

The Rider (2017) – A pretty serious/poignant take on an injured rodeo rider and what choices he makes with his “now empty” life. Based on a true story. I gave this a pretty high rating – 8.2. It didn’t get goofy or cliche, but stuck to a very realistic take on this family’s story.

Double Lover (2017) – French art-house. I barely made it through this one. No spoilers, but if this were a book and I got to the last page and THIS is what happened, I’d throw the thing across the room. You might love it, but I wasn’t on board.

Pray Away (2021) – “Five evangelicals in the 1970s break away and form Exodus International, a group that claims that gay people can become straight through prayer and conversion therapy.”” This is the unfortunate story about what happened (and is still happening, I imagine) to a group of people who never deserved such treatment. It’s an important take on yet again “man’s inhumanity to man”. We should learn from our bad judgement/past mistakes. I would recommend it for educational purposes.

So, there we are. Again, a BIG, JUICY WELCOME to all the new followers, and a tasty thank you to all who have been following. Here’s to a groovy and productive 2022. 🙂