New Bloggy Update 11/17/25

This year cannot go by fast enough.

I imagine many people feel that way for a variety of reasons. Who else thought ‘this was going to be THE year’ only to find out that it very much wasn’t… Not that good/great things didn’t happen. But they were few and far between.

As for writing, no, I haven’t started on anything new yet. Without Nano prompting, this November is sliding by without a draft #1, but I’m okay with that. I still plan to do my own thing (writing a first draft in a month’s time) when the right month comes along. I’m thinking January. Aside from that, I have one more event for 2025 – The Normal West Craft Show. It’s THIS SATURDAY, November 22 from 9am to 2pm. If you live anywhere near Normal/Bloomington, Illinois, come on by! It’s the place to be 🙂

I’ve decided to cut back a little on attending events in 2026. I’d like to stick to 10, maybe 11, instead of 14 (in 2023 and 2024). Looking back over where I’ve vended over the past few years, there’s been many that I don’t plan on doing again. The reasons are pretty standard – low attendance, poorly run (not in every case – just a handful), outrageous table fee, etc. I’m wondering if others out there have experienced the same things.

As for what we’ve been watching?

Never Blink (2025) – A team of medical students capture images of the world we don’t see when we blink, and the results are beyond terrifying. A frightening journey into a macabre world that makes one never want to blink again. (Google) I don’t know if I’ve recently seen a movie this bad, but boy, does this thing fall apart from the word go. Silly, goofy characters acting like their doing scientific study? Check. Insane and cliche dialogue? Check. More plot holes than a colander? Check and double check. I barely came away with a 0.2. Even Charlie could only cough up a 1.8. Pass, hard, on this one, people.

The Monkey (2025) – A middle-aged man reluctantly finds himself attending a football party with his wife and several friends from the church. The party is hosted by Ryan Van Orten, a disgraced former pro-footballer who has moved back to his hometown. As everyone settles around the TV to watch the game, Fred spots Ryan preparing a drink for one of the young women at the party and witnesses something he wasn’t supposed to see. (Google) Osgood Perkins has always been a little hit-or-miss for me. I’ve enjoyed some things he’s done/been in, but this one cannot be ranked among those. To be honest, we DNF’d on this about 30 minutes into it. It just plays as more schlock comedy horror than anything and that’s a genre that I normally stay away from. I gave what we watched a 3.1 (and that’s probably too high) and Charlie came in at 0.2. See?

The Phoenician Scheme (2025) – Wealthy businessman, Zsa-zsa Korda appoints his only daughter, a nun, as sole heir to his estate. As Korda embarks on a new enterprise, they soon become the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists, and determined assassins. (Google) Once again, I went in with high hopes and left with dashed dreams…lol. Wes Anderson movies have a distinct look to them and while I appreciate the stylized structure, the plot(s), characters, and overall experience left me cold. I gave it a 2.0 and Charlie left with a disappointing 0.2. Your mileage may vary depending on your patience with “the silly”.

There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Diane (2011) – This documentary explores the depth behind the case of a woman whose vehicle collision killed numerous people, including herself. Was she really the reckless drunk, or the perfect suburban mother? (IMDb) Brilliant, if not sad commentary on drunk driving and what people will go to in order to protect someone’s credibility and standing in the community. Hard to watch, but ever so important. I gave it a 9.0. Charlie gave it a 7.1.

That’s a wrap, peeps! Have a groovy Thanksgiving (if that’s your bag) and stay warm! 🙂