
Soft frozen footsteps
Hiking beside the water
Winter ambience
What is your favorite place to go in your city?
There’s a lake nearby that I like to go to from time to time. I prefer the ocean and the overall beach vibe but sitting by the lake, listening to the soft waves, is very relaxing.
If I can’t get to the coast then I at least have this option for time by the water.
Shameless plug. I shot this video there.
A Cup of Haiku: Poetry by the Lake
https://youtu.be/Yu99Olwo9BM
Video for this Script on YouTube: Disembodied Screams
I have to say, I really enjoyed this movie from the jump. The opening scene had me hooked, instantly, nasty kill with the guts stretching across the room, and after that kill and that scene, I sat back, smiled, and enjoyed the rest of this wild ride from Oz Perkins, who wrote and directed it. It’s filled with his quirkiness and humor and his direction. I am starting to know his style when I watch his movies and I like it a lot.
I went on a bit of an Oz binge recently, and I have to say, not a bad movie at all so far. Longlegs, revisit dropping Friday if you are watching this on Wednesday, put me onto his stuff and I am so happy for it. Of the movies recently watched by Oz, I am the pretty thing that lives in the house is the one that I keep coming back to the most.
Why? I think it was the vibe nature of the film and the fact that I love a good atmospheric ghost story. And it is both of those through and through. Naturally that one would speak to me. But you can’t go wrong with any of his stuff – so far. Keeper is on the horizon and we will see how that does. Fingers crossed.
Moving on, beyond Oz, and his amazing writing and direction, there are a lot of things to enjoy in this movie.
Gore. I had heard that the kills were nuts and over the top —- they exceeded my expectations. Three kills stood out to me ——
The scene where the girl dives into a freshly electrocuted swimming pool and proceeds to blow up in front of the lead character – who gets hit with a leg – and then says “Was that a leg?” before running off. Had me laughing and the lady showing off the Aunt’s house who got blasted by a shotgun that turned her into literal blood pudding – wow – and the scene with the hornet hive. When they showed that hive. I knew nothing good would come from it. My instincts were correct. I thought the hornets would invade the car, not the man’s mouth – glad I was wrong because it was gruesome stuff to watch when he started falling apart.
Another big highlight is the score. I really liked the way music was used throughout the movie. Played well in each scene and the story too. And an even bigger highlight, probably its biggest – the killer – the monkey who loves to set his death march to pounding drums and organ grinder music —— and when you hear that organ grinder music and those arms start pumping. Look out. Bad things are on the way. It’s a true harbinger of doom.
Oz also knows how to get the most out of his actors, all of them did a great job in their roles. This movie is more about uncomfortable humor and the Final Destination style kills so if you can read lines and make them sound good then that’s all you really need because nobody is tuning in for the acting.
Allright, now, the haiku.
Tiny toy monkey
Pounding on its rhythmic drum
Death is listening
Have you seen The Monkey or any of Oz Perkins movies? Let me know the movies you liked and didn’t like in the comments below. Take care and have a good one. Organ music playing.
What brings a tear of joy to your eye?
A beautiful sunrise over the ocean. Just makes you feel so good to see a sight so beautiful.
Valuable lesson learned – download everything before you hike. I was shocked to find that cellular coverage was spotty in a park in the middle of Raleigh. The things you learn.
Wandering the woods
Rain drops falling through the trees
Soaking wet and lost
A Rainy Hike filled with Wrong Turns, Bad Directions, and Spotty Cellular Coverage
https://youtu.be/xPhgLC8DRgI

If you could bring back one dinosaur, which one would it be?

The Carnotaurus seems like a good choice.

Wikipedia: Carnotaurus was a lightly built, bipedalpredator, measuring 7.5 to 8 m (24.6 to 26.2 ft) in length and weighing 1.3–2.1 metric tons (1.4–2.3 short tons; 1.3–2.1 long tons). As a theropod, Carnotaurus was highly specialized and distinctive. It had two thick horns above the eyes, a unique feature unseen in all other carnivorous dinosaurs, and a very deep skull sitting on a muscular neck. Carnotaurus was further characterized by small, vestigialforelimbs and long, slender hind limbs.
The distinctive horns and the muscular neck may have been used in fighting others of its species. According to separate studies, rivaling individuals may have combated each other with quick head blows, by slow pushes with the upper sides of their skulls, or by ramming each other head-on, using their horns as shock absorbers.
Great exhibit I saw in 2024.
What strategies do you use to maintain your health and well-being?
Exercise helps to keep me mentally fit and healthy. I also started day hiking when time permits. Nothing like getting out in nature. Keeps the mind and body healthy. This is one of my recent hikes.
I also write, read, and watch movies.
Anything to help with mental well being.
Sometimes I just turn everything off and let silence surround me.
It’s important to me to keep a healthy mind as well as a healthy body.
What are your future travel plans?
Going to the mountains soon and taking a break from this oppressive heat in North Carolina. Look forward to it each year.
This is one of the spots we usually hike up to.
What bothers you and why?
Climate change denial. Not trying to start an argument but the evidence is all around us. Wildfires are worse, floods are bigger, extreme heat waves, massive hurricanes, melting glaciers, and on and on it goes. If that’s not climate change then what’s causing it?
Science and scientists seem to have figured this out. Maybe scientists are a bit extreme with their predictions but extreme gets your attention. I think a lot of us need that wake up call. Maybe we can’t stop it completely but maybe we can keep it to where it doesn’t get much worse.
I just want to leave my kids and future generations, mine and others, a healthy functioning world. I think we owe them that.
Distant horizon
Streaking across the warm waves
Lightning flashing bright
I went down to the beach at sunrise and stumbled onto this light show. Amazing to stand in the sand and watch this.
Need a beach break today. These links could help.
Walking to the Beach at Sunrise
https://youtu.be/J327CICH9TM
Sunny Skies, Happy Feet, and Ocean Waves
https://youtu.be/EogGcQh2FV4
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