My Own #GoofOff Day #PersonalDays #Holidays #Fun

Yesterday was National Goof Off Day. Sadly, the first I'd heard of this occurred yesterday morning and due to prior engagements, I was unable to do any goofing off. I have decided to rectify the situation by commandeering today in its stead. This is my personal Goof Off Day. Expect shenanigans.

#StPatricksDay #Party #Irish #Green #Beer

I hope the day is Green for ya! We're partying after work. I've got beer for my Draftmark, lively tunes set to pipe across the Bluetooth airwaves of my home entertainment system and proper Irish potatoes. Pup is all set to chase any leprechauns she spies... pot o' gold or not.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! May your island be rid of snakes. 

#MailCall: #WeHonchos #SwitchYourSnack + @EdgeOf17 #Bluray #Prize #Foodie #FilmFan

Received the Edge of Seventeen Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD prize that I won in a contest. Teen angst movies have been so pitiful lately, but I'm hoping this one is watchable at least. It got a decent amount of critical acclaim; however, the "hype machine" (mainstream movie media) often praises lackluster efforts. I plan to check it out this weekend. I like both Woody Harrelson and Kyra Sedgwick, but know nothing of Hailee Steinfeld. Hopefully, it lives up to the ratings. (For what it's worth, IMDB has it as a 7.5 out of 10.) We'll see for ourselves. If it sucks, I'll trade it for something better or give it away. Was willing to take a chance on a freebie. This is basically a free movie rental.

Also, got a free product coupon for Honchos Tortilla Chips (Deep River Snacks) from a Super Bowl eNewsletter signup promotion to "Switch Your Snack" to a better-for-you offering. Honchos are Non-GMO, mainly Organic and Gluten-Free with "no bad stuff." Looking forward to trying these out. Can't decide which flavor, though --- apparently, comes in Nacho Cheese, Peach Habanero or Ranch. Perhaps in allegiance to my home state, the Peach State, I should go for the habanero one. (Honestly, I'm partial to peaches, but being a native Georgian, this may be inbred.) I'll pick up a bag to munch on while watching the Edge of Seventeen this weekend.

Not a bad mail day, yesterday.

Morning: #Annular #SolarEclipse #Skywatchers + Evening #OscarsParty #Oscars2017

There will be a "Ring of Fire" or Annular Solar Eclipse visible in South America and Africa this morning. Would have loved to be able to witness it from here, but no such luck for us North American skywatchers. Will look for pictures online later. I'm certain somebody will get some spectacular shots and post them.

Meanwhile, I'm prepping for our Oscars 2017 Party this evening. We generally don't actually watch the awards show itself (which is most often too long-winded and self-congratulatory) except for the original song performances, but we will have it on the telly as background noise during the festivities. We're making 7-Layer Nachos, assorted veggie fries (including French fries) and jalapeno poppers for snacks. There's also Key Lime Pie and (in a nod to the Oscar statuette) Golden Oreos for sweets. For beverages, we've got Cheerwine Milkshakes, assorted Coke products (for floats, shakes & mixers) and a full bar.

We play movie trivia games and debate our own award selections. Should be a fun evening. And then early next week, we'll be partying more, because... Mardi Gras! I happen to adore the idea of surprise trinkets hidden in food --- as long as one is forewarned --- so, of course, I love King Cake. (So help me, I'm finding that baby this year.) Looks like February is going out with a blast!

National Something Something Day? Overzealous Marketing Calendar

When did each day of the year get claimed in promotion of some product or other? I enjoy celebrations, I like having fun. However, this whole marketing ploy of claiming a day for carrots, magaritas and chocolate milk has gone a bit overboard. I mean, really? Not that this can't be a fun excuse for an impromptu party, but come on... 

If tomorrow is National Kumquat Day, I'm rolling over and going back to bed. It's just too much! (Sorry, kumquat.)

#SuperBowl Sunday #RiseUp @AtlantaFalcons #SB51 #Party Rooting for the Home Team #WeatherGeek #Smunday

Welcome to Super Bowl Sunday! I will spend a good part of the day setting up for my Super Bowl Party this evening. We're homegaiting. There's still a lot to do. I prepped most of the food yesterday and put it in the fridge overnight, but will cook, bake, and grill today. It's all good. I've got all sorts of snacks and a full bar of beverages, plus I'm also making an actual dinner as the game isn't scheduled to start until 6:30p and probably won't end until 11:00p or later.

Hoping the Atlanta Falcons cap off a great season by winning Super Bowl LI, but looking for a good game, win or lose. Between the good company, the entertainment, the anticipated new commercials and the Atlanta vs New England showdown, it should be a fun evening at any rate. We may not wind the party down until dawn. Good thing tomorrow is Smunday ---in honor of which I'm taking the day off. (I plan to get some yard work done as it's supposed to reach the upper 60s again. Yes, after two days of seasonal or Winter weather, Spring weather returns.)

What I'm Watching... #Movies #Television #Watchlist #NowPlaying #Queue

I've recently been bombarded with several limited time redemption codes for free movie rentals and have acquired some new movies (and television seasons and/or episodes) through promotions & sales/deals. Additionally, I'm also trying to see as many of this year's Academy Awards nominees as possible prior to the awards show broadcast. As a result, my movie + television watchlist of titles in my viewing queue is stacked. Luckily, there's no particular hurry to watch the movies that I own (the impetus here is desire), so, of course, limited term movie rentals take precedence. Check it out:

My Watchlist - Alphabetical Order
Bunyan and Babe (own)
Central Intelligence (Vudu movie rental)
Ghostbusters [2016] (FandangoNow movie rental)
In a World (Vudu movie rental)
Inspector Lewis, Season 8 (own)
Magnificent 7 (own)
Sully (Google Play movie rental)
War of the Arrows (own)

#SadStore Run @BestBuy #BrickandMortar

I am an online shopper. I would guess that roughly 98% of my purchases originate online. (And it has been this way for over a decade.) As a result, I haven't been out to a general non-grocery Brick & Mortar store in some time. (I still sometimes go to grocery stores, or at least Farmer's Markets, though less frequently with each passing month.) But tonight I rode out with my sister to the closest Best Buy store as we each had received, as a gift from Best Buy, a $10.00 promotional gift code via email which was only good through the end of this week. (My non-techie sister doesn't shop online as much as I do. She still goes out to stores.)

$10.00 Best Buy Promotional Gift Code

I couldn't believe how sad this store looked. The stock displays in the movie section were abysmal. Barely anything on the shelves and what was there was in a seemingly random order. The entire store layout seemed completely haphazard. It was pitiful. To top it off, the free WiFi had the weakest signal of all the available networks, which rather defeats the point of offering in-store WiFi to your customers. I told my sister, "No wonder everyone shops online. If this is what you're confronted with." I remember back in the day being able to go to Best Buy and spend hours just wandering around checking gadgets, testing products, etc.. No more. I could not exit this store fast enough. I'm still shaking my head in amazement at how the mighty have fallen. I'm SHOCKED.

I still shop at Best Buy... but ONLINE. Guess Brick & Mortar stores really are going the way of the dinosaurs. I hope this was some sort of aberration, but I fear not. If one takes this store as an example, we're witnessing the end of an era.

We've Got the #Oscars2017 Nominations List. Now It's Off to the #Movies!

Almost every year, after the Academy Awards nominations are announced, I gather a list of all the movies which garnered nods and make a point to see as many of them as I can before the Oscars ceremony takes place. Then I fill out my own ballot voting for the pictures that (and people whom) I think should win in each category. I will often host a viewing party (or several parties) to screen nominated films already available on the home video market, and organize treks to the theater with my friends to catch movies still at the box office. Once the awards show airs, I see how my ballot stacks up against the actual award winners. (I will generally host an Oscars party, also, or attend one.) I've been doing this annually since I was about 18. It's a fun way to indulge in my hobby of enjoying the cinema, and one of the reasons why I love having a great home theater setup.

This year marks no exception. The Academy announced the Oscars nominees yesterday morning (live on Good Morning America) and I "printed" a PDF copy of the nominations list along with a ballot. I've got to make plans to get in some serious movie watching in the next few weeks as I've been so busy with other things, I haven't already seen as many films that were nominated as I have in past years. But this will make it fun, as I scramble to watch nominated movies -- such a burden, not ---  each day in order to play catch up. Well, it looks like I'be got my work cutout for me. It's off to the movies!

P.S. Did you catch the Academy's announcement? Here's a list of the nominees:

Best Picture
Arrival
Fences
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
Hidden Figures
La La Land
Lion
Manchester By the Sea
Moonlight

Best Cinematography
Arrival
La La Land
Lion
Moonlight
Silence

Best Supporting Actor
Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)
Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water)
Lucas Hedges (Manchester By the Sea)
Dev Patel (Lion)
Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals)

Best Documentary Feature
Fire at Sea
I Am Not Your Negro
Life, Animated
OJ: Made in America
13th

Best Foreign Language Film
Land of Mine
A Man Called Ove
The Salesman
Tanna
Toni Erdmann

Best Actor
Casey Affleck (Manchester By the Sea)
Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge)
Ryan Gosling (La La Land)
Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic)
Denzel Washington (Fences)

Best Costume Design
Allied
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Florence Foster Jenkins
Jackie
La La Land

Best Score
Jackie
La La Land
Lion
Moonlight
Passengers

Best Original Song
Audition (La La Land)
Can't Stop the Feeling! (Trolls)
City of Stars (La La Land)
The Empty Chair (Jim: The James Foley Story)
How Far I'll Go (Moana)

Best Sound Editing
Arrival
Deepwater Horizon
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Sully

Best Sound Mixing
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
13 Hours

Best Documentary Short
4.1 Miles
Extremis
Joe's Violin
Watani: My Homeland
The White Helmets

Best Production Design
Arrival

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Hail Caesar
La La Land
Passengers

Best Original Screenplay
Hell or High Water
La La Land
The Lobster
Manchester By the Sea
20th Century Women

Best Adapted Screenplay
Arrival
Fences
Hidden Figures
Lion
Moonlight

Best Animated Feature
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My Life As a Zucchini
The Red Turtle
Zootopia

Best Animated Short
Blind Vaysha
Borrowed Time
Pear Cider and Cigarettes
Pearl
Piper

Best Supporting Actress
Viola Davis (Fences)
Naomie Harris (Moonlight)
Nicole Kidman (Lion)
Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures)
Michelle Williams (Manchester By the Sea)

Best Film Editing
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
La La Land
Moonlight

Best Actress
Isabelle Huppert (Elle)
Ruth Negga (Loving)
Emma Stone (La La Land)
Natalie Portman (Jackie)
Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins)

Best Director
Denis Villeneuve (Arrival)
Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge)
Damien Chazelle (La La Land)
Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester By the Sea)
Barry Jenkins (Moonlight)

Best Visual Effects
Deepwater Horizon
Doctor Strange
The Jungle Book
Kubo and the Two Strings
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
A Man Called Ove
Star Trek Beyond
Suicide Squad

#Epic? #Listen to New @FaithNoMore Single: Signup 4 @Sonar_Works #TrueFi #Test #Audiophile #Headphones 🎶

As an audiophile, I'm always on the prowl for optimal listening experiences. So when I caught this post from Faith No More and Sonarworks (billed as the most accurate speaker, room and headphone calibration software) in my Facebook feed this morning:

"Sign up for an exclusive limited opportunity to hear FAITH NO MORE's single “Cone of Shame” in a revolutionary new audio format. You will be able to hear the song on your headphones exactly like the band mixed it in the studio."
http://faithnomore.sonarworks.com/

I rushed to signup. Not only will I get to listen to new music from a band I like, but I will get to hear the track in authentic studio sound, Sonarworks True-Fi standard. I plan to post a product review (along with a music review of the new single) after participating the event. But you should check it out for yourself.

My Email Confirmation

You will need headphones to participate. The test will be released on 07-February. Reserve your spot now. Your ears will thank you later.

Listening to @HamiltonMusical #OriginalSoundtrack @HooplaDigital #LibraryLoan #HamiltonDocPBS

I love music and intimately appreciate the first instrument, voice, but not all singing is equal, of course. For example, I love opera, but hate musicals. This has held true for my entire life. Hamilton the Musical may change that. (And this, in spite of the fact that I have always personally preferred Burr to Hamilton, historically.)

Usually when things get an inordinate amount of buzz, that's my cue to steer clear, as my personal tastes often widely diverge from the popular ethos. I am an odd duck and proud of it. Sometimes though, the hoi polloi figures it out and latches onto something interesting (to me). The positive press for Hamilton the Musical has been so overwhelming and deafening that I became curious as to whether it is merited or merely folks jumping on the bandwagon. (I staunchly advocate for meritocracy, though humans seem incapable of actualizing it.) I have not taken leave of my senses, however, I did not rush off to sell my soul in order to acquire tickets. No, I've taken a more measured approach.

First, several weeks ago, I watched what turned out to be a fun and informative PBS Documentary called Hamilton's America. As it was filmed long before the effusive press groundswell in praise of the Broadway show, I hoped it would provide actual information and not merely gush about how great the production is (or would be). PBS did not disappoint. After watching the documentary --- streamed via my PBS app --- and allowing it time to digest, a few days ago, I checked out the Hamilton: Original Soundtrack recording (a loan from my local library) via my Hoopla app. I thought it would make a good listening project to begin on the holiday, yesterday.

It's refreshing! Fun, informative, lyrically dynamic and musically adept. (I enjoy rap music as an art form and this helps.) It's not something I would listen to daily on repeat, as I can do with my favorite albums, but I wouldn't rush to change the channel if it came on, so to speak. What a pleasant surprise you are, Hamilton the Musical! Mind, I've not instantly converted into someone who enjoys musicals, that would take a miracle, but I am enjoying all that I've encountered so far in regards to this musical. My horizons have broadened. And isn't that the spice of life?!


P.S. I may next attempt an associated audiobook or Hamiltome! (Will have to check what Audible has available. I have a purchase credit to use.)

#Music in the Air! #BluetoothSpeakers #InternetRadio #Victrolas #Gramophones #MusicApps #RadioApps #StreamingMedia #Bluetooth

Am really loving my home stereo setup. I decided to have a main central stereo located in my entertainment center with satellite Bluetooth speakers and soundbars placed around the open floor plan. I also have smaller stereo systems in other rooms like my office and my workshop. As it's all networked, I can synchronize play across systems and speakers or have a different sound style for each area. I can control playback with a Smart Assistant, tablet, smartphone, laptop, or remote control, and can access my cloud music libraries, music and radio apps, locally stored media and play internet and broadcast radio, plus physical discs. It's pretty rad! I'm still building it out. Certainly, I'll add more wireless speakers and I'm leaning toward a turntable for vinyl.

SIDE NOTE: By the way, this is merely my audio setup on the new-fangled side. Opposite, I have desperately desired a Victrola or other big "belled" antique Gramophone, since I was 5 years old. My mother had one that I can still picture as clear as day. I didn't care that it was perhaps valuable, I simply thought its big gleaming horn was beautiful.

In what seems to be a fairly common occurrence in poor rural areas, where people were often not well educated, were desperate, yet were trusting of their neighbors and displayed hospitality to strangers, a dishonest itinerant junk antiques dealer swindled ME out of it, thinking nothing of telling a bald-faced lie to a small child --- and I have never forgotten it! It takes a despicable person to take advantage of anyone as he did; however, it takes a no account bastard to take advantage of a five-year-old little girl who has been taught to respect the words of her elders.

The theft of my mother's Victrola (which is exactly what the stranger's deceit amounted to) marked the loss of my childhood innocence. Afterward, I became withdrawn. I became wary of anyone who professed anything without showing me proof. I became skeptical of human motives. I began to distrust people. It was a dear and precious lesson to "give" a 5-year-old. My mother, bless her, was furious on my behalf when she returned from a neighbor's, not even caring that I had "given away" her prized Victrola, but only concerned that some stranger (and a grown man, at that) had taken advantage of her baby girl. Of course, by then, the lying scoundrel was long gone.

I made a promise to myself that I would acquire a replacement for it one day, so its something for which I keep out an eye. It will require the perfect specimen. I am fascinated with early record players (and cylinder players) as a result, and recognize that this is likely another personal library collection in the making.

#Democracy at Work? Help Decide the New #Monopoly Player Tokens #BoardGames #TokenMadness #VoteMonopoly #PopularVote

It seems the folks behind the family board game Monopoly are looking to give it a makeover of sorts by updating and/or replacing the iconic player tokens with a brand new set. We, the people, can go to votemonopoly.com and voice our opinions on what little player tokens should be included in an upcoming new release of the popular board game.

Not certain how I feel about this, I know there are various themed Monopoly game versions with specialized player tokens that have been put out over the years, but apparently, this is tampering with the original, which was practically my favorite board game as a child. (I haven't checked the website as yet in order to verify all the actual details, I merely saw a blurb about this promotion on the local morning news.) I still haven't gotten over the previous game alterations.

Will the popular vote be honored? (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)