Category: updates (Page 1 of 4)

This was my first year attempting Hooptober. In some ways, I failed. I didn’t hit all of the targets, I tended to favor new movies over old, and I often veered away from the challenge in favor of recent releases. C’mon, you expected me to resist watching The Platform 2? The allure was too strong.

However, in many ways I succeeded. I tried something different, I watched a few movies I might never have considered without the challenge, and I watched 24 horror films in the lead up to Halloween. Compared to 10 in 2022 and 7 in 2023, I’d say that’s pretty damn good.

Now tonight I get to settle in for our annual viewing of Ernest Scared Stupid and feel satisfied with what I’ve accomplished. Truthfully, I’m excited for the chance to try again next year.

6 Countries (8/6)

• USA: The Blackening, Pumpkinhead, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, House on Haunted Hill, Hell House LLC, Killjoy, Thirteen Ghosts, The Final Destination, Children of the Corn, Killjoy 2 Deliverance from Evil, Warlock, Fright Night, Bloody Bloody Bible Camp, We Need to Do Something, VFW, It’s What’s Inside
• South Korea: Gonjiam Haunted Asylum
• Spain: Piggy, The Platform 2
• Germany: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
• Taiwan: The Sadness
• Japan: One Cut of the Dead
• Mexico: Huesera The Bone Woman
• India: Game Over

8 Decades (6/8)

• 1920s: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
• 1950s: House on Haunted Hill
• 1980s: Pumpkinhead, Children of the Corn, Warlock
• 2000s: Killjoy, Thirteen Ghosts, The Final Destination, Killjoy 2 Deliverance from Evil
• 2010s: Gonjiam Haunted Asylum, Hell House LLC, Fright Night, One Cut of the Dead, Game Over, Bloody Bloody Bible Camp, VFW
• 2020s: The Blackening, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, Piggy, The Platform 2, The Sadness, Huesera The Bone Woman, We Need to Do Something, It’s What’s Inside

Other Categories

• ALL of the films from a horror franchise with at least 4 entries: Killjoy, Killjoy 2 Deliverance from Evil (2/5)
• 1 film caused by/worsened by weather: We Need to Do Something
• 1 film starring a Black woman: The Blackening
• 3 films from New World Pictures: Children of the Corn, Warlock (2/3)
• 2 Indian films: Game Over (1/2)
• 2 Horror comedies: The Blackening, One Cut of the Dead
• 2 films made primarily or entirely in Texas: VFW (1/2)
• 1 film that exists in at least 2 available cuts: Hell House LLC (Director’s Cut)
• 1 Robert Wiene film: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
• 1 film from 2011: Fright Night
• 1 film from 1984: Children of the Corn

The end of summer and the entrance to fall went mostly as anticipated. My best friends and I continued with our scheduled plans, including an antiquing day trip, a movie outing, a board game night, and a dinner party. There were also several concerts, a bad movie night, a coffee date, and book clubs with my Twitch friends scattered throughout. I even published a collaborative poetry project that had been in the works for nearly two years.

Then, in the beginning of September, my job announced a major change to the work-from-home policy effective immediately. After weighing my options, I ultimately put in my two-weeks notice. My coworkers met the news with such kindness and support that it blew me away. On the last day, on my last commute home, I was racked with full-body sobs. Though I pulled into the driveway mostly composed, when I opened the door and said, “I did it,” the tears started flowing all over again. It’s taken a lot to process those complicated, bittersweet feelings.

Now I’ve found myself in a time of sabbatical. So far that has largely meant dishes and laundry on repeat, marathoning TV shows, listening to lots of music, and quality time with my cats. But the amount of peace and healing I’ve experienced already is immeasurable. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to pour some energy back into myself, and the space to decide my next move.

• Movies Watched: In a Violent Nature, Longlegs, Ponyo, The Garbage Pail Kids Movie, The Blackening, Gonjiam Haunted Asylum, Pumpkinhead, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, Piggy, House on Haunted Hill (1959), Hell House LLC, Killjoy, Thir13en Ghosts, The Final Destination, Children of the Corn, Killjoy 2 Deliverance from Evil, Warlock
• Books Read: The Room (Jonas Karlsson), What Kind of Woman (Kate Baer), The Lathe of Heaven (Ursula K. Le Guin)
• TV Watched: Ink Master Redemption, Brooklyn 99, Game Changer, Ink Master, Dirty Pop The Boy Band Scam, Taskmaster AU, Taskmaster UK, Beyond Belief Fact or Fiction, New Girl, Guy’s Grocery Games, The 8 Show, Beef, Chopped, Worst Cooks in America

Top 10 tracks:

1. Routines in the Night (Twenty One Pilots)
2. Vignette (Twenty One Pilots)
3. One of Your Girls (Troye Sivan)
4. us. (Gracie Abrams & Taylor Swift)
5. Don’t Take the Money (Bleachers)
6. Ignore Me (Betty Who)
7. i hope ur miserable until ur dead (Nessa Barrett)
8. Perfectionism (CJ The X)
9. Triple (CJ The X)
10. the girl, so confusing version with lorde (Charli XCX)

This quarter of my life will always be bookended by two important events: my birthday near the beginning, and our anniversary near the end. Both were celebrated peacefully, with good food and quality time.

In between was the more exciting, flashy stuff. A road trip to watch the eclipse, a weekend away camping, a Pride exhibit at the History Museum, a couple of Bad Movie nights. I did some cat sitting for one friend, and helped another friend move. And I nurtured what looks to be a successful book club, which is already on our third read.

Everything wasn’t all sunshine and roses, of course. My parents both tested positive for COVID so I’ve barely seen them. I’ve been dealing with depression and low mood, and some brand new sleeping issues.

But there’s a creative spark in me that I’m trying desperately not to let flicker out, and a lot more summery plans on the calendar. Let’s see how the latter half of the year shakes out.

• Movies Watched: Scary Movie 5, Kuso, Corner Office, Missing, #No_Filter, The Poughkeepsie Tapes, Late Night with the Devil, Poor Things, The Menu, Men, The Perfection, Foodfight!, Talk to Me, The Feast, Time Bandits, Zombieland, Renfield, Deadstream, Happy Death Day, Cabin Fever, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Glass Onion, Ben & Arthur, The Contestant, I Saw the TV Glow, Chris Fleming: Hell
• Books Read: Ice Planet Barbarians (Ruby Dixon), Barbarian Alien (Ruby Dixon), Past Crimes (Jason Pinter)
• TV Watched: Smiling Friends, Taskmaster AU, Childrens Hospital, Taskmaster, The Osbournes, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Baby Reindeer, Guy’s Grocery Games, Van-pires, Game Changer, Tales from the Crypt, Reba, New Girl, Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills, The Good Place, Community, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Ink Master: Redemption

Top 10 tracks:

1. Fortnight (Taylor Swift & Post Malone)
2. I Hate It Here (Taylor Swift)
3. Guilty as Sin? (Taylor Swift)
4. Too Sweet (Hozier)
5. Down Bad (Taylor Swift)
6. The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived (Taylor Swift)
7. loml (Taylor Swift)
8. Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus (Taylor Swift)
9. But Daddy I Love Him (Taylor Swift)
10. Good Luck, Babe! (Chappell Roan)

Although I’m a little late on the uptake, I wanted to give the first quarter of 2024 the moment it deserves. January was quiet, starting with a fancy dinner to ring in the new year, then after that life turned into a rollercoaster.

Loads of cooking. Car repairs that took forever. Hearing one of my favorite albums live, and meeting the man himself, William Fitzsimmons. Loads of snow. Publishing a small volume of poetry. Taskmaster game night. Plumbing issues. Participating in a League of Legends tournament. Starting a book club with some of my Twitch friends. Multiple birthday parties. Moving to a new office and promoting the grand opening. Hosting our third annual Jenga tournament.

In spite of my excitement and dedication to making my “Jesus year” one for the books, so far it isn’t going too hot. Watch this space though. There’s still time; I need to keep reminding myself.

• Movies Watched: Date Movie, Scary Movie 4, The Iron Claw, Ricky Stanicky, Epic Movie, Dream Scenario, Superhero Movie, Disaster Movie
• Books Read: You, Again (Kate Goldbeck), Don’t Wait Til I Die To Love Me (Michael Tavon), Morning Glory Milking Farm (C.M. Nascosta), Pretty Boys Are Poisonous (Megan Fox), The Anomaly (Herve Le Tellier)
• TV Watched: Taskmaster, Love is Blind, Kitchen Nightmares, The Great British Bake Off, Love on the Spectrum US, Love on the Spectrum AU, Taskmaster AU, Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend, Very Important People, Naked Attraction, Tales from the Crypt, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV

Top 10 tracks:

1. Clean (Noah Floersch)
2. Crush (FLETCHER)
3. Pocketknife (Eddie & Lights)
4. LosT (Bring Me the Horizon)
5. American Teenager (Ethel Cain)
6. Magic Lantern Days (mewithoutYou)
7. Watermelon Ascot (mewithoutYou)
8. Pale Horse (mewithoutYou)
9. Batman (The Front Bottoms)
10. Mexican War Streets (mewithoutYou)

Where do I even begin about 2023… On one hand, my mental health tanked several times, particularly around April, July, and October. I spent a lot of the year exhausted and overstimulated and just trying to survive.

On the other hand, we took four major trips throughout the year, hosted some pretty decent parties and dinners, saw a handful of concerts and movies in theater, and went on some fun outings. I also thrived creatively, completing a poetry writing challenge and reaching affiliate on Twitch.

I’m not saying toss 2023 in the trash entirely, but I’m very glad it’s a new year and a fresh start. Here’s to better things in 2024.

Top 10 movies watched in 2023:

1. Beau Is Afraid
2. Barbie
3. Carrie
4. The Descent
5. Inside [2023]
6. Re-Animator
7. Only Lovers Left Alive
8. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
9. Evil Dead Rise
10. The Human Race

Top 10 books read in 2023:

1. Summer Sons (Lee Mandelo)
2. Strong Female Character (Fern Brady)
3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (Taylor Jenkins Reid)
4. I’m Thinking of Ending Things (Iain Reid)
5. Unmasking Autism (Devon Price)
6. little scratch (Rebecca Watson)
7. Book Lovers (Emily Henry)
8. A Novel Obsession (Caitlin Barasch)
9. A Simple Favor (Darcey Bell)
10. Academically Yours (Jennifer Chipman)

Top 10 tracks of 2023:

1. How Not To Drown (CHVRCHES)
2. Head in the Wall (Ethel Cain)
3. Crumbs (Rebecca Black)
4. I Can See You (Taylor Swift)
5. Inbred (Ethel Cain)
6. My Darling True (Nicole Dollanganger)
7. right where you left me (Taylor Swift)
8. Bad Man (Nicole Dollanganger)
9. Moonlite (Nicole Dollanganger)
10. Is It Over Now? (Taylor Swift)

How quickly things can change in a month. It seems like the job situation is stabilizing, and I took a risky move that looks like it’s going to pay off. For the first time in months I haven’t felt a pit of dread after the weekend on returning to work.

In my personal life, I got back to streaming with renewed energy and enjoyment, and have made a network of streamer friends who I virtually “hang out” with and game with. A delightful indie gem, Dave the Diver, took me by surprise and I had a lot of fun playing it.

I also finally checked a couple of dreamy friend hangouts off my list, hosting a tea party and visiting an insanely cool barcade. Will this rollercoaster of a year end on a good note?

• Movies Watched: Carrie (2002), Jason X, Funny Man, Snake Hotel, Puppet Master
• TV Watched: Taskmaster, Scream Queens

Top 10 tracks:

1. Is It Over Now? (Taylor Swift)
2. “Slut!” (Taylor Swift)
3. Suburban Legends (Taylor Swift)
4. Motorbike (Poppy)
5. Out of the Woods (Taylor Swift)
6. Style (Taylor Swift)
7. Now That We Don’t Talk (Taylor Swift)
8. Lavender Haze (Taylor Swift)
9. Cheerleader (Ashnikko)
10. I Can See You (Taylor Swift)