Author: greatwallstudios

Heard at least one real solid boom! Of a thunderclap late last night, or very early this morning, I don’t recall which, but otherwise I was mostly unbothered by the electrical storm. We got poured on by the rain at school drop off, but it petered out quite quickly after that so I opted to take my mutt to the farm for a walk. We did stop off at home so I could scrape leaves out of the gutters to allow the rain water to drain more easily on the street directly out front of our house. No need for pooling water if not absolutely unavoidable.

Book five is moving along nicely. I’ve slowed up a touch, but that’s not much of a concern. When I tally all of the pages I’ve read in March alone it should be over 2,000. Potentially more than that if I have a good sit down with the book at lunch time, and this evening before bed.

The Blue Jays who had started strong fizzled last night losing to Colorado 14-5. Not a good look to lose the pitcher in the third inning to a leg slash knee & ankle injury. Oh well! That’s baseball. They really do need to pull something together in the bullpen though to remain competitive because their current closers aren’t anywhere near good enough to stave off a one run lead to finish a game, and remain ahead. It’s upsetting to watch happen over, and over again, with no remedy in place. But I digress.

Tuesday, and the recycling truck came really early this time. I do not know if we are at the start, or end of the route but they can come at 7:00 am, or they can come at 5:45 pm, no warning one way or the other. It’s a gamble.

I can see the sun trying to poke its way through the clouds and fog. I don’t think it’ll clear up, but I appreciate the effort! Ha.

How is it a ridiculous comment on Threads has now garnered more than 4,800 likes. I don’t get it. Must be bot activity once you reach a certain threshold they just jump onboard. I had another comment get to 1,600 or more and that I thought would be the pinnacle. Nope. Apparently people love the mention of a Motorola RAZR to kill two birds with one phone. It’s doing numbers people! Get a grip.

With all that set aside, it is now Monday, the last one in March. Not only that but we have a four day weekend hot on our heels coming in fast for Friday through Monday. It’s Easter, already! Holy guacamole! Also, today the temperature could rise up to about 18 degrees. It won’t last, but with some sun it will be really, really nice.

I borrowed my FIL’s truck yesterday to transport some brush, and downed tree limbs to the farm for disposal yesterday. Felt good to clean up that massive pile. It was supposed to go in the fall, but farming, weather, and a suite of other factors got in the way. Gone now, so that’s all that matters. I even cleared out some more garbage wood from the garage since I was making the trip, and I had the room to haul more stuff away. Tried to not get carried away, and I think I was successful. I do have some slabbed logs that could go from beside the shed, but I’m not totally sold on getting rid of them just yet. I know I’ll dump some of it, I’m just not sure which parts will go, and where I’ll put whatever is left over. I need to do some thinking, and planning around it before I act rashly.

So yeah, one morning I woke up with six hundred Threads notifications, and it just keeps on steadily climbing. The comment has to be several days old by now, so it should wind down now, right? There’s no money in it here in Canada for Threads engagement, so beyond an odd sort of interruption, it’s not doing me any favours.

I get why US social media is so horrible, people get paid for interactions, and hateful, spiteful, awful comments garner a lot of interactions, whether the OP feels that way or not. It’s for a pay cheque. Money is involved. People will do bad things for money.

Whereas my shenanigans are fun, and delightful.

I cannot tell you the last movie that I’ve been to where the theater was populated predominantly with adults forty years of age or older. The film was wonderful, but what’s more was how pleasant the viewing experience was in a quiet theater with other adults there to WATCH THE MOVIE, not to live stream, or be influencers, or be chronically online for the film’s duration. It was pleasant to go two hours and thirty six minutes without seeing, or hearing a cell phone, tablet, or laptop computer peep once. We all sat back in our seats, looking forward, and sniffled through the tender moments, and luxuriate in the emotional tension the film doesn’t shy away from. No quick snap to a joke to alleviate the pain. It was tremendous.

I read the book several years ago, so while I am aware of the story, it isn’t exactly fresh in my mind, so I enjoyed the adaptation. It felt authentic to the source material even if much was left out. I’m ok with that. It’s the price you pay from moving from the written word to a visual medium. It’s still good. I also like the fact it isn’t all explosions, gun shots, fighting with no character development like much of our modern Netflix direct to home video type content. Faulty people with human responses to stimuli. Refreshing. Also, doesn’t need a sequel. Great as a stand alone. Why not develop Artemis as well if you want more Andy Weir characters to follow around on screen.

I can see why some folks felt it was slow, I get it, I understand your point, but I reject it whole heartedly. We’re so impatient we skip the build up for drawn out, exhausting spectacle, in a lot of tent pole movies these days, and there’s no pay off for anything anymore. The ending here feels earned. I like that. The film will let you sit with your glassy wet eyes, tears or sniffles. It’s not a melodrama by any means, but it gave itself space to breath, and I appreciate the control it took to keep those frames in the movie, instead of cutting it short. Phil & Lord have made some well crafted movies together, and I hope that continues.

I have the next couple of months reading material on hand, so no more having to time my reading in order to minimize downtime between books. Excellent. I also pre-ordered the eight and final book due out at some point in May of this year. There’s like 9 to ten inches of pages here ready to read. Something like 700 or more pages for each book. It’s a lot. But I think I’m good for it!

I will need to slow down once I get through this series, and any of the other books I have pre-ordered for the year. I’ll reach twelve and then need to actually read old books already in my possession from years ago. No point going out and refilling all of these book shelves with brand new books! My bad. It’s not often I find a new author with a good amount of stuff ready to read, that I really enjoy reading. Once I find one I want to devour as much as I can while I can. Call it a weakness, I don’t care.

It has happened again, the delivery date shown by the price to entice me to buy mysteriously rolls back a day or more after purchase. Not that it matters, or is a big deal, because in the grand scheme of things waiting an extra 24 hours is an inconvenience of the slightest manner, but the way in which it happens is nefarious. Advertise it as next day, but get two day anyway? Blargh. Just say two day, I still would have bought it, I’d just have better managed expectations. I would have simply stressed the reading slower, or save myself the last fifty pages to read on the one additional days wait. I’m moaning about it because I can, not because it’s a big deal. I needed something to write about that I could articulate. This wins on a groggy grey Saturday morning.

I’m currently in bed trying to decide if 8 get up to pee and start my day, or hold it and try to roll over and try for another hour or so of sleep? The bladder holds all of the cards here. If I want a good lie in, I should pee, otherwise I will dream of not being able to locate a toilet for the next hour to ninety minutes. Not cool.

Bladder wins, I drank far too much water yesterday to be able to hold it for more than my full night’s sleep. I had blood work done yesterday so my holding capacity was down ever so slightly! Probably why my night time gummy hit me like a tonne of bricks. A ten Millie Tommy shouldn’t feel that potent, woke. I could have grazed the underside of the moon, Sheesh.

For some reason comments of mine are going on on Threads these last few weeks. I had one go up to 1.6K, and another is up to 830. I’m not a funny guy, so it’s a bit odd. But I can flog my book(s) again if you’d like. They’re here, on this site, and can be downloaded for free. Just pdf’s that can be read on just about anything. You could buy the first book from Amazon Kindle Unlimited if you don’t trust random pdf’s from WordPress types.

Have a nice Saturday, it’s the Easter long weekend next Friday through Monday so be aware it comes early this year. Not only that but our weather should be a bit nicer by tomorrow, and for the next seven to ten days. Not out of the reach of random snowfall but we get closer to officially putting it all behind us until November fairly soon. Big wheels keep on turning!

I was trying to get the end of the fourth book to stretch over into today but I got carried away and finished it before taking my kids to their school movie night. I’m not going to TRY to finish book five in March, but if it should happen, oh well! Ha. We will see, at some point my enthusiasm for the series will wane, and then it’ll languish on my bedside table for up to a year or more. Just look at Brandon Sanderson‘s Mistborn, I’ve sat with that for a number of years now. But while I am engaged I can read faster than usual it would seem. I have until mid May before the eighth and final book of the series comes out, so I’ll go with it until I no longer care any more.

Work is still steady, which is great news. I just secured another batch of hours so that’s good to know. It’s not paid out yet, so I can’t count those chickens just yet. But I feel a little more confident about Q2, and it’s lead in to Q3 this year. That’s pretty rare for me, but I’m good with it.

So back to the books, they are action adventure set in an overtaken world dominated by powerful alien civilizations that turn the earth into a type of D&D slash Diablo dungeon crawler type spectacle for the entire galaxy and beyond to watch as a live streamed reality (used loosely) tv thing. It’s easy reading, fast paced, and centres on Carl, and his cat Princess Donut Queen Anne Chonk, as they fight their way through the increasingly difficult, and deeper dungeon levels. It’s not Shakespeare, or Years, or anything life altering, but it’s enjoyable, violent, snarky, and full of blood & guts. I’ve read almost 2,000 pages of this stuff in March alone, so I’d say I’m a fan. I hope it never becomes a movie because too much would get left out. A long running 22 episodes per season cartoon might do it justice, but who has the time to wait for that much animation to get made.

In the mean time here’s a picture of my dog with four different socks on his paws. Isn’t he sweet!?!

Welp, it’s Friday and I am killing time before a medical appointment in town. So I’m just chilling, having some breakfast, adding to this post, and sending out a work e-mail before I skedaddle. It’s bright and sunny right now, but also minus sixteen as of seven am, so there’s that. My niece whom is in Italy right now (I believe, but don’t quote me on that) has a birthday today. Shout out to the birthday girl! W00t-W00t!

I took the girls to the school movie night yesterday where we saw Zootopia 2 (again). Both girls had friends there to sit beside and share blankets with. It was in the gymnasium, projected on a screen. We got there as doors opened to snag floor mats to lie upon. I brought a camping chair because I no longer care to sit numbly upon the floor for two hours. Spent nearly $30 on snacks, and still had to buy dinner for all of us afterwards. My bad. Last time they sold pizza, so I was expecting it again, but it wasn’t on offer. Live and learn to read the flyer more closely! My fault, not anybody else’s. I assumed, and we all know what that means.

I’m about 100 pages from finishing book four, which is a record for one months worth of reading for me, I would bet. I might be able to add a few additional pages to my count by the 31st, if I’m lucky. As it stands I’m going to get close to 1,800 or 1,900 for the month. I am doing pretty well in the one book per month reading challenge! Far better than last year, that’s for certain. I do have other books coming in April and May from other authors, so I need to get through these before my attention gets pulled away to other stories, and characters that I like. A five book run on one series is pretty good. I could ignore the two new releases and stay with Carl until the final book releases in mid May, and just mainline it until totally completed. That’s a benefit of finding a series after the bulk of it has already been written.botherwise you wind up having to wait a year, or more, to get the next installment. Whereas now I’m just waiting on the shipping to arrive. A much shorter wait, and far more pleasant. Keeps the story fresh in the mind.

I will update further once I actually do finish book four and try to tuck into the fifth book. Can’t count those chickens before they hatch. I checked our library, and they didn’t carry the series. I could donate them when I’m done, or reread them in a year or two. It’s a fun series so far. I’m not bored, at all. It’s pretty breezy. I like it. Obviously.

Praise for Matt Dinniman‘s Dungeon Crawler Carl series is legit, if you like this brand of snark, violence, and blood drenched adventure. Be forewarned! Ha.

Nothing major just tying up some loose ends here and there. Returned the sharps container to the pharmacy now that my wife is off of her prescription. I purchased some cologne that ran out before Christmas. Went to the pet store for various dog treats for our morning walks. Stopped off to put an order in for a case of drinks. Filled the van with gas. Had our morning walk. Sent some files off for work, and then washed, and painted the wall I muddied up last week after our shower was fixed. Brush has been washed out, and then I took five of our six shovels back to the shed. I kept one decent shovel as well as the ice melt by the front door because as all good Canadians know, we may not be entirely done with the snow just yet. Not that we should get lots, but some is surely on the way, believe you me. If I can think of any other minor things to get done I will do that today too. I feel it’s a bit early still for the lawn furniture, hoses, and exterior garden lights to go out. Although the sun is getting stronger so the solar lights might kick on here or there when it isn’t totally overcast or actively raining. It’s just a whole lot of lifting that I’m not entirely in the mood for just this second. If we get a few days in a row with temperatures in the early to mid teens I’ll jump at the opportunity to put our stuff out. That will also mean I have to unwrap the last three that still has Christmas lights on it. Boo-boo. I like the red lights in the big maple!

So it’s Wednesday now. I am almost halfway into book four of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, so that’s good. Might be a record for one month for me. It’s almost lunch time, so I’ll get back to cleaning up the house.

I’m on a Matt Dinniman Dungeon Crawler Carl tear right now as I start to dig into book four of the right part series. Although the final book isn’t due out until mid May, so I don’t know if I’ll have enough steam to continue reading at this pace to be ready for the last book drop by then. I am still enjoying the series a good deal, but they are starting to get far longer, and more intricate. The Iron Tangle left my head hurting trying to suss out what it would look like in my mind. I do not believe that I could successfully recreate it with pen & paper from the humble of descriptions that I’ve read. Oh well.

Soon enough I will turn my attention back to painting minis, or my guitar, the resin model kit, woodshop, home DIY tasks, or the outdoor property maintenance. I have ebbs and flows you see. Also if work keeps up I won’t have much time for anything other than a few hours spread over any given week. That’s not bad, means I’m earning money, and we need that to live! Ha.

Sleep is still off since the time change. Not sure what can be done about that besides go to bed earlier. And earlier until I find a sweet spot once again. That could take a while to find, so I’ll make do until then. This is the last full week of March, can you believe it? Still minus ten out this morning, but we could go above zero by four pm, if we’re lucky.

Good news is, if I can find a book series that I really enjoy, and I can find enough free time, I can read about 1,200 to 1,400 pages in a month. That’s pretty good considering I am not a fast reader, like, at all. The bad news is, now that I wear my reading glasses for work, and for reading so much these last two months my vision is sort of soft around the edges when I don’t have them on, and not just for text now either. Everything goes soft edged around me. At least up close. I’m not concerned about things far away being soft edged, as that’s always been the case. This is a new development, and one 8 was concerned about once I needed reading glasses, and I know how my body loves to break down faster once I find a suitable work around for a health related problem. So yeah, fun-fun.

On a positive note I have book four coming later on today, and I hope to start it in another day or two. The later books are much larger, so I don’t think I’ll keep up this pace at all. March Break was slower (ever so slightly) so I could ignore stuff to just read any chance I got. I also stayed up late to read because an early wake up time wasn’t necessary. That is no longer the case. Life has started up for reals! So no more ignoring things for the sake of reading. Cleaning, dishes, laundry, groceries, and extracurriculars all are on deck, and are in play once again.

The youngest was in tears yet again regarding the return to school, but after this week, they have two short weeks due to the Easter Holiday four day long weekend. So there is that to look forward to. We also did not manage to get out to see Project Hail Mary as a nice date night event, so that sort of sucks. Our alone time was usurped by the children once again. Kids! Gotta love ’em.

I did manage to assemble my Ork Boyz models from Games Workshop, so when I’m sick of reading I can prime those, and think about painting them one by one. I’m game for doing twelve or fewer. The 40 odd Space Wolves was a bit of a chore towards the end. Glad I did them, but it was a slog. They do however look much better than the original paint job, so that’s a pretty big plus right there. Not great, but not awful either.

It’s Monday once again, and we are nearing the end of March. The official first day of Spring has come, and gone without much fanfare. So with any luck we might catch a stray sunny warm day here or there in April if we’re lucky. I could do with some blue skies and sunshine right about now.

Will need to weed & feed the lawn, and toss some grass seed around before too much longer. It’ll be grass cutting time before you know it! Leaves, and flowers, and blooms of all sorts will begin to appear. Wonderful time of year.