Happy New Year 2024! 明けましておめでとうございます

 

Year of Dragon

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Math Teacher said this movie inspired a lot of pop culture references so I needed to watch it to understand those references.

Um, what do I say?  This movie was strange.  Or it wasn't my cup of tea.  Or I did not understand British humor.

For a run time of 90 minutes, I got bored.  Math Teacher's favorite part, Galahad the Chaste, really had nothing to do with the rest of the movie.  And that was about it.  A lot of jokes didn't have anything to do with the movie, like the opening credits kept sacking someone, or someone complained monarchy was a dictatorship, or the modern police scenes.

Of course my favorite parts were already uploaded to YouTube, the swallows with the coconuts.  They were funny because the joke was mentioned in the beginning of the movie and then again towards the end.  Consistency.

I also liked all the insults hurled by the French soldiers at King Arthur.  Very creative.

The Equalizer (2014)

Another Hollywood trope. A man in a quiet life that nobody knew he was a bad-ass. Then the man was forced to re-join the violence to help someone helpless.

I don't mind. Shoot them up and beat them up! Denzel Washington was so cool.

When Math Teacher was reading John Milton's Paradise Lost, he had to stop at this section to read it to me: 

"Whence and what art thou, execrable shape,

That darest, though grim and terrible, advance

Thy mistreated front athwart my way

To yonder gates?  through them I mean to pass,

That be assured, without leave asked of thee:

Retire, or taste thy folly, and learn by proof,

Hell-born, not to contend with spirits of heaven."

Roughly translated as:

Where and what are you, shit face,

You think you're big and scary, you dare to block my way to the gate.

Rest assured I'm going to pass, without asking for your permission.

Get out of here, or taste your own medicine, and learn,

you trash, Not to fuck with the heaven born.

This scene was when Satan leading a group of fallen angels to try to get into Eden; a fugly shape blocked his way.  I immediately said Denzel Washington was the only one that could pull these lines off as Satan.  So dominating, so confident.  Anyone in his way will be pummeled to death.  Hollywood, call me!

Aquaman (2018), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)

I watched the first one to be prepared for the second one.  Wow, the first one was a lot of movies.  It crammed everything into one movie, epic adventure, sci-fi, romance, action, politics.  Maybe the studio was afraid there wouldn't be a sequel. Most of it was probably the director telling Jason Momoa, "Just look handsome and smoldering."  I didn't mind.  😋

The second one was cute and entertaining. It continued the same style as the first one. Globe trotting adventures with a lot of undersea actions. I really like the brotherhood bonding. The bantering was fun; it showed their love and respect for each other.

The villain was a bit generic, but I liked that it wasn’t one true chosen villain. Anyone that picked up the fork could be a villain. So there were a few twists that were enjoyable.

By the way, was Black Manta’s chest CGI’ed? It was too magnificent. I couldn’t look away. 😍

The mad scientist was adorable. Randall Park is a great actor. I hope he gets more roles in the future.

One thing I had to pick on was, Jason Momoa's suit looked loose.  Did they run out of money on tailoring?

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2023!

Wish everyone a great Christmas and a happy new year!

This is my very first year buying an advent calendar. The treats were delicious. Looking for numbers was so much fun! Definitely buying different types of advent calendars every year from now on.

This year I went to different neighborhoods to see Christmas decorations. I did not feel comfortable taking pictures of people's homes. So, here's my own banana bread! Click here for the recipe!

Here are my annual tradition of taking photos of Christmas trees.

Monterey, CA, USA

Walnut Creek, CA, USA

Monterey, CA, USA

HOLIDAY SALES!!! To Hold & To Cherish: The Wedding Vow book 3

20 Dec 2023 Update:  I'd like to thank everyone that purchased my books!  You made me #1 in Amazon ranking for four days straight!  I've never had a success like this.  Thank you!  You are awesome!  My readers are wonderful! 💖💗😍

To Hold & To Cherish:  The Wedding Vow book 3 will be free on Amazon from 12/15/2023 ~ 12/19/2023!!!

All the other books will be for $0.99!

Please support the paranormal authors on Kindle Unlimited!  Check them out!

Please leave a review.  I appreciate your support.  🙏😊

The Wedding Vow book 2: From This Day Forward

From This Day Forward is on sale for the holidays, $0.99!

Original price was $2.80.

Always free on Kindle Unlimited!

Please leave a review.  I appreciate your kindness.

From This Day Forward

The Wedding Vow BLACK FRIDAY 2023 PROMOTION!

Black Friday 2023 promotion event!

Book 1:  I Take Thee.  FREE 11/24/2023 ~ 11/28/2023

I TAKE THEE

Book 2:  From This Day Forward.  On sale for $0.99!

FROM THIS DAY FORWARD

Book 3:  To Hold & To Cherish.  On sale for $0.99!

TO HOLD & TO CHERISH

Book 4:  'Til Death Do Us Part.  Unfortunately I didn't make this on time for the sale.  Maybe Christmas.  Here's the preview for the book cover!

'TIL DEATH DO US PART

REDEMPTION, short story FREE PROMOTION for Thanksgiving 2023!

My short story, REDEMPTION, is free on Amazon 11/23/2023 ~ 11/27/2023!

Free with Kindle Unlimited!

He fell in love with her the first time they met, on her wedding day.  The more he got to know her, the more mistakes he made.  If he did not hurry to redeem himself, the others would sweep her off her feet!

This is a romance novella set in fantasy medieval time period. There are a few curse words, but no explicit sex scenes.

Redemption

The Wedding Vow series

19 November 2023 Update:  I finally finished editing book 4!!!  Now onto book cover design.  Will I make Thanksgiving Black Friday sale?  We'll see!

Original Post:

Book 3, To Hold & To Cherish, was published in April 2022.  I promised myself that the series finale book 4, 'Till Death Do Us Part, would be published by the end of 2022.  It didn't happen.

Four business trips and two personal trips in 2022.  Then grandfather passed away.  Now I'm in the process of moving and still without furniture after 2.5 months.  I'm exhausted.

No.  This is not allowed.  I've got to publish the last book by the end of 2023.  It's actually already written from the prologue to the epilogue.  I just need to go back to every chapter, edit, proofread, and add/delete background information such as weather, the character's clothing in the weather, etc.

In the meanwhile, I'd like to thank all the readers that gave me stars on Amazon and Goodreads.  Big promotions when book 4 is published, as an appreciation gift!

Book 1:  I Take Thee

I TAKE THEE

Book 2:  From This Day Forward

Book 3:  To Hold & To Cherish

Book 4:  'Til Death Do Us Part (coming soon!)