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A
monthly diary of current postings and quick train of thought entries
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January
2024
Moving along with
a sweep of the U.S. states…
North Carolina –
The Wake County School Board is debating a measure that would
make things like clear
bags part of a policy for events. Some things
that are smaller or contain required items might be excepted,
but duffle bags and backpacks are setting up as prohibited.
South Dakota – Looking
for good news when it comes to travel overall? A rise
in tourism is arriving in South Dakota,
with 2024 possibly eclipsing the records set in 2023.
“The
cicadas are back”
The January edition
of A
Parkside View is out. The surprises
we had planned are on hold, almost certainly to be part of the
February release.
Love me some June
Squibb. (Seriously, go see Nebraska, now.) I
cannot wait to see Thelma.
Let’s take a spin
around the local news…
Kansas – (Actually,
an article that appears to have been syndicated from Chicago.)
The old warm your car up before you drive approach? As far as
being good for the car, current directions say most of that
leans toward myth and not fact. Great to get the car warm inside
for the driver and any passengers. But for operations, smooth
driving pretty much from starting the engine tends
to be best for overall warming and performance.
Mississippi – Martin
Luther King Jr. Day also happens to have an
additional celebratory declaration in Mississippi.
It’s Robert E. Lee Day.
Montana – Looking
for something to do on Valentine’s Day? The
Museum of the Rockies is offering Pour and
Roar: Raptors and Romance as a special event with a separate
paid admission and exclusive festivities. Sounds like a fascinating
evening.
“The
most deceptive intersection in the world”
A few things going
on…
First, A
Parkside View…
This month’s edition
hasn’t been released yet. It’s almost ready, but we have a special
surprise in development for it. That bit of fun isn’t close
enough to share yet, and things are moving such that it could
end up being held over until February and this issue released
without it. Doubt it. But could do.
So, make sure you’re
signed up to receive your copy, and be ready to enjoy it very
soon.
Next up, work continues
on finishing up the next book: A Parkside View: Volumes
7 & 8. Could have a release date to share with you
before the end of the month. Also working on setting up the
calendar for some appearances and additional project releases
over 2024, and they could be revealed in part soon.
Ok, Hazbin Hotel,
you
definitely have my attention.
“A
change of scenery”
Kaitlyn
Dever appears to be headed to the second
season of The Last of Us.
The
Country Bear Jamboree attraction at the
Magic Kingdom is closing. Kind of. Not really. It appears to
be undergoing one of those refurbishment-update kind of things
and will return. But if you’re looking to get in your Country
Bear nostalgia fix, the clock is ticking to the end of January.
One of today’s essays
was built on the idea of Disney and superhero fatigue and box
office expectations. And while I didn’t develop it fully in
the essay, one of my thoughts during the process (and just recently
overall) was how mixing streaming availability and cinema releases
and so on can create some of the issues. My foundation was how
keeping them separate in many ways will allow for easing some
of the potential confusion that might be felt by many potential
audience members. That the need to have watched all it it could
be intimidating, setting up a scenario where many would opt
to watch nothing. Well, before I could even post the essay as
it exists, a
Mandalorian movie is in development. And
while I haven’t found anything fully confirming it would be
a theater release and not a special for Disney+, it does appear
that the characters are headed toward the scary box office big
screen world and not to the streaming service directly. It’s
good news overall, absolutely. Love The Mandalorian.
Want to watch more of the story and characters. But for a group
(read: Disney) that has lately been associated with the thinking
that Marvel needs to slow down, and likely should be more careful
mixing theater and streaming, this is a very interesting announcement.
(I have seen material speculating that this will mean the end
of the series, with a transition made with this film that leads
to any potential additional Mandalorian material following in
movie releases and not streaming episode seasons. Interesting
thought. Interesting decision if true.)
A moment of silence
please from all of us that loved up to one and a half seconds
of terrific flavor and then absolutely no flavor what-so-ever
in a stick of gum. Fruit
Stripe gum is no more. (And even with no
flavor, we kept going back to try again.)
Bit of a spin to
a few more states…
Iowa – Report on
the limited
return of the Double Big Mac.
Illinois – Family
was making plans for a Disney theme park adventure. Big trip.
Big family. Big gift card purchase. Bit of a problem though,
when the grandparents in charge accidentally bought thousands
of dollars in Disney+ gift cards by mistake.
(Disney apparently sorted it out with them.)
“Life
in the big city”
“Does
Disney suck?”
Over the years,
one of my favorite things to do—not frequent things to do, but
definitely a favorite—involves taking a spin around some of
the media sites for news. International stuff, national and
local outlets. All of it.
Sometimes it’s a
bit focused… looking where family and friends live, checking
out information ahead of travels, or information and thoughts
that raised my interest. Other times it’s just meandering about…
looking around and wondering what’s happened here or there recently.
I head out, find websites for news sources, which usually involve
television, radio and newspapers for the area, and check out
the pieces that interest me.
Side note… websites
for newspapers. Anyone else take a bit of a pause when thinking
about that? Obviously, the web isn’t a paper. And rather than
investigate that, the idea here is created because so many of
these sources for local news involve the digital efforts of
newspapers as they try to survive new technology and methods
of delivering information. Websites for newspapers. Funny words
together. Important considerations to understand. Back to it…
In many ways, all
of this is probably no different than what many of you do. Just
different websites.
So, this month I’m
going to try to get back to it and offer these up more regularly.
A stroll around a few sites for some news of interest…
Alaska – Bunny boots
are, honestly, legendary. The
Alaska Gear Company is working on improving
the classic footwear.
“Do
the needful”
Happy New Year!
First and foremost,
thank you!
Over almost twenty-one
years of In My Backpack and fourteen published books,
attending my appearances and offering comments and so much more…
I have always been humbled and thrilled by the support offered
to me and my work. You are amazing, and I do not take any of
it for granted.
There have been
many crazy and slightly off-balance moments. Past few years
especially chaotic. Over all of the twisting roads and side
paths and hidden trails, you send along messages and offer positive
responses to what is taking place. Means the world to me.
For 2023—for all
of it—THANK YOU! We are continuing along, still heading out,
on a terrific adventure together.
Going to have some
great announcements over the next week or two. A couple of essays
to share for today.
“Resolutions”
“The
uprising”
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