Good Grief (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Good Grief (2023): Good first movie by Daniel Levy, who wrote, directed, and starred as Marc, whose husband dies suddenly, upending Marc's life and revealing cracks in the lives of his close friends. Watching them all work through their issues is not as much of a bummer as you'd think. This ensemble would work in a sequel as a TV sitcom. B+

POTD: Australia's Top Pub

"Car stops, man offers
to show us Thursday Island
On his Thursday off."

—h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 03 30 Thursday Island

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken on Thursday Island, in the Torres Strait between the Australian mainland and Papua New Guinea. It's Australia's top pub, that is, its northernmost pub. There's not much else on the island so my guess is that it gets a lot of the island's business.

Ellen and I were hiking up to what's left of the historic, hilltop fort when a man in a car stopped and offered to give us a lift. He worked for the Australian border service and had the day off. So he gave us a panoramic tour of the hilltop, then offered to drive us around the rest of the island. We took him up on his offer and received the best personal tour available.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

POTD: Beach Camping

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"Safe zone amid waves,
Jellyfish safely kept out.
Lone camper's haven."
—h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 03 28 Cairns

Another port in Queensland, another (almost) empty beach. Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. There is one lone camper on the beach. Beaches in Queensland are plagued with jellyfish, whose stings are painful. This beach has one safe zone for swimming. Halfway down the beach, you can see the floats for a net used to keep swimmers separated from the jellyfish. In the foreground you can see one lone camper sitting in the sun and enjoying reading a book.

Gran Turismo (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Gran Turismo (2023): 2+ hour PlayStation commercial. Teen video gamer gets a chance to drive real race cars. Formulaic sports movie. Think Rocky and his grizzled trainer. The races blend together. Still, the movie manages to create suspense and excitement in the climax. That's more than I could have asked for. C+

Council Recap: City Hall and Library

The Richardson City Council held a worksession February 5, 2024, to receive an update on the new City Hall and Library projects. The schematic design of City Hall is now complete and design development is beginning. There are enough details for the City Council and the public to have a good idea of what our new City Hall will look like. The new Library is farther along, with construction to begin in March, 2024.

Council Recap: Comprehensive Plan

The City Council and City Plan Commission (CPC) held a joint worksession February 5, 2024, to review progress on updating the City's Comprehensive Plan. Regular readers know just how much importance I place on this opportunity to reform Richardson's outdated regulations that limit a denser built environment, mixed-use developments, transit-oriented developments, missing-middle and affordable housing, and safe streets for bicycles and pedestrians.

The Brothers Sun (TV 2024)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Brothers Sun (TV 2024): Brothers raised an ocean apart are reunited when a gang war in Taiwan spills over to L.A. Michele Yeoh is the mother, both nurturing and steely. Lots of choreographed fights. Lots of violence leavened with humor and meet-cute romance. B-

The Wheel Award for Excellence in Motion Pictures

Source: DALL-E.

The Academy Awards will be given out Sunday, March 10, 2024. I've seen all the nominees for Best Picture. That means my opinion means something. Right? Regardless, I've ranked the movies in order of my preference for "Best Picture."

POTD: Marine Stingers

"Empty Queensland beach,
First-aid stations ready for
Jellyfish stings."

—h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 03 27 Townsville

Another port in Queensland, another empty beach. Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The beach is empty in part because of the presence of jellyfish. Beaches in Australia have first-aid stations with bottles of vinegar to douse yourself with if you happen to fall victim to these beautiful but nasty sea creatures. Oh, also, beware of the crocodiles.

After the jump, a view of Townsville.

POTD: The Heart of the Reef

"Reef's empty allure
spoiled by fear of jellyfish.
Caution in the waves."
—h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 03 26 Airlie Beach

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken in Airlie Beach, Queensland, Australia, the self-proclaimed "Heart of the Reef." The "reef" referred to is, of course, the Great Barrier Reef. The beautiful beach is empty, perhaps because swimming is definitely not recommended without a wet suit because of the high risk of jellyfish stings.