The dream of early retirement

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May 22nd, 2026. Today is the first day of my early retirement. I walked away from the workforce. I didn’t need the stress anymore. I want to live out my remaining years in peace and quiet.

Person driving a car on a straight road at sunset with road atlas and cup visible

I’ll be writing here on a regular basis to document how I fill my days going forward. It isn’t going to be glamourous or full of adventure, although I’m hopeful to have some exciting days. It’s more about what I want my life to be without work, which is something that has been a part of my life since I was ten years old.

Old man visiting baseball stadium

So follow along as I navigate life without a daily commute, long days working at a computer, and a life free of corporate demands and capitalistic greed.

Older man walking a golden retriever on a coastal path at sunset

is God is

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Twin Black women, blonde dreadlocks, visible burn scars

It is always a pleasure to see movies from different perspectives. It could be in a foreign language, from a country outside of the United States, or even from a culture not usually portrayed in mainstream movies. Some examples are movies like Parasite, RRR, etc….

Black woman as God with healed burn scars

I’m lucky to get exposure to many different types of films where I live here in the Phoenix area. Yesterday I went to check out the film is God is, a directorial debut from what I assume is a black woman, with a cast of only actors of African heritage. This led to a movie with a definitive style one doesn’t normally see on the big screen, which was both refreshing and entertaining. The lead actresses were captivating every second they were on screen, and the slow burn until the final act had me hooked, wondering how it all going to end.

In the Grey

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A new Guy Ritchie movie came out, but I bet you had no idea. No marketing, no hype. It’s almost like no one wanted you to see this film. And they would be absolutely right, no one should waste their time seeing this film. Even if you just wanted a two hour escapist yarn to take a nap while it was on screen, I’m sure you could find a better way to get that accomplished. Save your money!

Obsession

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There has been quite a bit of buzz around a new film opening this weekend called Obsession. The premise was simple, and for me quite relatable….a young man has a co-worker friend that he really likes, but has a hard time sharing his true feelings about with her. He finds a One Wish Willow stick with voodoo magic, and makes a wish that she will love him more than anything in the world….but be careful what you wish for….

A person sitting on the floor in a dimly lit room, surrounded by scattered papers and photographs, with blood splatters on the walls and their hands. They are holding a notebook, wearing a dark hoodie, and have a distressed expression.

I’m not going to say much more as I don’t want to spoil the movie, but suffice it to say that the acting is superb, the use of darkness and silhouette’s in the cinematography is so effective, and the tension and creepiness is next level. I loved this movie!

https://www.onewishwillow.com

Western Pyrotechnic Association’s Lake Havasu February fireworks show, night two!

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I enjoy the morning sunshine, walking across Lake Havasu’s London Bridge. I’m staying at one end of the bridge, my family and friends in another hotel at the other end. My brother and his best friend went for a early round of golf, and so the rest of us are meeting them at Pirate’s Cove for brunch and cocktails.

Close-up view of a stone bridge arch over water with a clear blue sky in the background.

PIrate’s Cove is right on the Colorado River, Arizona on one side, California on the other. From what I recall the food was decent, but they serve massive cocktails that I believe are meant to be shared by 3-4 people, but of course we all went nuts and had one per person. Next thing I remember is being woken up in my hotel bed by phone calls and text messages from everyone that it is time to head back over to SARA park for night two of the fireworks show.

A sunset view over a mountainous landscape, framed by a chain-link fence, capturing a gradient of dark blue and orange hues in the sky.

I was excited to see what night two would bring, since the night before was pretty epic, and the show blew me away!

The Sheep Detectives

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Being a lover of movies, all types of movies, I do fancy taking a chance on smaller films with low marketing budgets that may not be on many people’s radars….and so it was on a warm Sunday afternoon when I settled in to watch The Sheep Detectives. From my long distance walks through the countryside of the United Kingdom, I grew very fond of sheep, small villages, and the charm of this part of the world. I wasn’t expecting such a wonderful tale, full of wisdom, meaning and heart.

Mortal Kombat II

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I used to ride my bike to the local 7-11 to play this game for hours with my friends. So many quarters lost, with zero regrets. The good old days. Yesterday I left work a tad early to see the new movie. I didn’t get a great story, but I wasn’t expecting that. It did have some great action/fight scenes, some good jokes that had me laughing out loud, and some downright awesome pop culture references. Enough to say, yeah I was entertained!

Deep Water

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Do you like disaster movies that also have hungry killer sharks? If the answer is “yes” and you also don’t mind pretty terrible dialogue and some questionable acting, then the new movie Deep Water might just be for you.

Sunken WWII airplane covered in coral and marine growth on ocean floor

Directed by Renny Harlin (remember The Long Kiss Goodnight and Deep Blue Sea?), this movie is over the top cheesy with some blatant green screen usage and questionable AI sharks, but it also had some terrific action sequences, especially when the plane goes down. It moves fairly quickly, and I’d be lying if I didn’t jump a few times and laugh out loud as well. I am glad I have a monthly subscription to my local theater though (one price, unlimited movies) or this definitely would have been a wait to stream it at home.

Hokum

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A man returns to a quaint Inn in Ireland, a place where his parents had their honeymoon. The reasons behind this journey, as well as the man’s mean demeanor towards people that he encounters, is part of the layered mystery that surrounds the new movie Hokum.

Woman witch drawing glowing symbol on ground near campfire in foggy bog

I wouldn’t describe this as a horror movie per say, but the mystery certainly intensifies as it goes along, and with new layers to the story being revealed as you, it definitely keeps you on your toes, wondering where it is going storywise…..I found it similiar to The sixth sense and Shutter Island. The messages are profound and heartfelt, and this is my favorite movie so far as the Summer season just begins.

Will you dare to see Hokum?

2026 Western Winter Blast Pyrotechnics Show

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For a few years now, my brother and his family, as well as some of our college tailgate friends have been driving down from Salt Lake to Lake Havasu City for an annual fireworks show. This past February, the stars finally aligned and I was able to come and join them. What I learned is that this is where professionals come to display their latest and greatest fireworks, hoping to not only get contracts across the country for 4th of July celebrations and the like, but it is also where you can learn how to make your own fireworks, and even launch your own creations.

We went to both the Friday and Saturday night shows. Friday’s show started with us enjoying the atmosphere and company, then we had a brilliant sunset over the Lake. When darkness covered the sky, we got a pretty cool drone display, something I had never experienced before.

Then the “real” show began. I haven’t been to a fireworks show, even for the 4th of July, for easily over a decade, maybe even two decades. The awe and wonder I always felt though as a kid came rushing back to me as I watched the night sky light up with spectacular brilliance. Night one did most certainly not disappoint!

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