Monthly Look Ahead: June 2023

I have stopped wearing two sweaters every day, so it must be June. The sun is out and I have a decent amount of things to look forward to this month. Here’s what they are:

• I have a birthday this month. Last year, I tried to throw myself a small party, but it ended up being a rather sad night. This year, a friend who also has a June birthday and I are having a small joint event of mutual friends, probably at an Activate location. So fingers crossed for a better day.
• Though it’s many years late and now marred by the lead actor’s controversies, the Flash movie is finally out this month. I’m excited to see Michael Keaton’s Batman again and a new version of Supergirl. I hope that this movie is worth the years of waiting, but I don’t have high hopes.
• It’s been a minute since we’ve had a Marvel TV show, but we’re back with Secret Invasion on the 21st, and it seems pretty neat. Nick Fury is always a cool character, and it’s been a while since we’ve checked in on him.
  
• The last set of Manifest episodes are coming out on Netflix on June 2nd. I’ve been a fan of this show since day 1, so I’m very excited. I was very impressed at how Netflix maintained the vibe of the show when it was on NBC when the first set of episodes came out last fall. It’s a goofy show but it’s fun.
• Also on June 2nd comes Spider-man: Across The Spiderverse. The first Spiderverse movie was very cool with stunning animation, so I’m looking forward to seeing more of that.
  
• British band McFly has a new album coming out on the 9th. It seems to be a rock-heavy album, which seems solid. I wasn’t a huge fan of their last album, but based on the singles I’ve heard from this upcoming one, it’s a bit more my vibe.

So that’s what’s going on in my June. What are your plans this month?

That’s all for now!

 

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Pleasantly Surprised By Pikmin 3

Up until recently, my knowledge of Pikmin was very limited. And I know there are people reading this post who have no idea what a Pikmin is, and that’s valid. Pikmin are little plant-like video game characters from a Nintendo franchise by the same name. The first Pikmin game was on GameCube in 2001, and while some Nintendo franchises have had numerous titles over the last few decades, Pikmin only has four main ones. Actually only three, since the fourth is coming out later this summer.

My only points of reference to Pikmin were from Super Smash Bros Brawl where Olimar was a playable character that I almost never played, and from Pikmin Bloom, a Pokemon Go-esque mobile game that encouraged walking. I never played this, but my boyfriend did for a few weeks, so I have seen a fair amount.

But last weekend my boyfriend was coming over, and we knew the weather was going to be crummy, so I suggested borrowing some video games from the library to pass the time. One game we got was Pikmin 3 Deluxe for the Switch. So we booted it up and selected the two-player mode. I expected we’d play it for an hour or two before getting bored and turning to a trusty old favourite like Mario Kart. But instead we found ourselves enthralled by a quaint story and cute gameplay, and it became our obsession over the weekend.

Pikmin 3 tells the story of three space explorers landing on an Earth-like planet where they find little creatures called Pikmin that they can control and use to solve little puzzles. The goal is to collect fruit that will sustain their journey as well as find Captain Olimar, whose ship crash-landed there sometime before. There are several different types of Pikmin that can aid in your exploration in different ways such as breaking down walls or attacking enemies.

One thing that I loved about Pikmin 3 was that it wasn’t just a multiplayer game that had basic second player capabilities, its story mode was full co-op play. With split screens, we were able to go explore on our own and do our own part for the mission without the other one lagging behind. We were forced to communicate as we played and work together to achieve tasks within the time limits. With it being a fairly light-hearted game, we were constantly joking around as we progressed and controlled our little armies of Pikmin. It was very fun, and I highly recommend it to people looking for that kind of gaming experience.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with this game. As I said, I was familiar with Pikmin as a concept, but I have never really seen anyone even online praise the franchise or recommend the game, so for it to be so fun for both of us was a great surprise and made for a great weekend.

But one weekend is about all it took for us to reach the credits. I think we’re two somewhat competent gamers, and co-op mode allowed us to divide and conquer when needed, so it only took about 8 hours for us to complete the story and feel satisfied with our experience. For that reason, it’s not a game I recommend spending $80 on, but if you can get it from a library or buy it used, I do suggest giving it a go.

Pikmin 4 comes out later this summer, and though I recall not being at all interested in the game when I saw the trailer in a Nintendo Direct months ago, my newfound enjoyment for Pikmin has changed that. Now my boyfriend and I are eagerly awaiting the day when we can check it out from a library and play the weekend away yet again.

The surprise enjoyment that we got from Pikmin has really opened my eyes to games that I otherwise never would think to try, and I’ll definitely be more open-minded about games. If you know of any Nintendo Switch games that have good co-op modes, let me know!

That’s all for now!

 

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Recreating The Denny’s Fried Cheese Melt Because I’m Canadian

For those looking to also recreate this magical sandwich, it’s simple. You’ll need bread, mozzarella sticks, butter/margarine, and either shredded or sliced cheese.

Bake the mozzarella sticks as instructed. While they’re baking, heat up either a pan or, as we did, a trusty George Forman. Then butter one side of your bread slices. A minute before the sticks are done, put the buttered side down on the heat and apply a layer of cheese. Take the mozzarella sticks out of the oven and line up a few on top of that cheese and then cover them with even more cheese. Place your top slice of bread, and let the cheese get melty.

Then eat. A side of marinara sauce is optional but recommended. Enjoy!

This is by no means a complicated sandwich, yet it takes a grilled cheese to another level. It’s delicious.

And making it this way is the only way I can experience it without going to another county (that country being USA). Though there are many Denny’s in Canada, they do not offer the Fried Cheese Melt here. It’s sad. There’s no reasoning for this. We up north love cheese just as much as Americans.

I first experienced the glory of the Fried Cheese Melt when I went to Florida last fall. We were supposed to go to a breakfast event, but it was the morning of Hurricane Ian, and the plans were cancelled, so we went elsewhere to one of the few places open nearby: a Denny’s. It wasn’t too busy, but the staff wanted to close it down before the weather got worse, so they handed us a limited Deals Menu. I just wanted pancakes, but there was no option for that on the menu without also getting eggs or sausage. So I took a gamble on the Fried Cheese Melt. It was mind-blowing, and came with a side of fries. My boyfriend only had a bite, and even he was shook at how good it was.

This was months ago, and we talk about it all the time. We yearn for it. It was he who decided we should make it ourselves one weekend, so shoutout to him for this.

Anyway, if you can get yourself to a Denny’s that sells it, I highly suggest it, and if you have the ingredients to make it yourself, that’s also a great plan. Either way, with a fried cheese melt in your life, you will not regret it.

That’s all for now!

 

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Ranking The Versions Of Groot

It’s sad to think that Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3 was likely the last time we’ll ever see most of those characters. I really enjoyed the trilogy and will miss them. Especially Groot.

I’m not a comic reader, so I didn’t know anything about Groot before seeing the first Guardians movie. But he made a quick impression on me and the rest of the world. Simple. Funny. Loyal. and once reborn, cute as hell.

To celebrate the legend that is Groot, I’m going to rank all the versions of him we’ve seen, in order from least favourite to most favourite.

6. Kid Groot (seen in a Vol 2 credit scene, Infinity War, and Endgame)

We didn’t see a lot of this version, but I don’t think he really stood out. In the Vol 2 credit scene, he was moody and sarcastic as he gamed, and his contribution to the final Thanos fight was minor.

5. Big Groot (seen in a Vol 3 credit scene)

What a big man. Some are calling him King Groot, but Groot was already a king to me. We only see this version for a few seconds, but I love the look and love that he and Rocket are still working together and saving the world.

4. Stick Groot (seen in Vol 1)

Seeing this little guy dancing after the sacrifice at the end of the first movie was so nice. What a precious, pure scene and a great way to end the movie as well as hint at what’s to come.

3. Swole Groot (seen in the Holiday Special and Vol 3)

Built like a football player, this version of Groot was so fun: not a baby that needed protection and attention, but still innocent and loyal. Watching him dance in the Holiday Special was sweet, and I liked that he played a large role in the missions in Vol 3.

2. OG Groot (seen in Vol 1)

The original Groot was immediately wonderful. Even with a very small vocabulary, we still got character development and laughs without it being overdone. His partnership with Rocket was perfect, and it was great to see him adapt to the others in the eventual team too.

1. Baby Groot (seen in Vol 2 and the miniseries)

Of course, this iconic little guy is my number one. He was so cute, and it was so funny to see him run around and dance while everyone else fought aliens. I also liked how he brought out the parental sides of the rest of the team, as it really highlighted just how much they’ve grown since the first movie. 10/10 would love to see again.

 

Groot is the best, and if we’re being honest, there is no bad version. I’m glad we got to enjoy that character as long as we did and see so many cool versions.

I remember watching the trailer for the first movie way back when and thinking it all looked a little silly. From a raccoon to a talking tree, I didn’t have faith in what Marvel was trying to serve us. It took a few friends convincing me to give it a go, and I walked away from the theater very impressed, and excited to see the Guardians again. Now, nearly a decade later, the movies have come to a satisfying end, and Groot is an icon. As he should be.

How would you rank the versions of Groot we’ve seen throughout the years?

I am Groot!

 

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Working In Politics Seems Like The Worst

The great thing about working in marketing or communications is that every company or organization needs it. In theory, I could work anywhere. But one thing I know to be true is that I will probably never work in politics. It seems like the worst.

The concept of politics seems good: dedicated civil servants working to serve the people in a regulated, orderly way. But it’s not like that. We know this. Simply watch the news for a fraction of a second and you’ll know it’s an absolute mess. It’s not about doing right by the constituents. It’s not about money and ego and misinformation. It’s become a circus. Of course, that’s top-level stuff on TV, but I’m sure there’s nonsense going on in local politics and government too.

It’s sad that such a system has come to this, but that’s the world we live in. One where greed and power overrule common sense.

But on top of that being an environment I want no part of, the whole ecosystem looks hectic. I know Veep is a comedy and not at all a fully accurate representation of what that life is like, but watching Amy carry around several phones and Selina’s PR team working on the go, scrambling to get things done is very not appealing to me. I like dynamic jobs, I like staying busy, but I also like being able to work at reasonable paces, log out at the end of the day, and get a chance to breathe. I don’t know if political jobs offer that flexibility.

Politics also just seems so fake and ineffective. I go vote every time I need to, but I don’t know if the elected people actually go on to make a difference. They get on those podiums and make all these promises, and then proceed to not live up to them.

I think about that storyline in Parks And Rec where Leslie had been on city council for a year and was sure that she had made people’s lives better in that time as she listed clear ways she had worked to help the community, but I don’t see those kinds of examples in my city. I don’t see change. I only imagine what the marketing is like for those kind of people and campaigns. I know that marketing is upselling and glamorizing, but there’s a limit. I do believe that there is real change being made, and there are useful laws and bills being put into place by politicians, but overall, it just seems like it’s not enough about the work and more about the reputation.

And speaking of reputation, I both like and do not like how in politics your whole life becomes about the job. Of course I think it’s important for anyone to be an upstanding citizen and have values that align with the role, but it’s wild to me that Sasha and Malia Obama are still constantly photographed when walking down the street, and they don’t even work in politics. It must be weird to know your whole life is on display simply because your dad took a job.

To those making real change in politics, good for you. I hope you continue to push for a better future. I just do not think that any position related to politics is one where I would be happy. I just do not have what it takes and I do not have passion for the system, so I will do my best to stay away.

Sometimes I see careers or jobs and I think I could do that. With the right training and time, I could be that. Politics is not like that. Is it for you, though? Or is there some other industry that seems awful to you?

 

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