Monday, May 22, 2017

Pluto RiffTrax - MST3K Channels, Alien Covenant Review, New IWSG Admins and News, The Happy Whisk, and Ninja News

IB Nosey interviewed me last week and the results were hilarious! Please read and have a good laugh.

MST3K/RiffTrax Channels - Pluto

In case you didn’t know it, Pluto TV has an MST3K channel!

The Internet based platform features several channels, available online, through dish services, and as an app.

In April, they added a RiffTrax channel to the mix, including movies with guest riffers. (You really have to pay attention to the British dudes, but they are hilarious.)

Now, whenever you need a fix, you can flick to either channel or pull them up online and enjoy!

Alien Covenant Review

Set ten years after Prometheus. Colony ship stops at uncharted planet. Xenomorphs ensue.
Critics claimed to those who hated Prometheus – this one is better. They were correct. I only disliked this one.
The set design is great. The film has a great feel to it. And it’s gory. Turn your brain off and you might enjoy it.
My brain would not shut off though. The plot holes wouldn’t let it.
Minor spoilers:
• Protocol would not allow the crew of a colony ship with over two thousand people on board to deviate from the carefully selected and perfect world to go explore another one just because it was closer.
• Common sense would not let people explore said world without spacesuits and masks. Airborne pathogens, people!! Have you never seen War of the Worlds?
• A company investing billions to transport people across the galaxy would hire trained people. A crew who knew what to do in a situation. Not a crew that went into panic mode and turned batcrap crazy at the first sign of trouble. Or deviated from protocol.
I’ll stop with spoilers and also mention that the ending twist was telegraphed. No tension, no surprise.
Michael Fassbender is good. So is Katherine Waterston and the rest of the actors. Just a shame the plot holes and lazy writing let them down. And the fact there really wasn’t much in this film that we haven’t seen before.
And it’s still been thirty years since we had a decent Alien film. James Cameron and Aliens ruined it for everyone…
Recommended only for diehard fans or casual fans who want some good gore and have time to waste.

IWSG stuff

In the past two weeks, the IWSG Admins have welcomed two new members. Nick Wilford will be manning the contests page and Pat Hatt will run Twitter - @TheIWSG. Please stop by both of their sites and welcome them!

Don’t forget our first Twitter pitch event, #IWSGPit, is on July 27. We have a lineup of publishers and agents who will be tuning in that day and more are added every week. See the site for details and start working on your Twitter pitch.

The IWSG Goodreads Group is in full swing and already read their first book. As a bonus, members got to ask the book’s author questions and you can read about it on Goodreads. This group is for writers only, focusing on the craft, so please join us.

The IWSG Newsletter is packed with great information and valuable links every month, so if you haven’t signed up, please do so.

And for those who don’t know it, we have an IWSG Facebook Group as well, with over 3600 members.

Finally, on June 7, the next IWSG post day, we are announcing another anthology! This will be similar to our IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond, so tune in next month for details.

Special Blogger Buddy Feature

I’d like to introduce you to Ivy, also known as The Happy Whisk. I met Ivy several years ago and she never fails to entertain – and give everyone some good tips. She is an experimental chef due to allergies and comes up with some amazing stuff. She’s also into organizing, movies, and Bug. Just a special friend. Please welcome Ivy!

Favorite Recipes: This week I'm all about homemade rye bread with caraway seeds, cheeses made from plants and egg-free French toast. I'm allergic to eggs and dairy. Developing recipes is my way of telling my allergies to suck it.

Advice on decluttering: I've got gobs to share about ditching 95 percent of my crap. But today, I'll start with three words; I was ready. It's that simple. I wanted to do the work so I set aside four weeks to go through everything I owned. I sorted by category and began with the areas that made me the most uncomfortable, angry, frustrated and/or overwhelmed. This might not work for everyone, but I wanted to slay the biggest dragon first.
From there, I learned that people aren't things. Letting go feels amazing. Organized clutter is still clutter. And, I don't need 14 Pyrex bake dishes and 24 waffle makers.

Who is Bug? Her full name is Bogár which means bug in Hungarian. She's a loud mouth little brat and I love her to bits. She's half shepherd, half beagle. When I hurt myself in the kitchen, she makes a mad dash to check on me. Her hobbies include stealing Tim's hats, beating up paper bags and snuggling with her big sister.

Favorite Super Hero: As a kid, I twirled around the living room until I fell over and I wore my little Wonder Woman costume at the table during meal time. Hands down, BEST SUPER HERO EVER!!!!

Ninja News



JH Moncrieff just released two books!
City of Ghosts
On the day the villagers were forced to flee Hensu, not everyone got out alive.
Find on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and iTunes
The Girl Who Talks to Ghosts
Would you risk everything to save a stranger?
Find on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and iTunes

Are you a Rocket Raccoon fan?
Then you need to join the Raccoonatics!
Run by Leo Wyld, Raccoonatic Commander, it’s great place for fans to gather for news and discussions on all things Rocket Raccoon.
You can also follow on Twitter - @raccoonatic




Anyone else watching the MST3K Pluto channel? Were you suckered into another Alien movie last weekend? Participating in the IWSG groups and excited about the upcoming events? Following the Happy Whisk? And are you a Raccoonatic?
Don’t forget to visit IB Nosey!
Since next Monday is a holiday, I will not be posting and am taking the whole week off. Will check email and Twitter though. I’ll be back for IWSG post day, June 7.

154 comments:

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Sounds like this 'Alien' has lots of issues...too bad.

I've never heard of Pluto TV! I'll have to check that out.

I like Ivy's advice that 'people aren't things!' Sentimentality is a real block when it comes to decluttering.

Ann Bennett said...

Decluttering, where has The Happy Whisk been all my life.

This was quite a newsy post. Enjoy your time off.

nashvillecats2 said...

Pleased the ISWG is going from strength to strength.
In that picture about you being interviewd which one was you?

Excellent reviews as always. Thanks for a wonderful read.

Yvonne.

Nilanjana Bose said...

Great to hear ISWG is doing brilliantly. Ivy's advice on decluttering is something to internalise.

No cinema visits till end June so no aliens for us, or earthlings either :)

Truedessa said...

Haha the interview was absolutely hilarious and a great way to start my day(smiling)

I haven't seen the Alien movie and doubt I will, thank you for the review.

You have a lot going on and it's always good to have a little help from your friends. I am sure Pat will do a great job running twitter.

Enjoy your week off!

Peace & light always!

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

Looking forward to seeing the next IWSG anthology topic!

Erika Beebe said...

Oh no! The Alien movie bombed! I sort of had a feeling watching the trailer. Sigh. Thank you for the spoiler alerts. Yay for the goodreads group! I do plan to join hopefully after the summer winds down. The Allergy recipes at the The Happy Whisk sound so great. I have a lot of them too. Yuck. Corn is my enemy. Have a great day Alex!

Nicola said...

Great and very informative post. Thank you! Congrats to Nick and Pat in their new roles. How exciting.
Well done for clearing out! I love to do that from time to time - and I'm ruthless. I always ask myself the question: Have I used this in the past two years? If not then chuck it out - or give it to charity if I think it will be useful to somebody else. What are you going to do with all those empty boxes?
Congrats to all the new releases and their authors.
Looking forward to hearing about the next anthology.
Have a great week.

Natalie Aguirre said...

The IWSG is doing such great things. So glad to be part of the group. And loved hearing from Ivy on decluttering. This week I'm going to help my daughter do just that as we tackle her very scary and messy bedroom.

H. R. Sinclair said...

I detest sci-fi's where the crew on a ship have no training. It just doesn't make sense. Passengers are one thing, but the crew? GAH!

Hi ya, Ivy! Fancy seeing you here.

The Happy Whisk said...

Alex: Loved the interview and the, What is an iPhone? I said that myself up until about last year. Love that you have a fancy-dancy space pen.

Thanks for the kind words about me and, I think we've known each other from almost the beginning of our blogging. Or pretty darn close. You're the best and that Cinnamon French Toast is headed your way.

Elizabeth Spann Craig: Agreed. Holding onto those gifted items or items that belonged to someone, just for those two reasons alone can create lots of clutter. Thanks for reading.

Ann Bennet: Stop on by, there's a few posts listed under the tag, Less Stuff and in the comments, you'll meet others who are decluttering or have decluttered. Thanks for reading.

Nilanjana Bose: Thanks for reading. Are you decluttering? It's great fun, I think and even more fun when the crap is all gone.

Erika Beebe: Me too. Corn is one of my worst ones and to be honest, the one I wish I could eat the most of all because boy, do I miss cobbed corn. How long have you had food allergies? Have you tried millet flour instead of corn flour? It works pretty good. Thanks for reading.

Nicola: Agree, those unused items, out, out, out. Those boxes and bins were donated last year to a place that helps pound puppies and cats. Thanks for reading.

Natalie Aguirre: Here's to slaying that big messy bedroom dragon. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Elizabeth, Pluto has a ton of channels.

Yvonne, I'm definitely the stud on the left.

Thanks, Truedessa. Pat is already off to a great start.

Erika, I'm now giving up on any more Alien movies. Definitely check out Ivy's site.

Nicola, that's how I feel - if I have used it, toss it.

Holly, exactly!

Karen Jones Gowen said...

I always have enjoyed The Happy Whisk. She can write the shortest blog posts that say a lot, always with a bit of humor and often an interesting twist.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Hi, Ivy! Fancy meeting you here. :)
Alex, I did not get suckered into the Alien movie (heck, I don't think I watched but the first two anyway). But I did read your interview. Funny stuff!

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Sigh. I was hoping the new Alien movie would be good.

I loved Ivy's lines about being ready to declutter and how organized clutter is still clutter. So, so true.

Yeh for JH! :)

Stephanie Faris said...

OMG, how cool is it that IWSG is having its own pitch event?!!! I'm a mentor for Pitch Wars this year...I love that authors have this opportunity now.

Andrew Leon said...

It's the kind of thing I'll eventually rent just to see how much I dislike it.
Like I did with Prometheus.
Hmm... Occasionally, we dislike the same movies.

Bish Denham said...

What a fun interview, Alex! Of course I won't be seeing the new Alien movie as the first one was enough for me (it was excellent but I'm just good with those kinds of movies).

Another anthology! Yeeha!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Ivy, thanks, and you're welcome!

Stacy, thanks!

Karen, yes it does.

Stephanie, it's very cool.

Andrew, sometimes it happens.

The Happy Whisk said...

Southpaw: We must have been here at the same time. Spooky. Here’s to a kick ass new week for us both. Rah.

Karen: Wow, wow. Thank you for the kind words. Thanks for reading and boogie boogie boogie.

Stacy: Hey Girl. Happy Monday!

Madeline Mora-Summonte: Being ready was my biggest super power. Thanks for reading.

Pat Hatt said...

haha nope, never got sucked into yet another meh alien movie.

Well at least if you spun around as wonder woman now the pup would be there to catch you.

Arlee Bird said...

Since I disliked Prometheus I doubt whether I'll be rushing to see Alien Covenant. My wife has basically had it with space movies and superhero films so when I watch them it's usually by myself and I tend to stick with the older cheesier ones from the fifties.

Decluttering is always on my agenda. We have a neighborhood yard sale scheduled for the end of June so maybe I can get rid of some stuff then. So much that I need to get rid of!

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

Ha, ha! Thanks for starting my day with a laugh. "Creepy buggers?"
So happy to belong to IWSG. I'm learning a lot.

cleemckenzie said...

I'll start with the pups! Just too adorable.
As to the decluttering. . . I started that a few years ago. Progress 0.
Moncrieff is on a roll. I'm very jealous.
Lots of IWSG news to keep track of. That's on a roll, too! And love that Nick and Pat are on the team.

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Plot holes get in my way, tooooo. :( I don't like gore though and probably wouldn't watch Alien Covenant anyway.

I need to go read IB Nosey. Goodbye!

Teresa

Tyrean Martinson said...

My hubs and I decided to check out Passengers from Redbox instead of going to see Alien Covenant - I think we made the right choice! (I know that there were plot holes in Passengers, but we enjoyed the movie and discussing it afterwards for three days.)

Happy new books and much thanks to the Happy Whisk for the decluttering tip! I definitely want to slay the biggest clutter dragon first.

Yolanda Renée said...

Love, Ivy! She's awesome COOL!

Won't see the new Alien movie, just won't! :)

Cathrina Constantine said...

I desperately need to declutter!!! That's my goal this summer.

The Happy Whisk said...

Pat Hatt: Hahaha. True.

Arlee Bird: Neighborhood yard sale sounds like a great way to unload some stuff. What are most looking forward to getting rid of?

cleemckenzie: Thanks. They’re the best. If there’s anything I can do to help, my email is on the side of my blog, or Alex can give you my contact info. Thanks for reading :-)

Tyrean: Thanks for stopping by my blog today. The biggest dragon first, made everything else smoother. My email is on the side of the blog, if I can be of any help. Cheers and boogie boogie.

Yolanda: Hey Girl. Happy New Week!

Cathrina: Here’s to kickin’ some clutter butt. You can do it! If I can help in any way, my email is on the side of my blog. Happy to help.

Elizabeth Seckman said...

I keep trying to declutter, but it keeps dragging me back in. The boys came back, all bringing stuff with them.

I went to see Guardians- loved it, of course. I'll wait and rent Alien. No love story, little interest for me. :D

Charles Gramlich said...

I'll probably watch alien covenant eventually but am in no big hurry

Sean McLachlan said...

Interesting news about the Goodreads group. Somehow I missed that when it first started. I'll join once I'm done with this heinous writing deadline.

Carrie-Anne said...

I need to get rid of some stuff myself, though it's really hard to give up material items I've held onto for years. I'm the exact opposite of my mother, who seems to have almost no sentimental attachment to anything.

I'll be looking forward to the announcement of the new anthology!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Lee, definitely skip it then.

Beverly, that's good to hear!

Lee, JH is working hard.

Tyrean, smart move. I still need to watch that one.

Yolanda, just don't!

Sean, please do!

A Beer for the Shower said...

Ha! I really didn't want to see Alien Covenant, but I think I like your plothole analysis better. Those all seem glaringly obvious. And if that's the future of space colonization, count me out.

I've been decluttering lately. Filled the outdoor trashcans to the brim for 2 months in a row. At this point I realized I'm probably a pack rat.

Tim Knight said...

Your review of Covenant backs up the impression I'd got for a selection of others, so shall be saving my money there. Thanks, Alex. I'll wait for the DVD then ;-)

Great to see you giving the spotlight to Ivy, she's a wonderful person and blogger. Hope even more people will now follow her antics!

M.J. Fifield said...

I love that advice on decluttering. I made a big dent in my clutter recently, but there's still more to tackle one day.

I have yet to watch any of the alien movies apart from the first one, which I had to watch for a film class I took in college. It's just really not my thing. Give me the Guardians of the Galaxy any day. :)

Hooray for the new IWSG admins!

The Happy Whisk said...

Elizabeth: Noooooo… on the boys bringing stuff back. That’s a tough one. Happy Belated Mother’s Day.

Carrie-Anne: I understand where you’re coming from. That really hard feeling goes away with practice. Sometimes starting with a baby dragon helps, too.

A Beer For The Shower: Congrats on the rubbish bins to the brim. Woohoo!

Tim: Thank you, my friend.

M.J. Fifield: Thank you. Congrats on your big dent. Those are the best. Here’s to more!

Chrys Fey said...

So much awesome IWSG news. :)

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Alex – lots going on here … I B Nosy – was such fun … amazing rapport between the two of you. Wonderful to have two new admins on the IWSG group … always so necessary – also lots happening there too.

I must declutter with a vengeance – so I think I’ll be thanking Ivy for her tips … enjoy your break and see you on the 7th June if not before .. cheers Hilary

Christine said...

Stopping by to read Ivy's piece, loved it, thanks for hosting her.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Two whole channels - woo-hoo!

When we converted one room into a bedroom for foster kids, we did that kind of de-cluttering and it felt so good. (It's now my office and three times fuller than before. Of course!)

Joanne said...

IWSG rocks. You rock. Rocket rocks. Alien stuff- not my wheelhouse. I stay pretty decluttered, especially seeing my dad's stuff. It is neat but too too much.
Have a super Memorial Week. Safe fireworks!!

Tonja Drecker said...

I'm 'Aliened' out, but that doesn't sound like it's a problem. Wow, IWSG has so much going on...and yeah, I'm excited! I'm going to have to read that interview and see what nonsense you guys were up to.

The Happy Whisk said...

Hilary: Here’s to decluttering with vengeance! Rah!

Christine: Thanks bunches and boogie boogie.

L. Diane Wolfe: It does feel good. Will you give it another go with your now office? PS: Super interesting post you did. I never knew that stuff.

Joanne: Congrats on staying decluttered. It’s the best!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Brandon and Bryan, skip colonization - or risk an alien in your chest.

Tim, yes she is!

MJ, watch the second, Aliens. Best one of the bunch!

Hilary, Nosey gets all the credit for that.

Christine, thanks for visiting!

Thanks, Joanne!

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

I was definitely suckered into another Alien movie this weekend. I don't think the plot holes really struck me until I read your review. Lots to think on. I suppose I was just caught up in how everything looked so stunning. There definitely is not very much hope in the whole Alien universe, mostly due to people making such bad decisions, right?

alexia said...

My son wants to see the new Aliens movie but I've never been a fan of them. Cool news on IWSG! That's great that you have a Twitter pitch lined up. Those are super fun. Love Rocket!

Mary Kirkland said...

I've liked most of the Alien movies and I'm looking forward to this one even if most people who have watched it thus far have said it isn't great but it is ok.

Happy Wisk *Ivy*, it's nice to see you. I love Bug, such a sweet face. I declutter as much as possible because I have very little storage space.

Karen Lange said...

Nice to meet Ivy! Nice to learn more about her, too. Fun interview at Nosey's. Thanks for sharing the link with us. Have a great week!

SpacerGuy said...

Remember Hudson's line " Aw heck, why don't you put her in charge! he blurts with aliens crawling all over the perimeter but that was then. The simplest stuff really works! Scaredy cat Hudson who mustered up courage when viewers least expected it, was great in Aliens 2.

Welcome Ivy, its my pleasure to met one of Alexs many friends. Theres nothing quite like having a dog around, your best friend on earth. I love creatures - raccoons too.

Sandra Cox said...

Woo Hoo, Nick and Pat. Thanks for taking this on.

Alex, in reference to your comment at my blog, yes it is lettuce. sigh.

Jo said...

I am happy to call Ivy a friend too. I am still waiting for her to throw out her bed with all her decluttering. You go girl.

Elephant's Child said...

Loved your interview with IB Nosey. And yes, I found Ivy, or she found me, some time ago.

Suzanne Furness said...

I think I might try and see Alien. Welcome Pat and Nick to the IWSG admin team. I'll have to check out the Twitter pitch details.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Michael, definitely no hope.

Karen, same to you!

Spacer Guy, yes he was!

Sandra, you have a weird cat.

Jo, she just might!

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Alex, you're as hot as I imagined! Smiles.
IB Nosey is a fun and silly one.
Ivy is a longstanding favorite too.
Have a great week.

The Happy Whisk said...

Mary: Hi Girl. Nice to see you, too.

Karen: Hi. Great to meet you. Thanks for reading.

Spacer: Thank you Spacer Guy. Nice to meet you. Dogs are great and of course raccoons too.

Jo: I am happy to call you a friend as well, Jo. To be honest, I have thought about the bed going. It’s funny, because it’s true.

Elephant’s Child: I’m so glad we did. You inspire me, for real.

Robyn: Thanks, Girl! Having hot chocolate right now. Yum.

Cindy said...

I thought the first Alien movie was really good, but I never saw the need to make more. I guess the fans of these Alien movies don't care about plot holes.

J E Oneil said...

I always have time to waste, so I'll probably go see it.

Cherie Reich said...

Nice to learn more about Ivy. I do wonder how someone ends up with 24 waffle makers, though. ;)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I enjoyed Alien Covenant because I went expecting very little. The stupidity of the crew was painful though. Really painful. With a little extra thought, the writers could have fixed it too without changing the story. Such a shame. So much potential!!!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Robyn, why thank you!

Cindy, Aliens was the best one of the bunch - if you've never seen it, you need to.

Lynda, I didn't expect much either. And yes, lazy writing!

Liz A. said...

I've never seen an Alien movie. Creature features. Not my thing.

I'll have to tell a member of my writing group about the Happy Whisk. She's non dairy and non gluten due to allergies or health issues or something. I bet she'd get something from her.

Brinda said...

"hey were correct. I only disliked this one." <-- funny. I didn't like Prometheus at all.

Birgit said...

Oh I want to declutter and have been making some headway but so much more to do. I actually watched , for the first time, one of the alien movies with Weaver. She has that thing inside her and she is on some prison ship. I was not happy to see it so I think I will miss this one.

Lynda Dietz said...

LOVED the interview! Had me smiling the whole way through.

I liked the decluttering reminder as well! I don't have nearly as many wafflemakers as The Happy Whisk, but there's always something that can be given to others or just tossed out.

Funny, I've read IWSG blog posts for years and follow the group on Twitter and Goodreads, but have never gotten around to signing up for the newsletter or following on Facebook. Did that right away and now I have my bases covered!

Trisha said...

We saw Covenant last night - i couldn't agree more with your review! I can't abide stupid characters or decisions that make no sense or can't be justified in any way.

Anonymous said...

Welcome to the new IWSG members!

The Happy Whisk said...

Cherie: Thanks. Was fun for me to read these comments too. I didn't really have 24 waffle makers. I was being a smarty pants. I did have a lot though. Different shapes and sizes.

Liz: Allergies can suck it. Thanks for reading.

Birgit: Congrats on making some headway. That's very cool. Where do you find your stuff stuck?

Lynda: I didn't really have that many. I did have a good amount though and far more than I needed. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

One of my sons saw the Alien movie last night. Didn't talk to him yet. I love Ivy and enjoy her posts so much. So much wonderful stuff going on with IWSG and two great guys helping out.

Rhonda Albom said...

I wasn't going to watch the Alien movie, but now I think I might, so I didn't read the spoilers, just up to the part where I have to turn my brain off. Mine is tired, and that is how I like to watch movies. :)
Also, I need to check out the Happy Whisk. Thanks.

J.H. Moncrieff said...

Thanks so much for highlighting my books, Alex! Much appreciated.

I loved the first two Alien movies, but I think that's enough for me.

Re: the IWSG Twitter pitch, is it focused on any genres in particular? Sorry if that's been answered somewhere else already.

George Beremov [Nebular] said...

Covenant was so underwhelming for me.
I aboslutely LOVED Aliens -- it's the best in the series in my book, and one of my all-time faves.

Mason Canyon said...

Sounds like the new Alien movie is one to pass by. Interesting about Pluto TV. We just got a new TV that has that on it so I'll have to check out this channel. Congrats to JH for the new releases and nice to meet The Happy Whisk.

Dean K Miller said...

Never got past the first Alien. Thought it was good, but I'm not a fan of the genre. Welcome to Nick and Pat.
Enjoy the break.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Liz, she would!

Brinda, then you won't like this one much better.

Birgit, that was the third one. Not good. Watch the second one, Aliens. Best of the bunch.

Lynda, thank you!

Trisha, amen!

Rhonda, leave your brain in the car.

JH, you're welcome! And check the site - the genres are listed.

George, it's one of my favorite movies as well!

Mason, you need to check out all of the Pluto channels.

Dean, watch the second. It's the best one.

The Happy Whisk said...

Susan: Thanks, girl. Enjoy Volumn II and boogie boogie.

Rhonda: Saw your wildlife pictures and wow. Very cool shots.

Mason: Loved the little lamp, book and cuppa on the top left of your blog.

Patricia Stoltey said...

I'm in a de-cluttering phase of my life, so all tips from someone who's mastered the art are welcome.

Martha said...

Popping in to read Ivy's (a.k.a - The Happy Whisk and a.k.a Wonder Woman) answers. Love her answers! Fun post :)

Chemist Ken said...

I've been getting mixed messages as far as Aliens: Covenant. Some say it's good, others not so much. Who do I believe?

The Cynical Sailor said...

The Alien movies are too scary for me, so I'll be giving this one a miss. Yay for new IWSG admins and for the folks with new releases! Fun to learn more about Ivy. My mom is allergic to eggs. Not an easy allergy to deal with, especially when you go out to eat. Looking forward to checking out Ivy's blog. Cheers - Ellen

William Kendall said...

I didn't know Bug was short for another name.

The Happy Whisk said...

Patricia: Very cool. Happy decluttering.

Martha: Thanks for stopping in today. You're the best.

Cynical Sailer: Very cool that you're looking for something for you mom. I will come find you when my French toast video/blog/recipe is up and running. Thanks for reading and boogie boogie.

William: When she's in trouble she gets called her proper name. Which is often enough. Thanks for reading.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Rocket is my hero! I have a small statue of the guy standing next to my statue of Gabrielle Xena does not need the help! :-) I didn't watch Alien Covenant since the plot holes in Prometheus were so irritating. Thanks for confirming my fears about the "sequel."

Barbara In Caneyhead said...

First, congrats to Nick! He's a great writer and an all around good guy.
Second, I enjoyed Ivy's interview. She sounds delightful!
Third, I'm really amped up over J.H.'s new releases!
Always fun to come find the scope here. 😉
I Saw it on Facebook at Life & Faith in Caneyhead. :)

Michelle Wallace said...

The Happy Whisk set aside FOUR weeks to go through everything? Crikey! I'd better make a start...
And that's a LOT of Tupperware. I remember a time, when buying Tupperware every month or so was the in-thing, and every second person was hosting a Tupperware party. But let's face it, Tupperware is REALLY durable. Just too expensive now.
If Ivy had to choose another name besides The Happy Whisk, what would it have been? Maybe the Jolly Grater...or something else? Or is the whisk her favorite utensil? Just wondering.

Congrats to Holli Moncrieff - she rocks!

Welcome to the new admins, Pat Hatt and Nick Wilford. Alex, you are no more the lone rose amongst the thorns. LOL

Deniz Bevan said...

Welcome, Nick and Pat!
Ooh, why am I not following Ivy? Off to visit her blog!

mail4rosey said...

Happy to meet Ivy. Her dogs are adorable. And yes, yes, yes!!!! to Wonder Woman. I can't wait for that to come out in June.

DMS said...

Fun to hear from The Happy Whisk. :) I like the decluttering statement- that she was ready. Definitely important. Definitely have to visit her blog. :)

Thanks for sharing!
~Jess

The Happy Whisk said...

Barbara: Thanks for the nice words and thanks for reading.

Michelle: Tupperware is crazy high. Too rich for my blood. Those were giant Rubbermaid and other storage bins and boxes for non-food items.

No one ever asked me what my other name would be. You got me stumped.

Four weeks because I love the number four. After the four weeks, I put the house back together, demoed out a few things like cabinets, cupboards and closets (oh my). That's when another 15 percent of stuff went out the door. But the four weeks was my deadline to go through everything and that really did the trick!

Thanks for reading and boogie boogie.

Deniz: Thanks for reading and commenting. Off to see your blog after this.

mail4rosey: Woohoo! A Wonder Woman fan. She rocks.

DMS: Hi Jess. Thanks for taking the time to read. Being ready was my biggest super power. No doubt.

C.D. Gallant-King said...

I've only ever seen the very first Alien movie, and maybe I should keep it that way. It was an awesome film, though.

I may have to take a closer look at some of those group activities.

And Wonder Woman is my new favourite super hero.

Donna K. Weaver said...

Gotta check out the interview.

Some movie franchises should just be allowed the end. With respect.

H.R. Bennett said...

I ended up seeing Alien Covenant's very first showing at the theater near me...so I got to bite my tongue very hard before I got to bitch about that movie.

First and foremost...it's better than Prometheus. But OH MY GOD I HAVE SO MANY ISSUES WITH THIS MOVIE! Both from a raw movie/plothole frame and from an aliens lore perspective, this movie offends the senses.

It blows me away how many people are commenting that it's 'the best movie since alien'.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Martha, welcome!

Ken, I thought Aliens was brilliant and Prometheus horrible. You can judge from there.

Ellen, eggs are in everything.

Roland, you'll dig that site then. And definitely avoid the new Aliens movie.

Michelle, Jolly Grater - funny!

Rosey, I can't either! Early reviews say it's great.

CD, you have to watch Aliens! It's the best of the lot.

Donna, Amen.

Robert, you and I agree!!

Shannon Lawrence said...

What bothered me about Alien was the lack of a team dynamic. They tried to force it by making several of them couples, but I kept being surprised by who was a couple, because we'd seen no interaction making it obvious previously. The scenery was beautiful, but I felt like they spent more time worrying about what everything looked like, and less time on quality writing. As a long-time fan, I had to see it, and I appreciated nods to the original films, but I was disappointed in the writing and characters.

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello there
I'm just stopping by to read Ivy's piece.
It was great.
Thanks to Ivy and thanks to you for hosting her.

All the best Jan

M Pax said...

I've been watching MST3K on Netflix. I've been enjoying it.

Great to learn more about Whisk. I like experimenting in the kitchen, too.

Sandra Cox said...

The IB Nosey interview was a hoot. Not sure if my comment over there went through or not.

The Happy Whisk said...

C.D. Gallant-King: Are you going to see the movie?

Jan: Thanks for reading. And thanks for all your support.

M Pax: Cool beans on you experimenting in the kitchen. Thanks for reading :-)

Alex: I'm super duper glad that I didn't chicken out. Thanks again.

Michael Abayomi said...

I agree with the head-scratching nature of some of the decisions the crew members of the Covenant made during the film, which make the movie feel more in line with a B-grade horror film than the beloved franchise fans have come to know and love.

Helena said...

Congratulations to J.H. on two new books! Happily, I love ghost stories.

Guess I won't be seeing Aliens, Alex, so thanks for your review. Don't like gore and the plot holes you point out would drive me nuts too.

Shadow said...

I have an aversion to anything with a "2" etc behind the name... they're never as good as the first one. Is it because it's a 'lazy' way of extending a good roll? The creativity gets lost??

Anonymous said...

Plot holes drive me bananas. It's hard not to see them sometimes.

It's so good to see Ivy here. She's a celebrity now!!

Mega congrats to Pat on the Twitter gig for IWSG. Very cool!

Elsie Amata

The Happy Whisk said...

Elsie: Hahahaha. You're funny. Thanks for reading.

PS: I still can't post a comment on your blog :-(

Blue Grumpster said...

Covenant... SIGH! I couldn't agree more, Alex. Check out this surprisingly intelligent review. I just cannot believe how insulting this movie is. Insulting? Yes, if you know Alien (1979). I have never seen a facehugger is such a hurry and never seen an alien grow so fast. An that scene on top of the flying spaceship toward the end of the movie... wtf... scientist turned marine? And when that second chestburster said hello, I actually heard the animator say, "Doesn't my creation look slick and beautiful?" SIGH!

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

Welcome Nick and Pat. Sorry I'm late. Thanks for the reviews, Alex. I was hoping Alien would be as good as the others. Doesn't sound like it. Sigourney marked the way for every other female hero after her.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Shannon, good points! And what was with the shower scene at the end? I didn't know they were a couple either. And here almost all of their crew had just died - would they really have felt like having shower sex?

Welcome, Jan!

Mary, we're plowing through them at a really fast rate.

Sandra, I'll go check.

Shadow, there are only a few exceptions to that. Aliens was better than the original.

Blue, exactly! The whole process in Alien took a day or two, not an hour.

Joylene, she did indeed.

Sandra Cox said...

Ivy comes up with some amazing recipes.

The Happy Whisk said...

Sandra: Thanks bunches and boogie boogie.

Rachna Chhabria said...

Hi Alex, you have packed so much information in this post. I'm hoping to finish two of my books so that I can pitch them in #IWSGPit on July 27th. If I remember right it was supposed to be on July 26th (my birthday). I'm very excited for this twitter pitch party.

Al Penwasser said...

I'll watch 'Alien Covenant,' but only when it comes to DVD (which may be soon...?).
My precious "Movie Dollars" have already gone to 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and will go to 'Wonder Woman.'

Mark said...

Thanks for the review on the new Alien film. Pity they couldn't tighten the story up a bit more. But the last Guardians of the Galaxy...now that movie was fun:)

Susan Kane said...

Next Alien mess-up may have to have its actors hold out tin cups outside theaters. Trailers show pure stupidity from the get-go.

Yeah, Rocket, Baby Groot, and Drax. they make any movie.

Sandra Cox said...

Congrats, J.H. !!!!

Alex, enjoy your week away.
We'll leave the light on for ya.

Toi Thomas said...

The Pluto channel is new to me. I'll have to check it out.
I signed up for the IWSG Goodreads group but the month of May kicked my butt. Hoping to actually participate in the coming months.
Happy Memorial Day!

Elizabeth said...

I love how IWSG keeps growing and moving forward! Thank you, Alex and admins, for putting so much time and effort to make it great!

I like Ivy's advice on decluttering, that is definitely something I need to work on. And Bug is adorable :)

Unknown said...

I enjoyed your interview with Nosey, esp the "Pukelitzer" comment! Ha!

Depressing about Covenant. I need a great Aliens movie, dagnabbit.

I'm doing just what Ivy's doing - throwing stuff out (or giving it away). The stuff that accumulates over the years just slows you down. Your whole life is brighter and lighter if you just get rid of it.

Congrats to JH Moncrief - twice!!

Have a great weekend, Alex!

Pat Tillett said...

I really wanted Prometheus to be good. I really like some of it, and hated a lot of it. Still though, I'll probably watch this new one because when outer space and horror are combined, I'm going to give it a try every time.
Thanks for the heads Alex...

Fundy Blue said...

Your post was chock full of fun things, Alex! I enjoyed I. B. Nosey's post on you and your books. I've been meaning to read "The Secret Garden" for a while, so maybe I'll get to it in June. And yes I am a follower of The Happy Whisk, so it was fun to see her featured. Have a great weekend!

J Lenni Dorner said...

I haven't seen the new Alien yet.
Rocket is awesome though!
Clutter always amazes me. The number of things people feel they need. And maybe they do, since they grew up needing or wanting, or worrying they could be in need or want.
Congrats to the new IWSG admins.
And way to go on being interviewed.

Heather R. Holden said...

Another IWSG anthology? How exciting! Looking forward to the announcement...

Also, love Ivy's advice on decluttering! Letting go is easier said than done some days, but yeah, it's most definitely a relief whenever it happens. And aw, Bug's so precious...

Misha Gerrick said...

I haven't even watched the first Alien movies. Terrible of me, I know. ;-)

The Happy Whisk said...

Elizabeth: Happy Decluttering and thanks about Bug.

Lexa: Great work, Lexa.

The Happy Whisk said...

Fundy: Thanks!

sheila 77 said...

I'm the 127th comment? Gosh, gulp, never seen so many comments on one blogpost.
Hello Ivy over here, it's good to see you anywhere.
As to decluttering, four weeks to declutter? What a target, but impossible for me, I think. Too much interesting stuff to look at and enjoy.
Interesting blog, Alex, different from the arty blogs I usually visit.
I'll come back again.

Sherry Ellis said...

Nice to see the Happy Whisk featured here. She makes good food! I'll have to check out I. B. Nosey.

Blue Grumpster said...

Like everyone else in today's world, even 2017's aliens are impatient and in a hurry. :D

Karen Peterson said...

You know what annoyed me about Alien: Covenant most? It was the fact that the only reason the Covenant even went to that stupid planet was because the captain wouldn't listen to his female first mate because he wanted the rest of the crew to like him. Ugh.

mshatch said...

I'm bummed that Alien Covenant isn't getting the ninja seal of approval. I was hoping to go see it. Now...and of course I know the Happy Whisk! Hi Ivey!!!

Murees Dupè said...

Hey Alex. Congrats on the interview. My family and I are huge fans of the original Alien movies. We have Alien movie marathons once a year. I watched Prometheus only that once, but perhaps I should watch it again. We will definitely be checking out the new one, just because we're curious.

Thanks for introducing me to The Happy Whisk. Sounds like a great blog and lady.

Tamara Narayan said...

I'm following the Happy Wisk now! I would love to de-clutter my house.

I read JH Moncrieff's two books over my vacation break and they rock!

I sent my first tweet today in preparation for July's Twitter pitch, and I'm following all the IWSG folks that I can find on Twitter.

Jeff Hargett said...

Still can't decide whether I want to watch the new Alien movie.

The Happy Whisk said...

Sheila: That’s the whole part of being ready. I wanted to do it in that time. After the four weeks, I started to put the house back together and that’s when another 15 percent went out as well. But being ready was my biggest super power.

Sherry: Nice to see you Sherry. How’s that big dog of yours?

Hi Marcy: I know you!!!! Thanks for reading.

Murees: Nice to meet you. Thanks for reading.

Tamara: Thanks bunches. It’s great fun to declutter. Hope you give it a go.

Tonja said...

To Ivy -- I'm pretty sure four Pyrex baking dishes are necessary. If you go lower than that, you'll need to buy more. Just saying.

I'm wondering how many cookie cutters I really need considering we only make cookies once or twice a year and they are usually chocolate chip (no cutter needed). 112 seems like too many. I am in decluttering mode today. Am considering doing the job with a large garbage bag and cleaning the whole house in an hour. It's garbage night, so it will be gone in the morning. Problem is, my small person will re-clutter it five minutes.

Magic Love Crow said...

Great interview Alex!! Really enjoyed reading it!!
Hi Happy Whisk! I have been decluttering now for about 3 years and it is so freeing! Happy reading you!
Take Care Alex!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Rachna, July 27 - the day after your birthday!

Al, Wonder Woman is getting amazing reviews!

Mark, yes it was.

Sandra, I'm enjoying it!

Toi, thanks for joining us.

Elizabeth, we do it for writers like you.

Lexa, just go back and watch the second one again - Aliens.

Pat, keep expectations low...

Sheila, hope you'll visit again!

Karen - exactly!

Tamara, awesome!

Jeff, just skip it.

kimlajevardi.com said...

Loved the I.B. interview. Flying through space without a parachute is the only way to fly. :)

I hope you have a great week off, Alex!

Leovi said...

Great Ivy! Thank you for the opportunity to meet her!

Unknown said...

I watched the new Alien and agree it has wonderful graphics, but the twists and holes and spoilers were hard for me. But I did enjoy it for the most part.

Nigel G Mitchell said...

Congrats to Moncrieff! That Alien movie sounds disappointing. I don't understand why it's so hard to make a good Alien movie.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Kim, it was fun!

Nigel, Cameron made it look so easy...

Hart Johnson said...

Best review I have heard on the new Aliens was "I didn't hate it"--they expected to. I expect I will see it when it hits HBO a year from now.

I just wanted to check in on your writing progress. You said you may BuNo but don't do Facebook so I wanted to throw out some encouragement!

Fundy Blue said...

I hope that all is well with you and that you are enjoying a well-deserved break! I'm almost through the latest anthology! It's great!

SpacerGuy said...

I wrote a Star Trek FanFiction over the weekend, you guys can turn up for laughs cheer or boo. The talking rabbit will direct you to your seats and serve refreshments. I guess this is the sort of fun you guys have been having on the IWSG all these years......

Unknown said...

I love Hungarian names for pets!!!! I'm partial though, I wanted to switch my name to Bozsi for years.

Jen said...

Good for Ivy! Decluttering is therapeutic...and in a tiny house like mine, absolutely necessary!

I'm off to check out the interview.

Cheers,
Jen

Sandra Cox said...

Hope you had some great away time:)

J.Q. Rose said...

Still giggling at that hilarious IB Nosey interview! You are such a brave soul to do it. Or did you realize what you were getting into. Doubt it! Hope you had a good week off. Happy Whisk is a great addition.
JQ Rose

Heather M. Gardner said...

Alex!
Sorry I haven't visited. It's been too long. I guess I needed to decompress.
Probably last year, my son saw parts of Spaceballs.
I let him watch a bit of Aliens the other day with me.
I'm betting you can guess what happened. The troops found the settlers and only one was alive. As the alien began to pop out of their chest, my son said..."Hello My Baby, Hello, My Darlin'!"
I almost died laughing. I have no idea how he remembered that, but it was perfect.

Will you be going to see Wonder Woman?

Congrats to J.H.!

Heather

Kyra Lennon said...

I just had the BIGGEST smile on my face coming back over here. It's like I've never been away! It's so great to see that you're still keeping up the awesome work you've always done to help bloggers!

Sandra Cox said...

Another anthology....Wow!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Hart, thanks - I actually have been writing!

Fundy, good to hear.

Spacer Guy, and it was good. You should become a writer.

Sandra, it's been awesome.

JQ, I don't think I did...

Heather, that is hilarious!! Yes, saw Wonder Woman - excellent film.

Kyra, always good to see you.

mail4rosey said...

I bet the potato sacks jumping around were quite the sight to see. And for the record, no kids look forward to history tests. ;)