Saturday, September 30, 2023

59 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere

59 days until the premiere of An Unlikely Fandom in New York City! I can hardly wait!
I was thinking back through my Thomas memories and I remember the time, I must've been about 11, that Dad accidentally spoiled a surprise for me. He'd purchased an Ertl die-cast toy of Lady (pictured) on eBay and thought he'd been low key enough about it, and that I wouldn't find out. But he left feedback for the seller right in front of me, even naming the item!
I was able to persuade him to give it to me early, even though he'd purchased it to be a Christmas gift.


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For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

Dad Finally Comes Home, Crazy Day at Work - September 30th 2023

I slept in, as I didn't have to be at work until 11 (the time when I usually get out of work). I got ready for work and Mom stopped by so I could program the GPS for her. Dad is supposed to get out of the hospital today and she has to be there to pick him up. I'll be working until 5pm. Mom gave me a ride to work and I clocked in on time and got started. The boss told me she made a mistake not having me come in earlier in the morning and that breakfast was hectic without me. Lunch continued to be hectic, it was an absolutely insane shift. I made it through, but was extremely burnt out. I texted Mom and Dad to see how things were going and they did in fact let him out. I stayed awake for awhile, because they were planning on stopping by my house for Dad to get a shower (they don't have a shower in the old farmhouse). Unfortunately, Dad was too tired, so I ended going to bed - completely exhausted myself.

Friday, September 29, 2023

60 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere

With 60 days until the premiere of the An Unlikely Fandom documentary... I decided to post a Thomas the Tank Engine character from the books and the early seasons of the show that we didn't see enough of. Most of the characters in the show are based on the steam engines of British Rail - but this one is based on a diesel engine, first created 65 years ago (a fun fact that Ken brought to my attention.)


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For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

Will He Come Home Today? - September 29th 2023

Mom picked me up after work again and we headed up to the hospital, hoping that Dad would get out today. It was not to be, as they wanted to observe him a little longer, due to his vertigo and his blood sugar levels - he has been ignoring his health for awhile. We walked the halls with him for awhile, as he was anxious to be up and about again. My brother Nathanael said he was going to stop by and see Dad, so we were all looking forward to seeing him. We ended up having leave, as it was getting late. We did pass Nathanael in the parking garage. I texted my boss again to see what I'm supposed to work tomorrow as there was a change in the schedule. When she texted me back, I learned I'd be working in the afternoon for a change and so Mom would have to drive up on her own tomorrow. I told Mom to stop by my place before my shift starts tomorrow and I'll program the GPS for her, since she's not good with tech.

Thursday, September 28, 2023

61 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere

Last night I didn't post because I spent the day in the hospital with my dad and forgot my phone charger... I've still been thinking about the 2005 era, and in addition to the DVDs, these 3 toys were a big deal to me at the time. Each of these was packaged with a DVD and was a special, limited edition for the 60th anniversary of the Thomas franchise. I made sure to get them early on in their run, and was rather disappointed when they remained on the shelves for some time after the 60th. Not as limited edition as I'd thought. I'm not sure if I still have these. Might have given them to a child who wanted them back in 2014. Definitely want to replace them if I don't have them anymore.

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For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

Getting to Visit Dad in the Hospital - September 28th 2023

After work, Mom picked me up and we made the drive up to the hospital Dad is in. He was doing pretty well, all things considered. He has a broken scapula and two broken ribs and a huge bruise. He told us all about the accident and how a van ran him off the road. Thankfully, another driver captured the whole thing on a dash cam and turned it into the police. We sat with him for a few hours, but since they weren't letting him go tonight, we eventually had to go. My paycheck was deposited around the time we left, so we stopped and grabbed something to eat at Applebee's on the way home.

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

62 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere


Tonight, we're just two months away from our November 27th premiere in New York... I can't wait to see An Unlikely Fandom on the big screen and meet up with fellow Thomas the Tank Engine fans. See ya'll in New York! :)


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For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

Dad Wrecks his Motorcycle - September 27th 2023

So I'm at work as usual, and around 9:00 Mom tries calling me multiple times. Naturally, I become very concerned - because Mom never bothers me at work. 

Unfortunately, the district manager was there and watching us, and there was no one to cover for me, so I was stuck in position until 11. I did peek at my phone and saw a message from Mom saying to call when I get the message. 

I told one of my managers that I was worried that Dad had fallen down or something.

So, I get off work and call Mom. She assures me everything is alright, then tells me that Dad was in an accident on his motorcycle. I freak out a little, but she assures me that he's okay. Our only problem - we don't have a vehicle to go get him and he's in a hospital in Cleveland.

The only reason he was on the bike in the first place was because the minivan broke down. We don't have any other running vehicles and no one else to borrow a vehicle from unless we ask Grandma.

I waited for news for most of the afternoon, walked back up to Wendy's for some food and finally got word that Grandma was loaning us the car and we were going to be able to go see Dad tomorrow.

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

63 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom

I remember most of the Thomas the Tank Engine VHS & DVD releases from the late nineties through around 2015... but these ones stand out because they were all released during 2005 - early 2006, and my mom was sick and we were staying with our grandparents. I was 12 at the time, and if I did good in school, dad would buy the DVDs for me. I would watch them again and again, until dad would make me take a break. 😂


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For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

Another Day, Another Dollar - September 26th 2023

Still very tired today, and I woke up with a headache for some reason. But I got up and got going, put in my shift at work. It wasn't bad, we had more than enough people. District manager was there,  watching, but having a full crew definitely goes a long way. 

Drank more water today. Managed to get rid of the headache eventually. I shut off the AC, and I might be able to leave it off this time.

After I got home, I watched a movie and some shows. Got all my daily posts done early and then took a nap. 

Got back up and watched some more shows, prepped some stuff for my projects that I'll try to complete tomorrow. 

Monday, September 25, 2023

64 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere

I was going through old files and realized that a lot of my old artwork (what has survived anyway) is Thomas the Tank Engine-themed. I'm not the only one who's derived inspiration from Thomas the Tank Engine... learn more about the fans of Thomas the Tank Engine in An Unlikely Fandom - premiering in NYC on November 27, just 64 days! 


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For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

Just Chillin' - September 25th 2023

 Got up plenty early, still feeling weird from sleeping all day yesterday. Got to work on time, but the manager didn't hear me outside, so she fixed my clock-in when I did finally get inside 10 minutes later. 

I only had a short shift, 5:30 to 10:00, as I often do on Monday. We're still geared up for inspections and the owner stopped in for an inspection of his own today. Plenty of staff and a trainee today, so I didn't have to worry about not having enough. Did have to beg people to stay in position a couple times, but I guess I can't have it all.

After work, I came home and watched some movies. Worked on my blog. 

Did venture back up to Wendy's to get some cheese for the tacos in my fridge. 

Still kinda tired. I spaced a bit while I was watching Psycho (Hitchcock), but it was a good film. Have watched The Birds and now, Psycho I think I'll be watching some more Hitchcock in near future. 

Going to call it a night soon, hopefully have some more energy tomorrow. 

Sunday, September 24, 2023

65 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere

Very tired from my trip to Kentucky, as I was awake for over 24 hours. I slept most of the day today. So for today's countdown post, I'm just going to share some pictures of Ringo Starr during his time with Thomas the Tank Engine, so enjoy. 😊


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For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

Recovering from My Trip - September 24th 2023

We almost finished listening to Petra's work on the way home. We had two songs left on their studio album and their live Farewell album from 2005. I skipped the Spanish language albums and the compilations, because even with almost 9 hours down and 9 hours back, the band had produced enough music to keep us busy!

We arrived at my house at just after 8:00, 24 hours from when we left. 

I went immediately to bed and was thankful I'd taken the day off, even if I only worked 30 hours this week. I was out for a long time, 6 or 8 hours (I can't remember honestly). 

When I got up, I watched some movies, ran to Wendy's to get something to eat with the last of my money + coupons and then I settled in for the night. I was a bit restless due to having slept all day, but I eventually fell asleep. It's important to reset back to your normal routine after an adventure like that.

Saturday, September 23, 2023

66 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere

I've mentioned how I enjoyed watching Thomas during some rough times in my teens when Mom & Dad were in and out of the hospital, Mom with cancer and Dad with his motorcycle wreck injuries. I was living with my grandparents when some new episodes were broadcast and I was particularly excited about this new character, Freddie. He's based on a real engine from Wales, called Russell, and I think they're both really cool. I really hope to visit the various heritage railways in Wales someday and photograph Russell (and a lot of other cool engines) myself. 📸 

Just 66 days until the premiere of An Unlikely Fandom! A documentary about adult fans of Thomas the Tank Engine around the world, in a special one-night only-screening in NYC on November 27th.


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For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

I Finally Get to See Petra! - September 23rd 2023

I've taken today and tomorrow off work so that we can make the drive to Paducah, Kentucky and back. It turns out the drive is around 8 1/2 hours, rather than the 12 that Dad saw when he looked it up, because he didn't realize that the "avoid highways" option was selected on his map app. 

We're going to Paducah to see Petra, one of the original Christian rock bands. After breaking up in 2005, they've been doing some shows together again since 2013. The current tour is a celebration of the band's 50th anniversary. 

We had a great drive down and even had some extra time to stop and eat because I didn't realize we crossed a time zone and gained an hour on the way down. So, we stopped and got something to eat at Wendy's with the extra time. We worked our way through Petra's discography on the drive. 

Listened to just shy of half their work on the way down. We'd left my place shortly after 8:00 and we arrived at rest Church, the venue for the concert at 5:15 their time. We enjoyed the concert! It was amazing to hear these legendary musicians live. John Lawry on the keys!!! Bob Hartman created the band, and is still rocking on the guitar. John Schlitt still has a great voice! We also had the pleasure of hearing Rex Carroll play (guitar legend from band Whitecross) again during the opening act. 

As soon as the show was over we left, as we didn't really have time to stick around. We grabbed some more Wendy's and hit the road. I'd promised to stay up with Dad to make sure he stayed awake. 

Friday, September 22, 2023

67 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere

One of my interests aside from Thomas the Tank Engine is trivia and random facts. I'm also something of a rock 'n' roll historian... so you can imagine that my day was made when I discovered this little tidbit back in 2018 while digging around for stuff on the internet. I created this graphic for my Fact of the Day posts back in 2020. 


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For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

Some Resolutions and Extra Hours - September 22nd 2023

 Got up a few minutes early, procrastinated for a little while, and was still able to get up and get showered, shaved and ready to go. My manager gave me a ride to work and when we got there she told me that two other managers were coming in to help open. Once they arrived, we learned that a solution had been devised for my card reader situation which has been an issue for around 2 weeks. 

A card reader was moved over from a terminal that we don't use and with help from the tech support, the manager made the switch. I struggled the way I have for a couple of weeks, running back and forth across the kitchen, while this was being done. When I finally was able to work at my terminal in one window and no more running back and forth, it took me a couple minutes to adjust, as everytime the drive-thru dinged, I wanted to run to the other window on pure reflex.

We were supposed to have an inspection today, but it didn't happen. At least not while I was there. I was supposed to be out at 11am, but the boss asked me if I'd be interested in staying until 2pm to help out, as I'm taking the next 2 days off for a little jaunt to Kentucky and that leaves my hours a little short for the week. Between that and the fact that I always like to help my coworkers - I decided to stay.

It was intense for awhile, as we didn't have enough people, hence being asked to stay. I was really wound for the first extra hour or so, very anxious, but I managed to mellow out in the latter half. I was in back window and helping out with grill through lunch. I was pretty insistent about leaving precisely at 2:00, because I didn't want to be there when the inspection began, as then I would have to stay in position for the duration. I figured I should be on my way to figure out the next couple days. 

So, when I got out of work I got myself a Biggie Bag and a Dave's Triple (hey, I was hungry) and headed home. I ate and then called Mom to talk about tomorrow and see what was up. She didn't have time to talk so she called me back later and we got our details of the trip tomorrow worked out. 

Meanwhile, I worked on updating my blog, the social media projects that I'm still active on at this time and watching movies. Still watching 3 movies a day until I'm caught up to my goal, I want to watch 365 movies this year. Watched some good ones today, including the original The Thing and I'm currently watching The Bone Collector as I type. 

Going to be turning in, so I can get an early start. 

Thursday, September 21, 2023

68 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere

 Very tired from a stressful shift at work and some emotional events in my life, tonight's AUF countdown posts consists only of this lovely photo of Toby from the early series and this caption: "Just 68 days until the premiere of An Unlikely Fandom!"



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For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

Beginning to Sort My Hard Drives - September 21st 2023

Put in my shift at work, miserable from running back and forth to cash people out in the back window and then serving them in the second window. It was a truck day, so at first there were only 2 of us on line. Stressful shift that left me wondering if I can continue doing this. I only want to do it for another 3 and a half months, so I keep reminding myself and trying not to worry. 

After work, I got something to eat with coupons and then went home to watch movies and work on my projects. Since I finished sorting through my old Facebook yesterday and put in for deletion, now I'm turning my attention to all my photos and videos on my hard drives. 

I currently have 2 laptops. Both nearly maxed out on space. I also have a few memory cards also maxed out and the internal space on my phone is nearly full, so I want to get things sorted. I will have to get more memory cards in the near future for storage, but in the meanwhile I want to pare things down to the stuff that is necessary and that I actually want to keep.

So, I spent a few hours going through the contents of my laptops, bit by bit. I'm going to be sorting through the videos and photos. Deleting the duplicates and the poor quality ones. 

My current system for organizing my files is based in a setup I created in late 2016/early 2017. I have conceptualized a new system, but first I want to sort through them and make sure they're titled correctly. I'll be moving from a layout that's chronological to something more location-based. This will be helpful if I successfully take to the road as I'm planning to. 

Watched some movies as I worked and eventually called it a day. 

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

69 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere

I've talked a little bit about the Thomas fan site that I helped run in previous countdown posts, but today I want to talk about an even older Thomas fan site that I've always been a huge fan of. The Sodor Island Forums & Fansite - SiF is one of the oldest, if not the very first, fansites about Thomas the Tank Engine and is chock full of great information, interviews and exclusive behind-the-scenes photos provided by various crew members who've kindly provided information about how the series was brought to life.
I used to, back when I was a teenager, check the site several times a day to see if there was any new content. Now, 15 years later, I don't check it as often anymore - and I'm not even certain if I've read all the crew interviews they have out there. They also have a forum with some amazing in-depth discussions about everything Thomas & railways. They also have some great Thomas fanfiction written in the style of the original author on the forums.
You can check out the site here: https://www.sodor-island.com/


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For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

Finishing the Facebook Archival - September 20th 2023

Due to my odd sleep schedule yesterday, and having been up late binging Criminal Minds and catching up on things...

I was a bit tired at work, but I got through it. It wasn't too bad. Though, I hope this credit card reader situation gets resolved soon. One of my coworkers brought me a strawberry milk and a Red Bull, which definitely improved things for me. 

Upon returning home, I took my final screenshots and videos of my old Facebook... which included some of the more depressing and emotionally draining moments of 2019 that I've tried to put out of my mind. But I got it done. Saved everything. 

Then I moved on to catching up on my blogs and the social media I'm still working on. Watched a few movies.

Took a little break and ran back up to Wendy's for dinner. Finished my movies and most of my projects for the day. 

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

70 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere

A little late tonight, but it's 70 days until the premiere of An Unlikely Fandom!

Be sure to check out the Facebook page and watch the new clip from the documentary! 🙂


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For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

A Very Sleepy Day - September 19th 2023

After working my 5:30 to 11:00, I went home and felt so terribly sleepy I couldn't focus on what I needed to get done. So, I decided to have a bit of a lie-down and it turned into me sleeping all afternoon. I got up late in the evening and decided to work on a few things, started watching Criminal Minds again. The last time I'd watched the show was about four years ago and I'd left off in Season 8, so I watched a few episodes from where I'd left off whilst catching up on my daily stuff. Eventually I went back to sleep to try and get my rest for a new day.

Monday, September 18, 2023

71 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere

15 years ago this month, an American steam engine was introduced on Thomas & Friends, which I thought was very exciting. Being a Pennsylvanian design, he's very much like steam engines I've seen here, closer to my home. Though Hank was another of the short lived characters on the show - I thought he was an exciting addition.

71 days until the premiere of An Unlikely Fandom! (This marks the 100th day of the countdown, just 70 days left!)


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For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

Another Movie Day! Poirot, Nicolas Cage & Batman! - September 18th 2023

Worked from 5:30 until shortly after 11, super excited to go to the movies afterwards. Someone made the mistake of leaving their sunglasses at work, so I had to take a selfie with them - them's the rules. I still remember that time over a year ago, when someone forgot their sunglasses and I took a full blown photoshoot with them. Later found out they were $80 sunglasses. 

Anyway, back to the present. Today was the agreed upon day to go to the movies, so I had booked us seats at AMC Waterfront 22 down in Pittsburgh, my favorite movie theater in these parts. AMC Mall 11 in St. Clairsville is a long-standing favorite of mine, but I go to Waterfront more now due to the fact that they have a lot more screens and a better selection of films. 

Today, we watched The Retirement Plan, A Haunting in Venice and The Dark Knight (2008). 

The Retirement Plan is an action comedy about a family in trouble that turns to an estranged grandfather, played spectacularly by Nicolas Cage, who turns out to be a retired hitman. He systematically eliminates the people that would harm his family in a movie that is as humorous as it is action-packed.

I was uncertain what to think when I heard that the next Poirot movie inspired by Agatha Christie's novels was to be a horror movie, entitled A Haunting in Venice. I'd even seen an article purporting that the film took everything that made the mystery a Christie and stripped it away - so I was reasonably concerned, but still hopeful. But, I actually left quite impressed! Clearly it is an adaptation, like Branagh's previous Poirot outings, but I thoroughly enjoyed his take on this mystery and I think he hit all the right notes to make it feel like a Christie.

Finally, I got to see another Nolan film on the big screen, having seen Oppenheimer a couple months ago. (I still wished to have seen Tenet when it had its theatrical run). I had seen the Dark Knight trilogy once before, and I figured out of the 3 if I were to choose to see one in the cinema it would be the middle entry. All 3 of them were showing this week as part of AMC's $5 Faves. It was extra exciting because Mom & Dad had never seen it.

We really enjoyed all 3 movies and had plenty to talk about on the ride home afterwards.

Sunday, September 17, 2023

72 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere

My brother Aaron Medley made this video for me. Thank you Aaron!

72 days until the premiere of the documentary about the Thomas fan community - An Unlikely Fandom! 🙂

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For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

Pizza and Movies in Bed - September 17th 2023

I had anticipated being tired after going to the corn maze the night before and expected us to be there until at least close to close, so I had requested the morning off some time ago.

I slept in a bit, then got up and watched a couple movies. I had a bit of a craving for pizza, so I called an order into Gionino's as soon as they opened. I had really enjoyed that first pizza from them a few days ago!

I had a nice walk up to the pizza shop to pick up my order and then I continued watching movies. 

Later in the evening, Mom & Dad came up and we watched some shows together. (We're still working our way through Fringe. I watched it last summer, but we're watching it together this time). Mom also brought some cake. A friend of ours sent her some banana cake mix and we enjoyed it. 

Saturday, September 16, 2023

73 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere

A lot of us Thomas fans want more complete series / seasons on DVD in the US, like they have in other countries, but so far we only have the first season in a boxset...


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For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

Finally Going to Maze Craze - September 16th 2023

Put in my usual 5:30 - 11:00 shift at work. It flew by because I was looking forward to my plans afterwards. After work, I went home and got ready to go to the corn maze that my friend and I have been talking about going to for six years now, but our schedules haven't aligned and/or we started talking about it too late in the season and it was closed by the time we were ready to go.

I had the early afternoon free until my friend picked me up at 4:00, so I finished watching the Ocean's Trilogy, which I started last night after I finished the National Treasure movies. 

When my friend picked me up, we had a nice drive up to New Springfield, Ohio that took about an hour, and we were able to catch up a bit, as we hadn't seen each other in 2 years. 

When we got there, it took us a few minutes to find the entrance as the GPS directed us to a road next to an unmarked field at first. Once we found the actual farm and entrance, it was a very nice and clearly a well-thought tourist destination. I paid admission and we went to the barn where the (owner?) gave a little speech about following the rules and told us how to complete the various games within the different sections of the maze.

It took us from 5 to 11, when they closed, but we did in fact tackle every section of the map and completed the main game, in which you find all 18 checkpoints in the maze, complete with hole punches to mark the scorecard included in the map.

It was a great time! We had a lot of fun and were very glad to finally have got to do this!

Friday, September 15, 2023

74 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere

74 days until the premiere of An Unlikely Fandom!

When I first visited England, I wanted to see Thomas in a cinema to celebrate and it was convenient that at the time, a Thomas special was showing and it was about Thomas visiting England for the first time. 🙂


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.

A Long, Rough Day at Work - September 15th 2023

Working my usual 5:30am to 11am shift when I found out that they needed another crew member to fill in until 4pm. I accepted the extra hours to make up for taking Sunday off. (I have plans tomorrow night that will keep me out late).

It was a rough shift. Very busy. Very, very busy. I mean, where do these people come from?

After work and a nice walk home in the sunshine, I tried to relax. Ended up watching National Treasure 2, as I'd watched the first one last night. 

By then, it was time to go to bed and do it all over again in the morning. 

Thursday, September 14, 2023

75 Days: Countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom Premiere

75 days until the release of An Unlikely Fandom!

Here's a picture of my brothers and I when we lived next to a historic railroad depot. We'd call out "look it's Thomas! look it's Percy!" Even though our engines looked nothing like them. 😂 

The best memories. 🙂 (I'm the tall one)


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

For more about An Unlikely Fandom visit: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram 

I'm blogging the countdown to the An Unlikely Fandom premiere, 

New Thomas content coming soon to my YouTube. 

You can visit the Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki by clicking here.

Also be sure to check out the Sodor Island Fansite and Sodor Island Forums
if you're looking for more great Thomas the Tank Engine content and discussion.