Posting daily at 1pm central about all kinds of things. One day it's dating, the next it's TV commercials. I hope you're entertained. Professional photos on SmugMug – https://benwilder.smugmug.com
I don’t know if there’s been a more true statement than this meme I came across recently.
I must be old then, because when I’m camping or just walking around outside, I am looking up A LOT. I want to see all the birds! Sometimes I’m prepared with my camera strapped around my neck and then I can get some photos of these birds (unless birds aren’t real). Hope you enjoy these photos as much as my ancient self enjoyed photographing them!
The Toyota Two-Tone* has made it’s way to TVs across America, it’s a new model called a Crown. I’m assuming you’ve already seen the commercial but if you need a refresher, here it is. Scroll down for more info about the music, the driver, and more!
The Music. The “royal” music playing along with clips of the Crown is a song called “Watch Me Stand Out” by Club Yoko. Here’s the full track…
Side Note. Club Yoko has music in another commercial from back in 2020. It’s this ad from Microsoft.
The Actress. Driving the Toyota is actress Nikiva Dionne. You may recognize her from TV shows like “S.W.A.T.” or “A Million Little Things.” She’s got a hefty resume which you can check out on her IMDb page. Also, if you’re an Instagrammer, her name is @NikivaDionne. She shared a fun behind the scenes video from the shoot, take a look.
*Two-Tone is not the name of the car, but careful research shows that the Crown comes in a variety of colors, whether you want the red/black two-tone or a solid color. It looks like a nice car and it ranges in price from upper $30s to mid-$50s.
This won’t be a post about whether you should watch The Good Nurse (Netflix) or not. All I can say is that Eddie Redmayne, who plays the part of the serial killer nurse, deserves to win all the awards he’s been nominated for from his role in this movie. His acting is unbelievable. I don’t know if he fully immersed himself into the role like some actors will do (from the interview below it sounds like he did quite a bit of studying), but even in the opening scene it’s easy to see what a remarkable job he did. By the end, his explosion of emotions is incredible. If you want to watch some of Eddie’s thoughts on the role, check out this interview…
It’s been a while since someone’s acting has stuck with me days after watching the movie… and this isn’t to overshadow the other great actors in the movie. Everyone did great, it’s just that Eddie’s acting was so authentic and emotional. Actually, I watched another movie last week, an old one about an erupting volcano, that I may write about. In the movie, the acting was so life-like, if that makes sense. There were moments where the conversations seemed to be plucked right out of a normal day in anyone’s life, things that wouldn’t, or maybe couldn’t, have been scripted. I LOVE that kind of acting. I’ll write about it soon but for now, I said this wouldn’t be a post about whether you should watch The Good Nurse or not, but for Eddie Redmayne’s acting alone, WATCH IT!
Apple has a lighthearted commercial but if you’ve seen it, you know it doesn’t start that way. In fact, it’s somber. There’s a dead lizard. Well, playing dead. Take a look then scroll down for more info!
You had ONE JOB. From the text, it looks like this guy had one main job. Keep Leon alive. He needs fresh water and I believe the text says to feed him twice a day. Here’s the text briefly shown in the commercial.
The Lizard. Is this a zebra-tailed lizard? Or a large gecko? I’m almost certain it’s not an iguana or a newt. Any reptile experts out there feel free to shed light on this for me and the other readers!
The Music. The synthy music is a song called “Alive” by Hanni El Khatib. Here’s the full track.
Music is awesome, isn’t it? I love how people find great songs to use in commercials. Chime in below with your thoughts, and I’ll see you again tomorrow!
Hope you’re having a great weekend already. I had my fingers crossed that the worst of winter was in the past but this weekend in north Florida it’s a bit chilly. For this reason, it’s nice to head south so that’s exactly what I did recently. I went to two state parks (recap of Lake Manatee here: “Are there manatees in Lake Manatee? I’ve got answers!”), the second one was Wekiwa Springs State Park.
There were a few reasons this was a great park for me. One, the wildlife, as you’ll see in the pictures below. Two, it’s close to my brother and his family so I was able to see them for a couple of days, including watching the most boring college football game of the season. Yes, I’m talking about the national championship!
Wekiwa Springs is a great state park and I’d like to come back when I have my kayak. I didn’t paddle and I decided not to swim either, mostly because I remember how cold I felt snorkeling in Alexander Springs Recreational Area last January. Freaking cold!
Wekiwa Springs PROs: Very convenient location to Orlando/ central Florida. Not too far in the woods that cell reception is an issue (with Verizon, at least). Good hiking trails. Some sites have sewer hookups which is a major luxury! Wildlife was pretty good, I think there’s more to see than I saw (deer, bears, gators, big birds, etc).
Wekiwa Springs CONs: Gravel/ sandy sites. Not all sites had sewer hookups. Spread out, need a bike or a car to get to certain areas. Road noise, not too much but close enough that when I was walking the dogs I could see and hear traffic.
I’d definitely recommend checking this park out when you get a chance! I will probably book it again in warmer months so I can swim and snorkel. I hope you enjoy the photos below, all from the fun and adventurous Wekiwa Springs State Park…
Out of the Wilderness 