In the dynamic world of business, marketing strategies are pivotal to success. Over the decades, marketing has evolved from traditional methods to sophisticated digital techniques, each offering unique advantages and challenges. This blog delves into a comparative study of traditional and digital marketing, examining their differences, strengths, and applications.

Traditional Marketing: An Overview

Traditional marketing refers to conventional methods that have been used for decades to promote products and services. Key components of traditional marketing include:

• Print Media: Newspapers, magazines, brochures, and flyers.
• Broadcast Media: Television and radio advertisements.
• Outdoor Advertising: Billboards, posters, and transit advertising.
• Direct Mail: Physical mail sent to potential customers, such as catalogs and promotional letters.
• Telemarketing: Direct phone calls to customers.

Advantages of Traditional Marketing

1. Wide Reach: Television and radio ads can reach a broad audience, including those who are less active online.
2. Tangible Presence: Print media and direct mail provide a physical presence that can leave a lasting impression.
3. Credibility: Established media channels often carry a sense of trust and credibility.
4. Local Targeting: Effective for reaching local audiences through community newspapers, local TV, and radio stations.

Disadvantages of Traditional Marketing

1. High Costs: Producing and placing ads in traditional media can be expensive.
2. Limited Interaction: Traditional marketing is mostly one-way communication, limiting customer engagement.
3. Difficult to Measure: Tracking the effectiveness of traditional campaigns can be challenging.
4. Decreasing Audience: The audience for traditional media is shrinking as more people turn to digital platforms.

Digital Marketing: An Overview

Digital marketing utilizes the internet and electronic devices to promote products and services. Major components include:

• Social Media Marketing: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
• Content Marketing: Blogs, articles, videos, and infographics.
• Email Marketing: Newsletters and promotional emails.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Strategies to improve website visibility on search engines.
• Pay-Per-Click (PPC): Paid advertisements on search engines and social media.
• Affiliate Marketing: Partnerships where affiliates earn commissions by promoting products.

Advantages of Digital Marketing

1. Cost-Effective: Generally more affordable than traditional methods, especially for small businesses.
2. Targeted Advertising: Ability to target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors.
3. Measurable Results: Advanced analytics tools provide precise tracking of campaign performance.
4. High Engagement: Interactive content and social media foster direct interaction with customers.
5. Global Reach: Potential to reach a worldwide audience.

Disadvantages of Digital Marketing

1. High Competition: The digital space is crowded, making it challenging to stand out.
2. Technical Skills Required: Effective digital marketing requires technical knowledge and adaptability.
3. Privacy Issues: Data privacy concerns can arise, leading to potential legal and ethical challenges.
4. Constant Evolution: Rapid changes in technology and algorithms necessitate continuous learning and adaptation.

Comparative Analysis

Cost

• Traditional Marketing: Generally involves higher costs due to production and distribution expenses.
• Digital Marketing: Often more affordable, with scalable options to fit different budgets.

Reach

• Traditional Marketing: Effective for local or broad, non-specific audiences.
• Digital Marketing: Allows precise targeting and the ability to reach a global audience.

Engagement

• Traditional Marketing: Limited engagement, primarily one-way communication.
• Digital Marketing: High potential for engagement through interactive content and social media.

Tracking and Analytics

• Traditional Marketing: Difficult to measure exact ROI and campaign effectiveness.
• Digital Marketing: Comprehensive analytics tools provide detailed performance insights.

Adaptability

• Traditional Marketing: Less flexible; changes to campaigns are costly and time-consuming.
• Digital Marketing: Highly adaptable with the ability to make real-time adjustments.

When to Use Traditional vs. Digital Marketing

Traditional Marketing is suitable for:

• Local businesses targeting a specific geographic area.
• Reaching older demographics who may be less active online.
• Creating a tangible presence at events or in physical locations.

Digital Marketing is suitable for:

• Businesses aiming for a global audience.
• Engaging with younger, tech-savvy consumers.
• Brands needing detailed tracking and analytics of their marketing efforts.

Conclusion

Both traditional and digital marketing have distinct advantages and limitations. The choice between the two—or a strategic blend of both—depends on your business goals, target audience, and budget. Understanding the unique benefits of each approach allows you to craft a marketing strategy that maximizes reach and impact. As marketing continues to evolve, staying informed and adaptable will be key to your success.
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For those in Blacksburg, here's a rundown of 28 local events you can enjoy in Blacksburg and throughout the New River Valley as June arrives.
Weekend Rundown of Local Fun: 1. Matt Holloman in Concert Rising Silo Farm Brewery, Blacksburg Friday, May 31, 2024, 6:00 - 9:00 PM Admission: Free Born and raised in southeastern Virginia, Matt Holloman has been playing around Virginia for more than 25 years. Growing up on his older brother’s blues collection, Matt mixed the likes of Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters with the experimental sounds of songwriters like Leonard Cohen and Frank Black, creating a style all his own. Always interested in reinventing his live performance, Matt uses a looper so he can improvise and manipulate layers of sound not usually heard from an acoustic performer. You can also expect simple, but memorable songs, reminiscent of storytelling songwriters like John Prine and Bob Dylan. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=777075
2. Friday Nights at the Farm with Music from Jim Korb Beliveau Farm Winery, Blacksburg Friday, May 31, 2024, 6:00 - 9:00 PM Admission: Free Jim Korb is an acoustic musician and guitarist based in Southwest, VA and a member of the band Stonehouse. "Just a singer; a natural-born guitar ringer, playing and singing a mix of Classic Country, Eagles, CCR, Skynyrd, and a little bit of everything else from John Denver to The Blues." Beliveau welcomes a special musical guest every Friday night with live music from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM and sing along to all of your favorite classics. Enjoy delicious food from their full service kitchen until 8:30 PM and chat over a glass of wine during our extended bar hours until 9:00 PM. Get a $5 Beliveau Buck to use during your next visit for every $50.00 you spend on Friday nights from 6:00-9:00 PM. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=777450
3. Pizza Roll (Bike Ride) Blacksburg Library, Blacksburg Friday, May 31, 2024, 6:00 PM - TBD Admission: Free The New River Valley Bicycle Association (NRVBA) presents a Pizza Roll starting at the Blacksburg Library. Enjoy a five mile bike ride on the Huckleberry Trail and through Virginia Tech's campus, followed by post ride pizza at Benny's provided by Trek Blacksburg. This is a NRVBA ride, meaning waivers are required and can be filled out on site. If you have never ridden with NRVBA before, your first ride is free. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=777778
4. The Grascals in Concert Little River Bluegrass Barn, Radford Friday, May 31, 2024, 7:00 - 10:00 PM General Admission: $30.00, Reserved Tickets: $35.00 Great musicians will always find a way to make good music, but for great musicians to make great music, they must form a bond – one that, more often than not, goes beyond the purely musical to the personal. For The Grascals, that bond has been forged at the intersection of personal friendships, shared professional resumes and an appreciation for the innovative mingling of bluegrass and country music that has been a hallmark of the Nashville scene for more than 40 years. Their cutting-edge modern bluegrass is delivered with a deep knowledge of, and admiration for, the work of the music’s founding fathers. Timely yet timeless, The Grascals make music that is entirely relevant to the here and now yet immersed in traditional values of soul and musicianship. It’s a unique sound that has earned three Grammy® nominations and two Entertainer of the Year awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association, as well as national media attention that seems to perpetually elude acts entrenched in niche genres. Such appearances include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Fox & Friends, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and CBS’ The Talk. The Grascals have over 200 guest appearances on the Grand Ole Opry to their credit and have also performed on the revered stages of Radio City Music Hall, the Ryman Auditorium and the Kennedy Center as well as music festivals such as MerleFest, Stagecoach, and the CMA Music Festival. In addition to performing across the United States and Canada, the awarding-winning band has traveled the world to take bluegrass music to Japan, Greece, France, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, and Belgium. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=777777
5. Line Dancing at Sinkland Sinkland Farms, Christiansburg Friday, May 31, 2024, 7:00 PM - TBD Admission: $10.00 Join Sinkland Farms for a fun-filled night of line dancing. All types of music and all levels of experience welcome. Energetic, enthusiastic instruction begins at 8:00 PM. Adult beverages and food truck will be available for purchase. Weather permitting, there will be outdoor dancing as well. This event is fun for all. Ages 16 & under must be accompanied by an adult. Doors open at 7:00 PM. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778214
6. 2024 Pulaski County Spring Flea Market New River Valley Fairgrounds, Dublin Saturday, June 1, 2024 and Sunday, June 2, 2024, 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM Admission: $2.00, Kids 6 and Under: Free The Dublin Lions Club presents the 2024 Two-Day Pulaski County Spring Flea Market celebrating 49 years. With over 20,000 visitors and 800 vendors spaces, more than a dozen different food vendors offering varied food options and the chance to eat a few of the famous "Lion Dogs", you will not want to miss this event. Check out vendors with crafts, antiques and more at the semi-annual Pulaski County Flea Market. Expect to have a ton of fun hunting for that rare items or the deal of the century. Although over 100 spaces are under roof, it is a largely an outdoor event. All proceeds go to the Dublin Lions and their numerous community causes such as eyeglasses for the needy and hunger relief in the community. This is their primary fundraiser each year. The event is rain or shine and parking is free. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778201
7. Benefit Ride for Bubba Williston's Family KFC, Christiansburg Saturday, June 1, 2024, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM $15.00-$20.00 Donation per vehicle. The Benefit Ride for Bubba's Family will start and end at KFC. Registration begins at 9:00 AM with kickstands up at 10:30 AM. Help raise money for Bubba Williston’s family. Bubba lost his life on Thursday, April 11th after saving his boys. Bubba leaves behind a wife, Danielle and three small children, Brantley, Kyler and Aubree. Let’s come together as a community and help ease the financial burden. There will also be door prizes, raffle and 50/50 raffle. Lunch will be served following the ride and returning to KFC. All bikes, cars, trucks and all vehicles welcome. Snacks will be provided on ride and lunch and drinks afterward. All proceeds benefit Bubba's wife and his three children. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778242
8. Cabin Fever 12: Six Band Charity Event Cabin Fever, Pilot Saturday, June 1, 2024, 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM Adults: $10.00, Kids 13 & Under: Free Cabin Fever Charity Events presents their semi-annual charitable musical fundraiser event Cabin Fever 12 benefiting the Floyd County Humane Society in honor of Kevin Dodson. A family style buffet and t-shirts will also be available for purchase and there will be both a live and silent auction featuring donations from local businesses and our line-up of seven performers. 100% of the proceeds from all items will be donated to the Floyd County Humane Society. Music Performers include Chris and Chelsea, Seph Custer, Jake and Jess, The Good Ole Boys, The Flying Doves, Hoppie Vaughan and the Ministers of Soul and By All Means. The family style buffet is highlighted by the world class pulled barbecue provided by Cabin Fever friend Hamp Maxwell is $10.00 per person. Credit cards and personal checks will be accepted the day of the event. Pets and children are welcome. Bring your dog and a $25.00 donation will be made on your behalf. All donations made to Cavin Fever Charity are 100% tax deductible. The event is BYOB and lawn chairs are welcome. Parking is free. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778240
9. Summer Reading Kickoff Event Blacksburg Library, Blacksburg Saturday, June 1, 2024, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Admission: Free Grab your chalk and head to the library to kick off our summer reading program. Enjoy activities like a chalk walk, face painting, bubbles, and a sweet treat. Available while supplies last. All ages are welcome. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=777959
10. Ride-A-Rescue Cornhole Tournament Bisset Park, Radford Saturday, June 1, 2024, 11:00 AM - TBD Tournament Entry: $25.00 per team, Spectators: Free Ride-A-Rescue and Winterfrost Farm presents their Ride-A-Rescue Cornhole Tournament. Ride-A-Rescue is a local, non-profit, equine rescue that is holding an epic Cornhole Tournament throwdown to raise funds and awareness for their rescue's operation and rescue horses. The Cornhole Tournament is a double elimination tournament and open to all ages. There will also be a Kids Corner open all day and food vendors on site. First, second and third place teams will win big prizes. Teams can battle back in the Losers Bracket for another shot at the championship. All participating teams will also be entered in a drawing for awesome bonus prizes. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=776144
11. Lazy, Crazy, Hazy Days of Summer JBR Vineyards LLC, Pearisburg Saturday, June 1, 2024, 12:00 - 5:00 PM and Sunday, June 2, 2024, 1:00 - 5:00 PM Admission: Free Wine Pricing: Tasting: $5.00, Glass of Wine: $5.00, Bottles of Wine: $15.00-$20.00 plus tax Experience the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer with a delightful afternoon of wine tasting. Savor fine wine in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. Stroll through the vineyard with a glass of your favorite wine. Credit cards and cash accepted. Dogs and kids welcome. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778155
12. Annual Loyalists in the Backcountry Event Wilderness Road Regional Museum, Newbern Saturday, June 1, 2024 and Sunday, June 2, 2024, 12:00 - 4:00 PM Admission: Free Join the Wilderness Road Regional Museum for the Two-Day Annual Loyalists in the Backcountry Event and learn about both the Patriots and Loyalists in the Backcountry of Southwest Virginia during the Revolutionary War. There will be some mischief afoot. Living history will be presented by the Fincastle Company on both days. Members of the Fincastle Company Living History group will share the history of the complicated interactions of the Patriots, "rascally" Loyalists, Tories, and those trying to stay "unaffected" during the American Revolution. On Sunday, there will be expanded programming including kids activities and a mock round up of the Tories to recreate some actual events in and around the Newbern area during the Revolutionary timeframe to include conspiracies, counterfeiting, and rounding up of the rascals. The event is free, but donations are always welcome and appreciated. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778165
13. 2024 New Town Festival Gospel Sing St. Luke and Odd Fellows Hall, Blacksburg Saturday, June 1, 2024, 12:00 - 6:00 PM Admission: Free The Blacksburg Museum & Cultural Foundation presents the 8th Annual New Town Festival Gospel Sing. The afternoon will be filled with dancing, singing and fellowship as five local groups and soloists perform their favorite current and old-time gospel favorites. Kirk’s BBQ will be onsite with food available for purchase. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778231
14. Speed Friending Program for Ages 20-45 Christiansburg Library, Christiansburg Saturday, June 1, 2024, 1:00 - 3:00 PM Admission: Free Are you interested in meeting new people? Want to make friends in the area, but find it hard to make time? Join the library for a fun and free way to connect with others in the community. Speed Friending will start with a speedy round of conversation starters. Yes, similar to speed dating, questions and conversation will be available for those who need it. Hang around after to chat, enjoy snacks, play games, or make plans with new friends. There will also be door prizes. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778081
15. Saturday Afternoon Music with Leslie Brooks New River Vineyard & Winery, Fairlawn Saturday, June 1, 2024, 2:00 - 5:00 PM Admission: Free Leslie Brooks is a singer-songwriter, performing solo with guitar, playing jazz, folk, blues, rockin' country and popular favorites originally from Kentucky now resides in Virginia. She has played the best venues in a 16-state area, as well as in Norway and Monte Carlo. Opened for Heart, James Taylor, Bob Margolin and Willie Nelson to name a few. Feel to free to select your favorites from her 300-song music menu. Seating is first come, first served. No reservation required. Guests can bring a blanket and/or chair. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778088
16. Spring Garden Day and Flower Art Opening Montgomery Museum of Art & History Gardens, Christiansburg Saturday, June 1, 2024, 2:00 - 4:00 PM Admission: Free This event will feature the "Flower Art in the Garden" Theme Show, showcasing the creativity of local artists. Participants were tasked with decorating "flat flower" templates, thoughtfully crafted by students at Blacksburg High School, which will be placed throughout the site. Participants were encouraged to incorporate native southwest Virginia plants into their artwork, resulting in a vibrant display that celebrates the region's natural beauty and artistic talent. In addition to the art exhibit, Spring Garden Day offers a wonderful opportunity for attendees to explore the Museum Garden with gardeners on-site to answer any questions. Visitors will also have the chance to engage with the Virginia Native Plant Society's plant clinic, Virginia Master Naturalists, and Virginia Master Gardeners, as several booths will be set up to provide information and insights into the rich botanical heritage of Southwest Virginia. Note: This event was originally scheduled for Saturday, May 4th, but was postponed due to inclement weather. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778241
17. Summer Arts Festival Free Classic Movies: Wizard of Oz Lyric Theatre, Blacksburg Saturday, June 1, 2024, 3:00 - 4:45 PM Admission: Free The 2024 Summer Arts Festival kicks of the Free Classic Movies series featuring "The Wizard of Oz". The classic "Wizard of Oz" was originally released in 1939 with a rating of PG and stars Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr and Jack Haley. Synopsis: Dorothy Gale along with her dog Toto is swept away from a farm in Kansas to a magical land of Oz in a tornado and embarks on a quest with her new friends to see the Wizard who can help her return home to Kansas and help her friends as well. The Summer Arts Festival is presented by Virginia Tech and the Town of Blacksburg. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778205
18. Grand Opening in Blacksburg J.H Bards Spirit Co., Blacksburg Saturday, June 1, 2024, 4:00 - 9:00 PM and Sunday, June 2, 2024, 12:00 - 6:00 PM Admission: Free J.H Bards Spirit Co. has moved the distillery from Fairlawn to Blacksburg and can't wait to show you their new completely renovated digs. On Saturday, last call will be ~8:40 PM and on Sunday ~5:30 PM. Parking is available in the Kent Square parking deck, on-street anywhere downtown, or in the municipal lot directly across Washington Street from us. Enter the distillery off of Draper Road. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778076
19. 2024 Oldtown Nights Concert Series Kickoff featuring Miller Holler Band Oldtown Fields (Shawsville Middle School Rec Area), Shawsville Saturday, June 1, 2024, 5:30 - 9:00 PM Adults: $5.00, Ages 12 & Under: Free The Eastmont Community Foundation presents the 8th season of the Oldtown Nights Concert Series Kickoff featuring the Miller Holler Band with a large open green space that is family and children friendly. Miller Holler is a country rock band with southern roots and a hunger for going against the grain and stirring up the music industry in Nashville, Tennessee. Concessions and drinks including adult beverages for those ages 21 & up will be available for purchase. Please bring cash for tickets and beer sales. Only limited credit card sales available. Please bring your own chairs and/or blankets. No tents or umbrellas allowed. Ages 16 & under must be accompanied by an adult. No outside drinks and no pets permitted. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=774327
20. The Wild Wood Band in Concert Long Way Brewing, Radford Saturday, June 1, 2024, 6:00 - 9:00 PM Admission: Free Wild Wood is based in the New River Valley performing country, classic rock & country, folk, bluegrass and originals. Enjoy an old school sound and a very eclectic catalog of music with your favorite sing-along ballads and originals. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778071
21. Baxter Briefly in Concert Rising Silo Farm Brewery, Blacksburg Saturday, June 1, 2024, 6:00 - 9:00 PM Admission: Free Baxter Briefly is a Roanoke, VA musician performing unique and original music in the alternative rock, nu-funk and indie realms. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778232
22. Stand Up Comedy Show with Headliner Heather Joyce Bull & Bones Brewhaus & Grill, Blacksburg Saturday, June 1, 2024, 8:00 - 9:30 PM Admission: $7.00 Comedians Gone Rogue presents a Stand Up Comedy Show with Headliner Heather Joyce in the Banquet Room. Headliner Heather Joyce will be joined by other amazing comediennes from across Virginia and one very strong and independent man. Other performers include: Andrew Gustafson, Katherine Rogue, Christinia Tynes, Chelsea McCreight and Amanda Fitz. The cover goes directly to the talent. For ages 18 & up. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778246
23. 2024 Huckleberry Jam Point-to-Point 8.1 Mile and 1.75 Mile Run / Walk Runabout Sports, Blacksburg Sunday, June 2, 2024, 6:45 - 11:00 AM 8.1 Mile Run: $40.00 (through June 1st), $45.00 (after June 1st) 1.75 Mile Run: $29.00 (through June 1st), $32.00 (after June 1st) Return Shuttle: $5.00 Runabout Sports presents the 4th Annual Huckleberry Jam Point-to-Point 8.1 Mile and 1.75 Mile Runs on the Huckleberry Trail with the 8.1 Mile Run starting at RunAbout Sports in Blacksburg, VA and the 1.75 Mile Run starting on the Huckleberry Trail in Christiansburg, VA at the gate by Uptown Christiansburg's Kohl's store with both runs finishing at the Christiansburg Rec Center. Race Day Registration & Packet Pickup is from 6:45-7:45 AM. The 8.1 Mile Race starts at RunAbout Sports at 8:00 AM. The 1.75 Mile Race starts on Huckleberry Trail near Kohl's side of Uptown Christiansburg at 8:30 AM. Both race distances are point-to-point courses finishing at the Christiansburg Rec Center. Two aid stations will provide water and Gatorade along the way. RunAbout Sports will be donating all net proceeds to the Friends of the Huckleberry Trail. The group uses 100% of donations and funding for the engineering and construction of the Huckleberry Trail and the amenities along the trail. Participants may purchase an add-on shuttle ticket for $5.00 per person when registering. If you have a ride from the Christiansburg Rec Center, you are not required to purchase a shuttle pass. All finishers will receive an engraved rail-road spike finisher award with overall awards for the top three male and female finishers. The top two finishers in each age group also receive awards. Spectators and those picking up runners from the finish may park in front of the Christiansburg Rec Center and walk to the back where the race finishes. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778200
24. 2024 Check Farm Trail Downtown Check, Check Sunday, June 2, 2024, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Admission: Free Floyd Country Tourism presents the 3rd Annual Check Farm Trail at seven participating farms and businesses throughout Check, Virginia. This family-friendly experience is an up-close chance to learn about agriculture through demonstrations, tastings and farm tours including plants & animals and more. Food and/or products will be available for purchase at most of the farms and businesses. Carpooling is encouraged and please leave pets at home. Note: Times and hours vary by farm and tour stop. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=778239
25. Youth Spaghetti Fundraiser Blacksburg United Methodist Church, Blacksburg Sunday, June 2, 2024, 12:00 - 6:00 PM Admission: $10.00 The Youth Ministry at Blacksburg United Methodist Church (BUMC) hosts a Youth Spaghetti Fundraiser. This fundraiser will offset cost associated with summer youth mission trip. BUMC’s youth will venture to the Eastern Shore of Virginia to Camp Occohannock on the Bay this summer. During the weeklong mission trip, the youth will work with Chesapeake Housing Mission. Grab lunch from 12:00-2:00 PM or dinner from 4:00-6:00 PM. The menu includes one serving of spaghetti (with or without ground beef), salad, garlic bread and choice of cookie (chocolate chip, sugar or snickerdoodle). For those unable to dine in, carryout will be available. Pre-ordering is available online. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=777765
26. Free Outdoor Acroyoga Class and Jam In Balance Yoga Studio @ VTCRC, Blacksburg Sunday, June 2, 2024, 12:30 - 2:30 PM Admission: Free Learn about the playful practice of Acroyoga in a safe environment. Acroyoga is a physical practice that combines yoga and acrobatics typically involving a base, a flyer, and spotter. No experience or partner is necessary. The first hour will be guided learning, followed by free form jam for an hour. This event will be held outdoors at the corner of Pratt Drive and Kraft Drive. The rain location will be In Balance CRC studio. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=777994
27. Book Club: Mr. Brightside's Italian Adventures with Discussion and Tasting Blacksburg Wine Lab, Blacksburg Sunday, June 2, 2024, 1:00 - 3:00 PM Admission: $40.00 Join the Wine Lab Book Club tasting & discussing featuring Mr. Brightside's Italian Adventures by Ryan Jacobson. After the success of his first humorous travel memoir, "The Adventures of Mr. Brightside", in which he traveled around the world exploring each country he visited on three different budget levels, Ryan Jacobson has now decided to tackle the country of Italy. Ryan travels to all of the Italy's twenty unique regions and splits his time in each by spending half his time on a low budget and half on a luxury budget before moving on to the next. Through the use of his humorous storytelling, Ryan shares what makes each of the regions so special and worthy of visiting. Reservations are required. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=776425
28. Sunday Mountain Music Series Kickoff with Victor Lawson and the Boogie Chillin Band Mountain Lake Lodge, Pembroke Sunday, June 2, 2024, 4:00 - 6:00 PM Free Admission Mountain Lake Lodge presents their Sunday Mountain Music Series Kickoff with Victor Lawson and the Boogie Chillin Band. Victor Lawson and the Boogie Chillen Band have forged an identity as a good-time party band that plays the real deal blues and down in the mud rock ‘n roll and funk music as well. The tight three-man band takes their name from the song, “Boogie Chillen” which was made famous by late Delta blues icon, John Lee Hooker. From Tennessee to Virginia to West Virginia, in bars and saloons and restaurants and festivals, Victor Lawson and Boogie Chillen’s exuberant, joyful music has made the band one of the area’s premier attractions. Stop by Salt Pond Pub every Sunday from Memorial Day to Labor Day from 4:00-6:00 PM and enjoy live music along with food and drinks. Perfect for relaxing with the whole family (furry friends are welcome too). Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=776813
For all the 65+ big events happening this weekend, check out: • http://www.nextthreedays.com/featuredevents.cfm
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

My dad is a very enthusiastic flyer. He wanted to be a fighter pilot but couldn't due to his color blindness. Now he just flies little pipers, But i'm curious what is the most used flight apps to see what planes are flying maybe hearing radio chatter and the different flight data like that that is live.

Thinking of getting a Ninebot Segway electric go kart for my kid’s 7th birthday. Since it’s little on the expensive side and also some of the US based options like Radio Flyer or McLaren are not available in my region I’m thinking if it’s a good buy considering the steep price? Also anyone used the same model?

I haven't seen any indication it has an ESC, so I presume I'll need a hall pedal and ESC setup for 24V. Does anyone know if I'm on the right track? I'm hoping to provide a graduated throttle response so my daughter can focus on the pedal and not the 'gears' (which I understand are just limits on amperage...does this mean it has an ESC that I can jump/bypass wire to a hall pedal?). Basically, just let her leave it in 3rd and she can modulate throttle with her foot and improve her driving and cornering control. TIA!

Looking for recos on a good ebike option for a first-time rider with a kid carrier for hauling around a 2yo. Ideally ~$2k-ish. Mostly just city commuting, taking to school, etc. Nothing too majooff-road.
Been looking at both Rad and the Radio Flyer options, but open to better ideas. TIA!

I’m tagging this teething because I know for a fact that’s at play here but also just why is my kid like this 😭 My 15 month old boy has become a bit of a nightmare. Maybe this is just a repeat of when he was like, 7-8 months old? Couldn’t crawl, was teething, and basically became a little hellion for a while?? He’s definitely teething his canines right now. He already has 6 teeth on top and 4 on bottom.
At 15 months, the only thing my son can say with meaning is “uh oh”. He can say “mamamama” and “dadadada” and “guh!” but they have no meaning. And he babbles other weird things that sound like garbled versions of actual phrases. He understands “yay!” because he squeals and starts clapping.
He cannot walk. Let me rephrase - he could walk, he just doesn’t yet. He is a lightning fast crawler and doesn’t see the point of trying to walk when what he already does works just fine. But it leads to tantrums because he wants to crawl around say, Wal-Mart and…ew. Just ew. He loves to push around his little plastic Radio Flyer wagon, but if you grab his hands and try to walk with him, he drops to his butt and crawls away.
He is a little **** at mealtimes. He will gladly take something you offer, but then throw it on the ground. His straw cup? Can’t stay on his tray. If he’s not drinking it, he has to throw it off. Things he doesn’t want? On the floor. I try to remind myself he won’t do this forever. I can’t let him starve, but oh my God he drives me up a freaking wall when he does that! If he doesn’t like something, oh well, but why throw it to the floor?! We have a dog but we try to keep her outside/locked up while we eat so he isn’t purposefully feeding her.
His toys? Pleh. Who wants those things? He’d rather destroy the freaking house and get into EVERYTHING. I have moved or locked up pretty much everything I can, but there are some things I just can’t. I try to limit the toys he has access to, rotate them, etc. so he doesn’t get bored or overwhelmed.
I know he’s too young for things like time out, my husband and I really don’t want to use physical punishments like spanking, but what do we do to keep this maniac from turning into a brat who throws a tantrum anytime he doesn’t get what he wants??
Just a mom, trying not to raise a little *******.

I picked up a cross hybrid XSE back in mid April after my last car had a catastrophic failure. Got it for MSRP. Came with the highest trim level convenience package, plus roof crossbars.
The only modification I’ve had so far was to install a 3rd party hitch.
I was excited when I found this car. It seemed like it would be perfect for me on paper, and a good alternative to the one I actually wanted but couldn’t afford (RAV4 Prime)
Overall, I’m sad to say I regret the purchase. Here’s what I’ve encountered so far.

• Real world MPG: I live in a rural area with curvy roads with lots of hills. I’m averaging 34mpg city 36 highway. Lowest of any vehicle I’ve ever owned. So much for 38 highway/45 city. Many short drives are under 30mpg with nothing but me and a full tank of gas for load.
  
• the left/right function of the adaptive headlights is nice, but the beam pattern is ugly and the high beams are wildly inadequate for rural roads with hills. The high beam simply does not aim high enough, even with the low beams as high as they can safely go.
  
• The suspension in the back drops pretty dramatically when the vehicle is loaded down.
  
• Rattles galore in the door panels. Very annoying. I love the sound system but can’t turn it up without the rattles going crazy.
  
• Lack of 12V power: Ok, so it has one 12v port and plenty of USB-C ports. But the USB C is limited to 5v and that’s just not enough for modern devices. The only other power is the single 12v/120w plug. Just not enough ports and not enough wattage. It would be a different discussion if the USB-C ports supported PD 60-120W each.
  
• Storage compartments inside are very small
  
• Interior plastics, especially the glossy ones, scratch very easily.
  
• Radio starts up to an ad for connected services every time CarPlay doesn’t auto connect successfully, which happens every time you remote start.
  
• Roof bars: limit 33lbs per bar basically makes them ornamental/pointless.
  
• The fuel filler port is… weird.
  

*The function that slows the car for corners while on cruise control seems like it needs refinement.

• I miss having an auto dimming mirror
  
• The whole situation of the “spare” compartment under the trunk, as well as the trunk floor, is bad.
  
• Footwell for the driver isn’t long enough for long legs.
  

*Back seat and cargo space is more limited than it seems at first.

• World’s worst seatbelt ding very inconvenient/annoying for drive 30’/get out / get in / repeat situations. Disabled by obd.
  
• Dealership responses to my questions and complaints have been… less than ideal.
  

All of that being said:

• Exterior appearance seems good
  
• Performance is adequate
  
• JBL premium sound is nice
  
• Visiblity from drivers seat is nice
  
• Controls are well designed.
  
• Steering wheel buttons are well laid out.
  
• after adding some Velcro, the Toyota all weather mats are decent.
  
• CarPlay works well
  
• The dash screen layout is nice except for the excessive acronym use in settings.
  
• Fob is nice
  
• Power lift gate is nice
  
• Verticial space for a tall person in the front seat is sufficient from seat to roof.
  
• Sunroof is nice
  

So what am I going to do? Probably keep it for a couple years then switch to something else. In the meantime I may have some extra lights installed since I do so much night driving and Toyota has no fixes available. Though it remains to be seen how the car will fare over the long term, my experience with the build quality and service so far has already soured what I thought of Toyota. I hope the reliability and value-holding lives up to expectations at least. Overall though it’s just very disappointing. Especially the MPG. I could live with a lot if I was getting the promised 38/45. But spending this much money, I’d hoped for a lot of this to be at least a little better.
Previous cars: 2007 Prius, 2013 Volt

Here's a new edition of "Directors at the Box Office", which seeks to explore the directors' trajectory at the box office and analyze their hits and bombs. I already talked about a few, and as I promised, it's Richard Donner's turn.
Initially, Donner wanted to develop a career as an actor. He gained a bit part in a television program directed by Martin Ritt, who encouraged Donner to become a director instead, and he hired Donner as his assistant. Through his connections in Desilu, he started directing commercials. In the 60s, he transitioned into television, directing episodes for shows like The Twilight Zone, The Fugitive, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Get Smart, and Gilligan's Island. Afterwards, he had his chance to direct films.
From a box office perspective, how reliable was he to deliver a box office hit?
That's the point of this post. To analyze his career.

It should be noted that as he started his career in the 1960s, the domestic grosses here will be adjusted by inflation. The table with his highest grossing films, however, will be left in its unadjusted form, as the worldwide grosses are more difficult to adjust.

X-15 (1961)

"Actually filmed in space!"
His directorial debut. It stars David McLean, Charles Bronson, James Gregory and Mary Tyler Moore, and presents a fictionalized account of the X-15 research rocket aircraft program, the test pilots who flew the aircraft, and the associated NASA community that supported the program.
There are no box office numbers available, but it is said that it had a short and poor theatrical run. Reviews were mixed, and Moore said she's not proud of the film.

Salt and Pepper (1965)

"Join the club."
His second film. It stars Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, Michael Bates, Ilona Rodgers and John Le Mesurier, and follows two nightclub owners finding themselves in trouble over a woman's death.
It received mixed reviews, and it earned $1.75 million in rentals.

• Budget: N/A.
  
• Domestic gross: $1,750,000 in rentals. ($17.4 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $1,750,000.
  

Lola (1970)

"It may be love... but it's definitely exhausting!"
His third film. It stars Charles Bronson and Susan George, and follows a 38-year-old writer of pornographic novels who meets and falls in love with a sixteen-year-old school girl whilst living in London.
There are no box office figures, but you can be sure of something: it was panned by everyone.

The Omen (1976)

"If something frightening happens to you today, think about it."
His fourth film. It stars Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, David Warner, Harvey Spencer Stephens, Billie Whitelaw, Patrick Troughton, Martin Benson, and Leo McKern. The film's plot follows Damien Thorn, a young child replaced at birth by his father, unbeknownst to his wife, after their biological child dies shortly after birth. As a series of mysterious events and violent deaths occur around the family and Damien enters childhood, they come to learn he is in fact the prophesied Antichrist.
Producer Harvey Bernhard came up with the idea for a film about the Antichrist after talking with one of his friends. WB was on board, but they later pulled out, so 20th Century Fox agreed to distribute the film. Donner favored an ambiguous reading of the script under which it would be left for the audience to decide whether Damien was the Antichrist or whether the series of violent deaths in the film were all just a string of unfortunate accidents. Seltzer rejected the ambiguity favored by Donner and pressed for an interpretation of his script that left no doubt for the audience that Damien Thorn was the Antichrist and that all of the deaths in the film were caused by the malevolent power of Satan, the interpretation that Bernhard chose to go with.
There were some... dark stories over the making of the film. Some aren't confirmed, but others are verified. So take the following with huge grains of salt.
In September 1975, Peck was flying to London, and during the flight, lightning struck the plane. Shortly after, executive producer Mace Neufeld's plane was also struck by lightning while en route to Los Angeles. That's twice in a span of only a few weeks. Then, writer David Seltzer's plane was also struck by lightning. And, while filming in Rome, lightning narrowly missed striking Bernhard. Lightning may never strike twice, but four times, and to different people whose only six degrees of separation at the time was The Omen? Oh, it gets even creepier. A scene was postponed, which meant Peck was not needed on the set, so a private jet that the crew was going to charter to bring Peck in was not necessary. The next day, it was reported that the plane they had intended to book hit a flock of birds and crashed, killing everyone on board.
Neufeld, probably already on edge after his plane was struck by lightning, was planning to eat at a restaurant nearby, but it was hit by an IRA bombing. The day after filming, the hotel that Donner had stayed at was also bombed.
John Richardson, the set designer, created a particularly macabre scene where a character dies from decapitation resulting from an automobile accident. While in Holland in August 1976, Richardson and his assistant, Liz Moore, were struck by a freakishly unfortunate fate. They fell victims to a head-on-collision, where Moore was cut in half, in similar fashion to the one Richardson had designed for the film. It happened in a Friday the 13th, near a road sign which says: “Ommen, 66.6 km.”
Does that send you shivers down your spine?
Is all of this true? I... I'm not sure. I don't fully believe it. But I also don't fully not believe it. Whatever the case, it's truly one of the most insane behind-the-scenes stuff.
After a slate of weak films, Donner finally got his big break here. The film earned $78 million worldwide, becoming a huge box office success. While it initially received mixed reviews, its reputation grew with time and it has been named as one of the best horror films of the 1970s. It would spawn a franchise, but Donner didn't return for the director's chair. Why? He was preparing for something super.

• Budget: $2,800,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $60,922,980. ($335.7 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $78,722,980.
  

Superman (1978)

"You'll believe a man can fly."
His fifth film. Based on the DC Comics character, it stars Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Jeff East, Margot Kidder, Glenn Ford, Phyllis Thaxter, Jackie Cooper, Trevor Howard, Marc McClure, Terence Stamp, Valerie Perrine, Ned Beatty, Jack O'Halloran, Maria Schell, and Sarah Douglas. It depicts the origin of Superman, including his infancy as Kal-El of Krypton, son of Jor-El, and his youthful years in the rural town of Smallville. Disguised as reporter Clark Kent, he adopts a mild-mannered disposition in Metropolis and develops a romance with Lois Lane while battling the villainous Lex Luthor.
Ilya Salkind had first conceived the idea for a Superman film in late 1973, and he bought the rights with his father Alexander the following year. DC wanted a list of actors that were to be considered for Superman, and approved the producer's choices of Muhammad Ali, Al Pacino, James Caan, Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood and Dustin Hoffman. The filmmakers felt it was best to film Superman and Superman II back-to-back, and to make a negative pickup deal with Warner Bros. To show how serious he was, Alexander hired Mario Puzo (The Godfather) and paid him $600,000 to write the script.
Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, William Friedkin, Richard Lester, Peter Yates, John Guillermin, Ronald Neame and Sam Peckinpah were in negotiations to direct. Ilya wanted to hire Steven Spielberg to direct, but Alexander was skeptical, feeling it was best to "wait until [Spielberg's] big fish opens." His film, Jaws, became the highest grossing film ever, and the Salkinds offered him the job, but by that point Spielberg chose to make Close Encounters of the Third Kind instead. Guy Hamilton was hired, but left before filming due to legal issues. After seeing The Omen, the producers offered the job to Donner. He was planning to direct the Omen sequel, but decided to take Superman instead. Donner was dissatisfied with the campy script and brought in Tom Mankiewicz to perform a rewrite to start from scratch. According to Mankiewicz, "not a word from the Puzo script was used."
Before Donner signed, the film already cast Marlon Brando as Jor-El in 1975. And his terms were insane; top billing, a salary of $3.7 million and 11.75% of the box office gross profits (totaling $19 million), and his scenes had to be filmed in 12 days. He also refused to memorize his dialogue, so cue cards were compiled across the set. Hackman was cast as Lex Luthor days later, getting a $2 million salary. The filmmakers made it a priority to shoot all of Brando's and Hackman's footage "because they would be committed to other films immediately."
The first plan was for a famous star to play Superman, although Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, Sylvester Stallone and Paul Newman all declined. When Donner signed, he decided to get an unknown actor. Reeve was suggested, but Donner and the producers felt he was too young and skinny. When other actors weren't convincing, they decided to give a screen test to Reeve. They wanted him to wear a muscle suit, but Reeve instead decided to take a strict physical exercise regime headed by David Prowse. After gaining enough weight, he was cast. Compared to Brando and Hackman, Reeve was paid just $250,000 for Superman and its sequel.
Filming began in March 1977, and it lasted 19 months because they were filming two films. The budget was $55 million ($303 million adjusted), which made it the most expensive film by that point. Warner Bros. only planned to distribute the film in North America, but was so impressed by the Krypton sequence, that they decided to distribute it worldwide. It was supposed to last eight months, but there were conflicts on set.
Donner had tensions with the Salkinds and producer Pierre Spengler concerning the escalating production budget and the shooting schedule. Richard Lester, who worked with the Salkinds on The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers, was then brought in as a temporary co-producer to mediate the relationship between Donner and the Salkinds, who by now were refusing to talk to each other. On his relationship with Spengler, Donner remarked, "At one time if I'd seen him, I would have killed him." Due to this, they decided to stop filming back-to-back with the sequel, and Donner was assigned to finish the first film. By that point, 75% was already shot by Donner.
The film opened with $7.4 million in its first weekend, despite playing at just 508 theaters, breaking a record for Warner Bros. As it expanded, it earned $10.3 million in its third weekend, which was the biggest weekend in history. Through the December 22-28 week, it earned a colossal $18.5 million, a figure that no film achieved in just 7 days. It eventually closed its domestic run with $134 million. And WB was right in believing in its worldwide prospects, as the film earned a huge $300 million, becoming their highest grossing film.
The film also received critical acclaim, and it has been named as one of the best films of the 1970s. It won a Special Oscar for its Visual Effects. The film was deemed a cultural landmark for comic books, and it has been proclaimed by many as perhaps the most influential comic book film ever. For the world finally believed that, indeed, a man could fly.
With this, Superman was finally an icon on the big screen. While Donner filmed 75% of Superman II, he was controversially fired before resuming his duties. There would be more Superman films in subsequent years (including one next year), but none have captured the cultural zeitgeist that this one achieved.

• Budget: $55,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $134,478,449. ($646.7 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $300,478,449.
  

Inside Moves (1980)

"It'll make you feel good, and that ain't bad."
His sixth film. Based on the novel by Todd Walton, it stars John Savage, David Morse, Diana Scarwid, and Amy Wright. It follows a man who became crippled after a failed suicide attempt, and he turns to drink, favoring a local dive bar frequented by the handicapped. There, he befriends the bartender, an ex-basketball player saving up for corrective surgery in hopes of returning to the court, and meets a kind young lady who aids him with his physical and mental rehabilitation.
Donner states that he agreed to direct the film only to take his mind off being fired and replaced from Superman II. He referred to the film as "the smallest film I could do that was just very near and dear to me, at that point, and I felt this is going to take my mind totally off that."
It received mixed reviews, and made just $1.2 million at the box office.

• Budget: N/A.
  
• Domestic gross: $1,200,000. ($4.5 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $1,200,000.
  

The Toy (1982)

"When Jackie Gleason told his son he could have any present he wanted, he picked the most outrageous gift of all... Richard Pryor."
His seventh film. The film stars Richard Pryor, Jackie Gleason and Scott Schwartz, and follows a janitor at a department store. The owner's son is told that he may have anything in the toy department. He chooses the janitor, who the owner pays to spend a week with the boy.
The film was panned by critics, and was named as one of the worst films of the year. But with $47 million at the box office, it was still a success.

• Budget: $17,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $47,118,057. ($153 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $47,118,057.
  

The Goonies (1985)

"Join the adventure."
His eighth film. The film stars Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, Ke Huy Quan, John Matuszak, Anne Ramsey, Robert Davi, Joe Pantoliano and Mary Ellen Trainor. In the film, a group of kids who live in the "Goon Docks" neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon, attempt to save their homes from foreclosure and, in doing so, they discover an old treasure map that takes them on an adventure to unearth the long-lost fortune of One-Eyed Willy, a legendary 17th-century pirate. During the adventure, they are pursued by a family of criminals who want the treasure for themselves.
Donner noted both the difficulties and pleasures of working with so many child actors. He praised them for their energy and excitement, but also said that they were also unruly when brought together. While Donner is credited as the director, some have referred to producer Steven Spielberg as co-director.
The film received a great response, and after a slate of weak films, Donner bounced back with a much needed box office hit. The film was very influential, and it helped launch the careers of many of its stars.

• Budget: $19,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $63,711,145. ($185.6 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $124,311,145.
  

Ladyhawke (1985)

"A magical adventure."
His ninth film. The film stars Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer. The story is about a young thief who becomes unwillingly involved with a warrior and his lady who are hunted by the Bishop of Aquila. As he learns about the couple's past and secret, he chooses to help them overcome the Bishop's forces, and to lift an infernal curse.
It received mixed reviews, and it failed to recoup its $20 million budget.

• Budget: $20,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $18,432,000. ($53.7 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $18,432,000.
  

Lethal Weapon (1987)

"Two cops. Glover carries a weapon. Gibson is one. He's the only L.A. cop registed as a..."
His tenth film. It stars Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Tom Atkins, Darlene Love, and Mitchell Ryan. The film follows a pair of mismatched LAPD detectives — Martin Riggs, a former Green Beret who has become suicidal following the death of his wife, and veteran officer and family man Roger Murtaugh — who work together as partners.
Recent UCLA graduate Shane Black wrote the screenplay in mid-1985. Black stated that his intention was to do an "urban western" inspired by Dirty Harry where a violent character "reviled for what he did, what he is capable of, the things he believed in" is eventually recruited for being the one that could solve the problem. His first draft was quite different from the final film; it was darker in tone and it included massive action scale sequences. The ending of the script contained a chase scene with helicopters and a trailer truck full of cocaine exploding over Hollywood Hills with cocaine snowing over the Hollywood sign.
The script was rejected by some studios, but Warner Bros. took an interest. Producer Joel Silver was brought in and worked with Black to further develop the script. Donner also brought in writer Jeffrey Boam to do some uncredited re-writes on Black's script after he found parts of it to be too dark. Donner got Gibson involved, while someone else suggested Danny Glover. After a successful screen test, the film was greenlit.
The film was a huge hit, earning $120 million worldwide and continued launching the careers of Gibson and Glover, even if they already had a few recognizable titles by that point. It also received very positive reviews, and was another prime example of the buddy cop genre. Another Donner W.

• Budget: $15,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $65,207,127. ($179.9 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $120,207,127.
  

Scrooged (1988)

"The spirits will move you in odd and hysterical ways."
His 11th film. Based on the novella A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, it stars Bill Murray, Karen Allen, John Forsythe, John Glover, Bobcat Goldthwait, Carol Kane, Robert Mitchum, Michael J. Pollard, and Alfre Woodard. The film is a modern retelling that follows Frank Cross, a cynical and selfish television executive who is visited by a succession of ghosts on Christmas Eve intent on helping him regain his Christmas spirit.
After Ghostbusters, Murray only took a brief appearance in Little Shop of Horrors and chose to take a break. When he did feel a desire to return to acting, he said the "scripts were just not that good", and he returned to the this project as he found the idea of making a funny Scrooge appealing. Murray was paid $6 million for his role. He helped the writers, Mitch Glazer and Michael O'Donoghue, in rewriting.
Murray struggled with a scene where he reveals his redemption live on TV. Wanting a central acting moment, however, Murray gave an emotional and intense performance, deviating from his marked positions and improvising his speech. Glazer and O'Donoghue thought that the actor was suffering a mental breakdown. After he was finished, the crew applauded Murray, but O'Donoghue remarked "What was that? The Jim Jones hour?" Donner turned and punched O'Donoghue in the arm, leaving him bruised for a week.
Despite the commitment, however, there was drama behind the scenes. Murray said that while he was enjoying the experience of the script and having fun as "the meanest person in the world", he found the production "sloppy" and has expressed unhappiness with the final cut. For his part, O'Donoghue later said that Donner did not understand comedy, omitting the script's subtler elements for louder and faster moments. He estimated that only 40% of his and Glazer's original script made it into the final film and the surviving content was "twisted". Murray was also not content with Donner, "Scrooged could have been a really, really great movie. The script was so good... He kept telling me to do things louder, louder, louder. I think he was deaf." Donner, meanwhile, has a much more positive memory of Murray, calling him "superbly creative but occasionally difficult - as difficult as any actor."
The film received polarizing reactions, particularly for the tone. But as it was Murray's follow-up to Ghostbusters, it made $100 million worldwide, making it a box office success. In subsequent years, it has become a Christmas classic.

• Budget: $32,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $60,328,558. ($159.8 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $100,328,558.
  

Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)

"The magic is back."
His 12th film. The second installment in the Lethal Weapon franchise, it stars Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Joss Ackland, Derrick O'Connor and Patsy Kensit. In the film, Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh protect an irritating federal witness, Leo Getz, while taking on a gang of South African drug dealers hiding behind diplomatic immunity.
After the first film's success, Joel Silver asked Shane Black to write a sequel. Although he was struggling with personal issues, Black still managed to write the first draft along with his friend, novelist Warren Murphy. Although many people thought that their script was brilliant, it was rejected by Silver, Donner and the studio for being too dark and bloody, and because in the ending of the script Riggs dies, while they wanted to keep him alive in case of further sequels. They also wanted the second film to focus more on comedy, while Black's draft focused more on courage and heroics, like Riggs willing to die to protect Murtaugh and his family, due to his love for them.
When his script was rejected, Black felt that he had failed the producers. Black refused to re-write the script and quit from the project after working for six months on it. Black later said how the problem with the second film was that they did too much comedy, and how he dislikes the third and fourth films because of the way Riggs's character was changed. Donner got Jeffrey Boam back to rewrite, and one of the biggest changes was expanding Leo Getz's character.
The film received very great reviews, and saw a big increase from the original, earning $227 million worldwide.

• Budget: $30,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $147,253,986. ($372.3 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $227,853,986.
  

Radio Flyer (1992)

"Powered by imagination."
His 13th film. The film stars Lorraine Bracco, John Heard, Elijah Wood, Joseph Mazzello, Adam Baldwin, and Ben Johnson and is narrated by Tom Hanks. Two young boys try to transform their toy into an airplane after their stepfather turns abusive. They wish to escape the physical abuse and fly away to safety.
The film received negative reviews, and it barely got 10% of its budget. Luckily for Donner, he had another film for that year.

• Budget: $35,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $4,651,977. ($10.3 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $4,651,977.
  

Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)

"The magic is back again."
His 14th film. The third installment in the Lethal Weapon franchise, it stars Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo, and Stuart Wilson. In the film, Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh pursue Jack Travis, a former LAPD lieutenant turned ruthless arms dealer, during the six days prior to Murtaugh's retirement. Riggs and Murtaugh are joined by Leo Getz as well as internal affairs Sergeant Lorna Cole.
Jeffrey Boam's first two drafts of the script were different from the final film. The character of Lorna for example was not a woman in original drafts, but the original character still had the same personality and was just as lethal and crazy as Riggs, making him his match. Riggs also had an affair with Roger's daughter Rianne, and a few parts in the final film where Roger suspects that Riggs and Rianne are interested in each other are only parts left from the original drafts. Donner demanded some big changes on the script which included changing the original character of Lorna into a woman and turning her into Riggs's girlfriend. He also re-worked the script to be less story-oriented and not focus on the main villains but instead on the relationship between Riggs and Murtaugh. He also toned down action scenes from the script and brought back Leo Getz into the story. All of his scenes were written in afterwards.
The film received mixed reviews and was considered as weaker than the previous films. But it still earned $320 million worldwide, becoming the highest grossing film in the franchise and Donner's highest grossing film (although Superman still has that title adjusted for inflation).

• Budget: $35,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $144,731,527. ($323.4 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $321,731,527.
  

Maverick (1994)

"In their hands, a deck of cards was the only thing more dangerous than a gun."
His 15th film. Based on the 1957–1962 television series, it stars Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster and James Garner (who starred in the original series). The film follows Bret Maverick, a card player and con artist who collects money in order to enter a high-stakes poker game. He is joined in his adventure by Annabelle Bransford, another con artist, and Marshal Zane Cooper, a lawman.
The film received positive reviews, and was another great success at the box office, earning $183 million worldwide.

• Budget: $75,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $101,631,272. ($215 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $183,031,272.
  

Assassins (1995)

"In the shadows of life, in the business of death, one man found a reason to live..."
His 16th film. The film stars Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas, and Julianne Moore. Professional hit-man Robert Rath wants to fulfill a few more contracts before retiring but unscrupulous ambitious newcomer hit-man Miguel Bain keeps killing Rath's targets.
The film was panned by critics, and was a box office flop.

• Budget: $50,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $30,303,072. ($62.3 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $83,306,268.
  

Conspiracy Theory (1997)

"Jerry Fletcher sees conspiracies everywhere... one has turned out to be true. Now his enemies want him dead. And she's the only one he can trust."
His 17th film. It stars Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts and Patrick Stewart, and centers on an eccentric taxi driver who believes many world events are triggered by government conspiracies, and the Justice Department attorney who becomes involved in his life.
The film received mixed reviews, and despite earning $137 million worldwide, it wasn't a box office success due to its high budget.

• Budget: $80,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $75,982,834. ($148.4 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $136,982,834.
  

Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)

"The gang's all here."
His 18th film. The fourth and final installment in the Lethal Weapon franchise, it stars Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo, Chris Rock, and Jet Li. It follows Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh as they investigate a Chinese immigrant smuggling ring. A crime boss named Benny Chan leads them to the Chinatown.
Wanting another film in the franchise, Warner Bros. and Joel Silver tried buying a new spec script titled Simon Says in hopes of rewriting it into a script for Lethal Weapon 4. Written by Jonathan Hensleigh, the story was about a police detective and a shop owner forced to find and stop bombs planted all over a city as part of a mad bomber's revenge plot against the detective. 20th Century Fox then bought the script, and decided to use it as the basis for a new Die Hard film, Die Hard with a Vengeance. Donner was committed to another film, but Gibson was not interested.
The film had a very difficult pre-production, as the script was still being re-written and rejected. Silver ultimately brought in TV writer Channing Gibson to work on the script, after he was impressed by Gibson's rewrite of a spec script titled Sandblast. Gibson took the gig thinking it would be a more relaxed writing job than anything he did for TV. However, much like the previous two sequels, the script kept getting changed and rewritten over and over again. Gibson would end up doing more work and revisions on it than on all of his TV work put together. Production even started with only half of the script.
Something you might have noticed, is that the budget was far larger than the previous films. While the previous two films cost $30-$35 million, Lethal Weapon 4 had a budget of... $150 million ($288 million adjusted). Which means that at that point, it was the most expensive R-rated film ever and the third most expensive film, just behind Titanic and Waterworld. Why? Because the delays kept coming... but Warner Bros. was desperate in greenlighting the film. Realizing they had no big tentpole releases scheduled for summer 1998, Warner Bros. finally greenlit the film in late 1997. So they opened all their wallets and started shooting in January 1998, despite having one third of the film not written yet, including the ending. Due to issues during filming, including the script changes, production ended around mid May, less than two months before its scheduled July release. The ending was not written until it was finally time to film it. Editors had to work very quickly to have the film ready, which is why the trailers feature some deleted and alternate scenes which are not in the film. So the film was greenlit, filmed and released in theaters in the span of just 7 months.
The film received mixed reviews. And if Warner Bros. was confident that spending $150 million to rush a film was worth it, they were in for a rude awakening. The film earned just $285 million worldwide, which meant that the film was a box office flop.
It was the last film in the franchise. Although a gang in a pub in Philadelphia kept the spirit alive by making three sequels, one of which had Danny DeVito as the bad guy.

• Budget: $150,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $130,444,603. ($250.9 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $285,444,603.
  

Timeline (2003)

"You're history."
His 19th film. Based on the novel by Michael Crichton, it stars Paul Walker, Frances O'Connor, Gerard Butler, Billy Connolly, David Thewlis, and Anna Friel. It follows a team of present-day archaeology and history students who are sent back in time to medieval France to rescue their professor from the middle of a battle.
The film was a critical and commercial failure.

• Budget: $80,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $19,481,943. ($33.1 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $43,935,763.
  

16 Blocks (2006)

"1 Witness... 118 Minutes."
His 20th and final film. It stars Bruce Willis, Mos Def, and David Morse. The film unfolds in the real time narration method, and follows Jack, who is assigned the task of escorting Eddie, a witness, from police custody to the courthouse. However, when they are attacked on the way, Jack learns that the entire NYPD wants Eddie dead.
The film received mixed reviews, and it marked his fifth bomb in a row. It was his final film before his death in 2021.

• Budget: $52,000,000.
  
• Domestic gross: $36,895,141. ($57.3 million adjusted)
  
• Worldwide gross: $65,664,721.
  

MOVIES (FROM HIGHEST GROSSING TO LEAST GROSSING)

No.	Movie	Year	Studio	Domestic Total	Overseas Total	Worldwide Total	Budget
1	Lethal Weapon 3	1992	Warner Bros.	$144,731,527	$177,000,000	$321,731,527	$35M
2	Superman	1978	Warner Bros.	$134,478,449	$166,000,000	$300,478,449	$55M
3	Lethal Weapon 4	1998	Warner Bros.	$130,444,603	$155,000,000	$285,444,603	$150M
4	Lethal Weapon 2	1989	Warner Bros.	$147,253,986	$80,600,000	$227,853,986	$30M
5	Maverick	1994	Warner Bros.	$101,631,272	$81,400,000	$183,031,272	$75M
6	Conspiracy Theory	1997	Warner Bros.	$75,982,834	$61,000,000	$136,982,834	$80M
7	The Goonies	1985	Warner Bros.	$63,711,145	$60,600,000	$124,311,145	$19M
8	Lethal Weapon	1987	Warner Bros.	$65,207,127	$55,000,000	$120,207,127	$15M
9	Scrooged	1988	Paramount	$60,328,558	$40,000,000	$100,328,558	$32M
10	Assassins	1995	Warner Bros.	$30,303,072	$53,000,000	$83,306,268	$50M
11	The Omen	1976	20th Century Fox	$60,922,980	$17,800,000	$78,722,980	$2.8M
12	16 Blocks	2006	Warner Bros.	$36,895,141	$28,769,580	$65,664,721	$52M
13	The Toy	1982	20th Century Fox	$47,118,057	$0	$47,118,057	$17M
14	Timeline	2003	Paramount	$19,481,943	$24,453,820	$43,935,763	$80M
15	Ladyhawke	1985	Warner Bros. / 20th Century Fox	$18,432,000	$0	$18,432,000	$20M
16	Radio Flyer	1992	Columbia	$4,651,977	$0	$4,651,977	$35M
17	Salt and Pepper	1965	United Artists	$1,750,000	$0	$1,750,000	N/A
18	Inside Moves	1980	Associated Film Distribution	$1,200,000	$0	$1,200,000	N/A

He made 20 films, but only 18 have reported box office numbers. Across those 18 films, he made $2,146,151,267 worldwide. That's $119,230,625 per film.

The Verdict

Despite the inconsistency of his filmography, it's hard to deny Donner as a very influential figure of cinema.
He was an expert in handling many genres; you'd expect the director of The Goonies to make 4 Lethal Weapon films? Or that the guy who made The Omen would make Scrooged? Sure, his last films indicated that he might have lost it, but you can't blame him for trying. The fact that he was willing to make Lethal Weapon 5 before his death show he was very committed. He was never too old for this shit.
And of course, there's Superman. The film that changed comic book films as we know them. It wasn't the first, but it was perhaps the most influential. There's an argument that either Batman, The Dark Knight, Iron Man, The Avengers, Deadpool or Joker are more influential, but those films wouldn't exist today if it wasn't for Donner. It's why Kevin Feige shows the film to all the cast and crew before filming any MCU film. If the film was put in the careless hands of a mediocre director, it would've been forgotten almost immediately. And the genre would be very different today. So it's a testament to the strength of the film of how much it could change the landscape of what was possible. He and Christopher Reeve really offered something fresh and exciting. They truly made the world believe a man could fly.
Hope you liked this edition. You can find this and more in the wiki for this section.
The next director will be Ang Lee. A very important filmmaker.
I asked you to choose who else should be in the run and the comment with the most upvotes would be chosen. Well, we'll later talk about... Roland Emmerich. Is it Joever for him?
This is the schedule for the following four:

Week	Director	Reasoning
June 3-9	Ang Lee	What happened to Lee?
June 10-16	Zack Snyder	RIP Inbox.
June 17-23	Tony Scott	Action films have not been the same ever since his death.
June 24-30	Roland Emmerich	The King of disaster films.

Who should be next after Emmerich? That's up to you. But there's a catch.
For this week, you'll choose from four options, all picked by me. So we won't accept any other suggestions this week. I'll give you four directors, and the director with the most upvotes will get his own post. And here they are:

• Joe Dante: Like Donner, a very influential figure of the 70s and 80s.
  
• Renny Harlin: One of the most popular directors with the biggest amount of flops. How does he do it?
  
• John McTiernan: An important action filmmaker... who literally went to jail.
  
• Rob Reiner: Another actor who had an incredible run as a director, before falling with North.
  

So which one should be next? That's up to you.

Steven was on the beach, it was six in the morning and he was about to surf. The waves were perfect for it, it wasn't too hot outside. So it was the right time for a little morning surfing. Greg and Rose weren't up yet. So it was just him out on the water and a few people who also came to the beach. The boy saw a wave coming up. he paddled out to it, popped up on the board and he surfed that wave.
"Woah! Look at that little guy go!" A man said, sitting on his board. Watching Steven. Some other people joined in on the fun, Steven wanted to put on some music, but a guy on the beach put his iPhone into the dock of his iHome and he turned on some rock music. 'What I've Done' by 'LINKIN PARK' played on full volume.
Rose walked out and leaned on the railing of the wooden balcony, watching her son. (since Steven was the smallest one there) Then the door opened to the house. Her husband walked out and put an arm around her waist. Greg went on his tippy toes and kissed her on the cheek.
"Is Steven in the water?" Greg asked after a few minutes of silence. Rose nodded and pointed, Greg recognized the figure as their son, and he went back inside. She was confused at first, but then she saw that her husband was dressed in blue swim trunks that had a white palm tree pattern, he was shirtless and was carrying his surfboard under his arm.
Rose smiles and watches her husband go down the steps and get into the water to surf.
She went to go change into a pair of shorts and a tank top. She also walked down the wooden steps and sat by the water, some surfboards were sticking out in the sand and some people were talking or sitting on beach towels. She took out her phone and took a picture to send to her friend, Ameythest. She had forgot a few times that they were three hours behind them since her team lived in California.
Rose watched as her son and husband were out on the beach having fun. A woman walked to her and sat in the sand. "Hello," Rose said, waving toward her.
"Hi." the woman said. She is wearing a dark green bikini with triangle cups and ties that fasten around her neck and back. The bottoms tie at the sides and feature a minimal coverage design. The woman has a medium skin tone and long, dark brown hair styled in loose waves. She is smiling and facing her. "Hi, I'm Allison." She said.
"Hello, Allison, I'm Rose." she smiled, a chunk of her pink hair falling off her shoulder.
"You are pretty."
Rose smiled. at her. Blushing; "I get that a lot."
"Oh?" Rose nods. "Multiple people tell me that I'm pretty."
"Well, you are. Are you a model?"
"No, I was a commander," she said casually.
"A commander? Like for the US Army?"
"Mmmmm, something like that. Have you watched Transformers?" Rose asked. Allison nodded.
"It's like that, but I command a rebellion against my kind." Allison wanted to believe that that wasn't true or that she was making it up, but half of her told her that she was not joking.
"So you lead a rebellion?" she nods again, Then Greg walks out, holding his surfboard, Steven is next to him. He wore a pair of pink swim shorts, Allison saw something… Different about him, He had a pink gem where his navel should be. and he was tiny. Maybe she thought he was about five years old.
"Aww, who's this little guy?" Alison asked.
Rose smiled as her son sat next to her on the sand. "This is my son, Steven," she told her. Allison wondered, and wanted to ask her.
"If you don't mind me asking, how old is he?"
"I'm seven," he said.
"Wow." She said with a smile on her face. "He looks so cute."
"Thank you," he said, smiling at her. Greg smiled and put a hand on his son's shoulder. Steven looks up at his father.
"Alright, let's go inside and have breakfast, then after we can go back to the beach," Greg said, Rose and Steven agreed with that and they went to the beach house for breakfast.
Two boys stepped out of a 2008 Ford Mustang with their mother. They were both wearing bathing suits.
The first boy appears to have short brown hair, a cheerful smile, and bright eyes. He is wearing a plain white t-shirt and standing in the sand. He is in a happy mood, radiating positivity and warmth through his expression. He has brown hair. The combination of his smile and bright eyes could indicate a sense of joy or contentment, adding a sense of innocence and youthfulness to his overall appearance.
The other boy has a joyful expression on his face. He has curly hair and is dressed in a black T-shirt. The t-shirt features a graphic design with multiple white panels, which may contain comic strips and a large white swoosh logo. The overall atmosphere of the photo is festive and cheerful, with a greenish background and sparkling white stars adding to the lively ambiance. The young boy in the image has a joyful expression on his face. He has curly hair and is dressed in a black t-shirt and red swim shorts, The t-shirt features a graphic design with multiple white panels, which may contain comic strips and a large white swoosh logo.
"Lance, Mikey." A woman told the two seven-year-old boys.
"Yeah, mom?" Lance said, walking up toward his mother. His mother was a tall woman, not as tall as Rose. She stood at six foot seven. She has a light complexion and long blonde hair that is casually styled, flowing around her face and shoulders. She is wearing a dark top, with short shorts with a bikini underneath her clothes. Lance and Mikey both helped their mom with items, such as towels and an umbrella.
Steven sat at the table with his mother, as his father made breakfast. Rose saw two boys and one woman walk up the stairs through the glass leading outside to the house. They heard a knock on the door, Steven opened it and saw his friends standing there with their mother, Luisa.
"Guys! You're here!" Steven hugs both of his friends.
"Hey, Steven!" Kyle said.
"Hey, man!" Lance said, giving him a high five. Steven gave both of his friends hugs and they walked in with their mother.
"Hi, Greg, hi Rose." Luisa greeted them.
"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Universe!" Lance and Kyle said.
"Hi guys, how are you?" Rose asked. Rose now wore another one-piece swimsuit. Like the last one, her gem was exposed. And, her pink hair was tied back in a ponytail, they were about to go back out again to surf. Greg, Rose, and Steven were almost finished eating breakfast and they were going back onto the beach.
"Do you want breakfast guys, Mom made French toast." Steven said, standing up and putting his plate in the kitchen.
"No thanks, we just ate back at the house," Mikey said, Lance nodded. Steven went back outside with his friends. Their surfboards were leaning on the side of the house, Steven grabbed his that was by his dad's and went down the wooden steps.
Steven, Lance, and Mikey all went down to the beach and they were now playing together. Greg and Rose then came outside with their surfboards and they were now out on the water.
Steven was now in his room, playing GameCube with his friends Lance and Mikey, who wanted to sleep over. Rose said yes, and now, Rose was making popcorn for the boys for a movie that they were going to watch in the living room. The movie was set on the silver VHS/DVD player they had sitting inside the large TV.
"Boys! Popcorn is ready!" Steven's mother called out. Steven, Lance, and Mikey raced downstairs and all sat in the living room. "What movie is this mom?" Steven asked, sandwiched in between his bigger seven-year-old friends.
"Lilo & Stitch," Rose said, Steven's eyes lit up into the shapes of stars.
"I love that movie!" he said, Rose chuckled. "I know you do, Steven."
"Your dad should be back with the pizza." She said as she saw a pair of headlights in the distance.
"That must be him!" Steven said excitedly. Rose chuckled at her son's enthusiasm. Running to the door, Steven opened for him, letting the summer air come in as well as the smell of the sand and the ocean Greg was walking up the stairs and smiled when he saw his son holding the door for him.
"Thanks, Schu-Ball," Greg said, ruffling up his curly black hair, Steven closed the door and locked it. He set the box down on the table so the boys could eat. Steven opened the box and gasped, stars in his eyes. "Pepperoni!" he said, he and his friends grabbed a slice then ate some pizza and watched the movie.
"OH, YOUR TOUCHING ME!"
"Not touching."
"TOUCHING ME!"
"It's free air!"
Steven licked Lance. "EW!" Mikey laughed as he ate his popcorn.
"That's funny."
"No, it's not!" Lance said, going into the kitchen and washing his face.
"Did your parents go to bed, Steven?"
"No, there outside on the porch," he said, looking at the wrap-around porch through the window, the lights were on and Greg was strumming his acoustic guitar.
"Okay guys, let's play Shadow The Hedgehog!" Steven said, opening his TV and handing Lance and Mikey two controllers.
"I'll be the original Shadow."
"I'll be gold Shadow!"
"I'll go next after you guys!" Steven said, putting his Sony TV to the right input as they played the game.
"Hey, Steven. Is there any water or something?" Lance said, getting up from the floor.
"Yeah, they should be in the fridge," he said. Lance went to the fridge and saw a whole case of water bottles, he grabbed one and went back upstairs to his bedroom.
"Hey, Steven. why don't you have any walls and a door?"
"My parents thought that it was cool like this, and I agree with them," Steven said, playing the game.
Lance nodded and they went back to playing.
The next day, Lance, Mikey, Steven, and Greg were playing volleyball on the beach, and Rose was surfing.
"Steven! it's your serve!" Lance said, Steven threw the volleyball into the air and tried to serve it, but he was too small to reach over the net, so the ball went under it instead.
"Ugh! I'm too short for this game!" he said in frustration. Then, Greg walked to the other side of the net and knelt to his level.
"Steven, you can do anything you set your mind to," Greg said, touching his shoulder. Steven didn't believe that.
"Dad! Just admit it, I'm a joke. An excuse, I wish I… I was more human, like Kyle, Lance, and Lucas. And all of the kids at school! I HATE the way I look." Tears welled up in his eyes and are now streaming down his cheeks. Greg listened to his son vent.
"Every day at school I was called a baby because I look like I'm in the first grade still! I would get made fun of by COUNTLESS KIDS CONSTANTLY! The coaches would not put me on a team with kids when we would play basketball because I'm 'too short' or I have some kind of 'growth problem' You know how AWFUL THAT IS! Why do I always get the short end of the stick, why am I always discriminated against because I was born differently maybe… Maybe I shouldn't been born at all!" Seven finished his rant, balling up his fists and glaring at the sand beneath his feet.
Greg felt his heart shatter into a million tiny pieces. No seven-year-old should think like this. He put a hand on his shoulder. "Steven. What made you think like this, dude?"
"Remember that kid I told you and Mom about last year, the boy who I think got held back a year or so and was in Miss. Philips class with me and Lucas?"
"Yeah."
"Well he called me all kinds of names, and the one that stuck with me the most was 'baby' he told me to go back to kindergarten!" Greg didn't say anything but took him and hugged his son.
"You know." he started. "I don't understand this gem stuff, but your mom and I both love you, Steven. Don't talk like that about yourself again, understand?" Steve nods. Greg smiled kissed his hair and stood up. Steven looked at the ocean, the sound of the waves, the sand, and the salty air hitting his nose.
Steven was at the mall with his friends and his mom in Delaware. Steven was on his mother's shoulders. "What do you want to do first guys?" Rose asked.
"Mom, can I get a new hat?" Steven asked.
"Sure," she said, walking into a Spencer's. Steven picked out a Sonic The Hedgehog beanie. Rose smiled and examined it.
It was a beanie hat with a vibrant blue and black pattern. The pattern includes stylized text that is artistically designed, making it somewhat abstract and challenging to read. Notably, there is an embroidered patch of Sonic the Hedgehog, a popular video game character, displayed on the fold of the beanie. Sonic is depicted in his classic running pose, colored in blue with details in white, red, and flesh tones for his face and arms.
Steven's eyes had stars in them and wanted to try it on, Rose smiled and helped him slip it on his curly head of hair. Rose's eyes lit up and smiled, admiring how adorable he was! "You look so handsome!" Rose said, his friends nodded in agreement. Steven went to the mirror and looked at himself.
"I'll take it, Mom!" he said, excitement in his voice.
Rose smiled and got one for herself too, she looked in the mirror and gasped at how cute she looked in it!
It displayed the pink beanie on her head, adorned with an embroidered design depicting a cartoon-style character on the front. The character exudes a playful and mischievous vibe, characterized by its large eyes and expressive features atop of her naturally pink hair.
"You look so good, mom! We should get one for Dad too. What do you think he will like?" Steven asked.
"Isn't his favorite character Tails?"
"Yeah, but maybe we can get both, Or we can get Vector The Crocodile., 'cause Dad likes music. And vector is a DJ." Rose liked that idea
"Alright, Vector it is then!" she said, reaching up for it and grabbing it. "Wow…. I still can't believe that I have an eight-foot-tall mom." Steven said, with stars in his eyes as he looked at his mother in amazement.
Rose giggled and ruffled her son's hair.
They stepped out of Spencer's and now decided to eat at the food court. Lance and Mikey got something, they got two Sonic shirts. Steven wore his beanie and Rose wore hers also. Steven was holding his mother's hand as they walked through the mall.
Steven held the Spencer's bag as they went to the food court.
"Can we get Burger King, Mrs. Universe?" Lance asked. Rose smiled "Yes you guys can, Steven. do you want Birger King also?"
"Can I have Taco Bell?" he asked.
"Ohh, that sounds wonderful. I'll maybe have that myself." Rose said. She knelt and pulled out ten dollars for Lance and Mikey.
"You know where it is, do you?" she said, handing Lance the bill.
They both nod and walk to the Burger King.
Steven, Rose, Lance, and Mikey all sat down and ate their food. "Thanks for this, Mrs. Universe," Mijey said, dipping his chicken nuggets in barbecue sauce.
"No problem guys."
"Raise your hands if you think Mrs. Universe is the best!" Mikey said, dipping a fry in the sauce. Lance, Mikey, and Steven all raised their hands. Rose laughed and smiled.
"I think you guys are pretty great also." she smiled at them, Steven hugged her from the side, and Rose hugged him back.
"Rose was driving her husband's van back to Dewey Beach. Steven was sitting in the front and looking out the window. The radio was playing Sum 41. Rose drummed her hands on the steering wheel and Steven drummed his fingers on the window.
Steven took off his beanie and set it on his lap. He saw that the beach was coming up and Rose stopped the van and they got out Steven grabbed the bag and they went upstairs, Steven giggled at the door handle.
"Hey, mom! it's locked! I think Dad's not in the house."
"I have a key, Steven." she smiled and opened the door to the beach house. Just then, a 2008 Ford Mustang pulled up next to their MR. UNIVERSE van then step out. "Boys, your mother is here. Get your stuff." Rose said. Lance and Mikey went inside and grabbed their stuff.
"Bye, Steven. See you tomorrow or something." Lance said.
"Bye, guys!" Steven waved as they went down the steps and to their mother's car.
"Steven, If you want to go into town, you can. You remember how to get back, right?" Rose asked. Steven nods and hugs his mother.
"Thanks, mom." Steven ran down the steps, Rose was leaning on the porch, watching her son leave. Steven was walking around the boardwalk, he saw some people as he was looking around.
Steven came back home a few hours later. Rose was reading on her phone at the minibar.
"Hey, Steven how was your walk?" Rose asked.
"Hey, mom. It was good, thanks for asking," he said, walking up the stairs.
Rose, Greg, and Steven were now dressed. It was later in the evening, Steven was wearing a blue polo shirt, jeans, and a pair of red Converse high tops. Also, to complete his look. He was wearing his Sonic The Hedgehog benie Rose wore a white button-down shirt with pink jeans and a pair of white Adidas. Greg wore a long-sleeved shirt with blue jeans and a pair of white Converse with his Vector The Crocodile beanie. They were going to a party in Washington tonight at Christopher's and Jasmine's house.
Steven grabbed something from his room, he grabbed his Nintendo DS with a copy of Super Mario Bros inside. Steven, Greg, and Rose all walked downstairs. Greg opened the door to his van and sat inside. He put the key in the ignition and left Dewey Beach.
Steven, Rose, and Greg saw a large home come up.
A charming two-story suburban house with a striking brick facade and numerous large windows. The design of the house is symmetrical, with a central entrance that is flanked by two evenly spaced windows on either side. Above the entrance, there is a large arched window, adding to the architectural symmetry of the building.
The roof of the house is multi-gabled, suggesting the presence of additional space on the second floor or in an attic. A concrete driveway leads up to an attached two-car garage, located on the right-hand side of the house and seamlessly integrated into the main structure.
The landscaping surrounding the house is meticulously maintained, featuring manicured grass, various shrubs, and a few young trees. This attention to detail enhances the overall aesthetic appeal and creates a tidy and welcoming atmosphere. The clear sky in the background indicates that it is dark, with the house lights on.
Greg parked on the driveway and killed the engine. Rose and Steven both went up to the house and knocked.
A woman opened the door with a joyful expression, looking directly at the couple. She has long, straight black hair and is adorned with a blue top. Her makeup is subtly applied, naturally enhancing her features, with a bright, engaging smile on her face.
"Greg, Rose!" Jasmine said, shaking both their hands. She looked at Steven and knelt at his level. "And little Steven!" she said with a large smile.
"Hello, Jasmine," he said. Jasmine smiled.
"Come in, Steven. Lucas is in the living room with everybody." Steven nodded and walked into the house. He walked into the living room and saw Lucas and everyone playing Guitar Hero on the Nintendo WII.
"Lucas!" he smiled and saw him on the couch with their five other friends around the same age range as both boys. Steven sat on the couch and watched three of his friends, Joey, Ryan, and Andrew all in front of the TV. Steven saw the song list, Andrew selected a song, and Steven's eyes widened.
"Wait! Go up!" he said. Andrew went up and the song displayed the name 'Comet' Mr. Universe, 1984.
"Can you play that one? It's my dad's song!" Steven told them, stars in his eyes.
"Woah! Cool. We can play it!" Andrew said as he pressed the green button and they got into the game, "Wait, pause it. I'll be back!" Steven said, running into the kitchen where the adults were. Greg had a can of soda in his hand as his other arm was wrapped around Rose's waist.
"Dad! you gotta come into the living room!" Steven said, grabbing his bicep.
"Woah! Where's the fire, buddy?" Greg asked, letting go of Rose and kneeling to his level.
"Dad! come into the living room, mom can come too!" he exclaimed, running towards his friends Greg and Rose both walked into the living room and Andrew unpaused it, they were playing the song.
Some... say I have no direction, that I'm a light-speed distraction, that's a knee-jerk reaction.
Still, this is the final frontier, everything is so clear, to my destiny I steer
This life in the stars is all I've ever known,
Stars and stardust in infinite space is my only home
Greg and Rose both smiled and watched the kids play.
But the moment that I hit the stage, thousands of voices are calling my name
And I know in my heart it's been worth it all of the while
And as my albums fly off of the shelves, handing out autographed pics of myself,
This life I chose isn't easy but sure is one heck of a ride
"Do you remember that we met two decades ago, I was watching you play and the rest was history."
Greg smiled. "You know I do, babe," he said. They both listened to the rest of the song.
At the moment that I hit the stage, I hear the universe calling my name
And I know deep down in my heart I have nothing to fear
And as the solar wind blows through my hair, knowing I have so much more left to share
A wandering spirit who's tearing its way through the cold atmosphere
I'll fly like a comet
Soar like a comet
Crash like a comet
I'm just a comet
Greg and Rose looked into each other's eyes, Rose had stars in her eyes, and being reminded of how they met holds a special place in their hearts. They both leaned in for a passionate kiss.
Steven and his friends were by the pool. It was a luxurious and modern backyard setting with a swimming pool as the focal point. The pool area is elegantly designed with a neatly paved deck surrounding a sleek, rectangular swimming pool. On the right-hand side, there is a dining area under a large parasol, complete with a contemporary table and chairs, perfect for outdoor dining experiences. Next to the dining area, there is a cozy seating space featuring a wooden bench, providing a comfortable spot for relaxation.
The architecture of the house is modern and stylish, characterized by large glass doors and a minimalist design aesthetic. The garden surrounding the house is beautifully landscaped, with lush green lawns and a variety of ornamental grasses and flowering plants adding to the overall charm of the space. The combination of the swimming pool, outdoor dining area, seating space, and well-maintained garden creates a tranquil and inviting atmosphere in this backyard setting.
"Chris, aren't you waiting for the delivery driver to get here with the sushi?" Jasmine asked, Chris nodded.
"He will be here with the platter, Jasmine. And Steven, I did order you avocado and cucumber, I know that you don't eat fish." Steven smiled and nodded.
"Thank you, Jasmine," he said, smiling. Jasmine smiled back at him.
"Sushi is here," Christopher said, that Steven, Lucas, Joey, Ryan, and Andrew were all talking about their favorite cartoons.
"Hey, Steven. Have you seen this show called Chowder? It's so funny!" Andrew said. Steven nods. "Heck yeah! Have you seen Teen Titans?" he asked.
"It's a shame that the director canceled it," Joey said.
"How about The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy?" Ryan asked.
"YES!" Steven said. "I loved that show, my favorite character was Fred FredBurger, Uh. Joudge, joudge!" Steven said.
"The nachos made my poopoo really stinky!" Rose cut in, the boys burst out laughing at that.
"I love that show," Rose said, stars in her eyes.
"Awesome! But.. You're an adult."
"So, I like cartoons too. When I came to Earth, years later like. Thousands of years later after I met Greg, the first movie we watched together was Transformers The Movie."
"Wait, how old are you?" Joey asked.
"She's over a thousand years old," Steven said. Joey choked on his water.
"Wait, what?!" he asked, as he coughed. Steven nodded and looked at his mother.
Joey looks at Rose. "She looks like she's in her early twenties."
"I know," Steven said.
"Wait, I remember the first time we met, I asked your mom that if you had a growth defency, no offense."
Steven knows that he doesn't mean that but, all the years of him getting talked down to and bullied by other kids in his grade made it impossible for him.
"I think I do because I'm almost eight and I still look like I'm four." Steven tried to keep his anger inside, but his parents told him to not keep your feelings inside. Steven looked up at his mother, Rose looked down at him and knelt to his level.
"Steven, are you okay?" Steven shook his head. Rose looks at her husband, Greg nods and removes his keys from his pocket.
"No, I don't want to go home. I… I need some time." he said, Greg knelt to his level.
"Are you sure, Schu-Ball? We can take you home." Greg said, concern in his voice.
"I'm fine Dad." Greg nods and then puts his keys back into his pocket. Joey looked down on the floor and Greg walked to him.
"I know it wasn't your fault, Joey. But next time, be careful what you say next time." he had a warm smile on his face saying 'Hey, I'm not mad at you, just don't do it again' Joey nods. "Steven had a lot of trouble from other kids for his height," Greg said. Joey nodded sadly and looked at Steven.
"Sorry, Steven."
"It's okay, I know you didn't mean it," he said, hugging him.
The Universe family drove back to Dewey Beach, Steven fell asleep in the back of the van. Greg was driving, Rose was looking out the window, and LINKIN PARK was playing softly on the radio. It was a comfortable silence.
Rose reached for his hand, Greg smiled and intertwined his fingers in between hers.
"I sometimes can't imagine mine or Steven's lives without you, Rose," Greg said, breaking the silence. Rose smiled and looked at him, Greg stopped at a red light and they both kissed. Then they broke the kiss.
"I love you, Mr. Universe," Rose told him softly. Greg smiled.
"I love you too, Mrs. Universe," Greg said, then. He had another name. "Or, should I say Mrs. Quartz Universe?" Rose giggles. "I like it…"
They drove back to the beach house and put Steven to bed. Then they went to bed themselves.
A/N: Hi guys, Hopefully you guys are enjoying this story so far as much as I am. Now for some questions.
Q: This was amazing! It was so wholesome and cute! I wonder whether we'll see more of the Crystal Gems adapting to modern life on Earth?
A: Yes, you will see them in the story. But I don't know what chapter.
Hopefully, you guys are liking the story, Making it is a little bit of a struggle. But hopefully, I get to keep writing this fanfic for you guys. If you have any suggestions My Tumblr is; steven1123x

I thought I'd give a recent review of PIC and their accelerated instrument training.
TLDR: PIC was ok. Not great. Accelerated training fits my learning style.
First, I passed the checkride, so consider the overall experience a win. I am a non-career flyer and will never do this for a living but was able to utilize long weekends to lessen impact on work..
The accelerated training was really the only way I would be able to get my instrument. The local flight schools are really tight on schedules, and you're left with an hour or two, maybe one day a week. Your CFI is building time to go to the regional, so the instructor changes three times. I was not willing to stretch it by more than 1.5 years as I put it off long enough. Most of the CFII are 25 years old and have never flown IFR for anything other than training. I've often heard criticism that the accelerated programs "train for the test", but I'm not sure that most of the low-time CFIIs are doing any better training...no knock on the time builders out there.
Full-on attention, 6 hours a day, 10-12 approaches per day really helps things click. I had a small break in the middle of training, and it is surprising how much rust you get on those first two or three approaches after a break. I know some folks are opposed to the fire-hose approach, but for me, it allowed me to fine-tune my skills faster. I completed my written well before starting the flight training.
As for PIC themselves...I'm a little more lukewarm. My instructor was fine (nice guy for sure) but often intervened in ways that were distracting or lessened my workload. Like playing with my navigator or doing my comms. We often didn't use foggles. And I was encouraged to use my AP more than I would have liked. A few times I had to tell him "I want to hand fly this one" and force the issue.
Its quite frustrating when your on a missed approach, the GTN doesn't sequence and he starts clicking around trying to figure it out and 5 minutes later goes, "there, now its on course". Like, dude...I have no idea what you did and I'm pretty sure he did not know what he did. How am I supposed to learn from this?
The DPE is someone he works closely with so he knew this DPE viewed AP usage as a plus, not a minus. So in some ways he was teaching to the test. But if the DPE made me hand fly all the approaches I'm sure I would have been struggling to keep up.
His insistence on running the coms was also frustrating. Perhaps he thought I sucked on the radio but that's even more reason for me to do it. As I student, I don't want to criticize the teacher but he had far more muffled and rambling calls that illicit a "aircraft calling center, repeat?" than I ever got.
In the end, while I was certainly doing the approaches and learning, I had to be my own critic. Asking for feedback or "what would you do in X" was often met with "Well, you just figure out what works for you". Ok, I did...but with the instructors 40 years of experience I was hoping to not figure it out on my own.
Summary: Do I feel safe flying an RNAV or ILS down to 1000ft agl, yes. Do I feel as proficient as I was hoping...no. Would I recommend accelerated training, yes. Would I recommend PIC over any other accelerated trainer, no. If your set on using PIC, fine, you will likely pass your test. Are you looking at a different accelerated program that might be more rigorous, even better.
PS..The simulator they shipped was an old piece of junk. The screen died at one point and the yoke play/tolerance was worse than a clapped out 172. They did overnight a new screen fro amazon, so support from corp was good.

I was gifted a Radio Flyer 3-in-1 EZ Fold Wagon with Canopy and I'm wondering if anyone has had any luck upgrading the wheels to all terrain. When I google it, the company says the Radio Flyer all terrain wheels aren't compatible but I know there are a million options on Amazon for different brands.
We're looking to use it at the beach on sand semi-often.