Steven Helmer Publications

While my wife was already at the store picking up some pasta sauce for our spaghetti dinner a couple days ago, I asked her to pick up some garlic bread to go with it. Since our youngest daughter likes cheese-stuffed bread sticks (she'll eat 2 or 3 of them by herself), my wife ultimately picked up this product. She made this purchase primarily on price, she was trying not to spend too much and picked out the Joseph Campione brand because it was the cheapest. After having the cheese-filled bread sticks with dinner, my opinion of them were a bit mixed. The best way to describe these bread sticks is they weren't bad, but they also weren't the best brand we've ever purchased (and that statement includes some brands that were comparable in price). The bread sticks had an OK blend of seasonings and there was definitely some cheese in them (though not as much as shown on the box). But, like most budget brands, there wasn't much about them that really stood ou...

A word of advice if you shop online using credit cards - make sure to check your statements closely and on a regular basis. And, after last week, I can say this from experience. Someone apparently stole my credit card information and decided to do some last-second Christmas shopping at Bloomingdale's and Macy's. Fortunately, I never shop at those stores (online or otherwise) and caught the transactions hours after they happened, giving me time to dispute them ASAP. Ultimately, however, I had to close my account and get a new card. Just a suggestion for stores (if anyone from a major retailer is reading), if you are going to allow people to make purchases online and pick up the items in store, please require them to show you the credit card used to make the purchase along with a picture ID. I say this because, in this particular instance (as I learned via a letter I eventually received from Bloomingdale's regarding one of the purchases), the thief made the purchase onl...

My wife shared these photos with me. Apparently, our youngest daughter is playing a board game she got for Christmas and our cat, Echo, decided he wanted to crawl into the box, which is way too small for him. He was very persistent though and managed to get inside of it. No word on whether or not the box survived.

Synopsis: Unable to have kids of his own due to a dental accident, Brad Whitaker becomes a father for the first time when he marries a divorced woman with two kids. While things were rough at first, the children finally are beginning to accept him as part of their family. However, when their biological father, Dusty, finds out his ex-wife re-married, he shows up at their door and immediately begins to sabotage what Brad worked so hard to achieve. Who's in it? The movie stars Will Ferrell , Mark Wahlberg , Linda Cardellini , Owen Vaccaro , Scarlett Estevez and Hannibal Buress . Review: My wife and I originally tried to watch this film a few weeks ago, when we got as a free DVD rental when we ordered a pizza. However, that DVD didn't work properly so we ended up returning it and got it through Netflix instead. We finally had an opportunity to watch the film last night and, overall, I have to say we enjoyed it. To tell you the truth, I had some doubts about this film....

I was in the mood for spaghetti yesterday afternoon so I asked my wife to pick up some pasta sauce , both because she was already at Wal-mart and because she is much more likely to take a chance on a variety we haven't tried before. When I got home last night, I found she picked out this sauce. Even though I'm not opposed to trying new things on occasion, I did have some doubts about this sauce. This is mostly because, when I think spaghetti, I don't really think of onions and I was concerned this sauce would have too much of a pungent flavor. As it turns out, however, it wasn't too terrible. As I said before, I was hesitant to try this. But, once I did, I discovered the flavor was actually better than I was expecting. The onions blended in nicely with the garlic and the sauce, overall, had a light flavor to it that was noticeable but not overpowering. While I'm not sure if I would classify it as one of the best tasting jarred sauces I've tried, it defini...

Synopsis : It's Christmas Eve. But, instead of celebrating the holiday, the small police department in a rural Wisconsin town must track down a serial killer who has dressed as Santa Claus and is hunting down sinners. Who's in it? The movie stars Malcolm McDowell , Donal Logue , Jaime King , Rick Skene and Ellen Wong . Review: I came across this film on one of our movie channels this past weekend and, because I love Christmas-themed horror movies, decided to record it so my wife and I could watch it during the week. We did that last night and, overall, I have to say I enjoyed this film. Let me start out by saying this movie isn't going to be for everyone. The plot is a little too simple and there is a lot of blood and gore (along with some gratuitous nudity). But, if you like low-budget slasher movies, it's one that I would describe as just good enough to be enjoyable. There are a couple things, in particular, I like about this film. One of the big ones is ...

Synopsis: Six college friends intend on spending a romantic weekend in a remote home in Louisiana. However, their plans are disrupted by a terrorist attack that results in them trying to escape from a hoard of zombies. Who's in it? The movie stars Kayla Ewell , Richard Kohnke , Brittney Barlow , Sarah Butler , Ashlee Brian and Michael Welch . Review: I came across this movie a couple nights ago and, figuring my wife and I would have time to watch some movies this week, decided to record it. We ended up finishing it last night and, overall, I thought it was an OK choice. I think the thing I found I liked about this movie is the plot was simple. Zombie movies are all about survival and many films in this genre seem to forget that and get bogged down with complex plots. This movie stuck with the basics. We were introduced to the main characters, the terrorists strike and, within hours, they are running for their lives. The zombies themselves were also fun to watch bec...

The lock on the office door is getting a thick layer of ice on it (on the inside of the door). So far, I can still get it to open. But, I've had it freeze completely shut in the past so hopefully it'll warm up enough to thaw it out before that happens.

Synopsis: When Gerald Wade is found dead inside his room at Chimneys, it is initially ruled an accidental overdose. However, when one of his friends, Ronny Devereux, is fatally shot, Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent enlists the help of Wade's friend Jimmy Thesinger and half-sister Lorraine Wade to investigate a secret society known as The Seven Dials and, ultimately, the trio look to stop the group from stealing a secret formula. Review: When I started reading this book a couple weeks ago, I thought it would be one I would finish in a matter of a few days. However, the book ended up taking me much longer to get through mostly because I found I was having a hard time staying interested in it. The story starts out promising, with the mysterious murder of Gerald Wade. But, I feel this book ultimately ended up being a case of Agatha Christie trying to do too much. Let me put it this way, Wade's murder was interesting. He seemed like a nice (albeit somewhat lazy) guy...

Synopsis: Dying and longer wanting to go on, the Doctor ( Peter Capaldi ) refuses to regenerate and is brought by his TARDIS to the South Pole. There, he meets his original self ( David Bradley ), who is also refusing to change and, together, they encounter a World War I soldier ( Mark Gatiss ) who has been displaced in time and a group known as the Testimony, charged with recording memories from people in history moments before they die. My Thoughts: 1. I will admit, Bradley looks a lot like the First Doctor, William Hartnell and, at least from the appearance aspect of the character, was believable. I was not, however, a fan of the way the First Doctor was portrayed. I have only seen a limited number of Hartnell episodes, but I don't remember him being anywhere near as sexist as Bradley's version was. If anything, I would think a Time Lord (regardless of which version it is) would be much more progressive toward gender roles, especially since there's no gender res...

May your holiday season Be blessed with magically white snow. May you arrive safely If you have some place to go. I hope you get to spend some time In front of a warm fire. Or, if you prefer to spend your time outdoors I hope you can spend as much time out there as you desire. Image courtesy of Pixabay May you experience a romantic kiss Under the mistletoe. May your heart be filled with gladness And Christmas' magical glow. I hope you wake up on Christmas morning With presents under the tree, even if it's just a few. But, I also hope you remember The REAL gifts are the family and friends celebrating with you. Image courtesy of Pixabay May you share stories and laughter And save the arguments for another day. May you take pleasure in each other's company And enjoy watching the children play. I hope you remember your time on this Earth is short And put your bygones in the past. I hope you remember to celebrate this ...

Synopsis: A group of sorority sisters and their alcoholic house mother receive prank calls and are stalked by a serial killer over Christmas break. Who's in it? The movie stars Margot Kidder , Olivia Hussey , Keir Dullea , John Saxon , Marian Waldman and Andrea Martin . Review: I hadn't seen the original version of this movie in a couple years so, when I came across it on one of of our movie channels a couple nights ago, I made sure to record it. My wife and I got around to watching it last night and, while it wasn't quite as good as I remembered it, it was still a good movie. The thing I like most about this movie is the mystery surrounding the sorority's attacker. We know nothing about him (or if it even is a "him") and that creates a wide range of possibilities. Is it an escaped mental patient? Is it one of their boyfriends? Is it one of the sorority sisters? This mystery did make the movie less predictable than similar films I've watched....

I woke up this morning With Hark the Herald Angels Sing in my head. And, for the first time in a while, I didn't mind getting out of bed. In the air, I can just feel it. A spirit of festiveness. As everyone around me prepares to celebrate And remember all the things with which they have been blessed . Image courtesy of Pixabay Our past transgressions are temporarily forgiven. The idea of putting others first comes to the front. Sure, we may still have all our problems a week from now. But, for a short while at least,  Peace on Earth is what everyone wants. Yes, Christmas is upon us. Our trees and homes, with decorations we are adorning. I'm a bit sad it only comes once per year. Because it sure made me glad I woke up this morning.

My knees are sore I think there's arthritis in my wrists. I have muscles hurting I don't even believe really exist. Just once, I'd like to sleep through the night Without having to get up to pee. Did I really just pull something in my side Because I had to sneeze? Image courtesy of Pixabay So many new toys advertised on TV. With which I wish I was still young enough to play. But, it would be wrong for me to buy them for myself Especially since there are bills to pay. I don't get to enjoy snow days any more. Those are a thing of the past. It doesn't matter if we get a blizzard. I still need to go to work and get there fast. Image courtesy of Pixabay I never seem to take a break any more So much to do, so much stress. All I can do right now is live in the present. Will I get to take it easier in the future? That's anyone's guess. Oh how I would love to stay out late and have fun on Friday nights. Howev...

We leased our new car through Costco's auto program and, as part of the deal, we ended up getting a $700 Costco cash card. That finally arrived today! I'm not sure when we are going to use it though. I'm tempted to drive to Sun Prairie this weekend and use it for some last second Christmas shopping. But, I might end up waiting until next weekend and driving down there to get stuff for New Years and to stock up on school lunch stuff.

The first half of our week was a bit hectic, with everything from the normal skate/dance lessons to a school concert . And, because of that, I kept my eyes open for food items that were easy to make for dinner. When I first saw this particular product at one of our local grocery stores, I had to think it over for a while. This is because, while it looked good (and convenient), one bag was almost $10. This seemed to be a bit on the pricey side, to me at least, even though it was advertised as a family-sized meal (which is always a matter of opinion). However, after having it last night, I do think it was a decent purchase. While I'm still undecided if it was really worth the money (mostly because I could have made my own for around the same price), this product did have some things going for it. One of the big ones was it was as convenient as I hoped it would be. Making this skillet lasagna was easy. All I had to do was poor the contents in the skillet and cook it for abo...

I saw this while at the grocery store this evening. Rushing Christmas was bad enough. This is just ridiculous.

Her elementary school had its concert this week (I snapped a photo of the empty stage before it started) so, instead of being able to stay home last night, my wife and I attended that. Her third grade class did a good job. I especially liked their kazoo version of the Nutcracker and they were probably the only class that acted like they wanted to be there. Most of the other kids honestly looked like they were being punished or something.

No, it doesn't have anything to do with Christmas. It has everything to do with the expected temps. So far, this has been a relatively mild December. The temperature today was even in the 40s (spring-like). If things continue to be as predicted, next week will be a rude awakening with as much as a 50-60 degree drop. I don't think the human body was designed for that.

It was windy and rainy As she sat on that lonely bench in the park. The sun was going down too fast Before too long, it would be cold and dark. All around her were unfamiliar and unfriendly faces. Maybe even some who planned to do her harm. And the only thing she had with her Was a blanket from a stranger to keep her warm. She was a teenaged runaway With a story too long to be told. Her family was somewhere far away And she was on the street, surviving the cold. She moved from place to place With no place to call her home. That blanket from a stranger Was the only thing she could call her own. The pink wool was starting to get faded And a little bit tattered. But it still provided her with comfort and warmth When comfort and warmth really mattered. She didn’t know the woman who gave it to her. It was just some random lady passing by on the street. But, when you don’t have a roof over your head. ...

I could have picked it up last night but, due to the typical Monday night parenting obligations, I wasn't able to attend the city council meeting and had to visit the mayor today. Thank you to everyone who voted for me.

After hearing my daughter is playing Oregon Trail in history class, I realized I missed playing that classic game (I spent hours on it when I was in school). And, last night, I was pleased to discover I could play one of the original versions online - https://archive.org/details/msdos_Oregon_Trail_The_1990 Image courtesy of Pixabay As I played it, I realized I definitely was out of practice. I started out in April with four other people (my wife, kids and one of the cats) and, while I made good progress at first, ended up stranded for weeks because of a broken axle and, by the time I finally finished the game, my wife (who was sick pretty much from day one) and the cat were no longer with me. It did, however, turn out to be a fun experience and I do plan on playing again.

Since last night was skate lesson/dance lesson night for our daughters, I once again stopped at the grocery store in search of something I could throw in our slow cooker. I originally planned on grabbing a small ham. However, Christmas is just a few days away and, since we'll be having ham then, I decided to pick up this product instead. To tell you the truth, I wasn't really sure I wanted to buy this product when I first saw it. This is because the small amount of turkey inside that package was more than $8. But, I was in the mood for something a little different (and easy to make) so I decided to splurge a bit and get it. Unfortunately, my opinion of the product was a bit mixed. As far as preparation goes, this definitely fell into that easy-to-make category. All that needed to be done with the turkey was heat it up and, because of that, all I needed to do when I was home at lunch yesterday was put this in the slow cooker with some potatoes. Dinner was ready by the ti...

My wife needed to run up the street to Walgreen's yesterday for some packing tape and, while she was there, decided to pick up something for lunch. She visited their freezer section and brought this product home for me. To tell you the truth, I wasn't really sure what to expect from this. I've had similar frozen sandwiches in the past and they have very rarely turned out well. But, since she purchased it for me, I felt obligated to give it a try. After doing so, my opinion of it was mixed. Let me take a moment to mention this sandwich offered a couple different ways to heat it up. One of them, the oven, was the preferred way and there's a chance my opinion of this product might have been a little better had I used that method. But, I also wasn't interested in waiting 15 minutes for the oven to preheat just so I could make this sandwich and I ended up using the most convenient method, the microwave, instead. As far as the beef itself goes, I had no complain...

Synopsis: While examining a soil sample from Mars, a team of scientists on board the International Space Station discover an inert single-celled life form and revive it so they can study it. However, when the alien creature grows at a rapid pace and becomes dangerous, they must find a way to destroy it before it kills all of them and finds a way to Earth. Who's in it? The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal , Rebecca Ferguson , Ryan Reynolds , Hiroyuki Sanada and Ariyon Bakare . Review: I received this movie on DVD from Netflix in August and, for a variety of reasons, just never got around to watching it. My wife pointed this out to me a couple days ago and, after losing interest in A Christmas Story Live, we ended up watching this film instead. Science fiction movies are a bit hit or miss (at least in my opinion) and I wasn't really sure what to expect from this film as a result. But, it turned out to be a pretty good movie. The thing I found I liked most about this fil...

While not necessarily an original idea (I've seen it done in other towns), one of our local grocery stores took the initiative last week and added this free fruit display, so parents can give their young kids a healthy snack while they are shopping. I would still love to see them take this a step further and not put an age limit on who can have a piece of free fruit (it's currently at 12). But, it's a start.

His older brother, Echo, was up and running around the house most of Saturday night/into early Sunday morning and, in addition to waking me up several times, must have kept Mouse up too. He ended up falling asleep on the couch.

Mostly because I figured it would be something everyone in the family would eat, I decided to run to the store yesterday evening and pick up fish sticks for dinner. While I was there, I realized I needed something to go with the fish sticks and ultimately stayed in the freezer section and purchased this product. My primary reason for this purchase was price. The frozen Red Robin brand was on sale for $2.89 and, while I had some doubts about the fries being anything special, it was enough of a savings to justify giving them a try. As it turns out, it ended up being a good purchase. I have purchased similar products from different restaurant brands in the past and, more often than not, the frozen equivalent isn't as good as what I would get in the restaurant. That was pretty much the case this time too, the fries were obviously frozen rather than fresh-made. But, when compared to other frozen fries, they did exceed expectations. Since I was baking the fish sticks, I decided ...

Synopsis: With Earth overpopulated to the point it will self destruct, the star ship Elysium is launched on a 123-year mission to repopulate the human race on a distant world. During the course of the ship's mission, two crew members are awakened from hypersleep to discover the ship is without power and the crew they were supposed to relieve are missing. Upon further examination, they learn the ship's nuclear reactor is offline and the vessel is under the control of a tribe of human-like cannibals. Who's in it? The movie stars Dennis Quaid , Ben Foster, Cung Le , Norman Reedus and Antje Traue. Review: I came across this film on one of our movie channels a couple days ago and, realizing I have never watched it, decided to record it. My wife and I finally got around to watching it last night and, while it was OK, I can't say it was anything special. On the surface, the plot has a lot of potential. After all, the movie takes place on board a space ship that i...

Synopsis: Wealthy miser Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three spirits tasked with helping him regain his Christmas spirit before he spends eternity walking the earth wearing chains. Who's in it? The movie stars Reginald Owen , Gene Lockhart , Barry MacKay , Ann Rutherford and Lynne Carver . Review: My youngest daughter had a Christmas-themed dance recital at one of the local assisted living homes today and, a short time before leaving for that, I came across this film on one of our movie channels. It had been a while since I had seen this version of this movie so I ended up recording it so I had a chance to watch it when we got home. While I still think I prefer the 1984 George C. Scott version , this one did have its moments. Reginald Owen does an excellent job as the infamous Scrooge. He is very believable and, at times, pretty intimidating. He's definitely not someone I'd want to work for and I did feel bad for Bob Cratchit (Lockhart) as a result of t...

There's a hole in my wallet. That's the way it must be. There's just no other way to explain The disappearance of my money. The dollars and cents Certainly must be falling out. It's the simplest explanation Without a doubt. Image courtesy of Pixabay I work hard I even go in when I'm sick and weak. So, unless there's a hole in my wallet I MUST have enough money to last me more than just a couple weeks. I know there's a hole there, Even though it must be invisible. The money must be falling out somewhere That much is undeniable. Image courtesy of Pixabay There's a hole in my wallet. Did any of you see where my money went? Payday was just last week You can't tell me it's already been spent. Or maybe I'm wrong And that's not what's giving my grief. Perhaps, instead of an invisible hole. I have an invisible thief.

There’s just one more week Until Christmas break. There’s still so much to do And so much at stake. There are still presents to buy And Christmas cards to write. I still need to go to the store Which means I have crowds to fight. Image courtesy of Pixabay There’s just one more week Before Christmas break. There’s a meal I need to plan out And cookies that need to be baked. Not to mention The house is still a mess. How embarrassed I will be If I end up with unexpected guests. Image courtesy of Pixabay There’s just one more week Until Christmas break. And I really am looking forward To all the festivities in which I will partake. I just hope I can last that long Keeping up with everything from wrapping presents to washing the dishes in the sink. In fact, just thinking about that last week before Christmas break Has me craving a stiff drink. ____________________________________________________ Did you like this poem? Here are...

We've had snow the past 3 days in a row. Not a lot of snow by any means. But, enough to make everything outside a boring white color. And, as a result of that, I'm already starting to miss spring/summer. So, mostly as an attempt to brighten my day, here's a photo I took last spring.

Synopsis: 20 years after having an abortion and surviving an explosion at the clinic, Diane is working hard to have one last special Christmas at the home she raised 4 children in before selling the property and going to Europe. However, those plans quickly fall apart when the child she aborted shows up at her door and, after once again being rejected, begins killing everyone inside. Who's in it? The movie stars Dee Wallace , Geoff Morrell , David Collins , Janis McGavin , Sam Campbell and Gerard Odwyer . Review: If you have been reading my reviews long enough, you will have figured out my two favorite kinds of movies are horror movies and Christmas movies. And, when I come across one that combines the two genres, I just have to watch it. That was the case with this film, which I discovered on Netflix a couple days ago and finally had a chance to watch last night. The movie's description was a bit vague but sounded similar to one of my favorite horror movies, Black...

She is moving up to pre-preliminary free skate when she competes next year and had to pick out a new song so she can start learning a new program. After considering several choices, she ended up going with "Saving the Ship" from Alice Through the Looking Glass. I don't always approve of her song choices. But, I do like this one because I think it gives her the opportunity to show off her skills.

Synopsis: A dying scientist ( William Morgan Sheppard ) transfers his mind into Data's ( Brent Spiner ) body. This creates trouble on board the Enterprise as the android begins to talk and act like the scientist. Review: I had a little bit of time before taking my daughter to her skating lesson last night so, while she had some dinner, I ended up watching this STNG episode on TV. I had seen this episode once or twice before and, much like the other times I watched it, my opinion of it was a bit mixed. I did like how this episode allowed Spiner to showcase his talents, playing both his normal role as Data and also playing the scientist that infiltrated his mind. This led to some entertaining outbursts and a bizarre (but fun to watch) eulogy scene. In addition, the fact it was Data who was affected did add (even if it wasn't totally fulfilled) an element of danger. He's arguably the strongest member of the Enterprise crew. Putting a warped mind into that strong bod...

Synopsis: Still on the mend from their break ups with Veronica ( Camila Mendes ) and Jughead ( Cole Sprouse ), Archie ( K. J. Apa ) and Betty ( Lili Reinhart ) spend their Christmas break tracking down the Black Hood. Meanwhile, Jughead decides to push back against the "snake handler." The episode first aired December 13, 2017. My Thoughts: 1. Does anyone really believe they finally found/killed the Black Hood? I personally think Mr. Svenson ( Cameron McDonald ) was being set up by someone else and, while he did point a gun at Betty and Archie, I suspect he was doing so under duress. 2. I'm also a little suspicious of Sheriff Keller ( Martin Cummins ) considering he did shoot and kill an unarmed man. Granted, he may have thought there was a weapon involved and, he was trying to stop a serial killer from escaping. But, there's something that is a bit fishy about it and I can't help but wonder if he killed Svenson as a way of covering something else up. ...