Steven Helmer Publications

  A photo of the blue moon as it faded early this morning over Beaver Dam Lake.

I had planned on going out a couple days ago but realized too late that I had forgotten to put the memory card back in my camera. I wasn't able to go yesterday because of another commitment but finally got out today. Here are some of my photos:

 Just a couple photos taken earlier this morning.

Synopsis: Ten years after he is disgraced following a fatal space shuttle mission because his superiors refused to believe the shuttle was attacked by something alien, former astronaut Brian Harper is asked to save the planet when the moon shifts orbit and an entity like he described attacks another crew. Oh, and the moon isn't really a moon, it is a mega structure built by an alien race. Who's in it? The movie stars Patrick Wilson , Halle Berry , John Bradley , Charlie Plummer and Kelly Yu. Review: I saw trailers for this movie when it first came out but, while I had some interest in seeing it, wasn't going to pay to watch it at the theater and the library never seemed to have a copy of it available. My wife and I finally had an opportunity to watch it today and I have to say I guess I really didn't miss much.  At first, the premise seemed intriguing. The idea of the moon suddenly shifting out of orbit and the catastrophic effect something like that would have cou...

Synopsis: While picking up pizza with his siblings, a teenager, Danny, discovers a hidden vault in the parking garage of his apartment building (a former bank) following an earthquake and retrieves a strange book and a set of records. While listening to the records, he accidentally releases a demonic force from the book that possesses his mother, Ellie. Who's in it? The movie stars Lily Sullivan , Alyssa Sutherland , Morgan Davies , Nell Fisher and Gabrielle Echols. Review: There was part of me that was tempted to see this film at the theater when it first came out because I do like the Evil Dead franchise overall. However, I had just enough doubts about it to decline and waited until I had an opportunity to watch it at home instead. My wife and I did that last night, and it turns out I was right to be skeptical. I've said this before about other films in the horror genre but will say it again because it is worth repeating. Excessive gore doesn't equal scary. This film...

I fell in love with the show Community a couple years ago and wound-up binge watching the series even though the first two seasons were arguably the best and the show started going downhill not long after that. After recently learning about a possible movie based on the series, I decided to take the time to watch it again. My opinion was largely the same overall, but I also realized there were some characters that I loved while others I realized weren't as likable as I remembered. The three best characters: Pierce Hawthorne ( Chevy Chase ): I know there are others who won't share this opinion but that's part of why he's on this list. To tell you the truth, I didn't like him all that much at first either but of the characters, he probably has the most depth. On the surface, he's an aging racist and homophobe who has dated ideas and opinions. However, he was also the guy who took Troy Barnes ( Donald Glover ) in when he needed a place to live, offered surprisingl...

We took the kids to Ledge Park here in Dodge County this morning and since I had my camera , my wife and I worked on some practice photos (her for posing and me for trying to get photos in the shade). Here are some of the better ones. Model: Cynthia Helmer

Synopsis: For 17 years, Ana Montes worked as a defense analyst for the Pentagon, keeping tabs on Cuba. Little did her superiors know, she was actually working as a spy, passing information to the Cuban government. This non-fiction book covers her story along with the story of her younger sister, Lucy, who as an FBI agent, played a role in Ana being convicted Review: I saw Code Name Blue Wren in our library's "new book" section and, deciding it sounded interesting, gave it a try. It took me a little while to read because of interruptions but wound up being an interesting book. This story sounds like something out of a spy novel, with Ana betraying her country and her younger sister (along with other family members who joined the FBI) playing a part in her arrest. The fact it was a true story only makes it all that much more interesting. I liked how the author took the time to tell the story from both points of view, discussing the sisters' childhood, how they both w...

  My web series, It Happened on Hump Day, has officially reached 150 episodes.  The series is gaining a following so take a moment to check it out, the first three episodes are free. You can access it here: It Happened on Hump Day | Kindle Vella (amazon.com)

My wife's birthday is this coming week and, as part of that celebration, I took her up to Ripon, WI to see one of her favorite bands, Hinder. The concert itself was free but I struggle driving at night now so we needed a place to stay the night. After some consideration, I booked a suite at the Mapes Hotel on Watson Street. There are a couple reasons why I chose this hotel. The first was it is located only a block or two from where the concert was held, meaning we could just walk over rather than worrying about a place to park. The second was it was surprisingly affordable. I paid $172 after tax, which was comparable to most of the other hotels in Ripon.  I had some doubts about this decision because all I really knew about Mapes was it was a historic hotel (dating back to the 1850s) that had been remodeled. As I told my wife, it was likely either going to be a beautiful hotel or a dump. As it turns out, it was the former. One of the things I found somewhat interesting was the way ...

Synopsis:  Two brothers, Mario and Luigi, are trying to start their own plumbing business despite everyone, including their father, telling them it is a mistake. While attempting to prove themselves by fixing a Brooklyn plumbing disaster, they are pulled into a mysterious pipe and are separated. Mario lands in the Mushroom Kingdom, ruled by Princess Peach and in danger of being conquered by the evil Bowser, who also has Luigi as a prisoner. Mario wants to help the princess stop Bowser so he can be reunited with his brother but finds his small size and lack of fighting skills are an obstacle. Who's in it? The animated movie uses voices from Chris Pratt , Jack Black ,  Anya Taylor-Joy ,  Keegan-Michael Key and Seth Rogan. Review: My wife and I thought about taking our kids to see this film when it was at the theaters but wound up doing something else instead. We finally had an opportunity to watch it as a family last night and, after seeing it, I'm kind of glad we didn't ...

Synopsis: Logan, a mutant with the ability to heal quickly and infused with a metallic skeleton who also goes by the nickname Wolverine, encounters a 17-year-old, "Rogue," and is injured while protecting her from other mutants. They are rescued and introduced to Charles Xavier, a telepath who runs a school/safe haven for mutants but soon learn they are being targeted by a group of militant mutants led by Magneto, who intend on turning the normal humans who discriminate against them into mutants too. Who's in it? The move stars Hugh Jackman , Patrick Stewart ,  Ian McKellen ,  Anna Paquin and  James Marsden. Review: I came across this movie while waiting for my wife to get done with martial arts classes last night and since there wasn't anything else that looked interesting, decided to watch it. It's not the first time I've seen this film, but it's been more than a decade since I watched it in its entirety. I have to admit, it was better than I remember...

Just a little fun while at Edgewater today with my wife and camera . Here are some of the photos. Model: Cynthia Helmer

While at Horicon Marsh with my wife yesterday, we were in a bit of a playful mood at least until we got temporarily lost and ended up adding another mile or so to our already long walk) and I convinced her to do some posing for me. Here are some of the photos:

Synopsis: Hoping to slow down and spend more time with his family, Dr. Louis Creed moves from Boston to a small town in Maine with his wife and two children. Shortly after moving in, they discover their property has a neighborhood pet cemetery (misspelled "sematary") and, when their cat is killed by one of the fast-driving trucks that pass their house, Creed's neighbor, Jud, shows him a part of the cemetery that brings the dead back to life. It works for the cat, though it isn't the same as it was before it died. And when his daughter, Ellie, is killed on her 9th birthday, Creed must make a similar decision. Who's in it? The movie stars Jason Clarke , John Lithgow , Jeté Laurence ,  Amy Seimetz and  Obssa Ahmed. Review: My wife has wanted to see this movie since it first came out, but I've been more than a little skeptical about yet another remake and put off watching it. We ended up finally doing so last night and I think even my wife agrees my original as...

My wife and I had some time without the kids today, so we went to Horicon Marsh. Here are some of the photos I took:

Image courtesy of Pixabay I never wanted to hurt you. I’m sorry if I made you angry or made you cry. I said what I had to say. But making you unhappy made part of me want to die. I promised to love you forever. For better or worse. That hasn’t changed but if I crossed a line, Please remember, you hurt me first. Maybe I could have approached things differently, Maybe been a little more sensitive to your needs. Found a way that didn’t put a wedge between the two of us. It is, after all, already the world versus you and me. If I was crude in my approach and even a little cruel Please forgive me because I never intended to do that to you. But please also remember I’m not necessarily thinking straight. Because you hurt me too.