Chapter 6

Psycho Studios: The Sprinkler

Chapter Six

2.1.2024

Editor – Mr. Z / Content

Research & Editor – Mr. W / Content

Psycho Studios is an independent Film/TV production company. A multimedia

platform with a podcast as well as this newsletter. Feel free to reach out to Psycho

Studios through their website / email.

Psycho Studios – Film/TV Production – Phoenix Arizona

Psycho Studios Podcast [Access on Spotify & our website]

Psycho Studios: The Sprinkler [Newsletter]

Phoenix Arizona

Email – psychostudios66@gmail.com

Website – psycho–studio.com. [Access to our audio only YouTube channel

available here.]

Instagram – psychostudios66

X [Formerly known as Twitter] - @Psychostud666

Forward

Mr. Z & Mr. W are a father & son team that started a production company about

two years ago. They are working on the next phase of the production company

and look forward to being involved in feature film making. They rolled out a

podcast and newsletter to give their audience a means to hear where they are

headed and what they are experiencing. The newsletter [The Sprinkler] is fun,

informative and value add for their psychos! They remind their audience that they

leave politics at the door. They want their energy to be positive and wellness based.

Humor is in their DNA, along with creativity and a thirst for good film, music and

food. They built a foundation on the horror genre, with other genres in their

repertoire too.

We hope you will join us monthly as we explore different ways to enrich our lives

and have some fun with exploring the human race.

We bring old school and contemporary to the table. Topics we explore on our

podcast will be front and center here as well. We will add practical value add life

skills to the newsletter to make it worth everyone’s while!

Mr. Z & I are authentic & lucid and we operate with the credos of “do unto others”

as well as “be cool to one another”.

We want to connect with people, and be present while we enjoy this journey. We

have embarked on something that is moving in a direction that affords us to display

our creativity and love for film & music.

We have a contrasting way in which we were brought into this world and our

perspectives meld in a way that is entertaining, rewarding and beneficial to those

that trust sage advice.

Come with us as we explore ways to live in the moment and appreciate all we have,

rather than what we have not.

Our goal is to move The Sprinkler to a subscription-based newsletter sometime in

2024. We are talking less than $10 per month for a 13-month subscription. The

banner below speaks to what the content will be in each chapter of our newsletter.

We are confident that if our subscribers follow our wellness & practical life skills,

they will save hundreds to thousands annually and reduce stress! The 13-month

subscription will include a special holiday issue & guest writers regarding wellness.

A 13-month printable - electronic calendar comprised of original photography by

Mr. Z is also included.

Welcome psychos one and all!

The Sprinkler

Film – Music – Wellness – Practical Life Skills – Commentary – Plus Some Sports

Headlines

Film

[All scoring is based on a 0-10 scale with 10 being out of this world amazing!]

We look forward to the new year, the many new feature films that will release and a very

productive time! It’s like Vince Vaughn’s character says about wedding bands – music & pizza]

in the movie Wedding Crashers: “It doesn’t matter if its good or bad, it’s wedding music!” Mr. Z

& Mr. W feel that way about movies!

Film:

Night Swim – This feature has heavyweights behind it from Blumhouse to James

Wan. Per Mr. Z this movie has grossed a pretty penny since it’s release.

Mr. W watched this film recently and would give it a 1.5 on a scale of 1-10. The

movie really doesn’t make any sense, the acting is rough around the edges and the

dialogue is a challenge. It appears PG13 horror like this is what many people want.

Yikes!

Edge of Tomorrow – Mr. Z suggested this film to Mr. W. I’m giving it a 5-6. As a

point of thought, I’m not a big sci-fi fan.

TV:

Reacher – TV series – The first season of Reacher was really great, from the acting,

to the story to the dialogue not to mention plausibility and action. If I were to rate

the first season it would have come in around an 8. This second season is

practically unwatchable. The acting, the dialogue and the character arc coupled

with almost no plausibility bring this one in at around a 1.5. Mr. Z thinks I’m off

point here – but he has yet to watch either season!

Fargo – TV series – Season 5 is the first season to not have any connection to the

previous seasons and or film. There are 10 episodes in this season. The cast is

excellent top to bottom. The stars include Jon Hamm, Juno Temple and Jennifer

Jason Leigh. This tour de force of four stars shine brightly through the entire

season!

** Special shout out to Dave Foley [News Radio fame] is outstanding as the get shit

taken care of counsel to Jason Leigh’s character.

If you haven’t seen season five, or if you strayed from Fargo the series based on the

most recent previous seasons it is strongly suggested to get back to this season!

Based on story, acting and pace this one comes in at a strong 8! [Mr. Z has not

watched this]

More Film:

Pieces – please refer to our February podcast for details about this horror gem. This

one [for its time] lands around a 7.

Graphic Horror List:

[These films are from the 1970s-1980s and are over the top. These are not meant

for kiddos to say the least!]

Pieces [We talked about this classic gem in our February podcast] / Check out the

Wendy’s food placement in this gory retro flick!

Driller Killer

Maniac [Original and remake with Elijah Wood]

Slaughter High

Blood Sucking Freaks

Mausoleum

Last House on the Left [original]

Texas Chainsaw Massacre [original]

The Hills Have Eyes [original]

Don’t Look in the Basement

Tool Box Murders

I Dismember Mama

Torso

Deranged

Dawn of the Dead [original]

Mad Men; this amazing TV series will be a subject of discussion in our next

newsletter. Mr. Z is rewatching the entire seven season run and we will share our

thoughts on this brilliant and poignant AMC classic. I’ve watched all the seasons

probably three times!

Music

Mr. Z and I support Spotify whenever we can. We are going to share a playlist in

this newsletter. For those of our readers that have Spotify, you should be able to add

it to your playlist easily by utilizing the links. For those psychos not using Spotify,

you can peruse the playlists and load those songs on whatever music service you

use. Mr. Z has eclectic taste with varying genres. Mr. W is more straight forward

rock n roll, both old and new.

There was a surprisingly large number of new rock albums released last year.

[Covered in our previous podcasts &newsletters]

Some artists with new albums we will be checking out the first quarter of the new

year:

Kid Cudi [Check Kid Cudi out on Ti West’s X – he is really good in it!]

Green Day

Saxon [This one I cannot believe! If this is the Saxon from the 80s – it will be

interesting for sure!]

Static – X

Judas Priest [Really? I cut my metal teeth on early ‘Priest!]

& Lenny Kravitz [recent Oscar snub]

We will give all of these a listen and share our thoughts on the music and the like.

We are hopeful these are new albums and not re-packaged – remastered old tracks.

Mr. W’s playlist:

Give this one a listen – Titled “Sunday Classics Part Deux”

Mr. Z’s playlist:


Wellness

Let’s look at six easy techniques to give your mind the rest it deserves:

For many, the frenetic pace of day-to-day life is exhausting. This kind of pace and

always “thinking” is a real negative for our well-being. Some of these will seem like

broken record time. More importantly, the repetitive nature of these suggestions

should show everyone these techniques can and will work. It’s about changing our

mindset, getting out of our comfort zones and taking care of ourselves!

1] Breathing – there are many types of breathing techniques out there. Hit Google

and read up on them or watch a YouTube video. Keep it simple. Do it consistently.

RELAX. A few minutes a day for most can reset our brains to the positive.

2] Get our hands, feet what have you dirty – This can involve any form of

gardening. Plant something. What about starting an indoor herb garden? Get

outside and wash that car – what about waxing it? Run around outside barefoot!

3] Let’s get our senses to work – Is there a particular smell that you love or that

brings you warm thoughts? Vanilla? Lavender? Mint? Keep those smells fresh and

handy by way of essential oils, incense, candles or fresh elements in a crock pot.

Music is another way for many to get their senses to work. Get out of your own

head!

4] Try this breathing technique – Vagal Breathing; The vagus nerve is the longest

cranial nerve in the body. This nerve can be a powerful element to help us switch

off. This type of breathing can immediately put mind & body to rest. And it’s so

simple!

A] Sit quietly/eyes closed

B] Gently breathe in for four counts

C] Breath out for the same four counts / pause for one count

D] Repeat this for five minutes

5] What about scheduling worry time? This one is unique for sure, but being

promoted by many experts and those who have tried it. Schedule time daily/

weekly for the things you “worry” about or are over thinking about. 10-15 minutes

tops. Once you are out of that scheduled time, and a worry or over thinking

thought comes to mind – tell yourself you will wait for your scheduled time to think

about it.

6] Be good to yourself – this is one Mr. Z and I promote quite a bit. Give yourself a

break. Be kind to yourself. Stay in the moment. Forgive yourself for things in your

past that are bothering you. Learn from your mistakes and move forward.

Journaling can be an effective tool here, listing the positives about your day, your

circumstances and yes even positives about you the person. Consistently doing this

daily – weekly can generate a positive rhythm in your brain!

Note:

Let’s not forget about having a positive mindset. The benefits of this type are many

and include both mental and physical well-being. This starts with expectations, and

doing an inventory about where you land with positivity. This is not about being

fake or phony and that nothing ever bothers you. Staying positive is about

appreciating what you have, and where you are as opposed to what you want and

where you wish you were. It’s about removing ourselves from the constant

negativity that is the news, so much of the social media out there and yes, limiting

our interactions with those that are consistently negative and toxic.

Know thyself! Take inventory of your expectations of yourself. Journal!

We want all of our psychos to take care of themselves!

Practical Life Skills

We are sharing two great skills to harness which increase efficiency in our lives as

well as money savings. Combining time management along with critical thinking

will help with stress reduction, planning and budgeting!

Number 1 skill Time management   

Time management is a crucial skill that involves efficiently organizing and utilizing

your time to achieve specific goals and tasks. Here an elaboration on key aspects

of time management skills:

Goal Setting:

Define clear and achievable goals, both short-term and long-term. These

goals provide a sense of direction and purpose, guiding your daily activities.

Prioritization:

Identify tasks based on their urgency and importance. Use techniques like

the Eisenhower Matrix, categorizing tasks into four quadrants (urgent and

important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, neither

urgent nor important).

Planning:

Develop a daily or weekly schedule to allocate time for different activities.

Use tools like planners, calendars, or digital apps to organize tasks and

deadlines.

Breaking Tasks into Smaller Steps:

Large tasks can be overwhelming. Break them down into smaller,

manageable steps to make progress more achievable and trackable.

Time Blocking:

Allocate specific blocks of time to different types of activities. For example,

designate a block for focused work, another for meetings, and another for

breaks. This helps maintain focus and prevents multitasking.

Avoiding Procrastination:

Procrastination can lead to stress and missed deadlines. Identify reasons for

procrastination, address them, and use techniques like the Pomodoro

Technique (working in short, focused bursts with breaks) to stay on track.

Learn to Say No:

Understand your limits and be selective about taking on new commitments.

Saying no, when necessary, helps prevent overcommitment and ensures you

can focus on your priorities.

Delegation:

If possible, delegate tasks to others. Delegating frees up your time for more

critical responsibilities and helps build a collaborative environment.

Regular Review and Adjustment:

Periodically assess your time management strategies. Evaluate what is

working well and what needs adjustment. Flexibility is key in adapting to

changing priorities.

Healthy Work-Life Balance:

Ensure that your time management practices contribute to a healthy work-

life balance. Schedule downtime, rest, and leisure activities to recharge and

avoid burnout.

Mastering time management skills requires practice and self-awareness. It an

ongoing process of refining strategies based on your experiences and the demands

of your personal and professional life. 

Number skill 2 Critical thinking 

 

Critical thinking is a cognitive skill that involves actively analyzing, interpreting,

and evaluating information to make reasoned judgments and decisions. It& a

process of thinking deeply, logically, and systematically. Here& an elaboration on

key aspects of critical thinking:

                   Analysis:

Break down information into its constituent parts. Examine the elements and

relationships between them to understand the overall structure and meaning.

                   Evaluation:

Assess the credibility and reliability of information. Consider the source,

evidence, and context to determine the validity and relevance of the

information.

                   Problem Solving:

Approach challenges systematically by identifying the problem, gathering

relevant information, generating potential solutions, and evaluating the best

course of action.

                   Open-mindedness:

Remain receptive to different perspectives and be willing to reconsider your

own beliefs or opinions based on new evidence or reasoning.

                   Inquisitiveness:

Cultivate a curious mindset. Ask questions, seek additional information, and

explore different viewpoints to gain a comprehensive understanding of a

topic.

                   Logical Reasoning:

Apply sound reasoning to draw logical conclusions. Identify patterns, make

connections between ideas, and avoid fallacious reasoning.

                   Decision Making:

Make informed decisions by considering all available information, weighing

pros and cons, and anticipating potential consequences.

                   Creativity:

Integrate creative thinking into critical analysis. Generate innovative

solutions and consider unconventional perspectives to address complex

issues.

                   Effective Communication:

Clearly articulate your thoughts and reasoning. Communicate ideas in a

coherent and persuasive manner, considering your audience and adjusting

your message accordingly.

                   Self-awareness:

Reflect on your own thought processes and biases. Be aware of personal

assumptions and actively seek to minimize the impact of cognitive biases on

your decision-making.

                   Continuous Learning:

Embrace a mindset of continuous learning. Stay curious, seek new

information, and be open to acquiring new skills and knowledge.

                   Problem Identification:

Recognize problems or challenges by being attentive to inconsistencies, gaps

in information, or areas where further investigation is needed.

                   Reflection:

Regularly reflect on your own thinking processes. Consider how your

thoughts and decisions may have been influenced by biases or assumptions.

Critical thinking is a versatile skill applicable in various aspects of life, including

education, work, and personal development. It involves a combination of analytical,

reflective, and creative thinking, enabling individuals to approach problems and

decisions with a well-rounded and informed perspective. Cultivating critical

thinking skills requires practice, self-awareness, and a commitment to intellectual

growth.

Look for our tips and tricks on buying a used vehicle from private parties in the

coming podcast – newsletter.

Got stuff taking up space in your place that you don’t use anymore? Try Offer Up –

it’s easy and can generate some walking around money. Or donate those items!

Commentary

For the commentary this month we speak to parenting. And a little more.

Parenting, this is something I am [Mr. W] extremely passionate about. I was a

single parent while raising Mr. Z and will be sharing parenting suggestions, tips and

some scolding in future newsletters.

Mr. Z & I were at our local In N Out Burger over the weekend. It was a beautiful

day outside, and we ate outside. There was a table of three young children [4-6

years old] and a handful of parents. The children were so misbehaved, obnoxiously

loud and playing around the large rock landscape in reckless fashion. The

inconsideration of the parents for the rest of the customers sitting outside was so

pronounced! The parents were in appease mode, there was no discipline to speak of

and at times rewards were dangled to get the kids to cooperate. Mr. Z & I bit our

tongues, and enjoyed their tasty burgers. The truly sad thing about this is the

impact this has on society. The children are not at fault, as much as it appears they

are on the surface. The parents are 100% responsible for their children’s behavior

at that age. When we see children acting like that in public, we can only imagine

what that looks like behind closed doors. The impact terrible parenting has on our

school systems, teachers, other children and ultimately teenage and adult

consequences is staggering. We see parenting being stereotyped on TV, in

commercials, in TV series and movies too. Parenting is not the challenge or

extreme undertaking so many express. It’s about treating the kiddos like little

people. Talking to them. Consistency. Routine. Good diet. And unconditional love.

Punishment? Why does their need to be anything punitive with children? Time

outs, spankings, yelling and worse are no solution. They are part of the problem.

Children are our future as cliché’ as that may sound, it’s also the absolute truth.

Let’s take a deep breath, and remember it’s on all the parents out there to raise

good citizens.

“Children are mirrors, they reflect back to us all we say & do”

Pam Leo

Other

Texting and phone usage while driving continues to be an issue across this country.

Please stay safe out there for yourself, family and those around you – stay off your

phone when piloting your vehicle!

[Friendly reminder – please do not use your phone when you are fueling your

vehicle. There have been instances when an electronic spark of sorts can ignite the

fuel vapors causing an explosion. Why take the chance? Keep your phone in your

vehicle while fueling.]

Plus, Some Sports Headlines & Potpourri

Potpourri

Mr. Z & I want to give a shout out to Chuck Harding! Chuck heads Light Pulse

Studios and has his premiere for their limited TV series coming up in February.

The show is titled Heartbreak and Lullabies, break a leg Chuck and company! Mr.

Z and I look forward to watching the pilot for this interesting concept. Thanks

again for the invite Chuck!

Random funny – Burger King is requiring its employees to tell customers “You

rule!” and to make sure they give those customers the adorable cardboard crown!

The execs at BK must think this will leap frog them ahead of their rivals: Taco Bell,

Wendy’s, McDonald’s & Chick-fil-A! They should bring that creepy “King”

character back and challenge their rivals to a WWE match. We would see Ronald

McDonald, Wendy & the passive people in the Chick-fil-A commercials in a battle

royale vs the King!

Sports Headlines

- Green Bay Packers are done for this season after falling to the Niners in the

divisional round. Packers head coach LaFleur is seeking to replace his

defensive coordinator as well as his strength and conditioning coach.

- Milwaukee Bucks are kicking off a new era a little more than half way

through the current NBA season. Doc Rivers is their newly signed head

coach to replace Griffin. Rivers will be courtside on 1.28 as the Bucks take

on the Nuggets in the mile high city. Bucks are 32-14 with 36 to go in the

regular season.

- The Daytona 500 will kick off the roundy-round race season. The 66 th

running of the Daytona race will see the green flag on 2.18. It’s always been

interesting to me that this race kicks off the season, and it is THE race of the

season, kind of like playing the Super Bowl at the start of the NFL season.

- Mr. Z wanted to remind all our psychos to stay tuned for the Summer

Olympics in Paris. The torch will be lit on 7.26.

Interesting Individual of the Month [IIM]:

Sir Isaac Newton

How about these apples?

- Unhappy Childhood and Solitary Personality: Isaac Newton& unhappy

childhood, marked by being abandoned by his mother, likely influenced his

solitary and untrusting nature. Scarred by the experience, he remained silent

about some scientific discoveries, had no hobbies, and never married.

- Mother& Farming Ambition: Newton’s mother initially wanted him to be a

farmer, but he showed academic promise.

After a brief attempt at farming, he returned to school, eventually attending

Trinity College, University of Cambridge.

- Apple and Universal Gravitation:

During the bubonic plague in 1665, Newton returned home and, inspired by

an apple falling from a tree, formulated his law of universal gravitation.

- Lucilian Professor and Poorly Attended Lectures:

Newton became the Lucilian professor of mathematics at Cambridge, but

showed little interest in teaching, and his lectures were often poorly attended.

- Royal Mint and Pursuit of Forgers:

In 1696, Newton became warden of the Royal Mint, combating

counterfeiters and overseeing the replacement of old coins with more reliable

currency.

- Alchemy and Bible Analysis:

Newton had a serious interest in alchemy, conducting secretive experiments.

He also analyzed the Bible to find hidden messages about the universe.

- Parliamentary Service:

Newton served in Parliament from 1689 to 1690 and again from 1701 to

1702, but his contributions were limited, with reports of speaking only once.

- Intellectual Rivalries:

Newton had fierce rivalries, particularly with German mathematician

Gottfried Leibniz, over the invention of calculus.

- Knighthood and Legacy: Newton was knighted by Queen Anne in 1705,

became wealthy, and published significant works.

He died in 1727 and was buried in Westminster Abbey, leaving a lasting

legacy in science and mathematics. Thank goodness he made the choices

that he did! When we reflect on his life, and the struggles he was up against,

his interesting path helped many different fields of endeavor.

Closing

Thank you for taking the time to read Chapter Six of Psycho Studios “The

Sprinkler.” We always look forward to sharing thoughts on film & music and more.

Future issues will be part of a monthly subscription fee on or around Spring of

2024. For less than $10 per month you will enjoy all our great topics and more

specific practical life skills that will save you easily 5-10x the subscription cost &

reduce stress! Details will be available on our website when we roll this piece out

later in 2024.

Be safe and stay psycho!

We would love to hear from our audience. Comments, feedback & suggestions are

welcome!

Email us at - psychostudios66@gmail.com

Reach us at our website - psycho-studio.com.

Find our podcasts, newsletters and more on our website! We make announcements

on Instagram and X when we drop new content!

 

Mr. W ~ Mr. Z

Psycho Studios ~2.1.2024

 
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