Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six!
10.1.2025
Editor – Mykal - Content – Technical - Layout
Research & Editor – Mike - Content
Psycho Studios is an independent Film/TV production company. A multimedia platform with a unique newsletter; The Sprinkler as well as social media presence. Feel free to reach out to Psycho Studios through their website or by email.
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Forward
Mike and Mykal are a father & son duo who have a production company with unique and smart stories. They are working on the next phase of their production company and look forward to being involved in feature film making. The newsletter (The Sprinkler) is fun, informative and value add! The podcast is currently on hiatus. They remind their audience that they leave politics at the door. Their energy is positive and wellness based. Share gratitude and be cool to one another!
We bring old school and contemporary ideas to the table.
Mykal & I operate with the credo; 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!
Welcome Psychos one and all!
The Sprinkler: Note
We are reviewing our newsletter, The Sprinkler. Mykal has made many improvements to the newsletter! We are thinking about evolving into a blog, called simply A Psycho’s Blog. We are maintaining current format at least through this Fall. Our newsletter is always available on our website, which includes back issues as well. www.psycho-studio.com
Film - Some TV - Music – Some Wellness -Commentary - Grave Thoughts (new) - Peculiar Headlines
Rock N Roll Image of the Month (RRIM)
Interesting Individual of the Month (IIM)
Let’s start with a film related quote we dig:
“The first monster you have to scare the audience with is you!”
Wes Craven
The Psycho Scale:
We use our Psycho Scale for film and TV series rating scores. Our Psycho Scale is 1-Psycho, with Psycho being the highest; 10. Mykal and I watch all scored films and TV series; drawing from decades of real viewing experience.
Film
There seems to be a theme here! Duh! I watched a shit-ton of films again this month! What can I say? I love movies! We consumed lots of movies, and enjoyed sharing some of our so-called favorite’s lists and scoring the films we watched. It’s why we are pursuing what we are! Writing treatments and scripts seems to come easy for us. We are moving to the next chapter, which will include making a short horror film. Mykal is working on two trailers for our two scripts. We finished our second script! We also continue to add to our treatment library! For the love of film! Psycho Studios will be successful!
Psycho Studio’s Spotlight
The Top Ten Producers in Hollywood History
When people think of Hollywood legends, directors and actors usually steal the spotlight. But behind every iconic film stands a producer—the visionary who marshals talent, wrangles budgets, and turns creative sparks into finished cinematic milestones. From the Golden Age of Hollywood to today’s blockbuster era, producers have shaped the art and business of movies in profound ways. Here’s our countdown of the top ten producers in Hollywood history, whose influence has left an indelible mark on the industry.
1. Irving Thalberg
Known as “The Boy Wonder,” Thalberg was MGM’s production chief in the 1920s and ’30s. He perfected the studio system, balancing artistry with commerce, and helped shape classics like Mutiny on the Bounty and Grand Hotel.
2. David O. Selznick
A showman with an eye for spectacle, Selznick produced Gone With the Wind (1939) and Rebecca (1940), two films that cemented his legacy as one of Hollywood’s most ambitious and hands-on producers.
3. Darryl F. Zanuck
As head of 20th Century Fox, Zanuck oversaw films like The Grapes of Wrath and All About Eve. His instincts for story and star power made him a titan of the Golden Age.
4. Walt Disney
Far more than an animator, Disney revolutionized entertainment with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Fantasia (1940), and later live-action hits. His vision created a global empire and a new kind of family entertainment.
5. Samuel Goldwyn
A founding father of Hollywood, Goldwyn’s career spanned silent films to sound, with credits including Wuthering Heights and The Best Years of Our Lives. His independent spirit helped shape the identity of modern producing.
6. Stanley Kramer
Kramer became synonymous with socially conscious filmmaking, producing High Noon, The Caine Mutiny, and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. He proved that Hollywood could tackle serious issues without sacrificing box office success.
7. Robert Evans
The maverick behind Paramount’s 1970s renaissance, Evans produced Chinatown and The Godfather, shepherding films that defined a generation and revitalized a struggling studio.
8. Kathleen Kennedy
One of the most powerful producers working today, Kennedy co-founded Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall. She has credits on E.T., Jurassic Park, and now steers the Star Wars franchise at Lucasfilm.
9. Jerry Bruckheimer
The king of high-octane blockbusters, Bruckheimer redefined the action genre with Top Gun, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Bad Boys. His glossy, adrenaline-fueled style shaped the modern popcorn movie.
10. Kevin Feige
As president of Marvel Studios, Feige created the most successful film franchise in history—the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His long-term vision for interconnected storytelling changed the business model of Hollywood forever.
Closing Thought
Producers often work in the shadows, but their fingerprints are everywhere—on the films that inspire us, the franchises we revisit, and the cultural moments that define generations. Hollywood’s history wouldn’t exist without these ten figures, who proved that the producer’s role is as essential as the director’s lens or the actor’s performance.Which producer stands out to you?
Here is a list of films we watched in September:
Films:
Abruptio 2023 – 8. Insane. Wild. Puppets. This unique feature was years in the making. A must watch for film fans! A mix of puppetry and live action, enough said.
Borderline 2025 - 5. Revisited. Rewatched this film hoping for more, it’s a so-so film.
Naked Gun 2025 – 3. Not my cup of tea. Pamela Anderson was good in it. I wanted to like this as much as the general public and Mykal did. The credits were my favorite part with Liam killing it.
The Conjuring 2025 – 5. Mykal saw this on opening night at the theater and gives it a 5. Good camera work. Good acting. Silly fighting with a mirror! This series keeps moving forward. Not my cup of tea but will watch it when I can.
A Taste of Blood 1967- 2. Hershel Gordon Lewis - surprisingly decent acting. Lewis’s take on Dracula in Southern California. Poor story and dialogue. It’s a 2 and odd at that.
Nobody 2 2025 – 1. Unwatchable. The first one was entertaining. We are big Bob Odenkirk fans, this sequel is truly bad. Story. Dialogue. Acting. Yikes.
Honey Don't 2025 – 4. Mildly entertaining. Ethan Cohen directs and co-writes. Margaret Qualley is a young and rising star. You want to watch every scene she is in, with this film that’s all there is. Uneven. Continuity issues. Poor cast. Not for me.
Miss March 2009 – 5. Rewatched this now 16-year-old film. Zach Cregger and Trevor Moore (RIP) star in this raunchy and weird romp with a goal of making it to the Playboy Mansion. Fun and stupid comedy.
Better Off Dead 1985 – 4. John Cusack reprising his role, the same role he played and built his long career on in the 1980s. Not a good movie, has its moments. The scene where the Claymation hamburger jams to Van Halen’s Everybody Wants Some ROCKS!
I Know What You Did Last Summer 2025. 2. Terrible. Bad acting. Bad plausibility; I cannot get over how terrible this film was. Enough said.
Blood Feast 1963 - 5. Cool. Trippy. Mykal and I watched this short feature coming in at under 60 minutes. This is a cool retro horror film that is so bad it really is good.
Fantastic Four 2025 – 3. These super hero films are not for me. I figured I would dip my toes back into the super hero waters. Mildly entertaining, still not for me. Yikes.
Watch Them Come Blood 2024 – 1. The title of this low budget horror film should tell you everything you need to know. Unwatchable.
Bambi: The Reckoning 2025 – 2. Another one of those now its public domain films that is really bad. Some of the acting is livable, the story is so-so. Whew.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 1984 – 9. One of our all-time favorites, Wes Craven’s masterpiece of horror with a great young cast and Freddy! Great rewatch!
The Thing 1982 – 9. Close to a perfect sci-fi horror film to us! Cast. Story. Special effects. Music. Location! You’ve got to be fucking kidding me! Watched a dozen times!
Psycho 1960 – 9. Our namesake comes from this masterpiece by Hitchcock! Story. Cast. Cinematography! Ending! So ahead of its time! Like to rewatch every other month.
Frenzy - 1972 – 7. Hitchcock’s last thriller, R-rated and shot in the U.K. Great tone and pace, great cast! A must watch for Hitch fans! Another awesome rewatch.
At the theatre revisited – Weapons 2025 4. Long. Boring. 5. Mykal and I saw this opening night. We know it is killing it at the box office. It was flat and went nowhere for us! Regardless I really enjoyed going to the cinema to see it, late night shows are cool. Me: I can't call it a slow burn, like Midsommar, because it wasn't. It never really went anywhere. And then there is a witch!?
The witch did all that to live? A lot of people & critics liked it.
Missed creepy. Scary. Horror. To each his own. Rewatched this film, and I may change my rating to a 3. The public loves this film!
Mykal: Had a lot of holes and a lot of unanswered questions. I give a 5; it wasn’t spooky or scary enough and I like witchcraft stuff but, didn’t captivate me enough. His score is not changing, and I can’t imagine he would ever watch it again.
Also, at the theatre; One Battle After Another 2025 9. Mykal saw this film on opening weekend at IMAX. This film was shot in 70mm and the cinematography was amazing. Mykal said the first 30 minutes of this over 2.5-hour film was choppy and different. The rest of the film moves into overdrive. Great story, dialogue and cast. Leo rocks! Sean Penn kills it! The actor who plays Leo’s character’s daughter was great! Mykal giving this film a 9 is beyond incredible! Yes! There are great movies to be had!
We look forward to del Toro’s Frankenstein and Black Phone 2 in October!
Some TV
Here are some TV series we have recently watched and scored. We did not consume many TV series, which is more of the norm. Mykal takes in more TV than I. He’s an Apple TV+ guy! For September I watched almost as many TV series as I did films. That is crazy, just like me!
We look forward to the premiere of The Bear at the end of June! (2022) Season four is much anticipated! A uniquely different series that is about so much more than food. Yes Chef! See it on Hulu. We are waiting to watch this unique series together. I rewatched the first three seasons, it is uniquely very good! We are hopeful to watch this latest season in October!
TV Vintage:
Dexter 2006 – Previously rated and detailed
Dexter New Blood 2021
Dexter Original Sin 2024
Dexter Resurrection 2025
Dexter: New Blood (2021)
Set a decade after Dexter Morgan vanished in the original series finale, New Blood finds him living under a new identity in a quiet New York town. But old habits die hard, and when dark urges resurface, Dexter is pulled back into a deadly game that threatens the fragile life he’s built. Michael C Hall is great! The rest of the cast is really good too. Score 7.
Dexter: Original Sin (2024)
This prequel dives into Dexter’s early years in Miami, exploring how the orphaned teen honed his “dark passenger” under the guidance of his adoptive father, Harry. As Dexter learns to balance a normal life with his growing compulsion to kill, we see the origins of the code and the beginnings of a complicated antihero. Michael C Hall’s voiceovers and the actor that plays a young Dexter, are great! Really good origins story! Score 7.
Dexter: Resurrection (2025)
The newest chapter in the franchise promises to bring Dexter’s legacy full circle. Picking up after New Blood, Resurrection explores the consequences of Dexter’s actions on those he left behind, while introducing shocking new twists that reframe his story for a new generation of fans. My favorite out of these so-called sequels. Michael C Hall is great, as is the actor who plays his son. The Big Apple is a great setting! Score 8.
More Vintage:
Vintage
Fargo TV series Season 1 2014 - 8. Bob Odenkirk. Really great cast and story. Entertaining.
Fargo Season 2 2015 – 7. Patrick Wilson. We love Patrick Wilson, good tone and pace. A good watch.
Fargo Season 3 and 4 2017 and 2018. Not watched.
Fargo Season 5 2023 – 7. Jon Hamm. Interesting story, timely. Hamm plays a great really bad guy! A must watch for Hamm fans!
TV - NEW
The Lowdown 2025 – 5. Drama Ethan Hawke. We are big Hawke fans. Watched this new show with much anticipation. Very uneven. Odd story and subject matter to see Ethan in. Time will tell how the series goes. Weird.
The Paper 2025 – 3. Comedy. I watched this as an experiment and did watch the entire first season. The episodes are about 22 minutes long. Seems like they are literally taking The Office and simply plugging and playing the original cast and premise with a lighter hand. Not really funny, or engaging. The experiment failed for this guy.
South Park: Bold, Unapologetic Satire 1997
(Replaying this one, given the climate we are in. Censorship is a hard pill to swallow!)
Since 1997, South Park has followed Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny as they navigate the outrageous life of their Colorado town. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the show is famous for its sharp social commentary, pop culture parody, and dark humor.
Quick Facts:
· Over 25 seasons of fearless storytelling.
· Famous for Oh my God, they killed Kenny!
· Emmy-winning writing, produced in just six days per episode.
South Park keeps audiences laughing, often uncomfortably.
Coming Soon: Pluribus (We can’t wait for this one!) But alas, we have to.
From Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan, Pluribus is a genre-bending sci-fi series premiering November 7, 2025 on Apple TV+.
Starring Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul), the story follows a woman tasked with saving the world from a mysterious happiness outbreak. Expect a surreal, unsettling tone with Gilligan’s signature mix of dark humor and human drama.
Already renewed for Season 2, Pluribus is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about shows of the year! We are really excited for some smart TV from one of our favorites, Gilligan! We loved Seehorn in Better Call Saul, she’s going to rock this role! E pluribus unum is Latin for Out of many, one. Will this translate to the new show? Time will tell.
Music
September was really a strange month for me music-wise. There was some new music I dabbled in, but I stuck to my tried-and-true playlists. I was heavier on film and TV than I was music once again. Mykal shared some really good tracks throughout the month. His shares are timely and relevant! Mykal continues to enjoy being the Spotify family plan manager!
We start with THE CONCERT!
Nine Inch Nails made their way into the desert on the night of September 16!
We had been waiting for several months, and then Tuesday the 16th of September arrived! Mykal got us the tickets many months prior to the concert. The most expensive concert tickets we have ever purchased. We took a deep breath and waited. This year has been one of great challenges for Mykal and I. I anticipated the concert as the weeks rolled by, clouded by those challenges. The last few days leading up to the concert I had so many other things on my mind that I didn’t feel the excitement I should have. It’s fitting for me to do a Commentary about being present and living in the moment, as this was the case in point.
We have a friend that runs a couple of parking areas in the downtown Phoenix area and he hooked us up with a great spot within walking distance of the venue. The night was clear, with very warm temps and very little wind. We walked briskly, and made it to the venue in short order. Mykal wanted some merch, and we waited in a very long line that snaked through the outside of the venue. As long as the line was, it moved efficiently and everyone was cool. He grabbed a great NIN Tour T-shirt. We grabbed a beverage and headed inside.
The seats were incredible and we had a perfect view of the action. The stage appeared to be set up in the middle of the stage – floor area. (b-stage) There were large curtains to our right, with the center stage area off to our left. (a-stage) We could see several keyboards arranged on what was a fairly small platform. I had no idea what to expect, and intentionally stayed away from any news or notes about the current NIN tour. I wanted it to be a surprise. Mykal had some knowledge, including the set list. The crowd was into it and was a mix of younger adults such as Mykal and people old like dirt, just like me!
We timed our arrival as to miss the opening act and not have to wait long for the nine pm start time for NIN. We were in our seats for about 10 minutes and then the show’s lights came on in a big way!
Trent Reznor and a couple other bandmates made their way onto the small center stage and began playing immediately. (See confirmed set list below) I initially thought that the center stage with the keyboards was going to be the show. Little did I know that NIN was going to rip our faces off! The large curtained area to our right came to play after the opening tunes. More lights came on, and behind a transparent, veiled curtain to our right; the entire band broke loose. Keyboards. Guitars and an amazing drum kit! There was a videographer always on stage with the band and his video feed was shown on screens behind and around the larger, curtained stage. One track after another seemed to get better and bigger. It was all about the music, and Trent thanked the audience from time to time but shared no cookie cutter banter. Hard charging. Tight. Oozing buckets of energy and creativity. The light show part was just right. The video feed enhanced the show and did not distract with abstract images or videos. This show was all about Trent and his baby, NIN! Trent’s energy, engagement and voice not only rocked, they surpassed anything I could have imagined. At times it felt surreal, as I looked around the venue and at Mykal. It was not only one of my top three concerts ever for the group’s performance, but also for sharing that time and space with my son!
A couple of times the band would move across the venue floor from the main stage to the smaller center stage. NIN is known for their use of keyboards, and they did not disappoint. The ubiquitous guitar and drum solos were nonexistent. There were a couple short spotlights with those instruments, but they were melded into the show as opposed to coming across as being shoehorned into the performance for fans-sake. We (along with the rest of the audience) stood the entire concert! The crowd had positive energy, were cool to one another and often sang along with Trent throughout the set list. There were times my breath was taken away by how amazing NIN sounded. The musicianship along with the lyrics and Trent’s voice were so incredibly spot on, each track sounded as great live as their recorded counterparts.
The concert was like moving into a beautiful bubble as the country and the world were washed in the turmoil we are all too familiar with. I could write pages and pages about this show, but I must edit myself. (I can hear Mykal in my ear). I would pause now and then as NIN jammed through amazing song after amazing song, and appreciate the power of rock and roll. The crowd was experiencing an incredibly creative moment in time together, peacefully and united in the beauty that is music. Closer, The Perfect Drug, The Hand that Feeds and Head Like a Hole in succession were the mind-blowing block of tracks to me!
The concert was near perfect, and the things that were less than were out of NIN’s hands. Loved this concert experience, and living in the moment! I have a Head Like a Hole, just ask Mykal!
Lastly, my ears were not ringing in a HURTful way when we arrived home. It was a nice hum that reminded me how much I loved the concert and how much I love music!
Nine Inch Nails Setlist - September 16, 2025 Confirmed by Mykal
B Stage
· Right Where It Belongs (Trent solo; with Somewhat Damaged outro)
· Ruiner
· Piggy (Nothing Can Stop Me Now)
Main Stage
· Wish
· March of the Pigs
· Reptile
· Heresy
· Copy of A
· Gave Up
B Stage (with Boys Noize)
· Vessel (remix)
· As Alive as You Need Me to Be (live debut)
· Sin (remix)
· Came Back Haunted (remix)
Main Stage
· Somewhat Damaged
· Less Than
· Closer (with The Only Time breakdown)
· The Perfect Drug
· The Hand That Feeds
· Head Like a Hole
· Hurt
· Laura Palmer's Theme (recording)
Let’s take a look-see at September’s music:
NEW
NIN TRON: Ares, original motion picture soundtrack. Will be listening to this album in the coming month. I’m sure I will dig the album more than the movie. 2025. 24 tracks coming in at 66 minutes.
THE Concert – see above for notes about NIN in Phoenix.
NEW
21 Pilots
Listening to their new album this weekend. 13 songs. 47 minutes. Score this one a 6.
NEW
Motley Crue album From the Beginning 2025 20 tracks 82 minutes. Not the same old Crue. Score a 5.
NEW
Smashing Pumpkins 2025
Single Chrome Jets 3 minutes. Score 8.
NEW
Mudvayne – Sticks And Stones single. 2025. Title cut from upcoming album. 3:48 runtime. Score 5.
And Hurt People Hurt People single. 2025. Off upcoming album. 3:33 runtime. Score 5.
Mykal felt so-so about these new tracks. I’m not sure either.
NEW
Creed - Best of Creed - Remastered 2025 - 12 tracks - 52 Minutes. Score 8.
NEW
Filter - 2025 A Sort of Homecoming single 5:35. Score 5.
NEW
Scorpions – 2025 You and I from their upcoming new album. Single 6:14. It’s a ballad, not my thing. Score 3.
NEW
& Vintage
War Pigs - Charity version. 2025. 8:02 runtime. Single. Ozzy. Judas Priest. Cool combo. Score 7. OZZY RIP.
Vintage
Mac Miller – Mac Miller (feat Lil B) Time Flies. Single. 2:52 runtime. 2015. Mykal shared this one, and it is so fitting. Score 7. RIP MAC
Vintage
Alice in Chains – Sludge Factory. Single. 7:11 runtime. 1995. Mykal shared this one as well! A beautiful song by one of my favorite bands! Quoting Mykal – Every time I hear this song it
makes me sad. It’s the not the lyrics. It’s the music, the sound and Layne’s haunting voice! Score 9. RIP LAYNE
Vintage
Van Halen – Push Comes to Shove. Single. 3:48 runtime. 1981. Score 8. Such a classic group that Mykal and I both love. RIP EDDIE
Vintage Snacks:
Cars – This group was on fire in the 1980s with their eclectic sound. I like to escape with this group when I need something retro and different. I’m living in stereo!
Rush – This three-man group from Canada rocked the late 70’s and early 80’s for me. They are part of the soundtrack of my life.
Retro Talk: Hard for me to believe that these bands are considered old, or vintage but indeed they are. Let’s explore two bands that we visit many times in a given month. Van Halen and RATT.
Mykal is awesome about sharing music, several times per week. The shares are always so timely and on point!
I know I’m this old man who never stopped loving rock music. We can’t be right or wrong about music, it’s what moves us!
Psycho Studios Spotlight
Ratt and Van Halen (David Lee Roth years): Glam Metal’s Wild Ride
Few bands embody the glitz, grit, and sheer adrenaline of 1980s rock like Ratt and Van Halen during the David Lee Roth era. Both groups defined a generation of hard rock and glam metal, electrifying arenas with blistering guitar riffs, theatrical vocals, and a party-first attitude that left an indelible mark on rock history.
Ratt: The Sunset Strip Survivors
Emerging from Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip in the early 1980s, Ratt became synonymous with the glam metal explosion. Their 1984 debut, Out of the Cellar, shot them into the mainstream, fueled by the smash hit “Round and Round.” Stephen Pearcy’s sneering vocals and Warren DeMartini’s shredding guitar work created a signature sound equal parts raw energy and radio polish. Ratt’s flashy image and high-octane live shows captured the decadent spirit of the decade, making them MTV darlings and staples of the hard rock circuit. Despite lineup shifts and turbulent years, Ratt’s music remains a symbol of the Strip’s golden era.
Van Halen with David Lee Roth: The Original Lineup’s Firepower
If Ratt embodied the flash, Van Halen with David Lee Roth embodied the fury. With Eddie Van Halen revolutionizing guitar playing and Roth commanding the stage with acrobatic showmanship, Van Halen set the standard for arena rock spectacle. Albums like Van Halen (1978), 1984, and Women and Children First showcased their unmatched mix of technical brilliance and playful excess. Anthems like “Jump,” “Panama,” and “Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love” weren’t just hits—they were generational rallying cries. Roth’s flamboyant charisma balanced Eddie’s groundbreaking musicianship, making their era together one of rock’s most celebrated partnerships.
Lasting Legacy
Though their careers took different paths, both Ratt and Van Halen (with Roth) crystallized the sound and swagger of the glam metal era. They didn’t just play music—they built larger-than-life personas that turned concerts into cultural events. Today, their songs remain on heavy rotation, echoing an age when rock and roll was loud, unapologetic, and endlessly fun.
For fans of spandex, shredding, and showmanship, Ratt and Van Halen with David Lee Roth are more than just bands—they are the spirit of 1980s rock incarnate.
Rock N Roll baby! Mykal and I use Spotify Premium!
Rock and Roll Image of the Month! (RRIM)
Chad Gray (born October 16, 1971) is an American singer, best known as the lead vocalist of heavy metal bands Mudvayne and Hellyeah.
Some Wellness
With the weather being so beautiful in most parts of the country:
Getting outside to exercise, even for short walks, significantly boosts physical and mental well-being, improving mood, reducing stress, enhancing focus and strengthening the immune system.
Exercising outdoors also lowers blood pressure and cortisol levels, while providing a free and accessible way to increase physical activity and motivation for a healthier lifestyle. Even 15-minute walks outside can improve attention and memory more than indoor workouts, with longer sessions in nature showing greater benefits for mental health.
Physical Health Benefits
Boosted Immune System: Nature and exposure to sunlight increase phytoncides and vitamin D production, which helps the immune system fight off infections and can remain active for over a month after a forest visit.
Improved Cardiovascular Health: Outdoor walking and exercise can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, and decrease the burden on your cardiovascular system.
Enhanced Physical Fitness: Regular outdoor exercise keeps you physically fit, improves cardiovascular functioning, and helps manage a healthy weight.
Mental Health Benefits
Reduced Stress and Anxiety: Spending time in nature significantly reduces stress hormones like cortisol, creating a calming and meditative state.
Improved Mood and Self-Esteem: Outdoor exercise helps reduce depression and anger, boosting your mood. Even short periods outside can enhance self-esteem.
Better Cognitive Function: Outdoor walks, especially those lasting 30 minutes, increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain, leading to better focus, memory, and cognitive performance. Nature is a restorative environment that helps the brain reset and recover from mental fatigue.
How to Get Started
Start Small: A 15-minute walk can provide benefits. Even short visits outdoors can be beneficial.
Aim for 20-30 Minutes: Aim for 20-30 minutes of nature exposure a few times a week for maximum benefits.
Find Local Options: Look for nearby parks, trails, or green spaces that you can access safely and comfortably.
Adapt to the Weather: Dress appropriately for the conditions and have an indoor backup plan for extreme weather.
Create a Plan: Schedule your outdoor activities like any other important appointment to increase your chances of sticking to your routine.
Let’s do this!
Commentary
Let’s be present and live in the moment.
We are living in unprecedented times. I wonder if each decade thinks and feels the same thing. Mykal and I really do our best to live by our mantra of being cool to one another. This is for our day to day, whether it is when we are driving, interacting with service people, at a movie theatre or just running into people.
The linkage of being cool to one another and living in the moment are clear and important. I have always struggled with living in the moment; I call it one of my curses. I realize it is not a curse but rather a choice. This past year has been one of the most challenging nine plus months of my life. I know I’m not alone given the news we see and hear and the general sentiments of so many individuals I come in contact with.
Living in the moment, and being present with those you choose to be with is so critical for our mental well-being as well as our relationships. Showing gratitude with those in your life and even those you come in contact with is a game changer. Keeping in touch with those in your life, even if it is just a daily or weekly note matters. My concentrated focus for the next four months is living in the moment and being present. I must appreciate what I have, what my son and I have and the potential each of us bring to the table. I have preached this off and, on all year, and yet I fell down a well of negativity and poor me.
I’m done with that, and moving forward. I’m enjoying my life, and the gratitude I have for my son which is beyond words. Mykal is an amazing young man, and being his father is my greatest passion and most special life event. I’m stepping up my shares and getting back to a gratitude jar. The gratitude jar you say? A simple clear glass jar, drop a simple note of gratitude into the jar and at the end of the year read through all those great notes to truly appreciate your life!
I’m staying positive, and wish the best for all my fellow citizens. Times are surreal, and if I was to get into any of those details it would wash us with politics. We can’t go there at this time.
Please, let’s be cool to one another!
Grave Thoughts NEW
This is a new topic area for The Sprinkler. This will be stories of the morbid and macabre! This section will be gross and gory to go along with the theme of our favorite kind of movies; horror! There will be shares of old and new stories to include mysteries, murders and serial killers. What makes so-called humans’ prey on one another? People are fascinated by these topics, similar to the way many people slow down to observe a gruesome car accident.
Here are three more of the most notorious serial killers in history, based on their confirmed or suspected number of victims and overall impact:
Psycho Studio’s Serial Killer Spotlight
Throughout history, certain criminal cases have stood out for their scale, mystery, and impact on society. Jack the Ripper, Harold Shipman, and H.H. Holmes remain three of the most studied figures in criminology.
· Jack the Ripper — Active in London’s Whitechapel district in 1888, this unidentified killer is believed to have murdered at least five women, all working in impoverished conditions. The case drew widespread media attention at the time and has remained unsolved for over a century, shaping public perceptions of crime and policing in Victorian England.
Recommended reading-viewing: The Complete History of Jack the Ripper by Philip Sugden; the documentary Jack the Ripper: Prime Suspect (Smithsonian Channel).
· Harold Shipman — A general practitioner in England, Shipman is regarded as one of the most prolific serial killers in modern history. Between the 1970s and 1998, he used his position as a trusted doctor to kill an estimated 200 or more patients, often elderly women. His crimes prompted major reforms in medical oversight and death certification practices in the U.K.
Recommended reading-viewing: Harold Shipman: The True Story of Britain’s Most Notorious Serial Killer by Wensley Clarkson; the documentary Harold Shipman: Doctor Death (ITV).
· H.H. Holmes — Born Herman Webster Mudgett, Holmes was active in the late 19th century in the United States. He built a three-story building in Chicago—later referred to as the Murder Castle, where he carried out fraud, theft, and murders. While later accounts often exaggerated the number of victims, Holmes was convicted of several murders and is remembered as one of America’s first documented serial killers.
Recommended reading-viewing: The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson; the documentary H.H. Holmes: America’s First Serial Killer (2004).
These cases illustrate how serial crimes can expose weaknesses in social systems, from inadequate policing to unchecked professional authority, and why they continue to be analyzed in both historical and criminological studies today.
We will continue tales of past and present in our next Sprinkler, in our Grave Thoughts area. Stay safe everyone and lock your doors and leave a light on!
Peculiar Headlines
Let’s get to some weird and interesting stuff!
1. A woman in Virgina let CHATGPT pick her lottery numbers, she won! Ms. Edwards from Virgina matched all four of the five Powerball numbers in the September 8th drawing. She won $150K and donated the winnings to charity! Now that’s the way to use A.I.!
2. A doctor who has spent decades studying stress and cures for it determines what they deem to be the best solution; Volunteer and charity work! The doctor has studied over 750 Americans over a year and found almost 60 percent of those people were more stressed when they tried to control that stress. Pay it forward baby!
3. China opens the world’s highest bridge coming in at 2050 feet about the gorge! The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge soars about 2050 feet above the river in Guizhou province, more than twice as high as its highest counterpart in the U.S. Holy shit Batman!
4. 24 stolen guinea pigs found alive in Phoenix after Tucson-area sanctuary theft! Nearly all of the 25 guinea pigs stolen from a Tucson animal sanctuary were recovered after a multi-agency investigation led authorities to a Phoenix home. 24 of the 25 were found alive and well. A 47-year-old woman and two teenage girls were the thieves! Leave those pigs alone!
5. 11 foods we should not refrigerate, but many do. Bananas. Bread. Chocolate. Cooking oils. Garlic. Honey. Onions. Melons. Peanut Butter. Potatoes. And guinea pigs. Oh wait, scratch that last one! Reminder, honey is the only food stuff that never spoils!
6. Bio-baiting is the latest toxic dating trend fooling singles; erodes trust! Bio-baiting is bad for dating, duh! What is it? The practice of overselling yourself in a dating app bio to make yourself seem more interesting & appealing. Odd, hasn’t this been going on since dating began!? Thanks professor obvious!
7. Chowhound released a list in September that showed the 10 restaurants Marilyn Monroe loved to dine at in Los Angeles. I have always appreciated Marilyn, but this list seemed silly. I guess we do what we can to keep such an icon alive. Here’s a few; Barney’s. Canter’s Deli. Chasen’s. Dominick’s. Musso and Frank’s. Can you imagine walking into one of those restaurants in the late 1950s and seeing Monroe?!
8. Can you actually get pink eye from a fart? The truth is you can’t get pink eye from a fart; infections, allergies or irritants can cause it! Wash your hands! Stop touching your eyes and face! Sorry Knocked Up!
9. Woman indicted after she secretly used fentanyl to rob four men, killing three, prosecutors say. 39-year-old woman was indicted on felony charges in New York after prosecutors say she used fentanyl-laced drugs to paralyze and rob four men and killed three. Serial killer?
10. Utah trucker arrested after teens found in 29 degree refrigerated trailer! Two young girls survived a two-hour journey in a freezer truck in Lindon Utah. The truck driver, 29 was arrested after state troopers found the girls trapped inside the tractor-trailer’s freezer compartment. Did they thwart a serial killer!? Thank goodness the girls were safe! Cold, but safe.
11. And one more, on the lighter side? A very mean squirrel seeking food sends two people to the ER in the San Francisco area. The two women that were attacked were traumatized, and had to go through the rabies protocol. Both are expected to survive. What are we nuts?!
Interesting individual of the month [IIM]
This month’s interesting individual is Ethan Hawke.
Sprinkler Spotlight: Ethan Hawke
Few actors have carved out a career as eclectic and enduring as Ethan Hawke. From his breakout at age 18 in Dead Poets Society (1989) to his present-day work as an actor, director, and writer, Hawke has spent more than three decades proving that he is far more than a Hollywood leading man, he is a storyteller in constant evolution.
In the 1990s, Hawke became a defining face of Gen X cinema with films like Reality Bites and Gattaca, balancing commercial projects with independent films that showcased his restless curiosity. His collaborations with director Richard Linklater, Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004), Before Midnight (2013), and the groundbreaking Boyhood (2014), stand as landmarks in modern cinema, weaving time, memory, and raw human emotion into unforgettable portraits of life as it’s lived.
Hawke’s artistic ambition extends far beyond acting. He has published novels, directed narrative films and documentaries, and even stepped into the world of theater as both performer and director. Recent highlights include his Emmy-nominated turn as abolitionist John Brown in Showtime’s The Good Lord Bird, his role in Robert Eggers’ epic The Northman, and his 2023 documentary Wildcat, exploring the life and struggles of writer Flannery O’Connor.
At 53, Hawke continues to defy categorization. Whether in intimate character studies or bold, large-scale projects, his work is defined by risk, depth, and an enduring commitment to craft. In an industry that often prizes reinvention for its own sake, Ethan Hawke remains timeless by staying true to a simple ethos: pursuing the stories that matter most to him.
Fun Fact Sidebar:
· Hawke once fronted a rock band called Reality Bites, showing his love of music as well as film.
· He often collaborates with his family: daughter Maya Hawke (Stranger Things, Maestro) appeared in Wildcat, while his son Levon joined him onstage for theater productions.
· A lifelong book lover, Hawke has authored several novels, blending his passion for literature with his cinematic career.
· Brand new TV series The Lowdown where he puts his book loving to use.
Which Hawke role is your favorite? Reply and let us know! Sinister for us!
One of our favorite Trent Reznor quotes:
“ I met those guys before they launched in America and was wildly excited about the idea. Wow, this is all the music in the world, for a flat fee!”
Trent Reznor
Closing
We have thoroughly enjoyed writing this newsletter each month for the last 25 months. I firmly believe there is an audience out there for this unique take on a newsletter. We need to lean into our marketing more; we are considering moving to a blog format. We want to continue our unique voice in a sea of sameness and will do so through the Fall of ’25.
Thank you for taking the time to read Chapter Twenty-Six! of Psycho Studios; The Sprinkler. We always look forward to sharing our thoughts, ideas and more!
Mykal and I wish everyone a magnificent September! Be safe and stay psycho! We would love to hear from our audience. Comments, feedback & suggestions are welcome!
Email us at - psychostudios66@gmail.com
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The Sprinkler is dropped on the first of each month. Podcasts are dropped as content is available.
Mike & Mykal - Psycho Studios Phoenix - 10.1.2025 -
Thank you, Psychos, one and all! Chapter 26