Sunday, February 02, 2020

Things That Are Making Me Happy





I saw the Animated and Live Action Short nominations for the Oscar and although universally well-done, boy they were a depressing group of films. I remember thinking that last year and the year before. But how could they not be? Next weekend I see the short docs. Sure they will be just as sad. Finally had some sun today. Must be averaging 6/7 days cloudy. But the temps have not been bad. Of course, that is also not good news for climate change.
Trying to read Witch Elm by Tana French but it so slow going. It takes her ten pages to walk a man across the room. Yes, the writing is good, very good, but please don't fall in love with your words so much. But all of her books are like this and either you go with it or you don't. I usually do.
Getting ready for Florida now. Fingers crossed for good weather and no health or terrorist scares.
And thank god for my brother who is doing my taxes. So lucky to have him. Phil always did them and I just signed my name. I lived a lot of my life like that I find out now. Most of it, I am able to do now but taxes scare me off.
What about you?

13 comments:

Jerry House said...

Taxes don't scare me but, as much as I promise myself to do them early, I end up doing them at the last minute.

Today is Erin's 18th birthday. The tempus had been fugit-ing like crazy. Celebratory dinner is scheduled for tomorrow night, yum! Erin just got accepted into Florida State (her first choice) and has completed her first college credit year as a high school senior.

Trump will surely be acquitted, but his reputation (what there is of it) is sliding ever faster downhill. Investigations will continue and, though I don't think anyone really wants a former president to go to jail, I'm fairly sure some of his kids might. Some think it's even money on Trump's reelection but I think he's going to take a big fall.

Every other day this week has been cold and rainy, but also every other day it has been warm and sunny. I don't really mind the bipolar weather but I'm really happy about the good days.

Harlan Coben's THE STRANGER held our interest through all eight episodes. We also finally got to watch the first season of JUSTIFIED; just four more seasons to go.

Went back to my childhood this week reading THE ANNOTATED PETER PAN. I sometimes forget what a joy children's literature can be.

Florida welcomes you with open alligator jaws, Patti. I hope you have a great stay here.

pattinase (abbott) said...

You are an optimist, Jerry, re: Trump. I think the fix is in.
Glad to hear about THE STRANGER. And glad for the reminder about rewatching Justified.

Jeff Meyerson said...

Don't worry about Florida weather, Patti. At it's worst (which it hasn't been) it is still a huge improvement over northern winter, right? At least here in South Florida it has been mostly above average (mid-70s) with only occasional colder spells, mostly sunny and dry, with most of the rain coming overnight. For the most part it has been what I would consider jeans weather rather than shorts weather, though obviously many people are wearing shorts.

I read about those short films being even more depressing than usual this year. No thanks. We will be finishing our Oscar movies roundup this week with JOJO RABBIT and LITTLE WOMEN (last week the theater was closed Tuesday because workers in the lot behind the mall cut a gas line). This week it was ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, which we rented. I thought it was well done but not great. Way too much time spent recreating the pilot of LANCER, and even though the last part might have been emotionally satisfying, I do not buy Tarantino spending hours on a careful recreation on an actual time and place and real people, only to add on a fantasy end that didn't happen. I can appreciate his craftsmanship and incredible attention to detail, but in the end I thought too much was a waste of time and money.

Otherwise, same old, same old here - driving around, shopping, eating, movie, television, reading. It's pretty much all good for us. Hope it is the same for everyone else.

Stay out of China!

Jeff Meyerson said...

Re Trump, I am on the side of you and George rather than that of Jackie and Jerry. While I am not conceding anything at this point, it is not looking good.

Margot Kinberg said...

Glad you got the chance to see the films, even if they aren't exactly fun and uplifting. I have to admit I'm not as good as I could be at keeping track of the less-well-known short films, etc.

pattinase (abbott) said...

A lot of them turn up on streaming services now.
Pretty scary stuff with the coronovirus. The world is small now. Hard to keep it at bay.

George said...

I just bought TURBOTAX and I'll install in on my computer this week. I'm waiting for a couple more tax documents before I sit down and do my taxes. The TURBOTAX feature that provides e-filing is worth the price of the entire package.

Western NY got hit by a few inches of snow over the weekend, but we're back in the 40s today and everything is melting.

I'm glad the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl.

My sisters who live in Florida tell me the weather is fine down there. You should have a fun time!

Jeff Meyerson said...

I'm afraid I am in the negative camp re Tana French. Life is too short for a 400+ page book that takes ten pages to get a man across a room, as you so aptly put it. I tried. Not for me.

Steve Oerkfitz said...

I have always done my own taxes. Mine are pretty simple though.
Didn't see any movies this week. Nothing worthwhile opened.
Read Wolves at the Door by Gunnar Staalesen. I have enjoyed all his novels and this one didn't disappoint. Now reading The Second Sleep by Robert Harris. Similar to A Canticle For Leibowitz. Been reading slow this week. My vision has been getting a bit blurry, esp in my left eye. Maybe cataracts? Got a dr appt next week.
On tv the usual suspects-Bill Maher, Dare Me, The outsider, The New Pope and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Hope you enjoy your time in Florida.

pattinase (abbott) said...

I wish I could get into the The New Pope. Maybe you have to be Catholic or lapsed Catholic to like it. YOu might just need a new prescription.
Nothing worthwhile at all at the theater although I am seeing LITTLE WOMEN again today with a friend.
My brother thinks he will have mine done before we leave.

Steve Oerkfitz said...

Forgot to mention that due to facebook post I got a copy of The Unbearable Lightness of Being and rewatched it for the first time in 30 years. I remember why I first fell in love with Lena Olin. And how young everyone looked.

pattinase (abbott) said...

All of them were young and gorgeous. I think the years have made it even more so.

Kevin R. Tipple said...

I used to do the TurboTax deal. About two months after my Mom passed on 1/15/2017, I met with her accountant to talk about her and taxes. Somehow, the subject of TurboTax came up and I was told to my horror that I had made a mistake on my own as well as my son's. Ended up having to file an amended return for each of us thanks to the issue that TTax had screwed up. After that, I stayed with the accountant becuase peace of mind was worth the extra money.

There were so many things Sandi always handled and learning how to do what she made look so easy has been hard.