Boy, am I enjoying some of the above. THE MOVIE MUSICAL is so much fun. Just finished a chapter on Al Jolson, Bing Crosby and Elvis Presley-how each of them dominated movies of their era with their music-and yet none of them made a great musical. If you like musicals, this is your book. And it doesn't matter whether or not you like the artist or their music. It's just fascinating to watch how it all came about. I try not to be judgmental because some of the best sections have been about singers I barely know or don't particularly like their music.
Also reading the THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT (thriller) by Chris Bohaljian, a thriller. Amazing how much he learned about how airlines function for this novel.
UNORTHODOX (Netflix) is a terrific four- part series based on the novel of the same name. Cannot praise the actress playing the lead enough. Also, although I grew up in a Jewish community, I learned so much more about this particular sect of Hasidic Jews. Also amazing is MY BRILLIANT FRIEND's second season. Love seeing Italy before it was destroyed by you know what. OZARK looks scary as hell. What a great cast even if the plot is a little reminiscent of BREAKING BAD and other similar shows.
I finally got a grocery delivery service to deliver groceries. And a wine store to deliver wine. And I ordered $100 worth of batteries from Amazon. Even if I only drink a glass or two of wine a day, I want to have it on hand.
I just don't know what I will need to get through this. I have downloaded enough books for months and my house is filled with books I have yet to read. I followed the instructions on unloading groceries and the house reeked of bleach for hours after. Hope I don't poison myself.
I am on the phone a lot, which I both appreciate and dread. Even as a teen I hated talking on the phone. I have probably said this before. Sorry. Even though there is no cord now, I feel tethered and yesterday I spent four hours talking to people. So grateful for them checking in on me though.
Michigan and especially the Detroit area is in horrible shape, due somewhat to Trump's fight with our governor.
It is 95% his fault but still she should have known you don't shove a stick in the cage with a wild animal.
Hope things are okay in your area. Steve and I will have to tough it out separately in Detroit. A mile separates us but it might as well be an ocean. Twelve days since I saw another person. Except from my window where they are riding, walking, skating by.
Want to calm down? Watch the Live Jellyfish Cam at the Monterrey Aquarium on you tube. Or follow Sam Neill on Instagram where he talks about nature.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MUSICAL? Even if it is not your bag you might still like STOP MAKING SENSE or HELP.
20 comments:
Hi Patti
Glad to know you are well (as well as possible under the circumstances) and enjoying books and series. I am finding it hard to concentrate on anything right now. Keep on seeing clips of movies seen earlier, The Gods Must be Crazy, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Heat etc.
Take Care
Hey, welcome back, Patti! Healthy here, too, but fingers and toes crossed, altho I have never handled suspense well, especially when it can kill friends, other good people, or...ME!! I enjoyed a really fun movie last night. Second watching of the DVD I bought at Wally World before the world started crashing. It was even better the second time. Brought laughter and tears and an overall just plain good feeling: Yesterday. Stay well. It's great seeing you here again!
Sorry, the italics didn't work. The movie is Yesterday.
I'm not surprised at the great reviews Shira Haas is getting in UNORTHODOX (on our list but not started yet, as we have a lot to catch up on). We first noticed her as the rebellious daughter Ruchami in the great Israeli show SHTISEL.
Once (fingers crossed) I get these medical issues dealt with (thankfully, neither of us has symptoms of the virus), I hope to get back to the new normal, such as it is. Better than hours and hours in the doctor's office or the ER.
What medical issues, Jeff? How did I miss that.
Loves YESTERDAY, Matt. Glad it is bringing you joy.
It is very hard to focus, Neeru. I have mostly watched one-hour episodes rather than movies because of it. Although I did watch MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING-it has two good scenes and Rupert Everett steals every scene he is in.
Diane and I are busy working on projects around the house that we've put off for years. I'm busy sorting books and music CDs that will eventually go to SUNY at Buffalo, or the North Tonawanda Library Sale, or to friends. Diane is in Marie Kondo mode as she "declutters" each room of our house.
We've been catching up on all the shows we've DVRed over the past year or so. Diane recorded a dozen HALLMARK movies which she is slowly working her way through (she claims they lift her spirits). I'm catching up on BATWOMAN and PICARD.
And, of course, I'm listening to music every day. Now's the time to read Big Fat Books so I'm doing that, too.
Hang in there, Patti! We'll get through this!
Glad you are coping. At least I run into someone in my building on occasion as I'm coming or going or getting my mail. Wish the weather was a bit better so I could get outside more. I have a small park next door where I sometimes sit and read in nice weather but it's either rainy, cold or like yesterday with 30 mph winds. I likewise have been spending more time than normal on the phone.
Reading two books I'm enjoying. Unfortunately I can't always focus well enough to read. Don't know when I'll get back to the eye doctor with this virus being so severe here. My daughter works in a nursing home downriver and they have had 15 positives as of last Friday.
Watching a lot of tv. Watched The Tiger King on Netflix. What a bizarre cast of characters. Halfway through both Ozark and Babylon Berlin.
Hang in everyone. I have the feeling this will go on longer than we expected.
Yes, I heard the alarming figure of 9-18 months last night. Surely that must be across the globe. Better weather would really make a difference.
Since we moved only five years ago, there is not that much clutter. And what there is is mostly photographs. Megan's dolls and stuff I am not sure I am ready to part with.
I don't want to get too gross, but there was a stomach flu and also (connected? Or not?) a urinary retention issue (sorry) that required going from one urgent care place to a second office two miles away where "they are waiting for you." Or not, as it turned out. After waiting another hour and a half I was told, "no, we don't do that here" - so why was I told otherwise? - and then instructions to go into the Bowels of Hell, I mean the emergency room, another four long blocks down the hill and several blocks over. They were very good and only kept me for 2 1/2 hours. All the patients with breathing problems or other coronavirus symptoms go to a different part of the hospital. But I have to see my urologist today, and surprise! He isn't there today, and, in fact, is only set up for virtual appointments this week. I am waiting for a call back.
Question: could the timing possibly be worse?
It turns out to have been a mistake to have so many medical offices connected to hospitals. Hope you get a resolution soon, Jeff. Having been in two ERS in FL I sympathize. Hard for an entire population not to have the regular set of problems through this.
Seems the urologist and all the other "real" doctors are only doing video visits this week. The PA spoke to him and he wants me to go on two drugs this week (Flomax is one) and then come to see him (in person!) next Tuesday. So, the nightmare goes on. At least we are OK otherwise, so far.
Forgot to mention a favorite musical. Since I don't much care for musicals I would opt more for the documentary side and suggest Stop Making Sense and The Last Waltz. I must admit to liking Cabaret despite my dislike of Liza Minelli and All That Jazz. They work better for me since people are not spontaneously breaking into song.
Patti-I'm afraid the virus will go away in the summer but come back in the fall. This is what happened to the Spanish flu.
And Trump's approval rating is at a all-time high. Go figure?
Hopefully we know more about it then we did then and can lessen its return. He is now a wartime president and they are given special dispensations.
I think Phil took flomax along the way. Seems like it did the trick.
I like SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS and CABARET (for the reasons Steve gives), and I'm sure I have favorites I am forgetting because my brain is too distracted to call up a list. ALso like the early parts of THE WIZARD OF OZ. There are plenty I liked when I first saw them, but which don't hold up for me.
My husband recently read THE MOVIE MUSICAL and loved it. We have always loved musicals and he enjoys reading about movies and how they are made. Right now he is reading THE BIG GOODBYE, about the making of Chinatown.
My favorite musical is Yankee Doodle Dandy but that is mainly because I have always been enamored of James Cagney and he is my favorite tap dancer. I like him even better than Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire.
I asked husband what his favorite musical was and he could not narrow it down to one. His list was:
COVER GIRL
THE GAY DIVORCEE
GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 (mainly for the humor)
42ND STREET
I also love COVER GIRL because of Rita Hayworth's dancing and the Jerome Kern music.
Those are unusual choices, Tracy, clearly the picks of a real aficionado and probably similar to my daughter. Mine would be a lot more ordinary, relating most closely to the ones I saw as a child. When my grandfather gave me my first turntable and a bunch of musical albums with it: Gigi, South Pacific, My Fair Lady and The King and I. I am aiming next to read about Rogers and Hammerstein. Understand there is a great book about them.
I am going to do the book shelf meme tomorrow.
Thinking about this more fully, it seems like I am still after story with a music a secondary consideration, and your husband, Tracy, is more interested in the song and dance, the purer expression. I had never considered that before.
That may be, Patti. I had not ever thought of it that way. He is also very strongly interested in cinematography, although I don't know how that fits in with the musicals he likes. There are many movies (non-musicals) he will watch mainly for the cinematography, the sets, etc.
Tracy, I almost added YANKEE DOODLE DANDY to my list. We used to watch it every year around July 4. We had a friend who would do a couple of Cagney's routines.
Jackie says you are lucky you are staying in. She went to get my prescriptions and to the supermarket to stock up on stuff. It was all fine until she paid and got ready to leave, when she noticed the guy laying on the floor at the end of the next aisle. She was hysterical and nothing calmed her her down until she got home and called the store and was told that the guy had dropped dead of a heart attack. Unless the manager is lying, of course...
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