I went to Ann Arbor with a friend and was shocked at how many towering buildings have gone up in the last decade. Their medical center(s) are so dominant now. That must mean the future is in medicine. Visited the beautiful Matthai Gardens. The streets downtown have been pedestrianized and bike lanes are everywhere.
Got my omicron booster today. Quite a long wait, which I never had with the last two boosters.
Watching DOPESICK and THE PATIENT. Finished SLOW HORSES but in the end I was not that impressed. It has a great premise as to a division for failures in MI5, but the crime this one featured seemed dull. And all the scenes were of men driving around in the dark and engaging in man talk. It never lived up to the first brilliant scenes. Ah well, maybe his plots get more interesting. It used to be British series were about the upper crust. Now they all seem to be about gangs, immigrants, and drugs. (So too so many novels from all countries).
No movies of interest.
Off to my writing group in the hope it will spur me to write more.
What about you?
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Reading both Fairy Tale by Stephen King and Heat 2 by Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner. Halfway through Fairy Tale and it has some of King's best writing in years.
Liked the first 2 episodes of House of Dragons. Watched the first three episodes of The Patient but the jury's still out on that one. Still watching John Oliver. Also watched a PBS double bill of shows about Elmore Leonard and Flannery O'Connor. Nead to reread both. Too much tv has been taken up with the death of the Queen. I have zero interest in the royal family and would be happy to see them be dissolved, especially now we have a dolt as King and the homeliest woman in Britain as his Queen/Consort.
Didn't see any movies at the theater but rewatched several favorites-Paths of Glory and Jackie Brown.
Lions lost but they played a close game to a much better rated team.
Yes, the future does seem to be in medicine, at least here in God's Waiting Room. Half the new buildings going up are either medical enters, doctor offices, or nursing homes. (The other half appear to be auto repair shops and tire warehouses -- go figure.)
I plan on getting my omicron shot today. I hope it will give me some protection before I have my pre-radiation surgical prep this Friday and the regular treatments beginning the next week or so.
It's been a prety drizzling week here, so we were not able to bech (**sigh**). Instead the tribe (seven of us) went and got tattoos in honor of Kitty on Saturday. My first and only tattoo marches the one Kitty got last year and is in the same location.
I'm slowly working my way through medical bills -- very slowly. And I have a ton of questions. One doctor apparently charged us over $2000 each (pre-insurance payments) for four visits in one day. A lot of bills have come in without any explanation about what they were for. And so it goes. It's going to take me months to get a handle on the bills, but I refuse to hurry.
Not much television at all. I did watch THOR: LOVE & THUNDER this week and found it a bit of a mess. I have to rate it "meh" with a special "meh" nod to its over-reliance on special effects. The latest episode of SHE-HULK was cute, which brought it just above "meh" level. Maybe I'm just not ready for some programs. I did watch a couple more episodes of THE BOYS and enjooyed them. Still not watching news or the late night shows.
I had a bit better luck reading this week. Read Sylvia Moreno-Garcia's THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU and loved it; sharply written and well-plotted. The latest Dean Koonts, THE BIG DARK SKY, was exciting. overblown, and flawed, with almost all of the author's well-known maudlin tropes except a dog. Still, I could not put the book down. Koontz is an author that I compulsively read while kicking myself all the while. Just shows that I am probably as flawed as the book.
Back to reading short stories for the next week. I've got a large pile on the bedside table so I can pick stories at random. That should hold me for a whie. I've got the new Stephen King, the new Craig Johnson, and the new Mickey Spillane/Max Allan Collins books on order at the library but the wait will be forever. one of the local libraries have ordered the new John Connolly yet -- damn them.
Good luck with your writing group, Patti! I'm looking forward to reading some new stories from you. In the meantime have a fantastic week!
It is amazing isn't it, Patti, how quickly an area can develop - sometimes it feels like it's overnight. I'm glad you're enjoying The Sacrament; I've heard it's good.
I'm back from the BOUCHERCON in Minneapolis. I'd grade it "B+" among the couple dozen BOUCHERCONs I've attended. I'm signed up for the BOUCHERCON in San Diego next year. Diane and her sister from Ohio went to a Family Reunion so I was flying solo on this one. I had fun with Beth Fedyn, Maggie Mason, Ted Hertell, Ted Fitzgerald, and Them Walls--all DAPA-EM veterans. Excellent panels! Lots of free books!
Getting to Minneapolis and getting back to Buffalo was a Different Story. Delta conned me with "Direct" flights from Buffalo to Minneapolis. I bought my tickets and two weeks later Delta sent me an email saying the flights were no longer "Direct." I had to fly to Detroit and then to Minneapolis. Okay...I like Detroit's Airport. But the return flight was from Minneapolis to Atlanta! That's a 1000 miles out of the way! I managed to change that flight to Minneapolis to LaGuardia Airport which still flies past Buffalo to double back...but it's not Atlanta! Flight delays, night landing, rainy conditions. The Skies are not Friendly anymore.
Stay safe!
We liked DOPESICK too. Some good actors there.
We were supposed to see FUNNY GIRL this weekend for Jackie's birthday, but had to get a refund as Lea Michele (and perhaps others) has COVID and will be out all week. Bummer. May try again next month.
Did see one movie, the British SUMMERLAND (2020). I thought it was OK but not great. Gemma Arterton (who was in the better WWII-era film THEIR FINEST as well as the mini-series of BLACK NARCISCUS) plays a sort of nasty writer in Kent who is lumbered with a boy evacuated from London during the Blitz. Of course, they gradually become closer. The lesbian flashbacks did nothing for me. Penelope Wilton played the 1975 version of the character in the framing story. Tom Courtenay was nicer than usual in one of these, Meh.
If you are tempted to watch (I want to say on Netflix, but it might be Prime) A MOTHER'S SON, a two part (45 minutes each) miniseries because of the fine cast, WARNING! Don't. It's bad. Hermione Norris and Martin Clunes are a couple recently got together (not clear if they are married), each with two teenage children. A 15 year old girl is murdered, and Norris's creepy son is an obvious suspect, but rather than asking him about his "stolen" trainers (that she finds under his bed covered in blood), she immediately goes into coverup/excuse mode. She is so clearly overwrought and neurotic from the beginning that she is hard to watch. Nicola Walker is wasted as a cop. (SPOILER: he's guilty.)
Finished CONDOR (series two), which got better as it went along, and the second series (apparently there will be more) of the soapy BEAUTY QUEEN OF JERUSALEM. Our first (and a favorite) Icelandic series was TRAPPED (now on Prime), and the long-delayed third series - now called ENTRAPPED - is on Netflix. So far, it's a disappointment, as who wants to see a cult vs. biker gang standoff, even with Andri back helping Hinrika? Not me, so much. On Saturday night Brit Night we're watching POIROT, LOVE SOUP, ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE, and WAITING FOR GOD, along with whatever else we have time for. This week it was SUMMERLAND.
We have to wait until tomorrow for the last episode of FRACTURES (also Icelandic, on MHz Choice). Frustrating.
Reading several Chris Offutt books, including MY FATHER, THE PORNOGRAPHER. Also enjoying Michael Robotham's GOOD GIRL, BAD GIRL.
The weather has finally cooled off to reasonable levels.
Oh, gosh, I guess I am watching the third season of Entrapped on Netflix. The bikers and cult. Will switch to the Prime first seasons.
Wish I could have been there, George but I find it stressful. Once I knew I couldn't tag after Jeff and Jackie I gave up.
I have not seen those docs, Steve. Can you get them on their PBS Passport?
I heard Olaffson on a BBC podcast and marched right to the library.
My arms is even sorer today,Jerry. Good luck.
Patti-Not sure if they are on PBS Passport. The Flannery O'Connor was part of the American Masters series. The Leonard may have only had a local broadcast.
Flannery O'Connor: https://www.pbs.org/video/flannery-mxhspu/
Elmore Leonard: https://www.pbs.org/video/elmore-leonard-but-dont-try-to-write-6EPEgx/
Patty, I looked into THE SACRAMENT by Olaf Olaffson and it sounds very good. I will look for it at the book sale coming up this week, and other books he has written.
Watching: We finished all the DOCTOR WHO we had (on disc) so now we have started STAR TREK DISCOVERY. Have only watched the first three episodes so don't really know where it is going but it is different and interesting so far. We are close to the end of PICARD. Close to the end of the SHAKESPEARE & HATHAWAY series also. Starting the 2nd season of DIRK GENTLY and in the middle of the 2nd season of ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING. Continuing the original PERRY MASON episodes.
I would love to try SLOW HORSES but we don't have access to it. I have read six of the eight books in the series and have the next two on my shelves. I imagine the books are much better anyway. Although the actors/actresses in the series sound very appealing. I can watch Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas in anything.
I finished reading another Brother Cadfael book this week, THE SANCTUARY SPARROW. Also the second book in John Scalzi's Lock In series, HEAD ON. Both very good. Last night I started ANNA KARENINA. I think I read that decades ago. It is so long, I kept putting it off.
The only stress I experience at BOUCHERCON is picking panels. Sometimes two panels I want to see run at the same time!
There is a lot of stress flying today. Delays and cancelations! Diane was worried about me traveling alone, but I managed to get to BOUCHERCON, enjoy it, and returned home with only Delta flight hassles. My greatest fear is that Delta would lose my bag full of books on my way home!
I have always wondered if the Cadfael series on PBS is good. I may try it.
Thanks, Todd. I already watched the Leonard one, which was mostly people saying how great he was. I'd rather have a PBS Masters look at him.
I wanted to know more about his childhood, etc.
I will look at Flannery next. The one on Laura Ingalls Wilder was shocking.
Will look for STAR TREK DISCOVERY. Although it is probably on PEACOCK or PARAMOUNt, which we don't have.
Todd, what is going on with CNN?
The Cadfael series was worth watching. I've always liked Derek Jacobi. We've seen some of the actors playing the other monks in various British series over the years.
We've been able to see THE GOOD FIGHT and STAR TREK DISCOVERY on DVDs from the library.
I, too, went to Bouchercon and had a nice time. I mostly kept to myself except for a few chats with an author who lives in my town and also attended. I went to the bar after the Anthony awards and that pal and I mostly stood around talking. Later I chatted with an agent who was just relieved I was not a writer or aspiring writer. I found the conversation pretty interesting, I don't know if she did.
Minneapolis is about 4 hours from my home and the convention trip had the super bonus of visiting Boy #1 who is a sophomore now. We went to a nearby state park on Saturday afternoon and had a decent hike around the park.
I came home with some extra books and a long list of new authors to check out. I generally avoid approaching any writers who are there. I will thank people for speaking on a panel - because they certainly deserve thanks for their time and sharing - but I rarely approach someone to chat.
I saw THE GOOD FIGHT that way. Sort of ambiguous how to watch DISCOVERY. Maybe on Hoopla and not DVDS.
I am glad you got there, Gerard. It would have been a shame to miss one so close. And the added pleasure of spending time with your son.
CNN is having its budget cut by the same bastard who has run Discovery Networks into the trashheap, John Malone, and his fellow goons, who also want Old-Style news. Actual non-repetitive news on CNN would be an upgrade as far as I'm concerned, but don't expect it anytime soon from them. Meanwhile, NewsNation (WGN America) has managed to put Chris Cuomo back on cable, because hasn't someone, somewhere missed him? (Not here.)
You might be surprised, Gerard, by how much some writers will want to talk to an interested reader, particularly when at Bouchercon. Burnout always an issue, and there are those who are there mostly to club up with others they know, but...hanging out with son rather more important!
If you're looking for some bad Jacobi (dunno why you would be), his turn as Othello in the '70s SHAKESPEARE PLAYS for BBC, imported by PBS, was the most OTT I've seen anyone of his caliber. Somebody other than Iago made him mad.
Watch how they might defund TCM soonish, btw...the Criterion Channel and Kanopy, et al., might be even more necessary soon.
I have not ever tried the Cadfael series either. We hope to do that soon.
We are watching DISCOVERY via Paramount+. Although if you can get it on DVD that is even better. We will probably go that route eventually.
Those who have CNN tell me that it is sliding right now. Having none of those stations I don't know. I am limited to the ABC, CBS, NBC, CW, PBS and streaming HULU, APPLE, HBO MAX, CRITERION, PRIME, NETFLIX.
I do like mysteries!
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