Well, things turned out much, much better than I expected a week ago. I have listened to a million podcasts explaining what it all means. Phil used to serve that purpose but now I am at the mercy of the various newspaper podcasts. (I don't have CNN or MSNBC on my TV to do that for me), And although I read the print version of the NYT, I need more explanation than it provides.
Winter arrived (again) this week. Only in the thirties. Watched LOVING HIGHSMITH on Kanopy but found it a strange film. It was scored and edited to look very romantic. And although they showed a scene or two from Ripley, Carol and Strangers on a Train, mostly it was extended interviews about her personal life with Mary Jane Meeker and other contemporaries. I think the intent was to soften her image. Also watching From Scratch, which is a delightful change from my usual menu of crime dramas and The Crown, (both Netflix)which I am sort of tired of by now. The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)finished with a very good episode and an ending that although not happy gave us something consoling. White Lotus (HBO) has a great second episode.
Atlanta (Hulu) also finished brilliantly.
Really liked the movie Causeway on Hulu.
Reading a strange book called The Old Place by Bobby Finger. Not sure who recommended it
Talked to my brother, Jeff, this week who continues to trace ancestors. Too bad I am not a Nase because he found out that Mathias Nass left Alsace on the Britannia from Rotterdam in 1731and landed in Philadelphia with his large family and settled in the Indian Valley in Bucks County/Montgomery Country. The ship's captain, Michael Franklyn changed the spelling of their name to Nehs. The spelling changed about a dozen times but they pretty much stayed in that area for 400 years. He has also traced our maternal side back to Robert Bruce and the Sheriff of Bute in the very early days of Scotland. I know almost nothing about my birth father though. My siblings (if they are that indeed) would need to do DNA testing to bring this to light.
How about you?
22 comments:
Half-sibs definitely count! Marijane Meaker definitely didn't romanticize much if at all in HIGHSMITH: A ROMANCE OF THE '50S.
Oddly enough, a simple majority of voters Don't Prefer Lunacy in their politicians. Surprise! Likewise, despite the assurances of such clowns as Chris Christie, oddly enough healthcare for women IS important to a Whole Lot of voters, including some men. While worldwide inflation caused by inept responses to Covid and opportunistic corporate greed Didn't stampede US voters to the GOP...can you imagine? And they so good about public health and reining in the CEOs. Oh, wait. Albeit the neoliberal bosses of the Dems couldn't get behind the slightly differing kind of centrism Tim Ryan offered in Ohio, so we're stuck with the most embarrassing writer in the Senate, Rumpist JD Vance, instead. So it goes. The clown car blew their potential Senate majority, at least.
Exhausted myself fixing up and cleaning things in the house on Friday, still recuperating. Watched Dave Chappelle on SNL make a couple of good, funny points and also whine about how he can't say what he wants to w/o critique, poor rich baby. Also watched a bit of YELLOWSTONE and 60 MINUTES, THE SIMPSONS, THE CIRCUS (too much shallow punditry as usual), a bit of SPECTOR (too familiar and sad), LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (good ep with some unnecessary brutality at the end), LAST WEEK TONIGHT, and THE WHITE LOTUS (with the one continuing character slipping completely into self-indulgent perpetual adolescence, to a cartoonish extent). Looked at a few minutes of the imported military "lighthearted" drama on Epix, too smartassed, and a bit of DANGEROUS LIAISONS the series on Starz, not too shabby.
But the worst bit of unchallenged punditry gone amok I saw this past week was on PBS NEWSHOUR, when "liberal" WASH PO commenter Jonathan Capehart damned near had the Vapors of delight because VA Gov. Youngkin, after cracking an asinine joke about Paul Pelosi's injuries, BY GOD Wrote A Handwritten Letter Of Apology, glory be. "Who does that?" he all but gasped while gushing. No one asked in response, Who makes a stupid off-the-cuff "witticism" about a quasi-colleague's husband being nearly killed in the first place? "Genial"-version Rump/DeSanctimonious, is who, along with fellow partisans. "In an envelope, And Everything!"
One of my acquaintances of some 30+ years, Martin Morse Wooster, was killed while walking along a Virginia road on Saturday night by a hit-and-run driver. Learned this Sunday aft. Shakes one up, to say the least.
Glad you've been enjoying the television/films you've been watching. Sometimes, we need those things to give us some rest.
Went beaching on Saturday but, try as U might, did not see a Red Wave. Warm sun, whire sands, gentle breezes, three dolphins in the distance, and the mesmerizing motions of the non-red waves did much to ease my troubled soul. While it was not evident at the beach, the Red Wave did a number on the Florida Panhandle -- which was expected, being MAGA Central. The GOP, though, may be a tad hasty in annointed DeSantis as the Next Coming; Ron's 20% lead over former Republican Charlie "No, really, I'm a Democrat now" Crist does not mean he can transfer that nationwide. DeSantis spent much of the past two years rigging the field in his favor, something he won't be able to do outside of Florida. Plus, the sob may well implode. Good times.
Two new additions to the family this week. Potato, a hedgehog, has joined Erin and Pine cone (her other hedgehog) at school in Tallahassee. A friend of Amy's mentioned thaat she was going to give their hedgehog to a good home and Amy immeditely said, "Hold my beer," and called Erin. Potato came wth his own cage and all the fixin's. According to Amy, Erin, and Erin's boyfriend, Potato is a very sweet hedgehog. A couple of days later, Amy -- who works in the local animal shelter -- found out the one of the cats there might have to be put down -- a 22-pound tom that had been adopted three yeaar ago, then declawed, and found as a stray last week with a large wound on his back quarters. He had been microchipped but the owners could not be found (something rather common in a city with a heavy military population, what with transfers and what not). Someone at the shelter poked at the cat's wound and received a sharp bite, which meant that the cat was automatically tagged as a "dangerous" cat and was not adoptable. So tender-hearted Amy took the cat home because he was so sweet. The wound appears well-healed now and does not seem to bother him. The cat itself has been nothing but love and cuddles and has bonded well with Jessie and the girls. Ceili has fallen in love and decided to name him Gargoyle. I'm scheduled to take him to the vet this afternoon for a final check on his wound.
Jack had his school chorus concert on Thursday evening. Having attended many fifth-grade concerts over the year, I was pleasantly surprised that this one was actually good! Also on Thursday, Christina was roped into signing the Pledge of Allegience at two assemblies at the elementary school where she works. Needless to say, Christina rocked it.
Still not watching TV, depite the factthat there are a lot of shows and programs I rally want to watch. For some reason though I just can't get intoit yet now. Soon, maybe.
Instead of watching TV, I've been reading my body weight in books -- far too many to list here. **sigh**
You may interested to know that Kitty's mother claimed she was descended from Robert the Bruce. (She also claimed to be tangentally related to Jesse James through an aunt of his.) Although I would not put much credence into what my mother-in-law claimed (she also never met a conspiracy theory she did not like), there is a miniscule chance that Kitty was an umpty-umpth cousin a zillion times removed from some ancient Nase. I hope you have a fantastic week while pondering over that, Patti!
According to my Scottish friends, everyone in Scotland is descended from Robert Bruce. At least my maternal side is legitimate. I couldn't read after Phil's death. I think focus takes a long time to return. Maybe never at our age.
More folks have been hit walking on roads at night. It pretty much ruined Andre Dubus's life. And I think Stephen King was hit too. '
Good thing about apts. Nothing to fix except what you bring with you.
I'm still in shock over the Mid-Term Election results! With the Democrats holding the Senate, Mitch McConnell can't stuff the Federal Judiciary with terrible judges with life-time terms. Plenty of Election Deniers went down in flames, too. But, Trump threatens to announce his Presidential run on Tuesday. Deja vu all over again!
Patti, you should be pleased that Michigan has become a Blue State!
Diane and I drove in falling snow to see TINA, the Tina Turner musical, at Shea's Performing Arts Center yesterday. It was sold out as was WAKANDA FOREVER. Our local TV meteorologist said, "We won't be seeing 70 degree temperatures until 2023."
I welcome the freezing weather because my allergies made Life miserable last week. I took all my allergy meds and they made me feel like a zombie! Hopefully the freezing temps will neutralize the molds and pollens and other allergens that attack me! Stay safe!
Michigan was miraculous-turning over both houses.
I have to get used to these temps or I will be a prisoner in this apt.We had snow flurries too.
Trying to figure out how to use my smart humidifier. Always had one on the furnace in our houses. The air in here is so dry. My friend is having two visitors from Buffalo next week. At least they will be prepared for the weather.
King was hit in broad daylight, with the truck driver messing with his dog. But walking anywhere near the edge of a road is probably not the safest, alas.
Yup, having a super is a benefit of the smaller-sized domicile. My sister just bought a loft in San Francisco, after she and her ex-wife sold their Mountainview house for a few million more than they paid for it. Big favors. Alice and I keep wondering if selling this one, which might strike its next owner as a teardown, might just be the Better Option. But Alice did buy it for certain charming aspects, including the steam heat...a dying form that to be maintained properly, should be bled and refilled with fresh water every two weeks. Not a huge trial, but a nuisance.
Sort of like a huge humidifier.
I love The Sheriff of Bute. I'd reading IDENTICAL STRANGERS: A Memoir of Twins Separated and Reunited by Elyse Schein and Paul Bernstein, who were featured in that THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS documentary, as other twins who were separated as young children and who discovered they were twins in their 30s. Interesting how differently they see things, while still having a lot in common.
Speaking of documantaries, I highly recommend MISS ANGELA, about ANgela Alvarez, the Cuban woman who had her dream come true by performing on stage at age 91 and then having her songs (which she'd been writing since age 15) recorded and released. She is nominated for a Latin Grammy this year *the awards are Thursday). The movie tells her life story - shipping her four children to the US in 1962, being able to follow them three months later when they had already been sent to an orphanage in Pueblo, Colorado, her husband's death at 53, etc. She's an incredible woman, well worth making a movie about. We watched this free on Tubi.
MAGPIE MURDERS is limping to its "who cares" finish. I don't know why we're even bothering to watch in (Lesley Manville, for one) because - literally - who cares?
Watched the first episode of James Corden's MAMMALS, the 6 part, 3 hour "dramedy" but the second episode was so awful we have no intention to watch the rest, because it is just awful. He's a chef about to open his first restaurant when his wife has a miscarriage, after which he discovers she's been having an affair, then a second affair, then...how many others? But rather than confront her, he acts all loving while secretly having his brother in law (and best friend) secretly investigate her. I've already read the "secrets" that are revealed, but apparently there is a cliffhanger, presumably to leave it open for a second series. Not for me.
We watched the first episode of THE ENGLISH, the western with Emily Blunt. At least we will watch a second. Plenty of guest star scenery chewing - Ciaran Hinds and Toby Jones in episode one - though I found a key scene way too dark, to the point almost of invisibility.
THey claimed my post was too long to take. I don't think it was longer than Jerry's but who knows. Will add part two here:
Several friends recommended the French ASTRID (PBS, I think) about yet another autistic savant, of sorts. Astrid has Aspergers and works in the records department of the Paris police, where she discovers the connection between two (and then a third) recent murders. Sara Mortensen is Astrid and Lola Dewaere is the cop who recognizes her talent.
Another French show recommended by a friend is CANDICE RENOIR, which has had 10 series on French television since 2013. Renoir was a cop in Paris when she took a ten year hiatus, as she had four children and went with her husband around the world for his job. But after catching him cheating, she divorced him and got someone (not totally explained in the first episode) to help her get a job as Commander in the South of France. Unfortunately, someone else had been promised that job, and he and his team are extremely hostile to her (they call her "Barbie" behind her back), to the point of insolent insubordination. And there is the question of the gap causing her skills to be behind modern times. But she has other, subtler skills. We will definitely watch this one again. I want to say Acorn, but I'm not sure.
We've started watching CRACKER again since Robbie Coltrane died. Very well worth seeing, as it was really a force of nature. Barbara Flynn was his soon to be ex-wife, a young Christopher Eccleston (pre-Doctor Who) the boss, and this episode had a very young Susan Lynch as one of the killers.
Watching the econd series of BACKSTROM and THE NORDIC MURDERS. Probably several others I've forgotten.
We are not really enjoying Guillermo Del Toro's CABINET OF CURIOSITIES horror anthology.
We had warmer than normal - averaging over 10 degrees warmer - temperatures over the first two weeks of November, but that is gone now and we are in for a long colder than normal spell. As Jackie always says, that's how they get the average.
Todd, I knew Martin Wooster from the late '70s to the early '80s, so before your time. That was a horrible story. Yes Patti, I'd forgotten Andre Dubus was hit that way. He had a leg amputated and was in terrible pain for the rest of his life.
No movies at the theater this week. Rewatched Rolling Thunder (a Quentin Tarantino favorite), and and Don't Look Now. On tv-John Oliver, Bill Maher, White lotus, Magpie Murders (getting to drag), The English, Handmaid's Tale.
Read Ian Rankin's A Heart Full of Tombstones. Spent several days trying to get into The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy. Couldn't get past page 50. I'm a big McCarthy fan but this was too much work.
Last one was mine.
Cracker was on the year we spent in Manchester and we really enjoyed it. I may have to watch it again. Yes, I gave up on MAGPIE. Don't get why PBS gets such mediocre series.
An interview I heard with Dubus basically said he was waiting to die because of the pain and disability. So sad. Such a great writer.
I agree. Loved his stories.
It is amazing and gratifying that the elections went so well.
We missed all of our walks last week for various reasons and thus were looking forward to walking today. But at the last minute the tree trimmers decided to come this morning to do the lemon tree and a couple of other smaller things, so we are not walking but watching the tree trimming. And we will be happy to have it done.
I bought some trekking poles for when we go walking because a lot of times the surfaces are uneven. I think I am going to like them, I tried them out yesterday in the green area next to our condominiums.
We are watching STAR TREK DISCOVERY and STAR TREK STRANGE NEW WORLDS and STAR TREK DEEP SPACE 9. Also PERRY MASON shows from the 60s, we are in season 6. And MCDONALD & DODDS, and BROKENWOOD MYSTERIES.
I finished reading THE BULLET THAT MISSED by Richard Osman and now I am reading A POCKET FULL OF RYE by Christie, a Miss Marple book.
Yes, THE ENGLISH, but just the first episode so far. And they seem to have cast mostly English.
I am trying to get myself outside to walk but it is so cold. I just pace my apartment. The drug I take for breast cancer (not active) is supposed to make you hot but I am freezing cold all the time.
BTW, Jeff --My post was also too long so I just lopped off a largish paragraph. I had considered going back and eliminating all the vowels, but evidently blogger counts the number of words, not letters.
Your posts are never too long for me!
Patti--like a humidifier in terms of biweekly tasks, though essentially the steam heat pipes keep the steem trapped...largely, one drains them to cut down on the amount of corrosion sediment the steam/condesation is bearing.
Jeff--How did you know Martin back when? Editorial work, fandom? It should've occurred to me that someone might've seen that who hadn't previously heard.
Todd Mason using Alice's computer again, above. Half asleep.Yesterday's tasks took us both out of the home, to get Alice's hybrid car fixed as an un-upgraded bit of software was draining the battery on every cold occasion.
I finished IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE and enjoyed the book. I started James Ellroy's THIS STORM. It's been a while since I read an Ellroy novel and I remember why I like his work. I also recall why I am annoyed by him.
I listened to Stephen King's THE OUTSIDER a month or so ago and decided to watch the TV version. I'm on the 3rd or 4th episode and enjoy how the supernatural killer has barely appeared compared to the novel.
I was avoiding election night news because there was nothing I could do. I happy with the overall results. I am unhappy that Our Dumb Senator was re-elected in WI. My wife mentioned a comment she read online about Dumb Senator's opponent Mandela Barnes being black. The poster wrote something to the effect of, "Johnson is terrible, but in our rural area a black guy WON'T get elected." And from Milwaukee, no less. The state GOP have been demonizing MKE for decades.
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