Enjoyed a performance of the DSO Friday night. They played NIGHT ON BALD MOUNTAIN, a piano concerto by Grieg (soloist was Gavrlyik and he was terrific) and a third piece by a female composer I was not familiar with. Mask wearing is almost non-existent now. Started SNOW GIRL on Netflix, a Spanish crime series. I've been watching some old episodes of MOONLIGHTING. As I expected the characters are much better than the plots.
Still plugging along with LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY, which is pretty original. Also started a Ruth Rendell book, NO MAN'S NIGHTINGALE. What a great writer she was.
Lots of podcasts, mostly political ones.
How about you?
25 comments:
Reread The Gentleman's Hour by Don Winslow. Halfway through Wormhole by Keith Brooke and Eric Brown which I am enjoying so far.
Started The Consultants on Amazon Prime. Still watching John Oliver, Poker Face and Last of Us.
Didn't see any movies at the theater. Just not much of interest right now.
Going to Ann Arbor Wednesday to see Chuck Prophet at the Ark. My first concert in awhile.
Otherwise a rather dull week. Suffering through a rough patch of insomnia. Awake most of the night and end up sleeping half the day. Sleeping aids don't seem to help much.
Western NY was hit with an ice storm last week and there are still 2 inches of solid ice on my driveway. Hopefully the 40 degree temperatures this week melt it away. Big Orange is helpless against ice. More snow in the forecast for this upcoming weekend.
Diane and I saw the touring version of HADESTOWN. We'll be seeing BEETLEJUICE: THE MUSICAL in a few weeks.
We're still watching and enjoying POKER FACE. Diane is watching all the Christmas HALLMARK movies she DVRed. I actually enjoyed the one about the rich girl who wants to be a Rockette.
I spoke with Ruth Rendell at a BOUCHERCON and she was charming. Her favorite American writer was Henry James. Stay safe!
Ambien works for me if you can get your doctor to subscribe it. Not much at movies.
We had the ice storm too . Still a lit without power 5 days later.
We lost power in the middle of the night on the first night of the ice storm. But our GENERAC natural gas generator kicked on and restored power until National Grid fixed the problem.
Unlike much of the country we've had pretty good weather here all week. Spent a few days on the porch swing enjoying the sun.
One strange after effect of Kitty's death has had my emotions come right to the very surface. I'm not one for sadness, depression, or pity. Now when I see or hear something that makes me happy, I tend to break down in tears as I remember many of the good things from the past. Maybe it's a way of sublimating depression, but I prefer think it's a case being truly appreciative of my life and everything connected with it. This week I went down a rabbit hole of old songs -- listening to hours of popular, folk, bluegrass, etc. -- and found myself crying at almost every one of them. So many memories. Part of me fears a complete reversal of this next week when Kitty's birthday approaches. We'll see.
Poor Mark! The first day on the new job at the zoo a duck died. We're hoping this will not start a new trend. He's spending a lot of time playing with the new puppy, who has doubled her size in three weeks. She is curious, joyful, and loves everyone -- a perfect match fo the household.
Big doings in Pensacola the past weekend. The annual Pensacon (a comic book-television-movie-nostalgia convention; among other guests, four or five original Doctor whos were scheduled) drew thousands. Held at the same time was the city's 7th annual Food Truck festival, with over three dozen gourmet food trucks from all over the Gulf Coast, which brought in thousands more people. I wisely (and sadly) avoided both -- too much standing and walking for these tired bones. Next weeekend, the city hosts a Renaissance Faire. I will avoid that one, also.
Watched WE HAVE A GHOST, with an outstanding performance by David Harbour. Also caught Season One of LOCKWOOD & CO., based on the fantasy books by Jonathan Stroud. Enjoyable.
All planned reading for the week was jettisoned with the arrival of Max Allan Collins' latest two books. SPILLANE: THE KING OF PULP is about as close as anyone will ever get to a comprehensive biography of the writer. It's a bit light on some of the personal details of Spillane's life (Spillane could be closed-mouth and coy about some things), but is a fascinating look at the man's work and influence on Twentieth century America. That Collins was one of Spillane's closest friends did not preclude a warts-and-all approach -- something which I think Spillane would have appreciated. THE BIG BUNDLE is the lastest (18th!) Nathan Heller novel. This one starts with the kidnapping of 6-year-old Bobby Greenlease in 1953, then fast forwards to 1958 with Bobby Kennedy and Jimmy Hoffa. Compulsive reading. Also, read Carla Jablonski's THE INITIATION, a YA tie-in to Neil Gaiman's BOOKS OF MAGIC, and Ray Brabury's collection THE CAT'S PAJAMAS. Comiong up is the new Lawrence Block Burglar novel and C. A. Cosby's MY DARKEST PRAYER.
Stay safe, Stay happy. Enjoy your week.
So, Jerry's didn't disappear but mine did.
(from Jeff)
no social media, no movies. As a matter of fact we tried three movies we'd saved on Netflix, but... either it was them or us or we were just not in the right mood for any of them on Friday night. First was the adaptation of Don DeLillo's WHITE NOISE with Adam Driver. Jackie hated it (she is not a big fan of Driver and especially of Greta Gerwig) and it just didn't grab me. Then we figured we'd watch Christian Bale chew up the scenery in THE PALE BLUE EYE, set in West Point in 1830, with Edgar Allan Poe as his helper, but Bale was so depressed and recessive as to be nearly comatose, which is how we felt after half an hour. Last was MATILDA THE MUSICAL. We enjoyed this on Broadway with Bertie Carvel as Miss Trunchbull, but the adaptation with Emma Thompson , while critically praised, just didn't do it for us. No suspension of disbelief here. So, you may have liked or loved any or all of these, but we didn't. Jackie said it is streaming series or nothing for us.
We've continued watching what we were watching. We did just start the Norwegian-Israeli THE GIRL FROM OSLO. A young Norwegian woman and her two Israeli friends (brother and sister) are kidnapped by terrorists in the Sinai and held in demand for freeing a dozen terrorists. The girl's mother has flown to Israeli to try and pressure the Israelis to get her back. So far, so good.
In A CONFESSION, Martin Freeman's character (based on a real person) has solved the killings and found the murdered girls, but he violated the killer's rights and is now under investigation himself. WOMEN AT WAR continues on its watchable if unbelievable way, with the four main women (including a prostitute, a former prostitute turned businessman's wife, a nun who broke her vows by having sex with a German patient, and a nurse who is wanted for murder and using another woman's identity) getting medals from the French President. CALIPHATE is kind of infuriating, as teenagers are being recruited right and left under their parents' eyes to go join ISIS in Syria and no one is doing anything.
The weather is warm, very warm and it looks like an even warmer week here, though next week might cool down to more reasonable (80!) temperatures. We spent yesterday with my cousins, went to the Sunday greenmarket, came back here for a while, then went out to a late lunch outdoors in a pleasant seafood restaurant.
I did enjoy THE END OF YOUR LIFE BOOK CLUB by Will Schwalbe and the short stories I'm reading.
When I tried to post something on Tracy's blog yesterday, it disappeared. Twice. Very frustrating and I do apologize. I did not like WHITE NOISE either and haven't tried the others.
I rarely enjoy a movie on TV and prefer the theater. Really enjoying LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY. Been a long time since I stayed up reading past midnight.
Friday and Saturday we had rain and stayed in all day, and some more rain last night and this morning, and expecting some tonight and tomorrow. This morning we did breakfast out and grocery shopping, so I am late to comment here again.
Patti, sorry you had problems commenting on the blog. I had been checking for spam regularly and no sign of any so who knows what blogger is doing. Sometimes I get a weird error message when I comment on my blog, but when I go check the post, the comment is always there. I have been unable to backup my blog for a few days, so I figured out how to get a backup sent to me from Google Takeout. That was interesting.
We have been watching DEATH IN PARADISE and the new season of PICARD. Tonight we will watch an early episode of COLUMBO. It will probably be the 3rd time to see the episode, at least. But it has been a while since we watched them.
I am still reading about the Mitford sisters (THE SISTERS by Mary S. Lovell) and enjoying it. This book has so much more about Jessica Mitford, which is what I was hoping for. It is very slow reading, I will probably finish it in March. I have started MRS. PALFREY AT THE CLAREMONT by Elizabeth Taylor and tonight will start BABY, WOULD I LIE? by Donald Westlake, which Todd recently reminded me of.
I have read all of the Inspector Wexford books by Rendell except NO MAN'S NIGHTINGALE, so it looks like I should find a copy and read it. For some reason I thought as the last book in the series it would not be as good. I have not read many of her standalone books but I have a good number of them on my shelves.
I am not sure if there is another one. So far, I am happy with it. I will give you a review when I finish.
Rendell is probably my favorite mystery writer. Dark but not over the top dark.
I should watch COLUMBO before I get rid of Peacock.
I still have friends out in SOCAL until April and they are suffering with the weather. They had planned so many things that have become difficult. Huge family reunion was completely rained out. I hope rain doesn't turn up in FL next week. But it is likely this time of year. Will be fun to see Jeff Nase and Jeff Meyerson and celebrate what would have been my mother's 100th birthday on 3/13/23.
Have you read Irish novelist Dervla McTiernan, who lives in Australia, but set her first crime novels in Ireland? Liked the first two featuring DI Cormac Reilly and now into a standalone tiled The Murder Rule set in Virginia. Strong blurbs from Don Winslow and Adrian McKinty, two of my favourites. Watching the new Vera on BritBox and an older show titled Goliath with Billy Bob Thornton on Prime. Although it was around 25 below here in Manitoba last week, we avoided the snow storms that hit Minnesota and to the West. No plan to go to Florida for baseball and books this spring. Saw that the mystery bookstore in Delray Beach has closed. Always found interesting books by Florida authors there.
Hello! Long time. No I have never read McTiernan but will look for her. I am stuck at series 8 with Vera. Have to get back to it. Watched too many in CA. I saw the first season of Goliath and then lost track of it. I wonder if there is a bookstore in For Myers. Will look.
We were fans of MOONLIGHTING and would be home every Tuesday night (I think that was when it aired), because Willis and Shepherd were so much fun. This month, we’ve been trying to catch the Academy Award nominees. Wish we had seen TAR in a theater, but it was still pretty great on TV. Another good picture was LIVING, which we caught on the big screen. Disappointed that BENEDICTION and THE DUKE received no nominations. Well, that’s show biz.
Loved TAR and LIVING, although a small movie, was wonderful for BN, who didn't always get the roles he deserved. I guess EEAAO is going to win. It is picking up all guild awards. But it was not my favorite movie. Mine would be TAR or ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT. THE BANSHEES was pretty good too, but is fading away. Funny how that happens. Nice to see you hear Elgin. I do check your blog out when you post.
EEAAO is going to win and I cannot for the life of me figure out why. I went with 5 people and everyone of us hated it. I just don't know where all this love is coming from. My favorites were All Quiet on the Western Front and Banshees. And Mark Ryland should have been nominated for The Outfit.
I always enjoyed Moonlighting, Patti. I agree with you, though, about the characters vs the plots. Still, I liked it.
THE OUTFIT was terrific. I agree.
Bruce Willis was a bartender when he was hired for the part. He was an overnight success. REMINGTON STEELE is completely forgotten now despite Pierce Brosnan also being a big hit.
Agree on Dervla McTiernan. I've read all her books so far. I probably have one or two at home I could send you, but the library should have most or all of them. I quit GOLIATH after series one but Jackie watched and liked all of them. We watched VERA series 12 - the first four episodes with two more to be released later. You need to space them out as they are pretty downbeat. We know some of the areas of Northumberland where they are set. I thought BANSHEES (one of the few things we've seen) was very good.
Glad you liked it, Jeff. Four outstanding performances but it looks like they are being pushed aside except for BAFTA.
Anarchy at work with illnesses, new staff, leaving staff, and getting my annual report in on time. I'm glad we quickly filled one empty position after interviews and it is a person who worked here a handful of years ago. That means less training and time to get up to speed.
Boy #2 had 6 performances at the Solo and Ensemble competition on Saturday. He played solos on tuba and bass and in ensembles. He had top scores for a many pieces, but did not qualify for state this year with a starred performance. I refrained from saying anything like, "If you'd practiced more..."
Our local Fire Department Chief died last week of a heart attack while exercising. If a heart attack happens within a certain time of a work shift the death is considered line of duty. He was a lifelong resident and served the FD for 41 years so there were a lot of people over two days of visitation and Sunday's service. He was only 62.
Current audiobook is R.F. Kuang's BABEL which is a fantasy set in the 1830s and English colonialism and general racist and jerk-faced behavior with anyone not English or Western European (the post-Bonaparte French are still roundly disliked, though).
I also heard Ted Lewis's GBH. A big name in crime fiction that I only now am getting to. I'm also yet to read any TRAVIS MCGEE novels. Imagine that.
I started reading ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE by Eddie Little. Little was a crook-convict turned writer and the novel begins with a 14-yar-old street kid living in an abandoned house and making food and drug money through various thefts and burglaries. Desperate and depressing stuff. The '98 film version passed me by, but having James Woods as the protagonist's junkie mentor makes so much sense.
I was not a fan of MOONLIGHTING...it took its TAMING OF THE SHREW ripoff status Way too seriously (more so than Shakespeare his play's, I'd suggest), and tended toward the cutesy whenever not emphasizing the "taming". (Much as the cutesiness of EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE made it too easy to stop watching at the half-hour point, but I'll eventually look at more of it.)
REMINGTON STEELE seemed a bit blander, but easier to take as well as on the face of it, more a critique of sexism than an furtherer of it.
Gerard, I liked the McGee novels, but they could be repetitive as well as a bit goofy...if you haven't read/listened to MacDonald's standalone novels yet, you'd be better off starting with them, on balance. I'm always ready to champion THE EXECUTIONERS, for example, which was poorly adapted as both films CAPE FEAR.
Or even, a furtherance of sexism.
Whatever happened to James Woods?
Post a Comment