OPPENHEIMER was very good although two things distracted me. First, trying to place the myriad of actors slightly altered to look their part. Of course, I recognized Matt Damon, Robert Downey, Jr and others, but I highly recommend if you intend on seeing it to look over the cast before going. Secondly, music played behind a lot of the dialog, and it was hard to hear. Or perhaps I am just overly used to using closed captions. But its greatness still shone through--even without seeing it on an IMAX screen.
BARBIE today.
Watching a strange but likable show called PURE on Prime. Other than that, I drift. As I also have been doing with books. I got the book mentioned on THE BEAR, which is called THE REMARKABLE POWER OF GIVING PEOPLE MORE THAN THEY EXPECT (Will Guidara) This is advice on how to create a great restaurant, which Richie on The Bear has taken to heart. This could apply to any business though-making a customer feel valued, seen appreciated. At dinner last night, I felt like giving a copy to our waitress who kept trying to clear plates off the table before we were done. And there were plenty of empty tables at 5 pm.
Also reading TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT, Graham Greene. Maybe. So far I read a page and fall asleep. I bought the copy at Toadvine Books, a lovely little bookstore in Berkley, MI. They have a great collection of mysteries there. I hope people know about it. Also great art books and children's books.
Wednesday night I went to the park concert where they played surf instrumental music for two hours. Perhaps a bit too much, but they were good.
My book group struggled with DAUGHTER OF TIME. Although strangely enough when I got my report from 23 and Me, an ancestry site, my oldest known ancestor was Richard III. Me along with millions of other people. I do know now that my birth father was a man named Jack Yarnall. Ralph Nase was a wonderful father and I am glad he never knew this. I wish I had never learned of it too.
What about you?
14 comments:
I'm very glad you enjoyed Oppenheimer, Patti. We want to see that one, too. I've been hearing that it's excellent, and I'm glad it worked for you.
Interesting choice of films, Patti. I've been thinking about joining the BARBENHEIMER crowd, but I'll probably wait until they are on streaming services. And the ability to make customers feel valued and appreciated appears to be a rapidly declining art. (Somewhat off target, more and more stores are refusing to accept hand-written checks because store clerks are unable to read cursive. **sigh**)
This past year has been more stressful than I consciously realized. During the past week following Kitty's service, it was as though a weight had been lifted and I found myself totally exhausted and was finally able to sleep. Current goals are to work my way toward regular sleep and eating patterns -- something that's been missing for the past year or so.
Jessie had added another animal to her menagerie -- a young orange cat they are calling Creme Brulee. She came from Amy's animal shelter and evidently has a spastic condition that is similar to Loca, the dog that cannot feckin' run [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtpK9uxTZhE]. She will be greatly loved in her new home.
Watched the final season of ENDEAVOR. Sad to see that show close.
I did some reading over the past few weeks (surprise, surprise!), First and foremost was Megan's BEWARE THE WOMAN, a first-class piece of writing. Also read four Sax Rohmer collections: TALES OF SECRET EGYPT, THE HAUNTUNF OD LOW FENNEL, THE GREEN SPIDER AND OTHER FORGOTTEN TALES OF MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE, and THE LEOPARD COUCH AND OTHER STORIES OF THE FANTASTIC AND THE SUPERNATURAL. Also read four science fiction classics: GALACTIC PATROL, SKYLARK OF VALERON, and MASTERS OF THE VORTEX (a.p.a. THE VORTEX BLASTER) by E. E. "Doc" Smith. and AFTER WORLD COLLIDE by Edwin Balmer & Philip Wylie. Dean Koontz's latest, AFTER DEATH was typical for the author, although I was three-quarters through before I realized there were no dogs. Then, in short order, came throw-away references to three golden retrievers, two dead and one living; and Koontz came through in the last fifty pages by throwing in a "canis ex machina" ending. SUSPICIOUS MINDS by Martin Edwards was a Harry Devlin mystery, and a good one. I also read Basil Copper's collection THE UNCOLLECTED CASES OF SOLAR PONS, as well as two books by F. Paul Wilson -- SECRET STORIES: TALES FROM THE SECRET HISTORY and (with Matthew J. Costello) THREE FILMS AND A PLAY, containing films scripts for WEATHER WAR, ACES, and PSI, and the play SYZYGY. Currently reading E. Howard Hunt's HOUSE DICK.
Weather has been hot as Hades. Luckily, what many of politicians used to say was that Climate Change does not exist. So I guess I won't have to worry about that.
Have a great week, Patti. Stay happy. Stay safe.
I have been wondering about these delayed funerals and memorials. My DIL's father's memorial took six months and a number of people seemed to have forgotten the event's details. I guess COVID sparked this but it seems to be part of the culture now. Certainly only in the Jewish faith are people getting buried quickly.
Glad you liked BTW, Jerry.
Well worth seeing, Margot.
Patti, we were discussing 23 and Me with my cousins in Maine last week. I wish I could remember the context. I do remember thinking, this is why I don't want to do that. I do not need or want to know anything more about my ancestry, not that I would expect to find out anything very shocking.
This was a quiet week, warm to hot and humid. We're definitely eating out less this summer and eating in more. It's the weather, not the money, obviously. We have a concert this week - The Mavericks on Friday at the Beacon. Jackie (whose idea it was originally) decided we do NOT need to stay in a hotel after these Manhattan concerts after all, so canceled our reservation for Friday and for the night of the Jackson Browne concert next month. It would be one thing if we could stay int he Marriott Marquis, but their prices are out of sight, and to stay in a Fairfield Inn for over $200 seems a waste of money. The problem is, we need to take a bus from Broadway and 74th Street to catch our express bus on Fifth Avenue (probably the stop at 41 Street), and with buses running only once an hour at that time, timing is tricky. Jackie will NOT ride the subway.
We did get tickets for two more concerts - Lucinda Williams in October (we saw her last summer), and Graham Nash in a John Lennon benefit concert in December at Town Hall, with guests including Judy Collins, Rosanne Cash and Shawn Colvin. Town Hall is so much more convenient to the express bus.
I really recommend SMALL MERCIES by Dennis Lehane if you want some great writing. Currently reading the latest Anne Hillerman book about Jim Chee and Bernie Manuelito.
We watched the last episode of THE LAZARUS PROJECT (until the next series) last night. Good, but it annoyed me too. They unbalanced the show by giving more and more airtime to George, the newest recruit and a bad choice. Seems they can reboot the world in the face of pending catastrophe, like an imminent nuclear war. In that case, everything would go back to exactly where it was on the previous July 1, though only a small group of people would know they were reliving things. Well, George's girlfriend was killed in an early episode, and he decides screw the rest of the world, he's going to find a way to engineer a reboot and bring her back, because after all, one man's desires are more important that the rest of us, right? The fact that she later dumps him, while satisfying, doesn't change it or take away the bad taste. Anyway, I'm sure we'll watch it next time.
LONDON KILLS is back for a fourth series on Acorn, and I prefer it this way, with four separate stories rather than one continuing arc. Finished DI RAY. Still watching (from time to time) INSIDE NO. 9 (some of them very creepy), BLACK MIRROR (a very Twilight Zone-like episode), SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE, CANDICE RENOIR, BALTHAZAR.
Jackie is watching FUBAR on Netflix, but one episode was enough. HATED Arnold's daughter. And speaking of bad daughters... is anyone watching JUSTIFIED? Other than giving Timothy Olyphant's daughter a job, why is she in it, a 20 year old playing an annoying 15 year old with a baby voice that is fingernails on the blackboard to me. Plus, the script...it's been a long time since I read CITY PRIMEVIL so have no memory of it (other than it was set in Detroit and there was no Raylan Givens). Let's just say, as villains go, this guy is no Boyd Crowder or Mags Bennett. He exists for one reason, to be gunned down by Raylan in the last episode.
One bit of terrible news last week. A very good friend in North Carolina (who we visited after the Raleigh Bouchercon in 2015), died in her sleep at 65.
The smoke from Canada drifts into Western NY starting tomorrow. Then, by the end of the week, 90 degree temperatures will arrive to broil us.
Diane and I went to see BARBIE. Diane loved it (she still has some of the original Barbie dolls) while I was less enthusiastic. But BARBIE took in $155 million at the Box Office so clearly it's a hit.
I had my yearly physical and everything is fine except for the nagging pain back and leg pain from my spinal stenosis. I see my back doctor in Wednesday for some relief.
From the movie trailers shown before BARBIE, the rest of the Summer will be a vast wasteland of mediocre movies. Stay safe@!
Way too young but that's the way to go.
I am embarrassed at her performance (City Primeval).
I was looking at a trip to NY in Sept but it would have cost about $3000 for 3 1/2 days. Just too much. Like Bouchercon, my time there is probably over. Not just the money but the difficulty in getting around. My P-T so far is making my knees worse.
Been meaning to get the Lehane. Love Lucinda Williams.
Re: delayed memorials. My father died in November, 2020 and we've not yet been able to schedule anything. I am not sure if we will.
Our family did some car shopping on Saturday and had three test drives for all electric models. There is a balance between seeing new cars and all their tech advances versus the cost of buying one. Because of that cost we are now talking hybrid rather than electric only.
Hi Patti
You know you're always welcome at Casa Meyerson. We have the car for Brooklyn, the express bus for the city and Megan could meet you in either place. Don't know how comfortable the couch is though.
Jackie
Sorry to here the bad comments about Justified. I loved the original series. Have yet to watch the reboot.
Haven't seen any movies in the theater yet. MI 7 and Oppenheimer are on my list.
Was going to stop in at Toadvine on my way back from the doctor's today than realized they are closed on Monday. They also have a good SF and horror sections. As though I need any more books.
Read Beware the Woman by Megan Abbott. Highly recommended.
I am sure we will watch OPPENHEIMER eventually although we will wait and buy a disc or stream it. The Barbie movie, probably not. I never had Barbie dolls although I had a friend that did.
Things we have been watching: We started SS-GB after I read the book finally, and have watched 2 of 5 episodes. Also watching lately: THE AFTERPARTY, STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS, STAR TREK: VOYAGER, CSI, DEATH IN PARADISE (in Season 11 now), BROKENWOOD MYSTERIES, MIDSOMER MURDERS, and more. We gave up on BASED ON A TRUE STORY.
I read THE NATURE OF THE BEAST by Louise Penny and recently finished DISCO FOR THE DEPARTED by Colin Cotterill. I am sorry I waited so long to read this third book in the series and now there are 15 books total.
Glen is reading THE SEASIDE: ENGLAND'S LOVE AFFAIR by Madeleine Bunting. He has another book by her, LOVE OF COUNTRY, about the Hebrides.
Last week when Glen went to the dentist for the crown, the dentist could not determine which tooth had the problem based on discomfort, because there was no pain anymore. So the dentist did not do the work on the tooth. I thought that was very strange, but the dentist said it was not that unusual. We both have annual exams on August 11th, so the dentist will check it again then. This would be his fourth crown if it ever happens.
Thanks, Jackie. I was going to meet up with some DC friends but decided it was getting too complicated. I am going to revisit the idea. Maybe in the spring.
Steve-I enjoyed the first two eps well enough--except for his daughter. Of course, we have Detroit going for us.
I will have to try Afterparty. I gave up on Based on a True story too.
Electric cars are still a bundle I guess. I know quite a few people that ended up with a hybrid.
The problem with electric cars at the moment mostly remains Don't Buy a Tesla, unless things remarkably improve there, which, as the former Twitter might suggest, they won't, sufficiently, until a certain Junior Trumpoid is out the door again. My sister still regrets buying one.
Patti--sorry that the discovery of your biological father remains so disruptive...glad, Jerry, that closure in the sense of the gathering and memorial has been achieved...and, sorry, Jeff, that your friend died so abruptly and rather young. Gerard, my sister, who has broken off communications (and me so affable...it does run in the family) and I have not been able to schedule a service for the interment of our father's 2020 ashes, either. That his remains will be in sepulcher at the Punchbowl Military Cemetery on Oahu, along with our mother's, means the extended family won't be there, as they weren't for hers, anyway. Inasmuch as there's been no lack of misery in the family history, having a sense of the current genetic technology results still seems interesting to me, but it's not something I've been willing to budget for as yet.
Have tended to enjoy the first two episodes of the Givens Coda version of PRIMEVAL so far...the young woman's performance doesn't sweep me away, but I haven't found it quite as annoying as some here. Will, wait, as with Jerry, for OPPENHEIMER to arrive on video, as I'm not a fan of Nolan's work so far.
Closed captions will probably help you to understand some of the dialog that eluded me. Thanks, Todd
Indeed. JUSTIFIED/PRIMEVAL last night was playing low-volume dialog/high-volume incidental music games as well.
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