I finally finished THERE, THERE, which had an alarming but well-prepared for ending. It was the type of book I should have read quickly and instead I took a month with it. Shame on me. When you have a dozen characters the only way to keep them straight is to take notes or read quickly and I did neither. Our next book group choice is HORSES. We have two months to read it and I will probably drag it out over those 8 weeks.
I had a story accepted in a newish journal called DARK YONDER. Looks like a nice publication.
Watching OUTER RANGE, (Prime)which has quite a cast. Also FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER, THE CLEANER (PRIME and what a strange one). On Northern Exposure Joel has left now and I doubt it will hold up well without him. The hero's journey needs the hero. And most especially I am watching HACKS (MAX). Has a TV show ever had a more interesting female character? Has a part ever been played better? Smart is not afraid to come off looking bad. And also not afraid to show sentimentality.
Still working at the haikus and haibuns. My entire writing group is doing a piece on the subject of fences for our next group. This ought to be fun.
How about you?
23 comments:
Love this hot weather. 89 today and above 70 all next week. I like to sit out on our buildings back patio and read, although I usually end up talking to people most of the time and get very little reading done.
Watched the new 4k master of Once Upon A Time In West. Henry Fonda liked acting in this because it was the only timehe got to play a bad guy. On TV watched Open Range. I liked this season better than the first. Also Bill Maher, John Oliver, The Sympatizer, The Veil, Dark Matter and Sugar which ended. Need to watche Hacks next.
Reading The Instruments of Darkness, the new Charlie Parker novel from John Connolly. Also started The One by Mathew Hughes on Kindle.
Been listening to my so far favorite album this year-Only God Lives Above Us by Vampire Weekend.
Congratulations on getting your story accepted!
I wish this building had an outdoor space to sit and read and talk. Did Sugar end well? I don't think I ever have seen ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST. Megan advises that I see the Dark Glow movie but I am not a horror fan
We've had pretty rough weather with violent storms for much of the week. This may be a harbinger of things to come. Hurricane season is almost upon us and all predictions are that it's going to be a doozy due to a warmer ocean and La Nina. Normally we have a dozen or less named hurricanes a season but forecasters say we might get twice that, with one cheery chap predicting 32 named hurricanes. Florida is a hurricane magnet so it's time to batten down the hatches. the sever weather made things interesting for Mark at the zoo, but he had no interesting stories to tell us; the animals were not happy, though.
We had planned a picnic on the beach Friday night to celebrate Christina's birthday but ended up inside at a seafood restaurant instead. (Has it really been fifty years? It seems like yesterday when...) Good food, good company, plus the added attraction of not getting drenched. Christina's second-grade co-worker did her proud on her birthday -- Treats, gifts, and all 88 second graders singing Happy Birthday; they made her feel very special (which she is).
Erin has had a not happy week. A co-worker has been trying to turf a lot of her job onto Erin and the situation is making Erin uncomfortable. Plus, Erin's car died this week with no hope of resurrection. Now she has to go through the horrid experience of buying another car that she can afford and hoping she makes the right choice Cars are so expensive now; few people can afford a new car and that has jacked up the market (and the cost) of a used one. In the maybe bright side of things, Erin took her GREs Saturday and did better than she expected, although whether her scores are high enough to get her into vet school is up in the air.
Amy starts her new job on Tuesday. Although she loved working at the shelter, the incompetence and the laziness of her manager were just too much to take. three of her co-workers at the already shirt-staffed facility quit shortly before Amy turned in her notice (without having another job lined up)It took one interview for Amy to be hired on the spot -- better hours, better pay, and a far more congenial atmosphere.
Walt had the house re-wired with high-speed optic fiber. Supposedly that will make our computers run better, but I haven't really noticed a difference. I suspect it makes a big to difference to the large bank of work-at-home computers in Walt's office.
Finished all eleven seasons of FATHER BROWN and am finishing up THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES. Haven't decided what to stream next. Some new shows sound interesting but I also like to plow through the older shows. As usual, caught the late night comics and SISTER BONIFACE.
My reading has basically stalled this past week. I finished only one book, THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE ALPERTON ANGELS by Janice Hallett, an epistolary novel (you don't get many of those these days) about seventeen-year-old murders being investigated by a true crime author. Coverups and secrets abound with a hint of the possibly supernatural, culminating with an assassination attempt on Britain's royal family. Dense and compelling, a well-plotted thriller. I hope to regain my reading chops this coming week.
As we head into Memorial Day weekend, may your wntire week be memorable and wonderful. Take care, Patti.
Yes, Smart is wonderful and we're enjoying HACKS too. We finished FALLOUT (Prime), and not surprisingly, there was a cliffhanger ending and it will be continued in a second series. Ella Purnell is doing quite well lately - first YELLOWJACKETS and now this. COBRA has a third series now, with Prime Minister Robert Carlyle having to deal not only with another crisis, but he annoyingly whiny wife and moronic daughter. When a fellow "activist" called her a "brat" who is only doing this to punish her father, all I could say was "Amen." Jackie wanted to re-watch STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, but so far, it's dated pretty badly. Watched MARYLAND on PBS. It was OK. We haven't started the second series of OUTER RANGE yet. Now that A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW and THE SYMPATHIZER are coming to an end, we'll try those. I recorded both of them. We only watch a handful of network series and they'll be over by next week. Right now, I'd probably pick HACKS as the best thing on television. We started watching the Danish UNIT ONE, which ran in four series from 2000-2004 (it's on MHz Choice/Topic), about a special squad that goes around the country helping local police forces on specific cases.
What I was most impressed by this week in the Teddy Roosevelt biography (I've just read about his defeat for Mayor of New York, followed by his second marriage) was him reading ANNA KARENINA which on a buffalo hunt and cattle roundup in the Dakotas, during a blizzard with temperatures of way below zero.
No major excitement here, but Jackie has an appointment to check the torn tendon behind her left knee, which a doctor told her there was nothing she could do about ten years ago, but which perhaps can be treated now. But she has a head cold and might have to postpone.
The Yankees finally started hitting, and with the way they've been pitching so far (even without Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole), they have the best record in the American League at the moment. Not surprised the Knicks lost, ending their exciting season, as they had too many injuries. And the Rangers are still going well in the playoffs. I must admit it has been many years since I really followed either basketball or hockey. But I've been a Yankee fan since the Mantle-Ford-Berra years.
The weather is finally warming up, though we're still below normal for May and it rains too often.
Oh, I'm up to episode 66 of the Rock Music podcast: Great Balls of Fire.
I listened to one: Heard It Through the Grapevine. Very well done. Don't know why that one came up first. Every day I add a new podcast to my phone. Marc Maron's show-(so it's probably an ad) recommended The Foxed Page with Kimberly Ford, where you get lectures on various literary works.
Street rescue cat (by the late sister of my good friend) Whiskers has survived, so far, the removal of several teeth (our vet estimates she's 4yo, but she's had some terrible dental luck in her life), and she seems much back to her pre-mouth-pain self.
Am noting some reluctance to finishing food by elder cat Ninja, who at least is getting some greater use of the greater part of the house of late (she briefly had the whole house to herself during the day Whiskers (the name she came with, though hers are rather long for a cat her size) was out Enjoying dental fun.
As a Jean Smart fan from way back, I'd been meaning to catch up with HACKS, a series much-approved by female comedians. I'd twigged to just how good Smart is with her brilliant performance in the otherwise Not Bad GUINEVERE (1999), after having enjoyed her work in DESIGNING WOMEN and the like previously.
Best possible luck with the weather, Jerry, and glad things seem to be looking up on family job situations front, at least...Patti, congratulations on the sale and on keeping at the Japanese forms study...Michael Dirda recently published his advice (From a Professional Reader) column, which includes the kinds of note-taking he finds at least useful when dealing with novels such as THERE, THERE as you've described it: https://archive.ph/3H8Nd
My blog yesterday had 666 hits, as it also this morning briefly rested at 2,666,666 all-time hits...what was that sinister piano chord?
ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST was also from the earliest period in which Sergio Leone had the budget and clout to demonstrate his past-mastery as a director. And Ennio Morricone got to spread his wings a bit, too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ViEsSSDgO-s
Patti, I listened to THE HISTORY OF ROCK IN 500 SONGS, the "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" episode, too! Loved it! I'm glad Deb and Jeff recommended it! I have a lot of listening ahead of me.
Starting today, Western NY will have a string of 80 degree days. I'm the opposite of Steve when it comes to weather: hate heat, humidity, and bugs! I live in the A/C until it snows.
Diane is pondering whether it's worth it to go to our AMC theater to see IF...or wait until it shows up on one of our many streaming services.
OUTER RANGE continues to surprise me. Stay safe!
Patti, that is the one he is up to now - Grapevine. There is a place you can go to the first episode: on the right side, Under Links, it has 1. Flying Home.
Last night I noticed that 24 episodes of Northern Exposure had been recorded so I went through them and deleted the ones I didn't want to see for the third or fourth time. You are right about the series going downhill after Joel left. Watched the first two episodes of After the Flood on BritBox and so far pretty good. Set around Manchester.
Latest books were Canadian mysteries. The Survivor by Sean Slater is about a shooting in a Vancouver high school. Down Came the Rain by Raye Anderson features RCMP officers trying to figure out why other officers are being killed. It's set in the Lake Winnipeg region where we have our family cottage. Gave both a three-star rating.
Wildfires have hit northern Manitoba between The Pas where I grew up and Flin Flon where I often visited as a teenager and worked for nearly a year. The community of Cranberry Portage between the two towns had to be completely evacuated. The one wildfire covered an area two-thirds the size of Winnipeg, which is a city of 750,000. Hard to imagine.
Patti, I wasn't that aware of THERE, THERE until you started reading it, but I recently read about Orange's recent book, WANDERING STARS, so I will try THERE, THERE first. And I will keep in mind that it has lots of characters to keep track of. Congratulations on your short story being accepted.
We went outside yesterday and weeded and cut back bamboo in the back yesterday and then we felt bad from allergies the rest of the day.
Our watching is about the same as normal. We finished up the 1st season of ELSBETH and the 21st season of NCIS. Also watching the 11th season of NCIS; it amazes me how many actors stayed on that show until the end. We are coming up on the end of Season 1 of STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE. I am enjoying seeing Connor Trinneer who was in STARGATE ATLANTIS in a recurring role and Linda Park who was in BOSCH. And John Billingsley is fun. We might try OUTER RANGE. We watched one or two on THE CLEANER and it was fun but we haven't tried more. Same for LOOT.
I finished up A RIP THROUGH TIME by Kelley Armstrong, which took me longer than usual since I was reading it on the Kindle Scribe. I got it using Kindle Unlimited and now I have canceled my free trial of that. I enjoyed the story a lot, and have a copy of the second book in that series on the Kindle also, which I will read later this year.
I also read CORPSE IN A GILDED CAGE by Robert Barnard. I always enjoy his books. And I have started reading THE KAIJU PRESERVATION SOCIETY by John Scalzi, which is a good read so far.
Glen is still reading KRAKATOA: THE DAY THE WORLD EXPLODED, AUGUST 27, 1883 by Simon Winchester, and is not all that thrilled with it. He will persevere to the end and I hope he hits some parts he enjoys. He did say it is improving; more historical stuff (which he likes), and less scientific.
Correcting an error: we watching the 11th season of CSI. This is the last season starring Laurence Fishburne. I have forgotten all of the episodes, which is good.
Todd, thanks for that link to the Michael Dirda article on Rules for Reading (including note taking). I enjoy his articles at the Washington Post, but I missed that one.
Cats seem to occupy more of the attention of the several people I know who have them than dogs. I wonder why. Are they a more complicated animal? Are they more prone to various disorders.
I came home to a nice note from haiku journal I sent five haikus to. She took my seventeen syllables and showed me how I could cut it down to fifteen. And in two different ways.
She also gave me a link to a lecture I might find interesting. She referred to me as a student of haiku and i guess I am. I never remember any editor from crime fiction outlets ever taking this much time over a 5000 word story and this was a seventeen syllable submission. I guess poetry editors are a different breed. More like disciples than fiction folks.
I will report to you on how my book group did with THERE, THERE. I have the feeling they will admire it more than love it but there will be plenty of discussion.
Those fires are unreal, Kent. Is there nothing to be done without spending billions on it?
Dogs and cats get about as sick as each other, I'd suggest...cats average slightly longer lives...cats can be harder to mix with other cats in the household, I'd also say. a problem we were reminded of today, when Whiskers proved again how insanely jealous of/hostile to Ninja she can be. We keep them segregated.
You're quite welcome, Tracy...most of US in the discussion group with MD are unwilling to write in books, but the alternatives have their drawbacks, as well.
Climate challenges are as daunting as any we face...
A friend with two cats suggests her cats spend most of the day in the basement. So strange to me.
Todd, I like the idea of writing in books because then the notes are always there, but I don't think after all these years I could actually do it. And then I am always too profuse in my notes, and then there would not be enough room. I sometimes put notes on sticky notes or in book journals but those are hard to keep track of too. And sometimes, as I think Dirda mentions, the notes keep me from being immersed in a book. So I go back and forth and try different things with different books.
In college I had to read collected letters from Emma Goldman which included love letters with plenty of sex talk. I made sure to highlight all the best bits.
I listened Laurie King's BEEKEEPER'S APPRENTICE and enjoyed it quite a bit. Had not realized the novel came out 30 years ago.
I am about 5 episodes away from completing BLACKLIST.
Boy #2 received two scholarships at the annual Scholarship Night for his high school. His mother and I are pleased. Hopefully he will get a discount from the University itself for his National Merit status. Hopefully.
I agree that cats do seem to have more health troubles. At least the ones I have experience with did. Maybe I've been lucky and had healthy dogs.
Healthy cats (and dogs!) sleep a Lot. And like to find various spots to do so! The basement probably has several quiet ones for them...
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