Monday, March 12, 2018

THINGS THAT ARE MAKING ME HAPPY

ANNIHILATION-loved it. Is it about cancer, depression, environmental degradation or just about those darn aliens trying to get a foothold through commandeering a human host? Whatever meaning you choose, it was gorgeous and nice to see women in the leading roles. Loved Garland's EX MACHINA a few years back too.

Happy to be doing research on the development of the prairie cities. I always forget how much I enjoy research, which is why I was a history major, I guess. That is not to say I have gotten a start on a story yet. That's what often trips me up. When do you climb out of the rabbit hole?

Happy that the Friends of the Huntington Woods Library have willed me food and wine for my event Wednesday night. I have met so many generous, loving people in this neighborhood. They are always trying to make things better.

Love Season Two of Hap and Leonard and my husband even more than me. They have a winning formula there with the setting, actors, stories.

Wonderful doc on Netflix about the artist, Eva Hesse. 



14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm really interested in your research on prairie cities, Patti. I lived on the prairie for a few years - they were very good years.

Jerry House said...

Kitty celebrated her birthday and is as beautiful as ever.

I was glad when we got a letter from Kitty's last surviving aunt and uncle, both in their nineties and living in Coeur d'Alene. We usually correspond with them about once a month but hadn't herd from them since the new year. Both are active, happy, doing well, and have hunkered down for the winter.

Binge watched GODLESS and the second season of JESSICA JONES. Both very good, but JJ was pretty dark.

Beautiful weather (except for today) so we got a lot of yard work done.

Although it doesn't make me happy, it does give great pride to announce that I have become an expert in cleaning the cat's litter box. Small victories -- I'll take them.

May victories, large and small, be with you all this week, Patti.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Thanks, Margot.
We really liked GODLESS but gave up on JJ midway through the first season. Happy Birthday to Kitty!

Charles Gramlich said...

Just finished reading the book Annihilation and enjoyed it

George said...

Looks like Western NY will warm up towards the end of the week.

We saw a funny musical, SOMETHING ROTTEN!

March Madness has begun and SUNY at Buffalo will play Arizona on Thursday.

pattinase (abbott) said...

I think the movie is considerably different from what the reviews have said. I am tempted to read the book, which I did after seeing UNDER THE SKIN. So different.
I thought we had a warmup in sight, George, but it seems to have disappeared.

Steve Oerkfitz said...

The movie Annihilation is a lot different from the book.
Saw Red Sparrow. I found the pacing very slow until the end.
Binge watched the first 7 episodes of Counterpart. Enjoyed it. I will watch most anything with J K Simmons.
Read a lot of good books lately. Should finished Night Dogs by Kent Anderson and am reading The Hunger by Alma Katsu about the Donner party. Also reading your short story collection and should be at your book launch Wednesday. Have The Wife by Alaifar Burke on deck.

Jeff Meyerson said...

I must admit that I didn't love ANNIHILATION. I liked it but didn't think it was great.

I am enjoying I BRING SORROW. So far my favorite story remains a reread, the wonderful "How to Launder a Shirt." I don't think it could be improved.

We enjoyed the cooler weather last week. Not looking forward to going home next weekend, but that's the hassle of packing up after 10 weeks and the trip itself, rather than the idea of leaving.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Oh, great. Please ask a question, Steve. Only one other person who has read it will be there. Love Counterpart. I can see that running for several seasons.
Thanks, Jeff. I don't know why I loved it. Maybe because of the multiple ways you could read it. Packing up a car must be harder than an airline trip back. It seems like we never went away. I hate that.

Rick Robinson said...

Your research sounds interesting. Does it tie in at all with the Laura Ingles Wilder book you read last Fall?

It will be 70 degrees today, sunny and nice. More Portland winter weather coming, rain and some wind, but the weekend was gorgeous and so will be today.

Our Robins are back, hopping about on the lawn and splashing in the birdbath, which I scrubbed out last Friday as it was getting a little green. The Varied Thrush family is also active - such pretty birds! - and we are beginning to see some nest building activity in our back garden. Spring is a few weeks away, but it sure feels like it here!

Gerard Saylor said...

Re-watched season one of JESSICA JONES and started the second season.

Took Boy #2 to Bike-O-Rama in Madison which is the Spring bike show with a few thousand new bicycles for sale. He was able to check out some new mountain bikes.

My wife and I both worked this weekend. Since we both also had Friday off we went shopping for a new van. We were able to look at all the models we wanted to compare and we narrowed our choice down to the Chrysler Pacifica. We have not bought anything yet but I am happy because the 2017 used models are right within our price range.

I filled in for four 4-year-old kindergarten tours at work last week and the story times went well.

pattinase (abbott) said...

I am writing a story based on the painting THE PRAIRIE IS MY GARDEN so I am trying to understand what that area was like. The book probably drew me to choosing this painting. No spring here, Rick.
It must be very gratifying to introduce small kids to the library. With your lifestyle a van must be critical.

Kevin R. Tipple said...

Good evening from NE Dallas where it was 70 today and the weeds are filling in nice and green out in the yard.....I hope the book event goes off great!

I have started watching season two of Hap and Leonard. Getting through that first episode was tough as one of the storylines hit far too close to home. Very different circumstances here, but a very hard topic for me.

Kevin
(who also knows the 80s, 90s, and 100 plus degree days are not far off)

pattinase (abbott) said...

Hey, Kevin. Nice to see you here. Love Hap and Leonard although it is often hard to watch. So much prejudice, so much anger.
It is still in the thirties here. But it rarely goes above 90 in Michigan.