Holiday Rituals

The holidays are here!  I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I've written before about my annual viewings of Home for the Holidays and Pieces of April over Thanksgiving.  I did the same thing this year.  I just love those movies.  For some reason, I cried more than usual at Pieces of April--the movie is great and really tugs at the heartstrings.

I started thinking about other rituals I have at this time of year.  I won't listen to Christmas music until the Friday after Thanksgiving, and then, I always start with Mariah Carey's "Merry Christmas" album.

Next I listen to "Soul Christmas" with the cream cover, and then I put on "Soul Christmas" with the green cover. 

After that, I just put all of my Christmas songs on shuffle and listen throughout the season. 

This weekend I'll put up my little Christmas tree and do a little decorating (very little since I moved into a condo).  As I do that, I'll put on Love, Actually and have some hot chocolate.

If I'm home on New Year's Eve, I'll listen to Ella Fitzgerald's "Swinging Christmas" and watch Bridget Jones' Diary.  If I go out that night, I'll still watch Bridget Jones at some point in the first few days of the new year.  I'm already looking forward to it!

***

In other news, I also watched When Harry Met Sally and Moonstruck over Thanksgiving weekend because I'd been talking about them recently.  I still love them.  I was telling a friend that Moonstruck really holds up because you can't really tell what time period the movie is.  It doesn't look to be the 80s...it could be any time, except for shots of the Manhattan skyline that feature the Twin Towers, and a couple of scenes where you can see cars.  Do you know that movie is 31 years old?! 

TV Season Update

It's several weeks in to the new season.  Here are some thoughts based on what I've seen.  I copied and pasted my TV schedule post and comments will be in bold red text.  I figured this was the best way to show what I originally thought, and what I think now.

Sunday
8:30pm - God Friended Me (starts 9/30), CBS
9:00pm - Shameless (started 9/9), Showtime
9:00pm - Ray Donovan (starts 10/28), Showtime
9:00pm - The Deuce (started 9/9), HBO
9:30pm - Rel (starts 9/23), FOX
10:00pm - Kidding (started 9/9), Showtime
10:00pm - Escape at Donnemora (starts 11/18), Showtime
10:00pm - Camping (starts 10/14), HBO
10:30pm - Insecure (started 8/12), HBO
?? - Dirty John (?), Bravo

• Dirty John is based on a podcast I just finished about a woman who realizes she doesn't really know the man she married.  It will be on Bravo in the late fall, but no specific date was given.  
• Camping will star Jennifer Garner and Ione Skye (where has she been?)
• I'm skeptical about God Friended Me.  The title is dumb and it seems like a knock off from last year's Kevin Probably Saves the World, which I loved...but it got canceled.  BUT...it stars the guy who was in The Mayor last year.  I liked him in that show, but it, too, got canceled.  We'll see how this one goes.  I actually really like this show a lot.  The title is still dumb, and it is quite similar to Kevin, but I still like it.  It's a feel good show for Sunday night before you go back to work on Monday.  
• I'm also skeptical about Rel, but it stars Lil Rel Howrey, the TSA guy from Get Out, and I really like him.  Again, we'll see.  I was right to be skeptical.  I've canceled the season pass for this one.  

Monday

8:00pm - The Resident (9/24), FOX
8:00pm - The Neighborhood (10/1), CBS
8:30pm - Happy Together (10/1), CBS
9:00pm - The Little Drummer Girl (11/19), AMC
10:00pm - The Good Doctor (9/24), ABC

• I'm not all that enamored with the two medical shows on Monday night, but I'm intrigued enough to see where they go after last season.  I might be dropping them soon though.  I'm into The Resident and never watched The Good Doctor.  There were four built up on my Tivo and I realized I didn't really care, so I deleted them.  The Resident is okay--there's another bad guy this season and I'm sure our heroes will save the day.  
• I'm also not all that enthused about The Neighborhood and Happy Together, but I like the cast and will give them a try.  The Neighborhood has Cedric the Entertainer and Max Greenfield.  Happy Together has Damon Wayans, Jr.  Again, I was right to be skeptical.  These shows were TERRIBLE.  Not funny.  Happy Together had the most preposterous storyline....a pop superstar gets into some bad publicity and so moves in with...his accountant and the accountant's wife?!  His excuse is that he likes their simple life, but doesn't he have enough money to figure out a different solution?!  Ridiculous.  The Neighborhood just tries too hard. 
• The way this is looking, it could wind up that I'm not watching anything on Mondays until November 19.  The Little Drummer Girl is based on a John Le Carre book, and is done by the team that did The Night Manager.  I didn't watch The Night Manager, but I heard really good things about it.

Tuesday

8:30pm - The Kids Are Alright (10/16), ABC

9:00pm - Black-ish (10/16), ABC

9:00pm - This Is Us (9/25), NBC

9:30pm - Splitting Up Together (10/16), ABC

10:00pm - The Rookie (10/16), ABC

10:00pm - New Amsterdam (9/25), NBC

11:00pm - Mr. Inbetween (9/25), FX

• The Kids Are Alright stars Mary McCormack.  I loved her on In Plain Sight several years ago.  This show takes place in the 70s.
• I added The Rookie to the list because Entertainment Weekly recommended it.
• Mr. Inbetween is another EW recommendation.  There are only six 30-minute episodes--it's about an assassin and his family life.  This was my favorite show and biggest surprise of the new season.  I loved it and was thrilled to see it was renewed for a second season.

Wednesday

8:00pm - The Goldbergs (9/26), ABC

8:30pm - American Housewife (9/26), ABC

9:00pm - Modern Family (9/26), ABC

9:00pm - All American (10/10), The CW

9:30pm - Single Parents (9/26), ABC

10:00pm - A Million Little Things (9/26), ABC

• Looks like it'll be a big ABC night in my household.  I tried American Housewife before and couldn't really get into it, but am going to try again based on a friend's recommendation.  It's nestled between all these other shows I watch, so I may as well.  I still don't like American Housewife, so it's gone.  
• A Million Little Things looks like The Big Chill.  I'm watching because of James Roday from Psych.  It's pretty good.  I like it well enough.
• All American was another EW recommendation.  Taye Diggs is in it.  About a football player from "the hood" is recruited to play football in an upper echelon high school.

Thursday

8:00pm - Grey's Anatomy (9/27), ABC

8:00pm - Superstore (10/4), NBC

8:30pm - Young Sheldon (9/24*), CBS

8:30pm - The Good Place (9/27*), NBC

9:00pm - Will & Grace (10/4), NBC

9:30pm - I Feel Bad (10/4), NBC

• The Good Place is the show I'm most looking forward to this season.  I love that show!  It's premiering this Thursday from 8pm-9pm, but will usually air on Thursdays at 8:30pm.  
• Young Sheldon usually airs on Thursdays at 8:30, but will be premiering on Monday the 24th
• The commercials for I Feel Bad look really funny.  This is the new show that I'm most looking forward to.  If Mr. Inbetween was the biggest surprise, this is the biggest disappointment.  Really not funny at all.

Friday

8:30pm - Speechless (10/5), ABC

8:30pm - The Cool Kids (9/28), FOX

• I really hate that they moved Speechless to Fridays.  I really like this show.
• The Cool Kids was recommended by EW.  Vicki Lawrence!  
• I'm enjoying both of these shows.  I don't think they'll win any Emmys, but they're fun.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read through some of the negative reviews on Amazon and Goodreads and agree with a lot of them, particularly about the writing style, the plot holes, and the romance. Still, I was engaged the whole time and ultimately didn't feel disappointed.  I LOVE the cover.  I also enjoyed the audio version (I alternated between the book and the Audible--I often read along as I listened to the Audible because I liked to hear how the Yoruban words were pronounced.  It was actually sometimes important to see the words on the page while listening to the audio because in the book, the author often puts the characters' inner thoughts into italics.  When you listen to the audio, it sounds like those words are being spoken.  Overall, I enjoyed it.

I will not be pulled in!

Dangit.  The Voice happened to be on and this dude comes out with his guitar and starts singing, "The Thrill is Gone."  He sounds JUST like Jonny Lang.  Adam Levine turned for him, and so did Jennifer Hudson.  And then Blake did at the last minute.  And Kelly regretted that she did not.  This guy is good.

I do not want to be pulled into this show this season.  But man, he was good.  The Voice is such a time suck each week, and I just don't want to.  However, if I see on commercials that Michael Lee is still in the game as the show gets closer to the finals, I'll tune in then.

Here's his audition.


Meanwhile, where is Jonny Lang anyway?  Here's a taste from 1997.


Don't they sound just alike?!

Just in the nick of time - Fall TV

New shows start this week and I'm finally getting around to figuring out what I'll be watching.  Here we go.  I'm doing something different to save time.  No grid...just a listing by time.  New shows are in bold italics.

Sunday

8:30pm - God Friended Me (starts 9/30), CBS
9:00pm - Shameless (started 9/9), Showtime
9:00pm - Ray Donovan (starts 10/28), Showtime
9:00pm - The Deuce (started 9/9), HBO
9:30pm - Rel (starts 9/23), FOX
10:00pm - Kidding (started 9/9), Showtime
10:00pm - Escape at Donnemora (starts 11/18), Showtime
10:00pm - Camping (starts 10/14), HBO
10:30pm - Insecure (started 8/12), HBO
?? - Dirty John (?), Bravo

• Dirty John is based on a podcast I just finished about a woman who realizes she doesn't really know the man she married.  It will be on Bravo in the late fall, but no specific date was given.  
• Camping will star Jennifer Garner and Ione Skye (where has she been?)
• I'm skeptical about God Friended Me.  The title is dumb and it seems like a knock off from last year's Kevin Probably Saves the World, which I loved...but it got canceled.  BUT...it stars the guy who was in The Mayor last year.  I liked him in that show, but it, too, got canceled.  We'll see how this one goes.
• I'm also skeptical about Rel, but it stars Lil Rel Howrey, the TSA guy from Get Out, and I really like him.  Again, we'll see.

Monday

8:00pm - The Resident (9/24), FOX
8:00pm - The Neighborhood (10/1), CBS
8:30pm - Happy Together (10/1), CBS
9:00pm - The Little Drummer Girl (11/19), AMC
10:00pm - The Good Doctor (9/24), ABC

• I'm not all that enamored with the two medical shows on Monday night, but I'm intrigued enough to see where they go after last season.  I might be dropping them soon though.
• I'm also not all that enthused about The Neighborhood and Happy Together, but I like the cast and will give them a try.  The Neighborhood has Cedric the Entertainer and Max Greenfield.  Happy Together has Damon Wayans, Jr.  
• The way this is looking, it could wind up that I'm not watching anything on Mondays until November 19.  The Little Drummer Girl is based on a John Le Carre book, and is done by the team that did The Night Manager.  I didn't watch The Night Manager, but I heard really good things about it.

Tuesday

8:30pm - The Kids Are Alright (10/16), ABC

9:00pm - Black-ish (10/16), ABC

9:00pm - This Is Us (9/25), NBC

9:30pm - Splitting Up Together (10/16), ABC

10:00pm - The Rookie (10/16), ABC

10:00pm - New Amsterdam (9/25), NBC

11:00pm - Mr. Inbetween (9/25), FX

• The Kids Are Alright stars Mary McCormack.  I loved her on In Plain Sight several years ago.  This show takes place in the 70s.
• I added The Rookie to the list because Entertainment Weekly recommended it.
• Mr. Inbetween is another EW recommendation.  There are only six 30-minute episodes--it's about an assassin and his family life.

Wednesday

8:00pm - The Goldbergs (9/26), ABC

8:30pm - American Housewife (9/26), ABC

9:00pm - Modern Family (9/26), ABC

9:00pm - All American (10/10), The CW

9:30pm - Single Parents (9/26), ABC

10:00pm - A Million Little Things (9/26), ABC

• Looks like it'll be a big ABC night in my household.  I tried American Housewife before and couldn't really get into it, but am going to try again based on a friend's recommendation.  It's nestled between all these other shows I watch, so I may as well.
• A Million Little Things looks like The Big Chill.  I'm watching because of James Roday from Psych.
• All American was another EW recommendation.  Taye Diggs is in it.  About a football player from "the hood" is recruited to play football in an upper echelon high school.

Thursday

8:00pm - Grey's Anatomy (9/27), ABC

8:00pm - Superstore (10/4), NBC

8:30pm - Young Sheldon (9/24*), CBS

8:30pm - The Good Place (9/27*), NBC

9:00pm - Will & Grace (10/4), NBC

9:30pm - I Feel Bad (10/4), NBC

• The Good Place is the show I'm most looking forward to this season.  I love that show!  It's premiering this Thursday from 8pm-9pm, but will usually air on Thursdays at 8:30pm.
• Young Sheldon usually airs on Thursdays at 8:30, but will be premiering on Monday the 24th
• The commercials for I Feel Bad look really funny.  This is the new show that I'm most looking forward to.

Friday

8:30pm - Speechless (10/5), ABC

8:30pm - The Cool Kids (9/28), FOX

• I really hate that they moved Speechless to Fridays.  I really like this show.
• The Cool Kids was recommended by EW.  Vicki Lawrence!

Streaming

• Homecoming (11/2), Amazon - Secret govt program thing with Julia Roberts.  Looks interesting.
• The Romanoffs (10/12), Amazon
• Maniac (9/21), Netflix - Jonah Hill and Emma Stone.  EW recommends.
• The Good Cop (9/21), Netflix - This looks really good with Josh Groban and Tony Danza. EW recommends.
• Wanderlust (10/19), Netflix - Toni Collette!
• Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj (10/28), Netflix
• House of Cards (11/2), Netflix - gotta see how this thing ends.
• The Kominsky Method (11/16), Netflix - Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin.  Love Alan Arkin!

A Simple Favor

Deb and I saw A Simple Favor this weekend.  I can't say much about it without giving things away, but I can say that we both really enjoyed it.

Years ago, we had seen a Brad Pitt movie--I think it was Benjamin Buttons--and when it ended, Deb leaned over to me and said, "He really is good looking."  That was my reaction after seeing Blake Lively in A Simple Favor--she's just a beautiful lady.  In a couple of scenes, she was just stunning.  I enjoyed both her performance and Anna Kendrick's.  I didn't realize until he showed up on the screen that Henry Golding from Crazy Rich Asians was in it too.  That was a pleasant surprise.

Now I'm anticipating the fall movies/Oscar contenders.  So far, I'm most looking forward to A Star Is Born which starts October 5.

In remembrance - 9/11

I posted this on 9/11 in 2009 and the sentiment remains the same.  Maybe even more so.

----------------

This is the Wrigley Bldg in Chicago, but there's a building in my home town that started draping a flag over the building like this right after 9/11.  I noticed it was up today, but I was on the highway and couldn't take a picture.  As I drove by, I couldn't help but think of that horrible day.  I can remember everything so clearly, and I will never forget it. I will also never forget what I saw on 9/12/01.  As I was driving to work, I saw a jogger on the side of the road carrying a huge flag as he ran.  It brought tears to my eyes then, and when I think of it now, the same thing happens.  I also remember how our country really came together in those days after the attacks.  I hope we can get back to that common sense of pride in our country some day.

Today I am thinking of those who lost their lives or lost loved ones.

Call me a convert

Ever since Hamilton came out in 2016 I've resisted it and really had no interest in seeing it.  The hype was too much.  The prices for tickets were (and ARE) outrageous.  As I recall, I was disappointed with Lin-Manuel's first show, In the Heights, though I now realize from reading an old blog post about it that I didn't hate In the Heights at all, and in fact I wrote that I really liked it a lot.  Oops!  I've been misremembering the experience all this time!  My bad.  It's just that I LOVED Jersey Boys so much more on that trip.  A n y w a y, the point is that I've been actively trying not to see Hamilton.

When tickets went on sale for it at the Kennedy Center in DC, it was all over the news.  People stood in line at 6am, people online waited for hours.  I wanted nothing to do with it.

Then I got an email from a good friend of mine that she and her husband got tickets.  Did I want one?  I really hemmed and hawed over this.  I didn't want to disappoint my friend or end up in a place where I had to pretend I liked it to not hurt her feelings.  I finally agreed to go, figuring I'd go with an open mind, and it would be fun to spend time with her and her husband.  She offered a second ticket to my sister, so it was going to be a fun foursome.

Then!  One day, my friend and her husband got same-day $10 tickets to see the show!  They have a daily lottery and they won!  So, now they had an additional two tickets to sell, and my parents accepted them.  My dad said the price was substantially cheaper than what he'd been seeing on the site.  (My folks were looking for tickets as a way to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.)

A coworker recommended I listen to the soundtrack ahead of time, check out the lyrics, and maybe do a little reading on Alexander Hamilton for background.  I did that this week, and I have to admit--when I put on the soundtrack, I was hooked after the first two songs.

Last night, we saw the show.  It was more than I expected.  The cast was fantastic.  The staging is simple but there were a few scenes that really got to me...the way they used part of the stage that moved in a circle and the actors' slow motion actions were really affecting.  It was just beautiful.

I've definitely come around 180 degrees on this show and would like for everyone to see it.  Deb and I talked last night about ticket prices being so high and how prices are prohibitive for people who should see it, particularly immigrants and young kids of color who can see people that look like them playing such important roles, and get a history lesson to boot.  I hope eventually things will level out with the show and prices will drop.  It's a shame they're so high.

I had recorded a show on PBS, Hamilton's America, that I watched this morning.  It shows the evolution of the show from when Lin-Manuel picked up the biography by Ron Chernow and how he could see a hip hop scenario with the story, to when it went to Broadway, to when the cast performed at the White House.  When you see the process and get an understanding into how Lin-Manuel came up with the whole thing--it's really astounding.  What an immense talent he has.  Much respect.

Back into the swing of things?

I recently received a very cool compliment about my blog and it got me thinking about how rarely I post anything these days (except for book reviews, which I actually do over on Goodreads and then post here).  I was telling my friend Kerri about this. She hadn't been posting much either, and so now, we've vowed to get back to it on a more regular basis.

Kerri posted about the song, "If You Wanna Be Happy," earlier this week and the fun lyrics got me thinking about one of my favorites from Otis Redding: "Tramp."  Carla Thomas is featured on the song.  (When December comes around, someone please remind me to post about two of my favorite Christmas songs from her.)

Here are Otis and Carla with Tramp:




Here are the lyrics:

Tramp!
What you call me?
Tramp! (No you didn’t!)
You don't wear continental clothes, or Stetson hats
Well, I tell you one doggone thing,
It makes me feel good to know one thing, I know, I’m a lover
(Matter of opinion, baby)
That's all right, mama was, papa too
And I'm the only child, lovin' is all I know to do

You know what, Otis?
What?
You're country!
That's all right.
You straight from the Georgia woods
That's good!
You know what, you wear overalls, and big old brogan shoes, and you need a haircut, tramp!
Haircut?! Woman, you foolin', ooh, I'm a lover
Mama was, grandmama, papa too, boogaloo, all that stuff
And I'm the only son-of-a-gun this side of the sun

Tramp! (that’s right, that's what you are)

You know what Otis? I don’t care what you say. You still a tramp!
What?!
That's right, you haven't even got a fat bankroll in your pocket
You probably haven't even got twenty-five cents
I got six Cadillacs, five Lincolns, four Fords
Six Mercuries, three T-Birds, Mustangs, ooh, I'm a lover
(You can’t prove it by me)
My mama was, my papa too
I'm gonna tell you one thing (well, tell me)
I'm the only son-of-a-gun this side of the sun.

You a tramp Otis! (No I'm not.) I don’t care what you say. You still a tramp!
(Don’t call me that)
Lookee here, you ain't got no money
I got everything
You can't buy me all those minks and sables and all that stuff I want
I can buy you minks, rats, frogs, squirrels, rabbits, anything you want, woman!
Look, you can go out in the Georgia woods and catch them, baby
Oh, you goofy, now (no, you're still a tramp) that's all right
Tramp, Otis, you just a tramp! 
that's all right, that's all right
You wear overalls, you need a haircut, baby
Cut off some of that hair off your head
You think you a lover, huh?

I love the horns in this song.  Have I talked about how I'd like to have my own horn section that just follows me around and announces my entrance?  I got this idea after seeing Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings perform. 

I also love how Otis is going to buy her  minks...and rats, frogs, squirrels, rabbits!  I would've loved to have seen them perform this together live.  I haven't found anything like that on YouTube, though. 

I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. This book is chilling and haunting. I alternated between the Kindle version and the audio version and the I think the audio was more chilling....something about the narrator's voice. The book is very well-written and fascinating. So many adjectives. I didn't know anything about the Golden State Killer, but now he'll always be on my mind until he's caught. It's interesting to read about Michelle's process and obsession with this case. It's so sad that she passed away before the book was completed, but her editors, husband and researchers did a great job putting the final product together.

***Possible spoiler***
The final chapter of the book is a letter to the killer from the author.  The book suggests that he followed the news reports of his crimes and altered some of his tactics accordingly.  I can't help but think that if he's still alive, he'll definitely read this book.  And then he'll read Michelle's words directed at him.  That thought gives me chills.

***Update***
Oops!  I wrote everything above on March 30, 2018 and just realized I never published it.  As you've probably heard, an arrest has been made in this case.  As soon as I heard, I went back and listened to that final letter from Michelle to the killer.  It still gives me chills and it seemed to have happened just as she predicted.

Let's Play a Game!

From Songs in your music library, hit shuffle and share the first 5 that come up. No cheating!

— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) June 1, 2018

I saw that on Twitter, and here was my result:

1) Right To Be Wrong - Joss Stone
2) Walk Like an Egyptian - The Bangles
3) Autumn - Paolo Nutini
4) Night and Day - Al B. Sure
5) I Could Die for You - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Interesting list. I didn't even know I had Walk Like an Egyptian on my iPod!

I decided to keep on going to #10:

6) Let It Be - The Beatles
7) I'll Be There - The Jackson 5
8) Hello - Lionel Richie (feat. Jennifer Nettles)
9) Nabucco: Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves - David parry, London Philharmonic Chorus and London Philharmonic Orchestra
10) You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette

As you can see, my list is all over the place. I'm kind of proud of my eclectic list!

Who Do You Love by Jennifer Weiner

Who Do You Love by Jennifer Weiner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

I loved the first two thirds of this book, but the last third seemed rush and the characters did things that seemed so out of character and I found myself skimming just to see what happened. It'd been a while since I'd read Jennifer Weiner's fiction (I read her memoir last year) and I've found that I do still enjoy her writing.

View all my reviews

Wait! What now?

Every time this iPhone Red commercial comes on, I wonder, what's that song?  I like it.  It's catchy!  I love the drums.

Here's the ad:




After so many times hearing it, I finally decided to take advantage of technology and Shazam'd it.  the song is called "Batshit" and it's by Sofi Tukker. 

I pulled up that crazy video and when the lady started singing, I was like, OH!  What now?!   It was a surprise!  But I still love the song, and now, this kooky video, too.  (What IS it about?!)

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What a great read! I loved how the story about Eleanor unfolded in bits and pieces. Her quirkiness sometimes made me wince, but often her observations about how people act in the world made me laugh. And, we'd all do well to have Raymond in our lives.

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A Wrinkle in Time by Madelein L'Engle

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I never read this as a kid and became curious about it when I saw the previews for the movie. The book wasn't for me and now I don't really want to see the movie either. It took me several weeks to read because I could never get into it. I just plowed through trying to find a way to like it like so many others seem to, but that never happened for me.

SPOILER:

I didn't care for the way religion hits you over the head in this book.  Maybe if I'd read it as a child, before I became cynical about religion, I would have enjoyed it more.  I've seen comparisons with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe which I read as a kid and once as an adult.  I enjoyed that.  At least the religion was much more subtle and symbolic there. 

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You Can't Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson

You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain by Phoebe Robinson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I listened to the audio version of this book and wish that I had read it instead. Phoebe has great insights and there were many times I was nodding along with her or thinking, "Exactly!" I could quite often relate to her tales of being the only black person in the room and how you navigate those situations. What I didn't enjoy about the audio version though, was her extensive use of slang...particularly all the "hashtag this" and "hashtag that"and the "bee tee dubbbbs." It's one thing to read "hot af" and another to hear "hot aaa effff," constantly. I also recognize that this could be an age thing. Still, I think it's a great book and a worthwhile read. I'll probably read it again at some point to confirm that I'd enjoy the written form over the audio.

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Above Us Only Sky by Michele Young-Stone

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have mixed emotions about this book. There is some beautiful writing and some moments that moved me to tears. At the same time, there are parts that are confusing (the book is written from so many points of view and over multiple time periods) and it felt quite messy. There were some plot points that seemed unnecessary and left me unfulfilled.

***SPOILERS!!!***
Some examples of what I didn't care for or left me wanting:

• Did Daina ever tell Stasys what she saw from the closet that day? 
• Daina and Stasys' daughter just seemed like an afterthought.  What did she think about her mother having wings?  
• Other than what Olga did to Daina, I didn't see the point of learning so much of her life story.
• What was the deal with Wheaton?!  Why could he see Prudence's wings?  I didn't feel his character was well enough developed.
• I wish there was some folklore or something that described these women born with wings.  It didn't seem like the wings really served any purpose to the story.  The women weren't magical; the wings were just.....there. 

Some examples of what I didn't care for or left me wanting:
* Did Daina ever tell Stasys what she saw from the closet that day?
* Daina and Stasys' daughter just seemed like an afterthought. What did she think about her mother having wings?
* Other than what Olga did to Daina, I didn't see the point of learning so much of her life story.
* What was the deal with Wheaton?! I didn't feel his character was well enough developed.
* I wish there was some folklore or something that described these women born with wings. It didn't seem like the wings served any purpose to the story. The women weren't magical; the wings were just.....there.

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YouTube Rabbit Hole

I was watching the Top 10 moments of Jesus Christ Superstar and as I was watching Norm Lewis sing in #9, it reminded me of his performance as Javert in Les Miserables that I saw in this concert I saw on PBS years ago:


And that led me to this, Neil Patrick Harris and Jason Segel doing Confrontation.  They apparently used to do this backstage on How I Met Your Mother all the time. I love it!


Now I'm off to listen to Les Mis!

Jesus Christ Superstar LIVE on NBC

I recorded last night's Jesus Christ Superstar intending to watch it this weekend.  I was looking forward to seeing it, but didn't have super high expectations because: 1) I'm not a huge John Legend fan and, 2) NBC has done pretty poorly with their previous ventures into live Broadway shows.  The Sound of Music was terrible, and The Wiz should have been good, but was rather dull.  I think part of the problem was that there was no live audience for either show.  It's weird for a song to end and not hear any applause.  The Sound of Music had bigger problems with terrible casting.  When FOX tackled Grease, they had a live audience and the show had so much more energy and was so well done.

WELL.  I ended up watching all of JCS last night after seeing a few comments on Twitter, and wow.  They knocked my socks off.  The show was fantastic.  John Legend, as Jesus, did a fine job.  Sara Bareilles has such an angelic voice and was wonderful as Mary Magdelene.  But man.  Brandon Victor Dixon, who played Judas, was OUTSTANDING.  The show was SO good.  The staging and the production and the music and the lighting and the performances--everything about it was so damn good. The Crucifixion scene was stunning.  Someone on Twitter said they'd never seen such exquisite staging.  It was really so beautiful.  I'm so glad I watched last night.  Much respect to NBC for this turn of events.  I'm going to keep this on my TiVo and will definitely be watching again.

UPDATE:  I came back to add a link to this Playbill review.  I agree with everything.

The March for Our Lives

I'm watching coverage of today's March for Our Lives calling for better gun laws and an end to gun violence.  It was organized by a group of teenagers from Parkland High School after 17 students were killed there.  There are over 800 marches around the world and in DC, the streets are packed.

A young lady named Naomi just spoke on behalf of young black girls who are killed by guns everyday, but don't make the front page news.  She was so well spoken and eloquent and noted that in just 7 years, she and her peers will be able to vote too.

I'm so moved and impressed by the kids who are speaking today.

My mom and dad have a collection of letters that they wrote back and forth to each other in the mid-to late 1960s while they were dating and my dad was attending grad school out of state.  In one of the letters, my mom discussed Martin Luther King, Jr., and how she admired the young who were staging sit-ins and marching and demonstrating for Civil Rights.

Although there's thankfully no violence with this protest, as I watch this coverage now, I think I understand how my mom felt back then.  These kids are creating a movement and it gives me so much hope for our future.

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to the audiobook which was quite charming and has a great message for everyone about love and being who you are. My hardcopy will arrive in the mail in a few days and I'm so pleased that all of the proceeds are going to the Trevor Project (supports at-risk LGBTQ youth) and AIDS United. Bravo to John Oliver, et al.

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Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really feel for Roxane Gay and admire the courage it took for her to put her story into words. What happened to her is difficult to read, and the reader gains a little understanding how such a horrible event can affect someone their whole life. What she went through is unimaginable and horrific.

My problem with the book is how repetitive it is. At the end she mentions that pieces of the memoir had previously appeared in other various works, so the repetition makes sense. I wish more editing had been done to better weave those disparate pieces together.

This review by Hank Stuever really captured my reaction to the book.  He expresses it so much butter than I ever could.

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And the Oscar goes to...

So, how did my predictions turn out?  Let's review:

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project
• Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
• Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water
• Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World
• Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri  WANT / WILL / WON

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Mary J. Blige, Mudbound
• Allison Janney, I, Tonya  WANT / WILL / WON
• Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird
• Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread
• Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• James Ivory, Call Me by Your Name  WON
• Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, The Disaster Artist  WANT / WILL 
• Scott Frank, James Mangold, and Michael Green, Logan
• Aaron Sorkin, Molly’s Game
• Virgil Williams and Dee Rees, Mudbound

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick WANT 
• Jordan Peele, Get Out WON
• Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
• Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor, The Shape of Water
• Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri WILL

Woo hoo!  Go Jordan Peele!

BEST DIRECTOR

• Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk
• Jordan Peele, Get Out  WANT
• Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
• Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread
• Guillermo del Toro, Shape of Water  WILL / WON

BEST ACTOR

• Timothée Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name
• Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread
• Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
• Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour  WANT / WILL / WON
• Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq.

BEST ACTRESS

• Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water
• Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri  WANT / WILL / WON
• Margot Robbie, I, Tonya
• Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
• Meryl Streep, The Post


BEST PICTURE

• Call Me by Your Name
• Darkest Hour
• Dunkirk*
• Get Out**
• Lady Bird
• Phantom Thread
• The Post
• The Shape of Water  WON
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri  WANT / WILL

So, five out of eight.  That's not too bad, but I missed the big category.  I understand why The Shape of Water won though. 

I loved Frances McDormand's speech recognizing all the female Oscar nominees in every category--that was great and I got a little verklempt.

Lonnnnng show, but good. 

I'm going to bed.

2018 Oscar Predictions

The Oscars are on tomorrow night, and since I've seen all of the Best Picture nominees, I figured I'd post my predictions.  I apparently haven't done this since 2015. I admittedly went through a period where I wasn't that *into* movies like I was before. Maybe I'm getting my mojo back.

Below are my predictions for who I WANT to win, and who I think WILL win. Movies I haven't seen yet are in italics.

BEST PICTURE

• Call Me by Your Name
• Darkest Hour
• Dunkirk*
• Get Out**
• Lady Bird
• Phantom Thread
• The Post
• The Shape of Water
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri  WANT / WILL

Of the nine movies, Three Billboards is the one I most enjoyed, and my prediction is also based on the awards it has already won.

I heard on the radio today that Oscar voters are asked to rank the nine movies from best to worst--here's how I'd do that strictly based on how much I enjoyed it:

1. Three Billboards
2. Lady Bird
3. Get Out
4. Call Me By Your Name
5. Shape of Water
6. Darkest Hour
7. The Post
8. Phantom Thread
9. Dunkirk

* If you want to get technical, I really only saw 8 1/4 of the movies because I could. not. finish. Dunkirk.  Man, that movie was boring.  It reminded me of The Thin Red Line, which I saw in the theater and slept through.  It's a beautiful movie though--maybe it'll get something for cinematography.

** I wouldn't be upset if Get Out slipped in and won best picture.  And I kind of think that could happen. 

BEST DIRECTOR

• Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk
• Jordan Peele, Get Out  WANT
• Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
• Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread
• Guillermo del Toro, Shape of Water  WILL

BEST ACTOR

• Timothée Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name
• Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread
• Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
• Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour  WANT / WILL
• Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq.

BEST ACTRESS

• Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water
• Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri  WANT / WILL
• Margot Robbie, I, Tonya
• Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
• Meryl Streep, The Post

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project
• Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
• Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water
• Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World
• Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri  WANT / WILL

If I could, I would write in my own nominee here:  Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me By Your Name.  His speech toward the end of the movie was everything and he really should've received a nomination for it.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Mary J. Blige, Mudbound
• Allison Janney, I, Tonya  WANT / WILL
• Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird
• Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread
• Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water

Allison Janney can do anything.  She is such a great actress.  If she wasn't so great or not in this category, I'd give this to Lesley Manville in Phantom Thread.  Bravo to Mary J. for getting a nomination!

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• James Ivory, Call Me by Your Name
• Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, The Disaster Artist  WANT / WILL
• Scott Frank, James Mangold, and Michael Green, Logan
• Aaron Sorkin, Molly’s Game
• Virgil Williams and Dee Rees, Mudbound

I haven't read any of these, so as is often the case, this is a guess.  The Disaster Artist is so crazy.  If you don't know, it's about the making of a terrible cult film called The Room.  At the end of the movie, they showed scenes from The Disaster Artist compared to the actual scenes from The Room and they were dead on.  I imagine that same kind of meticulous treatment was applied in converting the source material into the screenplay.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick WANT
• Jordan Peele, Get Out
• Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
• Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor, The Shape of Water
• Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri WILL

This is the hardest category.  Any of them could win.  I'd love to see The Big Sick win because it was a true story and so good.  Get Out is a horror movie but also such a great social commentary--I think it gets people thinking.  Lady Bird was a different kind of coming of age story...there was nothing stereotypical about it.  The Shape of Water is very original, but now that I think about it, I don't actually think it had the best screenplay...I had some issues with some parts, so I'll take that one out.  And that leaves Three Billboards, which was so great and different.  And the movie clearly resonated with people because now folks are making billboards of their own.  That quiet method of protest and questioning authority seems to have taken hold.  That's why I went with it as my predicted winner.

We'll see what happens tomorrow!

Questions from the mail bag

I titled this blog as if I receive loads of questions from all over the world and I'm taking some time to answer a few questions I've received.  This isn't quite that since all of my "mail" comes from one person in the form of responses to earlier blogs, but it's close enough.  My friend Kerri commented on some recent posts and I decided to respond to some of her responses here, just because.

Regarding my post about Truly Madly Guilty

I added a spoiler to that post, saying that even though I didn't give away specific plot points, my discussion of the structure might ruin it for some. Kerri commented:

you're funny to warn of potential spoilers because there really aren't any

I know what you mean Kerri, you wouldn't think there's a spoiler there. HOWEVER, because I've had such a weird experience in spoiling something for someone, I figured I should add that. By "someone," I mean my sister.  WARNING:  This story really does contain spoilers:

Years ago, I read James Patterson's Kiss the Girls. As I was reading, I could picture the book so clearly as a movie, and I told my sister that they should cast Cary Elwes (Westley from The Princess Bride) as the killer if they make it into a movie. So, sure enough, they did make it into a movie.  Debbie went to see it and as soon as she saw Cary Elwes on the screen, she knew that "he done it," and it ruined the movie for her.  How was I to know I was such a good casting director?!

End spoiler

Regarding my post, "Back by Popular Demand - My Fall TV Schedule"

Kerri wrote:

I'm so curious which ones you liked, and which ones are still on. i haven't heard of several- like ghosted.... Is "Kevin" still on? is it good?

This is a good opportunity to follow-up--I'm glad you asked, Kerri! Of the new shows I started, I didn't really care for Ghosted. The bad reviews I read for it were spot on, which was a shame, because I liked the cast.

Same for 9JKL - my mom really likes this show, but I found it too annoying. The premise is that Mark Feurestein is an actor whose show is canceled, and I think he also is getting a divorce (he's single, anyway), and he moves home to New York to his family's building.  His parents live in Apt. 9J, he's in 9K, and his brother and sister-in-law are in 9L. Hence the title. This was one of those CBS sitcoms that does too much with it's laugh track. The "audience" was cracking up at things that weren't that funny. Linda Lavin and Elliott Gould played the parents--his mom is supposed to be overbearing, but on this show, it wasn't cute nor funny. It was just annoying.

10 Days in the Valley was good, but I guess it didn't do well in the ratings. It stopped airing after the 5th or 6th episode and then they put it on Saturdays to run it out. I still have to watch the finale on Tivo to see how it comes together.

White Famous was just okay. I watched the whole season, but it honestly didn't make me laugh that much.

I watched all of The Menendez Brothers - it was okay. It kept me interested enough to see what happened, but it wasn't NEARLY as good as the OJ Simpson show. It's a different franchise, since Menendez fell under Law & Order, but you could tell they were trying to achieve the same magic as the OJ show. The next American True Crime show (which OJ was) is going to be about Versace's murder--it looks good too.

Will & Grace is probably the biggest disappointment.  It's really hit or miss. Some episodes have been really funny. Others have been tired.

The Good Doctor is good, but, and I feel terrible saying this, but the actor portrays the main character (a new doctor who is autistic) with this sing-song lilt when speaking that really grates on my nerves.  I ended up dropping the show. The actor has beautiful eyes though.

I dropped Great News. Hopefully NBC will drop it too.

Kevin is still on and I love it. It's a feel-good show every week. Jason Ritter is just great and it's fun.

Young Sheldon is great too. And I really like The Mayor.

What's not on the list is SMILF which I also loved. It started after White Famous and is about a single mom. It's so well done. Rosie O'Donnell plays her mother. Connie Britton's in it. It's hard to explain why it's so good, but it is.

So that's it for the mail bag.  Until next time....