Downton Abbey – A New Era

I finally got my rental of this movie after waiting for what seemed like forever. I’m probably the last person on the planet to see this, but just in case, I wanted to make sure you had the chance.

If you didn’t like the series, don’t bother with this movie. If you loved the series, as I did, it’s more delicious icing on an already perfect cake.

My main feeling was that it was more a ‘reunion’ than a stand-alone movie. It was a celebration of seeing faces you had come to love and hear the voices you had missed. The writers did a good job of introducing some new things while taking care to tie off many loose ends.

As usual, I both laughed and cried. I can’t really relate to all the wealth and their extravagant lifestyle, but the rich characters transcended that technicality. I feel a sense of closure now that I didn’t before.

The movie is well worth your time.

Movie Recommendation

google.com

We watched “Those Who Wish Me Dead” last night and thought it was a good movie. The main star was Angelina Jolie, and she did a good job. I was more impressed by a couple of people I didn’t know – Finn Little and Medina Senghore.

Medina played a policeman’s wife. She dominated every scene she was in. I would like to see more of her movies.

Finn was amazing. He was a child – and usually that’s just an ancillary part, but he was the main point of the movie. The synopsis of the movie is, ‘A teenage murder witness finds himself pursued by twin assassins in the Montana wilderness with a survival expert tasked with protecting him — and a forest fire threatening to consume them all.’

If you haven’t seen this one, we recommend it.

A Quiet Place

We may be the last people on the planet to see this movie, but we watched it last night, absolutely loved it, and highly recommend it. We have ordered “A Quiet Place II” now.

The plot revolves around a father (Krasinski) and a mother (Emily Blunt) who struggle to survive and raise their children (Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe) in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by blind monsters with an acute sense of hearing.

I don’t like horror movies. This one was intelligent, scary, and grabbed me from the first minute. The acting was superb.

If, by some reason you haven’t seen it, I suggest you put it on your list.

News of the World

We just watched “News of the World” starring Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel. It was one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long, long time.

My husband loves movies with lots of action, lots of CGI effects, lots of things blowing up, violence, etc. I’m not sure how this one got on his list, but I’m really glad.

It has a plot, real actors, people you care about, and more.

“Five years after the end of the Civil War, Capt. Jefferson Kyle Kidd crosses paths with a 10-year-old girl taken by the Kiowa people. Forced to return to her aunt and uncle, Kidd agrees to escort the child across the harsh and unforgiving plains of Texas. However, the long journey soon turns into a fight for survival as the traveling companions encounter danger at every turn — both human and natural.”

This is a movie well worth your time.

New Author (To Me)

My husband recommended Ashfall by Mike Mullen several months ago. I was too engrossed in re-reading other books to try it until a couple of days ago.

I was thoroughly caught up on the first page and read as much as I could each day, finishing it this afternoon. It is a ‘youth’ series, written for teenagers. My husband usually chooses books with LOTS of violence, but he was caught up in the story, as well, and recommended it to me, thinking I would enjoy it.

This is a 3-book series – Ashfall, Ashen Winter, and Sunrise (with more to follow, I hope) about teenagers caught in the utter catastrophe of an eruption of the super-volcano that is Yellowstone.

I was totally caught up in the characters, situation, emotions, decision-making and more of this first book. I CARED what happened to these people and reacted as they did as they met each obstacle.

I have ordered the second and third books, plus another called Darla’s Story, and can’t wait to find out what happens next.

10 Thoughts

The Weight Loss Mindset: 10 Thoughts that Are Keeping You Fat and How Changing Your Mind Can Change Your Body Kindle Edition by Sarah Patterson

I read this book last night. A lot of it I already “knew,” but zeroing in on the mind games I’ve been playing with myself hit me right between the eyes.

This is a well-written book that doesn’t waste your time. It’s straight-forward, explaining the 10 “thoughts,” but not beating you into the ground with them. Two of them in particular grabbed me. I will keep reading this book again until I really SEE how I’m sabotaging myself, kidding myself, and slowing my efforts to be as healthy as I can be.

Another thing I like is that the purpose of this book is to really talk to you – NOT sell you a product. She says straight out that you will get from it as much as you are willing to put into it.

No nonsense. No fooling.

Robert B. Parker – Spenser Series

Robert B. Parker

“Parker began writing his Spenser novels in 1971 while teaching at Boston’s Northeastern University. Little did he suspect then that his witty, literate prose and psychological insights would make him keeper-of-the-flame of America’s rich tradition of detective fiction. Parker’s fictional Spenser inspired the ABC-TV series Spenser: For Hire.”

I’m enjoying re-reading my collection now. I think there are 40 Spenser books. Ace Atkins is continuing the series, but they seem a pale shadow to me.

It’s been awhile since I re-read the series. I’m snorting at his wonderful sense of humor, his beautiful sarcasm, his honesty and straightforward writing, his great description. Spenser is a complicated character. I find him fascinating.

If you have not discovered this amazing writer, you’re in for a priceless experience.

Frederick Douglass – Ebook Friendly

A Good Read

“Sawyer Reed is heading home after rambling for seven years after the Civil War ended. His family’s cattle ranch is waiting, and he is ready to get to work. On his way home from Mexico, Sawyer runs into a mysterious woman who will change his life and his future forever.
Josephine Alverez is a chef at a posh restaurant in San Antonio, Texas in the year 2020. She is off for a weekend of fun when she is sucked into a miniature blue twister. Jo is thrown back in time to 1872. A man saves her life after she is nearly murdered, and Jo must come to grips and adapt to this new world. It is the wild west and she has fallen into an old fashion western.”

My husband recommended this book to me, and loaned it to me on my Kindle when I finished reading the last book in the In Death Series, # 51, Shadows in Death by J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts.)

This is a very intriguing time travel story. The characters were well drawn. When I finished the book, I was a bit sad because I would have liked it to continue.

I recommend this book. I will look for other books by S.A. Ison.

If you read it, please let me know what you think.

“Witches”

“Witches”

We watched this yesterday. If you haven’t seen it, it’s an entertaining movie everyone can enjoy.

It has an all-star cast, but one actress stole the show, in my opinion – Octavia Spencer, who played the grandmother. I’ve been impressed with her before, but she was exceptional in this movie.

The animation of the mice was wonderful, too.

Two Good Movies

The Good Liar-t3.gstatic.com

 

“Consummate con man Roy Courtnay has set his sights on his latest mark: the recently widowed Betty McLeish, worth millions. But this time, what should have been a simple swindle escalates into a cat-and-mouse game with the ultimate stakes.” ~ Warner Bros.

Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen are very entertaining in this movie as they match wits. It reminded me a bit of Hopscotch, the 1980 movie with Walter Matthau and Glenda Jackson because of some intelligent dialog, a good plot, etc.

 

Motherless Brooklyn -google.com

 

“Set against the backdrop of 1950s New York, “Motherless Brooklyn” follows Lionel Essrog (Norton), a lonely private detective afflicted with Tourette’s Syndrome, as he ventures to solve his friend’s murder. Armed only with a few clues and the powerful engine of his obsessive mind, Lionel unravels closely-guarded secrets that hold the fate of the whole city in the balance.” ~ Warner Bros.

Edward Norton really impressed me.  He was the main actor, plus director for this movie. He made what could have been a character that was hard to identify with a sympathetic one – someone you rooted for in his quest to solve his friend’s murder. I thought he did a masterful job.

I enjoy action movies, but I truly enjoy finding movies that have a plot, real characters, good dialog, great acting, people you care about, etc. If you haven’t seen these two, I think they are worth your time.

Thoughts on a Thursday 3-5-2020

Judge Lynn Toler via TinyBuddha.com  via Desiree Angelique Hackett

I’m having trouble getting much done today.

My husband came into our office this morning and told me he was going to watch “Joker” – and asked if I wanted to see it. I changed my plans and we watched it.  When it was over, I felt exhausted. It is a really powerful movie. I can certainly see why Joaquin Phoenix won the Oscar for Best Actor. He created an unforgettable character.  I won’t say I ‘enjoyed’ the movie. The character was too strong and there was too much violence for me. I’m glad we saw it.

There are three actors in particular that my husband and I discussed once we finished the movie. We consider them absolutely superlative actors. I’m speaking of Philip Seymour Hoffman, Daniel Day-Lewis and Joaquin Phoenix. I would also include some others, but their names don’t come to mind right now. We are in awe of their talent, but many times won’t watch their performances because we don’t like their choices of films or characters.  I hope my explanation makes sense.

After the movie, it was time for lunch. Then we got caught up in the news with the important breaking news events.

I have just now finished listing my newest earrings on ArtFire and Etsy, and the day is almost gone for regular working purposes.  I want to thank those who reached out and gave me their feedback on the new layered earrings. I have more ideas swirling around in my brain now that won’t quit until I can make time to get up to my art room again.

When I took Molly out this morning, I thought we had a turtle in the front yard – one of those with a shell like a metal helmet. As we got closer, the ‘helmet’ moved. I saw it was a large field rat. UGH. I steered Molly away from the area to do her business while our ‘Hunter Cat Smoke’ decided a delightful game of ‘Cat & Mouse’ would be fun. I just hope she leaves him and his parts out in the woods, rather than bringing assorted parts to the welcome mat in our garage.

I hope that YOU have all YOUR ducks in a row today. If not, we’ll just punt…

Thoughts on a Thursday 12-26-2019

Robert J. Bennett – LinkedIn

Hi, everyone.

I hope you had a wonderful day yesterday.

My husband was very complimentary about my kitchen efforts. In fact, he’s mentioned last night’s dinner twice today! We had a nice quiet evening. After we ate dinner, my husband showed me that he rented the movie “Downton Abbey” for me. He knows I loved the TV series and knew I wanted to see the movie, but this was a very nice surprise – particularly since he had no interest in it and escaped to the office with his Kindle. :0)

I LOVED the movie and highly recommend it. It seemed to me to be a stand-alone movie, not requiring that you had watched the series to enjoy it. For those who DID watch the series, it tied up loose ends and gave you a sense of what the future would hold for all the characters. I will purchase it for our personal collection when it is more affordable.

Today I have been gathering and marking things to take to the local shop. I have just finished that, so all I have to do is put the containers in the truck tomorrow after Lunch Bunch and go change things out.

I created a new shop on Etsy yesterday to display my painted wooden earrings. It’s called, “EyecatchingEarrings”  I am listing both pierced and clip-on earrings. They are hand-painted, light-weight, wooden one-of-a-kind designs in several different sizes and shapes that I’m hoping people will like. It’ll probably take me a day or two to finish getting all the earrings on the site, but it’s open now.

Have a wonderful evening!

Worth Your Time

http://www.belcastroagency.com via Quote Master

 

I just finished “Hillbilly Elegy – A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis” by J. D. Vance

I found it fascinating. Vance’s writing style is simple, straight-forward, honest, and compelling. I never expected this to be a book that would be hard to put down.

He puts you inside Appalachia and particularly rural Ohio, allowing you to live in his family with the good things and the bad things right with him. I now have a totally different perspective on poverty, culture, and the ‘solutions’ government and well-intentioned people who wrongly simplify a complex situation throwing money at education.

I strongly recommend this book. I’m very impressed with J.D. Vance. I saw a short interview with him on TV. I was so impressed with him that I ordered his book. I’m glad I did. I’m even more impressed now.

 

 

 

 

Reading Wealth

ThoughtCo

I’m finishing up re-reading a favorite book of mine by Nora Roberts called, Three Fates. Even though I’ve read it once, quite awhile ago, I still have trouble putting it down and getting anything else done.  :0)

Her latest book in the “In Death” series is coming out in paperback at the end of this month. I’ve pre-ordered it. It’s called, Connections in Death.  I really love this series. The main character, Eve Dallas, is a police detective. She’s gutsy and strong, even though she has her quirks. The characters that make up her world are fascinating. I love living in her world for awhile.

As soon as I finish my current book, I’ll re-read the whole 47-book series in preparation for adding the 48th. I’m not sure I can read 47 books before I receive the next one, but the situation makes me feel rich in wonderful books just waiting for me!

I feel the same way when I’m re-reading the books of Robert B. Parker, or Lee Child, or many other incredibly talented authors.  How lucky I am!

 

Well-Earned Plug

I already told you that my husband and I are trying to lose the lard by eating with the Keto plan. I also told you I found the book above by Suzanne Ryan. I don’t think I’ve told you what a treasure trove I consider this book! She lost 120 pounds and has kept it off. She has a website, Keto Karma, this book, etc. and I hope if she isn’t a gazillionaire now, she soon will be.

I can’t say enough about her recipes. I’ve tried four so far. My husband’s reactions have been, “This is YUMMY!” to “What are we celebrating?” to “Are you SURE this is on our diet?”

I can sincerely say I have never gotten a recipe book where I found more than a few what we considered good recipes. I have bought many cookbooks, and resold many, and given away others over the years. This one I will keep and use as long as I am alive.  All of the recipes sound GOOD. She doesn’t ask you to find a bunch of ingredients that are hard to find. The recipes are straight-forward and not overly time-consuming or difficult.  And, so far, they are DELICIOUS.  I cook once and we get two meals from it, usually.

• The first recipe I tried was ‘Sausage, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Bake.” This was so good it will become a staple for us.
• The second was “Bacon-Wrapped Cheesy Chicken”
• The third was last night, when I made two recipes: “Keto Honey Mustard” and “Keto Breaded Chicken Tenders.”  – these looked different than I was expecting and I was a bit worried, but they were juicy and delicious. This was the recipe where my husband said, “Are you SURE this is on our diet?”

I am reminded of  the book and movie combo, “Julie and Julia.” (one of my favorites) where Julie decides she will cook every recipe in Julia Child’s cookbook. I’m very lucky because I would NEVER even THINK of doing what she did, with all the weird (to me) ingredients, un-pronounceable names, and LONG, complicated directions. I’m truly enjoying trying each of these recipes – and I don’t particularly enjoy cooking!

We’re having our leftover chicken tenders for lunch, and I’ll try a new recipe this evening! :0)

 

 

 

Green Book

Green Book – YouTube.com

We may be the last people on the planet to see Green Book, but we finally saw it last night. If you haven’t, consider putting it on your list of movies to see.

The synopsis of the plot is, “A working-class Italian-American bouncer becomes the driver of an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960’s American South.” But it’s much more than that. 

The movie stars Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen. Mahershala Ali won Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars and the move won Best Movie. It also won Best Screenplay. For these reasons I felt I ‘should’ watch it, but I wasn’t expecting to love it.

The acting was first rate. The script was intelligent and the humor subtle. It was beautifully done, rich in portraying the deep south in the 60’s, along with stereotypes on all sides. I cared what happened to the characters and I found myself tearing up at the end. People learned from each other, seeing each other as people – seeing through preconceived notions and baggage.

I highly recommend this movie.

 

Very Magical

I Love Reading Books via Cathy Ruggiero

I’m in the middle of re-reading Book 3 (Eclipse) in the 4-book series, The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.)

 

I loved the series the first time I read it, even though I don’t really consider myself a connoisseur of vampire and werewolf books. It’s so well written and the characters are so compelling you find yourself accepting their world as real and caring what happens to everyone.

So, each day, no matter what else is happening around here, I make time to at least read a chapter or two before heading off to bed.

If you haven’t read this series, you might enjoy it.

Twilight, et al

Books Rock My World via Cathy Ruggiero

I have just started re-reading the “Twilight” series by Stephenie Meyer again after several years. The 4-book series includes “Twilight,” “New Moon,” “Eclipse,” and “Breaking Dawn.”

I can’t say my usual reading preference is for Vampires and Werewolves, but I find this series – and the movies that were made of them – fascinating, truly transporting. I can dive in and live in a completely different world, leaving little problems and worries behind.

If you haven’t read the series, you’re missing a wonderful experience, engaging characters, and plot.

The Book Thief

Alina CiuCiu – LinkedIn

 

I’ve just started re-reading a truly important book – The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  It’s about a Jewish girl in Nazi Germany who steals a book and begins a life of book stealing and learning, helping others survive. That’s a really simplistic description of a book reminiscent of The Diary of Anne Frank, creating characters you’ll always remember. It’s one of my favorites. If you haven’t read it, you’re missing out on a wonderful experience.

 

The Book Thief – Markus Zusak

“Tea with the Dames”

imdb.com

I have always admired Dame Maggie Smith and Dame Judi Dench. I didn’t know the work of Dame Joan Plowright and Dame Eileen Atkins, I’m sorry to say.

I didn’t realize that Dame Joan Plowright was also the wife of Sir Lawrence Olivier.

I was enchanted by the wonderful conversation over tea, and later, some champagne – of these wonderful ladies. They obviously admire each other and enjoy each others’ company. The fact that the cameras were rolling and they were sometimes asked questions by the director were lost in the joy of watching their expressions, listening to them laugh with each other, and getting misty over some reminiscing.

There were wonderful pictures and glimpses into their lives outside of the movies, as well as footage of when they became dames.

I could honestly forget this was a ‘movie’ much of the time, feeling as if I were a fly on the wall.

(My husband left the room at the beginning. He likes movies where feelings are glossed over, there is lots of action and things blow up.  His loss.)

I can’t say enough about “Tea with the Dames”. It was a lovely experience.

 

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

“Life Stories” – AlinaCiuciu – LinkedIn

I’m re-reading another of my all-time favorite books – The Invention of Hugo Cabret

The novel is by Brian Selznick. The story is wonderful, about an orphan boy who is the unofficial clock keeper in a train station in Paris and his wonderful secret. The thing that brings this book into the magical and keep-forever range for me is all the magnificent drawings that Brian Selznick drew to include in it. There must be hundreds of pencil drawings that are absolutely fantastic.  I would love the book alone for its story, or just for the awe-inspiring-ly talented drawings, but together the book is a treasure.

It won the Caldecott medal for 2007, and many others.

I’ve enjoyed the book at least twice, if not more, over the years. Each time I touch the book (the hardback is quite heavy and is some 540 pages of prose and drawings) I wash my hands so I won’t get it any dirtier than I have to.

This is a sample of the drawings by Brian Selznick.

I’m delighted to share this wonderful book written for children, but appreciated by all.

“A Private War”

I think I first learned about Journalist Marie Colvin on 60 Minutes.  My husband and I watched the movie yesterday. It is based on an article in Vanity Fair by Arash Amel  titled “Marie Colvin’s Private War.”

This was a really well-done movie, allowing you to get to know her as a driven, gutsy journalist whose personal mission was to tell you the stories of the real cost of war to individuals.

We ended up feeling an overwhelming respect for her and her team, being proud to live on the same planet. She died covering the war in Homs, Syria in 2012.

The movie stars Rosamond Pike as Marie Colvin, and Jamie Dornan as Paul Conroy.

I highly recommend this movie.

Books and Letters

For Reading Addicts via Cathy Ruggiero

I’m in the middle of enjoying another of my favorite books, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

I love writing and receiving letters. I feel like a dinosaur since almost no one does this anymore, preferring the quickness and ease of email or texts on the phone.

I received a birthday card in the mail today from a good friend in Tulsa and my grin split my face from ear to ear. I love painting stationery and note cards, too, and again feel like a dinosaur.

This book is a collection of letters written in 1946 between Juliet Ashton, a writer, and a small community of people living in Guernsey in the Channel Islands during the German Occupation.  As you read the letters, you get a wonderful, rich sense of the people behind the letters. an appreciation for what they went through during the war, and what a wonderful thing books and letters have been, and still are.

The writer found herself running to her mailbox each day to see if she had a letter from one of the people there. There is no narration. Only letters. And how wonderful they are!

 

Dreamer

Unsplash

Yesterday I told you that I was reading a book called, “The Dolphin – Story of a Dreamer”, by Sergio Bambaren, recommended to me by Dieter Onken on LinkedIn.

It’s a short book, quickly read, but with profound ideas are reverberating in my head.  The short description is that it’s about following your dreams, and that you’re never too old to do it.

I’m at a happy place in my own life. My husband and I are retired. We make metal decorations for our mailbox, some stained glass pieces, and metal yard ‘critters’ out of scrap metal. I enjoy making mosaics, as well as painting things for sale on ArtFire.  We can shape most of our days the way we want now, choosing what we would like to do. Our health is pretty good for old folks. I enjoy working in my greenhouse and my garden, plus growing flowers in the brick planters we have around the house. I love to read, write on this blog, communicate with friends, and learn new things. I enjoy experimenting and playing in my art room. The ‘Golden Years’ personified.

The book was almost like talking to our son when he was home for three weeks at Christmas time this year. We had some pretty serious discussions, he and I, while my husband was elsewhere, about what was important. Many of these talks resulted in some tears and a lot of super hugs.

The bottom line was that he told me he is living his dream. He doesn’t care about having ‘things.’ (Although he DOES love to try to make music and needs several things in order to do that.) :0)  He makes money, but gives a lot of it to charities he has carefully researched. He loves the freedom money brings to be able to do things he considers important.

The biggest part of his life now is meditation. He tried to explain to me the contentment and peace it brings him. How he has now grown to the point he is at a whole different level. He is now in Nepal at a meditation center where he is meditating 16 hours a day and learning from a teacher there.

He wants others to know the inner joy he feels. He is talking about making YouTube videos in English, where he can guide people to what he has found, using analogies young people will understand. He feels this is his purpose.

Reading The Dolphin brought me back to how full his heart is. It was as if he were speaking to me through the book.

“The Dolphin – Story of a Dreamer” – Sergio Bambaren

I hope that you will find this book interesting, too.

 

Two Good Books

Getty Images

I’m reading two books right now: The Dolphin – Story of a Dreamer by Sergio Bambaren and Totally Incorrect Volume 2 – A Conversation with Doug Casey as told to Justin Spittler

The Dolphin book I just received in the mail today. It was recommended by a contact on Linkedin – Dieter Onken.

I ordered the Casey book because I wanted to read his opinions on the newest things happening in the world and to also find out what he’s recommending for good investments to shield ourselves from the tumult of our world today.

I plan to do a good bit of reading today, since our weather is so unfriendly.

I hope you are somewhere safe and warm, too, and can enjoy your day.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Bored Panda

I want to share another one of my favorite book/movie combinations: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

The book is by Deborah Moggach. I read the book many years ago and loved it. I then bought the movie on DVD made from the book, and then the second DVD because people wanted more. :0)

I just started the book again last night.  I love the reviews of the book –

“Underneath the ironies – is a book about remembering – too late, or not too late – how to be alive.” The Times Literary Supplement.

“Classic Moggach: funny, touching, and…full of colours and visual details.” The Daily Telegraph

I love being immersed into another world where I can can meet interesting people in wonderfully colorful situations. I can laugh and cry with them, enjoying their travels, insights, and love.

I re-read this every couple of years, then enjoy both DVDs. You might love them, too.

I found there are several books by Deborah Moggach on Amazon. I just ordered, “Something to Hide.”

 

 

The Help

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

This is one of my favorite books. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it.

Kathyrn Stockett writes in a deceptively simple manner, painting wonderful pictures of the three strong women in the book and their relationship. She paints a first-hand account of life in Mississippi in the 60’s with all its wonders and shortcomings. You’re immersed in a world you may or may not find familiar, but you care about the women. You wince went hurtful or ugly things happen. Your heart goes out. It’s real. A strong story of the power of people to make a difference.

I read the book years ago, and then got the movie that was made from the book. Both are wonderful and should be treasured.

I don’t know if Kathryn Stockett has written more since this, her first novel, but I’m going to find out.

“Recipe” for Relationships

For the Love of Black Cats via Cathy Ruggiero

A book called, “Soup – A Recipe to Nourish Your Team and Culture” by Jon Gordon was recommended to me by a connection in LinkedIn. I read it yesterday. It was a very fast read, but really deep in good ideas to make you think.

It’s about a lady who is hired as CEO of a company to hopefully turn it around. The truths in the book, though, are really talking about ANY relationships you have. Since I’m retired, and the main one I deal with in business is myself these days, I value the ideas in the book for personal relationships. Much of it is common sense, but no leaders I ever worked under seemed to either know about these, much less even think about practicing them.

Ideas like ‘engaging’ the people in your life, not allowing things to stagnate, not taking things for granted, asking for feedback and then USING it, making people feel a part of the group, important, and more.

Looking at your life with a fresh eye is difficult. I tend to plod along, enjoying the status quo, assuming that all is well. Taking the time to LISTEN, SHOW people how important they are, saying THANK YOU for specific things – all common sense and common courtesy, but all too often glossed over in my rush to accomplish things.

This is a GOOD book, causing you to stop and think, maybe changing your behavior, and above all, encouraging you to value the good things and people you have around you. Well worth your time.

Julie and Julia

For Reading Addicts via Cathy Ruggiero

I’m in the middle of re-reading Julie & Julia by Julie Powell.

I read this book several years ago and loved it. Then I watched and loved the movie, starring Amy Adams as Julie and Meryl Streep as Julia Child.  When I finish enjoying the book again, I’ll watch the movie in my collection again.

I enjoy the whole ‘world’ created by Julie Powell, with Julie cooking her way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking, determined to cook every one of the 524 recipes in one year. Her sense of humor, sense of the ridiculous, and love of a life lived to the fullest just fill me up.

If you haven’t read the book or enjoyed the movie, you’re missing good things.

The Longevity Code

 

I’ve just finished reading and taking notes on The Longevity Code by Kris Verburgh, MD.

My husband and I found it very interesting because it discusses why we age, and what – if anything – we can do to slow the process.

He suggests supplements to add if you’re not taking them already, plus discusses what foods to avoid to be as healthy as you can for as long as you can. He is NOT selling HIS supplements or special foods from HIS source – a thing that would have turned us off.

Some of his suggestions we were doing already. He gives a few recipes to get you started on eating in a healthy fashion that you can add to things you are already doing.

He doesn’t claim you’ll stop or reverse aging, or any nonsense like that. He IS suggesting ways you can improve your health.

We found the book impressive and interesting. We got the supplements we weren’t already taking and went shopping for some basic supplies today. We plan to start implementing many of his suggestions right away.

We figure – What can we lose?

 

 

“Hotel Artemis”

google.com

My husband rented this movie, Hotel Artemis, from NetFlix. The first few minutes were really awful, in my opinion, and I almost went into the other room to read. Then I suddenly recognized I was looking at Jodie Foster and I thought I would give it another few minutes.

In my strong, decidedly NOT humble opinion, Jodie Foster deserves an academy award for this performance. Acting just doesn’t get better than this. She owned this strong, flawed character and I know I’ll never forget her, as the character, or the movie. We will add it to our personal collection.

It IS very violent. It’s pretty much out of character for me to even stay in the room with a violent movie, but the story was so strong and the acting was so good by several characters that I simply was drawn in.

Kudos to Dave Bautista, who plays the ‘nurse’s aide,’ a title he obviously is proud of. ‘Gentle giant’ comes to mind when I think of him, and I hope we see him in other movies.

Sterling K. Brown’s performance really moved me. His loyalty to his brother made me cry.

Consider looking past a lot of violence to see acting you don’t often enjoy any more in a strong story you won’t forget.