Day #11 of the 30 Day Book Challenge

This one is hard...at least for me...

Name a book with a one word title

I can think of several but not many that I've actually read...just been meaning to read. Several of which are glaring at me from my book shelves wondering why I've yet to read them.

Oh, of course, almost forgot about it.

Dubliners by James Joyce - it's a collection of short stories that take place in Dublin.

The most famous of them was adapted by John Huston, starring Angelica Huston.

Watch on YouTube

The rest can be found HERE

Day #7 of the 60 Days of Gratitude Challenge

The prompt is Name a book you are grateful for.

Hmmm.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

As a child, it was hard to find science fiction novels with female protagonists in the 1970s. There were mystery novels, regular novels, and to a lesser degree fantasy novels that had them, but not quite that many scifi for some reason or other. I'm not saying they weren't out there - just that they weren't easy to find. My Aunt, my mother's oldest sister, who was a sixth grade librarian in Vegas, Nevada - introduced me to science fiction through Madeline L'Engle. She also sent me an interview with the writer. She did the same thing with Zelphia Keatley Snyder, a bit later. In Vegas, they apparently had a school district - with on school that only had sixth graders. She was the librarian for that school in the 1970s and early 80s.
(My Aunt died at the age of 55 from a blood clot - in 2000.)

I loved the books and devoured the series. Years, later, on my birthday, I saw the movie and was utterly charmed by it. It managed to capture what I adored about the books.

Watch on YouTube

And much like the lead character, I too, struggled with a bothersome younger brother.

Day 236 of the Corona Virus Diaries...

1. Apparently Rudy Guilani couldn't find a decent event planner and held Trump's campaign press conference at... The Four Seasons Total Landscaping.

I didn't believe it when ann1962 posted it to Facebook and Twitter. In fact the folks on FB and Twitter are rolling on the floor laughing about it.

But, apparently it is true...I kid you not. The 45's Campaign led a press conference in the parking lot of a Landscaping Firm next door to an Adult Porn Store.

( Read more... )

2. Been watching the following off and on...

* Helstrum - compelling, but very ..comic bookish? Of course it is based on a Marvel comic book series, so no surprises there. It kind of reminds me a little of Heroes and the darker Marvel series on Netflix. It has that same gritty/vigilante feel to it. I'd describe it as Marvel's take on the television series Evil and Prodigal Son, or what would happen if you combined them. I'm more entertained by it than EVIL, which I'd given up on.
It's not episodic like the other two - because hello, streaming and Marvel.
So each episode builds on the last, no cases of the week.
( Read more... )

* She-Rah and the Princesses of Power

I've made it to S3. It's better than expected, and improves as you go. There's a few weak episodes in there - towards the end of S1 and beginning of S2, but it picks up speed towards the end of S2, and really has some good character centric episodes in there.

It also does an excellent job of developing its characters - both the antagonists and protagonists. I rather like the fact that it continuously challenges the viewers perspective on the villains - showing they aren't necessarily evil, and capable of good. Just have different goals and perceptions.
( Read more... )

*Great British Baking Show.. - which I'm still kind of watching here and there. I'm not as fond of S8 as other seasons, although I'd agree with someone on FB who stated it's amusing because the contestants are horrible bakers. They are. I think there might be two who have a chance, maybe three if that.

And, for reasons that escape me, the judges once again decided to do an ice-cream cake challenge. ( Read more... )

3. While I'm relieved about the election. Actually extremely happy and relieved about the results - is most likely an understatement. (I had a lot to lose if the thing in the white house won again. As did most of us. My entire extended family is happy about it - and expressing that vocally on Facebook.)

I'm not underestimating the evil thing in the white house and his minions. I worry about the thing in the white house. It's still causing fear, division, and suffering.

Although this article in the NY Times analyzing the 45's ability to overturn it - relieved me a great deal - Vote Counts Are Continuing But The Chances of Trump's Fortunes Changing Are Slim

4. Speaking of suffering...

( COVID Cases rising in the US )

5. And the situation, as many of you already know, is far worse in Europe.

Europe's Hospital Crunch Is Even More Dire Surpassing Spring Peak

I think, in order to contain this virus, we all have to change our behavior.

6. I also read in the Times this morning about people who wanted to escape the pain of their quarantine situation in the spring, by fleeing to vacation locals. They could work remotely - so why not? Only it's not as easy as it looks. We've taken international travel for granted - the ability to go from place to place easily, no bigger issue than the annoyance of losing one's luggage or having to check it because the overhead bin is full. Or not getting that window seat. Or last minute cancellations.

Now - you're lucky if they let you into the country. One guy and his girlfriend decided to flee to Amsterdam. Except Amsterdam wouldn't let them in. And they went by way of Mexico. Got stuck in Mexico. Frustrated, they tried to return home to the US, but the girlfriend was British, and her visa expired, so they flew to Britain, and got stuck there - where it was rainy, cold and depressing. And promptly broke up. Now he's trying to use the fact that his family immigrated from Portugal and have citizenship there - to get into Bali.

Here's the Article.
( Read more... )

7. We can thank the Navajo and Apache for Arizona's votes going to Biden.

How Indigenous Voters Swung the Election

8. Having difficulties charging my Kindle Fire HD, I think my battery is shot. Ugh.

9. Anyhow..I ended the day with an evening walk at twilight around Greenwood Cemetery.