Daily Memage - for January

Courtesy of slaymesoftly and kazzy_cee.

January

1. The first day of the new year – do you have anything special to look forward to this coming year?

Eh, not really? A couple of movies maybe, some television shows. New work location, wandering around new work location in the spring and summer months and fall. We moved in the middle of winter. (I moved from Jamaica, Queens NY to the tip of Manhattan. I also got an hour back from my commute. But I've not planned anything - just taking it a day at a time.

2. Day two of the new year - have you eaten all the goodies you bought for the Christmas/holiday festivities yet?

Yes, it's way past that time now. ;-)

3. The Danish/American comedian and pianist, Victor Borge was born on this day in 1909. Are you familiar with his comedy style?

Vaguely familar? I had to look him up. I've seen his acts - just didn't remember them clearly. He's hilarious.

For those who also don't remember him? He was a Danish Classical Musician and Comedian who made fun of classical music, himself, classical musicians, etc - and had a very dry self-deprecating wit.

Victor Borge comedy act and playing the piano


4. Dry January is a campaign where people choose to abstain from alcohol for the entire month of January (the campaign was started in 2013 by Alcohol Change UK, a UK charity). Are you joining in with dry January?

I've stopped drinking alcohol and apparently anything with THC or cannabais in it (which is way too easy to get from the grocery store).

5. In the UK, tonight is the 12th night after Christmas and the date the Christmas decorations are taken down (or bad luck will enter your home!). If you have decorated for the holiday period, when do you pack them away again?

Usually as late as possible? I did pack up the tiny christmas tree with the ornaments. The other one with just lights attached to it and battery operated is still in my window - albeit the lights no longer come on, because the batteries need to be switched out again.


Rest of the Days of January. (I'm behind...so we may never get through them.)
( rest of January )

Assemblage of New Exercise Equipment and Book/Film Recs

My big accomplishment today was putting together the new piece of home exercise equipment that was delivered at 1pm. I was pleased with Amazon - they actually delivered it to my apartment door - and didn't leave it in the lobby. Because there is no way on earth I could have lugged it up the elevator and into my apartment without assistance. Lugging it from the door of my apartment and through the foyer and into the living room was difficult enough.

Between interruptions from Mother (phone - she lives on an island off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia, I live in NYC - about the distance of Greece to Britain or Denver to Tucson, Arizona), I managed to assembly the base of it. I only had to screw on the base and the pedals, not the wheels, etc.
( picture of new exercise equipment below )

It's a peddler - low impact, helps with balance, stamina, and overall cardio workout, without being disruptive to the neighbors. Also fits in small spaces.

***

Finished Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan which has been adapted into a film by Cillian Murphy, starring Murphy. I'll check it out tomorrow, I think.

The book is brilliant. Best thing I've read in a long time. (Granted my reading material hasn't exactly been stellar of late. But this is a beautifully written book that packs a punch.) It's a character study, and not all that long - 116 pages, in a small little hard back book that can fit in a purse. About the size of a Kindle.

Here's the review I wrote on Good Reads:
( Good reads review )

Also finally got around to renting Conclave on AppleTV for $5.99 (far cheaper than seeing it in a movie theater - in NYC, movies cost between $15-20 possibly more depending on where, and not nearly as comfortable. Plus I have a big screen tv and this movie doesn't require a huge screen.)

It's brilliant. I highly recommend everybody see it. The set-up? ( Read more... )

Ralph Fiennes is excellent in it, as is the supporting cast, in particular Isabella Rosellini, and the actor who portrays Benitiz. John Lithgow is almost unrecognizable in his role - took me a minute to realize it was him.
Beautifully filmed, and scored film, that is quietly moving and poignant.