Because I promised I was back and have refused to post since the Fourth of July, I’m going to give you a two-part post* comprised of the important things worth sharing about the past two months:
*And yes, I promise the second part will be posted within a reasonable time frame**.
**One month later is reasonable, right?
No post about what’s been going on in my life would be feel quite right without mentioning the variety of material I’ve entertained myself with. Coming from a family of media lovers, a gathering isn’t complete without a conversation about what movie, show, book, etc. has got everyone excited.
In other words, welcome to my family.
Shows I Watched…and enjoyed
- Chernobyl
Even if you aren’t a history buff, you will enjoy the fascinating storytelling method used to help us visualize one of the most disastrous representations of how fatal and unbelievable human error can be, as well as, how vast the impact of one moment in time can spread.
- When They See Us
There were scenes in this miniseries about the Central Park Five where I was certain my head was going to spin off my neck because I was shaking it so much in aggravation at the horrendous treatment of these five innocents. The casting was phenomenal, especially Jharrel Jerome’s portrayal of Korey Wise as a youth and then years later when he was released from prison.
- Valley of the Boom
If you liked The Big Short, you will love this documentary about the start of the internet.
Movies I Watched…and loved
- The Upside
I put this one off for a while because I was certain it was going to have one of those endings that makes me feel sick to my stomach because it is so ridiculously, painfully sad. My worries were for naught. It was a beautiful story which simultaneously revived my love for opera and Aretha Franklin.
- Aladdin
I know, I know. This is a hot topic movie. I get it, and 100% agree, Robin Williams was masterful as Genie. But, imagine if he hadn’t played this role. If you can look at the movie with a fresh set of eyes, you might kind of love it.*
*With the exception of the new song. Why do they do this? They did it in Beauty and the Beast. They did it in Dumbo. I don’t mind new songs if they fit with the feel of the original compositions, but these have a sound clearly not from the 90s.**
**Or the 40s if we’re talking about Dumbo.
- Rocketman
I’ve loved Elton John since I was fifteen years old, listening to my Greatest Hits CD so much that whenever I reach the end of Crocodile Rock, I expect the next song I hear to be Your Song. As impressive as his life struggles were and his ability to overcome them, I was even more touched by his friendship with Taupin.
Books I Read…and recommend
- The Glass Castle
I’ve been on a memoir kick and this one jumped off the shelf at Barnes and Noble, right into my hands. Do you want to know the impact you as a parent can have on your child’s life? Read this book. Do you want to see what hidden poverty in America looks like? Read this book.
- Night
What impressed me most about this book was the forward. The author, Elie Wiesel, tells of how when he first attempted to publish his writings about his time in Auschwitz it was essentially taboo to speak about experiences in a concentration camp. People wanted to move on and forget about it. Thank goodness Wiesel never quit in working towards getting his story out there.
- Where’d You Go, Bernadette?
There were two commercials for the movie of this book. The first made me think Bernadette was the daughter. The second, viewed months later, made me realize Bernadette was the mother. Ordinarily, the hype of a book gone to movie doesn’t propel me to jump on the bandwagon, but this commercial strategy* won me over. I’ve yet to see the movie, but I enjoyed the format the book was written in. It took me a few pages to accept, but once I did, I found myself enthralled, finishing within two days of starting.
*Whether or not it was an actual strategy or just a me thing is yet to be known.
Coming Soon…
Food and Places of the Past Two Months
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