Is that why everyone is always playing with their phone?
I survived Valentine's day and it wasn't half bad. Went with my French club to Philadelphia to see a movie called Amour. A slow moving story of an elderly couple and their decline. Lots to think about, even the day after. Before the movie we dined at Fork, 306 Market Street. Had a yummy kale salad with creme fraiche. Then my sister and her boyfriend invited me over for dinner and served Duck a l'orange. This all kind of came together at the last minute and was an enjoyable day. I even exercised at 8 AM.
Weather is sunny and temperate. Winter is so much more bearable when the temperature is in the 40's.
And it is already February 15th! How much more winter could there be?
Friday, February 15, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
I can do whatever I want
but I don't want to do anything. Slowing down lately. Too many "driveway moments" and "Vitamin D baths". All I want to do is take a rest.
Just finished a delightful compilation of short stories...Are we there yet? (selected shorts : a celebration of the short story, a presentation of Symphonyspace) Stories by Eudora Welty, Annie Proulx and others. My favorite story was A ride with Olympy, by James Thurber, read by David Rakoff (that guy who sounds like David Sedaris, but isn't). The author takes a ride with Olympy, a helper with whom he speaks only in French, to teach him how to drive a big car around the hair pin curves of Cap D'Antibes in France. Hilarity, miscommunication and catastrophe ensue. This audiobook is at the Bridgeton Public Library (AUDB F ARE).
Just finished a delightful compilation of short stories...Are we there yet? (selected shorts : a celebration of the short story, a presentation of Symphonyspace) Stories by Eudora Welty, Annie Proulx and others. My favorite story was A ride with Olympy, by James Thurber, read by David Rakoff (that guy who sounds like David Sedaris, but isn't). The author takes a ride with Olympy, a helper with whom he speaks only in French, to teach him how to drive a big car around the hair pin curves of Cap D'Antibes in France. Hilarity, miscommunication and catastrophe ensue. This audiobook is at the Bridgeton Public Library (AUDB F ARE).
Monday, February 11, 2013
My life doesn't interest me
Lately, when I make the bed, I just want to get back in it. I did get back in it today and lounged around for several hours listening to NPR. I have a daily routine, but am losing interest in it.
- one hour of chores
- exercise
- computer work
I know I am retired, but I can't spend the day in bed without feeling highly guilty. I am falling behinder and behinder.
Valentine's day is this week. Not one of my favorite holidays. Liked the words heard in a song on the Lawrence Welk show last night..."somebody soon will love you, if no one loves you now." One can always hope. I really miss those old sing alongs we used to have at the Quadrangle where my mother was incarcerated
So, why was I watching The Lawrence Welk show? Trying to get ready for Downton Abbey. We watched if for three hours....very satisfying. A one hour show is never enough. Watched the repeat from last week and the two hour show from last night. I am already experiencing withdrawal symptoms as next week is the season finale. There are people I LOVE on that show (Matthew, Mary, Mrs. Hughes, Mr. Carson, Mrs. Patmore) and people I HATE (Miss O'Brien, Mr. Barrow).
- one hour of chores
- exercise
- computer work
I know I am retired, but I can't spend the day in bed without feeling highly guilty. I am falling behinder and behinder.
Valentine's day is this week. Not one of my favorite holidays. Liked the words heard in a song on the Lawrence Welk show last night..."somebody soon will love you, if no one loves you now." One can always hope. I really miss those old sing alongs we used to have at the Quadrangle where my mother was incarcerated
So, why was I watching The Lawrence Welk show? Trying to get ready for Downton Abbey. We watched if for three hours....very satisfying. A one hour show is never enough. Watched the repeat from last week and the two hour show from last night. I am already experiencing withdrawal symptoms as next week is the season finale. There are people I LOVE on that show (Matthew, Mary, Mrs. Hughes, Mr. Carson, Mrs. Patmore) and people I HATE (Miss O'Brien, Mr. Barrow).
Friday, February 8, 2013
A horrible weather day
Well, here it is just raining but TOO MUCH. Sometimes it rains INSIDE my house, so I dread any forecast that says, rain, heavy at times. Other people north of here are having a lot of snow, so I guess I shouldn't complain. Just trying to get through the day distracting myself because rain depresses me.
Just finished 100 ways to happy chic your life, by Jonathan Adler. I picked up this book because the author was born in my town. But, like all the other famous people from my town, he doesn't live here anymore. He started off making pottery in his parent's cellar and has moved on to decorating, life advising and production of many items. The book is mainly photographs, featuring his beach house on Shelter Island (Long Island?) He is funny and delightful and urges one to have their signature behavior....his is to wear white pants. Described as having an "empire", he has been told that he is like waterfront property with hurricane damage. Craft projects, decorating advice, and organizing tips are all numbered, and yes, there are 100. #28: Adopt a signature folly #45: Reuse and repurpose #90: Find a way to hang it. Even if it is not your style, the book is delightful and inspiring.
Always say goodbye : a Lew Fonesca mystery, by Stuart M. Kaminsky. I listened to the audiobook I borrowed from the Vineland Public Library. One of those hard boiled detectives, getting over a tragedy.
He goes back to Chicago to try and find out who killed his wife and why and to get revenge. When he finds that the guy did it accidentally, he doesn't have the heart to kill him. Another story gets in there at the end, which didn't seem to go with the rest of the book.
Just finished 100 ways to happy chic your life, by Jonathan Adler. I picked up this book because the author was born in my town. But, like all the other famous people from my town, he doesn't live here anymore. He started off making pottery in his parent's cellar and has moved on to decorating, life advising and production of many items. The book is mainly photographs, featuring his beach house on Shelter Island (Long Island?) He is funny and delightful and urges one to have their signature behavior....his is to wear white pants. Described as having an "empire", he has been told that he is like waterfront property with hurricane damage. Craft projects, decorating advice, and organizing tips are all numbered, and yes, there are 100. #28: Adopt a signature folly #45: Reuse and repurpose #90: Find a way to hang it. Even if it is not your style, the book is delightful and inspiring.
Always say goodbye : a Lew Fonesca mystery, by Stuart M. Kaminsky. I listened to the audiobook I borrowed from the Vineland Public Library. One of those hard boiled detectives, getting over a tragedy.
He goes back to Chicago to try and find out who killed his wife and why and to get revenge. When he finds that the guy did it accidentally, he doesn't have the heart to kill him. Another story gets in there at the end, which didn't seem to go with the rest of the book.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
The "instability" ball
You know that big ball that they have at the health club? I took a class today called Stability ball/yoga. I didn't do real well. It was challenging but I might do it again. There was crouching involved and pushups, two things I have been avoiding.
My brother-in-law apologized to me for doubting me. I said that the Baltimore Ravens was the only football team named for a POEM. Since Poe lived and died in Baltimore, the team was named after his poem called The Raven.
Checking out the book The blind side from the Bridgeton Public Library. Since I saw the movie and since Michael Oher is on the winning Superbowl team, I am interested in learning more about him. You don't hear much about him, but he is still on the team, so he must be doing an OK job. Perhaps you never hear about people on the defense side.
My brother-in-law apologized to me for doubting me. I said that the Baltimore Ravens was the only football team named for a POEM. Since Poe lived and died in Baltimore, the team was named after his poem called The Raven.
Checking out the book The blind side from the Bridgeton Public Library. Since I saw the movie and since Michael Oher is on the winning Superbowl team, I am interested in learning more about him. You don't hear much about him, but he is still on the team, so he must be doing an OK job. Perhaps you never hear about people on the defense side.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
10 classic Grammy performances
Enjoying watching these. Will try to provide a link over to Rolling Stone magazine, where I found these treasures. I am going to watch them, each and every one.
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/video-10-classic-grammy-awards-performances-20110210
Yesterday enjoyed reading a blog post by a guy who doesn't have the Internet at home with a list of his reasons why. On a blog called The minimalists. Made me feel better about my lack in this area.
It could be a principle. It could be a lifestyle.
After using the computer, I am going to the health club to lift weights and do the treadmill and the bike. I do feel somewhat better today and found out that I have lost 5 pounds in a month. Not too shabby. Day after day of deprivation trying not to eat between meals. Felt a bit better when I read about a woman who lost 212 pounds. She exercised for one year before she even tried to do anything about her eating.
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/video-10-classic-grammy-awards-performances-20110210
Yesterday enjoyed reading a blog post by a guy who doesn't have the Internet at home with a list of his reasons why. On a blog called The minimalists. Made me feel better about my lack in this area.
It could be a principle. It could be a lifestyle.
After using the computer, I am going to the health club to lift weights and do the treadmill and the bike. I do feel somewhat better today and found out that I have lost 5 pounds in a month. Not too shabby. Day after day of deprivation trying not to eat between meals. Felt a bit better when I read about a woman who lost 212 pounds. She exercised for one year before she even tried to do anything about her eating.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Communication problems
The problem is I just don't feel like communicating. I feel out of it since the world seems to be all about communicating. Facebook, twitter et al.
Light from heaven, by Jan Karon. The audiobook is read by John McDonough. I was so excited to find this audiobook in the Vineland Public Library. I thought I had read or listened to all of the Mitford series. In this one, Father Tim and his wife, Cynthia, are housesitting out in the country several years after his retirement. A new project comes his way and more and more people get involved in his life. He is put in charge of an old abandoned church in the mountains. I know these books are kind of corny and quite religious, but I just love them. So what if people say things like "Dad gum it!" On the container it says it is the last one in the series, but I think she wrote one or two more (that I didn't really like). Mitford is a small town in North Carolina and Father Tim Kavanagh is an aging Episcopal priest. According to the box, the books are "welcome reminders of the simpler and gentler pleasures of life".
Washington : a life, by Ron Chernow. I got this book on my Nook and it was quite fascinating. You can only borrow the books for two weeks through the Overdrive system available through many libraries. The book was 1193 pages and I didn't finish it in two weeks. I have to keep a paper list to record such problems as this. So, I borrowed it again and like a miracle, the book didn't expire. I don't know why. Sometimes they hang around for an extra week as long as you don't go around a wireless connection. But this one lasted more than one week longer than it was supposed to. Now I want to go to Mount Vernon. The book followed him through his military career and through his presidency. The inauguration was in New York City and I was reading it during the inauguration of Barack Obama. Some of the features of George Washington's inauguration are still with us today, such as using the actual Bible and having the ceremonies outdoors. I forgot that Philadelphia was the capital for awhile around 1790. In fact, even though Washington started planning Washington, he never got to live there. Interesting sidelights were his difficulties making ends meet and his actions and thoughts around slavery. He didn't want to sell anyone, but did not want to deal with the problems of liberating his slaves. But, as more and more children were born, he ended up with over 300 slaves (many of them elderly or young) to support. His goal was to live until the year 1800 but he died shortly before the previous year ended.
Light from heaven, by Jan Karon. The audiobook is read by John McDonough. I was so excited to find this audiobook in the Vineland Public Library. I thought I had read or listened to all of the Mitford series. In this one, Father Tim and his wife, Cynthia, are housesitting out in the country several years after his retirement. A new project comes his way and more and more people get involved in his life. He is put in charge of an old abandoned church in the mountains. I know these books are kind of corny and quite religious, but I just love them. So what if people say things like "Dad gum it!" On the container it says it is the last one in the series, but I think she wrote one or two more (that I didn't really like). Mitford is a small town in North Carolina and Father Tim Kavanagh is an aging Episcopal priest. According to the box, the books are "welcome reminders of the simpler and gentler pleasures of life".
Washington : a life, by Ron Chernow. I got this book on my Nook and it was quite fascinating. You can only borrow the books for two weeks through the Overdrive system available through many libraries. The book was 1193 pages and I didn't finish it in two weeks. I have to keep a paper list to record such problems as this. So, I borrowed it again and like a miracle, the book didn't expire. I don't know why. Sometimes they hang around for an extra week as long as you don't go around a wireless connection. But this one lasted more than one week longer than it was supposed to. Now I want to go to Mount Vernon. The book followed him through his military career and through his presidency. The inauguration was in New York City and I was reading it during the inauguration of Barack Obama. Some of the features of George Washington's inauguration are still with us today, such as using the actual Bible and having the ceremonies outdoors. I forgot that Philadelphia was the capital for awhile around 1790. In fact, even though Washington started planning Washington, he never got to live there. Interesting sidelights were his difficulties making ends meet and his actions and thoughts around slavery. He didn't want to sell anyone, but did not want to deal with the problems of liberating his slaves. But, as more and more children were born, he ended up with over 300 slaves (many of them elderly or young) to support. His goal was to live until the year 1800 but he died shortly before the previous year ended.
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