Author: admin

I read a book!

This is a wonderful book about many things. It’s nominally a children’s book, the story of a princess trying to undo an old family curse. It’s about friendship and faith, and how little missteps and misunderstandings can spawn great sins. It’s about the indelible power of the fruits of the spirit. And it has the most wonderful, cathartic ending it’s ever been my pleasure to read in a book. I need to read all of Elizabeth Gouge’s books! Highly recommended.

Curse you, virus, CURSE YOU!

Not the ear-peeking instrument on the table at right. Soon the doctor came in, looked in my left ear and proclaimed: “You’ve got quite the ear infection! There’s a lot of goop!” Thus, the seemingly innocuous cold, blossomed into a 2-week (so far) adventure of partial deafness, terrifying snot, ear drops and pills.
ETA: An additional round of antibiotics later, I finally feel normal. All viruses need to die.

A cold day at the beach…

It was the coldest water I’ve ever experienced. My feet felt like they were plunged into a snowbank. And yes, I see those children playing in the water, and I am fully prepared to accept the fact that I’m a wimp.

Meanwhile, in nature…

…the Circle of Life, in the form of shore birds eating something gross and crawly, continues.

2023 Movie Diary, Part 5

13. CYRANO (2022)

This is a perfectly enjoyable, post-modern update of Cyrano De Bergerac nestled very uncomfortably in an absolutely terrible musical. Truly, the music, by the band The National, is just awful. Wastes some fine work from Peter Dinklage as Cyrano and Haley Bennett as Roxanne.
Verdict: Really, the music is very, very bad.

14. RIO BRAVO (1958)

I truly can’t think of a moment in this film that’s not perfect. It’s about friends taking care of one another and their community simply because it’s the right thing to do. The actors — including John Wayne, Dean Martin, Walter Brennan, Rick Nelson, and Angie Dickinson — all do career-best work, the writing is top notch, and the direction strikes just the right balance of light and dark to make sure the character moments shine even as the tension ratches ever upward.
Verdict: Inductee, Laurie’s Cinematic Hall of Fame

15. MEMORIES (1995)

Like most anthology movies, the quality of the three short films that make up “Memories” vary in quality, but all are wonderfully animated and worth watching if you like anime. The first chapter, called “Magnetic Rose” is legitimately brilliant, wild stuff.
Verdict: Recommended for anime fans.