DVD, Studio Ghibli Animation, loosely based on the books by Ursula Le Guin Fantasy English dubbing, very good 115m
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Studio Ghibli animated and produced my all-time favorite movies, but this one fell a little flat for me. It could be I had a choice of watching it in Japanese or English, there were no subtitles. I’m a subtitle geek, I love hearing the story in its original language and reading the subtitles. I know. I’m strange.
The story is loosely, very loosely, based on the Earthsea books by Ursula K. Le Guin. I remember reading them when they first came out many years ago. I barely remember them, but this story didn’t fit my memory at all. Some judicial internet searches, and voila! I know why.
One of the nice things about Studio Ghibli movies, they can be enjoyed by any age group. The English dubbing is by top notch actors—Timothy Dalton, Matt Levin, Mariska Hargitay, Cheech Marin, Willem Dafoe, and others. Watch the movie, see if you can recognize the voices.
Arren, the runaway prince, comes back to the castle and kills his father, the king, stealing his magicked sword, and runs away again. Sparrowhawk, the Arch Mage, rescues Arren from various horrible things, including a slaver. Arren rescues a girl who is not grateful, and when Sparrowhawk takes him to visit an old friend, there is the girl. Eventually, the evil wizard gets the old friend, Sparrowhawk, and Arren under his control, and the girl takes Arren’s sword to him in the castle of Cob, where she learns his true name, and tells him hers.
It’s a fairy tale, it’s meant for kids as well as adults. You know it’s going to have my kind of ending, relax and enjoy the story.
Weather in the Tries: Looks like we may have some fairly warm days, at least by comparison to what we just went through, weather wise. From 37 to 42F in the next few days. The nights may be cooler, and snow on Friday, but longer days equate to warmer days? We can but hope. Of course, it’s still almost 90 days until Spring, so who knows what we’re in for between climate change and the whims of the weather gods.
Hey, Look at the New Pages!
Didja notice there is a new picture up above. Sunset over Rattlesnake Mountain and the Yakama River. What got cut out of the picture was the Columbia River and the second sun. Yep, we in the Tri Cities are special. We get two suns and y’all only get one! And, I have photographic proof!!! Take a look at the photo below, the second sun is almost at the edge of the photo on the right and down at the bottom right corner is a splash, literally, of the Columbia River. Bateman Island has a man-made isthmus of dirt for a roadway, and on the west side is the Yakama R. and on the east side, where I lived, is the Columbia R. Sunsets were often spectacular, as you can see.
I’ve been told by those who claim they know, that Rattlesnake Mountain is the highest mountain in the contiguous United States without a tree growing on it. I’ve heard it from enough people, I think I believe it.
When you click on the Movies & TV page, you will notice text. You must read the whole of it to find the key to the reviews. Once you have the key, you have the key to the kingdom, so to speak.
And, yes, I did get my packages mailed, and mostly they’ve been delivered. Thank you, Brown. Except for the ones I’ll deliver personally. Due to the forecast of freezing rain for this weekend of Saturday and Sunday, a few did not get delivered on time. But as one friend told me, not to worry—there are, after all, Twelve Days for Gift Giving! I’m delighted she told me that, hers is one that may not get delivered in time, but it is mailed! 😉
And many packages made it to my house—a book, We Had Our Reasons: poems by Ricardo Ruiz and other hard-working Mexicans from Eastern Washington (where Mr. Ruiz lives and where I live). The even numbered pages are in English, the odd numbered pages in Spanish. What a marvelous book! Thank you, ex-Boss;-) Another ex-Boss and her husband gave me a beautiful black and red cape shawl crocheted by a lady in Cuba. And they included a photo of the lady who made it. Do I have nice ex-Bosses or what? And I’m retired, so you know they aren’t trying to bribe me. 😉 And they are retired, so it’s no bribe to keep me from coming back to work. And another SOC, who is not an ex-boss, but claims credit for me getting into quilting, gave me a Mary Engel Dark calendar, which I love, a ceramic ornament from the Lubbesmeyer sisters, a bottle of spiced honey, and a couple doo dads that will become very helpful when I get back to quilting. All in all, I got quite the haul.
Those of you of an age who are parents, probably remember Richard Scarry’s Gold Bug books. All the busy art work and the reader had to find the gold bug. My kids and I loved those books. Today, I found an online version put out by Washington Post, and hope the link isn’t paywalled. Actually, they have 6 pages up. Today was to find all 72 Snowmen. It was fun, though after 69 it got a little difficult 😉 But I hung in there, and found them all, thereby saving Christmas. You may thank me in the comment section. For the page: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/interactive/2022/snowmen-christmas-search-game/?utm_campaign=wp_news_alert_revere_trending_now&utm_medium=email&utm_source=alert&location=alert From there you can go to the other ones if you want. By the way, check out the selling price of some of the old Richard Scarry books. Wish I’d kept them!
So, on the 24th, Housemate Dan cooked lamb, and roast spuds, and steamed green beans. The beans are gone, the spuds were, well, he hollowed out my half and gave me a skin (not just my favorite part of a spud, but the only part I really enjoy) with some cheese melted in it. And the lamb. Oh. My. Gawd. Talk about an orgasmic supper… On the 25th we had turkey sandwiches. Yummm!
Photos of the Week:
Sunset Over Rattlesnake Mountain with Two SunsDuck or goose tracks on the snow covered iceBoy tracks on the snow covered ice.
Entertainment of the Week:
I’m now on Season 2 of Babylon 5. I still say it’s the best Science Fiction series ever made and aired. As much as I liked the Star Trek series, I like Bab5 a whole lot more. I’m also jazzed that a new Bab5 is coming out next year (which will be here in just a few days), and they are bringing all the original cast members back for cameo appearances. Well, all the cast members who are still alive, though with today’s CGI, they may be able to bring the deceased ones “back” too. Yes? No? It would be wonderful if Walter Koenig reprised his role as the Psi cop, Alfred Bester. Would he come back more evil than before, or would he have realized the error of his ways, and come back reformed??? He’s so good at evil (whatever happened to our sweet Star Trek Chekov?) I hope he doesn’t reform.
Books Read: If I finish it, I review it: https://lenoragood.blogspot.com Take the Sun with You and OtherStories —by Gregory Allen Mendell. And, yes, the review is posted at Amazon and Goodreads as well as the above link. A collection of 10 short stories that are fun. They are safe to read before turning out the light at night—no nightmares from these stories! But lots of laughs.
Weather in the Tries: I am pleased, actually some more than pleased, to tell you it didn’t get down to 12F last week. However, this coming Thursday it’s scheduled to get town to 3F for our low and 12F FOR OUR HIGH! Then, again, I refuse to panic just yet. One, nothing I can do about it but snuggle in bed with the dog, and two, the weather is more than likely gonna change.
I still say we should borrow the weather person from Tucson, or Las Cruces, just for the next 3 months or so. Then they can go back home for the rest of the year.
You do know the New Year is almost here, don’t you? And that it comes one week to the day after the 25th of December? Every year Christmas and New Year’s fall on the same dates, yet so many people seem so surprised when they roll around every year at the same time.
I’m not surprised, but I’m also not ready. I have most, if not all, of the mailable packages ready to mail, and tomorrow, I hope to finish the baking. I’m seriously considering mailing everything after the 25th, so no postal person will feel an obligation to get them delivered before the 25th. A poetry friend says I’ve got until 6 Jan to get them mailed. Twelve days and all that. She’s become my new BFF;-)
I think this commercial showed up in a FB link, but I’m not positive. For some reason I watched it, and shared it on FB, and I’m delighted I did. I believe it was Sir Laurence Olivier who commented many years ago when TV was just coming into his own, that he truly wished they would stop interrupting the commercials with the programs. The really good acting was in the commercials! I do believe he was correct. There are a few commercials that in a minute or less have reduced me to tears. The Folger’s commercial where Peter gets leave and comes home for Christmas is one. And now this one. I’m so grateful for the www and search engines. I can watch some truly great acting any time I want. And this is one I will watch several times—and probably cry each time. (The first time I watched it I sobbed for five minutes! It’s now down to snivels.) Watch this, all the way to the end. https://tekdeeps.com/the-jb-ad-in-which-a-grandfather-learns-to-put-on-makeup-to-receive-his-trans-granddaughter-for-christmas/?fbclid=IwAR0tAQkn1JGdzdLrQfQU1c7vaZ_Fh6UfKzuK8SD6n2bzKNLopiV0k6XxKWAOf course, when the New Year rolls around, it’s time for a lot of new things. Rearrange the living room, get the office organized, clean out the refrigerator, change the look of your blog… Yes, sometime between now and 1 Jan 23, my Blog Guru and I (actually, she) will change a few things. Like a new photo instead of the escaping pelican, some new pages, including my MOVIE/TV reviews. I’m leaving the old page up, but not maintaining it, am moving to this site, where I can not only add new reviews, but change/correct stuff the old page won’t let me do. No longer will I be limited to 150 words. No longer will Netflix be the default.
Photo of the Week:
My Christmas Tree is packed somewhere and I can’t find it. I’m pretending this cedar is my tree.
Books of the Week: https://lenoragood.blogspot.com/ I will continue to maintain the book blog where it is. It’s kind of nice keeping track of how many books I’ve read, especially since starting the blog in 2012 (645). Alas, all my reading has been online, I haven’t picked a book up, not even an ebook, in weeks. If you’re looking for something, feel free to prowl around my book blog. With 645 reviews, you’re bound to find something to read.
Movies & TV: It’s gonna be above, so stay tuned—changes, New Year, remember? In the meantime, you can go to my old movie review blog at https://rainydaysmovieoftheweek.blogspot.com/ I won’t be maintaining this blog, but there are a few reviews there, starting in 2011.
In the meantime, I’m still on Season 1 of Babylon 5. I’d forgotten how absolutely wonderful this show was and still is.
Happy Holidays
to you all. I just looked up one site that lists at least 17 Winter Holidays celebrated worldwide ( https://blog.remitly.com/lifestyle-culture/winter-holidays/ ). I’ve seen other sites which list something like 25. So I wish you Happy Holidays, with sincere wishes, hugs, and love, no matter what one/s you worship.
Sunday (today) and Monday are the only two days scheduled to be above freezing. Monday is scheduled to be sunny, all the other days are scheduled to be cloudy, BUT so far, no more snow or serious rain scheduled. The low is gonna be too low 27 down to 12F; the high at 30F down to 20F. Wear your long johns.
Never Insult Your Computer for, Like Dragons, They Have Long Memories and They Get Even!!!:
Dear Computer, I don’t know what I did to upset you, if you will tell me, I’ll do what I can to make it up to you.
Gentle Readers, I have checked all the boxes I can find that say something to the effect that I would like a notice when someone comments on one of my blogs. I do try to go in and check, but once the newer blog is posted, I don’t go back. I just went in to the back of the blog, you know, where the gray-haired dude is standing behind a curtain, pulling levers, pushing buttons, and realized I had a bazillion ‘pending’ comments from people I didn’t know had commented. Sigh.
I offer most humble apologies, and I have approved you all, so you may once again comment and not have to go through such things as being approved. I have gotten a couple of people who phishing or otherwise being inappropriate, and I did not approve them, but reported them (to the man behind the curtain) as spam.
Actually, it’s probably the software, for I truly don’t think it’s my beloved computer. My computer knows how much I love and adore it.
Aggressive Invasive Species:
A friend posted a photo of a Eurasian Collared Dove waiting for the feeder to be filled. A person with a very Euro-centric name responded: “They are a very aggressive and invasive species.” I couldn’t help but laugh. But then I do wear this tee shirt:
I do take my humor where I can find it.
Photos of the Week:
The end of ThymeOur pond with the main pond in the right background
Books of the Week:
Would you believe I’m still reading, haven’t finished a single book!
Movies/TV Reviews of the Week:
Still watching Babylon 5, still on Season One. For those of you unfamiliar with Bab5, I think it’s one of the best SciFi series out there. It takes place on the last of a collection of huge space stations, open to Aliens from all over, as well, of course, to Terrans. Of course, we don’t have Cpt Kirk dashing off to every planet he comes across, because Bab5 is in stationary orbit. In fact, we don’t have Cpt Kirk at all. The mission of Babylon 5 is to promote peace and understanding between all the peoples of space. Takes place is 2258. And we don’t appear to have learned much 😉 However, the Bridge Officers must have gone to the same Officers Training School (OTS) that Kirk and Company attended. I will never understand why the script writers always send the high ranking members of the Bridge Officers (ie Captain, First Mate, etc.) to check out the bad guys—THAT is the job of the Marines! I know, I know. The stories are never about the Marines, only about the Bridge crew. We must have drama over realism. Oh, sigh.
Happy Holidays
No matter which holidays you worship, they probably contain the idea of the giving of gifts. May I remind you that Auntie Lenora is a writer of words, and has books for sale. They make excellent gifts, and are always the correct size. Please click on My Books, above for a list of the books. They are available through the big box store that fits in your computer, the publisher, or your favorite brick and mortar store, though they may have to be ordered.
As of Sunday night, it’s wetting and snowing. At 27F out, it’s freezing is what it is! It says snow later tonight, then cloudy, and a 50% chance of snow on Thursday. It will have to be in the morning or evening, because the low is only 29 and the high 40. Tomorrow it will be up to 33, and Tuesday, it will get to 39, with sunshine. Our high for the week will be 40, but ya know what? That’s a lot warmer than 32! The nights will be freezing, but that’s ok, I have a bed, a sheet warmer, and a dog!
Auntie Lenora’s Excellent Adventure:
It seems like forever since I last touched base with you. But it’s only been three weeks or so. Anyhow, I drove to the Dark Side on 7 Nov (where we had more sun than here at home) and spent 3+ weeks with my EBOC (Elder Brother of Choice) Thomas, while his primary care-giver was on a much needed vacation. Thomas is my primary mentor for writing poetry, stories, novels. He’s not afraid to tell me where something is broke, and when I fix it, I have a much better piece of writing. He truly is a gem of great worth.
Mostly, we read each other’s works, talked writing, I cataloged his morgue (collection of his writings that have been published), and drooled over the up-coming T-Day dinner we were promised. His good friend, Carla, said she’d bring us a Greek lemon soup with lamb meatballs.
But that day dawned with some real excitement. Thomas woke and wanted to get from his recliner where he sleeps, to his wheeled steno chair where he sits to work. He’s done it a thousand times, and saw no reason, even though he’s lost quite a bit of strength, why he couldn’t do it himself and let me sleep. Something happened and as he started the transfer, the chair got away from him and he fell to the floor.
Naturally, I was sleeping on the sofa, 5 feet away, as he fell, he started hollering for me to call 911 so the medics could come and lift him back into his recliner. No way could I lift him. The sudden awakening, the confusion, the adrenaline rush–I jumped out of bed, found my phone, called 911, and unlocked the door so they could get in. I stood by his recliner and when Dispatcher hung up, I fainted. I haven’t done that in years. So, Thomas is on the floor, at the north end of the room, and I am on the floor at the south end of the room. Surely there is some sort of Feng Shui about such a symmetrical arrangement?
Anyhow, Old Auntie Lenora managed to crawl into the nearest chair. The medics came. They lifted Thomas up and put him back in his chair, then came for me. I kept telling them I was fine, they ignored me. They took my blood pressure. Well, they tried to, I didn’t have any (it was 50 over something), they pricked my finger, and I was not low on sugar, in the meantime, I really didn’t feel too good. But I was feeling better. They called the hospital, and the dr. said to bring me in. So, I had a free ride to the ER and didn’t have to wait in the lobby;-) Well, free until the bill comes.
Once I was safely in the hospital, the guys confessed, they were sure I was having a heart attack. I wasn’t. They took a quart or two of bodily fluids through an IV, and the dreaded wee cup found in all hospital restrooms, checked me out, and about 3 hours later, released me to go home. It appears I fainted. Well, dohhh…
Got back to Thomas’s and spent most of my afternoon supine on the sofa. Carla came and fed us. OMG! I simply must get the recipe. I’ve had some sort of Greek lemon soup in years gone by and didn’t care for it, but this was to die for!
Believe me, that was enough excitement for both of us. And Thomas promised not to try that transfer again without help!
When I drove over, the only snow I came across was between Yakima and Cle Elum. Snoqualmie pass was bare, dry, and sunny. In fact, when I got to the end of my trip, I had 6 feet of sunshine on top of my car! When I decided to come home, there was a snowstorm in the pass, and chains were required unless the vehicle was AWD. Alas, Big Red is not AWD, and I don’t have chains. Couldn’t put them on if I did. So, I decided to drive an extra 175 miles and go south to Portland, then east to Hermiston, then north to Kennewick. It was a nice drive, took about 7 hours, but the only snow I saw was on the trees left over from a few days earlier. The day after I got home, the pass was bare and wet. Sigh.
Photos of the Week:
Alas the photo doesn’t do it proper–the sun was on the tree and it just glowed red, like it was on fireSnow Stars
Books of the Week:
Can you believe I didn’t read a book while I was gone 😉 I did read a bit more of Travels With Charley by Steinbeck, but that’s all.
Movies/TV shows of the week:
We watched at least one movie just about every night.
PBS: Native America. This is a 4-episode series, and we watched one per night. Very interesting and enjoyable.
Netflix: Lucid Dreaming. A K-Drama (movie) about a man whose son is kidnapped, and he finds him through lucid dreaming. Great fun.
Netflix: Kingdom: Ashin of the North. Another K-Drama (movie) about a young girl who is the only survivor when her village is destroyed and all in it killed, and how she goes after vengeance. Very well done.
Netflix: The Old Guard. 2020 American superhero movie starring Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, and others. We loved this one. Four Immortal’s discover a fifth Immortal who isn’t all that keen on it, fight scenes are well choreographed, the evil dude is superbly evil, and we can hardly wait for the sequel next year. We laughed at the fight scenes. Terrific.
Netflix: Chocolat. Oh, if you haven’t seen this movie, or if it’s been a while, watch it all over again for the first time. It is as delightful as the last time I saw it. Dame Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, and others. It’s a marvelous movie, well worth your time.
Netflix: Slumberland. Primarily a movie for adults to watch with their kids, but we enjoyed it no end. A girl is orphaned at age 11 or so, and becomes the ward of her stuffy uncle whom she’s never met. She wants her Dad back. (Presumably Mom died years ago, she was raised by Dad) and in dreaming, she meets a character her dad told her about and they set out to find a secret map and the pearl that will grant their wishes. Jasan Momoa is marvelous as the Outlaw, Flip.
Netflix: Sand Storm. This is an Israeli drama about a Bedouin family living in a settlement/ghetto in Israel. The sand storm is not an haboob. It is the family. The oldest girl learns to drive from her father, she goes to school, she dreams of taking control of her life and marrying a boy from school, a boy of her choosing. The family have other plans. Father brings a second bride into the mix, mother is not happy, father agrees to marry his daughter to the son of a friend, none of the females are happy. The movie is well worth the time to see it. There is humor, there is pathos, the ending is correct.
Netflix: Mudbound. This movie is a 2017 historical drama that takes place in the Mississippi delta of the deep south, primarily just after WWII. About an African American family and a Euro American family who are tied to the same land. Two veterans, one white, one black, return from the war, each to his own family. They have served with honor; they have grown past the racism of their families. This movie should be seen by all. It is not a feel-good movie, American Noir, I think. If you watch nothing else on this list, watch Mudbound. Then watch Chocolat and feel better.
Amazon Prime: Columbo. YES! Thomas had never seen the old series, so we started with S1, E1, and got as high as E9 before I came home. This series has held up remarkably well. I have no idea how many times I’ve seen the episodes, Not sure I’ve ever seen them in order, and I shall have to continue.
We enjoyed all the movies. Even Mudbound, though it is dark, it is necessary. Things haven’t changed so much.
My Winter Gift from me to me came while I was away. I now have the complete Babylon 5 series, the movies, and Crusade all in a boxed set. I had just finished watching Crusade, again, when I decided to see if I could get Bab5. I could, and I did. Yes, I now have two sets of Crusade, a spin-off of 13 episodes. I’m so sorry the powers that be were so short-sighted they cancelled it when they did. It would have been a tremendous series.
Happy Holidays
to you all. I know many of you celebrate different holidays this winter season, and not wanting to offend any of you by mentioning one without all the others, I wish you the warmest and most joyous holidays of your choice/worship.
Beats me. I’m gonna be gone until December. Check your phone or computer 😉
Hey! I’m Higher than Tennyson or Neruda or even Bukowski!
Well, I’m on top of them, anyhow. See photo below. This is a status a friend of mine wrote about reading the Bride’s Gate. I did ask him what he does with the torn off pages—give to his wife? Fold into paper airplanes and fly out the attic window? Mail them to a friend? He ignored me. But he did give me permission to quote him, and use the photo.
“A bit more news based on my progress with your book? Bride’s Gate has become my favorite tear-off calendar. I jump around like a horny jackrabbit. It is not a book to occupy a vertical position on my bookshelf. Bride’s Gate is placed on its side atop a Pablo Neruda collection, a book of Tennyson’s poetry, partly covering Naked Lunch by Bill Burroughs. That about covers the length of your book. I wondered aloud to the Pittsburgh winds (howl, not how) Lenora likes her company on my bookshelves… I have taken a picture of your literary superiority on the shelf, as you can see. I view Bride’s Gate as a special kind of achievement, suitable for both writers and those who read, and hopefully BOTH. A piu tardí, Giulio (It just means—Later, Giulio”
Giulio is a poet of some renown, and I’m thrilled we’re friends. He has a marvelous book out, The Color of Dirt.
And, now for the news. You probably noticed this is a more or less truncated post. I’ve been uber busy the last few days as I’m getting ready to head over to the Dark Side until December. I’ve been keeping my weather eye tuned to the Snoqualmie Pass, and think I’ll be just fine going over on Tuesday. (Famous last words?) I am going to visit my Poetry Mentor or if you prefer, my Elder Brother of Choice (EBOC). At any rate, I’m hoping to get some poetry written, and help him with some projects. Which means, I probably won’t get any blog posts written while gone.
Enjoy your vacation. Go play in the snow. Write a poem. Take an extra nap. Visit a friend. Bake some cookies. Lots of cookies. You’ll have the time, now.
PHOTO of the WEEKs
And look where he placed my humble little book on his book shelf;-)
Monday, today, I will finish packing, load the car, finish baking, and snuggle extra with Sammy, who will stay and keep Housemate company.
Looks like the next week or so are going to be cloudy, or partly cloudy, with a couple nights dropping below freezing, though most will be in the med-to upper 40s. The days will be in the low 60s all the way down to 50. Great walking weather. Great reading weather. Great weather to sit around and eat chocolate bon bons while drinking your favorite libation.
A “Grave Betrayal of Trust…” or, A (Mild) Rant on these, a Few of my Least Favorite beings: (Sure, you can sing that title in the voice of Julie Andrews.)
I can’t help but wonder if Justice Alito is so dense he doesn’t see the irony in his quote. I think he is.
He was whining about the leak of his draft to overturn Roe v. Wade. He said it was a “grave betrayal of trust by somebody, and it was a shock.” No sh*t, Sherlock! Do you know what else was a “grave betrayal of trust”? The fact that so many Justices lied to the American public and the Senate when they said that Roe v. Wade was “settled law,” was the precedent for the last fifty years, but suddenly they got religion, or revenge, and none of that made any difference. If you don’t want an abortion, you don’t need to have one, unless you were dating Herschel. It was your choice. Your body.
THAT was a “grave betrayal of trust,” and it is no wonder the public has lost so much of the trust in this illegitimate SCOTUS. And yes, I think they are Illegitimate. Not only have they raped the females of this country, but they have also broken one of the oldest and most revered of our laws. They have begun dismantling the wall between Church and State. They have approved the spending of taxpayer money for religious schools. They have approved of prayer in public schools and events.
Forty thousand comedians out of work, and we’ve got Alito et al. Sorry, I didn’t mean to rant, but Alito’s comment was too good to pass up.
Now, on to other irritating things in the news. E. Jean Carroll is suing the O.P. for defamation of character. She was a woman of some power, and liked, and probably got invites to parties he could only salivate over. But he, too, had power. And he saw/sees no reason not to use it. He keeps saying he didn’t rape her, “she’s not my type.” And I keep getting wrapped around the axle because I have heard NO ONE refute that. Rape is not about sex. It is not about type. It is about one thing and one thing only—power. The rapist has it, and the other person doesn’t. I say “other person” for a reason—rape is not just a female issue though most of it is. Rape goes on in prisons, and POW camps, and any time a person of power wants to use it. Look at Ukraine today. We hear about the women who are raped, but we don’t hear about the male prisoners who are raped.
And just when you thought it was safe to go trick or treating, Home Depot has a very scary new ornament. A nine-and-a-half-foot tall animated immortal werewolf with animatronics. He’s all yours if you can afford him, and control him. I think he’s just what Patricia Briggs and Anne Bishop need for their respective yards. What do you think? Go here to see the cutie pie. Be sure and watch the short video. (Can’t help but wonder if Dick Wolf had something to do with this?????—listen to the howl.)
As you have by now figured out, I’m not a great fan of SCOTUS as a whole. SCOTUS individually, some; as a whole, none. So, when I saw that Ms Barrett is writing her memoir, and over 500 people have signed a petition to Penguin Random House asking they not publish it, my first thought was why not? True, if she’s as honest and forthcoming in her book that she was with the Senate, it could be the breakout fantasy novel of the year. But here’s the thing. I hate censorship. I see no use of it. I see no use of Ms. Barret, either. If her book is published, I won’t buy it. I also won’t check it out of the library. That’s how to censor her book. Do. Not. Buy. It.
And I won’t say anything about Ginni’s husband who is, single handedly and all by himself, trashing any good will Americans who love our country might still hold for our Judicial System. No, I won’t. Ginni’s husband deserves no mention in my pages. For that matter, neither does she.
On censorship, there are two forms I approve of: 1. Parents have the right and the responsibility to censor what their children read. They also have the right and responsibility to tell them why they do not want their children to read certain books until they are older. Or, to use an “adult” book as a teaching moment. Let them read it, then discuss it with them. It’s pretty hard to censor a high school kid’s reading or gaming without a few good reasons. I am so grateful my kids were grown and gone before all the gaming came about. They game now, but they’re no longer my responsibility 😉 and,
2. National Security and Classified Documents. If you don’t have a need to know, and the ability to keep your mouth shut, you don’t get to see them. And you for sure don’t get to take them home with you at night and store them where they shouldn’t be stored. And even if you do have the power and right to declassify them, there are still prescribed steps to be taken. You can’t just wave your magic Happy Meal Box over them and say, “Abbra cadabra you’ll all declassed now,” and make it so.
When I worked in the Military and The Boeing Company, I had clearances. When I worked at The Boeing Company, I was on the AWACS program, and that was lots of fun. I was a Technical Illustrator, and my uncle loved to hear what all I was doing, and it was great fun to tell him. Then, one day, I had a classified drawing to work on. When I saw my uncle a tad later and he asked what I’d been working on, I had to stop and think, was that the classified drawing, or was it that one? “Oh,” said I, “same old stuff.”
Photos of the Week:
Because y’all have been so patient, here are four taken in the last few days. All right outside our apartment.
The Virginia Creeper is creeping. These are ‘new’ and not turned red, yet.This is the mature, or red onesThe irrigation water, which is what feeds our ponds has been turned off, and the pipes blown for the winter, so there is no movement unless the wind is out there–or raindrops pock the water for rings.The pond with reflections. Lots of red over on the far right. Not sure if it’s flower or Virginia Creeper.
My bad, I did not get my reviews written, and I have now added The Stroke of Winter by Wendy Web to the list. A great fun ghost story that takes place in a snowy winter.
Several years ago, Favorite Daughter gave me the complete 13-episode series of Crusade, a spin-off from Babylon 5. I am watching it again, Just watched Disc 1, and I gotta say, Peter Woodward is as easy on the eyes now as he was then. For that matter, his dad was/is pretty easy on the eyes, too. (Just because I’m on a diet doesn’t mean I can’t look at the menu!). I vaguely remember other people in the series. I think there’s a couple of guys besides Daniel Day Kim (also easy on the eyes) and a couple of female characters. Great fun, if you’re a fan of Space Opera. The gal who is a member of the Thieves Guild is marvelous (Carrie Dobro). Oh, I’d forgotten the humor. Lots of chuckles.
News:
Jerry Lee Lewis died on Friday, 28 Oct 22. I don’t know what he was like as a person, but oh my, he was grand as a singer. He had energy and joy and shared it with any who were interested. (If there’s an afterlife, which I seriously doubt, I hope he got to take his piano with him, and that’s where I want to go.)
“My momma always said, “You and Elvis are pretty good, but y’all ain’t no Chuck Berry.”
“I work to please my audience.”
“You’ve got to walk and talk with God to go to heaven… I have the devil in me! If I didn’t have, I’d be Christian!”
“I’m going to Hell, I’m going there playing the piano.”
And for a Special Halloween Treat from the house of my SOC n BOC* to me to YOU, I introduce Benedict the Sweet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_XPHtTWm2s (*Sister/Brother of Choice). Can you tell they’re both retired engineers?
Sammy sends two barks, three pupkisses, and a whole lotta shakin’ to you all. Have a marvelous Halloween, and remember, you must eat all your candy tonight or the Great Pumpkin will claim it as his!!!
A “Grave Betrayal of Trust…” or, A (Mild) Rant on a Few of my Least Favorite beings
A “Grave Betrayal of Trust…” or, A (Mild) Rant on a Few of my Least Favorite beings
Wowser!! Fall has done fell. Highs will be 60-61 and lows 43 to 38. It got cold enough the other night that I couldn’t sleep. Turned on my sheet warmer and it didn’t come on. Figured out the next day I was pushing the Off button. Sigh. We also had rain a couple times, but nothing is on the schedule, rain wise, this coming week. However, there will be clouds, so who knows? If one leaks, we’ll have a bit of wetness, which the Brave Dog DOES NOT LIKE!
Addendum to the Weather: Hoo Boy! Do we have rain. It was not forecast on my phone, but is now. If you live in the Tries, carry a bumpershoot and or rain gear with you. Sammy is sad.
Creams? Cosmetics? Botox?
It got noticeably colder, both at night and during the day. I was grateful for my leather jacket, and the heavy-duty hoodie my elder brother of choice (EB)C) gave me. It is way too big for me, but it’s warm! I can wear it inside and or outside. And, I suppose, if I wear it with the hood up, I’ll get funny looks from passers by;-)
Found a really fun site today (remember, I’m writing/posting this on Sunday), Goodbye Crop Top. It’s written by Wendy, in “response to a profound lack of women my age across the media landscape. I was 49 years old at the time and I noticed it was a rare thing to see women over 40 portrayed in a positive way in print, on television or across social media platforms.” She goes on to say that “Goodbye Crop Top is really just a metaphor for what to let go of and what to hold onto.”
Wendy even has podcasts for women over 50, which is not the new 40. Well, she’s still a heckuva lot younger than Auntie Lenora who is staring at 80 and on the downhill side, picking up momentum as she goes. I think the brakes are gone. But I like Wendy’s attitude. I’ve read some of her posts, and hope you will also give them a read.
I’ve watched/read many of the ads touting this or that to get rid of wrinkles, reverse aging, and anything else they can use to guilt us from enjoying our age. Hey! I’ve earned those wrinkles. They’re my friends. I’ve even named some of them. Get rid of them? That would be like getting rid of friends. Shoot them with a needle full of botulism toxins? Paralyze my face so I can no longer smile, laugh, move my eyebrows to full advantage. Just so I can convince myself I’m not almost 80? Fuggedabout it! So what if I suddenly look 10 years younger? I’m still a Crone.
I know a lot of women are worried about growing old, especially when the estrogen quits flowing and our bodies change, and we are no longer the sex kittens we used to think we were. We have entered the era of Crone. And I think that’s a great age in which to be. Nobody takes us seriously. But what the heck, did they ever? We can’t get pregnant 😉 (Been there, done that. And don’t want to repeat it!) No matter how hard I try, I’ll never have a body like Cher, so why not just relax and enjoy the one I’ve got? And wear clothes I like and that I’m comfortable in.
I can even wear purple and red togetherreams. And I do! And I eat pickles and bread. For those of you who have never read Warning by Jenny Joseph, or who have forgotten it, it begins, “When I am an old woman I shall wear purple” I believe it is still under copyright, so please go here to read it all the way through.
So, if you’re worried about looking older, give up your crop top and laugh! The crop top was never your thing, anyhow. I’m sorry, I know I wasn’t supposed to tell you… Stop buying all those potions and do-called beauty and anti-aging things. You’ll have a lot more money and you can spend it on important things—like books!
Finished The Raven Song: A Novel (A Conspiracy of Magic Book 2) —by Luanne G. Smith. I read book one, The Raven Spell some time ago, and loved it, and found this book to be great fun. I also read and thoroughly enjoyed The Vine Witch. The Raven Song is book 2 of a 2-book series. I really think you should read them in order, though, if you read a lot of fantasy, you might be able to read them backwards and not get too lost.
Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior, 1980 directed by Akira Kurosawa. It’s a War story, and as I knew who one of the players in the war was, I was pretty sure I knew how it would end, but it was as to be expected from Kurosawa: wonderful! My biggest problem was Toshiro Mifune wasn’t in it. No real eye candy. Sigh. It really was a bit of a shock not to see him, as he and Kurosawa made 16 movies together. I think I’ve seen most of them. And I think Mifune could have played Tokugawa wonderfully—he did in Shogun;-) (Actually, in Shogun, he played Toronaga who was based on Tokugawa.)
I will get the reviews of The Raven Song and Kagemusha up in the next few days. As I told the people in my writing group when they wanted to know what happened next, “Patience, Grasshopper.” How many of you know who Grasshopper was?
Sammy doesn’t know, so don’t bother trying to sneak the question to him. He’s too young! And I seldom let him watch TV. Gives him nightmares when he sees the other dogs. And the ad out now where the wolf goes to Grandma’s door and snarls and Red opens the door and gives him a squeaky toy, well, Sammy hid his eyes at the wolf, but the squeaky toy sent him under the bed. I don’t think he had any toys when he was a puppy or was allowed to play. He’s terrified of anything that squeaks, and toys and balls are all given a dirty look and a wide berth.
I opened a news story and was immediately assailed with a black box in the center that said something similar to: “We notice you’re blocking ads. Do you realize that’s how newspapers generate the most income?” Yes, actually, I do. However, I believe the proper question would have been something along the lines of: “Why are you blocking ads?”
Oh, had they invited a reply, they might have had to hire someone to read them? Or send them to the junk file? I dunno.
I don’t mind ads that sit there and calmly and quietly show themselves. I frequently click on them if they interest me, and sometimes I make a purchase. But when they constantly move, flash, or get larger smaller larger, etc., I click on the little box to block it. I have tried contacting the company that puts the ads out to tell them why, but they insist I use a valid business email address. Obviously, they know they are irritating.
When I learned to drive, one of the vision tests I went through was for peripheral vision. The guy tested me a few times because he couldn’t believe how good mine was. It’s decreased a wee bit, but not all that much. And I find ads that are supposed to catch my eye by blinking and flashing and being annoying do. And if I ignore them, I feel like I’m getting motion sick. What I’d like to see is another ‘button’ to click on those ads that just freezes them. At one time, I could hit the Esc button on my keyboard. I can still do that, but it doesn’t do anything, at least not to the ads.
On a different topic, back to Ian and some sadness. One of my sisters of choice bought us matching tee shirts from Bert’s Bar & Grill in Matlacha, FL. They were printed after Charley and primarily meant for those of us who went thru it. Bert’s had some damage from Charley but was still there. Saw on the news that the only thing showing of the place now are the pilings. The owner looked around and couldn’t see where it flew, or floated, to. He said the wind went under it and lifted it, but I imagine the wind and surge worked in concert. There was nothing left of the area but rubbish. My SOC says there are no whole buildings left on the island. Many are totally gone, all are damaged.
I asked my Port Charlotte neighbor to walk by my old house and see how it survived. I’m hoping the damage was minimal. I’m really curious about the survival of the cage over the pool. The screening is gone; I hope the framing is okay. The framing was built to withstand 155mph winds.
Photos of the Week:
This is my old house in Port Charlotte, Florida, after Ian. My first thought was their solar panels survived, but I was quickly told it was the tarp, and I thought maybe I should enlarge the picture. It looks like the screen door is still there, so I’m hoping the front porch is still caged. The pool’s cage is all that screening next to the tarp on the grass. I hope the cage itself survived. I may write them and ask. Photo by Ginger AbrahamI won’t swear to it, but I believe the red leaves are Virginia Creeper. It’s a beautiful, albeit invasive and toxic, vine. Once the green leaves have dropped, I’ll pull the creeper down. Right now, though, tis a bit of color to liven the bush. And to make it fun, the Wonderful Wordy Web says it is invasive or non-invasive, that the poison is lethal or non-lethal. It’s impossible to control once it gets a root hold. Along a back fence it will be gorgeous, as long as kidlets and dogs leave it alone.
This past week, I have been fighting the Father of All Colds, and thought the cold could be put to use in binging my beloved K-Dramas. I finished the first season of The Extraordinary Attorney Woo, and now have to wait until 2024 for season two. No, that is not a typo. So I found a 6-episode series and binged it on Saturday—The Sound of Magic. I loved it. Perfect binge!! I was a little concerned that the Magician would show how the tricks were done, but he didn’t. You see, I may be old, but one of the things I’ve always loved and choose to believe, is magic. I don’t want to know how it’s done. And yes, I still believe in Santa Clause, too. 😉
Earworms:
For whatever reason, I just don’t want to listen to music. Probably because my ears are plugged, and my brain cells just aren’t functioning all that rapidly? I dunno.
Public Service Announcement:
For those of you who are calendar challenged: Christmas is coming! December 25. Time to start collecting those presents, and if you know anyone who is or was a caregiver, consider this:
The Brave Dog (that would be Sammy) and I (that would be Auntie Lenora) wish you all a really truly wonderful week. Sunny weather, unless you’re in drought, then I hope you get Seattle type rain—soft, and soaking into the ground. None of that Florida type rain where it dumps and runs and floods. And remember, when you get up in the morning, to look outside. If you’re looking down at the grass, you know it’s gonna be a good day!!!
Only one day in the 80s this coming week. The rest are in the 70s, and the lows are dropping to 43, with most in mid 40s and two at 50. The sun will be shining every day, though Friday will be partly cloudy. Or partly sunny, depending on how you like it.
One Podcast Two Conversations
I seldom listen to podcasts or books on tape, but come December, when I join the gym and will be doing a lot of walking on the treadmill, I think I’ll learn to like them. At any rate, my Cousin sent an email some time ago, asking me what my thoughts were on language and thinking. Specifically, I believe he asked if I thought our thinking was limited by language. I didn’t really have a clue. Although I know people who speak more than one language think about a lot of things differently that I, a one language person, think. So my simplistic answer was yes, I think our language limits our thinking.
Anyhow, Cousin sent me this podcast, one of the series by Hidden Brain. The first was a little longer than the second. Lera Boroditsky is the a cognitive scientist and studies how the structure of the languages we speak can change the way we see the world. The second conversation is with linguist and author John McWhorter, who shares how languages evolve, and why we’re sometimes resistant to those changes.
I read Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie. I was feeling a deep sadness, not sure why, but decided to use it to spend a lazy day and read. I read the book in one day. I’ll try to get the review up in the next day or two, I’m still not sure how I think about it. It’s a tragedy that would due the Bard proud, I think, but I couldn’t put it down. I kept hoping for the HEA, but it didn’t come. I do hope there is a sequel, that closes some of the open doors, but not sure I can buy and read it. If you’re the king of person who can feel better reading about other people’s problems that are worse than yours, you’ll love it. That ain’t me, Babe, no, no, no, that ain’t me. Babe. (HEA Happy Ever After)
Love and Honor came yesterday, and I just watched it again. I am so happy to now have the entire samurai trilogy. Alas, I haven’t watched any more episodes of The Extraordinary Attorney Woo. I hope to get back to it this week. But, in my defense, I have worked on a couple of poems and have started a short story. I’m trying to keep it under 1000 words, but I may have to up it to something like 2500.
So there it is, my week. Incredible sadness for no known reason, and incredible joy at my new movie. The joy always wins so this nothing to worry about. How can I stay sad when I’ve got this adorable dog to keep me smiling?
Sammy wishes you a great week, and one without those terrible awful Zombie leaves that charge over the parking lot and sidewalks looking for dog brains to eat. Ewwww. Who’d want to eat dog brains? And I wish you a fantastically wonderful week where you accomplish everything you want to accomplish, go to bed every night with a smile on your face, and wake every morning with the same.
Any day you wake and are looking down at the grass is a good day!
