What I've Been Reading
An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth: life lessons from
space by Col. Chris Hadfield – I read this book before a few years back and
loved it, so decided to listen to the talking book, with him reading it. I am
fascinated about all things space and Col. Hadfield has a lovely simplistic way
of explaining things. The memoir includes how be got to be chosen as an
astronaut, training to be one, and his 3 times in space. It includes great tips
for living life from things he learnt in space. He has a lovely calm voice and
it is nice to hear him read his thoughts himself. This was a great second
read.
Year of the Monkey by Patti Smith - another little gem from Patti. Taking form over a year, it is part memoir, part inner thoughts, part dreams and utterly beautiful. The free-form whimsy and intellectual thoughts give you a front row seat into the inner sanctum of Patti's unique mind and to me that is everything.
Bruny by Heather Rose – This is another fabulous novel
by Heather Rose. Totally different to Museum of Modern Love and yet very
similar. Similar in writing style and a detailed background of factual
information within.
Astrid is a negotiator for the UN and has returned home to
Tasmania to help her brother who is running for government, against their sister
the opposition. Things are getting political in Tasmania with a bridge being
built to Bruny Island and why. When the bridge is half blown up Astrid realised
there is more going than meets the eye. And what she finds out will rock you to
the core. This is a modern novel about politics, the environment, climate change
and so much more. What we are doing wrong in the world and how very much more
wrong it can go. Beautifully written and researched, this is a page turner
too!
Year of the Monkey by Patti Smith - another little gem from Patti. Taking form over a year, it is part memoir, part inner thoughts, part dreams and utterly beautiful. The free-form whimsy and intellectual thoughts give you a front row seat into the inner sanctum of Patti's unique mind and to me that is everything.
What I've Been Watching
The Crown S1/2 – I finally caught up with this! Wow, I was so impressed, everyone says it is great, everyone knows it is great. There isn’t really much more to say. I wouldn’t call myself a royalist at all, I don’t quite understand how birth order and all that jazz can really inform anything and yet I am sucked in. My grandmother was a royalist and as a kid I guess I participated in it with her, but as I grew older I was very much unimpressed. Funnily, as I get older now, I am returning almost full circle, I am participating even though I don’t really support it as such. My Nan would be proud, lol!
Claire Foy is everything as the Queen, you want to smack her sometimes, and other times give her a hug, what a thankless role really. Matt Smith is delicious as Philip, as is Vanessa Kirby as Margaret – her gowns are to die for. I also thought John Lithgow was brilliant as Churchill. What fun!!
Watchmen – easily of the best shows I have seen this year! 9 episodes that build and build. Between this and The Leftovers, Damon Lindelof has almost redeemed himself for the ending of Lost…almost! It is difficult to describe without spoilers but it is within the Watchmen universe except in present day. Angela Abar, the absolutely brilliant Regina King, is a modern day Mum to three, working at opening her patisserie…but is she!? She is actually a masked detective, and by night a vigilante, to say she kicks arse is an understatement. White Supremacists are on the rise and need to be brought into order. There is still the occasional squid rain, a reminder of the huge attack and annihilation of New York under a Giant Alien Squid decades ago. To say things are tense are an understatement.
Claire Foy is everything as the Queen, you want to smack her sometimes, and other times give her a hug, what a thankless role really. Matt Smith is delicious as Philip, as is Vanessa Kirby as Margaret – her gowns are to die for. I also thought John Lithgow was brilliant as Churchill. What fun!!
Watchmen – easily of the best shows I have seen this year! 9 episodes that build and build. Between this and The Leftovers, Damon Lindelof has almost redeemed himself for the ending of Lost…almost! It is difficult to describe without spoilers but it is within the Watchmen universe except in present day. Angela Abar, the absolutely brilliant Regina King, is a modern day Mum to three, working at opening her patisserie…but is she!? She is actually a masked detective, and by night a vigilante, to say she kicks arse is an understatement. White Supremacists are on the rise and need to be brought into order. There is still the occasional squid rain, a reminder of the huge attack and annihilation of New York under a Giant Alien Squid decades ago. To say things are tense are an understatement.
This all sounds rather ridiculous, but it is exquisitely performed and produced. The cast, including Don Johnson, Jean Smart, Louis Gossett Jnr, Jeremy Irons, and Tim Blake Nelson are absolutely brilliant. It is one of those shows that builds and builds to such a fine crescendo I found myself sitting literally on the edge of my seat with my jaw dropped. Some threads take the entire series (only 9 shows) to unravel but the pay off is just remarkable. The concepts are high, but delicious. I want more, unsure there will be despite an open ending. I guess we wait and see.
Fleabag S2 - realised I haven't written this up, like The Crown, what is there to say? I still think I prefer S1 (by a whisker) but this was great. Phoebe-Waller Bridge is such a charismatic face on screen, those asides by anyone else wouldn't work. The supporting characters are more fleshed out this time, her sister and step-mother are still stand outs. The hair cut scene and the flashbacks had me in stitches. Add in the Hot Priest and that very clever storyline, and it is simply a winner. So much remarkable television this year.
After Life - oh my goodness. I am a huge fan of Ricky Gervais, always have been. This is probably his best series yet. It is very melancholy and I sobbed most of the way through it, but that's me! It is about a man, Gervais, who's wife has died from breast cancer and he just doesn't want to live without her. The only thing keeping himself from checking out is his dog. Yup, it sounds awful, but it is beautiful and it is about WHY life matters, and despite being dark, it is very funny and incredibly uplifting. There is so much heart behind this, you will feel better for watching it.
Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special - it has been ten years since we last visited our friends and not a lot - thankfully - has changed. Gavin and Stacey are still married with three kids living next door to Gwen (who hasn't aged a day!) in the house Doris (bless, and truly missed) left them, Nessa is suing, it should have been hers! Bryn and Nessa have not changed a bit, bar additional hair (!?!) on Bryn. Neither have The Shipmans or Smithy. It is Christmas and everyone is headed for Wales. A short hilarious piece with Dawn and her ever solid hubby left me in tears laughing. Smithy has a girlfriend and he is going to propose, and unlike Lucy we get to meet her and she is a piece of work, this was the weakest link in the show, I didn't buy it. Loved the Christmas duet, despite the controversy. I love these characters so very much, in a world full of pain and despair, their decency and kindness are always welcome. And the ending, my screams as the credits rolled are still reverberating around my suburb!
Fleabag S2 - realised I haven't written this up, like The Crown, what is there to say? I still think I prefer S1 (by a whisker) but this was great. Phoebe-Waller Bridge is such a charismatic face on screen, those asides by anyone else wouldn't work. The supporting characters are more fleshed out this time, her sister and step-mother are still stand outs. The hair cut scene and the flashbacks had me in stitches. Add in the Hot Priest and that very clever storyline, and it is simply a winner. So much remarkable television this year.
After Life - oh my goodness. I am a huge fan of Ricky Gervais, always have been. This is probably his best series yet. It is very melancholy and I sobbed most of the way through it, but that's me! It is about a man, Gervais, who's wife has died from breast cancer and he just doesn't want to live without her. The only thing keeping himself from checking out is his dog. Yup, it sounds awful, but it is beautiful and it is about WHY life matters, and despite being dark, it is very funny and incredibly uplifting. There is so much heart behind this, you will feel better for watching it.
Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special - it has been ten years since we last visited our friends and not a lot - thankfully - has changed. Gavin and Stacey are still married with three kids living next door to Gwen (who hasn't aged a day!) in the house Doris (bless, and truly missed) left them, Nessa is suing, it should have been hers! Bryn and Nessa have not changed a bit, bar additional hair (!?!) on Bryn. Neither have The Shipmans or Smithy. It is Christmas and everyone is headed for Wales. A short hilarious piece with Dawn and her ever solid hubby left me in tears laughing. Smithy has a girlfriend and he is going to propose, and unlike Lucy we get to meet her and she is a piece of work, this was the weakest link in the show, I didn't buy it. Loved the Christmas duet, despite the controversy. I love these characters so very much, in a world full of pain and despair, their decency and kindness are always welcome. And the ending, my screams as the credits rolled are still reverberating around my suburb!
Years and Years – it is really hard to write about
this mini-series without spoilers. It is set in Britain and follows an extended
family over many decades, with each episode moving further into the future. It
is political and scary and very much a post post modern nightmare. Whilst it is
about how this family survives with all these super horrid changes, Emma
Thompson stars as a Pauline Hansonesque politician who ends up running the
country. She is brilliantly bad. The show deals with politics, immigration, climate change, technology and none of it looks terribly good. And yet, seems possible. Everyone
should watch this show!
Hold the Sunset S1/2 - this is a quaint little comedy of errors show starring John Cleese and Alison Steadman (Gavin and Stacey) as a couple in late age who just want to travel but family dramas keep popping up to halt this. This grew on me after initially not being sure. I found the main protagonist of her son an issue, he was really annoying...and meant to be so, but once I was a little over that, I enjoyed the show.
My Summer in Provence - lovely French film about 3 kids who spend the summer, reluctantly, in Provence with the grandfather they had never met. It's the time told tale of stuffy grandfather who is charmed by the grandchildren he initially found irritating, except the grandfather is played by Jean Reno and it is set against the stunning Provence backdrop. What a delight.
Late Night - this was a fun, Emma Thompson plays a long time late night host who is on the way out. Mindy Kaling is employed as the first female writer and she shakes things up. Both were great in their roles and the script written by Kaling felt real, similar to events actually happening in Late Night.
The Fall - this is the recent documentary about the infamous 'clash' between Mary Decker and Zola Budd at the 1984 Olympics. And it is great! The 1984 Olympics were my first real attachment to The Olympics generally. I was 13 and from the (now considered gauche) opening with all those grand pianos playing Rhapsody in Blue I was hooked. Since then I have been a bit of an Olympic sponge. And that year the clash happened, everyone was against Zola at the time, but it appears to really have just been an accident. It was fascinating to relive all the action, see their careers leading up to and beyond that point and whether they crossed paths again later. Loved this!
Great Australian Bake Off – while I love documentaries, ‘reality’ TV is not really my thing, but I do make some exceptions. I recently discovered the Great British Bake Off, mostly as my great love Noel Fielding was on it, and really enjoyed salivating over the cooking. Mostly it is straight forward and not too bullshitty, plus baked goods, seriously baked goods. So I checked out the recent Australian one, absolutely the same format at the British one, but equally as enjoyable.
Hold the Sunset S1/2 - this is a quaint little comedy of errors show starring John Cleese and Alison Steadman (Gavin and Stacey) as a couple in late age who just want to travel but family dramas keep popping up to halt this. This grew on me after initially not being sure. I found the main protagonist of her son an issue, he was really annoying...and meant to be so, but once I was a little over that, I enjoyed the show.
My Summer in Provence - lovely French film about 3 kids who spend the summer, reluctantly, in Provence with the grandfather they had never met. It's the time told tale of stuffy grandfather who is charmed by the grandchildren he initially found irritating, except the grandfather is played by Jean Reno and it is set against the stunning Provence backdrop. What a delight.
Late Night - this was a fun, Emma Thompson plays a long time late night host who is on the way out. Mindy Kaling is employed as the first female writer and she shakes things up. Both were great in their roles and the script written by Kaling felt real, similar to events actually happening in Late Night.
The Fall - this is the recent documentary about the infamous 'clash' between Mary Decker and Zola Budd at the 1984 Olympics. And it is great! The 1984 Olympics were my first real attachment to The Olympics generally. I was 13 and from the (now considered gauche) opening with all those grand pianos playing Rhapsody in Blue I was hooked. Since then I have been a bit of an Olympic sponge. And that year the clash happened, everyone was against Zola at the time, but it appears to really have just been an accident. It was fascinating to relive all the action, see their careers leading up to and beyond that point and whether they crossed paths again later. Loved this!
Great Australian Bake Off – while I love documentaries, ‘reality’ TV is not really my thing, but I do make some exceptions. I recently discovered the Great British Bake Off, mostly as my great love Noel Fielding was on it, and really enjoyed salivating over the cooking. Mostly it is straight forward and not too bullshitty, plus baked goods, seriously baked goods. So I checked out the recent Australian one, absolutely the same format at the British one, but equally as enjoyable.
What I've Been Listening To
Dolly's America - This is a new podcast about all things Dolly and it is magnificent!
Song Exploder - another podcast I have just started. It takes a song and talks to the artist about it, about 20-30 minutes, great little snippets to partake of.
Song Exploder - another podcast I have just started. It takes a song and talks to the artist about it, about 20-30 minutes, great little snippets to partake of.
Beatles Abbey Road - re-release of the classic album with extras, such a joy and a gift. I always toggle between this and The White Album as my faves, but this is winning at the moment. It is classic after classic, sheer genius, but the Abbey Road trilogy is such a joy, it brings me to my knees. And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make...indeed!
Elton John - been listening to loads of Elton leading up to his concert, I love the very early stuff and the later stuff.
Cuz I love you - Lizzo - I love this album so much, not just for all the positive body image and loving yourself stuff but for her voice. Her voice is classically trained, operatic and magnificent. And it moves from that to rap and back so seemlessly. Playing over and over again.
1999 - Prince - Another re-release and on purple vinyl no less. It is a thing of beauty and has had me dancing around Club Cathy.
Elton John - been listening to loads of Elton leading up to his concert, I love the very early stuff and the later stuff.
Cuz I love you - Lizzo - I love this album so much, not just for all the positive body image and loving yourself stuff but for her voice. Her voice is classically trained, operatic and magnificent. And it moves from that to rap and back so seemlessly. Playing over and over again.
1999 - Prince - Another re-release and on purple vinyl no less. It is a thing of beauty and has had me dancing around Club Cathy.
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