Reading, Watching, Listening..... May in Review

What I Was Reading in May
Living and Teaching the Writing Workshop by Kristen Paintner
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
Take Joy: the Writer's Guide to Loving the Craft by Jane Yolen
Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland


Books completed:
The Paintner book is one I read for professional book club and this one sparked several of us to start a writing group or two. The kick off meeting for that is next Monday and I'm really looking forward to that.

Girl in Hyacinth Blue is a re-read. I just love this book. It's one of those "art fiction" books, but it's written with an unusual style. The first chapter is set in modern day and tells about the owner of a painting that he believes is a Vermeer that he obtained through scandalous means. The second chapter tells about the previous owners and so forth until the second to the last chapter the truth of the painter is revealed and in the final chapter the subject, our girl in hyacinth blue is introduced. The story is a wonderful exploration of the meaning of art to a variety of people.

I still haven't finished The Memory Keeper's Daughter and I'm not sure I intend to. I am just not very excited by this book and it seems like my own conscience is urging me to just finish it like it's a plate of cold peas or liver and onions I am unable to leave the table without finishing. On the other hand, I'm really enjoying Jane Yolen's book on writing.

What I was watching in May

On TV
Well, the season's finales have all aired and I have a lot more time on my hands. They finally brought back Studio 60 and I've been watching that.

I have to say that my love affair with Grey's Anatomy is over. I'm still not convinced about Brothers and Sisters. I just don't feel good about watching those shows. The ending of Desperate Housewives was awful and I am left thinking it can't really be how it appears.

I was pleased to see Tessa get picked by the Bachelor. I really did like her. Not sure I'd actually WANT to be in her shoes... military life/wife etc. But still.

I was very happy to see Apolo Anton Ohno win the Dancing with the Stars mirrorball trophy. Though, if Joey and Kym had won I'd be happy for them too. I was so impressed with both of them throughout the whole competition.

My mom wasn't very impressed with the season finale of Lost, but I loved it. I think it's a bit much that they didn't give us any resolution on last year's season finale until THIS year's, but still. I have caught the Lost bug and it's now a bit of an obsession. Pam and I analyze it, we ponder, infer, predict.... I even watched the season finale twice becuase it seemed so sad that I have to wait until next fall to watch what happens next. Maybe I'll get season one from the library and start all over.

And The Office. How I love The Office. It just keeps getting better.


On DVD
Notes on a Scandal
Stranger Than Fiction
Layer Cake
Catch and Release
The Last King of Scotland
Pete's Dragon
Robin Hood

This has been a slow movie month. And one in whichI have not loved any of the news films I've seen. Notes on a Scandal was the film I watched for the first time in about 5 weeks. Yikes. Talk about disappointing. It had that icky music and desperate feel from the moment the film began. Of course ther performances of Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett were superb, I just really disliked the subject matter. Not my kind of film.

Layer Cake was suggested by my brother as one I ought to see if I liked the Guy Ritchie films Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels or Snatch... both films I did, indeed, enjoy. However Layer Cake wasn't quite as fun for me. I guess I really disliked the ending. Could I be hypercritical? Daniel Craig did a lovely job and the ultimately it was fine. Just not great.

Stranger than Fiction was one I loved enough to watch twice. Yay. Rented for my sister's grad party, Pam and I watched it before I had to return it.

The Last King of Scotland was informative and interesting but nothing I'd want to see again. I didn't know much of anything about Idi Amin and so it was definitely eye opening and I found Forest Whitaker to be a frightening figure of a man in this role. When Dr. Garrigan says to him in a voice dripping with disdain and rage, "You're a child" I think he nailed it on the head. Wow. So the film was powerful and interesting, but also brutally violent and stomach turning at parts too.

Pete's Dragon (1977) is a Disney I've not seen for years, decades even. I know now why. It's full of bizarre things I wouldn't have expected. Like obvious drunkenness by Andy Rooney and others in the film. Even the cartoon dragon gets a bit loaded in one scene. Also, it's a musical. Didn't see that coming. I watched this and Robin Hood while babysitting. Robin Hood is a full on animated film as opposed to the combo animated/live action film of Pete's Dragon.

I watched Catch and Release with the girls, Pam and Marci, and while there were no big complaints from anyone after the film, I have to say I didn't really like it. I like Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow and so maybe she's typecast for me, but I kept waiting for Michael Vaughn to show up and that never happened. I wasn't totally love stuck by the leading male and I thought her friends were sort of annoying. Ultimately the entire film wasn't very believable. The one bright spot was the role of the "other woman" played by Juliette Lewis. She was her typical funny charming self.


What I was listening to in May
I picked up the new Martin Sexton CD Seeds. I have yet to truly devour it. That may be my June listen of the month.... though the new White Stripes is coming out too.

Here are my MP3 shuffles:

May 5
Wildwood Flower by Reese Witherspoon
The Dark Don't Hide It by Magnolia Electric Company
We've Got to Get Out of This Place by The Animals
Heart and Soul by T'Pau
Rock Me Right by Susan Tedeschi

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May 19
I'm Sorry by Brenda Lee
Train in Vain by The Clash
Promises by Eric Clapton
Goldwatch Blues by Donovan
Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Dwight Yoakam