Reading, Watching, Listening..... November in Review

What I Was Reading in November
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

I finished all of these titles and didn't "love" any of them. Never Let Me Go is one I was wanting to read for months after reading a review and I have to say it left me a bit disappointed. Mainly in the ending. It was grim and hopeless... perhaps THIS BOOk is to blame for my gloomy spirit lately. Ha! I Feel Bad About My Neck, a collection of essays by the writer of When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle, was amusing but aimed at a slightly older female demographic. The Glass Castle is a memoir that was fairly gripping from start to finish. Her opening paragraph guaranteed it.

"I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster. It was just after dark. A blustery March wind whipped the steam coming out of the manholes, and people hurried along the sidewalks with their collars turned up. I was stuck in traffic two blocks from the party where I was heading. "

For some reason, though, I didn't LOVE the book. There were times early on where I felt like her narrative voice didn't ring true. Later as I was more gripped by the subject matter I no longer noticed. The story also made me sad and angry. It made me just want to cry "Why?" .... yes, we are to believe that this woman, our author, has made it... has survived... has displayed that necessary resiliency to flourish despite her parents.. however I just felt so frustrated that her parents who were so creative and intelligent and wonderful in small ways could somehow screw up so big. Well, I'd recommend reading it if you are interested in reading a memoir that details a family unlike any other.

What I was watching in November
On TV
Grey's Anatomy
The Bachelor in Rome
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Two and a Half Men
The New Adventures of Old Christine
The Office
Desperate Housewives
Brothers and Sisters
Alias Season Five

This month Six Degrees seems to have disappeared and Brothers and Sisters wasn't on last week. Are we already losing the new shows? LOST dealt me a bitter blow by putting things on hold until February. The Bachelor in Rome was okay. I am not sure why I watch it other than to have something on while I am knitting. I wanted him to choose Sadie. Maybe it's my fondness for San Diego. But I am sure he and Jen will be happy. I actually didn't really love any of the women or him on this show this season. Oh well. Grey's Anatomy can still make me cry. Desperate Housewives is somewhat annoying lately. I think I just enjoy the comedic sitcoms best of all. Alias Season Five was released on DVD on Nov. 21st and I'm still watching it. I can't wait to see how all this Rimbauldi stuff resolves itself. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this show.


On DVD
The Notorious Bettie Page
Lucky Number Slevin
Mission Impossible 3
American Dreamz
Sylvia
Over the Hedge
The Pink Panther (2005)
The Da Vinci Code

This has been a slooooowwww month for movies and me, mainly because life has been anything but slow. None of these films were terribly remarkable to me. I felt that The Notorious Bettie Page had a bit of a Inside Deep Throat feel to it because of the subject matter. It was a decent film, but it didn't change my life. Lucky Number Slevin was entertaining with its twists and turns and much like most films of its kind I really liked it. It was a bit too bloody for me at times though. Mission Impossible 3 met my expectations for a sequel +1. American Dreamz had mixed reviews and I can sort of see why based a bit on the overall "feel" of the film. Still, in my opinion, no one could argue with the entertaining plot. Overall, I really enjoyed the satirical look at our country, its leaders and shows like American Idol. I thought Hugh Grant and Mandy Moore were terrific and Dennis Quaid did an excellent job in his role too. Sylvia just bummed me out. It was pretty much like I imagined the story to be based on the little I knew of her life and death. I always had a slightly different view of Ted Hughes though and I was wondering how accurate this film was in that regard. Over the Hedge was a huge Thanksgiving hit with my siblings and I only got to see part of it since I was cleaning up the kitchen and putting away leftovers when they started the film. The Pink Panther was pretty funny and I only wish I had seen the original more recently. The Da Vinci Code is one that I was warned not to bother seeing. I didn't think it was terrible. I am not sure I would rush out to read the book based on this either. Though, I do love Audrey Tautou and she was one of the leads.


At the Theatre
Flicka

This was the film I got to see at Curt's Theatre back home with my dad. I thought it was a little flat. Tim McGraw and Maria Bello made great rancher parents.. very believable and I thought it all worked... but as my dad said later, "it was a little slow." I sort of want to read My Friend Flicka now that I've seen this film.... out of curiousity.


What I was listening to in November

I pulled out my newest CD... The Weepies a few times this month. I also listened to the Walk the Line Soundtrack a few times as well.
When we did our lefse fundraiser I even listened to some Christmas music... and some Connie Smith, Patsy Cline, and Johnny Horton just for mom.

Here are my MP3 shuffles of the month of November (golly.... just one of these again!)-------------------------
Nov 3

Jingle Jangle by The Archies
The Dignity of Man by Donovan
Free Money by Patti Smith
Easy to Be Hard by Cheryl Barnes from HAIR
(I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear by Blondie