2021 Goals (Finally!)

On this last day of the first quarter of the year, I figured I should list my annual goals. After all, it'd be ridiculous to wait any longer, wouldn't it?

Let's start with the easy one: I stopped drinking for six weeks. I also have the unSMART (not specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-based) goal of drinking less. Even without a smart goal, this has been working for me. 

Blogging: last year my goal was 200, and I wrote 207. I happy with this number and see no reason to up this goal.

Exercise: I'm not comfortable returning to the gym. My goal is to work here for a half hour daily. I've done pretty well with this. 

Reading: I'm currently on my eighth book. I think 30 books is a decent goal and an increase from last year. 

Even with three months, I haven't figured out specific writing and art goals. I've been in a writing class since January 11. I'm trying to do more writing, but need to focus on specifics. I plan to write 15 poems for April, national poetry month.

Health and financial goals are evolving; I'm more focused on health.

Better late and unfocused than never. 

Lists

Lists is the theme for homework for my next writing class. Writers sometimes use a list to reveal more information about a character (an example is High Fidelity by Nick Hornby--which I haven't read.) I have a few ideas, but haven't quite figured out where I want to go. 

The idea of lists reminds me of my first full-time job. It wasn't the most challenging or interesting job, but I worked with some bright and funny people.  It may have been Andy who started it all. When Natalie Wood and William Holden died, Andy responded with memorial quizzes. I also remember comparing lists of favorite movies. 

Betsey and I made lists of men we would take with us to a desert island. Then there was my personal favorite: dead guys we'd take if they were alive. Betsey listed Gary Cooper; I had Errol Flynn.

One time I came across a list that Butch had made of things he had to look up in the company library. I thought it was the height of hilarity to add "your kiss" to Butch's list (a la Hall & Oates.)

I left that job after a year and stayed in contact with my co-workers for a while before losing touch.

I hope everyone is doing well and still keeping lists.

Two Online Events

Thursday I "attended" an online lecture about witchcraft in early New England given by the Norwalk Historical Society.  I knew most of the material about Salem, but learned about witchcraft and trials in Connecticut.

Today I went on a virtual tour of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. We saw examples of Van Gogh's early work, and then work from four times/locations in France. It was a wonderful presentation and ended up with a 13-minute tour of the paintings in the museum. 

I was pleased that the guide said online tours would continue even after the pandemic is over. Not all of us can jet over to Amsterdam. 

Another (Fictional) Music Memory

One of the things I like about shopping at Shop Rite is the music it plays--many songs of the sixties and seventies. Yesterday I heard "We've Gotta Get You a Woman" by Todd Rundgren. Okay, I hate the line, "they may be stupid but they sure are fun" but otherwise I like the song.

As I was walking out the door, I heard the beginning of "Boogie, Oogie, Oogie" and immediately thought of this scene from the soap One Life to Live. I forgot some of the bad dancing (Rex in the gold hat) but remembered Antonio and Jessica dancing while Nash glared--after all he was in love with Jess's alternate personality Tess. I woke up thinking about the scene.

It's bad enough to have a music memory about iconic fictional characters, it's another to have such strong memories of a random scene. My memory needs to rethink its priorities.

Seen in SoNo

It was a beautiful day and Lola wanted a long walk. As we walked down Marshall Street in South Norwalk, I was intrigued by three bumper stickers on a car: RFK, Kennedy 1968,  and Sock it to me Bobby. The weirdest thing was that the car looked relatively new. It was as if I had suddenly landed in an alternate time. I was tempted to take a picture, but the driver was sitting in the car. I felt awkward.

I imagined what could have been. 

More Movies

 It's been about a month since I last posted about films I've been watching--nothing new of course--courtesy of TCM.

The Glass Key: This was kind of a lackluster film for me. I didn't get into the political plot, I didn't appreciate the chemistry between Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake. I liked seeing Bonita Granville in an adult role. William Bendix was the highlight as the sadistic thug who beats Ladd's character. I'd like to see the 1935 film version with George Raft and Edward Arnold. 

Witness to Murder: This movie could have been great with a cast of Barbara Stanwyck, George Sanders, and Gary Merrill.  Cheryl Draper (Stanwyck)  witnesses a murder from her bedroom window. The police conduct the most half-assed investigation ever and decide Cheryl was just dreaming. Cheryl keeps investigating, but ex-Nazi murderer Albert Richter (Sanders) keeps one step ahead of her. Richter has explanations for every clue Cheryl provides and types threatening letters to himself from Cheryl's typewriter. 

Lieutenant Mathews (Gary Merrill) and the police are ineffective to the point of recklessly endangering Cheryl. At one point, they confine her overnight in an insane asylum. They seem to buy the crazy spinster imagines things trope. The "climactic" ending comes off as ridiculous. The film is still worth watching for its performances, but frustrating to imagine what could have been.

Born to Kill: This is a good one. Freshly divorced Helen Brent (Claire Trevor) comes across two murder victims but doesn't call the police and leaves Reno as planned the next day. On the train ride back to San Francisco, she flirts with the murderer himself Sam Wilde (Lawrence Tierney.) Sam ingratiates himself into Helen's life and ends up marrying her rich sister. But there's a detective on Sam's trail (Walter Slezak.) Helen and Sam's greed, mistrust, and deception ultimately cause their downfall.

The Killers: This is the second Hollywood adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's short story and was Ronald Reagan's last film. I wasn't impressed; I preferred the earlier Burt Lancaster version. The best part of this movie was Clu Galagher's performance as quirky assassin Lee.

Storm Warning: Marsha Mitchell (Ginger Rogers) stops in a small town in a surprise visit to her sister Lucy (Doris Day) and almost immediately  witnesses a murder by the Klan. Marsha sees the faces of two members of the Klan. When she meets her sister's husband Hank (Steve Cochran) she's shocked that he is one of the Klansmen she saw. The rest of the film deals with her dilemma--does she do the right thing and reveal what she's seen? What will happen to pregnant Lucy?

This movie is a weaker version of the Warner Brothers 1937 film Black Legion (from what I remember.) Here the Klan is after "outsiders" not Blacks, Jews, or other ethnic groups and seem more interested in cheating others out of their money than racial purity. Some of Rogers' acting choices don't make sense. When she first meets her brother-in-law, her contempt is obvious. A normal person would be more circumspect around a killer. Marsha is also unrealistically defiant when in a vulnerable position.

The Garden Murder Case: I'm a fan of mystery movie series--my favorite series is the Basil Rathbone--Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes series. Fifteen Philo Vance films were made with various actors playing Vance including Basil Rathbone, William Powell, Warren William, and Paul Lukas. This entry is tenth in series and starred Edward Lowe in his only appearance as Vance. This film was kind of fun, and I enjoyed seeing H.B. Warner, but should have figured out the killer's MO before I did.  

Spring Images

The first groundhog of the season at Oyster Shell Park. A few days later one crossed the trial right in front of us.

Here are flowers at Bruce Park. 

Welcome Spring

Today is the March equinox, vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, a time of renewal.

In southwestern Connecticut, we have a sunny day with temperatures up to the mid-fifties. 

I think it's a good day to visit Bruce Park; we haven't been there for several months. 

Here are photos from a visit last October. 

Here's a spring poem I wrote four years ago. 

Book Seven: Women on the Case Edited by Sara Paretsky

I was looking through a listing of Sara Paretsky's books wondering if she had a new book out when I saw this anthology listed. I think it's challenging to write a mystery as a short story. Some of the stories didn't hold up. I thought Paretsky's was one of the best, even though it ended abruptly. 

I've finally caught up with posting about all the books read so far this year. I finished Women on the Case Monday night. Now, on to my second book called The Wars of the Roses. 

Book Six: There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset

I have a notebook where I list authors I want to read or books I want to get from the library. A few weeks ago, I saw the book There is Confusion listed there. I don't remember where I got the recommendation but I'm glad I ordered it from the library. 

The book takes place in the early 20th Century in New York City and focuses on the coming of age of three Black children. Joanna Marshall has inherited her father's drive and is determined to succeed as a singer and dancer. Peter Bye is studying to be a surgeon and is driven to succeed to be worthy of Joanna's love. Maggie Ellersley has worked hard to bring herself and her mother out of poverty. Now she longing for respectability. All three have dreams that are hampered by racism and sexism. 

The title of the book comes from a Tennyson's poem "The Lotos-Eaters."

    there is confusion worse than death,

trouble on trouble, pain on pain,

Long labor unto aged breath...

This book was out of print for many years with a new edition in 2020. I'm glad I got to read this book. I enjoyed it and it reminds me of my need to expand my reading choices. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day

 

It will be a subdued St. Patrick's Day celebration again this year, although restaurants are open this year. If it were warmer out, we would have gone out for lunch which is our preferred St. Patrick's activity.

I'm still not comfortable eating indoors but deferred to Jeff. He decided we should eat here and go out another day. After Lola and I walked at Oyster Shell Park, I picked up Irish-themed specials from Blue Cactus for lunch.

Here's some background on the holiday. As a bonus, today is Jeff's and my half-way day.

Book Five: The Wars of the Roses by Alison Weir

I've been fascinated with Tudor England for a long time, starting with Anne Boleyn. At one point, I had 15 books on Anne (I haven't counted them lately.)

I've also become more interested in how the Tudors came to power. That's why I picked up The Wars of the Roses. 15th Century English royal history is messy: people changing sides, 15th Century slut shaming with the goal of literally delegitimizing royal contenders, plans within plans within plans (a la Dune.) Plus, everyone is related to each other. 

My biggest problem with the book is that it doesn't extend to the Battle of Bosworth Field and the ascension of Henry VII. That was the author's choice; she wrote about that time period in The Princes in the Tower. I need to read that book. 

Happy Pi Day!

 I picked up a small cherry pie today in honor of Pi Day. Happy Birthday Albert Einstein.

Here's some information.

One Down...One to Go

I got my first Covid-19 vaccine today. I was originally scheduled for a month ago, but I caught a bad cold the day before my appointment, so I canceled. 

I went to the old Lord & Taylor store in Stamford. I thought that was a good location because it had three floors and lots of space. We didn't even get inside. Everything was done in the car (which I discovered yesterday from a friend.) I did an initial check in, then waited in a slow moving line that snaked around the parking lot. I didn't have any idea how many cars were in line or how long I would be there. Early in the line, a worker apologized for the delay; he said there was a glitch. The setup didn't seem particularly efficient, but I'm not sure how I would improve it. 

The whole process took 70 minutes including a 15 minute wait after the shot to make sure there were no bad reactions. That's not too bad--it took my friend two hours at another location. I'm glad I had a book with me. 

I signed up for my second shot next month.

The Haunted Toothbrush

I have a battery operated toothbrush. It vibrates for two minutes, the length of time for a thorough brushing, with a pulse every 30 seconds to prompt you to cover each quadrant of your mouth. The market for such a product is emblematic of our rush-rush culture. We can’t even bother to wash our hands long enough in a pandemic without the help of humming “Happy Birthday.”

One day after brushing my teeth, I heard a strange, buzzing noise coming from the medicine chest. It was my toothbrush spinning in its cylinder holder. It took me a few attempts to turn it off.

It was just the beginning. Sometimes after I use the toothbrush, it resists my attempts to turn it off. Other times, I hear that now familiar buzzing noise and find the toothbrush rotating on its own.

Can it be haunted?

Usually, houses are the haunted entities. They may be built on sites of terrible suffering, such as insane asylums or graveyards. Other times someone dies in the house and can’t rest until he or she receives closure.

In popular culture, objects can be haunted too. Stephen King’s Plymouth Fury Christine may be the most famous example. The TV show Friday the 13th: The Series (unrelated to the Jason movies) is another. Two cousins inherit an antique store and sell off the inventory before they learn that the antiques are cursed. The show consists of the cousins tracking down the objects to lock them up in a vault beneath the store. In real life, the Hope diamond is purported to be a haunted object although that may just be hype.

It makes infinitely more sense for an older object, such as an antique, to be haunted rather than my toothbrush. I am the only one who’s used that toothbrush. It makes no sense for me to haunt myself. Could a manufacturing worker have haunted the toothbrush in some way?

That doesn’t make sense even in my own imagination.

So, I’ll go with the idea that I have a malfunctioning toothbrush. It’s not a romantic as having a haunted toothbrush, but it’s more realistic.

Almost Here

Spring that is. We've had three days this week with temperatures in the 60's. It felt glorious. I know it won't last, but I don't mind as long as the snow is gone. 

I always look forward to spring; February is usually a tough month. In this pandemic year, I am yearning for it. I am looking forward to more, longer walks with Lola, including neighborhood walks that she has recently spurned. 

Yesterday we met some friends at Taylor Farm dog park. It wasn't a DPF, of course, but it was nice. As Jen said, we hope more people return this season--we only had five regulars last year--although we enjoyed those small get-togethers. 

I also hope spring brings some kind of creative renewal to me. I wrote an essay this week, unrelated to my class. It's silly, but it's writing, and I'm happy I did it. (See my next post.)

Book Four: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

I saw two movies and a mini-series based on this book and decided I should read the book. It's the kind of book that should be re-read, especially after reading some reviews.

Hill House is suitably creepy, ominous, and haunted in a subtle and vague way.  

The main character Eleanor Vance is fascinating: sheltered, unappreciated, used to a life of quiet despair. She was waiting for something like Hill House, something she can do by herself. Her feelings are reflected in the phrase written at the beginning and end of the novel: "whatever walked there, walked alone."

March Means Spring

Spring doesn't start at the beginning of March, and sometimes winter holds on for a long time. But March brings the hope of warmth and baseball. 

In the cold of February, the sound of "pitchers and catchers reporting" gave me hope.

On Monday we watched the first televised Mets spring training game. It was nice to see fans at the game. 

Here's hoping for a full baseball season.

Creative Pursuit

In a recent post, I mentioned my need to create. On Saturday night, I put a plastic tablecloth on the dining room table, got out my gelli plate printing materials, and Nancy Drew's The Bungalow Mystery a book that I plan to alter. 

I forgot some of the finer points of gelli plate printing and didn't print any decent images. Mostly I made a mess. I looked through my folder of Nancy Drew images and worked a little in The Bungalow Mystery. Unfortunately, I didn't have a clear idea of what I wanted to do, so I didn't do very much. 

Today I read an article; its first line was "Writers write." The gist of the article is to dedicate one hour each day to your craft. 

Writing is my main craft, but there's no reason I can spend time on other art projects.