What I’m watching, movies:
Mank, on Netflix. Evokes power struggles of 1930’s Hollywood. Herman J. Mankiewicz is a brilliant, alcoholic artist who gets little mention for writing one of the best movies of all time, Citizen Kane. The photography and acting are rewarding. The story is unsettling and worth watching.
My Man Godfrey, on Netflix. 1937 version with Carole Lombard and William Powell. We were in the mood for an oldie but goodie. A witty comedy with biting social commentary.
What I’m watching, tv: The Musketeers is a BBC period action drama based on the characters from Alexandre Dumas’s 1844 novel The Three Musketeers. Action-packed, with a highly watchable cast of characters, their do-good mission is foiled again and again yet they persist.
What I’m munching, newish discovery: Black Jewell Popcorn. I crave to crunch on something mid-afternoon and this hits the spot.
What I just finished reading, fiction: Circe, by Madeline Miller. As with the companion book, The Song of Achilles, I could not put it down. It’s a tale about a minor mythological deity. I enjoyed how it elevated her story and struggle to exert her individuality in a patriarchal system.
What I’m reading, non-fiction: Think Again, by Adam Grant. I admit to being a fan-girl of Adam Grant. Have read every book he’s written and heard him speak several times, including recently through Politics and Prose DC. To my mind, this book is exactly what we need right now. An opportunity to question anew, “think again,” and reset. My inner nerd is delighted with the conversational writing, the social psychology experiments and application to contemporary decision making.
What I’m reading, memoir: The Yellow House: A Memoir, by Sarah M. Broom. Winner of the 2019 National Book Award in Nonfiction and a New York Times bestseller. This is a haunting story that stretches my understanding as it explores the pull of home and family, and takes place in a shotgun house in New Orleans East.
Quote I’m noodling: “Never allow anyone to be humiliated in your presence.” – Elie Wiesel
What I’m meditating to: Insight Timer app. Especially enjoy instructor Sara Blondin. Many of my clients enjoy the Insight sleep meditations.
What app I’m adoring: The New York Times Cooking App. The best recipes I’ve found, all in one place.
What I’m listening to, podcasts: On Being with Krista Tippett and The Unmistakable Creative with Srinivas Rao
What I’m doing to disconnect, indoors: Puzzles. Crossword and jigsaw. Turns out that putting puzzle pieces together on a table with my husband is just as fun in front of a fireplace as it on summer nights at the beach.
What I’m doing to disconnect, outdoors: winter hiking. Making fresh tracks in the snow with a joyful doodle dog is, well, refreshing. And magnificently grounding, serene.
How about you? What are you accessing, making, renewing during the pandemic?
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How can I help you in 2021? What would you like more of or less of in my newsletter? As always, I welcome your input and love to hear from you.
