Concert Review: Emmylou Harris, Seattle, December 23, 2006

There is only one singer whose career I have been following longer than Emmylou Harris. In the case of Emmylou, I have been following hers pretty much from the beginning and first saw her in concert in 1975. So what a wonderful Holiday gift it was to see her in concert at the fabulous Benaroya Hall in Seattle only two days before Christmas.

As a long-time fan, I started an email group for her at what is now YahooGroups in January of 1999 - a group that now boasts over 600 members. It was wonderful to meet up with several of the members for dinner at the Wild Ginger before the show.

At dinner were John (my dear friend and co-moderator) and his lovely wife Eve (who is just a gem, and it was so wonderful to see her again after many years), Steve who has become an esteemed online friend and his friend the vivacious Linda, and the very friendly and sweet Peggy and my wonderful, kind, fun new buddy Lisa both from the Emmylou list, myself and my husband, John. The dinner was so-so, but the companionship and conversation was first rate.

We walked across the street just in time for the show to start. John scored us the BEST tickets. Linda and Steve sat in front of the rest of us in the second row right in front of Emmylou, the rest of us were in the third row. I all of my years of seeing Emmylou these were the best indoor seats I have ever had. Some concert halls have a space between the front row and the stage. Not so with the Benaroya. If you were in the front row you had limited visability as the stage was just about in your lap. So second and third row were just amazing. Can I say that again? AMAZING!!!

Emmylou was joined by Pam Rose and Mary Ann Kennedy who both did harmony vocals and played various musical instruments as well as David Jacques who played standup bass.

The set list for the evening:

Here I Am
Orphan
Love and Happiness
Red Dirt Girl
Beneath Still Waters
To Know Him Is to Love Him
Strong Hand (for June)
O Evangeline
In My Dreams
Michelangelo
Sweetheart of the Rodeo
Lost Unto this World
Light of the Stable
O Little Town of Bethlehem
First Noel
Beautiful Star of Bethlehem
After the Goldrush
The Pearl
Bright Morning Stars
Encore:
Boulder to Birmingham
Save the Last Dance for Me

I think my favorites wereBeneath Still Waters (didn't think I'd ever hear her sing that inconcert again) and the a cappella verson of The First Noel - it was sung on an acoustic mike at this acoustically perfect venue. This is where the Seattle Symphony plays, after all. I was glad I had readthe set list thanks to having Gmail on my cell phone so I wasn'tobsessing about not hearing Boulder to Birmingham (my #1 favoriteEmmylou song) because I was pretty certain she'd do that as an encore as she had the night before, which she did. I just enjoyed each and every song for their individual qualities that makes them such a pure delight to hear coming from that voice we know and love so much. I did have to comment at the end of the show that I was glad she finally had gotten Spyboy out of her system as I enjoyed this incarnation so much more than the Spyboy years.

I have been seeing Emmylou in concert now for over 30 years (hard tobelieve!) and have lost count at the number of times I have seen her but I believe it to be somewhere between 15 and 20. Each one has been so different from the other. So special in its own way. She never fails to inspire and amaze me after all this time. I never tire of hearing her. She may not have the high energy she did in the years she was playing with the Hot Band but she is such a class act how can one complain? My younger daughter had called me Friday night and I told her what I was doing Saturday and even she remarked on my longevity of being an Emmylou fan. She's 25 so obviously I have been a fan as long as she'sbeen alive. Anyway she thought it was really cool (her words) that I have been going to see one artist for that long. There is only one singer I have been seeing longer (by a couple of years) and that is Kris Kristofferson but since didn't tour for many years I haven't seen him in concert as many times. I don't know when my next Emmylou concert will be but it probably isn't too far off. And to have other fans get together to attend a concert is just the best experience.

Concert Review: Joan Baez - Tacoma, WA - November 18, 2006

What a wonderful concert! We saw Joan Baez at the ~1100-seat Pantages theater in Tacoma, WA. We had great seats, 4th row just to the left. She was accompanied by a bass player and a fellow who played dobro, guitar, mandolin, lap steel and a few other instruments. This was the first time I have had the pleasure of seeing her in concert and I hope it isn't the last. It is the first time I can remember an audience member yelling out a request and then a singer doing that song -- on the spot (Freedom Now).

She told stories and jokes and even recited a recent poem she wrote: Rumpty Dumpty sat on a fall, Rumpty Dumpty had a great fall. She had several comments on the recent elections but that we now have a lot of work to do. All in all she played for nearly 2 hours, and did two encores - although it seemed only one was planned.

I didn't make a set list as we went a long so these songs are from memory and I may be missing some but among those she sang (and I am listing my favorites first):


Scarlet Tide (very nice rendition, although of course not as wonderful as the Emmylou/Elvis Costello version), very nicely received by the audience most of whom I doubt was familiar with the song
Christmastime in Washington
Jerusalem
Carrickfergus
Joe Hill
Deportee
Long Black Veil
Jesse
Diamonds and Rust (second encore)
There But for Fortune
Freedom Now
Sing Me Back Home (told a story about Merle Haggard and how she was wondering about his politics and upon finding he couldn't stand G Bush Sr, said she thought he was a Reagan man, discoverd he said, "that's because he pardoned me"
Caleb Meyer (very nice version of the Gillian Welch song)
Sweet Sir Galahad (told the story of writing this for her sister)
With God on our Side
Wildwood Flower
Lily of the West
Neighbors - a "ditty" she called it written by the aforementioned dobro, etc player in her band
Coconuts - a rather humorous tune

Van Fans - Seattle Meet-Up - November 4, 2006

And a good time was had by all -- Here are some Van Fans meeting at the Pyramid Ale House before the Van Morrison Concert in Seattle. Most are members of an internet mailing list for Van Morrison fans and had planned the gathering via emails. Some had met each other before but others had not. A great way to start the evening!

Concert Review: Van Morrison, Seattle, November 4, 2006

It Was a Wonderful Night for a Moondance

To say I had been anxiously anticipating this evening was a huge understatement. I had been wanting to see the Celtic poet who sings to my soul for many, many years. He was #1 on my list of singers I had never seen in concert. I didn't think he was ever going to come back to Seattle and was thinking I was going to have to travel to San Francisco or somewhere else to go see him. But patience paid off and finally he came to town. My daughter and I had planned to attend together and we had excellent seats -- 9th row, dead center. At the last minute, my husband was able to get tickets as well.

Well let me back up a minute. The evening began with a meet-up of about 20 members of the Van online group at the nearby Pyramid Ale House. We enjoyed two hours of craic (that's Irish for a good time ) with this very enjoyable group of people which included a gal who came all the way from Pensacola, Florida just for the concert. One fellow had an extra ticket which John bought - I was excited that he was able to attend as well. I think Kristin, John and I were the only Van "Virgins" in the group. A very fun moment came when I met two sweet gals from Vancouver Island in the ladies' room. We discovered we were all going to the concert and they shared the fact that they had met Van the night before at Lola's restaurant -- and shook his hand! I invited them upstairs to tell the rest of the group their story and we all had a good laugh. I also shook the hand of the hand that shook Van's hand .

At 6:30 we walked across the street to the new WaMu Theater at Qwest Field, the new venture by billionaire Paul Allen that had opened up the night before. A portable theater, it sits in the Qwest Events Center and we were all curious to see (and hear) how it was going to be put together.

Van is known to be in a perpetual bad mood. He is not known to be friendly and runs a very tight ship on stage. There is a time clock on stage that starts at 90 minutes and runs to zero. That is when the show ends. And it starts precisely on time. Pity the poor people who aren't in their seats (and those sitting next to them) at the appointed time. We did have problem with a b*tch in the 7th row sitting in front of Kristin who wouldn't sit down, even after being asked multiple times. Finally the guy sitting in front of me tapped her on the shoulder and asked her to sit down. Then this b*tch goes up to the front of the stage and talks to a security person who then directs her to another security person. She then comes back and sits down. A few minutes later, a security person comes over and squats down to talk to the guy sitting in front of me, and the aforementioned b*tch says, "He assaulted me!" Everyone around us was shocked and we said she was lying and that wasn't what happened. He said a few more words to the guy in front of me and left. At least the b*tch sat down for most of the rest of the concert. I had better never meet her in a dark alley anywhere. I was ready to trip her with my umbrella on the way out but decided that I had better things to do.

But I digress. The eejit in the 7th row was soon forgotten as the excitement of seeing Van took over. Our seats were soooo good. I recognized most of the songs on about the third note, and screamed and clapped and cried and sighed and had goosebumps. The disappointment of him not doing my two favorite songs (Into the Mystic and Irish Heartbeat) was quickly overcome by him doing Moondance, Crazy Love, I Can't Stop Loving You, Real Real Gone and a powerful, powerful Saint James Infirmary that had the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. He ended with Brown-Eyed Girl and Gloria, as expected and halfway into Gloria we had our purses and coats on and were ready to dash into the aisle to get out of the doors before the crowd. It was an appropriate end to the evening that when we got outside we looked up and saw that there was a full moon.

Set List:

1. Boogie Woogie Country Girl (opening by the band)
2. Back on Top
3. Fame
4, Stop Drinking
5. Beautiful Vision
6. Cleaning Windows
7. There Stands the Glass
8. I'm Not Feeling It
9. I Can't Stop Loving You
10. Moondance
11. St. James
12. Precious Time
13. Crazy Love
14. Playhouse
15. One Irish Rover
16. Real Real Gone
17. Wild Nights
18. Brown Eyed Girl
19. Gloria

This was my first Van Morrison concert -- but I can assure you that it won't be my last. I can tell that seeing him live is going to be like an addiction, once won't be enough. The high one gets is just too great.

Concert Review: Elton John - Seattle, September 22, 2006

We're finally home from a whirlwind evening, leaving home at 4:30,catching the 6:30 ferry to Seattle, rushing to the Seattle Center and fortunately finding decent parking for only $5 less than 3 blocks from the venue for the 8 PM starting time. Elton was prompt - coming onstage within 5 minutes of the stated time, leading to a mad rush for some to get to their seats. Our seats were on the main floor, 14th row. I now remember why I don't enjoy big venues. Immediately everyone on the floor stood, so for the first 5 songs, we had to stand and strain to see (unless we wanted to look at the big screen, but if wanted to watch a concert on a screen I'd rent a DVD). He sang a lot of hits,then six songs from his new CD, then more great hits, for just under three hours! I was amazed. When he came out for his encore, before his band rejoined him, he stood from the stage and signed autographs for about 10 minutes. What a great performer, great man, and great humanitarian.

For those who are interested, here is the set list ofthe songs he performed:
Funeral for a Friend
Love Lies Bleeding
Bennie and the Jets
Philadelphia Freedom
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Believe
Tiny Dancer
I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
Take Me To The Pilot
I Want Love
Someone Saved My Life Tonight
Postcards from Richard
Never Fade Away
The Bridge
Old 67
Captain and The Kid
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
Rocket Man
Levon
Daniel
Crocodile Rock
Bitch is Back
Saturday Night
Encore:
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Your Song

The evening was interrupted by people climbing over us to get to and on the concourse) and the chatting of several young women behind me,who also sang along to nearly every song. I wanted to tell them if Ihad wanted to hear THEM sing, I would be paying them $135!!

All in all a VERY memorable evening; even John was impressed and he just went along for the ride basically because he knew how much Iwanted to go.

Book Review: The Devil in the Junior League by Linda Francis Lee

It was very upsetting to me when Olivia Goldsmith passed away several years ago as I had loved her wry sense of humor so. I do believe Linda Francis Lee must be channeling Olivia Goldsmith in this wonderful book, The Devil in the Junior League. She has the same fast pace and quick wit that were the hallmarks of so many of Goldsmith's bestsellers. I just loved this book from beginning to end and could hardly stand to put it down once I started it. It was just too much fun to see Gordon to get what he justly deserved. I hope we see more of Frede Ware (and Sawyer!) in upcoming books by Ms. Lee. I will be chomping at the bit until I can get my hands on another Frede Ware book!

Concert Review: Katie Melua - The Triple Door, Seattle, July 2006

Another singer whose musical style crosses several musical genres. Is she folk? Is she blues? Is she pop? Does it matter? This young woman (she is just 21) who was born in the former Soviet Union state of Georgia, immigrating to Belfast when she was eight, and later to England, has a voice of an angel. Her favorite singer is the late Eva Cassidy and there is a lot of Eva Cassidy to her voice. I have been listening to her first album now for well over a year and when the first couple of familiar notes of the songs from that album would begin, it would give me goosebumps. But that was nothing compared to the tears that were streaming down my cheeks when she sang. "Faraway Voice" her tribute to Eva Cassidy. Another wonderful musical evening.

Concert Review: Bonnie Raitt & Keb' Mo': Chateau Ste Michelle Winery - September 2006

Review to come

Concert Review: Lyle Lovett - Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, July 2006

Review to come

Concert Review: Etta James, Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, August 2006

REVIEW TO COME

Concert Review: Janiva Magness - The Upstage, Port Townsend, July 2006

Janiva Magness won the Blues Association Award for Best Contemporary Female Blues Artist this year - beating out such wonderful singers as Susan Tedeschi, how fortunate we were to have her come to Port Townsend! She was absolutely magnificent. A wonderful voice and so wonderfully entertaining. I had one of her CDs already and bought three more during the break. I told her I hoped she wouldn't forget Port Townsend now that she had made it big -- and she said she wouldn't.
Unfortunately we had to leave early as we had a committment to walk in the Relay for Life 24-hour walk to raise funds for a cure for cancer so we are really looking forward to her next visit to town.

Concert Review: Rory Block- The Upstage, Port Townsend, July 2006

We saw Rory Block at the Upstage here in Port Townsend last year and we weren't going to miss the opportunity to see her again. She was absolutely fabulous as we knew she would be. We love this venue, it seats around 115, we have dinner beforehand, and we go there often enough that the waitress knows what we want to drink. Most of the time we're able to seat at our favorite table down on the floor near the performer. I can't say enough good things about Rory Block and hope that she comes back to Port Townsend every year.

Concert Review: James Hunter - Triple Door, Seattle

We had seen James Hunter on Jay Leno one evening and were blown away by this British singer whose type of singing although bluesy, defies categorization into a genre. I immediately checked Pollstar to see if he was playing anywhere nearby anytime soon and was thrilled to see that he was playing the Triple Door in Seattle on May 16th only a few about a week and a half away. Discovering he had toured with Van Morrison in the 90s only made me want to see him more. This venue is one we'd never been to before but had been told about. Seating only 350 guests, it is a supper club where everyone has an excellent view of the stage. We arrived early and got a table in the front row of seats. We ordered dinner and I had excellent pomegranate martinis while waiting for the music to begin. I had been listening to his CD nonstop since I had bought it so I was very familiar with his songs by this time and was anxiously awaiting hearing it live. I was NOT disappointed. He was even better live than he is on CD. A wonderful entertainer and held the audience in the palm of his hand throughout the two hours he was on stage. He was accompanied by a wonderful standup bass player and double saxophones. I didn't want the evening to end! As we were leaving the venue, at the door, there was the star of the show himself standing there to meet the guests as they were leaving. I grabbed my CDs to have him sign them (including the early CD I had to order from the UK) and took a couple of pictures. All in all a wonderful, wonderful evening.

Movie Review: Ladies in Lavender

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED MOVIE -- REVIEW TO COME

Movie Review: In Her Shoes

Loved this movie! Review to come

Book Review: The Madonnas of Leningrad

TITLE/AUTHOR: The MADONNAS OF LENINGRAD by Debra Dean RATING: 5/A GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Fiction/April 2006/228 pages TIME/PLACE: WWII Russia/Present Day San Juan Islands and Seattle CHARACTERS: Marina, Dimitri and their family COMMENTS: What a magnificent read this was! I am resisting the urge to start reading it again right away only because I have so many on my nightstand that I want to read. But this will be one to be read again sooner than later. I found myself spending so much time looking upthe works of art mentioned in the book and the Hermitage Museumwebsite itself - http://www.heritagemuseum.org/ that it took much longer thanit should have to read this 228 page book. It is so beautifully written I found myself reading passages over and over again and marking pages with any scrap of paperI had handy. I see it was tied for #1 Booksense pick for April. A pretty good hallmark of an excellent read. This is an amazing story of a woman with Alzheimer's disease, so many times described as "the long goodbye" and most notable in the following passage, "She is leaving him, not all at once, which would be painful enough, but in a wrenching succession of separations. One moment she is here, and then she is gone again, and each journey takes her a little farther from his reach. He cannot follow her, and he wonders where she goes when she leaves." The only thing a bit off-putting was the naming of an island in theSan Juans "Drake" island when there is no such island (when the author uses so many other real places) but I believe it was actually San Juan Island where I have visited many times, most recently last August.That is such a small quibble. This is such an outstanding book. I only regret I can't afford to buy one to give to everyone I know.

Movie Review: The Boys and Girl from County Clare

Movie #15 The Boys and Girl from County Clare
Category: Drama/Comedy
Rating: B+
Where Seen: Home
Reason for Viewing: Sounded good; felt like a visit back to County Clare and listening to some Irish music
Movie from: Netflix
Setting: 1970s Ireland
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Brothers, long estranged, meet up after many years at an Irish music festival. Each tries to thwart the others chances at success. There is a romance between Anne, the young fiddle player from the one brother’s band and one of the members of the feuding brother’s band. A romance that is frowned upon by Anne’s mother who has raised her on her own after the disappearance of Anne’s father – a mystery which will also be solved during the movie.
COMMENTS: This was quite an enjoyable movie. The music was great and the setting one of particular interest – although I did find that it was not filmed in County Clare at all but Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man! The movie was produced by Ellen Little whose company was involved with two other favorites of mine, The Secret of Roan Inish and the Waking of Ned Devine and this movie does have some of the flavor of the latter to it. I am a fan of small independent movies – sweet movies that have not had a huge box office success and are more likely to be told of through word of mouth than a trailer on TV or at the movies. I admit that this one caught my eye because of the title and I do recommend it to those who like similar films. If you’re looking for a big blockbuster with a lot of action, you won’t find it here. But if you want a story of relationships and some good Irish music, I recommend you give this one a try.

Book Review: But Enough About Me

BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME: How a Suburban Jersey Girl Got Behind the VelvetRope Through Shameless Flattery, Disturbingly Meticulous Research, and a Few Other Tricks
By Jancee Dunn
Rating – A
Began: April 7, 2006
Finished: April 11, 2006
Genre/Date Published/# Pages – Memoir – June 2006 – 288 pages
Characters: Jancee Dunn, writer for Rolling Stone, former correspondent for Good Morning America, and former veejay for MTV2, her family and friends.
Setting: New Jersey and Manhattan (primarily)
Where Did Book Come From: Bought from eBay
Reason for Reading: Heard about it and it sounded good, found an ARC on eBay for $2.

BRIEF SUMMARY: Jancee Dunn grew up in a middle-class neighborhood, the eldest of three daughters. During her senior year in college she attends a party and meets a woman who is a writer for Rolling Stone magazine and decided to put in her resume. To her great surprise, she is offeredthe job of an editorial assistant and is soon doing interviewsherself. The book is written in alternating chapters – with a chapter of Dunn's clever tips for interviewing a celebrity and the next chapter telling of her early childhood growing up and/or anecdotes of her life interviewing the rich and famous.

MY COMMENTS:I loved this book! While Dunn is from a different generation, being amusic fan, I still was familiar with most of the celebrities she interviewed including Bono, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, and DollyParton. One of my favorite stories though was how she posed as Ben Affleck's girlfriend shortly after his breakup with Jennifer Lopez, just to "prove a point" about the paparazzi and then was seen in thetabloids as the "mystery woman". After not being able to finish a book in either February or March, I was thrilled to essentially read this book in two days. Whether it was the subject matter, Dunn's easy-going style, or my mood, I am thankful for it and perhaps now I will be able to get into the reading mode again.

Movie Review: March of the Penguins

MARCH OF THE PENGUINS
Date Viewed: March 21, 2006
CATEGORY: Documentary
RATING: B-
WHERE SEEN: Home
REASON FOR VIEWING: Reviews
NETFLIX SYNOPSIS: Award-winning photographer Luc Jacquet takes documentary film to new heights -- and depths -- with his first feature film, a stunning insider's look at the life of the emperor penguin. The product of more than a year of filming in the brutal Antarctic ice, this official Sundance selection presents never-before-captured footage of the penguins' underwater life and explores their steadfast quest for monogamous mates.
COMMENTS: At first I thought I was going to turn this off. It was pretty boring. But for some reason I decided to persevere. It was good, not great. I could however appreciate the great expertise of the filmmaker himself having to film in what had to be excruciating circumstances where the warmest day it was 58 degrees below zero. It was an interesting look into the life of an intriguing bird—a species I used to enjoy seeing at the zoo in Tacoma, Washington as a youngster – Penny, the Penguin was her name and she was my favorite exhibit there for many years. While the film definitely gets a G rating, I think younger children will be bored in the early stages of the movie, delighting in others. An OK movie, am glad to have finally seen it to see what all the fuss was (or wasn’t) about.

Movie Review: The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio

THE PRIZE WINNER OF DEFIANCE OHIO
Date Viewed: March 21, 2006
CATEGORY: Drama – Nonfiction
CAST: Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson,
RATING: A
WHERE SEEN: Home
REASON FOR VIEWING: Read the book and enjoyed it
SYNOPSIS: Evelyn Ryan, wife of an alcoholic, raises her 10 children by writing jingles and winning contests. COMMENTS: After reading this book I knew that I wanted to see the movie as soon as possible. Unfortunately it has such little theatrical release I never had the opportunity. It was with great pleasure that it came up so quickly on my Netflix queue upon its DVD release. It was only because of a very busy week that I didn’t watch it until nearly a week later. Many times I have been disappointed in movies I have seen after reading the book—they just fail to achieve the expectation I had. I am pleased to say I wasn’t at all disappointed in the movie version of this book. Although I was quite young in the years the movie was set, I do remember these contests. They were found all over the place – in magazines, in the stores, and on television. Obviously Evelyn Ryan had quite a knack for winning these contests both out of talent and necessity. While the book was written as quite the tribute to her mother by Terry “Tuff” Ryan, the movie depicts the family’s way of life, sometimes quite painfully. Somehow Evelyn keeps her family of 10 children together despite her abusive, alcoholic husband whose nightly drinking binges are not as much detailed in the movie as they are in the book but are still disturbing. One of the lighter scenes is when Evelyn finally meets up with a group of other jingle writers with whom she has been corresponding. All in all, a very good movie but I think probably even of more interest to those who have read the book than those who haven’t.

CD Review: This Old Road - Kris Kristofferson

It seems most people I talk to nowadays know Kris Kristofferson as an actor. These days more as a character actor than the leading man/matinee idol from such films as Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and A Star is Born. But I have always thought of him as a songwriter. A songwriter who sang. Actually, if truth be known, more even as a poet than a songwriter as his words always have packed such a powerful punch. Since I first heard him (and I am really dating myself here) in the very early 1970s, then started attending his concerts c. 1972 his music has been an integral part of my life. I used to reward myself every year on my birthday by either attending a concert or, as the years went by and he would appear more and more often on the silver screen, going to see a movie he was starring in. Yet all these years I have been a fan, never a fanatic, respecting the man and his music – but rather personally and silently except even my husband and children know that Kris holds a special place in my heart. And the respecting, is for the most part. There was that one concert at The Universal Amphitheater where he was only able to perform a few songs before cutting the performance short. I am sure it is an evening he’d rather forget – if he even remembers it. He was as happens many times with those so gifted, living hard. So it was with great pleasure to find that on one particular song of this CD, “Thank You For A Life” the penultimate cut, he admits to being so happy.

It’s been said that this CD is his most personal ever. I really don’t know about that. I do know that it is extremely moving. One cut in particular has brought tears to my eyes each time I have heard it. The chorus of that song, “In the News” goes like this:

"Not in my name, not on my ground
I want nothing but the ending of the war
No more killing, or it's over
And the mystery won't matter anymore"

I was lucky enough to see a recent concert in Seattle where he sang this song and the crowd went wild. It was obvious that they shared the same sentiments.
Over the years I have seen a growth in his music that is hard to describe because he writes lyrics that have always held a rare kind of power. But for some reason this CD is a cut above. Different in a way. And perhaps it is because it is more personal as it has been said. All I can say is that it is absolutely wonderful and powerful. And I thank the master of them all for making such a touching CD.

Play #1: Menopause, The Musical

PLAY (MUSICAL) #1 MENOPAUSE, THE MUSICAL
DATE SEEN: March 11, 2006
WHERE SEEN: ACT Theater, Seattle
SEEN WITH: Vicki, Cathi, Judy, Kacie, Carol, Elisa (from work), Diane (Elisa’s mom), Linda and Lori (Cathi’s sisters), Jessica (Judy’s daughter), Donna (former coworker)

COMMENTS: This was such a fun show! We made the trek from Port Townsend to Seattle for a Saturday afternoon matinee. The theater we were in was a very intimate setting allowing for great viewing. There are four characters in the musical - Power Woman, Earth Mother, Movie Star, and Iowa Housewife who all meet in Bloomingdales in NYC and the entire play is set on different floors of the department store. They sing parodies of songs from the 60s and 70s, We went from whooping and hollering to laughing so hard we were crying. And we could each nod with understanding nearly every step of the way. One of my favorites was done to “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” - the one gal was complaining about her husband not wanting to sleep with her and they start this song with the backup singers playing kitchen utensils and singing "She's a b*tch, She's a b*ch, oooooh, etc" and the lead singer singing, "On the couch or in the guest room my husband sleeps at night" Another scene has the characters doing the Staying Alive dance changing the words to “Staying Awake, Staying Awake”. And then there is a Beach Boys Medley "I Wish we Could All be Sane and Normal Girls" to the tune of California Girls and "Thank You Doctor" to the tune of Help Me Rhonda. The parodies were all very clever and when the one gal came out as Tina Turner singing “What’s Love Got to do With It” it nearly brought the house down. I can’t remember laughing so hard. We capped off the evening by a wonderful meal at the Gordon Biersch Brewery at Pacific Place before taking a ferry across Puget Sound and driving home. We had such a good time we’ve decided we’ll definitely have to do this more often!

Movie #13 Nine Lives

Movie #13 --
NINE LIVES
Date Viewed: March 12, 2006
CATEGORY: Drama – Vignettes
CAST: Robin Wright Penn, Sissy Spacek, Glenn Close, Aidan Quinn, Dakota Fanning, Holly Hunter and a host of other talented actors.
RATING: A
WHERE SEEN: Home
REASON FOR VIEWING: Ebert and Roeper Review
Netflix Synopsis: This series of intimate vignettes from writer-director Rodrigo Garcia (Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her) peers into the private lives of nine women, each with a different destiny.

Comments: What a great, stunning, emotional movie! These nine vignettes, each about 12 minutes long, feature very different women from all walks of life, each of them who could be said is stuck in some kind of emotional rut – some more deep than others, some of which they have control of and some they don’t. We start out with Sandra in LA County Jail who is trying her best but whose emotions are right at the surface and a seemingly minor incident spells disaster for her. Then Diana played exquisitely by the fabulous Robin Wright Penn who runs into her old love, Damian, in the supermarket years after their relationship has ended; the one gesture by Damian just broke my heart. Other standouts include Sissy Spacek as the wife of a disabled man (Deadwood’s Ian McShane) who shows up in two of the vignettes and Amy Brenneman as he ex-wife of a man whose wife has just committed suicide. All the stories are so vivid, so intense that I am glad I saw it on DVD instead of in a theater as I found I was forced to take a break in the middle. There were several that moved me to tears. This is really great film making and absolutely highly recommended.

Movie #12 Just Like Heaven

Movie #12
JUST LIKE HEAVEN
Date Viewed: March 12, 2006
CATEGORY: Romantic Comedy
CAST: Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo
RATING: B
WHERE SEEN: Home
REASON FOR VIEWING: Sounded Good
Netflix Synopsis: Shortly after David Abbott (Mark Ruffalo) moves into his new San Francisco digs, he has an unwelcome visitor on his hands: winsome Elizabeth Mortenson (Reese Witherspoon), who asserts that the apartment is hers -- and promptly vanishes. When she starts appearing and disappearing at will, David thinks she's a ghost, while Elizabeth is convinced she's alive. Their quest for the truth ultimately leads to love in this spectral romantic comedy.

My Comments
From Marc Levy’s book If Only it Were True comes a cute romantic comedy. I really liked it and it had been enjoying it all the way until a rather slapstick scene near the end and a rather miraculous occurrence right after that. That said, I was suspending disbelief enough to belief that Reese Witherspoon’s character was appearing as a spirit, so why shouldn’t I buy into the rest? The ending was a little too abrupt and tied up too quickly though. That said a sweet and altogether satisfying movie with characters you couldn’t help but like. Any easy B rating and a fun way to spend a few hours of time.

Movie #11 Elizabethtown

#11 ELIZABETHTOWN (2005)
CAST: Orlando Bloom, Kirsten Dunst
Drama
Rating; B
Setting: Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Where seen: Home
Seen with : John & Kristin
Reason for Viewing:
Synopsis: After causing the Oregon shoe company he works for to lose hundreds of millions of dollars, Drew Baylor is fired for his mistake, and promptly also dumped by his girlfriend, Ellen. On the verge of suicide, Drew is oddly given a new purpose in life when he is brought back to his family's small Kentucky hometown of Elizabethtown following the death of his father, Mitch, as it falls to him to make sure that his dying wishes are fulfilled. On the way home, Drew meets a flight attendant, Claire Colburn(Dunst), with whom he falls in love, in a romance that helps his life get back on track...

Comments: This was a sweet movie with likable characters. I particularly enjoyed the last portion where Drew is taking this road trip. All in all an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours.

One of the best things of this movie – the soundtrack – it’s a Cameron Crowe film after all.

My Favorite Book of All Time - Katherine by Anya Seton

I am so glad this book is now more readily available. It is my FAVORITE READ OF ALL TIME. It is a love story of epic proportions unlike anything I've ever read or experienced. This is truly a real-life fairytale.

Set in the mid 14th C. Katherine de Roet is a convent-raised young woman who, with her sister, comes under the care of Queen Philippa (wife of Edward III), and despite being without dowry marries the rather difficult Sir Hugh Swynford. Eventually she becomes the mistress of Philippa and Edward III's son John of Gaunt, and after bearing him four children, becoming his wife. The children's births are eventually legitimized and John and Katherine eventually are the forebears of both the Tudor and Stuart dynasties.

But this story is of the relationship between Katherine and John and the many twists and turns it takes before these lovers can be together. When Katherine turns 15 the Queen summons her from the convent to Windsor and she soon gathers much attention for her beauty. When Sir Hugh Swynford attempts to ravish her, the King's third son, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster comes to her rescue. Hugh gets out of the situation by saying he wishes to marry the fair young maiden. Sir Hugh is a rather disagreeable and homely man, but it is seen as a step up for young Katherine, without dowry, to marry him. She does but very reluctantly. Meanwhile she is befriended by the Duke's wife, Blanche, and returns her friendship for which young Katherine is eventually richly rewarded.

Katherine and Hugh go to live at his mismanaged estate, Kettlethorpe, near Lincoln which is not too far from the Duke and Duchess of Lancaster's favorite home of Bolingbroke Castle. Katherine is not exactly happy but accepts her life. But when she befriends Blanche again and then sits with her as she lays dying from the black death, her whole life changes.

To give more details than this is to rob the first-time reader of the discoveries they will read. It is a story to particularly savor as when the Duke tells Katherine "She is my heart's blood. My life. I want nothing but her." Talk about a Cinderella story! Those better versed in English history of the mid to late 14th C than I am will realize just what is happening in some of the dramatic historical scenes than I did.

But even after Katherine and the Duke are finally together, all does not go well. Seton details the history of this time beautifully and, sometimes, painfully.

Seton includes quotes from Chaucer (who was married to Katherine's sister Philippa). It is also surmised Chaucer may have had Katherine in mind for some of his passages, particularly in "Troilus and Criseyde."

This book made slow reading for me as every few pages I was either picking up a historical reference to read more or searching on the internet. I do have to warn readers though, keep the hankies handy. I could have used an entire box and even woke my husband up with my sobbing. Most of these tears were tears of joy though.

Readers who enjoy their books both historically accurate and very romantic are sure to enjoy this beautiful story.

CD Review: TIMELESS by Martina McBride

Despite hearing Martina McBride open for Garth Brooks back in 1992, I have never been a real fan. That's not to say I don't appreciate her talents, it's just that I have found her material lacking as far as the style and content of the genre I call "country" music. What is heard on country radio today is, sadly not country music and despite giving lip service to some of the greats, there are only a mere handful of today's so-called country singers who the greats would call truly country. By paying homage to the country music of yesteryear, Martina McBride has redeemed herself in my eyes (and ears) by gifting us with an album that any true country aficionado would be proud to add to their collection.

From the very popular to some that may be less familiar, these covers are like listening to country music history from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. And although many of these songs have been covered by others over the years (and sometimes a bit better) it's great to have them all in one concise package.

One complaint is that these are still a bit over-produced unlike the more simple productions of most of the originals. That said it is hoped by listening to some of these classics that the so-called country fans today will get a taste of what country music really is.

It is fitting that McBride should open with a Hank Williams tune with You Win Again - Williams is not only a name everyone should be familiar with but also absolutely worthy of the distinction of being included on a CD of classic country songs.

I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me) was a hit for Ray Price but I recall the great Gail Davies cover in the 80s. This version, while good, does not come close to Davies'.

I Can't Stop Loving You was written by Don Gibson and was a country hit for him but is best remembered as a Ray Charles hit from several years later and one of the greatest (if not THE) greatest country song of all time.

With her version of I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, McBride does more than justice to the song for which Lynn Anderson won Grammy in 1970.

Merle's Haggard's Today I Started Loving You Again is another example of a nearly perfect country song. Full of the heartbreak that has made both fans and critics of the genre, this song can make a grown man cry.

What would a CD of country classics be without a good Loretta Lynn song? McBride has chosen You Ain't Woman Enough (to Take My Man) that although lacking Loretta's grit, certainly belongs here on the CD

And then we come to the wonderful Once a Day. Although this may have been Connie Smith's greatest hit it is only one of her great songs -- Smith may be one of the most under-rated of the great country singers of our time and I urge anyone reading this to give her a listen.

Mc Bride follows by two more classics Pick Me Up on Your Way Down, a Charlie Walker hit penned by the incomparable Harlan Howard and I Don't Hurt Anymore which was a hit by the great Hank Snow.

A surprise addition is True Love Ways, a hit for Buddy Holly and then again the English duo Peter and Gordon, I never really thought of it as a country song even after Mickey Gilley covered it.

A welcome addition is Tammy Wynette's 'Til I Can Make it On My Own. All these years later, I can't listen to this song without getting tears in my eyes and thinking of somebody very special - Jerry Johnson in 1978 who gently and kindly soothed me through the end of our relationship. I am sure the words in this song spoke to many women out there and still do.

On Johnny Cash's I Still Miss Someone, McBride is joined by Dolly Parton. It goes without saying that no one will ever do this song better than The Man in Black. That said, it was a good choice of a Johnny Cash song to include.

One of my favorite cuts is Heartaches by the Number, the old Ray Price song. Perhaps it's because I just like duets and McBride's duet here with Dwight Yoakam is wonderful.

Satin Sheets is another song whose words I know by heart. I remember singing duets with my friend Pam in 1973 pretending the hairbrush was a microphone. Oh how I loved Jeanne Pruett"s song! And oh how glad I am that another generation is hearing it by McBride including it on this CD!

Satin sheets is followed by three other memorable classics Thanks A Lot (Ernest Tubb) Love's Gonna Live Here (Buck Owens who I used to watch as a grade schooler when he had his TV show in Tacoma, Washington) and the poignant Eddie Arnold hit Make the World Go Away

McBride ends the CD with a song from my favorite composer of all-time, Kris Kristofferson, Help Me Make it Through The Night, first made popular by the late Sammi Smith in the early 1970s.

A group of old classics, songs for a new generation. Whether you've heard these songs for years or are just now hearing them for the first time, they are all so very special, award-winning by so many Country Music Hall of Famers, I am so glad that McBride has brought these to life again. Thanks for making me relive so many wonderful old memories from those times. And for those of you in your 20s and 30s who are just now listening to these songs for the first time -- remember THIS IS WHAT COUNTRY REALLY IS.

Concert #1 Kris Kristofferson

Here's a review from a recent concert I attended -- not written by me, I was too busy just enjoying myself to write a set list:

Kristofferson fans get what they came for: A simple but powerful show

By TIZZY ASHER
SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER

Johnny Cash's spirit must've been smiling down from a seat high up in the packed Moore Theatre on Thursday night as Kris Kristofferson played, accompanied only by a small table bearing his harmonicas and a bottle of orange Gatorade.

Kristofferson owes many debts to Cash. Not the least of which is that Cash made it acceptable and even desirable for an old man with an acoustic guitar to stand up and sing with no adornment and no perfectionism -- in short, nothing but the power of his songs.

As Kristofferson worked his way through his vast repertoire of songs, it was clear the audience was here for just that. From the moment he ambled onstage with his peculiar stiff-legged walk and squinty eyes peering out from under wavy gray hair, he held the packed house enraptured. They screamed, they cheered and one woman even shouted, "You're still sexy!" "Compared to what?" Kristofferson responded.

Kristofferson launched with the lonesome "Shipwrecked in the Ighties" and worked his way through essential hits, such as "Darby's Castle" and a strangely rhythmic version of "Me and Bobby McGee." Despite his 69 years, his voice sounded surprisingly smooth, like an old saddle that's been ridden until it gleams. Guitar experts might find fault with his playing -- and indeed he joked about it more than once -- but his simple, spare parts kept the focus on the evocative stories in the songs.

There was little in the way of between-song banter. This did not mean that the show was apolitical, however: The fervently anti-war song "In the News," from his forthcoming album "This Old Road" made a bold statement, as did his mumbled commentary on "The Best of All Possible Worlds," where he noted that the United States has more people in prison than any place in the world.

He closed his first set with the hopelessly mushy "Help Me Make It Through the Night."
After a 20-minute intermission, the second set kicked off with "The Junkie and the Juicehead, Minus Me," a comical song that had the audience laughing along. Cash reappeared with "The Pilgrim: Chapter 33," Kristofferson's tribute song, and a rousing version of "Sunday Morning Coming Down." The crowd worked itself into a frenzy by this point, and it erupted as he launched into a perfect version of "To Beat the Devil."

By the three-song encore, the crowd was ensconced in collective Kristofferson worship. He closed with "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends," and one could feel Johnny smiling down with silent approval.

Movie #10: Greenfingers

#10 GREENFINGERS (2000)
CAST: Clive Owen, Helen Mirren
Comedy
Rating: B
Setting: England
Where Seen: Home
Seen With: John
Reason for Viewing: Recommended on Netflix
Synopsis: What happens when a group of prisoners are released to a minimum security prison and begin creating prizewinning gardens, even being invited to the most prestigious garden show in England? Clive Owen plays Colin Briggs the leader of this misfit group of gardeners – prisoners with hearts of gold – most of whom have never ever even thought of working in a garden before. Yet when they are forced to do so they take advantage of the opportunity. Helen Mirren plays the expert gardener who comes to their aid and you have to know she’s an avid gardener, she has even named her daugher Primrose.

Comments: What a fun, delightful movie. My husband enjoyed this even more than I did, I think! I had never even heard of it before but it sounded intriguing and I was in the mood for a comedy. This was just pure fun to watch and was a feel-good movie.

Movie #9 Grizzly Man

#9 –2/3/03
GRIZZLY MAN
Documentary – Cast Timothy Treadwell and a cast of Grizzlies
RATING: C+
WHERE SEEN: Home
SEEN WITH: Self
REASON FOR VIEWING: Have always been strangely intrigued by grizzly bears
SETTING: Alaska
SYNOPSIS: In his mesmerizing new film GRIZZLY MAN, acclaimed director Werner Herzog explores the life and death of amateur grizzly bear expert and wildlife
preservationist Timothy Treadwell. Treadwell lived unarmed among the bears for thirteen summers, and filmed his adventures in the wild during his final five seasons. In October 2003, Treadwell's remains, along with those of his girlfriend, Amie Huguenard, were discovered near their campsite in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Reserve. They had been mauled and devoured by a grizzly, the first known victims of a bear attack in the park. (The bear suspected of the killings was later shot by park officials.) In GRIZZLY MAN,Herzog plumbs not only the mystery of wild nature, but also the mystery of human nature as he chronicles Treadwell's final years in the wilderness. Herzog uses Treadwell's own startling documentary footage to paint a nuanced portrait of a complex and compelling figure while exploring larger questions about the uneasy relationship between man and nature.


COMMENTS: I had this in my Netflix queue but noticed it was on the Discovery Channel so decided to take advantage of it. Ever since seeing my first grizzly bear up close over 30 years ago at the Olympic Game Farm, where animals used in many Disney movies were trained, I have been not as much obsessed but certainly VERY interested in reading about grizzlies – their behavior and even books such as Alaska Bear Tales, Jack Olsen’s very wonderful book Night of the Grizzlies about a series of attacks in Glacier National Park, and most recently Patricia VanTighem’s The Bear’s Embrace. Timothy Treadwell was one strange dude. He obviously did too many drugs at one time. They fried his brain. No one in his right mind could act this way. He claimed to love animals and I supposed that is true, but the love turned to an unhealthy obsession. I can’t even call this a brilliant piece of filmmaking. Herzog has basically taken Treadwell’s footage, provided extra narration, and given us a portrait of a mad man whose omnipotent behavior lead to not only his death but the death of his girlfriend. I found this a portrait of a madman and although no one deserves to die, he certainly put himself in harm’s way and set himself up – playing his own type of Russian roulette one too many times. This was a winner at Sundance but I can’t really understand why. I have to give Herzog credit though—he didn’t use the footage of Treadwell’s actual death although alluding to the fact that is was beyond horrifying. He must have known that he would eventually be killed by the bears he loved. No one could have been that naïve even though on the film just a few days before his death he ironically says he has found a way to live with the bears and “to do it right and survive”. Even after seeing this movie, I still would like to go on one of the treks to Alaska where one sees grizzlies in their natural habitat in a controlled environment. But I never want to meet one on a mountain trail.

Movie #8: The Upside of Anger

THE UPSIDE OF ANGER
CATEGORY: Drama
CAST: Kevin Costner, Joan Allen
RATING: B+
WHERE SEEN: Home
SEEN WITH: John
REASON FOR VIEWING: Reviews, enjoy these actors
SYNOPSIS FROM NETFLIX: Joan Allen plays Terry Wolfmeyer, a woman who's dumped by her husband (he lives the cliché and runs off with his secretary) and is left to
raise her four daughters (Erika Christensen, Alicia Witt, Keri Russell
and Evan Rachel Wood) alone. There could be a silver lining behind it
all, however, when Terry hooks up with Denny Davies (Kevin Costner), a
retired baseball player.

COMMENTS: Kevin Costner does some of the best, if not THE best, acting of his career in this interesting character study without much of a plot. The Anger in the title of Terry’s (Joan Allen) at her husband for leaving her for his secretary. Kevin Costner is her neighbor who deftly guides her through her the next few years and the ups and downs with her four daughters.

I loved this quote from the end of the move: “Anger and resentment can stop you in your tracks…. it needs nothing to burn but the air and the life that it swallows and smothers. It can change you into somewhat you’re not. The only upside of anger is the person you become.”

Written and directed by Mike Binder (Shep in the movie) and brother of producer Jack Binder.

Other info of note: Song - One Safe Place by Marc Cohn
Filmed in England 2004

Movie #7: Brokeback Mountain

#7 – 2/1/06
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
DRAMA
CAST: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Williams, Anne Hathaway
RATING: B
WHERE SEEN: Rose Theater, Port Townsend, WA
SEEN WITH: Stacy and Ashlee
REASON FOR VIEWING: Read short story, plan to see all Oscar-nominated movies
SETTING: 1963-1983 Wyoming
SYNOPSIS: Two cowboys meet while working as sheepherders in Wyoming during the summer of 1963 and begin a sexual relationship that spans 20 years, denying their sexuality, marrying and having children, in a time where to admit to being gay might mean suffering a gruesome death.

COMMENTS: This movie followed the short story very well. The movie did allow Ennis to become more of a sympathetic character than he was in the short story, but I never did like Jack. Although I did see this as a story of infidelity, I don’t think Ennis and Alma’s marriage had much of a chance from the get-go. The movie didn’t do anything to change my mind about the fact that it was less a love story than a story of one man’s (Jack’s) obsession with another. This was well-acted and the three actors (Ledger, Gyllenhaal, Williams) all deserve their Oscar nominations. It certainly is a movie that is great discussion material! Did Lureen know of Jack’s relationship with Ennis? If not for Jack, would Ennis ever have had a relationship with another man? Not the best movie I’ve ever seen, but I am glad I saw it, particularly after reading the short story. Oh and breathtaking scenery as well!

Movie #6: Dear Frankie

#6 -- 1/28/06
MOVIE: DEAR FRANKIE
DRAMA
YEAR: 2004
CAST: Emily Mortimer, Gerard Butler and others
RATING: A+
WHERE SEEN: Home
SEEN WITH: John and Kristin
REASON FOR VIEWING: Ebert and Roeper review, Scottish setting, Gerard Butler
SETTING: Present Day Scotland
SYNOPSIS: Nine-year-old Frankie and his single mum Lizzie have been on the move ever since Frankie can remember, most recently arriving in a seaside Scottish town. Wanting to protect her deaf son from the truth that they've run away from his father, Lizzie has invented a story that he is away at sea on the HMS Accra. Every few weeks, Lizzie writes Frankie a make-believe letter from his father, telling of his adventures in exotic lands. Then Frankie discovers the real HMS Accra is arriving in only a fortnight, Lizzie must find the perfect stranger to play Frankie's father for just one day...

COMMENTS: This is my favorite kind of movie – a quiet, sensitive film that hasn’t gotten a lot of hoopla, that not a lot of people have heard about. I heard it reviewed by Roger Ebert when it first came out but forgot about it then saw it on my Netflix recommendations and knew I needed to see this right away.

I read somewhere this movie was described as “wise and wondrous”. That is an understatement. This tender, poignant, sweet movie is so perfect I can’t for the life of me understand why it hasn’t been talked about more or why it didn’t win all sorts of awards. The scene with Gerard Butler and Emily Mortimer walking along the quay after the dance had me in tears as Frankie’s Mom opens up to the stranger she has hired to be Frankie’s “Dad”.

And as if all this weren’t enough – it has the magnificent Gerard Butler. This is a movie I will always remember fondly – like an old, dear friend. In addition, it has a wonderful soundtrack. A movie that can move me to tears. It doesn't get much better than this.

Movie #5: Millions

#5 1/23/06
MILLIONS
Comedy
YEAR: 2005
CAST: Unknowns
RATING: B+
WHERE SEEN: Own living Room
SEEN WITH: John and Kristin
REASON FOR VIEWING: Reviews
SETTING: Present Day England

SYNOPSIS: Two brothers find a satchel filled with British pounds, but with the country just days away from switching to the Euro, they must quickly find a way to spend and share the wealth. Trouble is, Damian wants to give to the poor, while Anthony aims to live it up. But then the source of the found money tries to get it back. The two boys are both mourning the recent death of their mother in different ways as well.

COMMENTS: Yet another SLOW starting movie. If you stick with it you will be soooo richly rewarded almost beyond words. What a special film. I read where at the London Film Festival this film was given a five-minute standing ovation at the end. I can see why. My favorite quote came at the end of the movie. If you watch it you will probably have no trouble figuring out what it is. Talk about a feel good movie. This one has a PG rating and can be seen by the entire family.

Movie #4: Fingersmith

#4 1/20/05
MOVIE: FINGERSMITH (2005)
Drama
Setting: Victorian England
CAST: Mostly unknowns
RATING: B+
WHERE SEEN: Home
SEEN WITH: John
REASON FOR VIEWING: Read and enjoyed the book
COMMENTS: It seems I keep getting movies with slow starts! But since I had read the book I knew what was going on and so I persevered. This is a BBC television adaptation of the novel with mostly unknown actors other than Imelda Staunton who received an Oscar nomination last year. Despite that, the performances were first rate. The actresses playing the roles of Sue and Maud were perfectly cast. The first hour or so of the three hour mini-series is Sue’s version of the ruse while the second hour gives Maud’s version. The third hour brings it all together. The twists and turns in the adaptation may be hard to follow if one hasn’t read the book but I had no problem even though it had been several years since I had read the book. To give more details would be to rob the viewer of the surprises discovered. This was well worth the three hours’ viewing time.

DISCLAIMER: Sarah Waters, the author of the book, is known as a writer of lesbian fiction, but the plot of this story is not so much the lesbian relationship – although it is there – but the amazing twists and turns the story takes.

Book #4: The Bear's Embrace by Patricia Van Tighem

#4
Title: THE BEAR's EMBRACE: The True Story of Surviving a Bear Attack
Author: Patricia Van Tighem
Rating A
Date Finished: January 20th (wee hours) 2006
Genre/Date Published/# Pages – Memoir/Published in Canada 2000/273 pages
Main Characters: Patricia Van Tighem and her husband Trevor Janz
Setting/Time Period 1983 to 1998 Alberta and British Columbia, Canada (with a small part in New Zealand)
Where Book Came From: Bought from Amazon Marketplace
Reason for Reading: I have enjoyed this kind of story in the past
Brief Blurb: Patricia "Trish" van Tighem – a vicacious, pretty young nurse and her pediatric resident husband of three years are out hiking when they are mauled by a grizzly bear. This is the story of the ensuing 15 years including the many surgeries Trish went through and her depression that ensued as a result of the
pain she has had to endure along with the disfiguration caused by the
attack.

COMMENT: Trish and Trevor had everything going for them when they,
two experienced backpackers, took a well-deserved weekend off to do something
they enjoyed. They took all the necessary precautions but the couldn't escape
a particularly aggressive female grizzly one fall day in Waterton Lakes National Park south of their home in Calgary, Alberta. Trevor was attacked first and Trish was torn between helping him or climbing a tree to save herself—she had always been
told grizzlies couldn't climb trees. But due to their experience, the cold weather, and two hikers who find them soon after the attack, they both survive the attack. This book is less about the attack itself than the years afterwards including quite a bit about their initial time in the hospital, Trish's many surgeries, and their life in rural Canada with (eventually) four children.

This book was a bittersweet read for me as I read it after hearing of Trish's death by suicide in December of 2005 at the age of 47. So I knew that although the book
ended on an upbeat note, that the real story hadn't ended and it didn't end happily.
I also knew that at the time of her death Trish and Trevor were separated. That
may have colored my opinion of Trevor from the very beginning, but I did find
him a bit selfish throughout the entire book and even though he seemed to try
to accept Trish after her injuries, I don't think he ever truly could deal with
her disfigurement. All in all though the book was a mesmerizing read. Trish was a talented writer and this is a stunning story. I highly recommend it.

Book # 3 The Mammy by Brendan O'Carroll

#3
Title THE MAMMY
Author Brendan O'Carroll
Rating A
Date Began/Finished January 3 - January 7, 2006
Genre/Date Published/# Pages - Fiction/Published in US 5/1999/174 pages
Main Characters: Agnes Browne, her friend Marion, and Agnes' children
Setting/Time Period 1960s Dublin
Where Book Came From: My TBR pile
Reason for Reading: I love Irish settings and Agnes Browne is one of
my favorite movies
Brief Blurb without Spoilers: Agnes is a recent widow struggling to
raise her children in a very poor area of Dublin. Verrryyyy funny but
also very touching.

The movie Agnes Browne is an all-time favorite of mine and the book
follows it very closely -- except the object of Agnes' affections is
not Tom Jones but Cliff Richard which really excited me because as a
teenager I adored Cliff Richard myself -- before The Beach Boys, about
the time of Bobby Rydell and Bobby Vee -- his rendition of "All in the
Game" was the song that sent me swooning. I plan on reading the
others in the series right away.

Movie #3 The Constant Gardener

#3 1/11/05
MOVIE: THE CONSTANT GARDENER (2005)
Drama
Setting: Africa – Present Day
CAST: Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz
RATING: C+
WHERE SEEN: Own living room
SEEN WITH: John
DVD EXTRAS:
REASON FOR VIEWING: Nominated for Golden Globe for Best Picture
INTERESTING ASIDE: The story was filmed in the slums of Kibera and Loiyangalani, Kenya.
The situation affected the cast and crew to the extent that they set up the Constant Gardener Trust in order to provide basic education around these villages. Weisz, Fiennes
and Le Carré are patrons of the charity.

COMMENTS: After a slow start – this movie with a complicated plot and enough flashbacks
to give one whiplash – finally started making sense about 2/3 of the way through. Was Tessa
using her husband? Was she having an affair? What was she up really up to? Unlike others
though, I didn’t like it well enough to watch it again right away in order to understand it
better. I am not a huge fan of any of the actors so that wouldn’t be a reason to see it again
either. The African scenery was beautiful though and I predict an Oscar nomination in
cinematography.

Movie #2 Crash

#2 1/9/05 and 1/10/05
MOVIE: CRASH (2005)
Drama
Setting: Los Angeles – Present Day
CAST: Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Brendan Fraser, Matt Dillon, Ryan
Phillippe (biggest names I am familiar with) but many more wonderful
performances
RATING: A-
WHERE SEEN: Home
SEEN WITH: John
DVD EXTRAS: Not viewed, wasn't interested in those offered
REASON FOR VIEWING: Reviews, particularly recent Ebert and Roeper Best
of 2005 having it as #3 and #1 respectively
COMMENTS: Wow! Do you think you're not racist? Do you really?
This is a movie about racial stereotypes -- all types from many points
of view. A black man calling his half Puerto Rican half El Salvadoran
girlfriend Mexican to a Persian (Iranian) being thought of as a Arab
and the Persian thinking a Hispanic man was out to cheat him, to the
more common prejudices. Even characters in the movie who thought they
weren't prejudiced found out they were. Really a must see!! I gave
this a mark off for the a plot point at the end but otherwise it was a
terrific film that had me saying "Omigosh" several times out loud
during the film.

MOVIE #1 - 2006 - THE NOTEBOOK

MOVIE: THE NOTEBOOK (2004)
CAST: James Garner, Gena Rowlands, Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling
RATING: A
DVD EXTRAS: B+
WHERE SEEN: HOME
SEEN WITH: John
REASON FOR VIEWING: Read the book and loved it - HUGE fan of Garner and also a fan of Rowlands
COMMENTS: Wonderful, wonderful movie. Followed the book quite closely. I wondered for awhile whether I'd be getting as emotional while viewing the movie as I did while reading the book since I already knew the story and found that I had tears streaming down my face for the last half an hour or so and couldn't talk for about 15 minutes afterwards. The DVD extras were also nice with a piece on the director, Nick Cassavetes (son of John C and Gena Rowlands), a piece on the book's author Nicholas Sparks, and a piece on the selection of locations for the movie.

Comfort & Joy by Kristin Hannah

#2
COMFORT & JOY by Kristin Hannah
Rating – A
Began/Finished – Wee hours of January 2, 2006
Genre/Date Published/# Pages – Fiction – 2005 – 235 pages
Characters: Joy Candellaro, recently divorced high school librarian
Time/Place: Present Day – Southern California/Olympic Peninsula of Washington State
Where Did Book Come From: Personal TBR pile
Reason for Reading: 1) Author is automatic read for me 2) The Holiday season is coming to a close 3) Wanted to see if it was as “bad” as others have said.

Joy Candellaro is a high school librarian in Bakersfield, California. As the story opens it’s the last day before school break for the holidays and her heart isn’t into celebrating. Yes, she has gone through the motions but her heart isn’t in it. She has just gone through a nasty divorce after catching her husband in bed with her sister. On a whim after receiving yet some more devastating news, she boards a plane bound for the Canadian town of Hope – feeling that Hope is what she needs. Things don’t go as she would have wanted when what she thinks at first is turbulence is the plane crashing into the woods.

I thought this was some of Kristin Hannah’s best writing EVER. I was immediately drawn into the story with her easy-going style of writing and even flow. The story of a woman celebrating Christmas alone after going through a heartbreaking divorce yet really just wanting to get away from it all was something I had thought of more than once in my life. I bought into the entire scenario of the book hook, line, and sinker. I know there are readers who thought the story was well, far-fetched. But I figured if I could buy time-travel or read about faeries and leprechauns I could certainly suspend disbelief long enough to buy into this scenario. I thought it was a beautiful story and reading it at the end of the Holiday season made it perfect timing.

Quinn & Ashlee - Just After Midnight 2006

 

Kyra with Santa 2005

 

Kyra and Nemo

This is my granddaughter Kyra who will be three in April with one of her favorite stuffed animals, Nemo.