Message 486

Yesterday was another day to add a little to my memoirs. In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie Black Snake Moan. It was a very rough and gritty story based on blues music. It had a good cast, especially Christina Ricci and Samuel Jackson, but also Justin Timberlake. Against all the odds, it ended up on a hopeful note. I give it four stars.

Message 485

Yesterday afternoon I added a little more to my memoirs. I am in the 10th grade now. In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio. It paints a really good picture of life in the Midwest in the fifties and sixties. It is based on the memoirs of one of the daughters of the woman who is the leading character, played by Julianne Moore. I give it 3.5 stars. When it was over I watched the last half of the PBS documentary on the sixties, especially the pivotal year 1968. It was extremely well done. I was surprised at how strongly I still react to these reminders of how strongly I felt during those times.

Message 484

I just got back from breakfast at Heidi's Pies with Vanessa and Annie. Annie was not quite so well behaved as she was last week, so we may take her to daycare next week. Julian is in New York all week, so Beech is having his troubles too. Vanessa decided to have him skip Kung Fu this afternoon.

Last night I watched a DVD of the movie August Rush. It has an absurd plot but it is well acted and features music in a good way. It is good to see Robin Williams again in a supporting role. It is a feel good movie with a happy ending. I give it four stars.

Message 483

Yesterday I finished reading The Economist. I went to Starbucks and had a coffee and read this week's Science while Orlindo's crew cleaned my condo. In the evening Joshua brought in Boston Market meatloaf for me (and chicken for him) which we ate while watching two hours on PBS dealing with what happened when the Spaniards first encountered the Incas and then the Aztecs. It was interesting to see how the physical evidence from the bones gave a different account from that written by the Spaniards at the time. Josh got back from Amsterdam Sunday. He had a successful trip. He even went to an art museum with a girl.

Message 482

Yesterday I had a routine dentist appointment after lunch. In the evening I met Julian and Vanessa at Gombei (a local Japanese place) for dinner. Julian left for New York this morning and will not be back until Friday. In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie Valkyrie in which Tom Cruise leads the plot to kill Hitler in a true story. I had read the history years ago, so I was familiar with what happened, and I think the movie stuck close to the facts. I am a little prejudiced against Tom Cruise, so I only give this film 3.6 stars, even though it was well done, was based on a true story, and had a good cast.

I just called Orlindo to send a crew over to clean my condo. He did not have any openings this week except for this afternoon, so I now have to scurry around and get everything ready to be cleaned.

Message 481

I just got back from refilling my antibiotic prescription at PAMF. I also just realized that I forgot to take my Boniva pill yesterday, so I think I will just take it next Sunday instead. Yesterday I watched football with Beech and Julian. It was great to have the Raiders and 49er both win. In the evening I went to San Mateo and joined everyone again for the regular Sunday family dinner. In the evening I watched another Inspector Lewis episode on Masterpiece Mystery on PBS.

Message 480

Yesterday I met Helen and Jim at Starbucks and then did my Safeway shopping for the week. During the day I read about half of The Economist. I had dinner in Los Gatos with Jason and Susan and the girls. In the evening I watched a DVD of a French Canadian movie the translated title of which was Heart of Stone. It was about life on the frontier about two hundred years ago. It reminded me of my life in Alaska. It was a pretty heavy story with people doing bad things and girls dying, but it was pretty realistic. I prefer upbeat stories, but I give this one three stars.