Another update, another earache. Well, same one. Ugh. The infection is gone, but fluid is still trapped in my ear and I'm on a steroid pill and steroid nose spray to try to knock that all out because on Wednesday I'm flying to Minneapolis.
But I am excited for that because helllllllllo Twin Cities! I'll be speaking at Mill City Running on Wednesday. Run is at 6pm, talk is at 7pm. Yes there will be beer. And me. I haven't been to the Twin Cities since 2010 – I'm excited to get back there.
And then I fly back to PHL and hop into my car and shoot back down to Cape May so I can run the Wild Half half marathon in Wildwood on Sunday. That should be something. I've been running more since the depression following my dog's death has eased (though I still cry just about once a day), but this sickness (now going on two weeks) has been a drag. I know I'm capable of finishing a half marathon. We'll see if I want to punch myself at the end.
What I'm Reading
Since my last missive, I have finished Dan White's Under the Stars, and my opinion on it still stands: interesting if uneven, but a worthy read. I really want to know more about the founder of the Girl Scouts now. I also read A Killer Ball at Honeychurch Hall by Hannah Dennison. The publisher has sent me the earlier books in this series, and I didn't get to them, but this time, I read it because I wanted something light, and because there's a Jack Russell Terrier (named Mr. Chips!) on the cover. It's light mystery. It's OK – a good companion for a few days. And now I'm just about finished The Mighty Franks by Michael Frank, which is one of those books that's so well written it (briefly) makes me want to quit writing. It comes out in May.
What I'm Watching
After finishing Parks & Rec (sniff), I watched the first episode of A Series of Unfortunate Events. It's good (maybe a shade too soon after the movie, but I've read a few of the books, and this format seems a better fit), but I also felt more in the mood for movies. I have kept up with Call the Midwife (more sniff!), Feud: Bette and Joan and Bull too. But the movies:
- Woman of the Year If I watched a Tracy/Hepburn movie before, I don't remember it. This was a good one to start.
- Rush Hour 2 Silly fun.
- Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. THEY STEAL WOMEN. The WTFery of this movie was sky high.
- Easter Parade It's always fun to watch this movie and imagine Gene Kelly in the lead (he broke his ankle before production and begged Fred Astaire to come out of retirement to take his place)
- Hollywood Canteen This was a real thing: a (free for them) canteen set up for servicemen where Hollywood stars were the workers. The movie is more a parade of stars and bold face named from the era than a movie (I noticed a lot of them but not all), but there is enough plot to tie it together. It as a fun watch.
- Die Hard Yippie kay yeah indeed.
- Funny Girl. Babs turned 75 this week, so TCM is running a bunch of her movies. I hadn't seen this in forever. Those turn of the century costumes with 1960s makeup were something. But besides that: what a great film. She earned that Oscar.
Until next time,
Jen A. Miller
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