The Cheese Stands Alone

Su 1/30/22 835am. 11am (a pinch). 1235pm. 450pm (2 hits- 1 hitter). 740pm. Up 7am: Partly sunny with temps to low 30's. Posted 'RABBIT IS RICH' by John Updike and 'KENTUCKY HAM' by William Burroughs Jr. to the blog. Watched Netflix disc 'MY SALINGER YEAR'. A touching and heartwarming story that celebrates the love of books, personal integrity, and the 'business of fiction writing'. It's about a young woman who wants to be a writer but learns that being a literary agent is not the same thing as writing. She needs to change her life's direction to reclaim her inner voice and 'Jerry' Salinger helps her to tackle that challenge; with Margaret Qualley and Sigourney Weaver. I really liked it, but I could see how some critics disliked the film because they felt that it was an overly romantic portrayal of the commercialization of literature.  Then more of 'ARCHIVE 81' (Netflix).  1150am: Shut it down to do the Weekly Cleaning and then...

Sa 1/29/22 820am. 1055am (a pinch). 545pm (2 hits- 1 hitter). 725pm.  Up 645am: Mostly sunny with temps to mid 30's. Watched 'HEIST' (Netflix). One of two films that Janny recommended; HEIST and UNDER SUSPICION and both were well worth a look. A 'heist genre film' that's more concerned with intelligence and planning than car chases or gunplay and nobody can deliver snappier patter than David Mamet; with Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, Delroy Lindo, Rebecca Pidgeon, Ricky Jay, and Sam Rockwell.   "He's so cool that when he goes to sleep the sheep count him". "...And if he had had another bible in front of his face, he would have been alive today". Then, more of 'ARCHIVE 81' (Netflix). There are witches at the Visser! 1240pm: Preparing for a walk on the treadmill.  110pm:  FIVE MILES AT 3.9 PACE AND 0.50 SLANT and watched GILBERT GOTTFRIED on J.R.E, part of a JOEY'S JOINT, and more of ALAN DUNN. Read 'KENTUCKY HAM' on the co...

Fr 1/28/22 830am (2 hits bong). 10am. 545pm (2 hits- 2 hitter). 750pm.  Up 630am: Partly sunny with temps to low 20's. I wanted to do the grocery shopping at Fairhills and pick up the gel-pen at Brewer, so I didn't want to leave the house too early. I read KENTUCKY HAM until about 830 am. and then called Brewer to arrange the pickup. Fairhills County Market: $105. Brewer: $30 (for some reason it went down in price). They asked me if I had been exposed to a person with Covid in the last ten days. I answered 'No', but what about Joe? I should have asked what they would have done if I had said 'Yes'.   Home by 930am and I left the groceries in the car. It's cold enough so that I can bring them in later and it will be just fine. Watched 'MUNICH: The Edge of War' (Netflix). The premise of the film is that the Munich Agreement that Neville Chamberlain and Adolph Hitler signed in September of 1938 gave the Allies a year to prepare for war and later to defea...

 Th 1/27/22 830am. 1235pm (a pinch). 540pm (2 Hits). 815pm.  Up 7am: We got about an inch of snow last night. The streets are covered (Westview, at least) and not quite enough to cover the grass. Today it's cloudy with temps in the mid 30's. Buddy seems to be in fine shape. Watched 'UNDER SUSPICION' (Netflix). On the island of Puerto Rico a wealthy and influential man is interrogated about the rape and murder of two 13 year old girls.  Nearly all of the screen time is devoted to the interrogation and it sure seems like he did it, but what he revealed about his life and his marriage was far worse. The man makes a full confession just as the real killer and rapist is captured. He and his wife walk away and it seems like their lives together are at an end; with Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, Thomas Jane, and Monica Bellucci.  Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman were the executive producers.  Interesting Presentation: During the questioning at the station, both the capta...

 We 1/26/22- Buddy Sick 835am. 1255pm. 510pm (1- hit). 735pm.  Up 7am: Sunny with temps to low 20's. ***Buddy threw up about a half hour after his breakfast. However, he seems relatively unaffected and he ate again at 10am and seems fine. (He didn't throw up any 'foam' during Wednesday night and he was fine on Thursday morning) Watched more of 'NEWTON'S CRADLE' (Netflix). An Egyptian couple wants to have their baby on US soil so that their child will have American citizenship. She has an advanced degree in agriculture and he runs a small apiary (bee keeping) business. Hana is to travel to the US on her government job, have the baby in America, and her husband will follow later. Mayhem ensues; lots of moving parts but I really liked the series.  A realistic look at how the Muslim faith impacts everyday life and how Egyptian men and women live with very rigid sexual roles. I watched almost the last four hours in one sitting. ***I just noticed that there are 30...

Tu 1/25/22 805am. 11am (a pinch). 530pm (a pinch). 735pm.  Up 630am: Bright and frigid with temps to about 20 and wind chills near zero or below. Watched Netflix disc 'A MILLION LITTLE PIECES'.  This is a fictionalized account (based on real events) of author James Frey's struggle with drugs and alcohol. It landed him at Hazelton, but his experiences seem far too melodramatic and do not seem authentic so the entire production comes off as somewhat flat and pointless.  Alcoholism is a disease: It's the result of a choice that you made. Do I want to stay sober or not? Did you ask for all of the destruction that was caused in your life by the choice to drink/drug? Since the pain wasn't called for, then you are not in control and it is like having a disease. Watched the Bonus Features on both discs. Began 'AS GOOD AS IT GETS'  (Netflix). Stopped at 49". Noon: PC is 'Off' and getting ready to walk on the treadmill. 1225pm:  FIVE MILES AT 3.8 PACE AND...

  Mo 1/24/22 805am. 1030am (a pinch). 530pm (a pinch). 745pm.  Up 645am: Cloudy and temps to about 40 with a chance of snow showers or light rain this morning (never happened). Back in the teens tomorrow.  Watched 'THE COLONY' (Netflix). Astronauts revisit Earth to see if the survivors can have children to repopulate the world. Great dystopian sets with lots of rusty interior boat hulls, mist, and fog, but the story was less than clear..."For The Many"; a slap at Socialism? Shot in Brandenburg, Germany: 50 miles west of Berlin. Watched more of 'NEWTON'S CRADLE' (Netflix). A Middle Class Egyptian mother wants to have her baby in the US. Is this a thing? If the baby is a US citizen would his parents be given preferential treatment to change from Egyptian to US citizenship.  I wrote The Wrap and around 1245pm the PC is 'Off' and preparing for a walk on the treadmill.   105pm: FIVE MILES AT 3.8 PACE AND 0.50 SLANT and watched more of 'NEWTON'S ...