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| Calypso is enjoying |
Sorry I missed last week's Sunday Snapshot. My mom and I went up to Denver and I didn't have time to write anything. Not the most auspicious start to 2016, but we're back on track today!
Currently reading:
The Martian by Andy Weir: There's soooo much science. I mean, it's a good book and all, but.
The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James: I can't resist a book about ghost hunters.
Posted:
My 2015 year-end round up, and a review of a very strange book titled Master Flea.
Movies watched:
Dougray Scott really has a talent for picking awful movies. Everything about this movie is low-rent: the script is a mess, and the production is about as appealing as a used couch dropped in front of a dumpster. I wouldn't take that couch!
That said, I loved Gordon Ramsay's cameo, and he's surprisingly not-terrible at acting. More Gordon Ramsay movies!
An epicurean delight. A delight, I tell you! Hortense is "invited" to be the President of France's personal cook, but she has to battle the misogynistic palace chefs and cabinet ministers in order to give the President what he wants: simple, classic dishes with real flavor. While the script wasn't perfect, the food was amazing and looked absolutely delicious. I loved how Hortense and the President bonded talking about cookbooks. Definitely recommend this one if you're a foodie, despite the lame ending.
In 2007, John Maloof won a box of negatives at auction that contained stunning photos of Chicago's street life in the '50s and '60s. The only thing Maloof knew about the photos were that they were by a woman named Vivian Maier. Who was she, and how and why did such a talented photographer remain unknown for her entire life?
Pretty compelling stuff. It combines three of my favorite things: historical research, photography, and weird people. Maier's story could have easily been lost to history, and much of it is still a mystery. Fortunately, through a twist of fate, she's receiving the recognition she deserves.
If you like snow, this is the movie for you! Mountain man Hugh Glass goes on a mission of revenge! after his son and wife are killed and he's left for dead by his companions. So it's basically like Jeremiah Johnson, only an hour longer and more depressing. Also, the revenge part is like 20 minutes and the other two hours and twenty minutes are a series of unfortunate happenings and disgusting medical conditions. But I will say the visuals were incredible, and Tom Hardy was amazing, as usual. If I had a cache of Oscars I would just start throwing them at him.
Sorry, Indian people, you're relegated to plot devices once again.
New Year Resolutions Time!
Even though I tend not to make resolutions, there are some things I'd like to do in 2016:
Freshen up my professional writing site. Did this already! I installed a new template and scheduled a bunch of posts to run with links to my articles.- Focus more on my fiction writing. While I make more money from non-fiction writing, fiction is really my passion and I recently decided I needed to do more of it, just for myself. Annnd I'll get started on that any day now.
- Get back into food and drink writing. Ever since Food Riot shut down, I've been missing it. I get to write some foodie articles now and then, but I'd like to find another publication I can write for regularly, or write my own book.
Bonus
Next weekend is Bloggiesta! There's still time to sign up, so if you haven't done so yet get on it.
I'll be hosting a mini-challenge here about tips for online privacy. See you then!
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