I’ve been in a bit of a reading rut. I only like to post when I have books I highly recommend, so that’s why it’s been a minute since my last entry. Luckily, TV is picking up the slack!

TV

“Severence” – Apple TV – A little reminiscent of “Lost” in that you have no idea what is happening but everything must mean something, you just don’t know what it could be. “Severance” is two seasons and has just been renewed for a third.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2024 – I challenge you to not get up while Kool & the Gang performs; I was dancing by myself. Cher is sassy, Foreigner will remind you why their music is so good, plus Dionne Warwick and Dave Matthews – it’s always a great show and watching the star-studded crowd enjoy this one-of-a-kind concert is fun, too.

Ladies & Gentlemen…50 Years of SNL Music – while we’re into the tunes, this is a wonderful time capsule of music from the last 50 years with really interesting stories of who performed on the show and the legacies that followed those performances.

If you didn’t watch “Shrinking” or “The Diplomat,” why not? Fantastic both. “Will Trent” is also great again this season (especially because my girl, Gina Rodriguez, from “Jane the Virgin” joined the cast!).

“Black Doves “– Netflix – more diverting than fantastic, still entertaining and every man seems to love Keira Knightly so you can watch with your husband if you are looking for a show to watch together.

“American Idol “– my annual plug because it’s SOOOO good but this year we know someone competing!! Watch here for Slater’s audition.

Books

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon follows Mrs. Martha Ballard, a midwife and healer during the post-revolutionary war. She is smart, no-nonsense, and a person of high morals; very likeable and admirable. Life is (so) hard but her marriage is solid and enviable which is refreshing to read in a novel these days. Based on a real person of the same name, this book is well-written, vividly recalling a time I didn’t know much about but was captivated by.

Back After This by Linda Holmes is for when you need a break after reading a book like The Frozen River. Holmes also wrote Evvie Drake Starts Over which I looooooved. This one follows Cecily, a podcast producer, who becomes the reluctant host of her own show in which a relationship expert is going to find her a match. Smarter than it sounds, it’s funny and cute – a great vacation read.

Movies

I’ve seen a lot of movies lately, including those nominated for Oscars, but I haven’t loved any. My husband and I did just watch the documentary Charles Grodin: Rebel with a Cause and learned that there was much more to Grodin than we knew. It was a reminder of how many spectacular films he made and how easy he made playing those characters look. Just as interesting is the impact he made outside of film advocating for justice; I had no idea. Keep an eye out for it if you’re interested. In the meantime, watch Midnight Run again.

Sleeping Aid

Having trouble falling asleep? Does your mind race at night? Mine sometimes does. I do some games on my iPad in bed to quiet my brain, but it doesn’t always work. I saw someone on Instagram with a suggestion, I tried it, and it worked! Recently, the NY Times wrote about a similar exercise, so I decided to share them with you. 

The Instagram version is to come up with a short name, like Amy or Tony. Take each letter, one at a time, and think of three adjectives/adverbs that begin with that letter, then move on to the next. So, for Amy – A; adorable, adventurous, acrimonious. M; macho, menial, malevolent, etc. If you aren’t asleep by the last letter, do it again with another name.

The NY Times version was to think of any word – build, smack, etc. Similarly, think of words that begin with each letter but think of as many as you can. When you are done with a letter, move on to the next. Good luck and sleep well!

Happy spring and good luck to all of the high school seniors (and their parents) out there!