Red Recruited Again...

It has been epically slow in C-Town on the acting front and I feel like I have been adrift with nothing on the horizon. I have received a few mass emails from my agent about non-union indie stuff that I can't do because "I work Actra". Great.

Sidebar: Why can't my agent create some simple email lists? Like union vs non-union or male vs female? Simple enough concept right? RIGHT?

And back in November my agent gave me some feedback about two radio commercial auditions from the auditioners that totally didn't match my experience with them. Talk about an ego blow. I mean I didn't bomb but the auditioners direction led me further away from what they wanted. I was also motivated to take an acting class but I chickened out. Yep, that's what I did... and it was too expensive and I couldn't decide which one would be more worthwhile. And hey, my life has been full and busy lately...

So imagine my surprise Monday to get a call begging me to teach a children's drama class for the next day! What, no, I couldn't possibly, it's been years, I'm not even an employee anymore, 8-10 yr olds - eek!!
But my sense of duty of course won out and I agreed. Who panicked? - not me... well maybe a little.

What happened, you ask? Well, just like riding a bike apparently... the class was awesome, I enjoyed myself - the kids loved me, they weren't little devils (some classes are full of them!)... I was tempted to offer to teach the full term. I only committed to one more week though - see how that goes.

Wintered Out!

It's a blustery day here in Cowtown; a day where most people stay in and listen to the wind howl from the comfort of home. Winter has been unrelenting since October it seems. Sure we've had a couple of small chinooks but it didn't melt all the snow. Today, of course, we braved the arctic gale force winds to go out shopping for shelves and plumbing supplies. Exciting I know. What a way to kick off the 2011 blog list!

As per usual I have too many topics that need updating and I don't know where to start. Books, movies, life as I know it? Hmmm... how about books - I am back on a reading kick, thank goodness, because the reading list is starting to pile up again.

Let's backtrack to the "summer" reading list, I did complete a few that haven't been reviewed yet.

My turn for Furious Love finally came through at the library and I must say, it was well worth the wait. The story of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor's life and love together is almost unbelievable in it's excess. They were the first paparazzi obsession, the first Brangelina... the details of their extravagant life are fascinating; like how often they replaced the carpets on their yacht (their main residence) because their plethora of dogs were not potty trained. It was also a very honest portrayal and approved by Ms. Taylor herself.

Yep, another one that was worth the wait. I don't know what I can say about this one that wouldn't cheapen the experience, plus it's been a while so my review isn't that fresh. A fascinating study of modern relationships - how things really are between two people, not your typical perfect romance stuff.

So The Hippopotamus Marsh (reviewed earlier) was part of a trilogy and of course, I've been working my way through the whole set all the while enjoying the books but feeling like I had to get through them to enjoy the others on my list.

Next up, my new Nora Roberts book I got in my stocking... although Santa gave me book four of a quartet so I'll have to backtrack to the rest of them. Darn these trilogies and quartets... I have a whole stack of other books too, stay tuned!

Sheepish Red

So... been a while. Again. Yes, I feel sheepish for my lack of news.

This is my sheepish face... well actually, it's is the woeful face of my new puppy after her bath.

She doesn't like baths.

Her name is Fernie and she is a rescue from Mexico - as far as we can tell, she does not speak Spanish.

This blogging thing is going to take some re-learning... it's been that long.

I'm Beet... the most productive day ever!

I know I've had productive days before but this Sunday takes the cake...

Here's the rundown:
- Walked the dog
- Went to Home Depot
- Did 5 loads of laundry
- Unloaded/reloaded the dishwasher
                                - Painted the large planter for the front step
                                - Washed the dog's kennel
                                - Picked most of the beets and carrots
                                - Helped hubby build a shed
                                - Washed vegetables from the garden
                                - Made shepherd's pie for dinner
                                - Walked the dog again
                                - Cooked up the beets and made beetroot hummus
                                - Cleaned up the kitchen after my spree
                                - Started reading Furious Love (I love it so far!)

And the sun was finally shining so it really was a fantastic day!      

Red's Summer Reading List continued...

So things must be really slow in my life if I have nothing to post but reading lists - right? Oh well, c'est la vie. I wanted to focus on more reading than tv this summer and I've been doing pretty good. Here we go...

I broke down and ordered a bunch of books online - as much as I love wandering the bookstores and library, the hold lists for popular books can be too long and it's really cheap to order online.

And of course the giddiness that comes with a new box of books means that I had to set aside my library books for a bit.

 

I was not ready for this one! Understatement. I guess I just really didn't expect it to be so graphic in it's depiction of human depravity. But the characters were incredibly rich and the mystery was so layered. I changed my mind on the "who dun it" so many times that I think it's fair to say I didn't guess right.

I started the first few pages of the next book and had to put it down. Child sex slavery?! Oh my... need to fortify up the stomach for that one - and no reading at night!

Yes, I finished the White Queen, after a bit of a pause. It got really good and then really boring and then really, really intriguing and then - it ended. Suddenly. So suddenly that I actually had to go to the computer and look up the historical outcome to the story. Again why build up this epic story and then not finish it. I guess the reader is supposed to be smart enough to know the historical outcome and chuckle at what is going to happen to the main character...

I was very good and made myself start another library book before getting to far into my box of purchases. And I'm only in about three or so chapters. Pauline Gedge is a favorite author of mine - the detail she writes with really pull you into that time and place. Most of her books are set in ancient Egypt and yet she's a homegrown author from Alberta. 

Aside from my summer reading list - this week I also caught a summer cold. Fun! So I spent Monday and Tuesday sick and home and found myself staring into the box of books and accidentally picking up eat pray love and starting it. I know I'm a little late to the game on this one, and in terms of being a bandwagon jumper I normally try to rebel but this one got to me, despite the hype and the movie and Oprah, etc. This is an amazingly written book. You feel like the author is talking directly to you and her honesty and openness is really refreshing. Of course I finished it on Tuesday.

And so the summer of reading continues - I have a friend who read this blog and wound up buying "One Day" and loving it - so I don't have to wait for my turn in the hold line (I should have bought it) and my turn is almost up for the library copy of "Furious Love". And my True Blood obsession will continue with books 6 and 7!

Wheee!

Red's Summer Reading List

So I now have a library card and I'm not afraid to use it.
Since my last book review post I have polished off four books, and two halves, one half not worth mentioning. Here goes:

This happens to be the tv movie I worked on so I was curious about the book - also the whole polygamy as religion thing is fascinating to me. This book has two narratives going on at once. The first is a fictional autobiography of Ann Eliza Young - a real person and the 19th Wife of Brigham Young. And the second is a modern day murder mystery set at a polygamy compound with an outcast son returning when his mother is accused. It was a pretty good read with a great history of polygamy in America and plenty of shocking details of the hidden world of polygamy. My main complaint was the ending seemed rushed or incomplete. This elaborate world is painstakingly set up and the ending just sort of wraps it all up without the same level of detail.

So this was a fairly easy read - I finished it in about a day - but it was captivating and funny. The characters are incredibly rich and I can see why Hollywood jumped on it.

I also think there is a bit of who-dun-it on the author's part because she sets up the end scene at the beginning of the book and then when we get to the end, something is different. So which version is correct? Has the old man re-written his memories? I don't want to give it away but this one is a great summer read.

This one was an accidental grab at the library. I think Carrie Fisher is a hysterically funny person and refreshingly honest about the Hollywood life. And I was curious about her work as an author. The beginning storyline was amazing, but when she switched focus onto a different character I seriously lost interest. And it was very different from what I thought the movie was about. I guess I'm going to have to track it down and watch it. Note how often I read books that have a movie version (completed or in the works). My hubby hates reading a book that has become a movie but me, I think I  love it!

 

This was on the New and Notable shelf at the library. I figured it was just your run of the mill murder mystery but I really liked it. Set in Dublin it follows a detective as he unravels the mystery of his first love (a redhead of course) who he thought had left him years ago. The author certainly has a way of creating vivid characters and family relationships and the flow of the story was pitch perfect. Of course I guessed who dun it at about the halfway mark but nonetheless it was worth a read.

So I am currently about halfway through this one, written by the same author as The Other Boleyn Girl and I must say this isn't as captivating. I know once I open it again it will draw me in but it doesn't burn in my brain the way other historical novels have.

What's next on my list? I can't wait for these ones... but the hold lists are too long so I may have to make a purchase!

Hello? Where'd You Go?

Oops - sorry. Bless me friends for I have sinned. It has been over a month since my last "confession" and to be honest, I don't really have an excuse. July hasn't been crazy busy or anything - I guess I've just been computer averse.

Now, where to begin? How about a quick list recap... you know how much I love lists.
1. July long weekend in Creston while my hubby stayed home and worked on the house.
2. July 15-19th in Montreal. Fantastic trip! Good friends, good food, good memories.
3. The post vacation blahs... yeah, a little for sure. And there are no trips on the horizon to look forward to. Maybe I need to plan a VanCity trip?
4. My library card finally came in and I've been reading up a storm. Wait, can that be my excuse?
5. August long weekend in town. My nephew had his 1st birthday party and... we worked on the house. The number of times I've said that, you'd think we'd be done by now.
6. Trying to enjoy what little summer nature gives us. We also threw in a 17k hike on the long weekend and it still rained a little.

So there you have it... not crazy busy but still pretty full. Gotta keep running...