Easter is now behind us, so there’s no doubt that spring is here! However, it’s still snowing across parts of country.
So, here’s my last thought on winter 2020-2021!
Don’t get me wrong. Summer is my least favorite season. I just thought it was funny.
With warmer weather settling in across the country, more and more activities will take us outdoors, so I appreciate you taking the time to check out my random thoughts!
BEING A LITTLE PERSONAL
My friends, thank you for the wonderful feedback and messages last week!
Instead of “Random Friday Thoughts”, I shared a rather personal blog about my life, some challenges and disappointments, and a look toward the future.
For those that took time to read it and share in my life, I appreciate it.
If you didn’t get a chance, here it is. (If you click on the link, it SHOULD open in a new window, so you won’t lose your place in this week’s blog!)
If it doesn’t, you can always hit the back arrow once you read it and you’re back to today’s blog. (Word Press changed that. It used to be simpler!)
https://anthonypeoples.wordpress.com/2021/04/02/feelings-as-i-look-to-the-future/
SPIKE IN COVID-19 CASES
While better than it was earlier this year, we’re now seeing a spike in Covid-19 cases.
I guess that doesn’t really come as a surprise following spring break. But, I don’t think that is the only reason.
I know people are getting a little too comfortable or lazy!
Last week, I stopped at a convenient store in my hometown of Mayfield, Kentucky, and the store was very busy.
One employee was wearing a mask, but the others were not. The only three customers that were wearing masks were me, my sister, and her boyfriend!!!
You can’t tell me that everyone in there was fully vaccinated!
Come on people, let’s get most of the country (and the world) vaccinated before we become complacent and comfortable!
MY OSCAR PICK FOR “BEST ACTRESS”
The Academy Awards show is now just weeks away and the only category that I’ve seen all of the nominees is “Best Actress”. (Does that shock you with my affinity to women in entertainment?) 🙂
We’ve all heard the old saying about saving the best for last and in this case, it’s true.
I absolutely love Viola Davis (“How To Get Away With Murder”) and I’d watch her read a phone book and Vanessa Kirby (“The Crown”) deserved the nomination based on the first 24 minutes of her movie. These were the first two of the nominees I saw and I was leaning toward Davis.
Then, I saw Frances McDormand, who is just too amazing in everything she does, and Andra Day as Billie Holiday the same weekend. Day was my pick and it was a contest between her and Davis for my vote, until….
I saw Carey Mulligan in “Promising Young Woman”. I was mesmerized by her performance and I loved the downer of a movie. I can’t wait to see it again!
So my pick for Best Actress is Carey Mulligan!
“Promising Young Woman” is up for four other Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
In a recent blog, I gave the movie an “A”!
“LIFE ITSELF: A MEMOIR”
I really enjoyed reading film critic Roger Ebert’s 2011 autobiography, “Life Itself: A Memoir”.
Some of things I learned is that he’s from Central Illinois (Urbana) and went to college at the University of Illinois (Champaign) before moving away to work at the “Chicago Sun-Times”.
While they often disagreed and would get into very heated debates, he was very close to his longtime work partner Gene Siskel. He says that Siskel was very private with his health condition when he became ill and then died.
After discovering cancer from the 1980s had come back in 2006, Ebert believed he had himself to blame for his three failed surgeries that disfigured his face causing him never to eat, drink, or talk again.
(I won’t say why in case you want to read the book. All I’ll say is that he didn’t take the medical advice he likely should have!)
Ebert died in April 2013.
I definitely want to see the 2014 documentary about Ebert’s life.
FRIDAY FLASHBACK
For some reason, “Forget Me Nots” popped into my head earlier this week.
It was Patrice Rushen’s only Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It reached #23 in the summer of 1982 and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
The song fared much better on the R&B (#5) and Dance charts (#2).
In her career, she accumulated eight hits on the dance charts and seven on the R&B charts.
“HIS VERY BEST, JIMMY CARTER, A LIFE”
More from the amazing 2020 biography by Jonathan Adler…
President Carter changed the role of Vice President. Before Carter, it was basically a useless role — other than becoming the leader of the free world in the case of the president died or became incapacitated.
But, President Carter made Vice President Walter Mondale’s role real. He invited him into meetings, gave him real responsibilities, and valued his opinions.
At a farewell dinner before President Carter left office in 1981, Mondale said, “Never once did you put me down. Never once did you fail to treat me with dignity.” He made a toast and added, “We told the truth. We obeyed the law. We kept the peace.”
And, once Carter visited Camp David in Maryland, just outside of Washington D.C., he spent almost one-quarter of his presidency there — basically every other weekend and prolonged holidays. (However, this was a working “White House”, unlike Mar-a-Lago!)
“TYRANT”
If you’re missing “Homeland” and want a new Middle Eastern drama, I enjoyed this three-season series.
I saw season one a few years ago and then real life got in the way. Recently, I found it on Hulu, so I decided to check watch it in its entirety.
It tells the story of Barry, who lives in the U.S. with his wife and two teenagers, as they return to his Middle East country for a wedding. This is his first time back since leaving as a teenager.
Adam Rayner (Bassam “Barry” Al-Fayeed) and Moran Atias (Leila Al-Fayeed) are my favorite characters in the series and they’re both DDG (drop dead gorgeous)!
I loved the addition of Melia Kreiling (Daliyah Al-Yazbek) in seasons two and three.
Warning: I got the feeling that the season 3 finale was shot as a season finale and not a series finale since it was not renewed for a fourth season.
THAT’S IT
With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!
Anthony
What's Peeps Thinking About Now? It's Probably Random! 