January 2025 Books

Amoralman ¹ by Derek DelGaudio - The bits about his life were really good but I did not realise how this book was essentially all about cards. Card games, dealing, cheating, et cetera. But I got through it and DelGaudio was a good narrator.

* The Clue in the Crumbling Wall by Carolyn Keene - I'm coming to the end of my Nancy Drew series. At least the ones written by Mildred Wirt Benson. This one was good, with good twists and an old sailor who helped out Nancy, Bess, and George while they worked on yet another mystery.

♥ Elevation ¹ by Stephen King - I first read this in book form back in May of 2019. Bishop's husband loaned me his copy and it was my first Stephen King book! Such a sweet story. King's narration was perfection.

* Meetings with Remarkable Animals ¹ by Martin Clunes - Oh my gosh, Martin Clunes can do no wrong! This book, about wonderful animals who have helped change people's lives, was just plain beautiful. I was a bucket of tears more than once and I'm glad I bought this and can listen to it as often as I want. Hearing Clunes narrate was the absolute best. It's been so many years but I still utterly adore this man.

* The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Science ¹ by Kate McKinnon - This book was a bit all over the place at times but McKinnon's sensational narration held it all together. I think maybe I'll give it another listen, maybe with Lucy or Jax, and really focus on imagining it all as if it were a movie, which I really think it could be! Or better yet, a series. Maybe even animated! 

* Autobiography of a Face ¹ by Lucy Grealy - I first heard of Ms. Grealy in 2020 when I listened to Ann Patchett's memoir Truth and Beauty, where she discussed her friendship with fellow writer and pal, Grealy. I honestly did not even remember reading this/listening to this before. My memory is an exploded minefield of giant gaps and holes. This time around the part that really only resonated with me was once Lucy became a teenager and her face and its disfigurement really shaped who she became. 

The Only One Left ¹ by Riley Sanger - I had an hour and six minutes left in the book and returned it to the library via Libby. It was intriguing at first, but then once I learned of the ending, it was too absurd for words. I went to Wikipedia, read what would happen in the last hour and decided it wasn't worth my time any more. Sadly the book kidnapped 11 hours and 26 minutes of my life that I won't get back. I should have known, never judge a book by its cover. This one gave off promises of mystery and intrigue and 100% did not deliver.

♥ Esio Trot ¹ by Roald Dahl - After the previous book of garbage, I needed a sure thing to lift my spirits. Geoffrey Palmer reading this wonderfully witty and heartwarming story was just what I needed.

¹ - audiobook

² - abridged version
* - liked
♥ - loved
Any unmarked titles were, in my opinion, so-so.

Looking for Answers

Sunken Vessels

Anyone In Love - Jalen Ngonda

Stay By My Side - Michael Kiwanuka

Bada Bing, Bada Boom - Jack Savoretti & Miles Kane

Club Tropicana - Wham!

What a Little Bit of Love Can Do - Jeff Bridges & the Abiders

Crawling - Annika Rose

AAA - Flo

While You Were Sleeping - Laufey

When It's Love - Van Halen

Tears in the Diamond - St. Paul & The Broken Bones

Un Día Tú, Un Día Yo - Julio Iglesias

Old Town - Phil Lynott

Hard Day - George Michael

If Not For My Glasses - Dear & the Headlights

I Just Don't Think That You Like Me That Much Anymore - Leith Ross

Lover to Fall - Scritti Politti

Call Me (Spanish Version) - Blondie

Mad About You - Belinda Carlisle

Dum Dum Club - Joe Strummer

A Home in the Meadow - Debbie Reynolds

The Doubter's Glass - The Bogmen

Fool - Adrianne Lenker

Gypsy Blue - Freddie Hubbard

Two Ways - Florist

She Caught the Katy - The Blues Brothers

They Can't Take That Away From Me - Robbie Williams & Rupert Everett

Damn (what must a woman do) - Christine and the Queens

What's a Woman - Vaya Con Dios

Curtains - Elton John

Autopilot - Allison Ponthier

Meet Me On the Moon - Phyllis Hyman

Cumberland Gap - David Rawlings

last night's mascara - Griff

Monsters - James Blunt

More to Lose - Seona Dancing

If You Need to, Keep Time on Me - Fleet Foxes

A Fool Such As I - Elvis Presley

January 2025 Playlist

Lazy in November

Ha! Here's a texting exchange from 2024 between myself and Kayla.

The Peepod

I found these photos of my bathroom when I first moved in back in '03-ish. It was so fun and colourful!

The Casablanca Card

Here is that fab card that Rick gave me all those years ago. Created by Mary Hartz and will never, ever leave my possession. Best card ever.

BONUS!!!

Today Kayla and I went to the Colonial Theatre to see Casablanca. She had never seen it and only gave it 3.5 stars out of five. (sad face) There was a family (three teens and two parents) who talked through the whole fucking movie like they were in their fucking living room. People who talk in movies are, for me, as bad as Republicans, bed bugs, and carnival clowns. They should all be wiped from the face of the Earth. 

(Ha! The dark circles and multiple pieces of luggage under my eyes ruined this photo. Then Kayla suggested colouring in the lenses so they looked like sunglasses. Presto!)

BONUS BONUS!!!

The Eagles are going to the Super Bowl!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Driving down the Vine Street Expressway to take Kayla back home, we noticed that all the high-rises were lit up in green to support The Birds. 

Enchanted Nutcracker

With January coming to a close, I squeezed in one last holiday-ish puzzle. 

(Artwork by Joy Laforme)