Darian

I have a general comment I don't think I can put anywhere else (in the US; 'fraid of spoilers). My love of this show knows no bounds, but as I was watching a different reality competition show last night, I was reminded of a nice touch from GBBO. They let contestants sit at times other shows have them stand. When the judges move around to taste different bakes, GBBO bakers can sit. I can't remember if they kept that for the American version, but there's something kind and respectful about having stools there. You hear about how grueling the taping of these shows can be and I appreciate seeing one that tries to make it less grueling instead of more for competitors.

I should have been rooting for Anne, too, as my beloved (late) sister had Type I diabetes (back in the days when insulin was not as pure, and monitoring was done only a few times a day, so there could be swings in blood sugar). But...she's worn on me, and I have always liked Marcel.

I'm only halfway through but so far that's my impression. I somehow didn't get Netflix until last month and wanted to read the book before I started watching the show (which many friends rave about). I downloaded the ebook and am ripping through it. Kerman brings us into her head as she was experiencing her life in prison, with the perspective she gained, and she must have had near-constant awareness of her privilege. So far, the references feel organic to me. As soon as I finish the book, I'll be power-watching the series.

Love Mel, love Sue, love every single thing about the show. It's odd, but as I find myself less able to bake (progressive medical stuff), I still love this show and am inspired by it. I'd have thought that watching that the difficulty and creativity, things I have no hope of recreating, would make me feel worse that I have to find simpler and simpler ways to keep baking even once in awhile, but it's the opposite. It's just such a celebration of baking and so supportive. It inspires me to keep trying and feel good about whatever I manage. This past spring, my husband and I visited New Hampshire, and I had us cross over into Vermont to visit King Arthur Flour Baking Center. We ate at their cafe, shopped in their store, and watched the bakers bake bread. I saw a pan one of the bakers (Luis, I think?) used and lots of other fun things I could use to make my simple offerings look and taste a bit better. I know they sell this kind of stuff other places, but it was such a delight to be in a place that was all about baking. I may even go back to take one of their classes, one that is more about watching than doing (Gale Gand has some coming up, but the timing doesn't work). Got to look for those other versions!

I just watched Viola Davis as part of a panel of female actors on the show Close Up With the Hollywood Reporter on Sundance. Also on the panel were Taraji P. Henson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jessica Lange, Lizzy Caplan, and Ruth Wilson. I enjoyed listening to all of them, but there is something about the way Viola Davis speaks about her craft that makes me want to listen to her for hours. Intense and fascinating.

I would have thought it would feel too soon, but, no, I was happy to have the show back. I'm going to have a hard time not rooting for a fellow Hodgkin's Lymphoma survivor (I was diagnosed in 1977). On other shows, I may have favorites based on personality and want the obnoxious contestant gone regardless of talent, but on Face Off I usually like everyone so choose based on talent only.

Harper Lee had a fantastic editor. Really. I'm reading Pleasantville by Attica Locke. I've read and enjoyed her other books, and didn't realize she's a writer and co-producer of the TV show "Empire." I don't watch that, but perhaps I should.

I don't care how creepy they make the synths. I want one. I want two. Because of illness and disability, at some point, I will have to hire people to do more things I want to do for myself, and at some point, it's going to get more personal. There are so many issues that wouldn't exist with a synth. Sign me up!

With so much in craziness at the dinner (Go away, Dorinda), I almost forgot the discussion about Ramona's book. It may be the sleep deprivation talking (and I didn't watch closely) but I didn't think Life on the Ramona Coaster (Ramonacoaster?) to be that bad. This book is not going to be great literature. The audience is likely going to be fans of the show. It's different and catchy. Plus titles often change before publication. And, Bethenny, you don't always have to have the arc figured out when you start writing. Sometimes you figure it out as you go. Now, I don't see Ramona slaving over the pages herself, and she won't have to, but still...if someone wants to write, they should write. Don't wait until you have it all figured out. Ramona can get a book deal for the same reason Bethenny can, and that will come with a lot of help from an agent and publishing house. I even hope the book makes money. That helps authors without name recognition or a book that's a sure thing to get published. I still find Ramona to be an odious woman. (Go away, Dorinda)

Me, too. I'm attached to Adams and family. Grew up in Quincy, MA, which meant passing the church where he and Abigail (and John Quincy and Louisa Catherine) are interred, and walking past the statues of John and Abigail in our little downtown (they are across the street from each other to emphasize how often they were apart. It meant multiple field trips to the Adams homestead and learning lots and lots of Adams history. That said, Giamatti was the only actor who bothered me.

Reading When We Were the Kennedys, which is short, but I am going slow, just to savor the writing. Started it yesterday and have already recommended it to an embarrassing number of people. I usually finish and book and am on to the next immediately (especially on ebook; I just close one and open the next), but I may just have to pause before leaving moving on.

I bail on books far more often that I used to (I realized I wouldn't live long enough to read all the books on my list, to which I need adding) but one I was surprised to give up on was The First Bad Man by Miranda July. I really thought I'd like it. I've liked her other work and I have a high threshold for neurotic quirk, but I gave up fairly early. Not going back either.

I don't know. I read Demary's responses and it was pretty much him enjoying pissing off "white progressives." Nothing constructive. Different motivation than Williams, and much poorer execution. Maybe he blogs in a different manner, and actually addresses this issue, but the Twitter responses don't make me inclined to go find out.

And he followed up with a snarky tweet (that I am not going to link to) that he is aware some people are upset about the first tweet, which means John Oliver said we should be. Those tweets and some replies are disheartening and not the kind of thing I've run into in almost 15 years of being a straight ally and GLBTQ activist. I thought John Oliver handled it right, and as you point out, expresses his awareness of his own privilege. I will just say that not one transgender man or woman I have met in all those years of work ever told me to shut up and go home (quite the opposite). Roxane Gay is a favorite author and I read Butter a bit, so the re-tweet stings. But fwiw, my social media feeds (which are still rainbow lovefests) have a lot of references to John Oliver's piece, some of them from the transgender men and women and parents/loved ones who are getting laws passed and effecting change. It's their voices I amplify and take my cues from in how to effectively advocate (so I guess Demary would say they tell me when to care...piffle).

She's dead. I think so for all the reasons that have been said. What told me she was dead/dying was that not long after Jackie says being a nurse is who she is, she (in her hallucination), leaves behind her stethoscope, ID, and watch. I was an RN and the watch and stethoscope are are the first things I bought in nursing school. You had to have a watch with a second hand (and one that could take abuse), had to have a stethoscope. I haven't been a nurse for a long time, but I still have my stethoscope, because it was like part of my identity as a nurse. Jackie let go of that, because she was letting go of her life. Or something. I almost don't care. I bailed last season and came back, and skipped a few episodes. Brilliant cast, but ultimately a let down of a show.

There was a weird dynamic Much as I don't enjoy the jury scenes, I would watch an extended scene of that discussion, because it seemed like everyone jumped on one person without allowing much discussion. Maybe so it wouldn't be them. Though on a jury of people who go on TV to get a possibly terrible tattoo, there have to be a few who would jump at the chance to get more screen time. Dunno, but it was odd.

Ah, yes, Ramona's back. Last week, we got her self-satisfied smirk when Kristin walked away from her attack (glad she was sort-of called on it). It's not just that she goes on the attack; it's that she is so happy and proud of the result. This week, I was most appalled with demanding the best room and having a staff member unpack (and how she did both). She has to have the best room every time? Insufferable. Like others here, I've traveled with groups and you just decide on rooms together. I even once went to a conference for adult survivors of childhood cancer held at a children's camp (one of those Paul Newman started). We had a dozen women in my bunkhouse, with one bathroom--two showers and a few stalls, and all kiddy sized. Some people wanted to be closer to the bathroom or to a window (no a/c), but there was no drama. And when she brought up her vow renewal to justify her bad behavior, it actually made me feel less sympathy for her. I remember how smug and she was about her marriage, and even how she used it to hurt others at times. She is odious.

Just saw Wiig in Hateship Loveship, so I know she, like Ferrell, can handle drama and comedy. Whether it's parody or drama, it could be worth a watch.

I'd consider Stranger than Fiction more a comedy-drama, but regardless, imo, Ferrell has plenty of opportunity to show off his dramatic chops (that role convinced me he has them). I love that movie and he's a big part of the reason. The whole cast is excellent, really. (Ooh, Roger Ebert agreed!)

Exactly what I was going to say.

Just started Euphoria by Lily King and have slowed down to savor it. I think my next reads are going to be Lily King books (how have I not read her before? I even own one of hers as an ebook and hadn't gotten to it).

I don't know if anyone will be interested, but I saw that Ingrid Nilsen was popping up on my social media feeds so I clicked and watched her coming out video. I liked her as a judge, and truly, in her video, she made me cry.

I had exactly the same experience and reaction. I am glad she has such loving support. And Sarah's analysis was perfect. Honest and respectful. I can't even imagine figuring out how to write that particular piece, given that it's a review, but it struck just the right tone. Thank you.

I have a low threshold for drama (yeah, I am watching the wrong show), but I did enjoy the moments of fun the women were having. Seeing the twin animal-print vests and selfie was cute. I want more things like that. I love Dorinda for having yellow flowers on the her otherwise perfectly coordinated table--because, I am almost certain, they were the flowers Ramona brought her (as has been speculated). That's a lovely gesture. It would have been fine to have them on a side table or mantel, but she showcased something a friend brought her. To me that aesthetically wrong note is a classy and thoughtful right note. I suspect the Christmas decorations some find unappealing are a bit like that. She could have coordinated, harmonious decorations throughout the house, but she has what she wants, probably things that mean something to her (I should be so gracious with the patriotic Santa my mother-in-law gave me, but I cannot). Good grief, Bethenny. You make no effort with anyone ever.

I have a Nook Glowlight and for ease of reading, it beats my desktop, laptop, tablet, phone and paper books. It's e-ink technology so there is no glare. I can read it the brightest sunlight and because I can light the screen when I need to I can read in the dark. I'm not recommending one e-reader over another (I may get an Amazon ereader someday though I look my Nook), but I am recommending a dedicated e-reader. I went to the store to physically play with various ereaders and tablets to see what would work for me (I have some weird problems, like one eye tracks side-to-side slower than the other so the shorter width of text really helps as does the ability to choose fonts and sizes), but overall it's just so much easier to read on an ereader. No more headaches. At stores, I even held readers up to the bright natural light at the window to see if it would be a problem. Some people pan "ereaders" as hard to read on but they are usually talking about tablets or something else with a shiny screen. I'd go play with one and compare it to a tablet or phone. I take out a lot of library books, but also have a few hundred that I've bought, all on my reader at one time. Plus, because of other medical issues, it's easier for me to lightly touch the screen to change pages, but I have a lap cat, so occasionally the twitch of his tail with turn the page (but then I don't mess up my nails when my nail polish is still tacky with an ereader). One thing I really love is that I don't worry bringing along too many duds on vacation or into the hospital--I can have dozens of books with me and if I don't want to read one, or can't get into one but want to come back to it, I just switch over to something new. I like being able to sort books into shelves (I'v got classics, library books, to-read, etc).Battery life is fantastic, too. I tend to forget to charge my reader, but when I plug into my PC to borrow library books (that's not wireless or I've not found how to do it, though buying is) I remember to check and let it charge then.