General Stuff, the History Thing, the Music Challenge and the Birth Day Thing

15 -1? I don't think it's supposed to work that way

What the heck is going on with the Blue Jays??? They just seem to be sinking and sinking... *sigh* I don't think it'll be our year. Wonder what the trade deadline will look like?

Anyway, what did we do for our Canada Day celebrations yesterday? Well, after going out and getting a few groceries and just driving around for a little while, we spent the evening binge-watching the first season of a TV series that Jo's sis, Sue, recommended to us. It stars Billy Bob Thornton as a hard-drinking, has-been lawyer who gets involved in a case against his old firm, the Goliath. Lots of tension, lots of great characters.

Nina Arianda

We enjoyed very much. Especially the lawyer, Patty Solis-Papagian, who brings Thornton into the initial case, played by Nina Arianda. She is a revelation. What a great character. I do hope she is in Season 2, which starts sometime this fall, I think.






The Missus's Music Challenge

Today I'll look at Day 40 and 41.

Day 40 - A Song from the First Album You Ever Bought. It's difficult for me to actually remember the first album I ever bought as it was in 1969 or so. But I'm pretty sure that one of the first two or three albums included Beatles for Sale. So the song that I chose was I'll Follow the Sun by The Beatles. Jo picked Wondrous Stories by Yes. Other selections included Lay Lady Lay by Bob Dylan, America by Simon & Garfunkel and Dare by The Human League.

Day 41 - Song that Was Our Song. This was a difficult one as I never really had 'a song' with any of my relationships. The closest is this one that I added to a mixed tape that I made for Jo, This Shirt by Mary Chapin Carpenter. most people felt the same on the whole but they still managed to pick a song. Jo chose Endless Love by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie. Some other selections included It Must Be Love by Madness, Power of Love by Jennifer Rush and Baby Don't Change Your Mind by Gladys Knight and the Pips.

Today's selection is a song you hate. I have a few of those.. :0).. But more next entry.

Great Historical Events

It's been awhile since I've delved into the old...and I do mean old, history book. Today's excerpt starts Aug 27, 1776.

"Battle of Long Island
Aug 27. - The battle of Long Island was fought.
The British forces were commanded by Gen. Clinton, assisted by Generals Grant and De Heister, the latter commanding a regiment of Hessians.
Gen. Washington, aided by Gen. Sullivan and Lord Sterling, had command of the American troops. The first attack was made very early in the morning by the Hessians.
The action was well supported on both sides for several hours, but the superior numbers and discipline of the English, together with a large force which cut off the rear of the Americans, intercepted a retreat. (Ed. Comment - I wonder if the current resident of the White House would have suffered from bone spurs if he were around at this time?... Just wondering..)
The Americans fled precipitately, and many of them were lost in the marshes. Their total loss amounted to over 1,000 men, including the wounded and prisoners; among the latter were 82 officers, including General Sullivan and Lord Sterling.
Gen. Washington called a council of war, and it was determined to remove the army, the greater part of which he had placed upon Long Island, to the city of New York.
The wind being favorable, and a dense fog coming on, the troops were all removed during the night, before the enemy was aware of the movement."

I was just thinking that this period of history is featured in the AMC TV series, Turn. I've only watched a couple of episodes, unfortunately as it seemed reasonably interesting.

Science of Common Things

Today's entry from Prof. L.G. Gorton starts off answering this question.

"Why does sprinkling the streets make the air cooler? Because the water evaporates changing into a vapor, and whenever a liquid changes to a vapor it takes up heat. (Ed. Note - Interesting that.)
Why does fanning the face make us cooler? It increases the evaporation of moisture from the face by bringing fresh, dry air in contact. What are the best reflectors of heat? Smooth, bright surfaces.... and, Why are white articles of clothing cool? Because they reflect heat.

Can you guess what the next question might be? Wait until next time. :0)

The Birth Day Thing 10 November 1991

US Billboard #1 Song 10 November 1991

Cream by Prince. Prince Rogers Nelson lived from 1958 - 2016. His career ran from 1976 until 2016. Cream was the 2nd single from his Diamonds and Pearls album.

UK #1 Single 10 November 1991

Dizzy by Vic Reeves and the Wonder Stuff. The Wonder Stuff were an English alternative rock band form in the West Midlands. They achieved a Number 1 hit when they teamed with comedian Vic Reeves for a remake of Tommy Roe's hit, Dizzy.

New York Times #1 Fiction Best Seller 10 November 1991

Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley. This book is a sequel to Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind. The story begins where Gone with the Wind leaves off. it was turned into a TV mini-series in 1994 starring Timothy Dalton as Rhett Butler and Joanne Whalley - Kilmer as Scarlett.






Pulitzer Prize Winner 1991

Rabbit at Rest by John Updike. This is the 2nd book in the Rabbit series by Updike to win the Pulitzer. Rabbit is Rich won in 1982. It is the 4th and final novel in the 4 book series. A novella, Rabbit Remembered was published in 2001.





Nobel Prize Laureate 1991

Nadine Gordimer (South Africa). Nadine Gordimer was a South African writer and political activist and lived from 1923 - 2014. She was awarded her Nobel Prize laureate 'as a woman who through her magnificent epic writing has – in the words of Alfred Nobel – been of very great benefit to humanity'.

Hugo Award Winner 1991

The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold. Bujold is a Science Fiction writer that I've not tried yet. She was born in 1949 in Columbus Ohio and is a writer of speculative fiction. The Vor Game is the 4th book of many in the Miles Vorkosigan books in the Vorkosigan saga. It is the sixth publication of the overall Vorkosigan Saga.

It does sound interesting. I may try to find the first book, Shards of Honor.


Edgar Award Winner 1991

New Orleans Mourning by Julie Smith. I read this back in 2010. It is the first book in Smith's Police Detective Skip Langdon series. I liked it but as I recall it didn't blow me away. I have also read the 2nd book, The Axeman's Jazz, which was the 2nd book and also OK, and the first book in her Rebecca Schwarz mystery series, Death Turns a Trick (also OK). The Skip Langdon books are set in New Orleans, if you hadn't already guessed from the titles. I have to find #3 so I can continue the series.



Man Booker Prize Winner 1991

The Famished Road by Ben Okri. The Famished Road was the third novel by Nigerian writer, Ben Okri. Okri was born in 1959 and is a noted Nigerian poet and novelist.

The Famished Road (a book I have not read) follows Azaro, a spirit child, in a Nigerian city. The book falls into the category of magical realism or also African traditional religious realism.



It was nice to get back to these categories and find some possible new authors and also remember books and authors I've previously explored.