Our son has been here for a week or so and it has been delightful. He has been helping George with chores around the house (installing patio lighting, setting up an outdoor TV, etc.) We’ve shopped and gone to the beach. This is about his 5th visit to Naples, so we’ve done all the tourist excursions and are just enjoying each other’s company with lots of restaurant outings as he has been living in lockdown for the last two years. Of course, he loves movies and tv as much as I do, so here are a few viewing suggestions for you:
Streaming
State of the Union (Season 2, 10 episodes) This series follows Scott and Ellen (played by Brendan Gleeson and Patricia Clarkson) who meet in a pub immediately before their weekly marital therapy session Each episode pieces together how their lives were, what drew them together, and what has started to pull them apart. Each episode is 10 minutes long, so you can comfortably binge this entire series in a very short time.
Drive My Car (from Japan with English subtitles, 2 h 59 m, nominated for 4 Oscars including Best Picture). Full disclosure: we were set to watch this yesterday evening and had neighbours drop by unexpectedly, so we need another full evening to watch it as it is almost 3 hours long. Anyhow if you are interested in seeing it, it is about a renowned stage actor and director. whose wife dies unexpectedly, who then receives an offer to direct a production of Uncle Vanya in Hiroshima. There he begins to face the haunting mysteries his wife left behind. For those of you doing your Academy Award countdown, you may want to include this in your viewing list.
PBS
Nature: American Horse (Now in Season 40, this episode was narrated by Bill Pullman). It told the history of unique American horse breeds including the mustang, Appaloosa, Morgan and quarter horse, that helped shape the nation and the people who continue the tradition of caring for them. Absolutely beautiful TV. Of special interest to those now hooked on Yellowstone and 1883.
Netflix
Vikings: Valhalla (24 episodes) Follow-up series to Vikings set 100 years afterward and centering on the adventures of Leif Erikson, Freydis, Harald Hardrada and the Norman King William the Conqueror. I never watched the original Vikings, but I am a big fan of The Last Kingdom, so I am enjoying this series so far.
Murderville (6 episodes) Eccentric detective Terry Seattle (Will Arnett) teams up with clueless celebrity guest stars to investigate a series of murders in this improvisational crime comedy. I watched the first episode with Conan O’Brien as the guest star, and although I love him, I found this goofy series a step too far into goofiness.
The Tinder Swindler (Documentary, 1 h 54 m) I started watching this too late one evening to really enjoy it but my son Jon hung in and said it got better as it went on. Posing as a wealthy jet-setting diamond mogul he wooed women only then conned the out of millions of dollars. Now some victims plan for payback.
Inventing Anna (9 episodes) A journalist with a lot to prove investigates the case of Anna Delvey, the Instagram-legendary German heiress who stole the hearts of New York’s social scene – and stole their money as well. Stars Julia Garner (Ruth from Ozark), Anna Deavere Smith, Jeff Perry, Terry Kinney. Did they really need 9 episodes to tell this hateful story? I will slog on at the urging of my husband who has some strange tolerance for this phony grifter with the most annoying and hard to place accent since Martin Short’s Franck Eggelhoffer the wedding planner in Father of the Bride.
Streaming
1883 (Paramount +, 11 episodes) The prequel to Yellowstone. Follows the Dutton family on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America. Stars Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill. Beautiful and totally cinematic!! Gorgeous musical score.
Raised by Wolves (2 seasons, 16 episodes) Androids are tasked with raising human children on a mysterious planet. Very atmospheric show from the production team of Ridley Scott, so very cinematic.
NBC
Law & Order (Season 21, 3 episodes available) It’s back! True confession: I have never watched a single complete episode of the original, which I found prosaic and predictable. I know that this show has always been hugely enjoyable for its many fans, so I gave this one a chance. In Episode 1, newly acquainted partners Det. Kevin Bernard (Anthony Anderson) and Det. Frank Cosgrove (Jeffrey Donovan) investigate the murder of a notorious entertainer (torn from the headlines about Bill Cosby). A dispute over throwing out a confession creates a rift in the District Attorney’s office. Hugh Dancy is now the lead lawyer for the prosecution, with Camryn Manheim supervising the detectives, and Sam Waterston as the DA presiding over the office. Again, I am finding this show kind of corny with its 1 hour format which neatly wraps up every case. However, I will give it a second chance.
New Amsterdam (71 episodes, now being broadcast sporadically) Talk about corny! This disease of the week show has become maudlin to the max! Ryan Eggold’s over the top saintly medical director is now feverishly trying to topple the evil new medical director played by Michelle Forbes who almost always plays evil bitches. I can’t look away from this guilty pleasure of a show.
Jeopardy – Weeknights (over 8000 episodes) This nightly venerable game show, is now once again hosted by Ken Jennings, and it continues to amuse, entertain and inform. Now that Ken is back in the host role, all seems right with the world! He makes the job look easy and knows the game inside out.
CBS
FBI & FBI International All I can say about these two shows, is that these two Dick Wolff productions manage to be even more prosaic and predictable than the entire Law & Order franchise. I sat down to watch both these shows this week and couldn’t manage to stay awake for either of them.
Apple TV +
Suspicion (8 episodes) Five ordinary Brits are accused of kidnapping the son of a prominent US media mogul. They embark on a desperate race against time to prove their innocence, but will anyone believe them – and are they telling the truth. Stars Keira Knightley lookalike Elizabeth Henstridge, Angel Coulby, Uma Thurman, Noah Emmerich (The Americans). Very watchable so far!
Lincoln’s Dilemma (4 episodes) Follows Abraham Lincoln’s complex journey to end slavery with insights from journalists, educators and Lincoln scholars, including rare archival materials, that offer a ore nuanced look. StarsJeffrey Wright, Leslie Odom Jr., and Bill Camp. I haven’t gotten around to this one yet, but hope to soon!
Severance (19 episodes) Mark leads a team of office workers whose memories have been surgically divided between their work and personal lives. When a mysterious colleague appears outside of work, it begins a journey to discover the truth about their jobs. Directed by Ben Stiller ad starring Adam
Scott. We are in a weird alternate reality world here, and I don’t generally enjoy alternate reality based programming, but I will keep watching.
Prime
The Marvellous Mrs. Maizel (Season 4, 8 episodes) I have to admit that Mrs. Maizel has been leaving me with a feeling of meh for the last few seasons. I don’t buy her act as being even remotely amusing. I haven’t gotten around to watching this new season yet, but it is on the list!
HBO
Real Time with Bill Maher (587 episodes) Returned for its 20th season this past Friday. Comedian and political satirist Bill Maher discusses topical events with guests from various backgrounds. He is the sneeriest, snarkiest comedian on TV today! You either like him or hate him.
Somebody, Somewhere (7 episodes) Sam is a true Kansan on the surface, but beneath it all, struggles to fit the hometown mold. Grappling with loss and acceptance, she discovers herself and a community of outsiders who don’t fit in but don’t give up. Stars cabaret performer Bridget Everett. I loved the first episode of this. No one who is cast in this looks like anything but a real person. Very touching.
Euphoria (Season 2, 8 episodes) A nightmarish look at life for a group of high school students as they grapple with issues of drugs, sex, and violence. You may have to look away at various points of this alarming look at adolescence.
The Gilded Age (10 episodes) A wide-eyed young scion of a conservative family embarks on a mission to infiltrate the wealthy neighbouring clan dominated by ruthless railroad tycoon George Russell, his rakish son, Larry, and his ambitious wife, Bertha. Stars Cynthia Nixon, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Taissa Farjmiga, Christine Baranski, Donna Murphy, Morgan Spector, Blake Ritson, Audra McDonald, Kelli O’Hara, etc. Rumours of a possible future crossover with Downton Abbey have been heard. I watched the first episode, found it a little stilted, but beautiful to look at, and have been continuing to watch each weekly episode
TBS
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (188 episodes) It returned for its seventh season this past weekend. Comedian Samantha Bee (Canadian!!!) gives her own wry commentary to the contemporary issues of the day.
Fox
The Cleaning Lady (11 episodes) A whip-start Cambodian doctor comes to the US for a medical treatment to save her son, but when the system fails and pushes her into hiding, she uses her cunning and intelligence to fight back, breaking the law for all the right reasons. Loving this suspenseful series.
Special Mention
Also, my husband reminds me that I no longer mention my Sunday morning ritual of watching CBS Sunday Morning, the most enjoyable newsmagazine show on the air which has been airing since 1979. Now hosted by Jane Pauley, this venerable series never ceases to delight, inform and entertain with its stories about current events, celebrities, and human interest. I feel better each Sunday for having watched it.
Hot and Streamy
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Closing Words
I am off this afternoon for the first event of our annual Breast Cancer Fundraising Week. There is an 8-house tour in our community with all proceeds going to the fundraiser. We will be touring the houses by golf cart and I am really looking forward to it. We will continue to dine out with our son this week and enjoy the pleasures of the season. Have a wonderful week wherever you are!!
I did celebrate a birthday last week, so inevitably, it got me started thinking about aging. Here are some tips about how to stay Young at Heart:
A bit of a long read but thought you might find this interesting.
*To have a Long Life, the 10 years from 70 to 79 Years are Crucial!*
Israeli Scholars have found that there are around two health problems per month for people between the ages of 70 and 79. Surprisingly, the health status of the elderly aged 80-89 is as stable as the 60-69 age group!
70-79 years is a dangerous period. During this period, various organs decline rapidly. It is a frequent period of various geriatric diseases, and it is often prone to hyperlipemia, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes.
After entering the age of 80, these diseases will decline, and the mental and physical health may return to the level of 60-69 years olds!
Thus, the age of 70 to 79 years old is called the *“Dangerous Age Group”*. As people grow older many people want to have a good healthy life. They realise that *“Health is Wealth”*.
The 10-year health care of 70 to 79 years olds is crucial.
Here are some simple steps called “Doing *ten ones* every day”👇
This will help you to navigate more smoothly through the “dangerous age group” stage of your life.
📌 *When the elderly are 70 to 79 years old, they may wish to do these “ten ones” every day. Here are the 10 tips:*
*1. A Pot of Water*
Water is “the best and cheapest health drink”. You must drink a glass of water during the following three times/occasions each day:
*First Cup*: After getting out of bed, you can drink a glass of water on an empty stomach.
Because of our invisible sweating and urine secretion during sleep, we lose a lot of water. Even if we don’t feel thirsty after getting up, the body liquids will still be thick due to lack of water. Therefore, after getting out of bed, you must slowly add water as soon as possible.
*Second Cup*: A glass of water after exercise.
The right amount of exercise is one of the cornerstones of longevity, especially for the elderly, and more attention should be paid to effective and reasonable exercise. However, after exercise, special attention should be paid to replenishing water. During exercise, sweat takes away electrolytes and consumes more energy. If you don’t pay attention, it is prone to hypoglycemia after exercise, and even cause syncope. Therefore, after the exercise, it is recommended that the old people drink water to which a small pinch of salt and sugar can be added and dissolved if you wish.
*Third Cup*: A glass of water before going to bed….
When people are asleep, sweat glands are still draining water. When the body’s water is reduced too much, the blood viscosity is increased. A cup of water before going to bed can effectively reduce the blood viscosity and may even slow down the appearance of aging. Helps against Angina, myocardial infarction and other diseases._
*2. A Bowl of Porridge*
If you feel sick, drink a bowl of porridge! Wang Shixiong, a famous medical scientist in the Qing Dynasty, called porridge “the first complement of the world” in his book.
China Daily Online published a 14-year study conducted by Harvard University on 100,000 people. It found that a bowl of about 28 grams of whole grain cereal porridge per day can reduce mortality by 9% and reduce the chance of getting cardiovascular diseases.
Each volunteer was in good physical condition when he participated in the study in 1984, but in the 2010 feedback survey, more than 26,000 volunteers had passed away.
It was found that those volunteers who regularly ate whole grains such as porridge, brown rice, corn and buckwheat seem to have avoided most diseases, especially heart diseases.
*3. A Cup of Milk*
Milk is known as “white blood” and it is so to the human body. Its nutritional value is well known with a lot of calcium, fat and protein.
The recommended daily intake of milk and dairy products is 300 grams.
*4. An Egg*
Eggs can be said to be the most suitable food for human consumption. The body’s absorption rate of egg protein can be as high as 98%.!!
*5. An Apple*
Modern research believes that apples have the effects of lowering cholesterol, losing weight, preventing cancer, preventing aging, enhancing memory, and making the skin smooth and soft
The health benefits of different colored apples are different:
Red apples have the effect of lowering blood lipids and softening blood vessels.
Green apple has the effect of nourishing liver and detoxifying, and can fight depression, so it is more suitable for young people to eat.
Yellow apples have a good effect on protecting vision.
*6. An Onion*
The Onion has a very high nutritional value and has many functions, including helping to lower blood sugar, lowering cholesterol, preventing cancer, protecting cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and also anti- bacteria, preventing colds, and supplementing calcium and bones. Eat onions at least three or four times a week.
*7. A Piece of Fish*
Chinese Nutritionists have warned that “eating “four legs” is worse than eating “two legs”, eating “two legs” is worse than eating “no legs.”
“Four legs” mainly refers to pigs, cattle, and mutton. Eating too much of these meats is not conducive to weight loss and lowering blood fat;
“Two legs” mainly refers to poultry such as chicken, duck, goose, etc., which are good meat foods;
“No legs” mainly refers to fish and various vegetables. The protein contained in fish is easily digested and absorbed. The amount of unsaturated fatty acids in the fat, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids, is relatively good for the body
*8. Gentle Walking*
This has a magical anti-aging effect. When adults walk (about 1 kilometre or less) regularly for more than 12 weeks, they will achieve the effect of correct posture and waist circumference, and the body becomes strong and not easily tired.
In addition, walking exercise is also beneficial to treat headache, back pain, shoulder pain, etc., and can promote sleep.
Experts believe that a 30-minute walk a day can get rid of the danger of “adult disease”. People who take 10,000 steps a day will have a lower chance of developing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease._
*9. A Hobby*
Having a hobby, whether it is raising flowers, raising birds, collecting stamps, fishing, or painting, singing, playing chess, and traveling, can help the elderly to maintain extensive contact with society and nature. This broadens the horizons of interest of the elderly. They will love and cherish life.
*10. Good Mood*
Old people should maintain good emotions as these are extremely important to their health. Common chronic diseases which affect the elderly are closely related to the negative emotions of the elderly:
Many patients with coronary heart disease have angina and myocardial infarction due to stimulation of adverse emotions, resulting in sudden death;
“Bad” temper leads to high blood pressure. In prolonged and severe cases, this can cause stroke, heart failure, sudden death, etc.;
Negative Emotions such as anger, anxiety, and grief can cause blood sugar levels to rise, causing metabolic disorders in the body.
This shows how important it is to have a good mood!
Physical aging is a natural phenomenon, and it is the most sensible choice to fully devote yourself to life and to live the best every day!
*If you feel that this article is useful, share it with more friends & relatives ………* yes, we are getting there 😉😅_
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