C. (Comment, never msg).’s Comments (group member since Jan 30, 2014)

C. (Comment, never msg).’s comments from the Gentle SPECTRUMS group.

I am always happy to see you chiming in, Shirin. Kerri & I are considering the prequel to “20,000 Leagues Under The Sea”. I noticed Captain Nemo was introduced earlier. Would you mind please finding us a PDF for “In Search Of The Castaways / The Children Of Captain Grant”? I have not heard of it.

Interestingly, the books besides “20,000 Leagues” that I am very keen to read turns out to be the third Captain Nemo adventure: “The Mysterious Island”, woo hoo!

If you & Kerri feel like reading “The Gargoyle” together, make a thread, or I could put it up for you. It combines a great range of cultures. It so impressive and varied, I can't believe Andrew Davidson researched and wrote about them all!

I look forward to Sophie Kinsella and H.G. Wells next. Yes, my friend, you are the copy procuring queen. :) You bet, I sure am in the mood to try out authors I have not read yet. They deserve to come out of our home shelves! I am already having fun. Hugs, Carolyn.

I am looking forward to chatting my way through a book with both of you too, Kerri and Shirin! Maybe you will obtain "Lament". I might finally get to it this year. It is time for us to board the famous Maggie Stiefvater train, choo choo! I read a couple of her short stories and believe I will enjoy her books much better. It sounds like she has built a full, memorable world of loveable family characters.

Friends, I should add that I have also been craving something really fun, light, and simple. How about the first "Confessions Of A Shopaholic" soon? Xoxo, Carolyn.

Post the link to your shelf here or in your Kerri "Members" folder. I will gladly visit it and so will our friends. Alternatively, clicking "compare books" should hit what we have in common but might not show the shelf names. When you have time to save your list in a Notepad or Word document, paste it here as well.

Fun fact, Shirin is about to read "The Stone Angel" and "The Gargoyle" soon. :)

I will check for e-mail in the morning. I am thrilled to be on-line simultaneously with you before I sign off. Ron works in the morning and we'd better have some couples time before we go to sleep. Xoxo, Carolyn.

Here is the conversation space for our buddy reading of "The Raven Boys"! Are we last to this party, or would anyone new like to join us? I would also like to read my copy of the older novel "Lament". See you Thursday, ladies!

I guess I own all of these if Shirin is citing them, haha! I'm in the mood for trying different authors and would like to wait a little for the next Anne Shirley story. I am giving Shirin time to actually say something about "Poor Tom Is Cold", haha and for Leeanne to read that one. Then I am excited to delve into our highly anticipated "Let Loose The Dogs".

Everything else you & Shirin have suggested sounds good to me. I propose after Maggie, finally reading "The Time Machine" and "10,000 Leagues Under The Sea"! :) But I have discovered there is a prequel to that. Should we find the first Captain Nemo beforehand?

I am happy to tell all of you that I own way more classics and popular, more recent books than this. They are merely too many to type. Feel free to use your "Meet The Members" personal folders and this one, to list stuff you are keen to read, if my already owned list isn't long enough. I would "compare books" with you, Kerri but you list thousands that you do not have.

Okay, I will make a conversation thread with pleasure. Hope you are both able to chime in daily. :) I do my updating in the morning, central time. Are you obtaining "The Raven Boys" from a library?

I will ask Kerri if she wants to join us for "The Raven Boys", although that girl has read *everything*. She has been busy offline. Leeanne is likely to spot this group entry. I look forward to your catch-up on "Poor Tom Is Cold" anytime. :)

Susan Hill is the horror authoress in question. Do you have the earlier Maggie Stiefvater book called "Lament"? I like beginning with the oldest books I have by each author but it isn't crucial.

Hi Shirin! It is neat, I am reading a study of Margaret Laurence's history and writing style right now, published by the wonderful Clara Thompson in 1975. The next novel I need to read by Margaret is "A Bird In The House". The five books set in the fictional town, Manawaka, have no other connection to each other. But if you would rather read "The Stone Angel", "A Jest Of God", "The Fire-Dwellers" first, I can wait. You blow through books too fast already!

I want to wait for Leeanne on "Let Loose The Dogs" but it won't be long. She only needs to read one more book to catch-up with us! Also, I want to give you a chance to contribute your review or comments on "Poor Tom Is Cold". For Agatha Christie, we said we don't mind reading "The Big Four" by ourselves because it comprises short stories. We can read the next novel together. :)

I think I am in the mood for "The Time Machine", "The Woman In Black", "The Raven Boys", and "The Lightening Thief"! What say you, our dear other group members? Your friend, Carolyn.

P.S. Do you want me to copy our master list in message #20 to a new 2023 folder? Or is this area easy to find anytime?

I had not written about McCartney yet in my blog and it was a must. Now that he has been in Heaven for a year, I went to work tonight and feel glad that I have published a tribute for him. Here it is. https://cmriedel.wordpress.com/2023/0...

This week, I had to seek and hopefully procure at slow speed, a web browser that doesn't care how recent Windows is. I successfully obtained "Opera", software that not only works on-line at dial-up speed but uncannily.... it allowed me to upload a photograph to my Wordpress blog with ease, for the first time in something like 6 years!!!!

This is for you, our darling McCartney, and for the many family and friends who care about you too! Love, your Momma.

P.S. The astonishing thing is when you named your favourite singer and thought I would like her style, Leeanne; you did not say she is a Manitoban! My goodness, that raised her to the top of my focus of interest and respect, no matter what her genre! From everything I have read since, she is for me. I can't wait to buy her albums.

In a bad year, this was the hardest of all days. One year ago, our precious McCartney went to the afterlife suddenly at home, at just about 22 years-old. He is the powerfully loving, loyal, beautiful Siamese who is with me in my photograph.

We remember and honour you today with love, sweetheart! Here is to you today, our precious McCartney! With all our love: Momma, Ron, Timmy, Angel, Petal, Conan.

I support protecting every life, plants' lives included. I hope the Greenbelt succeeds. There are many ways to create more homes out of unused, existing space. After businesses dropped out, Manitoba has a lot of empty places.

This time, I have seen Simu's "Ten Rings" film, which Ron & I enjoyed and I have watched "Kim's Convenience" several times. Simu is a decent singer and guitarist and good looking, whew!

I don't know Tenille Towne but a few months ago, I looked up the Faouzia you like and many others. I can't seem to download MP3s lately but her description sounds great to me, Leeanne. My used CD buying list is three pages long, of old and new artists! I love things you can dance to: rock, pop, dance, electronic, Latin, calypso, international....

You might enjoy my recent review of Andy Taylor's "Wild Boy, My Life In Duran Duran". Andy got me looking classic rock and pop bands up. We haven't had the space to set-up a record player in years but I had a peek at one of my record containers recently and man, I have good stuff on LP and 45s!

I'm not a fan of shouting music but am happy for Nickelback and can't help knowing a few of their tunes. They have been in my head since their Canadian Hall Of Fame show! Ron has 5 of their albums for me to deal with that frenzied mental replaying, haha.

I don't get how WeekNd has won "almost as much as Anne Murray" in his first few years. I barely know his songs and Anne has recorded longer than you & I were born. My final beef is that E-talk is the ONLY outlet covering our Juno Awards afterwards! If Canadian shows don't do it, whom do they expect to highlight our night of music!

We should be as big as the Grammies and our artists, performances, and programming are way better. Just look at "Canada Has Talent" versus the US version. They have people sticking nails into themselves and throwing darts; we have formidable artists and acrobats (Cirque De Soleil is from where? That's right).

Leeanne: yes to all the women and Canadians receiving their props, yes to John missing both his dear old friends. "In Memorium" is an emotional part I pay attention to. You said it, the focus should be on the names and faces. I don't think anyone is snubbed, like Stephen Boss and Anne Heche. I imagine you can't fit or recall everyone at the time of editing.

Lisa Marie's passing hit me, although I don't know if she might have lived if not for her family's decision. I am against "do not recicitate" as much as euthanasia, believing in giving everyone every fighting chance. She was only 5 years older than me; so trim, beautiful, and strong and Elvis' baby girl. I do know she likely wanted to go to Heaven, a Mama missing her Son these two or three years.

Tomorrow is the date our McCartney went, one year ago. We love our baby always and wish he were still here, healthy and happy.

As a member of this Irish family, I wish all my friends "happy St. Patrick's Day" today! Be safe, healthy, full of delight and good luck, and be sure to have the most laughing, gleeful fun! Yours truly, Carolyn.

I guess the Oscars were late this new year and Canada's big night of music was early. One day later, I was surprised to find "The Juno Awards" being broadcast on a Monday! However, it was wonderful and uniquely ours as always. I attended the Junos years ago, when they aired in Winnipeg! It was a memorable night and vantage point.

Simu Liu was a fantastic host. Avril Lavigne reflected on her 20 years in the changing music scene, touched to be accepting another fan's choice award. It is fun to see familiar faces. I also love acquainting new Candian music ~ especially in the pop, rock, dance, and electronic genres!

Tate McRae, Rêve, and Jessie Reyez are riveting, energetic, talented musicians to watch! Jessie's dress was jaw-droppingly evocative during her soulful performance and daringly beautiful, which must be setting trends around the globe. Well done, everyone!

On the amusing note of a topless streaker whizzing by Avril, I do not support protesters crashing special events. However, the conversation is opened and we certainly must conserve land. May Ontario make the right decision to save 7000 acres of greenbelt nature for our animals, plants, and oxygen.

To journalist and magazine writers and bloggers, I say: research for 5 seconds! John Travolta's emotional introduction of the Oscar Awards "In Memorium" photo reel was instantaneously attributed to his dear friend, Olivia Newton-John. He & everyone else certainly mourn her since August 2022.

John is also close to the unforgettable Kirstie Alley; gone in December, only 3 months ago. Not least, his beloved wife, Kelly Preston went to the afterlife only 2.5 years ago. All of them had cancer; a recent, raw hardship for John. It is simple to understand he is reeling from Kirstie's departure, far too recently compounding his double grieving of Kelly and Olivia. I know quadruple family loss.

A good journalist, reporter, or writer does not leap to popular news figure pairings.

Canadians rocked the Ocars last night! Congratulations to the sweet Brendan Fraser for best actor; an achievement he is due!

Congratulations to Sarah Polley, winning film director of Miriam Toew's "Women Talking"! It doesn't matter that the subject is not for me. Way to represent Steinbach, Manitoba! Miriam was dressed by Winnipeg fashion designer, Jill Sawatzky.

It was also wonderful to see Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis triumph in their careers last night. It was also cool to see the Ke Huy Quan win. "The Goonies" is everyone's 1980s 'non crime mystery' adventure favourite.

I see the last time we wrote was on our Spirit's ascension, January 14. We can't believe it has been two years since our precious dear left Earth. Our McCartney's acsension exactly a month from today, February 23, will be hardest to believe. We miss you, our baby Spirit! Love, all your family.

Happy New Year 2023 to you too, Kerri! A short e-mail letting me know you are all right is all I needed. Thankfully, I saw you update books yesterday and am sure you knew I would. It will be great to move our personal letters forward and also chat about each other's books and reviews here.

You will enjoy this: my inquiry about the Split Enz and Crowded House biographies put the band that I do know in mind. "Something So Strong" is whirling around, to the point where I look-up its guitar chords, even though I haven't played an instrument in years.

While I was at it, I got "Don't Dream Its Over", "Into Temptation", "I Feel Possessed"; a couple of my favourites on my cassette tape. If you are a singer, wouldn't it be a hoot to strum these together someday? I'd be proud to introduce you to our cats, Ron, and our humble home but I would rather go to New Zealand! Love, your friend, Carolyn.