Chit Chat

[Koren]

If you get the chance, go see the new Elvis movie. Bring tissues. Very faced paced movie. It was about two and a half hours but didn't seem like it.

[Selina]

Plan to go in a week or so when get the time!

[Fishface]

Koren wrote: "If you get the chance, go see the new Elvis movie. Bring tissues. Very faced paced movie. It was about two and a half hours but didn't seem like it."

I'm hearing great things about this movie.

[Selina]

Going to see it tomorrow! Will take snacks since it's a longish movie. I remember when movies used to have interval or break time in the middle but they don't anymore.

[Karin]

Koren wrote: "If you get the chance, go see the new Elvis movie. Bring tissues. Very faced paced movie. It was about two and a half hours but didn't seem like it."

I've seen the trailers, but--please don't disown me--I have never been an Elvis fan. Yes, I like a few of his songs, of course, but I am not likely to see the movie.

[Selina]

I'm not a huge fan but he had an interesting life
He died before I was born, so I don't think I could really be one of those hard-core fans that he seems to attract.

We have this thing called 'Elvis in the Park' in my hometown every January (when it's his birthday) and people gather and dress up as Elvis and sing and bring their vintage 50's cars.

[Koren]

Karin wrote: "Koren wrote: "If you get the chance, go see the new Elvis movie. Bring tissues. Very faced paced movie. It was about two and a half hours but didn't seem like it."

I've seen the trailers, but--ple..."

I'm not a huge fan either and I like his later music better than the early ones. Elvis is more 50's and 60's. I'm more a 70's girl. I don't think you have to be a big fan to like this movie.

[Julie]

I will pretty much watch any movie and will probably see this when it comes on DVD!

[Karin]

Koren wrote: "Karin wrote: "Koren wrote: "If you get the chance, go see the new Elvis movie. Bring tissues. Very faced paced movie. It was about two and a half hours but didn't seem like it."

I've seen the trai..."

I'd have to watch it without my husband--he can't stand Elvis, or the Beatles or many other groups. I think you and I are of a similar age, but my youngest child is 22 and I don't have any grandchildren (yet--I hope to become one at a younger age than my mother-in-law was!)

My mother wasn't even a big fan and she was just the right age to be one--she was more into jazz and other stuff. She turned 17 in 1955.

[Selina]

Oh I forgot the tissues but I did cry when Elvis sang "If I can dream" it gets me every time.

I much preferred his later music and gospel to his early rock n roll music. Though it was interesting to watch people go crazy just because he wiggled his legs. What, they'd never seen anyone move before? lol

I'm now reading A Little Thing Called Life: From Elvis's Graceland to Bruce Jenner's Caitlyn & Songs in Between by Linda Thompson.

I think he had 3 main ladies in his life, - Priscilla, Linda and Ginger. I've already read the memoirs by Priscilla and Ginger. I don't think it would have been easy married to him. Poor Priscilla, once she had Lisa Marie, Elvis kind of went off her and made her stay at home while he went off touring without her.

[Fishface]

Selina wrote: "Though it was interesting to watch people go crazy just because he wiggled his legs. What, they'd never seen anyone move before? lol"

No, they really hadn't. He was considered incredibly shocking in those days. When he went on the Ed Sullivan show they only showed him from the waist up, so sensitive viewers wouldn't see what the fans in the studio audience were screaming about.

[Selina]

Was it just the ladies who screamed or did the guys scream as well.
It just seems like everyone screams now (in tv talent shows as well) that you can hardly hear anyone sing for the screaming.

[Koren]

Selina wrote: "Was it just the ladies who screamed or did the guys scream as well.
It just seems like everyone screams now (in tv talent shows as well) that you can hardly hear anyone sing for the screaming."

I don't think the guys screamed over Elvis, but you are right, it seems like there is a lot of screaming, especially on game shows, which seem to be popular in the evening right now. If the host does a lot of screaming I will turn the station.

[Fishface]

Selina wrote: "Was it just the ladies who screamed or did the guys scream as well.
It just seems like everyone screams now (in tv talent shows as well) that you can hardly hear anyone sing for the screaming."

As I recall the audience was 100% teenaged girls lol

[Koren]

Fishface wrote: "Selina wrote: "Was it just the ladies who screamed or did the guys scream as well.
It just seems like everyone screams now (in tv talent shows as well) that you can hardly hear anyone sing for the ..."

If there were guys there they were in the back and not in camera range.

[Koren]

Finished a short book called Madonna's Memoirs. It is not listed on Amazon or Goodreads so I'm sure it was meant to be a self-published memoir as a keepsake for family only. The author has ALS so she knew she didn't have long to live and wants to write things down for her family. She really didn't do anything very exciting but I'm sure her family treasured this, although one of them apparently donated it to the used book sale that I bought this at. I have a short booklet that my cousin wrote about my grandmother and I just love it. So if you see a book at a sale that looks like it is a memoir published for family I would recommend picking them up. Sometimes they are not too interesting for outsiders but sometimes they are little gems in disguise and worth the few cents they cost.

[Selina]

What is ALS? Sorry not sure what that is

One of my friend's dad self-published a memoir I think it's in the library called 10 pound pom and its about how he emigrated to NZ from the UK and paid 10 pounds. I haven't read it but I think I may check it out.

She also self-published a book called the Joy of Work. Some self-publishing efforts are not too engaging though and tend to be self-congratulatory, but I suppose for any family members it's a record and a bit of history.

I don't have any writing from my grandparents at all. They were illiterate, and also they didn't speak English.

[Koren]

Selina wrote: "What is ALS? Sorry not sure what that is

One of my friend's dad self-published a memoir I think it's in the library called 10 pound pom and its about how he emigrated to NZ from the UK and paid 10..."

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disease[a] that results in the progressive loss of motor neurons that control voluntary muscles. Early symptoms of ALS include stiff muscles, muscle twitches, and gradual increasing weakness and muscle wasting.

I did take care of a man in the nursing home that had ALS. It is a terrible disease.

[Mike]

In his memoir A Factotum in the Book Trade Marius Kociejowski states that Bruce Chatwin's fabrications in his travel writing made readers suspicious of the genre. I contend that Chatwin was not the first to do so, and that the problem is not limited to the travel memoir genre. I write about this issue in my blog.
https://mypointbeing.com/2022/07/22/t...

[Selina]

Interesting blog Mike.
Yes I wondered about Paul Theroux, we did discuss that his travels were like he was running away from something and also, I wondered about what his wife went through with him always taking off without her (and children).
Imagine your husband going off and maybe you don't even know when he'll be back, saying he's going to write a travel book! I'd be like...am I included in this journey??

[Selina]

The other thing I noticed in the Linda Thompson memoir is Elvis cheated on her, (while insisting she was his true love) and then Bruce Jenner sort of dropped the bombshell on their marriage, and then her third 'husband' kept disappearing on her for NO reason or explanation...surprise surprise he was cheating on her with another woman.
Ok if your husband is not with you every night then where else is he going to be?? Alone in a bed by HIMSELF? And would he not have the decency to call you?

[Mike]

Selina wrote: "Interesting blog Mike.
Yes I wondered about Paul Theroux..."

Thanks, Selina. As you may have gathered, this topic is a hot button with me. :-P

[Selina]

Well 'The Ordinary Life of a Ten-Pound Pom' by Clifford Owler
who is the dad of one of my friends turned out to be a thick tome but I skimmed it mostly because it wasn't very engaging. If your life is ordinary, then why write about it? You are better off maybe captioning your family photos.

The gist is he came from north-east England, dad was a baker and in the merchant Navy. He had 3 brothers. The constant moving around made him restless and he wasn't that great at school, so he took a punt to emigrate to NZ on a ten pound contract. There, he met a NZ wife and had 3 daughters. The first was adopted, the second born was my friend and they had another before stopping (both births were difficult Ceasearans) . He had various jobs baking but his wife took charge of all the household, childrearing and finances - as the hubby he had to maintain the 'quarter-acre section'. It sounds boring cos it is..quite dull - he mowed a sloping lawn and painted the house.

He does have grandchildren through his third daughter who married a farmer. My friend married a divorcee and didn't have children. But apparently she now has moved back to their home to look after her aging parents. Her dad is writing this in his old age and can't do much now after suffering a few heart attacks.

I'm not sure I got much out of this memoir though it was mildly interesting what kind of jobs were in NZ in the 1950s

[Koren]

Have a safe and happy Halloween to all who celebrate.

[Selina]

Have a safe Guy Fawkes for all those who celebrate...one year a rogue firework landed on my aunt's roof of her house, burned a big hole, and they had to stay at my grandparents while it was getting fixed.

[Selina]

Some new bios/memoirs to watch out for

Spare by Prince Harry
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

[Deity World]

Selina wrote: "Some new bios/memoirs to watch out for

Spare by Prince Harry
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry"

Just finished Stephen king on writing very interesting

[Karin]

Deity World wrote: "Selina wrote: "Some new bios/memoirs to watch out for

Spare by Prince Harry
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry"

Just finished Stephen kin..."

I liked it better than I thought I would :)

[Koren]

Anyone else snowed in? All of our roads are closed. Think I'll finish wrapping Christmas gifts and then hunker down with my books. Wish I had a fireplace!

[Fishface]

Koren wrote: "Anyone else snowed in? All of our roads are closed. Think I'll finish wrapping Christmas gifts and then hunker down with my books. Wish I had a fireplace!"

I went out to pick up a prescription. It was so cold the snow groaned under my tires. I thought the 3 places I went on were awfully empty for the day before Christmas Eve but then it occurred to me everyone was probably smart enough not to go out in this!

[Karin]

Fishface wrote: "Koren wrote: "Anyone else snowed in? All of our roads are closed. Think I'll finish wrapping Christmas gifts and then hunker down with my books. Wish I had a fireplace!"

I went out to pick up a pr..."

That is cold! However, if there is no ice then it's better than driving after freezing rain. Not that we had any since it's very rare hear, but every winter I remember living in Ottawa where it was a frequent occurrence and it wasn't unusual to crawl home on streets that were like ice rinks. No Zoom or working at home online for most people back then. I think it was still all dial up, but am not that familiar with the history of high speed internet.

[Julie]

Some snow on the ground but boy it sure is cold!

[Koren]

Fishface wrote: "Koren wrote: "Anyone else snowed in? All of our roads are closed. Think I'll finish wrapping Christmas gifts and then hunker down with my books. Wish I had a fireplace!"

I went out to pick up a pr..."

I finished my shopping on Wednesday after work because I didn't know if I would be able to finish Sat. Apparently everyone else had the same idea.

[Koren]

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. Just think, this time next week we will be starting the 2023 discussion topics!

[Julie]

Koren wrote: "Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. Just think, this time next week we will be starting the 2023 discussion topics!"

Ditto!

[Koren]

For some reason that "I am not a robot" thing won't let me post the What Are You Reading Now thread for 2023. I'll get it up as soon as it lets me. It let me post the other 2923 threads so I'm not sure what is going on.

[Karin]

Koren wrote: "For some reason that "I am not a robot" thing won't let me post the What Are You Reading Now thread for 2023. I'll get it up as soon as it lets me. It let me post the other 2923 threads so I'm not ..."

It let me post it, but I can remove it if you'd rather do it yourself :)

I'm guessing you'd reached the new GR limit which is VERY annoying when you're a mod!

[Koren]

thanks Karin. I only posted 2 topics so that is annoying.

[Karin]

Koren wrote: "thanks Karin. I only posted 2 topics so that is annoying."

Yes, that's the limit they've set, then you have to wait a couple of hours and come back. It's to prevent trolling, etc, but why they do this to mods is beyond me.

[Julie]

Are we going to have a 2023 post for just Biographies, Autobiographies and Memoirs?

[Koren]

Julie wrote: "Are we going to have a 2023 post for just Biographies, Autobiographies and Memoirs?"

It should be there. I posted it yesterday.

[Julie]

Koren wrote: "Julie wrote: "Are we going to have a 2023 post for just Biographies, Autobiographies and Memoirs?"

It should be there. I posted it yesterday."

I didn't see it when I went online yesterday but I see it now! Thanks!

[Selina]

Koren are we allowed to start new topics as I tried to start one but it didn't show up.

I just want to ask the group where they buy their books from. It seems Goodreads have changed their online supplier to Kobo and Books Depository.

I don't buy my books online but wondered if anyone else did.

[Koren]

Selina wrote: "Koren are we allowed to start new topics as I tried to start one but it didn't show up.

I just want to ask the group where they buy their books from. It seems Goodreads have changed their online s..."

You should be able to start a topic. Where did you try to do it?

[Selina]

Koren wrote: "Selina wrote: "Koren are we allowed to start new topics as I tried to start one but it didn't show up.

I just want to ask the group where they buy their books from. It seems Goodreads have changed..."

Here, but nothing showed up.

[Koren]

Do you mean a completely new topic or you tried to post under Chit Chat? Either way, try it again and see. Maybe it was a Goodreads glitch.

[Selina]

Completely new topic.
I tried twice.
Also it asks you to put in a name of the book but I don't have a book title for my topic. I just want to ask where others buy their books online.

[Selina]

I tried again this time put it into a folder under Polls.

There seem to be some odd folders we never use like Sports, Music, Apples and Heros?!

[Koren]

Selina wrote: "I tried again this time put it into a folder under Polls.

There seem to be some odd folders we never use like Sports, Music, Apples and Heros?!"

[Koren]

Koren wrote: "Selina wrote: "I tried again this time put it into a folder under Polls.

There seem to be some odd folders we never use like Sports, Music, Apples and Heros?!""

When I log in on my phone that is all I see, those strange folders. I don't know how they got there. I will try to figure out how to get rid of them.