weeknotes 15 (first of the new year)
I haven't written here for awhile.
What did I do?
Mainly work this week - it was my first week back at work since the holidays. I'm more demotivated than ever, unfortunately.
On Monday I watched Carol - I've made a list of January films, partly to keep the Christmas/New Year feeling going and partly just things I want to watch. It's a beautiful film, the period detail is exquisite and the interactions between the characters ring very true - it's based on a Patricia Highsmith book and I enjoy her writing, but I've heard this book is a departure for her. And it is, I was expecting a psychological thriller based on her other work (a quote I really like about her books can be found here) but it's very romantic. And not just that - about being true to your own nature.
On Tuesday I watched The Apartment with my boyfriend - just classic stuff. It's such a romantic film, the more so because both characters are flawed but you feel they're doing their best. So human. Jack Lemmon straining the pasta with the tennis racket, Shirley McClaine's cracked mirror and beautiful face.
Wednesday (my day off) I went for a boulder in the morning and then to my favourite café for lunch because I've heard it's closing :(
(Sandwich I previously had at the café with isle of wight tomatoes, rip)
Two films - I caught Nickle Boys in the cinema, which I was really keen to see because I loved the book. The first person POV really worked for me, viewing it as a book adaptation, but I wonder how it would work if you approached the film fresh. Later in the evening I had dinner with my boyfriend at one of my favourite pubs, that does great Japanese food, and we watched a b-movie called Mermaid Legend. I'm just going to quote my letterboxd review here:
Lots to like about this, the setting, the abalone fisher women, the dreamlike shots, the underwater shots, vengeful woman shouting "because I am insane" before committing mass murder with a harpoon, some jaw dropping wild moments.
However also contains the most explicit rape/sex scenes I've seen in a film probably so there are some caveats on my enjoyment of this. letterboxed
On Thursday I had a rare film break and went rope climbing with some friend instead. I'm so weak. Glad I went because I considered bailing - the weather has been so cold! It's making cycling a real test, and and also worried about stacking it when it's icy out 🥶 I think I feel much better when I get out of the house, which is tricky when the weather is freezing (did recently see a reel which claimed British people just don't know how to dress for the weather though, which might be true - we're very used to it being kind of neutral, mild and drizzly most of the time, rather than very hot or cold).
Friday I skipped work drinks and watched The Full Monty when I got home, which is very heartwarming and funny.
Wow, it's been a big film week. In terms of media that's not film, I finished John Connelley's The Book of Lost Things, which I really enjoyed, and I've been playing Zelda Echoes of Wisdom, which is good fun - I love the puzzle solving elements of Zelda game's so it's right up my street.
This weekend I'm looking forward to going on my belated rescheduled birthday meal with my boyfriend (because we were both sick in December) and catching up on some personal projects. I also have to meet a mutual friend of a friend to start organising said friend's hag do (a gender neutral hen/stag do).
Have fun this weekend!