This week's post isn't specific to the Xanadu liner notes piece, but I thought we'd start with a song I'm not going to talk about during the month:
Xanadu is many things, and one of those things is the last movie Gene Kelly starred in. He stopped appearing in films and shows not too long after Xanadu was released (he died in 1996 so the movie didn't kill him). He even said Xanadu was ahead of its time. I love the idea that he decided to be in this movie and tap danced with Olivia Newton-John and roller skated with a bunch of random dancers and gave life advice to Michael Beck. Just perfect.
The first official recap post for July will be up next Saturday, July 11. When there's a short week like this week, it makes more sense to me to combine weeks. I have been working on the first part of the piece and it's coming along nicely. Here's a little sneak peek for you:
Lots of metallic thread and shiny fabric. It's fantastic and everything my roller skating self loves about this movie and the soundtrack. I'm focusing this piece on three songs from the movie: "Magic," "The Fall," and "Xanadu." They happen to be my favorite songs but also tell the story of the movie in three songs. It's sort of like me selecting songs for each of the main characters from Velvet Goldmine but with lyrics.
Over the course of the first six pieces of Liner Notes, I've talked about a lot of books and movies and documentaries that I've read or watched related to specific musicians or to various time periods of music. I thought it would be fun to put together a "summer" reading and watching list if anyone is looking for new books or movies.
Here's my current to read pile. Weyward is the only book not about music. I finished The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue earlier this week and just started Bread of Angels.
This list is in no way exhaustive. There are lots of books about David Bowie and Fleetwood Mac and other subjects that I haven't read and probably won't read. There are tons of concert films on probably every musician I'm focusing on...cool. I included a few but again, I haven't seen all of them so I can't recommend them. This is a starting point or an opportunity to expand your reading/watching list.
Here's the link: Liner Notes: Book and Movie Recommendations
It's a view only list. If you have recommendations you'd like to add, send them to me and I'll add them for you. If you read or watch anything I recommend, let me know what you think!
WIPs, Recovery News, and Other Small Joys
I finished the frog embroidery! I still have to put it in the painted hoop but the piece is done. It was such a fun kit to work on and it's super cute.
This kit is from Nest Embirdery if you're interested in making it or checking out other patterns. There are several other patterns I would like to get in the future. Nature patterns are so lovely.
I should have my first kit from Hook, Line & Tinker finished later today. I really enjoy embroidering krakens.
I hope to be able to start the Jonathan Adler needlepoint kit I bought when his collection came out at Michaels sometime this week. I wasn't able to get the frame together completely. My brother is coming by on Tuesday so I'll see if he can push the last piece together so I can get started. It's bargello, a type of needlepoint I've never done, so I'm excited to get started.
On the surgery recovery front, I'm doing really good. I started taking short walks at the rec center this week and they've really helped. I don't know if it's a combination of rest and some additional movement, but after I came home from my walk on Wednesday, something moved back into place and I've been able to bend at the waist more comfortably. I still have some pain but the discomfort is minimal and I have a lot more mobility than I did a week ago. The five incisions are pretty much healed and not too horrible looking. Getting out of bed isn't difficult anymore and I can sleep on my side with and without the pillow. It's fantastic. My leave ends in two weeks and I think I'm now in the phase of recovery of getting myself ready to be back into a version of my regular day-to-day. Some things are going to change, but I need to get back to a routine.
Bea seems to be back to her regular self as well. She technically has a few more days left of her meds, but they seem to have done the trick. I'm getting her veterinary dermatologist appointment scheduled for later in July or early August. She's also handling the extreme heat like a champ - hanging out in corners and dark rooms.
If you're going out for any festivities today, please make sure to stay hydrated, wear sunscreen and a hat, and don't let the man get you down. For those in the DMV, remember that there's an incredibly aggressive flyover schedule today starting around 1 pm ET. So unnecessary.
Me and Bea will be staying home, watching movies, eating cheese, and reading our new book. Bea is very intrigued.
Comments
Post a Comment