Month: April 2020

MJ Monday-Movies: Yesterday

 

I’m surprised the movie Yesterday isn’t better known than it is. I am unfamiliar with the male lead, but the female lead is Lily James of Downton Abbey and the Guernsey Potato Peel Pie and Literary Society fame. Ed Sheeran and Kate McKinnon are also in the movie.

The plot is simple: a struggling musician, Jack,  is hit by a bus; when he comes to, it’s in a world where the Beatles never existed. The movie is a romance. It’s quirky. There’s an interesting plot twist. And while the Beatles aren’t the only thing that never existed in Jack’s new world, but the movie doesn’t hit you over the head with it. Just one or two mentions. And a funny one at the end.

Five stars.

Book Review: Karen Robards-BAIT

Image credit: tieury / 123RF Stock Photo

Karen Robards is a master at writing romantic suspense, and her 2004 release Bait is no exception. The heroine is an advertising exec going after a big account. The hero is an FBI agent tracking a serial killer.

The story includes:

  • a mistaken identity
  • a secret identity
  • a great supporting cast (including a secondary romance and Hawaiian shirts)
  • the world’s most obnoxious dog
  • a great apartment for the heroine

I’m a sucker for secret identity heroes. Bait gives the trope an interesting twist.

Four out of five stars.

 

 

MJ Monday-Meals: Chicken Taco Casserole with Cucumber Avocado Salad

Going on my writing retreats can sometimes be a challenge, especially when I try to take other people’s dietary needs into consideration. It’s a good thing I like to cook and peruse recipes.

Here’s a combination I used the last time I took off for the woods with my critique group.

Chicken Taco Casserole

With this, I left off the black olives and made my own taco seasoning to make sure there was no sugar in it. There are at least a couple dozen taco seasoning recipes on Pinterest.

I paired the casserole with Cucumber Avocado Salad.

With this, I swapped out the feta cheese with goat cheese, as not everyone likes feta.

The cool creaminess of the salad was a wonderful counterpoint to the mild spiciness of the casserole.

SELF HELP REVIEW: ATOMIC HABITS

About a year ago, it seemed as if everyone was reading this book. People I knew claimed it was life changing. There was a wait list at the library.

I wonder how many people were as disappointed in the book as I was.

I found the book little more than a rehash of other books I’ve read. Now granted, I’m older and at one point in my life was deeply involved in a corporate career, so I read as much as I could about worker smarter not harder. Many of the suggestions in this book have been a part of my routines for years.

I have to ask myself why I keep looking for a magic solution.