Still Here!

Faithful readers, you can be forgiven for wondering just where I've been and I thank you heartily for not giving up on me. To briefly catch you up, for the last six months or so, I've been dealing with the fallout of a medical exam that had the doctors going, "Hmmm." Sparing you the gory details, early detection is the bomb, although surgery followed by radiation treatments aren't a carousel of fun. I had excellent medical care and a wide-ranging circle of well-wishers who helped me through all of this, but the last couple of weeks of treatment were just draining to the point of me putting this blog on the back burner taking this blog off the stove altogether. But treatment has concluded and, while it'll still take me a few weeks to heal and get my energy level back to where it ought to be, I'm going to come back from all of this healthier, heartier, and brimming over with vim and vigor!

And just because I haven't been posting, don't think I haven't been watching! A quick rundown of some highlights:

Neill Blomkamp's Chappie is worth a rental when it comes out. The film wants to do more than it actually achieves and is muddled in places, but once again, Blomkamp (of the stellar District 9) shows he's willing to ask the Big Questions, even if he's not sure of the math to get the answers.

Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel is quirky, funny, stylish, and just a little heartbreaking in places. Rent it now and see why the film picked up 4 Oscars this year, including costume design, hair/makeup, and production design.

Speaking of heartbreaking, along with anger-inducing, one night when you can stand it, watch The Invisible War, a documentary about sexual assault in the U.S. military. If it doesn't make your blood boil, there's something not quite right about you.

I've also ripped through both Season 3 of House of Cards (serious and filled with ambitious, awful characters who you just have to keep watching) and the first season of The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (hilarious and filled with quirky, funny characters who you just have to keep watching, plus one of the catchiest theme songs in recent memory). Clearly, I recommend them both. Further, if you can stand to not binge-watch, you need to check out The Americans, which continues to be one of the best shows on television today.

And yes, "Third Age Thursday" will be starting up again soon!