tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79437782024-03-06T20:06:08.725-08:00Cat on a KeyboardNeb's blogNancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.comBlogger526125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-57233187423868334802024-02-21T22:50:00.000-08:002024-02-21T22:50:50.312-08:00Moving to SubstackIt's obvious that I don't post here anymore. The last post was two years ago. With all the different social media platforms and outlets, it can just get overwhelming. I've had to chop a lot of stuff out of my life and concentrate on the most important things. So... I still like to post more long-form ramblings on occasion. Stuff that's too much for Twitter or too controversial for Faceboop. I Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-70404352814313599162022-03-06T09:48:00.007-08:002022-03-07T08:49:58.405-08:00Celluloid Days #9 - Thomas Edison: The Variety Stage & Oriental DanceFor several years I enjoyed, and sometimes contributed to, a fun podcast called Coffee With Jeff. Jeff has a new podcast where he focuses on movies and film history. It's called Celluloid Days, and I just had to stick my finger in that pie, too, and have become a regular contributor with my "natterings".
Since podcasts are audio only, and sometimes the things we talk about really call for imageryNancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-89135552532759997812021-12-04T20:55:00.005-08:002021-12-04T20:55:53.700-08:00Covid recovery update #2 As of today, my taste and smell are up to about 90% or more, depending upon the thing I'm trying to taste or smell, so that's pretty nice. I'm also about 90% back to full muscle strength and general stability. My weight is hovering around 170, down ten pounds from my pre-covid weight, so that's good, too. I have some more weight to lose, but let's not to it via a pneumonia this time, 'kay?&Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-50054715034474900942021-11-23T11:32:00.005-08:002021-11-23T11:36:32.972-08:00Covid Recovery updateFor those who don't know me personally, my spouse and I had Covid in the first part of September. He lost three weeks of work. I ended up in the hospital with pneumonia and ventricular tachycardia. We're "recovered", but full recovery is taking a lot longer than any virus should. We've had some devastating flus before, this is different. This is dystopian sci-fi territory. This should make you Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-36735139845643407262021-11-19T10:53:00.005-08:002021-11-19T10:58:12.690-08:00Book review: The Madness of Crowds, by Louise PennyThe Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
*****Spoilers*****I love Penny's fictional village of Three Pines, tucked in a valley in the woods somewhere between Montreal, Quebec and the US border. I love her characters, from Chief Inspector Gamache to Ruth the irascible poet laureate to all the other denizens of Three Pines and Gamache's fellow LEOs. What I don't love is how Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-31502400880787528532021-10-28T23:28:00.003-07:002021-10-28T23:29:37.557-07:00Counting blessings or else go madToday was one of those days that started out relatively smoothly but rapidly degraded. Since I haven’t posted anything here on the blog for awhile, the backstory is that Gordon and I are recovering from Covid, which we contracted back in September. It’s a long, sordid tale, but suffice it to say that this was not the “I was sick for a few days, it was basically a bad cold” kind that folks we knewNancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-64068565646377903232021-04-22T22:27:00.002-07:002021-04-22T22:29:27.187-07:00Yearly Check-In: relocation bluesThis is not going to be another "2020 was a train wreck" essay. I'm sure many other bloggers have covered that. Suffice it to say that I've had no film work in over a year, other than virtual pats on the back and editorial contributions to artwork for the last two films I worked on before everything went haywire. See sidebar (R) for Burn it All and The Stairs (currently doing well on the Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-76026602576448007602020-07-03T00:03:00.002-07:002020-07-03T00:04:14.667-07:00I Heart Jane (Austen)On a bit of a Jane Austen kick, reading/listening to the novels then watching various filmed versions. I still think the '95 Pride and Prejudice mini-series with Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle is the #1 version of P&P, and I don't think I'm alone. For Mansfield Park, the Francis O'Connor/Jonny Lee Miller ('99) version is my favorite, even if some of the women's costuming is a bit weird. For Emma..Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-688454027845076342020-06-29T10:30:00.003-07:002020-06-29T10:36:25.351-07:004th Turning or Just the Rise of the Angry Toddler?Rant time!
I recently finished a book called "Outlaw Ocean", which dealt with the crazy crap that goes on at sea outside of the 200 mile limit of any sovereign nation. It's not pretty.
In one chapter, the government of a SE Asian country finally cracks down on a business that supplies what amounts to slaves to a fishing fleet, while styling itself a "staffing agency". The secretary, who works theNancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-25874726045000748402020-04-24T17:54:00.002-07:002020-04-24T17:54:54.451-07:00Weed Whackin'As my health has gradually improved through better diet (basically eliminating things that don't like me), better sleep, and better pain management (avoid NSAIDs, switch to CBD products and mineral supplementation), I've found I actually have the energy to, you know, get things done. "Things" includes massive amounts of catch-up yard work. The biggest project is attacking the blackberries that Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-40030608493013014342020-04-24T14:52:00.002-07:002020-04-24T14:52:25.987-07:00It's going to be a bumpy ride...Just like the sourdough starter in my fridge, it's time to revive this blog. A lot has happened in my life in the past year, reflecting the "lot of things" going on in the world right now. Just as in the greater world, my life consists of overt activity with deep, crazy stuff going on above our view and below the surface.
Buckle in.*
* Yes, I know she said "night", not "ride". I reserve the Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-68133130616108763872019-08-17T09:47:00.003-07:002019-08-17T10:24:10.561-07:00My First Production Trailer, Ep. 3: Cut to Montage
This old truck used to haul draft horses,
a toy hauler will be a piece of cake.
Another week-and-a-half gap, and it's time for a progress report. It's a week until load-in/wheels-up on the next feature film project. Let's just say I'm taking a lot of niacin to keep from panicking. So much left to do, including getting the truck, a '98 Ford F350 diesel dually crew-cab, back up and runningNancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-33635859991609754762019-08-03T11:36:00.001-07:002019-08-03T11:56:02.289-07:00My First Production Trailer, Ep. 2: Pandora's Box
And lo, many ills were released, but also hope,
in the form of shiny new frames from cool neighbor.
It's been a week and a half since I took the leap and sprang for a "pre-owned" (2005) toy hauler. Might be a 2006. There's some disagreement in the paperwork. In the last chapter I outlined the rigamarole I went through negotiating the sale after discovering more damage than initially Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-70040934024693286192019-07-24T10:50:00.006-07:002019-07-24T11:01:51.156-07:00My First Production Trailer, Ep. 1: Biting the BulletLast year (2018) I worked on a couple of film projects for my brother. One was a guerilla-style, run-n-gun deal where I wore a stack of hats (Script Super, wardrobe, utility PA, etc.). The other one was an indie feature where I...ended up wearing another stack of hats (Script Super, wardrobe, crafty, etc.) Lessons were learned. #1 lesson: Script Supervisor is a full-time job. It is not humanly Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-78704601911182837472018-01-03T23:40:00.001-08:002018-01-03T23:40:39.488-08:00Book Review: "Dancing on the Wind" by M.C. BeatonDancing on the Wind by Sarah Chester
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Moll Flanders, only not depressing. Would make an awesome Masterpiece Theater series. Whomever designed the cover for this (audio) edition should be fired, since this is a late 18th century setting and the cover illustration is over a hundred years off, fashion wise. Sympathetic but quirky protagonist, detailed look at several levels ofNancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-15110590137963773972017-12-13T23:37:00.000-08:002017-12-13T23:51:27.859-08:00Star Wars Memories<!--[if gte mso 9]>
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Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-23109595327007720452017-12-05T18:46:00.002-08:002017-12-05T22:42:17.073-08:00Adoption and Reunion, part 3: Ignoring the Wound
The Open Wound
“Many doctors and psychologists now understand that bonding doesn’t begin
at birth, but is a continuum of physiological, psychological, and spiritual
events which begin in utero and continue throughout the postnatal bonding
period. When this natural evolution is interrupted by a postnatal separation
from the biological mother, the resultant experience of abandonment and loss isNancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-70863946934159191772017-12-04T23:59:00.003-08:002017-12-05T00:01:53.843-08:00Adoption and Reunion, part 2: Abandonment and Acting Out<!--[if gte mso 9]>
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(Most of the excerpts quoted are from Nancy
Newton Verrier’s “The Primal Wound: Understanding the Adopted Child” unless
otherwise stated.)
Three adopted munchkins.
Being adopted is Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-53718681145774236492017-12-03T00:48:00.000-08:002017-12-04T23:49:04.968-08:00Adoption and Reunion, part 1: Starting the JourneyLike so many things in life, my life certainly, endeavors seem
to go in fits and starts. Writing, something I sort of forgot to do for several
decades, is definitely one of them. National Novel Writing Month comes around
every November. My first year participating was 2010 (maybe ’11 or ’12
or’13?…too long ago to remember). About a week of 1,500 words per day, average, and my spouse’s computer Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-27140371168667813292016-05-13T10:43:00.002-07:002016-05-13T10:44:36.001-07:00Sticks and Stones
Ever get on a roll where you feel like you're really getting things done and checking off the boxes on all those lists? That's been me, lately. Getting to household projects, garden projects, barn projects, cooking great stuff, starting to get quality sleep, actually dropping some excess weight, seriously tackling the household budget...feeling great about all of it. ...And then out of nowhereNancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-77047329690228506312015-10-19T21:40:00.003-07:002015-10-19T21:42:22.363-07:00"Darling Beast", by Elizabeth Hoyt
Don't judge this one by its cover!
Darling Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I'm not a big romance reader, but I enjoy the occasional indulgence of one the same way I do the occasional rich, chocolaty dessert. Well, if it's it's good, anyway. If it doesn't grab me then I'm not shy about quitting a few chapters or pages in. I had the opportunity to pick up a copy of "Darling Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-20357976386360087872015-09-03T10:58:00.001-07:002015-09-03T11:08:54.599-07:00Start of AutumnAutumn is just about here, and it's not fooling around. We could here it roaring in the distance this last Saturday, when a sudden storm blew in with gusts in the 50 mph range. It's been so bone dry, with only a couple of real rains all summer, that the Puget Sound area looks more like southeast Oregon than its usual perpetually verdant self. The trees, in an act of self preservation, went into Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-16186493142697894152015-08-18T23:55:00.001-07:002015-08-18T23:56:08.791-07:00Last Days of SummerIt's the middle of August here in the Pacific Northwest, the East side of Puget Sound, to be exact. This afternoon around 5:30 I stepped outside to give the chickens some scraps, and instead of a blast of heat at the end of a blindingly sunny Summer day, I was met with a soft, barely cool breeze. What a difference from the years I spent in Northern California, where I pretty much just hid for sixNancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-19820869025233237522015-04-03T12:37:00.002-07:002015-04-03T12:38:28.533-07:00The Cross
It's (non-Orthodox) Easter this Sunday, and Ravi Zacharias' short essay on the cross and what it represents is worth a few minutes of your time.
There is...(a)...word we often hear when we are in the throes of
indescribable pain, the word, “excruciating.” That, too, derives from
the Latin and means “out of the cross.” Across time and human
experience, the historical event of the CrossNancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7943778.post-80554175131947723622015-01-25T11:47:00.001-08:002015-01-25T11:51:40.067-08:00"The Spook Lights Affair: Carpenter & Quincannon #2", by Marcia Muller and Bill PronziniThe Spook Lights Affair by Marcia Muller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It takes a solid grasp of a historical setting to impress me, and these authors do exactly that and more. Add to that a perplexing suicide/murder/or?, a hunt for missing Wells Fargo money, and assorted other mysteries that may or may not be related, and you have an interesting tour of 1895 San Francisco and environs. This is so Nancy Fryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04159239707310374715noreply@blogger.com0