Reading but not much, thanks/no thanks to TV

So, since last week’s Sunday Salon, I shared two posts here: on a podcast on The Five Remembrances and on 3 Good Things Thursday. I haven’t done much reading, though, and still haven’t finished what was/is supposed to be my first book of the year: Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor. I’m in the last third of the book, and I’m finding it hard going since he is getting into breathing techniques that are complex and aren’t for the laymen, i.e. me.

I have seven books on hold through Libby at three different libraries: my home library, Free Library of Philadelphia, and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, the latter two which offer free cards to anyone in Pennsylvania. However, with the exception of one, the other six are a few weeks or even months out from being able to borrow. The one is The Promise, a part of the Elvis Cole & Joe Pike series, by Robert Crais and even might be available today. We’ll see.

I’ve also been dipping into some magazines via Libby, including a couple of poetry magazines. Maybe this week I’ll finish my first book of the year, even if it’s nothing what I intended.

Aside from reading, and the reason I haven been reading much, I discovered a new show High Potential on ABC and Hulu, which I’ve been binge-watching (some with my wife Kim). It’s based off a French and Belgian show called HPI, which stands for Haut potentiel intellectuel, “high intellectual potential,” an alternative term for giftedness. The main character is a cleaner at a police station and in the process of cleaning, comes across a case that falls out of a folder that she sees something the detectives don’t see. She writes “victim” under the photo of a woman they have identified as a suspect for the murder. It reminds me some, in a good way, of the British version of Sherlock with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

As for what I’m listening to lately, I’ve been going back into my favorites from years gone by (2012) and discovered this gem, a bonus track from Kendrick Lamar’s second album, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, a duet with Mary J. Blige:

Lamar coincidentally is the headliner at halfway point for for some big sporting event here in the U.S. tonight. We will peek in from time to time as being from Pennsylvania, we are pulling for the Eagles. Go, Iggles!

So, what have you been reading or watched or listening to or doing this past week? Feel free to share in the comments.

Bonus photo of brunch from this morning:

Impossible breakfast sausage, apple fritter bread French toast, and a pina colada.
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8 responses to “Reading but not much, thanks/no thanks to TV”

  1. Helen Murdoch

    I went to high school wtih Randall Cunningham (former Eagles quarterback) so I’ll choose the Eagles in today’s game even though I don’t follow football.

    I went for a lovely walk along the beach this morning and will use today to catch up on all things that have been languishing for the last 7 days. Oh, I may watch a couple episodes of Vera.

    Helen Murdoch Avatar
  2. I read Breath in 2020, another stressful time. Here are my thoughts, if you are interested: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3528645516. I hope your next book is a book you enjoy a lot more than you did this one.

    High Potential sounds intriguing. We can’t figure out how to watch regular tv now. People say to get an antenna, but that did not work here. Sigh.

    Deb Nance at Readerbuzz Avatar
    1. Sounds like, from your review, I should skip to the end for the summary.

      Bryan G. Robinson Avatar
  3. If you are reading poetry magazines maybe you will get back into writing or sharing your poetry. Your poems are so good and should be shared.

    I want to look at some magazines through Libby too and need to figure out that library card through Pittsburgh again. Yeah, yeah, I know…I was supposed to contact them but…I didn’t. So I will figure it out this week.

    I find that my holds from Libby always come at the wrong time for me. Oh well, I can always try to get them out again in the future, of course.

    Lisa R. Howeler Avatar
    1. You don’t even have to contact them right away. You can get it set up easy peasy and then confirm within a month. Really that easy…I’d like to get back to writing poetry too…that’s the great thing about Libby. It’s there when you need it. 🙂

      Bryan G. Robinson Avatar
      1. Yes, that is what’s nice about it.

        Poetry might be a great stress reliever for you. I’m even getting back into journaling, which I actually have not been doing for years.

        Lisa R. Howeler Avatar
  4. Commenting here is hit and miss, I typed out a long comment and then poof, it told me I cannot comment. Anyway, hope you guys are well.

    Ti Avatar
    1. I’m not sure, Ti, what the issue is. Maybe the theme has a limit, but I’ll check. We’re good. 🙂

      Bryan G. Robinson Avatar

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