May 2025 - The Nearly Merry Monthly News
This month: ceramics and more French than I expected
Hello! Late May and summer is at last taking hold in Southern California.
Temperatures are climbing; school is out; and Lilo and Stitch is eating everyone’s lunch at the box office.
I finished the ceramics class that I’ve been taking at the local rec center, and now have a spoon rest, a few bowls, and this strangely endearing Pizza Guy to show for it.
What else have I done this month? Let’s find out. On to the news!
From My Desk
Work continues! There are even prospects on new work on the horizon! Can I talk about any of it in a public forum? Of course not!
(Man, I've got to get back to writing and submitting short fiction or this section of the newsletter is going to get really repetitive really fast.)
What I'm Watching and Reading
Film-viewing this month took an oddly Francophone turn.
After watching Thunderbolts*, I was inspired to go back and watch some earlier films in the MCU timeline, including it’s prequel, Black Widow.
But in an effort to—I don’t know, make myself feel like I wasn’t re-watching a movie?—I decided to switch the DVD over to the French soundtrack and subtitles and pretended I was watching it for educational purposes.
To my surprise, my Duolingo streak must actually be good for something because my listening comprehension has gotten much better since the last time I tried that trick. Alas for verisimilitude (but fortunately for me), none of the characters speak French with a Russian accent.
I then inadvertently convinced a group of Lizzie Bennet Diaries alums to join me in my French cultural immersion by inviting them to see Jane Austen Wrecked my Life with me, which I did not realize was going to be 90% in French.
(I invite you to watch the linked trailer and then say you wouldn’t have made the same mistake.)
But a good time was had by all, and if ever there was a film tailor-made for an LBD mini-reunion, this was it. (Even if Jane Austen didn’t wreck our lives.)
From the Cutting Room Floor of the Duolingo Dystopia
Junior reminds us not to be greedy.
I mean, that's for sure enough sheep for me. Although counting them won’t take long.
And That's the Nearly Monthly News!
Not a ton to report, but honestly, the way world events are going, I count myself fortunate to be able to say that. June is the start of my summer travel season, so hopefully that will inspire new content soon. Until then: Comments? Questions? Drop me a line! Otherwise, I'll see you next time.