Happy New Year to my faithful readers.

My new year has begun with seeing a terrific movie and cooking a traditional New Year's dinner for Gay, Stu, and me.

My sister sitting in front of my fireplace decorated for Christmas

George Clooney is one of my favorite celebrities for many reasons and now that he is older, still handsome, but not acting so much, he is a great director. We went to a theater to see the movie he made from Daniel James Brown's best-selling nonfiction novel.

The Boys in the Boat has all the elements that make a feel-good movie, just the kind of movie we need now. There was no graphic sex and no vulgar language as most modern movies have these days. The young men who were the boys in the boat lived in 1934, a more innocent time in our country. The romance was sweet and left things to the imagination. These young working men came from low economic backgrounds. They made perfect underdogs as they competed against teams with financial backing.

Daniel James Brown has not only captured the hearts and souls of the University of Washington rowers who raced in the 1936 Olympics, he has conjured up an era of history.

The movie is based on a book that tells a true story. The author of the book interviewed the families of the men who were those boys so many years ago. The main character among the boys, Joe Rantz, was a neighbor of the author. 

When I came home after seeing the movie, I had to know more about the book, the author, and Joe Rantz. I have ordered the book.

I hope many people see this in the theater. I was shocked to see that some critics have panned this wonderful movie. I wish Hollywood would make more movies of substance. Maybe if we support these movies by going to the theater, people like George Clooney will make more of them. Out of the many previews at this theater of coming attractions, there was not one I would go to see. 

When we came home we ate my dinner of blackeyed peas, turnip greens, pork chops, gravy and wild rice. We had a good day and I enjoyed spending January 1, 2024, with loved ones. 

I don't make New Year's resolutions. But I have goals. I will teach an online course in memoir writing beginning January 23. We will have three two-hour classes. To learn more, visit Writers Circle Around the Table.

Classes are limited to ten students.

I hope to continue to teach throughout the spring and summer.

Thanks for not giving up on me. The past few months have been challenging, but I look forward to a bright future.