Highlight Reel – Jan 5-11, 2025

A busy week that ended in a deep freeze (quite literally).

Quote of the Week

Re-Watch of the Week

Music of the Week

Song of the Week: “Hard to Handle,” by The Black Crowes

Other music I enjoyed this week:

• “Livin’ on a Prayer,” by Bon Jovi
• “Shut Up and Dance,” by WALK THE MOON
• “Music,” by Madonna
• A Cappella Song of the Week: “Havana,” by Pentatonix, cover of the Camila Cabello song
• Instrumental Song of the Week: “Raiders of the Lost Ark – End Credits,” by John Williams

Headlines, Highlights, and Lowlights

• We survived the 2025 snow/ice storm with only a couple of flickers of the electricity, which was a relief. Notice I did NOT say “the first snow storm,” because that is not something I want to put out into the universe. One every 5 years is more that sufficient for Atlanta, Georgia, thank you very much.
• With no close theater and everything iced in all weekend, there have been no new movies this week. I started a TCM William Powell movie, but I just couldn’t focus (I’ve felt really “scattered” all week). September 5 opens in wider release this coming week, so maybe we’ll try to catch that at the now-closest Regal to us (that we didn’t know existed until ours closed).
• Will Trent and The Rookie are both back (finally!) with new seasons. High Potential, The Irrational, and Happy’s Place have returned from their mid-season break. We also started Season 3 of Only Murders in the Building, since we were snowed in all weekend. Should finish that up on Sunday, actually. (Gotta love ten 30-ish minute episodes! You can binge a season in a weekend, or a day if you have that kind of free time.)
• Rewatches: There was a fair amount of Big Bang Theory due to a couple of “brain dead” days this week. Movie wise, we enjoyed the first three Indiana Jones films: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The Paramount Network (cable channel) was running an Indiana Jones marathon, so we flipped it on for background noise for most of Saturday, though we weren’t typically actively *watching* it most of the time. (No need, we both have all three films memorized. We don’t have to look at the screen to know what’s happening; the dialog and music are sufficient.)
• Good news on the tire front! After finding it almost completely flat on New Year’s Day, we finally had the time this week to take it in for the tire to be checked. The removed the nail, plugged the hole, and we were on our way.
• Pretty much no weight loss this week, and my sense of taste seems a touch “wonky.” I’m not tremendously worried (yet), but I am keeping an eye on it, and I will not hesitate to drop back down to 2.5 mg or go back to the split 2.5 + 1 mg that I was doing in December if this continues. I’m trying to give it time, but it’s hard. I’m just so skittish after what happened last time.
• I discovered a daily step count “hack” this week that is working well for me: I have been trying to get up and walk at least 500 steps every couple of hours. I discovered this week that I easily get more than that (typically 600-800) if I listen to 2 songs while I do it, and sometimes when I see what the 3rd song is, I want to listen to that one, so I keep on walking. That will also hopefully yield a slightly longer “Music of the Week” list going forward. Would anyone be interested in a playlist that includes all of the 2025 songs? Let me know what you think.
• My TSA Pre-Check appointment went well. It was easy-peasy. I actually received my number within 48 hours (hey, it’s quick when you’re super-boring, so your background check doesn’t take long! LOL). From the time I left my house to the time that I got back was 35 minutes, and that included having to wait 7 minutes for a train to pass by.

Coming Soon

• I supposedly have an appointment with my orthopedist for a cortisone injection on Monday. That will take me out for a few days (injection reaction, which is common, makes my knee incredibly painful for 3-4 days, but after that, it is several weeks or months of relief, which is a fair trade, though I often forget that during those 3-4 days).
• I REALLY want to have that injection done this week, so I am fully recovered from it and the pain relief has kicked in by the time I go to Las Vegas, but the current icy conditions (on Saturday) and the expected additional snowfall on Sunday make that iffy, which is definitely NOT a good thing for me.
• Really can’t think of anything else for this upcoming week, though after the first couple have been so nutty, I’m quite looking forward to a “down” week, especially since I will need to limit my standing and walking for several days. (No, I will NOT use the “q word,” I’m not an idiot!)