Review of 2015

Previously: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014.   Now for the summary of my ever diminishing blog posts for 2015 (this is becoming just a place to note down books and movies)… as ever please note this is only to help me remember things I really don’t know why anyone else would be interested:

MOVIES (cinema)

• Nov: The Program
• Dec: Specter

Gigs, Events & Theater

• Jan: Scripture Union weekend (my first)
• July: CLAN (in Largs)

BOOKS read this year….

• Jan: Peter May “The Lewis Man”
• Feb: Richard Grady “One Day Ahead: A Tour de France Misadventure”
• March: “Mystery Writers of America Presents: Vengeance”
• May: Michael Connelly “The Black Echo”
• June: Michael Connelly “The Black Ice”
• June: Lee Child “Personal” (Jack Reacher 19)
• July: Michael Connelly “The Concrete Blonde”
• Aug: Michael Connelly “The Last Coyote”
• Aug: Michael Connelly “Trunk Music”
• Sep: Michael Connelly “Angels Flight”
• Sep: Michael Connelly “A Darkness More Than Night”
• Oct: Michael Connelly “The Poet”
• Nov: Michael Connelly “Blood Work”
• Nov: Michael Connelly “Void Moon”
• Nov: Michael Connelly “City Of Bones”
• Nov: Michael Connelly “Chasing the Dime”
• Dec: Michael Connelly “Lost Light”
• Dec: Michael Connelly “The Narrows”

Holidays…

• March: Ribby Hall
• Aug: Isle of Lewis
• Sept: Crieff Hydro

Other Highlights:

• Jan: Weekend in Dunoon celebrating Ross’s 40th
• April: Son turned 2, talks, sings, likes to sleep beside me, is great fun!
• May: Got the garden fixed up
• July: 2 Year of Cycling to Work
• August: Started Gaelic Saturday club – trying to learn a new language
• Sept: 2 Years of condensed 4 day week to have Monday’s with Lewis

Youtube uploads:

• March:  Lewis finds a feather
• April: Lewis meets his shadow
• May: Garden upgrade
• Jul: Scooting in the park
• Aug: Kite Flying
• Nov: Dressing a toddler

Running Totals:

• 2009 – 23 books – 6 Movies – 4 gigs/events
• 2010 – 33 books – 13 Movies – 10 gigs/events – 6 meals – 4 holidays
• 2011 – 18 books – 2 Movies – 3 gigs/events – 1 meals – 3 holidays
• 2012 – 16 books – 7 Movies – 3 gigs/events – 3 meals – 4 holidays
• 2013 – 8 books – 2 Movies – 0 gigs/events – 1 meals – 2 holidays – 1 Son
• 2014 – 1 books – 3 Movies – 2 gigs/events – 4 holidays
• 2015 – 18 books – 2 Movies – 2 gigs/events – 3 holidays – 6 videos

Movie: Spectre

A little late in blogging about this movie we went to see about a month ago.  Specter, of course, is the latest Bond movie and personally I think the Daniel Craig reboot of Bond is outstanding and plot lines from all of these recent movies come together in this plot.

The opening sequence alone, is utterly amazing with what appears to be a long continuous shoot (but probably isn’t – I really would like to see a ‘making of’ even just that sequence).

Book: Michael Connelly “The Narrows”

The next Michael Conelly novel (and a sequel to The Poet) sees a number of characters come together.  Harry Bosch, now retired and a PI of sorts, is asked to investigate the death of retired FBI agent Terry McCaleb (who we met in Blood Work).  This leads him to the desert and a possible link to the serial killer ‘The Poet’.

At the same time the FBI are follow leads to the same place and bring back special agent Rachel Walling (again from The Poet).  The plot follows the investigation, official and off the books – with Rachel and Harry teaming up to find the bad guy.

There is even a cameo appearance from Cassie Black (Void Moon)

Book: Michael Connelly “Lost Light”

Catching up with books read but not posted about:  Another Michael Connelly book – back to Harry Bosch but he has retired from LAPD so now what.  After a year he has started looking into an old case that he can’t let go of.  As he starts to investigate again it opens up to a possible terrorist incident, the FBI and all kinds of problems.  Needless to say, this does not go down well with Harry’s volatile nature.  He finds himself up against the LAPD and the FBI.

It’s a complex plot with dead ends and false starts, and as ever fast paced page turner.