Disco and Bond

I started off a cloudy day with the second half of Xanadu, which I began last night. This very campy but fun 1980 musical features Olivia Newton-John as a muse on roller skates who inspires a painter (Michael Beck) to join with the owner of a construction company (Gene Kelly) to follow their dreams and turn a dilapidated LA auditorium into a roller disco. Yeah, it's that strange. Great soundtrack, though, including the hits "Magic," "Suddenly," and the title song. I wouldn't attempt it unless you're a major fan of Kelly or Newton-John, really love the music, or enjoy kitsch like I do.

I did some work on the computer, then moved onto something entirely less goofy. Quantum of Silence is one of the few James Bond films to pick up where the previous one left off. James (Daniel Craig) is still devastated by the death of his girlfriend Vesper in the previous film and has vowed revenge. His trail leads to Bolivia, where the head of an environmental organization is holding a precious resource to keep the locals at bay. Most people, including the US, thinks it's oil, but James discovers they're holding something even more important. Meanwhile, he encounters Camille, who also wants revenge on the evil group Q.U.A.N.T.A.M for killing her family. Both eventually learn that revenge really is a dish best served cold, even as the action - and the body count - heat up...

Not bad. I really like Daniel Craig as James; I prefer my Bonds tougher, and this guy is as tough as they come while remaining charming. I'll have to see if I can rent the most recent Craig adventure, Skyfall, later this week.

I spent most of the morning that I wasn't watching James dusting and cleaning. Spring is when I remove all the books and knick-knacks from the shelves and dust under them. There's a reason I only do this twice a year. I have tons of books, and while I have fewer knick-knacks than I used to, there's still a lot to clean. I also get easily distracted. I can spend a half-hour looking over a book I should have been dusting. I wasn't close to finishing when I realized it was time to have leftover ground turkey steaks with spinach salad and honey glazed carrots for lunch and get ready for work.

Work was pretty much the same as yesterday - steady off and on, never more than mildly busy. It briefly rained earlier, enough to clear out the clouds and make it much cooler than it was. By the time I finished at 8, it was so dead, and we had so much help, I was able to leave a few minutes early.