The Writer's Life 12/15 - Hello

I watched the Adele special last night. She has taken the world by storm, her popularity astounding. While I’m not crazy about her song-writing, there is no mistaking her wonderful voice and her delivery. She has a way with song that the great ones have had. Appropriately, she began the show with her current smash, Hello, from her record-breaking new album, 25. It’s chorus is stirring, but the song has the same fault as most modern pop -- it’s at least a minute too long. She covered her most popular work and got the enthusiastic audience to solo on certain parts. She has suffered stage fright and throat surgery, but held up well despite being overcome by emotion at one point. She closed with what I believe is her finest track, Rolling in the Deep. Every time it plays on my car stereo I can’t help singing along: “We could have had it all…” It’s as beautiful and rousing a chorus as there ever was. I hope she one day does an album of standards, and that I’m around to hear it.

NFL: Things seem to have broken the Patriots way, as losses by Denver and Cincinnati and the injury to Bengals QB Andy Dalton have vaulted New England back to the top of the AFC. Their biggest threat now seems the Steelers, whose offense looks unstoppable… Seattle’s win vs. the depleted Ravens revealed nothing about where they are, nor will Sunday’s game vs. the Browns, unless they lose… Last night the great -- not the good or bad -- Eli showed up in Miami. Do the Giants have a chance this weekend vs. the undefeated Panthers? It’s reminiscent of the 2007 Super Bowl vs. New England, when only die-hards believed Big Blue would prevail… Kudos to the Jets, who did what had to be done, jumping on a bad Titans team at home. Next up -- Dallas. Although the Cowboys have had a difficult season, I expect a close contest at Texas Stadium… The Chiefs have won seven in a row, but does anyone believe they are a true contender, especially after the lackluster win at home vs. struggling San Diego?

Angered by the theft of packages in his neighborhood, a man in Vegas came up with what he hopes will be a deterrent. He filled a USPS box with dog poop. It sat on his porch for four days before it was swiped. (From Weird But True in the NY Post)

Fortunately, the temperature was in the 60's today, which mitigated the unfriendly wind that blew along Avenue Z. My thanks to the kind folks who bought books, and to Justin, a local porter, who donated about 30, among them large Webster and Oxford dictionaries and a slew of Beat Generation fare. I had a visit from Hans, aka Mr. Su Do Ku. As we were conversing, Amalia came along holding tightly to her walker. It occurred to me that she, like Hans, is Swiss. I introduced them and they immediately began communicating in German. They also spoke a little French and Italian. I loved it.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3

Vic's Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
Vic's Short Story Collection: http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tiny.cc/0iHLb Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j

Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp

Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f