While adapted works rarely live up to the originals, I still enjoy checking them out. Here are ten I’m looking forward to across several media:

1. The Hate U Give film is based on a book by Angie Thomas that I loved.
2. Dumplin’ is coming out sometime on Netflix and is based on a Julie Murphy novel, with original songs by Dolly Parton and Jennifer Aniston playing the mom.
3. I haven’t seen any of the three previous films of the same name, but I’m still looking forward to the Lady Gaga/Bradley Cooper version of A Star Is Born.
4. I read today that there’s a Greatest Showman tribute album coming out next month. It’s a great soundtrack and I always find one or two songs that transcend the original in cover albums.
5. I still haven’t seen the Cormoran Strike series made by the BBC last year from the Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) novels. It’s on sale at Target, though, so I should see if it’s coming to a Redbox or if one of the other nearby library systems has it.
6. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is going to feature Misty Copeland and Helen Mirren, so I am there. Plus, you know I’m a sucker for a Christmas film.
7. A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston is an adaptation of One Thousand and One Nights that came out a few years ago, but the Renée Ahdieh adaptation came in first, and I didn’t want to read two so close together, so put this one off.
8. I’m curious about the impending publication of Marilla of Green Gables, a prequel of sorts to Anne, by Sarah McCoy.
9. The House with the Clock in Its Walls looks a little spooky, but only a little bit, so Rudi and I are going to try to catch it this month.
10. Mary Poppins Returns. I mean I was always going to see it, but add in a cameo by Dick Van Dyke and a lead role for Lin-Manuel Miranda and I’ll queue up for it.

How about you? Do you enjoy adaptations? Are there any you’re looking forward to?

Today was a special day. Happy birthday, Dad! I’m glad we got to celebrate it together, and I’m especially glad one of your cats gave you the present of telling you where to find the snake alive and well, so we don’t have to wonder if it will suddenly slither out and curl up with us in the middle of the night.

Today I managed to let a garter snake into my parents’ house through their front door. (They live in the woods. This has happened more often than you’d think.) I panicked. The snake panicked. The dog got very excited. The snake slithered over the first door mat, under the second door mat, and down into the air vent along the baseboard. And disappeared.

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

As I was driving back to my folks’ place this evening, I saw this hot air balloon coming in for a landing near the town of Pomfret.

As I was writing this post, Manchin confirmed he’ll be voting for Kavanaugh. While I won’t rule out a last-minute change of heart, particularly from those swing folks, I’m not going to count on it.

However… this still holds true:

This is your final opportunity to call your senators to ask them to vote against confirming Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Even if you know how your senators are voting, call and them them you support them or call them and tell them to change their minds. They are using calls (or a lack of them) as talking points.

The Senate switchboard is (202) 224-3121. Call in the middle of the night tonight if you don’t like talking to real people and leave a voicemail.

As Elizabeth Warren said last night, “I am angry and I own my anger.” We will survive this because we are strong together and we believe and support each other. We will water the roots of political dissent with the tears of our disappointments and our fears and our exhaustion. But we will also then channel our rage and our secret, desperate hopes for the next generation and volunteer and donate and show up between now and the November elections and between then and the 2020 presidential election. We will not stop. We are a force of fucking nature and I am so proud to fight beside you.

I’ll see you on the other side.

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. Trying a new ice cream shop. Brown sugar baked pear? Yum!

2. Both street festivals I attended on Sunday had great music in common at their stages — Caribbean and Turkish beats — perfect for getting the crowds moving.

3. I finally painted my nails again — this time in autumnal hues.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?