Santa brought me an iPad Pro for Christmas and I’m enjoying the larger screen (bigger than iPad 1 and iPad 2 which I’d been using for years). Mostly, I use iPads to read ebooks. I’m closing in on 200 ebooks (most free) in my Kindle Cloud. I set the font to Large Print size and find I can read ebooks rapidly. Yes, I prefer Real Books, but some books are only available as ebooks. Do you read ebooks? If you do, what kind of device do you prefer? Are you an APPLE fan?

As the disappointing 2018 Buffalo Bills season comes to a close, there’s still one more meaningless game to play. The 7-8 Miami Dolphins come to snowy Buffalo with little motivation to win this game. The Dolphins, like the Bills, have been eliminated from Playoff contention. The 5-9 Bills are actually favored by 3 1/2 points. I’m guessing both teams will just be going through the motions in this one. How will your favorite NFL team do today?

For something completely different for FFB, you might want to try FANTASTIC FOUR: BEHOLD…GALACTUS!. This oversized book weighs 12.6 pounds! Its dimensions are 14.5 x 2 x 22 inches! And, yes, it costs $50! Worth every penny!

In this classic series of MARVEL comics, the Fantastic Four take on Galactus in a supersized volume.! Stan Lee and illustrator Jack Kirby introduced the Galactic World-Eater and his enigmatic herald, the Silver Surfer back in 1966 (in The Fantastic Four #48). This sequence of Galactus and the Silver Surfer about to consume the Earth is one of the greatest comic book sagas ever told! In addition to that iconic story, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby brought Galacus back, but what does Galactus want this time? As the advertising for this book says; “The answer lies in the Microverse! John Buscema’s powerful pencils illustrate the arrival of new herald, Gabriel the Air-Walker, signaling doom for the human race! Then, John Byrne takes over as Terrax leads the Devourer back to Earth – and the entire Marvel Universe pitches in to help the FF save the planet from becoming his next meal! With Kirby, Buscema, and Byrne art showcased on enormous pages, Galactus has never looked bigger – or better!”

I’ve read plenty of Big Fat Books, but Fantastic Four: Behold…Galactus! is the Biggest Big Book I’ve encountered! Highly recommended! GRADE: A+

What were your Favorite Books of 2018?

What were your Favorite Films of 2018?

When you arrive at my age (69) doctor appointments abound. There’s an old saying that “After 50, it’s all maintenance.” So true! Two weeks ago, I had my yearly urology appointment. Everything is good. My PSA was 1.0. I just had my bi-annual physical with my internist. By blood pressure was 124/72. Pulse: 72. Respiration: 18. A1C: 6.1. And, I lost a few pounds since my last appointment in June! My internist complemented me on my outstanding kidney function!

This past year has seen too many of our friends going to the ER, to the hospital, to Rehab. My Christmas Eve wish for all of you is a healthy and happy 2019!

Despite the fact that the New England Patriots enter this game having lost two games in a row (at Miami on that crazy play at the end of the game and at Pittsburgh a week ago), the Patriots are 13 and 1/2 point favorites over the Buffalo Bills. The Bills started six rookies last week in their one-point win over the Detroit Lions. Clearly, the Bills are auditioning players for 2019. How will your favorite NFL do today?

I heard a lot of Oscar buzz about Roma, a black & white film on Netflix, so I watched it. Roma tells the story of writer-director Alfonso Cuaron’s youth in Mexico in the 1970s. The story is seen through the eyes of Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a maid who works for an upper-class family in a posh suburb of Mexico City. Cleo is shown doing the laundry, washing the floors, and taking care of the children. Her employers, a rich couple who operate on different levels, contrast with the poor families in the surrounding neighborhoods.

In one big historical scene, the Corpus Christi massacre–where student protestors were gunned down by Government soldiers–we see the clash of class interests in Mexico. In a more domestic scene, Cleo is shown at a beach with her employers and their family. Cleo’s dedication to her job and the children provides a very moving moment. Alfonso Cuaron won the Best Director Oscar for Gravity, a much different film. This film has an almost documentary feel to it. You may like it more than I did. GRADE: C+