In The Tradition 2017

It is time for the third annual In The Tradition letter.  Continuing the format from last year, I start with the five things from the past year that stand out in my mind.  I followed that with my Top Ten recommendations from the books, movies, and TV shows I consumed over the year.  At the end, I talked about a goal for the upcoming year that I am excited to pursue.

Five 2017 Highlights

Road Trip:  When I think back across the year, the number one best thing that stands out to me is the Road Trip I took in August.  It was the longest, most intense vacation I have ever taken, and I did it all on my own.  I started on a Thursday morning and drove to Asheville, NC.  I spent two nights in Asheville, eating at some awesome restaurants, shopping downtown, and visiting the North Carolina Arboretum.  Saturday I drove to Spring City, TN where I had dinner at this great little hometown pizza joint called Winsteads American Grill.  Sunday morning saw me head to Fall Creek Falls Tennessee State Park for a hike to the waterfalls.  From there, I drove across Tennessee for a quick overnight in Memphis.  Monday morning I continued on my way to Collinsville, OK to spend some time with my cousin and her two little baby girls.  After two great family days in OK, I dipped down to Arkansas for a night in Hot Springs.  Thursday morning I hit Garvan Woodland Gardens before driving all the way to Nashville, TN.  I spent two nights in the Gaylord Opryland Resort, where I relaxed in my hotel room, roamed the garden conservatories, went to the Grand Ole Opry, and had a massage.  The last night of the trip saw me in a restored 1920s hotel in Marion, VA eating at a speakeasy for dinner.  Sunday morning I hiked at Hungry Mother State Park before heading home.  I had so much fun, though I have to admit all the driving was a bit much for me.

Work:  Work always has a place in my highlights of the year, because good or bad, it always stands out.  This year has been bad, at least on a personal level.  It continues to be a volatile environment with staffing changes, new companies being purchased, enormous strange transactions done last minute, and a software testing project that never seems to go anywhere.  I have had enough, and I just cannot do it anymore.  This job is just not for me.  While I have become much more comfortable in my managerial role and I have actually delegated many of the tasks that were bogging me down, I realize that I still do not enjoy the time I spend there.  In August, I gave myself a year to find a new job or quit without one.  So hopefully, August 2018 should find me either in a new job going a new direction or relaxed at home looking for one.

Blog:  I kept the blog going for almost two years, but I had to take a step back from it.  I maintained the weekly schedule for the first three months of 2017.  Then, I took an intentional hiatus during the April yearend close schedule at work.  Upon my return, my intent was to keep posting on a more relaxed schedule for the rest of the year, but I only managed five more posts including this one.  I doubt this is going to change much for 2018.  I am in a period of personal struggle at the moment.  I have major doubts on my career path.  I have been pushing (quite unsuccessfully) to study for the CPA exam.  I have been fighting increased periods of anxiety and depression this year.  I am weakened by a general state of not feeling well physically.  The blog is really more than I can handle right now.  However, it is not my intent to abandon it forever, so hopefully in the future there will be a comeback.

Hiking:  Last year I set a goal to do more hiking, specifically to make eight trips over the course of the year.  I did increase my number, but I only managed seven trips for the year.  In March, my husband, stepson, and I took advantage of an early warm weekend to go to Shenandoah National Park.  In May, I took my solo birthday hiking trip, also in Shenandoah.  Over the summer, I went with my husband to hike on what I think was the Bear’s Den Trail, but we were kind of confused about finding trailheads.  The end of August, I did the two hikes mentioned above in the road trip, Fall Creek Falls and Hungry Mother State Park.  In September, my husband & I did the trail out at Hemlock Overlook Park.  Then, November saw us back at Wintergreen Resort where we did part of the Old Appalachian Trail.  I really enjoyed myself on all of these, but my favorites were Fall Creek Falls and Old Appalachian Trail at Wintergreen.

Trying New Things:  I made a commitment to try new things this year.  I get stuck in ruts where I do certain things, or I only allow activities during certain times of day/week/year, or I only will join if I know the people involved.  Being more open to doing things has let me to some great experiences this year.  I joined a book club where I only knew two of the members (one of which was not even there the first time I went).  This has been a great activity for me because not only does it open me up to new reading experiences, but it has helped me socialize with new people who I really like.  I also signed up for the Pilates class my company started offering once a week.  I was a bit nervous about working out with my coworkers but it again turned out to be a really good experience.  I do an intense workout once a week, and in the process share a lot of laughs with coworkers I did not know well before.  Although there is some speculation as to whether the company is going to continue to offer the class in 2018, the success of joining a fitness class has made me more confident in perhaps giving some of the group classes at my gym a try.  Finally, I allowed my husband to take me to several non-theater type shows at venues other than the Kennedy Center this year.  The result was some wonderful shows that I would encourage anyone to see given a chance.  We saw Brain Candy Live in March at the Warner Theater which was a lot of fun. It is an educational, humorous, family friendly option.  We saw Mike Birbiglia at the Warner in October, who is as great live as he is in his Netflix specials.  Finally, I we saw Brent Smith and Zach Myers from Shinedown in their acoustic tour at the Fillmore, which I think is hands down one of the best concerts I have ever seen.

Top Ten Favorite Entertainment Items of 2017 (no particular order)

Note:  These were consumed by me this year, not necessarily released this year.

TV Series:  The Following (only watched Season 1 so far)

TV Series:  Anne with an E (Season 1 released)

Movie:  La La Land

Movie:  Logan

Movie:  Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2

Movie:  The Accountant

Book:  The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

Book:  The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee

Book:  Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

Book:  A Million Junes by Emily Henry

One Upcoming 2018 Goal

More Hiking:  My goal again is to increase my hiking.  I made it on seven hikes this year, which have all just reinforced my interest in this hobby.  For 2018, my goal is twelve hikes.  This is roughly one per month, but it unlikely I will do many in the winter months.  Along with increasing the number of trips I take, I want to increase the length and difficulty of the hikes.  I have been sticking with ones that will not take more than an hour or so, and staying in easy/moderate difficulty ratings.  The Wintergreen hike was more challenging this year but it was so much fun.  It has encouraged me to be more adventurous in the future.  Although I am sure there will be some staple hikes (Shenandoah, Wintergreen), I am hoping to expand out more for different adventures in the general mid-Atlantic region.  The ultimate goal is by the end of the year to do at least one full day hike.  Maybe by 2019, I will be ready to do an overnight.

There you have it, my third annual In The Tradition letter.  I hope 2017 was a good year for all of you, and I hope 2018 is even better.

I am unsure how often I will be posting in 2018, but hopefully I will not disappear completely.  So I will end 2017 by saying ‘Until next time’ to you all.

Christmas Movies 2017

It has been quite a while since I blogged.  While I wish I could say I was going to pick up the pace in the new year, I think it unlikely.  I have been busy being an adult, working a demanding job, attempting to keep my house in one piece, trying to eke out time to study for the CPA exam (recently rescheduled to March from January because I cannot get it together), and fighting waves of depression.

I started an annual post for Christmas movies two years ago though, and I decided it would be an easy one to do again.  Somehow I managed to watch seven movies even though I should have been putting that time to other uses.  Here are my mini reviews, ranking them from least favorite to favorite.  (Caution:  Although I tried not to give too many details, there are some spoilers below.)

The Night Before (2015)

Synopsis:  Ethan spends Christmas Eve every year with his best friends, Isaac and Chris.  It is a mishmash of immature antics, traditional activities, and searching for tickets to the fabled Nutcracker Ball.  Chris and Isaac have declared this will be the last year, so Ethan is determined to make it the best.  Nothing goes according to Ethan’s plan though.  Things get stolen, an ex-girlfriend shows up, Isaac takes too many drugs, Chris is side-tracked by his new famous friends.  Ethan quickly finds himself on his own and feeling unimportant to everyone.  He is also bummed because his life is quickly going nowhere, while Isaac and Chris are swiftly moving into true adulthood (thus the reason this is the last Christmas Eve blast).

Review:  I have no idea how this ended up on my Netflix list.  It is a holdover from last Christmas.  I can only assume I was captured by it starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  It is an average stoner movie set at Christmas time.  The humor is immature and predictable and accounts for 95% of the film.  However, it does have some touching moments in it, especially toward the end.  Plus, I do still like Joseph Gordon-Levitt even if this was not his strongest movie.  This was not the worst film in the world, but it relied too heavily on predictable and cheap laughs.  I would not waste my time on it again.

The Christmas Prince (2017)

Synopsis:  Wannabe journalist Amber gets the chance of a lifetime when her magazine editor sends her to Aldovia to cover the Prince’s coronation.  Once there, the Prince fails to show up for his scheduled press conference.  Amber refuses to let this chance pass by and manages to get invited into the castle under the mistaken identity of the Princess’s American tutor.  During the next few days, she makes friends with the Princess, captures the Prince’s heart, finds long-held secrets of the Queen and late King, and makes enemies with the Prince’s scheming cousin Simon and ex-girlfriend Sophia.  All the while, she fears being exposed before she can uncover the true story of Aldovia and secure her position as a journalist.

Review:  This was predictable in the extreme.  In fact, it is downright boring when it comes to the central love story.  There is not a lot of chemistry between the actors playing Amber and Prince Richard.  What saves this film from being in the last place on my list is the Princess.  Princess Emily is delightfully charming and sassy.  The interactions between her and Amber, and her and Richard are entertaining and heartwarming.  In addition to the forced love story, this movie highlights the importance of family and that family is more than just blood.  This is a take it or leave it made-for-TV movie, easy watching but nothing special.

Four Christmases (2008)

Synopsis:  Kate and Brad avoid their families on Christmas every year, instead taking exotic vacations just the two of them.  One Christmas, severe fog rolls into San Francisco and cancels their flight to Fiji.  Outed by the local news, they are forced to endure four Christmases with the various factions of their family.  First up is Brad’s Dad, brothers, and brothers’ families for a wild wrestling match of a Christmas.  Next is Kate’s mother, sister, and various relatives for a dose of aging cougars and Jesus praising.  Then, it is off to Brad’s Mom who has taken up with Brad’s former childhood friend.  Last is Kate’s Dad for a surprisingly normal end to the day.  The combined Christmas experience forces Kate and Brad to reevaluate their life together and face some uncomfortable truths about themselves.

Review:  I have watched this several times since it came out, and each time I expect it to be better than it really is.  It has an all-star cast that really delivers in the first half of the film.  I laugh so much through Brad’s Dad’s house and Kate’s Mom’s house.  Then, the rest of the film falls a bit flat.  The laughs dry out, and it attempts to be a more heartfelt family film for the second half.  Maybe if Brad and Kate were a bit more likable and they showed some true character maturation by the end, it might have worked.  The very last scene of the movie though shows that maybe they did not grow as much as all the heart-to-heart talks at Kate’s Dad’s house implied.  This is an easy watch if you just want to fill some time with a Christmas movie, but I think there is much better Christmas fare out there.

Christmas Inheritance (2017)

Synopsis:  Jim wants to pass on the reigns of his business to his daughter Ellen.  However, he is not sure she has what it takes to rise above her pampered upbringing and assume the responsibility of running a huge company.  As a test, he sends her to deliver a personal Christmas letter to his old business partner Zeke in his small hometown.  While there, she is not allowed to tell anyone who she is, and she must survive on $100 and no credit cards.  Ellen soon learns that small town life is much different than New York City.  The conveniences are minimal and the pleasures are simple, but the people are more kind and helpful.  While there, she of course begins a flirtation with the gruffly charming inn manager even though she is engaged to a suave city man already.

Review:  This movie is not particularly original, being a cliché fish-out-of-water tale complete with love triangle representing the old and new paths in life.  However, Eliza Taylor as Ellen and Jake Lacey as Jake the inn manager have good chemistry, and you cannot help rooting for them to be together despite her prior engagement.  It also helps that this movie knows it is a cheesy made-for-TV movie.  It does not take itself too seriously, and it makes sure the audience knows it knows.   It is everything a TV Christmas movie should be:  small town charm, learning lessons in selflessness, forgiveness, snowstorms, community parties, and romance.  This is cheesiness at its best.  While this movie will not go down in the awards book, it was fun.  I will probably watch it again.

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Synopsis:  The movie opens with the Smith family excitedly talking about the World Fair coming to St. Louis in the next year.  The rest of the movie showcases some of the pleasures and trials the Smith family faces during the ensuing year.  There are mischievous kids, new beaus, broken hearts, Christmas dances, and a potential move to New York.  In the end, the family is happy together as they witness the lighting of the exhibition space for the World Fair in St. Louis.

Review:  This came up on a list of best Christmas movies, but it is not really a Christmas movie at all.  The movie spans an entire year, though it does have a small portion set during Christmastime.  It also features the iconic Christmas classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”.  This film is actually a wonderful classic Hollywood musical.  The story is a delightful tale of the importance of family, home, and the simple pleasures of life.  Judy Garland stars as the main character, Esther Smith.  Her acting is good, and her musical performances, including the aforementioned “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, are superb.  I wish it had been a true Christmas movie for purposes of my blog goals, but I loved this film anyway.

The Bishop’s Wife (1947)

Synopsis:  The Bishop Henry wants to build a new cathedral.  His wife Julia just wants her husband and her life back to the way it was before he became a bishop.  When Henry prays to God for help in building his cathedral, heaven responds by sending the angel Dudley.  Dudley certainly shakes things up, but perhaps not in the way Henry had hoped.  Along the way, Dudley develops a crush on Julia, and Henry becomes quite jealous of Dudley.  In the end though, the angel puts things to right just in time for Christmas.

Review:  This is a Christmas classic and a Cary Grant film too, which automatically gave it a good start in my mind.  The Bishop’s Wife is a delightful example of the classic feel good Christmas film.  Cary Grant is one of my favorite film actors, and here he pulls off a wonderfully mischievous angel perfectly.  The story is light-hearted and playful with many characters getting a fresh start on their dreary old lives.  The story emphasizes the importance of family and friends over material matters, especially at Christmastime.  It also drives home the message that sometimes we do not get the things we want, instead we get the things we need.  The film does show its age with dated references and primitive special effects.  I recommend you look past all that and just enjoy the warm-hearted story.

Joyeux Noel/Merry Christmas (2005)

Synopsis:  For Christmas 1914, World War I was well underway.  However, Scottish, French, and German troops on one front find a way to move past the hostility to celebrate Christmas.  The lieutenants call a ceasefire.  A German tenor and his visiting soprano entertain the troops.  A Scottish Anglican priest says mass for everyone.  The men from all three troops leave their respective trenches to sing Christmas carols, share champagne, play soccer, and bury their dead.

Review:  Loosely based on true events, this movie is absolute magic.  War is declared by leaders and fought by common men.  This movie is a reminder that down in the trenches those men have more in common with each other than the leaders whose orders are being followed.  Though long and full of subtitles, this movie captivates me each time I watch it.  The journey is emotional as you see these men rise above the hostility and their differences to celebrate life and the holidays.  The film does a great job of balancing a war movie with a heartfelt drama.  It is visually beautiful with great acting from the main cast.

I hope you all were able to enjoy some wonderful Christmas movies this year.  I already have some new possibilities lined up for next year.  I hope you had a happy holiday season, however you may have celebrated it.  See you next week!