Quick Hits – January 2017

I actually have my blog written on time this week!

I will be continuing my monthly entertainment reviews this year, although I will be making a slight adjustment.  Last year, I tried to keep a very rigid structure of two TV shows, two movies, and two books reviewed each month.  This often was not possible because I did not always have the right combination to meet the two, two, and two format.  I also often ran out of time or just was not passionate enough about my consumption choices to write six reviews.  I am striking the structured review format this year.  Instead, I hope to write three or four reviews each month but no pressure to fit any set pattern of entertainment options.  This month only has three reviews (it is quarter close as you are all well aware now), but there are quite a few extra items in the overflow.  All the extra is partly due to the extra time between December’s blog and this one (I did December’s early remember), and partly due to a rush of easily watched things this past week when my brain has not been capable of accomplishing anything else.

Warning:  Although I tried not to delve into plots too deeply, there are potential spoilers in the reviews below.  Read at your own risk.

Book:  Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (2016)

This was an unexpected surprise for me.  I received this book in a Muse Monthly box several months ago.  I have heard fantastic things about the book all year, seeing it pop up on numerous recommendation lists.  The description of it just never really appealed to me.  Since I own it now, and the whole point of the Muse Monthly box is to expand my horizons, I decided to give it a try.  It started a bit slowly for me.  I had a hard time seeing the point to all these little snippets of story.  Then, somewhere in the middle (around Kojo) it finally clicked just how amazing this book truly was.  From that point forward, I could not put it down.  The book starts with Effia and Esi, half-sisters who never met, living in the 1770s.  One is married to a white colonist who settled in Ghana to run a slave trading business.  The other is captured and sold into slavery in the Americas.  From there, we travel through their descents to the modern day Marjorie and Marcus.  Each chapter is dedicated to one character, traveling down seven generations.  Such a short amount of time only allows us to briefly meet and know each character.  There is enough to get a feel of the times and a glimpse of their family relationships.  Taken individually, the chapters seem too short to be worth much.  Strung together, it weaves an amazing overview of how the world changed in Africa and in America.  The characters are individuals, some likable, some not, but all are driven by world forces beyond their control.  It is hard to see at each glimpse in time, but it is unmistakable over the whole.  Yaa Gyasi is an incredible writer, but an even more amazing storyteller.

Movie:  Star Trek Beyond (2016)

I went into this movie with a bit of hesitation because it seemed to garner a lot mixed, leaning toward bad reviews.  I rather enjoyed it though, same as I have enjoyed the other two.  I am not even close to a Trekkie, with no familiarity with the original series at all, and little memory of the later franchises for which I have seen some episodes (The Next Generation and to a lesser extent Deep Space Nine).  Maybe not having prior attachment to the franchise canon makes these movies easier to enjoy, because I find them engaging, fun, comic-book-style films.  It is a mix of witty banter, fun stories, great characters (I love the addition of Jaylah in this one), quick action scenes, special effects, and good guy saves the day endings.  I laughed and enjoyed myself greatly.  It is not the best film I have ever seen as it has a few flaws.  For example, the beginning was a bit slow to get to the actual film plot.  Once the film gets past the ship’s breakdown though, it speeds up and becomes a lot more engaging.  Now I want to go back and watch all three films in order.

TV Series:  Enlightened:  Season 1 (2011)

I cannot decide if I like this series.  The shows main character, Amy, spends time at a retreat after a mental breakdown on the job.  She returns to her life, feeling whole and awakened.  However, she finds it difficult to reintegrate into her life while maintaining the calm she found at the treatment facility.  This show is extremely well-executed.   The casting is good.  The episodes are tightly written and interesting.  The premise of the show is fantastic and very honest.  It brings to light two very important truths:  one is how blind we sometimes are about how we come across to others, and the other is how difficult it is to make changes in oneself when none of the background is changing with us (same family, same friends, same environment).  The problem I am having with the series though is how unlikable the characters are.  While I think they are well-drawn, I find it hard to feel compassion or sympathy for any of them, especially Amy.  The only character I like is Tyler, the nerdy new friend Amy makes at work.  There is a season 2, and I will probably end up watching it, so maybe I do like it.  If you like cerebral shows, you might like this one too, but it definitely will not be for everyone.

Overflow:

Movie:  The Holiday (2016) – Yes, it is still a favorite holiday film.

Book:  The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi (2016) – Yes

Book:  Circling the Sun by Paula McLain (2015) – Yes

Book:  Salem Falls by Jodi Piccoult (2001) – Yes

TV Special:  Jen Kirkman:  Just Keep Livin’ (2017) – Yes

TV Special:  Gabriel Iglesias:  I’m Sorry for What I Said When I Was Hungry (2016) – Yes

Movie:  Step Up (2006) – Yes for the dancing and Channing Tatum.  The story does not feel quite as fun as it did when it first came out.

See you next week! 

Thank You Cards, Obsolete?

One of the things on my To Do List this weekend is to finally write the last few Thank You Cards for Christmas.  It is always hard for me to get them done in a timely manner.  Right after Christmas there is usually a flurry of other things to do during the end of December, and January is quarter close at work which fills my every waking moment.  While each Thank You Card takes very little effort to write, it still can be hard to find the time and motivation to do them.  I make myself do it every year though, because it seems like the right thing to do.  However, it seems to be a dying tradition, because very few other people seem to write Thank You Cards anymore.  Have they become obsolete in today’s culture?

I write Thank You Cards for just about every gift and extra nice gesture that I receive.  I write one for every birthday gift I receive.  I write one for every Christmas present I receive.  I wrote one for every gift I received at my wedding shower and my wedding.  I wrote one to everyone who interviewed me during my last job search.  I wrote one to the cousins who let us stay at their house for a week when we went to Seattle in 2015.  I make my stepson write one to each person in my family who gave him gifts (if he was my kid I would make him do his dad’s side of the family too, but it somehow seems wrong to force it on him when his dad seems to care less).  I only make two exceptions to the Thank You Card rule.  I do not write Thank You Cards for small token gifts that were themselves a thank you from another person.  I also do not write them for gifts received from my husband and stepson as it seems overkill to hand them a written note in the living room.

While I do still often receive verbal thanks from people, I do not receive very many Thank You Cards.  I sometimes receive them for wedding and baby gifts.  I almost never receive a written note for any Christmas or birthday gift I give to anyone.  The sole exception to this is my Grandma who faithfully writes a lovely note every Christmas.  I did not see many Thank You Letters sent from the people I interviewed for the open position at work a few months ago, and I know the practice is still stressed at colleges and in career advice materials.  I do not even remember the last time I received one for a random gift or act of kindness that I provided.

I know that doing nice things and giving people gifts is not done in order to receive a Thank You Card, but it really does make an impression on me when I get one afterward.  I feel appreciated, and it makes me want to do more things for the person who sent it.  I tend to save them in my scrapbooks because I love receiving them so much.  I know we are all busy, but it only takes ten minutes to put together a few sentences acknowledging the gift/kindness and expressing gratitude for it.  I really think this is important, and so I will continue to write them.

What do you think?  Are Thank You Cards still an important tradition?  Do you write them?  Why or why not?

See you next week!

Around Town: Top Three Casual Eateries: Centreville, VA

I am considering starting a feature on my blog called Around Town, where I review establishments or events around the area in which I live.  It will not be a regular scheduled feature, but just something that I will do on a sporadic basis.  Let me know what you think about it.

For the first Around Town, I wanted to discuss some of my favorite eateries in Centreville, Virginia.  These are top three places that my husband and I like to visit for dinner.  We are rather lazy and casual when it comes to evening meals, so we almost never go out to eat.  As such, all three are restaurants where we can easily order it to bring home.

Ciro’s NY Pizza (http://cirosnypizza.homestead.com/)

My husband and I love our pizza.  We use three delivery chains quite frequently:  Papa John’s, Domino’s, and Paisano’s.  When we want to treat ourselves though, we get Ciro’s.  They do not deliver so you have to call in your order and pick it up, but it is worth the inconvenience.  Ciro’s makes New York style pizza.  It is cheesy and greasy, and some of the best pizza I have ever eaten.  We also frequently get the fried calamari which has big pieces that are not overwhelmed by the batter used.  They get a bonus point from me because their ordering system is so simple.  When you call in, they give you a number which you give to the cashier when you pick it up.  The pizza place itself is conveniently located in a shopping center off Route 29.  Parking is plentiful and easy to navigate.  Ciro’s does also cater to the dine-in crowd with a large dining area and pizza sold by the slice at the counter.

Kabob Express (https://www.yelp.com/biz/kabob-express-centreville)

After pizza, this little Afghan restaurant is our favorite place for take-out.  Kabob Express serves a variety of Mediterranean style food, including gyros, shawarma, kabobs, and falafel.  The quality of the food is great, very flavorful.  It is a little pricey, but the portion sizes more than make up for that.  My husband and I routinely order one gyro sandwich and one order of fries to split, and I still cannot eat my entire half.  While I expect to get great quality food for the Afghan items, less expected is that they seriously have the best fries I have ever tasted in my life.  This place is conveniently located in the same shopping center mentioned above for Ciro’s.  They do have a small seating area, but we have never dined at the restaurant. 

Foster’s Grille (http://www.fostersgrille.com/)

Foster’s Grille is a small regional chain that caters to the burgers and beer crowd.  Unlike the other two places, we do occasionally eat at the restaurant instead of taking it home.  I love the atmosphere of the place.  It is quiet, low-key, never empty but rarely too crowded, and not too noisy.  It is more of a bar than restaurant, but it still manages to be family friendly.  It has a relatively slim menu:  burgers, hot dogs, and cheese steaks, wings, fries, onion rings, shakes.  They use an easy order process, where each customer fills out an order pad and hands it to the cashier.  The food is wonderful, greasy bar food.  I am not much of a beer drinker, but my husband seems happy with the rotating selection they have.  We frequent the Westfield’s location which is located right off the Westfield's exit on Route 28.  There is plenty of parking in the area, although limited spaces right in front of the restaurant itself.

What are your favorite casual restaurants in the Centreville, VA area?  Any recommendations for places I should try?

See you next week!

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How Far Have I Come? – Front Room January 2017

It has been one year since I started my Front Room Project.  Sadly I failed to complete this project by the end of the year as I initially planned.  I really did not even come close to completing it.  On a positive note, I have made significant progress.  I feel optimistic that I can and will complete this soon.  Even though I intend to keep working on the room, I will no longer be writing monthly updates on it.  Instead, I will do periodic blogs when I feel I have something significant to share.  For this final feature, I am giving a brief update on my December activities and sharing the comparison pictures with last month (December 1, 2016 on the left, January 2, 2017 on the right).  At the bottom, I provide an overview of the whole year, including progress made and future plans for each section, along with the pictures from the start compared to the current ones (January 1, 2016 on the left, January 2, 2017 on the right).

I had high hopes of completing the office area by year-end, but this did not happen.  I have however made more progress on that section of the room.  Most notably, I have unpacked several boxes into/onto the furniture.  On the bookshelves, there are a couple levels that are nicely arranged with books.  The rest of the shelves are still a haphazard mess of stuff as I try to sort through things to figure out what stays and just how it should all be arranged.  I have been going through all my paperwork files, purging old documents, and arranging the rest in the lateral file.  This is taking me a long time because I decided to thoroughly review everything so I could trash things that I no longer need.  I have moved my work space from the blue desk over to the new one.  I went on a shopping trip to The Container Store where I purchased a couple of nice stacking units that I plan to keep assorted supplies (craft supplies, kitty supplies, gift wrap supplies, etc.).  I also bought a bunch of dividers, trays, and random tools to organize my office supplies.  My husband finally finished replacing the last few outlets and light switches.  He also anchored my whiteboard to the wall in the open area of my desk.  Finally, I did clean another section of the floor.

From here, my next steps are to continue to work on the office side of the room.  I still have more sorting and unpacking to do.  The shelves need to be organized.  The black file boxes need to be emptied into the lateral file.  I am missing office supplies, so somewhere I still have more boxes to unpack.  I need to remove the pile of accumulated junk in front of the shelves, mostly Christmas gifts that need to be put away.  I need to finish cleaning the floor of all the paint spills.  I want to buy a floor lamp, a desk lamp, and some additional bookends.  I want to hang my diplomas and awards on the wall above the lateral file.  It does not seem like much when written out, but I know it will still take me time to complete it all.

  

  

  

  

Since this is the one year anniversary of The Front Room Project, I wanted to include some reviews of each section over the entire year.  Each section below has the picture from the beginning of the project and the one from this week.  I also included an update on where I stand in the project, including current future plans.

  

This is the area that came closest to being completed over the past year.  All those boxes are gone, leaving just one unpacked box of games and a random assortment of Christmas presents.  I have painted the walls a nice light blue that really brightens up the space.  The furniture has all been replaced with a line from West Elm called Modular Industrial that I liked because of the lighter unfinished look to the wood.  I wanted the room to feel a bit beachy when it is done without actually being too overtly themed.  I think the walls and the furniture I picked fit this desire.  I did change the furniture configurations a bit from what I had originally planned.  The desk is bigger than I thought I wanted.  The writing desk I planned to buy was not available when I went to order furniture, so I ended up getting the tall desk instead.  Now that I have it, I actually am glad to have the extra storage and space.  The taller desk though meant it had to go against the wall instead of in the middle of the room.  Since starting the room, we moved my very old desk (the one I used as a child) into the front room space from the basement.  I actually kind of like it in here, so I am thinking of keeping it, putting it in the middle of the floor, and using it as a craft space.  The non-desk wall is consistent with the original plan of some shelving and some filing cabinets.  I almost done with this area, and I am satisfied with the current result.

  

Although I have not even started to redesign this area, it still shows remarkable improvement due to the sheer amount of stuff I have removed.  I went through all of the random boxes and assorted junk that was scattered all over this side of the room.  Some of it was put away in other areas of the house, some of it was thrown away, some of it was donated, and a small portion remains here for future unpacking into this room.  There is a little bit of accumulated junk here, mostly from my husband’s last car cleanout, a purge of my stepson’s toy collection, and all the boxes arriving for Christmas.  Once I turn my attention to this side of the room, I will obviously deal with the last remaining items that should not be in here.  From an upgrade standpoint, we have only painted the walls and replaced all of the electrical outlets and switches.  After I am done with the office side, I will turn my attention to this area.  I have given a lot of thought to the area since I started, and I do have some ideas now about what I want in it.  I envision at least one more of the skinny bookshelves which will be used to display pictures, collectibles, and other pretty things.  I will have some big seating options, perhaps a chaise lounge chair and a loveseat, from the Bliss Collection from West Elm.  Then, I want an assortment of oversized throw pillows, beanbag chairs, and/or poofs strewn across the floor for extra seating and relaxing.  I probably will need a little table or two, but no real thoughts on exactly what type of pieces or where they might go.  Finally, I hope to get pictures and artwork hung on the wall.  I want it to be beautiful but relaxing.

  

There is not a lot of difference to see between these two pictures, but the assortment of stuff has actually changed.  I did pull everything out of the closet to sort through it.  The outerwear, gardening tools, and sports equipment went back into the closet.  Everything else was either relocated to an appropriate place or thrown away.  I do need to get some more appropriate storage solutions for the different tools and equipment, but there is not a lot of work to do on the closet.  It is basically being used as intended right now; it just needs spruced up a bit.

  

There also is not a big change in the stairs area.  The assortment of coats and bags hanging on the rails changes every month, but it never disappears.  I did remove the shop vacuum and box to the basement.  In the three foot area to the left of the stairs, I intend to put an entry storage rack with some shelving for shoes and hooks for coats.  This should hopefully move the stuff off of the railings permanently.  I have perused my options for coat racks, but no final decisions have been made.

I think this completes my 2016 Front Room Project series.  As stated in the beginning, this will no longer be a monthly feature.  Instead I will post periodic updates as I actually accomplish things worth sharing.  The next one will likely be a look at the completed office area, although I am unsure of timing at this point.

See you next week!

In The Tradition 2016

It is time for the second annual In The Tradition letter.  I changed the format slightly from last year to include a new section related to all the entertainment reviews I posted this year.  In this letter, I started 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 reviewed.  At the end I talked about two goals for the upcoming year that I am excited to start.  Although my intent was to do only one future goal like last year, I ended up with a bonus because I could not decide which one I wanted to include.

Five 2016 Highlights

Baby T:  Without a doubt, the most exciting thing about 2016 was the birth of my niece T.  She was born in March, and I have been to PA five times so far to see her (among other people and plans).  Plus I made one trip prior to her birth for my sister’s baby shower.  That is a lot of trips to the Pittsburgh area for me, but it was definitely worth it.  She is the sweetest baby in the world.  She is well behaved, sleeps through the night and is often content to just play by herself with her toys.  She is a fairly social baby, who does not mind being passed around to adoring family members, including her awesome Aunt Ella.  Additionally, this has given me the perfect excuse to go shopping in the baby section.  I have loved showering her with cute clothes, toys, and especially books.  I look forward to next year where I can buy even more cute stuff.  My plan is to do a gift bag for each season including clothing, small toys, and/or books.  Then, I will do slightly bigger presents for her birthday and Christmas.  I probably will not get to see her again until after winter as I try to avoid going in the snowy months as much as possible.  On a side note, my sister struggled with motherhood at first, but seems to have become adapted and enamored with the role now.

Work:  When I look back on my year, work always factors heavily into how I remember it.  It is hard to work full-time (more than that sometimes) without it doing so, given how much time is spent there.  This year at work was much better than last.  The volatility we experienced last year has calmed down greatly.  The personnel changes were much less disruptive with only one man retiring.  We actually added a new position to the department which is allowing us to spread some of the work around a bit more.  Although I still am unsure about my desire to manage, I think I am settling into the role more comfortably.  I had another good review which cements that my supervisor is happy with my performance.  In addition to the day-to-day work activities, I had two bigger events that stand out for the year.  In September, I went to the ELFA lease accountant’s conference.  This is an annual conference that focuses on industry updates.  This year was especially informative because the new leasing standard was finally issued during the year.  In November, I went through the From Bud to Boss workshop.  This is a two-day leadership program, specifically designed to help new leaders transition from being an individual on the team to the manager of the department.  I enjoyed both immensely and look forward to related activities coming in the next year.

Hiking:  I made the decision to take up hiking as my new hobby this year.  I have been doing a lot of soul searching, trying to decide who I am and what I actually like to do.  I remember hiking and camping as a child with fondness, but I have done very little of it as an adult.  I like the idea of being out in nature, away from all the stimulation of modern life.  Therefore, I thought this might be a good thing to add to my weekend activities occasionally.  This year I made four trips, although one of those did not work out so well.  The first was a day trip to Shenandoah National Park where I did an extremely easy hike all by myself.  The second was an overnight trip to Gettysburg that was a total fail from a hiking standpoint, because I could not figure out how to get on the trail I was supposed to be hiking.  Luckily I was still able to take in some monuments so the trip was not a total waste.  The third trip was a morning hike in Great Falls National Park with my husband.  We took a walk through an old settlement and down an old carriage road.  The final trip was part of a longer stay at the Wintergreen Resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  This was still a relatively short hike, but on slightly more challenging terrain that involved quite a steep climb at the end of it.  I was invigorated by my adventures this year.  I think I made the right choice to try to recapture this particular happy childhood memory.

Therapy:  I made the decision in February of this year to start seeing a therapist.  I have mentioned in my blog my troubles with anxiety before.  I also struggle with depression sometimes.  My emotional well-being tends to be a bit of a rollercoaster, going up and down hills, and around sharp corners with no warning.  When things seem like they are spinning out of my control, I toy with the idea of going to a therapist, but I never follow through.  I eventually feel better, and I forget the idea until the next time I decline.  This past February I had a week, Monday through Friday, off from work.  When I woke up on Tuesday, I had a meltdown because I was almost out of vacation and I was going to have to go back to work soon.  A few minutes later, it dawned on me that it was in fact only day two of my vacation and I was not even halfway through it.  It was then that I decided that I needed help, researched therapists in my area, and picked one whose website seemed inviting.  Overall, I think it was a great decision.  Sometimes it seems like a lot of time and money, especially during timespans when I feel calm.  Sometimes I am really uncomfortable about looking inward and dealing with all the things I have pushed away.  In the end though, I think I made the best decision I could for my mental health.  I seem to have less severe ups and downs now.  I also feel like I am slowly making peace with some of the things that happened in my past.  My therapist and I have recently made the decision to drop from once a week to once every other week, because we both think that I am in a better place now than when I started.

Front Room Project:  This was my goal for 2016 that I laid out in last year’s letter.  The front room project has consumed much of my time this year, but I sadly did not accomplish the entire goal.  My room is not completed.  In fact, I still have quite a bit of work to do in it.  While I am a little disappointed that my room is not ready for total use, I can be proud that I at least made some progress on it.  I have been detailing the room in monthly blogs all year, and I plan to give yet another update next week, so I will spare you a long detailed update here.

Top Ten Favorite Entertainment Items of 2016 (in no particular order)

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

TV Series:  Daredevil (particularly season 1, though season 2 was decent)

TV Series:  Stranger Things

TV Series:  Flesh & Bone

Movie:  The Little Prince

Movie:  Inside Out

Book:  Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (completed after I did the December reviews, so it will be in 

           January’s)

Book:  We Were Liars by e. lockhart

Book:  Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Book:  Hyperbole & a Half:  Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and 

           Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh

Book:  Before the Fall by Noah Hawley

One Upcoming 2017 Goal + One Bonus 2017 Goal

More Hiking:  As discussed above, I had a wonderful time rediscovering my love of hiking.  I attempted four hikes this year, completing three of them.  My goal for next year is to double this number, so I am aiming for eight hikes during 2017.  I have no official plans so far, but I do have some tentative ideas.  I probably will not do anything until winter is over.  I am not a lover of the cold weather, and I do not feel like I currently have the skills and experience to go hiking over ice and snow anyway.  I will definitely make more than one trip out to Shenandoah National Park.  This is the biggest, most convenient National Park for me, and it has many hiking opportunities for me to explore.  I hope to do some hiking in Pennsylvania as well since I make so many trips up there anyway.  I truly loved The Wintergreen Resort this year, so I am thinking of doing that trip again this fall.  I am also hoping to incorporate a bigger trip into my schedule in late summer.  I have been considering a road trip to Oklahoma to see my cousin, so I can perhaps incorporate some hiking and maybe even some camping into that trip.  Expect to see more hiking blogs as I get my adventures planned and executed.

CPA Exam:  I have mentioned before that I am considering taking the CPA exam.  I even started to study for it, although I fell off the bandwagon after a month or two.  I really think career-wise though that is the best course for me to pursue.  Therefore, I intend to get back into it after the New Year’s holiday.  I just have to commit myself to it and do the studying.  If I cannot keep myself motivated with self-study, I am going to sign up for an actual scheduled review course.  My goal is to pass all four sections by December 2017.

There you have it, my second annual In The Tradition letter.  I hope 2016 was a good year for all of you, and I hope 2017 is even better.

See you next week!

Christmas Movies 2016

Once again it is the time of year to watch Christmas movies.  I did better this year, having watched six movies up to this point.  I still have hope of finding the time to watch at least one more before the season is over.  Here are mini reviews on the ones I did watch, ranking them from lease favorite to favorite.  (Caution:  Although I tried not to give too many details, there may be some spoilers below.)

Christmas Belle (2013)

Synopsis:   Belle works for her father’s appraisal business.  He dispatches her days before Christmas to catalogue all the items in the house of a man who wants to sell his grandparents’ estate.  The whole visit Belle has to battle the grumpy estate owner, her father’s daily requests, and a persistent suitor she does not like.  Belle’s Christmas spirit soon warms the grumpy estate owner though, encouraging him to host the town Christmas party.  Along the way, she also finds the courage to stand up to her father and the unwanted beau.

Review:  This has to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen.  I am fine with the predictable story, and I even like the overlay of the Beauty & the Beast story on top of the Christmas story.  However, it has horrible plot progression and terrible dialog.  I just could not believe the actions and words in the film would carry the two main characters from the beginning scenario to the ending of true love.  All of the actors were very wooden and rehearsed sounding, creating absolutely no realistic chemistry or relationship (romantic or familial) between any of them.  It felt like a rough high school play rather than a professionally produced movie.  Additionally, the film had atrocious piano music loudly playing throughout the whole thing and strange camera shots of random Christmas scenes.  I can only guess the creators thought they were being artistic, but it was distracting.  I would not recommend this to anyone, and I wish I had followed my impulse to turn it off before the end.

A Christmas Kiss (2011)

Synopsis:  Wendy experiences a magical spontaneous kiss with a stranger in an elevator a few days before Christmas.  She is mortified to discover that he is Adam, the boyfriend of her interior decorator boss Priscilla.  Her already rocky relationship with her demanding boss takes a turn for the worse when they are requested to decorate Adam’s house for a fundraising benefit.  It soon becomes clear that Wendy and Adam have a similar sense of Christmas vision, pushing Priscilla to the sidelines during the project's progress.  Priscilla, determined to not only keep Adam but to finally get an engagement ring on her finger, schemes her way back into the picture.  Will Wendy be able to recapture that magical moment in the elevator, or is it a dream never meant to be real?

Review:  Again this is a very predictable Christmas romance movie with bad acting, wooden dialog, and forced scenes.  It does have a few cute, mushy moments that I enjoyed watching.  I also rather like Elisabeth Rohm’s performance as the evil boss.  I think there are better options out there, so I will not recommend this one.  However, it was not the worst movie if you just want some mindless romance.

Love The Coopers (2015)

Synopsis:  The Coopers are getting ready for their annual Christmas meal.  Grandpa is lonely.  The parents are hiding a secret.  The aunt is burdened by lifelong jealousy.  The son is shamed by his inability to get a new job.  The daughter is dreading the judgement she knows is coming her way again this year.  We start by meeting each family member prior to the big meal as they make their preparations to face their relatives.  Over the course of the movie, they all converge at the parents’ house, acquiring some surprise guests along the way.

Review:  I do not know if this movie was not very good, or if it just was not what I was expecting.  Either way, I was disappointed.  I thought I was getting a comedy similar to The Family Stone.  Instead I watched a rather sad drama.  Even though there are some humorous scenes, the general tone is one of nostalgia and loss.  It does end with a note of hope, but it just is not enough to overcome the rest of the movie.  The acting is great, the plot moves forward in believable ways, the dialog is natural, the characters have good chemistry.  I just did not find myself being drawn in by any of it as much as I would have hoped.  It is not that I think this movie was badly done, but it just was not anything special.

The Spirit of Christmas (2015)

Synopsis:  Attorney Kate does not mind giving up Christmas to go oversee the appraisal and sale of an old inn.  When she gets there though, she discovers a problem.  None of the appraisers will work because the inn is haunted.  Not believing in ghosts, Kate moves in determined to get her job done.  She soon discovers the stories are true.  The inn is inhabited by two regular ghosts and one cursed ghost.  The cursed ghost is none other than former owner Daniel who returns every year for twelve days at Christmas time, more real than a ghost but unable to leave the premises.  He is not thrilled about Kate’s presence or her ultimate plan for his home.  The two tangle in the beginning, but soon find themselves allies as Kate tries to help Daniel figure out why he is stuck in his cursed limbo.  The two grow ever fonder of each other, all the while fearing what the end of Christmas and the resolution of the mystery might entail for their budding romance.

Review:  This movie is fantastical nonsense, but it openly admits it.  The story itself is absolutely ridiculous.  There are more plot holes and unresolved questions than you can count.  The ending is satisfying from a romantic standpoint, but it is unrealistic even from the movies already stretched paranormal standards.  However, none of this matters, because it feels so good to watch it.  The movie is a fairly predictable Christmas romance, so no one will be surprised by most of the developments.  The actors are good-looking and reasonably talented.  The dialog was mostly natural, the characters actions mostly believable, and the story moved forward reasonably well within the confines of the movie’s own reality.  It is not the best made movie out there, but I absolutely loved it.  It was fun and entertaining, and I would watch it again.

It Happened on 5^th Avenue (1947)

Synopsis:  Homeless McKeever moves into the O’Connor mansion in New York every Christmas when Michael O’Connor goes to his Virginia house.  This year McKeever becomes friendly with the recently evicted Jim and invites him to stay in the mansion with him.  They are soon joined by Trudy, a girl they think broke in to steal a coat, but who truly is O’Connor’s runaway daughter.  The house guests start multiplying as they add in Jim’s army buddies with their families and Mr. & Mrs. O’Connor themselves (also in disguise).  The secrets and misunderstandings are flying as everyone tries to keep their personal stories straight.  Meanwhile, love is in the air as Trudy and Jim become quite fond of each other despite Mr. O’Connor’s disapproval.  The cops eventually discover the group in the mansion, but in the spirit of Christmas let them stay just until after the holiday.

Review:  Old movies are either enchanting or boring.  Luckily this one is enchanting.  Although the movie shows its age in the production and effects, I was not distracted by it at all.  The movie is quite funny as the characters try to interact while keeping all their various secrets from escaping.  All the characters are likable, even grumpy old Mr. O’Connor.  Although the story is not overtly Christmas themed, it does take place over the season and provides plenty of opportunity for the Christmas spirit to shine in the characters.  The outcome is of course predictable, but it is still wonderful when we get to it.  The simplicity of the plot, the characters, and the outcome are what make this movie so enjoyable.   I was smiling the whole way through.

The Family Stone (2005)

Synopsis:  The Stone family converges on their childhood home for Christmas every year.  This year Everett is bringing home his girlfriend Meredith, who he intends to ask to marry him over the holiday.  Things go wrong as Meredith’s more reserved nature clashes badly with the Stone family’s easygoing chaos.  Things get worse when Meredith calls in her sister Julie for reinforcement, only to find that the family likes Julie so much better.  Misunderstandings, confrontations, and hurt feelings ensue over the holiday.  Eventually, everyone sorts out the pieces and can enjoy Christmas at last.

Review:  After being so disappointed with Love The Coopers, I had to watch The Family Stone to see the story I really wanted to see.  Everything works with this movie.  The casting is wonderful, with each actor delivering a superb nuanced performance.  The pacing moved swiftly, setting up the initial confrontation that quickly melts into chaos, then smoothly transitioning to how they make up with each other and move toward the future.  While it might seem a little far-fetched how much this family hates Meredith on sight (only one person having met her before), I did not find it outlandishly difficult to believe people were that judging based on stories of her (probably from that one person).  The movie packs an emotional punch, leaving me both crying and laughing at different moments throughout.  Despite having seen this movie a dozen times, I still am moved with each new viewing.  Although I do not believe I am as uptight as Meredith, I can relate to her awkwardness in the situation and her desperate desire to be liked by the Stone family.  This is one of my favorite Christmas movies, and it earned the top spot on my list this year.

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.  Have a happy holiday season, however you may celebrate it.

See you next week!