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!

Quick Hits – December 2016

This month’s entertainment blog is a little earlier than normal.  Because of this, it also features half the number of reviews.  I wanted to reserve the next two weeks for other year-end blogs, so I decided to do this one early.  I completed one review for each of the categories.  As you will quickly learn below, my main focus this month was on the Gilmore Girls revival.  I was a fan of the original series, and I was excited about the new season.  As such, I had a lot of expectations going into it and a lot of thoughts coming out of it.

Warning:  Although I tried not to delve into plots too deeply (ok, I intentionally revealed lots about the Gilmore Girls), there are potential spoilers in the reviews below.  Read at your own risk.

TV Series:  Gilmore Girls:  A Year in the Life (2016)

First, I want to start with a little clarification of my background with the Gilmore Girls show.  I was a fan of the original series.  I own all of the DVDs.  I have watched every episode, most of them more than once.  However, I am not an obsessive fan.  I do not remember every last detail about the show and the characters.  I have not seen any episodes in several years, but I still chose not to watch any as prep for the new release.  As such, I am relying on memory and impressions that I made a long time ago, to help me connect the new series to the original.  If I make any errors in the below, forgive me.

Warning:  There are most definitely spoilers below.  Please do not read if you are invested in seeing this show with virgin eyes.

Gilmore Girls:  A Year in the Life begins almost a decade after the original series ended.  The new run consists of four 90-minute episodes, one for each season of the year.  The show again focuses on Lorelai and Rory, which is obvious since they are the Gilmore Girls.  Most of the other major cast members make an appearance, although some of them are much more prominent to the new storyline than others.  There also is a very good turnout of beloved bit characters sprinkled throughout the series.  If you want to indulge in the nostalgia factor for the old show, I do not think you will be disappointed.  The show progresses with a mix of catching the audience up on what has happened in the past nine years, and advancing the storyline for what they are all doing now.  I thought there were some very odd choices for characters and events to include in the current show, and I do wonder if availability of certain actors is the reason for some of the decisions made.  There are some things I like and some things I do not like.  Overall though, I do have to confess myself a little disappointed.  I found it rather hard to attach myself to the characters again.  I did not find the show particularly engaging especially the first episode.  It did become more interesting as it went, but I am not sure this makes up for the rather bland beginning.  This show has such a following, because it was so good the first time around.  I honestly just think they could have done better.

Three Things I Liked:

- Emily & Richard – Hands down, this is the best storyline in this whole season.  They had to deal with the fact that actor Edward Herrmann died between when the original series ended and this revival.  They did this by having the character pass away shortly before the start of the current timeline.  Emily is a grieving widow that is fundamentally questioning her very existence in the world without Richard.  Emily shows amazing growth from the beginning of the new show to the end without losing the essence of who she is.  I loved her every scene.

- Lorelai & Luke Together – I approve of the fact that Lorelai & Luke are together again from way before the beginning of the new season.  I always hated that they split them up towards the end of the original series given how hard they worked on pulling them together in the first place.  There was a teaser at the end of the first run that indicates the couple may make it after all.  I am glad that this happened in the in-between period, and they did not force us to go through another Lorelai/Luke courting as part of the new season.

- Rory’s Three Men – All three of Rory’s major former beaus make an appearance in this season.  I actually like the way they portrayed all three of them.

  1. Dean only has a short pop-up at the very end of the series where you find out he is living in Pennsylvania, married, and has kids.  Although the cameo is a bit forced, I think it appropriate to give him such a small appearance.  Dean was no longer relevant to Rory’s life at the end of the original show, and it would be ridiculous to introduce him with a major role again.

  2. Jess has only a small role in the new show as well.  I do wish that he had a bigger role, because I was always a Jess fan.  However, I do like the way they treated him with what time he was given.  Although Jess was a bit of a dick for his major stint in the series, he had shown growth in his later guest appearances.  In the new series, you get the impression that he has continued to mature as he ages and that he is a good person who is doing the best he can.  I also love that they leave it open for him to come back into the story if they ever make more episodes.

  3. Logan is the major boyfriend in the revival.  Rory is having an affair with him throughout the entire series until she breaks it off in the final episode.  I have heard some complaints about his prominence in the new series and how much everyone dislikes him, but honestly I have always liked his character.  He is a spoiled rich kid as always, but his character feels authentic with the old show and the new series.  I also have always thought Logan’s character pushed Rory out of her comfort zone in a way that was good for her.  Plus, Rory is the reason these two did not end up together at the end of the original series, and I think she is still the reason they are not really together now despite his supposed fiancé.  I think Logan cares for Rory deeply and wants her to be happy, but recognizes that he is not what she wants or needs.

Three Things I Did Not Like:

- Rory – Who is this girl in this new series?  Rory was almost always a go-getter in the original series.  She was a good girl, who did what she was supposed to do, so that she could fulfill her lofty dreams.  Toward the end of the original series she went through a phase where she was an utterly deplorable character, dropping out of school, fighting with her mother, and generally making bad decisions.  Every bright character deserves a breakdown, so I can forgive that.  Apparently though, she has spent the past nine years continuing her downward spiral and generally making a mess of her personal and professional life.  She shows no growth from the end of the original series to the beginning of the new one.  She does not show any growth through the four episodes in the new series either.  I do not like her character at all now, and I used to relate to her so well.

- The Pacing – It started out too slowly.  Too much time was spent trying to shoehorn cameo appearances into the plot, and not enough was spent developing an engaging narrative for what is happening in their lives right now.  It finally started to get interesting in episode three, and it did not really shine with the glow of the old show until the final episode.

- The Ending – All I have heard about was how the show was going to end with the final four words that Amy Sherman-Palladino always envisioned.  I groaned out loud when I heard them.  It seemed so cliché and so beneath this show's potential.  For all the references in the show about how life comes full circle, I do not think this is really a circle at all.  Rory is not Lorelai, and this ending is not parallel with Lorelai’s background.  Lorelai became pregnant as a teenager, took some hard knocks in life, pulled herself up by her bootstraps, and made something of herself (even if she had some monetary help from her parents here and there).  Rory is a full grown woman who has done nothing with her life, got pregnant at a completely appropriate age even if her maturity level does not match, and does not currently have the presence of character to make anything of herself with or without a child.  It might have made sense if she had ended the show with it after season 3 or 4.  At this point, it just feels stupid.

Three Things Where I Am Undecided:

- Lorelai – I thought Lorelai was pretty true to the original character.  I thought her storyline showed an appropriate place in life.  I have no complaints, but I also have no excitement.

- Stars Hollow Musical – Was it a good musical?  No.  Did it take up way too much time of the third episode?  Yes.  Was it so completely Stars Hollow and Gilmore Girls?  Yes.

- Kirk – This is another throwback to the original series that feels a little too big for the revival.  He is one of the biggest and most loved bit characters.  He makes several appearances in the revival, displaying his weird Kirk ways.  From a nostalgia and entertainment factor, he is great.  He just seems too big of a presence in the story considering he is just Kirk.

End conclusion:  I am disappointed.  However, I most likely will give this another go in a while, maybe after reviewing some of the original series.  If they make more episodes, I will most likely watch those too.  I just hope they give Rory some direction, because I am not sure I have the patience to watch her flounder much longer.

Movie:  Think Like a Man (2012)

I have a fondness for Kevin Hart, and so things like this movie show up in my suggestions on Netflix.  I was not disappointed.  The plot is loosely based on the relationship book written by Steve Harvey, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man.  It tells the tale of four women who try to outsmart their men based on the rules in the book.  The couples are intentionally built around set stereotypes, so that the plots could be based around the rules for dealing with those stereotypes.  This could have felt very cheesy, but it is handled in an easy and outright manner that made it palatable.  Aside from the aforementioned Kevin Hart, the movie includes a great cast of talented actors including Meagan Good, Gabrielle Union, Terrence Jenkins, etc.  The film relies on a mix of subtle relatable relationship humor, interspersed with typical Kevin Hart antics.  It was an all-around enjoyable movie.  I definitely recommend.

Book:  Hyperbole & a Half:  Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh (2013)

This is an incredibly unique book based on a blog of the same name.  Allie Brosh uses cartoon drawings along with narrative to tell stories of her life.  The pictures are a unique mix of well-drawn art and crude representations that portray the completeness or incompleteness of the subject in the artist’s own mind.  The book starts with a story detailing a letter written by 10-year-old Allie to her 25-year-old self.   Adult Allie (actually 27 instead of 25) responds to 10-year-old Allie, and then writes more letters to herself at various other ages as well.  I was laughing so hard, I was crying.  The rest of the book runs a gamut of emotions, ranging from hysterically funny to incredibly sad.  I loved all of them equally.  While the funny ones were obviously entertaining to read, the more realistic and/or sad ones were extremely well-drawn memoirs of the emotional reality of someone struggling with life.  I found her work well written/drawn, relatable, and highly entertaining.  I recommend this to anyone, but especially those feeling like they do not quite gel with the real life around them.

Overflow:

Movie:  Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) – Yes

Book:  Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (2000) – Yes

Book:  From Bud to Boss:  Secrets to a Successful Transition to Remarkable Leadership by Kevin Eikenberry and Guy Harris (2011) – Yes.  The leadership seminar that the authors host is also fantastic.

See you next week! 

The Holly Jolly Christmas Youtube Tag

I wanted to do something light-hearted and Christmasy for this week’s blog.  Questionnaires are always fun, so I thought this would be the perfect time for one.  I did a Google search on “Christmas Tag” and choose one of the first links that came out.  Curtesy of Kat Bouska, here is The Holly Jolly Christmas Youtube Tag in written form.  (http://www.mamakatslosinit.com/2014/11/holly-jolly-christmas-youtube-tag/)

Favorite Christmas movie?

I have two to share.  The first is White Christmas which was my favorite when I was little.  My cousins and I would pull this out a dozen times a year to watch.  We loved the musical numbers and the silly scenes between the two couples.  The second is The Holiday which is my favorite Christmas movie currently.  I think I have watched it every year since it was released, but I just never get tired of it.

Are you on the Naughty list or the Nice list?

I better be on the Nice list.  I work too hard to do all the responsible adult things in life.

Show us an embarrassing Christmas picture.

I honestly tried to find one, but I just do not have access to a lot of Christmas photos.  None of the ones tagged on my social media or in my phone really embarrass me.

Have you ever had a White Christmas?

Of course, I am from Pennsylvania.

Do you start your Christmas shopping on Black Friday or wait until the last minute?

Neither, I start my Christmas shopping early and try to be done by Black Friday.  I almost never make it, but I hurry to finish it as soon as possible.  Shopping malls in December are a nightmare in Northern Virginia.

If you could be in any Christmas movie what would it be?

I would be in The Holiday, and I do not even care which character I am (though I think I am more like Iris).  Part of my love for that movie is a desire to go someplace far away and live a fairy tale.

Name all of Santa’s reindeer.

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph

When does your family put up your Christmas tree and who decorates it?

We have not put up the Christmas tree in two years.  I am hoping we will get it up this weekend though.  It will be me and maybe my stepson decorating it.

Is your Christmas tree real or fake?

It is fake.  I am allergic to real ones.  Plus they make a big mess.

Peeking at gifts or be surprised?

I like to be surprised.  I peeked at my gifts once, when I was about twelve.  It was not as much fun that Christmas morning when I knew everything Santa had brought me.  I have never done it again.

Show us your ugly Christmas sweater if you have one.

Sorry, I will not own an ugly Christmas sweater.  Even if I received one from someone, I would just give it away.

If you could be under the mistletoe with anyone who would it be?

I want to be under the mistletoe with my husband of course (or maybe hot mailroom guy).

Does your family have a special holiday recipe you like to make?

No special recipes, but I continue the tradition of cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Christmas morning that my mom started with my sister and I.

Are you a pro-present wrapper, or do you fail miserably?

I fail miserably.  I get things covered, but I cannot make everything look neat and pretty.

Have you ever gone Christmas caroling?

Yes, I went as a child with church groups and Girl Scouts troops.

What tops your tree?

I use a little red bow.  I tried to buy a star for it one year, but it ended up being too heavy to stay upright on the tree.  Since then, I have not spent much time looking for a tree topper and have not really come across one I felt like buying.

Do you make New Year’s Resolutions?  Do you stick to them?

I do not specifically make New Year’s Resolutions.  However, I constantly make new vows and goals throughout the year.  I try to stick with them, but I struggle to keep working on many of them consistently.

You have been granted one Christmas wish…what will it be?

That my cousin CP would feel better.  He has been struggling with cancer for the past year, and recently has had some new issues with treatment.  I want him to be home and happy with his family for Christmas this year.

What about you?  What are some of your Christmas favorites, traditions, and wishes?

See you next week!

I Have a Desk Too – Front Room December 2016

This month’s update is definitely better than the last one.  I actually did get some things accomplished in the front room.  I had a little burst of motivation which helped me make progress, despite being away two of the four weekends this month.  My office is starting to come together.  I feel like I might possibly even finish that one section of the room before my year is over.  Below are some more details, along with the comparison photos.  October 2^nd is on the left, December 1^st is on the right.

The most exciting part of the month is the arrival of my desk, which is the last big piece of furniture for that side of the room.  Additionally, I finally unboxed and put together the two chairs that arrived in October.  In more boring updates, I started to clean the floor, although that probably does not show up well in the pictures.  It is a rather tedious process to scrub paint off a hardwood floor, so I am nowhere near done.  In the past month, I probably have done about a third of the office side of the room.  I have started to haul some boxes back down from Shawn’s room.  Most of the stuff in his room is office-related and I have always felt bad taking over his bedroom, so it makes the most sense to start unpacking from there first.  Some of these boxes are currently in the living room side of the room on the floor, and some of them have been haphazardly unpacked into the lateral file and onto the shelves.

Next month, I am going to finish the office side of the room.  This mostly entails unpacking boxes and organizing all my stuff.  I do need to do some shopping still, including a floor lamp, more bookends, some inbox trays, and a random spattering of office supplies.  I will have to put some hours into cleaning more paint off the floor.  The electrical work still needs to be completed on that side as well, although I am beginning to think I may need to hire someone to finish it since asking my husband to do it does not seem to be working.  I want to hang some of my diplomas and awards, but that is another husband job.  On the other side of the room, I need to start cleaning up the junk that has accumulated.  Some of it will naturally disappear as I unpack the office items.  More of it though needs to be trashed, or donated, or relocated to my husband’s areas of the house.  This moth will be busy with Christmas, but I feel optimistic I can get some work done.  Maybe I will not have completed the front room in a year, but it would be nice if I could at least complete the office part.

See you next week!

  

  

  

  

Quick Hits – November 2016

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!  I had a wonderful dinner with my family back in PA.  I considered saving this post until tomorrow, but I mostly had it written anyway so here it is.  I am on target this month with two TV shows, two movies, two books, and a tiny bit of overflow.  Overall this month was a pretty good entertainment month.  I dabbled in some popular picks as well as took in some more random choices.

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

TV Series:  Daredevil:  Season 2 (2016)

As you know, I loved season 1 of Daredevil.  I enthusiastically entered into season 2 only to be a little disappointed.  This season starts with a mass murderer on the loose, gunning down rival gangs in the city.  Daredevil engages this new vigilante, known as The Punisher, on several occasions.  The Punisher is honestly the better fighter, so he bests Daredevil a number of times but does not kill him.  The resulting Punisher and Daredevil dialog scenes with each trying to convince the other his way is better (kill vs. no kill) are enthralling.  Once again, Marvel showed spectacular judgment in casting choices with Jon Bernthal as The Punisher.  Whenever he was on the screen, I could not take my eyes off him.  He brought the perfect balance between cold, calculated revenge and sympathetic, grieving father.  If season 2 had been solely about The Punisher, I think it would have again been a fantastic season.  Instead, they introduced another character Elektra in episode 5.  This was a completely separate story involving an ancient Japanese cult trying to track down and retrieve a powerful weapon known as the Black Sky.  Unfortunately, these scenes varied between annoying (Elektra was a brat) and boring (despite their supposed history I felt no chemistry between Daredevil and Elektra).  Although The Punisher’s story never disappeared, Elektra’s storyline dominates the remainder of the season.  I had to drag myself through the middle of the season, perking up when The Punisher came to the forefront and sulking when we stuck to Elektra.  There eventually is a development in the Elektra story that suddenly makes it much more interesting.  It comes way too late to salvage this season, but it may make an interesting turn for next season.  Season 2 ended with a number of open storylines, so now I am excitedly waiting for season 3 (not scheduled until 2018).  My final conclusion is watch season 2, but be prepared to push your way through the middle.

TV Series:  Stranger Things:  Season 1 (2016)

If you love Stephen King, you will love this show.  While it was not written and produced by King, the Duffer brothers openly admit they were heavily influenced by his early work.  The basic premise of this show is strange things start happening in Hawkins, Indiana and they just keep getting stranger.  People go missing, a young girl with psychic powers shows up, a faceless monster is on the loose, and government officials try to hide the truth from the town.  The casting was well done with a few familiar faces.  The acting was great.  The show had fantastic plot executed with a pacing that was perfection.  While the first part of the series does open lot of confusing questions, the action kept moving steadily forward filling in the blanks as it went.  My attention was kept every single episode to such an extent that I often arrived at the end without feeling like an hour had passed.  Effects were well done with everything somehow looking like it was actually filmed in the 80s but still using modern non-cheesy effects.  It has a thrillingly spooky and weird tone without ever becoming too scary.  The end nicely wraps up all the major plot points while still leaving a couple open threads to build Season 2.  I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Movie:  Inside Out (2015)

I have loved almost all of the Pixar movies, and this one is no exception.  According to this movie, each of us has five major emotions – Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust – that control our responses to life.  Each memory is made and colored by one of the five emotions, including some very special “core” memories that constitute the essence of each person.  When Riley, age 11, moves across the country, she has trouble adjusting to the change and her emotions suffer some upheaval.  Previously, the command center was under Joy’s control.  Now Sadness is struggling for power and starting to tinge previously Joy-ful memories.  The struggle between the two characters ends with both of them becoming lost in long-term memory where they are unable to help when Riley’s core memories start to crumble.  The rest of the movie shows us whether Joy and Sadness can work together to get back to central command and save Riley.  This movie was great on a children’s level with bright colors, funny moments, fast-paced action, and a good message about the appropriateness to recognize all emotions.  This movie was even better on an adult level with a profound underlying theme of how emotions and memory work.  I laughed and cried during it.  Like other Pixar movies, it is a feel good movie that makes you want to watch it again.  One of my favorite parts comes at the end where we are treated to a particularly funny montage showing the emotional makeup of other character’s command centers.  Bonus material includes an animated short about Volcano love set to catchy ukulele music.  I highly recommend this whether you have children to share it or not.

Movie:  The Gift (2015)

This thriller was decidedly average.  Jason Bateman was strong as the husband Simon, a more dramatic role from his usual fare, and Joel Edgerton did a good job as the slightly off-color old school friend Gordo.  No one else really impressed me much, particular Rebecca Hall as the wife Robyn who was not particularly engaging despite dominating the script.  The storyline was interesting, but I feel like the plot opened a lot of questions, particularly around Robyn, that were never answered.  The whole story is based on them moving from Chicago back to Los Angeles to salvage their marriage and make a fresh start.  We get lots of hints of things that went wrong in Chicago, but it is never stated exactly what happened.  She had a miscarriage and a drug problem, but how were the two related, why did she seemingly lose her job over the whole thing, and how much did her husband contributed to the situation?  Once in LA, Gordo shows up, hinting at Simon’s sinister past.  We eventually learn the details of what happened between them in high school, and are provided with ample evidence that underneath Simon has not changed.  The ending includes an appropriately creepy plot twist that basically emphasizes that karma can be a bitch.  This movie had a slightly suspenseful weird vibe to it, but never crossed over into the intense anticipation territory and certainly never made it to scary.  I do not necessarily consider this bad, but it might be disappointing to some who watch the previews and expected more.  My final conclusion was this movie was fine but not great.  I did not regret seeing it, but I cannot provide a strong recommendation for it.

Book:  The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (2015)

I have been enjoying all the mysteries that I have been reading lately.  With all the hype surrounding this book, I figured it was time to put this one in my reading pile.  This book gets an A for interesting, but a C for surprising conclusion.  I have never considered myself very good at solving mysteries, but I had this one figured out very early in the novel.  Although there was one tiny section toward the end that made me second guess myself, ultimately I decided my first suspect was right and it was.   Initially this made me feel a little disappointed, but upon reflection I enjoyed the book.  I was satisfied when we wrapped up to the bad guy reveal and punishment.  The book concept was original, exploiting the psychology behind how we absorb the things we see or do not see about all the strangers we pass every day.  The characters, while maybe not likable always, were definitely interesting.  You know from the first couple pages that the main narrator was a drunk who has blackouts frequently.  You know immediately she is not going to be reliable source of storytelling.  Although there is a bit of a curious onlooker about her, she seems to genuinely be trying to help but ends up getting more involved than she ever meant to be.  The missing girl’s story, told through flashbacks, reveals an angry and unlikable character, who has suffered some horrible heartbreaks in her past.  It does not absolve her from her actions leading to the situation, but it at least makes her understandable.  I would recommend this book.  Do not read it for the twists, but enjoy it for the interesting story.

Book:  The Girls by Emma Cline (2016)

I am on a role lately of reading books that have been hyped on the internet.  This one is a reimagining of the Charles Manson family murders in the 1960s as told by a young girl running on the fringes of the group.  It is not a gory retelling of the actual murders, though there is some description of the crime itself.  Instead the bulk of the novel is a probe into the teenage psyche attempting to puzzle out the reasons why young girls are attracted to cults and participate in the horrors that go along with that existence.  Evie is fourteen and having a rough summer.  Her parents are divorced, her Dad does not see her much, and her Mom has begun dating a string of men she does not like.  Her best friend dumps her abruptly over a clumsy accident that angered a boy the friend likes.  Evie’s own crush has a girlfriend with whom he runs away and rumor has it impregnated.  All this leaves Evie alone wandering the city for something to do.  She sees The Girls around town and becomes infatuated with one of them Suzanne.  Suzanne represents a freedom from caring that Evie yearns to embody but cannot.  Although Evie does interact with the cult leader, Russell, she is less concerned with him than Suzanne.  I think this missed connection is why this novel ends up more an angsty coming-of-age tale, and less a thriller.  Evie does not understand why The Girls would commit the murders for Russell any more than we do.  Overall I liked it, but it definitely plays safely around the fringes of the Manson cult instead of jumping full into the horror.

Overflow:

TV Series:  Galavant:  Season 1 (2015) – Yes.  It is perfect for those nights when you do not want

     to think too hard and just laugh.

Movie:  E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) – Yes.  It is a classic.

Book:  Managers as Mentors:  Building Partnerships for Learning by Chip R. Bell and Marshall Goldsmith (Third Edition, 2013) – Yes.  There are no groundbreaking new ideas, but it 

     covers some basic management lessons in a well-executed manner.

See you next week! 

Real Life Mean Girls

When did it become acceptable to be a mean girl (or mean guy)?  I want to live my life thinking that society as a whole is basically good.  While I know there are some bullies out there and even some down-right evil people, it comforts me to know these are a tiny minority.  Lately though, I feel like I am surrounded by hate and intolerance everywhere I turn.

The most obvious version of this is the aftermath of the election.  Although I have been vocal about the need to go vote, I have tried to stay mostly quiet on my actual choices in the election because I think it is a personal decision that needs to be based on your own values and priorities.  When it comes to my family and friends, I know people who voted for Hillary, Trump, and Johnson.  Because I only voted for one person, this means I disagreed with a portion of my personal social network.  In the past few days, I have watched my Facebook page explode into a frenzy of hatred for those who voted opposite each other.  Most of the hatred on my wall is coming from those who voted with Hillary (I assume because it was the losing side).  Instead of taking a step back to figure out why so many people chose Trump, it has become a shouting match that everyone who voted for him is racist, homephobic, xenophobic, sexist, (insert whatever insult you feel appropriate here) prick.  Based on those I personally know who voted for him, I would not call a single one of them any of these things.  They do not like his “locker room” talk, and they do not agree with blanket statements like “all Muslims should be banned from the U.S.”.  Instead they were thinking in terms of future policy that might be enacted.  They want to repeal Obamacare, or at the very least not expand it.  They want to inforce current immigration laws.  They do not want greater gun control.  They want increased action against terrorist threats.  They want tax reform with lower rates and simplification for everyone.  People need to start recognizing there is a difference of opinion in regulation that has nothing to do with the cultural labels people are throwing around.  Stop the personal attacks, start the conversations about what happened.  (Mike Rowe has a pretty good response mentioned in this article here http://tribunist.com/news/mike-rowe-finally-weighs-in-on-trumps-victory-hillarys-supporters-wont-like-this/?utm_source=LRD).

My overall point of just how mean people have become does not begin and end with this election cycle.  When I originally started thinking about this idea for a blog, I was thinking about comment sections on the internet.  Whether we are talking about online news networks, professional bloggers, or amateur Youtube content creators, their comment sections are all full of mean people.  There is this inability for people to behave in a civilized manner online.  I have stopped reading the comment sections of articles because it tends to devolve into name-calling rants that offer no alternative information to actually consider.  People have no concept of the ideas to agree to disagree or to disagree and educate.  The point is to persuade people, not make them so defensive they will not listen to anyone else.  What really bothers me though is the content on the bottom of Youtube bloggers’ pages.  Whether these people are professional who have built up a following of millions or a teenager who has less than 100, they have the right to put their opinions out there about whatever it is they want to discuss without being attacked by people who disagree.  Often I see these mean things explained away with a flippant “but I am just trying to offer constructive criticism”.  There is a big difference between giving an alternative point of view, offering constructive criticism, and being mean.  It is all about presentation.  Even if you want to criticize, it needs to be done in a manner that respects that other person’s right to have their own opinion.

Here is a little lesson I have put together on how to disagree with someone and still be respectful.  These are all based on things I have seen on beauty Youtube channels, although none is a specific word for word portrayal of any particular comment.

Example 1:

Respectful Disagreement:  I do not think the white highlighter suits your skin tone.  The gold one is prettier on you.

Being Mean:  That white highlighter is so ugly on you.  You are such an ugly bitch.  Why would anyone watch you.

Example 2:

Constructive Criticism:  I think it would be helpful if you did some full length shots when you show us the clothes you bought in the haul.

Being Mean:  You need to do full length shots on your haul items.  God how did you ever become a Youtube star.  You're a f*cking retard.

Example 3:

Polite Request:  Can you do more drugstore makeup tutorials please?

Being Mean:  You never use drug store makeup anymore.  You're a materialistic whore.  You should go slit your wrists right now.

In conclusion, please be nice.  I am not saying that you should never disagree with someone online.  If you want to comment though, keep the tone respectful and include something that furthers the discussion.  Remember that everyone has their own story that colors their worldview, and just because they ended up in a different place than you does not mean they automatically are a bad person.  If you simply cannot be nice, then just do not say anything and look for news/entertainment somewhere else.  The web is full of content, surely you can find something that better suits your tastes.

See you next week!