A Look Back at 2008 – Television

When I was growing up, the TV was always on. From the time I got up in the morning till the time I went to bed, sound and pictures emanated from that glowing, 20 inch screen. I knew what time it was based on what show was playing. The only exception was on the weekend. This was the olden days, before cable, VCRs and DVDs... the days of three networks, a local station, and PBS. Saturday afternoons and most of Sunday were TV wastelands, and during those times, I played records. Remember those?

Today, we have so many more options when it comes to the television. But no matter how many channels you have to choose from, there's always a time when someone in the house will say "There's nothing good on TV!"

So here's what I think about 2008:

Favorite New Series That's About to be Cancelled: Eli Stone
This series about a lawyer who has visions from God in the form of song and dance numbers (many of them from George Michael) is quirky, touching, thoughtful, and funny. The entire cast is great, but a personal favorite is Victor Garber. Any show that gives him the opportunity to display his musical chops is okay by me. Unfortunately, ABC doesn't share my enthusiasm. Although it hasn't been officially cancelled yet, things don't look good. Shoot!

Returning Series I'm Most Excited About: LOST
Thanks to the network's nasty habit of pulling a series after one or two episodes, I watch very few new ones until I'm sure they'll be around for awhile. But LOST sucked me in from episode one. A great cast, the mythology of the island, flashbacks and flash forwards (which drive my hubby NUTS), Sawyer constantly misplacing his shirt... I love it all. Can't wait to find out what's going on with our poor, tortured castaways!

The Other Returning Series I'm Excited About: 24
Poor Jack! Killers, terrorists, crazy girlfriends, an accident prone daughter, chemical warfare, an evil president, double agents... none of that was able to stop him. It took the writers' strike to keep Jack Bauer off our TV radar for a whole year! But Jack's back, and judging from the two-hour movie last month, we're in for another wild ride. Bring it on!

Reruns I'm Most Surprised That I Like: King of the Hill and That 70s Show
My son started watching these shows on one of our local stations. At first, I listened with one ear for the sake of "monitoring" but then, something strange happened. I started to laugh. I started to watch. I started to watch the clock and call out "Hey, it's time for our shows!" Even though there are some PG-13 moments, both of these shows have loving (though dysfunctional) families at the core. And they provide lots of opportunities for my son and I to talk about issues that might not come up otherwise. A fun, pleasant surprise.

Thing I'm Most Surprised to be Entertained By: Reality Shows
I used to say that I didn't like reality shows, but then I thought about some of the shows I watch: Survivor, American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing With The Stars. Huh, guess I do like reality shows.

I could go on and on, but I'll stop here. Thanks for playing along!

Check Out My New Banner!

There's something new here at Musings... that's right, it's the blog banner! My buddy Lisa Richardson created it for me as a Christmas present. Isn't it cool?

Lisa is truly multi-talented. She's also a great writer and has come up with a unique idea for her blog in the new year. She'll be writing an interactive story that lets the reader help guide the plot. Interested? Then check it out at Inspired Adventures.

A Look Back at 2008 – The Music

Ah, music. I cannot drive in the car without it. I'm one of those radio belters. And I like to have it on while I'm working, although I rarely can write to music with words. Instrumentals are best for that.

Looking back at 2008, I discovered some new music, rediscovered some old favorites, and puzzled over a few things...

Favorite CD Released This Year by an American Idol Winner: David Cook by David Cook
Mr. Cook kind of came out of nowhere on AI. I don't remember seeing him at all during the audition shows until the one where they told him he was going through. But what a great surprise he was. What I like the most is the emotion he puts into each song, along with the raw rumble of his vocals.

Favorite CD Released Last Year by an American Idol Winner: Carnival Ride by Carrie Underwood
I like the unique, country/pop twist Underwood gives most of her songs. For example, two of my favorite songs on this CD are Crazy Dreams and Last Name. And the girl can belt one out with the best of them.

Favorite CD by a Group I Forgot I Loved: Greatest Hits by The Newsboys
The Newsboys have been around for awhile... my husband and I listened to them while we were dating, and we just celebrated our 17th anniversary. But it wasn't until I spotted this CD at the library that I remembered how much I enjoyed them. Now my son is a Newsboys fan. Their lyrics range from crazy fun (They don't serve breakfast in Hell) to worshipful adoration (I'm alive and well, Your Spirit is within me, Because You died and rose again). Extra! Extra! The Newsboys rock!

Most Confusing Lyric in a Beloved Christmas Song: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
I've been at lots of Christmas gatherings, but never one where we told scarry ghost stories. What's that about? Maybe it's because stories rhymes with glories at the end of the next line, but it stops me in my tracks every time I hear the song.

Favorite New (to me) Soundtrack: Spamalot - The Broadway Cast Recording
Billy and I were able to see Spamalot in Vegas the week before the show closed (thank you to whoever decided to give locals the chance to buy two-for-one tickets). I can't tell you how much fun we had. So, not only is the soundtrack fun to sing along to, but it reminds me of that great memory of hanging out with my son.

Those are my musical highlights for the year. Are there any songs you just can't get out of your head?

A Look Back at 2008 – The Movies

I love movies, TV, music, books, and I love finding out what's made an impact on people and why. So, for the next few days I'm going to take a look back at the things that moved me – for better or worse – in 2008. Starting with movies...

Favorite Musical Featuring Non-Musical People: Mamma Mia!
With the exception of Amanda Seyfried (who has a lovely pop voice) none of the people in this movie can sing. Okay, Meryl Streep can carry a tune, but if Oscars were given out just on singing ability, she'd be in trouble. But that's okay, cuz this movie's not about singing. This movie's for anyone who's ever sang into a hairbrush at the top of her lungs. It's for people like me who wish life came with a soundtrack. I love this movie for the pure joy of it (and the lovely Greek scenery).

Favorite Animated Movie Containing No Animals (except for the cockroach, which I don't consider an animal but my son is making me mention): WALL-E
The Pixar folks continue to amaze me. I shouldn't be so surprised considering all the emotion they've been able to wring out of toys, ants, rats, cars... but YOWZA, they blew me away with this touching tale of a little waste clean up robot who just wants someone to love.

Favorite Animated Movie with Nothing BUT Animals: Kung Fu Panda
Casting Jack Black as Po, the panda with grand aspirations, was inspired. Paired with the sharp dialogue and a touching core, and this movie's on my "keep after my son leaves home" list.

Movie That Left Me Most Conflicted: I Am Legend
I wrote a review of this when it first came out. (You can read it here if you're interested.) I thought about this movie a lot after I saw it, and the more I thought about it, the more unhappy I was. I still think it was an overall good movie, but those darned mutants really ruined the end. Why do mutants always end up with super powers? Really, what is it in the mutation process that enables once ordinary folk to jump twenty feet in the air and cling to walls as if their finger tips had become toilette plungers? I want to know, cuz it's bugging the heck out of me!

Movie I Wish I'd Skipped: Wanted
Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy... I'm a fan. Really. Love you guys. Wish I could have saved you from this mess of a movie. Few things are as unsettling as hearing the men who have played God and Mr. Tumnus say the F-word. Repeatedly.

I did see other movies this year, but those are the ones that made the biggest impression on me. What about you? What did you see in 2008 that stayed with you after you left the theater?

BOOK REVIEW - The American Patriot's Almanac by Bennett & Cribb

The idea of daily readings about American history might sound a little scary... if you're like me, you sat through more than one dry history class in your school days. Thankfully, The American Patriot's Almanac is about as far from dry as you can get.

William J. Bennett and John T. E. Cribb have put together a fascinating collection of snipets from American history, from our country's birth to more recent happenings. For each day of the year there's a short story as well as the American History Parade (a short list of important events that happened on that day). Besides this, there are longer sections between each chapter, covering everything from Flag Etiquette to Fifty Great All-American Movies.

Over the last few years, there's been a lot of talk about what our country's done wrong. And yes, we've made mistakes. But I like this paragraph, taken from the introduction:

Patriotism doesn't mean obnoxious boasting. It's not about bragging that our country is the best in the world, but it does involve taking pride in our country's achievements, sticking up for its principles, supporting its efforts, and cheering it on at times. It means offering respect to our nation and its institutions.

Whether you read The American Patriot's Almanac on your own or with your family, I think you'll find it uplifting, interesting, inspiring and entertaining. What better way to start off the new year?

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and your family
a beautiful Christmas.
May the love of Christ
and the joy He brings
fill your hearts and homes!

Letting Go by Sherri Sand - And BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Welcome to today's guest blogger, author Sherri Sand!

Letting Go . . .

I wanted a dad who would be my mentor and my friend. Someone I could lean on and go to for advice. Someone who desired to meet me for lunch and listen to the goings on in my life with a proud smile and adoration in his eye.

I didn’t know I wanted this until I reached adulthood. Up to then, I thought my life was normal. Like most people’s.

But then I went to college and realized that normal was relative to . . . well, to whomever you were speaking.

Some dads were involved and some weren’t. I’d never thought much about the fact that my dad worked long hours and didn’t speak more than a few words when he was home. He didn’t inquire about our lives or come to our childhood events, unless it was with a bored look and longsuffering sigh.

I knew I was loved. On the surface, anyway. Those three words seem to echo without a place to land when they are spoken without the investment of time or sacrifice.

But it left me with a longing for more. To find somewhere I could get those deep needs for love and connection met. Because of that desire, I went down painful roads and made choices that left scars rippling across my life.

My father made his own choices that broke up our family. It wasn’t until much later that I heard a woman speaking and what she said moved into my heart in a way that brought immense revelation.

This woman said, “Parental love is like a hot fudge sundae. Everyone is designed to have it, but not everyone gets it. You’ll never be free if you focus on what you should have had. The people who gain freedom are the ones who can accept that even though they’re never going to get that sundae, they can have a bowl of ice cream and maybe some nuts on top or whipped cream.”

I realized that for years I’d been looking for someone or something to fill that void. The void of my father’s lost love. The love I should have had.

When she spoke those words, it felt like a missing puzzle piece settled into place. Freedom came with acceptance. I could let the dream go and begin looking forward to what I did have.

And I have a lot.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sherri Sand is a wife and mother of four young children who keep her scrambling to stay ahead of the spilled milk. When she needs stress relief from wearing all the hats required to clothe, feed and ferry her rambunctious brood, you may find her sitting in a quiet corner of a bistro reading a book (surrounded by chocolate), or running on one of the many trails near her home. Sherri is a member of The Writer’s View and American Christian Fiction Writers. She finds the most joy in writing when the characters take on a life of their own and she becomes the recorder of their stories. She holds a degree in psychology from the University of Oregon where she graduated cum laude. Sherri and her family live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

ABOUT THE BOOK - Leave It To Chance

Single mom of three, Sierra Montgomery is desperate to find a new job to keep from having to move back home and be smothered to death by her mother’s good intentions and overbearing love. So when Sierra inherits Chance, a quirky old gelding she doesn’t have a clue what to do with, she thinks her best bet may be to sell the horse to cover another month’s rent—a decision that devastates her children.

Enter Ross Morgan, a handsome landscaper who just happens to have an empty barn and fenced pasture… perfect for an old horse to live out his days as the pet of three wounded kids. Ross develops a soft spot for eldest child Braden…and he just might have one for Braden’s mother. But what he doesn’t have is time for distractions—he’s got a landscaping business to run and nursery plants to tend.

But Sierra has a secret. She’s terrified of horses and—thanks to her past—wary of attractive men. Yet seeing the way her angry son idolizes Ross and adores that old horse forces Sierra to confront her fears. Will she remain distrustful and self-reliant, or will she seek help from God and those who love her?

WIN THE BOOK

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of Leave it to Chance just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll pick a winner at random on December 28th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!