Back to Blogging

I started this blog with a lot of excitement, thinking I'd run to my Mac to blog everytime I read or watched something. But life is busy, and before I knew it, I had way too many items to write about, and my memory of each item kinda blurred with each day! Maybe its just the start of the new year, along with an email conversation I had with a friend of how her resolution is to read as many good books this year as she can, but I kinda have the itch to work on this blog again! I'd love to go back and review so many great books and movies I've watched, but lets just start from here on out. Although, just for the sake of making this an official review, I will mention some of my all time favorites:

At the top of the list, I have to put "The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out", by Neta Jackson. This title is the 7th in the series. As I've mentioned before, I LOVE IT! I feel like the group of characters are my friends. And as corny as it sounds, I always feel like I've grown alot spiritually after I've read one of these books! As I was reading through this volume, I was mentally "guessing" what might come in the next one. Well, I was pretty bummed out when I got the end and read that this one was the end of the series!! Whaaaa! I do look forward Neta Jackson's future works, even though I am bitter about the end of my Yada Yada sisters!!!! ;)

Another book worth reading is "Jesus Freaks", Volumes I and II, by DC Talk. Volume I is short stories of martyrs. Volume II is short stories of "revolutionaries who changed their world, fearing God, not man". OK, OK, yeah, it sounds like a bummer to read these - thats the reaction I always get from people to whom I recommend these book. But I have to say, these books really have a way of showing you what is important in the grand scheme of things. With these books as well, I felt stronger and more cemented in my faith.

While we're on the subject of growing spiritually, I'll also suggest "Buck Naked Faith" by Eric Sandras. This is a book that makes you examine yourself honestly, and helps you put yourself in a place where you are trying to please God and not just keep up appearances. But it makes you realize that your struggles are common to us all.

As for movies, my all time favorites are Peggy Sue Got Married, Chances Are, Best Friends Wedding, and Father of the Bride 1 and 2. I LOVE to "accidentally" catch these on TV! It always seems like a nice surprise! The other day I caught "Parenthood" on TV. I love that movie, and the older I get, the more I love it, because you can totally relate to so many characters. I LOVE the scene where Steve Martin is coaching his son in little league, and before the game, he imagines that his son is graduating as valedictorian at a university, and in his speech, he thanks his father for being the best. Then after the game, he imagines his son up in a tower, shooting down at the crowd, screaming about how his dad screwed him up. The theme to this movie is that life is a roller coaster and you just have to enjoy the ride, even if its scary sometimes.

A newer movie I've enjoyed is "National Treasure - Book of Secrets". I went to see this one on the opening night. I LOVED the first one, and I LOVED the fact that I could take my 7 year old to it. I read somewhere that the director, or producer, or someone associated with the film said that instead of making a movie for kids, he'd rather make a movie that kids can go to. I thought that described this movie very well. I'll have to say it wasn't much different than the first one, nothing new, same kind of story. But really enjoyable nonetheless.

(I get the urge right now to mention CS Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, the books as well as the movie, but I'll have to tell ya, that one deserves its own post on a later date.)

What the heck, lets keep the momentum going with TV reviews. I have been hooked on Lost, and I really look forward to the new episode being aired on January 31st! I gave my friend Season One to watch to see if I could hook her into it. She watched it within a week, and then ran out and purchased Seasons Two and Three! The writers had committed to wrapping up the story line in 2 more seasons, but it will be interesting to see how the writer's strike affects this. I am stuck in a place wondering if there will be a logical explanation to all the "happenings" on the island, or if they might go the supernatural route with it.

I swore off the Apprentice last season, cuz it was getting kinda dumb. Ok, REALLY dumb. But I hate to say that I got sucked into it again this season, cuz they are doing Celebrity Apprentice. Its still kinda dumb, but more interesting cuz you get to see how the celebrities interact and do something they are not used to. One thing I noticed, they are not as backstabbing and cut-throat as the "nobodies" from previous season. I guess since they have already reached success, they are not as desperate to climb up that ladder!

Well, I guess thats it for now. This was kind of a "media goulash" kind of post. Now, I'll get busy reading, watching, and posting. Stay tuned, and let me know what you are all watching and reading out there.

Until Next Time...