13 Happy Things in 2013

It's my annual tradition to write a list of best things that happened throughout the year. I enjoy looking back on these and reflecting upon the great memories. I included a bonus, since I can be superstitious sometimes!

1. Trip to Disney World!

2. Dinner hosted by Jane Porter and Sarah Pekkanen.

With Jane Porter

3. Girl bonding time with my mom and sister when they came to visit.

4. Getting to interview a celebrity at Chick Lit Central.

5. Meeting a new friend at the beginning of this year all because she wanted to review books for Chick Lit Central. Her positive energy has kept me buoyed throughout the year and I love seeing pics of her adorable daughter. We even joined our book blogs together as sister blogs!

6. The Mindy Project!!!

7. Meeting Wally Lamb and reading his long awaited and incredible fifth novel.

8. Making some new friends, as well as strengthening my connections with the ones I became friends with before.

9. Spending time with our friends from NJ when they came to visit over Memorial Day weekend. It was like no time had been lost since we had last seen them. We had a blast!

10. Doing 52 Stories. It was a lot of fun and I learned new things about people. I even reached my goal! (And now I have double that amount in followers!)

11. Due to the changes in our blog project group, I've met two wonderful women this year. They're both great writers (even though one of them realized it wasn't her thing) and I think they'd get along well if they met each other.

12. Having my parents here for Independence Day. It wasn't the same as going to Itasca fireworks with them, but we had a nice time nonetheless!

13. Spending Thanksgivukkah with my in-laws and some close friends. It was a beautiful evening.

Bonus: Baking challah with friends, which I've done throughout the year and hope to do more of in 2014.

List-a-mania!

I've decided to take inventory of some past lists I've made, and also wanted to include some new lists.

This list was taken from a post about my [not-so] laminated top five list (the last three haven't changed, but Jason Segel was cutting it close at times.)

1. Chris Messina: Really, all he has to do is dance and I'm sold! :) Actually, he could just stand there and do nothing and he'd still be swoon-worthy. However, I love that, as Danny Castellano on The Mindy Project, he's not afraid to act goofy and vulnerable.  Oh, and that smile....
2. Jeremy Jordan: The real reason I'm sad that Smash is cancelled. I can't wait to see him in The Last Five Years when that finally comes to a screen near me.
3. Jason Segel: My crush on him came from watching How I Met Your Mother and I think it's more because he reminds me of my husband. I could see myself just hanging out with him and having a fun time though. I love to laugh and I know the humor would be guaranteed.
4. Matt Lanter: He's just incredibly hot. He doesn't even have to talk. I wouldn't mind the kind of making out I've seen him capable of on 90210. And he has such a great speaking voice...all deep and intense. He's definitely been on my list ever since he first appeared on the show.
5. Jamie Cullum: I think it's his Harry Connick Jr. appeal (speaking of....I also think HCJ is sexy). He has such an amazing voice that it just sends tingles down my spine. He could seduce me just by singing!

I could add Luke Bryan to this list just for his voice, but that's all that really does it for me about him. That, and his songs are sexy. But that's it, really.

This is my celebrity bucket list, revised from a list created around this time, three years ago. I'm sad that I have to take Idina Menzel off, but now that I saw how she is in person, I've lost interest. I know she probably has a lot going on right now in her personal life, but I still don't see myself making the effort to meet her again. If we happened to run into each other (like what are the odds of that happening?!?) and she decided that she'd be happy to stop and take a picture with me, I wouldn't argue. Not holding my breath though. I didn't change two people as I really respect them and still want to meet them.

1. Mindy Kaling. She's so funny and down-to-earth. I can only imagine her being like that in person too. I could totally see us exchanging chick lit novels and joking around about anything and everything.

2. The main cast of How I Met Your Mother: I know that is five people (six, if you count the mother, as I'd love to meet her too), but they're all so great in their own ways.

3. Lin-Manuel Miranda. I was hoping to meet him when I saw In the Heights. (He wasn't performing at the time but I had a fantasy that he'd be watching from backstage and would come out to meet his fans anyway. However, that was not the case.) He wrote an incredible musical, does a great job rapping without it sounding unintelligible and even sang "To Life, L'Chaim" to his wife at his wedding. Toss in the fact that he's adorable and you'd want to meet him too!

4. America Ferrera. She won me over in Real Women Have Curves and completely sold me on her talent in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Then she was in Ugly Betty and completely took on her role as Betty Suarez and made it her own. She just seems like a down-to-earth celebrity who isn't going to go the skanky route that other female celebrities have. I could see just hanging out with her and having fun "girl talk" over dinner.

5. Khaled Hosseini. I didn't get a chance to see him when he was in DC this past summer promoting his latest novel. I still hope to meet him one of these days, as he is on par with Wally Lamb for his incredible writing talent.

My favorite personal blog posts from 2013. Moma Rock did this at her blog for a recent blog project and I liked the idea so much that I wanted to do it too.
1. My first attempt at fiction in over two years...and of course it's pop-culture related!
2. Rolling in the deep...blue sea. I definitely need this motto right now!
3. Having a "Me Party"...this was so much fun to write.
4. Who says you can't go home? So much fun to reminisce!
5. The things I never got to say. This was so emotionally cleansing.
6. Merrylandgirl does Disney World. A great way to remember my trip!
7. Bowling for besherte. I can one day call this post "How I Met Your Father."
8. I go back. I love where certain songs take me....
9. Having a Zack Attack! Really, I can talk about Saved by the Bell anytime.
10. 525,600. Anything that has to do with Rent is always good, right?

Best movies I saw in 2013 (not that they necessarily came out this year). I didn't see all that many movies this year.

1. Monsters University. Such a warm and fuzzy (excuse the pun) prequel.
2. Love Actually. I saw it a long time ago and forgot most of what happened, so it was like watching it for the first time.
3. The Internship. Like Monsters University, but with people.
4. Disconnect. Very thought provoking. It was nice to see Jason Bateman in a serious role.
5. Turbo. Cute and fun for the whole family.
6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Poignant, and it involved Rocky Horror....
7. Parental Guidance. Sweet and funny. Plus, Billy Crystal sings a song about poo!
8. The To Do List. Raunchy, but Aubrey Plaza was fun to watch and it took place in the 90s. And it was really funny.
9. The Way Way Back. Very well-acted and had an interesting story line. I agree with whomever is saying that Sam Rockwell should get an Oscar nomination.
10. Struck by Lightning. Chris Colfer and Rebel Wilson are a great team. I liked the supporting cast too.

Best books I read in 2013 (even if they were published prior). This is separate from my favorite chick lit reads of 2013. Visit Chick Lit Central to find out those choices. (The links below are to my reviews of the books.)

1. The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
2. We Are Water by Wally Lamb
3. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
4. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
5. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
6. Finding Lucas by Samantha Stroh Bailey
7. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
8. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
9. The Meryl Streep Movie Club by Mia March
10. Fractured by Dani Atkins
Bonus: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I'm loving it so much but am not sure I'll have it finished by the time 2013 is over. 

Book Review: Wonder

There are days when I wake up in the morning and just don't like how I look. Either I'm having a bad hair day or am dealing with a breakout on my chin. The rest of me could look fine, but I'll zoom in on the parts that are imperfect. So I can only somewhat imagine what Auggie, the hero of Wonder by R.J. Palacio, feels like on a daily basis whenever he looks in the mirror.

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

I took interest in Wonder after a friend posted an article about adults reading books written for kids. Wonder was the main subject of the article and it just sounded so interesting. I immediately put it on hold at my library and then ended up suggesting it to my book club. It became our choice for the January meeting. (I can't wait to discuss it with everyone!) As soon as I cracked it open, I found it impossible to put down! I found myself laughing, sighing and even becoming "verklempt." The characters felt so real that I forgot I was reading a book. I felt like I was really connecting with each of them. There are beautiful and heartwarming moments that balance out the uncomfortable moments (a.k.a bullying).

When Auggie said he wasn't going to describe what he looked like because it was worse than whatever the reader was thinking, I formed my own images based on small hints he shared. Then his sister, Via, shared what Auggie looked like through her eyes. Honestly, as deformed as he was supposed to be, he also sounded adorable. (I don't know if that's the best word to describe it, but it's the first one that came to mind.) Via's description outweighed all the mean comments people would make about him. He really sounded like a great kid in general. He was smart, had a good sense of humor, treated people as he'd want to be treated, and had the same anxieties other kids his age might have, even if they might have been intensified due to his appearance.

There was an idealistic aspect to this novel. My take on it is that it's R.J. Palacio's message to people to treat each other better no matter how different they are from you. I'd like to think that the message from this book would impact others to do such a thing. Maybe I am cynical, but it seems like kids are a lot crueler than they were back when I was a kid. And they were pretty cruel back then! It would be great if Wonder had a global impact and kids started being nice to each other. R.J. Palacio would earn a Nobel Peace Prize if that were the case.

I don't want to give any spoilers as to why I loved this book, but I strongly suggest you read it right away. I loved everything about Wonder and even gave it to my older son to read. I only wish R.J. Palacio would write a follow-up novel to it for adults, that shared the perspectives of Auggie's parents, teachers and other adults in his life.


Disclosure of Material Connection:
Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

How embarrassment can work wonders!

Our blog project group has once again changed by one member, but I'm still calling it Blog Project 3.0. The newest member is Darwin Shrugged, a friend of Froggie's. I recently got to know her better through "52 Stories" and I look forward to what she has to say on the upcoming topics.

This week, Darwin Shrugged chose the topic: Write about something special or unique about your growing-up years, good or bad.

First, read what everyone else had to share on this topic:
Darwin Shrugged
Froggie
Moma Rock

I'll admit, I found it challenging to come up with something for this post. I feel like I've talked about everything from my childhood and teen years at one point or another in my blog. Even my trip to England was covered a few years ago. I've decided to take an interesting angle to this and talk about two experiences that gave me some control over my life.

When I was a kid, I used to hold my breath until I passed out. I only did it when I was super upset because I had gotten injured. I didn't know I did it until either the paramedics came to my house or I wound up with people standing over me and staring. My mom's friend would tease me about it whenever we all got together. I brushed that off though and figured it was a thing that parents' friends did. However, I stopped doing it altogether after it happened in the third grade.

During field day, there was some activity where we were playing tag or Capture the Flag. Something along those lines. I bumped noses on accident with a girl from my class. I apparently was so upset about it that I made myself pass out, in front of my third grade class and a few teachers. Of course, it was mega-embarrassing. I didn't even want to tell my parents about it, but they found out anyway and got mad at me for not telling them. After that time, I made sure that whenever I got injured, I would do whatever it took to not pass out. Apparently, I've been successful at it because it hasn't happened since. Even in eighth grade, when I cut my finger in science class and felt light-headed, I managed to keep it together and get myself to the nurse. There were other times I injured myself and felt the exact same way, but I'd just get myself to a place where I would psyche myself into feeling better and move on. It came in handy during another embarrassing moment in high school, thankfully! If anything, willing myself to not pass out has made me tougher. I was able to get epidurals for all three baby deliveries, after all! The only thing I can't handle these days is when my kids bleed. I leave that part to my husband, even when he's had a few too many "L'Chaims" on Sukkot. (For those of you who don't know what that means...it's shots of strong alcohol. And this did happen when our older son fell down the stairs and got a nosebleed.) I'll trade cleaning up poop and vomit to not have to deal with blood!

Another interesting fact about my youth was that I didn't learn how to ride a two-wheeler bicycle until I was almost 13. I was terrified of falling and would ride a bicycle with training wheels. My parents decided that I needed to get over this fear and my dad took it upon himself to teach me how to ride a two-wheeler. He had me start on my sister's bicycle, which was made for little kids. Some guys from my school saw me riding it and made a comment. I was so embarrassed about being seen on a kiddie-bicycle, that I took it upon myself to practice non-stop around our cul-de-sac until I got it right. When I finally felt confident, I got on a bicycle that was more my size. After that, I was riding all over the place. I did manage to fall and cut under my eye, which I got made fun of for pretty easily. (However, I managed not to pass out from that injury either.) Still, it didn't stop me from continuing to ride my bicycle all over the neighborhood. I felt so free on it and got a lot of exercise, as a result. I sometimes wonder  if I would have been so determined to learn how to ride a two-wheeler if those guys hadn't seen me on my sister's bicycle that one evening. I haven't ridden my bicycle in years. The last time was a few months before I first became pregnant. The bicycle has traveled to wherever we have moved, but hasn't been touched. I know my older son is interested in riding a two-wheeler, but also scared. I hope we can help him curb that fear long before he turns 13.

In both situations, embarrassment was a driving force to allow me to take control over a situation that I felt was out of my control before...both in terms of managing my response to pain and managing my fear of falling off something as low to the ground as a bicycle. I just found the correlation interesting. I wouldn't purposely embarrass my children into taking control over a situation, but I sometimes wonder if a social situation will come up that will have an impact on how they manage aspects of their lives. I only hope that they have it easier than I did overall, when it comes to their social status in school.

52 Stories: Not found in the laundry...

Inspired by One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern, I've decided to ask people some thought provoking questions about themselves, as I feel that everyone has a story to tell. If you're just joining me on this journey today, please check out the previous posts from this series, as well.

We've reached story #52! Thanks for making this a great year of getting to know people in a new way. :) If you're an avid chick lit reader and have been following Chick Lit Central, we're going to be spotlighting readers over there next year. Contact me to get the ball rolling, if you're interested.

My final storyteller is an author who has been featured at CLC before. I didn't get to personally interview her there, so I've enjoyed the chance to get to know her this way. Her latest novel is Tales from the Laundry Pile, which was recently reviewed at CLC as well.

Name: Kathleen Kole
Age: 45
Gender: Woman
Location: British Columbia, Canada

What is an experience that is legendary for you?
While it may sound sappy (which is fine, really, as I am a self-admitted sap) I’d say motherhood. It has taken me to places within myself - good, bad, ugly, beautiful - I never would have gone had I not embarked upon this parenthood journey. I had no idea, before my son was born, how utterly enthralling it is to watch another human being find their way in the world, nor how much it would connect me emotionally to the human race. So, again, while it may sound sappy, it is the truth.

What is your guilty pleasure?
Well, second question in and I’m stumped! (Seriously, this question made my mind go blank and even inspired me to look up the Wikipedia definition.) Anyway, after much consideration, I’ve come to the conclusion I have no guilty pleasure. I know that may sound unbelievable, but I cannot come up with one thing I do, eat, read etc. that I would consider as such. Apparently, I’m all out there! Haha!

What is something you've never done but you would like to do?
I would like to do more traveling; more directly, I would like to see more of North America (a cross country driving trip sounds like a fun adventure) and do some traveling through the UK.

If you could give someone one of your favorite things as a gift, what would it be and why?
My recipe for coconut, chocolate chip cookies. They are sweet, chewy and delectable and I have yet to find anyone who didn’t love them and want more. Perfect with a cup of coffee, or a glass of milk; a good book, movie, or chat with a friend.

*What is something you did that changed someone's life?
I helped change my brother and his family’s life when I found them a lovely home to rent when they moved here to the Okanagan. They were unable, because of work, to make the trip to look for themselves and they entrusted me to do the job for them. It was my joy to be able to find them a warm and welcoming home to come to and it brought us all closer together as a family.

What part of your personality is now extinct?
The part that allowed me to drop the ball before a goal was completed. Once upon a time, I was able to start a project and once I became bored etc. I would move on - regardless of whether or not it was complete. I got a handle on that side of myself in my early twenties and I am ever so grateful that I did. Now, when I start something I finish it. Case in point, I have four published novels under my belt and my fifth being completed for 2014.

What is one thing that you find really funny?
Little children. They are so honest and open and genuine, they crack me up.

Tell me one thing you love about yourself.
I think I’m a good mother. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve certainly had my moments of being a blundering mess, but on the whole when I look at my sixteen year old son who is confident, kind, generous and personable, I know I’ve done a good job encouraging him to be who he is and have the assurance that I always have his back.

What TV show, book or movie is most like your life?
I’d say the chatty parts of so many movies. For example, You’ve Got Mail, Before Sunrise, When Harry Met Sally, Serendipity, Music and Lyrics. Those movies, and so many more of their ilk, are so much like my life in their chatter; my husband and son are both communicators by nature, so I am blessed to be surrounded by lots of conversations and laughter.

What is something that not many people know about you?
I do not like high heels. Not only are they wickedly uncomfortable, but I do not happen to think they are attractive. I will always choose a cute, or funky, flat shoe (possibly with a VERY slight wedge heel) every time.

100 Followers contest!

I now have 100 followers! Thanks for being one of them (or becoming one soon). As promised, I'm having a giveaway to celebrate! Enter via Rafflecopter.

I have some fun post ideas for 2014, so I hope you'll continue to stick around!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good luck!

Some special guests have taken over my blog....

Our blog project group has once again changed by one member, but I'm still calling it Blog Project 3.0. The newest member is Darwin Shrugged, a friend of Froggie's. I recently got to know her better through "52 Stories" and I look forward to what she has to say on the upcoming topics.

This week, Froggie chose the topic: Open to interpretation

First, read what everyone else had to share on this topic:
Darwin Shrugged
Froggie
Moma Rock

I don't know if the topic itself is open to interpretation or if it's about being open to the concept of interpretation. I'm going with the former though. Before I continue, I want to share something funny that is related to interpretation. Last week, on Modern Family, Cam and Mitch received a holiday party invitation that said "No gifts, please." Mitch took it to mean that they didn't have to bring presents. Then Cam told him to say it the way the host would. So he said it sarcastically...."No gifts? PLEASE!" Then it dawned on him.... 

Anyway, I've decided to let my sons (ages 8 and 5 1/2) take over this week's post and they're going to tell a story. Can you guess which one wrote each part?

The Magic Fox and the Cool Frog

Once there was a magic fox and a cool frog. They were brothers, but they weren't the same type of animals. 

And the frog did cool tricks like rolls and jumping over long rivers.

There was an evil wizard that cast a spell that made the fox and the frog not like each other. 

Then the frog did a bad trick like kicking the fox because the wizard made them not like each other. And then the fox kicked the frog back.

The frog got angry, so he kicked the fox back again. Since the fox got super angry, he turned the frog into a pile of poop.

Then the frog wiggled in the poop and then it got all over the fox. 

Then the wizard was doing another spell and it was a nice spell in a potion bottle that accidentally fell off the tower and spilled onto the fox. The fox was nice then, so he turned the frog from poop back into a frog. 

And then the frog became nice again and they lived happily ever after. 

52 Stories: Land of the "Lost"

Inspired by One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern, I've decided to ask people some thought provoking questions about themselves, as I feel that everyone has a story to tell. If you're just joining me on this journey today, please check out the previous posts from this series, as well.

I met this week's storyteller through my book blog. (Shocking, huh?!?) She seems really nice and I have enjoyed visiting her blog, as well. We also have quite a few things in common, aside from our love of books.

Name you'd like to go by: Amber
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Location: Oklahoma

What is an experience that is legendary for you? 
I got to go to Hawaii. That was pretty cool. Everything was so pretty and colorful. Also I got to see some spots where Lost was filmed. I love Lost. I was more excited about it than my husband. I would be like, "This is where they hid from the smoke monster!" and he was like, "What? You watch the strangest things.."

What is your guilty pleasure? 
Consuming a lot of chocolate. Although I really don't feel guilty about it. Until my pants don't close anymore and then I have to buy new clothes. Then my husband is all, "Aren't your drawers stuffed with jeans?" and I'm like, "Yes but they no longer close due to all the chocolate.."

What is something you've never done but you would like to do? 
I'd love to have a book published. I have one self-published on Amazon (it's called The Swimmer's Assistant) but I'd love to have a book truly published and get an agent. I'm trying!

If you could give someone one of your favorite things as a gift, what would it be and why? 
Probably chocolate. Because it's delicious. Or a gift card to Target, because Target rocks. I could spend hours in that store. Many of my friends love Target. I have not met anyone who hates Target. Who could hate Target?

What is something you did that changed someone's life? 
I don't think I ever changed anyone's life but I have given away toys and such to people in need. I've also donated money and such so I suppose in a way it changed a life. I wish I could do more like buy someone a car but alas, we aren't related to a Trump so I cannot.

What part of your personality is now extinct? 
I'm not sure. I used to be really shy. I talk more now. I can still be shy but now if I'm upset, I say something. I don't always say yes to all requests. I find I'm getting crankier with age.

What is one thing that you find really funny? 
The movie Happy Gilmore. When celebrities forget to wear underpants. You'd think they'd learn by now.

Tell me one thing you love about yourself (or a gift you'd like to get yourself, where money is not an issue): 
A gift I would LOVE would be a big house. We're in base housing and it's a nice house, but I'd love more space. I'm a bit of a pack rat so space would help.

What TV show, book or movie is most like your life?
The Walking Dead. I'm kidding. Granted, I DO act like a zombie first thing in the morning...but really, I'm like the mom in The Goldbergs. I can't believe my kids are growing up and I worry a lot. Plus, I'm a bargain shopper like she is. I love a deal.

What is something that not many people know about you? 
I can have a foul mouth. I try to contain it in public but at home, certain words slip. Especially if I've discovered that I'm out of Diet Coke.

My latest guilty pleasure...

As you may know, one of my guilty pleasures was taken away from me this past spring....when 90210 had its series finale. And just so you know, I'm not stuck in 1992. I'm talking about the new series with Shenae Grimes, Matt Lanter, and AnnaLynne McCord.

However, I found a new guilty pleasure this fall. This one may not seem like a guilty pleasure, given its fan base. My main guideline for a guilty pleasure is that it's something my husband doesn't like. Hence, The Mindy Project has taken on this role in my life!

I started watching from the beginning of the series and would usually watch two episodes a night. I caught up quickly and then started on season two, catching up to the rest of the viewing audience by episode 10 (Wedding Crushers). If there was a night I wasn't able to watch an episode (during my marathon period), aside from Shabbat, I felt like I was going into withdrawal. How do you think I feel right now, without a new episode to watch this week?!? And it won't be new again until probably after the new year. *Sob*

The Mindy Project, for me, is the love child of Sex and the City and Friends. There's so much indulgent girlishness, while also having an intriguing plot and enticing romantic tension that makes what Rachel and Ross had look like child's play. It's entertaining, hilarious, emotional, hilarious, chick lit for TV, and did I mention...HILARIOUS! Easily my comfort show on the level of Ugly Betty (some aspects of this show also remind me of UB....like the intro/theme song).

SPOILERS AHEAD! If you haven't watched this series yet and have wanted to, turn back now and then join me later to agree and/or disagree.

Meet the players:
Dr. Mindy Lahiri (Mindy Kaling): The main star of the show, obviously! Whether it's Mindy as a character or Mindy as an actress, she's my new go-to actress and I want to meet her one of these days. I just read Mindy Kaling's book and it's equally funny and indulgent. She's just so cool and down-to-earth. As Mindy Lahiri, she reminds me of my sister, so I could easily see us getting along. The clincher was when she played "Light My Candle" from Rent and started dancing to it. Hilarious!

Dr. Danny Castellano (Chris Messina): That smile. Those eyes. The killer dance moves. Be still my beating heart! That's all I really need to say for now. Well, that, and he's McDreamy and McSteamy combined.

Dr. Jeremy Reed (Ed Weeks): While he's charming with that British accent, he took a while to grow on me. I started to like him better after the Thanksgiving episode where he helps Betsy feel better about her family treating her like a kid. Even so, he's almost faded into the background. He's still around, but his role doesn't seem as essential as it used to. He's become more of a comic relief role. I also think he looks like one of our friends and the resemblance is strange for me to process for some reason.

Morgan Tookers (Ike Barinholtz): Insanely funny. Definitely sealed the deal on this being my new favorite show when he arrived on episode two of season one. I liked Ike from MadTV and this role is perfect for him. He plays it so well!

Dr. Peter Prentice (Adam Pally): Like Jeremy, he had to grow on me a bit before I could accept him on the show. I'm enjoying his presence now. The Bro Club episode got me to warm to him more, but I think the Mr. Wedding episode did it for me overall.

Betsy Putch (Zoe Jarman): Another character who had to grow on me and the Thanksgiving episode helped that along. Seeing how her family treated her made me warm to her. I think she was more annoying when Shauna was around since Shauna seemed so cool in comparison. However, Betsy has matured in terms of personality and seems fun to have around. She's sweet overall.

Tamra (Xosha Roquemore): I thought she would only be around temporarily, but now she seems just as essential to the growth of the show as the other characters. She's attractive, but her voice grates on me sometimes. Very nasal sounding. I love how there's some chemistry going on with Morgan, even though she doesn't want to give in to it. And she has a great comedic personality that works well for this show.

Brendan (Mark Duplass): Even though he doesn't work with Mindy, he's on this show enough to be a regular character. I love how he's pretty much a "villain." He definitely fits in well on the show and there was one episode where I found him sexy. Just one though. Side note: Mark Duplass is my age, but I had no idea because he looks older. Maybe he just carries himself that way.

There are also Mindy's girlfriends, who seemed to disappear after season one. Of the three girlfriends they featured, Alex (Kelen Coleman, who grew up not too far from where I live now) was my favorite. She would have been perfect on SATC if she had been the right age for it when it first aired. She would be so much fun to hang out with. She has a lot of city smarts and also seems down-to-earth. If they were to bring any of Mindy's girlfriends back, she's the only one I'd care to see again. I didn't think Gwen was that nice of a friend to Mindy and Mary was just annoying in general. Then there's Beverly (Beth Grant), the ex-nurse turned receptionist. She's mostly there for comic relief, but she doesn't stand out for me as much.

I won't even get into all the guys Mindy has dated at one time or another. I just like that there are a lot of guest stars playing those roles, such as Ed Helms, Seth Rogen, B.J. Novak, etc.

Favorite episodes

Season one:

In the Club: I think this is the episode where my crush on Chris Messina began. If you saw him dance, you'd agree. The episode has a SATC feel overall. I just love how Mindy is talking to the guys in the VIP section about their favorite Tom Hanks movies.

Danny Castellano is My Gynecologist: This first sets the stage for future romantic tension between Mindy and Danny. It's hilarious and done so well.

Mindy's Brother: Cute episode overall. The concept of stress barfing is so funny.

Bunk Bed: This is the episode where Mindy dances to a song from Rent. Definitely seals the deal for me.

Mindy's Minute: I think Danny having to explain female anatomy on TV was one of the funniest things ever!

Frat Party: Really funny with the guys starting a fight at a college party and Mindy running into the ex whose wedding she ruined in the first episode. Bill Hader plays that role perfectly.

Take Me With You: The last scene of this episode left me reeling even more than when Rachel went to meet Ross at the airport and he walked off the plane with Julie. I didn't cry this time around, but I wanted to. The look in Danny's eyes just floored me.

Season two:

The Other Dr L: I love Mindy's determination to get her job back, and she does it so well.

Bro Club for Dudes: This is the episode where Peter started to grow on me and there's a hint that Mindy likes Danny more than she is letting on. I also love that she took Peter to an American Girl type of restaurant to get to know him better.

You've Got Sext: Fake sexting. Chloe Silverado. More Mindy and Danny tension. This episode has it all and does it in such a hilarious way!

Wedding Crushers: Very funny episode. I loved watching Peter become the life of the party at a wedding where he knew no one. I'm also glad Mindy found a way to get closure with Josh.

Christmas Party Sex Trap: Two words: Danny's dance. That's all you need to know to understand why this was probably one of the best episodes overall from the series.

If you're a die-hard TMP fan like me, then you've made it this far. I'd love to hear about your favorite episodes.

My first attempt at fiction in over two years....

Our blog project group has once again changed by one member, but I'm still calling it Blog Project 3.0. The newest member is Darwin Shrugged, a friend of Froggie's. I recently got to know her better through "52 Stories" and I look forward to what she has to say on the upcoming topics.

This week, I chose the topic: Let's exercise our writing muscles. Write a short fiction story about anything you want.c

First, read what everyone else had to share on this topic:
Darwin Shrugged
Froggie
Moma Rock

This week's topic was inspired when I read a short story my friend did in a blog post. That inspired me to look at some of my past fiction pieces and made me want to write something fictional again, as a result. I also shared a story I wrote in high school with my older son, as it was age appropriate for him. He brought up that I mentioned a lot of pop culture references. I guess I couldn't escape that side of me, even back then. Today's story is no different...

Forever Dawson

Chloe was all set to watch another marathon of her favorite TV show of all time, Dawson's Creek. She had her bowl of spaghetti, a glass of Diet Coke, and her DVD remote control sitting on the tray table set up in front of her couch. This was her Sunday night ritual before having to start another grueling work week. Before she even had the first strands of spaghetti twirled around her fork, the familiar music came on.
"I don't want to wait for our lives to be over..."
However, her DVD hadn't even queued up yet. Of course, it was the ring tone on her phone. Given that she didn't get calls that often, she almost forgot she set it up that way.
"Hello," she said rather impatiently, as she was itching to get started with her marathon.
"Clo, are you sitting down for this?!?" Her best friend, Amelia, sounded like she had just run a different kind of marathon.
"I am now," she said, making her way to the edge of the couch.
"You'll never guess who's coming to Fairleigh next week! Oh, I'll just tell you. James Van Der Beek!"
Chloe nearly dropped the phone from the surprise and excitement. Dawson. Her Dawson would be in a mall 15 minutes from her house!
"Clo? You still there?"
"Yes. What's the story here?"
"Well, you know that book he wrote about his life? Straight from the Beek?"
"Yeah. Go on."
"He's signing copies at the Barnes and Noble! He might even be speaking first. Can you believe it? You finally get to meet Dawson!"
Chloe's head was spinning from the excitement and she couldn't think straight. She tried to get herself together so she could get off the phone and drool over him while she still had a few hours left to watch TV before going to bed.
"So, when is this happening?" Please say it's not when I have to be at work, Chloe thought. Then again, she'd fake illness and even risk her job to meet Dawson!
"Saturday at four o'clock. Wanna drive over together?"
"Oh, totally!"
"Great. I'll catch up with you this week. Later."
Chloe pressed the end button before Amelia could say more. She couldn't concentrate to eat or watch her marathon at this point. Letting her dinner go cold, she went to her closet to find an outfit that would make Dawson forget about both Joey and Jen.
***
Saturday couldn't come soon enough. While Chloe was stocking shelves, making copies, filing papers and doing the other mundane office chores she was given, she kept thinking of what she would say to Dawson when she got to meet him. Should she just tell him how she was his biggest fan or would that sound too dorky? Should she flirt a little and see if he flirted back? Maybe she would let him speak first and be all coy with him in response. Maybe Amelia could help lead her into a conversation, like a wing-woman. Then Dawson would learn how amazing Chloe was and would ask her on a date right in the middle of signing her book. They'd go out for dinner and dancing and then he'd kiss her chastely in front of her apartment building before she went back inside. He'd ask for her number and she'd enter it into his phone. He'd call her every night to talk about what they did during the day.
"CHLOE JENSEN!" Her thoughts were interrupted by Helen, her supervisor. "Stop staring off and get those papers filed already! You are needed in the supply room to do inventory at three and it's 2:45 already.
Flustered, Chloe dropped all the papers she was holding, scattering them all over the floor.
"Dammit, Chloe. What are we going to do with you? You better get your act together. Do you know how many girls would kill to have your job?"
Yeah, kill. Themselves, that is!
"Are you going to stand there and do nothing?!? Pick up those papers. You'll have to file them later. Annie needs you to help her with inventory before she sends out a shipment tonight. Hope you can stay later to finish your filing because it still needs to be done by the time you leave today, whenever that is."
Chloe trudged to the supply room, buoyed only by the fact that Saturday was two days away and then Dawson could take her away from this joke of a job.
***
Finally, it was what Chloe hoped to be the best day of her life. She chose an outfit that gave way to a subtle sexiness. It was a combo of Joey and Jen and it made her feel even more confident. She even splurged on a blowout and a mani-pedi. Amelia ended up having to do some errands that day, so they just met up at the mall. They decided to head over earlier, anticipating a large crowd. They weren't wrong about the crowd, but the line was already stretching to the other end of the mall, by JC Penney and the children's play area. People must have camped out there. Chloe practically had to shout to be heard over the screaming toddlers running around and climbing everywhere. She tapped her foot impatiently, hoping that would make the line move faster. Besides, how could Dawson even look at any of these other girls when she was clearly the one he should be with.
"Would you stop that already?" Amelia gently placed her foot over Chloe's, slowing the tapping.
"Oh, sorry."
"Anyway, I was saying, want me to run over to the food court and get some burgers from McDonald's?"
"No thanks. I don't want to smell like a Big Mac when I meet Dawson."
"Suit yourself. I'm going over anyway. Not like the line will go anywhere before I get back. Want some fries?"
"Can you just get me a Diet Coke? Actually, then I'll have to go to the bathroom and I don't want to somehow miss my chance to meet Dawson."
"Alrighty then. Be back in a few."
While Chloe was waiting for Amelia to keep her company again, she pulled out her iPhone and checked her e-mail. It was the usual junk mail from dating sites, asking her to join for a reduced rate of $12 a month. Like that was going to happen on her ridiculously small earnings. She hit the delete button several times and then closed it out and went to Facebook instead. The latest postings from the James Van Der Beek fan page showed several pictures that his fans were tweeting from today's signing. They were taking too long to load though, so she went back to her news feed to check out what some of her other friends, if she could even call them that, were posting. Most of her so-called "friends" on Facebook were women she met on fan pages for Dawson's Creek. The rest of her news feed material came from the fan pages themselves. She also saw a post about an acquaintance whom she knew from Amelia, tagging Amelia to congratulate her on something. There wasn't any more information to go on, since she wasn't Facebook friends with this girl and couldn't see any of the comments as a result.
At that moment, Amelia came back. "I got you an ice cream cone. Thought it would be the safest bet."
"Thanks." She pocketed her phone and took the cone, being careful not to get it anywhere close to her clothes. "So....what is Katie congratulating you about?"
Amelia blushed. "Oh, nothing important."
"You know you can tell me what's going on in your life. We are friends, right?"
"It's really not a big deal and I'd prefer not to talk about it right now. Let's just focus on meeting Dawson."
Miffed, Chloe decided not to give up so easily. "Seriously, Aims. I'm going to find out one way or another. Just spill. I'll be excited for you no matter what."
"Remember that test I had to study for a few weeks ago? Well, I passed. That's all."
"Okaaaaaay. Why do you need to be congratulated over taking a test?"
"If you must know, I passed the Bar. I am going to be a lawyer."
"Wow. Congrats, Aims! That's awesome!"
"You're not upset?"
"Why would I be upset? I have no interest in becoming a lawyer or the amount of work it takes to even get into law school."
"That's good then. Katie told me not to say anything to you because she thought you might be jealous."
"Well, is Katie in line to meet Dawson?"
"It's James. Not Dawson. James."
"Whatever. Katie can stuff it. She can't even make the effort to friend me on Facebook, so why should I care what she thinks? Anyway, the line is moving forward. We're halfway there!"
Amelia's phone started ringing at that time. "Clo, I'll be right back. I have to take this."
"Okay. Don't be long. I have a feeling the line will be moving along even faster soon." Chloe's heart started hammering against her chest as she eagerly waited her turn to finally meet Dawson.
"I'm back. We moved two steps forward, huh?"
"Who was that?"
"My sister. She's coming in from San Francisco for Thanksgiving this year and wanted to make sure I had the space for her to stay over."
"Cool. What's she up to these days?"
"Just working and volunteering a lot."
"That's good."
The line started moving forward again. There was even a clock with the wait time posted like at an amusement park. Only 20 minutes to go. Chloe took out her mirror and studied her reflection, making sure she didn't have ice cream all over her mouth.
Several women walked past her in the opposite direction, but she could hear their conversation.
"James is so hot! He was looking right at me when he signed my book! Maybe I should go back there later..."
"Gina, he looks at all the girls that way."
The last remark made Chloe's heart thud. She covered her chest because she worried people could hear it beating. There was no way Dawson looked at every girl in the eyes while signing their books. Even if that happened, he'd take one look into her eyes and none of the other girls would matter.
While the line felt like it was still dragging along, Chloe pulled out the latest Sophie Kinsella novel from her bag to keep her mind occupied. Maybe that would help make the 20 minutes fly by. Sophie always made her laugh and took her away from her awful job and her lack of real friends. Even Amelia, who was nice enough to join her today, could bore her to tears with talk about her law internships and she sometimes even acted like Chloe didn't have her act together. Given that she barely spent time with her family, she could see herself moving to another city and starting over. She could find a better job that focused on her event planning skills instead of doing grunt work at an office, where she had no clue what the company even did to begin with.
Before she knew it, they were inside Barnes and Noble, making their way over to the table where Dawson sat with a sign over his head saying "Meet James Van Der Beek, actor and author of Straight from the Beek."
"Would you like your book personalized?" A girl working at the head of the line interrupted her thoughts.
"I haven't bought the book yet. I was hoping to get it when I went to the table."
"You can buy it first and then he'll sign it."
"Go on. I'll wait for you." Amelia nudged her toward the checkout counter. There were still 10 people in line ahead of them anyway.
As she moved out of the line to purchase the book, she caught a glimpse of Dawson at the table and nearly knocked over a carousel of bookmarks as she recoiled in horror.
"Clo? What's the deal?"
"That's not him, Aims! It's an impostor. Dawson is 19. This guy? At the table? Is an impostor!"
Amelia smirked. "Sweetie, that's James. Van. Der. Beek. You watch the Creek every week. Don't you recognize the Beek?"
Chloe whipped out her phone and showed Amelia the wallpaper with Dawson's picture. "This is Dawson. The guy at the table is not! That's all I know."
"There's no way I am leaving now. We've been at the mall for two HOURS waiting to meet your biggest crush and now you're saying that you don't believe it is him because he's, like, 30 now? Get real!"
"I can't believe you'd tell me to come here to meet him. Was this some sort of trick to get me out of the apartment for a day because I don't leave it other than to go to work? Nice job there! Mission accomplished. You can stick around and talk to Dawson. Sorry....I mean, JAMES. I'm going home now."
With that, Chloe stormed off, leaving Amelia standing there in shock and dismay. She was going to go home and tear down all her Dawson posters and put her DVDs on E-bay. Then she would start watching Party of Five DVDs from Netflix and cozy up to warm thoughts of Bailey, who could never, in a million years, become old. He wouldn't let her down. Of that, she was certain.

If you liked this, check out some of my other fictional pieces:

Post Prom
Where is Bruce Willis When You Need Him?
Mr. Bailey
The Name Game

I also did a set of interconnected stories:
1 Telepathic parrot story that started it all
2 Fearing 40
3 Ten Cent Saloon
4 Blast from the Past
5 Liquid Courage
6 Harden My Heart
7 A Painful Reminder

52 Stories: Katydid

Inspired by One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern, I've decided to ask people some thought provoking questions about themselves, as I feel that everyone has a story to tell. If you're just joining me on this journey today, please check out the previous posts from this series, as well.

I met this storyteller in the mid-90s, through a chat room on IRC. Here's more about our friendship. I'm so thankful that we reconnected on Facebook after losing touch for quite a few years. She's incredibly sweet and we have so many common interests (Glee for starters...). I know I can always count on her for the latest pop culture news.

Side note: I officially have 52 stories! However, if you wanted to participate, you're still welcome to and I will post your stories in the new year.

Name you'd like to go by: Kathryn, although I get called just about every short form of this
Age: 36 (I've been told I look 10 years younger though... ah, the blessing of good genes)
Gender: Female
Location: Ontario, Canada

What is an experience that is legendary for you? 
 Legendary is not the word I would use; more appropriate would be life changing and unforgettable. In August 2012, my mom was diagnosed with AML (acute myeloid leukemia). For the next nearly five months, our family went through a roller coaster of emotions. Although we thought mom was going to beat the disease after her first round of treatment, unfortunately the leukemia proved to be more resilient than her and she passed away in January 2013. Throughout that time, my mom displayed such incredible strength and an unfailing desire to protect her family from pain. When you lose someone so important in your life, it's beyond difficult to understand the "why" of it. However, because of this experience, I've found myself in the position to help a very close friend with the loss of her mom from leukemia this year. I also became involved in the local Relay for Life (an all night walk and fundraising event to support the Canadian Cancer Society) and captained my own team. Being a part of an event like Relay is humbling and makes you feel a part of something so much bigger than yourself.

What is your guilty pleasure?
Oh, there are too many... I have an entire playlist on my iPod called guilty pleasures ("Mmmbop" and Joey Lawrence are among the songs). I buy US Weekly on a regular basis and I post things from Perez Hilton daily (pop culture nut). I used to watch The Hills and The City. I love Lindt chocolate. Hello Kitty and Happy Bunny. Boy bands.

What is something you've never done but you would like to do? 
 I definitely want to travel to Scotland and Germany/Switzerland. This covers both sides of my family. Although, I highly suspect that if I went to Scotland, I wouldn't want to come home. Men in kilts *and* those accents?? *swoon*

If you could give someone one of your favorite things as a gift, what would it be and why? 
 Books and chocolate (I know this is two things but really, they go hand-in-hand). More importantly though, my love of reading and learning is something I would give to as many people as possible, because it encourages the use of imagination and expands the mind.

What is something you did that changed someone's life? 
Last December I made the decision to sponsor a little girl who lives in Bolivia through World Vision. I hope that I am changing her life for the better.

What part of your personality is now extinct? 
When I was younger, writing stories was a way to escape and allowed me to create a world where my life could be any way I wanted it to be. As I got older, I learned to accept that my life may not be perfect, but everything happens for a reason.

What is one thing that you find really funny? 
The Big Bang Theory is such a hilarious show. I also get in weird moods sometimes where something strikes me as so funny that I laugh way too hard. My brother's knee reflex makes me laugh so much. Years ago there was this commercial for air freshener and the doll exclaimed "Eww, eww, eww!!" For some reason, I howled every time I saw it. It still makes me giggle when I think about it.

Tell me one thing you love about yourself (or a gift you'd like to get yourself, where money is not an issue): 
I love that I do not give up easily. Some call it stubbornness. My mom used to call it determination. I also like that I am open-minded and compassionate.

What TV show, book or movie is most like your life? 
Hmmm.... this is a difficult one to answer. While I can relate to characters and certain situations, there is not one show/book/movie where I have thought "This is so my life!" One of my all-time favourite characters is Benny from Circle of Friends because there is so much of me in her.

What is something that not many people know about you? 
 I used to want to be an author and wrote a book when I was 12/13 that started out as a short story for a creative writing assignment. Also some things that shock people to know about me:
1) I love True Blood
2) I have a "rock out" playlist that has Marilyn Manson, Ramstein and Limp Bizkit on it
3) I enjoy playing World of Warcraft
4) I take belly dance and Bollywood classes
5) I've never been drunk
6) I have a piercing in my left upper ear.

If/Then...Spoiler FREE review

Signed by Anthony Rapp

A few weeks ago, I saw the musical If/Then, which is previewing in a few cities before heading to Broadway. The main star is Idina Menzel, which means it definitely will be seen on Broadway no matter how the previews go. (Trust me, I saw a preview of this one musical that didn't even make it to Broadway and the title of the show even had the word "Broadway" in it.) Even so, I don't think the creators have anything to worry about, as it is a well-written and creative story, that would normally be hard to pull off in a theater with a live audience watching. It also has great music and I look forward to the soundtrack being released soon.

The story is about Elizabeth, a woman who moves back to NYC after her divorce, looking to start over again in her career and possibly in her love life. However, her life veers off in two different directions, based on a choice she does or doesn't make. This is inspired by her wondering "what if"....what if she didn't stop in the park that one day to listen to a guy play guitar? How would that affect the course of her life? As we see the two outcomes unfold, we also see two sides of Elizabeth: Beth, who is concerned about getting her career back on track, no matter who gets hurt, and Liz, who is a bit reluctant to take another chance on love, but does it anyway, which leads to more paths that may or may not be taken, as a result. In both lives, we also see what happens with her best friends, Kate and Lucas. Kate's life doesn't seem to be affected by Elizabeth's choice in either direction. However, one of her choices affects Lucas differently than the other.

I can promise you that I did not spoil anything, as there's more to these stories than the little background I just provided. I just don't want you sitting there all confused until intermission, like the people in front of me happened to be. For a little while into the show, it was unclear as to what was really happening. Like two of the same scenes were taking place, with two different outcomes. And sometimes everyone from both sides of the story would come together to meet Elizabeth in the middle....those knowing her as Liz and those knowing her as Beth.

I'd like to first comment on the music because that's the easy part. The songs were great and I really enjoyed listening to them. I still get the first song, "If," in my head and it's hard not to burst out singing it! (Imagine how intolerable I'll be once I get the soundtrack...) I loved the ones Kate sang: "It's a Sign" and "Jane." (I'm guessing song titles here because we weren't given a list in the playbill. Shocking, right?!?) The songs all ranged from quirky to funny to emotionally intense. There were few Broadway showstoppers in there, and Anthony Rapp even got a big solo number.

The set is really cool. Some of it is face value with actual props and decorations and some of it is more abstract, implying that it's part of the scene. There's a large mirror that reflects everything from behind. Some of the action takes place on a second level, as well. The costumes are modern and stylish. Nothing stands out too much, but Kate gets to wear some fun clothes.

The story is very thought provoking, as you're left to wonder "What if I didn't make this one decision in my life? Where would I be right now as a result?" If/Then explores these possibilities in a surreal fashion, while also keeping with the times....the pressures, expectations and fears of living in the 21st century. While I don't know that Beth's career choice was what I would have chosen to feature in a musical. I'm thinking of it as live chick lit here....would I really want my character as an urban planner when she could do something glitzier and have it stand out a bit more? Maybe I just don't get the high pressures of urban planning, but some things were just plain confusing in that regard. However, maybe that's the realistic angle the writers were going for. Why wouldn't Beth want to be an urban planner if that's what truly interests her? There are a couple of gay and lesbian aspects of the story, which also fits in with modern times. I don't know that it would have worked if this story were written 50 years ago. Given the fact that Idina and Anthony were in the original Broadway cast of Rent, I wouldn't expect them to be in another musical together without at least one gay or lesbian story woven in. It brought me back to my days of seeing Rent obsessively, which is a nice memory to have. While some people were crying from this show, I didn't feel an emotional connection. Yes, some aspects were sad, but I didn't find myself sobbing like I've done for other musicals.

As for casting, I'll break it down by the four main actors/actresses.

Idina Menzel (Elizabeth):
You probably know how much I've loved Idina ever since I heard her on the Rent soundtrack. (If you didn't, well now you do!) For this show, I just felt that if people were there to see Idina look beautiful and sing her heart out (like in a concert), they got their money's worth. If they were there to see her act, they're in for another story. I'm not saying that she can't act, but more that this role wasn't the best vehicle for her talent. Maybe I'm just used to Idina in loud, dramatic roles such as Maureen and Elphaba (and even Elsa from Frozen). Anytime I've seen her in anything other than that, she's just Idina and doesn't really seem to connect with the role she's given. (Even when she's Shelby on Glee, I feel like she's just there to sing and that her role could be played by anyone else otherwise.) Maybe because she was playing one character leading two different lives, it was harder to make a connection to either life she was portraying. I just felt like the role was too subdued for her and that she was there more to bring in audiences than to get into her character's head.

LaChanze (Kate):
I had seen LaChanze perform before....back in 1998, when I saw Ragtime. I remember that she managed to bring me to tears. This time around, she has the most dynamic stage personality and is really funny. She starts off by saying she's a kindergarten teacher. Then she says something along the lines of: "I'm a f--king great kindergarten teacher." You can just tell that she buys into her role and makes it what it is. Aside from that, she has a great singing voice and is all-around fun to watch.  She really enhances the show. This is also the role for which Idina would have been perfect. I could have seen her owning it and having a lot of fun along the way, as well.

Anthony Rapp (Lucas):
He hasn't lost his theater touch. He still has a boyish charm on stage and sounds great when he sings. I had a hard time reconciling the beard on him and it just didn't enhance his appearance. It made him look like Mitch on Modern Family more than anything else.

James Snyder (Josh):
While he's attractive and has a great singing voice, that's really all he has going for him in this show. If I didn't have the Playbill in front of me, I would have forgotten his name altogether (both the actor and the character). He looks like Joey McIntyre in some ways and I kept having to check the Playbill to make sure he really wasn't Joey. He's the kind of actor who'd be perfect playing Chris in Miss Saigon or Marius in Les Miz. (And not because of the military tie-in.) He just came off as someone who was easy on the eyes and ears, but didn't add much other substance to the show.

Overall, it was entertaining and I'm glad I got a chance to see Idina perform live on stage. It will be interesting to find out if any changes have been made for when this goes on Broadway. Keep in mind that this was a preview and that things could change based on what works and doesn't work. (I have seen Smash after all, and Bombshell wasn't the same as it was when the show started. Then again, neither was Hit List, but those changes were a huge mistake.) The thoughts I'm offering here aren't intended to go to the show's directors, producers, actors, etc. I'm just intending them for people like me, who want to enjoy a Broadway show and want to hear what the experience of this show was like before they decide to invest the money. Or perhaps they have seen this show already and would like to offer their thoughts too.

One and the same

Our blog project group has once again changed by one member, but I'm still calling it Blog Project 3.0. The newest member is Darwin Shrugged, a friend of Froggie's. I recently got to know her better through "52 Stories" and I look forward to what she has to say on the upcoming topics.

This week, Moma Rock chose the topic: What is your favorite day of the week, and your least favorite day of the week?

First, read what everyone else had to share on this topic:
Darwin Shrugged
Froggie
Moma Rock

I had to give this question a lot of thought. I know it's easy enough to say Monday is my least favorite day, but knowing that How I Met Your Mother is there to greet me at the end of it makes my case of the Mondays slightly more bearable. Tuesday is commercial free country music and The Mindy Project. Wednesday is Modern Family. Thursday is Glee (for now). Friday is a short day at work and then Shabbat. Which brings me to Saturday...

Saturday fits this question in both ways. It all depends on the time of year. When it's daylight savings time and we fall back, I love Saturday. Shabbat is a short day. By the time lunch is over, there are only a few hours left until Havdalah and then the start of a new week. We get our nights back and can go on dates, have family movie nights, hang out with friends, etc. Sometimes we like to just have our own quiet movie night or TV show marathon. However, we can start it at a reasonable time.

Don't get me wrong...I still love Shabbat. However, during spring and summer, Shabbat takes up most of the day. Sometimes it doesn't end until closer to NINE P.M. After that, it's hard to make any plans to go out and do something fun. Most shows would have started by then. The kids want to stay up late anyway and by the time they're in bed, it's even later.

In the past, I've tried to make the long days of Shabbat fun by hosting gatherings. After a few years of doing this and ending up with a lot of mess and riled up kids all over the place, I've scaled back to small get-togethers with close friends. Usually, the guys (including my sons) end up playing Magic: The Gathering. That leaves the women to chase after the babies and toddlers because the men are so engrossed in their games. We get interrupted almost every two minutes when we're trying to chat with each other.

When it's nice out, we try to go to the park, but the parks out by us are long walks from our house. If it's too hot out, we don't bother at all. Given that the kids don't nap on Shabbat anymore, we have to take turns with our own naps. (A Shabbat nap is too hard to pass up...of course it makes us less likely to go to bed later at night.) Of course, by later in the day, they're wound up, cranky and bored. You'd think with all the toys they have, this wouldn't be a problem.

As for being "unplugged" during Shabbat, I actually don't mind it. It's nice to have a day where I don't have to answer phone calls, e-mails, text messages, etc. I get a lot of reading done, as a result. And if I want to connect with people, I go to shul or I take walks to their house. If I arrange a play date for the kids, they're happy to play with their friends.

This past spring, we became friends with a family that lives nearby. We've hung out with them on most Shabbats and we always enjoy their company. Their kids get along well with our kids too. We have some other friends we try to spend time with on Shabbat every so often. The one downside of short Shabbat afternoons is less socializing time before getting back into routine. If you're not having a meal with friends, there's not much time available to spend with them after lunch.

As you can see, Saturday plays two different roles in my life....the endless days of Shabbat in the summer and the blissful stretches of evening time in the winter. If you have ideas of ways to keep kids entertained on Shabbat in the instances when we're stuck indoors, I'd love to hear them.

52 Stories: Seize the Day

Inspired by One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern, I've decided to ask people some thought provoking questions about themselves, as I feel that everyone has a story to tell. If you're just joining me on this journey today, please check out the previous posts from this series, as well.

I met this week's storyteller after she wrote a comment on one of my book reviews. I found out that she's also an author with a book being published early next year. Of course, I invited her to do an interview at my book blog. I also knew that I would enjoy getting to know more about her through 52 Stories. Of course, I now have the Newsies soundtrack playing in my head as a result.

Name you'd like to go by: Laura Kenyon
Age: 30
Gender: Female
Location: New York area

What is an experience that is legendary for you? 
That's a toss-up between taking a door-less helicopter ride over Kauai or Jeeping through Canyonlands in Utah. Both experiences were with my husband, both were absolutely amazing, and both came with brief moments in which I was pretty sure we were going to die.

What is your guilty pleasure? 
I was not at all into Twilight, but The Vampire Diaries is a quasi-obsession of mine. I'm not sure if there's an age limit for watching the CW, but if Ian Somerhalder is still playing Damon Salvatore in 20 years, I'll still be watching.

What is something you've never done but you would like to do? 
Backpack through Europe, though I probably missed that boat a good six years ago. When I started college in September of 2001, I had notebooks full of plans to do it the following summer... but the world changed pretty quickly around that time (or at least my sheltered perception of it did), and it just never panned out.

If you could give someone one of your favorite things as a gift, what would it be and why?
My Newsies DVD. I was absolutely obsessed with that movie as a kid (who am I kidding? I'm still obsessed with it) and used to ask every new person I met if they'd seen it. If they loved it too, we were automatically meant to be best friends (ha). Now you can probably buy it online in two seconds, but when I first found it in stores years ago, it was monumental.

What is something you did that changed someone's life? 
I do my best to help people, and I can think of many times I've impacted people's lives, but trying to look back and judge my noblest moments just seems too boastful for me. So I'll just say marrying my husband. I think that changed his life a little bit ;)

What part of your personality is now extinct? 
The part that obsesses over what other people think, particularly regarding body image and fashion. I eat well and exercise because I want to, I couldn't care less about overpriced designers, and I'm proud to say I shop at Kohls.

What is one thing that you find really funny? 
Around Christmas, I put out this Santa Claus doll that swings his butt around and sings the song from "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." This on its own isn't particularly funny. But as my dog hears it, you'd think Santa was a home invader. Hair spiked up. Guttural growl. Booming bark. Shadow's a nearly 100-pound Labrador who can scale a cliff-face without thinking twice. But bring out Santa and it's ON!

Tell me one thing you love about yourself (or a gift you'd like to get yourself, where money is not an issue): 
I hated it growing up, but I love my red hair. Yes, it turns out the adults were right.

What TV show, book or movie is most like your life? 
Ha. Well, touring around Ireland with my husband, parents, and two of my brothers this past spring in a giant van... changing a tire on the side of the road, learning to drive on the left, meeting extended family, and just creating a whole smorgasbord of hilarious memories... I'd have to say any of the National Lampoon's Vacation movies. I have a big family, and although it's crazy at times, I wouldn't want it any other way.

What is something that not many people know about you? 
When I first started college, I seriously contemplated majoring in drama because I'd sung in musicals during high school. Thank God my parents talked me out of that one!

30 days of Gratitude

Some people did this on Facebook, but I decided to do it for my blog instead.

I am grateful for:

Nov 1: Hashem, for making all of this possible.
Nov 2: My husband
Nov 3: My kids
Nov 4: My parents and sister
Nov 5: My friends....both near and far
Nov 6: The fact that my kids got to meet some of their great-grandparents
Nov 7: Having a stable job, no matter how crazy it gets sometimes. I love where I work and what we do for the Jewish community.
Nov 8: The Mindy Project...for being the show to make me laugh the hardest this year.
Nov 9: That even though it's a mad rush to get ready for Shabbat, we get our Saturday nights back for a few months.
Nov 10: That one of my good friends lives close enough that we can meet up from time to time...just hoping it will be more often than not next year!
Nov 11: Every person who has served our Nation in the Armed Forces
Nov 12: My local book club
Nov 13: That my book blog is thriving
Nov 14: That my daughter is obsessed with The Little Mermaid because there could be worse things to be obsessed with (thinking back to my older son's "Wiggles" phase).
Nov 15: All the little things I take for granted.
Nov 16: Friends to visit with on Shabbat
Nov 17: Getting to see a cool new musical before it goes to Broadway.
Nov 18: Being in the right place at the right time, which allowed me to connect with a friend I had only seen around on Facebook up until this year. Now we try to meet for lunch once a month and I enjoy chatting with her!
Nov 19: That I live in a state with a country music station. Not sure how I went without it for two years!
Nov 20: My mother-in-law, for bringing an amazing man into the world...she's the one who raised him to be that way, after all!
Nov 21: Finishing an incredible novel that I only had to wait five years to read!
Nov 22: That we live in such an amazing community. After over four years, I still love living here!
Nov 23: Having a night to myself. I enjoy spending time with my husband after Shabbat, but it's also nice to watch a Nicholas Sparks movie and some Mindy Project episodes without being teased. ;)
Nov 24: Cochlear implants, which are still truly a miracle. They're the reason my daughter was singing "Part of Your World" in the middle of Target.
Nov 25: That I'm feeling better from my cold.
Nov 26: An invigorating and thought provoking seminar at work about gratitude!
Nov 27: That I don't work in retail
Nov 28: That Thanksgiving and Hanukkah will not be together like this again in my lifetime, so experiencing it is quite legen...wait for it...dary.
Nov 29: My mother, who celebrates her birthday today. (I know I mentioned parents earlier, but I also appreciate the relationship my mom and I have. We had a great time bonding during her visit last month and we have a lot of common interests.)
Nov 30: My BFF, who celebrates her birthday today. I wrote this post for her birthday last year.

You should be watching the Macy's parade....

Our blog project group has once again changed by one member, but I'm still calling it Blog Project 3.0. The newest member is Darwin Shrugged, a friend of Froggie's. I recently got to know her better through "52 Stories" and I look forward to what she has to say on the upcoming topics.

This week, Darwin Shrugged chose the topic: Give your opinion on Black Friday starting on Thanksgiving

First, read what everyone else had to share on this topic:
Darwin Shrugged
Froggie
Moma Rock

I wrote about Black Friday last year, but this topic is a bit different.

One thing to be thankful for today is that I don't work in retail. I have today and tomorrow off, and I don't even have to spend my free time at the mall. (Haha...as if...you know how I am spoiled against retail prices!)

I thought the whole concept of Black Friday is that it is on FRIDAY....the day AFTER Thanksgiving. It's a whole day to shop-til'-you-drop! (Unless you observe Shabbat and then you only have half the day, but if you got up at 5 a.m., it's not a big deal.) Not sure when Thanksgiving became about retail and people getting gifts for their loved ones and other treats for themselves a day early, but this nonsense has to stop! It's not like the merchandise is going to disappear if consumers have to wait a day. Stores making their employees miss a day off to spend with family (or just relax after a busy month) is just cruelty. I understand grocery stores being open part of the day for people to get last minute cooking ingredients (because you may be missing the cranberries after all), but it's more for necessity than for retailers to make more money. Like they're not open every other day of the year for people to shop anyway? Is being closed on a NATIONAL HOLIDAY really going to kill their revenue flow? And if you REALLY need to shop on Thanksgiving, why not do it online, from the comfort of your own couch? You won't have to fight the crowds, you can stay in PJs and watch the Macy's parade. And the stores will even ship the items to where you want them to go. Best of all, you'll be allowing retail workers to actually enjoy Thanksgiving.

Have a nice Thanksgiving...but may it only be from the comfort of your couch. If you are a retail worker stuck at the store today, know that your efforts are not going unnoticed and hopefully people will be boycotting stores enough that day so that you never have to go through this annoyance again!

*I just read an article about a Pizza Hut manager who lost his job for refusing to make his employees work on Thanksgiving. I love how he phrased his resignation and I hope he finds a better job soon. Bravo to him for taking a stand against greediness.

*Finally, a retailer who is doing the right thing!

*Sign a pledge to not shop on Thanksgiving.

*I found this posted on Facebook. Someone added a funny, tongue-in-cheek caption to it.

52 Stories: A "Rose" by any other name

Inspired by One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern, I've decided to ask people some thought provoking questions about themselves, as I feel that everyone has a story to tell. If you're just joining me on this journey today, please check out the previous posts from this series, as well.

I first met this storyteller in 2010, when I won a book from her blog, Novel Escapes. (It was a Marian Keyes book, no less.) Who would have thought that a few months later, I'd start my own book blog? And when I did, she was very encouraging and supportive. Then we sort of lost track of each other. I'd see her around on Facebook though. When she announced that she had her own novel being published, we reconnected. I enjoyed reading it and also got to feature her at the blog. Of course, I did a standard interview (with a fun twist) at that time. With 52 Stories, I've had the chance to get to know her even better. Hope you will enjoy getting to know her too!

Side note: I am TWO stories away from my goal! Any more I get beyond those will be posted early in the new year, as I want to show that I still appreciate the effort. However, I won't be doing this again next year unless 52 people voluntarily send me stories without me having to ask. Wishful thinking, right?

Name you'd like to go by: Lydia Laceby
Age: 39
Gender: Female
Location: Toronto, Canada

What is an experience that is legendary for you?
Although the event happened so recently, it has to be BookBuzz Toronto and the day after which I spent with a group of incredible authors and one beautiful blogger who braved our writing talk. I’ve never hung out with other writers before and can’t believe how much we didn’t shut up! We couldn’t even stop talking enough to decide what sights to show the out-of-towners, and in the end we didn’t even show them ANYTHING! Except the World’s Biggest Bookstore, of course. I might have even enjoyed our hours of chit chat more than BookBuzz. Shhhh.

What is your guilty pleasure?
Although I don’t do this (much) anymore, I love melting chocolate chips and dipping a spoonful of peanut butter in the chocolatey goodness. Mmmmm. Would you please excuse me for a moment?

What is something you've never done but you would like to do?
I’d like to travel somewhere solo, the more intricate and exotic the better. I’ve never traveled by myself, and although I’d probably be a little freaked out I think the experience would be incredible for a shy, introverted girl like me.

If you could give someone one of your favorite things as a gift, what would it be and why?
This has to be books. I love being a book matchmaker and finding the right book for the right person.

What is something you did that changed someone's life?
Although I may get struck down for being cliché, my debut novel, Redesigning Rose, has struck a chord with early readers. I’ve had the most wonderful feedback from those inspired to pick up a shovel to start a garden, to some recently separated women determined to make something of their torn-apart lives, to another who had come up with an idea and, after reading, really wants to make it a reality. I am honored to have been able to encourage and inspire others and as an author, there really is no better feedback.

What part of your personality is now extinct?
Giving everything for someone, to someone – usually a man – at my own expense. She’s LONG gone now.

What is one thing that you find really funny?
I’m not one to indulge, but some reason I find stoner humour hilarious. I could literally roll on the floor in tears from laughing. The episode of The Big Bang Theory where they’re camping and are offered spiked brownies is my favourite episode ever!

Tell me one thing you love about yourself.
I love that I never tire of learning. I’m always wanting to grow as a person and absorb anything I can from random facts to historical information. If I didn’t have to work I’d spend my days taking classes on subjects that interest me and writing novels. Ah, the dream.

What TV show, book or movie is most like your life?
Right now, as I write this? Doomsday Preppers. My husband just came home from Costco.

*What is something that not many people know about you?
I suffer from Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I haven’t been public about it and only those close to me know this.
I have struggled with both of these often intertwined illnesses for over fifteen years, the last three of which have been turnaround years. I’m on an upswing, but I’m still petrified every day that it will come back, that I’ll be in daily pain and sleeping for hours on end. Whenever I do too much – which is all the time lately – and become extra tired, debilitating fear creeps in. I wonder if I will always be burdened with this worry. But on the positive side, this fear makes me stop and take a few moments to re-evaluate, to prioritize and regroup. Sometimes all I need is a few moments of quiet, to take some time to myself, to take a day off and rest. Sometimes it really is just a matter of stopping to smell the roses, to be grateful and thankful. And not a day goes by that I’m not.
I haven’t shared this information for many reasons. It’s not that I don’t want to discuss it, or raise awareness, or cheer on those that have it. And it’s not just that I’m very private, which I am. The main reason is that I made a decision years ago that I didn’t want to let the illness define me. I wanted to focus on the positive, on the good days I have. So I try not to think about it or focus on it or even talk about it too much. And yes, this is all much easier now that I don’t struggle with the daily pain - I’m still working on the fatigue. I can often be heard saying how tired I am. I’m still working on that. I’m still a work in progress. And I’m okay with that. As long as I’m moving forward in the right direction, in the most positive and encouraging direction for me.