Best of 2023

Courtesy of The Central Digest

I realize I didn't blog here a lot this year, and when I did, it was about pop culture. I also realize my last post was in September. I've been mostly sharing about stuff on Facebook and Instagram these days. I haven't even posted about my trip to NYC this past summer. It's been that kind of year, I suppose...

New TV shows that I enjoyed in 2023 (in no particular order):

Bad Sisters

Nine Perfect Strangers: It followed the book pretty well overall and I liked the White Lotus feel.

Shrinking: Well done show with all the feels. Harrison Ford deserves an Emmy for his role.

Acapulco

Why Women Kill

XO, Kitty: Fun and cute. I definitely want to see what happens next.

Not Dead Yet: I adore this show and am so glad it got a second season!

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies

Somebody Somewhere

The Other Two

The Bear: Took me a while to warm to it but now I want it to continue!

Tiny Beautiful Things: Really well thought out show with incredible acting by Kathryn Hahn.

Jury Duty: Really funny, especially with how James Marsden was acting as himself.

Lessons in Chemistry

The Flatshare

Sullivan's Crossing: If you watched this show, I'd love to discuss!

Series I'm sad to say goodbye to:

Riverdale

A Million Little Things

Manifest (this post is about season one)

Never Have I Ever  (this post is about season one)

Ted Lasso (this post is about the first two seasons)

Workin' Moms (this post is about seasons one - four)

Favorite movies from 2023:

A Man Called Otto

Theater Camp: This movie is so good! If you haven't seen it yet, drop what you're doing and watch it right now!

Are You There G-d? It's Me, Margaret.

Red White and Royal Blue

Happiness for Beginners

Quiz Lady: Really cute and funny story about two sisters trying to save their dog. I highly recommend it.

Runners up:

Barbie: It was good but not something I want to see more than once.

Wish: I enjoyed it, but I still felt like something was missing.

Elemental: For all the great artistry, I found the story lacking.

Side note: I don't see a lot of movies so the ones that are currently popular have not made this list as a result of just not seeing them yet.

Top 10 Books I read this year:

See my top five picks at Chick Lit Central, as well! I read so many amazing books this year (go to my Goodreads page and see all the five-star books) and am sad to have to narrow it down at all. Links are to reviews.

1. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

2. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

3. If I See You Again Tomorrow by Robbie Couch

4. The Women by Kristin Hannah

5. New Adult by Timothy Janovsky

6. In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune

7. The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves

8. What You Do to Me by Rochelle B. Weinstein

9. The Spectacular by Fiona Davis

10. Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes

Theater:

I got to see Something Rotten again (twice: once at a professional theater and once at a college)

Into the Woods (Touring from Broadway)

Jagged Little Pill (Tour)

Les Miserables (first time since 2005, they changed a lot in terms of the set)

Beetlejuice (Tour)

Kimberly Akimbo (Broadway)

Shucked (Broadway)

Moulin Rouge (Broadway)

I also got to see Ragtime again for the first time in 25 years. (Regional professional theater)

Spring Awakening (Saw at a small independent theater featuring high school students)

Avenue Q (Saw at the same theater as Spring Awakening, but featuring adults, including a teacher from my younger son's school)

My older son and I saw a musical about Audrey Hepburn, as well. It was interesting but went a bit long. (Small independent theater)

My family and I saw a production of Young Frankenstein. I was lukewarm on it but my younger son has been listening to the music ever since we saw it. (Community theater.)

There is more good theater in store for '24, including Company!

Highlights from 2023:

My daughter's Bat Mitzvah.

The NYC trip with my older son. (See above about the shows we saw.) I also loved going to Museum of Broadway.

Seeing my daughter in her camp shows this past summer. She owned the stage every time she was on.

Meeting Wade Rouse (a.k.a. Viola Shipman), Jean Meltzer, and Sara Goodman Confino. (Authors I adore!)

With Jean Meltzer

With Sara Goodman Confino

With Wade (R) and his husband Gary (L)

Pittsburgh trip with my family, which included getting to see "Will."

Seeing my older son in all his shows. He was especially amazing in his recent high school play, portraying a new role that no one had ever seen before and really making it his own. I also love how his improv troupe completely re-created a favorite experience from my 20s.

Visiting family in Chicago a couple times and seeing my nephew and some close friends. 

The amazing besherte timing that allowed me to meet my best friend's baby shortly after he was born.

My younger son getting his learner's permit (that just happened though, so I have yet to experience his driving skills). He's also been really into astronomy lately and I love seeing how passionate he is about it.

Making some new friends this year: One was through a cousin and one was due to my love of Kimberly Akimbo. 

Getting to see my sister-in-law this summer, even if it was only for a short period of time. I also enjoyed meeting her fiance. 

Taking on some new responsibilities at work, including the newsletter, which I'm enjoying.

Things from social media that made me smile:

Ayo Cheetah. These cooking videos are hilarious! 

Gen X Women are Sick of Your Sh-t. Great place to go for all things nostalgic.

On the down side:

The past few months of 2023 have been horrific. I wrote a post a while back about something very similar to what is happening now, but it captures my current feelings so accurately.

I hope 2024 only brings good things to everyone!

This is something I'm excited for, but dreading at the same time. Never mind that it will be 30 years since I graduated high school... (And no, I am NOT going to my reunion! Good thing I have no need to punish myself.)

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A Great Adventure: Thoughts on Kimberly Akimbo

 

"When opportunity knocks. When possibility calls..." You get tickets to see Kimberly Akimbo and you get to enjoy every second of the experience! (Trust me, it will make your sh*tty life better. ;) ) 

I had been listening to the Original Broadway Cast recording of Kimberly Akimbo for most of this past year and have really gotten to know the songs well and enjoy them more and more with each listen. So I was really curious to see how they would play out on stage and what would actually happen in the story. I can tell you that listening to the music is not going to spoil anything because you're still going to be plenty surprised! 

The show tells the story of a lonely teenage girl, Kimberly Levaco, who suffers from a condition similar to progeria that causes her to age rapidly, thereby giving her the appearance of an elderly woman, and how, according to Playbill, "[f]orced to maneuver family secrets, borderline personalities, and possible felony charges, Kim is determined to find happiness in a world where not even time is on her side." (Synopsis courtesy of Wikipedia.)

There's so much more to the story than the synopsis implies. It's full of many ups and downs, really funny moments, and some heartbreaking ones too. I loved it from the moment it started and walked out of the theater exhiliarated by the experience! We had almost the entire original cast, except for Victoria Clark, who normally plays Kimberly. In her place, we had Colleen Fitzpatrick, who did a marvelous job in the lead role. My main goal was to see Bonnie Milligan play Debra and I got my wish. She was even better than I was expecting her to be and I had high expectations. She definitely earned that Tony! Justin Cooley also delivered as Seth and was even more awkward than he sounds just from the songs. I loved him for that. Everyone in this intimately sized cast was amazing though. I loved the four teenagers and all their interactions with each other. The best part is when Debra calls them out on it, but that's all I will say... 

On the side doors, they have pictures and descriptions of all the teenagers, including Kimberly, of course!

The set was really well put together. It would shift smoothly between a house (as well as the basement of the house), a school, and an ice rink. The costume changes happened on stage sometimes. Kimberly would wear a robe over her clothes to go to bed and then would take the robe off in the morning to reveal her outfit. I liked the costumes a lot too. They were simple but they gave off the feel for the time period. 

As I mentioned before, it was cool to see how some of the songs played out on stage. Especially with the context behind them. This was especially true for "This Time," "How to Wash a Check," "Our Disease," and "The Inevitable Turn." (The latter is one of my favorites and seeing it performed made me love it even more than I already do.)

If you're looking for something new and different to see on Broadway, you've come to the right place! It should be touring in the next year or so; don't miss out if it comes to a city near you. Definitely a rewarding production in every way possible. If you want to get a feel for the music and see the camaraderie of the cast, check out the Tiny Desk Concert. (A different actor is playing Seth, but he's still good.)

After the show, we stage-doored and met almost all the cast. The only two who didn't come out were Colleen Fitzpatrick (Kimberly) and Nina White (Teresa). Everyone was so nice too!

Olivia Elease Hardy (Delia)

Fernell Hogan II (Martin)

Steven Boyer (Buddy, Kimberly's dad)

Alli Mauzey (Pattie, Kimberly's mom)

Justin Cooley (Seth)

Bonnie Milligan (Debra, Kimberly's aunt)

Michael Iskander (Aaron)

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My Daughter's Bat Mitzvah

Last month, my daughter had her Bat Mitzvah. We had a party to celebrate her coming of age and she made a speech about her parsha (Torah portion) at the celebration. She totally slayed it and made it even more interesting with her theatrical personality. It was a really nice celebration and I look back upon it fondly. My older son provided the entertainment with the improv troupe he started at his high school. That was a lot of fun and everyone enjoyed it. 

As tradition would have it, I made a top ten list for her during my speech, just like I did for her older and middle brothers. I'm not waiting until her thirteenth birthday to share this, as it's not until early next year.

1. She loves to read. I’m thankful to have kids who enjoy reading. She and I have a lot of similar tastes in books and I am more than happy to share novels that I loved when I was growing up. And I know we're going to "fight" over who gets to read Dahlia Adler's new book first. :) (Side note: I ended up reading it first.)

2. She’s really funny. I’m sure she picks up a lot of humorous bits from her siblings and from Jeff, but she definitely makes me laugh a lot, especially when she adds her own twists to what she already knows is funny.

3. She’s smart and does well in school. While middle school is a new experience for her with lots more homework, she has been getting As consistently throughout her first year there. 

4. She’s a great conversationalist. She always wants to “converse” with me and loves asking questions, which ends up leading to more questions.

5. She likes to draw and is really good at it! When I was her age, I had this big pad of paper on my desk and I would draw on it all the time, as well as in my school notebooks. She is the same way and she likes sharing her artwork with me. She also likes drawing inside everyone’s greeting cards. (Her Zadie inspired that.)

6. She has a strong moral compass and it’s important to her that people behave ethically. 

7. She is kind and loyal to all her friends. Friendship is important to her and she never wants to jeopardize that. 

8. She loves musical theater. I enjoy taking her to see shows and then hearing her sing the songs from her favorite musicals. She did Imagination Stage camp last summer and had a blast and she’s excited to go back again in a couple weeks. 

9. She still wants to spend time with us. If you knew me at 12, I was not that way with my parents and usually kept to myself. (Sorry, Mom and Dad.) However, she always wants to have quality family time and she also loves our mom-and-daughter days out. (Especially if it means going to Bath and Body Works and getting Starbucks.)

10. She is one of the sweetest and most genuine people I know. If everyone had her personality and attitude, the world would be a much better and happier place to live in. 

I want to wish Mazel Tov to M. You are an amazing daughter and I am so lucky and thankful to be your Eema. I know you have a lot of great things coming to you in life and I can’t wait to see what those will be!

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Wake Up!: Thoughts on Jagged Little Pill

 

What Gen X woman has not jammed to Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill album? It’s such a centerpiece of nineties music. This album always takes me back to the first time I heard it. I had this friend whom I would go on long car rides with in the summer between freshman and sophomore year of college. (And then we’d go to this really good Greek fast food place each time.) She had just bought the cassette and started playing it for me. I was hooked right away, as it was so good. Of course, “You Oughta Know” was the first song she wanted me to hear. I got the cassette when I went back to college and listened to it all the time. It definitely reminds me of being in college whenever I hear it. I especially love the hidden track, as it’s so melancholy and it’s great to sing a cappella. My favorites are some of the B-sides, like “Wake Up” and “Not the Doctor.” 

When I first heard about the musical Jagged Little Pill, which featured the songs from that iconic album and a few others by Alanis, I knew I had to see it. I bought the original Broadway cast recording and listened to it often. My older son was also into the music and that got him liking Alanis Morissette. We could finally connect about my music the same way Rags to Riches and dining at Ed Debevic's made me appreciate my parents' music (but only a bit for that). So when it came on tour to DC, we got tickets and counted down the days. Showtime finally happened this past weekend!

We saw a Sunday matinee at the National Theater. The show was scheduled for 2:00, but it ended up starting at 2:30 due to some technical difficulties. Thankfully, they made an announcement or we would have been sitting there wondering what was going on. When the show finally started, it was well worth the 30 minute (and almost three-and-a-half year) wait. There was so much energy from the moment the ensemble started singing the opening number and it carried throughout the show. 

While Heidi Blickenstaff was cast as Mary Jane in the National Tour, she was not performing when we saw it. However, Bligh Voth was so incredible in the role that I didn't even miss Heidi. (That also happened when I first saw Wicked and Shoshana Bean was playing Elphaba instead of Idina. Never underestimate an understudy!) She reminded me of Liz from Shrinking in some ways. And her voice was gorgeous. I was just completely impressed by her the entire time! 

Everyone in the show, from leads to ensemble, was just amazing. Jade McLeod was so perfect as Jo and had such a powerhouse of a voice. They rocked "You Oughta Know". Lauren Chanel was great as Frankie and gave a powerful performance, as well. I really liked Allison Sheppard as Bella and Dillon Klena also stood out as Nick. His brother, Derek, played that role on Broadway. Rishi Golani did really well in the role of Phoenix. We even got to chat with him after the show and he was really nice. 

I liked how everyone used the stage and props throughout the show. The furniture pieces were on wheels and the cast was able to move them around while performing. The set itself was mostly video screens that would move around to depict different scenery. I love how they worked it that way and sometimes it reminded me of the digital set in Mean Girls. The swing set that was occasionally brought on stage was cool and the actors could even sit on top of it. 

The choreography was mostly interpretive as compared to most shows I've seen. Like the dancers were acting out what was happening in the story. The dancing overall was really good and definitely acrobatic. A lot of the time, there was so much happening onstage that I am glad I knew most of the songs already so I could focus more on the action and not have to worry about hearing the lyrics. Thankfully, they didn't change the lyrics from the cast recording and only shortened one song toward the end (which was more of a background song). 

Courtesy of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

As for the story, I had no idea what this musical was going to be about. I heard bits and pieces here and there, but not enough to understand what was actually going to happen. The songs didn't give away any context aside from "You Oughta Know", which I knew that Jo was going to sing and that it was about Frankie leaving them for someone else. So I was completely surprised about everything that had happened and it wasn't predictable at all. I don't want to share much about it as to not spoil it for anyone else. If you're really that curious, you can look it up online. The show starts and ends with a Christmas card family update letter. That's all I will say. There is humor throughout the musical, even though the story is pretty heavy. I will share trigger warnings at the bottom of this post for anyone who wants to know what they are. Some aspects of this show made me think of Degrassi though.

There were some annoying audience behaviors that served as distractions. Like people getting up in the middle of the show to go to the bathroom. (We had thirty extra minutes before the show started and there was an intermission!) Or people talking and crinkling bags behind us. I noticed some people left halfway through and didn't come back. Perhaps the show was too woke for them? 

Overall, it was a great production. I could feel the beat of the music in my seat on the mezzanine level. It was hard not to mouth the words of the songs so I'm glad I had a mask on. :) I'm glad I went in not knowing the story and it was easy to follow overall. (Although I did have to ask my son why they performed one of the songs a certain way.) If you are local and get a chance to see it in DC before it leaves next weekend, definitely check it out. If it is coming to a city near you, be sure to get tickets!

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TW: Rape, addiction, cyberbullying 

Who by Fire?: Thoughts on Bad Sisters

Courtesy of Apple TV +

A couple of my friends kept recommending Bad Sisters recently. I had heard very little about it and wasn't really sure what to expect. The biggest draw was a certain actor, which I will say more about soon enough... Anyway, from the very first episode, I was completely absorbed. I knew I would love it when it started with Grace covering up her dead husband's post-mortem "excitement". Then we are quickly introduced to her four sisters, who we get to know a lot better over the season. And everyone can agree with them about John Paul (Grace's husband) needing to be out of the picture immediately. (Listen to the song "Goodbye Earl" by The Chicks and you'll know what I'm talking about. Watch the video, while you're at it.) 

While we know from the beginning is that John Paul (JP) is dead, but we don't know how it happened or who did it. That's where the story gets really, really interesting! It feels like a mix of Desperate Housewives and a Marian Keyes novel (probably closest to This Charming Man). The latter is because it takes place in Ireland.

I can't stop recommending this show! And I'm so glad to hear that a second season is in the works. Here are some reasons you should watch it. (Get a free trial of Apple TV + just to binge this and some other great shows--ahem, Ted Lasso--if you don't already have it.) I will share spoilers after the trailer, so stick around if you're already a fan of this show and want to discuss it further.

1. If you've seen Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, the hottie from that movie has a big role on this show. I like him better without facial hair, but to each their own.

2. Each of the sisters has a compelling narrative, especially in regard to why they are wishing for JP's demise.

3. While it's definitely a drama, there are a bunch of funny moments and lines.

4. Once you get into this show, you will easily become addicted. Perhaps even obsessed!

5. The setting is so beautiful. 

6. The mystery really keeps you on your toes and has you guessing along with some of the other characters. 

7. It allows you to enjoy a revenge fantasy. Believe me, there are some people who are even worse than JP (if that's even possible) and I still fantasize about delivering their karma but don't want to mess things up for other innocent people as a result. 

8. There's a lot to discuss. You're welcome to contact me to discuss it once you've watched. I'd love to watch it again vicariously through you.

9. The theme song is really catchy. I had no idea P.J. Harvey was the one singing it. However, it also reminds me of Rosh Hashanah... Honestly, all of the music is really good and it definitely sets a mood for the show.

10. There are some LGBTQ+ characters. 

Trailer:

If you're new to this show...time to close out this post. Come back when you've finished watching.

If you've seen Bad Sisters, stick around to read more of my thoughts, with spoilers.

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Let's start with the obvious...JP. As Audrey II once said in Little Shop of Horrors: "A lot of folks deserve to die..." This totally applies to JP. He has now joined the ranks of Terry Silver from Cobra Kai, Percival Pickens from Riverdale, and Greg from White Lotus as one of my most hated fictional characters of all time. I gave him the middle finger and shouted lots of expletives at him, he was that truly awful. Even though we knew he was going to die eventually, I kept hoping that each attempt on his life would be the final one so we wouldn't have to deal with him anymore. He just became more and more hateful throughout the season! He looks like a mix between Ty Burrell and a young Pierce Brosnan, with a little Chris Noth mixed in. Every time he opens his mouth, I want to smack him. I was cheering on anyone who took him on physically. I especially love when Gabriel pushed him into the urinal! I could go on all day talking about what an effing piece of sh-t he is, but I want to get to the other characters sometime this century. I'll leave you with this: Among all the horrible, disgusting, despicable things he's done, one of the worst was what he did to Roger. Roger did NOTHING to him. G-d forbid he was kind to Grace. It wasn't like he was competition. He could practically be Grace's father. But JP couldn't handle him being nice to Grace and basically ruined his life! And then he had the nerve to treat Roger like crap when Roger tried to forgive him. Wow. Just...wow.

Now moving on to the sisters!

First we have Grace, the widow of the vile JP. Let me just say right off the bat that I knew she was the one who killed him. Her alibi wasn't tight and I had a feeling she was just going to snap after all the mean things he said to her. It made me sad how she was so diminished by him all the time and I know it was hard for Blanaid to see that happening. I also got annoyed at how she would stand up or make excuses for him. So I applauded the way she killed him and how she staged it to make it look like an accident. It also made me sad that she tried reinventing herself by taking classes but then felt so little confidence that she couldn't stick with them. 

Then there's Eva. Sharon Horgan (who also created the show) played this role really well. Not only is Eva the oldest sister, but she's also the de facto parent after both the sisters' parents died. She has a lot of pressure on her shoulders, as well as a lot of loss to carry around; the loss of a baby and the ending of her relationship with someone she really loved. Not only that, but she works with JP and he's spreading lies about her to get the promotion she wanted. He even alienated her from her closest work friend. So she's definitely had motive to kill him. 

Next is Ursula, who is having an affair, even though her husband is great. I don't even like the guy she's having an affair with. However, that doesn't give JP the right to harass her about it and follow her around. I will say that she was stupid not to lock her phone. Who keeps it open like that for anyone to get into? Especially since she has a lot to hide. I was so stressed out by JP messing with her phone and tricking her into sending him that picture though. I don't blame her sisters for getting in his face about it and I especially don't blame her for wanting to end his life. I love how she had access to all those drugs and she knew the best ones to use for the job at hand.

Bibi also has a reason for wanting him dead. He caused the accident that made her lose an eye. Also, she's very protective of Grace. I feel like she was more guarded than the others and that while JP did something awful to her in the past, he wasn't currently making her life as hellish as he was for the other sisters. I love how her wife also hated JP on her behalf. I also loved seeing her interactions with her son. I wish she had some closure with the guy she injured though. I think she could have explained that it was an accident and related to him about what it was like to lose an eye so traumatically. 

Saving my favorite sister for last, and she also happens to be the youngest anyway. Becka! She's the one who has her life the least together, but she's also the most lovable of the five. I consider her girl-crush worthy. I've never seen Eve Hewson in anything (at least not that I'm aware of), but I love how she plays this role. I've even cast her in one of the books I've been reading recently. Anyway, I felt so bad for her when she accidentally killed Minna (JP's mom), thinking that it was JP. I loved her relationship with Minna and I had a feeling that would happen when she didn't look at who had actually gone into the freezer. I'm also sad that things didn't work out with Matt, all things considered. They were cute together! He also lied to her about his job, so she had no reason to tell him who she was. I was annoyed that he got mad at her for being one of the sisters when they met under different circumstances anyway. I also love how she screamed at JP, not because he lied to her about funding her massage studio, but because of what he did to Ursula. 

Now for the supporting characters, who do have pretty big roles of their own. 

Thomas: I am back and forth on him. Most of the time, I just can't stand him. Especially when he was playing detective and asking everyone intrusive questions and stealing their garbage. However, I do like how he's so loving to his wife and I also feel bad for him with the money situation. 

Matt: I think I have a bias toward him since the actor playing him was Leo Grande. As I said before though, he needs to lose the facial hair. I do have mixed feelings on him too though. He seems like the more laid-back Claffin brother, but it turns out that he was just as invested in trying to get the truth about JP's death. I'm sure he made some deal with Grace in the end so that she wouldn't go to prison and his insurance company wouldn't have to pay the claim. I also got annoyed by how he would go all hot and cold with Becka. I know it was a conflict of interest, but it was still frustrating... 

Roger: He was such a kind neighbor and he got hurt in such a horrible way, thanks to JP. I love that he helped Grace set it up so that JP's death looked like an accident. I hope he'll move someplace else and find a way to get his reputation back. 

Blanaid: I like that she could see through JP in some ways. I didn't like that she was so hard on Grace though. I know it was hard for her to see her mom being diminished and abused by JP, but she could have been more supportive. I felt bad for her with the cat situation and I hate that she blamed Grace for it. I know JP gaslit her into thinking that way, but still...

Finally, my top five favorite side characters:

1. Theresa: Thomas's very much pregnant wife, who tells it like it is all the time. 

2. Detective Loftus: The Garda who puts Thomas in his place a few times.

3. Minna: She seemed really sweet and I feel bad for her after what happened to George and how JP always treats her. I wonder if she knew about George being in the freezer all along or if she just went looking for Becka and happened to stumble into the freezer where she met her final fate.

4. Gabriel: I really wish things had worked out with him and Eva. I know it wouldn't be romantically, but I'm so sad that JP got into his head like that to ruin their friendship. 

5. Nora: Bibi's wife is great and I love how she supports Bibi in the fight against JP, even if she doesn't always agree with her. 

Overall, just an amazing show that I still can't stop thinking about. I'd love to hear your thoughts, including predictions for season two.

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Best of 2022

Courtesy of Metro

I realize I didn't blog here a lot this year, and when I did, it was about pop culture. It's been that kind of year, I suppose...

New (to me) TV shows that I enjoyed in 2022 (in no particular order):

Riverdale: Seasons 1-3, Seasons 4-6

I can't wait for season seven!

Heartstopper: I love the graphic novels and this series brings them to life in the most touching and beautiful ways. The two leads are adorable!

Courtesy of IMDb

How I Met Your Father: I was skeptical at first, but this is a fun series and I'm excited for it to return in late January. There are even some cameos from HIMYM.

Maggie: Such a sweet sitcom and I'm sad that it wasn't picked up for a second season. I hope to see Rebecca Rittenhouse in something else soon. 

The Time Traveler's Wife: This series was so much better than the movie. It gave new life to the book and went even beyond that. Three words: Naked Theo James. :)

The Sex Lives of College Girls: What comes between Never Have I Ever and Sex and the City. This is such a fun series and I'm glad it will be getting a third season. 

Courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes

Virgin River: If Schitt's Creek was my sanity saver in 2020 and Ted Lasso was my sanity saver in 2021, then Virgin River takes the title for 2022. I love everything about this show and am eagerly awaiting season five. It's such a comfort show, even with the elements of danger.

I Love That for You: Quirky comedy starring Molly Shannon and Vanessa Bayer. I hope there will be another season. It's really well written!

Reboot: I wasn't sure I was going to like this at first, but then I really got into it and it had more layers than I was even expecting. 

Courtesy of TV Insider

The White Lotus: I still can't stop thinking about this show!

Runners up:

The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem: It's an interesting show but some parts are really gross and unnecessary. It's also hard to like most of the characters.

The Summer I Turned Pretty: This is more for the Gen Z crowd and it's hard to feel sorry for someone who has multiple guys interested in her.

Courtesy of IMDb

Partner Track: I liked it overall, but it was a slow build and Ingrid could be really frustrating. I also didn't understand all the law terminology.

Queer as Folk: I had hopes this would be better than it was, but I felt like I was jumping into the middle of something that had no context and most of the characters got in their own way. 

The Kids in the Hall (reboot): It was nice to see the guys again after all this time, but a lot of the humor was tone-deaf. We did get some good inside jokes out of it though.

Courtesy of IMDb

The vote is still out on Wednesday, as I am still in the middle of it, but I wouldn't say it's a favorite even though it's really well done. It's clever and Jenna Ortega is great in the titular role.

Favorite movies from 2022 (links are to trailers):

Turning Red: One of the few recent Pixar films that had an emotional impact for me.

Better Nate Than Ever: Really cute. Follows the book for the most part, with a few changes. Definitely got me teary-eyed.

Where the Crawdads Sing: First (and only) movie I saw in the theater since the pandemic started. Followed the book really well with great acting throughout.

I Want You Back: Such a cute and fun rom-com! And there's a nod to Little Shop of Horrors.

Matilda: One of the better movie musicals I've seen lately. 

Rosaline: Another cute rom-com set in Shakespearian times. Somewhat made up for not getting to the Ren Faire this year...

Moonshot: I don't think it's available on HBO anymore, so I'm glad I caught it when I did, as it was really good. It helps that Cole Sprouse was one of the leads...

Side note: I don't see a lot of movies so the ones that are currently popular have not made this list as a result of just not seeing them yet.

Books: 

See my top five picks at Chick Lit Central, as well! I read so many amazing books this year (go to my Goodreads page and see all the five-star books) and am sad to have to narrow it down at all. Links are to reviews.

11/22/63 by Stephen King

For the Love of Friends by Sara Goodman Confino

The Friendship Breakup by Annie Cathryn

Playing With Myself by Randy Rainbow

The Maid by Nita Prose

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera

The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson

Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun

Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr

Theater:

It was so nice to go see live theater again this year. It started out in February with a performance of A.D. 16 at a local professional theater. Since it was written by Cinco Paul (Schmigadoon), my oldest and I were excited to see it. While it was a fun show with good music, my son liked it more than I did. I think I was expecting it to be as funny as Schmigadoon...

In March, I took my oldest to see Rent at the National Theater. We had seen filmed productions of it, but it was so much fun to see it live with him. Most of the cast did a great job, but Roger's voice seemed weak. 

In April, we finally got to see Mean Girls. Here are my thoughts on that performance.

In July, my oldest and I saw The Band's Visit at Kennedy Center. I was excited about it because one of the actors from Shtisel played the lead male character. When we arrived, I was even more excited to find out that Janet Dacal from the Original Broadway Cast of In the Heights was playing the lead female character. The show was decent with some good music, but it was hard to follow what was going on sometimes.

Right before my birthday, we got to see Six. That was amazing!!! Here are my thoughts.

A few days later, my husband and I saw a Second City show at Kennedy Center for my birthday. It was really funny and totally on point with all the commentary about politics and today's society. 

We're supposed to see Beauty and the Beast this week, but it was cancelled twice before when we tried to see it this month, so I am keeping my fingers crossed...

I recently got into the music from Carrie: The Musical, thanks to Riverdale. I'd love to see a performance of this someday!

Famous people I want to meet:

Cole Sprouse. That's all. (Not me being a cougar or anything...)

Courtesy of Puzzle Factory

Highlights from 2022:

* My nephew's arrival in August. He's the cutest little guy and I love seeing pictures of him and doing video chats. I can't wait until the next time I get to hold him again. This is the first nephew on my side of the family and I adore him so much!

* Seeing Rocky Horror with my oldest a couple times. I still remember most of the lines and it was so much fun to shout them at the screen. My oldest thought they were really funny too. Our shared favorite is "I hate celery!" I didn't realize how much I missed the experience of Rocky Horror until I did it again. And it's good to know that most of the lines are universal and don't just apply to one theater in the Chicago suburbs. :) 

* Running blog tours for my job. It's one of my favorite things to do for the company I work with and I get good turnouts each time.

* My oldest getting his license. While I'm going to get a lot more gray hairs from this, I appreciate that I don't have to do as much driving. 

* My younger two kids graduating from elementary and middle school. 

* Seeing my oldest in his school play and musical and seeing my youngest in her camp musicals.

* Celebrating 20 years of being with my husband altogether. (Also 18 years of marriage.)

* Seeing "Will" again on our way to Chicago. 

* Reuniting with some friends while we were in Chicago. 

* Going to Pride Fest. It's been so long since I had last done anything fun to celebrate LGBTQ+ pride.

* Getting to see Liza Wiemer again. She's a fantastic author and if you haven't read The Assignment yet, you definitely should! Along with Liza, I also got to see my friend Kelly again. Liza is the one who introduced us.

* Getting to meet up with some other friends I hadn't seen in person since before the pandemic. 

* Meeting Camille Di Maio in person, as she's an author whose historical fiction novels I really like. She is absolutely lovely in person as she is online!

* Going to Philadelphia over President's weekend. We visited a really interesting museum called Wonderspaces and also got to explore the Franklin Institute. 

* The election having better results than I was expecting. While we avoided a red wave, there were still some disappointments, but we did pretty well as a country, overall. 

On a sad note, this year brought an unexpected loss to our family. In early August, my father-in-law passed away from a sudden heart attack. I am thankful that we saw him over Memorial Day weekend, but I didn't expect that to be the last time we'd ever see him again and forgot to take pictures with him. I'm still processing his passing and I know it has had an impact on my husband. He got to say goodbye to his father in person, even though it was difficult to see him that way. I feel awful for his half-sisters and stepmother, but the upside is that my husband has reconnected with them as a result. 

Anyway, I hope 2023 only brings good things to everyone. 

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Best of 2021

Courtesy of Sammiches and Psych Meds

2021 was almost a repeat of 2020, which explains the abundance of TV shows on this list...

New (to me) TV shows that I enjoyed in 2021 (in no particular order):

1. One Day at a Time

2. Being Erica

3. Workin' Moms

4. Cruel Summer: Such an interesting and well-done teen mystery thriller. I loved the 90s throwbacks and the Cold Case feel.

Courtesy of Deadline

5. Schmigadoon

6. Shtisel: I really hope they'll bring it back for a fourth season. There's still so much they could do with this series and I definitely miss the characters. 

7. Ted Lasso: My latest obsession!!!

8. Ordinary Joe: There's still more to go with this first season, but it's really creative and I love seeing what will happen next. 

Courtesy of TV Insider

9. Maid

10. Only Murders in the Building

11. Hacks: Really funny and well done. A Devil Wears Prada for the comedy circuit. I can see why Jean Smart got the Emmy for Best Actress in a Comedy Series.

12. Little Voice: I'm sad that this only got one season. It's a great show created by Sara Bareilles. I love all the Broadway references, courtesy of Louie. It was nice to see one of the actors in the Dear Evan Hansen movie though.

Courtesy of Deadline

Shows I watched that didn't make it to the list (but I'll still watch anyway):

The Morning Show: It's such a train wreck, but has a fabulous cast. Just too much yelling, fighting, and really long conversations.

Kevin Can F--k Himself: I mainly watch this for Annie Murphy as Kevin is a real life Peter Griffin and I can see why he made her snap!

Courtesy of CNET

Ginny and Georgia

And Just Like That: It leans toward the cringey side, but that could change next year...

Saved by the Bell reboot: It's funny in regards to nostalgia from the original series (and some great meta stuff) but some aspects tend to be annoying.

Courtesy of Vox

Top 5 favorite movies from 2021:

1. In the Heights

2. Free Guy: So funny, creative, interesting, suspenseful, and entertaining. Highly recommended!

Courtesy of TechRadar

3. Tick Tick Boom

4. Cruella: Really well done. More Disney villain movies need to be done this way. Ursula needs to be next!

5. The Hating Game: Just watched this recently. Great adaptation of Sally Thorne's romcom novel. I actually like it better than the book!

Courtesy of Decider

Books:

See my top five picks at Chick Lit Central, as well! I read so many amazing books this year (go to my Goodreads page and see all the five-star books) and am sad to have to narrow it down at all. Links are to reviews (or Bookstagram posts)

1. The People We Keep by Allison Larkin (leaned more toward YA and New Adult, but was definitely one of the best books I read this year)

2. The Stranger in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom

3. With Love from London by Sarah Jio (This was going to go on my list at CLC, but it publishes in 2022)

4. 100 Days of Sunlight by Abbie Emmons

5. Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult

6. The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang

7. The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi

8. Half Life by Jillian Cantor

9. The Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz

10. The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain

Musical treat this year:

Being able to watch Come From Away on Apple +. It was a really good musical and I can't listen to the songs without getting teary-eyed. 

Famous people I want to meet:

*Brett Goldstein. He plays Roy Kent on Ted Lasso and he's everything! Of course, I would be happy to meet anyone from this wonderful show.

Courtesy of TV Insider

The rest is mostly the same from last year, but bears repeating:

*Dan Levy because, like, obviously! ;) (I also wouldn't mind meeting the cast of Schitt's Creek though!)

*Michael Judson Berry: He's so funny with his Schitt's Creek impressions and videos and he seems like he's so down-to-earth and friendly too. 

*Randy Rainbow: When have I NOT wanted to meet Randy Rainbow?!? He's saved my sanity since 2016. 

Highlights from 2021:

*My family getting the Covid vaccine. We are all now fully vaccinated and my husband and I are boosted. Our oldest will be boosted soon.

*My sister got married and we got to attend her wedding in Chicago and finally meet my new brother-in-law in person. They are perfectly matched and I'm really happy for them both!

*Getting to see my best friend and her husband when we were in Chicago. (My family and I didn't have time to make plans with a lot of people, but we couldn't be in the same city and NOT meet up!)

*Getting to see "Will" again after five long years. He officiated my sister's wedding too.

*My younger son's Bar Mitzvah

*I got a new job!!! And it's in a field that actually interests me and is something I want to grow into even more: Book publicity!

* Having Thanksgiving dinner with my in-laws. It was so nice to be back together in person again. I hope we can make things work for Passover, as long as omicron gets under control!

*My kids going back to school in person. It's been good for them, even if it means I get up at 5:45 am!

*Some mini-vacations: Staying at a cabin in the woods, going to Virginia Beach (and spending an entire day at the beach itself), staying at a cozy house for a little winter retreat. 

*I made a couple of new friends, which is a challenge in this day and age. Both live nearby and I've already connected with one in person a couple of times. I have lots in common with both of them, as well. 

*Getting to see my friend who moved to Florida a few years ago. She was in town for a week and we hung out a couple of times.

*The Chinese food car picnic my husband and I had for our anniversary. 

That's a wrap for 2021! Here's hoping there will be an end to this pandemic in 2022. 

Got this from a friend's Facebook post

Also got this from a friend's Facebook post

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