Tuesday, November 24, 2015

2015 Christmas TV Specials Calendar

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!! Merry Christmas!!!! Happy Freaking Holidays!!!!

As I've said before my favorite thing about the holidays is sitting down to watch a good ole fashioned Christmas TV/Movie special usually with a bowl of popcorn and my mom sitting nearby. I like to make a Christmas TV/Movie Specials calendar so I don't miss a single moment of my favorites both those that I've watched a million times and those that are new favorites.

As you all know Hallmark, and ABC Family have been showing Holiday Specials since no joke JULY. That’s right people July, I mean how insane is that? I just couldn’t buy into the program tho until now. I'm ready to throw on some flannel jammies, pop some popcorn and cry my eyes out. Every year my beloved animated specials are being shown fewer times and early (The Grinch was on this past Sunday ... wait ... what?!) Thank goodness for ABC Family who is keeping the stop motion animation alive and well, they are showing some of the goodness throughout the day... every day ... literally.  

As I said ... Hallmark, Lifetime, and ABC Family have been vomiting Christmas specials since everyone was still popping fireworks so those channels didn’t get as much love as they usually do. If something had to be cut for room on that particular day those channels got cut first. If say ABC family was showing 3 great shows in a row I only listed one and figured while watching it you’d be alerted to the others, unless it was a show I wanted to see cause that’s right it’s all about me you are just invited in the car.

That said if I don’t have the channel I didn’t include it … again cause it’s about me. There are some great specials on the Hallmark Mysteries and Movie (or something like that) Channel or the Inspiration channel, and other specialty channels like that so check those out if you are lucky enough to have those channels. I don't so those channels can suck it!
This calendar comes with rules ... not quite as ridged as a Mogwai but still rules that need to be mentioned. 

First . . .  a few guidelines:
  • NO messages about taking Christ out of Christmas, it’s just a really long word and using X-Mas allows for more shows on the already full calendar.
    • Thanks for your understanding.
    • For those that don’t understand feel free to move on and forget that this calendar exists. 
  • I live in the central time zone, the times on this calendar reflect that, adjust accordingly.
    • That said unless otherwise stated the times are PM
  • This calendar does not focus on established show “Christmas special episodes” so watch out for those … I did however add a great episode of Psych cause my best friend loves it and she asked nicely.
  • This calendar contains shows I want to see, so a mixture of adult themed shows/movies and kid themed shows/movies are represented. Some are classics and some are new, so PLEASE be mindful of what is on before you sit the kids down with popcorn to watch.
    • Don’t call me cause your little one watched some holiday movie on Lifetime or and now has “questions”. . . . that’s your mess not mine.
      • Please NOTE: The Disney version of a Christmas Carol (AKA the computer animated Jim Carrey version) is a little dark and can be scary (much like the original story btw), you might want to check it out before you and little man/lady plop down with popcorn and a blanket to “watch a classic.”
  • Keep an eye out for additional shows/movies that pop up throughout the month as networks change their lineups.
  • Feel free to add your own specials and traditions to the calendar that’s what it is there for.
  • For you stay at home mom’s they run specials all day long and for the most part my calendar focuses on the after work hour times since that is when I can watch.
      • That’s right it’s all about me!

A few programs of note:
  • 50th Anniversary Special about A Charlie Brown Christmas – ABC Nov. 30th -  a special talking about the greatest Christmas special ever created followd by the actual show. A must viewing if you have little people in your life, even if they aren’t in the room. Repeats on Dec. 24th
  • I can only find A Christmas Story during the TBS Christmas Day Marathon so make sure you work it into your Christmas celebrations. Last year it was on several times ... this year it's sparse .. I hope the channels just haven't finalized their line ups yet.
      • Bless you Ted Turner, you crazy old man, may this tradition live forever!!
  • National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, one of the best movies ever, comes on several times this year. If you don’t know the joy of Chevy Chase finally getting the lights to finally work…well I feel sorry for you and your family and the people that know you because you are missing the joy in your life. Correct that this year please!
  • IT’s A Wonderful Life – Dec. 5th on NBC Repeats on Dec. 24th
  • The “boys” in my life informed me that DIEHARD should have been on the calendar …. boys are silly … however and I couldn’t find it showing anywhere so yeah there’s that. 
A few programs of note that are not “Christmas” related but interesting enough to make the calendar include:
    • To Kill A Mockingbird – NBC – Nov. 28th – a must viewing at least in our house.
    • The Wiz – NBC Dec. 3rd – with the ever ahmazing Queen Latifah
    • CNN Heroes: An All Star Tribute – Dec. 6th – it’s nice seeing that in a world full of insanity there are some people out there trying to do good and are being recognized for it. NOTE: I don’t understand why they have already announced the winner, if you don’t want to know stay away from CNN.com. Either way it’s a really inspirational night so check it out.
    • Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show – Dec. 8th on CBS – a dear friend of mine loves this and insists that it go on the calendar every year, she’s the boss.
Anyway, the intention of this calendar, much like the Halloween one is to get your family to pause and spend some time together making memories. In this season where we spend so much time rushing around we forget to enjoy the down time and enjoy the family time. Great specials come and go and if we don’t watch they will go forever.

Today’s “classic Christmas special” may be next year’s no show on the calendar. That’s the other reason for this calendar, if we stop watching they will stop showing. So just because you have The Grinch (which is not on this calendar nearly enough (NOTE: I can’t tell if it’s animated or the movie anymore and I’m NOT ok with that!) on your shelf or the Charlie Brown Christmas (which comes on twice this year), take the time to watch it with your family as it airs so that it will air for years to come.  I can name a ton of specials that no longer come on cause we stopped watching ... Garfield, the Chipmunks, the Smurfs, the Flintstones, The Nutcracker, Casper, the Gift of the Magi, etc.,

So here's the 2015 calendar, you should be able to save it and zoom in and out without losing too much readability. You are best printing it 11X17 if possible.
 
So sit back, laugh, smile, and cry (some of these are sad, I mean who doesn’t cry when George Bailey is standing next to the tree with Mary and his friends are coming in to save the Bailey Savings and Loan, oh no did I give the end away ?!) and have a good Drunksgiving, a full Thanksgiving, and a safe BlackFriday, so that you can enjoy this fun and have a wonderful Christmas!

Marcy (@beaslma)


Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Hey, what's up, hello!

Argggghhhhh!

You ever have that feeling that your life is just a real game of wack-a-mole? I know I've been MIA for quite some time now. It's been hard to write. And I'm sorry that my first time back is a bitch and moan post. I've been fighting for my right to live, these past few months. Ok so it's not really that dramatic. I have been going months of being undermedicated because my insurance company has been refusing to cover the meds that my rheumatologist wants me to have.

Check this routine that I've been on since June. The doctor that has known me for over 11 years writes a script. The script goes to my insurance company. (Now at this time let it be known I have a very well known, nationally recognized insurance provider. It's not something fly by the seat of your pants, late night commercial scam company.) The insurance company denies me coverage on the script. They prefer me to try a cheaper med, that I've tried in the past (I had a horrible reaction to it. It wrecked my body.) But it was awhile ago and insurance feels I may not have the same reaction to it. My doctor petitions the insurance company to accept the script. We wait. And...they refuse.*whack-a-mole* So my doctor researches and tries another script. It goes to the insurance company. They deny the script. Doctor petitions the insurance company. We wait...they refuse. *whack-a-mole* So my doctor researches and tries another script. It goes to the insurance company. They deny the script. Doctor petitions the insurance company. We wait...they refuse.

 
You see the pattern here?

For four months. Four months without meds in my system to help stabilize a progressive illness. (If I'm being honest I have to put some blame about this on my doctors head too. She knows me and my body well enough to know not to do this)

You know what the insurance company doesn't have a problem approving and covering? Pain meds. Pain meds that I wouldn't need if they would cover the meds to help me not develop pain. That's fucking shameful in and of itself. But finally on the fifth try my insurance company approved a medication! *wack-a-mole* So I call the pharmacy to get everything set up and I'm informed that my insurance company has approved this medication at 100% repay. Meaning I pay for everything upfront and the company will pay me back 4-6wks later at 100%. So. How much is a one month supply of this medication? $3,988.00. Because who the fuck doesn't have $4,000 just laying around each month? *slowly raises hand*

So what now? that's right .... *Whack-a-mole*.

I contacted the drug manufacturers and applied for their underinsured program. But because I have insurance from a popular company I'm not a priority. All this time still no meds in my system other than the pain meds that they are willing to cover each month. I did eventually get approved and am now on this medication. I'm having slight reactions against it but I fought too damn hard to get it so we are just monitoring everything.
*whack-a-mole*

It's starting to build up in my system and that's a good thing. But the damage of not being properly medicated for months prior has taken it's toll. I've weakened myself to the point of last week managing to mess up my vertebrae pretty severely. *wack the next f-ing mole*

My doctors have been trying to get me to go on disability since I was 25 and I keep pushing myself to work. For a few reasons. I've worked because I enjoy working, being useful. But also to have good insurance to help cover the things I need for my illness (yeah fucked up huh?). But mostly because this...As long as I keep struggling, I'll be ok. But the moment I stop, I'll sink. But I guess at that point I'll have no more moles to whack.

 
So hopefully going forward I will have more energy and strength to be more involved with the blog. But I promise just because you may not be getting regular posts from me doesn't mean I'm not thinking about you guys and gals. And it definitely doesn't mean that I may not pop back up when you least expect me. I'm kinda like the blog version of the Spanish Inquisition.




--Golden @theonlygolden