You know what 2020 ... just ...just go

2020 ... you don't have to go home but you gotta get the hell out of here 

Unless the universe decides to just send us into a never ending 2020 it’s nearly over. We have finally reached the day when we can tell 2020 get out and leave. It’s been …. Interesting to say the least. It hasn’t been fun, much, and it has been stressful but I guess for some of us it could have been worse. For others however the idea of worse isn’t even something they can fathom.

To fully send 2020 to their room to think about what they have done we have to have a year end recap to remind us just a few of the things we accomplished this year. This year was not without accomplishments….we just have to dig a little deeper to find them. 

Blog Accomplishments: 

This blog was born in August of 2014 and we have had approximately 238 posts with over 22,324 views since that time. That honestly boggles my mind. Our top post changed this year. “Big Rona” bypassed our previous top post “Original Fiction – A Royal Welcome” with over 225 views 61 more views than my original fiction got featuring Haley and Michaels. I really enjoyed writing those stories I’m glad they got some love. I’m a little surprised to see so many of my “original fiction” pieces making it to our “top post” lists for all time. Maybe that means I should do more ….. I really should. I hope I will.

In 2020 alone we had 17 posts (Counting this one) …not the record for this blog by any stretch but it means the blog isn’t dead and that’s something I can be proud of. In previous years I did challenges to myself to post for a week or for an entire month, something I did not do this year. We spaced them out pretty well too so it wasn’t all at the beginning, middle or end of the year but only missed one month. June. I’m ok with that as June was a pretty challenging month for me as it was the middle of summer, work ramped up hard, I was seeing plans that were in place fall away and the fear of losing Dragon Con was becoming real. So June was just not a good month for me and thus was reflected in this blog.

March was a particularly busy month on this blog but that’s also when the Country ground to a semi – stand still and I had more to “say.” I started working from home in March and see no sign of returning to the office in the near future. I go in when necessary, but I don’t stay long. I am usually there long enough to get through what I need to get through then head back home. The numbers are ramping back up here in my town since Nov and the bossman is a gem of a guy who wants us to all stay safe. I also have two coworkers with very young children (one who just celebrated her first Crimmus) and another coworker who like me cares for aging family members who could be devastated by the virus. She’s a lot like me in that going out isn’t a concern for her but bringing it back very much is.  I wonder how long he’s going to be able to keep us at home before someone makes it necessary to come back. So far our group has been successful at doing our jobs and doing it well so right now it’s not an issue.

This year also saw the return of Golden to this blog with AITAH. I’m not going to harp on her, Lord knows she has enough going on without me climbing up on her back yelling about this blog. I hope 2021 gives her part of her spark back and allows her the recovery time that 2020 took away from her. However, I do hope 2021 will result in more blogs from her. Her voice is quite unique and the way she paints a picture with words is something I’ve never been able to match which makes me proud and also very jealous of her. Don’t tell her that tho I don’t want to give her a big head.

Marcy's Accomplishments

I have successfully mastered the work from home side of the table. I never thought I'd be good at it, and some days are frankly better than others. Last year our office floor flooded out and we quickly mobilized to working from home. So we had a trial run before the big thing and I think that helped. My bosses management style also helped. He's not a micromanager. He gives you an assignment and expects you to do it. If you have troubles or problems he expects you to handle them or come to him. He's an ex-professor so he's of the gives you a task and then he moves on expecting it to be handled. There's a few times that has backfired on him but luckily he has a staff that knows when to rally and get something done and that's what we have done throughout is rallied when necessary and kept the balls in the air. In September I crossed the milestone of having been working at my place of business for now 17 years. I know what's expected of me, the time frames required for said tasks. What I am learning as co-manager of this department now is how to lead. My boss and I basically split our already split region in half and he's "managed" one side while I've "managed" the other side. This has resulted in more communication and time management on my part in order to proof their submittals, helping them communicate needs to project managers and subs, and in helping them get their submittals across the finish line. I've learned a lot about not doing it for them but showing them how to do it so they can get better. I'm still working on that. 

Another accomplishment on my part is my hair. I have always had a love hate relationship with my hair. I still pretty much think it looks a mess 90% of the time but I truly do not recall the last time I went to a hair dresser. This has resulted in my hair being the longest it has ever been in my life. I have no idea how to style it, no idea really how to care for it but it's there and it is big and busy and long. Now I think I've decided to see just how long I can get it. See I've always kept it short cause it would force me to do something to it. The shorter my hair is the more curly it is. Wavy some times. When I was little mom swears I had the Shirley Temple ringlets and when she got my hair cut sometime after my 1st birthday, as mom's do, it grew back pencil straight much to her horror. It stayed that way until my awkward puberty years when it just did whatever the hell it wanted when it wanted. It's still kind of in that stage. I found some new shampoo (a friend was selling and I wanted to support her and I really like the way it made my hair feel, so I kept ordering it). The goal for 2021 is less ponytails and buns and more actually utilizing the beauty that is my hair cause it is pretty on most days for about 15 minutes. 

I have also lost some weight during all this insanity. Not to the point that those around me notice, I'm sure, but I can definitely feel my clothes fitting differently. Clothes that used to be far too tight to wear comfortably now and feel good in them. I attribute it to not eating out as much. I used to go to lunch daily with coworkers and that of course isn't happening. Sometimes on the weekend we'd shop and get lunch on the way home. That's not happening either. Basically on Sundays after church we do lunch before heading home. Otherwise it's food here at the house. That being said I'm also eating Fritos while I type this so in a few months that could all change. However for now I'm counting it as an accomplishment. 

You gotta celebrate the little things sometimes guys. 

Golden's Accomplishments

I am confident she got to this part of the post and said "what accomplishments" but these are the accomplishments that I have seen for her from a far. She's still moving. there are times during this entire year where if she had just laid down and said enough I'd have 100% understood but she got back up....looked life in the eye and said is that all you got!? 

Golden had to quarantine twice, once when we thought she was sick and again recently when her dad got sick. During her first quarantine she made the best of it by purging her house a project she had been working on but the quarantine allowed her to really dive in. It resulted in her finishing up the Mighty Little Library which she fills with books for the community to enjoy and also rearranged the books in her house into her very own library which now lives in her dinning room which wasn't really being used for anything. People that know Golden and the way she keeps books in every square inch of her home knows just what a chore that was for her. I can't wait to see it in person and sit in her awesome new chair. She's really trying to fix up her home and make it very nice, as something she can be proud of for years to come as opposed to a structure that houses her things and sometimes a Marcy for a few days. I'm very proud of her for that. She has packed up things to give away, items for those around her that have had it far worse than she has including clothing, kitchen things, household items and books that she doesn't read but could be used else where. 

She has also not missed a single day at her job, unless it was for the aforementioned quarantines. See Golden's an essential worker and as such has not only maintained her work schedule but has worked a schedule that no single human being should have to work ... ever .. in life. It's really amazing she hasn't killed anyone this year and that might have been her biggest accomplishment. Her work has pushed her harder than necessary and then more so to the point where once I looked up a number to call and kick up fuss on her behalf but knew that would make it worse and I honestly wasn't sure she could handle worse. I do however have the number now and will use it if necessary. That's not a threat it is a promise. 

Health

Our little Blog family didn’t completely escape the Virus …… my nephew got it, but had very mild symptoms. I also had an Aunt and Uncle and several family, friends, and coworkers that contracted the virus all with varying degrees of symptoms which I find fascinating. Personally for me ... my uncle passed away from the virus which made for one of the more bizarre funerals I’ve ever attended. We also lost a few church members due to the virus that I didn't see coming. Golden’s dad suffered through a pretty rough round of it and is really still in the middle of the fight. He’s no longer contagious but he’s definitely not “well” and might never fully recover. 

Prayers for her dad are welcome as well as prayers for all who have suffered through this horrible stupid disease and those that will continue to suffer through it as we move forward cause we as a Country have sucked at this pandemic.

So in an effort to get a post into the December bucket I’m going to end it with some words of wisdom form Golden …

“Dude I’m so over this fucking year, 2020 can go fuck itself!”

Yes 2020 you do just that and here’s to a much better 2021 for us all! 

Stay safe out there all you viewers …. We need your eyeballs. 

See ya on the other side ..... 

Marcy & Golden 

2020 Christmas TV Movie Calendar

Let’s start by stating the obvious … 2020 has just drained me and I came very close to not doing this calendar cause well frankly nothing else has worked out this year why should this … but then decided A. I needed something to look forward to so looking up these shows and movies made me happy. B. so many people have been asking about this calendar even before the Halloween one went out so the pressure to do it was strong. C. For that reason I knew that many of you were looking forward to was this calendar and I didn’t deliver then well it would have made you sad and I can’t have that on my head. D. by sending out the Halloween calendar I kind of obligated myself to do this one too E. For those indifferent to the calendar I salute you but question your loyalty F. it’s all about me and this calendar makes me smile and wears out my TV … so we must proceed! (My Tivos recently died a horrible death but Xfinity-X1 is in the house …. Literally. Dad blames Xfinity, Comcast whatever they call themselves these days… I am just gonna lay it at 2020’s doorstep, in a paper bag, with other organic matter inside it, and it will be on fire. Just saying.

So … here you go …. I present to you the 2020 Christmas TV Schedule in all its glory! It's best if you save the image below for viewing on the go. By my calculations my digital files of calendars goes back to 2008. However, before 2008 I was horrible about file management (I’m getting better) so who really knows. The Halloween calendar stated the 12^th Edition so that’s what I’m going to go with …. tho I swear I’ve been doing it longer. I also confess that I, who is on the finance committee at the Church, suck at Math so ya know … take that for what you want. Forget Diamonds … Calculators are a girls friend. Cell phones with a built in calculator ... well that’s our bestie.

Another house cleaning item before we dive in …. You’ll notice that I never sent an e-mail about the Charlie Brown goodness that was to have been the airing date of the Great Pumpkin back in October. I confess at the time I blamed ABC … little did I know that they were just as sad about it as me (at least I like to think they were). Well that’s cause Apple's TV+ and Peanuts ruined Halloween for everyone. Just everyone. I mean yeah sure Covid (the Covid, The Virus, whatever it goes by in your respective parts of the world) killed it in many areas of the US … but even those people have to admit that it was truly dead when it was announced that Peanuts had sold out to Apple's TV+  and thus no showing on Network TV (ABC) was to happen this year. Screw those kids whose parents hadn’t bought into the online digital age. Forget the littles who rely on network TV for their wholesome TV (you know after they watch 10 minutes of vomiting on Family Guy). Suck it …kid far away from home for the first time in college who smiles when Charlie Brown gets his rock or when Linus misses the great pumpkin…again. GUYS …the thing I’ve been trying to combat with this calendar is finally happening. They are slowly removing all life as we know it from network TV and moving to Digital platforms. Or…you know something far less dramatic. I blame you all for not watching. For DVRing and then not watching cause it’s a week or two after the holiday and you are trying to free up space for yet another Walking Dead spin off. For not tweeting and facebooking that you were watching when you finally pause long enough to watch. You know who you are. Anyway… once that “news story broke” all haties broke loose, the world descended into anarchy and Apple was like whoa we don’t care for negative backlash (I mean their fan allegiance is usually really high), then Charles Schulz and his halo came down to the Peanut offices all God like and mad demanding answers as he threw footballs at his staff for this very obvious betrayal. I understand, Steve Jobbs decided to not don the Turtleneck and make the trip north in order to get involved (see what I did there?). So, after all that the result was that we get one showing of the Thanksgiving and one showing of the Christmas specials on PBS …. One. Make it count guys. Plan your lives around it cause while I am still mad at them we need to watch. Show them that the backlash was real, explain to them that it is important for it to be on network TV and maybe just maybe next year I get my freaking Great Pumpkin back! I don’t ask for much guys …. I mean honestly.

• ·       A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Nov. 22 – sorry I didn’t get this out in time for you to watch …. that’s on me … but hey if you miss Christmas… that’s .. well that’s on you
• ·       A Charlie Brown Christmas On PBS  Dec. 13 plan accordingly

Now that all that unpleasantness is handled …. Back to our regularly scheduled programing ….

The rules:

• ·       No e-mails about taking Christ out of Christmas, it’s just a really long word and using X-mas allows for extra real estate on an already full calendar. Thanks for your understanding and if you don’t understand that feel free to let me remove you from this list.
• ·       I live in the central time zone thus the times reflect that, adjust accordingly and plan ahead. Unless otherwise stated the times are PM.
• ·       This is about specials and movies, not single one off episodes for scheduled shows. You can watch those all year long, this is about things that other than Hallmark, Lifetime etc., you can only watch this time of year.
• ·       It’s about me… this calendar reflect what I WANT to watch and the channels that I get. There is a mixture of cartoons, children’s programs, and adult themed programs. Some are classics, some are new. I vouch not for their quality or content so don’t be calling me cause your little watched a Lifetime movie with you and now has questions. You made that not me.

Channels you will want to take note of

Freeform has been having a Kick off to Christmas all November and is planning another 25 days of Christmas starting December 1st. If you have littles this is the place for you. There are some classics Home Alone, Miracle on 34th Street, Rudolph, Frosty … that being said just cause it’s airing doesn’t mean it deserves your time. While the offerings for Christmas are a lot better than the Halloween offerings, there are still a lot of repeats. If you have had a bad day or want something for background noise as you bake or wrap gifts, or the kids are being impossible and you just need a break … this is your channel. Let me also add that the LOVE that Freeform is giving to Rudolph and Frosty this year makes for a Happy Marcy! Claymation for the Win!

As a friend of mine so eloquently stated … “Hallmark, Lifetime, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries have been assaulting us with Christmas movies all freaking year” … so I have decided to only include “new movies” or movies that I liked and want to see again are on the calendar. There are frankly too many to show them all and if you are having a night where you want to see the same movie but with a different setting and actors then these are the channels for you. They are predictable but always good for killing a few hours.

On that note …. All new showings (or new to me anyway) are marked all PURPLE.

A few airings of note ….

• ·       Die Hard …. I tried guys, I really did, mostly for you Joe (stay safe out there, and come home soon sir!). The only place I can find it on is HBO, and I don’t have HBO and well remember the rules. I was really surprised AMC didn’t jump on the Die Hard is a Christmas movie bandwagon. It would fit really well with their line up but maybe HBO has the rights?! Who knows. At least I’m finally conceding that it can be conceived by some as a Christmas movie.
• ·       How the Grinch Stole X-mas – look I love the original….the cartoon … with all it’s wonderful Seussiness …. I like the Jim Carey version but it comes on like 62,986,529,862 times on Freeform. This calendar shows some of those but if you miss it well you have been warned. There is also a showing of the new Grinch cartoon (2018) Dec 18^th at 8 on Freeform (you know the new one from Illumination (Minions Fame) that has Benedict Cumberbatch voicing the Grinch-which I haven’t seen yet so that’s exciting), but the OG Cartoon with Boris Karloff as your narrator comes on once … on NBC Dec. 25^th at 7  …. It’s marked as TOON and in true NBC fashion it’s MUST SEE TV!
• ·       It’s a Wonderful Life – we get one shot at this one this year …. Dec. 24^th NBC 7  … Don’t blow it. What’s up with NBC showing stuff once and then moving on ?! Like really?! 
• ·       The Grinch Musical – I don’t know much about this one ….. I know it stars Matthew Morrison as the Grinch …. And frankly I don’t have high hopes for it, however I love me some Broadway and anything that puts Broadway on my TV gets a win in my book, tho I’d love to have been in the pitch meeting for this musical. It airs on NBC Dec. 9^th at 7.
• ·       The Sound of Music – This is just an iconic story that a dear friend of mine loves and thus I love it too. Definitely worth watching at least once in your lifetime, more if you are so blessed to do so. Released in 1965 it is about Maria (Julie Andrews), a young Austrian postulant (candidate to be a nun) in 1938 who is sent to serve as a governess to the 7 children of a naval officer (Christopher Plummer), when it’s clear the life of a Nun is not for her. It features music, puppets, dancing, costume changes and Nazis. The 2^nd half of the movie is stupid dark for as light and fun as the first half is. Catch it Dec. 20^th on ABC at 6 (it’s a long movie 172 minutes to be exact. Or nearly 3 hours).
• ·       Kennedy Center Honors – we could all use a pick me up and watching a special that highlights wonderful people doing wonderful things for others is a good start. This is the 42^nd showing and it airs on Dec. 15^th at 7 on CBS.
• ·       CNN Heroes on well … CNN … is also a great pick me up and a reminder that there are people out there who care about others airing on Dec. 13^th at 7 well on CNN.

Digital Options for you …….. cause I love you guys that much … can be found at the following links …. The 2^nd link breaks it down by service and days which was super nice of someone

Netflix, other streaming services add more Christmas movies and specials, from 'Lego Star Wars Holiday Special' to 'Charlie Brown Christmas' (msn.com)

 

Everything Coming To Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu And Prime Video In December (wegotthiscovered.com)

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, I present Exhibit A …. Charlie Brown. Exhibit B Yes Virginia once again not showing up on CBS …. For reasons I don’t understand. Like seriously can someone explain this to me? Exhibit C What happened to Yes Virginia … I can’t even find the movie airing anywhere. So please take the time to watch it with your family as it airs so that it will air for years to come.  If not for me do it for the children, as they are our future, according to some nice lady who sang really really loudly but also really beautifully.

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 holding little Zuzu and his friends are coming in to save the Bailey Savings and Loan, oh no did I give the end away ?!) and have a GREAT Christmas season!

Marcy

Rona ……. you scary!

So …. This weekend I did a thing. I packed a bag …. I got in a car and I traveled to the other side of my state. A good 340 miles, a little over 5 hours (give or take traffic/my brother’s lead foot etc.) and a crapton of anxiety about this decision. See my nephew is a JR. in High School. He’s run cross country in the past but over the last spring/summer he got really into it. Like almost annoyingly into it. It was all he talked about, all he thought about, all he did. Not that I’m complaining, the truth is if he’s going to be obsessed with something it might as well be this. So one day last spring he says to me, “One of my goals is to make it to State” I said I’m sure you will, you are definitely putting in the work. He said, “If I go to State will you come?” I was sitting in my chair, working from home cause of this damn virus, and he was at our house during the week cause he was out of school (doing virtual school) and helping my dad with a project. However it only took a moment for me to say, “Of Course! You make it to State and I’ll be there!” 

The way I see it he and I won’t have a lot of these moments left and well if it weren’t for this damn virus I’d have definitely been there. Little did I know that as a Country we’d suck at Pandemics. That we’d have a leader in the White House that convinced everyone it was fine when it was most definitely was not. That not only would we still be in the throws of it but in some parts of the world Round 2 would be getting underway. Nah oh that Spring afternoon looking into his excited face I just wanted to watch him run. Damn if he didn't call my bluff and make the State Championship, which resulted in one of the best but most stressful trips of my life.

According to the interwebs, which are totes never wrong there were over 2,000 kids at this meet. So say each of those kids has 2 parents with them and then throw in a few siblings, some grandparents, aunts and uncles, not to mention volunteers, vendors, concession stand workers so conservatively I’m guestimating there was at least 6-8,000 people at this meet. Give or take cause I suck at math. I saw masks and social distancing but also tons of hugs, lots of people using port a pottys, high fives (some as they left the port a potty), and well the recipe for putting my state back on the national map everywhere I looked. I was standing in the middle of a super spreader waiting to happen. When I think about the number of schools participating from all over the state and how this thing has the possibility of getting way out of hand I gives me heart palpitations.  

I’ve done everything I was supposed to do. I wore a mask. I used hand sanitizer. I social distanced. Every time someone got too close I faked needing to look for something and walked away from the conversation around me, not that anyone noticed. Yet here I sit feeling like a ticking timebomb about to go off cause frankly I just don’t fucking know. My nephew made a similar statement when I meet up with him at the course (I could tell his anxiety had already ramped up just like mine was). I looked at him and said “We are here now, nothing we can do about it so enjoy it. Run your little heart out and have fun. Make this trip worth every second of it!” However inside I wanted to grab him by his hoodie high tail it back to the car, get a hotel room for the night and take a hand sanitizer bath for about 4 hours. He did look at me and say “well we know one thing, if we don’t get it today, it’s just not in the cards for us to get it at all.” Which both made me laugh and scared me that he felt that way. Every day is a new battle so just cause we missed the shrapnel from today (God willing) that doesn’t mean we won’t be hit tomorrow.

Here’s what has me totally freaking out ….. the inevitable contract tracing to come. I traveled with my brother and sister in law. We checked into the hotel and went straight to our room. We ate dinner Friday night. After going to three other restaurants and not wanting to wait the 45-50 minutes on their tables ended up at a Mexican place near the hotel. So you have that waiter, plus the lady who took payment for said delicious dinner, and the ladies we spoke with at the other two places before deciding to move on. On the way back to the hotel the Nephew requested a milkshake from Chick-fil-a, so add the kid who took our order and the kid who brought our order to the list. Plus whomever all of these people served the rest of the night/weekend. Also keep in mind I couldn’t begin to tell you where those two restaurants were located cause it was dark and my brother was driving. My nephew visited us once we got there, and he had 2 roommates, not to mention his coaches and other teammates that he ate dinner with that night and traveled on a buss home with. Plus the buss driver, you gotta add him to the mix. Plus notice I'm not including anyone that we walked by on Saturday, talked with etc. cause it was a crapton of people. On the way home Saturday we stopped for a bite at a Wendy's, again only God knows where, and dealt with the window lady. Plus add two rest area stops, one stop at a gas station in which we all got out and stretched our legs. So lady behind us in line for the potty that stood far closer than she should have good luck cause I don’t even know your damn name. Then upon returning home you have my parents to add to the mix. This morning I got up and went to Church where I counted the money as part of the treasury with another lady, cut a check for one of the members, had several conversations with our preacher throughout the day. While waiting on me mom and dad went to Winn Dixie for a few items so whomever they dealt with there counts I guess. All while wearing a mask but still. That’s just me. That’s just my list of where I was and what I did. That doesn’t include who my brother saw today, whom my SIL saw, or my nephew. That’s how this shit gets so damn out of control so damn fast and that’s what has me all freaked out. This is the aspect of this entire virus situation that people don't think about.  Plus all of that is just from say Friday to Sunday ..... what about the week ahead? Do we count them too? it's quite overwhelming to think about. 

Since March I’ve been good. I’ve stayed home from work (working from home), I’ve left the house only when it was absolutely necessary. I've worn masks, I've used the hand sanitizer, ....  I’VE DONE EVERYTHING RIGHT. I had one lapse in judgement and I pray with everything I have that it doesn’t ruin everything. Especially when all I needed to hear that day was "I really am glad you came, I know these kind of things freak you out now." I'd do anything for that kid, even get RONA I just pray he doesn't get it or I don't give it to others during the process. I also pray that should we get it he doesn't blame himself tho he's enough like me that he will. 

Marcy (whose more scared of Big Rona than Rona is of me but that scares me even more)

Random Thoughts by Marcy

I’ve been wanting to make a post for a while now but every time I think about one I have about 12 things bouncing around in my head that I feel deserves my voice …. And it all ends up being a jumbled mess in my head. In those cases, I have done a “random thoughts post” so I’ve decided it’s time to bring out the Random Thoughts posts if for on other reason so I can generate some content on this blog. 

Mental Health

I’m not going to lie …. I’ve been better. I’ve fallen into a pretty bad rut lately where I get up, work 8-10 hours, sometimes skipping lunch and then have supper, and sit in my chair watching TV praying for a time when I can go to bed then when I get in bed I lay there watching crap on youtube or some other digital platform until about 1 before finally giving up and falling asleep only to get up the next day and do it all over again. Saturday tends to be my only day where I can sleep in and sadly that’s 10am cause by then I’m usually wide awake. I have a tendency to stay in my bed long after I woke up cause I know the second I hit the floor I’m going to be going until I can get back into that bed. I wish I could walk into a room without hearing “I need you to…” or “oh good I have a job for you ….” I know they need me and I appreciate that but it sometimes becomes too much and I just want to be left alone for 3 seconds. That’s usually when I go to bed early or take a “bath.” I spent some of last weekend cleaning up my space just cause I needed to do that. For as little time I spend in there it is amazing how quickly it can become awfully messy with “stuff” everywhere. Mostly clothes. I’m real bad about washing clothes then not putting them away. Taking back control of my “space” helped me very much, tho it also made me see what else needed to be done. That is the problem with cleaning ………. It always makes you see how much more needs your attention that you don’t have the energy to give it.

Halloween

How come when I’m available to watch all the Halloween movies and fun all that’s on is Back to the Future … or anything from the Chucky series (which I just can’t get into), The Mummy, the Nightmare Before Christmas fine films mind you but not the Halloween goodness I want to fill my eye holes with during Halloween fun time. Where the hell is The Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Halloween 2? Little Shop of Horrors ? Why does it seem all the good stuff is on when I’m not available to watch it? Friday I did turn on the Friday the 13^th marathon as my work background noise … one of the joys of working from home. I just feel like I’m missing so much of it all and that makes a sad Marcy.  

Justin Willman

Speaking of Halloween did you hear that Justin William is doing virtual magic shows based on his Magic for Humans Netflix show. He’s doing two special shows on the 30^th and 31^st. The entire show is a Live Interactive hour of mind-blowing (spooky) magic and surprises via Zoom. I mean everything else on the planet is done by Zoom why not this. Ticket’s are $25 per household and you can sign up at  https://www.justinwillman.com/virtual

I’ve already gotten my ticket for the 30th Halloween Eve! Better hurry they are going fast!

Politics/Election

Just one time …one time before I die I want to vote for someone cause I truly believe they have the answers that will make this Country great …. Not again … but to the potential that the super power that used to be the United States could really live up to. It’s been a long time since we were that. I’m honestly surprised that the other countries still let us play with them at the big summits. This dates back several presidents ago ……. Not just the most recent train wreck. The truth is I really wanted him to do well. I wanted him to dig his head out of his own ass and his advisors to do the same and really get to work for this Country. It could have been a good thing it could have kept alive the idea that anyone could be president that anyone could rise to that level, but now that seems to be a dead dream. Don’t get me wrong this is not a Democratic love post cause at the moment I’m just as sick of them as I am “him.”

What really kills me tho …. Is that no one has figured out how to work with his crazy ass. Even his own people don't know how to get him to do anything or talk to him in a way that would make a sane person you know listen. It’s not a United as a Country thing anymore it’s an us vs them thing and that’s just sad. It’s been that way before “him” but it seems like it’s now so more than ever. I am so tired of the back and forth bullshit and nothing getting settled or accomplished and the people who put them in those positions are the ones that suffer for it. My biggest fear is that he will win ….. that there’s too many like me who feel that this is all just a giant waste of time but my bigger fear is that he won’t leave and then there’s that fight. What really scares me is I’m not even sure the Democrats are confident in their choice. This is the first election in my lifetime that I have seriously considered not voting at all. What’s the point?! No matter what I vote the outcome in my state will be the same …. Therefore all these people telling me I have a voice couldn’t be more wrong, and that’s the saddest thing ever.

COVID-19

I have personally known a good dozen people that tested positive for the Virus, one of which died. Yes he had underlying medical conditions but at the end of the day those were aggravated by Covid and the end result is the same. He’s gone. His wife is now living without him and struggling to pay bills, his daughter accepted the flag for his service to our country and he’s gone. I had given serious thought to not voting at all … cause well as started above …. What’s the point anyway. Turns out all I needed was a push. I got that push after “he” got out of the hospital, after getting the best medical care in the world, and told said world that this Virus was no big deal. I’m currently working from home because my coworkers have decided that it’s no big deal and now the LEADER of the FREE WORLD has validated that belief. This is not a joke. This is something that we should have had under control by now. That other Countries figured out long before it got here and instead of watching what they were doing and paying attention we decided to go our own way and here we are. Still in the throws of it with numbers not declining and not even evening out but still rising. That’s messed up. The idea that Biden would have had all the answers is of course insane but it can’t be worse can it? I mean honestly how far as we going to let this fucking go before we say enough is enough? Meanwhile this Covid shit still doesn’t get under control. That is not a world I want to live in at all.

So those are my random thoughts ……… they are not endorsed by Golden (@theonlygolden) they are my thoughts and my thoughts alone.

Thanks for reading,

Marcy

@beaslma

2020 Halloween TV Movie Calendar

Let’s be honest … 2020 is very much like the big bad wolf … it blew in super hard but then was told it couldn’t cause it might spread the COVID, and good lord man wear a mask! I came really close to not doing this calendar cause well frankly nothing else has worked out this year why should this … but then decided A. I needed something to look forward to so looking up these shows and movies made me happy. B. what if the thing you guys was looking forward to was this calendar and I didn’t deliver then it would have just been one more thing in this crappy year that disappointed you … and well I can’t have that on my head. C. it’s all about me and this calendar makes me smile and wears out my Tivo and so we must proceed!

So … here you go …. By my calculations the 12^th Edition of the Halloween Calendar is here for your viewing pleasure, tho I swear I’ve been doing it longer. Found below is a JPEG (for your phone for quick reviews of shows on the go). If you'd like a PDF of it drop me a DM on my twitter @beaslma

PS I have found that when you are at a restaurant or sports bar pulling our your phone and asking the waitress to switch from the football game to SYFY for some Halloween goodness does not win you a free appetizer but then again this year it just might.

While I have put my toe into the “digital world” by using Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, Peacock, and by having access to Netflix (thanks to someone who shall remain nameless so that the Netflix gods don’t come after her), I have to admit my main source of entertainment is still my television and thus this calendar reflects that, so deal with it digital nerds! Wait … wait don’t go ….. digital shows are highlighted below just not in the same loving way …. Don’t turn your back on me pls…totes love ya.

The highlights:

• Freeform: ok let’s get the obvious out of the way, if you read nothing else in this dissertation …. Read this ……. if you have littles this is the channel for you. If you are young at heart …. this is the channel for you. If you are having a horrible day and just want to vege and watch something fun …. this is the channel for you. That being said not everything on their list deserves or needs your eye balls. 31 Nights of Halloween started many years ago and quickly grew to be competitive in this market. That said … the line-up includes a LOT of repeats and frankly shows that have very little to do with Halloween. It also includes shows/movies that you won’t find elsewhere so it’s well worth checking out and checking out often.
• AMC: I would call Fear Fest the greatest thing to ever happen to Halloween IF they didn’t insist on so much Walking Dead insanity I mean aren’t all those people Zombies yet…honestly how is that show still on the air? Is it even a story at this point or are they all just killing one another for lack of having something better to do?! They redeem themselves a little bit by their selection, which starts Oct. 1^st and runs through the end of the month … but only a little bit. I’m watching you AMC don’t turn into Food Network (see below).
• Syfy: is once again doing their 31 days of Halloween, starting Oct. 1^st with all the blood and gore and awesomeness that one could wish for in a Halloween line up. I am going to ignore the fact they have added Harry Potter to their lineup cause I just don’t have it in me to rant about that yet again, nor do I feel the need to point out that Gremlins is a Christmas movie cause a friend has already pointed that out to me and I don’t entirely disagree. However Gizmo’s are adorable and we all need more of that in our lives. 
• Disney Channel: Disney’s Monstober starts October 1^st but let’s be honest it’s more Disney Channel Halloween themed episodes than anything else and that’s disappointing to me. With all that is at their disposal, cause let’s face it I’ve seen what they have in their arsenal on the Disney+ ap, the best they can come up with is Descendants, Disney Fan Jam, it’s just real disappointing but hey what do I know those could be the classics that your kids will one day be ranting to their peers about.
• Turner Classic Movies: The Godfather of classic movies will begin their programing on Oct. 2^nd and include original classics like Dracula, House on Haunted Hill, Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Devil Doll, The Mummy, The Blob, so many great movies this year on their schedule, if you are lucky enough to get this channel of course.
• It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown  - ok look we all know ABC is gonna show it, usually the Wed before Halloween but for some reason the powers that be at ABC feel the need to keep that crap under wraps for as long as they can. I get it … you have a pandemic going on and your fall schedules have been messed with cause your actors and writers and their staffs didn’t wanna die by coming in to film so you are all scrambling. Maybe announce this one … check one thing off the to do list ….. would that be so hard? It is like they don’t even care about my calendar. So rude.

You might notice that Food Network isn’t on this list, and usually they are. However this year I’m mad at them. They started showing their Halloween fun in SEPTEMBER … like what?! Who do they think they are Christmas at Walmart in August ?! Unacceptable. Who do they think they are Christmas at Walmart in August ?! Unacceptable. I will admit that Outrageous Pumpkins with Alyson Hannigan (of Buffy and How I met your mother fame) is giving me life at the moment but not enough to earn them back their bullet. Nice try Food Network but frankly, the last few years they have angered me with their content and this year they have angered me by showing that horrible content so early. That’s right … Halloween Wars aint what it used to be. You may be wondering to yourself ... why would they start showing this stuff so early ….. to make room for a “Halloween Edition” of Worst Cooks, and some show called Freakshow Cakes. So watch Food Network or don’t … entirely up to you. Get in the corner Food Network and think about what you have done!

So ok …. Digital Nerds as I so lovely called you guys earlier (still with me?) here’s your moment to shine ……  cause I love you guys …… here’s some links for your favorite digital platforms like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime. Use some of these btw to look for those shows we all grew up with and fall back in love with them, like Halloween Town, any of the Olsen Twins stuff like Double Double Toil and Trouble, Young Frankenstein, Scary Stories, Little Shop of Horrors, Twitches, Spooky Buddies, Bednobs and Broomsticks, Donald Ducks Trick or Treat, and of course The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad a classic for sure.

Check out the following links to see their various line ups that you shouldn’t miss. DISCLAIMER: I have seen some of these but not all of these … I vouch not for their goodness, their quality or their creativity but I do vouch for the fact that they carry the Halloween torch and that’s good enough for me. 

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-to-netflix-in-october-2020-bly-manor-and-more-horror-movies-tv-shows-and-original/1100-6482549/

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/disney-plus-halloween-collection-streaming-movies-list-2020/

https://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/g32748070/disney-plus-halloween-movies/

https://collider.com/best-halloween-movies-on-amazon-prime/

One thing that never changes is of course … the rules … I’ve told you about the kid who watched Michael Myers and couldn’t sleep and his mom had the audacity to blame me (don’t do that, he did not and does not have my DNA which means …. He’s not my problem…good luck with what you created), I’ve told you about time zones (I’m in Central, if you aren’t adjust accordingly) and font sizes (printing it 11X 17 is good for your eye holes), so I’m not going to bore you with those again. If you don’t want this calendar feel free to opt out …. Reply all will not be your friend …. Just giving you a heads up. For the newbies figure it out, for the veterans to this calendar game anyone want to make a bet on who breaks the first rule and which one?! Can they break a rule if I haven’t told them what the rule is ? Yeah…yeah they can and they likely will. 

The intention of this calendar, much like the Christmas one is well normally to get you to slow down and spend time with your family, friends and loved ones (which sometimes overlap) but I’d imagine you all might be sick of that. So take some time for your self do something fun … carve a pumpkin while watching, create fantastic Halloween snacks to eat while watching, or work on your costume – don’t forget the props – and RELAX from the horrors that have been 2020 cause let’s face it trick or treating might be cancelled but awesome Halloween specials are always in season. Feel free to share ……. If you dare! 😃

Marcy

Books for all

Over the life of this blog we have talked a lot about books and what they mean to both Golden and I … and this post will be no different. For those that follow me on Twitter, and why wouldn’t you with gems like this …..

….  you might have seen that I have been chosen as the Mighty Little Library’s honorary librarian of September. Now the Mighty Little Library is a free book loan and exchange box that’s been up since say July in Oneonta, Alabama. 

The little library even has a light on the inside for you nighttime readers who need your fix but wanna do so in your jammies. All the library asks is that if you borrow a book and love it keep it or return it to find your next love. If you decide to keep it bring back another one that someone else might get to enjoy. 

   

It has children books, adult themed books, mysteries, science fiction and even some comic books and magazines. It’s awesome and fantastic and a great way to try out a new book without spending extra monies at the store. There's even a notebook where you can request specific kind of books guys! I mean honestly! How cool is that! 

So when I was named Honorary Librarian of September I started thinking about the kind of books I’d stock it with. But the key to a library like this is it can’t just be books that you love or books that you grew up with. Sure those have their place but one really has to stop and think about the area that the library is in, the people who would be frequenting the library and books that would appeal to them. Like Oneonta is a very Hispanic heavy community. Many languages are going on in that town at any given moment in any store. So my first donation to the Mighty Little Library was some Spanish language books that I thought would be interesting. Cause that was lacking in the library and the people that stock it were asking for some. 

I chose the following books: 

Spanish Short Stories for Beginners: 20 Captivating Short Stories to Learn Spanish & Grow Your Vocabulary the Fun Way! Which I picked cause it sounded like a good book with a few different stories that those just learning the language might enjoy as well as those who speak it well. I mean it’s 20 short stories what’s not to love about that?! That’s 20 books in a single book guys .  . . . I mean no brainer right!?

Yo no soy tu perfecta hija Mexicana by Erika Sanchez (translation “I am not your perfect Mexican daughter”) which I got after reading a review about how compelling the story was and how it captivated them. I also thought it might be a story a little girl in the town of Oneonta might need to read right now. Heck a parent of that little girl might need to read it to.

 

Juliet Respira Profundo by Gabby Rivera (translation: “Juliet takes a breath”) which I bought after watching a video with the writer talking about the book. It just sounded like a fun read and well if that’s not what this library is about then I don’t wanna know.

My second set of donations were brand new copies of my all time favorite book series “My Teacher Is an Alien” a 4 part books series that frankly made me want to write as a child. God Bless Bruce Coville and his amazing brain. Each book in the series is told from the point of view of one of the “main” characters, and while the stories pick up exactly where the last book left off they are all stand alone stories but to read only one is a disservice to you as the reader.  These books were imaginative, funny, and really made me think as a kid that A. we weren’t alone and B. it’s embarrassing what we are doing if we think about others who may be watching. It’s a fantastic book series that tackles bullies, kids needing to use their voice, adults needing to listed to their voice, and just how amazing this planet could be in the hands of people that aren’t humans. I re read this series often, usually when I’m in a funk and need to be reminded that the world could be a better place or when I just need an escape in to this world with Peter, Susan and Duncan. It always amazes me that no matter when I read it it seems to fit the time period that I’m living in and that my friends is what “timeless” is all about.

 I love thinking about the things that I’d put in this library and donating to it. I also love that it’s a thing. I can’t tell you how much I would have loved having a library like this as a child that I could walk up to browse and return to often with no need for a card or a ride to the actual library. The Mightly Little Library was born during the Covid Shutdown which incidentally resulted in the shutting down of schools and thus cutting kids off from their books sources (let’s face it not everyone has several bookshelf's full of books to browse). I would encourage you to follow the library and support them in anyway you can by donating books or just RT their posts as they try to provide a little inspiration, encouragement and love into the world.

Here’s to you Mighty’s Little Library may your pages never get dog eared! Next time I'll talk about more adult themed books that meant something to me cause let's face it this blog is nothing else but a depository of book lists for the young and young at heart! 

Marcy

  

Other posts that might interest ya about reading from this Blog ..... 

 https://saywhatmg.blogspot.com/2020/03/aitah.html

 https://saywhatmg.blogspot.com/2019/11/thankfulness-challenge-favorite.html

 https://saywhatmg.blogspot.com/2014/09/ill-read-what-i-want-to.html

 https://saywhatmg.blogspot.com/2014/11/thankfulness-challenge-day-10.html