text:
Tag Archives: Life of a Fangirl
March 6, 2016 by Moreland
Fan-do or Fan-don't. There is No Fan-try
So you all know how much I love Star Wars
But I will not be taking about it today. Instead I will be talking about things I fandom over. Maybe this post will induce you to join me.
If you only knew the power of the Fandom!
What can I say about this show? Out of everything I ever watched or grew up watching; this was one of my favorites.
It is the story of a minister's family, Reverend Camden, in small town Glen Oak, CA; and the trials, tribulations, fun, and everything in between that they go through.
One of the reasons why I enjoyed this show so much was because I am a preacher's kid (p.k.), so I could completely relate to everything they had the characters go through. It was pretty real, except for the fact that the church has no youth group and the kids are never expected to help out in church.
But the issues they face and the way the characters relate or rebel to the ministry; was spot on. The only thing I didn't like was the last episode as it ended on a cliffhanger, and the last season was horrendous. They should have just stopped.
If I had to pick a favorite character, when I was younger I loved Simon (David Gallagher). But now as an adult, I'm mad about Matt Camden (Barry Watson).
He was hot, kind, smart, adorable, the perfect older brother, perfect boyfriend; just a total dream guy.
And if you rewatch or watch the first season, he is the pre-Jared Padalecki long-haired, tall, handsome actor. Just check out that hairdo.
I was so sad when it ended as it just didn't mark the end of a series, and characters I love; but it was such a huge part of my childhood. It is always hard saying good-bye to something like that.
For more on 7th Heaven, go to She's Still Preoccupied With 1985
To remember when this book came out? It was an amazing series and I just loved it. I enjoyed how their was always good out of bad and the whole mysteriousness surrounding the V.F.D.
I even went farther than just reading the series, but going as far as reading The Beatrice Letters and The Unauthorized Biography of Lemony Snicket.
I loved the series up to #10, The Slippery Slope, but after that the book was horrible. And when the revealed everything in #13 The End I was so disappointed.
But like 7th Heaven this was a huge part of my childhood, and I was so sad when it ended. However, I will be passing this on to my nieces and nephews.
For more Lemony Snicket, go to I Hate Those Kinds of People
Sherlock Holmes/ Sherlock
So I am a HUGE fan of Sherlock Holmes mysteries, I've been reading them since I was a child and watching almost every version created. What can I say, I love Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Go here to see who your biographer should have been.
So my friend loved this TV show and tried to get me into it. I had started watching it, but saw the first episode on TV and thought it wasn't quite right in how I picture Sherlock.
So I waited a few years, and then decided to watch it from the beginning. From there I realized it was pretty good.
I thought that all the episodes were great except A Scandal in Belgravia, Irene Adler was just too weird.
But Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman were just perfect as Sherlock and Dr. Watson. I liked how Sherlock was a bit more rambunctious and impulsive, as his age and the wisdom that comes with it haven't been reached yet. I liked how Dr. Watson was more active; not always instantly catching on to what was happening but taking part in trying to help solve and protect Sherlock.
For more on Sherlock, go to England Dreamin' On Such a Summer's Day
I mentioned quite a few times how much I love this movie. I think it is a great plot, Aurora is an amazing character, and Prince Phillip the perfect prince.
In fact I loved this film so much I was Aurora twice for Halloween, and my sister and I used to act it out all the time. I would be Aurora:
And she would be Maleficent.
We would have to have Barbies or stuffed animals be the rest.
One of my favorite songs/scenes is Once Upon a Dream. So one of my favorite scenes from this movie is when they sing and dance to Once Upon a Dream. I remember I used to act this scene out by myself and with my barbie dolls. It was the first song I have ever memorized extremely quickly. I used to sing this song ALL THE TIME. Just couldn't stop.
Yep, just one amazing film.
For more on Sleeping Beauty, go to Waiter, There's Some Disney in My Jane Austen
I am a huge Spider-man fan. I grew up watching the Spider-man hour in which the showed Spider-man and His Amazing Friends along with the '90s cartoon. I loved that cartoon as it totally and completely captured everything I love about Spider-man. The sass, the fact that he is constantly struggling to go to school and provide for his aunt, trying to have a life and friends while be a super hero. Dealing with all this responsibility.
From this I moved to the comics and become a major fan and nerd.
I have read the Spider-man Encyclopedia like 20 times. I own the '60s (and best) comics. I just love this guy!
If he existed.
None of the films have really done him justice (I hate Andrew Garfield), but Spider-man will always be one of my major loves. And guess what? He's perfect for me!
To see who should be your superhero BF click here.
Yep he's one of the best superheroes ever!
For more Spider-man, go to Oh What A Night
I'm hoping that this will rise in you a desire to check them out.
For the previous post, go to The Strange Case of a Fangirl and Her Fandoms
And Stay tuned for part 22
For more Peter Pan, go to A Pirate's Life is the Life for Me
For more Disney posts, go to A Little Monkey Business: Chinese New Year
In other news, this is my 700th post!
Only took five months to reach this milestone.
For the 600th post, go to There Are Thirteen Chairs at the Table…And That's Unlucky: Mystery of the 13th Guest (1943)
For the 500th post, go to Fantom of the Opera
Posted in Disney, Life as a Fangirl, Star Wars
Tagged 100th post, 7th Heaven, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Andrew Garfield, Annie Camden, Aurora, Barry Watson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Camden Family, David Camden, David Gallagher, Dr. Watson, Eric Camden, Fandom, Fangirl, J.M. Barrie, Jared Padalecki, Jim Barrie, Lemony Snicket, Life of a Fangirl, Lucy Camden, Maleficent, Martin Freeman, Mary Camden, Matt Camden, Minister, Once Upon a Dream, Pastor's Kid, Peter Pan, Peter Parker, Prince Phillip, Reverend Camden, Ruthie Camden, Sam Camden, Series of Unfortunate Events, Sherlock, Sherlock Holmes, Simon Camden, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sleeping Beauty, Spider, Spider-man, Spider-man (TV show), Star Wars, The Beatrice Letters, The Unauthorized Biography of Lemony Snicket, You've Got Mail
Portrait of a Fangirl
Yes our Life of a Fangirl posts are back!
Sorry to have taken so long to finish these posts. It just seemed as if every time I tried to something came up, and then I had to stop for Horrorfest, the holidays came up, etc.
But here we are with another fandom post!
What can I say about this band other than the fact that they are AWESOME!!!!
Their songs are amazing, the vocals fantastic, the music incredible, and the lyrics are just out of this world.
I don't know how they do it, but every song just connects to you as a listener.
Every time I hear a song, I just get so excited and crank up the volume as I sing at the top of my lungs.
If I had to choose my five favorite Journey songs, which is a practically impossible feat, I would choose…….
Don't Stop Believin' (you all saw that one coming), Any Way You Want It, Separate Ways Worlds Apart, Wheel in the Sky, and I'll Be Alright Without You.
For more on Journey, go to Any Way You Want It
I just love Michael J. Fox. He is one of my all-time favorite actors.
Oh yes, Michael J. Fox you can do no wrong with me. I love you and everything you have ever been in. Even when you wore horrible shirts in that film that made zero sense, High School U.S.A.; and the camp one, Poison Ivy.
Now you all know my favorite is Back to the Future, one of the best films ever and the best starring him.
No one can beat the amazingnest he bring to the role of Marty McFly. It just wouldn't be as cool without him.
And of course he isn't a one hit wonder, I love everything else he has been in: Doc Hollywood, The Secret of My Success, Greedy, For Love or Money, Homeward Bound I & II, The Frighteners, Atlantis, Teen Wolf, I could go on but should stop now.
Besides his films he is an amazing writer. I've read all his books and his style is so fresh and reads like a conversation. When you read his words he is so humble, caring, and completely honest. I enjoy his books as much as I love his films. I just love him.
For more on Michael J. Fox, go to The Future is NOW!: Happy Back to the Future Day
The Riyria Revelations
I was first introduced to this series on a giveaway on Goodreads. Like once a month I'll go through and just enter to win free books. Often times, by the time they have picked a winner and are sending out the books, I've completely forgotten about it and am surprised to receive a package.
One day I checked the mail and found a package for me. When I opened it up I saw that it was Theft of Swords the first volume in the Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan. I had totally forgotten ever entering any giveaway and was completely unsure as to what this book was.
I looked it up on Goodreads and thought it sounded interesting so I decided to give it a read. I was unprepared for what I found.
I LOVED IT!!!!! I started reading a few pages which quickly grew into the first book. I would have continued completing the second, but had homework.
As I worked on it, all I could do was think about what was going to happen next. I quickly finished my work and went back to the book, reading long into the night.
I finshed it, but then I needed the next book.
Unfortunately I had to wait as my library didn't have it, but a sister library did. It was agony! I just had to find out what happened and I needed to now!
What made it even worse was that I knew NOBODY who liked it, making me suffer alone.
Eventually the next book came in and was just as good as the first. I had to experience the same trauma waiting for the third volume, but it was worth it. Unfortunately, it was over too soon.
I still kept it around as I didn't want it to be over.
So Volume 1: Theft of Swords contains the first two books.
Book 1: The Crown Conspiracy
Hadrian Blackwater and Royce Melbourn are thieves for hire. Hadrian is tall, broad shouldered, and a skilled swordsman; being an ex-solider and mercenary. Royce is althletic and wiry, once belonging to a gang of thieves his skills are quietly stalking, safe-cracking, etc. The two were introduced and while orginally disagreeable with each other, they became great teammates and best friends. Hardian has a strong moral code and sense of justice, while Royce is cautious and more of a planner. The two balance each other well.
One day they are hired to steal a sword, and when they go to retrieve it; they find themselves as scapegoats for the the murder of the King! His son and now king, Alric, locks them up, soon to be hanged. Unbeknownst to him, his sister Arista, sorcerer in training, frees them and has them join her in her quest to free a long ago locked up wizard. They set out on the quest, along with ateempting to find out who really set them up and what was their ulterior motives.
Book 2: Avempartha
A young, innocent, farm girl, Thrace; travels to find Hadrian and Royce to get their help. In her hometown there is a monster attacking, the only thing that can stop it being a sword. As the two are caught up in the schemes of the freed wizard Esrahaddon; Royce finds himself trying to enter an Elven tower, while Hadrian tries to rally the town folk to stop the beast. Things become more complicated as it appears there is a contest to detsroy the beast; the victor being the fulfillment of an age old prophecy and ruler of the world.
The second volume contains books 3-4, Volume II: Rise of the Empire
Book 3: Nyphron Rising
The traumatized and completely shell shocked Thrace has been crowned the fulfiller of the prophecy. People are backing her, which causes King Alric and his sister Arista to go to War. Arista once again hires the thieves, who discover that the only way they can emerge victorious is to discover the truth of Hadrian's past.
Book 4: The Emerald Storm
Hadrian has discovered the mission he was born for and sets out to discover the true heir of Novron. His quest takes him onto a ship, setting out to find Merrick Mauris. Even though Royce hates going on ships, he joins him on the quest, for their "final trip". As they sail out, they discover much more about the people they know and what the ulterior plans are, more than they ever expected.
The third volume contains books 5-6, Volume III: The Heir of Novron
Book 5: Wintertide
The New Empire, with the puppet empress Thrace, has decided to hold a victory celebration. The prepare to execute Degan Gault, leader of the rebels; along with the Witch of Melengar, Arista. After the execution, they prepare to marry Thrace off and later kill her. Unfortunate for them, Hadrian and Royce have returned to save Arista and the true Heir, preparing help place him on the throne.
Book 6: Percepliquis
This is it, the end. The thieves have decided to head out to the ancient ruins of Percepliquis, in order to gain the tools needed for the true Heir and to restore them to the throne. They are accompanied by a mass of friends from their previous adventures. But what happens next is a shock to all; and when the true heir is revealed will these characters be able to survive what happens next and pick up their lives after their adventures?
These books were just so amazing. Not only do you have such fantastic and incredible adventures, but two extremely hot, loyal, and awesome men.
I highly recommend to it all. Check it out!
I grew up reading the comic in the Archie Comics magazine. This grew to the animated TV show and then of course the live action TV show that I absolutely loved.
Sabrina Spellman is a sixteen-year-old half witch living with her witch aunts and their cat Salem, a warlock banished into animal form.
Every episode lasted a half hour and involved Sabrina getting into some type of shenanigans because of her powers and later trying to solve them.
The show was great until she went to college. They lost the funny characters and she was too mature and grounded in her magic.
Besides the amazing comedy, this show had one of the best pairings.
Harvey and Sabrina forever. Harvey was just a regular guy; football quarterback, car mechanic, etc. But when he got with Sabrina, he'd find himself caught up in the craziness of her magic. Being turned into a silent film mountie, having to save her from a troll, turned into a frog, etc.
Through it all he just rolled with it and was always there for Sabrina. Love them.
Most of the episodes are on Youtube, and all are on Amazon Instant Watch. You should definitely give it a look.
For more on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, go to A River of Candy Corn Runs Through It: Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1997)
For the previous post, go to It's A Fan World After All
For more book-filled posts, go to Folio Fatigue
Posted in Back to the Future, Book Lover, Life as a Fangirl, Musical Stylings of Me
Tagged Alric, Any Way You Want It, Archie Comics, Arista, Atlantis, Avempartha, Awesome Lyrics, Back to the Future, Doc Hollywood, Don't Stop Believin', Fandoms, Favorite Song, For Love or Money, Goodreads, Greedy, Hadrian Blackwater, Harvey, Harvey Kinkle, High School U.S.A., Homeward Bound, Homeward Bound II, I'll Be Alright Without You, Journey, Keep Calm, Life of a Fangirl, Markus Zusak, Marty McFly, Michael J. Fox, Michael J. Sullivan, No Fandom, Nyphron Rising, Percepliquis, Poison Ivy, Rise of the Empire, Royce Melbourn, Sabrina Spellman, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Separate Ways Worlds Apart, Sleep Not Important, Teen Wolf, The Crown Conspiracy, The Emerald Storm, The Frighteners, The Heir of Novron, The Riyria Revelations, The Secret of My Success, Theft of Swords, Wheel in the Sky, Wintertide, Witch
May 17, 2015 by Moreland
Fantom of the Opera
Yep, here we go with another one of my fangirl lists. Read it and enjoy! 🙂 After all one of a fangirls favorite thing to do is share their loves with others.
Beach Party Series
I grew up watching these Beach Party films when I was a kid. My sister and I used to try and copy the dances and learn how to move just like them! These films were silly and loads of fun, the perfect films to watch for a good time. It starred Frankie Avalon as "Frankie" surfer and singer staying at the beach for a good time. His girlfriend Dolores aka Dee Dee, was played by Annette Funicello, came along with all the friends. They would hang out and have fun, getting into a fight and breaking up, but always reuniting at the end. There was also Bonehead (called Deadhead in the first film) who was kinda dumb and never understanding that the ladies wanted him. The group also always ran into a motorcycle gang called "The Ratz" or "The Rat Pack" that were lead by Eric Von Zipper. These were also musicals and had amazing songs + dancing.
In Beach Party, Frankie, Annette, and the gang are hanging out at the beach. Anthropologist, Dr. Robert Orville Sutwell, played by Robert Cummings, is studying the sex lives of Southern California surfing teens. He saves Dolores from Eric Von Zipper, paralyzing him with an "African" Vulcan touch, and Dolores develops a crush on him. This makes Frankie jealous, who starts flirting with a Hungarian waitress. Dr. Sutwell's assistant Marianne has been in love with him for a long time and tries hard to win him over. The whole crew sing, dance, and have a groovy time. Also keep your eyes peeled for a cameo by Vincent Price.
In Muscle Beach Party, the sequel, the gang is back only to discover their beach is getting taken over by body builders? Will they be able to get rid of them and get their spot back? Also, an Italian contessa is after Frankie, and he seems to be enjoying it. Is this the end for Frankie & Dee Dee?
In Bikini Beach, the teens are back on the beach only to face a new threat! Millionaire Harvey Huntington Honeywagon III is going to try to turn it into senior citizens. He also thinks that the teens are no better than animals. Frankie and Dee Dee also face a threat to their relationship, when British rocker "The Potato Bug", Peter Royce Bailey (played by Frankie Avalon and a parody of the British rockers coming to America) is interested in Dee Dee and she seems to like him back.
Pajama Party was a bit different from the other films in the series. Frankie Avalon wanted more money and the studio replaced him with Tommy Kirk. In this Annette plays "Connie", once girlfriend to Big Lunk {Deadhead in the other films} but realizes that his lack of brains and romance means it is time to move on. She meets Gogo, Tommy Kirk, who unbeknowest to her is actually a teenage martian preparing an invasion to Earth. Aunt Wendy (Elsa Lancaster) is an eccentric and rich woman, aunt to Big Lunk and always opening her house to teens. Her neighbor, J. Sinister Hulk; and his minions, Chief Rotten Eagle and Swedish Helga, are trying to con her out of her cash.
In Beach Blanket Bingo, Frankie and Dee Dee are back. In this they are at the beach and run into the singer Sugar Kane skydiving. Frankie saves her life when she falls into the ocean and starts falling for her charm. In reality this isn't Sugar Kane, but her stunt double Bonnie. Bonnie is upset that her boyfriend Steve isn't more interested and uses Frankie to up his jealousy. The Ratz are back and Eric Von Zipper falls for Sugar wanting her as his own. Also Deadhead falls for a mermaid. Another zany summer at the beach!
So when Teen Beach Movie came out by Disney, I had to watch it. I loved it as it was the perfect homage to the series I grew up with.
For more on Beach Films, go to Friday Night Fun
Do any of you know the Lawrence Brothers?
What a group of good-looking men. I was such huge fans of them all, following their careers very closely. I had a super huge crush on all three of them growing up. My love of Lawrence Brothers first started with their TV show, Brotherly Love
Brotherly Love took place in Philidelphia, "the city of brotherly love", and follows the trials of a blended family. This series starred the Lawrence brothers, but only lasted two seasons, I'm unsure as to why. I remember it being awesome!
Anyways, Joe Roman (Joey Lawrence) parents are divorced and he moves away with his mom. His dad remarries a woman, Claire, and they have two children; Matt (Matthew Lawrence) and Andy (Andrew Lawrence). Their dad is a race car driver and owns a garage. When he dies in an accident while racing, Joe returns home to take over the garage. A now 20-year old Joe tries to work with the family, being a father figure for Matt and Andy. He is cocky and arrogant, but an all around good person.
Matt is 15, and a bit of a nerd. He is a germophobe and a neat freak and has trouble with girls. Andy is mischeveuos and a cute little kid.
The series is rounded out by Lloyd, ex-coast guard and fellow mechanic, and Louise, female mechanic and ultimately the love of Joey.
This series was adorable and fun. I miss it. 😦
Remember when this TV show came out? At first I didn't watch it as I didn't understand what it was about. A bunch of people working in an office that produces paper? Sounds boring to me. BUT, I had a friend who absolutely loved it. He wouldn't stop talking about it so I decided to check it out, and loved it too. It is absolutely hilarious.
Michael Scott is the head of that division, and played by Steve Carroll. He is so silly. I just love how much he hates Toby, this guy that works with him.
Then there was Dwight, the brownnoser who was always sucking up to Michael and trying to control everyone else. He was so strange and hilarious.
And the handsome, prankster, Jim played by the handsome John Krasinski
One great show.
Now I know how obssesed everyone is about this show, but I only loved the first season. The second season opening moved really slow and I had a difficult time finding a way to watch it online (as I don't have cable or netflix). Oh, well. The first season was amazing, and I had to watch every single episode asap.
So the plot of Once Upon a Time, is that all the fairytales by the Brothers Grimm are all connected and exist in a parallel universe. Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming have sent their child Emma, to our world in order to save her from the Evil Queen. Emma was raised as Emma Swan in foster care.
On her 28th birthday, Emma arrives home to find a little boy named Henry. He tells her that he is the son she gave up ten years ago, and according to his book of fairy tales, Emma is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming and the only one who could save the people of his hometown in Storybrooke, Maine.
She returns him to Stoneybrooke and stays in the town becoming sheriff. Her appearance causes the town clock to strike, which it had never done before, fulfilling a prophesy that on Emma's 28th birthday she will begin the final battle, and return the fairy tale characters memories. These memories had been wiped by the Evil Queen, known as Regina Mills in the "real world", the mayor and adoptive mother of Henry. Yeah things get complicated really fast!
I loved the story as it was written extremely well. Ginnifer Goodwin is perfect as Snow White as she is just so adorable.
Rumplestilskin was absolutely perfect and one of my favorite characters as well. I espechially loved the Belle and Beast storyline, with Rumplestilskin being the beast.
And let's not forget Sebastian Stan as the Mad Hatter. Oh, that storyline was just heartbreaking.
Whether the rest are as good, I can't say, but that first season was an absolute winner!
For more Once Upon a Time, go to I Left My Car in San Francisco
I love this book so much that words fail to express how I feel.
It all started one day at the library. I was about six years old and complaining to my mother that I couldn't find any books to read. Nothing just felt right. You know what I mean, when a book synopsis just connects to you, and you know you need to take it home to read?
So my mother eager to get home, pulls a book off the shelf and suggests that I read it. Instead of paying attention to whatever novel she had in her hand, I saw the one behind it. It was The Phantom of the Opera; a slender, abriged, children's version.
It became my new favorite book and I would check it out all the time, completely annoying my mother.
Later on I read the original, whole version; which I also love. It is written so well, if you haven't read it yet I highly recommend it.
So the story is written as a history/biography of the "ghost of the opera house." It recounts the story of poor Erik. Born deformed, sent to live with gypsies, becoming an architect; but never finding love or support. He finds a young girl who he trains to be a singer, only to find her love false, therefore evoking in some very bad decisions. But he's not evil, just misunderstood.
At least that's my take on it.
I just connected with this poor man. He was bullied and betrayed because he was disfigured. No one paid attention to his genius in building and composing. He was living a life alone in isolation. I wanted to go underground with him.
I would have gone off with him and loved him unlike Christine Daaé, she's a total jerk and loser.
I also really, really love the 1925 film.
The film was not only horrtastic, but simply, and honestly amazing! It also stayed very close to the book, making only a few changes, and doing a much better job than some other versions (the 1943 one, so bad 😦 ). In fact this year marks it's 90th anniversary!
Not to mention the amazing make up job that Lon Chaney did that just creeped you out. Absolutely amazing!
And the fabulous masquerade scene that is one of the first color shots in the history of film.
Erik: [at the Bal Masque as "The Red Death"] Beneath your dancing feet are the tombs of tortured men! Thus does The Red Death rebuke your merriment!
Now I know that silent film isn't for everyone, but I suggest that you check out my review, Feast Your Eyes on My Accursed Ugliness for yourself.
Now I have mixed feelings about the 2004 film starring Gerard Butler. I won't go too into it as I plan to review it for Horrorfest IV. I did love Gerard Butler and his singing.
But I didn't like the way they tried to make it that Christine saw him as a father figure. My biggest issue however was the way he looked. Only half his face was disfigured! Why couldn't Christine just sit on one side of him? I mean otherwise the Phantom was a really attractive guy.
Anyways, however he is shown I love Erik, the Phantom. I defintely would have picked him over stinky Raoul.
I'm writing a series of posts on the book that will be coming in the future. If you love anything Phantom, follow me and keep your eyes peeled.
For more on The Phantom of the Opera, go to How I Differ From Others
So that's it for this installment. There will be plenty more next week.
For the previous post, go to Old Fandoms and New Fancies
Stay tuned for part 14
In other news, this post brings us to 500! In about 6 months, I've written 100 posts! Wow!
For post 400, go to The After Party
For post 300, go to That's What You Get
Posted in Life as a Fangirl, Phantom of the Opera
Tagged 100th post, 1960s Beach Movies, 90th Anniversary, Aliens, Andy Lawrence, Annette Funicello, Beach Blanket Bingo, Beach Movies, Beach Party, Beach Party Films, Beauty and the Beast, Belle, Bikini Beach, Bodybuilders, Bonehead, Brotherly Love, Dr. Robert Orville Sutwell, Emma Swan, Evil Queen, Fangirl, Frankie Avalon, Gaston Leroux, Ginnifer Goodwin, Happy Anniversary, Happy Ending, High Functioning Fangirl, Joey Lawrence, John Krasinski, Lawrence Brothers, Life of a Book Lover, Life of a Fangirl, Lon Chaney, Lon Chaney is amazing!, Mad Hatter, Matthew Lawrence, Michael Scott, Muscle Beach Party, Once Upon a Time, Pajama Party, Phantom of the Opera, Phantom of the Opera (1943), Phantom of the Opera (2004), Prince Charming, Psychopath, Regina Mills, Robert Cummings, Rumplestilskin, Sebastian Stan, Snow White, Steve Carroll, Teen Beach Movie, The Office, The Once Upon a Time Series, The Once Upon a Time TV Series, The Phantom of the Opera, The Phantom of the Opera (1925), The Rat Pack Erick Von Zipper, The Ratz, Tommy Kirk, Vincent Price
Old Fandoms and New Fancies
Yes the fangirl posts are back with another installment of some of my favorite things. Hope you all enjoy!
Ah, The Brady Bunch. I grew up watching this show all the time. It was cute, silly, cheesy, and all around good family fun.
The story is of a Mike Brady, an architect and widower, who has three sons; Greg, Peter, and Bobby. He meets Carol, a widow, who has three daughters around the ages of his sons; Marcia, Jan, and Cindy. The two get married, uniting the family, and the show follows them as the kids grow up, getting involved in the usual teenager story lines.
My favorite characters were Greg and Peter. They were just adorable.
I know that today a lot of people make fun of the kitsch in the show, along with the fact that they all get along waaay too fast. But it was really cute and fun.
I was first introduced to Daredevil through the '90s Spider-man TV show I used to watch. In one of the episodes Peter Parker is working for Wilson Fisk, who unbeknownst to him is the crime lord the Kingpin. He is framed for the crime of selling government secrets, and finds himself being helped out by Matt Murdock, lawyer by day, the vigilante Daredevil by night. Eventually Spider-man and Daredevil work together to take down the Kingpin. From this episode I became interested in Daredevil and I wanted to see the Daredevil film and read the comics.
Now what makes Daredevil so exciting and different? He's blind. Matthew Murdock was a young Irishman growing up in Hell's Kitchen, New York City. He chose to save a blind man crossing the street from being hit by a car, and in turn was hit by radioactive substances (they fell off a moving truck) losing his sight. The radioactive materials gifted him with super powers.
"My hearing is so acute, that I can tell if someone is in a room with me just by hearing the heartbeat! And I never forget an odor once I smell it…Even my fingers have become incredibly sensitive! I can tell how many bullets are in a gun just by the weight of the barrel. While my sense of taste has become so developed that I can tell exactly how many grains of salt are on a piece of of pretzel…But my most important new ability is in the form of a built-in radar that I seem to have developed! It enables me to walk anywhere safely, without bumping into anything!" [Daredevil #1, April 1964, pg. 11-12]
After he graduates from high school, he goes to college to study law. There he meets Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, who becomes his best friend. At this point his dad, a boxer, is murdered for choosing to not fix a fight. Matt deals with his grief, and he and Foggy start their own practice, Foggy's father bankrolling them. They hire a young, beautiful, blonde, Karen Page, to be their secretary. Now I enjoyed Foggy as he was funny. But Karen
She was always pitying Matt, and that became super annoying. "Oh he's so handsome if only he wasn't blind." "He's so smart, but oh too bad he's blind Matt. Ugh.
Karen stop talking
Anyways, when the law doesn't do enough, especially in the case with his father, he dons a bright yellow suit and goes by the name Daredevil, The Man Without Fear. He also has some cool weaponry. He has a cane that can break down into two pieces, sort of like nunchucks or bobby sticks.
Now they later updated his story, changing him to losing his father when he was a boy, and being trained by a blind man with similar abilities called "Stick." He also gets a better, dark red costume, and cooler tools. His main villain also become the crime lord, the Kingpin, a villain shared by Spider-man, after all they both are in New York. Daredevil also became a darker superhero. Matt Murdock is the white knight, helper, and the one that stands up for justice. Daredevil is a creature of the night, giving those their sentence. Unlike other superheroes he goes the closest to crossing over the moral line. In order to balance the two, Daredevil relies heavily on his faith, as the morals taught by it are the only things that keep him truly from going over to the dark side.
Now in the 2003 Daredevil the film came out and I must admit that though I absolutely love Ben Affleck, the Daredevil film was not as good as it could have been.
BUT, it was not as horrible as people make it out to be either. I thought Ben Affleck was amazing as Matt Murdock, his costume was perfect, and I thought his cane with the hidden pieces was just amazing. However, Colin Farrell's Bullseye sucked, the Kingpin just was missing something, and come on; Electra starting a fight with a blind man? Seriously? Come, on. This was also in the early 2000s, and studios hadn't quite figured out how to make an awesome superhero film.
Now I heard things about the Daredevil TV show, but I don't have Netflix so I was kind of I guess I'll see it when it gets downloaded onto Youtube or something. However, last month I went to visit my friend, and she was like "hey you should totally watch Daredevil."
So we started watching, then we had to see the next episode, and the next and…
We watched Daredevil half of it that night, and the rest the next day; throwing all other plans we had made out the window. And let me say it is one of the best shows ever! Everything is absolutely perfect. Starting with the opening credits:
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then there was Charlie Cox (hot guy from Stardust) being the perfect blend of white knight for justice and the hanging judge. He captured every essence of Daredevil, from his pursuit of justice, vengeenance, self-doubt, constant questioning, etc. Just perfect!
Foggy Nelson's character was changed from the original comics so that he too grew up in Hell's Kitchen, the son of a butcher. He too was perfect as he was hilarious, sweet, adorable, and just all around a great friend. (BTW he is played by the best friend in She's All That. Yeah I noticed you right away.) Out of all the characters he's the one that doesn't treat Matt as if he's handicapped, but as a regular person; but at the same time does as much as he can to help him with anything.
And Karen was very much improved. Here she is sensible, sweet, not annoying, and stopped pitying Matt all the time. She still had her moments, but they were very few.
But most of all Wilson Fisk was perfect. At first I was like I don't know…he doesn't seem commanding enough, but in each episode you peel back another layer and the white suited, Wilson Fisk, Kingpin, Crime Lord is revealed. I can't wait until he actually starts wearing one!!!! While in the original comics, Vanessa doesn't know anything about Fisk's crime lord status and when she and their son figure it out, it causes a LOT of issues. At one point, his son tries to destroy him and take over. But I actually like how Vanessa knows everything, it's very romantic.
This show is just all around perfect. And if Netflix comes out with season 2, I might just have to buy a membership.
For more on Daredevil, go to Pot o' Gold: 17 Irish Heroes
I love music and I love the '80s. One of my favorite bands from this time period that I totally fangirled over for a long time.
It's an American/English band (as half the members are English while the other half is American). They have the most amazing beats and amazing songs. The guitar solos in this are just dreamy!
I used to listen to these songs over and over again, 🙂
Some of my absolute favorite songs are Cold As Ice, Double Vision, Feels Like the First Time, Hot Blooded, I Want to Know What Love is, Juke Box Hero, and Waiting for a Girl Like You. Great hits!
For more '80s music, go to Rock You Like a Hurricane
My friend came to visit me a few months back and she was all "you have to check out this show North & South. It is AMAZING!" I asked her if it was the one about the Civil War, but she told me no. It was about England, and starred the very hunky Richard Armitage.
I was like why not, and then we watched the show.
It was so awesome I couldn't stop watching it.
At least this was a miniseries so the obsession wasn't too much. And yes, obsession.
So the show takes place during the English Industrial revolution, the late 18th century. Reverend Richard Hale has decided to leave the church of England, as they were asking him to commit to things he didn't want to follow. After he leaves the church, he is forced to leave his parish in the country South, and go somewhere else. With help of an old Oxford friend, Mr. Bell, gets him a place in Milton, located in the industrial North. He brings with him his wife, and daughter Margaret.
The Margaret and her mother don't like the move, but put up with it as they have no other choice. Her father becomes a private tutor, with only one client, Mr. Thornton.
Mr. Thornton was born poor and worked his way up, now owning his own cotton mill and becoming one of the richest men in the area. He however, still has some insecurity around himself, and therefore not only wishes to support Mr. Hale, but increase his education. Mr. Thornton is undeniably sexy and broody. You know, just as I like them.
He and Margaret get off on the wrong foot, as the first time she sees him, she finds him pummeling a man for smoking.
You see Mr. Thornton cares very much for his factory and his workers. He has the newest inventions, including a wheel to ensure that the cotton fluff that floats about doesn't get in the workers and give them "cotton lung", an incredibly deadly disease. This particular worker has been warned multiple times to stop smoking, as the slightest spark could ignite the place in flames.
So you can see how he would be very angry.
Now Margaret doesn't like the North and doesn't understand it. This is a point of contention between her and Mr. Thornton, Mr. Thornton's mother, and his sister Fanny. They think she thinks she's better than everyone, but in reality she just was raised differently. In fact she is constantly going out among the workers and doing charity work. The type of things she would do in the South as a vicar's daughter. She ends up befriending Bess, a worker in Mr. Thornton's mill, and suffering from cotton lung that she got at a different mill.
Unfortunately, just as Margaret and her family have come to the area, there is a lot of unrest. The workers want more money and are threatening to unionize. The thing I love about this show is that it had the views of both sides. You have the workers who need more money to get by and support their large families, but at the same time; you see that Mr. Thornton doesn't have more money to give them. He may be wealthy, but his money is wrapped up in cotton prices and completely dependent on how well it does, and lack of storms in shipping. Plus he bought new, pricey, technology to help the workers and doesn't have enough profits to pay everyone what they wish. It's a complicated issue.
So as all this is happening, Mr. Thornton finds himself drawn to Margaret. She is intelligent, compassionate, thoughtful, beautiful, and doesn't care about class systems. Margaret also finds herself falling for him, but hasn't realized it yet.
Things with the workers grow to a head, where they start striking in front of the mill. Margaret, unaware of what is happening, heads over to the Thorntons to ask for a water bed for her sick mother, and gets caught in the mill during the strike. As Mr. Thornton approaches the mob to talk to them, they grow ugly and Margaret runs out to protect him. She ends up getting hit in the head with a rock. Mr. Thornton carries her to safety and decides that her actions are proof that she loves him too.
How romantic
After Margaret is well, Mr. Thornton asks her to marry him. She refuses as 1) she hasn't realized she is in love with him, and 2) thinks he thinks he is better than her.
When she said no, ah it broke my heart.
Mr. Thornton is amazing!!! How could you refuse him?
Now I know there has been a big controversy over who is better, Mr. Darcy or Mr. Thornton. Well, I have to say Mr. Thornton.
Wait, hear me out. The reason why Mr. Thornton is more appealing than Mr. Darcy is that he has a fuller character. Pride & Prejudice is told by Elizabeth Bennet, so we only see what she sees. Mr. Darcy at first appears to be a jerk, as you can read more about in my post First Impressions, and then later as she gets to know him better, she falls for his strong moral character. But even though we see development of his character, we never see how he was as a child, we never see how he views that first meeting with Elizabeth, we never see his side of things as much as we do with Elizabeth. We do see it from time to time, but on a whole the story is told by Elizabeth. Now in North & South, the mini-series, as I have yet to read the book, he story is split equally between Margaret Hale and Mr. Thornton. We get a deeper understanding of who he is, his backstory, his impressions, etc. Therefore he feels more real. Besides that he has realistic flaws that make you love him more. He doesn't always think things through which can cause him to get into trouble, he misunderstands things, he has his own opinions and thoughts and expresses them whether others like it or not, he has insecurities about himself, he has issues with his father and sister, etc. While Darcy seems so perfect, Mr Thornton is perfectly imperfect, and therefore extremely appealing.
So Elizabeth's mother is getting sicker and sicker, so she writes to her brother in Spain to visit. Her brother was in the Navy and refused a horrible order on moral reasons. Their lawyer is trying to help him, but he had to leave the empire or else he would be imprisoned. Meanwhile, Elizabeth's friend Bess dies from her cotton lung, and Mr. Thornton stops seeing Mr. Hale for lessons. Elizabeth escapes the unhappiness by going to The Great Exhibition with her London relatives and friends. There she runs into Mr. Thornton, who is giving a talk on the new cotton mill technology. There they talk, and mend feelings a bit.
When Elizabeth returns home, her mother is doing extremely poorly. Her brother arrives in time to see her, but the whole house is under lockdown so no one finds out. Mr. Thornton comes to visit, but is refused entrance. He misunderstands what is going on and thinks that it is because of Elizabeth's refusal of marriage.
Margaret's brother has to leave soon, and she goes to the train station with him. Mr. Thornton sees them together and thinks that it is her lover.
Mr. Thornton starts concentrating more on his business as Margaret is a lost cause.
The strike deeply hurt him and he needs to do something to bring up improvements. Mr. Higgins, Bess' father and the union movement leader, is given employment by Mr. Thornton. The two come up with an idea for a worker's cafeteria where they can serve nutritious and cheap soup. But unfortunately, Mr. Thornton has to close up his shop.
Meanwhile, Mr. Hale dies and Elizabeth is going to go to London to stay with relatives. Mr. Thornton doesn't want her to go, and in this scene we have the most poignant one ever. He would totally ask Margaret to marry him again but just needs a sign, any sign. He watches her walk away and keeps hoping that she will look back, showing that she doesn't want to leave him, but loves him.
But she doesn't look back until she is too far away.
After she has left, Mr. Higgins reveals that the man Margaret was with was actually her brother, giving Mr. Thornton the whole story. He decides to go after her, and first runs off to her place of birth to better understand who she is.
Meanwhile, Margaret is very unhappy having visited the South and knows she no longer belongs there, and finds herself unhappy in London as well. She misses the North, more than she cares to admit. Mr. Bell, her godfather, comes to visit and tells her is sick and dying. He decides to go to Argentina for the climate, and leaves her all his money.
Margaret returns to Milton, searching for Mr. Thornton as she plans to loan him all her money to start the mill up again. Mr. Thornton has just arrived from the South, and stares lovingly into Margaret. She tries to explain her ideas, but gets so flustered as Mr. Thornton once again tells her he loves her.
The Nostalgia Critic
Nostalgia Critic has his own video series on Youtube. My friend Wade was the one to introduce me to him years ago, but I wasn't interested. Last year however, I watched one episode and then burned through every single one.
So the Nostalgia Critic reviews movies and items from his childhood, '80-'90s, although when he came back he started to review everything he likes from last week to childhood. He is perfectly creative and a ton of fun. I highly recommend checking him out.
For more on The Nostalgia Critic, go to Fanning All Over the Place
For the previous post, go to Back to the Fandoms
For more on F. Scott Fitzgerald, go to Any Way You Want It
For more favorite songs, go to All By Myself
Posted in Life as a Fangirl, Musical Stylings of Me, Quotable Quotes
Tagged '80s Music, 18th Century, 18th Century England, Alice in Wonderland, Back to the Future, BBC miniseries, Ben Affleck, Bobby Brady, Bones (TV Show), Bullseye, Carol Brady, Charlie Cox, Church of England, Cindy Brady, Civil War, Cold As Ice, Colin Farrell, Daredevil, Daredevil (2003), Daredevil (TV Show) Netflix, Double Vision, Electra, Elizabeth Bennet, English Industrial Revolution, Epic Solo, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Fangirls, Fangirls Have No Lives, Feels Like the First Time, Flaws, Foreigner, Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, Greg Brady, Guitar Solo, Hell's Kitchen, Hooked on a TV Show, Hot-Blooded, I Want to Know What Love is, Jan Brady, Juke Box Hero, Karen Page, Late 18th Century, Lawyer, Life of a Fangirl, Marcia Brady, Margaret Hale, Marty McFly, Matt Murdock, Mike Brady, Milton, Mini-series, Mr. Bell, Mr. Darcy, Mr. John Thornton, North & South, Nostalgia Critic, Oxford, Peter Brady, Peter Parker, Pride & Prejudice, Radioactive, Reverend Richard Hale, Richard Armitage, Rock 'n Roll, Rock and Roll, She's All That, Spider-man (TV show), Stardust, Tall Dark and Brooding, Tall Dark and Handsome, The Brady Bunch, The Great Exhibition, The Kingpin, Unionize, Waiting for a Girl Like You, Wilson Fisk, Youtube
April 23, 2015 by Moreland
Paging Dr. Sexy
So last week I was at a wedding, when I noticed this guy sitting on the side of the groom. He looked exactly like Dr. Sexy (except with a bit shorter hair)!
Now who is Dr. Sexy? Well he is a character from Supernatural. The episode from season five, and is called "Changing Channels". In this episode Dean and Sam find themselves pulled into TV shows that parody CSI, Grey's Anatomy, Three's Company, Knight Rider, etc. The first show they find themselves pulled into was Dr. Sexy, M.D. A show that Dean is a major fan of.
But who was the guy I saw at the wedding? He turned out to be the boyfriend of the daughter of the groom, and a chef instead of a doctor. I tried to get a picture of him, but no luck.
But still, I was able to see Dr. Sexy!
For more on Supernatural, go to The Best Medicine
For more on Dean Winchester, go to I Before E, Especially After P
Posted in Supernatural
Tagged Changing Channels, Chef, Cowboy Boots, CSI, Dean Winchester, Dr. Sexy, Dr. Sexy M.D., Episode, Fanboy, Fangirls, Grey's Anatomy, Groom, Guilty Pleasure, Knight Rider, Life of a Fangirl, Sam Winchester, Supernatural, Tennis Shoes, Three's Company, Wedding, Winchester Boys
Please Excuse My Dear Fan Lady
Yep another Fangirl post, chock full of all the things I love. Be sure to check out a few of these as they are awesome and you are sure to enjoy them almost as much as me.
Eureka is a show that is The Twilight Zone merged with Twin Peaks. Now I know most of you are probably scratching your heads at those references, but I will be talking about them later in a future post.
I remember when SciFi, or SyFy as it is now called, first brought this show on TV. I thought it was an interesting idea and happy that they set it in Northern California as people always forget that there is a lot more in California than just San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. I wasn't into it, but my sister would watch it. It wasn't until Amazon put it up on Prime that I started watching it and getting into the series.
So U.S. Marshal, Jack Carter, is bringing his daughter home to Los Angeles from who knows where she had run away to. It is late and raining and the two get lost, crashing the car. They walk into the nearby town of Eureka, Oregon (I don't know why they didn't just use Eureka, California). With their car messed up, they have to stay in the town a few days and discover that it isn't any regular area. It is a town full of scientists, giving them a place where they can work and create in privacy. Nearby is the company Global Dynamics that employees most of the scientists, contracting to the military. While they are there, one of the townspeople are creating a time machine that causes a huge rift in time and almost destroys the town. Jack Carter is able to come up with a plan to help over come it, and due to his efforts is promoted from U.S. Marshal to Sheriff of Eureka.
What I like about Eureka is that the Sheriff is very smart but also very much a regular guy. This makes him extremely relatable and also allows him to solve the hard cases, with help, in that he has a different way of viewing things than anyone else. Each episode revolves around a crisis involving an invention, along with giving us clues to a mystery that runs the whole season. It is a very fun and good show and I highly recommend it to anyone into science and mysteries.
I started watching this show because I loved the film Stick It and had wished, too late, to be a gymnast. If I could go back in time I think I would try it, whether or not I would compete and try for the Olympics. Anyways, this show is about four girls trying to achieve the dream of Olympic gold, while at the same time dealing with family, friends, and regular teenage girl stuff.
First we have Kaylie Cruz (Josie Loren), who is rich as both her parents used to be famous and are rich. She is secretly dating fellow gymnast Carter, which has to be a secret as dating is not allowed in the gym or by her parents. Carter ends up sleeping with Kaylie's best friend Lauren, as Kaylie wouldn't sleep with him. Most of the first season is Carter trying to keep it a secret, Lauren trying to win him, and Kaylie being oblivious. When she finds out she is pissed, but eventually forgives Lauren. Kaylie goes on to win the National Chap and has a better chance at getting the gold. Afterwards, Kaylie feels a lot of pressure as everyone had expected Payson to win, and feel as if Kaylie didn't deserve her title as Payson was out with a back injury. She constantly feels as if she has to defend herself and her talents. The gym brings on Austin Tucker (Zane Holtz), who I really liked, but Kaylie dislikes. Kaylie also becomes anorexic as the pressures from the gym, her father and mother, her parent's divorce, and a need to be in control. Now a lot of people made fun of this as abcfamily was trying too hard or something, but I thought this was done very realistically and well in regarding what it is like to be anorexic and how other issues can compound into it. Austin sees what is going on and helps her come to terms with it and seek help. While Kaylie is recuperating, she starts singing and hanging out with Damon. She eventually is ready for worlds, bringing in the gold. The third season sees Kaylie on the team in London, getting ready for the gold and Austin's girlfriend.
Payson Keeler (Ayla Kell) is from a middle class family that is always struggling to get the money to support their daughter's dream. Payson is extremely focused on her goals, being the best of all the girls on the team. In the first season Lauren's father blackmails their coach, getting rid of him. Sasha Belov is brought in, and Payson is ecstatic as he is one of her idols. When they hear of a party in the area, Payson does not want to go, but ends up coming too as she wants to make sure the other girls stay out of trouble. She has some back problems, but conceals it from everyone. She ends up damaging herself and loses her chance at worlds and messes up her back completely. In the second season she starts a relationship with Nicky Russo, played by Cody Longo. This didn't go far as he ended up leaving the series. I was sad about this as I LOVED him. I was also sad as every guy Payson started to get with, ended up disappearing shortly after they proclaimed their feelings. Payson was the best as she worked through her trauma and disappointment to try other things, and was brave enough to try an experimental project, restoring her. When she comes back, her body isn't exactly the same and she finds herself not being able to do the same things, changing to be one on grace. She gets involved with Max, Austin's friend, and they start dating, but then he left to be the lead guy on Revenge. She goes on making it to London, and meeting a guy there.
Lauren Tanner (Cassie Scerbo) is the rich, spoiled, princess as she is the apple of her dad's eye and used to getting anything she wants. She wants Carter, and his constant denying her for Kaylie makes her incredibly angry and want him more. Kaylie finds out and is angry, but the two work through their issues and become friends again. A new guy, Max, comes into the gym and is into Payson, but Lauren wants him and bad. She constantly tries to seduce him, not always getting the responses she desires. On one of their dates she gets in a car accident, she's okay but Max is out of the competition. She eventually focuses on her gymnastics and sees herself setting off for London.
Emily Kmetko (Chelsea Hobbes) is a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. She has a single mother who does nails, and later works as a waitress at a strip club to make ends meet. She also has a younger brother in a wheelchair. She has been trying for years to get into a gym, and eventually scores a scholarship. She faces the most issues out of the girls as she has money she is trying to earn to stay afloat, trying to take care of her brother, and trying to befriend girls who have been friends for years and hate her. Eventually, they all become friends, but it takes quite a while. She meets this guy, Razor at work and kind of likes him; but when he goes out of town, his best friend Damon fills in for him. Damon was the best character, and when the series got weird and too silly, he was the anchor I loved, the reason I watched.
Yep, he was awesome. He was always there for her, he helped her practice, he got her family to Nationals, he brought Radiohead, when she wanted to wait to have sex he was all for it, when she decided she wanted to be with him and ended up pregnant (the actress was pregnant in real life) he went after to her to help raise the baby. He was awesome and hot…and I love him. 🙂
For me the love of this author began with one book Jurassic Park. You see I have always loved the series, it is one of my all-time favorites, (and you can read a review here). After one of my constant viewings, my mother mentioned it was based on the novel. I decided to start reading his book, buying every one I would find in a book sale. I still have one to go, The Andromeda Strain, but besides that I have read everything he has ever written. I love all his writings as the characters are great, the plot always suspenseful, and I love the melding of science-fiction and technology with horror, history, etc. Almost every book has been turned into a film, but sadly I have yet to view how they all were done. Each one is amazing and I recommend them all.
Jurassic Park- In this book, a genetic company has decided to try to bring back dinosaurs. By using frog DNA to fill in the gaps, they have created new versions of the creatures. John Hammond, the head of the company, has asked a group of people to visit and review his island. Ready to review is paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant; paleobotanist, Dr. Ellie Slatter; Ian Malcolm; and Hammond's two grandchildren. Of course, "life can find a way", and these creatures do what they want to; causing havoc on the island. This has quite a few differences then the film, with the dinosaurs escaping the island; a pterodactyl fight, more deaths of the group, and no relationship between Dr. Grant and Dr. Slatter. However, I think both are done very well and could watch the movie or read the book again and again.
The Lost World- Now when I first watched the movie, I thought it was okay and denoted it as my least fav in the series. However, after I read the book, I had to agree that the movie was better. This book was okay, it moves much slower than the original and doesn't have as many lovable characters. In this book, Hammond reveals that there is a second island of creatures that survived from the previous book. He sends in Malcolm with a crew of people, and two stowaway kids. This isn't a horrible book, but just pales in comparison to the original.
Timeline- This is one of my mother's absolute favorite books, and she would constantly talk about how great it was. I decided that this would be the next book that I would read of Crichton, and it was AMAZING! I love this book so much. We have group of graduate students and archeologists, all working in Medieval history. One is focused on architecture, one on technology, one on fighting, etc. They find an amazing discovery, and are immediately swept off to a secret organization that has produced a technology allowing traveling through time, right back to medieval times. The group goes to find a friend sent before, and find that living history is fun, but also incredibly dangerous. The film was also really good, starring Paul Walker and Gerard Butler, the only thing I disliked about it was that in the book each person encountered what they were studying, helping them further their research. In the movie they cut that out, sadly.
Airframe- Just an ordinary day and an ordinary flight from Hong Kong to Denver. That all changes when it crashes with a hundred injured and three killed. What happened to the flight? It's up to investigators to discover who was at fault; the plane, the airport, or the pilot?
A Case of Need- This was Crichton's first novel and utilizes his medical training. The book is set in a Boston Medical Center, where a patient receiving surgery is killed. Is it just an accident or murder?
Congo- Deep in the Congo, near the ancient city of Zinj, eight American geologists are brutally and mysteriously murdered. Karen Ross, the project supervisor back in America, watches video feed of the massacre. In San Francisco, primatologist Peter Elliot has been able to teach a gorilla named Amy over 600 signs, finger painting, etc. Lately, Amy has been acting strangely and painting horrible things, that Peter thinks maybe it is time to take her home. A map from the 17th century supposedly leading to Zinj matches up with Amy's finger paintings exactly. When all three parties intersect, a strange expedition sets out to discover what holds Zinj. This was made into a less than stellar film, of which I will review in Horrorfest IV.
Disclosure- This is an interesting book, although it doesn't seem like it in the beginning. Thomas Sander has had a bad day. He is passed over for a promotion by an old flame, and his new tech is having some glitches. When his boss asks him over for drinks, she immediately comes on to him. He refuses, and leaves. The next day she is charging him with sexual harassment and Sanders is fired. Luckily for Sanders, he accidentally recorded what happened and tries to turn the case around and sue his boss. But Sanders start wondering, why would his boss do that? Was she so upset that he turned her down? Or is there more to this case then meets the eye?
Eaters of the Dead- This is a retelling of Beowulf told from the point of an Arab courtier, who finds himself unwilling dragged along a quest to destroy the monster, Grendal. This too was turned into a film I have yet to watch, but starring Antonio Banderas.
Five Patients- This is a non-fiction volume that tells of Crichton's experiences as an intern at the Massachusetts General Hospital.
The Great Train Robbery- This is another novel that I love. Based on the historical event, Crichton once again is able to meld the account with amazing characters. In this, the charming and persuasive Edward Pierce easily moves through society in Victorian London, all the while plotting the crime of the century…The Great Train Robbery.
Prey- This one of my all-time favorite books. The way Crichton writes it, it is so haunting and amazing. I don't want to give too much away as you REALLY should read it.
Jack Forman lost his job and took on being the one taking care of his daughter and the home. His wife works at Xymos Corporation and has been acting weird. Other things start to seem strange, but Jack thinks it is nothing but his imagination. When his wife hires him on, he discovers that the mirco-bots that Xymos produces are not as benign as he was told. In fact, there is much more horrifying things happening than Forman could ever imagine.
Rising Sun-During the grand opening celebration of the new American headquarters of a Japanese company, the dead body of a beautiful woman is found. The investigation begins, and immediately becomes a headlong chase through a twisting maze of industrial intrigue and a violent business battle that takes no prisoners. This two was turned into a film I have yet to view.
Sphere- This book always makes me think of the film Forbidden Planet. In this a spaceship on the floor of the ocean is discovered. Scientists prepare an expedition and head down to the ship, discovering a ship over 300 years old and holding a power much stronger than any could imagine. This power gives them increased abilities and paranoia. One scientists starts using his power to attack the ship and people, but which one? I really, really loved the book and couldn't stop reading it the first time I had it. They turned this also into a film, of which I have had problems getting my hands on it. When I do see it, you can bet it will be a part of a future Horrorfest.
State of Fear- In this book Crichton spins a tale of political conspiracy. As eco-terrorists and global warming are the biggest issues ands causing all kinds of destruction, one investigator starts wondering if whether this is just a smokescreen for something far more sinister.
The Terminal Man- Harry Benson suffers from horrible seizures that cause violent outbursts. He is experimented on and has electrodes placed deep in his brain's pleasure centers, effectively short-circuiting Harry's seizures with pulses of bliss. The surgery is successful, but while Benson is in recovery, he escapes and his violent impulses have grown; leaving a horror in his wake.
Travels- An account of Michael Crichton's travels abroad and all over the world.
Next- This is his last complete novel and is an amazing story. In a world where we focus on our genes, what diseases we might carry, taking apart our genome; Crichton speaks on how such technology can get out of hand. A man going in for tests ends up having his blood and genes patented and in a sense sells his children into slavery of a company. A man who wins custody from his wife on the basis of her high possibility of becoming afflicted with deadly diseases; and an ape human born of gene splicing.
Pirate Latitudes- This was Crichton's last book, but was unfinished. It was a "complete" manuscript, but was missing the special Crichton charm that each story has. Jamaica in 1665 is the home of people willing to go after gold and riches of the Spanish and Portuguese. If caught they are pirates, if they make it out with the wealth then England gets a cut and everyone is happy. Captain Edward Hunter is one such type and decides to go after the dangerous island of El Trinidad. A crazy scheme that will have enormous bounty if it succeeds, or incredible death if it fails; leads Captain Hunter and his team on a a swashbuckling adventure.
For more on Michael Crichton, go to Just Follow the Screams: The Lost World (1997)
So I started watching this show on accident. The episode "Red Handed" came on after something else I was watching. In the episode "Red Handed" the CBI (California Bureau of Investigations) team discovers a right hand straddling the California and Nevada state lines. After measuring it, they discover that it is inside the California boundary, and therefore the CBI's responsibility. After that I was hooked. I caught up on the previous episodes and became a big fan.
So the series is about Patrick Jane, played by the incredibly handsome Simon Baker, who is a "psychic" consultant to the CBI.
Patrick Jane has such style. He only drinks tea, he has an Aston Martin, and always dresses amazingly sharp. Anyways, Patrick Jane isn't really a psychic. He is extremely intelligent and observant, a sort of kind, sweet, and charming Sherlock Holmes. He never went to school, but was raised by his swindler father who touted him a psychic in his carnival show. He married a woman from a similar background and the tweo had a daughter, Charlotte. He went on to make millions off his "psychic ability". It gained the attention of Red John, a serial killer, who murders his wife and child. This brings Jane to consulting with CBI as he does it from his guilt and in order to get a view of the official files. Red John becomes Jane's Moriarity as in each season Jane continuously searches for him.
The team is lead by Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney), who is a no-nonsense cop. She is the perfect foil for Jane as Lisbon is tough and serious; while Jane is comedic and more fanciful. They have a platonic relationship, but like Bones and other cop shows there is something simmering under the surface.
Then we have Kimball Cho, who second to Jane is my favorite character. Cho is always reserved and speaks in a monotone.
But he is very intense as well. He is honest, straightfoward, observant, and altogeether awesome. We later find out that there is a lot more to him than meets the eye. He used to be a baseball player, gang member, and Special Forces.
Then we have Wayne Rigsby who is absolutely adorable, sweet, and charming. He was raised by a dad in motorcycle gangs and coming in and out of prison. He's more relaxed than Cho, but more serious than Jane. He is also in love with fellow team member Grace Van Pelt. Grace Van Pelt is tough, but sweeter than Lisbon. She has a famous father, and tries to live up to his name. She is always focused on the job, but Rigsby constant infatuation starts her thinking of maybe more with him.
I used to watch this every Thursday without fail, but school got in the way and I am way behind in desperate need of catching up. The show just ended this last February, which saddens me as it was an awesome piece of TV.
So I love the library.
When I was in college I would spend hours in the library; working, reading, watching movies or TV shows. The library had a great selection of movies and TV shows that I really utilized. But that library wasn't enough for me. I also went to the city library for books and films. Every time I went there I would see the DVDs for the show Midsomer Murders and wanted to check them out, but never felt I had the time. This summer as I would write my blog posts on my computer, I would also watch movies and TV shows on my phone. Or at least try to as I had a little screen. One day Midsomer Murders popped up in related videos and I was estatic watching them. Now youtube doesn't have every episode and I watched them out of order, but I really, really enjoyed the show. When I got another free month on Netflix I started rewatching the episodes and loved it all over again!
This series is based off a book series and set in England. How their Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI) teams works is that they have a county in which they travel all over investigating, sort of like the Sheriff's department. Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) is head of the Midsomer unit and is extremely intelligent and excellent at his job. Unfortunately for his wife, a murder tends to occur whenever she wants to do something, causing Barnaby to miss it. He also has a daughter, Gillie, who is in college and studying to be an actress. He starts out with his assistant being Sgt. Gavin Troy, who I didn't like as he wasn't that bright, and same for his second assistant Sgt. Dan Scott. I really liked his third assistant Ben Jones, because he was very smart and actually helped solve the mysteries. The series is ongoing, but I don't really like the newer episodes as Tom Barnaby retired and his nephew, John Barnaby, took over. He was good, but Tom was way better. Tom had a way of gathering information that made you not realize how intelligent he was until the end when he is the only one who has put the whole picture together. The mysteries were amazing, and often times really puzzling. The only thing that I kept questioning was, how do these small country towns survive with so many deaths? I highly recommend this for any mystery fan.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this show. I grew up watching it and wish they had still played it on TV as I got older as I truly love this show.
Angela Lansbury plays J.B. Fletcher, former high school teacher and now famous mystery author. Every episode Jessica (the J in J.B.) will be minding her own business working on something or visiting a friend and get caught up in a mystery. Usually she can either get someone to share info with her, or is able to have some kind of insight that solves the case. If you love mysteries, then this is a show for you!
For more Murder She Wrote, go to At the End of the Rainbow: 17 More Irish Heros
For the previous fangirl post, go to A FANtastic Voyage
Posted in Life as a Fangirl
Tagged A Case of Need, Airframe, Angela Lansbury, Anorexic, Aston Martin, Austin Tucker, Ayla Kell, Ben Jones, Beowulf, Bones, California Bureau of Investigations, Carter, Cassie Scerbo, Chelsea Hobbes, Cody Longo, Congo, Damon Young, Department of Criminal Investigations, Disclosure, Dr. Alan Grant, Dr. Ellie Slatter, Eaters of the Dead, Emily Kmetko, Eureka, Fangirl, Fangirls, Fangirls Have No Lives, Five Patients, Forbidden Planet, Gerald Butler, Gerard Butler, Global Dynamics, Grace Van Pelt, Grendal, Gymnastics, History, Ian Malcolm, J.B. Fletcher, Jack Carter, John Hammond, John Nettles), Jorge Luis Borges, Josie Loren, Jurassic Park, Kaylie Cruz, Kimball Cho, Lauren Tanner, Life of a Fangirl, Los Angelas, Make It or Break It, Massachusetts General Hospital, Michael Crichton, Midsomer Murders, Military, Murder She Wrote, Nationals, Netflixing, Next, Nicky Russo, Northern California, Olympics, Patrick Jane, Paul Walker, Payson Keeler, Pirate Latitudes, Prey, Psych, Psychic, Radiohead, Red Handed, Red John, Revenge, Rising Sun, Robin Tunney, San Diego, San Francisco, Sasha Belov, Scifi, Serial Killer, Sgt. Dan Scott, Sgt. Gavin Troy, Sheriff, Sherlock Holmes, Simon Baker, Sphere, State of Fear, Stick It, SyFy, Tea, Teresa Lisbon, The Andromeda Strain, The Great Train Robbery, The Lost World, The Mentalist, The Terminal Man, The Twilight Zone, Time Machine, Timeline, Tom Barnaby, Travels, TV Show based on a Book, Twin Peaks, U.S. Marshal, Wayne Rigsby, Zane Holtz
February 22, 2015 by Moreland
A FANtastic Voyage
My Fangirl posts are back! You see I had to take a break from them for my Romance is in the Air: Part III posts as I counted down to Valentines Day with my favorite romantic moments from films. I would have started again on the 15th, but I realized that was the 30th anniversary of The Breakfast Club, and decided that I had to do a post on that.
So here we are once again going through some of the things that I hardcore fangirl over.
I haven't seen this show in a long time but it used to be a real favorite of mine. When I was growing up, my mom loved this show and we would watch it together. I had a huge thing for Byron Sully (Joe Lando).
So Dr. Michaela "Mike" Quinn (Jane Seymour) is a wealthy, Bostonian, physician. In the series start (1867), Dr. Quinn is tired of the way people treat a "woman doctor", and decides to leave for the West. She settles in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and finds life much tougher then she realized. Byron Sully, rugged outdoorsman and friend to the Cheyenne, helps her settle in and the two end up falling for each other. She also receives help from a midwife, but when she is bitten by a rattlesnake and dies; Dr. Quinn finds herself taking on the role as mother as she raises the midwife's children; Matthew, Colleen, and Brian. Now Dr. Quinn is trying to adjust to the West, figure out how to take care of three children who just lost their mother, and prove to the world that a "woman doctor" is a real doctor.
I loved this as I loved Westerns, and Dr. Quinn becoming a doctor in a world that didn't really wish to accept it was empowering.
For more Westerns, go to Fandom Love
Gargoyles was a TV show I grew up watching as a kid and was super into. My friends and I would go around reenacting the show and creating our own stories.
It's a little hard to give a synopsis of the show, but I'll give it my best shot. In 10th century Scotland, Gargoyles work to defend their castle. They are statues during the day, but as soon as night falls they are able to roam about. They saved Prince Malcolm, who in turn built them a castle where they could rest in the day promising to protect them. Years later his daughter Princess Katherine is in control and she hates the gargoyles. She is betrayed by someone she trusts to the Vikings, who attack in the day and destroy all the gargoyles…or at least the think they do. Unknown to them, Goliath, the leader, survived along with a few of his friends. They return to kill the Vikings and the betrayer, discovering it was a close friend. Their arrival causes the Viking leader to take away Princess Katherine, intent on killing her. Believing Princess Katherine dead, her advisor curses them, turning all but Goliath into stone. He returns with the Princess, who demands the advisor change them back. He can't, but turns Goliath into stone, so he can be reunited with his friends.
A hundred years later, a wealthy businessman, Xanatos, finds the castle and has it transported to New York City, building it on top of his skyscraper and causing it to rise above the clouds, breaking the spell. The Gargoyles try to adapt to this new world, eventually teaming up with the biracial (Nigerian and Native American) NYPD detective. They also discover there is more to Xantos then they thought, that more of their kind exist then thought before, and a huge melding of mythology, Shakespeare, magic, sorcery, etc.
My favorite characters of the series was Goliath and he was just so awesome, brave, stoic, brooding, bold, etc. I also loved his daughter Angela, who was sweet and nice.
When I was a child I loved reading mythology and fairy tales. One that I was really into was the Greek myths and reading the stories of the gods and goddess. As one of my favorite characters was Hercules, this show was perfect for me.
The show was based on the Greek myths, but also borrowed stories and features from Egyptians, Middle Easterns, Asians, and Medieval Europe. I used to watch this every day after school and I just thought it was amazing.
Of course, that all had to do with Hercules. Not only did I think Hercules was extremely attractive (I had a real thing for guys with long hair for a while), but stoic, brave, kind, and altogether one amazing guy. I was really sad when it ended, but as we all know the good shows don't last forever.
So I LOVE Lord of the Rings!
Yep, I'm a hardcore Lord of the Rings fangirl.
Thank you Ed
It's funny, but in the beginning I was set against it. My mom had been reading in the newspaper about Peter Jackson's upcoming film and wanted to see it. My sister agreed as she was like free ticket, but I was not so sure. Some guy with a ring that only he could control and destroy (that's what the synopsis sounded like) in a three hour film? It seemed done before, boring, and long. So they went and I stayed home. When they came back they were ecstatic about the film and said my dad and I would have to come with. I wasn't interested, but forced. When we got to the theater and started watching it, I LOVED IT!!! From that moment on Lord of the Rings had entered my fandom.
My parents read the books right away but I just enjoyed the films for awhile. In The Fellowship of the Ring, Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit, has been holding onto a ring for many, many years. Bilbo is planning on going on a trip, taking the ring along, when his friend Gandalf the Grey (a wizard), visited for his birthday and spotted it with him. He convinces him to leave it behind with everything for his nephew Frodo Baggins, and Bilbo is on his way. Gandalf feels unease about the ring and leaves it with Frodo, while he goes off to investigate. Gandalf returns after he has discovered that ring belonged to the dark lord Sauron. It was supposed to be destroyed, but when he was defeated the king took the ring instead. It was moved about as every where it went it's owner was killed or murdered. Eventually Gollum found it, and it was then stolen by Bilbo who has been sitting on it for years. Gandalf quickly moves Frodo out, unwillingly taking along Bilbo's gardener, Samwise Gamgee, and Frodo's relatives Peregrin Took (Pipin), and Meriadoc Brandybuck (Merry). The group splits off from Gandalf and are set to meet up with him, after Gandalf questions his old teacher Saruman, who unbeknownst to Gandalf has become evil. Frodo is anxious that they still haven't seen Gandalf, and end up receiving help from Strider (Viggo Mortenson) a ranger. I loved Viggo Mortenson so much in this film. I thought he was amazing, brave, bold, and utterly handsome.
He turns out to be Aragorn, the true king of Gondor who was sent to live with the elves for his safety. He sets them off for Lothlórien to the elves. While the head out they are attacked by the Nazgul. They run away to Lothlórien where Frodo is saved by the elves. There they form a fellowship to protect Frodo and the ring, making sure they get it to Mount Doom, the only place it can be destroyed. The group is the hobbits: Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pipin; the wizard Gandalf; Gimli the dwarf; Legolas the elf; Aragorn; and the steward of Gondor's son Boromir. They head out facing many challenges along the way.
The Two Towers is the next part of the tale. In this the fellowship has been split up. Frodo took off on his own, but not quite as Sam won't let him. They journey on to Mordor guided by Golem, who wants his ring back. Gandalf sacrificed himself for the group when they were in the Mines of Moria, but turns out is not dead. He has been returned as Gandalf the White, the highest form a wizard can be. Merry and Pipin were taken by Orcs in the last film, and they are being carried to Mordor. When the Orcs fight between the old creations and newer ones, they manage to escape and go into Fangorn Forest. There they meet up with the Ents, the tree shepherds. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli have been tracking Merry and Pipin to save them and run into Gandalf. He tells them to not worry about Pipin and Merry they will be safe with the Ents, but takes them onto Rohan to help protect the country and save their king in a battle against Saruman.
Return of the King is the last in the series and my favorite. In fact I waited for when this film was released on DVD and bought it immediately. In this we have the final battle between good and evil. Frodo and Sam have been split up, as Golem and the ring have poisoned his mind. He ends up being attacked by a giant creature and captured, taken to Mordor. Gandalf and Pipin have gone to Gondor, as it is being attacked by Sauron's forces. Rohan is going to send their aid, being led by Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. But there is a surprise, the elf Elrond has come to the battle, bringing the Andúril, the sword from the first fight, that was broken and then reforged. He sends Aragorn into the mountains to bring in an army of the dead. This movie was awesome and it is one that I can watch over and over again.
Now I love to do marathons
So my sister and I have done Lord of the Rings quite a few times. One time though, we decided we were going to do all the extended versions. It was an intense, all-day thing. It was a whole lot of fun.
At a book sale I bought all the three books. The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King were both the movie editions, but my copy of Two Towers is from the '70s. Anyways I read the books and I think they did a great job bringing the characters to life in the film. Here are my only issues with the books and film, now after reading them.
The Fellowship of the Ring-I thought the film version did the best with this book. The book spans a lot more time, for instance Frodo has the ring for years before Gandalf returns, which they cut out. There also is a lot of extra stuff I am glad they cut, such as when Frodo spends years in Tom Bombadil's perfect paradise of a forest. I would have cut that from the whole book as it was SUPER boring. The only thing I wish they included was the part when the elf Galadriel gives each member of the fellowship a gift.
The Two Towers-I thought this was good too, film and movie. In the movie the elves come to fight like in the original battle, but they weren't supposed to come until the last book. I think it would have been better symmetry if they had, but no big qualms with book or film.
The Return of the King– In the book J.R.R. Tolkien goes through each person's story all the way to the end, and then moves onto the next character. I liked in the movie how they switch back and forth, as when you read you are really curious what happens to this specific character, but also want to know what happened to everyone else. Like Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe. In that he had so many characters involved and in their many adventures, but switches between them all so we get a better picture as to what is occurring at the same time. The effects, set up, and whole film was amazing! The only thing I might have added was more depth to Faramir and Eowyn's romance, as we only get a few glimpses. Also Saruman has had his fingers all over Middle Earth causing destruction. When Merry, Pipin, Frodo, and Sam return, they have to battle for the Shire to save it from Saruman. That was cut from the film, but it would have been cool to have it in.
On a whole they did an amazing job! J.R.R. Tolkien in his writing and Peter Jackson with his films.
For more on Lord of the Rings, go to Food, Food, Food!
Madeleine L'Engle is one of my favorite writers. I started reading her books when I was a kid, and have loved them ever since. Even though the ones below are considered Children's Fiction or Teen Fiction; I still read them over and over and over again.
So Madeleine L'Engle is a Christian writer, but she likes to cover lots of other things in her books as well: science, philosophy, politics, music, poetry, literature, ethics, etc. All of her books carry really heavy subjects that just make them even more enjoyable. Below I have listed all the books of hers that I have read, in the order I think is the best to read them in.
A Wrinkle in Time– This is the book that started the whole time quartet series. In this book the Murry family has moved to New England in recent times. Many people are wary of them as both Mr. and Mrs. Murry are scientists. Mr. Murry is often called upon to go to Washington D.C for the President or Pentagon. He left for a trip about a year ago, and has yet to return. Many think he abandoned the family, but his wife and children have faith that he will return. Meg is the eldest, she wears glasses and braces and thinks herself unattractive.
She has a lot of problems making friends as she has a temper, she also has issues in school as the math is too far below her. After Meg are the twins, Alexander (Sandy) and Dionysus (Dennys). Both the twins excel in sports, school, and friendship. Last is Charles Wallace, only five years old and a genius. He tries to hide it, but still can't pass off being "normal."
One dark and stormy night; three women come in with the wind and set Meg, Charles Wallace, and a popular boy from school, Calvin O'Keefe on quite the adventure. Mrs. Which, Mrs. Who, and Mrs,Whatsit tells the trio that they need them in order to save Mr. Murry who is caught in the 5th dimension. This adventure takes them on a ride through psychics, time travel, tessering, and other planets.
This book was also turned into a film that was pretty good and had the cute guy from Everwood playing Calvin O'Keefe.
A Wind in the Door– This is a sequel to A Wrinkle in Time. Calvin and Meg are friends and romantically interested in each. Things aren't perfect; their father is still called away on long trips, Meg still gets into trouble at school, and Charles is still picked on; but they seem to be better. That is until they notice that something is going wrong with Charles Wallace. He seems paler, more tired, and just not himself. When Charles Wallace tells Meg he has seen dragons in the garden, she really becomes worried. But these dragons are actually a Cherubim sent there to help Meg defeat the Echthroi who are trying to erase the universe. Meg, Calvin, the cherubim, and her principal Mr. Jenkins find themselves on an adventure through the town, plants, and into Charles' mitochondria.
Many Waters– This is actually the fourth book in the series, but reads better as the third book. In this Sandy and Dennys, who had heard of their siblings crazy adventures, find themselves going on their own trip through time! When the boys accidentally mess with their father's experiment in the lab, they find themselves sent back to the time of Noah, right before he builds his ark for the coming flood. There they encounter the biblical figures along with manticores, unicorns, Nephilum, and Seraphim.
A Swiftly Tilting Planet– In this book Meg is grown up, married to Calvin, and pregnant with their first child. The twins are now a lawyer and a doctor. Charles Wallace is a teenager, but still as advanced as ever. They are celebrating Thanksgiving, (minus Calvin as he got held up in conference in England), with Calvin's mother Mrs. O'Keefe. That night there are threats of Vespugia's leader, Mad Dog Branzillo, starting nuclear warfare and WWIII. As Charles Wallace goes to the garden, he meets up with the unicorn Gaudior. Gaudior was sent to help Charles travel through time and meld with different historical figures in order to change the past, so that they might change the future. This is one of my all-time favorites of her series.
Meet the Austins– This is a different series, but as all of hers connect and crossover, it makes a lot of sense to start reading it now. Mr. Austin is a country doctor in New England. He and his wife have four kids: John, Vicky, Susie, and Rob and an assortment of animals. They live a contented life, but that all changes when a family friend dies. The Austins quickly welcome the orphaned daughter, Maggy, into their home and she causes all kinds of chaos and uproar. Will their lives ever be the same again?
The Moon By Night– Book two brings radical changes for the Austin family. Maggy, who has become a daughter and sister, is leaving them to be with her legal guardian. John is heading off to college, and the Austins are moving to New York for a year. Before the move, they head out for a cross-country trip of the United States. Vicky should be happy and having fun, but instead finds the changes unsettling, along with trying to figure out who she is. She meets a boy named Zachary Gray, who is so unlike her, and confuses her on what friendship and love are.
The Arm of the Starfish- Adam Eddington III has wanted to be a marine biologists for a very long time. Every summer he has interned with a doctor that lives near his grandma's home, but this year he has received a much different post. This year he will be interning in Portugal, under the guidance of Dr. O'Keefe (Calvin O'Keefe from the A Wrinkle in Time series). On his way there, he meets a beautiful girl at the airport, Kali, who warns him that Dr. O'Keefe is not as nice as he seems, but working against his government. She asks him to spy on Dr. O'Keefe for her father. Adam is unsure of what to do, and when he boards his plane, ends up running into Polly O'Keefe, Dr. O'Keefe's daughter, and her godfather Canon Tallis. Adam quickly finds this summer being more than he bargained for as he is caught up in a world of science, espionage, and double agents. Adam doesn't know who to trust as the more time he spends with the O'Keefe's the more he likes them, while at the same time every moment he spends with Kali is better than the one before.
The Young Unicorns- The Austins have moved to New York and encounter a much different world. They rent the top part of an old Victorian house. Below them lives Emily, the daughter of a Greek professor, and recently blinded in a robbery gone wrong. They also have befriended Dave, an ex-gang member and now Emily's tutor; along with Mr. Theotocopoulos, Emily's piano teacher. The Austins find themselves caught in a horrible plot as people are after the invention that Dr. Austin is working on and are not afraid to use any means necessary to obtain it. Someone is trying to control the city as they have orginized the gang, the Alpha-Bats (Dave's old group) and preparing them for a battle. Canon Tallis is called in by his old friend to discover who could be the head of the group, and whether it could be coming from one of the leaders of the Catholic Church.
A Ring of Endless Light- The year in New York has ended and the Austin's will be returning home after one more stop. Vicky's grandfather is very sick, so the Austins plan on staying that summer on the small island he resides on. John also happens to be interning there for the summer, introducing the Austins to his newest friend, Adam Eddington III. Vicky and Adam become very close, with Vicky helping assist him in his project with dolphins. However, Adam is still reeling from the betrayal that occurred in Portugal and isn't getting as close to her as Vicky would like. Also, Zachary Gray returns on the scene, once again bringing trouble, confusion, and questions in Vicky's life.
This was also turned into a movie: starring Mischa Barton as Vicky, Ryan Merriman as Adam, and Jared Padalecki as Zachary. It was a DCOM so sadly it is hard to find a copy of this film.
Troubling a Star- The last of the Austin series. The Austins (minus John) have returned home to New England countryside. Everyone has been able to bounce back but Vicky. She finds it hard to relate after all her adventures and changes. Adam introduces her to his Aunt Serena, who Vicky immediately becomes close to. Adam is planning on going to Antarctica for a semester, and for Vicky's birthday, Serena plans on sending Vicky as well. Vicky is excited for her trip, but also worried as Adam's letters become cold, closed off, and eventually stop altogether. Vicky is sad, but concentrates on her trip; finding herself caught in political intrigue and an age-old unsolved mystery.
Dragons in the Waters- When thirteen year-old Simon Renier boards the M.S. Orion with his cousin Forsyth Phair, he has no idea what he is getting himself into. A trip that is supposed to be easy and beautiful; taking a painting of Simon Bolivar back to its native land, turns out to be anything but; as murder, political intrigue, smuggling, and a century old secret turn this trip into one exciting adventure. Simon tries to solve the case with the help of Polly and Charles O'Keefe (who are traveling with their father), Mr. Theotocopoulos (who is traveling to see Emily perform) and Canon Tallis.
For the previous fandom post, go to A Fantabulous Post
For more book filled posts, go to The Biggest Bill You Should Be Paying
For more on Disney, go to Well I Feel Sheepish: Chinese New Year
For more of my favorite quotes, go to Helping Hands
For more Pirates of the Caribbean, go to Push All the Buttons!
Posted in Book Lover, Disney, Life as a Fangirl, Modern Times, Musings of Me, Quotable Quotes
Tagged A Ring of Endless Light, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, A Wind in the Door, A Wrinkle in Time, Adam Eddington III, Andúril, Aragorn, Army of the Dead, Asia, Éowyn, Bilbo Baggins, Boromir, Byron Sully, Calvin O'Keefe, Captain Jack Sparrow, Charles Wallace Murry, Cherubim, Cheyenne, Colorado, Dennys Murry, Dr. Michaela "Mike" Quinn, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Dragons in the Water, Echthroi, Ed Sheeran, Egyptian Mythology, Elrond, Elves, Ents, Everwood, Fairy Tales, Fangirl, Fangirls, Fangirls Have No Lives, Fangorn Forest, Faramir, Film based on a book, Frodo Baggins, Galadriel, Gandalf the Grey, Gandalf the White, Gargoyles, Gaudior, Gimli, Golem, Goliath, Gollum, Greek Mythology, Hercules, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, How I Met Your Mother, Ivanhoe, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jane Seymour, Jared Padalecki, Joe Lando, Legolas, Lemony Snicket, Life of a Fangirl, Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Lothlórien, Madeleine L'Engle, Manticore, Many Waters, Marathon, Medieval Europe, Medieval Times, Meet the Austins, Meg Murry, Meriadoc Brandybuck, Merry Brandybuck:, Middle East, Middle-Earth, Mines of Moria, Mischa Barton, Mordor, Mount Doom, Movie Marathon, Movie Marathons, Mr. Jenkins, Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Which, Mrs. Who, Mythology, Nazgûl, Nephilum, New York City, New York City Police, Noah, Old West, Peregin Took, Peter Jackson, Pippin Took, Pirates of the Caribbean, Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy, Ring, Rohan, Ryan Merriman, Samwise Gamgee, Sandy Murry, Saruman, Sauron, Scotland, Seraphim, Shakespeare, Shakespearean Twist, Strider, The Arm of the Starfish, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Moon By Night, The West, The Young Unicorns, Tom Bombadil, Troubling a Star, Unicorn, Vicky Austin, Viggo Mortenson, Vikings, Westerns, William Shakespeare, Xanatos


Step 5Transfer major assets, such as a home or car, into the name of someone you trust if you are in danger of being sued. A creditor can only legally place a lien against property that belongs to you. If the property has been transferred to someone else, a lien is no longer possible.
best replica designer bags In 2012, the American Psychological Association conducted a review of 83 studies on gay conversion therapy conducted between 1960 and 2007. Though most were too poorly designed to draw conclusions, the few higher quality studies found that people rarely switched sexual orientation, even after years of therapy, the report found. Though the science behind being gay isn't fully developed, there are some hints that genetics or epigenetics chemical tags on genes that alter their expression may play a role in whether someone identifies as gay best replica designer bags.


I'm trying to figure out how much external fragmentation I have in my production database so that I can then reorg the tablespaces and reclaim the space on the hard drive (which we are running out of and can't add any more space to).
(2) How do I find out the amount of space I will get back by doing a reorg?
Thank you to those smarter than me for helping me with this!


I agree, I think Andrew Seddon has a great way of making saints seem like real and fascinating people -- a tough job when you are writing (as he is in the two Saints Alive! volumes) from scanty legends. I'm so glad he gave me a chance to preview the new book and write a blurb for the cover.
I like your suggestion that he should write about modern saints. Andrew, are you listening?


What if the Pirates can be helped now and in the future?
PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan)- As Jim Colony likes to say..."Nine in a row, look at 'em go!"
The Pirates have ripped off nine straight wins going into and out of the All-Star break and are suddenly two games over the .500 mark at 51-49, a mere four games back of the final Wild Card spot in the National League.
So the question now becomes...do the Pirates add to this roster to make a push toward the playoffs? If so, what or who do they try to acquire?
The Fan Morning Show discussed this Monday and Colin Dunlap brought up one name in particular that the Pirates should look into: Tampa Bay Rays starter Chris Archer.
Archer has been semi-linked to the Pirates in the past as being a possible trade piece and is now 29 years old with years of control ahead. He is set to make $6.4 million this year, just over $7.6 million next year, has a $9 million team option for 2020 with a $1.75 million buyout and an $11 million team option for 2021.
All reasonable numbers for a guy who has posted over 230 strikeouts per season the last three years while eating up at least 200 innings. Colin says that if the Pirates pulled the trigger on an Archer trade, he would immediately become a front-end starter for the team and makes this year's team better. Archer could also make 2019, 2020 and 2021 better with his contract situation.
In theory, Jim Colony agrees with this but wonders what it would take to land a pitcher like Archer and herein lies the question: If you were GM Neal Huntington, would you be willing to part with top prospects in order to land a guy like Chris Archer? Are we still too afraid to give up prospects in order to bring in MLB-impact talent? Would you trade a combination of Mitch Keller, Ke'Bryan Hayes, Austin Meadows for help now and maybe even for a few years?
Colin said he would trade Meadows if it meant bringing in Archer. He would buy out Corey Dickerson's arbitration for next season to keep him around and hope an outfield prospect would be ready to step in for 2020 if they couldn't keep Dickerson after that.
Are top prospects still too valuable or is it time to use them as chips to buy in now? Is this team worth adding to?
You can check out The Fan Morning Show's conversation about it below.
Would You Trade Top Prospects To Help This Team?