Review of PBS Documentary

I've been watching this PBS documentary, a Frontline special called Country Boys (2005, David Sutherland Productions, Inc. and WGBH Educational Foundation). In this three-part series, filmmaker David Sutherland follows two boys from rural, impoverished Eastern Kentucky and chronicles their daily struggles and triumphs. Cody and Chris are both students at the David School, an alternative, Christian-based learning facility for academically challenged youths. The two young men occasionally cross paths but are on two very different roads.
Cody lives in a rather nice home with his step-grandmother, Liz. (Cody was orphaned when his father murdered his step-mother (Liz's daughter), a stripper, while she was working and then shot himself to death. Cody's biological mother also committed suicide) Cody's primary forms of solace are his Christian heavy metal band and his girlfirend, Jessica. Somehow, Cody manages to transcend his situation and even becomes the David School's valedictorian and considers going into the ministry.
Chris, on the other hand, faces a much bleaker future. Living in a dilapidated trailer with his enabling, high-school-drop-out mother, alcoholic father, and his siblings, Chris often becomes angry and frustrated and frequently misses school. Sadly, Chris is also very intelligent and creative. For example, he invents an alter-ego named Xavier, a pillar of physical, emotional, and moral strength. He says that when the goin' gets tough, he becomes Xavier in order to cope. Chris works a string of low-paying jobs in order to support his family. He also suffers through a string of dead-end relationships with young ladies. (In one scene, Chris has an interesting conversation with a romantic prospect about relationships in their socio-economic strata.) Chris finally appears to be getting it together, but his family's extreme dysfunction proves to be too much. Chris eventually wigs out and gets himself into a lot of trouble. All hope is not lost lost after this incident, though.
This documentary is a raw, unbiased look at life in Appalachia. You will never forget Cody and Chris. I came away from my viewing experience loving Cody and being simultaneously hopeful for and frustrated with Chris. In fact, there were moments when I wanted to jump through the TV screen and strangle Chris and/or hug Cody. Also, I thought both boys were a bit disrespectful to their teachers, but I guess that's just because I am one. At around six hours, this DVD is a committment, but it is so worth the effort to get to "know" these guys. There are also special features that allow you to see what happens to the film's subjects after the cameras stop rolling.
This film is by no means perfect. For one thing, I feel that it fails to tie up loose ends in some ways. For instance, we never find out why Mitzi, one of the boys' teachers resigns in Part II. Also, the issues in Jessica's parents' marriage are not explored to my satisfaction. I feel that these issues are a major reason why Jessica is in such a rush to marry Cody and leave home. In addition, I think the documentary occasionally caves into cultural stereotyping (i.e. all the gratuitous trailer/squalor footage). Finally, I think viewers could be provided with more backstory on Chris' parents. They've been married and divorced to each other seven times. I think this information would've been useful as a means of explaining why they are the way they are at the time of filming. It would also give viewers more empathy toward Chris, considering the fact that most of the footage shows him complaining about his situation, getting mad, and/or making excuses for why he constantly fails. Still, I highly recommend Country Boys to anyone in search of genuine "reality" TV.

Spring Cleaning

Yes, I'm attempting some spring cleaning today. I don't have to go to work until the afternoon today and tomorrow, so I'm taking advantage of the free time I have these two mornings in order to get my house squared away. Actually, it doesn't feel very springlike right now. It snowed yesterday! It's supposed to warm up this week, though. At least the sun is shining today. As for my aforementioned cleaning endeavor, I've got this feng shui book. Perhaps I could try to approximate some of its suggestions. I get so mad at myself for being messy!

Top-10 "Honorable Mention" Protest Songs

As I promised y'all yesterday, I've compiled a list of what I consider the "Top-10 'Honorable Mention' Protest Songs of All Time." I just couldn't get every single great tune on the original Top-20 list. So, for those of you who didn't see your faves there, here's a little compensation:
Top-10 Honorable Mentions & My Commentary:
10.) "Bring Them Home"-- Bruce Springsteen: An Iraq-era protest tune by the Boss. The melody is haunting and countrified, and the lyrics are gritty, straight-up, and honest. Classic Bruce!
9.) "With God on Their Side"-- Bob Dylan: This song tells the painful truth: Our childhood history books were full of lies. With characteristic razor-sharp, learnedly folksy, sarcastic wit, Bobby D tells it like it is.
8.) "Jena"-- John Mellencamp: In this neo-classic protest tune, the 80s superstar from Seymour, Ind., makes a plea for the end of racial violence in America. Don't worry, John, we're listening!
7.) "Buffalo Soldier"-- Bob Marley: Here, Marley discusses the irony of black soldiers being allowed to fight in the U.S. Civil War (1861-65), only to be sent out West to slaughter Native Americans.
6.) "Born in the U.S.A."-- Bruce Springsteen: Perhaps the most misinterpreted lyrics in the history of popular music. Ronald Reagan used this as his 1984 campaign theme song, much to the staunchly Democratic New Jersey native's chagrin. Actually, this is a call to action for us to recognize the sacrifices of our vets and their families. No one (who's performing today, at least) captures the true essence of patriotism quite like the Boss.
5.) "The Man in Black"-- Johnny Cash: What can I say? This song says it all.
4.) "Fortunate Son"-- Creedence Clearwater Revival: CCR examines the most tragic irony of war: Rich, old men wage it, their sons don't have to fight it, and poor young men are sent to it to pay the ultimate price or to come back never the same again.
3.) "Where Is the Love?"-- The Black-Eyed Peas: I consider this to be the first post-9/11 protest song.
2.) "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll"-- Bob Dylan: This is the sad, true tale of a racially motivated murder of an African-American maid in a Baltimore hotel that was committed by William Zantzinger-- a wealthy, well-connected young man whose wealth and connections helped him squeak by the justice system with a criminally light six-month prison sentence. You can listen to this song (Track #9 on The Times, They Are A-Changin') and see how far we've come as well as how far we have to go as a society in terms of our racial attitudes.
1.) "What's Goin' On?"-- Marvin Gaye: This question could be easily asked today. Interestingly, Motown founder Berry Gordy didn't want Gaye to release this song because Gordy thought it would bankrupt Motown Records. Gaye defied Gordy, the song became the company's best-selling single ever, and the rest is music history.
Okay, that officially concludes the countdown. I know I still missed a few great songs. Maybe I should do a Top-40 countdown sometime. If anyone would like to offer his or her suggestions, please feel free to do so.

Top-20 Protest Songs (Part 2, Songs #10-1)

Folks, we're getting closer to #1. I have to admit that this was a difficult list to compile.
The Top 10, w/Commentary:
10.) "Get Up, Stand Up"-- Bob Marley: The Jamaican revolutionary just says it, plain and simple: You've gotta stand up for your rights if you want to preserve them.
9.) "Like a Rolling Stone"-- Bob Dylan: The true genius of this song is that it was a protest against the protest movement. More specifically, the Bard is protesting the commercialization of the movement and the genre he helped popularize. Dylan caused a stir with this one, and thank God he did. Careerwise, this is the turning point at which Dylan morphed from folkie/"voice of a generation" into bonafide rock star.
8.) "The Times, They Are A-Changin'": Oh, yes, they are, and yes, we did! Apparently, one senator "heeded the call," and our nation is better off for him having done so. There's actually an entire post's worth of analysis I could do on this tune, so I'll try to keep this as brief as possible. My favorite aspect of "Times" is that it acknowledges the Biblical truism that the prevailing social order is indeed subject to change.
7.) "One Love/People Get Ready"-- Bob Marley: The official Reggae/Rastafari (Jamaican Christianity) national anthem, "One Love" is a call for international brother/sisterhood and sternly admonishes those who commit acts of violence and hatred in the name of religion. On a personal note, I was treated to an excellent cover version of this anthem, which was performed by a band called The Roots Rock Society, at a multicultural festival at EIU. Everyone got up and danced-- just like at the original Woodstock. LOL! It was the time of my life.
6.) "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall"-- Bob Dylan: Bobby D dominates this list, and rightly so. In "Hard Rain," he prophetically warns listeners that their complacency could lead to big problems.
5.) "Blowin' in the Wind"-- Bob Dylan: This one brought folk/protest music to the masses and is undeniably a key song of the anti-war and civil rights movements.
4.) "Ohio"-- Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young: With lead vocals performed by Neil Young, this is an expression of CSNY's anger and sadness following the tragic outcome of the anti-war protest at Kent State University in May, 1970.
3.) "Dear Mr. President"-- Pink: Okay, some of you might object to my placement of this song over a few of the others in this countdown, but I feel that it deserves this ranking solely based on the fact that Pink exposes Dubya for what he is: an ignorant, war-mongering hypocrite. This is the closest thing we have to an Iraq-era protest song. Like Dylan's "Masters of War (#20)," however, I admit that this one's lost some of its bite, but not its relevance.
2.) "Imagine"-- John Lennon: You knew this had to be in the Top 5, right? Anyway, most of us hear those lyrics and think, "Yeah, wouldn't that be nice?" This song has even more meaning today than when it was originally written. Interestingly, this song hit #1 on 9/11/71. Lennon had just moved to NYC. I could write a dissertation on that man, so I'll just end it right there.
1.) "We Shall Overcome"-- Various Artists: How could this not be #1? Derived from lyrics to a gospel song penned by Rev. Charles Tindley, the version of this civil-rights-anthem-to-end-all-civil-rights-anthems we conscientious beings all know and love was published in 1947 in the Peoples' Songs Bulletin. It has since been covered by the likes of folk pioneers, such as Pete Seeger and Joan Baez. There is a particularly notable (pardon the pun) gospel version by Mahalia Jackson. Most recently, numero uno appeared on Bruce Springsteen's album "We Shall Overcome": The Seeger Sessions, an homage to one of the Boss' great musical heroes. Most importantly, it seems that, in a sense, we have indeed overcome.
(Note: I will publish a Top-10 List of Honorable Mentions later this weekend.)

Top-20 Protest Songs (Part 1, Songs #20-11)

Okay, since I'm currently on the subject of protesting, I've compiled a list of what I feel are the greatest protest songs of all time. Below is the first half of the list, along with commentary on each song.
Songs #20-11 & Corresponding Commentary:
20.) "Masters of War"-- Bob Dylan: I've listened to this song a lot during the past eight years. It's kinda lost its bite in the wake of current events.
19.) "The Ballad of Ira Hayes"-- Peter LaFarge (covered by Johnny Cash): This is a true story of a Native American Marine who has been immortalized by the Iwo Jima Memorial. It brings to light the mistreatment of our veterans, especially those representing minority groups.
18.) "Waitin' on the World to Change"-- John Mayer: This song was used during the 2008 campaign to encourage the youth of America to get out and vote. Mayer's message here is that apathy is the greatest enemy of social change. Fortunately, the youth of America were not apathetic this time around.
17.) "Wake Me When September Ends"-- Green Day: This song pretty much sums up a vast majority of Americans' growing disgust with the Bush administration's use of emotional appeals (e.g. 9/11) to drum up support for the war effort.
16.) "When the Ship Comes In"-- Bob Dylan: This gorgeous song uses Biblical imagery to convey the very true message that Christianity was a social revolution and that Christ was the ultimate rebel-with-a-cause. (Actually, Dylan wrote this after being refused a hotel room on the basis of his scruffy appearance. This is definitely the most eloquent "F--- you!" song ever written.)
15.) "For What It's Worth"-- Buffalo Springfield: This classic tune expresses the feelings of the tumultuous era in which it was written (the 1960s) and made lead vocalist Stephen Stills and a then-unknown Canadian guitar phenom named Neil Young, who provided the instantly recognizable chiming opening riff, superstars.
14.) "Sunday, Bloody Sunday"-- U2: The Irish supergroup decries the violence carried out supposedly in the name of God that has plagued their native land for centuries.
13.) "Power to the People"-- John Lennon: No list of protest anthems would be complete without an entry from the "Smart Beatle." Here, Lennon characteristically flat-out tells the masses to question the establishment in order to better themselves, as well as others. (I still can't get over the fact that Laura Ingraham uses this song on her show and even gave her book the same title.)
12.) "Peace Train"-- Cat Stevens: Sadly, the artist now known as Yusuf Islam is reportedly no longer on the peace train. Still, this glorious tune reminds us all of why we're here: to be peacemakers. Timeless!
11.) "Revolution"-- The Beatles: This is an oft-misunderstood rock opus by none other than the Fab Four. Lennon wrote it in disgust with what was going on with the anti-war movement. That is, a lot of wannabes were giving the movement a bad name by getting involved with it just to be "cool" and "happening." Also, by 1968, anti-war protests in the States were becoming increasingly violent as a result of political assassinations (MLK & RFK) and an escalating war in Vietnam with no end in sight. Hmmm...

Did y'all hear about this?

I came across a rather interesting little tidbit of info while surfing the Web last night. It was a People Magazine article about Meghan McCain, John and Cindy McCain's 24-year-old daughter. Apparently, she's having a war of words with neo-con pundit Laura Ingraham over comments Ingraham made about Ms. McCain being plus-sized and too fat to become a successful blogger and pundit. (FYI, Laura, Meghan's not that big and has a beautiful face.) Even though she and I are on opposite ends of the socio-political spectrum, I have to give Meghan kudos for coming out swinging against Ingraham for perpetuating American women's weight obsession. She even called out her own mother, a walking X-ray and admitted diet pill popper, for doing so. Y'know, growing up with the parents she has couldn't have been easy for Meghan. Most importantly, Meghan has spoken out against the GOP's negative image (i.e. racist; intolerant) and has said that the Republican Party needs some fresh ideology in order to stay relevant. (Honestly, that'll require an extreme ideological makeover.) Hmmm...who's the Maverick now, John? BTW, I actually tried to watch the RNC last September and was disgusted by the fact that John and Cindy put Meghan front and center but completely shut out her sister, Bridget, whom Cindy adopted from Bangladesh in the early 90s. It was very blatant and telling. Oh, no, no one wants to see non-white folks at a Republican National Convention! Yeah, that'll really help the party's image! As for Ingraham's pundit-in-crime Ann Coulter, I'm in too good a mood to delve into that one today. I will just say that Meghan's not a big fan of her, either. Personally, I don't really want to hear a former white-collar defense attorney (Ingraham) telling me how to empower myself against my government.

Synopsis of the President's Second Press Conference

Last night, President Obama gave his second post-inaugural press conference. He answered questions from the media about the economic stimulus package, AIG, the wars, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, amongst other issues. This latter topic intrigued me the most. We Americans need to support Palestine and the Middle East peace process. I took notes during the speech and wrote my spring editorial on this very subject. It'll be published sometime early next month.

The Taxman Cometh

Well, I gathered all my tax documents and info this past weekend. I don't know how big my refund will be, but I guess every little bit counts. I'm a little worried, since my job situation wasn't great last year. Of course, it's a different story this year. I'm probably going to get more hours at the radio station soon, and that gig could very likely become full time. I just feel so much better when I'm working steadily and contributing to society.

The Iraq War in Facts and Figures

Alright, I've compiled a list of facts and figures regarding the Iraq War, which has now entered its seventh year.
The War in Numbers*:
US casualties: 4,259
Civilian Deaths: 91,121-99,500
Cost: The war could cost a total of $1.6 trillion this year.
*These numbers are more than likely conservative estimates. Also, they do not take into account the countless numbers of wounded, both physically and psychologically. Most importantly, we must remember that there are real people behind these figures. The true cost of war cannot be measured.

More Suite Stuff

Howdy, folks! I've written some new articles on Suite101. After writing so much about 18th- and 19th-century history, I've decided to shift gears and write about more modern historical events and figures. The articles are as follows:
1.) "Jimmy Carter's Best Campaign Strategist: How Rosalynn Carter Helped Her Husband Win the 1976 Election"
2.) "The Roosevelts' Marriage: The St. Patrick's Day Wedding of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt"
3.) "President Coolidge's Pets: Calvin and Grace Coolidge's Interesting Menagerie of Pets"
4.) "What Became of the Ford Children?: The Adult Lives of Michael, Jack, Steven, and Susan"
5.) "Eleanor Roosevelt, Public Servant and Educator: The Accomplishments of a Remarkable Woman"
(See last week's posts for link to articles.)

Spring hath sprung!

It's now officially spring. The weather has been lovely, and I'm actually in a good mood. Perhaps I might even do a little spring cleaning this weekend, with heavy emphasis on the "perhaps" part. I engineered another spring training baseball game today. The Cards beat the Washington Nationals 12-11. The regular season starts in April. Yeah, I'm feelin' pretty groovy right now.

What a difference a year makes!

Today is the one-year anniversary of the protest that wasn't. On March 20, 2008, I went to a protest at EIU (Eastern Illinois University) to mark the fifth anniversary of the Iraq War. Well, it wasn't much of a protest. The other people there were not very politically aware. Worse, they were your stereotypical wannabe "activists." For example, everyone was wearing tie-dye T-shirts and basically glorifying every single negative hippie stereotype you can think of. The most upsetting thing of all, however, was the pervasive negative attitude. People kept making jokes about getting busted. Y'know, if you're going to bother to protest, you need to be confident in what you're doing. Not to put myself on a pedestal, but I was pretty much the only one who did or said anything. I read my poem, entitled "Upon the Application of Novel Concepts." It was on that day that I became somewhat disillusioned with what passes for the anti-war movement of my generation. Honestly, I think part of the problem is that there isn't a draft; therefore, none of my fellow "protesters" felt that they really had anything personal at stake. One year later, I've realized that, as Gandhi said, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." I can't let others' negativity and/or apathy get to me. I'm in a much better place now. Of course, the most important thing is that my guy won the election. I know he's talking of going into Afghanistan, but he inherited that problem. Unlike his predecessor, our current commander-in-chief will listen to Congress and the people in regards to this matter. Speaking of which, did y'all see the prez on Leno last night? I wanted to, but I fell asleep before it came on. Oh, well, I guess I can just YouTube it. Anywho, this was historic in that it was the first time a sitting president has appeared on a late-night talk show. And, look, I know he isn't a saint, but Obama is doing his best. Cut him some slack. After all, he's inherited this nation's biggest economic flustercuck, reportedly a bigger one than FDR inherited in regards to the Great Depression and "Hoovervilles." Change will happen, but we must be patient and work with the prez in order to achieve it.
P.S. I'm still working on collecting those body count and wounded figures. I'll get those on here ASAP.

An Anniversary I'd Rather Not Mention

Today is the 6th anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq War. On March 19, 2003, the U.S. invaded the sovereign (read: self-governing) nation of Iraq based on false pretenses (i.e. Iraq was harboring "weapons of mass destruction.") In tomorrow's post, I'll include tallies of coalition and Iraqi dead and wounded. (That means I'll need to do some dreaded research later today.) I'll also discuss my disillusionment with the anti-war movement and my experience with a protest that I went to one year ago that wasn't. Don't get me wrong, I'm still very much against the war, but there's a right and a wrong way to protest it.

Mid-Week Rant

Okay, I still have a little more political ranting and raving to do. Did y'all see Dick Cheney on TV this past week? How can he even show his face in public? Also, I saw a snippet of Glenn "Crazy Eyes" Beck's melodramatic "I-love-my-country-and-I-fear-for-it" moment. Absolutely sickening! On a personal note, I stirred up a little controversy on Suite101. (Who'da thunk it, right?) Anywho, I made the fatal mistake of writing about the Civil War. (Insert collective gasp here.) Apparently, when you discuss the Civil War, the discussion becomes rather, well, uncivil. Oh, well, that's not enough to shut me up. That said, I think will focus on positive, happy things for the remainder of the week. Just call me "Little Miss Sunshine" from here on out. LOL!

The Voice of the New Conservative Movement? What New Conservative Movement?

The CPAC (Conservative Political Action Committee) had its annual meeting a couple weeks ago, and Rush Limbaugh has appointed himself the "Voice of the New Conservative Movement." Uh, the last time I checked, conservatism was dead. Apparently, Rush, Coulter, Ingraham, Bill-O The Clown, Glenn "Crazy Eyes" Beck, and the good but misguided folks at FAUX News didn't get the memo. I swear, the neocons are trying to rewrite our nation's history. For example, Olbermann and Maddow were having fun last night with the GOP's claim that FDR's New Deal caused unemployment to skyrocket during the Great Depression. What the hell do they think the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) and similar programs were, busy work and diversions for the downtrodden? Also, newly appointed GOP chairperson Michael Steele is already in hot water for his abortion stance. So, let me get this straight: In order to be a proper Republican, you have to adhere to a strict, unwaivering, uniform set of party-instituted principles? Sorry, not interested. I guess that if some people choose to live life in a bubble, that's their perogative. As for me, I've concluded that reality has a definite liberal bias. (On a side note, today's St. Patrick's Day. I'm neither Irish nor superstitious, but my car's green-- literally and metaphorically-- and I've got a U2 CD in it, so that should be enough to keep the evil banshees and psychotic leprechauns away. A pot of gold at the end of my rainbow would be nice, though.)

A Suite 16th

Guess what? I've got an assortment of new Suite101 articles for y'all to check out. The titles are as follows:
1.) "A President's Daring Cabinet Picks: How Abraham Lincoln Appointed His Rivals and Saved the Nation"
2.) "Abraham Lincoln's Therapeutic Trip to Kentucky: An Eye-Opening Period in the Life of a Future President"
3.) "The Death of Ann Rutledge: Young Abe Lincoln's Ill-Fated First Love"
4.) "The 1860 Election: A Four-Way Fight with Surprising Results"
5.) "Abraham Lincoln's Return to Politics: How the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 Led to Lincoln's 1860 Victory"*
*Note: There was some controversy surrounding the final article on this list. I made a factual error, the result of being tired and overworked, and was called on it. I corrected said error-- accidentally typing in "1856 presidential election" as opposed to "1858 Illinois Senate election"-- and the article in question was published successfully. So, there!
Once again, the direct link to my articles on the site is: http://www.suite101.com/writer_articles.cfm/obamagirl08.

"Beware the Ides of March."

That's the signature quote from the Soothsayer character in Shakespeare's Julius Ceasar. The expression "Ides of March" refers to the middle of the month, or more precisely March 15th. Today, of course, is March 15th. Bad things supposedly happen on this day. Actually, I don't think there's anything anyone should beware of-- except for the possibility that Rush Limbaugh could single-handedly revive the conservative movement-- but I don't foresee that happening. (I think I might spout off about CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) later this week.) Anywho, I just finished engineering a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game on WVLN 740 AM, and I'm really worn out. Incidentally, the Cards lost the game, which took place in Clearwater, Florida, to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Review of Another Cameron Crowe Film

As I promised y'all earlier this week, I'm going to review writer/director Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous (2000, DreamWorks). This is one of my fave rock 'n' roll flicks. And here's why:
First, the cast is superb. The likes of Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, Patrick Fugit, Zooey Deschanel, Anna Paquin, Fairuza Balk, Noah Taylor, and Philip Seymour Hoffman really light up the screen. In the film, Fugit plays William Miller, a brilliant but naive teenager in 1973 California who has been sheltered by his overprotective, nonconformist college professor mother (McDormand). (This movie is loosely based on Crowe's real life.) A wannabe rock journalist, William follows the career of Stillwater, a fictitous, mediocre American version of Led Zeppelin, led by Russell Hammond (Crudup) and Jeff Beebe (Lee, whom I love as the eponymous star (title character) of NBC's My Name Is Earl). William ends up being fortunate enough to score a writing gig with Rolling Stone. This gig allows William to tour the country with Stillwater and a bevvy of groupies who prefer to be called "band-aids," led by Penny Lane (Hudson).
Secondly, several scenes and lines are unforgettable. For example, Crudup and Lee's T-shirt fight and Crudup's subsequent acid-laced romp with a bunch of "real Topeka, Kansas, fans" are two of my absolute faves. As for lines, McDormand makes the movie with gems, such as: "An entire generation of Cinderellas, and there's no slipper comin'!" and "Rock stars have kidnapped my son!" The greatest part of the whole movie, however, is the scene in which the whole Band o' Gypsies belts out an impromptu version of Elton John's classic "Tiny Dancer" on their tour bus.
And that leads to my final fave aspect of this film: the soundtrack. Along with hits by Sir Elton, it boasts killer tunes by Zeppelin, Simon and Garfunkel, The Allman Brothers, The Beach Boys, The Who, Rod "The Mod" Stewart, Skynyrd, and Stevie Wonder, amongst many other artists synonymous with the "Love Generation." More importantly, each song seems to perfectly fit the scene it accompanies.
Okay, now for a little criticism. Yes, there's some things I didn't like about this movie. For one thing, I found Hudson a bit annoying. I think part of the problem is that Penny Lane is rather self-absorbed and static. Personally, I think Deschanel, who plays William's sister, Anita, was better suited for this role. But that's just me being nitpicky, I suppose. Something else that kinda bugged me were the Greeneville, Tennessee, scenes. They were, well, lame. Even Penny's fellow "band-aids (Balk, Bijou Phillips (daughter of Mamas and the Papas founder John), and Paquin)" complain about Greeneville being the "most boring place on Earth." Yeah, those scenes really drag and suck.
Overall, I give this film four out of five stars. Certain areas could use a little improvement, but nothing in this life is ever perfect. Watching this film makes me yearn for a resurgence of some, not all, the values of the era it captures.

Friday the 13th (Again)

Yes, folks, it's once again Friday, the 13th. Apparently, that's a lucky number in the Ashleyverse. My new job is going great, and I'm getting air time. What more could a gal ask for? Anywho, I'm becoming more confident. For example, I'm starting to get away from taking the Ron Burgundy (y'know, Will Ferrell's character in Anchorman) approach (i.e. reading lines off the script verbatim) when I go live. I guess if I had one wish it would be that this turns into a full-time gig.

Thoughtless Thursday

I've declared today "Thoughtless Thursday." I've decided to just turn off my brain and tune out the world. I feel that I've earned the right to tune out for a while. In honor of this occasion, I'm watching The House Bunny. Honestly, I wish I could sometimes get away with being more like Anna Faris' character, Shelley. Instead, I have to pretend to be smart most of the time. Anywho, I'll probably veg tonight and watch Almost Famous. (Look for a review of this great Cameron Crowe flick sometime this weekend.) Also, my fave shows-- My Name Is Earl, Kath and Kim, The Office, and 30 Rock-- are on TV tonight. Heck, I might even drink a few beers and chow down on some fried chicken and ice cream, courtesy of DQ. So, here's to being unapologetically lazy!

Living a Dream

I actually have the day off today. It's kinda nice. I'm so excited about the direction my life is going. I've always wanted to be in broadcasting, and it's happening. I've dabbled with various other paths and have now come full circle. I'm exactly where I need to be. It's been my experience that by following your intuition and working hard (operative phrase) to achieve your goals, you will almost certainly be successful in life. Thus, spiritual savvy and hard work are the keys to success.
Quote Du Jour:
"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined."-- Henry David Thoreau

On-the-Job Training

Well, listeners, I've been on the air twice this week. I worked yesterday afternoon and this morning. They've got me doing weather forecasts, discussing community happenings, introducing songs, and ID-ing artists. It's been a nerve-wracking yet fun (and paying!) experience. I'm learning a lot, too. For example, overnight broadcasts are conducted solely by satellite. I learned this after my mentor, Bobbie, told me that she heard my pre-recorded forecast during the early morning hours today and that I had gone a few seconds over. (Imagine that!) Anywho, that's a big deal during a satellite broadcast, since there's not an actual person there to switch the program mode from auto to manual. In other words, if a forecast or commercial runs overtime, it will overlap with music, which could alienate listeners and possibly cost corporate a lot of moola. Not a good situation! (Note to self: Just read highs, lows, and special weather conditions, not wind speeds, off script during pre-recorded forecasts. That's all audience cares about anyway.)

Why My Spring Break Isn't

I'm officially on spring break today, but it really doesn't feel like one. And why? Answer: I still have to hang out in Olney and work this week. Oh, well, c'est la vie! I'm actually excited about going to station this afternoon, though. It's too perfect; they're paying me to talk. The Mother Ship has landed! Anywho, I'll probably "work from home" this evening via Suite101. I'll keep y'all posted as I publish new articles.

An Old-But-Great Workout

Okay, this morning I did this totally retro strength training DVD, Karen Voight's Great Weighted Workout. It came out way back in the early 90s. It's really long, too-- 85 mins., to be exact. Thanks to the magic of modern technology, however, the DVD can be programmed so that prospective users can divide the routine into shorter segments, which include an upper-body workout, lower-body routine, and abwork. As for equipment, you'll need light weights (I use 2-lb. dumbbells for the upper-body work.), a mat, a body ball (or dumbbell), ankle weights, and a towel for the concluding stretch. The set and the class' outfits are totally outdated and dorky, but if you can look past all that, this is an awesome workout. (Note: Don't let the use of light weights fool ya-- this routine, especially the upper-body part, is a killer!)

My Little Weekend Celebration

Well, folks, I got to be on air today. Guess I've hit the big time! lol! Anyway, I got to do the weather and introduce some music and our "Newton guy," Geron, who was broadcasting live at the Jasper County Chamber of Commerce Business Expo this morning. In order to celebrate this occasion, I'm going to have a couple Bacardi Silver Mojitoes. Next week is my "spring break" from the college, so I'll be able to veg a bit. Yay!
P.S. Daylight Saving Time begins this weekend. Y'all remember to set your clocks an hour forward before bedtime tonight. (We broadcast a little on-air reminder about that today.)

My Totally Insane Week

This has been an absolutely crazy week! (That may explain why this week's posts have lacked their usual depth.) Anywho, in addition to dividing my time between the college and the radio station, I've been thrust into the responsibility of subbing for our industrial maintenance instructor, who's undergoing back surgery. Trust me, this is not my area, although I did figure out the difference between hydraulics and pneumatics. I'm exhausted right now, and I have a splitting sinus headache. On top of all that, I'm starving. I think I need a Taco Bell and/or chocolate fix. Maybe I should do some TM. Better yet, I just need to sleep.

Get fit, save time.

As I've already mentioned, I'm in a fitness phase right now. A lot of us want to get fit, but there's a time issue. Well, I'd like to recommend a couple DVDs for the time-pressed but health-conscious folks out there. One is Kathy Smith's Timesaver Cardio Fat Burner, and the other is Kathy Smith's Lift Weights to Lose Weight Double. On the cardio DVD, you get two 20-min. aerobics routines plus a 7-min. bonus stretch. As for the strength training workout, it's a compilation of Kathy's original Lift Weights to Lose Weight workout and her Lift Weights to Lose Weight 2. Volume 1 consists of a quick upper-body workout, time-efficient lower-body workout, and short abs routine. Volume 2 offers upper-and lower-body segments, along with speedy abwork and a stability ball workout. You can program these two DVDs in order to do any or all of the segments on each. You can go to http://www.collagevideo.com/ to see time graphs for these DVDs, which count as one item, and prices for a multitude of fun, unique workouts.

On this day in local history

On March 4, 1974, it was recorded that my hometown, Olney, Ill., "Home of the White Squirrels," had the highest number of TM (Transcendental Meditation) practitioners per capita of any American city. Hmmm... Perhaps there is a progressive element here after all.

Brief Review of This Morning's "Athletic" Endeavor

Well, I did another 6 a.m. workout today. I "performed" Kim Miller's (truly delightful woman!) CIA 2702: Aerobic Euphoria. Working out isn't a totally euphoric experience when you're dog-tired, but I muddled through. I followed my cardio session with some yoga, courtesy of Karen Voight. So, folks, that was my athletic-- and I use that term very loosely here-- endeavor for this morning.

Continuing on the fitness theme,...

Okay, I think I'm certifiably crazy. I did my Billy Blanks' Ultimate Tae-Bo DVD today-- at 6 a.m.! (BTW, it's actually about 8:20 a.m., although Blogger is apparently on PST (Pacific Standard Time). So, when I publish this post, it'll be registered as having been published at approx. 6:20, not 8:20. Just wanted to clarify that!) I'm trying to get in shape for warm weather. Since I'm so busy right now, early morning is really the only "me time" I get. Fortunately for me, I've always been a morning person. Thus, the early bird always gets her workout in!

Lion or Lamb?

Today is March 1. They say this month either comes in like a lion or a lamb. It looks as though March is coming in like a lamb this year. Last year, it definitely came in like a big ole roaring lion. It also seems as though this winter went by faster than last winter. To say that I'm ready for spring to get here is an extreme understatement. I feel that this coming spring holds a lot of promise.