Random Friday Thoughts — November 30, 2018

Can you believe that 2018 is already winding down?  I admit that the second half of the year was better for me than the first and I’m excited about 2019!

While I have a couple of more blogs coming this year, this will likely be the last “Random Friday Thoughts” of 2018.

Thanks for checking it out!

Happy Holidays!

“WORLD AIDS DAY”

December 1st marks the 30th anniversary of “World AIDS Day” — it originated in 1988 to raise awareness to the spread of HIV and the AIDS pandemic.

We now live in an age where, with proper medication and taking it as prescribed, HIV is a treatable disease and those that are HIV-positive can live with “undetectable” viral loads, which mean they cannot spread the virus.

Yet, in 2017, 38,739 people in the U.S. and six dependent areas (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Republic of Palau, and the US Virgin Islands) became HIV-positive.

People, have sex, but use condoms!

This isn’t just to keep from contracting or spreading HIV, STIs are on the rise!

In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the highest number of STIs ever in the U.S.!

I read an interesting “Out” magazine article in May 2018 quoting veteran AIDS activist Peter Staley.

Staley says that an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease (which killed a reported 34 people in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1976) prompted the “New York Times” to write 62 stories on the outbreak — 11 of them appeared on the front page.

He added that before AIDS ever got a front page story in “The New York Times”, more than 6,000 people were already dead.

Staley:  “Imagine if the Times put AIDS on the front page 11 times in 1981.  How would that have changed the course of the epidemic?”

FINAL THOUGHTS ON HIV

If you don’t know your status, get tested.  It’s painless and knowing one way or the other is the first step to healthy or healthier living!!!

“CAUTION”

The incredible, the incomparable Mariah Carey is back with “Caution”!

It debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200 becoming her 18th Top Ten album and it topped the R& B album chart!

The album contains ten fantastic songs.  Seven of them are flawless and classic Mimi!

In addition to the two songs I’m featuring below, the other five standouts are the title track, “A No No”, “The Distance”, “Giving Me Life” and “8th Grade”.

Even the three other songs on “Caution” are great!

In September, Mariah’s teased the album with “GTFO” and I think it’s one of the most awesome songs on the album!

Yes, GTFO stands for what you think it does!!!!!!!!! 🙂

“With You”, the first official single is already in the Top Ten in Hungary and here in the U.S., it’s just outside the Top Ten on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary, Adult R&B Songs, and Hot R&B Songs charts!!!!!!

The album is beyond amazing, so GTFO and get it now. 🙂

GRADE:  B+

MARIAH CHRISTMAS!

Not only is Mariah’s new album in the Top 5 on the big chart, she’s also in the Top 5 on the Billboard Holiday Album chart with 1994’s “Merry Christmas”!

And, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” made its debut this season on the Hot 100 at #29!

“SONS OF ANARCHY”

I just finished the FX series “Sons of Anarchy”.  It really was a binge-watching event!

This includes psuedo-spoilers!

I was on the third (of seven) seasons when I found out that it was leaving Netflix on December 1st!

That meant I had to watch the last 56 episodes in three weeks or less.  I did it!

If you’re not familiar, the 2008-2014 series is about a northern California “motorcycle club” that dealt heavily in guns, drugs, prostitution, and porn, along with violence and a lot of sex!

It starred the amazing Charlie Hunnam (Jax) and Katey Sagal (Gemma).

I really enjoyed the first two seasons.

SEASONS 1 & 2 GRADE:  A

While still good, the series began to drag a bit when it became repetitious with the same story lines, the same violence and who would be the bad guys this season (the Irish, blacks, Mexicans, white supremacists, etc.)

SEASONS 3, 4, 5 GRADE:  B

While Gemma and Jax were my early on favorites, as the series went on I fell in love with Dr. Tara Knowles (Maggie Siff) and Sheriff Wayne Unser (Dayton Callie), two characters that were the closest thing to a “moral compass” for the show. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As season six progressed, the show was down to its last two seasons and an end game was in sight!

Two major characters were killed off!  Well, that sounds too innocent.

Season six ended with the most horrific and brutal scene involving two main characters on the series!!!

I knew it wasn’t going to end well for the one character, but I didn’t expect the brutality and the viciousness of the murder!  WOW, but incredible!

SEASON 6 GRADE:  A

Skip the horrible last season!

Except for two scenes in two different episodes and the highlight of the season, the “Red Rose” episode, it was unbearably stupid!

Watch the series through the sixth season, watch the “Red Rose” episode in season seven, and the last ten minutes of the series finale!

SEASON 7 GRADE:  D

OVERALL GRADE: B

“SONS OF ANARCHY” FUNNY

SANTA CHARLIE!

Thanks to my sister for sending me this.

And, we don’t have to sexist!  Ladies aren’t the only ones that might be interested in a new Santa Baby! 🙂

LAST RANDOM THOUGHTS IN 2018

Next year, I don’t want to be thinking of “last Christmas”.

I want to be celebrating with fun, sexy friends.  Okay, they really don’t have to be “sexy”, just lively and fun!

And, this very chic or elegant (whichever word you prefer) video is my inspiration! 🙂

“AMERICAN HORROR STORY”

The latest installment of FX’s “American Horror Story”, “Apocalypse”, wrapped up a very uneven season.

It was incredible seeing Joan Collins and Jessica Lange again!

And, I love this t-shirt modeled by star Evan Peters!

So, what are your favorite and least favorite seasons?  Here’s my rankings:

#8 “Freak Show” (season four, 2014) — The highlight!

#7 “Hotel” (season five, 2015)

#6 “Roanoke” (season six, 2016)

#5 “Apocalypse” (season eight, 2018)

#4 ” Coven” (season three, 2013)

#3 “Murder House” (season one, 2011)

#2 “Cult” (season seven, 2017)

#1 “Asylum (season two, 2012)

And, we’re still living the continuing episode of the real “American Horror Story”.

PICK HIT

Kylie Minogue is the last of my divas that I still haven’t seen in concert.  Hopefully, in the fall of 2019!

“Golden” is my favorite album of 2018 and here’s the latest video.

Isn’t Jack Savoretti just so adorable????  Okay, that question can be rhetorical! 🙂

“DO THEY KNOW IT’S CHRISTMAS”

THEY SAID WHAT???

Cody Fern on his first day on the “House of Cards” set for the final season:  “I was so intimidated because I’ve been watching HoC longer than I’ve been acting.  The first day, I walk down the hallway and Robin [Wright] says, ‘Cody’ because we met at the reading.  And I said, ‘Claire’.  On my God!  I could have vomited.”

Director John Waters on what worse than Taffy (“Female Trouble”) joining the Hare Krishna, “Worse than a Hare Krishna?  I suppose a Trump supporter!”

“12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS”

And, my blog about the holidays wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t include this twisted version of the holiday classic! 🙂

AND, THIS MORE RECENT FUN ONE!  

“You ruined my Christmas, you made it a drag!” — classic Boy George!

He co-wrote the song and directed the video!

Thank you. 🙂

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony

Very Heavy Snow Today & Tonight!

UPDATED POST:  Monday, November 26, 2018, 10:31 a.m.

The final official snowfall for the Quad Cities in Moline is 13.8″.  Davenport picked up 11.9″.

This is the most snow that has ever fallen on any day or from any storm in Moline in the month of November.

Other snow totals:  14″ Fulton (IL); 14″ Dewitt (IA); 13″ Washington (IA); 13″ Chadwich (Carroll County, IL); 12″ Clinton (IA); 11″ Muscatine (IA); 11″ Park View (Scott County, IA); 11″ Richmond (Washington County, IA); 10.5″ Wheatland (Clinton County, IA); 10.1″ Long Grove (Scott County, IA); 10″ West Burlington (IA); 10″ New Boston (Mercer County, IL); 10″ Fairfield, IA; 9.8″ Geneseo (IL); 9″ Bettendorf (IA); 9″ Morrison (IL); 9″ Rock Falls (IL); 9″ East Moline (IL); 8.8″ Hills (Johnson County, IA); 8.3″ Iowa City (IA); 7.6″ Camanche (IA); 7.4″ Sterling (IL); 7″ Galva (IL); 7″ Fairfield (IA); and 7″ Milan (IL).

UPDATED POST:  Sunday, November 25, 2018, 12:20 p.m.

Much of the area has been upgraded to a “Blizzard Warning” through 6 a.m.  Monday.  This replaces the “Winter Storm Warning” for many of you.

What this means is that blizzard conditions are more likely.

This is a life threatening situation with about a foot of heavy snow falling, colder temperatures, and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Alert your friends and please be safe!

Anthony

ORIGINAL POST:  Sunday, November 25, 2018, 8:15 a.m.

Heavy snow and blizzard-like conditions are on the way to Illinois and Iowa today and some locations will see a foot or more of snow!

The latest computer models are coming in with more moisture to work with and this means higher snow totals!

Early Sunday morning, rain was still falling across eastern Iowa, but it had already changed over to snow in Des Moines.

By mid-morning, the rain will become a wintry mix and then all snow.  Heavy snow, with rates of an inch or two per hour, will fall this evening and early tonight.

Along with the heavy snow and falling temperatures, winds will be very strong.  This will cause “white out” and blizzard-like conditions.

Here’s the wind forecast for today through Monday morning.

A “Winter Storm Warning” covers much of northern Illinois and eastern Iowa and just to the west of this warning is a “Blizzard Warning” for parts of Iowa.

 

Here’s the updated, higher snow forecast for the Quad Cities and surrounding areas!

When all is said and done, some locations may see slightly less than this range and some will see more.

But, this is going to be a major snow and wind event!

Please prepare early for the heavy snow and be safe!!!

Anthony

Winter Storm for the Quad Cities

UPDATED POST:  Sunday, November 25, 2018, 8:42 a.m.

More snow is expected than previously forecast.  Here’s the updated totals and thinking on the storm.  Click on the link:

https://anthonypeoples.wordpress.com/2018/11/25/very-heavy-snow-today-tonight/

Anthony

 

UPDATED POST:  Saturday, November 24, 2018, 3:27 p.m.

The timing on the storm below still looks good.

In the latest models, it looks like the heaviest of the snow is shifting some to the south.

So, I’ve updated the snowfall totals map and here’s the latest warning and advisory map.

The “Winter Storm Watch” from earlier over toward Chicagoland is now updated to a “Winter Storm Warning”, as I expected.

And, a “Blizzard Warning” is now in effect around Ottumwa, Iowa!

On the snowfall totals map here, the swath of blue is where the best likelihood of the heaviest snow will fall.

Another update will be posted Sunday morning!

ORIGINAL POST:  Saturday, November 24, 2018, 9 a.m.

Quad Cities, the first really big snowstorm of the season is on the way!

Enjoy the great weather Saturday because moderate to heavy snow and strong winds are forecast for Sunday, just as the Thanksgiving holiday weekend wraps up!

I’ll keep it short, so you don’t have to read a lot.  I’ll tell you what you need to know because I probably won’t be answering questions!

Here’s a snapshot of what I’m thinking.  Keep up on the latest forecast, especially Sunday morning because the axis of heavy snow could shift!

Most of eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois are under a “Winter Storm Warning” Sunday.

La Salle County, Illinois, that blue indicates a “Winter Storm Watch”, which may be upgraded to a “Winter Storm Warning” later Saturday for Sunday.

Rain will develop Saturday night and change over to snow Sunday morning from north to south.

The snow will be heaviest from late Sunday morning through the afternoon hours.

Gusty winds and falling temperatures will also produce blizzard-like conditions and low visibilities.

As for snow totals, the faster the rain changes over to snow, the better chance that you’ll see higher the snow totals in this range.

Again, keep up on the latest forecast.  Any shift in the storm track will affect these snow totals (“snotals”) 🙂

If anything major changes in my thinking on this storm, I’ll post another update.

I’m just looking out for my Peeps back home!  Be safe!

Anthony

 

Random Friday Thoughts — November 23, 2018

I hope you’re having a great and happy Thanksgiving holiday and the kick-off to the Christmas season!

Thank you checking out my Random Friday Thoughts!

THANKSGIVING

Before work, I enjoyed the Thanksgiving feast with my friend, Katie, and her family and friends.

I still have vivid memories (and pictures) of Thanksgiving pasts!

PLAY THAT CHRISTMAS SONG NOW!

A few weeks ago, I highlighted the soundtrack to “It’s Christmas, Eve” on the Hallmark Channel by LeAnn Rimes.

I wrote, “It’s the best Christmas album in the past few years!!!!” and I gave the album an “A”!

Not only am I telling you again to get the album, but I’m thrilled that LeAnn saw my review and called me “sweet” on Twitter. 🙂

By the way, LeAnn and I crossed paths back in Salisbury, Maryland, in 2005.  She was just as sweet and fantastic then as she is now!

Check out this mix from the soundtrack!  Incredible!

LeAnn and family, Merry Christmas and Happy 2019!

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

While “Bohemian Rhapsody” went through cast changes (Sacha Baron Cohen was originally cast as Freddie Mercury) and a rocky road from development to screen, the movie was amazing!

In just three weeks, the $52 million production has already made $404.1 million (one-third of that in the U.S.)

Emmy winner Rami Malik (“Mr. Robot”) was incredible as Queen lead singer Mercury and will very likely be nominated for a Best Actor Oscar!

GRADE:  A- 

QUEEN — BY THE NUMBERS

In the U.S., the band scored eleven Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

Its first “Killer Queen” reached #12 in 1975.

Queen hit the Top Ten five times (two of those were with “Bohemian Rhapsody” — #9 in 1975, #2 in 1991).  “Rhapsody” also reached #33 on the Hot 100 this year, too, when the movie soundtrack came out.

They topped the chart twice:  “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” (1980, 4 weeks) and “Another One Bites The Dust” (1980, 3 weeks).

As risque as Mercury could be, in 1984, the band’s relatively tame video “I Want To Break Free” was banned on MTV because the band was wearing women’s clothes!

Because of that ban in Reagan’s uptight America, the song only reached #45 here.

However, it hit #1 in three countries and the Top Ten in eight others around the world!

“MAMMA MIA!  HERE WE GO AGAIN”

In 2008, “Mamma Mia! was one of my favorites of the year and it grossed $615.7 million worldwide.

I was excited when the sequel was announced to hit theaters in the summer of 2018.

Well, that was until I heard that a major character (my favorite) was dead in the sequel, but would appear briefly.

So, I refused to go see it in theaters.  But, it made $393.4 million worldwide.

Now that it’s on DVD and Redbox sent me a free movie for my birthday, I saw it.

Pros:  Jeremy Irvine, Lily James, Meryl Streep (in the closing credits production number), the closing production number, Cher, and Jeremy Irvine. 🙂

Cons:  incoherent mess (at times), the “I Kissed The Teacher” production number and several others, and Cher.

Instead of sharing the trailer for the movie, here’s the amazing closing credits production number!

GRADE:  B- 

JEREMY IRVINE

I put Jeremy Irvine in my “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” review because I’ve loved him since his 2011 movie debut in “War Horse”.

I even enjoyed him in 2015’s reviled “Stonewall”!  About that movie, I know it was “white-washed”, but it still told a very important story in LGBTQ history!

“BOY ERASED” & “BEN IS BACK”

There are a few more movies I want to see this year.

“Boy Erased” (with the always incredible Nicole Kidman and the incredible Lucas Hedges) about gay conversion therapy ( P.S.  IT’S WRONG AND IT DOESN’T WORK!),

“Green Book”, “Mary Poppins Returns”, and “Ben Is Back”.  (I may have to wait until 2019 for some of them since they’re only playing in bigger cities for now!)

I absolutely love Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges (him again) blows me away.  When I heard they were doing a movie together, I was excited.

All I knew about it was that Ben is a drug user and he shows up on Christmas Eve.  So, I figured it was going to be a drama-filled holiday.

However, when the full trailer debuted, I was floored.  It’s so much more intense and powerful than I expected.

I’ll definitely be there when it opens in Duluth, Minnesota!  WOW!

Final note from the trailer:  When Ben says, “I’m not going to die.”

Really?  If this is like horror movie foreshadowing when they say “I’ll be right back”, you’re know they’re doomed and they won’t be back!!!

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — November 16, 2018

Where does the time go?  It’s a week before Thanksgiving and the holiday shopping season.

Thank you for taking the time to check out my random thoughts.

THE “N-WORD”

“Green Book” is a drama-comedy set in the 1960s racist-South (as opposed to the current-day racist South — okay, not all of the South is racist).

Viggo Mortensen plays “Tony Lip”, a big city club bouncer hired to chauffeur a famous black pianist (Mahershala Ali) on a tour of the South while navigating racial tension.

Before the movie even hit theaters to tackle that subject, there was a tense conversation last week during a screening of the movie.  Mortensen was talking about generational use of hate speech and used the “n-word” specifically as speech that’s no longer commonly used.

That didn’t set well with Ali.  He responded, “However well-intended or intellectual the conversation may have been, it wasn’t appropriate for Viggo to say the n-word… An excellent and poignant thought was unfortunately overshadowed by voicing the word in its fullness. Which for me, is always hurtful.”

In his apology, Mortensen said, “Although my intention was to speak strongly against racism, I have no right to even imagine the hurt that is caused by hearing that word in any context, especially from a white man. I do not use the word in private or in public. I am very sorry that I did use the full word last night, and will not utter it again.”

Ali adds, “The use of the word within the black community has long been debated, and its usage should continue to be examined within the black community… The use of the word by those who aren’t black, is not up for debate.”

Ali accepted Mortensen’s apology.

“GREEN BOOK”

I’ve been wanting to see this movie since the trailer came out.

I can already see Academy Award nominations for two-time Oscar nominee Mortensen (“Eastern Promises” and “Captain Fantastic”) and Oscar winner Ali (“Moonlight”) and a Best Picture nomination!

And, if you never saw “Captain Fantastic, do so.  It was my #2 movie in 2016!

SPEAKING OF RACE

The first eight episodes of the fifth season of “How To Get Away With Murder”, which just went on winter break with the revelation of who was killed at Connor and Oliver’s wedding, were great!

The show, headed by a white man with a black lead (Oscar and Emmy winner Viola Davis), has never shied away from problems that people of color face in the U.S.

In last week’s episode at a celebration before Connor and Oliver’s wedding, Michaela made a very bold and, sadly, honest toast, “Is this country a scary, evil, racist place? Yes. Are those guards probably home with their families right now, not giving a damn about what they did.”

You can watch the entire scene here:  https://www.mrctv.org/videos/htgawm-evil-racist-place

After a few more responses, Oliver toasted, “To Nate Senior and the hope that, someday, we will live in a world that isn’t always so terrible all the time.”

ANOTHER “HTGAWM” THOUGHT

I’ve always thought that Frank Delfino (Charlie Weber) was hot, but he’s exceptionally sexy this season.

SALT & STRAW

If you live in California, Oregon, or Washington, chances are that you’ve enjoyed or at least heard of Salt & Straw.

I definitely want one or I have to visit one of their shops!

The West Coast ice cream company is chef-based and everything is made from scratch.  The ice-cream base is churned into five to ten gallon batches from locally sourced cream.

So, you might be thinking, big deal.  There are many companies that make their own ice cream!

But, Roasted Peach & Sage Cornbread Stuffing (ice cream infused “with fresh-picked sage…handfuls of sweet and crunchy cornbread brown sugar shortbread cookies and spoonfuls of spiced peach jam brightened with a splash of peach vinegar)?

I’d also love to try the Spiced Goat Cheese & Pumpkin Pie (“warm spices, fresh local goat cheese, and streaks of fresh baked pumpkin pie filling… It’s almost as if we scooped out that yummy pumpkin custard straight from the pie shell and smattered it into a spicy, goaty, cheesecake ice cream.”)

Now, the one I’d definitely take a bite or two, but might not (or might) want a full serving of is the “Salted Caramel Thanksgiving Turkey” (“sweet and buttery turkey brittle into a turkey fat caramel ice cream”)!

When it comes to culinary delights and if you’re curious like me, you can check out their other non-Thanksgiving flavors here:  https://saltandstraw.com/flavors/

Until I get to a Salt & Straw, I’ll just have to enjoy the interesting flavors of gelato at the Wicked Spoon at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

“CRAZY RICH ASIANS”

The blockbuster is coming to DVD next week — November 20, 2018!!!

The $30 million dollar production has already brought in $236 million in theaters (74% of that in the U.S. with $173.6 million)!

“MEET CUTE”

I know pop culture comes up with little words and phrases that go on to be overused very quickly.

I’m not a fan of “meet cute”!

Come on!  People “meet” and some start dating.  Sometimes these introductions are not in perfect Hollywood situations.

Stop using this phrase!  “Crazy Rich Asians” didn’t bore us with a “meet cute” with Nick and Rachel. 🙂

Oops, “SPOILER ALERT”! 🙂

“THE WALKING DEAD” IS TRULY DEAD TO ME NOW!

I didn’t like seasons 7 and 8 of “The Walking Dead” and I vowed that I was done — until I heard that my favorite character was leaving!

So, I gave the first five episodes of season nine a chance and they were great.

That was up until the final moment of episode 5 when my favorite character should have been eaten alive by walkers.

That’s when “TWD” “jumped the shark” with a rescue and flash forward of six years!  Judith Grimes as a kid badass!  Gimme a break!

I didn’t even think about it.  At that moment, I took the recordings off the DVR.  I’m done!

And, just in case you haven’t heard, there’s a reason for the last minute rescue.  My favorite character will be starring in three future “The Walking Dead” movies.

Um, probably, no thanks!

Notice I didn’t say who the character was.  If you haven’t caught up, you’re really good at avoiding spoilers because it’s been everywhere.

If you want to know who it is, the actor’s picture is at the bottom!

If not, stop scrolling down at the Carly Rae Jepsen video!

MORE FALL TELEVISION

The first season of the “The Purge” and Lifetime’s “You” wrapped up (both have been renewed for a second season).

While very uneven, this season of “American Horror Story:  Apocalypse” is over.  It was enjoyable at times, especially the scenes with Joan Collins and with Jessica Lange.

The finale was so over-the-top and “WTF”, but mostly fun — only because it was so crazy and ludicrous!  Nice to see you again Angela Bassett!

I’m still loving “Madam Secretary ” and “Manifest” and while I’ve cooled on “The Good Doctor”, I’m still watching it.

NEXT WEEK IS THANKSGIVING

“WASTED!  THE STORY OF FOOD WASTE”

Since most of the country will be feasting on a lot of food next week for Thanksgiving, it’s unfortunate that there’ll be a lot of waste!

I watched an incredible documentary on how we can use more of the crops we grow for creative dishes and even use the waste in more creative ways.

It’s very eye-opening!

“Wasted!” features the late chef and television star Anthony Bourdain.

While his views are very bold in the 2017 documentary, he made a very chilling comment about people hanging themselves in one of his soundbites.

It’s eerie and creepy since he was found dead in France this past summer from an apparent suicide by hanging!

GRADE:  B

PICK HIT

Carly Rae Jepsen will always be known by her signature hit, “Call Me Maybe” from 2012, but she’s had so many more incredible songs!

“Emotion” was my #3 album of 2015.  I still love it and listen to it.

I saw her in concert in March 2016 at Terminal 5 in New York City and it’s still one of my favorite shows.

Here’s the final number, “I Really Like You” and around the first chorus, you’ll see just how close I was! 🙂

Her latest song, “Party of One”, just came out.

It’s about moving on from relationships, self-love, and being intimate — even it’s alone!!!

The video is a happy, sad, and peppy!

P.S.   It’s also a little risque with toys not usually seen in mainstream music videos!   Read between the lines and enter at your own risk! 🙂

GOODBYE SEXY ANDREW LINCOLN!

“The Walking Dead” is dead to me now, so goodbye Rick Grimes!

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony

LeAnn Rimes: The New Voice of Christmas

“It’s Christmas, Eve” with LeAnn Rimes makes its Hallmark Channel debut this weekend and the soundtrack is incredible!

Okay, incredible is an understatement.  It’s the best Christmas album in the past few years!!!!

There are three original songs on the soundtrack — two ballads and the upbeat “You and Me and Christmas”.

LeAnn doesn’t just sing the classics.  The arrangements of “Carol of the Bells” (Ring Out Remix) and “White Christmas” are stunning.

The North Pole Remix of “I Still Believe in Santa Claus” gives the song new life and there are two medleys that make the album an instant classic.

The Jolly Remix of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”/”Hark the Herald Angels Sing”/”Angels We Have Heard on High” has a dance club sound to it.

And, “Christmas Jam on Snow” is funky, upbeat fun with “Jingle Bell Rock”/”Here Comes Santa Claus”/”I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”/”Last Christmas”.

Radio programmers gearing up for holiday music through Christmas need to add each of these songs to their playlists, especially “White Christmas” and the medleys!

LeAnn is becoming the new voice and face of Christmas!

And, if you’re lucky and you live on the West Coast, you can see her on the “You and Me and Christmas” tour.

Sadly, Duluth, Minnesota is not on that list! 🙂

GRADE:  A

Random Friday Thoughts — November 9, 2018

We’re only a couple of weeks away from Thanksgiving and the holiday shopping rush!

I hope you survived the midterm elections without losing too many “friends” on Facebook!

Thank you for taking time to check out my Random Friday Thoughts!

HAPPY SEASON!

Normally, I start my blog with heavier and more hard-hitting thoughts, but it’s that time of the year again! 🙂

LEANN RIMES CHRISTMAS

“It’s Christmas, Eve” with LeAnn Rimes makes its Hallmark Channel debut this weekend and the soundtrack is incredible!

Okay, incredible is an understatement.  It’s the best Christmas album in the past few years!!!!

There are three original songs on the soundtrack — two ballads and the upbeat “You and Me and Christmas”.

LeAnn doesn’t just sing the classics.  The arrangements of “Carol of the Bells” (Ring Out Remix) and “White Christmas” are stunning.

The North Pole Remix of “I Still Believe in Santa Claus” gives the song new life and there are two medleys that make the album an instant classic.

The Jolly Remix of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”/”Hark the Herald Angels Sing”/”Angels We Have Heard on High” has a dance club sound to it.

And, “Christmas Jam on Snow” is funky, upbeat fun with “Jingle Bell Rock”/”Here Comes Santa Claus”/”I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”/”Last Christmas”.

Radio programmers gearing up for holiday music through Christmas need to add each of these songs to their playlists, especially “White Christmas” and the medleys!

LeAnn is becoming the new voice and face of Christmas!

GRADE:  A

WHY WE SHOULD ALWAYS VOTE!

As you likely know, I’m reading Ted Sorensen’s biography of President John F. Kennedy.  Sorensen was Kennedy’s adviser and speechwriter.

I came across an amazing quote from President Kennedy that he gave in a June 1963 speech on civil rights.

It still rings clear today and I shared it before the midterm elections and I think we should remember it daily until the 2020 presidential election.

2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Now that the midterm elections are over, the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election is unofficially underway.

Ironically, John F. Kennedy didn’t announce his presidential run until January 2, 1960!  Wouldn’t it be nice again if the political season was only 10 months long!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyways, in late October, Hillary Clinton was asked by journalist Kara Swisher, with Recode, a technology news web site, if she wanted to run again?

Clinton replied “no” twice, but Swisher pressed her about it and the Former Secretary of State said, “Well, I’d like to be president!”

There you have it folks.  The first woman to ever gain a major party’s nomination and the woman who won the popular vote in 2016 is unofficially in the race!

I know it’s early, but I was having this conversation the other day and I still believe she is the only person that can beat 45!

“HOUSE OF CARDS” FINAL SEASON

This comes as no shock, but Robin Wright was phenomenal as President Claire Underwood, oops President Claire Hale in the final season of “House of Cards”.  It dropped on Netflix last week.

While I enjoyed the final eight episodes, the first and the last ones were my favorites.

I loved the way the series wrote out Kevin Spacey’s Frank Underwood and was appalled at how vicious people were with the threats against Claire as president.

But, Claire’s iciness at the threats and comments directed toward her made it more human and made her more powerful as Commander-in-Chief.

When told there were “Lots of threats involving the c-word, ma’am. Lots and lots of the c-word, unfortunately especially with the ‘c-word’.”

She responds, “You mean ‘Claire’!” 🙂

I loved the final scene even though many on the internet and in blogs didn’t care for it.

SEASON GRADE:  B

SERIES FINALE GRADE: A

SERIES GRADE: B+

“HALLOWEEN”

“Halloween (2018)” was the #1 movie in America for two straight weekends and was the top movie for 14 consecutive days!

It’s already made $156.8 million in the U.S. and another $88.7 million in foreign markets for a total of $245.5 million!  That’s incredible for a movie with a budget around $15 million!

I avoided all spoilers and saw it in its second weekend in theaters.

It was very entertaining and I loved the winks back to all of the other movies in the franchise that this one pretended didn’t exist.

I loved that the movie was very violent (Micheal Myers as a practicing dentist!).  It could be because he’s psychotic and has been locked up and drugged for 40 years!

However, there were a couple of murders that made you go, “um, okay”!

While the movie was great, it didn’t scare me since nothing can compare to the 1978 original!

GRADE:  B

FINAL “HALLOWEEN” THOUGHT

Although it didn’t scare me, it scared someone that saw the movie in the theater where I saw it.

I put my jacket in the next seat next to me and when I went to leave, it reeked of urine!!! 😠

“GAME CHANGERS”

If you love game shows or you grew up on them, you have to check out this 2018 documentary hosted by Alex Trebek, which I caught on my return flight from Morocco.

It traces the history of games shows and catches up with some of the trailblazers in the genre.

GRADE:  B

“THE FIRST PURGE”

I really enjoy “The Purge” movies and I even watched the television series.

However, I didn’t see the latest movie, “The First Purge”, in theaters, but I just caught it on DVD.

I fully understand what the movie was going for —  low-income people’s lives don’t matter, so they’re expendable, thus perfect subjects for the first purge.

However, it was so jokey and silly that I was mostly bored.  Pretty sad because I really liked the first three movies in the series.

Skip this movie if you haven’t already seen it and if you need a “purge” fix, check out the 10-episode USA Network event.  It wrapped up this week and it was better than this movie!

GRADE:  D

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Random Friday Thoughts — November 2, 2018

It’s November now and I urge you to get out and vote!

Thank you for taking the time to check out my random thoughts!

DOMESTIC TERRORISM

There are many uneducated and misinformed people here in America that believe terrorists are from other cultures.

Yes, there are terrorists from other cultures, but we should open our eyes because we live in glass houses here in the U.S.!

Last weekend, eleven people were murdered at a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania synagogue.

 

Look at the ages of these people.  They were someone’s parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, family and friends.  And, they were killed out of ignorance!

Also, in October, many high profile Democrats and CNN were targeted with terrorism and fear from a 56-year-old fitness obsessed, Donald Trump supporter in Florida!

Just look at his van!

Needless to say, it wasn’t a proud couple of weeks to say America is the best country in the world!

MEGHAN McCAIN APOLOGY

In wake of the suspicious packages sent to prominent Democrats and news agencies, including CNN, President Barack Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton, Meghan McCain made an apology on “The View”.

McCain says, “I really try every day, I really try to come into work thinking about what rhetoric I’m going to put out in the world and what my father would’ve done if he was still here,” McCain began. “Last year on this show I said, ‘I hate Hillary Clinton’ and I called her Crooked Hillary, and it is one of the things I regret doing.“

She goes on to say, “This is not saying I agree with her. I have many vast difference of opinion on philosophy and ideology, and I didn’t think she was a great candidate. But ‘hate’ is not a word that should be coming out of my mouth on television about someone of a different political persuasion.”

“BLUE WAVE”

As winter nears, people talk of cold snaps or “cold waves”, all I’m envisioning on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, is an Election Day “blue wave”!

CAITLYN JENNER’S ADMISSION

Caitlyn Jenner now admits that she was wrong about Donald Trump and his anti-LGBTQ stances.

Well, Caitlyn, it’s a little too late for that now — until midterms and 2020!

Make it right!

This also goes for people that voted for Jill Stein and Gary Johnson and for those that didn’t vote just to take a stance against 45 and Hillary Clinton!

MORE KENNEDY

As I stated last week, I’m reading a biography of President John F. Kennedy by Ted Sorensen, his adviser and speechwriter, which is 800-plus pages.

With the mid-term elections coming up and the stench of the 2016 U.S. Presidential campaign and election reeking every day, I was blown away by a statement made by Sorensen midway through the book.

Talking about the 1960 presidential run, Sorensen writes, “The campaign had illuminated many a dark corner of intolerance and ignorance.”

What would Sorensen (who died Halloween 2010) think of the the political climate since 2016 if he were alive today???

Another thing to note:  Kennedy and I are very much alike in many ways, especially this one, “Forgive but never forget.”

DIWALI

The holiday season is here and Christmas is now just weeks away.

While I’m not converting from being Christian, I’m very intrigued by Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.

Diwali (also known as Dipavali) is celebrated in the fall in the northern hemisphere.  It’s celebrated across most of India on Wednesday, November 7th in 2018 (November 6th in some places).

Why does it touch my sensibilities other than the beautiful display?

 

It symbolizes the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance”.

We could really use that in the world these days!!!!!!!!

HALLOWEEN

I hope you had a very spooky, fun Halloween!

Here’s a blast from the past — me trying to duplicate Lady Gaga’s VMA look from 2009.  I can say “A Star Is Born”, but it wasn’t me. 🙂

“AMERICAN HORROR STORY:  APOCALYPSE”

The sixth episode of the new season of “American Horror Story:  Apocalypse” called “Return to Murder House” takes us back to the first season of the anthology series.

There were many funny lines in the creepy episode including this exchange between “Coven” witches Madison Montgomery (Emma Roberts) and Behold Chablis (Billy Porter), “Calm down skinny witch!”

Jessica Lange also made her triumphant return for one episode to reprise her role from the first season with the classic line:

“I’m Constance Langdon and this is my f**king house!”

INTERESTING JESSICA LANGE FACT

Lange is from Cloquet, Minnesota, which is about 20 minutes outside Duluth!

NOVEMBER IS HERE!

I love my turkey and dressing and I give thanks daily for what I have, but this is so me!!!!!!!!!!

“IT’S THE HOLIDAY SEASON”

And, don’t be like this sheep! 🙂

I baaa-ught (I couldn’t resist) — I bought my first new Christmas CD of the season, the latest from Martina McBride.

It’s a nine-song collection with a big band sound.

While I love Martina McBride, her country roots gets lost in her voice throughout the collection.

I know the sound is more universal, but there are times on the album that you wouldn’t know it’s Martina.  It could be any generic female singer.

Overall, a great new addition to Christmas recordings.

GRADE:  B

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony