A Time For Everything

 

Well, here we are, properly into the new year. Christmas decorations put away. Fully back at work. Ready to face to new challenges. Get started on new projects...

But first, some quick thoughts about preparing for Christmas--a short mission de-brief, if you will...

Now, this may come as a surprise to exactly no one, but I keep track of Christmas gifts using a spreadsheet. After forgetting that I'd bought a couple of gifts during the year, I decided I should probably create next year's spreadsheet sooner rather than later so that I can log any gifts bought throughout the year.

Then I thought, after a decade of spreadsheets, that I needed a template. So I set that up.

You know what I added to it?? A budget line item for having lights installed along the roof of my house. I don't want anything fancy, but I can't do the lights myself anymore and I do miss having them. I'm gonna call for a quote come the end of September.

I did find the gifts in time, by the way, and both recipients were pleased with them. :0)

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In other news, National Pizza Week started yesterday, January 8th. Sooo...make sure you have some pizza this week. Last year, we covered National Pizza Day in February, but apparently there's a whole week and it's happening now.

According to the site...while pizza's been around since the Greeks and early Egyptians, pizza as we Americans know it didn't really come to fruition until post WWII when soldiers returning from Italy brought the recipe home with them.

It was tweaked from its original version of flat breads topped with olive oil and spices, to the saucy, cheesy variety topped with meats and veggies Americans love today.

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Teeth Update

I've been mostly happy with the bottom set of teeth I now have. The serve their primary function of allowing me to talk and smile without feeling self-conscious.

They do have their drawbacks, however, such as being a trap for food while I'm eating. After being such a stickler for keeping my teeth clean for so long, this is a bit annoying. As a result, I tend to take it out when I'm at home.

Also, the "claw" on the right side that holds the device in place tends to pop off when I'm chewing (putting pressure) on the claw on the left side. I don't have molars on the upper right side, so I haven't been able to chew on that side for close to a decade, although...

A couple of weeks after my last post about my teeth, I got the top set of teeth--the aforementioned back molars. Unfortunately, I can't wear them until I revisit the dentist. The faux-gum on the outward-facing side is a few millimeters too high, so when I chew, that hard substance jams into the top of my jaw space where the bone meets the cheek. Not fun.

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Jack Ryan, Season 3

DD and I plowed through Season Three of Jack Ryan and WOW. This season had me on the edge of my seat pretty much through all eight episodes. The writers did a super job. We enjoyed season one and I wasn't overly impressed with season two, but they came back and knocked season three out of the park.

I'm looking forward to season four, and I'm half-tempted to seek out some of the original novels in the mean time.

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You might be expecting my 2023 fresh start goals... I've usually shared them by now, but I'm still pondering and/or planning some of them. They are coming. >pinky promise<

I read last week that 80% of folks who make resolutions give up by mid-February. I think I've proven over the years that I'm in the 20% even though there are some goals that I may not complete to the fullest extent of expectation. But I didn't give up.

One of the reasons cited right at the beginning of the article as to why people fail is because people don't implement the right habits to achieve said goals.

Funny enough, I read Atomic Habits by James Clear at the tail end of 2022 and have been working on a post about what Clear has to say about developing habits. Look for that in the next month or so.

I hope your new year has gotten off on the right foot. Take care and we'll talk on Thursday.

 

I know I mentioned this in passing on Wednesday, but this really is a compelling show. Aside from my morning writing and exercise, all my other off work hours have been spent watching this.

Much to his continual detriment, Poldark stands by his principals and it's so interesting to watch the fallout. He gets small wins and his primary adversary gets many large wins and you just keep hoping that the villain will eventually get his comeuppance.

If you like historical settings and lovely accents and need something new to watch, give it try. I'm watching via Amazon Prime and it may also be available through PBS/Masterpiece Theater.

Hope your week is progressing well.

And, surprisingly, I'm not talking about the Stars. :0) Although there is a game tonight and I will be there and I will be wearing green.

But I'm talking about the environment... This past Sunday, I took tote bags with me to the grocery store and used those for toting home my food stuffs. It was a little bit of a challenge to utilize the bags in the sizes I had. I mean, you do your own scanning and bagging for long enough, you develop a system and preference on how to sort and bag the groceries in those store-provided bags. It'll probably take me a week or two to get a new order to things and I might need to dig around the closet to see what other sizes and shapes I have to trade out with and see what happens. :0)

Speaking of the closet, as promised on Wednesday, I did remember to find the next 100 Things Challenge item. Which turned out to be a couple of boxes of DVDs that no one has touched in a couple of years. I also found a box of VHS tapes, but those are going straight into the trash.

I culled carefully through the titles and pulled DH's favorites for him to take down to the fireworks store to keep there. Many of these are not available on Netflix.

Speaking of Netflix Amazon Prime, I finally got around to watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and it was wonderful. From Wiki: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is an American period comedy-drama web television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, that premiered on March 17, 2017. The series stars Rachel Brosnahan as the titular Miriam "Midge" Maisel, a housewife in 1958 New York City who discovers she has a knack for stand-up comedy.


What they don't say in that succinct write-up is that she'd been supporting her husband for years in his attempt to be a standup comedian and one night he completely bombs and when they get home, he walks out. She gets stupidly drunk and ends up at the club in her peignoir (wearing a coat though) and gives a hilarious drunken monologue.

Once DD and I binged through the eight eps of the first season of that, we started on Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, another Amazon Prime original. From Wiki: Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, or simply Jack Ryan, is an American action political thriller web television series, based on characters from the fictional "Ryanverse" created by Tom Clancy.


 If you've seen The Hunt For Red October, Patriot Games, and/or A Clear and Present Danger, then you should be familiar with Jack Ryan. This series serves as a sort of per-cursor to Jack Ryan's roles in those films but set in the present day (cell phones were not a thing in 90, 92, or 94). I've not seen the more recent offerings of The Sum of All Fears (02) or Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (14).

Aside from the premises and plots of the new original series on both Netflix and Amazon Prime that I've watched, one of the things that intrigues (not the right word) me is the format of eight (Mrs. Maisel and Jack Ryan) or thirteen (Grace & Frankie and The Ranch on Netflix) episodes per season.

As a viewer in general, I'd like more of the shows I enjoy. But as a fan of actors, I think it's a great opportunity for them to be able to do other projects rather than being tied to one show for years on end--like Ellen Pompeo in Grey's Anatomy and Mark Harmon from the original NCIS series.

And that's about all I have to ramble on about today. Hope you have a great weekend--

Apparently Netflix is celebrating twenty years of DVDs... Have DVDs really been around that long? Probably longer for Netflix to think a mail order service was a worthy business model, so...

We've subscribed to Netflix since 2005 and the first DVD we received was...


And, yeah, I think that was the first show the whole family gathered around the tv to watch together. We've watched all the older Star Trek series (all four of them), save the original, several times since then. There's a new series airing, but that's a rant for a different day.


Netflix streams via the Internet now and we no longer get DVDs, but I still really love having it as much as I ever did. It was especially handy during all those years we didn't have cable tv.

These days, Netflix also offers exclusive shows. I guess with all the other streaming services, they needed something to keep or gain subscribers.

Are you a  Netflix subscriber?

Last year, I subscribed to NHL.com in hopes of being able to watch Stars hockey, but alas, because I live in the local area, I was in the "blackout" zone and got to see maybe one "free" game via the NHL.com app...We had the lowest level of cable because it came with our Internet package, which did not include Fox Sports Southwest where Stars games are aired here in North Texas.

Sadly, I saw more Stars games in person last year than I did on TV. Really. Well, not sadly about seeing them in person, but you know what I mean...

This year, though, I wanted to be able to watch Stars hockey on TV, so after all of last season's frustrations and research, I realized the only way to make that happen was to upgrade my cable.DH agreed, so when the hockey season was just about to start, I made the phone call.

We are now a week and a half into hockey season and I've seen one game live and in person, because it was opening night against a brand new team. Hockey history and I had to go, you know? I've also watched the first period of two games and the whole of another -- not to mention seeing various other teams play in whole or in part because I also have the NHL Network now, which is not the same as a NHL.com subscription.


So cost-wise, the cable upgrade will end up costing a chunk more than the NHL.com subscription, but I've already seen more Stars hockey on TV in the last week and a half that I did all of last year, so I can't really be sorry.

Also can't be sorry about seeing this!! My favorite player's first(!!) hockey fight of his career (513 games). I love hockey fights for the amusement factor more than anything else. They usually just make me laugh. (My guy's in green...) The fact that he was defending his teammate and captain's honor is also amusing to no end. (Bromance for the win!!)



So happy Monday to me!!

This might be more familiar as "It's hockey night in Canada" or "It's hockey night in Pittsburgh," but as of Monday, I'll be able to watch all the hockey my little heart desires on the TV in my house--not on the iPad and not on the computer. I'll even be able to watch DALLAS STARS hockey, which I didn't get to do very often because of black-out zone restrictions.


With DH's blessing, I upgraded our cable TV package to include ALL sports channels. Of course, we'll get everything else aside from premium movie channels and DH is pleased about that.

So woo hoo and Happy Friday!!!

Hope you're having a great Friday and have a great weekend!

DH and I decided to give it a try. We're only a couple of episodes in, but so far, so good.

There's an interesting cast of characters, and few things are more compelling than real life heroes.

Anyone else watching? You like? Don't like?

Have a great weekend...!

DH and I started watching Arrow...a show about a youngish guy who returns to the world after having been lost at sea/on a not-so-deserted island for five years and immediately sets to writing the wrongs of his father and other ultra-rich men who've wronged the citizens and city of Starling City.

It's based on the DC Comic character, which I guess I have a theme (or two) going--still watching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. with DH too, but we're all caught up with what's now airing on regular TV so that's a once a week endeavor.

Anyway, the premise is interesting and Stephen Amell who plays Oliver Queen/Arrow isn't horrible to look at so.

Most of my gripes center around the fact that friends and family think this guy has returned unchanged from being mostly on his own for five years. He hides most of what he went through from them, but really? You gotta think even even hadn't been captured or tortured, he's still probably got some sort of PTSD going on or something. Why hasn't he been sent to a therapist??

On the other hand, it's a DC Comic character so some suspension of disbelieve is in order.

The other show I've discovered is Designated Survivor.


This show is revolves around the Designated Survivor--the government official not allowed attend the State of the Union in case the unthinkable happens. Which does. The Capitol Building is bombed and the HUD Secretary becomes POTUS.

The writers have done a great job so far. The victories are small and short-lived. But the hits, as Tom Cruise's character in A Few Good Men says, just keep on coming. One after the other after the other.

Anyone watching either one of these?? What do you think?

How about something not related to writing??

DH and I finished our re-watch of The West Wing and decided on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as the next TV show we watch together. He's seen it before. I have not.


Here's the blurb from Wikipedia: The series revolves around the character of Phil Coulson, with Clark Gregg reprising his role from the film series, and his team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, who must deal with various unusual cases and enemies, including Hydra and the Inhumans.

And the premise, also from Wiki:

The first season sees S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson putting together a small team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to handle strange new cases. They investigate Project Centipede and its leader, "The Clairvoyant", eventually uncovering that the organization is backed by Hydra, which has infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. In the second season, following the destruction of S.H.I.E.L.D., now-Director Coulson and his team look to restore trust from the government and public while dealing with Hydra, a faction of anti-superhuman S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, and the newly revealed Inhumans (who possess special abilities).

During the third season, Coulson begins a secret mission to assemble the Secret Warriors, a team of Inhumans, as Hydra restores its ancient Inhuman leader Hive to power.[8] After the defeat of Hive and with Hydra destroyed, S.H.I.E.L.D. is made a legitimate organization once again for the fourth season, with the signing of the Sokovia Accords. Coulson returns to being a field agent, due to the world believing he is dead, and is tasked with tracking down more enhanced people–including Robbie Reyes / Ghost Rider–while Agent Leo Fitz and Dr. Holden Radcliffe complete their work on Life Model Decoys.

I haven't been overly impressed so far, although, maybe because it's based on Marvel comics, I need to adjust my expectations. I do like Clark Gregg and Ming-na Wen, and the hunky dude is definitely nice to look at. DH says it gets better. But it's part of the time DH spend together, so it doesn't matter much what we watch.

So any Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. watchers out there? Do you like it? Hate it?

...who watches sports??

This past weekend I watched six different sports!

Hockey, golf, and NASCAR (well, part of a race) on Saturday; English football (aka soccer), ladies gymnastics, and figure skating on Sunday.


As you know, we hadn't had TV in years until last November. I'd had a hankerin' for it since Sonshine left because I greatly missed the sound of sports (really, Xbox hockey and soccer) in the house. But it took awhile and I'd gotten past the missing (for the most part). I didn't watch much when we first got TV, but then again it was football season--not my fave. And while I was keeping up with current TV programs, I was doing it on my schedule by watching my shows via the Internet when I chose to and not being a slave to the networks' schedules.

But NASCAR season started in February and now it's baseball season and while I haven't actually watched any baseball yet, I'm looking forward to it. I've also caught some English football!

A couple weeks ago, I watched the Manchester Derby, wherein the two premiere leagues based in Manchester, England play one another.



This weekend  I watched Tottenham kick Manchester United's arses 3 to zip. :)

In a couple of weeks--the Kentucky Derby!! And in August--the Olympics!!!

I never considered myself to much of a sports watcher, but I guess this is all part of the journey. The down side of watching many sports--you can't do much else while you watch certain sports (gymnastics or figure skating) because if you don't watch, you miss a lot.

For pure fun, watch Javier Fernandez defend & maintain his world champion status.



Do you watch sports? If so, what's your favorite?

Yeah, like this afternoon! It's ten years or more since I've had access to live TV. When we still attended church and there was a big push to get out of debt, we got rid of cable. I've never missed it much until last year when Sonshine left home and the house was super quiet. I've finally adjusted to that, but I've wanted to get back into watching NASCAR and baseball and to checking out hockey. It's also be nice to be up to date on TV shows I'm watching rather than a week or more behind.

So anyway, DH needed to upgrade our Internet connection at home and was able to secure basic cable for additional $20/$30 (we'll see how it actually shakes out). It's what I was hoping to pay anyway, so having better Internet in the bargain is a boon. Now if we could only get a WIFI device that worked consistently.

In other news, we had a storm blow through this past Monday. Tornado watch, possibly tornado warning, but no TV, so I had no idea what was going on outside except that it was blowing pretty hard and it was keeping me awake. See what my priorities are??

So when I got up Tuesday morning, I was rather surprised to see this:




I heard nothing!

Damage was only to the fence and relatively easy to fix but we gotta cut up the huge length of tree. I think we'll be hiring out!

Anyway...  hope you have a great rest of the week. See you Friday!

Friday's tree pictures were taken Thursday afternoon...which was probably a good thing because it rained Friday and rained and rained. Then it rained Saturday and rained and rained. Sunday was just cloudy, but the moisture just hung in the air.

Saturday, I watched TV pretty much all darn day. First I watched some documentaries with DH on Netflix, then we watched NCIS, then ST: Voyager. Then DH had to go down to his mom's house so then I watched an episode of Highlander and several of Mad Men. Yeah, it was a very lazy day.

Sunday, after grocery shopping, and around laundry and other random tasks, I cross stitched. All day. You know that special project I mentioned a couple of weeks ago? I had to play catch up and since the weather was conducive to just staying holed up inside,it seemed logical.


I finished the R, though I actually had more complete than what shows in this picture, and started the first letter of her middle name, C... It's actually close to being done since its image is fairly simple. Thank goodness!

How was your weekend???

Many moons ago, there was this show on ABC--it was called Sports Night. It was intelligent and funny. Unfortunately, it didn't last too long (two seasons), either because it was ahead of its time or because people thought it was a another sports show, when in fact it was a half-hour dramedy about the people who put on a sports show. There's no doubt it boosted the careers of Peter Krause, Felicity Huffman, and Joshua Malina. It also starred Robert Guillaume of Benson and Soap fame.


Our whole family loved the show, including the kids who were tweens and teens at the time it came across our radar. We'd watched it so many times all of us had lines of dialogue memorized and used to quip them at one another. A few still linger in my mind to this day.

If  you're ever in need of something to watch, give Sports Night a try. And let me know what you think of it.

Over the past week, mostly this weekend, I spent way too many hours watching a Travel Channel show call Hotel Impossible with DH. It's not a show I'd have chosen myself, but it was interesting and eye-opening. And, dare I admit, a bit addicting.

I don't know about you, but I've had the random thought of running a restaurant or a bed & breakfast or a small hotel out along the highway...but after the weekend's HI marathon, I'm thinking again.


It's not as easy as it seems on the surface. The show's host helped all kinds of establishments, from historic landmarks, to family run operations, to resort hotels all around the world. (Mostly the Americas)

I'm not saying don't follow a dream, but if you don't have the experience yourself, make sure you have people working for you who know what the heck they're doing.

I think I'll stick with Hotel Giant...

We have a certain piece of software that offers these options if you try to install it and it already exists.

That's my goal for the next three weeks or so, though most of my efforts will take place between Christmas and New Years Day.


It used to be that when the men got involved in fireworks season, I tackled a project around the house... Or so I thought. But then I realized I don't do projects during the Christmas break because I'm too busy shopping for and then wrapping Christmas presents. Then of course there's the holiday itself when we go to my mother-in-law's house to celebrate and exchange gifts. And then a few days later it's New Years and we all work the store those last few days/evenings/nights.

So when do I have time to complete any projects? That's right, I don't. I do projects during the summer break.

But this holiday break, I'm hoping to get some of my neglected chores done as well as complete a few repairs. Minor, inexpensive ones. We have a few little things that could stand to be taken care of. So that's the plan.

Removing anything I no longer use.

Repairing some minor things around the house.

Modifying some things, like mowing the backyard and raking up the leaves in both the front and back yards.

Maybe some reading. If there's any time left, though I'm not holding my breath. On the other hand, I'll need to rest in between bouts of removing and modifying, so...

Oh, and some TV watching. One of my most very favorite shows finally came out on DVD after like twenty-three years. And I bought the whole set. What is this show you ask...?



Oh, yeah!!!

Anyone else watch and LOVE this show???