tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81447843253341812612024-03-16T02:08:44.867-05:00WordsmithoniaRyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.comBlogger1420125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-84995694482871614842021-06-05T21:01:00.008-05:002021-06-06T11:25:11.006-05:00The Conjuring 1 & 2<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rAG4bVx5eS-I9vE0UBE4LoMu_KXzgqzHHfbVBp5aWwM-ZTnvtiBLeVPS1oWZaLAk18RxPHNcsBQB6JHSnTbch8ipB-YQ3go8Liie3bfLw8IdzPC1XQb6lsRRA6-fq9VKgGMQ6PLhGxzK/s2048/inCollage_20210605_201445188.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rAG4bVx5eS-I9vE0UBE4LoMu_KXzgqzHHfbVBp5aWwM-ZTnvtiBLeVPS1oWZaLAk18RxPHNcsBQB6JHSnTbch8ipB-YQ3go8Liie3bfLw8IdzPC1XQb6lsRRA6-fq9VKgGMQ6PLhGxzK/w400-h300/inCollage_20210605_201445188.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </div><p dir="ltr">I was planning on watching the 3rd Conjuring movie, and since it's been so long since I saw the first two, I figured I'd rewatch them before diving into the new one. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I saw The Conjuring when it first came out, but for whatever reason, I couldn't remember that much about it. The little I did remember was more along the lines of how hot Patrick Wilson looked in those form fitting pants. Last night I turned off all the lights, got comfy on the couch with a blanket, pulled up Netflix, and pressed play. I tried not to think about what I was watching, and I did everything I could to get lost in the tale. I quickly realized why I didn't remember much about it the first time around the track, it just never sunk its teeth into me. On paper, I should love it. Haunted houses are my jam. I can even objectively say it's an okay movie, just maybe not for me. I did relish the sight of Patrick's ass. Big bonus. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I wasn't deterred though. I vowed to emulate Don Quixote, and finish my quest. I just decided to go to sleep first. I also ranted on Facebook this morning, went to Dillard's to buy a few shirts, stopped in at Walmart for a few toiletries, and ate a cookie at Barnes & Noble. Once I was back home, I was resolved to keep fighting those windmills. So once again I turned off all the lights, got comfy in bed, pulled up Netflix on my tablet (thinking a more intimate view might help), and pressed play on The Conjuring 2. After the whole opening segment had run its course, I realized I had in fact never bothered to watch this one. I was actually a bit relieved. I figured since I would have absolutely no memory of it, I would probably get lost in the story easier, and I would perhaps like it more. After the first 20-40 minutes, I was sure that was going to be the case. I found myself so engrossed with what was happening to this family, that my heart was doing joyful cartwheels. Then the television crew interviewed the family, and it was filmed so oddly, that it pulled me right out of the story. And it was downhill after that. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Even with my lackluster experience, I don't consider it a waste of time. Watching the two movies back to back helped me to figure out why I seem to end up so disconnected from what I'm watching. And as much as I love Patrick Wilson's ass, I'm going to have to blame the Warrens for my ho-hum reaction. It's not as if Patrick and Vera Farmiga are turning in bad performances. They are actually quite brilliant in their roles. It's more as if I'm completely disinterested in their characters. When the families, of both movies, are the focus, I'm fully immersed in their struggles and fear. When the focus shifts to the Warrens, I start thinking about fatbergs and what book I'm going to read next. It's like I'm watching two different movies, either of which I would enjoy, but the combination of the two just leaves me feeling disjointed and confused. I really wish they were more like Elise in the first Insidious movie or Tangina in Poltergesit, essential to the story, but not the fulcrum the action relies upon. The Warrens are the Hercule Poirot of horror.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm still probably going to watch the new one, especially since it has a different director. I'm just not expecting all that much. </p>
<p dir="ltr">For the record, fatberg is not a typo. Google it if you don't believe me. </p><br /><p></p>Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-60633268599569955162021-06-02T19:10:00.001-05:002021-06-02T19:10:06.114-05:00Why Pride Can Never Lose It's Protest History <p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizN8vJP9WSE8PLdc-UHjxrUHhG_kwlhx0XPImPVLAvwY9qTIVe3XK1FTbDWkQkVJHpzR1ZOBJLz2bkcs_r6w_ikiitAqd8u-m56RX8gsWBkIJwBGgGiDz3J2ESr3WalfHdT7qfqW1PbK8U/s1200/campaign-for-homosexual-equality-rally.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizN8vJP9WSE8PLdc-UHjxrUHhG_kwlhx0XPImPVLAvwY9qTIVe3XK1FTbDWkQkVJHpzR1ZOBJLz2bkcs_r6w_ikiitAqd8u-m56RX8gsWBkIJwBGgGiDz3J2ESr3WalfHdT7qfqW1PbK8U/w400-h225/campaign-for-homosexual-equality-rally.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Gabriel Fernandez, 8 years old</p><p>Ronnie Parris, 3 years old</p><p>Anthony Avalos, 10 years old</p><p>Giovanni Melton, 14 years old</p><p>Itaberli Lozano, 17 years old</p><p>Alireza “Ali” Fazeli Monfared, 20 years old</p><p>Amir Issa, 38 years old</p><p>And every single other LGBTQ+ child who has been brutally murdered by their own family, either for their sexuality or perceived sexuality. </p><p>Leelah Alcorn, 17 years old</p><p>Jamel Myles, 9 years old</p><p>Justin Aaberg, 15 years old</p><p>Andrew Leach, 12 years old</p><p>Jadin Bell, 15 years old</p><p>Nigel Shelby, 15 years old</p><p>Channing Smith, 16 years old</p><p>Tyler Clementi, 18 years old</p><p>Avinshu Patel, 19 years old</p><p>And every single other LGBTQ+ child who has taken their own life due to bullying and self hatred instilled by our cishet culture. </p><p>Matthew Sheppard, 21 years old</p><p>Charles Howard, 23 years old</p><p>Reecey Walker, 32 years old</p><p>David P., 42 years old</p><p>Sophie Váquez, 36 years old</p><p>Harvey Milk, 48 years old</p><p>Brandon Teena, 21 years old</p><p>Scott Johnson, 27 years old</p><p>Billy Jack Gaither, 39 years old</p><p>Bree Black, 27 years old </p><p>And every other LGBTQ+ person who has been brutally killed for living their life.</p><p>For every LGBTQ+ child who has died on the streets, scared and alone. For every one of our youth who had to turn to selling their bodies to eat, who got hooked on drugs to numb the pain, who was beaten by a John, or died from hunger or disease, while laying in an alley.</p><p>The countless LGBTQ+ lives we have lost, both famous and not, during the early years of the HIV/AIDS crisis, as our government sat back and watched us die. For the countless LGBTQ+ lives we have lost since then to this virus, who are continously let down, time and time again.</p><p>As long as we are dying, Pride can never be allowed to be just a party. It has to remain a protest movement, or we will have let them defeat us.</p>Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-90054022382374024632021-05-09T17:54:00.006-05:002021-05-09T17:54:54.334-05:00R.I.P., Cugina<p> </p><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66JV0258Dg2AQCkA7Hz5STTZ-ZAzCnTZfeSUrQWv6vi8M9Jc7KZ5zQQrj82sHwxT9RzYoqqUZwVu4iz4nr0NEmjO5sUcvAEXqn_tVulUFzXgIHfYgKdVXUAeL8tP7sAz927zz6KfGDZH3/s1008/FB_IMG_1620599997296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="756" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66JV0258Dg2AQCkA7Hz5STTZ-ZAzCnTZfeSUrQWv6vi8M9Jc7KZ5zQQrj82sHwxT9RzYoqqUZwVu4iz4nr0NEmjO5sUcvAEXqn_tVulUFzXgIHfYgKdVXUAeL8tP7sAz927zz6KfGDZH3/w300-h400/FB_IMG_1620599997296.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>I haven't been doing any blogging, or really any blog reading for the last several weeks, because I've found myself either escaping into work, or movies. I haven't wanted to do a lot of anything, for several reasons. One of those is that I lost the person I was closest to in my family. Tara was born one day, and one year after I was. We were the first and second grandchildren on our mutual side of our families, and I loved her so damn much. <p></p><p>I knew Tara was the one person who would always have my back, no matter what. She had her struggles, but she always rose above them. She was truly one of the strongest people I've ever known. I'm going to miss her so damn much. </p><p>I have a lot of guilt in my soul for how little I talked to her as she was fighting her last battle with cancer. I hate that I allowed myself to be distracted as much as I was. I loathe that I wasn't able to see her before she passed. I'll get to say goodbye next month at her memorial service in WY. But, it's not enough for me. I will forever regret that I didn't get to say goodbye in person. </p><p>Love you, Cugina. </p>Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-39061593470514000622021-03-22T20:57:00.003-05:002021-03-22T20:58:35.460-05:00Leaving My Reading Comfort Zone<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnllvOPYjZuZuRkJMUeWG0iG1gdLeiVVkGI004_YK-sLJHknRAP6fJ-haXhqsVtEbNXSZBl8imzQFNsIETYAaFM7ksOBnAQgxIs_9Bt2jnRDjwUiObyBIoWj65j9AaKrWjXA0uC7MEPHyf/s1549/you-are-now-leaving-the-comfort-zone1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1549" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnllvOPYjZuZuRkJMUeWG0iG1gdLeiVVkGI004_YK-sLJHknRAP6fJ-haXhqsVtEbNXSZBl8imzQFNsIETYAaFM7ksOBnAQgxIs_9Bt2jnRDjwUiObyBIoWj65j9AaKrWjXA0uC7MEPHyf/w400-h225/you-are-now-leaving-the-comfort-zone1.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've been pondering this whole notion of comfort zones when it comes to reading, though I think we could apply this to any sort of media that we choose to consume. At first, I didn't even want to admit that I have them. I felt embarrassed by the idea. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After I thought about it some more, I started to look at my reading patterns. In reality you could call what I've done over the last few years as being in holding patterns. If I wanted to aim some judgement at myself, I'd even go as far as calling them ruts. What I started to question is whether or not I would equate those patterns/ruts as comfort zones. And I can admit that while both my more recent "ruts", Golden Age mysteries and M/M romance, give me comfort, I don't think they qualify as actual comfort zones, at least not in the way I choosing to interpret the whole concept. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oddly, it's actually my romance reading that even has me pondering this whole esoteric concept. In my romance reading, I tend to get sucked into series, more than I do standalone novels. Though I read quite a bit of those too. What I've found myself doing in certain series is the issue at hand. Anytime a book has featured a relationship that is either M/M/F, M/F, or F/F, I've skipped over those books. At first I wanted to just shrug it off to not wanting to read sex scenes that involve women, despite the fact that I skim through most sex scenes anyway. Then I decided I have to see M/F relationships all over the place in every other form of media, that I don't need to read romances about it. That really didn't explain my skipping over the other two types of relationships though. That sort of left me with no other explanation than they make me uncomfortable, so I needed to figure out why. And while some of it is the sex scenes and the fact I have heterosexuality shoved in my face on a regular basis, I had to admit something I'm not all that proud of. It's partly because as a gay man, I don't understand those types of relationships. It's the same reason I've tended to skip over M/M romance that has a transman as part of the couple. Since I don't understand how they work, I chose to not read about them. I chose to not invest my time in something I didn't understand, nor cared to. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After I realized that, I had to take a hard look at myself. I began to wonder what other books, or even movies, I was ignoring because I didn't care/wonder about the perspective and story being told. What books were I ignoring because I don't understand the culture, religion, ethnic background, sexuality, disability, or world view that was at the heart of the story being told? That isn't something I can easily answer. All I can do is try to be more aware in my choices, and do my damndest to broaden my exposure. It's time to start pushing beyond my comfort zones, and maybe someday eliminate them altogether.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For the record, I'm now reading a F/F romance novel that is the fourth in a series I absolutely love. </div><p></p>Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-42318524858738967622021-03-12T23:06:00.003-06:002021-03-12T23:06:25.428-06:00I Have Something to Tell You by Chasten Buttigieg <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawnFrJc5PNiKKkKL7ytWUY1b2aEwZviT19eaV3jXxQlltcTigGvindYp3liRp_su5kcMvhHu_f3dpH73uwbk86T0ZBw5MIv56RqE6VYGzL8lle2pExF3aJWM0lkpIZ0n1xjrBbyY9Pfe5/s2048/71jU8%252BbviCL.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1356" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawnFrJc5PNiKKkKL7ytWUY1b2aEwZviT19eaV3jXxQlltcTigGvindYp3liRp_su5kcMvhHu_f3dpH73uwbk86T0ZBw5MIv56RqE6VYGzL8lle2pExF3aJWM0lkpIZ0n1xjrBbyY9Pfe5/w265-h400/71jU8%252BbviCL.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>If you even remotely paid attention to me on Facebook, you would know who my favorite candidate was during the Democratic primaries. Going into them, I actually had three favorites: Buttigieg, Castro, and Harris. They were the three individuals that I had been paying attention to for years, and will always hold a lot of admiration for. In the beginning, the three of them were pretty much grouped together, with no real order of preference. For that matter, I would have been in heaven had anyone found a way to set up triumvirate government, with the three of them sharing power. <p></p><p>As the primaries slogged on, Pete started to edge ahead of the other two. And by the time he dropped out, he was my first choice. I won't go into the policy issues that pushed me his way, though I could list quite a few, this just isn't the place to do that. Stylistically, he was also the one I was able to connect to the most. Again, since this isn't the real point of this post, I'll skip over that as well. Which leaves us with the deeply personal connection I felt to him and his campaign, and his husband, Chasten, had a lot to do with that. </p><p>As a gay man, who struggled with acceptance as a kid, seeing an out man have a real chance at the White House, was something I never thought I would see in my lifetime. Seeing my lived experience as a gay man, in someone who could easily be President of the Untied States, was nothing short of life affirming. Getting to know him, as well as you can through the media and his own book, was something I would have loved to experience when I was younger. The visibility and example he lives, gives our youth a glimpse of what it means when we say, It Gets Better.</p><p>The truly joyful part of Pete's campaign, was getting to see and "know" his husband, Chasten. If you have ever followed Chasten on social media, how he comes across there, is the same way he comes across in his memoir. His intelligence, loving heart, and wit are on full display. He doesn't pull punches, but he wraps them in both understanding and humility. He owns up to the mistakes he made, and seems to be someone who truly knows who he is. He comes across as humble, but with the understanding that he and his husband represent a sense of hopefulness for the future in terms of LGBTQ+ acceptance in a country that doesn't always feel welcoming, and oftentimes dangerous. </p><p>When I first saw their Time magazine cover, with the words First Family, I cried. If I had seen that as a kid, it would have been everything to me, like seeing Norm on the first season of The Real World or watching the 1993 LGB March on Washington. I hope this book an be that touchstone for some of today's youth, just looking to know they aren't alone. </p>Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-12725324595790048732021-03-10T21:26:00.005-06:002021-03-10T21:27:34.342-06:00Age Sneaks Up On Us<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAgMM1B5UmPQRSI1HtOurfQWawD8_0GVUzlz4hkq1YUo99xirwL9Syx-Np-ZU5ppspI_bmN9Zxmb1Xm2_wjupYTER3flWWAv8mm-zvusre938CIBY3HMWZdOaOBA5kBU3RgR_ay-EN1Pr/s1440/FB_IMG_1615431931813.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAgMM1B5UmPQRSI1HtOurfQWawD8_0GVUzlz4hkq1YUo99xirwL9Syx-Np-ZU5ppspI_bmN9Zxmb1Xm2_wjupYTER3flWWAv8mm-zvusre938CIBY3HMWZdOaOBA5kBU3RgR_ay-EN1Pr/w400-h300/FB_IMG_1615431931813.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">On August 15th of this year, I'll be turning 45. Its not something I think about all that often. Hell, half the time I need to stop and think for a few seconds when someone asks me for my age. When I do think of it, its more in terms of where I thought my life would be by this time; normally I would married with kids, and a hell of a lot more financially stable than I am. The older I get, I'm not even sure how I'm supposed to feel. What is approaching 45 supposed to feel like? I don't think I feel any different than I did in my 30s, or even in my 20s, at least not mentally. I'm definitely more mature in some of my choices, though some like budgeting are still an issue. But, I can't say I normally notice that much of a difference. I can definitely tell my body is aging, and fattening, but it's hard to remember what my body felt like 5 years ago, let alone 10 or 20. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Life has a funny way of reminding us just how old we are getting. Some are ongoing, like I've been trying to get used to the idea I probably need bifocals. I'm just not ready to pulls the trigger, and admit defeat. Others just slap you in the face. I'm in Kansas City for work, staying in a hotel, and like everyone else I pack all my essentials to take along with me. I am also one of those annoying people who unpack everything once I get to the hotel. This time around, as I'm unpacking, I notice all the damn pill bottles I'm pulling out. All I can do is sit there staring, wondering when I got this old. I used to pack 8 pairs of shoes, not 8 medicine bottles. I only brought one pair of boots with me, and that's it. I unpacked 8 freaking bottles, and not one is a supplement or a vitamin. The powers that be need to design disclaimers about what getting older really means. Maybe then I wouldn't be so dismayed that instead of packing multiple pairs of shoes, I'm now taking pharmacies along with me. </div></span></div><p></p>Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-62214409833066786962021-03-03T21:16:00.004-06:002021-03-14T19:59:36.690-05:00We Need to Stop Blaming the Victims<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQSMItx8ndbWPsyCa6DUy9d9QdjNqDAeH_t60mccCGZvfecdB6DNCNIwQcBalZ1nJR5_XNE5Ik5yX_tS8-IKx2TOZb5HARWNrpjBKL0mQ4Ynhdmp1x33IKONmjKliutStegHgsup-eVcD/s1920/inCollage_20210303_205121027.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1920" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQSMItx8ndbWPsyCa6DUy9d9QdjNqDAeH_t60mccCGZvfecdB6DNCNIwQcBalZ1nJR5_XNE5Ik5yX_tS8-IKx2TOZb5HARWNrpjBKL0mQ4Ynhdmp1x33IKONmjKliutStegHgsup-eVcD/w400-h400/inCollage_20210303_205121027.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I've started this post off with about 17 different opening lines so far, but none of them have been able to get across my deep seated frustration at what I see happening to victims of sexual harassment and assault. Frankly, frustration is probably too mild of a term. Seething anger may be a more apt description of how I feel. All too often, even when the victims are believed, they are still blamed for what happened to them. They are told they shouldn't have put themselves in that situation, they should have dressed differently, they should have had less to drink, they simply misunderstood, or a myriad of other bullshit excuses, designed to shift the blame onto the victim, instead of the perpetrator. How about we start holding those who can't keep their hands to themselves, responsible for their own behavior? Let's stop making excuses. Stop saying boys will be boys, as if rape and harassment are inherent to being a man. Stop saying it's locker room talk. Quit gaslighting victims. Why do we place so much of the responsibility and the guilt onto those who were exploited and hurt, all the while doing everything we can to protect the one responsible for the damage?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I could split this post off into several different tangents, including how when the victim is man, we treat them even worse, but I won't, because it all comes down to the same thing. We need to stop acting like the victim is responsible for bringing down these powerful men, and women, and start blaming the perpetrators themselves for ending their own careers. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We need to do better.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We have to do better.</div><p></p>Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-58494191336240156462021-02-27T17:26:00.003-06:002021-02-27T17:26:29.497-06:00February 2021 Viewing, At Least So Far<p> </p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZyKykyabzkMaYTvTf9KP809hXm5Z7x4TTck-8MfUgKph7DdbsxRsCLFR7nKd9-p5NJozvXcdwY8KechpsGZXTUkRXs7Dt6SUNxOA_wmSvvdGoa-fUa4lboQWbBUMYs5_jjQa1Bp-mG-h/s1781/Screenshot_20210227-161606_Letterboxd.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1781" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZyKykyabzkMaYTvTf9KP809hXm5Z7x4TTck-8MfUgKph7DdbsxRsCLFR7nKd9-p5NJozvXcdwY8KechpsGZXTUkRXs7Dt6SUNxOA_wmSvvdGoa-fUa4lboQWbBUMYs5_jjQa1Bp-mG-h/w359-h400/Screenshot_20210227-161606_Letterboxd.jpg" width="359" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For those of you who may be new to Wordsmithonia, I'm a huge movie nerd. I have almost 400 movies in my personal collection, and I'm always buying more, especially over the last year. I have probably spent more on Amazon in the last twelve months, than I have over the previous ten years. If you couldn't tell by the picture, I'm an even bigger horror movie nerd. I love them. From the cheesy to the terrifying, I'm just about down for anything horror, at least once. Except for torture porn, that stuff just sucks. I didn't watch all that much in February, especially compared to the month before. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is what I watched:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Tenet (2020) - </b>It was okay. I keep watching these kind of movies, hoping I'm going to come out the other side in love with what I had just watched. It's never happened before, and it didn't this time. I'm going to have to admit that I just don't dig high concept sci-fi thrillers. They give me headaches. I didn't hate it, and I enjoyed the action scenes, but it's nothing I'll watch again. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Watched On: Vudu</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Blood Fest (2018) - </b>I absolutely love horror comedy, and I was so damned relieved when my second pick of the month, was one that I absolutely adored. It's not perfect. It had a few missteps, but they are the kind of flaws that are easy for me to overlook. The cast is, minus one, perfect. The plot is an on point send up of both horror movies and horror themed attractions. This will go on my yearly watch of Hellfest LLC, The Houses October Buillt, Haunt, and Hell Fest.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Watched On: Amazon Prime Video</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Fright Fest (2018) - </b>Despite some decent casting, this was a waste of my time. It was an orgy of over the top horror cliches and one dimensional characters. I can sometimes over look those sorts of things, but if the movie doesn't scare me or make me laugh, it's not worth the pain of sitting through the whole thing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Watched On: Amazon Prime Video</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>21 Bridges (2019) - </b>A heroic performance by Chadwick Boseman. Great performances by the rest of the cast. I wish I could say that the movie was worthy of it's talent, but I can't. The storyline was generic and predictable, albeit entertaining. In order for me to fall for a movie like this, I need some sort of redemptive arc, and nobody was given that opportunity. I was entertained while watching it, but it's nothing I will ever watch again.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Watched On: Vudu</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Digging Up the Marrow (2014) - </b>The best thing about this movie is the poster. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Watched On: Amazon Prime Video </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Haunting of Grady Farm (2019) - </b>It was okay. I love found footage horror, but that love means I watch a lot of mediacore to bad movies. This was about average.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Watched On: Amazon Prime Video </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Hollows Grove (2014) - </b>Another found footage horror, and one I genuinely enjoyed. The performances were above average for this genre, though three of the male characters oozed just a tad bit too much toxic masculinity. I actually ended up caring about what happened to the other male character, which rarely happens in these kind of movies, since the endings are always the same. My one sticking point is the way it's framed as an investigation by the FBI. Stupidest framing ever.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Watched On: Amazon Prime Video </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Ghoul (2015) - </b>Yet another found footage horror movie, this time taking place in Ukraine. The movie is filmed in a mixture of English and Czech, so luckily there were subtitles. This followed a group of Americans as they were attempting to make a documentary about modern day cannibals. I liked it, but not enough to watch again.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Watched On: Amazon Prime Video </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Empty Man (2020) - </b>Just below my love of found footage horror, sits my love of cult horror. James Badge Dale is frickin brilliant here, I just wish the rest of the cast had lived up to his performance. They weren't bad, but compared to him, they were noticeably weaker. It made for a disjointed viewing experience. The movie is probably too long as well, though it does pack in a few unsettling moments. I feel like I'm saying this a lot, but while I enjoyed it, it's nothing I'll ever need to watch again.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Watched On: Amazon Prime Video (Rented)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Love and Monsters (2020) - </b>A shit ton of fun, with some really cool looking monsters. I loved that it doesn't have the typical happy rom/com ending, and I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of comedy and scary thrills. Dylan O'Brien is an absolute treasure.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Watched On: Bluray From My Collection</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Camp Cold Brook (2018) - </b>Decent performances with an interesting storyline, but some of the writing felt unfinished and rushed. I actually think, given the plot, that it would have been better as a found footage film.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Watched On: Amazon Prime Video </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Against the Night (2017) - </b>It was surprisingly better than it should have been. The acting was superior to what I expect from these kind of low budget horror movies. It definitely has a few flaws, and the red herrings were a little annoying, but I actually enjoyed this one. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Watched On: Amazon Prime Video </div><p></p>Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-37421970912640062082021-02-25T19:40:00.000-06:002021-02-25T19:40:18.437-06:00Let's Talk About Sex, Or At Least About Sexuality - Mainly Mine<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bWyNF_jO0mGMggwnoMGiVpilbLEl4g3bTY3SyEk-0IXP3CPSiE1p8NppKyKFQ0ChIc-AJTZ0km9h66r-nkYTVJIhVa05iNSZyrREGiCUO9ymZnKHQmwDeoem1-MeoQ_AS4cWp2OYUIRS/s1121/sexbaby.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bWyNF_jO0mGMggwnoMGiVpilbLEl4g3bTY3SyEk-0IXP3CPSiE1p8NppKyKFQ0ChIc-AJTZ0km9h66r-nkYTVJIhVa05iNSZyrREGiCUO9ymZnKHQmwDeoem1-MeoQ_AS4cWp2OYUIRS/s320/sexbaby.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Let's have a frank talk about sexuality. I'm going to get personal, and you will probably learn things about me that you really didn't want to know, so if this isn't a conversation you want to be involved in, just skip this post. I actually first posted this on my Facebook page, so if you already read it there, I apologize for subjecting it to you twice. Actually I don't, but I thought I should say that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I identify as a gay man.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Prepubescent Ryan, had more crushes on boys, than on girls. I do think those kind of crushes have more to do with personality, than gender at that stage in our lives. I would try to catch glimpses of men's dicks in public bathrooms. I did steal a pack of topless women playing cards once, though the glimpses of Playgirl magazines were more interesting to me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Once I hit puberty, men are all that I paid attention to. I wanted to lick, suck, fuck, touch, and play with every inch of a man's body. I had a lot of sex, with a lot of men. The number of men should be embarrassing, hence the reason I won't put it out there, but I'm not ashamed of it. It is what it was. Do I wish I had met THE ONE? Absolutely. But even if I had, which that is for me to know and you to never find out, it wouldn't have mattered. I was too damn immature, and frankly enjoying the attention too much, to not fuck it up. That is another post though, I'm not ready to get into my body image and self-esteem issues right now. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The sweaty sex that can last all night, is not the only reason I identify as a gay man. I am mentally, emotionally, and spiritually attracted to cismen, at least so far. At 44 years old, I've never been sexually attracted to a woman, nor had sex with one. I've made out a few times, kissing and breast fondling, but that's it. The breast play never went underneath clothes, or involved nipples. Truthfully, the fact it even happened had more to do with alcohol and those specific situations, which also included other men, than any true attraction. It also never happened once my early clubbing days were over with. To be even more truthful, I felt nothing. I may as well been brushing my teeth. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">As I've aged, while I still identify as a gay man, I've also come to identify as demisexual. And eventhough it may be hard to believe, given my dashing looks and ripped body (said with pure sarcasm), I've actually been celibate for almost 18 years now, by choice. I've gotten to the point where I have to be mentally and/or emotionally attracted to a guy first, before I truly find them physically attractive enough to want to get sweaty with them. Since I don't go out, or even make the attempt to meet guys in a situation where that can happen, I've been celibate. I can still look at a hot guy, and admire the scenery, but I have no desire to do any licking or sucking. Hence, why I also identify myself as demi. I still get off on porn, though it has more to do with the physical and endorphin release, than it does with actuall attraction.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The fact that I identify as a demi gay man, brings me to the point of this post. I tend to have random thoughts, like we all do, and while part of what I'm about to say is something I've always accepted about myself, the thought I had last night was completely new. It's also the aspect that I brought up in a conversation with Viki, that inspired this post. I accepted, years ago, the fact that just because I identify as a gay man, as a demi gay man, that doesn't mean it will always be that way. I'm comfortable with myself enough that if I ever do find myself mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically attracted to a woman, a transwoman, or a transman, I'm not going to hurt myself by not accepting that attraction. I'm not going to let how I currently identify, keep me from being happy. I don't think it's probable, but I know that it's possible. To reject that, makes absolutely no sense. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My point is this, sexuality is not stagnant, at least not in the way I view it. It's already evolved for me, and I know it may evolve again. And while I think labels are important, for a myriad of reasons, I also think we can end up using them as barriers when we find ourselves reacting in ways that run counterintuitive to those labels. I personally choose to use labels, for both personal and political reasons, and I probably always will. I'm starting to wonder if I should, could, or even can start using a different label. I'm not sure I can call myself pan, just because I acknowledge the idea that I could find myself attracted to someone who is not a cisman, while never actually experiencing attraction to anyone else. Nor do I necessarily feel a need to right now, but it's something I've at least thought about. Even if it was just once.</div></div><p><br /></p>Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-3037792206654291492021-02-24T17:58:00.001-06:002021-02-24T18:24:44.812-06:00Almost Three Years Later <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoTBdP1eOkdjJSZgjGB-wuTRiItjlmaw3oj29Rr3QoBNz1X6YDA9ogvn43uchwpyLTmza6RDjGEV4LFe3B7weCFBiRq-eCYAppeDzI6AHv-sBz4DYpjrVDjMLSL9NfP1KcEZcbYd5s7bm/s1280/maxresdefault.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoTBdP1eOkdjJSZgjGB-wuTRiItjlmaw3oj29Rr3QoBNz1X6YDA9ogvn43uchwpyLTmza6RDjGEV4LFe3B7weCFBiRq-eCYAppeDzI6AHv-sBz4DYpjrVDjMLSL9NfP1KcEZcbYd5s7bm/s320/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>This crazy thing called Wordsmithonia has been on my mind, a lot. I miss the community I found on here. I miss blog hopping, and getting lost for hours in y'alls posts. I know I've said this before, but it may just be time to start getting back into this whole blogging gig. I don't think it will be a pure book blog anymore, though I'll still throw up an occasional book or movie review. I may even trot out my Favorite Fictional Character feature, though not every week. <p></p><p>I think mainly I want to use this as more of a personal journal/outlet. I've never been shy about expressing my opinion on here in the past, or sharing pieces of my life, but it was never the point of this blog. I think if I'm to get back into blogging, I need to make it feel less like a 2nd job, and more like a way to express myself. I'm also not going to set strict timelines on when I post, or even what the content will be. It will be a more freewheeling expression of who I am as a whole person, not just as a reader. </p><p>So with that, I hope to see you around. </p><p> </p>Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-77565297904981539962018-06-23T09:26:00.000-05:002018-06-23T09:26:25.597-05:00Blog Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qXfo5N1I5XaMU7f7LH-8n1YR3fk-IuhFConoTymUFvQbO_SSn-g_CIoc-hCLFNlTkk6phdYpt2OMxETFDpwhhCH15lVBIUkI0S7N1xAuoFTo7kNyIqrnII8O9Rz41Aw8dQGqKEHrcKcj/s1600/news.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="960" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qXfo5N1I5XaMU7f7LH-8n1YR3fk-IuhFConoTymUFvQbO_SSn-g_CIoc-hCLFNlTkk6phdYpt2OMxETFDpwhhCH15lVBIUkI0S7N1xAuoFTo7kNyIqrnII8O9Rz41Aw8dQGqKEHrcKcj/s320/news.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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If I have any readers left, I wanted to fill you guys in on where my head has been lately. Part of the reason the blog has been so neglected over the last few years, was my job. I hated it. It was sucking the soul out of me, and with the fact I was working 60+ hours a week, for almost three years, I had little joy left. I recently quit that job, my last day was May 1st, and I'm really enjoying the new one. The only drawback has been that for the last 6 weeks, hopefully this coming week will be the last, I've been traveling 3 1/2 hours away for training, leaving on Sundays and coming home on Thursdays. With that being said, I've noticed my mind being drawn in by the blog, and by the idea of dipping my toes back into the blogging world. I'm not sure when I'll be back, or even what my engagement level will be like in the begining, but for the first time in a very long time, I'm missing it.Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-61651394537670710382017-10-08T23:05:00.000-05:002017-10-08T23:18:07.211-05:00The Silence of Ghosts by Jonathan Aycliffe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaAj7_17XItsmlFMpaGaUbN0j_bt5sY3TLw14ZslmFYhTk54ZuhQGLvoTRyiQkw-KwJDC0D-8_RdeCW1gWpzBfb0tIJovPJJYk786d3xgnQpk3k50uwxni3osiFgBNkdUnybTBCqR8bMYi/s1600/41RkxAEuTTL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaAj7_17XItsmlFMpaGaUbN0j_bt5sY3TLw14ZslmFYhTk54ZuhQGLvoTRyiQkw-KwJDC0D-8_RdeCW1gWpzBfb0tIJovPJJYk786d3xgnQpk3k50uwxni3osiFgBNkdUnybTBCqR8bMYi/s320/41RkxAEuTTL.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b>Synopsis From Back Cover: </b><br />
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<i>Dominic Lancaster hoped to prove himself to his family by excelling in the Navy during World War II. Instead he is wounded while serving as a gunner and loses his leg. Still recovering from his wounds and the trauma of his amputation when the Blitz begins, Dominic finds himself shuffled off to the countrysideend by his family, along with his partially deaf sister, Octavia. The crumbling family estate on the shores of Ullswater is an old, much-neglected place that doesn't seem to promise much in the way of happiness or recovery.</i><br />
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<i>Something more than a friendship begins to flourish between Dominic and his nurse, Rose, in the late autumn of that English countryside, as he struggles to come to terms with his new life as an amputee. Another thing that seems to be flourishing is Octavia's hearing. </i><br />
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<i>As winter descends, sinister forces seem to be materializing around Octavia, who is hearing voices of children. After seeing things that no one else can see and hearing things that no one else can hear, Octavia is afflicted with a sickness that cannot be explained. With Rose's help, Dominic sets out to find the truth behind the</i><i> voices that have haunted his sister. In doing so, he uncovers an even older, darker evil that threatens not only Octavia but also Rose and himself. </i><br />
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There is something about this time of year that has me craving a good ghost story. Halloween merchandise is lining the store shelves, the serious decorators have already started on their homes, scary movies become habitual viewing, and my reading tastes get darker. Don't get me wrong, I love a good scare anytime of the year, but this is when I want to wallow in them.<br />
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Haunted house stories are my weakness, and I can rarely pass one up. Of my favorite books of all time, at least four of them feature a house I would do anything to visit in real life. I'm not sure how I stumbled across this one, but I'm damn glad I did.<br />
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Atmosphere is the key to a well crafted ghost story, and boy did this have a suffocating aura permeating the pages. It enfolds the reader, wrapping them in dread. It crawls in through the readers eyes, burrowing its way into brain tissue. As a reader, I found myself unable to put the book down, because I did not want Dominic, Rose, and Octavia to fade away, lost amongst the depair.<br />
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Despite a postscripted ending that I could have done without, and not fully sure I truly understood, if this is typical of Mr. Aycliffe's work, I can't wait to wallow around with him some more. Now, I just need the weather man to get with the program.Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-83471324314475301022017-10-01T23:29:00.001-05:002017-10-01T23:31:34.410-05:00What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_IJIMn__WXTVsJ8O0iR33KtbGO06FkiDDX5JXAt7_aqGUHz3JQRz9p9POevUubw4dMYvkyUcpm7IcatHcZr89-2s6nBR1Dj3BBWC2cTriO4uFCyE7h3b1UOWWPNPJcx4qlqz7TYHwmvdR/s1600/5657193ea62165ff5ed0bafec660af70+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="650" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_IJIMn__WXTVsJ8O0iR33KtbGO06FkiDDX5JXAt7_aqGUHz3JQRz9p9POevUubw4dMYvkyUcpm7IcatHcZr89-2s6nBR1Dj3BBWC2cTriO4uFCyE7h3b1UOWWPNPJcx4qlqz7TYHwmvdR/s320/5657193ea62165ff5ed0bafec660af70+%25281%2529.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
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<b>Part Of The Synopsis From Dust Jacket: </b><br />
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<i>For the first time, Hillary Rodham Clinton reveals what she was thinking and feeling during one of the most controversial and unpredictable presidential elections in history. Now free from the constraints of running, Hillary takes you inside the intense personal experience of becoming the first woman nominated for president by a major party in an election marked by rage, sexism, exhilarating highs and infuriating lows, stranger-than-fiction twists, Russian interference, and an opponent who broke all the rules. </i><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>Fair warning, a little of my political side comes out in this "review".</b></span><br />
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Frankly, I don't know how to objectively review this book. Even if I could somehow manage to be objective, how do you "review" a first person narrative of an election that is still tearing our country apart? I voted for Sec. Clinton in both the Democratic primary, and in the general election. What's more, I would do it again with a joyous heart. But right now, my heart is broken by the wasted opportunity this country had to be lead by someone of her caliber. Instead, we have a man in the White House who is currently blaming hurricane survivors in Puerto Rico for their own suffering, while he's playing golf. He's poking at the leader of North Korea, his Justice Department is now saying it's okay for employers to fire you for being gay, and Dreamers are just months away from being deported. I told you I couldn't be objective about this.<br />
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In <i>What Happened</i>, Sec. Clinton is pretty frank in how she sees the mistakes she made, the fake email controversy and Director Comey's role, divisions on the left, and Russian interference combined into a perfect storm she just couldn't figure out how to navigate. This could be my own biases showing, but I think she's right. Throughout the book, Sec. Clinton lays out her case and does it without whining. She accepts blame when she should, but doesn't hold back in holding others accountable when it's appropriate to do so.<br />
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Sen. Sanders used right wing propaganda to weaken her with his supporters. He painted a corrupt narrative of her that some voters, primarily younger who didn't really know her, bought into. They didn't understand the primary process, couldn't believe she was beating him in the primary, so they bought into this whole notion of the primary being stolen. The fact that it was the same primary system that allowed then Sen. Obama to beat her, was immaterial to their anger. They labeled her corrupt, badgered her supporters online, and a few in WI, PA, and MI threw hissy fits and either didn't vote, or voted for Dr. Stein, who has her own ties to Russia.<br />
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The letter Comey wrote to Congress days before the election truly was the final nail in the coffin. She is right when she says the momentum was on her side, but that the letter stopped it cold. It was an unprecedented act of interference in our election system by the FBI. His whole manner was suspect, from his initial statement to that final letter, he behaved in a most unseemly manner.<br />
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The scope of Russian interference is staggering. Giving the Trump campaign opposition research, hacking the email systems of the DNC and John Podesta including the planting of fake emails, creating fake news stories, orchestrating anti immigrant rallies on US soil, taking out political ads on social media, employing thousand of social media trolls, stirring up racial tensions online, and only they know what else they did. The investigation is for from over, but what's already known should chill the blood of every American.<br />
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If you couldn't tell by my tone, I'm still a little bitter about the election. I wish I could find the grace and humor that Sec. Clinton shows in this book. Her pain and disappointment are on full display, but so is her warmth and compassion for those she feels she let down. This is a deeply personal memoir, and if it hurt for me to read it, I can't imagine how it felt for her to write it.<br />
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It's obviously a book by someone who is never going to run for office again, it's far too candid for that. And that's what hurt the most. Granted I've admired her for years, but seeing this openness from her cements the idea that regardless of how or why it happened, the missed opportunities that were only possible with her in office are a national disgrace.Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-28639257459357169492017-09-26T20:15:00.001-05:002017-09-26T20:15:58.941-05:00FrightFall Readathon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you know me personally, or have been following the blog for a while, you know I love Halloween. I love losing myself in a spine tingling tale. I dim the lights as low as I can deal with, turn on the electric fireplace, and with a mug of tea at hand, I burrow down and get lost in tales of ghosts, monsters, and murder.<br />
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My good friend Michelle of <a href="http://www.truebookaddict.com/" target="_blank">The True Book Addict</a> has been sponsoring readathons for a while on a separate page, <a href="http://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Seasons of Reading</a>. She has been doing this one for a few years now, but this is the first time the entire month of October is in play. Once I knew that, I knew I had to jump on board this year. To learn all the details please visit the sign up <a href="http://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/2017/09/frightfall-readathon-sign-up.html" target="_blank">page</a>.<br />
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I've already picked out a few books I'm wanting to get through in those 31 days. The will probably change, but here is what I'm planning on as of right now.<br />
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<br />Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-64452722678581016212017-09-19T22:27:00.002-05:002018-06-23T09:26:56.841-05:00I'll Be Back Next Week<br />
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August into September, is my busiest time at work, hence why I haven't been posting lately. I just wanted to let you know I'll be back next week, and will also have the results of my Blogoversary giveaway then.Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-5622183795664277272017-08-20T00:18:00.000-05:002017-08-20T00:18:22.986-05:00The Apache Wars by Paul Andrew Hutton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Part Of The Synopsis From Back Cover:</b><br />
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<i>The 1861 kidnapping of the boy who would grow up to be Mickey Free-the only man Geronimo ever feared-started the longest war in American history: the brutal struggle between the Apache and the U.S. government for control of the Southwest. When the Apache Wars finally ended in 1890, the western frontier had closed, and the once powerful Apaches had been imprisoned far to the east or corralled on reservations. </i><br />
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It has always amazed me how one decision, one action taken by someone who would normally not be important to history, can alter everything. One action, seemingly done in isolation, can have rippling effects that can never be foreseen. This is a masterfully crafted narrative of one such chain of events, one that even the Oracle of Delphi could not have predicted.<br />
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Dr. Hutton obviously knows his subject. The research done, and the obvious love he has for a well spun tale, shine through on every page. Through the lives of those involved in the brutal campaign, he draws the reader into that world. It's not pretty nor safe, it's violent and bloody and almost everyone he introduces on the page will suffer. It's not a period in the history of our country most of us like to think about outside the romanticized era of Hollywood Westerns, but it's a story that needs to be told.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.79px;">I received this book for free from </span><a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" style="background-color: white; color: #771000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.79px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.79px;">, for this review</span>Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-1564771903558245912017-08-16T22:53:00.000-05:002017-08-16T22:53:13.757-05:00Favorite Fictional Character --- Inspector Gadget<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVVIN_1bRYUIZjHgFp_4q4iCahPFajK3_AYb9CPgfQ4C7dJvXx8Te0fWlPCtvK0-enPkDjFvMVHwfmxYsmqThFV_FKLadXCVxXMS9ur0RrpGDIia9dt7RU3dTVtWRuMio26q0i42l82bV/s1600/FFC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="305" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVVIN_1bRYUIZjHgFp_4q4iCahPFajK3_AYb9CPgfQ4C7dJvXx8Te0fWlPCtvK0-enPkDjFvMVHwfmxYsmqThFV_FKLadXCVxXMS9ur0RrpGDIia9dt7RU3dTVtWRuMio26q0i42l82bV/s200/FFC.jpg" width="163" /></a></div>
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Growing up in the 1980s allowed me to wallow in the greatest cartoons of all time. Thats not to say there weren't some great cartoons prior to and after the 1980s, but that decade is the Renaissance of televison cartoons. If you have been following this blog for any length of time, at least before my extended hiatus, you know that I'm a huge cartoon nerd. If you were to bowse through past Favorite Fictional Character posts, you would see numerous cartoon characters. I'm addicted to them, and I remember 80s cartoons that nobody else I know does. Not that Im bragging.<br />
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With today's pick I'm cheating a little. The pilot of <i>Inspector Gadget </i>aired on 12/04/1982, but the series itself didn't air until September of the following year. But since I've already decided on the character for 1983, and I needed one for 1982, Inspector Gadget it is.<br />
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Anyone familiar with the show knows that Inspector Gadget, no other name is ever given, is a bumbling cyborg police inspector who talks and acts like Maxwell Smart. Despite the fact that he can summon a helicopter blade from his head, stretch his arms and legs about as long as he needs them to be, and can pretty much summon any object from his body that he can ever possibly need, he is pretty much a waste of his bionic enhancements. Hell, if it wasn't for Penny and Brain, his niece and dog respectively, he probably would have been killed in the pilot episode. Much like Maxwell Smart, he means well and tries his hardest, so you can't help but like him. You just don't want to have him as backup in the event something goes wrong. And whether I was laughing at him, or with him, he never failed to entertain.</div>
<br />Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-39720407719627956582017-08-11T22:58:00.000-05:002017-08-11T22:58:35.725-05:00Dakota Bell and the Wastes of Time by Brian Olsen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Synopsis From Publisher: </b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>Dakota Bell had a difficult summer - her boss turned evil, her roommates took off, and her girlfriend wanted a break. She hoped her birthday might turn things around, but the gang of identical gunmen crashing the party had other ideas. Dakota and her friends flee for their lives through a mysterious portal, leaving them stranded in their own childhoods. She'll need to save the past before she can save the future, but the present holds dangers all its own. A madman hunts her across the years, monsters wait for her beneath the earth, and Dakota's out of time...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.2763px;">It seems like it's been decades since I read the first three books in this series, but it's only been about a year, so I'm not feeling too guilty. What I am feeling is annoyed that I didn't get to this one sooner. I got it at the same time I got the previous two books, but for whatever reason I got distracted, and forgot about it. And before I get started on the review, I have to say how much I love this title and the way it not only plays with word meanings, but with the actual concept of time as well. Frickin brilliant.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.2763px;">Like the first three books, this is a mashup of fantasy, science fiction, horror, and social commentary. This time it's blended together into a hilariously violent game of cat and mouse played through space and time. Of course you can't have time travel without paradoxes coming into play, and I like the simplistic approach the author took. If a paradox occures, the universe manufactures whatever it needs to keep it from destroying the time line. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.2763px;">Character wise, I'm in love with this cast of characters even more than I was in the beginning. They all get their moments to shine, even though this book centers around Dakota. Alan is still my favorite. What he goes through in this book, makes what happened to him in the first book look like child's play. Whether it's having to confront a truly horrific episode from the past, or having to deal with yet another issue of the heart, he rises above it, and shows a huge amount of maturity at the end. Caitlin is still Caitlin, and she has to deal with where her life is heading, and what she pictures the end goal to be. Mark makes the most selfish decision he could in this book, and I applaud him for it. I can't imagine having to face the choices he had to make, or the sacrifices he chose in order to save the world. Dakota has to deal with choices made in her childhood that were not only beyond her control, but about as paradoxical as can be. And that leaves us with the evil boss. I still adore him, I still understand where he was coming from, I'm heart broken at the betrayals he has had to contend with, but I stI'll think what he did is truly horrific. He made choices that are almost impossible to defend, even if his heart was in the right place. I wish he could have been saved or redeemed, and I still cringe when I think about his ultimate fate. Since this series played with science fiction constructs, maybe there will be a fifth book that serves as his path to salvation. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.2763px;"><b>Other Books in the Series:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.2763px;"><a href="http://wordsmithonia.blogspot.com/2016/05/alan-lennox-and-temp-job-of-doom-by.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.2763px;"><a href="http://wordsmithonia.blogspot.com/2016/05/alan-lennox-and-temp-job-of-doom-by.html" target="_blank">Alan Lennox and the Temp Job of Doom </a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.2763px;"><a href="http://wordsmithonia.blogspot.com/2016/06/caitlin-ross-and-commute-from-hell-by.html" target="_blank">Caitlin Ross and the Commute from Hell</a> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.2763px;"><a href="http://wordsmithonia.blogspot.com/2016/07/mark-park-and-flume-of-destiny-by-brian.html" target="_blank">Mark Park and the Flume of Destiny</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.2763px;"><br /></span></span>Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-34240248925531021652017-08-09T22:20:00.001-05:002017-08-09T22:20:42.735-05:00Favorite Fictional Character --- Colt Seavers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I decided to start this feature within the first week of the blog launching, it was out of a desire to share the characters I love and want others to love just as much. Nine years later, while I'm still gung-ho on spreading the character love, I'm also reveling in the fact that it's reintroducing some of my childhood favorites. Some of which I haven't thought of in years.<br />
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A few weeks ago, when I decided to do one character from every year that I've been alive, it took that side benefit, and put it on steroids. I'm not sure I ever would have featured Colt Seavers otherwise, and that would have been a shame.<br />
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For those of you who have no idea who this guy is, other than that it's Lee Majors playing him, let me introduce him to you. Colt Seavers was the main character on the TV show, <i>The Fall Guy</i>. Colt is one of Hollywood's biggest stuntmen, but I guess stuntmen didn't get paid much in the early 1980s. Colt, because he doesn't make enough to cover his expenses, takes up bounty hunting on the side. I'm not sure most people would ever have put those two professions together, but it seemed to work for him. He uses his stunt skills, sometimes in rather elaborate setups, to catch his quarry. I can assure you that while some of what he did may have been unnecessary, it made great television, especially for the impressionable lad that I was. I don't think I had seen anything cooler than some of what he pulled off, and I wanted to be him so damn bad. And for the record, I really wanted his truck too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivFdxvoFAkoexEBxsUhjMrYYkmwb9d6LLlVYllDtdzmWMRBTft8flfOzGneUFyJ8G9sPWjrWF8uPqhFbz-G2VViAMy1ssy47uzsqBoD5-tcK7ExaAgeVtIiV_HevRAIgt-L1TphhDcCe-/s1600/the-fall-guy---airfix---colt-seavers-gmc-pick-up-1-25-model-kit-p-image-305652-grande.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="783" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivFdxvoFAkoexEBxsUhjMrYYkmwb9d6LLlVYllDtdzmWMRBTft8flfOzGneUFyJ8G9sPWjrWF8uPqhFbz-G2VViAMy1ssy47uzsqBoD5-tcK7ExaAgeVtIiV_HevRAIgt-L1TphhDcCe-/s320/the-fall-guy---airfix---colt-seavers-gmc-pick-up-1-25-model-kit-p-image-305652-grande.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-51511848262522936732017-08-05T23:59:00.000-05:002017-08-05T23:59:11.408-05:00Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxf5zPOZGTrWrpY2BYDsH40aVFnPjMOPA6sIvPh9ZTitEHoNg17kP-uDXIkRCrklU4NUO5pOObISYgHfb5OZJhRW9O0UFvrX-TDC-cUg1QwynGW4fkr3cuJzEtBdhjjI26GloBMZpymzd/s1600/41OtsmHYJLL._SX329_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxf5zPOZGTrWrpY2BYDsH40aVFnPjMOPA6sIvPh9ZTitEHoNg17kP-uDXIkRCrklU4NUO5pOObISYgHfb5OZJhRW9O0UFvrX-TDC-cUg1QwynGW4fkr3cuJzEtBdhjjI26GloBMZpymzd/s320/41OtsmHYJLL._SX329_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<b>Synopsis From Dust Jacket:</b><br />
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<i>Alan Conway is a bestselling crime writer. His editor, Susan Ryeland, has worked with him for years, and she's intimately familiar with his detective, Atticus Pünd, who solves mysteries disturbing sleepy English villages. Alan's traditional formula pays homage to queens of classic British crime such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. It's proved hugely successful. So successful that Susan must continue to put up with his troubling behavior if she wants to keep her job.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>When Susan recieves Alan's latest manuscript, in which Atticus Pünd investigates a murder at Pye Hall, and English manor house, she has no reason to think it will be any different from the others. There will be dead bodies, a cast of intriguing suspects, and plenty of red herrings and clues. But the more Susan reads, the more she realizes that there's another story hidden in the pages of the manuscript-one of ambition, jealousy, and greed-and that soon it will lead to murder.</i><br />
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I don't remember when I received my first love letter. Truthfully, I don't even remember who gave it to me. Despite my failing memory, I remember how it made me feel. That tingly, warm sensation I felt deep in my gut before it washed over my entire body, leaving me feeling giddy and on top of the world. It's the same way I've felt the two times I've found myself falling in love. It's a heady experience that left me feeling invincible, that I could do anything and be everything the other person needed. If I was a Golden Age mystery author, or even one of their fictional creations come to life, <i>Magpie Murders</i> would have left me feeling the exact same way. This is a love letter to a genre, and an era, that Mr. Horowitz so obviously loves.<br />
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There is precious little I can divulge in regards to the story or characters you will meet in the pages of this tome, simply because I don't want to spoil even a second of your own experience once you get started on this. This is one of those books, <i><a href="http://wordsmithonia.blogspot.com/2012/02/gillespie-and-i-by-jane-harris.html" target="_blank">Gillespie and I</a></i> by Jane Harris being a perfect example, that I will simply implore you to read it. If you need me to beg, I will. I'll even consider bribery, depending on your price. Tell me what I need to do, and I'll do it. I swear on everything I hold precious in life that you won't be disappointed. This is a pastiche that puts all others to shame.<br />
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I just need to figure out a good enough bribe to get Mr. Horowitz to actually write a few Atticus Pünd books, because that section of <i>Magpie Murders</i> is unadulterated perfection.Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-65596314284597309432017-08-02T22:34:00.000-05:002017-08-02T22:37:19.142-05:00Favorite Fictional Character --- Thomas Magnum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_rfrD0xNc5QCuHPO_ZKkDHqeEg7T1cyKiGhjhtUeyVili2TFbnCIJiz9p6T7qMyPBCKG_t85qYssObYIy7kv-ZX68HIs5tU9p1fQ5_y7HmXheFvaGtoUmQzjKValZBKgRg1nigUmO8-R/s1600/FFC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="305" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_rfrD0xNc5QCuHPO_ZKkDHqeEg7T1cyKiGhjhtUeyVili2TFbnCIJiz9p6T7qMyPBCKG_t85qYssObYIy7kv-ZX68HIs5tU9p1fQ5_y7HmXheFvaGtoUmQzjKValZBKgRg1nigUmO8-R/s200/FFC.jpg" width="163" /></a></div>
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Looking back on it, 1980 seems to be a critical year in U.S. and world history. Ronald Reagan is elected as the 40th President of the United States, Iran and Iraq engage in a war that will last eight years, Yasser Arafat is elected to lead the Palestinians, Rhodesia becomes Zimbabwe and is once again under majority back rule, Indira Gandhi rises to power in India, Post-It Notes hit the market, millions tuned in to see who shot J.R., and John Lennon is gunned down in the street. It was a turbulent beginning to a decade that would see massive cultural and political change on a global level. It would also usher in a decade rich in music, movies, and television.<br />
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It was hard to choose a character from this year, simply because it was chock full of good choices. I ended up choosing Thomas Magnum from <i>Magnum, P.I. </i>not only because I wanted to be him, minus the women falling at his feet, but because he represents the first half of the decade so well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-NB4rcZ6X2hb8-6Y9DjEEHuxuFzN4woghuYgGC7YGvb4yiWnDN85Jkx_WYmAOlmBoAFQ3u9d-aNqf9Tdf2YCh9QVc6o3raqgLb1ozJ2WPh5Ka3xd-bYu_UKsOjtsVnkw46A_x8vF6o2x/s1600/11-magnum_pi_tom_selleck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="385" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-NB4rcZ6X2hb8-6Y9DjEEHuxuFzN4woghuYgGC7YGvb4yiWnDN85Jkx_WYmAOlmBoAFQ3u9d-aNqf9Tdf2YCh9QVc6o3raqgLb1ozJ2WPh5Ka3xd-bYu_UKsOjtsVnkw46A_x8vF6o2x/s320/11-magnum_pi_tom_selleck.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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Played by the rakish Tom Selleck, Magnum is a private eye that for whatever reason lives on the Hawaiian estate of Robin Masters, a bestselling sensationalist author. If I remember right Magnum did some work for him, and as a result is allowed to live on the estate while pursuing other clients, as long as he is avaliable when he's needed. He drives the guy's Ferrari, drinks his alcohol, and gives Higgins, the caretaker, a hard time. I can't say that he's a typical P.I., at least not the ones I'm used to in books, but he was never boring and oozed charisma out of his pores. Looking back on it, I think he looks like a sleazy porn star, but that was hot back then. <br />
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Oh, I forgot to mention that the coolest thing he ever did was team up with <a href="http://wordsmithonia.blogspot.com/2009/12/favorite-fictional-character-jessica.html" target="_blank">Jessica Fletcher</a> on one of her trips to the island. They were brilliant together.Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-86225646545534736862017-07-30T19:07:00.000-05:002017-07-30T20:46:58.075-05:00Wordsmithonia is 9 years Old! But One of You Gets the Present!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSIO-Fwpvs96HAKq24IlbawirhuhcnMQJ1FT7kTjRVX1IRx4DkS5j1DNMwYWOkxSeRAuC-V3y77SRHGtu3oWzgS2QWWR49sldebb_VX5LfiB2zOEd7yAgKrkZwdSR7xtcToSheZ_d1Kih/s1600/vintage-greeting-card-cute-squirrel-at-desk-9th-birthday-age-9-years-old-1960s-b42952fd56c2ca0fad0b518cc506ee4e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="407" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSIO-Fwpvs96HAKq24IlbawirhuhcnMQJ1FT7kTjRVX1IRx4DkS5j1DNMwYWOkxSeRAuC-V3y77SRHGtu3oWzgS2QWWR49sldebb_VX5LfiB2zOEd7yAgKrkZwdSR7xtcToSheZ_d1Kih/s320/vintage-greeting-card-cute-squirrel-at-desk-9th-birthday-age-9-years-old-1960s-b42952fd56c2ca0fad0b518cc506ee4e.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
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<br />
When I wasn't looking, Wordsmithonia turned nine years old earlier this month. It's been a journey that has seen my interest and energy wane over the years, but I've never felt as if I was really ready to give it up for good. I've been slowly getting back into the rhythm, and I'm eternally grateful to those who have stuck by the blog over the years.<br />
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In appreciation for the love and support you have shown me over the years, I've decided to do a giveaway in celebration of the nine year journey I undertook with no prior forethought of what I was embarking upon. I've reviewed a lot of books over the years, and I'm letting one of you go through my review list and pick any book you want. All you need to do is leave a comment with the book title of your choice and your email address. I'll pick a winner by random draw on 08/15/2017.<br />
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The book will come from either B&N or Book Depository.<br />
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Thank you once again, from the bottom of my heart, for all the support you've given over the years. I'll never be able to properly express my gratitude.Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-60686207874204335262017-07-30T00:39:00.000-05:002017-07-30T00:39:21.742-05:00Timing by Mary Calmes <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyVDMi1sjYuad2t56YB4JzeGHt5Y2H9f7u09ooD3qZP8C8dqZeBrrE_yQkf3X7Mj29Wv-J2GtvKX606rz93r6DWGGiuY6dIPe7dws0aUPMeXwX2GJ6rvqo88NSt-pojfWzaGqclA-tP0e/s1600/7781751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyVDMi1sjYuad2t56YB4JzeGHt5Y2H9f7u09ooD3qZP8C8dqZeBrrE_yQkf3X7Mj29Wv-J2GtvKX606rz93r6DWGGiuY6dIPe7dws0aUPMeXwX2GJ6rvqo88NSt-pojfWzaGqclA-tP0e/s1600/7781751.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Synopsis From Publisher:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>Stefan Joss just can't win. Not only does he have to go to Texas in the middle of the summer to be the man of honor in his best friend Charlotte’s wedding, but he’s expected to negotiate a million-dollar business deal at the same time. Worst of all, he’s thrown for a loop when he arrives to see the one man Charlotte promised wouldn’t be there: her brother, Rand Holloway.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Stefan and Rand have been mortal enemies since the day they met, so Stefan is shocked when a temporary cease-fire sees the usual hostility replaced by instant chemistry. Though leery of the unexpected feelings, Stefan is swayed by a sincere revelation from Rand, and he decides to give Rand a chance.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>But their budding romance is threatened when Stefan’s business deal goes wrong: the owner of the last ranch he needs to secure for the company is murdered. Stefan’s in for the surprise of his life as he finds himself in danger as well.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I do have to quickly mention that I'm not a huge fan of the cover, and it has since been re-released with a new own, but this is the cover I own, so I'm sticking with it. Truthfully, the cover could be a big black square, a blob of orange and purple paisley, or a picture of a root canal, and I would still read this book over and over again.<br />
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Mary Calmes is one of those authors that should be a household name, and if she wasn't writing m/m romance novels, she probably would be. She's that damn good. I've read, and reread multiple times, every book she has had published, and there isn't a weak one in the bunch. There is a soft lyrical quality to her writing, where not one single word is wasted or unneeded. But where she excel is in her characters. In Stefan and Rand, she achieved perfection.<br />
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Don't get me wrong, they aren't perfect, they have their flaws and annoying personality traits. There are things about them that would drive me up a wall, if not into the funny house, but that's okay. Their perfection lies the fact that they are some of the most concrete, four dimensional characters I have ever had the privilege of knowing. I'm including the side characters in this when I say the beauty of her characters is how "real" they feel. One of my biggest pet peeves is when a character acts in such a manner that feels unnatural to who they are. Even when it's a small issue, something so miniscule other readers may not even notice, it's enough to pull me out of a story. I've never had that issue with her books. Stefan, Rand, and all the rest, even when they surprise me, never act in a way that betrays who they are.<br />
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I adore Stefan and Rand. The tensions that surrounds them in the beginning is tangible, and it only builds as they truly get to know each other. They are the kind of people I would love to be friends with, but am under no illusions I'm worthy enough of their notice. Their relationship is organic, and beautiful to watch. It's the kind of story movies are made of, but since that won't be happening anytime soon, I'll just keep rereading their story instead, which does include two more books after this. Now I just need to find a man that talks the way Rand does.<br />
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And since I know you were curious, this is the new cover with Rand in all his glory.<br />
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<br />Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-12569812472854801682017-07-26T23:14:00.001-05:002017-07-26T23:14:27.633-05:00Favorite Fictional Character --- Bo & Luke Duke<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I was trying to figure out who I was going to highlight this week, I went back to look at the movies, television shows, and books that debuted in 1979. As I scrolled through them I realized that a lot of the characters who made their first public appearance are not some of my favorites. The few that were, like <a href="http://wordsmithonia.blogspot.com/2011/01/favorite-fictional-character-benson.html" target="_blank">Benson DuBois</a>, have already been highlighted over the years. There was one glaring exception that I simply can't believe I've managed to overlook for this long. Seriously, how the hell could I have passed up <i>The Dukes Of Hazzard </i>for as long as I have? This was a show that I absolutely loved as a kid. I watched it every chance I got. I had a map like playset with buildings and the General Lee that I played with all the damn time. Tonight, I'm making that right, and presenting the two characters who made the show what it was, Bo & Luke Duke.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oF-hDp_2_uCVaQ-vquix1xHgQ4BSLKTFHzALZKI315UDiPqrK3CKDcoJA67X2x_PT3JeC7nQ-I530Z2_GbQr9SRO93TI0jWf5ftJ37dZwjFDpUaAn_Dh672euczh7n6t-P60XrhLWHrB/s1600/3d35a99c1b4a2824bcb4c68b41cf18fe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="618" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oF-hDp_2_uCVaQ-vquix1xHgQ4BSLKTFHzALZKI315UDiPqrK3CKDcoJA67X2x_PT3JeC7nQ-I530Z2_GbQr9SRO93TI0jWf5ftJ37dZwjFDpUaAn_Dh672euczh7n6t-P60XrhLWHrB/s320/3d35a99c1b4a2824bcb4c68b41cf18fe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's almost impossible to separate the cousins from each other, so I'm not even going to try. Where one went, the other was sure to follow. On the outside, it may appear that the boys are petty criminals, hellbent on making the lives of Hazzard County law enforcement a living hell. If you dive in a little closer, you realize that while the Dukes make and sell illegal moonshine, and the cousins are on probation, they are modern day Robin Hoods, protecting the innocent citizens of Hazzard County from the corrupt officials in office. They make it their mission to not only test the boundaries of their County, but to make sure Boss Hog isn't allowed to get away with his money grubbing greedy ways.</div>
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Don't get me wrong, the boys like to get in trouble, especially Bo who acts first without thinking anything through, but their hearts are pure gold. Even though Luke is forced to find a away out of the messes Bo gets them into, it's obvious the two of them are a team. Bo is a former stock car driver, and Luke is a former marine, and they both love and cherish family above all else. There is nothing about them that an adolescent boy wouldn't want to emulate, even if he shouldn't. </div>
Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144784325334181261.post-86137938030918572612017-07-25T12:58:00.000-05:002017-07-25T12:58:48.707-05:00Cause to Kill by Blake Pierce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<b>Synopsis From Publisher: </b><br />
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<i>Homicide Detective Avery Black has been through hell. Once a top criminal defense attorney, she fell from grace when she managed to get a brilliant Harvard professor off—only to watch him kill again. She lost her husband and her daughter, and her life fell apart around her.</i></div>
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<i>Trying to redeem herself, Avery has turned to the other side of the law. Working her way up the ranks, she has reached Homicide Detective, to the scorn of her fellow officers, who still remember what she did, and who will always hate her.</i></div>
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<i>Yet even they cannot deny Avery’s brilliant mind, and when a disturbing serial killer strikes fear into the heart of Boston, killing girls from elite colleges, it is Avery that they turn to. It is Avery’s chance to prove herself, to finally find the redemption she craves. And yet, as she is soon to find out, Avery has come up against a killer as brilliant and daring as she.</i></div>
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I'm not normally a fan of self published books. I actually tend to stay as far away from them as I can, but when this one popped up on my radar, I was intrigued by the synopsis, and absolutely in love with the cover. It was free, so I had nothing to lose. Once I downloaded it, it sat on my Nook for a week or two, then with nothing else to do, I opened it up, and I was a goner from that point forward.</div>
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In many ways Avery is the stereotypical fictional homicide detective. She is married to the job, to the extreme detriment of her family. She has a a painful and traumatic childhood, chock-full of despair and secrets. She is a deeply flawed character, driven to prove herself better than those around her, and determined to leave her past behind. But despite all the stereotypical attributes, she is complex in nature and three dimensional in scope. Truthfully, at this point in time, I'm not even sure I like her all that much, but I'm not so sure I need to. She can hold her own with some of the best fictional detectives out there, and she is the detective that this story requires.</div>
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The supporting characters are just as important to the overall feel of the book. Some of a little more developed than others, but I'm sure that they, along with Avery, will continue to grow as the series goes forward. </div>
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As for the mystery itself, I was pulled in right away. To be perfectly frank, not only do I normally pass on self published books, I'm rarely sucked in by serial killer narratives. I've always considered them to be a little cliché, and to a large extent unoriginal. I don't know if it's the imaginative motive behind the killings, the tension level that the author so expertly maintained throughout the entire story, or the complexities of Avery’s character that hooked me from the start, but I was enthralled from the get go. The few quibbles I had with the overall story were few, and they never interrupted my willing suspension of disbelief. This was a tension filled, expertly crafted mystery that has me rethinking some of my more snobbish tendencies.</div>
Ryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.com3