I couldn't help it; I had to do another review blog. People, there is hope for Heroes. I was so surprised that I had to write a review for it. I know some of you have stopped watching, so I thought I'd include it here so you can take a little look-see.

Redemption may be a word that has recently been associated with Jack Bauer of 24, but I am going to use the word in relation to the Volume 4 opener, Clear and Present Danger. Although Heroes has a loyal fan base (myself included), it has steadily been losing viewers since its sophomore season. The reasons are many and varied. I have found myself frustrated many times. But, what's a girl to do- Heroes has all of the elements of good story telling.

If I were to name a theme for Clear and Present Danger, I have to say its, division. Of course, we've seen that several times throughout the series. Heroes always seems to come down to where a character draws a line. The case can be made for a theme of brother against brother. And it would be a good case, but this episode was larger in scope. The question is, should these power wielders be allowed to roam the Earth, or are they a danger to us all? Nathan and Peter clearly have opposing points of view.

The episode quickly heats up with intensity. We see early on where things are going. Nathan has an agenda and he is moving a fast pace to see it through. He is committed to his cause. Unfortunately for him, others are equally as committed to their own cause.

Our heroes are trying their hand at being normal in this episode. It makes sense that they would try to find a way to lead somewhat ordinary lives. To blend in. To be happy. Claire looks at colleges. Peter tries to return to work, and Matt attempts to do things the old-fashioned way.

On the other hand, Hiro is embracing Ando's newfound abilities. He sees the potential for a great superhero in Ando. Hiro displays the enthusiasm for life that we have come to loved him for. My favorite part of the episode is that we see a new side of Ando.

The intensity continued throughout the episode. There was a clear plot line that left me cheering for our heroes. Peter was not whiny. Claire was not annoying. And Sylar, well, I am still not sure how I feel about Sylar. The writers have done a great job giving Sylar depth. There is emotion in that boy. In his quest for answers, he leaves a heck of a wake. The warning: "Do not get in my way."

So, back to where I began. With this step Heroes has begun to redeem itself. The question is, will it be enough? I know that I will be sticking around to find out.

Well, it finally happened. I have been tagged, or rather tiged. My friend SparkleFarkle, who is no longer in the land of the 404, tagged me and now I am it. I had a tough time with this one. Here is how it works:

1) Go to your documents (or pictures)

2) Go to your 6th file and 6th pic.

3) Blog about it.

4) Tag 6 friends.

This is the pic that was kinda sorta in my 6th file.

Last Spring, my hubby, kids and I took a trip to Gettysburg, PA. I live about 2 hours from this famous and more important- historical place, yet I have never been there. It was a great trip, and I recommend it to anyone who is able to visit. But, this blog is not about that so I must move on.

While in Gettysburg, one of the things that I had read about was a covered bridge that was in the area. There was even a map of sorts. It was the tourist type of map that focused on the historical area, but happened to mention the bridge. It just gave the general direction.

I really wanted to check it out, but I was unsure exactly how I was going to get the rest of the family to go along with my quest. I was crafty, cunning, and creative, and I got my way :) Go me!! We were off to find the bridge. It was really something to see. The hubby is driving, and I am navigating with this thing that was someone's idea of a map.

We followed it, and after about 15-20 minutes of beautiful countryside vistas we ended up at a dead end on Pump Station Road. At least, I am fairly sure that's what it was called. Here was the tricky part. By this point the patience of the other three travelers was wearing thin. I had to think of something, and quick or we would have to turn back. So I tried to reason it out. I picked a direction and off we went. Within about 10 minutes I saw it in the distance. Sachs Covered Bridge. We had arrived, and I was happy.

We got out and began to look around. We really seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. I was certain that there were many who never did find the bridge. It was something to be seen. After taking a good look at the outside, I read the history of the bridge. Then I walked in. As I entered the bridge, I imagined how it must have been in the yesteryears. So old. So simple. So clean. So much graffiti. Graffiti?? Yes, graffiti. I was shocked. There were notes all of the bridge. "Kacey waz here." "Call Liz for a good time . . ." etc. etc. I never expected it.

But, I thought about it and tried to put it in perspective. The bridge was not really a part of the tourism department. It was interesting and in the area, but not a part of Gettysburg. It was a bridge. And where I am from, most of the bridges have graffiti. Also, I did see a lot of the old, "Tony loves Tina." And "Anne and Mike forever." Written all over the place. I guess that they had graffiti way back when too. I had just never thought of it that way. It was just not expected. I mean who walks into an old covered bridge and expects to see spray paint and ink all over the place? It just seemed out of place. Nevertheless, the experience was really cool.

Oh, and in case you are like me, and you wonder why they made covered bridges and what the purpose was- I'll tell you. I looked it up. There were 2 reasons: 1) They did not have treated wood back in the old days, so the cover protected the bridge- less falling through and dying that way. 2) They made it like a barn so the horses would not be afraid to enter.

So, there you have it. The story of the old covered bridge.

In my experience around here, many people are not fans of the old game of tag. Therefore, I have decided not to tag anyone in particular. I invite any and all to play. If nothing else, it gives you a good idea for a blog J

Now, onto my shiny, new banner. Did you see it? Of course you did. This banner has been brought to me (and you) by my good friend and neighbor, dj_mrt Thanks DJ!! I am lovin' it. Our resident banner king seems to be back in business. Be sure to pay him a visit. Tell him that mom sent you. He'll know what you mean :D

Peace.

I have managed to keep my head after my appearance in the spotlight. However, my autographed pics are still available. You must act quickly though, as they are sure to sell out :D

I have recently been tagged by my friend SparkleFarkle. **waves a big hello to Sparkle** I will need some time to pull off that blog, so . . .

I have never done a review blog before, but I heard from a reliable source that there is a first time for everything. I promise that there are NO SPOILERS here. I love LOST and I have been anxiously waiting for season 5. It was worth the wait. I am so glad that I have not given up on this show. So, here it is

Just when you thought that you had all of those flash fowards and flash backs down pat, in comes season five. And it does not disappoint. You are treated to two hours of great writing and directing. Oh, and talk about plot development. Lost has certainly had a talent for thickening the plot. And this is no exception.

But, the one thing that stood out to me was the acting. This cast has really come together over the years. There is great chemisty. I am not sure who impressed me more. Yungin Kim (Sun) was superb. You could feel her emotions flowing right through the television. Sun's story was not a main part of the plot, but it was certainly noteworthy. Jorge Garcia (Hugo/Hurley) was also amazing. I have always liked Hurley, but now I have a lot of respect for him. These are two characters that are often overlooked. Not in these episodes.

I was also impressed with Evangeline Lilly. I believe that she has really grown in her craft as evidenced by her performance in this season's premiere.



The rest of the gang is here as well. These two episodes are not centered around any one character. We follow the Oceanic 6 and those who remained behind. You would think with all the characters that were featured, you would be left feeling unfulfilled. Not so. I found myself sucked in from minute one. The first hour would have satisfied. It was the main course, and it was everything that I had hoped it would be. There was no second course; they took us right to dessert. Hour two was a pleasant surprise.

By the time it was all over, I had that familiar feeling. My head was spinning and I had a silly smile on my face. I even had to check for drool. It was that good. There were a few surprises, and it would not be LOST without the addition of several more questions.

This is the LOST that fans have come to know and love. This is the writing and acting that keeps bringing us back for more. I can't wait to see what they are serving next week. I will certainly be bringing my appetite.

You love me, you really love me. . . I am sure that someone else has had to have done that line. I must apologize, but I really couldn't help myself. I figured that you had to be around here for quite awhile before being featured. Its cool.

So, I thought that I would share a little more about myself for this blog. Just some random things-

1) I have had surgery several times- the big ones and the small.

2) I used to write poetry. I am writing a novel- just can't seem to finish it.

3) I was Teacher of the Year in my school in 2006.

4) I was formerly a Paralegal/Legal Assistant.

5) I cheated on my religion tests in high school.

6) I once posed for Penthouse Magazine. Just kidding :D

7) I have an alias.

8) I love to travel. My dream is to go to New Zealand.

9) I smile all of the time.

10) I have very deep thoughts. I love to analyze everything.

Most of you here know a lot of the other stuff about me. I am an open book. There are things that I keep to myself of course, we all do. But, I love to share.

Next blog will continue the 80's. It will feature the ladies of the early 80's. Look out Mrs. Garrett!

Oh, and I forgot :( GO EAGLES!!!!!!!!

It has been quite awhile since I have contemplated the shows and characters that I remember the most. The 70's were relatively easy since in 1979 I was nine. There was not a whole lot for me to remember:? Here is a link to my earlier blogs on this in case you haven't seen them yet. One Two

The 80's on the other hand was a horse of an entirely different color. It seemed that watching television was all that I did in the 80's. I had no idea of where to begin. So, I have decided to break the decade down into three sections early, mid and late. Yes, there will be overlapping. There is nothing that I can do about that :P

Let me tell you a bit about me and perhaps you will be able to tell more from my choices. I had lots and lots of love from my family. Everyone just loved sweet, darling little old me. You know, the apple of the eye and all of that. Well, not so much at school. I just didn't fit in. I had no time for silly girl games. Don't get me wrong- I am so a girly girl. Just not the silly, giggly kind. I am a tom-boy too. (I am a woman for all seasons :D)

Anyway, I did not have any friends at school, and my first real friend that visited regularly did not come into my life until I was 14. So, it was the Barbies for me- oh, and tv. That explains the reason that I watched so much.

The early section is divided into 6 shows/guys. I wanted to do the men first. Sure, there were other shows and other characters. Its just that these stood out for me. You have to take my age into consideration.

So, here we go:

#6- Lee Horsley/Matt Houston (Airred- 1982-1985)

What can I say? He was a tall, good looking drink of water. Oh, and he was a detective. You know, same old story, different guy. But, I really enjoyed Matt Houston.

#5-William Katt/Ralph Hinkley- The Greatest American Hero (Airred 1981-1983)

Ok, maybe not the best that television has had to offer. But, this was one of my favs. He was such the underdog. I always felt sorry for him. He was such a good sport.

#4- Pierce Brosnan/Remington Steele (Airred - 1982-1987)

I loved the accent. I loved the attire. I loved the guy! Great chemistry between Remington Steele and Laura Holt. Just the type of character for me to moon over :)

# 3 Jason Bateman/Derek Taylor Silver Spoons (Airred 1982-1987) Oh, and I put a current pic of him in case someone wasn't sure what he would look like then and now ;)

He was so annoying. At least to my little 11 year old self. But, I had such a crush!!

#2 Tom Hanks/Kip and Buffy Wilson Bosom Buddies (Airred 1980-1982)

This was such an original idea for a show (at least to me it was.) I thought it was so funny. The situations that those two got themselves into. I laughed and laughed.

and ***drum roll****

#1 Jon Erik Hexum/Phineas Bogg Voyagers (Airred 1982)

"We travel through time to help history along, give it a push where it was needed. When the Omni is red it means history is wrong. Our job is to get everything back on track."

I know. I know. You are thinking wtf! Remember, I was a wee little one. I loved the show. I loved Phineas Bogg. He was so great to little Jeffrey. They were a great team. You will never know how I longed for Phineas to stop at my house so that I could travel along with him.

I was very pleased when Jon got the show Coverup later in the 80's. I was deeply saddened when he died tragically on the set. RIP.

So, there you have it. My early 80's part of the blog. I hope you have enjoyed the trip with me. It sure brings back memories. Have a great weekend everyone!

One more thing. I am including one more pic of Jon Erik Hexum for two reasons 1) He was hot. 2) Its my blog and I can do what I want :D

What a whirlwind this holiday season has been! It sounds like all of my friends here in tv.com land had a nice holiday. I wish all of you a happy, healthy and safe 2009.

I just thought that I'd fill you in on my past week. The big kick off was Christmas Eve. We went to my in-law's place. There are 8 grandchildren on that side of the family aging from 13-5. They were all pretty much in the same room- and it was LOUD. They had a great time visiting, but I spent the evening looking for the eggnog.

My father-in-law brought out his accordion and the kids sang Christmas songs along with him. It really was special. My son, Eric, (the soloist) sang "I'm getting nothing for Christmas." It was cute. My other son, Alex, sang "Come All Ye Faithful." He did a lovely job. It was very nice. The others all did songs of their own. It was sweet and entertaining.

Christmas Day began with my kiddies opening their gifts. This year was not as exciting for them as last year, but there were not disappointed. The gift that they received that I have enjoyed the most was Rockband 2. It seems that I am now a Rock Star. Yes, my friends, I may be leaving the teaching profession to further my ambitions as a RockBand drummer. :D I am really loving the time that I am spending with the kids making music. Its cool. Plus, we have our own band- called "Mom's Basement Band." Aren't we just original? The only problem is that Alex and I have argued a bit over who was going to be the drummer. These types of arguments are typical with rockers- so it isn't a big deal. We compromised by taking turns. I am not a diva. Yet. :D

The majority of the day was spent with my side of the family and it was at my mother's house. We had a very nice time there as well. The day after Christmas we had my side of the family to our house because one of my brother's could not make it on Christmas day. My sister-in-law loved RockBand so much that she went out and bought it the following day.

By this point I was rather visited out. I kinda just crashed on Saturday. Sunday brought the Eagles victory and my previous blog :D From Sunday on I was busy with visiting and preparing for the party that I was throwing on New Year's Eve. I wish that I had taken picks of the food that I had prepared. It was good. I had meatballs and Roast beef. I had lots of hors d'oeuvres. I made pigs in a blanket, spanikopita, brushetta, and the like. There was lots and lots to drink. It was a party, after all.

The following day I had a house full of company again. You see, my brother-in-law's family are visiting from Virginia. They will be leaving for Oregon this summer so we are trying to spend as much time with them as we canThis morning I was in bed until 9:30!! I am so tired. Guess what? We are having company again tonight. **sigh** You see, our house is the only one in the family with room for all 8 grandchildren, and that isn't saying a lot. You may recall that I have mentioned before that I live in a shoebox. Our home is about 1300 sq. feet. The kids all go to the basement. That is where the playroom is.

I love the holidays. I love my family. I love visiting. Its just that I am holidayed out, familied out and visited out. I am kinda bummed that I will have to record Atlantis tonight. I like to watch my favorite shows on the night that they air. Oh, well. I have been told that I am a great hostess. My guests are late (thank God) and I have to go and get ready. Don't get me wrong, I do love them all its just that -Some wise person once said, "All things in moderation." There is much wisdom in that statement. I have had too much of everything including food this past week. I am looking forward to a peaceful tomorrow and Sunday and then it is back to work. Have a great weekend everyone.

Warning . . . You are about to enter a sports blog . . .

44-6 Eagles Final

Sometimes, just sometimes, something will come along and completely blow you away. Today, just such an event happened. As I type away, Dallas's Cowboys are ending their 2009 season, and the Eagles are moving onto the playoffs. I admit it; I do. I lost faith. I sinned. I started off the season with high hopes. You may even recall my previous blog about the Eagles. Everything seemed to go down hill from there. The Eagles have often made it difficult to be a fan. McNabb and the gang often frustrate to the point of hair pulling.:(

It was a lackluster and disappointing season. Up and down. Up and down. It could be a song.

A devoted fan, I was finally tired of Andy Reid and tired of McNabb. To say that I had little hopes of making the playoffs would have been a HUGE overstatment. So, I am publically admitting my sins, and I am sooooo thankful for the unexpected events that transpired today. Who would have thought that it could have all come together?

 Tommy, you were right- they weren't out of it :D 

It was a really exciting game for Eagles fans everywhere. The events that had to transpire to get us here were dicey. Here is what had to happen:

Christmas Past-

There was never a more special time when I was a child. Christmas was a magical time. The anticipation. The Advent Calendar. The Picture with Santa. The Christmas Concert at School. Then there were the TV specials: Rudolph, Frosty, The Year without a Santa Clause, The Sound of Music, White Christmas, The Bells of Saint Mary's, and of course, It's a Wonderful Life. Everywhere I went, the magic was there. It was truly a special time in my life.

Every Christmas was celebrated at my parents' house. The festivities always began with the Children's Mass. We sang Happy Birthday to baby Jesus. Then it was onto my grandparents who lived right next door. From there it was home and to bed. My two brothers and I would sleep on the floor in my parents' bedroom. We would whisper and speculate. Would we hear Santa's sleigh? Would we get to see him this year?

You see, the most magical thing about Christmas was in the wee hours of the morning. My dad was always up really early. So, on Christmas morning he would always get up and look out all of our windows and- he would see Santa. That's right, Santa. Apparently, Santa would usually make our house one of his last stops. Oh, and he usually parked his sleigh in the back woods somewhere. We would see him walking towards the woods with his sack over his shoulder. We would yell out to him, and he would stop, turn and wave. Some years he would walk down the road instead. Some years, we would only hear the jingle of the bells from his sleigh. But, we would know that he was there. There was nothing like it.

Can you imagine how it was for us to be able to tell our friends? After Santa was gone, we would remember- THE PRESENTS! We always had lots and lots of presents. We were truly fortunate. My parents and grandparents made sure that we had a good Christmas. But, my mother would always tell us to be mindful of those who were not as fortunate. It was good for us to celebrate, but we should always keep others in mind. Christmas day was fun filled with family and games. It was always the same. Great food, great fun and great family.

I have tried over the years to duplicate the nostalgia of those long ago days. I was never successful. I thought that I would be able to recapture it when I had my kids. Still, it wasn't the same. I learned several years ago that it never will be. That was a beautiful time in my life. Something to be cherished and remembered, but it will never be the same. So, I have tried to make Christmas just as wonderful for my children. I believe that I have had a small amount of success. They don't get to see Santa every year. In fact, they stopped believing at a very early age. I have done the best that I can for them.

Last year was a memorable one. It started with a Christmas poem that I wrote for them. Then, they looked under the tree and saw the lack of gifts. There were just a few. Then I pointed out a small box to them. It was the first clue to a scavenger hunt. They went from room to room. Eventually, they ended up in the basement playroom and found their brand new Xbox 360. They screamed in delight. That is another Christmas memory that I will cherish, but will not be able to duplicate.I hope that someday they will look back at the Christmases of their childhood, and be filled with warm and fuzzy feelings.

Thanks for sharing some of my recollections of my past Christmases. Oh, and Christmas cookies for whoever can guess who my childhood Santa was. Hopefully, I will get to do a Christmas Present blog, too. Happy Holidays everyone!

After cruising around the site, I came across

danmod's blog  about the redesign. I read it (and all of the comments) and I thought about the mission statement, for lack of a better word, of this website. So, I went back to the homepage and found this:

TV.com: Where the Fans Run the Show (trademark)
A digital water cooler, TV.com is home to millions of television fans contributing and connecting via their favorite shows. From program ratings and episode reviews to forum posts and blogs, the fans provide almost all of the site's content-we simply give them a fun, easy way to interact with every show and the folks who love them.

Point to ponder: "we give them a fun, easy way to interact . . . " Hmm.

Another point to ponder: If this is a fan driven website- why don't the opinions of the fans (contributors) seem to matter

Another, another point to ponder: Maybe someone should take another look at this statement before the next redesign.

Oh, and by the way- I did try to place this comment on Danmod's blog- but, due to some sort of bug my comment was not being accepted. **rolls eyes**

Ok, here is one last point to ponder: Wouldn't it be more honest, and better business to just be honest with the users? Seems to me that the direction of this website is changing to a place where it is more about viewing content, rather than discussing it.

Oh, and by the way- It was not my intention to blog about this. I wanted to leave my previous blog up for awhile longer, but I did try to place this comment on Danmod's blog- but, due to some sort of bug- my comment was not being accepted. **rolls eyes**

Hello all. I would like to start with a great BIG thank you to all of you for your support through my car crisis. I hope to never go through such a thing again. I know why thing- I will never again go to a car dealer without checking them out online first. Most of you know that it all worked out. After 3 days of calling, I finally convinced a receptionist that she had better listen to me or her boss might spend his Thanksgiving in jail. Oh, and I was very nice about the whole thing. I was aware that it was not her boss's doing, and it certainly was not hers. So, I was calm but firm. He called us back and true to his word about a week later, the money was in the bank and the account was closed.

So, onto the next thing. My little guy's Christmas concert. It was very nice. I have included a pic of him with several of his co-singers?? Several of them are also my students. I also have one of Eric performing his "solo." I am considering getting him an agent ;)

The pics aren't great- but you get the idea.