FORECAST STORMY - EPISODE 15

Hi and welcome to Episode Fifteen of Forecast Stormy. If you'd like to listen to this blog as a podcast, you may do so at http://ForecastStormy.libsyn.com.

Let’s start with books. I’ve been reading even more than usual. If you're a dog lover, you've got to read MARLEY AND ME by John Grogan. The subtitle is "life and love with the world's worst dog," but as you read the book, you'll see Marley wasn't such a bad dog after all. Grogan and his wife got Marley just after they married, and the yellow Labrador retriever was there through thick, thin, and three children. You'll laugh and cry as Grogan recounts Marley's adventures.

On a more serious note, Greg Iles' BLOOD MEMORY is a gritty, thrilling novel that keeps you turning pages long after bedtime. In fact, I read the 496-page book in two days. The title stems from the author's exploration of repressed memories as the heroine, a forensic odontologist, begins to struggle with images from her past. After suffering a panic attack at one crime scene and fainting at another, Cat Ferry knows something isn't right. When she's suspended from the FBI task force, she goes home to Mississippi to try to understand why she is suddenly freaking out at crime scenes. The trip home initially provides more questions than answers; but when some chemicals from her crime kit are accidentally spilled onto the carpet in her childhood bedroom, disturbing memories begin to surface. Are the murders she's been investigating tied to Cat's own past? You'll have to read the book to find out. For more information on BLOOD MEMORY, visit http://www.gregiles.com.

And now onto BODY MOVERS by STEPHANIE BOND: I so wanted to like this book. I've enjoyed many of BOND'S previous books, and I began this one with great anticipation. Even the cover blurb made me laugh: "'This is the best book I've ever read!" - Stephanie's mom" But when I began reading, it was more like Stephanie Plum than Stephanie Bond. If you're a big fan of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, then you know what I'm talking about. I've read most of Evanovich's Plum series, but I stopped reading when the series became stale to me. This book is a LOT like that series: female protagonist who has fallen on hard times; friend who is really "out there" and promiscuous; two great guys who will be vying for her affection for the duration of the series. The plot is good, and the writing is, too; but the too-gritty, too-Evanovich style of this book left me disappointed. I'd rather have Stephanie Bond than Stephanie Plum. It makes me want to go back and reread OUR HUSBAND.

I finally watched NANNY MCPHEE…rated PG…on DVD. This movie wasn't quite what I expected, but it was a delightful offering. Colin Firth is a widower with a passel of unruly children. They've ran off nanny after nanny, with the latest nanny thinking the older children have eaten the baby. (It was really a chicken.) Enter Nanny McPhee charmingly played by Emma Thompson. She's a magical no-nonsense character immune to the children's shenanigans. On the night of her arrival, she tells the children, "When you need me but do not want me, then I will stay. When you want me but do not need me, then I have to go." In that sense, she's something like a mother to them. This is an adorable film the entire family will enjoy.

I also saw ZATHURA this week. I liked this movie more than I thought I would. Don't get me wrong, I liked JUMANJI; but in my mind I'd already dubbed this movie JUMANJI IN SPACE. While that's true to an extent, this is a fun, special-effect laden adventure. As with JUMANJI, the boys play a game that will not let them quit until the game is finished. There are some surprises; and in true family-film fashion, everybody has an important lesson to learn and pretty much does so by the end of the movie. Tim Robbins plays the boys' dad, and it was nice to see him in this role. The last time I saw him was in MYSTIC RIVER, and we all know what an unhappy ending he had in that movie.

As always, if you have any ideas for me, or any movies, books or TV shows to recommend, please e-mail me at forecaststormy@hotmail.com. Thanks for joining me!

FORECAST STORMY, EPISODE 14

Hi and welcome to Episode Fourteen of Forecast Stormy. If you'd like to hear this information as a podcast, you may do so by visiting http://forecaststormy.libsyn.com. If you do listen to the podcast, you'll also hear DID YOU THINK by ADRINA THORPE courtesy of the Pod Safe Music Network at music.podshow.com. The song is played in its entirety at the end of the podcast.

There are a lot of new family movies out on DVD, and I was able to review two of them last week. HOODWINKED got pretty bad reviews, so I'm happy to report that it was much better than I'd expected. Starring the voices of Anne Hathaway, Glenn Close, Patrick Warburton and Andy Dick, the movie recounts the story of "Little Red Riding Hood" from the participants' various perspectives. The movie's back story and ultimate impetus for the story of Little Red Riding Hood is that a bandit has been stealing all of the recipes in the forest, including those of the Muffin Man. Red's granny is a major player in the goody business and as such becomes a major suspect as the bandit. Granted, there are things that are implausible: if you've made a certain dessert for years, do you still need the recipe? Why would all these places go out of business without their recipes? Still, one must keep in mind that this is a CARTOON. A humorous, cleverly adapted piece of animation. One criticism I read about HOODWINKED was that the animation was story-bookish. I think that was intentional given the material the animators were working with--the story was derived from a story book, and I think the animation worked well. Have you seen Tex Avery's version of LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD? That animation might be a bit dated--though, again, that was a totally cute cartoon. Back to HOODWINKED: don't write it off based on some of the reviews you might've read. This is a clever movie that even my husband enjoyed.

I wasn't expecting a lot from DR. DOOLITTLE 3, this latest sequel starring Kyla Pratt (who, by the way, does the voice of Disney's Penny Proud on THE PROUD FAMILY). The direct-to-video release is a cute movie; and if you're a fan of the former Doolittle movies, you'll probably like this one. Kyla Pratt plays Dr. Doolittle's daughter Maya. Like her dad, Maya can also hear and speak to animals. The ability is beginning to cause her a lot of problems, so her mother sends her to the Durango Dude Ranch Camp. Here the movie becomes predictable in that Maya has a conflict with another girl, the two clash over the camp owner's cute son, and the cast of characters are a bit stereotypical: fat kid, geeky kid, rich snobby kids from the neighboring camp.... The movie is also predictable in that everyone realizes his or her strengths and the group winds up working together for the greater good. Still, it's a cute movie that lends itself to the lesson of be yourself and everything will work out all right in the end.

So, on to books: In GONE by LISA GARDNER, Raine Connors' car is found...engine running, driver's side door open, purse on the passenger seat. Raine herself is gone. But where is she? Raine's husband, former FBI profiler Pierce Quincy, doesn't have to wait long for a clue. The first thing the next morning, he's confronted with a kidnapper's demand for ransom. But Quincy doesn't think money is really what the kidnapper wants. Now he and a task force is racing against the clock to meet the demands of a mind-game playing madman.

GONE is an exciting thrill-ride right up to its conclusion. I don't want to give anything away, but a minor character who was killed in the book won Gardner's "Kill a Friend, Maim a Buddy" contest and elected to have someone with her name slain in the novel. Cool concept, huh? If you'd like to enter the sweepstakes and have yourself or someone you know killed or maimed in an upcoming novel, visit http://www.lisagardner.com/.

I also read YOU’RE WEARING THAT?: UNDERSTANDING MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS IN CONVERSATION by DEBORAH TANNEN. In this book, Dr. Tannen, a linguist at Georgetown University, examines why conversations between mothers and daughters can be such powder kegs. She explains that since these conversations have gone on for all of the daughter’s life, each conversation is filled with metamessages—whether intended or unintended—in addition to what is actually said. For instance, if a mom asks her daughter, “Is that what you’re wearing?” it would imply the mom disapproved of her daughter’s clothes, especially if she has consistently been critical of her daughter’s clothing choices in the past. This book is meant to aid mothers and daughters in their relationships—it would work better, of course, if both read the book. However, I’m reluctant to share the book with my mother because it would imply to her that I think she needs to change in order to improve our relationship. Still, I can take what I’ve learned from Dr. Tannen and try to control my reactions to those metamessages and avoid sending my own. If you’d like more information on YOU’RE WEARING THAT?, check out Dr. Tannen’s Web site at http://www.deborahtannen.com/. There you can read articles and hear interviews on the topic.

As always, if you have any ideas for me, or any movies, books or TV shows to recommend, please e-mail me at forecaststormy@hotmail.com. Thanks for joining me!

FORECAST STORMY, EPISODE 13

Hi and welcome to Episode Thirteen of Forecast Stormy. If you'd like to listen to this blog as a podcast, you may do so at http://forecaststormy.libsyn.com.

Being bullied is certainly scary whether you’re an adult or a child, but especially if you’re a child. The book NO ROOM FOR BULLIES by JOSE BOLTON, SR. and STAN GRAEVE is subtitled “FROM THE CLASSROOM TO CYBERSPACE – TEACHING RESPECT, STOPPING ABUSE, AND REWARDING KINDNESS.” The section on Internet bullying is especially timely in light of recent controversy about MySpace.com and other sites utilized by teens.

Stories about bullies are followed by how you can help (your child, your friend, yourself). The various types of bullying are discussed, and there are quotes by now-famous victims of bullies: 2003 Miss America Erika Harold, actor Tom Cruise, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and actor Harrison Ford. This book is a valuable resource for parents, educators and students. Learn more at http://www.boystownpress.com/.

On a lighter note, CHARMING THE PRINCE by TERESA MEDEIROS is, well, charming. Lord Bannor the Bold finds himself an unwilling papa to a dozen unruly children, all left at the castle doorstep at one time or another. He sends his steward out to find a nanny for the brood. Enter Lady Willow, a spirited young lady who’ll calm the savage beasts and their master, too. CHARMING THE PRINCE is a cute, funny, fractured fairy tale that makes for some good reading on a rainy day.

Speaking of rainy days, it is one here. If you’re looking for an excellent classic to enjoy all over again, try BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S (the movie, not the book—I’ve never read the book by Truman Capote; maybe I should). Anyway, the movie stars the indomitable Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard (pre-A-Team days). Buddy Ebsen even makes an appearance as Audrey’s estranged husband. If you’re unfamiliar with the plot, Holly Golightly is a party girl who moves to New York to find fun and excitement. She gets involved with a mobster who she sees as simply a nice old man in jail who needs a visitor. In the meantime, gigolo George Peppard moves into Holly’s apartment building. He falls hard for Holly, but she’s determined not to give her heart away to anyone, not even her pet cat.

If classic romance isn’t up your alley, Cartoon Network is running some new JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED episodes this month. I watch this show with my children, but it’s really enjoyable. If you’d like to revisit the days when you pretended you were Wonder Woman or Batman or the Green Lantern, check out JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED. For a thirty-minute animated cartoon, this show has some of the most witty, sophisticated writing on television. The show airs at 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Cartoon Network.

As always, if you have any ideas for me, or any movies, books or TV shows to recommend, please e-mail me at forecaststormy@hotmail.com.

FORECAST STORMY - EPISODE 12

Hi and welcome to Episode Twelve of Forecast Stormy. If you'd like to listen to this post as a podcast, you may do so by going to this page. In addition to what you see here, you'll be able to listen to MY FRIEND by DENIS KITCHEN courtesy of the Pod Safe Music Network at music.podshow.com.

I finally got to see WALK THE LINE. It’s a good story with outstanding performances by Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix. The story deals with the early life of Johnny Cash and details his rise to country music fame. It also tells the enduring love story of Johnny and June Carter Cash. It was so poignant to me how June helped and stood by Johnny while he fought to overcome his drug addiction. Even June's parents stayed by his side and ran off a drug dealer with shot guns! It made me wonder how Elvis’ life might have been different had someone cared enough about him to help get him off the drugs. From everything I’ve read, his manager just wanted him to keep on going no matter what and in fact encouraged his drug use. But I digress. WALK THE LINE is definitely worth a look if you haven’t seen it.

I read SUSPICION OF RAGE by Barbara Parker. In this latest installment from her “Suspicion” series, newlyweds Anthony Quintana and Gail Connor go to his native Cuba where Anthony’s niece is getting ready to celebrate her birthday. CIA officials have asked Anthony to get his brother-in-law, a general in the Cuban army, to defect. And Gail learns more about Anthony’s past love life than she’d care to know. It’s an interesting read, but it isn’t as good as others in the series in my opinion.

My reading has been diverse lately. I also read GREEK GRAMMAR, subtitled YOU CAN LEARN BIBLE GREEK, by John Poly. If you’re at all interested in the Greek language or Greek as it relates to the Bible, you simply must check out this book. Not only do you learn a bit of Greek, but you learn some of the intricacies of Greek word meanings applied to Scripture. I’d studied Greek just a bit a few years ago. It’s a difficult language to grasp. Still, the author goes the extra mile to make it as easy to follow as possible. I found myself wishing the author would do even more with his concept. I wished I’d had an audio or video accompaniment to the book that would help me with proper pronunciation. I also wish he’d do a Bible study series, taking perhaps one book of the Bible at a time and helping the layperson understand it better by giving a firmer grasp of the meaning of the word in its Greek form.

Another book I read was MIDNIGHT IN DEATH by Nora Roberts writing as J.D. Robb. I’d never read any of the J.D. Robb books, and now I’m rather glad. The book was okay, though it was more like a short story. I understand the concept behind the book. It’s a small thin paperback distributed to get readers interested in Roberts’ character Eve Dallas. I’ve read and enjoyed many of Roberts’ books—my favorite, I believe, being MONTANA SKY. Still, I didn’t particularly care for the futuristic element of this book. I didn’t feel it needed that, and it distracted me because there were mentions of things such as flying cars. Also this book seemed a bit rushed. Perhaps J.D. Robb’s full-length novels more closely resemble the work of Nora Roberts, but I’ll take MONTANA SKY anyday.

As always, if you have any ideas for me, or any movies, books or TV shows to recommend, please e-mail me at forecaststormy@hotmail.com. Thanks for joining me!

FORECAST STORMY - EPISODE ELEVEN

Hi! Thank you for joining me. If you'd like to hear this blog as a podcast and hear ROUND THE BEND by Adrina Thorpe, courtesy of the Pod Safe Music Network at music.podshow.com, please click HERE. I think Adrina Thorpe has such an enchanting sound. Wait until you actually hear her sing. The song is played at the end of the podcast.

Man, the entertainment community suffered a triple blow last week, didn’t it? It was truly sad to read about the deaths of Don Knotts, Dennis Weaver and Darrin McGavin. I’m a lifelong fan of The Andy Griffith Show; I vaguely remember watching McCloud when I was a little girl; and I loved Darrin McGavin as the dad in A Christmas Story. As Ralphie would say, “Fudge!”

We rented THE CORPSE BRIDE. My children didn’t like it very much at all. I thought THE CORPSE BRIDE was a freaky, dark, but ultimately sweet movie. Victor and Victoria are getting ready to marry, thanks to the machinations of their parents. At the wedding rehearsal, a nervous Victor forgets his vows and winds up setting his future mother-in-law's dress on fire. Embarrassed, he flees the church and practices his lines in the cemetery. This time he gets them right and finds himself married to Emily, the corpse bride. Will Victor accept his fate and learn to love Emily, or will he find a way back to his true love?

Speaking of true love, the movie JUST LIKE HEAVEN assures us that true love really can conquer just about anything. David (played by Mark Ruffalo) is still mourning his wife who died from a cerebral hemorrhage. He spends his time either sleeping or drinking. Enter Elizabeth (played by Reese Witherspoon), a feisty spirit who wants David out of her apartment. After some convincing, Elizabeth realizes something's not quite right; and she and David set out to find out who she is and why he's the only person who can see and hear her. This movie is funny and romantic. I laughed; I cried; I loved it.

The books I read this time were a bit more intense than the movies I watched. In IMMORAL, by Brian Freeman, Lieutenant Jonathan Stride is dealing with the loss of his wife to cancer and with the second disappearance of a teenage girl within a year. The first girl's body was never found and no abductor was captured. Now another girl is gone without a trace, and this time the answers Stride seeks could cost him personally and professionally. Check out this interesting novel where things are seldom what they seem at first glance. For more information, visit www.bfreemanbooks.com.

I also read GUDRUN'S TAPESTRY by Joan Schweighardt. Though this book seemed a bit slow to me in the beginning, it turned out to be one of the best books I've read in quite awhile. Gudrun's Tapestry is the story of a young woman and her quest to destroy Attila the Hun and end his reign of terror. The book goes back and forth between Gudrun's past and her present, thus showing the reader why she's so determined to eliminate Attila. The book is engrossing, stirring and written with wonderfully expressive prose. For more information, go to www.gudrunstapestry.com.

As always, if you have any ideas for me, or any movies, books or TV shows to recommend, please e-mail me at forecaststormy@hotmail.com.

FORECAST STORMY - EPISODE TEN

Hi and welcome to Episode Ten of Forecast Stormy. If you'd like to hear this blog as a podcast, you may do so by going to http://forecaststormy.libsyn.com. In the podcast, you'll hear SUN AGAIN WILL SHINE by SLACKSTRING, courtesy of the Pod Safe Music Network at music.podshow.com.

Don’t forget next week (Tuesday) is Valentine’s Day! Get a little something for that special someone or those special someones (hey, I’m talking children here!), and do something special for yourself.

Here's something I thought was so wild. You know in the movie CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY where Willy Wonka greets the ticket holders by saying, "Good morning, starshine! The earth says hello!"? Well, I thought that was just something goofy for him to say. Then on Monday night a couple weeks ago I was watching CROSSING JORDAN, and they played a song containing that phrase! Tuesday morning when I logged onto the computer, I did a search for "Good morning, starshine" and, sure enough, it's a song first recorded in the '60's. If you'd like to hear a clip from one of the various recordings, go to iTunes and search for that title. From CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY to CROSSING JORDAN.... Weird, huh?

Do you like to play games on your PC? If you do, you need to check out the NANCY DREW GAMES from HerInteractive.com. They’re the coolest things! You play the role of Nancy Drew, and you go through rooms, surroundings and other buildings at an Inn (in The Secret of the Old Clock), a castle (in Treasure in the Royal Tower), or a mountain cabin (in Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake). You question suspects and solve puzzles to progress through the game. They’re educational, too. I’ve been playing them with my children, and when we did Secret of the Scarlet Hand we had to answer questions about the Mayans (the answers are within the game) to move along. These games get all kinds of Parent Choice awards, and we’ve gotten rather addicted. We’ve played five and have another one ordered. Does anybody know of any other interactive games similar to the Nancy Drew games? If you do, please let me know.

I read A CHRISTIAN MOTHER'S SURVIVAL GUIDE by Iris Shamble. The subtitle of this book is "Making A Living While Raising Your Family At Home," and Iris gives you plenty of resources and advice to do just that. She explains the various options available to us today: telecommuting, job-sharing, self-employment, and other work-at-home alternatives. She provides lots of URLs and tells us how to recognize the legitimate companies over the scammers--something she knows firsthand! Iris also includes support groups and their contact information.

Chapter Eight is another much-appreciated aspect of this book. It contains a list of scriptural references to the emotions we all face at one time or another. I plan to keep it on my nightstand as a handy reference tool.

Learn more about A CHRISTIAN MOTHER’S SURVIVAL GUIDE: MAKING A LIVING WHILE RAISING YOUR FAMILY AT HOME at http://www.achristianmothersguide.com/.

I also read NOCTURNE by Jus Neuce. Nocturne reminded me of Lord of the Flies in that it's a bit of a social commentary of what might happen if we were stripped of all familiarities and forced to survive as best we could. As with Flies, the result isn't very attractive. Nocturne takes place on a new planet, colonized years ago by Earth. Family structures are no longer, and people's surnames are indicative of the school they attended. Each section of Nocturne has a governmental structure which is ultimately overseen by a higher council. Again, to me, it drew similarities to Lord of the Flies, except there are regions rather than individuals-- though the individuals certainly have their own agendas as well.

The critical conflict occurs when there is an explosion that destroys a vital food storage bin. Was the explosion an accident or an act of deliberate cruelty and manipulation? You'll have to see for yourself in this gripping sci-fi novel. To learn more about NOCTURNE, visit the author’s page at http://www.jusneuce.com.

As always, if you have any ideas for me, or any movies, books or TV shows to recommend, please e-mail me at forecaststormy@hotmail.com. Thanks for joining me!

FORECAST STORMY, EPISODE NINE

Hi and welcome to Episode Nine of Forecast Stormy. If you'd like to listen to this as a podcast, it's available at http://forecaststormy.libsyn.com. You'll also hear RAIN, by Matthew Ebel, courtesy of the Pod Safe Music Network at music.podshow.com. Matt’s songs are also available at http://www.matthewebel.com/ or at iTunes. I play a brief introduction and then the rest of the song at the end of the podcast.

Did you watch Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve? Did Dick Clark break your heart? Oh, my goodness, he was so pitiful. For so many years--my whole life--he's stood as a pop culture symbol of perpetual youth and vitality; the New Year's Eve appearance was devastating. Deep down inside me there was a little girl who watched American Bandstand shouting, "Noooo!" I do admire the man's spunk and fortitude, and I wish him all the best.

I’m sure you’ve heard all the controversy about James Frey’s book A MILLION LITTLE PIECES. On the podcast site, I’m providing links to two good articles regarding the matter if you’re interested. The first is by Anna Quindlen for NEWSWEEK (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10853259/site/newsweek/page/2/) and the other is by Heather King for PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6299798.html#frey1). Enough said.

Do any of you remember the series LOIS AND CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN? I bought the first season on DVD because my son is a big fan of Superman. I don't recall seeing very many episodes the first time around, and I'm really enjoying watching this show. It's adorable; the chemistry between Terry Hatcher and Dean Cain is sizzling; and there are clever plotlines. Give it a shot.

MILLIONS is a sweet movie about a pair of brothers who find a duffle bag filled with money. The younger brother thinks the money came from God, so he wants to give the money to the poor. The older boy wants to spend it on typical "kid stuff" like video game systems and fancy cell phones but also real estate--hey, don't call him short-sighted. The movie is set during the Christmas season and is a heartwarming treat for the whole family.

After hearing over and over how funny NAPOLEON DYNAMITE is, I finally decided to watch it. Granted, it is funny; but it's one of the most pointless movies I've ever seen. The entire gist of the movie is that this total nerd is going to school where he has no friends. He befriends the new guy--Pedro Sanchez, who's the most likeable person in the movie--and helps him get elected class president. Again, there are some amusing scenes; but the movie plays more as a series of vignettes than an actual movie. I'm glad this was a rental rather than a theater splurge; but at least now when I see "Vote for Pedro" t-shirts in the department store, I'll get the reference. And, yes, I'd vote for Pedro over snooty, shallow Summer any day.


LAST KISS by MARILYN SMITH-PORTER is a romance novel based on the song "Last Kiss" by Wayne Cochran. The song tells the sad story of a young girl who was killed in a car accident. In the book, the girl (Sharon) was loved by two young men--her boyfriend Joe and his best friend Georgie. Though Joe is able to move on with his life, Georgie never quite gets over Sharon. Joe convinces Georgie to put his thoughts into words, and together the two pen a song about the accident. The song becomes a hit. Later, as both men try to but the past behind them, their shared history threatens to repeat itself. Learn more about LAST KISS at www.lastkissthebook.com.

In ROMANCE RUSTLERS AND THUNDERBIRD THIEVES by Sharon Dunn, Ruby Taylor has a world of troubles (not to mention the troubles of those around her) and she's carrying some pretty heavy emotional baggage. Much of that baggage is never unpacked, so it's a good thing ROMANCE RUSTLERS and THUNDERBIRD THIEVES is the first book in a series. Ruby lives with her mother and their newly adopted damsel in distress Maryanne, who came to town to kill her lying, thieving, runaway husband. In the meantime, Ruby's mom asks for help finding a young woman's missing fiancé. The young couple goes to church with Ruby's mom, and Ruby's mom is convinced some harm has befallen the groom-to-be--no way has he simply gotten cold feet. And while Ruby's mother is the one who's asked Ruby to look into the disappearance, it's the young man's best friend who proves to be the greatest help and the biggest distraction to Ruby. ROMANCE RUSTLERS and THUNDERBIRD THIEVES is part mystery/suspense, part inspirational novel, and part romance. Learn more about this book at www.sharondunnbooks.com.

As always, if you have any ideas for me, or any movies, books or TV shows to recommend, please leave a comment or e-mail me at forecaststormy@hotmail.com.