Summer Viewing

I'm not much of a T.V. watcher and am always late in getting into the latest television thing (maybe not such a bad trait).  But, I am later than late in discovering  –  and subsequently becoming addicted to  –  the wonderful television drama, Downton Abbey.  The British-American television series shown in the United States on PBS is set on the fictional estate of Downton Abbey in the North Riding of Yorkshire area of England.  The show is a wonderful blend of drama and trauma highlighting the early 1900s.  Award-winning writer Julian Fellowes co-created the immensely popular series with Gareth Neame.   Season I and II are available for viewing on Netflix, etc.  Since summer is traditionally slow for movies and the like, if you're looking for a great series to immerse yourself into, this, in my opinon, is the one.  

The Best and Worst Halloween Candy

It’s that time of year again – time to feed sugar to the little monsters and princesses and super heroes and hobos who come a’ringin’ your door bell. 

True, some people don’t give out Halloween candy. Some people are like the dentist who used to live in my neighborhood who handed out toothbrushes. And, some people are like the dentist’s next door neighbor who handed out pumpkin-shaped erasers. And some people don’t turn on their porch lights and sit in their basements watching T.V. so as not to be bothered by the little darlings. But, you are not those people, are you?

If you give out toothbrushes or erasers, I am awed by your treat-giving integrity – something I do not have on Halloween. And as much fun as it was trick or treating as a kid, it is much more fun, in my opinion, handing out the treats. It’s warmer, for one, and you get to pick your treats –meaning you will like the leftovers.

This year I’m giving out mini 3 Musketeer, Snickers and Milky Way Midnight bars. And I’m sure hoping there are some leftovers, not to mention being secretly relieved I will never again have to eat those icky black and orange wrapped peanut butter things or nasty bit-o-honeys as long as I live. Remember those burnt orange globs that looked like spiky raspberries (but tasted like burnt orange)? Or the candy cigarettes that tasted like damp chalk? And don’t get me started on black licorice (yuck) or those gummy Dots. Worst candy of all? Those wafer things that all taste the same (pressed powder with a fake-sugar aftertaste).  Extra double gag to the black licorice wafer things which taste worse than any of the other wafer things and make regular black licorice seem okay.

What are you giving out to trick-or-treaters this year?  Do you have an old favorite standby candy?  What was your least favorite Halloween treat?

A Greenie in the Green Room

Today I got to appear on a television show for the first time.  What a great experience!  After I went through the angst of trying to figure out what to wear – nothing too dark, they said, or starkly white . . . no small prints which jump around on camera – I tried to think about how to prepare for the show.  And I don’t mean prepare what I would say . . . anyone who knows the littlest bit about me knows I can wax on and on about Fanny Fern.  (Seriously, you do not want to get stuck in an elevator with me.)  I mean, I tried to think about how to prepare for the hour or so when I’d be sitting in the green room with strangers, waiting for my five minutes on camera.

It turned out to be a lot of fun.  We all sat there – the two young guys promoting a Lung Association fundraising bike ride, the country singers who would compete in a State Fair battle of the bands, the Journal Sentinel guy who had a long list of events to remember to name off, and me.  We decided we should all cross-promote.  The singers could sing about the evils of smoking and the bikers could confess to reading a certain historical novel during rest periods.  I’d rattle off Milwaukee events that Fanny Fern might like and the Journal Sentinel guy could quote a country song or two.  We all gushed over each other’s astute wardrobe choices (after seeing the singers, I wish I would have worn jeans) and took turns running to the bathroom.  We watched each other live, on the air, and hooted triumphantly when the song was nailed, the events remembered, the ride details flawlessly recited. 

I understand why they stuck us all together in one room for an hour.  We all kept each other from getting nervous and the hour literally flew by.  But, the bonus was that we all got to meet each other and got to be in a room overflowing with passion.  And, that, to me, was the best part.

To see a clip of the show, click here:  http://www.themorningblend.com/videos/126768943.html