My Top Five Holiday Movies

I won’t deny it. This year, I’ve had a tough time getting in the holiday spirit. I know it’s still early, but usually I can’t wait for Thanksgiving to get here—it is, after all, the unofficial kick-off to Christmas, right? But if you read my last blog, then you know the stresses of the season have been weighing on me—and I know I’m not alone. It’s a busy time of the year for just about everyone with all the traveling, working (or studying for finals), holiday shopping and cooking, and more. But I did manage to put up my Christmas tree this weekend—just not all five like in past years. And I did bake a few dozen cookies from scratch and start my holiday shopping (along with the mobs of others on Black Friday…yes, I went shopping on Black Friday). No wonder I’m exhausted!

But now that the tree is up and the soft lights are glowing in the corner and the manger is displayed on the mantle with the stockings, I’m ready to embrace the season. I’m in, but if you’re not quite there yet, another way to get in the Christmas spirit is to watch favorite holiday movies. I love settling in with a bowl of popcorn, a cozy blanket, and an all-day movie marathon. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, here’s a tried and true list of the movies I turn to—the ones that always make me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. Let me know your favs! I’d love to add them to my list.

I feel like I’m missing a big one here—anyone?

5. It’s a Wonderful Life

4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Jim Carrey)

3. Home Alone

2. Elf

1.Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

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Tis the Season for…Stress?

Just yesterday, I was reminded of how much we tend to take on in our daily lives. So many of us juggle work, school, family, and other obligations, which often leaves little down time. And don’t even get me started about the added stresses of the holiday season. While a part of me can’t wait to trim the tree, deck the halls, and bake a sweet batch of coconut macaroons with my sister, another part of me gets exhausted just thinking about it all. Every year, I find myself asking exactly when and how I’m supposed to fit it all in. But every year, somehow it all gets done.

In a recent article about stress (see link below), blogger Susan Pearse offers eight tips on how to deal with the things that often overwhelm us. I especially love her tip on idle time. Pearse writes, “Identify idle moments throughout the day and resist the temptation to fill them with activity. Your attention needs time to rest and recover.” Just last night, I found myself guilty of occupying my down time doing multiple things. As I was trying to watch a holiday movie on Netflix, I was also mapping out a lesson on postmodernism and checking my email. Is this kind of multitasking productive or simply bad for your health? Too much stress equals burn out? I guess that’s why Pearse’s article got my attention. So, I’m taking heed. I’m hearing what she has to say: “Take the time to let your attention rest. Look up and connect with others.”

For the students out there reading this post: As you juggle the papers to write and cram for the exams to ace, make sure to let your mind recover. Don’t get overwhelmed by it all. Stay healthy—mentally and physically—as you wrap up the semester. The same advice goes for teachers, nurses, caretakers, writers—for everyone out there feeling a little or a lot overwhelmed right now. The pile of work is temporary, but our relationships are what bring us true joy… so “look up and connect with others.”  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-pearse/8-tips-for-dealing-with-stress-and-overwhelm_b_8538318.html

Wicked City Anyone?

Did anyone see the premiere of Wicked City last week? I was just wondering how the show went over with audiences. I have to admit that I was intrigued when the first ten seconds of the trailer came across my screen—I was a Chuck Bass fan back in the day. But the more I thought about the premise of the show (and the more of the trailer I saw about a serial killer getting his kicks on in 1980s Los Angeles) well, let’s just say it didn’t win me over. Tim Surette from tv.com said this about the show: Wicked City premiered to better ratings than I thought it would! But this is still a dead show that won’t go anywhere and is just occupying space until ABC can get to next season’s Upfronts.” I’m wondering why he thought it wouldn’t go anywhere. What did you guys think?

On a similar note, the show sparked a conversation in my writing classroom about the increased violence in today’s TV shows, movies, and video games. Some of my students said that we are inundated with “bad” or evil everywhere we turn—even by just turning on the nightly news. Some of them stated they found the trailer and/or idea of the show disturbing, while others said, “It’s just TV. Besides there’s a huge fan base for dark shows and horror films.” They brought up Wes Cravens, The Walking Dead, and even Stephen King, which reminded me of an essay he wrote titled “Why We Crave Horror Movies.” In that essay he said: “The mythic horror movie, like the sick joke, has a dirty job to do. It deliberately appeals to all that is worst in us. It is morbidity unchained, our most base instincts let free, our nastiest fantasies realized . . . and it all happens, fittingly enough, in the dark.” Of course, King’s being speculative here, but I get it. And I understand and appreciate the creativity underneath it all—creating a fascinating world with authentic characters. I am Stephen King fan, though admittedly I’m a little on the skittish side.

I’m not sure why we started talking about this topic in my class, maybe because it was right around Halloween. I’d love to hear from you guys, especially those who watched the show last week.