Growing Pains

We recently (about 6 months ago) got cable. Of course, Meghan is in 7th Heaven. I always liked the show Growing Pains and low and behold the reruns are being played. Meghan wasn't sure that she would like this "old" 80s TV show, but after the first episode she watcheed, she was hooked. She was on the phone with a friend when I began watching that first episode and all of sudden, she is telling the kid she was talking to that she had to go do something for her mom. When she finished with her call, I asked what it was she was going to do. Her response was watch this with you, it is really good and I would rather watch this with you than talk to my friend. WOW!!! Several months later, she is still hooked, and we watch them together every week.

The channel that does them plays two shows a day and we DVR them all. After they are recorded, Meghan and I watch them one after the other. Another one of those shows that spans the generations. I appreciate them from a new stand point as a parent and she enjoys them form the kids point of view. It is really nice to have a show that you can share with your child from your childhood.

Happy Days spans the Generations

Meghan bought Alan Season 1 of Happy Days for Valentine's Day. Now Meghan did not have a clue as to what the show was simply that it was something that both mommy and daddy liked. Just a few days before Valentine's Day, we had watched the Oprah Show when they had Henry Winkler on and assorted other guest. During the segment with Henry Winkler they showed excerpts of Happy Days. Alan and I were pleased to see that this loved sitcom was available on DVD. From our delight in seeing the beloved show available, Meghan chose that as a gift for her daddy.

The first night we watched couple of the episodes. Meghan has become very enamoured with the show and now ask to watch it on a regular basis. She started with this in typical way of this is something mommy and daddy will like and I'm watching because they won't watch anything else. It is amazing in this day and age of reality TV, the old standards are still enjoyed. In fact with a few exceptions Meghan has enjoyed every "old" TV show we have purchased. Maybe networks should sit up and take notice of the success these shows are experiencing with a new generation.

I suppose the reason TV turns more and more to reality TV is that every time there is a strike they find a way to survive without them and reality TV is the answer. As much as we despise reality TV with a few notable exceptions (Dancing with the Stars), I admit that we do watch more than we want or intend to see. The problem with these shows is it is kind of like watching a train wreck, as much as you do not want to watch you can't help but watch the disaster unfold.

The greatest thing about these being released on DVD, is that you can sit down and watch a more "family" oriented show with out wondering how things are being digested in the mind of a 9 year old. For this show it is because I watched Happy Days when I was her age.

Helloooo....This is not a Tool Store

Frank and Alan come on surely you guys could one day leave a post. To borrow part of Meghan's quote.... Hellooooooooo!!!!!!!!! Surely you two have some opinion on movies. (more to the point, I know you do.)

Pierce Brosnan the Best James Bond

Alan now has the complete James Bond collection so I have been watching bits and pieces of the movies with him over the past few months (Box 3 was Christmas and box 4 was birthday). After all this, I have been inspired to place this in the blog. I think that Pierce Brosnan is the best James Bond to grace the big screen. No, I cannot name all of the actors that have been James Bond, I will leave that bit of trivia for Alan and Frank because I am sure that they will know all the James Bond trivia that I strive to block out.

What makes Pierce Brosnan the best to me? I belive that he embodies the spirit of the character. His edges are "polished" and as a viewer, you can imagine him in formal affair but at the same time you can see him as one of the guys down the street. He handles the James Bond "blunders" with an aplomb that makes him seem like a regular guy. In other words I believe he provides the character with a believable debonair feel that is not over the top or untouchable. Pierce Brosnan makes you understand his appeal to both and female viewers alike. He exudes an aura of being a man's man and the man every woman wants. He brought a little more action to the character but still managed to give a polished, smooth performance.

In contrast, I think that Daniel Craig was not the best choice for James Bond. When we saw Casino Royale, I was struck by the fact that Daniel Craig lacked the debonair air that I expect from the character. Daniel Craig gives James Bond a very edgy feel that simply does not appeal to me. Overall he seems to be more rough and tumble and action oriented and he gives his Bond a more street smart feel. He lacks the grace that Pierce Brosnan gaves his Bond. Besides, isn't he too blond for the role?

Check out http://http://www.jamesbondwiki.com/ for all the trivia that I left out and also more opinions on the best James Bond.

"Joy" in Our World

For those of that either read the early post on the other blogs I have had or have read the ones that I copied over to this site, you know that Joy was the spider that we adopted. We thought she had died or gone away. This morning when we took Meghan to school, there she was once again between the two tress in our front yard. She has spun her web a little higher up (about 2 feet)but there she at the center of the web basking in the morning sun as we stopped to admire her web. I am guessing that she simply resided in one of the tress until now.

Your Turn!!!

Alright Alan and Frank. I got it started with a post about a movie. Granted it is a little lame as far as a review goes but it is here. So now it is your turn!!!!!

Fool's Gold

The guys are not doing their part so I am posting a review of a movie that Alan and I went to see while Meghan was in school a couple of weeks ago.



I found the movie to be very enjoyable. The relationship between the two main characters is believeable which enables the viewer to be sympathetic to the main characters. They are very obviously in love but appear to have different goals in life. I found as you often in real life that sometimes the observer has a more unclouded view of what is going on than the participant does. In this case. Kate and Matt's characters really wanted the same things but Kate's character had this idea of what she should be doing (it's that responsibilty thing rearing it's ugly head)while Matt's character became so involved in what he wanted to do thatt he often threw responsibilty out the window in order to acquire the means he needed to accomplish his hearts desire. This is all set against the the back drop of a treasure quest with assorted riddles and clues which the characters try to decipher.



I liked these two actors in How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days; and I liked them in this as well. On a purely shallow level I find something very endearing and charming about Matt in just about every one of his films. It must be that southern accent (Although having grown up around it since I am from Georgia, you would think that I would be immune by now.)



I personally found the movie to be entertaining. I do not know what we are using for a rating system so any one that has suggestions please leave them.