Thursday Thoughts June 12, 2025

Over Memorial Day weekend, a good friend of mine flew out to see Kenny Chesney in concert.  She’d just been here in February, but Kenny has long been her favorite and her birthday was that weekend.  She told me, “Kenny wants me here.”  Who am I to argue with her?

The show was amazing – he’s truly an entertainer.  He sounded fantastic and engaged with the audience regularly.  Which is something some artists don’t bother with, and others try and fail at.  However, this post isn’t so much about Kenny, but something that happened to me during the show.

My friend’s favorite song is “Old Blue Chair”, something that he doesn’t perform live much these days.  Mine has been “Anything But Mine” since the first time I heard it all those years ago.  Neither of us had expected him to play these songs because hers was never a single, and mine was just really old.  (Heavens, I just looked and it released in 2004.)

Anyway, about halfway through the show, he stops to tell the audience that the next song hadn’t originally been on the playlist, but he’d gotten a request, so he was going to do it – and it turned out to be “Old Blue Chair”.  Sometime after the first chorus, I burst into tears.  I don’t know why, but there I was, sobbing.

During his encore, Kenny so kindly played “Anything But Mine”, during which, I burst into tears a second time.  This song, however, always gets me emotional.  So, it wasn’t such a surprise that it had stirred so much feeling within me.  Thankfully, he ended the set with “American Kids” which is fun and upbeat so I didn’t leave looking like I’d just been in a fight.

This did get me thinking of all the times I’ve been brought to tears by a song.

“Who You’d Be Today”, also by Kenny Chesney, gets me every time.  First time I’d ever heard it was days after learning a good friend had fallen asleep at the wheel and crashed his truck, dying in the accident.

“Andy (I Can’t Live Without You)” by Ashley McBryde gets me as well.  It’s her calling out her partner for all his faults but also admitting that she loves him despite it all.  This is the kind of song that probably resonates with anyone who has ever been in a long-term relationship.  Because even when you have a fantastic partner, they still drive you crazy at times.

I’ll probably get teased about this, but “If Everyone Cared” by Nickelback hits me like a brick if I haven’t heard it in a while.  Especially now, with all the craziness in the world.  I think we could all use a little bit more empathy for others.

How about you?  Are you a sap like I am who cries at random songs (and occasional commercials)?  What song has moved you to feel things strongly, even if it didn’t bring you to tears?

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for June 11, 2025

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Favorite Things to do in the Summer

MOVIE REVIEW: Royal-ish


Royal-ish
Writers: Teri Wilson
Director: Roger M. Bobb
Starring: Nichole Sakura, William Moseley
Publisher: Hallmark
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Romance
Rating: 4 Stars (8/10 stars on IMDB)
Review by Dicentra

Lacey is an amusement park princess who befriends 8-year-old Rose, a real-life princess, and is recruited by her handsome father to travel to their kingdom and be the new governess.

Hallmark movies are where happily ever after lovers go for a guaranteed happy ending (usually in the last five minutes), and that’s no different in one of their newest releases, Royal-ish. Theme park princess Lacey (Sakura) spends her days delivering magical tea parties to children in her role as Princess Sweet Pea. When she befriends 8-year-old Princess Rose (and her father and heir to the throne Prince Henry (Moseley) it sets off a romance that screams meet cute and swoon.

While the movie is very much stereotypical Hallmark in plot, it tackles some deeper issues. Lacey found work as a princess while she was working towards a graduate degree, and finds joy in bringing joy to others. She’s worried about aging out of her job (which hadn’t previously registered for me as an issue for theme park workers). The young princess Rose is struggling with the weight of responsibility after the death of her mother and a traumatic incident. And the romantic love interest (Prince Henry) struggles to balance his role as a father and the crown prince of a small kingdom. They did make some slight changes to the stereotypical ‘royal’ plot line for these movies that left me amused. And while the lines were undeniably cheesy, it remained entertaining and engaging.

Overall, this was another entertaining storyline. I didn’t realize this was supposed to be another ‘trilogy’ movie, as they didn’t connect it outright to the other movies (The Royal We and The Reluctant Royal) like they did in their other trilogies (The Wedding Veil Trilogy). I highly recommend this movie to those who like low pressure, guaranteed happily ever after stories. I don’t recommend this movie to those looking for innovative, high-stakes storylines that are harder to predict.

Thursday Thoughts: June 5, 2025

Since I’m about to embark on another road trip in a couple of weeks, I’ve been doing a lot of internet searching on things to keep my friend and myself from getting bored on the drive.  I’m still relatively new to this road tripping thing, so I definitely needed a bit of inspiration.  Especially since, when we did this when I was a kid, I’d sit in the back with my cassette Walkman (dating myself here) and a book.  But you can’t really do that when you’re the one driving.

So, how do we keep ourselves entertained?

The first thing my traveling partner suggested was an audiobook.  We’ve done this before, and it worked out really well.  We’re planning on a John Scalzi novel for this trip because he’s one of our favorites and his books are always lighthearted and a lot of fun.

The next thing she suggested were Mad Libs.  I am so excited that she did, too, because I haven’t done these things since my girls were in elementary school.  Found two different ones at Barnes and Noble and can’t wait to see what kind of ridiculousness we can come up with.

In a similar vein, since she and I are both writers, we have been known to randomly plot stories while we’re driving or otherwise preoccupied.  I’m hoping we can get some of that in during this trip, even if the stories never get written.

Something fun I saw online was to bring a notebook along and write down the interesting or crazy things you see on your trip.  Or funny things you and your travel partner say.  I love this idea because I want to make a travel junk journal once I’m back home, and these little observations and memories will be great to have for later.  Plus, it might remind me to keep all the silly little things you usually throw away on a trip.

Another idea I found online was to find the weirdest roadside attractions and stop at them.  This made me laugh because we came really close to doing something like this last year.  We’ll have more time and will be on the road more this trip, so I think we’ll have to factor this one in for sure.  And driving through the desert southwest, there’s bound to be some strange and odd things to stop and see along the way.  Maybe we’ll even spot a jackelope?

One I’d never have thought of on my own was to bring a project.  My travel partner is bringing her knitting, which I think is fantastic.  She can get caught up on her projects while I drive.  Since she has offered to take some of the driving duties off my hands, I ought to find something I can do while riding as well.  I’m open to suggestions as well.

Plus, I’m sure we’ll talk each other’s ears off whenever we have a bit of downtime, but I think that’s half the fun of a girl’s trip.

What kind of things do you do to keep yourself entertained on a long drive?

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for June 4, 2025

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Favorite Book Covers and Why

Movie Review: Snow Angel of Revenge

Snow Angel of Revenge (Kosten Enkeli)
Director: Keke Soikkeli
Producers: Marko Hartama and Keke Soikkeli
Starring: Vivi Wahlström, Karoliina Tuominen, Hannele Lauri, Konsta Hietanen
Publisher: Nordic Films
Genre: Horror, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars (8 Stars on IMDB)
Reviewed by Astilbe

Seeking solace and a break from her haunting past, Niina escapes to a remote, rural villa with her close friend Suvi. Their retreat, however, takes a sinister turn when they find themselves unwelcome, and through a series of unfortunate events, get entangled in the dark rituals of a mysterious ancient cult.

One fateful night, a ragged batch of locals, who worship an old pagan god, storm the villa demanding retribution for what the women have unknowingly done. Trapped in a nightmare of blood and brutality, only Niina survives the horrifying ordeal. Shattered but unbroken, she begins to rebuild her strength. With vengeance burning in her heart, Niina sets her sights on one and only one goal—revenge.

Not every god is easy to satisfy.

The plot twists were exciting and filled with moments that made me gasp and sometimes glance away from the scariest moments. Without sharing spoilers, some of my favorite ones involved Niina’s transformation from a terrified vacationer to someone who was determined to seek revenge for what had just happened to her and her friends. This is the kind of storytelling I love to find, and I only liked her more as I saw how she behaved as a result of every twist and turn that came her way.

I would have liked to have more information about the relationship between a character who was introduced early on in the storyline and the locals who worshipped an old god. This was something that intrigued me from the beginning, and I would have happily gone with a perfect rating if their connection was developed better. There was plenty of space there for explaining why that minor character offered a free vacation to Niina and how he knew about it in the first place, and the plot would have been stronger if that had occurred.

With that being said, the world building was otherwise well done and deliciously scary. I appreciated the way it played with the audience’s expectations as well as with common stereotypes about people who spend their lives in rural, isolated places. It can be difficult for many folks to understand why not everyone prefers their way of life, including the decision of where to live or which customs to follow. Horror can shine a light on the assumptions we make about each other and what that may say about us as human beings. This is one of the many reasons why I like that genre so much.

Snow Angel of Revenge made me shudder.

Thursday Thoughts: May 29, 2025

We all probably remember what we wanted to be when we grew up.  Some of us wanted to be doctors or astronauts or cowboys even.  Me, I wanted to be a teacher.  Then, I got older and was hit with the realization that I a) did not explain things well and b) did not have the patience to teach.

So, I pivoted.

I went through a few different phases as I got older.  At first, I wanted to be a psychologist, working with people and helping them help themselves.  I wanted to make a difference and thought this was my way.  But the deeper I got into my studies, the more I lost faith in humanity as a whole.  I soon decided that this was not my future.

Since I live in a town supported by the hospitality industry, and because I love to cook, I thought a job in the culinary arts would be a good fit for me.  My parents were not happy with this shift, but I still made it. With the help of my counselor, I settled on restaurant management.  His thoughts were that with a management background, I wouldn’t be stuck in the kitchen forever.

That’s when a strange thing happened.  My sister-in-law knew I had been unhappy in the job I had and told me someone she knew was looking for a receptionist.  Despite knowing I wasn’t qualified – I had zero experience doing anything outside answering a telephone – but I went to the interview anyway.  Why not, right?

My interview went like this.  “Hi, I’m Jeff, this is Nicole, and this is my Dad.  Nice to meet you.  This is your desk.”

It truly was a sign.  Being a receptionist was never my dream job, but you know what?  As it turns out, I am good at this.  I’d always thought I was naturally disorganized until I started this job and discovered that I have a knack for keeping things organized in a sensible manner that makes sense.  Who knew?  Not me, that’s for sure.

I’ve also joked with my boss over the years that this job prepared me for motherhood.  I have never met so many grown men who can’t do anything for themselves until this job.  But in a weird way, it helps satisfy that need to help people that I’ve always had.  Even though I wish they’d sometimes take a little initiative, I’m still happy to help whenever I can.

It seems like I found my calling by accident.  I legitimately fell into this job and yet, I’m thriving.  Yes, my co-workers make me insane sometimes, but for the most part?  I’m happy here.  I do something I enjoy and something that I’m actually good at.  I work for some wonderful people – a dad and his two sons – who truly appreciate my efforts every day.  And we have some really great guys who are quick to share a joke or check in on me if I seem like I’m not me.  Things honestly couldn’t have worked out better for me.

Sometimes, I still have dreams of being a celebrity chef with my own show.  But then, I sometimes pretend like I’m a rock star, too, so there’s that.  At the end of the day, I might have missed out on more lucrative or rewarding careers, but that’s okay, because I found the place I was supposed to be.  Here I am, nearly twenty-eight years later, and still happy to come to work and do my job.

What were your dream jobs when you were young?  How about now, aside from being comfortably wealthy, what would you choose to be doing right now if you could do anything?

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for May 28, 2025

Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.

Books That Need a Sequel

Top Ten Tuesday: Animal Companions


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

My favorite sorts of stories about animal companions are the ones that focus on the relationships between humans and their dogs, cats, birds, elephants, horses, ferrets, spiders, and other animals. There’s nothing like reading about cross-species relationships and how they can thrive!

1. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

2. That Quail, Robert by Margaret A. Stanger

3. Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O’Brien

4. The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony

5. King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian by Marguerite Henry

6. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Dave Manak

7. We Wish You A Ferret Christmas by Nikki Lynn Barrett

8. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

9. My Life with Leopards by Fransje van Riel

10. The Gift From Little Raccoon: A Pandemic Tale by Carolyn Watson-Dubisch

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for May 21, 2025

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Lessons I Learned from a Book Character