A Song A Day 'Til Christmas: Day 8

December 8
Song: Christmas in Dixie
Artist: Alabama
Okay so I kind of wanted to find the Kenny Chesney version of this song but Youtube was not being particularly cooperative...but the I think Alabama did it originally...anyway...I really like this song even if I feel absolutely no affection for the South whatsoever...despite the title it is more National than Southern...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDYfXlMR9QA

~Writer Freak~

"By now in New York City, there's snow on the ground
And out in California, the sunshine's falling down
And, maybe down in Memphis, Graceland's all in lights
And in Atlanta, Georgia, there's peace on earth tonight"

A Song A Day 'Til Christmas: Day 7

December 7
Song: All I Want For Christmas Is You
Artist: Mariah Carey
Yes I realise that this is not the seventh December...I also realise that I started this project LAST Christmas and then just sort of abandoned it...I apologise for that...but I am back and going to try finish it up this year...we all know I probably won't get all the way to Christmas, but I am going to try...maybe in a couple of years it will work out...
Anyway to catch up I am going to post three songs today and this is the first one...So yeah...here it is a little more pop than any of the previous ones, but I love this song...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3301GECa7EU

~Writer Freak~

"Oh I just want you for my own,
More than you could ever know.
Make my wish come true.
Baby all I want for Christmas is you..."

New Website to Check Out

Hey,
I know it's been a while...like six months, but I've been working on another website, which is about the history of the Vineyard Fifteen. Check it out at:
vineyardhaven15.net

~WriterFreak~

A Song A Day Til Christmas: Day 6

December 6.

Song: Christmas Don't Be Late

Artist: The Chipmunks

I never intended to include this song in the list, but after being trapped in a room were this song was being played on loop for ten minutes or so...well lets just say I think that it deserves at least something. I know some of you might find it extremely annoying, but I hope it will remind some of you of those happy childhood days were your parents would yell at you to turn it down because they found it extremely annoying.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGOMvHtlzOI

~WriterFreak~

"I still want a hula hoop."

A Song A Day Til Christmas: Day 5

December 5.

Song: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Artist: Judy Garland

For those of you who know me you had probably figured out that this one was coming and I was listening to Lady Antebellum's Christmas album and decided today would be an excellent day for it. In fact I almost put their version instead of the original, but I could not bring myself to do it. I love that movie so much. (Meet me in St. Louie, Louie and take me to the fair. Don't tell me that the lights are shining anywhere but there...) Anyway enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNAyZNzLCuQ

(I did not pick a lyrics video for this but that was deliberate because I wanted the scene from the movie.)

~WriterFreak~

"Here we are as in olden days,

Happy golden days of yore.

Faithful friends who are dear to us

Gather near to use once more."

A Song A Day Til Christmas: Day 4

December 4.

Song: White Christmas

Artist: Martina McBride

I could not figure out what I wanted to do for today's song, but then I was listening to Let it Snow on the radio. My first thought was that I should do that, but I had also kind of been saving it for a day when it was, well, snowing. So then it occurred to me that I needed a song about wanting it to snow...and I think you can figure the rest out from there. I picked the Martina McBride version of it because I like her and the video I found is rather nice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiVK_uJekPA

~WriterFreak~

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

Just like the ones I used to know

Where the treetops glisten

And children listen

To hear sleigh bells in the snow"

A Song A Day Til Christmas: Day 3

December 3.
Song: City of Silver Dreams
Artist: Sugarland
I was not sure what I should do for today, but I was listening to Sugarland's holiday album (Gold and Green) and this is the opening track. I am rather fond of it though to be fair you would be hard pressed to find a Sugarland song I do not like. I also really like New York City to which this song makes numerous referances...What is it with holiday songs and New York City? I have no idea...anyway most of you probably have not heard this song before so I hope you like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orZb6FDw1QE
(I could not find a lyrics video for this one...Sorry. This one just had pictures, but it is really pretty.)

~WriterFreak~

"They say that this city will change you
But it ain't me that's been changing
From what I can tell"

A Song A Day Til Christmas: Day 2

December 2.

Song: When Christmas Comes to Town

Artist: Polar Express Soundtrack

Yesterday a picked a more traditional song, which seemed like a good idea for the first day, but if I had chosen any other song for the first day it would have been this one. It is not one of the well known ones and I have never heard it played on the radio, but it is one of my very favorite Christmas songs of all time. The lyrics and the music are both beautiful, and I adore the message. It is certainly one of my top five favorite Christmas songs. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtszN3TkQsI

~WriterFreak~

"The best time of the year

When everyone comes home

With all this Christmas cheer

It's hard to be alone"

A Song A Day Til Christmas: Day 1

One of my favorite traditions growing up was reading our Story A Day Til Christmas book with my parents. This year I thought I would spread the Christmas Spirt in a similar way. I do not have the time to do a story every day (I wish I did but I just do not), so instead I am going to choose a different Christmas song to feature each day. Some will be classics (Note that the artist listed is simply the one who is preforming the version I attached) and others with be more recent ones. Either way I will do my best to update each of the next 24 days with a new one.

Disclaimer: I do not own the songs. I have no affiliation with the songs. I did not make the youtube videos. I have no affiliation with the youtube videos. Are we clear? Good.

December 1.

Song: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Artist: Bing Crosby

I thought this seemed like an appropriate choice for the first day of December. Of course the stores have been looking a lot like Christmas since about September, but people are starting to decorate their houses and it just looks so cheery at night. Hopefully I will get around to decorating our house this week... Anyway enjoy the first day of December:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9OhUEEgtls

~WriterFreak~

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Toys in every store
But the prettiest sight to see
Is the holly that will be
On your own front door"

Repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/us/politics/19cong.html?_r=1&hp

On Saturday, the Senate voted to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' by a vote of 65-31. Then they sent it to President Obama, who signed it. This repeal with allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.

Over 12500 service members have been forced to leave the military since the ban was created in 1993. Why we would our military would turn away eager, able-bodied men in the middle of a war is beyond me. Why does it matter who they love? This is a country built on the concepts of freedom and understanding and acceptance of people who are different than ourselves. If they love our country enough to risk their lives for it, why should we not only turn them away, but try to limit their freedom?

I think that this repeal is a necessary and long over due step towards the freedom and equality that America has alway promised.

~Writer Freak~

"When I was in the military they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one."

Epitaph of Leonard P. Matlovich, 1988 (Thanks, Marlene)

Trunk Found Containing Baby Bodies in LA

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100902/ap_on_re_us/us_infant_skeletons

This story is unique. In a lot of ways, it resembles the plot of a book. However, it is real. I am not going to hazard a guess as to what happened to the infants because I do not have any information that the police do not have. I have only seen what is in that article. I do not pretend to have anywhere close to a full picture. Cases that involve children are different than cases that involve adults. The world perceives children as innocent and the younger they are the more that is true. Everybody takes a side. I merely want to look at the different sides.

Some will see it as murder. Some will believe that someone killed these babies. Some will see it as a tragic accident. Some will believe that something happened that was beyond the control of human beings. I think that either is quite possible. I also think that we need to define murder because the possibility of abortion has been brought up. There are many gray lines.

The cops are doing their very best on this case, and only time will tell what the answer is. There is also a possibility that the police will never know what happened. It is a cold case. There will be few people left who know what happened if there are any at all. Those that are still alive would likely not be able to remember much of anything.

The article states that we may never know why the babies were placed in the trunk or who put them there. That is true. However it is also true that we may never know how they died or who they are. Contrary to what the cop shows on TV tell you: the coroner does not always know what the cause of death was. That is just how it goes.

Another thing that really interests me is the things that were in the trunk with the babies. It may be completely random junk, but it might also have had a significant meaning to whoever put it there. IT is said to be "a pearl necklace, an iron with a thick electric cord, a girdle, a figurine, books, photos, documents and a cigar box painted with depictions of saints." Some of that had to have meaning. I would love to know more about the books, photos, and documents. Maybe they could reveal who the family was. We can just add that to the list of questions that may never get answered, or at least not one released to the public at any rate.

There are going to be a lot of reactions to this story. In fact there already are over four hundred comments posted to this article. Many of them are to the tune of 'the police are wasting time and resources looking into something that happened decades ago.' To those people I ask: What if it were you? What if they found your body decades later? Would it be a waste of time and resources then?

I am personally inclined to agree with Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck:

"Justice, even when delayed, is still justice."

~WriterFreak~

"Justice denied anywhere diminishes justice everywhere."
Martin Luther King Jr.

CSI Miami

CSI Miami

(CBS--Fall Season--Season 9 Opener)

Oh my gosh I love you CSI Miami. You are wonderful. I love you. Yes I spent a lot of the episode mocking your main character, but I do not actually watch that show for Horatio. It is all about Calleigh, Eric, and Natalia. And they were all brilliant.

Going in I really did not care that Jesse was going to die, but that made Natalia cry and that is just unacceptable. (Yes I believe is spoilers before hand but not if someone has scene the episode and I have not) I love Natalia and that scene when she realizes Jesse is gone and starts crying and Horatio tries to comfort her is so sweet.

Eric was so sweet with Calleigh though. He would not leave her alone. It was a bone headed move but it was sweet. I love those two. Especially that scene with everyone except Calleigh getting up and Horatio and Eric were crouched over her trying to get her to breath. That was so sweet.

And the end scene was brilliant. I loved that Calleigh reffed but Natalia got right in there and played with the boys. That was so fun and so perfect for both of them. Perfect for the whole team actually. And a great goodbye for Jesse.

It is going to be a great season if we keep going this way. So here is to a wonderful season nine.

~WriterFreak~

(at the beach court)
Walter: How did you know I was gonna be here, H?
Horatio: Where else would you be, Walter?
Eric: That's right. We're always here for each other.
Ryan: I'm on Walter's team, 'cause frankly, uh, Calleigh and I bet money on this, and I want to throw the game.

CSI New York

CSI New York
(CBS--Fall Season--Season 7 Premier)
There are only three things that I feel I need to address: The resolution of the cliffy, Jo Danville, and Stella Bonasera.
Okay first I liked the way they resolved the cliff hanger, and I totally called it. That is what I said was going to happen. Go Linds!
Second: Jo Danville...Adam does not like her...Lindsay in painfully aware she is not Stella...Mac isn't sharing...Hawkes is on the fence...Danny likes her... I am somewhere between Adam and Lindsey. I think I will probably end up liking her except she is a little more forward than I like... she does not have the soft side that Stella does. I will give her a few more episodes. But she well NEVER be Stella.
I am very unhappy at the way they said goodbye to here...In other words they did not. She was just gone. I mean I understand that Melina did not leave them a whole lot of options, but there was more than one option better than that. They did the same thing to Eleanor in In Plain Sight. One season she was there and the next season she was gone with only a one line explanation never to return again. You can get away with that with Eleanor because she was a secondary character, who was only there for one season. Stella was the female lead for 6 seasons!!!
There is also the fact that to some extent the destroyed her characterization not as badly as they did with Riley on CSI but bad enough. There is nothing in this world that could have made Stella leave Mac and the team. She was an orphan. They were the only family she had ever know and she would die for any one of them. She would never ever leave them. Ever!
So here is to the best season they can make without Stella. I am going to go back to watching the best Stella and best Stella/Mac episodes I can find so as to make up for last nights defincency. Smacked is forever!!!
~Writer Freak~
Jo (standing over a dead body she found in the lab): I was under the impression that it was BYOB.
Danny: What?
Jo: Bring your own body.

The Mentalist

The Mentalist
(CBS--Fall Season--Season 3 Premier)
This was the first Episode of The Mentalist that I watched live. I have been working my way though the first season on DVD for about four months now and I am totally in love with it.
Jane and Lisbon are so wonderful together. I liked that Lisbon manipulated Jane to get him to work the case. That was priceless. Then she spends the entire episode trying to find out what his revenge is, which of course is his revenge.
However my very favoritest scene of all was the last one with Jane and Lisbon. The one where she asks him why he is pulling away from the team. And he basically admits to trying to protect her (and the rest of the team). That is so sweet. And she doesn't want him to pull away. And he say he won't. And she knows he's lying. And I am such a Jisbon Fan.

But admit. Red John goes after Jane's wife and daughter. Then Jane goes on his first date since their deaths and Kristina gets taken (and we all smile ecstatically). Why hasn't Red John gone after the person who is closest to Jane in the world? I mean I don't want Lisbon to be taken (she is my favorite character) but I am saying it would make since.
On another note I don't think that Jane could pull away even if he wanted to. The others wouldn't let him do that. They care about him to much. And I would hurt Lisbon. He doesn't want to do that. Lisbon has had enough people hurt her (dead mother, dead abusive alcoholic father).
I cannot wait to see what this season has in store. Go Jisbon!
~Writer Freak~
Lisbon: Give me a reason.
Jane: I'll bet you all the tea in China.
Lisbon: Ugh. That is not a reason.

CSI

CSI
(CBS--Fall Season--Season 11 Premier)
Oh my Gosh! If you are doing a publicity stunt by going on a major crime drama I would recommend you NOT blow up my Nicky!!! First they shot him and now they blow him up. And by the way, Justin Bibber will Never Ever be forgiven for blowing up my Nicky!!! Okay I'm done with that for now.
At least we got Catherine back. They have pretty much sidelined her since Grissom left and now she is back to being the person she was before. She is the boss, but she treats everyone like they are her family.
She was so gentle and caring with Nicky. It was wonderful. And when she talked about Warrick she was almost crying. That was so sweet. And the first reference to Warrick in two years. Why don't shows like mentioning past characters?
Oh and Casey. I was pitching a fit about Wendy be forced to leave the show but if we get to keep Casey...I am acctually pretty happy with that. I love Casey. Which is a sure fire way to make certian she is dead with in the year, but lets hope they curse breaks.
So here's to a new season better than the last.
~Writer Freak~
Cath:After I lost Warrick I threw myself into my work. I thought if I worked hard enough, then I wouldn't have to think about what happened. Nicky, there isn't enough work in the world.
Nick: I never knew that about you
Cath: I'm good at hiding things. Just like you.

Bones

Bones
(Fox--Fall Season--Season 6 Premier)
Bones is back...I liked the season opener. It did not fall victim to last seasons habit of making wonderful episodes that were completely ruined by their last five minutes. Granted the season before that there was an episode in which the only redeeming characteristic was its last five minutes.
As for the new character developments... We got rid of the squinterns! On the other hand, there were three things that I swore I would kill the producers for if they did. I don't remember the first one, but I know that the other two were if either Booth or Bones came back with a love interest and if somebody came back with a kid...
I really despise on screen pregnancies... Okay maybe I resent them because they are over done and done unrealistically in fanfic...So i will reserve judgment until I see how they handle it. If they can pull they way CSI NY did (With Danny and Lindsay and Lucy) then they can go for it.
I found it sweet that everyone came back for Camille (my favorite character), but did it occur to anyone else that she would have known a lot of the stuff the Bones/Angela/Wendall told her? She is more competent than that episode made her look!
They put a Mastodon in on the forensics lab! I was laughing at that for several minutes that was inspired. The end Booth Bones conversation about working around bigger things was priceless.
So here is to the hope that Bones can crawl out of the grave it dug itself last season.
~Writer Freak~
Bones (to Caroline): You're the lynchpin.

NCIS: Los Angeles

NCIS: Los Angeles
(CBS--Fall Season--Season 2 Premiere)
I liked the premiere. I really cannot say how related it is to the season finale, because I watched NCIS LA September through February, and I missed the end of the season. As a stand alone set of two episodes I liked it... (though I have never figured out the point of running two unrelated episodes one right after another.)
I am struck again by the significant differences between NCIS and NCIS LA. In fact, if they did not share a name and a couple of characters, I would assume that they were two different shows. NCIS LA features much more undercover work, which is what I really like about it. I also appreciate the differences, because, well, let's face it: all three CSI's are pretty much the same set up (and I love all three of them with a burning passion) but the two NCIS's are completely unique.
These two episodes were really great episodes for Kenzie especially. I mean, we get Sam and Callen all the time, but Kenzie does not usually get the spotlight. In this one, she had several good scenes. I especially liked those scenes where she met her friend for lunch and tried to learn her cover story.
Lastly, where is Nate? I want to know what Hetty did with him, but I guess we will see in time.
Here is to a great season 2. May it be as good as the the second NCIS season was.
~Writer Freak~
Hetty: Sometimes it is better to just leave the lie in place.

Glee

Glee:
(Fox--Fall Season--Season 2 Premiere)
Glee is a weird show. Good weird and bad weird, but mostly just weird. I find it interesting and the singing is pretty good and they chose good songs. I found Season 2 started out pretty much the way season one ended.
They are all good friends, except for the rifts between them... Rachel and everyone... Tina and Artie and Tina's new boyfriend... Santana and Quinn. I hope we see some more of these, because conflict is fun. I really rather liked Rachel sending that new girl Sunshine to a crack house. That was rather amusing... until Sunshine joined Vocal Adrenaline. Wait, that is fine by me, because I don't like her anyway.
Quinn is head cheerleader again! I am so happy. I love Quinn. I find her to be a really amusing character because she is sweet and innocent except only sort of. I am amused by her method of getting Sue to let her back on the squad.
Then there is the new Football coach. I found Will and Sue's crusade amusing, but I was glad that he caved in. Will does not do bad guy well. The football coach does though. She threw Finn of the team...sad...But he still has Rachel (I have like Rachel/Finn since the beginning).
Okay, I think I have said enough...Well, except that I hope we get to see Terri again this season.
~Writer Freak~
Beist: People said that Sue was the mean one and you were really cool. I guess they were right...except for the last part.

NCIS

NCIS:
(CBS--Fall Season--Season 8 Premiere)
The NCIS season opener... Well, I liked parts of it... I liked a lot of it actually. I found it much more interesting than the season finale. However that was nearly four months ago so I may be remembering that episode incorrectly (I doubt it though. I was not all that pleased with the finale. They killed Lara Macey...she was just one more throw away character I fell in love with...)
The character development and relationships were stellar. I loved the way Gibbs protected Abby when the annoying Spanish dude (who has a name that I cannot remember) threatened her. And the scene with Ducky and Abby down in autopsy near the end was brilliant.
On another note...What is up with the team? McGee...he looks thinner and paler then he did before. And Tony and Ziva have gone back to flirting with each other in ways reminiscent of Season Three, which I find strangely refreshing because we all know they will never see the light.
Oh, and Tony and Ziva's fathers are both lurking somewhere out there... That should be interesting (and most likely bad). Eli is never good news.
Vance is growing on me though...not much...I do not like him, but he is improving... Some. For the first two seasons he bothered me, because he would not stand up for the team the way Jenny did. She cared about them and put her neck out for them. They were her friends. Vance can never compare to that. (Oh, and Jenny is Gibbs's soulmate)
Ah well...Let us see what this season brings and hope it is interesting.
~Writer Freak~
Gibbs: If you want to threaten someone, threaten me. Not my team.

Chase

Chase:
(NBC--Fall Season--Pilot)
Quite honestly, I had no plan to watch this show at all, but I saw an add for it and I thought 'What the heck?' It turned out to be really interesting.
It also looked like it would be a knock off of USA's In Plain Sight. In truth it is to some extent, but it is also very different. Annie and Mary may both be tough as nails, stubborn women with less the perfect family stories, but they are different characters. Annie is not a loner. She has a close relationship to her partner and is open about that.
I think this show also gives us an interesting insight on criminals and the law. There are so many different shows that show us the point of view of law enforcement. There are also those that show us the point of view of the criminals. However this one, at least in the pilot, shows us both sides. I like that.
Actually, I really think I will enjoy watching her character and the other characters evolve. Hopefully I will be able to fit this new show into my schedule.
~Writer Freak~
There are two sides to every chase...