by Laura Beth

Commentary #44: My Life as a PBS Kid

Image Credit: quotesgram.com

As a child, my parents didn’t pay for cable TV.

They still don’t have it.

Image Credit: HD Guru

So, my main source of entertainment, in terms of television, was PBS.

Image Credit: pbskids.org

There are so many shows that came to mind when I was creating this post. I wanted to share a few of them with you, and how these shows have impacted my life.

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Arthur (1996-present)

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

I read the Arthur books in school and from the library. Reading Rainbow featured one of the books as well. When the show premiered in September 1996, I watched it every day, like clockwork. In the beginning, it was on after school, paired with Wishbone.

Many of these shows have found new life on YouTube and other streaming services (Netflix, etc.) It’s exciting to be able to watch them again.

It’s interesting to watch some of these shows as an adult. With Arthur, I learned about friendship, families, school, reading, and being a kid.

This is one of the few shows for kids that has explored tougher / more adult topics as well – Divorce, bullies, lying, cancer, and even a touch of religion since Francine’s family is Jewish.

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Barney & Friends (1992-2009)

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

I almost hate to admit it, but I loved the purple dinosaur and all his friends when I was little. There’s a picture of me on the porch of my parents’ house dressed as Barney for one Halloween – It must have been 1992 or 1993.

However, thinking back, the show taught me a lot of good things – Friendship, sharing, kindness, helping others, and so on.

Will you find me showing it to my kids? Not likely. It didn’t take long for the voices, and especially the songs, to get very annoying and corny!

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Ghostwriter (1992-1995)

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

When I was old enough to watch Ghostwriter, it was in its later seasons. However, I loved the show. It’s set in New York (Brooklyn, specifically), and I loved seeing the team work together to solve the mystery at hand. I remember finding an old composition notebook and creating my own “casebook” to follow along with the show.

This show made me want to put together my own group of friends to solve cases. It also teaches about reading, writing, friendship, family, struggles in middle school, and diversity. I loved that every member of the team was an individual, but they also worked as an awesome team.

The entire series is on YouTube, and I find myself re-watching it once or twice a year. I’ve also dreamed up a little bit of fan fiction from time to time.

—

Reading Rainbow (1983-2006)

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

Reading Rainbow has always been one of my favorites. I’ve always loved LeVar Burton’s personality, and I figured out pretty quickly that he played Geordi on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

I’ve always loved reading, and this show made want to read all of the books that were featured – The books that were the centerpieces of the show, and the books that the kids profiled at the end. I wanted to be one of those kids!

I still remember the Russell Memorial Library having special Reading Rainbow stickers on the book covers. The show was funny, entertaining, and showed how reading show literally show you the world.

I haven’t found many full episodes by way of YouTube, but Netflix has the first full season. I hope they’ll add more!

—

Sesame Street (1969-present, now partnered with HBO)

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

Sesame Street has been my long-standing favorite show. Big Bird was my favorite when I was younger. I even had three stuffed versions of him – A small, a medium, and a large that talked with a pull string.

Seeing a mix of new and classic episodes, songs, and shorts on YouTube, it’s fascinating to see how this show has stood the test of time. There was a lot of flack last year when the partnership with HBO was announced. Initially, I didn’t agree with it. But, having researched it, I see why PBS did what they did. I’m still not 100 percent okay with it, but I see the strategy behind it.

This show has so many life lessons mixed in with shapes, colors, and counting. I learned about friendship, family, helping others, good manners, patience, problem solving, and more.

Though not a major character on Sesame Street, Kermit the Frog has been my new favorite Muppet for a while now. Big Bird is a very close second. Cookie Monster, Grover, and Telly round out my top five.

There’s even a fun spin-off series on YouTube called The Furchester Hotel that takes Elmo and Cookie Monster across the pond! It’s adorable and I think it’s great.

—

Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego? (1996-1997)

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

I had almost all of the computer games, and I remember eagerly watching the kids travel through time to catch Carmen. I found myself applying some of the history I learned from the show in middle school, high school, and even college!

In college, I was so excited to discover that most of the Time episodes, and almost all of the Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? episodes (1991-1995) are in full on YouTube.

It’s amazing how I subtly learned geography and history with these two shows. I remember watching more of Time than World, since World was ending around the same time as Ghostwriter. Like Arthur, Wishbone, and ZOOM, this one was a daily after-school show for me if I was able to.

I dreamed of being a contestant, but I was too young to try out, and it ended before I turned 10. I loved the concept. Recently, I found myself dreaming up some fan fiction about both shows, so I may put those on paper here soon.

Re-watching a lot of the episodes as an adult, I’ve learned a few new things. It’s been awesome to keep learning after all these years. World just celebrated its 25th anniversary!

Plus, I’ve marveled at how crazy the 1990s were – That multi-media computer system!

—

Wishbone (1995-1998)

Image Credit: sidereel.com

This is another show that focused on reading, but it has an adorable Jack Russell terrier that dresses up as the characters and takes you through the book! Awesome!

I wanted to be Samantha, and have best friends like Joe and David. I even wrote an extensive fiction work for my first-ever creative writing class in college that was basically extended fan fiction of these characters, after the show ended and they started high school.

Like some of the other shows mentioned, the entire series is on YouTube, and I’ve loved re-watching them over the last few years.

—

ZOOM (1999-2005)

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

This was such a cool show. I was a super-fan for the longest time. I even printed everyone’s photos from their website and made my own posters. Yeah, I was that kid.

I loved that it had real kids doing awesome things. I remember making a lot of the crafts, and some of the food. I didn’t have a big group of friends to play a lot of the games, but it was fun to think about.

Some of the seasons are on YouTube, but not all. I’ve found parts and pieces of the first three seasons, and I hope that all of them will eventually be posted. It’s been fun to travel down memory lane!

This was another show that I really wanted to audition for, but then my mom helped me realize that Boston was a long way away from Chesapeake. That was a big bummer!

Regardless, I loved this show. It ended when I was a junior in high school, but I still watched it religiously. I didn’t tell many of my friends, but I still thought it was cool.

That’s all I have! This was such a fun post.

Did you watch PBS?

Did you watch any of these shows?

Do you have any favorite memories of these shows?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

10.01.16

by Laura Beth

Commentary #43: Thoughts On “Making A Murderer”

Image Credit: elitedaily.com

Holy wow.

It took a long time, but over the course of a Friday night in September and most of today, I was able to plow through all 10 addicting, spellbinding episodes of Netflix’s hit documentary, “Making A Murderer.”

When it was released in December 2015, I remember being intrigued from the get-go. It sounded like a fascinating story.

Fascinating, well, is just one word.

The story of Steven Avery, intertwined with the stories of Teresa Halbach and Brendan Dassey, takes you deep into the community of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, bordering Lake Michigan.

With this post, I’ll try to summarize the entangled network of the cases, the intrigue, the mystery, and the questions.

—

The Averys are a family that have never been liked or been highly regarded by local law enforcement. They run a huge salvage yard in the county that spans for acres and acres.

Steven was the most well-known of the family to the police. As a teenager, he was charged with a few petty crimes – Burglary, petty theft, and cruelty to animals.

In 1985, Steven was arrested for the sexual assault of a woman. Despite his insistence of his innocence, he was convicted, and sent to prison for 32 years.

In 2003, Steven was exonerated after 18 years. He was released from prison, thanks to help from the Innocence Project. Their tireless work was amazing to see.

Steven was arrested again, in 2005, and charged with the murder of Teresa Halbach. Teresa was a photographer for Auto Trader magazine, and was at the Avery’s salvage yard to take photos of a minivan that Steven wanted to sell. After that, Teresa disappeared.

The sheriff’s department and volunteers find Teresa’s Toyota RAV-4 on the Avery property. Blood is found in the vehicle. Areas of the property are excavated to discover burned bones, all fragments. The key to Teresa’s vehicle is found in Steven’s bedroom.

After Steven’s arrest, he claimed officials framed him, since he had filed a $36 million civil lawsuit against the county and several county officials after his exoneration. In 2005, it was still pending.

As the case heads toward trial, there are accusations of evidence tampering, and significant conflict of interest with the county investigating the case.

—

Simultaneously, Steven’s nephew, Brendan, was accused of being an accessory to Teresa’s alleged sexual assault and murder on the Avery property. He was sixteen at the time. He was known to have lower cognitive function, being enrolled in some special education classes in school and reading on a fourth-grade level.

Two investigators interview Brendan multiple times, even going to his high school to talk to him during school hours. Even though he was a minor at the time, his mother was never present for any of the interviews.

In the videotapes, it appears that Brendan is being coerced into eventually confessing to his involvement. The investigators appear to ask questions that force Brendan to admit his involvement in raping Teresa and witnessing his uncle Steven murdering her. On tape, he appears to admit that he helped stab her with a knife, and then the police indicate that Teresa was also shot.

However, Brendan later writes out a full timeline of the day in question. According to the written statement, Brendan came home from school, played video games, and ate dinner. In his own words, he states that he did not go over to his uncle Steve’s house, at all.

—

As the episodes flow, almost seamlessly, we see the roads up to their trials.

I won’t reveal the outcomes of their trials here, but I will say that the results were not what I expected.

It was fascinating to see both trials play out in a series of one-hour episodes. It was addicting. It was gut-wrenching. It was difficult to hear the account of what this man and this teenager allegedly did to this young woman, over and over.

Seeing the media coverage and their involvement made me realize how tough that work ethic is. The press conferences appeared to never end. The blending of the lawyers and attorneys for both sides was almost intoxicating.

Personally, I thought the filmmakers did an excellent job of showcasing both the prosecution and the defense. It was amazing to see all the work and research and presentations that were put into Steven’s and Brendan’s trials.

As a paralegal student, I was excited to see the potential work that I could be doing unfolding in front of my eyes. Besides excited, I felt a mix of emotions – Preparing for a trial, any trial, is complicated and stressful. The work that I will do one day can literally make or break a case for the client.

—

Overall, this series grabbed me by the collar and never let go. I wanted to marathon it all at once. Once the end credits started rolling, I wanted to click “Next” and not stop.

I feel terrible that the Averys were targeted by county officials for years. It appears that Steven always had a target on his back. He was wrongfully imprisoned for 18 long years. He, unfortunately, was not innocent until proven guilty.

However, with that said, the twists and turns of this series has left me unsettled.

Is there still justice in this world?

Is anyone still innocent until proven guilty?

Do we need to pay closer attention to law enforcement in terms of conflict of interest, bias, evidence tampering, and so on?

—

I feel it’s worth mentioning here that Steven and Brendan are, and Teresa was, white. Almost all of the main players / characters involved in this story are white. While watching, I wondered if it would have been a different story if a different race, or races, was involved in these cases. I say all of this carefully, considering the hotbed of emotions that has surrounded race relations and police involvement.

—

As stated in the series, we may never know what truly happened to Teresa Halbach.

However, the stories of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey continue.

In July, Netflix announced that a second season was being produced.

As recently as August 12, new developments in one of their cases have made national news.

It was another twist in a long, winding road that’s lasted over 10 years now.

I’m eagerly looking forward to what Netflix releases as the second season. I’m also watching the news more closely these days, interested in any shred of information on the case in question.

This series was a different, addicting spin on a true-crime story that spans multiple families, law enforcement agencies, and zeroes in on a small Wisconsin community. Like much of the nation, I’m on the edge of my seat now, where I can hardly wait to see what happens next.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.12.16

by Laura Beth

Commentary #42: Rec’d and Wreck’d – TV Shows!

Image Credit: Shealea at That Bookshelf Bitch.

I saw this post on Getting Through Anxiety, written by B.G.

The Rules:

Download the Rec’d & Wreck’d header and include it in your post.
Specify what you’re going to Rec’d & Wreck’d. If you were tagged to do a Rec’d & Wreck’d post, let us know and mention the person who tagged you.
List three things you would recommend (rec’d). Rave until your heart’s content.
List three things you would like to wreck (wreck’d). Rant until your heart’s content.
State your challenge for the next Rec’d & Wreck’d post. Here’s an example:
Rec’d & Wreck’d challenge:
– Type: Books
– Genre: YA Contemporary
– Prompt: I’m looking for a book that can make me ugly cry
You can open the challenge to all your blog readers, but you should nominate at least seven (7) people to do your challenge.
Do not forget to link back to the original post on That Bookshelf Bitch. That way, more people can learn about the feature and join in on the fun!

To find out more about Rec’d & Wreck’d, click here!

—

Ready?

Here we go!

Rec’d

Image Credit: imdb.com

(1) The Flash – This is the first superhero show that I absolutely love. The story is well-written, there’s drama and suspense, and the writers have tried really hard to stay true to the character and the comic books! The only thing I’ve hated thus far was the season 2 finale – It was terrible! However, I’m curious to see what they do with season 3!

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

(2) Last Man Standing – This is one of the best comedies I’ve watched. We’ve blown through all of the seasons, between Netflix and a handful of Friday nights. If you liked Home Improvement, definitely check this one out. Tim Allen is hilarious, and the cast of characters around him are awesome!

Image Credit: comicbook.com

(3) The Big Bang Theory – I got started late with this show, but I fell in love quickly. It’s awkward and adorable. They make science awesome! I can’t believe that Season 10 premieres next week!

Wreck’d

Image Credit: cbs.com

(1) Supergirl – I really wanted to like this show. I was so excited when they cast Melissa Benoist (Glee). But, after just a few episodes, it was clear that they were trying way too hard. Plus, they left out a few key characters! I’m happy that CBS didn’t cancel it, and they’ve moved it to the CW with The Flash. I plan to watch an episode or two of the new season, but I don’t have high hopes.

Image Credit: pinterest.com

(2) Gossip Girl – I read a few of the books between high school and college, and when I heard they were making it into a TV show, I wanted to give it a whirl. But, I knew immediately that it wasn’t my cup of tea. The books showcase the elite rich in New York, and it’s definitely evident in the show! It was too much for me.

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

(3) The Walking Dead – I have several friend who love this show. I think that’s great. Once I found out it had zombies and violence, I said no thanks, absolutely not. I don’t do well with a lot of violence / blood / gore. I tried one of the first episodes, and it almost made me sick.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.11.16

by Laura Beth

Commentary #41: Rec’d and Wreck’d – Movies!

Image Credit: Shealea at That Bookshelf Bitch.

I saw this post on Getting Through Anxiety, written by B.G.

The Rules:

Download the Rec’d & Wreck’d header and include it in your post.
Specify what you’re going to Rec’d & Wreck’d. If you were tagged to do a Rec’d & Wreck’d post, let us know and mention the person who tagged you.
List three things you would recommend (rec’d). Rave until your heart’s content.
List three things you would like to wreck (wreck’d). Rant until your heart’s content.
State your challenge for the next Rec’d & Wreck’d post. Here’s an example:
Rec’d & Wreck’d challenge:
– Type: Books
– Genre: YA Contemporary
– Prompt: I’m looking for a book that can make me ugly cry
You can open the challenge to all your blog readers, but you should nominate at least seven (7) people to do your challenge.
Do not forget to link back to the original post on That Bookshelf Bitch. That way, more people can learn about the feature and join in on the fun!

To find out more about Rec’d & Wreck’d, click here!

—

Ready?

Here we go!

Rec’d

Image Credit: filmaffinity.com

(1) Forrest Gump – This is one of my all-time favorite movies. If it’s on TV, I almost always watch it. I love the perseverance that Forrest has, and how he makes his impact on history. It has a wonderful mix of humor, charm, wit, fear, determination, triumph, and tragedy.

Image Credit: collider.com

(2) A Few Good Men – I didn’t watch this one in full until a few years ago. It came on TV one Saturday night when I was living alone in my apartment. Since the military has been a huge part of my life, I was naturally drawn to this movie. It does a good job in showcasing what the Navy and the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG) do every single day. It’s become one of my favorite movies. It’s full of drama, intrigue, and suspense!

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

(3) Grosse Pointe Blank – Al’s brother, Nick, introduced me to this movie around 2009. I had never heard of it, and Nick was shocked. We immediately sat down and watched it. It’s a bloody dark comedy – Literally – but it’s so good. I’m able to ignore much of the violence because of the humor and the way the characters interact. John Cusack and Minnie Driver absolutely shine, and Joan Cusack and Dan Aykroyd are roaringly funny. I’ve seen it several times, and whenever it comes on TV, we usually catch part of it.

Wreck’d

Image Credit: amazon.com

(1) Requiem for a Dream – This one was really confusing and tough for me to watch. I don’t think I even finished it. I was in college, and the way the movie opened threw me for a loop, and I spent the next hour trying to figure out what exactly I was watching. I know that it’s an acclaimed film, but the parts I did watch, I was just confused and lost.

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

(2) Snow White and the Huntsman – Al and I saw this in the theaters. The trailers looked interesting, but the movie itself fell flat on its face almost immediately. We’re not partial to Kristen Stewart, and Charlize Theron’s character was just weird in this film. The special effects were good, but that was about it.

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

(3) Reservoir Dogs – Several of my friends are huge Quentin Tarantino fans. I’ve seen almost all of the movies he’s made. The premise is good, the story is intriguing, but it’s just too bloody for my sensitive stomach to handle. I don’t do well with a lot of violence in movies, and this one was just too much.

I love this idea. I plan to do another post on TV shows, and possibly books!

What movies do you think should be Rec’d, or Wreck’d? I’d love to hear about it!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.07.16

by Laura Beth

Commentary #40: Thoughts on “Girl Meets World”

Image Credit: quotesgram.com

I didn’t watch Boy Meets World growing up, but I watched a good chunk of it in syndication in college (Yay, ABC Family!)

Image Credit: pinterest.com

Then, Disney announced that they were producing a sequel – Girl Meets World.

Image Credit: disney.wikia.com

Well, it’s safe to say that I’m hooked.

We’ve already blown through the first two seasons on Netflix! I can’t wait until they get a hold of season 3!!

I love that Disney basically picked up right where Boy Meets World left off, and then proceeded to update it for today’s kids and parents.

At the same time, it’s a bit surreal to think that the kids who watched Boy Meets World are now adults and probably have kids of their own now, just like the characters Cory, Topanga, Eric, and Shawn.

COREY FOGELMANIS, PEYTON MEYER, SABRINA CARPENTER, ROWAN BLANCHARD, BEN SAVAGE, AUGUST MATURO, DANIELLE FISHEL

GIRL MEETS WORLD – Disney Channel’s “Girl Meets World” stars Corey Fogelmanis as Farkle Minkus, Peyton Meyer as Lucas Friar, Sabrina Carpenter as Maya Hart, Rowan Blanchard as Riley Matthews, Ben Savage as Cory Matthews, August Maturo as Auggie Matthews and Danielle Fishel as Topanga Matthews. (Disney Channel/Edward Herrera) Image Credit: thewrap.com

I love that the show is mostly centered around the kids – Just like Boy Meets World was, back in the day. It certainly involves the adult characters, but the show is a decent role model for today’s kids. For me, I’ve seen many lessons about independence, friendship, moving, responsibility, choices, talent, and growing up, among other things.

It shows the struggles of middle school, mixed in with struggles of the adult world – Teaching, funding, helping others, making difficult decisions, supporting your family.

Now that I’m on pins and needles waiting for season 3, I want to go back and revisit Boy Meets World as a whole. There are some awesome flashbacks featured in Girl Meets World, and seeing those little snippets makes me even more nostalgic!

Overall, I think Disney’s done a good job with keeping a lot of the old elements, but also updating them for the new generations. Although it’s clearly designed for a younger audience, as a 28-year-old, I appreciate the show based on the nostalgia factor, the variety of social issues that are covered, and the feel-good atmosphere that surrounds the show as a whole. I’m happy that they’ve included a lot of the characters from the original show, as well as balanced those characters with new, fresh ones.

For me, this is similar to the feelings I felt when Netflix created Fuller House, but this experience is on a slightly different scale. I’m happy that Disney took this idea, knowing that they were taking a big risk with all of the Boy Meets World fans, and ran with it.

From what I’ve seen, it’s been a big success, so far.

What are your thoughts?

Did you watch Boy Meets World?

Have you watched Girl Meets World?

Let me know what you think!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

09.03.16

by Laura Beth

Book Review #18: “The Finders Keepers Rule: A Maryellen Mystery”

Image Credit: amazon.com

“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates loot on Treasure Island.”

~Walt Disney

After reading the first two volumes in Maryellen Larkin’s collection, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her mystery book.

If you haven’t already, I would recommend reading my first two posts before moving forward with this one:

—

Maryellen’s story continues in December 1955. Daytona Beach is busy preparing for its annual dance, and excitement is in the air.

I could almost hear “Rock Around The Clock” in my ears throughout the book. The music of the fifties is amazing!

As Maryellen practices dance steps with her sister Carolyn, and Davy practices football plays, there’s more excitement along the shore. There’s several secrets, a mysterious ring, and a sense of treasure afoot!

This book gripped me by the shirt collar and never let go. I couldn’t put it down! For being a book meant for ages 8 and up, it almost felt like a classic Nancy Drew mystery. There were twists, turns, a bit of danger, and several suspects!

I was happy to see a spotlight on several other characters: Maryellen’s sister Joan, Joan’s new husband, Jerry; and more of Davy.

Once again, this standalone novel proves that 10-year-old kids are just as smart and clever as adults. I was actually sad to get to the end!

If you like the thrill of discovering treasure, history, and a bit of suspense, I definitely recommend this book. This is a new favorite of mine!

To finish out Maryellen’s collection, I will be reading The Sky’s The Limit: My Journey with Maryellen (Choose-your-own-adventure). I hope to have that review published very soon!

4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

08.31.16

by Laura Beth

Commentary #39: “‘I Wasn’t Crazy.’ A Homeless Woman’s Long War To Prove The Feds Owe Her $100,000.”

Image Credit: pinterest.com

I found this link somewhere online last week, probably through Facebook. I like The Washington Post, for the most part. This was a fascinating story.

Here’s the link to the original story:

‘I wasn’t crazy’: A homeless woman’s long war to prove the feds owe her $100,000

I hung on every word of the story. This woman, Wanda Witter, age 80, is the prime example of perseverance and determination!

She refused to give up. She was convinced that something was wrong, and was determined to fight it tooth and nail!

For me, if I were homeless at the age of 80, I don’t think I would have the same courage, determination, and spirit!

This story also cast a light on the homeless in Washington, D.C. It’s a lot worse than I ever imagined. Yes, I know D.C. is a major city, but seeing the numbers and facts about its homeless population was stark and grim.

However, seeing the story written with both sides of the coin – Good and bad, facts and figures – made it better.

For Wanda, this battle has gone on for 16 YEARS.

That’s completely unacceptable.

But, it was her reality. The story cited the backlog that the Social Security Administration has faced for a long time. It makes me upset and a bit more critical of the U.S. government and its agencies.

But, maybe that’s just me, coming off a long weekend of organizing a mountain of receipts, a wave of bills, tabulating monthly paychecks, plus arguing with agencies such as Social Security and the DMV.

Aside from all of that, I have good news to report.

Right before I published this post, I found an update to Wanda’s story!

Here it is:

A homeless woman’s $100,000 smile after Social Security paid what it owed her

I was thrilled that the Post did an update so quickly.

It warmed my heart, and put a tiny little bit of faith back in the system.

I’m celebrating Wanda’s success with her. I’m excited and happy that she persevered, never gave up, and got every single penny that she deserved (and, there’s probably more money down the line). According to the update, she wants to get dental implants to fix her top teeth, then go see her four daughters, plus grandchildren, that live in different states.

And that makes me a happy blogger today.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

08.16.16

by Laura Beth

Book Review #17: “Harry Potter and The Cursed Child”

Image Credit: amazon.com

“Be honest to those you love, show your pain. To suffer is as human as to breathe.”

~J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany & Jack Thorne

After quite a bit of skepticism, I bit the bullet and purchased a copy of my own on Monday, August 8th. I took the day off from work to celebrate my birthday. My first stop when I arrived at MacArthur Mall in Norfolk was the massive Barnes & Noble.

The first chance I got to really start reading was on Sunday, August 14th. I needed to put my feet up for a while after cleaning the house from top to bottom, in preparation for having family over for the first time for a real meal!

—

I took a photo of the cover, posted that to Facebook, and promptly dove in.

About 45 minutes later, I had to resurface (with great reluctance!) to the real world to make the final preps for our guests, but in that short period of time, I had already flown through 135 pages. At that point, I was almost at the end of Act II.

—

Yesterday, Monday, August 15th, I desperately wanted to make more headway after a very long day at work.

After dinner, by the time 8:00 p.m. rolled around last night, I was finished.

I was astonished.

I had plowed through all 308 pages, all four acts, in a little over two hours.

As I called out to Al that I was finished, I was stunned.

He sat down on the living room couch, looked at me, and said, “How was it?”

Okay. You’ve made it this far.

SPOILER ALERT!

If you haven’t yet read Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, I would strongly advise / encourage you to scroll down, until you reach the place where I indicate the spoilers have ended.

Look for an image of a wand.

Okay?

Here we go!

—

I didn’t dislike it.

I certainly didn’t hate it!

I was shocked at how fast I read through it.

But, it is a script. It’s not a novel.

I liked how the writers formed the script. I was very happy that the story continued, virtually seamlessly, from the end of Deathly Hallows.

As I started, I found myself overcome with memories – Memories of first reading the books. Memories of seeing the movies.

I was transported to those magical worlds again, and they didn’t let me go. I couldn’t put it down. Despite several challenges and objections to plot points, I wanted to keep reading, to find out everything that was going on.

—

My only true preconception going into this experience was I thought I had figured out who “The Cursed Child” was.

I originally thought it was one of Harry and Ginny’s children, or possibly Ron and Hermoine’s child, Rose.

Boy, was I mistaken.

I wasn’t fully expecting Voldemort to return, let alone for Delphi to be his DAUGHTER.

But it was a wonderful mistake, in a way. It made the magic even more magical, if that’s such a thing.

—

In attempting to vocalize my feelings with Al, almost immediately after reading “The End,” I didn’t quite know how I felt about all of this.

Thinking about it in a broad sense, I enjoyed the story. Overall, I liked what they did with it.

I’m very glad it wasn’t just Rowling who was involved.

It had similar amounts of action, dialogue, drama, tragedy, and happiness as the previous stories.

That said, it was not one of Rowling’s novels. That was actually refreshing. It was nice to fly through a script so quickly, rather than sometimes being buried in detail-laden chapters that seem to never end.

I appreciated the attention given to the characters, both old and new. I was very pleased, and surprised, that Scorpius Malfoy was featured as a central character. As much as I hated Draco’s character in the earlier books and movies, I was happy that Scorpius, Draco, and Astoria were so prominent in this story.

The twists and turns were fun, although frustrating at times. Facing dark and light were expected, and the writers certainly delivered.

—

My main complaint with the script was attempting to keep up with all the flashbacks, and dream sequences, and time-turning. It seemed constant. It was tough to keep up.

There were multiple instances where I had to slow down, re-read several passages, and find my footing again before continuing. It happened more than I would have liked, and it got annoying very quickly.

However, I appreciated that each scene had its appropriate header. If I ever got truly confused, I had that ability to turn back a few pages and find my footing with the scene heading. I didn’t like that, though.

I wasn’t thrilled with the idea that Albus and Scorpius were hell-bent, determined to save Cedric with the Time-Turner. But, that’s what happens when two kids get ideas in their heads that they think are good and brilliant. However, I liked, toward the end, when the two of them admitted that those ideas were absolutely ridiculous.

—

I felt sad when I closed the book, but I also felt feelings of warmth and happiness.

As I pictured the last scene in my head, the story just ended. But, remembering that it’s a script, and being performed as a play, I appreciated the image of Harry and Albus, together, remembering Cedric.

Part of me wants more stories in the future, but part of me is also satisfied with this script. It was a sunset ending. It was tough to swallow at first, but stories like this can’t always be carried on for forever.

In terms of waiting so many years for this script to be released, it feels a bit lacking. However, with that said, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this, and I was skeptical from the time that the announcement was made – Despite being a huge fan of the original books.

—

SPOILERS END.

Image Credit: universalorlando.com

—

Final Thoughts:

Overall, it was a good read.

I’m happy that I decided to ignore the skepticism and read it for myself.

It was a good story, and I’m glad it was written and shared. Part of me wants to see the play, but I’m also satisfied with having the chance to read the script.

I look forward to sharing this experience with my husband, and then my future child/children.

Once a Potter fan, always a Potter fan.

Always.

4 out of 5 stars.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

08.15.16

by Laura Beth

Commentary #38: “In Defense of Villainesses”

Image Credit: azquotes.com

One of my dearest friends, Michaela Leigh, tagged me, along with 31 other amazing women, in a Facebook post the other day with this article and the following script:

“this one is for all the vibrant and ambitious Outlaw Women, Cowgirls, Gunsmoke Gals, and Femme Sharks in my life. your dreams and accomplishments inspire and delight me. may every day be filled with such unbridled joy that all you can do is throw your head back and laugh.”

Entitled “In Defense of Villianesses,” the author brilliantly starts to describe characteristics of powerful, confident, self-assured women.

Then, she applies those characteristics to Disney villianesses.

Here’s some of the examples she used:

Maleficent
Cruella de Vil
The Queen from Snow White
Yzma from The Emperor’s New Groove
Shego from Kim Possible
Ursula from The Little Mermaid

I eagerly started searching the Internet for quotes and images:

Image Credit: pinterest.com

Image Credit: pinterest.com

Image Credit: pinterest.com

Image Credit: quotesgram.com

Image Credit: pinterest.com

Image Credit: pinterest.com

One line stuck out to me instantly:

” … Why is it that I can easily remember the faces and voices of female cartoon villains, but if asked about female cartoon heroes, all I can remember is the clothes?”

Wow.

She’s absolutely right.

And then, towards the end of the piece, she blew me away again:

” …How might you laugh if you’d burned every bridge that needed burning, and there was nothing standing in the way of your ambition? How might you look, if the only person you needed to please with your fashion choices was you? It’s delicious and frightening to think about becoming the type of woman that a Disney illustrator would light from below, surrounded by billowing smoke, with your henchmen cowering in the background and every opportunity spread before you. It’s thrilling to imagine a life where your only fear is mortality, and even that can be negotiated out of the way if you know the right people or brew the right potions. It’s wonderful and terrible to think about having that much power, because as we all know, that much power makes you a villainess. …”

Her writing blew my mind.

I grew up admiring the Disney Princesses, especially Belle. I wanted to live in the Beast’s castle and fawn over that gorgeous, amazing, stunning library.

Image Credit: kardsunlimited.com

Image Credit: pinterest.com

—

As a child, and then transitioning into a woman, I remember fearing these villainesses.

The Queen from Snow White gave me nightmares for a while.

SW_Queen - disney.wikia

I pictured Glenn Close as Cruella de Vil for several years.

Image Credit: disney.wikia.com

Maleficent made me instantly cringe.

Image Credit: pinterest.com

Ursula gave me goosebumps.

Image Credit: disney.wikia.com

Yzma’s voice sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

Image Credit: pinterest.com

But, in a way, Sarah’s right.

Most of the Disney Princesses are portrayed as brave, heroic, ambitious, and determined.

However, the villainesses also have those characteristics.

And they don’t get the credit they deserve.

Like Sarah, I stand in defense of these villainesses.

—

I still admire Belle, but I admire her for her love of books.

I hope to have children one day, and because of this, I want to show them both sides of these characters. Yes, these women may be portrayed as villainesses, but they’re not all bad.

In fact, some of their qualities are significantly better than those of the princesses.

What do you think?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

08.14.16

by Laura Beth

Book Review #16: “Taking Off: A Maryellen Classic 2”

Image Credit: amazon.com

“The fifties – they seem to have taken place on a sunny afternoon that asked nothing of you except a drifting belief in the moment and its power to satisfy.”

~Elizabeth Hardwick

If you haven’t already, I would recommend reading my post titled Book Review #15: “The One and Only: A Maryellen Classic” before diving into this one.

—

Maryellen’s story continues as she prepares to celebrate her tenth birthday in 1955.

Three weeks before her birthday, a historic day emerges. Around the world, it’s broadcast that Dr. Jonas Salk has perfected a safe and effective vaccine for polio.

This is significant, since it was mentioned previously that Maryellen suffered from the illness during the Polio Epidemic of 1952. Fortunately, she only has two long-lasting effects – One slightly weaker leg and sensitive lungs.

As spring begins to change into summer, Maryellen experiences a bit of fame and those effects, both good and bad. She learns several lessons along the way, about fame, attention, bragging, and friendship.

Shortly before summer vacation starts, Dad brings home a silver spaceship of a surprise – The 1955 Airstream trailer. The whole family goes West and explores much of the American landscape. Maryellen gets caught in the middle of gathering ideas for a science contest, the dog getting loose, figuring out whether or not her sister Joan really wants to get married, and more.

One of Maryellen’s excellent traits is coming up with great, practical ideas, especially in times of adversity. Because of this, she’s able to help her mother, father, sister Joan, and unites her girl friends and boy friends together to form an amazing science contest team.

The two stories blend very well together. They transported me from my home in Virginia straight to Daytona Beach, the Alamo, Old Faithful, and back to Daytona Beach. I could visualize everything, and almost smell certain smells.

—

In the future, I plan to explore the two other books in the Maryellen collection: The Sky’s The Limit: My Journey with Maryellen (Choose-your-own-adventure), and The Finders-Keepers Rule (Historical Character Mystery).

4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

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Tag Archives: Commentary

Book Review #18: “The Finders Keepers Rule: A Maryellen Mystery”

Commentary #39: “‘I Wasn’t Crazy.’ A Homeless Woman’s Long War To Prove The Feds Owe Her $100,000.”

Book Review #17: “Harry Potter and The Cursed Child”

Commentary #38: “In Defense of Villainesses”

Book Review #16: “Taking Off: A Maryellen Classic 2”