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Saturday, January 06, 2018

2018 - The "Be Your Own Best Friend" Year

Well, we're already one week into 2018.  How has it been for all of you so far? 

I have to say that given what happened last year, I see 2018 as a new opportunity.  A new chance to reinvent myself.  To say goodbye to past mistakes and have the opportunity to create new ones.

(Wait.  That came out SO wrong.)

I guess what I'm trying to say is that 2017 taught me a lot about myself.  Not only that, but it taught me a lot about other people.



In fact, I've already declared 2018 to be the "Be Your Own Best Friend" year. 

All right, all right.  Maybe it's only applicable to me, but I will explain why I have done that - and what exactly that means.

You see, 2017 was a year in which I saw the absolute best of humanity, as well as the absolute worst.  It was a year in which several things happened in which I could really tell the difference between who was a real friend and who only wore the "friend hat" when it only seemed to benefit them.

Frankly, I'm over it.

There was a situation that I can remember clear as a bell.  I think I had to have been around thirteen years old.  It was just before the band was set to go on stage at my elementary school, and I was supposed to go on.  At least that was until one of my friends and I got into a disagreement that stemmed from - well, I can't even remember what we were fighting about now because it seems so long ago and it was that insignificant. 

Of course, it prompted a classmate of mine named Rob (and yes, I probably won't ever see him again so I don't mind referring to him by his first name) to really get in my face about it even though he had absolutely nothing to do with me or the friend that I was fighting about, and he basically blasted me by saying that I didn't know what a friend was.  I'll admit that it stung quite a bit, and my reaction was to fake a stomach ache so I didn't have to play in the concert because I was that upset. 

But as much as I hate to admit this...all those years later, Rob did make a valid point.  Granted, I still think Rob is a jerk, but he was right.  I didn't know what being a friend was because I had a hard time finding and keeping friends.  Obviously I made a huge mistake with Rob because I actually invited him to my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles party for my 9th birthday only for him to befriend a new group of kids who absolutely despised me. 

But looking back on it, I think I've had that issue my whole life.  I don't have a whole lot of friends who I can say that I've known since kindergarten and who I am still close with today - maybe only two people fit that description.  They are clearly the exception to the rule.

It seemed as though whenever I tried to be friends with someone, it ended one of three ways.  They either moved away and we never talked again, they found a new group of friends and didn't talk to me again, or they became my worst enemy.  As a kid, I didn't understand why this always happened.  Looking back, I think there's equal blame to be found.  I could have done more to try and keep the friendship going, but they could have also made up their own minds and not succumb to peer pressure either. 



I guess it's why I hesitate to call someone my "best friend".  I've mentioned that I was leaving 2017 feeling jaded, and part of the reason why is because I feel as though many of the people I considered friends have bailed on me.  Whether it's on me, or on them, I don't know.  All I know is that my relationships with people who I thought were on solid ground felt as though they were hit with a landslide, and it's made me feel as though I couldn't count on anybody.

I guess that's ultimately what made me come up with the idea of being my own best friend.  I guess in a way, you can't really respect other people if you don't respect yourself.  And honestly in 2017, I put myself last a lot.  In some aspects, it couldn't be helped.  But in others, it most definitely could have.  I left 2017 feeling incredibly defeated and alone because I didn't think I was good enough for people to associate with me.  And, I guess on my part, I got fed up with people trashing each other behind their backs or who gossiped every minute of the hour to even want to associate with them. 



2018 is the year in which I declare myself to be my own best friend because I think I deserve to have someone positive behind me - even if it is only me.  I got to the point where I almost started to accept toxic relationships for the sake of just having somebody to talk to, and that is incredibly dangerous behaviour.  Now I realize that I would rather be alone with my own thoughts of positivity instead of at an entire table of people who will never be true friends.  So, right off the bat, I think that's a great start, right?

Eventually, I hope that I can use this new outlook on life to experience some new adventures on my own - even though I have a really hard time trying new things without someone there to experience them.  I'm thinking that once the snow melts (because let's face it - the winter of 2018 is definitely hibernation weather), I might continue my "see my hometown through the eyes of a tourist" mindset and showcase various parts of my community the way that someone outside the box of normalcy would.

I'm also not going to count on people to make me happy any longer.  If I want to treat myself to a DQ Blizzard because it makes me happy, that's what I'm going to do.  If I want to buy an iTunes card to download some of my favourite songs, that's what I'm going to do.  And if I want to wear underpants that make me feel sexy even though I feel anything but, then that's what I'm going to do.  Heck, it's not like anyone's going to see them anyway!

Yeah, 2018's going to be the year that I finally start to treat myself the way that I deserve to be treated.  And if anybody else has a problem with that, they simply don't have to come and join in.  They can continue along on their merry little way and I'll bid them a hearty "Bye, Felicia" as they pass.  Even if their name isn't Felicia.



And maybe...just maybe...if I become my own best friend in 2018, then in 2019, I can start focusing on finding others who are their own best friends...and then maybe our best friends will become best friends, and then we'll start a knot of friendship that is built on the foundation of love, trust, kindness, and strength.



Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to spend a night in with my best friend Netflixing and chilling.  In fact, this opportunity has me thinking of a new feature that I plan to start later this month.  But more on that later.  For now, it's time to bond with my bestie.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Tuesday, January 02, 2018

Personal Reflections of 2017

Of all of the entries for the look back at 2017, I think this one has got to be one of the most difficult.  Mainly because 2017 wasn't the greatest year for me.  It was a year in which I experienced things that were quite upsetting, endured things that I wish I hadn't, and came to a few conclusions about myself that have not only surprised me, but made me realize why I am the way I am, and why I behave the way I do.  And the more and more I think of it, the more I want 2018 to be a bit of a redemption year.



These are my personal reflections of the year 2017 - a year that I did not ask for, nor did I want.  But like it or not (emphasis on the word not), I survived it.  And I learned a lot about myself as a result.

So, let's get the obvious out of the way first.  The main reason why I loathed 2017 so much was because my family experienced a lot of hardships this year.  The most obvious one was the fact that I talked about how I stayed away for the better part of two months to help take care of a family member that had an accident.

I'm still unable to talk about the details of what happened, but I can reveal a bit more about who it was that got hurt.  In October, my mom took a nasty fall and broke her hip.  It was a really tough recovery for her, and while the bone has healed to expectations, the muscles in her left leg were damaged.  As a result of this, she is walking with a limp and a cane - perhaps permanently.  It's still too soon to tell as it only happened three months ago, but that injury was really a rough blow for her (and for us).  Though while I wish that it didn't happen at all, I am glad that she is recovering.  If anything, I'm relieved this incident has shown all of us how determined she is at bouncing back.  She's done remarkably well in her recovery and I am proud of her.  And I suppose another positive thing about this incident was that it made my family a lot stronger as a unit.  It's a shame that it took this to make me realize it, but on the whole, we're going into 2018 a lot stronger than we were in 2017.



And believe me, 2017 has tested my strength in more ways than one.  Especially on an emotional level.

You know, when I was coming to terms with the fact that I thought differently from everyone else in the world, it never dawned on me that I would be redefining my definition of the word "normal".  I always classified myself as the kind of person who always thought outside of the box.  I was always the one who coloured outside the lines.  I was the one who insisted on colouring frogs purple even though there is no such thing as a purple frog in nature.  And all my life, I've always had to try and defend myself against people who thought I should conform to be like them.  It was a frustrating experience throughout childhood, and even more frustrating in my early adulthood.

It wasn't until this past year that I figured out one potential cause.  Reading up on Asperger's made me realize that although I haven't been diagnosed with it formally, I do have a lot of the symptoms of it.  It definitely explains why I have a nearly impossible time connecting with people and why I have very few true friends.  It's why I feel anxiety and panic whenever I go to a convention, movie theatre, restaurant, or festival by myself.  It's why I have had difficulty with motor skills to the point where I can't even drive a car.  It's why I burst into tears every time the kids at school threatened to pop a balloon in my face (because yes, sensitivity to loud noises is a common symptom).



It has taken me a long time to come to terms with the fact that I was not born "normal".  And I am not going to lie to you, there are some days in which I wish I could be like everyone else.  But if the year 2017 has taught me anything, it's how I needed to redefine what the word "normal" really meant.

I suppose this leads to my next point.  I found 2017 to be an incredibly lonely year for me.  I can probably count the times that I was invited to an event or a celebration or just to hang out with somebody on one hand.  And while I've never really considered myself to be a social butterfly, I didn't expect that I would see this year as being one where I didn't do much at all.

Now, coming to terms with the fact that quite a bit of this is my own fault was actually the easy part.  I didn't really make much of an effort to do much because I didn't feel like it.  And the few times in which I tried to do something fun by myself I either changed my mind, or had a panic attack change my mind for me.  I suppose in many ways, I suffer from "stranger in my hometown" syndrome in that I've lived in this town most of my life and yet I still feel very much like a stranger or a tourist.



(Though that mentality helped me see the town through a tourist's eyes and helped me come up with some wicked photo opportunities.  I mean, where else can one expect to see a gigantic rubber duck for Canada's sesquicentennial?  Though, part of me wonders what a duck has to do with Canadian confederation...)

Though, it's that "see the world through the eyes of someone experiencing it for the first time" idea that has made me come to terms with a huge revelation for me.  The revelation that I should never strive to be someone else's definition of what "normal" is.  Rather, I should try to make my own definition. 

And I suppose that part of the reason why I have kept to myself this year for the most part is seeing how other people's definitions of what "normalcy" is clashes with how I see it.

I'm going to be 37 in 2018.  That's quite an age.  If I live to be 74, that's exactly what midlife would be for me.  And I suppose if I had to experience a midlife crisis with personal relationships, 37 would be a good age to experience it. 

I've already mentioned that my relationships with my family have improved a lot over the course of 2017 - which I suppose is one of the highlights of the year.  I also want to say that my relationships and friendships with my friends from all over the world are also as strong as ever before.  Through the Christmas cards I was given this year, to the birthday messages posted on my Facebook page, to the many people who expressed their get well wishes to my mother, to the friends who helped me choose 750 of my favourite songs to share with the world...thank you.  As 2018 begins, I have no worry in losing any friendships with any of you.  Truth be told, even though you mostly live far away from me, you have been a constant support to me, and you truly have been my rock in 2017. 

Now, as far as local friendships go...that's admittedly something that I have to work on.  Mind you, the ones who have stuck by me this year, know that it hasn't gone unnoticed, and I also thank you for standing by me this year.  It hasn't been the most pleasant of years, and I know that many of you have had a rough go of it as well, but we all made it together, and here's hoping that 2018 is better for all of us.

I suppose this goes into the last thing that I have learned about myself in 2017 - and this one has been a bitter pill to swallow, mainly because it best describes two adjectives that I have for 2017 and many of the people I've crossed paths with this year.



Bitter and jaded.  As much as I don't want to admit it, 2017 has left me bitter and jaded towards people.  And I am hoping that in 2018, I will find a way to overcome it.

I suppose a huge reason why I've kept to myself this past year is because the world around me seems to be increasingly hostile and catty.  I don't know whether it's the fact that the economy is up in the air, or because so many bad things happened in 2017, or Trump's Twitter feed is poisoning the Internet as we speak (which might not be much of a factor if the worst about the ending of net neutrality comes to fruition).  Whatever the case, I find myself feeling like I am surrounded by toxic people who do nothing but complain and whine about others.

And I'm ashamed to admit that I've fallen into that trap on more than one occasion.  A classic case of misery loving company, if you can call it that.

I guess it also goes back to my idea of what "normal" is.  According to my experiences in 2017, the "new normal" seems to be that you talk smack about other people to make yourself feel better, you purposely isolate people who don't seem to fit your social status, or you bury your nose in a cellular phone to avoid having to start a physical conversation with spoken words, sentences, clauses, and anything else found within an episode of "Schoolhouse Rock".  If that's what "normal" is, then I don't want any part of that.  As far as I am concerned, people who gossip about others regardless of the amount of truth that is involved are not people who I find any sort of attraction in whatsoever.  The only problem is that I am surrounded by those types of people quite often.  Worse, I have no idea where I can find people who do NOT do this. 

So, I guess part of what I've learned in 2017 is to stop caring about those people who get off on making others miserable.  Instead, I need to use my energy to boost those who want to make the world a better place - which might force me to convert some of my negative feelings into positive feelings.



I suppose 2018 is no better year to start.

Monday, January 01, 2018

2017 in Review - The News


2018 is finally upon us, and a happy new year to all of you reading this right now!

I can honestly state that 2018 is a year that I am really looking forward to.  After all, eighteen is a lucky number for me, and after all of the crazy stuff that happened in 2017, I think most of us can agree that it's a relief that it is over.



I mean, just looking at some of the news stories of 2017, it's a miracle the majority of us have survived it!

All right, maybe I'm being melodramatic here, but 2017 was a really scary year.  It may have been designated at the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly, but it was also a year in which we thought it would be the end of the world as we knew it.  In a way, it has been with all the natural disasters, terror attacks (both domestically and internationally), and overall bad news.

But there has been some moments of brilliance in a year of unrest and uncertainty, and I'm hoping that I cover those as well.

First things first though...not all of us made it through 2017 alive.  Many of us have lost loved ones throughout the year (myself included), and I want to pay tribute to those who passed away this year.  So to start this look back at 2017, let us honour those pop culture icons of the past that we lost last year.
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January 12 - WILLIAM PETER BLATTY, director, 89
January 23 - GORDEN KAYE, actor, 75
January 25 - JOHN HURT, actor, 77



January 25 - MARY TYLER MOORE, actress, 80
January 26 - MIKE CONNOR, actor, 91
January 26 - BARBARA HALE, actress, 94
February 7 - RICHARD HATCH, actor, 71



February 12 - AL JARREAU, singer, 76
February 16 - GEORGE "THE ANIMAL" STEELE, wrestler, 79



March 18 - CHUCK BERRY, singer/musician, 90
March 23 - LOLA ALBRIGHT, actress, 92
April 6 - DON RICKLES, actor/comedian, 90
April 22 - ERIN MORAN, actress, 56
April 26 - JONATHAN DEMME, director, 73
May 9 - MICHAEL PARKS, actor, 73
May 14 - POWERS BOOTHE, actor, 68



May 18 - CHRIS CORNELL, singer/musician, 52
May 22 - NICKY HAYDEN, motorcycle racer, 35



May 23 - ROGER MOORE, actor, 89
May 27 - GREGG ALLMAN, musician, 69



June 9 - ADAM WEST, actor, 88
June 19 - OTTO WARMBLER, college student, 22
June 20 - PRODIGY, rapper, 42
July 15 - MARTIN LANDAU, actor, 89
July 16 - GEORGE A. ROMERO, director, 77



July 20 - CHESTER BENNINGTON, musician, 41
July 21 - JOHN HEARD, actor, 76
July 26 - JUNE FORAY, voice actress, 99
July 31 - JEANNE MOREAU, actress, 89
August 3 - TY HARDIN, actor, 87
August 3 - ROBERT HARDY, actor, 91



August 8 - GLEN CAMPBELL, singer, 81
August 19 - DICK GREGORY, comedian/activist, 84
August 20 - JERRY LEWIS, comedian/actor, 91
August 24 - JAY THOMAS, comedian/actor, 69
September 8 - DON WILLIAMS, singer, 78
September 13 - FRANK VINCENT, actor, 80
September 15 - HARRY DEAN STANTON, actor, 91
September 19 - JAKE LAMOTTA, boxer, 95
September 27 - HUGH HEFNER, Playboy magazine founder, 91
September 30 - MONTY HALL, game show host, 96



October 2 - TOM PETTY, musician, 67



October 17 - GORD DOWNIE, musician/activist, 53
October 24 - FATS DOMINO, singer, 89
October 24 - ROBERT GUILLAUME, actor, 89
November 7 - ROY HALLIDAY, baseball player, 40
November 9 - JOHN HILLERMAN, actor, 84
November 15 - LIL PEEP, rapper, 21
November 18 - MALCOLM YOUNG, musician, 64
November 19 - DELLA REESE, singer/actress, 86
November 19 - MEL TILLIS, singer, 85



November 21 - DAVID CASSIDY, singer/actor, 67
November 25 - RANCE HOWARD, actor, 89
November 30 - JIM NABORS, actor, 87
November 30 - HEATHER NORTH, voice actress, 71
December 4 - CHRISTINE KEELER, model/showgirl, 75
December 23 - KENT BLACKWELDER, Big Brother 2 contestant, 62
December 24 - HEATHER MENZIES, actress, 68
December 26 - JOHNNY BOWER, hockey player, 93
December 28 - SUE GRAFTON, author, 77
December 28 - ROSE MARIE, actress, 94

Certainly a lot of famous names there...names that will never be forgotten.

Now, 2017 in the news has been a rather tumultuous year in the world.  And as we go through the list of events that happened month by month, you will see what I mean.



The year began with the swearing in of the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, on January 20.  And it has been a wild ride ever since.  In just one year in office, Trump's war of words on both Twitter and in his presidential addresses have caused a lot of fury.  When he's not poking the bear with his constant jabs towards North Korea, he's causing a lot of tension amongst minority groups and women with his comments - which actually lead to the January 21 Women's March that took place in 168 different countries in protest.  As well, his decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Treaty on June 1, and his declaration on December 6 that Jerusalem would be recognized as Israel's capital has caused a lot of tension which I am sure won't go away in 2018.

In fact, Trump's feuds with practically everybody who is not on his side seem to be overshadowing any political decisions that he has made.  It's hard to say what 2018 will bring, but at least I can say that it won't be anything but boring.  It will also likely be unpredictable with the rotating door of White House staffers fired by Trump.  Sean Spicer, Anthony Scaramucci (after only a few days), and Omarosa can attest to that.  And given the tension between Trump and Kim Jong-un (leading to North Korea firing a ballistic missile over the Sea of Japan on February 11 - as well as its most powerful nuclear test on September 3), 2018 appears to be a very pivotal year.

Cyberterror was definitely a concern for the world when ransomware viruses started infecting millions of computers all over the world beginning on
May 12.  With reports of Yahoo Mail being compromised as well as the hacking of the Ashley Madison website back in 2016, it was definitely a reminder to update your antivirus software.

Of course, terror attacks were sadly a huge part of what shaped 2017.  The first indicator happened on
May 18, when a man crashed a car through Times Square in New York City, killing one and injuring twenty.  A more devastating event took place four days later when a bomb exploded in the lobby of Manchester Arena on May 22 following an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 people.  On June 7, an ISIL attack on the Iranian Parliament Building and the Mausoleum of Ruhollah Khomeini killed 17 people.  



August 11 saw racial tensions erupt in Charlottesville, Virginia which saw white supremacists show their ugly colours and saw the death of a woman after she was struck and killed by a car.  Even Canada wasn't spared when an attack on September 30 in Edmonton which saw a man deliberately crash into and stab a police constable before striking four other pedestrians.



Domestic terrorism reared its ugly head on October 1 when a man shot and killed fifty-eight people at the Route 91 Country Music Festival from his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.  October 31 saw a terror attack in New York City when a man mowed down people along a bike path in a rented truck.  And I'm sure the whole world weeped when the news of the church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas on November 5 broke.  26 people lost their lives, and it remains the deadliest mass shooting in Texas history.

Natural disasters were also a major factor in 2017, and with so much devastation in the world, it certainly has triggered discussion about climate change.  In the last week of 2017, frigid cold temperatures and record snowfall dominated the headlines for most of Canada and half of the United States with Nova Scotia bearing the worst of it with a December 25 wind storm that knocked out power for thousands of customers.  Meanwhile in California, a series of wildfires charred homes and forests in the southern part of the state.  As of January 1, those fires are still active.



Hurricanes were also a devastating source of pain for the Southeastern United States and the Caribbean islands.  Beginning with Hurricane Harvey on August 25, Houston was devastated by heavy flooding.  Parts of Florida were completely destroyed when Hurricane Irma struck the state on September 10.  And Puerto Rico is still recovering from damage caused by Hurricane Maria, which saw widespread destruction when it made landfall on September 20.  And earthquakes also shook up lives all over the world.  On September 19, a powerful 7.1 earthquake strikes on the 32nd anniversary of the 1985 Mexico City quake, killing 300 people.  And on November 12, an earthquake strikes the Iraq-Iran border leaving 530 dead and 70,000 homeless.  



And it wasn't just natural disasters that struck.  Who could forget the fire at Grenfell Tower in London on June 14 which destroyed the whole building and killed 71 people?  Or, the Ohio State Fair disaster on July 26 when a ride called the Fireball broke apart, killing one rider and injuring seven?

So with so much bad news going on in the world, could there possibly be any good news?  As a matter of fact, there was.



Now, I mentioned the bombing at Manchester Arena in May...but what followed was a massive concert event known as One Love Manchester, which took place at the same arena on June 4.  Ariana Grande returned to perform along with Coldplay, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Liam Gallagher, Niall Horan, Robbie Williams, Justin Bieber, the Black Eyed Peas, and many others put on a show to benefit the families of those who died, and it was recently ranked as the number one concert of 2017.



On October 5, the first news broke out about Harvey Weinstein, and over the next three months, it has exploded into a major clean-up of the Hollywood industry.  More and more women found the courage to stand up for themselves and declare "Me Too", and as I mentioned in my movie blog, I am sure that there will be more cleaning up to do in 2018.

2017 also saw the old adage of "Cheaters Never Win" come true when Russia was formally banned from competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics on December 5 following an investigation into doping at the 2014 Sochi Games.  And on September 13, the Olympic Committee announced that Paris and Los Angeles would be the host cities for the 2024 and 2028 Summer Olympic Games.



We also received good news in the Royal Family, as Prince William announced that Princess Kate was pregnant with their third child and Prince Harry announced his engagement to actress Meghan Markle.  The wedding date is set for May 19, 2018.



And finally, on August 21, many people in the United States and Canada were treated to a rarity - a total solar eclipse.  Here in my area, we only had a partial eclipse, but it was still cool to view - through special lenses, of course.

So that's a wrap for the news of 2017.  What will 2018 bring?  It's hard to tell, as we're only fifteen hours into it.  But I'll be back next year at this time to do a recap.

Tomorrow, what did 2017 mean to me?  Well, I'll tell you.  It isn't going to be all hearts and flowers, but it did change me as a person.

Sunday, December 31, 2017

2017 in Review - The Television

How is it that we are at the last day of 2017?  And to be honest with you, now that it is almost over...I'M GLAD!  It has really been a very difficult year, and I am really looking forward to a brand new year of hope, dreams, and opportunities.

I just wish that it wasn't so blustery cold outside!  It's said that in New York City, it's going to be the second coldest New Year's Eve in the history of the Times Square ball drop!  That could make for one frosty Rockin' New Year's Eve party!  I hope Ryan Seacrest has packed his Underarmor long johns!  And I hope that Mariah Carey actually wears clothes this time around when she sings for her redemption performance after the trainwreck last year because otherwise she might turn into a diva-sicle.



Yeah, Mariah's horrendous performance at Rockin' New Years Eve '17 was just one of the many events that happened in the world of television in 2017.  We've seen some television series debut to much fanfare, and we've seen some of our favourite television shows end after many years of stories.  And while Netflix, Hulu, and CraveTV have won over a lot of viewers, don't count network television out just yet.

So grab a bag of Doritos, pop open a Dr. Pepper, and figure out the difference between Kourtney Kardashian and Kylie Jenner because this is the best and worst of television in 2017.

So, a lot of television shows debuted this year, but before we get to that, let's have a look at some of the shows that we said farewell to.

Girl Meets World (January 20)
The Odd Couple (January 30)
The Apprentice (February 13)
The Vampire Diaries (March 10)
Liv and Maddie (March 24)
Bones (March 28)
Duck Dynasty (March 29)
Dr. Ken (March 31)
Grimm (March 31)
Sleepy Hollow (March 31)
Last Man Standing (March 31)
Switched at Birth (April 11)
Girls (April 16)
2 Broke Girls (April 17)
24: Legacy (April 17)
The O'Reilly Factor (April 21)
Bates Motel (April 24)
Rosewood (April 28)
The Great Outdoors (May 8)
Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (May 17)
Baby Daddy (May 22)
Reign (June 16)
Pretty Little Liars (June 27)
Orphan Black (August 12)
The Insider (September 8)
The Strain (September 17)
Episodes (October 8)
Me, Myself, & I (October 30)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (November 12)
The Mindy Project (November 14)
Longmire (November 17)
Charlie Rose (November 17)
Fashion Police (November 27)
Tavis Smiley (December 13)
Chelsea (December 15)


A few notes:



It's interesting that with "Fuller House" and "Raven's Home" currently airing, "Will & Grace" coming back after a decade long hiatus, and "Roseanne" set to return in 2018 that "Girl Meets World" didn't last longer.  The sequel to "Boy Meets World" was quite the popular show on the Disney Channel and made stars out of Rowan Blanchard and Sabrina Carpenter.  But as decent an effort as it was, perhaps the fact that it was on the Disney Channel might have harmed its success.

But hey, at least it lasted longer than "Me, Myself, & I", which lasted a grand total of one month on the air. 



On the flipside, lots of television series ended after a long run.  Perhaps the one that I am most brokenhearted about is "Bones".  I've been a fan since the first episode aired in 2005, and the cast chemistry and riveting storylines kept me a fan for twelve years.  While I will miss everyone there, at least David Boreanaz is continuing to act in his new show "Seal Team".



"Last Man Standing" also ended its run in 2017 after six seasons, and many fans of the series cried foul, accusing ABC of canceling it due to political reasons.  I don't quite understand that, but given that Tim Allen's previous series "Home Improvement" ran two years longer, I suppose I can understand his disappointment.

Also ending after six seasons is "2 Broke Girls"...and honestly it was about time.  No offense to Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs, but the show was never my cup of tea.



We also said farewell to "Bates Motel" and Freddie Highmore's brilliant, but frightening take on a young Norman Bates.  But don't worry, you can catch him on "The Good Doctor", which has gotten mixed reviews, but I find myself liking it.

And some of these shows ended on their own accord.  I suppose Mindy Kaling expecting a baby could be one reason why "The Mindy Project" wrapped up.  But in the case of Tavis Smiley, Bill O'Reilly, and Charlie Rose...well, let's just say that when you have men behaving badly, they find themselves on the unemployment line really quickly.

I mean, just ask Matt Lauer about that one, right?



All right.  Now let's talk about some of the successes of 2017.  We'll begin with the smash success of the NBC drama "This Is Us".  Starring Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, and Sterling K. Brown, the series is a rather unique one, using flashbacks and flash forwards to tell the tale of one family.  It's had viewers on their seats and has caused a nationwide shortage of Kleenex!  And good news for fans...it's reportedly been renewed until at least 2020!  After years of struggles, NBC is slowly winning back their former "Must See TV" title.



On Netflix, "Stranger Things" has aired two seasons, and in those two seasons, fans have been clamoring for more.  It's also been a great career renaissance for Winona Ryder, who has been largely hit and miss since the 2001 shoplifting scandal she was involved in.  Her role in "Stranger Things" was definitely worth the wait.



Netflix also took a gamble with a reboot of the 1970s sitcom "One Day at a Time".  With Norman Lear once again contributing to the show, this version features a Cuban-American female veteran with PTSD struggling to balance a career with motherhood.  Justina Machado and Rita Moreno have a fantastic chemistry with each other, and although the show is told from a 2017 perspective, it has all the charm and the punch of the 1975 original.  And good news...season two debuts January 26, 2018!



On January 26, 2017, the CW took a chance with the show "Riverdale", a darker look at the teenagers that have starred in Archie Comics since 1941.  What the end result became was a surprise hit for the network.  While you haven't seen Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead quite like this before, it's a show that you just get caught up in and you crave more each week.

(Okay, that's how I feel anyway.  I love "Riverdale" and make no apology for it.)



Oh, and the "Santa Clarita Diet" starring Drew Barrymore?  Extremely disgusting, but surprisingly satisfying.

Now for the shows that have debuted this fall and winter, I think some have the potential to be hits.  We already saw a preview of Ellen DeGeneres' "Game of Games" in December and it already received major buzz.  I am looking forward to the official premiere on January 2, 2018. 

Hitching a ride on the success of "The Big Bang Theory", "Young Sheldon" debuted on CBS in September, and I think the early buzz is that it is a winner, as is "Seal Team", "The Good Doctor", and "The Gifted".  Again, it's hard to predict what will be a hit, but early indication is that all of these series will likely get a second season at least.

And now for some miscellaneous pieces of television trivia from 2017.



Congratulations to "The Bold and the Beautiful" for celebrating thirty years on the air.  It is also the television series that has been seen in more countries than any other American soap opera.  The show still boasts two of its original stars in Katherine Kelly Lang and John McCook!  Outstanding, no?



And just to mention a show from across the pond, I want to commend "Emmerdale" for concluding a year long storyline featuring the character of Ashley Thomas battling dementia.  The storyline played out beautifully and educated the public over what living with dementia is like and how painful it is for the loved ones they leave behind.  John Middleton (Ashley) and Charlotte Bellamy (Laurel, Ashley's wife) were outstanding and both were rewarded with acting accolades courtesy of the British Soap Awards.



Megyn Kelly left FOX News to join NBC's "Today", and while the switch was jarring at first, she is starting to come into her own.  Meanwhile, with the departure of Matt Lauer amidst his sex scandals, Hoda Kotb has temporarily joined Savannah Guthrie, and the girl power seems to be working - ratings are actually up for the morning show since Lauer was fired.

"13 Reasons Why" might have been accused of glorifying suicide, but in actuality, I found it to be incredibly haunting and well acted.  It's not for everybody, but if you can sit through it, it's well worth it.

Jimmy Kimmel also had a rough 2017, as his newborn son was born with heart issues - but Kimmel used the opportunity to talk about affordable health care for everyone in America.  While some found his remarks to fall on deaf ears, for others he became the voice for millions who were stuck in medical debt.



Can Michael Phelps win a swimming race against a Great White Shark?  Apparently, nobody really knows.  The shark was actually computer generated, meaning that the whole race was just a clever edit.  Insert shark week comments on Twitter.  Who would have thought that "Sharknado 5" would have been more realistic?

And finally, Scott Pelley left the anchor desk at the CBS Evening News after serving in the position for six years.  While it took some time for a replacement to be found, Jeff Glor took on the position in December 2017.  All the best to him.

That appears to be a wrap for the television flashback.  Join us tomorrow for the first entry of 2018 with a look back on the news events that shaped 2017 for better or for worse.  Happy new year, everyone!

Saturday, December 30, 2017

2017 In Review - The Movies

Before I go ahead with today's entry, I wanted to add something to yesterday's entry.  I had a photo of Glen Campbell in my collage, but forgot to talk about him in the blog entry for 2017 in music!  So, I wanted to mention that like Gord Downie, Glen Campbell released a final album simply entitled "Adios" as a farewell to his fans before his death from Alzheimer's. 

Okay, now that I have cleared that up, let's move ahead to Part 3 of this 2017 retrospective!



Today, we're going to be taking a look at the box office hits as well as the Golden Raspberries of 2017.  The movie industry certainly had a lot of hits and misses this year, and we'll talk about the movies that made 2017 a standout in a moment.  But first, we need to address something.  It was one of the most used hashtags on social media this year and it was not only linked to the movie industry, but helped completely change it.



#MeToo

Those two simple words held so much meaning this year.   And while the ball started rolling with the exposing of Harvey Weinstein, there were instances before Harvey and after Harvey.  By the close of 2017, many men were outed as sexual predators within the confines of Hollywood.  Kevin Spacey, Dustin Hoffman, Mario Batali, Matt Lauer, Louis C.K., Charlie Rose, Jeffrey Tambor, and so many others were exposed for their inappropriate behaviour towards women, and many have since lost their jobs because of it.  The #MeToo movement gave women who had been frightened to speak out a voice, and as a result, the movie industry is slowly being cleaned up.  There is still a lot of work to be done, I'm sure...and by the time 2018 rolls around, I'm sure that more will be exposed.

Now, let's talk about the movies that dominated the box office.  Here's the list of the top 10 movies of 2017 by box office gross as of December 30, 2017.

1.  Beauty and the Beast - $1,263,521,126
2.  The Fate of the Furious - $1,235,761,498
3.  Despicable Me 3 - $1,033,508,147
4.  Star Wars: The Last Jedi - $953,362,228
5.  Spider-Man: Homecoming - $880,166,924
6.  Wolf Warrior 2 - $870,325,439
7.  Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 - $863,565,527
8.  Thor: Ragnarok - $847,321,310
9.  Wonder Woman - $821,847,012
10.  Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales - $791,861,794

So, no surprise here that most of these are sequels to original films - or if they aren't sequels they are remakes.  Originality, 2017 you ain't.



That being said, I completely agree with the placement of most of these films (though I will state right now that I will NEVER understand how the Fast and the Furious series ever got to be so popular).  I mean, the #1 film, "Beauty and the Beast" was a visual spectacle that pleased both the eyes and the ears.  Emma Watson made a fantastic Belle, and she played off the other cast members beautifully.  In comparison to the 1991 animated film, the original only made $347 million at the box office.  But, I suppose part of that could be that it was a heck of a lot cheaper to go to the movies twenty-six years ago.



Of course, superhero movies were once again all the rage in 2017, with Thor, Spider-Man, and Wonder Woman all boasting huge opening weekends.  Perhaps in 2017, Wonder Woman could be the symbol of the #MeToo movement.  Strong and confident women speaking out against injustice and inequality.  I don't think Gal Gadot would mind that comparison at all.



Those minions are back at it again with "Despicable Me 3", and while I personally didn't find it as charming as the first two, it was still a hilarious view from start to finish.



As well, we had the ninth installment of the "Star Wars" series, which featured Carrie Fisher playing the role of Leia for the last time.  Her death in December 2016 still shocks many fans today, but I think that the film did her justice and gave her a beautiful send-off.  I don't THINK I'm spoiling too much with that remark.  If I am, I am sorry. 

Oh, and don't forget about the interesting case of "Wolf Warrior 2".  It happens to be a rarity in the box office records, as it is the only non-Hollywood film to be listed within the 100 Top Worldwide Box Office Of All-Time!

Okay...we've talked a bit about the Top 10 Films of 2017.  Now let's see what films were honoured at the 89th Academy Awards ceremony.  Granted, these films were all released in 2016, but hey...the ceremony was in 2017, so we're talking about it anyway.

The winners are...

BEST PICTURE:  La La Land Moonlight
BEST DIRECTOR:  Damien Chazelle (La La Land)
BEST ACTOR:  Casey Affleck (Manchester By The Sea)
BEST ACTRESS:  Emma Stone (La La Land)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:  Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:  Viola Davis (Fences)
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:  Manchester By The Sea
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:  Zootopia
BEST DOCUMENTARY:  O.J.: Made in America
BEST ORIGINAL SONG:  "City of Stars" (La La Land)



Yeah, you saw what I did there, eh?  With the whole Best Picture thing?  Yeah, that was a nod to when they accidentally announced "La La Land" as Best Picture when in actuality it was supposed to be "Moonlight".  How absolutely awkward!  But don't feel too bad for La La Land, because as you can see, they won enough awards.  Not a bad film, might I add.



Again, I am thrilled to see "Zootopia" win best animated feature, as it was a cute movie - though I was torn as I also loved "Moana" as well.  And Viola Davis absolutely deserved the award as her role in "Fences" was superb.  Of course, anything Viola Davis has done has been great.  For the first time in a long time, I've actually heard of most of these films, so that's a plus in my eyes!



I wonder what films we'll see nominated this year.  I'm seeing good reviews for "I, Tonya", and I have to say that Margot Robbie portrays the fallen figure skating star flawlessly.  Whether you are pro-Tonya or pro-Nancy, you can't argue that Robbie was great.



Also, I can see "All The Money in the World" being an Oscar contender.  I mean, Christopher Plummer has already bagged a Golden Globe nomination for his role - which was originally Kevin Spacey's, but since the sex scandal broke out, he was edited out and replaced with Plummer which only took a few days of reshooting.  I don't care what anyone says - that takes talent.



I kind of wish that the film "Get Out" was at least nominated for an award, because it was a thrilling, haunting tale that showcased racism in a chilling light - seemingly appropriate considering what's happened in the news lately.

Of course, not every film of 2017 was stellar.  Take it from the 37th Annual Golden Raspberry Awards!  The winners...or I guess the losers are...

WORST PICTURE:  Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party
WORST DIRECTOR:  Dinesh D'Souza (Hillary's America)
WORST ACTOR:  Dinest D'Souza (Hillary's America)
WORST ACTRESS:  Rebekah Turner (Hillary's America)
WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR:  Jesse Eisenberg (Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice)
WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:  Kristen Wiig (Zoolander 2)



Wow...no surprise that in a Trump America, a film about Hillary Clinton would score so many Razzies.  Actually, if the film were about Donald Trump, he'd probably score the same amount.  Really, any political documentary needs to be on this list as a courtesy call.  Again, not surprised by these awards.

Now, I think I'm going to tempt fate and end this here, as I've already had to rewrite this article four times because of computer problems and power outages.  But tune in on New Year's Eve, where we will have a good old chat about television in 2017!  Ta ta for now!