Susan P.
Tired of the same old Christmas Carol Story? Looking for a way to lighten up the stressful Christmas holidays? Then check out “Scrooged” starring Bill Murray and Karen Allen, directed by Richard Donner. Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is a TV executive trying to secure his position with his company by producing the most epic Christmas Carol TV movie ever. Fate and his old (dead) mentor Lew Hayward (played by John Forsythe) have different plans, however. Lew informs Frank that he will be visited by three ghosts in order to save him from his current path of doom. Thinking that the whole episode is brought on by bad vodka, Frank puts the incident out of his mind and turns his attention to his television production and his new rival Brice Cummings (John Glover). Unfortunately for Frank it wasn’t bad vodka and he is quickly and hilariously visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past (David Johansen) who takes him on a trip through memory lane. Here is where the audience is introduced to Frank’s love interest, Claire Phillips (played by Karen Allen). It also gives us a glimpse at the cheerless Christmas of Frank’s childhood. Despite some of the more somber moments each look at Frank’s life is peppered with witty one-liners and funny situations. The next ghost is the Ghost of Christmas Present brilliantly portrayed by Carol Kane. Present’s preferred method of reaching Frank is a little physical violence: “Sometimes you have to SLAP them in the face, just to get their attention.” The give and take between Murray and Kane are some of the funniest moments in the movie. It’s filled with lots of physical comedy and great dialogue. In between ghostly visits, Frank tries to reconnect with Claire, keep his job and produce his movie. Finally, Frank is visited by a very scary Ghost of Christmas Future where he realized he needs to change his attitude much like the legendary Ebenezer. This movie is laugh out loud funny and has come hilarious performance from Bill murray, Robert Mitchum, John Glover, Bobcat Goldthwait and Carol Kane. If you’re looking for a new holiday movie tradition, check out “Scrooged”!
DVD SCR Main
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Christmas Grits
By Nancy W.
It was a tradition in my family years ago that every Christmas morning my family and my cousins family would all have breakfast at my grandparents. This was a huge, ridiculous breakfast... grits, bacon, eggs, cheese grits, gravy, ham, biscuits, tomatoes, grapefruit, cheese grits, grits, sausage, cheese grits, garlic-cheese grits, toast, yes! Well, we did like grits, I guess. At one of these breakfasts in my semi-adult years my cousin Cathy made her appearance accompanied by her fiancé Ted. Ted was from New Jersey, and I think we were all pretty jazzed up about this, the idea of having someone from a strange, exotic land like New Jersey marry into our southern family. I imagine many of us at that time had never met anyone from New Jersey. Of course, we all struggled to find a way to converse with this foreigner, rather than just stare at him with our mouths hanging open. Cousin Cathy's sister Madeline took the lead as we bunched up to load our plates. "Ted, do you like grits?" she asked. "Ahhh," he replied blissfully as he took a deep breath. "I can smell a grit a mile away."
So, many years prior to the grits comment the day arrived and we all gathered at Granmamma and Grandaddy's for breakfast. I would guess I was maybe ten years old. The temperature that day was not frigid. Hovering somewhere in the low forties is my guess. Snow was not predicted, but as we were eating breakfast, Lo! The snow began to fall. I, my mother being the woman that she was, was kinda dressed up. This never suited me, but that day I had been bent to my mother's will.
My grandparent's yard had a small hill. And they had a sled. So even though I was dressed up (we're talking dressed up in a dress, likely with bare legs, or at least bare knees), my mother let me go with my cousins Tommy and Joe and play on the hill with the sled.
Due to the much above freezing temperatures, the snowy hill soon became a sloppy, muddy mess, but this did not deter us. We kept at it until the runners of the sled lodged in the mud and would not move. It was one of the best times I ever had.
It was a tradition in my family years ago that every Christmas morning my family and my cousins family would all have breakfast at my grandparents. This was a huge, ridiculous breakfast... grits, bacon, eggs, cheese grits, gravy, ham, biscuits, tomatoes, grapefruit, cheese grits, grits, sausage, cheese grits, garlic-cheese grits, toast, yes! Well, we did like grits, I guess. At one of these breakfasts in my semi-adult years my cousin Cathy made her appearance accompanied by her fiancé Ted. Ted was from New Jersey, and I think we were all pretty jazzed up about this, the idea of having someone from a strange, exotic land like New Jersey marry into our southern family. I imagine many of us at that time had never met anyone from New Jersey. Of course, we all struggled to find a way to converse with this foreigner, rather than just stare at him with our mouths hanging open. Cousin Cathy's sister Madeline took the lead as we bunched up to load our plates. "Ted, do you like grits?" she asked. "Ahhh," he replied blissfully as he took a deep breath. "I can smell a grit a mile away."
So, many years prior to the grits comment the day arrived and we all gathered at Granmamma and Grandaddy's for breakfast. I would guess I was maybe ten years old. The temperature that day was not frigid. Hovering somewhere in the low forties is my guess. Snow was not predicted, but as we were eating breakfast, Lo! The snow began to fall. I, my mother being the woman that she was, was kinda dressed up. This never suited me, but that day I had been bent to my mother's will.
My grandparent's yard had a small hill. And they had a sled. So even though I was dressed up (we're talking dressed up in a dress, likely with bare legs, or at least bare knees), my mother let me go with my cousins Tommy and Joe and play on the hill with the sled.
Due to the much above freezing temperatures, the snowy hill soon became a sloppy, muddy mess, but this did not deter us. We kept at it until the runners of the sled lodged in the mud and would not move. It was one of the best times I ever had.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
O Christmas Tree
By Susan W.
I think all of us have favorite things about Christmas that bring wonderful memories. I love the music and songs. “O Christmas Tree,” simple as it, is will always be one of my favorites. To hear that song, magically takes me back to when I was a child. We had brought home a real Christmas tree and finished decorating it and settled in for a comfortable evening with the family. Then, all of a sudden, we noticed that we were not alone. We had been invaded by hundreds of baby praying mantises! The tree was home to a nest of the little fellows, and they hatched when warmed up in our living room.
One of our staff, Jim P., remembers Christmas in 1969. He was a very young soldier in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Their troop consisted of youngsters, the oldest being 24 and the youngest being 17. They were a long way from home. They had been shot at all week. One of them came up with the idea of having a Christmas tree. There were no plants around there that looked anything like a Christmas tree, so they decided to make one. Twigs, bits of uniforms, aluminum cans, all went into building their tree. They decorated it with buttons, pins, anything and everything they could find. He said it was the strangest looking “tree” he had ever seen, and most would have called it ugly but he still has a picture of that Christmas tree, and remembers it more than any other.
The Library has both music and musical scores of Christmas music. O Christmas Tree is included on these:
CD HIT Main New age Christmas: a tribute to Mannheim Steamroller
786.2172 Main The Definitive Christmas collection
J783.65 SIL Main Silent night : a Christmas carol sampler
CD JFRO HANGING BAG Main Frosty's sleigh ride party 24 songs & stories.
CD J COU HANGING BAG - 2 CDs Main Christmas is for kids!
CD J CHI HANGING BAG - 1 CD Main Christmas with the Chipmunks by Alvin, Simon & Theodore with David Seville.
I think all of us have favorite things about Christmas that bring wonderful memories. I love the music and songs. “O Christmas Tree,” simple as it, is will always be one of my favorites. To hear that song, magically takes me back to when I was a child. We had brought home a real Christmas tree and finished decorating it and settled in for a comfortable evening with the family. Then, all of a sudden, we noticed that we were not alone. We had been invaded by hundreds of baby praying mantises! The tree was home to a nest of the little fellows, and they hatched when warmed up in our living room.
One of our staff, Jim P., remembers Christmas in 1969. He was a very young soldier in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Their troop consisted of youngsters, the oldest being 24 and the youngest being 17. They were a long way from home. They had been shot at all week. One of them came up with the idea of having a Christmas tree. There were no plants around there that looked anything like a Christmas tree, so they decided to make one. Twigs, bits of uniforms, aluminum cans, all went into building their tree. They decorated it with buttons, pins, anything and everything they could find. He said it was the strangest looking “tree” he had ever seen, and most would have called it ugly but he still has a picture of that Christmas tree, and remembers it more than any other.
The Library has both music and musical scores of Christmas music. O Christmas Tree is included on these:
CD HIT Main New age Christmas: a tribute to Mannheim Steamroller
786.2172 Main The Definitive Christmas collection
J783.65 SIL Main Silent night : a Christmas carol sampler
CD JFRO HANGING BAG Main Frosty's sleigh ride party 24 songs & stories.
CD J COU HANGING BAG - 2 CDs Main Christmas is for kids!
CD J CHI HANGING BAG - 1 CD Main Christmas with the Chipmunks by Alvin, Simon & Theodore with David Seville.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Staff Christmas: Stille Nacht
By Doris
When I was ten years old, my family moved to Germany for three years. That first Christmas in a faraway country was like a fairy tale in so many ways. The Christmas Fair at Frankfurt, the toys in the windows of the little German shops, the beautiful hand blown tree ornaments, and the luscious pasties all added joy to a holiday for a very homesick child. One memory of that first German Christmas will always be with me—the music of “Silent Night” sounding in a small German church, and my first experience of hearing the song sung in German. All of us have heard the story that in 1818 the organ in a small Austrian church was broken. The priest Joseph Mohr took the words to a carol he had written in 1816 to his friend Franz Gruber and asked him to create guitar music for the carol so the children would have a song to sing for the Christmas Eve service. Thus came about the legend of one of the most poignant of our Christmas songs. Actually, the organ probably was not broken, and Mohr may have just wanted a new carol for the children, but no one can deny the absolute beauty of the gentle carol about Jesus’ birth. Did you know “Silent Night” has been translated into 44 languages and is often sung a cappella? Or that the song was sung simultaneously in English and German by troops during the Christmas truce of 1914? Just imagine being on that terrible battlefield and hearing the sweet sounds of this beloved song drifting out of the trenches. John McCutcheon did a haunting musical presentation of this incident and has a children’s book and CD called Christmas in the Trenches (CD J MCC Avoca) telling more about what happened that cold, frosty night. It reminds us that even in the worst circumstances, the spirit of Christmas lives in all of us.
May each of you have a warm, happy holiday season. Enjoy the music of the season, and remember our service personnel serving in the military all around the world.
Note: “Christmas in the Trenches” is also included on the albums "Water From Another Time" and "Live at Wolf Trap" (both CD MCC Main). Several years later, Garth Brooks recorded a song about the same incident.
When I was ten years old, my family moved to Germany for three years. That first Christmas in a faraway country was like a fairy tale in so many ways. The Christmas Fair at Frankfurt, the toys in the windows of the little German shops, the beautiful hand blown tree ornaments, and the luscious pasties all added joy to a holiday for a very homesick child. One memory of that first German Christmas will always be with me—the music of “Silent Night” sounding in a small German church, and my first experience of hearing the song sung in German. All of us have heard the story that in 1818 the organ in a small Austrian church was broken. The priest Joseph Mohr took the words to a carol he had written in 1816 to his friend Franz Gruber and asked him to create guitar music for the carol so the children would have a song to sing for the Christmas Eve service. Thus came about the legend of one of the most poignant of our Christmas songs. Actually, the organ probably was not broken, and Mohr may have just wanted a new carol for the children, but no one can deny the absolute beauty of the gentle carol about Jesus’ birth. Did you know “Silent Night” has been translated into 44 languages and is often sung a cappella? Or that the song was sung simultaneously in English and German by troops during the Christmas truce of 1914? Just imagine being on that terrible battlefield and hearing the sweet sounds of this beloved song drifting out of the trenches. John McCutcheon did a haunting musical presentation of this incident and has a children’s book and CD called Christmas in the Trenches (CD J MCC Avoca) telling more about what happened that cold, frosty night. It reminds us that even in the worst circumstances, the spirit of Christmas lives in all of us.
May each of you have a warm, happy holiday season. Enjoy the music of the season, and remember our service personnel serving in the military all around the world.
Note: “Christmas in the Trenches” is also included on the albums "Water From Another Time" and "Live at Wolf Trap" (both CD MCC Main). Several years later, Garth Brooks recorded a song about the same incident.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Season's Readings!
"Wearing Reindeer Antlers is NOT one of MY favorite things."
~Melon
Everyone has a personal checklist of things that “make” the holiday season. For some, it may be making gingerbread or latkas or the Christmas pageant; for others, it may be ice skating or football games or “The Nutcracker” ballet; still others will think of the Santa Train or the Christmas parade or eggnog. Check out the bookblog every day or so for some of “Our Favorite Things” in books, videos or music!
Monday, December 7, 2009
See What?
Reviewed by Nancy
How observant are you? In one study, a man in a gorilla suit walked past a group of students while other activities were taking place and only half the students even noticed him. Would you have been one of the ones who was oblivious, or one of the ones who was interrupting everybody saying, "What the heck is that gorilla doing over there?"
Joe Navarro was a special agent and supervisor for the FBI for twenty-five years. His area of expertise is non-verbal communication, or “body language.” His book, What Every BODY Is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent’s Guide to Speed Reading People (153.69 NAV Main), is your guide to becoming savvier than those around you.
In his book Mr. Navarro explains the nuances of body language. His theory is that people lie best through the face: it's the other body parts that will give the game away, the twitch of a hand, shifting weight from one leg to another or a change in posture. Through study of this book you can become an astute observer, both of people and your surroundings. You can learn to tell when people are comfortable or why they aren’t. If they’re nervous, is it because they are lying or hiding something? He describes how people employ their facial expressions to conceal emotion but how their arms and legs might betray their real feelings. You’ll learn how to read not just people's faces, but all of their body movements, whether they are jumping for joy, touching their necks or massaging their faces to comfort themselves, or crossing their arms or holding something on their laps to distance themselves from a situation.
Being savvy about body language can assist you both professionally and personally. Learn to know when the boss is really pleased with you, and when he is thinking about giving you the ax. This book could help you to better understand what it is that your family members are or are not saying to you. Are you in business, in sales? Learn to watch for the signs that the deal may be going south, and where the sticking points in the negotiation are. Whether the other guys will tell you or not, you may be able to figure it out for yourself once you've read this book.
Don't be the last one in the group to notice the gorilla passing by. Read "What Every BODY Is Saying."
How observant are you? In one study, a man in a gorilla suit walked past a group of students while other activities were taking place and only half the students even noticed him. Would you have been one of the ones who was oblivious, or one of the ones who was interrupting everybody saying, "What the heck is that gorilla doing over there?"
Joe Navarro was a special agent and supervisor for the FBI for twenty-five years. His area of expertise is non-verbal communication, or “body language.” His book, What Every BODY Is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent’s Guide to Speed Reading People (153.69 NAV Main), is your guide to becoming savvier than those around you.
In his book Mr. Navarro explains the nuances of body language. His theory is that people lie best through the face: it's the other body parts that will give the game away, the twitch of a hand, shifting weight from one leg to another or a change in posture. Through study of this book you can become an astute observer, both of people and your surroundings. You can learn to tell when people are comfortable or why they aren’t. If they’re nervous, is it because they are lying or hiding something? He describes how people employ their facial expressions to conceal emotion but how their arms and legs might betray their real feelings. You’ll learn how to read not just people's faces, but all of their body movements, whether they are jumping for joy, touching their necks or massaging their faces to comfort themselves, or crossing their arms or holding something on their laps to distance themselves from a situation.
Being savvy about body language can assist you both professionally and personally. Learn to know when the boss is really pleased with you, and when he is thinking about giving you the ax. This book could help you to better understand what it is that your family members are or are not saying to you. Are you in business, in sales? Learn to watch for the signs that the deal may be going south, and where the sticking points in the negotiation are. Whether the other guys will tell you or not, you may be able to figure it out for yourself once you've read this book.
Don't be the last one in the group to notice the gorilla passing by. Read "What Every BODY Is Saying."
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Fire burn and cauldron bubble
Reviews by Jeanne
There are some wonderful cookbooks out there and I'm happy to say our library has quite a number of them. Currently, I'm in a desperate search for some recipes for the holidays. I thought I had it all figured out when I learned that there are some new food restrictions for some family members, others have had all the turkey and ham they want to see until next Thanksgiving, and my plan to go out to eat has a slight flaw: there really aren't too many places open on Christmas Day.
This means I need to find something to cook. Something easy. Something foolproof, although it has been said there is nothing foolproof from a sufficiently talented fool. The kitchen is one of the many places where I over-qualify.
Here are some interesting and possibly holiday saving books:
Wanda E. Brunstetter’s Amish Friends Cookbook Volume 2 by Wanda E. Brunstetter (641.566 BRU Main)
Along with Beverly Lewis and Cindy Woodsmall, Brunstetter is arguably one of the best known authors of Amish fiction. To give Englishers a real taste of Amish foods, Brunstetter has gathered more than 200 recipes from Amish friends across the country. The layout is clean and uncluttered, making it very easy to use this as a real cookbook. Interspersed among the recipes are lovely color photos, some home remedies, and bits of information about the various Amish communities and their customs.
The Cracker Kitchen by Janis Owens (641.5975 OWE Main and Avoca)
There’s a full review of this one elsewhere on the blog but the recipes sounded really good and like something we might actually eat. (Well, not the ‘possum or rattlesnake but Ms. Owens wasn’t keen on those herself.) She helpfully divided her book up by season, two of which are Winter and Football. That covers the interests of most of the family so there should be some very appropriate recipes. I had a very good time reading it because of all the humor, which might improve the cook if not the cooking.
The Cook Book: A Collection of Recipes (641.5 COO Main & Avoca)
This is an absolutely delicious collection of recipes courtesy of the legendary cooks of the Avoca Friends of the Library! I’ve been lucky enough to join them for their luncheons on occasion. (Pause here while I sigh with happiness.) These ladies have dishes for every occasion and taste. I’m partial to spinach, and there is wonderful recipe that is cooked slowly in a crock pot, meaning that it can be made up early and free the rest of the day for other pursuits, such as double-checking the local restaurants to see if one has decided to stay open on Christmas. (By the way, copies of the cookbook are still available for purchase at the Avoca Branch Library. They make great gifts!)
But after all, recipes can only do so much. The last time I cooked, the entire family suddenly developed a taste for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Who would have guessed they didn’t like stir-fried turnips and creamed cabbage? Not me, obviously.
Happy cooking, everyone!
There are some wonderful cookbooks out there and I'm happy to say our library has quite a number of them. Currently, I'm in a desperate search for some recipes for the holidays. I thought I had it all figured out when I learned that there are some new food restrictions for some family members, others have had all the turkey and ham they want to see until next Thanksgiving, and my plan to go out to eat has a slight flaw: there really aren't too many places open on Christmas Day.
This means I need to find something to cook. Something easy. Something foolproof, although it has been said there is nothing foolproof from a sufficiently talented fool. The kitchen is one of the many places where I over-qualify.
Here are some interesting and possibly holiday saving books:
Wanda E. Brunstetter’s Amish Friends Cookbook Volume 2 by Wanda E. Brunstetter (641.566 BRU Main)
Along with Beverly Lewis and Cindy Woodsmall, Brunstetter is arguably one of the best known authors of Amish fiction. To give Englishers a real taste of Amish foods, Brunstetter has gathered more than 200 recipes from Amish friends across the country. The layout is clean and uncluttered, making it very easy to use this as a real cookbook. Interspersed among the recipes are lovely color photos, some home remedies, and bits of information about the various Amish communities and their customs.
The Cracker Kitchen by Janis Owens (641.5975 OWE Main and Avoca)
There’s a full review of this one elsewhere on the blog but the recipes sounded really good and like something we might actually eat. (Well, not the ‘possum or rattlesnake but Ms. Owens wasn’t keen on those herself.) She helpfully divided her book up by season, two of which are Winter and Football. That covers the interests of most of the family so there should be some very appropriate recipes. I had a very good time reading it because of all the humor, which might improve the cook if not the cooking.
The Cook Book: A Collection of Recipes (641.5 COO Main & Avoca)
This is an absolutely delicious collection of recipes courtesy of the legendary cooks of the Avoca Friends of the Library! I’ve been lucky enough to join them for their luncheons on occasion. (Pause here while I sigh with happiness.) These ladies have dishes for every occasion and taste. I’m partial to spinach, and there is wonderful recipe that is cooked slowly in a crock pot, meaning that it can be made up early and free the rest of the day for other pursuits, such as double-checking the local restaurants to see if one has decided to stay open on Christmas. (By the way, copies of the cookbook are still available for purchase at the Avoca Branch Library. They make great gifts!)
But after all, recipes can only do so much. The last time I cooked, the entire family suddenly developed a taste for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Who would have guessed they didn’t like stir-fried turnips and creamed cabbage? Not me, obviously.
Happy cooking, everyone!
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