Category Archives: Entertainment

Why it is Important to Listen More When Choosing Your Best Collection of Songs

What kind of music do you love? Various genres resonate with people in different ways. Teenagers, in particular, have a taste of certain music that becomes part of their livelihood. Music can be either inspiring or depressing. In as much as we are told to listen to music when anxious, studies show that some music may increase depression.

The positive and negatives of music depend on a listener. It may give you a new way to view life or influence you to habits such as drug abuse. Genres such as hip-hop and rock have been found to have an impact on young people as they encourage the use of substance abuse. This discussion is about how music affects a person and ways in which we can choose music to influence our lives positively.

How does music affect a person’s identity?

Most young people explore their feelings through music. What you listen to may make you start rebelling against authority if it encourages vices. Most teenagers find a way of expressing their emotions through music. Young people take musicians as their role models and follow their actions. Most hip-hop artists manage to have lots of young people admire and follow them on social media platforms.

Such artists have been reported to encourage youngsters to abuse drugs such as Marijuana, Suboxone, and Alcohol. They lead people who are trying to find their identity astray causing conflicts with parents. Suboxone treatment is a good step for such teens to recover from drug abuse.

Some types such as rock and hip-hop may promote violence. Young people who follow these genres pick up violent habits as they emulate videos through television. This is a big concern to most parents as they are forced to ban such kind of music at home. It may be an outlet for a child to release their frustration and anger against parents and teachers.

Music and depression

Pittsburg University researchers reported that some teens develop more depression when they spend excessive time listening to depressing music. Many ladies who go through first-time breakups spend days sobbing in love songs that lead to bitterness and anger. Remember that too much of anything is poisonous. Even if you may like slow music, alternate this habit with watching and reading books so that you can control your feelings.

Effect of high volume music

Doctors have found a correlation between listening to music at high volumes and hearing difficulties. Most teens who are going through tough times, isolate themselves through playing music at maximum volume through headphones. You may be listening to inspiring music, but such high volumes affect your ears. People with this habit have problems hearing well and tend to shout unknowingly.

Making music

Some youngsters go beyond listening and admiring musicians. The desire to create your own music may lead you to join music bands. Talented people who engage in such groups find their identity in playing instruments and practicing their vocals. The urge to understand one’s personality through music makes some people get exposed to drugs.

Many music managers encourage youngsters in the field to abuse substances to cope with stage fright. Get clean from Suboxone clinics if you are injecting Suboxone to help relieve opioid withdrawal symptoms. These facilities prevent drug addiction and teach you ways of dealing with stage anxiety. Come up with your standards and say no to poor influence as you focus on nurturing your talent.

Finding good music

Identify what you love

Luckily, all types of genres are available for you to choose what resonates with your taste. You may like many types, but narrowing down your search according to the frequency of a specific type, can help you identify your best genre. You can do this through your iTunes library; filter the songs according to a style and see where each song lies. Surf the internet for more songs in the kind that you have identified.

Hear beyond the song

If you have an interest in instruments, listen more to the types of tools used in different songs. While certain classes such as rock prefer guitars, blues may put more focus on using pianos and trumpets. Hear beyond the words of the song and select songs that appeal to your type of instrument.

Look at the type of artists in songs

Different artists concentrate on specific themes when producing songs. Genres such as hip-hop have artists that influence teenagers negatively. Do not admire bad examples from artists who take pride in violence, sex, and drugs. Download lyrics of songs to understand the message of each song before liking a song. Most artists use their lifestyle to portray a particular kind of example to fans. Avoid following such celebrities blindly because of their fame or lifestyle.

Select songs randomly

You may be inclined to a certain type of music but randomly selecting songs will make you have a great collection. Check out different types on YouTube and watch their videos before you add them to your playlist. A random selection enables you to explore more so that you can delete those that you don’t like and get new ones. There is a broad scope of inspiring songs out there waiting for you to discover them. Therefore, drop lyrics that don’t make you a better person and sing along to good motivational songs that bring you closer to God.

Attend local concerts

Feel free to get tickets for local shows when you have the chance. This will make you discover more about your favorite artists and give you new opportunities to grow your music adventure. If you want to pursue a career in the field, concerts are outlets for you to meet people who can help you out. It also gives you a chance to experiment with various artists so that you can discover a passion for a different kind of music.

Final thoughts

Music is referred to as food to the soul. Use it as a tool to build your character instead of destroying it. Your parents may not have full control of what you are listening to, but poor choices of music can directly affect your life. Therefore, let the words in every favorite jam that you listen to, inspire you to live right.

15 Books to Gift this Holiday Season

Items included in this post were received at no cost to me. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In my family, we are all readers and we look to books for so many things. I am a collector of cookbooks and wish I could cook all the food in the world. My kids love arts and crafts books, in addition to their favorite fiction books. I turn to books for advice, for comfort, and just to escape from everyday life. If you are looking for some great books to gift this holiday season, here is a list of 15 of our favorites!

    1. Wild Zoo Train by Carmela LaVigna Coyle – Illustrated by Steve Gray This zany Wild Zoo Train is off on a mysterious adventure! Choo-choo-choo goes the Wild Zoo Train. Ding-ding-ding goes the bell on the roof. Clickerty-clack go the wheels on the track. A zoo train full of children takes a mysterious turn into the wilds. As each train trip becomes more and more wild, curious children observe the whimsical world around them. Wild Zoo Train takes readers on a wild, animal-filled adventure through canyons, jungles, the arctic poles, and more!
    2. The Diehard Football Fan’s Bucket List Blitz by Steve Greenberg The first and only all-inclusive, fully illustrated football fan’s bucket-list book. Here’s a full-color, full-speed ride through 101 must-see and must-do gridiron experiences—from the NFL to college football’s greatest venues and rivalries, from coast to coast, from must-have eats to the game’s best seats, from the sport’s greatest meccas and museums to its rowdiest tailgate parties. This book—filled with photos, sidebars, and loads of football attitude—is an essential guide to any football fan’s fantasy (or real!) road-trip and To Do list.
    3. Origami Animals Super Paper Pack Origami Animals Super Paper Pack includes everything origami lovers and paper crafters need to create their own paper menagerie! Tucked behind the cover is a fully illustrated, 32-page booklet with instructions for how to fold 10 bird and animal designs. A dazzling assortment of origami papers, 6 inches (15.2 cm) square, are also included. Fold animals for display, giving, or just for fun. Origami Animals Super Paper Pack is great for family craft time too.
    4. Fold and Fly: Origami Butterflies, Birds, and Other Animals that Fly It’s easy to make charming origami animals that also fly with the Fold and Fly: Origami Butterflies, Birds, and Other Charming Animals that Fly kit. The kit includes an 80-page book and more than 140 sheets of paper. More than half of the paper features preprinted designs and fold lines, so your butterflies, birds, and insects will be flying in no time.
    5. Soups, Stews & Breads by Gooseberry PatchWith more than 350 of the most delicious recipes you can imagine,Soups, Stews & Breads makes it easy to whip up a batch of homemade chicken broth, a party-size crock of spicy chili, quick breads, crackers and croutons…all from one handy cookbook. Also included are quick-fix and slow-cooker recipes. Filled with photos, tips and serving ideas, this is the last soup cookbook you’ll ever need!
    6. The Complete Month of Meals Collection by American Diabetes AssociationBack in its beloved classic format, The Complete Month of Meals Collectionis the ultimate cookbook and nutrition guide for people with diabetes, containing hundreds of recipes and meal planning tips from the American Diabetes Association’s bestselling series of Month of Meals meal planners. Using a unique, three-part split-page design, this interactive book allows readers to create meal plans instantly. With bonus chapters on salads, sides, drinks, and desserts, the meal combinations are nearly limitless, helping you plan meals that fit your needs.
    7. Wonder by R.J. PalacioAugust Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance. 
    8. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women by Elena Favilli“Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls” is a children’s book packed with 100 bedtime stories about the life of 100 extraordinary women from the past and the present, illustrated by 60 female artists from all over the world. Each woman’s story is written in the style of a fairy tale. Each story has a full page, full color portrait that captures the spirit of the portrayed hero.
    9. Obama: An Intimate Portrait by Pete Souza and Barack Obama

      During Barack Obama’s two terms, Pete Souza was with the President during more crucial moments than anyone else–and he photographed them all. Souza captured nearly two million photographs of President Obama, in moments highly classified and disarmingly candid.
       
      Obama: An Intimate Portrait reproduces more than 300 of Souza’s most iconic photographs with fine-art print quality in an oversize collectible format. Together they document the most consequential hours of the Presidency–including the historic image of President Obama and his advisors in the Situation Room during the bin Laden mission–alongside unguarded moments with the President’s family, his encounters with children, interactions with world leaders and cultural figures, and more.
    10. What Happened by Hillary Rodham ClintonFor the first time, Hillary Rodham Clinton reveals what she was thinking and feeling during one of the most controversial and unpredictable presidential elections in history. Now free from the constraints of running, Hillary takes you inside the intense personal experience of becoming the first woman nominated for president by a major party in an election marked by rage, sexism, exhilarating highs and infuriating lows, stranger-than-fiction twists, Russian interference, and an opponent who broke all the rules. This is her most personal memoir yet.
    11. Everything is Mama by Jimmy FallonJimmy Fallon, one of the most popular entertainers in the world and NBC’s Tonight Show host, was on a mission with his first children’s book to have every baby’s first word be DADA. And it worked! A lot of babies’ first words were DADA. However, everything after that was MAMA.So take a lighthearted look at the world from your baby’s point of view as different animals try to teach their children that there are other words in addition to MAMA for familiar objects and activities.
    12. She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World by Chelsea ClintonThroughout American history, there have always been women who have spoken out for what’s right, even when they have to fight to be heard. In early 2017, Senator Elizabeth Warren’s refusal to be silenced in the Senate inspired a spontaneous celebration of women who persevered in the face of adversity. In this book, Chelsea Clinton celebrates thirteen American women who helped shape our country through their tenacity, sometimes through speaking out, sometimes by staying seated, sometimes by captivating an audience. They all certainly persisted.
    13. Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose by Joe BidenIn November 2014, thirteen members of the Biden family gathered on Nantucket for Thanksgiving, a tradition they had been celebrating for the past forty years; it was the one constant in what had become a hectic, scrutinized, and overscheduled life. The Thanksgiving holiday was a much-needed respite, a time to connect, a time to reflect on what the year had brought, and what the future might hold. But this year felt different from all those that had come before. Joe and Jill Biden’s eldest son, Beau, had been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor fifteen months earlier, and his survival was uncertain. “Promise me, Dad,” Beau had told his father. “Give me your word that no matter what happens, you’re going to be all right.” Joe Biden gave him his word.
    14. The Handmaids Tale by Margaret AtwoodThe Handmaid’s Tale is a novel of such power that the reader will be unable to forget its images and its forecast. Set in the near future, it describes life in what was once the United States and is now called the Republic of Gilead, a monotheocracy that has reacted to social unrest and a sharply declining birthrate by reverting to, and going beyond, the repressive intolerance of the original Puritans. The regime takes the Book of Genesis absolutely at its word, with bizarre consequences for the women and men in its population.
    15. Everything Is Awful: And Other Observations by Matt BellassaiFrom the break-out star of BuzzFeed and the People’s Choice Award-winning comedian behind the web series “Whine About It” and “To Be Honest” comes a collection of hilariously anguished essays chronicling awful moments from his life so far, the humiliations of being an adult, and other little indignities.Matt Bellassai has no idea what he’s doing. Well, to be fair, he did become semi-Internet famous by getting drunk at work, making him a socially-acceptable—nay—professional alcoholic. He’s got some things figured out. But the rest is all just a terrible, disgusting mess

Great Gifts from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of this DVD for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Shopping for a TV or movie lover this holiday season? Check out these great titles from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and snag a copy for your friend or family member today!

Vampire Diaries: The Complete Series

The Vampire Diaries is yours for eternity! This 8-volume collection traces the supernatural vampire love triangle between Elena Gilbert and the Salvatore brothers Stefan and Damon.  Relive this pulsing, action-packed series that grabbed vampire-loving viewers worldwide by the heart…and never let go.

 

Pretty Little Liars: The Complete Series 

Every threatening text, shocking twist and suspense-filled thrill is yours in The Complete Seasons One through Six of Pretty Little Liars. Join Rosewood’s most buzzed-about best buds Aria, Emily, Hanna and Spencer as they search for the truth about the disappearance of their best friend Alison.


We will definitely be doing some binging after the holidays!

Peanuts Holiday Collection 4K UHD

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of this DVD for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Our family loves holiday movies, especially the classics! It is a tradition to watch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on Halloween as well as A Charlie Brown Christmas  on Christmas Eve.

Now you can own the Peanuts Holiday Collection 4K UHD!

Peanuts fans can now enjoy their favorite animated holiday classics in 4K Ultra HD resolution with High Dynamic Range (HDR), for the ultimate home entertainment viewing experience.   This compilation is comprised of nine Peanuts TV specials, including classics It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown; A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and A Charlie Brown Christmas, which will be offered together in a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray™ Combo Pack. The Combo-Pack includes a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray™ disc with the episodes in 4K with HDR, a Blu-ray™ disc and digital version of all nine specials

With this set, you get the following featured Specials:

  • It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown – This Emmy® Award-nominated special, finds the Peanuts gang outfitted in costumes, ready for trick or treating and crashing Violet’s Halloween party. Charlie Brown is in a ghost costume (with more eyeholes cut out than needed), Lucy dressed as a witch and Snoopy in a World War I flying ace costume. Linus decides to steadfastly hold vigil in the pumpkin patch as he awaits the Great Pumpkin. 
  • It’s Magic, Charlie Brown – This bonus episode finds Snoopy putting on a show after he checks out a book on magic tricks from the library. With Marcie and Sally as his assistants, he performs many tricks (some that work and some that don’t) before an audience. The grand finale features the biggest trick of all, making Charlie Brown disappear.  To everyone’s amazement, Snoopy makes him invisible but doesn’t know how to bring Charlie Brown back. Will Snoopy find a way to reverse the trick?
  • Charlie Brown’s All-Stars – Nominated for two Prime Time Emmys®, in this delightful special, Charlie Brown is faced with a difficult moral dilemma; should he accept brand new uniforms and give the rest of the gang a chance to be part of an official little league baseball team even if it means that due to policy, Snoopy, Lucy, Patty, Violet and Frieda must be kicked off?
  • A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving – In this Emmy® Award-winning special, Peppermint Patty invites herself to Charlie Brown’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. Marcie and Franklin are soon added as dinner guests. Charlie Brown admits that his culinary skills are limited to “cold cereal and maybe toast.”  Snoopy and Woodstock transform the ping-pong table in the backyard into a dinner table.   As the guests arrive, they are each served two slices of buttered toast, some pretzel sticks, popcorn and jelly beans. Peppermint Patty is outraged at the meal and berates Charlie Brown until embarrassed and dejected, he leaves the table and goes back into the house.
  • The Mayflower Voyagers – In this bonus episode from the This is America, Charlie Brown series, the Peanuts kids become pilgrims sailing to the New World aboard the Mayflower and endure the first hard winter on Plymouth Plantation.
  • Play It Again, Charlie Brown – Nominated for an Emmy Award ®, this special focuses on Lucy’s undying and unreciprocated love for the piano playing child prodigy, Schroeder. In an effort to win Schroeder’s affection, Lucy, under Peppermint Patty’s advice, invites him to perform in a concert at an upcoming PTA meeting.  Schroeder accepts and immediately begins rehearsing.  Lucy, delighted with Schroeder’s acceptance, thanks Peppermint Patty.  Peppermint Patty however, mentions she forgot to tell Lucy that only rock music will be featured in the program and that Schroeder won’t be able to play Beethoven.  Lucy is left in anguish, knowing Schroeder will refuse to perform anything other than classical music and tries to find a way to break the news without his dropping out of the program.
  • A Charlie Brown Christmas – In this Emmy® and Peabody Award winning classic, Charlie Brown is upset by how commercial the Christmas holiday has become. To coax him out of his holiday blues, Lucy suggests he direct the school’s Christmas pageant and decorate a glorious tree.  Charlie Brown concedes. The tree he finds however, is puny, prompting everyone to ridicule him.   
  • It’s Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown – This bonus episode is the second Christmas-themed Peanuts episode since A Charlie Brown Christmas.  Holiday preparations include Charlie Brown selling wreaths door-to-door to make extra money, Peppermint Patty sweating out an important book report and the entire crew appearing in a Christmas pageant.
  • It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown – Originally broadcast in 1984, this special is comprised of several clever parodies inspired by popular early ‘80s dance trends ranging from disco to break dancing as well as a series of top 40 hit songs from the era.  It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown earned an Emmy® Award nomination for Outstanding Animated Program.

The Peanuts Holiday Collection is available for purchase now and you can order below.


Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of this DVD for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you know me, then you are aware that I have a *slight* obsession with Gilmore Girls. I’ve watched the original 7 seasons through, from start to finish, over 60 times. I can recite episodes, in their entirety, while watching along. I often quote my favorite lines and use Gilmore-isms, almost daily. To say I am a fan, is an understatement.

When Netflix announced they were giving us 4 new episodes, I swear I heard the heavens open and the angels sing from above. It was the best.news.ever. I started a countdown on my Facebook page and shared a Gilmore meme each day until Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life hit Netflix on 11/25/2016.  When the episodes hit the air at 2am, there I was, in my living room with my cup of coffee in hand, wearing my Luke’s t-shirt, surrounded by Pop-Tarts, Red Vines, Mallomars, Twinkies and more.

Hearing my favorite voices and seeing my favorite characters come back to life, I was glued to the TV from Winter and binged right on through to the end of Fall.

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life takes you back to the nostalgic Stars Hollow for the ultimate revival of the adored series, Gilmore Girls. The coffee-loving, fast-talking, mother and daughter duo are back just as you remembered!

Nearly ten years after the original series ended, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life begins, Lorelai still runs the Dragonfly Inn (and chugs coffee like it’s water) and Rory, now 32, has experienced some career success. As Rory works through job-related struggles and Lorelai deals with some unresolved issues of her own, Emily Gilmore has been handling the loss of her dear husband, Richard. Emily is at a major crossroads in her life, recently widowed and trying to figure out what to do next. Richard’s death forces Emily and Lorelai to finally reexamine their own fraught relationship, which hasn’t changed much since the beginning of the series.

As a diehard fan, I have to say that I loved this revival, I loved everything about it. I cried and I laughed, and I just loved it. It did leave some unanswered questions, like the original series did, however I am remaining hopeful that there will be another revival! 

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life consists of 4 – 90 minute episodes, titled Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall and is available for purchase on DVD and Blu-ray on 11/28. You can preorder it below!

 

If you have a Gilmore Girls fan on your shopping list, I guarantee this will make the perfect gift!