Here’s the thing: If Jimmy Stewart’s or Harry Carey’s characters in the movie Mr. Smith Goes To Washington were real people, none of us would ever have to worry about who to vote for again. We just wouldn’t. Forget political parties and government shut-downs. We’d totally become a hopeful nation where things like honesty and integrity replaced apathy and skepticism. …
Down Syndrome Awareness Month & Ollie :)
If you’ve been around my website for any amount of time—or around me, for that matter—then you know I’m pretty crazy about my nephew Ollie. He is the coolest kid ever. And if you’ve heard me gush about Ollie in the past, then you know he was born a few years ago with multiple heart defects and Down syndrome. Since …
Welcome Mat Wednesday is back with guest author Wendy Paine Miller
Remember back in the day when I welcomed a special guest every Wednesday here at the blog…and called it Welcome Mat Wednesday? Remember how much fun that was? Then remember how things got c-r-a-z-y for me and I took a little break? Well, break over. We may not have a guest every week, but I do have a fun line-up for the …
Classic Movie Gush: Citizen Kane (best movie ever??)
So I studied abroad in London in college (and used to go back once a year, but now it’s been like five years since I’ve returned and I’m totally in withdrawal and this is all beside the point) and British friends used to make fun of me for saying things are “the best ever.” To be fair to myself, sometimes …
Love. That’s all.
One of my least favorite characters said one of my favorite lines ever on the sweet BBC show Downton Abbey: “Look, it comes down to whether or not you love me. That’s all. That’s it. The rest is detail.” It’s Branson, the chauffeur who ends up marrying one of Lord Grantham’s daughters, who says the line. He’s talking to the …
Classic Movie Gush: Double Indemnity (Who knew life insurance could be so entertaining?)
Something I think about fairly often: If I was an actress (which I’m sooo not…I can’t keep a straight face for the life of me) would I want to take happy, good girl roles…or bad girl roles? I sometimes land on “bad girl” solely because I think my dream role would be Veruca Salt in Willy Wonka…how fun would it …
*Here to Stay* cover reveal
I’ve got a pretty cover for my second book, Here to Stay, which releases next May! And look, I’m not a huge squealer (or so I like to think) but honestly, there may have been squealing—lots of it— when I saw this one. So. Adorable. Like, adorable adorable. If you’ve read my first book, Made to Last, then you’ll recognize the name of …
Samson’s dad.
When I was a kid we had these VHS tapes of animated Bible stories. We watched them over and over. The one I remember most? Samson. And I think the reason I remember it so well is because I’m pretty sure every single time I watched it I had a crazy hope that it’d turn out differently. That Samson would …
How one theme song can totally spice up your everyday life
So, the other day I was sitting at a red light in a busy intersection. And sitting…and sitting…and sitting… When suddenly the theme music for Downton Abbey started playing in my car. And instantly, my wait turned exciting. Nay, dramatic. All because of the song. (Never heard the Downton Abbey theme? A) Um, it’s time to BBC-ify your life and …
Classic Movie Gush: Bringing Up Baby (because there can never be enough Cary Grant)
If you didn’t know anything about golden era Hollywood and you heard the movie title Bringing Up Baby, you might think it was about taking care of your baby. Which it kind of is. If your baby is a leopard. It is also about a straight-laced paleontologist named David and a crazy woman named Susan and a dinosaur bone. It …