Things we learned in February

Holly and Kelly: This was an interesting month for us. A lot of growth occurred, and our lessons were few but simple.

Bigger and "more" isn't always best: I (Kelly) had an opportunity come up to apply for a better paying job (still where I work now), with full time hours and weekends off. The catch was it was working with a patient population I really don't care for. After deliberating and deliberating, I decided not to move forward with applying for it and being ok with where I still am. Because I still am ok where I am.

The start of something new: I (Holly) am still new in my recently not being single, and I have learned so much about myself as a partner and what that may look like in the months/years to come. Who knows? God does. I've also learned a lot about who God is and who I am and it's been a very humbling journey.

Good company is easy to come by: We were at Winter Jam and just had a rocking awesome time. The crowd waiting in line was insanely huge, but there will no ill tempers; just a bunch of Jesus loving folks gathering to hear some praise and worship music.

It's ok to just binge: on TV. Case and point; we have THOROUGHLY enjoyed re-watching House of Cards over the past month or so and some change. It's just fun.

Mom visits are still the best: Even when you're 25 years old.

That's all for now. We're about to get ready for our trip to Florida where baseball and a day of beach will be awaiting us this upcoming weekend!!!!

Jesus and NUMB3RS

Holly: About four and a half years ago (ish) I came across a Facebook note I wrote after I watched one of my favorite episodes of ER.  I tied in the plight of the episode to that of Christ's sacrifice on the cross.  You can read the whole thing here...and if you can't for some reason...well, sorry about your luck :P

Fast forward to last night.  I still binge on ER every now and then, but last night I was watching another one of my favorites, NUMB3RS.  Kelly and I have mentioned it on here a few times.  I was watching one of my favorites, "Friendly Fire", and again, I couldn't help but notice a parallel between my faith and this show that I really enjoy.  I jotted this down not long after.  Every day I'm learning that God really is in all things :) Enjoy, and happy Easter!


Good Friday, 2015.  Sometimes it’s hard for me to see the “good” in it.  This is the day that Christ gave up His life.  To sit and watch Christ die a most terrible death is something I don’t think I’ll ever be able to wrap my head around.  So much heartbreak.  Thank goodness that this particular story has a happy ending!  I am so thankful that because of Jesus, death doesn’t have the last word! 

I think so many of us, myself included, forget that Jesus walked this earth as a human.  He was human! I think there’s such a strong sense of fragility and vulnerability in this.  I was reminded of just that- the fragility of being human- this evening, while watching one of my favorite episodes of Numb3rs.  I think I’ve seen it half a dozen times by now.  A longtime mentor of Don’s, Fox, is under suspicion after a bank robbery that ends up with two federal agent fatalities.  Don backs him and defends him 100%...until the end, when the data Charlie has drawn up becomes too overwhelming to ignore- things are stacking up against Fox, and definitely not for the better.  In a stand-off between Don and Fox, Fox’s true colors come forth and the complete truth behind the robbery is revealed.  For the first time in years, we see Don’s guard drop and his coming to grips with reality- is someone he’s looked up to for so long really capable of such things?  As Fox reloads his firearm, he says that he can’t and won’t go down for this, this that would most assuredly end his career as he knew it, and he would rather take matters into his own hands than allow Don to turn him in.  I won’t reveal what happens next, but let me just say that it destroys Don (And me too!).  The armor finally cracks.  For five seasons we’ve seen Don shouldering the weight of his team stoically and effectively, burying any and all emotion for the sake of justice and doing his job.  But the end of this particular episode, maybe the last 5-10 minutes, it really does something to me.  It’s so powerful, yet there’s a moment subtle enough to miss if you’re not paying attention.  It’s a heart-wrenching reminder that we are human.  We fall.  We break.  We are rattled and moved by events in our lives and sometimes there isn’t anything else to do but let our guard down.  That moment just stops my heart.

The truth is that we are broken people, much like Don at the end of “Friendly Fire”.  We are not immune to tragedies that may occur in our lives, and we are not immune to how we may deal with said tragedies.  However, I’m thankful that I can run to God when life becomes too much.   I’m thankful that He understands the humanity within us.  He knows!  There are plenty of circumstances in this world that warrant apologies, but you should never have to apologize for being human.  Like I said, God understands, and He can handle it.  Newsflash: No one expects you to hold it together all the time.  I need that reminder often.  And that includes you too, Don!  (Anyone else felt like giving him a hug at the end there, or was it just me?) 

 

The Doctor Who/Wings Experience

Holly and Kelly: I've come to realize that this has been a very slow month for blogging. Probably one of the lowest and slowest in a while. A lot has been going on; nothing bad by any means, but still quite busy. One of the things that has gone on is something we are talking about today. A couple of weeks ago, on the 16th and 17th to be exact, our local movie theater put on this special event that featured the screening of two Doctor Who episodes one night, followed by a documentary the second night. They screened Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel, and we aren't really sure why they picked those two, but anyway. It was just fun and awesome to see Doctor Who on the big screen, since we kinda missed out on Day of the Doctor because we were lame and stupid and weren't fans yet. Sorry, got some coffee in me. On the second night, they aired a documentary about birds. No seriously.

It wasn't just any documentary about birds though; it was in 3D. It was narrated by none other than David Tennant!!!!!!!!! Let me tell you, watching 3D birds and listening to a Scottish accent for 90 minutes was pretty remarkable. But the documentary was REALLY well done. But that wasn't even the highlight of the evening, no. What was was something that we touched a bit on while we were doing our 30 day Doctor Who challenge. The first night we were at the theater there were other Whovians there as well...trust us, they're pretty hard to miss. The credits were rolling at the end of Cybermen/Steel and this older guy sitting a few seats down from us turns to face the rest of the theater and says "These are my kind of people."  Later, Kelly ran into a girl who was maybe 11 or 12, and she was wearing a bow tie and a fez.  Kelly said "Bow ties are cool" and the girl smiled.  It's a community, a family of sorts, and we really haven't seen that in any other big movie or TV franchise.  And that's a really incredible thing.  Yeah, when you boil it down it is just a TV show, but for all of us, it's so much more than that.  Also a really incredible thing.  It's an experience and a TV show for some people, but for others, it's much more. It's a bit excessive and obsessive for some (eek) but as for us, we just enjoy it. We enjoy the show, the characters, and the community it brings.

30 Days of Doctor Who: The Wrap Up

Holly and Kelly: So we're FINALLY finishing this thing, even though it hasn't been 30 days. Needless to say, the 30 day challenge proved to be too much for us. With our mom coming to visit, working, hanging out, kicking butt and now I'm (Kelly) waiting for a staff meeting to start, we just decided to wrap this thing up and do our best to continue to blog about other topics we've come up with at hand. We LOVE Doctor Who, without a doubt, but we decided we're tired of being prompted. Needless to say we're straying from 30 day challenges for a while; they were easier to do when we weren't working regularly! Anyway, we thought it would be appropriate to wrap this challenge up, saying why we love Doctor Who so much: 

1. It draws us closer to God and makes us more like Jesus
Seriously. Not so much be like The Doctor per se, because he himself isn't real. But God is real in our lives, and the show makes us want to be more like Christ. Not that we use it as an example of how to be like Christ, but in the sense that The Doctor is actually a good role model. If you look and think deeper into the show, it does have a lot of Christian elements in it...in our opinions. We appreciate the fact that the show values people, for the most part. The main characters have very strong moral compasses, which is a plus. Not to mention we're also delving into a bit of the Classic eps, and they are no different, with the exception of a few years.

2. It's welcoming. 
The Doctor isn't a stranger to anybody. He finds people from different walks of life, the wash outs, the nobodys, the "just a temp" kind of people, and changes them. He makes them better. That for us allows us to try and do the same; we love because Christ first loved us. It's the way God finds and loves us! No matter what they have been through, he accepts them, and he teaches them to accept others...and themselves. This somewhat ties into our last point. Bear in mind, you have to respect the fact that this show has been around for over 50 years!

3. Good escape
Sometimes, days just really suck. Work is stressful, stuff is going on at home, friends are hurting, whatever. We turn to God, each other, phone calls to home and to The Doctor to help us cope. And then we find ourselves a little bit better.

4. The music. 
Need we say more? Refer to our post from earlier regarding our favorite music.

5. It's relatable. 
Well yeah. You've got this extraordinary, 900+ year old time traveler who has seen...well, gee, EVERYTHING. He can go anywhere, has seen everything, and yet, he's like us in a sense. He's lonely, which is something we've all struggled with. He seeks companions that are every day people; looking and longing for something more, that one "missing piece." All of their lives change because of The Doctor, both in good and unfortunately some in bad ways. One way or another, we influence who we as every day people come in contact with, and it's a good reminder for us to take that small extra step to go a bit further with someone, because while you may be changing them, they may be also changing you. Just ask Kelly. :)

6. The community. 
It never fails every time we go to Hasting's to purchase something Doctor Who related, the cashier always ends up engaging one or both of us in friendly Who conversation. And they always ask if we've seen The Day of the Doctor (which we have!) And most recently, last night. There's a 2 night event going on this week and last night was the first night (the last night is tonight sadly), and it was a showing of Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel. It wasn't a packed house by any means, but there was a pretty good crowd. Anyway, we were at the theater and we saw a girl with a bowtie and fez on. I (Kelly) smiled and said "fezzes are cool." She smiled. Then at the end of the viewing and the credits were rolling, this guy just looked around and said "these are my kind of people." With any big movie and TV franchise this happens; it happened when we saw The Hobbit too. No matter who they are or what walk of life they come from, everyone is so nice! We have yet to meet a cross Whovian or Ringer!

So there you have it. The secret is out! This challenge has come to an end. We will be back to posting regular topics soon. Thanks for hanging with us. Allons-y!!!

30 Days of Doctor Who: Least Favorite Actor and Favorite Actress

Kelly: The first one...it's not nice. I don't have a least favorite. Really. I think everyone who has ever been on the show has done an excellent job, even if they were given obnoxious or just downright awful roles. That is all. When it comes to my favorite actress, I really had to think about this one. I think all of the actresses who have been companions/guest stars/whatever have all done a wonderful job. Each has played their role so well, so this was a hard choice. But the winner for me is....Karen Gillan.

Amy Pond. :) 

After 10's run, it took me a while to REALLY warm up to not only the 11th Doctor, but a new cast, new producer, new writers, etc. I have yet to see any of Karen's other work, but I have a few things on my list that I will be checking out within the next couple of months or so. I think she did such a good job of portraying Amy as someone that is easily identifiable; I relate to Amy in a lot of ways. She's married to a nurse (!!!) and for a while is torn between following the Doctor or settling down with a husband and a domestic life. But in the end, she chooses her husband, even though the circumstances were quite tragic...SPOILERS. Plus, I love the fact that she and Matt are still good friends. :) So yeah. Like I said, this was a hard choice for me, but don't knock change; you may end up really liking it!

Holly: So I also have to agree with Kelly on the "least favorite actor" bit.  Honestly, this show employs some incredibly, incredibly talented actors.  I truly feel each and every one of them give 110% in their roles.  There's some big names on this show and they all just do an awesome job!  Seriously.  Major props from me to them.  Anywho, that's that.

In terms of favorite actress, while I also utterly adore Karen Gillan (seriously, I follow her on Twitter and she is just so stinkin' cool and down-to-earth.  I would love to have coffee with her sometime), I am surprised at how much I fell in love with Jenna Coleman's portrayal of Clara.  She's only been on the show for a short time, but she, like the other companions, has the utmost of devotion for the Doctor.  And I love that.  We watched "Day of the Doctor" last night (!!!!!!!!!!) and there's a scene towards the end where the three Doctors literally have their hands on a button to destroy their home planet and everyone and everything else on it.  But it's Clara who gets through to Eleven and says "No.  These are your people."  She just gets him; she's almost motherly to Eleven. She's the Impossible Girl.  She comes on as strong and snarky, but doesn't really let on just how unsure she is, especially since Eleven seems to know A LOT more about her than he lets on.  I am really excited to see her in her first full season with a new Doctor.

In addition to all of that, Jenna Coleman is just beyond adorable.  I love her energy and her attitude; it's a lot like me! :)

30 Days of Doctor Who: Least favorite actress/Favorite writer

Holly: Again with this "least favorite" business...no.  Just no.  Every lady on this show does a fantastic job.  Seriously.  I'm done with that.

In terms of favorite writer, off the top of my head, Paul Cornell comes to my mind.  He wrote what is perhaps my favorite Who episode, "Human Nature/Family of Blood".  Oh. my. goodness.  To keep it brief without giving too much away, it's nothing short of brilliant.  And we won't even touch with a ten foot pole at just how AMAZING David Tennant is in it.  Ok, done with my bias there :)  Go watch it if you haven't yet.  Or if, like me, you've seen it a hundred times, watch it again.

Now, I know a lot of the fans are not terribly pleased with the direction that Moffat has taken the show since David Tennant and RTD's departure, but I admit, I think it's pretty awesome stuff.  Moffat writes some brilliant stuff (and funny too!).  However, RTD's episodes I still enjoy much more, especially his finales: he did a great job of wrapping up all the lose ends, and usually leaving us with a few tears shed in the process as well.  I still love going back to the "oldies" :))) every now and then...

Kelly: We only have one episode left before the end of the newly designed series (tear) and wow I have been impressed. However, I am...sorry. Trying to nom while I write. Anyway I consider myself a fan of the RTD era still overall. In my opinion the post RTD has a lot of just "fluff." I don't like fluff. Chris Chibnall is another good writer, who has appeared in both the RTD and Moffat era. Though a couple of his eps weren't that great, he did write one of my favorite eps: 42. Ahhhh...it's just so good! It wasn't at all what I was expecting but oh my glob it's so good. Just give it a go; it's a heck of a thrill! So yeah. That's all I have to say about that.

30 Days of Doctor Who: Most annoying character/Favorite Actor

Holly: This is probably the longest 30 day writing challenge in existence.  haha.  Gosh, life just has a way of sneaking up on you and allowing the days to just fly and fly and fly, right on by.  We're combining a couple of days again, so I'm (briefly) chatting on what we think is the most annoying character.  Which, I think, is kind of mean, but whatever.  All for the sake of writing, I suppose.

We were not a fan of Lady Christina de Souza, who was in the Tenth special "Planet of the Dead."  To be honest, we weren't a fan of the episode altogether.  I (Holly) was really looking forward to another strong female companion but I just didn't see that in her.  She was really "my way or no way" and kind of greedy, at one point holding on tightly to a sacred treasure instead of letting it go to save a bus full of innocent people.  Not really much of a moral compass either.  Although I have absolutely nothing against the actress (watch Steven Moffat's Jekyll, she's brilliant), but yeah.  Just didn't roll with us too well.

Kelly: So it's no secret on who our favorite actor is.

Yup. You guessed it!

Oh my gloooooooooooooooooooooooooooobbbbbbbbbbbbbb. Talk about talent. Nothing short of genuine, pure raw and amazing talent. I mean seriously. Something that we do is when we like a new show or movie, we do our best to watch some of the other things the leading gent (or leading lady) have been in in the past. We've just started doing this with Matt Smith, and we've seen a good bit of David Tennant's other work besides as the dear Doctor himself. One thing that I really love is that he genuinely cares for and about his fans, and it's super sweet. Don't really know too many people in general who spare a second thought to those outside of their little comfortable network. We have some of our favorite pre/post Doctor media, like Broadchurch, Single Father and Nativity 2 (we strongly encourage you lot to check them out). But my personal favorite of his other than the Doctor is his role in a TV movie that came out a few years ago titled Recovery. Recovery tells the story of a man who after a tragic accident suffers from a traumatic brain injury. This changes his personality, his ambitions and his life as he struggles to relearn how to be a husband, working class individual and father. You will laugh, you will cry (or at least I did) and I hope you will spare a thought for those who have gone through what the story portrays.

Having been exposed to injuries and illnesses of that nature, I have to applaud David's performance, because in not only my personal, but as a healthcare provider, it was pretty spot on! But seriously, if you all have a favorite actor/actress, stray away from the role that they are "known" for, look into some other things they have done, and let me tell you you will have such a new found appreciation for them not only in their careers but as people. Yes. They are people before they are actors/actresses. I think that that is so often forgotten. So there you have it! 

30 Days of Doctor Who: Favorite season

Kelly: 3. Still 3. I don't know if that's ever going to change. Season 3 has some of my favorite episodes and story lines, including my favorite favorite (Human Nature/Family of Blood). Season 6 was a VERY close second, but 3 is still my favorite. It also has my second favorite villain, which I will go more in-depth in a couple of days. The writing is the best, and the progression from start to finish is amazing. Watching Martha go from mere sidekick to actual companion is a treat to watch. Although I do wish she would have gotten a somewhat happier ending...not that it was bad by any means. But she loved the Doctor, and he was still grief stricken  over losing Rose...SPOILERS. Plus I really liked Martha's character...don't know why a lot of the Who fandom didn't.

If you're not a fan of the show already, this season will make you love it, in my opinion....baaah. Had to get up and readjust the washing machine. I also like that in this season you learn a bit about the Doctor's home planet and what his people were like. Previously, all we knew was that he was a Time Lord and his home planet was called Gallifrey, and that was about it. Granted we only learn about one other Time Lord, who turns out to not be like the Doctor at all...gaah. Sorry. More spoilers. Just promise me that those who aren't fans of the show will watch it eventually. Pretty please.

Holly: So, since Kelly discussed Season 3, which is pretty stinkin' hard to beat, I'll chat briefly about season 6.  3 and 6 come in a very close tie for me.  6 was such a great season.  It was the second season featuring Eleven, and we were totally disappointed in the 5th season...a lot of the episodes were, just quite frankly, stupid, with no climaxes, no real plot development.  No real plot.  No real anything except a bunch of sub-par episodes...ANYWAY, I digress.  6.  I think what I love the most about this season is that we see more of Amy and Eleven's relationship; it grows so much stronger.  In fact, Eleven and Amy just shine in this season; they both have some great moments, great lines, great conversations, etc.  Plus, we see more of Rory, whom I love to pieces and then some.  I love the story arc with River/Melody (SPOILERS).  "The Doctor's Wife" and "A Good Man Goes to War" are probably some of the best episodes of the revived series, in my opinion.  With the exception of one episode (and even the ending is awesome, at that), every episode I really, really enjoyed.

If you're new to Eleven's run, give it time.  It gets better, SO much better!

30 Days of Doctor Who: Favorite Doctor

Holly and Kelly: And the winner by unanimous vote....10!!!!

Don't get me wrong, we love all the doctors we've seen. We started watching when 9 debuted, and we're currently watching 11. We love them both very much. But 10 won over our hearts and then some. And how can't you love him?! He's funny, quirky, lovable and let's face it, he's ridiculously adorable! Not to mention David Tennant plays him so well. Now that we've got that out of the way, why do we love 10 so much? Other than what has been mentioned above, there is so much more to him than his general adorableness. He sees the good in every body, no matter what their back stories are. He chooses his companions because on the outside they're just ordinary people, but he sees potential in them to change the world. And while they're helping him change the world (and themselves), they're changing him too. They become his family.  We love his heart- to him, every life is sacred.  He tries to redeem those who seem too far gone.  

But he's also not perfect. He makes a terrible mistake when he tries to mess with time, and that mistake costs him his life. At first he tries to run from it, but he soon realizes he can't and has to face it. This is also why we like him; we can relate to him. We've lost people in our life, we've made and lost friends and we've wanted to take try and take things back.  We've felt alone even in a room full of people, and that's also a big reason we love him- he seems real to us.  Human, almost.  Speaking of human, he even becomes human for a while (now THAT'S a heck of a storyline if you're interested...)

What can we say? He's our Doctor :)

10 Reflections

Holly: Flying solo tonight, for a couple of reasons: 1. Because Kelly is currently writing her own post for her nursing blog, and 2. Because she told me to post this.

I didn't want to, but like I said, Kelly told me to.  Earlier this week we finished our viewings of all the 10th Doctor episodes of Doctor Who (minus The Day of the Doctor...).  Probably some of the most breathtaking (literally!), beautiful, heartwrenching, poignant, and emotional 2 hours of TV we've ever watched.  Talk about an emotional rollercoaster.  ANYWAY...last night I put a pen to paper, and this is what happened.  Hope you like it.  

10 Reflections
written 2/28/2014

Barcelona

first impressions: cute, crazy, a bit manic

and alone

so alone

But there was someone else
Her name was Rose

she made you better

the only one to say those three words directly to you

You and Rose

tumbling headfirst into strange worlds and creatures

Together

Then the parallel- cruel separation

Am I ever going to see you again?

No! was the resounding cry

but fate would have it otherwise

You understood

You became human
You knew what it was like to love and be loved

The love you gave and showed made us all fall in love with you

we followed you once more, with Martha, then Donna

I think you need someone

So alone
Saving the world with your family at your side
Donna: the metacrisis
she must never remember any of it

Utter heartbreak

Rose, then Donna
No more

resigning to travelling alone
trying to make everything right

So much power in the face of loss

the bonds of time are too easily broken

I've gone too far

And with time comes an end

He will knock four times

The end

The all-too-bittersweet end

The final hurrah to a journey of adventure, wit, and love

Your greatest asset and enemy

Every life is sacred

The love you gave and showed made us all fall in love with you

and so

We will sing to you, Doctor.  The universe will sing you to your sleep.  This song is ending, but the story never ends.

In a world of despair, you gave hope

In a world of darkness, you were light

never afraid to wander, to marvel, to grieve

Regeneration begins again

one last round of silent farewells, final glances and moments, rueful acknowledgments

Back to the TARDIS, the blue wooden sanctuary

I don't want to go

But go you did

much like the inside, our hearts shattered, almost beyond repair

the face physically changes, but yours will be imprinted on our hearts until the end of time

We wish to thank you, but the words seem so small

please believe we will never forget

our 10th Doctor

our Mr. Smith

our lonely angel

our soul

Vale Decem

Debunking the stigmas

Holly: It's not much of a surprise that society tends to put people into "boxes".  You have your haves and have-nots, your loners and social butterflies, your twenty-somethings and your elderly, your single people and your couples...you get the idea.  Then there's us.  We're more on the "haves" side of things, we fit somewhere in between loner and social butterfly, we're both single, and we're both in our 20s.  We're also Christians.

I've seen a lot of stigmas associated with being a Christian.  I'm sure you have too.  "Christians don't know how to have fun."  (Whatever that means, anyway.  I guarantee my definition of "fun" and your definition are totally different).  "Christians think everyone's going to hell."  "Christians only listen to Christian music and don't watch movies with swearing or sex or any of that stuff."  "Christians are so hypocritical."  "Christians don't drink or smoke or any of that." "Christians are so judgmental."  "Christians think everything is BAD!" You get the idea, right?

I'm going to debunk ALL of these by saying that they're all full of crap.  Last night, Kelly and I went and saw "The World's End" in theaters.  I will be the first to say that it's filthy.  There's a lot of bad language and a lot of inappropriate-ness.  However, we saw it anyway.  Why? Because it's JUST A MOVIE.  It's not like Kelly and I are going to suddenly embark on a mile-long pub crawl.  No.  And that's where I debunk all of these stigmas.  Movies, tv shows, books, etc, things that are "questionable" are merely in this world for the sole purpose of entertainment.  It's just a movie.  It's just a book.  They're not real.  There's a quote from Facing the Giants in which someone asks "So you think God cares about football?"  The rebuttal is that God cares about our faith.  We can indulge in a totally stupid and funny 2 hour movie and keep our integrity in check.  Watching a movie is not a sin.  As for music...give me Mumford and Sons any day of the week.

Kelly: I remember at the first church I attended when I was about 8 years old. As you all know, Harry Potter had just come out and was starting to get well known. Holly and I were in our Sunday School class and our Sunday School teacher was very anti-Harry Potter because of the magic, witchcraft and wizardry that obviously happens. She blatantly said that Harry Potter was a sin. I remember going home and being very upset because I was thinking about reading it but because of what she said I didn't. Maybe that's why we waited so long to read them...anyway.

Last night, like she said, Holly and I enjoyed an R rated movie. I also have been known to enjoy the occasional alcoholic beverage. (Bear in mind I said OCCASIONAL). I think what it just boils down to is ignorance. Just because we carry the name of Christ doesn't mean we're these sheltered, Bible-thumping fire and brimstone kind of people. No. When I was in Scotland 2 summers ago, I was the oldest in my apartment and my roommates were into that kind of party scene that included bar-hopping and the such. I am not really into that. Never have been. I remember I was in the kitchen making dinner and after repeatedly declining their invitations one girl asked me if I was a Christian. I said that I was. She then asked "oh so you don't drink because you're a Christian?" I'm going to use a Martin Freeman picture again to express my frustration then and now.

Again, I think it just boils down to ignorance. It's frustrating. So if anyone out there asks me how I spent my weekend, please please PLEASE do not gasp and be all flabbergasted if I reply that I went and had a drink with my friends. I believe there is absolutely nothing wrong with alcohol and R-rated movies. It's just if we let the drinking go farther than our limits and we start behaving in the way that R-rated movies sometimes are, then that in my opinion is when they can become problematic. Yet again there's another struggle, because today's culture is immersed with this type of behavior ALL the time. More often than not these types of behaviors are just casual, brushed off with "oops it just happened" or "oh it's ok. I'll clean up better next time." Now I ain't trying to preach, but it seems to me that the line between right and wrong has been so blurred in the past few years or so. And let's face it, our society has become so accepting of basically just a "doing it your way" type of lifestyle. Hey, that's great and all, but in my world living for myself is too small a thing to live for. God made me as the person that I am today; I think I owe it to Him to take care of this vessel He made in me. He's built something in my head that started young, because I've never been one to follow with what is "right" in today's world. So in the meantime, I'm going to enjoy what I enjoy and live my best for God. That's all any of us can do really. 

30 Days of Sherlock: Your favorite thing about the show

Holly: It's taken me a few days to think about this, and I'm glad that it's the last part of this writing challenge, because there are many, many things that I like about the show, so to go as far as to pick just one is a bit ludicrous.

For starters, the writing is practically flawless: witty, sharp, thought-provoking.  Sherlock's deductions are delivered at almost break-neck speed (Ok, I suppose that's more of the acting, and less of the writing, but still...).  There are so many great lines.  Second, the characters are so believable, especially John.  He's that one friend you'd want to have on your side, the one friend that everyone wants and the one friend that everyone aspires to be.

Finally, the entire premise of the show is what keeps me watching, and Kelly has mentioned it already, but it bears repeating:  You start out with a lonely, down-on-his-luck Afghanistan veteran, and add in a brilliant, almost mechanic and robotic, almost too-brilliant-for-his-own-good "consulting detective", and bring them together.  It's almost slapstick, if you're on the outside looking in.  But what happens throughout the duration of the series (so far) is almost magic; they start out merely as roommates, flatmates, but at the end of the second series, they've transformed into friends.  Friends?? Really?  Even Sherlock says it himself, "I don't have friends."  Something I have learned through this six-episode arc is that friendship, at its very essence, is more powerful than any mind and is able to break through any barriers.  It can surprise you, it can hurt you, but at the end of the day, it's necessary.  It's vital for life.  It keeps our very human side in check.  Even Sherlock realizes this at his last moments: that we're all humans on this road called life, and we all need someone.  Friends protect people.  And that, my friends, is how TV should be.

Kelly: I suppose I'll get a crack on this. It's 7:23AM and I'm awake. I'll be heading out for more job orientating here in a bit. But anywho, there's too many things I like about the show. If I had to pick one universal thing I like, it would be the dynamic of Sherlock and John. I must give credit to the writers of the show, because they do such an excellent job of writing this transformation that occurs between the two. A lonely, invalided Afghan war Army vet meets this cold, collected blunt consulting detective and then they become friends. That's the beauty of any friendship really, is that often it occurs between the two unlikeliest of people. These two people go from hardly knowing one another to John being the one Sherlock calls as he about to face his demise. And should I mention that this all occurs within 18 months. Also, it's realistic. Now what do I mean by that? The two meeting of people, getting to know each other, etc. I feel like that in a lot of shows it seems rushed or a bit fake, especially in romantic relationships. It seems it's like two people meet, make out then sleep together. Uh....?

So how does that happen? How does any friendship happen? Love. No...not THAT kind of love. Like sis said, it's believable. It's real. You watch it and you say "that's what friends do for each other." Somewhere on the way side, friends come and go but the good ones, the really good ones, will stick with you. And whether you know each other for 18 months or 18 years, that's just how it goes. And that's what happens with Sherlock and John; they go from being strangers to being each other's wing men, without actually saying "Hey, I'm your wing man." Plus, Martin and Benedict have EXCELLENT chemistry! I think if it were any other two actors, it wouldn't quite be the same.

This concludes our 30 day Sherlock challenge.  We hope you have enjoyed journeying with us.  We have lots of ideas bubbling around, so stay tuned!

30 Days of Sherlock: Favorite Sherlock actor

Note: Today, we would like to dedicate this post to our dear friend Brian.  Eight years ago today he was killed in a car accident.  He was supposed to graduate high school with our brother.  He was a truly remarkable and wonderful friend who gave the best hugs and knew how to make anyone laugh.  We miss you, Brian.

Kelly: All I can say is thank God that I am not the same person that I was when I was that unsure, angry and upset 15 year old. Anyway, thanks to the website Sherlockstuff, I've been able to track my favorite Sherlock actor (and one of my favorite favorite actors anyway) and see some of his other work. He's been involved in a variety of other roles, in rom coms, historical flicks and of course, Bilbo Baggins in the upcoming Hobbit film trilogy.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am tipping my hat off this morning to Martin Freeman. I've only known the name for about a year, but did recognize him in Shaun of The Dead, Hot Fuzz and Love Actually before I knew who he was. It was right around this time last year that we got into Sherlock as well; if I'm not mistaken we viewed Reichenbach on this day last year. When I saw Martin's performance in that episode, and seeing the real hurt and numbness that comes upon finding out your worst fear, that's when I fell in love with him not only as an actor but as John Watson. If you have never experienced loss before, you don't know what that feels like. I don't know if Martin has, but I have. And I remember watching the episode and thinking "that is EXACTLY how I felt when I heard about Brian." And just like that, I was 15 years old again.

So if you haven't seen some of Martin's other work, I would highly recommend it. I would recommend The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy, The Good Night, and Nativity! (those are my favorites that he's in). 

Holly: I too also love Martin Freeman.  And not just because he's John Watson (Seriously, you crazy Sherlock fans.....seriously.  Watch his other stuff.  He's so much more than that.  I seriously doubt he went through the training and schooling he did just to be known by "Jawn"...he's Martin Freeman! Ok, ending rant now).  I love him for his versatility.  I've seen the majority of his work, and every performance of his is completely seamless.  I especially love him in Nativity; he portrays the crochety Scroogy primary school teacher so well.  He's so believable! Like Kelly, I also recommend her recommendations, but I also recommend a comedy show called Bruiser.  He's quite funny!

Another good scene of his is from "Swinging with the Finkels."  Unfortunately, I gave the movie a half hour before I quit watching it, so I skipped to the end and ohhhhh....it's so sweet.  That last scene!!!! I'm not even going to post it here; you can find it on YouTube.

My recommendation for any actor you really like: watch their other works.  Branch out of your box a little.  I guarantee that your respect for him/her will increase exponentially.  And then you can daydream about meeting them and having an intellectual conversation with them, instead of something like "OHMYGLOB I'M YOUR BIGGEST FAN AND I LOVE SHERLOCK AND YOU'RE SO GOOD AS DR WATSON AND akljdgflkajdsgbkand.bkn.adjf...gkajewoituaoweut."  Catch my drift?

Bruiser: Touchy

Bruiser: Overanalyzing  (do apologize, there is a bit of language)

30 Days of Sherlock: Your favorite episode

Before we get started, we'll give a brief intro. Holly and I started watching BBC Sherlock around this time last year, due to our current roommate being interested in it. Ever since we've been hooked! There are only two seasons; the third is due out supposedly in October, but the producers have neither confirmed nor denied this date. We decided to do this for the month of July because, if you don't know, Sherlock first started in July of 2010. Anyway, let's get started with 30 days of Sherlock!!!!!!!!

Kelly: I have two favorite episodes. The first one is The Great Game. The Great Game is the last episode in the first series, and I chose this one as my favorite because I think it is really well written. There are so many sub-plots and stories, yet they all come together in the end with a Sherlock, John and Moriarty show down. Plus it's when we are first introduced to Moriarty, and even though he is the antagonist of the series you really get to see his brilliance. It's the villain you love to hate! Also, in the beginning of the episode, I enjoy seeing the relationship between Sherlock and John start to form, and some of Sherlock's quirks start to come out. It's very amusing and a great episode!

My second favorite is the Reichenbach Fall, which is the last episode in the second series (each series only has 3 episodes). The acting in this one is absolutely incredible; you're 100% in within the first two minutes of the episode. Holly and I watched it last night, and I actually rewound after the title credits came on just to watch the intro again; yeah, it's THAT good. The end is also what sells it as well, as last night I realized something. Throughout the series we see that Sherlock is often very cold, doesn't care to show "feelings" and is rather arrogant. Without trying to spoil so much, I think that he did what he did because he cared about his friends. The reason I don't want to spoil so much is because I guarantee that at least one of our readers will start watching the show by the end of this 30 day sequence. Challenge accepted!

Holly: One of the reasons I love being a twin is that while we usually love the same things, we have very different reasons as to why we usually love the same things.  This is one of them.

WARNING: reveals major spoilers if you've never watched.  Proceed with caution.

I have a two-way tie for my favorite episode, and they both fall in season 2: A Scandal in Belgravia and The Reichenbach Fall.  Scandal is the first ep in season 2, and one of the main reasons I enjoy this story is because we start to see what is, in my opinion, a season-wide revelation of Sherlock's human side.  When Sherlock first meets Irene Adler, he can't "deduce" her.  He even glances over to John to make sure he can still use his powers of deduction; he can, but with Irene, it's a big mystery.  Proof that he isn't immune to the opposite sex (aren't we all??? lol).  Later, when she is presumed dead, he falls into what one might see as a depression: he starts composing sad violin music and doesn't eat.  He denies it up and down later, but we all know that Sherlock did fall in love with Irene Adler, even if it was just for a short time.  The way it's written and portrayed just adds to the beauty.

We just watched Reichenbach last night, and what strikes me the most about this episode is how Sherlock and John's relationship has progressed from the pilot to now.  In the pilot, John is nobody, Sherlock's flatmate, "colleague" and not much else.  It goes to the opener of Reichenbach, where John is talking to his therapist, and it takes everything in him to muster out "my best friend, Sherlock Holmes, is dead."  It's not just his friend...it's his BEST friend.  He is visibly shaken and deeply hurt by the loss of his friend.  In six episodes, they're merely flatmates to friends.  John's soliloquy at Sherlock's grave at the end is just so powerful: "I was so alone, and I owe you so much"; he's later pleading for him to not be dead.  Honestly, it's so raw and real it makes me ache inside.  I really can't wait to see how John will react in the third season opener; part of me wants him to just beat the living snot out of him, help him up, and then just hug him.  Really hard.  All will be revealed in time, I reckon.

Readers: if any of you are Sherlockians, what's your favorite episode? We'd love for you all to chime in!

Like a Boss

Holly: Now, this post is nothing monumentally spectacular or anything going on in our lives, and it does seem kind of vain, posting about something as mundane as this, but hey, we like it, and maybe you all will to.

Yes, despite the never-ending busyness that seems to daily engulf Kelly and I, we have begun watching a new TV series (our favorite one ended back in May of 2011 and since then we've just lived on reruns of Whose Line is it Anyway and, even more recently, Frasier).  ANYWAY...

This show is simply called "Boss" and, although I'm not sure of the weekday it airs, it's on Starz at 10pm and it stars Kelsey Grammer (personal aside: I've always admired him as an actor, even if he does not have the best track record).  The show circulates around the professional and personal life of fictitious Chicago mayor Tom Kane, who's just been diagnosed with DLB (Dementia with Lewy Bodies).  Battling this new and degenerative disorder, he does his best to keep this from his assistants and his wife, with whom he has an unsettling relationship.  He also gets back in touch with his estranged daughter Emma, who is, to no surprise, reluctant to rekindle their relationship.  In addition to all of this, he's also brought in the former Treasurer of the state to run for governor against his former ally.

I'm two episodes in; there's 8 in the first season, and I'm hooked!  Although there's a decent amount of language, the storylines are powerful, intense, and the array of emotions is absolutely captivating!  So if you ever find yourself needing a good show, this is it.

Kelly:  Holly was telling me that you learn something about Emma in the second episode and I'm like DON'T TELL ME ANYTHING!!! She's one episode ahead of me; currently loading the second one as I type. I hope this time this will hold on for a little longer; we've had a pretty nasty track record of enjoying shows that only last for a short while (Improvaganza, Flash Forward, just to name a few...). But yeah, I am hooked as well! Ok, that's all in the world of us today. And as always, more madness will be sure to come later!

Spoonbread, spoonbread, we adore thee....not really

Kelly: My apologies if I go off on strange tangents, but I am sick. Have been since Wednesday. But I'm going to just take it easy and let whatever this is run its course. No, I do not need an antibiotic. Anyway, onto the purpose of this post. Tonight, here on Berea's campus kick started the annual Spoonbread Festival. It runs tonight till Sunday early evening. Now some of you are possibly wondering; well, what is spoonbread? I will tell you what it is and then I will tell you how I feel about it. Spoonbread resembles cornbread, except you...get it in a dish and eat it...with a spoon. So in layman's terms, mushy cornbread. And that's how I feel about it. Personally, I think the stuff is disgusting, and the only way I like it is if I put tons and tons of butter on it. So now not only is it disgusting but incredibly unhealthy. Bad cycle. So I just don't eat it. But here in Berea, there is an entire weekend festival all about this spoonbread. However, the festival itself is quite enjoyable; sis and I have attended at least one day out of the three years we have been here.

Tomorrow morning though, we are going on a mini adventure! During the festival, usually on the first full day, the day starts with a hot air balloon ride. Well, Holly and I have never been in a hot air balloon, so we're going to give it a try come tomorrow morning at 7:30. Stay tuned for that; we will probably post about it tomorrow! I'm actually really excited, despite my wee fear of heights/falling from up high.  Now I'm going to watch some Whose Line and laugh my butt off. Cheers!

Holly: Ah, Spoonbread.  My opinion of the liquefied cornbread is basically the same as Kelly's...well, the connotation of "liquefied cornbread" basically just explains my opinion! lol

The one thing I find amusing about the stuff is that locals absolutely despise it, but out-of-towners LOVE it.  Riddle me that.  Anywho, early morning hot air balloon ride tomorrow is sure to be an experience, but I'm actually pretty pumped about it, considering Kelly and I decided to go for it somewhat on a whim.  No, seriously, the extent of the conversation was something like "Hey, there's going to be hot air balloons, want to go?" "Sure."  End of story.

I shall now participate in some great and fantastic humor-watching laughs of Whose Line.  Never gets old.

blessings! <3

P.S. Is it possible to be overtly excited about...well, anything, really?? No.  Ok, well, here it goes:

NINE. MORE. WEEKS. Until Colin and Brad Show hits up EKU! Kelly and I are beside ourselves with excitement!

Long live Improv!

Kelly: It is with a sad mind that I write this blog today. Last night, via Twitter, I read from countless Improv actors that the Game Show Network has cancelled Drew Carey's Improvaganza (a spin-off of Whose Line is it Anyway?). After one season, and now it's finished. I read more of Twitter, and to my wee anger, one actor (Jeff Davis) heard of the news by devoted fans such as ourselves. I don't know about you, but I'd be pissed! It makes me sad that the most important roles that made a TV show such as this had to find out from...us. Seems common courtesy is so hard to come by these days *long sigh.* I must say, the show will be missed. As a Whose Line fan since high school, I was so excited when I heard something similar was coming back on the air. However, I still do watch Whose Line every now and then, thanks to stumbleupon and a devoted fan that made EVERY episode available online!!! Thank you, devoted fan!

Though I am sad, I am also looking forward to my future in the improv world. Holly and I will NOT let improv die; in fact, we are planning our 22nd birthday to be very improv-centered. Though it's in April, we've already made plans and have jotted down our favorite games and started making suggestions for scenes. I know, we're crazy, but we're YOUNG and crazy. In other words, we have the free time to do so. Anyway, back to my impending excitement. I must share this story now. When I was still at home, I received a phone call from Holly, who was in England at the time. Apparently, she was curious and looked up tour times for the Colin and Brad show (two actors from Whose Line and Improvaganza who do their own tour across the US). When I pick up the phone, she tells me "you might want to sit down." So I went outside and sat down. And then she told me, THEY'RE COMING TO RICHMOND, KY! Richmond is, no joke, like 15 minutes away from Berea. I screamed. Yes, a full-on scream! Stay tuned, faithful readers, for on November 18 at 8:00 PM, we will be seated at the EKU's Center for Performing Arts in Orchestra seating. I'm still in shock when I think about it, not to mention I still owe Holly $30....working on that.

So readers, though I am sad that I cannot turn on the TV, hoping for a repeat of "Flap My Jack," but I have a gut feeling that for some reason we have  not seen the end of Improvaganza. It's just the optimist in me! :) That's all for now; classes in the afternoon await me. Cheers.

Holly: Long live Improv!!!!!!!!! What I have learned over the years from watching Whose Line and other improv shows is that improv is an art.  I personally SUCK at it and I do realize that everything done on stage, whether the Whose Line stage or the MGM Theater, is entirely made up, on the fly, just like that!  They make it look so easy, and it's a joy, a real joy, to be entertained as such.  It's brilliant, exceptionally brilliant! That's all I can say.

I was still reading the news on Twitter when my roommate came in and I proceeded to inform her that Improvaganza hadn't been picked up for a second season.  What she said sort of struck me, but at the same time, with this generation and TV, it's painfully true: she said that TV lately has been getting cancelled left and right because it's not Jersey Shore, True Life, any other pathetic "reality" shows.  I'm using "pathetic" and "reality" lightly.
So, dear Colin, Ryan, Drew, Jeff, Chip, Sean, Jonathan, Heather, Kathy, and anyone else who provided me such giddiness from Improvaganza: I wish you all the best and hope that future endeavors are soon provided. I'll miss the happiness that your pure, genius, uninhibited talent gave me.

P.S. The last link is "Flap My Jack." Enjoy :)