What I Was Into in September

What I was into in September

Another month, another list of things that I’ve read, watched, cooked and done…as well as the fun that is to come! Without further ado, the things I was into in September!

Books I Read:
Si-cology 1 by Si Robertson – This book was so good; I’ve read all three books put out by members of the Robertson family and I can say without hesitation that this one if my favorite. I’m a huge fan of Uncle Si on the show; I love how he really seems to enjoy life! His book was such a wonderful look into his life and how his faith shaped him into the man he is today. There are also plenty of hilarious stories and it’s up to you to decide if he’s being 100% honest about them – the man knows how to tell a tale; granted, some of those tales might be a little tall. Check this one out! It’s heartwarming and hilarious!

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion – I love this book! I saw the movie for the first time by chance; I chose it on a rainy Friday night, not really sure what I was getting into and absolutely loved it and that meant I just had to read the book. I have to make it known – I DO NOT like zombies; I don’t do zombie movies, TV shows or anything else, but I did love this book. I loved the idea put across in the book; that these people had become “zombies” because they’d lost touch with humanity – something that I think we could all say we are in danger of doing sometimes. Love the movie; might love the book eve more. It’s great, not gory or nasty and really won me over, although I don’t plan to become a zombie fan. Warm Bodies is enough zombie for this girl.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy – Okay, so technically I’m still in the midst of this one. Well, maybe not even in the midst. I’m on about page 400….of 1844 pages. Yeesh. This is another instance where I watched the movie and got the crazy idea that I needed to read the book. I needed to read the 1844 page book. I’m really impressed by how “modern” the writing style seems; especially since the book was written and published in volumes from 1874-1877. Tolstoy definitely writes like someone from the 21^stcentury as opposed to other novels written in this time period. So far, I’m really enjoying it – everything is so descriptive and the way Tolstoy writes really makes everything seem vivid and beautiful. One should note though; the tag line at the beginning of the book is: Vengeance is mine, I will repay, Romans 12:19 – you want to guess how this one ends?

Books in the Queue:
World War Z by Max Brooks – Another zombie book! Who am I? I still haven’t read this one and since I’m slowly making my way through Anna Karenina, this one might still be in the queue next month too. Who knows? I have a plane trip next week; maybe I will get some quality reading done?

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks – This is his new book and I have absolutely no clue what it’s about, but Nicholas Sparks wrote it and that’s all I need to know. There is a horse on the front cover and I’m just hoping maybe the characters in this one get to live; I like my happy endings. Which makes you wonder why Nicholas Sparks is so popular, huh? He ends things happily – sometimes.

I need to get myself a copy of this....

Can't Miss Television:
Sleepy Hollow – What a show! I’m only two episodes in and I’m pretty intrigued, but can I tell you, this is a show I’ve got to watch with the lights on! You see, The Headless Horseman is actually Death – as in, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (his friends are War, Famine & Conquest) and Ichabod Crane must stop Death from finding his head. If the horseman is reunited with his head, the other three horsemen will arise and…you guessed it, the apocalypse will be upon us. Ichabod’s wife; Katrina, she was a witch (the good kind) and put a spell on him – when the horseman rises, so does Ichabod, so that he can keep the horseman and his head separated. That's about as far as I've gotten - but two episodes in, I'm hooked. 

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Another new show; this one is only one episode in, but what an episode! The best part of this show is....Agent Coulson lives! Kind of. Okay, I'm really not sure what the deal is with Coulson, but there is something funny going on. I'm not sure how he ended up being alive after Loki skewered him in The Avengers; I'm sure it will all be revealed in time. I do know the show has assembled a team to track down possible superheroes; since after the battle of New York (again, in The Avengers) everyone realized that there were superheroes. Also, in the premiere, Agent Coulson asked one woman to come along just to "drive the bus"...and I thought, it is NOT a bus...at least, not the bus they want you to think. It's an AIRBUS and it's amazing. So there you go!

*That's all I'm getting into here because I watch WAY TOO much TV and I'd bore you to death. If you want to know more about my Must See TV, you can read the whole post I devoted to it.*

Movies I've Watched:

Warm Bodies - I loved the book, but I loved the movie first! That's a little backward for me, but this film is just so...it's very me, I suppose. Sweet and heart-warming, but a little quirky in the process; I mean, it's a zombie love story. Having said that, it's not gory or graphic like most zombie-related things seem to be. I also really love the metaphor the movie presents: that all of these people have become zombies because they've forgotten what it means to be alive; to be loved. Let's be honest - that is an all too real "idea" in this world today, we spend so much time on phones, tablets, computers (ha...I'm blogging this on a computer) and the bullying, the cruelty that is dealt out via these things - it's no wonder we live in a society of people who forget how to be "human". I love this move - I love the point it makes without being too pushy!

Anna Karenina - This movie happened to be coming on HBO one Wednesday night around 2 AM and so I recorded it - I love having HBO and a DVR, instant movies at no cost! Okay, yeah...I pay for HBO but still, you get my point - it's better than $5.99 for a stinking Pay Per View movie. The way this movie was filmed is so interesting; it all takes place on stage! There are times during the movie when you'd never have a clue that you were watching something take place on a stage and then the action changes, set pieces move and you're kind of jostled back into remembering that it's all set up on a stage. I really loved this; the characters were so well cast, the scenery and the costumes were brilliant and the story is fascinating as well. The one thing I learned from watching this? Late 1900's Russia did not take kindly to adultery, especially if you were a female - SPLAT!

Life of Pi - I really wanted to see this in theatres when it was in 3D; the colors and scenery looked so vibrant and I thought they'd be brilliant in 3D, but I just wasn't ever able to get around to seeing it. This movie was also one that came on HBO late one night and I used the old DVR to record it too! I watched this on a lazy Saturday afternoon, curled up in the chair and I have to say - I really enjoyed it. I was right in thinking it would have looked so amazing in 3D but it was really enjoyable on my regular TV as well. The trials that Pi and his tiger friend Richard Parker overcome throughout the story are remarkable and the start of the story is set in India and is beautiful; colorful and lush! I don't want to give too much away, but this one is worth checking out!

A really good movie - check it out!

Music I've Listened to:
Warm Bodies Soundtrack - Okay, do I seem completely into this whole experience? I am! The instrumental music that accompanies this film is so great; quirky, fun and at times hauntingly beautiful. I am most definitely the kind of person that loves music that evokes feeling, even with just a few strains - and this music does just that!

Hungry Heart by Bruce Springsteen - I guess as a kid raised in the 80's, I love some tunes from the 80's. I stumbled upon this song earlier in the month and I've been listening to it ever since! It's got a catchy beat and just makes me feel good! 

Popular Song by Mika - This is such a pop song, but I love it! It takes it's own lyrics and when the chorus comes along, they intersperse in lines from the song "Popular" from the Broadway musical Wicked! It's a new twist on an old(ish) favorite and therefore, I love it!

Yummy in My Tummy:
Halloween candy - because it's everywhere, even though today is only October 1st! The best Halloween candy is; in my humble opinion, Reese's pumpkins and of course, candy corn! 

Pumpkin Spice Latte...or really pumpkin anything! I haven't gotten to have a pumpkin spice latte yet this Fall but I plan to remedy that this weekend! Until then, it's Target brand pumpkin coffee at the office! Also, coffee! See below....

There is a Starbucks in my weekend forecast - and I'm going to get a Pumpkin Spice Latte!

Happiness is:
Curling up on brisk Saturday mornings with a blanket and a cup of coffee! Because there have actually been a couple brisk mornings recently - yay Fall! 

Halloween - because my house is all decked out! I've got my little graveyard in the front yard, a bat flying through my Mums and all kinds of little spooks, haunts and creeps sat through my house; my "haunted" house, or at least so says the key on the front door.

Turning 29 - another year of life; something to always be happy about! Even happier is that I'll get to spend the weekend celebrating with my family in Virginia! Prayers for safe, timely flights as well as safe, timely trips to and from the airport(s) are always appreciated! 

What I'm Looking Forward to in October:
Spending the weekend with my family!

Watching my "little sister" McKenna on her school's homecoming court!

Autumn leaves, Halloween specials on TV, picking out a costume for my dog!

Watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" on Halloween while eating a mummy style pizza and Halloween candy; it's kind of my tradition!