What’s on my iPod : Breakin’ Me by Jonny Lang

Well, it’s officially two weeks till Christmas! I thought I would run down my list of must-watch-on-some-random-cable-channel holiday films. The first three are my UTMOST favorite Christmas movies because I can quote atleast half the film from memory. So, leave a comment if you agree with them or if you have a different order of faves, or if I left one off worth mentioning.

1.) All time fave, hands down and never miss it….National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. I mean what holiday would be complete without watching the affable Clark Griswold a.) staple himself to the roof, b.) get stuck in the attic only to find presents of Christmas past, c.) have his brother-in-law show up in a Winnebego with toxic dump leakage…CLASSIC. I laugh just thinking about it.

2.) ELF – This is my new all time favorite, and really, it’s a tie with Christmas Vacation because Will Ferrell is the NEW Chevy Chase. Favorite line : “Hello, Buddy the Elf. What’s your favorite color?” Oh, and of course : “Santa’s coming! Santa’s coming! I know him.”

3.) A Christmas Story. This is one that I always catch in bits and peices throughout the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last year was the best, though, because TNT (I think) had a marathon that ran all day Christmas Eve. After I put the kids to bed, I sat my mom down on the couch and told her she had to watch this movie because she grew up in the 50’s. We laughed so hard.

4.) Miracle on 34th Street. I prefer the remake because the little girl, from Matilda, is just so precious. I cry just thinking about it.

5.) It’s A Wonderful Life. I will only watch this one in black and white – remember about a decade ago they decided it would be cool to colorize old b&w films. I didn’t think it was cool, and there’s just something about watching this one in black and white. Favorite line : “Teacher says, everytime a bell rings an angel gets its wings.” <grin>

6.) The Preacher’s Wife. Sorry to say but I love the remake. I mean hello, Whitney Houston singing and Denzil.

7.) Bad Santa. Snicker- enough said.

8.) While You Were Sleeping. It’s probably not really considered a holiday film. I threw it in because it does take place at Christmas, and I love a great Sandra Bullock romantic comedy.

9.) The Santa Clause. I love Tim Allen. What can I say?

10.) Home Alone. Classic. It’s toward the bottom becasue it was more of a great 90’s movie that I loved when I was in high school. The kids love it now, especially my 7 year old son.

11.) The Polar Express. My kids love, I love it, the grandparents love it. And Tom Hanks, gotta love it!

12.) The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. The Jim Carrey version is ah-ight. I love watching the cartoon because it carries the cadence and rhythm of the original Dr. Seuss book.

13.) I decided to lump together all those wonderful claymation and cartoon classics like the Rudolph stories (my favorite of those is the one where Rudolph goes to the island of misfit toys to save baby New Year – that’s my birthday!), and the ones about how Santa became Santa, and I love the old cartoon (I can’t remember the name) about the mice that live in the clock tower that chimes to bring Santa but the one little mouse doesn’t believe and breaks the clock.

So, I know there are others out there. What’s you favorite holiday film, classic or new?

What’s on my iPod : Final Moment by Veer Union.

Happy Turkey Day everyone in the US. I thought I just might participate in Thursday Thirteen with thirteen things I’m thankful for related to writing and my MS BROKEN. And so in no particular order, just how they pop in my head :

1.) Awesome beta readers and critique partners. Without you, I would have never gotten my rough draft in shape.

2.) The Foo Fighters and Evanescence. Without their music, writing BROKEN would have been a lot different. And because the Muse insists that “The Pretender” is his theme song.

3.) Romance Divas Forum. Because you Divas rock with support, knowledge, and humor.

4.) My kids and parents for understanding (some of the time) how crazy this undertaking is.

5.) My friends for reading the MS and liking it. I know you guys were just saying that, but hey, thanks anyway.

6.) #askagent and #yalitchat for connecting unpublished writers with agents, publishers and published authors and getting invaluable information to us.

7.) Twilight (I know) because if I hadn’t read the book at a time in my life that made the book have more meaning to me, I would have never realized there was a market for young adult and written BROKEN.

8.) My laptop. Where would I be without you. I can’t function without you.

9.) Diana Gabaldon for writing Outlander. If I had never read that book and the others that followed, I would never had decided I wanted to be a published writer in the first place.

10.) Coffee. OMG. I need you, I want you, I dedicate an entire Madonna song to you – Justify My Love. And Starbucks because of the special little place I hold for you in my heart. I am thankful for White Chocolate Mocha Latte, Peppermint Mocha Latte, and Pumpkin Spice Latte. And for the quiet moments I sat and worked on BROKEN in your store.

11.) The Muse incarnate. With your physical pictures I try to develop a more well-rounded characters. And you’re just too sexy to look at or ignore.

 12.) Sticky notes. You are a godsend. So many used on my plotboard. In fact, I had the widget on my old laptop and for over 6 months it said on there “Angels a new story.” Yep, that was the seed that got water and grew and flowered into BROKEN.

13.) For the patience and the ability to write stories that people enjoy.

That’s All……