The List: #205- Georgia (9/50)

 So, every one of the other states has really had a plan to visit well in advance. Georgia is the exception. 

So, we did have a plan in going to Georgia, but it was like a couple of week before. Not months and months like the others. 

So, what did we do is Georgia?

My roommate and I found out that the Cosm was playing the first Harry Potter movie there! Cosm is a shared reality screening room. It's like The Sphere is Vegas but it's smaller, and there aren't any like real life things coming at you like the apples do when we saw The Wizard of Oz. 

My roommate, Sarah, liked this better than The Spere, where I liked the Sphere. They are both really fun, and worth the money to go see a something you like there.

We weren't there super long. We stayed with her sister that night and went swimming in the morning. It was a quick trip but it counts!

Until the next one!

The List: #153- Sing at The Muny

 Well, this one is pretty straight forward. However, when I wrote this I thought I would somehow be on the stage. That is no longer something I want. However, the what I wrote is what I have in the title. So, being there for a show, and singing with everyone at the venue is good enough for me. 

Yes, I do have proof!

No, I am not claiming to be a good singer. Yes, the video is very dark but it's an outdoor theater and the sun was down. Nothing I can do. Yes, I embarrassed my niece doing this. Yes, it was worth it to cross this off my list. 

Hopefully, not every time I go somewhere it will be like a million things off my list, but I think this might be the case for a little bit.  

The List: #13- See All Landmarks from Meet Me in St. Louis

 Meet Me in St. Louis was the first time that I was able to recognize Judy Garland outside of her role in The Wizard of Oz. My mom introduced me to this movie when I was younger because I love musical, and she is from St. Louis. So, it was a match made in heaven. 

So when I started making this list at 18, it was high up there to see all of the places mentioned. 

That proved to be harder that I thought. Beside the fact that the movie was filmed on a backlot of MGM, the places that are mentioned are general places, or no longer exists.

These are the places that I have been to since like 2013.

So, my mom swears that this spot near the train at the St. Louis Zoo looks likes the end of the movie were Judy Garland says "right here in St. Louis" and I don't see it. However, I'm going to count it.

 

In the film, the address of where they live is sung. However, the original house was torn down some time ago, and we didn't really know that when we went to try and see it. I took this very bad picture of the road sign, and a pic of another cute house on the road for reference of what it might have looked like. 

While the bird cage at the zoo is not actually mention in the the movie, it is an original structure that they build for the 1904 worlds fair. So, here you go!

So, other than the house, and some of the stuff at the zoo, the only two places that are really a thing or the trolley, which not longer exists, and Forest Park. While Forest Park is not mention directly in the film, the whole of Forest Park was part of the 1904 world's fair and was "shown" in the film. So, while I would have love to take a real trolley ride, I can't, and I figured the event I went to at Forest Park would be the perfect place and conclude my quest. 

The Muny was built in 1917, in Forest Park. It's been host to many shows over the years, and this year they had the play Meet Me in St. Louis. 

The play is actually based off of the 1944 Film that Star Judy Garland, and where the song "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" originated from. The stage play came about 40 years after the movie in 1984. Which, if you have seen both, make some of the changes and songs make sense as to why that were added, and stuff like that. 

It was so hot, but it was so much fun! I got to go see the show with my Aunt, Uncle, cousin, two nieces, mom, sister-in-law, and a friend of my older niece. We had great seats, and I loved the show! 

So, while it's not a 100% accurate seeing of the landmarks, I did the best I could with what I had. 

However, being at The Muny gave me one more item crossed off the list...

The List: #205- Missouri (8/50)

 We have hit another state! I feel like I am going to several and I feel like I'm going to slow down. however, we are going to ride this out for as long as we can!

This time, I went to Missouri.

So, I didn't really get a whole lot of pictures on this trip. I went up with my parents and niece to see my family. 

We had a great time. We really hung out and stuff with my family but we did go to Grant's Farm and the Muny to see a show. 

The last time that we go to St. Louis we tired to go to Grant's Farm, but it was way to busy and we didn't get to go. However, we went this time and it was wonderful! We went with my Older brother, my sister-in-law, and my oldest niece. We all enjoyed a round at the Beer Garden they have there at Grant's Farm. I younger niece and I got to see the World Famous Budwiser Clydesdales!

One of the other things that we got to do was go see Meet Me in St. Louis at The Muny! It's an outdoor theater inside Forrest Park in St. Louis. It's where the 1904 World's Fair was held, which is the setting of the show take place. The move, which is what the show is based off of, is from 1944 and stars Judy Garland. There will be more about this show in an other post. 

I did get to go through Kentucky again, and got to stay at an amazing hotel where there was a tour being held. which was amazing! 

I had a wonderful time, and I can't wait to write about the other two things I got to check off of my list during this trip!  

 

Now Fly! Fly!: Ella Enchanted

 We FIANLLY get that chance to review Ella Enchanted!

Ella has been carrying a curse! She must obey every request anyone has ever told her. Her mother and her mother' best friend are the only two that know of this "gift" that Ella's Fairy Godmother gave her. Ella tries everything to not obey, and live her life without her body literally betraying her to make sure she does obey. After her mother dies her father brings home a step-mother and two step-sisters who make her life miserable right away. When her step-sisters find out that she has to do everything she says she starts to dismantle Ella's life. That is until she meets the Prince, and starts on an adventure to return her "gift" and possible right many wrong in the kingdom. However, more sinister characters are lurking around that is looking for way to use her obedience against her. 

I love this movie! Every year I feel like we are going to be able to use it for a theme, but there are always better movies to have for those themes. 

However, I thought that this movie was going to easy when it came to how it relates to faith, and what it means to obey.

Forced obedience is not that same as faithful obedience. 

Ella was tried in her obedience because it was forced. Like to an obscene level. An example is the Prince tell her to "wait here" and she is forced to stand in the middle of the road, and almost get hit by a carriage because he body refuses to move because of the curse she had. She is literally at the mercy of the people around her. She is basically a robot that has no control over her life.

Which is why God did not create us to be this way. God wants us to obey Him because we choose to and love Him. Listening to what He says to do is the best thing we can do for ourselves. God never wanted to force us to love Him. He wanted us to choose to love him. 

Now, I need to learn to carry this reminder with me as I go forward in life. 

Brian Tyler Takeover: Law Abiding Citizen

So, Before I get in to this movie, I will be honest. There was another movie call Middle Men that Brian Tyler did the music for. It's not a scary movie so I should have watched it, and written about it. However, I started it, and once I realized what that movie was about, I said "nope" and turned it off. So, I will not be reviewing that movie. 

Now, onto Law Abiding Citizen.

Clyde Shelton's life is turned upside sown when one night two men break into his house and kill his wife and daughter. He spend that next several year finding ways to get revenge on all of those who did wrong, including the lawyer that refused to take the case to full trial. 

It's been a little bit since I watch a thriller, and I love Mr. Tyler's music when it comes to this genre! This is the closest that I will get to watching a scary movie that he composes, but I am sure those are just as good and playing at that suspence!

As for the movie it's self, it was really good. However, it was much darker that I thought it was going to be! It's hard to not have a good movie when you have Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx as the stars!

Brian Tyler Takeover: Fast & Furious

 So, now is the point int he series that we start getting the names of the movies confuse. Today's is the 4th in the franchise Fast & Furious. What is not only the name of this movie the the name in which everyone calls the series. 

It's also not to be confused with the the very first movie The Fast and The Furious. 

So, here is the confusing part about this movie.... it's supposed the be the 3rd in the series. Now, from my very quick google search, the did it this way because the original cast was able to get back together for this film, and everyone loved Han and wanted to make it make sense as to why they know each other? Truly, I don't get it but whatever. This movie opens with Letty dying, and Dom finding out and going on a rampage to avenge her death. Brian happens to be working with the feds, still, to find the same drug lord that Dom is hunting. They have to work together to bring down the whole operation. 

So, this movie was still fun. I am like waiting for when they aren't... even though I have already seen the 10th one and I loved it.. 

I think Mr. Tyler's music works best for this franchise, and I think other agree with me since he is the composer to most of the other ones. 

Now Fly! Fly!: Evan Almighty

Now for a rare sequel in a project like this, Evan Almighty.

 

Evan got what he waned when he wanted to become a news anchor. Now he might have gotten more than he bargained for not that he got voted in as Senator. He thinks his life is going perfect, until God calls him to do something that makes no sense. Build an ark for an upcoming flood in the middle of a drought 

This the lesson right there. God calling you to do something that makes no sense. There have been so many times in my life alone that God has asked me to do something that doesn't make any sense. My life is nothing extortionary. Like my name is not going to be in any history books anytime soon, but if my life can be called to do something that makes no sense, then those who lives that do make it into history books, I would love to see what God asked them do that made no sense. 

However, in my life, doing the things that God asked me to do, has changed my life and opened many doors that I never thought about before. 

I need to remember to trust God when he asks me to do the crazy things.  

Brian Tyler Take Over: Dragon Ball Evolution

 So, this movie...

Was TERRIBLE! 

I have never seen the the tv series, and but I have some sort of idea of how successful it is. However, movie... I feel bad for all f the fan who thought that they were getting a good film and this drivel came out.

I feel bad that Brian Tyler's name is part of this film, and I honestly have to say that he did the best he could with what he had to work with.  

Brian Tyler Takeover: The Lazarus Project

 So, let's talk about this....

A man is convicted of killing two men, and sentenced to death. After he "dies" he ends up at a facility to treats those who are mentally ill. 

So, I am so confused about this movie. I mean, with a title like The Lazarus Project I'm thinking that he would be put to death, but somehow live and all of it would be for some sort of good in the world. Or some sort of revenge for the people who died. This man goes to work at this facility, is tricked that he is actually a patient there, and then escapes. It never says why he was chose to be giving a second chance to stay at the facility?

Anyways, I truly don't remember the music. I didn't find anything to catch my attention to be anything more than background noise. 

Now Fly! Fly!: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

 We have come a classic movie today. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

The mysterious Willy Wonka has made a contest to let five contestants, and one guest each, enter is highly private Chocolate Factory. Charlie is amongst on the of the winners. He is excited, but is asked by a rival candy maker to bring him on of Wonka's everlasting gobstoppers, and he will pay Charlie handsomely in exchange. Charlie is face with a choice of money or honesty.

Now I know there are some out there who hate this movie. It might have been scary when you watched when you were youngers. I enjoy this movie every time I watch it. 

However, having to watch it in the context of Obedience, I was caught off guard. This is the first time that a character had to choose between two voices. The rival candy make could give Charlie enough money to set him up for life, but in order to get what the rival wanted he had to listen to all of the rules that Willy put out. Charlie listened to all of them, but broke one rule that cost him what he thought the prize was. When Charlie realized he messed up, he gives Willy Wonka back the gobstopper because he knows that giving it to the rival would have been wrong. 

He ends up giving Willy what he thinks to going to give riches, and get so much more in return. 

It's funny that God works the same way. We think that we have to have control over our lives in order to be the best we can be. In reality to die is to gain. If we die to ourselves then we gain so much more in return.  

Now Fly! Fly!: Field of Dreams

 Ok, so we got to talk about  Field of Dreams 

When Ray Kinsella and his family move to a farm in Iowa, strange things start to happen. Ray starts to hear a voice says "if you build it they will come". Then he sees a vision of a baseball field in his yard. So, without much questioning from his wife, he builds a baseball field. Then ghosts of old baseball players start to show up. Then the voice tells him other things, and he winds up going across America in order to fulfill what the voice is telling him. he ends up back home, with two people, and his house about to be foreclosed on. 

So, here is the thing I want to harp on the most. I knew about that baseball field, but I thought most of the movie was going to be about him trying to figure out why he needed to build a field. So, when 10 minutes into the movie he just does it, I was confused! Like you're not going to struggle to about some voice coming to you out of no where? Then his was wife is just ok with it? There is never an explanation for the voice either. We, as the audience, are just told there is a voice, to trust the voice, and ask nothing about it. If this same movie was made today, it would two and half hours long because we would need to see the struggle, and the building of the field. We would nee to trust the voice for ourselves, not just be told and then move on. 

It was oddly refreshing though to be told just to trust it and go with the flow cause not everything needs a back story. 

Which is a good way to lead into my Obedience lesson for today. God does not need to give me a back story as to why He asks me to do the things he does. Ray listen to the voice, not sure it was God or not, but it did him a lot of good with trusting and healing. He got some second chances that he didn't think he was going to have. 

However, what I really loved was the story of the Doc Graham. This character got to play half an inning as a Major League pro, and we discover, he went home and became a Doctor for this small town in Minnesota. How he helped to shape the town, and help many many people long the way. Terence Mann says something like "the inning that changed the world". When Ray questions what he means Mann points out "if he had gotten a hit he wouldn't have come home to be a doctor". Which is such a wonderful thing to point out. Graham found a purpose in his life even if he didn't get the "big dream" of batting in the Major Leagues. 

Graham's life didn't turn out how he thought it would when he was young, but when it didn't he pivoted and found a totally different purpose and meaning to his life. What most people would have been bitter about, he didn't let himself to hold onto that dream slipping through his fingers, and did something else with his life. 

So, what if we always listened to God voice and just did what He said without questioning it? That is what I have to remember. Asking questions can sometimes get me more messed up than just doing what was asked in the first place. How different would life be is I stopped getting in my own head?

Brian Tyler Takeover: Eagle Eye

 Ok, finally a movie that is somewhat interesting. 

AI sees the US Congressmen a enemies of the state, and again the Constitution. Uses citizens to try and destroy the government and kill the president. 

So, this movie was actually a bit more intriguing to watch, and held my attention. It's also very timely for these days that AI is actually starting to take over everything. I won't say much else about this movie, but Shia LaBeouf was a nice addition to the movie. He remains to be a good actor, thankfully.

Now, this movie is when I really started to realize that Brian Tyler favors stings in his music. Not sure how I caught that, but it's the only tidbit I have about the music this time around. 

Brian Tyler Takeover: Bangkok Dangerous

 Another bummer.

Hired assassin kills people, then falls in love and dies.

Not even kidding this movie was awful! I mean, it was a little over an hour and half long and it took me several hours to watch because I kept pausing it out of boredom. 

Again, sorry Brian Tyler I don't remember anything.  

Brian Tyler Takeover: Rambo

 Let's just get this one over with.

A man that stayed in Vietnam after the war, decides to help rescue some missionaries. 

I was not looking forward to the movie, and I was correct in that assumption. I think this movie is very forgettable. I honestly forgot if, after renting the movie, if I finished the movie, rented it again and found out that I wasted that money for nothing, because I did. 

I don't even remember the music. Sorry, Brian Tyler. 

Brian Tyler Takeover: War

 So, let's have a little chat about this project. 

It's been too much. I have bitten off more than I can chew and I am too busy to watch like 6 plus movies a month, on top of the other movies I need to watch for other projects. So, this project is no longer going to happen in a year, it's going to happen in two years. Which I don't recall doing any other project outside of a year, except for my No Place Like Movies at Home one. Now that it's going to be two years, I will only have to watch three movies a month, and it also makes up for the two months I have totally missed so far. 

So, let's pick up where we left off and talk about War. 

When FBI Agent Crawford discovers that his best friend, and his partner in the FBI, has been killed by a Japanese gang, he becomes obsessed with taking them down. 

This movie was one of those that teetered on being an ok film or a good movie.  Not great. Just good. The cast is good, and the plot made sense, there was just something missing to push it over the edge. It's a pretty forgettable movie. 

I will say that Brian Tyler has something about movies that have Asian influence about them. There is a movie I will write about in the next couple of days that's location is in an Asian city, and Mr. Tyler also does the music for the movie Crazy Rich Asians, if I remember correctly. His music does fit in very well, so I'm interested in seeing if there is more influence that I don't know about yet.  

Now Fly! Fly!: Bruce Almighty

 Ok, so we are SO CLOSE to being caught up here. Thankfully, we have a very funny film today, Bruce Almighty!

Bruce is a average guy. He has a beautiful girlfriend, a dog, and a good job. However, Bruce suffers from what most human suffer from, feeling lesser than. Bruce wants to be anchor, he wants to be taken seriously, he wants a better car, home, and life in general. When things start going wrong, and he make some poor choices, he starts to blame God. That is until God gets his attention. God meets him and gives Bruce all of His powers and tell Bruce that if he think he would be better at being God prove it. So, Bruce starts doing things to get what he wants, but soon realizes that he is failing worse than he thought. 

It's been so long since I have seen this movie all the way through. I am so happy I got to sit down and watch it again. It's a funny movie, with a few questionable theologies thrown in. 

I love how they gave Bruce the powers to be God and showed what we all would do. Use the powers to get what we want, and say "yes" to all of the other prayers that are prayed. Which is wild because seeing everyone win the lottery and getting all the stuff they wanted just created more chaos. It just made it more insane to show how God hears all of our prayers, and knows which to answer with a no, yes, and wait. 

Which comes to the obedience part of out movie, at least for me. I could say that we need to trust God and do what he says, and do things with a good attitude. However, this one is listening to God. We have to remember to "no" is an answer. So many of us ask God for things for ourselves, and we get so made when God says "no". When we don't like the answer, we try to do everything we can to get God to change Him mind. Like we start living "holier" or serving more or going on mission trips. We try to show got that He can give us what we want and we can use it in a way that honors Him, or say we will ask for nothing ever again. Thankfully, God know our own stupidity and gives us the answer that we need, and not the on we want. 

Which is why I think "wait" is the hardest answer to get. Wait doesn't mean yes, but it also doesn't mean no. Sometime wait is for us to get to the answer that God know best rather than telling us outright what the correct answer is. God can sometimes tell us to wait so our hearts get right and prepare us for whichever the answer is. 

I have been in a waiting season on some things for a very VERY long time. I have lost count to the number of times I have asked God "Just tell me the answer is no so I can move on!". God doesn't work like that. Sometimes what feel like slow torture is actually slow construction. 

I need to remember to listening to all of the answers because He knows what best for me.  

No Place Like Movies at Home: Pillow Talk

 We have the second of three Doris Day and Rock Hudson movies that I own.

Doris Day and Rock Hudson share a party line. However, Rock Hudson is always on the phone wooing women, so day can't get a line out to anyone. In an, always, hilarious circumstance, Hudson ends up dating Day in order to get he to loosen up. However, he lies about who he is and where he lives in order to continue to date her. 

This is the movie that I always think it Sent Me No Flowers. Pillow Talk is my favorite of the thee movies. Plus, the film also has Jack Lemon in it so it's already a better film. I wish Rock Hudson and Doris Day made more than three movies together. 

Now Fly! Fly!: A Hidden Life

There is a lot to say about standing up. and standing firm. That is also something that we have to do when our faith is slandered or comes into question. 

We have a lot to learn from Franz in A Hidden Life.

Franz is a farmer in the hill of Austria. He lives a peaceful life growing, planting and planning for the future of his crops. He lives in a small village and he falls in love with a woman who bring more peace, love, and faith to his life. Everything is wonderful until World War II breaks out. Franz is drafted in the Third Reich. However, he understands that pledging to them, and Hitler, is morally wrong and refuses to do so. He is arrested, and tormented in jail for not conforming. He decides to stand up for what he believes morally and pays the ultimate sacrifice in doing so. 

This movie was very long and kind of slow. I think there could have been a lot taken out. However, I will says that is lends to how much Franz stands to loose when he decision comes to swearing the oath. Even when members of the faith were telling him to take the oath, but not really commit to it. Just say that words to survive and tell God that he really doesn't man it. He couldn't live with the lie. 

He stood in faith. 

Which is were good obedience leads and where it continues. 

Now Fly! Fly!: Mercy Rule

 Is is funny that I only did on blog post on Obedience and then got so busy that I didn't do anymore? Well, we are going to get caught up on a few of them today, and I hope to get the them all caught up by this month. 

I will say, that I have watched most of the movies for this project, and the actual obedience itself? Well, we will talk about it. 

Mercy Rule is about a family who is about to loose their business on a deal that seems too good to be true. While business might be going bust, their son is learning to be a part of the team instead of better than it.

Look I know there isn't a whole lot that is said about this movie. Kirk Cameron plays the father in this movie, and Tim Hawkins playing his cooky brother! Which that is a surprise that was well received because I love him! 

Anyways, the main take away of obedience for this movie is team work. Both the father and son in the movie have to learn to let people in to help with the situation that they get into and not do everything on their own. Letting people, people that are going to help you to be on track, you will have a high chance of succeeding.  

Which is something I really need to work on cause there are many times that I want to do things only on my own because it's "my mess" or "my problem" and I don't want to burden anyone else with it. 

The List: #32- Go to a Smithsonian

 Ok, so I didn't really have an idea that there were so many Smithsonian Museums when I first wrote this many years ago. Had I known there were so many I would have fixed it to make it match which one that I wanted to go to the most. I did get to go to three while I was in DC. 

The Air and Space Museum was the first stop. This is the one that Chuck wanted to go to the most. I thought it was cool to see the Spirit of St. Louis hanging above us. There was a lot of information that went over my had, but seeing the history of flight was amazing. Oh, and getting to touch part of the moon was something I never thought I could do. 

The Natural History Museum was out next stop on the tour. This is the one that Sarah wanted to go to. She love dinosaurs, and animals so this would be the one she wanted to see the most. This one was also fun because I got to see the hope diamond.

My dad was a volunteer docent (funny that it runs in the family) for a few months when he served in the army back in the day. He was here when they first installed the Hope Diamond on display. He has talked about it a several times over the year. The picture does not do it justice! 

However, the real reason I wanted to go to a Smithsonian was at our next location. 

The American History Museum is the real reason that I wanted to go to DC in the first place. They have all sort of interesting fact abouts about the Civil War, travel, and our presidents, but they also have some of the most notable moments in American Entertainment. There are tons of movie props, or items from some of America most influential people. A few examples are Captain America's Shield, Indiana Jones' whip, or Frank Sinatra's bow tie!

The one singular items that I wanted to see more than anything else? THE Ruby Red Slippers from The Wizard of Oz that Judy Garland wore duing the movie!

I wanted to cry! I didn't because I didn't to embarrass myself, and I was so tired from all of the walking, that I don't think I would have had the energy. It was a dream come true to see these face to face, and learning about how many historic props from movies have gone missing over the years, this was a true blessing that they survived! 

I am so glad, that I was able to see something that means to much to me as a fan of The Wizard of Oz!

 

The List: #149- See Hunter Hayes Live

 So, why Hunter Hayes? 

In reality, I have no idea. It was something I added on a whim to my list one day years ago when I was at CMA Feast. If I am being fair, I original entry was to meet him. However, I haven't really wanted to do that for a long time. I love his music and I loved watching him on The Masked Singer a few years back. I just no longer felt like meeting him. 

I will say, this was one of those ones I didn't think was going to happen anytime soon. I haven't heard of him ever coming to Knoxville, not that I was paying super close attention. I was looking at the performances that were happening at the Bijou Theatre at the start of the year and I was surprised to find his name on the list. So, I got me a ticket! I am so happy that I got to go because it was a really good show. 

He sang a few of the song I knew well from years past, and he sang a few new songs from his newest album that were really good. He puts on a good show. I also loved that it was at the Bijou since it's a much small theatre than the Tennessee, and it was a closer experience that I ever thought I would have gotten. 

The List: #205- Virginia (7/50)

When I made my plans to go to DC this year, I did forget that some of the stuff that we planned to do on out visit wasn't actually in DC, but in Virginia.

Arlington National Cemetery is located in Virginia. 

Arlington was not one of those places that I have always wanted to go to, until I was an adult. When I started volunteering during the Wreaths Across America in 2019 I became more interested in our Knoxville National Cemetery, and it's history. The thing about National Cemeteries is that once you start learning about them you will get to know about Arlington pretty quickly. 

Once I learned about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and that it's been guarded by someone from our armed forces 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, since 1937, I had to go. 

I have a very deep appreciation for those who have served in our armed forces. My dad was in the army during the Vietnam War, my grandpa served during the Korean War, and I know that I have many other family members that have served as far back as the Revolutionary War. I love being able to Honor those who served, and died, to give us the freedoms and liberties that we have today. So, learning more about this beautiful final resting places for so many members of our Military, and their families, was a privilege for me. 

 What I did not expect at the tomb of the unknown soldier was how incredibly quiet it was there. There is one guard who does everything in sets of 21. There are 21 step taken to cross the entirety of the tomb. He turns towards to tomb and wait 21 seconds. He turns and faces the direction he just walked from, changed this firearm to the other shoulder, and once he is done waits 21 seconds. Then takes another 21 steps and does the whole process over and over again. 

He did this for 30 minutes straight.

We watched for 30 minutes straight. 

That was not the plan. We got there right as they changed the guard. We planned to go get some pictures, then go walk around at some other historical headstones and monuments nearby, and then come back when it was a little closer to time. We did not expect to watch this dutiful solider make the same path over and over again for 30 minutes. It was something that I could not stop watching. 

No one said a word, until they did the changing of the guard. 

Which was special in it's own right. I do not know how many times a Sentinel Guards get to have at that post, but from my very limited knowledge of the post, they have to go through months of strict training. So, seeing the guards being able to change the for the post, it amazing. I am sure if  know exactly what they had to go through and train for, I would be more impressed 10 times over. For all I know, they could only get one more shot at it if they wanted to.

Plus, I feel so much pride for those who guard the tomb because over the years, the guard were given opportunities to leave the post because of dangerous weather conditions, and or matter of national security. They were given permission to leave, and there has not been one time that anyone has left the tomb unguarded for any amount of time. 

Now, in the last post I talked about how God restored two things for me on this trip, one of them being the statue at the Bible Museum, the other one was here at Arlington. 

The Argonne Cross.

The original plan as part of my European trip in 2025 was to go to the Meuses- Argone Cemetery in France. It's where man of the American men who lost their life in that battle are buried. The government tired after World War I to get many of the soldiers that were buried on foreign soil back to the states. Again, do to my lack of knowledge on the subject, not many of the soldiers were able to have their remains returned. I know that the ones were did return were on the request of their next of kin. However, I don't know if the next of kin had to help financially get those remains back, but there are thousands of soldier who are still resting in peace in France. 

The Meuses- Argone Cemetery was one of the two places I was looking forward to most for that trip.  

The WWI Cemetery has to do with the book I am writing. There is a character in the book that dies during battle in WWI and I had to research a very specific time a battle was taking place and work off of that iformation. Which is how I discover the Meuses -Argone Offensive. What I really discovered was there isn't a lot of history the has been written about WWI compared to WWII. Even with the Meuses-Argone Offensive being the most deadly battle during WWI, I never heard of it until I started writing this book. So, I was so excited at the possibility of seeing it with my own eyes. So, it's very sad that I didn't get to go to a place that has weirdly become so meaningful to me. 

So it only hurt that much more not being able to go there. 

God is funny in how He works sometimes. 

We had planned to go to Arlington from the beginning. What was not part of the original plan was to take the hop on hope off bus around the Cemetery. The only reason that we did, is because I had left over points that were going to expire on my viator app, and I needed a fairly cheap excursion to use them on. The points all but covered all but a few dollars of the bus ride. Had we not taken the bus, we wouldn't have gotten around the whole park like we did, cause it was very hot, and there is a very good chance we would have turned around and no ever seen the white cross dedicated to those who fought and died during World War I. A cross named after the very battle that most men lost their lives in and the same battle that a character I wrote also now associated with. 

I would have never known that it was there. 

Even better, is that the memorial was a cross. God's way of redeeming the world was the same symbol used not only for my own life to be saved at 14, but restored a moment that I mourned not having. 

I love that God did those two things for me, even though He did not have to, and I did not ask him to. I still hold hope that I will one day get to those places and see them, experience them, a maybe shed a tear or two at how much sweeter the moment I will get will be than what I though I should have experienced. 

As for now, I am so thankful that I got to go on such a wonderful trip, and I look forward to see all of the wonderful states that our country has, and will remember the reason I get to explore my country in freedom is because of those who sacrificed their lives for us. 

The List: #205- Washington DC (Bonus/50)

 The Nation's Capital! 

Was again, at trip that I didn't know that I was going to be taking so quickly. 

So, my roommate Sarah and I were planning on going to DC sometime this year. The thing is we put in a random date to see what the airfare would be like. That dates we picked were 90 DOLLARS ROUND TRIP. So, we book right then and there and made plans to go! Then a few weeks before we left, Sarah's step dad also joined us. 

Now, we only had four days and three nights here, and we hit the ground running. We walked as saw all of the memorials that any of us thought would be cool to see. The Washington Movement, The Vietnam Wall, and the World War II memorial just to name a few.

We hit up a few of the Smithsonian museums, which I won't get into here because this is actually a separate thing on my List that I need to write about.  

We also went to the museum of the Bible, which has got to be one of the coolest exhibits that I have ever seen being able to walk through the bible. 

Now, here is the really cool part that God is so awesome for. 

So, we need to go back to the trip to Italy I took, literally that same time last year. I was supposed to see so many things and places on that trip. The one thing that I wanted to see more than anything else in Rome was Michelangelo's Pieta. Those who don't know the name, it's the statue of Mary holding Jesus after is was crucified.

I saw a very small picture in an Art History text book in high school, and it was the first piece of art that has ever moved me. I like seeing pictures that people have created over the years, and other statues as well, but I have never wanted to see art with my own eyes more than I have wanted to see Pieta. Which is why I have always wanted to go to Rome first when I one day would travel the world. 

It's still heartbreak to know that I got so very very close and didn't get to see it. However, with reflection, and a lot of realizations, about the trip last year, and I am glad that I didn't get to see it. If I got to see it then, all of my memories tied with the first visit would have been marred with all of the awful heart that was soon to show itself in my life. 

Yet, God still shows His ability to restore, and heal at the same time. 

The Bible Museum is so massive that you can spend eight hours a day, for a week, and still need more time to read and see everything. The time frame we had made up have to go up and down flights of stair in an odd order to get see the most bang for our buck. So, after two hours or use going up and down the elevator, we finally got to a point where we can get on one floor and work out way down with the stairs. 

I did not expect to nearly burst out into tears walking turning the corner of the stair from the 6th floor to the 5th floor. 

 

The Bible Museum has a plaster cast of the very statue that I have always dreamed of seeing. The even more crazy thing? That shirt was the very same shirt that I wore to Vatican City in (ironically) a Hail Mary attempt to see it. It was like God was saying that He was still here. Still watching. Still knew that desires that I have, even if I am terrified to ever go back to Italy again at the moment. I know that when I do go, it's going to be a much better trip and somehow well worth the wait. 

God restored my love and desire to see this statue again. The worst moments of my life, the year of internally struggling, in my darkest hours, He restored. This moment captured in that statue was truly the darkest moments in all of history. The Savior of world's life snuffed out, with no hope and no way of knowing what comes next. Then suddenly, He's alive and we know what's coming! 

I had a expectations when I came to DC, but I never thought that restoration, even in some small degree, was what was in store for me. And it's not the only thing the God restored for me from that failed trip! 

These past few months God has been working in some really sweet ways in my life and He did not have to. I am so thankful that I got to go on this trip, and that God put things in my path and gave me the opportunity to see a work of art I have always wanted to see, even if it wasn't the way I wanted to.  

The List: #205- Kentucky (6/50)

 So, this visit was no one that I had planned that far in advance. 

So, my all time favorite Broadway show is Hadestown. When I saw it at the Tennessee Theatre in the last few years, it tore my heart out and I loved ever second of it. I don't think another show has ever made me cry that hard. 

So, a few weeks back I check to see if it was going to be coming near Knoxville anytime soon. 

Well, it came to Boling Green, Kentucky! 

Now, there was a lot that went into this turn around trip. I had leave work early, it's a three and half hour drive one way, I wouldn't get back home till around two or three in the morning. The biggest issue? I had to get on a plane to DC the next morning. 

However, even with all of the craziness above, I was able to do it! I bought my ticket and told all the people that needed to know about my plan. 

Now, I thought that show was great this time around, however, the SKYPAC either didn't have a big enough stage, or it was the very odd one night only performance, the show was missing some really key stage unit that make the show that much more impactful. The turntable stage, if you have seen the show Hamilton you should know what I am talking about, and a part of the stage there is supposed to be a door that people enter and exit out of Hadestown. 

I don't know if I would have love the show as much as I did originally if these two aspects of the show were no part of the production. 

The show was fantastic regardless, and I can't wait to see when the original Broadway show recording hits theaters next month. 

Now, I didn't take many pictures, except for this one weird one that I wanted to show my mom the ceiling of the lobby. 

 Which I know this isn't much proof that I was in Kentucky, but it' enough. 

No Place Like Movies At Home: Send Me No Flowers

 So, we are back.... 

Things have been crazy. There have been lots going on, an I have been working on stuff for blogs, and lots of stuff in day to day life, but have not been able to make it here to update. So, be prepared for several updates. 

So, back to all of the movies that I own. 

So, I was really hoping to get all three of the Doris Day and Rock Hudson movies that I have in one day. Me and some friends of mine had a Doris Day Movie day. However, the DVD player that they had did not work. So, because of this, we streamed free Doris Day movies. One of which I own, and we still watched, was Send Me No Flowers. 

Rock Hudson plays a hypochondriac who thinks he is always near death. Doris Day, his loving wife, puts up with it to an extent. She switches out meds with harmless products that look like the meds. However, when Mr. Hudson is at the Doctor's office, he over hears the Doc saying things along the lines of "He isn't going to make it" and "We will do everything we can to make him comfortable", and the kicker "I wouldn't tell him when really happening, let his live out his last days the best he can". What Mr. Hudson doesn't know is that the Doc is talking about and elderly man who only has a few weeks left to live. However, Mr. Hudson thinks the doc is talking about him. Though all the crazy events that only a rom com can bring, Mrs. Day ends up believing him, and does everything she can to make his final days comfortable. That is until she finds out the truth.

For whatever reason, I always think I don't like this movie very much, until I watch it. I don't know if at some point I wanted a different Doris Day movie and got the names confused. However, I don't recall really ever disliking  a Doris Day film so I have no clue what I am talking about. 

this is one of those films that makes me excited to see the other two movies of theirs I own. It was also great to be able to see this movie with other people. It's always nice to see a movie with other people. 

The List: #205- Massachusetts (5/50)

 Got to spend some of spooky season last year in a really spooky town. State number 5 was Massachusetts!

So, one of the only good things that came out of my Italy trip last year was, I got a little bit of credit for plans tickets. I had just enough to cover a round trip ticket to Boston, Massachusetts. Sarah, out friend Beth, and myself decided to go! 

So, we went to some great sites of the start of American history. Like the Boston Tea Party museum. This is also a big walking town, so we walked like 9-10 miles the first day. So, it was a lot, but we got to see so much of the city. 

They also have a great map of all of the historic sites in Boston, all you have to do is follow the red brick road.... not kidding it's really a red brick road! 

Since we went in October, we decided that we were going to go and see Salem, Mass! 

We got to see the Witch Museum, took a walking tour of the history of the Witch Trials, and other historical moments in Salem. I really loved that we got to see so many sites from the movie Hocus Pocus and found out that there was a history of the TV show Bewitched here as well. 

I really loved exploring a new part of the US and I am excited to one day go back and visit another state. 

The List: #205- Florida (4/50)

 Let's take a trip to the beach! State four is Florida!

So, we did something a little different to Christmas in 2025, we went to the beach! Now, I am really not a beach person, I have gotten better, but I do find the beach a bit boring. However, I had a pretty good time the last few times I have been to the beach. 

So, we went to St George Island, Florida. That last time I was here was in 2010 when one of my older brother's got married. Needless to say it's been a while. 

Now, we didn't get the chance to see both of my older brothers, but I did get to see one of them, my SIL, and my oldest Niece and Nephew. Now, as much as I want to share my family pic I am not going to, but I will show you where I ended up most of the time.

This is Tugger. This is my older brother's dog, this is the last trip he got to make to the beach. He passed away a few weeks ago, so I was glad I got to see him. He has been in their family since my Nephew was less than 10 (he is in his early 20s now), so he has been around for a while. 

He and I got to be couch potatoes together. 

Anyways, we had a love Christmas together, maybe next time we will get all of my siblings there, but we will see.