What Ought To Be: May

1. Closer in Faith:  It's spiraled out of control. Every year I start off good for a few month and I always hit a very bad wall. Granted, this year it took way longer to get to this wall, but I have come to it. I was getting lazy before the death of my Grandma, but her death made it worse. I was not super close with her, but going to her funeral was well more than enough to give me crazy amount of anxiety for many reasons. The spiraling of me not praying, and look grip on what feels like everything, has been heightened because I have not been praying or in the word. I will be better, I need to stop thinking that I can fix everything before coming to God and just run to Him. 

2. Lose 50 Pounds: I have only kept up with going to the gym because of the fact that I will be getting paid for that. Diet, and everything else has not been happening. I have either not been eating, or eating out far too often. I know that if I fix the above issue this one will work itself out. I still have time I just need to stop being lazy and scared. 

3. Cook Better: I only made it to two meals. One was a make up from last month and the other was the one I had planned to do with Alaina. I think, besides the meal I made for small group, this was the only two times I cooked anything in my kitchen this month. 

4. Dress for Success: Nope, not even going to go here. I went to work everyday looking like a sack of potatoes. 

5. Speak up: I said a few things in the car to my dad about his driving, that was about it. This month was more about survival than speaking out. 

6. Own the Room: Survival mode. Did not care enough to even try. 

7. Look People in the eye more: Survival, and also didn't want to try and feel like I didn't want to cry so avoided eye contact at all cost this month. 

8. Building Relationships: This one was ok. I was not home for a weekend, and I texted friends some. However, Beth did come for a visit this month and I was glad to see her!

9. Style: 

I bought this shirt for lots of reasons, and none of them are something that I agree with at all. I did not like the neckline, the cut, or the color. When I wear the right cardigan with it I feel better. Honestly, that's really just to cover up the shirt so it's fine. I did get lots of compliments on it, but I'm not going to be making this shirt one of my favorites anytime soon. 

10. Creativity: Yeah, didn't really do anything. Survival mode. 

11. Spoiling: Ok, I did buy a new car! I did that before everything went sideways. It's been in the plan for a while now to buy a new one but I finally did it!

12. Peace: I have not been a peace for a while. In some ways I am at peace about certain things in my life. In general, no. If I sit and talk with God for a few minutes, I feel like God has me. I know that I can be at peace again. It's just a matter of giving it to God. It's hard to give up control. It's harder to realize that I never had the control in the first place, which makes me hold on tighter that I have before.

The Philadelphia Story is classic story of a love triangle... well two love triangles... well maybe it's a love hexagon? Tracy is getting married, however, is it to the right guy? A Story writing and photographer and trying to get the inside scoop, even though they don't want to, and wind up at the wedding. Who is helping them get into the wedding that everyone is talking about? C.K. Dexter Haven, Tracy's ex-husband. However, all of this is rolled up into so much blackmail that everyone is about to be blackballed from the wedding! This is also rolled up into some of the best comedy, so it's all fun and laughs along the way too!

I know that I have written about this movies before, and I know that I will again, but I love this movie. It's really one of my favorites! It's got some of the best actors and writing. If anyone asks for a good classic comedy that is a love story this is one of the ones that I will recommend. 

The meal that went with this movie was, of course, a Philly Cheese Steak. Now, I will say that this meal was blah. The steak really needed some more spices or some sort of marinade. Not like something crazy, but just a little something more with flavor. The drink was ok. It was a Stinger. It was just too much Bandy for me. I would make the meal again, but I would add some stuff and fix it.

Man and wife should always fight for each other.... that is unless it's in court. Adam, and his wife Amanda, are both lawyers that have found themselves in the middle of an insane court battle, each defending a husband and a wife. The wife found her husband cheating and tried to shoot him and his lover. Amanda defends her to show that it's was a crime of passion and you would feel different if the husband was the one who found that his wife was cheating. The questions becomes, will Adam and Amanda stiff find that love that they carried outside of the courtroom all along, or will is just become a pain in Adam's Rib?

It's been a very long time since I have seen this movie. I forgot how much I love seeing Kathrine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy on the screen together. Their scenes when they flirt in the courtroom have to be my favorite. Manly, I think it's because I see them being like that in real life on the set. It's funny, serious, flirty, and almost everything you want in a film.  

Now this meal was interesting to say the very least. It was the mean the Tracy and Hepburn made in the move, Lamb Stew with Aromatic Rice with a Lime Daiquiri. Now, Alaina and I have never worked with Lamb before, and Walmart didn't have the cut I originally wanted, so we had to make due. We had a great time making the meal. We talked a lot about personal stuff, funny stuff, and just being stupid in general. We watched Pitch Perfect and had a great night. We both really enjoyed the meal. I was not sure what I was going to think but it was so good! It will be one the I will be making again! 

Well, I only got to two this month, however, I am doing 4 meals in the month of June and I have already completed one of them! If I can just get back to planning things like I need to I will be able to be on tope of things for this month.. Wish me luck!

Follow The Yellow Brick Road: April

 Let me tell you, getting to this point has been a struggle. I am glad that I am here but let's get into it!

The great Patricia Neal is the star of this month! She is very well known for her role in Breakfast at Tiffany's, however, we are going to look at The Day The Earth Stood Still.

What beings from outside of our world come to speak with us about our intentions, the world panics. 

It's the early rise of Sci-Fi Movies this month. Since it's so early there isn't really much to the plot of this movie. I will say that this movie wasn't bad. I don't think I would have ever had watched it had it not been for the fact that Patricia Neal is in it. She was wonderful, and she gave lots of hope to the story, but the story was ok for me. Not too much really to be invested in. 

We are taking another good look downtown this month by being in the Historic Downtown.

This is the old Courthouse. It one of four that have been around downtown. However, it's no longer used as courthouse these day. The local government still uses it for offices and such but not much for anything else. There have been many historic decisions have been made in these alls. The most notable one would be desegregating Clinton High School in 1956. It was the first school in the south to be desegregated. 

In the yard of this building are a few statues that need to be noted. 

The first governor of Tennessee is buried, along with his wife, in the lawn. His name is John Sevier and he was a Revolutionary War hero. He actually died in the lands that would later become Alabama, and was buried there. in the 1880's, during the construction of this building, he was exhumed from Alabama and buried here. 

The soldier that stands outsit the courthouse is to honor those who fought in the Spanish-American. War. It was placed in 1940 but those who actually fought in the way and was the last staue places in the downtown area for a couple of decades.

 This status if the Beloved Woman of Justice that was placed here in 2000. 

The post office was designed in 1932 and it's shows off Tennessee Marble in the best way possible. The eagles that are featured here are carved by Alber Malani, an Italian immigrant who lived in Knoxville for 60 years. 

The Medical Arts Building was build in 1931 and was intended for people who worked in the medical field to live here. It's not hold lots of residents and buisnesses. 

Park House was originally supposed to be a home for John Sevier but he gave up the home in 1812. That same year Irish immigrant James Park took the house and finished building it. James Park became Knoxville's Second and Fourth Mayor. His son was born in the house and died there 90 years later. It's now the heardquarters of the Gulf & Ohion Shor-line Railroad. 

The YWCA has been around since 1925 and it's been a place for women to seek help all this time. However, one of it's more interesting notes is that it was used in the movie October Sky in 1999. The lobby was used to be Indianpolis hotel. 

The YMCA has been home to many people through the years with Benton Mackaye being one of them. He was the creator of the Appalachian Trial. However, one of the most intertesting stories is the in 1944 the FBI caputed a Nazi Spy, who was in town tyring to find out what was going on at Oak Ridge. 

The Lawson McGhee Library has been here since 1971 and it's the third library to honor Charles McClung McGhee's daughter who died giving birth in 1883. 

There are a few churches that we do need to take note of here as well. 

The is First Baptist and it's has called Knoxville it's home since 1924. The Steeple was actually originally built in order to hide a radio tower. The second Knoxville Radio station was actually a religious based network from this church. 

St. John's Episcopal is a beautiful building that has been here since 1892. That is the original church building has been. There has been lost of expansions in the years since it has been here. The church was the home church to Author James Agee. 

Church Street Methodist is the last of the churches on today's list. This church opened in 1930, on the same day of the opening of the Great Smokey Mountain National Park. 

 I know that something of these were cheats. I clearly pictures taken from my car. However, that is life. It's not always how you image it to be. I do love showing off my city, even if it's not in the way that I had wanted to. However, there is only so much that a person can do when life gets nuts. I am clearly behind, seeing that this is being published in June. However, I have done everything to May except write the dang blog. I will be working on that tomorrow and I pray I can get it all caught up before I go back to work and prolong that too!

Let The Joyous News Be Spread: April

Hello! Welcome to a very interesting, an niche, celebration for this month! 

Let's talk movies first. The movie is Interstellar.

 

The world has been unraveling for some time. Food is running out, people are dying, and there seems to be little hope left. Governments have fallen apart, history is being changed so people will focus on Earth instead of finding a new home. However, one family sacrifices everything in order to save the planet. They might be able to save the people they love and bring new generations to a new world beyond our own.

I didn't think that this movie was going to work out as well as it did with celebrating a Doctor Who themed Holiday. There was lots of space, yes, but I didn't think that there was going to be so much mention of time as well. It's wasn't really time travel as it has it in Doctor Who, but there was lots of variations of time. This movie has been on a list of movie that other people have been telling me to watch for some time and I really wasn't interested in watching it. I should know by now that I should watch the things that many people recommend, regardless of what I think it's going to be like. I will state what other have stated before me and say that everyone should watch this movie. Yes, it a long movie but really you don't feel bored watching, or that anything needs to be cut out. It's a beautiful movie and I regret note watching it sooner. 

This month Alaina, Luke and I had a wonderful time celebrating International Impossible Astronaut Day. If you don't know it's the premiere of Matt Smith's Second season in Doctor Who. We love Doctor who, we have had a blast. We had so many plans to do a big to do about everything and dressing up and it didn't go totally as planned. However, here are a few pics. 

We did go all out for the food. When Matt Smith first become the Doctor, there is a great scene where he is trying to find what food he likes with his new taste buds. We took all of that food and made it a weird meal. 

Then we watched the first two episodes of that season and had a really good chill night. Dressed up in weird outfits. 

I really loved that I got to celebrate something nerdy with my friends. 

What Ought To Be: April

1. Closer in Faith: This one has been back an forth. In some way I feel like I have prayed a lot, but it's not been during my normal prayer time. Like I am not getting up when I need to. However, there is so much I have been praying of all month. I have been a weird emotional mess all moth, due to lots of different things, that I feel like I have prayed a lot. It's just now been in a structured way that I know that I need to get back into. The bible reading has been being caught up but it's not been as consistent. 

2. Lose 50 Pounds: I have been to the gym. I have not gone as much as I have wanted. I have maintained the weight that I have already lost. However, that is shocking to me because of the fact that I have eaten out a lot this month. It's been with hanging out with people and just being out and about but it's not been too crazy. The soda needs to get back under control. It's not completely out of control like it has been but I really need to stop drinking it before it comes out. 

3. Cook Better: Again, I have been eating out a lot but I have made my TCM meals which helps me to in the being a better cook department. However, I have made a few things here and there but nothing too crazy. 

4. Dress for Success: This one has been back and forth. Like I said not really a good month mentally for me. I have dressed up and done the makeup most of the days, but I have days that I did not care what I looked liked. However, I did dye my hair. Nothing crazy I just went for Black instead of my normal color. The grays were starting to annoy me but I have felt better doing that. 

5. Speak up: So, this month I spoke up and I crashed and burned! I was supposed to sing at the Ossoli club and speak a little. I did and it was awful. However, I am glad I did it, even thought it's taken me two weeks to get over the embarrassment. I looked good doing it though!

6. Own the Room: To be honest... I haven't really figured out what this really means for me yet. Like I feel like I this sometimes but by the time I realize I am doing whatever it is I don't remember what I did or how I did it. So, Stalled at the moment.

7. Look People in the eye more: This one has been a little better. I feel like I am doing this more when I am going to people's desks at work and I am passing out files. So, yay for something improving this month!

8. Building Relationships: Let me say that I didn't do too well this whole month on everything. I love my friends but I kept up with talking with them some. I went out to dinner but it's been a little crazy and I wasn't on top of it like I wanted to be. 

9. Style: 

So, I bought this shirt because the print made me worry. It's really not my type of print but I have enjoyed wearing it and I have gotten lots of compliments on it. 

10. Creativity: This one is stalled some too. I haven't really worked on my blanket. I haven't really read many books this month. However, helping out with the Ossoli club has helped out. I have also worked on my Christmas list because that is a never ending stream of creativity to get awesome stuff for my friends. 

11. Spoiling: I got rid of my dining room table and chairs, that no one used, and bought a new desk and chair! I feel betting that I have a way more comfortable place for me to write.  

12. Peace: If I am going to be honest, no I have not been as peace much this month. In some ways I am totally fine, in other ways I have been in a real struggle. Like not wanting to eat, trouble sleeping, like almost depressed. I know that when it comes to depression you don't have to have a reason sometimes it just happens. I really hope that I can feel better here soon. Success is not linear. I have to remember that.  

The movie that I watched this month was Last Holiday.

A woman that always plays on the safe side finds out that she is going to die. When she finally realizes that she has waiting her whole life to start living it, she throughs caution to the wind. So, takes out all of her dreams and start making them real. 

I have really always loved this movie, it was weird watching it not during the Christmas season but It's a great movie showing that you don't have to wait for life to start and you can start life now. 

To show just how far behind in everything that I am in, I only made one meal from my TCM Cookbook this month. Thankfully, Alaina and I had a good meal together before the whole month totally fell apart. The movie was The Lady from Shanghai 

I am not going to even pretend that I understood what the movie was about. Alaina dn I were very confused through most of it. However, the meal was excellent! We had Margaritas, Chicken Fried Rice and Green Apple Tacos with Sesame Guacamole with Jicama. 

I am so late in posting that I know that the month of May has not been much better. So, It's going to be interesting. 

Follow The Yellow Brick Road: March

 We are continuing our wonderful trip around Knoxville with a tour of World's Fair Park! Let's first talk about Christina Hendricks. 

Ms. Hendricks was born in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1975. He father work for the Forest Service and they moved around a lot. It does not appear that she spent much time here, they moved when she was two months old. She is most well know for her role of Joan Holloway in the show Mad Men. 

The movie we are looking at the she starred in is Crooked House.

The death of the head of a million dollar house hold causes the family members to start pointing fingers you are in for a wild mystery. Everyone has something to gain and everyone has something to loose. The money can help and hurt everyone. No one trusts each other but they all need each other to get the money. 

I really loved this film! I really want to watch it again. I love a good mystery and the ending was really something that I didn't see coming at all. Mysteries like this are really had to come by. The ones that really keep you guessing are crazy to figure out! 

In 1982 Knoxville got to host the wonderful World's Fair. If you have ever watched Meet Me In St. Louis you will know what I am talking about. There was a lot of stuff going on in Knoxville during that time, and this year marks the 40 year anniversary. The Park was built and opened to hold all of the wonderful booths and people that were coming to visit. 

Some wonderful things now stand inside this wonderful park. 

The statue of Sergei Rachmanioff was sculped by Victor Bokarov in the early 2000s. Rachmanioff was a world renowned Composer, Pianist, and conductor. In 1943 he came to Knoxville and gave his last performance at the University of Tennessee. He would pass a few weeks after this recital. Mr. Bokarov greatly appreciates Rachmanioff's work and sculped this work and gave it to Knoxville to commemorate where his last performance was.   

 This memorial has been around since the Early 2000s as well. After years of research the memorial has every soldier who passed during during a time of was since World War I. The day that I went to the park it was full of people doing a marathon. However, going to the memorial it was very peaceful. It was weird to walk through a sea of people to turn a corner and just have a little peaceful place. 

Not very far from the Park is the East Tennessee Art Museum. It's a great gallery of some great art work. They do have exhibits that are permanent and those that change out every once in a while. The other great thing is that it's free. 

I will say I am glad that I actually walked around Word's Fair Park more because I have been down there but not really walked around. I know that there wasn't much to look at this time around but I know that there will be more to do as time goes on. 

Let The Joyous News be Spread: March

March was a pretty chill month for celebrations. On March 12th is was National Alfred Hitchcock Day.

So, the way that I celebrated was I watched a documentary on Alfred Hitchcock and then I watched The Birds. 

When a girl comes in from out of town to seek a man that she might like, and bunch of bird attack the town she goes to.

I have never seen this movie before this but I honestly had no idea what I was expecting. However, this was not it. I really didn't like the movie this much. It's wasn't that scary, and it's was just an odd movie. 

That was it for celebration. Trust me the one for April is going to be more exciting. 

What Ought To Be: March

 1. Closer in Faith: I am very excited that I have still kept up with my Bible reading everyday. However, Prayers still needs work. I have been dealing with stuff, and instead of going to God I have been turning to other things. 

2. Lose 50 Pounds: I made it to the gym over ten times this month. However, isn't not been as consistent as I want it to be because I have changed the time from after work to before work, and it's been an adjustment. Eating has not been the greatest.  I have eaten out a lot this month because of the stuff on my plate. However, the soda intake has been under control and what I have been eating has not been nearly as bad as it has been in the past. 

3. Cook Better: Again lacking. I have made all of the meals that I was supposed to make this month out of my TCM cookbook. I did break my no ordering of food rules three times this month. I feel like this is the month were everyone gives up on their resolutions. However, I know that if I don't allow this to be a set back, I can continue making progress

4. Dress for Success: This is the one that I have done very well in. I rally have added in the dresses that I have been wanting to wear. I was doing good on every day being really ready to go before work. However, this is true except for the day I overslept for work. That was the only time I was not ready. 

5. Speak up: I can say that there hasn't been a lot to really speak up about really. However, there is one thing. I spoke up and said yes when Bradley asked me if I wanted to co-host or dj, not sure what the right wording is, a Rat Pack Themed party at the Ossoil Club in Knoxville. I am really excited about doing that, but I also said yes to singing! I have no idea what I was thinking. When we for the meeting to plan that thing a little better, I also said yes to do a comedy skit with Bradley in front of everyone. I will let you know how that goes. 

6. Own the Room: I feel like I improved a little on that this month. When I went to the meeting at the Ossoil Club I talked with everyone there. I helped a nice woman pick out a dress for the party, I gave my ideas, and I helped to put everything together! I had a lot of people talking with me and it was really exciting to get into the planning and getting involved. People actually came up to me like I had any idea as to what I was doing. However, I think I pulled it off

7. Look People in the eye more: This is still the one that I am struggling on. I really want to not look at my feet so much when people talk to me. I feel like I did better when I was at Ossoil, however, not near where I want to be. I want to be well listened to and viewed as receptive. I feel like this is the one I really need to keep in mine more.

8. Building Relationships: This one I did get a chance to improve of the ones that I felt like weren't doing as well on. I texted Nora and Angela early in the month and asked if they wanted to do something together every month. Like We have have to watch a show, or a movie, or do something and then actually talk about it every month. That way we actually talk instead of just texting every once and a while. As for the rest of my friends, we are still going strong. I see most of them at least twice a month, and I have loved being with them

9. Style: I bought this shirt that looked really cute but I am not sure if I love it. I want to love it but something is just not there. 

10. Creativity: Let me tell you something. I was able to finish off a ball of yarn for a blanket I am working on, however, I have other ways that my creativity is being worked. I can't say much yet, but April is going to be wild when I comes to this one!

11. Spoiling: So, I got a target gift card not too long ago, and I used it to buy me a pair of tennis shoes. I hate buying new tennis shoes but they are saving my feet let me tell you!

12. Peace: I am not really at peace much this month. I know I have not been doing my best in all of these areas. I know that I just have to get back to be being disciplined. It's gonna take a little bit of time but I know that I will get through all of that! One bad month does not make a failure. I also know that even with as back as I have been, I am not nearly as back as I was in years past!

When it comes to love there is one man who knows what he is talking about, or at least he thinks that he does. Hitch knows how to work the mind of woman to get her to notice, and potentially, fall in love with a guy. However, he meets his match when he meets Albert. Albert is in love with Allergra, a millionaire who wants to do good in the world. Hitch does everything he can to try and change Albert to be a more "Sauvé" guy but ultimately fails. While he is trying to fix Albert, Hitch has also met his match when it comes to Sara. Hitch finds that every play he has don't really work on her. It forces him to really be himself. However, bad both of these men fail it doesn't mean that love is totally lost. 

What I really like about this movie was just how much being yourself works. Yes, when most people are looking for someone to date or anything like that we tend to overlook some because of what we have in our head as to what some of this is supposed to be. This is including myself. I know that I try to overlook people because it's not what I have "imagined'. Albert, as much as he wanted Allergra, had a really had time not being himself. Hitch basically gave him a way to be noticed by her everything else was him just being himself. 

Now for the delicious part of our blog!

 

A movie about love and marriage, but not in the traditional way. Jean Crawford is a mistress to a wealthy man who is in love with her. He wants to divorce his wife and marry her but his wife says that she will not give him a divorce. In order to make her less stress, the hopefully soon to be ex-husband, sends Joan on a cruise to take her mind off of everything. However, on the cruise she meets the dashing Clark Gable. A love affair of their own starts. The question is who does she really love and where should she go?

The name of the dishes in this meal are A Sherry Flip, Radish Salad with Buttermilk Dressing, and Roasted Chicken with Cider Gastrique. I had to cook a whole chicken for the first time in my life. I forgot to take a picture of the whole chicken but here is the left overs and my parents enjoying the meal with me.

I was not going to be able to eat a whole chicken alone, so I asked them to come over and they watching the last two episodes of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. We had a good time and some good food. I enjoyed the Salad, however, I am not a huge fan of roasted chicken. I don't think there is ever enough flavor. It was not a scary as I thought it was going to be cooking that. No one rally liked the Sherry flip. It sound good but it really wasn't.

This movie was hilarious and seeing Joan Crawford in a roll that wasn't just totally her being an awful human is wonderful. He is good at those roles but her being a young hopeful woman is not really what she is known for. I love Clark in this movie as well. He was sweet and charming. I also loved that Mickey Rooney made a really small appearance in the film as well. 

More love and marriage. This movie is the sad end of a long term marriage after the children have married and the husband retires. The wife wants to see the world and not be stuck in a small town. Dodsworth wants nothing to do with changing his whole life. They go on a cruise around the world just to find that neither are happy in their marriage. Dodsworth goes home and his wife stays in France and starts an affair. However, love fine a place to bloom in the strangest of places. 

The Meal for this one was Neopolitan Seafood Stew and a Highball.

This is my little brother helping me. I was very nervous about good mussels. So he was making sure they were ok to eat.  

This is Aaron and Dad helping me eat the food. I mom does not do seafood. Aaron and dad said the they lived it. It was fine. I don't like soup or seafood really. However, the mussels were really good. I didn't think that I was going to like them but they were good. The highball was too strong for me but mom even liked that. Mom made tacos for her and I to eat when I was done cooking the stew. 

I enjoyed this movie a lot! I thought it was going to be a little dull but I was wrong. This will be on of those movies that have a lasting memory with me!

The movie that made John Wayne a star! A stagecoach traveling across Indian territory reals to real stories behind the travels of the passenger aboard. They meet Ringo Kid and he helps them to get to their destination along the way

This meal was super intense to make. There were a lot of ingredients and it took a lot of time, I also made this one for a crowd. My small group ended up being the ones to eat this meal. They seemed to like it. I had a few bites, not a big chili fan either. 

This was Duke's Bourbon Paloma, Spicy Popcorn, and Bourbon Chili.

I am not a huge fan of Westerns either so I am not really a big fan of this movie. I really found it kind of boring. I might have to give it another try though.

Next Moth is looking promising. I will let you know how it goes. I have a lot of stuff coming up already and I am very excited to get started!