I ordered this book from Amazon several months ago. It traveled around my house. I finally got a spot of time to read this delightful story.
Click here to purchase
The Weirdest Family is a children’s chapter fantasy book that focuses on a family made up of Abby the mom, Charlie the dad, Tesi the teenager, and Eliza precocious little sister. This book tends towards supernatural flights of fancy, so it comes in handy that there is an unknown narrator to keep the story on track.
And I am pretty sure the author must like sandwiches and nachos and fruit. They are mentioned several times.
You might think that you cannot have a gratifying book that includes zombies, vampires, mummies, super senses, God, and a baby man-eating bat. There are also aliens, and an apocalypse. But, once Tesi gets a palace for her birthday, it all begins to come together. Because, after all, don’t the most unusual families live in palaces?
And just when you think the story has come to a close, you turn the page, start a new chapter and a new adventure. This book is truly fantastical.
I didn’t just stumble across this book. A good friend of mine, who happens to have only been 9 years old at the time of publication, wrote it. I could never have written anything this impressive (let alone long) at her age.
I cannot imagine being 9 years old and seeing my book that I wrote for sale on Amazon. (There was no Internet, and therefore no Amazon when I was that age.)
But I WANT TO. I hunger, thirst, ache, crave, yearn to have my writing displayed like that for the world to partake of. (Thank you, thesaurus.com.)
To sum up, the title says it all. This is, indeed, The Weirdest Family. I also found them quite entertaining.
“Play It Again” by Luke Bryan is totally stuck in my head. All day long.
It is the only song I want to hear right now. Constantly.
I scanned all the country channels my whole way home in the car looking for it. Which is ironic, because that is what the whole damn song is about. And if the girl in the song had a fully-charged cell phone on her with a strong signal, she could just play the song again and again. But that is part of the song’s charm. It has a very traditional country sound. The lyrics are pretty traditional as well.
I grew up on late 70’s & 80’s country. That is the sound I like best. This song might be the beginning of a Country renaissance for me. I haven’t listened to Country music regularly since 2000. That is pretty much when I discovered Kid Rock.
She was like, oh my God, this is my song
I’ve been listenin’ to the radio all night long
Sittin’ ’round waitin’ for it to come on and here it is*
How many days and nights have I been this girl? And how many other girls out there have been in the same situation? And how has NO ONE written this song years ago?
Well, not really. But every week it has surprised me by getting better. As I don’t get The CW network through my cable company, I have to watch it on their website. Which actually works out better for me, because then I can watch it at my leisure.
The Tomorrow People is about a group of 20-somethings who have special powers. Their powers seem to sort of depend on what they need for that episode. The show is centered about Stephen Jameson, played by Robbie Amell, who is supposed to still be in High School, even though he looks 25 (Amell actually is 25). Stephen is torn between joining the cool, subway station dwelling Tomorrow People and working for the organization his evil Uncle leads that wants to take away the Tomorrow People’s powers. And, being the star of the show, Stephen’s powers seem to be above and beyond everyone else’s for a mysterious reason we have yet to discover.
Ya, the premise is a little wonky. And no one seems to notice every week that Stephen is playing for both sides. But I truly like the characters (the male ones, anyway), and I am invested in their lives. Stephen has a token black girl best friend, the human who isn’t supposed to know that a world with secret powers exists. She is also hopelessly in love with him, and he is totally clueless. There is also Cara, the head chick in the underground Tomorrow People organization. I don’t like her. She seems like she has secrets. And is snotty. And not pretty enough for every man on the show to be in love with her.
Why is it a really good show? Because the guys on it look like this:
Luke Mitchell as John Young Photo: cwtv.com
And it is especially good because it doesn’t make me wait around for things to happen, in that soap opera way TV shows used to do. TV writers have apparently figured out that we want immediate gratification.
I thought it would be forever before token black friend-who-is-a-girl (I really don’t remember her name at all) discovered Stephen’s powers. Nope. Episode 3.
Stephen and Cara have a spark between them. But she is with John, the hot blond. I thought it would be ages before her and Stephen got together. Nope, episode 6! And not a kiss that leads to nothing either. They kissed, then totally had sex! (Although it happened between episodes. Convenient.)
I thought it would take a while for Stephen to figure out that his black friend (Astrid, I looked it up), had the total hots for him. Nope. Episode 7.
I was watching Episode 7, “Limbo”, and seeing this love triangle that the writers had set up between Stephen, Cara, and John. Remember, I don’t like Cara. My first thought was, “Man, they should have Stephen and John kiss. That would be hot.” Instead, they got into a big fight. I thought, “Well, that is almost as good.” By the end of the episode? You guessed it!
THEY HAD KISSED!
Well, not quite. Technically John was giving Stephen CPR after he had nearly drowned. But this technicality was not lost on the writers, who had John say to Cara later in the episode: Well, technically, now we have both made out with Stephen.
John giving Stephen CPR Photo: cwtv.com
Mark Pellegrino plays the evil uncle. I still haven’t gotten over him playing Aiden’s maker on Being Human. Apparently he played Jacob on “Lost” as well (long after i quit watching it). He just plays creepy so well. He is so mean that you just wish all the Tomorrow People had the chance to kick the crap out of him. Guess what? That is Episode 8! There the writers go reading my mind again.
There is even a creepy missing father/head of the underground mystery the writers are revealing to us one piece at a time. Kind of like a Scooby-Doo mystery, without the adorable talking Great Dane.
It is also really good because I think Robbie Amell looks a lot like Hal Sparks. And I love me some Hal Sparks.
Having a long commute to work again, it takes no time at all for me to compile a list of songs that I try to search the radio dial for, and them am disappointed when I can’t find them.
Then I give up and make a mix CD of them all. I don’t have a car radio with an mp3 input hole or iPod that has a screen/playlists. So, I must burn CDs, like some sort of primitive late 90’s animal.
I think I am going through a mid-life crisis. And Avril Lavigne has a new album coming out. This CD reflects all that.
Warning for sensitive eyes: I buy and quote the explicit versions of all the songs. And all the best parts are the ones with the swear words.
I have included the iTunes genres so you can see how schizophrenic my musical tastes are. And so that you may laugh at Apple’s classifications.
And that is why they call it a MIX TAPE Photo: gokwala.com
1. Counting Stars-One Republic POP
This is one of those songs that I never noticed until I found myself singing along to it on the radio one day. It rocks, but there is a sound effect in the background that sounds just like my Pointer whining. That bothers me a little.
“Lately I been, I been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But baby, I been, I been prayin’ hard
Said no more counting dollars
We’ll be counting stars
Yeah, we’ll be counting stars”*
2. Over My Head (Cable Car)-The Fray ROCK
I have loved this song since it came out. My favorite part:
“Everyone knows I’m in
Over my head
Over my head
With eight seconds left in overtime
She’s on your mind
She’s on your mind”
3. Over My Head-Richard Marx POP
The local radio station that will play ANYTHING plays this all the time, even though it is from 2012. I bought it because I liked it, I thought it would be funny to put next to The Fray song of the same name, and I feel a little sorry for Richard Marx. Although he probably has more money than I ever will have, so he is probably doing just fine. My crazy friend and my green-haired friend and her brother all went to see Richard Marx once at an outdoor venue in the summer. On the big screen that was broadcasting his performance, I watched a bug fly in his mouth mid-song. He never missed a beat or hit a wrong note. He didn’t spit until the song was over. It really impressed me. He is a class act.
4. The a Team-Ed Sheeran SINGER/SONGWRITER
This is has terribly depressing subject matter, but it is catchy and gets stuck in my head.
“It’s too cold outside
For angels to fly”
5. Speak Life-tobyMac CHRISTIAN
I don’t know why I like tobyMac, I just do. This song is very upbeat and dancey, just like “Steal My Show”, the only other song by him that I know.
“So speak Life, speak Life.
To the deadest darkest night.
Speak life, speak Life.
When the sun won’t shine and you don’t know why.”
6. We Can’t Stop-Miley Cyrus POP
I have liked Miley since her Hannah Montana days. I think her recent stunts that have attracted publicity are doing just what they were designed to do: ATTRACT PUBLICITY! I think she is a really good singer, although this song doesn’t fully showcase that. Who knew something so cool would come from the guy who cursed us with “Achy Breaky Heart”.
“It’s our party we can do what we want to
It’s our house we can love who we want to
It’s our song we can sing if we want to
It’s my mouth I can say what I want to”
7. Wrecking Ball-Eli Lieb POP
I like Miley’s version, but this guy really rocks it.
“Don’t you ever say I just walked away
I will always want you”
8. Girls Just Want to Have Fun-Cyndi Lauper POP
I heard this song on the way to work this week and it actually made me cry. I am going to blame it on the onset of Seasonal Affective Disorder. But some of the lyrics really are deep.
“Some boys take a beautiful girl
And hide her away from the rest of the world
I want to be the one to walk in the sun
Oh girls they want to have fun”
Jared Leto of 30 Seconds to Mars
9. Up In The Air-30 Seconds to Mars ALTERNATIVE
I have liked 30 Seconds to Mars since they came out with their first song “Capricorn”. I love that Jared Leto is proving that former actors can have successful bands. I love it when he wears eyeliner. I can’t believe I missed going to see them in my concert-going 20’s.
“I’ll wrap my hands around your neck so tight with love, love.
A thousand times I tempted fate.
A thousand times I played this game.
A thousand times that I have said today, today, today.”
10. City of Angels-30 Seconds to Mars ALTERNATIVE
Every time this song comes on the radio, I change it, because the beginning is just so slow. But I love the emotion in the song. The lyrics say “strangers”, but Jared actually sings it like “strangels”. I want to be a strangel for Halloween. Sort of like a strange angel? I could just wear my normal clothes and mismatched socks, and slap on a pair of wings. I have black wings. That would make me more stranger.
“Lost in the city of angels
Down in the comfort of strangers
I found myself in the fire burnt hills
In the land of a billion lights”
11. What the Hell-Avril Lavigne POP
The namesake for this whole CD. I totally love Avril, and I have all her albums. Well, I did, except somehow I missed when “Goodbye Lullabye” came out. I am guessing that was because I was busy with my son’s doctor appointments and trying to find a job. I wasn’t listening to much radio. But my collection is now up-to-date. I would BE Avril if I could.
“All my life I’ve been good but now
I’m thinking ‘What the hell?'”
12. Smile-Avril Lavigne POP
It has a cute music video.
13. Rock N Roll-Avril Lavigne POP
It has a cute music video with Bear-Sharks. And the song rocks!
“I don’t care if I’m a misfit
I like it better than the hipster bullshit
I am the motherfucking princess
You still love me”
14. Undead-Hollywood Undead ROCK
I love Rap/Rock and I was very sad when it went out of style. Kid Rock, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park–I loved them all. I am happy that Hollywood Undead seems to be bringing it back.
“You better get up out the way,
Tomorrow we’ll rise so let’s fight today,
You know, I don’t give a fuck what you think or say,
‘Cause we’ll rock this whole place anyway.”
15. Dead Bite-Hollywood Undead ROCK
Rap/Rock, and REALLY creepy.
“What would you do if I told you I hate you?
What would you do if your life’s on the line?
What would you say if I told you I hate you?
I’ve got something that’ll blow your mind, mind”
16. 4 Real-Avril Lavigne POP
I needed more songs on the CD.
17. Darlin-Avril Lavigne POP
Ditto
18. Goodbye-Avril Lavigne POP
A very powerful song, but kinda slow for my taste.
*All lyrics belong to their respective writers. I am sorry to say I am not that talented.
Ya, ya I know. I am a day late. And $10 short. But I spent that $10 on two good movies this week that I wanted to share with y’all.
For our 16 year dating anniversary, my husband and I went to see “Warm Bodies”.
Photo: Summit Entertainment
Originally, I wasn’t interested in seeing it because I thought it was just zombie romance. But then I found out it was also a COMEDY! The studio bills it as a zomb-rom-com. There was enough blood and guts to keep my husband happy and enough romance and humor to keep me happy. I would describe it as most like a coming-of-age/first-love movie, like was common in the 80’s. (It also has an awesome 80’s soundtrack.) With a few brains thrown in to remember that they are zombies.
My husband was fascinated by the new twist on zombies. Of course, he also will watch Twilight with me, so I have a keeper. We both agreed we would want to own “Warm Bodies” when it comes out on DVD.
I also got the chance to go see “Safe Haven” with my Sister-in-Law. It was better than I expected. I am always leary of Nicholas Sparks movies. I still haven’t forgiven him for killing off Mandy Moore in “A Walk To Remember”.
This movie had a twist ending also, but it didn’t p*ss me off like “A Walk To Remember”. When the twist came, I realized my mom had read the book and told me that the twist ending had p*ssed her off. But as I didn’t realize she had already told me about it, it was a surprise to me, making the movie a little more interesting than if it had just been about the abused girl running from an abusive husband.
And now I think I need to dye my hair blond and cut it off into layers. Opinions?
Scene from Safe Haven Photo: James Bridges – 2012 Relativity Media
I'm not stalking you. 