30 Days of Television - Day 04

Your favorite show ever

This is difficult because I have periods where my favorite shows are the last thing I want to watch, and I'm having a hard time pinning down which one is my favorite of all time. No doubt no matter what I choose for this prompt I'll press "publish" and immediately regret my choice. Ha!

M*A*S*H, though, has been a constant favorite. I own all 11 seasons on DVD, and yet as I type this I'm watching it through Netflix (which is annoying because it's the broadcast versions so some scenes are missing!). It's my favorite kind of "sitcom" - it's funny but has some real world situations that they take seriously. Even though it has strongly liberal leanings in many of its characters and episodes - and for the first five seasons makes the conservative character the villain - their stance is one that is shared across the board.

Alan Alda as Hawkeye Pearce was perfection. I love Alda in anything he does, but Hawkeye was the perfect character for him (later when he was in West Wing and then The Blacklist I realized he could be a mean SOB!), I'm also a big fan of David Ogden Stiers who played Charles E Winchester - the Bostonian Republican (they exist?!). BJ Honeycutt is my favorite of Hawkeye's besties (Trapper's good, but I prefer BJ)... and who doesn't love Radar?

The wit and situations are timeless - while the issues are set during the Korean War and the show was shot at the end of the Vietnam war they still hold true to the issues of today (some things never change). The show is timeless, endearing, and one I love to watch over and over.

Honorable mentions go to:

The Big Bang Theory

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

Law & Order

30 Days of Television - Day 03

Your favorite new show

If you follow me on twitter you know that The Flash is how I spend my Tuesday nights. I absolutely LOVE this show, and I was planning on hating it! I normally don't like spin offs (though Fraiser was much better than Cheers) and I wasn't truly sold on the cast. The only reason I watched the pilot at all was because Jesse Martin was cast as Barry Allen's "surrogate father" of sorts, and I LOVED him in Law & Order.

When the character of Barry Allen was introduced on Arrow, I absolutely LOVED him. Grant Gustin is so freaking adorable as the nerdy superhero. I was totally on board with Barry and Felicity hooking up (which didn't really happen and I'm still kinda upset about that), his chemistry with Stephen Amell (who plays Oliver Queen on Arrow) was also natural. It was hard not to hope good things for his show.

The pilot, I felt, was a little more awkward, and I wasn't quite sold on the show... until the scene where Barry visits his father. No one cries so convincingly as Grant Gustin. He breaks my heart EVERY WEEK. There is no one better suited to play the character - if ever there was perfect casting in a role, Grant is it. The dialogue is tongue in cheek, the characters sympathetic (though I'm still not sold on Ronnie or Caitlin), the stories interesting. With the time travel element it definitely keeps the viewer guessing/wondering.

The Flash has really found its rhythm after the Arrow-Flash crossover last fall, and is already set for a second season. The spin-off is an excellent one and I can't wait for the next episodes!

30 Days of Television - Day 02

A show that you wish more people were watching

There aren't a lot of shows that I watch that aren't extremely popular. The ones that are obscure are typically ones that I find on Netflix after they're cancelled (you know, like Terriers). I also don't follow the ratings, so I don't know what shows I watch NEED more viewers to be sure they get renewed. However, that's not what the prompt is asking.

Just what show I wish more watched....

ABC's new show "Secrets and Lies" is one of the shows that fits Hollywood's new theme of "shows we've taken from other countries and just put our actors in them". This one comes from Austrailia and dang if it isn't good (in a lot of ways it's a lot like Fox's Gracepoint which was a knock off of the British show Bridgeport... NBC is also hoping to get in on the craze this fall with their "new" show Game of Silence which is based off a Turkish drama). We're six episodes into the 10 episode series. It's a mid-season series, so it's short and most likely won't see a second season. So get it while you can!

The story follows Ben Crawford (played by Ryan Phillippe) who we meet as he's running out of the woods panicked and calling for help. He's just found a young boy's body in the woods - turns out it's his neighbor's kid. Because he found the body the cops immediately focus their attention on Crawford. As he tries to clear his name and prove his innocence his and the neighborhood's secrets are revealed. Phillippe is surprisingly sympathetic in the lead role, and Juliette Lewis is an incredibly good antagonist in the cop pursuing him. I keep waiting for her to give a line like "we're not driving all the way out here just so you can buy one of those stupid ties with the Santa Clauses on it", but somehow I don't think she's going to be very Audrey Griswold in this role.

A quick glance at the wikipedia page for the show, shows that ratings aren't good. So, come on people, watch! I have no doubt it will finish out the 10 episodes, but I wouldn't mind a second season. I mean, if William Shatner can stand to watch it, can't you?

30 Days of Television - Day 01

Show that shouldn't have been cancelled

Oh there are so many shows that I've been sad to see go - Shark, Smash, Once Upon A Time in Wonderland... to name a few. But I think I have to go with the show that I just rewatched for the countless time... and that's the 13 episode long FX series Terriers. The show aired in 2010 and starred Donal Logue (Gotham) and Michael Raymond-James (Once Upon A Time). It wasn't your typical crime drama - in was kind the anti-hero version of a crime drama - and the two played a couple of down on their luck Private Investigators. The show had nothing to do with yappy little dogs, but was a metaphor for the two main characters' outlook on life.

The dry humor is what gets me, every time. Doesn't matter how many times I see it, I still crack up at the antics and sarcasm. It's the perfect show for me. It got great reviews from critics and viewers alike, but it was poorly marketed by the network and the title was... misleading? A title that has to be explained isn't a good one, IMO, but then again I'm not in the business. However I remember when the show was being promoted as a "must watch" and thinking I knew nothing about it and therefore wasn't interested.

My favorite character is, of course, Britt Pollack played by Raymond-James. He's an "ex-con" who saw the error of his ways and partners up with an ex-cop to work the PI beat. He lives with his girlfriend Katie - whom he met after robbing her house and seeing her picture and thinking she was cute, so she looked her up at the bar she worked at - and we meet the couple dealing with the idea of possibly moving on to become parents. Katie wants a baby, Britt not so much. So he's in a foul mood in the opening scene of the series. Still he's pretty good natured throughout the show and definitely has the best lines. His story is relate-able and compelling, and you can't help but cheer for him.

His buddy (both on the show and in real life), Hank Dolworth played by Donal Logue, is an ex cop who had to leave the force due to his drinking problem. He was drinking on the job, and screwed up a major rape case that got him forced out. Just before that, he met Britt who was caught trying to jack a car. At some point the two partner up and we get to witness them foul up and save the day for 13 awesome episodes.





The only reason I watched it 4 years after it was cancelled and on Netflix was because I fell in love with MRJ in Once Upon A Time and needed something else of his to watch. I wish I'd seen it as it aired, though I have a feeling I'd have been very angry that it didn't get picked up for a full season. Though maybe if more folks had watched it, it'd have made it.

So I'll just keep hoping that FX brings it back for a special event, as there have been rumors for a while now... Donal has found success on Fox's Gotham, and MRJ is currently working on a new show hoping to be picked up for the NBC fall line up "Game of Silence" sounds like a GREAT show. Really have high hopes for him and the show.

It's not just April Fools day

Gpa with his pal Willie (taken a few years back).

Today was my grandpa's 89th birthday. My Gpa has been one of my heroes my entire life. My first 5 years were spent in his house while my parents worked. He (and my Gma and Auntie Marge) helped shape my formative years. We did garage projects - I was a fan of crushing the cans for recycle, and painting ANYthing, we went to Costco - my gpa's favorite store EVER, and he's the reason I got involved with the Iditarod.

He loves his box wine, John Wayne (dad now has his John Wayne Memorabilia collection), and his friends and family. He's quick with a pun - seriously that's all we Reitter's have in our "big bag of jokes" - or a funny story from days gone by. He's a big fan of Blue Bloods and Walker Texas Ranger (says Arrow is my generations version of that show... um... no. Ha ha). Don't get in between him and his ice cream (or any sweets) he will not be denied!

It's hard not to look back on my childhood without seeing a lot of time with Gpa. Some of my favorite memories are when we went on adventures in the motor-home (though the time that I slammed my thumb in the door and he told me we'd have to cut it off to get the door to open was traumatic! LOL). He and Gma went on all sorts of adventures outside of Alaska in their Recreational Vehicle, and I was always so jealous. I get my trip planning skills from him, as while going through the memory albums recently I found his itinerary list... it looks identical to some of mine. I can't deny we're related, that's for sure.

My grandfather held many different jobs in his life, farmer, Navy Signalman... he worked for Aerojet (including some stuff for the space program!). When they moved to Alaska he was a Servepro man. Spent many years working for them, and I remember his van well. Lime Green with Sammy on the side. I loved that van. It had the best smell to it - it was definitely a grandpa smell, but not something gross like old man smell. It just smelled like servepro, cigar, and motoroil. I miss that smell.

Gpa was my go to for Iditarod everything. He gave me the book "Danger the Dog Yard Cat" when I was 5 and I was hooked. He was so excited when I took both jobs with the Seavey's (Gpa is a fan of all the teams). He had a coat he wore to the Iditarod every year - with patches from each race he attended. I have that jacket now. I love it. It's so Grandpa.

He's now in Oregon with my Uncle Bob. He needed the change. It's weird to think he isn't in the house that I spent so many hours of my childhood in, but I know he's where he needs to be. And he is just a phone call away. I hear he went for a walk and had a great bday meal. No doubt finished with ice cream.

Happy Birthday Gpa, you are one of the best ever. <3 br="" love="" you="">

30 Days of Television

30 Day TV Meme

Day 01 - A show that should have never been canceled
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this t.v season)
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever
Day 05 - A show you hate
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite t.v. show
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite t.v. show
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you
Day 12 - An episode you’ve watched more than 5 times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show
Day 14 - Favorite male character
Day 15 - Favorite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favorite mini series
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence
Day 19 - Best t.v show cast
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite ship
Day 22 - Favorite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First t.v. show obsession
Day 29 - Current t.v. show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death

It's time for saying Goodbye...

The house a few summers back before Gma's stroke. Their yard always
looked like something out of Sunset Magazine.

The last few days the Muppets' song "Saying Goodbye" has run through my mind. It typically does when someone close to me leaves for other parts of the world. This weekend we moved my Grandfather out of his home of over 40 years down to my uncle's house in Oregon. Okay, well, we packed up his house and said goodbye and he flew to Oregon with my uncle.

It was a very quick up and back for us. While my grandfather for the last year or so had been packing things and giving them to family, his health took a very quick turn and we needed to move quickly. In the last 4-6 months things began to get away from him, he wasn't able to remember basic tasks. My uncle and cousin had been concerned, but it wasn't until my cousin's last visit and then my dad and my last visit that the family realized we needed to move NOW. So my uncle flew up and we all headed to gpa's house to help him.

Packing up a person's life is not an easy task. Splitting them up between 3 sons and 2 granddaughters went easier than we thought, but it was just getting all of the stuff packed up (and, first, found!) that was hard. So many memories in one spot - not just the physical ones we held, but the ones those items and the walls around us brought up. We had a lot of laughs, and it was just good to have some fun one last time. The last time we were all together was when my grandmother passed, so while seeing Gpa overwhelmed was difficult we were still in a much happier frame of mind this time around.

Saturday we took a break from packing up and had some of the family friends over. The Gallaghers have been friends with my grandparents since before I was born. Jim and Karen help every year with Iditarod, and Karen's mom Pete was friends with my grandmother forEVER. Jim and Karen's daughter Christine grew up with my cousin and she would baby sit me on occasion. They're more family than just friends. We also had the Frolichs over - they are buying the house from my grandfather. They live across the street and Mathieu was my first best friend. We grew up together - even after my family moved to Kenai, every summer I was up with my grandparents and we spent every waking hour causing chaos in the neighborhood. I am so happy that the house is going to someone we know and that I know will treasure it for what it is!

The "Framily" together at the house one last time.

Sunday we tried to get Gpa to go to church, but the emotions of the weekend took their tole and he decided to stay home. Mom, Dad and I went to Gpa's church anyway as we'd given them the heads up that Gpa was leaving and they had things for us to give him. Joel Engle is one of the pastors at Changepoint and we've known him pretty much since my parents have been Christians - he used to be a Christian singer who toured the country doing ministry, and now he's pastoring. It's a small world. We met him when he was still starting out and so I was excited to get to hear him preach this weekend! The message was good, and then we headed out for one last family meal at Texas Roadhouse before we all went our separate ways.

Now we're back home and I'm going through the boxes of the memories I collected. 4 boxes of photo albums with memories that go back generations, more Iditarod memories, the different knick knacks that lined the shelves... a few cookbooks... I just have to find a way to properly display or store them all.

Dad called down to Gpa tonight, and he's doing well. Dad says he sounds better than he has in months. I think this change is what Gpa needed, but man... it feels weird for the rest of us.

My 15 seconds of fame

Just when I thought I'd just be little ol' me tweeting and blogging on my own blog for Iditarod for the first time in 3 years, I get asked to be a guest blogger for an awesome mushing fansite. I've followed SofaMushing on twitter for a couple of years now, and they do great work. They're based in Europe, so it's nice to see a different perspective on the sport - plus it's a great way to follow their races. They contacted me a couple of days ago asking me to be a GUEST BLOGGER. I don't feel like I have the knowledge or the credibility, but apparently I'm doing something right.

So while I do cross post most of my stuff, I have tried to give their blog a few posts that aren't on here. Be sure to check their site out. It's fantastic. They have an Iditarod news feature that follows the mushers' facebook/social media pages. A GREAT RESOURCE!

That then led to me being asked to be a guest on Dog Works Radio, apparently I'm a social media expert. Robert Forto is the host and one of the bajillion mushers I have the pleasure to know. He's been around social media for I don't know how long, and is able to keep it all together while doing the podcast, run dogs, and go to school (and run a business). Pretty cool. His co-host is Alex Stein who made a documentary on the Iditarod a few years ago called "Mush" which is a pretty interesting bit of film and history. Alex is in SoCal and he and I have been social media buddies for 4 or 5 years now? I think?

Those that know me know how much I hate any sort of "real" social interaction (which is why social media and I get along, no real human interaction), so calling into a podcast and talking was out of my comfort zone. It was fun, though, the guys were great at not putting me too much on the spot and the discussion was easy. My cell phone doesn't work in my house so I was sitting in my car, with our wind storm howling around me, and I'm sicker than sick... so I don't know how much of a good thing my interview was, but it was fun. If I get asked again I wouldn't say no! Thanks again guys, you are awesome.

So I've had my 15 seconds of fame. Go me.

You can listen to my "episode" of Dog Works Radio by clicking here.

There's a freight train loose on the Iditarod trail...

Dallas Seavey and team during the
Ceremonial Start of Iditarod 43.
March 7, 2015

…and the conductor is Dallas Seavey.

Now that the leaders are bearing down onto the coastal community of Unalakleet we’re starting to see the typical strategies emerge from the teams. Dallas is back to his typical run rest schedule, and he’s gaining time and miles on everyone around him. Dallas took off out of Kaltag at 5:35am this morning, Jeff King and Aaron Burmeister left the same checkpoint almost an hour ahead of him. He’s run down King (who is currently resting on the trail) and nearly ran down Burmeister. He is currently resting, and we can assume he’ll camp for a few hours before blowing through Unalakleet.

Expect this same run pattern for the remainder of the race (or at least until White Mountain). Dallas’s team is one of only maybe three teams that is steadily gaining speed at this point in the race. He will continute to chug down the trail picking off anyone ahead of him. Jake Berkowitz blogged today saying Dallas was terrifying to have behind you, and in front of you. He’s declared the younger Seavey the one leading the Iditarod – and he’s not wrong.

Burmeister is maintaining, but slower than before – and King is showing major signs of slow down. Aliy’s team is older and is at a steady pace. Mitch Seavey is another team looking like they’re on an upswing. He’s been running conservatively up to this point, waiting to pull out the reserves and make a move. Still not seeing that move, but I expect to see it soon. Perhaps this will be the year they come in 1 and 2?

Jessie Royer is making a statement still, and is currently resting in the same spot Aliy did earlier today. She’s looking at a possible top 5 finish if she can maintain her lead she has on the rest of the pack, and she’s in shooting distance if another team falters to climb further.

There’s just about 300 miles to go, so it’s still too early to tell who the winner is, but you can expect an exciting run up the coast. If you haven’t caught the “Iditaflu” yet, you might want to start coming down with it so you can call into work. The next three days will be exciting!

Iditarod Day 7 - Morning Update

Good morning world!

The race is on to Unalakleet, the first checkpoint on the coast. Many race fans know that the race kicks into high gear at this checkpoint. Weight is dropped, slowest dogs are dropped. From here to Nome it's all about speed and how best to conserve it while not spending a lot of time stopped.

Aliy was first out of Kaltag, and is now camped out on the trail. Jeff King and Aaron Burmeister were next out (in that order) and are running very close together judging by the GPS pings. Dallas Seavey has the fastest time into Kaltag of the front runners, taking basically an hour LESS to get there than Burmeister did. He rested his team for 4.75 hours and is back on the trail as well.

Mitch Seavey came into Kaltag sounding very happy with his team, said he let them pick their speed. He wanted to be a little faster, but the trail was great. His team seemed eager and still cohesive, so all positive in the video for Mitch. He is still in the checkpoint, and nearing 5 hours of rest.

Jessie Royer has been "silently" creeping in on the front runners fun and is looking like a contender. She is also out of Kaltag. Jessie trains her dogs in Montana, where they had snow and good trail all winter. It seems that gave her an advantage as some mushers in Alaska who did (or could) not get to good trails for training have said that their dogs weren't ready for this type of trail base. Royer learned from 4 time Champion Doug Swingley, so those of us who've paid attention to the race have been waiting for her to make a move. It looks like this is the year for her to do it.

Kaltag is getting busy this morning with more teams filing in. Fast trail, fast race... still on track for a Tuesday night finish.