TMST: How to Beat the Winter Blues + Fun Times

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings where Rainy discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.

How do you beat the winter blues?

I remember doing this prompt last year. I listed things I do personally to avoid the winter blues. This time I'll actually share what "professionals" suggest. 

I found this article that is really informational. Click this link. But here is a synopsis of what they suggest:

- Keep Active. 
- Go Outside
- Keep warm
- Eat Healthy foods
- Get light therapy 
- Sit in front of a light box for 30 mins
- Take up a new hobby
- Stay social
- Talk about it
- Join a support group

(NHS, 2018)

One thing I like to do is drink with friends to beat the winter blues. We did that this weekend even though we got a lot of snow. BF, me and a couple of friends went to the Royal Oak Onesie Pub Crawl. It was so much fun! We even got our faces painted. 

Blodeuedd's Monday Review: The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict

By: Marie Benedict

Narrated by: Suzanne Toren

Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 01-08-19

Language: English

Publisher: Audible Studios

My Thoughts

The book is in two parts. Before Hollywood and Hollywood. I did like the before bits a lot more, Hollywood was good too, but the more I think about it, the more i think I know why. See this is a fictionalized story of Hedy Lamarr. The bones are there and the things we know, but not everything was known about her Austria days and I felt that the author embraced that more then and let her pen fly. And then when we came to Hollywood there was so much she wanted to talk about that we know happened. Like what a meat market Hollywood was which she surely wanted to talk about cos of MeToo. And how Hedy worries about war, and then war comes so she worries about Jews. And on top of that she is making so many movies and they are all mentioned. Plus her inventions. See, there was just so much going on there. Still good, but I really liked the drama of the first part.

Part one. Hedwig Kleiser, Jewish, even if she does not think of her that way, she is Austrian after all. Actress and now celebrated in the stage production of Sisi. She is 19 an a whirlwind. I liked her from page 1. Then then drama starts, a rich older man wants her and she obeys. This is Austria in the 30s after all. Her father knows trouble is coming and the third richest man in Austria might just protect her and them then. He is a controlling man who just wants pretty armcandy to show his friends.

And this part was exciting. A husband she grew to fear more and more. Tensions rising in Austria. Her husband being part of the Austrian political elite. It was this whole other life I did not know she had had.

Then comes Hollywood. I did feel she suffered a bit too much from survivors guilt. She went on and on how she could have saved the Jews of Austria. I think not. 

And the thrilling part how freaking smart she was. I wish the author had showed more of that in her earlier years. It was like she suddenly was a genius. I mean she invented something that now was a forerunner to bluetooth, wifi, gps (and the military swept that under the rug, aholes.)

Conclusion

That is why I really enjoyed this book. What a fascinating woman! Everyone should read it and see for themselves.

Narrator

I liked her narration because it felt like it was an older Hedy talking. It brought you really close into the story.

Synopsis

Hedy Kiesler is lucky. Her beauty leads to a starring role in a controversial film and marriage to a powerful Austrian arms dealer, allowing her to evade Nazi persecution despite her Jewish heritage. But Hedy is also intelligent. At lavish Vienna dinner parties, she overhears the Third Reich's plans. One night in 1937, desperate to escape her controlling husband and the rise of the Nazis, she disguises herself and flees her husband's castle.

She lands in Hollywood, where she becomes Hedy Lamarr, screen star. But Hedy is keeping a secret even more shocking than her Jewish heritage: she is a scientist. She has an idea that might help the country and that might ease her guilt for escaping alone -- if anyone will listen to her. A powerful novel based on the incredible true story of the glamour icon and scientist whose groundbreaking invention revolutionized modern communication, The Only Woman in the Room is a masterpiece.

Audiobook Review: Christmas Magic by Sandra Edwards

Author: Sandra Edwards
Narrator: Heather Masters
Title: Christmas Magic
Genre: Romance, Short Story, & fantasy
Pages: Audiobook
Published:   November 26th 2014
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)



If you've ever wanted a second chance...

A down-hearted woman gets a magical candy bar from a sidewalk Santa that transports her into an alternate reality in this enchanting tale of lost love and second chances



I have been missing Xmas and this popped up as a freebie on Audible and it is a short one. So why not? 

This is a story about 2nd chances. Years ago Eve was proposed to, but she said no. She has always regretted it, but can you blame her? She barely knew him and she wanted to finish school but he wanted her to come with him across the world. Years later she is given a chance to live her dream. 

This was so cute and short. I could for sure see this being a Hallmark movie. It was cheesy, but I adored the magic aspect. 

I totally would've said no too if I had been Eve. But regrets are regrets. I'm glad she is given a second chance to live happily ever after.

The ending happened WAY too quickly. I honestly feel like everything happened too quickly. I get what the author was after, but....it was not realistic at all. She broke his heart for heaven's sake. 

The narrator was good. She sounded like a Hallmark actress. Perfect! LOL

All-in-all, I liked this a lot. Super cheesy and super Hallmark-y. The ending was meh, but it was a HEA and it is a short story. I'll give this 3 stars. 

Christmas Setting!

Saturday Movie Night: A Star is Born (2018)

Happy 2019! 

We'll be discussing 'A Star is Born'


Blodeuedd is in red and I am in black.

Title: A Star is Born
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance 
Running Time: 2 hr & 16 mins
Rating: R
Released: 2018

A musician helps a young singer find fame, even as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral.

TRAILER:



DISCUSSION: 

I went to watch this one and afterwards and sent Carole a message asking if she had seen it, and if not then she had to see it!

Yesss, I had been curious about it, but after what you told me I had no choice but to check it out. I dragged BF with me and he even liked it.

I do think BF would have liked it too since there was lots of music, now he have to watch it on his own! ;) I am sure we would have seen it anyway, but MIL wanted to go with me so I went with her.

I did like the music. I was a little unsure at the beginning. I like musicals and all that...but I felt like it was going to be cheesy (the first couple were), but I ended up enjoying it and tapping my foot along with the music.

Those riffs at the beginning and end, damn, they struck a cord on my soul. There was a lot of foot tapping going on. Truly awesome music, except for that which she does in the middle and end. That was meh.

I liked the song Jack wrote, but I prefer him singing it over her. I love the Gaga and she is an amazing singer, but the ending song would have been better if he just sung it. Just to give more of an emotional impact. Like if he recorded it for her and for her alone.

Oh yes she is amazing and when she sings her song with him, damn, they are great! But that last song of his, yes I would have wanted him to sing it too. I felt that that one did not have as much an impact on me. And that was the one that should have moved you the most.

I think if he sang it instead of her, I think it would’ve. That last couple lines he did sing made me cry. Ooooo Jackson. I loved him. Ally was okay too, but I really loved Jackson.

I adored Jackson! I went all I want to read a romance about a rockstar...minus the alcohol abuse and drug abuse and you know all the neg stuff ;)

Which I bet it is hard to find one without some of that stuff. Rockstars tend to be rough ones to date lol.

That’s sad :/ And omg this movie, ugh I sat there with tears streaming down my face. I noticed the corner of my eye how the stranger next to me was crying. I am pretty sure a lot of those there cried.

I cried too. I could see a couple tears on BF’s face too. I was worried this was going to be an overly happy romance movie. But it does showcase real issues especially in the Music world. There was a lot of love and happiness between the two, but there was also a lot of sadness. Like addiction and jealousy and so forth. I was upset that Ally did become more HipHop over the country of what made her famous. She sold out.

I felt that too. She became sugar pop. I do not know if we were supposed to be all oh he is just jealous. No, I felt he was right. He wanted her to be as he had seen her, and it was glorious. But she wanted stardom and this was the road she was given. So I felt with him and thought she sold out too. I liked her much more as she was first. But hey if it made her happy.

And yes it shows the real stuff and the darkness. That made it so good. It was just that great of a movie. Truly amazing work that moved me,

I think there was a touch of jealousy after he was told they just wanted him to play the guitar and not sing and then she won. I think that caused him to spiral out of country. He was losing it all. His stage, his voice, his hearing, and the wife he knew. Poor guy. He had so many issues. The actor did an amazing job. I think it helped because the actor used to be an alcoholic eons ago so he was able to portray that well.

Who wouldn’t be jelly then. Poor guy. Cooper did a great job with him, I was impressed. He made me feel so much. Ack, how it hurt.

I know. If I let myself think about it too much I get sad. Gaga did awesome too. I haven’t seen any of her previous acting gigs so I pleasantly surprised at how well she did. She was so awkward at the beginning and it was cute.

She was great too, and what a voice :D I am glad they picked her. She was perfect for the role. I loved all that nose stuff ;D

Me too! The nose bits were hilarious. It showed them being a real couple. He teases her but always ends up loving her nose. It was adorable. It hurt my little heart who cute they were.

They were perfect for each other! Yes this movie broke my heart and I demand that everyone go and watch it! I am sure it will be out on DVD any day soon too.

Or Netflix. I do want to rewatch it even though I know I will cry again and again. It was that good. The music, the acting...fantastic.

Yes maybe I will watch it with BF again and see if it can make me cry again. I think not, but we will see!Anything else you want to add?

Girl. You know that ONE scene will make you at least tear up. ;) It was just so sad and I wanted to scream and throw stuff at the screen. BF was so distressed too! Buuut I don’t think I have anything else. I do not want to give away any spoilers...mmm….I loved the drag queens. I wanted that manager dude to get hit by a truck. What a JERK!!!!!!

The manager needs to diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiie!

And yes I might cry again, I want to see it again! There you go, everyone, listen now, go see it. I promise you that you will love it.

Yessss it worth the watch!!!!!!

The end