This week I am sharing some Thanksgiving memories with you, and at the same time wanting to give thanks to so many during a week that is set up to do so.  I spent 21 Thanksgivings away from my home here in Northeast Ohio.  I was on a 21 year professionaI radio job road trip tour, and I spent it with various friends and people. Some I still see, and some I have not in many years, but that's our world.  But Ray Cuzzone is one that I do, and I am glad I do.

I spent a few Thanksgivings with my friend, Ray and his remarkable family.  We always had a huge crowd there, as the family was large. It was Florida informal, which I really liked.  It' was 80 degrees, and I liked that too.  The food was endless, and so was the conversation, as Ray is from a very outgoing Italian family.  I always felt so welcome there, it was really very nice for a guy in town who lived alone, and whose family was 1,200 miles away. 

Oh yeah, Ray cooks, and cooks well....

But what I really remember was the call I got the first year I moved back to Ohio to work at WQMX.  And it's a call, or text, or pic I still get every single Thansksgiving.  They always set a place for me, whether it's literal, or in their hearts. It has been both.  And it always says something like, "Wish you were here, buddy, come see us soon"   And I do a few weeks later when my friend Don and I load up the clubs and go down and play golf Superbowl weekend with Ray and Tim. All lifelong friends!   Every year!

I am thankful for Ray, his family, and their remarkable generosity still to this day.  When you live a long way away from "home"  it's good to have those who open up thiers, so you can have yours. 

Straight from my heart.  If you open up your home to someone who has no real other place to go on Thanksgiving, you are doing a incredible thing.  You may not think it's a huge thing, but they will remember it   -  always. 

Me, Ray, Tim and Don - Superbowl Weekend last year.  Thankful for all these guys!

This may be the biggest weekend at the movies in a long time, as far as new movies are concerned.  Thanksgiving week.

A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

Tom Hanks.  Thanksgiving weekend. A fully immersable role.  PG-13.  This movie about Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers) is on the list of "mandatory going."  You almost have to go, like it's a city ordinance of something.  With all due respect to the incredible Hanks, I think many of us have been patiently waiting to see him in a role like this again.  Nothing wrong with Toy Story 12, or lots of other recent flicks, this is what Hanks does best.  Hanks diving deeply into a character we care about like Mr. Rogers.  He should be terrific.

Here's to hoping that they give him a great script to work with, and care about good movie making as much as Fred Rogers cared about making good television.

Frozen 2

Here we go again.  This of course will be a big hit, but this time around, they will be wearing the collar of hype and expectation. 

Will the audience follow them again? 

21 Bridges

Fictional police drama that has a great cast, and a very intense premise, that deals with numerous cops killed.  This looks really good, and I hope it is.  Hopefully this will not get lost in the cyclone of Mr. Rogers and Elsa. 

If they get lucky, this could be a big sleeper hit.

You may think this is just another movie for the over 70's crowd to go see, but you would be wrong, and still technically right I guess. Yes, this stars Helen Mirren, and Ian McKellen, neither one can wear the Spring Chicken costume anymore, or ride the MIllenium Force probably.  But this is really good.  Indeed, they are the stars here, but the real star of this movie, is - the script.  And today, that's not real common.

This is the story of a shady con-man (McKellen) and his strong desire to get close to, and rip off an old rich widow (Mirren) and get away with her millions. He's a real snake and she is seemingly a very naive, but lovely lonely woman.  But what is really going on here?  That's the real beauty of this movie.  This is well thought out, well written, directed, and acted. Our characters are very believeable and that is the movies real strength.  Anyone, any age, can enjoy this movie.  Although my bet is that teenagers will not be lining up for this one.

It has a problem or two. It may make a statement that is a bit too long near the end, after the fact.  And it may be a tiny bit too long, but overall this is strong, good, inventive movie making.  And it's always good to see a movie that is smart, and fun at the same time!

The Good Liar - Just good!

Last year we went to the Akron Zoo for Wild Lights, and I am really glad we did.  The zoo does a ton of really cool things throughout the year, but I think Wild Lights may be my favorite.  That's taking nothing away from Boo At The Zoo, Brew At The Zoo, or the rest of the fun special occasions, but Wild Lights -  yes!

In all the years I have been doing the morning show on WQMX, I have been a big supporter and friend of the zoo. I've done many events there professionally, and hosted a lot of cool things there as well.  It's fun to go back and see all the new attractions they continue to add.  The zoo is perfect for young families especially.  It's intimate, and not too expansive, or expensive, so even little kids can navigate it with ease.  I love the incredible welcome center, and the new exibits are amazing.  And there are more on the way.

If you get a chance, head out to Wild Lights this season.  It's on only posted nights that you can find out by going to thier website.  But it's worth the trip.  Make it a part of your holiday traditions starting this year. 

And see you at the Snow Bowl this winter as well.  Long live the Akron Zoo!

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For the record the remarkable picture that's the cover for this post was not taken by me.  Yes, it's my old house with my old Christmas tree.  But this was not staged by me, I need to give credit where it is due. Windy took this pic, and I get to use it.  She's good at that type of thing, very detail oriented.  And I like that. A couple of years ago, and for many years before that, my house would look nothing like that at the holidays.  - Nothing!  But things are better now.

As we all get ready for Thanksgiving and the Holidays, I am here to say I am far more ready for them this year than I have been in many years.  I learned over many, many years that when things are not really right in your overall personal life, the holidays are something you "get through" as opposed to really enjoying.  My professional life has always been good and fullfilling, but you gotta go home sometime and that was the tough part. I have always loved being with my friends and thier families over the years during the holidays, and I am eternally thankful to them for that.  Many friends in many different cities and states.

But last year, and now this year, I am really looking forward to this time of year. Things are different now.  I see this time of the year seemingly out of brand new eyes.  And even though I'm not a fan of the weather right now, that's nothing a golf trip to Florida in February for Superbowl weekend won't take care of. Plus a couple other jaunts Windy and I have planned.  I am ready for the lights, the food, the nights by the fire and a happiness that I have simply heard about, saw at a friends house, or in a smatlzy holiday movie on AMC.

Hope To See You At The Akron Zoo Wild Lights - Next Week!

Understanding that many can find this time of the year difficult, I will be thinking of you.  Better days and times are ahead, and I am living proof. 

I waded through the same waters, and there is a shore on the other side.

The other day I was going through my phone, namely looking at the pictures in my camera roll, and came to a very interesting conclusion.  Although I am certainly not the first to discover this, it hit me gazing at my own pics.  The stuff we take pics of today, is well, at times, ridiculous.  A few years ago, in the "film developed at the CVS days,"  we would never have done this.  But with the ease of our phones, we bring it all into play.

We take pics of everything now. More than likely to put on social media, and get a good laugh, and likes-a-million. But many times that goes away after the adrenaline calms down, and the pics never get there. Then we are left with pics in our phone that for some reason, we just can't erase.  I am not a huge offender, but these are in my phone.  And I'm sure there are some with hundreds, if not more.  But these tickled me..... Like the cover pic of this blog.  A pic of a dismembered and shredded stuffed llama from Target, still smiling I see.

For some reason, I had to take a pic of this unfortunate tub of ice cream that fell on the garage floor.   I think we all yelled "Man Down!"  or maybe that was just me. 

This sign was at a Bob Evans. Love the sentiment, not sure it was picture-worthy, but Windy's son Brayden (B-Dog)  and I were laughing at, and I had to do it.  Maybe for this very moment!  (he got a shirt out of it) 

This crazy thing was at the Lorain County Fair. Someone worked hard on this, I think.....

The Beautiful Windy and I, actually asked someone to take this momentous pic of two professionals standing in front ot a motorized peanut on wheels, with a monacle-wearing walking peanut dressed in spats!  Priceless....

Hey, If you go all the way to Utah on vacation to visit Yellowstone and Zion National Parks, make sure you get a pic of a guy playing a stand up bass!

Now here's a gem. The incredibly gentle Juneau, apparently getting ready devour the unsuspecting Middy The Pug!

Check your phone, there are some dandy's!!

Oh, and you gotta have a pic of the greatest umbrella ever!  Windy is the best! 

Charlies Angels

Here we go again, Charlies Angels. A new cast, a new spin and new look.  The TV show of the 1970's was groundbreaking to a degree.  We had never seen a show like it before, and it essentially made stars out of those not stars before. 

Although the early returns are that the critics seem to like it.  That all seems so long ago, as this has been watered down, and made a parody of over the years, and now seemingly this will never end.

Do we need this?

Ford VS. Ferrari

The critics love it, and the cast is very impressive.   I always give kudos to a story you don't know and that seems to be this picture.

Let's hope this is good.

The Good Liar

Big cast, and this is one of those movies that you feel is going to be good before you see one frame.

Let's see if it is.

Between Windy and I we have three dogs.  She has two pugs (Luna and Midnight) and I of course have Juneau The Husky.  They get along great and play together all the time.  Tell me if this sounds like your house.  We have about 500 toys for these dogs to play with, but for some reason they only want to play with this stupid stuffed llama. He's from Target, and he is not the first one we've had.  The first one...well.......(below)

Llama #1 - tough life! RIP - Thank you for you service!

These three clowns fight over this thing, play alone with it, or together.  And if one of them can run off and hide it, they will.  It's really the only one they want to play with.  The first one had it so rough, Windy (a Doctor in real life)  had to perform surgery on it a few times, before pronouncing it -  dead.  So we ran out and got a new llama.

Juneau and Midnight sparring with the llama!

Luna steals and hides....

And the three just picked up where they left off with the first one.  It bewilders us, as the other stuffed toys that are earily similar just sit there and gather dust as these three toss the llama all over the house.  Juneau, who has never been a big toy player, loves this thing, and hides it whenever she gets the chance.  Who knows why this thing is so popular with them.   Buy stuffed llama stock!

Midnights working him over pretty good!

Dogs are the best!

The national critics are overall not being kind to the latest WWII epic, Midway. This has been told once before in the 1976 film of the same name.  Was that a perfect picture? No. And niether is this.  But that doesn't mean it's not important, or bad.  This is pretty darn good.

There has been a ton made of the amount of CGI in this movie, and I can't understand that.  The same critics make no fuss about that when it comes to the endless array of redundant superhero movies, or repetitive animation.  My guess is, they have no real interest in the subject matter, and or, don't understand the significance of the story they are seeing.  The Battle of Midway, is the most important thing that happened in the Pacific in WWII, and is the only reason the West Coast was not invaded by the Japanese. They may not know that fact, or think it's true - but it's true!  And I'm sorry they didn't weave in some fictional love story to hold your interest. The true story is far more important.

Oh and by the way, CGI is the only way to get a new generation to watch ANY movie. It's what young movie watchers know, like and expect. The CGI quality is in the eye of the patron, and that's debatable. But overall their argument is silly and out of touch.  And I think shameful, as the subject matter is the star of this movie.  CGI is just a fact of life in action movies now.

Midway has flaws and is not perfect, but this is told in many ways like the original was.  There are long battle scenes that do work, and other behind the battle scenes that don't at times.  Better dialogue could have been written, and some better character development could have been written in.  But they do make it a point to honor those who deserve to be honored.  The effects are good, the story writes itself, and it's good to see that there are film makers that understand that there are stories that are worth re-telling because of thier importance.  I would far prefer to see this retold as opposed to the 12th Terminator, or some other fictional series that has run its course.

This is very entertaining, and worth seeing.

I have reviewed author Tony Agnesi's first two books in this series, and I am glad to review the third.  I think I'm like many.  I like to read, what I like to read. For me, I have to take something away from the words that I have chosen to invest in.  I love a good lesson, having my mind expanded, or be given something to mull over for a while afterwards.  That is this book.

Tony, again takes his spirituality, his life, his wit, and his love of life and melds it together with a strong weld, that gives you honesty and perspective only a good friend can.  That's what I ask of a book. A mind expanding experience.  Tony is a devout Catholic, and he makes no bones about that. But to enjoy and learn from this book, or to simply enjoy the true stories within, you don't have to be.  What you have to be to absorb the beauty of this book is fallable.  And be willing to listen to someone share his short stories with you.  He's not perfect, and niether am I.  You feel like Tony is talking with you and not at you. And as a communicator myself, that is the goal of anyone behind a mic, or a keyboard.  And that is a real seperator of this series of books.

You see, if you admit you don't know everything and don't have all of the answers to all life's questions, you allow another prespective to come in and give you a planted seed that can grow within you.  That is what these books do.  I love to be challenged by someone who dares to share their thoughts on the world around them. Isn't that what we want from our friends?  And that's Tony - A friend.

Full disclosure, Tony is my friend. We discuss life occasionally when we play golf with other great friends, like Don and my friend Ray.  They always seem to get me thinking about an angle I previously did not.  They all take different paths, and Tony's many times is a non-judgmental, non-preachy spiritual path that always seems to resonate with me.  His books do the same. 

This book, along with the others are a gem to read. Easy, fun and poignant. I always think the hallmark of any good book, is how you feel when you put it down, when finished, or finished for the moment.  Are you still thinking about what you just read?  Did you learn something?  Is your mind a little larger from reading it? And are you more curious than before?  The answer to all these questions is yes.

This book, perfect for a long flight, or a fireside night.  Well done.

Tony, Me, Lynn Kelly, and my friend Don, great company, and always something learned.