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Couch Potato Files Vol. 17

Well, it’s still hot AF here in Arizona but you didn’t come here to read about me bitching about our weather. I am missing the long 4th weekend though – can there be a long weekend on the calendar monthly? Sure is nice. 

Anywho, without further ado, here’s a round-up of some more that I’ve watched over the past couple of weeks.

Call Her Daddy Podcast with guest Charlize Theron

Prior to watching her episode, I only watched one other, when Kamala Harris was the guest. Alex is a pretty fun hostess and while listening to them talk, I looked up more about Charlize and found that her mom shot and killed her dad, an alcoholic, who was hurting them, right in front of her. Crazy! I had no idea – she was 15! She shared all this on the episode and how it of course affected her life – just wild. 

Charlize also likes to say “fuck” a lot and I like her even more now, sharing that she cusses in front of her kids. Same girl, same and I come from a long line of parents who did exactly that and I came out mostly ok, as has my daughter. She really is a badass, like her movie Old Guard, now with a sequel! Netflix should have done some more marketing for it since it felt like it just showed up out of nowhere with no real fanfare, especially for her being in it – and UMA IS IN IT TOO! And, no spoilers, but it does set up the ending for another movie, rounding out the trilogy. It also was #1 on Netflix over the holiday weekend so maybe it didn’t need any marketing? 

Hot Ones Podcast with guest Adam Levine 

Maroon 5 is going out on tour again. Love them! Adam made it through the wing gauntlet but not without some tears. I still laugh every episode when the host, Sean, never skips a beat with his list of questions for the guest and even as they’re crying and complaining, he trudges on and gets the answers. 

Southern Charm on Peacock

Thanks to Mr. Jon Hamm, I’m kind of hooked on this show. I wrote more about it on IG and plan to post more out-of-context images as I work my way through the MANY seasons. It really is a trainwreck like most reality shows. I can see the draw for viewers though – you can make fun of them all, you don’t really need to pay close attention (there’s recaps to help you if you happen to miss any “plot” points) and they’re really just funny noise to have on. 

Good Hang with Amy Poehler with guest Dakota Johnson 

I really dig this podcast the more I watch it. I mean, how can I not – it’s Amy. She recently had Dakota Johnson as her guest, promoting her new movie The Materialists, which is great BTW. Towards the very end of the funny conversation, Dakota dropped that she loved Farmer Wants a Wife. I jumped for joy! I too love it and how gloriously bad it is. 

Deep Cover on Prime

Sometimes you just need a funny and wholesome movie to watch and laugh with and this is it. I loved the cast and the premise. I think Prime has done a really great job of putting a lot of movies out like this, including the even more recent Heads of State. A little bit bigger budget for that one but you can’t beat the cast and maybe the not-so-subtle nudges at our current political landscape. It was perfectly dropped around the 4th of July holiday too.  Fun Fact about John Cena and Idris Elba. Idris was another episode of Amy’s podcast and was fantastic. Amy always invites a friend of her guest to join before she meets with the guest to help her with good questions. Jon was the friend and she reminisced with him about their time working together on Sisters. If you want to laugh until you hurt, THAT’S the movie. John had a small but memorable part and he said he had so much fun working with Amy and Tina and that it ended up being the first vacation he’d had in years, since he only had a few scenes to shoot. 

Amy then went on to talk about John with Idris and they both talked about how great he is to work with and so charming. I think the world over thinks of him as a goofy wrestler but he’s made a huge career out of that and then crossed over into movies and TV. 

Speaking of: if you don’t have Peacemaker marked on your calendar for August 21 to check out the new season on HBO Max, you’re gonna miss out. There’s plenty of time to catch up on this AWESOME show now too. It’s great and if you’re a fan of the DC universe and James Gunn, it’s not to be missed. Talk about goofy fun! 

I feel like this portion of my post just took on a Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon life of its own…or I really can’t stay on task AND it’s been so long since I’ve written much fun stuff on this blog that my brain is just exploding. AND speaking of Bacon, he’s got a new(ish) show too, The Bondsman, that I need to get back to watching. I watched a little bit but moved on to helping my ma more and watching a few other things. But it was intriguing – very True Blood like. Ok, I’m really done going down this rabbit hole. On to the next!

Jurassic World: Rebirth – at theaters near you  

Summer blockbuster season and slutty little glasses. Is there anything more perfect?! Sure, it’s not the original BUT man, it gives you all the feels when that familiar John Williams score blasts through the theater speakers AND those dinos start walking through like they’re in the room. 

Takes me waaaayyyy back to seeing the original with my ma and best friend for the first time in a new stadium-style theater in Orange County, California. My aunt and her boyfriend (who she later married) had seen it prior to taking us while we were visiting them during our summer break. Mike kept looking down the row at us as the dinos walked across the screen during that famous scene when all the cast first sees them too, enjoying our reactions and giggling. Dolby surround sound was new too and I’ll tell ya, it was really, REALLY hard to go back to my little twin theater in Bishop to watch other movies. I couldn’t wait to get out of town to these new theaters. Jurassic ruined me! 

So with all that being said, get ruined too and see this flick on the big screen as Spielberg intended! It’s THE best. And about those “slutty little glasses” that would be in reference to Jonathan Bailey – give it a Google search if you’re not familiar. He’s having a moment and everyone is having it with him, men and women alike. And, ScarJo is having her own moment and was just named the highest-grossing actor of all time – that’s right, not female only – ALL ACTORS. Period. Being part of the MCU AND Jurassic franchises was a good move and people keep showing up to see more.   

Clueless – various streamers

The 30th Anniversary of this classic is on July 19 so Fathom Events brought it back to the big screen for two days on June 29 & 30. Paul Rudd truly never ages. I was 17 when it came out so it was perfectly timed for my life then and nothing like what I was experiencing in the small town of Bishop that I grew up in. Beverly Hills was just a distant dream and La La Land of sorts that I envied. I loved anything about Hollywood and still do. It’s always been my jam. But this movie – it was a moment for me for sure. Alicia Silverstone and her one liners are legendary. The cast is just so much fun. The music – all of it. I’ve seen it so many times and my bestie and I of course rolled to the theater in matching shirts and with Clueless swag too. I’m always going to drown in nostalgia! I guess now I know how my ma and pop felt! 

Back to the Future – various streamers

Great Scott! This classic just celebrated its 40th anniversary on July 3.Talk about a Summer blockbuster! I remember seeing it at the twin theater in my small town and being blown away. It was the best thing I’d experienced and I couldn’t wait to then watch it on repeat at home when it eventually was on VHS. And of course then when Part 2 and 3 came out, I beat it to the theater to see them both. The trilogy is one of my all-time favorites. 

Every time I hear rumors that studios are trying to remake it, I love Robert Zemeckis even more when he halts all those rumors. That movie is a classic to never be updated and lives on as exactly that. 

We Were Liars on Prime 

Wow, major, MAJOR plot twist towards the end and I’ll not give it away but tell you that this is a must-watch. I know there are A LOT of these types of shows now, all adapted from Young Adult novels and all wanting to be added to your must-watch list but it’s a formula that works for this Gen-Xer, let me tell you! I love them! Maybe it’s because there weren’t a ton of these types of shows when I was that age so maybe I’m making up for lost time and that’s why I enjoy them so much. Being in my late 40s, I identify with both sides of the cast too – the kids and the parents – it’s kind of weird. Or maybe I justify that to myself and my addiction with these types of shows so it doesn’t sound creepier than it maybe is? Ha! Who knows – I just know that they’re a lot of fun and this one really went there with some crazy stuff. I haven’t read the book so I likely would have known what to expect then but I’m kind of glad I didn’t – it was shocking! Have I sold you enough on watching it, all three of you that have made it to this point in my rambles?! Hope so!


Duster on HBO Max

A trip down memory lane and the setting is in Arizona…and JJ Abrams is behind it too. Really cool mix of fact and fiction or maybe it’s fictionalized fact? Either way, it’s really fun. The first season just wrapped and I really hope enough people cared like me so there’s a season 2! Ohhhh and the opening title sequence is so great! I’ll just leave it at that – must-watch!

Resident Alien on SyFy & Peacock (and I think some other streamers too)

I think Alan Tudyk is one of the funniest human beings on the planet and not just funny ha ha, his ability to nail physical comedy is next level. This show is so much about physical comedy since he plays an alien in a human body. I cry-laugh every episode. The show was truly made for him. He came to Phoenix Fan Fusion in 2024 and his “thing” is when a fan asks him a question, he gifts them random crap he has in his backpack. Typically things like old hotel keys, a shower cap, a receipt. It’s hilarious. 

Alright that’s a lot of a couch and A LOT of potato this time. Double-stuffed like Oreos because it’s been awhile and I’m getting back on the writing train slowly but surely. Enjoy and if you live in AZ, stay cool. If you don’t live in AZ and are somewhere grand that doesn’t suffer from extreme heat, fuck you, errrr, good for you! 😉

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Couch Potato Files Vol. 16

It’s nearly July 4th and we’ve entered the half-way point of 2025. I really wish I was on our annual summer vacation right now but I’m happy I’ll be home to watch the Hot Dog Eating contest, Jaws, fireworks (on TV because it’s hot AF) and the new Jurassic movie – Summer Blockbuster Season is officially here! 

We pushed our annual Summer trip to early August. With everything with my ma, I’ve just wanted to hide out and run away from all of it so really looking forward to blowing this popstand soon(ish). I’m also really hoping for less tears, less deep sighs and less anxiety and more laughs, more fun and more calm for the second half of 2025. I’d also like to get off the Struggle Bus any time now. I’ve been a passenger for awhile, driving in circles with no real destination. So here’s to better – not the best but just better and trying to enjoy the journey as much I can. 

I’ve slowly but surely been turtling my way through the huge pile of shows and movies that have been waiting in the wings for me to care about again. I’m still really, REALLY bad about not finishing some shows, similar to my reading habits, as I’ve gotten older, but we’ll see if  I can cross a bunch off my list over the next few months. The NBA playoffs and season are over too, freeing up some more of my viewing time. BIG congrats to OKC. What a great group of dudes! Ok, all that being said, here’s some shows and movies that I have finished or are in the process of watching.

The Bear – Season 4- Hulu

I’ve attempted to get my hubby to watch this show with me since Season 1 Episode 1. He watched that debut episode and it was so chaotic, full of anger and anxiety that he couldn’t stick with it. Maybe that’s why I like it so much. It’s crazy. The filming and choices the creators have made are always fantastic, not to mention the cast and special guests that pop-up often. I don’t think I ever really cared about that sort of thing until seeing a show that pulls it off so well. It’s just a beautiful hurricane. I watched the last episode of Season 4 on Sunday. There are rumors this may be the final season and I’d be ok with that. It had a natural wrap to it, like they planned it to possibly be exactly that, but it could go on for more too. Still kills me, and I’m sure all its competition, they entered all the awards shows as a comedy. It’s way more drama than comedy and I don’t think they can even really claim it being a dramedy but good for them. Whatever works and gets you those very deserved trophies. 

Fun Fact: I see Jeremy Allen White posts on the Gram walking with big bundles of flowers all the time. Just this morning I reposted a set that had some context to them. He has a flower market near his home and he likes to get new flowers weekly so that he can arrange them around his home with his daughters. I mean, the Top Dad Award goes to Yes Chef!

The Gilded Age – Season 3 – HBO Max

In its third season and doling out the episodes weekly like old school days, this show is Bridgerton-like but not as many laughs and not as much smut. Awesome period piece show with society dramarama and trying to fit in, along with some historical elements peppered in that make it feel very legit. The consultants on set clearly made sure they made it as real as they could. There’s some really top-tier cast members too, including Carrie Coon, Cynthia Nixon and Christine Baranski. Talk about star-power with that trifecta. I’ve been following Carrie for a long time. One of my favorite short-lived shows was The Leftovers, another HBO Max show. It only lasted three seasons, based on a popular book, or maybe that was enough – I don’t know. I remember wanting more but that they did get to tie things up pretty well, knowing it may only last three seasons. I loved the cast so much and the show premise, as sad and fucked up as it was. Check it out if you haven’t already. I also think Carrie has a deep connection (and long-lasting contract) with HBO since she’s also in the latest season of White Lotus. I’ll write about that another time (since I need to really dig in on all the Mike White awesomeness and not feeling like diving deep today), while wearing my DIFF White Lotus colab sunnies.  I waited for MONTHS for them to arrive and they finally did! As my daughter jokes, I’m super extra, like guac. 

Smoke – Apple TV

Smoke is a brand new show starring Taron Egerton along with Jurnee Smollett that just dropped on AppleTV. If you’re familiar with Backdraft, one of Kurt Russell’s very best, this show has a similar premise but man, there’s two episodes so far and a MAJOR plot twist has already been introduced! There will be nine total episodes through August 15, dripping them out weekly, again, old school style. That’s what AppleTV does for all their shows. Unpopular opinion – I’m old and still kind of like that. With as much as I watch (and the rest of my social butterfly calendar that keeps me away from being a 24/7 couch potato) I appreciate a weekly show AND if I decide to let it ride and pile up some, I can binge a few episodes too. So best of both worlds. Can we also talk about how awesome Taron is for a sec? I’m always, ALWAYS impressed by actors who can change their accent for a role. I know it’s kind of part of the gig but it’s crazy to me, especially when some of them have very thick accents. How do they do that?!  It’s so cool. If you’re a Taron fan like me, check out his other AppleTV show Black Bird with the awesome and soooo talented Paul Walter Hauser. Do yourself another favor and follow Paul on the Gram. He’s a hoot and I love his posts. 

Stick – Apple TV

This new Owen Wilson feel-good comedy is a lot of Ted Lasso and a dash or two of Tin Cup. I watch it and cry mostly because I know it’s something my pop and ma would both have loved to see and Owen is just such a charming and genuine goofball. I watched him on Hot Ones and I’m convinced his character in all his roles is really his persona in real life or something pretty close. The show is excellent and so much fun to watch, in between my tears. 

F1 – at a theater near you

F1 is a movie to see on the big screen – it was made for it! And if you can, see it at IMAX! I tried and was a fucking idiot and bought the wrong tickets BUT I still saw it on a Harkins Ciné screen which is bigger. 

I’m pop culture obsessed, as is very apparent here and on all my social channels, and I read that Apple and the producers considered Tom Cruise for Brad Pitt’s role but decided to not cast him because it would have been too risky. Tom is always pushing the envelope of potential death (see Mission Impossible, Top Gun, etc) and the studio was like, nah, maybe not. Then, I watched/listened to Brad on Dax Shepard’s podcast and he said that it was the first racing movie where they allowed the stars to be insured and really drive the F1 cars…that on average race at 180 MPH. He said he told them that if they weren’t able to get behind the wheel of the real deal then he was out.  Brad also has an over-priced line of clothing. Aside from how pretentious that site looks and the prices are, he does seem like a cool and chill dude. I’m sure Angelina and his kids would say otherwise but George Clooney probably would still testify for him and that’s all that matters. 

Sinners – still at theaters but coming to streamers this week!

Sinners will be on streamers soon and we finally saw it over the weekend. Wow – crazy and bravo to Ryan Coogler and also Michael B. Jordan for playing twins! Again, I saw a post and article that they put him in some new camera gear to pull off the filming of that. Long way from side by side merged screens that looked super janky but we loved it anyway because move magic, duh. 

I think if Ryan was trying to channel some Jordan Peele and join him in the horror ranks of Hollywood, he achieved that, along with having some legit real-world messaging too, also another technique that Jordan has perfected. I always feel like Jordan gives me a “The More You Know” vibe with all his flicks but waaaayyyy deeper. So check, Ryan, I think you did it and all the love and support you’ve gotten from the world and box office about the movie is a testament to that too.  

Good Hang with Amy Poehler

So not a show or movie but a podcast that I like to watch and listen on YouTube. I’m trying to introduce more podcasts to my routine since there are so many good ones, like Good Hang with Amy Poehler. She’s got a great line-up of interviews and is so funny and genuine. It’s a good time and always great conversations. I watch/listen while working. It’s been a nice change and I highly recommend it! 

I recently got to see Amy with Tina Fey on their tour and it was a major bucket list moment. It had been a really rough day, the day I had to get everything set up with hospice for my ma and one of my best friends was with me and we managed to still make it to the show that night. I think I laughed harder than maybe their jokes and stories really were that funny, overcompensating for all that I’d been experiencing for months or maybe slightly unhindged, like Tom Hanks in The Money Pit. There’s a scene where he laughs so hard, physically and loudly, when a bathtub falls through the floor, like to the degree of choking himself – it’s just one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen and I still laugh ’til I cry to this day when I rewatch it. I think I was close to that level of outward crazy laughing without irritating the fuck out of all our seatmates. Laughter truly is the best medicine or like Dolly Parton’s character Truvy in Steel Magnolias said “Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.” Enjoy your 4th celebration and GO JOEY CHESTNUT!

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Couch Potato Files Vol. 15

Grief is a real motherfucker. As I texted one of my best friends the other day, some therapist is going to have a really great fucking time “unpacking” all my grief, whenever I get around to seeing someone. And, if they use the word “unpacking” when talking to me about what all I’ve gone through with my ma, I think I’ll deck them. But yes, I do still have my sense of humor – laughter is the best medicine after all and who cares if that’s cliché to say. Cliché can be fun.

Tomorrow, May 16, will be five months since I had an intervention with my ma at her home in Cherry Valley and started on this health and medical journey with her, with multiple hospital visits, moving her to Arizona, getting her lots of medical help includind a large list of doctors and specialists, rehab with physical and occupational therapists, an awesome new apartment at an assisted living community, the works…only to have her recently on May 1 decide to throw in the towel and be done. And by done I mean she decided to stop taking meds and receiving on-going treatment and just call it quits. Enter hospice and end of life arrangements. 

A huge part of me is mad as hell since I never wanted her to give up or thought she would but I’m also equal parts sad as hell that I have no idea how she really feels, how depressed she really is to think there’s no way out but to be done and that she’s likely relieved to have made the ultimate decision to stop trying and go back to not being a burden to me and our family.

Ironically her decision is a huge burden and everything we’ve gone through together has been a burden BUT as shitty as it’s been, I’ve been dealing with it all as best I can and I was really happy to see her progress and that she started getting healthier. Having her give up felt like a pretty big fuck you to the last five months but there’s no way but forward now. 

Aside from all the negative feelings that came rushing to me with her decision, there’s also a lot of positive feelings from it too. I’m relieved to not have to be the bad guy any more, barking reminders at her about all the things she needs to keep doing to get better and stronger. It was like having a three year old again, reminding her to eat more protein, brush her teeth, keep up with her exercises, ask for help to get to the bathroom before she had an accident and so much more. Now I can hangout with her and do my best to be there for her and enjoy her company in her final days. We can drink lots of Dr. Pepper, eat junk food and garbage, watch TV and just be together. 

It wasn’t exactly the way I pictured finally having my mom living in Arizona but it’s so much better than her not being here. There’s relief in knowing she’s ten minutes from my house. There’s relief in knowing she’s getting really great and over-priced care. There’s relief in knowing that I did everything I could to help her.  My only regret is that I didn’t sign her up to see a therapist that may have been able to help and give her a more positive outlook on her health…along with some happy pills that could have been the difference in her giving a shit again…or just more of the same and adding to the long list of meds she didn’t want to take. All the nurses and some of the doctors were good about helping keep her spirits up, along with me being a drill sergeant and hammering home that she’s doing great and improving. Because she truly was, even if she didn’t feel like it. There were physical signs of improvement – I just couldn’t see or help her mentally.

And, just when I think I can’t cry any more, more tears show up – that grief, like I said, is a real bitch. I was watching a movie last weekend and one of the characters who had lost her husband said there was no timeline on grief, that she just hadn’t been ready to take her wedding band off yet or allow herself to be open to finding someone new. That pretty much sums up how I’ve felt about my ma. Grief is here to stay for the foreseeable future and I’m mostly equal parts mad and sad with a lot of anxiety and stress sprinkled throughout. I’m trying my best to not dwell on the current situation and focus on remembering all the good. Remembering how great my ma was and that she was larger than life and not the shell of herself laying in a hospital bed.  So here’s to my ma and being the best there ever was to raise me into the take-no-shit-nearly-50-year-old that I am. I hope I’ve been able to return the favor by being the best caregiver and daughter to her. 

P.S. Sooner than later I swear I’ll start writing again about TV shows and movies and end all this depressing shit. BUT, thanks, all three of you, for continuing to read my rambles, no matter the content. 

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Couch Potato Files Vol. 14

Happy First Day of Spring. Crazy that we’ve already made it to late March and that our hotter temps are already trying to show up here in Arizona. Please stay away, triple digits, for as long as possible!

This past Sunday, March 16, was two months since I started on this wellness path with my ma. In all honesty, it feels more like six months. The old saying time flies when you’re having fun doesn’t apply in this case. It’s more like time stands still when you’re dealing with anything in the medical industry and you have no patience left or never had it in the first place. 

It reminds me of when my pop had cancer and the eternity it took for my mom and him to get help at the VA hospital, especially when he was literally dying and the clock was ticking away. Have I mentioned what a shitty healthcare system we have? 

The moral of the current trajectory I’m on with my ma is be careful what you wish for. I wished for my ma to get better and to take better care of herself, only to discover the list of what needed to be taken care of was a mile long. It all really adds up when you haven’t seen a doctor in three decades. So we try to laugh about it, that she’s making up for lost time, while every doctor, nurse, therapist and specialist we see has their head spin when they see her list of ailments. It’s pretty remarkable she’s survived, as morbid as that sounds and is. The story you see around the web about the 100+ year old woman who drinks a Dr. Pepper a day and is still kicking reminds me of my ma. I bought her a shirt that says “Save Water. Drink Dr. Pepper.” for a reason. I took her a mini can every day to the hospital and I knew the days she was really struggling were the days she wouldn’t drink much of it. Same goes for at home now. 

In all reality, this dumpster fire of an adventure has been a real learning experience, not just about how cocky I can get with acting like I’m a nurse or doctor, since I’ve now read and experienced enough to maybe give nursing school a go or even med school – not really, just like to act like it. But, it’s more a learning experience about myself, my family, friends, and the medical industry. 

I’ve found that many can be empathetic or sympathetic and many are just assholes. I’ve learned that some people can’t dig in and help or even know where to start and that’s ok – maybe some just literally can’t and it’s not in their make-up as a human. Although it’s frustrating, I keep reminding myself that on a daily basis.

I also have learned that I don’t post on social media or write here on my blog to seek sympathy from others – it’s a coping mechanism since I love to write and this whole experience has given me A LOT of material. When I do finally take the time to book my own therapist appointment, I plan to provide whoever the lucky contestant is with the link to this blog. It’s the cliffnotes’ version of what they’re in for BUT they might also find some interesting TV and movie recommendations as a nice bonus.

This whole experience is still a giant PSA to take better care of myself and my family. There’s just no excuse and if depression takes over, seek help. I just really, REALLY wish my ma would have let me help sooner but there’s no take-backsies, especially when it comes to this shitshow of a situation – I’m just still so grateful I got to her before it was too late. And let’s be honest, it may be too late anyway but I’m glad she’s trying. Even as small as the improvements are every day, they’re still improvements. 

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Couch Potato Files Vol. 13

I’ve had a Vol 12 doc sitting in my Google Drive folder for awhile. Someday I will get back to it and my usual fun recommendations for TV shows and movies. For now though, I have a special entry that I need to write as I sit in a hospital room with my ma for the fourth time in just under one month.

We’ve visited three ERs and hospitals since January 16th in both California and Arizona. Neither of us set out to make 2025 a big year of change but it’s turned into that, for better or worse. It felt like for the better until the last few days and this most recent hospital stay. 

For over thirty years, my ma hasn’t seen a doctor’s office or hospital for her own care and now is making up for lost time. She sadly didn’t keep up with regular check-ups and her health has taken a big decline in recent years. I have pleaded with her to see doctors and even have gone as far as to make appointments, only for her to stubbornly make me cancel them. In hindsight I should have not taken no for an answer but I really wanted her to care to seek help as much as I wanted her to receive it.

She spoke regularly of not wanting to be a burden only for me to then tell her she was being a huge burden by not taking care of herself and not letting me help her.

So here we are now, at Chandler Regional, for the toughest days she’s experienced so far.

She’s suffering from Chronic Leukemia, Congestive Heart Failure, some crazy painful wounds that a primary care doc was finally able to tell us what they were called and why they even happened and now a side fracture and head-to-toe sore body and pain from a scooter fall earlier this week. 

The hardest part is watching her decline in the last few days since she was pretty hopeful as of just last Thursday when she was discharged from a Colton, CA hospital and we drove home to Arizona, a move I’d been wanting her to make for over twenty years, after my pop passed away from throat cancer in 2003. That hospital had helped us with everything but the scooter fall and we were on a path to better days. Days that included her living with us and then hopefully by us with some assisted care, seeing her granddaughter graduate from high school in May and other fun family things that got her active again. She’d spent the better part of two years at home alone, not facing any of her increasingly evident medical problems. 

Ironically her recent scooter fall unearthed more problems than even the fall, underlying problems that she had been downplaying quite a bit and the heart failure has intensified too.

As much as I love my ma I am filled with anger and sadness for what has happened. Most of her medical problems are self inflicted or at the very least could have been more preventable or maintained and I can’t for the life of me understand why she was ok with suffering for literal years and not seeking any help. Her stubbornness and independence to live life on her own terms and not “burden anyone” turned out to be the worst route to take. And, I really don’t know if she’s even accepted that reality or is just angry with me for finally taking her down what she likely thinks is this unwanted hospital ridden path of pain. 

What I do know is that some therapist is really going to enjoy taking some of my hard-earned dollars very soon. I used to see a therapist when my pop passed away so it’s been awhile and it’s time to saddle up again.

As hopeless as right now feels while writing this, I do still hold out some hope that my ma’s health improves and she’s able to move on from this current hospital to a skilled nursing facility and rehabilitation center. I’m really hopeful she hasn’t given up because I haven’t given up on her.

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Couch Potato Files Vol. 11

Buckle up for a ride down my Memory Lane! Sounds like a good time, right?!

As I’d mentioned in my last post, I’ve really been enjoying listening to Tom Selleck’s memoir. AND, fun fact: he’ll be 80 on January 29, a day after my birthday! What a career and life he’s lived and keeps trucking with even more awesomeness. Such a legendary actor – I just love him.

Hearing him tell his story has brought back so many memories. At an early age, (no joke, I’m talking 3 – 5 years old), I became a HUGE Magnum P.I. fan. My ma always likes to tell the story that I would hear the intro music of an episode from across the house and make a mad-dash to our den to watch it. I mainly wanted to make sure to not miss his signature eyebrow raise at the end of the opening credits. There’s no way I really understood what was all going on in each episode – how could I?! But, I loved him and the cast. I even had a TV tray with his big photo on it that would allow me to eat in front of the TV, hanging on his every word…along with TC’s, Rick’s and Higgins’s too. And those dogs! My uncle had a doberman pinscher too and they always scared me, even though they were super sweet, because of Higgins and his guard dogs.

I honestly don’t know if the shows would hold up now and still be as fun as they were back in the 80s but I’m going to watch some. It’s been a long time since I’ve rewatched any of them but after hearing all the behind-the-scenes stories from Tom, I need to give him a solid and dedicate some time to rewatching a few and see where I get. There were seven seasons so I might not make it through all of them, given my usual dilemma of too many god damn shows and movies to watch, but I’ll try to watch what I can.

He of course has shared more than Magnum stories and most recently shared the story behind the making of the movie High Road to China which he starred in and was the leading man. I couldn’t wait to see this flick in the theater. It came out in 1983 and I was the ripe ol’ age of 5 and I remember my ma taking me to the big movie theater at one of two malls in San Bernardino, CA, where I was born and lived until moving to Bishop when I was going to start the third grade. So about 7-8 years old.

We usually frequented a twin theater in another part of town that was less busy and easier to get to and where they showed double features of all the Disney animated movies, along with a live action movie that was more family-friendly. We sometimes didn’t stick around for the second live action movie because 1) it was a long time being at the theater and 2) sometimes they were movies that seemed a little on the scary side and I would tell my ma, let’s go. One I remember for sure we left as the opening credits rolled was Legend with Tom Cruise. It looked pretty intense and at my young age, it seemed like the stuff of nightmares.

The little twin theater didn’t really ever play other types of movies or even big blockbusters like Star Wars or Goonies. So we had to venture downtown to the theater at the big mall to see them. At the time, San Bernardino was getting rougher and rougher with crime and that was the reason why we ultimately moved north to Bishop, so it was a pretty big deal to go downtown to see a movie. AND, since this was a long time ago, most movies only had showtimes at night, with the matinees on the weekends. It wasn’t like today where you have a huge list of showtimes all day to choose from along with multiple screens playing the flick you want to see too. If that doesn’t make me old, then checking for movie times in the newspaper really does. It was my favorite thing to do all growing up, aside from looking at the comics and the ads, especially on Sundays.

I have a vivid memory of seeing High Road to China on the big screen and then as soon as it came out on VHS, and our family got a shiny new VCR, I remember renting it over and over again. A few years later, it would then play on Showtime, which we had a subscription for, and I watched it as often as it showed up on the channel. It’s a ton of fun and all that mattered was that Magnum was in it.

I decided to rewatch it the other night and found that it was free to rent on Prime Video. I couldn’t tell you the last time I watched it but it’s been literally decades and likely since I left home for college so yeah, a long time. My hubby had never seen it and complained of course at the quality of the film, since it has never been remastered in HD but he enjoyed the story and seeing Tom very young and funny. It’s an epic adventure movie and has been compared to Raiders of the Lost Ark, which if you know any Tom trivia, you know that he was originally cast to star in it and not Harrison Ford. Pretty wild sliding doors sort of Hollywood lore. He talks about that at length in his book. Just bad timing when he was cast and in contract for Magnum. But, that Spielberg and Lucas both wanted him to star in the movie was a badge of honor he’s carried with him his entire career. I honestly can’t think of anyone else playing Indy other than Harrison but I’m sure I would have come around to it just fine if Tom had played him instead.

If you’re a fan of Tom and haven’t seen the movie or even if you have, give it a watch! It’s free and soooo nostalgic! Cheers to reliving the past for it brings you joy in the present. That should be a bumper sticker, if it’s not already! Or a motivational poster. Or a fortune cookie you despise for not really being a fortune when you crack it open. Alright, that’s all I’ve got for now. Until next time, Happy January, my birth month and the Monday of all months!   

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Couch Potato Files Vol. 10

Happy New Year! We made it and the holidays just blew by. Now that I’m not feeling the guilt of having to watch as many of my favorite Christmas flicks as I was able to pack in during the shortest holiday season I experienced in a long time, I can get back to my always-growing list of shows and movies that I desperately need to catch up on. It’s a literal snowball effect, as more new shiny objects are dropping daily but I have to power through and finish all the others. 

The Golden Globes are this Sunday and I sadly have only seen four of the nominated movies…out of eighteen total! Many years ago I attempted to watch all of them prior to the awards but that hasn’t happened since. I am more up to speed on the nominated TV shows, having seen many of them and so excited for the nominees. I fill out my own ballot and play along and even better, I make my hubby cast his vote too. He despises it, rolls his eyes when he sees me coming with the print-out every time but begrudgingly humors me and fills it out. What he doesn’t do is any research on the movies and shows that are getting the most hype OR remembers how they performed at the other award shows since that sometimes dictates how the next group shakes out, with the occasional surprise. Like the cool kids say, it’s my pop culture flex that I typically score better than he does.  But, enough about all that. If you’re in need of some new shows to kick off the new year right, here’s some recos.

Virgin River– Season 6 dropped on Netflix right before Christmas so I was only able to squeeze a couple episodes in. When we got back from Cali on the 30th, I promptly binge watched all the rest of the season. This show is very Hallmark, crossed with Gilmore Girls and some Northern Exposure too. I love it and it’s already been greenlit for Season 7 with a couple of big cliffhangers at the end of Season 6. They love to do that.

Shrinking – I also managed to finish Season 2 just this week and man, get a box of tissues. This show has all the feels and Harrison Ford. That’s about all that’s needed for an excellent show, IMHO.

The Sticky – This show is loosely based on some true events and has a couple of my favorite ladies in it. It’s got a Fargo vibe that’s quirky, fun and mysterious. Only six episodes total and what I’ve seen so far has been great.

Black Doves – Netflix dropped this show in December since it does show some Christmas merriment but the show is far from that. Ton of great action and spy intrigue. Keira Knightley needs her own John Wick movie now – that’s how badass she is. 

No Good Deed – Lots of hype around this show because the cast is stacked and I dig what I’ve seen so far. Don’t believe some of the haterade that’s out there about it. It’s really fun and a solid Netflix show.

Also, aside from all the TV and movies I consume, I do love to read BUT don’t carve out the necessary time any more to really make a dent in my reading list. Instead, I signed up for Audible and have been listening to books while I drive. The best part is that in many cases celebs read the books, especially their own. I listened to Josh Brolin share his book and am more than halfway through hearing Tom Selleck share his. It’s awesome. I’m really loving it and I have Reese’s Book Club to thank for it. They promote audiobooks to experience their monthly book selections, knowing that many folks struggle with finding time to read and that there’s many ways to “read”. I highly recommend it, especially if you’re a podcast fan and feel like you’ve abandoned books. If you can listen to podcasts, you can listen to books too. Cheers to 2025 and fingers crossed it’s not a total dumpster fire!

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Couch Potato Files Vol. 9

Here we are! Closing in on Christmas and still so much to do. BUT, I had to take time out to write a little ditty about a favorite show that just ended…yes? No? Maybe? Yellowstone or as my hubby and I like to call it, Jellystone. IYKYK for any Hanna-Barbera Gen X kids reading this.

I’m not on Reddit much but my hubby is and apparently people are boiling about the ending of Season 5 and the last half of the season. It’s still not entirely certain the show is over-over but a spinoff is coming with two of the main characters (Beth & Rip), along with other spinoffs in the world of Yellowstone. AND, Taylor Sheridan continues to conquer the Paramount world and laughs all the way to the bank. Lucky bastard.

I’m not going to spoil anything for anyone that still needs to see the last episodes but I will say that Kevin Costner’s departure from the show didn’t do it any good, no matter how popular it is.

As a whole, I enjoyed the series, A LOT, but he was really, REALLY the show’s backbone so the last half of the long-awaited Season 5 was just meh. They did their best to honor him and write him out but it was just ok. I still love many of the other characters/actors but the earlier seasons are far superior. 

I recognize it was a tough situation for Paramount to be in but I think they fucked up by not working around Costner’s schedule to make sure he could finish the show. There’s plenty of rumors,  articles and interviews with him that say he was ready to finish but they wouldn’t work around his movie schedule – the passion project western series he’s been creating. 

I feel like when a studio and/or showrunner has someone like Costner as their lead star, it requires them to make every possible accommodation, even if he’s maybe more difficult than others to work with – there’s plenty out there that says he can be. He was quite literally the show in this case though and not just any show – a critically-acclaimed fan-favorite. 

Maybe Sheridan is getting a little too cocky on his Paramount pedestal but all us fans, and apparently the angry Reddit mob, would have liked to have seen things play out as planned. And, maybe there’s more to it than the press has been able to dig up. Isn’t there always?  But oh well – Hollywood likes to do whatever they want and sometimes it doesn’t align with the fans’ vision or even close to what should have happened to arguably one of the best shows in recent history. Some article I read this week said it’s the best show but nah, a top one for sure but not the very best. I think The Sopranos and more excellent shows would fight that writer on that. 

I will say shows tend to be judged by the end though – enter The Sopranos. If the finale doesn’t measure up, people are pissed for life. (For the record, I loved The Sopranos’ finale.) Same is true of Yellowstone and what the angry mob is sounding off about. I was just more bummed at the last half of the season’s episodes in general and not seeing the beloved John Dutton ride off into the cowboy sunset with his family after he fucked more shit up. I’ve always said it’s basically The Sopranos of the West. The Montana Mob if you will.

Alright, now I’m just spirling and procrastinating to get out of the big to-do list that’s staring at me. That’s all I really needed to get off my chest about Yellowstone so I appreciate the three of you that read my posts regularly for indulging me. Despite the left turn Season 5 took, it is a fantastic show and if you haven’t watched it yet, it’s worth a holiday binge. I’m actually always jealous of anyone who discovers new-to-them shows and gets to binge them, especially when you have some time off to do so. It’s an excellent way to spend the holidays!

In 2025, I plan to finally watch 1883 and 1923 and maybe even 1923 in time for Season 2 that comes out in February, I think. As a fan, it’s a big void in my pop culture Grinchy heart that needs to be filled…AND, I’m tired of having my hubby bitch at me that he can’t believe I still haven’t watched them. I’m just not a huge fan of traditional Western shows and movies – some more than others but I’ve been all-in with the Sheridan Universe so I might as well pull the trigger, pun intended.

With that, I’m signing off until the new year – seriously too much to do and focus on so this will be a wrap on my 2024 writing. Enjoy the holidays as much as possible and cheers to more great TV (and movies) in 2025!

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Couch Potato Files Vol. 8

How is Christmas less than two weeks away? Sure did sneak up on us fast! And no, I’m not ready and no, I’m not done with Christmas shopping – is anyone?! Wrapping is my most-unfavorite task too so I always procrastinate but whoever invented the gift bag hopefully retired early and is living on an island somewhere. The best way to wrap, always! Our house is all decorated inside and out with a lot of help from my hubby and daughter so we did manage to conquer that!

Since we’re closing in on the big day, here are some of my favorite flicks and they aren’t the typical traditional movies. I watch all the usual suspects like Christmas Vacation, Elf, A Christmas Story, Home Alone, The Grinch, etc too but always try to squeeze these in. Pretty much any streaming service you use has a special “Holiday” category so these likely are there…or you can pop in the DVDs old school style like I do with a few of them too.

Die Hard – No matter what Bruce says or anyone else for that matter, it sure as shit is a Christmas movie and one of my favorites! I love it and this year I’m saving it until December 24 to watch since it takes place on Christmas Eve. Also, isn’t it crazy that they had their company Christmas party on Christmas Eve?! This movie is so nostalgic for me. My pop and I always watched it and the many sequels too but the original is just priceless. So many excellent lines and that Bruce runs around the entire movie barefoot is legendary in itself. The great Alan Rickman was also hands down the best villain. He’s so missed! What an actor. Fun Fact: I have a Die Hard Christmas tree. That’s how big a fan I am and how certain I am that is is a Christmas movie!

Daddy’s Home 2 – I was ecstatic when our nearly-18-year-old daughter agreed to watch some Christmas movies with us on Sunday night and she picked this awesome flick. Even though it’s a sequel, I think it rivals the original. The cast is fantastic. So much great comedy and craziness. It’s excellent! 

Just Friends – I, like millions of others, am a huge Ryan Reynolds fan. This movie is a ton of fun and seeing Ryan in a fat suit likely has to be as memorable for him as it is for fans watching this movie. Hilarious!

A Bad Moms Christmas – Another sequel that I feel rivals the original. Man, the cast is so great!! Love all the ladies and it’s hilarious from start to finish. Can Kathryn Hahn just be in any and everything?!

Four Christmases – Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon together and trying to avoid their families for Christmas is pretty excellent. Their families are all full of amazing actors. It’s just a great, great comedy! 

Surviving Christmas – Ben Affleck buys a family for Christmas so he’s not alone – it’s just FANTASTIC. The legendary James Gandolfini and Catherine O’Hara star too…and Christina Applegate! Love it so much. Ridiculous but awesome concept and a cast that can’t be missed.

Scrooged – Bill Murray. Period. Just watch. It’s epic. The best take on A Christmas Carol ever.

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Couch Potato Files Vol. 7

Happy December. I’m still dreaming of Thanksgiving. How about you?! We feasted on The Keg’s take-home meal and didn’t have to do anything except serve it up on the festive plates we picked up at our local Safeway. We did have some additional sides that I couldn’t live without, like the jelly roll cranberry. It wouldn’t be Turkey Day without it sliding out of that Ocean Spray can in its glorious gelatinous form. And, I’ve been eating green bean casserole my entire life so I made that like my ma always made for us too…not even exclusively for Thanksgiving. Since we were big fans, we ate it as a side dish for many dinners. Who doesn’t dig a nice can of Cream of Mushroom soup to make many dishes tasty?! And those French’s crispy onion strings throughout?! YUMMY CITY! 

Alright, enough about my Thanksgiving meal. Here’s some snacks of a different kind to appease your pop culture appetite. As always, if you want more, give me a follow on the Gram. AND, a bunch of cool kids are over on BlueSky too so join in the fun. I know, I KNOW, yet another social platform but trust me, it’s like the old days of Twitter but even better. Give it a try. I also created a Letterboxd account since it will expand on any of the movies I write about here so give that a follow too, if you’re interested. 

Favorite TV Shows

Based on a True Story – Now in its second season, this Peacock show is so fun. I literally laugh out loud at some of Kaley Cuoco’s lines. Her character is hilarious, as most of her roles usually are. Speaking of which, if you haven’t watched The Flight Attendant on Max it’s a must-see. It’s two seasons of awesomeness, based on a best-selling book. There are definite similarities with her new show to that especially with the writing and just on-screen mayhem that occurs. She’s such a fantastic physical comedian too.

Cruel Intentions – The 1999 movie is pretty legendary and one of those flicks that maybe you don’t mess with a good thing and try to replicate it BUT I will say this new Prime Video show is pretty fun. It follows a similar premise and storyline of the movie but adjusts to current times since it has been (GULP!) almost 26 years. 

Favorite Movies

Red One – I finally saw this with my fam over the holiday weekend. Really fun! Dug it and it was much more action-packed than the trailers showed.  I think The Rock and Chris Evans should do more movies together. The whole buddy comedy vibe works well for them. 

Hallmark Countdown to Christmas – New flicks are happening all the time and my ma and I watched quite a few. They’re always just silly fun but so festive. Like I said before, they’re perfect drinking game material too. 

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