My new show/obsession....

BBC's SHERLOCK!!!!!!! 

First of all, I am absolutely in love with Sherlock, my father has loved the books for as long as I can remember and because he enjoys it so much I cannot help but love it as well.
This is the amazing series of Sherlock Holmes. I absolutely love it. I have seen other versions of this show as well as the recent movies with dear ole Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. Now down't get me wrong I love each of them for different but awesome reasons! But I cannot express how much I love BBC's version. I find this one to be my favorite!!

1) I feel like this show greatly stays true to the books, even has the titles of the Sherlock Holmes books are the titles of the episodes. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle may be proud of this rendition. I certainly love it.

2) Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock
He is one wonderful actor. A very amazing and convincing Sherlock. Definitely my favorite!!!!

3) Martin Freeman as Watson
First of all, he is the Hobbit!! Mr. Bilbo Baggins. I cannot help but love this guy and everything he is in. Every once in a while when I watch him, I see Bilbo expressions of in-fluctuations. he

4) Sherlock and Watson's Friendship
They are the oddest sort of friends you will see but they are amazing. There a a few episodes where you see how much Sherlock, who is a man without friends really cares for Watson, and is truly his friend. And how much Watson is really a friend to Sherlock, even after all Sherlock does to him. They save each other's lives multiple times.

5) Sherlock is Brilliant!!!
An amazing detective, who sees everything. My roommate watched part of an episode with me and saw Sherlock be Sherlock and was like it must be awful to be him. I would hate to have his brain. As amazing as he is I have to agree, I love his mind and his deduction and everything but it would be exhausting. Something I love that Sherlock says about people is that yes people see (everything he does) but they do not observe. I try to observe like he does.


6) The Intelligence of this Show
I love the crime in this show and how Sherlock solves it. I love trying to think like him and trying to figure it out before Sherlock tells me. I also enjoy that it is not graphic in the deaths of people, like some other crime shows. I love the twist and turns, keeps you on your toes and paying attention, cause seriously if you blink, you miss something!!


7) So funny

Even though Sherlock is quite blunt and can sometimes be quite rude he is also ridiculously funny. He doesn't usually mean to be funny but he is. Its just the situation which makes it funny.

8) Moriarty
First of all, he is my favorite villain of all time and Moriarty is Sherlock's intellectual equal. Je is just as smart as him and plans meticulously but more evil. He is an evil genius and quite creepy.

Love Love Love this show!!!!

How Powerful is Music?

I recently went to the temple one morning, and as I walked out a group of three elders were walking in front of me. It was a snowy morning and I was trying really hard not to slip and fall in my church shoes. These elders, despite the snow and other conditions started to sing. They started to sing a church hymn, I Need Thee Every Hour, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSQ-3TD7g_g) and they sung it beautifully. I finally had to separate paths from those elders to get into my car and as I walked away I couldn't help but feel impressed in many ways and so much gratitude for those young missionaries. While I drove back to my apartment I started singing some hymns as well, I sung the first verse of about five hymns. I don't usually sing the lyrics of a hymn but just hum the tune because I don't consider myself a singer, I mean I can sing, like for Church and alone in my car but thats it. But this time, as I sung these hymns, without the music, solo, a capella, I discovered something very interesting that I have never thought of before, you truly focus on the words, the scripture and meaning of it. That is what I did, anyway. While I was singing these songs I focused on the beautiful words, inspired scripture and the importance and doctrine behind them. I found myself getting emotional as I was driving home, which makes it difficult to sing, but it was beautiful. I felt the Spirit so strongly and had a new sense of hope. It was difficult returning to my apartment to go back to the nit and grit of life, the typical routine.

Then it came time for me to go to work. I had to travel to Lehi this afternoon, taking, of course, the freeway. The road wasn't absolutely horrible but bad enough (and for a girl from Las Vegas, it was not fun)! I have never had my grip on the stirring wheel so tight before. I was so scared and worried and freaked out and basically every kind of nervous, petrified emotion out there I felt. There even came a moment in my drive I saw a poor totaled car on the side of the road (due to an accident) and the cop backing up to assist the driver. Then not too far north of that I saw several car parts and even a bumper on the side of the road. Seeing these things brought back an experience I recently had. Over Christmas break, while I was traveling home to Las Vegas, near Cedar City I lost control of my car. I had done a complete 180 and landed (luckily) in a snow bank on the side of the road. I was completely fine and my beloved Papa Red truck was also not harmed, I was very lucky that I walked away unscathed. I saw several other cars after that who did the exact same thing I did but were not so lucky. Having the vision of that moment pop in my head made me teary-eyed and so scared I was going to lose control of my car  again this time getting in an accident where my beloved truck was not so lucky and more importantly worried that I could hurt someone else or myself. It was at that time that I decided to sing some of those hymns from this morning. It was amazing the complete change I felt, and how I was not so scared anymore. Although my grip definitely did not loosen, I felt so much better and I did make to work fine with no troubles.

I feel so much gratitude towards those missionaries singing that beloved song. Because I heard them it make me keep that positive and uplifting music in my life, throughout a stressful day. Positive music can change everything and what is more positive than Church music. I am also grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who watches over me and puts people in my life (or path) for a reason and the Spirit for truly being a Comforter... and for my Papa Red taking care of me like always and his 4-wheel drive. :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPKpkrqBwNs

The Office

Alright, absolutely loved The Office, the first few seasons were amazing, so funny and great. Michael and Dwight were so odd and hilarious you couldn't help but love them, although I will admit it took me a while to warm up to them, especially Dwight but he is now my favorite! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PL4wUIFU-c (words to live by...!)
One of my favorite parts of the show is Jim and Dwight's banter, I love Jim's pranks on Dwight. http://www.hulu.com/watch/308687#i2,p0,d2

I will confess that I started watching it because of Jim and Pam. The best couple on television for quite some time. I completely fell for Jim and wanted so desperately for Pam to realize she loved him. I was on cloud-nine when they finally got together, it was beautiful.

Now, once Jim and Pam got married http://www.hulu.com/watch/101187?playlist_id=732 the show slowly fell, and it hit rock bottom once Michael Scott left. It is awful and I get sorely disappointed when I watch the new ones, but I have to see it through till the end. The most recent episode was horrible. It had several funny moments but was extremely disappointed.


Jim and Pam are my favorite characters and things are not going well this season. (SPOILER) In this season, Jim is in Philadelphia every so often in an attempt to start up his own business with a couple of his friends, which left Pam all alone. In this past episode, Jim is in Philadelphia and is trying to come back to Scranton because his daughter Cece has her first dance recital. Unfortunately, he gets caught up at work  and cannot make it, but wants Pam to record it with her phone for him. He asks to make sure she can do it because poor Pam is a little technologically challenged. Pam goes to the recital and starts recording, but then receives an important phone call interrupting her recording of the recital. She ends up only recording the very beginning and the end. Things do not go well at work for Jim and calls Pam for a pick-me-up, he wants her to upload Cece's dance recital and she tells him she didn't get it, trying to do so in a light mood and to tell him good news but he doesn't let her say anything more and just gets angry and upset with her. They end up having a fight, which leaves Pam in tears.

It broke my heart to see them fight and to see Pam so distraught. I hated it. I am not looking forward to where this final season of The Office (which is long overdue) is headed. I love them, and it will be awful to break them apart, if they do what in the world was the point of the show anyway?!?!?

Castle and Media

Alright, so I was watching the recent episode of Castle, and Castle's daughter Alexis started a video blog and Castle was very concerned and worried about this blog of hers. He was concerned because once you put something out there, any one can see it from a future job interviewer to an internet creep and there are bad people out there who do bad things and the more you expose, the more danger you could let yourself get into.
Those of you who watch the show know how very mature and intelligent Alexis is, often times while watching the show its Alexis who is playing the role of parent and Castle the role of kid, but Alexis's response to her father is quite brilliant.
"My generation grew up in a digital fish bow, no matter how careful we are, stuff will get out there... friends will tag me in photos, inevitably doing something stupid. But why should that define me? Why can't I go out there and define myself?" Although I completely agree with her. We are in a digital fishbowl where everyone sees everything and we need to be careful what we put out there and try not to do stupid things, think first and act later. Something my mother taught me was to think about the future, about my future kids and if they saw what I was doing or where I was at and think how I would feel if they approached me about it. If you enter into a situation where you would be ashamed if your children knew about or if it would make it so you do not get a job then it may be best to leave that situation and move forward. Make sure that despite what we put out or what we see we take it with a grain of salt. Do not define yourself from the digital world that encompasses us but go out there, leave the digital world behind and define yourself.

It is like what all the general authorities have told us in General Conference addresses, firesides, devotionals, you name it, technology is good if used for the right purpose but there is opposition in all things so technology can also be bad. It all depends on our purposes behind it. President Uchtorf said it best in his April 2008 Conference Address entitle A Matter of a Few Degrees. Technology can be a "wonderful resource of inspiration, help, and learning" (even connecting with others, especially family). "But be cautious. These same technologies can allow evil influences to cross the threshold of your homes. These dangerous traps are only a mouse click away," this evil can "destroy families, marriages, and individual lives" so it is imperative that we are smart and careful, be aware of the digital and real world around you, be safe!!!
(I'm done with my soap box, it just really got me thinking....)

The Hobbit

Alright, I don't know about any of you but I am huge fan of Lord of the Rings and was ecstatic when I discovered The Hobbit!!! :) My brother and I were so excited we bought midnight premiere tickets. I even made sure I was finished with all my finals before the midnight show. I was so excited. I watched the movie and was completely entertained the entire time. So much so that the following Monday I saw it again (with my brother) and then again over the Christmas break!!! And trust me I cannot wait to see it again and I bet the dollar theater will be getting a lot of my money when it comes out!!!!

I was overwhelmed  with the music (I am big soundtrack person, absolutely love them and this soundtrack is amazing just like the other Lord of the Rings movies, Howard Shore is a genius. But there is a specific song I am thinking of and for those who have seen the movie I am sure you know what I am talking about!!

Check it out!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRUBe2RTq74

This became sort of  theme to the movie! Each time a big epic fight scene is coming up the song comes and is like a pump up song. Each time I freak out and get so excited!!! Its awesome and gets me so excited!!!

Also there is Mr. Richard Armitage, oh goodness, who plays the dwarf prince Thorin (and who knew he could be so attractive as a dwarf?). For those who have seen BBC's Robin Hood or North and South you understand my uh... attraction? ha!! But his character is awesome!! There is one line he says towards the beginning "Loyalty, honor and a willing heart... I can ask not more than that." I love this quote because it is kinda a mantra for life, doing your best with honor and loyalty who can really ask more than that?

     

Each dwarf is so great and provides such comedic relief it is wonderful. It was so much more funny than I thought it was going to be.  Also I had a friend text me after she saw it, mind you she is quite... uh... what's the word?... oh yeah.. Boy Crazy!!! haha. She texted me and said "Kelly, I never thought I would say this but, I am completely and desperately want to marry a dwarf!" Bah ha, now before you judge her too quickly take a look at him because I'm not going to lie, she was right.

Now I have heard several complaints about this movie being too slow or nothing like the book etc. I just have to say (no offense) you guys are ridiculous!!! This movie is awesome!!! If you do not like this movie I can forgive you, we can still be friends. I just have one thing to say in an attempt to convince you otherwise. My father, is a purist, about everything. The first time I truly saw his purism was during Sherlock Holmes (2009). He has read many of the novels and knows so much about Sherlock you can ask him pretty much any question and he will know the answer. Basically, my dad is awesome! He was a little skeptical about the movie and the actors but despite his complaints about the movie he truly enjoyed it. Now he is the same with Lord of the Rings (I know again .. awesome Dad!). I talked to my parents after they saw the movie and I was very curious how my dad would react to the movie. My mom like me completely enjoyed the music and Richard Armitage and when I talked to my dad he said he loved it. My mom said which is funny because the whole movie he kept saying that doesn't happen in the book but he defended himself by saying he understood where they were going with it and how they were going to connect everything together in the next two movies. My dad truly enjoyed the movie and wanted to see it again and again too. haha. So if my purist of a dad absolutely loved the movie so can you!!

Now time for my favorite part of the movie, well one of many but definitely my absolute favorite line of the movie. It is when Gandalf and the dwarves visit the elves in Rivendale. The Lady Galadriel asks Gandalf "Why the halfling?" Why bring Bilbo Baggins? And Gandalf's response is amazing and so inspiring. "Some believe that it is only great power that can hold evil in check. But that is not what I've found. i found it is the small things. Every day deeds by ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay." I love this because it is true and we should all remember it. Also coming from a Latter-day Saint perspective this encompasses the Gospel. I hope we all can take this at heart and truly do the small things, everyday deeds to keep the darkness at bay, truly being disciples of Christ.