Reese Ryan's Blog, page 25

Z is for Zoos and Aquariums

Some of my fondest memories of my hometown, Cleveland, Ohio, are from days spent exploring the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The zoo is free to residents of Cuyahoga County on Mondays, making it accessible to everyone.

As a kid I spent many Mondays during school breaks gazing at the animals, learning to appreciate their strength and beauty. When my son was growing up frequent zoo trips were part of our family routine. There was so much to see that we never grew tired of visiting. Later the Clevela...

Y is for Yellow

I can’t believe how long ago it was when I first heard the song “Yellow” by Coldplay. I liked the song, but wasn’t exactly sold on the group. But by the time their next album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, came out I purchased it and was a hardcore Coldplay fan. (Well, not as hardcore as my neighbor. It’s the only album he listens to apparently. Ever.)

Recently I took advantage of my Amazon Prime account and watchedColdplay Live 2012.So now, of course, I’m obsessed with the idea of flying to a...

X is for X Factor (that unidentifiable trait that makes someone truly special)

You already know I love storytelling, books, movies, music, and singer/songwriters. But I’m also quite fond of dancing. (Said with a jazz hands finger flourish like the lady in the State Farm/Aaron Rodgers commercial here.)

[image error]I’ve always fancied myself a crazy good dancer with mad skills. (I also refer to myself in my head as Princessand imagine that I have minions who wait upon me. But the two aren’t related.Or, are they?)

So, the other day it had gotten too late to go for a walk and I was deter...

W is for The Words (The Movie)

The Wordsis a complex, layered tale. A story within a story within a story. I admit that the ending left me confused with more questions than answers. Still, I enjoyed the ride just the same.

Bradley Cooper plays Rory a writer who is struggling to make his mark in the literary world. He’s newly married, in debt to his father who has been supporting his habit as a writer, and forced to take a corporate job. When his wife, Dora, played by Zoe Saldana, buys him a lovely, old leather satchel durin...

V is for Villain (Best Movie Villains of All Time)

What would the heroes we love–James Bond, Ethan Hunt, Sherlock Holmes, and James West (YES, I said James West) be without the villains who made them shine–Goldfinger, Owen Davies, Professor Moriarity, and Dr. Loveless?

The video below is one of countless lists compiled of the greatest movie villains of all time. Many of my choices were on the list, including Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men (that was a seriously creepy, weird film), Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes inMisery(...

Unafraid (or Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway)

I was at a complete loss about what to cover in today’s post. None of the “U” words I’d been scrolling through spoke to me. I was thisclose to posting a picture of an umbrella and calling it a day. But then I was reflecting on a motivating video I watched earlier today, and suddenly it hit me. The word for today isunafraid.

Fear has held an unhealthy place in my psyche for as long as I can remember. Fear of heights and water kept me from flying, or learning to swim until I was a married adult...

T is for Timer (The Movie)

I saw a review for the movie, Timer, on another blogger’s site several months ago. (Sorry! I can’t remember who it was.) She included the trailer, below. Immediately I was intrigued. A rom-com with a touch of science fiction and angsty characters? I was hooked. So I added the movie to my Blockbuster queue and forgot about it.

Then it arrived. My husband gave me the usual “Not another chick flick” eyeroll. But I was excited. More excited than I’d been about the arrival of a movie in awhile. I p...

S is for Side Effects (The Movie)

I adore this movie, probably my favorite film of the year thus far. It is an enigma wrapped in a puzzle, stuffed with yummy goodness.

Side Effects is a provocative psychological thrillerfeaturing Rooney Mara and Channing Tatum as Emily and Martin Taylor, a couple who has the world at their feet, until Martin is busted for insider trading. He does a stint in prison and they lose everything. Emily suffers with debilitating depression because of this and is still having difficulty adjusting when...

R is for Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Most of us want to do our part to help the environment. But with such a lofty goal in front of us, we’re often at a loss for practical ways to achieve it. So here are three simple ways to live an eco-friendly lifestyle without going Grizzly Adams, or breaking the bank.

Reduce

Looking for an easy, no-fuss way to start living a greener lifestyle?

Start by making simple lifestyle adjustments. Here are a few ways to reduce energy usage that pose minimal inconvenience, but can have a cumulative impa...

Q is for Question Everything

Around the age of four children, who are naturally curious, learn one of the most glorious words in the English language–Why? This single word–tiny and unassuming–is the key to knowledge and, more importantly, the development of true understanding. Of ourselves. The people and world around us.

Each time we ask why we are developing our curiosity and gaining additional knowledge. Expanding our minds and discovering new worlds. Such a small word, but it is the key to a magical universe where eve...