Thursday, November 29, 2012

Favorite & Funniest TV Sit-Coms

Everyone has their favorite. Your idea of the best sit-com is probably different than mine. And, it changes from season to season.

Right now, my favorite is The Big Bang Theory. I am so enthralled by that show and its unique characters and weekly plots.

However, if you asked me what my favorite sit-com was when I was growing up, I'd probably say Leave it to Beaver or I Dream of Jeannie or better yet, I Love Lucy!

Our little friend, Pooh is even creating his own list of favorites! I wonder what he finds funny?



So, have you thought anything about sit-coms and which ones were you favorites? Was it the funniest you ever saw?

The folks at AARP did just that and they came up with their top list of the 20 Funniest Sit-Coms ever.

AARP's 20 Best Funniest Sit-Coms

I did some poking around on the Internet, and will you know it, other people have created lists too, so I thought I'd share them with you.

Now That's Nifty
100 Best Sit-coms

IMDb
20 Best Sitcoms of all times

Paste Magazine
10 Best Sitcoms on TV Now 2010 List

The Top Tens
Top 10 Best Sitcoms of all Time


So, there you have it. Lists upon lists. Did any of your favorites make any list? If not, tell me, what was or is your favorite and funniest sit-com ever?

--
Vicki

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

As I sit and watch the Macy's day parade, I sip a cup of coffee and reflect on all that I am thankful for in my life and the world.

I am thankful for:

  • my husband's love and support
  • my health, no matter what chronic illness I suffer from, I am still fighting and loving life
  • my children and how as they grow older they appreciate my efforts from the past more
  • my beautiful grandchildren
  • my friends here with me, far away and connected by the Internet
  • the American soldiers who give so much that we may be free to celebrate and live safely
  • the technology that I am able to stay close to loved ones
  • my skill in writing that I may share my talent with others
  • my faith in God and the joy in praising His name
  • having Bipolar because it has taught me humility and patience and love for my life
  • my neighbors for their friendship and support
  • blueberries and that I can purchase them year round
  • the love and support of my dog, Jack and my parrot, Bailey
  • my family near and far that they always know how much I love and cherish them
  • the restaurants and staff who keep their doors and kitchens open for those of us who can't handle the stress of cooking a huge elaborate meal for two
  • everyone who remembers those in need be they animal or human
  • my readers of my books, blogs, and articles

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!!


And I'm thankful for the image created by this talented designer

Image credit: slena / 123RF Stock Photo

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday,
-- Vicki

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

OUT FOR JUSTICE


Now Available from Mundania Press, LLC




Rookie Detective Karen Sykes is out to prove she is good at her job, finding justice for a darkness in her past through law enforcement. She gets her first chance to shine with a case that hits a little too close to home. Like her younger sister, a four-year-old boy, has been brutally murdered. The case pairs her with Mike Connelly, an attractive crime scene technician, and sparks fly between the two of them. Mike resists the attraction and only adds more emotional conflict to the case.

When her partner becomes the latest victim and ends up in the hospital near death, Karen sets out to find the murderer before he hurts anyone else. Only the case gets trickier when the murder suspect ends up dead, leaving new clues to the real killer. Finding comfort in Mike's support, their relationship heats up, but so does the investigation. The killer has a plan. One that involves a Cat and Mouse game of hide and seek inside the hospital, where her partner struggles for his life. Karen discovers it takes more than catching a killer to make the pain of her past go away. It also takes opening her heart and learning to trust in others.

Find OUT FOR JUSTICE here!

If you want to review the book, let me know and I can provide you with an e-book format for review. Just e-mail me at vmtwriter@vickimtaylor.com


Sunday, November 18, 2012

SeaWorld Birthday Celebration



As I explained in my previous blog, we spent the weekend in Orlando, celebrating my 51st birthday.

Before leaving Tampa,  we stopped at the AMC Veterans 24 movie theater and saw SkyFall. The latest James Bond movie. TOTALLY AWESOME. I must say, it's nice to see a movie that falls back on the style of the older James Bond movies, like from Sean Connery days. I thoroughly enjoyed it. A great way to start off my birthday weekend.

We arrived at our hotel suite Friday evening and collapsed from the late ride from Tampa to Orlando. The movie was a bit longer than we had expected.

The next morning, we woke, had a bit of breakfast at the hotel and headed to SeaWorld. It was about a mile away from the hotel. Upon arriving, we saw that we weren't the only ones getting an early start. The lines had already formed. Lucky for us, we're pass members and could glide through the checking in process and gaining access to the entrance gates.

We didn't have any real path determined how we were going to approach SeaWorld activities, we just wandered about, catching a show here, walking a bit there, then catching another show. I've taken some pictures to help you see what we saw this weekend.

The Dolphin Show was spectacular. We enjoyed the way the dolphins performed the innate behaviors that show off their skills.


From jumping and leaping through the air and back into the water, to dancing on their tails. It was a beautiful sight to see.







The dolphins, I think were my favorite, until we went to the Shamu show.













Then, seeing those great killer whales leaping out of the water and gracefully re-entering, was really something to see. The best parts were wen the whales raced along the edges of the tank and used their massively strong tails to send ice cold salt water hurtling into the stands where many people were splashed and soaked to the skin. Of course, I chose a dryer seat for my viewing pleasure.











I hope that I was able to do the show justice, by capturing just a few of these images to share with you.







The grand finale was all of the whales jumping in unison.













Isn't it gorgeous?






Then, once again, we moved on to see the Sea Lions and other critters. Here too, I found my favorite again. I loved watching the Sea Lions sun themselves on the rocks. And I paid my portion to get a tray of fish to offer them to more aggressive Sea Lions that braved the birds who would swoop in and grab the fish before it landed in the Sea Lion's waiting mouth.







Most of the birds were just like this little fellow.


And what visit to SeaWorld during the holidays isn't finished without seeing Santa Claus? Well, I gotta tell you, Santa was in a bit of a hurry to get to his break when we arrived at the North Pole, but I did manage to get a picture of his sleigh and great big, gigantic enormous bag of toys.

The trip to the North Pole via the Polar Express was really something to experience. I hope that many of you get to experience it as well if you get the chance to visit SeaWorld.



I want to thank my husband, Greg, for making my birthday completely awesome and for letting me pick Joe's Crab Shack to have my birthday dinner because I really love crab!


So, I wonder if it's too early to start planning next year's birthday?

-- Vicki






Friday, November 16, 2012

Happy Birthday, to ME!

Yes, today is my birthday and I'm really excited. I'm turning 51. Last year when I turned 50, I invited 30 my of friends and family to join me on a yacht dinner cruise of Tampa Bay. It was an absolute success.



I enjoyed good times with friends, like Maria and Bryan:



and family like my daughter, Amber and her husband, Scott:



and of course I wouldn't leave out the love of my life, my hubby, Greg. He made it all possible:


This year, we are having another celebration by going to SeaWorld in Orlando. I love it there and every time I go, I seem to discover something new about the park and the animals.

When I return, I'll have to post pictures of this year's celebration. Right now, I'm going to go make sure my special birthday cake truffle from Godiva Chocolates is still in the refrigerator. Don't want anything to happen to it. It's all the cake I'm going to have.

Have a wonderful weekend, I know I will.

Cheers,
Vicki

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

GOOD INTENTIONS Released

Just a quick heads up for all of you to let you know that my book, GOOD INTENTIONS is now available at Amazon as a Kindle version book.

BOOK BLURB:

Good Intentions is the tragic story of one woman’s efforts to help a teenage mother. Megan, fourteen and pregnant, needed a mom. Tracy, thirty-nine and already raising a large family, gave her a home. Neither was ready for what happened next.

Tracy Reynolds’ life is not her own. She works the night shift at the hospital and has three boys, two girls and a husband who works the opposite shift along with a menagerie of rescued pets. Somehow, she and her husband, Tim, have made it work with love, faith, and impeccable ethics.

Adding fourteen-year-old Megan and her newborn son to the mix was supposed to be uncomplicated. The adoption agency made it sound so easy. They painted Megan has a good child who had a rough life. She needed love and understanding and the stability of a respectable home and family. Tracy and Tim fit the bill and were fast tracked through the system and before they knew it trouble landed on their doorstep. Megan.

Megan rejected their family values and resisted from every direction when it came to learning how to live within their family dynamics and taking care of her son. She missed her friends and the people she knew when she worked as a prostitute. Despite court orders and her probation officer’s warnings, Megan secretly reconnected with her old friends and lover. 

The Reynolds’ family spun out of control. Not one would be untouched by Hurricane Megan’s path of destruction.

Deceptions. Infidelity. Drugs. Child abuse. Cancer. Sexual abuse. Home invasion. The Reynolds’ went through it all. Would their family ever be the same?

You can find GOOD INTENTIONS here 

Some background information about the book: I wrote it after reading a story in my local newspaper about a family who had a similar experience. I contacted the reporter who got me in touch with the family. I interviewed them extensively along with local and state agencies involved to get as much realism and drama into the story that I could. I hope you like it. And if you do, please say so in your comments and reviews on Amazon.com

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Christmas Town in Busch Gardens


Hubby and I went to Busch Gardens yesterday to enjoy the day and walk around. And to find the Christmas Town Preview shop so that we could buy our tickets for the Christmas Town Event on weekends between Nov 30 - Dec 23. 2012.

We decided that we weren't going to do too much walking yesterday as we are going to SeaWorld this coming weekend. And, we didn't want to wear ourselves out. So, we took the gondola ride over the park looking for the Preview Shop.

Didn't see it.

Walked back around the park until we got to the front gates again. Asked a group of employees who basically sent us in two different directions, but we decided to take the path most followed and headed back into the park, This time heading for the Nairobi section.

Still walking.

We finally found the familiar little sign outside the tiny store, and what do we find?

Closed doors. With no sign saying they'll open another time, or anything.

Sigh. We've come so far, just to have to turn back around and go to Guest Relations at the front gate.

So, we head back, all the while, we really are enjoying the day. Busch Gardens was crowded, but everyone was in a good mood, I think mostly because the weather was PERFECT! Mid 70's and sunshine.

We finally reached Guest Relations, bought our tickets, getting $20.00 off because we are two year annual pass holders.

Tired, but not exhausted, be boarded the tram to head back to parking lot F and our car. Back home we went with Christmas Town tickets clutched in hand.

I can't wait to go and see how Busch Gardens lights up for the evening celebrations, along with the concert concluding with Jars of Clay. Wonderful music. Beautiful scenery, even Santa Claus. I wonder if I'll be able to sit with him and tell him my wishes for a Happy Christmas?

Stand by for more when we actually go to Christmas Town in Busch Gardens.

Cheers,
Vicki

P.S. If you want to know more about Christmas Town click here. Or you can call 1-888-800-5447. Find the magic in your holiday season.




Friday, November 09, 2012

Home Improvement, the Saga Continues

Don't worry honey, it won't cost much. I'm going to build it myself.

Those magic words.

And, 5 years later, I'm still regretting them.

But, I must say, having my husband do the work, rather than a bunch of strangers traipsing in and out of my house is much better. Even though, it's taking FOREVER for the makeover of our house to end.

We bought it in "as is" condition way back in 1998. It didn't have the front doors on, no floors in the major portion of the house, and the bathrooms were a flashback from the 1970's. Which was really strange as the house wasn't very old.

So, eager beavers we were, we purchased the house and the home improvement projects began. Of course we had to have floors and working bathrooms before we could move in, so it took about 3 months before we were able to walk through actual front doors and finally call our house our home.

From then on, we didn't use paid professionals to to the rest of the improvements, but did them ourselves as we had time and money. Of which both were never ready at the same time.

But, I must say, I'm very happy with the results as they incurred. I love our great room, 400 gallon saltwater aquarium included. All cabinetry and wet room designed by my husband.

The guest room is gorgeous. The home office is perfect. And the master bedroom and matching bathroom is truly a serene and lovely place to relax.

Now. The kitchen. We've saved it for last, as it's the most inconvenient to do and probably the most costly.

So, the saga continues, with only one room left. And, do I hear those famous words yet? "Don't worry, I'll do it myself."

I haven't heard them yet, but it's not because he's wanted to say them. He just doesn't have a plan yet.

Yet.

I'll keep you updated.

Yours in Writing,

Vicki