What I'm Watching This Summer

July 31, 2018 Roni Loren

Summertime is the time of sunshine and the outdoors...well, in other places. Here in Dallas, summertime is full of sunshine and unbearable heat. Today it's 90 and it feels like autumn to me because we've been dealing with 105-110 temperatures for over two weeks and 90 truly feels like relief. We'll get a few days of this before the temperature races back up again.

But all this is to say that in summer, I often end up catching up on TV watching because we're indoors hiding from the heat. So I thought I'd pass along what I'm watching this summer both on TV and YouTube. And I'd love to hear what interesting shows you've found recently!

For pure soapy reality TV

Big Brother on CBS

If you've followed me for any length of time, you know that I'm a long time Big Brother fan. I look forward to it every summer, and it's become a family tradition. Hubs and I love all the strategy and personality dynamics. Kidlet loves all the competitions. (We fast forward through any not-safe-for-10-year-olds moments.) It's quite a commitment with three episodes a week, but I eat it up like candy. My favorite contestant this year in Tyler. I love that he came on and was all "I'm just a dumb, cute lifeguard" and has turned out to be the most socially strategic and smart player so far. The writer in me loves characters, and Big Brother always gives me good fodder for analysis.

Fun for the Whole Family

The Middle

Last summer kidlet and I picked a show to binge watch together for device-free summer. Last year was The Goldbergs, which has become a family favorite (and kidlet obsession) now. This summer, we've picked The Middle. (Side note: finding a truly family friendly modern sitcom is a challenge! But this one fits the bill.) We're almost done with season 2 and are really enjoying it. If you want to binge watch this one, it's not streaming anywhere for free (last I checked) but Freeform and the Hallmark channel have been running the seasons marathon style and we've been taping them, so look for that.

For the Music Lover

The Big Interview with Dan Rather

This is one hubs found on one of his favorite channels AXS. Dan Rather interviews famous musicians. (He may interview more than musicians, but the ones we've watched have all been musicians.) These interviews were taped a few years ago, but they are fascinating. Dan Rather is a master interviewer, and if you love music, you'll love the stories he pulls out of the people he puts in his interview chair. So far we've watched interviews with Greg Allman of The Allman Brothers, Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. Even if you don't know much about the particular band/artist (I knew hardly anything about The Allman Brothers) the interviews will pull you in. Highly recommended.

For Nostalgia or a Peek Inside 90s Teenhood

My So-Called Life

I mentioned a while back that I was so excited that one of my favorite podcast duos were starting the My So-Called Podcast where they rewatch episodes of My So-Called Life and then comment on them. This has been so much fun--to rewatch one of my very favorite shows from my teen years through adult eyes and then follow each episode up by listening to Jillian and Patrick pick apart the episodes in a funny yet respectful superfan kind of way. It's made it such a multi-layered experience. It's made me laugh a lot but also has made me wonder what the hell I was thinking loving Jordan Catalano (played by Jared Leto) back when I was 14. I mean, yes, he's beautiful, but dude, he was SUCH a jerk on that show. Adult Me totally wants to yell at him for his behavior. Anyway, if you want to rewatch or watch for the first time. Here's where you can stream it and here's where you can find the podcast.

For Your Brain

The 2000s on CNN

CNN has made series about many of the decades and every time, I am so here for it. I believe they started with The Sixties. That's the first one I watched at least, and they've gone on to make a series for each decade. This summer it is The 2000s. The show is produced by Tom Hanks and is done in such a great way that I get hooked every time. Each show will take one topic of that decade and do a deep dive. So, for instance, the episode we watched this week was all about technology and the "I-Decade"--the iPod, iPhone, iPad, social media, etc. Even though we all lived through it, it's fascinating to look back and really think about how much has changed so quickly. There was also an episode on TV shows in the 2000s and then there are the political ones (9/11, the Iraq War, etc.). I believe there is a music one coming up. All very well done. And if you haven't watched the previous seasons--60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s--they've all been fantastic.

For Your Body and Mind

Yoga with Adriene

I am trying to create a yoga habit, but I have trouble making it to classes because the timing never works out. So I've started doing yoga in the mornings at home. There are tons of free videos on YouTube, but I've found that the ones I like the best are from Yoga with Adriene. The videos are well shot, the routines are doable, there are lots of routines of varying length if I don't have a lot of time. Plus, Adriene is easy to follow and comes across as very down to earth. If you're looking to get some yoga into your life, check out her channel.

For the Planner Lover and Writers

Heart Breathings with Sarra Cannon

Y'all know I love a planner and anything having to do with productivity systems. I recently returned from the RWA (Romance Writers of America) conference where I met up with the writer/planner group I'm in online. So fun! And I happened to sit next to author Sarra Cannon who had brought her 90-day planner. I loved her set up and found out she has a YouTube channel where she talks about all things planning and writing. I blame her for the kanban board I put together this week. But if you're a planner girl (or guy!) like me, her channel is worth checking out.

That's all I've got for y'all today! Tell me what you're watching and loving this summer. : )

Device-Free Summer 2.0: Why We're Doing This Again (AKA How Kidlet Shocked Me)

June 9, 2018 Roni Loren

First, before we get to today's post, I wanted to let y'all know that THE ONE YOU CAN'T FORGET, book two in The Ones Who Got Away series, is now available! Thank you to all of you who have already bought it, grabbed it from your library, and/or reviewed it. I really appreciate it! And if you haven't gotten your copy yet, here's you're chance. :)

DEVICE-FREE SUMMER 2.0

Okay, on to the post. So if you've followed me for a while, you may remember that last year I embarked on an experiment with kidlet: a device-free summer. No iPad, no video games, no computers at all. The only screen allowed was TV watched as a family. Not gonna lie, I was pretty nervous going into last summer because kidlet was VERY attached to his iPad and Xbox, and I was used to having that to help occupy him. But I felt in my gut it was what was best for him.

Turns out, it was way easier than I had expected and was a resounding success. I think it was truly one of the best things we could've done for all of us. It really did make a lasting impact. Not just with his level of calmness and creativity but also in very specific ways. For one, because kidlet didn't have devices, he took to his brand new guitar/rock band lessons with gusto. It became his new go-to thing to spend his time, and a year later, he's wowing me with his musical skills and his deep interest and love of music. The other day he sent me this audio file. He decided to try to learn Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" by ear. I know I'm his mom and am easily impressed by my kid, but he's 10 and doing this? That seems pretty darn cool to me.

And though we brought devices back during the school year, with limits (100 minutes a week), being on devices never took hold again. The iPad became dusty and mostly stayed in a drawer. He usually used his 100 minutes on the weekend to play NASCAR on Xbox or to watch YouTube videos about music. Devices became a small thing in his life. Honestly, this felt like a miracle compared to where we were. And the only negative side I observed was now he noticed how often most of the other kids are on devices or are overly focused on video games. It annoyed him and sometimes left him out of conversations about Pokemon, Minecraft, and the like. When I asked if it bothered him to not be able to follow those conversations, he just shrugged and said, I wish they could talk about other things, too. But it didn't bother him enough for him to use his device time minutes to delve into those games the kids were talking about. And he still has friends, so it wasn't a dealbreaker for friendships.

So this year, I really wasn't planning on a device-free summer because I felt like the device use was under control. But kidlet came to me mid-May and asked if we were doing device-free summer again. When I said that I wasn't sure, he said, "Can we?"

That shocked me. I asked him why he wanted to do it again. He told me that last summer was "fun" and he liked the activities we did. So he wanted the movie nights and board game playing and cooking with me and playing outside. There are so few parenting moments where you feel like you're getting something right, usually we're just hoping we're not totally screwing up, lol, but this was one of those mom pride moments that I'm going to hold onto. The whole experiment had worked. Devices had lost their hold on him, but more than that, he'd come to enjoy that old-fashioned family time. During the school year, things are so busy, that a lot of those activities fall off, and now summer feels like a special time to do those things with us.

Of course I couldn't say no to his request even though it hadn't been in my plan, so he's going device-free again. But he did have some caveats: he wants to be able to Facetime his grandparents and to use his Ipod to listen to music. Deal!

So that's where we are, we're doing it again. I've also decided to make an effort to slow down our summer some. We are typically overscheduled with camps and lessons and such. I'm feeling the stress of that and want to slow it down for all of us. But I'll need another post for that because this one is already long enough. ;) More to come!

In the meantime, if you missed last year's device-free summer posts, here are the details of what we did, how we did it, and how it all went.

What plans do you have for this summer?

Summer TV Shows on my To-Watch List

May 17, 2016 Roni Loren

I used to be the girl who had at least one TV show that I looked forward to every night. After having my son and moving into this writing gig, I've found I have less and less chance to watch TV. It also doesn't help that we have phones and Ipads at the ready. That seems to have eaten up the time I used to reserve for TV. And, of course, I also love to read, and the only reading time I get is in the evenings. BUT, I find that I miss having go-to TV shows. TV is it's own form or relaxation and believe it or not, it helps with my writing because, ultimately, TV is made of stories.

So with the summer season shows about to start, I decided to do some research and pick out some shows I wanted to watch or try.

First, a few favorites that I'm already committed to:

Big Brother (June 22 on CBS) - If you've followed me for any amount of time, you know I'm a Big Brother fan. It's a long-standing part of our summers. A tradition at this point. And for the most part, it doesn't get R-rated so we can watch it with kidlet around, which helps a lot.

Wayward Pines (May 25 on Fox) - We watched Season 1 and it was a really well done show. I'm not going to say too much about it because I don't want to spoil it if you haven't seen it. But if you're new to it, watch season 1 before jumping into Season 2. I love twisty shows where you aren't quite sure what's really going on and you keep guessing wrong. (This show is based on a book by Blake Crouch, so you can catch up with the story that way, too.)

Some news ones I want to try:

Preacher (Premieres on AMC May 22) - This one is based on a comic book and produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, so I'm expecting dark with some comedy thrown in. The previews don't tell you quite what's going on, so I'm hoping that means good twists.

Stranger Things (July 15 on Netflix) - This one has me intrigued because (a) it's set in the 1980s and (b) has Winona Ryder in it. The premise is that her son disappears but there are supernatural forces involved.

Roadies (June 26th on Showtime) - This one really tempts me (and may make me get Showtime). I love rock music, and going to concerts is one of my favorite things to do. This one has some big names behind it, too. Here's the trailer:

Feed the Beast (June 5th AMC) - This one is about two guys opening a restaurant but looks like organized crime is involved. Honestly, it has cooking and David Schwimmer in it, which is enough to get me to take a look at it. :) Here's the trailer:

Vice Principals (July 17th on HBO) - Look, a comedy! I know I haven't listed any of those yet. This one is about two Vice Principals competing for a position. And it's on HBO, so you know it's going to be irreverent.

American Gothic (June 22 on CBS) - This one is billed as a 13-part murder mystery. I like shows that have a guaranteed wrapped up ending, so knowing it has a certain number of episodes entices me.

I probably need a few more comedies mixed in, but I haven't seen as many of those previewed. There are a few that I've missed season one and may go back and try: Unreal on Lifetime, Casual on Hulu, and Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll on FX. We shall see.

So what are you looking forward to watching this summer?

Win an End of Summer Gift Basket of Goodies!

August 8, 2014 Roni Loren

Next Tuesday is the official release day for the August Invitation to Eden books, including mine--Blurring the Lines!

This book is a bit out of my normal zone since it is contemporary romance with a paranormal twist and not erotic, but I hope you'll check it out! It's only $2.99 and though next week is official release week, it is already available on all the major sites if you want to get a jumpstart.

iTunes | Nook | Kindle | Kobo

About the book:

A year has passed since Gretchen lost her fiancé, but she still can’t sleep. Or paint. And her new home in New Orleans is either haunted or she’s finally going crazy.

Her bet is on the latter.

So when her best friend, Burke, offers to sweep her away to a private luxury island for a break, she can’t say no. Maybe if she can be someone else for a few days, the ghosts of the past will quiet. At least for a little while.

Burke knows what she’s going through. She lost her fiancé, but he lost family. He gets her in a way no else can. But lately she’s noticing things she shouldn’t about her former fiancé’s younger brother—his sexy smirk, that spicy Cajun accent, and the way he looks at her when he thinks she’s not paying attention. A week alone with him? Dangerous. If she blurs the lines between them, she could ruin the only friendship that means anything to her. She could ruin it all.

But the island of Eden has its own agenda. The island knows what you need. That’s what the invitation says. She just never imagines it will grant her the one wish that could destroy them both.

Contemporary Romance with a Paranormal Twist

*Part of the Invitation to Eden multi-author series but can be read as a standalone.

For more info on the seiers visit: www.invitationtoeden.com

But also, in celebration of the three releases, including Mari Carr's ROUGH DRAFT and Steena Holmes's RETURN TO SENDER, we are giving away three end of summer gift baskets with all kinds of fun stuff.

And all you have to do to enter is fill out the form below and sign up for our newsletters.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have a great weekend!

Made of Win Monday: Summer TV Shows

May 7, 2012 Roni Loren

I'm not going to pretend summer is my favorite season. It's actually my least favorite. I live in Texas so it's soul-scorching hot, my kidlet is out of school so it becomes a juggling act trying to find care for him so I can write, and I have to get in a bathing suit, like, in front of people. *shudders*

However, there is one bright spot in this hated season...summer only TV shows. Some of my favorite shows come on only in the summer. And watching them is almost enjoyable enough to distract me from the fact that I can't go outside for five minutes without wanting to do what this kid is doing with the hose.

So here are the ones I'm looking forward to the most...

True Blood

Oh Eric and Alicide, how I've missed you.

Big Brother

I think of all the reality competition shows this one is right up there with American Idol for me. This may be because it's the only show I imagine I could actually survive. But also, I'm fascinated by how trapped people manipulate and align themselves.

The Next Food Network Star

I'm a food reality show whore.

So You Think You Can Dance

It's like a methadone clinic to ease your American Idol withdrawals.

The Bachelorette

I know, I know, none of the relationships last. But I always have hope for the Bachelorette because the women typically choose their partners based on more well-rounded information. Unlike the Bachelors who pick women based on who will get naked for them first.

And a new one I'm looking forward to...

Around the World in 80 Plates

Did you miss the part above about my feelings on cooking competition shows? This one starts Wednesday.

So those are some I'm counting down to, how about you? What shows do you look forward to in summer? Or in general, what do you love about summer?