R is for Remember the Titans, RW/RR Challenge, Raven Boys, Remember, Rhianna

Movie:

Denzel Washington has been the star of many great movies.  One of my all time favorites is Remember the Titans.  I love a good sports story.  I also love movies that are based on real life events. Remember the Titans is about a football team in a suburb of Alexandria Virgina, that plays at T.C. Williams High School. In the 1970's segregation still had a major role in society.  T.C. Williams, an all white school was merged with a local black school.  In order to make the populous happy the school board asks Herman Boone an African American coach to take over coaching the team and integrate the two ethnic groups into one.  Bill Yoast the former coach is asked by Boone to be his assistant which at first is not accepted because Yoast is waiting to be part of the high school hall of fame and knows collaborating with Boone will only ruin his chances. The movie showed how one person can make a difference, and with Boone and coach Yoast's help the boys on the team, after a whole bunch of altercations come together to form a perfect winning season, with no losses.  I recommend this movie to anyone and everyone.  It's a great family movie and has an amazing message of equality and how if you work together you can achieve greatness.

Television:

Okay, it's time for a guilty confession.  I absolutely love reality t.v.! One of my favorites, although it
has gotten pretty stupid over the years, is the Real World/Road Rules Challenges on MTV.  I'm not sure why I like the Challenges, I think because of the unnecessary drama and hookups they always have.  When I was younger I always dreamed about being part of the Real World, traveling to a new place, meeting new people.  Of course I never tried out or anything but I always thought about it.  I think my favorite season was when Ex's had to partner up and try to win a challenge together, it was called Battle of the Exes. (Lots of Drama on that one!) When the show first aired it would have cast members from both Road Rules and the Real World together competing. Soon Road Rules was canceled and the Challenge started becoming primarily Real World Cast and newcomers.  If you like stupid adult/high school drama, then the Challenge is the show you should watch!

 

Book:

So I decided to write my R post on a book I have not read yet the Raven Boys.  The book is written by Maggie Steifvater, it's about a girl Blue Sergeant whose clairvoyant mother predicts that who ever she kisses or falls in love with will die.  Here is the synopsis per her website : Maggie Steifvater

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Gansey is different. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been told by her psychic family that she will kill her true love. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

The book sounds really interesting and I can't wait to read it!

My Book:

Okay so I decided to take a different route with my R post today.  There weren't any characters with a R first name that really meant anything to any of my books.  So I decided today I will write about the word remember.  In Keeping Secrets, Genevieve's older brother Charles gives her a memory book for her Graduation.  What does a memory book have to do with R?  Why is it important?  Well if I told you that I would have to kill you! Just kidding.  Genevieve has really shitty self-esteem issues and her brother is constantly harping on her to be more confident and less critical of herself.   He creates the book as a way to open her up and face her self-esteem issues head on.  Most of the time Genevieve never listens to what her brother says. In fact she dismisses everything fairly quickly.  So when she receives the book she is hesitant to read it.  When she finally does, she realizes that Charles's harsh words are necessary and helpful in some rocky spots that come up during her relationship with Dillon.  With the memory book, Genevieve's character is able to gain confidence, grow as a person, and be more level-headed in decisions she will have to make.  She will forever REMEMBER his words as long as she has that book.

Here is a snippet from the Memory Book: The very first page.

Genevieve, this was the very first time I held you in my arms.  Even at five I knew that I was holding the most amazing person ever to walk this planet.  Number one: on my list of things I love about you is your smile.  Even at a couple days old, that shy little smile was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.  I never believed in love at first sight until mom put you into my arms.  From then on, I knew that I would always love you, and protect you as much as I could. I take so much pride in being your brother, and look forward to all the years we have left together where I get to watch you grow, and achieve all your goals.

What's for Dinner?  Tuna Noodle Casserole

Song of the Day:

Rhianna - Disturbia