Year in Review...in the works

Hey all-

It's that time of year, writers, pundits, families, are all compiling a piece about the past year. A Year in Review type piece.

I've started writing one, too...in my head.

This week got busy and I haven't been able to put in as much time as I'd like to the piece, but I am going to write it. A lot happened this year for me and my family and my friends, and I'd like to pass some of it on. It'll be full of videos, photos, stories, and, of course, reflection on a big year. There was a lot of this...




And a quite a bit of this...




I hope to have the piece up, in full, by the end of next week.

Til then, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas Surprise -- Coming home to Oakley

I surprised my family this Christmas. I came home for the holiday.

I worked Christmas Eve, and with the help of some great co-workers, was able to take off just before 11pm. Driving 5 and a half hours, I got home at 4:30am and crept into my room. My brother, Kevin, was the only one who knew I was coming home and put a note on my door saying, "Christmas surprise...do not open!"

I woke up at 9:30 and heard my parents talking. This was it. I called them from the cell phone in my room. I heard the house phone ring and my mom answer. "Good morning, Bry!...Hello?" As she was on the phone, I walked down the hallway and said, "Hello!"

They were completely surprised!

We opened gifts Christmas morning. Everyone got a 2011 calendar with pictures from our family vacations over the past few years.

That afternoon we visited both sets of grandparents. Spending about an hour with my dad's parents, Nani and Nano. Then we had dinner with mom's parents, Grandma and Grandpa. When they exclaimed how happy they were I was home, I said, "I'm just glad to be here and to see you."

Delicious food and great company.

Christmas night we watched home movies from our family trip to Washington DC and New York City.

The remainder of the weekend held another surprise -- not the good kind and this time everyone was caught off guard.

My dad's dad, Nano, passed away unexpectedly.

But if there is one small bright side, it's that Christmas brought me home and I was blessed to be able to see and talk with him when I visited. And he got to celebrate the greatest of holidays with his family, too.

Silence your New Year's Resolution

Many of us make New Year's Resolutions, and like to share them with our friends and family.

But if you really want them to come true, maybe you should keep them to yourself.





So, following this logic, here are my New Year's Resolutions.
--Spend less money
--Work out five times a week
--Eat less junk food
--Adopt a pet
--Write better on this blog

Festive Follow: 4 and 5 (Festivus Double Edition)

Happy Festivus for the rest of us!

It's a two-parter to wrap up the Festive Follow this holiday season. Part 1 will feature videos, some you may have seen before and some you might not. Part 2 will showcase my favorite Christmas songs. ENJOY!


But first...a little photography to get you into the Festive mood...











SON OF CHRISTMAS pt. 1

Freshman year of college, I wrote a script that was chosen to go into production for our TV Production class at Saint Mary's. This is the film, "Son of Christmas." It's the story of Santa Claus' illegitimate son and what happens when he shows up at the North Pole.







SON OF CHRISTMAS pt. 2

And now the riveting (and only slightly confusing) conclusion to the holiday masterpiece, "Son of Christmas."






CAROLING

You can't stop Christmas caroling. And you can't help laughing at bad caroling.
This is one of those occasions.






ISN'T THERE ANYONE WHO KNOWS WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT?

One of the best scenes of any Christmas movie. Animated or otherwise.











SILVER BELLS - Bing Crosby and Carol Richards







SIMPLY HAVING A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS TIME - Paul McCartney






SLEIGH RIDE - Ella Fitzgerald






SKATING - A Charlie Brown Christmas






THE CHRISTMAS SONG - Nat King Cole

Family Christmas Visit

The fam-bam made the trek to Medford for an early celebration of Christmas in the Rogue Valley.

As a newbie on the Newswatch 12 staff, I'm working Christmas Eve and won't have time to travel back home for Christmas. So my family came up to spend a few days with me in Medford to celebrate the holiday.

It was excellent.

They arrived on Sunday before noon. I gave them a quick tour of my place and the Christmas decorations. This was the first time they've seen my place after I've lived in it.

We went to a nice lunch, then came back and all took naps. I was on the big couch, Mom on the small couch, Dad on the single chair, and Kevin in my bed.

We woke up a few hours later and drove through downtown Ashland. Seeing the lit up storefronts in the twilight of evening was beautiful, but add the light snow that was falling, and it was magical.

Dinner at Kaleidoscope. Excellent.

Sunday night we opened Christmas presents. Unwrapping presents made it truly feel like Christmas.

Monday morning we drove around then went to breakfast at nearby Farm House where the portions are bigger than our heads.

Then, another nap.

Then I went to work as the fam took a self-guided tour of the Rogue Valley.

Monday, I planned on taking Dad out to my live shot, but the clock was more evil than normal and I wasn't able to make it happen. This was the biggest let down I've felt in a while. I was really looking forward to that opportunity and I think he was, too. Hopefully, we can try again soon.

Tuesday consisted of a late wake up 10:00 and breakfast at Black Bear diner. Delicious.

I said earlier that unwrapping gifts made it feel like Christmas, but that wasn't the biggest thing. Being around my family, showing them my new home, going out to eat, watching sports, giving presents, and napping together made it feel like the holidays.

It was a great weekend.

Festive Follow: 3 of 5 (The Giving Season)

Part of Christmas is being around the people you love.

My roommate Nick and I, sharing a moment.

My good friend Amanda, illustrating that sometimes your friends are the ones who carry you through the day.

The Christmas season is more than candy and presents and hot chocolate and trees.

It's about love. In all its forms.

MY GROWN UP CHRISTMAS LIST - Michael Buble







I REALLY DON'T WANT MUCH FOR CHRISTMAS - Chris Botti & Eric Benet







I CELEBRATE THE DAY - Relient K

Come back Tuesday morning for the next Festive Follow!

What TV-makers watch on TV

What do the people who make TV watch on TV? Great question. Well, I can tell you what I watch.


These are the shows I DVR every week.

These are the shows I can't stop watching on DVD or Netflix.

What's my favorite show?

It might be this one.

It's silly and not the most stimulating.

But it's fun and reminds me of all the fantastic times in college.

Festive Follow: 2 of 5 (New takes on old classics)

Less than one week left 'til the big day...hope your tree is decorated!



HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS -- Relient K







SLEIGH RIDE -- Relient K






WINTER WONDERLAND -- James Taylor






SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN -- Bruce Springsteen







Festive Follow 3 coming Monday morning...

Work Last Week

TUESDAY: Two charter schools proposed for Rogue River School District
An old elementary school in Rogue River may be closed soon. Parents are already planning for what happens if that school shuts down.

THURSDAY: Plastic bags may soon be outlawed in Oregon
The state of Oregon might be the first to ban all plastic bags. The State Senate is drafting a bill that would prohibit all plastic bags...and some businesses and recycling companies are all for the ban.

FRIDAY: Holiday shopping hits late surge
Holiday shopping is huuuuuge in the ten days leading up to Christmas. As much as one-third of all holiday dollars are spent in that time period.

Science, it's the future.

It really is the future.

It's the giving season. Like many other businesses, Newswatch 12 has a Christmas tree with ornaments for needy children. Adam and I teamed up to buy a gift for 14 year old girl. We chose her ornament because she said wanted a science kit.

Anything to help spawn a future nerd.

What my place looks like

Here are the Christmas decorations adorning my living room.

My grandpa made the penguin.

Depending on how faithfully you read this blog, you may remember me saying that I bought something at Kelley and Emily's garage sale at the end of September. The small tree with red and silver ornaments is it. Red and silver for Ohio-born Emily's favorite college team, the Ohio State Buckeyes. Three dollars well spent.