First and foremost: I am a slave to the movie theatre. On average, I probably see 2-5 movies a month, if not more. Just this past week (Sun-Mon), I’ve already seen ‘Domino,’ ‘The Fog,’ and ‘Waiting’. And of course, there are more I can add to this list over the past two weeks. However, this Friday, I am looking forward to seeing ‘North Country.’ It’s the story of a female mine worker who faces sexism and sexual harrassment on the job. From the trailers I’ve seen during recent movie viewings, this is bound to be an Academy Award winning film. The trailers alone grabbed me instantly, so I’m going to enjoy this one very much.

For Saturday, it’s time for a little action with ‘Doom,’ a computer game I enjoyed playing as a teenager that’s now been adapted to the big screen. Should be fun to watch.

Although word hasn’t got out yet, Michael McDonald has produced a new holiday CD exclusively for Hallmark cards. It features 10 tracks, 8 classics and 2 originals. I was fortunate to get a copy two weeks ago, and in usual McDonald flair, it’s absolutely a joy to hear. You’ll be rocking to this CD for many Christmas holidays to come. The CD will be officially available November 1st at all Hallmark Gold Grown Stores, but if you’re lucky, you might be able to pick one up now. Just call your local hallmark store.

For more information about the CD, read Hallmark’s press release.

A few thoughts crossed my mind yesterday about the experiences I’ve encountered in life. Chief among them were the loss of my father in 1991. I was beyond devastated — it transformed my life in many ways at the age of 12 years old. There are days when I fantasize about what could have been, then I’m awakened by reality. Today, I am 26 years old, and have learned from several ‘losses’ in my life. People very near and dear to me, who are no longer here, or in my life.

Life is a revolving door. And when we’re faced with an ending, there’s always a new beginning. Pain is a fact of life, whether it’s death, love, or injury. The difference is how we heal from it. If we spent the remainder of our lives wallowing in self-pity, self-destruction, and remorse, we would never recover from the initial loss of something.

When faced with trials in life, just remember there is always something new awaiting us. Life goes on, with — or without us.