Robin Hood, Season 3

Movie
Robin Hood, Season 3

Plot
After fighting in the Holy Land wars, Robin Hood returns home to live a life without his wife, Marian.

Starring
Jonas Armstrong, Gordon Kennedy, Sam Troughton, Richard Armitage, Keith Allen, Lucy Griffiths, Harry Lloyd, and more.

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The Review
Not having cable television, I had never heard of the series, Robin Hood, until I was offered a copy to review. At first, I was a bit lost as to what was going on in the series as it jumped right into the season three without offering a recap of the previous season(s). That, of course, had me reluctant to continue watching the series—as there is nothing worse than feeling as though you’ve come into the middle of a conversation without so much as the courtesy to give you a quick update. But soon, I put aside my frustrations and little by little was able to piece together some of the past events, thus making it easier to follow the rest of the season.

It seems that Robin Hood left home to fight the war in the Holy Land with King Richard. During that time, his wife, Marian, was murdered by Guy of Gisbourne. Angry and saddened by the loss of his wife, Robin returns home with vengeance on the mind and immediately sets out to kill Guy, give up his role as town savior, and disband his group of Merry Men.

The season opens with Robin Hood acting like a madman, being chased by his friends, as he yells at them to get out of his life. Then, recklessly, he goes after Marian’s murderer and nearly gets himself killed. That’s when a new character appears in the show, a monk by the name of Tuck. The monk sets out to help Robin find his way again—and in the end, save his countrymen from the evil sheriff, and those like him. From there, Robin Hood and his Merry Men work alongside Tuck to restore order.

I wish I could give the series a glowing review but I have issues with a few things. First, I didn’t like how Robin Hood fell for another so quickly after the death of his wife; especially when he was so distraught for much for the first season. Second, this season tends to jump around from one storyline to another, without a consistent flow or timeline. And Robin is reckless, while his Merry Men appear to act irrationally, often going against their better judgment, and reacting poorly to situations they should have “known better” about. And third, the whole plot with Robin’s long lost brother, his father reappearing, and Guy’s newly found “brotherhood” mentally totally put me off. I felt that it all came about too quickly and made the series take a turn for the worst.

Flaws aside, I couldn’t stop watching to see what would happen next—all the while wondering if Robin Hood was ever going to get his bearings back. Each episode was fast paced, the scenery breathtakingly beautiful, and the characters entertaining, in their own right. If I were asked if I would recommend the series, I would say it depends on whether or not you’ve seen the first two seasons and enjoyed them. If so, then this season gives the series closure—after all, Robin Hood dies in the end, and finds his way back to his wife, Marian. And that touching moment made the bad moments worth it.

Disclosure: I was given a sample to review. This is "my opinion" of the product. I was not paid to give a positive review.

Shepherd’s Fall by W.L. Dyson

This is a guest post by Tina L. Scott (formerly Miller). Tina is a freelance photographer from Merrill, Wisconsin with a passion for writing. She can be reached at PhotographyByTina.com


Book
Shepherd's Fall

Author
W. L. Dyson

The Review
Prodigal Fugitive Recovery is a family owned bounty hunting agency in Baltimore, Maryland, the only living legacy Roswell Shepherd was able to leave his children. Nick Shepherd is the oldest son, working full-time and then some to try to keep the business from sinking into a growing, gaping hole of debt. Bounty hunting—or fugitive recovery as it is more properly referred to—is in his blood. And it’s cost Nick darn near everything he has—his finances, his wife, his marriage, and now perhaps even his daughter, Krystal. Will this be the end of his life’s work?

Brother Steven Shepherd and sister Marti Shepherd are co-owners of the business and in many ways as different from Nick as night and day. While Nick is blue jeans and brawn with street smarts and an all-business attitude, Steven is crisply ironed tailored slacks and smiles with a knack for getting what he wants with a little less muscle. He handles collecting payment from clients for the agency while Nick hits the streets with his counterparts. Marti is the sister who has been MIA for years and the one person the bounty hunters can’t seem to hunt down, though they desperately need to find her if there is to be any chance of saving the business from financial
ruin.

Shepherd’s Fall is a fast-paced story of excitement, adventure, and danger. It will take you into the world of bounty hunters, the streets, and the lives of the criminal element in Maryland and keep you on the edge of your seat turning pages with suspense. But it will also introduce you to a host of characters you’ll come to know and love—like the other employees at Prodigal Fugitive Recovery: hard as nails former pro wrestler, Connor; hot and handsome Rafe; and Jenna, the widowed young woman and feminine touch at the agency who takes care of them all. You’ll also meet Jessica, Nick’s ex-wife, and Krystal, his very rebellious teenage daughter, who seems determined to do just about anything to get her parents’ attention—without any clue as to what she is getting herself into.

Then there is Annie, a woman whose story is playing out on the other side of Baltimore who is struggling just to survive and never dreams she’ll end up entangled in the drama that unfolds in the lives of the Shepherd family, but it soon becomes evident that she and her own personal story are very much an integral part of the plot of this story.

Finally, you’ll also meet the low-life element of the city—from drug dealers and prostitutes to murderers, weapons traffickers, hit men, bail jumpers, thieves, and thugs. And this is where it really gets interesting. What happens when one of those murderers vows revenge on Nick and his daughter, Krystal, and then escapes from prison? This is the fundamental tale full of twists, turns, and intricate connections you’ll read about in Shepherd’s Fall. Dyson weaves a novel of suspense with a complex cast of characters—and you won’t be able to put it down!

Surprisingly, faith is delicately interwoven into this tale of intrigue, suspense, murder, drug dealers, bail jumpers, bounty hunters, and family—and ultimately it is what brings the characters through the individual trials each will encounter throughout this story. This book is a great read with a complex plot and a great tie-up at the end. The only thing I couldn’t figure out by the time I finished was, “What’s the story with Marti?” However, at the end of the book I discovered an excerpt from a second novel to be called Shepherd’s Run that implies there is much more about the Shepherd family to learn in a continuing saga of the family bounty hunting business, and I am hopeful I will find the answers to cure my curiosity in the next volume.

At the end of the day, this story has a powerful lesson to teach—about faith, family, and what’s really important in life. Even more, it demonstrates the need for each of us to live our priorities every day, not just think about them while we go on about the hurry and scurry of crazy busy lives focused on other things.

Order Shepherd's Fall Today!

Disclosure: The reviewer received a complimentary copy of the book to review.

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This post was sponsored by The Dabbling Mum.

For more articles like this, check out The Dabbling Mum eMagazine.

Bon Appetit

This is a guest post by Tina L. Scott (formerly Miller). Tina is a freelance photographer from Merrill, Wisconsin with a passion for writing. She can be reached at PhotographyByTina.com

Book
Bon Appetit

Author
Sandra Byrd

The Plot
Okay, I’ll admit it. I didn’t read Sandra Byrd’s first book, Let Them Eat Cake,
before reading Bon Appetit. And, I didn’t read the back-cover copy either—because I didn’t want to know anything that was going to happen prior to curling up with the book. But now, after reading Bon Appetit, I am anxiously awaiting the release of the third book scheduled for late 2009—and 2009 isn’t even here yet! You see, this novel enthralled me and I can’t wait to see what comes next in the French Twist series and in Lexi Stuart’s life.

Bon Appetit begins with Lexi’s arrival in France and the culmination of her lifelong dream to come to this country of exquisite cuisine and to study at L’Ecole du Patisserie, a prestigious school for aspiring pastry chefs. She’s ready to immerse herself into the French culture and make this her home. But life in a new country is harder than Lexi anticipated. Although she knows the language well, except for making a few faux amis mistakes, she is lonely. She misses her family, her friends, the man she had begun dating prior to embarking on her foreign adventure, and her illusions of what it would be like to live in France. Unfortunately, she doesn’t feel very welcomed—by the people of France, her co-workers, or the professors and other students at her school.

The Lesson Learned
Given time and faith, however, God reveals surprises for Lexi in France—a new English speaking church that enables her to grow her faith, the friendship of a child named Celine who gives her the gift of immediate and unconditional love, mentors in the workplace that teach her to perfect her baking skills, a new friend at school who needs Lexi as much as Lexi needs her, and even a potential new love interest—although she doesn’t want to admit it even to herself at first.

The Review
I don’t want to give away the ending, but I can tell you this: You will thoroughly enjoy reading about Lexi’s experiences, challenges, adaptations to a new culture, and her internal feelings and struggles as she masters new culinary techniques, explores Paris and other French treasures most of us can only dream of experiencing firsthand, and finds herself—and her faith—growing stronger each day. And along the way, she finds something else. She finds acceptance. From the French people, her new friends, and herself.

This is a wonderful story! Thoroughly engaging, saturated with references to French culture and sweet delicacies and culinary delights bakers and chefs will enjoy, and laced with romantic undertones, Bon Appetit is personable, heart warming, entertaining, and a great read!

Order Bon Appetit today!

Disclosure: The reviewer received a complimentary copy of the book to review.

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This post was sponsored by The Dabbling Mum.

For more articles like this, check out The Dabbling Mum eMagazine.

Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone Ultimate Edition

I had the opportunity to review the Ultimate Edition of Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone over winter break and can I just say, “WOW!” It is an amazing collection of extras that no Harry Potter fan should be without.

I Recommend Your purchase supports this site.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to work in the film industry, if you’ve ever wondered what goes into creating a true masterpiece, if you’ve ever wondered why films often deviate from their book counterparts, or if you’ve longed for “more of Harry Potter” then the Ultimate Edition series your best bet. And that’s saying a lot because I don’t normally find the “extras” to be worth the extra money involved in buying an upgraded version of the film. But, in this case you seriously cannot go wrong.

If you waited to own any of the Harry Potter movies, now is the time to buy. The videos appear to be slightly cleaner/crisper, the sound quality is also better, and the special features are amazing!

You get a picture-in-picture commentary by the cast and crew, a detailed documentary of the filming of the The Sorcerer’s Stone, an in-depth look into the casting, a conversation with the filmmakers, deleted scenes, extended scenes, tours of Hogwarts, galleries of art, trailers, and tv spots, fun tid-bits on why certain aspects of the film deviates from the book, and lessons about potions, Quidditch, and more.

But bonus features aren’t all you get in the Ultimate Edition, you also get the theatrical version and the extended version of the film, two discs full of special features, a digital copy of the film for your iPod or computer, two character cards, and a miniature 48 page photo book with photos of both characters and scenes from the film. (Personally, I found the photo book to be a waste of space, but my daughter thought it was perfect.)

Here’s the catch, each special feature leaves you wanting more and the only way you can get the rest of the scoop is to purchase the next series in the Ultimate Edition—which isn’t cheap.

And that brings me to the downside… if you’ve already purchased the entire series you’ll have to purchase them again because the only way to get the bonus features is to buy the Ultimate Editions of each film. And that’s truly a shame. In an economy that is hurting financially, it would have made more sense for Warner Brothers to offer fans two choices: the bonus features as a special collection or the Ultimate Editions.

Disclosure: I was given a sample to review. This is "my opinion" of the product. I was not paid to give a positive review.

Take Care Of Yourself, Woman

When I received an email, last year, requesting that I help put together a special report on taking care of ourselves as women, I jumped at the opportunity. What I got back from writing that report was far more rewarding than the pay, though I cannot complain about that—either!

First, I discovered that women are prone to sacrificing themselves for the sake of others, for the sake of duty, for the sake of…and it’s not out of some warped complex to appear a martyr, either. Women are natural caregivers. We feel fulfilled and satisfied in life when we are giving of ourselves to others.
There’s only one problem with this—one very fatal problem—there’s no one taking care of us. And thus, over time, our bodies begin to fall apart—first our physical looks, then our emotional well-being, then the inner workings of our bodies, and eventually our spiritual well-beings, too.

It’s time that we make room for ourselves ladies! It’s time that we stop trying to be Super Women, Super Moms, Super Powerhouses and we start taking better care of ourselves!

After writing the piece mentioned above, I contacted a few experts and asked if they would be gracious enough to share a few tips with you—and here's what they had to say…

Become Your Own Best Friend

Tricia Carlisle-Northcutt, http://www.rightbrainstrategiespr.com/

You must learn to be your own "best friend"; to laugh at yourself with love, to cry when you are sad, to believe you are unique and special and important. You must make time to care for yourself the way you would your “other” best friend. When you accept who you are, you can love and accept who others are, too.


Eat More Mindfully

Michelle May, M.D., http://amihungry.com/


1. Choose food that nourishes your body and your mind. Get out of autopilot and turn every meal into a nurturing, mindful moment.

2. Whenever you feel like eating, ask yourself, “Am I hungry?” This simple but powerful question will help you recognize the difference between an urge to eat caused by the physical need for food and an urge to eat caused by head hunger.

3. Ask yourself what you really want to eat and remember that all foods can fit into a healthy diet because deprivation and guilt cause more overeating.

4. Eat mindfully by reducing distractions: turn off the TV, move away from the computer, get out of the car. Sit down to eat—even if it’s just a snack.

5. Appreciate the appearance and aroma of your food and savor one small bite at a time by putting your fork down. You’ll eat less food but enjoy it more.

6. Stop when you’re satisfied, not when you are uncomfortable. A great goal is to feel better when you are done eating than when you started.

Tone Your Tummy

Kimberly Henrie , http://www.exclusiveathleticclub.com/

Your stomach is at the core of all you do. Treat it well and it will treat your body well.

Before you rise out of bed each morning, lie on your back and do slow, steady abdominal crunches for 30 to 60 seconds. Do this before you even attempt to get out of bed.


Stretch Throughout Your Day

Karen Shopoff Rooff, http://www.balancepft.com/

Stretching requires focus and deep breathing, both of which relieve stress. By doing a few stretches for 15-30 seconds throughout the day, you keep blood flowing to your muscles, maintain flexibility, and claim moments of relaxation.

Build Exercise into Your Work Day

Phyllis Harber-Murphy, http://morethan925.com/
Exercise releases feel-good hormones called endorphins. You don't need a lot of time or money to get exercise, either. You just need to start walking at least ten minutes a day. Here are some tips to get you started on a walking program:

1. If you take public transit, walk one stop further than your usual boarding point and/or get off one stop before your regular stop and vice-versa on the way home.

2. If you drive, park your car in the space furthest from the door, but be sure that the parking lot is well-lit and/or you have an escort to return to your car on dark winter evenings.

3. If you work in a multi-story office, and it's safe to do so, take the stairs when you have to visit another floor.

4. Although it is not time-management savvy, make several trips to the copy machine every day, rather than saving it all for one trip.

5. Stand up and move around your office space while talking on the phone, but not too strenuously – you do need to hold up your end of the conversation.

6. Walk every aisle of the grocery store even if you don't need anything on that aisle...just don't put that carton of ice cream or bag of potato chips into your trolley; and finally.

7. Don't just sit there – fidget! According to the Mayo Clinic, you can burn up to 350 calories a day just by fidgeting. These small steps will soon add up and you'll be looking for other ways to increase your level of exercise as you begin to feel better and look better.
Remember, every journey starts with a single step.

Watch Your Coping Mechanisms

Dr. Shannon Simonelli, http://drsimonelli.com/

When we are faced with unplanned, unexpected difficulties we have an opportunity to see what our traditional coping strategies are.

• Do I go to the cookie jar?

• Do I make frequent trips to the kitchen cupboards?

• Do I go shopping and overspend?

• Do I treat myself to the spa or get my nails done?

• Do I go to the gym and burn off steam?
In hard economic times some of your traditional coping strategies may no longer be an option. Although difficult, this provides you with an opportunity to return to simpler, more heart-full ways of nurturing and supporting ourselves.

It’s important that you get to the heart of the matter. What are you looking for in your coping strategies? Connection, comfort, to feel better? Look inside your heart to reconnect with what sustains and nourishes you: friendships, hobbies, outdoor activities, moving your body, laughing and playing. Even if you invite friends over for dinner rather than go out, you can ask them to bring a dish to share and get creative with your budget.
A shift in thinking and behavior will allow you to feel much better in hard times. We are on an adventure now, an adventure to make more with less, to turn to each other and to our own heart for deeper meaning, comfort, sustenance and nurturing.

Humor Therapy Is Always Affordable

Alan Smith, http://unbreakyourhealth.com/
Mentioned in the Bible, humor is one of mankind's oldest complementary and alternative therapies. In 1964 Norman Cousins wrote “Anatomy of an Illness” documenting how his health improved with his do-it-yourself humor therapy program. Today even the American Medical Association recognizes “Humor Therapy” because it relieves stress, produces pain-reducing endorphins, oxygenates the blood and provides exercise for the sedentary. So take a moment today to laugh and find joy in your life, your health will be better for it! (Rent a comedy, attend a comedy show, tickle a loved one).


Give Yourself A Massage

Anita Boser, http://vitalselfinc.com/

Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent. Inhale and press your ribs into the floor. Exhale and gently press your low back into the floor. With each breath emphasize different parts of your back, around your shoulder blades, even around your sacrum. Create a flow between your breath and movement to facilitate relaxation, getting to each and every spot that wants your attention. Rest to let the tranquility settle into your being before you get up. This self-created massage gives you two benefits. It relaxes the back and strengthens your core muscles.

Fun in the Great Outdooors

Aliesa George, http://www.centerworks.com/

Nothing helps adjust your mental attitude like time spent outside in nature paired with some vigorous physical activity. It might be a walk, skating around the park, jogging on the beach, bike riding on a nature trail, or some form of self-taught “circuit-training boot camp” (stopping at every park bench, bridge, and piece of playground equipment to do an exercise or stretch.), but getting outdoors and doing something lightens your mood—and is good for the body, the soul, and the mind. By the time you've finished a quick 30 minutes you'll be stress-free, invigorated, and happy!

Control Breath, Control the Effects of Stress

Terri Morrison, http://mindfulmotion-yoga.com/

One of the most powerful relaxation techniques available to you—whether at the office, standing in line at the grocery store, or waiting for the traffic light to change—is to simply control your manner breathing which allows you to let go of stressful thoughts.

To control your breathing, begin by noticing the breath. Mentally watch it. Is it slow or fast? Is it deep or shallow? If you are feeling stressed, it is likely to be short and shallow.

Begin to lengthen your breath, counting the inhalation to a slow count of three. Match the exhalation to a slow count of three. Do this for a few breaths. Then increase the inhalation and matching exhalation to the count of five. Imagining your breath as a pendulum, inhaling one direction, exhaling the other direction, taking notice of the split second where the pendulum is suspended before swinging the opposite direction. Finding in that moment of suspension; a cessation of all thought and worry.


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This post was sponsored by The Dabbling Mum.

For more articles geared towards busy parents, check out The Dabbling Mum eMagazine.