Throwback Thursday: I Love Lucy, Season One

I recently spent a week rewatching the first season of I Love Lucy. I discovered the show the summer before going into seventh grade. The VCR was super-helpful back in the day. I recorded the episodes each night and watched them in the morning before heading off to school.

This time I watched courtesy of interlibrary loan.

I thought I would share my top ten list of episodes from that first season.

1. The Young Fans. I love, love, love this episode. In this episode, a teenage girl, Peggy, falls head over heels in love with Ricky while a teenage boy, Arthur, falls in love with Lucy. SIDESTEP, SIDESTEP, SIDESTEP. Keep jiggling, Peggy.

2. Lucy Fakes Illness. This is probably my Mom's favorite episode--at least from this season. Lucy's illness--turns out--are the go-bloots. The go-bloots can lead to a person needing to have part or all of their zorch removed via zorchectomy. But even if the doctors are able to save half of a person's zorch, the person will never be able to trummle again. Trummling is an involuntary internal process that much is unknown about.

3. Ricky Thinks He's Getting Bald. I'll be honest, this isn't *my* third favorite episode. But it is my Dad's favorite episode. He walked in while I was watching it, identified the episode right away, and started quoting whole bits of dialogue. Since this is so unlike him, I concluded it must be a favorite to make that big an impression.

4. Lucy Does a TV Commercial. This one may be the most famous. I do like it. It is quotable. But those people knew what they were doing--they knew the alcoholic content of the product they were advertising. They kept having her drink big spoonfuls so she'd be ready for the commercial. They had to see that she was getting very tipsy. But they did nothing.

5. The Marriage License. I love this one that has the couple getting remarried. They go to a small town where one man seems to wear all the hats--do all the jobs. But that isn't quite true, it turns out.

6. The Amateur Hour. In this one, Lucy accidentally finds herself babysitting twins. The mom did not tell her--warn her--that there were TWO boys. It takes a while for Lucy to figure it out. POOR Lucy, those boys are WILD. But they do help her win a talent show when she takes their mother's place in the routine.

7.  The Ballet. One word: Martha. That's not quite true. IN this attempt to get into the show, Lucy first tries ballet and then a burlesque routine. She learns "Slowly I Turned..."

8. Pioneer Women. Lucy and Ethel are determined to win a bet with Ricky and Fred. Who can survive the longest living as if it was the turn of the century?

9. Breaking the Lease. What lengths won't Ricky and Lucy go to when they're determined to get out of their lease agreement?

10. New Neighbors. There were so many that could go in this last spot. But I like this one where Lucy pretends to be a chair to "escape" her new "Russian" neighbors who are ought to take over the country.

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Top Ten Bookish Goals for 2018

This week's topic is bookish resolutions for 2018. The host is That Artsy Reader Girl.

1. It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new ones. C.S. Lewis This quote was the inspiration for my new reading challenge. It is my approach for reading in 2018. So far, so good. I am LOVING keeping track on GoodReads. At a glance, I can tell that as of today--I've read 20 new books and 11 old ones.

2. To always be reading something old, something new, something borrowed, something true. That will keep me balanced not just new and old--see above--but balanced between reading my own books and library books, and nonfiction and fiction.

3. To go outside my comfort zone and read more short stories and listen to more books on audio.

4. To read the 2018 books as I receive them, not letting them pile up and get to be super over-whelming.

5. To keep up with my reading challenges and not play favorites. Not only keep up by reading the books, but also *reviewing* the books, and adding links to the challenge post.

6. To reread at least 24 of my favorite, favorite, favorite books.

7. To read new-to-me authors.

8. To be intentional about scheduling posts ahead. In a perfect, perfect scenario, I would LOVE to save two or three reviews each month and schedule them to post in December. So that December could be less stressful in terms of blogging.

9. To share more quotes in my reviews when I really love a book.

10. To read more classics.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Top Ten Tuesday: Dear Santa...

This week's Top Ten Tuesday subject from The Broke and the Bookish is Ten Books I'd like Santa to bring me.

1. 31 Verses to Write On Your Heart by Liz Curtis Higgs
2. The Ology: Ancient Truths, Ever New by Marty Machowski
3. The Radical Book for Kids: Exploring the Roots and Shoots of Faith by Champ Thornton
4. Devoted to God: Blueprints for Sanctification by Sinclair B. Ferguson
5. The Legacy of Luther by R.C. Sproul
6. Evangelical White Lies by Mike Abendroth
7. Saving the Bible from Ourselves: Learning to Read & Live the Bible Well by Glenn R. Paauw
8. The Last Lion: Volume 1 by William Manchester
9. The Last Lion: Volume 2 by William Manchester
10. The Last Lion: Volume 3 by William Manchester and Paul Reid

© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Ten Reasons I Love My Library

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish
This week's topic is "Ten Reasons I Love X -- could be a certain book, character, author, your indie bookstore, a fandom, a tv show, reading, a hobby, a genre. Honestly anything you want to gush about."

10. Running into relatives who also love to read.
9. Self checkouts....when they work. And also printed receipts are great. Instant bookmark.
8. The convenience of placing things on hold and having a holdshelf near the checkout.
7. The fact that the three branches of my library each have (different) nights of staying open late. 9PM close times are great!
6. I love being able to browse. I love happy accidents. Something catches my attention. A cover. A Title. An Author. A book spine. 
5. Weekly postings of newly ordered and newly received items.
4. Purchase request forms and interlibrary loans!
3. "Free" books, movies, CDs, audiobooks. (Free in theory, but, not for all. I live in a county that charges $50 a year. But it's ultimately worth it.)
2. The ability to TAKE RISKS with new authors and genres.
1. My library fuels my obsessions.

© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Top Ten Ramona Moments

To celebrate Beverly Cleary's 100th birthday, I thought I would share my top ten Ramona moments.

10. "Ramona Sits" from Ramona's World
Ramona cat-sits Daisy's cat. It is NOT a fun week. Seven days feels like forever. Especially when her Mom leaves her in charge of Roberta too--for a whole FIFTEEN MINUTES.
9. "Ramona's New Pajamas" from Ramona and Her Mother 
Ramona loves, loves, loves her new pajamas. But is it a good idea to wear pajamas under your clothes and go to school?! 
8. "Owl Trouble" and "Parents' Night" from Ramona the Brave
Poor Ramona! Susan and Ramona have ISSUES over their owls at art time. I feel for Ramona in this situation. The owl-drama continues. And Ramona writes the sweetest heart-felt note to her mom. COME HERE MOTHER. COME HERE TO ME. This chapter is just one reason why I love, love, love Cleary's writing. She KNOWS what it feels like to be a kid.
7. "The Quimbys' Quarrel" and "The Extra-good Sunday" from Ramona Quimby, Age 8
Ramona and Beezus complain about eating TONGUE. And the parents decide to punish them. Beezus and Ramona do not get out of their punishment: cooking a meal for the family. What do Ramona and Beezus know how to cook, or to cook well? It will be an experiment for sure.

6. "Ramona's Great Day" from Ramona the Pest
Ramona's first day of morning kindergarten. Her teacher is Miss Binney. The days has its ups and downs. But Ramona by the end of the day feels good about this thing called school. But will it last?! This is the chapter where Ramona asks Miss Binney HOW DID MIKE MULLIGAN GO TO THE BATHROOM?! 
6. "Supernuisance" "The Patient" and "The Book Report" from Ramona Quimby Age 8
Ramona gets sick at school and throws up in front of the class. She's so embarrassed. Her mom stays home to take care of her when she's sick. Ramona gets a homework assignment: a book report. Ramona has to read The LEFT BEHIND CAT for a book report, but, she doesn't like it. How to make the review entertaining? How about doing her report like a commercial? This is a funny chapter!
5.  "Beezus and Her Little Sister." from Beezus and Ramona
Ramona LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to have The Littlest Steam Shovel read to her. Her parents are unwilling to read it to her--they have come to have no tolerance for it. But Beezus, well, she'll read it to Ramona, not that she likes it, but, she'll give in now and then. She gets the idea to take Ramona to the library to get a brand new book--for two weeks. Ramona picks a new book, but, it is still about steam shovels. She likes it so much, that she does something NAUGHTY so she can keep it for always. What will Beezus do since it was checked out on her card? Just how sympathetic will the librarian be?
4. "Slacks for Ella Funt" from Ramona and Her Mother
What's the Quimby household like on a Saturday? Well, on this particular Saturday, it's an interesting one. Ramona wants to have a sewing project like Beezus and her mom. She decides that she will make her elephant a pair of pants. Does it go well? Not really. Could she have successfully made a skirt for her elephant? Most likely without any trouble. But stubborn Ramona wanted PANTS. When it doesn't end well, she gets upset, which leads to her doing something very naughty with a tube of toothpaste!
3. "The Sheep Suit" and "Ramona and the Three Wise Persons" from Ramona and Her Father
Christmas is a coming. Ramona wants to be a sheep. She volunteers her mom to make her a costume. (At least she didn't volunteer her mom to make all three costumes! So it could always be worse!) But will her mom have time to make the costume?! It doesn't look like it! Will Ramona get to be a sheep?
Pageant night! Ramona may not be wearing a satisfactory costume, but, will she go on and participate anyway? Three older girls filling in for the wise men may help her out! The book which has had its serious moments ends on a joyful tone.

2. "Ramona Says A Bad Word" from Ramona the Brave
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this chapter. I do. Ramona's had a horrible time of it throughout the whole book, and, she's had enough of it. She breaks down. She lets loose. GUTS. GUTS. GUTS. GUTS. But why is everyone laughing at her?! She wasn't trying to be funny! She was doing some serious venting!!!
1. "Ramona's Engagement" Ring from Ramona the Pest 
 This chapter is probably one of my FAVORITE chapters from the whole series. In this chapter, Ramona has issues with her boots. She doesn't want hand-me-down brown "boy" boots. She wants pretty RED boots that are obvious girl boots. She does get them eventually. But can she use them responsibly?! This is the chapter where Henry Huggins becomes Ramona's hero...much to Davy's relief. It has Ramona joyfully shouting that she WILL MARRY HENRY HUGGINS. She has a worm engagement ring and everything.

© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews