The lineup of what the DPL staff have been up to lately.
Jessie’s Lineup
TV Show: Young Sheldon
Last year I watched all twelve seasons of ‘The Big Bang Theory’. I normally don’t like shows or movies that pre-date the original, but I gave ‘Young Sheldon’ a chance and it became my favorite. I recently rewatched it with my husband so we could watch the final season together. My favorite character to see grow throughout the series is Missy – she constantly had me laughing.
Availabe to check out hereor it is currently streaming on Netflix.
Hobby: Fishing
Some of my earliest and greatest childhood memories are fishing trips I took with my dad and uncle. Summer 2023 I started fishing again after a decade hiatus. I have been looking forward to filling my spring and summer with fishing trips with my husband and our friends to Kansas State Parks and maybe a few in bordering states. While I grew up primarily fishing for catfish, I have found that I enjoy bass fishing more. While it’s more about having fun and getting outdoors, my husband and I have made fishing into a small (read: maybe not small, because it’s all we’ll talk about when we’re in the height of our fishing season) competition on who will catch the most by the end of the summer.
Books:Wilderness Ridge Series
I found on Libby, by accident, the Wilderness Ridge series. There are six standalone books in the series written by two different authors. I first read “Pheasant Hunting Firsts” because my first hunting experiences with my uncles were during pheasant season. What I really enjoy most about these middle grade books are the representations of female outdoorsmen. Other than seeing a few women in my family fishing while growing up, I hadn’t seen other women outside of social media who hunted and fished. I think that having this representation in middle grade books is invaluable, because the outdoors is for everyone!
You can check out Pheasant Hunting Firsts here on Libby!
Restaurant: Old Chicago
For some reason Old Chicago has become my comfort food spot if we’re treating ourselves and going out to lunch or dinner. I love the atmosphere and the games you can watch from your table, especially if it’s a Texas A&M University game! If we’re at Old Chicago, we have to have appetizers – our go to is the Sicilian Pepperoni Rolls. Pepperoni and melty mozzarella, YUM. I’ve tried several items on the menu at Old Chicago, but my all-time favorite item is thin crust pizza called The Farmer’s Daughter. Fresh mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, pesto sauce and topped with fresh arugula & a balsamic drizzle. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Music: Cody Johnson – Leather Deluxe Edition
There’s nothing more that I love than live music. I’ve seen Cody Johnson in concert three times and each time it’s better than the last. When “Leather” was released in November 2023 it quickly became my favorite album to put on repeat. Typically, I don’t like extended or deluxe editions of music albums because there’s only a few additional songs added. The deluxe edition of “Leather” came with an additional thirteen tracks added – doubled the original track list!
The lineup of what the DPL staff have been up to lately.
Maycie’s Lineup
TV Show:Lost
I know…. I know. We’re only about 20 years late to the party but surprisingly, even 20 years behind everyone else we don’t know much about the enigma that is Lost. And what we have learned is that the farther you get into the show the less you actually know about it. Will we ever know where the polar bears came from or how Locke became paralyzed? Despite the ever-growing confusion at literally every single episode ending with a cliffhanger, we’re hooked and we’ll see it through all six insane seasons just to see if we ever get any answers!
Availabe to check out hereor it is currently streaming on Netflix.
Video Game:The Spirit and the Mouse
I’m big into cozy gaming and this is one that has been on my wish list for a while. The concept is that you play as a tiny mouse who works to bring happiness and light to the people in this small French village called Sainte-et-Claire. I’ve spent many nights now working with a spirit guardian named Lumion to gather up displaced “Kibblins” and return power to the villagers. It’s very cozy and I was super sad when I finished it.
You can learn more about The Spirit and the Mousehere for the Nintendo Switch.
Books:Percy Jackson& the Olympians andThe Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan
Thanks in part to the new Percy Jackson trilogy, starting with Chalice of the Gods, and in part to the new series on Disney+ I have spent most of my 2024 revisiting the demigods of Camp Half-Blood and their crazy quests. I worried that books that I started reading when I was 12 wouldn’t hold up to a reread as an adult but thankfully, I had nothing to worry about. Percy was/is as sassy as ever, Annabeth continues to be the coolest girl to ever exist and Grover never fails to make me laugh. There is never a dull moment in Percy’s life and I really enjoy each book in these two series.
Hobby: Quilting (and other assorted elderly lady activities)
I’m actually just an 80-year-old woman at heart and lately I’ve taken up quilting. I already have a basic knowledge of sewing and crafting things like cross stitching but I have upped my game by trying to undertake the beast that is quilt making. My go-to right now is putting on back episodes of Jeopardy and then diving into measuring and cutting and then trying to rematch seams of quilt blocks. I’m not great at it but I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it one of these days. When I’m not quilting you can find me cross stitching or knitting.
Music: Wicked: The Soundtrack
Anyone who knows me will not be shocked by this, but lately I have been dancing through life with this soundtrack on repeat. The cast of the new movie are all phenomenal singers and the new soundtrack is so wonderful! Someone somewhere at Universal has access to part two of this soundtrack (and the movie) and I need it now.
You can check out the Wicked soundtrack here or on Hoopla.
Music:Spotify playlist: ConfiDANCE(Song spotlight: Not 20 Anymore by Bebe Rexha; Okay Okay by Alessia Cara)
We all have our struggles. Two at the top of my list are mornings, and confidence. In an attempt to kill two birds with one stone, I created a Spotify playlist to start my mornings with a little pep. As soon as I turn off my alarm in the morning, I try to queue up this playlist, and keep it playing during my morning routine & trip to drop my oldest off at school. I sought out about half of the songs, knowing they already help me improve my mood on bad days. The other half Spotify suggested to me! A couple of my *new* favorites include Not 20 Anymore by Bebe Rexha, and Okay Okay by Alessia Cara.
Available on Spotify
Movies: He’s All That
I suppose I’m a shameless millennial. I was scrolling through the Netflix “coming soon” tab when I found this. She’s All That was one of my favorite movies for the years after it came out. I mean, Paul Walker you guys. Even as the jerk bad guy, he’s dreamy. Anyhow, it gave me all the teenage angst lovey-dovey vibes that I wanted. I had such high hopes for this movie. I watched it the day it launched onto Netflix. A little overzealous, I know. Anyway, they did a great job of giving the story line an update and making it current to today’s youth. The characters have the same personalities and attributes of attraction that the original actors did. Matthew Lillard and Rachel Leigh Cook even make an appearance! It didn’t live up to the original’s hype, for me, unfortunately. Perhaps that is just because those were my people, and I suppose that makes these ones my kids’ people. Whatever. Worth the watch—but maybe just once.
Available on Netflix
Television Show: Curious Creations of Christine McConnell
Some might say I’m a bit of an oddball. I would say I just really love Halloween, and spooky stuff, and all things weird. This Netflix series is all of those things and more. Christine is kind of a Martha Stewart of the…spooky variety. She shows the audience how to make beautifully creepy creations like cakes, tea services, and edible tree ornaments. She also has a host of strange Jim Henson-like creature friends who are always getting into mischief while she tries to teach us about her creations. It’s a strange show, but I suppose I’m a strange person.
Available on Netflix
Kid’s Television Show: Dug Days
My son is two, and I stay home with him during the daytime. It’s a fun age riding the line between constantly having to tell him, “no”, and staring at him with a big goofy grin on my face because he’s just SO wonderful. Watching him watch Dug Days does that second one to me. He just loves Dug. I’m not sure what it is—he’s not very verbal just yet—but the grin on his face when I turn it on just melts my heart. There’s only five or six shorts in the series, and they are short, but they are adorable and definitely worth the watch.
I read this series a couple of years ago and truly enjoyed it. I must have talked about it quite a bit, because when my husband decided to start an audiobook series (and the book he was hoping to read was checked out), he started listening to this series. I became very excited to enjoy the story with him—a tiny book club for two. The story was just as good the second time around! I’m not a huge fan of the narration of this series, but I am glad they got the same narrator for all of the books (so far); it made it a consistent read. I’m a sucker for a few specific things in stories, and this series seems to check all of those boxes.*sigh*
Are you a fan of free and inexpensive? I am a fan of free and inexpensive. Chirp is an audiobook application I learned about through their sister (e-book) company Bookbub (which you should also check out if you haven’t heard of them). After creating your account, you can select favorite genres, authors, and narrators. Based on these favorites, you will receive a daily e-mail with a list of books you can purchase at discounted prices! The only disadvantage is you have to listen to it through their app. It’s a free app and subscription, though, so I’d call that a win! All books suggested to me so far are $5 or less. You can also put audiobooks on a wish list, and the app will alert you if they ever go on sale! I, um, I’ve purchased more $5 audiobooks than I care to admit so far.
About two years ago we moved into a new place to make room for a new little addition to our family. It had everything we were searching for, if it was a little higher in the price range than we were hoping for. Anyhow, the basement was unfinished. This might be daunting for some (read me), but the benefit was worth it. I aspire to write– and when I’m not writing, I’m usually reading—so, one of the unfinished rooms in the basement has been reserved as an office/writing space for me sometime in the distant future. I guess I decided I wanted less distance, because I moved all my books back into storage and started working.
Man I underestimated the work that goes into a project like this. I was excited to paint, but forgot about the dry walling and mudding that had to occur first. I did a decent amount before deciding a garage sale to fund a professional to finish the work was probably the best idea. Now that is done, and I’m in the painting process. I love the gothic library look I’ve chosen, and I’m excited to decorate now. Again, I forgot how much work has to occur before that step can be taken, though. Baseboards, crown molding, door trim, window trim, carpeting, and installation of shelves ALL have to occur before I can decorate. Picking those items out is enjoyable, and the installation isn’t unenjoyable—but the bill that accompanies it? That’s is for the birds. So, my project is somewhere in the in-between now. Not exactly the distant future anymore, but further away from the now I was eager for. These things take time, I suppose.
ON MY RADAR: books on my “TBR” shelf, movies and television shows on my “Queue”, podcasts I’ve been eyeing but haven’t had the time to listen to yet. Things I haven’t bit the bullet and purchased, but really hope to sometime soon.
I am really big into skincare and have enjoyed the brand Paula’s Choice, so I knew I had to read this advice book written by her. She’s informative and blunt, so she doesn’t just promote her brand but other brands and different procedures as well. Paula debunks rumors and makes sure everything she recommends is backed with science, so this often means her opinion can change as science evolves, which I appreciate. Her honesty and knowledge are refreshing. I really liked how she doesn’t over-complicate things, so everyday consumers can read and have an understanding of what they should look for. My favorite piece of advice was about wearing sunscreen, which she reiterated throughout the book.
Available for checkout through the Derby Public Library
2.Documentary: Osage Murders: The Reign of Terror
After finishing up Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann, I went to look for more information about what the Osage people went through back in the 1920s. I ended up finding a documentary about the Reign of Terror, the name given for the period scanning three decades from 1910 into the1930s, which resulted in over fifty unsolved murders of wealthy Osage people in Oklahoma. The documentary was provided by the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority, a public broadcasting service network. The video is only about 28 minutes so it is not a long watch. It’s an interesting and important part of history that I’m happy I did more research on.
3. Podcast: Red Collar (episode: Superdad Psychopath)
The whole show takes a look at murders and crimes committed by seemingly well-off and great people. It is hosted by Catherine Townsend and the episodes are usually about thirty-five minutes long. The episode I took a listen to recently was about the Watts family murders in Colorado back in 2018. She really went into the financial troubles that the couple had always experienced. The podcast brought some details to light that I thought the media and the popular Netflix documentary skipped over. Townsend makes sure she’s thorough with her explanations and has facts to back up some theories and motives to consider. It was an interesting listen for sure and I plan to listen to more episodes.
This was hands down my favorite TV show growing up. Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends is a Cartoon Network original animated series about a foster home for imaginary friends no longer in need by their creators. It centers around a kid named Mac, his witty imaginary friend Bloo, and all the other residents and workers at Foster’s. It’s a really silly show that does center around comedy, but the serious moments are really heartwarming. The show is honestly just as great as I remembered it to be. The episodes are only about 25 minutes long, so it is an easy show to binge.
Available on the streaming platform HBOMax.
5.Article: The Day Treva Throneberry Disappeared
I am fascinated with true crime cases, especially the bizarre ones. This one really took me by surprise. Treva Throneberry decided to run away from her life in a small town in Texas, at the age of eighteen, all the way to the state of Washington to start anew as a sixteen-year-old. Through the article, you learn of her family life and her mental problems she was dealing with back in Texas as you get to know the life she was living in Washington. You also learn that she made impersonating a young girl her habit. I really liked that the article switches back and forth from her past and her life elsewhere all the way until her final arrest. It also talked about her unfair trial she had to go through given she was clearly mentally incompetent. Treva Throneberry’s case is a sad one, but I’m glad I took the time to read it.
