five friday favorites #8: week of nov. 28, 2014

Happy Black Friday! Once again, I'm shopping from the comfort of my home, which isn't a Friday Favorite, but it could be ... until I get my credit card statement, of course.

1. Serial

About a month ago, my sister told me that I should be listening to Serial, this new podcast offshoot of This American Life. Last Friday night, I finally got around to listening to the first episode. Around noon on Saturday, I finished up episode 9, which is as far as the podcast goes so far. I am obsessed. 

Serial is the story of Adnan Syed, who was convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend in 1999. Host Sarah Koenig unpacks the story little by little each week, and each week, my opinion of Adnan's guilt or innocence shifts a bit.

Serial is a huge hit, and if you're not listening yet, you definitely should be.

2. Slate's Serial Spoiler Specials 
Serial wasn't new this week because of Thanksgiving, so I went in search of something to fill the Serial void ... and I found this. Each week, following the release of the latest Serial episode, Slate puts out a podcast about the episode. Generally, they stick solely to what has been revealed on Serial, but this week, they put out a special "extra spoilery" edition where they talk about some of the extra information and theories you can find online. Soooooo interesting! At one point (and this is about to get just a tad spoilery for you who aren't listening to Serial yet), they put out this alternate theory about who could have killed Hae that made perfect sense ... until it hit me that Jay knew where the car was parked, so this other theory doesn't work for that reason. I feel like I could discuss Serial for hours, so I love that Slate is bringing me a discussion podcast.

3. Decorating for Christmas
I used to be one of those people who didn't decorate until after Thanksgiving. Not so anymore. I spent most of last Saturday decorating my house--while listening to Serial. (Normally, I watch a Christmas movie or listen to Christmas music, not listen to a podcast about murder. But in this case, I think it was a good change!)

I decided to display my Christmas dishes this year because I normally forget about them and don't use them at all during the season. So far, it's been working!

Of course, if you have animals in the house, decorating is a bit risky. For example, this is what happened last year:

So far this year, Isis has been wreaking the most havoc, though Skaara is the only one to actually climb into the tree (that I know of ...), and nothing has been broken yet. Hopefully, everything will survive!

4. Time with Family
Thanksgiving is often a great time to see family. Blendy came home early Wednesday morning, and we were able to spend a lot of time together. I introduced her to Serial, she hung out with my cats, we decorated Mom's Christmas tree (while watching D2: The Mighty Ducks, thus continuing my streak of decorating with entertainment that's decidedly un-Christmasy), and we watched tons of Food Network.

Isis is never happier than when Blendy is home.

Tonight, we had Ritta Thanksgiving, and everyone except Val & Greg made it. (They're the only ones not currently living in the state.) I had so much fun! Of course, it reiterated just how terrible of a Dutch Blitz player I am, but I had loads of fun in the losing :-)

My brother and sister-in-law arrived at my parents' house a couple hours prior to Ritta Thanksgiving, and somehow, Andrew and I ended up playing a ridiculous game with a ball and tennis racket. It reminded me of the games we would make up at my grandma's house when we were kids. And basically, we're lucky we didn't break anything ...

This video doesn't show too much, but I tossed the ball to him, and he tried to smack me with it. And it was a blast.

5. Standing Desk
A couple months ago, I read an article about how bad it is to sit at a desk for eight hours a day. For quite some time, I'd been having lower back pain that radiated into the back of my left leg, so I decided to give standing a shot. I rigged up my desk like this:

It wasn't pretty, but it worked. The last time I had leg pain like I previously described was sometime during the first week of standing, so standing is definitely worth it. I decided that I would keep standing for the foreseeable future. Then about a week ago, my boss told me to go ahead and order myself a real standing desk. Once it came, I had to assemble it ... which wasn't a problem, as assembling furniture is one of my favorite things to do!

Then our computer guy helped me get everything moved and situated just like I wanted it. I still have to clean out my old desk, and we need to figure out where to put the things I had in my desk drawers, but basically, it's good to go. I'm so happy to have this desk!

What things are you enjoying this week? Be sure to check out the other favorites in the linkups at A Little Bit of Everything and Housewife Glamour, too!

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movie mondays: christmas movies to stream

A couple weeks ago, I talked about all the Hallmark Christmas movies you can watch.

But what if you don't have the Hallmark Channel?

You could always rely on your massive collection of Christmas movies.

Wait, that's just me?

Well, then, that's where Netflix and Hulu come in. Chances are, you have a subscription to at least one of them--and if you don't, you should definitely check out Hulu, as some films are streamable on your computer without a Hulu Plus subscription. (Unfortunately, Amazon Prime doesn't offer much in the way of quality Christmas movies--though I know your definition of "quality" may differ from mine!) The choices range from classics to sappy romance to kids' movies and everything in between, but I'm going to focus on (what else?) sappy romance. Below are some of my favorites:

Love at the Christmas Table starring Danica McKellar, Lea Thompson, Scott Patterson
This one was just on Lifetime the other night, so I watched it again. It all takes place on Christmas Eve throughout the years and focuses on two kids who grow up together and slowly fall in love. As far as Christmas movies go, it's one of the more realistic ones. Watch on Hulu.

Holiday Engagement starring Bonnie Somerville, Jordan Bridges, Shelly Long
This one is a bit more on the ridiculous side, but I do enjoy it! Plus, it's technically a Thanksgiving  movie, so it should satisfy my sister who's always complaining that Thanksgiving never gets its due. Hillary's boyfriend Jason dumps her just before Thanksgiving, when he's supposed to finally meet her family, so she hires David to pose as Jason through the long weekend at her parents' house. Of course, sparks fly. Bridges is playing essentially the same character as he did in the Tori Spelling gem Family Plan--an actor hired to play a desperate woman's significant other--but that repetition doesn't bother me in the least. He's definitely good at the role! Watch on Netflix, Hulu.

The 12 Dates of Christmas starring Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Amy Smart
I've written about this one before. So cute ... especially if you love Mark-Paul! It's basically Groundhog Day on Christmas Eve. Watch on Netflix.

A Christmas Kiss starring Brendan Fehr, Laura Breckenridge
Is A Christmas Kiss ultimately ridiculous? Yes! But it's also so enjoyable. Aspiring interior designer Wendy meets the man of her dreams in an elevator. The only problem? He's her horrible boss Priscilla's boyfriend. The whole thing stretches credulity--why would Adam be with someone as dreadful as Priscilla in the first place, and how could he be so dense as to not recognize Wendy?--but it's always entertaining. Also, look for The Lizzie Bennet Diaries' Jane (Laura Spencer) in a supporting role. Watch on Netflix.

Holiday in Handcuffs starring Melissa Joan Hart, Mario Lopez
While we're talking ridiculous yet enjoyable (and continuing with the Saved by the Bell theme) ... Trudy's boyfriend breaks up with her right before Christmas (sound familiar?), so, out of desperation, she kidnaps a handsome man who comes into the diner she works at. In real life, this woman would be going to jail. On ABC Family, the two fall in love. Watch on Netflix.

A Princess for Christmas starring Katie McGrath, Sam Heughan, Roger Moore
This is one of the few recent Hallmark offerings that is available to stream. When I first watched A Princess for Christmas several years ago, I thought it was incredibly lame. But then I caught it again on Hallmark the other day, and I thought it completely adorable. Plus, it stars Sam Heughan, who I know many women have come to love on Outlander. Watch on Hulu.

Have I missed any? What Christmas movies do you like to stream?

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five friday favorites #7: week of nov. 21, 2014

Look at me, posting my Five Friday Favorites on Friday! This is progress, people! Today, I'm linking up at Housewife Glamour and A Little Bit of Everything.

1. Michael W. Smith's Christmas Music
There is so much Christmas music out there, and I love listening to a variety, but I'd really be happy with just three things: Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You," Amy Grant's Home For Christmas, and all the Michael W. Smith Christmas music I can get my hands on. I even created a Spotify playlist for myself that's just MWS Christmas music, and I've been listening to it on repeat at the office. (I know, I know--it's not even Thanksgiving yet. But I held out a whole 17 days longer than I did last year, and I waited until after our first snow. I think we can officially be in the Christmas season now.)

This year, MWS has a new Christmas album out, and, as you'd expect, it's absolutely fantastic! You can listen to The Spirit of Christmas free on Spotify, but I'd definitely recommend buying it. It's so great! Here's the trailer to give you a taste:


2. Chatbooks
Have you heard of Chatbooks? I hadn't until I saw a post about them on Michelle Money's Instagram. (Why, yes, I do follow several Bachelor/ette people on Instagram!) Chatbooks takes your Instagram photos and prints them in 60-page books for $6 each (free shipping). I just got my first shipment in the mail, and I'm in love!

3. Cat Collars
Not very glamorous, I know, but these are definitely a favorite this week. Let me explain ...

When my cats were outdoor cats, I kept collars on them all the time. And they ditched them all the time, so I spent a small fortune in cheap cat collars. Since we moved, each cat has been in the same collar the whole time. I wasn't too concerned about the collars, though, because they're indoor cats. Then, just over a week ago, Isis decided to jailbreak. Fortunately, my friend noticed her outside, and I was able to get her back in with no problem. But now that she's had a taste of the outdoors again, I'm afraid she'll keep trying to get out. (If you know Isis at all, you know this a strong possibility.)

I decided the cats needed to have ID tags ... and then I found these on Amazon. A collar with name and phone number embroidered on it is genius! These collars also came with free tags, so I went ahead and got them, too. The collars came earlier this week, and I'm thrilled with them. Here's hoping no one will ever need to use the collar info to contact me, but it gives me peace of mind to know that my cats are "marked."

4. The West Wing
Earlier this year, I marathoned The West Wing in two months. (I talked about it here.) It easily ranks in my Top 5 shows of all time. The other night, I was looking for something to watch while making dinner, and, for some reason, The West Wing came to mind. I put on the pilot episode, and now I'm once again hooked. Josh, Donna, CJ, Charlie, Leo, Danny ... these are like long-lost friends! If you've never watched The West Wing, you really must. I watched it on Amazon Prime, but it's sadly not available there anymore. If you have Netflix, though, you're in luck. This show is most definitely worth your time.

5. Tonight Show Videos
Normally, I read on my lunch break. But not this week. This week, I've become rather obsessed with Jimmy Fallon's celebrity games on The Tonight Show. There are so many funny videos, but this one made me laugh so hard I cried:


Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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five friday favorites #6: week of nov. 14, 2014

It's hard to believe I've been doing these Friday Favorites for six weeks now! (Thanks for the suggestion, Val.) Some weeks the list practically writes itself (like last week), and other times I really struggle to come up with five favorites (like this week). But I will prevail--even if I have to post on Saturday again! Once again, I'm linking up at Housewife Glamour, and this week, I'm also linking up at A Little Bit of Everything.

1. This Guy

He adores me, and I adore him. In fact, he's sleeping on my lap as I type this.

2. Reading Excellent Books
As you know, I read all.the.time. I enjoy most things I read, but sometimes I come across books that I just can't get enough of. This happened to me twice this week. First, it happened with Julie Lessman's new release, Surprised by Love. I read the entire 400-page novel Sunday afternoon and evening. I absolutely could not put it down! It's book three in her "Heart of San Francisco" series, and, while I felt a little off-kilter at first since I hadn't read the first two books, I quickly adapted. This book will most likely make my "Top 10 Books of 2014" list. You can see my review here.

The second "can't put this down" book was a novella in the Where Treetops Glisten anthology: "I'll Be Home for Christmas" by Sarah Sundin. Sundin has been one of my favorite authors for several years now, with each book of hers that I've read appearing on my year-end Top 10 list. This novella is just as good as any of her books, and now I'm really wishing I didn't have to wait until next August to read her next novel! My review of all three novellas in the book is here.

3. Hot Drinks
We have this problem in my office: the heater doesn't keep up. I work in a very old building, and the boiler went out last year. Instead of replacing the boiler (we don't know how long we'll still be using my building), the administration decided to put in a heating system. The problem? The heat comes through the vents the air conditioner uses ... in the ceiling. So the air just kind of hangs out near the ceiling, and we're left freezing several feet below. We tried a myriad of things to keep warm:

My coworker Daurice hung this blanket over the student mailboxes to help with the draft, as the hallway is no longer heated. It makes a huge difference!

We wore blankets, scarves, and gloves throughout the day and brought in space heaters for our feet.

My coworker Steph came to my office for a meeting and closed the door. What a difference! This wasn't my favorite solution, as I don't like being shut off from everyone else, but it definitely made the rest of the work day more comfortable.

Then it was my genius father to the rescue! He had the brilliant idea of taking the diffusers off the vents so the heat would shoot directly down into the room. (This is a shot up into the air vent.) We still need the blankets for our laps and the space heaters for our feet, but overall, the office is now bearable.

My favorite way of coping with the cold is by drinking hot drinks! We went through so much hot water in the office this week because we were all constantly getting something hot to drink. I drink a lot of hot tea, but sometimes you need something with a little more substance. Enter Alton Brown's hot cocoa! This stuff is fantastic--it has a deep chocolate flavor and isn't too sweet. And one cup lasts me a long time--with coffee and tea, I drink really fast, but, for whatever reason, I just sip this hot cocoa. If I need a bigger caffeine kick, I just sprinkle in some instant coffee, which we have in spades in the office.

4. The Nine Lives of Christmas
I talked about this a little bit in my latest Movie Mondays post, but it deserves some expounding upon. Before I watched it, I was skeptical because sometimes animal movies don't come off so well. (For example, the completely dreadful My Boyfriends' Dogs, another Hallmark original.) I think this one succeeded because the cats were a part of the story but not the focus. Also, the writing is a step above most Hallmark fare. Veterinary student Marilee (Kimberly Sustad) is completely likeable, and fireman Zach (Brandon Routh) may be a little dense when it comes to love, but he is absolutely adorable. Gregory Harrison has a supporting role as the wise fire chief. (Harrison starred in one of my other favorite Christmas movies, A Christmas Romance. I reviewed it here.)

This photo makes me laugh because these two were never together in these outfits in the film ...
but they do make a striking pair! (Photo from the Hallmark Channel.)

I've now watched The Nine Lives of Christmas twice (it was on Hallmark again last night), and I think it's safe to say it's my favorite Hallmark Christmas movie. Period. Unfortunately, the demand for the DVD seems to be higher than what Walmart (who is the only retailer selling it) anticipated. I preordered my copy on Monday, and on Wednesday, I got a message stating it was unavailable, and they didn't know when it would be back in stock. Boo!

Seriously, can you look at this photo without smiling?
The scene it's from is completely adorable, too. (Photo from the Hallmark Channel.)

5. Misfit Shine
I can't believe the Misfit Shine hasn't been one of my Five Friday Favorites yet--quite the oversight on my part! I purchased this activity/sleep monitor (like a cheaper Fitbit) in July through a Kindle Special Offer. If you have a Kindle Fire and don't have special offers enabled, you're missing out. Every so often, Amazon will offer a deeply discounted item that's only available for purchase through a Fire for a limited time. Most of these items aren't ones I'm interested in, but every so often, a gem comes through--like the Misfit Shine. I love that it tracks my steps, but even more than that, I love that it tracks my sleep. It took years, but I've finally realized how important a good night's sleep is for me. It may sound crazy, but now that I'm actually tracking my sleep, I'm more inclined to go to bed at a decent time. This thing is worth every penny I paid for it!

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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movie mondays: countdown to christmas

"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!"

OK, not really. Not yet. Unless, of course, you're the Hallmark Channel.

For Hallmark Channel, the Christmas season began October 31. Yes, on Halloween. This surprised me, as Hallmark has the Good Witch movie franchise (and upcoming series), and Halloween would seem like the perfect time for a marathon. Not that I'm complaining ...

Hallmark runs their Christmas movies all day, every day (except for weekday morning episodes of their Home & Family talk show). I suppose this is nice for insomniacs. In fact, my dad told me the other day that each time he got up in the night, he turned on the TV just to see which movie was playing. (My dad shares my intense love for Hallmark movies. My mom does not.)

With the plethora of Christmas movies on Hallmark, how do you know which ones are great, and which ones are a waste of time? Well, I'll tell you, of course! Just keep in mind that one man's trash is another man's treasure. This was never more evident to me than Saturday, when I was talking with a friend about the movies we'd watched so far. She loved Angels Sing, starring Harry Connick, Jr., and I thought it was incredibly boring. She and her mom thought One Starry Christmas was pretty cheesy, and I thought it was cute. To each his own, I guess!

The links below go to the trailers so you can check out the films for yourself.

Movies to make a point to watch
Seek these out on Hallmark's schedule. If they're available on DVD, buy them--they're that good!
Snow Bride--This was my unexpected favorite film of Hallmark's 2013 Christmas season. Unfortunately, it's not on DVD, but you can easily find the whole thing on YouTube.
The Christmas Card--This is one of the first Christmas movies I ever got on DVD. It's pretty realistic ... for a Christmas movie!
Matchmaker Santa--I love everything about this movie, right up until the last 60 seconds. It just ... ends. Ending aside, it's a great movie that, unfortunately, isn't on DVD.
The Nine Lives of Christmas--This one just premiered over the weekend, and it's already one of my favorites. Super cute, and it doesn't hurt that it features two adorable cats. You can find it exclusively at Walmart tomorrow. (Yes, my copy is preordered.)
Trading Christmas--Its concept is similar to The Holiday, but I love it anyway! (It's also very similar to Hallmark's Finding Christmas, but this one is so, so, so much better.)
The Christmas Ornament--My 2nd favorite of Hallmark's 2013 originals. It's really sweet. It just came out on DVD, and it's currently on my Amazon wish list.

Movies to watch if you come across them
These are very enjoyable. I probably wouldn't buy them unless I found them for less than $5, but they're good.
Mrs. Miracle
Call Me Mrs. Miracle
One Starry Christmas
A Very Merry Mix-Up
Holiday Engagement
All I Want for Christmas
Hitched for the Holidays
Let It Snow
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Movies to avoid
I really didn't like these at all ... I'd recommend doing something different with your time.
A Bride for Christmas
Angels Sing
Catch a Christmas Star
Finding Christmas
Lucky Christmas
A Cookie Cutter Christmas
The Christmas Spirit

This is not an exhaustive list, so if you have any other Hallmark Christmas movies you're wondering about, just ask me in the comments! Chances are, I've seen them :-)

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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five friday favorites #5: week of nov. 7, 2014

So I'm doing my Five Friday Favorites on Saturday ... again. It's been a super busy week with work and family things keeping me from blogging. But I did, finally, find time to get this posted!

1. Going to the Nebraska-Purdue game
My aunt had tickets to last Saturday's Nebraska-Purdue game, and, after my cousin turned her down (crazy kid), she invited me! Of course, I said yes. I don't get to go to games very often (the last game I went to was Nebraska's surprise comeback win over Ohio State in 2011), and every time I go, it's special.

We had so much fun! My brother and sister-in-law live in Lincoln, so Andrew let us park at their house, and then he chauffeured us to and from the game, which was so much better than dealing with parking. We got to the stadium plenty early, so we had lots of time to visit before the game. The game itself was, well ... let's just say it's a good thing we were playing Purdue instead of next week's opponent Wisconsin! The defense looked good, but the offense couldn't seem to make anything happen. The final score was 35-14, but it felt a lot closer than that. But all in all, it was a fantastic day!

Clockwise from top middle: 1. Aunt Eddra and me. (This was before the sun went behind west stadium--we were in north--and we started to freeze.) 2. The band--called "The Pride of All Nebraska" for some reason. 3. Army parachute jumpers parachuted into the stadium right before the game. (Here's an article about it.) 4. A kickoff and the sea of red. 5. People started leaving at the beginning of the 4th quarter. We were completely smashed together until then, so when the people in front of us left, I had to document the fact that I could finally stretch out. The guy you can see is former Husker and two-time Olympic medalist Curt Tomasevicz. There was a guy in the row behind us who was very excited to see him.

2. The Mid-Term Elections
Politics is something I rarely discuss--either online or in real life. While I'm not a "straight down the line" Republican, and I don't believe either party is the answer to America's problems, I definitely identify more with Republican ideology.

Honestly, I don't pay a ton of attention except during election season, and on election night, I'm glued to the TV. Then I go back to not paying much attention until the next election cycle. (Should I pay more attention? Unquestionably.)

I watched FOX News all night, basically because the major networks weren't covering election results until 9 p.m., and MSNBC raises my blood pressure to unsafe levels. Throughout the night, they interviewed several would-be presidential candidates, and I learned something: you can tell which politicians are mulling a run at higher office by the way they put forth their agenda instead of answering the questions asked by the network talking heads. Rand Paul was the worst about this. I don't think he answered a single question asked of him! The three politicians who impressed me most were Kentucky Senator-and-probable-majority-leader Mitch McConnell (This surprised me a ton. I really liked his victory speech.), Ohio governor John Kasich (Yes, I did just have to look up his name. He came across as very intelligent and likeable.), and Texas Senator Ted Cruz (If I had to choose the next president based solely on Tuesday night's interviews, he'd unquestionably get my vote.). Keep in mind that I know virtually nothing about these men save what I saw on Tuesday night, and I do research the candidates before I actually cast a ballot :-)

I enjoyed more than the actual results on Tuesday night (though I liked those a lot). I loved the FOX News coverage. I've always really liked Brit Hume, and I enjoyed listening to the others on the panel, too. It was my first exposure to Megyn Kelly, other than seeing her as a punch line on Huffington Post and other liberal-leaning sites. No doubt she's smart ... but she can also be a bit dense at times. Or maybe she's just bad at banter. Either way, I can see how she could be an easy punching bag. But perhaps my favorite part was when Kelly went back to the "Decision Desk" to talk to the men in charge of making the projections of winners. Kelly's commentary got a bit tiresome, but the men she talked to? Give them their own show! (Or maybe they have one ... how would I know?) Here's a link to part of the conversation.

Some of you may disagree with pretty much everything I just said. That's fine. But I refuse to get into any type of political debate on my blog. Let's be friends and keep it civil, no matter our political leanings.

3. Waking up before my alarm
Getting up in the morning is so, so, so difficult for me. Part of it, I've just learned, is that I have very low cortisol levels in the morning, so that's on my list of things to discuss with my endocrinologist in December. Anyway, the time change definitely worked in my favor, at least at first. On both Sunday and Monday mornings, I woke up a couple minutes before my 6:30 alarm went off--and on Monday, I actually got out of bed right away! I wasn't bursting with energy or anything, but getting up was definitely easier than normal. Same thing on Tuesday. Then Tuesday night happened, and I simply could not force myself to stop watching the election coverage. Add in a couple more late nights, and I'd say my body is now fully adapted to Standard Time. Sadly.

4. Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
My mom carved a jack-o-lantern for her Awana lesson last week, and I asked her to save the seeds for me. I remembered how she always used to roast the seeds whenever we had a pumpkin around, and I wanted to try my hand at it. So last weekend, I did--and it was a smashing success! I used this recipe from Food Network. Too bad the seeds only lasted a couple days ...

5. The Return of Eyal Lavine
Who is Eyal Lavine? Only my favorite part of Covert Affairs--high praise for a guest star. (I have some serious love for this show, even though some call it a poor man's Alias.)

Though I love the show overall, I did not enjoy Covert Affairs' summer run. They (SPOILER ALERT) killed the "big bad" at the end of season four, leaving a giant "bad guy" hole. Plus, the long-awaited Annie/Auggie romance fizzled rather than sizzled. They are currently broken up, and I don't care if they ever get back together. But you know who Piper Perabo (Annie) has insane chemistry with? Oded Fehr, who plays former (?) Mossad operative Eyal Lavine. Put Annie and Eyal in a scene together, and you can practically see sparks flying off the screen. So when the promo below aired following the summer season finale, well, I may have pumped my fist and shouted, "Eyal!"


I haven't even seen Eyal's return yet--the fall premiere was Thursday night, and I had a work event--but I think I can still count Eyal's return as one of my favorite things of the week. (Besides, maybe it will be a disappointing return ... but Eyal will remain one of my favorites, of that I have no doubt!)

What do you think of my picks? Let me know in the comments, and then be sure to check out some of the other favorites in the link up.

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