Secrets of the Heart

When I was younger, I hated my name. No one could get the pronunciation right and no one had the name to compare it to. "How do you pronounce your name?" was a question I got quite often from elementary school through college and I still get it but my name has become more common which I hate. Though there's also confusion amongst my loved ones on the pronunciation of my name. The correct pronunciation is Gem-ma but my family and high school friends call me G-ma though I use Gem-ma. You see in actuality it is Gem-ma but due to my mother's accent she has trouble pronouncing Gem-ma so she called me G-ma hence why everyone before my college years calls me G-ma. I'll answer to either one really. The real confusion is when my aunt introduces me to people because she'll call me G-ma but introduce me as Gem-ma. Are you confused yet? For those in the field I want to get into, it's not too difficult thanks to the popularity of actresses Gemma Arterton and Gemma Jo

A few weeks ago I reviewed Joey and Rory's final album together entitled Hymns that are Important to Us . I've been praying for Joey, one of healing. I was heartbroken to read that she has said her goodbyes to her loved ones and has fallen into a deep sleep. I can't imagine how hard this must be for all of them though it seems she has made peace and has accepted Jesus's Hand to return home. I just became a fan not too long ago after reviewing their album hence why I titled this post "A Fan Too Late." Her bravery is in her unfailing faith. We have lost many to cancer both personal losses as well as losses in the Hollywood community. When I think back of all the greats we lost this year to cancer, the emotions become overwhelming. I lost my friend Theresa Sudik to cancer in February 2012. At the time I found out she passed, I didn't even know she was sick. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think of her. This is why events like Relay for Li

Tonight while I was looking for something else to watch besides Fuller House  and I stumbled upon a short film titled Ellis . Ellis  gives us a look into the abandoned buildings on Ellis Island. Robert DiNiro serves as the "ghost" of those who journeyed through those buildings. He tells the story of a man who was denied entry to America and makes the decision to hide in the building than to return from whence he came. The dialogue and music is little but powerful. The few words spoken and the few scenes of which we see DiNiro is truly haunting. "I am the ghost of those who made it. I am the ghost of those who didn't make it and for those who would never make it." I may have botched the quote a bit but it is the most endearing quote in the entire film. Pictures of immigrants decorate the walls, windows, and floors. This short film inspired me and gave me ideas. Why can't we restore these buildings and turn them into housing units for our homeless? We can use

In the spirit of the premiere of Fuller House, I want to share with all of you what my obsession is with the show as well as why I felt the need to defend it against its negative review (aside from the fact that it's a wholesome family show.) I am the black sheep in my family. I never felt nor feel like I belong. I've always had a problem with my weight and have been bullied at school for it. I never felt like I amount to anything despite my accomplishments. I'm the only one divorced and with no kids. My weight is always an issue and always feel depressed. My Mommom who always gave me attention and showed interest in the things I do, passed away in 2011. When I watched Full House , I always imagined myself part of the Tanner family. I felt like if I was depressed there, they would comfort me and tell me how special I am, make me feel like I belong. I feel like they would love me for me. Most of the reason why I am the way I am is because I watched shows like Full House, F

" It would be foolish to expect Fuller House , the punnily titled Netflix revival of Full House , to be something its predecessor never was." "The women are caricatures. The dead-spouse tragedy and divorce turmoil are barely explored." "There's a plot, but it's basically a series of entrances, exits, and signature bits designed to elicit roars from the studio audience. Even if you share the love, it's just bad TV." The above quotes are from a very harsh review from Entertainment Weekly's Jeff Jensen. When I first read this review for the beloved show Full House , I was furious but understandably everyone has their opinion. However if Mr. Jensen found this show, both Full House and Fuller House, to be bad TV, I would hate to see what he would consider good TV. There are few shows that are wholesome family shows that teach about life lessons in a quirky but meaningful way. When I first heard John Stamos talk about bringing back this wh

With the premiere of Fuller House  vastly approaching, I thought I would share this story of envy with you. My aunt went to New York with some friends and saw a show on broadway. I don't remember the name of the show but that's mainly because my mind is set on the main reason for this story, John Stamos. Obviously we all love him as Uncle Jesse from Full House but I also continued to follow his ventures from different television shows to his yogurt commercial and so on. He's always struck me as a down to earth kind of guy, fun to be around, and just an all around nice guy. My aunt decided she would torture her nieces, yes torture us with her once in a lifetime picture. It was posted on facebook and I had to look twice. My reaction was "Uh...is that John Stamos?" My younger sister, Samantha, confirmed it. Our aunt had met John Stamos. When I visited home shortly after that, I asked my aunt about it and here is what she told me. After the play she saw which starred

Hymns That are Important to Us by Joey+Rory Released: February 12, 2016 I had never heard of Joey+Rory until I binge watched The Great Food Truck Race when one of the contestants earned the opportunity to serve those at the Joey+Rory concert. The next time I heard of this loving duo, it was when it was revealed Joey had cancer and decided to stop cancer treatment. I've been following their story ever since. Listening to this album has made me a fan. Unfortunately I feel like I became a fan too late but I guess there's no such thing as too late under the circumstances. This is a beautiful collection of hymns as well as a beautiful display of love. The love for God is apparent in this album and despite her illness, their faith remains strong and like so many who have battled cancer before her, Joey remains strong and faithful. My heart truly breaks for them. My heart breaks for her such a beautiful person and I continue to pray for healing for her. Anything is possible with

I saw that a woman named Amy Monzon liked my tweet about the music review I did for Demi Lovato. My curiosity got the best of me so I checked her twitter out then watched some of her videos. As my passion goes, I decided to write this critique. I'm taking a deep breath because I don't want to be misinterpreted here. Here we go...brace yourselves. The first video I viewed was Amy's video for her song Addictive . I found myself not addicted to the song or the video. What I like about the song is the chorus but I feel the verses need work. I've had this problem when I used to write song lyrics and trust me, I have a whole batch of corny songs because I forced the rhyme. The song reminded me of the movie Music & Lyrics  with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore because there was a character named Cora who was this huge teen pop sensation. Cora was a parody of all the sexually hyped teen idols and their songs. Amy didn't remind me of Cora but the song reminded me of a song

Confident by Demi Lovato Released: October 16, 2015 Demi Lovato has grown immensely since she first burst onto the music scene. Most of all, she has become a confident woman who is comfortable in her own skin. I can identify because I'm still not comfortable in my shell sometimes and am still a victim of bullying. I'm teased about my weight a lot and although she's younger than me, Demi has been an inspiration to me amongst other artists as well. Now for the album. This work is empowering. Demi is moving forward with a vengeance. She has a different sound compared to her earlier albums. You can feel the power and emotion in her voice through each song. In her voice, you can hear the journey she's taken in becoming confident in herself. My favorite song on the album is Lionheart . Lionheart speaks to me of unity. She sings "You're here like a silhouette, when the darkness rules, you're the brightest moon and I am safe." It reminds me of God because

"In their innocence, very young children know themselves to be light and love. If we will allow them, they can teach us to see ourselves the same way."-Michael Jackson One of the reason I love children is because they are so insightful, honest, loving, caring, and fun. They know how to live life. Some may think it is because they do not have the responsibilities an adult does but this is not the case. Children are innocent and not corrupted by our judgmental minds. It is adults who instill hatred and fear into the hearts of children. It has been my experience that not allowing a child to develop their own opinions of situations is wrong. The same goes for those who are caught in the middle of divorce and/or separation. Children are used as pawns between parents, orchestrated by one or both parents to suit their selfish needs, to win the battle if you will. Children are sometimes taught to hate the other parent because the one they reside with bad mouths the other, telling

The Decoy Bride Starring David Tennant, Kelly MacDonald, and Alice Eve Decoy Bride is delightfully funny. Popular actress Lara Tyler (Eve) and famous author James Arber (Tennant) wish to marry in private without the paparazzi interfering so they escape to the small island of Hegg. Katie (MacDonald) is an aspiring writer herself trying to find her way. She's broken hearted and thus has decided to go man vegan. Unfortunately as soon as she arrives home, her mother informs her they are going to a wedding. It's the wedding of her ex to another woman. She is then asked to write a book about Hegg which she begins to work on right away. Lara Tyler goes missing when she spots paparazzi on the island, leaving her agent ( Ugly Betty 's Michael Urie) to find a replacement for the wedding. This replacement is lucky Katie which proves to be a hilarious replacement but also an enlightening one for both Arber and Katie. So before I give away any more of the story, check it out on Ne

Bravo to Miss Taylor Swift. This woman not only has talent but she has class. Instead of lashing out about unflattering lyrics written about her on Kanye West's new album, she uses the moment to empower young ladies everywhere. Taylor, you have remained humble and grounded though you have risen in the industry. Her award speech was phenomenal and if you missed it, here's what she said: "I want to say to all the young women out there, there are going to be people out there who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame. But if you just focus on the work and you don't let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you're going, you will look around and you will know that it was you and the people who love you who put you there, and that will be the greatest feeling in the world." It is incredibly important to remember who got you where you are and to remain grounded it's important to acknowled

My sister, Samantha reviewed Pura D'or on her YouTube channel so I decided to try some for myself. I ordered the Pura D'or Hair Loss Prevention Therapy Shampoo and the Pura D'or Healing Conditioner. I used the special code from my sister's review and received 25% off my purchase. This allowed me to pay $24.99 for both bottles instead of $24.99 each. It was a great deal! I also received 25% off with my first purchase which was the deal at the time. In addition to the great price, I also received free shipping! I was loving this product already and I didn't try it yet. My hair has been thinning for a bit which really bothered me because I figured, no one wants a bald girlfriend  plus I love my hair. As soon as my items came in, I started using it right away. In my sister's review she states that the shampoo doesn't really work up a great lather but I found a solution to this. After applying the shampoo, be sure to apply a little more water to your head. It re

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two Here is the first video game I am reviewing. This is quite the monumental moment. Keep in mind that I have yet to finish the first Epic Mickey but as I do not own a Wii, it will be a while before I do. Moving on... Epic Mickey 2 starts where the first left off. Mickey has helped save Wasteland and has become friends with his predecessor Oswald. This time around, Oswald calls on Mickey to help save Wasteland once again. A quake has occurred sending Wasteland into disarray. The projectors are broken and now Mickey and Oswald must team up to find the source of the quake as well as who broke the projectors. I don't want to spoil too much for those who haven't played it so I'll stop there with the story. I can tell you that this game is in true Disney fashion. You see many of familiar characters including the three little pigs, Pete, Daisy and Donald (robotic versions), and Clarabelle. If you have a child who is a gamer or you would like to in

I read Kanye's tweets concerning asking Mark and others for support, financial support as he is in debt. It's difficult to feel sympathy for someone who writes lyrics like the following: "bet me and Ray J would be friends If we ain't love the same bitch Yeah, he might have hit it first Only problem is I'm rich" Those are lyrics from his song "Highlights." Here we hear and see a man who talks about being rich yet on twitter is begging for help from Mark Zuckerberg. There is a part of me that wants to chew him out so bad because struggling is living in an apartment you can barely afford and have all your money go to bills, leaving no money for food or very little money. However we don't know what goes on behind closed doors but I will say this to Mr. West as well as other artists. When you give the appearance of not caring about anyone but your opinions, thoughts, and riches, and you flaunt it, God will take those gifts back. You have a beaut

Valentine's Day is known as a couple's holiday but the truth is it's anybody's holiday. However I will admit that it's more of a commercial holiday than an actual holiday. This is mainly because the purpose of the day is to show love but companies make a lot of money because people apparently decide that buying gifts for that special someone is how you show love. I'm not saying it's wrong to buy gifts for your loved one but I don't think that should be the focus. Originally I had planned a one night stay in Gettysburg for my boyfriend and myself but then I cancelled it because money is tighter than I originally thought. Unfortunately neither one of us has the money to have a Valentine's Day dinner or special outing but really it's just like any other day. I am blessed to be with this man every day. He is amazing and to have his love is gift enough for me. The thing is we show each other everyday that we love each other and we say it everyday so t

The Huntsman: Winter's War Starring Chris Hemsworth, Jessica Chastain, Emily Blunt, and Charlize Theron Release Date: April 22, 2016   The speculation around this film could not be so easily forgotten as the film which started it all, Snow White and the Huntsman . I'll admit that when I heard a sequel was to proceed without Snow White I was quite disappointed because of the chemistry between Snow White and the Huntsman in the first film. Now let me clarify that I wasn't disappointed in the absence of Kristen Stewart but the absence of the character Snow White. However I must say they have come with a brilliant solution. After all, I believe Charlize Theron and Chris Hemsworth were the best parts of Snow White and the Huntsman . It's great to see them back with a brand new story and it's brilliant. Emily Blunt is one of the newcomers as the Ice Queen, sister to Charlize Theron's Evil Queen and she looks brilliant. Blunt's Ice Queen compliments Huntsman

Due to some conversations I had recently I feel the need to write this. Through my past experiences, God has shown me that there is a difference between listening to Him and taking control of our own desires. I think subconsciously we want to trust God but we always have a seed of doubt because the desire for our dreams overwhelms us that we become desperate. We move forward thinking God put this path to our dream before us but when He shows us that we're wrong, we ignore Him. However the best thing about God is, He never gives up on us and that is why I'm going to quickly tell you my story to illustrate this point. 2008 I reconnected with someone through facebook that I hadn't talked to in years. He expressed interest in me and we started dating. The first time I met with him again we had so much fun and the second time I promised to go visit him in his hometown. The first time I went to his home, I met his parents and I thought, "Wow. I belong here." We had th

I care for my country. I care for my countrymen. I care for the military, all branches and their families. I care for the families who are suffering under this declining economy who are told to their faces by our government that the economy is getting better while we, as the disappearing middle class, is handed the bill. My heart hurts for those the justice system has failed especially our children who are made to deal with parents who are selfish, uncaring, and irresponsible. My heart hurts for the amount of educational institutions have had to close due to lack of funding in education, particularly in Pennsylvania. My heart bleeds for the homeless veterans that are made to sleep in the streets while our government gives free housing to foreigners in need. My anger rises at the thought of how little our government does our country justice. My anger rises at how we are sure to take care of others in need but abandon our own countrymen. I am not famous. I am not a celebrity or hot shot

*Note: These picks are based on the movie trailers only. All visual stills from movie are owned by their respectable film companies and websites. Most are featured on the IMDB (Internet Movie Database)  Me Before You Starring Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, and Jenna Coleman Release Date: June 3, 2016 The trailer reminds me of "The Fault in Our Stars" starring Shailene Woodley but in the sense of romantic charm. It's a different kind of romance. The stories we are used to seeing are those who are perfectly gorgeous and their flaws are in their character. This is not one of those stories which I love. Emilia Clarke plays Louisa Clark, a spirited young lady who takes a job being a caretaker and companion to a disabled man named William Traynor who has given up on life. Louisa charms him with her cheerful, free spirit and naturally they fall in love but despite how he feels about her, he thinks she can do better due to his being paralyzed. This looks absolutely charmin