I remember when Netflix first came out onto the scene. I liked the idea of just walking down to the mailbox and grabbing a DVD to watch without the hassle of driving to a store and picking out a movie and then worrying about returning the movie on time, lest having to pay the dreaded late fees. However, in the same breath, I didn't like to have to wait to see a movie or television series. I mean when I was ready to watch something, I wanted to watch it then, there, and now. Therefore, you would think I would have been open to streaming when it first became available. However, that was not the case. I'm honestly not sure what was my issue. Maybe, technology changing scared me a little. Heck, I was super late getting onto the smart phone bandwagon. And it wasn't until Netflix changed their policy and raised rates, that we decided it was time to "experiment" with streaming and we bought our first streaming player. Now, I can't image nights where we aren't streaming Netflix. Trust me when I say you don't want to know how much broadband width we use month after month. And don't you just love the little Netflix warning box that appears on your television scene after you have marathoned through five episodes of Bones and the message goats you, by asking if you are still watching Netflix. Like I have somehow magically gotten a life in the last four and a half hours. I don't think so! 

Yes, there are days when it really has been that bad. Hey, I can blame it on my craft. After all, aren't we writers told to watch and read other genres? To get a feel for other writers styles and to "see" what the audience likes. huh? I have to admit, I really am behind on what most people watch on television. I find very little I like and find little or no emotional connection to characters or situations. I am not a prude, but have been thoroughly disappointed on the incredibly low morals television executives think most of society has. Case in point, sorry I don't remember the television series, but I vaguely remember seeing a preview for a new series and thinking it might be something I was interested in because it revolved around paramedics. And heck, I grew up on loving Emergency! However, not even five minutes into the episode, two paramedics are getting it on it the back of the ambulance, and I thinking first, gross, and second wondering who are these characters? I have no emotional connection with them. Why must I watch them having sex in the back of an ambulance without having a least a little backstory? And this is exactly why I love Scarecrow and Mrs. King so much, because we, as the audience, got to watch them slowly fall in love, and not fall into bed five minutes after he handed her a package (which could take a whole new meaning in today's society) at a train station. Needless to say, I turned off the television and read a book instead.

I am also super frustrated that Hollywood has not had an original idea since the 1980's. Why they are remaking all the 80 classic movies? Footloose, Dirty Dancing, Point Break, and don't even get me started on Ghostbusters! In addition, when an original idea is presented Hollywood executives are quick to cut the cord, without giving the television series a chance to find their audience or the show is constantly on the bubble, so writers plan for a 12 or 13 episode arc and then when it is picked up for other 10 or so episodes, some of the magic is gone, or certain writers have moved on, or they are scrambling for a new arc and the series becomes basically a hot mess; i.e. Chuck. To this day, I believe NBC ruined this great series. It had massive amounts of potential to be one of a kind dramedy, a mix of comedy and drama mixed with espionage and intrigue, and romance (sound a little familiar?) But so much uncertainty let us fans down.  And by season five, it was just a shell of its original self. I see it too often, a new series airs and less then six episodes later it as been cancelled. I am just not interested in becoming invested in a television series only for it be be yanked when I was just getting to like the characters and developing an emotional connection. Case in point, CBS released a television series titled Chaos, about a group of rogue CIA agents. I have to admit, I thought the pilot was a bit weak-- it tried too hard; however, by week two the writing and characters began to gel, and I started getting a kick out of watching it and looked forward to viewing every week. However, not even three weeks into the series, CBS pulled the plug. Come on! Give it a chance. I mean even Cheers and M*A*S*H did not draw in their audiences until season two. This held true for another series I liked, GCB. I know it wasn't just ABC that killed the series, but a bunch of Christian mothers who never watched the series complained to sponsors. Yes, I did just earlier complain about the over sexualization of Hollywood. However, GCB was funny as hell! And this series didn't take itself seriously. In addition, those of us that are Christian know those types that are the "Ms. Betty Sue whose better that you". Wonderful casting and great writing flushed right down the toilet. And this is exactly why I don't watch Network television anymore. Plus, there is just too much Reality TV, and I have zero interest in watching weekly crap. 

Rewind to a conversation I had with a friend a few days ago, who had asked if I was upset Castle had been cancelled. I had to confess, I had not seen the series. Yes, I know all about Caskett. Yes, I love Nathan Fillion. However, I don't think I heard about Castle until at least season two or three. And I don't like to start watching a series in the middle, so have been looking forward to it being on Netflix so I can watch, just as I finally was able to sit down and watch Bones, NCIS, and Burn Notice. Hey, what do they say; better late than never, right? 

I noticed I am two years behind on posting about comic cons I have attended. . . well, not much to report. I only attended Emerald City Comicon these past two years and nothing else. In addition, not much to report for ECCC 2015. The con was sold out and had about 80,000 in attendance. Again, I attended as a Minion, volunteering for the con. I really do enjoy being behind the scenes, but admit I never ended up on either the autographs, photo ops, or panels so that year was a bit disappointing in the sense of being where I would have liked to have been, but understand I was needed in other areas of the con. ECCC is a multi-media event with media guests, gaming, pop culture, and of course, comics. My first day, I spent it in the children's area and watched kids young and old build Legos. They then had a choice to turn they Lego characters into an animated short film. The second day, I spent most of it helping out at Peace-Bonding, where weapons are checked and "tagged" as safe and inspected. Fun group to work with and saw lots of amazing cosplay. I was excited about meeting Brandon Routh (Chuck; Superman Returns), but unfortunately he canceled his appearance last minute, but I was able to finally meet Amanda Tapping (Stargate: SG1) and got her autograph. 

Lots of changes came about for Emerald City Comicon 2016, as ReedPOP acquired ECCC and added a fourth day of convention activities. Four-day passes sold out in a matter of hours and three-day passes sold out in less than a day, and since I did not know whether or not I was going to be invited back as a Minion again this year, and in addition, since the first media guest announced was Nathan Fillion (Castle; Firefly), I decided to do the fangirl thing instead, as I absolutely needed to see Nathan Fillion (Mr. Captain Tightpants himself!). Not sorry I did, but hope I do not miss out on ever being invited back as a Minion again. I still think it's fun being behind the scenes and love the energy of fellow Minions. (In addition, from what I understand Minions are now paid. . . nice!) My review of the convention is kind of a mixed bag. First, I was disappointed how tickets sold out so quickly before more comic and media guests were announced and to be quite honest, the line-up as a whole was a huge let down. There was 35 media guests in 2015 and only 24 in 2016, and three of them were last minute cancellations and too late to add new guests. I was also super frustrated by the way they handled the panels for several of the actors, especially when they overlapped panels for Sasha Roiz and Nathan Fillion and Sean Astin and Dante Basco. Why make us choose, when there was longer convention hours and the panels could have been more spread out throughout the day especially in the main hall? Still super disappointed I missed Sasha Roiz's panel. This reminded me of the first ECCC con I attended and how my son and I stood in a queued line for hours waiting to see Leonard Nimoy, and we were not allowed into the room until about ten minutes after his panel had started, only to discover we could have just gone into the room at anytime as ECCC does not clear out the room between panels. Grrrrr!

Nonetheless, I did have a great time at ECCC this year. I believe it's because this year I went with friends and always more fun when you hang out with like-minded fangirls. We geeked out attending panels all day Saturday and Sunday, getting autographs and photo-ops, and spending hours in artist alley and on the show floor. I stood in line with my friend Dava when she went to meet Sean McQuire (Once Upon a Time) and then stood in line with Elaine when she went to meet Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings; Goonies). I still can not believe how Sean Astin attended the con only a week after his mother passed away. Major props to him. We also spent some time visiting with Trevor Crafts and Matthew Daley, the creators of Lantern City (too bad Bruce Boxleitner was not in attendance). My guilty expenditures was a photo-op with Nathan Fillion and an autograph and selfie with Sasha Roiz (Grimm). We sat through panels for Oliver and James Phelps (Harry Potter), Sean McQuire, Lana Parrilla (Once Upon a Time), Nathan Fillion, Sean Astin, and Flash panel (Danielle Panabaker, Robbie Amell, and Keiynan Lonsdale). I admit, I've only seen Flash a few times (my husband Ed is more of a fan then I am) and I have never seen Once Upon a Time. However, after attending these panels I think I might just have to watch them now. I have also not seen Castle. I know, I know! Too many times I have become invested in a television series only for it to be cancelled; i.e. Chaos, GCB, Firefly that I don't want to get involved in a series only for it to be canceled after a few episodes and then once a series has been picked up for several seasons, I usually wait until it's available on Netflix to caught up. However, I am hesitant to get started on Castle after seeing how disappointed fans are with the direction the show is going. I really don't need another television series with no closure like Scarecrow and Mrs King or Chuck. 

Finally, I have to give a shout out to the Clare Kramer (Buffy: The Vampire Slayer). She was fantastic as the interviewer at the celebrity panels. I liked her almost as much as Garret Wang (who is also fantastic as an interviewer). She was prepared with good questions and seemed to be well informed about both movies and television shows the celebrities were involved in. I also thoroughly enjoyed the bumper music between the panels and how the D.J. and the M.C. Reuben kept the audience engaged, dancing, clapping, and being entertained. I have to admit, I think this was one of the most fun cons I have attended in a long time. 

In addition, Seattle did not disappoint. The weather all weekend for early April was gorgeous. This was the first time my friend Dava had visited Seattle, so it was fun for Elaine and I to show her around. We visited Seattle Center and Westlake Center, rode the monorail, shopped at Pike Place Market, and rode to the top of the Space Needle. We took her to the Old Spaghetti Factory and walked along the waterfront and Olympic Sculpture Park. It was a nice change of pace of all the rain we had in February and March; next year ECCC will be the weekend of March 2-5, and I am sure the weather will not be as cooperative.  I'm hoping to be back next year as a Minion at Emerald City Comicon, but also kicking around the idea of attending Salt Lake Comic Con or possibly Rose City Comic Con in September. Joseph has been begging me to take him to another con. Time and money shall tell. 

No, I am not a spy, nor do I have a secret marriage; however, I have noticed some similarities between myself and Mrs. King. 

​Well, I'm a mother. . . of three boys (not two)

. . . and a den mother. Go, Bears! 

I enjoy camping. . .  two of my boys are Eagle Scouts. 

I have a live-in mother. . .  and father, too. 

I used to have fantasizes about secret agents. . .  especially a certain hazel-eyed spy sporting a tux!! 

I almost died while on vacation in California. 

I can type 90 words a minute, not counting typos. . . actually, that's not true. Never timed myself, but I would guess closer to 60 wpm. 

Actually, I do a lot of things. . . however, I believe I would make a lousy spy; I can never place names with faces. Nor can I remember obscure names of recipes. :-) 

It's time for another German culture credit for Joseph's German class and yesterday we made German Pancakes. They were so good, I think we might make more tonight for the family to eat this time. 

Ingredients: 

• 6 eggs 
• 1 cup milk  
• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 2 tablespoons butter 

Directions: 
Heat oven to 400 degrees, whisk together eggs, flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl; mix well. Then melt butter in an ovenproof skillet (we used a cast iron skillet) over medium heat. Pour batter into the hot skillet, carefully place in oven, and bake for 20 minutes or until the pancake is golden and puffed. 

Sprinkle with powered sugar or fruit topping. (We made a cinnamon apple topping). You can also serve with your favorite syrup. 

Serve immediately. 


​

The best news is our middle son, Steffen, has been accepted to the University of Washington. Go Dawgs! His plans include majoring in Computer Science, but he also has interest in Environmental Science, and wants to minor in music. He's excited about being out on the field with the Husky Marching Band in the fall. He will be graduating from high school in a few weeks with Honors and two days after high school graduation, he will be graduating from community college with an Associate of Arts degree, and the following day begins working at a YMCA summer camp. His dad and I are incredibly proud of the brilliant and caring young man he has become. 

Michael finally was able to find employment working part-time as a cashier at Walmart after being unemployed for nearly nine months. He has also been officially accepted to community college next year. We are hoping he can keep his anxiety under control as he seeks balance between working part-time and going to school part-time. His ultimate goal is to become an elementary school teacher. We are also proud of him for being involved in Pathway (a distance-learning program from BYU-Idaho) and Institute of Religion this year, and each semester he has maintained straight A's.  

It only took two years of appeals and us changing our medical insurance three times before we finally found an insurance company (Blue Cross/Blue Shield) that would cover Joseph's facial and oral surgery. Sometime later this year (most likely next summer), Joseph will have a mandibular advancement. The oral surgeon will break his upper jaw and move it back and break the lower jaw and move it forward. The same surgery I had when I was fifteen years old, although when I had the surgery my mouth was wired shut for six weeks, but I understand that is no longer the case. First step, wisdom teeth extraction for a child who was blessed with six wisdom teeth. Yes, you read that correctly. . . six!

​Lots of changes and opportunities for the Riener family ahead, and if anyone knows where we can locate a money tree, please let us know.