Monthly Archives: November 2006

Must-see holiday movies

Nov. 29, 20066:30 p.m.

While going through my boxes (actually plastic tubs) of Christmas decorations, I was pleasantly surprised to find my collection of holiday movies. (Last year, my husband and I came up with the clever idea to store Christmas movies, DVDs, etc. with decorations so they don’t clutter up our house when we only use them in December anyway.) Among the stash are these movies, which I love to watch every December:

  • "Christmas with the Kranks" (2005) starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis
  • "The Family Man" (2001) starring Nicolas Cage and Tea Leoni
  • "A Christmas Carol" (2000) starring Patrick Stewart
  • "Miracle on 34th Street" (1994) starring Dylan McDermott and Elizabeth Perkins

Do you have a list of must-see holiday movies?

Posted by Lori O’Toole Buselt

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Are you a ‘Haiku Mama’?

Nov. 28, 20063:00 a.m.

Today’s edition of WichiTalk features a story about Kari Anne Roy’s book, "Haiku Mama," a collection of 17-syllable poetry that offers a realistic, irreverent look at life with kids.

Want to try your hand at mommy haiku?

The format is simple — the first line is five syllables, the second is seven, the third is five. Go ahead, write a mama haiku and post it here. Just be sure to include your e-mail address so we can contact you later. We’ll post some local haiku creations in a future edition.

– Posted by Suzanne Perez Tobias

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (0)

The Oprah Challenge, continued

Nov. 27, 200612:45 p.m.

Early this month, The Eagle introduced readers to Angie Gregory, a 29-year-old attorney for Cargill who was part of the audience for the Oprah show’s "Pay It Forward Challenge." The audience members were each given $1,000 to donate to charity, and were asked to shoot a video diary of their good works.

Angie started by hosting a Halloween party for the pediatric ward at Wesley Medical Center. Since then she’s been busy helping Wichitans in some creative ways. Here’s what Angie had to say, in an e-mail she sent this morning:

    It has been a crazy few weeks.  Other than the Halloween party, with Oprah’s
money I bought a computer and printer for a young single mother who is going
back to school, kids’ bedroom furniture and bedding for a family with two
children, and shoes (6-8 pairs) for a woman who had no shoes other than a pair
of plastic flip-flops.
   But, in addition to that, some local businesses donated
items and services: Dugan Family Dentistry donated free dental care to a woman
with an infection in her mouth. Dawson Grimsley (Davis-Moore) donated a car for
a family who needed one!  Reddi-Root’r and an anonymous donor paid for a pipe
replacement for a family with no water.  Finally, several of the Wal-Marts in
town matched my funds on the items above.
    It was
a great experience and the community really helped me find ways to help these
individuals — it was awesome!

Angie returned to Oprah’s Chicago studio last week to tape a follow-up show, which airs today.

Posted by Jillian Cohan

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Television | Comments (0)

Did you brave Black Friday?

Nov. 24, 20064:01 p.m.

Looks like I’ll make it through today without stepping into a single retail location to buy a single thing. (Partly because the very idea of venturing into the crowded stores right now gives me a headache, but mostly because I’m working today and will be spending the evening with out-of-state relatives who are in town for the holiday.)

But I do have friends and family who had their eyes on big sales and were headed out in the wee hours of the morning.

Did you go shopping today? What deals did you score?

Posted by Lori O’Toole Buselt

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (0)

What’s your favorite game?

Nov. 22, 20061:44 a.m.

In today’s WichiTalk, a few staffers share our favorite games to play when the gang’s gathered. One of my favorite games is Loaded Questions. But if my husband and I are celebrating a holiday with my parents, the domino game Chicken Foot is sure to come out. And last weekend, some new friends introduced me to the domino game Mexican Train, which I think we’ll have to try this holiday season.

Does your family have a Thanksgiving tradition of playing something together when the turkey and pie’s gone? Tell us about your favorite game by clicking on "comments" below.

Posted by Lori O’Toole Buselt

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (0)

What 10 things are you thankful for?

Nov. 21, 200610:00 p.m.

With Thanksgiving around the corner, can you name 10 things you’re thankful for? Click on "comments" below to add your list. Here’s mine:

1. Wagging puppy tails.
2. Friends and sisters who love me and like to hang out even when my house is a mess.
3. Traveling with my hubby. (The photo is of us during a hiking trip earlier this year.)
4. A healthy family.
5. Any chance to sing out loud.
6. Sunsets.
7. Laughter.
8. Being surrounded by inspiring people in all avenues of life.
9. Various freedoms (speech, right to worship, etc.)
10. E-mail.

Posted by Lori O’Toole Buselt

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (0)

The season of giving…and taking

Nov. 21, 20066:00 a.m.

Every Christmas, our family get-together includes a little after dinner game of Dirty Santa. And things most definitely get dirty. We all spend weeks hunting for the best $20 gift. When the big day comes and it’s time to do the gift exchange, the warm, friendly atmosphere takes on a competitive air. We eyeball the gifts on the coffee table, contemplating which one we’re going to open…and we definitely keep an eye on what everyone else is opening.

Inevitably, there’s always one gift that everyone wants. No matter how you try to hide it, someone will snag it when their turn rolls around. And there’s usually a gift that’s completely random and useless…which I’ve ended up with more than once. I usually give it to someone else who’ll be able to use it.

What’s the most random gift you’ve ever received at a gift exchange? Have you gotten a gift that’s still sitting on the top shelf of a closet because you just don’t know what to do with it? Share your stories here.

Posted by Missy Good

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (0)

What helpful Web sites do you love?

Nov. 20, 20064:38 a.m.

Today’s WichiTalk cover story is all about Web sites that give women helpful tools. Do you find useful tips and and got-to-have information from a favorite Web site? We want to know about it.

Click on "comments" below and tell us about it so we can check it out.

Posted by Lori O’Toole Buselt

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Talk of the nation

Nov. 17, 20067:23 a.m.

One of the things I love to check out when I’m surfing the net is the list of Yahoo!’s most e-mailed news stories. Basically, it sums up what stories Web surfers are sharing with their friends most often. You know how one of the biggest pop culture stories of the week has been about the release of the newest got-to-have-it tech toys Playstation 3? At one point last night, this is how the lineup appeared:

The No. 5 most popular story on Yahoo!: "Gamers line up for new Playstation 3"

Imagine my surprise when I read the No. 4 most popular story: "Kansas man shoots himself in the groin." If you haven’t yet read the story, which appeared earlier this week in The Eagle, check it out here. You also can read an update on the man here.

Another national image problem for Kansas?

Posted by Lori O’Toole Buselt

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Treasure hunting

Nov. 15, 20066:00 a.m.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy free time is browsing through local antique stores. It’s a hobby I picked up by chance a couple of years ago. I had about an hour to kill, so I decided to look for a birthday gift for one of my friends. On a whim, I turned off of the highway to check out one of the antique malls I’d driven by several times but never stopped to look in.

I was instantly hooked the moment I walked through the door. There were booths packed full of fascinating stuff to look at, from dishes to tools and everything in between. Although I didn’t find anything for my friend, I found several things I loved, and a few for other people I knew. I quickly passed the extra hour and vowed to make another trip with my mom and sister in tow.

Since then, I’ve found many wonderful and truly unique gifts for friends and relatives (and plenty for myself) by shopping at antique shops and malls. Do you have a favorite place you head for when you’re looking for an unusual and memorable gift? Tell us about it!

Posted by Missy Good

By Lori O'Toole Buselt | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (0)