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Post by sleepingbooty on Dec 21, 2021 16:48:12 GMT
So, long story short: I needed two PCR tests + waiting time in between the tests before I could go in to get treated for a banal sinus infection. Days pass as I wait out the results (and then am told I need to get another test because it must be Omicron - no, it wasn't). My infection grew significantly worse in that time. Oh no! I hope the meds kick in soon and you can enjoy your break. Thank you! The meds have already kicked in. I can already feel significant improvement. Should be off this treatment by the weekend. Until then, I expect to wake up in the middle of the night and pace around restlessly until I decide to sneak-watch another Hallmark movie.  |
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mich5481
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by mich5481 on Dec 21, 2021 21:09:37 GMT
So, long story short: I needed two PCR tests + waiting time in between the tests before I could go in to get treated for a banal sinus infection. Days pass as I wait out the results (and then am told I need to get another test because it must be Omicron - no, it wasn't). My infection grew significantly worse in that time. So I'm now on day 2 of corticosteroids. Woohoo! I'm swollen despite cutting out salt from my diet as soon as I started taking this treatment. And... my sleep is completely effed. I woke up at 1AM last night, unable to go back to sleep. So, I ended up sneaking out of bed and watching a Hallmark movie on my laptop in the dark. I didn't manage to get back to sleep before 5AM. Oy vey, this is not how I wanted to start my Christmas break (but here we are). On the plus side, MOAR HALLMARK FOR ME! 'Tis the Season to Be Merry: I wanted to love you, I really did. But you were just fine. I feel this could have turned out so much better with a few slight tweaks here and there. I did enjoy it and I liked the twist with the parents' business that is unusual for Hallmark. Had to laugh at my brain because when I watched the new season of You that dropped this year, every time Travis Van Winkle appeared on screen, I was thinking: "That's the bland-ish guy with great hair and great bod who always plays a dad in Hallmark movies." With this new movie, my brain had already retrained itself and I kept thinking how he was the howling-at-the-moon influencer from You.  Anyway, decent enough to pass the time. Definitely not on my hate list but I'll have completely forgotten about this when the Countdown season ends. Travis Van Winkle loves to show off his bare chest and arms in this one. If you enjoy a perfectly sculpted and muscular man, you're in for a treat, jussayin'.  I'm sorry you are sick! I just watched the Merry movie. I have trouble with Travis's movies, as he looks like a former coworker of mine who I could not stand. I will say Travis has great abs though!! 😂 |
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Post by hop2 on Dec 22, 2021 1:18:09 GMT
Not a Hallmark movie, Heck, not even a romance. But this was rather funny & cute
‘The secrets of Christmas:revealed’
There has been a data leak from the North Pole and they go thru all Santa’s secrets one by one including Krampus, in a sort of Geraldo special type faux news style. Had me laughing.
I saw it on Hulu but not sure it’s exclusive to them it’s actually a Fox show.
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blemon
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by blemon on Dec 22, 2021 19:14:52 GMT
I just watched the Merry movie. I have trouble with Travis's movies, as he looks like a former coworker of mine who I could not stand. I will say Travis has great abs though!! 😂 That's definitely a good reason! ‘The secrets of Christmas:revealed’ It sounds super cute! We plan to watch Jingle Jangle on Netflix. It also looks really cute though not romantic. I also saw Netflix just released another xmas movie. Watched Christmas at Pemberley last night and boy was that exactly what I expected. Lovely. I really enjoyed it. I would have liked a bit more of a tie-in to the Austen. I swear though at one point she says she doesn't have any family but then she plans to go visit them after the holiday fest. Why do so many people in these movies have no family?!? And most only have one parent left (or they have a massive family like 4 - 5 siblings -- it's like all or nothing). I'm 47 and I have only 2-3 friends who have lost parents (and even then it's only one). I seriously have had more friends die than I have had friends who have had parents die. And these characters are usually in their 20s (unless they are post divorce or widowed -- again, lots of those). |
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Ryann
Pearl Clutcher
Love is Inclusive
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Post by Ryann on Dec 22, 2021 19:46:54 GMT
I just watched the Merry movie. I have trouble with Travis's movies, as he looks like a former coworker of mine who I could not stand. I will say Travis has great abs though!! 😂 That's definitely a good reason! ‘The secrets of Christmas:revealed’ It sounds super cute! We plan to watch Jingle Jangle on Netflix. It also looks really cute though not romantic. I also saw Netflix just released another xmas movie. Watched Christmas at Pemberley last night and boy was that exactly what I expected. Lovely. I really enjoyed it. I would have liked a bit more of a tie-in to the Austen. I swear though at one point she says she doesn't have any family but then she plans to go visit them after the holiday fest. Why do so many people in these movies have no family?!? And most only have one parent left (or they have a massive family like 4 - 5 siblings -- it's like all or nothing). I'm 47 and I have only 2-3 friends who have lost parents (and even then it's only one). I seriously have had more friends die than I have had friends who have had parents die. And these characters are usually in their 20s (unless they are post divorce or widowed -- again, lots of those). And it's always both parents died at the same time, often with no explanation. Just "my parents died last year". That's not normal! Yes, I realize it does happen, but not at the frequency the Hallmark movies likes to believe it does, lol. Hallmark movies are ridiculous in so many ways. I enjoy them thoroughly!  |
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blemon
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,583
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Post by blemon on Dec 23, 2021 14:52:26 GMT
Last night I wanted to step away from
the Hallmark genre so I watched Holiday Affair and it was so good!
Well worth the 2.99 on Amazon.
It was also super cool to see what Central Park looked like in 1949, if they filmed on location.
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Post by sleepingbooty on Dec 23, 2021 15:15:04 GMT
Watched Christmas at Pemberley last night and boy was that exactly what I expected. Lovely. I really enjoyed it. I would have liked a bit more of a tie-in to the Austen. Yaaaay! I really like this one. It's not deep at all but it gives me fuzzy feels and Michael Rady is so generous in his acting. Like a hug on screen. Paired with spunky Jessica Lowndes, it's delightful. So glad you enjoyed it. |
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Post by scrapcat on Dec 23, 2021 16:27:39 GMT
I keep adding suggestions from here to my lists...I've sort of given up on Hallmark I think, I still have a few dvr'd to watch. I am getting Christmas'd out & there's a ton other stuff I want to watch too.
Someone recommended My Dad's Christmas Date on Netflix with Jeremy Piven. I watched while wrapping last night and I liked it...sort of mundane type humor, a bit British humor, but thought it was cute/different. Doesn't scream Christmas.
I enjoyed Single All the Way, but I think I wanted a little more situational comedy, sorta a la Love Hard.
I watched Jingle Jangle last season...I liked it and thought the music and visuals were great...some of the story in between dragged a bit, like it could've been shortened. But visually, very satisfying!
We will probably check out a few classics I haven't watched yet over the weekend (Elf, Christmas Story, White Christmas) then I think I have to move on... I want to watch Lost in Space, the new Jim Gaffigan, the watchlists just keep +++.
I am def looking forward to the quiet, cozy post-Christmas weekends to catch up.
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Post by carolynhasacat on Dec 23, 2021 21:39:21 GMT
We got rid of our DVR at the beginning of December so catching all the Hallmark movies has been impossible for me. The ones I have caught have been mostly awful this year, and I DNF'd soooo many. I feel really done with them at this point for the year, so in the end, out of 41 movies, I finished a grand total of 9 of them since October. The only one I really enjoyed was An Unexpected Christmas, and DH and I ended up watching that one twice. So, kind of an epic fail in terms of the count!
We're moving on to non-Christmas movies now ... The Ricardo's, the new Matrix, and maybe a Lord of the Rings marathon in place of visiting relatives during this second COVID Christmas.
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mich5481
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,767
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Post by mich5481 on Dec 23, 2021 22:01:19 GMT
We got rid of our DVR at the beginning of December so catching all the Hallmark movies has been impossible for me. The ones I have caught have been mostly awful this year, and I DNF'd soooo many. I feel really done with them at this point for the year, so in the end, out of 41 movies, I finished a grand total of 9 of them since October. The only one I really enjoyed was An Unexpected Christmas, and DH and I ended up watching that one twice. So, kind of an epic fail in terms of the count! We're moving on to non-Christmas movies now ... The Ricardo's, the new Matrix, and maybe a Lord of the Rings marathon in place of visiting relatives during this second COVID Christmas. Love LOTR - it's been a while since I've watched the extended editions. |
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Post by joblackford on Dec 24, 2021 1:44:34 GMT
I watched Jingle Jangle last season...I liked it and thought the music and visuals were great...some of the story in between dragged a bit, like it could've been shortened. But visually, very satisfying! I love the visual spectacular of new movies but why do they all have to be so long? We recently watched NL's Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story and I was stunned by how much story those movies managed to cram into 90 minutes or so. A lot of new movies could cut 20-40+ minutes of fluff without losing anything. |
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blemon
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by blemon on Dec 24, 2021 15:29:41 GMT
I love the visual spectacular of new movies but why do they all have to be so long? We recently watched NL's Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story and I was stunned by how much story those movies managed to cram into 90 minutes or so. A lot of new movies could cut 20-40+ minutes of fluff without losing anything. I agree! And John Waters always said a movie should never be longer than 90 minutes. We learned how to fast forward in Frndly and that has helped. Hallmark movies seem to be 90 minutes but they're 2 hours with the commercials. It's easy on my laptop but my TV doesn't show what's passing as you FF so it's annoying. We watched 9 Kittens of Christmas and it was good. Today we will watch Sugar Plum Twist because my daughter is really into dance. She wants to watch A Christmas Story tonight because we always watch it on Christmas Eve. |
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Post by sleepingbooty on Dec 27, 2021 8:56:27 GMT
I'm trying to get caught up on the 2021 Hallmark/M&M movies this week. I admit defeat for a few so I won't be making the 41 mark but I'm already close to 30 ETA: into the 30s which, good enough! My brain can only handle that much saccharine... I look forward to being done and making my list of standouts. Tragic gossip: Alicia Witt's parents were found dead earlier this week. I was shocked to see the house they lived in and it looks like it may have been due to the cold/use of a space heater. Not sure but so far no signs of foul play. But shit, that's rough. |
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Post by sleepingbooty on Dec 27, 2021 11:55:15 GMT
I finished A Royal Queens Christmas this morning. This felt very bland to me. Megan Park delivered quite a few of her lines as though she was reading through the script. I kept zoning out. At least the male actor they picked for the incognito European prince role wasn't ugly this time? It also didn't feel very New York-y to me. I understand Queens is no Manhattan at all but eh, there was no magic to this movie as far as I'm concerned. Oh well, at least that's one more I can cross off the list! My Countdown to Christmas 2021 ratings so far: You, Me & the Christmas Trees ✓ (never again) Boyfriends of Christmas Past ✓ (could've been way better but still makes the good ones rating in retrospect) The Santa Stakeout ✓ (one of the better ones) Christmas in Harmony ✓ (meh) Coyote Creek Christmas ✓ (meh) Christmas Sail ✓ (meh although I liked this different premise) Gingerbread Miracle ✓ (one of the better ones) Next Stop, Christmas ✓ (one of the good ones) A Christmas Treasure ? (yet to watch) Open by Christmas ✓ (ok) My Family Christmas Tree ✓ (one of the better ones despite the lying) A Holiday in Harlem ? (yet to watch) Nantucket Noel ✓ (meh, DNF) A Christmas Together With You ✓ (ok) A Kiss Before Christmas ✓ (one of the good ones) The Nine Kittens of Christmas ✓ (one of the good ones) Christmas CEO ✓ (meh, DNF) An Unexpected Christmas ✓ (one of the better ones) Making Spirits Bright (yet to watch) Christmas at Castle Hart ✓ (meh) Christmas in Tahoe (meh big time) The Christmas Contest ✗ (not gonna watch this one, sorry, I can't with CCB) Eight Gifts of Hanukkah ✓ (one of the better ones) A Very Merry Bridesmaid ✓ (meh) Sister Swap: a Hometown Holiday ✓ (meh) A Dickens of a Holiday ✓ (ok) A Royal Queens Christmas ✓ (meh) Sugar Plum Twist ? (yet to watch) Sister Swap: Christmas in the City ✓ (meh, DNF) The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls ✓ (meh sequel - what a shame!) 'Tis the Season to be Merry ✓ (one of the good ones) My Miracles of Christmas 2021 ratings so far (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries): Christmas in My Heart ✓ (one of the good ones) The Christmas Promise ✓ (one of the good ones) Debbie Macomber's A Mrs. Miracle Christmas ✗ (not gonna watch this one, not my vibe) One December Night ✓ (one of the better ones) Five More Minutes ✓ (one of the good ones) Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas ✓ (one of the better ones) Our Christmas Journey ✓ (one of the good ones) A Godwink Christmas: Miracle of Love ? (yet to watch) Christmas for Keeps ✓ (one of the good ones) Overall, I've clearly enjoyed the M&M movies way better this year. Bolded the ones I'd more than happily sit through again in the future. |
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mich5481
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by mich5481 on Dec 27, 2021 15:00:59 GMT
sleepingbooty you may enjoy "Sugar Plum Twist" - it discusses representation in ballet and delves a bunch into Puerto Rican Christmas traditions. I didn't care for the "Christmas for Keeps" movie, even though Nikki DeLoach was one of the writers. I felt like it crammed too many stories into one movie. One review said it would have been a better series of movies over the year, and I agree.
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Post by sleepingbooty on Dec 29, 2021 8:47:34 GMT
sleepingbooty you may enjoy "Sugar Plum Twist" - it discusses representation in ballet and delves a bunch into Puerto Rican Christmas traditions. Thanks! I love it when non-American traditions make the cut. I just finished adding this one to my download folder and will definitely try to watch it before we leave.  |
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Post by sleepingbooty on Jan 5, 2022 18:26:52 GMT
Because you know we're getting a storm of new year rom-coms, here's my recommendation of the day... Freshly finished Four to Dinner, Netflix's brand new Italian rom-com that questions the existence of soulmates. This was refreshingly interesting to watch (albeit a little confusing at times) - great way to transition from the Hallmark sweetness overdose of the past couple of months (sorry, Netflix has for some obscure reason not posted the trailer in English/with English subs but the movie's available with subs!):
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amom23
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,451
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Post by amom23 on Jan 8, 2022 17:40:23 GMT
Are you guys enjoying the new 2022 movies? I'm getting sucked in and watching them. Hallmark is a nice break from the real world LOL.
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mich5481
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,767
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Post by mich5481 on Jan 9, 2022 14:03:43 GMT
Are you guys enjoying the new 2022 movies? I'm getting sucked in and watching them. Hallmark is a nice break from the real world LOL. I watched last week's movie yesterday afternoon and then last night's movie. I definitely didn't care for the movie with Jen Lilley- those huge trees were definitely not maple trees! 🍁😂🤦♀️ I liked the first wedding veil movie better, although Kevin McGarry's "Boston" accent kept throwing me for a loop. I'm glad Autumn gets to go to Italy in the next one. |
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Post by sleepingbooty on Jan 9, 2022 17:52:21 GMT
Sorry, I'm Hallmarked out for now, amom23 . I watched too many leading up to Christmas, I think. I'll get back to them later in the month, probably. I am enjoying An Astrological Guide for Broken Hearts, an Italian Netflix series with a hot electric bike-riding boss...  It's a very decent rom-com. I'm thoroughly impressed. Netflix is really killing it. |
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Post by sleepingbooty on Apr 17, 2022 22:48:05 GMT
Not me coming home past midnight after a long drive back from my SO's family and immediately *having* to turn on the laptop and share the news with you all because... *drum roll* NIKKI DELOACH & ANDREW WALKER REUNITED! (tagging joblackford who would share my Sweet Autumn joy) Coming May 29 to the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel: Dying for Chocolate: a Curious Caterer Mystery // Colorado caterer Goldy Berry, a single mom, teams with detective Tom Schultz to identify the ingredients that led to the mysterious death of her friend — and ends up discovering a hidden recipe for murder.  Bring iiiiit!  |
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dawnnikol
Prolific Pea
'A life without books is a life not lived.' Jay Kristoff
Posts: 8,566
Sept 21, 2015 18:39:25 GMT
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Post by dawnnikol on Apr 17, 2022 23:32:03 GMT
Not me coming home past midnight after a long drive back from my SO's family and immediately *having* to turn on the laptop and share the news with you all because... *drum roll* NIKKI DELOACH & ANDREW WALKER REUNITED! (tagging joblackford who would share my Sweet Autumn joy) Coming May 29 to the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel: Dying for Chocolate: a Curious Caterer Mystery // Colorado caterer Goldy Berry, a single mom, teams with detective Tom Schultz to identify the ingredients that led to the mysterious death of her friend — and ends up discovering a hidden recipe for murder. I swear I thought I was going to open this thread to you telling us about the 2022 Hallmark Holiday line up! /cackle |
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mich5481
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,767
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Post by mich5481 on Apr 18, 2022 0:50:07 GMT
Not me coming home past midnight after a long drive back from my SO's family and immediately *having* to turn on the laptop and share the news with you all because... *drum roll* NIKKI DELOACH & ANDREW WALKER REUNITED! (tagging joblackford who would share my Sweet Autumn joy) Coming May 29 to the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel: Dying for Chocolate: a Curious Caterer Mystery // Colorado caterer Goldy Berry, a single mom, teams with detective Tom Schultz to identify the ingredients that led to the mysterious death of her friend — and ends up discovering a hidden recipe for murder. Bring iiiiit! It was supposed to air last Sunday, but I don't know if it did, as I was traveling and the hotel didn't have HMM. |
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Post by sleepingbooty on Apr 18, 2022 11:58:39 GMT
I swear I thought I was going to open this thread to you telling us about the 2022 Hallmark Holiday line up! /cackle Bwahaha, not yet, not yet! 😆 Give me a couple more months when they start filming the Fall Harvest and Christmas movies and I'll be all over this thread with the Instagram stories revelations... 🗣️ It was supposed to air last Sunday, but I don't know if it did, as I was traveling and the hotel didn't have HMM. It did premiere back then but I only found out about it during Easter weekend. If you sail the seas 🏴☠️, you can find it already. I'll probably watch it tonight. From what I understand, this is the multiple movie deal HM&M announced for Walker and DeLoach. There are 8 books in the series so it looks like they'll be adapting several. 😊 |
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Post by joblackford on Apr 18, 2022 15:22:44 GMT
Dying for Chocolate: a Curious Caterer Mystery // Colorado caterer Goldy Berry, a single mom, teams with detective Tom Schultz to identify the ingredients that led to the mysterious death of her friend — and ends up discovering a hidden recipe for murder. I saw an ad for that one the other day and thought of your joy in seeing them together again. We don't have the mysteries channel. I think my husband would watch it if we did - he enjoyed the couple of mysteries they've shown on the regular romcom channel to entice us to get the other channel. I saw something on Hallmark and thought I should share with the Peas but can't remember if is was this one... At the time I forgot we had a Hallmark thread and dismissed the idea as silly. I think it must've been this ad because I haven't watched the channel much lately. |
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Post by Restless Spirit on Apr 18, 2022 23:49:33 GMT
I really like Nikki Deloach & Andrew Walker, but that show put me to sleep. If it’s going to be a series I need to find it and record it and try again.
I’m really hoping “Mystery 101” returns. They left us with a cliff hanger and I want to know what happens next. LOL
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mich5481
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,767
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Post by mich5481 on Apr 19, 2022 0:11:19 GMT
I really like Nikki Deloach & Andrew Walker, but that show put me to sleep. If it’s going to be a series I need to find it and record it and try again. I’m really hoping “Mystery 101” returns. They left us with a cliff hanger and I want to know what happens next. LOL I think Mystery 101 will be back in July, since the last movie aired in August, and the cliffhanger said it was 11 months later. 🤷♀️ It's probably my favorite HMM series. I used to love the Garage Sale mysteries, but we know what happened there, and the Hannah Swenson mystery wasn't the same as "Murder She Baked." |
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Post by jenna on Apr 20, 2022 18:49:05 GMT
Y'ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL ! ! ! ! the queen of hallmark christmas CCB has (presumably) LEFT THE HALLMARK BUILDING.  she signed with GAC (and is going to be doing behind the scenes executive things? it seems??) which seems pretty exclusive.. how will the Aurora Teagarden stuff on Mystery and Movies go? I dunno.. I do like those in a "it's Sunday and I need to throw something on the tv" sort of way. But I won't miss her at Christmas and I definitely won't miss her ~I'm so happy they can do their thing and I can do my thing~ when asked about diversity on Hallmark (speaking of go watch Love, Classified now!). What about you guys? Are you sad she's leaving? Are you happy? Don't actually care just gimme the Christmas goods?? |
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dawnnikol
Prolific Pea
'A life without books is a life not lived.' Jay Kristoff
Posts: 8,566
Sept 21, 2015 18:39:25 GMT
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Post by dawnnikol on Apr 20, 2022 19:15:06 GMT
Y'ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL ! ! ! ! the queen of hallmark christmas CCB has (presumably) LEFT THE HALLMARK BUILDING. Halle-freaking-lujah! I hope the door hit her in the butt on the way out. |
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Post by sleepingbooty on Apr 20, 2022 19:57:16 GMT
Thank the fuck CCB is goooone! Now I can truly attempt a watch-all-the-new-Hallmark-Christmas-movies challenge. Bring on the diversity on Hallmark! I am so excited about this new era.  |
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It's a very decent rom-com. I'm thoroughly impressed. Netflix is really killing it. 
