It's almost the most wonderful time of the year

I *love* Christmas.

So much so, I'm a firm believer that it is too good of a "season" to be celebrated strictly in late-November and December alone.

Inevitably, mid-October--if not sooner--I start getting excited about Christmas. Yep. Call me a freak, but I really do.

I listen to Christmas music pretty much year around. Well, at least some of it. The more traditional or strictly winter-related carols I tend to save for the actual Christmas season--as well as some of my favorite CDs. But I listen to a lot of non-traditional Christmas music pretty regularly throughout the year.

I walked through the Christmas section in Target on Sunday and could feel my excitement growing. I love the decorations, the lights, the music, the focus on our Savior's birth (or at least superficial focus--it's debateable how much focus people in our nation really have on the birth of Christ) --it's all wonderful! So I could feel the smile on my face growing as I took it all in while I strolled down the aisles.

This is about the time of year that I begin to dream of curling up with a warm blanket and a cup of cocoa and watching "It's a Wonderful Life." Or other classics such as "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "White Christmas." I also look forward to watching newer favorites such as "The Nativity Story" and "The Christmas Shoes."

I'm already excited about Christmas celebrations with friends, putting up the tree, decorating the house, Christmas gift shopping, and the list goes on. And this year, because I have a Dollywood pass, I have at least a couple of trips to the Dollywoood Christmas Celebration to look forward to. I *love* going up there during that time period. It's so beautiful!

Ah, so much Christmas joy to look forward to! It'll be here before we know it!

Me standing in front of our Christmas tree last year

Be watching for more blog entries related to Christmas as the actual season arrives! :)

I voted today!

I voted in my first presidential election ever today! I've waited for this moment for years.(God bless early voting--I'll be too busy to vote on actual Election Day. I have classes all day and I'm working election night.)

I've been taught--and believed--my entire life, that voting is a privilege and it is our civic duty to search out the issues, make a rational decision based on your values and what you believe to be true (who cares what the mainstream media says--think for yourself!), and then VOTE!

I can remember being excited as a Kindergartener in the 1992 election when I was able to cast my vote in a class kids' election. I thought it was so cool to "vote" in class and then tag along with my mom as she voted in the real election. I have followed each election closely ever since.

So voting today was the fulfillment of a long-held desire. And as long as I am able to make it to the polls and think clearly enough to make my own decision, I will vote in every election I can until the day I die.

Too many Americans today sit back and passively expect our system to work as designed--without ever participating! The very foundation of our government is based on active citizen participation. In addition, thousands of lives have been sacrificed over the years so that we could have the freedom to vote (among other freedoms). We would be foolish to cast aside the privileges we've been given and not play an active role in our government. Voting is a simple, yet powerful way to do that.

Sarah the construction worker

As many of you have heard, I interviewed one of my best friends, Sarah, for my personality profile assignment in my broadcast journalism class. We were assigned to do an interview with someone who does/has done something out of the ordinary. Because Sarah works construction and that's not something most girls typically are interested in, I decided to interview her. It was fun.

This is the first time I've conducted an actual interview with a camera, so please forgive any amateurishness. I've shot video for four or five projects now, but I never had to include an interview in any of them. So I'm glad she was my guinea pig. :) At least I know she didn't think I was an unprofessional idiot when I messed up some during the interview/shooting process or took a little bit longer to get things set up. ;)

The interview turned out great. I had so much material to work with it was hard to cut it down to only a minute and a half.

After hours of editing (I've gotta learn some shortcuts in FinalCutPro), here's the result:


Knoxville construction worker defies gender stereotype from Liz Overton on Vimeo.

And for those interested, here's the entire interview. I didn't have time to edit it, so here it is in raw form. I might go back and edit it some later, when I have time.



A big thanks to Sarah! She did a great job and very graciously allowed me to interview her and follow her around with a camera as she worked. You did awesome, Sarah! Thanks!

CCA fall fun

As I mentioned in my previous post on autumn in the Smokies, this past Sunday, I spent the afternoon/evening in Cades Cove with my best friends. It was a blast!

We ate a picnic lunch (well, everyone else had a picnic--I had to join in later because of my work schedule), played games, made s'mores, played with lighter fluid (our poor fire was dying by the time we were ready to roast the marshmallows), and went on a hayride.

I treasured the time to enjoy the beauty of the mountains and the beauty of friendship with the greatest friends anyone could ever ask for.

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather is one of those things that give value to survival.
- C. S. Lewis

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
- Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Autumn splendor of the Smokies

Each season has a beauty all its own, and the glorious colors of autumn are truly a sight to behold. This Sunday, I went to the Smoky Mountains with my best friends and we enjoyed spending time together with the beauty of autumn in the Smokies serving as a glorious backdrop. The colors haven't peaked yet, but they were beautiful nonetheless. You can just see some of the colors beginning to turn.

In my opinion, you haven't really experienced autumn until you've seen its transformation first hand in the Smokies. Doesn't it just make you want to stand in awe of God's breathtaking creation?

The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.
- Psalm 97:1

O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you....The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it.
- Psalm 89:8, 11

Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
- Psalm 90:1-2

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
- Romans 1:20

P.S. I couldn't actually take any close-ups through the Cades Cove loop like I wanted to because I was on a hayride. I had to grab whatever pictures I could as we were driving by!

It's not about us

The Christian life can be explained only in terms of Jesus Christ, and if your life as a Christian can still be explained in terms of you--your personality, your willpower, your gift, your talent, your money, your courage, your scholarship, your dedication, your sacrifice, or your anything--then although you may have the Christian life, you are not yet living it.
- Ian Thomas

UT students prepare to take on the world

This is my first "real" Broadcast News class assignment. We had to cover a local event and write a VO (voice over) for it.


UT students prepare to take on the world from Liz Overton on Vimeo.

All self-respecting political junkies...

...will have their TVs tuned to the vice-presidential debate tonight at 9.

And I, for one, can't wait to watch it.

I've had tonight's debate marked on my calendar since I could find out the date.

I'm sure the ratings numbers of people tuning in tonight will be through the roof. My prediction is that this vice-presidential debate will draw an exponentially larger audience than any of the presidential debates. Especially after all the recent talk surrounding Gov. Sarah Palin's interviews with Charles Gibson and Katie Couric.

*Warning: I don't think I've really mentioned any of my political views, at least openly, on this blog yet. But I'm about to. So be forewarned: the next paragraph contains blatant personal opinion and venting. Ignore or read as you please. Feel free to agree or disagree.*

In light of that, I can't wait to watch Gov. Palin kick Sen. Biden's tail tonight. Just because she doesn't have a scripted, carefully crafted answer to immediately spit back when asked a question doesn't make her unintelligent or ill-qualified! And don't even get me started on "dodging questions!" Have any of those outspoken Palin critics ever watched Sen. Obama give an interview? Puh-leeze! Talk about dodging questions!

*end of venting*

So anyway, I'm looking forward to watching the debate tonight. In all seriousness, it will no doubt be an important mile marker in this year's election race.

Happy Autumn!

Photo courtesy of Ferran., Flickr.com

Fall is in the air! :)

It is finally here--in my mind at least. Despite the fact that the autumnal equinox is always on either September 22 or 23, it never really seems to be fall in my mind until October. Maybe because that's when it usually starts to look or feel a little bit like fall in East Tennessee. Sure, fall actually begins in September. But to me, September has always seemed to be a transitional month. Not really summer, yet not really fall. Maybe I hold that view because I've spent most of my life in school. September is always the month of getting settled into one's new school routine, adjusting to new changes, etc. But by October, things have kind of settled down (usually). Thus, my mind switches over to fall.

So I was delighted yesterday to discover that the first day it really *felt* like fall here in East Tennessee was October 1. How perfect! I mentally shift over to fall in October, and this year the weather actually shifted with me (at least for a few days). So let the fall fun begin!

Fall has many fun, lovable characteristics: crisp temperatures, beautiful fall foliage, apple cider, pumpkin spice frappuccinos, Starbucks caramel apple spice (the stuff is heavenly), corn mazes, bonfires, cozy fires burning in the fireplace, football games, and just the promise and living example of harvest.

To celebrate fall, I made some pumpkin bread Tuesday night that I munched on and shared at church last night and I plan to enjoy a Starbucks pumpkin spice frappuccino later today (Mmmm! Can't wait!). I also intend to stop by Yankee Candle today and pick up some fall-scented votives to put in my autumn candleholders, which I hope to pull out next week. My goal is to clean my room this weekend, and help clean the house in general, so that I can pull out the fall decor next week. :)

As a season, fall has really started growing on me in the past few years. Spring has always been my favorite season for a number of reasons. (Well, favorite actual season. Christmas is by far my absolute favorite season. But that's another--forthcoming--blog post.) Namely, I love to see all the flowers and trees in bloom, warmer temperatures (ironic that one of the things I love about fall is the cooler temperatures!), my birthday, wrapping up another school year (you better believe this coming spring will be huge in this regard as I graduate!!), looking ahead to summer, and honestly, just the new beginnings and new life everywhere.

However, I can honestly say that fall and spring are close to being tied as my favorite seasons. Spring will always hold a special place in my heart, but fall is quickly becoming a treasure as well. Happy autumn! :)

There is a harmony
In autumn, and a lustre in its sky,
Which through the summer is not heard or seen,
As if it could not be, as if it had not been!
--Percy Bysshe Shelley

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf's a flower.
--Albert Camus