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.