Rich Heldenfels, Pop Culture Wanderer

It's that time of year when people binge on Hallmark's Christmas movies, and the House of Heldenfels is not immune. (There are limits, though. This is an unlikely addition.) That said, the movies are such easy viewing that sometimes the mind wanders. And this mind has wandered toward the idea of ... a Hallmark Christmas movies book. Sometimes the idea morphs into three books: the Christmas movies, the non-Christmas Hallmark Channel/Hallmark Movies & Mysteries films, and the classic, broadcast Hallmark Hall of Fame productions. Not that I have time to do any of these. But I have been thinking about what I would want in a Christmas movies book. Including: 1. A map of America with all those fictional small towns where the movies are set. 2. A list of the Canadian houses used most often for movie locations. 3. A list of noteworthy other roles by actors in the films.  Nyssa al Ghul! The Maytag repairman! 4. The time of the near-kiss in each movie. (The near-kiss, f

The weather here in NE Ohio has been dreadful for a couple of days. There are puddles in the yard and the basement pump is getting a bigger workout than I came close to in the gym this morning. But so much rain also puts songs in my head, including the ones below. A lot of bumming there, but that's how it feels. Ann Peebles, "I Can't Stand the Rain" Willie Nelson, "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" Dramatics, "In the Rain" The Beatles, "Rain" Prince, "Purple Rain" Eurythmics, "Here Comes the Rain Again" Carpenters, "Rainy Days and Mondays"