Project Life - August 2025

 

Project Life - July 2025

 

Project Life - June 2025

 

Project Life - May 2025

 Highlight: Billy Idol and Joan Jett Concert!

Project Life - April 2025

 

Product Placement in TV Shows

I remember when Guiding Light was close to going off the air and they would have in your face product placement.  I think they were having lots of financial issues and was doing anything to stay on the air (wish it worked).  Sometimes it wasn’t too in your face…for instance, they would get home from the store and un-bag their groceries…the Gain, Cascade, Dawn and Head & Shoulders would be carefully removed one by one and face the camera so you could clearly see what it was.  Other times, they would make a fuss over a product. . . On a car trip with 2 in the front seat and 2 in the back…”Are those PRINGLES? I love “PRINGLES”…Ross, hand me those PRINGLES, PRINGLES are my favorite chips!” Ross replies “Get your own PRINGLES, I love them so much, I want the whole can”. Of course while holding up the can of Pringles with the logo showing so we can see them.

As the World Turns did it too but not as much as Guiding Light.  They would say at the Thanksgiving table “Is that a BUTTERBALL TURKEY”,  while zooming in on a perfectly cooked turkey on the table…”BUTTERBALL TURKEYS are the best!!”

Ha Ha!!

Having product placements sitting around in Soap Operas is nothing new…it’s been like that since the beginning of TV Soaps.  Most of the time, the Dawn is just sitting on the counter, plainly in view or the Huggies are sitting out in view in the nursery…

But when they TALK about them it is kind of funny and makes me actually giggle out loud.

Case in point….the new soap opera “Beyond the Gates”, which I really enjoying by the way.

They have FEBREEZE as one of their products.  One of the characters, Nichole, is always spraying it and then smelling the room….with a resounding “Aaaahh”

Well, on Monday’s episode is was like they had a case of the PRINGLES.

While setting up for her 20+ something daughter’s birthday party.

Nicole: (Handing can to mom) “Can you do me a favor and spray the FEBREEEEZZEE? It always makes the house smell so fresh and welcoming for a parties”

Anita/Mom: “You stole that trick from me?” (Wagging finger in a teasing way)

Nicole: “I learned from the best”

Anita/Mom: (Takes a deep long look at the can of Febreeze) “FEBREEZE REFRESH & ENERGIZE, I don’t know that scent” (Sprays Febreeze and then walks into the spray while appearing to sniff)…

“Oooh, that is nice!” (Proceeds to walk around the room spraying the Febreeze)

Nicole: “Right?, I hope Kat enjoys herself…….(gets can from mom)

Mom: (Handing Febreeze back to Nicole)

Nicole: (Taking can from mom)…”She will appreciate this too…Kat insist on it, she says you got to have the Febreeze to (shakes shoulders in a dancing way and in a sing song voice) to set the vibe”

Another show that does this EVERY WEEK is “The Rookie” - every single week there is some throw down to AMAZON PRIME” - sometimes they are just getting a package delivered and say “Yes, my Amazon Prime delivery arrived”.  Sometimes there are just Amazon boxes in the background clearly in view.

This week, John said he threw away Bailey’s mouthpiece and cleats to keep her competing against him in a football game, so after John leaves the room, Bailey picks up her cell phone

Bailey (looking and touching phone): “Amazon Prime…Gloves, belts, cleats…add to cart. Oh, those boots are kind of cute…two for one face sheet masks? Same day delivery? Yes, please! And Purchased!  Flag football is saved”

The TV Show “Ghosts” is also a big fan of Amazon Prime…they have boxes all about and often are getting deliveries

By the way…no one calls it “Amazon Prime”…we all just say “Amazon”

Matlock promotes Apple products but don’t usually shout out the product name.

Will Trent is a fan of Uber and Converse, but you kind of have to mention Uber to promote it.

What other shows have you seen that are very blatant with their product placement?  

Project Life - March 2025

I can’t believe we are 1/4th of the way through the year! There was a lot of happenings in March, I had a visit with my mom, got to see my Aunt Betty and the best part, I went to Las Vegas with my friend and we saw Donny’s show 3 times, he invited us to a pizza party after one of the shows, his son and wife were there one  night and I got to meet Ann Moses of Tiger Beat fame!

The traveling and walking around is a little tougher than it was over 15 years ago when we first went to Las Vegas, but honestly, I am totally ready to go back!! We had a great time, as always!

 

Road Trip Saturday - Stop 2 - McDonough, Georgia

As mentioned in my last post, last Saturday I took a beautiful drive through middle Georgia.  I haven't spent a lot of time in middle Georgia. Northern Georgia is so beautiful, but middle Georgia is equally perfect.

Stop #2 - Henry County.  The county seat is McDonough.  It's pronounced Mick - Don - Ah.

Henry County was named for Patrick Henry.  You know, the "Give me Liberty or Give me Death" Patrick Henry.  If you don't know much about him, you should read up on him.  He did so much to form our country.

The courthouse even has a great statue of him.  I like that they have a statue of him, instead of a confederate soldier, since the county is his namesake.

Across from the courthouse is the C.O. Polk Interactive Museum.  I wanted to visit it, but as mentioned before, most little museums are closed on the weekend (again, so weird).  But I later discovered that this museum shut down during the COVID pandemic in 2020 and unfortunately, has never reopened.  That's a shame because its an interactive museum that shows the history of Henry County.

There is an old theater on the town square too.  The Clay Plaza building on the McDonough Square is rumored to be one of the most haunted in Henry County.

Once a movie theater from the 1940's through the 1960's, this building was owned by Ernest Paris Clay who was a spirited fellow with a fascination for the paranormal. He even told his daughter that when he died, he would try to come back to visit her.

Since his death, there have been strange sounds at night, including footsteps going up and down the hallways. The noises are most prominent in the area that was once the projection room, where Mr. Clay spent a great deal of time.

Coincidentally, the last movie to play at the theater was "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" starring Don Knotts.

I couldn't find out if it is still in use today. When I was there, there seemed to be some activity going on. People were walking up the side stairs and going in there.

I love the old gas station in town that is now a welcome center.

As mentioned, unlike some other Georgia towns, there is not a confederate statue.  I did discover a place in the center of the town square surrounded by flags and later discovered that a confederate monument once stood here.  I think the could do more with it, like put a fountain there or something.

I did find a photo online from 2007, when some renovations were going on at the courthouse, that shows there was once a monument here. Apparently, it was erected in 1910, where it stood for 110 years and was removed in July 2020, after 14,000 people signed a petition to have it removed.  

(not my photo)

I wonder what they do with monuments like that when they remove them?  Are they broken up, are they stored somewhere? Like what do they do with them.  I'm just curious.

There is a very cool time capsule in the town square too.  It was placed there in 1971, but didn't indicate when the capsule should be opened.  Most time capsules I have seen indicate when it is supposed to be opened, typically some anniversary date of the town.  I wonder what's in it?

Near the town square are some beautiful homes and there are many throughout McDonough. Can you imagine living in such a glorious home? How beautiful!!

Now onto the main reason for the trip...the COURTHOUSE.  Built in 1897, and just like the Clayton County Courthouse, it is Romanesque Revival and also designed by James Wingfield (J.W.) Golucke, (1857-1907) who designed 14 Georgia County Courthouses (plus 5 additional ones with a partner), 3 Alabama County Courthouses, & 3 Georgia County jails.  Boy, he was a busy fella!! He died at the young age of 50...just imagine what other designs he could have made had he lived longer.