Creative Crush: Sam Weber

 

Creative Crush is a bi-weekly post in which I will feature one amazing artist that I have the HOTS for… their work.  I’ve been lucky enough to stumble across these amazing artists on my own, but I thought I should do what I can to help spread their names.  For all my book lovers, some of them have even done the artwork featured on many of the books you’ve loved reading… just sayin’.

Sam Weber

Eros

I feel lucky enough to say that I stumbled upon Sam Weber’s art back when I had my account on Tumblr.  The piece caught my eye, and while it held a slight eeriness to it, I saw nothing but beauty.  I followed the link back to Sam’s site and instantly fell in love with his work.  The darkness in each piece spoke to me in a way that I never thought anything but Michelangelo, or DaVinci would.  When I started Creative Crush, Sam was one of the first names that popped up that I knew I HAD to feature.

Sam was born in Alaska, but grew up in Deep River Ontario, Canada.  He moved to New York to pursue illustration and attend graduate school at The School of Visual Arts after attending the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary.  He’s also married, so, sorry ladies.  It seems like every time I turn around, I see another one of his pieces popping up on book covers.  The ethereal quality of his work does allow it to fit a wide berth of genres.  If there was ever an artist I would strive to match their exquisite ability, it would be this guy.  The level of realism in his pieces is absolutely amazing and he makes it looks so EASY!

I’ve never seen somebody with so much talent just oozing out of his pores, but there’s a first for everything right?  Anywho, stop listening to me, and check him out for yourselves!  I’ve posted links to the several ways for you guys to be able to psychotically stalk delightfully follow Sam.

That is all.

Sam Weber:  http://sampaints.com

Tumblr:  http://news.sampaints.com/

An Audio Side Project:  http://yourdreamsmynightmares.com/page/6

Flickr:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/vesperwood

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/sampaints

 

Lessons in Life: A Reflection

 

Earlier this week, I spent some time watching Super Soul Sunday on the OWN network where Oprah was playing host to frequent guest, Iyanla Vanzant. The two began talking about how they’d previously gone through a rough patch in their working relationship. In breaking things down, it came to light that, at the time, Iyanla had been unable to see the value in herself that Oprah did. Theis led to the two splitting ways and to Iyanla’s own hardships. The two continued to discuss events, and from their conversation, I gleaned some hard-earned lessons.

“You can give all you want, but if it can’t be received, it’s as if it was never given.” – Oprah

I’ve definitely had a hard time grasping this concept in my life. Learning to receive gifts is hard to do when you’re raised to believe that you should have to work for your rewards. And when you’re like me and have a but of laziness to you, working for your rewards suddenly becomes a daunting task. And then, when somebody comes along wanting to help you out and give you a gift, accepting it now feels like a selfish act. It turns into a cycle where you can’t ask for help, but you desperately need it. I got a book recently called The Power of Receiving by Amanda Owen, and I can’t wait to read it. I’m hoping it will help propel me to a place where I can receive the things that God, or the universe, or whatever has for me.

“Anytime you want to make a large change, pause… Facing the truth is hard. The truth will set you free, but you must endure the labor pains of birthing it.” -Iyanla Vanzant

Over the past year, I’ve found myself in a place where I’ve needed to make some drastic changes. Without a job, it’s come to a point where I need to do something to change the path I’m on. Last fall, I finally started school. Working toward a degree in illustration through a very expensive private arts university, I hadn’t even considered that I really would want to spend every day drawing or painting. I DO enjoy the craft, but as a hobby. And turning it into a career would probably spoil the fun of doing it as a hobby. So I decided not pursue that degree. At least, not until I could afford to pay for that sort of education. Then, earlier this year, I started working as an insurance agent because of the possibility for great pay, and significant rewards, but I never even stopped to think that I had very little sales experience and was stepping into a 100% commission career. Needless to say, I tanked and have really not known where to go from there.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to cut my own hair since I needed it, but couldn’t afford the $25.00 it costs to have my stylist cut it for me. Brendon came home, saw my hair, and asked me to cut his hair the next day. He had been toying with the idea of buzzing his head, but I persuaded him to let me give him a new hairstyle. I spent about an hour working on his hair, and when I was done, I gotta say, I was jealous of the style I’d given him and was proud when his family said they liked the cut as well. So much so, that his step-dad asked me to cut his hair also! Within three days, I cut three people’s hair (including my own) with almost no experience and they all turned out really well.

Four years ago, two of my friends went through cosmetology school, and at least twice a week, they would tell me that I should be doing hair. That with my artistic talent, I could be extremely successful in the business. My friend even went so far as to make me cut his hair to try to convince me. His teachers said the cut was pretty even, but it just needed some texture. And at that time, my interest was piqued. I enjoyed cutting his hair, but I couldn’t attend school then because I felt like I’d be living up to too many gay stereotypes. Instead, I worked my way into a dead-end job that drained the life out of me.

Four years later, I can honestly say that I’ve still thought I should have gone into cosmetology then. All this time, I’ve had friends ask me to do their makeup, or fix their hair when going out for the night, and even been told I should be doing hair or makeup. I realize that in order to go anywhere in the industry, I would need the proper training, and stereotypes be damned, I’m going to do it! I’ve taken the time to tour several cosmetology schools, and after comparing curriculum, staff, and overall success of their graduates, I’ve made the decision to attend Brillare Hairdressing Academy. I met with my enrollment advisor, and financial aid representative, and am happy to announce that I’m enrolled to start September 19^th! Give me a year, I will have my license and be well on my way towards a successful career.

 

Dream Drama: Pharaoh’s Curse

Welcome to the newest feature on the Boyish Booklover, Dream Drama.  This is a bi-weekly feature where I will take a dream I have ACTUALLY had at some point, and turn it into a short story for you guys.  This is a way for me to challenge myself and my writing, while hopefully entertaining you guys.  So, without further ado, I give you Pharaoh’s Curse!

Pharaoh’s Curse

The entourage slowly filtered down the crowded hallway.  Reflections of the overpriced outfits worn by the other guests flickered in the garish golden frames that attempted to distract from the hideous burgundy-striped wall paper that plastered the walls.  Tasteless, ornate furniture filled the spaces between frames where the walls would have otherwise been exposed.  Whoever had decorated the place needed to be shot for the assault on the senses they created with this ghastly masterpiece.

I tugged on the bow-tie that had been strangling me for the past two hours while I shook hands with crooked dignitaries, smiled my way through endless talks about who added a new wing to their mansion, or who was cheating on whom.  I hated wearing dress clothes, let alone a rented tux, but that was the price of trying to fit in at this ridiculous gala.  I was getting frustrated that this much time had gone by with no action happening.  I was grateful, don’t get me wrong, but I was certain something would have turned up by now.  Micah’s visions had never been wrong.  I wasn’t about to start doubting him now.  But it was always frustrating not knowing exactly when something disastrous was going to happen.

The man leading our group through the Egyptian-pyramid-inspired building spoke in a monotone voice that made me think he’d given this same tour a hundred times before.  I sipped the champagne I’d snagged off the waiter nearest the ballroom doors as we passed and turned to follow him out onto the veranda overlooking the gardens.  My breath caught at the sight, and I tried my hardest not to cough up the sip I’d just taken all over the plump woman in the powder pink, floor-length gown standing in front of me.  The sight was awe-inspiring.

A high-walled courtyard was cut out of the side of the rust-colored slant of the building.  Cypress trees lined the walls on both sides as the courtyard opened out into the night air.  Grass covered the space between the two lines of trees, and small shrubs carved a walking path down the middle, directing the eye to the giant obsidian obelisk that had been constructed to stand a thousand feet from the main building.  The full moon lit what the lit torches lining the veranda couldn’t.  This was the spot Micah had described from his vision.  I knew this was where it was supposed to take place and my muscles tensed as they readied for what was to happen.

Delighted murmurs rose from the people surrounding me as they took in the surroundings.  I was the only one not startled by the scream that rose from the back of the crowd.  The source of the scream was cut off as a woman in a formal black cocktail dress was thrown into a nearby wall.  A thunderous crack as her skull hit the disguised cinder-block and she fell in a limp pile at its base.  The crowd parted like Moses himself had entered the room and I was able to see what had caused the woman’s ill-timed fate.

Two monstrous figures stood at the end of the crowd.  Their skin a sunken shade of rotted wood that spoke of death and preservation.  The lips had dried up and pulled away from the teeth long ago baring broken and jagged maws.  Empty sockets scanned the sea of faces as if searching for something lost.  I knew the item they were searching for was lying in my jacket pocket, but I had no intention of surrendering the little bauble.  At first, I’d thought it was a piece of junk and was preparing to throw it out when Micah caught my hand and told me of its importance.  I had been charged to protect it and keep it out of the maniacal necromancer’s hands.  Apparently he’d chosen to send goons befitting an Egyptian-themed gala.

Up to this point, the crowd sat in stunned silence, unwilling to be the first to move and draw their attention, but suddenly a frenzy hit the crowd and people scattered as screams were sent up in the night air like prayers for safety.  The two undead henchmen locked sights on me over the din and began carving their way through the crowd.  Any person in their path was swatted aside like a rag doll.  I needed to draw them away from the people so more innocents wouldn’t get hurt.  Turning, I vaulted myself over the side of the veranda, dropping nearly thirty feet into the garden at the base of the overhang.  I ran out into the center of the garden and wheeled around to face my pursuers.  I expected to see them still standing up on the veranda, but was surprised to see them rapidly scaling the walls on either side in an attempt to come at me from both sides.

Great.

I chose to beat them to the punch and take one on at a time.  I sprinted to my left to take on the mummy crawling along the wall like a giant spider out of some horrible nightmare.  As I ran, I focused until I felt the familiar pull at the back of my navel as I opened myself to the power coursing in me, and all around me.  My muscles, which were already stronger than any other man’s, suddenly surged with unbridled power.  Without slowing, I coiled the muscles in my legs and pushed off from the ground, launching myself like an arrow loosed from a cross-bow at the mummy, still perched on the wall.  Mid-leap, I pulled the heat from my surroundings until the air around my hands was roiling from the excess heat.  The forced from my launch ensured my hands not only smashed the creature’s head into the wall, but that its entire body was deflated from the force.  The searing heat instantly lit it on fire and I knew it would be only a matter of seconds before the intense heat completely obliterated any existence of the monster.

I didn’t have time to wait and make sure of its imminent demise as the other mummy was now barreling toward me with super-human speed.  Without dropping from the wall or loosing my grip on the first creature, I turned to face the other.  I extended my hand, balled it into a fist, yanked it in toward my chest, and watched as the ground in front of the sprinting demon turned to soft earth that swallowed its legs up to the knees, ensuring an abrupt change in momentum that severed its legs.  At this point the creature in my hand was no more than a pile of ash that was scattering in the wind I’d pushed out from my center.

I dropped to the ground and slowly made my way to the injured monster, now pitifully trying to claw its way to collect the trinket from my pocket.  With little more than a thought, I forced the ground to give up the creature’s legs.  I quickly pulled the molecules of water in the air and formed them into a tight sphere that surrounded the creature and its severed limbs.  The sphere lifted slowly into the air and hovered just above my line of sight.  I reached my hand up and twisted it quickly like trying to open a jar and watched as the water of the sphere began to flow in quick circular currents that began slicing away at the creature trapped within.  Cries of rage were muffled by the water that engulfed it as the water picked up in speed and intensity.  Within moments, what was left of its flesh had dissolved in the water and the bones themselves were now withering away before my eyes.  As the last of it disappeared, I opened my hand and released the water to instantly disperse into the air I’d pulled it from in the first place.

I said a silent prayer of thanks that I was able to deal with the situation quickly.  I missed Micah more than I was willing to admit, and I really, REALLY needed a hot shower.  I hate dead guys . They give me the willies.

Listening To:  ”Batman Begins, Film Score”, Hans Zimmer, James Howard

Meet the Parents!

My house

I grew up in northern Arizona from the time I was born until shortly after I graduated high school, and at the age of 18, moved to Phoenix with my older sister and her boyfriend at the time (which I’m happy to say they are happily married and expecting baby numero dos).  I’ve always made it a point to spend time with my family anytime I go back home to visit, or when they come to the valley to visit my older brother and his family.  Over the past three years of my relationship with my boyfriend, Brendon, these visits have brought a sense of awareness that every time I’d go spend time with them, I was leaving Brendon at home because (with a few exceptions) my family wasn’t okay with the gay thing.

My sister had already come to visit me and met Brendon a couple of times.  Then in early April, she and her husband went to lunch with us, after which they both invited us to come visit and just stay with them.  Within the week we were planning our first trip to my home town so Brendon could experience the beautiful weather, and see where I grew up.  We planned the trip to land the same weekend as my 26^th birthday, and expected that Brendon would just hang out with my sister while I went to have dinner with my parents for my birthday.

Mom and Dad

I called my mom to let her know we were both coming up for the weekend so that it wouldn’t be awkward if we just showed up and they weren’t expecting him as well.  I was floored when my mom told me they wanted to meet him.  I mean, they’d never met anyone I’d ever dated before that, and I hadn’t thought they’d ever want to meet him.  Now, I suddenly found myself filled with worry that their meeting was going to be a big ordeal.  I felt like I should give my parents the benefit of the doubt, but I couldn’t help but be concerned.  Finally, these two parts of my life, that I cared so deeply for, were going to come together for the first time.  What if my parents were completely uncomfortable, and the entire night was awkward?  What if they didn’t like him, and they let it show?  What if the whole idea was a big mistake?

My brain didn’t want to slow down to allow reason in.  I’d never seen my parents be rude to anyone else.  EVER.  Plus, they knew my brother in law’s siblings were both gay and they’d been perfectly hospitable to them.  But no, my brain kept thinking things were going to go badly.

Brendon and I left after work on Friday to make our way north to my sister’s house.  Upon arrival, my sister informed us that my parents were coming over THAT NIGHT to hang out with us and meet Brendon, which of course, caused my nerves to hit the roof.  My parents showed up only a few minutes later and after hugging them when they came in, I introduced them to Brendon.  The introductions were short and we decided to dig into the food.

My dad sat down next to Brendon during dinner and they began chatting about cars (which Brendon loves), and I even caught my dad telling him a story about my grandpa.  He told him that my grandpa used to play several instruments, that my dad taught himself to play the guitar, and told about the first time he played for my grandpa (a story I’d never heard before).  I loved hearing these stories, and it was comforting to find my dad regaling Brendon with this story that was as new to me as it was to him.  My mom wound up talking with my sister, Brendon and me about recent shows we’d started watching on TV.  The whole night was actually fairly comfortable.

I thought that was going to be all we saw of my parents that weekend, but, in the morning I got a call from my mom asking if we were all ready to meet them for breakfast!  After wolfing down our morning meal, we joined my mother on her weekly shopping trip.  She spends all week doing at home day care so during the week she doesn’t get out much, which means that on the weekends she spends as much time outside the house as possible.  The day of shopping was fun and Brendon got to see what it was like living in a smaller town like Flagstaff.

That evening we enjoyed another comfortable meal with my parents at the end of which my mom asked if we were coming to church with them in the morning.  I told her we hadn’t planned on it, but she insisted we should come and that after church was done, we could eat wherever I wanted for lunch, since it was my birthday.  At this point in the trip, my head was spinning with everything going WAAAY better than I’d expected.

The next morning we joined my sister, and met my parents at the old church I grew up in.  Friendly faces greeted Brendon and me as we entered and my mom had made room next to her for Brendon to sit, with plenty of room for me on his other side.  After church was over, we went to my favorite Mexican restaurant for lunch with my uncle and aunt, who asked if Brendon and I would swing by their house to visit on our way out of town.  I told her we’d have to do it another time since they lived 30 miles outside of town in a different direction than we were heading.

Brendon

After lunch, we went to my parents’ house, giving Brendon a chance to see where I grew up.  As soon as we walked into my old house, all the tension I’d been carrying around just melted off my shoulders, and I relaxed as I sank into the ol,d deep-blue sectional couch my parents have owned for well over ten years.  Chocolate, our family’s old miniature Pinscher, curled up next to me on the couch and I truly felt at home, only this time, the man I love and have shared my life with for three years was here with me.  I realized our trip had changed from dreading what was going to happen, to not wanting to ever leave.  Two parts of my life finally were linked together, and a weight I’d been carrying around with me for years had suddenly lifted.  I felt happier than I’d been in a long while.

That afternoon we packed up our stuff, and turned to say our goodbyes.  I was surprised when both of my parents hugged Brendon goodbye, told him it was nice meeting him, and that they would see him again soon.  I fought the tears I could feel trying to well up in my eyes as I kissed my parents, told them I love them, and thanked them for everything.  Driving away that day was hard to do, but I stuck my arm out the window anyways, waved to them until we turned the corner and I could no longer see them standing in the driveway waving back.  I knew things had shifted, and that we would definitely be coming back more often now.

The only piece left in the puzzle is my brother and his family.  They still haven’t met Brendon, but I’m not about to hold my breath.  My brother is the youth pastor at a church in the valley, and the least likely person to be able to accept things… But, we’ll see.  Baby steps.

Blog Boost: Minimalist Living

Welcome to Blog Boost. A weekly meme hosted by Yours Truly in which I get to talk about an awesome blog that I think all the people should follow in all the places.  Blogs are not limited to only the literary sort, but can range from organizing all the way to obsessively talking about a pet goat.  The point is to share some awesomeness I found, that maybe you didn’t.

In this week’s episode, I am featuring a blog dedicated solely to living life as simply as possible.  Too much junk in your house?  Too many projects planned at the same time?  Too many gremlins living in your basement?  Then this blog is for you!  Mark Lowe over at Minimalist Living, is taking time to talk to you about things he’s learned from living a minimalist life, and some tips and tricks to help simplify your life as well.  His posts range topics on everything from learning to let go of things you don’t really need, to organizing the chaos surrounding you, to learning to eat a healthier way.  He makes no claims to be an expert, but is merely taking us all along on his journey into simplifying his own life.

He’s not preaching about throwing everything you own away, and living like a Buddhist monk inside an insane asylum with nothing to look at but the fantastic spattering of holes in your unpainted cinder-block walls.  He talks about easier things.  Such as understanding why we buy all the things we do, even if we don’t need them, and how to differentiate between what matters and what doesn’t.  He also talks about the importance of using your time wisely (spend it with the ones you love and doing the things you enjoy).  He even goes as far as to talk about ways to save money.  I don’t know about you guys, but I definitely need some help in this area!

So if you’re feeling like you can’t keep up with life and you’re drowning in a sea of junk, then I STRONGLY suggest you check out Minimalist Living while you still can!

That is all.

Review: Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

 

Title: Shadow of Night
Author: Deborah Harkness
Series: All Souls Trilogy #2
Publisher: Viking Adult
Release Date: 07/10/12
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Source: Hardcover

Synopsis:
Together we lifted our feet and stepped into the unknown.

A Discovery of Witches introduced Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and reluctant witch, and vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, two otherworldly beings who found themselves at the center of a battle over a lost enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782. Drawn to each other despite long-standing taboos, and in pursuit of Diana’s spellbound powers, the two now embark upon a timewalking journey.

Book two of the All Souls trilogy plunges Diana and Matthew into Elizabethan London, a world of spies and subterfuge, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the mysterious School of Night. The mission is to locate a witch to tutor Diana and to find traces of Ashmole 782, but as the net of Matthew’s past tightens around them they embark on a very different journey, one that takes them into the heart of the fifteen-hundred-year-old vampire’s shadowed history and secrets. For Matthew Clairmont, time travel is no simple matter; nor is Diana’s search for the key to understanding her legacy.

In Shadow of Night, Harkness again weaves a rich and splendid tapestry of alchemy, magic, and history. The love story deepens as she takes us through the loop of time in a tale of blood, passion, and the knotted strands of the past to deliver one of the most hotly anticipated novels of the year.

My Thoughts:

Firstly, if you haven’t yet read the first book in the trilogy, A Discovery of Witches, then you may want to be aware that this review will contain spoilers for that book.  Now, with that out of the way…  I read A Discovery of Witches last year, and I instantly fell in love with Diana, Matthew, and the very realistic world Deborah Harkness created that was filled with creatures and magic.  The characters are fantastically easy to relate to, and beautifully flawed in a way that draws you into the story like a lover enticing you into bed.  The plot was rich and I was able to picture the setting amazingly well in spite of the fact that I’m not very well-traveled.

At the end of A Discovery of Witches, Diana and Matthew use magic to step back in time to Elizabethan England in an attempt to find an experienced witch to teach Diana how to use her magic and to locate the ever mysterious manuscript, Ashmole 782.  The first 25% of Shadow of Night was catching up on what happened in book one, and learning what life in England in the 16^th century was like.  I had a hard time getting into this book – mostly because of my aversion to all things historical (please don’t hate me Deborah), but once I was able to push past the beginning, the story took off, and the mysteries piled on top of each other almost faster than they could be solved.

The battles Diana and Matthew face as newlyweds test their relationship in ways most of us will never even have to think about.  Diana must learn who Matthew was in his past lives and learn to accept him for who he was then, and who he is now.  Matthew is forced to learn to trust Diana completely, and realize that she can take care of herself.  The two are tested time and time again by suspicious friends, eccentric royalties, and nearby witch hunts.

Among other challenges, they face the reality that their actions in the past can vastly affect the future and the events still to come in the present time.  Making new friends, taking on new staff, and resisting the advances of a lewd emperor, all leave evidence of their presence in the past and cause inconsistencies to appear in today’s time.  Their loved ones still face their own set of challenges in the present while searching for clues to Diana and Matthew’s return.

Wow, it is HARD to write a review for Shadow of Night without giving much away.  There were so many amazing things taking place in the book and Deborah Harkness breathed so much life into the characters and their surroundings that the plot is rich with twists and turns.  I cannot wait for the conclusion to the All Souls Trilogy and hope Deborah isn’t taking her sweet time.

Listening To: “The Only One”, The Black Keys

2012 Season Lineup

I decided that I wanted to dedicated a post entirely to the recent changes made in our TV listing schedule for this coming season.  Some of these shows may have already aired, and because the information I was able to find was last updated April 24th of this year, some shows that are listed as renewed may have, in fact, been cancelled.  The point is to talk about what I’m excited for, what I’m going to miss, and everything in between.

Let’s get to it!

Renewed:

• 2 Broke Girls – CBS  Hilarious show I can’t wait to start again.
• Alphas – SyFy  Need to start watching from beginning.
• American Horror Story – FX  Need to start watching from beginning.
• Being Human – SyFy
• Being Human UK – BBC  Heard this is better than US version.
• The Big Bang Theory – CBS  Love this show!
• Dexter – Showtime  Need to start watching from beginning.
• Face Off – SyFy
• Falling Skies – TNT  Need to start watching from beginning.
• Family Guy – Fox
• Fringe – Fox  Need to catch up from season 3.
• Futurama – Comedy Central
• Game of Thrones – HBO  Need to start watching from beginning.
• Glee – Fox  I canNOT WAIT for this show to start back up!!
• Grimm – NBC  Glad this show secured another season.
• Happy Endings – ABC  Hilarious and definitely should have been renewed!
• Haven – SyFy  Need to start watching from beginning.
• How I Met Your Mother – CBS
• Lost Girl – SyFy  A new favorite show that I hope doesn’t wind up getting canceled.
• The Middle – ABC  Hilarious and glad it’s coming back.
• Modern Family – ABC  LOVE this show!
• Nikita – CW  Need to start watching from beginning.
• Nurse Jackie – Showtime  Apparently I need to start watching from beginning.
• Once Upon A Time – ABC  So excited!
• Parenthood – NBC  Need to start watching from beginning.
• Revenge – ABC  Can’t wait for the new season!!
• The Simpsons – Fox
• Smash – NBC  Another new favorite!
• Suburgatory – ABC  Need to start watching from beginning.
• Supernatural – CW  Need to start watching from beginning.
• Teen Wolf – MTV  Need to start watching from beginning.
• True Blood – HBO  Can I just say, WTF was up with this season that just ended?
• The Walking Dead – AMC  Need to watch season 2 to get caught up.
• Warehouse 13 – SyFy  Need to start watching from beginning.
• Whitney – NBC  Glad it’s coming back, but I think there were better shows that should’ve stayed instead.
• Wilfred – FX  Need to start watching from beginning.

Canceled:

• Desperate Housewives – ABC  Sad to see the ladies go.
• Eureka – SyFy  Need to start watching from beginning.
• GCB – ABC  Seriously PISSED this show was canceled!!!
• Harry’s Law – NBC  VERY sad to see this show go.
• Missing – ABC  Suprised this one was cancelled.
• Ringer – CW  Liked the show, but not surprised it was canceled.
• The River – ABC  Need to start watching from beginning.
• Sanctuary – SyFy  Need to start watching from beginning.
  
• The Secret Circle – CW  Need to start watching from beginning.

I’m just gonna say this.  ABC, you may have a bunch of shows I like watching, but you’ve also canceled a fuck-ton of shows that I like watching.  Specifically, GCB which I think is completely ridiculous that it was canceled.  I’ve got my eye on you. *eyes them*

If you’re curious where I got my super-duper-up-to-date info, here’s the link:

http://www.tv.com/news/whats-renewed-whats-canceled-and-whats-still-in-between-2012-edition-28304/

Anyways, what about you guys?  Which shows are you looking forward to?  Which ones will you miss?  Which ones are you MAD to see go?