The Insider

A Touch of Abilene at ACL

2007-09-14T00:20:31Z

Abilene rock band Homer Hiccolm and the Rocketboys won the "Sound and the Jury" contest Wednesday night at Austin's famous Antone's nightclub, scoring them a 45-minute gig at 11:45 a.m. Friday at the kick-off of Austin City Limits, a three-day music festival. Comprised of six Abilene Christian University students -- four alumni, two current -- the Rocketboys have steadily grown their fan base over the past several years, playing concerts both around town and the country.

The Rocketboys will play at 11:45 a.m. on the Dell Stage on Friday at Zilker Park. They'll also play at 9:45 p.m. Friday at the Dell Lounge After Party at The Mohawk, and again at 9:15 p.m. Saturday at Club Deville. If you're heading to ACL, be sure to stop by and show your support!

The official release party for the band's new EP, "Sing, Bird, Sing," will be 7 p.m. Sept. 27 at The GlassJar Studio, 233 Cypress, Abilene. For more information, check out the band's Myspace. com page at www.myspace.com/rocketboys.

That's my baby!

2007-09-13T00:41:06Z

I'd apologize for being away from this blog for so long, but I think I have a good reason: I've been watching "Willow." Yes, that "Willow." The one with Val Kilmer and Warwick Davis. It's the No. 1 most-rented film for the Abilene area on Netflix, and I'm so glad my fellow Abilenians share my fascination with Willow's quest to protect a child from the evil Queen-sorceress Bavmorda. There hasn't been much else to do, aside from killing crickets and trying not to be swept away by flood waters, so I, along with everyone else apparently, have turned to fantasy films to make the tedious last days of summer go by faster. Aren't we all the better for it?

Here's the rest of the Netflix most-rented list.

Local Favorites
1. Willow
2. Keeping the Faith
3. The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning
4. Nanny McPhee
5. Persuasion
6. Raising Helen
7. Are We Done Yet?
8. Unaccompanied Minors
9. Thr3e
10. Freedom Writers
11. Fantastic Four
12. Seraphim Falls
13. Yours, Mine and Ours
14. Unleashed
Danny the Dog
15. The Guardian
16. Flightplan
17. The Last Mimzy
18. Breach
19. Wild Hogs
20. Shooter
21. Norbit
22. The Night Listener
23. Ghost Rider
24. Disturbia
25. The Ant Bully

Wahlberg Watch

2007-08-09T17:50:08Z

Mark Wahlberg is back in another crime drama, "We Own the Night," in theaters Oct. 12. Oh, and the film also stars Joaquin Phoenix and Robert Duvall. Can't wait.

The Coolest Thing You'll See Today

2007-08-08T21:53:30Z

These Filipino prisoners are my heroes. I don't care about what they did to get in prison -- they've got skills.

Concert Calendar

2007-08-07T20:08:27Z

What do the following concert dates save one have in common? The acts are all country, and the concerts aren't in Abilene. If you love country music and live out in the Big Country, congratulations. Go see Robert Earl Keen (pictured) and enjoy life. I'll stay where I am, praying for something more along the lines of alt-country to make its way West.

Keep on keeping on, A-town.

Aug. 10 — Hawk Nelson/Chris Tomlin, Rock the Desert (Midland)
Aug. 14 — Jamie Richards, Backroads Bar ‘n’ Grill (Brownwood)
Aug. 16 — Robert Earl Keen, Birdsong Amphitheatre (Stephenville)
Aug. 24 — Marty Stuart, Birdsong Amphitheatre (Stephenville)
Aug. 25 — Todd Fritsch, Backroads Bar & Grill (Brownwood); Randy Rogers Band, City Limits (Stephenville)
Aug. 30 — Diamond Rio, Abilene Civic Center
Sept. 1 — Kevin Fowler/Aaron Watson, Taylor County Expo Center
Sept. 6 — Ricky Skaggs, Birdsong Amphitheatre (Stephenville)
Sept. 7 — Django Walker, City Limits (Stephenville)
Sept. 8 — Roger Creager, City Limits, Stephenville
Sept. 14 — Jack Ingram, Brownwood Reunion
Sept. 15 — John Michael Montgomery, Brownwood Reunion; Los Lobos, Sabor (Midland)
Sept. 22 — Walt Wilkins, City Limits (Stephenville); Jason Boland and the Stragglers, Melody Mountain Ranch (Stephenville)
Sept. 28 — Kevin Fowler, Lucy Park (Wichita Falls)
Oct. 6 — Grand Funk Railroad/Lee Roy Parnell, White Buffalo Bikefest, Snyder
Nov. 10 — Bobby Flores, The Stampede (Big Spring)
* All performances are subject to change.

The Wrong Stuff

2007-08-07T19:44:42Z

Is it bad that I correctly guessed all of these boy bands? It's not like I listen to them -- or listened to them -- but when it comes to the backwash of pop culture, I apparently know my stuff.

OK, I liked a few N*SYNC songs in my youth. And a couple of Backstreet Boys tunes. I seek atonement. And friends.

On that confession, let's all remember the awesomeness of the Boys' "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" music video:

Who Needs Kids When There Are Manatees to Love?

2007-08-02T21:27:34Z

Alec "Rude Thoughtless Little Pig" Baldwin loves animals -- manatees to be precise. He loves them so much, he's made two 30-second PSAs for the Save the Manatee Club to help make Floridians more aware of the plight of the aquatic mammals/"Family Guy" writers. It's good to see him using his celebrity for good, especially when NBC needs its "30 Rock" star to appear like he's not a creep. Baldwin isn't new to promoting his love for manatees, so this probably isn't a publicity stunt. Probably. But why does he care so much for giant sea mammals and not, say, his own flesh and blood? My guess is he was just having a bad day last April. Maybe.

We'll Always Have Harry

2007-07-22T22:46:17Z

As my friend and I wandered around Books-A-Million on Friday night for the release of ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' -- she dressed like Sybill Professor Trelawney, I dressed like Harry Potter -- we noticed customers wearing badges indicating the different houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We wanted one.

An employee doling the badges out to children, whose age determined which house they were placed in, hesitated before she handed us our much-desired treat - ''How old are you?'' she asked us.

''Uh, 23,'' we said.

''Ah, well, just go ahead and take one, then. You're not in one of the age groups.''

Well, we aren't in one of their predefined age groups, but considering the first book in the phenomenal series, ''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,'' was released when we were 13, it's easy to see why we're so attached to the Boy Who Lived: We grew up with him.

The worldwide success of ''Harry Potter'' has been well-documented since author J.K. Rowling published ''Stone,'' with newspapers and newscasts dedicating hours to telling stories about fans of all ages staying up late to read one of the books or see one of the movie adaptations. Saturday's release of ''Hallows'' was no exception, but somehow there was sadness mixed in with the jubilation. This time, fans don't have mysteries to ponder for a couple of years until the next installment is released. This time, the last page of the book is just that -- the last.

Like its predecessor, ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,'' ''Hallows'' is dark, the first chapter ending in a death. By chapter three, the death toll is up to three (if you count animals). The tumultuous wizarding world has grown even more dangerous, and Harry's nemesis Lord Voldemort more powerful. Everyone that Harry loves is willing to risk their life for his -- a burden hard for a 17-year-old to bear. His very existence puts others in danger, but because he's the key to Voldemort's destruction, those fighting against the Dark Lord have no choice but to help. The books have grown in size and scope as Harry has matured, and Rowling doesn't pull punches in her gut-wrenching finale.

]]> ''Harry Potter'' isn't your typical children's book. In Rowling's ingenious world, bad guys aren't the only ones who die, and the choices that seem right can produce dire consequences. Rowling doesn't sugarcoat Harry's adventures because life isn't sugarcoated; in a departure from most children's literature, Rowling treats her child readers as adults, and that's why they adore her. She's adept at exploring human emotion and weaknesses, drawing us into her characters' world so completely that when a character dies, we feel the loss acutely. The message that it's your choices -- not your abilities -- that define who you are rings true throughout the series, inspiring each misfit reader who recognizes himself in Harry to persevere and have courage. It's the darkness of the series -- the reality -- that makes it so popular.

Or at least, that's this gushing fan's perspective. Who can really define why ''Harry Potter'' is so fun to read, or why people like me, who became a fan at 16, dress up for movie premieres and midnight release parties? The books are just fun to read, and for that, there's no age limit.

It's 9 p.m. Saturday, and I'm still reading, a fact I blame on a week's worth of not enough sleep, but I'll soon finish. My friend -- Sybill Trelawney's look-alike -- finished ''Hallows'' at 9:45 a.m. Saturday. She called then to tell me how she couldn't believe the series is over and how she couldn't wait for me to call her when I finish.

I can't wait, either. Even though we won't have any more books to cherish, we'll always have Harry.

Buffalo Gap Builds Bridges of Love or ... Something

2007-07-20T18:57:55Z

UPDATE: It looks like Ashley Judd won't be able to reign over the Tour de Gap next weekend after all. She had scheduled the event but probably won't make it because her race car-driving husband, Dario Franchitti, is having a good year. This saddens me.

Ashley's no stranger to West Texas; she spent 47 days at Buffalo Gap's Shades of Hope Treatment Center last year, which caused quite a stir among locals who are used to slim pickens when it comes to entertainment. (I just saw a billboard around town for a Diamond Rio concert. Score.) Scanning her IMDb filmography profile, though, I'm realizing that she hasn't been in that many movies -- or really that many good movies. Still, she's a Judd. And she was coming here. Maybe next year?

The Tour de Gap bike race and tour benefits the Food Bank of West Central Texas. The race starts at 8 a.m. and the parade is at 10 a.m. July 28.

Frakking Toasters ...

2007-07-19T16:54:08Z

The Primetime Emmy nominations were announced this morning by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and of course, exiting "The Sopranos" earned 15 nominations. The good news for the nominations: "30 Rock" earned 10, including Best Comedy Series, Comedic Actor (Alec Baldwin) and Comedic Actress (Tina Fey). "The Office" earned nine, including Comedy Series, Actor (Steve Carell) and Supporting Actress (Jenna Fisher). Both of these shows deserve to win and are NBC's only saving graces as far as I'm concerned.

Now for the bad news: ABC's superb "Lost" was again overlooked by the Academy. "Battlestar Galactica" wasn't nominated, but that was expected; the Emmys are one giant popularity contest and genre shows -- especially those set in space -- don't stand a chance. But no love for "Lost"? Did voters just not watch the last half of season three, easily the most creative and intense episodes of the entire series thus far? Maybe t=they were too busy watching "Heroes," which was nominated, as was "Boston Legal," "Grey's Anatomy," "House" and "The Sopranos." At least Terry O'Quinn and Michael Emerson earned Supporting Actor noms, but a second-straight snub for the show itself is ridiculous. You're dead to me, Emmys. Dead.

On that note, let's watch a clip of the "Lost" season three finale and keep coming up with theories about what it all means. A great night to re-watch this season's episodes on iTunes would be Sept. 16 -- the night of the Emmys. If it's just going to be a "Sopranos" love-fest with parodies of the "Don't Stop Believing" ending, I'll pass.

Welcome Back, Potter

2007-07-19T15:57:01Z

Abilenians make their predictions, tell why they're wild about Harry Potter

Brynn Reece can't put into words why she loves Harry Potter so much.

But the 17-year-old Texas A&M University-bound fan of the books and films attended the recent midnight premiere of ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' with a lightning bolt scar on her forehead. She joined a gaggle of girlfriends at the Mall of Abilene for the ''Phoenix'' premiere as they stood in an impatient line that snaked its way around an entire corridor of the building.

Her friends wore giant plastic spectacles with tape on the bridge, Harry Potter shirts and graduation robes that doubled as wizarding robes, pausing from their giggling long enough to discuss their hero's fate in the final book, ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,'' which becomes available in Abilene at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. Continue reading ...

Catch up with the wizarding world and Harry Potter’s last adventures — Hogwarts style

DEFENSE OF THE DARK ARTS WITH SEVERUS SNAPE

Harry's epic battle with Lord Voldemort draws to a close in book seven. Will Harry himself be a Horcrux? See what the book might have in store.

At the end of "Half-Blood Prince," Harry is reeling from seeing Albus Dumbledore murdered at the hand of Severus Snape, and he attempts to break off his new romance with Ron's sister, Ginny, to protect her.

Now that Dumbledore's gone, it's up to Harry to find Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes - items that Voldemort has placed parts of his soul in to achieve immortality. Until all of the Horcruxes are destroyed, Voldemort can't be killed.

Harry and Dumbledore risked their lives to obtain a locket Horcrux - only for Harry to learn that the real Horcrux had been replaced with a fake by someone with the initials R.A.B.

Harry will turn 17 at the beginning of "Deathly Hallows," which means he'll no longer be under the protection of his Muggle family the Dursleys. Without his parents, Sirius Black or Dumbledore, he's alone - save for his friends. Ron and Hermione both pledged allegiance to helping Harry in his quest.

He'll likely want revenge against Snape (read more about Snape theories in the Divination section) but will be too busy tracking down the four remaining Horcruxes.

Look for author J.K. Rowling to tie up loose ends such as: Who else was at Godric's Hollow the night Lily and James Potter were murdered? Who collected Voldemort's decapitated body and his wand? Why is it significant that Harry has his mother's eyes? Will Peter Pettigrew fulfill the life debt he owes Harry? Whose side is Snape really on? Will Ron and Hermione finally get together? And of course: Who will die - Harry, Voldemort or both?

MUGGLE STUDIES

Which British actors have not been in one of the Harry Potter films?

1. Brenda Blethyn

2. Kenneth Branagh

3. Jim Broadbent

4. John Cleese

5. Warwick Davis

6. Brendan Gleeson

7. Shirley Henderson

8. Gemma Jones

9. Bill Nighy

10. Gary Oldman

11. Miranda Richardson

12. Kristin Scott Thomas

See answers at end of story.

]]> DIVINATION WITH SIBYLL TRELAWNEY

Sarah tries her hand at Divination. What fate will she read in Harry's teacup?

CAUTION: If the word ''Horcrux'' and the initials ''R.A.B.'' mean nothing to you, neither will what follows here. This section is for the hard-core fans.

Q: Whose side is Snape really on?

A: Snape is good -- as a double agent, he killed Dumbledore because he had to. Once he made the unbreakable vow with Narcissa Malfoy to protect her son, Draco, he had to live up to it. When Draco was tasked with killing Dumbledore, Snape and Dumbledore agreed that Snape would do the deed instead. Dumbledore's last words of ''Severus ... please ...'' had him begging Snape to kill him, not spare him. Harry will want to kill Snape, but Snape will likely beat him to it, sacrificing himself for the good of the Order. It's the only way he can prove his ultimate innocence.

Q: Will Draco finally move over to the good side?

A: No. We saw in ''Half-Blood Price'' that Draco isn't as evil as his parents cut him out to be, but his foolish pride and elitism will get in his way in the end. His fate will be pitiful, in life or death.

Q: Who else close to Harry will die?

A: I have $20 on a Weasley going to the giant Diagon Alley in the sky. Aside from Ron and Hermione, everyone close to Harry has died. The Weasleys are the only family he has left, and although I wish it could be Bill or Charlie, if a Weasley goes, I'm betting it will be one of the parents.

Q: What do the initials R.A.B. stand for?

A: Many suspected Regulus Black, Sirius Black's younger brother. Black was a death eater who was reportedly killed for betraying Voldemort. I believed this at first, but after seeing the film version of ''Order of the Phoenix,'' I'm not so sure.

In the book ''Phoenix,'' Harry learns about Regulus Black, but in the film ''Phoenix,'' the entire sequence is omitted. Was this just for space and he'll be explained later? Or is this a clue that R.A.B. is not who we think it is?

Q: As to whether Harry is a Horcrux and whether he'll live or die

A: I have no idea. We'll find out Saturday.

ARITHMANCY

Harry Potter by the numbers:

$3.5 billion -- Combined worldwide box office gross for the first four ''Harry Potter'' films

$1 billion -- Amount ''Potter'' author J.K. Rowling is worth, according to Forbes

325 million -- Number of ''Harry Potter'' books that have sold worldwide, including 121.5 million in the United States

12 million -- The number of copies of ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' in its first printing, the largest first-print run in publishing history

6.9 million -- Number of copies ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' sold in the first 24 hours it was available, making it the fastest-selling book in history

THE DAILY PROPHET

Think you know what will happen?

The Abilene Public Library is conducting a Harry Potter contest and giving away free collectible metal ''Harry Potter'' bookmarks to those who can correctly predict what will happen to Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of the wizarding world in Book 7. To enter, stop by one of the library's branches to pick up an entry form or e-mail the library at aplibrary@yahoo.com with your predictions. Entries must be submitted by 6 p.m. Friday. A complete set of rules is at www.abilenetx.com/apl

Abilene 'Harry Potter' parties

• Books-A-Million, Mall of Abilene, 9 p.m., including a costume contest, screening of a ''Harry Potter'' film, treats for sale, crafts. Lines form to pick up pre-ordered copies/to buy a copy at 11:30 p.m.; books go on sale 12:01 a.m.

• Hastings, 4652 S. 14 St., 6:30 p.m., including screening of ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,'' costume contest, ''Harry Potter'' book trivia, reading of customers' own endings for ''Hallows''; books go on sale 12:01 a.m.

Answers to Muggle Studies question above: Which British actors have not been in one of the Harry Potter films?: YES: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11; NO: 1, 3, 9, 12

Misogyny, Health Care, and Those Damn French Rats

2007-07-13T17:09:53Z

If you aren't a fan of "Harry Potter," Michael Moore, France or misogyny, you'd be better off avoiding this week's new film releases. Moore's latest documentary, "SiCKO," blasts the U.S. health care system but is reportedly more even-handed than his previous flicks. Already, the documentary has grossed almost $13 million in three weeks, putting it at No. 6 on the list of highest-grossing documentaries in the U.S. (so far). Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" holds the No. 1 spot at almost $120 million -- take that, Gupta!

Also opening is "Paris, je t'aime," a collection of short and sometimes abstract stories from 18 directors that serves as an ode to Paris. Overall, many critics said that while uneven, "Paris, je t'aime" offers enough delightful moments to make the viewing of it worthwhile. Directors who contributed to the film include Alfonso Cuarón, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Gus Van Sant, Gérard Depardieu and Wes Craven. Among the members of the large cast is Steve Buscemi, Miranda Richardson, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Elijah Wood, Natalie Portman and Rufus Sewell.

And now for the star of the weekend: "Captivity," a 90-minute excuse for director Roland Joffé to show lead Elisha Cuthbert being tortured. Being forced to watch a woman showered with acid; drinking a smoothie consisting of blended human organs; wiping the blood and guts of her poodle off her face after she's forced to shoot him -- just another day for Jennifer, a model who's drugged at a bar and brought back to a torture chamber. "Captivity" already made headlines for its obscene marketing campaign consisting of graphic billboards plastered around L.A., some in full view from school playgrounds. Has the torture porn genre finally crossed the line? Some say yes -- quite vehemently so.

The best solution for everyone? Don't see this movie. Just go see "Ratatouille" instead. You know you want to. For a complete list of movies showing in Abilene, click here.

Six Degrees of Remake Hell

2007-07-11T23:07:19Z

If you hold a special place in your heart for craptastic 80s movies -- especially those that include dance scenes set in abandoned barns -- then I've got some bad news. Variety reported today that Paramount is planning a musical remake to the 1984 classic "Footloose" with "High School Musical's" Zac Efron playing the rebellious Ren McCormack -- a character already immortalized by Kevin Bacon. What's there to remake? Lightning doesn't strike twice, Paramount.

"Footloose" isn't a great film, but that's why we love it. Ren isn't allowed to listen to Quiet Riot's "Bang Your Head"; Ariel (Lori Singer) angles to wrap her skinny legs around Ren in between wearing red boots in front of her uptight preacher father (John Lithgow); Sean Penn's less talented brother can't dance; Rusty (Sarah Jessica Parker) is just kinda there; Ariel's mom (Dianne Wiest) is more than a little love-starved. Plus, Ren drives his yellow VW bug out to the barn to just dance, dance, dance.

In negotiations to direct and choreograph the musical remake is Kenny Ortega, the man who brought "High School Musical," various episodes of various TV shows and, one of my favorite guilty pleasures, "Newsies" to the world. "Newsies" is by no means a good movie, really, but the music is catchy. Perhaps Ortega could bring the level of crappiness he brought to "Newsies" to "Footloose" -- matching hokey lyric for hokey lyric. What is Kenny Loggins up to these days?

Better yet, perhaps Ortega should make another "High School Musical" and leave anything Kevin Bacon has ever done alone.

'Phoenix' Rising

2007-07-11T17:59:24Z

The Summer of Harry kicked off at midnight with the premiere of "Order of the Phoenix," the film adaptation of the fifth and too-long book in the almost-complete series. In a week and a half, millions will be lining up to find out how Harry Potter's journey ends, but for now, fans were satiated with the release of the fifth movie in the series.

"Phoenix" isn't perfect, and it doesn't match the excellent pacing and drama of "Goblet of Fire," but in many ways its makers didn't have a choice. The criticisms that can be said about the movie are the same criticisms that can be said about the book: There's just too much information to cover.

Harry stumbled through much of the book in the angst-riddled way only a 15-year-old who is almost murdered each year can. He's rude, obnoxious, pouty -- a teenager. Some of that is captured in the film, but mostly the viewer has to fill in the blanks. Dumbledore's Army is given ample screen time, but missing here are the backstories and character development: how Harry learns that the reason he can see the Thestrals pulling the carriages up to Hogwarts is because he's seen death, something that sets him apart from his friends; how Sirius in many ways confuses Harry with Harry's dad, James; how James and Sirius are knocked off the heroic pedestals Harry placed them on when Harry sees into Snape's mind and witnesses the two harassing Snape in school; how angry Harry felt at Dumbledore -- so angry that when the end finally comes, he can't contain all of his emotions.

These anecdotes are what make the books worth reading and what makes it OK that the movies can't fit them all in. The films are a supplement, really, a treat for fans who are thrilled to see Harry's world -- one that they've imagined for years -- come to life. I can't say whether someone who hasn't read the books will enjoy/understand the films, but the more people inspired to read the books after seeing the films, the better.

"Order of the Phoenix" is sad, funny, suspenseful and thrilling to watch. Imelda Staunton is the perfect Dolores Umbridge, the evil Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher sent from the Ministry of Magic; Helena Bonham Carter has almost too much fun as Bellatrix Lestrange, the death eater who tortured Neville Longbottom's parents; and Gary Oldman is reliable as ever as Sirius -- even if he doesn't receive enough screen time. Each film's effects top its predecessor's, and it's as entertaining to watch the sets and special effects evolve as it is to see how Harry, Ron and Hermione and the gang have grown. In one scene, in which Harry is telling his friends of his first kiss, all three laugh and kid around so naturally that I was struck for a moment, thinking we were probably seeing the actors' camaraderie shine through along with the characters'. With the past two films, we finally care about the characters we're seeing on screen for who they are on screen -- not who they are on the page.

The story of Harry's teenage years at Hogwarts is a journey, and each film has raised the bar for the next in the series -- just as each book has done. "Order of the Phoenix" is a task to read and a task to bring to life on screen, but its makers do so in style.

So long, Erin

2007-07-05T05:02:07Z

For the past four months online and 10 months in print, we here at The Insider — and by “we,” we mean Sarah Carlson and Erin Steele — have strived to provide readers with the latest in pop culture news and have a little fun with this wild and wacky world of entertainment.

We’ve brought you everything from moustaches (which included our trademarking of The Selleck®) to TV’s guiltiest pleasures to diatribes on Tim Allen’s terrifying career (sorry, “Home Improvement” fans.) Some have loved it; others have hated it; some just don’t care at all. But no matter how you have feel about our weekly page o’ pop, we’re rolling up our own red carpet and calling it quits on the print version that runs each Thursday in the Abilene Reporter-News.

Our “goodbye” is mostly because we’re losing one half of The Insider duo — writer/designer Erin Steele is heading to Dallas, and though it causes her much separation anxiety, she must leave the page behind.

But there is good news (at least if you like The Insider): Sarah Carlson will continue to update you on entertainment happenings in the Big Country and beyond via this blog. So stick around, post a comment and let us know what you think. And we’ll tell you what we think — which is that we’ve been very grateful for your readership. It’s been an honor to educate Abilene Reporter-News readers, especially on what kind of facial hair is in vogue.

-- Erin and Sarah