Molly Crusen Bishop: Bianca Tyler is a Bright Spot

Bianca Tyler, the host of the nationally syndicated radio talk show “Let’s Talk”, is a three-time, award- winning television journalist and was once a news anchor on one of the nation’s first interactive news shows on WMBD-TV called The Morning Mix in Peoria, Illinois in the 1990s. She has walked the walk of extremes in her life and is an authentic source of advice. She possesses an energy that is both positive and contagious.

Bianca’s parents were immigrants who began their family lives with practically nothing in their pockets. They began the American dream in a tiny apartment and worked extremely hard to build a life filled with success. They showed Bianca and her sister how to overcome obstacles and use what they have been given in life and to work diligently to build upon that foundation.

Her father owned six successful companies and would bring his girls to work with him regularly. Both parents showed them they would always have time for them and gave them uninterrupted attention.  Her father would stop a board meeting if she or her sister walked into the room and make them feel important. He took time to talk to them, which made a permanent impact on how Bianca lives her life.

Bianca is intelligent and driven as well as beautiful on the inside and the outside. She is a former Miss Connecticut, which she called a great honor, but the Miss America program did not propel her career; she credits her parents’ teachings of work ethic and tenacity as the backbone of her successful career.

She’s a graduate of Fairfield University and took broadcasting classes at New York University and literature at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, as well as the Institute of Shipboard Education through the University of Pittsburgh. She is also a graduate of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting, where she later taught broadcasting classes. "I learned journalism, audio-visua editing, sound board controls, commercial copy writing, etc. I learned everything I could about radio and television behind the scenes and in front of a microphone and a camera,” she said.

“I made a resume reel with samples of my on-air television work and I sent it out nationwide,” said Bianca.  “I was hired by a television station in Texas and was later promoted to two other stations. I loved the Lone Star State.”

She was hired at WMBD-TV in Peoria in 1997 to co-anchor the noon newscast with Rusty Dunn and to anchor the news on The Morning Mix with Jeff Lamb, Doc Watson, and Darin Adams. The Morning Mix was one of the country’s first interactive morning shows. People could call in or email while the show was live on air and the show also had a weekly audience. Being a part of these shows was her absolute favorite part of being in Peoria. 

“I loved meeting the viewers and the children who watched the program. The children called in regularly and often made me cards, of which I kept them all. One viewer even knitted me a blanket with two dozen roses on it.  We would also go to the ice hockey games and go onto the ice at half time and do meet and greets with the viewers,” she said fondly.  She loved all of the unique things she and her co anchors learned from the viewers such as stenciling and “pumpkin chunkin.” She said she enjoy going dancing with her buddies from WMBD but rarely got to indulge because of her schedule. She had to resign in 1998 after her father’s sudden passing to help her mother with his businesses because for Bianca family truly comes first.

She now hosts a nationally syndicated radio talk show with her husband Phillip called “Let’s Talk!” and has a Momsite, www.TheLetsTalkMom.com with more than 10.27 million page hits and counting. She also has a TV website, www.biancatyler.com. Bianca is a huge animal rights activist and has been a blogger for over five years. She also has a book on life, love, and parenting coming out in autumn 2016.

Themes of her radio talk show are life, love, and parenting with 90 percent focusing on parenting. She and Phillip were signed for national syndication based on this fact. “Also, because we are a husband/wife team that has already had a vast and loyal audience for numerous years and we have great dynamic chemistry both in real life and on air.  Love and sex topics are always fun; after all, that’s how we became parents,” she said with a chuckle.

Bianca said we live in a difficult time and lots of folks are down about the economy, relationships, health, and the future. “People are starting to believe this is the new norm and Phillip and I want to help others out by giving them tips and informing them on how great life can and should be,” she said. Their show provides inspirational tips as they, too, have been through miserable times in life and have learned how to stay connected to family and friends. They want to help others pick themselves up so they interview experts ranging from parenting specialists to sex therapists who offer advice and information that can empower one’s relationships and life.

Two huge segments of their blog and radio show are called “Bright Spot” and “Being Present.” Bianca writes, blogs, speaks, and has guests on these two particular topics. The Bright Spot is knowing that no matter how bleak life can and will be at times, we should make a conscience choice to practice focusing on something positive. Bianca has had times in life where she could barely afford the dollar menu at McDonalds and has seen the other extreme, being wined and dined literally by royalty and the world’s wealthiest people. No matter where we are in life’s highs or lows we should always focus on the Bright Spot.

Being present in this society is more important now than ever with all of the technological distractions as well as other distractions in life, she said.

“Real, true, and focused time,” she said. “We need to be focused and present in our lives and to our families, especially our children.”

She used the “cell phone swing mom” as an example of how technology and our society is isolating us and distracting us from our children, who should be our treasures. In the example, the child is in the swing at the park smiling and giggling and trying to engage with Mom or Dad. The parents are often focused intently on their cell phone and are missing the experiences and bonding and time that can never be replaced nor bought further down the road.

Bianca’s husband, Phillip, has been in the publishing industry for more than 30 years. She has a 23-year old son who already owns his own business and a 10-year old daughter who is in the top tier of the modeling industry. She models a few times every other month and is a top-notch student in her school.

Bianca and Phillip’s marriage and family remain a priority over all else and the children’s happiness, character, and education are the most important to both parents as well as living a tight-knit family life.  “Every Friday night is pizza, popcorn, and family movie night. I put my hair up in a ponytail, put on my cozy fuzzy socks, and cuddle and hang out with my family. To me, this is bliss,” she said.

Bianca Tyler is a passionate and authentic woman who inspires me and others with her friendship as well as how she lives her life. She is thoughtful and thought provoking and is constantly challenging herself as well as others on how to live a positive and informed life. She has lived a life of extremes and has a lot to teach the world and does! Her time in Peoria was only a few years and yet she made a huge impact while she was here.

Bianca invites readers to friend her on Facebook under Bianca Tyler Mom Radio. We can all learn a lot from Bianca Tyler, who is a Bright Spot in the world.

AARP Unveils 2016 Top 7 Travel Trends for Boomers

As 2015 starts to wind down, Americans are starting to make travel plans for 2016. But what are Americans – particularly Baby Boomers – looking for in their 2016 vacations?

A new survey released today from AARP Travel (http://travel.aarp.org), a valuable resource for America's 76 million Baby Boomers who spend more than $120 billion annually in leisure travel, provides some great insight into how Americans want to get away in 2016, from desired destinations to lodging options to favorite trip planning tools.

“The vast majority of Baby Boomers are planning to drive, fly or set sail on leisure trips in 2016, with an average of 4 or 5 trips already in the works,” said Stephanie Miles, vice president of Products & Platforms for AARP. “Boomers make up a large segment of the traveling public, and so it's particularly important for the travel industry to be aware of what Boomers are looking for in their vacations going into 2016. This new survey finds that their travel desires often differ greatly from younger travelers.”

Here are seven highlights from the new survey:

• 2016 will bring a travel boom for Boomers. A whopping 99 percent of Baby Boomers are planning to travel next year, and more than three-quarters of them have already chosen their destination(s); 11 percent who are planning to take a domestic trip had booked their travel by September 2015.
• Boomers may be deal seekers, but cost is not a deal breaker for their travel plans. Getting a great deal may make a trip even better, but for many Boomers, it won’t make or break their travel plans. More than half of Millennials and Gen Xers say that cost is a barrier to leisure travel, but only 45 percent of Boomers agree. Additionally, more than 6 in 10 Boomers say that higher airfares have had no impact on their personal travel plans.
• International “bucket list” trips will be especially hot in 2016. It will be a year of once-in-a-lifetime trips for many Boomers: 32 percent will be embarking on an international bucket list trip. International trips will be especially popular in the spring, with 29 percent traveling to other countries then.
• Summer and weekends will sizzle with domestic travel. Nearly a third of Boomers will take advantage of hot summer weather to make domestic trips. Quick weekend getaways will be popular, with 23 percent of Boomers saying they will choose a weekend for domestic travel. Twenty-six percent of Boomers say they will take domestic multi-generational trips (with three or more generations traveling together) in 2016, but that's down from 32 percent in 2015.
• There will be a lot of travel to hotspots–literally. Many Boomers will be packing their shorts and flip-flops in 2016, heading off to warm and wonderful destinations. Florida (19%) and Las Vegas (9%) will be the most popular domestic destinations for Boomers in 2016. Internationally, the Caribbean and Mexico (each 19%) will see the most Boomer travel.
• Free Wi-Fi, please! When it comes to lodging amenities, free Wi-Fi is king. Forty-three percent of Boomers say that when choosing a hotel, free Wi-Fi is a must-have, as do 86 percent of Boomers seeking rental homes. While roughly 4 in 10 Boomers stay at hotels or motels when they travel, Airbnb and VRBO are growing in popularity: 1 in 10 Boomers are planning to use those services to rent a private residence instead of using a hotel on a 2016 trip.
• 2016 travel is all about F-U-N. Most Boomers spend their vacations surrounded by family – and with a smile on their face. Boomers say that when they're on vacation, they do more smiling and laughing (68%) and that they spend more time with family (61%).

The online survey was conducted September 17-28, 2015 among males and females 18 and older who had taken at least one trip 50 miles or more away from home, with a two-night stay, in the past two years.

The survey can be found at aarp.org/2016TravelTrends. Here's a tweet if you would like to share the new survey: New @AARP Travel survey reveals Boomers’ 2016 vacation plans: aarp.org/2016TravelTrends #travel #2016

Movie review: 'Stars War: The Force Awakens' does not disappoint

(9 out of 10 stars)
(135 minutes. Rated PG-13 for science fiction violence.)

Unless you have been living on a remote part of Tatooine for the last two years, you could not have missed that “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is opening this weekend—much to the high-pitched squealing delight of fanboys and movie-goers everywhere.

And let me assure you that writer, director, producer, and “Star Wars” nerd, J.J. Abrams, does not disappoint us in any sense of the word.

For the first time in 30 years, we get to see Han and Chewbacca and Princess Leia and Luke along with a whole new retinue of bright and shiny new stars to the Star Wars universe, and oh, let me tell you, what a fun ride it is again.

If you are anything like me, you turned off the Internet on Monday for fear of seeing anything that might have spoiled any plot point for Abrams’ career-defining film—no matter how good or bad it ultimately ended up being. So, I will warn you, I will not give away any huge plot points in this review (I never do), but I will set up the primary premise of the movie (I mean, I have to critique something, right?) This would be the time to quit reading if you do not want even that much information.

“The Force Awakens” picks up the Star Wars universe 30 years after the fall of the Empire and the death of Darth Vader. From the ashes another vile and maniacal villain, Supreme Leader Snoke (who takes the place of the Emperor) is hellbent on ruling the galaxy, of course, and has established the First Order. The First Order is challenged, of course, by the Resistance (neatly taking the place of the Rebellion). Snoke, a relatively minor character much like the Emperor in IV through VI, has a dark side of the Force lord, Kylo Ren, who does his evil bidding—just like Darth Vader—and is the primary antagonist. The new hero for the Rebellion—err, Resistance—is a young, destitute scavenger girl named Rey.

So, the bones are all there and in place and if you understand the original premise of “Star Wars,” it will not take you long to figure out the cast of players in this film (unlike the prequel that Lucas did where you needed a playbook). If I have a criticism of the film, it is that Abrams essentially did a reboot of the original movie—just retold with newer characters thrown in for good measure. I understand the universe abhors a vacuum, and something had to replace the Empire, so let us move onward.

The new protagonists introduced are delightful, well-written characters acted by some impressive talent. The head of the class is newcomer and future star-of-the-screen, Daisy Ridley who plays Rey—the primary principle who must discover how to use the Force. Her stunning good looks, personality, and talents just ooze off the screen, and for the first time in a long time (ever?) young girls everywhere have a fictional movie hero to worship—and that is a good thing. As sure as I am of anything, this young woman is going to be a star.

Her sidekick, Finn, played expertly by John Bodega, provides a Han Solo-like relationship and has many of the best lines. Oscar Issac plays super-phenom pilot, Poe Dameron, and highlights the special effects that are out of this world (see what I did there?).

On the dark side of the Force, Adam Driver plays Darth Vader-reincarnate character Kylo Ren. While I found his character to be as equally disturbing and evil as Vader, and just as fun to hate, Abrams, for some strange reason, put him in a mask for a large chunk of the movie. His best scenes, however, are when he takes off the mask and we get to see just how talented this actor is. And aside from the horrid name (Kylo Ren does not sound anywhere near as villainous as Darth Vader) he was as fun to watch as anyone.

The movie excels in most every regard, but it really sparkles and crackles when Han Solo and Chewbacca are in it. Played, of course, by Harrison Ford (who is finally showing his 73 years), Han and his furry sidekick have reached reverential status in the Galaxy. Chewbacca has some killer laugh lines—err, growls—and for brief moments, it was almost as if everyone watching were 12 years old again.

On the downside, Carrie Fisher returned as General Leia (no longer Princess), and the post-rehab years have not been kind to her. She was not horrid by any stretch of the imagination—her character was a simple plot point device—but her appearance and inability to talk normally through her dentures was distracting.

But the true star of the movie was Abrams. He understood what “Star Wars” is all about and what the maniacal fans of the franchise wanted and what George Lucas did not, or could not, give them in the three prequels (side note: Lucas, in a recent interview, said as much).

Abrams teamed up with “Empire Strikes Back” (the best of the franchise) writer, Lawrence Kasdan, to pen the script. The storyline, even though essentially a reboot, was crisp and moved forward linearly. The movie was replete with laugh-out-loud lines (although I got one that NO one in the audience did and embarrassed myself with a belly-laugh), as well as wonderful homages throughout to the original movie, so watch carefully. Abrams understands sentimentality and how to tug on heart strings (e.g. the line from the trailer, “We’re home, Chewie.”)

To that point, the special effects, with the same X-wing fighters (I had one. Anyone else?) and TIE fighters were as good as any movie I have ever seen. Just when you think CGI cannot get any better, it does. And on a side note, hats off to Abrams for none of his signature lens flares in this film. I bet that had to be hard for him.

Moreover, I think Abrams’ biggest coup was getting 83 year-old John Williams to do the score. When the familiar “Star Wars” logo introduced the film and William’s orchestra struck its first note, it was truly a goosebumps moment. Williams, in my mind, is the Beethoven or Mozart of the American 20th and 21st century, and at his age, it is fair to ask how many scores from him do we have left to enjoy. This one, with this particular film, is a rare treat that was essential in letting us, for a brief moment, be 12 years-old again.

This film fits right in with the original three from Lucas, and while by no stretch of the imagination is it a Best Picture candidate, it is what it should be. Fun, exciting, clearly defined heroes, and bad guys you love to hate.

I cannot wait to see it again—this time in IMAX—if and when all the “Star Wars” nerds clear out of there.

I give this film a 9 out of 10 stars.

Ralphie's rifle back home where it belongs

Everyone has that one special gift they hoped to receive as a child. For Ralphie Parker, it was the "official Red Ryder carbine action, 200-shot, range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time."

For the first time since the 1983 holiday classic movie A Christmas Story was released, this legendary BB gun will be on display for the world to see at A Christmas Story House & Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. This vintage air rifle will be a permanent addition to the museum.

"This has been the holy grail for us — the actual BB gun used by Ralphie in the movie," said Brian Jones, founder and owner of the A Christmas Story House & Museum. "We have had a commemorative replica on display, along with many original props, costumes and memorabilia from the film, but this is an item we've hoped to find for a long time."

When a fan alerted the staff at A Christmas Story House & Museum that a vintage air rifle used in the film was for sale on a film collectibles website, Jones and his staff didn't hesitate. They snapped up the prize for the $10,000 asking price.

The previous owner, Gary Meck, was the production asset manager for the film. According to information provided by Meck to the collectibles company, The Prop Master, six guns were made by Daisy for the production. After filming, one of the guns went to Peter Billingsley(who played Ralphie), one to the film archives, and the others to Meck and various members of the production team.

Although Daisy had been making the Red Ryder BB Gun since 1940, the version used in the film never existed as a Daisy production model. The current style at the time of the film did not have a sundial or compass, as described in the Jean Shepherd story that was the basis for the movie. So Daisy made this Christmas wish come true for little Ralphie by creating this unique model especially for the film.

"This original Red Ryder BB gun from the movie is a great addition to our collection," said Jones. "We are excited that fans will now be able to see the real thing for the first time."

Located at 3159 West 11th Street in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood, A Christmas Story House & Museum first opened in 2006. This attraction takes guests on a tour through the home of the Parker family, now restored to the original movie appearance. The tours are interactive and guests are encouraged to experience and touch everything in Ralphie's house.

After touring the House, guests can step over to the Museum located across the street. There, original artifacts from the filming of the movie are on display. Next door to the museum is the newly expanded, 3,500-square-foot gift shop, where guests can purchase their very own “major award” or replica Red Ryder BB gun — but don't shoot your eye out, kid! Everything in the gift shop is also available for purchase from the online store.

A Christmas Story House & Museum welcomes more than 50,000 visitors annually from all over the world and has become one of Cleveland'sleading tourist attractions. Once each year in late November, a Christmas Stay Charity Auction offers fans a chance to bid on a two-night Christmas stay in Ralphie's house.

A Christmas Story House & Museum is open year round, seven days a week, Monday-Saturday:10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays noon to 5:00 p.m., with extended holiday hours between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s closed on major holidays. For information or to purchase from the online gift shop, visit www.AChristmasStoryHouse.com or call 216-298-4919.