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Monday, December 8, 2008

House of Mirth Review

The House of Mirth The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was absolutely fascinated by the heroine, Lily Bart. This is by far my favorite of Wharton's novels. Maybe it's because I relate to a female protagonist moreso than a male, but I don't think that's all. Wharton's descriptions are poetic, but never get in the way of the storytelling, in fact they add a great depth. When you summarize the plot, it sounds like the most boring thing you can think of (an impoverished but beautiful socialite's fall from New York high society), but the characterization and the completely alien rules of that society are engrossing. You feel such empathy for Lily, but at the same time, you don't necessarily have a great respect for her. If you haven't read any Wharton, I would suggest this as a sampling of her writing. It's about 370 pages, but it feels like a quick read. My only complaint is that the viewpoint switches sometimes, which can be confusing if Lily's meeting a female, and you aren't sure who's impression you're reading.


View all my reviews.

Friday, December 5, 2008

more movies of late

So, it's pretty pathetic that, loving musicals as I do, I had never seen "The Bandwagon" or "Silk Stockings". So, I decided to rent those, being as I'm a big fan of Cyd Charisse, and boy! wow, I'm so glad I did. These are now up there with "Singing in the Rain" for favorite old-time musicals...

This was the first pairing of Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse and they put into the movie a lot of Fred's fears about dancing with Cyd (that she was mostly ballet, and above all, that she was too tall for him to dance with). Michael Kidd's choreography in this is wonderfully new to the time it was made. Man alive, I miss choreography that's subtle sexy. This musical is a great blend of the requisite cheesiness, but also, some really great dancing and fantastic performances all around. The Girl Hunt Ballet is so jazzy, I love it!

Cole Porter music, Fred Astaire, and Cyd Charisse equals fantastic fun! I've loved Porter's music ever since I was involved in my high school's production of "Anything Goes". It's so catchy. His lyrics are kinda dirty sometimes, but you know, in a very classy way ;) I love love love "Stereophonic sound", a song about how you have to have gimmicks in order to get an audience to go to a movie. Astaire was 57 when he did this movie, but he was still a ladies' man through and through. Great great stuff!

Rogers and Hammerstein may be very very famous for their musicals, but I didn't like this one at all. Maybe I wasn't expecting such a jerk of a lead character. Some of the music was fun, but the way they sang it in the movie, I'm not a fan of trying to be operatic and being more worried about sounding good than getting the emotion of the song across. I'm sure this is heresy, but I just didn't like it.


Monday, November 24, 2008

Making fun of Twilight

Here's a link to a hilarious "Snide Remarks" column by Eric D Snider about his rejected Twilight Screenplay. If you haven't read it yet, you should!

http://www.ericdsnider.com/snide/my-rejected-twilight-screenplay/

Here's just one of the many funny scenes:

BELLA: It's tough being the new kid in school! Especially when everyone is so friendly and helpful and interested in me. Why can't they just leave me alone so I can sit in the corner and cut myself?
CLASSMATE: You're awesome, Bella!
BELLA: See what I have to put up with? Hey -- who are those hot people over there?
CLASSMATE: Those are the Cullens. They avoid direct sunlight, they don't eat food, they sleep in coffins in a graveyard, and holy water burns them. I think they're Canadians.
BELLA: They sure are spectacularly gorgeous.
CLASSMATE: Yes, they are.
BELLA: I mean seriously, those people are BEAUTIFUL. Especially the one who keeps looking at me. Man alive, that guy is stunning. I mean, wow. He is hot buttered seduction on a stick. I'm not interested in him sexually, of course, because sex is dirty, but wow -- LOOK AT HIM! Yee-ikes! Hubba hubba! If you don't mind, I'd like to spend the next 75 pages talking exclusively about how attractive he is, and then bring it up again every paragraph or so for the remaining 400 pages.
CLASSMATE: Knock yourself out.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

"Twilight"

I'm sure most have seen it. So, what did you all think? I really enjoyed it. I want to see it again, now that I know what to expect. Voice overs are difficult for me sometimes and I think the special effects suffered from the budget (especially the sparkling and the moving fast), though the story is more about the characters than the special effects.
I really loved the soundtrack (awesome), I think the casting was spot on, I was surprised at how much I laughed, the contacts looked super cool - much better than I thought they would - chemistry between Kristin and Rob was great, great kissing scene, really loved Cheif Swan.
Fave funny parts:
when Bella walks into class for the first time and the fan blows her scent to Edward
Mike asking her to prom
Bella's introduction to the cullen's (esp. Edward's mortified expression)
Edward meeting Charlie officially

Saturday, November 22, 2008

"The Age of Innocence" Review

The Age of Innocence (Enriched Classics Series) The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton


My review


rating: 4 of 5 stars
Wharton absolutely draws me in. Her stories are so unconventional. I also read her "Ethan Fromme" in High School and though I made fun of it, the ending really had an impact on me.

I find May a fascinating character in this, especially given Newlands perception of her which might not be exactly correct. I love that even though Newland falls in love with Countess Olenska and feels confined in many ways by May, May isn't a bad person. In fact, quite the opposite is true. I also love Wharton's descriptions of places and social laws, lots of fun satiric wit. I especially love her description of Mrs. Mingott's burden of flesh. (I'm adding it to my favorite quotes).

And though it takes place in the 1870's, it was actually written in 1920, so you don't have to wade through the many annoyances of Victorian Era writing.


View all my reviews.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Wicked tickets go on sale

"Wicked" tickets will go on sale DECEMBER 12TH! Here is the link to where you can buy them:

http://www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/BAA.Web/Pages/BAACity+city+Salt-Lake-City+SeriesShowId+6558+showId+807+name+Wicked.html

Make sure to pass the word along to all who might be interested.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The Prince

The Prince The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli


My review


rating: 3 of 5 stars
I finally finished it! I really did find it interesting despite the fact that it took me a couple months to finish a 128 page book. I just had to rid myself of other options to read, because it's very difficult for me to pay attention to non-fiction, especially if it's written in the 1500's. I can see why the term Machiavellian has such a negative calculating connotation to it, but there are definitely things that are true in there. It's just really interesting to see a breakdown of power, how to get it and how to effectively keep it.


View all my reviews.

movies of late

I watch movies on our portable dvd player while I'm working to keep myself sane. Just in case you were wondering how I had so much "free time" to watch movies :)


I don't know what to make of this. I almost wanted to say it's a cute kids movie, but it really isn't. It was okay, but I'm not sure who I would recommend it to.


The new Sense and Sensiblity... hmmm. There are things I liked for sure. I'm usually really good about forgetting about expectations (I enjoyed the 2005 version of P&P and also loved the colin firth), so I don't know what to say. The Emma Thompson version of S&S is just such the quintessential period film, practically perfect, that it's difficult to not compare other versions. I will say that the second time watching it, I liked it better. And it was interesting to see "Mr. Headstone" from "Our Mutual Friend" as Colonel Brandon. Still like the Emma Thompson version much better. In fact, if you haven't seen either, rent the thompson version (with Alan Rickman (a much more mysterious Colonel) and Kate Winslet).

I'm on a Scarlet Pimpernel kick, what with watching bootlegged vids on youtube of the broadway cast of the encore performance (can anyone ever hope to equal Douglas Sills? I think not!). So, I was curious about this version. I was prepared to very much dislike it, but was surprised. There are some things that might bother a fan of the story. Richard Grant seems an unlikely casting choice of Sir Percy (given his dark hair, and I must admit, he's not really a looker), and also the casting of Marguarite (She is very much not what I would have expected). And there are some plot holes, and some stupid moves on the part of the league (such as calling him percy in a "stage whisper" in France). But, I do like the casting of Chauvelin (Martin Shaw) and Grant grew on me. His characterization and delivery of the lines won me over. The dialogue is fun and witty. Be forewarned, it shows more of the darker side of the story, such as the absolute calousness of the revolutionaries and some of the english aristos, so it's darker. Also a warning, while it was on TV (A&E to be exact), it does contain a few instances of some witty dirty talk. I really enjoyed watching the three episodes I rented from the Library (though IMBD says there are five) and would definitely recommend them. They were adventurous and fun and the chemistry between Percy and Marguarite is lovely, too.




Thursday, October 30, 2008

Quirks

Okay, so Erin tagged me to share 6 quirks I have. I'm supposed to tag 6 people, but a lot of you have already done this. So, if you haven't, consider yourself tagged!!!

1. I, too, am a sci-fi/fantasy nerd. (Though I have always preferred Star Trek:Voyager myself, for which I receive much flak from my husband and brother-in-law). Lord of the Rings rules supreme, obviously Orson Scott Card is my fave author and he's a major sci-fi and fantasy writer. Anything strange, bizarre I love. Which is why, when most people are a little put off by "Breaking Dawn" being a little too "out there" for their tastes, it's my favorite of the series.

2. I am a musical nerd. I confess I was a thespian in high school. :) Most people don't know that when Ava is dancing around and putting her arms out in a grande jesture while "singing", she is imitating what she see me do around our house all day :)

3. I am symmetrical as far as eating, I have to chew the same amount on each side, or else it drives me crazy.

4. Okay, to shatter any illusions of me having any sense of decorum, I find bathroom humor thoroughly hilarious! This would be from having a Dad with digestive problems, lots and lots and lots of bathroom jokes. Ethan and I find ourselves laughing to tears over some of our jokes (okay, mostly his, he has an unmatchable wit)

5. I like a lot of old movies, I mean black and white old. "The Thin Man" collection, "Casablanca" "Philadelphia Story" (NOT the one with Tom Hanks, the one with Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and Jimmy Stewart), "Vertigo", "Charade" (great stuff!), "Wait Until Dark", on and on. It's really a miracle Ethan continued dating me considering our first date was a modern dance concert which "scarred [him] for life" and our second date was watching "The Thin Man" (this was shot in the '40's mind you. Ah William Powell and Myrna Loye, have you ever met your comedic match?)

6. I love the smell of campfires, gasoline, and coffee, oh and sawdust. I always loved getting gas at the gas station when I was younger, because I loved the smell. I actually like that my clothes smell like a campfire after camping. I wish I could have coffee candle without the associated taboo of a mormon's house smelling like a beverage we don't drink. I love walking by the coffee in Smith's, but even better is sitting in a Starbucks. And sawdust is just so earthy!

If some of you shun me in the future I'll totally understand :P

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

"Wicked" Tickets


A friend of mine told me that tickets for "Wicked" will go on sale in November (I don't know the date, but at least the month). Now, I've told some people the premium tickets were at the cheapest $135. My friend already got her ticket through a friend of hers that has a season pass and first dibs on a big musical like this. She said hers was the second cheapest ticket available and was $77.50. Obviously much better, so I'm assuming regular tickets will be more in that price range. As soon as I know more, I'll post :)

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Cause of Housing Crisis

Please e-mail this link to everyone you know. This is an article written by Orson Scott Card about the cause of the housing crisis and who is truly responsible for it and who is covering it up. Keep in mind, OSC is an admitted Democrat. Also know that he is the kind of person to look at all the facts available before presenting any accusations.

http://www.ornery.org/essays/warwatch/2008-10-05-1.html

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Are you KIDDING me?!!!

Well, ladies and ... ladies :) the new trailer for Twilight is out. This is the first trailer that I think if I had not read the books I would actually be intrigued enough to see the movie. It's freakin' awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy :)

Steve Carrell movies

So, I guess I've been on a Steve Carrell kick lately. I just watched "Get Smart" and then "Dan in Real Life" and absolutely LOVED both of them!


"Get Smart" was one of the funnist movies I've seen in a long time. I loved that Maxwell Smart wasn't some bumbling imbicile who unintentionally does a couple things right. He's acutally really smart and what he does wrong comes from his inexperience and also not wanting to get shown up by a girl. Lots of funny lines and I so enjoy watching Carrell more when I don't have to feel embarrassed for him (as much as I love "The Office" it's still difficult for me to watch sometimes)

"Dan in Real Life" is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this movie. I'm always wary of something that's supposed to be the "feel-good movie of the year" or some crap like that, but this trancends such a trite phrase. First thing I loved, it's family-centered. His family are all good normal people and try to be nice to each other and support each other. I love that this is a romance of two middle-aged people. I love that the comedy is balanced by reality. I personally think the cover is really dumb looking, but not everything can be perfect. I'm sure everyone else has already seen this, but if not, DO!

Monday, September 29, 2008

Better safe than sorry

My mother-in-law works at a place for troubled teens called Discovery Ranch. I know there's hoaxes that get passed around, but I figured that it's better to be safe than sorry. Anyhow she forwarded the following email to me that she had received from their clinical director:





This is a new drug known as 'strawberry quick '.
There is a very scary thing going on in the schools right now that we all need to be aware of.

There is a type of crystal meth going around that looks like strawberry pop rocks (the candy that sizzles and 'pops' in your mouth). It also smells like strawberry and it is being handed out to kids in school yards. They are calling it strawberry meth or strawberry quick.

Kids are ingesting this thinking that it is candy and being rushed off to the hospital in dire condition. It also comes in chocolate, peanut butter, cola, cherry, grape and orange.

Please instruct your children not to accept candy from strangers and even not to accept candy that looks like this from a friend (who may have been given it and believed it is candy) and to take any that they may have to a teacher, principal, etc. immediately.

Pass this email on to as many people as you can (even if they don't have kids) so that we can raise awareness and hopefully prevent any tragedies from occurring.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,271215,00html

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/02/healt h/main2752266.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_2752266

Friday, September 26, 2008

coupons

I have a coupon for a $9.95/haircut at cookie-cutters for the month of October only. Ava just barely got her haircut, so if you'd like to use it, let me know and I'll give you the code or email it to you. That's a first come, first serve basis. The second thing is that Kohl's will be having a sale Oct 1-7. I have a Kohl's charge card that will give an ADDITIONAL 20% off (even sale prices) and their sales are beyond fantastic. The great thing is you can pay with the charge card and get the discount and then turn around and pay it off in cash right there at the register. The reason I bring this up is if anyone wants to borrow my card, as long as you pay it off at the register, you can borrow it. Just let me know.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

"Barack Obama, Spinmeister"

Obama obviously beleives the majority of America is stupid and has no capacity for actually listening to what he's saying. The other day on the Michael Medved show (which is one of the most balanced radio talk shows I've heard), they were talking about the interview Sunday night on 60 minutes with the candidates. Obama was questioned about his policies raising taxes. He claimed that 95% of Americans would get a tax break, while only those making above $250,000 would have an increase in taxes (a substantial one at that!). Then he went on to say that the tax break would be given to the small business owners who are more likely to put the money back into the economy. See any problems with that? Small business owners claim their business revenues as part of their own income - what small business makes LESS than $250,000 a year?
For a slightly more in depth look at the lying, two-face, hypocritical, and cowardly acts of Obama you can check out this article titled "Barack Obama, Spinmeister":

http://www.ornery.org/essays/warwatch/2008-09-07-1.html

Monday, September 22, 2008

"Persuasion"

BBC went back and did ALL the Jane Austen (except for Pride & Prejudice, of course) in 2007 and this was the first one I've watched of those. The good thing is that Cpt. Wentworth is much much better looking in this adaptation than the other ones for sure. And he's a really good actor. (not necessarily in order of importance) ;) If you aren't familiar, this one is basically that Anne was persuaded not to marry Wentworth because he was poor and had no connections. She has grown to deeply regret the decision. Well, it's 7 or 8 years later, and he is now very wealthy indeed, and amazingly single. They are thrown together through circumstances and now we get to enjoy hurt feelings, misunderstandings, and romantic longing (everything good about Austen). It's a very quiet movie, even for a period film, but it's a very quiet story originally as well. I thought it was well done and it's worth seeing for the score alone - beautiful music!

"Midwives" Review

Midwives Midwives by Chris Bohjalian


My review


rating: 2 of 5 stars
I'm torn between 2 stars and 3 stars. The story has a lot of potential, especially emotionally, that I just felt the author didn't write up to. It's written from the daughter's pov as if she's writing the book 15-20 years after the events. After finishing it, I could see why the author chose to tell it the way he did, but it didn't set well with me. It felt like some relative telling you a story and obviously some people like the feel of that, I just don't. I thought the most interesting parts were the excerpts from the mother's diaries. It took about 85 pages for the story to even become interetsing to me, but it did at that point. I thought the second most interesting thing was the court stuff, though the jury selection dragged on.


View all my reviews.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

So Inspiring

My mother-in-law showed this to us. I couldn't believe how strong the spirit was just watching this 6 minute video. Don't miss out on this because you think you don't have 6 minutes to spare. This is what I call an inspirational talk...

Thursday, September 11, 2008

A really quick rundown of candidates' policies

This is really simple, so just take a minute to look through. This scares me:

2008 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE COMPARISON TALKING POINTS ISSUE


Favors new drilling offshore US
McCain: Yes
Obama: No

Will appoint judges who interpret the law not make it
McCain: Yes
Obama: No


Served in the US Armed Forces
McCain: Yes
Obama: No

Amount of time served in the US Senate
McCain: 22 YEARS
Obama: 173 DAYS

Will institute a socialized national health care plan
McCain: No
Obama: Yes

Supports abortion throughout the pregnancy
McCain: No
Obama: Yes

Would pull troops out of Iraq immediately
McCain: No
Obama: Yes

Supports gun ownership rights
McCain: Yes
Obama: No

Supports homosexual marriage
McCain: No
Obama: Yes

Proposed programs will mean a huge tax increase
McCain: No
Obama: Yes

Voted against making English the official language
McCain: No
Obama: Yes

Voted to give Social Security benefits to illegals
McCain: No
Obama: Yes

CAPITAL GAINS TAX

MCCAIN
0% on home sales up to $500,000 per home (couples). McCain does not propose any change in existing home sales income tax.

OBAMA
28% on profit from ALL home sales. (How does this affect you? If you sell your home and make a profit, you will pay 28% of your gain on taxes. If you are heading toward retirement and would like to down-size your home or move into a retirement community, 28% of the money you make from your home will go to taxes. This proposal will adversely affect the elderly who are counting on the income from their homes as part of their retirement income.)

DIVIDEND TAX

MCCAIN
15% (no change)

OBAMA
39.6% - (How will this affect you? If you have any money invested in stock market, IRA, mutual funds, college funds, life insurance, retirement accounts, or anything that pays or reinvests dividends, you will now be paying nearly 40% of the money earned on taxes if Obama becomes president. The experts predict that 'Higher tax rates on dividends and capital gains would crash the stock market, yet do absolutely nothing to cut the deficit.')

INCOME TAX

MCCAIN
(no changes)
Single making 30K - tax $4,500
Single making 50K - tax $12,500
Single making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 60K- tax $9,000
Married making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 125K - tax $31,250

OBAMA (reversion to pre-Bush tax cuts)
Single making 30K - tax $8,400
Single making 50K - tax $14,000
Single making 75K - tax $23,250
Married making 60K - tax $16,800
Married making 75K - tax $21,000
Married making 125K - tax $38,750
Under Obama, your taxes could almost double!

INHERITANCE TAX

MCCAIN
- 0% (No change, Bush repealed this tax)

OBAMA
Restore the inheritance tax

Many families have lost businesses, farms, ranches, and homes that have been in their families for generations because they could not afford the inheritance tax. Those willing their assets to loved ones will only lose them to these taxes.

NEW TAXES PROPOSED BY OBAMA

New government taxes proposed on homes that are more than 2400 square feet. New gasoline taxes (as if gas weren't high enough already) New taxes on natural resources consumption (heating gas, water, electricity) New taxes on retirement accounts, and last but not least....New taxes to pay for socialized medicine so we can receive the same level of medical care as other third-world countries!!!

You can verify the above at the following web sites:


http://money.cnn.com/news/specials/election/2008/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.taxes.html

http://elections.foxnews.com/?s=proposed+taxes

http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourworld/politics/articles/mccain_obama_offer_different_visions_on_taxes.html

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/candidates/barack_obama/

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/candidates/john_mccain/

Also, p.s. Ethan told me that Obama voted AGAINST a ban on leaving failed abortion attempts in a room to die. Basically when they tried to abort the baby with a drug, if the baby was born, but the drug hadn't taken affect yet, they would then leave the baby in a room while the drug took affect (sometimes up to 45 minutes). Obama voted against a law that would ban that practice.

9/11

Strange that it's been 7 years since 9/11. I remember growing up and always hearing people say that they could remember exactly what they were doing when they saw the first step on the moon, or when they heard that JFK had been assasinated. Not that I didn't believe them, I just thought it was strange. But, now I know what they meant because I can remember exactly what I was doing when I heard on the BBC news that one plane had crashed into the WTC and they weren't sure what was going on. I carpooled with my dad at the time and I remember commenting to him what I had heard. So, we turned the radio on during our drive to the U of U and that's when the second plane hit. It was so surreal. And then to hear that it was a terrorist plot. I didn't know anyone personally affected by it and it's so many miles away, but if it had that impact on a teenager in Utah, I can't fathom how those people felt who lived in New York, or were right around the corner. Not to mention those who lost family members and friends. If you haven't seen "United 93" that came out a few years ago, I would definitely recommend seeing it. I heard that very little was actually scripted and so it has this amazing feel to it that is not "hollywood" - it feels real. The bravery of those passengers to get the plane to crash, not to kill others, but to save others is really heroic. On this anniversary of the metaphorical carpet being pulled out from under American's feet, I think it appropriate to honor those who have served and are currently serving to ensure that freedom. I think it also appropriate to honor the President and his cabinet on keeping America safe from another terrorist attack. There is no glory when an attack is prevented, but I'm glad that hasn't mattered to our Commander-in-Chief. Heaven knows he's made mistakes, but I'm proud to be an American and proud to have President Bush as the leader of this great country. I'm grateful that he takes his responsiblities more seriously than a popularity contest. And to quote Michael Medved, I'm grateful to live in "this the greatest nation on God's green Earth"!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Pranks

So, I need to know if you guys know of any good pranks. About a week ago, I dumped cold water on Ethan while he was in the shower and he assured me that I had opened a very large can of worms. He got me back Sunday with a Super Soaker (though I managed to squirt shaving cream in his face), so he might count it as his turn to retaliate. In which case, I need to have something good to get back at him with. Any ideas?

Friday, September 5, 2008

Breakin Dawn FAQ's

Stephenie has now posted a Frequently Asked Questions section for "Breaking Dawn" on her website. There are some really good answers there aobut some stuff not fully explained in the book. Here's the link directly to the page:

My favorite part? "I waited to do this in writing because I have an immature, Homer Simpson-like tendency to giggle when I say the words "seminal fluids" in public." LOL. :)

Sunday, August 31, 2008

"Breaking Dawn" book club


Well, my neighborhood book club held the meeting for "Breaking Dawn" that was of course a blast. Always fun to chat about that story. I decided that Bella and Edward are definitely one of my favorite literary couples. And I felt that "Breaking Dawn" (which is my favorite book of the series) finally showed me, at least, who Bella and Edward are as a couple. I finally felt I got a sense of their relationship especially in the last half. So many great moments in this book and I loved the little funny moments. *** Spoilers*** The honeymoon: hyperventilating on the bathroom floor, biting pillows, breaking bed frames; drinking blood; wanting to throw the book across the room when Jacob was narrating, wishing he would grow up!; indecent proposals; surprise imprinting, well really beyond surprise; Bella becoming a vampire is where the book gets the absolute best for me: Oops, entwined in a way not appropriate in company, that was graceful even for a vampire, dress shredding due to hunting large prey, you stupid mutt!, the cottage, epiphany of unnecessary "human moments" leaving time for much better activity, crushing the rock, bella being a major player, and of course of course of course, the last two pages where Edward gets to see Bella's thoughts and can't concentrate - "damn it!" :) *** END OF SPOILERS*** Then we took a picture to send in for the video to support Stephenie Meyer who deserves better than what she's gotten from her "fans" and "trusted friends". I did try and take out as much red eye as possible, but what can you do? I guess it's somewhat appropriate ;)

"Dune Messiah"

Dune Messiah (Dune Chronicles #2) Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert


My review


rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the second book in the Dune series. The syntax takes getting used to, but it's made easier by the ingeniousness of the plot and characters. Herbert truly is a master storyteller. You know some serious tragedy is coming, but not sure what, to what extent, or how. The scope of these stories just simply blows my mind. You get a true sense of a lot of different sects of people and different ruling families, and different people vying for power... just incredible. I'm really excited to read the next one.


View all my reviews.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

"Midnight Sun"

I feel terrible for Stephenie Meyer! If you haven't heard yet, someone she had entrusted with a copy of her unfinished "Midnight Sun" leaked it onto the internet where it was then spread around. She has put it on hold indefinitely saying were she to finish it in her current mood, she might just have James win and kill and the Cullens. She also stated that she doesn't want her fans to have to be tempted into being dishonest (i.e. looking up an illegally posted copy) and so has posted the copy on her own website. As fun as it was to read what she has written so far, I would much prefer the wait for an actual printed copy. But, here is the link to the unfinished manuscript of what she has written thus far (be warned, it stops right before the meadow). You'll have to scroll down through her message and click on "Midnight Sun Partial Draft" to view it in Adobe Acrobat.

http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/midnightsun.html

Twilight Lexicon has some suggestions on how to show our support. They are as follows:

Post this banner for your MySpaces, Blogs, LiveJournals, website sigs etc. http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=9g8uwo&s=4

Write a letter to Stephenie at
Stephenie Meyer
c/o Author Mail Little, Brown and Company
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017

Participate in a "We support Stephenie Meyer" video. All you have to do is send a picture of yourself showing support to twilightthanks@gmail.com and put "VIDEO" in the subject line. Be creative with your show of support, but make sure it is a still photograph and not an actual video. We will take the photos and make them into a video that will later be posted on You Tube.

For those of you graphics people who want to do something, we have another idea. We are going to make a virtual quilt. Send a 200 X 200 support graphic to twilightthanks@gmail.com and we will work it into a virtual support quilt. Make sure you put "QUILT" in the subject line.

On Saturday Sept. 13, in honor of Bella’s birthday, wear a twilight themed t-shirt to show your love of the series. If you work or have other obligations that won’t allow you to wear a Twilight shirt, wear all black, white, and red to show your support.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

"Nobody was Listening"

So, I just had to link up to this incredibly insightful article about truth and how people react to it. Well, more specifically how the intellectual elite react to it. I find it disturbing that a lot of people will be voting off of an emotional reaction this November, not saying everyone, just a lot. It seems irresponsible to me and in my opinion, will only help to defeat the democracy of this country. Anyway, give the article a read, I found it fascinating. (And p.s. This was written by an extremely intelligent person who also happens to be my favorite author, OSC)

http://www.ornery.org/essays/warwatch/2008-08-10-1.html

Sunday, August 24, 2008

I'm trying to see how many posts I can do in one day :)

Memory Game
1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Poll Results/New Poll

Only 6 votes? Really? 4 said it would help Mccain's campaign, 2 said it would hurt his campaign. Well, it will be interesting to see who Mccain picks. Ethan doesn't seem to think he'll pick Romney because Mccain's campaign has been running ads about Biden saying bad stuff about Obama during the primaries and so Obama would definitely run the same kind of ads about stuff Mccain and Romney said about each other. Anyhow, this weeks poll is pretty self-explanatory I think, so vote! :)

"North and South"

Several months ago I discovered, if not THE best, then one of the best period movies ever! It's a bold statement, but "North and South" deserves it. It's about 4 hours long (it was a BBC miniseries). I own it if you'd like to get on my waiting list to borrow it :) This is one of those few movies where I'd recommend it to everyone. Seriously, everyone I've lent it to so far absolutely loves it. Ethan is my "Mr. Thornton" for sure - perfect combination of manly and sensitive. Let me know if you'd like to borrow it, you know you want to. The above is a short trailer (only 2mn) so you don't have to gamble 4 hours to know if you'd like it.

"The Wedding Dress"

The Wedding Dress The Wedding Dress by Virginia Ellis


My review


rating: 3 of 5 stars
I had a hard time getting into it at first, but about 40 pages into it or so, it seemed to click. There are some "surprises" that aren't really surprises, but I still loved reading how they unfolded. It was a fun, light, romantic, feel-good fluff. Overall, I enjoyed it, and my heart fluttered at the end and I had a smile.


View all my reviews.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Fablehaven:Grip of the Shadow Plague review

Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague (Book 3) Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
These books are so great! I actually enjoy them more than the early Harry Potter(Though I love Harry Potter, especially from book 3 and on)and they're easily on the same level as the rest of the Potter series. The dialogue is smart and snappy, the sibling rivalry between Seth and Kendra brings a smile to my face. And I'm pretty surprised at a good amount of the words he uses considering it's supposed to be a kids' book. (Kids who read these books will have a larger vocabulary than many an adult!). This is quite a talented author, and he has created this wonderful magical world. And it's fun to see the kids take part in helping solve the problems, especially a new character introduced in this book, Gavin. I love seeing that kid kick some serious butt! Does that make me an adolescent stuck in a 26-year-old's body? Probably, but we already knew that :)


View all my reviews.

The Way We Live Now

Well, most of you must know, "surely you must know", I am in love with period movies. A while back, before I started blogging, I ran across a BBC miniseries called The Way We Live Now and discovered a gem. It boasts an amazing cast: Mathew McFadyen (in a very un-darcy role), Cillian Murphy (the whole reason I wanted to rent this, *grrrrrrroooooowwwwwwlllll*, which is probably weird of me), Miranda Otto, and that guy who was Rogue Riderhood in Our Mutual Friend (Jen, Lindsay, and Heather will remember that). McFadyen was a revelation for me in this. Of course I loved him in 2005 P&P, but he is truly truly talented. He plays Felix in this, who goes after a rich introverted and socially akward girl in order to help his family's financial situation. And, he's hilarious as a drunk! I could only find one usable clip on youtube. It's between Cillian Murphy and Miranda Otto. They were once engaged, but she never showed up when they were supposed to meet up a couple years back. He figured it was off and wrote to ask her to officially release him (he didn't say, but had fallen in love with another woman). So, what does she do? Go all the way to London to face him. The library has it and I would highly recommend watching it!

Veggie Tales Silly Songs

This is Ava's new favorite silly song from Veggie Tales. Be warned: it gets stuck in your head. Larry the Cucumber makes me smile.

If you have lived through the '90's then this one will probably make you smile. Just think of all the 'N Sync, Backstreet Boys, and Boyz II Men videos we lived through :) Especially the white outfits, the overly bright lighting, the cuts to each member during the chorus, the shape of the lit up tunnell, the rap break. good stuff.

Monday, August 18, 2008

McCain/Romney poll

So, I've decided to try and have a new poll up every week. We'll see how that goes. But I wanted to see what people's opinions were on this. Since the economy will be such a big issue this election, do you think Romney's impressive financial background will help? Or, do you believe that his Mormonism will put off enough Evangelical voters to hurt McCain's chances of winning? Obviously the poll is anonymous, but if you have reasoning you'd want to share, please feel free to leave comments on this post.

If my life was a movie, what would the soundtrack be?

I saw this on Mike and Amy's blog. Here's what you do:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc.)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the "next" button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool!

Here's mine:

Opening Credits: Elephant Love Medley- "Moulin Rouge"
Waking Up: Sound of Pulling Heaven Down- Blue October
First Day At School: Make Us One- Sally Deford
Falling In Love: The Very Thought of You- Rod Stewart
Fight Song: Finlandia Op 26 No 7
Breaking Up: Oh Fortuna- Opera Babes
Prom: My Soul Hungered- "Book of Mormon Video" (NOT movie!)
Life's OK: With My Own Eyes- "Atonement"
Mental Breakdown: Looks Like You've Started Something- Linda Eder
Driving: Girls of the Night- "Jekyll & Hyde "
Flashback: If All Men- "Book of Mormon Video"
Getting Back Together: That Old Feeling- Rod Stewart
Wedding: A Heart Full of Love- "Les Miserables"
Birth of Child: Code of Silence- Stephen Schwartz
Final Battle: Beautiful Disaster- Kelly Clarkson
Death Scene: This is the Moment- "Jekyll & Hyde"
Funeral Song: All the World- Fauxliage
Credits: One Day More- "Les Miserables"

I swear I didn't cheat! I only skipped songs that were classical (After all, Symphony 5 No 3 Allegro doesn't make sense in this) or the two Weird Al songs that I came across, because it's in my Library, but I haven't listened to them in forever. Also, if the song was from a musical or movie I put the title in quotations instead of the artist (I figured that would be more recognizable.)

Twilight Movie Update


I have no doubt those in my neighborhood have already heard due to the diligance of Tiffany and Lori ;) but just in case, the Twilight movie release date has been moved UP to November 21st since there was an opening left by Harry Potter moving to next summer! Of course, that stinks about Harry Potter, but that's exciting for Twilight. Go Twilight!!!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

The Dark Knight


Holy crap! Are you serious?! This movie is so kick-butt! I was so agitated that I couldn't keep still and kept fidgeting in my seat. Okay, so if you want a movie where the hero comes out on top and unscathed don't see this movie. It is very dark. That being said, holy crap. This movie works on so many levels. It is such an awesome adventure movie - the fight scenes and chase scenes are beyond cool; there are some funny one liners and little moments of humor to breathe before the next onslaught. The sound track is the best soundtrack for this kind of movie! I couldn't believe how it just got your blood pumping! Music can make or break a movie, and the music in this movie perfectly complimented it. There are also some very deep ethical dilemmas. The Joker is the embodiment of pure evil without any scruples whatsoever. I have no idea how the screenwriters (Christopher Nolan, also director, and his brother) came up with the stuff that the Joker does. Every part was so subtely and superbly acted. And the hype about Heath Ledger as the Joker is completely justified! You forget you're watching the same guy who was in "10 Things I Hate About You" and "A Knight's Tale". No wonder Ledger had such a hard time sleeping while doing this role. It was icky feeling to watch him, I can't imagine trying to embody that character as an actor. If you haven't already seen it (which I'm sure everyone else already has) GO! This is beyond a comic book/adventure movie. This is high quality stuff!

Wednesday, August 13, 2008



This is Tay's favorite dance to watch on Youtube. She seems to be a big fan of Cyd Charisse ('cause she has good taste like her mommy!). She also likes the dance scene from "Singing in the Rain" when Ms. Charisse is in the green dress. As a side note, my high school friends can attest to this, I always wanted to be that "chick in the green dress" from that movie! That was the most awesome part in my mind (my second choice would have been Leena "An' I can' stand 'im!") Anyway, Tays could watch this dance multiple times a day and is enraptured during the whole thing (as you can see in the pic). And I've noticed I'm a big fan of parentheses! Go parentheses! You rock! (um, yeah, I only had like 5 1/2 hours of sleep last night)
Edit: For those who might not be familiar with Cyd Charisse, she is in the blue dress in this dance

Up and Running

Here we are ladies and gents! And here is where we'll stay. Again I apologize for the inconvenience if you already favorited the other site, but rest assured, you won't have to do that again. :) Brace yourself for lots of boredom, boredom, and Aroura's ranting opinions on things (which is basically a long synonym for boredom) ;) Don't worry, I know if you're visiting this blog, you are either massocistic, or find me amusing - whichever is fine to me. (As a side note: dry, self-depricating humor doesn't always come across without my magnificent dry, self-depricating expressions to accompany it, but feel free to imagine those as you read through this post)