July's version of Camp NaNo kinda sucked...it started well, but the Texas heat plus my day job doing data entry made it very difficult for my right wrist/elbow/shoulder to allow extensive additional typing. A series of surgeries over a decade ago left weaknesses in my right arm and while it usually causes me more trouble in extreme cold, this summer's extreme heat (today was--I believe--the 30th day in a row of 100 degree days; the second longest streak of consecutive days Dallas has seen) has totally worn out my arm. (Extra weather trivia--the longest streak was in 1980; I was pregnant that summer with my youngest son, and pregnancy in this type of heat was no walk in the park either LOL.)
Okay--so little writing got done. Not to be defeated permanently, I have changed tactics. I'm allowing technology to help me for the August camp session. I've loaded Dragon Naturally Speaking 11.5 onto both my personal computers, so I will be dictating "Louisiana Lightning" and hopefully be much more successful in "writing" 50K in 31 days.
I will confess that I did read a bit in July, and this past Thursday made time to see Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, Part 2. I'll be adding the books I read to my challenge lists, and perhaps write reviews later. The movie will receive its own review here soon. Suffice it to say--I loved it!! Thank heavens they split the last book...
July also started the new Stampin' Up! year and the new Idea Book & Catalog is the best I've ever seen! Our Summer Mini catalog will end August 31, and the Holiday Mini will begin September 1 (I'll be able to post links then). So, I'd love to be stamping and having fun--I miss my card challenges tremendously--and if the dictation works like I believe it will, my arm may allow some creating soon (I hope).
Stay as cool as you can, and I appreciate all my followers being so patient with me as I try to work thru health issues and get back to sharing online on a more regular basis.
Showing posts with label Harry Potter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Harry Potter. Show all posts
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
I'm Going to Summer Camp!
Camp NaNoWriMo starts tomorrow! I'm planning on another 50K and since July has 31 days, I only need 1613 words each day to be a winner! November was a bust for me last year--I was a "pantser" rather than a "plotter"--and so when the wonderful people at The Office of Letters and Light decided to have a summer camp program, I jumped at the chance to escape from the Texas heat and spend time in 1862 Louisiana (yeah, I'm still writing about the Civil War).
Not that I expect July to be an easy road of writing. I have a working outline (no more being a "pantser" for me, LOL), but July holds its own set of writing challenges--the new Stampin' Up! 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog debuts tomorrow! It's the yummiest one I have ever seen! And of course, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II debuts on July 15...even though I know the ending, I have to see this one on the big screen as I have all the prior seven.
However, I have a wonderful inspiration piece to keep me motivated. My dear friend Beverly over at GottHeartArt is a published artist in several card making magazines and has recently branched out into mixed media. She decided to gift me with a beautiful piece for my writing area:
Isn't this the most awesome gift ever? The acorn idea came from reading Sage Cohen's The Productive Writer and I encourage any creative soul to read this book, as all the tips and techniques are inspiring for anyone who wants to pursue a dream.
So--even though my idea of camping out usually means a cheap hotel room without cable (I used to say with a black and white TV but that would really prove how old I am LOL), I am headed to writing camp! I'll try to check in here more often than I have been (which would really be ironic given the scarcity of posts the past few months), but I will surely post my win come July 31 (nothing like the power of positive thinking LOL).
For any Canadian readers, Happy Canada Day on July 1 and for the Americans, Happy Independence Day on July 4! If you are visiting from anywhere else--welcome and I hope to get to know you better ;-)
Not that I expect July to be an easy road of writing. I have a working outline (no more being a "pantser" for me, LOL), but July holds its own set of writing challenges--the new Stampin' Up! 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog debuts tomorrow! It's the yummiest one I have ever seen! And of course, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II debuts on July 15...even though I know the ending, I have to see this one on the big screen as I have all the prior seven.
However, I have a wonderful inspiration piece to keep me motivated. My dear friend Beverly over at GottHeartArt is a published artist in several card making magazines and has recently branched out into mixed media. She decided to gift me with a beautiful piece for my writing area:
So--even though my idea of camping out usually means a cheap hotel room without cable (I used to say with a black and white TV but that would really prove how old I am LOL), I am headed to writing camp! I'll try to check in here more often than I have been (which would really be ironic given the scarcity of posts the past few months), but I will surely post my win come July 31 (nothing like the power of positive thinking LOL).
For any Canadian readers, Happy Canada Day on July 1 and for the Americans, Happy Independence Day on July 4! If you are visiting from anywhere else--welcome and I hope to get to know you better ;-)
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
More 2011 Reading Challenges--See My Left Sidebar
Peeking Between the Pages has set some fantabulous reading challenges for 2011 and I've featured them on my left sidebar, even though I may not participate in all of them. "If I'm not participating, then why am I featuring?" you may be asking. Well, two of the challenges--"Harry Potter" and "Outlander" are on my top ten all-time absolute favorite book series ever list and contain books I re-read (in order) on at least a bi-annual basis.
I already plan to re-read "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" before the final movie premieres this year (July 15), but may not be able to fit the other six into my schedule. Some of my friends tease that I spend way too much time in the world of Jamie and Claire Fraser--"Outlander" novels are truly sagas and aren't particularly short, so I may revisit the latest, "An Echo in the Bone" since I now own the U.K. paperback version (autographed, no less!), but I may not re-read all of them--I'd really like to read some other historicals this year and I also need time to write my own books ;-)
My TBR mountain has included the books in the other three challenges for a while, however, so don't be surprised to see reviews here this year for the Earth's Children novels by Jean Auel, the Wilderness series by Sara Donati, and the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. I read the first two Auel's many years ago, loved them, but got sidetracked and never finished the series. I also read the first Donati while in New Orleans but that series got interrupted by a rude hurricane called Katrina. And although I own most of the Sookie series, and I love "True Blood" (the HBO adaptation), I've never taken the time to read them because I would obsessively read one right after the other; I keep putting other books ahead of these (like my current read-a-thon of the Lauren Willig series).
Reading books I already own is frugal entertainment. Crossing books off my TBR mountain is an accomplishment. Let's see how well I combine the two and see how many of these three challenges I can complete in 2011.
Who wants to join me?
I already plan to re-read "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" before the final movie premieres this year (July 15), but may not be able to fit the other six into my schedule. Some of my friends tease that I spend way too much time in the world of Jamie and Claire Fraser--"Outlander" novels are truly sagas and aren't particularly short, so I may revisit the latest, "An Echo in the Bone" since I now own the U.K. paperback version (autographed, no less!), but I may not re-read all of them--I'd really like to read some other historicals this year and I also need time to write my own books ;-)
My TBR mountain has included the books in the other three challenges for a while, however, so don't be surprised to see reviews here this year for the Earth's Children novels by Jean Auel, the Wilderness series by Sara Donati, and the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. I read the first two Auel's many years ago, loved them, but got sidetracked and never finished the series. I also read the first Donati while in New Orleans but that series got interrupted by a rude hurricane called Katrina. And although I own most of the Sookie series, and I love "True Blood" (the HBO adaptation), I've never taken the time to read them because I would obsessively read one right after the other; I keep putting other books ahead of these (like my current read-a-thon of the Lauren Willig series).
Reading books I already own is frugal entertainment. Crossing books off my TBR mountain is an accomplishment. Let's see how well I combine the two and see how many of these three challenges I can complete in 2011.
Who wants to join me?
Friday, October 1, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Deathly Hallows Part One (four months away LOL)
Okay, I am having trouble waiting... thanks to the recent Harry Potter weekend on ABC Family and the little sneak peeks of the final two Harry Potter movies, I'm really looking forward to seeing how they have translated the final tome of the series onto film.
Of course, the timing of the film's opening creates challenges for me. Yes, it opens the day before my 55th birthday--a great birthday present!-- but having attempted an opening day viewing of OOTP (Order of the Phoenix for the Muggles reading this), I find I enjoy any movie more when the theatre is less crowded. Usually, the second weekend would suffice--in this case, probably not so much as that will be Thanksgiving weekend.
Of course, November is NaNoWriMo, so I will be totally committed to writing 50,000 words in thirty days that month and will also be working full-time at my day job.
So, when can I finally see Part One? Rest assured, it will definitely be prior to Christmas--after all, Voyage of the Dawn Treader comes out at Christmas LOL...
Monday, November 9, 2009
Technology and Turmoil
I should be working. I want to be working. Instead, I am posting on my blog, cooking soup, semi-watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and when this post is finished, I'll go back to my NaNo novel.
Why? Why am I not answering customer calls? Because my work PC is sick and I'm far down on the triage line today. We had major software issues on the job last week that affect the entire company and that are still being ironed out. In the grand scheme of things, that of course means a single sick PC has to wait. I feel a bit like I am sitting in the emergency room with a sprained ankle while all around me are victims of gunshots, stabbings, and beatings.
They hope to be able to remotely work on the issue later this afternoon. Then, depending on the results, I may have to travel into the job. Although it is only across the county from me, public transportation schedules mean it takes three crosstown busses and right at four hours one way. Not a pleasant prospect.
The very thing that allows me the freedom to work from home is the very thing that has my emotions bent out of shape. My brain feels as fried as I am afraid the hard drive is. One lesson from it though--I am backing up all my files on my home PCs (especially my NaNo novel) to ensure no data loss if something like this should ever happen to either personal machine. Here's to technology LOL!
Why? Why am I not answering customer calls? Because my work PC is sick and I'm far down on the triage line today. We had major software issues on the job last week that affect the entire company and that are still being ironed out. In the grand scheme of things, that of course means a single sick PC has to wait. I feel a bit like I am sitting in the emergency room with a sprained ankle while all around me are victims of gunshots, stabbings, and beatings.
They hope to be able to remotely work on the issue later this afternoon. Then, depending on the results, I may have to travel into the job. Although it is only across the county from me, public transportation schedules mean it takes three crosstown busses and right at four hours one way. Not a pleasant prospect.
The very thing that allows me the freedom to work from home is the very thing that has my emotions bent out of shape. My brain feels as fried as I am afraid the hard drive is. One lesson from it though--I am backing up all my files on my home PCs (especially my NaNo novel) to ensure no data loss if something like this should ever happen to either personal machine. Here's to technology LOL!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Fantastic Interview!
Exclusive: Producer David Heyman talks HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE and HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS
I know, I know--I never post twice in a day, but I just found this exclusive interview regarding the two Deathly Hallows movies coming in 2010 and 2011 and I just had to share!
(The posted photos from Half-Blood Prince are cool too LOL!) Guess it's time to go back for another showing this weekend...
I know, I know--I never post twice in a day, but I just found this exclusive interview regarding the two Deathly Hallows movies coming in 2010 and 2011 and I just had to share!
(The posted photos from Half-Blood Prince are cool too LOL!) Guess it's time to go back for another showing this weekend...
Monday, July 20, 2009
Dumb and Dumber--Where does it Stop?
Please help start a movement to save the English language!
Most of my friends are 40+ and I enjoy surrounding myself with people who read and enjoy the arts. Call us "old fogeys" if you will, but we enjoy intellectual discussion on many varied topics. Several of us will start reading a novel and get so engrossed with some aspect of the setting or timeline that we will head to the nearest encyclopedia for a deeper understanding.
Recently, we have noticed more slang in printed works. Slang has a place in creating characters or moods, but too much of an okay thing is not at all right. Then we began to notice books in which computer proofing caused grammar errors--"two" for "too" or "to"; "their" being used for "there" and vice-versa--need I go on?
And I could truly rant about the obnoxious spelling present in "tweets", text-messages and e-mails. What started as a few emoticons in e-mails from one friend to another has begun to steamroll into blatant disregard--even in professional environs--for intelligent written communication.
A noted magazine geared towards writers is having a lively discussion through the letters to the editor due to a contest-winning entry that could have benefited from better grammar and punctuation.
The editorial column in volume 11, issue 4 of North and South explains my angst much more coherently than I; please find a copy and read it.
Our President has challenged us to learn and to value education no matter our age. If we are to meet all the challenges inherent in keeping the United States as a world power throughout the next decades, we must be able to communicate. Writing, whether on paper or electronically produced, must make clear sense to those who read and act upon what was written. Creativity is transmitted best when it is concise and readable. This is true when talking to my boss. It is true when writing a blog post. It is true when discussing possible solutions to financial problems, global warming, cessation of hostilities across the world--imagine diplomacy without precise translation from one language to another...
I have forgotten grammar, syntax, and spelling more often than I care to admit, and this aspiring writer knows she will never be the next J.K. Rowling, Lincoln Childs, Diana Gabaldon or Kathy Lynn Emerson. I pray however, that my inevitable rejection letters will not come because of spelling or sloppy sentence structure.
I refuse to "dumb down" to increase my audience. Each day brings us another opportunity to stretch our imaginations and increase our communication skills, and I refuse to believe I am alone in holding true to traditional ideals of language. Our young people will rise to a challenge if we require it as we have in the past. They have begun to read again thanks to "Twilight" and "Harry Potter". Now we need to encourage them to write (thanks Christopher Paolini for proving it can be done!).
Most of my friends are 40+ and I enjoy surrounding myself with people who read and enjoy the arts. Call us "old fogeys" if you will, but we enjoy intellectual discussion on many varied topics. Several of us will start reading a novel and get so engrossed with some aspect of the setting or timeline that we will head to the nearest encyclopedia for a deeper understanding.
Recently, we have noticed more slang in printed works. Slang has a place in creating characters or moods, but too much of an okay thing is not at all right. Then we began to notice books in which computer proofing caused grammar errors--"two" for "too" or "to"; "their" being used for "there" and vice-versa--need I go on?
And I could truly rant about the obnoxious spelling present in "tweets", text-messages and e-mails. What started as a few emoticons in e-mails from one friend to another has begun to steamroll into blatant disregard--even in professional environs--for intelligent written communication.
A noted magazine geared towards writers is having a lively discussion through the letters to the editor due to a contest-winning entry that could have benefited from better grammar and punctuation.
The editorial column in volume 11, issue 4 of North and South explains my angst much more coherently than I; please find a copy and read it.
Our President has challenged us to learn and to value education no matter our age. If we are to meet all the challenges inherent in keeping the United States as a world power throughout the next decades, we must be able to communicate. Writing, whether on paper or electronically produced, must make clear sense to those who read and act upon what was written. Creativity is transmitted best when it is concise and readable. This is true when talking to my boss. It is true when writing a blog post. It is true when discussing possible solutions to financial problems, global warming, cessation of hostilities across the world--imagine diplomacy without precise translation from one language to another...
I have forgotten grammar, syntax, and spelling more often than I care to admit, and this aspiring writer knows she will never be the next J.K. Rowling, Lincoln Childs, Diana Gabaldon or Kathy Lynn Emerson. I pray however, that my inevitable rejection letters will not come because of spelling or sloppy sentence structure.
I refuse to "dumb down" to increase my audience. Each day brings us another opportunity to stretch our imaginations and increase our communication skills, and I refuse to believe I am alone in holding true to traditional ideals of language. Our young people will rise to a challenge if we require it as we have in the past. They have begun to read again thanks to "Twilight" and "Harry Potter". Now we need to encourage them to write (thanks Christopher Paolini for proving it can be done!).
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince--I Loved It!!!!!
Voracious fans of the book series are having discussions all over the Web regarding the storyline of the books versus the movies--it happens every time and will certainly happen with parts 1 & 2 of Deathly Hallows in 2010 and 2011.
Half-Blood Prince was different than I expected (not better and certainly not worse). On site reviews and preview videos showed me scenes not in the book so I knew something of what to expect. The movie left out parts of the master story line and yes, I walked out wondering how certain "necessary" parts of Deathly Hallows can be filmed if the essential back story was not.
Movie audiences are not always readers. My friend watching with me only knows Hogwarts and environs through the movies and has no desire to read the books. She was quite happy with the balance between the main story and the little sideline romances, and I agree. We were both pleasantly surprised that the darker tone was present but not overwhelming. Voldemort has returned and is causing havoc everywhere, yet the young people at Hogwarts still have time to fall in and out of "love" and there is much to laugh about. The comedic timing of Rupert Grint in so many scenes had me laughing far more than I had expected. Emma Watson also had moments that just floored you and showed a totally different side to the usually serious Hermione.
Not that there were not tears--there were many. I knew I would have sad moments throughout but I did not expect to feel sympathy for Tom Felton. Crying through the books was one thing--the tears were NOT shed for Draco. Watching the performance, I cried as much for Draco's plight as I did for Dumbledore.
Yes this post is long and was hard to write without spoilers, but please see the movie. We need morality tales today. We need to see the consequences of poor choices. We need accountability for our actions. Harry offers all this and more in a movie that entrances adults as well as older children and it does all this without fire and brimstone preachiness. Where else can you see honest affection and caring between young people today without seeing them jump into bed? Where else do we see that bad choices made in the past do not force a person into bad choices in the future?
I'm anxiously awaiting 2010 and Deathly Hallows #1...
Half-Blood Prince was different than I expected (not better and certainly not worse). On site reviews and preview videos showed me scenes not in the book so I knew something of what to expect. The movie left out parts of the master story line and yes, I walked out wondering how certain "necessary" parts of Deathly Hallows can be filmed if the essential back story was not.
Movie audiences are not always readers. My friend watching with me only knows Hogwarts and environs through the movies and has no desire to read the books. She was quite happy with the balance between the main story and the little sideline romances, and I agree. We were both pleasantly surprised that the darker tone was present but not overwhelming. Voldemort has returned and is causing havoc everywhere, yet the young people at Hogwarts still have time to fall in and out of "love" and there is much to laugh about. The comedic timing of Rupert Grint in so many scenes had me laughing far more than I had expected. Emma Watson also had moments that just floored you and showed a totally different side to the usually serious Hermione.
Not that there were not tears--there were many. I knew I would have sad moments throughout but I did not expect to feel sympathy for Tom Felton. Crying through the books was one thing--the tears were NOT shed for Draco. Watching the performance, I cried as much for Draco's plight as I did for Dumbledore.
Yes this post is long and was hard to write without spoilers, but please see the movie. We need morality tales today. We need to see the consequences of poor choices. We need accountability for our actions. Harry offers all this and more in a movie that entrances adults as well as older children and it does all this without fire and brimstone preachiness. Where else can you see honest affection and caring between young people today without seeing them jump into bed? Where else do we see that bad choices made in the past do not force a person into bad choices in the future?
I'm anxiously awaiting 2010 and Deathly Hallows #1...
Monday, June 22, 2009
Reading Challenges Progress Report
Where has 2009 gone? We are almost halfway through, so I decided I had better look at my progress towards fulfilling my various reading challenges for 2009.
First things first--not counting the three new word guides/dictionaries that now reside very close to hand, I have read a total of 55 books so far. Some have been oriented towards paper crafts or studio design; others have been writing guides or computer software manuals. Several have been non-fiction on United States history or geography as I have continued my research for TGAN (aka The Great American Novel). A few have been on healthy eating and the dreaded four-letter word, "diet" (which should be a word more associated with healthy eating in general and less connected with weight-loss; but I digress....)
So, on to the specific challenges--here's what I have read and what is left for the second half of the year:
"On The Porch Swing" Challenge
1) A book with Married/Marriage/Marrying in the title: (this is not my normal genre, so I may have to really search the library for this one)
2) A book with Friends/Friendship in the title: (a similar situation as #1)
3) A book with Summer/Winter in the title: (well, looks as if I really need to study the card catalog LOL!)
4) A book with a Flower Name in the title: (I have some of Kate Collins' Flower Shop series of cozy mysteries in my TBR mountain and they are quite enjoyable, so this is doable soon)
"In Their Shoes" Challenge (this is any four memoirs)
1) "Harry, A History"
2) TBD
3) TBD
4) TBD
I actually have several memoirs here to choose from so this challenge will be met as long as I make the time to read...
"Mystery Reader Cafe" Challenge
1) A book with Murder in the title: "Maid for Murder"
2) A book set in my region: (I haven't quite decided how narrow my geographic area will be for this one; if I use something set in Texas, I have a couple of Susan Wittig Albert's great China Bayles series here that have not yet been read--although I was hoping to collect the whole series first. I believe there is also a debutante series set here in Dallas that while cute, don't seem to be keepers, so one of those may be my choice here)
3) A book that has been on my TBR shelf/mountain at least a year: (I have at least 100+ to choose from for this part of the challenge)
4) A book from a "new to you" author: "Wreath of Deception"
If all the links work right, my PBSwap reviews should show up for the few books that have met individual challenges. My friends tell me I work too hard and play too little, so I should read more for fun I suppose. Out of the 55 titles read so far this year, there have been "fun" titles: The Star Wars Trilogy, The Chronicles of Narnia (all seven volumes), three of the four Twilight books...and of course, before July 15, I simply must re-read Harry Potter 5 - 7 so I am ready for the new movie LOL!
First things first--not counting the three new word guides/dictionaries that now reside very close to hand, I have read a total of 55 books so far. Some have been oriented towards paper crafts or studio design; others have been writing guides or computer software manuals. Several have been non-fiction on United States history or geography as I have continued my research for TGAN (aka The Great American Novel). A few have been on healthy eating and the dreaded four-letter word, "diet" (which should be a word more associated with healthy eating in general and less connected with weight-loss; but I digress....)
So, on to the specific challenges--here's what I have read and what is left for the second half of the year:
"On The Porch Swing" Challenge
1) A book with Married/Marriage/Marrying in the title: (this is not my normal genre, so I may have to really search the library for this one)
2) A book with Friends/Friendship in the title: (a similar situation as #1)
3) A book with Summer/Winter in the title: (well, looks as if I really need to study the card catalog LOL!)
4) A book with a Flower Name in the title: (I have some of Kate Collins' Flower Shop series of cozy mysteries in my TBR mountain and they are quite enjoyable, so this is doable soon)
"In Their Shoes" Challenge (this is any four memoirs)
1) "Harry, A History"
2) TBD
3) TBD
4) TBD
I actually have several memoirs here to choose from so this challenge will be met as long as I make the time to read...
"Mystery Reader Cafe" Challenge
1) A book with Murder in the title: "Maid for Murder"
2) A book set in my region: (I haven't quite decided how narrow my geographic area will be for this one; if I use something set in Texas, I have a couple of Susan Wittig Albert's great China Bayles series here that have not yet been read--although I was hoping to collect the whole series first. I believe there is also a debutante series set here in Dallas that while cute, don't seem to be keepers, so one of those may be my choice here)
3) A book that has been on my TBR shelf/mountain at least a year: (I have at least 100+ to choose from for this part of the challenge)
4) A book from a "new to you" author: "Wreath of Deception"
If all the links work right, my PBSwap reviews should show up for the few books that have met individual challenges. My friends tell me I work too hard and play too little, so I should read more for fun I suppose. Out of the 55 titles read so far this year, there have been "fun" titles: The Star Wars Trilogy, The Chronicles of Narnia (all seven volumes), three of the four Twilight books...and of course, before July 15, I simply must re-read Harry Potter 5 - 7 so I am ready for the new movie LOL!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Movie Mania
I love movies but I am frugal so movie going in the evening has not been a part of my life for a long time. I recently found (through a frugal friend) a Cinemark theatre here in the D/FW Metroplex that has $2.50 adult ticket prices (even on weekends) for any showing before 6 PM. Awesome!
Needless to say, Sunday was movie day. This summer will be a bumper crop of movies for me (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince anyone?) and I will be looking for Cinemark theatres for as many of them as possible: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen; UP! (which was sold out Sunday and full of kids); Public Enemies (eye candy AKA Johnny Depp and Christian Bale); Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs...without cheap matinee prices, I'd go broke trying to see everything that is soon to hit the big screen.
BFF Ruth and I spent a wonderful day together; we started with Star Trek and then took a break for lunch at Luby's and ended with Angels and Demons. If we hadn't done lunch and a quick run through DeSoto (I grew up there and graduated from DHS; she lived there for many years), we might have had time for X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but I'm a bit glad we didn't as I am not sure I could have handled all the excitement LOL!
I'm really going to try for no spoilers here (sheepish grin). Star Trek had me crying before the opening title sequence. Fantastic movie and great casting. Yes, as stated in an earlier post, I am a die-hard Star Wars fan, but this Star Trek reminded me that I was once a fanatic Trekkie and I am now enjoying the various Trek incarnations on cable whenever possible. I found myself wondering what the surviving cast members of the original Trek (especially Nichelle Nichols) think about the way their characters are portrayed. I was personally quite excited and sitting on the edge of my seat for much of the film. This is a "buy the 2-disc + digital copy version the day the DVD comes out" film. And, are they filming the sequel yet?
Then, after that wonderful experience, what can I say about Angels and Demons? I had loved the book and can think of no better Robert Langdon than Tom Hanks. Ron Howard's direction is exacting and particularly suited for this material. The screenwriting was tight. We were able to get enough information about the Vatican's policies and procedures to understand the conclave (I really love to go to movies where I learn just enough about something that I am intrigued to go do further research on my own). I also had read the book long enough ago that I was totally engrossed in the ending. Of course, any movie with Ewan McGregor will hold my attention while he is on screen...and I'm saving my pennies for the 2-disc version of this movie as well.
Both movies were thrilling. They each had thought-provoking scenes and edge-of-your-seat moments, and I got to see them both for $5. Who could ever ask for more?
Live Long and Prosper!
Needless to say, Sunday was movie day. This summer will be a bumper crop of movies for me (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince anyone?) and I will be looking for Cinemark theatres for as many of them as possible: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen; UP! (which was sold out Sunday and full of kids); Public Enemies (eye candy AKA Johnny Depp and Christian Bale); Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs...without cheap matinee prices, I'd go broke trying to see everything that is soon to hit the big screen.
BFF Ruth and I spent a wonderful day together; we started with Star Trek and then took a break for lunch at Luby's and ended with Angels and Demons. If we hadn't done lunch and a quick run through DeSoto (I grew up there and graduated from DHS; she lived there for many years), we might have had time for X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but I'm a bit glad we didn't as I am not sure I could have handled all the excitement LOL!
I'm really going to try for no spoilers here (sheepish grin). Star Trek had me crying before the opening title sequence. Fantastic movie and great casting. Yes, as stated in an earlier post, I am a die-hard Star Wars fan, but this Star Trek reminded me that I was once a fanatic Trekkie and I am now enjoying the various Trek incarnations on cable whenever possible. I found myself wondering what the surviving cast members of the original Trek (especially Nichelle Nichols) think about the way their characters are portrayed. I was personally quite excited and sitting on the edge of my seat for much of the film. This is a "buy the 2-disc + digital copy version the day the DVD comes out" film. And, are they filming the sequel yet?
Then, after that wonderful experience, what can I say about Angels and Demons? I had loved the book and can think of no better Robert Langdon than Tom Hanks. Ron Howard's direction is exacting and particularly suited for this material. The screenwriting was tight. We were able to get enough information about the Vatican's policies and procedures to understand the conclave (I really love to go to movies where I learn just enough about something that I am intrigued to go do further research on my own). I also had read the book long enough ago that I was totally engrossed in the ending. Of course, any movie with Ewan McGregor will hold my attention while he is on screen...and I'm saving my pennies for the 2-disc version of this movie as well.
Both movies were thrilling. They each had thought-provoking scenes and edge-of-your-seat moments, and I got to see them both for $5. Who could ever ask for more?
Live Long and Prosper!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Yet Another Challenge
Do you think I set my sights too high? Well, with this one, maybe not so much...
I ended up reading 125 books in 2008, so I am again joining the 100 Book Reading Challenge for 2009 (see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/100bookchallenge for details). These can be any genre and believe me, mine last year ran the gamut from self-help to crafting to sci-fi and fantasy. I enjoyed many cozy mysteries and added some time-travel and historical fiction to my "keeper" pile as well. Since my TBR mountain now numbers 655 volumes, I hope that 100+ will decrease that pile somewhat this year (I guess it would decrease even more if I would quit adding to it on an almost weekly basis LOL!)
This year has started well--eight books have been read so far (three were devoured--thank you Stephenie Meyer and your Twilight series!) I know I am not yet too old (and hope I never am) to read fiction targeted to young adults; after all, I read Tolkein's masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings annually (and do not count those volumes in the 100-book challenge) and have started doing so with the Harry Potter series as well. I also do not count my annual re-read of the Outlander series; that pleasure is akin to vacationing at the same favorite location each year.
I ended up reading 125 books in 2008, so I am again joining the 100 Book Reading Challenge for 2009 (see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/100bookchallenge for details). These can be any genre and believe me, mine last year ran the gamut from self-help to crafting to sci-fi and fantasy. I enjoyed many cozy mysteries and added some time-travel and historical fiction to my "keeper" pile as well. Since my TBR mountain now numbers 655 volumes, I hope that 100+ will decrease that pile somewhat this year (I guess it would decrease even more if I would quit adding to it on an almost weekly basis LOL!)
This year has started well--eight books have been read so far (three were devoured--thank you Stephenie Meyer and your Twilight series!) I know I am not yet too old (and hope I never am) to read fiction targeted to young adults; after all, I read Tolkein's masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings annually (and do not count those volumes in the 100-book challenge) and have started doing so with the Harry Potter series as well. I also do not count my annual re-read of the Outlander series; that pleasure is akin to vacationing at the same favorite location each year.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
In Their Shoes Reading Challenge 2009
a challenge for memoirs through the Yahoo "On the Porch Swing" reading group (click my title for the group manager's blog; she's the artist behind this wonderful graphic)...
"Memoir" is defined by Merriam-Webster's online dictionary as a narrative composed from personal experience.
Read 4 MEMOIRS in 2009 and you have met the challenge!
Watch this space for updates...and join me if you would like!
1) Harry, A History: The True Story of a Boy Wizard, His Fans, and Life Inside the Harry Potter Phenomenon (Paperback) http://www.harryahistory.com/
Yes, I am a devoted Harry Potter fan and love reading The Leaky Cauldron, http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/ so when I learned Ms. Anelli was writing about her experiences inside the HP phenomenon, I knew I would be anxiously awaiting her book.
Just as I laughed and cried at Harry, Ron, Hermione and all the others, I laughed and cried with Melissa and Emerson and John and Jo. An aspiring writer myself, Ms. Anelli's way of sucking us in to her doubts and her dreams had me reading long into the night. 4.75/5
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