Three Cheers for Good Health!

I have returned! I know you missed me, my faithful readers. All three of you. As a special treat for your patience, I will post something more than just a heart list entry. I am in the process of preparing my first complete work for publication. Yes, I wrote a book. It's done, I just need to format it. I will be publishing it electronically, so I'll keep you updated on that. In the meantime, I hope to stir up some interest by posting the first half chapter or so. Again, I'm relying on word of mouth to make this successful. Please feel free to give feedback, and please tell your friends. I will not keep you in anticipation any longer by continuing this post. On to the next!

From the Grave...

I've never had strep throat (streptococcus pyogenes) before now. I assumed that since it's fairly common, it was no big deal. LIES! I've been so sick this last week! I will ask for some indulgence as I recover. I have absolutely no desire to blog right now. Maybe next week.

Heart List: Rain

I never understood why rain is used as a metaphor for sadness. I love the rain! It has been raining for four days straight, and I'm enjoying every drop of it! I love the sound of rain, the smell of rain, the feel of rain, and it brings back fond memories of puddle-jumping with my siblings and sitting on the porch with my Mom in the hope of some awesome lightning. I probably should go someplace where it rains more often, because we don't get nearly enough of it where I live!

A Bit of Poetry

I don't write poetry very often anymore. I've found I'm just not that good at it. However, I used to write quite a bit of it. Most of it had to do with the melodramatic emotions running around in my young brain, but occasionally there were pieces of work that weren't all together bad. Here's one of my more recent poems (I wrote it about four years ago, if that gives you any idea of how long it's been since I've indulged in my inner "poet") and one of the better ones. Enjoy.

Two Worlds

To walk in a world without definition

To see nothing as it truly is

All edges are soft when they are blurred

But the beauty in detail is gone

Stand in the haze of what is and is not

Breathe in the imagined world

Here there is safety, but nothing is real

Here there is peace, but no life

To walk in a world that is sharply defined

To see thing all too clear

Sharp, cutting edges that will not relent

Simple beauty does not exist

All is decided and to deviate is death

Move forward without hesitation

Here it is real, but all dreams disappear

Here there is earth, but no air

Heart List: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

I find I have to be careful with Japanese animated movies. Some of them are amazing, others are...well, bad. Really bad. I try to be open-minded, though, because I don't want to miss out on the gems that are hiding among the dross. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is definitely a gem. My husband suggested it, and I can usually trust his judgment. The story follows Makoto, a seventeen-year-old girl who discovers the ability to travel through time. She also finds the consequences to be different than what she could have imagined. The story is funny and moving, and the characters are easy to like. My only critique is a scene where Makoto is running to meet a friend...and running...and running...and running. Seriously, it went on way too long. I get it, she's running. Let's move on. Other than that, it was very well done. If you tend to watch foreign films with voice dubbing, I can't give you any insight to the performance of the voice actors. I always watch them in the original language, with subtitles. Sorry.

Heart List: Crock Pots

I LOVE MY CROCK POT!!! Seriously, it is a magical machine that can take the few paltry ingredients I throw in there and turn them into a meal infused with pure joy. I'm not exaggerating. I can call upon several friends and family members to support my statement. One of the things that I like most about crock pots is that it does all the work for me. I can put stuff in, go away for the day and come home to an awesome meal. My husband and I recently had a delicious meal of lamb and vegetables. I think I will post the recipe here so that you may all enjoy it as well. Yum! Crock pots rock!

The Line

Whenever I watch a movie, there is a place in my mind where I draw the line between what I'm willing to believe and when I refuse to follow anymore. Seems reasonable, right? The problem is that I tend to draw that line in weird places. My husband often teases me about it. For example, we were watching the most recent incarnation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and I said, "Power lines don't bend like that. They'd break before doing that." My husband replied, "There are giant turtles doing 15 foot vertical jumps, and you are unwilling to believe the power lines?" Yeah, I guess so. I'm not saying it makes sense, it's just what happens in my brain. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World--defeated evil ex's turning into coins? That's fine. Singing demons? No way! Star Trek (the new one)--unexpected supernova? Not if they know anything about astronomy! Everything else? Sure! These are just a few examples, but I do it with every movie I see. I wonder if it gives some sort of psychological insight into my mind...


PS- I'm wondering the kind of impression I've given of myself by the movie examples I used. I promise I'm a more well-rounded movie-goer than what this blog entry might imply! I recently watched a PG13 version of The King's Speech, and it was awesome. See? Different genre.