Why didn't they leave? I'll tell you why.

Number one, people living on the coast have lived through hurricanes. They've lived through worse. Southerner's never forget anything. We're a stubborn lot and prideful. They think well I weathered out Cammille, I'll weather this one out too. Then when its too late, well you're stuck aren't you?

I remember watching over the weekend a young mother with her child being interviewed in New Orleans. I find myself wondering and hoping that she got to safety. Her baby only a month old. She had no car. No television. Barely eeking by. How was she gonna leave? She had no money for a cab, a taxi or even bus fare. Every penny she had went to taking care of that baby.

What about the elderly? They can't leave. Heck they have their meals delivered to them for Pete's sake. They don't drive. They have NO money. How were they supposed to leave?

Let's face it folks. Poor is poor. How many of us have missed a meal? How many of us have gone to bed wondering how we are going to feed our children the next morning? Shame on us. Shame on reporters for questioning it. It's easy to sit in a television station and swear that you can't believe these people didn't heed the warnings. Until you've walked in these people's shoes please don't do that. Don't even dare. Cause let me tell you...If they'd had the ability and the where with all to leave they would have.

There are places in the deep south that time hasn't touched. It's for real and I've seen seen it with my own eyes. Island and Coastal people are very strong willed. Sometimes too much so.

Time was a factor as well. Some people didn't leave because of their parents and those that did are now faced with the questions of where are they now?

I only hope and pray that the remaining souls can get out before this situation becomes much worse.

Sorry for the rant. Time to turn the television off.

Sharks on Interstate 10...????

Okay. Wow. I've had the news on all day. I just turned it off, but before I did there was a report from a police officer in New Orleans who reported seeing a three foot shark swimming in the fast lane on Interstate 10. This ain't no joke. It's for real folks. I cannot fathom this.

New Orleans is filling up with water. It's breaking my heart. The 17th street Canal levee has been breached along with the levee off Charter (I think I have that right)They are saying that if they cannot get the breaches filled that another fifteen feet of water could come into the city.

I'm sick.

I'm worried about all these people.

I've sent money. Money I don't have but I did it anyway.

The shark thing threw me for a loop. I have a phobia about sharks. Guess it comes from watching JAWS at the tender age of nine. But to see one swimming down one of my streets? Well, you might as well commit me.

But it does happen.

I was in Charleston during Hurricane Hugo. I worked right down at the port once upon a time. Our office building had over five feet of sea water in it. When we came back to work we had to clean the building before we could do anything. It took weeks. There was mud, dead shrimp, snakes, spiders, dead fish and bees in our building. Ick! I remember taking cubicles apart, being on my hands and knees with a screw driver--filthy dirty. I don't think I'd ever been that dirty or tired in my life. At that point we had water. Cold water, but it was water. We were without electricity for a month. You'd be surprised how quickly you adapt. My father and I used to sit out in the garage to have a smoke and read by coleman lanterns or candle light.

My heart, thoughts, and prayers go out to all those who have lost their homes, their jobs, or loved ones.

Katerina has done more damange than I have ever seen in my lifetime. It's claimed a city. Entire Cities. Gulfport, Buloxi, Mobile...and more.

I'm heart sick tonight. No writing done today. Will start back up tomorrow.

Ants...I hate ants

These pesky little creatures are enough to drive a sane person batty. I swear. I just had the bug man out to spray for the little buggars not two weeks ago. Now they are trying to come in through the dern kitchen window. They are after my veggies, I just know it. Well, not do anything half ass I got out my handy dandy ant spray and doused the windows inside and out. If anymore decide to come inside they are going to get pulverized! Argh!!!!!

Oh and a funny. Sasha went Saturday to get her hair cut. I'm sure you remember my babies. Well, Middy (the cat) had a fit. She thought Sasha was a new dog. How bad of a Mom and I? Well, and Sasha ain't putting up with any tantrums either. Now that she doesn't have any hair the poor thing feels every single one of those swats! I swear I almost wee'd my pants watching them. Poor Sasha couldn't even eat. Of course, being a poodle she got her a little pom pom on her tail right? Well, Middy thought this was the coolest thing in the world. So Sasha goes to eat. While eating Middy decides to play with her tail. Ever seen a dog try to sit on their but while eating? Every time she'd stand up the cat would smack her little pom pom tail and then Sasha would try to sit down and tuck it between her legs. Hysterical!

It's the little things in life folks! Just the little things that make you laugh!

The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause

What a wonderful Young Adult book by Ms. Annette Curtis Klause. Lynn brought me this book for my birthday. I had never read it. It touches on some very heart sore subjects. A young girl about to lose her Mother, feeling left out, her best friend moves away and she falls in love with a young vampire. Well, he died young anyway. I love the simple prose of this book. The very simplicity of it is what makes it such a great read. It's full of emotion. Did I say I love the prose? I read some reviews on Amazon where they said that they felt the language was dated. I don't know that I agree with that. It's written without said "lingo" so to speak and I think this is what will make this timeless. There is something to be said for not using lingo in a book. When my daughter gets a bit older I'll let her read this one. I'm starting get a nice collection of Young Adults books in my library. next up is "The Dark is Rising" series. I can't wait!
*grin*

Miss Maddie I hope you are not floating away and that you still have electricity. Stafe safe from that storm you hear me?

Another picture...just cause

Another picture...You know me and pictures. I found this on Google. I love this picture. It is of actor Eric Etebari, who played Ian Nottingham on Witchblade. I wish this series was still on t.v. I'm not sure how I missed it.

Thinking of those in the path of the 'storm'

My thoughts are with those in the path of Hurricane Katrina tonight. Stay safe all. No work done today. I hope Katrina turns and heads back out to sea or weakens overnight until its nothing more than a thunderstorm. Unfortunately I doubt thats going to happen. So I'll light a candle that all of those in harms way will stay safe.

Hurricanes are no fun. I lived through Hurricane Hugo and it was a category four storm. I cannot imagine the devastation a class 5 could do. It's unthinkable to me.

Two Thousand words...

On a short Novella I'm writing. It's basically bones at this point. But I'll go back in and layer more later. Right now I'm trying to make sure that the characters stay consistent. It's harder than it sounds. Even in a 12,000 word story. Writing short is hard. You have to be lean and make every word count. A good excercise for the working writer.

It all adds up

As today is Friday I thought I'd do a bit of a recap of my writing week. Skip this if it bores you to tears. *grin*

This week I ended up writing roughly 7000 words. Five days. Which equals out to 1400 words per day. Which equals six pages per day. (I'm rounding up here--deal with it.) LOL This makes a total of 53 pages written since Monday. Not bad for a business weeks worth of work. Now if I didn't have a full time job, a family, two dogs and one cat I could have probably writen more. But I'm happy anyway. I wouldn't give up the family or my animals. The day job? Well, it has its moments for sure. *grin* but I like stability or rather that steady paycheck. Plus I've got a great job. A dream job, the best of both worlds.

Now this does not include the notes I've written on various things. Character sketches, bits and pieces of life histories I've written, and my big scrap book I've started for SSPA (Super Secret Project A) I swear the more I write on that project the more I like which I thought might be impossible since I loved it to begin with--from inception. ROFL...Maddie might find that humerous.

So I'm pretty pleased with my results for this week. It's strange. Working your butt off is rewarding. I'm taking tonight off. It's family night. *grin*

I'm officially into the early morning thing too since school started. Another hurdle jumped.

I've learned some things about my writing too. Funny how when you can see things in your writing its much easier to correct. Perhaps its because you are more aware of it. LOL

Currently reading:
The Silver Kiss, an older Young Adult Paranormal
Tithe by Holly Black which I like a lot.

Life House. this is so cool

"Breathing"ByLifehouse

Kiss me, Kiss me, Kill me

Basically this is to torment Maddie. Cause I just sent her the first little bit of the story to read! Buwahahahah. This should be a little clue to how it ends...ROFLMAO
I would definately choose this guy for Damian...

Inspiration for writing...

I came across this image on google. Yesterday an idea for a short story hit me hard while I was in the shower. Why does it always happen in the shower for some reason. It was a quick flash. But in that instant the entire story came to me. I love it when this happens. This picture made it even worse. I jotted down some notes and put the picture in my file along with a very sparse bit of diologue.

First days of school...and my transformation into a morning person

I've told you all that I hate getting up early haven't I? Well, it's that time again. Ugh! 6:00 a.m. this morning. Yuck! But it was for a good cause. The DD got off to school on time and we were so organized this go round. She had her clothes put out the night before, her bookbag packed. So relatively speaking it all went fairly well. Except for the whole brush your teeth and comb your hair thing. Why is it that kids think they can fool us? I don't get it. Do they think we haven't been there? That we weren't the same people who shoved all our clean clothes under the bed because we were too lazy to put them away? Sheesh.

I always get that "How did you know that?"
"Because I was a lazy kid just like you?"

Laughing. One day she'll learn. Her mother was the Queen. She can't get nothing past me. he he he...Takes one to know one and all that.

Anyway I'm getting ready to update projects so I'm off to do that and then I've got a bit more writing to do before I turn in.

School is starting

I'm not ready. I have so enjoyed having my daughter home with me this summer that I'm not ready for her to go back to school. I'm not ready for homework and projects that take weeks. Lunches and uniforms and all that jazz. She's ready. She's had a great summer. But not me. No, I'm not ready.

We had meet the teacher day yesterday. Then we had tutoring. Then last night we had the open house for the parents. In between all that I worked at the day job. Then last night I only ended up doing about 477 words. Not a good day for writing. Today I have to make all that up. I'll be finishing a section for the SSPA this morning. It's my goal. Then I'll have yesterdays work to catch up on for Project Numero Uno. So today is going to be a busy day.

Today started VERY early for me. I am not a morning person and when school starts I am very sluggish. I've been good this year though because I started going to bed earlier last week. It doesn't take long to get my body back in sync. So now I'm ready to pass out at 11:00 instead of my normal one or two in the morning. This means I have to be much better with my time management. So I'm off to do my work for the day. Day job work and my personal work and get all caught up. Weee! I even have a "To Do" list for the day. Yeah me!

Oh and CONGRATULATIONS LYNN who passed her comps and now gets to go onto the Dissertation stage after she completes her orals. Me thinks Lynn is going to be a busy girl here for the next little bit! But Congrat's on getting past another milestone! I'm proud of you!

I had company today...

My friend Lynn drove up to see me. You can check her blog called the Rythwynn Chronicles on the side bar. She needed to unwind as she is in the middle of comps and teaching her college students. Lynn is a kindred spirit, and she understands how my mind works which is a really interesting thing in and of itself. She and Earl had some interesting discussion which proved how much of a red neck he is! Hey, he admits it!

Well, Lynn came up for my birthday. She lives about an hour an a half away from me, so I thought this was real sweet of her to come up on her day off. And she came bearing gifts. You have to love friends that work at bookstores. Here's what she brought me.

Lord of Desire by Paula Quinn (Historical Romance)
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (Historical Fantasy)
Tithe by Holly Black (Young Adult Fantasy)
Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper (The Dark is Rising Sequence) Teen Fantasy
The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause (Young Adult Paranormal) Vampires
A free Exclusive Dark-Hunter Collectible Booklet from Sherrilyn Kenyon
Lipstick Jungle by Candace Bushnell (Author of Sex and City)

And two Angel Magazines...These are the coolest by far! OMG! Maddie is going to pass out when I send her some of the things in these mags!!!!

She also got me this gag gift! *snorting* and no Lynn I'm not posting the book title on my blog. Let us suffice it to say that I will know more about the anatonmy of man than I ever wanted to know down to technique!!! Earl got a real big quick out of that one. He went running in the other direction when he saw it.

We ended up watching Vanity Fair. Neither of us had seen it. I had never read the book and surprisingly neither had Lynn. So I was quite surprised by the twists in this story. It certainly did not go as I thought it would. Quite the twist at the end. Somehow I've ended up with two copies of this movie. (My ADD tendencies at work again. Obviously I had forgotten I had bought a copy)

Lynn got homesick for London. She lived in London for a year. She went over to study and is now trying to talk me into going. She says she can show me all of the old haunts and she was involved with a theatre group there. How cool is that? She also lived in France for a year and taught. She speaks fluent French so I didn't need subtitles. *laughing* I had my own interpreter. I guess being a theatre major for a while hasn't hurt her any.

We had Chinese for lunch and she ended up playing with Middy. Middy loves Lynn. My daughter ended up giving her some of the hair bow fun fur scrunchies we have made.

All in all it was a good day. Thanks Lynn!!! We enjoyed having you!

Then I ended up writing about 650 words on SSPA. Not bad for one night. *grin*
And my house is clean!!!! That is a miracle!

Why write?

A good question. Most writers I’ve met or talked to give the old clichéd answer of “I write to stay sane.” I think this is true of most writers. Really. But I think that it begins deeper than that. I don’t really remember the first time I consciously decided that I wanted to write a story. I can’t really remember a time when I wasn’t telling a story to entertain myself. Mind you, most of the time when I was little I created little mini movies in my head. Instead of Alec riding The Black in Walter Farley’s “The Black Stallion” it was me. Of course how a little girl would get on a tramp steamer wasn’t lost on me even at age ten. So I invented a reason for me to be on that ship. I was the Captain’s daughter. And when that ship went down I had lost everything. I didn’t get much farther than that because in my mind “The Black” and I never ever got rescued from that Island. We lived there, the two of us, quite happily.

That you might say was the beginning for me. The mini movie. And thanks to my fourth grade teacher Mrs. Kane who encouraged my penchant for writing I wrote more and more and more. She especially liked my rendition of the Pilgrim’s First Thanksgiving. That was the first time someone told me I should be a writer. Details she told me. It’s all in the details. She talked to me a lot that year about how it was important for a writer to notice all the little things that go on around you. Thankfully I paid attention.

Writing foremost for me is an escape into a magical land of my own making. Some might call it a cry for order in an un-ordered world. Some might be right. Some might even say that I like to write because I control everything. I control who lives or dies, who finds true love and who lives to a ripe old age never knowing what the word truly means. It is control and I like it.

Emotion. Now this is a biggie. I’m a heart writer. If I don’t feel it? I have a hard time writing it. It’s all about the emotion and heartbreak for me. I’ve told my friends that I have to be careful of what movies I watch and when. Movies and stories stay with me long after I am out of the movie theater or am done reading the book. Weeks, months, sometimes years stories will stay with me. They haunt me. That should clue you into the fact that I don’t read or watch a lot of horror. I would have nightmares for days. And no I won’t watch “The Ring” either. It would scare me to death!

But the main reason I write? Because I love the process. I love everything about it. Learning my craft, creating something that will touch someone’s heart, finding the right word, and the sense that I leave a little bit of me behind with every word I type.

And yes, I do write to stay sane. Otherwise how on earth would I explain all these voices in my head? There are way too many to count these days.

If I ever get extra money I swear I'm going to have a pedicure once every two weeks. You can't see it here of course but my toes are pink, pink, pink. Hot pink this week of course!

OMG! Gerry in pink on the sidebar

Man I love this blog. When we do our website, it's going to be shades of black and pink. I swear it is. Blush and bashful! OMG! And Gerry in his pink shirt. Isn't he gorgeous!

Okay, so I jumped in on Micki's blog! Could not contain my joy!

It's Birthday time again...

I'm so excited!!! My darling husband bought me a book shelf. I know. I know. For most women this wouldn't be a grand thing but for me? Another bookshelf is like giving me the go ahead to buy more books because I have somewhere to put them now? Get it? It's like the green light and go all in one. Yeah, I get this cool ass bookshelf but also? More books. You got it baby and that makes Michelle a happy fricken camper!

He he he he!
yeah me!

My new favorite song...

Breathe no more...
Copyright(c)2005 Evanescence
This is from the Eleckra Soundtrack! Go buy it. Listen and love it.

I’ve been looking in the mirror for so long.
That I’ve come to believe my souls on the other side.
Oh the little pieces falling, shatter.
Shards of me,
To sharp to put back together.
To small to matter,
But big enough to cut me into so many little pieces.
If I try to touch her,
And I bleed,
I bleed,
And I breathe,
I breathe no more.

Take a breath and I try to draw from my spirits well.
Yet again you refuse to drink like a stubborn child.
Lie to me,
Convince me that I’ve been sick forever.
And all of this,
Will make sense when I get better.
I know the difference,
Between myself and my reflection.
I just can’t help but to wonder,
Which of us do you love.
So I bleed,
I bleed,
And I breathe,
I breathe now...
Bleed,
I bleed,
And I breathe,
I breathe,
I breathe-
I breathe no more.

Chronicles of the Destroyer

I used to talk about Rufus a lot on another blog I had. So since I cannot sleep again I thought I would update you on our beloved Rufus. You see, Rufus does not belong to me. He belongs to my niece and her husband. But I baby-sit. A lot.

Rufus is a fifty pound Doberman and Rottie mix. It’s okay he geni impaired. He is now seven months old and no he’s not out of the chewing stage yet. I have nicknamed him the Destroyer. Why you ask? Let me count the ways…

My nephew no longer has seat belts in his back seat. Why? Because of the destroyer. Yep. Chewed into smithereens.

Two mops, one broom, one black leather suitcase, four decapitated Barbies? All goners attributed to the “Destroyer”

Two Corning ware bowls, one belt, three extension cords, and eighteen stuffed animals obliterated.

His latest causality? My black leather pumps. My favorite pumps. The Destroyer strikes again.

I’m sending his Daddy a bill.

Some Things Are Sacred

The Lord of the Rings. All of them. Movies, books, you name it. (Well to some people anyway—It’s okay I’m not naming names--you know who you are. * snort *)

The ability to sleep in on a rainy morning. (meaning not crawling out of bed until after 10:00 a.m. okay?)

Fresh Brewed Starbucks coffee
Music that moves your soul
The Phantom of the Opera Soundtrack
Metallica’s “Black” album
A pair of killer Black Pumps
Your Mother’s pearls
And last but not least Chocolate.

Never. Shall I repeat this again? Never ever eat your wife or Mother’s chocolate bar. This is grounds for serious discussion. I mean like serious take away your remote control, no more eating in the den, no more feet on the coffee table, and if you don’t go buy me another chocolate bar my head is going to split wide open and Godzilla’s baby is going to pop out discussion. Get it? This is serious shit we’re talking here.

Tonight. Yes. This evening as I am winding down I went to the frig (icebox whatever you’d like to call it) to find the candy bar that I had hidden from the rest of the family. (It has to be hidden or it will not last okay? They've already had their chocolate so don't go feeling sorry for them)

Imagine my dismay when it wasn’t there?

Panic hit. Utter and complete panic. My knees started knocking, my eyes fluttered and watered so badly I couldn’t see. My hand trembled and my blood pressure soared so high I thought I was going to start whistling like my mothers old brass tea kettle. (It made an awful sound by the way)

Enhancing my calm, I straightened my shoulders and walked into the family room where the other two humans that occupy this house were happily watching television as if they didn’t realize their entire world was about to come to an end. I asked, very politely I might add…”Who ate my Lindt chocolate bar that was in the frig?”

They turned into mutes. They gave me that ‘What are you talking about? Are you hallucinating again look?’
I didn’t buy it. They did this to me. I’d been saving those last few pieces of chocolate for Sunday night. My night. My one night to cheat.

Robbed.

I had been utterly and completely robbed of my chocolate. Considering laying down on the floor and kicking my feet and arms about like I’d lost mind wasn’t an option, I assumed the look.
You women know the look I’m talking about. The look that says your life is going to turn into a living hell if someone doesn’t come up with some chocolate within the next two minutes.
These two curious humans react. Both of the them scramble up from their reclining positions saying at the same time. “We’ll go get you another one.”

Disaster averted.

I am now a happy camper even if I did have to put up with a Snickers Bar instead of my beloved Lindt Hazelnut Milk chocolate bar.
Word to the wise people.
Don’t mess with Mom’s chocolate.

Today's work...still not done

Today's work has been interesting. In the previous post I've discussed that I'm doing character work. It has been fun. A challenge and I'm not done yet. This is a little pet project and something that Maddie is trying to assist me in learning. Lean characterization. It's very important.

Didn't get to do as much as I wanted today but I'm taking my notebook and some reference books to bed with me for some well needed computer away time. In revision I've found that it is easier to 'think' away from the computer with pen and paper in hand. These are important things, these particular revisions. I might add that I spent about two hours today on the Super Secret Project A.

On Project Numero Uno.
Yesterday I re-wrote the second and third section. There again were needed revisions to fit the new block I'm creating. I think I've mentioned before that these two characters now have a history. At first I hadn't arranged things this way but after looking at my timeline and the flow and pacing of this book I decided that it would be a smarter move to give them some history. You won't know this immediately. However, it does come out rather quickly. It's the old 'grab the reader by throat and don't let go' syndrome. I want a fast pace for this book. So work still continues and I would say I re-wrote about a thousand words between Thursday and Friday on this particular project.

All Things Old.
I've been making notes. Jotting down bits of inspiration that come to me. Then pushing it back away again until it stews a bit more. It's a very complex story and one that will not be written for many many months. Which is probably a good a thing. *grin* Lot's of issues to work out but it came to me today--goals. Some character goals for the series and some for the first book. Trying to write a series of books with the same characters is a bit more complicated than a simple one book idea. You have to think of it more like a television series. There is a main story arc that threads in with individual story arcs. So really there are simultaneous threads running amuck everywhere. Enough to give even the most brilliant of people a migrane. And I have never claimed to be brilliant.

Then there is another story that I have neglected. One that is quite near and dear to my heart. I've only written two sections and the blurb (which must be re-done) but I work on that when I need some respite from the others. I've got to do some serious character work on these two characters. That will be next up but I've got their notebook started.

It is amazing how many things you can work on at one time. The trick is organization. How I love whoever invented spiral notebooks. Whoever you are--thank you from the bottom of my little pea picking heart.

On the home front I spent the day at the lake. Swimming and enjoying my family. A good day. Tomorrow I'm leaving early in the morning to go see some writer friends. One of which is leaving to go back to New Zealand and who knows when we may see her again. It saddens me but I know that it is what is right for her. So I won't be back until late tomorrow afternoon where the laundry (which is piling up) will be waiting along with all these stories my brain is burning to tell.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Character Work...

Challenges are especially fun. I am doing some character work on a stock character. A character that I want to be very different. Well they are different. Some words to describe character.

Orange. Oily. Nasty. (These are not being used mind you-but came into play)Speaking in Riddles. Speaking in Analogy. Speaking of themselves as if they are a third person. Canny but faded blue eyes. Sharp features. Small little static traits that make them different. Some possibilities: A tic in their left eye when aggraviated. A cane that is not really a cane at all. Hairpins that have various usuage. Plump. Pasty. Pale. Gaunt?

All of those things have reminded me of this character but it is not so much what they look like and how they carry themselves that is important but more so "what" they say and their meaning. It could be construsted as very polite but there is an underlying 'deadly' message. Oh yes. Do not be mislead. Some characters can be poison if you hurt those to whom they are loyal. Knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Gerard Butler as King Leonidas???

Could this be true? There is a rumor, to clarify, that our wonderful Mr. Butler may have snagged the part of King Leonidas for the new Warner Brothers movie '300 based on the Epic Battle of Thermapolye!!!

Still a rumor at this junction so we must keep our fingers & Toes crossed.

Oh be still my beating heart. Okay, granted we all know how the Battle of Thermapolye ends. Geez Gerry, just one time would you pick a role where ya don't die?It isn't a fairytale ending but...Let's see King Leonidas is said to be according to the script writer rumors...."Spartuacus, William Wallace and Maximus all rolled up into one." Oh Yeah Baby!!!! That's our Gerry!

For me? This means, even if it is a rumor, that I get all my favorite things in one movie.

A) Gerry of course (This is a given)
B) Swords
C) Long hair and SWORDS
D) Did I mention Swords and Gerry Butler?
e) SKIN!!! You know those Spartans didn't like a lot of clothes!

Oh my!

Sweden...There's a reason they've been around a long time! *snort* Sorry guys a private joke.

One of my favorites

One more for good measure!

For Tanya...*grin*

A very rebellious prince for sure...

The Prince...an impressive figure for sure

I really do like this actor. I wish they would cast him in a period piece. *grin* You know me and swords right?

Another of Luke

Jakob Dylan...now he has a great voice and a great face!

Luke Mably...I LOVED him in "The Prince & Me" He played a great part. He can talk to me of Shakespeare any day, any time even if I am old enough to be his mother. A great young new talent!

The Count of Monte Cristo

I watched this film early this afternoon. I loved it. I should have known I would. I cannot believe I had not seen it. This is one of those rare gems that you find when you are not really looking. Well, I became curios when I watched a video from Dream Visions entitled “A Kiss from the Rose.”

One of the things I loved about this film, even though I know that it strayed from the original work is the obvious use of the “static trait” and how it actually affected the plot. Also this film does not overly stray from the Hero’s Journey.

Edmond Dantes is in essence a ‘good’ man. He becomes embroiled in political intrigue because of his trusting nature. Edmond in the beginning was a very naïve creature. It is partly his undoing. Not seeing people for who they really are but what he would like them to be.

The ‘static’ trait that was visually obvious from the very beginning is his habit twinning his hair around his finger when he is thinking, worried, or not at ease. They showed this three times in the film. In the end it is what convinced Mercedes that the Count of Monte Cristo was in fact Edmond Dantes. Very well done.

It also brought home the point that people do things because of very basic motivations. Jealousy. Greed. The need for power. Wanting what someone else has thinking it will make you happy, when in reality it is only yourself that can bring peace. Fernand was such a mess.

A+++ for this film. I’m going to watch it again this week before I have to take it back.

Checking in...

HA! I’m in piggy heaven. I went to the video store today and guess what I rented? Atila, cause like Gerry is in it and well I’m a sucker for a guy with a sword. Can’t help it comes from my Scottish roots I suppose. Then I got the Count of Monte Cristo after watching a video over at Dream Vision. It has James Caviezel in it. Oy…he is such a great talent. Then for my last rental I chose the Mists of Avalon. I’ve never seen it but what the heck right?

Went out to eat Mexican tonight and I have to tell you I’m miserable. I don’t want to see another morsel of food for weeks. I’m so stuffed I could give a turkey at Thanksgiving a run for the carving knife.

I’ve now officially made it five weeks without a cigarette. I’m very proud of myself and as a prize I ordered the online note card thingy Joely had on her blog. Joely is such a smart girl! Thanks again hon! This was just a quick check in and now I have to go update my Project Blog. I’ve been remiss.

Hard to believe we can get this kind of snow this far south huh?

My Nikki laying on dirty clothes in the kitchen. Ya think she's trying to tell me something? Ha ha ha ha

A picture my Momma painted. Thought I'd post it. Thinking of her today.

Edisto Island

Edisto Island is about an hours drive from Charleston, S.C. Every mile away from Charleston you drive you realize that the buildings and hustle and bustle become less and less. Soon, you start driving through a tunnel of Live Oaks dressed in Spanish moss that hangs down like summer icicles from the gnarled old branches of trees that have been alive for two hundred years.

You begin passing Churches and cemeteries that are half covered with azalea bushes and climbing Ivy. The air is moist, languid and sometimes steamy. The smell of Tea Olive, Gardenia, Carolina Jasmine and Magnolia all mesh together to form a heady perfume that lingers on the air. You pass farms with rows and rows of field corn. Wisteria, with its grapelike flowers, hangs from wooden archways and climbs backyard trellis.

Then a different smell hits you and you know you are getting close. You can smell the ocean before you actually get to it. The tinge of salt in the air, the wind picks up and the sound of seagulls calling tell you that you’ve almost reached your destination.

You go through towns like Ravenel and Adams Run. Small little towns. Island towns where kaki’s and boat shoes and short sleeved oxford shirts with navy Palmetto tree belts are standard fare. Not to mention flip flops. Almost everyone wears flip flops or Reefs or Rainbows (certain name brands that are popular) Island life is so different than what you get in the city. Everyone moves at a slower pace out on the islands. You hear Geechie, and Gullah, and a mish mash of other Carolinian accents that are very different from each other. Strange but most of us (being from Carolina that is) can tell just by your accent what part of the state you come from. There must be fifty different southern dialects in South Carolina and in Charleston alone twenty-five.

So finally you reach the beach. I love the beach. I always have. Gosh, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t either waiting for it to get warm enough to go stick my toes in the sand or trying to get back to it now that I’m an adult. I pretty much grew up going to the Isle of Palms, Goat Island, Folly Beach, Edisto, and Kiawah. They are all Beaches and Islands off the coast of Charleston or the surrounding area. These places mean home to me. The home of my childhood where shrimping and crabbing were our weekend fun things to do. You haven’t lived if you haven’t tried to plow through pluff mud on Morris Island hauling a seine net behind you. Pluff mud has a distinctive smell too, a marshy, briny kind of smell that seeps into your pores and stays for days.

Anyway, this trip to Edisto was to take my daughter to one of our stomping grounds. She loved it. I knew she would. We played in the waves at the beach, collected sea shells, and stopped to eat at a small restaurant called Bo-B-Que’s right off the main drag before you get to the beach. If you’re ever over that way you have to stop in at Bo’s to eat. I’m still stuffed. It’s a Southern woman’s idea of heaven on earth. The buffet had things like: barbeque of course, stewed tomatoes and okra, squash and spinach casserole, rutabagas, potato salad, crab salad, crackling cornbread, greens, rice and hash to go with the barbeque, sweet potatoes, green beans, fried okra, broccoli casserole, macaroni & cheese just to name a few. You might as well have rolled us back out to the car…

That was my weekend getaway. You should go sometime.

Here are a couple of links for you.
http://www.websitewoman.com/chamber/history.html
http://www.goedisto.com/ghoststories/index.htm
http://www.edistomuseum.com/tourinformation.htm

A couple more cute photo's of Middy

Makes it difficult to see the screen when she is preening...lol

MIddy is becoming a distraction...lol

Why has she decided that my desk is a great place to nap?