In Photos, September
Posted by: transwriter on: October 5, 2009
Rain, Rain, Go Away…
Posted by: transwriter on: September 21, 2009
No, actually, I don’t mind all this rain Western Northing Carolina is getting. (Except I really don’t want the creek behind my house to rise anymore. I could go tubing in it right now!)
The rain has brought out some cute rain boots I’ve seen.
This is the perfect shoe for showing off your adorable little girl look. I don’t own any yet (they probably come out on shelves in Spring) but I totally want some now. Wouldn’t mind looking classy in something like this either:
Do you have any cute rain boots? Take a shot, and send me a link!
One of the places I would love to be right now…
Posted by: transwriter on: September 14, 2009
What girl wouldn’t? (Click the picture for the link.)
Coraline delights and thrills
Posted by: transwriter on: August 19, 2009
I know I’m a bit late for a review of a DVD that released July 21, but I just watched this adorable movie the night before last – no pun intended.
This is now my second movie review on a Neil Gaimen adaptation in which I have not read the original source! (See the Stardust post.) I think it’s about time I read some of his books since I love the films.
About the movie:
Did anyone else think that Coraline’s father could have been a cartoon version of Adrian Brody?
Do you see it? It’s definitely the nose. It would have made me happy if Brody would have been the one to do this character’s voice. But no complaints here in that department.
Dakota Fanning produced a perfect voice for Coraline – child-like enough to be innocent but mature enough to be convincing. And the other voice of note would be Teri Hatcher as “the other Mother.” She pulled out such a lovely, warm voice in order for the character to reel Coraline into her world, but was then able to give the character that sinister tone to switch from love and care to absolute obsession.
Cinematography was great. The whole Nightmare-before-Christmas thing still isn’t cliche. I’d choose the term classic. No one can deny the effect those little clay characters have had on modern film complete with their somehow charming neo-gothic style (present in this movie when the other Mother turns bad and in the black cat).
A little note about the DVD – Interesting how Side B of the actual disc is the 3D version. I started out watching it like that, but I don’t exactly have 3D glasses lying around the house. (Are these going to be essential – relative, I know - for home movie watching in the future? Where do I buy them?) So, I switched it back over to the…2D side (?) which is definitely still 3D without all the objects coming toward you, by the way.
About the story:
Brilliant. So simple and not entirely original (everyone borrows from each other) – like Alice in Wonderland (whose not excited about Tim Burton’s endeavor next March?). I was totally enthralled, caught up in Coraline’s other world – great imagination.
I loved how such a deep, rather frightening concept was presented in a kid-friendly package. I’d like to think that the story initiates a dialogue or a thought in older kids (9-12) about what lures them away from their families and the dangers they impose.
Overall, cute little flick. Thoroughly enjoyed.
Failure and Favor
Posted by: transwriter on: August 17, 2009
I’ve had a great weekend - lots of fun being out and about – mostly from our weekend trip with our youth and then church yesterday. But even with all the fun and activity, (and the great things to expect from this coming week) I find myself thinking about my failures. Of course, I have many of them. Currently, my house is spotted with dirty clothes from the bedroom to the laundry room. The bar in the kitchen is absolutely covered with papers and miscellaneous objects that aren’t put up in their proper place. My vitamins are left on the shelf without being touched for close to two weeks. My car really needs gas. I haven’t read past the first chapter of the book I started over a week ago. I haven’t finished writing out my dream from last week, and the details aren’t as vivid now. I didn’t go to the gym this morning. I was actually late to work because of all the snoozing.
Maybe these seem like trivial failures to you (or maybe you completely relate). But most of these are my week in-week out failures that I just can’t seem to get a grip on. But even though I haven’t conquered them yet, I was reminded of a great truth this morning.
David and I climbed into the car, and I hurriedly backed out of the driveway. “We’ve made it to work on time before when leaving at 8:00,” I said. I looked down at the clock on my cell phone – 8:04. We’ll see.
Then David proclaimed, “We’re going to have a good day. We are favored.” Immediately, I thought, It wasn’t God who pushed the snooze button seven times. Then I simply asked, “Do we have God’s favor when we make mistakes?” I knew the answer even as I asked the question. I thought about the countless examples of people in the Bible who truly had God’s favor but who utterly messed up. David confirmed by nodding his head.
And so I drove on with that concept in my mind. You can’t keep trying to make up for all the things you may have done in the past. You just have to accept the day that you are in (forget yesterday or even earlier this morning) and make one good decision in the present moment. It makes the next good decision easier and then the next. And before you know it, you’re at the end of your week with a clean house, more of your book read, your vitamins taken, your body feeling good from the excercise you did, and maybe even some more of that dream written out. And then you can focus on the most important and amazing things in life – like people.
Hello again, WordPress.
Posted by: transwriter on: August 12, 2009
Please consider the last three months as a summer vacation.
Seriously, I can’t believe I spent that much time away from blogging. I may have gotten so used to the convenience of micro-blogging on twitter. But I’m back in action.
Things have been going well for us on the Drozdowski scene. We’ve been working – this is actually my first summer (other than the internship I had one summer during college) that I’ve had to work. Last year, I was still working in the Archive at my Alma Mater’s library, but they didn’t have the funds for me to work during the summer. This year, it’s been everyday Monday – Friday. That has not been fun, but it is bearable for the time being.
We’ve also been up to a lot of youth events. It’s summer, so, of course. We took our group to youth camp in July, and that was just a blast. I think I could hang out with teenagers everyday. (Wait, did I just say that?) But seriously, it’s great. There are definitely times when I’m like, “I need adult time.” But mostly, it’s a joy to be around kids, especially when they surprise you with their maturity…
Oh, I had a vivid dream the other night, and it was so good, that I’m writing it out. I think it could be a great scene for a story. I’m pretty pleased with how it’s going. I might even post it on my writing blog sometime. (I haven’t visited that one in a long time, too.)
Well, that’s it for now. I finish out with this lovely picture from my birthday back in June.
Off to War
Posted by: transwriter on: May 1, 2009
- In: Home
- 4 Comments
Early Tuesday morning ::
my brother left with his Army unit on their long trip to Kandahar, Afghanistan ::
Last week, my dad wrote these words on his blog: “It somehow rolls off your lips different [ly] when you say, ‘I am sending my son off to war.’ God be with them all.” He was talking about the last few moments he had with my brother before leaving the bus station in Greenville, SC, from where Chad traveled back to Fort Bragg to report back in from his leave.
Chad’s tour is for one year. He will see places I’ve never seen. He will do things I’ve never done. And I will never understand the magnitude of of his experience. It doesn’t feel real.
Easter Dress
Posted by: transwriter on: April 2, 2009
- In: Home
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Most little girls ::
get pretty little dresses for Easter. It’s coming out attire for a little girl in the Spring. I used to get a small bag and even white gloves with mine. And I still have one of my favorite Easter dresses from when I was around 10 or 11. Someday, I’ll let my little girl wear it. An Easter dress isn’t quite as big of a deal as the wedding dress, of course. But for most girls, having any occasion to dress up in a new dress is exciting.
Here’s my Easter dress for this year:
It has a cherry blossom design on it! I ordered it online today, and I can’t wait for it to arrive.
What is Goop anyway?
Posted by: transwriter on: March 30, 2009
I found this on dictionary.com.
That’s probably how most of you would define it (apart from the gamma hydrozybutyrate bit). Gwyneth Paltrow is trying to redefine the word, it seems, in her classy little webzine, which bears this word as it’s title. Here’s the front page of the website:
Each week, Paltrow updates the newsletter with an article in one of the 5 categories listed above. She takes tidbits from her life and shares them with the rest of us.
I find most of the content mildly interesting. I have subscribed to the email updates, so I suppose that makes me a “reader.” I’ve always admired Paltrow’s acting, and it’s not hard to fancy her incredibly talented husband.
What I’d really like to know are the other kinds of people who read the GOOP material. Her celeb friends, perhaps?
Mental Imagery
Posted by: transwriter on: March 26, 2009
- In: Home| The Arts
- 3 Comments
Currently, I’m in love with this Tiffany’s advertisement ::
I saw it in the February edition of VERANDA, an interior design magazine that I picked up one day. I actually tore the page out and posted it up on my bedroom wall. I did this because this photo reminds me of some of the things I really want in life: a ring from Tiffany’s and a baby. That’s not really in the order of what’s more important, though.
I put the photo on my wall for two reasons: the advertisement is really a lovely piece of art, and the other reason is that in order to achieve your goals, you often times have to have something in front of you reminding you of what you want. Mental imagery is a technique used by many people who are striving to meet certain goals. I’ve heard of it referenced to athletics. Athletes need to visualize what they’re supposed to do. But it goes for everyone. You need to see yourself as who you want to be before you are ever that person, before you can ever become that person.
So, now every time I walk out of my bedroom, on the wall next to my door, I see this photo, and I see myself as the little red-haired mother with a Tiffany’s ring on her finger.
the c is for me
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