Daydreaming

Enchanted

2007-11-26T05:05:08Z

We saw Enchanted today. I won't go into the particulars of the movie because I don't know how to make a 'behind the cut' thingy yet (although I'm going to practice at the end of this message without saying much in case it doesn't work). Back to the movie, it was one I went into with low expectations, just another family flick, and left thinking it was clever - writing and graphics - and really hilarious in parts. In fact, I accidentally spit my coke at one point after taking a big sip at the wrong moment. I cringed thinking I'd gotten the guy in front of me but he didn't turn around or surreptitiously wipe his head. I left feeling bouyant; I really needed a dose of optimism to get me out of a rut. So if you've been down or blue, my prescription at the moment would be Enchanted. Oh, and Patrick Dempsey isn't bad to look at either if you want to go for that reason. Eric Bana of Munich fame was my guy, but I might have time to be a Patrick fangirl too.

Now behind the cut....

Hmm, I think that worked, will have to see.

Meeting online friends & Chicago convention

2007-11-07T19:15:06Z

I got to meet kelleyscorpio, once _red and amandageist in person last week!! It's so cool meeting people from online. It's still a little intimidating to me as a basically reserved person, I started having last minute 'omigosh, what am I doing running off to another city to spend time with people I've only met online?' moments (likely my mom's voice in my head since she was convinced that something sinister would happen when I visited siriuslysnapeys for the DH release). All those worries melted away as soon as we got together. We spent the day in San Antonio on the Riverwalk, just eating, talking, browsing, and walking for a really looooooong time at one point when we got lost trying to meet up with amandageist. Well, technically you can't get lost on the riverwalk because it's a loop but still, we couldn't find the place we needed to be. Chat of what brought us all together, HP and hpfgu, gave way to learning more about each other's RL's, the neatest part of meeting new people.

That reminds me, once_red and I talked about the Chicago HP convention this summer. Anyone else headed that way? I'm not certain yet but hope to make it. So far dumbledore11214, siriuslysnapeys and maybe opaleye_dragon Kathy are talking about too- is that right you guys? There's also a convention in Dallas that kelleyscorpio and I are near and considering. Siriuslysnapeys and I planned to go to Salem togther a year or so ago, and I ended up bailing for financial reasons but also just, EEK! It seemed like a scary idea. Now that I've ventured forth twice to meet online friends, I'm feeling very brave about a convention. ;)

Books from childhood

2007-10-20T03:21:31Z

I finally joined the world of livejournal! I lasted, what, 3-4 days without doing something substantial online? Oh well, what can I say - at least it's the weekend.

I've been on a quest to find books I loved as a child to add to my collection and read with my son, like the "Henry Reed" series by Keith Robertson: 4 books following the summers of a middle-school age entrepreneur who lives with his diplomat Dad and Mom in Italy during the year and his aunt/uncle in the summers. Adventures ensue and Henry and his friend, Margaret "Midge" Glass, make a little pocket money in the bargain. Reading them again, I'm noticing the detail given over to mundane, everyday events and wonder if that's true of many of my childhood favorites?

I didn't read much fantasy, Madeliene L'Engle's "Wrinkle in Time" and "A Gift of Magic" by Lois Duncan. Oh, and a favorite, "What the Witch Left" by Ruth Clew.

Others I tried to find on Amazon, only to discover they are out of print:

"Those Miller Girls" and "The Motoring Millers"
"Hildy and the Cuckoo Clock" (This one can be purchased for the bargain price of $99; a shame, this was one I re-read often. The Midland Public Library didn't have a huge selection. )

We might try the "Great Brain" books soon. I didn't read "The Dark is Rising" but a copy is in the mail to Sam from Grandma so we'll be reading it next (After "The Rise and Fall of Darth Vadar, recently released by Scholastic; they have some great juvenile series that fill in Star Wars backstory if anyone is a fan.)

Well, that's enough for entry number one. I'm really interested in books others read as kids if one comes to mind.