29 October 2010

Get a load of this.

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie

Day 03 — Your favorite television program

Day 04 — Your favorite book

Day 05 — Your favorite quote

Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy

Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy


www.vivandlarry.com. Check it out.

27 October 2010

Film survey

Amanda over at a blog called A Noodle in the Haystack created this survey, and it's pretty good, so I'll be filling it out.

1. What is your favorite movie starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, excluding all of The Thin Man films? I haven't seen anything else that they've done together except the Thin Man series. I had Manhattan Melodrama recorded but it got erased before I got around to watching it.

2. Name a screen team that appeared in only one film together but are still noteworthy for how well they complimented each other. Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable.
Photo courtesy vivandlarry.com

3. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers’ best film together? Which is the one where he sings "The Way you Look Tonight"? I think it's Shall We Dance.


4. Your favorite actor named “Robert?” Robert De Niro is pretty badass. Robert Mitchum is totally cool too.
.
5. An actor/actress who, when you see one of their movies, you always wish that someone else was in his/her role? Scarlett Johansen.

6. An actor/actress that someone close to you really loves that you can’t stand or vice versa? I'm not sure that we really disagree on much acting wise.

7. An actor/actress that you both agree on completely? Katharine Hepburn for sure. We both worship her.


8. Complete this sentence: Virginia O’Brien is to Ethel Merman as  Scarlett Johansen is to Bette Davis. 

9. What is your favorite film starring Ray Milland? I don't think I've actually watched a Ray Miland movie, but I do have Dial M For Murder on my DVR, and my friend still has yet to bring The Lost Weekend over.

10. You had to have seen this one coming: what is your favorite movie of the 1960s?  Only one?!
There's so many! I'll go with My Fair Lady- Audrey Hepburn is divine in it. 





11. An actor/actress that you would take out of one film and put into a different movie that was released the same year? Good question. I'm not sure. Maybe I'd take Vivien Leigh out of Anna Karenina and have her play Ophelia in Larry's Hamlet. Though I really do like Jean Simmons quite a lot in that film.

12. Who was your favorite of Robert Montgomery’s leading ladies? Not sure.

13. You think it would have been a disaster if what movie starred the actor/actress who was originally asked to star in it? If Paulette Goddard had played Scarlett O"Hara.

14. An actor/actress who you will watch in any or almost any movie? Bette Davis.



15. Your favorite Leslie Howard film and role? I think he's quite good in Of Human Bondage.

16. You have been asked to host a marathon of four Barbara Stanwyck films. Which ones do you choose? Double Indemnity, Meet John Doe, Ball of Fire, and Baby Face.

17. What is, in your mind, the nearest to perfect comedy you have ever seen? Why? Annie Hall, because it broke all the rules of romantic comedy. 

18. You will brook no criticism of what film? The Wizard of Oz. 

19. Who is your favorite Irish actress? Greer Garson. Okay, maybe she's not Irish Irish, but she was of Irish descent, so she still counts, right?


 20. Your favorite 1940s movie starring Ginger Rogers? Is it wrong that I don't really care for Ginger Rogers unless she's dancing with Fred Astaire?


21. Do you enjoy silent movies? Oh yes. Nosferatu was great, Chaplin's silents are beautiful, and Greta Garbo is just amazing. Lon Chaney's horror films are great too.
"Waugggh!"


22. What is your favorite Bette Davis film? All About Eve, for sure, followed closely by What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? 


 23. Your favorite onscreen Hollywood couple? I quite like Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn a lot.

24. This one is for the girls, but, of course, the guys are welcome to answer, too: who is your favorite Hollywood costume designer?  A lot really. Adrien, Irene, Edith Head, Givenchy.


25. To even things out a bit, here’s something the boys will enjoy: what is your favorite tough action film? Planet Terror!
The machine gun leg is so badass!

 26. You are currently gaining a greater appreciation for which actor(s)/actress(es)? Steve Buschemi. I love his versatility.

27. Franchot Tone: yes or no? Nein, nein, nein, nein, nein nein! (Inglourious Basterds, anyone?)

28. Which actors and/or actresses do you think are underrated? Natalie Wood.

29. Which actors and/or actresses do you think are overrated? There's only a few Joan Crawford films I care for. Norma Shearer as well.

30. Favorite actor? Laurence Olivier.
image courtesy vivandlarry.com
 31. Favorite actress? Vivien Leigh.

32. Of those listed, who is the coolest: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Steve McQueen, or Patrick Stewart? Seriously? This isn't even a contest. Paul Newman!

33. What is your favorite movie from each of these genres:
Comedy: Bringing up Baby
Swashbuckler: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Film noir: Sunset Boulevard
Musical: Way too many to choose just one.
Holiday: It's a Wonderful Life
Hitchcock: Rebecca

26 October 2010

Spa-ghee-tea

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie

Day 03 — Your favorite television program

Day 04 — Your favorite book

Day 05 — Your favorite quote

Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy

Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy


One of my favorite recipes is the recipe for my spaghetti sauce. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I think it's pretty damn good if I do say so myself. Here's what you do: 
  1. Saute an onion and a couple cloves of garlic in olive oil  (Be careful not to let the garlic cook too long, or it'll burn and get bitter. About 30 seconds will do)
  2. Add a couple cans of tomato puree.  Just plain old tomato puree. Nothing fancy.
  3. Throw in some basil, oregano, parsley, and a small amount of mint leaves. Add a little garlic powder, some salt and pepper, and about a quarter cup of red wine. (The general rule of thumb is don't cook with what you wouldn't drink).
  4. Then just let it simmer away for a couple of hours until you're ready to eat. The longer you let it cook, the thicker and more flavorful it'll get.
 This is one of those recipes that you can make hours ahead of time and just let it simmer all day long. It's also one of those really versatile recipes where you can throw in pretty much anything in your fridge and it'll still be good. It's a good chance to use up ground beef or sausage, or (my personal favorite) chicken thighs. Just brown the meat in a skillet and throw it in the sauce. And it's delicious.
 

25 October 2010

When I was your age, television was called books

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie

Day 03 — Your favorite television program

Day 04 — Your favorite book

Day 05 — Your favorite quote

Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy

Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy


A lifelong hobby of mine is reading. I can't remember a time when I wasn't reading. I'm not sure, but I think I learned how to read pretty early on, but then of course I don't remember. I've always been known in my family to never be without a book. I usually don't leave the house without one, unless I have to go to work or something like that.

When I was younger, my biggest obsession was horses, and so I was always reading a book by Marguerite Henry or Black Beauty or something horse related. I also remember being really into The Babysitter's Club and the Goosebumps series, and I was mildly interested in the Animorphs series. 

Now I'll read pretty much anything with the exception of science-fiction and those crappy romance novels. I've done a couple of posts about books before, but those books are so good they bear repeating. If I were to recommend a list of books to people it'd probably look something alone these lines:
  • Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
  • I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
  • Me: Stories of my Life by Katharine Hepburn
  • Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
  • Animal Farm by George Orwell
  • Lord of the Flies by William Golding
  • Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
  • Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire
  • The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
  • The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
  • Me and my Shadows: A Family Memoir by Lorna Luft  
I'm also really into reading biographies about people that I have an interest in. I think my favorite biography is either Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland by Gerald Clarke or Vivien: The Life of Vivien Leigh by Alexander Walker/Vivien Leigh: A Biography by Hugo Vickers. (I include them both because they're pretty much the only two biographies out there written about her).

Biographies to stay away from would include anything by Anne Edwards. I've read her Katharine Hepburn bio and I have her Judy Garland bio but I have yet to read it. I say to avoid her because she can't get major facts straight. For example, in her Katharine Hepburn biography, she didn't even have Kate's date of birth correct. (May 12, 1907 for anyone interested). And in her Judy Garland biography, a lot of little details are incorrect. Now I'm not saying that I could do better because I'm not sure that I could, but I just think you should have your facts straight, that's all. Actually, Anne Edwards did one thing of note: She was the first author to reveal that Vivien Leigh had bipolar disorder. And it really pissed a lot of people off. Fun fact.

24 October 2010

Encouragement

Last night while talking on the telephone with a friend, she told me that she always felt that I was going to go somewhere and do something big. She said that she always thought that about me, ever since she first met me about seven years ago.

And that felt good, to be supported and encouraged.

22 October 2010

Food, glorious food!

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie

Day 03 — Your favorite television program

Day 04 — Your favorite book

Day 05 — Your favorite quote

Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy

Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy


Something that I can do pretty well is cook. I've been cooking since I was about fifteen or so and I never really stopped. I started out by learning how to make spaghetti sauce from my dad. I then graduated to cooking three or four course meals on my own. Now, I can cook just about anything and I have a few signature dishes that I can make with one hand behind my back. Spaghetti, French onion soup, boeuf bourguignon, chicken Florentine, and chicken Marsala are among them. 

This March, for Oscar night, me and my friend got together and over the span of the Oscar weekend, planned out a whole formal dinner event. Our plan was to spend Saturday shopping and preparing as much food as possible in advance and finishing everything up Sunday before the show. Our menu consisted of spanakopita, butternut squash soup, mushroom and pea risotto, Greek salad, Brussels sprout hash, and chicken tzatziki. Everything came out really well, and I regret that I didn't take any pictures. 

This year, we're planning a Christmas party. So far, the menu consists of roast turkey, mushroom and pea risotto, butternut squash soup, chocolate mint pie, peppermint bark, and vegetable lasagna. I'm definitely going to have to remember to take pictures of how everything comes out.

20 October 2010

That kind of music just soothes my soul

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie

Day 03 — Your favorite television program

Day 04 — Your favorite book

Day 05 — Your favorite quote

Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy

Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy


I think I've always been in love with Classical music. I honestly can't remember a time when I didn't enjoy listening to it. Ever since I was a kid. Remember Fantasia? Yeah, that was one of my favorite Disney movies when I was a kid. I always loved hearing the music. I thought it was great. And of course, old-school, hand-drawn Disney animation didn't hurt either. 

In particular, I've always loved Beethoven. I think his music is just really honest, and pure, and in a way, simple. Unlike somebody like, say, Mozart. (Who I don't dislike, but sometimes, he kind of overwhelms me). 

Anyway, what I've posted above is the final movement of Beethoven's 6th Symphony. For anyone not familiar with it, the 6th Symphony is like Beethoven's homage to nature. He loved to go out for walks in the woods and from what I've read, would often just sit and listen to the forest. The 6th Symphony tells the story of a day in the German country. In the final movement, a new day breaks after a terrible storm though the night. It is so incredibly beautiful. 

Whenever I hear it, I always feel like no matter what happens, everything is going to be okay. So long as we have music like this, so long as it survives, so will my hope for humanity.  

He looks more like Marlon Brando in Mutiny on the Bounty .

19 October 2010

Aesthetic guidelines, you mean whether it's a good photo or not?

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie

Day 03 — Your favorite television program

Day 04 — Your favorite book

Day 05 — Your favorite quote

Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy

Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy



This painting is called The Scream and it's by Edvard Munch.  It was painted in 1893. That's pretty much all I know about it, except the fact that I really really like it. A lot. I really don't know much at all about art or its history or anything like that. But I do know what I like. And I think that's what art's all about.

18 October 2010

Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart

 


Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie

Day 03 — Your favorite television program

Day 04 — Your favorite book

Day 05 — Your favorite quote

Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy

Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy

I just love this song so much, and I love hearing Judy Garland sing it. As I've said before I'm sure, she's my favorite singer. I think that her voice is perfect and I'm positive that if she had made a recording of 'Row Row Row Your Boat' it would have been a success.  

Anyway, this song is called You'll Never Walk Alone and it was written by Rogers and Hammerstein (Remember The Sound of Music and The King and I? Yeah, those guys) for the musical Carousel. I've never seen it, but from what I understand, it's sung at the end of the play by the main character's dead boyfriend. (I think I have that right, if not, forgive me!)  
I've heard a few other renditions of this song, from Elvis (meh) to Barbra Striesand (blech)  but I think this is the best. I think that Judy has such a clean honest voice, and I think that she really believed what she was singing. This song always makes me feel better after a rough day. I've read other people's comments elsewhere and they've all written about how much this song has helped them too. (Actually, if I remember correctly, I read that back in the 1940s when Judy originally recorded this song, a woman who was told she would never walk again managed to prove all the doctors wrong, and she said that she owed it all to Judy and this song). 
This song always makes me get a little teary-eyed because, well, it is very pretty and the words are encouraging.  It also makes me a little bit sad too, because I wish that Judy could have kind of taken the song's advice and sort of kept her head up a bit more and not let so much shit get to her. I wish I could talk to her and tell her how loved she is. 
Judy Garland
June 10 1922-June 22 1969
And as a sidenote, I really do hope that Get Happy is going to be a success- I hope it's going to be sort of an American La Vie en Rose and it will stay out of Mommie Dearest territory. (No disrespect Mommie Dearest, but still)

No.

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie

Day 03 — Your favorite television program

Day 04 — Your favorite book

Day 05 — Your favorite quote

Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy

Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy
 
I dislike fanfics. So there.

13 October 2010

Love has nothing to do with what you're expecting to get, but what you're expecting to give, which is everything.

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie

Day 03 — Your favorite television program

Day 04 — Your favorite book

Day 05 — Your favorite quote

Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy

Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy
  Me: Stories of my Life is one of my favorite non-fictional books ever written. Katharine Hepburn wrote it and it's all pretty much just little stories about herself and the people she knew. When you're reading, you can almost hear her voice coming out of the pages. It's really simply written and really unpretentious, but her writing style feels almost animated. I think that's why I like it so much. And, it's really nice to have someone who was as private as Kate to come out and actually share personal things about herself. I would definitely recommend this book not just to anyone who's interested in Katharine Hepburn but also to people just looking for a good read.

11 October 2010

Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful...

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie

Day 03 — Your favorite television program

Day 04 — Your favorite book

Day 05 — Your favorite quote

Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy

Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy
 
 
 
 
 
One of the greatest books I've ever read is Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind.  Published in 1936 it became an instant bestseller and caused quite a phenomenon. It was THE book to read, much like the Harry Potter or Twilight series are today. It's really no wonder the book did so well; an engaging story, a torrid romance, war, rich, vivid characters and beautiful descriptions all contribute to the brilliance of this book.
 
It centers around Scarlett O'Hara who is sixteen years old when the book opens.  She lives the good life as a rich Georgia plantation owner's daughter until the Civil War breaks out. She faces hardships she's never known and must grow up and do anything she can to survive. 
Then there's Rhett Butler- one of my favorite literary characters ever. He's cynical, snide, a self-appointed misfit, sarcastic, and head-over-heels in love with Scarlett. He's also the one with the most sense, I think.

I first read this book in the summer of 2006 when I was sixteen. I had just watched the movie and I knew that I had to read the book. About a week later I went out to the library in town and got myself a copy. That book took up the rest of my summer. I still remember waking up, reading, getting something to eat, reading some more, taking a nap, reading, eating dinner, and reading until I fell asleep. I was so gripped by that book- no matter what I had to do, I would try to read just a few more pages.

I was since given my own copy of Gone With the Wind, and I think I've read it about four or five times. Every time I read it, I still get just as involved as I did the first time. I still want to get to the end to find out what happens, and I still get sad once the book is finished.

What I really love the most about Gone With the Wind is the sense of humor that Margaret Mitchell wrote into it. There's moments of absolute hilarity. Most of them center around Rhett  teasing Scarlett. Something I remember actually laughing aloud at is a scene when Scarlett and Rhett are sitting on the porch at night talking about something or other. As is his way, Rhett needles Scarlett and she gets more and more irritated with him. She then declares the conversation over and gets up to go inside, attempting to slam the door shut. But the door is too heavy and so she just stomps away. As she gets to the top of the stairs, she hears Rhett slam the door shut for her.

If you haven't read this book, I strongly recommend it. Just about any library should have it. If they don't, go to a Barnes and Noble's or Waldenbooks. Actually the latter is probably the better option. You'll not regret buying it at all.

10 October 2010

Happy Birthday John

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie

Day 03 — Your favorite television program

Day 04 — Your favorite book

Day 05 — Your favorite quote

Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy

Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy


Yesterday was John Lennon's 70th birthday.  When it comes to John, I always have this weird mix of feelings. On one hand, I'm so glad that he was alive and so grateful for all the incredible music he wrote. And then, on the other hand, I have such an overwhelming sense of grief, anger and confusion. His was such a senseless murder. John didn't do anything to anybody- he just wrote music. He never hurt anyone- he sang about peace and love. I guess in the end though, I'm thankful that he was around, if only for forty years. He gave us all so much. People still listen to his music all over the world, and I guess in that respect he's not really gone.

09 October 2010

Another of my favorites

Day 3 | Favorite Vivien Leigh Photo

Photo courtesy vivandlarry.com


This is my favorite picture of Vivien Leigh ever taken. I think it's always been. It was taken on the set of Gone With the Wind and I just love how natural and relaxed she looks.

08 October 2010

I love you. I've always loved you. I've never loved anyone else. I never shall. That's the truth Roy.

photo courtesy vivandlarry.com
Day 2 | Favorite Vivien Leigh Film

My favorite Vivien Leigh film is 1940's Waterloo Bridge.  She made it right after Gone With the Wind, and it really showed people that she wasn't just a flash in the pan or a one-dimensional actress.
She plays a ballerina who falls in love with a soldier during World War One. As is the tradition of most wartime romance movies, things don't work out as the characters plan. However, what makes Waterloo Bridge different is its truly heartbreaking ending as well as Vivien's performance. It's so subtle and honest and totally beautiful. If you haven't seen this gem of a film, do yourself a favor and get out to a Barnes and Noble's and get yourself a copy.

05 October 2010

Me and Jerry

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie

Day 03 — Your favorite television program

Day 04 — Your favorite book

Day 05 — Your favorite quote

Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy

Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Me with a super cool guy and a bad zit on my chin.
 So this picture isn't exactly recent, but it's one that at least has a somewhat interesting story behind it. Anyway, this was taken about a year ago- last Halloween to be exact. My boyfriend at the time surprised me with tickets to the Misfits on Halloween. I had missed the show I was supposed to go to and he knew I was really bummed about it, so he bought two tickets and we drove up to Staten Island to spend the night at his dad's house. Then we took the bus into the city and to BB King's in NYC. We were pretty early, so we got in pretty much right away and we were literally right up front. 
This was before the show when Jerry Only (Misfits founder, vocalist and bassist) came out to hang around with the people in the audience. He's totally laid back and super cool- he makes sure that everybody gets a picture and he'll sign pretty much anything. 
Even though the Misfits have been playing since the 70s they put on a better show than most guys half their age. For me, this show was surpassed only by AC/DC.

04 October 2010

Heidiface!

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie

Day 03 — Your favorite television program

Day 04 — Your favorite book

Day 05 — Your favorite quote

Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy

Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy
I'm not sure exactly how old I am in this picture, but I'm going to guess around seven or eight. That's my St. Bernard Heidi who I unfortunately lost last summer. She lived to be about thirteen and is probably the best dog I'll ever have.

03 October 2010

Fiddle-dee-dee. War, war war.

So I guess there's this new thing going around on a bunch of blogs. It's called 30 Days of Vivien Leigh and  from what I understand it's circulating around on a bunch of different people's blogs on a whole bunch of different blogging sites/networks. Being that Vivien Leigh is my favorite actress and I love photos of her and talking about her, I am totally jumping on this bandwagon.  So, on y va! Here we go!

photo courtesy vivandlarry.com

Day 1 | The first picture of Vivien you ever saw

Let me start out by saying that I don't exactly remember the actual first time I saw Vivien Leigh. I'm sure that throughout my life I had seen her without knowing who she was. I vaguely remember seeing a picture of what was then "some old movie star" on a wall in a diner when I was about 15. I don't remember who the picture was of, but a part of me really wants to say that it was Vivien Leigh. I say that because the first time I saw a specific portrait of her I felt somehow like I had seen it before.
I also remember being at a friends house when I was about ten and her parents were watching Gone With the Wind. I didn't know what they were watching, I just remember seeing a little girl jump a pony and fly over its head. And I remember some man on the screen yelling "Bunny! Bunny!" (Yes, at ten I heard Bunny, not Bonnie)
I think it's pretty safe to say that Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara is sort of ingrained into our subconscious very much in the same way as Marilyn Monroe and Elvis. Gone With the Wind is the most famous film ever made, and so we're all somewhat familiar with it even if we've never even seen the film itself.

Anyhow, the first time I really "saw" Vivien Leigh was when I first watched Gone With the Wind when I was sixteen years old. TCM was showing Gone With the Wind as that week's Essential. I remember when I found out that Gone With the Wind was going to be shown I got so excited for it. I watched it in its entirety on Saturday night and on Sunday I watched half of it again. (Back then TCM would rerun their essentials on Sunday). For the rest of the summer I rented Gone With then Wind from my library (on VHS!) and watched it every other week I think. Finally, by the end of the summer, I had saved up enough money to go to Best Buy and buy my own DVD. I remember I spent $31 on it.

The summer of 2006 marked my fascination with a lot of things. It was when I first discovered TCM and the majority of my favorite actors and actresses and films. It also lead to my discovery of the greatest picture ever made, and more importantly, to Vivien Leigh.


02 October 2010

Das ist ein Schnikelfritz!

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie

Day 03 — Your favorite television program

Day 04 — Your favorite book

Day 05 — Your favorite quote

Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy

Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy

This is a picture of my kitten Schnikelfritz, better known as Fritz. I also call him le chat fou (the crazy cat). He's a year old and he's super funny. We got him last November and I'm really glad we did because I totally love him. Here's some funny things about him:
  • Poor Fritz went through a bit of an identity crisis. When we first got him, my mom thought that he was a girl, so I named him Gracie. That was his name for a few weeks until my parents figured out that he was a boy.
  • Ever since he was a baby he hasn't drank his water from his water dish. He prefers to drink from the toilet or from glasses left on a table or counter top.
  • He refuses to eat fish of any kind. He's more into eating  fried rice from the Chinese restaurant and Burger King's french fries. 
  • He's the loudest cat I've ever met. He'll walk around the house meowing just to hear himself. 
  • He sleeps with his tongue sticking out.
  • Sometimes he purrs so hard that he grunts. 
  • He jumped in the shower with me once.
  • The first night I let him sleep on my bed he nearly pushed me out of it. (He sleeps on his side with all four legs stretched out as far as they'll go. Kind of like he's dead.)

 Oh, and as a sidenote, Schnikelfritz is an old German word that roughly translates to a naughty little boy. Perfect name for my cat.
*Thanks to Emily for translating Schnikelfritz for me.

01 October 2010

Je suis en colere

Day 01 — Your favorite song
Day 02 — Your favorite movie

Day 03 — Your favorite television program

Day 04 — Your favorite book

Day 05 — Your favorite quote

Day 06 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy

Day 08 — A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 — A photo you took
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 — A fictional book
Day 14 — A non-fictional book
Day 15 — A fanfic
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 — A talent of yours
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — A recipe
Day 22 — A website
Day 23 — A YouTube video
Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 — Your day, in great detail
Day 26 — Your week, in great detail
Day 27 — This month, in great detail
Day 28 — This year, in great detail
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 — Whatever tickles your fancy
Quite frankly, I have seen a lot of photos that made me angry and sad. Among them: Marilyn Monroe post-autopsy, the stolen picture of River Phoenix in his casket, the famous Kent State picture, and that little girl being burned by napalm. But this photo really just makes me completely livid.
Seriously? Whose bright idea was this? Who in their right mind would even think to compare someone like Paris Hilton to Audrey Hepburn? It's like likening  a turd to a sunrise. Honestly, look at this dog-faced, lazy-eyed creature. She's not even pretty. And by the way, I am not one to judge someone based on the way they look. But seriously, this goes way too far.  Not to mention that Paris Hilton hasn't got  any amount of class. Audrey Hepburn was one of the most beautiful, classiest, most down to earth women ever, and she truly made the world a brighter place to be in. Not only did she stay classy her entire life, but she also used her fame to help other people who could never begin to help themselves. She went all over the world with UNICEF and would come back to America pleading for help on behalf of the children she had just visited. What has Paris Hilton ever done to help others in need? Has she ever been so selfless as to put her own wants and needs on the side to take care of someone else? I'm not sure, but I really don't think so.

All in all, this photo is just ridiculous.