Movie Review: "Burlesque" starring Cher & Christina Aguilera

good evening darling reader,

Are you a Cher fan?  You are?  Read no further.  Get off the computer and get your butt to the movie theater to see "Burlesque".  Cher is spectacular in this movie.  I've been a Cher fan since I was a child, saw her in concert for the first time at the Westchester Premier Theater when I was 10 (ahem...that was in 1973).

As with all my movie reviews, no big spoilers here. Just a brief summary of the film as well as my rating.

"Burlesque" is the story of Tess (played by Cher), a half owner in a burlesque club on Sunset Strip.  Ali (played by Christine Aguilera) is a small town midwestern girl striking out on her own in LA.  She has no family, nothing to tie her down.  What she does have is an incredible singing voice & the ability to pick up dance moves quickly.  Sean (played by Stanley Tucci) is Tess's long time friend, a gay man who loves her deeply however he can not connect with his lovers & he is known as "one night stand Sean".  Marcus (played by Eric Dane aka: Dr McSteamy from Grey's Anatomy) is a wealthy businessman who wants to purchase the burlesque club.

There are some big holes in the storyline.  We are given no indication as to how much time is passing.  We see the results of the characters decisions yet we do not see much, if any, of what it took to get there.  This does not truly detract from the film because you will be mesmerized with Tess as well as Ali.  

Ali's character progression and how she gets where she ends up is shown in much more detail.  This is what holds the film together.  There are many song and dance numbers which are a delight to the ears & eyes...and love prevails in the end.

On a scale of 1 to 10 stars, I give this film 9 stars.  If the film cast actors other than Cher & Christina, I'd give this film a 6.

Have you seen "Burlesque" ? What's your opinion?

poll on my blog - what is your opinion of word verification for blog posts?

good evening dear reader,

Have you ever posted a comment to a blog, only to find out later it was never posted because you did not go back & do the word verification?  Yes?  It happens to you too?   aagghhh.  It's frustrating. 

When I'm reading posts from the long list of blogs I follow, I just want to comment and move on to the next. Many times I have after I hit "post comment" the screen refreshes, then I scroll down and low & behold, the blog software askes me to type in a nonsensical word to verify my comment.  Sometimes my fingers type this nonsensical word incorrectly and I have to type in a new absurd word. 

Are spam comments posted to your blog an issue for you?  I don't have hundreds or thousands of followers.  I doubt many of my 167 followers read my bog due to the low amount of comments my posts generally generate.  Don't get me wrong, I love my followers, one and all & I love to read comments left for me.  I know I sometimes read a post & don't comment if I don't have anything useful to add to the conversation.  I do frequently post short comments like "thanks for sharing", "congrats on your sale" , "I love pink too" etc. 

Sometimes if I notice my comment was not posted because of the word verification & if my little snipplet of a comment is not important, I just close the window and move on.

Dear reader, what do you think?  Your opinion always matters to me.  Please vote in the poll I have to the right of this blog post & comment if you want to.  You may chose multiple answers for the poll.

Enjoy your weekend!

p.s. I have removed word verification for commenting from my two blogs

"branding" your shops? blogs? websites? customized Twitter background?

good afternoon dearest reader, 

I'm trying "branding" on my websites, shops, blog...meaning I'm striving to have these sites all have the same general look in regards to background/header image, fonts, colors etc.  What do you think about "branding" for art or crafts websites? 

I like the aesthetic aspect of things looking coherent.  My creative obsessions and tastes in art as well as crafts is widely varied however I don't want my websites to look I like I have multiple personalities.☺ Do you strive to have a coherent look to your websites, shops, blog?  Why or why not?  I'd really like your opinion on this subject.

also...Do you Tweet?  I haven't done much with Twitter however I am adding it to my rotation of online things I do soon.  I recently read a blog post by Homemade Zen about new backgrounds for Twitter.  Who knew? Not me. Did you? Off I went to check out the websites she listed.  Personally I like the FreeTwitterDesigner website.  Very easy to use.  Cool pre-made backgrounds but the best part is...I was able to upload my own image to create a background with the option to customize the font colors.  I'm thrilled.  Wanna see?  You can find me & follow me on twitter here. 

Have a great day, I'm looking forward to reading your comments on branding & twitter. 

I revamped & updated my website...your opinion ?

good evening dearest reader, 

I finally updated my website.  I'd love for you to check it out if you have a few moments to do so.  What do you think?  Suggestions?  Comments? Your opinions always matter to me.  I've got a guestbook on the website now if you'd like to sign it...or you can comment here with your opinion of it  Thank you dear ones.
The Art of BDorsa

one of my ACEOs featured in an Etsy Treasury

good evening dear reader. One of my ACEO watercolors was featured in a beautiful treasury on Etsy today, by the shop HomeOfficeDeco.  What a nice surprise.  Thanks HomeOfficeDeco.

do you use YouTube for arts & crafts instruction?

good morning darling reader,

I was under the impression that YouTube was just great website to watch music videos and the funny viral videos you hear about.  You know, the sleeping puppy, "I love my life" little girl, crazy kitten kinda videos.  Well....did you know there are also wonderful instructional videos on YouTube?  You knew that?  humph...Why didn't you tell me.  lol 

I was amazed at the amount of arts & crafts instructional videos on YouTube.  Granted, some of them downright suck, however most of them are extremely helpful.  For example, I was given a set of Knifty Knitter Looms and a huge amount of yarn from a sweet neighbor.  I needed to learn how to use them.  I put out a help request on FB & a friend suggested I check out YouTube. Really?

Off to YouTube I went.  I was blown away by the quanity & quality of the Knifty Knitter Loom instructions I found on there.  I watched with childlike excitement, bouncing from one video to the next.  I decided to look around for other topics such as crochet, book binding, watercolor painting and mixed media. Anything & everything about arts & crafts subjects you can find on YouTube.  Watching and hearing someone explaining how to do it sure beats reading a pamphlet or craft book alone.  I was confused trying to learn a new stitch from a book on loom knitting.  The method became clear to me after I watched a video on the stitch I was trying to learn.

Darling reader, is this new "news" to you or did you already know about how-to-do-it videos on YouTube?  Do you use this site to help you along your arts & crafts journey?  Perhaps you have posted videos on YouTube?  Please share...my inquiring mind wants to know. 

I hope you have a beautiful day.

Art is a way of life...what do you think? does this apply to crafters too?

good afternoon dear reader,

I came across this quote today & want to share it with you. 

Art is the extended arm of your imagination, the feast of inspiration for your muse...Art isn't just creativity...its a way of life. ~ unknown

I completely agree.  Art encompasses my life, my thinking, my way of viewing the world.  I think this quote can be extended to include crafters also because many crafters are also artisans.

I view the world around me differently now that I'm a painter. I marvel at colors and shapes & see patterns where none existed for me before.  This afternoon, my Mother (also a painter) was taking my little dog Elvis out for a walk.  It's a grey overcast day with heavy clouds.  When I opened the door & looked out at the sky I said, "Mom, we'd have to paint that sky using the wet on wet technique to get that soft blended look".  We laughed because had just finished watching an artist using that technique for painting a sky in watercolor on a UNC-TV program. 

I also look at objects with ideas for re-purposing them.  I'm not a hoarder, I throw out lots of stuff, however if it is something I think I'll use soon for a project, I'll keep it.  I keep pretty tissue paper & little boxes or containers.  I scour church sales for vintage and/or broken jewelry to take apart & reinvent into something cool...also vintage books for card making, tag making, journaling etc.  I'm always on the lookout for shells when I walk on the beach. 

What do you think?  Do you look at the world & things differently?  Whether you are a full time artist/crafter or if you have a "regular job", is your art or crafting a way of life for you?
 

"Gimme Shelter"... 7 yrs ago today ...

good evening dear reader,

‎"Yeah, a storm is threatening My very life today If I don't get some shelter Lord, I'm gonna fade away"...the Stones 'Gimme Shelter' played over & over in my mind that day - 7 years ago today, I was hours away from dying & didn't realize it...

 

by the loving grace of GOD I am alive, happy & very blessed with lots of love in my life. I believe in the healing power of prayer & thank God for giving my Drs (especially Dr Shah) the wisdom & skills to save my life. I also thank the Lord for giving researchers the knowledge to create medicines that are keeping me alive.

protect your blog content from plagerism for free with Copyscape

good afternoon darling reader,

I was reading "Sugar the Golden Retriever's" blog post about blog plagerism. Apparently, some bloggers steal the content of blogs & claim it as their own. Copyscape is very easy to use, just enter the URL of your blog or website & you will get a list of other blogs or websites with the same content.  Hopefully, your results will be nothing more than your own sites.  You can also get banners from Copyscape warning others to not steal your content which you can put on your blogs, blog posts & websites. 

I like to share interesting, funny or inspirational blog posts that I read.  I do share a link to these blog posts in my post, however I always give credit to the original blogger to avoid any plagerism. 

I wish there was a similar site that could check for Image plagerism for us to protect photos & digital images of our artwork.  Do you know of one? Please share if you do.  Let me know if you check out Copyscape. 

Wishing for you a day filled with light & love.

watercolor & mixed media ACEOs listed . . .

good evening dear reader,

I've listed some watercolor & mixed media ACEO's on eBay and Etsy.  I'd love for you to check them out & give me your opinions. Pics of a few of them are at the bottom of this post.

What. What?! ACEO? what's that some of you may ask...

aceo = Art Card, Editions & Originals. They must measure 2.5" x 3.5" and are created in any medium.

ACEO's are a great way to start or add to an art collection. Their size make them perfect to display just about anywhere. My aceos are unmatted and unframed however they can easily be displayed in standard size frames. Unmatted aceos fit in miniature frames while matted aceos fit in a 5" x 7" frame. Many collectors display their aceos and small paintings in magnetic frames which can be placed on almost any metalalic surface. You can also prop them up on little easels or tuck them into a drab corner of a shelf. These little pieces of art are fabulous for brightening up a boring cubicle or office. Aceos make great gifts. Why not tuck one into a greeting card or use one as a bookmark. Your options for giving, collecting & displaying aceos and small paintings are as varied as your imagination.

            

 

Etsy BDorsa

opinion needed - photo editing software...what do you use ?

good morning sweet reader,

I'm getting a new computer soon & I'd like to get some photo editing software.  Something that will help me get the best digital images of my watercolor paintings whch also has fun features for photos of friends and family.

Do you use Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 or Corel Paintshop Photo Pro x3? Perhaps a different program?  I'd love to hear your opinions.

Thank you so much for your advise.
Enjoy your day !!

Attention Artists: Did you know Jerry's Artarama has a art blog? not just product reviews !

good evening darling reader,

I just found this out on by chance on FB.  Did you know Jerry's had a blog?  It's called "The Splatter - the everything art blogazine"  Ok, I'll bite.  At first glance I think hmmm it's probably just a site to promote their sale items, product reviews, push their workshops etc. 

Well, I'm wrong.  It's got all that & more.  I skimmed a few blog posts about art marketing, peeked into their "hot topics" and browsed through the blog posts in their painting section.  Wow, I'm impressed and pleasantly surprised.  There are lots of little links around the site I want to look into when time permits. 

I hope you have a moment to check out this cool "art blogazine".  Let me know what you think of it, ok?  Enjoy the rest of your weekend. 

coffee...puppy snores...arts/crafts shows (I need your advise)

good morning dearest reader,

I didn't start drinking coffee until I was 40.  I liked ice water or tea in the morning.  Mother tried to get me to drink it as a child because she grew up on coffee and brown bread toast.  I didn't like it.  I drank it in college with my friend John aka: Ziggy. Gross college campus vending machine coffee. I'm surprised I survived.  Coffee has now become a vital part of my morning. Gotta have it.  Another addiction to add to the long list of addictions I have (some of which are good).  For example, I'm also totally addicted to my puppy - which brings me to...

Puppy Snores.  Elvis Lee will be 5 years old this month but he will always be my puppy.  His snores can be small, & squeeky or loud like a lumberjack.  His snores may wake me up in the middle of the night sometimes but they always make me giggle.  As I'm sitting here typing & drinking coffee, Elvis Lee is in "Graceland" (the name we gave his crate) snoring.  Sweet little snores.  Music to my ears. Do you have a pet that snores?

no witty segue here, just a change in topic...
Today I'm planning out what I need to get accomplished in time for two upcoming shows.  I've got an arts/crafts show Dec 4th, then an art show Dec 10th.  To the Dec 4th show, I know I'll bring jewelry as that always sells well.  Should I bring some paintings? hmmm not sure as they normally do not sell but it's nice to display them. 

I've been making scarves & hat with my new knifty knitter looms.  I'll bring some of these items.  Even though I'm on the southeast coast, it still gets chilly here in the winter & perhaps people will buy some for themselves or for gifts for their northern friends/family.  

Tags...I'm thinking of making a bunch of tags - Christmas/Holiday themed as well as some retro ones that can be used for any occasion.  Can I make these & actually make any money on them once you deduct the cost of materials & my time to make them?  Not sure.  Also thinking of making some collage greeting cards &/or small watercolor greeting cards...blank inside.  Again, is the effort worth the potential profit? 

Darling reader, what do you think?  I need your advise. How do you decide what to bring to an arts/crafts show?  How do you calculate pricing?  I'd love to hear your ideas. 

Wishing for you a day filled with light & love.

Movie Review: "The Social Network" (FaceBook Movie part 2)

good afternoon dearest reader,


As with all my movie reviews, no big spoilers here.  Just a brief summary of the film as well as my rating.

This is the story of the founders of the social-networking site FaceBook. In only 6 years, FB has grown to over 500 million members. (wow).Mark Zuckerberg is a student at Harvard, a very brilliant student and incredible computer programmer.  Nerd? yes.  Anti-social? yes very.  Which is part of the irony of this movie.  A guy who lacks social skills creates the largest social network on the Internet.
 

Fresh off a break up with his girlfriend, and drunk, Zuckerberg goes back to his dorm room to blog nasty things about his last girlfriend.  He gets the idea to hack into the websites of the different houses on campus to snatch everyones photo.  His friend, "Wardo" Saverin shares with him an algorithm that is the key to creating a site which compared the "hotness" of photos of girls on campus two at a time. The site was called "FaceMash".  FaceMash went viral across the campus & he crashed Harvards mainframe in only 4 hours. Upper-classmen, Harvard twins (played by one actor) Cameron Winklevoss & Tyler Winklevoss approach Zuckerberg with their idea to have a social network for all of Harvard.  At first he agrees to work with them but he never follows through.  Instead he expands on his earlier idea to make a website that mirrors the college experience. 

Eventually a business is set up, percentage of ownership assigned, titles given etc.  The film goes on to show his deteriorating relationship with Wardo, his rising success and his relationship with Napster founder Sean Parker (played brilliantly by Justin Timberlake).The movie transitions back & fourth from their time at Harvard and then in California, to scenes from the numerous lawsuits brought upon Zuckerberg as well as the eventual outcome of the lawsuits. 

If you are a member of FB, this movie is a must see.  As I've stated in previous posts, I am a total FB addict, a junkie.  Are you?  Most people I know are.

On a scale of 1 to 10 stars, I give this film 8 stars
Have you seen "The Social Network" ?  What's your opinion? 

FaceBook Movie "The Social Network" part 1

good afternoon darling reader,

Dawnie and I are going to Myrtle Beach this afternoon to do a little birthday shopping.  October is a big month for birthdays for us...my Father, Dawn, our pup Elvis Lee & our dear friend Lee (Elvis's Daddy).  It's a beautiful day here on the Carolina coast, sun shinning, birds singing...

After shopping we are going to see the movie "The Social Network"  Are you a facebook addict?  We are.  It has grown to be such a big phenomenon, way bigger than MySpace.  hey, does anyone use MySpace anymore?  Many businesses use FB, even the world and local news promotes FB now.  You'll see a little blue f icon on the bottom of the screen, and the newscasters encourage you to "join them on Facebook".  crazy huh?  Do you think there will be a 'next big thing' or will FB be dominant for years to come?  I'll be blogging a movie review later.

I hope you enjoy your day...talk to ya later,

Feed your body, not your mood. Are you an emotional eater ?

good afternoon dear reader,

Are you an emotional eater?  I am, always have been.  I eat when I'm happy, celebrating, feeling loved, sad, angry, depressed, upset etc.  Food addiction, I think, is one of the hardest addictions to break.  Especially because many food addicts became addicted at a very young age.  You know, you get a good grade on a spelling test so Mommy gives you a treat.  Not that I blame my parents because I don't.  I completely take the blame for my emotional eating as an adult however I do recognize that I "learned" this behavior from my family.  I have friends who just can't eat when they are upset.  Not me...I say bring on the chocolate and potato chips.  Sugar and salt are a favorite combination for me and I'm a carb addict too.

Yesterday I was reading through some of the blogs that I follow.  Crunchy Diva had a wonderful post about morning affirmations which included a link to an article about positive affirmations.  Although her blog post & related article stress the importance of writing your own affirmations, I could not help being moved by one of hers ...

"I will feed my body not my mood"



wow. Such a simple sentence and simple concept, yet very powerful.  I am going to try my best to remember this daily and hopefully catch myself before I start feeding a mood.  I'm thinking this little sentence can also help me make better food choices by selecting foods that will best feed my body rather than satisfy the cravings of my moods.
  
Now I'm wondering, dear reader, are you an emotional eater too?  Tell me all about it, I'd like to hear what you have to say.

Have a glorious afternoon ,

Autumn has arrived & the Knifty Knitter Loom

good afternoon dearest reader,

Autumn has arrived here on the Carolina coast...finally.  We had a brutally hot, record breaking summer which was preceeded by a record breaking brutally cold winter.  This week the lows are expected to be in the 40s/50s, highs in the 60's to mid70s.  It was wonderfully brisk outside this morning.  Rather than turn on the heat, I flipped a switch & turned on our gas fireplace to warm up the great room.  Elvis loves the fireplace.  This afternoon the sun is shinning & there is a slight breeze...temp holding at 69 degrees.  Beautiful "carolina blue" sky.  Birds chirping.  Gotta get off this computer and sit on the back deck for a while and plat ball with Elvis.

I just found this autumn quote..

"Summer ends, and Autumn comes, and he who would have it otherwise would have high tide always and a full moon every night".  (Hal Borland)

Also -- I wanted to ask you...have you ever used a Knifty Knitter loom or any other knitting loom?  A sweet neighbor gave me a few round ones with a bunch of yarn. I knitted as a child but I never reallly got to liking it.  I do love to crochet.  So far I'm having fun making hats & scarves. I'm loving the Knifty Knitter.  I'll take some pics soon & share them with you.  I went on half.com and got a few books to learn more stitches and to get some patterns as I could not find good ones on the internet. 

So tell me, are you familiar with the Knifty Knitter?  like it? hate it? got any advise?  My inquiring mind wants to know. 

Have a wonderful afternoon.

good night...quote to go to sleep with

good evening dear reader,

I just found a quote that touched me...about going to sleep.  Let me know what you think of it.  I love it.  It reminds me to be thankful for every day God gives me...I am here because of the Grace of God.

"And if tonight my soul may find her peace in sleep, and sink in good oblivion, and in the morning wake like a new-opened flower then I have been dipped again in God, and new-created".
~D.H. Lawrence  

avoiding exercise...walking on the beach...& two cool quotes about the sea

good evening darling reader,

I tend to avoid the beach here in NC during the summer...too hot...too many tourists.  This time of year, the beach is absolutely glorious.  Not too hot, not too cold, not too crowded...and I can bring my pup Elvis Lee there anytime of day.  Memorial Day to Labor Day he can only go there after 5pm. 

I also tend to avoid exercise.  Why? too tired. My heart condition & meds make me extremely tired.  Exercising will give you more energy you say? true but what about when I'm too tired to attempt to do it?

I wanted to share with you that I've been for a walk on the beach 6 days out of 10 (that is before all this rain came along).  My dear friend Lee had asked me a few weeks ago why I hadn't been to the beach, considering I'm only about 6 miles away.  I gave him the usual excuses, too hot, I'm too tired etc.  He told me..."Girl, I'd rather have you wear out than rust out"...and "get off your butt and get to the beach Now".  I did, he's right, as usual. 

I feel better after a nice walk on the beach.  I still need to nap every afternoon, however the sea air down here smells sooo good (nothing like the NJ shore I used to frequent when I lived in NY).  The waves, the air, the birds, the sand & shells...all of which renew my soul.  I found a few quotes I'd like to share with you today. 

“I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.” -- T. S. Eliot 

"At the beach, life is different. Time doesn't move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the sun". ( unknown ). 

I hope you have a splendid evening.

Tips for using sewing machines part two

good morning dear reader,

Yesterday I came across a wonderful blog post from "So Many Memories".  Her post listed lots of great hints & tips for crafters who use a sewing machine.  Today she posted part two, also worth reading.  read all about it here. 

Have a wonderful day !! 

Tips for using sewing machines + the Pixie sewing machine

good morning darling reader,

I was reading some of the blogs from the list of blogs I follow (to see my list: scroll down, over on the right), and I came across a wonderful blog post from "So Many Memories".  Her post today lists lots of great hints & tips for crafters who use a sewing machine.  read all about it here.

I used to sew on a machine when I was a kid.  I haven't done so in years.  I still sew by hand.  Recently I purchased a little purple "Pixie" sewing machine.  It's still in the box.  I'll let you know when I break it out.  Do you have a Pixie? Do you like it?

Do you sew?  Hand or machine?  both? I hope you find the tips & hints helpful.

"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" w/ Brad Pitt: My Movie Review

good evening dear reader, 

Do you have Netflix?  I do & love it.  Not only do I get movies in the mail, I can also watch them on the computer.  Cool because I'm a filmophile & I'm always up for a movie.  Besides listening to music while I paint, I like to watch (listen) to movies when I'm in my studio painting. 

Dawn, Elvis (our sweet furbaby) & I went to the beach this afternoon...it was beautiful.  Now we're all home, Elvis had a bath, D & I took showers and all three of us are settled down on the couch to watch this flick. 

"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" stars Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck & Mary-Louise Parker.  Running time is 2 hrs and 40 minutes.  Filmed with a sepia tone, the film has a feel of the period it is from (1880's). 

Brad plays Jesse James at age 34 and Casey plays Robert Ford at age 20.  Ford is obsessed with James and has collected little books and articles about the James brothers since he was a small boy.  It is unclear whether Ford wants to be just like James or if he actually wants to be James.  My take on it is that James is his idol & wants to be Jesse James.

The film depicts the life of the James Brothers gang of outlaws later in their "career" as well as Jesse James life after he goes into hiding with his family.  Not much is told about his wife and two children however there are some scenes which show James as a "regular" husband & father.  Much of the story is spent on the interactions & changing relationships of the various gang members, some of which are cousins or brothers.  These men do not trust each other and they often threaten each other to gain the upper hand. 

The film also explores the deterioritating psychological state of James as well as Fords growing fascination with James.  James is betrayed by Ford, shot in the back while unarmed which is why Ford gets the nickname "the coward".  I think Ford wanted so badly to be associated with James that he killed him to be forever linked with James.  I believe Ford thought he'd be even more famous than James by killing him but this could not be further from the truth.  I find it strange that Ford & his brother were never brought up on murder charges and then went on to star in a theatrical play about the assassination.  After James death, we don't know what becomes of his wife & children.  We do see however what happens to Ford & his brother years later.

I'm not sure how much of this story is folklore and how much of it is based on actual facts.  Either way, it is a good movie if you've got almost 3 hours to spare.  A bit slow moving at times however it is worth a watch.   On a scale of 1 to 10 stars, I give this film 6 stars.

Have you seen it?  What did you think of this movie? 

"The American" w/ George Clooney: My Movie Review

good afternoon dearest reader,

I've decided to add Movie Reviews to my blog topics.  I am a movie buff.  I don't like that term.  How about I'm a filmophile. yeah, that's better.  It's defined in the Urban Dictionary as "film lover" ok. cool.  Filmophile it is. 

I have always loved movies.  I first got hooked on film when I was a child in NY, watching the 4:30 movie weekday afternoons.  Never heard of it?  go here.  Have heard of it?  Did you watch?  I now watch TCM and FMC a lot.  I enjoy new films and see many of them, however my favorites are old black & whites...classics, drama, film noir, suspense, bad old sci-fi of the 50's 60's.  Musicals? not so much, unless the are Elvis Presley films...lol.  anyway I digress...

I brought my dog Elvis to the groomer and had a bunch of time to kill.  I decided to go see the movie "The American" starring George Clooney.  I adore him, he is sooo handsome & he's got a great voice.  Being a Tuesday, the theater was empty, just me & an older couple. 

They sat behind me so I felt like I had the whole theater to myself.  I snuck in a chicken sandwich & settled into my seat. Overall I enjoyed the film.  Honestly, the plot/storyline was descent but bit predicable and a little slow. No spoilers here.  I will tell you it's about a man who has done a lot of bad things in his life.  He is hiding from those who want to kill him.  He's basically a loner and he's at the point in his "career" where he wants out.  The skills he has aquired for his line of work are extensive and he tries to fool people by saying he's not good with machinery.  Nothing could be further from the truth. 

The cinematography and scenery was superb.  Filmed in several locations in Italy, the scenery was breathtaking.  Small towns with stucco houses crammed together on the side of a mountain.  High shots looking down at curving highways.  Also, some scenes were filmed with the "center of interest" in the composition of the shot was actually way off  to one side, mostly the left side.  It was worth seeing just for the cinematography.

IMDB (Internet Movie DataBase) is a wonderful resource for all sorts of information on all sorts of films, actors, TV shows etc.  They use a rating system based on 1 to 10 stars, 10 being the best.  Overall I give "The American" 7 stars out of 10.

Happy Autumn - great quote

good morning dear reader,

Happy Autumn one & all.  I found this quote today while searching for one about the fall season...

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all." (Stanley Horowitz). 

I love this quote.  Autumn is a bit different here on the coast than it was when I lived in NY.  The trees turn later, it gets cooler later however it is still a glorious season to enjoy.  Autumn in NY has a certain smell in the air which is crisp & delightful.  We don't have that here, then again, I can go to the beach & smell the sea air anytime since it's only about 6 miles away. 

I have many wonderful memories of Autumn in NY, raking leaves then jumping in them, trick-or-treating with sweaters under our costumes, cool mornings with warm afternoons, apple picking, pumpkin picking etc.

Enjoy your day to the fullest.



late autumn, view from our townhouse in NY



love to read? great site to trade books

good morning dearest reader,

While reading some of the blogs on my bloglist, I came across a post by la alicia.  She blogged about a website where you can trade books you are done with for books you want.  All you need to pay for is postage.  Cool huh?

Check it out here.

I hope you have a great week!!

9-11 living 50 miles from Ground Zero . . .

hello dear reader,

God Bless America, God Bless all those who were lost that day, God Bless our Troops & all the brave military men & women who have lost their lives fighting for our Freedom & God Bless those left behind.

Today as we remember the events of 9-11, I'd like to share with you my experience.  We were living in NY at the time, 50 miles from ground zero and Dawn was working in Manhattan.  We lost many local people that day, office workers, firemen, etc.  

It was a beautiful morning, full of sunshine & blue skies.  I was working for the Telephone Company.  Dawn had been working in Manhattan for about a year.  She always called me when she got out of the subway on her walk to the office so I knew she arrived to her job safely.  She was working in mid-town 57th Street & Lexington Ave.   She called early that day, from Port Authority to say she just heard a plane hit the World Trade Center.  I had not heard anything about it so I went on the Internet to check it out.  Dawn's subway train arrived & she said she'd call back when she got to the station at the Citibank building.  I called my Mother & she said she was watching the news & it was most likely an accident. As I was speaking with my Mother, the second plane crashed into the other tower.  She screamed.  I started freaking out a bit. 

I quickly brought up a live news feed on the computer.  Word had gotten around the office & as a Telephone Company, we were immediately put into high alert.  We had to protect all lines of communications as our office was a hub for NYC.  Dawn called once she got back on the streets.  She could look straight down Lexington Ave & see all of the billowing smoke.  Everyone and I mean everyone on the street was looking up.  She quickly walked (ran) to her office.  As soon as she entered, her building was on lock-down.  It's a famous building (The Galleria Building) and no one knew exactly what was going on.  All anyone knew was that Our Country was under attack.  Another plane hit the Pentagon, another plane down in PA.  The horror, the sadness, the rage.  

As news spread that all of Manhattan was on lockdown, everything was shut down...no one in, no one out...I was panicking.  My Lord, how will Dawn get out?  Is she safe?  Are any of us safe?  What else can happen? 

I kept in contact with her as best I could over the phone.  Many people could not get through on the phone lines because many of the phone lines in NYC were destroyed.  Maybe because I was at the Telco, maybe because angels watch over us, who knows...I had a clear line to her office phone.  I patched in her parents so they could know their girl was alright. 

One thing led to another & Dawn was able to get a ride out of Manhattan, in a borrowed car, with her CEO.  She was back in Orange County by late afternoon.  Whew, my Dawnie was home, safe and sound.  Shaken & stirred certainly, emotionally & physically drained, but Home...Safe...Alive. 

When I got home, we put on the news.  She had yet to see any of the coverage.  She cried, I cried, we cried.  Heartache...shock.  That evening, all of the planes were still grounded.  We were sharing a quiet moment when all of a sudden we hear fighter planes roaring overhead.  Immediately we both went into panic mode...What is happening?  Are those our planes?  Are we being bombed?  We are at war, we are going to die, now, tonight.  We clung to each other...I called my parents again.  They said that military planes would be flying all night to protect us.  Neither of us slept much that night.

The next day, Dawn & I both stayed home from work.  Numb at this point,  we tried to comprehend what had happened.  We thought of all the people we know that worked in Manhattan.  We knew there were many locals who were NYC Firemen.  In the days & weeks to come, we found out many from our county & surrounding areas were lost that day. 

When Dawn went back to work on Thursday & for months afterwards,  she was saddened by the sights of the City.  On her bus ride into Manhattan, when she came around the corner to enter Lincoln Tunnel, she could see all of the smoke rising off of the island.  The smoke kept filling the skyline for what seemed to her like forever. 

Another heart wrenching sight that affects Dawn even today was all of the signs people hung looking for lost loved ones.  Handmade & computer printed, these signs were plastered on walls, fences & poles the length of her commute from Port Authority to her office.  Hundreds of faces on these signs...pleas for help..." Have you seen my..." Mother, Father, Friend, Sister, Brother etc.  Prayer candles lined the streets under the signs...bouquets of flowers too.  Day after day she walked past these missing person posters, some smeared from the rain, some torn & tattered but none removed.  All hung in honor of someone who was loved, someone who was missed, someone who might not ever come home again.  As I write this my heart aches as I remember this time in our Nation's history.

My life changed that day as I'm sure yours did to.  Because we lived so close to ground zero, the event & the lives lost took a great toll on us and our local communites.  As the weeks went by, when we were out & about, we'd see signs hanging with messages such as "I survived 9-11 Tower 2  68th floor" ... or... "My firefighter son died on  9-11".  The newspapers eventually printed lists of those lost by town & by county.  So sad, so very sad.

Within a year, the company Dawn worked for moved their national headquarters out of Manhattan & she got a new job in NJ.  In 2005 we moved to NC and we love living here on the coast. 

Do I miss NY?  Yes I do.  Very much so sometimes.  I miss my friends & loved ones still living there.  I miss the City in all it's glory...the museums, buildings, the people, the park....the electric spark you feel in the City that never sleeps.  NYC is still a beautiful city filled with wonderful people.  I've never felt afraid when I visited Manhattan, the atmosphere & the feeling you get when you are there is amazing... the City is alive & thriving, still, despite the fact that evil people tried to bring it down.

Today needs to be made a National Day of Rememberance.   We must NEVER forget. God Bless America, God Bless all those who were lost that day, God Bless our Troops & all the brave military men & women who have lost their lives fighting for our Freedom & God Bless those left behind.

What was your experience on 09-11? 
Wishing for you a day & a lifetime filled with light and love.

BigBro12 & do you know someone living in a different reality?

greetings dearest reader,

Another season of Big Brother is coming to a close.  Do you watch?  I've watched every season...it's one of my favorite summertime shows.  Ragan was evicted & went to the jury house where he had to meet up with Rachel (insert forboding music here), the bitch everyone loves to hate. 

They were talking last night & again Rachel started a fight, right after Ragan announced he has a PhD in Communications & is a College Professor.  Jealous Rachel started in with her dillusional rantings & Ragan said to her....

"I'm not going to fight with you because you live in a different reality than I do."

wow, I must tell you dear reader, this really resonated with me.  I've known several people like this...someone who twists things to fit their reality, will get angry if you don't agree with them, are super narcissistic & refuses to see anyones point of view.  aagghh these people frustrate me.  I've got one in my life right now who is a kind of pseudo-relative & I can't just cut him out of my life.  so, I ignore him as much as possible.  Ragan made me realize that there is no sense wasting any time or energy on this type of individual.  Thanks Ragan !!

Do you know anyone like this? someone who lives in a different reality than you do?  My inquiring mind wants to know.

all is well here on the Carolina coast

good evening dear reader,

Just a quick post to let you know Hurricane Earl passed us by and only brought a little bit of wind and a few raindrops.  Is he headed your way? 

Danielle, Earl, Fiona - are they headed your way?

good morning dear reader,

Here on the southern NC coast we're on Hurricane Alert every year.  Danielle never showed up.  Earl, well, umm, he's supposed to swing by for a bit tomorrow, just rain & big waves here...Earl may do some damage upstate at the Outer Banks.  Fiona?  She hasn't rsvp'd yet so we are not sure if she is coming.

Since Earl is not a big threat for our part of the state, we just took in our gazing balls & stacked up our patio furniture...no need to batten down the hatches.

Tell me, dear reader, are any of these storms headed your way?  What do you do to prepare?  Wishing for you a day filled with light & love.

good morning !! what are your plans for the week?

good morning dear reader,

I'm feeling well this morning. I got a lot of sleep yesterday & last night. I needed it after having two busy days.

Today I'm taking my niece Dana out to lunch with her sweet 2 month old baby boy Bryan. Then we're going to the baby's Dr for a check up.

I'm super excited because our bff Teresa is coming down to NC for a visit over Labor Day Weekend. Terri, Dawn & I met 31 yrs ago & have been friends all these years. We haven't seen her in 6 years!! I hope the weather is nice, not too humid & I'm praying Hurricane "Earl" stays way out to sea on his way past North Carolina.

This week I need to get two watercolor paintings ready for an upcoming local art show. I'd like to get a lot of painting done after I straighten up my studio. Also I need to make a few anklets for a friend & of course, I'll spend some time playing with my dog, Elvis Lee.

So tell me, what are your plans for the week?
Namaste dear ones,

can that not be called happiness?

good afternoon darling reader,

It's been a little over a week since my heart surgery. I'm getting better day by day...I'm still a bit tired but that is to be expected.

I came across another great quote today (thanks Betsy J) from one of my favorite movies "Memoirs of a Geisha".

"You cannot say to the sun, 'More sun.' Or to the rain, 'Less rain' ... to learn kindness after so much unkindness, to understand that a little girl with more courage than she knew, would find her prayers were answered, can that not be called happiness?"

This is a beautiful quote from the end of the film. Have you seen it or pehaps read the book? The scenery is spectacular and the story is wonderfully written. What do you think of this quote? My inquiring mind wants to know.

I hope you enjoy your afternoon !

what do you think of this quote?

good morning dear readers,

I hope this post finds you well. I came across this quote on FB the other day. "We must not allow the clock and the calendar to blind us to the fact that each moment of life is a miracle and mystery."-- H. G. Wells.

I love this quote & agree with it. When I worked for a Telephone Company years ago, the Management used to time us for not only our lunch & coffee breaks but for our Potty Breaks !! How humiliating. We used to walk around with kitchen timers to make sure we got back to our desks on time. We were tracked down to the second & were given a printed report daily with our times. When I got out of that department, I stopped wearing a watch & to this day I will not wear one.

I try to live in the moment and enjoy each day as the gift that it is. I find watching a clock or being too aware of the calendar is counterproductive to this way of life. What do you think?

I hope you have a great day.

creative addiction crushed by gaming addiction

good afternoon dearest reader,

Once again I must apologize for my blogging haitus. I got totally addicted to Farmville on FaceBook. I've spent (wasted) countless hours clicking on stuff to harvest, plant, redeem gifts, send gifts, tend my friends farms, making wine, grabbing bushels, feeding the animals....aaaggghhhhhh. The zynga people sure know what they are doing. I had been addicted to YoVille when I was on MySpace a few years ago.

I admit & am fully aware that I am addictive by nature...and I'm very competitive. I find it a challenge to surpass my friends in regards to levels in games & amount of stuff you can accumulate on your virtual gaming world. Damn you zynga, you got me again.

One day, as I was clicking away & cursing FV for screens freezing up & error messages I realized how unhappy this gaming was making me...again. I was bored with the game & angry at myself for falling into the gaming trap a second time. The thing in my life that suffered the most is my art because I had traded my addiction to art & creating for an addiction to an online game.

Good news ! I got the FV monkey off my back, I deleted the app & will not re-install it. Now I'm hoping my creative addictions return soon. I've been drawing a lot this week & plan on painting the drawings next week.

More good news/bad news (all depends on how you look at it) I'm having more heart surgery on Friday. Hopefully will be in the hospital for a only day or two.

Thanks for listening (reading) dearest faithful reader. Talk to you again soon.

good quote to ponder . . .

good evening dearest reader,

I apologize for not blogging in a few months. I'm back now & plan to blog a few times a week. I hope all is well with you and yours.

I read this quote today on FaceBook and want to know what you think of it. Please ponder this quote in broad terms, not specifics. I'm not bashing Christians (I'm a believer, I'm spiritual & call my self a "recovering Catholic". Organized religion is too hypocritical for me). Anyway, I digress...This statement can apply to anyone/everyone who claims to be "something" or part of some religion or group yet does not "walk the walk".

here it is...

"Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car".

Brilliant, n'est pas? I have no idea who quipped this quote. What are your thoughts? My inquiring mind wants to know.