A Discovery of Witches – Deborah Harkness
This was such a fun book. I loved the supernatural element mixed in with this engaging story centered around a mysterious text that winds up in the heroine’s hands. Honestly, the book continually kept my interest and kept me turning pages. The romance that developed was sexy and sweet, a perfect blend. I really loved the Matthew character, he was just something else. The second book of the trilogy comes out in July, and I can’t wait to read it, and can’t recommend this book enough.
Seeking Mr. Darcy
In the dating world, what you want isn’t often what you get. As an devoted Jane Austen fan I freely admit I am not immune to the charms of one Fitzwilliam Darcy. I know he isn’t ever going to exist in the real world, since he is only a literary character, but, that doesn’t mean a girl can’t hope. Not so much for Darcy to pop into existence and into my life, but more so I want that playful courtship he and Elizabeth endure. It is that guy who is seemingly so very wrong for you, but turns out to be just who you need that intrigues me. Despite being fiction, that is something that seems like something that can actually happen, granted not all the time, but it isn’t out of the realm of all possibility.
Surrounded by relationships, it isn’t that I need a relationship to survive, no one I think really does, it is more that I want it to give me something more in my life. Someone more in my life, someone who is all mine. I don’t know if searching for it or letting it happen naturally is the best approach. How can you make something like that happen? Date after date, meeting after meeting, waiting for something to take foot. Overwhelming comes to mind. Honestly, it could take years, decades, and I am not as young as I once was. The prospect of the search for my Mr. Darcy is daunting and not something I could take lightly, and just have fun going with the flow. Wasting time isn’t something I like to do; I like order and set parameters with the anticipated goal there for the taking. Questioning what is wrong with me at every turn becomes easy to do with each date failure. Wondering why it isn’t happening for me. Wondering where my happy ending is. It just seems it shouldn’t be this difficult or stressful, it shouldn’t have be so much work. So in the end I sit and groan, not really sure of how I should proceed when I feel so dejected either way I go as I seek Mr. Darcy.
K
Just Crusin’ and Snoozin’
Tuesday we were in Belize, not my favorite place in the end. First of all you have to get on a small boat to get to the port, and I didn’t like that part at all. The port itself was not much to write home about. It was a bit scary, and venturing out beyond the port didn’t happen. That night though, the turbulence started . . .
Another thing that was special on this trip, were the towel animals left in the room. I don’t know what it was, but I got a kick out of the different animals on the bed every night. I even took the towel animal making class they offered on the last day, and bought a book on how to make them. 
Dating Dilemmas of the Damned . . . or Don’t Call Me, I’ll Call You
Having been away from the dating game for a long time, yes indeed over a year and a half, with much trepidation I dipped my toe back into the pool. And the pool has proven to be more than treacherous. I decided to go back to an online dating site, which in and of itself wasn’t that huge, it is weeding through the responders that is proving to be my undoing. I took a chance, and meet a guy from online recently. Coffee seemed safe and simple enough, and I made the plans on my turf. Things seemed to go okay, but then things took an aggravating turn, much to my chagrin. This guy decided that my pace and timidity did not suit him, which in the end proved to be a blessing, but still got me into quite the royal snit-fest. Who was he to say that, who was he to give me the brush off, after all I wasn’t the one who had been quite so forward! Alas, it was not meant to be, and I am grateful to have seen the huge red flags before getting too deeply involved. It is just sad and unfortunate that I deal with that kind of behavior while trying out dating again, although I guess starting out badly should give some hope that things can possibly improve, but the hope I hold is with slipping fingers. Finding someone, someone decent to share some time with, should be simple enough, and not a fear inducing chore it is more and more becoming. It is evident that the task at hand is not so simple, and clearly not so fun, and the dilemma of keeping at it or not is just beginning.
K
Book vs. Movie – Balance on the Screen
With The Hunger Games movie coming out in less than a week, I got to pondering film adaptations of books. There is truly a delicate balance filmmakers have to strike when bringing a book to the screen. Everyone who has read the book will have certain expectations of the film; from how scenes play out, how the setting fits, how characters on the screen become characters from the page. That is an undertaking everyone involved with a film probably hopes to get right, while still bringing their own vision to the tale. However, a film must also bring an entirely new element for fans, yes, even the rabid fans hopefully can appreciate some nuance to the story they hadn’t taken in before. People who haven’t read the book will be presented this “new” story, “new” characters, etc., but will not share that special and familiar relationship those who have read the book will most likely have with the story or characters, that relationship remains for the readers to hold on to.
Some films have maintained that delicate balance well. I admit I saw the BBC miniseries Pride & Prejudice before I read the book. It was seeing what was brought to the screen that made me want to read the book. Key elements of the story and characters shined, making it a truly lovely film that somehow sill paid reverence to the story while maintaining it’s own period piece identity as well. It was the film/book that gave me my appreciation for Jane Austen. There was a later film adaptation that was a bit loser with adapting the story, but for me it remains the BBC version that has completely affected me. A more modern film and recent book, The Help, was able to keep true to the story of 60s racial issues in the South. Some things were left out, but moviegoers were still brought into this affecting story, and readers could appreciate the tale filmmakers told. Again, the film managed its own identity extremely well, while acknowledging the source material. Jurassic Park was oddly another movie I found that made the most of source material. It departed from the book, but a truly amazing film was brought to the screen from the book that was a tale of science fiction at its best. The book and movie were each quite the ride in their own way.
Horrible adaptations have also graced the screen, sad to say. The Great Gatsby was one of those unmemorable adaptations for me, it just didn’t make much of the story for me. It was beautiful to look at, but the emotion and depth was lacking. The Scarlet Letter was just utterly horrible and ridiculous, I went to see that after reading it in my high school English class, and it was truly a waste of time. In those films, readers never got what they deserved, and the audience new to the story didn’t really get the chance to see what the story could be.
I am eagerly awaiting The Hunger Games, and hope it will not disappoint. Hopefully filmmakers and the actors have brought this story to life well. I am glad filmmakers bring books I love to the screen, and love seeing how their own vision is brought to the story, but I will always keep my own special vision of my favorite books.
K
Where were you on 09/11/01 . . .
I was heading to the University of Tampa for class and work. Heard about the first plane on sports talk radio that my Dad had on. No one was fully aware it was an attack at that level yet. Class of course was cancelled, and my mind was reeling as I learned a second plane had hit. In the Honors Program Lounge a group of us watched the TV coverage, I felt like I was watching disaster movie and not real life. Later in the Dean’s Office where I worked I just sat there numb and in horrified disbelief, and again witnessed more TV coverage when they brought in a small TV. I just sat there shuffling papers, really not knowing what to do with myself and unable to focus on much. When I got home my Dad and I continued watching the coverage, it was just something I couldn’t shake myself from at that point. My Mom got home later that night and we watched President Bush address the nation. I went to bed feeling the shock, disbelief, fear, anger, etc. I am sure the whole nation felt that day. Essentially, I remember feeling numb and disconnected somewhat that whole day, as if I wasn’t watching or a part of this real horrific event, it was too shocking and too unbelievable to think it was actually happening. And now as I reflect ten years later on 9/11/11, I still recall that numbness, shock, anger, etc. like it was yesterday. Never forget and God Bless America!!
K
The Great Hair Debate
As a girl with naturally curly hair I have noticed a certain change in how I am perceived when I straighten my hair. Typically I let my hair air dry and the curls come as they please, however I do straighten it on occasion, and I get an interesting perspective when I do so. It appears that with straight hair is somehow a more acceptable look, not that anyone says that, but I feel that way when people seem to comment more on the straight hair. It might just be my perception, as I have felt marginalized for years seeing straight hair get the glamorous attention and always felt curly hair is the “also ran.” It has always seemed that straight hair is the sophisticated, sexy, superior style; curly hair is the playful, girlie, maybe cute style but not at all attention grabbing. People even tend to think curly hair is the indestructible helmet of thick and unruly ringlets. I can offer that that is not true, curly hair needs care and is quite delicate, thank you. I will continue to play both sides of this debate, but make no mistake I am a curly top, and will always be. Straight hair is fun, for a time, but I enjoy the ease and comfort of my ringlets, they seem to suit me. To the other naturally curly tops, I say flaunt it and let the straight heads envy your curves and body, because you know secretly they do ;0)
K
krissyandthecity 