Re-watching movies.

My writing is torturing me this week, both my past words and present. (The quantity of the former and the quality of the latter.) But I am trying to stay positive, or at least focus on other things. Such as... films I love!

Because I read anywhere from 6-10 books a week, I don't watch many movies. I prefer reading! Getting me to watch a full-length movie can be a struggle, just ask my family. It's not that I don't like to watch movies, but sometimes I find the thought of being tied to the screen for that long daunting. I couldn't explain the reason why; it's beyond quixotic of me since I often sit that long at my computer screen. And some times I am more than willing to watch. It's very weird.
Come to think of it, I believe it has something to do with the fact that I can't walk away any time I want to if I'm watching with other people; I like my time to be flexible for doing whatever strikes my fancy. (Bad characteristic!)
What I should do is re-watch movies by myself, on my laptop because there are many movies I utterly love, but haven't watched in a while. I need to start making time to sit and watch them, if only in increments. In lieu of that, I started thinking about movies I want to re-watch and this is the list I came up with...

Les Parapluies de Cherbourg - A favourite I'm always in the mood for! For those of you unfamiliar with this beautiful film, all the dialogue is sung... in French (of course)! Some people find this strange - ah, but they have never actually watched it!

Alice in the Cities (AKA Alice in den Städten) - This is like the non-perverted version of Lolita. It's an obscure German film, and I only ran across it because Sibylle Baier appears briefly in a scene. (Thank goodness for YouTube!)

The Monkees: Head - I am a big fan of the Monkees, both their show and their music. Their movie Head, which was made in 1968, was basically meant to shatter the image that had been created for them. That being said, it's a rather disturbing and random film, but I love it... in a strange sort of way.

Little Dorrit - My favourite Dickens next to Our Mutual Friend! I read the book the other month which only increased my desire to watch this lovely mini-series. I remember watching it when it first aired on PBS and having to wait a week in between installments. Quite aggravating!




The Thin Man - This movie is slated for a remake and I am so miffed about it! All I can say is, why remake perfection? No one else could capture the hilarious couple of Nick and Nora like Myrna Loy and William Powell did. *shakes head* What is the world coming to?

My Man Godfrey - Oh, look at that... another movie starring William Powell. Ha! Ha! You'd think I had a thing for him or something.....
This movie is crazy in the way only 1940's comedies can be. In my opinion, many of the best movies come from this era.

Meet Me in St. Louis - A sweet, nostalgic musical starring Judy Garland! Need I say more? (I just love her - what a voice! *dreamy sigh*)




The Shop Around the Corner - I just adore this film! Of course, it's James Stewart; you can't go wrong with him! This movie has been remade a couple times. Most importantly into...

You've Got Mail - Essentially The Shop Around the Corner with emails instead of letters! ...But not really. They have enough differences that it doesn't feel like you're watching the same film. I don't prefer either one; they're both so wonderful and funny.




Muppets Take Manhattan - Probably my favourite Muppet movie! I can quote it forwards and back, but it never gets old. (I have to admit, I am not excited about the new Muppet movie that has been made... It just doesn't look like it has the feel of the classic Muppet movies. Or the show, for that matter. I'm an incorrigible purist, sorry.)




Before Sunset -The second half of the greatest pairing of films! (The first being Before Sunrise.)If you like a lot of intelligent conversation and ponderings, these movies are a must. However, if ambiguous endings drive you crazy, don't watch these!

Well, that's all I can think of, though there are undoubtedly more. What about you all? Any movies you want to re-watch right now?

(...Now, which should I start watching first?)

{All pictures found on tumblr, except the first one which is one of my own screenshots.}

Letters never sent. (Vol. II)

{~Vol. I can be read here, if you're so inclined!~}

Dear Filing Cabinets at the Clinic Where I Volunteer,
You scare me.
Especially the shelves containing SA-ZI.
I don't think you can handle many more files.
If you ever get angry, please do not spill them all on my head.

With apprehension,

Me
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear S-- (or the lady who works at the back desk of the aforementioned clinic),
You have the most soothing telephone voice I have ever heard.
Seriously; it's beautiful.

Your admirer,

Me
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Chocolate and Peanut Butter,
You are truly a match made in heaven and your deliciousness is dangerous to me.

Hungrily yours,

Me
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Library,
It's been over 2 months now...
I miss you.
I don't think you really need to be "renovated";
I love you just the way you are!
Don't worry, the other library will never replace you in my heart:
you will always be my Library.
See you next year...

With sadness,

Me
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Perfect Stranger,
I miss you,
or at least the intrigue you brought to my life.
I don't suppose I shall ever know your name now.
It hardly seems fair since you know all three of mine.
Ah, well.

Quixotically yours,

Me
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Muse (AKA "Marjorie"),
Well, I am happy that you have returned, and bearing such lovely gifts too.
It's weeks like these that make me regret how often I express my dislike of you.
I apologize for calling you a "fickle fribbler" the other day,
I meant it in the most affectionate way possible, I assure you.....

Your Dearest Frenemy,

Me
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Darlingest Blog Readers,
HI!
This is just to say I am going on vacation this weekend, starting tonight.
Actually, my dad has no vacation time (new job!!!) so it's a staycation. Meaning, we will be at home for the most part or doing fun things nearby.
But my sister advocated no computer usage (which is a good idea, despite my reluctant participation), so I won't be on here commenting &c. till Tuesday maybe.
Try not to miss me, hehe!

All my love and a little extra,

Me

P.S. I'm not sure you all have any idea how much I love and appreciate each and every one of you! <3

An award!

I have been given "The Versatile Blogger" award. Ain't it purty? :)

The Conditions:
1. Thank the person who loved you enough to bestow this gift.
2. Share seven things about yourself.
3. Bestow this honor onto 10 newly discovered or followed bloggers– in no particular order– who are fantastic in some way.
4. Drop by and let your ten new friends know you admire them

I already have thanked her but I will say it again: thank you my darling haze! You are one of the most loving people I know. Your big heart makes me smile. :)

Et maintenant, les sept faits!

1. About two years ago I vowed to never wear socks that match again. Since then I always wear mismatched socks. Always.

2. I have an abhorrence of things that are popular. Even just mildly popular. I get a strange enjoyment out of loving things (books, movies, songs/singers) that no one has ever heard of. Or at least things that no one I know in real life have heard of. On the blogging world I don't care as much, if at all.

3. I have a penchant for sad songs. Sure, love songs and happy songs are wonderful... but nothing satisfies me quite like a song with plaintive vocals and heartbreaking/melancholic lyrics.

4. I have been homeschooled my whole life. Actually, I'm rather shocked that I didn't turn out cripplingly unsocial.

5. Nothing terrifies me quite like deep sea life does. The unfathomable depths of the ocean gives me the creeps as do the creatures that live in them. I especially hate octopuses. And whales. When I was around 5 or so I tore out the picture of "Jonah and the Whale" in an illustrated Bible we had. Hahaha.

6. I don't seriously believe in reincarnation... but I like to think I was a 1920's lounge singer in another life. ;)

7. I've been a Francophile since the age of five at least. (Thanks to Ludwig Bemelmans' Madeline books. Madeline was my childhood heroine and caused me to love all things French.)

And for once, I am actually passing this on instead of copping-out! Though I really do hate picking and choosing people to pass this on to cause, in my opinion, everyone deserves an award. But, choose I did. The rules said to pick 10 newly discovered bloggers but I ignored that. And funnily enough, though this is a "versatility award" the rules didn't tell me to necessarily pick versatile bloggers. That's seems a little odd to me... but I guess they just realize how uncommonly versatile everyone is here on the blogging world, hehe. :)


The lovely blogs I am passing this award onto:
~Blush of Dawn~
~I Wear Milk Crowns~
~Screaming Swans~
~Lost Things~
~Floating~
~clickety-clack~
~BLOG.~
~Shades of Green and Grey.~
~all that is gold~
~she would have liked wings~

You all don't have to do it if you don't want to. (Sorry. I just can't help but say that. Ignore me, please.)

I hope everyone has a satisfactory weekend! Mine looks like it's going to be semi-busy. Booo! (I don't deal well with having a social life. :P)

not-so-super sleuth

You are an enigma.
Almost incongruous to your setting... yet you belong so wholly.

Against my better sensibility, I succumbed to your mystery.
Could you leave some clues that tell me who, what, why?
Because your footprints don't leave a trail strong enough to follow.

I should have you arrested!
The crime: breaking and entering my thoughts on too many occasions.
{You have the right to... tell me everything about yourself.
Anything you say can and will... be stored forever in my mind.}

But I fear this case will never be closed.
I am no Miss Marple; I am no Adrian Monk!
Indeed, I am little more than a thief....
For, given the opportunity, I would (without hesitation)
steal your heart away.

{Why nooo... this wasn't inspired by anyone. ;)}

{Picture found here.}

the steadfast tin soldier & other meanderings

Imagine what it must be like to be a music box ballerina. They must live for the time when thoughtless hands open their cages and set their souls free. They can dance! Only for a little while, though… What a terrible fate! I wish a steadfast tin soldier for every one of them.

I would like you to be my steadfast tin soldier. What is a delicate, paper castle to me when I could have someone who understands?
But what will be left of our love in the end? A spangle {burned} and a lump of tin {heart-shaped}, lying a pile of ash. It’s beautiful, isn’t it? But beautiful does not mean happily-ever-after. Sadness is beautiful. {I know that boy agrees with me. I once remarked that “sadness is beautiful” and he agreed. A girl protested. But it’s alright… she just doesn’t know. Don’t you think sadness is beautiful?}


Lately, I have found myself, expressing joy through an impulsive but meaningful medley of songs. I let my voice canter unrestrained as I run around and drape myself across banisters. {As if I was starring in my own musical improvisation.} No one has made me feel this giddy in a long time. It’s all because of you. I wonder if you’ll ever know what you've done to me.

So quickly, it seems, my devotion changed. I am not capricious - not in the least! I am the steadfast, tin soldier to my feather-friends. You will find that loyalty runs steadily through my veins, mixing completely with my blood. But it was time. Time to let go. Time to wake-up from my dream of who that boy is and finally see his reality. I shook his dream from my shoulders and it slithered to the floor like a velvety cape. I hadn’t realized how old and worn the fabric was. I know now. And I haven't felt this free, this content in a long time. This story made have a sad ending, but for now I don't care. Even if all that remains will be...

{1st picture found here, 2nd & 3rd picture taken by me from my book of The Steadfast Tin Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen with illustrations by Angela Barrett. The nail-bitten fingers belong to me...}

Letters never sent.

Dear Library,
I love you. Even though you don't always have the books I want.
<3

Your Devoted Friend,

Me
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Young Man Who Works at My Library,
Why, yes. I was afraid to approach the front desk where you were stationed and ask you if any of my holds were in the back. It's nothing against you personally, I have a slight apprehension of almost all young men. {Don't ask.}
And - I really can form a sentence that doesn't contain the word 'um'; I was nervous!

Sheepishly yours,

Me
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Onion I Chopped for Dinner the Other Night,
Well, I'm glad to know my tear ducts are still in perfect working order.
But, was being that pungent really necessary??

Tearfully yours,

Me
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Very-Pregnant Woman Who Goes to Our New-ish Church,
The first time I saw you, I greatly admired your extremely long, blonde hair.
Why, oh, why did you cut it short and dye it red?

With regret,

Me
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Little Boy Who Sat in Front of Me at the Theater,
I must say, I liked your hat an awful lot! That style is usually worn by old men, but it complemented your 5 year old self quite adorably. {I don't really know your age, of course. But you can't be much older than 5.}

Your Secret Admirer,

Me

confessions of a girl who loves to sing.

She stands on a stage in front of her audience, wearing the dress she only wears for them.
Hands by her side, smiling that secret smile; she sings with the confidence she only feels around them.
They adore her. They hang onto her every note, mesmerized by her music
Before them, she can sing out loud and unrestrained.
She holds out her arms, giving them things she gives to no one else.
Holding her hands wide open, she receives what they alone can give her.
When she curtsies they clap loud and unrestrained.
"More!" they cry. "Encore!" they beg.
She's never been known to turn them down.
They understand. They understand the songs she sings for them.
Her performances for them are unparalleled.

So clearly she feels their respectful presence,
is it any wonder that she forgets she's just a girl...
standing on a chair in her high-ceilinged kitchen.
All alone except for the echo of her own voice.



{Picture of: St. Vincent.}