Momma’s Angel

Harry and Bella September 1, 2008

I have seen a lot of comparisons of Harry Potter and Twilight, most for the wrong reasons. My sister however brought up some legitimate comparisons and helped me to think of more.

~They are, as far as they know, very ordinary people

~They have lived ordinary lives, perhaps even less than ordinary lives. Harry lives in a closet, receiving from his relations the very least they can afford to give him. Bella doesn’t quite live an average teenage life, few friends, taking care of her mother. She has no reason to think moving to Forks will be any better, actually she believes it will be worse.

~They unwillingly find themselves famous. Many desire his or her friendship. Others think they are nothing special and treat them disdainfully.

~Discovering magic/the supernatural is the best and most challenging thing that has ever happened to them.

~They fight very personal battles to stay alive.

How not to compare them - generally, as in “Twilight is way better than Harry Potter“! “Harry is childish and boring. Twilight is exciting and hot!”

~Harry was born a wizard, he already had powers to fight with and learns to use them quickly out of need. He is not alone, he has friends from which to draw strength.

~Bella is a frail human. She is mentally strong but seems to attract threatening situations for which she is ill equiped to handle alone. She does not have close friends with whom she can be honest. The one closest to her heart is the most dangerous and also quite illusive.

~The story of Harry Potter is that of an amazing character, an average boy who becomes a wizard and faces incredible odds. He uses his instincts and the foundation of his relationships to do what is right.

~The story of Bella and Edward is a romance. A seemingly ordinary girl who awakens a 100 year old vampire from his monotonous life. He overcomes his hunger for her blood and finds a desire to be more man than monster. They bring life to eachothers existence.

Love Stories August 22, 2008

Last Saturday a friend loaned me her copies of books 1 - 3 in a growing series by Stephenie Meyer. They are Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse. The fourth, Breaking Dawn has recently been released and I expect to read it soon.

It’s a gripping story of a girl (Bella) who moves from the big city to a small town and falls for a vampire (Edward). Luckily he practices a “vegetarian” lifestyle and only drinks the blood of animals, how else would he manage to pretend to be a high school student. He needs reminding of that fact when he gets a breeze of her scent. I started reading Sunday or Monday and finished 3 long books in 4 days! To finish books two and three I was up until 5 am! I could not put them down. I started 2 immediately after finishing 1 at 6pmish Tuesday and read through till the end. Tim is away in Norway this week and next and my parents and sister are away this week. My brother is home but I don’t see him much and I get pretty tired of doing the same stuff with Sara Ellen but don’t know what else to do. It’s so lonely without Tim working from home. The readings have been the most exciting thing going on for me this week and I definitley developed a crush on Edward, especially after seeing photos from the upcoming movie. The story is very seductive and addictive.

Read on but beware of potential spoilers - (more…)

“The Other Boleyn Girl” March 3, 2008

I have to remember I am an unusual person. A movie without sex scenes, jokes, and innuendo is already better on my scale. Sex is private, it shouldn’t be seen and should be spoken of discreetly and respectfully. This movie is specifically about the sexual relations of King Henry VIII and how others use his tastes for their social advancement. I must have known that, perhaps I did, but I wanted to know about the historical relationships.

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Day Five November 29, 2007

It has been a pretty eventful week thus far. Emily and I have found out the dances we are doing for the recital in June. Our oldest cat, Tuxedo (14 years old), is quickly declining in health.

Monday Sara Ellen and I took a walk up to the library. We also stopped into Blockbuster to rent Ratatouille and got lunch at Subway. The whole trip took about an hour. At ballet Emily and I learned that Carol’s ballet will be Balero, an abstract ballet with a Spanish flair. Instead of this dance Katie M and I will be dancing a modern dance choreographed by Kristi to gives the other ballerinas time to change. We were originally given the choice to do this dance with Kristi and her friend who is the current jazz teacher. Now… the dance will be a duet for Katie and I!! Monday afternoon we learned that Tuxedo, who has been suffering for a while from renal/liver failure was bleeding from his mouth. I found him in the basement with red on his front paw and matted fur. He didn’t have much energy and sat in front of the water dishes while I did the litter.

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35th State Dance Festival November 5, 2007

So this year’s dance festival is over. I am glad that I attended but it wasn’t as great as I hoped it would be.

First class Friday was Open Stretch with Lucy Bowen-McCauley. It was a full class, dancers of all ages. We did a lot of great stretches, some I’ve never tried before. Second class Friday was Open Modern with Thom and Christine Cobb. Again, very full with dancers of all ages. It was fun but I wish I’d been able to get the combination better that Christine taught us. I felt pretty good after both classes, loose and relaxed. But then I did not sleep well all and woke up early, sleepy and achy.

First class Saturday was Senior Int/Adv Ballet with Rhodie Jorgenson. The lights were dim and the wood floor slippery but the teacher was great. I stood with Emily and Carol (L’EdD teacher) and worked really hard. This time the level was more specific but still, several dancers had their own interpretation of the instructions.
Second class Saturday was Senior Contemporary with Calen Kurka. Helping him were members of his company. It was *really* crowded, maybe seventy or more. They led us through a few exercises to gauge our abilities, then they taught segments of choreography. It was fast, hard to see and very detailed, making it pretty frustrating to learn. By the end I just gave into the throwing myself around parts. Emily and I drove out for lunch and then I returned her for afternoon classes before going home.

I went back for Emily and pizza before the Artist’s Concert. Oh, boy, that did not go well.
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Bridge to Terabithia July 1, 2007

At first, Bridge to Terabithia just seems to tell the story of a kid that sticks out in his family and at school. He doesn’t have any friends. He learns the new girl at school is also his new neighbor and with her they create a world of their own.

It becomes a very touching story. The new girl, Leslie, shines a caring imaginative light which changes the lives around her.

The Covenant

We watched The Covenant yesterday. It’s not very exciting. It’s listed genre is action/horror/thriller. It could make you jump some, but if you really like thrillers, this isn’t it. It does have good special effects.

Four high school seniors are friends from a line of families who possess powers from the Salem Witch Trials era. There is an unknown, much stronger power lurking around and where it comes from it a little confusing. The guys are trying to figure it out as they anticipate their “ascension” at 18 when they receive full power. It’s kind of boring, high school parties and drama.

Stranger Than Fiction March 18, 2007

Yesterday was really a movie day. Tim and I did the end up getting the flu bug Friday and spent yesterday recuperating. Tim seems to have bounced back more quickly. I spent most of the day on the futon and slept there last night because Sara Ellen fell asleep while we watched the movie and I didn’t feel like moving either of us. This morning, my back is stiff and my stomach still a little uneasy.

It’s funny how times flies when your watching movies and not going anywhere, we started “Stranger Than Fiction” at 9:30 after Emily and I watched “You’ve Got Mail”. I’d heard a weak review of it from a Baltimore radio station interviewing Maggie Gyllenhal because some filming was local. After the interview the dj’s made fun of her response to their questions and expressed their disappointment in her performance and the movie itself. However, Tim wanted to watch it and I’ve been curious.

Harold Crick (Will Ferrell), an IRS auditor, starts hearing a narration of his life by a woman’s voice. The narration follows his actions but begins to influence him. The voice is of an author (Emma Thompson) who has no idea her main character is real. Her main purpose, find the best way to kill Harold Crick! He gets wind of her plot and takes steps to avoid is imminent death.

I am not always a fan of Will Ferrell’s comedy. I do love “Elf” and I find this character equally endearing. The story is touching, funny, surprising, and curious. It features Maggie Gyllenhal as a baker/auditee, Queen Latifah as an author’s assistant, and Dustin Hoffman as a literature professor.

Music and Lyrics March 8, 2007

Tim and I saw this February 23 (and should have written sooner). It’s a great date movie.

It stars Drew Barrymore (Sophie Fisher) and Hugh Grant (Alex Fletcher). He’s an 80’s Pop has-been. She is an eccentric, nervous woman who works at her sister’s weight loss center, and as a plant water. Is the latter job that brings her to Fletcher’s home and because she’s good at rhyming, is convinced to be his new lyricist. He needs to write a hit song for this pop princess, Cora. Brad Garrett is also in it as Fletcher’s manager. It’s a lot of fun.

Wild Hogs

This movie is so much fun. I definitley recommend it. Tim and I saw it Saturday, March 3.

This stars John Travolta, Tim Allen, William H. Macy, and Martin Lawrence. They are four friends who are unsatisfied with their lives and agree to a motorcycle road trip. Normally, they take a weekly ride together and hit a pretend biker bar, or ride in parades. Woody, J.T., is running from his unraveling life but does not tell his friends who think he has it made with lots of money (lost) and a model wife (left him). W.H.M. is so cute as a geek. T.A. is a dentist who is missing his wild youth. M.L. is trying to write a self-help book and can’t stand up to his wife.

They run into a crazy cop, John C. McGinley, who thinks they are all gay. Then they walk into a real biker bar. The lead, Jack (Ray Liotta), thinks they’re posers and manages to steal a bike from them, replacing it with a sidecar. The guys ride away but Woody won’t take it and goes back, causing lots of damage which would be a shame to spoil. From there he is running away and hiding. Consequences and fun ensue.

Make sure you stay for the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition!