Poem by Bronte

"My soul is awakened, my spirit is soaring
And carried aloft on the winds of the breeze;
For above and around me the wild wind is roaring,
Arousing to rapture the earth and the seas.

The long withered grass in the sunshine is glancing,
The bare trees are tossing their branches on high;
The dead leaves beneath them are merrily dancing,
The white clouds are scudding across the blue sky

I wish I could see how the ocean is lashing
The foam of its billows to whirlwinds of spray;
I wish I could see how its proud waves are dashing,
And hear the wild roar of their thunder today!"

Quote of the Week

"Stop that! She almost doesn't know any better!"

-Martye Murray

The Philadelphia Story

What a brilliant comedy! This witty story about an irresistable socialite and the men who love her has some of the best dialogue I've ever heard in a film. It's sharp-witted, fast-paced, ironic and intelligent. Besides, I'll gaze at Cary Grant or James Stewart any day.

Pirates

I have always loved pirates. Even before "Pirates of the Caribbean" came out. I loved reading "Treasure Island" and watching movies like "Hook", "The Swiss Family Robinson", "Kidnapped" and "Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Sea." Recently, I've been reading up on the history of pirates, and am completely fascinated. Women were involved in piracy more than most people expect! There's Anne Bonnie, the Southern lady who sailed away with her pirate lover and found her freedom disguised a a male pirate. Or Mary Read, who pleaded "her belly" when she was supposed to hang and was set free because she was pregnant. Or even Blackbeard's wife, who married him even after he killed her fiancee and gave her his finger in a box. She never believed that her fiancee was acually dead, and would wait for him each day on the docks to come back to her. Some say her ghost still haunts the docks of coastal North Carolina....

Fashion: Rihanna

Doesn't Rihanna just ooze confidence here? Great fashion, great attitude, awesome photograph.

Ocean's 13

I love this movie! It's like James Bond sans the erotically named sluts plus a wicked sense of humor and lots of attractive men instead of just one. I can't imagine what it was like to film in the hotel they used in the movie...it was completely gorgeous, the people were completely gorgeous...everyone must have had a lot of fun at work.

Random Garish Clown Photo That Somehow Struck My Fancy

Marchesa Dresses

Somehow, these dresses seem both historic and space-agey. I'm not sure I'd wear them, but they're pretty cool, so why not blog about them?

Panda Tank Happiness

I love the boldness of this top. First of all, I love tank tops in general (I'm a casual girl at heart.) Secondly, the pastel florals of spring are getting a little old...especially after I featured them heavily in my last film (every female character wore floral...I kid you not.) Thirdly, the pandas aren't overtly "I'm a cute little panda"-ish, a theme which we have Hello Kitty to thank for. (Smile.) The top is from Delia's.

Crafty Shoes

Shoes seem to be sporting a bit more of a "custom look" these days. These are all from Urban Oufitters, but you could recreate most of them with a little fabric paint, ribbon, and an old pair of Keds. Add one more thing to my crafty to-do list....

8 Random Things About Me

1: When I was in middle school, I went through this feminist streak where I refused to cook. But after I saw everyone praising my younger brother for the food he made, I got jealous and have loved cooking ever since.

2: I've never read the Harry Potter books. Too busy with Lord of the Rings and The Prydain Chronicles.

3:I would love to have a big, old house from the 1800's with a library with one of those ladders on wheels that rolls around the book shelves.

4: I have a very strong affection for rassberries.

5: When I was little, I believed that Darth Vader lived in my closet.

6: i also believed that the Vietnam War was fought by Vietnamese elephants on Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota. I can thank my uncle for that one...

7: I've always wanted ruby slippers.

8: I always carry a notebook and pen.

Casino Royale

Normally I'm not an advocate of James Bond. As alluring as he can be, every single one of his films loses me once he starts rolling into bed with women named such things as Pussy Galore or Honey Ryder. But Casino Royale, despite it's flaws, is a stunning film. The cinematography is incredible....it's stark, yet rich, incorporating lots of high-exposure, light drenched shots in with the more moody settings you'd expect. When Bond is whiping the blood off of his face after killing a man, the frantic, shaking camera angles do as much to propel the story along as the acting. The movie opens in harsh black and white, more like moving, artistic mug shots than traditional black-and-white-films. But the scene that will stick with me the most was, in my opinion, sheer brilliance. Bond comes to check on his partner, Vesper Lynd, after they've just killed a man. He finds her sitting in the shower, still in her evening gown, silently crying over the thing she has just done. Bond simply sits in the shower with her and holds her. It was such a wonderful moment. It's moments like that that make great movies.

POTC: At World's End Soundtrack

This soundtrack is incredible. It incorporates electric guitar and reminds me of those fantasy movies from the eighties I used to watch with my dad. Gives me goosebumps. I ran out and bought it right after I saw the film.

Illustration

A illustration from one of my favorite picture books, "Her Stories." Why do books have less and less pictures as you get older? This ilustration is from the story "Man and Woman Started Even." Quite a story for an elementary school girl to read.

Photography

Normally, I'm not into Vogue. Too stuffy. But the photographs of Keira Knightley in this issue are stunning. Even though the thought of wearing couture on safari is absurd.