Brandon Heath: Leaving Eden

I finally downloaded Brandon Heath 's newest album, Leaving Eden, this week and found it rather catchy. One could argue that it is perhaps not his strongest album to date, but it's still really good, and I am enjoying it. 4 stars from me!!

It is $5 on Amazon at the present. Check it out.

P.S. I'm sharing a slightly cheese YouTube video of the song and lyrics below. Enjoy!

Jane Eyre: Not Quite Transfixed

I wanted to love this latest film version of Jane Eyre. I really did. But I recognize that I probably walked into the theatre with overly HIGH expectations.

·     Jane Eyre is my favorite book of all time. There may still be a book or two out there or one yet to be written that will challenge this ranking, but until then, Jane Eyre sits on top.

·     I first saw a preview for this film months ago, and the hype has been building in my head ever since. I have mentally been preparing to see yet another take on this my favorite text.

·     And then there was a delay in seeing the film because it was not widely released. I had to wait 3 weeks until it came to Indiana. (Oh the agony!) The delay only mounted my suspense and eagerness.  

·     I like the actor playing the male lead role of Mr. Edward Fairfax Rochester. Michael Fassbender, a German-born Irish actor, has been on my radar ever since Hex. Don’t judge me. Fact: I have a thing for the supernatural. It is what it is.

·     I watched several film clips online times before I got to see the film in its entirety. The clips (like this one) mesmerized me and gave me hope. (Sigh!)

Alas, it was a false hope, and the film did not deliver.

1.    The sparkling chemistry between the lead roles in the film clip (like the one linked above) WAS the extent of the passion in the period film. Thus just watching the clips would have provided me with the best of. So sad!

2.    Some of my favorite lines and scenes in the book were ignored or twisted into unrecognizable dialogue.

3.    I found the LOST-esque visits between Jane in the present and Jane in the past to be rather wobbly and dizzying. I started to wonder if Mrs. Rochester would appear as a smoke monster in this version? It might have actually worked, too, and then that would have been something to talk about.

4.    I dislike the taint of 21st century ideals on 19th century literature. Everyone seems keen to portray Jane as an early feminist, as if that was the author’s sole intent with this work of fiction. I recognize that Charlotte Brontë isn’t here to confirm or deny any such theories. Personally, I have always read Jane Eyre as a love story, but call it feminist rhetoric if it pleases you.

When I left the theatre, I was disappointed. I had wanted so much more from this film. But honestly, I will probably relent a bit and feel less strongly about it upon further acquaintance. In due course, I’ll buy the DVD and add it to my collection because I’ll need it to complete my set, of course. In a year or two, I will find more merits within the piece that will partially redeem it. And eventually, another film will spring up and cause me to delight in this 2011 version even more.

Call me fickle, but I rather see it as my dwindling expectations. Perhaps, I’ll expect less the next time.

Something Borrowed

Today, I’m borrowing from my sister’s blog and writing about a couple of things I like.*

Paul Mitchell’s Super Skinny ®Serum

I was skeptical about using this product. (Shocking, I know!) But I have drawers full of straightening and smoothing hair products that have been of little or no use to me in my ongoing struggle with my hair. Thus, my hair expectations were low when trying yet another product.

The fact is that I have less than naturally straight hair – aka kinky, wavy, frizzy, etc., – and so I am always on the lookout for a product that can help tame and smooth (i.e. control) each cuticle originating from my head. Over the holidays and at the suggestion of the aforementioned sister, I picked up a combo pack of the Super Skinny ® Daily Shampoo and the Super Skinny ® Serum, but until recently, I had not used it regularly.

I opted to make the switch two (2) days ago (yes, you read that correctly – only 2 days ago), and the results have been staggering! The Super Skinny ® Serum really seems to calm my wild and crazy hair down, and I like it. My hair is soft, playful and faux straight without too much effort. And should I ever tire of the smooth, sleek look of refined, professional hair, I can always go back to the other straightening products (in those full drawers I mentioned earlier) and once again get my fill of big, wacky hair.

My only complaint is that the Super Skinny ® Daily Shampoo and Super Skinny ® Serum are not recommended for similar smoothing and sleeking effects when used on hips, thighs and the stomach area. Oh if only… Mental Note: Write Paul Mitchell a letter and make the suggestion.

Extra ® Dessert Delights Sugarfree Gum

Wrigley introduced this new line of gum in 2010, and I have enthusiastically sampled all 3 of the decadent flavors.

Key Lime Pie was the early running favorite with a strong burst of lime goodness. It was like a dessert, hence the “Dessert Delights” title of the gum. YUM!

Strawberry Shortcake was tasty. I liked it, but it could not surpass my love of Key Lime Pie. It was forever a runner-up in my book.

However, when I tried the Mint Chocolate Chip, everything changed in an instant. A beautiful relationship was born between this girl and her gum. It was a blissful union! We have been soul mates ever since, and nothing must ever come between us.

*DISCLAIMER: No promotions, freebies or exchange of products or services have been offered to the writer of the blog above upon any condition that the said author provide this information to the general public in like manner. The author merely wished to share the words above in an effort to disseminate information. That being said, any future offers from the vendors above or other vendors will be readily reviewed and assessed by an opportunistic panel to judge their deemed value and worth to the said writer.  

Love Me Some Words on a Page

Call me old-fashioned, but I still love books. You know those mostly rectangular objects with inked words all over their paper pages. Yeah, those things – well, I love them. This isn’t news to you, I’m sure. I’ve blogged about my obsession before.

I have friends enjoying their iPads, their Kindles and Nooks, but I just can’t do it. You can’t cuddle with an electronic device. (sputter) OK, maybe you can, but I don’t want to go there.

What I meant to say is that I personally like to curl up with a good book. I get comfy in my favorite chair, wrap up in my Snuggie (HA!) and completely lose myself in a world of someone else’s making. Somehow, I just don’t get the same happy feeling holding a slim gadget in my hand and flipping from screen to screen. Where is the magic in that? Something feels lost in the transition to a dull flat screen.

A month ago, I read a 200 page novella on my cell phone. It was the only resource at my disposal to finish the document on my mini-vacation in North Carolina. And while I loved the story, I didn’t like reading it on my phone. It just wasn’t the same.

I was nostalgic for something more. I wanted the sweet sensation of a book in my hands, preferably hardback. I wanted the smell of the ink on the page. I wanted the potential for paper cuts as I turned each delicate page for myself. Yes, I confess, I wanted something less Eco-friendly.

And so, I continue to stock my shelves with various titled volumes. I’m not ready to let go of them. I might be conserving on printed documents in the office, I might be recycling as often as I am able, but I’m not ready to give up my books. Please don't judge me too severely.

I Am a Rotic...

I read and re-read classic books about the ongoing quest for love.

I watch romantic films and epic love stories.

I stir with the lyrical voices of the romantic poets.

I listen to love songs and sappy musicals with a heartfelt sigh.

Yes, I’m a rotic. A romantic without a man in my life. I dream, write and hope to find a love of my own one day. I want it deeply. I crave it. I long for it, and yet it has eluded me completely. It baffles me. It frustrates me. It ticks me off. It teases me, and yet, it seems forever a part of me. I find I can’t completely turn it off. I’ve tried.

I can tune it out for a period. I can avoid chic flicks and run from Masterpiece Theatre. I can hide the poetry and lock away my favorite books. I can drown out the sounds of Michael Bublé in my head with some Nickelback.

But it doesn’t change who I am. I’m a passionate thing. I feel deeply, always have. I can run from that desire and pretend the ache does not exist. OR I can simply accept the longing as part of who I am. It doesn’t define me entirely. It’s just another aspect of my personality, my character.

Hello. My name is Melanie, and I’m a rotic/romantic, but it is just a slice of who I am...

Sharing a Little Twilight Magic

Normally, I confess, I’m not big on hype. If everyone gushes over something, I tend to stand back. I guess I assume if everyone likes it, I won’t. However, when I am told that I should not read a book or see a certain film, it’s gonna be an automatic magnetic draw on my very soul to do the exact opposite. I don’t like dogmatic statements being made without any evidence or someone taking a personal stance against a book or a film WITHOUT having seen it for themselves. I don’t believe in just passing along the same message without actual knowledge for myself. I like to make up my own mind about things.

And so it was that I delved into the Harry Potter series several years ago. Someone bashed the books in my presence and called them pure evil. I pointedly asked if they had read the books for themselves, and they had not. They were just spouting what they had heard second or third-hand. I immediately picked up the first book, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Essentially, the same thing happened with Twilight. I saw the first film on DVD early in 2009 after there was such an outcry against the books and the film from the Christian right. I loved the first film and immediately jumped into the 4-book series by Stephenie Meyer. I was mesmerized with the passionate journey of Bella and Edward from the get-go. I own all of the films and am eagerly awaiting the 4th and 5th film installations, which will split the final book in the series between them. WOOHOO!!

Well, it has been nearly 2 years since my own Twilight infection, and I guess it was time I spread my affliction and corrupted others. About a month ago, my sister Barbara and my friend Lisa came to my place for a girls’ weekend. On Sunday morning, I was in the living room flipping channels, and as luck would have it, the first Twilight film was playing on cable. I watched a few minutes before Lisa and Barbara joined me on the couch. It was one of my favorite scenes, where Bella first spots the Cullen family, and so the 3 of us watched the film for a few moments before dashing off to church. After that brief introduction, both Lisa and Barbara said that they were curious to see the film for themselves, and so we talked about watching it later after church. So, you guessed it. That afternoon we watched the first film, and they liked it.

THEY REALLY LIKED IT!

Barbara had to head home after the first film, but Lisa stayed to watch the 2nd and 3rd films that night before driving back to Cincinnati. And from there, it all began. Both of them eagerly got right into the books and subsequently devoured everything on Twilight within days. They have read the books, have seen all the films (more than once), have bought all the soundtracks, have poked around Twilight sights online, etc.

Yes, I believe they have now surpassed my own obsession. Maybe. I've just had 2 years to work on keeping my cool. HA!

Red Riding Hood

I made it to see Red Riding Hood this weekend and found the scenery, setting and storyline familiar like an old friend. This is not the fairy tale I grew up with; although cleverly, there were scenes and dialogue thrown in for that nostalgia affect. It wasn’t completely brand new.

This was a fresh take on an old story, and yet it was familiar somehow, like catching up with an old friend. A lot of that has to do with the director. This is after all a Catherine Hardwicke film, who is best-known as the director of Twilight. And this her latest film also left me breathless.

Red Riding Hood is not Twilight, but it has a similar style, landscape and even a lover’s triangle. It is not an Oscar contender. It is not perfect and was more than slightly predictable, and yet, I liked it frivolous though it may be. I loved seeing a familiar actor in quite a different father role this time around. Oh yes, I enjoyed the ride, the intensity and chemistry between characters! And the end left me wishing for more because I knew the story was really just beginning.

No, fairy tales aren’t just for Disney any more...I'm glad.

Needing a Do-Over

I’d like to go back in the recent past and re-do a “getting to know you” moment. I’d like another crack at that conversation, a second chance to make a first impression.

I didn’t say anything I regret. I wasn’t rude. I wasn’t unkind. I wasn’t much of anything really. I clammed up. I was quiet and a bit reserved without trying to be. I listened and responded appropriately, but I was not myself at all.

I was more Jane than Lizzie.

Call it nerves of attraction, I guess. I was intrigued. I was curious. Very curious. But I’m not sure I portrayed that what with my catatonic pose and serene demeanor. I shut down and retreated into my head out of angst. I did little to contribute to the conversation other than a nod or two, a trance-like smile and a couple of yes or no answers. I gulped and seemingly swallowed my personality.

I’m laughing at myself. I am. And while I don’t know if I’ll ever get a do-over with this particular person, I’d like to imagine I could…

Aching for Beauty

I think each of us ache for beauty. Sometimes we catch a glimpse of it, and it is more than we can handle here in the present. It doesn’t resonate with the other things in our lives – the chaos, the hatred, the pain, the struggles. Somehow just a peek at something pure or less tainted creates a dissonance within. It leaves us longing for that something else. Longing for more! We long for something else perhaps less defined. I think most of us - Christian or non-Christian – hope for more. We crave something we can’t always identify.

I think certain longings or desires aren’t meant to be over-ridden or ignored. I think these are the outcry of our souls, searching for something we can’t find within. We long for something else – a deeper communion, a perfect harmony with something outside ourselves.

It is magical.

It is mystical.

And yet it is real.

C.S. Lewis said it best: “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in the world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”

It is a dissatisfaction with our current status, and yet, I believe it is all good...

Thoughts on Aging

Another year has gone by again, but I refuse to mope about my age. In fact, from now on, I will be choosing to embrace it. After all, I can’t stop the clock from ticking. OK, so a vampire could bite me and grant me immortality instantly, but I’m not counting on it. How many Edward Cullens could there possibly be out there? HA!

So, here I am at 37. I’m not gonna panic at that next decade marker, which is swiftly approaching. I am not afraid of you, big “4-0.” You don’t scare me any more. You are just a number after all.

“Don’t be afraid of death. Be afraid of the unlived life. You don’t have to live forever. You just have to live.” ~from Tuck Everlasting~