a christmas tradition: little women

A few nights ago, my sister and I held our 4th (possibly 5th...can't remember) annual Christmas-time viewing of one of our favorite films, Little Women. Her husband joined us this time, which was a little distracting since he made fun of it throughout : (. Nevertheless, it was a brilliant two hours, as always.

How can I explain my love of this movie? The story is so simple and sweetly triumphant. It is about growing up, sisterly affection, wanting to do something great but not knowing how, and most of all, love. This film has had such an effect on me that I even named my blog after it. Orchard House is the name of the March's home and is the main song title of the movie, which is truly one of my all-time favorite instrumental pieces. An orchard is a place where things grow and are cultivated, usually trees. In Little Women, it is the March girls who grow into young women, and on here, this blog, it is me attempting to cultivate my writing skills and capture some of my growth as a young adult. Thus, "Orchard House".

So grab your sisters, your friends, or whoever, and watch Little Women this holiday season. I suggest hot chocolate to better the event.

*I know LW is not necessarily a "Christmas movie". But, it was originally released during the holidays, and it is etched in my mind as a Christmas movie - it just has that essence. Enjoy!

london (i wish) fog

Observation of the day: Fog is beautiful. I knew this already, but it is an especially foggy evening and it looks so lovely surrounding the many trees in my front and back yards. I'm appreciating it for the first time in a long while. So, if you're privileged enough to have it, enjoy the fog. Try not to drive in it, though.

You visit the earth and cause it to overflow; You greatly enrich it...

Psalm 65:9

movies i have seen, as of late

It has been a while since I have "movie-reviewed". I did it in bulk a while back just to see if I really enjoyed it, because I always have sort of joked about how I think I'd enjoy being a movie critic. And you know, I don't know if I really do. I just feel silly trying to write about movies in that much detail and be so critical. And trying to be so clever. I just don't have the energy when I get on this blog. Nevertheless, my love of movies remains, and I want to share my thoughts, so....short summary of opinions for now. And have I seen some good ones in the last few weeks! (By the way, I have realized I'm not as eager to review movies I didn't enjoy so much, like Couples Retreat and Where the Wild Things Are - not a sign of a true critic).

The Twilight Saga: New Moon. I think this movie was really well-done, despite what critics say. It must be viewed in the context of this story and its target audience. This means, among other things, that yes, Robert Pattinson does seem overly-dramatic, because that is his character. Bella and Edward's relationship is sickeningly unhealthy and kind of annoying to watch, because, yep, that's the way Stephenie wrote it. I feel like this film series should get a little more credit. They have done a good job with the base material. And, this doesn't usually happen, but I think I liked this movie better than the actual book...

The Blind Side. Wow, good movie! I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. I thought, "Hmm, Sandra Bullock as a blonde, Southern woman...no thank you." She did wonderfully. As did Tim McGraw (he can act) and especially, pretty-much-newcomer Quinton Aaron who plays Michael Oher. I didn't know about this story at all before seeing the movie, and it is a beautiful one. What really stirs me is the way the Tuohy family took in Michael not to make themselves look good before men, but because it was simply within their reach to do and it was the right thing to do. It reminds me of this verse: "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it." Proverbs 3:27. They took the resources they had, being good stewards of their wealth, to help a young man live day-to-day and to give him opportunities for a future outside of a crime-ridden neighborhood.

Precious. Claireece Precious Jones' story will hurt your heart, bottom line. I am in gross awe of what goes on in some homes. I think everyone should see it. It's heart-breaking, and very funny at times, too.

Brothers. You've seen the trailer, right? And you think you've figured out the movie, right? No. Way different than I thought, which is always refreshing : ) and in this case, good. It's intense, but an intense that you can handle. It's upsetting without being disturbing (to me, there's a huge difference). Tobey Maguire is Oscar-worthy, for sure, in his role as marine Sam Cahill. And, with Tobey, Natalie Portman, and Jake Gyllenhaal, it's impossible to have anything but a great movie.

dresses from anthropologie

This is the result of browsing the internet to get some "Christmas list" ideas. I don't really want anything in particular, but of course my Mom wants to have something to go by. I don't need anything, especially not these super-cute dresses from Anthro. Just dreaming!

Thanksgiving Day 2009

I hope everyone has had a nice day off with family and friends, enjoying wonderful homemade food, and that you've had a chance to stop and feel thankful for all these things. I know I almost didn't really stop to think about giving thanks. I was pretty preoccupied most of the day with eating food and looking forward to more food and trying not to be awkward at my always-kind-of-awkward family get-togethers. But it was a good day.

Truthfully, I don't want to list out every little thing I'm thankful for. I've got to get up early tomorrow for work (black friday/iron bowl day? sadly, yes.) so I need to go to bed. But what is encouraging is this: over these past three or so days I've been trying to think of everything I'm thankful for, all that I've been blessed with, every little small delight of every day life, and downsize it in to blog form. And the truth is that there is so much to choose from...and I've realized just how much we have to be thankful for. Have I said "thankful" enough?

And, I usually don't do this, but WAR EAGLE for tomorrow!

thanks 2

I have been listening to this song: "He's Always Been Faithful" by Sara Groves. Everything in the past He has done and is doing now...isn't He so worthy of thanks?

Morning by morning I wake up to find

The power and comfort of God’s hand in mine

Season by season I watch Him, amazed

In awe of the mystery of His perfect ways

All I have need of, His hand will provide

He’s always been faithful to me.

I can’t remember a trial or a pain

He did not recycle to bring me gain

I can’t remember one single regret

In serving God only, and trusting His hand

All I have need of, His hand will provide

He’s always been faithful to me.

This is my anthem, this is my song

The theme of the stories I’ve heard for so long

God has been faithful, He will be again

His loving compassion, it knows no end

All I have need of, His hand will provide

He’s always been faithful, He’s always been faithful

He’s always been faithful to me.

More things that I'm thankful for...

• My time at Auburn. College was four years long. I had eighteen previous years before attending Auburn. But most of my convictions and life perspective that I have now were shaped by those four little years. Auburn is where I really began to grow spiritually. In short, I think a whole lot differently now than I have for the greater part of my life, and it's crazy to think about what I was missing.
• Blogs. I have found over the past few months how great blogs are for keeping up with the lives of friends who are not physically right beside you. You can hear about his or her day just with a click of a mouse. I know, I know, you can call, but sometimes it's kind of hard not to get into a game of phone tag. Also, it's fun to read blogs of people you don't know. There are a lot of interesting peeps out there. As far as my blog goes, I am thankful to have it because it's kind of like a challenge for me - to be myself. I'm trying to use it to share things vulnerably for the good of others, without worrying about anyone judging how good it is or how cool I am. It's a challenge every single time.
• Good Health. I think all of us who generally have good health totally forget to be thankful for it. Or maybe it's just me. If we remember to be thankful for it, we will probably work harder on maintaining it (I'm talking to myself here). For instance - I have legs, not everybody does, so I should take joy in running! Am I being weird? It's getting late...
• Trees. What if the whole earth were desert? That would be a pretty bleak world. Trees are beautiful, and I am thankful to have so many in my back and front yards (my mom's insistence on "privacy").
• Ice cold water. I am convinced that nothing on earth is more quenching of legitimate physical thirst. It is by far my favorite beverage. And I am thankful we have clean water here, as many in the world do not.

I'm getting tired. Maybe tomorrow I will not write a paragraph about each thing I am thankful for, and just list random little ones. After all, there are endless simple things to be thankful for.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving Day tomorrow!

thanks

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Psalm 107:1

Thanksgiving is Thursday. I think this week might be a good time to list some of the things for which I am thankful. I believe it's important, well, really essential, that we give thanks all the time, everyday, for good things and bad things. But since we have a national holiday called "Thanksgiving" and everyone has got "thanks" on the brain (or maybe just food) I think this might be fun. I'll stretch the list out over the next few days - things I'm thankful for always and things I'm especially thankful for today.

I am thankful for...

• God. That He exists, that He is good, that He sent His Son for us, that He loves us, that He talks to us, that we can talk to Him, that He is sovereign and the blessed controller of all things, that He is creative, and for all the other infinite things He is. All the rest of this list, anything I can ever be thankful for, is from Him and for Him.
• Family. I am talking blood-kin. It is really cool to think that there are people who have been around since you were born, day in and day out, who know your history and know you like no other people in the world. They have shaped you in a way that no one else has. I know family looks different for everyone. Specifically, I am thankful to have two parents who love each other and a sister and a brother-in-law who are my best friends.
• Friendship. The truth is, people need people. You can't really exist with out some connection with another. A beautiful form of this connection is friendship, something I am still learning about and appreciating. I do know that I'm thankful for every friend I've ever had - think about how many friends, even acquaintances, you've been blessed to have over the span of your life, even if you don't keep in touch anymore. They were necessary for that moment in your life.
• Food. What a gift! We have so many different kinds, so as not to grow tired of any one thing. And, it's an excuse to hang out with people (how many people did you "grab lunch" with in college?) And the fact that we have it in abundance in America when there are literally millions out there who don't, I am thankful. I am not, however, happy that we don't seem to want to share the wealth.
• Music. Music is such a mystery to me. Isn't it beautiful evidence that some invisible things are very real? The fact that sooo many different compositions can be created out of thin air, just using a few instruments and voices, or without one or the other, and that they can evoke such emotion in us, is mind-blowing - and a huge blessing.

Today, I'm thankful for...

• My bed. Bet you didn't see that one coming. But, since I have been sick, I have spent mostly all of my time in it, and it has been quite a place of solace for me. And every time I see The Blind Side trailer, it makes me very thankful that I have a bed (it's true).
• Doctors/medicine. It's a huge blessing we have the resources to make us well when we're ill, and I think I take that for granted a lot.
• C.S. Lewis. I've been rereading The Great Divorce today and will probably finish it tonight (it's a really fast read). If some of Lewis' books seem a little over your head (sometimes, I just have to refer to the dictionary way too much while reading him), you should try his fiction. They are easier and way thought-provoking.
• My mom and dad. The roommates are being especially thoughtful and helpful to me while I am under the weather. Yes, I am being babied. And yes, I enjoy it (every once in a while : ) ).
• "Shelter" by Sandra McCracken. Sarah listed this on her blog as one of her favorite songs ever, so I decided to look it up. Whoa so good. I have been listening to it pretty frequently the past couple of days. Thank you, Sarah!

More tomorrow.

sick

After about two full weeks of frequently sneezing and a bit of a runny nose (sorry if you're grossed out), I think it's official that I have contracted a pretty bad cold. I knew this for sure yesterday afternoon when my mom and I had just gotten to the beach to shop for the day. I had this sudden terrible sick feeling that hasn't left me since. So, I have been in bed all day, trying to take it easy so as not to get any worse for the work week. I really don't want to get anybody else sick, like, the public that I constantly interact with at my job...so I probably shouldn't even go. But I think work is a little different than school. You can't just miss. And I know I get time off, but I don't want to have to do that right away. And, hey, I may feel totally better by the morn!

In other news, I saw New Moon last night.

Ultra dramatic pic, eh? I want to give a real review of it after I see it again. But I will say that I really enjoyed it, possibly more than the first, and...as much as I can never decide between Edward and Jacob, I am definitely leaning more towards the wolf pack these days.

And YAY for Thanksgiving Week! Hopefully I will be making some time to do some "I'm thankful for..." posts throughout the week.

true

I know of nothing more agitating to the soul, nothing that so unsettles and disquiets, as the contemplation of the self.

Elisabeth Elliot

back to the tube

Growing up, I loved TV. Since I was little and all the way through high school, I basically had shows lined up that I could not miss most nights of the week. And I pretty much had the Disney Channel memorized 7th-9thish grade. As a college student, though, I kind of bailed on TV. I dedicated most of my watching-time to movies. I think it's because I was actually busy in college, unlike childhood and high school, where I had the routine "school in the daytime, hang out at the house/do nothing at nighttime". The college life "routine" is so unpredictable and fast-paced, is it not (in a good way, most of the time!)? Only in the last half of my college experience did I pick up on "Greek" and "The Office", both of which I still struggled to keep up with despite their goodness.

But now, as a new post-grad for the last three months, and just recently employed, having more than enough time on my hands because of the lack of an established schedule and virtually no friends in town (with very precious exceptions), I have fallen under the weekly TV line-up spell yet again! Here's what my nights look like lately:

Monday:
Greek

The best thing to come out of ABC Family, maybe ever. The season actually just ended, so come to think of it, Mondays are open again for me.

Tuesday:


The Hills The City

I am quite surprised at my new addiction to two of MTV's basically-scripted reality shows. But I cannot stop watching. I've watched "The Hills" from time to time, and have always been annoyed by it (and still kind of am). There's really no explanation for why I'm interested. There is virtually no content. "The City" is the better show of the two. There is actually a plot to each episode, not solely about relationship troubles, but rather, career issues. I really like to see how each of the girls deals with the assignments they're given and their sometimes (well, most of the time) difficult bosses and work environments. And, it all revolves around fashion, which is fun!

Wednesday:

Cougar Town

Ok, so, Courteney Cox is actually funny. Who knew? I realize she was on one of the best comedy shows ever, but she was always my least favorite Friend. When I first heard about "Cougar Town", I thought, "That show will fail." But I think it may succeed! Courteney plays a crazy Miami divorcee, Mom to a high-school senior, and date-er of men close to twenty years her junior. Her escapades, along with the witty banter with her assistant played by Busy Philipps (one of my all time favorites - see "Freaks and Geeks"), are surprisingly really entertaining to me.

Thursday:

Grey's Anatomy The Office

After a maybe three-season hiatus, I have returned to "Grey's". Plain and simple, it's a well-written show. I just got really tired of the relationship stuff, mainly that of Meredith and Derek. Luckily, this season they are probably the least shown characters and their troubles are basically resolved (so we think). Maybe that's why I like it again... Plus, tons of fresh new faces due to the Seattle Grace - Mercy West merger! (Wow, grace and mercy, just noticed that.)

And "The Office". Of course! Wedding episode - definitely my favorite of the season so far.

Friday:

Degrassi

Please don't judge. It's just funny.

Am I missing anything?

today = big step

I am employed and I really can't believe it. God is so good and has faithfully answered my almost year-long prayer of what my "next step" will be, and I am at peace. To be clear, I'm defining this next step as place of residence and employment. For me, it is Dothan and training to be a bank teller/learner of all things "bank". Neither of these was my first pick. I'm living in my parents' house...I mean, c'mon (but I do love them). Job-wise, I'm pretty much still lost as to what God wants me to "be". But I do know He wants me to be obedient to Him, to love Him, to know and be known by Him, to serve Him and people in every small way He allows. And I'm excited to get to do that in this new situation He has brought me to!

Today was my first day at work and last night, I was trying to pick out the perfect "first day" business casual outfit. I was definitely struggling. I need to do some major conservative shopping. I actually looked up "business casual attire" in Google images and the above picture was one result. Yikes. Check out that "Most Recommended" outfit (and pretty much all the rest are disturbing, too, wouldn't you say?).

a lack of blogging in my life at the moment

I miss blogging. I promise we will be friends again soon, Orchard House.

indecision

Elisabeth Elliot's daily devotional really hit me today. It hit me hard.

Title: Indecision

Author: Elisabeth Elliot

It is painfully obvious that many young people today have an awful time making up their minds about anything. They're not "really sure" what college to go to, what to major in, whom to room with, what career to prepare for, whether or whom to marry, whether to bother with children if they do marry, when to bother with them, what to do with them if they get them, whether to attempt to instill any values in their children (not to make up your mind on this issue is, of course, already to have instilled a value in the mind of the child).

Garry Trudeau, author of the cartoon "Doonesbury," has noticed this prevalent indecisiveness. In one strip he has a young man appearing for an interview with the president of an advertising company.

"So you want to be an ad man, eh, son?" says the executive.

"Well, I think so, sir," says the youth. "I mean, I can't be certain, of course, but it seemed worth looking into, you know, to see if it worked out, if it felt right and... I... uh..."

I guess there's nothing new about indecision. James wrote about it in his epistle, and he shows that the remedy for it is trust. He tells us to ask for wisdom if we don't know what to do. "But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to tell you, for a doubtful mind will be as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind; and every decision you then make will be uncertain, as you turn first this way and then that. If you don't ask with faith, don't expect the Lord to give you any solid answer" (James 1:6-8, LB).

I am the youth in this example. I haven't really been asking the Lord for wisdom in the area of my vocation. I believe He has a plan, but rather than actively seeking it with whole-hearted faith, I am more often throwing small pity parties for myself, continually regretting things in the past even when I know they weren't mistakes. Basically, I have been doubting. Praise God for these verses today! What a reminder to ask with faith.

book recommendation: the reason for god by timothy keller

As a child, the plausibility of a faith can rest on the authority of others, but when we reach adulthood there is a need for personal, firsthand experience as well.

Tim Keller, The Reason for God

I just finished The Reason for God yesterday. Wow. I have never read an argument for Christianity quite like this, and I have definitely never seen doubts about God and Christianity, as well as religion in general, so well-addressed. By "well-addressed" I mean that Tim Keller, who is a Christian, discusses each common doubt, and all the threads of thought that would make a person doubt, without a condescending or judging voice. They are reasonable doubts, that many believers might have had or still have. There are also reasons for faith that are addressed. Thus, the book is divided into two parts: First, "The Leap of Doubt", in which Keller discusses the 7 doubts that he as a pastor in New York City has most often been approached with over the past twenty years, such as "How Could a Good God Allow Suffering?" and "Science Has Disproved Christianity". Second, he discusses "The Reasons for Faith" in which he not only states Christian beliefs, but why they are reasonable and valid, such as "The Problem of Sin" and "The Reality of the Resurrection". Keller includes thoughts from literary, religious, philosophical, and scientific thinkers, as well as pieces of real-life conversations he has had with contemporary New Yorkers throughout his years in the city.

This book is for skeptics and believers. I would recommend it to anyone who has an inkling we might not just be "hanging out here". To learn more, check out the website here.

comments

Newsflash: Posting comments on this site is now possible. (I am not begging for comments here, it has just been brought to my attention that comments don't work on my blog, so my computer-savvy bro-in-law figured it out for me).

movie review: whip it

Drew Barrymore's directorial debut is a success! Ellen Page plays Bliss Cavendar, a high-schooler living in a small Texas town outside of Austin, wishing for something exciting to come along in her life to distract her from her pageant-obsessed mother's demands. And something does come along when she sneaks into the city one night and discovers the ridiculous (ridiculously awesome) world of Roller Derby. She soon joins the league, meets a boy, and shenanigans ensue. I thoroughly enjoyed Whip It, a fun and inventive film, and I'll tell you why...

More than anything, it is the incredible cast that makes this movie worth seeing. And, of course, the fact that it is about Roller Derby. How often do those come around? Ellen Page, as she did in Juno, plays the leading teen-lady well while the rest of the "Hurl Scouts", including Kristen Wiig and Drew Barrymore, provide hilarious romp. Others in the Roller Derby pack are Jimmy Fallon, Andrew Wilson (yes, Owen and Luke have an older brother and he is a funny man, indeed), and Juliette Lewis, who is always amazing and is actually quite the "mean-y" in this role, which is new for her and very funny to watch. Alia Shawkat is the wild, but studious, best friend and Marcia Gay Harden and Daniel Stern play Bliss' parents, the latter of whom I haven't really seen since Bushwacked, but is as big of a hoot as ever. The weakness in the cast would definitely have to be in the form of singer Landon Pigg, who plays the love interest. This is his first movie, and I'm not sure if he's planning on any others, but if he is...yikes. Yet, something about his character was oddly believable, so I have to give him some credit for being most like a "real person".

It's a good mix of comedy and drama, and good comedy and good drama, at that. So..."put some skates on and be your own hero", and see this movie.

movie review: away we go

It's hard to tell yet, but I think I might have loved it. Sam Mendes has cranked out another awesome movie (see American Beauty and Revolutionary Road).

John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph are a magic match as a couple who, upon finding out they're pregnant, embark on a journey across America to find a suitable home for starting a new life with their first child. They bee-bop from city to city, meeting up with friends and family and family-friends, all of whom teach them their own personal slice about raising children, building a home, and staying in love.

The look of this movie is beautiful and fresh. Whether they're stopping on the side of the road next to an endless green field or sitting on a trampoline in a brother's backyard late at night, the two lovers travel among natural beauty, with the enchanting music of Alexi Murdoch humming in the background all along the way.

I was very skeptical about John and Maya "working" as a couple on screen...I couldn't see it. I thought, "She's funny, and he's funny, and they're both very different kinds of funny...and how's that going to work?" But I was honestly and pleasantly surprised! They both retained their funny personas, but each played totally unique and original characters. By this I mean Jim Halpert is not in this movie, and neither is Donatella Versace (Get ouuuut!). I love John's character, Burt. He is so caring of his girlfriend and innocently optimistic and curious. It is just cute. And Maya, who I've never seen act except as an SNL funny-woman, is so quietly and sensibly witty as Verona. It is easy to watch them together. Along with these two are a string of actors that I always seem to enjoy. Maggie Gyllenhaal is hilariously annoying, and Allison Janney can do no wrong. Chris Messina and Paul Schneider also add a lot as two loving, but distraught, father figures.

This film is warm. It's an authentic look at two people who are in love, a steady, committed love, who don't have it all figured out, but are discovering it all together. They question the past and are anxious about the future. It's warm because we can relate to that. The conflict is simply...life.

being blessed by christmas music...in october

I went for a walk in the park this morning with my mom. Oh how good it felt, what clean crisp air! It definitely feels like fall, but I noticed that the trees and shrubs around me are looking especially green, oddly. Maybe they appear the greenest right before their leaves start to change, who knows (probably not). They just looked so beautiful and lush today. (Mind you, I can't wait until they change into those pretty oranges, reds, and yellows). This song came on my shuffle...it was "Joy to the World" by Sufjan Stevens, which is on his AMAZING Christmas album. I was just completely blessed by it, the words and the music, as I was surrounded by His beauty in the park. This song is not just for Christmas. I think we should sing it year-round. Take another look:

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders, of His love.

movie review: the last king of scotland

But first, in honor of the first day of October, a quote from Anne of Green Gables:

"Oh, Marilla," she exclaimed one Saturday morning, coming dancing in with her arms full of gorgeous boughs. "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn't it? Look at these maple branches. Don't they give you a thrill - several thrills?"

On to the review. Before renting this movie on Netflix, I actually thought this movie might be set in Scotland. No, no, no....try Uganda. An Oscar-winning performance by Forest Whitaker plus James McAvoy was all I needed to know to be interested, never mind the story. And a story it is! In 1970, a young Scottish doctor (McAvoy) straight out of medical school decides to pack up and practice in Uganda, for an apparently much needed change of scenery. After being there for only a short time, he crosses paths with the newly elected Ugandan president, Idi Amin (Whitaker), who is soon impressed by Dr. Garrigan's ability to act fast in a crisis. Garrigan is invited to be Amin's personal physician, and he accepts. But what the doctor will soon discover is that the seemingly lovable president will resort to fatal measures in order to gain and sustain power and a good public image.

I can't say I wasn't disturbed after watching. Some of the images, one in particular, are too brutal to stomach. But this film was undeniably impressive and the story very intriguing. Garrigan and Amin's relationship is kind of mesmerizing, gradually evoking suspense throughout the film. Whitaker's performance really is deserving (he managed to be both vicious and hilarious) and McAvoy was perfect as the doctor, believably immature yet responsible. I also really enjoyed seeing 1970s Africa, from tribal villages to the president's beautiful mansion (he also has a White House!). And, the music was surprisingly really good, and definitely added to the exciting, adventurous environment that Garrigan gets to experience (in the first half of the movie, anyway). Once again, I learned a lot about another country that I didn't know before. Ida Amin was a dictator that ruled Uganda from 1970-1979, when he was finally overthrown, for good reason. Sadly, Nicholas Garrigan is a fictional character (I wanted his part to be true!) Overall, a good flick. Oh, but it also had like three of those unnecessary sex scenes that you will want to fast forward through, just so you know. Really not necessary.

on movie reviewing

I'm on a movie review/film critique/whatever you want to call it kick. This is because 1) I have been watching many a movie lately (I have ample time, and I decided to do the one-month free trial of Netflix, which is going to be very hard for me to cancel in a couple of weeks!) and 2) (and most importantly) I love movies. If you know me at all, you probably know this. I love to watch them, talk about them, quote them, and learn about the stories and people behind them. I love them so much that I'm embarrassed about it. When I was 14, I started a list to record every movie that I had ever seen up to that point and every new one that I saw from then on (I stopped recording a few years ago). I have kept every movie ticket stub from every theater visit since 2004. I'm a huge imdb.com advocate.

And so what is it that I love about the screen so much? I'm discovering that it's a combination of several things. I'll go ahead and say they're entertaining (it is the "entertainment business", after all). Oftentimes, we want to just relax and see beautiful new places and faces. We want to laugh when life isn't so funny. But that is not all they can do for us. Some will say movies are an "escape" of feel-good bliss, but I'm finding the movies that are sometimes best are the ones that challenge the viewer to face something, some truth or difficult question. Also, film is an art form, a visual and audible story-telling. And what would we do without story? Through movies, we have the opportunity to digest stories in a visually-stimulating way. Screenwriters have a story to tell, whether it's their own or a famous novelist's or playwright's, and directors and producers and a multitude of others make that possible, with moving pictures. I think of movies as a reflection of human life, of our minds, our thoughts, of the questions we have and the joys we have seen and want to see.

It would be amazing to be a part of movie-making, but for now, I will enjoy sharing what I love, along with what I don't, about the films that are already out there. I have no formal way of reviewing, I just want to share a simple recording of my thoughts after viewing a new film (new for me, not necessarily new). And I promise that there will be no spoilers.

movie review: the kite runner

I watched The Kite Runner Friday night, not knowing anything about it except that it is critically-acclaimed. I would have to agree with them - it was A+. I love movies that give me global perspective, even though that renewed perspective is often accompanied by recognition of my own ignorance. For instance, I didn't know that the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in the late 1970s. In fact, I know hardly anything about Afghanistan.

The Kite Runner is the story of two young Afghan boys growing up in the late 1970s, one very wealthy and one very poor, who are first separated emotionally by a horrible injustice and then physically due to political events. After living in the United States for over a decade, privileged Amir is called to go back to his homeland, and once there, finds an amazing chance to help his childhood friend. It is both heartbreaking and joyful, disturbing and beautiful. The acting, music, cinematography, dialogue, everything, was exactly as it needed to be for this story. Each element breathed the film's message, summed best in it's tagline: "There is a way to be good again."

I couldn't help but become attached to these characters and their struggles, unimaginable struggles. It made me angry, and I love to feel angry sometimes, when it's about the right things. And these things really happen. They are the result of the twisted mind of man, hungry for power, fueled with pride, serving self. But with hate comes the opportunity for righteousness to appear, to make things the way they're supposed to be, the way they will one day be, the way God intended them to be. This movie, to me, is a small celebration of that truth!

I would like to read the book one day, but now that I know the story, I am hungry for another by author Khaled Hosseini. So I'm going to check out A Thousand Splendid Suns, his second novel, which tells the story of two Afghan women and how their lives intertwine. It sounds kind of like the "girl" version of The Kite Runner, so that's exciting.

Oh, and I kind of want to fly a kite now. When was the last time any of us did that?

the autumnal equinox

Today is the first official day of fall. Hooray! I celebrated by going to Michael's. Didn't really buy anything especially festive, only a scrapbook to record my adventures in Italy from over a year ago and other small things, but just being in there was enough of a treat. The store is just so celebratory of the seasons, wouldn't you agree?

I did not know that the first day of fall was called the autumnal equinox until this very year. Where have I been? Maybe I'm a dummy. I find this kind of funny because I probably wouldn't have even noticed this year if I had not listened to a new (I think it's new) song by Death Cab for Cutie called "Meet Me On The Equinox" last night, which will be featured in the much-anticipated New Moon, and thought, "What's an equinox?" They mentioned it on the Today Show this morning. There was that same funny word again, obviously having something to do with "equality" and the beginning of fall, so I looked up the term. Here's a portion of the def (from Wikipedia, my new best friend):

An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the Sun being vertically above a point on the Equator. The term equinox can also be used in a broader sense, meaning the date when such a passage happens.

Many people think we will see 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of night over this day and the next, but I did some research and the people who know say that doesn't really happen except for people actually on the equator (my sources could be faulty...I don't really know what I'm talking about) but this slice of information is kind of neat to think about:

On the Northern Hemisphere's autumnal equinox day, a person at the North Pole would see the sun skimming across the horizon, signaling the start of six months of darkness.

On the same day, a person at the South Pole would also see the sun skim the horizon, beginning six months of uninterrupted daylight.

Gives me the creeps. I'm glad I'm not on the North Pole. Anyway, yay for sweet autumn days.

and the search continues

I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. - Psalm 32:8

I can't believe it is mid-September already. I had a silent goal to be employed by the end of the month, and I think I have to let that go. Not because it's already the 17th and I still don't have a job and there aren't any shimmering prospects, but because I'm putting unneeded pressure on myself. I am walking with the Lord, seeking His will, applying for jobs, sending out resumes and cover letters, and talking to people. In short, I am trying. I could be a bit more bold, though, as is usually the case with me, so I am working on that. In the meantime, I am enjoying the rest God is giving me! Right now, for His own reasons, He is calling me to a time of quiet with my family. As much as I want to already be in the workforce and have a routine, I can't pick the date as to when that happens. I'm thankful that I have a family that loves me and is supporting me as I try to pursue the things that actually interest me. To get to those things, of course, I must. have. experience. Isn't that always the case? And to be honest, I really haven't even had enough experience to know what those things are that "actually interest me", as I said before. I think I have some hints, and I think I know what my interests are not. So, my goal for the coming weeks, month, whatever, is to be employed somewhere - to get experience.

I had an interview with a company last week, for a position I knew I didn't really want, in the area of accounting. I interviewed for the aforementioned reason - to get experience. Not only general job experience, but job experience relating to my actual degree (wild, right?) And that has been my logic up until really this week. Get a job that relates to finance or accounting - even though you were never really energized by the work in your classes and you never seemed as interested in the work as your peers and your favorite classes were your English, Writing, and Art History classes - so you can attach some meat and some value to that degree you got. Before the interview, I was a little worried that my true interests would come out based on the questions my interviewers would ask and the fact that I do not want to be an accountant and that I do not really like accounting at all might be discovered. And that was exactly what happened. I was found out. I was honest. I cannot "fake it 'til I make it". I couldn't lie to them and tell them I wanted to be an accountant with them for the next five, ten years. The interview confirmed what I already knew about myself. If I have to lie about myself to get a job, I do not want that job. So now, I am on the edge of abandoning the business side of me once and for all....but you should know I tend to weeble wobble on that issue.

Am I a bore with all this "job" talk? Being human, that's the job we all have. And it's a good job. Quite challenging, though!

ba de yah, dancing in september...

Ba de yah, never was a cloudy day... - Earth Wind and Fire

Sadly, it is a bit cloudy on this first day of September. But no matter, September has finally arrived! I have been pretending it is fall since mid-August, but now I am considering Fall 2009 to be officially here. The beginning of fall just makes me want to go out to Michael's and buy a bunch of art and craft supplies and fake flowers and pumpkins and all sorts of festive decor that I don't need. There is a freshness about fall that I never really appreciated until college, and I am excited to spend my first fall in my hometown since then. Have I said "fall" too much?

With the beginning of autumn comes the end of summer. The summer could not have closed in a better way for me than spending a blessed weekend in Fairhope, AL with some friends, relaxing by the bay, plus a little celebration of a friend's birth : ) Michelle's grandparents live in an absolute oasis in my opinion, a beautiful lot right on the bay, complete with a fantastic wharf. And oooh the food we were spoiled with...it was wonderful.

Two things I have become a big fan of as of late/at summer's end: Anne of Green Gables and (500) Days of Summer.

Let's start with Anne. I have always loved the movie, but had never read the book until now, prompted by my book club. I finished it this Saturday on the wharf in the late afternoon sunlight. It was such an "Anne moment" for me, surrounded by nature and all its vastness, beautiful friends, and quiet peace. I guess I call it an "Anne moment" because the heroine of this story makes one appreciate things, everyday things, that are actually of infinitely more importance than the things which often seem so important. For example, Anne, while in uncomfortable anticipation of year-end exams, "Girls, sometimes I feel as if those exams meant everything, but when I look at the big buds swelling on those chestnut trees and the misty blue air at the end of the streets they don't seem half so important." Anne Shirley is full of universal truths and inadvertent comments on society, and she is just plum funny. Lucy Maud Montgomery's style of writing is so whimsical and it matches perfectly with her title character's personality. And that is why I love this story, and plan to read the rest in the series.

I saw (500) Days of Summer about a week ago and wish I had written about it right after when it was fresh on my mind. But I do remember that I loved it. From opening (especially opening!) to ending credits, the experience was everything a "romantic comedy" cinema experience should be. As in, this movie proves that romantic comedies can be unpredictable, and they are usually better that way. (I do believe that there are many good romantic comedies that are predictable, also). I was very impressed with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who is not new to acting but is definitely new to leading roles, I think. He was surprisingly funny, too. Zooey Deschanel is one of my favorites and did not disappoint. She's so "spacey", and I love her for it. The style of the movie was brilliant. Very artistic! I don't have the proper words to describe why it was so brilliant, but it was. And we all know the soundtrack kicks. Just go see it, and don't watch the trailer first. I've found that movies, for me, anyway, are better when you don't know much about them first.

So goodbye summer, and hello fall. I am hoping it will be an adventurous one.

monday

Feeling weak and powerless? It's probably because we are. You should read 2 Chronicles 20.

the summer "hot list"...and the "not list"

I want to share the new things I have enjoyed or have become a fan of this summer in the form of music, movies, books, and many miscellaneous items. And here they are, in no particular order:

1. Brooke Fraser

A friend introduced me to Brooke's song"Albertine" a few months ago and I absolutely loved it. After receiving an Itunes gift card for my birthday in May, I bought her latest album, also titled "Albertine". Her voice is rich, her lyrics are insightful, and her music aesthetically pleasing. Other favorites include "Deciphering Me" and "The Thief". Check her out, yo!

2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Dur. I don't think I need to elaborate here. I'm a big Potter fan, so yeah, this is on the hot list. I don't know if it exceeded my expectations, but it definitely met them and very much pumped me up for some re-reading of the books and the seventh movie (due out in a year...).

3. Weddings

This was the "summer of weddings" for me. Four of my friends got married, two for which I was a bridesmaid. They are beautiful couples and I was blessed by attending each of the ceremonies. And since all of my Auburn friends are now parting ways, the weddings were great excuses to see each other : )

4. Zachary Quinto as "Spock" in Star Trek

What can I say, I developed a bit of a crush. And a rather odd one, at that.

5. Calm My Anxious Heart, by Linda Dillow

I bought this book at the beginning of the summer. I'd heard so much about this book over the past year, and, since the uncertainty of my future was and still is sadly causing me much anxiety, I thought it was the perfect time to buy it. It includes a twelve-week individual study in the back, which has been wonderful. One of my favorite quotes, actually not even of Linda's, but something she included in the chapter, "Content to Be Me": "He thought to gain a thing by doing, when the very thing desired was a being." - George MacDonald

6. Memphis, TN

My first visit to the city, and I approve. I was visiting friends, which was good in itself, and I just generally liked what I saw and where I went. This included a thorough tour of the Service Over Self (SOS) building and introduction to the organization (thanks, Colbs!), a Memphis Redbirds game, my first Memphis barbecue at Central BBQ, and a walk through downtown. On our walk, we stopped in the famous Peabody Hotel, which is "the hotel with the ducks", as Danielle calls it : ) We didn't get to see the ducks, but it was definitely a hoppin' and beautiful hotel.

7. "Arrested Development"

Ohhh wow. This might be the third funniest TV show of all time in my book, or tie with the other two ("The Office" and "Freaks and Geeks", of course). Buster's probably my fave.

8. A myriad of songs, namely, "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire, "A Last Reading" by Adrian Johnston, "Us" by Regina Spektor, "In a Sweater Poorly Knit" by Mewithoutyou, "Sex on Fire" by Kings of Leon, "Can't Take it in" by Imogen Heap, "Ageless Beauty" by Stars....

So some of these aren't exactly new, but they are new to me! And yes, I heard about most of them from movie soundtracks.

9. Shane and Shane

I am really, really late. They are great.

10. Job Searching/"Next Step" Seeking

It's exciting!

What "hot list" would be complete without a "not list"? Here are some things that did not impress me so much and kind of disappointed me this summer:

1. My Sister's Keeper

Yep, the book and the movie, which are completely and totally different. I wanted to be into it, but I'm just not.

2. Driving. Alot.

Normally, I love driving. You ask, "Who wants to drive?" and I will most likely raise my hand. But...I was on the road many, many an hour this summer, driving to weddings, showers, my Memphis trip, back and forth to and from the beach, Dothan, and Auburn....and it just. got. old. And what's worse, my music got old too : (

3. Construction in Auburn

Enough is enough. The alternate route meant I had to step over a fence every day in order to get to my classes in Lowder. Which means I couldn't wear my casual skirts to class. Which I was not happy about.

4. A lack of reading for pleasure

I'm not sure how this happened, but I probably read only 3 or 4 books this summer. I even failed to read Anne of Green Gables for my book club! I love reading in the summer and I simply didn't get to many of the books I planned on reading. Maybe it was all that driving/traveling.

5. The Hangover Hype

It was funny, but it wasn't that funny. IMDB users will understand this.

6. Limited Release Movies

Movie fans living in Alabama tend to get the shaft. How was Away We Go? Anybody see it?

7. Not catching the bouquet at any of the weddings.

... Just kidding. Kind of.

8. Mini-mester Classes

Don't let "mini" fool you. They are mini devils!

9. Jon and Kate Plus 8

A sad situation, and I think it would be better for them and for us if we all weren't so obsessed. Of course I don't really think anyone's obsessed anymore...

10. Job Searching/"Next Step" Seeking

It's terrifying!

A great summer, all in all. Oh yeah, one other thing I should add to the hot list: Graduating from college. Tomorrow!!!

John Hughes, 1950-2009

John Hughes passed away yesterday. Because he is the writer/director of three of my first favorite movies ever and many other greats, I feel I need to make a little tribute to him.

Around the time of my sixth grade year, I was introduced to Sixteen Candles. And I became obsessed. It was just perfect. I'd never seen this kind of comedy before. And of course, I fell in love with the story. I wanted to be Samantha Baker, a shy but kind, independent and stylish girl who longs for beautiful senior Jake Ryan, and actually gets his attention, totally unintentionally! Believable? I'm still not sure. Nevertheless, I couldn't and still can't get enough. Plus, every character is witty and unique in their own way. Long Duk Dong, Grandpa Fred, and even mean girl Caroline, all have priceless lines. In a word, the man's a genius when it comes to teen comedy.

The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink also quickly became favorites (I guess Molly Ringwald is kind of my gur). The Breakfast Club is probably the most amazing character study of high schoolers ever (though this could be argued, since they are very stereotypical characters...) and I will never stop quoting it. Another beautiful story of unnoticed Molly Ringwald heroine pursued by popular dude is told in Pretty in Pink. It's pretty much ideal. You can't beat the last scene at the prom highlighted by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's "If You Leave".

What I'm trying to say is this: John Hughes was a huge part of my junior high and high school years. He might have set unrealistic standards for what I wanted my experience to be like, but I couldn't help but enjoy the sweetness and humor of it all. Ferris Bueller's Day Off and the Vacation movies I also love, but nothing comes close to the Ringwald trio.

One Hughes movie that I have overlooked for far too long: Some Kind of Wonderful. I must watch soon.

"We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that's all." - Andrew, The Breakfast Club

Thank you, Mr. Hughes.

sexy finance

I just can't handle it when teachers in the college of business refer to class material as "sexy". This week, my real estate teacher did so. "We're not really going to talk about the sexy stuff this term, we just don't have time." Last semester, my strategic management teacher, during one of the first classes, announced, "Yeah, we'll get to the sexy stuff later in the term, but first we must cover this..." It has happened a few other times during my four years at Auburn. What "sexy stuff"? I still don't know what they're talking about. I'm sorry to break it to you, teach, but there is nothing sexy about finance, or business really, in my opinion. Anyway...

Despite the bitterness I have towards my sexy major, I have felt a little more optimistic about the job search this week. I haven't filled out any more applications yet, but I have several that I'm planning on. A lot of my friends and family are asking what kinds of jobs I'm looking at, so here are some of the job titles from different companies I am looking at:

Account Manager

Associate Account Manager

Financial Support Worker

Office Professional

Insurance Account Executive

Legal Assistant (pretty excited about this one)

Teacher in Saudi Arabia (it's not at the top of my list, but you never know...)

These are just some of the jobs out there that correspond to my major. What I'd really like to do is move out to California and start writing a screenplay, or go to film school, or write for a magazine of some sort, or maybe work at a publishing company. But the reality is, I don't think I've had enough experience in any area to really know what I want to do. I have been blessed with a college degree and I want to value it and use it, even if it's just for a year. I would love to go back to school for an English degree, but I don't know if that's what the Lord wants right now, or what I want. It's so hard to distinguish between selfish desires and Godly ones. When I think about writing sometimes, though I really do want to influence people for God's glory in sharing my beliefs, my thought process starts marathoning down Self Glory Lane. I'm afraid of any type of fame or pride that might come from work. But the odds are, I will meet it somehow, as does everyone.

This week, my memory verse was about temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). I tend to think I don't struggle with temptation much. This is far from true, as there are so many types of temptation, not just the traditional ones I think about. A verse mentioned at Crusade the other night helped me see just how much I do, in fact, struggle with it, specifically as it relates to lust for a good-looking post-graduate life, for all my peers to see.

"But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust." -James 1:14

Speaking of "post-graduate", I saw a trailer a few months ago for a new movie coming out in August and I immediately identified with the protagonist. I may be in the same situation she is in in about a month, though I don't think a handsome Latino neighbor is waiting for me back in Dothan. Check it out.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/postgrad/

forced to trust

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." - Galatians 2:20

"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline." - 2 Timothy 1:7

"'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:11-13

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9

"I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made....skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth" - Psalm 139:14,15 (emphasis mine)

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom." - Luke 12:32

"...'Master, Master, we are perishing!' And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm. And He said to them, 'Where is your faith?'" - Luke 8:24, 25

As far as I know, I don't have a single plan, event, appointment, trip, or any place to be at all after August 10, 2009. Not a one. I have no school schedule or work schedule or anything really from which to work around, and this is the first time that my situation has been such in my entire life. On the balancing scale (I just tried to type "scale" and it came out "scare", go figure!) of fear and excitement in regard to this new situation of mine, my thoughts tend to tip to the fear side way too often.

My fear emerges simply from this: a lack of trust in the Lord's sovereignty, love, and every other immense power He has. The above are some verses, some truths, that I have recently been and am presently clinging to, meditating on. I am trying to claim these promises and walk in the absolute truth of them. What amazing love! He skillfully wrought me. Whenever I feel like I'm kind of insignificant (kind of a no-talent consumer, you know?), I remember this. He wouldn't have so carefully and skillfully constructed me if I He didn't love me. This summer, He has definitely been stopping me, teaching me, and letting me just ponder His love and His purposes, purposes that are so much bigger than just me. I am far from abandoned, though my vision is blurred as to what God will do with me come August.

I am forced to trust.

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit." - Jeremiah 17:7-8