And may the odds be ever in your favor

What would you do if one day you were taken from your home, thrown into a massive outdoor arena with 23 other people, and told you weren't aloud to come out...unless you were the last one alive? What would you do if the only provisions you were given were the clothes on your back? If you had to brave the elements with no shelter, and the little supplies that was up for grabs must be taken along with the life of its previous owner? What would you do if you had to go through all of this knowing you would be on a screen, viewed - every second of the day and night - by the whole of your nation?

Well? 

A few weeks ago we had a massive snow storm (freak natural disaster in the middle of October!) that knocked the power out in most of Connecticut for a week or more. During that week I spent some time with my friends Reagan and Sophia. Sophia stayed at my house for most of that week, and with her she brought a new book. The Hunger games. She was hooked, and had devoured most of it in just a day or so. At night we would have story time, reading by the soft glow of a lantern. I was hooked. The intense and violent story of this girl was crazy! My eyes went wide and adrenaline started pumping as Sophia read aloud and I imagined the reckless and life threatening situations. The power came on, and she left my house before she could finish the book, but days later it was handed to me, in much rougher conditions then when it had first appeared at my house. 

I sat down immediately with this beloved and dog eared story and began some word devouring of my own. It was terrific. I read the last paragraph and was mentally gasping for air, physically running back in forth in my kitchen mumbling "What! NO! It can't end! No! Where are the keys? I'm going to buy the next book NOW! I HAVE TO!" with my sister standing by the counter, shaking her head and giving me the "You are crazier than I give you credit for." look - yes, she has a particular look for that thought, I receive it often.

But, before I finished the Hunger Games, I poisoned her mind as well, reading a chapter out loud to her before bed. Now that I am done with it, she carries it around. Disappearing into the world of Panem as often as possible. Eleanore! The girl who doesn't read anything! The girl who sticks her nose up at every book I have suggested EVER! My mother and I are shocked, but happy. I was also happy to find out that my library was carrying copies of the next two sequels and that I was able to check them both out at once. 

The Hunger Games    *  Catching Fire    *      Mocking Jay

On top of that, they are also making a movie! As always, I'm a little wary of people taking such an awesome book and putting it on film, but, as previews tend to do, the trailer looks amazing.

Tell me I'm not crazy, well maybe just a little bit....

I am pleased to say that autumn is here. And I gladly welcome it with open arms, steaming coffee, and comfy hoodies. Late September through early November continue to be my favorite months, and Fall my favorite season. The change is so tangible, expressed through colors, and smells, it refuses to be ignored. I find that my imagination goes wild as my senses explore this magnificent transformation.


Being a part-time employed gal, missing her brother, with some time on her hands and errands to do, I found myself adventuring through neighboring towns yesterday. Purchasing chemicals, picking up job applications, making bank runs, and visiting one of my favorite places in the world: the library. 


There I returned all my books, and went to find some new world to delve into. Success, I think. I left the great hall of literature with only two books in my bag this time, I had learned my lesson on over ambitious amounts of reading with lack of time to do so, and was intrigued by the story line of my new companions. (Happenstance Found, by P.W. Catanese, an author who apparently lives in CT, and The Wednesday Wars, by Gary D. Schmidt an author who does not live in CT ;)


I pushed through the double doors out into the gray, damp world of downtown Manchester. And as I made my way to my parallel parked car, leather boots sloshing through puddles, something about the whimsical plot of Happenstance tickled a corner of my brain....I pondered it the rest of the day as I listened to the pitter patter of rain on the windowpanes. Finally my imagination got the better of me. I grabbed an old notebook filled with loose papers and a tale of epicness in the the making,(a little story I had long since put down and nearly forgotten about) set up camp in my garage, and prepared for a walk in the rain.


 With leather boots laced up and a heavy barn jacket I strolled up towards my cul-de-sac. The street was deserted and lit by four or five dim lamps. The air was pleasantly fresh, and I lifted my face towards the sky inviting the rain to soak me. It may sound terribly odd, but trudging through dark streets in the rain can be quite invigorating. As I traveled up the street my mind went on many adventures. So many stories, so many possibilities. 


Returning to my garage I slouched down in a canvas chair, notebook in my lap, doors wide open, the sound of rain and chill of mist floating through. I sat there for the next hour familiarizing myself with old friends, and reconstructing new and exciting plot lines. Thinking up all sorts of adventures that I wish I could have. Once or twice my father came out with looks of confusion, amusement, and what may have been concern for my sanity. I was inspired. Blame it on the weather. Blame it on my new pair of scruffy leather boots. Blame it on boredom, or a lack of adventure. Blame it on my lunacy. I don't care. I had fun. 

I escaped for just a little bit, and it was most refreshing to do so.

Can I have coffee?

Today I brewed my last cup of coffee. I have been watching my supply of Starbucks House Blend deplete day after day, but have procrastinated in replenishing my stock...
Now I have no coffee...

what do you do with a drunken sailor?

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot, Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.

As all of you should know, yesterday - September 19 - was National Talk Like A Pirate day. One of my most favoritest days of the whole year...arrrrgh!

My interest in piracy began at a young age. I had a love for swords, the ocean, worn out clothes, adventures, hammocks, and floppy hats, not to mention root beer.

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We extort, we pilfer, we filch, and sack, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. Maraud and embezzle, and even high-jack, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho.

The first time I met Bella, I didn't realize she was a pirate like me. It was upon our reunion that we discovered that one similarity. We had a plan. Live on a boat, find us a couple buccaneers and have us a double wedding on my tennis court...

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We kindle and char, inflame and ignite, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. We burn up the city, we're really a fright, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho.

...we still have yet to find ourselves some pirate menfolk...

We're rascals, scoundrels, villains, and knaves, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho.

Well, we did find some pirate menfolk, many in fact, while the two of us were perambulating in our Pirate garb, at the CT Renaissance fair...but they were...really bad eggs...

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We're beggars and blighters, ne'er-do-well cads, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. Aye, but we're loved by our mommies and dads, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho.

Favorite Movies and Books:
Pirates of the Carribean..ALL. THREE.
Treasure Island - with the muppets :)
Peter Pan...
and The Goonies, cause that's a classic.

I wanted to share a couple of my favorite children's books with you as well.Pirate Girl, By Cornelia Funke , cracks me up every time. It's about this awesome girl named Molly, who get's captured by unsuspecting pirates, and is saved by the notorious Barberous Bertha.

And there's this one, about a wee lad who helps blundering pirates who are not very good at map reading skills, and how he runs away with them to live a pirate's life...
...because, you want to celebrate piracy, and I know you do, you need to be able to talk like one, savvy?

http://www.piratetreasure.org/pirate-phrases.htm

And I shall leave you with a wonderful poem on this wonderfl subject:

Captain Hook must remember

Not to scratch his toes.

Captain Hook must watch out

And never pick his nose.

Captain Hook must be gentle

When he shakes your hand.

Captain Hook must be careful

Openin' sardine cans

And playing tag and puring tea

And turnin' pages of his book.

Lots of folks I'm glad I aint -

But mostly Captain Hook!

Shel Silverstein.

Let's Give It Up For Dinosaurs

IF I HAD A BRONTOSAURUS

If I had a brontosaurus,

I would name him Horace or Morris.

But if suddenly one day he had

A lot of little brontosauri---

I would change his name

To Laurie.

~Shell Silverstien, Where The Sidewalk Ends

He was quite cheery until the Iocane took effect.

The Princess Bride ~

'A tale of true love and high adventure, pirates, princesses, giants, miracles, fencing, and a frightening assortment of wild beasts.'

Sure you all have seen the movie. You probably have quite a few scenes memorized too. But with nearly all great movies, there is behind it an even greater book, and that is the case here. Most people I discuss the movie with have never heard that it was based on a book, but it says so in the beginning credits, "based on the novel by S. Morgenstern." "Based" is not the word I would use in most movie/book instances. To me, based is a word used when a director follows the basic plot of a book but has taken creative license with the story, changing and adding things either because there's a time crunch or they don't think it's necessary.

Well I saw this particular movie many years before I read the book and when I finally read it I was very surprised that I was actually able to quote lines from it. They had followed the book so closely that I was surprised to find that the characters in the book were just as amazing and witty (if not more so) in the book as they were on screen. The author, William Goldman, who would have you believe that he's not really the author - just some guy who has painstakingly edited an ancient documentary on the rival countries Florin and Guilder - writes with such humor that at times I sat there guffawing - {Sophia "They laughed harder than it was funny." ;)}

I received this book for Christmas last year, reading it for the second time was even better than the first. One day soon after Sophia and I went shopping at Barnes and Noble where I convinced her that she also must own and read the book. So we set off in search of it, but try as we may we couldn't find it! We looked under action, fantasy, fiction, teen, classics, documentary, but it wasn't turning up anywhere! Finally we went up to the desk and asked a clerk if they could help us. The guy said "oh yeah! I just saw that book a few days ago...what's the author's name?" - "William Goldman."and off we went, the three of us, to search for Mr. Goldman...but we found nothing. The clerk was shaking his head now saying that he had just seen it, and where could it be. We went back to the desk where he asked the computer where it would be. The answer we got: Science-Fiction.....there was a moment of silence between the three of us as we exchanged confused glances. "Science-Fiction?" one of us said, "really?" And off the three of us went(again) to search for the book, this time in the science-fiction section.

We found it and Sophia bought it and she loved it.

So when you are done with the book you are reading now, assuming that you are a bookworm like myself, rush off to B&N and run to the Sci-Fi section. Buy The Princess Bride and laugh. NO, it is not a girly girl book, there are pirates, and monsters, Rodents of Unusual Sizes, albinos, men with six fingers, flesh eating sharks, fencing, kidnapping, revenge, angry Spaniards, rhyming giants, scheming Sicilians, and masks! As well as a man trying to start a war by murdering his own wife. But there is humor, and some touching moments...it's not all action. The plot thickens, back stories are told, and the prince is not so charming as the pirates. Try it. I think you'll like it. If not, you can check it off your 'books I've read' list and let it live on your shelf, never to be touched again.

The night Max wore his wolf suit, and made mischief of one kind, and another, his mother called him: WILD THING!

Bella and I ran around the mall, I couldn't pass up this photo opp!

And Max said: "I'll eat YOU up!"

Well tonight is the night Where The Wild Things Are premiers!!! Thankfully we don't have to sail in, and out of days and for almost a year to get to the theatre :) This was one of my favorite story books as a kid, and I still enjoy it greatly! Maurice Sendak was a genius! My friends and I are going to have a 'RUMPUS' tonight. I'm so lucky to have friends who enjoy simple and funny things, like children's books, Shel Silverstein poetry, classic Disney movies, and comic book heroes. They're all so awesome, and I love them SO much! God has blessed me greatly with these weirdos, and I am glad to fit right in :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBjoWs0uNNw