Cranford

I have to say, I really enjoyed this movie. It was better than the new Jane Austen movies. Watching it in three parts was rather annoying. I missed the first ten minutes of the first part, so had to figure out why Mary was staying with the two old ladies, and I was a little confused at first with the story here, the story there, the story at the estate. Everything moved around a lot, but I got used to it. It was neat to see so many characters from other favorite movies come back in this one. The main young man in this movie was Mr. Bingley in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice. I liked him a hundred times better in Cranford. I haven't read the book, so I can't compare how they stayed with the story or added to it, but I really enjoyed so many of the characters and the stories that wound throughout their lives. Now, this was a sad movie. There are several very sad deaths and just -- sad moments. I cried twice during the last part. I think it is a good thing when a movie can make you cry in the sad moments, though. That means it has really captured what the character is going through and made you feel it, too. So, I thought the movie was very good. I can't wait to see it again -- with the additional thirty minutes on the DVD!

In Honor of Memorial Day

I have seen the United States flag folded by Honor Guards on television so many times. I found out this week that there is a meaning behind each fold:

The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.
The second fold is a symbol of our belief in the eternal life.
The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks who gave a portion of life for the defense of our country to attain a peace throughout the world.
The fourth fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in times of war for His divine guidance.
The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, "Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong."
The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The seventh fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.
The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered in to the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it flies on mother's day.
The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great have been molded.
The tenth fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.
The eleventh fold, in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The twelfth fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost.
When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, "In God we Trust."
(Wait for the Honor Guard or Flag Detail to inspect the flag--after the inspection, resume reading.)
After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington and the sailors and marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today

To read a fuller account of the flag ceremony and see a diagram of the proper way to fold the American flag, click here.

Memorial Day began after the Civil War when it was known as Decoration Day, for people would gather to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers. It was firmly established as a day of remembrance for America's fallen soldiers from all wars after World War I. So, tomorrow, remember the soldiers from the Revolutionary War who gave their lives so this country could begin, the soldiers from the War of 1812 and the Mexican War, the soldiers from the Civil War, the soldiers from the Spanish-American War, the soldiers from World Wars I and II, the soldiers from the Korean War and Vietnam War, the soldiers from the Persian Gulf War, and the soldiers who have fallen in this present war both in Afghanistan and Iraq. They gave their lives for America, so we could live in the land that is free. We honor their bravery and their sacrifice.

It's Just The Way We Talk.......

We're from the South -- and you can tell it when we talk. Every word we say has at least three syllables. Now, in our hometown, that's not a problem, but where we live now, in a state further north, sometimes it feels as if we might as well be speaking a foreign language. I honestly didn't know my Southern drawl was as pronounced as it is until we moved here nine years ago. We were visiting different churches, trying to decide which we wanted to go to. I'll never forget a girl introducing herself to me, asking the general questions (name, age, grade), then looking at me with an odd expression on her face and asking, "Where are you from?"

At first it was rather uncomfortable to feel like every word I said was going to be amusing to everyone listening, but eventually I got used to it. The really funny examples are from the drive in restaurants. We had an example just today. It seems there is something about the way we say two that sounds like three. How that can be possible is beyond me. When I say the two words, they have perfectly distinct sounds to my ears. But it never fails when we're at a drive-thru:

"We'd like two of the chicken sandwiches please."

"SAY WHAT?? You want how many sandwiches? Three?"

"No. We want TWO chicken sandwiches."

"You want three chicken sandwiches."

"No! We want two!! You have one too many!"

"You want one more?"

"WE WANT ONE CHICKEN SANDWICH AND ANOTHER CHICKEN SANDWICH!!!"

"Oh, you want two chicken sandwiches."

"YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I can't even describe how many times we've been through that scenario. Not to mention the time we ordered a biscuit and the guy on the speaker laughed out loud at the way we said it.

Then there's the fact that people don't call things here what I'm used to calling them. I've always referred to my purse as my "pocket book". I had no idea that was unheard of in other places. I also call the trunk of the car the "boot". That one's a little more unusual, I know, but I didn't think it was absolutely weird. Being here for nine years has changed my accent a little. I don't think it's quite as strong as it was and I say "you all" instead "ya'll" sometimes. But, some things never change. A few days ago at work, I was ringing up a customer's purchase of men's suits, dress shirts and a tie. The tie didn't have a tag, so I called the men's department.

"I need a UPC for a tie, " I said.

"A what?" he asked

"A TIE!!" I said, trying not to laugh.

"Oh, a tie. I'll call you back with the number."

A few good days

I did a lot of things on my to-do list this weekend. I found a home for a few things that were out of place in my room. I worked on my new drawing and made some progress. I went for a walk yesterday, but it was so windy I felt like I was going to be blown over any moment. I went through a lot of my writing last night, editing and thinking over what my next step should be. I'm in a difficult place with my writing now. I came to a place where I was fresh out of ideas, so I stopped working on continuing the story and have been working mostly on rewriting the beginning for a few months. It really needed it. Since then, I've come to a place where I'm out of ideas in the rewriting of the beginning and I was beginning to despair of ever getting anywhere with this mountainous project. After looking through my work last night, I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. I figured out how much more I need to do to rewrite the beginning, and was pleasantly surprised to realized that it's not much! Only three or four chapters. So, that gives me incentive to keep steady work on it.

I watched the movie version of The Woman In White yesterday. The book was so good that I hoped the movie would at least be comparable. Ugh. It wasn't even close. The girl who played one of the main female roles was Molly from Wives and Daughters and James Wilby from A Tale of Two Cities was also in it. Still, the movie wasn't good. I could deal with the slight alterations they made to beginning, but about midway through, everything got so mixed up. They seemed to just make sure the main points of the story were similar to the book without caring how many twists and turns they used to get there. Why couldn't they just go by the book? The book is so great. It's like a Dickens, a Sherlock Holmes mystery, and Jane Eyre all in one.

I have quite a collection of hymn arrangements and am thinking about making a recording of them this summer. I wish I had made it before I got carpal tunnel syndrome in my hands and was able to practice and play more than I do now. It's a lot harder for me to play now. One of my friends has made a couple of recordings and she tells me it's really fun and worthwhile, so I might give it a try later this summer. I'll just need to pick my favorite arrangements. The choices I have are:

In The Garden

It Is Well With My Soul (arranged with Claire de Lune)

Holy, Holy, Holy

I Will Arise And Go To Jesus

As The Deer

All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name (arranged with the Hallelujah Chorus)

The Lord's My Shepherd

You Are My All In All

This Is My Father's World

Near to the Heart of God

O, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

We Gather Together

The Old Rugged Cross

Jesus Loves Me (arranged with Clarie de Lune)

How Great Thou Art

I Am A Poor, Wayfarin' Stranger

The Water Is Wide (a duet with my sister)

I have another arrangement of It Is Well, but I would have to learn it first. My two hardest hymn arrangements are How Great Thou Art and Poor, Wayfarin' Stranger. Because my hands aren't as limber as they used to be, I don't think I could try both of them, but I would definitely try to get How Great Thou Art ready. With all these hymn arrangements, I actually don't have one of Amazing Grace that I enjoy. I have one in a early level 1 book that was okay and then a hard one that my teacher gave me when I asked her for one, but I never liked it. It's just chord chord, cho-ord chord, with no pretty melodies at all. Out of all these, which would be your top 5 to compile into a CD? And, do you have a favorite that you don't see listed? I have two books of hymn arrangements that I haven't learned yet, so it might be nice to learn something newjust for the project!

I have the whole weekend ahead of me....

Yay! This is going to be the first time I've had two days off in a row in three weeks. I just started a new drawing that I have been working on during my evenings. It's for a present, so I want to finish it by a certain time. I also want to straighten up and organize my room a little. Besides that ..... there are lots of things. I want to go for walks, go to Walmart, finish filling the last pages in my photo album, practice my new hymn arrangement, watch a movie, read a book, email some pictures, blog a few things, do some writing, and relax. Can I fit all that into one weekend? I doubt it, but I'm going to try! :)

A Commonplace Life

This is a great article I just read on Boundless.

The Hardest Thing About My Job......

Is not spending everything I earn there!! Let me tell you, sometimes it's not easy. I have never been one to spend a lot. When I get money for my birthday, I always save it for weeks before I spend it. I never buy anything unless it is on sale --and a good sale-- which means at least 40% off. Now, however, I'm working in a store that sells everything. My cash register is right in front of some of the cutest tops and dresses. I have to keep telling myself I don't NEED another top -- or dress. It seems like I give in more often than I would like, though. Last week, I had a coupon, plus my associate discount, and the store was having a great sale. Using all that, I got two nice 5x7 picture frames and two T-shirts for $11! I thought that was a great deal, especially since the frames were good quality decorative frames and the one T-shirt was usually $20 by itself! The week before last, I had to buy presents -- a wedding present, a baby present, a Mother's Day present, and a Father's Day present. The baby present was so fun to shop for. There are some of the sweetest baby clothes in that store! This week, I had another coupon. I almost wish they would quit giving me coupons. I found a pair of dress pant on the clearance rack for $8. I had to get them, especially since I really did need another pair of pants for work. Then I saw we had got a new shipment of wedding picture frames. I had wanted to get one weeks ago, but the ones we had were scratched. These were in perfect condition and so pretty --white, with filigree patterns, and "Mr. & Mrs......From this Day Forward" written in black penmanship. I bought one of those for a good price with the rest of my coupon.

Despite all this, I really have managed to keep myself on a budget pretty well. I always save a certain amount each week and make sure I don't spend any more than a certain amount each week. I've decided from now on that if I must spend, I'll spend on things that are of more useful and lasting value, like the picture frames. They will always be good to give as gifts or I can save them for myself to use one day. There are always pretty little seasonal decorations being put out and clearanced within a few weeks, so I could stock up quite a collection of things from tablecloths to candlesticks. Anyway, it's something to think about.

For All The Writers Out There........

Boundless has posted several interesting articles on writing this past week. I haven't had time to read them all thoroughly yet, but I plan to. I have skimmed over all of them and they seem to have lots of great tips and information. One is about getting past writer's block. I definitely need to read that one a second time. :)

I think one of the best ways to improve your writing is to read lots of books. All kinds of books from different eras, styles, and genres. When you learn what you like you like in other people's writing, it will be easier to see where your own can improve! I'm pretty picky about writing. I have strong opinions about what I like and what I dislike. It's not always easy for me to tell you exactly what it is that I dislike about a particular style of writing or book, but I know if I don't like it. I love Jane Austen's writing style. Her sarcastic descriptions make me laugh out loud, her characters seem like real people, and her conversation makes you feel like you are there. I love Dickens' style. He mixes in so many complicated characters and twists in his stories that I am never bored. On the other hand, I have rarely read a "classic" book from the twentieth century and enjoyed it. The writing style changed. The morality went downhill. Last year, I decided to experiment with reading classic/recommended books written later than 1890, just because all the other books I had been reading were the same 19th century style. I started two or three and turned them back into the library without finishing them. Some I finished, but didn't enjoy. Nearly every book was written in a style that I can only describe as a tangled mess of run-on sentences comprised of too many adjectives. I know some authors are loudly applauded for that kind of writing style. I guess I'm not intelligent enough to make any sense of it.


So, what is my own writing style? I love to write. I've written stories since I first learned to spell. My project now is a novel of epic proportions. Yes, I'm joking because I've been working on it for so long. It can also be taken literally because I have about fifteen five-subject notebooks stacked up in a chest in my room filled with rewrites of that same story. One thing I really hope I can achieve in my life is finishing that novel. It won't be easy. I want it to be a novel about real life and real people. Good times and hard times. Joy and sorrow. That's hard to describe. My biggest struggles are conversation and over-description. It's hard to make a conversation in print and no matter how many times I think it through, it never sounds the same when it's written. To make up for that lack, I always want to describe everything -- the dresses, the trees, the flowers, the food -- and so distract from the weak place in my story, the lack of conversation. Sometimes I can almost see the finish line for this novel. Other times I feel like starting all over. Hopefully, one day, I will be able to write "The End" on the last page with satisfaction.