Jane's still got it

Jane Austen was a woman of great insight. Her writing is timeless, despite it's somewhat archaic language and overly proper society. Her novels have been reworked and retold countless times. And I have to say, they're all worth watching. The classic 'Emma' worked both as a period piece starring Gwyneth Paltrow, and as 'Clueless', a modern interpretation starring Alicia Silverstone. I loved them both. Both were pertinent to today's society. Both were just downright funny. Even her lesser told stories, like 'Mansfield Park' and 'Northanger Abbey', still translate well to film and have found an excited fan base.

The most popular though, has to be 'Pride and Prejudice'. It's been retold on film at least six times, just as a period piece. In fact the mose recent, starring Keira Knightley and Colin Firth is probably my favorite of the 'classic' versions. Colin Firth makes a brilliant Darcy. But then there are the updated versions. There's practically no counting of the many films that are moderinizations, like 'Bridget Jones Diary' and 'Bride & Prejudice'. Some may be more accepted than others, but it still proves that her writing made a lasting statement.

I'm sure some would claim that movies like 'Bride and Prejudice' and 'Clueless', only serve to belittle a great classic author. But I disagree. I think that both movies stuck to the important points and feelings of Austen's story and sometimes, updating a tale is the only way to gift it to a new generation. Clueless became as much a classic as the original tale and I think 'Bride & Prejudice' has the same potential.

If you haven't seen 'Bride' yet, go rent it. Yes it's a musical. But it's FUN. It's exciting and exotic and funny, and it captures the story so well. I admit that I'm partial to musicals, but the dancing and music is really well done. It has it's cheesy singing moments, but that just adds to the charm. Overall it's a really romantic, touching piece that was well cast. I can only hope that director Gurinder Chadha (of 'Bend it Like Beckham') will decide to do another such adaptation. Maybe she'll tackle a Bollywood version of 'Emma' or 'Sense and Sensiblity'.

Happy Renting,
A.

Super girl in training

Cagney and Lacey, Simon and Simon, Scooby-Doo and Shaggy, they'll all go down in history as great detectives. Now you can add the A-team to that list. (The Angel/April team anyway.) From this day forth we will be known in the underground (read industrial caves) as the duo that caught a thief.

Actually, Angel saw him stealing something off the FedEx truck, I called the cops and then we both gave reports. The police came and searched the caves for his truck - not sure if they caught him or not, the sly little weasel, but we did our crime fighting best to stop a petty crook.

It was exhilerating, fighting back against crime and dealing justice to the morally corrupt. Well, it gave us an extra long lunch break anyway. We may not receive any medals or grand rewards, but we have the warm fuzzies of a good deed done.

For truth, Justice and the American way,

Super A.

'Flatt' out in love with this song

I got an email today from my BFF Angela, asking me if I'd heard Rascal Flatts new song "What Hurts the Most". Of course I said yes, LOVE it. She sent me a link for their website where you can hear the whole song for free and I realized, hey, you all need this link too!

The song is one of those that just kind of hits a chord with me. It has the kind of lyrics that make you 'feel' the song, not just hear it. You kinda go, "Yeah. I know exactly what this guy is talking about." Even if you've never experienced it before. That is talented songwriting. Great songs should be shared so I've listed the lyrics here as well as link for Rascal Flatts site. Go check it out, and be sure to pass it on. Oh, and thanks Ang for helping me pass this on. :)

www.rascalflatts.com (Click here to listen to the song.)

What Hurts The Most
I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house
That don’t bother me
I can take a few tears now and then and just let them out
I’m not afraid to cry every once in a while
Even though going on with you gone still upsets me
There are days every now and again I pretend I’m ok
But that’s not what gets me

What hurts the most
Was being so close
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could have been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was tryin’ to do

It’s hard to deal with the pain of losing you everywhere I go
But I’m doin’ It
It’s hard to force that smile when I see our old friends and I’m alone
Still Harder
Getting up, getting dressed, livin’ with this regret
But I know if I could do it over
I would trade give away all the words that I saved in my heart
That I left unspoken

What hurts the most
Is being so close
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could have been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was trying to do

What hurts the most
Is being so close
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could have been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was trying to do

Not seeing that loving you
That’s what I was trying to do

Enjoy!

A.

Paper and Ribbons and ELMO, oh MY!

Wow, it's over. I hope ya'll had a great holiday. I have to say, I'm glad we're done, though. We had a fun day, but it will be nice to relax a little - at least until New Year's Eve.

We ended up having a slightly smaller crowd than we expected. The only little ones around this year was my 3 year old niece, but she was fun to watch. In our family, the tradition has always been the the little ones pass out the presents. It was my favorite thing as a kid, because you got to handle all the gifts as you made little piles in front of everyone in the room. Emily wasn't any different. Adam would read the tag and off she'd go to deliver it. Then, of course, we go around the room one at a time opening a single gift until we've rotated through all the packages.

Emily was the first to open and she was appropriately excited, squealing and smiling. Then, she went round the room picking which present everyone should open first. "Umm, I think this one." Then she'd pluck it from the pile and 'help' you open it. It was around her own fourth package that she finally hit the mother load. Ripping off the paper, she exposed the Elmo Dr's kit with stethoscope, blood pressure cuff and every other gadget imaginable. (She's been drooling over this toy in the store for weeks.) She screamed, "I'm a Doctor!" then threw herself on top of the box, hugging it and kicking her feet. When she finally got up, she did a little dance with it while grinning from ear to ear. It was so cute. She pretty much had to be convinced to keep opening presents, but I don't think anything else made nearly the impression on her that the doctor kit did. It was definitely her favorite present.

It's funny, I know I've had a lot of gifts that I just loved. When I was five, my oldest sister and her new husband gave me a giant box full of stuffed animals. There were at least ten. My favorite was a pink hippo that I named after the sister that gave it to me. (This DID NOT thrill her. But you know how it is, when you're that age you name everything after people you know.) As a teenager, my favorite gift was books. Any kind, it didn't matter. The more there were, the happier I was. (This still holds true for me in most cases. Books are always a guaranteed hit.) A couple of years ago, Angel gave me jewelry and I loved it. This year? Power tools. It seems funny to me that I would ever reach a point in my life where I would need, much less be excited about power tools. Mom and Dad bought me a Black and Decker cordless drill/screw driver with extra bits. I was ecstatic. I've had to borrow Dad's so many times over the last year it's ridiculous. I was ecstatic when I opened the package. I didn't hug it and grin or do any little silly dances, but I could have. I could have rivaled Emily and her doctor's kit, but how sad is it to outshine a three year old? So I just danced on the inside.

I got other gifts that I loved too. Several were for my house and again, I find it funny how much that excites me. Maybe it is like being a kid again. If you got dishes or a vacuum as a kid, you were excited because you could play house more realistically. As adults, we still like to 'play' house. It's just more expensive now.

It's a good thing playing house was one of my favorite games. Of course, back then it usually entailed a little cottage in the woods, a handsome prince and pet squirrels, but I'm happy to settle for the '50's Ranch style green house and squirrels in the back yard - for now. I refuse to give up on the rest of the fantasy. Someday my prince will come... .

Until then, keep your fantasies alive.
A.

Baby thoughts

I love babies. They're so sweet and cuddly, and they smell heavenly. I love everything about babies. Even the not so fun stuff, like puke and dirty diapers and getting up 5 times a night. (Okay, I don't love those things, but they're worth doing in the long run.) I've not had any children of my own yet, but I've helped to raise several from birth and I've done the dirty work. I still love it - and I want kids of my own.

In kindergarten, I told my teacher I wanted 24 kids. Her eyes got all buggy and she just gave me a shocked laugh before saying, "Oh, no. That's a lot of kids. You don't want that many."
I assured her I did. Maybe even more.

In sixth grade, I realized how silly that was. Nobody can raise 24 kids these days. Despite the great examples given in "Yours, Mine and Ours" and "Cheaper By the Dozen". I recognized that 8 would be the most I could handle, six would be okay if I had to settle. For some reason I still got insane laughter at these comments.

In high school, I realized I couldn't afford to have 8 kids. I realized 6 would have to be my limit. But I was okay with this. Once graduated, I begin taking in these newborns that needed our help and with in six years had four on my hands. I loved it. It was stressful and expensive and sometimes I cried myself to sleep over one problem or another - but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Those four are getting quite big now. Definitley not babies anymore, but I still love them to pieces. People ask me if I still want kids after all of this. My answer? YES. Most definitely. But I think four would be plenty. At this rate though, I need to start having kids soon, because if I wait much longer I'll talk myself down to none. Just kidding, not likely to happen.

In all seriousness though, and maybe this sounds silly to some of you, but with all the kids running around, there are days when I ache to hold a baby once again. Especially one that is mine. And it's not just because they're cute and cuddly. There's a connection to the heavenly realm that is still present in a baby. You look into their faces and you can see pure love and trust. You can practically smell the scent of paradise still clinging to them. It brings out the best in you. You want to protect, cherish and nurture this little person. You want to share with them all you've learned and in return feel that immense love returned to you. It's a beautiful thing.

It's just hours from Christmas, and whether you believe Jesus was born on December 25th or not, it is the day that most people celebrate His birth. It's at this time of year that I think more fully on how Mary must have felt, and I wonder. Did she ache for a baby to hold? Did she dream of having a family? Did she want lots of kids to chase? When she held her firstborn and looked into his eyes, did she realize just how much love was going to be returned? Did she smell heaven's perfume in his hair? Did she feel the terror and excitement and joy all wrapped in one?
I can only imagine how much greater her questions must have been in the days that followed, but in those first moments when she held him in her arms. She looked at him as any mother would - in awe.

I wish the same for you. Pick up your kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews, or the nearest child. Try looking at them with the same love and awe that Mary felt that night. That's how Jesus looks at you. Don't forget that this year as we celebrate with our families. It all started because of a parents love for their child. Because a Father loved us so much He sent his only Son to save us. Doesn't He deserve to have all that love returned? How will you return His love this year?

Have a Blessed Christmas,
A.