halloween

I have always been a fan of Halloween. I've talked lately about my love of mythology and also the supernatural (excluding as I noted, zombies), so maybe that's a large part of it. Halloween's a day to embrace all of that, when as the myths say, the veil between the physical world and the supernatural world is thinnest. 

But more than that too, it's a chance to be someone else and no one would think twice about it. Of course there are the stereotypical costumes, like vampires, witches, nurses and soldiers, but what about the not so typical? Or maybe even the ones that the costumes aren't sold down to the last button in stores, but you have to create it yourself?

Wanted to know what it might be like to act like an 80s rocker? Or maybe a tough biker in leather? How about a jet-setting socialite, even if the stones on that necklace aren't designed by Bulgari. Could be fun, right?

So. What are you going to be? Or rather...who are you going to be?

review: pride and prejudice and zombies

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Of course, I really enjoyed the original, Austen version, so it might have been expected. But I'm not a zombie fan. I'll take my witches and vampires please, but so far in life have tended to stay away from zombies. They're creepy. 

But I picked up Pride and Prejudice and Zombies after my book club decided upon a Halloween-esque read for October (kind of apt, no?). And I was a little surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did. I waited to be turned off by the zombies, but it added a nice bit of humor and a lightness to the text, if in fact zombies can actually do that.

And the zombie scenes weren't quite so graphic as I worried they may be. There were a few scenes, that while a part of you might giggle, another part thought a simple "ew." My ultimate verdict is that it was fun. It was a good way to spend a few afternoons reading through it, and kind of relive the romance from the original. Once I started reading it, I had to spend one evening watching the film again. And now I'm thinking about rereading the original. 

As with many things, my advice would be to not have any expectations. Don't think you're going to love it, because you might not. Don't think it's word for word like the original, with a much more formal approach to English and long, descriptive paragraphs, because yes, those are in there, but then there will be a scene thrown it that might make you laugh a little. 

friday!

I forgot for a little bit that it was Thursday night last night. Not quite sure how that could have happened. It was a busy week, but I am looking forward to the weekend. Mostly I'm looking forward to editing the first couple of chapters I've been working on and saving the remaining chapters for National Novel Writing Month.

Yup, that's just a little over a week away. I know you're supposed to write a novel from start to finish during the one month period, but I've always found that little progress bar to be so motivating! Since I have a new idea I'm not very far into, what I think I may try to do is write 50,000 words more of it. So clean up to early chapters that I've mostly finished and then start from chapter 4 and on. We'll see if I still find those 50,000 words motivating or just stressful.

I have to remind myself that next weekend there's a lecture at the National Gallery of Art that I want to attend. It's on Michelangelo, and it's been awhile since I've attended one of their lectures. A few years ago, there was one month or two where I went nearly every weekend in the fall. And then on my way home I'd stop and pick up a vanilla skim latte. Perfect way to spend a chill fall afternoon.

This weekend I don't yet have any set plans. I want to go try to find another pair of boots, but the last few years I've gone on long searches specifically to find a certain pair, and of course I never find the perfect pair until I've given up and stopped looking. Hmmm...I guess that's what's on my mind this morning in a nutshell!  Now let's see if I can get just a couple of more sentences in the novel  before heading off to work.

books vs. film portrayals

Given that Halloween is fast approaching, it seemed only appropriate that I read something with a "monster" in it, and so I read Frankenstein. I've never read it, and to be honest, while I'm familiar with the great, green hulking monster of film adaptations, I've not yet seen an actual Frankenstein film from start to finish. The green, inarticulate monster kind of put me off sitting through 90+ minutes.

So it was interesting to read the book and come across this well-written passages of speech that came from the creation (because he's never actually named, and Frankenstein is the name of his creator). The monster had feelings, he felt lonely, he felt wonderment at the birds singing and at the warmth of fire, and he felt an attachment to a family he encountered and watched, and learned language from without their knowing of course. And he felt resentment at what he was, at being this lonely creature forced to live away from civilization because of what he was. There are elements in the creature which, to an extent, make him sympathetic.

And yes, even after tormenting Frankenstein, he claims to have felt some remorse at times. Granted, there is a different at feeling remorse and then going forward with a plan to destroy everything Frankenstein holds dear, but while he may have sallow skin, he's not the green, slow monster with screws in his neck. And I was reminded then too about The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

When Jekyll turns into Hyde, Hyde doesn't become this larger than life creation. He is Jekyll kind of shrinking into himself, he's smaller, thinner and I think physically appears craftier and meaner version of Jekyll. It was a surprise reading Jekyll and Hyde because of those expectations. I had to reread the first paragraph of the transformation just to be sure it was in fact the change into Hyde.

Just another reason the movie can't be substituted for the book I guess. 

myths and stories

I'm reading The Power of Myth right now, which is fantastic by the way, and there was a question that made me think this was something I wanted to write about.

In the first chapter, Bill Moyers asks Joseph Campbell about when the first time these stories became alive for him. And that got me thinking about my interest. For as long as I can remember, I've loved mythology. Long before we studied them in school, I was checking out every book at the library about them that I could find and finding out that some stood out more than others (Athena was one of my favorites, as was Poseidon). But what sparked this interest?

*Artemis with a Doe at the Louvre

For me it happened so long ago it's almost out of a conscious memory. It was during one of Texas' famous thunderstorms, where the lightning provided a brilliant light show and the thunder was so loud and so powerful that the walls shook. And my dog was not a fan. She shook and cowered between the room where my grandmother and I sat and a table or a bed that she could crawl under.

And my grandmother chided her, telling her something along the lines that she shouldn't let Thor scare her (as if a dog would even listen, but still). Having no idea who, or what, Thor was, I had to ask. And I was told that he was a Norse god who ruled the skies and thunder and lightning. And from there I was hooked. That night she told me more stories in the grand Irish tradition, though covering mostly the Greek gods.

Since then the myths still come to my mind often, and I've written stories incorporating them from time to time. And I still continue to study them, whether it be brushing up on my first love of the Greeks and Egyptians or delving deeper into my culture and studying the Celtic myths. I've also kept my eye open for books detailing Native American myths or Asian myths that may not come across my reading very often. They're just all so fascinating and incredible story-telling.

And if you're ever trapped inside by a thunderstorm or maybe sitting around a fire, then it's definitely a great time to continue that great bardic tradition and tell those stories. Anyone else hooked by myths?

day off

Happy Holidays! Sort of.

For some us, today was a holiday. It's one of those holidays that I realize not everyone gets off, and it seems even less so the further away from DC one gets. I remember in school, in Texas, we got the day off but it wasn't for Columbus day. I can't remember what name they gave it, but we got tickets from the school to go to the State Fair. Granted, since we only got one and couldn't drive, I guess the idea was that we would go with friends and family and in a big group. Not sure if they still do that.

Anyway...I spent an enjoyable day just...hanging out.

I woke up, worked on a novel for a little bit and also on some generic website stuff. And then left for the afternoon and enjoyed the strange warm weather (it's odd to have it in the 80s after so much cooler weather lately). I also stopped off at Borders to pick up a birthday card. Although I wound up with a book for myself and a Halloween card for a friend (birthday card FAIL). But I'm really excited to read this book: Washington: A Life. I've been on a big American history kick these last few years, and for all I've read, I've felt there hasn't been too much in the forefront about Washington. Granted, he's featured in a lot of books I've read (obviously), I haven't come across many bios. There was one a few years ago that I meant to pick up and didn't. I've also heard some good things about it.

Then I also stopped off at Godiva to pick up a couple of their Halloween truffles. If I remember correctly, the blood orange bat was delicious! And finally, grabbed some ice cream and spent a little more time enjoying the afternoon. I know...rough day, right?

Sometimes it's nice to just take a day for yourself. My sister is taking a day off near the end of the month, and it's something I think I may have to make a practice of. The last couple of three day weekends I've either been traveling or recovering from traveling. It's quite different to just relax, knowing that you don't have to be anywhere or you don't have to do anything. And now I'm feeling much more refreshed to start another week. For now, anyway. Haha...

I'll let you know what I think of Washington: A Life, and the many other books currently on my to-read list.

annabel lee

It's really great when you come across something you love, and it's something that you haven't come across, or maybe even thought about, in a really long time. For me, this experience happened again with the poem Annabel Lee by Edgar Allen Poe.

I was cleaning and organizing, restacking books that no longer fit on my bookshelves in order to make room for new books, and the poem was in this book. It was a thick collection of poems, Best Loved Poems of the American People. My family has had this book ever since I could remember, and there is a humorous poem about Texas in it that I remember memorizing for class one year (and still remember about eighty percent of it).

While moving this book, I thought I'd look up this poem. But then I saw that I had a folded letter in it, and I thought that I had marked this poem. To tell you how long its been since the last time I really looked through this book, the letter was an acceptance letter to one of the universities I'd applied to (but didn't go) oh so many years ago. But it wasn't marking the poem I thought it would be. It marked Annabel Lee.

This is such a beautiful poem. And sitting on my couch, window open on a beautiful fall afternoon and revisiting this poem...well, it was an incredible few minutes. Literature, poetry...there's this complete feeling that comes revisiting a poem or perhaps even reading something incredible for the first time. When for a few minutes, all is okay with the world around me.

turkish festival

Every year I look forward to the Turkish festival. I know it's in October, sometime (not sure if it's ever been end of September), but in the summer I start googling it periodically to first find out the date, and then to remember the date. I look forward to the Turkish coffee mostly, and then the food and of course the atmosphere. It's been fun to get my coffee or some food and then sit there at Freedom Plaza and listen to the music.

Turkey is definitely high up there on my list of countries to visit. There's just something magical there in how we think about it, and then also so much history! The Ottoman Empire lasted something like 600 years, and I think what makes it seem even more incredible is the fact that lasted until around WWI. I think of Empires, and I usually think of something that collapsed centuries ago (Rome being the most obvious), and the Holy Roman Empire until a little after the French Revolution.

Every year I think I'll finally get my fortune told after my coffee. But...then I see the line and I would usually rather just get a small paper cup (complete with a handle) of Turkish coffee and find somewhere to sit and take everything in. This year was no different. I wandered through the set up, found the Turkish coffee tent, which of course had a long line. Hmmm...one year!

So now I just have to wait for another year until next October. One of the great things about DC is that there are so many festivals and things happening, and I hear about them. I can see them advertised all around. I've once said that a lot of the larger cities must have things going on, it's just a matter of finding out what that is. For instance, the last time I visited Texas, I found out that Fort Worth has rodeos every Friday and Saturday night. Now even after growing up in Texas, I've never been. So like having my fortune told, one of these years I'll go on a visit and go to a rodeo. Just another new experience in a city I thought I knew well.

What's the next festival in DC?

And then of course, thinking of visiting Istanbul...I also end up thinking of Istanbul (Not Constantinople). And getting that song stuck in my head.

upcoming posts

Lately I've been thinking of this blog and how I've been posting more than my past history of posting, which is a good thing. Posting more is definitely something I've had on my agenda. Of course, the question is just usually what to post about. Thankfully a city like DC does give me enough things to do, like this weekend's upcoming Turkish Festival (yay!).

I look forward to this every year, if only for the Turkish coffee.

But over my cup of coffee this morning, and doing a little bit of organizing of my bookshelves, I got to thinking more about books. Big surprise. But I got to thinking about specific things that I have liked about certain books, whether it's plotting, a particular character (either hero or villain), or delicious characters I'd like to know, or those I'd like to be, and settings....all those little key points.

And there you go.

I thought of a short (maybe) series I plan to embark on with posts. I'll post about certain aspects of novels I've loved in the past. And it would also be a good excuse to finally go back and reread some of those books I loved to revisit exactly what it was I liked about it. Not that you need an excuse, but still. For instance, I remember loving Anna Karenina, but I couldn't tell you exactly why now since it's been so long since I've read it.

And of course there will still be a short recap about the Turkish festival, among other things. Have a great Friday and weekend!