Wednesday, February 27, 2013

You remember that scene in Devil Wears Prada were Emily Blunt's character - Emily - becomes an "incubus of viral plague"?  That's what I feel like at work today.



Things I wouldn't mind:

being over this cough
not hearing "you look really tired/sick/(awful)" the rest of the day
not needing a tissue in the forseeable future
having energy
being all better so I can eat chocolate again
being back under the covers
it being five o'clock


Ok... now, back to billing... :l :)

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Hello!

Guess who's home sick?  I know...bummer.  Just when I thought I had beaten this flu season :/

I survived an onslaught of bugs 3-4 weeks ago when it seemed like half of everyone I knew was sick.  But sure enough, after dragging my crummy-feeling self to work on Tuesday morning, I found myself packing my laptop and on a bus heading back home.  Then I slept for about 15 hours, with one 2-hour period of consciousness in the midst of that.  But I'm really hoping to be back at work tomorrow!  I'm kind of going stir crazy.  A girl can only take so much laying around, trying to push through sick-brain to work, and drinking gallons of orange juice.  Plus, this sickie thing is eating into my vacation days...grr!  I can do some work from home, which helps a bit, but I'm ready to be back to normal.

How about a few random thoughts to hold us over:


  • I joined twitter!!  You can find me @iwaitandhope :)  And yes, the large majority of people I follow are fictional or fandom related :/  So if you're a real person on there, please follow me so I can follow you back!
  • I'm finally going to buy a car :D  I start looking next month (which is also next week!).  I've been kind of slow on this front... or at least there were other priorities.  But I really wanted to pay cash for a decent car.  And I'm going to be able to!
  • Once I have the car, I'll have greater freedom to road trip!! I'm thinking of finding a weekend to go visit my brother in Spokane, or one to go visit Portland.  Portland's been calling my name lately.  Maybe I'll just have to find weekends to do both!
  • I've been on an old-movie kick lately... seriously, there are some reeeally good ones!  More to come on that.
  • Oscars this weekend!  So excited :)

With that, I'm off to take even more Vitamin C and a nap.  Loves!

Friday, February 15, 2013

Tonight, this man reminded me why I fell in love with him 10 years ago.

Sigh... what a scoundrel :)

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Pictures & pubs - 2013 Best Picture Nominees

Last night I had the joy of participating in the Kindling's Muse "Theologies of the Best Picture Nominees."
As always, so fascinating!

Oh! I just absolutely love story-telling!  And films.  And award season :)


The 2013 Best Picture Nominees:

Life of Pi - Ang Lee
Amour - Michael Haneke
Zero Dark Thirty - Kathryn Bigelow
*Beasts of the Southern Wild - Benh Zeitlin
*Argo - Ben Affleck
Django Unchained - Quentin Tarantino
*Les Miserables - Tom Hooper
*Silver Linings Playbook - David O. Russell
*Lincoln - Steven Spielberg

* - one's that I've seen


Partner in crime ;)
(We have way too much fun together!!)


Dinner - bangers & mash in mushroom gravy... thank God for delicious pub food!
[In other news... I miss England.  Yah... shocking.]

Ok... but back to the pictures themselves.  I'll speak briefly to the one's I've seen:

Beasts of the Southern Wild - Odd. Mythic in an Odyssey type way. Art-house. At times uncomfortable, boring, stunning, jaw-dropping.  Maybe it was because I was at home, but I had a rather visceral reaction to this film.  Learning about how they made it was more intriguing than actually watching it.  Wouldn't recommend it widely, but I know certain people who would really enjoy this.

Argo - Solid film.  Almost everything Americans love about films - action, humor, redemption, beating the odds - wrapped into the representation of a true story (obviously exagerated at moments, but you know).  Yes, for more mature audiences due to language - but surprisingly clean/uplifting.  Strangely prophetic about where we are at right now.

Les Miserables - Obviously amazing story.  The weaknesses of the film were due to not letting the lyrics, the story, speak for itself.  Some incredible performances, but at times, over-performed and over-pathetic.  And, of course, too many close-ups.

Silver Linings Playbook - So... really didn't get what all the hype was about.  I expected something more art-house, or at least an unexpected ending.  What I got was a darker, more vulgarized What About Bob.  I applaud the screen-writers, directors, and production team for wanting to tackle a difficult-to-talk-about subject.  Bradley Cooper let us see a different side.  The other actors are pretty great at what they do.  But it's gotten so much hype I was pretty disappointed.  Don't feel a need to see it again.

Lincoln - Wow!  Saw it twice in theatres - cannot wait to own it.  Most immersive biopic I've seen.  I felt that each actor, with the exception of Joseph Gordon Levitt [Sorry, JGL], dissolved into their character.  Of course Daniel Day-Lewis was amazing.  But I was surprised by and grateful for Spielberg's restraint in this piece.  Last night many said that this will probably be remembered as his masterpiece and I have to agree.  Even more than being masterful film-making or gifted acting, I felt it was the film America needed.  It wins "Best Picture" in my book :)


The other films:

Life of Pi - I don't feel the draw to see this film.  Maybe read the book, but no particular desire as of now.

Amour - I had been very anti-Amour, but last night, I think I was convinced to at least watch it.  Thank you, Jeffrey Overstreet.  I'll be waiting to see it on a smaller screen - I don't want to go to the cinema for a downer.

Zero Dark Thirty - some may not understand, but I need to wait to see this film.  I think it might be emotionally too much for me right now, but I look forward to seeing it, again, hopefully on a smaller screen.

Django Unchained - Sorry, Tarantino is just not my cup of tea.


Finally, the painful hole in this list of Best Pictures - Moonrise Kingdom [obvi!]


More than responses or ideas about the specific films discussed last night, I was so grateful for some of the great insights on what these stories say about us as humans, especially humans in the 21st Century.  It was a thought-provoking night - and a much needed one.  I miss criticism--wrestling with art and examining its affect.  So, so grateful for last night's good food, profound thoughts, and fun people.



Alright... there are my reflections on the years Best Pics - what are yours?

Friday, February 8, 2013

Wait + Hope

Well, after about three years... I decided it was time for something new.

New name, new layout... hopefully new fun!

The actual title comes from the closing lines of one of my favorite books, The Count of Monte Cristo:

Until the day when God will deign to reveal the future to man, all human wisdom is contained in these two words - "Wait and hope..."

The Lord has been speaking so much to me about "Wait + Hope"--and not just recently.
But He has been reminding me of this truth everywhere I turn.  And I've realized it's the theme of what I've blogged the last five years! 

Here are just a few reminders He's shared with me lately:

What would have become of me had I not believed that I would see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living!  Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring.  Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.
- Psalm 27.13-14 [Amplified]


Those who wait for the Lord, who expect, look for, and hope in Him shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up close to God as eagles mount up to the sun; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.
- Isaiah 40.31 [Amplified]


So I'll be bold
As well as strong
And use my head
Alongside my heart

So tame my flesh
And fix my eyes
A tethered mind
Free from the lies

I'll kneel down wait for now
I'll kneel down, know my ground

Raise my hands
Paint my spirit gold
Bow my head
Keep my heart slow

I will wait, I will wait for you...

- Mumford & Sons, "I will wait"

Just have to say...

I am getting SO excited for Valentine's Day this year!!

Last year, I practically missed out on Valentine's Day altogether--and this is worth a story all unto itself...

I had a big presentation on Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse that day.  So I was up late on the 13th into the 14th researching and writing and prepping for this presentation and an annotated bibliography that went with it.
It was practically comical, though, because one of my best friends was up just as late/early as I was - watching Braveheart with her boyfriend.  That's how cool my friends are - they think of Braveheart as the perfect, romantic precursor to Valentines Day [duh!] :)

So anyway... After staying up till 2, sleeping for just a few hours, running around like crazy trying to get things printed, dashing to work for the morning shift, racing to school to set up for the presentation, and giving a presentation which I enjoyed, but my professor thought pretty mediocre........ I wasn't exactly in the mood for a great Valentine's Day.  In all that, I hadn't even been able to write up notes to my family, let alone friends.  If I remember correctly, a few texts were exchanged on the bus.  But I felt awful finding chocolates, flowers, and cards at my spot on the kitchen table, but having nothing to offer in return than a verbal "Thanks... I love you, too!"  After the presentation, waiting around on campus before my evening plans, I did pop on tumblr and found a host of fabulous Sherlock Valentines - which my other mischevious friends received ;)

That night, when I usually would get all dolled up and go out with girl-friends, I took my brother to a friend's "Non-Valentines Valentines Day Party."  It wasn't all single people... it was just a group of friends who didn't want to give into the consumerism and pressure of Valentines Day.  So it was pizza and apples-to-apples rather than dresses, dinner, and a movie.  It was fun... but I missed "going out."

I really don't believe in moping around on Valentine's Day.  Sure I'm looking forward to spending it with my Mister, but I have been blessed with so many people to love on!!  And this year I'm looking forward to making up for last year... because I can!  Instead of worrying about annotated bibliographies, I've got little gifts and cards planned, my brother is going to be receiving a marvelous little care package my sister have been creating, a few ladies at work are doing "Secret Valentine," (there's going to be some LBD drama!), and I have a double-sister date planned with dear friends!  A smashing way to spend Valentine's if you ask me ;)

And it's a perfect picture of the season that I'm in.  I at peace with all the possibilities of the future before me; knowing that they're not quite here and that's ok.  I thoroughly mean to enjoy the here and now, and wait--eagerly leaning--towards all the new things out there.  My life right now is full... so wonderfully, fabulously full.  So this Valentine's Day, there is only reason to celebrate all the people I love now.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Loving lately...

These kiddos!




My view


My fictional life - 

221B is coming along... filming finally! begins next month! :D


Pride and Prejudice,
200 years and we're as delighted as ever!




^ is this v moment



New jeans :)


Inspiration - 

Paris in the early 1900's


Words to live by


Happy February, Everyone.

What have you been loving lately?

Friday, February 1, 2013

Around the bend...

[via]

Agreed :)

Since I woke up this morning I've been inexplicably excited.  My sister can bear witness to happy dances in the closet, short squeals, and hopping around for no apparent reason.

Yes, I'm tired... but it's not just that.  I was actually surprised at myself this morning.  It's been kind of a heavy week [mostly due to the large amounts of fiction I've imbibed :/ :) ].

But this morning I was overwhelmed with excitement at all the good things coming "around the bend" - small things, big things.  Every time I see "2013," it seems to translate as "opportunity."  It's all quite the adventure!

"I don't know what lies around the bend... but I'm going to believe that the best does."