The Secret Of Kells

I felt so lucky this weekend. I found out that The Secret of Kells is playing at one of our theaters nearby! You might remember this film from the Best Animated Film category at the Oscars this year. It is only showing at a handful of theaters and I didn't think that we would get a chance to see it. I'm so glad that we did! It was absolutely wonderful.
Up ended up taking home the Oscar and, as much as I loved Up, The Secret of Kells was so much better. The story is sweet and inspiring, centering on the power of art and creativity. But it is the style that will take your breath away. Somehow it manages to be both simple and breathtaking at the same time. My boys, who are notorious squirmers during movies, sat completely still for the entire show.
As a children's movie, it was really refreshing to see a film with an uncluttered story that was not overly cute, maudlin or just plain obnoxious. No sarcasm or pop culture jokes. Just a very good story and gorgeous images from the very first frame to the last.
Whether or not you have little ones to take along, you should see this movie. If it's not playing anywhere nearby, add it to your Netflix que. I can't recommend it enough.

Be Kind

Be Kind, for everyone you meet

is fighting a hard battle.

-Plato

God Bless NyQuil

I am sick. Very, very sick. My son was sick all last week and I caught it from him. I feel unbelievably bad. My throat is swollen and blistered. My ear is infected. I have a fever that is making my body hurt literally from head to toe.

Normally, I am pretty granola when it comes to medicine. I do homeopathic treatments and save medicine as a last resort. But last night I was in so much pain that I could not sleep. So I broke down and took two NyQuil. Once it kicked in, I drifted off and slept for eleven hours. God bless NyQuil.

All of this made me think of one of my favorite comedians, Lewis Black, and his bit on NyQuil, "the moonshine of medicine".

Wonderful

It was a wonderful life.

They had each other

and they had their dreams.

-James and the Giant Peach (Movie)

Ana Alegria Says...

Several weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to be featured on the lovely blog Ana Alegria Says.... It is a beautiful and interesting blog. Definitely worth checking out.

My Other Half

This is my husband.

This picture was taken several years ago at the beach when my oldest son was barely a year old.

It is so hard to sum up my husband in one little old post.

He is my best friend.

We grew up together and started off as friends before we fell in love.

He is smart.

He is talented.

He is a devoted husband and father.

He is, hands down, the funniest guy I know.

I could keep going but it would only cause him further embarrassment so I'll have to stop there.

Because I Need A Laugh Today

Who doesn't love Flight of the Conchords? And what is better than a laugh with French 60's twist?

Lost Things

Oh, how I love this song. Oh, how I love this video. Oh, how I'd love to have a mane of red hair. Maybe someday I'll be brave enough to try it.

A Little Sympathy For Villains

I like fairy tales.
If you've seen my work, you probably already guessed that.
I like the fairy tales that I read as a child and I also love new fiction that takes those old stories and breathes new life into them.
Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling are the editors of a seemingly endless collection of short stories from wonderful writers. The best are the ones that take fairy tales and folk tales and turn them on their head.
Such is the case with Troll's Eye View, A Book Of Villainous Tales. In it, each story examines a fairy tale from the villain's point of view. Suddenly the lines delineating who is the real hero and who is the real villain are blurred.
Up the Down Beanstalk: A Wife Remembers by Peter S. Beagle tells the story of Jack and the beanstalk from the giant's wife's perspective.
Troll by Jane Yolen gives a sympathetic view of the troll from The Three Billy Goats Gruff
But my favorite is A Delicate Architecture by Catherynne M. Valente. I won't explain it because it would give too much a way but here is just one lovely excerpt.
My breakfast plate was clear, hard butterscotch, full of oven bubbles. I ate my soft-boiled marzipan egg gingerly, tapping its little cap with a toffee hammer. The yolk within was lemony syrup that dribbled onto my egg cup. I drank chocolate from a black vanilla-bean mug.