The trail doesn't go very far... just over to Wordpress.
http://stefawrites.wordpress.com/
"Words for Food" was already taken in Wordpress, so I had to make the switch. StefAWrites is also my Twitter handle, if you'd like to follow.
Thanks for reading and I hope you continue to do so. The new blog is going to have a much more streamlined focus, so there won't be as many random posts, but the spirit is the same. :)
This blog will stay live (mainly for my archive purposes) and if anybody is showing up for the first time out of curiosity, you can find me (and contact me!) through the new blog.
Thanks again,
Stef
Monday, January 2, 2012
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
News
Well, the biggest thing of all to share is that I did it: I finished the first draft of my book. I finished it three days before Thanksgiving and haven't looked at it since. After the holidays I'm going to go back to it with a fresh pair of eyes and start editing.
I don't think anybody looks at this blog anymore, but if you do, thank you for your support over the past year of this project.
There has to be a better way for me to thank you... and there is!
I'm going to revamp Words for Food. It's going to be a public creative writing forum for anybody and everybody who wants to participate. The fun stuff you found here -- movie reviews, book reviews, random thoughts on pop culture and creative writing exercises -- will be found there as well, plus a lot more ideas that are in the works. My final post on this blog will be a link to the new one. I hope you all make the switch. It's going to be a lot of fun. :)
Until we meet again...
I don't think anybody looks at this blog anymore, but if you do, thank you for your support over the past year of this project.
There has to be a better way for me to thank you... and there is!
I'm going to revamp Words for Food. It's going to be a public creative writing forum for anybody and everybody who wants to participate. The fun stuff you found here -- movie reviews, book reviews, random thoughts on pop culture and creative writing exercises -- will be found there as well, plus a lot more ideas that are in the works. My final post on this blog will be a link to the new one. I hope you all make the switch. It's going to be a lot of fun. :)
Until we meet again...
Monday, October 24, 2011
HERE I AM!!
I exist! I'm here! A living, breathing human being!
I haven't been absent for no reason. I'm now working on Chapter 13 of THE BOOK (working title ;)) and there will only be a few more after that. (I can't say for sure how many. I'm on the story's time table.)
BUT there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel. This is awesome and incredibly scary. Especially since I just saw this thing online about building an audience before even submitting stuff to publishers. So, with that in mind, what do we think about me cleaning up this blog, making it spiffy and cool, being more active on it, and... GULP... making it public??
I'd have to go back and delete the extra personal stuff, but I'm ok with that. I wish I was better at this computer/tech stuff. Maybe I can get someone to help me? The point is, I'm starting to think past the writing itself and on to the hard part -- getting people to give a crap.
Let me know if you do!
I haven't been absent for no reason. I'm now working on Chapter 13 of THE BOOK (working title ;)) and there will only be a few more after that. (I can't say for sure how many. I'm on the story's time table.)
BUT there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel. This is awesome and incredibly scary. Especially since I just saw this thing online about building an audience before even submitting stuff to publishers. So, with that in mind, what do we think about me cleaning up this blog, making it spiffy and cool, being more active on it, and... GULP... making it public??
I'd have to go back and delete the extra personal stuff, but I'm ok with that. I wish I was better at this computer/tech stuff. Maybe I can get someone to help me? The point is, I'm starting to think past the writing itself and on to the hard part -- getting people to give a crap.
Let me know if you do!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
I do still exist!
I said I'd be posting sporadically. I don't even have anything to say this time except that little reminder. :( Sorry.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Turner Classic Challenge results
I'll admit it: I stumped myself a little with this one.
The challenge was to choose contemporary actors/actresses to compare to their counterparts from the Golden Era of Hollywood. Here's what I came up with:
1. Joan Crawford
Sadly, this one didn't work out. I couldn't think of anyone who was as bitchy, crazy, talented, devoted to her fans or ballsy as Joan. Maybe she's one of a kind.
2. Clark Gable
He was described as a man's man. I saw on a documentary that he did one role where he played the underdog and it basically flopped because the audience didn't want to see him as anything but the big, manly man. My contemporaries are Clive Owen and Daniel Craig. They can play emotional, but they still exude tons of masculinity while they do it.
3. Elizabeth Taylor
The husbands, the glamour, the diva, the adulteress, the overrated talent. I chose Jennifer Lopez, who I think fills all of the above descriptions.
4. Humphrey Bogart
Everyone took him seriously, he always seemed to play a tough guy, but he was playful enough to land Lauren Bacall when she was only 19 and he was in his 40s. I chose George Clooney. Wait, I know... Clooney is super handsome and fun-loving, but I think these past few years he's really established himself as a serious part of Hollywood. And he does love those younger ladies...
5. Audrey Hepburn
I'm torn here. Audrey wasn't all that talented, but she was captivating. And in her personal life, she was very flawed. She had an ethereal quality, but could pull of a serious role every once in a while. The first two women who came to mind were Gwyneth Paltrow and Winona Ryder. (Winona probably because of the pixie hair.) They're both versatile but neither has ever really blown me away in a performance. And they both seem super weird in real life.
6. Fred Astaire
Bear with me here. Fred was a revolutionary, right? As far as dance goes, he was IT. And he always seemed to be pushing the envelope. The dance with the firecrackers in "Holiday Inn"... nobody had ever done that before! So, in terms of reinvention, diversity, forward-thinking, visionary type performances, I'm going with Johnny Depp. The man disappears into his roles and is constantly crossing lines. Plus, he has an on-screen partner in Helena Bonham Carter the way Astaire had with Ginger Rogers.
7. Marilyn Monroe
There are a lot of young, damaged starlets that could easily go the way of Marilyn. That's the problem -- there are too many. Lindsay Lohan's behavior comes to mind, but she's nowhere near Monroe's bombshell status. Scarlett Johansson has the look, but not the personality flaws. I'm leaving this one up in the air.
8. Jimmy Stewart
You all can hate me for this one. I kind of hate myself for it, to be honest. I'm not making my choice based on talent or prestige or even worth. It's all based on one look. That pained, tortured, heartbreaking, Jimmy Stewart look that makes you really believe the hardship his character is suffering. There are moments -- just moments -- where Nicholas Cage gives that look. And that's the only reason he gets mentioned.
9. Judy Garland
Child actress, troubled youth, failed marriages, mental breakdown, death in middle age. I hope the last part doesn't prove true for Britney Spears, but she's definitely following near the same track. Britney can't sing, though. That's the main difference.
10. Katharine Hepburn
This woman was a bit of a revolutionary herself. Beyond being a phenomenal talent, she was also a huge feminist, not afraid to express her political opinions and beliefs, and, frankly, considered a bit odd and dangerous. As far as the work, I choose Meryl Streep, who is the most celebrated actress of modern times. As far as the rest, I choose Angelina Jolie (who almost landed the Crawford role) because of her outspokenness and fearlessness regarding the things she believes in.
That was harder than I thought, but a fun challenge. I'm going to come up with another one soon. But, I warn you, I want to be finished with the first draft of my book by Thanksgiving, so if I don't post as often as usual, that's why. I won't forget completely, but I'll be sporadic at best. :)
The challenge was to choose contemporary actors/actresses to compare to their counterparts from the Golden Era of Hollywood. Here's what I came up with:
1. Joan Crawford
Sadly, this one didn't work out. I couldn't think of anyone who was as bitchy, crazy, talented, devoted to her fans or ballsy as Joan. Maybe she's one of a kind.
2. Clark Gable
He was described as a man's man. I saw on a documentary that he did one role where he played the underdog and it basically flopped because the audience didn't want to see him as anything but the big, manly man. My contemporaries are Clive Owen and Daniel Craig. They can play emotional, but they still exude tons of masculinity while they do it.
3. Elizabeth Taylor
The husbands, the glamour, the diva, the adulteress, the overrated talent. I chose Jennifer Lopez, who I think fills all of the above descriptions.
4. Humphrey Bogart
Everyone took him seriously, he always seemed to play a tough guy, but he was playful enough to land Lauren Bacall when she was only 19 and he was in his 40s. I chose George Clooney. Wait, I know... Clooney is super handsome and fun-loving, but I think these past few years he's really established himself as a serious part of Hollywood. And he does love those younger ladies...
5. Audrey Hepburn
I'm torn here. Audrey wasn't all that talented, but she was captivating. And in her personal life, she was very flawed. She had an ethereal quality, but could pull of a serious role every once in a while. The first two women who came to mind were Gwyneth Paltrow and Winona Ryder. (Winona probably because of the pixie hair.) They're both versatile but neither has ever really blown me away in a performance. And they both seem super weird in real life.
6. Fred Astaire
Bear with me here. Fred was a revolutionary, right? As far as dance goes, he was IT. And he always seemed to be pushing the envelope. The dance with the firecrackers in "Holiday Inn"... nobody had ever done that before! So, in terms of reinvention, diversity, forward-thinking, visionary type performances, I'm going with Johnny Depp. The man disappears into his roles and is constantly crossing lines. Plus, he has an on-screen partner in Helena Bonham Carter the way Astaire had with Ginger Rogers.
7. Marilyn Monroe
There are a lot of young, damaged starlets that could easily go the way of Marilyn. That's the problem -- there are too many. Lindsay Lohan's behavior comes to mind, but she's nowhere near Monroe's bombshell status. Scarlett Johansson has the look, but not the personality flaws. I'm leaving this one up in the air.
8. Jimmy Stewart
You all can hate me for this one. I kind of hate myself for it, to be honest. I'm not making my choice based on talent or prestige or even worth. It's all based on one look. That pained, tortured, heartbreaking, Jimmy Stewart look that makes you really believe the hardship his character is suffering. There are moments -- just moments -- where Nicholas Cage gives that look. And that's the only reason he gets mentioned.
9. Judy Garland
Child actress, troubled youth, failed marriages, mental breakdown, death in middle age. I hope the last part doesn't prove true for Britney Spears, but she's definitely following near the same track. Britney can't sing, though. That's the main difference.
10. Katharine Hepburn
This woman was a bit of a revolutionary herself. Beyond being a phenomenal talent, she was also a huge feminist, not afraid to express her political opinions and beliefs, and, frankly, considered a bit odd and dangerous. As far as the work, I choose Meryl Streep, who is the most celebrated actress of modern times. As far as the rest, I choose Angelina Jolie (who almost landed the Crawford role) because of her outspokenness and fearlessness regarding the things she believes in.
That was harder than I thought, but a fun challenge. I'm going to come up with another one soon. But, I warn you, I want to be finished with the first draft of my book by Thanksgiving, so if I don't post as often as usual, that's why. I won't forget completely, but I'll be sporadic at best. :)
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Movie Review: "Friends With Benefits"
Okay, I lied. This post won't have my Turner Classic Challenge answers in it. I forgot that I meant to write about Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis making me laugh my ass off.
Now, the thing about this movie is that it has the same premise as "No Strings Attached," with Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher, where friends agree to have casual sex with each other but not be in a relationship.
Having now seen both (did I post a review of "NSA"? I don't remember) I can say that I definitely liked "FWB" better, and not just because Justin is ever so much hotter than Ashton. I liked it better because it was much, much funnier. "NSA" had all of the cheesy rom-com moments we've come to expect and dislike, and while the formula is basically the same, the delivery in "FWB" makes all the difference.
Justin and Mila banter the way my friends (JUST friends, no benefits) banter -- quick, sarcastic, snarky, ridiculous, random. They also care about each other the way my friends and I care about each other. Of course the inevitable happens and real feelings come into play, and they have to decide what they're going to do about them (here's where it got a bit rom-commy for me).
Just in writing this post, I've figured out the main reason "FWB" appealed to me more than "NSA." The answer is right in the title: Friends. Natalie and Ashton aren't ever really friends in "NSA" before they hook up. Justin and Mila, on the other hand, have a friendship foundation. Both couples -- SPOILER ALERT! -- end up together (did anybody think they wouldn't?) but in "FWB" it's because the pair actually genuinely liked each other first and then fell in love.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Turner Classic Challenge
Turner Classic Movies was on quite a lot this weekend, and it gave me an idea for a blog post. I challenge you, my readers*, to come up with the modern-day equivalent for the following stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood:
Joan Crawford
Clark Gable
Elizabeth Taylor
Humphrey Bogart
Audrey Hepburn
Fred Astaire
Marilyn Monroe
Jimmy Stewart
Judy Garland
Katharine Hepburn
Answers can be based on comparative bodies of work, looks or rumored personalities off-screen. I'll follow up with my choices in the next post.
*however few of you there may be
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