Happy trails

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

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...

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 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.

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. :)

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.

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

Book Reviews: "The Wilder Life" and "Case Histories"

"The Wilder Life" by Wendy McClure is the author's non-fiction journey into the world of Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Little House series.

Seriously? Why didn't I think of this??

McClure, like me, grew up reading and loving the Little House books and, as an adult, decided to submerge herself in "Laura World" to learn as much as she could about the real Ingalls family by visiting the places they really lived, cooking the food they really ate, doing the chores they really did and reading practically every written word about them that exists.

Being the huge geek I am, I'd looked up some info on Laura (there's a previous post about her in here somewhere) and the others, so some of what McClure discovered wasn't shocking to me. Other things were, such as Pa knowingly -- and illegally! -- settling on Indian land in Kansas, and that the family lived in and helped run a hotel in Iowa (never mentioned in the books) and skipped town in the middle of the night to avoid paying up on a debt.

Other things helped some puzzle pieces find their place. I'd always thought Pa was sort of irresponsible in the books, hauling his family all over the place and having them endure such a hard life, being brand-new settlers almost everywhere they went. Laura wrote it off as his adventurous spirit, but in reality it seems like the man was an opportunist. I'd also always wondered about Ma, who never seemed as warm as Laura wanted to make her out to be. I always thought she was never happy being a pioneer woman or a farmer's wife. She'd never say so, of course, but I always felt Ma would have been happier if they'd stayed East, and was therefore bitter.

Then there's the stuff with Almanzo. In the books, Laura seems oblivious to his interest until other people start pointing it out. In reality, I think she was aware and simply not interested until at least a year into their acquaintance. Also, Almanzo's age is sort of ambiguous in the story, so we think he's a couple of years older than Laura at the most. In reality he was 10 years older than she, and it's just creepy to think of a 25-year-old man pursuing a 15-year-old girl, so I can't say I blame Laura for writing around that age difference.

McClure seems to have a hard time reconciling the feeling she got while reading the books with the feelings she has in the world of the real people. I'd like to go to a couple of these places myself and see what feelings I have. The important conclusion that McClure comes to, which is one I came to while doing my own research, is that the books are inspired by real people and not necessarily autobiographical. However, since Laura was the author (and would this even have been an issue if she wrote under a pen name?) and it was her own life that inspired the story, they are as credible and genuine in spirit as they ever were, regardless of whether or not the events are true.


"Case Histories" by Kate Atkinson is a mystery novel that was recommended to me by Dianna. Private investigator Jackson Brodie is challenged with working the unsolved murder of an 18-year-old woman (crime happened 10 years previous), the unsolved disappearance of a 3-year-old girl (she vanished 34 years previous) and discovering the whereabouts of a woman who ran away from home as a teenager and would be in her mid-twenties today.

We jump from Brodie's point of view to the characters surrounding each case (mainly the characters who come to Brodie for help), but in the end we see what actually happened to the three subjects.

The truth about the case of the missing toddler wasn't shocking to me, since the guilty party was built up to be suspicious all along. The details of the other characters surrounding the events are what make the mystery rich, and there is certainly more than one person at fault for the course of events.

The truth about the teenage woman's murder is a little random. Several characters around that case are built up to be possible suspects, but in the end it's someone we don't even know who is to blame. That felt a bit like a letdown.

The third case is the most complex, since it involves stolen identities and the least amount of information. I am happy to say I figured out the true identity of the runaway before it was revealed, but the truth about the events that led to the girl's circumstances was a surprise.

All of these characters cross each other's paths in some way, but never in a way that felt forced or unrealistic. I also really enjoyed the writing itself. With the grisly material of the unsolved crimes it was nice to have moments of humor and sarcasm in the mix.

Speaking of the crimes: They were all against girls and/or young women. And the male characters whose thoughts and points of view we saw were very protective of females and always saw the potential danger they were in. The whole thing is like a giant warning note from Atkinson to young women: Beware! You are never safe! There are parts of the book that are unpleasant, but I think that underlying message is what gives the story its true sense of unease.

Vacation photos

The view from our balcony.


The bar. =)


Shots! Shots! Shots! Everybody!


Sand castles in the sand. (Robin Sparkles. Get it? Anybody? Bueller?)


The casa.


Texas Forever!!


Thar be pirates aboard, matey!


Sea shells at the sea shore.


Mandalas. The two at the bottom are mine.


"Mine? Mine?" (Finding Nemo. Get it? Anybody? Bueller?)


The casa from the boardwalk.


Margarita night! Everybody!


Until next year...

Movie Review: "Crazy, Stupid, Love."

Finally! A romantic comedy that works!

The movie follows Cal (Steve Carell) after his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) announces that she wants a divorce. Cal doesn't put up a fight; he just leaves. Spending most nights in a trendy bar, he meets Jacob (Ryan Gosling -- hello!), who is a modern day dandy, for lack of a better term. In the entire movie, the only time we see a woman turn down Jacob's nightly offer of "let's get out of here" is when Hanna (Emma Stone) does it. So, Jacob has game. Cal wants game. Jacob decides to help Cal get game.

One makeover and lots of alcohol later, Cal has had luck with a few women from the bar and found his swagger. The problem is, it's not making him happy. He misses his wife. He wants his old life back (but he seems to like the new clothes, which is a plus) so much so that he sneaks to his old house in the middle of the night to take care of the lawn.

Things get dodgy when one of the women Cal has slept with turns out to be his 13-year-old son's English teacher. This gets revealed publicly, which is awful. Still, it's clear that Cal and Emily care for each other. Otherwise it wouldn't hurt so bad, right?

Things get romantic when Hannah comes out of the blue to accept Jacob's offer after her boyfriend says he's not sure how seriously he feels about her. Instead of jumping right in the sack like she wants, Hannah and Jacob spend the evening getting to know each other and Jacob admits that he's completely unhappy with his life.

After a few weeks of being MIA, Jacob calls Cal to say he's met a girl who's a "game-changer." Hannah takes Jacob to meet her family. Guess who her family is? That's right, Cal and Emily.

There's a whole sub-story with the 13-year-old son, Robbie, having an epic crush on his babysitter and the babysitter having an epic crush on Cal. That business was my only gripe about this movie -- even though those scenarios produced the most comedy, I didn't care.

The reason this movie works is because it doesn't portray love as this perfect thing. It's messy, and backwards, and hopeless, and sometimes awful. But it's also exciting, and beautiful, and hopeful, and sometimes awesome. It's complicated and yet so clear at the same time. It's hard work and taking a risk. It'll make you crazy and stupid, but in the end you'll see it's probably worth it.

Fortune says...

"Focus on trusting your intuition and you will get through it."

Movie Review: "Cowboys & Aliens"

I wasn't expecting very much from this movie, but I guess some part of me thought Jon Favreau was awesome enough to make a ridiculous-sounding movie at the very least fun and, you know, have a plot. But no. No, no. It's just ridiculous.

It starts reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaally slowly, then about halfway through there's a twist that's just kind of stupid, and along the way there are two conflicts that are supposed to be serious but instead feel like the screenwriter just needed to crank out extra pages. And the end is predictable slash boring.

The one piece of silver lining: There's lots of Daniel Craig and some Sam Rockwell to ogle. And they're wearing cowboy duds and cowboys are ALWAYS hot (unless they're playing football, in which case they are usually a disappointment. Looking at you, Tony Romo.)

Wait for this one to come out on DVD and then rent it from your nearest Red Box for $1. I was annoyed at the matinee money I spent on my ticket today.

I take it back, again

I LOVE when people make me eat my words, and it's happened twice with the casting choices for "The Hunger Games" movies.

I didn't think Jennifer Lawrence could pull off Katniss, but when I saw her in costume with the dark hair, I was sold.

However, I was still skeptical about the actors chosen for Gale (Liam Hemsworth) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson.) I take it back, again.



They look exactly right! (And all of these assessments on my part have been based solely on looks. I'm sure they're all excellent actors.) I'm getting more and more excited about these movies!

I pride myself in being knowledgeable of and having good instincts about things relating to movies. But, I have to say, "The Hunger Games" team has proven me wrong twice now and I love, love, love it!

Book Review: "Thirteen Reasons Why"

Jay Asher's debut novel is a YA suspense/drama that I would have read in one sitting if I hadn't started it late last night and needed to pause for sleep.

The story centers around Hannah Baker, a teenager who committed suicide by swallowing a bunch of pills. Before she took her own life, though, she made a set of tapes that speak about and directly to people and events that affected her along the way. Some negative, some positive, but in the end, everything affects everything.

The instructions Hannah gives at the beginning of the first tape (each tape is dedicated to a person) are for the people to listen all the way through the set and, when they're done, to pass them along to the next person in the sequence. There is a second set of tapes that exist, and the person keeping them has been instructed to release them publicly if any of the people on the list don't follow the instructions. Clay Jensen, who always had a crush on Hannah and spent a little time with her when they both spent a summer working at a movie theater together, is number nine.

Clay has no idea why he's on the tapes and after hearing the first few of them, begins to question every interaction he'd ever had with Hannah, wondering if something he said or did contributed to her decision to kill herself. On top of his panic at that idea, he learns a lot of things he never wanted to know about his classmates and about Hannah herself.

The text switches back and forth between Hannah's recorded voice and Clay's internal (and sometimes external) reactions. It's a very clever presentation. I've read plenty of books written in the format of letters, but I think this might be the first I've read written in the format of a tape. It's essentially the same, but there's something about imagining the actual voice on the other end that makes it a little more... real?

Everything affects everything. (The copy of the book I got from the library was signed by the author, who wrote that line with his signature.) It's not fair or realistic to expect people to always be on eggshells, wondering if every little thing they say or do will kick off a series of events, butterfly effect style, that could lead to a tragedy. But, it's also not fair to assume that the things we say or do don't have weight. Perhaps a good rule of thumb should be to think before we speak or act. Oh. Right. We're supposed to do that already.

I've been on a YA kick recently, but this one could easily read as an adult novel. Let's face it, though -- what better time to identify with the feeling that your life is over than in high school?

Coincidentally (or not, depending on how you feel the Universe works) as I signed on the computer to type this review, the first thing I saw online was the news of Amy Winehouse's death. There's a person who was screaming for help. And people were on hand to give it to her. How many times was she in and out of treatment? How many times did fans show up to concerts, hoping they would be the ones to witness her comeback? How many times did her parents defend her in the media? Perhaps there are just some people who are beyond any help they could get, and when a person is that far gone, I don't know if a tragic result is anybody's fault. But I guess the answer to that is Amy's to keep. Unless she left something for us to listen to.

Oh, right: "I ain't got the time, and if my daddy thinks I'm fine, they'll try to make me go to rehab, I won't go go go."

Why I love Harry Potter

Besides the fact that it's a kick ass story, I love Harry Potter for the same reason that a generation (or two, by now) does: It got them to read.

I was a huge reader when I was a kid. HUGE. I knew exactly when the next Sweet Valley High book was coming out and made my parents take me to BookStop (old school!) to get it on the first day. I owned everything by Judy Blume. I read, and re-read, and re-read and to this day re-read the Little House series. I even had kid versions of the classics like Little Women and Call of the Wild that helped me know what was going on when I eased into the true versions.

In high school, reading became a requirement, which automatically makes it less fun. I still enjoyed (most) of the books, but doing dialectical notebooks for each one was a time suck and a pain in the ass.

~~We now interrupt this blog entry to explain what a dialectical notebook, or DN, is: While reading a book, you write a quote or passage from the book onto the left side of your page, and then on the right explain that quote or passage's significance. Minimum of 3 entries per chapter.~~

The only stuff I remember reading for pure fun in high school was Jane Austen.

In college I dropped reading altogether. This includes my textbooks, for the most part. College was when I went through my whole existential crisis, though, so at least there's a reason.

After I graduated, I just... didn't read.

Here's where Harry Potter comes in.

I had seen all the movies and thought they were really fun. The world fascinated me. I felt like a kid when I watched them. So, in 2007 when Deathly Hallows was published, I decided I'd order the complete Potter set of books and read them straight through. (I maintain that this was the best way to do it. I would have gone insane waiting years between books.)


It took me about six weeks to finish (I read the last half of Hallows in one sitting.) And a magical -- pun intended -- thing happened: I fell in love with reading again.

Now I have a little baby library in my apartment and a regular queue of book hold requests at the library. I borrow from and loan to friends. I can go to the movies and see a set of previews and know exactly what's happening because I've read the books already. (This drives my sister bananas, which makes it that much more fun.) :)

Not only am I now (again) an insatiable reader, I think all this reading is making me a better writer as well. That, I hope, will prove to be invaluable. And I have Jo Rowling to thank for it.

Other people will be emotional about the Potter era coming to a close this week for various reasons, but for me it's more than just the story or the end of an era. It's letting go a little bit of the thing that reignited my mind and spirit and imagination in the most wonderful way. Thanks for that, Jo.

But, as Rowling herself said at the London premiere, we don't have to be sad: "The stories we love stay with us. Whether you come back on the page or on the screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home."

Movie Review: "Super 8"

Movies that were awesome when I was a kid:

"ET"
"The Goonies"
The "Back to the Future" Series
Everything done by John Hughes
"Hook"
"The Newsies"
"3 Ninjas"
"The Mighty Ducks" Series
"The Sandlot"
"Jurassic Park"
"Now and Then"
"Clueless" (which then led me into other high school-related movies of the '90s, but that's for another post.)

What did everything before "Clueless" have in common? Smart ass kids who weren't attached some electronic device (except for those dorky kids in "Jurassic Park," but I can let that one slide) and who found themselves in a predicament that few if any adults could understand. There was also usually some kind of big adventure or big mystery. And there was also usually the influence of Steven Spielberg.

"Super 8" has all of that. It's awesome. AWESOME. It's set in a small Ohio town in '79. The newest form of technology is the Walkman, which the sheriff hilariously warns is a "slippery slope." That sheriff is probably the old man who keeps calling me at work and asking for random information because "not everyone owns a computer, young lady."

Anyway, these middle school-aged friends spend their summer making a movie on a Super 8 camera, and just happen to witness and accidentally film a train crash. But it's no ordinary train crash. The cargo (which goes missing) is something that the military is in town to retrieve, but they can't talk about it with the locals. So, who takes it upon themselves to figure out what the hell is going on and save the day? The kids, of course!

Remember when you watched these kinds of movies and were totally swept away by them? It will happen again while you watch this. Maybe it's because of the nostalgic setting (I don't know if this storyline would play if it was set in modern day) or that the sarcastic comments and cursing is reminiscent of youth, when you just loved to say the word shit more than almost any other. Maybe it's because these kids look like normal, age-appropriate kids and not some perfect Disneybot.

Whatever it is, watch "Super 8" and it will take you right back to your middle school days. (The fun ones, not the awkward horrible ones.)

Oh, and Spielberg produced. Mint!

Tarot reading

A few days ago I had my first ever Tarot reading done by a woman in my book club who learned how to do it while she was living in Saudi Arabia. I've never done anything like this before. Never been to a psychic or a palm reader (although this same woman dabbled in palm reading and told me, based on some line in my hand, that I am very passionate and will have at least one child. Ok.)

We went with a six-question circle, which looked like this:

[6Q]

[5T] [1R]

[4H] [2F]

[3C]

Code
Card 1 is about relationships
2 is finances
3 is career
4 is health
5 is travel
6 is querant, the card that sort of wraps the others up into an all-encompassing idea

More lingo
Dignified means the card was facing me when flipped over. Ill-dignified means it was facing away from me (this can sometimes -- but not necessarily always -- mean something negative.)

A lot of the reading was based on what I saw when I looked at the card, so it was art-specific. I couldn't find images of the cards my friend used, and I didn't take pictures, so I'll describe the best I can.

1. Relationships
I got the Ten of Cups, ill-dignified. The cups were spread across the card and filled with water, and there were streams of water and bridges that connected them. The water and connectivity were the first things I noticed.

Meaning: It could mean that I have a lot of relationships in my life that are fulfilling and important to me. I feel the connection to each, and the connections between them. It being ill-dignified could suggest that it's something I worry about losing, or the exact opposite -- that I'm not worried about it at all, therefore it's not high on my radar. (I do worry that I don't have more strong friendships than I do, but I'm confident in the ones that are strong. Also strong are my family connections. No romantic relationship at the moment, but I'm not worried about that.)

2. Finances
I got the Page of Cups, ill-dignified. The page was standing in a field, holding a goblet with his eyes closed and a little smile on his face. He seemed to listening and/or waiting for something or someone.

Meaning: Perhaps he's waiting for the start of something new. Ill-dignified could mean that it's something I've already done, or something I'm about to do, or that I'm not worried about it. (This one was significant. For the past month I've put myself on a fairly strict budget to pay off my credit card. I've already started, and hopefully in the end I'll be fulfilled by not having debt.)

3. Career
I got the Five of Wands, ill-dignified. Five men seem to be fighting each other or competing somehow using big clubs that look like tree branches. A smaller man is standing in the middle of all this with his hands on his hips, smiling like he's enjoying the spectacle. I figure they're doing it for his benefit.

Meaning: Career-wise, this could mean that I feel like I'm in the middle of work competition and vying to impress the folks in charge. Ill-dignified, it could mean that I don't care about all that. (At my current job, I certainly don't care about all that. But in my career as a writer, I know it's going to feel very competitive when it comes time to shop my book to agents and publishers. Multiple meanings!)

4. Health
I got the Four of Swords, dignified. A man is sitting in a tee-pee made out of the four swords and a cloth. He looks desperate and in pain, on his knees and reaching up toward the sky, like he's begging a higher power for help. He's isolated from the village that's in the distance behind him.

Meaning: It could mean that I'm struggling with something and struggling on my own, and that I need help. Dignified, it could mean that I've accepted this and have taken matters into my own hands to solve the problem. (This was HUGE for me. I've made no secret with my weight struggle, which I do feel isolated in handling. This card was the only one that faced me when I flipped it over. The Universe was telling me to pay attention and do something about it already. Also, the day after this reading, my sister called me with some worrying health news of her own. Was the card an omen? I think her call was another moment where they Universe smacked me on the back of the head and said, "See?")

5. Travel
I got the Three of Coins, ill-dignified. The card had three gold coins on the left side and what looked like a marble or stone statue of an artist standing on a pedestal on the right.

Meaning: It could be that it takes an investment, monetary or creative, to get to the point of reverence, like the artist. Someone thought enough of him to make a statue of him. Ill-dignified, it could mean that this level of fulfillment is not within my reach yet, or that I've rejected it. (This card confused me. I didn't really feel anything from it, which I take to mean that I'm not too worried about whether I'm ever revered or not. I think the journey will be the exciting part, whether or not I'm revered at the end is insignificant to me.)

6. Querant
I got the Queen of Coins, ill-dignified. She's sitting on her throne with her head tossed back in a laugh and one arm tossing a coin into the air. She has different objects at her feet and is wearing an expensive-looking gown. She looks comfortable and relaxed. It could be interpreted that she's flaunting her wealth and position, but I don't think she can be bothered to care about the impression she gives. She's too happy.

Meaning: This being the Querant card was almost like seeing what I have to look forward to. It being ill-dignified could mean that I don't have the confidence of the Queen's security yet, or that I don't think I'll get it. (Can I just say how satisfying it was that my overall Querant card was a Queen? AWESOME. I definitely don't have the confidence of her security or prosperity yet, so ill-dignified makes total sense.)

It means something if you get more of one suit (coins, cups, swords, wands) than others, but since mine was fairly even it suggests that I have balance in my life. I guess that's true. All but one of the cards being ill-dignified could mean that I'm not sweating any of those things at the moment, which is also true. I let most stuff roll right off my back. The Health card being the only dignified, like I said, was a big deal for me. I think that's what I need to pay attention to, and the rest will work itself out.

I had the BEST time with this. I want to learn how to do it. Maybe my friend will take me under her wing and teach me. I'll be interested to see how the cards fall next time.

There's good news and there's bad news

Bad news first (always).

Remember way back when Gayle Forman's "If I Stay" was published and I mentioned that I was upset about it because I'd had an idea for a book that was basically the same thing and she'd beat me to it?

Well. It happened again.

Sort of.

I give you: "Tempest."

While perusing Entertainment Weekly dot com, I came across this article.

This brand spanking new author Julie Cross has written a YA book with a time travel fantasy element. It's supposed to be full of excitement and danger and angst and drama and love story.

Guess what I have 21,000 words written of? Yep. Basically the same thing.

So that's the bad news.

The good news is this: Mine is better. (I really don't know this because all I've read is what's in that story, but based on that tiny bit of info, I say mine's better.)

Also good news: I'm not discouraged. I'm in fact encouraged because mine is different enough to be part of what could be a time travel trend and still be unique. I'm not super thrilled that now it's going to look like I'm riding coattails (assuming it gets any attention at all), but Dianna had a very good point -- this woman might have just made it easier for me to be paid attention to.

"If I Stay" was entirely too close to my idea for me to even develop it further. Maybe one day I can adapt my concept and try again. "Tempest" feels like something different. A launching pad? A gateway? I don't know for sure quite yet, but I'm going to stay positive and keep the thought that Julie Cross has done me an incredible favor and one day I'll have to thank her for it. :)

Also, in a moment of ego, can I just say that it's pretty cool that ideas I've come up with independently have been taken seriously by agents and publishers and a reading audience? I know I'm not the one having the success, but it feels like I'm on the right track. :)

Cosmo's flirting tips, a.k.a Ways for Stefanie to Feel Like a Jackass

While I was waiting for my car's oil to be changed I picked up the Cosmo that was on the coffee table and came across these ridiculous, I mean "irresistible," flirting techniques. Let's discuss:

Give him a long once-over from head to toe, then bring your eyes back up to his. Smile ever so slightly to let him know you like what you see.
Ppppfffffff.

Pull your hair loose from a ponytail holder or clip so he can watch your touchable tresses fall around your face.
No. If my hair is up, it's because it's hot and/or unmanageable that day. I would only scare a guy away if I unleashed the mane in those conditions.

Cross your legs and slowly move your top foot in circles. His eyes will be drawn to your gorgeous gams since men are used to focusing on movement.
I think this is called Restless Leg Syndrome.

Grin and hold his gaze for three seconds. Then bite the corner of your lip and look down.
So, like, one... two... three... and THEN bite, or one... two... and bite on three? (Sarcasm.)

While conversing with a cutie, lean in so you're about six inches from his face. Linger for three counts, then slowly return to your original position.
Hahahaha! That's not creepy at all.

Rub your shoulder like you have a painful crick, then gently sigh. Not only will he find this extremely sexy, but you might even score a massage.
I've done this genuinely before and never got a massage out of it. No feedback on the sexiness, either.

Walk past him, then slowly swivel your head halfway toward him, rest your chin on your shoulder and smile. This asymmetrical pose shows that he's hot enough to literally turn heads.
Oh, good Lord.

During conversation, touch his knee or hand for emphasis.
His knee??? WHY? Are we talking about his high school sports injuries?

As a hottie brushes by you, stop him in his tracks by saying, "Wow, you smell great."
If this is true, I have no problem saying it. I loves me some good cologne. :)

While standing in line, inquire if he thinks it's worth the wait.
If what's worth the wait? (Probably the actual response he'd give.)

Pull out a copy of the Kama Sutra from your bag and say, "Would you be interested in joining my book club?"
THIS would be HILARIOUS!

Stroll over to a bored boy and inform him that you're from social search-and-rescue. Your mission? To save him from a dull night.
Womp, womp, wooooooooooooooomp.

Compliment him with "You look athletic. What sports do you play?"
"Where do you work out?" makes more sense because then you can show up at that place and see him there. Duh.

Tell him he looks so much like a friend of yours that you just had to say hello.
This is awkward, but it might actually get a conversation started.

Proclaim that you're thinking about changing your name. Then say with a smile, "Do I strike you as more of a Sienna or a Bambi?"
What. The. Fuck.

Wander over to him at a coffee shop or bookstore with the event-listings section of the paper and ask for his suggestion on a fun activity.
Ha! This is a funny suggestion for many reasons. =)

At a clothing store, tell him the shirt or pants he's considering buying would look amazing on him.
Why the hell am I shopping at a men's store??

Say that you're trying out a new perfume, then hold out your wrist or expose your neck and ask his opinion.
I believe I've done this one before. It's not a bad ice-breaker.

Guys love to hear their names — throw his into conversation a couple of times, and he'll know you're into him.
Oh, you mean I should acknowledge the person I'm having a conversation with? Whoda thunk?

Make the most of a loud room and lean in close. Then whisper conversation in his nerve-packed ears.
I mean, if it's loud, how else are you supposed to talk?

Ask him if it's hot (or cold) in the room and put his hands on your cheeks or neck for a temperature check.
I am not his mother.

Ask your studly neighbor to stop by and help you move something heavy or change a lightbulb you can't reach. Then repay his services with a beer.
Well that's just neighborly.

Here's the thing: I'm all for attempting to flirt, but the situation has to be somewhat genuine or else I feel completely stupid. I'm not going to just execute a stupid pick-up line to a complete stranger.

A guy will know I'm into him when I listen to what he has to say, ask questions, laugh at his jokes (good or bad) and tell him that I'm having fun. The rest is really just bullshit.

Book Review: "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society"

It's a mouthful, isn't it?

This book by aunt/niece team Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows is about a writer in WWII-era London named Juliet Ashton. She's on the search for a subject for a new book and can't seem to find inspiration anywhere.

She randomly receives a letter from a man named Dawsey Adams who lives on the small English Channel island of Guernsey. Dawsey has come into possession of one of Juliet's old books and the two start up a friendly correspondence. He reveals that he's a member of the GLAPPPS (how I will refer to it from now on, thank you very much). Juliet wants to know more. The next thing you know, all the members of the society are sending her letters.

The characters in this book are all charming, even the unlikeable Mark Reynolds, who tries to sweep Juliet off her feet. Their stories of their lives during German Occupation are harrowing, fascinating and heartbreaking. Juliet thinks so, too, and wants to share them (eureka!) in the form of her next book.

Juliet goes to the island to meet the people she's made friends with via snail mail. She becomes one of their own. In the end, she finds out that when you're not looking, you find the thing you were searching for. (And it's usually not what you expected it to be.)

My only qualm about this book is the format. Every single word is told by correspondence: Letters, telegrams, notes, found diary entries. It's too gimmicky for me. The worst part was that as soon as I'd get consumed in one person's voice and point of view, the letter would end and one from a completely different character would be next. It was like starting all over. It was jarring.

How does a group come to call themselves the GLAPPPS, you might ask? Guernsey because it's where they are. Literary because they invented a book club (and then had to really become a book club) when caught out after curfew by German soldiers. Potato peel pie because when all the rest of the food was gone, potato peels were all they had left to eat.

It sounds a lot more pleasant without the explanation, doesn't it?