The Essential Emily

Visit me over at Wordpress

2011-06-29T11:59:00.000-04:00

Hello friends!

I've been having fun playing around with a Wordpress blog lately. (No, I'm not exactly defecting to Wordpress yet... just... experimenting.)

Come visit me over at http://emilygyoung.com/theessentialemily

Review: J.J. Abrams' "Super 8" is the best movie of the summer

2011-06-19T18:58:00.000-04:00

As I watched “Super 8,” I kept thinking, I haven’t had this much fun in a movie since “Star Trek.”

Oh right. That was J.J. Abrams’ last movie.

“All the spectacle in the world means nothing if there’s not [good] characters at the center of it all,” Abrams said in a 2009 review with The Lamron. His characters are always memorable. When you walk away from “Super 8,” you’re not thinking about the alien. You’re thinking about the middle-schoolers who are obsessed with zombie movies and cherry bombs. And who handle family tragedies and alien invasions with equal aplomb. They’re probably the best characters I’ve seen all year.

And, for all you “Lost” fans out there, the movie is a bit like an alien version of that show (with a much happier ending). “Super 8″ is what would have happened if Jack Shepherd had moved to 1960s suburbia and become a sheriff instead of a doctor. And if the black smoke monster was really an alien. And if Sawyer had gotten custody of his daughter. (Oh, and keep an eye out for the “Locke” jewelry store in the final scene.)

Whether you’re a “Lost” fan or not, do yourself a favor and don’t miss this film.

rebuilding

2011-06-06T13:04:00.000-04:00

They walked along a skeleton street, arms linked, surveying the charred shell of somebody's flat. The empty window frames gaped, but somehow the front door still swung on its hinges. Jack thought it was odd.

Katherine's voice broke into his thoughts. "When are you going to ask me to marry you?"

Jack bit his lip, controlling a hysterical urge to laugh. He looked at Katherine and realized she was completely serious. "A lot has changed," he said. "I've changed."

Katherine just looked at him, her eyes so wide that he could see all the gold flecks in them.

"My nose is made out of my shoulder," he added wryly.

Katherine took his hand. "Do you still like going to the sea? And reading My Life and Hard Times almost every month?"

He nodded.

"You're still Jack, aren't you?" Her hand reached up and touched the scarred places on his skin. "And your nose was never your best feature anyway."

To read more of Jack's story, click the label at the end of this post.

you might be an alien if...

2011-06-04T10:09:00.001-04:00

1. You spontaneously turn into a human flashlight in the middle of class

2. Your family beagle has a habit of transforming into a Jurassic Park monster

3. You find it difficult to open your locker door, but you can run really, really fast. Like Edward-Cullen-would-be-jealous fast

4. You’re always hunted by incredibly tall aliens with a passion for trench-coats.

5. You’re supposed to save the world, but you only succeed in blowing up your high school’s football field. (And looking like someone from GQ.)

List compiled from “I am Number Four.” A somewhat forgettable action flick, but a lasting contribution for all those angst-ridden high school students who wonder if they’re from another planet.

Nail Polish

2011-05-24T21:41:00.000-04:00

To steal an idea from Glamour, what color are your nails right now? Mine are lavender, which felt like a happy color for the beach. (I just discovered the wonder of pedicures.) Now I need to learn how to make my nails look like this myself. Any tips?

midnight visitor

2011-05-18T19:03:00.004-04:00

Annie woke up at midnight to the sound of someone pounding on the front door. She still wasn't used to waking up in a strange house.

She crept out of bed, the floor cold against her bare feet, and tip-toed to the top of the stairs. Mrs. Benson - whom she still thought of as the cabbage-lady - had opened the door and was talking to an RAF pilot. Annie's heart leaped. Peter!

No. The boy who was staggering into the house wasn't Peter. She knew because he didn't have Peter's crooked smile or his tangly hair. He was just another lost, drunk soldier from the military base, who was saying, thickly, that somebody had taken all his money.

She wondered if Peter and Bear were ever coming back.

To read more of Annie's story, click the label at the end of this post.

Four reasons you should see "Thor" starring Chris Hemsworth

2011-05-16T21:39:00.001-04:00

1. Have you ever wondered what a Norse god would do if he walked into a pet store? "Thor" is at its best when it's funny. Chris Hemsworth has a good sense of comedic timing as he portrays the larger-than-life (and somewhat confused) hero, stranded in an alien world with cars, coffee and cats.

2. Director Kenneth Branagh may have switched from Shakespeare to Marvel, but he still knows how to slip in themes from his favorite playwright. (Watch for the subtexts.)

3. (If you're a guy, you can just skip to #4 now.) Chris Hemsworth is shirtless in one scene. Enough said.

4. At one point, I checked my watch and was surprised to find that the movie was almost over. It's a fast-paced summer flick with a good mix of humor and adventure. (That's probably because it was written by the same team that created "Fringe.")

Magpie Tales: when the rebels came

2011-05-16T21:17:00.000-04:00

I didn't cry when they burned my father's books and I watched the pages wither in the flames; even the family Bible, with the birth and death of my mother and my little brother recorded inside. I didn't cry when they shot my father and my brother and I didn't cry when they left, the men in grey uniforms who are no longer my countrymen.

My sister cried, but I -
I didn't cry.

for more book-inspired stories, check out Magpie Tales.

2011-05-13T16:24:00.001-04:00

Lucius decides that being killed by Picts is better than a sleepless night

2011-05-11T15:04:00.000-04:00

When Lucius first joined his legion, he'd thought there was nothing worse than latrine duty.

Wrong.

Guard duty was a waking nightmare. After he'd marched until his heels bled and dug trenches until his hands blistered, he wanted to sleep. It was only natural. But his centurion decided somebody should watch over the camp.

Now, propped against his spear, Lucius tried to watch for Picts. Sleep crept up his legs and arms, dulling his muscles and inching toward his eyes. Any second now, he would topple over. He wanted to surrender to the wonderful warm heaviness settling over him. A public flogging didn't sound that bad. Just for a minute of sleep - it would be worth it.

His head was starting to sink when a shadow shifted in the darkness.

The Picts had arrived.

To read more of Lucius' story, click the label at the end of this post.

how Jack tells about the Guinea Pig Club

2011-05-09T09:31:00.001-04:00

Jack noticed that his mother had taken down the mirror in the front hallway. "I was careless and smashed it cleaning," she explained when he gave her a look.

But everything else was exactly the way he remembered it. The front closet still smelled of lavender soap. And somehow, miraculously, there was a cake baking in the oven, just like when he used to come home on school holidays. His mother must have been saving up her ration cards for ages. She made him an omelet for his tea, too, and while they were eating she wanted to hear all about his time at East Grinstead.

He didn't tell her about his 60 surgeries. Instead, he talked about Dr. McIndoe and how he let them wear their uniforms and keep beer under their beds.

And then he told her to put back the mirror.

To read more of Jack's story, click the label at the end of this post.

sky on fire

2011-05-08T21:35:00.000-04:00

Review of "Fringe" Season 3 Finale: Or, why did Peter Bishop disappear?

2011-05-07T00:03:00.003-04:00

You'd think that when a show barely got renewed, its producers would work extra hard to make the season finale special. Nope. The last episode of "Fringe" plodded along, until the last 2 minutes. That's when they decided to add some interest by eliminating the main character. Yeah. Real good move.

Do you think Peter (Joshua Jackson) will be coming back for Season 4?

Here's some hypothetical reasons he might be gone for good:

1. He can't sport a futuristic haircut without looking lame.

2. He sure can't cry.

3. He's making a sequel to his 2008 film, "One Week," about a guy with a terminal illness. (The producers are calling it, "One More Week.")

4. The only time he was actually charming this season was during an acid trip.

But everybody gets a second chance, right?

1. Both Olivias are in love with him. (And he's a dad in at least one universe. That's gotta count for something.)

2. Where there's Walter, there's always more LSD...

3. He can flip a coin really well.

4. The writers could give him back his wisecracks from season one.

5. He seems like a nice guy. And I'm feeling a little guilty about the haircut comment now...

(Despite everything, I still like Fringe. And Peter. To see why, read this post.)

the stealth camera strikes again

2011-05-02T21:09:00.003-04:00

There's nothing quite like a sleeping basenji. Especially when she is snuggled next to you while you are reading Shakespeare....

why Jack isn't a fan of public transportation

2011-04-25T19:49:00.001-04:00

Jack hated trains, but he wanted to visit his mother in London. He chose a seat in the back.

He was just getting into his book - it was by James Thurber, and it always made him laugh - when a young woman with long blonde hair walked toward the empty seat next to him. She had a sweet smile, he noticed. Then she glanced at his face, looked flustered for a second, and took a seat a few rows down.

He hated trains.

to read more of Jack's story, click the label "Jack" at the end of this post.

we have this hope

2011-04-23T15:17:00.000-04:00

Your covenant with death will be
annulled;
your agreement with the grave will
not stand.

- Isaiah 28:18

Review: Limitless

2011-04-17T21:34:00.003-04:00

Let's face it. Every writer secretly dreams of a magic drug that will help him write the next great American novel in four days.

At first, "Limitless" is just a fun sci-fi flick about finding that magic pill. But it ends up exploring philosophical issues of drug addiction and morality. (Can enhanced intelligence actually make you a worse person?) The end of the film isn't exactly optimistic, but then again, Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) isn't much of a hero. He cheats on his girlfriend... all the time. And how does he use his increased brain power? Cure cancer? End world hunger? Nope. It's all about how he can make himself look good.

Bradley Cooper does well playing the scruffy Jekyl and suave Hyde. (I'm pretty sure they gave him bright blue contacts whenever he needed to look smart.) As the heartless businessman, Robert De Niro tries to channel Gordon Gecko, but instead comes across as grandfatherly. And Abbie Cornish plays a characteristically doomed love interest.

"Limitless" isn't as exciting as "The Adjustment Bureau" or as optimistic as "Source Code." But overall, the film's jazzy score and trippy camera work make it a fun ride, and its interesting premise leaves viewers with a lot to think about... and the desire to write a novel without the help of a magic pill.

recovery

2011-04-13T18:43:00.000-04:00

He never got used to waking up in the hospital. It had a sterile smell. He didn't like it. Especially when he'd just been dreaming of Thanksgiving dinner again.

This morning, there was a new patient in the bed next to his. He turned his head stiffly, still careful not to hurt the gash along his neck, and looked with interest at his new companion. He recognized him as one of the RAF pilots.

"Why do you have a stuffed bear in your bed?" he asked.

this is part eight in an ongoing series. to read part seven, click here. or, to start at the beginning, click on the label at the end of this post.

Magpie Tales: Red Falernian

2011-04-11T09:38:00.001-04:00

Lucius had forgotten to bring his napkin to Gaius Aquilius Scipio's dinner party. But it didn't really matter, because most of the guests were too absorbed in the platters of honeyed eel or the fine Falernian wine to notice. A slave offered a bowl of wine for the guests to wash their hands in. Instead of dipping his fingers, the confused and somewhat drunk young tribune next to Lucius tipped the bowl and drank the crimson liquid. The others laughed, a little too loudly, and Lucius found himself eating something that might have been dormice, and wishing that he could have stayed quietly at home, the night before leaving for the Frontier.

this is part two in an ongoing series. to read more, click on the label at the end of this post.

(Check out Magpie Tales for more stories inspired by this photo.)

bear goes abroad

2011-04-10T13:22:00.005-04:00

Dear Peter,

Mummie says that you are very sick and in hospital, so I am sending you Bear to keep you company. He didn't want to go but I said he had to.

Love,

Annie

this is part seven in an ongoing series. to read part six, click here. Or, to start at the beginning, click the label at the end of this post.

Lady's philosophy of life

2011-04-08T14:42:00.000-04:00

Chewing a bone is always so much better when it can be accomplished on top of somebody's homework.

(Forgive the poor picture quality. I had to take her photo in stealth-mode.)

the high seas

2011-04-07T12:24:00.006-04:00

Annie found a book on pirates stashed away in the bottom drawer of her new room.

"Should we be pirates?" she asked Bear.

But Bear wisely said nothing.

this is part six in an ongoing series. to read part five, click here.

21 Things About Me

2011-04-04T07:00:00.001-04:00

These flowers only bloom around the time of my birthday. I know they're actually weeds, but aren't they lovely? Anyway, in honor of my 21st birthday, I'm going to share with you 21 things about myself. I've never actually done that before, so here goes:

1. I am a child of God, saved by grace.

2. I love movies. (But you probably know that already.)

3. I've never seen snow, but I really want to.

4. When I played dress-up with friends as a kid, all the other girls dressed up as brides, but I pretended to be Luke Skywalker.

5. The dimple on my cheek is fake. When I was 4 years old, I hit my head on the corner of a cedar chest, and gave myself a "dimple" for life.

6. Sometimes I still dream about my first dog, Simba. He was my best friend for 12 years.

7. Favorite books: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff (you probably already knew that too), and Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith.

8. I have a hard time coming up with 21 things about myself.

9. My dream vacation would be a trip to the Lake District in England. (And since we're dreaming here, it'd followed by a visit to Scotland, Ireland, and Rome.)

10. I've wanted to be a writer since I was 5. (I briefly considered becoming a vet, but when I realized vets have to actually operate instead of just playing with puppies all day, I decided against it.)

11. I have a habit of walking into walls. Or sliding glass doors. Especially at parties.

12. If you're still reading this far, WOW. You should get some kind of prize for that kind of patience.

13. I'm a terrible artist, but I can draw great tomatoes. Really.

14. Favorite smells: new books, old books, homemade bread, brownies, coffee, rain, and lavender soap.

15. I love writing letters by hand. Getting a letter in the mail is even better.

16. Whenever you leave a comment on one of my posts, it makes my day.

17. Favorite music: Phil Keaggy, Greg Laswell, Ingrid Michaelson, Future of Forestry, Enya.

18. Someday, I want to write Young Adult historical fiction and make movies out of all my favorite books.

19. I wrote my first "story" when I was about 6; it was called "Norah the Orphan: Or Rather Slave." You can imagine the melodrama. It was like Nicholas Sparks on steroids.

20. There's nothing better than the sound of a summer thunderstorm or the crashing of waves on the beach, in my opinion.

21. My favorite verse is "How precious to (concerning) me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!" Psalm 139:17

Review of Source Code

2011-04-03T15:42:00.001-04:00

Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) is having a bad day. He wakes up on a train, but he doesn't know why he's there. Things get even weirder when he looks at his reflection and realizes he's in somebody else's body. Plus, there's a pretty girl sitting across from him, who apparently likes him (well, that part isn't so bad). When he finds out he has to stop someone from bombing the train, life gets even more complicated.

No, "Source Code" is not "Inception." It's better. Although "Inception" boasts great special effects and a complicated plot, it leaves me feeling emotionally cold. "Source Code" manages to balance its cerebral plot with humor and warmth. (That's partly due to the difference between flat Leonardo DiCaprio and engaging Jake Gyllenhaal, in his best role since "October Sky"). Director Duncan Jones uses extreme close-ups to give us a feeling of intimacy with the action hero. It's hard to find a fast-paced, intelligent sci-fi flick that still takes time to develop its characters, but "Source Code"proves that it's quite possible.

Go watch it and tell me what you think.

healing

2011-04-01T20:51:00.002-04:00

Jack lifted his hand to knock, then let it fall to his side. He knew she wouldn't answer.

But just as he turned to leave he heard the door creak open, and there she was. Not the black-and-white photo of her, creased and crinkled, but her - with her face just as freckled and her hair as disheveled as he remembered it. And suddenly, without him really knowing how, her arms were around his neck.

She didn't say anything about his scars.

to read the rest of Jack's story, click the label at the end of this post.

settling in

2011-03-31T23:11:00.003-04:00

Dear Peter,

Yesterday I saw a sheep. Have you ever seen one? I like the country. I miss Mum.

Love,
Annie

P.S. I tried to draw a picture of you today but I didn't remember what color to make your hair.

this is part five in an ongoing series. to read part four, click here.

speeding past

2011-03-31T23:09:00.000-04:00

The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.

- C. S. Lewis

broken things

2011-03-28T16:57:00.003-04:00

It wouldn't have been so bad, if she could have had a friend with her. But she'd forgotten Bear when the cabbage-woman took her to the strange new house. The old woman gave her a brand-new doll, but it had empty painted eyes, and Annie knew that it couldn't understand her. Not like Bear.

But that afternoon, as she was sitting on the front steps of the strange new house, wishing she had someone to talk to, a boy wearing an RAF uniform walked over.

"I think you lost this," he said, holding out a small brown teddy bear.

Annie jumped up and grabbed Bear in her arms. Then she glanced up at the boy. His face looked odd, like it had fallen apart and been sewn back together.

"What happened to you?" Annie asked. And then, because he didn't say anything, she added quickly: "Bear has scars too, you know." She ran her fingers over all the places where Mum had stitched Bear. And hugged him closer.

to read the rest of Annie's story, click the label "Annie and Bear" at the end of this post. or, to find out about the boy in the RAF uniform, click the label "Jack."

leaving

2011-03-25T09:22:00.001-04:00

Dear Peter,

Mummie said I'm going on holiday to the country, but then she cried like when you left and I don't think I shall like being on holiday very much. When we got here we all had to line up in front of strangers and they picked the ones they wanted, and I had to go with an old woman who smells like cabbage.

I forgot Bear.

Love,

Annie

This is the third part in an ongoing series. Read part two here.

Homemade Bread... yum.

2011-03-22T17:44:00.000-04:00

Do you have a favorite family recipe? I do - my mom's homemade cinnamon bread. There's nothing as comforting as a a slice of her bread, just out of the oven and slathered with real butter. But it turns out that making bread myself is a little different... if you want to know how it turned out (or try the recipe yourself), check out my article here at the St. Petersburg Times.

First Sandals

2011-03-21T14:52:00.002-04:00

Lucius bought his first pair of caliga, legionary issue, and spent an hour beveling the straps until they were soft and pliable. He’d thought they wouldn’t make him feel any different – after all, they were just a new pair of sandals – but when he slipped them on he did feel different. After all the letters of recommendation and the interviews and the scare about his eyesight, he was in. He looked admiringly at the hobnails on the bottom and thought of how handy they’d be in a fight.

At any rate, before he bought the rest of his equipment - he still needed a good shield and spear - he decided to visit the baths. He rather hoped someone would notice that he was now an official legionary.

What he forgot was that hobnails are quite useful on muddy (or blood-soaked) surfaces, but dangerous on smooth, tiled surfaces. Just as he was entering the baths, he slipped and fell, smack, in front of everyone.

So much for new sandals.

(Check out Magpie Tales for more shield-inspired yarns.)

blossoms

2011-03-19T20:40:00.001-04:00

5 Things to do on St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T19:36:00.000-04:00

1. Wear something green. (That might sound like a no-brainer, but I forgot today.)

2. Watch a classic Irish movie like "The Quiet Man" or my favorite, "The Secret of Roan Inish" (movie image pictured above).

3. Bake sugar cookies in the shape of shamrocks and sprinkle them with green sugar. If you want to go all-out, enjoy them with a cup of Irish Breakfast Tea.

4. Listen to Irish fiddle music.

5. Take a trip to Ireland. (That's what I really want to do. Oh well, maybe next year...)

Do you have any favorite St. Patrick's Day traditions?

Dear Peter

2011-03-11T13:59:00.003-05:00

We went to the tube again last night. I had glow-in-the-dark stickers. Mummie made us eggs when we got home but Bear didn't want to eat them because they came out of powder.

Love,
Annie

France, 1943

2011-03-07T10:18:00.001-05:00

He dreamed of Thanksgiving dinner: butter melting over mashed potatoes, his grandmother's cranberry sauce, yeast rolls and pumpkin pie, and the heavy smell of garlic in the kitchen. Then he woke up. He sighed. More canned spam and sausage for dinner.

visit Magpie Tales for more garlic inspiration...

London, 1941

2011-03-05T10:51:00.003-05:00

When the bombings came, Annie held tight to her bear and told him he must be very brave, and he would get a cup of tea when it was all over. And when she heard the planes overhead, she wondered if one of them was Peter’s, but Mother said no, and she must be quiet now. The bear held tight to Annie’s hand and was very brave.

for part 2, click here.

Review of "The Eagle"

2011-03-03T14:13:00.007-05:00

If you've read some of my past posts, you know how excited I was to see Kevin McDonald's new film "The Eagle," based on my all-time favorite book by Rosemary Sutcliff. I first read it when I was 13 and fell in love with the main character and his quest to rescue the lost eagle standard of the Ninth Legion. So you can imagine how thrilled I was about the movie.... that is, until I actually watched it.

The first 15 minutes seemed promising. Sure, Channning Tatum stumbles over some of his lines, but it's not that bad. The opening battle sequence has the gritty feeling of a well-made documentary, and it's pretty faithful to the novel. But as the movie continues, it strays further and further from its source material and spirals rapidly downhill. The filmmakers mutilated a story that's been celebrated for half a century. The result is a cold, emotionless film with an unremarkable soundtrack, no sense of pacing, and a laughable ending. Even the wonderful actor Jamie Bell can't save it.

The four biggest mistakes of the film:

1. Here's a little tip for screenwriter Jeremy Brock: when you want to make your main character seem likeable and heroic, don't have him kill children. There's a reason Marcus doesn't murder kids in the novel. It just, you know, sends the wrong message.

2. Giving the Roman characters American accents just doesn't work. Some of them actually sound like they're from "Goodfellas" and have wandered into the wrong film.

3. Channing Tatum does his best, but he comes across as cold and one-dimensional. That's partly because the screenwriters stripped away everything that made the character of Marcus human: his relationships with the girl Cottia, with his dog, and even with the tribespeople he befriends along his journey. While playing the wounded Roman, Tatum whines way too much. Although I will say that he did a good job looking like he was in pain while wading through a freezing river. (Well, maybe that's because he really was....)

4. When filmmakers adapt novels into movies, they don't cut out the love story (it's usually the other way around). But McDonald chooses to eliminate every female character from the novel. It's weird. Misogynistic. Confusing.

What's tragic is that the movie could have been wonderful - even with Tatum as the leading man - if it had just kept to Rosemary Sutcliff's novel. Unlike director McDonald and screenwriter Brock, she is a masterful storyteller, and her novel is filled with memorable characters, a sense of bravery against insurmountable odds, and subtle humor. If you want a glimpse into ancient Rome, don't go see "The Eagle." Read the book.

watching

2011-03-03T08:48:00.001-05:00

midterms approach

2011-02-27T15:55:00.001-05:00

Calvin: You can't just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood.

Hobbes: What mood is that?

Calvin: Last-minute panic.

Magpie Tales: Fragmented

2011-02-22T10:11:00.003-05:00

photo courtesy of tess kinkaid

He woke up cold. It was dark, and he felt the rough pavement under his body, and a full moon shone high overhead. He ran his hands over his legs, his arms, his head, checking for injuries, but he didn't know why. He didn't know. He didn't know who he was. The realization came on him suddenly and he shuddered, but he wasn't afraid. Just numb. He reached inside the pockets of his hoodie, searching for a phone or anything to link him to the outside world, but they were empty. He shut his eyes. A fragment of memory flashed before him, broken like scattered puzzle pieces, of a place with fir trees and grey sky. Then it was gone.

He realized he was lying on a road in the middle of nowhere. There was only one thing to do. He got up and started walking, hoping to find the only place he remembered.

stop by Magpie Tales for more storytelling

Best picture books for children... or for you

2011-02-16T21:59:00.002-05:00

Do you remember going to the library with your mom, and picking out a new book from one of the colorful displays? I do. It was magical. I remember the glossy book covers, and the inky smell, and the smoothness of the pages. Sometimes, after we grabbed armfuls of picture books, we walked to the library park and watched the ducks. I've never out-grown my love of picture books. These are some of my favorites. (Even if you don't have kids or grandkids, check them out... you'll love them.)

1. One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey. (The illustrations of Maine are beautiful. I think the book has subliminal messaging... ever since I read it, I want to visit Maine and dig for clams to make into clam chowder.)

2. Bunny Cakes by Rosemary Wells. (Red hot marshmallow squirters! If you've ever read this, you know what I'm taking about. I especially love this book because little Max the bunny has the same expression my first dog used to get when he wanted a treat.)

3. The Rag Coat by Lauren Mills. (A beautiful story about a girl in the Appalachian mountains.)

4. A Kiss for Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik . (No childhood is complete without Little Bear.)

5. Night of the Moonjellies by Mark Shasha. (All I remember about this book is the delicious food they kept talking about... especially the french fries.)

The secret of love

2011-02-15T12:03:00.000-05:00

They built an aerie on the top of a pine tree, overlooking an old cemetery, and waited for their eggs to hatch. Bald eagles mate for life (which is around 30 years) and this pair looks like they get along pretty well. Whenever one flies home after a foraging trip, the other squeals a welcome. I'm sure they shared a nice meal of fish or rabbit on Valentine's Day.

Magpie Tales: The color of the sea

2011-02-07T21:16:00.001-05:00

photo courtesy of tess kinkaid

She painted the house blue-green, the color of the sea.
When the Minnesota winters came, and the trees turned skeletal, she looked at the house and remembered the sound of waves on the beach. And the heat of the sun on her face.
It was almost like being home.

for more story-telling fun, drop by Magpie Tales.

homecoming

2011-02-05T11:58:00.006-05:00

Jack lifted his hand to knock, then let it fall to his side. It had been such a long time. The last time he'd come here, it was early summer, and the katydids were chirring in the oak trees, and the air was heavy with the smell of rain. It felt strange to be here in the winter. Frozen, somehow.

If he knocked, would she even answer?

To read the rest of Jack's story, click the label at the end of this post.

2011-02-03T12:11:00.000-05:00

It was the night of the dance, and Herbert decided to smooth his feathers. He hoped one of the egrets would notice.

real beauty

2011-02-02T18:02:00.000-05:00

2011-01-31T11:57:00.002-05:00

So We must meet apart —
You there—I—here—
With just the Door ajar

- Emily Dickinson

What I'm reading...

2011-01-22T18:41:00.000-05:00

1. Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelson. (I actually read this in a day. It's a fast-paced young adult novel about a troubled bully who is sent to an island as part of the Native American justice system.)

2. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. (The title makes it sound yummy. It's not. Please don't read it. Just don't.)

3. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. (The perfect book for a cold Saturday evening, a cup of chai tea, and perhaps a second breakfast.)

4. The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff. (READ THIS BOOK. Especially since a movie version is being released in two weeks. The historical adventure was written for teens, but adults will appreciate the well-crafted characters and beautiful descriptions of life in ancient Rome.)

What are you reading?

2011-01-21T14:10:00.000-05:00

For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.
- Psalm 36:9

Fear of... salad dressing?

2011-01-11T17:30:00.001-05:00

It's the start of a new school year, so I thought it would be appropriate to dedicate this post to fear. Every student knows fear - the tightening of the belly as deadlines approach or the racing heart as term papers are handed back. But, according to the dictionary, there's a lot more to fear in life than school. For example, salad dressings.

mayophobia. Yes, it's a real word. Apparently, some people are terrified of a bottle of Thousand Island.

Also, taphephobia. The fear of being buried alive. (Which, to be honest, sounds pretty reasonable to me. I don't relish the thought of dirt being piled on top of me while I'm still breathing.)

Or triskaidekaphobia. Fear of the number thirteen.

Or hypnophobia. Fear of sleep. (That's got to be exhausting.)

Or eisoptrophobia. Fear of mirrors.

Or ergophobia. Fear of work. (I think a lot of college students have this one.)

My personal favorite? Phobophobia. Fear of fear.

The top three scientific discoveries of the last decade

2011-01-05T15:32:00.000-05:00

Welcome, 2011! Since I'm dreadful at creating New Year's Resolutions, I decided to celebrate this new decade with something a little different... Here are my favorite fringe science discoveries:

1. Have you ever wished you could record your dreams? Maybe you can. Two years ago, Japanese scientists said they'd soon be able to broadcast people's dreams onto a computer screen. (Check out this "Telegraph" article for more.)

2. Do you still have nightmares about that terrible calculus class? Just zap your memory and move on! According to this article in Time magazine, scientists may be able to remove unhappy memories.

3. Put on that tinfoil hat - aliens might exist after all. Scientists are extremely excited about a new microbe that feasts on arsenic instead of phosphorus. Apparently, this means that planets we once considered uninhabitable might be paradise for certain organisms. Read the article at the New York Times for an in-depth explanation.

Who knows what the next decade will bring?

Wild basenjis find comfort at Christmas

2010-12-24T11:15:00.001-05:00

It's been less than a year since a pack of wild basenji dogs was rescued from a freezing field in Wimauma, Florida. Last Christmas, they were still huddled in burrows under the earth, without human contact. But this year, things have changed.

Check out my article on the feral basenjis to find out how they've adapted to life in our world.

Holiday giveaway

2010-12-20T09:27:00.002-05:00

For some fun treats (including gel pens which I'm very excited about), drop by Stephany Writes and enter her blog giveaway.

Review: "Hamlet" with Ethan Hawke

2010-12-18T18:34:00.002-05:00

What's the perfect holiday movie? Hamlet, of course! Well, not really. But I've always wanted to watch the 2000 "Hamlet" with Ethan Hawke, and Christmas break seemed like the perfect opportunity. Have you seen it? Did you like it?

A few thoughts on the film:

1. Even if you don't see the whole movie, at least watch the "To be or not to be" speech, set in Blockbuster. Director Michael Almereyda's interpretation is hilarious (especially with the store's holiday posters in the background, promising Hamlet and other shoppers they can "Go Home Happy!"). And it's quite logical, too. I mean, if your father's ghost appeared and asked you to kill your uncle, what would you do? Rent a bunch of action movies, of course.

2. Ethan Hawke's unwashed hair distracted me. I know they were going for that unkempt look, but during his famous soliloquies, I just kept wanting to hand Hamlet a bottle of shampoo. Also, this was the first time I didn't feel sad watching Hamlet's dying scene. Compared to Mel Gibson, Hawke was kind of boring.

3. The music could have been better. A lot better. I mean, if you're doing a modern interpretation, you could at least throw in some cool songs. (A little Greg Laswell would have been appropriately angsty. And if only Michael Giacchino had been around in 2000, he could have composed the perfect music for Hamlet's dying scene. If you've ever watched those dying scenes in "Lost," you know what I mean.)

4. Julia Stiles and Liev Schreiber are the best Ophelia and Laertes I've ever seen. Their scenes together were the most poignant in the film. Schreiber played the role of concerned big brother effectively, with a dark side thrown in, while Stiles brought some depth to the character of Ophelia. Most actresses portray her as a fragile young woman from the beginning of the play, but Stiles showed us her gradual decline - starting with an abnormal fascination with the swimming pool.

5. Who would you cast as Hamlet if you were making your own version of the play?

2010-12-13T21:26:00.003-05:00

There is no Frigate like a Book
To take us Lands away,
Nor any Coursers like a Page
Of prancing Poetry –
This Traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of Toll –
How frugal is the Chariot
That bears a Human soul.

- Emily Dickinson

Five ways to have fun during the holidays

2010-12-12T18:40:00.000-05:00

1. Make Christmas cookies

2. Bundle up in a soft knit blanket and watch old favorites like "Christmas in Connecticut"

3. Go to an outdoor market and shop for presents (while sipping hot chocolate)

4. Take a family walk around the neighborhood and look for the best-decorated house

5. Have a game night and sing Christmas carols

(Now that final exams are over, maybe I can actually do some of these things. What are your favorite holiday activities?)

No Place Like Home

2010-11-30T17:44:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, I interviewed local cookbook authors Michael and Iris Raie for the St. Petersburg Times. They welcomed me into their home, fed me chicken and yellow rice and apple crisp, and shared memories of family cooking. Check out the article and find out what food means to their family, and what prompted them to record handwritten recipes into No Place Like Home: Southern Cooking with a Latin Flair.

Fringe

2010-11-22T21:53:00.001-05:00

After the dreadful ending of "Lost," I vowed never to watch another J.J. Abrams' show. And now, of course, I am anxiously waiting for the next episode of "Fringe."

J.J. Abrams' shows grab me, even if I don't want them to. So what makes them different from other serial shows like "The Event"? Here's my list of top 4 differences:

1. Color. Every show has a color scheme. For Fringe, it's cool blues and steels and the palest of yellows, colors that reflect the futuristic technology the show is based on.

2. Characters. In Abrams' world, everybody has a backstory. And it's usually weird, like being kidnapped from an alternate universe.

3. Music. Who can beat the Giacchino cellos? Or the old tunes like "Shambala" played in the flashbacks?

4. Humor. Pop culture references (often from Star Wars and Star Trek) abound, and so do crazy characters. Plus, there's always a lot of gallows humor - the characters laugh in the dark.

Do you have a favorite T.V. show? What do you like about it?

2010-11-13T18:41:00.002-05:00

"The Eagle" movie trailer

2010-11-10T19:06:00.001-05:00

Have you ever wished that a favorite book would be made into a movie?

One of my all-time favorite books is The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff. You might remember me talking about it here. Anyway, it's finally being made into a movie. I've been waiting for the preview for four years. Literally.

Check it out here.

It looks like documentary filmmaker Kevin McDonald lived up to his promise to deliver gritty action scenes and good Scottish scenery. And Channing Tatum seems to have mastered lines beyond his typical "Wait, what?" - which is always a good thing. Now I just have to wait until February to watch the whole movie.

November

2010-11-07T10:11:00.000-05:00

November is a lady
In a plain gray coat
That's very closely buttoned
Up around her throat.

And after she's been roaming
All around the town,
She reaches in her pocket,
Deep, deep down,

Then pulls out a present,
And with laughter gay,
Says to everybody,
"Here's Thanksgiving Day!"

- Alice Crowell Hoffman

I thought I'd share my favorite autumn poem with you all, because the weather has finally changed. It's 57 degrees outside. My dog is hibernating, and I'm not much better... but I do love the change.

autumn

2010-10-26T16:16:00.009-04:00

Shadows stretch long, and leaves shiver in the wind. The world stands on edge, on the brink of change - a kind of waiting stillness. We see don't see the change in the color of leaves but in subtler signs: a Baltimore Oriole on his winter journey to South America, the rattle of tree limbs, the shape of shadows on the grass.

(This post was inspired by a high of 89 degrees today and an extra hopeful look-out for fall.)

How to Procrastinate: A Tip Sheet

2010-10-19T19:17:00.001-04:00

This is for all you writers out there...

1. Check Facebook.

2. Complain that Facebook is boring.

3. Check Blogger.

4. Check your e-mail. For the hundredth time.

5. Realize how incredibly important it is to organize your desktop.

6. Take one look at your desktop and decide against organizing it.

7. Succumb to the call of the cookies in the cabinet.

8. FINALLY sit down to writing.... after you check Facebook one last time, that is.

Make-Over

2010-10-16T13:33:00.005-04:00

Well, friends, I finally took the plunge and re-designed my blog. I've been thinking about if or a while, but I didn't work up the courage until yesterday. How do you like the new look? Clean? Modern? Energetic?

Corner View: Green

2010-10-13T22:06:00.017-04:00

Even in the middle of a Florida swamp

A flash of scarlet stands out amidst the green.

For international views of "green," stop by Le blÖg d'Ötli.

2010-10-09T18:01:00.024-04:00

Terns and Laughing Gulls having a beach party...

Watercolor

2010-10-01T22:28:00.004-04:00

Thoughts on the new show The Event

2010-09-27T22:11:00.005-04:00

Have you seen The Event? What do you think? Here are my thoughts...

1. It wants to be "Lost." You can tell by all the flashbacks (5 Years Ago! 12 Hours Ago! 2 Hours Ago!), the frenzied violins, and the number of plane crashes. But it's not nearly as suspenseful. Or bloody. And Jason Ritter doesn't run as well as Matthew Fox.

2. I can't help picturing Sarah Roemer as her character in "Disturbia." (Somehow she always ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time.)

3. Why is every new show about aliens? Especially aliens posing as humans? Can't they think of anything original?

4. Even though it's pretty slow, I'll probably be giving it a try again next week to see if it picks up the pace. Yes, that's how desperate I am for a good new series.

2010-09-26T16:50:00.002-04:00

He gazed at the water and wondered if there might be a nice fish for supper.

Favorite sounds

2010-09-19T16:01:00.000-04:00

What are your favorite sounds? Mine are -

1. The sound of my dad playing his guitar
2. Rain on a tin roof
3. Thunder in the distance
4. My first dog howling like a wolf
5. Waves breaking on the beach

Poetry Friday: If

2010-09-17T11:56:00.002-04:00

Do you have a favorite poem? For Poetry Friday today, I'd like to share one of my all-time favorites with you. Please join in the fun! If you have a favorite poem (including one you've written), post it on your blog and link back to me. Then leave a comment and a link back to your post so everybody can read what you've shared.

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;

If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with triumph and disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

- Rudyard Kipling, "If"

Corner View: Seven ways to entertain yourself at the dog park

2010-09-14T23:03:00.003-04:00

Take it from these dogs. They know how to have a good time at the park on a Sunday afternoon. Check out their seven tips for making the most of a hot summer day:

1. Toby meets a new friend....

2. Sunny searches for her hidden tennis ball....

3. Lady meets her mirror image on the other side of the fence.

4. Ollie struts across the green with a trophy.

5. Toby tries to beat his all-time running record.

6. Lady and Bama communicate wordlessly

7. Toby learns the best way to cool off.

For more Corner Views, stop by Theresa who is hosting for Jane at Spain Daily.

remember

2010-09-11T09:50:00.000-04:00

Gordon M. Aamoth, Jr. Edelmiro Abad Maria Rose Abad Andrew Anthony Abate Vincent Abate Laurence Christopher Abel William F. Abrahamson Richard Anthony Aceto Jesus Acevedo Rescand Heinrich Bernhard Ackermann Paul Acquaviva Donald LaRoy Adams Patrick Adams Shannon Lewis Adams Stephen George Adams Ignatius Udo Adanga Christy A. Addamo Terence E. Adderley, Jr. Sophia Buruwad Addo Lee Allan Adler Daniel Thomas Afflitto Emmanuel Akwasi Afuakwah Alok Agarwal Mukul Kumar Agarwala Joseph Agnello David Scott Agnes Brian G. Ahearn Jeremiah Joseph Ahern Joanne Marie Ahladiotis Shabbir Ahmed Terrance Andre Aiken Godwin Ajala Gertrude M. Alagero Andrew Alameno  Margaret Ann Alario Gary M. Albero Jon Leslie Albert Peter Alderman Jacquelyn Delaine Aldridge David D. Alger Sarah Ali-Escarcega Ernest Alikakos Edward L. Allegretto Eric Allen Joseph Ryan Allen Richard Dennis Allen Richard Lanard Allen Christopher E. Allingham Janet M. Alonso Arturo Alva-Moreno Anthony Alvarado Antonio Javier Alvarez Victoria Alvarez-Brito Telmo E. Alvear Cesar Amoranto Alviar Tariq Amanullah Angelo Amaranto James M. Amato Joseph Amatuccio Christopher Charles Amoroso Kazuhiro Anai Calixto Anaya, Jr. Joseph Anchundia Kermit Charles Anderson Yvette Constance Anderson John Andreacchio Michael Rourke Andrews Jean Ann Andrucki Siew-Nya Ang Joseph Angelini, Jr. Joseph Angelini, Sr. Laura Angilletta Doreen J. Angrisani Lorraine Antigua Peter Paul Apollo Faustino Apostol, Jr. Frank Thomas Aquilino Patrick Michael Aranyos David Arce Michael George Arczynski  Louis Arena Adam P. Arias Michael Armstrong Jack Charles Aron Joshua Aron Richard Avery Aronow Japhet Jesse Aryee Patrick Asante Carl Asaro Michael Asciak Michael Edward Asher Janice Marie Ashley Thomas J. Ashton Manuel O. Asitimbay Gregg Arthur Atlas Gerald T. Atwood James Audiffred Louis Frank Aversano, Jr. Ezra Aviles Sandy Ayala Arlene T. Babakitis Eustace P. Bacchus John J. Badagliacca Jane Ellen Baeszler Robert J. Baierwalter Andrew J. Bailey Brett T. Bailey Tatyana Bakalinskaya Michael S. Baksh Sharon M. Balkcom Michael Andrew Bane Katherine Bantis Gerard Baptiste Walter Baran Gerard A. Barbara Paul Vincent Barbaro James William Barbella Ivan Kyrillos F. Barbosa Victor Daniel Barbosa Colleen Ann Barkow David Michael Barkway Matthew Barnes Sheila Patricia Barnes Evan J. Baron Renee Barrett-Arjune Nathaly Barrios La Cruz Arthur Thaddeus Barry Diane G. Barry Maurice Vincent Barry Scott D. Bart Carlton W. Bartels Guy Barzvi Inna B. Basina Alysia Basmajian  Kenneth William Basnicki Steven Bates Paul James Battaglia Walter David Bauer, Jr. Marlyn Capito Bautista Jasper Baxter Michele Beale Paul Frederick Beatini Jane S. Beatty Lawrence Ira Beck Manette Marie Beckles Carl John Bedigian Michael Earnest Beekman Maria A. Behr Yelena Belilovsky  Nina Patrice Bell Debbie Bellows Stephen Elliot Belson Paul M. Benedetti Denise Lenore Benedetto  Maria Bengochea Bryan Craig Bennett Eric L. Bennett Oliver Duncan Bennett Margaret L. Benson Dominick J. Berardi James Patrick Berger Steven Howard Berger John P. Bergin Alvin Bergsohn Daniel Bergstein Michael J. Berkeley Donna M. Bernaerts David W. Bernard William Bernstein David M. Berray David S. Berry Joseph J. Berry William Reed Bethke Timothy Betterly Edward Frank Beyea Paul Beyer Anil Tahilram Bharvaney Bella J. Bhukhan Shimmy D. Biegeleisen Peter Alexander Bielfeld William G. Biggart Brian Bilcher Carl Vincent Bini Gary Eugene Bird Joshua David Birnbaum George John Bishop Jeffrey Donald Bittner Albert Balewa Blackman, Jr. Christopher Joseph Blackwell Susan Leigh Blair Harry Blanding, Jr. Janice Lee Blaney Craig Michael Blass Rita Blau Richard Middleton Blood, Jr. Michael Andrew Boccardi  John P. Bocchi Michael Leopoldo Bocchino Susan M. Bochino Bruce D. Boehm Mary Catherine Boffa Nicholas Andrew Bogdan Darren Christopher Bohan Lawrence Francis Boisseau Vincent M. Boland, Jr. Alan Bondarenko  Andre Bonheur, Jr. Colin Arthur Bonnett Frank Bonomo Yvonne Lucia Bonomo Genieve Bonsignore, 3  Seaon Booker Sherry Ann Bordeaux Krystine Bordenabe Martin Boryczewski Richard Edward Bosco John H. Boulton Francisco Eligio Bourdier Thomas Harold Bowden, Jr. Kimberly S. Bowers Veronique Nicole Bowers Larry Bowman Shawn Edward Bowman, Jr. Kevin L. Bowser Gary R. Box Gennady Boyarsky Pamela Boyce Michael Boyle Alfred Braca Kevin Bracken David Brian Brady Alexander Braginsky Nicholas W. Brandemarti Michelle Renee Bratton Patrice Braut Lydia E. Bravo Ronald Michael Breitweiser Edward A. Brennan III Francis Henry Brennan Michael E. Brennan Peter Brennan Thomas M. Brennan Daniel J. Brethel Gary Lee Bright Jonathan Briley Mark A. Brisman Paul Gary Bristow Mark Francis Broderick Herman Charles Broghammer Keith A. Broomfield Ethel Brown Janice  Juloise Brown Lloyd Stanford Brown Patrick J. Brown Bettina Browne Mark Bruce Richard George Bruehert Andrew Brunn Vincent Brunton Ronald Paul Bucca Brandon J. Buchanan Gregory Joseph Buck Dennis Buckley Nancy Clare Bueche Patrick Joseph Buhse John Edwards Bulaga, Jr. Stephen Bunin Matthew J. Burke  Thomas Daniel Burke William Francis Burke, Jr. Donald J. Burns Kathleen Anne Burns Keith James Burns John Patrick Burnside Irina Buslo Milton G. Bustillo Thomas M. Butler Patrick Byrne Timothy G. Byrne  Jesus Neptali Cabezas Lillian Caceres Brian Joseph Cachia Steven Dennis Cafiero, Jr. Richard M. Caggiano Cecile Marella Caguicla Michael John Cahill Scott Walter Cahill Thomas Joseph Cahill George Cain Salvatore B. Calabro Joseph Calandrillo Philip V. Calcagno Edward Calderon Kenneth Marcus Caldwell Dominick Enrico Calia Felix Calixte Frank Callahan Liam Callahan Luigi Calvi Roko Camaj Michael F. Cammarata David Otey Campbell Geoffrey Thomas Campbell Jill Marie Campbell Robert Arthur Campbell Sandra Patricia Campbell  Sean Thomas Canavan John A. Candela Vincent Cangelosi Stephen J. Cangialosi Lisa Bella Cannava Brian Cannizzaro  Michael Canty Louis Anthony Caporicci Jonathan Neff Cappello James Christopher Cappers Richard Michael Caproni Jose Manuel Cardona Dennis M. Carey Steve Carey Edward Carlino Michael Scott Carlo David G. Carlone  Rosemarie C. Carlson Mark Stephen Carney Joyce Ann Carpeneto Ivhan Luis Carpio Bautista  Jeremy M. Carrington Michael Carroll Peter Carroll James Joseph Carson, Jr. Marcia Cecil Carter James Marcel Cartier Vivian Casalduc John Francis Casazza Paul R. Cascio Margarito Casillas Thomas Anthony Casoria William Otto Caspar Alejandro Castano Arcelia Castillo Germaan Castillo Garcia Leonard M. Castrianno Jose Ramon Castro Richard G. Catarelli Christopher Sean Caton Robert John Caufield Mary Teresa Caulfield Judson Cavalier Michael Joseph Cawley Jason David Cayne Juan Armando Ceballos Jason Michael Cefalu Thomas Joseph Celic Ana Mercedes Centeno Joni Cesta Jeffrey Marc Chairnoff Swarna Chalasani  William Chalcoff Eli Chalouh Charles Lawrence Chan Mandy Chang Mark Lawrence Charette Gregorio Manuel Chavez Delrose E. Cheatham Pedro Francisco Checo Douglas MacMillan Cherry Stephen Patrick Cherry Vernon Paul Cherry Nester Julio Chevalier Swede Chevalier  Alexander H. Chiang Dorothy J. Chiarchiaro Luis Alfonso Chimbo Robert Chin Wing Wai Ching Nicholas Paul Chiofalo John Chipura Peter A. Chirchirillo Catherine Chirls Kyung Hee Cho Abul K. Chowdhury Mohammad Salahuddin Chowdhury Kirsten L. Christophe Pamela Chu Steven Chucknick Wai Chung Christopher Ciafardini Alex F. Ciccone Frances Ann Cilente Elaine Cillo Edna Cintron Nestor Andre Cintron III Robert Dominick Cirri Juan Pablo Cisneros-Alvarez Benjamin Keefe Clark Eugene Clark Gregory Alan Clark Mannie Leroy Clark Thomas R. Clark Christopher Robert Clarke Donna Marie Clarke Michael J. Clarke  Suria Rachel Emma Clarke Kevin Francis Cleary James D. Cleere  Geoffrey W. Cloud Susan Marie Clyne Steven Coakley Jeffrey Alan Coale Patricia A. Cody Daniel Michael Coffey Jason M. Coffey Florence G. Cohen Kevin Sanford Cohen Anthony Joseph Coladonato Mark Joseph Colaio Stephen Colaio Christopher M. Colasanti Kevin Nathaniel Colbert Michel P. Colbert  Keith E. Coleman Scott Thomas Coleman Tarel Coleman Liam Joseph Colhoun Robert D. Colin Robert J. Coll Jean Collin John Michael Collins Michael L. Collins Thomas J. Collins Joseph Collison Patricia Malia Colodner Linda M. Colon Sol E. Colon Ronald Edward Comer Sandra Jolane Conaty Brace Jaime Concepcion Albert Conde Denease Conley Susan P. Conlon Margaret Mary Conner Cynthia Marie Lise Connolly John E. Connolly, Jr. James Lee Connor Jonathan M. Connors Kevin Patrick Connors Kevin F. Conroy Jose Manuel Contreras-Fernandez  Brenda E. Conway Dennis Michael Cook Helen D. Cook John A. Cooper Joseph John Coppo, Jr. Gerard J. Coppola Joseph Albert Corbett Alejandro Cordero Robert Cordice Ruben D. Correa  Danny A. Correa-Gutierrez James J. Corrigan Carlos Cortes Kevin Cosgrove Dolores Marie Costa Digna Alexandra Costanza Charles Gregory Costello, Jr. Michael S. Costello Conrod K. Cottoy  Martin John Coughlan John Gerard Coughlin Timothy J. Coughlin James E. Cove Andre Cox Frederick John Cox James Raymond Coyle Michele Coyle-Eulau Anne Marie Cramer Christopher S. Cramer Denise Elizabeth Crant James Leslie Crawford, Jr. Robert James Crawford Joanne Mary Cregan Lucy Crifasi John A. Crisci Daniel Hal Crisman Dennis Cross Kevin Raymond Crotty Thomas G. Crotty John Crowe Welles Remy Crowther Robert L. Cruikshank John Robert Cruz  Grace Yu Cua Kenneth John Cubas Francisco Cruz Cubero Richard J. Cudina Neil James CudmoreThomas Patrick Cullen lll Joyce Cummings  Brian Thomas Cummins Michael Cunningham Robert Curatolo Laurence Damian Curia Paul Dario Curioli Beverly Curry Michael S. Curtin  Gavin Cushny John D'Allara Vincent Gerard D'Amadeo Jack D'Ambrosi Mary D'Antonio Edward A. D'Atri Michael D. D'Auria Michael Jude D'Esposito Manuel John Da Mota Caleb Arron Dack Carlos S. DaCosta Joao Alberto DaFonseca Aguiar, Jr. Thomas A. Damaskinos Jeannine Marie Damiani-Jones Patrick W. Danahy Nana Danso Vincent Danz Dwight Donald Darcy Elizabeth Ann Darling Annette Andrea Dataram Lawrence Davidson Michael Allen Davidson Scott Matthew Davidson Titus Davidson Niurka Davila Clinton Davis Wayne Terrial Davis Anthony Richard Dawson Calvin Dawson Edward James Day Jayceryll de Chavez Jennifer De Jesus Monique E. De Jesus Nereida De Jesus Emerita De La Pena Azucena Maria de la Torre David Paul De Rubbio Jemal Legesse De Santis  Christian Louis De Simone Melanie Louise De Vere William Thomas Dean Robert J. DeAngelis, Jr. Thomas Patrick DeAngelis Tara E. Debek Anna Marjia DeBin James V. Deblase Paul DeCola Simon Marash Dedvukaj Jason Defazio David A. DeFeo Manuel Del Valle, Jr. Donald Arthur Delapenha Vito Joseph DeLeo Danielle Anne Delie Joseph A. Della Pietra Andrea DellaBella Palmina DelliGatti Colleen Ann Deloughery Francis Albert DeMartini Anthony Demas Martin N. DeMeo  Francis Deming Carol K. Demitz Kevin Dennis Thomas F. Dennis Jean DePalma Jose Depena Robert John Deraney Michael DeRienzo Edward DeSimone III Andrew Desperito Cindy Ann Deuel Jerry DeVito Robert P. Devitt, Jr. Dennis Lawrence Devlin Gerard Dewan Sulemanali Kassamali Dhanani Patricia Florence Di Chiaro Debra Ann Di Martino Michael Louis Diagostino Matthew Diaz Nancy Diaz Rafael Arturo Diaz Michael A. Diaz-Piedra III Judith Berquis Diaz-Sierra Joseph Dermot Dickey, Jr. Lawrence Patrick Dickinson Michael D. Diehl John Difato Vincent Difazio Carl Anthony DiFranco Donald Difranco Stephen Patrick Dimino William John Dimmling Marisa DiNardo Schorpp Christopher M. Dincuff Jeffrey Mark Dingle Anthony Dionisio  George DiPasquale Joseph Dipilato Douglas Frank DiStefano Ramzi A. Doany John Joseph Doherty Melissa C. Doi Brendan Dolan Neil Matthew Dollard James Joseph Domanico  Benilda Pascua Domingo  Carlos Dominguez Jerome Mark Patrick Dominguez Kevin W. Donnelly Jacqueline Donovan Stephen Scott Dorf Thomas Dowd Kevin Dowdell Mary Yolanda Dowling Raymond Mathew Downey Frank Joseph Doyle Joseph Michael Doyle Stephen Patrick Driscoll Mirna A. Duarte Michelle Beale Duberry  Luke A. Dudek Christopher Michael Duffy  Gerard Duffy Michael Joseph Duffy Thomas W. Duffy  Antoinette Duger  Sareve Dukat Christopher Joseph Dunne Richard Anthony Dunstan Patrick Thomas Dwyer Joseph Anthony Eacobacci John Bruce Eagleson Robert Douglas Eaton Dean Phillip Eberling Margaret Ruth Echtermann Paul Robert Eckna Constantine Economos Dennis Michael Edwards Michael Hardy Edwards Christine Egan Lisa Egan Martin J. Egan, Jr. Michael Egan Samantha Martin Egan Carole Eggert Lisa Caren Ehrlich John Ernst Eichler Eric Adam Eisenberg Daphne Ferlinda Elder Michael J. Elferis  Mark Joseph Ellis Valerie Silver Ellis Albert Alfy William Elmarry Edgar Hendricks Emery, Jr. Doris Suk-Yuen Eng Christopher Epps Ulf Ramm Ericson Erwin L. Erker William John Erwin Jose Espinal Fanny Espinoza Bridget Ann Esposito Francis Esposito  Michael Esposito  William Esposito  Ruben Esquilin, Jr. Sadie Ette Barbara G. Etzold Eric Brian Evans Robert Evans Meredith Emily June Ewart Catherine K. Fagan Patricia Mary Fagan Keith George Fairben Sandra Fajardo-Smith William F. Fallon William Lawrence Fallon, Jr. Anthony J. Fallone, Jr. Dolores Brigitte Fanelli John Joseph Fanning Kathleen Anne Faragher Thomas Farino Nancy Carole Farley Elizabeth Ann Farmer Douglas Jon Farnum John G. Farrell John W. Farrell Terrence Patrick Farrell Joseph D. Farrelly Thomas Patrick Farrelly Syed Abdul Fatha Christopher Edward Faughnan Wendy R. Faulkner Shannon Marie Fava Bernard D. Favuzza Robert Fazio, Jr. Ronald Carl Fazio William Feehan Francis Jude Feely Garth Erin Feeney Sean B. Fegan Lee S. Fehling Peter Adam Feidelberg Alan D. Feinberg  Rosa Maria Feliciano Edward Thomas Fergus, Jr. George Ferguson Henry Fernandez  Judy Hazel Fernandez Julio Fernandez Elisa Giselle Ferraina Anne Marie Sallerin Ferreira Robert John Ferris David Francis Ferrugio Louis V. Fersini Michael David Ferugio Bradley James Fetchet Jennifer Louise Fialko Kristen Nicole Fiedel Samuel Fields Michael Bradley Finnegan  Timothy J. Finnerty Michael Curtis Fiore Stephen S R Fiorelli, Sr. Paul M. Fiori John B. Fiorito John R. Fischer Andrew Fisher Bennett Lawson Fisher John Roger Fisher Thomas J. Fisher  Lucy A. Fishman Ryan D. Fitzgerald Thomas James Fitzpatrick Richard P. Fitzsimons Salvatore Fiumefreddo Christina Donovan Flannery Eileen Flecha Andre G. Fletcher Carl M. Flickinger  John Joseph Florio Joseph Walken Flounders  David Fodor Michael N. Fodor  Stephen Mark Fogel Thomas Foley David J. Fontana  Chih Min Foo Godwin Forde Donald A. Foreman Christopher Hugh Forsythe Claudia Alicia Foster Noel John Foster  Ana Fosteris Robert Joseph Foti Jeffrey Fox Virginia Fox Pauline Francis Virgin Francis Gary Jay Frank Morton H. Frank Peter Christopher Frank Richard K. Fraser Kevin J. Frawley Clyde Frazier, Jr.  Lillian Inez Frederick Andrew Fredricks Tamitha Freeman Brett Owen Freiman Peter L. Freund Arlene Eva Fried  Alan Wayne Friedlander Andrew Keith Friedman Gregg J. Froehner Peter Christian Fry Clement A. Fumando Steven Elliot Furman Paul Furmato Fredric Neal Gabler Richard Samuel Federick Gabrielle James Andrew Gadiel Pamela Lee Gaff  Ervin Vincent Gailliard Deanna Lynn Galante Grace Catherine Galante Anthony Edward Gallagher Daniel James Gallagher John Patrick Gallagher Lourdes Galletti Cono E. Gallo Vincenzo Gallucci Thomas E. Galvin Giovanna Galletta Gambale Thomas Gambino, Jr. Giann Franco Gamboa Peter Ganci Ladkat K. Ganesh Claude Michael Gann Osseni Garba Charles William Garbarini  Ceasar Garcia David Garcia Juan Garcia Marlyn Del Carmen Garcia Christopher S. Gardner Douglas Benjamin Gardner Harvey J. Gardner III Jeffrey Brian Gardner Thomas Gardner  William Arthur Gardner Francesco Garfi Rocco Nino Gargano James M. Gartenberg Matthew David Garvey Bruce Gary Boyd Alan Gatton Donald Richard Gavagan, Jr. Terence D. Gazzani Gary Geidel Paul Hamilton Geier Julie M. Geis Peter G. Gelinas Steven Paul Geller Howard G. Gelling Peter Victor Genco, Jr. Steven Gregory Genovese Alayne Gentul Edward F. Geraghty Suzanne Geraty Ralph Gerhardt Robert Gerlich Denis P. Germain Marina Romanovna Gertsberg Susan M. Getzendanner James G. Geyer Joseph M. Giaccone Vincent Francis Giammona Debra Lynn Gibbon James Andrew Giberson Craig Neil Gibson Ronnie E. Gies Laura A. Giglio Andrew Clive Gilbert Timothy Paul Gilbert Paul Stuart Gilbey Paul John Gill Mark Y. Gilles Evan Gillette Ronald Lawrence Gilligan Rodney C. Gillis Laura Gilly John F. Ginley Donna Marie Giordano Jeffrey John Giordano John Giordano Steven A. Giorgetti Martin Giovinazzo Kum-Kum Girolamo Salvatore Gitto Cynthia Giugliano Mon Gjonbalaj Dianne Gladstone Keith Glascoe Thomas Irwin Glasser Harry Glenn Barry H. Glick Steven Glick John T. Gnazzo William Robert Godshalk Michael Gogliormella Brian Fredric Goldberg Jeffrey Grant Goldflam Michelle Goldstein Monica Goldstein Steven Goldstein  Andrew H. Golkin  Dennis James Gomes Enrique Antonio Gomez Jose Bienvenido Gomez Manuel Gomez, Jr. Wilder Alfredo Gomez Jenine Nicole Gonzalez Mauricio Gonzalez Rosa Gonzalez Calvin J. Gooding Harry Goody Kiran Reddy Gopu Catherine C. Gorayeb Kerene Gordon Sebastian Gorki Kieran Joseph Gorman Thomas Edward Gorman Michael Edward Gould Yuji Goya Jon Richard Grabowski Christopher Michael Grady Edwin J. Graf III David Martin Graifman Gilbert Franco Granados Elvira Granitto Winston Arthur Grant Christopher S. Gray James Michael Gray Tara McCloud Gray Linda Catherine Grayling John M. Grazioso Timothy George Grazioso  Derrick Auther Green Wade B. Green Elaine Myra Greenberg Gayle R. Greene James Arthur Greenleaf, Jr. Eileen Marsha Greenstein  Elizabeth Martin Gregg Denise Gregory Donald H. Gregory Florence Moran Gregory Pedro Grehan  John Michael Griffin Tawanna Sherry Griffin Joan Donna Griffith Warren Grifka Ramon Grijalvo Joseph F. Grillo David Joseph Grimner Kenneth George Grouzalis Joseph Grzelak Matthew James Grzymalski Robert Joseph Gschaar Liming Gu Jose Guadalupe Cindy Yan Zhu Guan Joel Guevara Gonzalez Geoffrey E. Guja Joseph Gullickson Babita Girjamatie Guman Douglas Brian Gurian Janet Ruth Gustafson Philip T. Guza Barbara Guzzardo Peter M. Gyulavary Gary Robert Haag Andrea Lyn Haberman Barbara Mary Habib Philip Haentzler Nezam A. Hafiz Karen Elizabeth Hagerty Steven Michael Hagis Mary Lou Hague David Halderman Maile Rachel Hale  Richard B. Hall Vaswald George Hall Robert J. Halligan Vincent Gerard Halloran James Douglas Halvorson Mohammad Salman Hamdani Felicia Hamilton Robert Hamilton Frederic K. Han Christopher J. Hanley Sean S. Hanley Valerie Joan Hanna Thomas Hannafin Kevin James Hannaford Michael Lawrence Hannan Dana R Hannon Vassilios G. Haramis James A. Haran Jeffrey Pike Hardy Timothy John Hargrave Daniel Edward Harlin Frances Haros Harvey Harrell Stephen G. Harrell Melissa Marie Harrington Aisha Anne Harris Stewart Dennis Harris John Patrick Hart  John Clinton Hartz Emeric Harvey Thomas Theodore Haskell, Jr. Timothy Haskell Joseph John Hasson III Leonard W. Hatton Terence S. Hatton Michael Haub Timothy Aaron Haviland Donald G. Havlish, Jr. Anthony Hawkins  Nobuhiro Hayatsu Philip Hayes William Ward Haynes Scott Jordan Hazelcorn Michael K. Healey Roberta B. Heber Charles Francis Xavier Heeran John F. Heffernan H. Joseph Heller, Jr. Joann L. Heltibridle Mark F. Hemschoot Ronnie Lee Henderson Brian Hennessey  Michelle Marie Henrique Joseph Henry William Henry John Christopher Henwood Robert Allan Hepburn Mary Herencia Lindsay C. Herkness III Harvey Robert Hermer Claribel Hernandez Eduardo Hernandez Nuberto Hernandez Raul Hernandez Gary Herold Jeffrey A. Hersch  Thomas Hetzel Brian Hickey Ysidro Hidalgo Timothy Higgins Robert D. W. Higley II Todd Russell Hill Clara Victorine Hinds Neal O. Hinds Mark D. Hindy Katsuyuki Hirai Heather Malia Ho Tara Yvette Hobbs Thomas Anderson Hobbs James J. Hobin Robert Wayne Hobson DaJuan Hodges Ronald George Hoerner Patrick A. Hoey Marcia Hoffman Stephen G. Hoffman Frederick Joseph Hoffmann Michele L. Hoffmann Judith Florence Hofmiller Thomas Warren Hohlweck, Jr. Jonathan R. Hohmann John Holland Joseph F. Holland Elizabeth Holmes Thomas Holohan  Bradley Hoorn James P. Hopper Montgomery McCullough Hord Michael Horn Matthew Douglas Horning  Robert L. Horohoe, Jr. Aaron Horwitz Charles Houston Uhuru G. Houston George Howard Michael C. Howell Steven Leon Howell Jennifer L. Howley Milagros Hromada Marian R. Hrycak  Stephen Huczko, Jr. Kris Robert Hughes Paul Rexford Hughes Robert Thomas Hughes Thomas Hughes Timothy Robert Hughes Susan Huie Lamar Hulse William Christopher Hunt Kathleen Anne Hunt-Casey Joseph Hunter Robert R. Hussa Abid Hussain Thomas Edward Hynes Walter G. Hynes Joseph Anthony Ianelli Zuhtu Ibis Jonathan Lee Ielpi Michael Iken Daniel Ilkanayev Frederick Ill, Jr. Abraham Nethanel Ilowitz Anthony P. Infante, Jr. Louis S. Inghilterra, Jr. Christopher Noble Ingrassia Paul Innella Stephanie Veronica Irby Douglas Irgang Kristin A. Irvine Ryan Todd Antione Isaac Erik Isbrandtsen Taizo Ishikawa Aram Iskenderian, Jr. John F. Iskyan Kazushige Ito Aleksandr Valeryevich Ivantsov Virginia May Jablonski Brooke Alexandra Jackman Aaron Jeremy Jacobs Ariel Louis Jacobs Jason Kyle Jacobs Michael Grady Jacobs Steven A. Jacobson Ricknauth Jaggernauth Jake Denis Jagoda Yudh Vir Singh Jain Maria Jakubiak Ernest James Gricelda E. James Priscilla James Mark Steven Jardim Muhammadou Jawara Francois Jean-Pierre Maxima Jean-Pierre Paul Edward Jeffers Alva Cynthia Jeffries Sanchez Joseph Jenkins, Jr. Alan Keith Jensen Prem N. Jerath Farah Jeudy Hweidar Jian Eliezer Jimenez, Jr. Luis Jimenez, Jr. Fernando Jimenez-Molina  Charles Gregory John Nicholas John LaShawna Johnson Scott Michael Johnson William R. Johnston Allison Horstmann Jones Arthur Joseph Jones Brian Leander Jones Christopher D. Jones Donald T. Jones Donald W. Jones  Linda Jones Mary S. Jones Andrew Jordan Robert Thomas Jordan Albert Gunnia Joseph Guylene Joseph Ingeborg Joseph Karl Henry Joseph Stephen Joseph Jane Eileen Josiah Anthony Jovic Angel L. Juarbe, Jr. Karen Sue Juday  Mychal F. Judge Paul William Jurgens Thomas Edward Jurgens Kacinga Kabeya Shashikiran Lakshmikantha Kadaba Gavkharoy Kamardinova Shari Kandell Howard Lee Kane Jennifer Lynn Kane Vincent D. Kane Joon Koo Kang Sheldon Robert Kanter Deborah H. Kaplan Alvin Peter Kappelmann, Jr. Charles Karczewski William A. Karnes Douglas Gene Karpiloff Charles L. Kasper Andrew K. Kates  John Katsimatides Robert Michael Kaulfers Don Jerome Kauth, Jr. Hideya Kawauchi Edward T. Keane Richard M. Keane Lisa Yvonne Kearney-Griffin Karol Ann Keasler Paul Hanlon Keating Leo Russell Keene III Joseph John Keller Peter R. Kellerman Joseph P. Kellett  Frederick H. Kelley, Jr. James Joseph Kelly Joseph A. Kelly Maurice P. Kelly Richard John Kelly, Jr. Thomas Michael Kelly Thomas Richard Kelly Thomas W. Kelly Timothy Colin Kelly William Hill Kelly, Jr. Robert Clinton Kennedy Thomas J. Kennedy John R. Keohane  Ronald T. Kerwin  Howard L. Kestenbaum Douglas D. Ketcham Ruth Ellen Ketler Boris Khalif Sarah Khan Taimour Firaz Khan Rajesh Khandelwal Oliva Khemrat SeiLai Khoo Michael Kiefer Satoshi Kikuchihara Andrew Jay-Hoon Kim Lawrence D. Kim  Mary Jo Kimelman Andrew M. King Lucille Teresa King Robert King, Jr. Lisa King-Johnson Takashi Kinoshita Chris Michael Kirby Howard Barry Kirschbaum Glenn Davis Kirwin Helen Crossin Kittle Richard Joseph Klares Peter Anton Klein Alan David Kleinberg Karen Joyce Klitzman Ronald Philip Kloepfer Evgueni Kniazev Andrew Knox Thomas Patrick Knox Rebecca Lee Koborie Deborah A. Kobus Gary Edward Koecheler Frank J. Koestner Ryan Kohart Vanessa Kolpak Irina Kolpakova Suzanne Kondratenko Abdoulaye Kone Bon-Seok Koo Dorota Kopiczko  Scott Kopytko Bojan Kostic Danielle Kousoulis John J. Kren William E. Krukowski Lyudmila Ksido Shekhar Kumar Kenneth Kumpel Frederick Kuo, Jr. Patricia Kuras Nauka Kushitani Thomas Kuveikis  Victor Kwarkye Kui Fai Kwok Angela Reed Kyte Andrew La Corte  Amarnauth Lachhman James Patrick Ladley Joseph A. LaFalce Jeanette Louise Lafond-Menichino  David Laforge Michael Laforte Alan Charles LaFrance Juan Lafuente Neil Kwong-Wah Lai Vincent Anthony Laieta William David Lake Franco Lalama Chow Kwan Lam  Stephen LaMantia Amy Hope Lamonsoff Nickola Lampley Robert Lane Brendan Mark Lang Rosanne P. Lang  Vanessa Langer Mary Louise Langley Peter J. Langone  Thomas Michael Langone  Michele Bernadette Lanza  Ruth Sheila Lapin Carol Ann LaPlante Ingeborg Lariby Robin Blair Larkey Christopher Randall Larrabee Hamidou S. Larry Scott Larsen John Adam Larson Gary Edward Lasko Nicholas Craig Lassman Paul Laszczynski  Jeffrey G. LaTouche Charles Laurencin Stephen James Lauria Maria LaVache Denis Francis Lavelle Jeannine Mary LaVerde Anna A. Laverty Steven Lawn Robert Lawrence  Nathaniel Lawson Eugen Gabriel Lazar James Patrick Leahy Joseph Gerard Leavey Neil Joseph Leavy Leon Lebor Kenneth Charles Ledee Alan J. Lederman Elena F. Ledesma Alexis Leduc David S. Lee Gary H. Lee Hyun Joon Lee Juanita Lee Kathryn Blair Lee  Linda C. Lee Lorraine Mary Lee Myoung Woo Lee Richard Y. Lee Stuart Soo-Jin Lee Yang Der Lee Stephen Paul Lefkowitz Adriana Legro Edward Joseph Lehman Eric Andrew Lehrfeld David Leistman David Prudencio Lemagne Joseph Anthony Lenihan John Joseph Lennon, Jr. John Robinson Lenoir Jorge Luis Leon Matthew Gerard Leonard Michael Lepore Charles A. Lesperance Jeff Leveen John Dennis Levi  Alisha Caren Levin Neil David Levin Robert Levine Robert Michael Levine Shai Levinhar Adam Jay Lewis Margaret Susan Lewis Ye Wei Liang Orasri Liangthanasarn Daniel F. Libretti Ralph Licciardi Edward Lichtschein Steven Barry Lillianthal Carlos R. Lillo Craig Damian Lilore Arnold A. Lim Darya Lin Wei Rong Lin Nickie L. Lindo Thomas V. Linehan, Jr. Robert Thomas Linnane Alan P. Linton, Jr. Diane Theresa Lipari Kenneth Lira Francisco Alberto Liriano Lorraine Lisi Paul Lisson Vincent M. Litto Ming-Hao Liu Nancy Liz Harold Lizcano Martin Lizzul George A. Llanes Elizabeth C. Logler Catherine Lisa Loguidice Jerome Robert Lohez Michael William Lomax Laura Maria Longing Salvatore Lopes Daniel Lopez George Lopez Luis Manuel Lopez Manuel L. Lopez Joseph Lostrangio Chet Dek Louie Stuart Seid Louis  Joseph Lovero Jenny Seu Kueng Low Wong Michael W. Lowe  Garry W. Lozier John Peter Lozowsky Charles Peter Lucania Edward Hobbs Luckett Mark Gavin Ludvigsen Lee Charles Ludwig Sean Thomas Lugano Daniel Lugo Marie Lukas William Lum, Jr. Michael P. Lunden Christopher Lunder Anthony Luparello Gary Frederick Lutnick William Lutz Linda Anne Luzzicone Alexander Lygin Farrell Peter Lynch James Francis Lynch Louise A. Lynch Michael Cameron Lynch Michael F. Lynch Michael Francis Lynch Richard D. Lynch, Jr. Robert Henry Lynch, Jr. Sean P. Lynch Sean Patrick Lynch Michael J. Lyons Monica Anne Lyons Patrick Lyons Robert Francis Mace Jan Maciejewski Catherine Fairfax Macrae Richard Blaine Madden Simon Maddison Noell Maerz Jennieann Maffeo Joseph Maffeo Jay Robert Magazine Brian Magee Charles Wilson Magee Joseph V. Maggitti Ronald Magnuson Daniel L. Maher Thomas Anthony Mahon William J. Mahoney Joseph Daniel Maio Takashi Makimoto Abdu Ali Malahi Debora I. Maldonado Myrna T. Maldonado-Agosto Alfred Russell Maler Gregory James Malone Edward Francis Maloney III Joseph Maloney Gene Edward Maloy Christian Maltby Francisco Miguel Mancini Joseph Mangano  Sara Elizabeth Manley Debra Mannetta Marion Victoria Manning Terence John Manning James Maounis Joseph Ross Marchbanks, Jr. Peter Edward Mardikian Edward Joseph Mardovich Charles Joseph Margiotta  Kenneth Joseph Marino Lester V. Marino Vita Marino Kevin Marlo Jose Marrero John Marshall James Martello Michael A. Marti Peter C. Martin William J. Martin, Jr. Brian E. Martineau Betsy Martinez Edward Martinez  Jose Angel Martinez, Jr. Robert Gabriel Martinez Victor Martinez Pastrana Lizie D. Martinez-Calderon Paul Richard Martini Joseph A. Mascali Bernard Mascarenhas Stephen Frank Masi Nicholas George Massa Patricia Ann Massari Michael Massaroli Philip William Mastrandrea, Jr. Rudolph Mastrocinque Joseph Mathai Charles Mathers William A. Mathesen Marcello Matricciano Margaret Elaine Mattic Robert D. Mattson Walter Matuza Charles A. Mauro, Jr. Charles J. Mauro  Dorothy Mauro Nancy T. Mauro Tyrone May Keithroy Marcellus Maynard Robert J. Mayo Kathy Nancy Mazza Edward Mazzella, Jr. Jennifer Lynn Mazzotta Kaaria Mbaya James Joseph McAlary Brian McAleese Patricia Ann McAneney Colin Robert McArthur John Kevin McAvoy Kenneth M. McBrayer Brendan McCabe Micheal McCabe  Thomas McCann  Justin McCarthy Kevin M. McCarthy Michael McCarthy Robert McCarthy  Stanley McCaskill Katie Marie McCloskey Joan McConnell-Cullinan Charles Austin McCrann Tonyell F. McDay  Matthew T. McDermott Joseph P. McDonald Brian Grady McDonnell Michael P. McDonnell John McDowell, Jr. Eamon J. McEneaney John Thomas McErlean, Jr. Daniel Francis McGinley Mark Ryan McGinly William E. McGinn Thomas Henry MCGinnis Michael Gregory McGinty Ann McGovern Scott Martin McGovern William McGovern Stacey Sennas McGowan  Francis Noel McGuinn Patrick McGuire Thomas M. McHale Keith McHeffey Ann M. McHugh Denis J. McHugh III Dennis McHugh Michael E. McHugh Robert G. McIlvaine Donald James McIntyre Stephanie Marie McKenna Barry J. McKeon Evelyn C. McKinnedy Darryl Leron McKinney George Patrick McLaughlin, Jr. Robert C. McLaughlin, Jr. Gavin McMahon Robert D. McMahon Edmund McNally Daniel W. McNeal Walter Arthur McNeil Jisley McNish Christine Sheila McNulty Sean Peter McNulty Robert McPadden Terence A. McShane Timothy Patrick McSweeney Martin E. McWilliams Rocco A. Medaglia Abigail Cales Medina Ana Iris Medina Deborah Louise Medwig Damian Meehan William J. Meehan Alok Mehta Raymond Meisenheimer Manuel Emilio Mejia Eskedar Melaku Antonio Melendez Mary Melendez Yelena Melnichenko Stuart Todd Meltzer Diarelia Jovanah Mena Charles Mendez Lizette Mendoza Shevonne Olicia Mentis Steven Mercado Westly Mercer Ralph Joseph Mercurio Alan Harvey Merdinger George L. Merino Yamel Merino George Merkouris Deborah Merrick  Raymond Joseph Metz III Jill Ann Metzler David Robert Meyer Nurul H. Miah William Edward Micciulli Martin Paul Michelstein Peter Teague Milano Gregory Milanowycz Lukasz Tomasz Milewski Sharon Christina Millan Corey Peter Miller Craig James Miller Douglas Charles Miller Henry Alfred Miller, Jr. Joel Miller Michael Matthew Miller Philip D. Miller Robert Alan Miller Robert Cromwell Miller, Jr. Benjamin Millman Charles Morris Mills Ronald Keith Milstein Robert Minara William George Minardi Diakite Minata Louis Joseph Minervino Thomas Mingione Wilbert Miraille Dominick N. Mircovich Rajesh Arjan Mirpuri Joseph Mistrulli Susan J. Miszkowicz Paul Thomas Mitchell Richard P. Miuccio Frank V. Moccia, Sr. Louis Joseph Modafferi Boyie Mohammed Dennis Mojica Manuel Mojica Kleber Molina Manuel De Jesus Molina Carl Molinaro Justin Molisani Brian Monaghan Franklin Monahan John Monahan Kristen Montanaro Craig Montano Michael Montesi Jeffrey Montgomery Peter Montoulieu  Cheryl Ann Monyak Thomas Moody Sharon Moore Krishna Moorthy Abner Morales Carlos Manuel Morales Luis Morales Paula E. Morales John Moran John Chrisopher Moran Kathleen Moran Lindsay Stapleton Morehouse George Morell Steven P. Morello Vincent S. Morello Yvette Nicole Moreno Dorothy Morgan Richard Morgan Nancy Morgenstern Sanae Mori Blanca Robertina Morocho Leonel Geronimo Morocho Dennis Gerard Moroney Lynne Irene Morris Seth Allan Morris  Stephen Philip Morris Christopher Martel Morrison Jorge Luis Morron Garcia Ferdinand V. Morrone William David Moskal Marco Motroni Cynthia Motus-Wilson Iouri A. Mouchinski  Jude Joseph Moussa Peter Moutos Damion O'Neil Mowatt Christopher Mozzillo Stephen Vincent Mulderry Richard Muldowney Jr Michael D. Mullan Dennis Michael Mulligan Peter James Mulligan Michael Joseph Mullin James Donald Munhall Nancy Muniz Carlos Munoz Frank Munoz Theresa Munson Robert M. Murach Cesar Augusto Murillo Marc A. Murolo Brian Joseph Murphy Charles Anthony Murphy Christopher W. Murphy Edward Charles Murphy James F. Murphy Iv James Thomas Murphy Kevin James Murphy Patrick Sean Murphy Raymond E. Murphy Robert Eddie Murphy, Jr. John Joseph Murray John Joseph Murray, Jr. Susan D. Murray Valerie Victoria Murray Richard Todd Myhre Robert B. Nagel Takuya Nakamura Alexander Napier Frank Joseph Naples III John Napolitano Catherine Ann Nardella Mario Nardone, Jr. Manika K. Narula  Mehmood Naseem Narender Nath Karen Susan Navarro Joseph Micheal Navas Francis Joseph Nazario Glenroy I. Neblett  Rayman Marcus Neblett Jerome O. Nedd Laurence Nedell Luke G. Nee Pete Negron Ann N. Nelson David William Nelson James Nelson Michele Ann Nelson Peter Allen Nelson Oscar Francis Nesbitt Gerard Terence Nevins Christopher Newton-Carter Kapinga Ngalula Nancy Yuen Ngo Jody Nichilo Martin S. Niederer Alfonse Joseph Niedermeyer Frank John Niestadt, Jr. Gloria Nieves Juan Nieves, Jr. Troy Edward Nilsen Paul Nimbley John B. Niven Katherine Marie Noack Curtis Terrance Noel Daniel R. Nolan Robert Noonan Daniela R. Notaro Brian Christopher Novotny  Soichi Numata Brian Felix Nunez Jose Nunez Jeffrey Roger Nussbaum Dennis O'Berg James P. O'Brien, Jr. Michael P. O'Brien Scott J. O'Brien Timothy Michael O'Brien Daniel O'Callaghan Dennis James O'Connor, Jr. Diana J. O'Connor Keith Kevin O'Connor Richard J. O'Connor Amy O'Doherty Marni Pont O'Doherty James Andrew O'Grady Thomas O'Hagan Patrick J. O'Keefe William O'Keefe Gerald O'leary Matthew Timothy O'Mahony Peter J. O'Neill, Jr. Sean Gordon O'Neill Kevin O'Rourke Patrick J. O'Shea Robert William O'Shea Timothy F. O'Sullivan James A. Oakley  Douglas E. Oelschlager Takashi Ogawa Albert Ogletree Philip Paul Ognibene Joseph J. Ogren Samuel Oitice Gerald Michael Olcott Christine Anne Olender Linda Mary Oliva Edward Kraft Oliver Leah E. Oliver Eric T. Olsen Jeffrey James Olsen Maureen Lyons Olson Steven John Olson Toshihiro Onda Seamus L. O'Neal  John P. Oneill Frank Oni Michael C. Opperman Christopher Orgielewicz Margaret Orloske Virginia Anne Ormiston Ronald Orsini Peter Ortale Juan Ortega-Campos Alexander Ortiz David Ortiz Emilio Ortiz, Jr. Pablo Ortiz Paul Ortiz, Jr. Sonia Ortiz Masaru Ose Elsy C. Osorio James R. Ostrowski Jason Douglas Oswald Michael Otten Isidro D. Ottenwalder Michael Chung Ou Todd Joseph Ouida Jesus Ovalles Peter J. Owens, Jr. Adianes Oyola Angel M. Pabon Israel Pabon, Jr. Roland Pacheco Michael Benjamin Packer Rene Padilla-Chavarria Deepa Pakkala Jeffrey Matthew Palazzo Thomas Palazzo Richard Palazzolo Orio J. Palmer Frank Anthony Palombo Alan N. 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Woods  Richard Herron Woodwell David Terence Wooley John Bentley Works Martin Michael Wortley Rodney James Wotton William Wren John Wayne Wright Neil Robin Wright Sandra Lee Wright Jupiter Yambem Suresh Yanamadala Matthew David Yarnell Myrna Yaskulka Shakila Yasmin Olabisi Shadie Layeni Yee William Yemele Edward P. York Kevin Patrick York Raymond R. York  Suzanne Youmans Barrington Young  Jacqueline Young Elkin Yuen Joseph C. Zaccoli Adel Agayby Zakhary Arkady Zaltsman Edwin J. Zambrana, Jr. Robert Alan Zampieri Mark Zangrilli Ira Zaslow Kenneth Albert Zelman Abraham J. Zelmanowitz Martin Morales Zempoaltecatl Zhe Zeng Marc Scott Zeplin Jie Yao Justin Zhao Ivelin Ziminski Michael Joseph Zinzi Charles A. Zion Julie Lynne Zipper Salvatore Zisa Prokopios Paul Zois Joseph J. Zuccala Andrew S. Zucker Igor Zukelman

Corner View: School

2010-09-08T20:58:00.005-04:00

Have you ever wondered about all the ordinary things in life? Take school chairs, for example. A chair covered with a dull green fabric, with rubber rollers on the bottom, with oddly shaped arm rests like lopsided arms. Students slouch in this chair all day and dump their heavy backpacks on it, but nobody, nobody notices it. What if, one day, you took that sort of chair for an Adventure?

Maybe that chair always wanted an adventure. Maybe it sat in a corner of the classroom all day long and wondered what it was like Outside. Maybe it had always wanted to roll its wheels somewhere special.

Maybe it had always wanted to visit a historic house on campus.

Or be seen from a different perspective.

Or slide down a flight of stairs.

Apparently chairs like flower gardens, too. Who knew?

And at the end of the day, it is back in the classroom - a little wiser than its fellow chairs.

(Thanks to a "chair photo-shoot" assignment in my photojournalism class, I got to have a little fun in school today. I got some funny looks wheeling that chair all around campus, but it was worth it. Do you have a favorite school memory?)

For more school adventures, visit the lovely Jane at Spain Daily.

Watching Cloverfield

2010-09-07T21:08:00.004-04:00

The reviews all hailed "Cloverfield" as a terrifying experience, but it's actually not that scary. Right now a large gelatinous blob is plowing through NYC while a group of twenty-somethings wander around deserted subway tunnels and scream. Have you seen it? Does it get scarier?

One more question for you all. Do you like scary movies? I don't. (I am only watching Cloverfield out of faithfulness to JJ Abrams.) You see, I've got a good enough imagination as it is. Especially at night.

These are the top three scariest movies I've seen:

1. The Brave Little Toaster (scarred me for life)
2. The Sixth Sense
3. Mama Mia. (This movie was scary for all the wrong reasons. Like Pierce Brosnan singing.)

2010-08-30T21:43:00.001-04:00

And God took a handful of southerly wind, blew His breath over it, and created the horse.

- Bedouin Legend

Once more unto the breach, dear friends

2010-08-25T21:58:00.003-04:00

School has begun again.

Quoth the Raven

2010-08-20T11:17:00.005-04:00

This morning, I was eating Quaker Oat Squares and reading The Hobbit when they came. Ravens. They perched on the oak tree outside my window, cocked their heads a few times, then glared at me with those beady black eyes. The largest raven looked like a man in a black cloak. A feathery Grim Reaper. Oh, the "ghastly grim and ancient raven!"

I have no idea why they visited me today. But I suspect they were trying to warn me. A new college semester begins next Monday... goodbye, sweet summer.

(On that note, did you know that the ancient Romans thought owls brought disaster but bees meant good luck? At least I didn't see an owl today.)

Poetry Friday: The Pasture

2010-08-12T22:36:00.003-04:00

I'm going out to clean the pasture spring
I'll only stop to rake the leaves away
(And wait to watch the water clear, I may):
I sha'n't be gone long.—You come too.

I'm going out to fetch the little calf
That's standing by the mother. It's so young,
It totters when she licks it with her tongue.
I sha'n't be gone long.—You come too.
- Robert Frost

Wouldn't you love to accept Frost's offer, and visit that pasture spring? I'd be there in a heartbeat. This has always been one of my favorite poems. For one thing, I can understand it, and for another, it reminds me of visiting my grandfather's farm when I was seven. I haven't been there in thirteen years, but I can still remember the clear streams down in the "hollers," the spindle-legged calves, and the smell of bacon cooking in the morning.

Booklist

2010-08-09T18:31:00.001-04:00

For me, summer vacation means checking out an armful of library books from the musty-smelling (in a pleasantly nostalgic way) public library. Lately I've been reading a lot of Young Adult fiction (which counts as "research" for grad school). I haven't got time to tell you all of the plots, so for now I'll just tell you the three best books I've read this year:

Adult Fiction: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer. A witty, poignant novel set in the British Channel Islands during WWII.

Classic: Bleak House by Charles Dickens. Take my advice and watch the mini-series first, then read the novel. You'll be instantly hooked. In Dickens' day, the book was serialized and published in magazines like a television series. People who couldn't afford the expensive magazines shared one copy between them, reading it aloud.

Young Adult: Heck Superhero by Martine Leavitt. It may be written for children, but this story is so well-crafted you parents will enjoy it too. The characterization is fantastic.

What have you been reading? I'd love some recommendations : )

Well-watered garden

2010-08-05T12:19:00.002-04:00

"The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." (Isaiah 58:11).

(Joining up with Emily at In the Hush of the Moon.)

standing sentry

2010-08-02T14:23:00.001-04:00

Tuesday List

2010-07-27T13:34:00.002-04:00

What I've done this morning...

1. Woke up at 8:17, three minutes before my alarm rang - just enough time to hop out of bed and turn it off, before the frantic beeping split my eardrums. Alarms should be outlawed.

2. Ate eggs and egg bread toast. (A very egg-y breakfast, come to think of it.)

3. Walked the dog. Got very sweaty.

4. Read Heck Superhero to cool off.

5. Ate a small fruit salad. Walked outside. Was attacked by mosquitoes. Ran inside.

6. Did a creative writing exercise... which may just turn into the next blog post. Who knows?

What's your day been like so far?

Poetry Friday: Hunting-Song of the Seeonee Pack

2010-07-23T17:32:00.001-04:00

As the dawn was breaking the Sambhur belled
Once, twice and again!
And a doe leaped up and a doe leaped up
From the pond in the wood where the wild deer sup.
This I, scouting alone, beheld,
Once, twice and again!

As the dawn was breaking the Sambhur belled
Once, twice and again!
And a wolf stole back, and a wolf stole back
To carry the word to the waiting pack,
And we sought and we found and we bayed on his track
Once, twice and again!

As the dawn was breaking the Wolf Pack yelled
Once, twice and again!
Feet in the jungle that leave no mark!
Eyes that can see in the dark - the dark!
Tongue - give tongue to it! Hark! O hark!
Once, twice and again!

- Rudyard Kipling

Corner View: Me

2010-07-21T14:00:00.005-04:00

As long as I live
I shall always be
My Self - and no other,
Just me.
- Walter de la Mare

I am me.

What is a Me?
I'm not entirely sure. It's the sort of thing that's hard to put into words.
So I will list instead.

1. I am a writer, a daughter, a friend, and a Floridian. I've never seen snow. I am imperfect but redeemed.

2. You ought to know that my dogs are a very big part of me. I got my first basenji, Simba, when I was five years old. My old journals proclaim in shaky 6-year-old handwriting: "I love simba. he is the Best dog. I Love simba so much that I WOOD Sale two toys. Simba could not be Replaced Oh no! Not by a farm. I always want to keep Simba. Simba is my best Friend." He died three years ago but I still dream about him, and I love my current dog, Lady, just as much.

3. Stories are my life - whether that means reading, watching, or writing them. Some of my favorite writers are C.S. Lewis, Rosemary Sutcliff, Charles Dickens, and Mark Twain. I can't even begin to list favorite movies.

4. The dimple on my left cheek is fake. I bashed my head on the corner of a cedar chest when I was four years old, and it left a scar that masquerades as a dimple. I'm not much more coordinated now.

5. I like the smell of old books, lavender soap, the sea, clean linens, and brownies baking... but not necessarily in that order.

6. Meeting you, fellow bloggers, learning about your lives, and reading your comments makes me happy. Thanks for taking the time to learn a little more about me today.

You know the drill. To learn more about people around the world, head on over to Jane at Spain Daily. You won't want to miss this week's Corner View.

Dreams: Or how I interviewed the cast of "Lost" while I slept

2010-07-18T12:53:00.000-04:00

I overslept this morning until 10:30. But that time was well-spent, if my dreams are any indication. I interviewed the cast and crew of "Lost." (Wishful thinking, right?)

We met in some kind of office in L.A. I interviewed Evangeline Lilly first. She was nice and bubbly, but seemed very upset about the oil spill. "Oh my gosh, can you believe it?" she said, pointing to a producer's laptop. He had pasted a BP sticker on it. "I guess it's some kind of joke, but I mean after everything that happened, I don't think it's very nice," she said. Then she got happy again because she told me about a rather violent musical she was about to star in. "You really should be in acting," she gushed. "It's so much fun."

I felt slightly intimidated by Terry O'Quinn, who flipped his hunting knife as he talked to me. He answered all my questions, but wasn't very verbose.

Matthew Fox was the nicest. I decided his support of young journalists made up for his whining on the TV show. He gave me a tour of the set, and seemed solicitous of my health, but I can't remember what he said. He didn't seem as environmentally-conscious as Evangeline.

I wanted to interview Josh Holloway, but he wouldn't talk to me. Bummer.

Finally, one of the producers showed me a magazine he was making on a MacBook. "Are you using a template?" I asked. "Why, yes, it is a template!" he said, looking impressed. I beamed because I knew the word template from my journalism classes. "If I take Web Publishing next semester, will I be able to make a magazine like that?" I asked, waiting breathlessly for the answer, as if my career choices hinged on his response.

Then I woke up.

"Inception"

2010-07-16T16:56:00.003-04:00

Eighty-four percent of reviewers love "Inception," according to Rotten Tomatoes. But after watching it this afternoon, I found it sadly shallow. Near the beginning of the movie, Leonardo DiCaprio says an idea is like a "parasite," impossible to eradicate once it takes hold of you. Maybe the movie makers should have listened to their own dialogue. The film was so idea-driven that it lacked even the most basic elements of good characterization or a compelling plot. Despite a fancy exterior of special effects and a stellar cast, the story falls flat. (And I couldn't help wanting more of adorable Joseph Gordon-Levitt and less of angst-ridden Leonardo.)

My idea? Skip this depressing choice and go for a fun summer popcorn flick like "Knight and Day."

blown glass

2010-07-14T17:40:00.001-04:00

Translucent worlds

dangle on monofilament

impossibly fragile

spinning globes of glass.

One of fire, one of sea

And one to travel home with me.

Poetry Friday: "Maggie and Millie and Molly and May"

2010-07-09T06:00:00.013-04:00

Every Friday, I'd like to share one of my favorite poems with you. Today I chose one about the sea, because it reminds me of growing up on the Gulf coast.

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach (to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles, and

milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles: and

may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
it's always ourselves we find in the sea

- e.e. cummings

The best excuse for watching television...

2010-07-08T18:41:00.002-04:00

... is saying that your dog made you. But in my case, it's quite true. Last night, my 10-year-old basenji, Lady, fussed and fidgeted. She stood on top of me, poked her nose under my arm, and tried climbing onto the computer. She wouldn't rest until the whole family piled onto our couch and turned on a British TV show - then she immediately curled up on her favorite pillow between us and fell asleep. Pretty good excuse for watching television, don't you think?

Corner View: Saturday

2010-07-07T22:39:00.001-04:00

I have no photographs of Saturday. What is a Saturday? What distinguishes it from a weekday or a Sunday? Is it the clean scrubbed floors and the straightened look of the house, or the smell of something delicious cooking for breakfast?

For me, that isn't what makes Saturday special. It's the downtown morning market, held once a week in fair weather - a place where you can buy tomatoes or caramel corn, South American purses or henna tattoos, puppets or vintage earrings. Even better, it's a place where you can watch things.

A woman slathers herself all in gooey silver paint and sits in the very hottest part of the market, becoming a live statue that never blinks, and asks for spare dollars. Large men carry around tiny lap dogs slung over their arms, and small terriers snap at apologetic pit-bulls. I sometimes wonder what those dogs do to the human statue. Every week, a very old woman draped in shawls and sweaters dances to the live music.

Maybe this market makes Saturdays special for her, too.

(For more Corner Views, visit Jane at Spain Daily.)

Monday Survey

2010-07-05T16:54:00.002-04:00

Well friends, it's a rainy afternoon and I'm much too lazy to write a very long post. That means it's time for another survey.... and you're invited to play along!

Snow or Sand? Since I've never seen snow... I'll have to stick with my familiar beach sand.
Math or Science? Science. Time-travel never happens in math.
Biking or Swimming? Swimming.
Apple or Orange? Apple, even though we have a wild orange tree in our garden.
Ice cream or Pudding? Ice cream, of course!
Underwater or Space? Underwater seems more friendly.
Rain or Sun? Rain for reading, sun for swimming.

Independence Day

2010-07-03T16:56:00.004-04:00

How do you celebrate the Fourth of July? Do you bake cupcakes with red and white sprinkles? Do you pack up a picnic and watch the fireworks on the beach? Do you rent a patriotic movie?

Corner View: Florida Summer

2010-06-29T20:44:00.045-04:00

Sometimes summer means exploring ruins on an abandoned island

And finding treasures a crab left especially for you.

Sometimes it means discovering footprints...

...Or leaving footprints.

Most of the time summer means drinking tall glasses of lemonade or iced tea to survive the heat.

Some summers mean family reunions

And on warm summer nights, sometimes we watch a golden sunset over the Gulf. (Can you see the dragon cloud?)

For more summers around the world, visit Jane at Spain Daily.

With silver liquid drops

2010-06-26T21:08:00.001-04:00

Rain pattering on my tin roof, a clean house and washed linens that smell like lavender, new beach sunflowers ready to take root and grow under this summer shower, no more school for two months, the promise of dark chocolate ice cream later, and a new journal to begin.

Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night
And I love the rain
-Langston Hughes, "April Rain Song."

Corner View: Noticing

2010-06-23T17:35:00.001-04:00

Have you ever noticed the strength of spider's silk?

Or a tangle of wild-flowers against the sun?

(Notice more at Spain Daily.)

Confessions of a paranoid elevator passenger

2010-06-21T22:26:00.005-04:00

The elevator at my campus library belongs to a B-grade horror movie from the 80's. It's so ancient that it creaks open, slowly, moaning like a spectre all the way, so you have about ten minutes to imagine what it will finally reveal. A vagabond with hollow eyes and a scarred face? A serial killer with a saw? A ghost?

So, last week, I was waiting in front of this elevator, arms loaded down with books about Florida ghost stories, and imagining. When the door creaked open to reveal a small, middle-aged business woman in a plaid suit, I shuddered. Not a little shiver. An all-over body quake, a kind of spasm, as if my shoulders were trying to dislodge themselves from my body. (To give you perspective: my cousin saw me shudder like this once, and thought a ghost had taken possession of me. That's how intense it is.)

The woman took one look at me and shuddered too.

"Sorry," I mouthed - my voice hadn't quite come back yet -

"Sorry," she whispered, without meeting my eyes.

And then, as if we had both confronted a ghost, we hurried past each other - heads ducked, eyes averted.

That's my elevator horror story. Pretty silly, I know. But then again, author James Thurber once said a writer is "not much aware of the menaces of empire but he keeps looking behind him as he walks along darkening streets out of the fear that he is being softly followed by little men paddling along in single file, about a foot and a half high, large-eyed, and whiskered."

Are you afraid of any silly things?

There's no better company than a good book and a best friend.

2010-06-17T15:17:00.003-04:00

Corner View: The Daily (and the Extraordinary)

2010-06-15T14:05:00.002-04:00

Almost every day (even in sweltering summer heat), I walk to the lake near my house and watch the water birds. I love the Wood Storks, with their spindly legs that look almost like stilts. Usually they ignore me. But today, something happened.

I was snapping photos of a Wood Stork who was wading in the murky lake water, a few feet away. He kept his bill open, hoping to catch an unlucky minnow. Snap. I took the photo. He saw the camera flash. And suddenly, he hopped up the bank, waddled over, and posed for his portrait.

"Well, I'm flattered," I said.

He sneezed. Then he strode closer, fixing those dark dinosaur eyes on me. (Seriously, these birds look like they're third cousins to raptors.) My dog grunted disapprovingly.

That bird would have posed all day for his portrait. He came closer with every photograph. Maybe he'd been raised in captivity, because his leg was banded and he didn't seem afraid of humans.

Or maybe he had secret dreams of being a National Geographic model.

The night is nearly over; the day is almost here

2010-06-15T12:06:00.003-04:00

Romans 13:12