Friday Flicks: The Perfect Gift

The Perfect Gift (2009) is part of the "Perfect Stranger" series of Christian movies, written and directed by Jefferson Moore. They ask a "what if?" question: What if Jesus was here today in modern America? What would he do? How would he interact with people and what would be his take on the social issues we all face today?

The Perfect Gift depicts what it might be like if Jesus arrived in a town during Christmas.

10 Things I Love About Christmas

1: Jesus Birthday -- The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

2:  Christmas cards -- I love giving them and I love receiving them. I like the ones with beautiful designs.

3: Christmas movies -- The Homecoming: A Christmas Story, Charlie Brown Christmas, The Perfect Gift, A Christmas Carol, How the Grinch Stole Christmas...

4: Christmas candy and cookies -- I miss my grandma's Bourbon Balls and Million Dollar Fudge, and my mom's Butterscotch Yule Log.

5: Christmas carols -- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen; Angels We Have Heard on High; Carol of the Bells; Good King Wenceslas, Do You Hear What I Hear?, We Three Kings...

6: Christmas tree -- I love the smell of the pine, the beautiful lights and decorative ornaments. I put  little white doves on my tree.

7: Spirit of Love -- This time of year people show more kindness that usual to others; helping at food kitchens, donating toys to needy children, donating clothes and food, giving gifts to each other.

8: Turkey dinner -- With all the fixin's!

9: Poinsettias -- The red leaves are breathtaking! I see God's amazing handiwork in these lovely plants!

10: Children -- Their joy and excitement thrills my heart.

One more:

11: Wrapping gifts -- I love to create beautiful packages for my loved ones with pretty paper, ribbons and bows.

What do you love about Christmas?
 

Tuesday Tunes: Good King Wenceslas

This song is so much fun to sing. I love the story of the Good King who helps the poor.  A wonderful Christmas message of ministering to others in need.

Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, gathering winter fuel.

“Hither, page, and stand by me, if you know it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?”
“Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain,
Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes’ fountain.”

“Bring me food and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither,
You and I will see him dine, when we bear them thither.”
Page and monarch, forth they went, forth they went together,
Through the cold wind’s wild lament and the bitter weather.

“Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger,
Fails my heart, I know not how; I can go no longer.”
“Mark my footsteps, my good page, tread now in them boldly,
You shall find the winter’s rage freeze your blood less coldly.”

In his master’s steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,
You who now will bless the poor shall yourselves find blessing.

Comedy Rule of Three

I am currently in the throes of writing comedy sketches for our Valentine's Day Dessert Theatre. I'm talking about fast and furious one-liners, short jokes and short sketches. All comedy, all the time.

I enjoy writing humor and have done it for years. In fact, one of my humor pieces is in an actual book called "Laugh Your Shorts Off" - a collection of humor compiled by my good friend and humorist Margie Culbertson.

For years I've written comedy sketches for our drama troupe, the Sunnyside Players. And I own an arsenal of books on comedy writing, as well as books by comedy writers (Steve Martin, Woody Allen, etc.) I guess you could say I take comedy writing very seriously.

One of the fun things I've learned over the years is the Comedy Rule of Three. This rule works both on stage and in print (humor columnists use it all the time). In a typical gag you have the set up and the punch line. But the rule of three includes three elements. The first two set the pattern, and the third line breaks the pattern with an unexpected twist.

Examples:
My son is a gifted athlete. He plays football, basketball and checkers.

Coffee, tea, or me?

So what's for dinner?  Braised salmon, beef Wellington, or Mrs. Paul's Fish Sticks.

Professor Hinkleman has assigned the reading list for this semester: War and Peace, The Grapes of Wrath and Poetry for Dummies.

Post some of your own. I'd love to read them!

Friday Flicks: The Homecoming: A Christmas Story

 I was in high school when The Waltons were on TV - this show was one of our family favorites. John Boy played a part in encouraging me to pursue my own dream of being a writer. The scene where he explains to Mama about what writing means to him always brings tears to my eyes.

Funny scenes:
Hawthorne Dooley (Cleavon Little) with John Boy at Miss Mamie's and Miss Emily's trying to borrow a car.

Charlie Snead (William Windom) - the turkey thief.

The missionary giving away toys to children who can recite a Bible verse ("Thy two breasts are like two young rows that are twins which feed among the lilies. Solomon Song Chapter 4:5")

Goodnight, John Boy. Merry Christmas!

Tuesday Tunes: Winter Wonderland

Christmas with the Rat Pack. Lovin' Dean Martin's version.

The Big Krause-bowski!

Hubby is a bowler. He loves the game and has been bowling for decades. He's very good at it, too.

Well, last year, he talked me into getting my own bowling ball and bowling shoes. I agreed and my game improved quite a bit. I used to search around for a house ball and could never find one that felt right. Now I have a custom made ball and it's great! Of course, hubby has been coaching me for years, showing me how to stand and where to aim for the strikes and spares.

But yesterday something happened that has never happened in the history of the universe: I won a game against hubby! I've NEVER beaten him in bowling. This was a first and it was so strange. Hubby was conflicted. Part of him was proud of me for doing so well, and the other part was upset for losing! He's very competitive and he had to deal with losing to his wife. C'est la vie!

He's a good sport, though. All through the game he was showing me what to do and how to throw the ball. He was teaching me a new technique involving throwing a curve ball. I won, but if he hadn't helped me, I don't think I would have.

I learned about the Killer Shot and I got three! Yay, me.

Friday Flicks: A Charlie Brown Christmas

I was eight years in 1965 when A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired on TV. This show was one of my best childhood memories. I loved Linus the best! He was the voice of reason, kindness and compassion.

A Christmas Carol

For the past several years, I've begun a tradition of reading Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" during the month of December. It's my favorite Christmas story and from the amount of movies based on this Victorian tale, it's inspired others as well. My favorite film version features Patrick Stewart as Scrooge.  What are your Christmas traditions?

CHAPTER 1:

Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it: and Scrooge's name was good upon 'Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail.

Tuesday Tunes: Angels We Have Heard on High

The Christmas season is the perfect time to feature some of my favorite Christmas songs on Tuesday Tunes. I'm a huge fan of the Mannheim Steamroller and own all of their Christmas albums. This group is amazingly talented and totally INSANE! Happy Holy Days!

Friday Flicks: The Black Stallion

A beautiful, heartwarming story. This is the kind of movie I would make if I had the resources. Boy meets Horse. Horse afraid of Boy. Horse and Boy become friends forever. The images are stunning; each frame is a work of art. The film embraces the themes of courage, freedom and love. The long sequence of silence on the deserted island depicting isolation and loneliness is similar to Castaway  (2000).  However, in this case, the castaway has a flesh and blood companion rather than a soccer ball.

I really enjoyed Mickey Rooney is this film. He was made to play this role.

Tuesday Tunes: Mr. Sandman

Good music and a little beefcake for breakfast. This was one of the songs in the repertoire of our ladies acappella group.

Movies on My Wish List

As an avid movie buff, I have a large collection of movies in my personal library. However, there are still quite a few I would like to own.
The Godfather (Best Movie Ever)

Butterflies are Free (I love Goldie Hawn in this flick. A funny story with a serious message)

Year of the Dog (an off the wall story of a lonely dog lover who goes crazy)

Hannah and Her Sisters (One of my favorite Woody Allen flicks. I have no idea why I don't have this movie. I guess it slipped through the cracks)

The Nanny Diaries (read the book, loved the movie)

Sex and the City: The Movie (I laughed, I cried, I wanted to kill Big!)

I'm Not Rappaport (One of Walter Matthau's best performances)

Fatal Attraction (O, what a tangled web we weave...)

Spider-Man (First movie...the best)

Phone Booth (Colin Farrell. Enough said)

Lilies of the Field (Uplifting, inspiring classic. One of Sidney Poitier's best!)

No Country for Old Men (Not everyone's cup of tea...but Josh Brolin is amazing!)

Twas the Day Before Thanksgiving

The Grinch has stolen Thanksgiving. At least at my house. There is a revolution. Tomorrow I will not be slaving away cooking and cleaning all day. I will not have to listen to endless football games on TV. I will not have to set the table, clean the bathrooms, make the gravy, bake the pies, mash the potatoes and wash the dishes.

I will start the day with a morning run (the temperature will be in the mid 50s!) I will have a healthy brunch. I will meet my BFF at the park and we will walk around the lake. We will go to the movies to see Leonardo DiCaprio in "J. Edgar" and I will have popcorn and Pepsi. We will go to Barnes & Noble and have peppermint mochas and chat about fashion, books, movies, and all that jazz. I will go home and do whatever I want the rest of the day!

Best Thanksgiving EVER!

My Cupcakes

I love baking and my specialty is cupcakes. Hence, I will be making cupcakes for our church Thanksgiving dinner this coming Sunday. I've decided to make two flavors:

1) Chocolate espresso cupcakes with peanut butter cream cheese frosting, mini-reeses peanut butter cup garnish and chocolate sprinkles.

2) Pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, Hershey Kiss garnish and ginger snap cookie sprinkles.

Photos to come.

Friday Flicks: You've Got Mail

This is one of those movies I never get tired of watching. I love the chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Which reminds me, check out Joe Vs the Volcano (1990) and Sleepless in Seattle (1993).

You've Got Mail (1998) was written and directed by Nora Ephron (Yay, Girl Power!) and is a modern remake of The Shop Around the Corner (1940) and the musical In the Good Old Summertime (1949). Sweet and funny, it's the perfect romantic comedy.

Tuesday Tunes: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

In honor of Veterans Day this week, I hope you enjoy the musical stylings of the Andrews Sisters singing Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy!

Sunday Sermon: Songs of Joy

When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.

Then it was said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them."

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev.

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying his seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying his sheaves with him.

Psalm 126

Friday Flicks: The Godfather

After I saw The Godfather (1972), I read Mario Puzo's novel three times in succession, analyzing every detail. I was mesmerized by the narrative. I didn't know much about the history of the Mafia and Puzo's story blew me away. (No pun intended). The film was a beautiful adaptation of the novel. A perfect movie, from score to screenplay to the stunning cinematography.

To Kindle or Not to Kindle...

So I'm seriously considering buying a Kindle. I was raised Old School with regular books where you actually turn the pages, flip the corners, write in the margins and enjoy the colorful cover art. So why am I chucking it all for an e-reader?

Good question.

My reading material lately has consisted of nonfiction, plays and magazine articles. I love reading fiction and something makes me think I would read more if I had a Kindle. It holds thousands of titles, as well as magazines. I could read my books while in line at the grocery store, post office, doctor's office, etc. 

Then again, if I did decide to get an e-reader, I would have to compare the Kindle to the Nook and do some comparison shopping. Look at the pros and cons, study the features of each and figure out which one is right for me.

What are your thoughts on e-readers? Do you have one? How do you like it? What do you like best about it? Least? What would you recommend?

Tuesday Tunes: Stuck in the Middle With You

Talkin' bout old times...this song always makes me smile. Not even Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992) ruined it for me. (That movie was FREAKY!) The video is bizarre, not exactly what I imagine when I hear the lyrics.

Sunday Sermon: Good Samaritan

  But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
 
  In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.  So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
 
    “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
 
  The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
 
   Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10: 29-37

Friday Flicks: Psycho

Psycho (1960) is the last movie in my Spooky October series. But I've saved the best for last. This is my absolute favorite Hitchcock film. From the cast, to the script, art direction, cinematography and music, Psycho is brilliant.

If you're the kind of person who looks for symbolism and visual motifs in films, this is the movie for you. Look for the reflected image of Norman on the porch when he gives Marion the sandwich, depicting his dual personality. Marion is wearing a white bra and slip in the hotel with Sam and then later is seen wearing a black bra and slip at her apatment and the Bates Motel, depicting her change from law-abiding citizen to thief. Also, the other secretary is played by Hitch's daughter Patricia.

LILA CRANE: I can handle a sick old woman!

Tuesday Tunes: The Times They Are A-Changin'

I didn't become a serious listener to Bob Dylan until hubby introduced me to his music in 1975 when I was 18. Before that I'd only heard "Blowin' in the Wind" on the radio. I like his folk period best. and this album is my favorite -- just Dylan, acoustic guitar and harmonica. He is a natural story-teller and his songs are poems set to music. Even now when I listen to this album, I am transported to another place and time.

Graveyard Party

I write song parodies when the Muse strikes. This was originally posted on my blog in 2007. It was campaign season and John McCain was front runner in the primaries at the time. I wanted to tell a story about Conservative Republican Goths. Sung to the tune of Ricky Neslon's "Garden Party."

 

"Graveyard Party"

 by Luana Krause

 

I went to a graveyard party to reminisce with my old friends
A chance to share goth memories, and quote Anne Rice again
When I got to the graveyard party, they all knew my name
But I didn’t recognize them, they didn’t look the same

CHORUS
No clove cigarettes, black fingernails or chains
You see, their tattoos said “Hummers Rule,” and they voted for McCain

Goths arrived from miles around, everyone that I knew
But Spider flashed her wedding ring and raved about her “dude”
And sitting on a headstone, scribbling little notes
Crow was on his laptop, checking NASDAQ quotes

CHORUS
No clove cigarettes, black fingernails or chains
You see, their tattoos said “Hummers Rule,” and they voted for McCain

Just as I was leaving, I saw my old girlfriend
Ophelia said, “How are you?” and gently took my hand
Her corpse-like deathly pallor really turned me on
But she just wanted a donation for a Rush Limbaugh telethon

CHORUS
No clove cigarettes, black fingernails or chains
You see, their tattoos said “Hummers Rule,” and they voted for McCain

Billy Collins

I discovered Billy Collins several years ago when I read The Trouble with Poetry: And Other Poems. It caught my eye at Barnes & Noble because it had this captivating image of a black bear on the cover. (Yes, you can judge a book by its cover...this one was FABULOUS!)

I bought the book and read the whole thing in one afternoon. And then I read it again. And again. His poetry is contemporary, moving, funny and sublime. His powerful imagery gently leads you into the world he has created.

Introduction To Poetry

I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light
like a color slide

or press an ear against its hive.

I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,

or walk inside the poem's room
and feel the walls for a light switch.

I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author's name on the shore.

But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.

They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.”
― Billy Collins

Friday Flicks: Rosemary's Baby

Rosemary's Baby (1968) is the third movie in my Spooky October series and was inspired by the novel by Ira Levin. It's a "horror story of Satanism and the occult set in modern-day Manhattan." Levin also wrote "The Stepford Wives." Stephen King described Levin as "the Swiss watchmaker of suspense novels, he makes what the rest of us do look like cheap watchmakers in drugstores."

Friday Flicks: Cujo

Cujo (1983) is the second movie in my Spooky October series. I've always been a fan of Stephen King's stories. I didn't actually watch this movie until a couple of years after its release when I saw it on video. My son Luke was the same age as the boy in the movie and even looked like the kid. I also drove a Pinto that was always breaking down. I could SO relate to this mom!

Vivian Maier Photographer

So I'm looking through my American Photo magazine November/December issue and find this series of photographs by Vivian Maier. I could NOT believe my eyes. These are the most beautiful photographs I've ever seen. I read the article and found out that this woman had shot an estimated 100,000 photos from the early 1950s until the mid-1990s. She died in 2009 at the age of 83. No one had ever heard of her. She was a nanny for a wealthy family in New York City and a very private person.

According to the article, there is no evidence that she studied photography formally. Her work was discovered in 2007 by John Maloof, a self-described "third-generation flea-market seller." He found some of her photos in a commercial storage locker being auctioned. He paid $400 for a box of more than 30,000 negatives.

Check out her work at the Vivian Maier website.

Tuesday Tunes: Bach A Minor Invention

I've been working on this piece of music for years. And I'm still not good enough to record myself playing. I found this video online just so you can see what I have to deal with. Bach's music is inspiring, brilliant and absolutely beautiful.

Friday Flicks: The Others

It's October and that means ghosts, goblins, witches and all that spooky jazz. This month's Friday Flicks will feature my Spooky October series of must-see scary movies. My first choice is The Others (2001) starring Nicole Kidman. A creepy story with a wild twist at the end.

Afro-Blue Jazz Choir

I heard this group on The Sing-Off this season and they are amazing. Check out their music.

American Boy

Tueday Tunes: Blue Skies

The amazing Jazz singer, Ella Fitzgerald, sings Blue Skies. Listen for her super cool skat singing.

Friday Flicks: The Truman Show

I'm a huge fan of Jim Carrey. I love his style of comedy. My best J.C. movies -- Bruce Almighty, The Majestic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Fun with Dick and Jane, The Yes Man.

The Truman Show 1998 is his best quasi-dramatic performance. The concept for this show was brilliant. A TV show about a real person who has no idea his life is fake. Everyone he knows, every person he meets, the world he lives in --- all fake. Philosophically, we're dealing with Fatalism vs. Free will and Man (Cristof) as God. Carrey's performance was spectacular. He played Truman with the perfect balance of humor and tragedy.

Bear Switch Wins BEST FILM!!!

The winning film in the Shoot Out 24 Hour Filmmaking Festival was disqualified, so the organizers awarded The Bear Switch Project as Best Film!

That gives us three awards (Best Film, Best Comedy, Best Actor). Thanks to Susan, Ron, Peter, Christi, Justin and Jacob!

Go to the Shoot Out website to see why she was disqualified.

Tuesday Tunes: Dancing Machine

Talkin'  'bout my generation...

I was 17 in 1974 when this episode of the Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour aired. Killing two birds with one stone today. One of my favorite TV shows of all time AND the amazing Jackson Five!

Our Movie won Best Comedy at the Shoot Out

The Bear Switch Project wins two awards at the Shoot Out Cheyenne Filmmaking Festival -- Best Comedy and Best Actor! WOW!

Go to my Skating Buffalo blog and check it out!

Teddy Bear

No Friday Flick today. I'm getting ready for the Shoot Out Filmmaking Festival which begins today and will last until Sunday. The movie I'm entering is called The Bear Switch Project and if I didn't have to worry about copyright law, I would use this song in my soundtrack!

This song is a tribute to my movie and the hard-working cast and crew that made it all possible:

Strange Week

It's countdown to the Shoot Out Filmmaking Festival which begins this Friday and I finally have everything in place. No worries, Mate.

Taking on a project like this is a mixed blessing. Part of me is very excited to try something new, be creative and work with some amazingly talented people.

The other part of me can't wait until it's over!

I wonder if this is typical. I'm finding it to be a pattern with me. But I can't bear the thought of not trying challenging, exciting, adventurous things. Life would be so uneventful.

The closest thing I can compare this experience to is walking through a wardrobe and arriving in Narnia. It's a totally different reality, full of beauty and danger. But I wouldn't want it any other way.

"But  courage, child: we are all between the paws of the true Aslan."

Friday Flicks: The Savages

The first time I saw this movie I had no idea what I was getting into. The Savages (2007) is a poignant film about dealing with an aging parent. It's labeled a comedy, but I found it tragic and heartbreaking. I wept more than I laughed.

Director Tamara Jenkins creates a perfect movie. It draws you in emotionally and you really connect with these characters which are brought to life by the amazing talents of Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Philip Bosco.

The story: Wendy and Jon Savage are siblings who put their estranged father in a nursing home. They must deal with the guilt of their decision  and their abusive childhood.

Skating Buffalo Productions

Check out my new blog promoting my film making endeavors, Skating Buffalo Productions. The name was inspired by the Roger Miller tune "You Can't Rollers Skate in a Buffalo Herd." I have fond memories of that song from my childhood and wanted to take it to the next level. A buffalo roller skating is whimsical and somewhat bizarre -- which represents my movie making mission.

I am Cherokee and a native of the West, thus the buffalo is an appropriate symbol representing my ancestry and my home in Wyoming. I've been blogging about my latest project for the Shoot Out 24 Hour Filmmaking Festival here in Cheyenne.

I invite you to read my blog and leave a comment. Thanks so much! Here's the link: Skating Buffalo Productions

Must See TV

I'm getting DVR ready to record some of my favorite TV shows and some new shows that look promsing.

OLD STANDBYs:
The Office
Glee
America's Next Top Model
Top Chef
Survivor
Project Runway (already in progress)
Modern Family
The Sing Off
Harry's Law
Joyce Meyer
Intervention


NEW SHOWS:
New Girl
2 Broke Girls
Up All Night
The X Factor

In Remembrance 9-11

Remembering the 10th Anniversary of 9-11 and honoring the families who lost loved ones that day. "Today we are all Americans."

Friday Flicks: My Big Fat Greek Wedding

The great thing about My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) is that although it's a cute romantic comedy, there is a serious message about pursuing your dream. Tula is tired of her life as a waitress in the family restaurant so she decides to go to college so she can get a better job. Her dream comes true...and then she meets Ian and finds true love as well.

Evolution of Dance

Tuesday Tunes: A Fifth of Beethoven

Cool disco tune from Saturday Night Fever. Get out your dancing shoes.

Friday Flicks: The Bad Seed

I saw this movie years ago on TV and it still creeps me out. It's the story of a little girl who plays piano, wears pretty dresses and murders anyone who gets in her way. Her mother is horrified when she realizes that her precious daughter has the same genetic disposition for cold blooded murder as her biological grandmother, a notorious serial killer. Our community theatre is producing this play for our 2011-12 season.

Jen's Birthday

I've really gotten lax in my Bible reading lately. Need to focus on what's important and not get too busy "doing stuff." It's so easy to see your schedule start to control you rather than vice versa. I exercise everyday for my physical and mental well being, but I've neglected my spiritual well being.

Today I changed all that. Instead of haphazardly reading the Bible or a devotion for two minutes, I'm going to treat it like a meal and enjoy every bite. Since it's the first day of a new month, I'm reading a chapter of Proverbs each day. Proverbs was written by King Solomon, the wisest king who ever lived. It's about wisdom and knowledge. Today I read chapter one and I really felt God speaking to me in verse 33 "but whoever listens to me (wisdom) will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." Lately I've been seeking peace and casting my worries on God. This verse was like God was talking straight to my heart. I will live in safety and will have no fear.

I've been reading the gospel of John and today I read chapter six about Jesus being the Bread of Life. Verse 35 -- Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

And I want to say "Happy Birthday" to my daughter Jennifer. She is 35 years old. We haven't been with her on her birthday since she was 17. This is a wonderful day. We will be having her favorite ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins (pralines and cream ice cream and white cake) and going out to dinner. Jen, you ROCK!

Tuesday Tunes: Woodstock and Twisted

Enjoy two tunes today by the fabulous Joni Mitchell, one of my favorite singer/songwriters. When I got my first guitar in high school, I tried to play her songs, but she had a very unique way of tuning her guitar...it was impossible to figure out. She started out as a folk singer but she's not a one-trick pony. She later incorporated jazz stylings to her music. 


She wrote the song Woodstock from what she had heard from her boyfriend about the festival because she had not been there herself due to scheduling conflicts. She wrote the song in a hotel room in New York City, watching the reports of the festival on television.


Here she is singing her song Woodstock and an audio clip of Twisted that shows her jazz influence from her 1974 album Court and Spark.

Friday Flicks: Cat's Eye

I'm a huge Stephen King fan. His novels and short stories are wonderful but the movies made from those stories are usually pretty bad. The few exceptions include Cujo, Firestarter, The Dead Zone, The Shining, Stand By Me, The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption.

Another King fave is Cat's Eye (1985).

Three different stories all linked by a cat whose mission is to save a little girl. Great performances by James Woods, Alan King and Drew Barrymore. A perfect blend of horror and humor.

Tuesday Tunes: Foggy Mountain Breakdown

First of all, I love Bluegrass music. Second of all I love Steve Martin. I follow him on Twitter and keep tabs on his website stevemartin.com

Sunday Sermon: God's Gifts

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be glory and power for ever and ever.

I Peter 4:10-11

My Heart Belongs to an Alien

I've just finished my first feature movie! It's a sci-fi flick about an alien invasion. Special thanks to my good friend and actor Christi Mitchell who shared her amazing talent as Beatrice Bailey, the sci-fi author who takes an alien encounter to the next level.

Do you think I'm ready for Sundance?

Tuesday Tunes: Gilligan's Island

I was in grade school when Gilligan's Island was in its prime and I loved it. Just goes to show the maturity level of the target audience. Was it grade school kids? I don't know. My parents watched it, too, but I could tell they weren't that impressed. Just going along for the ride.

Anyway, here's the theme song if you haven't heard it for a while. But to be honest, you must live on another planet if you haven't seen the show and the G.I. marathon reruns on TV.

I couldn't embed the video, but you can check it out YouTube. Click here.

Who's your favorite character?
I like Mary Ann. She was so cute in her shorts and midriff tops and she looked like me. I always thought she and the professor should be a couple, but upon reflection, I think he was too old for her. They had nothing in common except for their special interests in coconuts...she could make a cream pie and he could build a radio.

Pictures from the Lake

We went camping at Lake Owen this weekend and I got some great shots at sunrise.

Friday Flicks: Pillow Talk

I love the Doris Day/Rock Hudson rom coms. Their chemistry on screen was magical. I've seen all their movies and Pillow Talk (1959) is my favorite. I want to strangle Rock for deceiving Doris, but she gets him back big time. And of course in the end we see that they were made for each other. Tony Randall is brilliant in all the Doris/Rock movies and even though his character is virtually the same in each one (best friend of Rock with a "thing" for Doris), he is hilarious. Story in a nutshell: Doris is an interior decorator and shares a party line with Rock, a womanizing songwriter. When Rock finds out she's a beautiful woman, he want to put the moves on her so he pretends he's a wealthy rancher from Texas just visiting New York. She falls for the ruse, mistakenly thinking he's a sweet, unassuming gentleman. Here is the "pot-bellied stove" scene:

Tuesday Tunes: Italian Concerto

Johann Sebastian Bach is my absolute favorite composer of all time. His music is so inspiring. As a pianist, I studied classical music for many years but never came close to my dream of playing Bach as it's meant to be played.

The Italian Concerto is one of my favorite pieces. Here is a lovely video that shows beautiful scenic landscapes set to Glenn Gould's magical performance.

Friday Flicks: The Terminator

Best of the Terminator movies. In my opinion, they should have stopped right here and not bothered with the sequels. Arnold at his best....minimal dialog and lots of action. "I'll be back."

What I like about this movie:

Sarah Connor changes from a wimpy, insecure girl to a powerful, determined woman.

The concept of time travel and the weird logic of Sarah and Reese's relationship.

The scene where the cops think Reese is a paranoid schizophrenic as he tells them his story. Yeah, it does sound crazy.

Great chase scenes...just when you start to take a breath, the action picks back up. Edge of your seat the whole time.

The burning truck scene where the Terminator rises from the flames as a metalic skeleton and keeps on coming after her.

The scene where Sarah terminates the Terminator. The red eye powers down. Finally!

The photograph scene with the Mexican boy at the end of the movie...perfect full-circle twist.

Weird Breakfast

Today I had a weird breakfast:

Coffee
Cereal (Great Grains w/Pecans and Dates)
Cheddar cheese cubes w/saltine crackers
2 Klondike ice cream sandwiches.

OY VEY!

NOTE: This is not my usual breakfast which typically includes only the first two items. Not sure why I ate the cheese and ice cream -- maybe because I had just gone for a run and was STARVING!

What's your weirdest breakfast?

Tuesday Tunes: Leaving on a Jet Plane

I'm a huge John Denver fan. There was no one else like him with such a unique voice and style. This song is one of my favorites.

Sunday Sermon: Proverbs

The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order.

A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law resist them.

Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse.

Proverbs 28: 1-6

Friday Flicks: Barton Fink

One of the best of the Coen Brothers creations, Barton Fink (1991) is about a nerdy, pseudo intellectual NYC playwright who gets writer's block when he takes on a job in Hollywood to write a script for a wrestling picture. Hilarity ensues.

Turturro is amazing in this movie.

Tuesday Tunes: Folsom Prison Blues

Here's a shout out to the amazing Johnny Cash! I grew up listening to his music because my mom sang his songs to us when we were knee-hi to a June bug. As an adult, I admired his songwriting talent and his unique voice. A country rocker from the get go.

Gotta mention that Joaquin Phoenix did a terrific job playing the Man in Black in Walk the Line (2005). Amazingly he sang the songs himself!

The Flag Rant

Here's the situation. You're at a parade and the American flag passes by. Everyone next to you stands in respect except one person. How would you respond?

Do you confront that person? Or do you just let it go?

I say, let it go. To each his own. It's none of my business if someone doesn't want to stand for the flag. Maybe they're Jehovah's Witnesses. Maybe they're consciencious objectors. Maybe they have arthiritis in their knees. Maybe they just don't feel like it.

But what business is it of yours? It's a free country.  People don't have to salute the flag if they don't want to.

Sunday Sermon: Love

This is how God showed love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

I John 4:9-11

Friday Flicks: The Cowboys

I was 15 when I saw The Cowboys (1972) at the theatre and I loved it. In fact, I even bought a cowboy hat! As a teen girl, I wasn't really the target audience (or maybe I was...all those cute boys!) Nevertheless, I fell in love with Robert Carradine and became a fan (The Big Red One, Revenge of the Nerds).

Since then I've seen The Cowboys many times. The cinematography is stunning and John Williams score is amazing. Shout out to Roscoe Lee Browne as the chuck wagon cook.

The story in a nutshell: A Montana cattle rancher (John Wayne) needs to take his herd on a 400 mile cattle drive and hires young boys as cowhands because all the men in the area have gold fever. An ex-con (Bruce Dern) and his cohorts steal the herd. SPOILER ALERT! Dern kills John Wayne and leaves the boys stranded. The boys decided to take matters into their own hands and get the herd back.

Tuesday Tunes: My Sharona

Flashback to the 80s. Woooo....

Ever hear the Weird Al version? My Bologna.

Sunday Sermon: Joy

You will go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.

Isaiah 55:12-13

Friday Flick: Race with the Devil

This movie scared my socks off! Vacationers inadvertently witness a Satanic cult ritual and are then chased by the devil worshippers. One of the vacationers is Peter Fonda who kicks up some dust with his motorcycle (ever since Easy Rider, Peter Fonda always has to ride a motorcycle in his movies). If it was just him against the Devil, he might stand a chance. But he's not alone. He's traveling with his wife (Lara Parker) and friends (Warren Oates and Loretta Swit) in a big fat RV with "nowhere to hide."

Race with the Devil (1975) is definitely over the top, but the end is still horrifying!

Tuesday Tune: Sixteen Tons

My mom introduced me to the songs of Tennessee Ernie Ford. This was her favorite. She used to sing it while she did housework.

Sunday Sermon: Grace

But now a righteousness from God apart from the law has been made known to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.

Romans 3:21-25

Friday Flicks: Coma

Back in the 1970s, one of the biggest political issues was the Women's Liberation Movement. TV shows picked up on it with sitcoms like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, All in the Family, Maude and One Day at a Time. Hollywood even dabbled in featuring plots with strong female characters. Surprise, surprise.

Coma (1978), based on a novel by Robin Cook, was written and directed by Michael Crichton. It's one of my favorite "women's lib" movies. Genevieve Bujold plays Dr. Susan Wheeler, a resident at a University hospital in Boston who uncovers a plot involving comatose patients. Can't say more. Don't want to give away the surprise ending.

Michael Douglas plays her boyfriend, also a Dr. at the hospital. One of his best films, imo. And guess who has a small but important part? Tom Selleck! Very cool. This was just before he had his own TV show, Magnum P.I.

You can't help but notice the women's lib references:

SUSAN: Get your own dinner!

Getting to Know You

Frumpy Denim Jumper

I found these questions in a celebrity interview in Marie Claire magazine. Thought I'd ask them here. These are my answers, but what about you?

What's your best feature?
My hair.

What's one thing most people don't know about you?
I do Renee Zellweger impressions.



Who is your real life hero?
Jesus.

Regrettable fashion moment?
Frumpy denim jumpers from the late 80s.

Biggest vice?
Sex and the City

Now for the desert island scenario. You're stranded on a desert island and you get to choose one item from each category.

Movie?
Signs (Why? Spiritual message, cute kids, hunky guy)

TV Show?
Seinfeld (Gotta laugh)

Song?
One of These Days by FFH (Hopeful music)

Book?
Bible (Getting closer to God)

Board Game?
Trivial Pursuit (extra reading material; kill two birds with one stone)

Snack?
Cheetos (Duh!)

Drink?
Coffee (in fact, how about an entire coffee bar for lattes and frapps)

Toy?
White board with markers (I love to write and draw)

Wedding Cake Smash

I read this in Dear Abby a couple of weeks ago and it really made an impression on me. I'm reminded of it every time I hear about a wedding.  I totally agree with the writer.

Dear Abby: I’m writing you about a disgusting, rude, and, in my opinion, obscene habit – the bride and groom shoving wedding cake in each other’s faces. The couple are all dressed up in their beautiful finery. They have a wonderful ceremony and a perfect reception table. How rude and insensitive to the person he or she has just promised before God to love, honor and cherish – not to mention disrespectful. What do you think of this “custom,” and do you agree with me? –Faithful Little Rock Reader


Dear Faithful: I do agree with you. The cake in the face custom should have been retired at least 50 years ago. The significance of the “ritual” is extremely demeaning to women. According to the book “Curious Customs” by Tad Tuleja (Stonesong Press, 1987):

“The cake-cutting at modern weddings is a four-step comedic ritual that sustains masculine prerogatives in the very act of supposedly subverting them. …in the first step of the comedy, the groom helps direct the bride’s hand – a symbolic demonstration of male control that was unnecessary in the days of more tractable women.

She accepts this gesture and, as a further proof of submissiveness, performs the second step of the ritual, offering him the first bite of cake, the gustatory equivalent of her body, which he will have the right to ‘partake of’ later. In the third step, the master-servant relationship is temporarily upset, as the bride mischievously pushes the cake into her new husband’s face. …Significantly, this act of revolt is performed in a childish fashion, and the groom is able to endure it without losing face because it ironically demonstrates his superiority: His bride is an imp needing supervision. That the bride herself accepts this view of this is demonstrated in the ritual’s final step, in which she wipes the goo apologetically from his face.

This brings the play back to the beginning, as she is once again obedient to his wiser judgment. Thus, the entire tableau may be seen as a dramatization of the tensions in favor of the dominance of the male."

Tuesday Tunes: Your Song

I was in high school when I bought my first Elton John album. It was his Greatest Hits album featuring many of my favorite songs: Your Song, Daniel, Rocket Man, Bennie & the Jets, and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. The following year I bought his new album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy with his beautiful song "Someone Saved My Life Tonight." These tunes bring back memories of my high school days. Some happy, some sad.

Friday Flicks: You've Got Mail

This is one of those movies I never get tired of watching. I love the chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Which reminds me, check out  Joe vs the Volcano (1990) and Sleepless in Seattle (1993).

You've Got Mail (1998) was written and directed by Nora Ephron (Yay, girl power!) The film is a modern remake of The Shop Around the Corner (1940) which was also made into a musical In the Good Old Summertime (1949). Sweet and funny, it's the perfect romantic comedy.

America: Mother of Exiles

In honor of Independence Day, I present Emma Lazarus' beautiful poem "The New Colossus," etched on the base of the Statue of Liberty:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles.

From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Sunday Sermon: Attitude of Christ

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death -- even death on a cross.

Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11

Friday Flicks: Double Indemnity

The first time I'd heard of Double Indemnity (1944) was when Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman did a parody skit of the movie on The Carol Burnett Show. Hilarious! Years later when I finally got around to seeing the movie, I was in for a treat.

This is one of the best movies of all time. I was already familiar with Fred MacMurray from My Three Sons, so seeing him as an insurance salesman bent on murder was quite a surprise. Barbara Stanwyck was mysterious and gorgeous...a tough lady seducing Fred with her sexy anklet. And as for Edward G. Robinson...HOLY COW! He was fantastic. His best role EVER!

A while back I wrote a parody of this movie as a "Twas the Night Before Christmas" poem. I called it "Twas the Night Before Murder."

Tuesday Tunes: Wild Thing

I remember listening to this song on the radio when I was in grade school. My cousins and I used to sing it on the playground. We'd sometimes sing it with an Oklahoma accent: "Wawld thang, you make my hart sang, you make everythang groovy." Good times.

Friday Flicks: Back to the Future

Back to the Future (1985) ROCKS! Literally.

Michael J. Fox is perfectly cast as Marty McFly, the time traveling teen. And was there ever a more colorful character in film history than Doc Brown, brought to life by Christopher Lloyd?

If you know the history of this movie, you know that it wasn't originally meant to be a trilogy. But Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale did a great job with continuity of the sequels.

My only logistics problem is with Back to the Future Part II (1989) -- the scene in 2015 where "old" Biff steals the DeLorean and gives the sports almanac to himself in 1955. How does he know how to operate the time machine? And how could he bring it back to the right time for Doc and Marty in 2015? Wouldn't the future have already been changed because of the book? I'll give a vanilla shake to anyone who can answer that question.

But it doesn't really matter. It's a fun roller coaster ride and one of the best films of the 1980s. Every American should see this movie.

Tuesday Tunes: King of the Road

Huge Roger Miller fan here. I grew up hearing this song. It was one of my mom's favorites.

My Fishing Video

We all went up to Granite last Saturday and had a blast!

Sunday Sermon: Near to God

Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenant of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:12-13

Friday Flicks: Heartbreak Hotel

Years ago when there were such things as video rental stores, I was browsing the aisles looking for a movie and I struck gold with Heartbreak Hotel (1988): a 17 year old boy borrows a pink Cadillac and kidnaps Elvis Presley. Why? So Elvis can go on a date with his mother.

The movie is set in the 1970s and Elvis (David Keith) is on tour. He just happens to be performing near the town where Johnny (Charlie Schlatter) lives with his widowed mother (Tuesday Weld) who is a huge Elvis fan. Unfortunately, Mom has an abusive boyfriend and she is depressed and miserable.

One night the boyfriend beats her up so badly she ends up in the hospital. Johnny wants more than anything to make his mom happy, so when he finds out that Elvis is performing in a nearby city, he decides to kidnap the King and bring him home to Mom.

Meanwhile, Johnny and his friends are in a rock band and the high school is having a talent show. The school officials don't like rock and roll won't allow the band to perform. Johnny is also having girl trouble. Elvis to the rescue.

The cool thing about this movie is that the story is such a bizarre fantasy but played so realistically. You empathize with Johnny and his situation. And you're happy for Elvis as he's enjoying hanging out with this family in this small town being an average guy and living a normal life for a while.

This clip is from the high school talent show where Johnny and his band are performing with a surprise guest vocalist.

Melanie and Marko

Last night on So You Think You Can Dance, Melanie and Marko were amazing!

Tuesday Tunes: Heartbreak Hotel

Before the silly romantic comedies of the 60s and the Vegas jumpsuits of the 70s, Elvis in the 1950s was the real deal. Here he is in all his rock and roll glory. Long live the King!

Fishing Day



Me with granddaughter Lily


Summer in Wyoming is fabulous. We've been having fun fishing at Granite Lake at Curt Gowdy State Park. We usually fish in the mountain lakes, but the snow is still deep and the roads are closed. So we drove to Granite which is about a 25-minute drive out of town. The fishing was great even though the water level was high because of snow-melt and spring rain.

The fish were biting on garlic marshmallows (the yellow sparkly ones) but we got a few nibbles on power bait and night crawlers. And even though there were campers and tents all around the lake, we managed to find a great hot spot!




Me with a stringer of rainbow trout

 


Hubby makes sure the Big One doesn't get away




Daughter Jen prepares for battle




Canada geese sail by the shore




Granite Lake in all its majestic glory



Sunday Sermon: God's Wisdom

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

He chose the lowly things of this world and despised things -- and the things that are not -- to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God -- that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom but on God's power.

I Corinthians 1:26 - 2:5

Friday Flicks: The Stepford Wives

The Stepford Wives (1975) starring Katharine Ross and Paula Prentiss made its debut when the feminist movement was in full swing. The movie touched on such important women's issues as marriage, children, career, consciousness-raising, going bra-less and bell bottom hip huggers.

I will say here and now that the remake was awful. I don't understand why Hollywood can't leave the classics (even the cult classics like this one) alone. It's a disgrace. Come up with original ideas already!

Based on the novel by Ira Levine, who also wrote Rosemary's Baby, The Stepford Wives is terrifying. And while we're not dealing with a woman who had Satan's baby, it's almost as bad: a group of sexist husbands "transform" their wives into subservient, sexy robots. Now that's just plain evil. At least from a woman's perspective.

Your Ultimate Lemon Car

Bad Car

So what was your lemon car? For me it was a 1978 Ford Pinto Station Wagon. Hubby and I bought it brand new and had nothing but trouble. Fortunately, my dad was a mechanic and was able to keep it running until I learned to drive a stick. I'm pretty sure this was the car that inspired The Car Guys radio show.

In 1983 we traded it in for a new 1983 Nissan Sentra, which was the best car EVER! The only thing I didn't like about it was the color (hubby called it chicken poop yellow, but he didn't say "poop.") 

Our 1983 Sentra looked exactly like this:

Good Car