Meanwhile, in Rivendell . . .

I don't even know about ranking anymore, y'all.  I know the top three and beyond that it's all malarkey.  ⎼ ⎼ ⎼ ⎼ ⎼ #10. Carousel My love for this musical has abated somewhat over the last little while, but I still think it's excellent.  It examines some weighty, complicated issues that most other stories don't have the guts to do (especially nowadays).  When does a person become "irredeemable"?  Does someone who does genuinely bad ⎼ perhaps even abusive ⎼ things still have value as a human being?  Can they "come back" and be welcomed into society and relationships again? There is no one-size-fits-all solution to these situations, but this story contains a dialogue on the concept that is refreshingly open-minded.  #9. Hello, Dolly! This is such a goofy, light-hearted, oversized musical.  It makes me happy, and I think it'd be fun to experience in lots of different adaptations, not just the Barbra Streisand movie tha...

I love musical theatre.  (I hope we all knew that, even though I don't talk about musicals on this blog as much as I could.)  I like daydreaming about performing in my dream roles, and I love listening to the romantic centerpieces of many of my favorite soundtracks.  So, since Cordy is hosting this wonderful blog party, I decided now would be a perfect time to give musicals some blog space. These are my ten favorite love songs from musical theatre as of now.  As with almost any of my top ten lists, they are subject to change any moment. :-P #10. "In a Crowd of Thousands" - Anastasia (Derek and Christy are the cutest, goodbye.) I like the melody and the duet elements of this one.  It all flows and rolls together well, and it's a neat moment with Anya remembering who she is. #9. "All I Ask of You" - The Phantom of the Opera So, unpopular opinion time: I don't actually think this is, like, one of the greatest love songs ...

Ivy has tagged me!   Thank you so much, Ivy; I love tags:) 1.)  A movie that kept you up all night Hmm.  This is a toughie, 'cause there's more later about movies that made me scared and thus kept me up…oh, I know!   The Sound of Music . :)  This marvelous piece of cinema has kept me and my family up past midnight almost every New Year's Eve that I can remember.  It's tradition;)  Along with opening stockings while watching, instead of at Christmas.  (Yes, you may now all be jealous of our awesome New Year's habits.) 2.)  A movie that made you scared to sleep Little Dorrit .  *shudders*  Just…no.  Rigaud and Ms. Monotone (I don't remember her name) FREAKED THE EVERLIVIN' DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ME. I don't really like Little Dorrit . 3.)  A movie that made you go to sleep I'm usually pretty good about keeping awake during movies, actually…but Fiddler on the Roof MIGHT have seen me nodding off the...

Hello, beauties!  I apologize for my slight absence recently--I was at the beach again.  It was fun (beach-combing is one of my new favorite things), but at the same time… Anyway!  While there, I suddenly got an idea for a post that I really liked ("People, I've had an epiphany!").  You guys probably know already that I have a bit of an obsession with musical theatre, particularly older musicals.  Y'see, the 1950s and '60s were the golden era of musical theatre, in my personal opinion.  (Also, I did a school project that involved researching musical theatre, and from what I read it seems that musical production was at its peak at that time, at least in America.  But I might have gotten that wrong, so feel free to correct me.)   I mean, think about all the famous musicals made in the '50s and '60s!   The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, The King and I, Showboat, The Fiddler on the Roof, South Pacific, Oklahoma!, Singin' in the Rain, An...

'Eeeeello, 'ello, 'ello, all!  So two of my awesome blogging buddies,  Bekah  and  Morgan , have both tagged me!  Let's get right down to it. Bekah's tag:  The 5 Things I Like About How God Made Me Tag RULES 1. List 5 things you like about how God made you (God made everything about you; the family you were born/adopted into, the fact that you enjoy the stuff you enjoy, your looks, your personality; everything. So, it can't be too hard to think of 5 things you love about how God made you. Right?) 2. Tagging other people/excepting a tag is optional 3. If you are tagged (and if you except), link back to the person who tagged you 4. Have fun! (The accompanying tag picture!) Okay, here goes.  (I'm sorta grasping at straws here, so please don't think I'm saying any of this in a bragging way!  I'm really not trying to do so.) 1.   My eyes (let's get the shallow stuff out of the way first, shall we?).  I frankly have a...

[I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.] In the spring of 1917, all of Britain's attention is on the WWI war front and the thousands of young men serving their country on the front lines.  Jack Benningham, dashing heir to the Earl of Stonebrooke, is young and able-bodied but refuses to enlist despite the contempt of his peers. A wealthy young suffragette, Grace Mabry will do anything to assist her country's cause.  Men like Jack infuriate her when she thinks of her own brother fighting in the trenches of France, so she has no reservations about handing him a white feather of cowardice at a posh masquerade ball. But Grace could not anticipate the danger and betrayal set into motion by her actions, and soon she and Hack are forced to learn the true meaning of courage when the war raging overseas suddenly strikes much closer to home and their fervent beliefs become a matter of life and death. I have a confessio...

Okay, let's not talk about how ridiculously indecisive I am, and how I did that whole post asking you all to give me your advice on headers when I ended up not using any of them.  That is, I'm pretty sure I'll be using my more fall-ish header a little later, and I'm waiting for an opportunity to use Naomi's Elizabeth Gaskell header (because it makes me really happy), but I felt like neither exactly fit August well enough, and being the fickle person that I am, voilà!  Yet another look.  I have a feeling this one will last until possibly the end of September, and then I'll switch to my "deep autumn" header. Opinions?

My dear ol' chumps,  Abby  and  Hamlette , have both awarded me!  Thank you, dearies!  I do so appreciate it:) First, for Abby's award-and-questions! ~Rules~ 1.  Thank and link to the blogger/s who nominated you  2.  Answer the 11 questions 3.  Nominate/tag 11 bloggers and ask them 11 questions Do you have a hero (someone who has inspired you)? Several!  One of the most influential being C. S. Lewis:) Books touch us all:  which book or story has touched you in particular? Well, here's a list of some of the stories that have stayed with me over time, that have changed the way I look at something: The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien Inkheart by Cornelia Funke Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie The Princess Bride by William Goldman Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott The Book Thief by Markus Zusak the Redwall books by Brian Jacques BBC Robin Hood TV series Wow.  Bet you never saw those com...