Meanwhile, in Rivendell . . .

In case you're reading this post despite optical challenges, I'll repeat that I have two polls I need you lovely dears to take!  (Not tolls, polls.  Tolls are tolls and rolls are rolls and you can't have one without the other.   If you get that reference, let's talk about our little guilty pleasure. ) I like to plan ahead with my headers, partially because I really enjoy figuring them out *ahem*, and partially because I like to have a general idea of what I'll be doing with the ol' blog over the months.  So I've made a number of headers, and I'd like you guys to lemme know which one you like the best or would most like to see.  (Of course, I'll probably end up using all or none of them over the course of this winter as I please, hehe, but democracy is smiled upon, and hence the poll.) Secondly, I'm a bit hard up for time and post inspiration at the moment, so I'm afraid y'all will probably be stuck with lots of movie revie...

Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting is quickly becoming one of my favorite books.  It holds a special place in my heart.  My parents and sister had watched the movie version starring Alexis Bledel years before, but all I remember hearing about it was that it was heartbreakingly sad, and thus I'd airily dismissed it (this was before I read the book, understand).  But then I began to appreciate the book, and decided to try it out after all. By the way, y'all should be prepared for a very picture-heavy review. Reaction?   It was perfect . Seriously, I really do think it was about as perfect an adaptation as a movie possibly could be.  Yes, I know some things were changed.  Yes, I know Winnie is older than she's supposed to be, and that they over-romanticize Jesse's and her relationship.  Yes, I know they spend more time in the beginning of the movie portraying Winnie's home life than Babbitt does in her book.   I still think it's ...

This is what my copy looked like, except much more vibrant. *WARNING*:  This story deals with content such as societal hypocrisy, adultery, and the question of chastity, so I will be discussing those kinds of things in this review. Where to start...this book blew me away. The story is about a man named Newland Archer, who is waffling between baffling social hypocrisies and his own occasional aspirations to a "higher philosophy." Already sinking into discontent after his engagement to May Welland, his conflict is cemented when May's cousin, Countess Ellen Olenska returns. Before I get on to the philosophical part of the review, a quick overview of the novel itself:  the writing was excellent, the characters were believable and evoked the right emotions, and the plot, if not dreadfully original, was flawlessly executed and given a wonderful sprinkling of authenticity by the unsuspected outcome of certain events. Now.  On to "the good stuff" ;)...

I've been meaning to write another "defense" post, and since we're in the midst of Hamlette's awesome Tolkien Week, why not now?:)  (In case you all didn't know, these "Why I Love…" posts are basically the equivalent of those "In Defense Of" or "Defending" kinds of posts--talking about why I love certain undervalued or misjudged characters, and you can read my previous ones by clicking on the link "Why I Love…" in the labels section:D  Just thought I'd mention it.) So.  Boromir. First of all, yes, Boromir is proud.  Boromir is brash.  Boromir is reckless.  But, darlings, that is because Boromir is human .  I'm not excusing all of his behavior by any means, but I do think we all need to step back and look at him objectively as a character and realize how similar to us he really is .  Pride is Boromir's downfall, and it is a weakness with all of us--if not often, at least from time to time.  Hamlette...

Today, the birthday of our own dear, illustrious Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, marks the beginning of Hamlette's annual  Tolkien Blog Party of Special Magnificence !  Click on the link to find out all the juicy details, and for directions to enter her giveaways!  I, for one, think it's all monstrous exciting;) To kick it all off, Hamlette has put together a super list of questions for participants to answer on their blogs.  Let the festivities begin! 1. What draws you to Tolkien's stories? (The characters, the quests, the themes, the worlds, etc.) The hope. 2. What was the first Middle Earth book you read and/or movie you saw? What did you think of it? That would be The Fellowship of the Ring , non-extended edition.  Oh, dear.  Must I tell?  I've mentioned it in other posts, but I was shamefully unimpressed by the movies the first time I watched them.  I have repented, have no fear! 3. Name three of your favorite characters ...

What-ho, all!  The lovely  Ivy  has tagged me for her '5 Male Characters Tag' :)  (You can see my answers to her 5 Female Characters Tag  here .)  Thank you so much, Ivy! Before I start, though, I just wanted to apologize--a number of my wonderful bloggie buddies (you know who you are) tagged me a long while ago for a great end-of-summer tag.  However, I didn't really have that eventful of a summer, and I just sort of kept postponing the tag until, lo and behold, it was September.  So I'm very sorry about that; I SO appreciated being tagged, and it was a lovely tag, but I think I put it off a bit too long, and as I said, I wouldn't really know how to answer the questions.  I sowwy:( Rules : 1.) List 5 of you favorite male characters (book or screen) 2.) Tagging other people is optional 3.) If you are tagged link back to the person that tagged you 4.) Link back to Revealed In Time (preferably using the link to this post) ~ ~ ~ ...

(I had no idea how to title this post, nor how it'd turn out, so bear with me.) You all know those days, I'm sure, when you're just…oh, how shall we put it--not exactly feeling the greatest of kinships with Pollyanna?  Days when something that's been going on in your life is just weighing you down and making you weepy and poor-poor-pitiful-me-ish?  I've been having a couple of those days recently.  I've been in a bit of a "funk" off and on, one moment happy and contented, and the next subdued and heartsick ( Well, you're an adolescent girl, Olivia.  Duh ). I don't want this to be a downer post, so I just wanted to share random rambling thoughts that have come to me as I've tried to deal with these sorts of days over the years (wise and learned sage that I am!).   There's a very complicated familial situation going on, and I have to fight to keep resentment and self-pity from having their way with me.  Sometimes it's not...