Sometning/Anything.

The Top 20 Songs Of 2012.

The age posted a list of the top twenty songs for 2012
last Friday. This list was complied by their song and
show reviewer.

Here is the list:-
1. Simple Song The Shins
2. Call Me Maybe Carly Rae Jepser
3. Lost Frank Ocean
4. I Got Burned The Bamboos & Tim Rogers
5. Trembling Hands The Temper Trap
6. I Love It Icona Pop
7. My Man Oh Mercy
8. Paddling Out Mike Srsio
9. Hold On Alabama Shakes
10. Boy Emma Louise
11. Little Talks Of Monster& Men
12. We Are Young Some Nights Fun
13. How We Do Rita Ora
14. Madness Muse
15. Laura Bat For Lashes
16. Idea Of Happiness Van She
17. Hopeless Wanderer Mumford & Sons
18. King Of The World/Emmy Lou First Aid Kit
19. Talk A Walk Passion Pit
20. Octopus Bbc Perry

As I don't listen to the radio, except ocassionally at
the shop and then Cliff has it tunned to ABC Classic
Operas. I have not heard ONE of these songs. So I
can't comment on the choice.

Paul and Art, "Cecilia"

I have been listening to the CD of their hits and
want to know in the song "Cecilia" who the hell
took his place?

The words go "Up in my bedroom in the afternoon
making love to Cecilia. Got up to wash my face,
when I got back to bed someone had taken my place."

1. Why would he wash his face??
2. Now who took his place? It is in the afternoon
his father, mother, brother, sister? Someone who
lives in the house with him??

I always got the impression that he is living at home
with his parents, but now listening to the words he
says "I'm begging you please to come on home." So are
they living together? married? if so why does he say
"up in MY bedroom" wouldn't it be OUR bedroom.

Really it does not make sense. But LOVe the music it
is sooo catchy!

Cecilia must be a popular name, though I have only ever
met one woman called this and that was when we were 13
(50 years ago!) yet there are about 9 songs titled this!

Simon and Garfunkel

Saw a CD at Sanity of S & G greatest hits and
asked Kath to get it for me for Xmas. I bought
it and paid for it and ONE DAY she will give me
back the money!

I was listening to it the other day and noted FOR
THE FIRST TIME the lyrics to "Keep the Customer
Satisfied" that go
"I hear words I never heard in the bible"
wherein actual fact it should be:-
"I hear words I never READ in the bible"

A Hard Two Weeks

Robert Barret, then Bryce Courntrny and finally Larry
Hagman all dying of cancer.

A sad time for all their family and friends and a great
loss to the literary and film world.

"House Husbands"

I enjoy this show, but really they should keep it real!
In the last episode, one set of parents are called to
the school and interviewed by the headmistress BECAUSE
THEIR CHILD HAS HEAD LICE!!!!! Not only that but when
the parents say they will take her home, the headmistress
informs them that THE NURSE TREATED THE CHILD AND SHE
IS FINE TO STAY!!!!

In all my years as a child, teacher, parent and now a
grandparent, I have NEVER heard of a head mistress taking
the time to interview parents re head lice, usually a note
is sent home with the child and they have to stay home at
least for the next day while the parents treat the hair.
As for a nurse EVER treating the child NO WAY. The expense
for one thing would be more than most schools could handle,
ever most private schools!

On top of which THE NURSE is usally not a 'school' nurse.
What schools can afford a full time nurse? (PRIVATE) and I
don't think the parents of these children are sending them
to private school. The nurse usually comes from the council!

Don't any of the writers have children who have had head lice?

Bones

I don't know if it was my faulty interpertation of
the words or it is what Bones really said but in the
last episode I saw Bones was explaining to the interns
why there was a corpse on the table with a chainsaw in
his middle.

"He was just a foolish man trying to juggle a chainsaw,
a tennis ball and a JARVAPP and drinking too much."

I replayed this SIX times and I still could not make out
what was said it still sounded like JARVAPP, whatever
that is!!!

Big Bang Theory "The Red Chair" episode.

I watched this for the second time the other night
and for the first time I noticed that there was no
tear, rip, gap or any hole whatsoever in the seat
cushion on that chair so my question was how did
the 'THING' that bit Amy on the bottom, which we
saw crawling across the cushion when she got up,
get to the back of the chair which is were we saw
it when Howard and Raj saw the chair on the sidewalk
and took it up to Seldon and Leonard's flat.

It got me wondering, as Seldon had said it was a lovely
comfy chair worthy of the name CHAIR. It looked very
clean and new and I though how much did it cost $500??
So if I bought a chair and suddednly something bit me
what would I do?
A. Take it back to the store I bought it from and
demand a replacement or my money back
OR
B. Throw it out on the sidewalk?

The most logical answer of course is A. but then we
would not have had that funny episode!!

Who are the Movers and Shakers in Australian T.V. You Ask?

Further to my last entry here is that list published
in "The Age" on 15th Oct. 2012.

1. Sam Worthington Points 3796.
2. Chris Helmsworth " 2540.
3. Geoffrey Rush " 1540.
4.

The Age List

The Age printed out a list last Friday the 12 of Oct
of who the movers and shakers are inthe Australian
film industry.

It went into great detail about how they judged
this, except for where they got the orginial 400
names from.

The very first thing they said was that it was based
on films released from Jan 2010 to Oct 2012.

So it floored me when the very first comment about the
list was some idiot who said that Hugh Weaving should
be on the list as the matrix films did so well!!

Not only that but the next two people who commented
also agreed with the first comment.

When I read these articles the very first thing I do
is try to find out what criteria they are judging
the list on. Don't other people do the same? or are
these the people who try to put things together without
reading the instructions???

"Men In Black III"

Liked this as did I did One and Two. But unlike the
first two, this movie deals with a threat in time
not with an alien threat of invasion.

My only problem with this movie was as K was killed
40 years before then WHO recruited J to the MIB in
the new time line??

Other than that SMALL problem I really liked the story
line.

Best 25 Shows- The Next Best

I will list this as they were listed and then
comment.

1. ER
2. The Slap
3. Tangle
4. The Games
5. The Secret Life of Us
6. 24
7. Underbelly
8. Modern Family
9. The Late Show
10. Roseanne
11. Entourage
12. Survivor
13. Girls
14. Freaks and Geeks
15. Homicide:life on The Street
16. The Wonder Years
17. Mr. Bean
18. The Good Wife
19. Sex and The City
20. Downton Abbey
21. Love My Way
22. The L Word
23. The Panal
24. The Chaser's War On Everything
25. My So Called Life
26. The Hollowmen
27. Brides of Christ
28. Kath and Kim
29. Sons of Anarchy
30. The Shield
31. Friday Night Lights
32. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
33. Seachange
34. Thirtysomething

These lists were compiled by Paul Kalina
Frances Atkinson, Andrew Murfett, Debi Enker
Melinda Houston, Craig Mathieson, Daniel Burt
Greg Hassall, Michael Idato, Karl Quinn and
Matthew Burgess.

Now I have never heard of numbers 2,3,4,11,13
21,22,25,26,31 nor 32. That is 11 out of 34.
Again that is pretty poor!

As fo the rest:-
I watched "ER" till it finished though I might
have missed a few episodes. I did enjoy it.

Watched about two episodes of "Secret Life of Us"
but it was not for me.

Never got into "24"

Watched two or three episodes of "modern Family"
and thought it stupid!

Watched "Roseanne" till the end. Loved this as
it was about the first show to really protray family
as it really is!

Loved "Wonder Years" pity they cut it before it
really finished.

"Mr. Bean" is an acquired taste and though I have
watched two or three episodes and thought they were
OK, the show on the whole it is not my taste.

"The Good Wife" watched this till almost the end of
the first season, but I got tired of the wife's character!

"Sex and the City" I did not discover this till the
third seasion but loved watching it. A show were the
four main characters are all women. Brillant!

"Downton Abby" have watched season one and waiting to
see season two. When will that BE? Cliff and I both
enjoyed it.

"Brides of Christ" have a vague memory of this so
couldn't have been that impressed by it.

"Kath and Kim" one of the few shows that both Cliff and I
enjoyed.

"The Shield" I started watching this because I had liked
Michael Chiklis in "The Commish" but I did not his role in
"The Shield". Watched three episodes and could not bear to
watch any more. He was so different I couldn't stand it.

"Thirtysomething" felt it was a poorer copy of "Friends."

"Underbelly" "The Late Show" "Survivor" "Freaks and Geeks"
"The Panal" "the Chaser's War On Everything" "Sons of Anarchy"
and "Seachange" all fall into the same boat. If someone was
willing to pay me $1,000,000 I would be prepared to watch ONE
episode of any ONE of these. Money up front PLEASE.

Mr. Popper's Penquins.

As I said in Gloria's Day I watched this at Donald's
house on Thursday evening. It was advertised to be
shown later Thursday night (about 8 p.m.) but Kirsten
said there was a copy there and we could watch it
now at 6 p.m.

I quite enjoyed it, the only thing I have a question
about is how did Mr. Popper afford to buy the Tavern
on the Green Tea Room? His company offered Mrs Van
Gundy (Angela Landsbury) $100,000,000 for it and she
knocked them back. Shesaid she was looking for the
"right" person to sellit too, so that means she did
not GIVE it to him so how much DID he pay for it???

Top 25 T.V. Shows Of The Past 25 Years.

This list was complied by a panel of 12 people.
The results published in The Age newspaper on
Thursday 13th Sept. 2012. One of the main
criteria was that the series in question had to
have been made after 1987.

Thus why "Dr. Who" was not included in the list.
Obviously the hundred or so people who complained
it was not on the list did not read the criteria.

I will rewrite the list here. Starting as they did
with the 25th place leading to number 1.

Then I will comment.

25. Phoenix/Janus (1992-93/1994-95)
24. Law and Order (1990-2010)
23. Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)
22. Six Feet Under (2001-2005)
21. Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-present)
20. The X Files (1993-2002)
19. Blue Murder (1995)
18. The Office (2001- 2003) British series.
17. Deadwood (2004-2006)
16. Summer Heights High (2007)
15. Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
14. Frasier (1993-2004)
13. The Larry Sandersv Show (1992-1998)
12. Twin Peaks (1990-1991)
11. Lost (2004-2010)
10. Homeland (2011 - current)
9. Breaking Bad (2008 - current)
8. The Simpsons (1989 - current)
7. Frontline (1994-1997)
6. Arrested Development (2003-2006)
5. The West Wing (1999-2006)
4. The Wire (2002-2008)
3. Seinfeld 1990-1998)
2. The Sopranos (1999-2007)
1. Mad Men (2007 - current)

I have never heard of numbers 25,21,19,18, (The US
Series is shit. watched one episode and thought it
a waste of time!) 17,13, 9 7, 6, 4, and number 1.
Not bad that out of 25 shows I have not heard of
11 of them!

As for the following:
24. Stopped watching this late last year as I felt
it was just the SOSO stuff.
23. Now this entry was really confusing as I had
quite enjoyed watching this in 1978-79 with
Lorne Greene. Remember the criteria no show
before 1987? that was why Dr. Who was ruled
out so why was this include as it is the story
continued just like Dr. Who is???
22. Thought a show based in a funeral palour would
be too sad to watch.
20. Really enjoyed this, still say to this day..
"Is there anybody out there."
16. Who would want to watch a show where a 30 year
old man dresses up as a teenage girl???
15. What a great show!!!
14. At one stage I was writing down every word of
the show, but I alwyas thought that Frasier and
Niles were too neurotic to be psychiarists.
12. Who did kill Laura Palmer? liked it at the time
but can barely remember it now.
11. Lost me half way through the second season, a
show has to hold it's audience by having them
think it is believeable not matter how unbelieveable
it actually is. It utterly failed to do this.
10. Watched 3 episodes but it failed to hold me. I
had started to watch it as I had enjoyed Damian
Lewis so much in "Life." This was not as good.
8. Watched the first season and thereafer a couple of
episodes but no one ever ages, it is about time
they did.
5. Really enjoyed Martin Sheen in this.
3. Seinfeld, they did not lie, watched one episode
and it was about nothing and therfore I was not
going to waste my time watching any more of it.
A decesion I have never regreted.
2. I don't usually watch gangster type shows but I
liked the fact it was more about the relationships
between people than the violence of the mob scene.

There were a number of shows that were nominated but
did not make the final cut but I will talk about those
next time.

"Love In The Time Of Cholera"

Meg and I drove to Melbourne last Friday (see
"Gloria's Day" for details).

We talked about the "Most Romantic" movies we
had seen. Meg brought up "Serendipity" and I
agreed that I had loved it. Though I felt that
given the size of the country etc. the couple
would most likely never get the book or note
back. Meg said if it was fate they would and
I said if it was me, as Murphy's Law was written
about me, it would not happen. Meg just laughed.

But we could not remember the book so while
stalled in traffic and inching ahead every few
minutes Meg googled it. The book turned out
to be "Love In The Time Of Cholera" by Gabriel
Garcia Marquez. A book I have never heard of.

In the 16 years Cliff and I have been together
and had "The Book Nook" and now "the Nook and
Cranny" there has never been a copy come across
the counter (does that not prove that if I was
looking for a copy to 'find true love' it would
be like looking for a needle in a hay stack.)

So imagine how surprised I was when I went into
Morwell PO and there was copy!!! So of course
I bought it and will read it over the next week
or two. I will also then be able to answer the
other questions that came to me. Was there any
reason why this book was used or was it just a
random choice? Did something happen in the year
the movie was made that made this choice a
natural one?

Romantic Films According to ME!! (Part 3)

Of course I have not included full reviews of films
that were in the 'Friend Reunited' list, that I also
think are romantic, which were:-
"Dirty Dancing"
"Sleepless in Seattle"
" Gone With The Wind" (which was Fox Classsics on
Saturday 25th August, and I note that
"From Here to Etenrity" will be screened in September)
"Titanic"
"Casablanca"
"Breakfest at Tiffany's"
and
"Ghost."

A ghost features in "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" (1947)
Lucy Muir (Gene Tierney) moves to a rented cottage in
the country to save money after her husband dies.
However the ghost of the former owner Captain Daniel
Gregg (Rex Harrison)does not make it easy for her.

In "Truely, Madly, Deeply" (1990) Nina (Juliet Stovenson)
is on the brink of despair over her boyfriend Jamie's
(Allan Rickman) death. So he comes back to live with her.
Will her idealised memory of him survive his reappearance?

I have written about car accidents, comas and ghosts and
all three feature in "Just Like Heaven" (2005). Elizabeth
Masterson (Reese Witherspoon) is in a car accident. Soon
after David Abbott (Mark Ruffalo) moves into her apartment.
They are both shocked when Elizabeth appears in her/his
apartment. She thinks he is an intruder and he thinks she
is a ghost!

Love from beyond the grave is aslo part of the theme in
"P.S. I Love You" (2007) Holly (Hillary Swank) loses
husband, Gerry (Gerald Butler) to a brain tumour, but soon
after begins to recevive letters from him. They all end
in P.S. I love you.

"Over Her Dead Body" (20080 (also deals with 'love' admittly
a jealous one to begin with.) Kate Spencer (Eva Longoria ) is
killed by an ice sculpture that falls on her on her wedding
day. A year later her fiance Dr. Henry Mills (Paul Rudd)
is talked into seeing a psychic Ashley Clark, ( Lake Bell),
in ordwer to be alble 'to move on' They begin to fall in love
and that is when Kath's ghost really starts to play up.

In dealing with 'moving on' there is "Sweet Home Alabama"
(2002) in which Melaine Smooter (Reese Witherspoon) leaves
her husband (Jake Perry ( Josh Lucas) after a miscarriage.
She goes to New York where she changes her surname to
Charmichael and become a sucessful fashion designer.
She becomes engaged to Mayor's son Andrew Hennings (had to
love that as my maiden name was Henning!!) (Patrick Dempsey)
but she is still married to Jake.

Looking at different futures is the basis of "Sliding Doors"
(

Romantic Films According to ME! ! (Part 2)

Now I am not saying these are the 'greatest' romantic
films of all time, nor even the 'most' romantic, just
that I think they are some of the best romantic films
I have seenand enjoyed.

I was writing of accidents that seperated loved ones
so it brings me to "Forever Young" (1992). In early
1939 a car accident puts Helen (Isabel Glasser) in a
coma. The doctor holds little hope of her surviving.
Her boy friend Daniel McCormick does not want to see
her die agrees to be part of his friend's cryonic
freezing experiement, which is to last a year. But
the outbreak of WW11 and a warehouse fire means the
cryonic chamber is forgotten. It is not till 53
years later when two boys accidently reverse the
process that Daniel is revived. he must find out
what happened to Helen.

It is while Peter Callaghan (Peter Gallagher) is in
a coma, that Lucy Moderatz (Sandra Bullock) falls in
love with his brother, in "While You Were Sleeping."
(1995).

A car accident also features in "An Affair To Remember"
(1957)Nickie Ferrante (Cary Grant) meets Terry McKay
(Deborah Kerr) on a curise from Europe to New York.
Although involved with other people thay fall in love.
After docking they agree to seperate, but if they feel
the same way in 6 months they will meet at the top of
the Empire State Buiding. On her way there Terry is
so busy looking up at the Empire State building she
walks in front of a taxi and is crippled. Feeling she
would now be a burden to Nickie she makes no move
to contact him!!!

A taxi is also the cause of John Smith's (Ronald
Colman) accident in "Random Harvest" (1942). Thus he
is seperatded by loss of memory from his wife Paula
(Greer Garson.) Bring plenty of tissues for this one.

"50 First Dates" revolves around the fact that Lucy
Whitmore (Drew Barrymore) suffers from Goldfield
Syndrome, the inability to form new memories. Thus
Henry Roth (Adam Sandler) has to woo each day as of
it was their first time together!

"The Vow" (2012) Paige Collins (Rachel McAdams) and
husband Leo (Channing Tatum) are in a car accident.
Paige loses all memory of her life since just before
she left College. Leo must her fall in love with him
again. The title of the movie comes from part of
their wedding vow.

"The Note Book" (2004) revolves around the fact that
Allie Hamilton (Gena Rowlands) suffes from Alzheimer's.
She is a patient in a nursing home, where another
patient 'Duke' (James Garner) is reading her a love
story from a note book. It is the story of their love
and life together.

Losing one's memory is the theme of "Eternal Sunshine
of the Spotless Mind" (2004). After a hellish argument
Clementine Krucynski (Kate Winslet) has all memory of
her boyfriend Joel Barish (Jim Carey) wiped from her
mind. When he finds this out he under goes the
procedure too! Things become interesting when they
meet again!

Meeting years later after initally meeting is how
"The Way We Were" (1973) starts. Katie Morosky
(Barbra Strisand) and Hubbell Gardiner (Robert Redford)
first met, in 1930, in college. They meet again after
WW11. They marry and move to Hollywood and we follow
the up and down of their relationship.

WW 11 also features in "The Sound of Music" (1965).
Postulant nun Marie (Julie Andrews) is sent to be nanny
to an Austrian officer's Captain Georg Ludwig Von Trapp
children. They marry (remind you of "Who's The Boss"
and "The Nanny") and have to flee with the children,
giving everything up, to save thier lives when Germany
invades Austria.

Giving everything up, is what angel Seth ( Nicolos Cage)
does after falling for Dr. Maggie Rice (Meg Ryan)in
"City of Angels" (1998).

Romantic Films According to ME!! (Part 1)

In no order:-

"Somewhere In Time" (1980) In 1972 a play writer
Richard Collier (Christoper Reeve) becomes
fasinated by a photo of a turn of the century
stage actress Elise McKenna (Jane Seymour).
A half century seperates them yet they still
manage to fall in love. It's a tear jerker
ladies!

"Kath and Leopold" (2001) This film follows
the theme of time seperating people. It opens
in 1876 with Leopold Mountbatten (Hugh Jackman)
following Stuart Besser (Liev Schreiber) only to
fall with him through a portal on the Brooklyn
Bridge and end up in the 21 century. He meets
Kath McKay (Meg Ryan) and of course they fall
in love. But when will they live???

Following the theme of time seperating people
we have "The Lake House." (2006) Kath Forster
(Sandra Bullock) is living from 2006 to 2008,
and falls in love with Alex Wyler, although he
is living 2 years behind her, from 2004 to 2006.
A 'magic' mail box is their conduit.

Talking of mail bringing people together we have
"You've Got Mail" (1998). Two (book shop) business
rivals Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) and Joe Fox (Tom
Hanks) met through their e mail and fall in love,
(even though they have other partners at the time.)

Bookshop romances also gives us "Nottinghill"
(1999) William Thacker (Hugh Grant) owns a travel
bookshop and who walks in one day, to buy a book,
but an American movie star, Anna Scott (Julia
Roberts). They fall in love in a topsy turvey
courtship.

Talking of topsy turvey courtships who could forget
"Four Weddings and a Funeral" (1994) told through
the eyes of the main character Charles (Hugh Grant)
who falls for American, Carrie (Andie MacDowell).
We follow a group of English friends as they find
and lose love. Who can forget the eulegy scene?
Bring the tissues ladies!!

Writing of following a group there is "Love Actually"
(2003) A film set in London, which begins 5 weeks
before Christmas as we follow 10 individuals whose
love stories intertwine.

Another group effort, this time from America is
"Valentines's Day" (2010) again individual love
stories where the people's stories intertwine.
Just love the part where the private car driver
asks the solider, home on leave (Julia Roberts)
has she ever shoped on the drive before and she
replies "Yes, once, big mistake - huge."

Which brings us to "Pretty Woman" (1990) A rich
business man Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) hires a
prostitute Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) to entertain
him for a week. Of course they fall in love.

On the subject of prostitutes falling in love there
is "The Owl and the Pussycat" (1970) (I admit not
one of the greatest, but I love its' quirkiness.)
Felix (George Segal) is a 'writer' and rats out
Doris (Barbra Streisand) a prostitute to the land
lord because her noise keeps him from working.
Having no place to go she camps out in his flat.
Guess what happens?? Henry Buck (remember from
"The Graduate" also has a cameo in this film. A
little aside Henry Buck was the story Editor for
"Get Smart" T.V. series.)

Speaking of quirky "There's Something About Mary"
(1998) Ted (Ben Stiller) loves his high school
friend Mary (Cameron Diaz.) They are about to go
to the prom, when a zipper accident incapicitates
Ted. 13 years later he hires a detective to find
her as he still loves her.

Most Romantic Films of All Time (1811 - 2011)

I found this item on the UK & Co Friends Reunited Web Site.

Firstly I don't think films were around much till the
beginning of the 20th Centuary. I believe it was suppose
pto be 1911 to 2011!

These are the films listed in random order.

"10 Things I Hate About You" I enjoyed this film a nice one
about teen romance. Not one of the "Most Romantic" though.

"Lady and the Tramp" I have never seen this cartoon but I feel
it should have a section on its own like the Most Romantic
Cartoon Films. Then you would have "Snow White and the Seven
Dwarfs" "The Corpse Bride" and "Who Killed Roger Rabbit" (though
that is a mixture of both mediums.)

"An Officer And A Gentleman" It is a while since I have seen
this but I did not think of it as a romatic film.

"Ghost" A beautiful story of lost love.

And of cause another Patric Swayze film "Dirty Dancing" when
crushes and love come to teens!!!

"When Harry Met Sally" loved Meg Ryan fake Big O scene!! but
it was nothing compared to her in "Sleepless in Seattle."

"Titanic" that hand on the fogged up window BRILLANT, we did not
have to be shown naked bodies to know what was happening!!!!

"Gone With The Wind" when love is crossed!! a beauty.

Star crossed lovers in "Romeo and Juliet" classic Shakespeare.

In the same theme "Casablanca" I saw this for the first time
only last year though I had seen bits and pieces over the years.
I loved it.

I guess you could put "The Graduate" into the star crossed
lovers but it was Benjamin Braddock being seduced by Mrs. Robinson
(Anne Babcroft, who was a cougar before it became popular!!) when
he could have said no, that caused the problems, when he fell for
her daughter Elaine (Katharine Ross) rather than outside forces.
I have always thought of this picture as more of a coming of age
film than a romance. It is classified by the American film board
as a "coming of age/comedy drama". Buck Henry has a cameo in this
film.

"The Apartment" and "From Here to Eternity" can be loosely classed
together as they both deal with falling for a married person.
Though in "The Apartment" it is the female character (Shirley
Maclaine) who falls for a married man, (Fred Mac Murray) (funny to
see him in a baddie type role as I was so used to seeing him in
"My Three Sons" when I was growing up.) She comes to see her mistake
when the male character (Jack Lemmon) takes her under his wing (he
has secretly been in love with her for awhile.) Though I would hardly
classify it as one of the "Most Romantic" films I have seen. I have
only seen bits and pieces of "From Here to Eternity" (that beach
scene has a lot to answer for as I found sand gets into EVERYTHING!!!).

"The Princess Bride" I remember the farm worker saying "As you wish"
when ordered to perform tasks around the farm but whether I was
interupped or just decided not to watch the rest I can't remember but
I can't remember any more of this film (must not have been that great!)

"Moulin Rouge" I remember this as being so bad I turned it off after
about an hour of torture.

Films about prostitutes falling in love. "Breakfest at Tiffany's" which
I liked and "True Romance" which I did not.

This time both parties are married in "Brief Encounter" a doctor and a
bored suburban housewife. A 1945 British film which I though was O.K.
but not great. Certainly not a "Most Romantic" film.

"Pretty in Pink" another light hearted teen romance, I liked Molly
Ringwald in this. Again should not be in "Most Romantic."

I have never seen "City Lights" with Charlie Chaplin as a tramp (of
course) who falls fo a blind flower girl (Virginia Cherill).

"Romancing Mr. Bridgerton" was released July 2011 and I have not seen
it yet (nor read the books it was based on.)

"Bridget Jones' Diary" now come on "Most Romantic"??? it was a fun
film but that is all.

"Groundhog Day" okay it has a romance it it but "Most Romantic"??

"Juno" was not even a romance. Neither was "Harold and Maude" (classed
as a dark comedy.)

Give me your thoughts on "The Most Romantic' I'll put mine up tomorrow.

Grimm Brothers

Yesterday I was writing about "Once Upon a Time" and
said that most of the charcaters were based on the
Grimm Brothers (Jacob and Wilhelm) tales. These were
never considered suitable for children!!!

The first volumne contained 86 stories and was
published in 1812. The second volumne had 70 stories
and came out in 1814.

The books were reprinted in 1822 and had 170 stories.

The 7th edition was printed in 1857 and contained
211 stories.

There is another T.V. show called "Grimm" it strarted
on 28th Oct 2011 on American T.V. on NBC and can be
seen here on Fox 8 Wednesday night at 8.30 p.m. from
January 4th 2012.

"Grimm" ia a police procedual drama were many of the
characters have been inspired by Grimms' Fairy Tales.

Of course like "Once Upon A Time' some artistic license
has been used.

"Once Upon a Time...."

Both Meg and I are following this. Even Mick
has got involved. However Meg and I do have
some questions.

Firstly Paige who is the Mad Hatter's daughter
Grace has not aged a day in 28 years. Surely
her teachers would have noticed this same girl
in the class room after 28 years!!!

All the other characters have not aged either.

Is everyone in the town from Fairyland and do
they keep- living the same year over and over??
Or are there people from our reality there??
Besides Emma and Henry.

Why does Henry believe the stories from the
"Once upon a Time..." Book? Is it because he has
noticed that he is the only one in town growing
older???

Most of the first stories were from the Grimm
Brothers tales. A collection of oral stories
they collected from all over Europe. They found
with these tales that often there was a similiar
tale from many countries so they took the best
elements from each and created a story from them.
So people said "That is like our tale of..."

Then came Jiminy Cricket, a Walt Disney character,
from the 1940 film "Pinocchio."

Now we have Lewis Carroll's Mad Hatter from "Alice
in Wonderland."

Both Meg and I have said we are happy that Belle
has been returned to Rumplestiltskin as we do not
believe he is all bad but as the saying goes
"absolute power corrupts absolutley" and it seems
that the lost thing he is seeking from the well
is not his son Bey but magic, as it has power!!

We wonder what he did to the spell so that though
everyone seems to have regained their memories
they have not returned to fairyland.

But the big question Meg said was is Pinocchio a
man again or his he still wood???

BFI Results

The British film institute has voted on the sight
and sound poll which is taken every ten years.
This involved 800 film critics and experts.

The results for the top ten films are as follows:
1. Vertigo (1958) ( I have seen this and though it
was OK, but it would not be in
my top 10.)
2. Citizen Kane (1941)( which has held top position
since voting began in 1952!!!)
(I have never seen this film but
I do know that Rosebud came
from this film.)
3. Tokyo Story (1953) (Never heard of this)
4. La Regle Du Jeu (Rules of the Game) (19390 (Never
heard of this.)
5. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. (1929)(Never heard
of this.)
6. 2001: A Space Odyssey. (1968) (Saw this couln't
understand it and no way would it
be in my top 10 films.)
7. The Searchers.(1956) (With John Wayne considered to
be the greatest western ever.)I
don't like westerns so wouldn't
watch this! I have never heard of
it nor would I include it in my
list.)
8. Man With A Movie Camera. (1929) ( A B&W silent film
about daily life in Russia. (All
I can say about this choice is just
how relevent would this be TODAY??)
(Never heard of it and wouldn't
watch it if I did know about it.
Nor include it in my list)
9. The Passion of Joan of Arc. (1928) (A B&W silent
film about the trial of this French
heroine.) Once again how good is
this film in today's tech age??)
(Once again wouldn't watch this.)
10. 8.1/2 (1963) (A B&W film about a blocked fim maker.)
(Have heard of this film and never
wanted to see it then and I still
don't. Wouldn't be in my picks.)

Wilfred/Ted

Last year I watched a show on HD 1 called Wilfed.
I watched three episodes and though it one of the
most stupid shows I had ever seen.

I thought it was about this girl's boyfriend who
dresses up in a furry dog costumn and goes around
pretending to be a dog.

I was shocked to find it was an Aussie show that
had been so sucesssful (like Kath and Kim) it had
been bought by USA T.V.

Still thought it was stupid till my future son in law
told me that Wilfred really is a dog and only the male
neighbour next door sees the dog that way.

That made a lot of sense!

Now along comes "Ted" a stuffed teddy bear that an 8
year old boy wishes could come alive.

Of course only he, the boy as he grows into a man, played
by Mark Wahlberg, has impossed his 'bastard' side of his
personality into Ted and will never lead a normal adult
life till he once again incoporates all his pesonality with
in the human man.

Meg, Mick and Kath went to see it last night. So am
waitng with bated breath to hear what they thought of it.

But it still seems to be to have the same theme of coming
of age. Even if the coming of age has been delayed!!

"A Man's Guide To 5 Deadly Terms Used by a Woman."

I had almost finished writing this when 'something' happened
and it all disappeared. Very annoying so here goes again.

This was sent to me on Facebook.

1. FINE..........a word used to end an argument when she
knows she is right and you need to shut
up.
2. NOTHING.......means something and you need to be worried.
3. GO AHEAD......this is a dare, not permission...
DO NOT DO IT.
4. WHATEVER......this means screw you.
5. THAT'S OKAY...she is thinking long and hard on how and
when you will pay for your mistake.

BONUS WORD:
WOW..........she is amazed that you could be that stupid.

Here is my list of the same words used by men and the meanings.

1. FINE..........you are a dumb woman and there is no point
in talking to you any more.
2. NOTHING.......means something and you need to be VERY
worried.
3. GO AHEAD......not a good idea, but you're going to do
it anyway.
4. WHATEVER......I don't care.
5. THAT'S OKAY...what can you expect from a woman?

BONUS WORD:
WOW...........who would have thought you were that smart.

Does anyone else have any other words they would like to add to
the list?

Depression

Sorry I have not been keeping up but have
suffered a bout of depression. Hope to be
better by next week.

"Little Things".

I think I wrote something similar to this a few years ago in
my Gloria's Day Blog, but this was a writing exercise, so I
thought I would include it here as well, plus it is also updated.

"I was reading the other day, about the things that people find
annoying and I thought what silly folks to be upset over such
trivial things. Like someone mispronouning their name, all you
do is say "NO my name is not .... but ...." not every one is
familiar with every name there is especially as many people
pronouce their names differently just to be different, just
like Cliff's cousin Jeffery who called himself Jeroire. Then
many people seemed upset over the people who say "actually" a
lot, or used the phase 'the bottom line'.

Not much annoys me...except maybe tissues in the wash, it is
so time consuming to have to remove all the little bits from the
rest of the clothes. Why is it, there is always only one sock at
the end of the wash cycle when you know you put a pair in to be
washed?

Don't talk to me about supermarkets!! from the fact there is is
parking for Parents with Prams but when I was a mother with three
little ones no one gave a stuff about parents with or without prams.
I have a bad knee that plays up especially in winter, but the doctor
syas it is not bad enough to get a disabled parking sticker so I
have to hoof it 'miles' through the car park just to get to the
shopping center.

As for the car spaces they getting smaller and it is not as if I
have a large car but when a SUV parks on either side of me I can't
even open my door. As for the bastard that put a foot long scratch
on my 'new' car last week you'll get yours I believe in Karma and
it will come back onto you seven fold.

I have to scrounge around for a coin for the trolley and half of them
have wonky wheels. What is with the 'child' trollys? just another
way to get money out of harassed parents.

The items you want are either out of stock and not available on
"Raincheck" or there is only one left and the customer in front of
you gets it and you have to get a rain check, only like the last two
times I have had a raincheck it only lasts for 30 days and the stock
was never on the shelf for the whole four weeks of the raincheck!! so
you waste hours and petrol going to check every couple of days to see
if the item is there and the staff keep on insisitng it will be on the
next truck in tomorrow but it never is. The lollies are always placed
at the checkout so the kids whinge and whine for them and create a scene
when told "No you can't have them". Even if they are 'cool' teenagers!
Why is it as soon as you get in the short queue the girl/boy has to
1. Call for a price check.
2. Change the paper in the register
3. Close off the register as she/he is going on break.
4. Call for change or
the person in front of you spends $2 and wants to use the EPOS to take
out $100!!
Then there are the people who try to push in front of you and you have to
point out you were first and the people who "only have one item" and thus
try to make you feel quilty and let them in front of you. What do they
think the under twelve item lanes are for???? Finally why is it that the
ads on T.V. say as soon as there are more than 3 people at the checkout
we will open more check outs, but whenever I am at the supermarket, there
can be 10 people in the line and no sign of another checkout opening up.
Have you noticed those ads didn't last long? I guess that was another
promise the supermarkets could not keep.

Drivers on the road who
1. refuse to move to the inside to allow other cars to enter the road.
2. 'forget' to use their turn signals.
3. who just don't try to sneak through the orange, but boldly go through
the red light.
4. who race past you, while you are doing 40 in the school zone, 60, 80,
100 or 110 zones.
Why is when you are going 5 km over the speed limit you are always caught
and these buggers are doing 20-30 over the limit and there is not a police
man in sight?

No there is not much that upsets me.

Second Chance Part 3.

Various hats and coats hang on the stand pegs. Most are only
visiting and some we never see again. A few are friendly but
the majority are rather aloof. There is a cloche hat (so old
fashioned) which Mrs.Carobeanie (Snr) wears out shopping. She
rarely talks and when she does it is to say nasty things about
the ladies not wearing hats, which is nearly every lady these
days. Gran tells her 'to behave' but she never listens. Mrs.
Carobeanie (Snr) often looks like she has stepped out from a book
about the Roaring Twenties. Except on Sundays when she wears a
fluffy rose toque hat to church, then she looks like the Queen of
England. That hat does not live on the stand but sometimes does
visit just after church till after lunchtime when Mrs. Carobeanie
takes her up stairs, when Mrs. Carobeanie goes for 'her nanny'
nap as the children call it. The toque hat says "It it is a sad
sight at church. There are only a handful of older ladies wearing
hats now. Once there were a sea of hats and it was so exciting
trying to find the plainest and the most glamorous. Now she is
the best of a poor bunch. Soon no one will wear hats." Each
Sunday she describes all the hats and we agree with her she seems
to be the best of a poor bunch.

There is a closet next to the hall stand and in there are also many
hats and coats, also rain coats and gum boots. They rarely come to
the hall stand buit when they do visit they tell us how lucky we
are and how envious they are of us. "It is a terrible thing to be
kept in the dark and away from the light, it makes one sooo depressed."
They say.

Then there is of course myself. To the naked eye, I was a gentleman's
umbrella, dark ebony black material stretched over reinforced spines
to form my panels. A dark highly polished teak handle, but I had
secret assets. My head came off when the handle was twisted left, to
reveal a sharp pointed blade. When the handle was twisted right part
of the handle and my head came off to reveal a little gun. In its
chambers were two deadly bullets. A special size had to be made. My
father had said "Just as deadly as a larger bullett." He was the proof
of that statement.

It is quickly approaching 2 p.m. so I will not have time to tell you
of my many adventures but will skip to how I came to be here.

"Second Chance" Part 2.

Did you hate the wait? Sorry about that so on with the story.

Sally is so pround to be on the hall stand as she is 'only' a
letter opener. She has he own house on the stand. It is a red
round leather container. It opens into two halves. Sally is on
one side and a pair of scissors, a black pen and a red pen share
the other side. The letters are put on the stand after the postman
delivers them and each person takes their letters and opens them
with Sally, right there at the stand, so we see exactly what good
or bad news the family receives. Mary opens her father's mail but
she never takes it out and reads it. She also opens Paulo's mail
but never reads it either. Sally sometimes disappears, when the
person opening their letter walks off with her. When she returns
she tells us tales of a large bedroom with big bold brown furniture
or bedroom all done in in fluffy pink material and one that is
checked with racing cars on a shelf. Of the lounge room and the
music being layed. The family room where a T.V. sems to always be
on. A dinning room with a 'huge' table, sometimes it is 'cleared
off' and sometimes it is 'covered' in food. There has been a visit
to a bathroom, where there is a lot of 'running water' I have seen
many animals in the park run, but I have never seen a water. I asked
Sally what sort of animal a water was and she just laughted at me.
She can be quite hurful at times. After all I am the newest to the
house and the youngest and I have not seen as much as most of them,
thankfully more than Poppy.No one else on the stand has seen as much
of the house as Sally.

I have left Poopy till last. She is the third female umbrella on
the stand. Poppy is small. She is pale, yellow with red poppies
on her panals. She is a very striking umbrella, pretty but not
beautiful, if you know what I mean. Mrs. Mary Carbobeanie bought
her for her daughter, Miss. Gina's, tenth birthday. Poppy has never
left the hall stand. Miss. Gina says "I would rather be dead than
seen with such a babyish umbrella." She certainly gets wet to the
skin often enough but still won't use Poppy. Poppy never talks,
but every time it rains she cries. It makes us all rather depressed.

There use to be another male umbrella on the stand, Johnny S. I am
told. He belonged to Mrs. Mary Carobeanie's father. On one of the
ocassions when Freddy was visiting "Lost and Found", the young master
took Johnny. He has not been seen since. He was a large, black, wind
resistent brolly, from England. Bought back on the same trip as
Paddy. Paddy said Johnny was a great mate and deserved better. This
was six months before I came. The hall stand occupants wee extremely
upset, more so when it became apparent that none of the family members
noticed Johnny was missing. I asked what the S stood for in his name.
It is unusal for us to have more than one name. Paddy said Johnny was
a great one for quoting Shakespeare, as he had come from an area near
where Shakespeare had lived. I'm sure he sighted and if he could have
shed a tear he would have.

My real friend, is Cue. He as never moved from the stand either, but
unlike Poppy he doesn't care. He says he enjoys the company. Every
now and then Paulo looks at Cue and says "I really ought to get a
display case for that cue." Cue says that all well and good but being
put away, on his own, in a box, would be like putting Paulo in prision.
I just tryto look wise and nod. Cue is in the stand for sentimental
reasons. He is the first cue Paulo ever used. It was with Cue, Paulo
beat "Little Al" in "THE BIG GAME". I have never found out more details
than this, as Marie insulted Cue by saying he was going to tell me "that
long winded yarn". She said it would take 'forever' and everyone was
sick of it. She never says that about Teddy's boring stories, which makes
me jealous. All the woman go for the sporting types, if only she knew my
secret..oh well. Anyway Cue refused to go on. I had hoped one day to hear
the story but that does not look likely now.

There are many acquaintances on the stand. A peg board has been afixed
to the top of the stand and there are sets of keys hanging from it. They
think they are so cool because they always go out. Two sets are car keys
and six sets are house keys. I asked why there were not together and the
Porche keys said that the weight of the house keys pulls on the ignition
and can damage it. Paulo's house key said he had never heard that before.
Since then there has been a distinct cooling off in the relationship
between the house keys and the car keys.

Something From Meg ( A Modern Day Tale ).

Meg sent me an e mail which I thought was extremely funny, so
I'm going to share it with you.


THIS IS A FAIRY STORY THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD TO GIRLS WHEN
THEY WERE LITTLE.

Once upon a time in a land far away.
There lived a beautiful, independent, self-assured princess.

One day as she sat, contemplating ecological issues on the shores
of an unpolluted pond, in a verdant meadow near her castle.
A frog happened to hop into the princess' lap
and said: "Elegant lady, I was once a handsome prince,
until an evil witch cast a spell upon me.
One kiss from you, however and I will turn back,
into the dapper, young prince that I am.
Then my sweet, we can marry and
set up housekeeping in your castle, with my mother.
You can prepare our meals, clean our clothes, bear my children
and forever feel grateful and happy doing so."

That night as the princess dined sumptuously on lightly,
sauteed frog legs, seasoned in a white wine and onion sauce.
She chuckled and thought to herself
"I don't f..king think so."

"Second Chance." Part 1.

This is a short story I wrote during my writing class when we had
to write from a different point of view (POV).

One life is over, another will begin today at 2 p.m. I am not sad, or
nostalgic, in fact if I could feel, I suppose the thing I would be,
is relieved.

My life started just over two yeras ago. Paulo Carobeanie designed me
for his personal use. I cost a little over $25,000, including taking
care of the man who actually made me. He was my first victim. I always
thought it was pretty poor treatment for my 'father.' Natutally, Paulo
paid for a slap up do and gave a nice sum to the widow. Paulo was such
a benefactor to the people.

Strange how careful Paulo was to conceal my existence, yet after getting
me, he kept me in the hall stand of his town house. He told Gino, (who
went everwhere with him and was his lieutenant, though I don't know what
branch of the service he was in, my fater's son was in the Navy) that
even the police couldn't see the tree because of the forest. As I have
never seen a forest, I've never understood this particular remark, I
don't think Gino did either, because he just looked vacant. I was to
learn this was not an uncommon expression for him.

In my hall stand I quickly became friends with the other occupants.
Paddy was a very, old, dark, brown hawthorn walking stick. He had come
from Ireland with Mrs. Carobeanie's father. Mrs. Carobeanie's father
lived in the house. We rarely saw him Paddy said because of 'his heart'.
I don't don't why his heart prevented him taking out Paddy, but the
whole time I lived in the stand, they only went out once. It was to a
funeral. I believe it was a brother of Paulo's, but Paddy never liked
to talk about it, something to do with a black sheep. Marie says that a
sheep is an animal that humans get wool from to make jumpers to wear in
winter. I have been to about twenty funerals in the past two years and
have not once seen such a creature. So the funeral Paddy went to must
have been very special.

Marie is French and has a delighful accent. However when she gets excited
it becomes hard to understand what she is saying. She becomes excited
quite often. It is her nature. She is the most beautiful female umbrella
I have seen, though we only have three in our stand. She has silk panals,
translucent white. She said the silk was imported from China. It is made
from worms. I saw a worm in a apple once, it did not look at all nice, but
Marie's silk panals are lovely. They shine so. On her handle there are
pearls and diamonds forming the letters MC. Marie belongs to Mary Carobeanie.
She is Paulo's wife. Marie leads a very active life for Mrs. Carobeanie
takes her out every day for protection from wind, rain and sun. Marie often
complains, she is 'exhausted' and needs a holiday. We all know she is a gad
about and loves all the attention she receives from us lesser used beings, when
we want to know what she did that day. She would never swap places with Paddy.
Marie will not tell me her age but Teddy says she is 'old' as she was in the
stand when he arrived five years before me.

Teddy is a hockey stick. A brash New Yorker belonging to the young master.
Teddy is always dirty and proud of it. His surface is covered with deep cuts.
He says these are a mark of pride. He goes on about the many battles he has
been in and what each scar represents. The first three times he told me his
stories I found them fascinating, but now there are just boring. I find him
boastful and vain. He calls himself 'a jock'. I agree with Gran, he is more
of a pain.

Gran is Paulo's mother's umbrella. "I'm a nice sensibale navy blue, suitable
for my age and station in life" she says and looks pointly at Marie when she
adds "No-one will hurt my mistress to try and get their hands on me". She is
reserved and does not talk a great deal. I think she has been in the stand
longer than anyone else. I bet her stories would be a lot more interesting
than Teddy's.

Freddy is a smaller version than myself. Of course he does not have my secret.
The young master owns Freddy and is a very careless owner. He is a shiny gray
colour, not the usual dull black. This comes in handy, as Freddy is often in
the "Lost and Found". It helps to describe his unusually colouring. Freddy has
been lost so often that he has a complex about it. When the young master comes,
Freddy tries to open up and catch his spokes on the stand so that the young
master will not take him, but it never does any good as the mistress always
insistes that Robert (the young master) take his umbrella if it looks like it
might rain. It rains a lot here. Freddy has developed a stutter and thus he
does not like to talk. I'd love to hear about all the places he has been to,
airports, train stations, school, department stores, bus stations, taxi
companies and various sporting complexes. He just says "It was tttteeerrrible"

Sally said that Freddy is suffering fear of being abandoned, and loss of family.
She knows these things as she once belonged to Mrs. Mary Carobeanie's psychiatrist.
It turns out Mary had a little ' souvenir / shop lifting' problem, but now Paulo
just asks the shops she visits to send him the bill. He tries to return any
'souvenirs' he may find. He does not know about Sally being 'taken' as Mary
said she bought Sally for him. It is stange because everyone else uses her
except Paulo.


TO BE CONTINUED.

"Yes, Minister"

Watched this show years ago and thought it extremely funny.

Now it is even more relevent than then. I realise it is the
British parliamnet but the basics hold true. It is not the
elected ministers who come and go that hold the power but the
'cival service' or here in Australia the 'public service.'
They are in their jobs for 30 years or more and rule the roost.

Saw a small extract the other day that cracked me up.

Hacker is telling the Prime Minister's Sectarary how to stop
him putting forward various bills.

"Tell him it is a 'bold' decision."

The sectarary asks "Not a 'courageous' decision?"

"No" says Hacker.

"What is the difference?" he asks.

Hacker replies "A 'bold' decision will lose him votes, a
'courageous' decision will lose him the election."

Talk about manipulating people!

Same Titile, But Different Thing.

I became a Stephen King fan in late 1980's on a visit to see
relatives in Sydney. We stopped over at Uncle Bill's and
I wanted something to read. Tony had a copy of "It" by King.
Published 1986. Needless to say I became hooked!

Sometime in late the 1990's Cliff gave me a book called
"Danse Macabre" by Stepehn King. I started to read it but
found out it was non fiction. When I asked Cliff, "Why he
had given it to me?" he said "Because it is about writing
and you are interested in writing" It is about writing
horror stories, something I am not at all interested in
writing!

Well in about 3 years ago he handed me a book called
"Danse Macabre" but it was by Laurell Hamilton and it was
a vampire ficion book.

Both of us though that having two books of the same name was
impossible. I had thought that when you registered your book's
title for its international book number it locked that title
away, at least for 50 years. (About the average writing
life of an author.)

King's book was published in 1981 and Hamilton's book was
realeased in 2006. A difference of 25 years so is that the
extent of copywrite for titles? I knew it was for songs.
Does anyone out there have more info on this.

The next case is a movie.

Last year I watched on T.V. a movie called "Man of the House"
with Tommy Lee Jones. He plays the role of a Texas Ranger
living in a house to protect a group of cheerleaders who
witnessed a murder. I enjoyed it. It was released in 2005.

About two weeks ago Kirsten and I saw advertised on T.V. a
movie "Man of the House." We were at Cliff's house for the
weekend. She had just picked up a copy from Cliff's shop.
I said I wouldn't mind watching it again and when we got
home she could return the copy to the shop. So we watched.

It starred Chevy Chase, Farrah Fawcett and Jonathan Taylor
Thomas (from Tim Taylor the Tool Man show.) A completely
different movie, which had been released in 1995.

Now that is only 10 years between movies, yet they have the
same title, can anyone explain that one.

The "Rite" English

When I was doing my "Creative Writing' course at Yallourn Tafe,
I read an article that said nearly every non speaking English
country had English as its second language. It also stated
that it was one of the hardest languages to learn.

I thought about that for a while and had to agree with that
statement. There are Australians that I know who can't read,
spell or write English, very well.

So I came up with this little 'poem' which of course can only
really be appreciated by reading it and not listening to it.
Try to do both and see what I mean.

"Understanding English."

Hay don't site me.
Butt English is a strange thing.
It teams with words that seam to puzzle me.
I rite out ruff draughts.
In an attempt to bear my sole.
Take a bough if ewe are not confused to.
Butt its nice to meat someone in the same boat as me.
Four were all at sea.

Wood ewe like two come to tee?
My arn't and sun will bee their.
We mite take a tern at reading.
We won't have too cue.

Come along and wipe your feat on my core mat.
Were having stake at ate.
That is if u are aloud.
Till then by.

At this stage who cares??
I 've given myself a headache sow farewell.

What Where the Stories in 'Goldie's Summer Adventure'?

The name Goldie Lox came from 'Goldilocks and The
Three Bears'.

The meeting in the forest with the wolf from 'Little
Red Riding Hood'.

The rescue by the pigs taken from 'The Wolf and The
Three Little Pigs'.

I cheated a bit with the wolf's chant of "Run, Run as
fast as you can..." as is is what the gingerbread man
called out "...you can't catch me I'm the gingerbread
man."

Another cheat with the sandwiches to slow down the wolf.
This comes from the Greek myth (story) 'The Race and The
Golden Apples'. It tells of a princess who did not wish
to marry. Her father insisted, so she said, she would not
marry any man who could not outrun her in a race. During
the race she would cast down three golden apples, (one at
a time) to slow the man down and this was how she won!

The witch in the gingerbread house is from 'Hansel and
Gretal'.

The witch in the tower and the 'cutting off' of Goldie's
hair from 'Rapunzel, Rapunzel Let Down Your Hair".

Children being sent to bed with no super a theme in many
fairy tales and the final ending and 'THEY LIVED HAPPILY
EVER AFTER.' The traditional ending for fairy tales.

Do you guess right?

"Goldie's Summer Adventure" CONT:

Goldie knew if she didn't do something quickly, the wolf would catch her.
With great difficulity she unlatched her backpack and grabbed out her
sandwichwes. Unwrapping them she began to break them into small bits,
which she threw behind her. It worked! The wolf stopped to pick up
every little bit and eat it.

Soon a clearing came in sight and in the centre was the strangest house
she had ever seen, it was brown and where the sun shone on it, it shimmered.
Then a breaze wafted past her and she realised the house was made of
gingerbread. The smell was mouth watering.

Goldie ran to the front door and knocked.
"Who's knocking at my door?" said a woman's voice.
"Goldie Lox and a big bad wolf is chasing me. Oh
please let me in."
The door opened. The oldest woman Goldie had ever seen stood there.
"Quickly my dear." the woman said as she grabbed Goldie and dragged her
into the house.
No sooner had the door closed when there came a bold knocking.
"Who's knocking on my door?" asked the old woman.
"Mr. Wolf and I want Goldie Lox, give her to me or I'll
huff and I'll puff and I'LL BLOW YOUR HOUSE DOWN."
"NO" yelled the old lady.
So the wolf huffed and he puffed but he could not blow the house down.
Then there came a munching and a crunching! The old woman called out
"Who's nibbling at my house?"
"Give me Goldie Lox or I'll eat your house all up." cried the wolf.

The woman opened the door. She pointed her finger at the wolf. She
uttered some strange words that Goldie did not know. Much to Goldie's
astonishment, the wolf turned into a little mouse, that then ran squeaking
into the woods. Goldie realised the old woman was a witch. She was now
very nervous.
"Thank you so much, b..bu..but I have to go now" she stammered.
"Can you do me a favour?" asked the witch.
"Depends" said a very cautious Goldie.
"In the next clearing lives my twin sister, can you take her a note
from me, please,"
It seemed a simple request so Goldie, who was a well mannered child.
"Okay." said Goldie and waited while the witch wrote the note.

In the next clearing was a tall tower. Goldie walked up to it and knocked
on the door.
"Come in" called out a voice.
Goldie walked in and saw an old woman laying on the floor.
"I have a note from your sister." said Goldie.
"Thank goodness someone has come." said the old woman, as Goldie gave her
the note.
"I've hurt my leg and my poor dog is tied up at the top of the tower with
no water, can you go and untie him, please?" said the old woman.
"Of course." said Goldie, who also had a kind heart.

Goldie ran up the spiral staircase to the top room of the tower, but when she
went in, she found it empty. There was no dog! The door slammed shut.
"When my sister comes, we'll have you for dinner." cried out the old woman.

Goldie ran to the one window and pushed it open. It was a long way to the ground.
She couldn't jump that far. What could she do? She dumped the contents of her
backpack onto the floor. Yes, a pair of scissors! Quickly she hacked off her hair.
She tied the plait to the window so that it could be seen from the doorway, the
rest she dropped out the window so that it hung down the wall of the tower.

When thw witches unlocked the door and came into the tower they saw the hair.
"She's escaped!" they yelled together.
As they rushed to the window, Goldie came out from behind the door. She ran from
the room. Now it was her turn to slam the door and throw the bolt.

Once more she was on the run.

As the sun began to slowly sink in the west, Goldie arrived back at grandma's house.
Goldie was sent to bed, witout any supper, for having cut off her hair. All night
her stomach growled as she had missed lunch too. Goldie did not care. She was so
thankful to be alive. She vowed never to go exploring in the woods again and so
LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER."

Can you pick out the various tales this story was based on? I will tell you next time.

"Goldie's Summer Adventure"

A couple of years ago I eneterd a writing competition for fractured
fairy stories. I often enjoyed watching these on the "Rocky and
Bullwinkle Show" when I was a kid so I thought I would have a go
at it. Iminage my surprise when I received a letter saying I had
received a Honourable Mention for my effort. (No money! but still
something!) So I am going to share that story with you.

'Once upon a time there was a girl called Goldie. She was spending
Summer vacation with her grandmother, who lived near a large forest.

Every morning after breakfest, her grandmother would plait Goldie's
long blond hair. Her mother and grandmother loved her long hair.
Goldie hated it. It took forever to wash and dry. It always tangld
and took hours to brush! In Summer it was too hot! and don't get
Goldie started about nits from school.

One day Goldie made some sandwiches for lunch and asked her grand
mother could she explore the woods.
"As long as you keep to the trails and come home by tea time"
said her grandmother.

So Goldie threw the lunch into her backpack, on top of a lot of junk.
She set out. As she entered the forest, a large animal jumped out
from behind a tree.
"Who are you?" it demanded.
"I'm Godlie Lox, who are you" she said.
"I'm known as Mr. Wolf and would you be going to grandma's house?"
asked the wolf.
"No, I'm staying there for the holidays and today I'm exploring
the woods, so excuse me." she replied.

Goldie continued. She had not gone far when she realised she was being
followed. She thought she heard footsteps. She stopped and listened
the footsteps were clearer now but then they stopped. Goldie could
not see anyone. Goldie walded on, but a little quicker. The footsteps
walked on but a little quicker. Goldie began to run and the foot
steps began to run.

Then a voice began to sing:-
"Run, run as fast as you can, but you can't out run me for I'm Mr.
Wolf, you see."

Goldie ran into a clearing and there was a little straw house. She knocked
frantically on the front door, crying out
"Oh please let me in! a big bad wolf is chasing me."
The door flew open and a little, pink pig was standing there.
"Quick come in." he squealed.

No sooner had the door closed, when there came a loud banging on it, that
shook the whole house.
"Let me have Goldie Lox, or I'll huff and I'll puff and
I'LL BLOW YOUR HOUSE DOWN!"

"Never!" yelled the little pig.

So the wolf blew the house down! The little pig ran in one direction and
Goldie ran in another. The wolf followed Goldie and once more sang out
"Run, run as fast as you can, but you can't out run me for I'm Mr
Wolf, you see."

Goldie ran.

Just as she thought the wolf might catch her she came upon
another clearing and there was a tiny house made of sticks. She ran to the
door and banged on it calling out
"Oh, please let me in a big bad wolf is chasing me."
The door flew open and a little pink, pig was standing there.
"Come in." he squealed.

No sooner had the pig closed the door when there came a loud thump upon it,
which shook the whole house.
"Let me have Goldie Lox, or I'll huff and I'll puff and
I'LL BLOW YOUR HOUSE DOWN!"

"Never!" screamed the little pig.

So the wolf blew the house down. The little pig ran in one direction and
Goldie ran in another. The wolf followed Goldie. Once more he sang
"Run, run as fast as you can, but you can't out run me for I'm Mr.
Wolf you see!"

Goldie ran.

TO BE CONTINUED...
(Don't you just hate cliff hangers!!!) HA! HA!

She Said/ He Said.

Hazel Edwards once said to me "Write to your audience."
(She write many for children and 'Young Adults" (which
use to be teens.))

Garry Disher once said to me, "You'll never make any money
from writing, a J. K. Rowling only happens once in a life
time." (I wonder what Stephine Meyer thinks of that?)

Catherine Bateson once said to me "Write from experience."
(So where do Sci-Fic and Sci Fantasy get their ideas?).

John Marsden once said to me, "I use to write the first
chapter and then edit it to death. My study is littered
with piles of one chapter stories. I use to think that
writing a story was like building a house, one layer of
bricks at a time. Every layer checked to make sure it was
level. But one night I woke up with a great story in my
head I grabbed some paper and begun writing and did not
stop until the whole story was written. Then I edited.
It was the first time I had ever finished a story. That
is now how I write all my stories. You have to find what
works for you."

Karen Slaughter once said to me "If you want to be a writer,
read, read and read some more."

Alexander McCall-Smith once said to me, "If you want to be
a writer, write."

What is This Blog About?

I am going to write about films, D.V.D's (still have not got Blu-Ray)
(but will write about them when I do) books, plays, shows and of course
T.V. shows and I will also publish some of my own work, (why not it is
MY BLOG!!! afer all)