Sunday, August 14, 2011

Can't sleep....sigh...so thoughts on a great movie

Okay...I've been having bouts with insomnia lately...and it really bugs me.  I'm sitting here, knowing I need to be in bed, I'm really TIRED, but all I do is lay there and my brain is going.  I try and think soothing songs, but it doesn't seem to help.  sigh.

I've been taking melatonin, but I try not to take it every night, and I thought I'd be tired enough tonight.  Also...have to get up and go to church - if I ever get to sleep.  UGH.

So, I'll talk about my wonderful hubby and the date he took me on today.  He said he had a surprise for me this morning (well...saturday) and took me off to the theaters!  I was thrilled one, because I love, I mean LOVE surprises, and two, because I like movies.  I was even more happy when he got us tickets to go see The Help.

It's kind of funny how things have been working.  I read an article on Yahoo about the author of the book, and how she'd gotten 60 rejection letters before finally getting published.  I felt like if she got that many, the book might be worth looking into.  Then on Friday I read an article on KSL about the movie, and how he really liked it.  That made me a little more interested, though kind of guardedly, because sometimes when a movie critic likes a movie, I'm not going to.  So, I looked up the trailer and watched it, and my daughter and I both thought it had promise.

So, anyway - that's what he took me to see.  It was pretty fun, we were the first ones in the theater, so we had our choice of seats.  By the time the movie started, there were more men in the theater, but they were definitely out numbered by the women.  It cracked me up.  But I digress...

The Help is definitely worth watching. It is so well done you don't even realize the amount of time that passes, as it's almost 2 and a half hours long!  The acting is so good, the characters so believable and the story so touching --  you've got to see it.  It's a great lesson in society and the culture of the 60's.  My hubby wants our children to see it, and he's already planning on buying it when it comes out on DVD.

It's strange to see the one actress playing a 'bad' role, but she does it well.  You really hate her!  lol  But anyway, I don't want to give any of it away.  Go see it, enjoy and learn.  You'll not regret it.

Okay...so then we went to do the first driving lesson for our youngest sons.  UGH.  I'm so glad my hubby is patient and willing to do this.  Granted, the older of the two managed to do better than I ever dreamed, but still...it's a manual transmission!  sigh.  We ended up spending a half hour or so at Harmons while they drove the little by roads.  They have the most fun cooking section of any grocery store!  I was in heaven.

Well...It's really late now, (or should I say early??) so I'd better try and see if I can get my brain to shut off.
Have an excellent Sunday!

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Some thoughts for the day - it's finished!!

One of my favorite movies is Julie and Julia.  Mainly because it's about food, and I'm all over anything about food and how to cook it...lol  And in part because it talks about blogs and writing, the angst of a writer, which is me.  So I feel in a way that it's a movie kind of about me and what I'd love to be doing with my life.  

I've never thought about writing a cookbook, however.  I've always wanted to be a published writer of romance or something.  It's only been the past couple of months that it's been encouraged by my family to write a cookbook, so I guess that's my next project.  

Anyway - One of the reasons this has come up is I've finally made sourdough starter and sourdough bread.

That may not be a big deal for many of you...if any of you, grin.  But it has long been an ambition of mine, well ONE of my ambitions.  Another one was to build an outdoor oven and then bake the sourdough in it.  I can say that I've accomplished part of that, or two parts.  I've finally finished my oven!!!  I tell you, this is a landmark day in history!!  
This is what it looked like when I rebuilt it...I don't know if you remember the story of it's demise last fall...sigh.  IT was not pretty.  :(  But I persevered and rebuilt!!
So this is how it looks now!  You can't see the can because it's inside the mud stuff as a proper chimney.  We are going to use it this Friday, I'm soooo excited!  

And since my starter has finally grown and worked and I've made bread, I'll be making a batch of it in the oven after we're done enjoying decent pizza!!!
sigh.

Life is good.

So anyway - back to my thoughts.
I'm munching on a piece of this amazing sourdough bread, (for photos you can go to my food blog.) and thinking that I've finally achieved something I had to work at for longer than a year.  I kept at it, even though it was frustrating and discouraging.  It was becoming a joke in my family, mom's dying jar on the counter.  And I've come to the realization that apparently I like cooking more than I like writing.  I wonder why that is???  I'm not sure.  But, perhaps I can combine the two, because I will spend a whole day looking at recipes and cooking and have to force myself to write.

I have resolved several times in my life to make my writing a non-hobby occupation.  So far that has NOT happened.  sigh.  My hubby is very patient and takes it in stride, but I think it's time to get myself going and get a grip on my life.  I don't have unlimited time to explore my talents and build them.  I don't know how much time I've been given in this life.  I've been wasting it.  totally.

So, I think I'm going to rethink the writing I've been doing.  The book I've been working on is not progressing, and I don't feel any attachment to it right now.  I know that's when I really need to work at it, so I'm going to give it another try, but I'm also going to start contemplating the cookbook idea.  My hubby is going to build a website for me that involves altering recipes for people who want to shape them into lower fat, healthy things. My focus, therefore, is going to be more on food.  Since I haven't published anything that makes anyone want to come hunt me down and beg for another story (other than my neighbors), this won't be a heartache to many.  Say la vie.  I'm sure things will change in a year or so, the writing bug never leaves me for long.

I hope you find me in a better place next year.  Be sure and check my food blog for photos of the pizza on Friday!!  We know how to party at my house...lol

Wow... really??

so - I didn't realize it has been that long since my last post.  I think I kind of gave up on it, knowing I don't have many follower...