On Hiatus

As most of you know, my life continues to be in flux, so I'm going to officially take a blogging break. As soon as I am moving forward again, I'll return to the blogosphere refreshed and full of new random thoughts. Until then, please visit my links from time to time to keep up with who and what are inportant to me.

Take care!

Spirits on the Rise

Today is a beautiful spring day in central Texas. The sun is shining. The sky is cloudless, and wildflowers are popping up everywhere. I slept through church and met Dad for lunch. I then took a drive through the cemetery and past my granparents' and our old houses. It was a nice re-connection to who I am and where I come from. For the first time in a long time, I can see some brightness around me.

Two of my friends, who know who they are, have also been instrumental in providing me with emotional and financial support during this trying time, and I am more grateful than they can ever know.

For the rest of this beautiful day, I am going to go home and write. My first writing goal is to finish a screenplay in time to enter it in the Austin Film Festival this year. It may suck, but at least it will be a learning experience. Who knows? I may even be good at it! :)

Enjoy these bluebonnets!

LOST: My Mojo

LOST!

One wispy cloud of mojo. Normally active and bright. Last seen sometime last year. REWARD!! Owner is lost, melancholy, and hopeless without it.

Rumors of my Death...

Sorry for the very long absence from cyberspace. Since I have been without employment, it has been difficult to get to a computer regularly. I am working part time at a tutoring center, and I am still looking for something full time. I admit I am discouraged, but I have no choice but to keep moving forward. I hope something comes along soon.

I went to an Oscar party last night at Alamo Drafthouse. It was fun. I was really surprised by Crash's win for Best Picture. I didn't think it was that great. I was very happy for Reese Witherspoon. The whole theatre cheered when they called out her name. Good for her!

2005 Amy Awards

In the spirit of the awards show season, here are my picks for my favorite entertainment of 2005.

Favorite Film - Serenity - Joss Whedon's continuation of Firefly. Wonderful characters, humor, action, heart. Ahhhhh.... I {heart} Joss.

Best Musical - Rent - I loved it on stage, I loved it on screen. Outstanding performances by all. I laughed, I cried, I sang...

Best Family Film - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - love the novel, loved the film. Performances and effects are strong without being cheesy.

Best Film That Will Probably Be Overlooked- Cinderella Man - Released early in the year, and with a cast and crew who have won many awards in recent years, this film isn't really receiving it's due. Paul Giamatti won a Golden Globe for his supporting role, but may be overlooked at Oscar time.

Best Film - Brokeback Mountain and Walk the Line - I like each of these for very different reasons. I like Brokeback for the subtlety of its storytelling. I think that what isn't said is even more powerful than what is. I like Walk the Line for its sheer excellence. Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix shine as Johnny and June Carter Cash. They each deserve awards for the best performances of the year.

Special Award in Cinematography - March of the Penguins - As a girl who is not made for cold weather, I applaud the filmmakers who braved ungodly temperatures and conditions to document this charming story.

Most Guilty Pleasure - The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Wedding Crashers - Normally I reject silly, bawdy films like these, but I have to say I really enjoyed both of these. Each had a vein of sweetness in them that made the silliness bearable.

And finally, the TV Triple Crown - Lost, Veronica Mars, and Survivor - They all just keep getting better. Action, adventure, wit, romance...they've got it all.

Happy New Year!

I just returned from New York, where I had a great time. I got some much needed hangin' out time with friends, and got to do a few cool things.

I saw the Rockettes at Radio City, and they were fabulous.

We also saw the tree at Rockefeller Center, which was wonderful. I felt like I was six years old, staring at a towering tree with child-like delight.

My favorite was hanging around the Met for two whole days. I saw my favorite statue, Degas' Little Dancer. I love the American wing, and the costume institute, but they were closed for construction. I did get to spend lots of time in the European painting galleries, though. I love the VerMeers and the impressionists, like this Renoir.


It was great! Thanks so much to Laura and the Happys for taking me in. I love you guys!!

Death Penalty

Early this morning, Crips founder Stanley "Tookie" Williams was executed in the execution chamber of the San Quentin prison. While I have no personal connection to Williams or his world, his execution does raise some interesting questions.

As a founder of the Crips street gang in Los Angeles, Williams was instrumental in creating and perpetuating an African-American gang culture in America that caused thousands, if not millions, of deaths. This gang culture has also laid the groundwork in distributing crack and other drugs throughout the country. Williams was in prison for murdering four people.

While in prison, Williams published several books encouraging kids to reject the gang lifestyle and seemed to become an activist for peace. He seems to have undergone a real change for the better.

Now the questions. What is the purpose of incarceration? Is it to punish offenders, or to rehabilitate and release? Is it to protect society from criminals? What is the purpose of the death penalty? Does it deter further violent crimes? It doesn't seem to. If an inmate shows what seems to be a real change of heart, as in the cases of Williams or Karla Faye Tucker, is death justified? Why not commute to life sentences and hope the inmates can continue to have a positive influence on those around them? What of those who are wrongly convicted? Is it okay to kill one innocent person if it means you kill a hundred guilty? Maybe there's a line of severity to be considered. Hitler, killer of millions - fry him; John Doe, killer of one - prison time? I don't know.

I do feel that criminals should have to pay for their crimes, and that a government has a duty to protect its citizens. I just don't know if killing achieves that goal.

Now: My soapbox moment.



I would rather prevent crime than punish criminals. I believe that if our government would invest in education and economic initiatives that eventually we wouldn't need to invest so heavily in prisons. We need early childhood programs, more teachers, smaller classrooms, more materials, more field trips, less standardized tests, strong vocational education programs, and adult education programs. And as much as I love my summers, I think we need to go to year-round school programs. I think we need to completely overhaul the way we do education in this country.

Anyway, as you can see, I have lots of questions, but no real answers. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts or questions as well.