Hepburn and Tracy

Today, dh and I watched Adam's Rib for the ?? time (double digits at least). I started thinking about dynamic couples, and what makes them so. What was it about Hepburn and Tracy that created such a spark -- both on and off the screen?

Well, in the nine movies that Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy made together, there was always a power struggle. In Woman of the Year, Hepburn's character's career overshadowed Tracy's. Then there was the hilarious Adam's Rib, where they squared off in court. He complaind that she wasn't his wife, she was a "competitor." Of course, the very thing that drove him nuts about her is what attracted him to her. Their relationship wouldn't grow stale because of that "edginess."


In Desk Set (which scares me because it looks just like the first place I worked with computers), his job threatened hers. More tension.

And in the lovely Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, the last movie Tracy made before dying, they played a married couple who loved each other deeply, but went head to head over whether or not their white daughter whould marry a black man (in the era when that was socially scorned).

Maybe their onscreen sparks flew because their relationship was so heated in real life. They definitely had something special. What do you think it was? Because, I want to bring some of that heat and tension to my hero and heroine. Some of that spark.

Do you have a favorite onscreen pairing? If so, what do you think makes them dynamic?

Merry Christmas to All!

Have a safe and happy holiday everyone!

Bass Notes

The electric bass is here. Dh talked son out of the upright bass, which he still might get (after he's grown a few inches). Amazingly, the new bass matches our cat, who we thought looked like a cow, but we now realize looks like a Fender Squier Bronco bass. Here's what it looks like:

We gave son's Christmas present to him early, because we wanted him to pick out his own instrument, with the idea he would appreciate it more. He'll get some other packages to open xmas morn, but this is the biggie.

So . . . in son's usual fashion (which is single-minded obsessiveness), he begs to take the new bass to his school's music class. The teacher agreed and dh took drove it down, along with a mini-amp from dh's band days.

Now, folks who have met my serious, professorly, computer geeky dh recently might have a hard time picturing him as a hippie in a rock and roll band, but he really was in a former life. He mostly played electric guitar, but did play bass for awhile and the upright bass in college (since music majors then weren't allowed the guitar as their instrument of choice).

Anyway, back to the music class...Son played Jingle Bells for the class, then said (according to a laughing dh), "Questions? Comments?" One kid raised his hand and said the bass was "cool." Another raised his hand and asked if son's Dad could play "Smoke On The Water." So he did. LOL! Dh was truly a good sport. Son's simply cute (in Mom's opinion).

Sidenote: I've been hearing dh downstairs after everyone's gone to sleep playing this cow looking item. I think he misses being in the band. :)

What instruments do you hear in your home? (Kristen -- I know you can list a few!)

Wii

So . . . I'm standing in line at a gaming store the other day with a couple of new gamecube games for my son.

The line doesn't move. It's getting hot. My claustrophobia's kicking in.

"Er, excuse me. Why isn't the line moving?"

"This isn't a line," says the cheery man in front of me. "We're all waiting for the Wii."

"You're waiting to wee?"

"No. The Wii. See?" He points to a box that holds the new Nintendo Wii and a TV screen that has a Wii commercial so you can see how it all works.

Within moments, the whole line became animated as they explained to me what it was how and great it was and why they'd wait for many hot and nauseating hours to get one. Basically, it's more interactive. You move the hand controllers as if you were doing the action on the screen. So if it's bowling, you make the bowling motion with your arm and it rolls the ball on the screen. Likewise, if you're slicing off a warrior's head with a broadsword (this was in the store's commercial), you make that slicing motion with your arm. Isn't that sweet? Now, why people can't just go bowling or play tennis or whatever (well, except for decapitating people) in real life, I don't know.

But I have to say this, kids WILL get more exercise this way. Instead of sitting down for hours playing it, they're up and kicking their legs and swinging their arms. Just don't stand too close to them. And now they have wrist bands for the controllers because kids were throwing them through the televisions accidently.

Since then, my son's already brought it up once. I avoided talking about it with him. Oh, I suppose at some point he'll get it, but not this year. We're trying to move him into a musical instrument instead. Life can't be all about electronics.

Have you heard of the Wii? What do you think about it? I'm too old to have played these games when I was younger. Did you ever play them? What's your favorite?

Let's Talk about House (again)

For those of you who don't follow the show, just answer this question:

Would you rather be treated by a doctor who has a charming bedside manner, is competent, and will listen to your wants and needs. Or...by a doctor who is rude (calls a dwarf "Little Freak") but brilliant and will be more likely to diagnose you correctly?

On to the show...

David Morse is doing such a good job, because I officially HATE Detective Tritter. What he did to House last night, who finally swallowed his pride and took the deal, is beyond, well, ARGH. I'm very, very angry with that fellow. Here House helped that little girl even though nobody would give him the painkillers and Tritter had to go and do that.

What do you think of Wilson's betrayal? He seemed conflicted. Is he right? Does House need to hit bottom? His addiction was tearing their lives apart.

And what about Cameron? Is she finally growing a spine? I think I'm liking her better these days.



My favorite line from last night's show. House pointing to a nativity scene(to distract Wilson): "Look! There's baby Jesus. Call the Romans."

Of COURSE it sold for a bundle!

If I'd won the lotto (or mega millions) which I fantasize about daily (I keep a list of how I'll spend/save/donate the winnings), I wouldn't have hesitated to buy the dress made so famous by Audrey in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Of course, to wear it, I'd have to super-diet.

The dress said "class." She was all class -- as Holly Golightly and even more so, as herself. I'm glad the money's going to charity -- she would've liked that.

If you won the lotto, what would you buy???

Here's the article about the dress from The All Movies Replica site:

The little black dress that helped launch AUDREY HEPBURN and made jewelry house Tiffany's a household name was sold for a staggering $807,000 Tuesday in London.
Christie's auction house auctioned off the famous GIVENCHY gown worn by Audrey as she gazed longingly into the windows of the New York diamond boutique in the 1961 film, 'Breakfast at Tiffany's.' Auctioneers were hoping to get $138,000 at most for the frock and were thrilled by the giant bid. Proceeds will benefit India's City of Joy Aid.

For those of you unfamiliar with her work, this collection would be fabulous. I'm putting it on my Christmas wish list:

Audrey, who became a fashion icon in movies like 'Roman Holiday' and 'Funny Face,' has been enjoying a renaissance of late. Thanks to those skinny pants ads for the Gap, she's been seen rocking out to music from AC/DC. (The footage of her dancing was taken from 'Funny Face.') And Paramount Home Video recently released the three-DVD Audrey Hepburn Collection, including 'Holiday,' 'Sabrina' and 'Tiffany's' ($29.99).

I found the collection for just $19.99 at Amazon.

Today's the big day!

My short story Snow Angels was released today at The Wild Rose Press. It's a "sweet" holiday story about a woman facing Christmas alone one minute, then trying to decide between her handsome boss and the Boy Next Door the next. My corny nature (which apparently dominates my various personalities) came out while writing this one. :)

I couldn't do a better job announcing it than Kristen did at The Alphabet Girls blog. Thanks, K!

Happy Friday, everyone!

This Doesn't Happen in My House

Daughter: Mooom! He's not sharing!

Son: Well, she wouldn't share with me yesterday!

(Screams of pain.)

Daughter: Mooom! He punched me!

Son: I did not! She shoved me!

Daughter: He punched me, kicked me, pulled my hair and bit me!

Son: She knocked me to the floor and stomped on my head!

(Mom enters room, arms folded, evil glare cutting into children's brain. They're both upright, hair unmussed, no bruises or cuts or blood.)

Mom: Both of you to your rooms now!

Multiple exorcist voices: It's not fair! It's his/her fault! I didn't do anything!

(Both kids stomp off to their separate rooms.)

10 minutes later . . .

Whispers floating down the stairs ~

Daughter: Psst, come in here. She won't hear us.

Son: Okay. Wanna play [insert name of next game they'll fight over]?

Daughter: Ooh, yea! We just need to be really quiet so she won't hear us. (Giggles and more giggles).

*sigh* Nope. This doesn't happen in my house.

Poor Kitty

We took our eight year old kitty, Pumpkin, to the vet this afternoon, a result of a strange milky -- and as of today, bloody -- film over his eyes. Apparently, he has a rip-roaring infection that could be caused from many things, including feline leukemia or aids (which they ruled out). It could also be a simple infection from a cat fight or something, but we're still waiting to hear on another panel of tests (I hope and pray dh doesn't see the bill for this).

Anyway, we're administering two different ointments to his eyes (one antibiotic and another pain killer) and one oral antibiotic. We hope he's on the road to recovery and that it's not something bad.

On a lighter note, I couldn't stop chuckling because they took his blood pressure! Yep. They put a little itty bitty cuff around his leg and pumped it up. LOL! I don't know why, but I can't get the image out of my head. It's especially amusing because dh and I have been taking our blood pressure for the last few days, courtesy of some equipment my dad left behind on one of his visits. I guess kitties and humans aren't all that different when it comes down to it (to what? I don't know what that means, but you know what I mean. Right? LOL).

If I seem squirrely, it's Kristen's cat's fault. No. LOL. It's because it's 1:40 a.m. and I'm goofy-headed. How late can you stay up before you quit making sense?

Though this be madness, yet there is method in 't.

Good night, sweet prince. And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest! ...

New Releases!

Today is a good day for two of my friends -- their stories were released at The Wild Rose Press and are available for download. Woohoo!






Read about/download The Promise by Marly Mathews here.









Read about/download The Cowboy Way by Vivienne Lorret here.






Congratulations, ladies! I look forward to reading your stories. :)