I don't know how things are at your house, but if it is like mine, there has been a battle going on for weeks over who gets to read the seventh HP book first. Some families I know, like the Savages and the Lyons, read the books aloud together. Last night I told my husband what a wonderful, bonding idea I thought this was, and he quickly reminded me of the reality of our family make-up. Dad who keeps crazy hours between marathon and 5K training, working four ten's, and being a bishop. Sixteen-year-old son who works at Arby's and closes most nights. Teenage daughter who would whine, whine, whine at such a shared reading arrangement, and two younger daughters who will likely ask a lot of questions as they read/listen to the story. Not to mention mom, who reads very fast and might be tempted to read ahead. So, the verdict is . . . no Harry Potter bonding experience for this family. As in the past, we will all take turns (and I'll be last). And if any family member reveals ANYTHING about the book before I've read it, they are sentenced to a solid year of washing the dog and doing the Sunday night dishes.
By vote of fairness, we've agreed (some of us more agreeably than others), that our ten-year-old gets to read it first. She's never had first crack at an HP volume in our house, so it's her turn. It also helps that big sis is at camp until tomorrow afternoon, and older brother has to work all day.
What this all adds up to though, is at least a few more weeks before I get to settle in with Harry and company. Good thing I've got a lot to keep me busy in the meantime. And if you are in the same boat, here's a suggestion for your Saturday afternoon.
I'll be doing signings again, and I'd love to have company. We can even discuss HP predictions if you'd like! From 12:00 to 1:00 I'll be at the Orem State Street Seagull, and from l:30-2:30 I'll be at the Spanish Fork Seagull. Counting Stars is no Harry Potter, but it is a good read, and might just help pass the time until you get your turn.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Alternate ending for Pirates
Spoiler alert: If you haven't seen Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End, do NOT read this blog!
This past weekend my husband and I finally got around to seeing the third Pirates movie. I was hopeful about this one, having heard it was much better than the second, which I didn't care for at all. I did love the first of the series though, and I was excited to finally see poor Will and Elizabeth get together. Imagine my disappointment then, with the ending.
But before I get into that, let me first say that we are big Disney fans at our house. In the nineteen years my husband and I have been married, we've packed up our clan and traveled to the Magic Kingdom five times.
Our DVD/video collection is at least ninety percent Disney films, and our youngest daughter's room is even done up Disney princess style. Though we have modified the princesses somewhat. The Jasmine and Ariel characters both got some paper doll type alterations to their tops so they too can be displayed on the large poster in my daughter's room. It's never too early to start teaching modesty ;)
Anyway, let's review the plot lines of a few Disney films. We'll start with some animated classics.
Snow White---lives with a wicked stepmother who hates her guts and then tries to have her killed, moves in with seven small men whom she cooks for and cleans up after (despite the fun scenes, this sounds like no picnic to me), eats a poison apple from witchy stepmother and ends up in the sleep of death. But alas . . .
True love's kiss awakens her and she and her prince ride off happily ever after. Sigh. Good story.
Sleeping Beauty---cursed as a child by the Wicked Malificent, has to live away from her family in poverty in the forest. Meets and falls in love with handsome prince, but is then tragically separated from him when she learns her true identity (princess) and is returned to the castle just in time for her birthday, and to prick her finger as the curse said---smart move folks. Should have waited just one more day. But alas . . .
True love battles the evil Malificent, thorny forest, and fire-breathing dragon to get to sleeping beauty and awaken her. With stars in their eyes they dance away together. Another great ending.
Cinderella---Again with the wicked stepmother theme, but this time the poor heroine has two equally charming stepsisters to deal with as well. Forced to be a maid in her own home, denied the once-in-a-lifetime chance to go to the ball, she despairs of ever finding happiness. Fortunately, the fairy godmother steps in and comes through with some new duds and fine transportation to the grand event. Cinderella and Prince fall in love, but the spell is broken at midnight, and she must return to life as a scullery maid. When the prince searches for the girl whose foot fits the glass slipper, wicked stepmom locks Cinderella upstairs so she won't be found. All seems lost. But alas . . .
Cute mice (one named Gus Gus---love this guy) and the other animals help her out. Cinderella rushes downstairs in the nick of time, and she has the other glass slipper. She marries the prince and lives happily ever after.
Starting to see a common theme?
If we look at some other Disney favorites, we find the same thing.
The Parent Trap---old or new version. Parents end up falling in love and living happily ever after (after all).
The Happiest Millionaire---Yep, they're a happy young couple by then film's end (though I thought his obsession with cars was a bit much at times, but hey, she was happy with him).
Pete's Dragon--No one believed Nora's dearly beloved would come back from sea---except for Pete and his dragon. And guess what, Paul did come home, and he swept Nora off her feet in a big hug. Happy. Happy.
Well, I could go on and on. I love Disney movies. I love happy endings. I've come to expect them from Disney films. Sure times are tough and bad things happen along the way, but at the end of the day, did Mulan or her man die? Did Dumbo's mother get sold to another circus? Did Wendy walk the plank and actually drown? NO! If the big castle is plastered on the front of the film, I expect a happy ending. So what the heck happened with Pirates?
And if anyone out there thinks that Will and Elizabeth being able to see each other one day every ten years is a happy ending . . . please respond to this blog. As I see it, the ending was (to borrow a phrase from Rob Wells' brother) holy lame!
I haven't been this upset about a story since Jeff Savage left his character, Bobby, shot and bleeding to death on the very last page of Dead on Arrival. I was alternately hopping mad and terribly depressed over that ending. To console myself, I wrote a different scene and emailed it off to Jeff and the rest of our critique group. Of course Jeff didn't appreciate my meddling, as I'm certain Disney won't either, but it was of some comfort to me to imagine things differently.
As my husband has been rolling his eyes and telling me to "get over" the ending of Pirates (I am well aware of the fact that I take my fiction way too seriously), I've decided to do just that---the best way I know how---with another ending. Two of them actually. So if, like me, you happen to have been terribly disappointed with the Will and Elizabeth outcome, here's how it should have been.
Alternate Ending 1:
Jack, recalling the words of his father--"It's not living forever, but being able to live with yourself"--sees his chance to do something good, something that might possibly redeem himself for all his acts of piracy over the years. Before Davy Jones has a chance to stab Will, Jack stabs the heart, thus killing the real bad guy, freeing Will's father and the rest of the crew, and giving Will and Elizabeth their future together. Jack doesn't come out of the deal too badly either. He is now immortal, and he's finally got a ship of his own to captain. Maybe he'll actually be able to hold onto this one, since the Black Pearl continues to elude him.
This is how I imagined the ending, but I can see that the writers might have suspected that would be the case, and they wanted to throw in some unexpected drama. As a writer, I understand this. We love giving readers twists and turns that make their hearts lurch. When Will was stabbed, my heart definitely lurched. But they didn't have to leave things there.
Alternate ending 2:
Will is stabbed, and he is certain to die if Jack does not bring him the heart. Will completes the deed. He must now take the place of Davy Jones. His own heart is forfeit in more than one way, as he can now see his beloved Elizabeth only one day out of every ten years.
They enjoy their bittersweet day together on the island, then Will sees the sunset and knows he must leave. Elizabeth calls to him, tears flooding her eyes as he sweeps her up in one last hug. As Will steps into the sea, Calypso reappears in one of her various, magical, not quite human forms. She fully understands the angst of the lovers, having suffered the same fate herself many years ago. And now that she is freed, her powers are restored and she has the ability to change the rules as she pleases. Elizabeth is given the choice to join her pirate on the seas---leaving behind forever the life she once had. It is a simple choice for Elizabeth; she chose her pirate long ago--- when she kept his medallion as a girl, and when she stepped to his side, away from her fiance and her father at the end of the first movie. She doesn't even hesitate this time, but rushes into the sea after him. The last scenes of the movie are of the two of them---Will's father in the background---on the ship, and Jack Sparrow on the Black Pearl. Instead of hunting treasure, his new mission is now to guard it closely, as he holds the trunk with Will's heart.
Better? The hopeless romantic in me says so. Maybe Disney will consider that last plot line and make a Pirate's four. After all, they left that whole fountain of youth thing hanging, and even with that 10 years later scene, there is still a way they could fix things for Will and Elizabeth.
This past weekend my husband and I finally got around to seeing the third Pirates movie. I was hopeful about this one, having heard it was much better than the second, which I didn't care for at all. I did love the first of the series though, and I was excited to finally see poor Will and Elizabeth get together. Imagine my disappointment then, with the ending.
But before I get into that, let me first say that we are big Disney fans at our house. In the nineteen years my husband and I have been married, we've packed up our clan and traveled to the Magic Kingdom five times.
Our DVD/video collection is at least ninety percent Disney films, and our youngest daughter's room is even done up Disney princess style. Though we have modified the princesses somewhat. The Jasmine and Ariel characters both got some paper doll type alterations to their tops so they too can be displayed on the large poster in my daughter's room. It's never too early to start teaching modesty ;)
Anyway, let's review the plot lines of a few Disney films. We'll start with some animated classics.
Snow White---lives with a wicked stepmother who hates her guts and then tries to have her killed, moves in with seven small men whom she cooks for and cleans up after (despite the fun scenes, this sounds like no picnic to me), eats a poison apple from witchy stepmother and ends up in the sleep of death. But alas . . .
True love's kiss awakens her and she and her prince ride off happily ever after. Sigh. Good story.
Sleeping Beauty---cursed as a child by the Wicked Malificent, has to live away from her family in poverty in the forest. Meets and falls in love with handsome prince, but is then tragically separated from him when she learns her true identity (princess) and is returned to the castle just in time for her birthday, and to prick her finger as the curse said---smart move folks. Should have waited just one more day. But alas . . .
True love battles the evil Malificent, thorny forest, and fire-breathing dragon to get to sleeping beauty and awaken her. With stars in their eyes they dance away together. Another great ending.
Cinderella---Again with the wicked stepmother theme, but this time the poor heroine has two equally charming stepsisters to deal with as well. Forced to be a maid in her own home, denied the once-in-a-lifetime chance to go to the ball, she despairs of ever finding happiness. Fortunately, the fairy godmother steps in and comes through with some new duds and fine transportation to the grand event. Cinderella and Prince fall in love, but the spell is broken at midnight, and she must return to life as a scullery maid. When the prince searches for the girl whose foot fits the glass slipper, wicked stepmom locks Cinderella upstairs so she won't be found. All seems lost. But alas . . .
Cute mice (one named Gus Gus---love this guy) and the other animals help her out. Cinderella rushes downstairs in the nick of time, and she has the other glass slipper. She marries the prince and lives happily ever after.
Starting to see a common theme?
If we look at some other Disney favorites, we find the same thing.
The Parent Trap---old or new version. Parents end up falling in love and living happily ever after (after all).
The Happiest Millionaire---Yep, they're a happy young couple by then film's end (though I thought his obsession with cars was a bit much at times, but hey, she was happy with him).
Pete's Dragon--No one believed Nora's dearly beloved would come back from sea---except for Pete and his dragon. And guess what, Paul did come home, and he swept Nora off her feet in a big hug. Happy. Happy.
Well, I could go on and on. I love Disney movies. I love happy endings. I've come to expect them from Disney films. Sure times are tough and bad things happen along the way, but at the end of the day, did Mulan or her man die? Did Dumbo's mother get sold to another circus? Did Wendy walk the plank and actually drown? NO! If the big castle is plastered on the front of the film, I expect a happy ending. So what the heck happened with Pirates?
And if anyone out there thinks that Will and Elizabeth being able to see each other one day every ten years is a happy ending . . . please respond to this blog. As I see it, the ending was (to borrow a phrase from Rob Wells' brother) holy lame!
I haven't been this upset about a story since Jeff Savage left his character, Bobby, shot and bleeding to death on the very last page of Dead on Arrival. I was alternately hopping mad and terribly depressed over that ending. To console myself, I wrote a different scene and emailed it off to Jeff and the rest of our critique group. Of course Jeff didn't appreciate my meddling, as I'm certain Disney won't either, but it was of some comfort to me to imagine things differently.
As my husband has been rolling his eyes and telling me to "get over" the ending of Pirates (I am well aware of the fact that I take my fiction way too seriously), I've decided to do just that---the best way I know how---with another ending. Two of them actually. So if, like me, you happen to have been terribly disappointed with the Will and Elizabeth outcome, here's how it should have been.
Alternate Ending 1:
Jack, recalling the words of his father--"It's not living forever, but being able to live with yourself"--sees his chance to do something good, something that might possibly redeem himself for all his acts of piracy over the years. Before Davy Jones has a chance to stab Will, Jack stabs the heart, thus killing the real bad guy, freeing Will's father and the rest of the crew, and giving Will and Elizabeth their future together. Jack doesn't come out of the deal too badly either. He is now immortal, and he's finally got a ship of his own to captain. Maybe he'll actually be able to hold onto this one, since the Black Pearl continues to elude him.
This is how I imagined the ending, but I can see that the writers might have suspected that would be the case, and they wanted to throw in some unexpected drama. As a writer, I understand this. We love giving readers twists and turns that make their hearts lurch. When Will was stabbed, my heart definitely lurched. But they didn't have to leave things there.
Alternate ending 2:
Will is stabbed, and he is certain to die if Jack does not bring him the heart. Will completes the deed. He must now take the place of Davy Jones. His own heart is forfeit in more than one way, as he can now see his beloved Elizabeth only one day out of every ten years.
They enjoy their bittersweet day together on the island, then Will sees the sunset and knows he must leave. Elizabeth calls to him, tears flooding her eyes as he sweeps her up in one last hug. As Will steps into the sea, Calypso reappears in one of her various, magical, not quite human forms. She fully understands the angst of the lovers, having suffered the same fate herself many years ago. And now that she is freed, her powers are restored and she has the ability to change the rules as she pleases. Elizabeth is given the choice to join her pirate on the seas---leaving behind forever the life she once had. It is a simple choice for Elizabeth; she chose her pirate long ago--- when she kept his medallion as a girl, and when she stepped to his side, away from her fiance and her father at the end of the first movie. She doesn't even hesitate this time, but rushes into the sea after him. The last scenes of the movie are of the two of them---Will's father in the background---on the ship, and Jack Sparrow on the Black Pearl. Instead of hunting treasure, his new mission is now to guard it closely, as he holds the trunk with Will's heart.
Better? The hopeless romantic in me says so. Maybe Disney will consider that last plot line and make a Pirate's four. After all, they left that whole fountain of youth thing hanging, and even with that 10 years later scene, there is still a way they could fix things for Will and Elizabeth.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Tagged ten times
Over the past few weeks I have been tagged several times by friends, family and fellow writers. For some odd reason, they all want to know what I snack on and what I was doing ten years ago. Neither is very exciting, but just so you all don't think I'm unfriendly, here are the not-so-fascinating facts.
1. What was I doing ten years ago? We'd been living in our home for one year and were in various stages of trying to finish the basement for our growing family. We had a first grader, a preschooler and a one-year-old. Dixon was beginning the MPA program at BYU; I was thinking about writing a novel.
2. What was I doing one year ago? I had just submitted a manuscript I called Counting Stars to Covenant.
3. What are five snacks I enjoy? 1. Cantaloupe and vanilla ice cream 2. Cereal Bars (I'd starve if not for these convenient "meals" 3. pizza 4. any type of bread 5. Candy corn
4. What are five songs I know all the lyrics to? Just five? I love music and play it all day long, so I'll name five types of music. 1. All the primary songs for the 2007 program and The Spirit of God, Where Can I turn for Peace? 2. When the Stars go Blue---I always have a group of songs I play a lot when I'm writing. This is one of those songs for my current WIP, as is Free Falling. 3. From those days I was working on Counting Stars, the entire BNL best hits cd, as well as Maroon 5's She will be loved. 4. Anything by John Denver. 5. Virtually every "modern" (back in the day, anyhow) band music from the 80's ---Oingo Boingo, Thomson Twins, OMD etc. I also know every hit by Air Supply and Styx, and I love Enya and . . . How's that for an eclectic list?
5. What would I do if I was a millionaire? Pay off debt, put a bunch of money in savings for ourselves and our children, help some family members and dear friends pay off their debts, buy a house with a porch and a better floor plan, travel, travel, travel.
6. What are five bad habits? 1. Trying to cram too many things into too little time. 2. Having unrealistic expectations. 3. Writing blogs and books that are too long. 4. Whining. 5. Wishing for things that I can't have.
7. What are five things I like to do? 1. Spend time with my family. 2. Write. 3. Decorate my home. 4. Scrapbook. 5. Plan and take vacations.
8. What are five things I'll never wear again? 1. First off, everything I once owned that was a size 5. 2. The aqua green bridesmaid dress I wore to my friend's wedding. 3. The stretch pants I lived in through my first couple of pregnancies (when we were students and living well below the poverty level). 4. The pink puffy coat I threw up on while I was pregnant and at school on the BYU campus (ugh. what memories). 5. "Mom Jeans" My 14 year-old daughter has finally cured me of these---no more straight legs with a waistband that actually hits your waist. Now I must wear wide legs that drag on the ground and fray, with a waist that rests closer to my hips than my belly button, which makes it a royal pain to keep garments tucked in. But hey, I'm not so embarrassing to her when I dress this way.
9. What are my five favorite toys? 1. my $10.00 laptop 2. my sewing machine 3. my Kitchen aid 4. my Sizzix 5. Our trailer that we sold last spring :(
10. Where will I be in 10 years? In my dreams . . . We will be out of debt, except for our lovely home that has a porch and a better floor plan. Our current four children will be growing up and moving on in their independent lives, but we'll have had two more, so our home will still be happy chaos. Dixon will NOT be Bishop. We will both serve in the nursery and love it. I'll still be writing romance novels and attending our great critique group once a week, and by virtue of that I'll know a few famous authors who will have gone on to DaVinci Code type success.
As for tagging other people . . . I'd rather read the fiction many of you write. If you've got time to spare, work on that great American novel. That's what I intend to do right now.
1. What was I doing ten years ago? We'd been living in our home for one year and were in various stages of trying to finish the basement for our growing family. We had a first grader, a preschooler and a one-year-old. Dixon was beginning the MPA program at BYU; I was thinking about writing a novel.
2. What was I doing one year ago? I had just submitted a manuscript I called Counting Stars to Covenant.
3. What are five snacks I enjoy? 1. Cantaloupe and vanilla ice cream 2. Cereal Bars (I'd starve if not for these convenient "meals" 3. pizza 4. any type of bread 5. Candy corn
4. What are five songs I know all the lyrics to? Just five? I love music and play it all day long, so I'll name five types of music. 1. All the primary songs for the 2007 program and The Spirit of God, Where Can I turn for Peace? 2. When the Stars go Blue---I always have a group of songs I play a lot when I'm writing. This is one of those songs for my current WIP, as is Free Falling. 3. From those days I was working on Counting Stars, the entire BNL best hits cd, as well as Maroon 5's She will be loved. 4. Anything by John Denver. 5. Virtually every "modern" (back in the day, anyhow) band music from the 80's ---Oingo Boingo, Thomson Twins, OMD etc. I also know every hit by Air Supply and Styx, and I love Enya and . . . How's that for an eclectic list?
5. What would I do if I was a millionaire? Pay off debt, put a bunch of money in savings for ourselves and our children, help some family members and dear friends pay off their debts, buy a house with a porch and a better floor plan, travel, travel, travel.
6. What are five bad habits? 1. Trying to cram too many things into too little time. 2. Having unrealistic expectations. 3. Writing blogs and books that are too long. 4. Whining. 5. Wishing for things that I can't have.
7. What are five things I like to do? 1. Spend time with my family. 2. Write. 3. Decorate my home. 4. Scrapbook. 5. Plan and take vacations.
8. What are five things I'll never wear again? 1. First off, everything I once owned that was a size 5. 2. The aqua green bridesmaid dress I wore to my friend's wedding. 3. The stretch pants I lived in through my first couple of pregnancies (when we were students and living well below the poverty level). 4. The pink puffy coat I threw up on while I was pregnant and at school on the BYU campus (ugh. what memories). 5. "Mom Jeans" My 14 year-old daughter has finally cured me of these---no more straight legs with a waistband that actually hits your waist. Now I must wear wide legs that drag on the ground and fray, with a waist that rests closer to my hips than my belly button, which makes it a royal pain to keep garments tucked in. But hey, I'm not so embarrassing to her when I dress this way.
9. What are my five favorite toys? 1. my $10.00 laptop 2. my sewing machine 3. my Kitchen aid 4. my Sizzix 5. Our trailer that we sold last spring :(
10. Where will I be in 10 years? In my dreams . . . We will be out of debt, except for our lovely home that has a porch and a better floor plan. Our current four children will be growing up and moving on in their independent lives, but we'll have had two more, so our home will still be happy chaos. Dixon will NOT be Bishop. We will both serve in the nursery and love it. I'll still be writing romance novels and attending our great critique group once a week, and by virtue of that I'll know a few famous authors who will have gone on to DaVinci Code type success.
As for tagging other people . . . I'd rather read the fiction many of you write. If you've got time to spare, work on that great American novel. That's what I intend to do right now.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Time to call in the experts
A couple of weeks before Counting Stars was released, I realized I was in a bit of trouble. You see, I'd asked Covenant to put my web address in the back of the book and assured them the site would be up and running by the book's release date. I felt confident that I was telling the truth when I promised this---after all I'd already purchased a domain name. How hard could setting up the actual website be?
Hard. Really hard. Extremely difficult and frustrating as in nearly doing permanent damage to my computer difficult. I quickly realized I needed help. Serious take-over-this-project kind of help. Enter our friends, Tom and April Dalton. You can see them in the lovely picture below (supposing that blogger keeps said pic where I put it).
Tom and April moved into our ward a few years back. Fresh from BYU, they breathed life into our ward, particularly the youth programs. My two oldest benefited greatly from their service (my daughter will forever remember "The Cheeseburger song" from YW camp, and now that the Daltons have moved back east, my son is not sure whose house to toilet paper once a month). The picture below is on the way home from our youth conference trek in Wyoming two years ago. Alas, the Dalton gang entertained our bus with every song they could think of until finally, they too succumbed to fatigue.
It was only recently---right before they moved, sadly---that I learned of their expertise in all things computer. April made a very cool DVD of my rejection letters. And Tom---immediately after their move to Virginia and coinciding with the start of his new, top secret government job--took the time to set up my website.
Right now said website is kind of sparse. Tom has walked me through how to add stuff to it, and I'm going to try---really---over the next several weeks to do that. But without them, there would be no website. So it is with this blog I give my long overdue thanks. I appreciate their time and talents. They really are experts at a lot of things, mostly being great friends. We miss them and wish them well.
And I hope they really enjoy their yardless condo---at least they won't have to clean up toilet paper while living there :)
Hard. Really hard. Extremely difficult and frustrating as in nearly doing permanent damage to my computer difficult. I quickly realized I needed help. Serious take-over-this-project kind of help. Enter our friends, Tom and April Dalton. You can see them in the lovely picture below (supposing that blogger keeps said pic where I put it).
Tom and April moved into our ward a few years back. Fresh from BYU, they breathed life into our ward, particularly the youth programs. My two oldest benefited greatly from their service (my daughter will forever remember "The Cheeseburger song" from YW camp, and now that the Daltons have moved back east, my son is not sure whose house to toilet paper once a month). The picture below is on the way home from our youth conference trek in Wyoming two years ago. Alas, the Dalton gang entertained our bus with every song they could think of until finally, they too succumbed to fatigue.
It was only recently---right before they moved, sadly---that I learned of their expertise in all things computer. April made a very cool DVD of my rejection letters. And Tom---immediately after their move to Virginia and coinciding with the start of his new, top secret government job--took the time to set up my website.
Right now said website is kind of sparse. Tom has walked me through how to add stuff to it, and I'm going to try---really---over the next several weeks to do that. But without them, there would be no website. So it is with this blog I give my long overdue thanks. I appreciate their time and talents. They really are experts at a lot of things, mostly being great friends. We miss them and wish them well.
And I hope they really enjoy their yardless condo---at least they won't have to clean up toilet paper while living there :)
Thursday, July 5, 2007
True confessions
Here is my true confession for the week---I had fun yesterday. I have learned what Dixon knew all along: Training is not a lot of fun, but running the actual race is.
Of course, I'm pretty sure that Dixon didn't even break a sweat yesterday ( the 5K was a warm up for him. After that, he got on his bike and went riding up the canyon for half the day), but I was just happy that he didn't have to carry me across the finish line.
Our time was 34:22, it was great to spend the morning with my husband, and I'd even do this again next year.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
My Pod
So apparently, I can't count. I've always known math was not my strong subject, but I really thought I had the whole calendar thing mastered. But in last Wednesday's blog I wrote that I had two weeks until I ran the 4th of July 5K with my husband. Alas, that would be tomorrow actually. Somewhere in the crazy month of June I lost a week---not a good thing if you're training for a run. Oh well. It doesn't seem to matter how much I train anyway. I have one speed---slow.
In an effort to help, a couple of weeks ago my husband bought me a new pair of running shoes and a new knee band. Both of these have increased my comfort level, but the shoes did not have the Flubber-like effect I'd hoped for. Dixon also bought me a new bike---I think he has realized that running together is not going to be our thing. The bike, however, I love. And we've been cruising all over together in the evenings. So all hope is not completely lost.
In addition to the new shoes, knee band and bike, Dixon surrendered his ipod for my use several weeks ago. I'm sure he's benefited from that move as much as I have because A. I run slightly faster when good music is being piped into my brain. and B. I don't whine as much when I'm listening to the ipod. Instead of stating, "I haaaaaate running" every tenth of a mile, I can now go about a quarter of a mile before I need to verbalize my misery.
Since I've been using the ipod for a few weeks and have now listened to every song---mostly 80's music---I have come to question some of his selections. He listens to this while running a marathon? I often think. Some songs are great motivators, while others . . . Well see for yourself what I mean. As I run my 3.1 miles tomorrow morning, this is what I'll be listening to and thinking.
From the Cars--
Song title: You might Think
You might think I'm crazy . . .
Think I'm crazy? I know I'm crazy for getting up at this insane hour to suffer like this.
Song title: Drive
You can't go on . . . Who's going to drive you home . . .
Drive---instead of run. Now there's a good idea. I'll wait here. You go get the car.
From Tears for Fears--
Song title: Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Welcome to your life. There's no turning back . . . Turn your back on mother nature. Nothing ever lasts forever. . .
No kidding! Like the young body I used to have that could actually move fast. Whatever happened to that?
I'm so glad we've almost made it . . .
Oh! Have we really? What time is it? How much farther? Are we done yet?!
From the Thompson Twins--
Song title: Lay Your Hands
This old life seems much too long . . .
This run is much too long.
Little point in going on . . .
Exactly!
I was feeling cold and tired, yeah kind of sad and uninspired . . .
Bingo.
Song title: Dr. Dream ?
Ooh--ooh ooh--ooh ow. Ooh--ooh--ooh ow. Ooh--ooh ooh-ooh ow. Ooh--ooh--ooh ow.
Hey. This song has a good beat. This really works. My legs could be singing this.
Song title: In the Name of Love
In the name of love, yeah. In the name of love . . .
The things we do in the name of love.
From Billy Idol
Song title: White Wedding
Hey little sister what have you done?
What have you done, Michele? Why oh why did you ever agree to do this? Why did you register and pay the entrance fee? Now you're stuck.
From Talking Heads--
Song title: Burning Down the House
. . . Lighting fire with fire . . . Burning down the house.
I hope Spencer isn't shooting off any more bottle rockets on the back lawn. One of these days that kid really is going to burn down our house.
From Simpleminds
Song title: Don't you (forget about me)
Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Ooh---oooh.
This is pretty good moaning music. Kinda like I feel right now.
Don't you forget about me.
Actually, if you want to forget about me that is perfectly fine. You run on ahead. I'll just sit on this curb here and you can pick me up later.
From Devo
Song title: Another one bites the dust.
Another one bites the dust . . .
Did I remember to double knot my shoes today? Please don't let me trip out here in front of all these people.
From the Eagles
Song title: Take it easy
Take it easy . . .
Excellent idea. Let's walk for a while.
Come on baby, don't say maybe . . . we may lose and we may win but we will never be here again . . .
That's the truth. After this no more races for me :D
From The Tubes
Song title: Talk to you later?
Talk to you later . . .
Yeah because I'm too out of breath to say anything now.
From Oingo Boingo
Song title: We close our eyes
We close our eyes and the world has turned around again. We close our eyes and another year has come and gone . . .
Twenty-one years have come and gone since high school. Nineteen since we were married. Fourteen since we graduated from college. How did this happen?! My knees are creaking. I feel so old!
From Howard Jones
Song title: What is love?
What is love, anyway?
This is love---me trying to understand my husband's sport and Dixon putting up with me while I try.
Does anybody love anybody anyway?
Oh yeah. We do. We really, really do.
In an effort to help, a couple of weeks ago my husband bought me a new pair of running shoes and a new knee band. Both of these have increased my comfort level, but the shoes did not have the Flubber-like effect I'd hoped for. Dixon also bought me a new bike---I think he has realized that running together is not going to be our thing. The bike, however, I love. And we've been cruising all over together in the evenings. So all hope is not completely lost.
In addition to the new shoes, knee band and bike, Dixon surrendered his ipod for my use several weeks ago. I'm sure he's benefited from that move as much as I have because A. I run slightly faster when good music is being piped into my brain. and B. I don't whine as much when I'm listening to the ipod. Instead of stating, "I haaaaaate running" every tenth of a mile, I can now go about a quarter of a mile before I need to verbalize my misery.
Since I've been using the ipod for a few weeks and have now listened to every song---mostly 80's music---I have come to question some of his selections. He listens to this while running a marathon? I often think. Some songs are great motivators, while others . . . Well see for yourself what I mean. As I run my 3.1 miles tomorrow morning, this is what I'll be listening to and thinking.
From the Cars--
Song title: You might Think
You might think I'm crazy . . .
Think I'm crazy? I know I'm crazy for getting up at this insane hour to suffer like this.
Song title: Drive
You can't go on . . . Who's going to drive you home . . .
Drive---instead of run. Now there's a good idea. I'll wait here. You go get the car.
From Tears for Fears--
Song title: Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Welcome to your life. There's no turning back . . . Turn your back on mother nature. Nothing ever lasts forever. . .
No kidding! Like the young body I used to have that could actually move fast. Whatever happened to that?
I'm so glad we've almost made it . . .
Oh! Have we really? What time is it? How much farther? Are we done yet?!
From the Thompson Twins--
Song title: Lay Your Hands
This old life seems much too long . . .
This run is much too long.
Little point in going on . . .
Exactly!
I was feeling cold and tired, yeah kind of sad and uninspired . . .
Bingo.
Song title: Dr. Dream ?
Ooh--ooh ooh--ooh ow. Ooh--ooh--ooh ow. Ooh--ooh ooh-ooh ow. Ooh--ooh--ooh ow.
Hey. This song has a good beat. This really works. My legs could be singing this.
Song title: In the Name of Love
In the name of love, yeah. In the name of love . . .
The things we do in the name of love.
From Billy Idol
Song title: White Wedding
Hey little sister what have you done?
What have you done, Michele? Why oh why did you ever agree to do this? Why did you register and pay the entrance fee? Now you're stuck.
From Talking Heads--
Song title: Burning Down the House
. . . Lighting fire with fire . . . Burning down the house.
I hope Spencer isn't shooting off any more bottle rockets on the back lawn. One of these days that kid really is going to burn down our house.
From Simpleminds
Song title: Don't you (forget about me)
Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Ooh---oooh.
This is pretty good moaning music. Kinda like I feel right now.
Don't you forget about me.
Actually, if you want to forget about me that is perfectly fine. You run on ahead. I'll just sit on this curb here and you can pick me up later.
From Devo
Song title: Another one bites the dust.
Another one bites the dust . . .
Did I remember to double knot my shoes today? Please don't let me trip out here in front of all these people.
From the Eagles
Song title: Take it easy
Take it easy . . .
Excellent idea. Let's walk for a while.
Come on baby, don't say maybe . . . we may lose and we may win but we will never be here again . . .
That's the truth. After this no more races for me :D
From The Tubes
Song title: Talk to you later?
Talk to you later . . .
Yeah because I'm too out of breath to say anything now.
From Oingo Boingo
Song title: We close our eyes
We close our eyes and the world has turned around again. We close our eyes and another year has come and gone . . .
Twenty-one years have come and gone since high school. Nineteen since we were married. Fourteen since we graduated from college. How did this happen?! My knees are creaking. I feel so old!
From Howard Jones
Song title: What is love?
What is love, anyway?
This is love---me trying to understand my husband's sport and Dixon putting up with me while I try.
Does anybody love anybody anyway?
Oh yeah. We do. We really, really do.
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