Some of That--Tangled

It was pointed out to me recently (yesterday) that I don't update this blog often. Ok, practically ever. I think this is my third post this year... Anywho, I was actually at the theater to pick up some pizza hut pizza (which they have at the concessions at the theater at the Gateway), and decided I wanted to take some time to myself and actually see a movie. Go figure, eh?

As I typically do media reviews here, it makes this the perfect place to give my take on Disney's Tangled:


I love this picture--it captures the humor of the movie, and a humorous movie it is! The characters are so well-defined. If it doesn't come out in their words and actions, Disney did a fantastic job of bringing it out in their design. Fortunately for us, Rapunzel outshines them all and brings out the best in everyone she meets! (What would you do if you were trapped in a tower for eighteen years?)

Rapunzel meets her first stranger when he climbs her tower to escape a magnificent horse with hounddog-like abilities. As in many a relationship they get of to a rocky start, but soon her dream sweeps them both away into adventures with single-handed concert pianists, frying pan duels and shining golden hair. I loved it. I absolutely loved it, and always will, I daresay. The passion, the humor and the artistry make this a movie to watch over and over!

Some of This--My New Camera

It occurs to me every once in a while that I haven't updated this blog since January. I figured it was about time.

On our family vacation I purchased a new camera. I have loved taking pictures for years, and decided it was time to get myself a basic digital camera. I took several hundred pictures over the course of just a few days, and have carried my camera with me ever since. I don't pull it out very often, but here are a few moments I was able to capture:

These two pictures were taken when Mom, Sarah, Jane and I went to visit Megan in the hospital after her surgery.

Michael did very well at his piano recital, the first of his I was able to attend. When I asked him the night before if wanted me to go, he said "I don't care". When I asked if he would be sad if I didn't make it, he said "Yes". Good thing I kept going, eh?

This was the day that little Nicole was blessed. After their sacrament meeting, family and friends gathered at Lisa and Christian's house for a great picnic :)

I kept my camera trained on Dalton a while one night, this picture is probably my favorite of those. What a charmer!

One of my employees made this for me after I gave her a couple of whoppers. I love my gals :)

After my Pontiac quit working, I hitched a ride from my mom to work. We were on our way to drop Michael and his friend off at school when I saw this scene. The world seemed split in half, one side shadow the other light. I was thinking of trying to paint this picture, though I'm quite skilled enough yet to capture it on canvas.

I was at the hospital the other day and noticed that the bed I was next to me was named "Kelli". I got a kick out of it, and was glad to have my camera. Morgan's shoes matched perfectly, so of course I couldn't pass that up. The other bed in the room was named "Ducky", and I confess I found that quite humorous :)

I'm sure there will be more pictures to come. For the time being, I have a couple events I want to blog about on my main blog, so make sure to check that one out too :)

Some of This-Ranger's Apprentice

I began a new experience a few years ago: I started reading, and fell in love with, a series of books published first in another country. This series of books has been written and published, I believe to completion, in Australia. After reading book 3 or 4 I confess I was sorely tempted to order the rest of the series, balking only at the knowledge that the shipping charges from Australia would place the books out of my reach for the time being. I have waited with varying degrees of patience as each book has been released here in the US.

So what is this series? The Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan. He began writing the series, if I recall correctly, for his son. They aren't perhaps at the same level as Tolkein, or my own favorites Robin McKinley and Tamora Pierce, but they tell a compelling story of a young boy chosen as an apprentice by a legendary Ranger, the heart of the intelligence corps of the country Araluen. Pulling from many different cultures, John Flanagan guides his young character as he learns his craft and brings something special into the lives of those around him. Epic battles, fierce adversaries, harsh environments and more shape young Will into a well-prepared and dynamic Ranger.

Book 7 was released this last week, and I welcome the addition to the series. It covers the last year of Will's apprentiship, which had been skipped when book 4 jumped several years into book 5 with Will taking up his first posting as a full Ranger. Erak's Ransom takes Will, the legendary Halt (his trainer), Ranger Gillan, and Will's friends Horace and Princess Cassandra (addressed through most of the series as Evanlyn) with a crew of Skandian sailors (much like Vikings, I imagine) to the arid desert lands of the Arridi people, who have taken Erak (the Skandian leader and friend to Will, Halt, Horace and Evanlyn) as a prisoner and are holding him ransom.

One of the things I love the most is how John Flanagan introduces his young readers to the various methods used by his characters-in regards to the Rangers, the concepts of stealth, highly advanced archery, gathering information and knowing how to use it. Few authors take the time to show their readers in such detail how to analyze what the characters do, mentioning such things as the fact that those in pursuit of someone rarely look up, and how if you're severely dehydrated in a desert you shouldn't gulp down as much water as possible when the opportunity comes around but sip it slowly. While I know that if I tried to employ some the concepts I've been introduced to I wouldn't really meet with the success of characters crafted and written to follow a certain plot-line, I find them all fascinating. I now eagerly await the US release of books 8 and 9 and highly recommend the series to you :)

On a side note, I did finally get myself a wall calendar. No castles, no waterfalls, but a full year of beautiful horses :)