This is WAY over the line of normal!

I heard some disturbing information Monday on the radio. I was listening to the Michael Medved show. He had a guest who happened to be a teacher from the mid-west somewhere. She was telling the audience about a radio address that President Obama was going to be making to the school children on September 8th. She was concerned for her job because she was going to opt out of having her class listen to the address. She cited several reasons why she had decided to do this and now she was concerned about keeping her job even though she has taught for 20 plus years.

I seriously couldn't believe what I was hearing. At first I thought, “why doesn’t she get a transcript of the message and preview it?” But there isn’t going to be a transcript available until the day before the broadcast. This is what really startled me.

Now I don’t have a problem with the President giving a message encouraging kids to stay in school and work hard. I DO have a problem with his using class time for this when the kids could be learning. Why not do it during prime time? His personal media outlets (ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC etc, etc.) would be happy to give our “supreme leader” any time he wants.

I also have a problem not knowing ahead of time what will be said (no I don’t trust him to be non-partisan!), and not being able to be there with my child to counter anything he may say that I don’t agree with. Now That more media outlets are talking about this I found out that there will be follow up assignments about the speech and “helps” have been sent to the schools about posting on walls some of the quotes that Obama will give. CREEPY! I have never seen a leader promote themselves like this…wait I have heard that this type of thing happens in North Korea and Russia.

I also have a problem that there will be no counter response from the other side. I would be very surprised if he wasn’t partisan and I want someone to respond to his address if the “right” feels a need to.

I can just imagine the OUTRAGE the ‘left’ would have had if Pres. Bush had tried something like this. It reminds me of dictators broadcasting to the youth of their countries behind their parents back.

I worry for the youth of our country with the direction our President and his administration is taking our Country.

"Can one desire too much of a good thing?". - ( "As You Like It" Act IV, Scene I).

My sister and I recently attended the Utah Shakespearean Festival that is held there every year in Cedar City Utah. The plays were amazing! We saw "Henry V", "Comedy of Errors" (first time seeing this one so I can tick it off my list!), "As You Like It", and one that wasn't Shakespeare, "Private Lives" by Noel Coward(very funny!)

Outdoor theater at the Festival

The plays are shown in 3 different theaters, one of which is an outdoor theater and the Shakespeare plays are done here in the evenings.

My sister Eileen trying on a hat in the gift shop

You know it is a bad sign when you can't find anything new at the gift shops to buy! So we spent our fun money on tarts!

Each morning in the "Grove"there is a discussion on the Shakespeare play from the night before that anyone is invited to attend. One of the faculty at the college leads the discussion and these talk back discussions are very interesting and informative.

Actors talk back session in the Grove. Actors are Melinda Parrett, and David Ivers

Also twice a week they have a talk back with the actors and we got to see two of our favorites this morning.

Me spending quality time with Wills

Then we had time to goof off a bit.

Eileen showing her adoration

One afternoon between plays, we took a short trip up into the mountains to Strawberry Point. This amazing scenery is only 30 minutes from the festival. Others sites to see that are also within 30-40 minutes are Cedar Breaks, and Kolob Canyon. AMAZING!

One view at Strawberry Point


Another view out at Strawberry Point

Me at Strawberry Point

Strawberry Point

But as with all trips, it had to come to an end until next year. Luckily, I have THE most beautiful

drive home. Seriously, is there anywhere as beautiful as Southern Utah and Northern Arizona?

Vermilion Cliffs

Vermilion Cliffs

Vermilion Cliffs

These cliffs are just east of Jacobs Lake (Entrance to the Grand Canyon) and they are 30 miles of bliss! The colors change as the day and the sun moves. It looks different all the time. I hope I never get tired of it!

"Adam" is a must see Movie!

Now, those of you who have seen this movie already will be surprised that I am HIGHLY recommending it even though it doesn't have the typical ending that I love, but it does have the right ending for this story. With that said...

"Adam" is about a young man who has Asperger's Syndrome which is a type of high functioning Autism. He slowly develops a friendly relationship with his upstairs neighbor, Beth. The way the relationship develops is slow and sweet, as Beth learns more about Asperger's and Adam (played wonderfully by Hugh Dancy), learns how to relate one on one with Beth.

Beth is so patient as Adam tries to open up and the film does a really great job of depicting how this Syndrome affects those who have it and how they want a life like everyone else. Beth also has to grow and learn to cope with events in her life and Adam is able to help her even though he has this disability.

I like movies where the characters grow and are better in the end and this one does that so well that the ending is just what is needed. I don't want to say anymore without giving it away.

Since this is an independent film you may have to search for it but it is worth the search. If you can't find it, write down the title and watch for it when it is released on DVD.

This is one great movie!

I am SOOO out of here!

I am on my way out of town tomorrow mid day and heading to Cedar City, Utah for the Shakespearean Festival they have there every summer.
It is an amazing venue with 3 theaters, one of which is a replica of "The Globe". My sister and I meet there each year and we are hoping to get the other sisters and sister in-laws there eventually.

They perform 6 plays each summer, 3 Shakespeare, 1 musical, and 2 comedies. This year we are seeing 4 of the six.

I will be gone until Thursday evening so don't miss me too much and I will let you know how the plays are when I get back.

If you are ever visiting the Western USA, especially the Grand Canyon area, Cedar City is only about 2 hours from it so plan on making a stop to see the plays. Also, make sure you stop at Jacob's Lake Lodge at the Grand Canyon turn off. BEST COOKIES ON THE EARTH!!!!

This is my favorite drive! Can't wait!

Charles Dickens words should be a warning...

I am in the process of reading "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens. As I have stated before, no one creates characters as well as he does. He also has some great advice that I think our government officials (yes, no caps as they are not as important as they think they are), would be wise to contemplate.

In Book 2, Chapter 8 he writes:

"Expressive signs of what made them poor, were not wanting; the tax for the state, the tax for the church, the tax for the lord, tax local and tax general, were to be paid here and to be paid there, according to solemn inscription in the little village, until the wonder was, that there was any village left unswallowed."

This quote was a foreshadowing of the beginning of the French revolution in the story. I think our politicians (both parties) should go back and take a European history course and find out what happened to the elite of France because that is what they(our politicians) think they are.

A Must See Movie Gem!

My friend Kim brought over a movie a week ago for me to watch because she and her sister Tammy had enjoyed it so much. It was one I had to sit down and watch as it is in German so I needed to read the sub-titles. The movie is "Vitus" and it was made in Switzerland. It is WONDERFUL!!!!

The story begins as a boy,Vitus, of about 13 year of age, is flying off a private air field in a small airplane by himself and without permission we assume. After that, time slips back a few years to when Vitus is 5 years old. He lives with his mother and father and he has a very close relationship with his paternal grandfather, who plays a very important role in his life.

Vitus is an exceptionally intelligent boy and after 6 months of piano lessons, it is obvious he has a gift because he plays amazingly. The 2 actors that they got to play Vitus at the the ages of 5 and 12 could really play the piano. I am always amazed that after all the years of lessons that I took, these boys could play circles and more around me. Back to the movie...along the way he develops a crush on his 12 year old babysitter, Isabel, and there is an adorable scene where he,(the 5 year old Vitus) is playing rock music for her on the piano to sing and dance to. His parents eventually had to fire her and Vitus rebels.

Vitus begins to skip grades at school because he is so intelligent and is eventually allowed to graduate at 12 and began studying for the entrances exams for the University. He has a great future ahead of him but all he really wants is a normal life and the main theme of the movie is what he has to do in order to have a normal life.

There is also another story line going on and that is what the effect is on the parents of having such a gifted child. It is a sweet love story both between the parents, and the boy and his grandfather.

There are some very funny and also touching twists all through the movie. One minute I was laughing, the next, I had tears in my eyes, and the next I was doing both. Try to find it and watch it. It is a treat!

I was able to find a trailer for the movie on youtube so check this out:

A New Found "Austen" Fix...

As most of my blog follower's know, I LOVE JANE AUSTEN!!!

I am always regretting that we only have 6 1/2 novels, plus one short epistolary novel (Lady Susan), of hers from which to get our "Austen" fix. However, I consider myself fortunate in that I am not a complete "purest" when it comes to Austen. I am happy with any variation of her works that I can get, as it tends to satisfy my need for more "Austen!" That is why I enjoy everything closely linked to Jane Austen's works. One of the most recent additions is the release on DVD of "Lost in Austen."



This is the story of a modern day Londoner, Amanda Price, who accidentally switches places with Elizabeth Bennet, at the beginning of the story of "Pride and Prejudice." Amanda spends the rest of the show trying desperately not to mess up the story of "P&P" that she loves, and which she has landed in unintentionally, but she fails completely. Some fans may think it almost blasphemous towards P&P, the way this movie ends, but I loved to see the possibilities of a different ending but still invoving the same characters that we love.


Anyway, getting to my real reason to post this.

I just finished a book entitled Old Friends and New Fancies by Sybil G. Brinton. It was published originally in 1913 and was the first sequel to any of the Jane Austen books.

I was especially intrigued by this book as it includes a few to several characters from all 6 of JA's books. Of course the main characters are Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy, Georgianna Darcy and the Bingley's. It begins 3 1/2 years after the Darcys are married. But throughout the book we are reacquainted with several other Austen characters, to name a few, Col. Fitzwilliam, Mr. Bennet (P&P), Mary Crawford, William Price (Mansfield Park), James Morland (Northanger Abbey), Elinor(Dashwood) and Edward Farrars(S&S), Emma (Woodhouse) Knightly (Emma), and my personal favorites, Anne and Captain Wentworth (Persuasion).



The language of Old Friends & New Fancies is the closest Austen's original language, of all of the sequels that I have found, and I have read several other attempts by authors to try to replicate her books in sequels. Also, Brinton gives us the opportunity to let our imagination "fill in the blanks" just as Austen does with her original works. Everything is not spelled out for us, but is alluded to, so we can imagine a scene as we want it to be, if that makes sense to anyone but me.

My only complaint is that in the beginning of the book, I found it somewhat confusing with all the different characters. However, as the book continues, the characters are weeded out and the last half focuses on a select few to continue and conclude the story. I found it a very entertaining and enjoyable excursion back into Regency England and a chance to visit once again some of those characters we have come to love or hate from Jane Austen's wonderful stories.

It was a great JA fix!