T is for Turtles

          

S is for Sherlock Holmes

I have probably read or seen everything that involves Sherlock Holmes that I can legally get my hands on. Some I have liked, some I have loved, and some I really can't stand. There is even a Sherlock Holmes musical (I've heard the music--unfortunately, it goes on the "awful" list!).

Where did this love of Sherlock Holmes come from, you may ask? The truth is, I always liked the original stories, and I have read the entire series, but I didn't become a Sherlockian--yes, there is a term for people like us--until I was older. The real reason was researching for my own novella, The Hudson Diaries: The Life and Times of a Baker Street Resident, which you can find here. Once I started the research on guns, poisons, Victorian law and crime and several other things to make this dream a reality, then I really delved deep into the Sherlock mentality.

Want to know what makes him so great? It is because he is a hero, allowing us to be a part of adventures we can only dream about in our real lives. We also get his partner, Watson, who is the heart of the relationship, while Sherlock is the brain. This creates the best and brightest partnership ever, and we all secretly want a relationship like this, even if we don't admit it. Sherlock is balanced out by Watson, and one cannot survive without the other. But it also takes a certain type of person to be the other half. Now, I am not saying that Sherlock and Watson are lovers--don't even go there. They are more like brothers, a partnership that would do anything to help each other and build each other up.

The mysteries are also totally plausible. At first they are mind boggling, but as soon as Sherlock gets a hold of them,  you know that there will be a resolution that you are satisfied with, if not completely happy with it. Oh, and news flash--just like every normal human being, Sherlock doesn't always win. That's what makes him relateable and applicable to our own lives. He is a hero who fails, but always picks himself up, and he makes what seems impossible possible. There, my friends, is what makes a timeless character.
                             

R is for Roses

I love roses. Now, you may think, "That's because you're a girl." Well, yes, yes I am. I hope that's not a shock to you. But  I love roses also mixed with daffodils. Flowers, especially these bring me much joy. I love the meanings also behind the colors: One color can mean purity, one love, one friendship, one hope and affection....The importance of meanings without words. Everything said in an arrangement of flowers.

God speaks through nature, and so can we. He created the world around us, and we can use it to show love and gratitude for the people in our lives and the blessings in our world.

Q is for Quartermaster

This blog post is dedicated to one of my favorite characters in the James Bond movie series--Q, the Quartermaster, the man with all the gadgets. I loved the older man that played him forever, and I love the new one too from Skyfall. Perfect casting in my opinion.

I love also that without Q, Bond would not survive. He needs all the inventions that Q gives him at some point, and they always are available in an opportune moment (Good story tellers can pull out the stops like that while making it still plausible). He is a side character that is integral to the story, and also the humor, black or white, that keeps the movies on the optimistic side of things.

Don't underestimate side characters (They are often my personal favorites!), because in a well written story there is a reason for every character. One of my favorite scenes in the Bond series is when Q comes floating down in the balloon in Octopussy. If you haven't seen it, you should. Also see Skyfall--great Q scenes there too! Cheers!







           

P is for Pinterest

Pinterest is my new guilty pleasure! It's an addiction for people who don't drink or do drugs. Unfortunately, time goes by faster than expected, as with all things of this kind. Actually, it has also helped me in a lot of ways--therapy when my wheels are spinning and ideas when I'm spinning my wheels.

I also have been able to organize the things that I like into"Boards" or, more generally, categories, and when you don't have a category for something that you find, you make a new one. I have also found other people who enjoy what I enjoy; you can find out quite a bit about a person by the boards they have on their Pinterest account. And, when you need someone to talk to who understands, just comment, and someone will answer you. This is a pretty new thing, but I think it's catching. I wonder if it will become the next Facebook.

Also, I like the idea of pictures. Not just for art, but videos, recipes, books, articles...In order to add something onto Pinterest, you have to have a picture and a link to a website. Then you just pin what you like from others, for yourself--It's all you! Don't worry about getting "likes" or "pins", just let yourself go in a good way. It's a good way to let out some tension or just to know that someone out there feels the way you do about the way things are going in the world.

It can make you laugh, cry, sing, smile, remember....All from the comfort of your bedroom. It can inspire, create and comfort, whether you are alone or with someone. It doesn't matter. Just let you be you.

O is for Orange

Since you're getting to know me a little bit, I thought I would post this for you. I hate the color orange. I like the fruit, I like the smell of an orange, but I hate the color. I have no idea why that is, and I seriously dislike the fact that blue and orange are complimentary colors, seeing as blue is my favorite color. Such a conundrum sometimes.

Some of the things I absolutely love have orange in them, like autumn as a season, or pumpkin chocolate chip bread during the holidays, or chocolate oranges....but the color on it's own is just horrid. Maybe it's partially because I cannot wear it; it doesn't help me look good. That sounds really shallow, but it's more of a reason than "I'm not sure".

I will not have orange decorations in my house unless it's Halloween or Thanksgiving, and I would not pick it out for my decor of choice. I will never have a wall painted orange in my house....and if my husband loves the color orange, I will let him have an office all to himself and never wander in there unaccompanied.

I know this is probably a silly thing to be adamant about, but like I said earlier, you're getting to know me. I hope this doesn't completely turn you away from my writing or thoughts, and if it does, I'm sorry.

N is for Novels

“You don't read Gatsby, I said, to learn whether adultery is good or bad but to learn about how complicated issues such as adultery and fidelity and marriage are. A great novel heightens your senses and sensitivity to the complexities of life and of individuals, and prevents you from the self-righteousness that sees morality in fixed formulas about good and evil.”
― Azar Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran

“Poetry, plays, novels, music, they are the cry of the human spirit trying to understand itself and make sense of our world.”
― Laura Malone Elliott, Annie, Between the States   

“In writing a novel, when in doubt, have two guys come through the door with guns.”
― Raymond Chandler