Take to The Sky

Sometimes, I wish so badly that I had wings. It is just one of those weird little quirks that no one really knows about. But I do often with that I had great, white wings, like Angel from X-Men. Especially when it is windy. I run in the wind and wish nothing more than that I could have wings to spread and catch the wind and lift me up into the air. And when I listen to the Owl City song 'Take to the Sky,' that makes me really, REALLY wish I had wings.

I mean, I am sure that I really wouldn't like to have wings (They would get in the way of sleeping...), but sometimes, I wish I had wings.

"Birdseye view, awake the stars 'cause they're all around you,
Wide eyes will always brighten the blue,
Chase your dreams, and remember me, speak bravery,
'cause after all those wings will take you, up so high,
So bid the forest floor goodbye, as you brace the wind and,
Take to the sky... you take to the sky"

Take to the Sky, Owl City.

Titus Andronicus

Well, that was about the nastiest thing I've ever read. But, mercifully, it was remarkably short (I read it all in one day. The only other play I've read in one day is "Two Gentlemen of Verona" (Shakespeare's shortest) ). It was not, perhaps, as bloody as Michael Crichton's Timeline, (Read: "The goriest book I've ever read.") but the fact that the people in the play were all do deeply cruel and violent, that they didn't think twice about slaughtering people, it was just shocking and horrifying.

Worst Character: Um, all of them, every one else, and all of the other people in the play. Actually, no, four were worse than the rest, but I do not want to even say their names on my blog (That's not crazy, is it?). I mean, they were evil beyond belief. The queen was even more evil than Goneril and Regan from King Lear, she sets the new record. He sons, I won't disgrace my blog by saying anything about them. The moor was psychopathic.

Best Character: Believe it or not, there were some people in the play that didn't get killed and that I liked. Three: Marcus Andronicus, Lucius, and Young Lucius, his son.

Rated: R

In a Word: Awful

Crowning Moment: When Marcus killed the fly. It was actually rather funny.

Kilchurn Castle

Kilchurn Castle, Scotland

Sometimes I wish so very, very badly that I could see a castle. A real, true, castle. I very much hope that someday I will get to. And when I do, I will be so happy and so excited. I will have my camera and I would take pictures of it. And I would walk along beside it and put my hand on it's ancient stones. And just look at it in utter awe.

...

This picture of me was taken on my last visit to Rivendell.



We had just arrived after a long journey over the Misty Mountains, and I hadn't had time to change into a dress yet.

Yeah, I was just sitting there, minding my own business, eying some lembas bread, when this elf took a picture of me. I think it was Lindir.

Fireflies

I'll never forget the first time I saw a firefly. I'll never forget the utter excitement and awe. I grew up in California, and there are no fireflies in California. I must have always wanted to see one. And when I finally did get to see a firefly, it was glorious.

Well, a sad thing happened after we moved here.

I got used to them.

Not that used to them, I mean how can you get used to something so, er, magical, for lack of a better word. But I must have gotten used to them at least a little bit.

Then a very happy thing happened. Owl City, the greatest music this side of Middle Earth. It is quirky and electric, random and all around beautiful. But anyhow, Owl City's greatest song is called 'Fireflies.' It made me excited about fireflies again. I listened to it all fall and all winter and really started wanting to see fireflies again.

On May 11, I was sitting outside on our deck watching the lights on the tower across the road blinking. It was rather late and dark, and I was rather very sad. I had been watching the lights on the tower blink for a long time (Yes, I have a very exciting life) when I saw something else blink. I wondered at first if there was another tower behind the tree that I hadn't seen. I think even before I got up to go see if it was, I realized that it was a firefly. I was ecstatic. I really hadn't been expecting the fireflies for quite a long while, so I was very happy. I instantly started singing the song 'Fireflies' and trying to see if I could see more of them. I only saw a few more, and I have only seen them once since then, but it was still wonderful.

Have a happy summer.

Measure for Measure

It had no great soliloquies, no memorable speeches, it wasn't funny, and it had no mighty tragic heroes. And in spite of that, Measure for Measure was one of the most interesting plays I've ever read.

Worst Character: Angelo, of course. He was the single most hypocritical character I cam recall ever knowing about. I mean, dude, he is hypocriticalness personified. Seriously.

Best Character: The Duke, Vincentio. He was really, really cool. He was every bit as awesome as Angelo wasn't. He was very clever and fixed everything and set it all right. He was wise and kindhearted. It make me very happy that he and Isabel got married. (Well, he proposed at the end of the play. I suppose they got married...) I also like Isabel very much. She was neat, too.

In a Word: Interesting.

Rated: ... I really don't know...

Crowning Moment: I have said before, the best part of almost every Shakespeare play is the end when everything is solved and resolved. It was the same with Measure for Measure. I also really liked it the first time Isabel came to Angelo to ask him to spare her brother, Claudio's life. It was just neat.


(Note: I have now read 15 of Shakespeare's plays. Just 12 left to go of the 27 I planed to read. But you know what? I recently got this giant "Complete Works of Shakespeare" book. So, I'll get to read all of his plays. Someday. But for now, I'll stick to the plan and just read the 27 plays. )

Trees

Wow. Just wow.

Take a look at these absolutely stunning tree pictures.

http://www.designzzz.com/beautiful-trees-photography/

I didn't like every single one, but many of them are just beautiful!



Have a lovely day!

Mushroom!!!

Albeit it doesn't have quite the same ring as "MUSHROOMS!!!," I really couldn't call the post that as there is only one.



This about my all-time favorite thing in my garden. It is lovely and perfect.

...

Sadly, I do not know where this is. But I think of it as being somewhere in Middle Earth. Maybe someplace between Rivendell and the Misty Mountains.

Wherever it is, it is quite beautiful.

A Waterfall

I painted this on January 30. It was the first of my paintings that I actually really liked. And it remains on of my favorites to this day. I never named it, but I think "A Waterfall" fits it nicely. :)

"And There it Makes a Lovely Splash"

I was so pleased with my first painting of waves, that I decided to do another. I call this one "And There it Makes a Lovely Splash." I painted it May 19.

"The Harp"

"The Harp." I painted it May 3rd. The harp strings are pencil (Yeah, I don't have a brush that tiny).

...

This one I painted January 26. It was my third painting. I never named it. So I guess it is "Untitled No. 3." ;p

Night by The Sea

Another one of my paintings. This one is called "Night by the Sea."

"Looking West Fron the Eyrie"

This painting, is inspired by one of J.R.R Tolkien's illustrations from The Hobbit, called "The Misty Mountains looking West from the Eyrie towards Goblin Gate." You can see it here. The pictures are hardly similar, as I wasn't trying to copy it. I just started the painting and noticed similarities, so I made it a bit more like Mr. Tolkien's picture.

"Life in The Shire"

I call this one "Life in The Shire Goes On." Inspired by the quote, obviously. I painted it on May 16, as well.

"I'll meet you there"

I painted this picture on May 16. I call it "I'll Meet You There." I am not 100% sure why, maybe because of the waves meeting the shore.

A Rose

I took this picture of one of my dear mother's lovely roses.

...

I took this picture of a perfume ad in a magazine. I just thought it was so lovely.

(Disclaimer: I'm not a romantic, I just liked the picture.)

My Shire

There is a little corner of our land that I think is about one of the most lovely places around. I never go there (No reason: it looks best from a distance.) but I love to look at it every time I go outside.


I like to think of it as my little tiny part of The Shire.



Lovely, isn't it?

The Merry Wives of Windsor

Well, that was about one of the funniest things I've ever read. The plot, the sub-plot, the characters, all of it, it was absolutely hilarious. It really made me think of British comedy, in that all of the main characters were older and just out to have a good time. It was fun. It was witty, clever, and just fun.

Best Character: Well, the Merry Wives, of course! Mistress Page and Mistress Ford. They were indeed very merry. There merry husbands were good, too. :) And Hugh Evans was great, too. His strong Welsh accent was the source of many a witty line (As Master Fort said to him: "I will never mistrust my wife again, til thou art able to woo her in good English.").

Worst Character: Oh, the French doctor Caius that nobody liked. He was funny, of course, but it was because he was unlikable that made him funny.

In a Word: FUNNY

Rated: PG13

Yeah, like I said, it was a lot like British comedy...

Crowning Moment: Oh, the whole play was absolutely hilarious. (Seriously, I would recommend it.) My two all-time favorite lines, though, are "Heavens defend me from that Welsh fairy, lest he transform me into a piece of cheese!" - John Falstaff when Evans was, among other, dressed as a fairy and being cruel to him. And then, in the best part of the play when they all reveal to Falstaff that they have been pranking him, he says "I do begin to perceive that I am made an ass."

There are many other lines I like, as well, but out of context that would make very little sense. It was a delightfully amusing play.

Two Gentlemen of Verona

Or as I like to call it, "A Gentleman and a Jerk of Verona." Seriously, Proteus had lots of problems...

Two Gentlemen of Verona is thought by some to be Shakespeare's first play, or at least one of the first. Well...it shows. It was interesting an' all, just not nearly as good as some of the Bard of Avon's other plays.

Best Character: Julia. She was the first of Shakespeare's many great heroines to dress as a boy, you gotta love her just for that. But also, she held up very well watching the man she loved court another woman, just days after he had declared his undying love to her and her alone.

Worst Character: Proteus, of course. He was seriously messed up, dude. Seriously. One day, he is a loyal best friend and loves Julia with all his heart. The next day, he betrays his best friend and causes him to be banished, and he no longer loved Julia and tells everyone that she is dead. And all because of a woman, a woman who doesn't even like him. The jerk.

So we see, love is not only blind, but deaf, dumb, and stupid.

I did really like Launce and his dog Crab, though. They were great. '

In a word: Short.

(I read the entire play in one day. I've never done that before and I really don't think I will ever be able to do it again...)

Rated: PG

Crowning moment: I guess the end, when Valentine rescued Silvia from his insane friend and the said insane friend got his head back on strait and remembered that he loved Julia.

Hey, ol' Will had to start somewhere, right?

...

It looks like is is maybe in the Alps somewhere. But seriously, I can just see Arwen riding by on Asfaloth...

...

Again, I stole this lovely picture from a website that didn't say where it was.

They probably didn't think anyone would believe them if they said Middle-Earth...

...

I don't know where this picture is of, unfortunately the website I stole it from didn't say.

But it is lovely, isn't it?

You are Braver than you Believe

I just wanted to tell you something.
No matter who you are or where you are or what you are, somebody out there loves you. I don't know how I know, I just know.

So hang in there. Everything is actually going according to the plan, it just doesn't seem that way.

Take care,

Julie

P.S. The title, I just randomly wanted to call the post that, it is from this little quote:

“If ever there is a tomorrow when we’re not together, there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart, I’ll always be with you.”

-Winnie the Pooh

But that is really not what I wanted to say. I just wanted to say that someone loves you.

Julie

On Second Thought

On the post I recently did on Antony and Cleopatra I said that my favorite part was when Cleo was ''helping'' Antony on with his armor. Well, that is actually not my favorite part. In Act IV, Scene XIV was my favorite part. Something about Eros killing himself instead of Antony was really wonderful to me.

MARK ANTONY

When I did make thee free, sworest thou not then
To do this when I bade thee? Do it at once;
Or thy precedent services are all
But accidents unpurposed. Draw, and come.

EROS

Turn from me, then, that noble countenance,
Wherein the worship of the whole world lies.

MARK ANTONY

Lo thee!

Turning from him

EROS

My sword is drawn.

MARK ANTONY

Then let it do at once
The thing why thou hast drawn it.

EROS

My dear master,
My captain, and my emperor, let me say,
Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell.

MARK ANTONY

'Tis said, man; and farewell.

EROS

Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now?

MARK ANTONY

Now, Eros.

EROS

Why, there then: thus I do escape the sorrow
Of Antony's death.

Kills himself

...

The King Drinks, by Briton Riviere

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Una and the Lion, by Briton Riviere

Her dress, the lamb, the awesome lion, I love this painting.

(The scene is from the Faerie Queen.)

...

Apollo Playing the Lute, by Briton Riviere

I love the way the animals are all together peacefully. And I love the look on the lioness' face, she looks so happy.

The Tempest

Well, I recently finished reading The Tempest. It was... .... .... different from all of Shakespeare's other plays. It was short and strange, unique in so many ways. It doesn't really fit into any of the categories that all of his other plays fit into. It is to intriguing to be called a comedy, even though it usually is. It has lovers in it, but not enough to be a romance. It is not a history. And it is in no way a tragedy, it had a very happy ending.

It is The Tempest, and nothing more.

Best Character: Well, Prospero. I really like Ariel, too. I couldn't give you a reason, I just like him. (Yes, ''Him." Ariel in a male even though he is often depicted female. The name must through them off. But "Ariel'' is a masculine name.) I even liked Miranda and Ferdinand. They are probably my favorite Shakespearean couple.

Worst Character: The evil Caliban. (Obviously) And all of the other troublemakers in the play. (There were quite a few.)

In a word: Artistic

Rated: PG13

Crowning Moment: Ah, hard to say, really. I guess the end, where Prospero made everything right. That is usually the best part, when all the conflicts are resolved, Jack has Jill, the bad guys get what they have coming, and all is now well in the world. It is just nice.

It is a very artistic play. That may sound a bit odd, but to me, it is like art, like a sculpture and a poem. It was very visual for a play. It had much more to do with setting and sound and appearance than the other plays do. It is rather hard to explain.

It was a fascinating play.

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day

Antony and Cleopatra

Well. I haven't un-enjoyed one of Shakespeare's plays this much since 'Troilus and Cressida.'

I have always thought of it as an overrated story. And now I know. It is. It was basically Romeo and Juliet for grown-ups.

Best Character: Eh, I don't know. I liked Antony. I really don't know why. There didn't seem to be very much to any of the characters, I guess Antony was the one one who stood out any.

Worst Character: Again, I really don't know. I didn't like Cleopatra. I didn't find her "mysterious'' or 'mesmerizing'. Merely somewhat stupid.

In a Word: Long.

Rated: PG13

Crowning Moment: Cleo assures Tony she could help him on with his armor. The very next thing she says is "What's this for?"

King Lear

'King Lear' is considered to be one of the greatest works of Shakespeare.

There is a reason for that.

'King Lear' has to be one of the finest works of literature I have ever read. 'Les Miserables' and 'Othello' are the only other works I have read that come close to it. The rich and poetic tragedy was, well, beautiful.

It was remarkably easy to read. And in spite of how sad much of it was, there were several, well, "funny parts." The Fool has to be one of the top ten greatest Shakespearean characters ever. Seriously. He was hilarious. He was clever, loyal, wise, and, well, hilarious.

I would have liked the play very very much but for one thing. They killed the Fool. Cordelia, Lear, all the bad guys, everyone else, them I don't mind dying, that was fine. But the Fool!?!?! You just can't do that. Other than that, even with all the sadness, treachery, gore, and deaths, I liked 'Ling Lear.'

Worst Character: Goneril and Regan. The two all-time most evil female characters in all literature...untill proven otherwise. And Edmund. He was a great deal like Iago from 'Othello', only not quite so intense.

Best Character: I want to say the Fool, but really, the Earl of Kent was the best character. He was banished (for his loyalty), but instead of leaving he disguised himself and stuck around to take care of King Lear. The Duke of Albany and Edgar were also quite neat. (Those three, actually, were the ones still alive at the end, left to rule the country.)

In a Word: Interesting.

Rated: PG13. Violence and gore.

Crowning Moment: The whole play, really, was exceedingly excellent. The famous scene during the storm, though, was really...really... (My abstract brain can not think of a word for it...)...amazing. My all-time favorite part in the play, though, is when the Fool all of the sudden randomly points at King Lear and says "That's a shealed peascod." (Empty pea-pod.)

I would recommend it. Please, find a copy and read it, because I am really not nearly a good enough writer to make they play sound half as epic as it is.

"Mark it, nuncle:

Have more than thou showest,
Speak less than thou knowest,
Lend less than thou owest,
Ride more than thou goest,
Learn more than thou trowest,
Set less than thou throwest;
Leave thy drink and thy whore,
And keep in-a-door,
And thou shalt have more
Than two tens to a score."

...

It is hard to frown whilst smelling a rose.

Just thought I'd tell you.

;D