Fifth - Random Land!

The topic this week is Disney on Broadway.

In recent years (well, decades), the Walt Disney company has begun slowly taking over the world.

Well, at least the Great White Way.

What began with "The Lion King", turned into "Aladdin", which led to my personal favorite, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (which, sadly never fully made it to Broadway because of the cash cow called Frozen. I hate that movie.)

Now - with those few in mind, it makes sense that my ultimate favorite is "Beauty and the Beast".

There's a local production that I'm able to be a part of. Working as part of the ensemble is a wonderful opportunity; amazing cast members, great musical score, and a great chance to learn something new about the show.

Coming in late from a rehearsal I'm cutting this one off - sorry about anything extravagant you expected to see.

What's your favorite Disney production?

Obscure Movie Day!

Wow - I feel like I haven't done one of these in months!

Right, I should make it a good one.....hmmmmm......

This movie is one of my favorites.

It's a rare gem that has one of my favorite actors - well two of my favorite actors - not only acting, but singing as well!

Yes, it's a musical.

You all know the tale: a town is set upon by a bunch of rats who won't seem to leave. A passing Piper offers to get rid of them, for a price. With a deal struck he deposes of the rats. The townspeople negate their end of the bargain and the Piper takes the children in return.

This one has a happy ending - promise!

With astounding performances from:
     Val Johnson (who also starred in "Brigadoon" with Gene Kelly)
     Lori Nelson
     Claude Raines ("The Invisible Man", and "The Phantom of the Opera")
     Jim Backus (Mr. Magoo, the original)


This film can be found on YouTube, though I recommend going out and buying a DVD copy.


(Also: The songs are rather catchy.)


Do you have any obscure movies you'd like me to review or write about? Leave a comment below.

WIP - Revisit the Old

As I attempt to gather my thoughts for this weeks writing, I've come to realize that I haven't written as much as I would have before. It's always god to get back into better habits, including those of writing, which for me have gone down hill in the past few years. Mostly because I got another laptop so I can watch shows while goofing off on tumblr, devientart, facebook, and all those other sites that take up far too much of my time. It's a challenge for me to write now.

Guess that's why I set up this post each Tuesday blog challenge for myself. I've managed it for almost two years now. So, I'd say that's a record.


In those regards, here are a few little projects that I've been working at on and off for a while. Last time I posted the WIP it was based off Greek Mythology and a bunch of songs that always seem to get stuck in my mind.

Here's a little re-write from when I did NaNoWriMo a few years back.



After the events of our time in Paris I realized that things had gone from bad to worse. There was something wrong with him, something that I couldn’t fix. I’d left. Gone back home to try and sort things out while trying to forget. Nothing helped and soon I found myself back on the shores of the French coast; back amongst the hustle and bustle of the late nineteenth century citizens. Being a Traveller did have perks, though at this point it wasn’t all that grand for me.

I’d changed my address, the only good idea that had seemed to be the great things. The reasons were this: the way things were going, rather the current path we were both heading down, I didn’t want, or bothered with staying int eh same boarding house for more than a few days at a time. A week but no longer. The less I spent at one address, the harder it would be for others to track my movements. A moving target is harder to track than one who remains stationary to be found. The reason for staying a week, illness or becoming sick, which wasn’t as often; never longer than that at one given address. I continued moving around, one by one, just having the gut feeling that I should always be on the move. Keeping on the run to make things difficult for whomever, or whatever, it was I felt I was running from. Keeping a few steps ahead of the pursuer. I made it a point to avoid all the places that I’d frequented, all the familiar places that I’d been fond of on previous occasions I’d been in the Eternal City of Lights. It was a little hard to do, as I greatly missed those side cafes, small bakeries, and simple shops.

On this trip I was only here to avoid people in the general populace. I didn’t want any more new people in my life; nor was I interested in the old ones either. I could keep it that way, separate my little social life for the quiet solitude of now. I’d done a splendid job at keeping this us; at any recent address I would take slight pains to dine alone when I could, and avoided all mingling or small talk as though it were the plague. With only a few days at this address, however, things had managed to take a rather twisted turn.


Every resolve finally burns in the embers and dies out.

There was a bush that I was dancing around, while it was a nice image the thought was figurative rather than literal. I’d been beating around this particular bush for long enough; the few months I’d been here had been fun, but I had to finish what I’d come here to do. I had to stop playing the “normal” life and find the one person in this whole city who’d been there with me the last time – we had to speak about what had happened. What was going on. 
What he was dealing with.


This would be a reunion, of sorts, so naturally I dressed for the occasion. I knew how to look nice, wonderful even, while at the same time keep it practical: skirts, many layers thereof to fit with the times; a practical shirt with bodice to keep intact; a small overcoat, then my regular overcoat; a pair of gloves; and a scarf wrapped around my neck to combat against the chilly fall weather that was threatening winter cold.

I went out that night with every intention of finding him. Of nailing him down and sorting 
things out. He had to be easy to find, right?


I knew exactly what I wanted to say to him. I had it all down in my mind. I went through it like a prepared monologue, playing the words over and over again in the back of my mind. It would be simple. All that was left for me to do was find him.

With any search, I had a vague clue of no place to start. I knew where he wouldn’t be – which meant I had no clue where it was that he could be. Instead of having a rather set purpose, I ambled all over Paris, hoping for a great turnout. It wasn’t the worst city to be wondering rather aimlessly around, there were worse places in the world to do so. There were plenty of places that I could pause and sit for a moment to relax too, with a small sampling of food and drink taken from cafes that were open at all hours. The best sorts of food and drink in the world were right there, close and easy to reach.

After passing such another location I found myself wondering up the steps of the great cathedral Notre Dame (to which, as a modern woman, I absolutely dare you not to sing that aloud or in your head). I wasn’t concerned about being a woman out along; there were plenty of other single walkers out this evening, of each sex and persuasion. No one wanted to be indoors on such a night as this; it was pleasant out, the air warm enough to be comfortable, yet with a breeze to keep you cool. It was no wonder at all the streets were becoming filled with people strolling. The sun was on its decline, casting shadows about the streets and casting a glow on those around.

Pausing on the steps I looked up the side of the building at the gargoyles who were guarding the towers and turrets, protectors of the bells of Notre Dame (again, I defy you not to sing that). While they were protectors, they also served to drain excess water from when it rained. Most of them seemed rather happy up there, content to be the guardians of the most iconic cathedral in the world; though there were a few exceptions to this. A few of the more sinister looking creatures chose to glare down upon the masses instead, seeming to revel in the terror they bestowed. Or knowing something the rest of us did not.

I smiled a bit absent-mindedly to myself, feeling the effects of this place, this city, and becoming deliriously happy with where I was. This city always did that to me, it released the cares and worries I felt beating down upon me. It made me relax in such a way that I’d never before thought possible. It was nice to know that I could go someplace in the world and know that no matter what happened I would always find that sense of peace. Of calm.Slipping in through the massive front doors, I removed my scarf from around my hair, letting it hang about my neck instead. I smiled at the priests, who approved of my being in there – seeing me as a penitent young woman being in a good place. I was a practicing Christian, though when in Rome, as the saying went, I did as the locals did. It was out of character for me, but that night it felt absolutely right.





What are you working on right now? Leave a little comment.

Book Nook: A Challenge!

Welcome to the New Year!

Last year I participated in the GoodReads Reading Challenge. I chose 25 as the number of books that I would read (as the past couple of years I went from 100 (which didn't happen) to 15, which was surpassed).

I knocked that goal out of the park, reading well over 30 books. (34/25 woo!)

I tend to read fantasy, young adult, mysteries, and a variety of historical non-fiction. I delve into fiction and biographies from time to time as well.

I love recommendations from anyone as well - gives a different perspective


I'd like to know what sort of books you read. Which genre do you tend to pull towards?


Here's a few that I read through last year, as well as some series I'm going to continue on with this year:

Crown & Key Series

A Carolyn Blue Culinary Mystery

Black Cat Bookshop

Odd Thomas Series

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard

Fairy Tale Fatal Mystery

Booktown Mysteries

Splintered Series

Ophelia Wylde Paranormal Mystery

Precious Stone Trilogy

Kingdom Keepers (Will continue the series this year)

The Land of Stories (Will continue the series this year)

I've got a lot of other books on the docit for this year as well including:

Les Miserables

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

A Tale of Two Cities

Give me a few books you thoroughly love to read. I'd like to see what's caught everyone's fancy.

Happy New Year!

Well, this has been a rather great start to the New Year!

Hope things turn out wonderfully for you and yours!


As for me, I'm going to try and get these back to Tuesdays.