Saturday, September 19, 2009

The Big Eight Ohs

Yesterday was my mum’s birthday (she is in her 80′s but told anyone who asked that she just turned 39…like Jack Benny. lol).

My sister and I took her to the movies. We had planned to go *bra shopping- code for river boat gambling* but were not able to book a room at the hotel in time. So that side trip has been temporarily postponed.

Anyhoo, the movie (Love Happens) was picked by my sister (who obviously didn’t watch or pay attention to the movie trailer), and mum agreed it sounded fine to her. I was less enthused, but tagged along since I do like Jennifer Anniston and it was, after all, mum’s birthday.

My sister, thinking it was a romantic comedy in the vein of Sleepless in Seattle, was ready to grin and laugh her way through comedic devices and instead was tearful at so many of the plot props which coincided with her own life.

Although the movie ended on a somewhat happy note, the meat of the story wavered between poignant and flat out sad.

Mum also remarked on the odd coincidences, with their themes of loss, the grieving process, and coping with the death of loved ones.

What a lovely, cheery flick to take our 80+ year old mother to see. Ugh. Leave it to my sister to pick ‘em.

Loss and grieving is a universal constant, something we must all go through at some point or other in our lives.

About 30 people were in the theater watching the movie with us. Of those, I have to wonder if they could see themselves in the characters? If they saw similarities?

My sister’s late husband didn’t pass away due to a car accident, but her oldest son (my nephew) did. Her husband was a marine. Semper Fi. And sis still has the most annoying giant parrot. He’s quite the pecker and in his old age has become very crotchety and nasty. lol. But the last seeming coincidence dealt with the exact date of the lead character’s wife’s death…March 17th. St. Patrick’s Day.
So of course, sis left the theater more than a little weepy and depressed. You see, my brother-in-law died on St. Patrick’s Day, a few years ago. Whew.

Mum, being mum, said that my sister was meant to see that particular movie as it held a special message for her.

If that’s true, then I have to think back to some of the movies I’ve chosen and wonder if they held secret messages for me.

Hmm… Confessions Of A Shopaholic, Ice Age 3-D, and the latest Harry Potter.  Okay, now I’m a little scared. lmao.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Paperback Happiness!

Just wanted to share the latest with my readers. Got this jpeg in the mail for my upcoming paperback release from Amber Quill.