black geek girl

Cleanse Your Headspace

Some writers take a break from writing and go on social media. I don’t find social media relaxing. In fact, it clutters up the mind and may even stunt creativity.

The occasional peek into asocial media platform can turn into following conversations that more often than not ended with name-calling and pointing nasty fingers. The quick scan of another social media feed included more politics than I cared to consume on a daily basis. It was becoming more difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff and my space, the area of my spirit I used for creativity, was suffering.

I don’t go in for controversy, detailed celeb news or negative speak. I was always one to believe actions speak louder than words. See something wrong? Do what you can in the moment. I believe that peace can overcome war. I believe in protecting my headspace.

Being an writer in the genre I chose, I understand there will always be some controversy. Someone doesn’t like this book. A reviewer gives an unfair reading of an author’s book. Readers lash out at authors. Authors lash out at readers.

I’m not going to say “can’t we all just get along”. Nope. I can only control my actions.

So, I cleaned house. I hid the posts that gave me agita. I cleared my feeds and added positive vibes, rather than negative ones. I loaded my playlist with meditative music and pulled out my mala beads.

It’s so important to stay focused on the things which have true meaning in one’s life: family, friends and the beauty of life itself. It’s very easy to get caught up in the raging tides of every day, especially when the Internet can bring it right into your home.

Certainly, this is not a post that advocates ignoring everything around you and navel-gazing for peace. There is a time and a place for everything. When you feel yourself become overwhelmed, then it’s time to take a break. It’ll wait, right?

5 Fandom Friday – Goals for 2017

It’s been a while since I posted a 5 Fandom Friday, but this is as good time as any to get back into the swing of things. Plus, if I type up these goals, I have something to refer back to as the year goes on. While I love some sticky notes, nothing is more permanent than the Internet.

Here goes

My first goal for the year is to buckle down in the writing game. Due to some bad health news in 2016, I’ve been very spotty with writing and submitting/publishing. In 2017, I plan to:

Complete and submit at least three short stories
Complete and publish two novels that have been hanging around on my hard drive for at least three years
Complete the third book/story in the Tea and Tomahawks series/universe
Complete a novella that I started last year.

The second goal for the year is to keep my writing desk more organized, which means to set aside time once per week to clean and arrange the desk. Although my dream desk would look like this:

Dream Desk

that’s never going to happen. First of all, my desk is dark brown and I have a ton of stuff.

At this point, I will settle for a bucket of pre-sharpened pencils and working pens.

The third goal is to be more creative. I used to really be heavy into trying different crafts. I have a Silhouette Portrait machine that is sitting in the corner getting dusty. This year, I plan to create at least five different projects using the Silhoutte and to knit or crochet five scarves or hats by the end of the year.

This is what I have, only sad and dusty.

I used to be really crafty. Now’s the time to get back to that. So many projects to do!

The fourth goal is more health oriented. No, it’s not to lose weight or run a thirty minute mile. This is something simple that anyone can do any time.

Drink more water.

Drinking water not only keeps you hydrated – imagine that – but it also keeps those brain cells alert and working. Also, improves the complexion. During these dry winter months here in Northeast USA, keeping up water intake is sorely needed.

Last but not least, the fifth and final goal of the year is to drink more alcohol. No, I’m not kidding. There are so many wines out there that I haven’t tried as well as that dusty bottle of apple-tini mix sitting at the top of the pantry, just begging for vodka and ice. Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t plan on being “that mom” that’s slushed out of her mind in the car pool line. No and nope. I just don’t want weeks to go by without a sip of the spirits. Sangria, Zinfandel, and once in a while some of the stronger stuff…I plan on imbibing them all.

Go ahead, say it. “Dahlia’s a lush”. At least “lush” sounds so much better than “drunk”.

There you go, my goals for the New Year. Surprised?

1Love
Peace, Love, and Unity.

Horror Movie Review – Wrecker

wreckerposter — This is what attracted me. Netflix is movie roulette.

Title: Wrecker
Genre: Horror
Director: Michael Bafaro
IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4227282/

This movie almost WRECKED my marriage. (See what I did there?) My husband had the day off and I suggested we watch a movie.

“Hey, we’ll watch this movie. It’s terrible, but it’ll be fun! We’ll have a few laughs!”

Famous last words.

I’ve seen some horror dreck in my lifetime. I’ve watched the Friday the 13th movies and stuff that I can’t even recall I’ve seen because it’s been so terrible. But I’ve been able to laugh and point and giggle about the director and/or writer being awful. Or awful acting. Sometimes, the movie is bad, but you can see the actors are having fun, so it makes up for it.

This was not the case with this movie. This movie was just bad with no redeeming qualities. None. Wait. I did love the red Mustang and some of the shots were gorgeous. I can say that. But I don’t watch a horror for its gorgeous shots. Really, I don’t.

Let me give you a little overview. Being a woman of a certain age, I have seen a ton of movies. I know most of the tricks, the cliches and the character tropes. And I deal with them, because, let’s be honest, there is nothing new under the sun. And that’s okay.

You know what’s not okay? This movie.

So it starts out, some cross country trip. Blonde girl is nice, brunette is nasty. She’s

drinking, pretending to smoke (As an ex smoker, I can tell a true inhale. You gotta savor that smoke to get that nicotine hit), flashing her boobs, etc. Meanwhile the driver, the good girl blonde is telling her to calm down. Okay, look, blondie, you knew your girl was out of control before she got in the car, so why all the peeved admonishments?

Side note: The poster? Where it says ‘you stop, you die’. They stopped plenty of times and no matter how much I wished……well. Movie poster is a liar.

Anyway, they somehow anger some random tow truck driver and he starts messing with them. I would go on, but even thinking about the movie makes me tired. Suffice it to say many stupid things happen and then it’s over.

Another side note: This second poster? Talking about ‘a wrong turn’? This is also a lie. They took a shortcut ON PURPOSE.

I’ve seen Duel. I’ve seen Joyride. Both were way better and Duel was made in the EARLY seventies. In Wrecker, the acting is terrible. The choices the characters make are ridiculous and make no sense. And…the whole movie had my face screwed up.

My husband was not pleased. What a waste of 70 odd minutes.

Avoid. Avoid. Avoid.

Grade: F
Watch or not to watch?: Don’t bother. It’s not even bad enough to have fun with.

Music Monday – Vocalese – Moody's Mood for Love

I dug back into the archives of my music collection for my first post of the New Year. I’ve always loved this song, not only because of the fine vocal stylings of King Pleasure and Blossom Dearie, but also for the history behind the song itself. Moody’s Mood for Love is a swoon-worthy slow dance song, full of references to magic, stars, enduring love and all the stuff that romance is made of. If you want to get starry-eyed, this is one of the best songs to listen to.

That being said, here’s the story of the song.

The “original” song was “I’m in the Mood for Love” written by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields. It may be famliar to many because of the line “I’m in the mood for love/Simply because you’re near me…”. Here is Sarah Vaughn’s cover of the song.

While playing in Sweden, saxophonist James Moody improvised a solo while in concert in Sweden.

Eddie Jefferson penned words to Moody’s saxophone solo as well as , which then was made famous by King Pleasure and Blossom Dearie. And we have…

Amy WInehouse did a version of the song, and while I do love Amy, I don’t feel she captured the true contours of Moody’s sax solo. She simply put the words and melody over a reggae beat. Which is okay, I suppose, but she just made it another song, rather than a call back to the vocalese tradition.

Queen Latifah also does a version. It’s…okay, but again, is simply another interpretation of the words and melody.

There I go, there I go, there I go, there I go
Pretty baby you are the soul, who snaps my control
Such a funny thing but every time you’re near me
I never can behave
You give me a smile and then I’m wrapped up in your magic
There’s music all around me
Crazy music, music that keeps calling me so
Very close to you, turns me your slave
Come on and do with me any little thing that you want to
Anything, baby just let me get next to you

Am I insane or do I really see heaven in your eyes?
Bright as stars that shine up above you
In the clear blue skies, how I worry ’bout you
Just can’t live my life without you
Baby come here, and don’t have no fear
Oh, is there wonder why
I’m really feeling in the mood for love

So tell me why, stop to think about this weather, my dear
This little dream might fade away
There I go talking out of my head again

Oh baby won’t you
come and put our two hearts together
That would make me strong and brave
Oooo, when we are one, I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid
If there’s a cloud up above us
Go on and let it rain
I’m sure our love together will endure a hurricane
Oh my baby won’t you please let me love you
and give me relief from this awful misery.What is all this talk about loving me, my sweet
I am not afraid, not anymore, not like before
Don’t you understand me, now baby please
Pull yourself together, do it soon
My soul’s on fire, come on and take me
I’ll be what you make me, my darling, my dearOh baby, you make me feel so good
Let me take you by the hand
Come let us visit out there
In that new promised landMaybe there we can find
A good place to use a lovin’ state of mind
I’m so tired of being without
And never knew what love’s about
James Moody you can come over man
you can blow now if you want to, we’re through

Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moody%27s_Mood_for_Love

Movie Review – Flashback – Stir of Echoes

Title: Stir of Echoes
Genre: Thriller/Supernatural Horror
Director: Davis Koepp
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0164181

Hey there lovelies!

I’m taking a little vacation for the month of the December, which means I’m cleaning house (literally and figuratively) and sussing out my goals for 2016. Which in turns means movies and music galore! It’s a relief sometimes to take a step away from the pen and paper….but that doesn’t stop the ideas from bubbling over.

Back to the movies. I took a little step back in time to screen Stir of Echoes. I remember watching this back in the day when it first came out on DVD. It’s based on a novel by Richard Matheson, who, as you must well know, wrote Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, I Am Legend and a few other horror/thriller stories. (I use the word “few” as being funny. Matheson was pretty prolific.)

I must say, for a film from the 90s, it holds up pretty well. I enjoyed Kevin Bacon’s younger incarnation – he’s got the loveliest clear blue eyes. I could have done without the “magical negro” trope and the only non-white people in the film were located in a crappy part of town, but other than that, the narrative surrounding Kevin Bacon’s hypnosis by his sister in law (played by a cool Ileana Douglas) and the resulting plot madness is pretty good.

I’ve read the original Matheson story, and because of the dated plot, the screenwriter took some liberty in changing the plot that I don’t really think affected the overall tension and theme.

Also, a slightly tattooed (on his back) Kevin Bacon, sweaty and shirtless. He’s kind of thin in this movie, but it’s still kinda hot in a trailer park kind of way.

Watch or not to watch?:

If you like supernatural thrillers and messages from the other side visited upon a common group of folks, I’d recommend this movie. Screen it for the story and remember it takes place in the 90s when cell phones were NOT commonplace. If you put yourself back in time and watch the movie for what it is, you’ll enjoy it. I know I did.

Grade: A minus