"I don't know how to do anything else."

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Scarlett Johansson is known the world over as a beautiful, talented, and wealthy film star. She has a quality about her reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe...a throwback to a bygone era. But in a recent interview with Glamour, she revealed something interesting about herself. When asked about what the future holds for her, she responded, "You never know. I might open my own bakery! The thing is, I don't know how to do anything else, other than things that relate to film...I don't know anything except for movies, other than some Trivial Pursuit kind of information."

Scarlett's been in the spotlight since her first movie North released in 1994. She's only 25, which means she's been in the public eye since the age of 10. Her statement about not knowing how to do anything else is rather telling. I get the impression she would like to know how to do something else but doesn't even know where to begin. I would imagine the constant criticism for her films, looks, talent, or fashion choices gets tiresome. I would also imagine that some days, she simply wants to disappear into a crowd and become a normal person for a day.

I can't blame her. After all, she never went to college, never experienced a normal childhood, and all of the "normal" experiences most kids have in high school have are a mystery to Scarlett. Her world consists of people telling her how to walk, how to dress, how much she can eat, and how much she can weigh. Some day, when she's older, people will forget she was once a white-hot starlet with the world at her feet. She will become yet another middle-aged former Hollywood star who can't age gracefully because the movie executives demand Botox treatments and liposuction. And because she doesn't know how to do anything else besides acting, she will have to discover new ways to reinvent herself. When you put it that way, her life doesn't seem so glamorous after all.

You can read more about her interview here.

I did it.

I filled out the application. I will submit it soon (not ready just yet). I'll admit the total cost of bringing home this dog is daunting. You don't realize just how expensive the total venture can be until you're in the middle of it.

*sigh*

It's a good thing I have a big heart, love animals, and have the funds to do this.

Second Thoughts

Image via Wikipedia

I'm sorta kinda having second thoughts about a second dog. Why? Because of the unknown. Because I love Frasier enough to not want to traumatize or upset his world. But I also have a fear that he'll be mean to the new dog, which would also be unacceptable. But Will, ever my supportive cheerleader, says it will be all right, that we're going to move forward with the plans to adopt a greyhound and not think about it anymore. He's taking charge in an effort to put my worried mind at ease.

I love him all the more for it.

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Overwhelmed with reading

Image by Denis Collette...!!! via Flickr

You'd think too many books to read would be a good problem. However, I'm finding the opposite to be true.

In the midst of writing my own novel, reading and watching movies or TV have become low priorities. I'm still reading but not nearly as heavily. I have a personal goal to reach, and I won't reach it if I'm doing other things. Yes, life gets in the way and there are times where I don't do any writing. But for the most part, I'm right on target.

Now, with this lack of time for reading comes a great accumulation of books. At the moment, I have 56 books at home waiting for me to pick them up and give them some attention. That's a lot of books. Just the sight of all those unread books gives me hives since I usually devour them (reading one or two a week).

But for the moment, some things will have to wait. Reading, TV, and movies are part of that group. After all, we're getting ready to go on vacation, adopt another dog, celebrate the holidays, and my self-imposed book deadline is approaching (January 31st). Sometimes, I have to take a moment to breathe and remind myself that life will always be busy, but the key is prioritization.

On the bright side of all of this, my birthday is fast approaching, and fall is here!

Busy!

Cover via Amazon

The blog is suffering of late because I've simply been busy. Work is busy, my life is busy, and when I do have a few moments to write, I'm working on my novel. I'm up to a little over 56,000 words and am getting closer and closer to completing it. It will be a huge relief when it's finally done because--as much as I love writing--I need a short break. And then it will be time for revisions and rewrites. A breather is definitely needed.

I expect things to slow down a bit once October and November hit, but don't be so sure! We're going to try to adopt a greyhound in November, and then the holidays are upon us.

I have been watching a new show this fall, which is rather unusual for me since 1) I don't watch a lot of TV and 2) I hardly ever manage to catch a new show in its first run out of the gate. It's called The Vampire Diaries, and at first I believed it to be a ripoff of the Twilight series. It turns out that The Vampire Diaries book series existed long before Twilight, but the similarities are striking nonetheless. I'm sure the CW is hoping to capitalize on that, but they're doing a fantastic job with the show. The show itself can be a little creepy but in a good way.

I'm glad I don't live in Hollywood. When I was a teenager, I really wanted to be an actress. And I was serious about it. But that dream morphed into writing, and so that's what I pursued. But stories like this one remind me that I am glad my body isn't judged the way that Jennifer Aniston's is. I don't believe I would have an ounce of self-confidence left if it was.

God is good. That is why He placed me here instead of somewhere else. He knows what is best for my life.

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Some Thoughts

Cover of Notting Hill (Collector's Edition)

-Patrick Swayze is dead. What has this world come to? I loved Dirty Dancing and have it on DVD. It makes me sad that this man who seemed to be one of the few truly genuine people in Hollywood has left this world.
-I wish the rain would stop here in Tennessee, but I suppose we needed it.
-I've decided to eat at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant in London after all. I'll be sure to report back here.
-All of the reservations are now made for the trip. All that's left is the travel.
-We've decided on our vacation spot for 2011: back to Nice, France!
-I have to get a picture in front of the The Travel Bookshop in London. It was the inspiration for the travel bookshop in another of my favorite movies--Notting Hill.
-I need to clean my house this weekend.
-I need some clothes for fall and winter. My closet is bare. But according to my mother, I should have tons of clothes.

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Greyhounds!

Will and I visited with the greyhounds this past weekend, and it would seem they've also been in local news a little bit (well, local California news). Here are some pics from my visit and the video:

Homesick

Image via Wikipedia

I'm incredibly homesick for Chicago this evening. I want the Cubs, Goose Island, the Hancock and Sears Towers in the skyline, the Lake Shore Path, Ann Sather's, Kiki's, Fogo de Chão, Select Cut, Andersonville, Northwestern University's Chicago campus with its stunning lake views, the sounds of the city, the dog beach on Foster, and M. Henry. I miss wandering around downtown in the Loop and getting lost because it's fun...Kristina and I giggling all the while. I miss the library with more floors than I ever knew a library could have. I want to again spend time in the city I fell so deeply in love with so many years ago. It truly felt like home, and as much as I like Nashville and my friends here, I still miss it.

Sorry for the melancholy this evening. I just needed to get it out of my system.

Unleashed - The Conclusion

Unsure what to do with the loose dog, my neighbor and I warn others walking nearby not to get close to the loose dog. My neighbor places an unanswered call to both the president of our HOA and to the phone number on the dog's tags. Frustrated, I go home to cook dinner--minus the training clicker. I lost it somewhere between the dog fight and home.

The story came to an unsatisfactory end. The dog--Prince--still ran wild, untrained with more than a few remaining puppy traits. He isn't trained, and he ran the risk of getting hit by a passing car because his owner decided he didn't need to be kept inside or controlled with a stronger leash. Prince didn't mean any harm--except perhaps for Frasier--but he clearly hadn't been trained properly. An untrained and particularly large breed of dog can be a danger.

I was attacked by a dog in college...a lab mix, as a matter of fact. This whole incident brought back a rush of memories and my entire body shook with a rush of adrenaline and fear when the two dogs were finally apart. While many people driving by saw me trying to pull the two dogs apart--including someone pulling into a driveway right next to me--not one made an attempt to help me or Frasier. The only person who helped me was the same woman who attempted to control Prince even though he wasn't hers. Are people really so out of touch that when they see a young woman fighting off a large dog they don't stop to help? My only conclusion is they didn't care or didn't care to get involved.

Dog owners, I beg of you to be responsible and take control of your animals. Not only was it dangerous for Prince to wander the neighborhood scaring children and other dogs, but it's dangerous for his health as well. He was obviously still a puppy. Puppies don't have a lot of impulse control, and I would hate to see this innocent animal hurt or killed because his owners weren't responsible enough to see to his welfare. All of this--my frustration, my neighbor's frustration, scared children, upset dogs, and a possible accident--could have been avoided. Do us all a favor and get some training or find the dog a new home where he can be trained.

Jeffrey's Clothing Store

I think I've been in places like this. *sigh*


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Unleashed!

It is a quiet, muggy evening in the neighborhood when I decide to take Frasier for an evening stroll. We're working on loose leash walking, and he's progressively getting better--even learning to correct himself.

We're almost home when--out of nowhere--a yellow lab mix comes charging toward us. He does not look like he wants to play. "Frasier, get back," I warn. I spot a woman walking near the dog and assume it's hers. I plead with my eyes for her to call the dog back, but strangely, she doesn't do anything.

Finally, the yellow lab arrives and immediately begins to challenge Frasier. Frasier is an alpha and doesn't take kindly to that. Teeth appear, and visions of a doggie mauling dance in my head. Panicked, I kick at the other dog trying to get his attention. It's to no avail. The woman arrives and grabs the other dog's leash, abruptly pulling the snarling dogs apart. "I just want you to know," she says, "that this dog isn't mine. I've already pulled him off of two kids and another dog. But I don't know who he belongs to."

Relieved that the dog isn't hers, I offer to put Frasier in our backyard while the two of us try to figure out what to do with the lab mix. After several minutes, we determine that he will break what's left of his already broken flimsy leash if we tie him to a tree, and if we place him in a backyard, he will chew through the fence. Frustrated, we decide to leave the dog be. The owners do not answer their phone when we call.

Find out the rest of the story in the next blog post.

Personality

Personality is a quirky thing.

I consider myself an artist (as a writer), and as such, I do have some strange personality traits. I tend to be introverted and socially shy, goofy, and my sense of humor is, well, odd. Ultimately, people respond to this in one of two ways: 1) They either really like me and think I'm a fantastic friend because I can keep my mouth shut and don't gossip or 2) dislike me nearly immediately.

I'm okay with that.

You're never going to make everyone in your life happy. I do have a strong personality and am usually not afraid to speak my mind to those I work closely with or spend a lot of time with.

But let me just say that passive aggressive dislike of me is noticed. I might be a little goofy, but I'm not dense. If you don't like me, don't pretend that you do. It hurts my feelings way more than if you just admit you don't care for me.

Before anyone asks, no, this isn't directed at anyone in particular or any particular situation in the recent past. It's been on my mind, though, especially since my high school reunion just happened a couple of weeks ago. I spent far too much time in high school trying to make people who were never going to like me like me. What a waste. If only I'd spent more time getting to know myself, the sorts of people I like to spend time with, and my own special talents I have to offer people, I would've been much happier.

Alas, hindsight is always 20/20.

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Fantasy Football

Uh-oh. I'm in trouble.

The guys (and gals) at work have a fantasy football league every year, and I was strong-armed into participating. Not really, but nonetheless, this should be an interesting season since 1) I don't know the first thing about football and 2) I don't have much interest in learning about football.

Ben is blogging about the league, so if you're interested in my humorous escapades, he might have a story or two to tell about the draft happening tonight and yours truly come tomorrow morning. I'm choosing my players based upon names. I don't know their stats, injuries, etc., but a couple of people have offered to help me along as much as they can. Hehehe. Wouldn't it be funny if I won the whole thing by some miracle?

Anyway, I'll blog about this occasionally since I have a feeling it's going to make for a good story or two. And oh, yeah. Given my stance on Michael Vick, he will not be on my team.

So it's England & Wales

Image via Wikipedia

Due to my inability to make a decision on anything in life--including meals, I've decided that I need to narrow my options for our upcoming vacation. I tend to get it in my head that we need to squeeze absolutely everything possible into our vacations. As a result, in a three-day driving trip, I originally planned to see half of England, Wales, and everything along the Scottish border. Sounds a bit daunting, doesn't it?

I thought so, too.

So...much to my dismay, I needed to make a decision. We had to drop something from the itinerary, and since Scotland is the most far-flung destination of the trip, I cut it out of the running. So now we're down to London, the English countryside, and a plethora of Welsh seaside villages.

I also wanted to stay in a castle while we're in the UK. However, I'm finding it difficult to pick the right one. Again, my inability to make a decision gets in the way. Now, I think I've actually found a castle in Wales and can't get the person who owns it to email me back to discuss arrangements. We actually may end up staying at B&Bs without reservations. I think that's a fun, spontaneous way to do things...and completely out of character for my personality. I need to plan. I thrive on planning. And suddenly, I don't have a plan in place outside of London!

One more thing. For my birthday, we'll be in London, and I really wanted to eat at a nice restaurant. It's sort of a tradition that for birthdays and anniversaries, Will and I eat at some fancy schmancy restaurant. It's our few times out of the year that we can drop some serious cash on a meal and not feel guilty about it. So...I picked Jamie Oliver's Fifteen. Originally, the plan was to eat at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant, but after seeing the prices and realizing that the dollar is, well, sad compared to the pound, Jamie was much more accommodating to our thrifty budget.

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Retired racing greyhound adoption

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I've admired greyhounds from afar for a long time. With their long, elegant bodies, sharp faces, brilliant athleticism, and gentle demeanor, who wouldn't love these docile creatures? (Well, I'm sure someone doesn't, but you get the idea.) Now, I think I've finally talked Will into adopting one. A local organization rescues retired racing greyhounds which would normally be put down and places them into loving homes. I found out about it and decided to check it out.

Last weekend, we went to the local greyhound meet-and-greet hosted by Greyhound Pets of America's Nashville branch at the PetSmart at 100 Oaks on Will's lunch break. I wish we'd had a little longer to spend with the dogs, but it was long enough to convince my husband that the dogs just might be a good fit for our household. With a 21 lb. "terrorier" in the house, we need a more mellow companion than Frasier. A greyhound seems to fit that bill pretty well.

As a part of preparing Frasier for a new sibling, I'm putting him into "doggie detention," as my brother called it. We're going to our first obedience class together. While he has the basics down, we do need to break some bad habits like jumping and begging before adding another household member. I should have an interesting story or two to tell come Monday morning.

I am holding off on the greyhound adoption until late this fall. I don't want to bring another dog into the home before we go on vacation because I want to devote as much time and attention as possible to integrating the new pet. Bringing the dog in for a month and then promptly leaving for a week's vacation doesn't really add anything to that situation. So...it will be at least November before this deal happens. And when it does, I will be sure to post pictures!

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