The World According to Arlene

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:26:54 -0500

New Moon

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:29:03 -0500

This is the second book in the Twilight series. I read this book quite awhile ago but I didn't post about it, because I quickly moved on to the third book and then I had to wait a month for Breaking Dawn to be released. That gave me enough time to read the first three books again.

New Moon for me was heart wrenching. I could actually feel the hole that she described in Bella's heart. I could feel her pain and anguish. I found it a bit frightening at times and extremely hard to put down.

Twilight

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:23:46 -0500

I was first asked to read this book last summer by my friend Anita. I asked her what it was about and she shyly said vampires. I immediately said no way not interested. I could tell she really wanted me to read it but I couldn't bring myself to. Then recently Jen told me that she would read the Sisterhood of the Traveling pants if I read Twilight. I gritted my teeth and thought Ok I will try. I went and bought the book, for some reason I enjoy reading more when I am not worried about having to return it to someone. I guess I don't feel rushed. It sat on my shelve for about a week and I had read just a few pages. My son came home from Scout camp and saw it and was very excited he thought that I had bought it for him. He loves Vampire books. I then had to inform him that it was mine and I was trying to reading it. He then proceeded to tell me that he could read much faster than I could so I should let him read it first... Of course he is thirteen and thinks he is much smarter than I am. I guess I took that as a challenge or something because I started reading Twilight that night. I was so taken by this book that I couldn't put it down. Even when I did I dreamed it or thought about it every waking minute..... I finished the book in about 48 hrs which is a record for me. But my son was happy. I haven't been reading as much now as I used to when I was in High School or College so I was surprised that I read it so fast. I was afraid to tell my friends how much I was into this book because I knew that they would think I was crazy. But I felt like I was losing my mind, because I was so obsessed about the book. So finally I called one of my friends and admitted how obsessed I was and she just laughed because she was to. I was so relieved!!! In fact everyone I talk to feels the same way.... I usually talk about the chemistry and how the characters interact with each other. I can only say I haven't ever read a book that held me so well that I believed I was with them as they were awaked to each other. and how they felt for each other. I just recently visited the Seattle area and loved remembering what I had read and actually seeing it in the landscape..She was so explicit in her description of the area and yes it is perfect.. The only thing I can tell you is it wont be a waste of time to read these books if you like Love Stories. This is much less to me about the Vampires and much more about falling in Love... I hope you read it and enjoy.....

Mr. Darcy's Diary

Tue, 27 May 2008 11:49:44 -0500

I read this book right after I read Pride and Prejudice. I Loved this book! I Loved reading his thoughts and feelings. To get an inside view of who he was and the battle that he was fighting within himself. We all have had to make decisions that we have struggled with. But his struggle pulled you in. You felt for him and for the pain that he was feeling. The funny thing for me as I read it, I would sometimes picture him as Matthew Macfadyen and sometimes as Colin Firth. I felt it was a very good companion book to Pride and Prejudice. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who liked Pride and Prejudice.

Pride and Prejudice Colin Firth Version

Thu, 22 May 2008 14:05:12 -0500

Ok so I finally took the plunge while Paul was out of town to watch the long version of Pride and Prejudice and I Loved it. Equally as much as I loved the version with Matthew Macfadyen. The Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth had much more detail from the book expressed in it. That may completely explain why it is so long. In the book and in both movies I could not stand Mr. Collins. I found myself saying blah blah blah blah every-time he talked. Maybe everyone has those feeling about him, I can't say but for me I couldn't help but want to tell him to shut up! Good thing I wasn't born in those times, I would surely have been a disgrace. I like both of the ladies portrayal of Miss Elizabeth Bennet. I personally feel that they equally held the character in the given scripts. I was drawn more to the feisty personality that Kiara Knightly gave to her portrayal. It leant to a playful interaction between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. He didn't quite know what to think of her. He had never met a woman who treated him the way she did. I am sure that intrigued him and made her even more desirable. I was more moved by the chemistry between Miss Bennet and Mr. Darcy in the version with Matthew Macfadyen. Don't get me wrong I Loved Colin Firths portrayal of Mr. Darcy. I just didn't feel the chemistry or want between him and Elizabeth as in the other version. I felt that Elizabeth was holding back to much. Some of the scenes between Kiara Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen were very intense. I almost felt like I was experiencing it with them. You could feel the passion that they had for each other. Even when they weren't willing to admit it. You wanted to see what happened next. You felt their pain, you felt their agony and embarrassment when something happened. So to finally end this account of my thoughts and feelings on these movies, I would say they are both worth watching.
Everyone needs an encounter with Mr. Darcy!

The Painted Veil

Tue, 20 May 2008 18:39:00 -0500

Paul recently requested this movie for me. I had never heard of it before so I really didn't know what to expect. It started off a bit choppy but I thought it was better as it went on. Edward Norton and Naomi Watts had good chemistry and I thought worked very well together. It is a Love story set in the 1920s. I do have to warn those of you who prefer not to cry over movies, I felt this one was a tear jerker. My mother-in-law also just informed me recently that we are related to Edward Norton. Her cousin is or was his fathers second wife, or something like that. I thought the movie was very moving and was worth watching. It could make you take a step back and look at your life and the people you love.

The books Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice

Fri, 16 May 2008 14:50:57 -0500

As you know I am not much of a reader until I find a book or a series that totally captures me and then I am lost. So after watching the movie Becoming Jane. A few friends and I decided to read a Jane Austen book before we watched the Jane Austen Book Club, so we picked Persuasion. I loved the book, but only after reading the first 20 pages and then putting it down for weeks. Then I had to speed read it in only a few days before it was time to get together to talk about it. It took me until I was on about page 100 to really grasp who was who and who was related and how. After our lunch and discussion we decided to do another. Jennifer and I decided that we really wanted to read Pride and Prejudice so that was the next book I was to read. Knowing it to be a long book I decided that I would take my time and not rush. I love the movie Pride and Prejudice and have watched it many times so I was very curious to know where this book would take me. I have now finished the book and I have to say I see why they call it a classic. I think it is the best Love story I have ever read. You can feel the chemistry between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy from the very beginning of the book. I must say that I truly enjoyed reading Persuasion but Pride and Prejudice surpassed my expectations beyond measure. I dare say I might have to read more of Jane Austen. You know, I will let you know what I think of the different books and then the movies because I will have to watch them all.

Welcome 2008!

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:57:32 -0500

I was ready for a New Year. November and December seemed to fly by and yet seemed to last forever. We lost Paul's grandfather at the beginning of December, which was hard on all of us, but especially the boys. They seem to have gotten back to a sort of normality, each still struggling and dealing in their own way. I've learned a few things about myself also in the last few months. Sometimes rocks even crumble every once in a while. So I am grateful for a brand new year; here's praying that it will be a smoother one for our family than the latter part of last year.

A quote that I believe in.

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:29:38 -0500

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Red beans and rice

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 17:04:40 -0500

To cook red beans, first I start with a picnic ham or ham bone and put it in the crock pot with a bunch of water. I let it cook until it falls apart, usually 8 to 12 hours. I then remove the ham from the water and add the beans and some onions and just a touch of garlic. I let all that cook about 5 hours, checking on it about every hour or so to make sure there is enough water. I then add about a cup of chopped ham and cook a few more hours until the beans are soft and the mixture is thick. I serve it over cooked rice with smoked sausage on the side. This is one of the favorite dishes at our Mardi Gras parties.

Pride and Prejudice

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 12:45:43 -0500

I personally love this movie. I have watched it several times and enjoy watching it so much. In the beginning I really didn't think that Mr. Darcy was all that cute but by the end of the movie you can't help but thinking he is the most gorgeous man alive. I love the setting of the movie, with all the old houses and large gardens. Last time Pauline was here for a visit I had her watch it and she liked it also. She said the same thing about Mr. Darcy; that in the beginning he was OK and in the end that he grew on you. I have this one in my collection and know that I will watch it again and again. It's a must-see for all you girls out there.

Arthur David Robichaux

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 17:32:22 -0500

As some of you know we recently had a very tragic accident in our family. My father-in-law was killed in a motorcycle accident. He loved riding and being with his family and he was doing both at the time of the accident. He was a wonderful man and father and I will miss him more than I can express. My own father died when I was only nine and Dave was my father for more than 16 years. He was the only father that I truly knew. I am truly thankful that everyone was together at the time he passed. As hard as it was it was a little easier knowing that we were all keeping each other strong. Some of my favorite times were early in the morning when we were visiting and he would be up, and so would I. Sometimes we talked and sometimes we didn't and it didn't matter. I am glad that he knew how each of us felt about him and we knew how he felt about us. It shall take a long time for the pain that we all feel to ease, but I am grateful to know that I will see him again and that he is up there watching out for all of us.

Thank you to all those who have done so much for our family.

On turning forty!

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 17:17:09 -0500

So, this past July I turned the big 40! I must say it was a little hard to accept that I was actually the age that I used to think was ancient. As you can imagine, in the weeks and months beforehand I did a lot of soul searching and thinking about my life. The main thing that I think I came to is that I am pretty happy with where I am and how my life has turned out. I have a wonderful, very loving husband and three wonderful boys. Are they perfect? No, but guess what-- neither am I. I have a few regrets but who doesn't? I wish I knew then what I know now. I wish that I would have stayed in college and finished, or at least gone back when I was much younger, but I didn't. So now as I decide when and if I will go back to finish, it is a little daunting. I wish that I would have said "thank you" more often than I did. I have had people ask me what my midlife crisis is going to be. I personally do not see myself as a midlife crisis person. but I recently started karate and I guess right now that is my midlife crisis.

Sisterhood of the Traveling pants sequeal

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 19:15:19 -0500

I read a few weeks ago in a trash magazine(Star, People or Us which I only read when I fly on airplanes) that they have started making the sequeal to the Sisterhood of the traveling pants. It will have all the same actresses in it and it will focus on things that took place in the last book. So everyone keep your eyes open next summer. I do have to say that I am hoping that some time in the future that she takes the time to write another book for this series. I personally think there were a few cliff hangers in the last book.

Interactive site

Sun, 10 Jun 2007 22:03:31 -0500

I started this blog over a year ago and really didn't have a clue what I was doing. I did have some pretty specific ideas of what I wanted and didn't want. The good news is I think we have it almost the way that I hoped it would be, thanks to the hard work of my sweet husband, who wrote me a special program to rotate the pictures at the top every time you click on "The World according to Arlene" and every time the page is reloaded. If you click on the picture it will bring it to full size. For a while I was not able to load new pictures because I didn't know how and there was no easy way for me to do it. But now with some special magical computer knowledge, my husband has devised a way for me to add new pictures, and the highlighted words in the different entries will take you to other sites with more information. I hope that you will take some time and just explore.