I just wanted to make sure everyone knows that the blog is moving. I’ve decided to go with a different blog host and expand a little on what I post, so the blog will now be Things Liz Loves. I’m moving all the posts over there except for the ones about the book contests, which will stay up until the contest is over. Once all the contests are done, I’m going to take the blog down completely and have it just be on the other site. One of the motivating factors for the move is the fact that I can post Adsense ads on the new site and offset some of the costs for hosting and future domain names, which I can’t do on this blog. So head on over to the new page and follow the blog with your Google account. Thanks for reading!
I Heart Movie Debates
Posted in Uncategorized on July 29, 2010 by lizbeckwith
Timothy Olyphant, how do I love thee...
I love a good movie debate. Whether on a message board, Twitter feed or comments section of a movie review, a healthy debate about the merits of a film is more stimulating than most other conversation. I don’t mean a bash session where everyone rips each other for having an opinion, either. I mean a mature exchange of ideas and opinions that leaves everyone involved feeling a little bit smarter and a little bit more open minded about another’s thoughts on a movie or actor.
The most entertaining movie discussions I have been involved in have come by way of Twitter recently. I am fortunate enough to have almost regular conversation with some of my favorite critics and film buffs on the Tweet-o-sphere. Trust me when I say that talking fight scenes in Ong Bak 2 with Jen Yamato or victim selection in Law Abiding Citizen with Scott Weinberg is way more fun than the daily conversations I have with my fellow housewife neighbors. One of my favorite movie websites, Cinematical, is heavily populated with awesomeness, and almost all of their contributors are on Twitter and willing to chat with even the lowliest of amateur writer movie loving mommies. Hitfix and Movies.com are also a pretty safe bet for superb film crtitique and conversation.
If you are looking for entertaining…um, entertainment discussion, then Cinematical, Hitfix and Movies.com are the way to go, no matter what Vanity Fair says. There’s a few links below to some fantastic Twitter feeds as well. I may add more Twitter handles to this list, so check back periodically to find out who is awesomesauce.
WTF is Going On in Entertainment?
Posted in Uncategorized on June 10, 2010 by lizbeckwithHere, have this news!
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn
Summit Entertainment announced that Breaking Dawn, the final chapter of the Twilight Saga, will be two films. Twihards of the world, rejoice! Both films will be directed by Oscar winner Bill Condon. Filming begins this fall, and the first part will be released November 18, 2011. All of the cast is locked in for both films, so we don’t have to worry about any recasting fiascos. The third film in the series, Eclipse, is premiering June 30th of this year. The official soundtrack to Eclipse is available now.
Russell Crowe
There has been a fresh batch of death hoaxes. The latest not-really-dead celebrity is Russell Crowe. Some crappy fake death site (I won’t post the name so they don’t get any traffic from me) posted that Crowe had fallen off a cliff while filming in Austria. Lucky for us, Gossip Cop is around to debunk these ridiculous rumors. It’s not surprising that the death hoax machine is kicking into gear again. It always happens after a series of real celebrity deaths. Just be sure to check with Gossip Cop to see if it’s for real. You can follow them on Twitter.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Rumor has it that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is in talks to play The Riddler in the next Batman film. While this would be totally awesome, it’s not true. Gossip Cop, once again coming to the rescue, spoke with Levitt’s rep, who said that no one has spoken to Levitt about the role and that it’s all just “wishful thinking.” So maybe it will come true later, but for right now, it’s a big fat no.
Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag
Finally, we’ve reached the useless drivel section of the blog. In news that should not be news, Heidi Montag has filed for divorce from her husband Spencer Pratt. Why am I even bothering posting this crap? Well, I wanted to share the great news that the Antichrist will not come in the form of a Speidi child. Thank God these to split before they had a chance to reproduce. Maybe they will both just drop out of the spotlight now. I know, wishful thinking.
I’m going to be very busy over the next few months. My Suite 101 pages are starting to pile up, and I’m starting to put a lot more time into my book, so Musings will be few and far between for a little while. I still heart my readers and plan to post as often as I can. Follow my Twitter to keep up with my other work.
Guest Musing: Josh B. Weighs In About Tool’s “Lateralus”
Posted in Uncategorized on May 16, 2010 by lizbeckwithThis post is a piece my good friend Josh wrote as a Facebook note. It was really interesting and he said I could post it on here, so enjoy. Follow him on Twitter if you like dirty jokes.
“Ok for this note here is what you need to do go put in your Lateralus CD by TOOL or mp3s whatever it is you got. But if you don’t have this album (your hands should be cut off) luckily this whole album can be found on youtube. But what you do as I talk about a song, you should also listen to it as well. And read the lyrics, let it speak to you. And speak what it tells you…THE GRUDGE
“Wear the grudge like a crown of negativity. Calculate what we will or will not tolerate. Desperate to control all and everything. Unable to forgive your scarlet lettermen.” – Tool
As humans, I believe this is one of the hardest things to overcome. I mean everyone has someone or more in our lives that we just ugh look upon differently. We always see the scarlet letter on their chest instead of who they really are. And that scarlet letter is different for all people. Some people truly despise women who get abortions, or homosexuals, or a race, or a creed, and even something as small as an opinion can be a scarlet letter. And we all bear a scarlet letter on our chests. We may not be aware of it, or we may know what it is, the one thing we keep trying to hide from others.
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:31-32
“Saturn comes back around. Lifts you up like a child or drags you down like a stone to consume you till you choose to let this go.” – Tool
All of this bitterness and anger you have is a choice. You don’t have to be angry. You don’t have to hate. You can be kind. You can be forgiving. It is all a choice. A choice that can be very hard or maybe it is very easy and as humans maybe we are just going about it all the wrong way.
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:14-15
Maybe that grudge you are holding against someone is why you feel as though you can’t truly be happy. Maybe the anger you hold against the one who bears the scarlet letter is eating away at you. No longer making you free, no longer making you be the person you wish you could be. If you can’t forgive that person, then why should God forgive you for your scarlet letter? Go to that person, tear away that scarlet letter from their chest, destroy it, burn it, forgive, love, be free of that burden that only brings you down. But again, it is your choice…
THE PATIENT
Now this song is very close to me. I love and loathe this song so much. It consumes me with so much sadness but leaves with just a bit of hope.
“If there were no rewards to reap, no loving embrace to see me through this tedious path I’ve chosen here, I certainly would’ve walked away by now. Gonna wait it out. If there were no desire to heal, the damaged and broken met along, this tedious path I’ve chosen here I certainly would’ve walked away by now. And I still may … … I still may. Be patient. I must keep reminding myself of this.” – Tool
I know this path I have chosen shouldn’t be a tedious one, but why is it!? And the lyrics are so true, if it wasn’t for some reward or for some healing, I wouldn’t be here right now, would I?
”To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.” – Romans 2:7
“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” – James 5: 7-11
I know we are all told that we should strive to be like Jesus for He is perfect and without sin. But he is the son of God. I know we are all children of God, but not the same as Jesus. I strive to be like Job. A human, flawed, but with great patience. Job 10:1 is how I seem to open up all of my prayers lately… “I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.” – Job 10:1 And it seems to always end in the same way as Job… “Why then did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died before any eye saw me. If only I had never come into being, or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave! Are not my few days almost over? Turn away from me so I can have a moment’s joy before I go to the place of no return, to the land of gloom and deep shadow, to the land of deepest night, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like
darkness.” – Job 10:18-22
But patience, can save one’s soul…like old Job.
SCHISMThis song clearly states that Christianity is not a religion, but more of a relationship with God.
“I know the pieces fit cause I watched them tumble down. No fault, none to blame it doesn’t mean I don’t desire to point the finger, blame the other, watch the temple topple over. To bring the pieces back together, rediscover communication” – Tool
Why is it when bad things happen we blame Satan? Or even get mad at God for allowing such things to happen? Couldn’t this be because of our own choices we made in life? I think anyone would agree that for a healthy relationship to work, communication is key, but if you don’t have communication with God then how can you have a healthy relationship with Him? We all have pieces missing in our lives. But they are like a puzzle that has a million pieces, we just don’t know how to make it whole, one. We have a life to live, we don’t have time to try to put the pieces together, and it’s not fair!
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” – Ephesians 6:18
Invite God into your life for all occasions. Invite Him out to dinner with you. Invite Him to the movies with you. Invite Him to pWn some n00bs with you in Halo. Invite Him to go shopping with you. Invite Him to your work with you. Invite Him over to help put the puzzle together. If you invite Him, He will come. He knows where all the pieces go.
“There was a time that the pieces fit, but I watched them fall away. Mildewed and smoldering, strangled by our coveting. I’ve done the math enough to know the dangers of our second guessing. Doomed to crumble unless we grow, and strengthen our communication.” – Tool
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5
Parabol/Parabola
“Twirling round with this familiar parable. Spinning, weaving round each new experience. Recognize this as a holy gift and celebrate this chance to be alive and breathing. This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality. Embrace this moment. Remember. We are eternal. All this pain is an illusion.” – Tool
These two songs can be summed up by one single verse…
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16″
