The Twelve Dancing Princesses...My Version

So its not secret that I love books and stories and I have a passion for writing. I like to think that I may be slightly good at it, but who knows. But, I am attempting to write a book, I have been now for at least a year. Its an updated version of The 12 Dancing Princesses. That, along side the Seven Swans and their sister are my two favorite stories in the whole world. But I don't want to re-write the Swan story because one of my favorite writers has already written an AWESOME series about it and I think its perfect.

Why am I writing about this? I need a little bit of help. I'm not going to tell you the whole plot, but I'll gave you some details so you can help me figure out which path I want to choose. Its ultimately a story about a girl who realizes she has the strength to fight for her freedom. The main character is supposed to be from our "world" our reality. And she and 11 other girls are transported to another world. Now, I've been thinking that "our world/reality" should maybe be in the future...or should it be in our time period?

I just don't know. You should go look at my 12 Dancing Princesses PinBoard here:

12 Dancing Princesses Inspiration Pictures

So yeah, those pictures help inspire me as I try to figure all this shit out. If you have any ideas on if it should be in the future or present of our world let me know...

To the Stars Bowen, to the Stars...

I'm reading this book, well its two books actually. And there will be a third. They're very good. I hope I've figured out some of the twists and turns. I like to think that I'm good at figuring out where a person is going with the story that they are telling. I like to think of it as a gift. But these books, the first one called Across the Universe is set in space.

There are the frozen elite from our Earth who...are frozen. And the people who have been engineered in a sense to keep the ship running, to keep the elite people on their way towards a new and better Earth. That sounds great. In a sense. I like the Earth I'm on and I know for a fact I would have no value to be "frozen" and sent to another Earth to make a new life. I'm to selfish, crazy...whatnot. I can only cook...and Dream. Buts that not the point.

The point is...and if you've never read the books and want to read them I'm giving you a spoiler. So, sorry about that. One of the frozens from Earth is un-frozen early and is stuck on the ship. I always think that if I could I would take the chance of going into space. Of flying amongst the stars that I look at and dream about every night.

But...I don't think I actually could. It freaks me out. Space. Well, I guess space doesn't scare me, the stars dont scare me. Rather the idea of being caught in a tiny ship *no matter how big* scares the crap out of me. To be lost and alone forever in a place where no one could find you, where no one could hear you screams for help.

Its weird that I look up at the stars and wish upon them for something better, for something more. I think what I wish for is my freedom.

Oil Spill, Flood and Cocktail Fiasco of 2012

A week ago I was tasked with the challenge to make some food that could be frozen and eaten at later dates for a women who broke her coller bone. I of course was up to the challenge, but two days before I had made fish and chips and the oil from the fried fish was still sitting on my stove top, ready and waiting to be thrown away.

So, before I could start on the food for the lady I decided to clean up a little. Try as I might, I could not get the oil to go into its plastic bin as it should have. So it went all over the floor. And when I mean ALL OVER. I mean ALL OVER. I had to clean that up. Pissed off and red faced I screamed out profanities and continued along with my task at hand. It all worked out, I made the food, she's happy. Etc.

Then today I filled the dishwasher as any normal person might. I went and sat down to my computer and started looking at facebook and Pintrest. To my surprise I started hearing weird trickling noises. I decided to get up and check it out. What did I find? A FLOOD. OMG! I ran all around gathering towls to stem the flow of water. And stem it I did. *ps, to make matters worse, two weeks ago my faucet broke off. Yes you read that right* And I have NO time to get either of them fixed.

So what would any normal person do? Make a cocktail. And I did. It was fantastic. I decided to make another. My cat decided he wanted food, so I tried to rest my drink on the toaster...and what happens? It fell EVERYWHERE! Wasting vodka and making the floor super sticky.

So that has been my life so far. Crazy. Sorry to complain. I just hope it gets better from here.

I Don't Care What You Say

I grew up watching Star Wars...truth be told...until I was a teenager I hated it. Except for the Ewoks and their own special little movies with that cute little girl with curly blond hair. I loved those little movies. But I hated Star Wars. I don't know why. Maybe I was scared of it as a child, maybe it was boring. Who knows. I don't understand a lot of my childhood. I just figure it was all for a reason.

Then George Lucas *whom I love, always a forever* re-released his movies. I decided to  give it a try. It was the "IN" thing to do and who was I not to be "in"? So my mom and I went. But we were late because of my mothers job. Her boss wouldn't let her leave for some reason or another and we were late.

I remember we went to Fireweed Theater in Anchorage. We stood in line even though we were late for a large popcorn and a cup of cheese *yes, I was a popcorn cheese dipper*. I carried the popcorn in one hand, my mom was behind me and we made our way to the door of the theater. We were late and had missed the previews.

I opened the door...and the words STAR WARS popped up on the large screen...along with the sweet music of John Williams. I was hooked. I mean, I can't even describe the moment for you. It was like I was in a dream. An amazingly wonderful dream. And I was hooked. Forever.

After that I remember the new movies. Of course they were not as wonderful as the original. But they were still amazing. George Lucas had always had a dream. In his mind he KNEW what the movies would be...for himself and for others. Along the way people have forgotten what these movies mean to him. They are HIS children. Not ours. We just share a part of his life...a moment. A memory. I always have a hard time with those who "hate on Lucas". Perhaps they are right in some ways. But if they were in his shoes...what would THEY do with their babies?

Lucas KNEW what he wanted out of Star Wars. But at the time he couldn't complete his vision...because he lacked the resources that were needed. So he CREATED those resources. HE brought us into the new age of movies. He is a Jedi in his own sense. And if he so chooses to change his creations to his will...then I will ALWAYS respect his decisions. They are HIS dreams. Yes, they helped me along with my own dreams. But I would not step on the toes of a dreamer. I would not change his mind. For they are his, and HIS alone. We have no right to be so cruel, to try to shape his dreams into our own.

I remember when I saw The Phantom Menace for the first time. I was here in DC with my mother, she was here for a conference or whatnot. We went to the Cleveland Park movie theater. We bought 4 tickets. One for the first show and then another for the second. We smuggled in coffee in a water bottle and I admit during the second showing I may have dozed off. Not because I didn't want to watch it, but we had JUST come into DC from Alaska *a 4 hour time difference* and could only stay awake for one.

Star Wars has been a part of my life. I don't remember everything about my childhood. But I do remember sitting in front of the television and watching the VHS of the Ewoks movies. And the moment the words STAR WARS popped up in my life for the first REAL time in the theater.

My second tattoo was Star Wars and even now I plan another. No matter what I will ALWAYS believe in George Lucas. Maybe one day he will hire me to work on Skywalker Ranch as a Chef. One can always dream like Luke did. That the world you live on now...is just a stepping stone into the future of your existence. You shape you destiny.

My Dream Jobs

I'm a big dreamer. I mean I buy a lottery ticket and I "KNOW" I'm going to win. Then I plan what I would do with all of that money. Or I try winning the Dream House on HGTV and "KNOW" I'm going to win it. So what would I do with that house? Etc. Etc. I dream big, I used to fall big when my dreams were never achieved. But I realized its more fun to dream big even if you don't win or get what you want then to not dream at all. So I will always dream big.

Recently I've been thinking about my perfect dream jobs. I have a couple of them.

1. Work for Disney World or the Disney Cruise Line, I would work for Disney Land too, but I love Florida better. I would give almost anything to work as a Chef for Disney. Recently I was out with my friends and I found out one of my friends who said she was going to Disney was also going on the NEW Disney Cruise Line and I started spouting facts and information about the new Cruise Ship and all of the things she could do. I think I scared everyone.

2. Work as a Test Chef for Americas Test Kitchen and write about how I created such and such dish. Yes, I would be okay with living in Vermont.

3. Owning my own Bakery. Its a very special Bakery.

4. Being a fiction writer and living in the Florida Keys.

5. Traveling and writing about my travels and the food.

So those are my top five. I don't know why I felt like I needed to write about it. But like I said, I've been trying to get a free house with HGTV and a few Cruise with Disney Cruise Line.

The Flight of the Cell Phone...or R2D2's Death

About a year ago...maybe a little less I bought this adorable R2D2 phone. Since I am totally obsessed with Star Wars. I mean...why WOULDN'T you want a Droid phone that was all about R2D2. I loved him. He was a great friend of mine. We had our ups, we had our downs. But thats R2 for you...he's a tricky little fellow. But I loved him all the same.

This past weekend I tried to plug him in to charge his little battery and low and behold...nothing. It wouldn't work. He died, and I kept trying to charge his little battery hoping for the best. Trying to tap into the force. None of it worked. Heartbroken I tried turning him on one more time and to my utter horror this msg was displayed:

"Error. Cannot be fixed."

OMG! SAD FACE! R2 is no longer with us. And with that I went into Verizon today to get an iphone. Yes, I'm caving into the thrill and money that an Iphone brings. But I have to admit that I've had my ipod touch for the past four years and I haven't had any issues with it. While R2 was overloaded with issues. So fingers crossed this new phone will be a breeze.

But!!! My story does not end. The store didn't have it in stock but the woman was so nice. She was very helpful and didn't push any extra sales. She did try to get me to buy a case for it...but I have had one made...more on that later and said no. She informed me that it would arrive Friday!

SO excited I left and hung out with my friends, unaware that I was getting an email *since R2 had died* that my new iphone would be here TOMORROW. Thats right folks. Tomorrow. When I got home I read said email and though quite excited I was also very sad. Because tomorrow I have school. And a paper due.

Long story short I'm skipping class tomorrow and skipping lunch with my wifey *thats another long story. I'm married to two women and a wonderfully gay man* so that I can wait for my phone. I hope its worth it.

Now, I have not given up on Star Wars as I had THIS case made:

Dinner Party

Everyone at some point in their lives are asked who they would invite to their ultimate dinner party. Young, old, dead...etc. I've been thinking about this for awhile, don't ask me why. But this is my list:

Ginnfer Goodwin - Because I think we would be AWESOME friends. I would love to meet her in person.

Juliet Marillier - By far one of my favorite writers ever. She "re-told" my favorite fairy tale of the sister and her 7 brothers who are turned into swans. Among others.

Jim Parsons - Because I love him. He is SO funny and so amazing.

Albert Einstein - Because who WOULDN'T to have him as part of your perfect dinner party?

My Grandmother - Because she was one of the most amazing women I've ever met.

Walt Disney - Because he was ahead of his time...in most things. I need him to come to dinner so I can show him that there is NOTHING wrong with tattoos and his company should hire people with tattoos.

Hillary Clinton - Because she is awesome. You know it.

Al Gore - To tell him NOT to give up on helping the Earth. He is so influential and I don't think he knows it.

Tamora Pierce - Who I actually had lunch with oh so long ago. But she is an amazing woman, and I would love to have dinner with her as well!

The Cast of Glee - But JUST the cast, not Ryan. He's not invited. But they are awesome, and I know they've changed SO many peoples lives.

Johnny Depp - Yeah...this should be easy to figure out why...

The Cast of The Night Circus book - Because they are AWESOME. And I love them.

Okay, there are more. But I can't think of them right now.

Who would you invite?