New Baby

Well, I finally broke down. My boys have been gone for awhile and it has been too quiet around here. And I missed having a cat in my life. So when my neighbor came knocking on my door asking if I wanted a kitten, I said yes.

The kitten is male and maybe about 2 months old. I'll have to ask for more info tomorrow. It's too late now to bother anyone.

Oh, if only my digital camera was working!! He is the cutest thing I have seen in a long time. What do I name him? Nothing comes to mind right now, but it can wait. If I take my time maybe just the right name will come to me.

He has been running around, exploring. He only let me hold him when he first came in. He has eaten a little food and drunk a little water. Hasn't used the litter box yet, though. He runs by me too fast to catch him but I want him to get used to being held. Have been talking to him so he can get used to my voice.

It's been too long since I have had a young kitten. Forgot how frisky they can be!

Fibromyalgia Awareness Day!

 

 Today is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day!

Books

Ever since I learned to read and picked up my first Nancy Drew, I have loved mysteries. Over the years have I read many different authors, but my favorite is and always will be Agatha Christie. Oh, how I wish I could have met her!! I have collected all of her books. That is how I am. When I find an author I enjoy, I like to read and re-read their books over again many times. Can't remember how many times I have read each book and story written by Agatha Christie.

In the early 1980's I discovered another author I enjoy. That is Charlotte Vale Allen. I have all of her books and have re-read them many times. She writes mainly about womens issues.  Yesterday in the post "Secrets" I wrote about the latest book of hers I just finished reading. Knowing how much I loved her books, Tony surprised me one day (quite a few years ago now) and took me to a book-signing to meet Charlotte. What a wonderful person she is!

Well, I have a new favorite and love her books. It is my friend, Suzanne Embree.  Can't wait for the next one! When I read her first one, "The Awakening of Hope",  I just knew she had a future in writing and have been always waiting and looking for her next book. I have a shelf in my bookcase with her name on it, reserved for all her future works. Suzanne,  I am so proud to say I know you!!

"Secrets"

Finished reading 'Secrets" and still can't stop thinking about it. It held me tight and I could not put down the book until it was finished, staying up all night. "Secrets" is about a young widow who is trying to come to terms with the reality of her marriage. This book was written  by Katharine Marlowe, and if you follow the link you will know who she really is. I have every one of her books. And have read most of them at least three 3 times, so far. This is my first time reading "Secrets" and it won't be the last, of course.

Secret Garden

Just finished watching the Korean drama, Secret Garden. It has my favorite guy, Yoon Sang Hyun. He wasn't the lead but his role was just as important, as far as I'm concerned.

It starred Hyun Bin and Ha Ji Won as the leads. Both Yoon Sang Hyun and Hyun Bin lost a lot of weight before this drama. I thought they had lost too much, but toward the end of the drama I started to get used to their new look. I just hope they don't lose any more weight. 

So now I am having withdrawal pains. I need to see more of Yoon Sang Hyun, our sweet man!

Playful Kiss/It Started with a Kiss/Itazura na Kiss

Happy New Year!!

I realized I have not written anything here for a while. So I wanted to mention a drama I watched a few months ago. I like to see dramas that are remade from other dramas or mangas. I don't like to say I compare, but I guess in a way I do. Don't most of us compare things or people in our lives, even if we say we don't?

Anyway, I watched the Korean drama Playful Kiss (or Mischievous Kiss) (2010) last September. It starred Kim Hyun Joong from the group SS501. His co-star (or the leading lady), was Jung So Min. Of course, as usual, there are a lot of different opinions about the drama, the acting, everything. But I don't go along with other people's opinions. I know what I like and don't like. I thought it was a cute drama, but there were a couple of scenes I couldn't help comparing to the Taiwanese version, It Started with a Kiss (2005), starring Joe Cheung and Ariel Lin. I first saw Joe Cheung when he was in The Rose (2003).

Then the Japanese version of this story is Itazura na Kiss (1996) which I saw before any of these were ever made. It starred Kasiwabara Takashi, who I thought was a cutie back then, and Sato Aiko. 

Of course, it all started with the manga Itazura na Kiss (1991-1999) by Tada Kaoru.The manga can be found here. 

The scene that I did compare between "Playful Kiss" and "It Started with a Kiss" is, of course, the kiss in the rain, when the guy discovers he loves the girl. In ISWK, the scene was much longer and showed more emotion. In Playful Kiss, there wasn't a lot of emotion shown from Kim Hyun Joong (he didn't show much emotion throughout the whole series). In ISWK we were able to see how much the character of Jiang Zhi Shu changed and grew as a person. In Playful Kiss, we were not able to see all the subtle changes as there were only 16 episodes, where ISWK had 20 episodes. Joe Cheung did do a good job of letting us see the changes. But then Joe does have more experience in acting. I'm sure Kim Hyun Joong will grow and improve. He did do a much better job in Playful Kiss than he did in Boys Before Flowers (2009). I am looking forward to his next drama to see how much he has improved.

 I found this photo of Song Il Gook and like the very faint smile he has. It's so faint, it's almost not a smile, really. But I can't help going back to look at it again and again. Not sure why, but there is something about his almost-smile that I like.

anniversary

To my Beloved,

I miss you more every day. And yesterday only made the hurt worse. If you were here with me, we would have been married 18 years. Some say time heals all wounds, but time has not healed this hurt. As time goes on, the pain just gets worse every year. I always told you I would love you forever.....and after.

I remember how upset you would get whenever your wedding ring fell off and the time I came home from work to find you in tears because you couldn't find it. I told you not to worry, we would find it. And we did. We always did better when we figured things out together. Well, now it's my turn to have my wedding ring falling off due to the weight loss. Mom told me that I should try it on another finger. She understands how I feel naked without it. Sure wish you were here to comfort me the other day when I almost lost my ring.

I am looking forward to the day we will see each other again. I love you, my Darling, and always will forever....and after.
                                            

Just finished watching this Korean drama

I just recently finished watching the Korean drama, "A Man Called God" with Song Il Gook (송일국). Many people, from what I have read, did not like his new look for this drama. I have to admit, at first I was not sure, either. But after I got into the drama, his looks grew on me.

Every episode was exciting. Every episode had me thinking this time he would be killed, or at least captured. Most of the time I was actually on the edge of my seat, yelling at my computer monitor. My father had returned for a visit and was staying at my place for a few days. He was laughing at me, saying he couldn't get over how much I actually got into it while watching my dramas. He had never seen that before, I guess.

Usually when I watch a drama that I am enjoying, I can watch the episodes back to back. I have done many all-night marathons, watching dramas. But with "A Man Called God", I could only watch one episode at a time. After each was done, I needed time to let my heart get back to normal beating.

There are a few people who do not like Song Il Gook, but I have always enjoyed watching him act. But after seeing him in this last story, he is now definitely my 3rd favorite Korean actor. Of course, Yoon Sang Hyun is my very first, then Kang Ji Hwan, and Song Il Gook is the next in line.

This is how Song Il Gook looked before doing this drama.

This is how Song Il Gook looked in this last drama.

I think the reason why many people did not like his new look when we first read about this new drama is because of the first photos that were shown when letting us know about it.

I finally found a photo showing us of his new look, this is what I think 'scared' some of his fans. All those muscles. I read that he had gone on a very strict diet for this role and lost about 15 kg. I'm not good at converting weights, but I think that is about 33 lbs. Plus he spent even more time in the gym and weight training. And he had to learn new skills such as skydiving, fencing, archery, and shooting.

Well, "Coffee House" has only 2 more episodes. I am not sure of the direction it is going, but if it is going the way I think it is, I am not liking it. As much as I love Kang Ji Hwan, I don't like Park Si Yeon. I didn't like her when she was in the last half of Family Outing, season 1, and I still don't like her. I'm not exactly sure why, but I guess we just don't always know or understand the reasons why. Jung Woong In is in "Coffee House", and his character is sooooo different from the character he played in "Last Scandal". I really liked him in that.

While I was at Viikii to see "Coffee House", I checked out some of the other dramas they have subbed there. Found a very nice, warm story, a drama from China, called "Rent a Girlfriend Home for New Year". Loved this one!! Liked the two main actors. Du Chun and Xue Jia Ning. Never saw them before, but I think I will try to find some of their other work.