Author: Becky

Saturday No. 2

I’m not sure that 2009’s New In Town with Renée Zellweger and Harry Connick Jr. is a rewatch because I don’t remember seeing it before. When we were at The Compound, all of the DVDs lived in the Doll House with Timothy. This made it easier, whenever one of our writing partners visited, for someone to sit on the floor and read out titles to the rest of us until we all agreed on something to watch. But when we moved to Houndstooth Hall, we had more room over in the house, so the DVDs are shelved here, including ones Timothy added. He remembers watching this one, so it’s probably one he grabbed from the used bin at Blockbuster. I enjoyed it, not only the leads, but the supporting cast.

About A Boy, from 2002, isn’t really a RomCom so much as comedy/drama. I’m pretty sure I read Nick Hornby’s novel (same title), and it felt like something I wanted to see today. Directed by brothers Chris and Paul Weitz, it features a solid cast that includes Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, Rachel Weisz, and Nicholas Hoult.

I also finished the seventh and final novel in the series I’ve been rereading. It was quite strange, because there were passages that seemed different to me, and I didn’t think that could be possible. I’ve read these novels so many times. One of the passages was so jarring that I took my iPad to Debby’s to read to her, asked if she remembered it as having been written the way that was unfamiliar to me, and she did. That’s when we discovered that her physical book versions of at least one of the novels and the versions I downloaded on my iPad match, but are different from the physical books I’ve been reading since I was an adolescent that were published by a bookclub. The editor in me has what I think is a good grasp of why the bookclub made the edits it did (and I prefer the bookclub versions). I’d like to know how the author felt about the changes. (She’s been dead since 1984, and these are not books that would have gotten literary analysis/criticism that I could research.) Another problem with my ebook versions of all seven novels is that they contained many copy errors (e.g., misspelled words, missing words, wrong character names). If I ever read the series again, I’ll stick to my print copies.

Saturday No. 1

I got a working DVD of 1998’s You’ve Got Mail with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan sometime last week. You may remember that I was watching my previous DVD version and it got to a halfway-ish point in the movie and stopped working. I think it was because there was some kind of tie-in between AOL, Microsoft, and the DVD, and it would play only on a computer with a certain version of Microsoft Windows that was released in 1997. Which is kind of funny, because 1997 is when I got my first Windows-based PC (before that, I’d only had Apple/Mac products). If I still had that computer, I probably could have watched the DVD.

The reason we got that computer was because I was reeling from several years’ losses of friends to AIDS, and my friend Lisa Y had, on a whim one day on a contract job we had, showed me how to access chat rooms. Tom said AOL was known for its chat rooms, so if we got a PC and loaded AOL on it, maybe I could find an AOL chat room with supportive people who’d experienced some of the things I’d been going through since 1989.

“Meeting” someone through communication via AOL email and Instant Messaging who turns out to be meaningful is basically the plot line of You’ve Got Mail. Among the people I met in the chatroom I landed in were Timothy, Jim, and Timmy, who became my friends and my writing partners, plus a stranger-then-friend who turned out to be a distant cousin from my father’s side of the family (what were the chances?).

That whole AOL experience is so LAST century, right? Yet in a viewer reaction to the movie, someone mentioned how outdated the technology is but NO ONE CARES because it’s still a good movie. I think it is, too. Like Sleepless In Seattle, there’s something so quietly sweet in the chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. I say that despite how the plot line has his character (Joe Fox) opening a big box bookstore that unapologetically aims to put her character (Kathleen Kelly)’s charming independent bookstore, inherited from her mother, out of business. By the time that movie came out, I’d been a bookseller in a chain, but I shopped at local booksellers, too, and I regretted every one lost. Ironically, ultimately, Amazon not only ate the independents, it continues the process of putting bookstore chains out of business.

Until last night’s conclusion of You’ve Got Mail, I hadn’t rewatched movies this week. I got in the mood to reread a book series that I first became acquainted with in junior high school. That’s a story for another time, but it’s provided a much-needed diversion from an anxiety-filled week.

Photo Friday, No. 926

Current Photo Friday theme: Album Cover


I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot this cover photo. Credit to Dorothy Cochrane.


This is a photo I shot in 1979. One of the children pictured is my nephew Josh, all grown up and a musician now. When he saw it, he said it’d make a great album cover. He then recorded an EP called Slow Down and…made it an album cover. =)

More beauty at the Hall

Tom has spotted hummingbirds several times in the ruellia (aka, Mexican petunia, or wild petunia) plants outside the kitchen window. I haven’t been so lucky, but I did get some good photos of the plants yesterday.

ETA two days later: Spotted several, but whenever I had my camera (to shoot through a dirty window pane and a screen), they flew away. This one was going flower to flower, but by the time my phone camera caught him, he was behind leaves.

Never forget


Tom was running an errand and texted me to say he was seeing a double rainbow in the sky. I went outside and couldn’t see the same from my angle, but I did see a single rainbow. Sending good thoughts to all the communities being impacted by Hurricane Francine, a Category 1 at landfall.

I’d been wondering what I wanted to post today, it being the anniversary of September 11, 2001. Our grand-nephew Steven was born on that day, a bright light for our family on a very dark day for our nation.


This photo was taken by Lynne in New York City in 2003.

Tiny Tuesday

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. September 8 through September 14 is Suicide Prevention Week. World Suicide Prevention Day is today, September 10. You do not have to be in crisis to reach out for help. If you are experiencing depression, sadness, stress, or anxiety, or you are worried about a friend or family member who is, here is info for assistance in finding the right resource for your needs.

•988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 24/7/365, you can call or text 988.
•Crisis Text Line: Text Hello to 741741
•YouthLine: Text teen2teen to 839863, or call 1-877-968-8491
•Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: call or text 1-800-422-4453
•National Domestic Violence Hotline: Text START to 88788 or call 1-800-799-7233 or text LOVEIS to 22522.
•National Deaf Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-855-812-1001
•Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN): 1-800-656-4673
•The Trevor Project for LGBTQIA+ kids and teens: 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678678
•Veterans Crisis Line: If in danger, call 911. For more info, call 800-273-8255 (press 1). Please keep msgs under 160 characters.
•Trans Lifeline for transgender and questioning callers: 1-877-565-8860 [available between 7 a.m. and 1 a.m. PST (9 a.m. to 3 a.m. CST or 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. EST), but operators are often available during off-hours, so no matter when you need to call, you should].

A few other LGBTQIA helplines that offer support, but not necessarily crisis intervention:

•LGBT National Hotline: 1-888-843-4564
•LGBT National Youth Talkline: 1-800-246-7743
•LGBT Senior Hotline: 1-888-234-7243

•SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357: If you are struggling with addiction or are concerned about a loved one’s alcohol or drug abuse, you can contact the hotline for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This US government agency offers support and information about treatment and recovery. For any kind of emergency situation related to drug or alcohol use, call 911 or your local emergency line.

Sunday Sundries

Back when I was still working and going to transport two to three times a week, one of the things I did to make arriving to work between 6 and 6:30 AM more bearable was to wear a lot of bracelets. In those days (not really THAT long ago), stacking bracelets was called an “arm party.” I looked up the term; it’s still used, and people still do it, although bracelet styles have been added.

None of my bracelets was expensive, which was part of the appeal for me (I often made my own; plus if a dog was going to jump on me in a friendly way and a bracelet broke, it wouldn’t be a big loss). Almost all of my bracelets hang on a stand on my dresser, and some of them were gifts.


I never wore this bracelet, however, because the string seemed fragile. I’m not absolutely certain of its origin. It either came from Tom after he went on a barefoot cruise with his family in 1992, or it could have come from someone in his family after a trip to Hawaii.


A heap o’bracelets.

Here’s a photo of a couple of my favorites, a guitar set in a leather strap (in honor of the Neverending Saga’s musician), and one of wraparound beads, both of which I purchased as a treat to myself in 2020, when no one was going shopping, and so many stores were closed. I think both of them were advertised on my Instagram feed.

Then, OOPS! As I returned the wraparound bracelet to the stand, the elastic band broke. Beads were bouncing around on my laptop keyboard and all over the tile floor in the sanctuary. It took Tom and me using the mini-vacuum, a broom and dustpan, and a phone flashlight to find them all (hopefully). Maybe I’ll build another bracelet or a necklace with the loose beads. Who knows.


Meanwhile, I proceeded with the remaining two of my Bridget Jones movie rewatches, 2004’s Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, and 2016’s Bridget Jones’s Baby. I like all the movies, but The Edge of Reason is my least favorite because I often want to scream at Bridget for the way her insecurities cause her to make dumb choices. I understand it; after all, there could have been no second film if the hopefully-ever-after of the first movie hadn’t gone south for some reason in the intervening years.

I remember after Timothy James Beck’s first novel, It Had To Be You, which tells the story of Daniel and Blaine, came out, so many readers wrote to ask us for a continuation of their story. They even wanted the same story but from Blaine’s point of view. Those are things best left to readers’ imaginations. It’s not much fun for a writer to retell a story just because it’s from a different point of view. If multiple POVs are necessary to tell the same story, it’s best to use an omniscient narrator in a single novel. Our second TJB novel introduced an entirely new character and narrator. When we continued to get requests for more Daniel and Blaine, I said to my writing partners, “Be careful what you wish for!” We then proceeded to break up the characters for the third novel–but at least it was told from Blaine’s perspective!

Back to Bridget: I like the third movie and the baby storyline much better, mostly because by now, Bridget has learned to be more independent, to forge a more successful career for herself, and to work hard to get herself healthier. She still sometimes tends to react to things that look suspect without simply confronting other characters and demanding explanations. This trait does add conflict and push the plot along, but it makes me doubt that she’s maturing.

The last surprise at the end of the movie adds to the fun. Now that I know there’s a fourth movie planned, I look forward to seeing how the various characters are juggled in Bridget’s future. Bonuses: Bridget’s group of friends are still around and still fun, even if their lives are changing. And her parents, played by Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent, always make me laugh (her mother) or happy (her father).

Is it fall yet (no)

This year, the autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere lands on Sunday, September 22, at 7:44 AM central time (the zone I’m in). This has little to do with Houston’s weather. These are the seasons as I’ve observed them at Houndstooth Hall:
•hot, wet, and mosquito-filled
•hot, dry, and the palmetto bugs want to come indoors
•OMG, was that…a breeze?
•call the plumber, your pipes froze and split in the middle of the night

Hurricane season is a myth, as it can put in an appearance during any of those first three seasons.

The other day, while outside with the dogs, I spotted this on the ground and thought, “Fall!”

Then I decided it probably was brought here by a migrating bird who came from a place of real seasons bearing a symbol of hope. Thanks, bird!

It has been cooler here this week, but my mind hasn’t been at ease. For two years now, we’ve been on the receiving end of advice, suggestions, harassment, warnings!!!!, that we need a generator to alleviate the impact of power outages. If you’ve read here during the worst of our winter storms and the extended power outages of this year in particular, you know it’s a sound idea. If only the people who sound off wanted to contribute to the Houndstooth Hall Generator Fund. I’ve spent the last few days since we got our quote figuring out how to budget the cost with other steep and unexpected expenses this year. Whatever. We’ll figure it out. It can’t be done before “hurricane season” ends, but it will happen.

In the meantime, we’re still in OMG, was that a breeze? season, which means summer continues, as does RomCom Summer. Here are my most recent rewatches from the past few days when I’m not nervously crunching numbers (and Nacho Doritos).

An argument can be made that 1990’s Pretty Woman is the definitive film in the RomCom genre. The original screenplay was much darker, and one version even included the demise of Vivian. Not on Héctor Elizondo’s watch! The chemistry between Vivian and Edward, as played by Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, is off the charts. There are so many quotable moments and memorable scenes in this film: Rodeo Drive, the polo field, the boardrooms, and the restaurants. Each viewing, I remember I adore Elinor Donahue as Bridget and Patrick Richwood as Dennis the elevator operator (he and Héctor Elizondo team up again in The Princess Diaries, which deserves a rewatch, too).

Others might argue that the RomCom trend near the end of the previous century was kicked off by 1989’s When Harry Met Sally. Maybe, but rewatching this one wasn’t as fun for me. The humor’s there, the snappy dialogue’s there, but ultimately, I think I like Meg Ryan’s Sally and Billy Crystal’s Harry better as friends. I’d totally forgotten Harley Jane Kozak played Harry’s ex, Helen. As always, Carrie Fisher, who plays Sally’s friend Marie, is outstanding. (This probably means I’m going to need to rewatch Postcards from the Edge because of her excellent writing–as well as the cast’s performances.) This also got me in the mood to watch Meg Ryan in You’ve Got Mail. Unfortunately, a DVD issue brought that to a screeching halt after the first forty minutes, so my viewing has been postponed.

Instead, I watched 1982’s Tootsie, and just giving that date stuns me. FORTY-TWO years! I do thoroughly enjoy the entire cast that supports Dustin Hoffman as Michael and Jessica Lange as Julie. Rewatching this sent me on a deep dive of the other movies Sydney Pollack directed (he was also sometimes a producer, writer, and actor–in fact, he plays Michael’s agent in this film). These are some of my favorites from among them: This Property Is Condemned, Jeremiah Johnson, The Way We Were, The Electric Horseman, Absence of Malice, Out of Africa, and the remake of Sabrina. Kudos to the late Mr. Pollack, and I was reminded of an incident from my deep past. I was at McFarland Mall in Tuscaloosa one day, and on a whim, I went solo to a matinee at the mall’s theater. This would have been 1977, and I know this not because of the movie I saw, which I don’t remember, but because after that movie, a poster on another wall compelled me forward.


All my brain could process was Michael Corleone!! (1972’s The Godfather, 1974’s The Godfather II, as well as the title character of 1973’s Serpico). Unfortunately, those were my days as a poor student, so I couldn’t spring for another movie, even if it was directed by Sydney Pollack. I never saw Bobby Deerfield. Maybe one day. I do own both those Godfathers and Serpico, though. =) Spoiler: There’ll be another favorite RomCom rewatch with Al Pacino soon.

My rewatch to wind down last night was 2001’s Bridget Jones’s Diary. Again, great supporting cast and side stories, and Renee Zellweger as Bridget, along with the ultimate RomCom face-off between Hugh Grant as Daniel and Colin Firth as Mark, are all brilliant casting. It was announced in April that there’s to be a fourth movie in the Bridget Jones franchise. =)

Stay tuned…

Photo Friday, No. 925

Current Photo Friday theme: Many


Many Pennys.

Created in 1963, and sold as late as 1970, by the Deluxe Reading/Topper Toy Company, the Penny Brite doll was intended to be a solution for parents who wanted their children to play with fashion dolls who looked younger than the dolls in the Mattel line. In 2007, Charisma Brands reintroduced the doll, along with additional outfits and a carrying case, for $69.95. I don’t know what her original price was, but likely in the three- to five-dollar range.