Finding Beauty in the Beast

Posted on March 20, 2013 by rkpaulus

One of my favorite scenes! And the backdrops! These high school students displayed superb artistic talent!

After attending the theater [said with a bit of Broadway flare] this past weekend as Locust Valley Jesters performed the musical Beauty and the Beast, I’m still going to sleep with the songs in my head. It was that good! 🙂

Beauty is my all time favorite. I mean, come on, as a reader/writer, my connection to a character who walks on stage with a book in her hands is instantaneous. And when the Beast takes Belle into his library, it’s like the equivalent of putting Nemo back in the ocean. She’s home, away from home. Continue reading →

That One Thing … My First Christmas

Posted on December 25, 2012 by rkpaulus

[In Case you missed the FIRST PART to this story…]

If you’ve read my blog for this past year, or even for a few weeks, you’ll see that I don’t worry much about being out there. I’m very much a wears her heart on her sleeve type of gal, and I find that although I risk embarrassment, humiliation, and the occasional reprimand, the benefits outweigh the side effects. Sure, I might come across as quirky, crazy, or even a freak, but I assure you. I am not alone. You’re just as nutty, even if you’re hiding behind your laptop screen or iPhone. And I don’t mind meeting you on this side of cyberspace, letting you take a glimpse here and there of the madness of the worlds that swirl around in my head and heart. Because, ultimately, writing helps me to process, file, and move on. And I hope that my stories and words help you to know that you’re not alone. Because life can be lonely.

Alone is possibly the scariest word I know. Continue reading →

The Hobbit… Reflections on Sandy Hook

Posted on December 17, 2012 by rkpaulus

http://www.stockfreeimages.com/

Went to see The Hobbit last night. Incredible book. Amazing movie. To be expected. From the music to the cinematography to the dialogue, Peter Jackson and his entire crew truly delivered. And to be honest, it was nice to leave the world. For a brief three hours.

One of my favorite movie quotes was one Hubs and I spoke about on the walk back to the car through the parking lot.

Bilbo Baggins: I have… I have never used a sword in my life.

Gandalf: And I hope you never have to. But if you do, remember this: true courage is about not knowing when to take a life, but when to spare one.

Because like so many of us around the globe, since Friday morning’s tragedy of the slaughter of innocent children and teachers, I’ve had a really difficult time knowing how to process and how to move forward. I can’t even imagine how a parent of any of the twenty children is dealing right now. Continue reading →

Moved… By Moments that Press the Pause in Me

Posted on October 4, 2012 by rkpaulus

The day my grandma passed away, almost six months ago, I read a Facebook status that said something like, “My boy is gone to heaven. And I only held him for a few minutes.”

Friends of ours gave birth to their first-born son. Who took his last breath before they ever had a chance to enjoy him.

My grandmother was in her 80’s. This child was one day old.

Pause.

*** Continue reading →