End of the world movies

I thought I loved disaster movies, or as my kids all them, "end-of-the-world" movies. As much as I love them, I think my hubby has me beat. Tonight, we're watching a movie a movie about major earthquakes. I'm not sure of the name. After this, he's salivating about another disaster movie about tornadoes hitting New York City. I've not really gotten into this one. Why? For one, I'm busy blogging and reading emails. But two? There's too much action-adventure and not enough characterization. Even though I love this type of movie in general, they have to have great characters and slow down enough to allow them to shine through. What I really love is to watch the human spirit prevail against all odds. I also want to know what makes the characters tick even when there are disasters happening or pending. I can watch "Independence Day" night after night after night. Ditto with "The Mummy", "Night of the Comet", "The Stand", "Raiders of the Lost Ark", "Night of the Tornadoes", and "Day After Tomorrow". I can watch "Armageddon", "Dante's Peak", and "Twister" occasionally if not as much as those on my A list. I want to know the characters and feel their emotions. Some of the made-for-TV disaster movies have so much "disaster" happening, or show so many characters, I lose interest fast. Just like I'm having trouble getting into the movie on TV now. Of course, the longer I've been writing, the more I want to edit not only books but movies and the quicker I become bored if it's not really good. When I really love a movie, I forget to edit. Or maybe I should say I can tell when I really love a movie or a book when I stop trying to edit and just enjoy it. I'm not trying to be picky, but it just happens. I'm watching a commercial about the "NYC: Tornado Terror" and I have to laugh. Okay, so I'm warped - I'm laughing at a tornado ripping apart a city. Why am I laughing? Because for the gazillionth time the Statue of Liberty is being torn apart in a movie. It's so cliche. It's like a disaster movie can't be made about NYC without showing the Statue of Liberty being destroyed. Give it a rest already! Even in the "Day After Tomorrow" a movie I like a lot, the Statue of Liberty is bowled over by tidal waves. Of course it would be, but still. And now in this one, it showed the Statue of Liberty's arm being ripped off. This reminds me of the "Planet of the Apes" where Charlton Heston finds out he's on Earth and not some other innocuous planet when he finds the Statue of Liberty in the ruins. The only disaster movie set in New York City I thought was original in using the Statue of Liberty was "Ghost Busters" or was it "Ghost Busters II" where the Statue of Liberty starts walking and saves the city. Now that was pretty awesome and unique twist on the cliches. Now I know hubby's more twisted by me. The next movie was just advertised again and the Statue of Liberty's arm was just flung off again, and he's going "Oh, cool!". I married a sick sick man. I guess we're well suited. :) After all, I blew up all of planet Earth in my book "Eternal Damnation", so whose the real twisted one? You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

End of the World Movies and Stories

Real fast as I like to check in daily, but it's late and I feel guilty when I have an edit due and I'm here instead. I'm not sure what to blog about today. I've been very drained since becoming manager two weeks ago. I was always very busy. My coworkers were constantly asking me questions and for help before the promotion (probably why I was selected to get the promotion) which made me even busier, and yet, I seem to be even crazier than before. I can't hardly take a break (we usually take 15 minutes at 10 and again at 3) anymore. My walking buddies have given up on me. For instance, I began to take a break around 10 this morning and a call came in demanding to speak to the manager. Oy! So I handled it. Then, as soon as I got off the phone with her, I escaped to the ladies room but didn't take a whole break as it was getting late. When I got back to my desk only a couple minutes later, I had a message that that same woman had called back and was perturbed that I had stepped away. I can hardly go to the bathroom anymore! Our department gets this busy in November and December but this is the end of February! I'm sure things will settle down - my nerves included - and I won't be so completely drained. I was worse tonight. Not just drained, but jumpy and overwhelmed. But as one blog I read said, I need to list my blessings so quickly, here they are: my kids, my hubby, my pets, my home, my job, my friends, this great country (US), my dad, my cousin who I will see Saturday!!! I'm so excited - I've not seen her in a year, and many more. Hubby turned on "Independence Day" which is probably my favorite movie. I never tire of it and I watch it almost nightly. It helps me get to sleep. I know that seems strange - the world is on the brink of ending and I'm going to sleep. I love my "end-of-the-world-movies" as my kids call them. This one, "The Stand", "Night of the Comet", "The Mummy", "Raiders of the Lost Ark", "Left Behind". It's not that I want the world to end. Heavens no! But these movies exemplify the human spirit and we kick ass and triumph against all odds. These particular movies have great characterization, too. And, some of them are quite fun - at least in spots. Maybe I'm strange. Who cares? I keep trying to write these stories. Maybe not as much as I want as my critique partner keeps trying to pull me back from my Stephen King mode as she calls it. Still, I blew up planet earth in one of my stories. And yes, it was a romance. She didn't manage to reign me in on that one. I can't recall if I let her critique that one. Maybe I didn't... That was "Eternal Damnation" published by http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/. It's a futuristic vampire romance. And yet, if you've read many of my stories, you know I also love comedy romance. But if you look at my list above, some of those combine comedy, romance, action/adventure, and horror - The Mummy, Raiders..., and hubby says Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, fits the bill (I like it, but it's not one of my favs) which would fit all these qualifications. One of these days I'll come up with something like this. Oh! Wait! I did do one short story like this. "Curse of Osiris" in the "Enchanted Holidays" book published by Cerridwen Press, but it's under my pseudonym of Elaine Hopper and with my friends Sher Hames-Torres, Kim Cox, Liz Delisi, Chris Grover, and Maureen McMahon. Of course, I'm so tired, I almost forget this. And Sher's the one that keeps trying to keep me from blowing up the world or something equally heinous - she failed this time. Oh well...