Jane Eyre, the film is spectacular

This film really ramps up the eerie in Bronte's gothic masterpiece. The director keeps everything in Jane's point of view by having the sounds barely audible when she's in shock, which makes it tough when you're in a theater where people are popping gum, shaking bags of popcorn to let the butter coat every kernel or whatever....Why would anyone have to shake their popcorn bag, you tell me?

READ LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT TO SEE HOW FAMILY CONFLICT PROPELS A WORK OF ART

O'Neill's play. Long Day's Journey into Night is a perfect study for not only character development, but how the wounds of family life live in not only the characters, but each of us. Study it for the way O'Neill, through letting us into the character's circumstances and histories, will not allow the reader to walk away with blaming any one character for the mess, and this in a play that involves a constant bombardment of blame!

Don't get caught in the free I-Pad scam!

Someone raped my friend's facebook info and sent me an email supposedly from her, telling me how she'd just gotten a free I-Pad and wanted me to have one, too. I didn't even want a free I-Pad, but I have a wonderful son-in-law who I'm sure would love one, so I began filling out the form, gave them my email address, then thought better of filling out the rest of the info. But, alas, once they had my email address, they had a pop-up that I couldn't get rid of, that froze my computer. Now, with the help of AOL's advice, all of my settings are off and the computer clicks and turns on as if it's crashing. My techie, Kathy, is about to hear from me.

Some friends you just can't get to see often enough

After spending two hours in the restaurant, Zachy, myself, and our husbands ended up hanging out in the parking lot another hour and still it was hard to leave. Now that's great company!

Exciting Opportunity for writing about Mother's Day, Due April 15th

Write your own tribute for Mother's Day, 2011. Honor your Mom by composing a leter: Dear Mother. Make it honest--humorous or serious. Selections will be read by actors. There may be an anthology put together at some future time. http://jonelsenonline.com

Place to Publish: Note Bene, the Deadline is almost here

Subject: Deadline Reminder
March 15th is the deadline for the open submission reading period for the first of the two 25th anniversary issues of the Comstock Review. Submit up to five poems with self-addressed, stamped envelope to: The Comstock Review, Reading Period.4956 St. John Drive, Syracuse, NY 13215 All poems received will be considered for this commemorative issue of our journal. For full submission guidelines, visit:http://www.facebook.com/l/f5b23H9caA-JPeHxs6bgXPRqUVA/www.comstockreview.org/howtosubmit.html

Writing Challenge

Write about a personal habit such as biting your nails: when it began, the actual way you do it. Are you a cuticle chewer? Do you start at a corner and bite down as far as you can before continuing. Have people commented about it? Anything you can think of, go for it. Let yourself have a riff, an improv. And maybe, when you're finished, the habit will leave you like blown dandelion fluff.

Read a play to learn about plot development and character and dialogue

Tennessee Williams's, The Glass Menagerie, is a great play for rich characters, dialogue, and plot development. In a play, these factors are much clearer than in a novel or short story. And you can feel like a genius because you can read it in an hour or less!

Of Gods and Men and Snoring

My husband, son, and I went to see it today. This is a challenging movie for New Yorkers in constant motion. I'm posting this as 1:17 a.m. We all fell asleep, loudly, I'm afraid.

Writing Challenge

One of my students had recommended that I give a writing challenge every now and then. Write a letter to yourself, discussing your worst quality. Justify it, condemn it, analyze it. Whatever your pleasure!