Plots Are Like Ocean Waves

As I write my last blog post for more than a week, I was indecisive about my subject matter. I thought about discussing vacations, travel or road music, and at the end of all of those thought tendrils, I came to a conclusion - plots are like ocean waves, one crashes against the beach and the next one is already poised to repeat the process.

Ocean waves are restless and never-ending. They come in a
variety of shapes and sizes, but the ocean is always in movement. 

OK - where are ocean waves coming into a drive across one state with no ocean in sight or even within 1000 miles of me? I have no idea, but I like the simile. Just think about plot for a small moment of your morning. You have a character or a couple as the centerpiece - the Main Dude. This Main Dude (or Dudette if you prefer) will have a starting point and an ending goal and in the process of the Main Dude working toward the ending, he'll get buffeted by many waves.

Waves (and plots) can crash against cliffs in a spectacular fashion. 

Those waves will be small stumbling blocks, or massive cliff-climbing crashes of water and foam. Somehow your character must persevere in his walk toward the conclusion, pushing through the saltwater and finally reaching a safe haven.

Huegette Clark is a prime example of a person who had everything but
enjoyed none of it. Heir to the Clark copper fortune, she was a deeply
disturbed young girl who grew up secluded from others and died
in a small room with no true friends and houses across the country
that she never visited. Interested in her story? Read "Empty Mansions" to find out more. 

Isn't life rather like that too? There is no such thing as a free ride, there are always bumps in the road. You would think that if you had everything - no fears about housing, food, money, safety or acceptance, you'd be super happy and live life to the fullest. Yet, time after time it seems that those who have everything are really those who have nothing.

Huegette Clark was raised in a huge mansion on Fifth Avenue in
New York City. It was filled with treasures including original paintings
by Rembrandt and more than one Stradivarius violin.
Here's a short article from the NY Times on Huegette Clark. 

So as I leave for a week sharing the wonders of beads and the company of good friends, I'll consider myself lucky. I've worked hard, but I've had a pretty fabulous life so far. There are bumps in my road that I've gone through, and others that are still to come, but we pull through them, and all in all, I'm very lucky.

One of the classes I'm taking will teach this lovely beaded starfish. I'm just
taking it to play and have fun - isn't fun an important thing in life? 

I hope all of you have a fabulous week. I'll be checking into my LJ and email accounts regularly, but I doubt I'll post again until I return from Bead & Button Show. Happy Saturday!

A Change of Scene - Pretty Pictures For Your Day

I am a child of the mountains who now lives in a land of lakes and low hills. I miss my mountains, but I've posted them many times before. I thought, since I really don't want to write things today that may be a downer, that I'd post some wonderful pictures instead. I want them to be pictures of somewhere I rarely go and the ocean calls to me today. So, as my DH meets with the attorney this morning to discuss his father's estate, I want to share the beauty of our Mother - the sea. All things come from the sea...

The power of the ocean, its never-ceasing movement combined with
the liquid water, makes for wonderful scenes of controlled chaos.

Waves have always frightened me while fascinating me. 

A variety of creatures live beneath the waves. Their patterns blend
with the filtered light and their movement is sinuous and rippling. 

Forests exist on the ocean floor - forests of small organisms living together
in joint harmony. Coral is much more effective at working together than
humanity is...'nuff said!

These two lovely fish blend into their environment. Colors like this would
stand out and cause their quick death by local predators if they lived on land.

Jellyfish are so amazing! They're kind of icky - but pretty darned attractive
if they aren't stinging you. I really liked this photo a lot. 

For my final pic today, a reminder that land is created from molten rock which solidifies
in air and in water. Scenes like lava hitting the ocean occur in Hawaii and other
growing volcanic lands throughout the world. So pretty!

So there you have it. Not a lot of discussion today, but lots of really pretty blue things for you to look at, relax with, and marvel at. Have a fantastic Thursday.

Beaches - I'm Cold Today So Here's Some Warm Thoughts

It's my day off today and my list of errands is long *sigh*. It's cold so I'm going to concentrate on warm things today. One quick note - the death toll in the Oklahoma tornado keeps going down and down - the BEST NEWS EVER! Nothing could make me happier than to have those numbers keep reducing. The National Guard was in the area very soon afterward with infrared and heat-seeking technology and the word is that they feel quite confident that everyone has been found. Now for the clean-up, something that Moore, and anywhere in Tornado Alley, is well used to doing.  So...warm things...

Awwww...does he serve drinks too?
Just look at the size of the paws on that little
fuzzy tiger cub - too cute!

There is something wonderful about a relaxing beach, a fancy drink (with the little umbrella, thank you) and maybe even a nice cabana boy to look at. After all...I might be getting older, but I'm not dead yet! I know that some people aren't fond of beaches, but I haven't been at a lot of them over my life and when I have been, I've been fascinated by the ocean.

Hot sun and cool waves in quiet surf. Yeah - this one works for me.

The ocean has times when it frightens me. I understand the mountains - I grew up in them and feel comfortable with vertical walls of rock, rushing cold streams and forested slopes. But the ocean is another huge world, larger than the land mass of earth. It features animals that are unfamiliar to me - creatures that are odd and amazing. There are fish and jellyfish, whales and dolphins, seaweed and corals and so many, many fish. I love going into the ocean but I love coming back onto land again - I belong on the land.

This pic isn't from a beach, but what a lovely sight. Land Ho!

There are few sights more beautiful than sunrise or sunset over a perfect beach. Maybe some day I'll travel to Hawaii once. I hear that the beaches there are amazingly beautiful. I've seen the Atlantic while in Florida and the Pacific when I visited Acapulco and Mazatlan, Mexico, but I've never been to Hawaii. Hmmm...well, it's a possibility. But if it comes down to a choice between Hawaii or Florence...

Florence, Italy. What a magical place. I'm sure it's warm in the summer, right?

Florence wins for me. Yeah. I want to see this view in person, wander the museums, and stand mesmerized in front of David. Cold marble can take the place of a warm cabana boy - LOL.