Saturday, September 23, 2017

New Songs

A few music videos of some of my favorite songs that I've heard so far this year.

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This song is so much fun and has a great old-fashioned message about love, marriage and family.

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I heard this is the finale episode of season 4 of The Originals and knew I had to get it! Just beautiful and heartbreaking.

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Utterly stunning in sound with evocative lyrics that really nail the emotions of Princess Diana and her journey of understanding the human heart. 

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No words can describe how extraordinary this musical piece is! Just enthralling!

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A modern updated rendition of Frankie Valli's big time hit, Big Girls Don't Cry.
I love it!

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 Another updated classic for the Dirty Dancing remake that still has the vibe of the original.

Fall Layout!


So Fall time is here! And I am loving my new fall inspired layout and colors! I've never used orange before (it's a risky color for anything), but I really think it all turned out lovely.


Sunday, September 17, 2017

King Arthur: Legend of The Sword


     Who doesn't love a good King Arthur movie? The newest interpretation one of the most beloved fictional characters and his rise to the throne of Camelot is a very different interpretation. If one were to take the BBC show Merlin and combine it with A Knight's Tale, then you get a modern, upbeat version of an age old legend. Like with Robin Hood, King Arthur can never really fade away into any sense of obscurity. King Arthur was to Old England what Captain America or Superman is to modern day America. As long as you get Arthur right then the rest of the story can very easily fall into place. 


     When the small island of Camelot is under attack by the maniacal sorcerer, Mordred, brave and noble King Uther Pendragon goes to war. Aided by his brother, Prince Vortigern and his first knight, Sir Bedivere, Uther manages to defeat Mordred with the powerful sword Excalibur, however, the true evil is closer than he thinks. Uther is betrayed by his own brother and killed. However, Uther's son, Prince Arthut manages to escape while Excalibur is buried deep in Avalon lake, unable to be found by anyone.

     Arthur finds safety in the wild city of Londinium. Rescued by prostitutes and raised in a brothel, Arthur grows up learning the value of hard work, dealing with bullies, making and saving money, and how to fight and protect others. Some twenty odd years go by and Arthur and his rag tag group of friends run the Londinium streets, caring for the poor and fighting any outsider who dare come into their city. Arthur's generous nature is immediately seen when he defends the prostitute who cared for him after she is badly beaten by a viking trader. While Arthur may run the streets and protect the destitue, he is still subject to the tyranny of the king and those who serve him.


     Word on the street starts to spread of 'the future king' after Excalibur is found buried deep within a stone. King Vortigen has run Camelot to the ground with his endless wars and expensive buildings. The people hate and fear him, but no one has the courage to stand up to him. While Vortigen may have succeeded in killing his brother, his nephew still poses a threat to the crown. Now that Excalibur is found, only Uther's true heir can wield it. 

     Every young man in his twenties is taken from their homes and sent to Camelot to pull the sword from the stone. After Arthur successfully releases the sword, his once carefree life in Londinium ends and now he becomes the reality of the myth of 'the future king.' His life is now a journey from the street smarts alley rat to the Once and Future King of Camelot. Aided by his friends including the wise and powerful Mage, Arthur fights to take back his birthright and give his kingdom back to its people. 


     As I said in the opening, if you get Arthur right than the rest of the story falls into place. Well, they got Arthur right. Played by the incredibly handsome and talented English actor, Charlie Hunnam, this Arthur was as Arthur should be. Noble, honorable, and courageous, but also deeply flawed with doubt and frightened of this unexpected legacy. I fell in love with him immediately. His care for the women that raised him and he how he loved and protected them was a beautiful way to interpret a king who understood the people regardless of their station. 

     He was also delightfully humorous and Arthur and his friends brought a great deal of comic relief to the story. One thing that the movie didn't bother with was a love story (thank goodness!). There was no romance or love interest at all. The only woman that Arthur got close to was the Mage, a rather dour faced character that never smiled or showed emotion, but she certainly knew how to hold her own. While their is a great deal of fighting, I didn't really see an general blood or violence (with the exception of Uther's brutal death/suicide). 

     Simply a fun movie with a little modern edge in areas as well as an exceptionally beautiful soundtrack. King Arthur: Legend of The Sword told the basic well known story of Arthur's road to the throne to Camelot while taking artistic liberties in the legend that makes it new and different. 


Tuesday, September 12, 2017

The Loveliest of Days

     

We have a new family member!!!

On September third, my younger brother, Seth, married his girlfriend of almost three years, Lydia Mae Rowlands! My family and Lydia's family have grown up together on the same street for fifteen years. Seth was eight and Lydia was six when they first met and our two families have always been close. 

Lydia is the fifth of ten children (also homeschooled) and my brother is the seventh of nine. Lydia is best friends with my two young sisters and Seth is best friends with Lydia's two older brothers. Seriously this is the type of relationship that a romantic comedy would be based off of. My brother literally married the girl next door and my family couldn't be more thrilled.

Their wedding was beautiful, simple and utterly energetic and fun! Here are the official wedding portraits and hopefully I can get some reception photos soon!

Photos are courtesy of Rowlands Photography