Literary Characters I'd Most (and Least) Like to Invite to a Party

If you could choose any characters from literature to invite to a big shindig - say, history's coolest New Year's Eve party - who would you invite?

(Note that I'm asking about literary characters you most want to PARTY with, which is a far different list than folks you might wish to invite over for a nice dinner party.  Completely different list, and maybe the topic of my next blog post ...?)

So, with apologies to Atticus Finch (love you, but you don't strike me as a party animal), Nancy Drew/Ned Nickerson (hearing about your adventures would be great, but I'd spend the whole party worrying someone might say something off-color and shock you), and Sherlock Holmes (you really need to work on your social skills, dude) - here's a list of the literary figures/couples that would definitely top my invitation list!

1. Lord Harry Flashman/Lady Elspeth Morrison Flashman (various titles, George MacDonald Fraser).  Not only would Lord Harry have hundreds of fabulous (albeit invented) stories of derring-do to share with the guests, but Lady Flashman would provide a comely bit of eye candy, ensuring that none of my single friends - male or female - would go away disappointed.
   
   
2. Bertie Wooster/Jeeves (various titles, PG Wodehouse).  Because someone's got to spike the punch, and then someone's got to make sure everyone gets home safely
   
   
3. Jay Gatsby/Daisy Buchanan (The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald).  Because someone's got to get the rest of the guests drinking and dancing.
   
   
4. Lord Peter Whimsy/Lady Harriet Vane Whimsey/Bunter (various titles, Dorothy Sayers).  Sure to add intellectual depth to the ensemble without dragging everyone down. (Added bonus: Lord Peter's mad piano skills. Sure to keep the party going until late into the morning hours!)
   
   
5. Rhett Butler/Scarlett O'Hara Butler (Gone With the Wind, Margaret Mitchell).  Counting on them to contribute dash, color, and that all-important whiff of scandal to the proceedings! 
   
   
6. Kimball "Kim" O'Hara (Kim, Rudyard Kipling).  He's learned, he's a bit of a rogue, and the stories he could tell about his travels and adventures ...!
   
   
7. The Wife of Bath (Canterbury Tales).  I've always pictured her as that grandmother you occasionally run across at family gatherings - the one that says outrageous things because they can.  Sure to amuse/entertain with ribald stories about life and romance. 
   
   
8. Emma Woodhouse Knightly/George Knightly (Emma, Jane Austen).  In addition to being charming and urbane company, I'm guessing Emma would make the best wingman(woman) ever!

Can't you just picture Lord Peter and Kim talking learnedly about oriental literature while Harriet and Jay cut a rug; Daisy and Elspeth sharing fashion tips while Flashman surreptitiously hits on Scarlett; Jeeves and Bunter one-upping each other with tales of the scrapes their masters keep getting into; Bertie and Harry drinking each other under the carpet; Rhett and Mr. Knightly discussing the perils of colonialism while Emma listens with delighted shock to one of the Wife of Bath's more salacious anecdotes; ? Best party EVER!

Speaking of which, here are the literary characters I'd least like to invite to a party, for the reasons stated:

1. Captain Ahab (Moby Dick, Herman Melville).  Because nothing's more boring than a guest who only talks about the one topic that obsesses them. 
   
   
2. Job (The Bible).  Can you imagine the conversation? What a downer!
   
   
3. Lady Chatterly (Lady Chatterly's Lover, DH Lawrence).  Whine, whine, whine!
   
   
4. Humbert Humbert (Lolita, Vladimir Nabakov).  How icky would it be to have to worry about him hitting on the daughters of my other guests?
   
   
5. Don Juan (legend/fable).  He'd distract the female guests and annoy the male ones.
   
   
6. Ebenezer Scrooge  (A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens). You just know he's going to double-dip those potato chips.
   
   
7. Hannibal Lector (Silence of the Lambs, Thomas Harris).  Everyone would feel oddly uncomfortable eating the meatballs.
   
   
8. Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn (various titles, Mark Twain).  Great guys, but I'm not entirely sure they wouldn't steal the silver.
   
   
9. Tarzan (or Conan) (legend/fable). Sure, they've lived adventurous lives, but is there anything more annoying than getting stuck at a party talking to the guest with the poor English skills and/or indecipherable accent?
   
   
10. The Cat in the Hat (various titles, Dr. Seuss).  I'm not cleaning up that mess!

10 Best Speeches from Movies

In talking to people about their favorite movies, I'm surprised how many people admit, upon further questioning, that it isn't really the whole movie that they love, but a particular speech embedded within the movie that they find themselves returning to again and again for entertainment, for inspiration, for enlightenment.  Which got me thinking about movie speeches that I find myself returning to over time.  I don't pretend that this is a definitive list, but I would argue that all of these speeches know how to bring the goosebumps if you're in the right mood for them. 

1. "Greed is Good" - Wall Street (1987).  "The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind." Decades from now, scholars won't need textbooks and analysis to understand the 1980-2010.  That era's narcissistic, Darwinian flaws are all laid bare in this marvelously succinct speech by Michael Douglas in his role as Gordon Gekko, an unrepentant arbitrageur, stock trader, and corporate raider. 
2. "America Isn't Easy" - The American President (1996).  "We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you Bob Rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things, and two things only: making you afraid of it, and telling you who's to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections."  Seriously, they should consider making this speech part of the required curriculum in every civics classes in every high school in America.  It reminds us that democracy is hard, that our election process is dangerously superficial, and that we need serious people to address the serious problems that our nation faces.   [Michael Douglas again: the man knows how to pick a role!]
3. "People Will Come" - Field of Dreams (1989).  "For it is money they have, and peace they lack ..." intones James Earl Jones in this paean to the nostalgic (albeit impossibly sentimentalized) notion of a past time when dads bonded with their sons over playing catch, our love of baseball united us as a nation, and a part of us still embraced the possibility of magic.   
4. "St Crispin's Day" - Henry V (1989).  
   "This story shall the good man teach his son;
   And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
   From this day to the ending of the world,
   But we in it shall be remember'd;
   We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
   For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
   Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
   This day shall gentle his condition:
   And gentlemen in England now a-bed
   Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
   And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
   That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."
   Probably unfair to throw this one in, since Shakespeare was the screenwriter!  While Kenneth Branaugh does a brilliant job of delivering this powerful speech, it's the soaring rhetoric of the language that catches your breath and wrenches it out of your lungs.  Each time I replay this scene, I'm struck anew by the realization that people join the military today for basically the same reasons they did 1000 years ago: for honor, for glory, for brotherhood, and for the hope of immortality.
5. "Today We Celebrate Our Independence Day" - Independence Day (1996).  "We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today, we celebrate our Independence Day!" Another speech designed to rally the troops, but with a more global message.  Because, face it, if we can't all agree that aliens intent on destroying humanity deserve to die, what hope is there that the nations of the world will ever find common ground?
6. "The Most Important Discovery of My Life" - Beautiful Mind (2002). "I've always believed in numbers; and the equations and logics that lead to reason. But after a lifetime of such pursuits, I ask,"What truly is logic? Who decides reason?" My quest has taken me through the physical, the metaphysical, the delusional -- and back. And I have made the most important discovery of my career, the most important discovery of my life: It is only in the mysterious equations of love that any logic or reasons can be found."  This speech is a powerful reminder that mankind's pursuit of science and understanding must be tempered by humanity and, yes, love. 
7. "I'll Be There". Grapes of Wrath (1940). "Wherever there's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever there's a cop beating up a guy, I'll be there. I'll be in the way guys yell when they're mad. I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're hungry and they know supper's ready…And when the people are eatin' the stuff they raise, livin' in the houses they build, I'll be there too." We intuitively know that the people we love go on living even after they leave us, but this universal truth has never been stated with such simplicity and grace as in this scene from the immortal John Steinbeck classic.
8. "I'm the Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth" - The Pride of the Yankees (1942).  "People all say that I've had a bad break. But today -- today I consider myself the luckiest man
   on the face of the earth" intones the great Lou Gehrig in his final speech before thousands of adoring Yankees fans as he announces his forced retirement from baseball due to the diagnosis of the genetic disease we now know as ALS.  This speech is a lovely reminder that happiness isn't about getting everything you want; it's about being wise enough to appreciate everything you have. 
9. "Closing Argument" -To Kill a Mockingbird (1962).  "And so, a quiet, humble, respectable negro, who has had the unmitigated temerity to feel sorry for a white woman, has had to put his word against two white peoples. The defendant is not guilty. But somebody in this courtroom is." The irony of this great quote is, of course, that almost everyone in the courtroom is guilty - perhaps not of the crime of beating poor Mayella Ewell, but of perpetuating the grotesque racism that has led to Tom Robinson's trial (and, in the end, his death).  There are lots of magnificent courtroom speeches in the movies (indeed, this spot almost went to the great Bible speech from Inherit the Wind), but to my mind, none that can hold a candle to this lyric plea for social justice, delivered with brilliant reserve by Gregory Peck.
10. "Was it over when the Germans Bombed Pearl Harbor?" - Animal House (1978).  I had to include this speech because it is just so uniquely American.  How like us, as a country, to charge into the breach armed only with a shaky (at best) understanding of history but an unshakable sense of moral authority.

Top 50 Routines from So You Think You Can Dance

As the daughter of a dance teacher/choreographer, always seemed unfair that I didn't inherit my mother's dancing ability.  However, I did inherit her love of dance, and So You Think You Can Dance is the first show in ages that I actually rush home to watch.  Admit my reason for posting this list is entirely selfish - looking forward to consolidating links to all my favorites in one place, so that I can watch these amazing routines as often as I like!

LATIN DANCE FAVORITES

1. Benji and Heidi, Mambo, "Black Mambo." You don't need to watch those ballroom dancing competitions on Saturday afternoon television - just watch these two nationally-ranked performers show you how the mambo is done!  (Gentlemen, take note: no matter how geeky you look, learn to dance like Benji and you'll have to shake the girls off with a stick!)
2. Danny and Lacey, Samba, "Hip Hip, Chin Chin." Steamy, sensuous, sultry, and sexy, sexy, sexy!  No wonder those Latin countries have the reputation they do!  To be fair, have to split the credit for this one three ways: the choreography is smoking, the song is tight, and the performers don't just land it - they nail it.
3. Lindsay and Cole, Paso Doble, "Unstoppable." The paso doble is hard to pull off - unless the male dancer manages to successfully channel the inner ferocity of the dance, the formulaic moves can come off as painfully awkward rather than masculine.  And then, finally, in the show's ninth seasons, two gifted dancers show how it's meant to be done.  Adrenalin-inducing!
4. Lauren and Pasha, ChaCha, "Telephone."  This isn't even close to the best cha cha ever performed on the show - in fact, most of the moves are pretty basic, but between the way Lauren hurls that fringe around and whatever that is that Pasha's doing with his hips, this performance is smoking hot!

BALLROOM DANCE FAVORITES

1. Jakob and Molle, Waltz, "Ordinary Day." Nothing ordinary about this exquisite performance.  Usually when I think of the waltz, my imagination conjures visions of stuffy people in gilded ballrooms.  But this routine made me realize what the waltz can be at its best: energy, joy, and experiencing - if only for the length of a dance - what it must feel like to fly. Add a touch of nostalgia (the costumes, the scenery, the sweetly innocent "boy meets girl" storyline) and you get one of my favorite SYTYCD routines ever.
2. Robert and Ashly, Quick Step, "The Man With the Hex." Quickstep has come to be known as the "dance of death" on the show because it's incredibly hard to bring the level of perfect precision required to make choreography that's incredibly effortful look effortless.  This is as close as any two performers have come to making it work. Just check out the long run they pull off during the bridge ...!

CONTEMPORARY DANCE FAVORITES

1. Kayla and Kupono, Contemporary, "Gravity." This dark but utterly riveting routine personifies the horror of addiction: both the intoxicating grace with which it tempts the addict, and the brutality with which it imprisons them.  The choreography stands alone but - serendipitously - it's performed here by two dancers who can act, and the result is a performance so haunting that you may have trouble shaking it off afterwards. 
2. Brandon and Janette, Jazz, "Ruby Blue." Fun, fun, fun!  Part silent film, part Raiders of the Lost Ark, this routine made me laugh aloud even as the intricate, tongue-in-cheek choreography left me dazzled - performed brilliantly, by the way, by two of the best dancers ever to appear on the show. 
3. Twitch and Katee, Contemporary, "Mercy." Not the most challenging or demanding routine, but definitely one of the most entertaining.  The choreographer seems to be channeling Amy Winehouse by way of the Alvin Alley Dance Company.  Another example of how the right story + the right choreography + the right music + the right dancers = magic.
4. Adichike and Comfort, Hip Hop, "Falling." The choreographer of this routine has perfectly captured the raw pain of breaking up with a partner who is bad for you. Alicia Keyes should consider making this the official video for her song.
5. Ensemble, Contemporary, "Wave."  Setting aside that pretty much everything Travis Wall does is outstanding, this one rises above the others for its eerie beauty and wave-like quality of movement. Who knew a bunch of men could move like this?
6. Kent and Lauren, Contemporary, "Collide." So it helps that this amazingly sweet story of young love is performed by two of SYTYCD's most lovable young dancers, Kent and Lauren, but after you see the way these two gifted dancers pull off this deceptively intricate choreography - including a section in the middle where, I swear, they sustain flawless synchrony for 12 entire bars - you'll agree that only they could have pulled this off.
7. Robert and Alison, Contemporary, "Fix You." On one level, this is a gorgeous contemporary dance performed with near Siamese-twin-like synchronicity by two gifted dancers. On a deeper level, however, it's an incredibly affecting story about supporting someone you love through their darkest hours. Go ahead and appreciate both levels equally; god knows they're both equally worthy.

JAZZ/MODERN DANCE FAVORITES

1. Nick and Melody, Jazz/Broadway, "All That Jazz." This steamy routine is liquid awesome by way of Bob Fosse, poured over a glass full of Broadway. Bartender - bring me another one!
2. Neil and Sabra, Jazz, "Sweet Dreams." Who choreographs a dance about a business negotiation?  After this you may be wondering, why hasn't anyone choreographed a dance about a business negotiation before?  Be prepared to be dazzled by storytelling, the athleticism, the precision, and this one breathtaking moment when Neil vaults over Sabra and the table.   (Forget dance - someone sign that boy up for the U.S. Olympics gymnastic team!)
3. Neil and Lauren, Jazz, "Night of the Dancing Flame."  Both dancers are excellent, but Neil's performance as the villain in this "good vs. evil" parody is over-the-top perfection: imagine Dick Dasterdly as interpreted by Bob Fosse.  

BROADWAY FAVORITES

1. Kent and Neil, Broadway, "Damn Yankees."  Don't know if this will make anyone else's "Top 15" list, but for me this energetic, acrobatic routine represents pure Broadway magic with a heaping plate of "Gee Whiz!" on the side.
2. Billy and Katee, Broadway, "McCaverty, the Mystery Cat." I'm not sure choreographers always knew what to do with Billy's style of dance, characterized by a range of movement seemingly unhindered by bones, but whoever figured out he'd make a great cat was channeling genius. Watch this and ask me afterwards if you wouldn't pay $200 a ticket to see this guy in Cats.
3. Gaby & Lex, Tap, "More." This tap-a-licious routine whisks you back to a more carefree era, a time when movies were in black & white, men were dashing, women were fresh-faced, people dressed for dinner, and romance was always just a tap dance away. 

HIP HOP FAVORITES

1. Twitch and Alex, hip hop, "Get Outta Your Mind." The routine features a hip hop-dancing therapist trying to help a classically trained ballet dancer patient get his freak on.  Which is the stuff of great drama - but when you add the fact that Twitch really is a hip hop God, and Alex really is a classically trained ballet dancer, you get magic.
2. Chelsea and Mark, Hip Hop, "Bleeding Love." This was the first time a hip hop routine made me cry. Dare you not to be moved by this simple but exquisite piece of choreography depicting a wife trying desperately to compete for the attention of her workaholic husband. 
3. Comfort, Twitch, Cyrus, Christopher Wade, Dub Step, "Holy Ghost." I'm in awe of this new generation of dancers and the control they have over their bodies, which styles like "animation" and "dub step" highlight.  The incredibly intricate moves of this dub step still make my jaw drop.

ENSEMBLE HITS

1. Ensemble, Contemporary, "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic." Seriously, if anyone ever turns Alice in Wonderland into a dance operetta, it's going to look just like this: equal parts beautiful, unsettling, frenetic, and magical. By far my favorite Mia Michaels choreography.
2. Ensemble, Jazz, "Fame." Every time I watch this number by choreographer Wade Robson I'm reminded of a great line from the musical Amadeus, in which Mozart celebrates opera for its ability to transform 20 voices speaking all at once from cacophony to beauty. In this case it's 20 dancers all going about their own business, except that Wade Robson turns all that cacophony into something gorgeous.
3. Ensemble, Jazz, "All That Jazz." So I've already listed an All That Jazz cover on this list, which makes me wonder if I just have a thing for Bob Fosse.  Maybe, but there's also Mark, the lead dancer in this, who sizzles with popping electricity from the moment the dance begins, animating the whole cast.
4. Ensemble, Broadway, "Puttin' on the Ritz." Let's call this what it is: a whopping dose of infectious energy topped by a swirl of good clean fun with a cherry on top. Probably helps that it's the first ensemble dance of the season - the dancers are visibly busting with excitement and pride at having made it on the show and their visible joy is contagious.
5. Ensemble, Contemporary, "Ramalama Bang Bang."  This show definitely explores the extremes of dance. But how can you not love this twisted, brilliant routine choreographed to a song that sounds like the music zombies would make if they could form their own band?  (FYI, the male dancer who's clearly better than all the others is the routine's choreographer, Wade Robson.)
6. Ensemble, Contemporary, "Bang Bang."  This country-themed ensemble number mixes tongue-in-cheek stereotype, energy, athleticism, and a whole lot of neon to produce a number that radiates sheer, unapologetic fun.
7. Ensemble, Contemporary/hip hop, "Velocity." If The Matrix were a musical, it would look like this!  This one's just for the men, who bring the house down with a routine that combines big choreography, raw athleticism, and a totally awesome Jason Bourne vibe. 

FREAKS & GEEKS! A category for all the one-offs and indescribables!

1. Dominic and Robert, Hip Hop, "Scars." Does it get creepier than zombies?  One word for you: clowns.  The frenetic choreography of this piece perfectly complements the disturbing score, creating a dance that you'll remember ... in your nightmares!
2. Courtney and Mark, Jazz, "The Garden." And now for something completely different ...!  This is so strange, which I'm sure is what makes it so fascinating. Sexual energy literally explodes from the dancers with each lunge, kick and pounce.  Fierce!
3. Jaimie and Hok, Jazz, "The Chairman's Waltz." For all they talk about the importance of different styles of dance, SYTYCD has a blind spot with respect to ballet.  Which is a shame, because this luminous performance shows that ballet can be about a lot more than tutus and toe shoes.
4. Brandon and Janette, Disco "Loving is Really My Game." I know ... DISCO. But you know how one tends to forget the painful memories and remember the idealized ones? Here's your chance to forever bury any painful recollections you may cling to of "bump" choreography and white leisure suits and replace them with what all of us who actually lived through the 1970s like to believe disco was really about - energy, celebration, dazzle, spectacle, and pure, unrestrained joy.
5. Tiffany and Eliana, Pole Dance, "When You're Good to Mama."  This number will make you wonder why burlesque ever died.

11 Fun Things to See and Do in Williamsburg With Kids

Back in the day I spent a fair amount of time in Williamsburg, Virginia, the recreated colonial town and HUGE tourist attraction.  (I graduated from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg and worked at the Kings' Arms Tavern as a "serving wench" for a couple of years).  Every year I used to watch as hundreds of teachers bored thousands of students to near-distraction stopping outside each building to talk about its history and function. Here's a selection of activities and sites that I think a teen/preteens might find more intriguing:

1. Governor's Palace.  Definitely take the tour through the Governor's Palace and gape at the pretentious display of "decorative weapons," the purpose of which was to cow us poor colonials into submission. This tour also provides a good overview of Williamsburg history from founding to independence. While you're there, take a brisk walk through the formal "grounds" and check out the stables, carriages, ice house, vegetable gardens, fruit trees, and ornamental duck pond -- all very British, so that the English governors wouldn't pine for home.
2. Capital Building.  Take the tour through the Capital building and learn more about Williamsburg's role in formenting civil disobedience and independence for the colonies. (Warning: the Capital can be somewhat underwhelming to view without benefit of a tour.)
3. Bruton Parish. Walk through the graveyard at Bruton Parish Church and admire the gruesome grave art, heavy on skulls, crossed bones, angels and urns. Compete to see who can find the oldest grave, or take rubbings of some of the ancient inscriptions or artwork. (FYI, you'll have to bring your own supplies if you want to do rubbings.) This is a wonderfully creepy thing to do right around dusk ...!
4. Other Colonial Destinations.  Other locations likely to be of interest to older kids: the armory, the goal (jail), the blacksmiths' shop, the printers shop, and the general store. The map they issue you at the Visitor's Center will show you where these are located.
5. Chownings Tavern.  Stop by Chownings Tavern for lunch and play a round of The Most Royal Game of Goose, a colonial board game that the waiterstaff are pleased to provide upon request (they will explain the rules too). Or simply ask for a colonial deck of cards and play war as you sip apple cider from pewter tankards over your plank table.  (It's pronounced Choo-nings, by the way!)
6. Colonial Muster. Check the schedule and try not to miss the colonial muster on the green behind the courthouse. Authentically dressed militiamen demonstrate marching and other maneuvers, accompanied by a fife and drum band. (The schedule may list other interesting seasonal and weekly events too, some of which may be well worth checking out.)
7. College of William and Mary. Walk around the campus of William and Mary, taking in the historical buildings and especially the Wren Building, designed by Christopher Wren himself. Explore the downstairs rooms, and especially Wren Chapel, which retains a true "colonial" ambiance and is still used today for services, weddings and college debates. Your middle schoolers/high schoolers may be becoming curious about colleges - W&M is a small, academically oriented institution with tons of history and a beautiful campus. (It was founded in 1694, making it the oldest chartered college in the US; 8 U.S. presidents graduated from W&M.) So go ahead and peak into some of the academic buildings too ...!
8. Jamestown. Drive another 5mls and take in the archeological excavation at Jamestown (your Patriot's Pass Williamsburg ticket should get you admitted here too). Fascinating opportunity to see archeology in action. Or, if your kids are more into reenactment than reality, take in the "restored Jamestown fort," built back when it was believed that the actual Jamestown site had been engulfed by the James River. Here they can learn more about what it was like to live in an armed fortification, living in constant fear of attack, starvation and disease.
9. Fossil Hunting on the James River. Stop at a beach along the James River and look for fossils. The river passes through the highly fossiliferous Yorktown Formation in this area, so it is not uncommon to find fossilized seashell remains litering the river banks.
10. Wythe's Candy Store. Stop by Wyeth's Candy Store in Merchant's Square (at the base of Duke of Gloucester Street) for freshly dipped caramel apples or chocolate covered rice crispy squares on a stick ... guaranteed to rot your teeth out!
11. Ghost Tours! If you can stay a little late, sign up for an after-dark "ghost tour". See the town as the colonials would have experienced it ... by lantern-light! These tours are actually a very good way to learn more about everyday life in Williamsburg ... how folks *really* lived day to day back in colonial days, and they are especially fun & spooky at this time of year, when dead leaves skitter across the cobbled streets at every gust of wind. Just be sure to go with a private company -- don't get suckered into the so-called "ghost tour" sponsored by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, which is watered down so much that it wouldn't even interest a toddler, much less a pre-teen.

Note that there are also a bunch of big theme parks in the Williamsburg area (Busch Gardens, Water Adventure World, Great Wolf Lodge) - not to mention tons of discount shopping - but have tried to confine my list to activities that are more in the spirit of a "colonial" family experience.

Most Romantic Movies Ever Made

What exactly makes a movie "romantic"? Is it romantic tension or sexual tension (or both)? Also, how are you supposed to compare classic explorations of love like West Side Story with frivolous romantic comedies like Sleepless in Seattle?  I've decided that the only way to be fair and comprehensive is to divide the genre into types, which gives me an excuse to include all my favorites ...

1. Star Crossed Lovers. The most venerable of all genres, this one has been around since well before Shakespeare penned Romeo & Juliet. Goodness knows why we enjoy being tormented by stories of love and lovers torn tragically asunder, but we do. We love it so much, in fact, that over the years this genre has spawned a host of subgenres, each well-represented by romantic classics.
1. First, there's the Married to Someone Else subgenre, as represented by Casablanca, Out of Africa, Bridges of Madison County, Now Voyager and Frenchman’s Creek. You’re not just crying because of love thwarted, but also because the characters who make the anguished decision to place marriage, duty and honor above their own happiness are just so damned noble.
2. There’s the Dead But Not Forgotten subgenre, in which the lovers are separated by that whole pesky not being alive thing. Think The Ghost & Mrs. Muir and City of Angels. But at least you have the consolation of knowing that eventually the lovers will find themselves on the same side of the Great Veil; and I, for one, like to think that Mrs. Muir is going to have the time of her non-life when finally reunited with the Captain.
3. The granddaddy of them all, however, is definitely the Separated by Class or Race subgenre. It was good enough for Shakespeare, and it was good enough for the directors of such blockbusters as Titanic, West Side Story, Officer and a Gentleman, Pretty Woman, and Dirty Dancing. Tony and Maria, separated by race. Rose and Jack, separated by class (and, eventually, a whole lot of water). Edward and Vivian, separated by the whole legitimate businessman/skanky woman of uncertain virtue thing. For obvious reasons, movies in this category have a tendency to end badly. Tony gets shot. Jack drowns. But sometimes the screenwriters take pity on us and seemingly insurmountable circumstances are surmounted by a grandiose gesture, as when Richard Gere whisks Debra Winger away from her dreary factory life in Officer and a Gentleman, or when he climbs up the ladder to rescue Julie Roberts from her tower. And no one puts Baby in a corner …!
2. Moving On. Who would have thunk it … a whole genre devoted to spouses who die and the loved ones they leave behind. Always. Sleepless in Seattle. Ghost. Truly Madly Deeply.  PS: I Love You. While we all say that we would like our spouses to find a way to be happy if – God forbid – we should predecease them, don’t we really want them to ache for us the way that Holly Hunter aches for Richard Dreyfuss in Always? The way Demi Moore aches for Patrick Swayze in Ghost? The way Juliet Stevenson aches for John Rickman in Truly, Madly, Deeply? Don’t we secretly want them to call radio stations and talk about how unforgettable we were, a la Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle? Of course, after an appropriate amount of time we also want them to nobly give us their blessing to move on … and all the better if moving on means new love in the arms of a hunky, square-chinned Adonis a la Brad Johnson in Always. (Sorry – you guys have to settle for Meg Ryan.)
3. Sweet, Sweet Torment. They simmer. They glare. They brood – oh, how they brood! Nicholas Cage in Moonstruck. Lawrence Olivier as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights. Not the kind of guys you want to take home to mama, but don’t we all secretly wish that we had the power to drive men mad with desire for us?
4. Bad Boys & the Women Who Love Them. Bad boys, bad boys … whatcha gonna do? They revel in their own irredeemibility, and yet we can’t help loving them. Gone With the Wind's Rhett Butler is an unabashed scoundrel, but did you see anyone else at that ball worth dancing with? Dennis Quaid in The Big Easy is another rascal, but there’s something about that Cajun accent and that wicked smile that makes us willing to forgive him anything.
5. Waiting for them to Figure It Out. Sometimes the romantic tension is there from the start, but it takes a whole movie for one or more of the characters to wise up. In When Harry Met Sally, Harry meets Sally at the beginning of the movie, but it takes a whole reel before he realizes that he is in love with her. And thank goodness for Cuba Gooding Jr.'s performance or I’m not sure any of us would have had the patience to stick around long enough to see Jerry Maguire finally figure things out. For all my irreverent bashing, however, I discover that two of my favorites -- Emma and Strictly Ballroom —fall into this category. We should all be so lucky to have a Mr. Knightly or a Fran out there waiting for us to notice them.
6. Lovin’ the Wrong Man. Related to the previous category but deserving of a category of its own, this one is all about the ones who are in love with Mr. Wrong, while all the time Mr. Right is right there, under their nose, just waiting for them to come to their senses. It’s enough to make you want to reach into the screen and give them a good shaking. At least in While You Were Sleeping and Sabrina, Sandra Bullock and Audrey Hepburn do eventually hook up with the right brother. But what is Julia Ormond’s problem in Legends of the Fall? Okay, so Brad Pitt is gorgeous, but why can’t she see that Aidan Quinn is the only one capable of making her happy?
7. Workin’ My Way Back To You. You have to love a guy willing to jump through hoops to prove that he is worthy of his inamorata’s love. Whether it’s leaving their guitar behind (Goodbye Girls) or reliving the same day over and over again until they get it right (Groundhog Day) or possessing the desperation (not to mention the upper arm strength) to hold an enormous boombox over their heads while Peter Gabriel croons In Your Eyes (Say Anything), there’s something irresistably compelling about a man who wants your love badly enough to work for it. (Be honest now – doesn’t hearing that Peter Gabriel song on the radio still make you want to take Lloyd Dobler to bed?)
8. Save Me, I’m Yours. Of all the genres, I confess a weak spot for this one. It may be primitive, but give me a guy with courage, strength, and moral fiber and I will go weak at the knees every time. (And if he happens to be wearing a loincloth, a breastplate, or a mask, my bodice may just bust of its own accord.) Daniel Day Lewis in Last of the Mohicans. (“Stay alive, no matter what occurs! I will find you.” – Oh, you will find me – I’ll make sure of that.) Russell Crowe in Gladiator. (“Leave this place and never think of me again.” If he really meant it, then he shouldn’t contrive to look so damn good-looking in that torn tunic.) Cary Elwes in Princess Bride. (“As you wish.” Enough said.) Be still my beating heart.
9. Going, Going, Gone. Man meets lady. Man and lady fall in love. Man (or lady) falls sick and dies. The end. While a part of me resents movies in this category for being unabashedly manipulative, some of them are so well done that I find myself able to forgive them, even as I am reaching for the nearest box of tissues. Love Story. Finding Neverland. Hint: If a characters coughs early in the movie, assume they’re a goner and start emotionally preparing for the inevitable.

Want to suggest a movie I’ve neglected, or propose a category that I may have overlooked? Let me hear from you!

30+ Essential Things to Pack in Case of Evacuation

Did you know there are 23 active volcanoes in the U.S.? Do global warming-spawned hurricanes, floods, mudslides, blizzards, or tornadoes have you worried?  Is the foliage around you as crisp as tinder, just waiting for a stray spark to ignite it? Whatever the disaster, here's a quick list of things you should remember to throw into the car if you have to get out of town in a hurry. Note that this is not a "pack everything you could possibly need," but prioritizes items based on size, usefulness, and value.

1. Personal ID.  Be sure to pack every piece of ID you have: birth certificates, drivers licenses, passports, social security cards (or #s), work IDs, etc.  You won't be able to get anything done without ID.
2. Bank, financial, and legal records. Be sure to include all checking accounts, savings accounts, investment accounts, college savings accounts, wills, inheritance info, etc.
3. Deeds/registrations/licenses. Take the deed to your house, mortgage info, titles/registrations for all your cars, and any wedding or professional licenses.
4. Insurance Information. Grab the policies for your home, life, cars, and HEALTH.
5. Tax Records. Tax records incorporate tons of important family/financial info. Throw in at least last year's ... 2-3 trailing years if you have them.
6. Family address book. If you have one, take it. You may needs #s and addresses for physicians, family members, or others.  (Even folks who have transitioned to digital phone lists often don't transfer address/phone info for distant relatives, old acquaintances, etc. - so you may want to pack that "legacy" paper address book after all.)
7. Credit cards + courtesy checks.  All of them!  Even store cards.  You may not use them, but you need to be able to keep track of the accounts and account numbers
8. Wallets, purses and keys.  Don't take the time to go through contents - just make sure you take them & you can figure out what you'll need from them later.
9. Computer drives. This includes CPUs/hard drives, external storage drives, and stick drives. You can always buy a new monitor, keyboard, and printer, but unless you've invested in offsite backup, you don't want to lose what's on the contents of those drives.
10. All your cars/vehicles. It's natural to want the family all together in times of crisis,  but consider splitting up and taking as many cars as you can.  They provide potentially important mobility, allow you to pack more, and they are expensive to replace.  You can even live in them if worst comes to worst.  By the way, be sure to TOP OFF THE FUEL TANKS as soon as possible (ideally, as soon as you suspect evacuation may be necessary)!  Nothing more useless than a car without gas.
11. Medication. Be sure to bring prescription meds, but for good measure empty out your whole medicine cabinet + first aid kit and bring everything. You never know what you might need.
12. Optical needs.  Be sure to remember everything you need to keep your glasses/contacts in working order!  Shelters may not be able to easily meet demand for optical needs. 
13. Baby/toddler needs. Focus on packing food (shelters may not be able to provide baby-appropriate food), water, food delivery devices (bottles, special cups), diapers & wipes (TONS!), necessary medications, a portable chair/stroller/carrier (you'll need your hands as free as possible), and something that works as a car seat.  Take a blanket or two & some clothes, but don't load up - if you are evacuating to a shelter, they will be able to provide most of these.  Remember that babies/toddlers like to wander, and most shelters aren't exactly wander-friendly zones, so plan in advance how you're going to keep your child(ren) from wandering off - playpen? car seat? high chair? baby leash?  These may also have to double as portable beds for napping.
14. Elderly/disabled dependent needs. Pack medications, medical records, and medical devices/monitors (wheelchairs, walkers, canes, IV delivery devices, reading/corrective glasses, corrective footwear, hearing devices, diabetic monitoring supplies, etc.).  Make sure you have contact info for all the doctors they see, especially specialists.  Also, if your dependent has special dietary needs, you may want to pack a healthy supply of appropriate foods, as shelters may not be able to meet these needs.
15. Water and food.  Shelters will provide the basics, but if they're overcrowded there may not be enough, so take some extra food just in case (remember a non-electric can opener).  Also take as much water as you can store.  Depending on the emergency, access to water may not be secure.  (If you don't have a handy supply of gallon jugs, remember that thermoses/coolers, jumbo toy buckets, and baby swimming pools can store water in a pinch.)  
16. Stuff for pets.  If you will be taking along a pet, be sure to include food, water, essential equipment (leashes, boxes) and vaccination records.  (Vaccination records may be required for admission into a shelter).
17. Blankets/sleeping bags/towels.  If you are fleeing to a reputable shelter, they will probably have these for you.  Even so, consider taking extra sheets (double as privacy screens, knapsacks, etc.), blankets, towels, and sleeping bags.
18. Flashlights/camp lanterns.  Bring as many portable lighting devices as you can, and don't forget the batteries.  If you get stuck somewhere without electricity, you're going to be grateful for a source of light. 
19. Clothes.  Don't overpack!  Clothes are easily replaced.  2-3 sets should be enough, so you can wash one while wearing the other.  Do, however, consider throwing in a bottle of dishsoap (can be used for dishes or clothes) so that you can recycle.  Don't forget to consider the weather: you may be spending more time than you think out of doors, so include coats/hats/gloves/raingear, sleepwear, and adequate footwear.
20. Toilettries.  Don't overpack!  But do take essentials (soap, shampoo, deoderant, toothbrush/toothpaste, hairbrush), so you can freshen up when you need to.  Don't forget sanitary items, contact lens-related items, prescription glasses, and a couple of towels.
21. Family photos/videos/scrapbooks/heirloom albums/family bibles.  Don't worry about reprints of digital photos that you have backed up to a computer, but DO grab framed family photos from walls, wedding and baby albums, scrapbooks, home movies, boxes of old family photos, etc.
22. Your keepsakes.  Think treasured family records (geneologies, etc.), childhood momentoes, high school/college yearbooks, wedding stuff ... you probably have most of this in a box somewhere, so pack the whole box!
23. Your child's keepsakes.  If you are evacuating with children, don't leave them with nothing! Grab treasured toys, blankets ... anything that has emotional significance ... and bring it along.
24. Jewelry/fur coats/art work/heirlooms/other valuables.  Don't worry about the small stuff (unless it's all in one place and easy to grab) ... insurance will cover it.  But do grab anything with special signicance or with a value over $1000
25. Portable electronics - all of them!  Laptops, ipods, cellphones, PDAs, handheld game systems, book readers, portable DVD/VHS players, and portable radios. Be sure to also pack ALL car & home rechargers, power cords, extension cords, all the batteries you can find, and 1-2 power strips to keep them all plugged in in the event of limited outlet access. They may take up some room but are *well* worth their keep.  Access to the internet is a necessity, and entertainment is going to quickly become a priority if you have to stay away from home for any length of time.
26. Ziploc and trash bags - lots!  These can be used for hundreds of different things - from mixing powdered milk to acting as disposable toilets or waterproofing. 
27. Books/printed materials.  For passing the time, especially if there's no electricity!  (Skip magazines - too little entertainment value for the space they take up.)
28. Notebook + pens.  To help you keep track of important information.  Don't count on your phone/electronics for the purpose, as electricity may not be available to recharge them.  (Also indispensable for keeping children amused.)
29. Duct tape.  Because you always need duct tape.  (I'm not kidding - you may need to hang sheets for privacy, secure possessions, or jury-rig electronics, all of which require adhesives.)
30. Camping supplies.  If you have time and room in your car, go ahead and pack 'em - especially tools that will help you with cooking (camp stoves, fuel, cookwear, mess kits, utensils) and attending to basic needs (FIRESTARTERS AND MATCHES, multi-purpose tools, camp lanterns, tents, tarps, bungie cords/rope).  These items are made to be compact so they probably won't take up too much room.
31. Camera/Videocam. Worst-case scenario, you'll need this to document damage; best-case, you can use them to document your triumphant return home!

50+ Romance Novel Obstacles to True Love

This is yet another one of those blog entries that stems from a conversation with girlfriends.  Discussing the  particularly preposterous plot of a recent popular romance series (hint: time travel and kilts), it occurred to us that all romance plots are inherently a little preposterous, if only because of the necessity for manufacturing some obstacle to keep the lovers separated long enough to generate a plot.  After all, where’s the fun in lovers finding each other in the first chapter and living happily ever after?   Where’s the sexual tension, where’s the suspense, where’s the glorious frisson when love finally triumphs over all obstacles placed in its path?

In real life, obstacles to True Love tend to be, well, boring: personality conflicts, parental objections, money.  Fortunately, romance writers are much more creative – it’s hard to imagine a tragedy, complication, misunderstanding or act of villainy that they haven’t enlisted in the cause of thwarting the course of True Love.  Nor would we want it any other way.

Following is the list we whimsically initiated that day, with sample books/movies supplied when we could think of them.   If you’re a romance writer in search of inspiration for conflicts, help yourself.  Otherwise, enjoy the opportunity to celebrate the sheer scope, creativity, and venerable cheesiness of these familiar, beloved romance tropes:

 Separated by social forces/conventions

1. Separated by religion.  Is there an easier way to torment your lovers than by having one of them come from a Catholic family, the other from a Protestant family?  Or doom one to be raised in an Amish community while the other is an avowed Outsider?  Might de Boise-Guilbert and Rebecca (Ivanhoe) have lived happily ever after if it hadn’t been for whole the “I’m a Christian crusader, you’re a Jew” objection? 
2. Separated by economic status.  God help the rich man or woman who gives their heart to someone with a heart of gold but a purse of dust, for their relatives are sure to throw a hissy.  (Sense & Sensibility, Persuasion)
3. Separated by social status.  Because everyone knows ogres can’t be permitted to fall in love with princesses (Shrek), businessmen can’t be allowed to fall in love with prostitutes (Pretty Woman), and girls of good family can’t go around lusting after brooding stableboys (Wuthering Heights).
4. Separated by race/nationality.  Sadly, his may be the only one on the list that actually occurs more often in real life than in books, though it’s a reliable trope in Bollywood movies where dishy Indian protagonists are forever falling in love with unsuitable Westerners.
5. Separated by age.  Can either take the form of protagonists too young to marry or a doomed May/December romance (Big, Lost in Translation, Harold and Maude, Moonrise Kingdom).
6. Separated by business interests.  One’s a cop, one’s a famous jewel thief (To Catch a Thief); or, one’s the owner of the business, the other’s a secretary (Working Girl); or, one owns a conglomerate, the other owns an independent shop (You’ve Got Mail). Can True Love triumph over job conflicts?
7. Separated by feud.  Romeo and Juliet.  That’s all we need to say about that.
8. Separated by politics.  A standard conflict in historical romances, especially those that involve civil wars.

 Separated by intellectual/emotional differences

1. Separated by ideas. He’s a liberal (environmentalist, activist, social worker), she’s a conservative (business executive, lawyer) – can they do a better job than Congress of overcoming their ideological differences? (The Way We Were)
2.  Separated by emotions.  He’s brazen, she’s shy (Mansfield Park); he’s uptight, she’s quirky (basically anything starring Meg Ryan); she’s a brain, he’s a slacker (Say Anything).  Apparently opposites do attract – just not until the final chapter.
3. Separated by temperament. They can’t live with each other, but it turns out they can’t live without each other either (His Girl Friday).

 Separated by circumstances

1.  Separated by prior obligations.  “I cannot marry you as I have, alas, been promised to another!”  Especially common in historical romances, back when parents arranged their childrens’ marriages based on political, social, and business considerations (Sense & Sensibility, Shakespeare in Love).
2. Separated by an inconvenient marriage.  Because nothing crushes budding love like a mad woman in the attic (Jane Eyre), a coma wife, or that rash decision made when you were still young and impressionable (Casablanca, Bridges of MadisonCounty).
3. Separated by loyalty/duty.  How do you choose between friendship, loyalty, duty, and love? (My Best Friend’s Wedding; Lancelot & Guinevere in Le Morte de Arthur)
4. Separated by profession. One (or both) have jobs that constantly separate them (celebrities, athletes, musicians, interpreters, art restorers, foreign correspondents) and often involve romantic temptations.
5. Separated by DNA. Lovers discover they are tragically related to each other – cousins, or a brother/sister separated at birth.
6. Separated by artifice. One (or both) are entangled in a sham marriages (or engagements)  (While You Were Sleeping).
7. Separated by world events. The course of true love is interrupted by a crisis: war (Last of the Mohicans), plague, or the ever-popular captured by pirates (The Princess Bride).
8. Separated by tragedy. The course of true love is interrupted by a major life event or tragedy: a death in the family, a political setback, or a sudden change in economic circumstances (an inheritance or bankruptcy).

 Separated by deliberate interference

1. Separated by rivals. The course of true love is interrupted by a jealous rival or other interested party (Antony & Cleopatra, Snow White).
2. Separated by competing agendas. The course of true love is interrupted by friends/family members with their own agendas.  Because nothing’s as insidious as the manipulations of someone your characters erroneously trust but who is in fact motivated by greed, selfishness, and/or revenge (A Separate Peace, Othello).
3. Separated by trial. One lover must successfully complete a quest or deed to earn the attention and favor of their inamorata (Ivanhoe).

Separated by supernatural forces. 

1. Separated by time.  The lovers somehow contrived to meet across time but are doomed forever to be parted by the eras that separate them (The Time-Traveller’s Wife, Outlander).
2. Separated by mortality.  One lover’s a mortal, the other’s a ghost; a guaranteed tear-jerker of a conflict (Ghost, The Ghost & Mrs. Muir).
3. Separated by species.  Because nothing’s quite so fraught with complications as falling in love with a creature of an entirely incompatible species – say, a vampire, werewolf, mermaid or fairy (Twilight series, Edward Scissorhands).
4. Separated by destiny.   A superstition, omen, or prophecy keeps the lovers separated – you’ll find this one in medieval romances and some fantasy/sci fi.

Separated by noble sentiments

1. Separated by self-denial. One lover nobly eschews romance because they are secretly suffering from a wasting illness, a mental disorder, a drug addiction, or some other depressing malady.  Damn their scruples!
2. Separated by a Terrible Secret. One lover nobly eschews romance because they possess a Terrible Secret that will prevent them from having children (a genetic disorder; a previous trauma that prevents conception).
3. Separated by honor. One lover nobly eschews romance because they were Tragically Orphaned At Birth (or, alternatively, suffering amnesia) and don’t feel they can honorably enter into a marriage without knowing the full details of their own parentage/heritage.  An honorable old Dickensian trope.
4. Separated by nobility. One lover nobly eschews romance because the object of their amour is obviously vulnerable, damaged, or for some other reason unable to rationally evaluate their decision to enter into a relationship.
5. Separated by sacrifice. One lover adores the other so completely, they’re willing to sacrifice their happiness to help the other (City Lights).

Separated by insecurity

1. Separated by poor self-esteem. One lover deliberately eschews the other because they don’t believe they’re worthy of love, possibly because they feel themselves too plain (Jane Eyre)  or too damaged (Moonstruck).
2. Separated by professional jealousy. One lover becomes jealous of the professional successes of the other (A Star is Born).
3. Separated by isolation. Lovers fall in love in absentia – perhaps via mail, email, phone calls, letters in trees, or letters in bottles – then become afraid to meet lest their hopes be dashed.

Separated by vocation or calling

1. Separated by ambition. One lover deliberately eschews love/marriage in order to pursue a vocation or calling (The Natural, It’s a Wonderful Life).
2. Separated by vocation. One lover takes a vow of celibacy/chastity, either as part of a profession of faith or as a vow to god in exchange for some great favor (The Thorn Birds).
3. Separated by social convention. One (or both) are trapped in careers where lovers and/or spouses could make things inconvenient  (Elizabeth the Queen, The American President).

Separated by unsuitability

1. Separated by worthiness. One of the lovers (or both) must modify some character defect in order to deserve the other (Mr. Darcy & Elizabeth in Pride & Prejudice; Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind; Bill Murray in Groundhog Day; Han Solo in Star Wars).
2. Separated by entanglement. One of the lovers must free themselves from  an unsuitable entanglement (for example, that girlfriend/boyfriend who is only using them for their money/their influence/to make someone else jealous) in order to become available to the other.  (Jane Eyre)
3. Separated by prejudice. One of the lovers must overcome a preconceived prejudice against the other (Pride & Prejudice, Cyrano de Bergerac, Ms. Congeniality).

Separated by memories of love

1. Separated by mourning. One lover deliberately throws obstacles in the path of romance because they’re not yet over a previous romance – even better if their first love died under sudden and tragic circumstances (Always, Sleepless in Seattle).
2. Separated by psychological scars. One lover deliberately eschews romance because they still bear psychological scars from their last traumatic romantic entanglement (Rebecca).

Separated by blindness

1. Trapped in the "Friend Zone." Friends fall gradually in love (Harry Potter).
2. Separated by Temper. Enemies or rivals fall gradually in love (All’s Well That Ends Well, It Happened One Night, When Harry Met Sally).
3. Separated by Unrequited Love.  One minute he’s in your “friend zone,” the next moment you’re realizing he’s Mr. Right (Emma, Jerry Maguire, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Kermit the Frog & Ms. Piggy).

Separated by deception

1. Separated by Subterfuge. One of the lovers is living a secret life - spy, fugitive, superhero - that they are not at liberty to disclose (Batman, Spiderman, Zorro).
2. Separated by Impersonation. One lover is pretending to be someone they’re not.  This is one of Shakespeare’s favorite tropes; there’s almost always someone passing as someone else, and usually as someone of the opposite sex.

Separated by a BIG MISUNDERSTANDING. 

1. Separated by Misunderstanding. And finally, the granddaddy of them all, the “Big Misunderstanding” – where one lover mistakenly believes the other lover has somehow let them down (White Christmas), or there’s an outside force preventing them from pledging themselves to another, but by the time the last chapter rolls around, all the misapprehensions have been dispelled, clearing the way for True Love to triumph.

10 Crafting Ideas for When You've Run Out of Craft Ideas for Your Kids in Quarantine

This was the complaint of a friend of mine during the corona virus shutdown - "We've made every craft I can think of!" Macaroni necklaces, check. Construction paper chains, check. Paper mache, check.

In response to which I offer these helpful articles, sure to get any mom's creative juices flowing again!

1. "Decorating Your Home With Pasta"
2. "How to Bake Like the Maid's Coming Tomorrow!"
3. "How to Glitter Literally Everything!"
4. "Easy Radiation Experiments You Can Do at Home"
5. "Transform Those Old Tee-shirts Into a Trampoline"
6. "Crafts that Require 100 Pieces or Less"
7. "Create an Accent Wall With Crayola"
8. "Clothes Stores Closed? How to Make Play Clothes From Curtains the Von Trapp Way!"
9. "Make These REALLY LOUD Musical Instruments Out of Materials Lying Around Your House"
10. "How to Transform Sidewalk Chalk Into Antacid Tablets for Your Parents When They've Had a Little Too Much Wine Juice!"