"Fold him in his country's stars." -- George Henry Boker

Two weeks ago I volunteered up at the Bethel-Woods Museum's where the traveling half-sized replica of The Wall That Heals - Vietnam War Memorial was displayed. It was truly a honor to do so and a very humbling experience. I cried even before I got up to the wall.

The veterans volunteering at this event were nothing short of wonderful. I was always aware of the importance of Memorial Day but this years will have even more meaning.

Thank you to all soldiers past and present for your service and sacrifice.

I liked to share some other quotes I found...

The dead soldier's silence sings our national anthem. ~Aaron Kilbourn

We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them. ~Francis A. Walker

As I approach the gates of heaven;
St. Peter I will tell;
One more soldier reporting sir;
I've served my time in hell. -Mark Anthony Gresswell

Who said - “All I want to be is the Jane Austen of south Alabama.”?

Harper Lee said this half-jokingly after To Kill a Mockingbird was published.

2010 marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Usually a requirement of high school English classes, I didn’t read the book until my son was assigned it in his sophomore year. To this day it is one of my favorites - (unlike Catcher In the Rye - after 2 chapters I told my son he was on his own)

Here are some interesting facts from the Smithsonian’s great article by Charles Leerhsen called Novel Achievement.

In a survey asking what one book every civilized person should read, Mockingbird finishes second to the Bible.

In 2007 she accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Truman Capote as a boy spent summers at his cousin’s house next to Lee’s. (and resembles the character Dill in the book)

In 1957 she flung the unfinished manuscript out the window of her NYC apartment but after calling the editor who had previously encouraged her, than ran down the steps to retrieve the pages, and then began the revisions.

The result? The Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

So I’ll forgive the fact she roots for the Mets.

Who said - “I never been to New Zealand before. But one of my role models, Xena, the warrior princess, comes from there.” ?

former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright.

Fooled you, didn’t I? No this is not another post from my starlet series. Politics aside, one must admit Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State is a strong woman - so when I came across a fascinating interview with her conducted by Megan Gambino in the June issue of the Smithsonian I thought I’d have some fun.

What was the article about? -
Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection features 200 pieces of jewelry.

Albright often used brooches and pins to express her moods and opinions. She saw it as a visual way to deliver a message.

The article gave some of these examples:

During the Gulf War the government-controlled Iraqi media compared her to a “unparallel serpent”. She wore a snake pin to her next meeting with Iraq.
LOVE IT

After finding out the Russians and planted a listening device near her conference room, she wore a huge bug pin the next time she met with the Russians. “They got the message.”

My first thought was wow, at some point I could use this as a characterization tool in my writing. Not only with the jewerly but the fact that this power woman has a sense of humour and can admire popular culture icons like Xena.

Again politics aside, you gotta have mad love for a woman whose role model is Xena.

Like Xena said - “I have skills.” and

“Nobody made you who you are, it was already there.” Xena

Have you Vook-ed yet?

What is a Vook? A Vook is a digital book type that combines video, links to the internet and text into one application that's available both on the Web and as a mobile application.

As of today they have 56 titles available and plan to release a total of 750 in 2010.

I decided to check it out. Now I don't have an e-reader nor am I a big fan a reading on the computer - between using it for my day job and at night for writing my book I look forward to opening a book so take my observations with that in mind.

Anne Rice's - The Master of Rampling Gate
A previously published short short that cost $4.99 to download that would have been better priced at 1.99. The clip videos included were interviews with Ms. Rice or other information such as the history of Gothic Literature. Within the story itself there are internet links - for example - clicking on the highlighted word 'gable' takes you to an on-line dictionary and clicking on the higlighted word 'London' took me to a site that described historical London. I found the links to be a time suck but that's me.
I could bookmark, change between 2 fonts, do read only, full screen.
You can also share on various social networks though I did not test these.

Jude Deveraux - Promises
This is for Vook only novella release for the price of $6.99. The story was wonderful as all Jude Deveraux stories are but I didn't think videos added much. There were no internet links which is okay by me.

To Vook or not to Vook? Not for now anyway. Now if I had an IPAD....
However...in true hypocritical fashion
Would I want Love By Design to be a Vook? Hell yeah!
I would need to hire Josh Holloway (plays Sawyer on Lost) and Victoria would be....well ME of course...only I'm not 5'2...oh well I guess that's what revisions are for

If you're going to do something wrong, do it big, because the punishment is the same either way. Jayne Mansfield

I've been busy actually writing and have reached the half-way mark of Love By Design! So since time is short I'm posting another diva in my starlet quote 'series'

Had a real hard time finding an appropriate picture of Ms. Mansfield. They all seemed a little too risque. I like this photo of her - it seems so old Hollywood.
Now here was a woman with curves! Here are some more quotes:

Men are creatures with two legs and eight hands. - Jayne Mansfield

I will never be satisfied. Life is one constant search for the betterment for me.
Jayne Mansfield

Most girls don't know what to do with what they've got. - Jayne Mansfield

I like being a pin-up girl. There's nothing wrong with it. - Jayne Mansfield

A 41-inch bust and a lot of perseverance will get you more than a cup of coffee - a lot more. - Jayne Mansfield

I do know that God created us equal and we're not living up to it. - Jayne Mansfield

"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it." Lena Horne

A great lady died on Sunday, Lena Horne, at the age of 92.

"Don't be afraid to be as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it's just death." - Lena Horne

"I'm still learning, you know at 80, I feel there is alot I don't know." - Lena Horne

"You have to be taught to be second class, you're not born that way." - Lena Horne

"It's ill becoming for an old broad to sing about how bad she wants it. But occassionally we do." - Lena Horne

"Every age can be enchanting, provided you live within it." - Brigitte Bardot

Before I list some fabulous quotes from Ms. Bardot I want to thank everyone for the great response here and on facebook regarding the poem I wrote. People even passed it along on facebook which got me all teary eyed.

Anyway doing a complete 180 from my last post here are some quotes from Brigitte Bardot:

Men are beasts and even beasts don't behave as they do. - Brigitte Bardot

I gave my beauty and my youth to men. I am going to give my wisdom and experience to animals. - Brigitte Bardot

I have not always loved wisely, but I was young. - Brigitte Bardot

I know what sin is. - Brigitte Bardot

I have to live with both my selves as best I may. - Brigitte Bardot

"I want peace. I want to see if somewhere there isn't something left in life of charm and grace." Margaret Mitchell - Gone With The Wind

A poem I sketched out:
by Elizabeth Matis

praying
God's grace
blankets the earth
in peace
wrapping mankind
in HIS
warm embrace

weeping
Satan's breath
lifts the veil
of lace
to reveal
our true face

Pleading
our case
please God
do not
abandon the
human race

Opening
your heart
He said
is the first
step to
obtaining grace



Hope you enjoyed it. I wish I knew who to give credit for the wonderful photo but I thought it well with my poem.