23. Furious Love

Book 23: Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century by Sam Kashner & Nancy Schoenberger (A+)

Wow! What a book!!

Cleopatra

I actually read this biography of the great marriages of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as research. I'm writing my second fiction novel and as I've always been captivated by the Taylor/Burton romance as seen in Cleopatra, I am basing the two main characters' love affair off events and circumstances from the "Liz-n-Dick Show." Theirs (Taylor and Burton's) is a duo romance, a real love between Elizabeth and Richard and the public persona and dog-and-pony show of Liz and Dick. It is a beautiful, raw, but tragic heartbreaking romance that would have survived except for fame, paparazzi, and booze!
Written because of Taylor's worry "that Richard Burton's name and legacy were in danger of being forgotten..." after a theatre major told the authors she was shocked to know that Elizabeth Taylor had been married to the eccentric director Tim Burton (439)! ...Um, no dear! Go back to school!

The beginning of "Le Scandale"

The story begins with the 1960's classic epic Cleopatra, a film that was doomed from the moment Elizabeth Taylor signed on to the picture. Taylor's never-ending health issues halted production, causing the her two main co-stars playing Cesaer and Mark Antony to be recast due to scheduling conflicts.
In came Richard Burton, the Welsh man who drank like his own soul was dying of thirst yet who could recite Shakespeare in his epic voice even though he was completely sloshed. Who could have known that by the newcomer Burton signing onto the motion picture would change celebrity and fame forever?! Their love affair shocked the world, had fans clawing for them in surging mobs, and was even condemned by the Vatican!
The sadness of it all is Burton's constant downfall. His battle with alcohol never ended no matter how many doctors told him he'd kill himself with the drinking he was doing every day starting after breakfast. Taylor's constant ailing health was such a strain on their marriages and his heart because, as you read, he truly loved her. Then, he held himself responsible for his favored brother's accident that left the older brother-turned-father-role-model paralyzed and eventually led to his death. Add on top of all that the constant hounding of fans, paparazzi, and shutterbugs who couldn't get enough of the couple. Arguably one of the greatest actors, particularly because of his resounding Welsh voice, drank himself to death because of personal guilt and an overwhelming lifestyle that eventually even he couldn't top.
The book is a sincere and truthful account from various sources, including the late Dame Elizabeth Taylor herself, about the affair, the marriage, the divorce, the second marriage, and the second divorce. It is filled with much detail and interesting facts that never leave the reader bored... but how could one be reading about the never not exciting Taylor/Burton romance??
If you enjoy biographies, check out Furious Love. It is an eye-opening account of Hollywood's first mega couple!

Works Cited:

Kasner, Sam & Schoenberger, Nancy. Furious Love: 

Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century. 

New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2010. Print

Being Handed a Prize

It turns out that today was just as good as my unofficial "last day."
As you all know, May 21st was not the Rapture. That, or I was left behind and so was everyone else! However, I tried to live my May 21st like it was the Rapture and spent the entire day with my family.
First, Ma and I remembered the old times by reenacting stories, telling new tales, and basically just laughing hysterically so hard that I made her eyes sting because her mascara ran from tears of laughter. Then, we did the woman thing to do and laid out by the too-cold-to-swim-in-yet pool and basked in the sun to where Ma suddenly raised her head and shouted, "Wow! There's a lot of wildlife today!" at the squawking birds, rustling lizards, and barking dogs. Then, I dined with Kate at Panera Bread - food that is so good it's worth shelling out way too much money for! I feasted like I'm a poor college student on a whole pumpkin muffin, a crispy apple, and hot macaroni and cheese with a small orange juice.

Kate and I haven't seen each other since she was diagnosed with asthma (sorry, Ma, if you haven't told the distant relatives yet and were saving that information for a lengthy phone call in the near future. Hi, everyone!). ...My baby sister has asthma. My other sister is profoundly deaf in one ear. I have hypoglycemia (or something a lot like it). Seriously.... Seth, Morgan... RUN!! You do NOT want to breed with us!!!! We have scary DNA and it'll pass along to your future children should you marry us. RUN AWAY before you catch it, too!!!
After lunch, I watched The Fighter with Ma back at the house. Holy crap, awesome movie! If you haven't seen this film yet, go to a Redbox quick because you're missing out on cinema awesomeness! It is not just another "sports" movie where that's all that matters and the loser rises to the top. The story is so much more... even though the trailer doesn't make it look that way. And yes the crackhead former legend brother is played by Christian Bale - that same guy who growled his way through Batman Begins and The Dark Knight (also good movies, if you haven't seen those then we're no longer speaking!!)
Then it was time for dinner and my "last meal" was a big, fat piece of juicy steak and an equally fat baked potato topped with butter! Delicious!!! I didn't come up to breathe until there wasn't any meat left on the bone. I took off soon afterwards to visit with my dad where we watched bits of Cartoon Network with Anne before I hit the road.
My last hour was spent clutching my teddy bear Mr. Mars as we cruised down I-40 through Asheboro territory, home of the NC Zoo. I sent Morgan a text during saying, "Baby, I love you so much. I can't wait to hug you." 9:00 came. 9:00 went. I continued to drive down I-40.

~

Today continued to be just as amazing as yesterday. What was a trip to see the border collie sheep herding demonstration at the Got to Be NC Festival turned into your stereotypical Nicholas Sparks couples date to the state carnival trip. Morgan and I pulled up into a large field and walked across the street to the fairgrounds where we instantly headed to the Grandstand for the demonstration. Two border collies - one long-haired and one short-haired - proceeded to show us different techniques in herding sheep. It was fascinating to watch these intelligent animals work. The long-haired, Ranger, was a young and obviously inexperienced. He wanted nothing more than to get at those sheep. Morgan and I watched transfixed as the dogs herded the sheep around cones, into a pen, and over a small bridge. 

When the show ended, we walked around the entire fairgrounds then stopped at two booths to get drinks. I got a strawberry daiquiri smoothie in a long tube of a plastic cup and Morgan got lemonade and strawberry "Moose Joose Slush." We drank our beverages away from the warming sun near the coolness of a large fountain at the far end of the fairgrounds as families bustled around us with their strollers and dogs. We attended the end of the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show where we saw an ax throwing competition and a dog named Sandy beat a man at log rolling. 

Our last activity was Morgan proving he has the skill (that will never be used in real life except for that moment) of throwing a ping pong into the smallest fish bowl imaginable. To escape winning a live fish as we need no more pets in this apartment, Morgan had to throw the ping pong into just one bowl - the one on top of a pyramid of bowls that was perfectly blocked by a low hanging sign in the center of the booth. And on his third try, he landed that ping pong in the center of the red bowl!!! I was beyond thrilled and so proud of my baby!! Then, I was handed an orange plush clown fish that had been dangling over my head as I snapped pictures of Morgan proving his manly worth of winning his woman a toy from the carnival. We walked away with me cooing over my new toy and Morgan feeling pretty proud of himself. 

Remember when I was complaining about going to a carnival last summer with father...? ...And I wanted that Nicholas Sparks carnival moment so I won my own toy?? I find it ironically funny that then I won myself an inflatable clown fish that made me happy yet depressed at the same time because I was alone and heartbroken but I wasn't going to let that stop me. And now, a year later I have this amazing guy win me a plush clown fish. To whatever female pop star who says they don't need a man... getting handed a fish by the guy who just won it for me was so much better!

The Tough Romantic Questions Part 4

1. How would you describe the most romantic night of your life?

WNC Nature Center

I think that was the entire week that Morgan and I had alone in the apartment between the end of exams and Christmas Eve. We got to experience each other without the school work, the jobs, and the roommates. It was the perfect opportunity to strengthen our relationship and say good bye before we started our long distance relationship.

2. How would you describe "intimacy?"
Being completely exposed by sharing thoughts, experiences, and passions. I find it to be less physical and more of verbal explorations of each other.

3. How would you describe "love?"
You're willing to sacrifice your life for theirs because it'd be easier than living in a world without them.

4. If someone you were in a relationship with were to become mentally disabled, like through the means of a car accident or stroke, would you continue in the relationship with them?
Morgan and I were actually just talking about this quite recently. He said, it'd depend. I said without a doubt, yes, I would continue being in the relationship with him. Would it be hard? Absolutely! I'm not scared of hardship if it deals with staying with the person I love or not or else I wouldn't have willingly and knowingly jumped into a relationship that I knew would become long distance in less than four months. If Morgan became disabled today, then I'd spend my life taking care of both of us.

5. If you were to become a mother of a child who was born with some type of birth abnormality, how would you react?
That's hard to say because I'm not a fan of children to begin with. I'm assuming my feelings for my own child would be different from my overall attitude to children. I would hope that my heart would melt and I would feel that "mother bear" protectiveness that I have felt for my boys and Kate or any animal I've ever come across. And if that happened, then it wouldn't matter that my child wasn't perfect medically. I'm not perfect medically! It'd be a shock and a major adjustment but I'm sure we'd all get through it. As long as I never became like one of those mothers in a Jodi Picoult novel... if I ever acted that sad and desperate, just take me out.

6. If Morgan had to travel for one reason or another, and you were not able to come along, how would you react in waiting for me?
This question is null and void.We all know how I'd react. I'm reacting to it right now . I've been reacting to it for four months.

7. If you were offered five million dollars in exchange for leaving everything you have behind (including Morgan), would you do it?
I've always believed in the Moulin Rouge-philosophy of love before money. No, I wouldn't leave Morgan for $5 million. What would I have? That buys me nothing that equals or is greater than him in return.

8. If someone you were in a relationship with were to become physically disabled, would you continue in the relationship with them?
More so than question 4. I could handle physical better than mental but the answer still stands. Yes.

Kodak Moment: Photo of the Day Feb 26

In honor of Morgan being super sweet last night on his night off, I wanted to post this picture. Morgan went through a lot to make sure all of this went smoothly but also as a surprise. He hustled out and bought flowers then arranged them himself! He roasted baking potatoes in the oven and even set off the fire alarm while grilling the steaks! It was an unbelievably delicious meal and the sweetest of surprises!!!

I love you, baby!

A 2 am Thought

Wednesday afternoon begins my Fall Break. Next Wednesday morning will end it. Thursday afternoon I will drive to Charlotte and spend the weekend there celebrating my 19th birthday a week early. It will be a most-needed break. A budding relationship, maintaining friendships, keeping up with school work, my beloved job, a spazzed out cat... I'm mentally, emotionally, and physically drained. Yet with my new relationship, I haven't wanted to stay in bed all day for quite some time. I haven't wanted to become one with my ear buds and listen to my High Five playlist. Today, however, that was exactly what I wanted.

Tonight, I thought it was over. I thought I would be single again by the end of the night. I thought we weren't going to make it. The night before I had never felt such a bundle of stress settle across the width of my ribcage in quite some time. It was constricting. I was unable to breathe. I didn't know how to compute the words he was feeding me. All I knew was I had screwed up again.
But, I was completely off track in my thinking (Typical!).
He is not one of the past immature lovers.
He is not one to jut let go and not look back.
He is not one to lie, charm, or deceive.
He is not one to just let things go unsaid or not be upfront.

And, as I sat there taking what he was saying, some of it was harsh but it was the truth. Some of it I didn't want to remember that it was the truth about me but I accepted it. And together, we closed the gap between us and put everything back on track after a long two hours of hashing words back and forth and the deafening silences splitting us apart like a physical wall. And, it is ok. And, I don't have to pick myself up off the floor. And, I began this morning in the strong, tattooed arms of a person that makes me feel... as if I looked up and saw a double rainbow!

"What up?!"

Dear Family Members

Ma and Father are very different people, but usually always convey the same message. Look up the characteristics of a Scorpio and a Capricorn. They are different! So when I sent out a mass email to Father, Ma, and my sister Kate, these are the responses I received:

To Ma, Father, and Kate
From Me

"Dear Family Members,
 Howdy!!! I knew I wouldn't have time to call you all individually and since you guys never communicate amongst yourselves, I am sending this mass email. Also, I didn't want you to see over Facebook and not hear from me.
As of last night, I am in a relationship. His name is "Morgan." He is a food and hospitality major from Raleigh.
Ma, he's a Capricorn!
Kate, he's got an awesome body!
Father, he loves guns and shoots a Glock, still waiting to see if he's a football or guitar fan. He is a really nice guy, and I think he's going to be good for me.
Anyway, I don't know when you'll be able to meet him. He works a lot and is participating in a gun competition over Fall Break so he'll be in Raleigh the whole time. I think maybe he'll be able to come down if we last until Christmas Break.
Holy crap, I'm gonna be late! Ok, gotta go!
Love you all!
Bye!"

To Me
From Father

"Hey,

I saw your relationship status change on FB (Facebook) this morning. That is wonderful news to hear! So is being a Capricorn a good thing? And how do you know about his body!?

So what is your home schedule? Birthday, fall break, etc.?

Love,

Father"

To Me
From Kate

"Awhhh yay! Send me a picture! Tell him if he's not good to you I'll beat his ass (: "

To Me
From Ma

"Ahwww honey that is very good news!!  Hi "Morgan!"  Sounds like he is very nice and I hope you guys get along well and hopefully we can meet. Hey, when is fall break? 
Well you guys have fun and lemme know about when you are gonna be home next weekend.
Thanks for sharing the news!!

I love you lots!
Ma"

Done.

On Tuesday afternoon, I wrote the last words of my novel "In the High Five."
I cannot even describe the feeling. I felt so free!! To be completely finished with this great project I have dedicated six months of my life to.
Now it's time to reread, reread, reread, reread, and get it ready for publishing! But for right now this minute, I'm celebrating as I have been for the past two days!

The night of I tried my first beer! I barely sipped it past the neck of the bottle because it was so GROSS! That was bitter and nasty. I can still taste it on the back of my tongue. So yeah, I'm good on that front. CC and Morgan got a kick out of my disgruntled face though. Then they put a Pixie Stix in the beer. This is what happens after the first EXPLOSION:

We won't be doing that again. Another thing that Pixie Stix shouldn't mix with: cupcakes! A friend and I put Pixie Stix powder on the icing of our freshly made cupcakes... just no!

So there's been much to celebrate, but this time I'm celebrating with sparkling grape juice. At least with that I can guzzle it out of a big glass bottle and pretend I'm swigging down wine. But that's a no on the beer! (I knew there had to be a reason I had never tried it before)

Another reason to celebrate is I've met this guy... I really like this guy. And, I'm so thankful for him because he is a breath of fresh air. You know, even if nothing works out between us... it doesn't matter. I am happy either way because I've finally met a NICE guy, someone who looked me in the eye first, someone who didn't immediately grabbed and kissed me (and still hasn't) before we talked for over an hour watching Ghost Rider while waiting for "Sons of Anarchy" came on, someone who didn't start off as my best friend so it's not awkward, someone who just showed up in my life and took me completely by surprise, someone who kept me from swearing off men and going off to become a nun (no, seriously...I thought about that, but I'm not Catholic). I am just so happy!
And with the ending of my book and finding this new person, I have kicked The Viking completely out the door. I didn't even ask him where he was going. I just said "OUT" and out he went without a glance back at me nor I at him. It took one long helluva a year, but it was a year I needed because now I am back on feet, back in the game, back believing in the romance of things, and I HAVE FINISHED A NOVEL! No one, not a heartbreaking guy or a friendship turned sour, can take that away from me!!

Cheers!