Reflections

Hello Friends,

During the Easter holidays, I felt the need to turn off from the world and recharge my batteries. I went for a drive through the bush (what Australians call a forest or woodland) and had a picnic lunch with family.

Being out in nature is sunny and peaceful. The chatter of birds was all around us. The time in the woodland slowed down my busy thoughts and had a calming effect.

We talked to some people who were towing a caravan to spent their holiday in nature. We stopped at an old stone-built hotel that had been burnt out by fire. I walked around the security fencing seeing the brick fireplace and chimney were still intact. The roof had collapsed in the fire. The walls were still standing and made of honey brown stone blocks. Timber poles were braced against the walls to help support them.

I remember visiting the hotel once before the fire. Hanging on the walls around the fireplace were items from the small village’s history. They were lost to the fire. The village had always struggled to survive due to a lack of water. The hotel had been a general store, a meeting place, as well as a pub selling alcohol and cooked meals.

It seemed that after the fire, people had left the village to live somewhere else. There was a deserted atmosphere and while I drove around the two tiny streets, they didn’t look like streets and had become dirt tracks returning to nature's care.

I wondered what future waited for the historic hotel. Would it ever be rebuilt and bring the small village alive again? The tarpaulin stretched across the roof in a back section of the building and the timber props against the walls suggested that someone still cared about the burnt-out shell of the hotel.

I reflected on the struggles of this place laid bare before my eyes and then my own. The world seems to be changing quickly. Everyday. Change is now more normal than not. On reflection, the seemingly constant life of my parents and grandparents was change happening at a slower pace than now.

As we hurtle toward a technological future, life doesn’t stop. Remnants of the past like the old roofless hotel can be rebuilt in new ways for new purposes and new life. We can let go of the past too. Change and grow into a new version of ourselves. It could be exciting!

Take care,

stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

 

Photo Credit: Farshid Zabbahi on unsplash.com

Movie - "The Lost City"

 

Hello Friends,

During the Easter holidays, I watched the movie, The Lost City, at the cinema and enjoyed it.

The Lost City is a fun treasure hunt through the jungle. So many words can be used to describe this movie, including silly in a good way.

Loretta, the romance author, played by actress, Sandra Bullock, and Alan, her romance book cover model, played by actor, Channing Tatum, are two unlikely adventure companions. They have their moments of friction, and at one point in the story, it seems they will go their separate ways in the jungle. But they really need each other, and to stay together to outsmart the bad guys.

I am a Sandra Bullock fan, and she has some madcap moments in this movie which were fun. Channing Tatum doing physical comedy with her was a special treat! I did laugh out loud in a couple of places. One action scene gave me a fright. I jumped in my seat and grabbed hold of my companion’s leg.

When Loretta and Alan finally find the treasure (there’s a twist in the plot), the bad guys imprison them and leave them to die. Woo-hoo, Alan and Loretta make a dramatic escape and have their happy for now ending.

The movie has a group of scene-stealing actors who can be goofy, but can’t hide that they are enjoying themselves.

The Lost City is a movie to entertain, light-hearted, and laughing at itself, but satisfying. I hope you can watch it sometime.

Watch a video from behind the scenes, with bloopers and funny moments.

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

 Photo Credit: Andrei Slobtsov on unsplash.com

Happy Easter

Hello Friends,

 

Best wishes to you this Easter time.
May you have beams of sunshine, sweet peace, renewed hope, lots of love and joy.

 

You’re somebunny special who makes the heart hop!

 

Take care,

stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

 

Photo Credit: Taisiia Stupak on unsplash.com

TV Regency Delights – ahh Bridgerton!

 

Hello Friends,

‘Tis time for some Bridgerton-inspired TV talk.

You may have noticed opinion articles about Bridgerton Season 2 springing up in the internet fields like pastel-colored poppies. Well, one article I really enjoyed reading was about Queen Charlotte’s flamboyant wigs, which was written by Julia Glassman over at The Marysue website.

More exquisitely fashionable than a hat, the Queen’s wigs are impressively styled and expressively worn like personalities on her head. Each of the 13 wigs featured in the article are given a name and a number. For example, number 12 is called, ‘The Lucille Ball’ (after a popular American actress and comedian) and looks like a gathering of red-headed poodles on top of her head.

It’s hard to pick a favourite wig, such is the talent of the creators and the impeccable poise and flair of Queen Charlotte. I like all of them, but 2 others that caught my eye were;

9. Rubies and Curls, is a pale pinkish wig that's pretty with curls and ruby jewelry.

10. Tribute to Aphrodite, is a purple dazzler with pearls and an ‘Under the Sea’ vibe.

You can read the article here; Queen Charlotte's Wigs in 'Bridgerton' Season 2, Ranked | The Mary Sue

It’s a lot of fun and whimsy with bling, feathers, flowers, and bows.

Ahh Bridgerton brings pleasure to the everyday!

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

 

Photo Credit: Z Graphica on unsplash.com

A Little More Romance

 

Hello Friends,

As I scan the internet news there’s very little to read that’s positive or life affirming. And then an article about romance author, Julia Quinn and Bridgerton popped up in my news feed. Yay! I couldn’t wait to read about how we could all use a little more romance, love, connection, and happiness in our entertainment.

Julia Quinn says;

“The journey toward happiness and love is just as important as a hero’s quest.”

In the human quest of living, we all want a happy ending. We can read romance books for pure joy. Romance and love are universal, and women have been writing these books for decades.

Read all about it over at Netflix, Bridgerton Author Julia Quinn Says We Could All Use a Little More Romance

 

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

 Photo Credit: Miguel Gonzalez on unsplash.com

2 New Romance Movies.

 

Hello Friends,

There’s some good news this week which is 2 new romance movies. They should be fun to watch. Catch them at the cinema or on streaming services. Let's talk about the first one. 

Book of Love (Amazon Original) 

Q. What happens when a dull, not-selling book is translated into another language, gets a bodice-ripper book cover, and the story is rewritten into an erotic novel?

A. The unknowing author becomes a hit with lingerie-throwing ladies in Mexico.

Some Things Can Get Lust in Translation

Watch the movie trailer.

Drumroll for the second movie.

 The Lost City (releases March/April 2022)

The movie has a star cast including Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe and Brad Pitt.

The Lost City is a romantic, comedy adventure film where a romantic book author (Sandra Bullock) gets kidnapped and forced to lead a billionaire to a lost city and its treasures that she’d written about in her novel. Her handsome book cover model (Channing Tatum) comes to her rescue in real life which is now like living inside her romance novel. It sounds like a wacky romp with some comedy moments and great actors.

Watch the movie trailer.

 

Enjoy the escape from the everyday with some romance and adventure. Maybe you’ll have a few laughs too.

 

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

 

Photo Credit: Saskia Fairfull on unsplash.com

Writing Update

 

Hello Friends,

It’s been a couple of years or more since I’ve shared a writing update on my romance stories. My life has changed a lot as no doubt yours has too.

Back in 2019, before the virus days, I entered a writing competition run by the Romance Writers of Australia (RWA). The Sapphire Award was judged in 2020, and I was chosen as a first-round finalist. I didn’t make it through to the final round of judging, but I was very pleased with the result.

Then the virus spread throughout the world and I wasn’t able to write or blog. I went into survival mode to get through some problems. As workplaces closed, it took effort to keep my day job. I was pressured into moving house which was the furthest thing from my mind. I lived at a caravan park for several weeks until I was able to move into a new house. The worst part was a death in the family of someone I loved.

During 2021, the borders were closed to the State of Western Australia where I live. We were riding out the spread of the virus in isolation. In the early months, I felt empty of creativity for story-writing and lost in a changing world. After I came out of the fog, I entered another RWA Sapphire Award but with a different romance story.

The results of the judging came back in December 2021, and I was very happy to find out I was a first-round finalist again. Then in February 2022, I didn’t achieve high enough scores for the final round of judging. But I had no complaints. The judge’s feedback made it worthwhile and the competition was fierce. 

In 2022, I’ve thought about the twists and turns my life journey has taken in recent years, as if I was caught and dragged along unwillingly in a global tide. I decided I wanted to restart my romance writing. I delisted my books from the shops. 

The blank page is in front of me now. What will I write? I still feel like I'm taking each day as it comes in order to survive. So I haven’t got my focus for 2022 yet, but I do know this,

LOVE, and the lack of LOVE is important in the turbulent world right now.

LOVE and HOPE.

I HOPE to keep writing whatever makes me feel LOVE.

Finally, I have some comments about blogging.

Around Christmas time last year, I visited here, my blog site, thinking it had reached the end of its life. What a wonderful surprise it was to me to find out people were still reading the posts. Despite everything, the blog site was still alive.

In January 2022, I decided that if people were still reading the blog, I would try blogging again. So here I am, a bit rusty, and out of practice at writing long blog posts. Thank you for visiting, reading posts, and inspiring me to keep this site going.

Take care,

stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

Photo Credit: Annie Spratt and John Schnobrich on unsplash.com

What is Love?

 

Hello Friends,

Last week on the blog, I asked the question, what is love?

Is it only an emotion? Or a chemical reaction between people that produces feel-good endorphins. Is love, a way of living that’s heart-based?

I was reading a short quote about the illusion of love, written by Scientific American which said,

“Love, as with all emotions,

has no external physical reality:
it may be driven by neural events.”

Perhaps in the world we have created, love is all in the brain.

The future could offer us AI controlled brain chips that create neural events to simulate the feeling of love within our inner reality.

Seriously science.

To me, love is the powerhouse energy that supports and sustains all life on our planet. It’s our human heritage to love others.

In the end, love and what it means to you, is all that matters.

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

Photo Credit: Shane Rounce on unsplash.com

Have Some Fun

 

Hello Friends,

What is Love?

This week let’s have some light-hearted fun watching a compilation video of actor Sam Heughan from the “Outlander” TV show as he moves and dances with the added song, What is Love.

See him dance in his Scottish kilt and boots. He’s at the gym, and in the street parade. He can’t help moving on television interview shows. There’s even a dash of the highland fling. Lots more to watch.

What is right and wrong in love? Sam’s spontaneous moments of fun and energy release the stresses of life. Share a smile and feel good. ♥ Luvin it!

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

Photo Credit: Ahmed Carter on unsplash.com

Women’s Clothes without Pockets.

 

Hello Friends,

Have you ever wondered why it’s common to find women’s dresses, skirts, coats, trousers, and so on have no pockets?

History has some answers to the mystery like;

Husbands – kept the money or carried their wives’ money and valuables.

Politics – no pockets kept purse and handbag makers employed.

1800’s Fashion & Beauty – strived to keep the figure looking slim and trim without the pocket bulge.

Cost – it’s cheaper to make clothes without pockets (saves extra fabric and sewing labour).

The modern woman typically gets around with a smartphone, and house/car keys. She doesn’t always want to carry around a handbag. After a couple of hundred of years of waiting, proper pockets are starting to appear in women’s clothes such as leisure wear and jeans. We can find the brands setting us free from these old inconveniences.

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

Photo Credit: J.J Jordan on unsplash.com

Movie - "Marry Me"

 

Hello Friends,

An Australian news site flagged the Marry Me movie as the return of romance comedy? Read the article here  And that around 2010, Rom-Com movie’s changed direction and good lost in frat boys and their jokes about penises and poo at the expense of the romantic development of the characters.

On the strength of Jennifer Lopez being a good actress and lighting up the screen, I decided to go to the cinema and watch Marry Me. It was a pleasant movie with a feel-good ending. The character of Kat Valdez played by Jennifer Lopez lives in the glitzy world of a successful pop star. She’s rich with an entourage and a guy that videos a lot of her day for her social media channels. Her husband-to-be, Bastian, comes from the same popstar world. He’s handsome, sexy, and has a smooth singing voice. Bastian is played by Columbian star, Maluma.

The wedding ceremony between Kat and Bastian is planned to take place at their singing concert. She wears a fabulous, beaded dress and the couple will sing their hit duet.

But instead of the seemingly perfect, marriage made in heaven, Kat receives bad news about Bastian. She marries an ordinary guy, Charlie, instead who is played by Owen Wilson. Charlie Gilbert is a math teacher who co-parents his daughter with his ex.

How could a romance possibly start between these two very different people? The heartening part of the story shows how when neither person is forced to give up their authentic selves or fit into the other’s lifestyle, there’s space for a special kind of magic. They can be liked for who they are. Liking can grow into love. Catch this movie to see how the math teacher staying true to himself has another chance at love. Beneath the gloss and glamour of the popstar, he finds the beautiful, kind woman inside.

Watch the movie trailer 

Have a good week.
Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

 Photo Credit: Alvin Mahmudov on unsplash.com

Vintage St Valentine's Day

 

Hello Friends,

For this year’s Valentine’s Day post, I decided to make a short video about romance in a different era. Take a detour from the fast world we live in and go vintage. The photography wasn’t great back then, but it’s an escape to a simpler time. The cache of images shows what romantic love once looked like.

Think of those you love, and how happy you are to have them in your life. St Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to remember love is special, and you are special and loved. Cheers to more good and fun times from this day on.

Sending you the sweetish wishes.

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

Photo Credits: Stock Image used under Fiverr Licence

When Cupid shoots his arrow of love.

 

Hello Friends,

When the cherub Cupid shoots his arrow into the heart of his target, they will fall in love. Cupid wasn’t always portrayed as a charming, little Renaissance angel hovering around St Valentine’s Day lovers.

Cupid was the Roman counterpart of the Greek God, Eros. Mythical Eros was a handsome, sexy, immortal man with glittering golden wings, swift as the whirlwinds of the tempest (Wikipedia).  Before AI matchmaking algorithms were created for dating apps, Eros had the daunting power in his godly arrows to force people to fall in love by striking at their hearts. Which sounds severe. Did he make random choices to match people or did his godly insights into desire, passion, and eroticism keep him right on target.

Either way, Cupid on the loose would make me feel like a bit of a nervous Nellie. How about you? With the most romantic day of the year approaching, Eros can keep his arrows to himself, but a personal visit from the sexy immortal man with wings would be special.

Watch a 1982 music video by the band, ABC, about Cupid shooting his poisoned arrow. It starts with a scene of the Greek Gods on a theatre stage. Does anyone remember people acting as Singing Telegrams for special occasions like birthdays?

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

 

Photo Credits: Aitac on unsplash.com

Romantic Relationships are Changing

 

Hello Friends,

According to a new report, living arrangements are one way that romantic relationships are changing in Australia. With the world-wide spread of the sick bug, it’s easy to imagine that people’s living arrangements could be affected due to self-quarantine, lockdowns etc. However, this information pre-dates the onset of the sick bug.

The HILDA report collects data on Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia. Based on the findings of the Hilda Report 2021, there’s a trend among young people of not living with their relationship partners. It’s a sign that romantic relationships are drifting away from traditional pathways and forging a new direction. You can read more about it here on womensagenda, How Australians are redefining what romantic relationships and families look like

Perhaps it’s time for romance novels with fresh (HEA) Happy Ever Afters and (HFN) Happy for Now, where couples end their love stories with changes to the norms. Is change coming to story worlds?

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

 

Photo Credits: John Moeses Bauan on unsplash.com

Where did the word, ‘Romance’ come from?

 

Hello Friends,

Recently, I started typing the word, Romance into an internet search engine, and before I was finished, it was filling out the letters with the word, Roman. I stopped typing and thought about it. Yes, that’s right, Romance is made up of the word Roman with ‘ce’ added onto the end. Intrigued, I wondered if Romance had a connection to the ancient Romans in some way, and started researching.

Yes, the history of Romance starts in the Latin speaking provinces of Rome. Then a jump in evolution to the 1300’s and an old French version of the word means—in the Roman style. In the 1600’s, Romance became associated with love stories but not in the way we know them today. Romance conveyed a lively, adventurous quality in a story or piece of writing. Finally, in the 1800’s, Romance became associated with love affairs.

Interestingly, three of the most famous romance novels were written in the 1800’s, and they were;

Today, Romance books belong to a best-selling genre with over $1 billion dollars in sales per year. The 1600’s lively, adventurous quality of the writing can still be found in Romance books. A promise is also made to the reader of modern Romance stories. Love will triumph, and the couple’s troubles, obstacles, excitement and fun will lead to a happy ending.

Having a stash of romance novels waiting to be read, is one of the pleasures in life to be enjoyed!

Watch the blog post in video format.

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

 

Photo Credits: J J Jordan, Rachel Cheng, Roksolana Zasiad, Tengyart and Les Anderson on unsplash.com

2022 – Happy New Year

Hello Friends,

A new year brings hope and the opportunity to reset ideas, intentions, goals and to dream a new dream.

Although the world is an unsettled place, things will change, and yet we don’t know how or why or when, but the old year of 2021 has left. We can begin again with a fresh start.

What would you like the new year to bring? Believe in yourself and cheers to making it happen.

I wish you good health and wellness, friendship and prosperity. Keep your loved ones close in your heart. 

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”

― Maya Angelou from goodreads.com

Watch blog post in video format.

Happy New Year! 

Take care 

Stay well

♥ Ashlyn

 Photo Credits: Marisa Howenstine & Mikel Parera on unsplash.com

Movie - "Wonder Woman 1984"

 

Hello Friends,

Wonder Woman 1984 was an entertaining movie and worth seeing. However, the story of Wonder Woman defeating crazed, arch villain, ego-maniac, Max Lord who’s trying to take over the world and his cheetah woman ally, Barbara Minerva, didn’t captivate me as much as I wanted it too.

There had to be reasons why I didn’t enjoy the narrative as much as the origin story in the first Wonder Woman movie. I like reading about history, and particularly mysteries. The filmmaking showing the mythological roots of Wonder Woman being an Amazon of Themyscira, living on Paradise Island was fantastic.

If you’d like to listen to some mood music, the soundtrack from Amazons of Themyscira plays in the video below.

In Wonder Woman 1984, the scene of the Amazons of Themyscira competing in a marathon was also enthralling. So why wasn’t I as interested in the rest of the movie? I found the answer I was looking for in the history of Wonder Woman.

In 1941, Wonder Woman first appeared in comic books. According to the DC fandom wiki, Wonder Woman has been in comic books ever since 1941, except for four months in 2006. She has an 80-year-old history and at least hundreds of comics and stories. 

In December 2020, for the second time, the comic book heroine was brought to life in a movie. Wonder Woman 1984 is a legacy movie from the comics. A movie for the fandom who know and like her stories, and that’s all right.

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

 Movie Poster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_Woman_1984

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

From the Archives - More Wonder Woman movie posts

The Amazons from the island of Themyscira change into Bikini Babe Warriors for the Justice League movie.

Wonder Woman's Amazon Warriors get a costume change

Ares, Wonder Woman and Xena, had their beginnings in classical mythology.

Ares, Wonder Woman, Xena & the Greek Gods

Another special feature of the Wonder Woman movie was the Native American Chief.

The Native American God in the Wonder Woman Movie

The movie was revolutionary in its viewpoint of a female hero - the rise of the warrior - Diana, Princess of Themyscira. Her life values were shaped by her mother, her aunt and the Amazonian women living in the island paradise.

A Team of Amazons

Sword in the Dress had it’s fashion moment on social media as women and girls tried having a sword at the ready for themselves.

Sword In The Dress

I recently visited the twitter world and came across the interesting topic of, “From Princess to General”. The theme features two actresses (so far).

From Princess to General

Months before the film was released, the Wonder Woman movie trailer and posters captured the imagination of fans.

The Art of Wonder Woman

Last weekend, Wonder Woman from the 70 year old comic book stories sprinted onto the movie screen with her god-slaying sword, and gauntlets (wristbands) made from the Greek Goddess’s Athena’s shield. Woo-hoo!

Movie - "Wonder Woman"

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

2021 – Happy New Year

 

Hello Friends,

How are you going?

After the Google Plus shut down, I stopped blogging for a couple of years. I had several major life challenges to get through.

While I’ve been away, I can’t believe how much the world has changed. The virus pandemic, restrictions and social lock-down in Australia have never happened before. It was mind-blowing and isolating as the government acted to slow infection rates. 

Wherever you are in the world, I send my best wishes to get through these difficult times.

 

“I have come to accept the feeling of not knowing where I am going.

And I have trained myself to love it.

Because it is only when we are suspended in mid-air with no landing in sight, that we force our wings to unravel and alas begin our flight.

And as we fly, we still may not know where we are going to.

But the miracle is in the unfolding of the wings.

You may not know where you're going, but you know that so long as you spread your wings, the winds will carry you.”

― C. JoyBell C. from goodreads.com

 

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

 

Photo Credits: Mary Oloumi on unsplash.com