Josh Hartnett

Josh Hartnett


Josh Hartnett in Armani Beauty's Perfume Ad

I just finished watching Black Hawk Down on tv. I was never into war movies because of the gore. The tv station kept advertising the film on prime time and a familiar face came up in one of the war scenes.

I knew he acted in Pearl Harbor, but his name kept eluding me. It's on the tip of my tongue, but I just could not recall it. I just remembered that I liked his character more than Ben Affleck in Pearl Harbor. Out of the blue, while watching some commercial after dinner, his name popped up, Josh Hartnett.

I looked up his biography. Aside from acting, he is also featured in ads. His most recent one being the first male spokesperson for Armani Beauty. It's a perfume by Emporio Armani, "Diamond". Well, he was voted the sexiest male for many years, so it's not a surprising choice.

I have only seen 2 of his films, Pearl Harbor and Black Hawk Down, but I really like his portrayals. What strikes me though, is the similarity in roles he's been casted. You can switch his character in both films and you will see the same guy. He will be the more sentimental, idealistic and intellectual guy, basically the good guy.

As an actor, being stereotyped is supposed to be a bad thing because the roles lack versatility, but Josh Hartnett is such a believable good guy. I guess it's the earnestness in his eyes, but I like him being the good guy and he is a very good looking one I might add.

(Photos : www.flickr.com & www.finchsaquarterly.com)

Something blue

Something old,
Something new,
Something borrowed
Something blue,
A silver sixpence in her shoe.




I was the maid of honor at a friend's wedding in New York. The bride-to-be told me she must have these four items ready on her Big Day. It's a wedding tradition and each one was supposed to be a good-luck charm for the bride. It's believed the bride would be married happily ever after if she had all these items on her wedding day.

"Something old" symbolizes continuity with the bride's family and the past.
"Something new" means optimism and hope for the bride's new life ahead.
"Something borrowed" is usually an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride.
As for the colorful item, blue has been connected to weddings for centuries.

In the old days, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity. Before the late 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding gowns, as evidenced in proverbs like, "Marry in blue, lover be true."

And finally, a silver sixpence in the bride's shoe represents wealth and financial security. For optimum fortune, the sixpence should be in the left shoe. These days, a dime or a copper penny is sometimes substituted.

I think the poem itself is sweet enough, but after looking up the meaning behind it, it adds to the blessings bestowed on the bride.
(excerpts : http://ask.yahoo.com/20031027.html)
(photo : http://gardendogs.blogspot.com/2007/12/winter-garden-color.html)

Teardrop

I went for my monthly manicure today. My manicurist is a very young lady, in her early twenties. I really look forward to meeting her every month. Not only do I leave with perfectly manicured hands, I'd have two hours of nice chat.

After I sat down and chosen a new color, we started our usual chat. Five minutes into our conversation, she suddenly blurted out that her boyfriend broke up with her. It was a week ago today. She said the day after the breakup, she went to work in a daze. She said seeing me was a relief because she could finally tell somebody while she was working. We had become good friends in the span of two years.

I couldn't see half of her face because she had to wear a paper mask whenever she's working. What I could see were tears welling up her big, clear eyes. Then, a tear dropped. My heart dropped, too. She then told me the details, but they did not register. In that two hours, tears swam in her eyes and an occasional tear would fall. She'd then say, "Sorry, I didn't mean to...."

I don't know if this is the breakup season or not. I still have a very vivid picture of that sad girl's faraway look in my earlier post. Today, seeing a cheerful and optimistic girl whom I know hurting is truly heavy. When she asked me to go for a puff, I could feel that every breath was painful. She was hoping exhaling the puff would let go some of the hurt.

I smiled a sad smile. I totally know how she feels. Again, this empathy comes from been there, done that. Getting older does not mean it hurt less. In a way, I think it hurts more, because "you [do] carry with you every relationship, every hurt, every joy, every pattern, somewhere embedded in your memory." You could even feel another person's pain.

The silver lining is that it makes me a better listener because I could relate to these feelings. I hope I'd helped a little listening to her story today.
(photo : www.thepissedoffbride.com)

Wedding Favor-Scented Candle

Lavender Candle Cube Glass, purple themed Wedding Favor set

Last month, I received a really special set of wedding favor at a friend's wedding. It's a glass block cube of Lavender candle with matches and napkin. The table was set with tall Lavender candles. The glow and fragrance emanated from the candles accented the romance of the evening.

The candle is at the studio now. I don't think I'll light it because it's too nice. If I do though, it will definitely remind me of my friend's wedding, which makes it a superb wedding favor because it's so reminiscent of an unforgettable night.

Peony for Flower Girls

Peony Posy in vase


Full Peony Posy View

I made a 5" Peony posy (not including foliage) yesterday. I thought the peonies would have larger blossoms, but since they were comparatively small even in full bloom, I decided to make a posy for Flower Girls. Some flowers, like hyacinths are lovely to look at, but the fragrance is really heady. Peonies however, have a much more delicate fragrance. The fragrance comes in wisps, like feathers, perfect for the angelic cherubs carrying them.

A Far Away Look

A couple nights ago, I went down to dinner at my favorite haunt, the cafe at the corner. Since I brought Porky along and dogs were not allowed indoors, we sat outside. I didn't much notice the table in front of us. We sat down and ordered. While waiting for my order, I accidentally listened in the conversation at the next table.

One girl was telling her girl friend about how hurt she was, how she did not expect this, how there was this other woman....

Her girl friend tried to console her, to trash the guy, the other woman, it didn't help the case and the tears flowed....

The storyline was not what caught my attention.

What caught my attention was when the girl friend got up to go to the bathroom, the hurt friend just sat and waited, looking at the street with the saddest faraway look. She wasn't focused on anything, anyone. She just sat there with red rimmed eyes and looked into the distance, into the past. I could still see her pretty profile. That faraway look....what was she thinking?

In my previous post (the excerpt), it said, "When you love someone, you are also loving everyone you have ever loved before. You carry with you every relationship, every hurt, every joy, every pattern...." Somehow, sitting there looking at her, I could feel her pain, her longing, her tears, her trying to be strong, her wanting to go back in time, her wanting to do things differently if she had the chance, her wanting another chance with him.

I was surprised at my degree of empathy for this girl. I think it's akin to the feeling you get when you cry at a sad movie, only this is more acute because it's not fictional. Love wounds are the most difficult to heal because it's a third degree burn. The skin needs to grow over the wound and it takes time, plus, the process is painful. You have to revisit the wound each day to clean it, and feel the rawness of the pain again.

As I am writing, this quote by Alfred Lord Tennyson popped up, "Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."

Ranunculus Blossoms

Ranunculus Buds

Ranunculus Arranged in Kosta Boda Crystal Dish

I am a big lover of flowers and I think it's such a waste that Bridal Posy has only one day of life. What we could do is use a little creativity, so we could admire the ethereal blooms just a while longer. The beautiful Ranunculus blossoms are arranged simply by cutting the stems into an inch to float in a shallow dish.

The Ranunculus buds tied with satin bow could be kept in a small vase. These buds probably would not bloom, but that is exactly the appeal, the sweetness of a budding flower.