Footloose: A Lesson in Voice (Rerun)

One more rerun... I'm in Colorado enjoying some me time. I hope you'll enjoy this blog post rerun from October 23, 2011.

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I've been looking forward to the Footloose remake ever since it was announced, back when Zac Effron from High School Musical was attached to the project. Footloose was one of my favorite movies as a teenager. So much so, it's featured as one of Krista's favorite movies in Depression Cookies.

As I sat there with my middle school daughter, memories swirled and I missed my youth. Okay, I felt old. Plus, it was surreal to be watching the same movie I saw as a teenager with my preteen. Did I say I felt old?

In a post earlier this week, I asked readers to help me with voice. Specifically, "Do you think your voice has changed much since your teenage/young adult years? How so?" Most commenters agreed the voice doesn't drastically change, but the focus does.

I remember Footloose being a fun, teenagers-teach-adults-something movie full of dancing and great music. The remake struck me differently. I'm a mom now, and I found myself focusing more on the parents and their grief, the unbearable loss of their own child, than the kids and their dancing. Again, surreal. I still enjoyed the dancing and music, although I think the original had better music, but I got teary-eyed several times. Never felt like crying watching Kevin Bacon strut his stuff in the original.

So there you go, embracing life taught me something about writing. The priceless extra... I spent a fun afternoon with my preteen daughter.

What movie from your teen years would you like to see remade?

What Makes Me Swoon: From Husband to Vampires to Volleyball Players

Other than my daddy, my heart has only belonged to one man... my husband. I met him at eighteen, third day of college. Wasn't looking, but what a special find. He's handsome, because let's just be honest, you aren't initially attracted to a person's soul, but there's so much more. He's kind, considerate, smart, funny, charming, laid-back... I could go on and on. He leaves his clothes on the floor and opened chip bags laying around, but perfection is boring.

Seeing him being a dad to our three girls has only strengthened my adoration. I was fortunate to have a loving dad, and I'm glad I was able to gift my girls with the same. It takes a special man to raise girls, and he's spoiling them. They are going to be very picky about future husbands, and for that I'm also grateful.

I had a crush here and there through the teenage years, but I can't remember names or even faces. Moving around a lot will do that to you. But I do remember the following crushes vividly:

Kevin Bacon, Footloose. Never have a pair of faded denim jeans so perfectly shaped to a man's behind. I mean, man was he a good dancer.

Patrick Swayze, Dirty Dancing. I never considered dancing on the floor before that. Sad that he left us so soon. When he beckoned to Jennifer Grey by simply calling her over with his finger, I swooned.

Jason Patric, Lost Boys. The only time I've ever wanted to be Jami Gertz. Something so attractive and endearing about him. I might have dreamed about him, except I couldn't sleep for weeks after seeing that movie as a teen.

The actors in the volleyball scene of Top Gun. Although the only single time I've ever been attracted to Tom Cruise was in this movie, the volleyball scene was the best. The faces blurred, but the bodies... come to think of it, this was the only time I've been attracted to any of these actors. What happened to Val Kilmer anyway?

Tom Wopat, Dukes of Hazzard. John Schneider never did a thing for me, but I had a poster of Tom Wopat. Don't judge.

Lee Majors, Six Million Dollar Man. Handsome as he is, it was all in the eyes. He was my James Bond.

Pierce Bronson, Remington Steele. Speaking of James Bond... I feel in love over and over again with Pierce in this television series.

Bruce Willis, Moonlighting and Die Hard. I have a soft spot for funny men, and there was something very endearing about him. Then Die Hard made him sexy.

This all makes me wonder who my daughters will list someday. Just please tell me the height of their crushes will not be one of the Jonas brothers.

Who was your teenage celebrity crush?

Kick off your Sunday Shoes

From cheerleading to dancing... I'm really finding my youth these days.

Today's NaBloPoMo prompt:

I have a song in my head most of the time, so this is an easy one. YES! My parents were always telling me to turn the music off and do my homework. Without it, I couldn't focus. Same with writing. A stark, quiet room would be the death of me.

All the Footloose songs have been in my head since I took my preteen to see the remake. But it's the original tunes I can't shake. I love the song where Kevin Bacon is running through the warehouse, and the remake didn't use it. Didn't matter. It was playing in my head during the whole scene (as was Kevin Bacon).

My mother and I are writing a follow up to Depression Cookies, and this time the daughter is heading off to college and experiencing first love. Paula Abdul's Straight Up is constantly in my head when I'm writing those scenes. The lyrics:

Lost in a dream

Don't know which way to go

If you are all that you seem

Then baby I'm moving way too slow

I've been a fool before

Wouldn't like to get my love caught

In the slammin' door

How about some information--please

(Chorus)

Straight up now tell me

Do you really want to love me forever oh oh oh

Or am I caught in a hit and run

Straight up now tell me

Is it gonna be you and me together oh oh oh

Are you just having fun

Time's standing still

Waiting for some small clue

I keep getting chills

When I think your love is true

I've been a fool before

Wouldn't like to get my love caught

In the slammin' door

How about some information--please

(Chorus)

You are so hard to read

You play hide and seek

With your true intentions

If you're only playing games

I'll just have to say--bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye

I've been a fool before

Wouldn't like to get my love caught

In the slammin' door

Are you more than hot for me

Or am I a page in your history-book

I don't mean to make demands

But the word and the deed go hand in hand

How about some information--please

(Chorus)

Sounds like young love and smells like teen spirit to me!

Music, like reading, inspires me to write. After all, songs are just poetry set to music.

What song gets you moving/inspires you?

Footloose, A Lesson in Voice: ROW 80 Check In

I've been looking forward to the Footloose remake ever since it was announced, back when Zac Effron from High School Musical was attached to the project. Footloose was one of my favorite movies as a teenager. So much so, it's featured as one of Krista's favorite movies in Depression Cookies.

As I sat there with my middle school daughter, memories swirled and I missed my youth. Okay, I felt old. Plus, it was surreal to be watching the same movie I saw as a teenager with my preteen. Did I say I felt old?

In a post earlier this week, I asked readers to help me with voice. Specifically, "Do you think your voice has changed much since your teenage/young adult years? How so?" Most commenters agreed the voice doesn't drastically change, but the focus does.

I remember Footloose being a fun, teenagers-teach-adults-something movie full of dancing and great music. The remake struck me differently. I'm a mom now, and I found myself focusing more on the parents and their grief, the unbearable loss of their own child, than the kids and their dancing. Again, surreal. I still enjoyed the dancing and music, although I think the original had better music, but I got teary-eyed several times. Never felt like crying watching Kevin Bacon strut his stuff in the original.

So there you go, embracing life taught me something about writing. The priceless extra... I spent a fun afternoon with my preteen daughter.

Quick update on my A Round of Words in 80 Days progress:

Writing
Results: I'm working on it, and Mom just sent me another chapter to respond to, so I'm hoping for an excellent writing week.
Reaction: This week has been more research than novel writing, but I've written a new book review and blog posts, so all is not lost on the writing front. Still exercising those writing muscles.

Depression Cookies blog
Results: Posted daily and twice one day.
Reaction: Feeling good. I'm really proud of how far this blog has come in the six months I've really been focusing on it.

Mom in Love with Fiction blog
Results: Posted three times this week.
Reaction: Best week ever for this blog! More exciting reviews and book musings to come.

Miscellaneous
Results: A few pages into Becoming a Writer. I'm enjoying getting around to ROW80 blogs, but would love to visit more. So exciting to see how many people are participating and checking in!
Reaction: Need to focus on the craft book, and would love to read and comment on 20 blogs between now and Wednesday. Wish me luck.

Hope all my fellow ROW80 participants are having a stellar writing week!

For a bit of fun: What favorite movie from your teen years would you like to see remade?