Writings by Diane

It never ceases to amaze me how perspective can change everything. A few days ago, I was playing Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe video game with my teenage son. Full disclosure—every once in a while I like to play this game and keep the fictitious land of Metropolis safe.  (this time around, I picked the DC side) Also, it’s a healthy way to take out aggression and let loose pummeling the imaginary opponents. However, I can totally see how these fighting games can lead to aggravation. Unfortunately, a person can lose sight to why he/she was playing these games in the first place. I was midst in the final boss fight. As my character of Superman was defeated yet again by Dark Khan, I let out an amused chortle. My son, who takes his video games very seriously, asked me how I can laugh when I lose. I immediately answered because back in my time, we didn't have the luxury of being able to save our video games progress on a console. We had to keep feeding a video game machine quarters...

A few weeks ago, I finished We Were the Mulvaneys and I really didn't want to see it end.  As I drew near the last pages, I purposefully slowed down my reading of the printed words. I wanted to savor the last morsels before turning the very last page. There was a Lifetime movie made of Ms Oates' work, However, I'm upset that the movie version of the mother Corinne doesn't have flaming red long hair. I'm not the only reader to question the casting of a main character. The fans of Fifty Shades of Grey were so vocal in their discontent of the announcement of Charlie Hunnam was going to portray the lead character Mr Grey, they started a petition to recast the role.   Why do readers become so enraged when a character from a book doesn't make the seamless transition to screen? Why should it matter so much? For me, when I thoroughly enjoy a book, the characters take on a life of their own. The personifications on screen should feel authentic. I remember a classmat...

A few days ago, as I was walking through a pharmacy, I became keenly aware of the section named digestive health. I stopped and stood in front of the rows and rows of the different forms of antacids. From liquid to capsules to fast acting tablets, I found it amazing that there is a whole section dedicated to easing sore stomachs.  I remembered a commercial for an antacid that showed food, such as pizza and chicken wings, beating up people trying to eat. After seeing this commercial and these products, it started making me wonder: when did it become acceptable that it was painful to feed ourselves? For the most part, I avoid spicy foods. If a menu item has a flame symbol next to the entree, it's a sure bet they won't make any sale from me. However, every once in a while, my curiosity is piqued and I take a small sample of the latest hot flavor. Unfortunately, the results are usually not in my favor. For instance, when I tried a small habanero chip, I truly believed my mouth wa...