No, it's not because I have an aversion to the number 13, although that would make a good story. Rather, this is more of an Edna St. Vincent Millay moment. What? You don't know who I'm talking about? Well, she was a American poet who was quite popular during the 1920s and is credited with writing some of the most beautiful sonnets ever. She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1923 for "The Ballad of the Harp-Weaver" which is a lyrical poem about a self-sacrificing mother. Good stuff.
Her poem "First Fig" includes the lines that I have in mind today. You've probably heard them at some point or another:
My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But oh, my foes, and oh, my friends --
It gives a lovely light!
I'll leave it to the literary critics to debate the finer points of the meaning of those lines. For me, it means that I've been running a little too hot for a little too long. While that's to be expected while co-writing a book (which is in the "sending drafts to the publisher" stage), holding down a full-time job, and trying to keep the house clean enough to keep the Board of Health at bay, a smart woman knows when to call a halt. If I don't take the occasional pause, I'll turn into the human equivalent of a Roman candle. Spectacular, but brief. So I'll be back next week with thoughts on Breaking Bad for Walter White Wednesday 14.
In the meantime, avoid Dark Shadows. I saw it so you don't have to - I'm not even linking to that. And really - Burton and Depp have some fun here and there, but there's no reason to lay down good money for their entertainment when films should be the other way around.
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