Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

2. Jen suffers the effects of a heart illness (Dawson’s Creek, Episode 6.24:…Must Come to an End)

(Skip to 6.40)

1. Marissa and Ryan get into a car accident (The O.C., Episode 3.25: The Graduates)

You’ll notice some of my picks overlapped with my Top 10 Saddest Moments list because, well, let’s face it–death is about the saddest thing someone can experience.

But what I really tried to focus on here was the jaw-dropping aspect, which is why the overlapping scenes aren’t in the same order as my previous list. For instance, I think Jen’s death was more devastating (read: sad) than Marissa’s, but Marissa’s was more jaw-dropping (read: shocking).

Make sense? Feel free to disagree!

• A publication at my alma mater, North by Northwestern, has an interview with Kellan Lutz (George, 90210).
• Kristin has Gossip Girl spoilers.
• The Vanessa-Olivia aspect of the Gossip Girl threesome and Alex-Marissa on The O.C. are included in E! Online’s Hot Girl-on-Girl Action gallery.
• The O.C.’s Chrismukkah episodes made TVGuide.com’s list of Best Holiday and Christmas TV Episodes.
• It figures: when I move away from Chicago, Peter Gallagher (Sandy, The O.C.) starts doing solo-shows there. Darn! (I did pass him on my campus once but realized too late that it was him!)
• One of the tabloids has a short piece on a “Dawson’s Creek love curse.” (See image 7.) Notably and conveniently absent is Joshua Jackson (Pacey) since he happens to be in a committed relationship.
• Jack (Kerr Smith, Dawson’s Creek) is included in E! Online’s Gays on TV gallery.

1. Dawson’s Creek: Episode 3.19, Stolen Kisses

While denying feelings for each other, Pacey and Joey share a moment in bed. (Skip to 5.15)

2. The O.C.: Episode 1.07, The Escape

While denying feelings for each other, Ryan and Marissa share a moment in bed.

I’ve been writing for the better part of most of my life.  I think the first story that I wrote was in second grade; it was about a dolphin and a shark that fell in love.  It was really bad, and I remember crying to my mother that the language was sloppy, though not in quite such sophisticated words.  In hindsight, I knew a lot more about the conventions of the romantic comedy genre then than I ever could have expected.  Also, it was a pretty good effort for a seven-year-old.  I wrote my college essay about writing because I honestly didn’t know what else ever had that big of an impact on my life; I could cite The West Wing and the 2004 & 2008 elections and my first time going to the theatre and the birth of my niece as being huge events that would forever change me, but when I closed my eyes I could only see my hand holding a pen and moving across my paper in a frenzy.  I got older and moved away from journals and toward my computer–which forever changed my style of writing–but for the most part, the fact that I would be writing was always the constant of my life.  Like most writers, I always said that a pinnacle of my life would be getting published.  Well…I’m being published for the first time.  Remember how earlier I had submitted a piece to that lit journal?  They accepted my story, and I signed the contract.  Soon, I will be a published author.

It’s weird, though, because I don’t feel exactly as I should.  I AM excited–really, I am.  It’s just…I’m also embarrassed.  I don’t particularly love the story that I wrote.  I guess the quality of the writing ranges from fair to good, but the plot and content leave me uneasy.  I feel like, of all of the first stories to have published, this is not the one that should be there.  Still, I’m eighteen, and I have time to write things with more substantial content.  In the future, if people dig up my little story, I hope they realize that I was only eighteen when it was written.  Because I must be decent, right?  Even if I’m only being published by a small little literary journal.  I can’t wait to see myself in print.  And I guess I am quite proud–if not of the story, then of myself.

My whole life to this point has been devoted to the written word; my life from here after will be devoted to both the written word and the service of others.  To the future?

-Marissa

• Be sure to check out The CW’s site for all the new video content this week.
• We don’t have ratings yet for last night’s One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl as Nielsen (the company responsible for them) had technical difficulties today.
• The CW Source has podcasts for last week’s OTH and GG.
• MTV has an article on the Blake Lively (Serena, Gossip Girl) feature in Nylon.
• Gossip Girl and 90210 are included in TVGuide.com’s sweeps roundup for this week.
• The Los Angeles Times has a spoilish interview with Jessica Stroup (Silver, 90210).
• PEOPLE.com has a short blurb on the Silver storyline in tonight’s episode.
• EW.com has a spoilish interview with AnnaLynne McCord (Naomi, 90210).
• AdAge has an article on 90210’s partnership with Ford for the Warriors in Pink campaign.
• Modern Salon has an article on copying 90210 hairstyles, but only includes Stroup and Shenae Grimes (Annie).
• Kellan Lutz (George, 90210) said he turned down the lead role in Twilight.
• In an article on Heather Locklear’s return to Melrose Place, 90210 is mentioned a bit. And this one mentions Laura Leighton (Sophie, Beverly Hills 90210).
• E! Online has an interview with Jennie Garth (Kelly, Beverly Hills 90210).
• In the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, McCord’s Naomi is made their list of Top TV Bitches. The EW.com version also includes: Brenda (Shannen Doherty, Beverly Hills 90210), Julie (Melinda Clarke,  The O.C.), Busy Phillips (Audrey, Dawson’s Creek) for her role in Freaks & Geeks and Jessica Walters (Tabitha, 90210) for her role in Arrested Development.
• There’s been conflicting reports that The CW will air the remaining episodes of The Beautiful Life, which starred Mischa Barton (Marissa, The O.C.).
• PEOPLE.com has an interview with Nikki Reed (Sadie, The O.C.).

RELEVANT QUESTIONS–DON’T READ IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW!!!

Krista in Lafayette Hill, Pa.: Is it true that the CW has decided to air the rest of the episodes of The Beautiful Life later this season? If for some miracle the ratings increased would they bring it back full time?
A representative for the CW tells us, “The status of unaired eps of The Beautiful Life is still to be determined.” My rock-solid source who knows about such things tells me: No truth whatsoever. Sorry, Mischa!

Drew in Walhalla, S.C.: I’m a freak for Chuck and Blair on Gossip Girl! Tell me they aren’t going to break up any time soon.
They aren’t. It’s actually Rufus and Lily’s relationship that will be in a very bad place until the end of the season. From what I understand, it all stems from a letter that Serena’s father is going to send her. And of course, it doesn’t help that Bart Bass is back in the mix!

Rebecca in Miami: How about some One Tree Hill scoop?
Skills is moving to Los Angeles. (Tear. You will be missed in Tree Hill!) Also, a new man may come between Brooke and Julian.

Randall in Ohio: How about some good stuff on 90210? I’ve been getting into it lately.
DVR alert: I’m hearing that episode 12 is going to be awesome. It all goes down at the Winter Wonderland dance, and an intervention takes place for Annie to get her to realize that Jasper is a bad guy. Hmmm, will she believe them? Also, Teddy has feelings for Silver and asks her out, but she rejects him. Wah-wah. Though we hear something will happen between the two later on.

Credit: E! Online

***
Notes:

If you recall, The Beautiful Life starred Mischa Barton (Marissa, The O.C.).

We already saw Lily receive the letter from Serena’s father last week and the OTH stuff we already knew as well both from the episodes and spoilish info I posted.

There’s also been spoilish pictures of the Winter Wonderland dance circulating. Can’t remember if I posted them.

Marissa _______________________________________ Ruth

Marissa _______________________________________ Ruth

In honor of orphan Sunday.  My children, before and after.

The first photo Mandy sent us of William and Marissa.

William and Marissa in October.

When I was looking through my photos of the pumpkin patch and I saw this one, it immediately reminded me of the one of the from Welcome Home. The difference is remarkable.

They were orphans.

Now they are ours.

Forever.

Part of a family.

God did not leave them as orphans.

There are over 143 MILLION more children, just like them.

ALONE

HUNGRY

HOPELESS

AFRAID

They are real children.

With real faces, just like those two up there.

With real needs.

Real lives, daring to dream of the day when they have

A daddy and mommy

shelter

medical care

full bellies…everyday

hope for a future

an education.

shoes

someone that loves them

encourages them

cares for them

teaches them

someone that allows them to just be children, not burdened with adult worries and cares.

Someone to tell them how much their Lord LOVES them.

The facts and statistics are grim.

These children face lives filled with

POVERTY

HUNGER

ILLNESS

FEAR

LONELINESS

REJECTION

PROSTITUTION

SUICIDE

JAIL

Drugs

DEATH

We are God’s answer for them

His church

He calls us to CARE for these precious children of His.

To open our HEARTS and pray for them.

To open our HOMES and make them our own.

To open our WALLETS to provide for them.

WE ARE GOD’S ANSWER.

For their loneliness.

For their hunger.

For their need.

Will you answer THE CALL?

It’s not easy, to open your heart.  It will be BROKEN.

BROKEN.

Your brokeness, just might bring them WHOLENESS.

WHOLENESS, for the first time in their lives.

You will be BROKEN.

They will be HEALED.

They will have HOPE.

Be the answer.

November 3 at 5:00 p.m. we went to the hospital and at 11:30, FINALLY, our daughter Ruth Raymond was born. Weighing in at a respectable 6 lbs 14 oz and stretching to 18.5 inches, Ruth has been mostly tuckered out. Kreifels toes, McCoy hair, Kreifels nose, McCoy ears.

Boy are we happy that she’s finally here. And she arrived two days early–probably the McCoy genes. Can’t wait to take her fishing!  Thanks everyone for your prayers and well-wishes.

Toes!

Us Three at the Hospital

How Ruth has been spending her entire first day

Just look at all that dark hair

Yawn, not a yell

Peekaboo!

]]> http://thekreifels.com/2009/11/04/260/ Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:56:11 +0000 thekreifels http://thekreifels.com/2009/11/04/260/

And here’s Marissa, unknowingly going to work on Ruth’s birthday. What a trooper!

Stuff done in Week 1:

1. Write script for the short film.

2. Review script with director and edit the script further.

3. Write a letter to actors on talent website, requesting collaboration on the film project.

4. Watch and observe casting auditions.

5. Recce locations with group members: Bus-stop opp. SP, Fort Canning and browsing for Cheongsum costume at Chinatown.

Hunting is kind of a big deal around here.  Personally, I just don’t get it.  However, I LOVE having the meat…so I put up with it most graciously, if I do say so myself.

There is a big event every year, right before deer season opens, Buck Fever.  Aptly named for the sweating, shaking, and pukey feeling that a hunter experiences when a big buck is in his sights.  Personally, I don’t get it.

Anyway, it is a fun event.

They have a fishing pond set up the kids to catch some lazy catfish with hot dog bait.

They have an archery range so the kids can shoot.

This was Noah’s target.  Both Kaleb and Noah are good shots, but Noah is often dead on.  They had a booth for the kids to shoot BB guns, and the guy running the booth was very impressed with Noah’s “Nice tight pattern.”  (Anyone besides Emily, think that’s a funny line?)

They have food and drinks.  I was dying of thirst and sent my beloved with the direct request, “Please go get me a big ol’ tea.”  This is what he came back with.

I can assure that I did not find this to be a big ol’ tea.  Thankfully there were free refills.  While we were waiting for the children to have their turn at the fish pond, I was downing that icy cold tea, and promptly got a terrible case of frozen brain.

I put my head on Richard’s chest and said, “ohh, brain freeze.”

Somehow he heard, “Spank me.”

He figured the country music was having a strange effect on me.

They have all sorts of things on display, all of which of course pertains in some way to those who are of the testosterone sect.  They also have a horns contest.  Entries are made of the previous seasons trophy bucks, and prizes go to the top three in each category.  This year  the boys entered their bucks, and Noah won second place.  Well, turns out a he got technically third place.  They somehow forgot to score someones buck, and found out about it just before the awards ceremony.  They had already called and informed the winners, so they decided to have two second place winners rather than demote Noah and the third place winner.   I suppose that was a wise decision on their part.  Noah won a nice set of Nikon binoculars, and jacket, and hat.

It was a very poignant moment.  Noah had prayed to get this deer, while my Mom was still with us at Christmas, in honor of my Dad.  God answered his prayer with a 12 point, prize winning buck.  That’s the kind of God I serve.  He doesn’t just answer our prayers, He blesses us with more than we could ever even imagine.  I am so thankful that He loves my son so much, that he cares to answer the prayers of faith of a young man for a buck.

My final picture of the evening…I was struck by how dark the sky was, no stars, just a little sliver of a moon.

Hi guys!

So as you know, the ladies had a little escapade this weekend.  Being that my meals at school usually consist of leftovers and/or yogurt, the highlight of my trip was being able to cook something fresh and delicious. I love to cook– and I mean LOVE, readers.  But nowadays it’s a rare occasion to have access to such novelties as stoves and bowls, so last nights meal felt downright gourmet.

I was thinking about you guys, readers, and figured some of you guys probably love to cook, too.  So, in case you were interested, here’s the recipe for last night’s meal.  It’s SUPER easy and pretty good tasting, too!
Oh and here’s the thing, readers; I don’t measure.  Maybe if I was getting fancy, but college students as a whole are not that fancy, so trust your instincts with this one.

Mahi Mahi with Starfruit and Pineapple Salsa
red  bell pepper
green bell pepper
2 starfruits
pineapple (sliced, diced, whatever- from a can works perfectly fine)
olive oil
cilantro
butter
1 lime
Mahi Mahi (one filet per person)

Dice the peppers, starfruit, and pineapple, and toss in a saucepan with a tad bit of olive oil on medium heat for not all that long. While they’re cooking, cut the lime in half and squeeze it over the pan.  This part smells really good!  Stir ‘em up for a bit longer, just to combine and release those good flavors.  Add a tad of cilantro.  Then take ‘em all out, put in a bowl and chill.
Now take your mahi (or whatever fish you want, really), properly thawed of course, and put them on an oven-safe pan.  Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with cilantro, and stick a daub of butter on top.  Now bake in a 400-degree oven for 15ish minutes, or until the fish is white and flaky.  It shouldn’t take long.
When the fish is done, serve it with the salsa on top and garnish it if you’re feeling classy.  Then eat it. It’s good.

 That’s really it, readers.   The only downside is that this recipe requires basic amenities (i.e. something besides a microwave), so if you’re like me and don’t really have access to these things (Pei dorms represent!), you might need to wait ’til your next trip home to make this.  But if you’re lucky and are able to find somewhere to cook…well, I promise it’s better than Ham food.

Enjoy!

-Marissa

November 5, here we come!

Day 7. 2:56pm

I am so hungry.
My food has dwindled to alarming scarcity.  All I have left is a nearly empty jar of peanut butter, half of a bag of animal crackers, and a slice of Tofurky.

I can sense that it is light outside but I cannot see past the walls of books.

I have lost a great many belongings in the sea of paper.  I’m beginning to fear it has claimed my mind too, for all I can think of are the paintings of  Odilon Redon, and I hear the voices of Michelangelo and Pope Julius arguing inside my head.

Is this what I have become?  Am I so far gone?

I am beginning to think I will not make it.

Hi Pumpkins!

It is so lovely to hear from you all!  I am basically computer illiterate and am sure my posts are going to be all sorts of ridiculous, like emails from your grandmother. Anyway, I am preparing to throw a halloween party with my sister- so expect to see some delectable recipes in the near future, including vampire kiss martinis, zombie eyes, gremlin bones, and bubbling witches brew…with everclear (this is the south, after all.)

In other news, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying Austin, where it is still 80 degrees and sunny more often than not. I bought myself a small orange and white vespa, which is the love of my life. just yesterday I drank a bottle of whisky and reupholstered the seat with a staple gun. This was somehow, not entirely  disastrous.

The swine flu pandemic has been good to me. I scored free ACL tickets from one of its victims and got to see a rousing performance from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs- where I was able to squeeze up to the second row in exchange for only minimal nudity. Tomorrow I’m going to see Sea Wolf and Ben Kweller and Port O’hara or something.

And…I work in a cookie shop. So I bake cookies all day. And I’m training for two half marathons. This does not make a whole, FYI. And I bought a tattoo gun. And my tattoo collection is inevitably growing. Sign up to get inked.

Hugs and kisses

Marissa

Readers,

Well hey, I’m Marissa!  Good to meet you.  I hope you know it is a brave thing we are doing here.  This is embarrassing stuff.  It would have been a lot easier just to introduce ourselves via cutesy facts and a list of our favorite hobbies.  Hell, we could have just done the proper Generation Y thing and sent you off to our Facebook pages to figure it all out yourself.

But we didn’t, readers.  We didn’t.  Instead we’re providing you with blackmail-worthy  dirt that you can tuck away in your pocket and allude to menacingly whenever you want to muscle us into some ridiculous favor.  All for the sake of entertainment.  Because we love you. Because we care.

…now that I’ve stalled that point into the ground, I bet you probably want to hear my confession now.  Yikes, well, here it is:

I adore Renaissance faires.

It’s true.  I love them!  Can’t get enough of them.  I’m into the costumes, the food, the kitschy performances, the whole deal.  The biggest incentive for some poor boy to take me on a date to a Renaissance faire is that I would bone him as soon as he put on a pair of tights and said “Huzzah.”  I’m that crazy about them.

It’s a condition I’ve grown up with; I was raised on worn library copies of Tamara Pierce novels, ardently cheering on her main characters and wishing with everything in my thirteen-year-old heart that I were them:  Girls disguising themselves as boys and becoming knights,  running away from their humble serfdoms to become royal spies, and discovering their  budding magical abilities just in time to fulfill ancient prophesies.  Plus there was always a hunky, rogueish man involved; how could a girl NOT get sucked in?

When I was fifteen I joined the Madrigals choir at my high school.  It took a vigorous audition process to make it- when I found out that I had, my every move was set to “Chariots of Fire” for a week.  I was ecstatic.  I told everyone I was so happy because it was flattering to have made it into the honors choir…but secretly, I was more excited about the fact that I got to wear a costume. And what a costume I had–and still have, tucked away lovingly beneath my bed–a gaudy purple silk number with a brocade cloak and green and gold embroidery that looks like it belongs on the Bayeaux Tapestrey.  I even painstakingly crafted my own flowered headpiece to finish it off.  I looked downright ridiculous in it- but damn if I wasn’t PROUD while I wore it.  During our concerts I could invariably be spotted with a huge smile on my face, imagining myself on the back of some white stallion ridden by some dashingly tan prince who belonged on the cover of a book that you’d find in the Romance section of Barnes & Noble.

I’m a total closet-case, of course.  I’ve only been to two or three faires in my life because I’m too embarrassed to ask anyone to go with me.  Two years ago, however, that did change, and I took one of my fellow Madrigals to a faire with me, garb and all.  And while I didn’t tell many of my friends about my excursion, I secretly relished every nerdy, gilded, mead-y minute of it.

I’m excited to announce that Mackenzie and I will be attending the Sarasota Medieval Fair next month.  Yes, I brought my costume from home.  Yes, I had to pay $30 more to check an extra bag on my flight home because that thing is so goddamn POOFY.

…yes, it was totally worth it.

-Marissa

• 90210 ( 2.2 million viewers) stayed the same in the ratings last night, compared to last week.
• AnnaLynne McCord (Naomi, 90210) is in a Fashion Face-off on E!Online.  Coincidentally, one of the competitors is Ashley Tisdale who guest-starred on Beverly Hills 90210.
• Trevor Donovan (Teddy, 90210) is MTV’s Hump Day Hottie.
• Star News has a great article on Robert Buckley (Clay, One Tree Hill).
• Kate Voegele (Mia, One Tree Hill) did a video interview with Artisan News.
• Penn Badgley (Dan, Gossip Girl) did a group interview via conference call with several universities (including the one I went to!).
• Mischa Barton (Marissa, The O.C.) spoke with Access Hollywood about the failure of The Beautiful Life and where she’ll go from here.
• PEOPLE.com has a short piece on Rachel Bilson (Summer, The O.C.).