Lily was playing with her baby doll Belle while dressed
in her Belle dress today. It was very cute, so I said,
“C’mon, Lily. I want to get a picture of the two Belles
together.” My sweet little girl sat down and promptly
posed for me. Whether this is a function of being
a three-year-old or of being a three-year-old who is
constantly photographed by her mother, I don’t know.
But either way, I really enjoyed our modeling session
together. That’s my princess.

I love High School Musical.  Like everyone else, I heard of it from all the buzz that was flowing through the undercurrent of our society, so I eventually watched it.  Like all adults, I first thought it was very cheesy.  But then it grew on me, and now I like it very much.  I’ll put it on in the background while I’m doing housework, and the songs are on my iPod.  And I have the release date for HSM 3 on my calendar because Lily (another big fan of HSM) and I are very excited about going to see it in the movie theater.

I like High School Musical for the same reason I like The Cat Who series by Lilian Jackson Braun: the fictional worlds in which these stories take place are idealic.  It’s the kind of place where you would like to live if they actually existed somewhere in this world.  Everyone is kind and quirky and fun.  And there is a strong sense of community.  And, in the case of High School Musical, you have appropriate background music for your every mood and situation.

While looking up the Wikipedia entry for The Cat Who series, I surfed a couple of links until I stumbled upon the Detroit News Interview with Lilian Jackson Braun.  It’s short and, if you’re a writer, very worth the read.  It sums up beautifully why we write and why Lilian Jackson Braun is still writing prolifically in her 90s:

But, like many artists in various fields who are inspired by some inner need to create, her drive is neither money nor fame. She avoids interviews and lives quietly, writing every day.

What’s alive for her — and what keeps her engaged, curious, amused, productive — is the never-ending surprise of what’s in her own head.

I know that my own imagination keeps me entertained every day.  Who needs fairies, dragons, or a high school where there is no poverty or cruelty if your own creativity weaves fantastic worlds for you every day? 😉