Living In the World, Not on It

1) Marc over at Marc and Angel Hack Life recently shared the 30 books that he's glad he read before he turned 30. What is one book you're really glad you read? Wow. I have read thousands of books, and I'm grateful for reading most of them. This is extremely hard to answer with all the reading I do. And the answer is probably different at any given time, since the book I'm thinking of maybe different tomorrow (or five minutes from now). At this moment, I would say I am very happy that I have read The Planets by Dava Sobel; it took astronomy and turned it into art, poetry and scientific knowledge - the best of all worlds! Here is an excerpt from Genesis (The Sun): "At totality, when the Moon is a pool of soot hiding the bright solar sphere, and the sky deepens to a crepuscular blue, the Sun's magnificent corona, normally invisible, flashes into view. Pearl and platinum-colored streamers of coronal gas surround the vanished Sun like a jagge...

Prepare to be amused... at least, I was. Two weeks ago, I received my usual issue of People Magazine - the one dated 28 November 2011 (which is magazine land time as today is the 29th), aptly entitled THE SEXIEST MAN ALIVE! And 123 Super Hot Men We Love... (what do you expect? It's People Magazine, and to some degree it is appealing to a wide age-range. I went through it as I usually do and yes, Bradley Cooper is pretty good looking. Quite frankly, I haven't the faintest idea who he is, but that is typical for me. And I leafed through the other hot men; some I agreed were truly wowwers and some not so much. I mean, who is going to say no to Patrick Dempsey, Patrick Wilson (with those incredibly blue eyes!), Taye Diggs, Hugh Jackman (growl!), Ewan McGregor and Alex O'Loughlin (except for the tattoos around each nipple - yuck). And Brían O'Byrne (with the same diacritical mark as in my name - truly a good Irishman!) is growing on me. But then I got to the SEXY ...

Welcome to The Queens's Meme 7 Royal Questions on Tuesday Someone in the castle is having a birthday today. Homer says it's not him. Who, oh who, could it be?! Whether or not it's your birthday, you should be able to answer these age-related questions. Sounds like fun, eh? Or not. I'm going to talk to the birthday girl. She needs a good talking to. 1. If you could turn back the hands of time, where would you go? Have you and the Saturday 9 writer been in cahoots this week? I just answered a very similar question to this... I would relive 28 June 2009 - my day in Yellowstone National Park with David trying to fit in so many things to see - I took over 900 images in that one day! It was the most incredible magical day ever! 2. What was your favorite age and why?   Interesting question! I have to say that despite the poor health and issues, every year I experience now and for the last six years were my favourite. I was an unhappy child, a very torture...

Welcome to Saturday: 9 . What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme! Saturday 9: Turn Back the Hands of Time 1. There's a Time Genie. She can put you back in time to relive a day that you loved. If you could turn back the hands of time, what day would you relive if given this opportunity? Hmmm. Wow, any day at all that I wanted to relive... goodness, that's hard. But on reflective thought, I would happily relive my day in Yellowstone National Park, because WOW, what a day that was! 2. What did you do yesterday? Let's see... Luis and I slept in a bit, made love, w...

The Bud is Back Meme Welcome back to Sunday Stealing which originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we also have our rules. First, we always credit the blog that we stole it from and we will “fess up” to the blog owner where we stole the meme. We also provide a link to the victim's post. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") We do sometimes edit the original meme, usually to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, sometimes to select that meme's best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from either this new meme or recently asked questions from a prior featured meme. Let's go!!! Today we ripped off a blogger named Fireca...

Is everyone over his or her “turkey coma?” If you’re like me, you ate plenty more than you should have over the Thanksgiving weekend. You may still be enjoying leftovers! Your menu over the past few days is the topic of this week’s question. Be sure to check back this week and click on the links of bloggers who play along in the comments below! It’s a great way to find blogs you may not have visited and to keep the conversation going! Here is this week’s “ Sunday Seven ” question. Either answer in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your blog (with a link here), and then comment here with a link back to your blog so that everyone else can visit! Permission is not granted to copy the questions to message boards for the purpose of having members answer and play along there. Enjoy! THIS WEEK’S QUESTION : Name seven Thanksgiving treats you’ve enjoyed over the past few days. 1. Small spiral cut ham: I intensely dislike turkey and its try...

Here’s the third and final set of questions that came from answers to a recent edition of the Sunday Seven . Those who played that week had to come up with questions they’d ask me over dinner. There were some great questions thrown my way, so I couldn’t pass up the chance to toss them right back! Thanks for dropping by and I hope you enjoy this week’s set of questions! Be sure to check back this week and click on the links of bloggers who play along in the comments below! It’s a great way to find blogs you may not have visited and keep the conversation going! Here are this week’s “Saturday Six” questions. Either answer the questions in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your blog… But don’t forget to leave a link to your blog so that everyone else can visit! Permission is not granted to copy the questions to message boards for the purpose of having members answer and play along there. Enjoy! 1. From Aislínge : Where have you live...

Welcome to my secret lair on skullcrusher mountain I hope that you've enjoyed your stay so far I see you've met my assistant Scarface His appearance is quite disturbing But I assure you he's harmless enough He's a sweetheart, calls me master And he has a way of finding pretty things and bringing them to me I'm so into you But I'm way too smart for you Even my henchmen think i'm crazy I'm not surprised that you agree If you could find some way to be A little bit less afraid of me You'd see the voices that control me from inside my head Say I shouldn't kill you yet I made this half-pony half-monkey monster to please you But I get the feeling that you don't like it What's with all the screaming? You like monkeys you like ponies Maybe you don't like monsters so much Maybe I used too many monkeys Isn't it enough to know that I ruined a pony making a gift for you? I'm so into you ...

I kept forgetting to get my butt online and in my blog to post about this most heinous of things: toddlers and tiaras. People Magazine did an article about it in their special double issue for 26 September entitled Gone Too Far? Skimpy costumes, temper tantrums, pushy moms: A hit TV show ignites a furor over the shocking world of child beauty pageants . Now, I have a good friend Eric who told me about this travesty of a show months prior, if not longer, but I could never bring myself to watch it. Now I know why! This article... oh, my gods, it pushed me right over the edge! Just ask my husband. He listened to me gripe and yell and go crazy over this and when I showed him the pictures, he could not argue that this was just sick! One three-year-old was dressed like Julia Roberts as a hooker - yes, a hooker - from the movie Pretty Woman ! Ye gods! How is this legal, let alone okay?! The mother, after the reaction she got on the telly, admitted that the 3-year-old Paisley's outf...

My friend, my beloved friend Greg, sent me a list of links to watch. I very rarely look at YouTube, other than to see Simon's Cat (thank you, Cuz!) and look up the occasional video, but Greg knows me all too well. He found stuff that he knew, without question, I'd love. The first one was Spongebob Squarepants singing Rammstein's "Zerstören". And you cannot believe how good this looked! I wouldn't miss this, if I were you! This link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKeFgRrsw7E&feature=related The next one was Winnie the Pooh and friends sing "Ich Will" by Rammstein! Oh, these are great! Cartoons that I would not give the time of day to have suddenly become worth my time! This is so much fun! The way they match the characters speaking to the music is wonderful. Now, we have a connection to this as we saw Rammstein back on Cinco de Mayo when they performed at the Izod Arena. We had such a wonderful time seeing them perform and we love...

Yellow diamonds in the light Now we’re standing side by side As your shadow crosses mine What it takes to feel alive It’s the way I’m feeling I just can’t describe It’s the way I’m feeling now Shine a light through an open door Love and life I will divide Turn away cause I need you more Feel you heartbeat next to mine It’s the way I’m feeling I just can’t describe It’s the way I’m feeling now We found love in a hopeless place We found love in a hopeless place We found love in a hopeless place We found love in a hopeless place We found love in a hopeless place We found love in a hopeless place We found love in a hopeless place We found love in a hopeless place We found love in a hopeless place We found love in a hopeless place We found love in a hopeless place We found love in a hopeless place Coldplay

Donde estas, donde estas, Yolanda Que paso, que paso, Yolanda Te busque, te busque, Yolanda Y no estas, y no estas Yolanda Donde estas, donde estas, Yolanda Que paso, que paso, Yolanda Te busque, te busque, Yolanda Y no estas, y no estas Yolanda Tus ojos me miraron Tus labios me besaron Con ese fuego ardiente Ardiente de mujer La luz de tu mirada El fuego de tus labios Flecharon a mi pecho y de ti me enamore Donde estas, donde estas, Yolanda Que paso, que paso, Yolanda Te busque, te busque, Yolanda Y no estas, y no estas Yolanda Donde estas, donde estas, Yolanda Que paso, que paso, Yolanda Te busque, te busque, Yolanda Y no estas, y no estas Yolanda Dikedikeda!! Donde estas, donde estas, Yolanda Que paso, que paso, Yolanda Te busque, te busque, Yolanda Y no estas, y no estas Yolanda Donde estas, donde estas, Yolanda Que paso, que paso, Yolanda Te busque, te busque, Yolanda Y no estas, y no estas Yolanda Me dicen que paseabas En un carro Yolanda ...

On top of the world like a flag on a mountain Feeling so high you can feel so alone Unable to breathe at the height that you flew Staring on clouds with no view of below On top of a girl like a dream in a hotel Falling towards something out of control Unable to miss like the man in the tram Crashing your car in Amsterdam He did it without knowing, didn't feel a thing He just wrecked it and kept going The space around the stars Is something that you know A billion miles of darkness Left your feeling low The space around the stars Is something that you know Everything about you So perfectly restrained But everything inside you Bites you Everybody in the whole of the world Feels the same inside Everybody in the whole of the world Everyone is only everyone else Everybody's got to know Everybody lives and loves and laughs and cries And eats and sleeps and grows and dies Ever...

Welcome back to Sunday Stealing which originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we also have our rules. First, we always credit the blog that we stole it from and we will “fess up” to the blog owner where we stole the meme. We also provide a link to the victim's post. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") We do sometimes edit the original meme, usually to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, sometimes to select that meme's best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from either this new meme or recently asked questions from a prior featured meme. Let's go!!! Today we ripped off a blogger named Tense Teacher from the blog Tense for ...

Getting close to seasons end I heard somebody say That it might never snow again In England Snow flakes in a new-born fist Sledging on a hill Are these things we'll never see In England We'll tell our children's children why We grew so tall and reached so high We left our footprints in the earth And punched a hole right through the sky We'll tell them how we changed the world And how we tamed the sea And seasons they will never know In England So watch the old world melt away A loss regrets could never mend You never miss it till it's gone So say goodbye, say goodbye We'll tell our children's children why We grew so tall and reached so high You never miss it till it's gone So say goodbye, say goodbye To seasons end Marillion, Season's End, 1989

Welcome back to Sunday Stealing which originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we also have our rules. First, we always credit the blog that we stole it from and we will “fess up” to the blog owner where we stole the meme. We also provide a link to the victim's post. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") We do sometimes edit the original meme, usually to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, sometimes to select that meme's best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from either this new meme or recently asked questions from a prior featured meme. Let's go!!! Today we ripped off a blogger named Tense Teacher from the blog Tense fo...

When Luis and I first moved in together we made the mistake of telling his father, who promptly turned around and with only the dopey "let's hide the embarrassment of my good Roman Catholic son shacking up with someone", he told the whole family we got married. He might have clued us in on the secret - if only so I could of squashed that idea before it hit the masses, but no. And since he never saw fit to tell us, I ended up sending out thank you cads to all for the housewarming gifts but, no, we are not married. Someday we might get married, but not for a long time. Twenty-two and a half years later, here we are. Still happy, still (much to the consternation of practically the whole Gómez clan) not married. Neither Luis and I nor Anna and Kirk have gotten formally married and none of us have any plans to have children! GASP! Yes, isn't that something. I believe that Luis Senior has come to terms with it, but I know his siblings rub in how many kids and gra...

This week, we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving. Those of us who work in television will also be happy for Thursday because it will be the first day after November sweeps! For many families, Thanksgiving means a huge spread of food. In some cases, there are dishes that are only pulled out on Thanksgiving. This week’s question focuses on that kind of food, although I’m opening up the topic to any holiday: are there foods you generally only eat during holiday meals? If so, this week’s question should be easy to stomach. Sorry, I couldn’t resist! Be sure to check back this week and click on the links of bloggers who play along in the comments below! It’s a great way to find blogs you may not have visited and to keep the conversation going! Here is this week’s “ Sunday Seven ” question. Either answer in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your blog (with a link here), and then comment here with a link back to your blog so that every...

You may not recall the moment that you asked me But your invitation was clear You'll pretend you've never met me but it's far to late Now I'm here Cause I'm the one who knows what scares you I'm the one who loves you best I'm the thirteenth at the table I'm the uninvited guest I'm the Banquo at your banquet I'm the cuckoo in your nest I'm your fifteen-stone first-footer I'm the uninvited guest I was there when you said insincere "I love you's" To a woman who wasn't your wife And I fronted you the money That you ran away and blew On the biggest regret of your life Cause I'm the one who knows what scares you I'm the who loves you best I'm the thirteenth at the table I'm the uninvited guest I'm the Banquo at your banquet I'm the cuckoo in your nest I'm your New Year's resolution I'm the ...

Welcome to The Queen's Meme 7 Royal Questions on Tuesday The Queen's Meme #102 1. What do men really want in a woman? How does one answer that? All men are different. If I had to say that about Luis, I would say someone to have stimulating conversations with - he of course would give an inappropriate answer just to see me wig out and give him an appalled look! He knows how to get a rise out of me. 2. Should marijuana be legalized? Yes, and all the rest of the drugs as well. Tax them and make them all legal so that crime goes down and drug dealers won't have any market left! 3. Why did the cow jump over the moon? There was a horny bull on the other side - why else? 4. What do women really want in a man? I suspect answer No. 1 applies. I suppose most would say someone who listens to what they have to say. Hopefully - I hate to think what most women want is someone to control. 5. When you are having a really good day, what usually makes it good? I think ev...

7 Royal Questions on Tuesday It' been a lonnnnng week. Queen is tired. Before Ihttp://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6116578306260727144postID=2973342785363906574 snuggle under the covers tonight, let me set before you a totally random set of questions. They just popped off the top of my pencil head five minutes ago. Freshly baked for you!  I can barely keep my eyes open. Got any toothpicks?  I know you will come up with entertaining and maybe even earth-shattering answers. The world could use a little shaking up. Just don't wake ME up. Goodnight! The Queen's Meme #101 ~  The Miscellaneous-Queen-Needs-Sleep Meme 1. All your dominoes just fell down. Who pushed them? It has to be the cat - the first cat, Siobhan. She would do it just to piss me off to tell me to feed her. That is the kind of cat she is, evil creature! 2. Have you ever danced in a car? Well, not full-body dancing - how would I stand up? But bouncing up and down in the seat... all...