Teaser Tuesday - Atlas Shrugged

"Love is blind, they say; sex is impervious to reason and mocks the power of all philosophers. But, in fact, a man's sexual choice is the result and the sum of his fundamental convictions. Tell me what a man finds sexually attractive and I will tell you his entire philosophy of life. Show me the woman he sleeps with and I will tell you his valuation of himself..."

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

Okay, so I'm a rebel. I didn't follow the rules (below) this week. I'm not currently reading Atlas Shrugged, but it is on my shelf and I was reading it not so very long ago. This particular quote was in my Facebook feed today and it just felt like the right one to share. I feel there is truth here.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Voice

There was a time when I was a very into American Idol. The good part - NOT the audition phase. If I wanted to hear BAD singing, I'd just tape myself. I still like American Idol, but the past couple of seasons have been kinda blah. No Daughtry, no Cook, not even a Kris Allen. This year ended up with two country singers in the finale. I was pleased to read, on my Facebook wall, that Scotty won, but wasn't interested enough to actually turn on my TV and watch it myself.

Now there is a new singing show that has captured my attention. The Voice. It won me over right from the start mostly because every single person that we were shown auditioning could actually SING. I liked some better than others of course, but none of them hurt my ears - or my eyes - or my delicate sensibilities. Maybe it's just me, but when I see someone stuffed into a much too tight, sequined mini skirt, making offensive gestures and lacing speech with obscenities, I just want to turn that mess off. That is not entertaining to me.

Thankfully, The Voice had none of that. Each contestant started singing with the four "coaches" (Christina Aguilera, CeLo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton) facing away from the stage. Judging by voice alone, the coaches would press a button that would turn their chair around if they wanted the contestant on their team. After gathering eight contestants each, the judges then pit two contestants against one another in the Battle Rounds. That left each team with four members each.

Team Christina
Lily Elise - Her battle round was very UNimpressive. She was LOUD, but not good. The girl she sang against (Cherie Oakley) was far, far better.
Frenchie Davis - talented? Sure. Not my cup of tea, but she has a decent fan following.
Beverly McClellan - She is described as a soulful rock singer. I find that she sounds a bit like Melissa Etheridge, but not quite as smooth.
Raquel Castro - Pretty girl. Nice big voice. Too pop for me, but she'll do well.

Team Cee Lo
Tori and Taylor - both girls are cute as a button. I really loved the singer that they battled against (Kelsey Ray) but they blend so well together that it will be interesting to see how far they get in the competition.
Curtis Grimes - For some reason, his name says superstar to me. Country superstar. I don't follow country much (okay, not at all) but he does have the kind of voice that will carry him far in that genre.
Nakia - very interesting voice.
Vicci Martinez - She was one of my favorite auditions. Her battle round was probably the best of all. Can't wait to see what she does later.

Team Adam
Jeff Jenkins - a fan favorite. I like him, but am not blown away yet.
Devon Barley - I like him and am glad that he is still on the show, but part of me thinks that the girl (Rebecca Lowbe) he battled against was just a bit better.
Casey Weston- interesting quality to her voice. Cee Lo said that she reminds him of a young Stevie Nicks. I agree.
Javier Colon - Amazing singer. At this point, the competition is his to lose. He is in my top three. Actually my top two. Can't wait to hear more from him.

Team Blake
Patrick Thomas - a country singer. That's all I have to say about that. :)
Dia Frampton - her voice has a pure quality to it that makes me smile.
Xenia - she opens her mouth and my heart listens. I hope she gets over her stage shyness by the live shows.
Jared Blake - This guy is at the top of my list right now. Love his tone. I want MORE!

So...are you watching?

Balancing a Pear

I'm a pear.

No, not this kind of pear...

I'm talking about this kind of pear...



Smallish top...not so smallish bottom.

While I mostly accept my natural shape as a fact of life, there have been moments when I wished that I was a bit less pear and a bit more hourglass. Now, in my youth, that wish had nothing at all to do with my shoulders/arms. Having toothpick slender arms was a good thing. That sentiment changed a bit earlier this year when I was trying to find a dress to wear to my sister's wedding. I've already confessed somewhere in this blog that I really, strongly dislike shopping. Trying on clothes is torturous. I think that part of the reason I have such trouble with clothes shopping has to do with my pear status. If an article fits me perfectly on top, it won't look right on the bottom... and vice-versa. Sleeveless items are the absolute worst. I love the way that they look on other people. I love the way that they look on hangers. On ME??? Not so much. Still, for some reason I was bound and determined to find a perfect, sleeveless dress for the wedding. I did find one that I really liked, but not before sorting through some major regrets over not paying much attention to upper body work outs during that six months that I actually belonged to a gym...more than a year ago. You know, cause if I had, then maybe I'd have decent shoulders now. Or not. Whatever.

Gym time aside, when you consider that I spent years upon years carrying one child or another, it should follow that I have decent strength in my arms. Nope. My puny arms are as weak as they look. I think that's because my arms didn't really carry the children all that much. My hips did. My arms were merely security straps.

So now I'm wondering. If I actually put forth effort into working out my shoulders, will it make a difference? I have no desire to become "buff" or as my young fitness guru cousin puts it - "swole." I'd just like to balance my shape out a bit.

My official goal is to lose 10 pounds while gaining shoulders that look decent in sleeveless tops. I can do this! I even have a plan. After 2-4 weeks of home cardio/weights and yoga (to build up my endurance), I will join the kickboxing class that I currently bring my daughters to three times a week. I could just jump right into the class now, but I know myself and after a couple of FAIL sessions, I'll want to give up completely. Giving up is not an option! This will happen. And when it does, I might even post a pic of the cute sleeveless top that I'll get to reward myself. Maybe I'll even post a pic of me wearing said cute sleeveless top. Or maybe not. One step at a time.

Teaser Tuesday - May 17th

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
Share the title and author

The last time I participated in this I was re-reading Jane Eyre. I don't know how many times I've read that novel over the years. Sometimes having a faulty memory is awesome. I get to enjoy great works over and over again!!! This week is another favorite that I find myself turning to over and over again: To Killing a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee.

Here are my teaser lines:

"It's not necessary to tell all you know. It's not ladylike - in the second place, folks don't like to have somebody around knowin' more than they do."

AKKK Muppets!!!

Roger from A Screed in Time wants to know which Muppet is my favorite. The very question may give me nightmares, but that isn't Roger's fault. He couldn't have possibly known that Muppets creep me out.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm all alone in my phobia. I once confessed to my fellow blogging friend, Que, from Dad by Trade that I wasn't particularly fond of Muppets. He didn't take it very well. For a short time I worried about the status of our friendship. Luckily for me, he decided to overlook my oddity.

Skipping this particular Fun Monday would have been taking the easy way out. I like easy. The problem is that I skipped last Monday. I also procrastinated too long with my Friday Tea Time Tales. That's too much skipping. It's time to knuckle down and face my fear! It might help if I recite the Litany Against Fear first. Bear with me please.

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain

Okay. I'm ready. (BTW, you get major points if you already knew the Litany Against Fear.)

Who is my favorite Muppet? My very first thought was to pick Angel puppet...

...but I don't think he is a bona fide Muppet. If some of you are thinking "she gets freaked out by Muppets, but a vampire puppet is okay?!?" that's okay. The truth is that Smile Time is, by far, my least favorite Angel episode ever. Even so, I'll take my least favorite episode of Angel over The Muppet Show anytime!

To be fair, I don't think that all Muppets are spooky. I kinda like the Swedish Chef dude. And Count Von Count is fabulous. Kermit is way cool because he is green. Plus he sings one of my favorite songs (I prefer Kenny Loggins singing this song, but I think that Kermit sang it first.)



But of all the Muppets out there, I will have to go with the one that I liked best as a child. Super Grover!!!

He is, after all, a super hero.

Fun Monday - Let's Get Personal

Remember when I said that I'd share a more personal post soon? Well, Roger from A Screed in Time left me without an excuse to continue procrastinating. Our task this week is to write about our summer plans. Hey, that's what I wanted to write about anyway!

Winning!

No, no, no...not the kind of winning that gets doused in tiger blood and infused with Adonis DNA. I mean the killing two birds with one stone kind of winning. Not that I actually want to kill two birds at all. Unless, of course, I was residing in a post-apocalyptic cave and my family was hungry (cause the rationing might be kinda harsh) and a couple of birds wandered in...and there happened to be a stone in my hand. Note that I didn't say that I WOULD kill them, only that I'd want to. Luckily for the birds, I throw like a girl. A girl who can't throw. I have to make that distinction because I know that there are lots of girls who CAN throw. I just don't happen to be one.

Where was I? Oh yeah, summer. A quick glance at the calendar tells me that we only have 18 school days left. WHOOHOOO!!! I love giving my alarm clock a vacation. As for a vacation for the rest of us, I'm really glad that we were able to go to Disney over the Mardi Gras break because with gas prices the way they are now, I don't expect us to be taking any kind of trip this summer. We were hoping to have an above ground pool installed, but it looks like that is being put on hold again for yet another year. Right now the wonderful therapists at Physical Therapy are getting our pool money. That's okay. Having a hubby who can walk is worth it!

So...since we won't be taking any trips and we won't be getting a pool, what WILL I be doing this summer? Oh, I have plans. Big plans. My life is about to change and I have to make preparations for that change. I'm going to have do some serious organization to fit this change into our lives. I'm even going to have to dedicate a special spot in my house for this change.

No.

This has nothing to do with a baby carriage. It's okay if your mind went there.

When I first announced to my friends that I had big news about a life change, most of them assumed that I was pregnant again. To be honest, that reaction surprised me. After all, when it comes to my reproduction system, I think, at 43, that I'm closer to that OTHER change then I am to expecting another bundle of joy. I think that I'm even looking forward to it.

The preparations that I am going to be making this summer will actually be for the upcoming school year. The space that I'm going to be setting aside will be filled with school books and supplies. My big change is that, beginning next school year, I'm going to be homeschooling my son!

Let's hope that the summer is long enough for me to prepare!

Tea Time Tales - Be Careful What You Wish For

In Good Company gave us an interesting task this week! My quest was to discover what would happen if the fated shoe fit one of Cinderella's stepsisters.


The King is mad decided Drusilla. First he summons us to a last minute, poorly planned ball so that he can parade us like cattle before is spoilt son. Now he declares that the dufus must marry whichever maiden fits a found slipper! Simply mad! And if the King is mad, can the prince be much better? Drusilla knew better than to voice her thoughts aloud. To whom would she entrust them? Mother didn't care about the mental status of the royal family. That they were royal was all that mattered.

Marguerite followed her mother's opinion in all matters. Sometimes Drusilla wondered if her sister was capable of having an independent thought at all. She supposed that such mindlessness must be a desired trait for a crowned princess. Let the slipper fit her, prayed Drusilla. Her heart fell as the Duke lifted the velvet lined chest to reveal it's content. Even from the distance she peered, it was plain that the slipper was sized better for her own foot than that of her sister. Such a tiny footwear would never stretch enough to fit Marguerite. Of course that did not stop the girl from clapping her hands and gleefully squealing "That's MY lost slipper! It's been found!"

The Duke stood unconvinced. "Please be so kind as to remain seated whilst a fitting is attempted," he stiffly requested. As the Page tried in vain to force the slight slipper on Marguerite's foot, an idea flew swept over Drusilla. Cindy! The worthless ward had been caught often enough play acting in Drusilla's shoe keep. Their sizes were near enough. How just would it be for the King to find that his decree would force a union of monarchy successor to the orphaned servant girl!

"M'Lord must surely be parched. Mother, should I see to refreshments?" she offered.

The Countess looked positively stricken, but there was no acceptable way to object.

"A most excellent idea" exclaimed the Duke, reaching to steady the ornate medallion that had begun to swing as he leaned forward to inspect the fitting progress, or lack thereof. Not shoe, but bondage thought Drusilla as she quickly exited. After seeking out Cinderella and explaining the situation, she was surprised to hear the ungrateful brat exclaim "But I don't want to marry the Prince either!!! His palms were sticky and his breath, putrid!"

"Think of the elevation..." began Drusilla before the implication of the protest hit her. "Hold on. You've met the Prince?"

Cindy's hands flew to her mouth. "Oh no. I promised the old woman that I wouldn't speak of it."

"What old woman?"

"The one who sent me to the ball."

Drusilla appraised the figure before her. Yes. How could she not have seen it the night before? But then again, who would have? What clue would have allowed anyone to imagine that it was the cinder girl in a ball gown! This is my avoidance - if only I can convince her to come forward.

"Oh Ella dear, what a compliment it is that his hands grew moist with anxiety as he drew close! Do not fear his palms will remain so always. Once he feels secure in your good opinion, his nerves will calm. As for the halitosis, one must blame the abundance of garlic in the menu. As princess you can command that the item be banished from the castle. Princess Ella! What a miracle is before you! Seize the chance."

Confusion clouded the girl's face as Drusilla's hopes faded. "I don't know." she whispered. "It seems too much."

"Then remain in our service if you haven't the courage to grasp opportunity when it throws itself at you. Bring out the wine and hurry about it. The Duke is waiting." Drusilla turned to storm out of the room when one final thought occurred to her. "Have you the remaining slipper?"

"In my pocket."

"Keep it hidden and when I am Crowned I shall rescue you from this servitude," she sneered. "I feel perhaps that you would fair better on a pig farm." Leaving the girl to mull the threat, she returned to the receiving room to find Marguerite in tears, her mother distraught and the Duke impatient.

"Forgive my delay your grace. The beverages should be just a moment more."

"That is all well enough, but let us get to the business at hand - or foot, I should say. If you would - " he gestured toward the seat. Obediently, Drusilla sat and extended her foot for the Page. A moment later, the slipper was in place. A whoop of elation that escaped the Page went unrebuked. The Duke rubbed his eyes and bent closer to confirm the fit. Just then, Cinderella brought in the service tray and, glaring at Drusilla, set it down loudly.

"I will not tend swine!" she declared, sticking out her foot to display the slipper's match.

"You stole that!" exclaimed the Countess. "How often must I punish you for looting through my daughters belongings?"

The Duke sank into a chair, overcome. Drusilla almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

"Mother, it is true that our sweet Ella has a penchant for dressing up in the finery you have graciously afforded me, so your mistake is understandable. Nonetheless, I cannot pretend to claim that the slippers as my own. I fear that I would burn in hell eternally if I did not reveal that they do indeed belong to the late Count's daughter. Surely you would not wish such a fate for me?"

The coldness that shots out from her mother's eyes pierced deeply into Drusilla's core. "No, my child. I would not wish that fate for you."

To the Duke the Countess requested "Take this charge from me. She is gladly given over to the court."

Then leveling her gaze at her daughter once more she proclaimed. "It took great character to make such a choice, however, such character is wasted here. I feel perhaps that you would fair better in a nunnery."