MOST STYLISH BLOGGER award

And the winner is........................Adventure Salon!
My good friend Madeline Mora-Summonte over at ShellShank Redemption granted me this award! Me, who sits and types her blogposts in her PJ's and top hat.

Now that I've won, I am privileged to be able to pass it on to two bloggers that I follow who I think are tres chic also. They are (insert drumroll here): God Whispers in my Ear and Color in our World. I think you'll enjoy their blogs as much as I do.
I also get to share seven things about myself, so here goes:

1. This is my SECOND blog award! Thank you very much.

2. I eat less than one cookie per year (Because I love them so much)

3. I don't curse (Sarge does enough for the both of us)

4. My favorite snack is raw bell pepper (I know, right? You, too.)

5. I sneak my own popcorn into the movies (Trader Joe's olive oil popcorn... delish!)

6. I have published one short story and garnered one Honorable Mention

7. I've never been divorced, but I have been married twice (Riddle me that, Batman)

WARPED WEDNESDAY

. . . WHERE YOU WRITE THE CAPTION

Day 10 of the 15-day Photo Challenge

Just because there's been a short hiatus in my 15-day Photo Challenge, don't think for one minute that I am overwhelmed. The fact is, I am perfectly whelmed. And to prove it, I've selected Number 6 from the list on the sidebar as my Day 10:
A Sentimental Item & the Story Behind It


This is my keepsake box. In it, I keep my sakes. . . and by that, I don't mean Japanese fermented alcoholic beverages. I mean things that I keep to consider, regard, respect for a cause, account, interest or benefit. This box, with its romantic flowers and frilly colors, holds memories of everything near and dear to me. Selected handmade arts from my children throughout the years, if you sent me a birthday card for my 50th B-day, it's in there, plus a couple photos, awards my children garnered, but most of the ephemera bulging from the box are love letters from Sarge to me over the span of 30 years. One day, I plan to put them all in chronological order (because I dated each and every one of them) in a scrapbook for my grandchildren to see the great love we have shared and still share. Notice I skipped my children because, well, some of the letters are a bit racy and they may toss their cookies upon reading them. Then again, it might be entertaining to watch that.

Strolling towards the finish line of Number 139 on my Bucket List. . . which one would you like to see me do next? Get out the scales and weigh in!

WARPED WEDNESDAY

. . . where you write the caption

Day 9 of the 15-Day Photo Challenge

What's that in your purse, or are you just happy to see me?


Turn your volume up and view the continuing saga of the 15-Day Photo Challenge (Number 3 from sidebar).

Fab 5 Fridays

Where I flash on the top 5 things in my world. Today, it's the most interesting facts about social network sites. This is based on the smart people at the Pew Research Center.

1. Women use social networking sites more than men. (Is it because there are more women in the world?)

2. MySpace users are least educated (They're probably still in high school.) LinkedIn users are the most educated.

3. Who knew users of MySpace were more open minded. I just hope they don't open themselves up to pedophiles.

4. Facebook users mostly friend people they know. (Then why are all these strange men trying to friend me? Oh. I just answered my own question.)

5. Contrary to popular belief, Facebook users have a life. Compared to the general population of social networkers, they have strong personal relationships or friends that the can confide in and don't have to do it on FB.

What observations have you made about social networks?

WARPED WEDNESDAY

. . . WHERE YOU WRITE THE CAPTION!

Day 8 of the 15-Day Photo Challenge

Where did you go and what did you do today? Asks Number 9 on the 15-day Photo Challenge(Check out the sidebar to your right).

For the 17th year in a row, Sarge and I were guests of The Diva and the Doctor at the Playboy Jazzfest held annually at the Hollywood Bowl. Sarge brought a picnic of his world-famous BBQ (Okay, maybe only city-famous) and the Diva brought Diva-tinis. We ate and drank and enjoyed the best jazz has to offer...even into the night when we put on our light-up bunny ears.

Day 7 of the 15-Day Photo Challenge

For those of you just tuning into our program, I'm smack in the middle of Number 139 on my Bucket List, Complete a 15-Day Photo Challenge. Today's challenge, selected at random from the sidebar to your right, is number 10, Take a Photo With Someone You Hung Out With Today.

These are two of my BFF's, and the ones I've known longer than any other BFF. We try to manuever around our busy schedules and meet for lunch before too much time goes by. That's what we did this day; we met for lunch at Tokyo Grill, which is a Benihana style restaurant. We always enjoy ourselves when we're together and do things like rub a random Buddha's belly. We always vow to do it more often (meet for lunch, not rub a Buddha's belly!).

What's on your Bucket List? Are you up for a 15-day photo challenge? What about a 5-day challenge? Maybe a 30-day challenge?

Day 6 of the 15-Day Photo Challenge

And in other news . . . WARPED WEDNESDAY has been pre-empted.
Instead, we have Day 6 of the photo challenge (see sidebar).
As a gift for our 33rd wedding anniversary, I made Sarge's favorite dish, seafood gumbo.
What did I get, you may ask? I got to make Sarge's favorite dish, seafood gumbo.



I also made a peach cobbler with my signature stars.

Day 5 of the 15-day Photo Challenge

Number 7 on the sidebar is Take a Picture with a Family Member and Write About a Memorable Experience Together.

This is a pic of me and my sister. We were born a year apart, but she reminded me yesterday that people used to think we were twins. I hadn't remembered that, and so I asked, "Why?"
"Probably because Mama used to dress us alike." She laughed.
I had forgotten about that! We'd always lamented the fact that our mother bought "twin" dresses for us, maybe only differing in color. You see, our parents didn't have a lot of money (even though my father never had less than two jobs at a time), so we could only afford to get two (2) new dresses per school year, and only from Sears Roebuck where he had an account. That meant we couldn't switch up clothes, or share outfits, and trick people into thinking we had four new dresses. How young we were to think we could fool people like that! Thank God we can laugh about it now. We've come a long way, Sis. Glad we journeyed together.

Fab 5 Fridays

This is the day where I recount the top five most fabulous things in my life at the moment. This week, it's independent films, four of which are streaming on Netflix. (Dear Netflix, please feel obligated to give me a free month's subscription in kind for my gratis advertisement.)

1. All Good Things - Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst are a couple who have a love that -- like all good things -- must come to an end. But is Gosling the real-estate heir who kills her? That is the question. View for the answer.

2. Rabbit-Proof Fence - I am obsessed with this movie about three aboriginal girls all under the age of eleven who were ripped from their homes by the misguided Austrailian government of the 1930's, and placed in an orphanage. Of course, they escape and try to walk the 3000 miles back home. But will they make it? AND it's based on a true story!

3. Auntie Mame - My go-to feel good movie. I can't watch this streaming video without thinking of my BFF, The Diva. She and Rosalind Russell (who plays the title role) are larger than life, and funny to boot.

4. Easy A - stars Emma Stone (who will play the lead role of Skeeter in the upcoming film version of The Help). It's a teen comedy, but a smart teen comedy (reflective of the title), and I want to be part of the family that the lead character belongs to. Watch it and you'll see what I mean.

5. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - Talk about irony. For all you writers out there, this film epitomizes how irony is done. It's about the young son of a Nazi war camp captain who befriends his Jewish counterpart, a Nazi war camp captive. Their friendship is a dangerous journey with a twist ending. You'll never see it coming, I promise. I initially watched it on Netflix streaming video, but I just checked and it is no longer streaming, but you can still rent it. It is a riveting must-see.

DAY 4 of the 15-day Photo Challenge

As you can tell by now, these challenges are in an order of my choosing, which is allowed if you read the details on the sidebar to your right.

DAY 4 - A view outside your bedroom window
No, we don't have a an outdoor living space. That's the old couch from Sarge's man cave, which he gave to his brother five (yes, 5) weeks ago so his brother could pick it up at his leisure. Said brother has yet to retrieve said sofa. It's been rained on, neighborhood cats have stretched out on it, Sarge sits on it while watering his flowers on the other side of the pool.
On second thought, maybe we do have an outdoor living space.