Mystery Blogger Award

A couple of weeks ago, Toni at Wandering and Wondering nominated me for the Mystery Blogger Award and I want to thank her very much for the honour! And may I just say that, if you're not a regular reader of Toni's blog yet, well, you should be! There's no mystery about that!

This award comes with a list of rules as long as your arm, but I already told Toni that I'm going to break them all! Yes, that's me, the little rebel. I'm cutting right to the chase -- answering the specific questions posed by Toni.

1. What author would you want to write your biography?
I would exhume, resuscitate and dust off the late John Mortimer, the English writer most famous for creating the Rumpole of the Bailey mysteries. To tackle my story, I need an entertaining writer with an insightful perspective on life and a good sense of humour. A critic once accused Mortimer of being a lightweight author because of his habit of "covering pain with jokes." This criticism mystified Mortimer because, as he said, covering pain with jokes is the only possible attitude to life. I agree wholeheartedly.

2. If your life was a movie, what would the theme song be?

I would choose one of my favourite women's spirituality chants called "Powerful Woman." I taught this chant to many women over the years in my Women's Drumming and Goddess Chanting Circle and it never failed to be a group favourite. My life benefitted tremendously from reclaiming my power in any number of areas, so this song has always resonated with me.



3. Destiny or Free Will?
Free will all the way, baby. While our life circumstances can both benefit us and limit us in various ways, in the end it is up to us to make the most of Life with what we are given.

4. Have you ever read a book that truly changed your life?
Oh yes, several. But the one which had the greatest impact on me was Descent to the Goddess: A Way of Initiation for Women by Sylvia Brinton Perera, which I read almost 3 decades ago. This slim volume is a Jungian analysis of the ancient Sumerian myth of the descent, death and rebirth of the Goddess Inanna. I happened to read it a few short years after the most harrowing period of my life and was stunned to see my life experience symbolically mirrored in the ancient myth with a truth and an understanding that I had found nowhere else. Before reading this book, it had never occurred to me that my ordeal had a spiritual significance. That breakthrough moment of realization hit me like a ton of bricks, let me tell you! And it marked the true beginning of my devotion to the Divine Feminine In Her Many Guises.

5. Who/What has had the greatest impact on your life?
Well, for better or for worse, I'd have to say my parents, I guess. Their influence has shaped my life in almost every way. There's no underestimating the impact of our childhoods and families of origin, is there?

6. Funny/weird question: If you could bring any fictional character to life, who would you choose?
Well, at the moment, I am absolutely OBSESSED with the subtextually-queer coded narrative of Captain America and the Winter Soldier as being the greatest star-crossed tragic lovers since Romeo and Juliet, Heathcliff and Cathy, Mr Darcy and Elizabeth, COMBINED. So either one of those two angst-filled boys would be fine with me.

And now, I'm going to throw this award open to anyone who would like to claim it and answer the same set of excellent questions devised by Toni!

WHO will take up the challenge?

The Versatile Blogger Award

Last week, Captain Kirt of To Baldly Go . . . honoured me with this Versatile Blogger Award, the sweetie! He said some awfully nice things about me too, viz., "Debra blogs about life in Canada, she's genuine and a joy to read." Oh, you're making me blush! Thanks so much!

Captain Kirt is a talented cartoonist and illustrates his blog with his own work. He's got a charming style and produces such great toons! Here's two perfect examples showing The Captain engaged in a couple of his favourite recreational activities --

Now I'm supposed to tell you seven facts about myself, but here's the only one that counts today. I love quality cartooning! Always have, always will. I've been an avid fan of many cartoonists over the years, both mainstream and underground. I adore practically all cartooning styles and subject areas -- political, satirical, daily life, feminist, lesbigay, superheroes, just plain crazy, anything! Hell, I even love Garfield!

And I admire anyone who has the talent to produce their own cartoons. That's why I'm going to nominate for this award all my other favourite bloggers who habitually illustrate their blogs with their own cartooning work! Like Captain Kirt's, their cartoons bring joy to my life! If you don't already know their blogs, please check them out!

1. Bryan and Brandon at A Beer for the Shower

2. Gia at Mayor Gia

3. Cheryl at The Art of Being Conflicted

4. Ivy at The Happy Whisk

Music and Words Award

My favourite Australian, Michael d'Agostino of A Life Examined, recently gave me this award, the sweetie! Thanks, Michael, here's my "music and words" answers to the accompanying questions!

1. What does music mean to you?
I have always loved music -- all types of music. I don't think any other art form can express emotion so well, so accurately and so movingly. Plus music transcends time, language, culture and is truly universal. Now, here's some uniquely Canadian music for you! These young Inuit throat-singers performed at Prime Minister Trudeau's recent swearing-in ceremony. Traditionally, a throat-singing song ends when one participant can't help but laugh. Isn't that a great way to finish?



2. What's your first music-related memory?
As a pre-schooler in early 1960s Canada, my favourite kiddie TV show was "The Friendly Giant" on CBC. Every Canadian of my generation knows its opening theme song "Early One Morning" played on recorder and harp. And hey, those cheesy special effects were state of the art in those days!



3. What was the first album you purchased yourself?
I don't remember the first full album I bought, but I do remember the first 45 I purchased -- "Hitchin' a Ride" by Vanity Fare. It would have been around 1970 when I was 13. And I still have it! No, I am not a hoarder. Oddly enough, this song features a recorder too.



4. What's the latest music you purchased?
The last CD I recently purchased for myself was "100 Days 100 Nights" by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings. I love their sound and their retro-cool video for the title song!



5. What's the last song you listened to? (be honest)
While I'm writing this post, I'm listening to a CD of Dwight Yoakam's greatest hits. How I love old-timey-twangy-drawly country hurtin' songs!



I'm passing this award on to several fave bloggers who regularly post music videos on their blogs. Often they introduce me to great new music (well, new to me anyway). I'd love to hear their answers to these same questions!

LL Cool Joe of CAPture the BEAT
anne marie in philly of From My Brain To My Mouth
fearsomebeard of Fearsome Beard
Jim of Ocean Breezes
The Cranky of Cranky Bar
Kay G of Georgia Girl With An English Heart
Professor Chaos of The Daily Irritant
Janie Junebug of Janie Junebug Righting & Editing

Liebster Award

Way back in December, two wonderful bloggers -- Anne Marie in Philly of From My Brain to My Mouth and Toni of Wandering and Wondering -- both nominated me for a Liebster Award! Thank you so much, you two! Sorry I had to wait for the hub-bub of the holidays to die down before I could post my appreciation. Thank you even more for your patience!

The award comes with 11 questions to answer. I pass the award on to any of you who want to answer these questions on your own blog!

1. Order or chaos?
I'm all about order, baby. Chaos upsets me. I'm so anal retentive, I even rearranged the order of this set of questions to make them flow more logically.

2. What do you think about social networks?
I'm not on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat or any other social network because they are all major time-sucks. Most of my spare time goes to blogging . . . . What?

3. Why did you start blogging?
For the big bucks and international fame, same as everybody else.

4. What is the writing for?
To inflict my random thoughts and reposted cat memes upon an unsuspecting world.

5. Which literary genre do you prefer?
I like novels. Huge, sprawling, seemingly endless novels. Right now I'm reading the Game of Thrones series of (ultimately) seven novels. I'm on Book Two. It's gonna be a loooooong haul.

6. Paper book or e-book?
I prefer to read an actual paper book but if I can't get large enough print for my aging eyes, I go with the e-book version.

7. TV or not TV?
I watch certain select, cherished programs. And lotsa news because I'm a masochist.

8. Where would you like to live?
In a pineapple under the sea. No, wait, that's Spongebob.

9. Starry sky or sunset?
I love a big starry sky at night but with urban light pollution in the city, it's easier to see a sunset.

10. Favourite food?
Anything bad for me that I'm not supposed to eat.

11. Favourite music genre?
Good music is good music, no matter the genre. I love ALL kinds of music. As a special treat, I'm going to end this post with my current favourite song, S.O.B. by Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats --



Enjoy!

And the Creative Blogger Award goes to . . .

Continuing from my previous post, I'm going to give the Creative Blogger Award to two bloggin' buddies who each published a book while I was away on hiatus! Because if that's not creative, I don't know what is. They are available in Kindle and paperback formats from Amazon, if you're interested in having a good read. I can personally attest to their excellence -- both books are well worth your time and money!

(1) Robyn Engel of Life by Chocolate has written a hilarious yet poignant memoir of her misadventures in the land of romance:

As her book blurb explains: She's 4 feet, 8 inches of heartfelt ferocity, and nothing can stop this post-pubescent spitfire from claiming her fairytale -- not jarring tragedy, not penile incompetence, not even the explosive demise of a new marriage. Not until Robyn finds her happily ever after . . . alone.

(2) Mark Noyce of The Rambling Person has produced a great science fiction page-turner that will keep you guessing and intrigued right 'til the end!

As his book blurb summarizes: The year is 2520. Trent Saxon is returning home to Earth from a self imposed isolation in space. He's shot down not long after entering the Milky Way. His ship makes it to the blue planet but his life is lost in the process.

Geoff Avery is guarding the morgue as he does most nights when he hears a sound. He pushes aside his fear and finds Trent alive and well. Geoff quickly learns Trent isn't the someone who will die that easily as he makes a bold claim about his age. A few experiments later and Geoff is convinced.

Follow Trent and Geoff as they embark on an adventure traversing two planets, make friends and enemies, and form a bond that can last several lifetimes as they learn about the past, present and future. Both of the world and of themselves. Why can't Trent die? Was the attack really random? And just what's with that scar on his chest?

I'm Ba-a-a-ck! Didja Miss Me?

My Rare One and I had a fab time tootling around the Maritimes this summer! Here's an actual unretouched photo of us on a beach in Nova Scotia. We also spent some time in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. I'll be posting about a few of our adventures in due course, as soon as I figure out how to download the damn photos from my new camera.

Right before I went on my blogging hiatus, that wild 'n crazy Australian, Michael D'Agostino of A Life Examined, gave me a Creative Blogger Award -- wasn't that nice of him? I'm posting it a bit late, Michael, but still with heartfelt thanks!

I'm supposed to accompany this award with 5 random facts about myself -- so here's some trivia from my summer vacay:

1. Of all the super meals I ate, the absolutely best one I had was some pan-fried haddock at The Knot Pub in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. I'm not even much of a fish eater so you know it had to be stupendous to impress me that much!

2. Our visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia happened to coincide with that city's Pride Parade! We enjoyed watching all the shenanigans while sitting indoors on comfy couches in Halifax's spectacular new Central Library.

3. We drove over to Prince Edward Island on the Confederation Bridge, a modern Canadian engineering icon. You don't have to pay a fee to cross the bridge and enter PEI but when you leave, you have to pay a toll then. We left the island by ferry but they still shake you down for the bridge toll, of course. There's no escaping the tax man.

4. One of the things we did on PEI was attend a ceilidh! In case you're not up on your Gaelic, a ceilidh (KAY-lee) is a Maritimes song and dance party featuring traditional music. This particular ceilidh had great celtic music, some good ol' timey country music and some amazing Acadian step-dancing. My gawd, it was a high energy performance! We were exhausted just watching it.

5. Every single day that My Rare One and I were in Halifax, we ate a "Killaloe Sunrise" Beavertail pastry. Now I'm home, my pants are tight and I can't figure out why?

My next task is to pass on the Creative Blogger Award to other bloggers -- which I will do in the next post, because this one is getting too long already!

[All photos from the internet]

Very Inspiring Blogger Award

Michael D'Agostino over at A Life Examined blog has so kindly bestowed this "Very Inspiring Blogger Award" on me. Thank you, Michael! It means a lot coming from you because your blog is all about inspiration. Last year, Michael blogged every single week about doing some brand new activity that required him to move out of his comfort zone. (His pole dancing post is a classic!) And this year, he will be blogging every week about confronting some idea or activity that stirs up a fear of failure. How's that for inspiration, eh? And he does it all while writing upside down from Australia!

Michael wrote that he passed this award on to me because he thinks I am "hilarious and engaging. . . . [and have] a great ability to connect with people from all over the world, no matter what their culture." And he said this (with an apparently straight face) even after my post a couple of weeks ago that made fun of all things Australian! Good gawd, man, you have the forgiving nature of a saint!

And quite apart from that, Michael --

So now I must pass on this award as well. And I'm passing it on to everyone who follows this blog because your continued reading of and comments on She Who Seeks are what inspire me to keep blogging! Thanks for everything, youz guys!

In the Confessional

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It's been *mumble* years since my last confession. Through my own weakness, I have committed a mortal blogging sin, the circumstances of which are as follows.

A couple of weeks ago, Leeanna of Can We Have a New Witch, Ours Melted surprised and delighted me with both an ABC Award and a Sunshine Blogger Award! And then Kestril Trueseeker of Kestril's Rhythms and Groove honoured me with a Sunshine Blogger Award too!

As a recipient, I was supposed to come up with 11 facts about myself plus do an A-B-C meme that looked like a lot of fun. And then, of course, pass on the awards to other people.

Yes, Father, I promised the girls that I'd do so. Yes, I faithfully promised them. But I've been so christly busy -- oh sorry, Father, just add it to my list of sins -- that I haven't had time to do it and now I've run out of time and . . . and . . . *sobbing loudly* I won't be able to do it after all! And I feel soooooooooo guilty! I can't eat. I can't sleep. My hair is falling out from the stress of it all. Please, Father, give me absolution so that I can move forward from this transgression and live a productive life again!

✞      ✞      ✞      ✞      ✞      ✞      ✞      ✞      ✞      ✞      ✞      ✞

So whaddya say, Blogosphere? Would you forgive this miserable sinner? What penance should the wretch do?

A Nice Way to Finish Off the Year

It seems that 2013 is going out in style! Vanessa Morgan of Traveling Cats has very kindly passed on this blog award to me. I'm flattered that she enjoys my blog because I am certainly a big fan of Traveling Cats! It features the most delightful daily photos of cats from all around the world. If you are a cat lover (and who isn't?), this is a blog you need to follow!

There are four blogs from which I shamelessly steal LOLs, photos and videos all year long -- I can always count on these bloggers to have the best taste and funniest sense of humour. So I'd like to pass this award on to them in recognition of my great debt to their bloggy awesomeness:

Kal of Calvin's Canadian Cave of Cool

Leeanna of Can We Have a New Witch, Ours Melted

Martha of Plowing Through Life

Jackiesue of Yellowdog Granny

One Lovely Blog Award

Hugs 'n kisses are going out today to Leanna Henderson at Can We Have a New Witch, Ours Melted for giving me this blog award -- thanks so much, you rockin' chick! Just a reminder, everyone, that Leeanna is going to give a $100 Amazon Gift Card to whoever leaves Comment # 5000 on her blog by the end of 2013, so get over there and start leaving comments! The winner could be you!

Now I'm supposed to briefly tell you 7 things about myself. Okay, here's a list of the various types of pets I've had over the years:

1. Cats. Her Royal Highness must be listed first or else I'll find a surprise in my slipper at bedtime tonight. I also shared another cat with my ex, Big Bad Butch, but BBB got custody after we split.

2. Various rabbits. So adorable.

3. A hamster. Cute but a noisy little bastard at night.

4. Various dogs when I was a kid -- all boxers or collies.

5. I'm stretching the definition of "pet" now, but I babysat a budgie once. The budgie from hell. It would let itself out of the cage, fly around my apartment and poop down the curtains.

6. Well, since some of the previously-mentioned pets were multiples, I'm counting them here again.

7. Ditto. So sue me.

Now I'm supposed to pass this award on to 7 other bloggers. Lately I haven't been doing this with awards because a lot of people don't participate in these memes anymore. But I'm going to do it this time because I want to introduce you to some worthy new blogs I've started following. Check them out -- you may find them interesting too!

1. The Silver Bunny at The Silver Bunny

2. Dawna at Dawna Lee -- Because It Matters

3. Amanda Jillian B at Faerie Barista

4. LL Cool Joe at Joey's Pad

5. Gregory Urbano at Photographing Florida

6. Two Cottages and Tea at Two Cottages and Tea

7. Willow at Whiles of Willow

Liebster Award and a Great Contest

While I was away, Leeanna of Can We Have a New Witch, Ours Melted passed on a Liebster Award to me! Thanks so much, Leeanna, I am honoured that you thought of me 'n mah blog.

And here's something you'll all be interested in -- Leeanna is having a fabulous contest over at her blog. Whoever writes Comment #5000 on her blog before the end of 2013 will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Card -- yowza! So get over there and start commenting, it could really pay off! Click here for all the details. Leeanna always posts great LOLs and other things that are fun to comment on, so it's worth your while to visit regularly.

[And speaking of contests, if you haven't yet entered my Chocolate Stanley Cup Giveaway, click here to do so!]

More Revealing Q & A!

Blog award season is clearly in full swing! A big thank you to Sarah at Enjoying the Epiphany for passing another Liebster award on to me.

And many thanks as well to Leeana at Can We Have a New Witch Ours Melted and Alice M at For the Love of Life! Alice's World! for each sending another Versatile Blogger award my way.

Now, of course, I'm supposed to tell you a whole bunch of random facts about myself -- 25 facts in total, if I add up the requirements of all three tags. Plus there are 11 further questions posed by Sarah as part of her award. But my gawd, if I did all that, you'd be stone dead of boredom by the time I finished! So I'm just going to answer Sarah's 11 questions and leave it there.

1. Where were you born? In a little one-horse prairie town in a galaxy far, far away (also known as Manitoba).

2. What is your most favourite thing from childhood? A battered-up old autograph book from 1965 when I was in Grade 3. Of course, no one famous signed it (see answer to question #1).

3. Why did you start blogging and why do you blog now? For me, it's all about the fame and fortune. Shallow, I know, but that's Hollywood, baby (also known as Edmonton).

4. What is your favourite silly made-up word? "Buggerlugs" -- a fine old prairie epithet that my father used frequently.

5. Who is your favourite leading man or woman? Everyone who reads this blog knows of my inexplicable obsession with Colin Firth. I am not ashamed.

6. Who is your favourite heroine or hero from any book and why? I've always been fond of Horatio Hornblower from C.S. Forester's novels about England's Royal Navy. An honorable, intelligent introvert and man of action!

7. Have you gotten to know any of your fellow bloggers personally? I've had the pleasure of meeting two local bloggers for coffee -- Jane of Jane's Jewels and Laeli of Into The Great Wide Open. Delightful women, both of them!

8. What is your favourite holiday? Any statutory holiday that pays me to stay home and have a day off.

9. Who is your role model and why? An important part of my childhood was spent playing scenes from Anne of Green Gables with a girl named Tomboy. I had such a huge crush on Tomboy that I let her be Anne and I settled for second-banana status as Diana. (Click here for further details, if you're interested).

10. What did you want to be when you grew up? Are you there yet and are you what you wanted to be as a child? I planned on being Prime Minister of Canada. Last time I checked, I wasn't. Damn you, Stephen Harper.

11. What is your favourite quote? It's from Paracelsus -- "Be not another, if thou canst be thyself." When I was young, I read it in a Robertson Davies novel, I believe. Words to live by.

Liebster Blog Award

Earlier this month, Shelly Chandler of Shelly Simplified nominated me for a Liebster Blog Award! Thanks so much, Shelly, you rock! Check out her blog of witchy wisdom and good book reading advice, everyone -- you'll enjoy it!

Warning: Now that I'm a total rebel and bad girl in my middle age, I'm not going to follow any of the award rules. But I am going to answer the questions which Shelly posed to her nominees:

1. Describe yourself in 5 words. Happy, optimistic, introverted, contemplative, crunchy.

2. What's your favourite way to relax? It's a toss-up between windsurfing and snowboarding. Yes, just checking to see if you're actually reading this.

3. Innie or outie? Innie, I'm proud to say.

4. Age of your first heartbreak? Six, when a girl at school uninvited me from her birthday party, the little bitch. But I'm over it now.

5. Your number 1 comfort food? Grilled cheese sandwiches.

6. Most quirky habit. Only one?

7. What are you saving for a rainy day? My sanity, with any luck.

8. Name something that made you laugh so hard you cried. The killer rabbit scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Also, the crucifixion scene from Monty Python's Life of Brian. Hmm, I detect a pattern.

9. Favourite perfume? I don't often wear perfume but when I do, it's Chanel No. 5 for me, baby. It's the only thing in common I have with Marilyn Monroe, apart from being a sex goddess of course.

10. Favourite book? Seriously, Watership Down by Richard Adams. I love those friggin' bunnies.

11. If you could be anyone from history, who would you be and why? Oooo, that's a toughie. Who was rich and talented and happy and never had any bad things happen to them? If you can come up with a name, THAT'S who I want to be!

Vice-Versatility

A big thank you to Bev over at Black Ink Paperie for passing this Versatile Blogger Award on to me recently! I really appreciate it.

Now I'm supposed to list seven things about me. But here's where the vice-versatility comes in. BEV is who I want to talk about in this post.

Seriously, people, if you want to read a beautifully written, screamingly funny blog, go check out Black Ink Paperie. Every post is a delightfully quirky exposition on some off-beat topic or observation of life. The posts are concise and each word is a perfectly chosen gem.

As a final touch, Bev finds wonderful old black-and-white photos to illustrate her posts. For example, this enigmatic solitary dancer is one of my faves. I love every mysterious, gothic detail.

A Call to Sisterhood

Last month, Sarah of Enjoying the Epiphany gifted me with the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award! Thank you, Sarah, I am very honoured!

One of the many things I like about Sarah's delightful blog is her commitment to celebrating the beauty of women of ALL sizes. Her blog promotes the view that there is no "perfect" size to be. There is no "wrong" size to be. All women are entitled to enjoy their lives free of such size tyranny.

That's a worldview with which I profoundly agree.

Ideologies serving the power structures of this world control women's lives and neutralize our effectiveness by fostering negative body image obsessions. The media, fashion industry and consumerism are all part of this. Girls and women are constantly bombarded with messages that our natural appearance is not good enough or attractive enough. To be considered "acceptable," we must believe / do / buy [insert their message / product / unattainable ideal here]. And even then, we'll always fall short. ALWAYS.

But simply blaming these forces of control will not free women from this bondage. We must actively detox our thoughts and retrain our minds from a lifetime of indoctrination. We must truly understand that all women are beautiful just the way we are -- including ourselves!

Like all evil systems, the tyranny of the "beauty myth" cannot operate without our acquiescence and co-operation. We must stop giving our allegiance to ideas that oppress us.

Now, having said all this . . . .

Just disregard those posts I did last week admiring Jessica Rabbit and bemoaning Nutella's effects on my ass, okay?

Those posts just prove that detoxing and retraining our minds is not a quick 'n easy thing to do! But seriously, we must do so.

Hollywood Spy 2012 Heart Award!

Her Royal Highness and I have just received a 2012 Heart Award from Dezz's Hollywood Spy blog! Isn't that nice of him? Dezz is the "go-to guy" if you want to read all the inside scoop on upcoming movies and their stars. His popular blog just received its 2 millionth visitor and he celebrated by handing out various awards to his readers. When HRH gets out of the slammer, I know she'll be tickled pink to have been included in the award.

Double Award Whammy!

Earlier this month, Serenity Raven of The Domestic Pagan blessed me with not ONE, but TWO blog awards -- count 'em, TWO!! Thanks so much, my dear -- I am doubly flattered! If any of you don't already know Serenity Raven's fabulous blog, just click on the link and check it out!

I am going to pass along both these awards to all the very inspiring bloggers with lovely blogs who demonstrate such good taste by reading my blog! Yes, that means ALL OF YOU! *mwah* *big slurpy kiss*

Kreativ Blogger Award

That most creative of witchy writers, Magaly Guerrero of Pagan Culture, has honoured me with a Kreativ Blogger Award! Yowza, thank you, Magaly! It means a lot, coming from you!

Hmmm, now I must list 7 things about myself . . . so here are the last 7 movies I saw, whether at the theatre or on TV, Netflix or elsewhere:

1. Ted
The very best in foul-mouthed gutter humour -- LTIP! (laughed 'til I peed)

2. Donnie Darko
Love Jake Gyllenhaal! Love creepy rabbits!

3. Gunless
A recent Canadian movie starring Paul Gross, who also wrote and directed it. A few laughs, but nowhere near as good as his previous TV series Due South and Slings and Arrows.

4. Fantastic Four
Crappy comic book superhero fluff but I have a thing for Ioan Gruffudd, the Welsh actor who played Dr. Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic. His talents were sorely wasted in this film but I'm sure it paid well.

5. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
A fun and touching movie about getting older, set in England and India. See it if you get a chance! Judi Dench -- swoon!

6. O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Always a fave! George Clooney and old timey music -- what's not to love?

7. Legendary Amazons
I watched this stinker in the middle of the night on the plane coming home from Japan. It's a 2011 Chinese martial arts film bankrolled by Jackie Chan and written and directed by his no-talent brother. Meant to be a sweeping saga of the mythic Yang women warriors during the Song Dynasty, the film is an appalling mess. I'm probably one of the few people in the entire world who was stupid enough to watch it right to the end.

And finally, I must pay this Kreativ Blogger Award forward. I've chosen 7 new or new-to-me creative bloggers who I've just discovered in the past little while -- be sure to check out their excellent blogs by clicking on the links!

1. Ana at Introverted Art

2. Birdie at 40 and Loving It

3. Diane at Always Crave Cute

4. Kellie at Delightfully Ludicrous

5. Kay G at Georgia Girl With an English Heart

6. mrsduncanmahogany at October's November

7. Riot Kitty at Riot Kitty