Build Your Own Private Renaissance Library.

"Your library is your paradise."

-- Desiderius Erasmus
(1466 {69?} - 1536) - Scholar, theologian, humanist, author, Renaissance man.

This is what I call a quote-worthy re-quote.  It's something a person says that you're more than happy to quote over and over and over again.

 Private library of Frans and Gertrude Blom in Casa Na Bolom. Français : Bibliothèque personnelle de Frans et Gertrude Blom à Na Bolom. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Several years back we relocated from Texas to Maryland.  It was a job transfer. For a few months, we lived in temporary quarters. I found a classified ad in a Texas newspaper that led me to a women-owned business. They rented out temporary housing. We were set up in a lovely home in Bethesda, Maryland and what was awesome about this house was that it had a private library. My dream home would definitely have to have a library. But what kind of books would be on the shelves? For sure there would definitely be books about the Renaissance.  

FYI.  We were in Maryland from 1988 to 1995 and then we moved back to Texas.  The cost of living is much more reasonable and you seldom have to shovel snow!  My home does not have a library.  But that's OK.  We have Internet access. ☺  I still dream about having a home with my own library though.

Are you a Renaissance enthusiast?  Build Your Own Private Renaissance Library.  It'll be Great Reading!

Build Your Renaissance Library | Wizzley.com

A #Renaissance man has wide knowledge in many fields and can educate and inform others. ~ https://t.co/QqhbFtiPsK ~ Based on that definition you should be able to objectively answer the question: Are You a Renaissance Man? ❓ pic.twitter.com/OKxze6IQZR

— My Fox Nooze (@FoxMarks_ATX) September 8, 2018

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July is a Popular Month for Independence Days

While doing research to write an article about my father's land of birth, came across an interesting … uuhhh … ??? ... “coincidence”? The month of July is a very popular month for independence days.

• The Bahamas - July 10th
• United States of America - July 4^th
• Argentina - July 9^th
• France - July 14^th
• Colombia - July 20^th
• Cuba - 26^th of July Movement

Didn't do extensive research but there looks like a pattern here.  Must be something about a hot summer month.

- Who would willingly choose to do battle in the dead of winter?

- Spring time is a time for lovers? The birds and the bees, the flowers and the trees. Etc.

- Autumn is out of the question. You can't sneak up on the enemy because the dead leaves on the ground make too much noise when you step on 'em!!
 
- Fighting for your freedom in the month of July?  Makes perfect sense.


Cool thing about The Bahamas is they peacefully negotiated their independence from the British. Now that's a noteworthy historical note!  Wouldn't you agree?

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Related Articles:

• #Bahamas 41st Post Independence Celebration in Atlanta
• The Bahamas: The Best of Its Art and Culture | culturetrip.com 

Travel and Vacation : The Bahamas - Beautiful Beaches, Conch Shells and Mangos

Both my father and my husband were from Nassau, Bahamas, so I always like to say a little something about this beloved country at different sites that I write for. Rather than rehash the content of my various articles published elsewhere on the web, decided that in this bubble I would simply share the YouTube video clip which is the famous scene from the very first James Bond movie, "Dr. No", where James Bond (played by Sean Connery) sings a few words from "Underneath the Mango Tree"; and Honey Rider (played by Ursula Andress) was also singing that song while she was collecting conch shells on a beach in The Bahamas.

The video doesn't include the complete dialogue, but Honey said that she could get $50 for one shell in Florida!

Grew in Miami, Florida. "Dr. No" was released 1962. Often wonder what the market price for a conch shell is these days. Enjoy the video!


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More about The Bahamas Around the Web:

• Save The Bahamas
• July is a Popular Month for Independence Days
• Tropical Conch Salad | Spark Recipes
• The 1932 Bahamas Hurricane
• My Father's Country:  The Bahamas
• Owning Real Estate in The Bahamas is Not Just For Celebrities
• Best Classic James Bond Theme Songs 

Related articles

• Best Male Performance in the Bond Franchise(thetoptens.com)
• Book Review: 'The Man with the Golden Gun' by Ian Fleming(cmoneyspinner.blogspot.com)

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International Real Estate Investing Choices: South Africa, Bahamas, Panama and Costa Rica

Thinking of international real estate investing? South Africa, Bahamas, Panama and Costa Rica invite and encourage foreign investors. Here is a quick overview of their programs.

Retirement Planning : Texas Cities : Athens is a Great Place to Live Out Your Golden Years

Dallas, Texas is a great place to work and live, but for retirement, some may prefer Athens, Texas; a small town nearby that offers good fortune and adventure!

By Danny S. (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

English: Category:Images of Dallas, Texas (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Looking for a Great Place to Live Out Your Golden Years? Planning Retirement? Athens, Texas is a Certified Retirement Community. Learn More

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July 2011, Forbes magazine published a TOP 10 List of Cities considered to be "economic superstars". Dallas, Texas was chosen as one of those cities because of its relatively low housing prices and its attractive job market. While Dallas may be a terrific place to work and live, some may prefer to retire to one of the surrounding Texan communities or towns such as Athens (population 10,000+ as of 2010).



Good Luck Peas and Texas Caviar
In 1971, Athens held the first-ever Black-Eyed Pea Jamboree. The history behind this event is as follows.


The late J. B. Henry, an Athens businessman, decided to grow the black-eyed pea and market the legumes on a commercial scale as "Good Luck Peas for New Year's Day"; and for the wealthy and well-to-do (or those who like to dream they are), pickled black-eyed peas were sold as "Texas Caviar".


Mr. Henry passed away in 1940 but to this day he is still referred to as the "Black-Eyed Pea King of East Texas". Such loyalty to his kingship is deserved. Giving black-eyed peas the aura of "good fortune" and calling them "caviar" for the rich folks. Who would've thunk it? That was genius!!!


Today, all the credit being given to the savvy marketing talents of Mr. Henry, Athens, Texas is referred to as the "Black-Eyed Pea Capital of the World".


First GO TEXAN Certified Retirement Community
In addition to the honor of being designated the "Black-Eyed Pea Capital of the World", Athens holds the honor of being chosen as one of the first "GO TEXAN Certified Retirement Communities" in the state.


If you visit the site Retire in Texas, and go to the respective page, you will find a list of all the communities that have been approved for this program. The Texas Department of Agriculture, Trade and Business Development state their intentions plainly as follows:


"The GO TEXAN Certified Retirement Community Program is a certification and promotion program provided by the Texas Department of Agriculture.  The GO TEXAN stamp of approval ensures each certified community has demonstrated through its application that it can meet the living, employment/volunteer, health, entertainment, education and safety needs of its citizens and visitors - all the things that make Texas a great place to retire."


Other Texas cities or towns are welcome to apply for this program.


Final Accolade
Per USA Today, ziplining is a zany form of adventure for thrill-seekers that first became popular in Costa Rica but has now become popular in the USA.


Athens, Texas is the first city that I have ever known that puts New York and Texas together and makes it work. Not New York, New York (which is what I thought of when I first saw one of the advertisements for the New York, Texas ZipLine Adventures; but New York, Texas (about 20 miles east of Athens). It's easy to get confused, especially when you discover that there is also an Athens, New York!


But an article by freelance writer, Veronica Terres, entitled "Get Up and Get Out" in the May-June 2011 issue of the East Texas Outdoors Magazine made everything plain when she pointed out the location of the NY TX Zip Line Adventures and aptly described this attraction in two words: "Adrenaline Rush".


But why would this attraction about a ziplining adventure be significant if you're planning to retire to Athens, Texas, instead of say ... assurances about golfing? I don't know! Why did former President George Bush Sr. decide to go parachuting on his 80th and 85th birthdays and plan to do it again when he turns 90? Ziplining may be a key factor in deciding whether or not you want to retire to Athens, Texas.


Recommended Reading:

• Purposefully Planning Your Retirement - What Is Time To You?

Practical advice and information from Jeff Brown (aka "The Bawld Guy"), who has extensive knowledge and experience in long term retirement planning.


General Information Links:

• Athens Daily Review
• City of Athens, Texas | Official Website
• Welcome to The City of Athens Texas
• Athens, TX Housing and Residents

References:

• Kotkin, Joel. "The Next Big Boom Towns In The U.S." Forbes.com, 6 July 2011. Web. 04 Feb. 2012.

• Bly, Laura. "The Zany Joy of Ziplining Catches Hold in the USA - USATODAY.com." Travel. USATODAY, 13 June 2008. Web. 04 Feb. 2012.

• Terres, Veronica. "Get Up and Get Out." East Texas Outdoors Magazine. Youblisher, May-June 2011. Web. 04 Feb. 2012.

• "Bush Parachutes for 80th Birthday - CNN." Featured Articles from CNN. 13 June 2004. Web. 04 Feb. 2012.

• "George Bush Snr Celebrates 85th Birthday with Skydive over Maine - Telegraph." Telegraph Online, Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph - Telegraph. Telegraph.co.uk, 12 June 2009. Web. 04 Feb. 2012.

For Retirement Planning and Investing Purposes Consider Panama

International real estate investing in Panama is encouraged by the Panamanian government. Foreigners are just as welcome the citizens to buy real property and it is a preferred retirement haven.

Several years back (in 2009), well-known publications such as Business Week were touting Panama as being “the New Florida”. Panama has beautiful scenery with exotic looking flowers and dazzling sunsets, great fishing spots, fantastic weather, and it is already a place where many retirees opt to spend their golden years. The same goes for Florida. While it is true that Panama and Florida have so much in common they could easily pass for twins … fact is … they are not!

Panama is Panama

Panama is a Central American nation. Central America is also referred to as “God’s country” with pleasant amenities of city-style life woven into its fabric.Panama literally means “a place with abundant fish”. However, I think Panama should have been named Abundancia which means “abundance” because it has so much more in abundance there than just fish.The official language is Spanish, but English is widely spoken.Panama’s close proximity to the United States, its low cost of living and affordable quality healthcare are what makes this place very attractive to retirees.
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Real Estate Investing in Panama

Panama has implemented the Pensionado Program, a real estate investment program aimed at attracting foreign investors, US investors/retirees, in particular, to buy real estate, and to relocate or retire there. Experts in retirement planning state that Panama is recognized as one of the world’s top offshore havens for investment purposes. Panama did not always offer a comfortable living environment nor were its doors always open. It took the forcible removal of the dictator Manual Noriega in 1989 by American troops to provide a significant impetus for change. If you want to educate yourself further regarding this topic, just use a keyword search phrase like “Panama Pensionado Visa” and include terms like “immigration law” and/or “retiree” to narrow down the results.

Additionally, in case these two sites don’t pop up on the first page of the search engine results, Live and Invest Overseas (LIOS) and International Living are both proven reliable information sources. They both publish a blog, an official Guide which shares information about retiring overseas (“overseas” by their definition means outside of the United States), and every year they distribute a free report which lists the 10 best places to retire overseas. Each organization has a team of country-specific professional advisors who can answer your questions about the healthcare, housing affordability, cost of living, the crime rate, and the weather!

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Let’s Be Real! Can We Talk

The harsh and cruel reality of life is that you could buy or build the most beautiful home located on the most beautiful piece of real estate on the planet, move in, settle down, and find yourself living in hellfire! Why? Well because some countries, no matter how much they advertise about how wonderful life is in their part of the world, they don’t welcome “your kind”. In some places being hateful or racist is not a crime.

Lord knows the USA has its share of hate crimes and there are those who live within this country’s borders who support and promote hateful ideologies. But there are laws against hate and discrimination, even if those laws are not always enforced.

So! Dear People of Color:

If you’re planning to live overseas, i.e. outside of the United States … you better do diligent research. Some countries may not approve of your lifestyle and/or just don’t like the color of your skin.

According to some sources, while Panama does have a history of slavery and racism, it also embraces and takes pride in its rich cultural diversity. For research purposes, if you are fortunate enough to know people who live in or are from Panama, they could probably shed a lot of light on the subject. It also recommended that you simply read local news reports published via The Panama News or Newsroom Panama.

Real Estate In Panama: Complete Guide To Buying Real Estate | Live nd Invest Overseas

Note:  This is my original content that was previously published on a website that shut down.

Blogging and Writing Advice: Keep it Evergreen!

Have been an active member of HUBPages.com, a popular online writing community, since 2013.  The HP editors give you a lot of freedom to write about almost anything and everything!  But the best piece of advice they provided was to always encourage the writers to publish evergreen content, which is content that's sort of “timeless”, meaning write about a topic today that 5 to 10 years later, people will still be searching for information about it.  In other words, there is a great probability that your articles will be found via an organic search for years to come and will generate residual income for you.  This has proven to be true with my articles.

As of today, my author's profile* shows twenty (20) HUBs or articles. My pages get some traffic but they aren't viral. The content is stuff like history, movies, books, real estate, etc. Those are evergreen. Right? My fellow freelance writer, Julie-Ann Amos, who is also a professional writer, has published almost 600 articles. She picked a topic that was so off-the-wall!! It's evergreen alright! She wrote it in 2 Parts. Bet you can't guess what it is! Must say that when the site owners said they encouraged evergreen material, but this particular topic never occurred to me. Hint: It's a beauty and fashion tip.  

(*cmoneyspinner1tf.hubpages.com = C'est moi! )

Disney Princesses Meet the 21st Century Teen

Tried to do a quick list of the names of Disney Princesses WITHOUT searching for them on the Internet . Thought I could do it but I failed. Was able to draw at least ten from memory , listed below. After that I started going … UM … the one with red curly hair ??? ... and … Uuuummm … the two sisters in the “Frozen” animated flick … uuuhh … ???

1. Snow White 
2. Cinderella 
3. Sleeping Beauty 
4. Mulan 
5. Ariel 
6. Anastasia 
7. Rapunzel 
8. Tiana 
9. Pochahantas 
10. Jasmine

Times have sure changed from when I was a little girl. Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty - they were the ones that were role models. Each one of them ended up with the handsome prince, who took them to a beautiful castle home, and lived happily after. 

My youngest daughter is a budding teen, having just turned age 14 last week. Asked her the other day if she had a favorite Disney princess. 

Without skipping a beat, she passionately blurts out: “Anastasia, cause she don't need nobody to do nothing for her; and Tiana too, cause she worked!”

Oooookkkkayyy. Let me back away slowly from my little 21st century girl. :)

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[ RE: 21st Century Girl - Willow Smith ~ ~ Link if YT video does not load: https://youtu.be/w5h8MU59Zro ]



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{ P.S. Yes Willow Smith and my daughter are both the same age. But don't be jumping on me about Willow Smith and her wild behavior! I ain't Willow Smith momma and daddy. I'm just sharing a link to her video. }


Wiki List of Disney Princesses
- http://disneyprincess.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Disney_Princesses

Mother Jones | Are Disney Princesses Evil?
- - http://www.motherjones.com/media/2011/01/peggy-orenstein-cinderella-ate-my-daughter


[ Content first appeared on Bubblews, Mar 17, 2015.  That site shut down. ]

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• What if Disney Princesses' Fashion Was Historically Accurate?
• 
  

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Harp Music: Sacred, Classical, or Jazz?

The harp is mentioned more often in the Bible than any other musical instrument.

The harp is an earthly instrument with a heavenly sound. It can soothe a troubled soul.

At one time there was a debate about whether or not the harp was solely a religious musical instrument. 

But thanks to breakthrough musicians like Jeff Majors ... 

The question mark is now a period!

Harp music will always be used as religious music, but it is no longer used ONLY FOR religious music.  That's because talented harpists like Jeff Majors use his instrument to play all of the genres:  sacred, classical, jazz, and gospel.

Image credit

In Jewish history, it is written that when King Saul was tormented, he asked for someone to play the harp for him to calm his spirit. A young harpist named David was recommended. The lad was surely an extraordinarily talented musician because he was often summoned to play for the king to relieve his distress. When David grew up, he succeeded Saul as the second king of ancient Israel. Music continued to be an integral part of his life, and in addition to being an accomplished harpist, he also wrote psalms (songs).

Unfortunately, none of the harp music of King David was preserved, so we can only imagine what those hauntingly beautiful and caressing melodies may have sounded like.

Fortunately, Jeff Majors is a harpist with a great imagination!

He is a uniquely gifted harpist. Possibly the best in this generation!

Jeff Majors followed his dream. Literally. He actually had a dream about playing the harp and decided he would learn. He was taught by the late Alice Coltrane (1937 -2007), jazz pianist and harpist, and the spouse of the legendary John Coltrane (1926 -1967). Once he mastered the instrument, he set out to share his musical gift with others.  On his official website, you can read about his journey: from forming jazz bands to hosting a radio ministry to reaching millions through his television program, “The Gospel of Music with Jeff Majors”.

Along with Alice Coltrane, Mr. Majors credits the late Dorothy Ashby (1930 -1986) with influencing his musical style. The ladies Ashby and Coltrane proved that the classical harp instrument could be easily and effortlessly integrated into jazz compositions. Through collaborative efforts with other artists, he has set to music some of the Psalms written by King David. Many of his admirers know him for his interpretation of Psalm 23, which he performed at the memorial service for Coretta Scott King. 

Majors’ music is categorized as Jazz Contemporary Gospel, and sometimes New Age. If you have not heard of this exceptionally talented musician, then it may come as a surprise to discover that his first album, “Sacred”, was released in 1998. That is correct. He and Hanifah have been around for over a decade. 

• Hanifah is the name of his harp. ( A female given name: from an Arabic word meaning “true believer” .) 

In 2006, he was invited to perform on the Oprah Winfrey Show.You know what they say. When you make it to Oprah, for sure the world knows you now! You are officially on the map!

So did I learn about Jeff Majors watching Ms. O? No. It was a couple of years ago. I fell asleep one night and my husband stayed up watching the television. I started having a wonderful dream. I won't share my dream. It's private. But when I willed myself to wake up, I heard this gentle soothing melody floating through the air. Curiously I peeked to see what my husband was watching. Jeff Majors was on TV playing the harp. Lucky for me, my husband recorded the program on video tape so we can view it again and again and again.

Two Questions

After discovering Jeff Majors and doing research to learn more, there are only two questions remaining that are unanswered.

* Question 1:  Why no Grammy?

* Question 2:  If you had a harp, what would you name her?

Original source

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The Science of Genetics and Its Endless Possibilities

The science of DNA is fascinating.  It is an intricate road map in the study of humankind. Organizing my thoughts and studies on this topic thus far.  

Modern Day Arabs and Their Father Abraham  
May 18, 2014 - These days some even pay for expensive DNA tests to see if they can determine their ancestry. Others comb through paper documents, …

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May 21, 2014 - At her own blog this post was tagged “DNA analysis”. Do you know who discovered that DNA could be categorized into 7 basic groups?

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My Ancestors Did What to Their DNA?
~ https://t.co/zTHFd0BBUj #ANCESTRY #RESEARCH #DNA #GENEREPLACEMENTTHERAPY #SCIENCE OF #GENETICS #JAMESBOND

— Treathyl Fox (aka cmoneyspinner) (@cmoneyspinner) March 16, 2020

Mother Africa : Trees of Africa : Baobab Tree

“Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it.  (African Proverbs and Sayings)

The baobab tree (adansonia) is the national tree of Madagascar and has been called the tree of life (although I personally believe that any tree on the planet can be called a tree of life**).

What Do You Know About the Baobab Tree? ~ Medium.com

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Trees Deserve Respect

Ailanthus altissima is an ornamental tree grown mainly for shade and also for its leaves which the silkworm feeds on. Sounds prettier when it is called by its unscientific name: "tree of heaven". The acacia thrives in the wilderness of Paran (the location of several historic events in the Bible).

A Tribute to Harry Belafonte (1927-2023) ~ Entertainer, Activist, and Humanitarian

Harry Belafonte passed away, on April 25, 2023, at the age of 96. He left an indelible mark in the history and the heart of America.

“I think America offers a dream that cannot be fulfilled as easily anywhere else in the world as it could be fulfilled here. …” ~ Harry Belafonte

• If you were preparing a list of iconic and legendary American entertainers, then Harry Belafonte would be on that list.
• If you were making a list of notable civil rights activists in America, then Harry Belafonte would be on that list.
• If you were making a list of humanitarians worthy of double honor for their good works, then Harry Belafonte would be on that list.

Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. known to the world as Harry Belafonte is a Jamaican-American singer, songwriter, actor, activist, and humanitarian. Date of Birth March 1, 1927 — Date of Death April 25, 2023. Cause of death: Congestive heart failure.

Americans from my generation (50s, 60s, and 70s) know Harry Belafonte. We know the lyrics to the Banana Boat and Matilda songs, backward and forward. Several years back (1997) there was a special program on television — “An Evening With Harry Belafonte & Friends” — where he sang many songs accompanied by fabulous singers and musicians. He performed Banana Boat and Matilda. I’m sure he knew that if he had not sung those songs, the audience would have been very disappointed.

Mr. Belafonte is known for his singing, and also for the memorable roles he has played in several films like “Carmen Jones” (1954), and “Island in the Sun” (1957). He has won numerous awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors.

In addition to knowing him as an extremely talented triple threat, i.e. he can sing, dance and act — we also know him to be a civil rights activist and a humanitarian, involved in many good works.

Giving honor where honor is due, one person referred to Mr. Belafonte as “living history”. While he was alive, you did not have to read historical events in a book because you could just talk to him since he was alive during the time and actively participated in history-making.

Mr. Belafonte has passed from living to legend now. He was almost a centenarian; age 96.

“If I’ve impacted on one heart, one mind, one soul, and brought to that individual a greater truth than that individual came into a relationship with me having, then I would say that I have been successful.” ~ Harry Belafonte

IN MEMORY OF: Harry Belafonte (1927–2023)

♦

I hope that his amazing talent, his fight for human rights, and his selfless charitable acts will be appreciated and remembered by Americans for generations to come.

Original Source

How to watch and stream Harry Belafonte movies

Round Up: Ten Popular Posts About Celebrities

Thank you to my blog visitors.  I have been getting more traffic to this blog and readers have been leaving comments to let me know they dropped by.  As you can see, this blog's Archived Posts date back to 2014.  

It's been a while since I've done a round-up of popular posts.  My Blog Stop! publishes content about a wide range of topics; from art to zen.  Rather than choose posts based on a time period (30 days, a year, etc.), the round-up below are popular posts about a specific topic.  

Below are 10 posts about "celebrities".  Many are about famous people that are now referred to or described as "vintage", "iconic", "legendary", "Hollywood legends", etc.

(P.S.  I also included some posts from my other blog, Joie de Vivre Magazine.)

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My Top 10 List of Iconic Female Celebrities

In America, we love to apply the word "icon" to people who sort of serve as symbols or are symbolic of something much larger than themselves, and are representative of an ideal that we, as individuals, hope to achieve in life. It's almost as if these people are idols. Almost.

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Entertainment: Celebrities: In Memory of: Doris Day (1922 - 2019)

Must say good-bye to "America's girl next door" and Hollywood legend, Doris Day . She had a major influence on my childhood development. She charmed me. That was her appeal. I think she charmed everyone; publicly and privately. I loved all of her movies. No really.

(3)

Hollywood Legends : Iconic Female Celebrities: Marilyn Monroe (1926 - 1962)

Today, Marilyn Monroe would be 90 years old, but the diva passed away in 1962. Many people know her celebrity persona, and she still is viewed as an icon of beauty and femininity. But let's take a look at her off-screen personality. Here are seven (7) biographical facts.

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IN MEMORY OF: Humphrey Bogart (1899 - 1957)

Died: January 14, 1957 Won't be much longer now and all the glamorous Hollywood movie stars that I grew up watching will be forgotten. Stars like Humphrey Bogart, who was actually already dead by 1957, a couple of years after my birth.

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Celebrities : In Memory Of : Christopher Lee (1922-2015)

"What Christopher Lee movie is this?" Care to share your love for the late great Christopher Lee? 

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Celebrities : In Memory Of : Omar Sharif (1932 - 2015)

In 2015, we said farewell to one of my favorite actors, an unforgettable screen legend, Omar Sharif . He may be gone but he is not forgotten. At least not by me.

(7)

Asian-American Legend ~ Bruce Lee (Nov 27, 1940 - July 20, 1973)

God bless the Internet and especially social networks, bloggers, and online writing communities. So there's this really cool guy - Nathan Bernardo, aka NateB11 - and he is a loyal and devoted martial arts disciple. He knows a lot about MA and writes articles on the topic.

(8)

Celebrity Birthdays : Happy Birthday Ms. Nichols!

For those who were dedicated fans of the original Star Trek sci-fi TV series which aired 1966 through 1969, no doubt you remember Nichelle Nichols who played Lieutenant Uhura. Born Grace Nichols on December 28, 1932, in Robbins, Illinois. Today is her birthday Happy Birthday Ms. Nichols! *

(9)

Bob Marley - Rastaman Trivia 2

February 6th was the singer's birthday. But there was this interesting article at Bubblews about his memorial services with some trivia to be shared. You never know when you may need to know it! Rather than wait for May 11th, the anniversary of Mr. Marley's death, my reasoning was that since it was still February, it could be considered a sort belated birthday remembrance.

(10)

Michael Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009)

Michael Jackson was so much more than an eclectic and consummate entertainer. He was an extremely generous humanitarian and would no doubt like for people to remember his love and genuine care and concern for children.

Hope you enjoyed the round-up. Visit often!

Who is Peter Ackroyd? Biographer, Historian, Poet, Novelist, Etc. Eccentric

Who is Peter Ackroyd?

Hmmm ... let me think.  Is he the guy in the photograph below?

Nope!  But you're close!  

The guy in the photo below is Charles Dickens.  Peter Ackroyd wrote a biography about Dickens.  He also wrote a bio about William Shakespeare, in case the mention about the Charles Dickens bio is not impressive enough.  :)  If that's not impressive enough, then if you like biographies or biographical notes about celebrated, it might interest you to know that he wrote a bunch of books about famous people like Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin, Edgar Allan Poe, Sir Isaac Newton, and more.  

His series is called Ackroyd's Brief Lives.

 

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Peter Ackroyd is an author. A word to describe him? Eccentric. There was another word used to describe him but it wasn’t very complimentary (my opinion), and as such, won’t be mentioned by me.  A few synonyms for eccentric are: odd, bizarre, outlandish, peculiar, weird and strange. Sounds like he lives in Austin, Texas. But he currently resides in England.  Eccentric? I’ll say. He writes using a pen and paper in longhand. That’s insane! Nobody does that anymore!

“It’s just the way I work”, he says.

Well fine then, Mr. Ackroyd. You certainly can’t be accused of not working.  Peter Ackroyd’s body of writings include: poetry, bibliographies of notable persons like T.S. Eliot, Charles Dickens, and William Shakespeare, a series of history books for children, a collection of English ghost stories, and several novels. He even retold Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and wrote a libretta for an opera.  His current projects include:  the completion of  six volumes of the History of England, a few more novels, and a biography of Alfred Hitchock.

Where does he find the time?  Uh … that’s all he does, all day and all night.  He says he isn’t much interested in socializing and reserves two Sundays in the month for some interaction with people.  Most of the time, it’s just him and his books.

Has Mr. Ackroyd written so many books you don’t know where to begin?  Start here: The Trial of Elizabeth Cree; a murder mystery, the setting is 1880 Victorian London; a woman is accused of poisoning her husband.

* * *

Reference:
Rosen, Jody. “Man of Many Words: Up Close and Personal with Peter Ackroyd …” T: New York Times Style Magazine 15 Sept. 2013: 110-14. Print. Men’s Fashion Issue, Arts and Letters

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K-Drama Review: Under the Queen's Umbrella (2022)

Under the Queen's Umbrella is a Korean historical period drama series, released in 2022, that is currently streaming on Netflix. 

16 intense episodes. Viewers gave this series 4.9 out of 5 stars. I totally agree.  Kim Hye-Soo's performance as Queen Im Hwa-Ryeong is award-worthy. But giving credit where credit is due, quite frankly, all of the actors and actresses in this series gave exemplary performances. They played their roles as if they were real historical figures in the Joseon Era.

The worth of the flowers in the palace, i.e. the king's women, is judged by how many sons they bare the king. Queen Im Hwa-Ryeong (played by Kim Hye-Soo) has been very fortunate. She bore five (5) sons for the king. Her oldest son is the crown prince, but he is suffering from a life-threatening illness. He could die any day! If he were to die, who would take his place? The crown prince already has a son of his own, so according to the line of succession, his son, her grandson, should be heir to the throne. Then as alternatives, one of his brothers, her four other sons who are grand princes, could be chosen. But her sons are perfectly content to never be king. She would have been content to allow them not to pursue the throne EXCEPT … the deposed queen (i.e. the queen before her) also had many sons.  When she realized the lives of her sons were in jeopardy, she immediately made up her mind that her sons would not suffer the same fate as Queen Yoon and her sons.

Queen Im Hwa-Ryeong now understands that THIS IS WAR!

Read full review at My Sageuk Addiction on Medium.com.

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