ROYAL WEDDINGS and Richard Armitage

Choosing just the right fascinator to wear can paralyze a man when he's trying to get ready...

Of the many fine qualities possessed by the Royal Family, including shooting at innocent foxes and nice hat choices, they do know how to throw a wedding...

THE QUEEN MOTHER - 1923



PRINCE CHARLES AND LADY DIANA



WILLIAM AND CATHERINE



OK, that was just silly. Anyway, the wedding was gorgeous, the gowns were gorgeous, the hats were..the gowns were gorgeous. I don't mind the hats but really some of these women should wash their hair before putting on the hat, or at least comb it. The hair not the hat.

Princess Beatrice or Eugenie or whatever her name in was wearing a toilet seat lid and what is with Posh Spice? Is she a Stepford Wife or something - no buns at home in the brainpan, hat evidently stapled directly into head, not enough shrimps on the barbie (wrong country, I know). Victoria - get an emotion, somewhere, something. Her feelings run the gamut from A to A.

Elton John - a few too many Krispie Kremes for that fellow but his partner looks nice - bewildered but nice. Elton reminds me of the old George Cruikshank caricatures of the Regency.


I want Pippa and Harry to fall in love and marry and although I know Harry is going down the same wild path as his uncle Andrew or any other rich young aristocrat I have hopes that he'll straighten out, marry Pippa and have a Nora Roberts ending.




OK, OK, I know this is horrid but I just had to post it. Poor little girl next to them. Must be very noisy...

ROYAL BEAUTY, TIARAS And Richard A

Is there anything more feminine than a Tiara? As a little girl I dreamed of wearing one, I had seen all the pictures of Swedish brides and the little crown of diamonds that they wear, I loved all the pictures of Princesses with their heads covered in jewels...I really want to wear a tiara once in my life. There is no woman alive who does not look beautiful in a tiara.

Well, maybe one...

BeautifulPeople.com, a social networking site for the genetically blessed, recently polled 127,000 of its visitors in a royal rumble match-up to find the prettiest prince and princess.

Bride-to-be Kate Middleton beating out Princess Diana may have been a "big surprise," Greg Hodge, managing director of the site, told The New York Post. But Prince Charles placing 10th on the men's "most beautiful" list may be the most shocking. Prince Carl Philip of Sweden grabbed the top spot among the guys, while Prince William took fifth.

"The British royals are typically very horsey-looking," Hodge explained. "Diana certainly improved the... gene pool, and we hope that Kate will do the same."

The Most Beautiful Royal Women
#10 Princess Masako of Japan
#9 Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
#8 Princess Mary of Denmark
#7 Princess Madeleine of Sweden
#6 Gayatri Devi, Maharani of Jaipur
#5 Charlotte Casiraghi of Monaco
#4 Princess Diana
#3 Kate Middleton, princess in waiting
#2 Queen Rania of Jordan
#1 Princess Grace of Monaco

HAPPY EASTER

This is from my youth, I love this musical. The opening notes of Jesus Christ Superstar still send chills down my spine and the plotting of the Pharisees still makes me weep. Jesus is still very topical, two thousand years later.





MICHAEL SHEEN PERFORMS IN THREE DAY PASSION PLAY



Hollywood star Michael Sheen brings Easter message to South Wales by appearing in 72-hour playBy Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 12:01 PM on 23rd April 2011
Hollywood brought a timely reminder of the Easter message to a beach in South Wales as Michael Sheen embarked on a 72-hour liv e performance. The actor returned to his home town of Port Talbot to play a Christ-like character in a marathon National Theatre Wales production of 'The Passion'. Sheen, whose films include Frost/Nixon and the Twilight saga, is 'living the story' and has immersed himself completely in the role for the weekend. He was sleeping rough on a mountain last night before spending tonight in a police cell and concluding the play on Easter Sunday by being 'crucified' on a roundabout overlooking Port Talbot bay.



More than 1,000 local residents are also taking part in the production, which is being performed at venues across the industrial seaside town including the beach, a shopping centre and a working men's club. The play began at 5.30am on Good Friday with a scene on the seafront inspired by John the Baptist's baptism of Jesus, which was watched by several hundred people who had only heard about it by word of mouth.

By 3pm, when the first main part of the play was performed on Aberavon Beach under an overcast but warm sky, there were thousands of spectators on the damp sands and along the promenade craning their necks for a glimpse of the star. Sheen provoked gasps when he emerged from the crowd sporting a scruffy beard and shaggy hair and wearing a blue hooded top with a red blanket wrapped round him.

Helping hand: Sheen kneels down bare-footed as he helps a young boy in a wet-suit build a sandcastle on the first day of the 72-hour play. After a powerful speech which moved one woman to tears, he melted back into the audience and walked off down the beach in the direction of Port Talbot's imposing steelworks. Sheen, who is also co-director and creative director of the play, has described the project as like a soap opera.

'There's episodes of the story over the three days, and in between those official episodes there's other stuff going on but you just have to go and look for it,' he told This Morning. Fans: Sheen gave an emotional speech which moved one woman to tears before he chatted to children as he headed towards the mountains to sleep rough for the night

A long and winding road: Hundreds of people joined the star's play after hearing about it through word of mouth. The production will continue until Sunday morning
'It's a story that is absolutely about the town now, but it is underpinned by the story of the last week of Jesus.' Port Talbot has a history of producing world-class actors, with Richard Burton and Anthony Hopkins among the town's other famous sons, but has suffered decline in recent years.

Sheen said: 'So often our town is looked down on or dismissed, sometimes by ourselves even. 'I hope that The Passion will be an opportunity for the world to see what is revealing itself daily to all of us fortunate enough to be a part of this adventure, that Port Talbot is an example of what is best about us.'

He will spend Saturday evening eating a meal of beer and sandwiches in a dramatisation of the Last Supper at the Seaside Social and Labour Club - where Welsh rockers Manic Street Preachers will also perform.

Sheen was inspired to put on the ambitious drama - which was two years in the planning and is the finale to National Theatre Wales's launch year - by watching performances of Passion plays in Port

ROYAL WEDDING - THIS AND THAT and Richard Armitage

COLIN FIRTH PEAKS

Colin Firth reacts to news of Kate's wedding. Shock, outrage, bloating... His wife was in Africa and he was so close to running off to America to see LucyP. and rescue her from her post traumatic Nacho encounter. And then this? What will he do? How will he cope? Did the oscar folks really like him? I mean really really like him? Will they ever find Matthew Macfadyen's body? It's in the basement but he's starting to regain consciousness - oh no - starting to realize he's not auditioning for the part of Helen Keller; absolutely shocked to hear that Diana died.

THE ROYAL DIET

A Mexican teen who staged a 16-day hunger strike to try to get an invitation to the wedding between Kate Middleton and Prince William will be heading to London.
But Estibalis Chavez, 19, likely won't be getting inside Westminster Abbey to watch the vows. Instead, she'll be able to watch from the sidelines as thousands gather in London April 29 thanks to a donation from Octavio Fitch Lazo, the U.K. Press Association reports.

"It moved me to see that no one understood her very well...I think she is right to fight for what she wants," Lazo said.

Lazo, a private citizen who is a member of a lobbying group that wants Mexico to use silver coins, bought Chavez a plane ticket so she can take part in the festivities.
Chavez staged a hunger strike in February outside the British Embassy in Mexico City. She lost 19 lbs.


JOAN RIVER MAKEOVER VICTIM

Future princesses -- they really are just like us!

Wearing a black Issa wrap dress and kitten-heeled camel-colored shoes, Kate Middleton hit King's Road earlier this week for a bit of pre-wedding shopping, The Telegraph reports.

Stopping at American favorite Banana Republic, the bride-to-be bought pieces from the store's summer collection -- perhaps for her upcoming honeymoon with Wills.

According to the newspaper, Kate told the staff that she "loves Banana Republic" and "will be shopping with them in future." The moderately-priced brand definitely fits Kate's fashion taste, with its go-to basics and classic casual wear.

WILLY BEER - WHY IS THIS COUPLE SO HAPPY?

UNDATED - A lot of wedding receptions have beer, but you can bet one beer created to honor the royal wedding won't be served at the festivities.

British brewery Brew Dog is out (or some would say up) with a new brew called Royal Virility Performance.

The brew, an India Pale Ale with 7.5 percent alcohol by volume, is laced with herbal Viagra, chocolate and goat weed.

Three bottles of the beer have as much oomph as one erectile dysfunction pill.

Clearly, Brew Dog is brewing up a little sarcasm and fun.

"A beer should be brewed with a purpose, not just because some toffs are getting married, so we created something at our brewery that will undermine those special edition beers and other assorted seaside tat, whilst at the same time actually give the happy couple something extra on their big day," the brewery says.

The brewery says some of the bottles have labels that read "Arise Prince Willy" and "Celebrate Big Willy Style." Yes, Prince William received them as a gift for his wedding night with Kate Middleton.

Only 1,000 bottles will be made and available through Brew Dog's website.

For your stiff drink, expect to pay a stiff price. It's $16.55 per bottle.

ROYAL WEDDING - USELESS FACTS HERE!!!! GET YOUR USELESS ITEMS OF NON INTEREST HERE!!!

A beneficent God looks down upon mere mortals

/She should be so lucky: Why most women DON’T envy Kate Middleton
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:45 PM on 20th April 2011


Envy? Nine out of ten women are not jealous of Kate's new life as a Royal because she will be under constant public scrutiny. About to marry the heir to the throne, Kate Middleton seems to have everything a girl could wish for.

But nearly nine out of ten women don't envy the bride-to-be's new Royal role, a poll has found.

Almost half - 44 per cent - said Miss Middleton, 29, will not be able to live an ordinary life again, 18 per cent said they weren't jealous because of the public scrutiny she will have to endure and 10 per cent gave media attention as a reason.

Safety was not a huge concern, with only 2 per cent of women identifying the constant need for security as an off-putting aspect of Miss Middleton's new life.
And among the one-in-ten who did envy Kate's new Royal life, just 20 per cent said it was because she will have a Prince as her husband - while 27 per cent said it was because of the money.

The YouGov poll of nearly 2,000 people in Great Britain also found Miss Middleton may still have some way to go to win over the public, with only 44 per cent of people feeling she is worthy of becoming their future Queen.

Despite this, her status as a rising fashion icon is clear, with nearly twice as many women saying they would buy an outfit worn by Kate Middleton (23 per cent) than style queen Kate Moss (12 per cent).

Carla Bevan, editor-in-chief of website MyDaily, who organised the study, said: 'Despite all the excitement about what she'll wear on the big day, the reality of the situation is that most women realise Catherine has an unenviable task ahead of her, having her every move, not to mention every outfit, picked apart by the press.

'The public clearly feel it's going to be no fairytale for Kate, bringing an end to the idea that it's every girl's dream to become a princess, with modern-day women increasingly wary of the trappings of life in the celebrity spotlight.'
According to the poll, 22 per cent of women believe Miss Middleton should agree to 'love, honour and obey' in her vows, with even more men thinking she should, at 36 per cent.

Royal couple: Of those who said they do envy Kate, just 20 per cent said it was because she will have a Prince as a husband. Here she is pictured with William during a visit to Darwen, Lancashire

Of the men surveyed, more than a third revealed they would rather be groom-to-be William (34 per cent) than younger brother Harry (27 per cent). More than half (51 per cent) gave the reason that William is marrying a beautiful bride.

The survey found 24 per cent thought the wedding will improve their feelings towards the monarchy, with only 42 per cent believing the Royal Family projects a good image of modern Britain to the rest of the world. Some 46 per cent thought the UK would be worse off without the royals, with only 22 per cent believing the country would be better off.

More...The 21st century Royal Wedding: Palace says ceremony will be streamed live on YouTube

Kate Middleton gets her very own coat of arms in time for Royal Wedding (and handily it can be used for the family business too)

Four dresses for £225: Is this Kate's High Street honeymoon wardrobe?

When asked how people felt members of the Royal Family would cope in the 'real world' from a career perspective, 22 per cent said William would be the most successful.

The story is the opposite for the Queen, as only 3 per cent thought she would be the most successful, despite carrying a wealth of worldly knowledge, and only 2 per cent voted for the Prince of Wales.

LEST WE FORGET THE LAST LUCKY LUCKY LITTLE LADY TO MARRY INTO THIS MOST FAMOUS OF DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES....

Remember??? Remember that perfectly hideous dress??? The one that looked like it had been found wadded up in a corner of some Walmart subbasement??? Remember??? Puffy sleeves to rival Jerry Seinfeld's famous shirt??? And the reporter kept going on and on about it's beauty...

EXTRA: http://www.facebook.com/RimmelLondonUS GET KATE MIDDLETON'S LOOK!!!

THE ROYAL WEDDING!!!!! (and richard armitage)

The countdown has begun... Here are ten things the bride-to-be will no longer be allowed to do once she (you know who we mean I hope) walks down the Green Mile – ahem, aisle – in Westminster: Drum roll please

1. Be referred to as 'Kate'
When Kate Middleton joins the House of Windsor this year, her official title will become ‘Her Royal Highness the Princess William of Wales’. She can be addressed as 'Catherine' or 'Ma'am' (pronounced like 'ham'). But 'Kate' isn't going to cut it anymore by Royal standards. Clarence House officials will probably wine and dine London's Royal correspondents and then ask them to please refer to Kate as 'Catherine' in the future. But we think they will refuse to do this. Something to do with search engine keywords.

2. Vote
Technically, the Queen and other members of her family are allowed to vote, but they do not do so because in practice it would be considered unconstitutional and not in accordance with the need for neutrality. This is in keeping with the Royal Family's public role, which is based on identifying with every section of society, including minorities and special interest groups.

3. Run for political office
For the reasons stated above, this is also a no no.

4. Escape the scrutiny
As arguably Britain's most dysfunctional family, the Monarchy provides the British public with a generous source of voyeuristic entertainment, and an opportunity for heartless slander. Having already been under the media spotlight for the best part of nine years, Kate has copped her fair share of criticism from the media over the most mundane and insignificant of things. [ Related: How William and Kate get the upper hand on the press ] She's a commoner. She's an outrageous social climber. She's not outgoing enough. Her mum is an air hostess who uses the word 'toilet'. The public watchdog will be onto Kate 24/7, so when she slips on that tiara come 29 April she will damn well have to make sure it’s a pretty one. But not too pretty. That would be exhibitionist. This scrutiny will grow existentially and extend to all aspects of her life. Did you know the Middleton family can only trace their roots back to the mid 1500s? So what were they up to in 1413 then? They must be hiding something.

5. Play Monopoly
In 2008, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, said that the Royal Family was not allowed to play Monopoly at home "because it gets too vicious". No member of the family has yet revealed what they play in its place during the Christmas holidays.

6. Say or do anything controversial
This includes accepting large amounts of money from 'businessmen' for access to your husband and getting your toes sucked in public by your financial adviser. You know who you are, Fergs. But it also encompasses Kate's expression of her preferred political position, social position, sexual position – basically anything within the realms of personality. So far she has succeeded seamlessly in this, not putting a foot wrong in any situation. Granted though, the world has only heard her speak once after her and William's engagement and that was a heavily rehearsed affair.

7. Eat shellfish
British Royals are apparently never served shellfish, because of a fear of food poisoning. So if Kate can't live without crustaceans, she will have to seek them out in her own time.

8. Work
It is well known that Royals and careers don't mix well. As proven when Prince Charles' plan to work part time in a factory failed and Countess Sophie Wessex was forced to abandon her PR firm. In Kate's case though, the whole unemployment scenario shouldn't be too difficult to handle. At 29 years of age she is the oldest spinster ever to marry a future king, and though she has a History of Art degree and years of life experience, Kate has spurned work wherever possible. This is unless you count seven months as a casual accessories buyer for clothing chain Jigsaw and a short time working for the family company, Party Pieces. Pinned by some as the unemployed woman marrying into a welfare family, we're reckoning the guys at Buckingham will keep her busy by sending her to lots of boat launches and pancake flipping gigs.

9. Sign anything unofficial
As a potential future counsellor of state if William becomes king, Kate might at some stage have to sign government papers and brings legislation into force in her husband's place. People in this position are strictly not supposed to sign anything that could lead to their signature being copied and forged. Last year Prince Harry was in hot water when he flouted this rule by signing the plaster cast of a girl who had fractured her arm, a media report said. The 17-year-old from Leicestershire was so excited she said her cast would be "going in a glass box", which the Queen might not have been too happy about.

10 Finish her dinner
If she is a slower eater than her grandmother-in-law, Kate could go hungry. In Britain, when the Queen stops eating, you stop as well, fork in hand.

EASTER and Richard Armitage

Well, Easter is coming friends. I thought I'd post a Youtube of one of my favorite actors, Eddie Izzard, discussing some of the strange customs involved in this holiday. If you've never seen this comedy special of his you really have to make a point of finding it - he is wonderful; not so much in his follow up ones, though. He dresses oddly and wears more makeup than Tammy Faye, his heels are to die for. Eddie Izzard...




THE WEEK FROM HELL
There are things you do for your friends. Sometimes it is a simple request, easy, not painful; they depend on you so you try not to disappoint. Life's complicated. Things get in the way. You laugh it off.

Then there are other times. Rich has a friend, a man a few years older. He just found out he has stomach cancer. Everyone who knows Frank was devastated by the news; he is a larger than life character. You love him or you hate him, and more than likely both at the same time, but you never forget him.

He has emphysema, a bad heart, bad everthing. He also drinks like a fish and more than one night we've had to drive him to the hospital at two in the morning because he's fallen over somewhere. His brain is a little slow and he has a terrible temper, especially with his wife. She is very hard of hearing and a little dense, one kopek short of a dollar.

Anyway, Richie promised to drive him to the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, more than an hour trip each way. Frank is very weak and could never have made the trip by himself and Frances gets lost easily. The initial meeting with the gastro specialist was Friday morning. Richie woke up with an ankle swollen to twice it's size so I had to drive us all - Rich, Frank, Frances and me, at the crack of dawn(about 7:30 a.m.) in the dense fog. I was a wreck, worried about my husband, listening to Frank and Frances scream at each other. God is good, but he has a devil of a sense of humor.

When we got to the hospital I ran in and got a wheel chair for Rich and I noticed how kind and compassionate the personnel were to us. It took a while to realize that they thought Rich was the patient - poor Frank was straggling along behind us, nearly collapsing. His wife got lost once or twice. Good times.

The gastro doctor was quite a surprise. She looked like a fifteen year old hooter girl. She had on a snug fitting suit with a skirt that came half-way up her thigh, no stockings, killer shoes (I would die for those shoes, just to be able to walk on 3 inchers again would be a treat). She also had a low cut tight top on under her snug little jacket. Frank and Richie were very impressed with these credentials, thought she was the most wonderful doctor they'd ever seen. I hated her on sight, and that was before she informed us we had to bring Frank in every day for tests, for the entire week.

Well, by Wednesday Frank and Frances had nearly come to blows about everything. At one point we were standing by the elevators, Rich in his wheelchair, Frank with his pants half zipped, and Frances nearly in tears. Finally she couldn't take him anymore and shouted - "You Bastard!" Then she turned on her heels and walked into the elevator. Trouble was it was the wrong elevator. It went up instead of down. We found her later. More screaming.

Lord I do pray in your infinite wisdom that Frank is healed, that Monday, when Frank hears what his course of therapy will be, that it does not include daily visits to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. If it does, I will blow my brains out.

Quit looking for Richard Armitage information. This is classic bait and switch. Nacho is here solely for LucyParker.

TOP BLOGS FROM THE NEWS

In my never ending quest to bring the news to the American public...


Article i £20,000 Dog Wedding NeatoramaFriday, April 08, 2011 Around 80 guests attended a lavish wedding in Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex, England. Louise Harris hired a wedding planner who oversaw the flowers, decorations, food, and security for the £20,000 ($32,000US) affair. The wedding was for Louise’s six-year-old Yorkshire terrier, Lola. Lola wore a £1000 specially-designed wedding dress, decorated with Swarovski crystals. Harris has thrown lavish birthday parties for her dogs, but this bash outdid them all. Louise who runs dog boutique and grooming parlour Diva Dogs, in Essex – ran an online competition on her DivaDogs website and Facebook page to find the perfect husband for her princess Lola. She received hundreds of entries of would-be suitors for Lol but whittled it down to a final six potential partners. But much to her surprise, Lolas obvious favourite was Mugly, previously voted Britains ugliest dog, owned by mum-of-four Bev Nicholson, 47. See another picture of Mugly here. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed a sumptuous buffet and a six-foot tall chocolate fountain. The dog guests had their own specially-made treats. The bride and groom will not live together, but will visit once a month. Link -via Arbroath

Article ii Man superglued to supermarket toilet in prank Newslite.tv - Odd NewsThursday, April 07, 2011 Police in the US say they are investigating after being called out to a man who'd been superglued to a supermarket toilet. Emergency workers attended the Maryland Walmart after a unfortunate 48-year-old man sat on a loo which had been booby-trapped by pranksters. Because teams were unable to free the man at the scene they were forced to transport him to a nearby hospital while still attached to the seat. Doctors were eventually able to prise the unnamed man from the seat though they would not reveal exactly how long it took. It's not thought the man was targeted in the stunt, but police say the pranksters could face charges of second-degree assault… if they get to the bottom of it. LINKS Elkton Police


Article iii Scrooge McDuck is wealthiest fictional character Newslite.tv - Odd News Friday, April 08, 2011 He may not have quite as much money as Bill Gates, but Scrooge McDuck has topped the Forbes list of the wealthiest fictional characters. Each year Forbes magazine - known for their coverage of all which is wealthy and powerful - turns their eye to fictional empires. Using the same rigorous scrutiny as used when compiling their various lists of the wealth, they produced the Fictional 15, a list of the richest characters from television, film, comics and books. And it was gold coin collecting Scrooge McDuck who came top, with it being judged that he has a worth of $44 billion this year as a result of soaring gold prices. Carlisle Cullen from Twilight came second with an estimated wealth of $36.2 billion and Artemis Fowl II was third with $13.5 billion. LINKS Fictional 15


I am really getting lazy, aren't I? Well, today I began my campaign to get my book on Oprah Winfrey before she ends her show. My dream is to be the last book recommended. I am sending e-mails to her offices. Anyone of you who also send e-mails stating you want Darcy and Fitzwilliam featured will be eligible for some sort of prize to be determined later. Much later. Maybe we'll spring for travel to Chicago to be with us. Maybe not.

Where is Matthew? It's like Where's Waldo now.

Richie and I accompanied a dear friend of ours to the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa Friday. He was nervous and wanted Rich there to help him understand the next steps that would be taken. Well...Richie woke up with a swollen ankle for some reason so I had to drive the four of us - Frank and Frances, Rich and myself. When we got to Moffitt I ran for a wheelchair for Richie because he couldn't walk.

Everyone there thought Richie was the patient and were very kind to him, very sweet to me. Poor Frank had to shuffle along behind us, opening his own doors, coughing for attention. What a day.

ROBIN HOOD

First there was the incomparable Error Flynn, with Olivia DeHavilland as Maid Marian. She was lovely - he wore green tights - go figure. Love is blind I guess. No, just kidding, Error was the best Robin Hood, ever.



A few years later there was another Robin Hood. This time it was Kevin Costner. When he made Dances with Wolves Kevin could do no wrong, he was golden. Then he dumped his wife and no one liked him anymore, he made the movie about the postman in a world filled with water (can't remember the name), he made Robin Hood. Maid Marian is now a little spunkier - ok a lot spunkier - than Olivia de Haviland. She also sees Robin's naked bottom as he swims. I would not have complained if they had included that with Error, but I digress. Alan Rickman plays the Sheriff of Nottingham, an evil almost rapist, a fiend, but very neat.




Of course, then there was the drama of Mel Brooks' Robin Hood - Men in Tights



Now we come to a truly awful version - the Russell Crowe movie with mumbles in the lead and Max Von Sydow - what a waste of a great actor. Von Sydow I mean, not mumbles. There is also my wonderful Matthew Macfadyen as the evil Sheriff with yet another bad hair day for Matthew, at mark 1.24 I believe. Matthew may want to check out some of these hair weaves he's getting for these movies. Could be that's why he's not in anything right now, until 3 Musketeers at least. He was so good in his little part that the director didn't have him killed off like the script wanted. He kept showing up in scenes where he wandered by and said something funny or nasty. He was the very best part of the movie. You will also notice now that Maid Marian stomps around like a stevedore and shoots arrows and wields a sword. You will also notice in this and the next video that people are getting sloppier looking. Don't know what that means exactly.



Now the BBC version which I avoided watching all these months because I didn't know Richard Armitage was in it - what was I under a rock for these months? Anyway, now I'll have to find the series again and watch it. He has bad hair too but somehow he pulls it off better than my Matthew.

THE BORGIAS

First episode was Sunday night and in my opinion it was deadly dull and I don't say that lightly. Since I went through the February from hell this year with the book I vowed to myself I would never give a bad review to anything or anyone ever again - after all, no one sets out to make a bad product.

So let's see - the sets were the most beautiful I have ever seen.
The costumes were breathtaking.

Who am I fooling? It was deadly dull - predictable. There were the requisite number of sex scenes with people talking a mile a minute while they 'indulged'. Excuse me! Why do they always do that in these series? Half the dialogue in the Tudors was during sex. I'd be slappin' the guy upside the head if he decided THAT was the time to talk. It's hard enough to get them to voice their emotions, THEN AT THAT MOMENT THEY DISCUSS POLITICS??? I don't think so.

There also seemed to be a great deal of mumbling - but that may be me, I don't know. I've noticed it's getting harder to understand these actors with my advancing age. The men weren't even that good looking. There was Cesare. I imagine he was expected to be the big heart throb of the series, especially since I heard they will kill off David Oakes sometime soon.

I could not take Cesare seriously since he reminded me of chain smoking Father Guido Sarducci from the old Saturday Night Live shows. Whatever happened to Father Guido? Remember the 'Find the Pope on the Pizza Lid' contest? I expected Cesare to have a cigarette dangling from his mouth all the time, he never buttoned his cassock and he never shaved.

And why oh why kill off your best actor - Derek Jacobi - in the first episode????? Are they nuts?

THE UNKNOWN BORGIA - GUIDO




BOOKS ARE BEAUTIFUL GIVEAWAY!!!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=35901&id=151385984908782&l=484889d2f

Go to the Books are Beautiful Facebook and click on the book that you want - hopefully mine! Then you 'like' my page and fill in the form. Easy as pie! Begins April 1. Then come back here.




NEW BOOK ALERT!!!! By Debra Brown
http://www.englishtimes101.us/

"I am very excited to be releasing my new early Victorian novel, The Companion of Lady Holmeshire, on April 5, 2011 on Amazon Kindle and soon thereafter in print. A foundling infant, grown to become the lovely servant girl, Miss Emma Carrington, has been chosen by the Countess of Holmeshire as her companion to keep her from the lonely hours of widowhood. Emma returns from London, where she had been receiving training in the arts of refinement, to the country castle home of the Lady in Northumbria. There she receives a warm welcome from her former workmates downstairs. The Countess intends to introduce this former servant girl into aristocratic society alongside herself despite much anxiety over it on the part of the former housemaid. Soon the Lady’s son, the 7th Earl of Holmeshire, who is engaged to an aristocratic London lady, returns from his travels to the Continent. How does he take to the presence of this former servant at tea? A day in the village below reveals some hint of danger to Emma; what is the source of that threat? Follow the enjoyable romantic developments and enjoy life with both the aristocrats and the servants. Join them as they travel into London for The Season and learn how Emma is received in snobbish upper class society.

See some of the harsh realities of life while visiting a poor area in Victorian London. Attend a ball along with the young Queen Victoria. Last, but not least, quite some intriguing mystery has been woven through the book; an expensive bracelet has been stolen and the identities of several people are puzzling."

I love Victorian novels, the atmosphere is wonderful for romance with all of the repression that enveloped British society with the reign of Victoria and Albert. After the wild ways of the Regency, where anything was permitted, this must have been a shock. Should be a great book. Best of wishes, Debra!

COWBOYS

MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN COWBOYS



What is it about cowboys that I find so compelling. I love this video with the western paintings, the pictures of strong, silent men alone on the prairie. And Waylon Jennings, well he was one of my favorites. I saw him sing at Chicagofest on Navy Pier, decades ago. He was with his wife, Jesse Colter, an equally gifted singer. I rememeber him introducing her as that "poor, skinny, plain little woman." Of course he was joking because his wife was a knockout.

Cowboys are the one thing the British can't compete in - I've never seen a convincing Englishman act as a cowboy.


TWITTER
I freely admit I have gone mad on Twitter. I really liked it for a while but I have again gone overboard and follow over five hundred people now, impossible to follow a conversation with anyone I know. I just figure that the more people I follow the more likely it is that I get followers and maybe they check out my profile and maybe they look at the book.

Everything is about the book.

I actually talked to a couple of famous people, tweeted is more accurate. Jennifer Ehle tweeted me about the book and I tweeted back feeling for certain she'd say, "I want to do this as a movie." She didn't and now I have to restrain from stalking her. Then David Oakes tweeted me back, that was exciting. My last celebrity was Michael McKean - at least I think that's his name. He was Lenny on Laverne and Shirley. I commented on a picture of his wife (she actually looked like a real wife and not a prop) She was holding a lovely porcelein pan with a cake in it for his birthday. I said Happy Birthday and I want the pan. I am no longer shy apparently. He tweeted back that I couldn't have the pan because it was from their daughter. Seemed like a nice man but who knows. I used to like Martin Sheen too, but look at his son - how stable could that home have been.

BOOKS ARE BEAUTIFUL GIVEAWAY and RA

BOOKS ARE BEAUTIFUL GIVEAWAY!!!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=35901&id=151385984908782&l=484889d2f

Go to the Books are Beautiful Facebook and click on the book that you want - hopefully mine! Then you 'like' my page and fill in the form. Easy as pie! Begins April 1. Then come back here.




NEW BOOK ALERT!!!! By Debra Brown

"I am very excited to be releasing my new early Victorian novel, The Companion of Lady Holmeshire, on April 5, 2011 on Amazon Kindle and soon thereafter in print. A foundling infant, grown to become the lovely servant girl, Miss Emma Carrington, has been chosen by the Countess of Holmeshire as her companion to keep her from the lonely hours of widowhood. Emma returns from London, where she had been receiving training in the arts of refinement, to the country castle home of the Lady in Northumbria. There she receives a warm welcome from her former workmates downstairs. The Countess intends to introduce this former servant girl into aristocratic society alongside herself despite much anxiety over it on the part of the former housemaid. Soon the Lady’s son, the 7th Earl of Holmeshire, who is engaged to an aristocratic London lady, returns from his travels to the Continent. How does he take to the presence of this former servant at tea? A day in the village below reveals some hint of danger to Emma; what is the source of that threat? Follow the enjoyable romantic developments and enjoy life with both the aristocrats and the servants. Join them as they travel into London for The Season and learn how Emma is received in snobbish upper class society.

See some of the harsh realities of life while visiting a poor area in Victorian London. Attend a ball along with the young Queen Victoria. Last, but not least, quite some intriguing mystery has been woven through the book; an expensive bracelet has been stolen and the identities of several people are puzzling."

I love Victorian novels, the atmosphere is wonderful for romance with all of the repression that enveloped British society with the reign of Victoria and Albert. After the wild ways of the Regency, where anything was permitted, this must have been a shock. Should be a great book. Best of wishes, Debra!


NEW BLOG SITE
Wonderful nephew Adrian said I must include a link to the new blog to make it easier to find.

http:/karenwasylowski.com/blog/ Hope it works

Problem is I still don't know how to work the new site.


LOVE THE PERIOD DRAMA HEROES - INCLUDING RA