King Arthur Movie Tristan

- religious equality and conscience .....


- same-sex marriage ....


- Aristotle :) ...

Here are the Top 10 safeties of 2011...

These are some of the sunflowers I planted in my garden this year.
Sunflowers are my favorite, I think they have the most 'personality'. My mammoth sunflowers have yet to mature, when those are grown, I'll post pics. Those get about 6 foot high.

If you've never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom. ~Terri Guillemets

Here are the top 10 guys in the trenches...

At Reuters FaithWorld blog - Dutch vote to ban ritual animal slaughter, Jews and Muslims unite in protest - and here's a bit from another story about the issue, this in the New Statesman - Is Kosher still kosher?...

The lower house of the Dutch parliament has voted by a large majority to ban the slaughter of animals without prior electric stunning, as practised by religiously observant Jews and Muslims. The Netherlands would not be the first European country to have such a law -- it is already banned in Sweden, Norway and Switzerland -- but the vote has inevitably reopened the debate on the balance that any modern society must strike between common standards and the rights of minorities to maintain their own traditions ...

The collision of secular society's evolving understanding of what's ethical and religious groups' faith traditions/teachings is rife in the news lately -- in this instance, my sympathies lie with secular society's ethics. Maybe I'm not objective because I'm a vegetarian. And I know this is about Judaism and Islam, neither of which have me as a member, but in many of these collisions between my own church and the state, the religious teachings are often based on a few time-sensitive bits of scripture that don't seem integral to the core faith, and when I weigh that against suffering, I want to end the suffering. I hope I don't offend anyone, but perhaps this is a case where the religious letter of the law is now frustrating the actual spirit of that law, -- eliminating unnecessary suffering.


- Marianne Thieme, leader of the Dutch Animal Rights Party, at a goat farm in Amstelveen, the Netherlands, December 11, 2006/Koen van Weel - Reuters

My sister was in a car accident (she's ok) and her crunched car is living here in the driveway until the insurance stuff is done - then it will be towed away to the dead car place. The hollyhock in the foreground isn't looking too good either - tiny spiders seem to be making it their home.

Here's a link to a neat poem about the writer V. S. Naipaul and his contempt for women writers .... Poem Composed While Waiting for the Gynecologist to Come In. (Seriously.) (credit to Feminist Philosophers).

Good morning everyone. Today I'd like to welcome author Johanna Garth, who is stopping by for an interview. I recently read & reviewed her debut novel, Losing Beauty. Johanna is kindly taking time out of her busy schedule to stop by and answer my nosey questions :)




Bookworm: Welcome to my blog Johanna, and thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule for this interview. Please tell us a bit about yourself.

Johanna:

Hi Naida, Thank you so much for inviting me to be a guest author here at The Bookworm.

I‘m not one of those people who always knew they wanted to be a writer. Instead I always wanted to be a lawyer. It wasn’t until my oldest was born that I realized my love of reading and telling stories could translate into something else. Ever since then I’ve been stealing away to scribble, or type, down my thoughts. When I’m not writing I am the mother to two, chef de cuisine, carpooler, errand runner, rule enforcer and general boo-boo kisser.






Bookworm: What was the hardest thing about writing Losing Beauty? How long did it take you to complete?

Johanna:
The hardest thing about all my writing projects is finding quiet time. The only time my household is quiet is when the kids are at school. Everyone knows not to call me between the hours of 9:00-3:00. Losing Beauty is the third book I’ve written and, oddly enough, it was the easiest to write. The first draft of it took about five months and then I revised and edited for another six months. Maybe I’m getting quicker or maybe it was just because my youngest started kindergarten and I’ve had more time.






Bookworm: What kind of research did you do?

Johanna:
The research for every book is different depending on the subject matter. Losing Beauty is loosely based on the Greek myth of Persephone and Hades. Even though I didn’t feel compelled to stick strictly to the boundaries of the myth, I still needed to understand it. I read several books on Greek mythology and ancient Greek history and relied on the internet to fill in any holes. The ancient myths are rife with betrayals, jealousies and interfamily strife. I wanted Losing Beauty to reflect those themes in a modern setting and in a way that would feel current to the reader.







Bookworm: If Losing Beauty were to be made into a film who would you like to see playing the roles of Persey, Aaron, Daniel and Haden?

Johanna:
One of my closest friends is a movie buff and also happens to be an early reader of Losing Beauty. She has been lobbying for the following choices and I have to say I agree.

Persey: Amanda Seyfried

Aaron: Chord Overstreet from Glee

Daniel: Gabriel Macht

Haden: Hugh Jackman







Bookworm: Are you working on any other books at the moment?

Johanna:
Yes , yes, yes! I’m working on the second book in the Persephone Campbell series. It’s called Losing Hope. It’s a funny title for a work in progress because, as a writer, the one thing you want to avoid is losing hope.







Bookworm: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?


Johanna:
I write because I love it. My greatest measure of success is, not how many books I’ve sold, but whether the people reading my book have been able to step outside of their own lives and become lost in another world for a little while. I think that’s the mark of a wonderful book and something everyone should experience.





Bookworm: Who are your favorite authors and what is it that really strikes you about their work? What is your favorite genre?

Johanna:
That’s such a hard question to answer because I’ve always been a voracious reader. A few of my favorites, and I’m kind of picking at random here, are Judy Blume, Colette, Stephen King, Edith Wharton and Audrey Niffenegger. The thing these authors share is an amazing gift of telling story through dialogue and creating characters that feel real and present. As for genre, I’m a fiction omnivore. Occasionally I’ll read nonfiction but I do it exactly the way my kids their veggies, only because we know it’s good for us.






Bookworm: Last but not least, if you were stranded on a deserted island, and were allowed to bring 3 items with you, what would they be?

Johanna:
Can I just be a little silly here? Nobody wants to hear I would bring food, water and a first-aid kit, so barring those oh-so-boring-and-yet-extremely-practical items, I think I would bring the following:
1. A yoga mat so I could exercise and take a nap without being covered in sand. Also, in a pinch, I could roll it up and use it as a pillow.
2. An IPAD (because what deserted island isn’t fully equipped with wireless). I could read, write, look at pictures of my family and send out the occasional tweet and blog post.
3. The third item was a no-brainer. My friend Georgie’s pumpkin bars. They’re so amazing I’m certain they could sustain me for days. And healthy too, kind of, despite the cream cheese frosting, pumpkin’s a vegetable right?






Bookworm:
Thank you again Johanna. I truly enjoyed your book and am happy to hear you are writing the sequel. I like your casting choices, and I can easily imagine Hugh Jackman playing Haden!
I also like your three items of choice for the deserted island.

Best of luck with everything!







About the author:

Johanna Garth is a writer of urban fantasy and mythic fiction for adults who resides with her husband and two children in Portland, Oregon.

This is her debut novel.

Back to the other side of the ball with the captains of the defense...

9. Brian Urlacher- Our #9 linebacker has carried on a tradition of great linebackers in Bears history. Ever since Chicago drafted Urlacher in 2000, he has racked up 1,192 tackles, 41.5 sacks, and 18 interceptions. Urlacher has also been to seven Pro Bowls and has been a four time first team All-Pro selection. Even though Urlacher is 33, he continues to steer one of the most feared defenses in NFL history in the right direction. He is probably the most valued player on the Bears as Urlacher missed the whole season in 2009 and the team went 7-9. The following season, Urlacher returned to help the Bears to a 11-5 record and an appearance in the NFC title game.

8. Lofa Tatupu- The Seahawks drafted this USC product in the 2005 draft and it has paid out nicely for the team up north. Tatupu has recorded 543 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 10 interceptions while being voted to three Pro Bowls and being a All-Pro selection in 2007. During Tatupu's first three season in the league, he led the Seahawks in tackles and was voted voted to the Pro Bowl. Thanks to his play on the field, Tatupu has emerged as the fiery leader for the Seahawks defense.

7. A.J. Hawk- This Buckeye product is apart of a linebacker core that includes Nick Barnett and Clay Matthews. In his five year career, Hawk has recorded 511 tackles, nine sacks, and eight interceptions. Hawk finished third in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting and in 2010 helped the Packers win their first Super Bowl since 1996. Hawk has also become the fiery leader for the Packers and was recently signed to a new five year contract.

6. Shaun Phillips- For a team known for its electrifying offense, Phillips helps keep the Chargers defenses on track. Since being drafted in 2004, Phillips has racked up 381 tackles, 56.5 sacks, and four interceptions. In 2010, Phillips appeared in his first Pro Bowl as he helped San Diego rank #1 in total defense (despite missing the playoffs). While Shawne Merriman was the vocal leader for this team for years, Phillips seems like he will take over this impressive young defense.

5. Clay Matthews- While Matthews might be the youngest player on this list, you can't deny the talent this guy has. Matthews also has strong bloodlines as both his father and uncle played in the NFL and he might become better then both of them. In just two years, Matthews has been to two Pro Bowls while racking up 111 tackles and 23.5 sacks. Despite not winning defensive player of the year last season, Matthews helped the Packers win Super Bowl XLV. If he can stay healthy, Matthews will be headed straight to the Hall of Fame.

4. Jon Beason- Despite playing for one of the worst teams in the NFL, Beason has become one of the best linebackers in the game. In his four year career, Beason has had 540 tackles, four sacks, and eight interceptions. Sometimes when I am watching Beason, it feels like I am watching Patrick Willis, that is how good he is. Over the past three season, Beason has made it to three straight Pro Bowls and has been two time All-Pro selection. Last season Beason switched to outside linebacker and even though his stats were down from previous years, he was still a tackling machine.

3. Demarcus Ware- The best outside linebacker on our list, Ware has had a very successful career with America's Team. So far in his six year career, Ware has had 420 tackles and 80 sacks. Ware has also been to five Pro Bowls and has been a five time All-Pro selection. In 2008, Ware showed what a sack machine he was by tying an NFL record with at least one sack in ten straight games. Despite the Cowboys having a disappointing 2010 season, Ware recorded 56 tackles and 15.5 sacks on his way to an appearance in the Pro Bowl.

2. Ray Lewis- The model for great linebackers starts with Lewis and only Lewis. In 1996, the Ravens made Lewis only their second draft choice of their history. Lewis paid them back by recording 1909 tackles, 38.5 sacks, and 30 interceptions. Lewis has also has been to 12 Pro Bowls and has been selected to a first team All-Pro seven times. All of these stats mean nothing. The importance of Lewis as a vocal leader for the Ravens means more more then any stat I could bring up. He is no doubt one of the greatest players ever to play the game.

1. Patrick Willis- Sure Ray Lewis is one of the best players ever to play in the NFL, Willis will be even better when his career is over. Since getting drafted by the 49ers in 2007, Willis has been to four straight Pro bowls and has been a three time first team All-Pro. Willis has also recorded 595 tackles, 15 sacks, and four interceptions. When the 49ers did draft Willis, then defensive coordinator Mike Singeltary said that Willis would become the best linebacker in the game. In 2011 he is.

Who did I miss? Tell me in the comment section below.



Well after traveling for over a 24 hour period getting on 3 planes and having a 2 hour wait on the plane in ATL.... we are Finally in Palma, Mallorca. Exhaustion is what I feel, think and I am right now. I love the families and just love that I am in Spain. Last night when we arrived Marta and Alicia (Linsey's little girls) were having a birthday party, so it was pretty much crazy from the start when we got here.  It was a fun evening though.