Football!

Soccer Fever is at an all time high in our house now that the World Cup is in full swing. Have you been watching? The U.S.A. vs. England, Germany vs. Australia and Italy vs. Paraguay games have all been fun. It's always more fun for me when I can recognize some of the players from their club teams and have a team to root for. Go USA! Today we have the the Portugal vs. Ivory Coast game to look forward to. For you soccer newbies (like, I am some expert, ha!) I came upon this list of soccer reading that might be just what you need if you are searching for an introduction to the sport captivating the world right now.

Check, Check, Check

Martha never ceases to amaze and delight me. Here she just emailed me a set of organizing checklists for all of my party planning needs. Oh, Martha you know me so well.

I am sure I will enjoy her entertaining checklists as much as I enjoy her cleaning to-do checklists. I have really been enjoying spring cleaning this year. I mean, I am no match to Martha, especially since I have a 2 year old running circles around me and I don't have a staff of 50 or so on my grand estate. But I have found the act of spring cleaning - scrubbing, dusting, clearing out and throwing away- immensely satisfying and when partnered with a list well, I am a pretty happy camper.

Johnny's Essentials

Lists, lists and more lists. Keep them coming you say? Your wish is my command.

Here is a list from Mr. Johnny Depp of his "essentials". I read it in Entertainment Weekly awhile back and I thought it was interesting enough to share. I mean, yes, I'll acknowledge he is a babe and a half but that is not at all why I am posting it. Not at all, I promise. I am a married woman after all. I just liked the list.

february top ten

Townes Van Zandt - For The Sake of the Song
The Tall Dwarfs - Nothing's Going to Happen
Pulp - I Want You
Buddy Holly - Dearest
Troy Hess - Please Don't Go Topless, Mother
Nina Simone - Don't Smoke in Bed
Sam Cooke - Having a Party (Live: One Night Stand)
Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
Kelley Stoltz - The Memory Collector
Johnny Ace - Cross My Heart

My Mission in Life

Okay, so I've already eaten at a handful of restaurants listed on this list of 99 Places to Eat in Los Angeles Before You Die, but not enough to even make a dent. I've got some eating to do. Whose in?

via L.A. Weekly

Most Interesting Man In The World

I have been a negligent blogger and I apologize. I had intended for this post to follow that of my co-author's regarding desirable personality traits and also his post regarding Abraham Lincoln, who he considers (and rightly so) to be a great American, if not the greatest. Both posts had me thinking and my mind immediately wandered to another individual I would characterize as a great American. Benjamin Franklin. I find Benjamin Franklin utterly and completely FASCINATING. In fact, I am surprised I have not blogged about him before. I have read his Autobiography several times and what can I say, it tickles me. Have you seen those commercials about the Most Interesting Man In The World? I love them. I can't get enough of them. Well, that is how I feel about Benjamin Franklin. He is the real life Most Interesting Man In The World. He never ceases to amaze me and I have a difficult time believing he truly existed.

And like Yahoo, and my co-author and myself,ol' Benny Boy, also pondered traits he considered to be of a desirable nature. Below is a list of what he considered to be the 13 Virtues most admirable and which he made his life's goal to attain. In his Autobiography he even includes the chart he used to help monitor his progress. Ah, Ben, you were a man after my own heart.

Ben Franklin's Thirteen Virtues

1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness and drink not to elevation.

2. Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.

3. Order: Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time.

4. Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.

5. Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e. Waste nothing.

6. Industry: Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.

7. Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit. Think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. Justice: Wrong none, by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

9. Moderation: Avoid extremes. Forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.

11. Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; Never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.

12. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

13. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Personality Traits

Here is Yahoo's 6 Personality Traits to Admire and Acquire.
1) Selflessness
2) Tolerance
3) Genuineness
4) Sensitivity
5) Integrity
6) Humility

I'm sure to get some guff for the source, but who cares. It bears repeating that there is not an end point. It's a continuous battle that we must engage in everyday of our lives.

new top ten

Recent Playlist:

Wrecking Ball - Gillian Welch
The Parting Glass - The Pogues
Something on Your Mind - Karen Dalton
Jangle Town - Nikki Sudden & the Jacobites
Back on the Street Again - Lee Hazelwood
Democracy - Leonard Cohen
I Love You - Asie Payton
Bad Girl (Part #1) - Lee Moses
Gassenhauer - Carl Orff
Both Sides Now - Mystic Moods Orchestra

One of those songs will most likely be played at my wedding.

No one to blame but yourself

There is no excuse for being bored. At least that is what I have heard. Of course, whoever said that probably didn't have to sit and read the Runaway Bunny for 2,000th time in a row. Anyway, if you are looking for cheap, non-boring thrills, here are some suggestions.

top ten

Top Ten Songs for the week (in no particular order):

Little Eyes - Yo La Tengo
I Went to the Hospital - Cass McCombs
Give What You Take - Mojave 3 (I know, weird right?)
I'll Keep It With Mine - Nico
My Way Out of Here - The Only Ones
The Saddest Story Ever Told - Magnetic Fields
Grounded - Pavement
Starting All Over Again - Mel & Tim
Do You Have to Ask - Swinging Machine
Liezah - The Coral

Obviously, there is a lot of pop in there. I only post this list because it struck me as odd that I even thought to listen to a few of those blasts from the past. Also, I hope there isn't any lesson to be learned from the theme and/or tone of these songs. Depressing.

The little things...

I think you will agree that it is the little things in life that make it great. Well, as I have already established, I love me a list, and I love this list. 1000 little things that make life great. Reading them makes me smile. I hope you recognize a few things on the list and it makes you smile too.

Strictly Routine

Those who know me well, know that I like to plan. I like lists and I like schedules and routines and having things planned and to look forward to. Yeah, I am a party animal.

Anyway, that may be why I find this site so utterly fascinating.