Texeira Lane

This is kind of fun. You can go to the Draw a House site and draw a house and then your personality is analyzed. Now you can either do this on your own or you can draw your house on Texeira Lane. I drew a house and created Texeira Lane. If you follow this link --> Texeira Lane - you can draw your house and add it to the lane. If you want to view the street I made you can follow this link --> View. I hope someone else will draw a house & add it to the lane. I'm kind of lonely there by myself. Also I'm hoping your house will look better than mine & improve the neighborhood! I'm not a very good artist. Those are cats in the yard by the way! Give it a try - you really don't have anything better to do, do you? If so you should be posting it!

FYI - there is room for 20 houses on the street so get busy!

Robin, the lonely blog mistress

Silent Sunday

My cats got catnip filled fortune cookies from Santa Claus. Mellifera was completely flipped out!

FYI: These came from Santa via Jake & Micah, a terrific store you should check out! 

My Word for 2009

In an earlier post I mentioned that I was working on choosing a word of the year for 2009. I promised to share mine when I figured it out. I had a long list of words but none of them felt right to me. I was reading a post on the Zen Habits blog about thriving on a simpler lifestyle and it came to me what word I wanted - Simplify.

I have this recurring (weekly, daily, hourly recurring) fantasy of packing a bag and flying to London to stay. When I think about what I'd put in the bag I'm always surprised at how easy it would be to leave things behind. Which makes me wonder why I have so much stuff!

Simplify

To make simple or simpler, as:

a. To reduce in complexity or extent.

b. To reduce to fundamental parts.

c. To make easier to understand.

I like definition b best - to reduce to fundamental parts. My goal for 2009 is going to be to reduce my life to fundamentals - only those things which are necessary. I don't mean just stuff although that is part of it. I want to figure out what is really essential and keep only those things, emotions, etc that I can't do without. I read once that you should only keep what is useful or beautiful. I think that could apply to more than material things. I'm going to use that as a starting point. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this but it should be interesting!

So did anyone else choose a word? Please share if you did!

Robin, the lonely (but simplified) blog mistress

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!!

Silent Sunday

This is the Dark Doodad Nebula. I liked the name!

Inaugural Poet

President-elect Obama has chosen the poet Elizabeth Alexander to compose a poem to be read at his inauguration. Obama is only the third president to have done this. (The other two were Clinton & Kennedy.) Alexander is the author of four books of poetry and a professor of African-American studies at Yale. She was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2005 for her book, American Sublime. Here is one of her poems:

Ars Poetica #100: I Believe

Poetry, I tell my students,
is idiosyncratic. Poetry

is where we are ourselves,
(though Sterling Brown said

“Every ‘I’ is a dramatic ‘I’”)
digging in the clam flats

for the shell that snaps,
emptying the proverbial pocketbook.

Poetry is what you find
in the dirt in the corner,

overhear on the bus, God
in the details, the only way

to get from here to there.
Poetry (and now my voice is rising)

is not all love, love, love,
and I’m sorry the dog died.

Poetry (here I hear myself loudest)
is the human voice,

and are we not of interest to each other?

Word of the Year

This is an interesting idea that I found, where else, on a blog! Christine Kane's blog is about inspiring creativity, change and other good stuff like that. One of her suggestions in lieu of long lists of New Year's resolutions that generally last 2 minutes, is to choose a word for the year. This word is a way of setting intentions for the year.

Anyway I really liked this idea and am working on choosing a word for 2009. I have a list of 12 words right now. When I started this I thought it would be easy but it really requires you to think about what each word would mean. It's easy to say, oh I'll pick the word change. But what exactly would that mean? Also it's a little broad and I want to be a bit specific.

Give this a shot - it's kind of fun! If you pick a word please, please share it as a comment or post! Once I decide, I'll share mine.

Robin, the lonely blog mistress

Reading Blogs

I don't know how many other blogs you all read. Based on readership here, probably not many! Anyway, you may not be aware that there is a blog on just about any interest you have. Here are a few examples:

For our tea loving readers:
Bigelow Tea
Nice Cup of Tea
Uniquely Tea


Perhaps Webkinz is more your cup of tea (that was cute!):
Webkinz Insider
Webkinz Insider (different site - same name)
Webkinz World


Cats:
The Way of Cats
Catster Blog
Cats & Cat Health


Books:
BookForum
Littera Scripta
Powell's Books Blog

In my Google Reader I have 14 broad categories of blogs. Very broad - they could all be easily expanded. My point here, aside from wanting to write a post, is that you can find a blog on most anything that interests you. It is a great way to keep up-to-date on subjects, learn more about something and find out what other people think.

Now that I've piqued your interest I'm sure you are all wondering how you go about finding a blog on the weird subject you're interested in. There are two ways. One is to use a search engine. Go to Google Blog Search and type in whatever your subject is & click search blogs. You'll probably get a lot of results. One problem is that you'll find many, many blogs that mention your subject but aren't devoted to it. Another search engine for blogs is Technorati. It's a pretty cool site that can give you more focused results.

Or if all that sounds to complicated you can take the easy way out. Post a comment here and say, Robin I know you are bored and need something to do. I challenge you to find me 3 blogs focused on my esoteric interest. No guarantees but I'm pretty sure I'll be able to. Bear in mind, however, that I'll post those results. So if you have some really embarrassing interest that you don't want to share you can email me privately & anonymously. I have no idea how I can respond if it's anonymous but I'll give it a shot.

I should warn you that reading blogs can be addictive. Within my 14 categories are 232 blogs that I read. Not daily - many don't publish every day. Some I just skim or look at the pictures (stitching blogs in case you wondered!).

Robin, the lonely blog mistress

Silent Sunday

Candle Warning!

I read this on a beading blog & thought I'd pass it along as a reminder to everyone. I don't know about anyone else but I light candles all the time. Unfortunately, I have a bad habit of forgetting that I lit them. I am constantly reminded of my lapse in judgment by my ever-vigilant daughter. I can't count the number of times I've rolled my eyes at her lecture about blowing out candles. They seem so innocent and small . . . We all know they can start a fire but a reminder doesn't hurt. Hopefully you all have a Jill around to remind you about your candles. I guess I'd better stop rolling my eyes at her!

Robin, the lonely (often careless) blog mistress

PacMan

Note the little PacMan game at the bottom on right-hand side. You can play it small by clicking on play game or click at the bottom on pop-out and play and you'll get a bigger screen. It's fun but I'll warn you all in advance - these guys are pretty fast!

Robin, the lonely blog mistress

Poetry Day

I really like this poem a lot. I'm not sure why, something about it just appeals to me!


Old Man Eating Alone in a Chinese Restaurant

I am glad I resisted the temptation,
if it was a temptation when I was young,
to write a poem about an old man
eating alone at a corner table in a Chinese restaurant.

I would have gotten it all wrong
thinking: the poor bastard, not a friend in the world
and with only a book for a companion.
He'll probably pay the bill out of a change purse.

So glad I waited all these decades
to record how hot and sour the hot and sour
soup is here at Chang's this afternoon
and how cold the Chinese beer in a frosted glass.

And my book — José Saramago's Blindness
as it turns out — is so absorbing that I look up
from its escalating horrors only
when I am stunned by one of his gleaming sentences.

And I should mention the light
that falls through the big windows this time of day
italicizing everything it touches —
the plates and teapots, the immaculate tablecloths,

as well as the soft brown hair of the waitress
in the white blouse and short black skirt,
the one who is smiling now as she bears a cup of rice
and shredded beef with garlic to my favorite table in the corner.

Billy Collins

Would you?

Today in history:

1936: Abdication of King Edward VIII

Edward VIII, failing to win acceptance for his desire to marry American divorcée Wallis Warfield Simpson, became the only British sovereign to voluntarily resign the crown, his abdication formally approved this day in 1936.

How many of you would give up being King/Queen of England for love? Obviously not an issue today (or in 1533) - witness the current Prince of Wales. However, in 1936 it certainly was. So what do you all think? Feel free to say you'd dump your spouse in an instant for the throne. I promise I'll keep your identity secret!

Robin, the lonely blog mistress (who would sell her daughter to be Queen or even to return to England)

As Time Goes By

This is pretty funny. I found it on another blog & thought I'd try it. If any of the songs seem strangely appropriate I swear it is how they they came up. Really I'm not imaginative enough to have paired them this way! Besides I have a witness - Pippin was with me the whole time! Anyway if you're bored give it a shot and then POST your answers here!

1. Put Your iTunes on Shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write down the name of the song no matter how silly it sounds!


If someone says, “Is this okay?” you say:
The very thought of you (Harry Connick Jr)

How would you describe yourself?
Concerto for Flute & Harp (Mozart)

What do you like in a guy/girl?
Concerning Hobbits (Howard Shore - LOTR)

How do you feel today?
Then you may take me to the Fair (Julie Andrews - Camelot)

What is your life’s purpose?
That made me stronger (Stevie Nicks)

What is your motto?
Willow weep for me (Art Tatum)

What do your friends think of you?
Guenevere (Julie Andrews - Camelot)

What do you think of your parents?
Dont wanna lose you (Gloria Estefan)

What do you think about very often?
The living years (Paul Brooks)

What do you think of your best friend?
They can't take that away from me (Billie Holiday)

What do you think of the person you like?
Do I move you (Nina Simone)

What is your Life Story?
Sorry seems to be the hardest word (Elton John)

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Don't let me be misunderstood (Nina Simone)

What do you think of when you see the person you like?
The long black veil (Johnny Cash)

What will you dance to at your wedding?
Let me call you sweetheart (Scooter Lee)

What will they play at your funeral?
Still crazy after all these years (Paul Simon)

What is your biggest fear?
I truly understand (Jerry Garcia)

What is your biggest secret?
Easy to love (Billie Holiday)

What do you think of your friends?
Greystone chapel (Johnny Cash)

What will you post this as?
As time goes by (Jimmy Durante)


Robin, the lonely blog mistress

Silent Sunday

Simple Gifts

I was looking for something on itunes and found the song Simple Gifts. It is one that I like a lot but haven't heard in a long time. (Serendipity!) I do love YouTube! & thought I'd share a video with everyone.



If you're interested, here are the words:

'Tis a gift to be simple, 'tis a gift to be free,

'Tis a gift to come down where you ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,

To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,

To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come round right.

Well, I held out longer than I thought I would!

Robin, the lonely blog mistress

Greenhouse Update

You might take a look at Jill's latest post. She talks about her greenhouse and other things. Sort of weirdly interesting reading!

Greenhouse Effect

Not the one you are thinking of! Jill got a greenhouse and they put it up today. I thought I'd share pictures of it with everyone. It is actually pretty neat - I think I want one on my deck. I could sit inside it in the winter and be warm!

Has everyone missed me? I've searched my mailbox in vain for the letters with money begging me to return to the Texeira blog on a regular basis. I accused the mailperson of stealing the money. I think I'm probably not going to be getting mail any longer.

Robin, the lonely blog mistress

The Long, Lonely Road

The picture above is the road between Puerto Natales in Chile and El Calafate in Argentina. The five-hour bus ride went over maybe a total of two miles of paved roads. The remainder were like this. Beautiful, barren and bumpy. For those of you who, when you think of Patagonia, imagine long, lonely stretches of open plains, that's about it. There are a few scattered towns, but for the most part, the southern and central regions of Patagonia look very much like the picture above. There are, of course, the snow-capped Andes, but other than that, pretty flat. If you are interested in seeing more of my photos from our trip to South America, visit my photography page and click on the Vacations link.

I will be posting additional photos and write ups about the trip over the next few weeks. I hope you all enjoy them.