HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SHAKESPEARE!

William Shakespeare:
Born April 23, 1564. Died April 23, 1616.
Best writer EVER.

I'm an American. Born and bred in the Midwest. But, jiminy crickets, I adore Mr. William Shakespeare. I wish I was British....sometimes, despite the lack of penicillin, internet, etc, I wish I lived in Renaissance England. Oh well, at least I can read his fabulous works!

I love reading his works, and I feel like I learn things (about love, supernatural creatures, hatred, adoration, jealousy, education, wine, laughter, faith, family, friends, and everything) everytime I pick up a Shakespearean work. I miss talking about Shakespeare with fellow scholars....and I often cry just thinking that I don't have the chance to study Shakespeare anymore. However, I try to raise my chin, and just appreciate the fact that I can read his works (and no idiotic professors can take that from me!) and that I know a-freaking-lot about the man, the works, and the passions within his plays. Shakespeare helps me be a better person, and I'm forever grateful that he graced the world with his talent. I'm trying to figure out how I can also impact the world. Thanks to Shakespeare, I have a great role model. Sure, some people might think I'm a bit crazy for looking up to someone who lived 400 years ago, but I don't really care. Go Shakespeare...you simply rock!

So, today, I celebrate his 447th birthday (and 395th deathday--in HP fashion)! We're having a relaxing, happy day. :)

Long live the Bard!

Breaking News: Royal Wedding Cancelled! :(

Ok, the British gossip rags (which I read religiously) broke this story yesterday, but I didn't believe it. But today, BBC news, Buckingham Palace, and Clarence House have all confirmed the story. I'm devastated.

The royal wedding has been cancelled!

Of course Clarence house (Prince of Wales' place + official residence for Wills and Harry, for royal press release purposes) and Buckingham aren't giving any details. Respect the couple, blah, blah, blah.

BBC news says that they are awaiting reliable information, but that the Bank Holiday for the wedding has been cancelled and that all the vendors will be paid "for services rendered and intended." I'm not sure what that means in British-speak.

The Brit gossip rags, though, have any number of possibilities. The one gaining most popular support seems to be that Wills engaged in "naughty behaviour" during his bachelor party the weekend before last. One magazine had interviews with the call girls who intimated, well, that Wills had been intimate with 6 of them! Another gossip rag said that Camilla had offered the setting (outside London) and had chosen girls that she knew Wills would find attractive. That horsey-faced spoiler of royal marriages!!

Kate is rumored to have called off the wedding, though most magazines qualified that by saying that Mr. and Mrs. Middleton counseled her to simply accept the "rowdy" actions of the prince. Kate's dressmaker will still be paid by the Middletons, but it looks like the dress will be British royal family property. (Guessing it's not going to be on display?)

Personally, I'm shocked and greatly saddened. Those two cute kids seemed like a great pair; they took their time and went through ups and downs, but they seemed so happy during these months of engaged bliss. I know that royals have a different lifestyle than I can imagine, but Wills didn't seem the type to have call girls and all that. I KNOW Diana wouldn't approve, and I hope Wills feels like he let down his mom. I hope he feels like he let down his whole country. After the Charles/Camilla debacle, this was his chance to prove that he was an intelligent individual, marrying an equally intelligent girl, and that, together, they could bring a new breath of life, poise, and class to the royal family. I guess I'll just sit and stew in my unhappiness, but my thoughts are with Kate. And I'm proud of her to have the courage to call off this wedding; I'm so glad that she didn't just go through because of public pressure and to then have an empty shell of a marriage. That girl has a lot of class! So, even though today, April 1st in London, may be known as the day the Royal Wedding got called off, I'll always remember it as the day that even royals can't escape from being fools for love. And, yes, there are key words in that last sentence. God save the Queen, of course, but, let me tell you, Shakespeare would NOT be pleased!

Happy Birthday to Elsie Butler!

It's Adam's grandma's 86th birthday! Here are some pictures of the beautiful Elsie at our wedding. :)





I miss my grandparents so much, but I feel lucky to have her as a grandma-in-law. What a wonderful treasure she is. Have a happy birthday!!