My Favorite Celebrity

Hands down, my favorite celebrity is the actor Alan Rickman. He is without a doubt most well-known for his stellar performances in the Harry Potter movies, but Alan RIckman is so much more.

Some actors play the same type of role over and over, but Alan Rickman has played them all. He has starred in movies as the evil bad guy (Die Hard), wooed the heroine (Sense and Sensibility), been the comic relief (Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves), and even the sidekick (The January Man). He has also done theater - fantastically, I might add, as well as written and directed.

What makes him my favorite celebrity, though, is that he has never gotten the swelled head of so many other actors. Quiet and always proper, he keeps his private life simple and never makes headlines for his bad-boy exploits. That is what makes Alan Rickman the epitome of what a celebrity should be.

Don't hate me but ...

We women tend to be very conscious of our age at different stages of our lives. When we're young, we want to be older and therefore more mature. When we reach "a certain age" we want to be younger.

One Red Rose

I have the unique dilemma of looking pretty much the same ever since I was in college.Back then, I was able to get into bars and clubs without showing ID; which made it a real downer when I actually turned the legal age and was eager to prove I was old enough. No one asked me, and I never had to lie.

Since then, my face (thanks to some excellent genes) has not aged all that much. Even now that I have reached that magical "certain age", When someone shaves ten years off the birth certificate, I simply smile and tell them the truth. Why should I lie? It doesn't make me feel any younger (or older). I am who I am, and I wouldn't change anything about me.

So what's my real age? Those of you who know me personally know the truth, and for the rest of you, well ... keep guessing ;-)

My Dating Deal Breakers

Thanks to Mr. Right (Mr. McGuinness, actually), it's been a while since I've been on a date, but here are five things that were sure to bring my evenings to a swift and permanent end.

Pretending to be who you are not
When I was dating, the worst thing a guy could do was try to be someone he wasn't. Be yourself, that's who I'm going to get in the end if the date turns into something serious.

Showing off
Don't try to impress me by ordering the most expensive wine on the list - especially when it won't go at all with the meal we're having. Don't tell me about the new car you bought (I'll see it later when you drive me home), the school you attended (so what if you went Ivy League, it doesn't make you a better person), or that you have your shirts hand-tailored (maybe I should date your shirt).

Smoking
I'm not against smoking, some of my best friends smoke. Just don't do it in my face. Take it outside (and especially out of the car) gives me the chance to powder my nose and fix my lipstick.

A smooth talker
While on the dating circuit, nothing turned me off faster than a guy with a smooth line. It reminded me of the stereotyped slick used car salesman.

A gambler
Used to know one, glad we went our separate ways. There is nothing on this earth worse than playing second fiddle on a date to the (fill int he sport) game on the TV.

Ghost Encounters

Smoke Tinged Halloween Moon

Everyone has experienced some sort of paranormal ... something. A dream that seems to foretell the future, a feeling that something is about to happen. We may laugh at it, after the fact, but a great many of us do pause and reflect int he moment when it happens. So it is with ghosts.

Ninety-percent of the religions on this planet subscribe to the notion that every being has a spirit - a soul, if you will - that leaves the body upon death to journey to whatever afterlife it believes in. Perhaps that spirit lingers a bit so that it can take one last look around before making the journey. And if you happen to be in the vicinity, you just might be lucky enough to experience the energy of that spirit.

Okay, start laughing at me if you like, and tell me that it's all smoke and mirrors put out there by people who want to make a dollar off the saps who believe in the supernatural. Sure, there are reality TV shows, haunted castles and homes all around the world where you can spend your vacation, and even midnight cemetery tours. How can an educated person believe in them?

What I do believe is the overwhelming push to do something I had no intention of doing, or the calming presence that wraps itself around me in moments of sorrow. Do I believe in ghosts? The question should be, why do you not believe in them?

My Playlist for the One I Love

Music is the window of the soul. What you listen to tells others your mood, how you feel about things around you, and how you feel about them. Although we are often playful and enjoy all types of music, this playlist says it all when it comes to the relationship that my husband and I have - even after all the years we've been together.

the story of my life by neil diamond

Need I say more

always and forever by heatwave

pirates and poets by Bertie Higgins

New Orleans Lovers

Excerpt from "Before the Applause", a novel by me (Judith McGuinness) due out this holiday season. Enjoy!

Turning on the barstool, Leticia parted her knees so that Johnny could move closer. To her delight, he did so without a moment of hesitation.

“Hey yourself,” she purred as she leaned back on her elbows against the bar.

The move thrust her curvaceous breasts upward. Johnny’s attention immediately fixated on the rise and fall of the creamy flesh above the neckline of her dress. He gave a gentle tug on her waist, pulling her core against his hips, and leaned forward to bring his face close to hers.

As she ran her tongue over her lips to moisten them in anticipation of a kiss, Johnny closed his eyes. He breathed in the scent of her perfume before pressing his mouth to those plump, oh so inviting lips. The taste of whiskey and of Leticia made his heart beat faster and his body immediately began to harden.

He worked his tongue between her lips so that he could explore her mouth. The sensation of his tongue gliding sensually over and around hers sent her head spinning. She would never get tired of his insanely good kisses.

Ignoring the fact that they were in a public place, Leticia reached down so that she could touch what she wanted most. She found him nearly fully erect and straining against the confines of his trousers.

He chuckled against her mouth. “This may be New Orleans, bebe, but we need a more private venue if we’re going to continue down this path.”

It was her turn to laugh. “Then what are we still doing here?” she cooed.

A Children's Book Every Child Should Read

The author reminds us of friendship, hardship, and to open our eyes to the wonder and miracle often found in the simplest of things. What better lesson is there for a child to learn?

In this story, an affectionate, sometimes bashful pig named Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte, who lives in the rafters above his pen. A prancing, playful bloke, Wilbur is devastated when he learns of the destiny that befalls all those of porcine persuasion. Determined to save her friend, Charlotte spins a web that reads "Some Pig," convincing the farmer and surrounding community that Wilbur is no ordinary animal and should be saved.