So my friend Dana over at Kiss My List tagged me in the Old School Blogging Lists of Five. I am happily playing along, because it’s fun, and I don’t want to think of something serious and poignant to write. Funnily enough, I couldn’t think of 5 things I’d like to do before I die. Is that good or bad? I am also totally breaking the rules. You aren’t supposed to expound on things on your list, but I couldn’t help it. This also gave me the opportunity to do the book reviews I wanted to do. So here’s my lists of 5.

Five Things I Have a Passion For

1. Music – If you’re here you probably already know about my Twisted Tuesday MixTapes. I love music in every form. I am passionate about the musicians, the instruments and all of it put together. I can’t imagine my life without a constant soundtrack.
2. Studying the Medieval-Renaissance time periods – I can’t tell you how this started. I believe it began when my grandmother took me to The Metropolitan Museum of Art when I was 7 to see the Unicorn Tapestries. I have been fascinated with all aspects of Medieval times, real or imagined. I majored in Medieval – Rennassaince History for 1 and 1/2 years (I was a jumper), and loved every minute of it!
3. Researching homeschooling methods – I really find the different methods of homeschooling fascinating. It is the logic behind the methodologies that I love to read about. The idea of forming the way a person will process information in the future is cool.
4. Writing – I think that’s a gimme, but I included it anyway.
5. Color and Design – I currently do some freelance work as a Color Consultant and used to do interior design. I designed my house from foundation to paint, and everything in between. I help people who want to bring color into their homes, but are afraid to make the wrong decision. It’s pretty easy to make a bad choice of yellow when you have 82 shades to choose from!

Five Things I Would Like to do Before I Die

1. Visit Maine
2. Live on a large body of water – Lake, ocean, whatever. Just enough to create it’s own breeze please.
3. Visit Cornwall and see the castle rumored to have been King Arthur’s home
4. Get another degree
5. Own an RV – If this could please happen soon.

Five Things I Say A Lot

1. Dude
2. Isaiah!
3.  Isaiah, please stop.
4. Tooootally
5. Go potty Daisy, come on, go potty. (our little dog WILL NOT pee if someone isn’t watching her and cheering her on. Well she will in the house.)

Five Books and/or Magazines I Have Read Lately

1. Divergent and Insurgent by Veronica Roth. If you have not read these books, I suggest you do. They are set in a society where the community  (called a faction) you live in is based on certain personality traits that you are tested for at 16. This means at 16 you may or may not stay with your family. And by leaving your family, you may never see them again. The factions are Abnegation: A community of completely selfless people whose only desire is for the greater good. The Dauntless: Who believe in Bravery and Courage, they are the ones who guard the city. The Erudite: Value intelligence over all else, they are the computer programmers and seen as the speechmakers. Candor: Believe in honesty above all else, they are only interested in the truth, not the circumstances. Amity: Are the peace loving faction who stay impartial when the factions have issues with each other. They are also the farmers. The story of what takes place in this city is a twisting turn you will never expect. I read each of these books in three days because I could not put them down.

2. Ruby Red and Sapphire Blue by Kersten Gier – These books were recently translated from German to English. They tell the story of two families intertwined by the presence of a time-travel gene that begins to show itself, again, at age 16. When it does, the person begins to travel in time uncontrolled. That is all I will say, these books are an easy read and once again I devoured each of them in less than 3 days. Staying up until 3am to finish the last one. Only to be made to wait until October for #3.

3. Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen – I have read quite a few Carl Hiaassen books. They are pretty formulaic, but always amusing. This one was good, and if you have never read Carl Hiaassen you would probably be fine. It is not, by far, his best. If you want a really good taste of Carl Hiaasen read Skinny Dip instead.

4. If Books Could Kill by Kate Carlisle – I picked this up at the train station where you can leave a book or take a book. It is a witty murder mystery. The main character is a master Bookbinder and the setting is a Book Convention in Scotland. I highly recommend this book for fun quick summer reading.

5. Explosive 18 by Stephanie Plum – Eh. I grabbed this book from the condo we were staying in on vacation after I read all the books I brought with me. It was OK. 18 Stephanie Plum books later and they are pretty much all the same. A quick read, but kind of drawn out because the story is 19 books long! I would say, don’t bother.

Five Favorite Movies 

I have a lot of movies I love, but I almost never watch movies over again. These are 5 movies I have watched at least 5 times each.

1. The Wedding Date
2. This is Spinal Tap
3. Sleeper by Woody Allen
4. Galaxy Quest
5. Sixteen Candles

Five Places I Would Love to Travel

1. Wales – My aunt is from here. I always think of Wales as a magical place, they speak a language no one can understand and fairies come from there.
2. Fiji – Need I say more?
3. Maine – I have this idea that I’d like to live in Maine even though I’ve never been there. Weird huh?
4. New Foundland – That place looks amazing. I really need to see it for myself.
5. Any of the Polynesian Islands – Again, gimme.

Five People I Tag to do this Meme

1. Melissa at Home on Deranged
2. Tracy at Crazy as Normal
3. Erica at Nannypology
4. Sarah at Sarah’s Brand New Chapter
5. Sarah at The Sadder But Wiser Girl

I would happily tag you all in this game, so if you want to play go for it. The deal is then you link it up with our host and co-host, Elaine and Alison, I have never met them before this, so it’s nice that Dana made the introduction. Feel free to leave some comments with you you would answer these questions!

And because I love you here’s a treat for you:

My Old School by The Eminent Kings of Music: Steely Dan