Infinity Dreams Award

Bongiornio, comrades! I hope you guys are in the mood for another tag, because they're flooding in as though my blog were an Il Divo concert. :) Ahem... Anyways, as I was saying, I hope you're in the mood for a tag, because I've got another one. And I assure you, I have at least two others to get to as well in their good time soon enough. But this particular tag is called The Infinity Dreams Award, and I was tagged for it by the splendiferous, amazing, absolutely stupendous tag-pelter, Miss Lucy Agnes. ;)

So, there we have the little emblem for this thingy. And my lovely technical terms. :) Anyways, the rules of the tag are as follows:
Thank the blogger who tagged you (already did it!).
Answer eleven questions from tagger.
Give eleven facts about yourself.
Set eleven questions.
Tag eleven bloggers to answer those questions and do the same.
Alrighty, since I have done the former, I shall set onto the next rule... Lucy's questions...
What's your dream travel destination?
Uh, Rome! Rome, Rome, Rome! There are no words to express how I wish to see it! :D So, seeing as even I cannot rant on long enough to elaborate this feeling, I shall move onto the next question.
If you could change your own name, would you? To what?
At one point, I would have said yes wholeheartedly. There was a point when I hated my name. But, now... Well, let me put it this way. Even being named after one of the greatest historical figures of all time, I liked my name, but never really cared a whole lot. Then, I hear the Il Divo song Isabel. Well, after I heard David Miller of Il Divo say my name (kind-of) I could never hear it the same way again. So, I would never in a million years change my name. Plus I have the same name as a cool Disney princess. ;)
Would you rather be a giant or an elf?
Um, I can see too many complications arising from being a giant, setting aside the fact that elves are supremely awesome. So, definitely an elf.
If you could master any language instantly, what would it be?
Probably Italian. It's such a lovely, musical-sounding language! :) Besides, if I knew it, then I could understand more of the words to opera arias. Actually... on second thought... maybe that wouldn't be such a good idea... :P
Tell us a little bit about historical figures/stories you find mesmerizing.
Oh, why, Lucy? Why do you have to keep telling me to do hard things? There are waaaaaay too many historical stories and figures that interest me to mention here. But, I did always love that one story about the Roman officer right before a naval battle. The people onboard told him not to go to battle because the 'sacred' chickens weren't eating (which apparently was a sign of bad luck). But, he got very angry, and decided to go to war all the same, throwing the chickens over the side of the ship, and saying "Well, if they shall not eat, then let them drink!". Haha... I always loved that story. It's very hilariously ironic. And what makes it even more ironic is that he lost that battle afterwards. :)
If you had to choose a spouse from fiction, who would you choose?
Oh, again Lucy?! Really, Luce, you're trying to kill me off or something, asking me to decide things like this. I think I might go well with Robin Hood. I can see myself fretting over some injury he got, and him just laughing it off. Or me sighing because he did something sweet and heroic but highly dangerous... Yeah, I can also see myself with Will Turner of Pirates. At least I would treat him far better than dummy Elizabeth Swann does (come to me, Will, just leave that dumbo!). Actually, though, perhaps most of all, I could see myself with Prince Gwydion of the Prydain Chronicles. My semi-vivacious character would contrast and complement very well his slightly more quiet nature. Yes, I think Gwydion would do nicely! :)
Say the White Witch is about to cast a spell over your country. She lets you decide what season it shall be eternally. What do you choose?
Autumn. Definitely autumn. It's the most beautiful, most pleasant, most thrilling season. I love the autumn. Definitely my favorite.

What's one thing you hope to accomplish before you die?
Getting all my books finished and published, I guess. I would absolutely love that. And I would also love the make a career in music and acting (Broadway particularly). And I would also, perhaps most of all, love to become influential in apologetics. Not as a career, but writing books on it, and speaking every so often to defend my faith. That would be amazing, to know I'm doing something that will make a difference.
What's your taste in books like when it comes to reading? Writing?
Oh, oh, oh! Lucy, you may get complaints in the comments from people who didn't want  me to rant forever. ;) Because that is one of my favorite subjects to talk about. Reading - I love classics (particularly Little Women, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and Robin Hood by H. Pyle). I love historical fiction (particularly Outlaws Of Ravenhurst, Rolf And The Viking Bow, and the idea of Enemy Brothers, a book I'm about to read). I love certain types of fantasy (particularly The Hobbit, The Horse And His Boy, and The Goose Girl). Writing - I love poeticisms. Anything beautiful is what I try to incorporate into my writing. I try to capture beauty and virtue as well as I can, so that readers have something to look up to in the book and its characters. I also try to display art, like wit and  structure. But, most of all, I try to incorporate hope. I  follow the classical style of writing in most things but this. I never liked reading a book that was depressing, or had an ending that made you incredibly sad. So I try to give hope and happiness to my books. Even at every dark moment, there has to be some element of hope, or else your reader will commit suicide before they finish the book. And that would not be good. :)
What's your favorite song?
Well... My dear friend Anna D. will probably not like this, but my favorite song is most likely On The Street Where You Live from My Fair Lady. Although I also love the song More by Andy Williams. It is the love-theme for one of my book characters, Prince Blakely. And I do love the song Angelina by Il Divo (yes, I had to get an Il Divo song in there, didn't I?).
What book would you recommend to any random person on the street?
The Scarlet Pimpernel! I think everybody in the world should read that book at some point in their lives (preferably as soon as possible). Anyone who has not read that book is missing a piece of their hearts until they do. Nobody can even vaguely know me without knowing my love of that book and its beauty, its depth, its hope, its analogy, its writing, its characters... Uh, I better stop or I'll be here all day. ;)
Anyways, those were Miss Lucy's fabulous questions. So, onto the next adventure! Eleven facts about yours truly...
1. I am probably the biggest, most obsessive Il Divo fan of ever (or at least on of them). Il Divo is just so brilliant.

Not my image. 

2. (also associated with the Divos) I notice the weirdest things about Il Divo. Including the fact that David Miller, the American member (far left), is not only the best member, but also is a foot or so taller than all the other members. And he likes to untie his bowtie during concerts. And that only the Swiss member, Urs Buhler (far right), ever keeps his bowtie pristine the whole way through concerts. But, anyways, like I said, I notice some very obscure things when I have a hobby or love. :)

3. I have always been an ardent defender of fairy-tales. I am always infuriated by how people say they're cleche (agh, I said the word!); they're anti-women; they're oppressive; they're ridiculous; they're provocative to violent ideas; etc, etc. I hate that. It's soooooooo wrong! And I will defend fairy-tales to the end of my living days. Here is a very good post by Lucy that explains a portion of my feelings on the matter.

4. I am a theatre-maniac. I am oh so obsessed with acting and musicals. I love Shakespeare and opera, of course, but when it comes to Broadway especially, I just go nuts. I love musicals.

5. I like to quote obscure things to people who have no idea what I'm talking about. I have actually done it a few times on this blog even. But no one notices. But, that's what makes the joke so great, is that no one else knows it's there. Hehehehehe....

6. All my favorite actors and actresses are either dead or over 70 years old. Errol Flynn, Grace Kelly, Fred Astaire, Peter Lawford, Lucille Ball, Ricardo Montelban, Bing Crosby... You know what I mean? No? Hmm.... Maybe I'm a bit unusual...Why is the greatest age of acting gone?!

7. I like Josh Groban music, despite the fact that no one else in the universe seems to. I am told by his bio and online information that he is very popular, but what I have seen seems otherwise. Almost everybody I have met dislikes or doesn't care about him, even though he's so good. Why is everybody cruel to my poor obscure loves?!

8. My favorite movie of all time is The Robe, 1953, with Richard Burton and Jean Simmons. After that, I have trouble deciding.

Not my image. My favorite picture of Marcellus and Diana of The Robe that there is.

9. As I have said, Il Divo is my favorite band, but I do like Josh Groban also. However, despite my liking Il Divo three times as much, I have four Josh Groban albums and no Il Divo at all. :(

10. I am a Catholic Christian, and quite proud of it.

11. I associate the song You'll Never Walk Alone with the doctrine of Communion Of Saints. But I still think that's somewhat logical. Aww! Last one?! I was having fun... Oh well...

Well, here's the questions, though they're not so good as Lucy's ones.

1. Do you listen to opera? What is the best operatic aria you've ever heard?

2. Do you prefer casual dress, like a t-shirt and jeans, or evening dress, like a gown or tux?

3. Are you athletically-inclined? To what sport or exercise?

4. Who, in you opinion, is the best actor of today? Best actress?

5. Do you enjoy dancing? Watching other people dance?

6. Supposing, as in the previous question, you do enjoy dancing, what's your favorite type?

7. What is your favorite theatre play (I am asking specifically musical-wise, but if you are not a Broadway person, than you are free to answer an Opera or Shakespeare)?

8. What nationality, besides that which you are, would you have most preferred to be?

9. If you had to make up a new name for yourself to use forever instead of your real name, what would it be?

10. Are you more a writer or a reader? Both perhaps?

11. What's the most re-readable book you've ever read?

Not my image.

And here are the bloggers tagged:

Keturah

 Aidyl

Rosalina

Anyways, that'll be all. I'm afraid it's time to say goodbye. Btw, anyone who is smart enough to check out that link to an Il Divo cover of Time To Say Goodbye is definitely my friend. ;) But, like I was going to say, goodbye! :)

What did you think of this tag? Were any of you disappointed to find that this was not the surprise-containing writing post? Do you think that I only became a blogger to display pictures of and talk about Il Divo (If so, perhaps you're right!)? Did I miss anyone on the tagging? If so, feel free to join! :)