I really enjoy food, especially Italian, Tex-Mex, Indian, Chinese--all the flavorful dishes.  I am particularly fond of quality red wines and beers.  And I enjoy cooking, often serving delicious meals for quests and friends who like to show up around dinner time.  Although I grew in in Dallas where I discovered everything I like to eat, I now live in a small town where there are comparatively few good restaurants to choose from.  So that required me to become a goumet.  I started learning to cook with Helen Corbitt's books--always a great start for anyone.  And if you are interested in a good web site that offers recipes from the TV cook show, go to Food Network's Food TV.  It's a good place to find that special meal! Music is another of my pleasures.  As a child I learned to play Bach, Beethovan, Mozart, and other composers on the piano, so I often put on a CD of their works while I slave over a hot stove.  Opera is also a passion for me.  Puccini, Rossini, Verdi, and all the other Italian "ini's" help me to relax.  And they are great to listen to while I put together my super-duper spaghetti sauce! But that doesn't mean I cut out rock 'n roll or new age music.  I never much liked Elvis's stuff--I was only 10 years old when he was so popular with high school girls much older than I.  But when the Beatles arrived in the USA, I was hooked on their music.  I think the lyrics kept me listening to their songs over and over again.  My favorite contemporary artist is Enya---haunting harmonies!  And the music of Kate Bush is delightful! I am always reading, researching, and writing.  I often deliver presentations at literary conferences around the country.  I also attend the Southwest Texas Popular Culture Association every change I get.