SAD NEWS: Christy Arboscello

It is always sad to report a death and especially when the person is so young herself and leaving behind two very young children and her husband, Angelo.

Some of you who attended my summer happy hour parties may remember Christy and her young son Dorian.

If you are interesting in knowing more about the life of this extraordinary young woman, please click on the link below.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/obituary/2015/07/20/ex-free-press-reporter-christy-arboscello-dies/30443639/

SELF-HELP BOOKS IN ADDITION TO MY OWN

I just finished reviewing my recommended book for this week, “Victory Secrets of Attila the Hun” by Wess Roberts, Ph.D. and it is every bit the meaningful and easy to read book that it was in 2007, when I first read the book.

Although it was written in 1993, the advice it gives out stands up to the test of time in this very easy to read book.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

This week’s movie is an extraordinary film that was recommended to me by Judith, an extraordinary woman herself. The film is called, “Validation” and it is 16 minutes long.

I am just asking that you watch just 20 seconds of the film and let me know if you are able to stop watching it. I honestly believe this film is a good investment of 16 minutes of your life.

To view the film, just click on the link below.

http://crackyouregg.com/heartfelt-video/

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

LAST WEEK POLL

The vast majority of you like the new format better than when I stuck to a single trait so I will continue trying to keep the blog current and covering a number of traits that I hope will be helpful to you as well as to me.

THIS WEEK’S POLL

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

Folks, I have been cautioned to be careful of making political jokes because they can unintentionally start arguments. Therefore, I thought I would switch to a safer topic.

CONCLUSION

Although I mention many times that my book is available on Amazon, I should let you know that my book is also available on the Barnes & Nobles website. Just click on:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/im-tired-of-being-ordinary-are-you-wm-allen/1120528064?ean=9780990388692

For those of you that have supported me by purchasing a copy of my book, please do me another favor and let others know what you thought of it at Amazon. Currently, I have over 100 copies of my book floating around out there somewhere and I have five reviews–any chance of making it six reviews?

http://www.amazon.com/Tired-Being-Ordinary-Are-You/dp/0990388697

Thanks to a very nice lady, Annette Foster, my Facebook page Harmony Books & Films, LLC now has 52 likes. Any chance we could make it 53 Facebook page likes this week?

I think comments make this blog so much more interesting and helpful, so why not start a conversation? All you have to do to leave a comment is to click on the last line of the weekly post, where it says, “Leave a comment”.

And finally, please send me any of your suggestions for books, films, quotes, jokes, polls or anything else you think will make this blog more interesting and helpful to people. Thank you.

07/20/15 – Change, Emmy’s Post, Detroit Free Press, Iran, Caesars, Terminator, Drug Lord, the Skimm, Poll, a Bear & a Short Video

July 19, 2015 Wm. Allen2 Comments

http://www.amazon.com/Tired-Being-Ordinary-Are-You/dp/0990388697

THIS WEEK’S THEME:

I’m changing my weekly post by including more current events, in hopes they will be more interesting to you.

Also, I am asking you to submit quotes, movies, self-help books, short film clips you took yourself, current news items or anything else you come across that is entertaining and better yet if it can help a person improve themselves. You can let me know via comments or send to:

mailto:harmonybooksfilmsllc@comcast.net

NEW STORE IN ROYAL OAK

I’m delighted to announce that a new teen boutique is now in Royal Oak on 210 W. Sixth Street, called Emmy’s Post. I just love the store’s philosophy. Judy Lewis, one of the store’s owners said, “It has to be positive, and it has to be outward focused. It can’t just be about making money. It has to be about helping people.” I really hope if you are around Royal Oak, you will stop in at this store. It is really a cool store. If you told them that you heard about the store from Bill, that would be nice; but not necessary 🙂

INSPIRING NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

If you don’t believe the American Dream still exists, you may want to read this inspiring Detroit Free Press article by Susan Selasky about the National Coney Island restaurants, celebrating 50 years.

http://www.freep.com/story/life/food/2015/07/16/national-coney-island-fiftieth/30132533/

IRAN

I was in the U.S. Army, I lived in Iranian hotels and apartments for well over a year.

The vast majority of Iranians I met were very nice to me and some went out of their way to help me get along in this very different world. Of course, I was there during the time of the Shah, so our two countries were not at odds with one another. It was just people relating to people.

I tend to think that maybe it is the governments and the media that gets people to hate one another. For instance, I believe the average Russian would be reasonably friendly with any Americans they encountered; and wouldn’t most of you be helpful to a Russian tourtist trying to find his way in our city.

I believe the more diversity we have in our lives, the more sensitive we will be to the needs and concerns of people different from ourselves. I suspect diversity is a pathway to peace both inside and outside our borders.

SELF-HELP BOOKS IN ADDITION TO MY OWN

Surprise, I don’t always read self-help books, but any reasonably well written book can enhance your perspective. I just finishing reading The Twelve Caesars by Matthew Dennison. I’m not suggesting you read this book, but I am suggesting you read a book if you are serious about improving yourself.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

I saw Terminator Genisys in 3D. Sure, Arnold is older than when he made the first Terminator movie back in 1984; but as he says many times throughout the movie about himself, “Old, but not obsolete”.

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK (Obtained from the Skimm)

If you want to be extraordinary, you cannot constantly play it safe. As for advice, I would be less concerned about the quality of the advice giver and more concerned about the quality of the advice.

“In this life, he who risks nothing cannot win”

Source:The son of El Chapo — aka the escaped Mexican drug lord — getting philosophical about his dad’s prison break.

Quote from: http://www.theskimm.com/

The Skimm is a very cool website that gives you the latest news updates Monday through Friday and is very brief. Check it out and see if you don’t like it as much as I do.

THIS WEEK’S POLL

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

I found this on the internet and I think it was intended as a joke. But I thought about it and decided that this was a very wise bear because this bear focuses on the similarities among people; rather than their differences.

SHORT VIDEO – THE DEADLIFT

CONCLUSION

http://www.amazon.com/Tired-Being-Ordinary-Are-You/dp/0990388697

Also, if you enjoy this blog, why not pass it on to your friends as well as consider liking my Facebook page Harmony Books & Films, LLC. So far, 51 of you have been kind enough to like my Facebook page.

07/13/15 – WORK

July 13, 2015 Wm. Allen2 Comments

THIS WEEK’S THEME: WORK

This week’s theme is work from Chapter 45 of my book. By the way, if you have read my book; please do me a favor by letting others know what you thought of it at Amazon address below.

http://www.amazon.com/Tired-Being-Ordinary-Are-You/dp/0990388697

Although I am no longer in the traditional work world, I earned W2 wages from the age of 17 until I was 63. I’ve had 5 1/2 years to reflect on these work years and realize I made many mistakes during those years, but I also did a few things right. More importantly, I had the opportunity to observe a number of people who did a whole lot of things right. So here are a few suggestions you may find of value.

Don’t work for the money, work for the love of the task you are doing.

Do not quit your job until you have found an equal or hopefully better job.

Speak bad of no one, control your anger and accept difficult situations as learning opportunities and stay positive regardless.

Try to lift up everyone you come into contact with be they in a low position or a high position. You are spending the better part of your day with your co-workers, treat them like family. Here is a photo of my family:

SELF-HELP BOOKS IN ADDITION TO MY OWN

This week I am recommending an extremely easy to read book with lots and lots of cool pictures and very few words. However, less is more as a fellow named Edward Everett, who spoke for two hours at Gettysburg before Lincoln gave his less than 3-minute speech.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

I think you will find Horrible Bosses really funny. However, I have to warn you that it lives up to its “R” rating.

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

Work should ennoble,

not kill,

the human spirit.

Source: George Lois

THIS WEEK’S POLL

You can find the results of last week’s poll by scrolling down to the prior week’s post and clicking on “view results” of that poll.

However, here is a poll that I believe you will find most interesting

THIS WEEK’S JOKE FROM THE DAYS BEFORE CABLE & SATELLITE, WHEN WE HOPED OUR ANTENNAS WOULD WORK.

Two antennas met on a roof.

The Ceremony wasn’t much,

but the reception was excellent

CONCLUSION

Talking about getting something to work, I brought down an old 1953 Lionel train from that attic. I don’t want to say how long it took me or what it cost; but I finally got the train working as you can see from the video below.

Something else I need to make work is this blog. If you have any suggestions as to what I can do to make it both more helpful and entertaining, please let me know at harmonybooksfilmsllc@comcast.net or leave a comment. All you have to do to leave a comment is to click on the last line of the weekly post, where it says, “Leave a comment”.

07/06/15 – DISCULPARSE

July 5, 2015July 5, 2015 Wm. AllenLeave a comment

THIS WEEK’S THEME: DISCULPARSE

I used the Spanish word for apologize because I know so many are apology challenged and I didn’t want to scare those of you that are nonapologists away from my blog.

I read an interesting article in the Sunday, June 28, 2015 New York Times by Laura Zigman. The article was titled, Sorry – A Nonapologist’s Apology.

The article made some interesting points about people with fragile self-esteem preferring to offer explanations (aka excuses) to admitting they were wrong and offering a sincere apology without an excuse.

I cover the topic of apologizing in Chapter 32 of my book, Apologize–Without Being Asked, and Never Ask for an Apology.

http://www.amazon.com/Tired-Being-Ordinary-Are-You/dp/0990388697

SELF-HELP BOOKS IN ADDITION TO MY OWN

This week’s recommendation is a book that I have possessed for over 20 years. It is George Washington’s Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior. It doesn’t really address the need to apologize; but given that the Fourth of July weekend just ended and it was written by George Washington when he was 14 years old, I think it says a lot more than what it actually says.

Copied out by hand as a young man aspiring to the status of Gentleman, the 110 precepts which make up this work were based on a set of rules composed by French Jesuits in 1595. The first English edition of these rules was available in Francis Hawkins’ Youths Behavior, or Decency in Conversation Amongst Men, which appeared in 1640, and it is from this work that George Washington seems to have copied. However much he may have simplified them, these precepts had a strong influence on Washington, who aimed to always live by them. The rules focus on self-respect and respect for others through details of etiquette and offer pointers on such issues as how to dress, walk, eat in public, and address one’s superiors. (Source: Amazon / Barnes & Nobles)

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

I found some great “apology” scenes, but I just didn’t feel the scene was worth the viewing of the entire movie, so instead I am going to apologize and recommend you watch one of the four Pirates of the Caribbean films. Surely, there are some apologies somewhere in these films. My favorite still being the first one, The Curse of the Black Pearl. I understand a fifth film is to be released July 7, 2017; titled Dead Men Tell No Tails.

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

“Never ruin an apology with an excuse.”

Source: Benjamin Franklin

THIS WEEK’S POLL

RESULTS OF LAST WEEK’S POLL ON USA RELATIONS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES

Over 50% of you believe the USA tries to be fair in its dealings with other countries, but makes many mistakes. However, there is a sizable number of you (35%) that believe the USA is more interested in advancing its own interests than letting other countries follow their own course.

THIS WEEK’S JOKES

CONCLUSION

Since we are wrapping up the Fourth of July weekend here in the USA, I thought I would post a video of this year’s International Freedom Festival fireworks display on the Detroit River between Canada and the USA.

For those of you that have supported me by purchasing a copy of my book, please do me another favor and let others know what you thought of it at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Tired-Being-Ordinary-Are-You/dp/0990388697

Harmony Books & Films, LLC

Tired of being ordinary, then here are some tips for becoming extraordinary.

Month: July 2015

07/27/15 – Sad News, Attila the Hun, Validation, Steve Jobs, Religion & Barnes & Nobles

07/20/15 – Change, Emmy’s Post, Detroit Free Press, Iran, Caesars, Terminator, Drug Lord, the Skimm, Poll, a Bear & a Short Video

07/13/15 – WORK