CURRENT EVENTS 

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and best wishes for an extraordinary 2016.

Also, for those of you into reading books on a Kindle, I reduced the price of the Kindle version of my book down to $4.95.  By the end of the year, if you apply yourself, you will be extraordinary or at least more extraordinary than you currently are–why not give it a try.

SELF-HELP BOOKS

I was in Barnes & Nobles the other day and couldn’t stop myself from purchasing a collectible version of this extraordinary self-help book which was first published on December 19, 1843 and have never been out of print.

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

There is never enough time to do or say all the things that we would wish. The thing is to try to do as much as you can in the time that you have. Remember Scrooge, time is short, and suddenly, you’re not here any more.

Source: The Ghost of Christmas Present 

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

It’s A Wonderful Life

This updated version of It’s A Wonderful Life is my absolute favorite.  Please check it out, it is only 1 minute and 33 seconds.  Please let me know via comments if you enjoy it.

LAST WEEK’S POLL – Star Wars vs. Star Trek

    

The result of last week’s poll is that 64% of you prefer Star Trek, whereas, 36% of you prefer Star Wars.

THIS WEEK POLL – Your Dreams

Since this week is a start of a new year, this week’s poll is again about your dreams and aspirations for the future.

      

SONG OF THE WEEK

Sorry folks, I seem to be stuck in the 50s.  

Run Rudolph Run by Chuck Berry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCTeXUkTFwQ

But for those of you who aren’t into Chuck, well here is a version by Sheryl Crow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhce_LI9dgc

And here is a version by Steven Tyler and Brad Paisley

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmCZfljt1Kw

Run Rudolph Run” is a Christmas song written by Johnny Marks and Marvin Brodie. The song was first recorded by Chuck Berry in 1958. It has since been covered by numerous other artists including Emily Osment, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sister Hazel, Billy Ray Cyrus, Five Easy Pieces, Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons, Dave Edmunds, Hanson, Sheryl Crow, Bryan Adams, Lulu, Click Five, The Grateful Dead, Keith Richards, Brinsley Schwarz, Jimmy Buffett, Foghat, Paul Brandt, Whitney Wolanin, Kelly Clarkson, The Tractors, Dwight Yoakam, Reverend Horton Heat, Hanoi Rocks, Billy Idol, Cee Lo Green, Luke Bryan, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Joe Perry, Los Lonely Boys, Jane Krakowski (Source:  Wikipedia)

PAINTING OF THE WEEK

Dogs Playing Poker refers collectively to a series of sixteen oil paintings by C. M. Coolidge, commissioned in 1903 by Brown & Bigelow to advertise cigars.  The painting below is titled, A Friend in Need.

While some send out family portraits as their holiday cards, photographer Ed Wheeler has been dressing up as Santa Claus for years and posing in hilarious compositions for his cards. It was in 2011, though, when the festive photographer decided to take his work a step further and incorporate jolly ol’ Saint Nick into classical masterpieces, such as the painting below by C.M. Coolidge.

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE

Santa Claus

Santa delivering gifts to children

Santa Claus has been believed to make a list of children throughout the world, categorizing them according to their behavior (“naughty” or “nice”) and to deliver presents, including toys, and candy to all of the well-behaved children in the world, and sometimes coal to the naughty children, on the single night of Christmas Eve. He accomplishes this feat with the aid of the elves who make the toys in the workshop and the flying reindeer who pull his sleigh.[5][6] He is commonly portrayed as living at the North Pole and saying “ho ho ho” often.(Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

This week’s joke illustrates the importance of context

BLOG

I always appreciate those that leave comments on my weekly posts, since it encourages me to continue these posts.  This week I am thanking my friend Tania for leaving a comment. Leaving a comment is easy, just click on “Leave A Comment”, which is immediately below the title of this week’s post.  And if instead of seeing “Leave A Comment”, you see “# Comments”, just click on that and scroll down to leave your comment.

If you think this blog has any merit, please pass it on to your friends, as well as liking my Facebook page.

MY BOOK

If you have any interest in changing your life for helping someone else change their life, please consider my book.

Again, for those of you into reading books on a Kindle, I reduced the price of the Kindle version of my book down to $4.95.

My book can be purchased on-line from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million.  It is also available in a ebook format.  And if you have read my book, please leave an evaluation of it on Amazon.  Thank you.

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

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

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Im-Tired-Being-Ordinary/Wm-Allen/9780990388692?id=6429711012885