CURRENT EVENTS
Worlds Best Cook
It was my honor last Friday to be able to present this year’s, World’s Best Cook award to Chef Valda. Chef Valda was selected as the World’s Best Cook by a panel of culinary experts, many of whom attended the ceremony and gave testimony as to the pleasure of Chef Valda’s skills.
Embracing Peace
“Embracing Peace,” a sculpture by Seward Johnson, was installed Monday in Memorial Park in Royal Oak, MI, USA.
A 25-foot-tall sculpture based on a famed photograph of a kiss in Times Square in New York City at the end of World War II is visiting Royal Oak as part of efforts to raise money for a war memorial.
It is one of several “Embracing Peace” sculptures on display in the U.S. and Europe. (Source: Crain’s Detroit)
PHYSICAL TRAITS
Honor Thy Temple
Remember, it is just a dream.
CHARACTER TRAITS
The Foundation for Being Extraordinary
If there is one character trait that could help you live an extraordinary life, this could be it.
SOCIAL TRAITS
Getting Along with Others
If you want to get along with others, keep this in mind.
LEARNING TRAITS
Growth Keeps You Extraordinary
Every so often I like to share scientific information. Perhaps, this is some scientific information that will really make your day.
MISCELLANEOUS
The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary
SELF-HELP BOOKS
How Proust Can Change Your Life
By Alain de Botton
This isn’t a new book, it was written in 1997, but I’ve read and reviewed it a number of times and have found it helpful and interesting.
Helpful by reminding us if we think and act like we are going to live forever, a lot of things important to us will be missed.
It has some interesting ideas such as characters we see in paintings (I will add to that movies and TV), we should imagine people we know in those roles.
There is also insight into human nature, such as when people part, it is the one not in love that makes the tender speeches.
MOVIE OF THE WEEK
Love and Friendship
This movie is not laugh out loud funny, but it has some very clever dialogue.
Love & Friendship is a 2016 romantic comedy. It is based on Jane Austen’s novel Lady Susan, first published in 1871. The film stars Kate Beckinsale, Chloë Sevigny, Xavier Samuel and Stephen Fry.
Although it was adapted from Austen’s novel Lady Susan, the film was produced under the borrowed title of her juvenile story, Love and Friendship. Love & Friendship received critical acclaim and has been a box office success in North America.
LAST WEEK’S POLL – Tolerance
When it comes to tolerance:
67% – thought they were more tolerant than others
28% – thought they were about as tolerant as others
5% – thought they were less tolerant than others
How tolerance do you believe most people are:
59% – thought most people were ok, but could improve their level of tolerance
23% – thought most people were not very tolerant
18% – thought people were very tolerant
THIS WEEK POLL – Brexit
MUSIC OF THE WEEK
“We Didn’t Start the Fire”
by Billy Joel
ART OF THE WEEK
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Here I am by the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but I must admit that it looks a bit different from I had envisioned and as seen in history books.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is known worldwide for its unintended tilt.
The tower’s tilt began during construction, caused by an inadequate foundation on ground too soft on one side to properly support the structure’s weight. The tilt increased in the decades before the structure was completed, and gradually increased until the structure was stabilized (and the tilt partly corrected) by efforts in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. (Source: Wikipedia)
EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE
Captain James T. Kirk
James Tiberius Kirk was born in Riverside, Iowa, Earth on March 22, 2233 and graduated from Starfleet Academy in 2254. He was captain of the United Federation of Planet’s Constitution-class starships Enterprise (NCC-1701) and Enterprise (NCC-1701A).
James Kirk never married, as his strongest passion was for his career and his command, ship and crew. He was renowned for many relationships with women, human and otherwise.
Kirk is best known for his independence and unorthodox problem solving. Kirk violated the Prime Directive a few times during his various commands, such as the renegade Enterprise crew’s voyage into 1986 in a mission to take a pair of humpback whales into the 23rd century.
He joined 24th century starship captain Jean-Luc Picard [Please don’t ask me how he did that] to prevent El-Aurian scientist Tolian Soran from destroying the Veridian star system. Unfortunately he died in the fight with Soran. Picard buried Kirk on Veridian III.
THIS WEEK’S JOKE
BLOG
Thanks to Tania & Samantha, for commenting on last week’s post. I urge you to let me know what you are thinking via a blog comment.
My thanks to Raul for following my blog (Now 71 Followers) and the 66 people who liked my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page.
If you think this blog has any merit, please pass it on to your friends. Hopefully, more of you will continue to share this blog with others. My thanks to Carol, Joyce, Joanne, Cindy, Russ & Karen for sharing my post last week on Facebook.
MY BOOK
If you know someone who is trying to change their life or that needs to change their life, please consider my book.
For those of you into reading books on a Kindle, the Kindle version of my book is $4.95.
My book is available on-line from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million.
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.booksamillion.com/p/Im-Tired-Being-Ordinary/Wm-Allen/9780990388692?id=6429711012885
Harmony Books & Films, LLC 
Not your fault, Bill, but I chose not to vote this time because your choice offerings didn’t quite fit everything I’m feeling about the subject. Great job otherwise!
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Jo. thanks for commenting; much appreciated. Just think if you were a voter in Britain, you had to either vote yes or no or choose the option of not voting at all 🙂
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I cannot vote as my ad-blocker doesn’t approve of your poll (I can try later on my cell phone). Anyway, regarding the Brexit, I read in the papers today that Johnson has milded up regarding the rest of Europe, and that many Brits are having second thoughts.
I also read Iceland beat them in the European Championship of football.
Lovely post, as usual, Bill. The images you use with the wise sayings and the jokes always make me smile 🙂
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Thank you Samantha, I always find comments so encouraging. I’m grateful to the few of you that do take the time to comment. Bill
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i just watched the we didn’t start the fire video this week myself..also there is a video on American pie..the day the music died…both are very interesting
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Sue, thank you for commenting and especially for your American Pie suggestion. Since next week will be Fourth of July, I thought I would use the American Pie video–it seemed appropriate. Again thank you for the suggestion. Bill
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We always think we’re much more open than most people, more tolerant, more understanding, have a better sense of humor, more everything we consider good. Wish that were really true. How much better the world would be. Your poll was spot on.
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Carolyn, thank you for astute comment, I agree whole heartily. Except in your case, you really are more tolerant, understanding, have a better sense of humor and embody everything we consider good.
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